Saturday's Blurbs feature Books by Joan Havelange #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Cozy mysteries #Russia #Golf #Egypt

 

https://books2read.com/The-Suspects-

 

Mable Havelock and Violet Ficher are on a scenic bus tour of the Nordic capital cities of Europe and Russia. The tour culminates in Moscow, where the tour director is murdered. There is a busload of suspects to choose from. A flirtatious woman and her jealous husband. A professor of Nordic History who is ill-informed. Two world travellers who describe themselves as gypsies and a mysterious man who is hiding something. The tour director’s assistant and bus driver; both have an axe to grind against the tour director Hilda Karlson. Add to the mix smugglers and thieves. And a case of mistaken identity. But unfortunately, the prime suspect is Mabel. Mabel and Violet will have to use all their skills and ingenuity to solve the murder in Moscow. And prove to the Russian police Mabel’s innocence.

 

https://books2read.com/Wayward-Shot

 

Mabel slices her golf ball into the town cemetery and discovers a dead body, and he isn’t six feet under. To make matters worse, her golf ball rests in the middle of the dead man’s forehead.

Mabel and Violet decide to solve the mystery. Why and how did he end up in the graveyard? Who killed him? Using information gleaned from ‘Coffee Row’, a collection of eccentric townspeople, they pursue their investigation. Frustrating a newly appointed RCMP Officer, who does his best to stop their interference. But nothing stops the intrepid amateur detectives. Not the RCMP, a stampede of cattle, or even shots fired at them in the dark. The duo have an uncanny ability to find trouble and dead bodies. Almost getting themselves killed before solving the murders.

 

 

https://books2read.com/Death-and-Denial

On her way to visit Egypt and its ancient past, Mabel Havelock stumbles upon a murder plot.

Mabel is trapped on board a boat with a dead body and a boatload of suspects. And in the middle of the Nile River, a passenger disappears. Although language difficulties put her at odds with the lone police officer on board the boat. Mabel is determined to untangle the web of lies and deceit. She will have to use all her wits and ingenuity to solve the murder in the locked cabin.

 

Friday Joan Havelange is visiting and talking about Characters #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Characters #Heroines #Heroes #Villains

 

Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are your favorite to write?

 

I enjoy writing heroines who have to overcome roadblocks; and who are not always perfect in their quest for answers. I also like writing villains; they must have a reason, at least in their mind, to commit the crimes they do.

 

Heroines. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or imagination create the woman you want the reader to root for? Do they appear before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

 

I create a plot and weave the story around my heroines. I have an outline, what will happen, when and where. But I must confess, my carefully laid out plot can change when a character, good or bad, becomes fun to write.

 

Villains or villainesses or an antagonist, since they don’t always have to be the bad guy or girl. They can be a person opposed to the hero’s or heroine’s obtaining their goal. How do you choose one? How do you make them human?

 

I have a bible for my cast of characters; their backgrounds, what they look like, where they live. And their quirks, prejudices and jealousies. Confrontation is interesting, but to round my stories out. I do have characters who are kind and generous.

 

6. What is your latest release? Who is the hero, heroine and or the villain?

 

My new release is “The Suspects.”

It is the adventures of Mable and Violet. It is the latest in my series “The Excellent Adventures of Mabel and Violet”. Book #4 continues the hilarity of my intrepid amateur sleuths as they make their way through the European capitals to end up smack in the middle of a murder in Moscow.

 

7. What are you working on now?

 

“Murder Exit Stage Right” I directed little theatre for a great many years, so I have a lot of ammunition.

 

8. How can people find you?

 

https://www.facebook.com/mabelmysteries

https://www.bookswelove.com/havelange-joan/

https://twitter.com/JoanJhave

https://www.instagram.com/joanhave/

 

9. Who are your favourite authors?

 

I like Linwood Barclay, a great Canadian storyteller. Rhys Bowen is also a favourite of mine.

 

Saturday's Blurbs feature Books by Joan Havelange #MFRWAuthor #BWLAuthor #Cozy mysteries #Golf #Egypt

Wayward Shot. Published by BWL

You would think if you killed someone in a graveyard, it would be the perfect place to hide a body; it was, then, Mabel's Wayward Shot ruined everything.

