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Anthology — Malice, Matrimony & Murder: 25 Wedding Cozy Mystery & Crime Fiction Stories

Author Interviews + Anthology & Author Info + Authors Pet Corner!

Looking for more new books to read? Check out my interviews with ITW Debut Authors. Click the link here.

The Anthology — Malice, Matrimony & Murder

Between bad bridesmaids, conniving caterers, greedy guests, ill-mannered in-laws, savvy sleuths, and vengeful villains, this anthology has it all!

Over two dozen authors have teamed up to offer you this wedding-themed collection of brand-new cozy mystery and crime fiction stories.

Plus, solve the overarching wedding whodunit and access a special ebook filled with bonuses and extras.

If you’re drawn to shorter mysteries that are light on gore and language, and high on humor, entertainment, and happy endings, then this anthology is for you!

Click here for buy links and to download a story sampler. Happy reading!

Anthology: Malice, Matrimony & Murder: A Cozy Mystery and Cozy Crime Fiction Anthology

Thank you so much to the wonderful Elena Hartwell for inviting us, the authors of the recently released Malice, Matrimony, and Murder anthology, to guest post on her blog today! We’ve brought with us some inside information on our characters and stories, sneak peeks at our upcoming releases, advice for aspiring writers, and pet photos. Enjoy!

Great to have you all visit!

The Anthology Author Interviews

What would you like readers to know about the protagonist of your Malice, Matrimony & Murder story?

Charlotte Morganti: Persimmon Worthing, the protagonist of “A Wedding Planner’s Nightmare,” is a woman of a certain age who often declares “if solving mysteries was a sport, I would be Police Sergeant Courgette’s color commentator.”

J. Aquino: The two protagonists in my story, “Death, the Uninvited Wedding Guest,” Jenny and Lynn, are government agents skilled in weapons and hand-to-hand, smart, independent, and able to laugh when situations become difficult. Jenny is military trained, Lynn is an attorney and ex-FBI. They are close enough for Jenny to be invited as a bridesmaid to Lynn’s sister’s wedding for which Lynn is the maid of honor.

What project are you working on now?

Barbara Howard: Thank you for the question. I’m currently working on The Spice Code, The Clover City Files Book 2. The release date is December 6, 2023. This cozy mystery series is set in a small town, Clover City, where a college student/part time health aide, Amira Cooper, and her boyfriend, Darius Browne, Esq. uncover secrets and solve murder cases. Amira is a good hearted and somewhat naive heroine that readers love to root for.

KD Sherrinford: Book No. 3 in my Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler Romantic Mysteries, Meet Me in Milan, was released by Extasy Books on the 29th of September. I’ve already started work on book four, Nicco Sapori’s Abduction, which should be available next year. My debut award-winning novel and the first book in the series Song for Someone is longlisted at The Chatelaine Awards.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Karen McCullough: Find a way to protect yourself from negativity and rejection. Most writers are thin-skinned – we tend to be more empathetic and open than most people. It’s what allows us to crawl into our characters’ heads and tell their stories. But once you put your work out in public, you’re going to encounter waves of rejection (from editors, agents, publishers and, even when published, the public in the form of bad reviews).

Becky Clark: I published my first book in 2001 so I’ve been around the literary block a few times. And—spoiler alert—I have lots of advice! For writing: • Do not edit as you go. You can’t fix the beginning of your book until you get all the way to the end. • Use laser-focused one-hour blocks of time to write. • Have a plan about what you’re going to write every time you sit down. For publishing: • Don’t take rejection or negative reviews personally and never read your reviews. • Get comfortable with talking about yourself and your books. For being a writer: • Take care of yourself. Writing is a weirdly strenuous activity. Take time to stretch every hour. • Meet with other authors on the regular. There’s nothing like being surrounded by like-minded folks. • Please yourself with your writing first and foremost. If you’re having fun, it will be obvious in your books and your readers will be drawn to that.

What inspired you to write your story for the anthology Malice, Matrimony & Murder?

Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier: My mysteries featuring St. Thomian food journalist Naomi Sinclair tell stories about Virgin Islands cuisine, but ultimately, stories about food are always stories about people. “Chill” is about soursop ice cream and restaurant sabotage during what SHOULD be a relaxing Bridesmaids Day at Magens Bay, but as the title implies, it’s also about finding the right work-life balance and making space for relaxation. One bridesmaid owns an ice cream store, and she’s very much in the “all work and no play” camp. I hope whoever is reading this will make the time to “chill,” perhaps on something comfortable with a good book … and if you’re looking for suggestions, why not try Malice, Matrimony & Murder?

Sally Milliken: What inspired me to write “Icing on the Cake”? I am an avid ice hockey player and skate with two women’s teams in my area. It is great exercise and a lot of fun with interesting, accomplished, and supportive teammates. I’ve participated in several tournaments and know full well the feeling of both winning and losing (and at our age, mostly losing, but we still have the best time). Although I’ve never played in a pond hockey tournament, several friends have, and it is on my bucket list of activities to do.

Rebecca Olmstead: What inspired me to write Love and Death in Madison, Georgia? When I was trying to come up with a story for the anthology, I kept going back to the south, and a time when wealthy young ladies were cared for by nannies. I imagined the bond between the child and her nanny would grow into love, and then I asked myself, how far would someone go to protect someone they loved that much? The main character, Violet began to tell me her story, and I wrote it down. Of course it was nothing like I had planned. Such is the writing life.

What can we find you doing when you aren’t writing?

Lynn Hesse: When I’m not writing, I’m rehearsing and dancing in several local troupes. My dandelion persona comes in handy during performances with the Dancing Flowers for Peace. I’m a member of the Beacon Dance Board and work with professional dancers and intergenerational dance to build community. I taught sacred dance in the United Methodist Church for many years.

Paige Sleuth: My rescue cats are very demanding, so when I’m not writing I’m usually attending to their needs. That includes petting them, brushing them, taking them outside, cleaning up after them, and, of course, feeding them. If I ignore them for too long, one of them will sit on my keyboard until I get my priorities straight!

Malice, Matrimony & Murder Authors Pet Corner!

Sally Milliken: Beryl, a rescue and everyone’s favorite member of our family.

Becky Clark: Nala, Becky’s quirky muse and the basis for many furry—and one aquatic—characters.

Paige Sleuth: Anna Belle and Molly, rescues and cover models for the Cozy Cat Caper Mystery series.