Roses and Daisies and Death, Oh My! by Penny Clover PetersenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
After their aunt died she left her entire estate to the Forest sisters. Ready for a change the renovated the upstairs into an apartment and turned the downstairs into a store called Champagne Taste. Everything was wonderful until a series of break-ins started happing in their neighborhood the sisters decided to get an alarm system and a dog. Both turned out to be more than they bargained for especially with their eccentric mother, libidinous dog, an ex-husband, and a murder mystery are thrown into the mix.
Short in stature but big in heart this little who done it murder mystery is well worth the read the characters are believable and the comic relief of the overactive dog really moves the plot along. If you like mysteries, romance, and animals then this little book is a great read.
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I would like to welcome Penny Clover Petersen to my blog today.
Bio
Penny Clover Petersen began writing at age fifty-nine on a dare from her husband. After years of hearing her complaints that "I could write a better story than this", he suggested that perhaps she should do just that. The result is her first novel Roses and Daisies and Death, Oh My! (released by Intrigue Publishing in December 2013), a modern cozy featuring cocktail loving sisters, Daisy and Rose Forrest, as small town shop owners who just can't seem to get through a day without tripping over a dead body.
In addition to writing, she enjoys time with her children and large extended family, likes to refurbish old furniture, and collect family stories and recipes for the ‘family cookbook’. She loves historic homes and is a docent at Riversdale Mansion in Riverdale, MD. She is also the author of several children’s stories, including The Last Elf and An Angel for Jenny and is currently hard at work on her third Daisy&Rose mystery. Penny lives with her husband, Tom, and three feral cats in Bowie Maryland.
Sally: What genre do you like to write?
Penny: Today I write cozy mysteries for the most part. I have written some stories for children as my own were growing up, but now I am concentrating on novels.
Sally: If you were to branch out from your current genre which one(s) would you like to explore?
Penny:I started writing mystery novels about five years ago. I had toyed with the idea for years, but never had the determination to do it. After my husband and I retired, he encouraged me to give it a try. So I did. I wrote my first novel, Roses and Daisies and Death, Oh My and greatly surprised myself.
Sally: What inspires you to write?
Sally: How long have you been writing? What prompted you to start writing?
Penny: My family gave me my original inspiration to write. My father and brother were poets and everyone is artistic in some way. I grew up reading and writing anything from book reports to letters to the Editor. Finally I chose to write cozy mysteries because I’ve always loved a mystery. Every time I would read an article in the paper and I’d ask myself what I would do if, say, I found a dead body in a park or saw a robbery in progress. I decided it would be fun to create an alter ego who would investigate whatever crime came her way. So Daisy Forrest was born.
Sally:When a story idea pops into your head, how long does it typically take to write it (from start to finish)?
Penny: I’m a slow writer. So far it’s taken me about two years to finish each of my books from the time I got the germ of an idea to the point I sent to my publisher for consideration.
Sally: What did you find to be the most difficult part of the writing process? Easiest?
Penny: The hardest part for me is simply making myself do it. I have a bit of ADD and find myself easily distracted. I need discipline and limit myself to two hours a day of writing time.
The easiest part is the research. My books usually have one unusual object that is the center of the mystery – something like a priceless heirloom. I don’t need to do too much research, but I find I really enjoy getting the facts right.
Sally: Of all your characters whom do you most relate to?
Penny: I have created a cast of characters loosely based on my family and friends. Daisy Forrest is, as I’ve said, my alter ego. She says all the things I might mean to, but don’t think of until three hours later. She outgoing, always looks good, has an unlimited income, and is never shy about sticking her nose in where it isn't wanted.
Sally: Is there one of your characters that you did not like when you started writing about them, but found yourself liking by the end of the story?
Penny: I actually don’t dislike any of my characters. Bill Greene, Daisy’s ex-husband, is my least likeable character. He is invaluable as her foil in the first book, but he does become a little more sympathetic in the next.
Sally: What is your least favorite part about writing? The Most?
Penny: My least favorite part about writing? Writing transitions passages in the story. I always find this awkward and have a hard time making it flow.
Most favorite? I like writing dialog best. I like banter and a bit of silliness.
Sally: When you are not writing or editing what do you do for relaxation?
Penny: When I’m not writing I try to spend as much time with my kids and grandkids as possible. I love cooking, especially baking, I refurbish old furniture, and I’m a docent at Riversdale Mansion in Riverdale Maryland. I also try to keep up the ‘family cookbook’ made up of recipes and family stories.
Sally: What genre of books do you like to read?
Penny: I like to read any type of mystery or thriller. I also read some fantasy, the classics, and the occasional biography.
Sally: What author(s) do you enjoy reading? Why?
Penny: Some of my favorite writers - Janet Evanovich, Ann George, Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, John Grisham, M.C. Beaton. I also enjoy the likes of Jane Austen and Tolkien, and I find myself re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird every other year or so.
For all of these authors, I like the characters. When I read, I find that if I don’t like the characters I just can’t get into the story. For me plot comes second.
Sally: Tell us about your books where can people find them?
Penny: Only Roses and Daisies and Death, Oh My is available so far. It’s available in paperback at Barnes and Noble (on-line and in stores, but you might have to order it) and at Amazon.com in paperback and as an eBook.
I hope to have the second Daisy&Rose mystery, Roses Are Dead, My Love, out soon.
For more information please visit the links bellow.
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