Guest Author Nancy Jill Thames

This morning, I am pleased to introduce to you Nancy Jill Thames, fellow writer and author of the popular Jillian Bradley Mystery Series. She has agreed to answer some of the questions she is asked most often, in order to better acquaint you with her writings. Thank you, Nancy Jill, for this fascinating interview.

Nancy Jill Thames – Author of the Jillian Bradley Mystery Series

+What’s the story behind the title of your book? After reading so many murder mysteries and watching endless episodes of “Murder She Wrote,” I decided to write a mystery of my own as a personal challenge. I had no idea what writing a book was about, much less how to publish. All I knew was how to tell a story.

My husband and I were at a business retreat at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay at the end September of 2001. This was immediately after 911. With pen in hand, I wandered about the hotel taking notes, and imagining what it would be like for an amateur sleuth to be staying here. I created characters based on hotel staff, myself as the heroine, and my garden club friends. After I got home, I added more characters based on people I’d encounter running errands. The story got as far as 12 chapters before my 12 year old daughter told me how unbelievable it was. She said to abandon the project. What she was really saying was, “Pay more attention to me.” I complied.

But after eight years, at the insistence of my “techie” son, I started a blog, posting one chapter at a time as a way to get computer literate and back to writing. The Half Moon Bay Review noticed the location and showed an interest in the story. When they asked for an interview,  I went into super writing mode, checked out a book from the library on how to write a murder mystery, and finished “Murder in Half Moon Bay” a few months later.

+Tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone, or do readers need to read the series in order? The heroine, Jillian Bradley, is a feisty garden columnist with a nose for solving homicides, especially when they involve friends and family. Her clue-sniffing sidekick is a Yorkie weighing four and a half pounds named Teddy, who goes wherever Jillian does.  Since she’s widowed and childless, her garden club friends play an important part in her life.  The three women help Jillian solve mysteries in several of the books. Settings take place in the Bay Area; Scottsdale, Arizona; Half Moon Bay, California; London; Lake Placid, NY; and the most recent story is in Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The hallmarks of my books are afternoon tea, fine art, and visits to lovely hotels. “Murder in Half Moon Bay” can be a standalone until you read the last line which says, “Not the End.” The rest of the books are stand alone with the exception of Books 6 and 7. Book 7, “The Ruby of Siam,” is a continuation of “Waiting for Santa.”

+What are you working on now? I just published “Murder at the Empress Hotel,” Book 10 on June 30, 2015 which takes place in Victoria, B.C. on Vancouver Island. I wanted to write a book capturing the memory of a lovely family vacation years ago. It was also destined that I write about the hotel’s famous afternoon tea. What I didn’t realize was the existence of the aboriginal First Nations element on the island, upon which I then centered the story.  A First Nations bitter fishing rights dispute turns deadly with the murder of a young attorney, which in turn, draws Jillian and Teddy into yet another intriguing adventure.

Special note: I offer “Murder in Half Moon Bay” as a free eBook gift to introduce my series to readers. Enjoy!

Books Available on the following sites:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003V55RSG

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/nancy-jill-thames?keyword=nancy+jill+thames&store

Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=nancy+jill+thames

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=Nancy+Jill+Thames&fcmedia=Book

Nancy Jill Thames

Nancy Jill Thames was born to write mysteries. From her early days as the neighborhood story-teller to being listed on Amazon Author Watch Bestseller List, she has always had a vivid imagination and loves to solve problems – perfect for plotting whodunits. In 2010, Nancy Jill published her first mystery, Murder in Half Moon Bay, introducing her well-loved protagonist, Jillian Bradley, and whimsical Yorkie, “Teddy.” When she isn’t plotting Jillian’s next perilous adventure, she travels between Texas and California finding new ways to spoil her grandchildren, playing classical favorites on her baby grand, or having afternoon tea with friends.

She is a member of Leander Writers’ Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW CenTex Chapter), and Central Texas Authors

To learn more about Nancy Jill, go to her Website . Follow her on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and Goodreads.