Author Spotlight: J.C. Kenney Is Back with More Elmo Simpson!
Congratulations to Roseann McGrath Brooks! You are J.C.’s winner of a free eb00k! Enjoy! J.C. will be in touch with you. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to celebrate the new Elmo Simpson book with us! We love talking with our readers!
I’m sure y’all have figured out by now that J.C. Kenney is one of my very favorite cozy mystery writers. (Confession: I’m think I’m a tiny bit in love with Elmo Simpson–his hero in the Elmo Simpson Mysteries series.) J.C. also happens to be one of my very favorite people in the world. I’m blessed to have him as a friend as well as someone who writes the cozies I love.
About himself, J.C. tells me, “I wrote traditional mystery stories set in small towns in my home state of Indiana. A Literal Mess, book one in my Allie Cobb Mysteries Series, is an Amazon and Kobo bestseller and was a finalist for a Muse Medallion from the Cat Writers Association. Now I’ve moved my stories to the Panhandle of Florida and my fictional town of Paradise Springs.
I have two grown children, and I live in Indianapolis with my wife and a cat.. I dream of one day retiring to a place where the water is warm and the beaches are soft. I love motorsports, so when I’m not writing, you can probably find me checking in on the latest from IndyCar and Formula 1.”
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Let’s Do It Again!
Hi, folks! It’s fabulous to be back in the spotlight with the even more fabulous Nan Reinhardt. So, in case you didn’t hear the champagne cork popping, I became the proud papa of another book baby the other day. Murder Under the Marquee, book 2 in my Elmo Simpson Mysteries, landed this past Monday, and I’m still riding that book release high.
I’m not going to lie. I was worried about the reception of Murder Under the Marquee. Readers responded so positively to the first book in the series, Panic in the Panhandle, that it made CozyMystery.com’s list of Top Ten Cozy Mysteries of 2024. Here’s a link to that post: The Top Ten Cozies of 2024 | CozyMystery.com.
All the love Panic in the Panhandle received meant that a high bar was set for Murder Under the Marquee. I’m fortunate that this is the second book in a series instead of something completely new and different, though. You see, when writing a series, I get to take advantage of stuff I’ve already made up. Components like the setting and the main characters are already in place and I can build upon them. At the same time, I get to keep things fresh new components to the little world I’ve built.
It’s the best of both worlds!
How about I dive into that a bit more? Let’s start with setting. In this series, it’s the fictional gulf coast town of Paradise Springs, Florida. In book one, I got to introduce you to places like Elmo’s trailer, Nicola’s boat, the Sea Breeze Resort, and the Riptide Barbeque Shack. This time around, I revisit those familiar haunts while introducing you to new locales like The Magnificent Marlin Entertainment Center and the Paradise Springs Pier. Adding locations as a series progresses is a lot of fun. The challenge, though, can be remembering where everything is. I can’t have buildings sprouting legs and moving on me. These are whodunnits, not sci-fi stories, after all.
A similar principle applies to the characters in a series. After introducing you to Elmo and his gang of oddballs in Panic, we get to meet more denizens of the Springs in Murder. Folks like Craig Abbott, the Farrell Sisters, and Bobby Darrin add even more vibrancy to an already colorful cast of characters.
There’s something even more important when it comes to writing the characters over the course of a series. I, as the author, and you, as the reader, get to know them better. For instance, in Murder Under the Marquee, we learn what kind of pizza Elmo really does not like. We also unearth a lot of the reasons why Nicola runs her tour boat operation the way she does. As we learn these things, the characters become more real. Hopefully, that means you, as the reader, become more invested in what happens to them.
It’s that emotional investment, in the characters and setting, I hope to foster. If you come to care about Elmo, Oscar, and the rest of the Paradise Springs misfits, then I’ve done my job. And if I’ve done that, hopefully you’ll keep coming back to the Springs with me. Which is good, because Dead in the Ditch, book three in the series, comes out May 4. Holy cow, that’s only a few months away!
First things first, though. I hope you enjoy this whodunnit from Paradise Springs, both the new things and the familiar people and places. After all, that’s part of what writing and reading a series so much fun.
Giveaway!
And speaking of fun, how about a giveaway? I’m giving an e-book copy of Murder Under the Marquee to a lucky commenter, who will be drawn at random. To enter, tell me what your favorite book series is and why. We’ll draw a winner on Saturday morning. Thanks for reading!
Murder Under the Marquee
Wild animal removal specialist Elmo Simpson has another murder on his hands. It’s starting to become a habit…
When a body is found on the beach near the Paradise Springs marina in the sleepy panhandle of Florida, Elmo’s disinclined to weigh in on it. But the victim is Desiree LaFontaine, former first mate of Elmo’s girlfriend, Nic, who apparently was the last person to see Desiree alive. Which makes Nicola suspect number one.
But there are other suspects. Like Craig Abbott, owner of Craig’s Cruises, who’s been taking a slice of Nic’s tour boat customers ever since he set up shop. Or could it be Desiree’s old boyfriend Bobby Darrin, who just plain doesn’t want to be found? And why is Drunk Paul, who’s rarely drunk but hangs around the marina, acting so squirrelly?
Elmo doesn’t believe for a minute Nic’s a murderer, so he dives headlong into the seamy underbelly of Paradise Springs’ tourism industry to try to clear her name. But time is short, and Elmo must reel the murderer in before Nic is put away and Elmo ends up under water–for good.
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9 Comments
Roseann McGrath Brooks
Whoops. Sorry. I replied to your own reply to BN100. Sigh. That’s what I get for using my phone instead of my laptop. Anyway, congratulations on the launch!
Latesha B.
Happy Book Release week, J.C! This story souds great. I don’t know that I have a favorite book series as each is great in its own way.
J.C. Kenney
Thank you so much! I hear ya. The second I’m ready to say a certain series is my favorite, I think of another one I love. A good problem to have!
bn100
no fav
J.C. Kenney
I hear ya. It can be so hard to pick a favorite!
Roseann McGrath Brooks
Congrats on the launch. The series sounds really fun! I gotta admit to liking Jan Karon’s Mitford series. I loved following the characters, and it was easy to read, say, a chapter a night just to relax.
J.C.
Thanks very much! I’m not familiar with that series. Will have to check it out. Cheers!
Liz Flaherty
Ah, J.C., I can’t wait to dig into Murder Under the Marquee. Like Nan, I’m way enamoured with Elmo. I also love the Panhandle. Best of luck with the new release!
J.C. Kenney
Thank you so much, Liz! You’re so kind and I’m so thrilled you’re enjoying spending time with Elmo and his crew. Cheers!