DEAD AMID THE DOGWOODS (Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth #5) by Cassidy Salem

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nothing disrupts a celebration quite like an uninvited corpse. 

Adina already knows the city can be a dangerous place. That’s why she’s looking forward to a stress-free weekend in rural Pennsylvania with her favorite detective. Maybe not all that stress-free. 

They are attending an engagement party and Adina will be meeting Jonathan’s family for the first time. Except the holiday weekend takes a deadly turn when leading industrialists, a hard-core environmentalist, and a bevy of wealthy partygoers converge on the Riverfront Lodge, and the couple stumbles upon yet another dead body. 

Drawn into the ensuing investigation, making a good impression on Jonathan's parents is the least of her worries. A standalone novella, Dead amid the Dogwoods is the fifth mystery in the Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth Series. 

Available in digital, audiobook, and print formats from all your favorite retailers - GET IT HERE 

The Adina Donati Series

THINK MURDER 

DYING FOR DATA 

KILLER REPUTATION 

FIT FOR MURDER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cassidy Salem has always been an avid reader. She is especially fond of mysteries (both cozy and traditional) and police procedurals. Over the years, her favorite mystery authors have included Agatha Christie, Kathy Reichs, Mary Higgins Clark, and John Grisham. 

When she’s not reading, she enjoys music and spending time with family and friends, and travels with her husband and son whenever possible. Her travels have taken her to destinations throughout the United States, Europe, and Scandinavia. 

A member of Sisters-in-Crime, Cassidy is the author of the Adina Donati Mystery Series, which includes Think Murder, Dying for Data, Killer Reputations, Fit for Murder, and Dead Amid the Dogwoods. Cassidy co-authors, together with Christa Nardi, a YA mystery series, which includes The Mysterious Package, Mrs. Tedesco’s Missing Cookbook, The Misplaced Dog, Malicious Mischief, and Mayhem on the Midway. You can find Cassidy on her blog (https://cassidysalem.wordpress.com/) or on Twitter (@csalem11).

Happy New Year 2022

Goodbye 2021 and Hello 2022! A year ago we started with some optimism regarding COVID-19 and despite the current surge of cases, we are decidedly better off than a year ago. Just not where we hoped to be.  Still as I look back over the year, I can identify some goals reached and events of note.  On the family side, the most notable event wass the birth of my first great niece! (I only had nephews and great nephews before).  

Looking back, my goals haven't changed very much:

• Be kind. Do something nice for someone, pay it forward, make someone else smile.
• Think positive. Find the silver lining no matter how hard it is to find one.
• Stay in touch with people I care about even if it is easier not to make the effort. It is too easy to become isolated.
• Finish the "hanger-on tasks" from work and truly retire!
• Be productive with my writing, starting with the new series to debut later this month! You can get a free copy of the prequel to the Izzie Di Sante mysteries, Reawakening the Itch, HERE. It will release on January 23rd. The first full book, An Itch for Justice, is scheduled to release on January 26th. 
• Do better at completing reviews and posting on my blog, keeping in communication with my readers and other authors.
• Audiobooks was a new (unplanned) endeavor this past year. Hopefully, all of my backlist will be available in audiobook format by the end of 2022.
• Continue to work on weight, fitness, better eating habits, and all that I can do to stay healthy
• Work on the "Travel Bucket List." A lot of travel was postponed, though we did take a short trip to Lexington, KY. Why Lexington, KY of all places? My husband wanted to check out the bourbon trail and I wanted to visit the general location where a favorite series of mine (Bluegrass series by Kathleen Brooks) is set. It sure sounded beautiful and it was. We'll be taking some time this month for travel, or at least that is the plan...

For all of you, my husband and I wish you all the best for the coming year.  As you plan your reading for the next year, here are some ideas for you (keep scrolling for the rafflecopter!):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post: AUDIO BOOKS AND THE AUTHOR'S PERSPECTIVE by Diane Weiner

Today, in a second guest post on the audiobook process, my guest is Diane Weiner, author of three cozy mysteries, to share her experiences with creating audiobooks. I'm discovering it's definitely an interesting process.

