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We here at WOW! Women on Writing are excited to launch the blog tour for Murder by Milkshake by returning author Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. This book is a perfect cozy mystery readers are excited to get into - and the best news is it’s the first book of a fabulous series!
Read on to find out the author's inspiration behind this series in an exceptional author interview, and enter to win a copy!
Murder by Milkshake is the first book in the Sweet Dreams (cozy YA) Series. If you haven’t read the other books by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo, you’ve arrived on scene just in time for this sweet treat and we are also accepting reviewers for book two (click this link to sign up today)!
Here's a bit more about Murder by Milkshake:
Book Summary
Life is sweet for high school senior and ice cream slinger Genevieve Winterland. Her father owns Sweet Dreams Ice Cream Parlour, the cutest confectionery shop in their little town of Pinewood, Arizona. Genevieve loves her job, but when her father hires a broody newcomer with a dark past to provide extra security on her closing shifts, Genevieve bristles. Is this part of her father’s plan to send her away to college, when all she wants is to stay in Pinewood and run the family business?
Meanwhile, everyone’s favorite new teacher at Pinewood High, Miss Love, is receiving death threats, and then she goes missing. Genevieve suspects the crabby substitute, Ms. Pierce, who seems murderous about being passed over for the position. Or is the culprit Mr. Garcia, the longtime instructor who Miss Love replaced after he was fired for assaulting a student? Just when Genevieve thinks she knows the answer, she stumbles across the dead body of another missing faculty member.
Can Genevieve find the killer terrorizing the teachers in her beloved hometown—before someone else gets iced?
Genre: Cozy Mystery
ASIN : B0D94VG7L8
Publication date : July 15, 2024
Print length : 220 pages
Best Sellers Rank: #897,102 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
#413 in Teen & Young Adult Detective Story eBooks
#3,672 in Teen & Young Adult Mysteries & Detective Stories
#8,610 in Amateur Sleuth Mysteries (Kindle Store)
Murder by Milkshake is available in print and as an ebook at Amazon. You can add it to your GoodReads reading list as well.
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About the Author, Elizabeth Maria Naranjo:
Elizabeth Maria Naranjo is the author of The Fourth Wall, The House on Linden Way, and What Was Never There. Her stories and essays have been widely published and nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best American Essays, and Best of the Net, and her short story, “Windows,” was selected for Best Microfiction 2023. She lives in Tempe, Arizona, with her husband and two children.
#murderbymilkshakenaranjo
Elizabeth and Murder by Milkshake can be found online:
Interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto
WOW: Welcome back my friend! Thank you for allowing me, and the team here at WOW! Women on Writing to be part of the entire journey with the Sweet Dreams Series! It’s such a pleasure to welcome you back and support your fabulous writing! Let’s get down to business and the burning question: what first sparked the idea of the series?
Elizabeth: Thanks, Crystal! The pleasure is mine; it’s always wonderful to be back on WOW, and I’m thrilled to launch the Sweet Dreams Series on my favorite writing blog.
The idea for Sweet Dreams goes back to 2019, when I was reading a lot of young adult (YA) fiction and also a lot of cozy mysteries. One afternoon on a break at work I had the sudden idea to combine the two. I swear I actually felt the light bulb go off. There was this surge of giddy excitement, and then I thought, no way this hasn’t been done before.
To anyone not familiar, cozy mysteries are light-hearted, funny, and PG-rated. They are murder mysteries with no gratuitous violence, sex, profanity, or drugs. Cozies feature an amateur sleuth, a close-knit community, and a theme centered around a job or hobby, like baking or knitting. They are written for middle-aged women, but I’m convinced they’d be loved by teens if the protagonists were aged down.
I started looking for any examples of YA cozy mysteries, but there were none. All of the teen mysteries I found were dark, high-stakes thrillers that usually involved dead girls. I figured if anyone needed more laughter in their lives, it’s teenagers, so I decided to write a YA cozy mystery series. Something low-stakes, with humor, and no dead kids (all victims in Sweet Dreams are adults). Think Scooby-Doo, but with murder.
WOW: That’s fascinating and a wonderful glimpse into your thought process. Thank you! What have you learned through publishing so many books? What tidbits can you share with others just starting out?
Elizabeth: Starting out, I would say, write like a kid, and edit like an adult. Embrace that initial joy of a project with all the childlike enthusiasm it deserves. And when you inevitably lose momentum, be disciplined and commit to seeing your vision through. You’ll build confidence, and you will never regret finishing a project.
One thing I’ve learned from publishing several books is there’s no point where you’re like, hey, I finally figured out how to write a book! Each one is different. For example, the second book in the Sweet Dreams series was the hardest book I’ve ever worked on. Editing it was a challenge, and often a slog. Murder by Milkshake, by comparison, was easily the most fun I’ve had writing a book. It took three months to draft, and every edit was a joy. In the end, I love them both, but you can never predict how a project will go!
