Coffee Blog

Fall weather suggests warm beverages.

Writing Sparkle

Welcome to book review forty of fifty-two for this year’s virtual coffee shares. I’ve picked books related to the Brewing Coffee, Twisting Words & Breaking Pencils theme—coffee, books, and puzzles.

Death by Hot Apple Cider
The author is Alex Erickson
Published in October 2021
The publisher is Kensington Cozies
Available in eBook, Audiobook, audio CD, and mass market (306 pages)
Women Sleuth Mystery | Cozy Mysteries (Books) | Women Sleuths

It’s not coffee, but it’s fall—in real life and in the book. What’s better than hot apple cider in the autumn?

Death by Hot Apple Cider is book nine of thirteen—A Bookstore Café Mystery. The timing of this murder is a bit earlier in the novel. It happens at the end of Chapter One. Jumping right into the action leaves no time to consider that this is the ninth murder that Pine Hills sleuth, Krissy, becomes involved with.

If we were having coffee, I would share a photograph of the puzzle I finished this week. This one was a double challenge because, besides being a tricky image to piece together, it also didn’t match the image on the box. The box image not matching the puzzle is part of the “Escape Puzzle” theme.

If we were having coffee, I would share that I am preparing to write chapter 19 of my cozy mystery. I took a writing pause and went back to Chapter 1 to read it through, ensuring everything flows before I start the conclusion. Writing mysteries has been a different experience from my urban fantasy writing.

If we were having coffee, I would share that I am thinking of trying something new with my book cover for this next book. Have you used Miblart Book Cover Design or Getcovers Design? Do you have a book cover designer that you would recommend?

If we were having coffee, I would share that I would like to get some fall pictures to share with you in the next week or two. I love when the trees turn colours.

Here is the coffee bean grinder. How was your week?

By Shari Marshall – 2025

Listen to Vizard today. Narrated by Tracy Parsons.

14 thoughts on “Fall weather suggests warm beverages.”

  2. I would love to see what fall looks like in your corner of the world! Unfortunately I have not tried any of the book cover designers you mentioned. I’ve self-published two books, but it was a long time ago. Have a great weekend!

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      1. I have not mentioned it on this blog. Some of the bloggers at the weekend coffee share was following me back when I published the books. One is a coffee table books about wild horses and their cause, I was active in the rescue world for several years. The other book is a guide book to beautiful wilderness areas around Las Vegas. I was selling them at Amazon for a while, but stopped when I moved away from the US, it was too complicated to continue.

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  4. I know some people dump their puzzle pieces out and store the box, completing the puzzle without reference. I like having a reference available if I need it, though.

    Happy Saturday, Trent. Thanks for visiting.

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  7. I would be so lost if I had to do a puzzle without a reference picture!! It sounds incredibly challenging but I’m sure a warm drink would help me!! It sounds like you had the perfect day 💗

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