My New Year’s resolution: Get all twenty-one of my cozy mysteries into audiobook format. I’d been hearing about, thinking about, and planning to do this “one day,” and decided 2021 would be my “one day.” 

So what has the process been like from an author’s point of view? I started the process by listening to an author speak on the subject at a local Mystery Writers of America luncheon. I took careful notes, spoke to a few authors who had been through the process, and checked out ACX.com. The first step was to “claim my books” on the dashboard. To produce an audio book, you must own the rights to your book and upload a square cover. 

Once the book is listed, the author has choices to make. First, you must either upload an audio version you have already created, or select a narrator. I needed a narrator, in fact, I needed several narrators, in order to accomplish my goal. This was a fun part of the process. I uploaded a few pages from the book I wanted to produce as an audition script. I chose the first few pages, but if you have several characters in your book, it might be better to select a section with multiple characters. You select what type of voice you’re seeking: male/female, young/old, accent (if any), and style (engaging, exciting, storytelling…). The producer also has an option to write notes to further clarify. 

Then, the fun begins. I received between 12 and 20 auditions for each book that I posted. The first time through, I weeded out the voices that weren’t a good fit; then listened multiple times to those that were. It was difficult to choose. Some narrators made me laugh with their quirky portrayals; others simply had beautiful voices. I wound up choosing both styles. 

After selecting a narrator, the producer makes an offer to the narrator. This states a time frame for completing the project and details as to how the narrator will be paid. Narrators are either paid per hour, or royalties are shared. If the project is exclusive, the royalty rate is higher, but the platforms are limited and the book can’t be sold to libraries. 

After the project is completed, the producer either request changes or approves it. Then, it goes to ACX for approval, and if the quality is acceptable, it is posted for sale. More than halfway through the year, I am more than halfway finished and plan to meet my goal. Of course, I have a new release coming out soon, and am almost finished writing another, so the process will be continuing past 2021 and well into the future! 

About Diane Weiner

Diane Weiner resides in South Florida and is the author of three cozy mystery series: The Susan Wiles Schoolhouse Mysteries, The Sugarbury Falls Mysteries, and The Sara Baron Tuned-in Mysteries. 

Interested in getting promo codes? Contact her at dianeweinerauthor@gmail.com. Be sure to tell her if you want US or UK promo codes. 

To learn more about the author, visit her website www.dianeweinerauthor.com, or follow her on Facebook, Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub. 

Narrators for Diane's books include:

The Susan Wiles Schoolhouse Mysteries - some are narrated by Emma Speer and some by Sandra Churchill 

The Sugarbury Falls Mysteries are narrated by Rhonda Krachmer

The Sara Baron Tuned-in Mysteries are narrated by Naomi Rose-Mock

Thanks so much, Diane, for sharing with us today. You are way ahead of me in this process. If you're interested in accessing promo codes (US and UK) or audiobook reviews, here are some sites where you can find them.

Cozy Mystery Audiobook Lovers  

Audiobook Promos For Authors and Readers of All Genres 

Everything Audiobook . . .E.A.R.S. 

If you missed it, check out the guest post by Shaina Summerville, a narrator from last month for a narrator's perspective.

Not so sure if audiobooks are for you? Most books on Amazon with audiobooks have a short sample to preview on the product page.

Note. My goal is to catch up with Diane sometime in 2022. Two done, two in production, and many to go... 

Guest Post: AUDIOBOOKS - FROM A NARRATOR'S PERSPECTIVE by Shaina Summerville

There's an increasing demand for audiobooks and many questions about the process. Today Shaina Summerville is my guest to fill us in on the process from the perspective of the narrator. 

Greetings! My name is Shaina Summerville and I am an audiobook narrator with 50+ audiobooks available on Audible. I have narrated for indie authors in addition to publishers such as Simon and Schuster, Harper Audio, Houghton Mifflin, Tantor Media, and Hachette. You will often find me narrating YA and middle grade fiction…but I also adore narrating (and reading) cozy mysteries! 

