The Novel Detective by Teresa Dovalpage - #authorQ&A #blogtour

 In her metafictional mystery The Novel Detective (Soho Crime, July 2026), author Teresa Dovalpage steps directly into the pages of her own story. In this candid Q&A, she discusses ghosts, the underground secrets of 1980s Havana, and what happens when a mystery writer becomes her own protagonist.

The Blurb

A metafictional mystery set in Cuba past and present about a writer returning to her long-lost hometown, seeking the truth about two suspicious deaths.

2020: Teresa, a Cuban-born mystery writer now living in America, gets an unexpected call from her childhood best friend, Estrella, inviting her to Havana. Estrella is determined to get answers about a case that has haunted them both for decades: the purported murder-suicide of a teacher and a student at their high school. Though Teresa doesn’t quite understand why Estrella is taking the story so personally, she’s along for the ride—as she always wanted to write a novel about this case.

1980: Fourteen-year-old Teresita, bespectacled, awkward and mystery novel–obsessed, is “nosy, but not a tattletale.” She knows who’s been skimming off the top of the amphetamine stash in her mother’s pharmacy, which teacher keeps cyanide in his cabinet at school and that their classmate Yoyi is sleeping with their English teacher. Over the course of one fateful day, Teresita gets closer than ever to learning the “Truth of Life”—her catchall term for the intricacies of adult existence—even if it means coming face to face with death.

Directly inspired by the author’s own childhood in Cuba and adult life in the United States, drawing upon the tradition of Latin American magical realism, this is a resonant tale at once personal and universal, full of nostalgia, candor and danger. 

Welcome to the blog Teresa.

Q  In the 1980 timeline, Teresita is obsessed with finding the “Truth of Life.” What does that phrase mean to a fourteen-year-old in Havana?

A Teresita is at that awkward age where she’s no longer a child, but not yet an adult. For her, the “Truth of Life” is the secret code that adults use to navigate a world that she finds full of contradictions. It’s about understanding why a classmate meets with a teacher in a “tunnel of love” and discovering how enjoyable (or icky, as it turns out to be) it is to kiss a boy for the first time. Plus living in 1980 Cuba, she needs to understand how the world actually works once the revolutionary anthems stop playing.

Q  The book is described as metafictional. How does your perspective as a real-life mystery writer influence the way the fictional Teresa approaches the investigation?

A  It adds a layer of creative self-consciousness. The adult Teresa is investigating a crime while thinking about how the case would work as a literary plot. She’s analyzing clues like a mystery writer, looking for hidden reasons and character arcs, even as real-world Havana throws her curveballs that don’t fit into a neat three-act structure. It’s a story about a writer investigating a detective story, which allowed me to play with all the tropes of the genre.

Q We meet Teresita’s childhood best friend, Estrella, in both timelines. What role does she play in pushing the story forward?

A  Estrella is the ultimate catalyst. While teenage Teresita is the observer, Estrella is the one who takes things personally, gets into fights and acts out. In 1980, she’s the rebellious girl joking about the school’s “mustard and ketchup” uniforms and doing Santería ceremonies to attract a boy she likes. In the modern timeline, she’s the one who pulls Teresa back to the crime scene and asks her to find out what really happened. Every detective needs a partner who provides the emotional stakes, and for Teresa, that’s always been Estrella.

Q  Teresita knows some dangerous secrets, like who is stealing amphetamines in the pharmacy where her mother works and the affair between a teacher and a student. How much of this was a reality for students in Cuba back then?

A  When a society is highly monitored, the underground thrives. Growing up, things like black-market jeans, diverted pharmacy supplies, inflated grades, and banned Beatles songs were just part of daily life. We had a saying back then: “Whatever is not prohibited is compulsory.” I wanted The Novel Detective to capture that exact tension. Behind the facade of perfect socialist behavior demanded by teachers like Irma, absolutely everyone had a secret they were desperate to protect.

Q  What do you hope readers take away from your specific blend of Cuban nostalgia and atmospheric mystery?

A   I hope readers see that nostalgia isn’t always sunny. You can miss the place you grew up while still acknowledging the shadows that lurked there. I wanted to portray a Havana that is still beautiful, but one that is also crumbling and facing immense shortages and hardships. Ultimately, I want readers to walk away feeling like they’ve spent time in the Manzana de Gómez, both as tourists in a luxury hotel, and as students who know exactly where the “tunnels of love” lead.

Thank you so much for being on the blog today, Teresa.

