Hey everyone! I have the wonderful Joanne Guidoccio on my blog today talking about her latest release, A SEASON FOR KILLING BLONDES (I love that title!). Read on to find out more about this intriguing novel and the equally intriguing author herself. 🙂

Welcome, Joanne! Tell us about your latest release.

While undergoing cancer treatments, I gravitated toward cozy mysteries. After devouring over fifty books in that genre, I imagined the following scenarios: What if a brunette lottery winner moves back to her hometown and finds herself involved in a murder investigation? And what if all the victims are blondes? Since I had plotted the story during the most challenging season of my life, I decided to use A Season for Killing Blondes as the title. Based in Northern Ontario, the novel features a fifty-something Italian woman, her relatives, deserving and undeserving men, and food.

Ha, that sounds amazing! And what a way to help you through a difficult time in your life. What was the hardest thing about writing this book? The easiest?

Once I had the idea for the book, it was very easy to start writing. I still had several months before returning to my teaching position, so I bunkered down and wrote the first draft of the novel. And then I let it sit for several years. When I returned to the manuscript, I struggled to get back into the groove and often felt like giving up on the project. Thankfully, the muse returned and I rewrote the entire manuscript, changing POV to first person and adding several characters and another sub-plot.

Our muses can certainly be stubborn! But they always come through in the end. 😉 If you could bring one of your characters (villain or hero) to life, who would you chose? Why?

At the risk of sounding narcissistic, I will say that I would love to bring Gilda Greco (the protagonist) to life. I identify strongly with Gilda. So much so, that I used the first-person POV. Our similarities…Italian Canadian, born and raised in Sudbury, relocated to Southern Ontario, mathematics teachers, career development practitioners, yoga enthusiasts, non-foodies.

One major difference – Gilda won a $19 million lottery. If I could bring Gilda to life, then I could also manifest a lottery win.

You don’t need to convince me! $19 million dollars would be spectacular. Okay, so Paramount Pictures wants to make a movie about your latest novel. Who plays the main characters?

Since most of the characters are boomers, I would prefer to use actors in that age group. Lorraine Bracco would make a great Gilda Greco. For her love interest, I would go with Pierce Brosnan.

Pierce Brosnan! Ohhh, yesss. 😉 Now on to you. Tell us a little about yourself.

For most of my life, I was a poster child for left brainers. I gravitated toward degrees in mathematics and education and found teaching to be a good career fit. But after thirty-one years, I was ready for a change.

So, I put pen to paper and I revisited a writing dream from my high school years. A writing practice slowly emerged, and I watched with delight as my articles and book reviews started appearing in newspapers, magazines, and online. Buoyed by this success, I took on the challenge of revamping A Season for Killing Blondes, a manuscript I had written during my “cancer” year.

While shopping the cozy around, I wrote Between Land and Sea and was thrilled when Debby Gilbert of Soul Mate Publishing offered me a contract. The following year, Johanna Melaragno of The Wild Rose Press offered me a contract for A Season for Killing Blondes.

From the camp of left brainers, I salute you! And big congratulations on both novels. 😀 Tell us one thing about yourself your readers may not know about you.

After retiring, I filled my life with several “Yin” activities among them book clubs, writing, scrapbooking, and yoga. In need of a “Yang” activity, I decided to join Toastmasters. I’ve been a member for seven years and have achieved my Bronze certification. (I’m two speeches away from Silver) I’ve also won and placed in club, area, and division contests and held several executive positions.

Oh my God, I’m terrified of public speaking! I consciously have to keep myself from hyperventilating and running out of the room, screaming. That’s awesome–you go, girl! What are you working on now?

In August, Soul Mate Publishing will release The Coming of Arabella, Book 2 of the Mediterranean trilogy. I have two WIPs in various stages of completion – Book 3 of the Mediterranean trilogy and Book 2 of the Gilda Greco Mystery series.

Fantastic! Looking forward to it. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your story with us. Check out A SEASON FOR KILLING BLONDES!

Blurb

Hours before the opening of her career counseling practice, Gilda Greco discovers the dead body of golden girl Carrie Ann Godfrey, neatly arranged in the dumpster outside her office. Gilda’s life and budding career are stalled as Detective Carlo Fantin, her former high school crush, conducts the investigation.

When three more dead blondes turn up all brutally strangled and deposited near Gilda’s favorite haunts, she is pegged as a prime suspect for the murders. Frustrated by Carlo’s chilly detective persona and the mean girl antics of Carrie Ann’s meddling relatives, Gilda decides to launch her own investigation. She discovers a gaggle of suspects, among them a yoga instructor in need of anger management training, a lecherous photographer, and fourteen ex-boyfriends.

As the puzzle pieces fall into place, shocking revelations emerge, forcing Gilda to confront the envy and deceit she has long overlooked.

Trailer

https://youtu.be/QURgFbybQVw

BUY LINKS

Amazon (Canada) – http://is.gd/t0g1KZ

Amazon (United States) – http://is.gd/jADjPp

Amazon (United Kingdom) – http://is.gd/8mknFJ

Amazon (Australia) – http://is.gd/r843iX

Kobo – http://is.gd/BpO9gY

More about Joanne:

In high school, Joanne dabbled in poetry, but it would be over three decades before she entertained the idea of writing as a career. She listened to her practical Italian side and earned degrees in mathematics and education. She experienced many fulfilling moments as she watched her students develop an appreciation (and sometimes, love) of mathematics. Later, she obtained a post-graduate diploma as a career development practitioner and put that skill set to use in the co-operative education classroom. She welcomed this opportunity to help her students experience personal growth and acquire career direction through their placements.

In 2008, she took advantage of early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into her creative side and utilize her well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Canada, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes paranormal romance, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

Where to find Joanne:

Website:   http://joanneguidoccio.com/

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authorjoanneguidoccio

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio

Pinterest:   http://pinterest.com/jguidoccio/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio

One lucky commenter will receive an eBook of A SEASON FOR KILLING BLONDES!