INTERVIEW: Cozy Mystery Author Christa Nardi

Christa Nardi

College Station, Texas

USA

 

Good morning, Christa, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for

art and authors and those who love them. Can you tell us a little about 

what you've written?

Cozy mysteries mostly. I also co-author a teen/young adult mystery 

series with Cassidy Salem.

What is your favorite genre to write? 

Cozy mystery

   

                   

Favorite food. 

Chocolate

That's my favorite food group!

Tea or coffee?                    

Neither. Diet coke is my substitute.

 

Pizza or ice cream? 

Ice cream, please. Mint Chocolate 

Chip.

 

Wine or beer?

 

Definitely wine.

 

Where would you like to visit?

 

That list is very long – next up 

(assuming travel is safe) is the 

Panama Canal in 2022.

 

Favorite musical artist.  

Andrea Boccelli for calming/soothing 

sounds, Lady A the rest of the time. 

 

Do you listen to music when you write?

 

No, I prefer quiet. The voices in my head make enough noise.

 

What makes you laugh?

 

My 5-year-old granddaughter, Grace. She’s at that age.

 

Favorite work of art or sculpture.

Would have to be a Monet, probably 

Water Lilies 1916.

How old were you when you started 

writing?

 

In elementary school I think. I wrote 

on and off, some stories and some 

poetry in high school. 

 

Do you plan out your book with 

outlines and notecards? Or just 

write? 

I’m definitely on the pantser end of

the continuum. Definitely no 

outline. A general idea, main character(s), setting, and I start writing. It

doesn’t necessarily look the same when I finish as the first rough draft.

 

Describe your perfect evening. 

Dinner with my husband and 

friends, a glass of wine, maybe 

dancing, and

relaxing with no thoughts of to-do 

lists or work.

 

Where do you get your inspiration? 

From people and situations I’ve 

encountered over my life time and a 

career in mental health.

 

What do you do when you get a writer's block?

I do something else for a few days and let my subconscious work on it. 

Then I go and do what some say you should never do. I start at the 

beginning and re-read what I already wrote, editing as I go, and add on 

from where I left off.              

 

Who is your favorite author? 

Another hard one. General fiction 

would be Louisa May Alcott – I 

read them all and Jo was my all-time 

heroine. In mystery from years ago, it 

would be Daphne du Maurier. 

Romantic suspense would be Kathleen 

Brooks (I’m addicted to the Bluegrass 

series). In cozy mysteries, I enjoy 

many of my fellow writers including 

Larissa Reinhart, Anne Celeste 

Burke, Ellen Crosby, and Deborah Garner. I also read sci-fi/fantasy – 

Tolkien, Robert Heinlein and Mercedes Lackey. 

 

Best book you ever read. 

That would be a toss-up between 

Rebecca (du Maurier), Little Women 

(Alcott), and The Hobbit (Tolkien).

 

Last book you read. 

Tall Tales Secret Book Club 

(CeeCeeJames)

 

What would you do for a living if you 

weren’t a writer?

Mental health services or teach.

 

Who is the one person who has 

influenced your personal life the most 

and why? 

My father. He supported me in 

whatever I wanted to do, whatever I set 

as my goal. 

 

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, 

living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why? 

Not sure who that would be. I would like to visit the Blossom Café in 

Keeneston, KY (Bluegrass series) where everyone hangs out. The 

dynamic portrayed and orchestrated by three senior women (and then 

others as they age out) draws me in.

 

What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer? 

Sit down and write. With or without an outline. Write what you feel 

and what you would want to read. At the same time, get involved in 

writer groups (in person or virtual). I’ve found other authors to be 

helpful.

***Note to My Gentle Readers: Look for my review of  Wine and Dead, Another Murder by Christa Nardi here in the Achives at the bottom of the page, posted on March 23, 2021.

 

Do you have some links for us to follow you?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Christa-Nardi/e/B00G8SBCKK

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7257539.Christa_Nardi

https://www.facebook.com/christa.nardi.5

https://twitter.com/ChristaN7777

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/christa-nardi

https://www.pinterest.com/cccnardi/

https://cccnardi.wixsite.com/mysite

Newsletter sign up: https://cccnardi.wixsite.com/mysite/contact

Blog: https://christanardi.blogspot.com

 

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Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.

BOOK REVIEW: Love Notes in the Key of Sea by Anna Celeste Burke

A New Mystery Brought Georgie And Jack Together. Will An Old One Drive Them Apart?

In midlife, Georgie Shaw and Detective Jack Wheeler have a second chance at love, despite the fact they met during a murder investigation. A murder at Catmmando Mountain wasn't Georgie's first brush with murder and mayhem. Decades earlier, Georgie was nearly killed in an attack on the beach that left one man dead and two others missing including her fiancé, Danny Farrell. 

