MADDIE DAY here, and it's my turn to be in the spotlight again! Here's my most recent shelfie of novels (the short story and novella collections live in a different bookcase).
This month marks my fifth year among this fabulous group of authors at the Kitchen. It was my honor to take over the great Sheila Connolly's spot when she became too ill to participate.
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Me with Sheila and Barbara Ross about six years ago |
Counting up, I have had (I think) fifteen books come out in these five years, not including novellas and short stories. See the full list of all my books in order here. Compared to Sheila, I'm a slacker writing only three novels a year (she often produced four), but we do what we can.
Only four of those fifteen novels don't include recipes, which means you have seen many of them here! I always like to save several of the recipes from the book about to release to present to readers of this blog in the weeks before the new book comes out. Stay tuned in the next two months for recipes from Scone Cold Dead for guacamole, cinnamon scones, and a celebratory cocktail.
A friend about my age asked last week if I have thoughts of retiring. "No!" was my immediate answer. I then qualified it by saying I am cutting back a bit. Writing three (or more) books a year, plus one or more short stories, has become more than I want to do. I love writing mysteries and hope to keep it up for many years to come. It's the happiest and most creative job I've ever had, and I'm actually making a decent living at it. Why would I quit?
That said, here's one of the reasons I'm slowing down my production. Every other week I drive two and a half hours to western Massachusetts for forty-eight hours to take care of my granddaughter, who is now an energetic fifteen-month old. She and I play, eat, go for walks, and sing (and nap), and it gives my son and his wife some uninterrupted at-home work time on one of the two days Ida Rose doesn't attend day care. (I desperately wish I could share photos of this completely adorable girl with you, but her parents don't allow that, which of course I respect.)
Anyway, doing Grammy day care is a much higher priority for me than turning out another book in short order. I waited a long time for this joy, and while I can, I'm all in. I even dedicated my most recent book, Deadly Crush, to my sweet girl.
Readers: What brings you joy these days? Have you changed up your life priorities lately or is it all in good order? Feel free to ask me questions about my writing life, or anything else!
I'll send one reader a copy of Deadly Crush, the second Cece Barton mystery. (If you are selected and already have a copy, let's talk!)
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Next out will be Scone Cold Dead on - no fooling - April 1! This is the thirteenth
Country Store Mystery.
Check out all my writing.
And that of my alter-ego!
We hope you'll visit Maddie and Agatha Award-winning Edith Maxwell on our web site, sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit us on social media, and check our all our books and short stories.
Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen.
Good morning Edith! My biggest joy is our new grandbaby. You and I have chatted about her. She came super early at twenty three weeks. We are looking forward to when she gets a little older and can play! One of my other joys is knitting. I haven't been able to do any this winter because I'm pretty sure I have trigger finger. No fun there, but I finally have an appointment to see a hand specialist this coming Wednesday and hope she can fix me up!
ReplyDeleteYay for grandbabies! My sister had a trigger finger easily repaired in an office visit. I hope yours is as easy.
DeleteHI Edith! So happy you get to spend time with your precious granddaughter. My grandchildren moved almost 2 years ago and I really miss the time I had them close. I find joy in everyday things - preparing meals, playing with my dogs, reading, Scripture scribing. This winter I have taken on the challenge of sourdough bread - today I baked my third batch and am waiting for it to cool to try it. Thank you for the chance to win. madamhawk at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteSourdough = yummy! My son has become a pro at it.
DeleteHi Edith, your books are so fun! I’m glad you are enjoying time with your grand baby. What brings me joy these days is playing with my 2 year old son and reading all the cozy mysteries! Thank you for the chance to win Deadly Crush! Hillary (dot) Haight (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteHave fun with your little boy, Hillary!
DeleteWonderful spotlight, Edith. Your energy and enthusiasm are inspiring, and continued congrats on the blessing of your new granddaughter. Joy is something I look for every morning in the sunrise, in the winter feeding of our wild birds (and my rescue cats), in my love for my husband, and the creation of new stories. There's also cooking and eating! After a nasty bout of the flu, I have a renewed appreciation for a good appetite!
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear Cleo, and I'm so glad you're on the mend.
DeleteLOVE your books! Every since I was fortunate enough to read the Local Food Mystery series, I've been hooked on your books. I'm behind at the moment because I've not had the opportunity to read MURDER AT THE RUSTY ANCHOR yet and I'm dying to read SCONE COLD DEAD. Both are on my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteAs I'm getting older, I think my main word is FLEXIBILITY. While I grew up with things being done on a certain day (Monday and Friday were clean house day - kind of like clean up for the weekend and then clean up after it) and while I do like a certain order to things, I'm now more flexible by being open to change if something comes up. I'm determined not to miss out on something if given the chance to do it. Some of our best times are in such situations.
Joy to me is doing things or going places we only dreamed about. Last summer we took a major trip marking off many items on our bucket list. Oh the memories it gave us for years to come and the photographs to help relive them. Joy also comes in small doses in the every day life IF we only stop and look for them. Most of them seem to occur for me while I have a camera in my hand. I think that with the camera I open my eyes up to the little things like taking notice of the detailed pattern in a birds feathers or the gathering of pollen on a bees legs working among the colorful flowers, the funny expressions in our furbabies when sleeping, the look of concentration when a bobcat has while studying it's prey, the loving look of a momma bear towards one of her cubs, or even the beautiful detail in the common housefly when magnified large enough to see it.
DEADLY CRUSH is positively a FIVE STAR book! Whoever wins it will be in for an amazing read.
