Author of the Week: Sally Carpenter

This week Cozy Cat presents Sally Carpenter and her mysteries The Sinister Sitcom Caper: A Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mystery and The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper: A Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mystery. 

he Sinister Sitcom Caper, inspired by Sally's experience working as a tour guide at Paramount Pictures, is a mystery about Sandy Fairfax-- a former teen idol and star of a TV show titled Buddy Brave,Boy Sleuth. Now she is middle-age and trying to make a comeback, which is proving to be difficult. Sandy ends up being the guest star on Off-Kelter, where an actor ends up dying before rehearsals really begin. Now he feels obligated to investigate this mysterious death, so he enlists in the help of two of his new castmates. During his investigation, Sandy had to deal with his ex, parents, teenage son, and a possible blooming love. 

Check out this excerpt: 

"Of course the largest dressing room in the soundstage went to the star of Off-Kelter; whereas, I, as the one-time guest, was exiled to less desirable quarters. I'd lost my ranking as the former top dog at Mammoth Picture Studio. I handed my gym bag and helmet to Carl but I kept my script as well as my jacket on because the air conditioning was working its magic all too well. The AC's great when you're on the set working under the hot lights, but otherwise a person could freeze. Carl excused himself as I headed for the craft services table. I tucked my script beneath my armpit, and filled a Styrofoam cup with coffee from a metal urn." 

In The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper,  Sandy finds himself aboard the SS Zodiac after his agent finds him a gig that even includes performing with his estranged sister Celeste. However, the siblings have barely began their time aboard the ship when he finds a singer murdered in his dressing room. Once again Sandy feels obligated to solve the murder when no one else seems to care. Now he finds himself grilling potential suspects which include a burnt-out piano bar player, and Southern-fried magician, a blackmail victim, and a ventriloquist with a sassy dummy.

Check out this excerpt: 

"I noticed an empty spot in the room. "What happened to your piano?"

"The only way I could make money from it was to sell it."

Either Sis was in desperate financial straits or she'd given up on music forever. 

Marshall said, "This coffee cake is delicious, Miss Farmington. Very Moist."

"Thanks. I was trying out a new recipe."

After Sis set her empty plate on the coffee table, Marshal said, "Are we ready to discuss the business at hand?"

"All right Ernest, what was it you wanted?"

"Well Sis," I rubbed my hands together. "Marshall, why don't you tell her?"

Sally is much more than just a mystery writer however. She is an avid blogger at http://sandyfairfaxauthor.com/. In college she also wrote plays titles "Star Collector" and "Common ground" which were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. "Common Ground: also earned a college creative writing award, and "Star Collector" was produced in New York City. 

She has a master's degree in theater from Indiana State University, and master's degree in theology. She also had a black belt in tae kwon do! 

She's worked as an actress, freelance writer, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail chaplain, and a tour guide/page for a major movie studio. Now she's employed at a community newspaper. 

  She’s worked as an actress, freelance writer, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail chaplain and tour guide/page for a major movie studio. She’s now employed at a community newspaper.  

Her first Sandy Fairfax mystery "The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper" was a 2012 Eureka! award finalist for the best first mystery novel. She has also published a short story title "Dark Nights at the Deluxe Drive- in" in the anthology "Last Exit to Murder, and her story "Faster Than a Speeding Bullet" has been published in the "Plan B: Vol. 2" e-book anthology. 

Sall is also a member of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles, and she is a  “mom” to two black cats. 

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