˃˃˃ Haunted By A Song From The Past

When Georgie returns to Corsario Cove, more than memories haunt her as a song Danny wrote just for her echoes in the air: Love Notes in the Key of Sea. Who else, other than she and Danny could know that song? Is it possible Danny's still alive? Or is the person who assaulted her on the beach after her again? 

˃˃˃ USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Anna Celeste Burke invites you to find out!

RECIPES INCLUDED AND ALWAYS FREE TO READ ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

My Review:

I enjoyed Love Notes in the Key of Sea by Anna Celeste Burke. A woman can’t move on with her love life until she gets some answers about a heartbreaking event from her past. When she reaches out to help a friend deal with a similar situation, she finds herself embroiled in a small resort town mystery than put her life in danger. Well written, solid characters, and great locale make this a good read.

Amazon Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Notes-Georgie-Shaw-Mystery-ebook/dp/B01L8EMUCC/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=love+notes+in+the+key+of+sea&qid=1611849711&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

VISIONANDVERSEDISCLAIMER:

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Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.

SCHEDULE; April 26 -30, 2021

 Mon., April 26 - ART:

Cats & Diamonds

by Parker Kaufman

Tues., April 27 - BOOK REVIEW:

Love Notes in the Key of Sea

by Anna Celeste Burke

Wed., April 28 - INTERVIEW:

Cozy Mystery Author

Christa Nardi

Thurs., April 29 - ENTERTAINMENT:

Invisible City

(Netflix)

Fri., April 30 - BOOK:

The Captain and the Ambassador

by Carol Ann Kauffman

 

VISIONANDVERSEDISCLAIMER:

Note:

Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.

BOOK: April Yellow Moon by Carol Ann Kauffman

In this fourth installment in the Cat Collier Short Story Mystery Series, Cat Collier must scramble to find a dear, old friend who comes up missing. 

Stephanie Stuart goes missing after discovering her new boyfriend is into some illegal activities. Cat and friend Jean Huston go barreling into danger to discover Stephanie's location before it is too late. 

A powerful enemy resurfaces and claims responsibility for a personal attack on Cat's family. 

Nola in forced to relive Trent Steel's murder. 

Carter comes up with a different kind of proposal.

April Yellow Moon will be coming out in paperback May 1, 2021 on Amazon.com . Look for it!

Amazon Link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N34XEZC/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i5

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Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.

ENTERTAINMENT: A Monster Calls ( Netflix)

Oh, get ready for a sweet, sad, and touching film that will make you cry. A young boy has a seriously ill mother. The boy's parents are divorced. The bond between mother and son is deep. And grandma is an old grouch.

 

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Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.

INTERVIEW: Fantasy Author/Artist Judy Mastrangelo

 

Judy Mastrangelo

USA

 

Good morning, Judy, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for Art and Authors and those who love them. Can you tell us a little about what you've written?

I both write and illustrate my books.  These are mostly my original Fantasies and Verse about the Fairy Realm, and also stories about Children and Animals. I’ve also published Poetry and Fairy Tale anthologies. The Poetry collections include some well known beloved poems, plus a few of my original ones. My book “Enchanted Fairy Tales” includes several famous classical stories that I’ve abridged. I’ve also done the text and artwork for Oracle Card decks, and written about my Painting techniques.

 

 

What is your favorite genre to write?

Fantasy

 

Favorite food.

Fresh fruit and vegetables

 

Tea or coffee?

I’m off of caffeine now, and I drink warm cacao with milk.

 

Pizza or ice cream?

Both are wonderful.

 

 

Wine or beer?

I’m not much for alcoholic drinks.  A little sip once in a while is nice.

 

 

Where would you like to visit?

Gardens, Mountains, Museums, and Castles in Europe.

 

Favorite musical artist.  

Luciano Pavarotti, Operatic tenor

 

Do you listen to music when you write? 

Yes.

What?

I enjoy listening to Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern Music.

 

What makes you laugh?

I love to watch animals at play, and really good film comedies.

 

Favorite work of art or sculpture.

“Hylas and the Nymphs”

by John William Waterhouse. 

I love the paintings by Bouguereau. 

Rest is beautiful.  I especially love his angels also.

How old were you when you started writing?

8

 

Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write?

I sometimes write preliminary notes and outlines, and sometimes just start writing.  Each project has its own way of coming through me.

 

Describe your perfect evening.

A lovely Spring Evening, sitting in a beautiful garden with my husband, enjoying the delicious scent of flowers all around us, watching little animals at play, and talking about secret things. 

 

Where do you get your inspiration?

