Free Book and Frances Miller!

Before we meet today's novelist, Frances Devine, I'd like to announce the winner of of Sunday's drawing:

stampedwithgrace

Congratulations! You'll receive a signed copy of Amber Miller's new release, Quills and Promises. Enjoy!

I encourage everyone else to continue posting comments and/or to subscribe to my blog to participate in upcoming drawings. We'll have two more this month, and one of the drawings will be for today's novel. Here's our teaser: What happens when a young lady inherits a senior citizen boarding house and one of the residents disappears?

Today we meet Frances Devine, author of Miss Aggie's Gone Missing (Barbour Publishing: Heartsong Presents Mysteries, July 2008).

Frances spent most of her childhood, teen, and young adult years in Dallas, Texas, but lived for five years in a little country community called Brushy Creek among the beautiful Pine woods of East Texas. There, she wrote her first story at the age of nine. She moved to Southwest Missouri more than twenty years ago and fell in love with the hills, the fall colors, and Silver Dollar City. Frances has always loved to read, especially mysteries, and considers herself blessed to have the opportunity to write in her favorite genre. She is the mother of seven adult children and has fourteen wonderful grandchildren.

Frances, the cover your novel looks great. Tell us more about Miss Aggie's Gone Missing.

When Aggie Pennington-Brown mysteriously disappears on the same day the Cedar Chapel bank is robbed, the sheriff assumes she was kidnapped by the robbers, and the whole town seems to agree. Victoria Storm, owner of Cedar Lodge Boarding House and her elderly boarders reluctantly come to the same conclusion. But when secrets from their missing friend's past begin to unfold, a horrible possibility arises. Could someone they know and love have harmed Miss Aggie? Could it be one of them?

As Victoria and her elderly friends attempt to solve the mystery and locate Miss Aggie, more secrets are revealed until Victoria begins to wonder if there is anyone she can trust.

Love those cozy mysteries! Which character in your novel most interested you while you wrote? Why?

I think Miss Evalina Swayne. She's a very strong lady, yet also loving and sensitive. I wish I was more like her.

Why will readers enjoy your novel?

I hope they'll experience the fun that I had writing it.

Choose an inanimate object to represent you. Explain what you have in common with that object.

A tape recorder. I'm usually very good at listening, then erasing what needs to be erased.

What is something about your life, right now, that thrills you?

I've recently become a great grandmother and two more are on the way.

Wow! Very busy year for your family! What book are you working on now?

I've just completed a historical, working title, Rest in Peace, Miss Aggie.

Uh oh. That title doesn't bode well for Miss Aggie, does it? We'll have to hear more about that. Where else can readers find you or your writing online? Please include the link for purchasing your book!

My website in progress is Frances Devine

Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner is available at Amazon
Spinster Brides

Miss Aggie's Gone Missing is available to
Heartsong Presents Mysteries members at this time, but will available via retail in a few months, either through Amazon or bookstores.

Thanks, Frances. We're looking forward to hearing more about Miss Aggie and your other novels.

Frances will be giving away a free signed copy of her latest novel, Miss Aggie's Gone Missing, next Monday. To enter the drawing, simply leave a comment below and/or subscribe to the blog, at right. If you're a subscriber, you're always automatically entered once. But you can enter a second time by commenting on our interview with Frances.

Check back this Thursday, when we'll feature novelist Shirley Connolly and her latest, Flame from Within.