This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. GG Calpo will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
What does Meg, a retired kindergarten teacher, do when the killer of her husband and only child still walks free a year after dirt had covered their graves? Go rogue, of course!
When the detective responsible for Meg’s nightmares takes over the murder investigation of her former student, Meg hunts the killer down with help from her friends. Their cozy lunches at Sweet Buns Café turn into tactical meetings while these retired grade school teachers get themselves in trouble better suited to those in their twenties. And to put the icing on their cream scones, someone is after Meg. Is it the killer? Or has Meg uncovered secrets better left buried with her loved ones?
Read an Excerpt:
The day was beautiful, with clear skies and a mild snap in the air. It was cold yet warm with the right amount of heat from the sun, making it the perfect spring day. Motorboats and sailboats dipped in and out of the water, out by Poet’s Bay. And at the edge of the harbor were the fishermen, alone or in groups of two or three, a rod in their hands and their tackle boxes opened beside them. We rounded the corner, almost done with our walk, when we saw mothers dragging their children away and fathers covering the eyes of the children in their arms. Pushing against the stream of parents scrambling away were others whose eyes were fixed on the man by the harbor’s edge. A man on whose fishing line dangled a catch with, what I thought were, red fins and a red tail swaying lazily around the hook.
Red? In the salt waters of Poet’s Bay? As I stood there trying to figure out what I was seeing, Barbara shoved her way into the crowd. I followed, my curiosity getting the better of me. Murmurs of “Good morning” and “Good to see you, Mrs. B” trailed behind me, changing to “You sure you want to see this, Mrs. B?” and “I wouldn’t go any further if I were you, Mrs. B.” We fetched up to the front and looked down on the ground before us while the fisherman beside us puked his guts out.
It wasn’t a fish he had caught
Instead, on the ground was a hand. Just a hand. Nothing else.
Interview:
Where are you from? Tell us a little about yourself!
I’m from Long Island, NY, lived there before moving to Central New Jersey. Loved the beaches, park and libraries, the wineries and the restaurants, and the performing arts theaters.
Tell us about your book? How did it get started?
Hook, Line and Murder is Book One of The Sweet TOOTH Murder Mystery Series, starring a group of retired grade-school teachers who turn amateur sleuths to investigate the murder of a former student. “TOOTH” stands for Teachers Out On The Hunt. The series features an overarching storyline in which Meg—the central protagonist—uncovers clues tied to the unsolved murders of her husband and son. Alongside this larger mystery, each installment spotlights one of the retired teachers becoming entangled in a new murder case, with the rest of the group rallying to help their friend crack the case. The setting is set in fictional coastal towns inspired by real Long Island North Shore communities.
How do you create your characters?
I think of the plotlines first, who’s the victim and who’s the killer? Then, what’s the relationship between the two that would trigger a murder? From there, the story is populated as you move out from these two characters.
What inspires and what got you started in writing?
Hook, Line and Murder was inspired by my sister, who had retired from teaching. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and wasn’t doing well. It was difficult to accept that I would lose my sister soon. I had just finished the first draft of book one of a young adult urban fantasy trilogy and wanted a writing project that would put my imagination on a different path. When I decided to try my hand at writing cozy mysteries, it felt right to cast my amateur sleuths as retired teachers, to honor my sister and her life.
Where do you write? Is there something you need in order to write (music, drinks?)
I need space to write because I tend to pace around. Ideas and storylines come easier to me when I’m walking around. Soft music sometimes help but not drinks, they muddle my mind. Drinks are great when I’m brainstorming storylines but not when I’m putting pen to paper.
How do you get your ideas for writing?
From everyday life, from watching TV shows, from reading…basically from everywhere. Ideas float around us and they stick like lint if you let them. I like to ask “what if” and, sometimes, the answer I get makes for a very good storyline.
What do you like to read?
I just finished Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz, which I loved for its concept of a book within a book. It’s the third in the series, with the first two (Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders) adapted by Netflix into a series.
What would your advice to be for authors or aspiring in regards to writing?
Write. Don’t worry about your sentences, your word choice, punctuations or grammar. Get your story down on paper. That’s the fun part. Let your imagination run riot. Once that’s done, then comes the hard part. I’ve read that established authors say how they’d never show anyone their first draft. And I get it now. The first draft is a mess. But from that mess, comes a glorious story when you’re done revising. That’s when you sweat over your word choices and your sentences. But by then, you have guard rails around your story.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I read – a lot, anywhere from one to three books weekly, crochet (blankets and sweaters), do latch hook rugs/pillow cases, and watch crime shows on TV. I try to walk about three miles daily. I’ve been psyching myself to take up lightweight training (to stop muscle mass loss), but that hasn’t materialized to date. I’m going to need more chocolate to get me going on that.
About the Author:
A retired CPA and lawyer, GG Calpo now writes cozy mysteries and urban fantasies. She blends her experiences as a Filipino American immigrant with the everyday stories of life around her. She spends her time reading, crocheting blankets and sweaters for her five grandchildren, watching mystery TV shows and taking long walks in her neighborhood. She resides in Central New Jersey, with her husband and two corgis, Whiskey and Nugget.
Website: http://www.ggcalpo.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/gg.calpo
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gg.calpo
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/194657776-gisella
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2YT1P7B
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hook-line-and-murder-gg-calpo/1148773282
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hook-line-and-murder/id6755481320
1 comment
Thank you for featuring HOOK, LINE, AND MURDER today.