Welcome to the Blog Tour for Clutter Free by Jackie Layton, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Clutter Free
Series: An Organized Crime Cozy Mystery #1
Author: Jackie Layton
Publisher: Level Best Books
Release Date: August 29, 2023
Genre: Clean Cozy Mystery
Returning to Fox Island where she grew up, Kate Sloan begins her career as a professional organizer. When a woman accuses Kate’s police chief brother of having an affair, Kate’s priority shifts from organizing to proving her brother’s innocence. Kate visits the woman, hoping for a confession. The woman won’t admit she lied, and to make the situation worse, the accuser is found dead the next day by Kate and her business partner.
Kate has an eye for seeing what’s out of place, and she knows how to fix problems. Can she utilize her organizational skills to toss red herrings and focus on legitimate clues? Kate’s business is at risk as well as her brother’s career. The clock is ticking, and this could be the deadliest deadline of Kate’s life. She must discover the truth behind the victim’s vicious lies, but most of all, she needs to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
About the Author
Jackie Layton is the author of cozy mysteries with Spunky Southern Sleuths. Her stories are set in Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina. She lives on the coast of South Carolina, where she enjoys walks on the beach and golf cart rides around the marsh. Reading, gardening, and traveling are some of her favorite hobbies. She always keeps a notebook handy to write down ideas for future stories. Be careful what you say around her, because it might end up in a book.
Author Interview
Welcome, Jackie! Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and giving my readers a chance to get to know you and your new book Clutter Free.
I like to start these interviews the same way, with something fun to break the ice. Can you share 5 random facts about you that we will not find in your bio?
When I go on vacation, I have a bad habit of buying a small picture to hang on my wall instead of normal souvenirs. My walls are covered in pictures.
I can’t draw a straight line, unless I use a ruler, and even then I struggle.
One of our favorite ways to unwind after a stressful day is to take a golfcart ride on Pawleys Island.
My grandmother took me to get my first permanent when I was two years old, and she didn’t tell my mom.
The same grandmother was once engaged to Oren Larramore Depp (Johnny Depp’s grandfather, and no I’ve never met Johnny.)
When did you first discover you had a passion for writing?
I think I always wanted to write, but I never dreamed it was possible.
What drew you to writing cozy mysteries?
I like the pace of cozy mysteries. I also like solving the puzzle, and I enjoy the characters and their relationships.
What type of research went into writing this story?
First of all, organization isn’t my strong suit. I read magazines and watched videos about how to get more organized. The setting is Fox Island, Georgia. It’s a fictional town near Savannah, and my husband and I spent a week in Tybee Island to get a better feel for the area.
If you had to describe your main character(s) in this story in just three words each, what would they be?
Kate Sloan—loyal, loving, organized.
Reid Barrett—friendly, helpful, environmentalist
Bess Walker—fun, determined, saver
Can you tell us a little bit more about Clutter Free?
Kate Sloan is a widowed, empty nester who decided to return to the town where she grew up. It’s time for a fresh start, and she returns to a place where she was happy. Kate and her best friend, Bess Walker, decide to open Let’s Get Organized. Both are excited to begin their new venture, and then Kate’s brother, Paul Wright, is accused of having an affair with a young woman.
Kate’s good at sifting through clutter to restore order, and she believes it’s possible to sift through lies and prove her brother is innocent. She never expects to situation to spiral out of control and end with a murder. Now Paul is suspected of having an affair and murder.
It’ll take good friends and teamwork for Kate to take on the challenge of trying to prove her brother is innocent. Instead of living an ordinary and boring life, Kate will kick off her high heels and leap into art, drugs, possible human smuggling, and murder. She’ll reunite with old friends and make new friends on her quest, but can she do it without losing her own life?
What was the most challenging part of bringing this story to life?
The human smuggling angle challenged me. I finally decided not to go deep into this issue. It’s too dark for a cozy mystery, and it’s heartbreaking.
The most rewarding?
I lived in Athens, Georgia when I met my husband. We discovered we both love the beach, and a few times we’d get up early in the morning, drive five hours to Tybee Island, and spend the day at the beach. Then we’d turn around and go back to Athens after midnight. It was fun to return to the Savannah and Tybee Island area both with online research and a vacation.
What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
Kate Sloan is fifty-three years old, and she’s ready to turn her life around. I hope readers will know it’s never too late to follow your dreams. It doesn’t have to be as big as moving to another city. Kate wants to contribute to society by making the world a more beautiful place, even if it’s only a closet or pantry.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Before you go, where can readers follow along to see what’s coming next?
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joyfuljel
Bookbub: https://bit.ly/37RqGQ8
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/37slujv
AUTHOR WEBSITE:
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will win a paperback copy of Clutter Free and Weeding Out Lies, a $10 Starbucks gift card, and a polka dot shopping bag!
(1) additional winner will win a paperback copy of Clutter Free!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 11, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 18, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Sounds like a book I will enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for hosting me today. I'll check in later in case your readers have questions. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteLove the Q & A. Sounds good.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the Q&A. Thanks!
Deletegreat interview! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone, thanks for stopping by. Good luck with the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you featuring Clutter Free on your blog. Thanks for the interview, and thanks for your support!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great cozy!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Antoinette. I hope you will enjoy it.
DeleteThis should be an excellent read. Thanks for hosting.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy author interviews, looking forward to reading this soon.
ReplyDeleteGood luck y’all
ReplyDelete