Book Details

ISBN: 978 1641298285

Publisher: Soho Crime

Formats: e-book and hardback

No. of Pages: 333 (hardback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Teresa Dovalpage is the author of fourteen novels, four collections of short stories in English and Spanish, and four theatre plays. Her Havana Mystery series, published by Soho Crime, began with Death Comes in through the Kitchen (2018). Subsequent novels include Queen of Bones (2019) named by NBC News as one of the ten best books by and about Latinos of the year; Death of a Telenovela Star (2020); Death under the Perseids (2021), and Last Seen in Havana (2024) which Sarah Weinman praised in The New York Times for exploring “how familial bonds can fray, yet manage to hold steady, across the decades.” Last Seen in Havana was also an Amazon Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense. The Novel Detective is a metafictional mystery inspired by the author’s own childhood in Cuba and adult life in the United States.

You can also find Teresa at:

Author Website

Facebook

Instagram

(media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

(Bookshop.org affiliated)

The Players - Act 1: All the World's a Stage by Amy Sparkes - Q&A #blogtour #authorinterview

I couldn't be more thrilled than I am to be welcoming author, Amy Sparks onto the blog today.

Amy kindly agreed to answer some questions about her new book, The Players - Act 1: All the World's a Stage. 

 The Blurb

How far would you go to save what you truly love?

England, 1715.When society doesn’t understand you, and your family is out of the picture, a strolling theatre company could be your perfect home…

Ambitious lead actor Thomas is determined to reach Drury Lane and prove to his father that he is not a failure.Fierce Caroline has a traumatic past and is determined to protect the company which saved her.

Kind-hearted Annie just wants to look after her found family.So, when their heartbroken manager Robert is injured and decides to fold the struggling company, the players are resolved to change his mind, whatever the cost. Unfortunately for them, the odds are stacked against them. They’ve lost their stage, they still haven’t got a skull for Hamlet, and flamboyant ex-member Piero is hunting them down, with a spot of revenge on his mind...Is it time for the final bow?

The Players Act 1: All The World’s A Stage gives voice to the forgotten strolling players of the 18th century in this fun, uplifting, and page-turning read.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Energetic, accessible historical fiction

Working-class characters

Found family

Comedy and tragedy

Shakespeare

LGBTQ+

Neurodiversity

Mental health issues

Multiple POV

Heart and hope

The Interview

Q Welcome to the blog Amy. Can I start by asking you What was the inspiration for this story? 

A  Ideas can start in different ways. Often when I write, characters appear first. Sometimes it’s a theme, occasionally a title, sometimes the concept. My children enjoy drama, so I’ve spent a lot of time watching shows and being around a stage. This is perhaps why it was the concept of The Players which dropped into my head first – all the fun you could have with a motley troupe of players who were always on the move. There would always be variety, new experiences, new places, new characters. It had a lot of potential.   

After the initial ‘zing’ of an idea, I like to ponder the different directions it could go in. I think about the tone that I like, the themes I enjoy exploring, and the type of characters who interest me and I’d want to spend time with. All of these things feed into developing the idea. 

Q  What are the key themes in the story? 

A  The tagline offers the main thematic question: How far would you go to save what you truly love? I think this is a fascinating question – and one that we personally may not know the answer to until we find ourselves in a situation that truly poses it. At what point do moral principles rein in desire? At what point does desire override morality? What would you be willing to sacrifice to get what you want? And how much do you really love something or someone, when push comes to shove? All of these questions twist in and around the narrative, explored through the different characters’ perspectives and problems, as they attempt to discover their own answers. 

Alongside this main thematic question, there are general themes of love, sacrifice, friendship, grief, self-awareness, resilience, forgiveness, courage and hope, as well as an exploration of the importance of the arts, and the relationship between comedy and tragedy.

Q  The Players Act 1 is your adult debut novel. Why did you decide to write historical fiction?

A  I’ve always enjoyed reading historical fiction. When I was 12 years old my mum gave me a copy of Philippa Gregory’s Meridan (part of the Wideacre trilogy). I was utterly smitten and became absorbed in historical fiction and epic family sagas. As well as reading, history was an important part of my early life – from exploring ancient castles and graveyards to visiting archaeological digs as a child to studying History at A-level. I am still fascinated by historical sites, architecture and the way people thought, behaved and lived in the past. It was only a matter of time before I started writing about it. 

The process of world-building is very fun, which is why I also enjoy creating magical and fantastical worlds. There is something lovely about escaping the real world for a while and absorbing yourself in another time and place. 

Q  How did you research the historical aspects?