Thus far I have narrated cozy mysteries for three different authors: The Taylor Quinn Quilt Shop Mysteries by Tess Rothery, Asbury High and the Thief’s Gamble by Kelly Brady Channick, and the Paige Mackenzie Mystery Series by Deborah Garner (soon to be released!). 

When I asked members of a cozy mystery audiobook group what they want to know, many questions came up about the audiobook creation process, so that is what I will address today. 

What does the audiobook creation process look like? 

The first thing to keep in mind is that one hour of audio takes many hours of work. The general estimate bandied about in the narration world is that one finished hour of audio can take up to six hours of work. This includes: 

• Prep: I pre-read the book prior to recording, taking notes of important events, words or names I need to get pronunciations for, and character or vocal descriptions in order to prepare my character voices. 

 • Preproduction sample: I record a small portion of the book for approval by the author. This is also where we will collaborate on character voices. 

 • Narration: Once my sample has been approved, I begin narrating the book. It typically takes about two hours to record one single hour. 

 • Post Production: This includes the proofing, editing, and mastering process. During this point the audio is compared to the manuscript for errors and corrections are made. The audio is also “prettied up” to make it sound its absolute best. While some narrators perform their own post production, many outsource this to a professional sound engineer as it a) guarantees the best possible sound and b) frees us up to spend more time on narration. 

How do I get chosen as a narrator? 

Typically, the first thing I do is record an audition sample for the authors to make sure my voice fits the vision in their heads of the character. Assuming that’s a go, we come to an agreement on our terms, sign a contract, and off we go!  

How do you handle character voices? 

Character voices are one of the first things I nail down with my authors. I’ll typically ask them to describe their characters for me—preferably describing vocal qualities rather than looks. I can often glean a lot about a character from what is written in the text, but sometimes an author will have a specific idea. I ask them to describe all of their characters, but often I’ve found that an author will want to nail down a small number of key characters who will appear throughout the series and they give me free reign on smaller characters.

As a female narrator with a higher pitched voice, male voices can be a bit of a challenge at times! However, the important things about male voices is to note that they don’t have to be low and deep! Many times, male voices are not all that different in pitch from many females but there are other characteristics of their voice to consider. Men typically use a smaller range of pitches when they speak. They are often more staccato in rhythm. The placement of their voice in their mouths is different as is their diction. 

As with my female characters I will take a large number of vocal qualities and combine them to create differing characters. I love cozy mysteries because there is such a large range of characters and I can sometimes make slightly larger choices on character voices than I might in say a typical romance. 

And that’s the narration process in a nutshell. I hope this has provided answers to questions you may have had about audiobooks. You can always feel free to reach out to me on social media or contact me at my website www.shainasummervillenarration.com if there is anything else you would like to know!

Thank you, Shaina, for demystifying a process that is new to me and, I suspect, to other authors and readers. 

An important thing to note is that when audiobooks are released, authors and narrators usually get free promo codes for the new audiobook in hopes of garnering reviews quickly. Interested? Here are some sites where available promo codes may be posted, and possibly reviews as well:

Cozy Mystery Audiobook Lovers  

Audiobook Promos For Authors and Readers of All Genres 

Everything Audiobook . . .E.A.R.S. 

Stay tuned. . . Next month (7/19) Diane Weiner will share perspectives on the process from the author's perspective.

Here's some other cozy audiobooks available from your favorite authors:

Granny Snows a Sneak by Julie Seedorf (Author) and Priscilla Finch (Narrator)

Murder at the St. Regis by Dianne Harman (Author) and Anna Wheeler (Narrator) 

Glad One by Margaret Lashley (Author) and Sarah Pesek (Narrator)

A New Place, Another Murder by Christa Nardi (Author) and Jeanne Pilgrim Mayo (Narrator)

Mind Your Manors by CeeCee James (Author) and Jennifer Groberg (Narrator)

Playing with Poison by Cindy Blackburn (Author) and Caroline Miller (Narrator)