One tidbit I’d like to share is that you don’t have to edit in a linear way. Let’s say, like me, it takes you about a month to edit a book, and you edit that book at least three times. If you start with chapter one every time, two things will happen. One is you will hate chapter one. Two is chapter one will be absolutely perfect because it gets all of your best efforts and optimism.
When I go in for a second or third edit, I start at different places. Maybe for edit two I start with the final chapter and work my way backwards. Edit three I start in the middle. In the end, each part of the book has had the benefit of me coming in fresh and energized, something that fades pretty quickly about a week into a tough edit!
WOW: Thank you for that wonderful insight; I don’t know where you find the time and patience! Speaking of advice, this is a favorite question of mine: What would your current self like to say to the teenage Elizabeth?
Elizabeth: I’d tell her not to worry, that the stories will still be there wherever she goes, and that she’s lucky to have discovered so early in life what she loves to do. I’d tell her “One day, you’re going to have a dedicated shelf on your bookcase filled with your own books, with pretty covers and your name on the spines, just like you always dreamed.”
WOW: I’m absolutely a cover girl so I feel every part of those pretty covers - it’s all about drawing the reader in and getting them to read the book summary! Well done my friend. Your cover may have drawn me in, but your characters are the best! That leads me to the next question, or questions - tell me about your cover art and your favorite character in Murder by Milkshake!
Elizabeth: Ooh, I love this question! For the cover art, I was very specific with my designer, Deranged Doctor Design. I wanted it to be cute and fun and girly—just like my MC. I wanted Sweet Dreams Ice Cream Parlour to be the main feature, so I described the shop in detail—the cheery atmosphere, the polka-dot tiled floor, the pink-and-white striped wallpaper. Like all cozies, I wanted the cover to be 90% adorable and 10% sinister, with perhaps one ominously oozing dessert. The book designer absolutely nailed it.
As for my favorite character in Sweet Dreams, that’s my MC, Genevieve Winterland. She is everything I always wanted in a young adult female protagonist. She’s energetic, cheerful, adorably flawed, loves her small town, her father, her job, embraces her feminine side (Genevieve loves clothes and is never without her signature Cherry on Top lipstick), and is way too busy running the family business to even think about romance. Her friendship with BFF Brandon Summers is entirely platonic, something I’d longed to see in YA.
Genevieve is flawed in that she can be impulsive and stubborn, but she is unfailingly kind and has such a positive outlook. She sees the best in everyone and believes most problems can be solved with a dish of ice cream. And even if you only visited her ice cream shop once, three years ago, Genevieve will remember your order. I love her.
WOW: That’s deep and thank you for being so open with us here today! As we discussed, you’ll be back soon with book 2, Pralines and Creamed, (sign up to be an early reader/reviewer by clicking here), so tell us, what's next for you for 2024 and beyond?
Elizabeth: My goal for 2024 was to publish all three books in the Sweet Dreams series. I’m so close! But Pralines and Creamed took longer to edit than I anticipated, and it’s more important to me to make sure each book is as good as I can possibly make it. So although Pralines and Creamed will be out as planned on October 1 (preorder here!), the third book is getting pushed to 2025.
After that, I’m torn between continuing my micro memoir project, returning to motherhood essays (with my youngest going away to college next year I have so much fresh material!), or drafting a new novel. Whichever I choose, the common theme is literary. I’ve had a blast writing commercial fiction, but I am ready to embrace again the more melancholy and lyrical writing that’s defined the majority of my work.
WOW: Thank you so much for letting us be part of your journey and I’m excited to find out more about your next book(s). Be sure to keep in touch with us; returning authors are important lifelong friends!
Elizabeth: I will definitely keep in touch! I’m planning a WOW reviews tour for Pralines and Creamed later this year (sign up for that by clicking this link), and when the third book is ready to publish, you’ll be the first to know!
Check out this hashtag to stay up to date with this tour, the book, and it’s author: #murderbymilkshakenaranjo
----Blog Tour Dates
September 9th @ The Muffin
What goes better with coffee in the morning than a muffin? Join us at the WOW blog to celebrate the launch of author Elizabeth Maria Naranjo’s Murder by Milkshake. You can read an interview with Elizabeth and enter to win a copy of the book.
September 9th @ StoreyBook Reviews
Leslie Storey reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at StoreyBook Reviews will be dying to learn more about this cozy mystery!
September 10th @ Goodreads with Karen Brown Tyson
Stop by Goodreads and find out what Karen Brown Tyson thinks of the latest cozy mystery by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Murder by Milkshake will leave readers wanting more stories by this talented author!