A  I started by reading books on strolling players and theatre to help shape the idea. I wanted to include women in the troupe, so I knew it would be after Shakespeare’s time. A lot of research I found was concerned with established companies and theatres, and there is very little documented about the small, more informal companies who existed, barely scraping a living. They were here and they mattered, but they mostly just disappeared out of knowledge and memory as time passed. However, understanding the way more established companies worked gave me pointers for how they went about their business, and I loved the freedom that came with creating a troupe that had to be a little more creative with their methods, surviving hand-to-mouth. 

 As well as reading books, I watched videos, scoured the internet, contacted historians and studied old maps to find out what I could about working classes, 18th century theatre and wider society in 1715. The majority of the story takes place in Devon, where I live. It’s a beautiful part of the world and I visited Bampton several times, studying architecture, researching the layout and combining that with anecdotal evidence, maps and local history sites. I shifted some buildings around mentally, added a few, altered the building dates here and there, and elongated the road a little, but it was wonderful to use it as a launchpad. I also visited Andover for a sense of the place, again studying architecture and the town’s history. Visiting these two key locations helped establish the place firmly in my mind and I hope that comes across in the world-building.

Q   Why did you decide to write with multiple POV?

A  I decided that rather than featuring major historical events, the series would instead focus on local setting, the world of theatre and character. I love the fact that fundamentally, people are the same now as they always have been, and as they will continue to be. To me, that’s what really brings historical fiction alive – that connection. So it was important to have a deep dive into the minds of the characters, really understanding their longings, their fears, their flaws, their humanity. Using multiple points of view allowed me to explore that more fully, and go deeper into different interpretations and answers to the thematic question. 

Q  Which character are you most like? 

A  I think there is a little bit of me in almost every character, but that nugget goes off and spins in a different direction, grows, mutates, finds their own voice, and becomes a new character. There is probably most similarity between me and Thomas because we share a similar outlook on life. He’s passionate about his art, very optimistic, and determined to see the bright side and encourage those around him. He will look for ways to make the impossible possible. He also has the tendency to hurtle around somewhat chaotically from one thing to the next, and Caroline’s frustration of, “For Heaven’s sake! Didn’t that man ever stand still?” definitely has echoes of my mother’s voice. 

It can feel oddly intrusive to bestow modern terms upon historical characters – even imagined ones – but I understand Thomas to have ADHD, like me, which can be both a blessing and a curse. Neurodiversity has always been around and although the players wouldn’t understand it as such, it’s been wonderful to explore it authentically in historical fiction with a neurodiverse main character. 

Q  There is a lot of humour in the story. Why did you choose to write with this tone?

A  There are many reasons why this felt the right tone to use. My voice naturally brings an element of comedy, so it felt an authentic way to write this story, especially one which examines the concept of comedy and tragedy. 

Humour and neurodiversity are similar in the sense that they have both always existed but we don’t see much in historical fiction. People had a good laugh, and needed to, just as we do today. By using a lighter tone and including comedy, I’m hoping to help break down the assumption that historical fiction needs to be deadly serious all the time. 

Humour is a great way of dealing with difficult issues, making it easier and more bearable to examine those areas which challenge us. It can also help make fiction accessible to readers, and I’d love to see more readers embracing stories, worlds and characters from the past. It’s my hope that including the humour in this story brings a warmth and connection, helping you feel like you are hanging out with a group of friends, sitting around the campfire together by night and travelling along the road beside them by day. 

Thank you so much Amy. That was fascinating and it's been my pleasure to have you on the blog today.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1068327919

Publisher:  Sword and Fiddle Publishing

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  326 (paperback)

Series:  Book 1 of The Players Series

Purchase Link

Amazon UK

About the Author

Amy was born in Eastbourne, England, where the sea and South Downs encouraged her love of the outdoors and nurtured her wildness. Her childhood was filled with folk music, caravans and imagination, and she was always dreaming up stories and characters – usually when she was meant to be doing something else. 

She enjoys stories that explore both comedy and tragedy. She is a New York Times bestselling author and her work includes THE HOUSE AT THE EDGE OF MAGIC series, and the picture books for BBC’s THE REPAIR SHOP. THE PLAYERS is her debut novel for adults. 

Amy now lives in Devon with her husband and six children. When she isn’t writing, Amy enjoys drinking tea, climbing trees and playing the piano, although disappointingly she is yet to master doing all three at once.

You can also find Amy at:

Instagram

Bluesky

(media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

The Leap Year Proposal by Susan Buchanan - #blogtour #authorQ&A #giveaway #authorinterview

 

I am delighted to welcome the author, Susan Buchanan onto the blog today. Susan was kind enough to agree to answer some questions about her latest book, The Leap Year Proposal. She has also been generous in offering a signed copy of her book to giveaway. Information on how to enter is at the bottom of this post.

But first, let me give you some info about the book.

