Category: Blog

Do you want to discover the essential elements of a cozy reading corner? If you’re an avid reader like me, then you probably do. Y’all, I crave reading time. I also crave peace and coziness. That doesn’t always happen because, like most people, my life is super busy. Discovering the essential elements of a cozy reading corner and creating my own personal space where I can escape into the world

Valerie Burns, Michael Falco, Traci Hall, Melissa Bourbon, Krista Davis, Darci Hannah, Lynn Cahoon, Carlene O’Connor Author Events in Wisconsin and South Carolina filled by week. And let me tell you, events like these are huge perks to being a cozy/mystery author. One of them is going places where readers are and getting to talk to them.  These author events in Wisconsin and South Carolina are what most of the last

Listen to the Podcast Episode I did about Attorney Woo’s Hero’s Journey. As a Writer, there are so many reasons to love Extraordinary Attorney Woo. First and foremost, she is a hero. She is. Truly. A bonafide hero. And as a writer, I can’t get enough of her. In case you’ve missed this phenomenal show, here’s the summary from ENA/Netflix: Attorney Woo (Woo Young-Woo) is an extraordinary attorney who has Autistic

Life as a Writer Being a writer has its quiet moments when you’re holed up in a room with your computer and your imagination, painting pictures with words. But there are other times when writers get to go out into the field and do research. When I was writing the first book in my Harlow Cassidy Magical Dressmaking series, Pleating for Mercy, I knew I wanted to add an animal.

Download the September Quotes! ⬇︎ 🍂🍁 September Quotes 🍁🍂 The Memories and Emotions of September For me, the nostalgia, memories, and emotions September brings are visceral. When September 1st hits, I feel a shift in myself. I experience an emotional charge. In fact, more than any other month or season, September makes me reminisce about my childhood. It makes me yearn for the specific feelings I experienced during that season

I love bookish quotes. My life revolves around reading, so it makes sense! Visit this page to grab, enjoy, and share. “There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” ~Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis A child who reads will be an adult who thinks.                            ~Unknown I cannot remember the

I love books. I love art. I love painting. This is my fun creative outlet…painting book covers on bricks! Come back to see what’s next. https://melissabourbon.com/wp-content/uploads/TheSecretGardenPaintedBrick.movhttps://melissabourbon.com/wp-content/uploads/NancyDrewPaintedonBrick.mov

The release of Death Gone a-Rye inspired me to write this post. It’s the 6th book in my Bread Shop mysteries. If you haven’t heard about it, here’s a little into to the series (from Kneaded to Death, book 1): Struggling photographer Ivy Culpepper has lots of soul-searching to do since returning to seaside Santa Sofia, California. That is, until the thirty-six-year-old enters a bread making class at Yeast of

Who doesn’t love book-themed books? I definitely do! So much so, even, that I wrote one. Murder in Devil’s Cove is a love letter to books. The Hobbit and The Odyssey are two of the biggies featured in Murder in Devil’s Cove and in the series.  I had to include it on this list of the BEST book-themed books.  Y’all, I highly recommend all of these bookish books.  For you historic literature fans, The

Why Audiobooks? I love audiobooks. No matter what is happening in my life, I usually have three books going: one I read mostly at night before bed on my eReader. One in print–usually a cookbook, an educational book, or some form of self-education. And an audiobook, which I listen to daily when I walk my dogs and when I’m in the car. If a book is a particularly good one,

Christmas romance. Christmas cozies. These are 12 of my favorite Christmas books. Enjoy! Two people. Ten chances. One unforgettable love story. Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn’t exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there’s a moment of pure magic…and then her bus drives away. Certain

This week only! For a limited time, these 6 books are on sale. Get them from .99¢-$1.99 🎁

There is a charming bookshop in Buxton, North Carolina, just outside of Hatteras on the Outer Banks. The owner converted a little house into what is one of just a few bookstores along North Carolina’s Atlantic coastline. Buxton Village Books. Gee Gee, the owner, loves my books—especially the Book Magic series—and displays them prominently in her shop. This little store—and it is small—sells more books per square foot than any

There are Ten Things to Love About the Cozy Mystery Genre While the mystery genre is huge, there are 10 things to love about cozy mysteries. Sure, there are thrillers, suspense, and police procedurals on one end, domestic suspense and straight mysteries in the middle to capers and cozies on the other side of the spectrum. There is, literally, something for everyone. No matter the subgenera, mysteries draw you in

                                                            Holiday Cozies are the best! If you’re like me and love to get festive with holiday-themed books, check out Deadly Patterns and A Murder Yule Regret. Deadly Patterns From the author of the Harlow Cassidy Mystery Series comes a Christmas