It’s my stop today on the blog tour for Collecting Can be Murder by Jennifer S. Alderson. Many thanks to Lori from Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for the invite.
I am honored to host Jennifer on the blog today. I am a huge fan of her Travel Can be Murder series and I cannot wait to catch up on Collecting Can Be Murder series. If you haven’t read Jennifer’s books yet, let me tell you that you are missing out a lot. She’s one of the best authors out there. So, if you are a cozy mystery fan, Jennifer’s books are a MUST in your list.
Let’s see what Jennifer has to say about her new series, writing career, and much more.
Hello Jennifer and welcome to my blog, The Book Decoder. Please tell me and my readers about yourself.
Thanks for having me, Rekha! I am the author of seventeen novels and short stories spread across three series – the Zelda Richardson Art Mysteries, the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and now the Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries. I’m also a long-time expat, an American who’s been living in the Netherlands since 2004.
I grew up on the West Coast of the United States and worked as a journalist, then later a multimedia developer for large corporations, until massive burnout led me to quit my job, buy a backpack, and travel the world.
After four years on the road, I moved to the Netherlands to study art history. I was lucky enough to work for several museums before the economy crashed and the cultural sector imploded. That was also the period during which I met my future husband, which was another reason to stay in Amsterdam!
When I’m not writing, I love to ride my bike around the Dutch countryside, visit museums, and travel to new places with my family.
Tell us about your brand-new cozy mystery series, Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries.
My new series follows the adventures of art sleuth, Carmen De Luca. She was the best in her field, until her husband’s murder sent her spiraling into a deep depression. But early retirement didn’t suit her, which is why she hopped on a plane to France right after her former partner called, begging for her help.
At the beginning of Collecting Can Be Murder, Carmen is in Europe to help her former partner find an ancient prayer book that was possible stolen ten years ago from a museum in Ohio.
It seemed as if she was about to wrap up first assignment in record time, when her target is murdered and the rare book stolen again! After the local detective takes an interest in her, she has to help solve the case in order to clear her name.
I hope this new series will appeal to readers who love puzzling plots, resourceful heroines, and a dash of art history.
What’s the inspiration behind this series?
Several novels and films that feature strong, intelligent female spies and detective-types, inspired Carmen and the fictitious organization that she works for – everything from the French version of La Femme Nikita to Janet Evonovich’s Stephanie Plum.
What kind of research do you do before writing your books?
Figuring out which art objects would be stolen was quite a bit of fun, though did take longer than expected, mostly because I spent too much time browsing through images of vintage furniture and prayer books while preparing to write book one. But it was so interesting that it was tough to stop! Book two gave me the chance to learn more about the world of movie props, both the nefarious stories behind some of the more famous pieces’ creations, as well as their higher-than-expected value.
To me, that’s part of the fun of writing a new book – I get to learn something new, as well!
What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published author?
Read as much as you write, especially in the genre you are targeting. By reading the more highly rated or popular books, you will get to know what readers’ expectations are, as well as be introduced to the work of authors you may be lucky enough to work with, one day!
What does an ideal day in Jennifer Alderson’s life looks like?
My ideal day begins with not being woken up by an alarm clock, having coffee in my sunny garden, and taking a bike ride or going for a swim with my husband and son, before having a sunset dinner at a restaurant on the beach. To make it truly perfect, I would sneak in a little writing time between exercise and dinner! LOL
There’s a giveaway for this tour. Details are here.
The Book Decoder 
Thanks so much!!!! Your introduction has me blushing – again! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed my stories so far, and truly hope you enjoy Collecting Can Be Murder! Either way, thanks for sharing my work with your readers. All the best, Jennifer