The Blurb

Three women. One crazy hen weekend. 

A life-changing decision.When three women meet on a mutual friend’s hen weekend on the Scottish island of Arran, they get more than they bargained for when one of them has the genius idea of proposing on 29 February, like the age-old Irish tradition.

High-flying businesswoman Anouska and boyfriend Zach are deliriously happy and madly in love. If only they had more time together. But now she’s pregnant and doesn’t know how to tell him since having kids hadn’t featured in their plans.

Dog walker Jess lives with her childhood sweetheart, but they’re already like an old married couple, without the romance, or the wedding, or the ring. When Mark doesn’t propose on New Year’s Eve, Jess is gutted and decides to take matters into her own hands.

Ellie and Scott still live apart after six years, and his lack of commitment is a sore point. She’s up for a huge promotion which involves moving country. It’s make-or-break time. She needs to know he’s worth turning down the job for.

The women meet weekly, helping each other with decisions big and small, becoming each other’s support system in the run-up to ‘the big ask’.

Will love conquer all or will their hopes and dreams come crashing down around them?

***

Welcome to the blog Susan.

Thanks for inviting me.

Q. Intriguing concept – leap-year proposals. Are you a feminist? And do you think the concept of leap-year proposals still resonates today?

A. Am I a feminist? I’m a feminist in so much as I’ve never thought, not even for a second, that I don’t have as equal a right as a man to do something, simply because I’m female. I think whether the proposal idea will resonate or not depends on the person. You’ll have those who rail at the idea of women having to wait until 29 February every four years to propose, and then you’ll have people like me who like the uniqueness of the date and the fact that 29 February only exists every 4 years, and will just roll with it.

 Yes, I proposed on 29 February – although that morning I had no plans to!

Q. How many drafts of your books, and particularly this one, did you do?

A. Nowadays I usually do 2-3 drafts, then more after edits. This one went through a lot more edits as so many things changed based on feedback. I’ll never know which was the better version. I loved both, but clearly I’m biased! 

Q. So, does that mean you cut characters and scenes? Do you delete scenes or keep them? I’ve heard writers should never throw anything away.

A. Yes, I cut both characters and scenes, and that’s not something I usually do. But in traditional publishing, you often have to fit exactly what they’re looking for, so I did that for this book. I keep all versions of my books, so those scenes may be used as a little extra for my newsletter subscribers at some future point. 

Q. What to your mind is the most romantic scene in the book?

A. Hmm, that’s a toughie, but I guess I’d have to say the penultimate one with Zach and Anouska (not including the epilogue). If it doesn’t get the readers rooting for them, I’ve done something wrong! 

Q. What would you say the themes are in the book? Obviously romance, but I get the impression female friendship is a key one.

A. Absolutely it is. The three women end up spending a lot of time together – time when their partners, for various reasons, aren’t around. It works in their favour in one way as they’re trying to craft these proposals in secret. The strength and bond of female friendship is definitely one of the main themes in the book. Betrayal, second chances and forgiveness also feature heavily.

Q. Did you have any actors or people in mind for any of the characters in the book as you wrote it? If not, who would you like to take the lead roles if The Leap Year Proposal was made into a film?

A. Not as I wrote it, no, although interestingly I did for the book I wrote after this one! I don’t tend to normally. Perhaps Claire Foy for Ellie, Emilia Clarke as Jess and Gemma Arterton as Anouska. For the love interests, perhaps Taron Egerton, Theo James and Nicholas Hoult, but I’m not telling you who is who!  

Q. What can we expect from Susan Buchanan in 2025 and 2026?

A. Well, quite a lot, I think! I released the third in my Christmas Spirit series in November 2024 after a gap of almost ten years! I know! And it was so well received, and I’ve had so many ideas for future books in the series, I can confirm there will be another Christmas Spirit book in 2025 and probably again in 2026. However, before that there’s You Can’t Hurry Love, my romance set in Costa Rica, and heavily featuring a sloth sanctuary – if you’ve never been, you really have to go. Sloths are so cute! You Can’t Hurry Love will be out in May and is already up for pre-order: https://books2read.com/u/mKG0p5

Thank you so much for coming onto the blog today Susan. It's been wonderful to have you and I'm sure the book will do brilliantly.

About the Author

Susan Buchanan writes romantic comedy, contemporary romance and women’s fiction, usually featuring travel, food, family, friendship, community – also Christmas!

Her books are Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, A Little Christmas Spirit and Just One Day – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. 

As a freelance developmental editor, copyeditor and proofreader, if she’s not reading, editing or writing, she’s thinking about it.  

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors. 