September 10th @ Rockin Book Reviews
Lu Ann at Rocking Book Reviews shares her thoughts with readers about Elizabeth Maria Naranjo’s Murder by Milkshake - this is a fabulous cozy mystery readers won’t want to miss!
http://www.rockinbookreviews.com
September 11th @ Book Woman Joan
Joan Nienhuis - known as Book Woman Joan reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery!
http://bookwomanjoan.blogspot.com
September 11th @ The Burgeoning Bookshelf
Veronica Joy reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at the Burgeoning Bookshelf won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery!
https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com
September 12th @ Life According to Jamie
See what Jamie has to say as she reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery!
September 12th @ Writer Advice
Fellow WOW! Author, B. Lynn Goodwin reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Fellow authors leave some of the most helpful reviews - see how many stars Goodwin gives Naranjo!
https://www.writeradvice.com
September 12th @ Just Katherine
Katherine reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at Just Katherine won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery so they can add it to their own TBR pile today!
September 13th @ What is that Book About
In the spotlight today at What is that Book About is none other than: Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery by this talented author!
September 14th @ Chapter Break
Today’s guest author at Chapter Break is Elizabeth Maria Naranjo who is touring with her latest cozy mystery, Murder by Milkshake. Readers will delight with today’s post titled: YA Cozy Mysteries: A Perfect Pairing!
September 15th @ Finished Pages
Renee Roberson is a big fan of Elizabeth Maria Naranjo who is touring with her latest cozy mystery, Murder by Milkshake. Find out what Renee has to say and how many stars she will give!
www.FinishedPages.com
September 16th @ Fiona Ingram Author
Today’s guest author at Fiona Ingram’s website is Elizabeth Maria Naranjo who is touring with her latest cozy mystery, Murder by Milkshake. Readers will delight with today’s post titled: 5 Key Ingredients to Creating a Cozy Mystery.
September 17th @ Bibliotica
Melissa reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at Bibliotica won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery so they can add it to their own TBR pile today!
September 18th @ Frugal Freelancer
Sara reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at the Frugal Freelancer won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery; others are raving about this fantastic read!
September 19th @ Knotty Needle Creative
Judy reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at Knotty Needle Creative won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery! Enjoy!
http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com
September 20th @ Boy’s Mom Reads
Stop by Boy’s Mom Reads and find out what Karen thinks of the latest cozy mystery by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Murder by Milkshake will leave readers wanting more stories by this talented author!
https://karensiddall.wordpress.com
September 21st @ Book Bunnies
Gizem reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at Book Bunnies will love this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery! Enjoy!
September 23rd @ One Writer’s Journey
Sue Bradford Edwards at One Writers’ Journey reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers will delight in this cozy mystery!
September 24th @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog
Fellow author Anthony Avina reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Fellow authors leave some of the best reviews - don’t miss Anthony’s thoughts on this cozy mystery!
http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com
September 27th @ The Faerie Review
Lily at The Faerie Review reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers will delight in this cozy mystery and won’t want to miss today’s review!
September 28th @ Boots Shoes and Fashion
Short and Sweet: The Joy of Bite-Size Books
Today’s guest author at Boots Shoes and Fashion is Elizabeth Maria Naranjo who is touring with her latest cozy mystery, Murder by Milkshake. Readers will delight with today’s post titled: Short and Sweet: The Joy of Bite-Sized Books!
https://bootsshoesandfashion.com
October 1st @ Words by Webb
Jodi at Words by Webb reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers will delight in this cozy mystery and won’t want to miss today’s review!
October 4th @ My Beauty My Books
Nikki at My Beauty My Books reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Stop by and see what Nikki has to say about Naranjo’s latest!
***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****
Enter to win a copy of Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo! Fill out the Rafflecopter form by September 22nd at 11:59 CT for a chance to win. We will choose a winner randomly the next day and follow up via email. Good luck
12 comments:
Wonderful interview, Crystal and Elizabeth! Elizabeth, I think it's so cool you invented a genre, and I can really see it taking off! I read your post about why you decided to create the genre, and I admire your conviction not to budge when it came to POV and word count, despite the agent's interest. Good for you! I also love your book cover. Your designer did a great job. And I appreciated the advice about editing - so helpful. Happy launch and good luck on your tour! It looks fantastic!
Hi Elizabeth! Happy to participate in this tour! I was a huge fan of the Sweet Valley High series when I was a teenager and this book was like a mash-up of those books and the cozy mysteries of Mary Higgins Clark. Can't wait to read the next one. What a fabulous idea to create a new genre!
Thanks, Angela! I do hope more writers start penning YA cozy mysteries. It's just so much fun. I'm glad the editing advice is helpful!
Thank you, Renee! I was happy to see you join the tour! I think I had the first 50 books in the SVH series, and I'll always remember Slam Book Fever (I think it was #48?). When they published the actual slam books you could fill in we were so excited. Fun times. :)
Thank you and the cover is so eye catching
This looks amazing! And I absolutely love the cover !!
Can't wait to read this!
On my reading list
This book sounds very interesting. Love to win it.
Congratulations on your book!
The cover of this book is awesome. Can't wait to read it.
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