When Mabel slices her golf ball over a stone wall into the nearby town cemetery. She and Violet thought the worst that could happen would be a lost ball. That is until they discover a dead body, and it isn't six feet under. Mabel's ball lays in the middle of the dead man's forehead. Golfers don't kill golfers, or do they?

Death and Denial. My newest mystery published January 5th by BWL

On her way to visit Egypt’s ancient monuments and treasures, Mabel Havelock stumbles on a murder plot. As she cruises down the Nile on a riverboat, the mystery takes on an added twist.

Inspired by Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, Mabel is determined to solve the mysteries. Unfortunately, Mabel does not possess Hercule Poirot’s finesse. But with the help of her reluctant friend, Violet Ficher and a quirky room steward. Mabel untangles the web of lies and deceit.

Friday Joan Havelange is Visiting and talking about What She Was Before #MFRWAuthor #BWLAuthor #Mystery #Cozy

What were you before you became an author? 

I have worn many hats. I lived north of the 56 parallel, and I worked for a mining company in the computer department. In those days, no one had a desktop or laptop computer; we did it all. Our processor was as big as a fridge. Early days. I’ve also worked in the banking industry. And other jobs from cashier at a pharmacy, to a salesclerk in a home decorating store.

Did this influence your choices as a writer?

All aspects of life and work have influenced me. People I’ve meant and jobs I have done. And travel is a wonderful education. My trip inspired me to write my latest mystery novel Death and Denial

1. Are you genre specific or general? I don’t mean major genres but subdivisions or romance, mystery or paranormal

My genre is mystery of the cozy kind, no blood guts or gore. But a puzzle to solve and humour along the way. I did try to write a romance novel way back in my 20’s, but I wasn’t romantic enough. Murder mysteries fit me better.

2. What is your latest release?

Death and Denial. An adventure in Egypt. Not all dead bodies in linen are mummies.

3. What are you working on now?

My next novel is in the revision stage. The ladies, Mabel and Violet, are back home. Seniors in a condo are meeting an untimely death. Mabel’s mother may be next. My mystery is called The Trouble with Funerals

4. Does your reading choices influence your choice of a writing career?

It probably does, I read a lot of mysteries, but I do read other genres as well.

5. Where can we find you?
6. http://bookswelove.net/mystery-thriller-authors/havelange-joan/

And my author page is

https://www.facebook.com/mabelmysteries/

Saturday's Blurb features a Book by Joan Havelange #BWLAuthor #Mystery #golf

When Mabel slices her golf ball into the town cemetery. She and her best friend Violet think the worst that could happen would be a lost ball. That is until they discover a dead body, and it isn't six feet under. Mabel's golf ball lays in the middle of his forehead, it’s murder.

The ladies take it upon themselves to solve the mystery of the dead body in the graveyard. Using the information gleaned from Coffee Row, a collection of eccentric townspeople. Leads them to investigate golfers and relatives of the deceased. Their investigation frustrates a newly appointed RCMP officer, who does his best to put a stop to their interference.
But nothing stops the intrepid detectives. Not the RCMP, a stampede of cattle or even shots fired at them in the dark. They have an uncanny ability to find trouble and dead bodies. Almost getting themselves killed before solving the murders

Friday, Joan Havelange is Visiting and Talking About Writing

1. What were you before you became a writer? Did this influence your career as an author.

I have worn a few hats, I worked for a mining company in Northern Manitoba. This was when computers were just ramping up. It was great fun being on the ground floor so to speak. I have also acted and been a little theatre director. I find writing a lot like directing, only your actors show up on time and know their lines, although sometimes they still go off in a direction that surprises me.

2. Are you genre specific or general? I don't mean major genres but do you write in a subgenre of romance, mystery or paranormal?

I’m a mystery buff, I tried writing romances, but I wasn’t romantic enough. So it’s murder for me. The Cozy Mystery kind.

3. What is your latest release?

Wayward Shot

https://books2read.com/Wayward-Shot

4. What are you working on now?

My next mystery is set in Egypt, a country I enjoyed visiting a few years ago

5. Does your reading influence your choice of a genre?

I read many genres, but I’m a big fan of mysteries 

6. Where can we find you?

https://www.facebook.com/mabelmysteries/

https://instagram.com/joanhave

http://twitter.com/@JoanJhave