She lives near Glasgow with her husband, two children and a crazy Labrador. 

When she’s not editing, writing, reading or caring for her two delightful cherubs, she likes going to the theatre, playing board games, watching quiz shows and eating out, and she has recently discovered a love of writing retreats.

You can also find Susan at:

Author Website

Instagram

Twitter / X

Blue Sky

Giveaway

To be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of The Leap Year Proposal click on the link below. UK only.

Good Luck!

Enter Giveaway

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

(media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

The Blossoming of Truth by Susan Gray - #Q&A #authorinterview #blogtour

I am thrilled to bits to have author, Susan Gray here on the blog today to answer some questions about how she writes and what inspires her. Her latest book release, Blossoming of Truth was published earlier this year.

But first, here is a little bit about the book.

The Blurb

A tragic accident…   A bitter betrayal…   A baffling mystery.

When an attractive young woman seeks refuge in his home during a blizzard, Tom Smallwood is convinced they have met before. As their friendship develops, her persistent denial of their previous connection threatens to shake the bedrock of Tom’s ‘life code’.

A tragic accident robs Tom of his beloved brother, leaving him devastated.

His world implodes further when he is arrested…

HIS ONLY CRIME WAS TO FALL IN LOVE.

Can Tom’s strong pillars of truth and integrity hold fast and enable him to win the heart of the woman he adores?

ISBN:  978 1916572720

Publisher:  UK Book Publishing

Formats: e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  365 (paperback)

***

Q  What inspired you to begin writing?

A I think I always wanted to write. As a child, I made up stories in my head on long car journeys. I grew up in northeast England, and the house I lived in was built in the style of a Spanish hacienda. It was a magical place, with a large garden, summerhouse and stream. I felt there was a story behind this setting, but it was sixty years before I put pen to paper. When the global pandemic struck, I decided to write my debut novel based fictitiously around my childhood home. Once started, I haven’t stopped – I’m currently editing my seventh book. It has been a’ late onset career’, but I am enjoying it!

Q  Do you write using pen and paper or on a computer?

A  I begin with an A5 notebook and pen and write scenes – some I use, others I discard. Then I use A4 paper and a pen and start to join the dots. I get a ‘feel’ for a suitable chapter length - usually five doubled sided sheets which I staple together...these form my longhand chapters. Then it’s typed up onto the computer. After that it’s edit, edit, edit and edit!

Q  Who are your favourite writers - and are you influenced by them?

A  As a child it was Enid Blyton, and I loved the book ‘Heidi ‘by a Swiss author Johanna Spyri. As a teenager I was hooked on Agatha Christie books. In later years I’ve been a fan of Josephine Cox, Lucinda Riley, Nicholas Sparks, Victoria Hislop and more recently Jojo Moyes and Lorna Cook. I love Twentieth Century Historical Fiction, mystery and romance – so yes, they have influenced me.

Q  How do you do your research? Did you enjoy it?

A  Mostly internet, sometimes Travel Guides, often my local cemetery. I use old photographs particularly those from the area where I live and set my books - I write in the 1920’s era. Sometimes I draw on memories of places I have visited and conversations with elderly relatives. I do a little research before a novel, but try not to do too much initially, as it affects my ‘flow’. After that I do it as I go.

Q Do you enjoy editing?

A I regard editing as literary housework. I iron it - to wrinkle out the creases so it flows smoothly; I dust it - to find the typos and grammar mistakes; I polish it – adding descriptions to make it sparkle. I vacuum it to suck up the fluff (padding). Sometimes I put it through the literary washing machine - to spruce it up (on the wash cycle); tighten it up (on the spin cycle) and occasionally I take the literary scissors, needle and thread – cut bits out and stitch it up again! I’m not a lover of housework!

Susan, I love your likening of editing to house work. Thank you so much for being on the blog today. I have really enjoyed hearing about your approach to writing and research.

About the Author:

 ‘Never too old to follow your dreams’ has become Susan Gray’s mantra since beginning to write novels after celebrating a significant birthday. Susan endeavours to entwine the genres of mystery and romance and sets her novels in the early Twentieth Century. She lives with her husband in northeast England – setting her books in this picturesque area. She has a son and daughter, both married, two granddaughters and a grand dog. When not writing she loves to spend time reading, puzzling, walking and catching up with friends over a coffee. She enjoys travelling and tries to include many of the places she has visited in her books. Her plots are inspired by ‘life’ and how her characters navigate the waters. She loves to ‘people watch’ and creates her characters based on the many strangers she has observed. She has written six novels. SPANISH HOUSE SECRETS was her debut novel and is now joined by BLOSSOMING OF TRUTH.

(media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)