I’m often asked at author events, “Why did you set The Finger Lakes Mysteries in the late 1960s?” I love that question! When the story idea for The Cavanaugh House first came to me, I told Rich about it. We were driving to visit my family in Rochester, New York. We’d planned to visit the Finger Lakes region since Rich had never been there. He suggested I set my mystery in that area. (More on that story in another blog.) Aside from Rich’s brilliant suggestion, here are three reasons why I chose that era. Technology Does anyone remember the 1980s Read More
Tag: Haunted places
Four Ghostly Spirits Who Inspired Me
Have you ever had a ghostly encounter? Tell me about it and be eligible to win a Kindle edition of one of the books in The Finger Lakes Mysteries. Who doesn’t love a ghost story on a dark October night when Halloween is near? The chills up your spine at every creaky noise? The blanket up around your face as you turn the page to the next scary scene? And what if some of those stories are true? How ghosts inspired my books The Finger Lakes Mysteries ghost mysteries were inspired by both true stories and legends. Helen Cavanaugh, the Read More
The Finger Lakes Mysteries Series Available on Audiobook
When I decided to narrate my audiobook edition of The Last Crossing, I didn’t know how important the following would be: Don’t narrate right after brushing my teeth and gargling. My mouth is dry and makes clicking sounds when I speak. Turn off my phone or leave it upstairs on the kitchen table. Increase the size of the document so I can see the text above the microphone. Don’t eat foods that make me burp (I know. TMI) Practice, practice, practice before I record. It’s been a fun journey for Rich and me. The training we took helped, but some Read More
In Search of a Witch
Readers often ask where I get ideas for my books. The answer is as varied as the titles I’ve published. But here’s an insight into the inspiration for a book I have already begun to research. My husband Rich is a genealogy enthusiast, and during a family search, discovered that his 9th great-grandmother had been accused of witchcraft in Quebec, Canada. Oh, man, when Rich told me about her, his great, great… grandmother’s story started spinning in my brain. I wanted to write a book based on her life. In my preliminary research, I found his grandmother had come to Read More
Celebrating Spring Fever with a Sale and a Giveaway
Happy Spring! Even though it was snowing yesterday, the air feels different—warmer, moister, kinder. Maybe it’s all in my head. Spring Fever for sure. Well, it makes me want to celebrate, so I’m giving away a swag bag with a copy of Buried Secrets, and I’m putting The Cavanaugh House on sale. I hope you’ll join in my celebration. I’d love for you to read my book or win my swag bag. The Cavanaugh House – only 99 cents on Amazon from March 25-31. Click to order your copy now! “This house held secrets …” A broken heart. A haunted Read More