While we understand the need to slow down (because being with Ida Rose is of the highest priority - after all they are only young once), please keep doing what you do so well. Said it before, but it bears repeating - I LOVE YOUR BOOKS!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thank you for your enthusiasm about my stories, Kay!
DeleteYour new book sounds fun. Enjoy the time with your Granddaughter. Deborah deborahortega229@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'll see her tomorrow.
DeleteThe cover illustration (in here) reminds me of Santa Rosa, California, I'm ready for a some new mysteries!
ReplyDeleteThe book takes place near there!
DeleteYour book looks and sounds fun!
ReplyDeleteI’m enjoying reading, watching my birds, and quilting. Those are what brings me joy.
Sherry Brown
ozdot4@sbcglobal.net
Understandably, Sherry.
DeleteSherry, you are our lucky winner! Congratulations, and please check your email.
DeleteMy family and friends bring me joy every day. Children are wonderful and grandchildren are even better! I am a prolific reader, enjoy making crafts, volunteering, cooking, drumming, trivia competitions, and doing various other activities with friends and family.
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Ooh, I want to hear more about the drumming!
DeleteOh how I wish we loved that close to either our granddaughter or grandson. And now those families each have another one on the way! I remember how nice it was having my mom and mother in law there to help us when we started out. But my joy is families growing with children and a new daughter in law this year!
ReplyDeleteI love being close enough to help.
DeleteGrandbabies are the best. We enjoy them to the max and then they go home with thier family. Leaving us to rest.
ReplyDeleteI have already read Deadly Crush. It's great!
Thanks, Libby. I still remember my mother saying how great it was to be a grandmother, in part because "I can give them back!"
DeleteWonderful Spotlight piece, Edith! I'm glad you're finding a balance between your excellent writing and your beautiful grandchild. Fifteen months already? So much energy and fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Molly! They do grow fast, don't they?
DeleteMy joy is not having a schedule or a routine. Free to do whatever I want, whenever I want. It is such a luxury. patdupuy@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI agree!
DeleteMy joy has always been my family, to include our two rescue hounds. More joy would be the needlecraft classes I've started taking at a nearby artists co-op. Needlefelting and refreshing my embroidery skills. VWinship at aol dot com
ReplyDeleteFamily rules, every time.
DeleteMy cats bring me joy every day along with sunny days and a good book. I don't have any grandchildren to visit, but I don't enjoy visiting my neighbors grandkids.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Cats, for sure.
DeleteSinging and napping sounds good to me! And speaking of singing, one thing that's bringing me joy these days is rehearsing (via Zoom, as I'm in Hawai'i and they're in California) with my old chorus for a performance of the Mozart Requiem in May. How fun to get to sing again! (Napping comes afterwards.)
ReplyDeleteIda Rose and I are still in the Raffi stage, but maybe we should start working on a requiem!
DeleteMy retirement years are giving me a lot of enjoyment, along with my granddaughter Chloe coming down and taking me to eat Chinese for my birthday. I am blessed. The only thing I have changed up is staying home more and reading more. I am an introvert and don't care to get out much and be around people anyway, so I haven't changed all that much. Do you ever name your characters after family members? Do you feature animals in your books much?
ReplyDeleteEvery book of mine has a pet, usually cats (named after my own), but the Cozy Capers Book Group series features Belle, the African gray parrot, who is a kick!
DeleteI am enjoying all of your books. Belle is my favorite. "Belle's a good girl. Snacks Mac?) LOL
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the time with your granddaughter. I was never able to have kids, but I have a nephew and niece I claim as my own, and my niece has a 3 yr old that is the light in all of our lives. I feel so much joy and laughter when she's around. Plus she loves books as much as I do.
Thanks for the chance to win a copy of Deadly Crush.
Have a wonderful week!
barbiefan at comcast dot net
Thanks, Ann! What a sweet blessing to have close family, even if not your own offspring (Ida Rose is adopted, but she's all ours...).
DeleteWhat brings me joy is my family. My priority is spending time with them. Life for me is about making precious memories with them. Kids grow so quickly so it is always good to spend as much time with them as you can. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteExactly, Cherie - and they might be moving farther away next year, so I'm making it count while I can!
DeleteMy puppies, Pepper and Onyx bring me joy.
ReplyDeleteSweet - both are black, I assume?
DeleteEdith, Your ability to write 4 books a year leaves me in awe. Congratulations on all your publications! ~Maya
ReplyDeleteThank you! Able, yes, but no longer have the energy...
DeleteHello and Happy New Year! I have a 3 year old grandson to enjoy! lindaherold999@gmail.com
ReplyDeletePerfect!
DeleteYou sound like my mom. She loved being a grandma and would go to many lengths to be a part of their lives. Now our daughter is pregnant and we will be grandparents for the first time. She is now 37 and has a team of doctors to keep her and baby girl safe and healthy. She lives in CA and we live in IL. But fortunately my husband retired end of last year and he has already set up when we can go three to four times a year to see them all.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome, Anon. Enjoy!
DeleteMy youngest grandbaby is already 7, my youngest great-grandbaby is already 3! Time flies! Unfortunately we have to travel a long way to see any of our 18 grands and 2 great-grands so we don't see them too often. Thanks for writing good books!
ReplyDeleteElaineE246 at msn dot com
Wow, Elaine - that's quite a spread. I'm delighted you love my books.
DeleteHi Edith,
ReplyDeleteJoy is found in books, a blue sky day with the sun shining in the middle of winter and dreaming of flowers. I enjoyed Deadly Crush and am looking forward to Scone Cold Dead. awanstrom(@)yahoodotcom
Sherry Brown is our lucky winner! Congratulations, Sherry, and please check your email.
ReplyDelete