A lot of my Inspiration comes from observing Nature.  I also go into my inner mind where my Imagination, and Memories live.  When I contact that secret place, I create a “Mind Painting” of my ideas, which develops into an original story, with illustrations to go with it.  

 

What do you do when you get a writer's block?

I first tell myself not to worry about having a creative block, since it will soon pass.  Then I just relax and close my eyes, going into a semi dream-like state.  As I see images go by, like watching a film, I become excited and inspired to create new artistic projects.

 

Who is your favorite author?

I have so many to choose from.  William Shakespeare is one of my favorites.

 

Best book you ever read.

The play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare.

 

Last book you read.

“Parish & Poetry: A Gift of Words and Art”

 

 

What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?

I’m a graphic artist also, and enjoy painting very much.

 

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?

My dear husband has influenced my personal life greatly.  He is an amazing polymath, and very talented in many ways, including artistically.  He has opened up many exciting and inspiring vistas to me.

 

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?

I’d love to have a conversation with the great Artist Leonardo da Vinci.  I think he’s one of the greatest painters who has ever lived, and I would really enjoy talking to him about his beautiful paintings, the Art of the Italian Renaissance, and about his amazing inventions.

 

What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?

Look into yourself and discover your deepest dreams and aspirations.  Find out what you love and hold dearest in your heart. Then meditate on how you can impart these intimate feelings to others.

 

 

Do you have some links for us to follow you?

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judy.mastrangelo.9  and  https://www.facebook.com/JudyMastrangeloArtofficial

 

Twitter: @JMastrangeloArt 

Instagram: jmastrangeloart. (https://www.instagram.com/jmastrangeloart/)

 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/judymastrangelo/

 

MY BOOKS ON GOODREADS:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/620382.Judy_Mastrangelo

 

MY WEBSITE:

www.judymastrangelo.com

 

MY WEBSITE BOOK PAGE:

https://judymastrangelo.com/books-2/

 

MY WEBSITE SHOP PAGE:

https://judymastrangelo.com/portfolio/shop/

 

MY AUTHOR’S PAGE ON USA AMAZON:

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B08TGNL7D9

 

MY RED BUBBLE. COM ONLINE STORE: 

(I’ve designed products from my artwork in this online store:)

https://www.redbubble.com/people/judymastra/portfolio?asc=u

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Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.

BOOK REVIEW: Crown of Betrayal by Marie F. Crow

Verona has lived in the safety and bliss of the palace and the luxury of what being a Siren means. Content to live her life in the shadows of her beautiful mother, Ostila, and the enchanting, dark beauty of her aunt, Morlena, Verona never thought about what life would be like should they be taken from her. At her mother’s coronation, these once impossible thoughts become shockingly real.
Corander has lived his life in the shadows of his father, Kurt. At the head of the Empradar bloodline, Kurt holds no mercy for those who fail him and even less for those he distrusts. When the palace falls to madness, it will be Corander who is tested by his father’s desires and torn by his own.
Together, Corander and Verona must discover who they really are, and who they are truly meant to become, before all is lost to hidden plots and crowns of betrayal.

Amazon Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Crown-Betrayal-Siren-Book-1-ebook/dp/B088R9DYKB/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Crown+of+Betrayal+by+Marie+F.+Crow&qid=1591203478&s=digital-text&sr=1-1


My Review:

I thoroughly loved Crown of Betrayal by Marie F. Crow. It’s a beautifully written coming of age tale of Princess Verona and her struggle to take her rightful place in an elaborate world of sirens, nobles, sea people, dark creatures, and hidden powers. Twists and turns abound as Verona’s world is shattered when her mother, the queen, disappears. The author throws us into the  chaos Verona is feeling. Has the Queen been kidnapped? Murdered? Is she still alive? We travel with Verona as she navigates a castle where longtime friends and protectors all have ulterior motives and agendas of their own. Will she survive while she grows into her powers? Who can she trust? This writer’s descriptive style set me right in the middle of the action. I highly recommend Crown of Betrayal. 

VISIONANDVERSEDISCLAIMER:

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Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.

SCHEDULE: April 19 - 23,2021

 Mon., April 19 - ART:

Rest by

William Adolph Bouguereau

Tues., April 20 - BOOK REVIEW:

Crown of Betrayal

by Maria F. Crow 

Wed., April 21 - INTERVIEW:

Fantasy Author/Artist

Judy Mastrangelo

Thurs., April 22 - ENTERTAINMENT:

A Monster Calls

(Netflix)

Fri., April 23 - BOOK:

April Yellow Moon

by Carol Ann Kauffman

VISIONANDVERSEDISCLAIMER:

Note:

Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.