The Quirky Quiz Show Caper
by Sally Carpenter

The Quirky Quiz Show Caper
(Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Nysteries)
4th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Cozy Cat Press (March 26, 2016)
Paperback: 242 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1939816870
E-Book ASIN: B01ERVIAVS

38-year-old formal teen idol Sandy Fairfax is a guest panelist on a TV game show–and the first category is murder! When his brother, a college professor is framed for the murder of one of his student, Sandy investigates, in between fighting with his ex, visiting his kids, wooing his new girlfriend, and presenting a concert at a black tie gala to save his father’s orchestra. Sandy’s ready to tear out his long blond hair as the game points and suspects pile up.

About This Author
Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier now living in Moorpark, Calif.

She has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school her plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” 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.

Carpenter also has a master’s degree in theology and a black belt in tae kwon do.

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

The Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series is comprised of: “The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper” (2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel), “The Sinister Sitcom Caper,” “The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper” and “The Quirky Quiz Show Caper.”

She has short stories in two anthologies: “Dark Nights at the Deluxe Drive-in” in “Last Exit to Murder” and “Faster Than a Speeding Bullet” in “Plan B: Omnibus.”

Carpenter penned chapter three of the Cozy Cat Press group mystery “Chasing the Codex.”

To atone for her sins of killing fictional people, she also writes the monthly Roots of Faith column for the Acorn Newspapers.

She blogs at http://sandyfairfaxauthor.com and ladiesofmystery.com.

She’s a member of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles.

Find her on Facebook too!

Purchase Links

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RH: What inspired you to become an author?

SC: Must be in my genes. I’ve always enjoyed writing and making up stories, even as a kid. Part of it may be environment. I grew up in a small rural town in the days of three TV channels, so my main entertainment was reading. I was also active in school and community theater, and that’s another form of storytelling using written scripts.

Which character in The Quirky Quiz Show Caper is most like you? Which one is the least like you?

Good question! There’s quite a bit of Bunny in me. Like Celeste, I’m the younger sister with two older brothers, so I share some of her stubbornness. Sandy and I have some of the same attitudes, although he’s a far better musician than I’ll ever be. The character least like me is the killer, but I won’t name that person!
What is the most challenging thing for you when writing a mystery novel? Why?

Working out the plot so I have plenty of clues that unfold logically but I don’t tip my hand too early as to the killer’s identity. Playing fair with the reader so the solution makes sense. I had some difficulty with this book. I threw out the first fifty pages of the first draft. I changed the location of the murder and the person who was framed for the killing, but once I did that the story worked out better and was more enjoyable to write.
As a society, it seems like reading is not stressed as much (especially in schools). How do you think we go about getting young people especially interested in reading again?

Education runs in cycles it seems. When I was a kid, I had to endure new math, modular scheduling and open classrooms. All that has, fortunately, gone away. When I was in college the big push was to get the MBA. Now educators feel students must load up on STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) classes.

Schools can’t seem to understand balance, that one can learn both arts/literature and sciences and not simply one over the other. Not all students have the skill or interest in a STEM career. Besides, even scientists read for pleasure. Hopefully in a few years, schools will begin to see the importance of reading something with more than 140 characters. The schools that dropped cursive writing are bringing it back.

Parents can ask their schools to put more emphasis on reading and not to ignore classic literature. Parents can also set a good example for their kids by reading to them when they are young, and reading for themselves as well. Kids model their parents.

The libraries in my area offer dozens of programs every week for tots, children and teens to at least get kids inside the building. Readers can support their local libraries by checking out materials, shopping at book sales, volunteering, and suggesting programs and new books.

Writers can produce good literature for kids. This is a tough market to crack, especially with traditional publishers. But authors who get on the social media that kids/teens use might be able to market self-published books.

Do you have any other upcoming works you can mention?

I’ve started a new retro-cozy series set in the Midwest in 1967. I’m not saying much at this time except it will have hippies, Cold War spies, draft dodgers and a cat.
As an author in the subjective art of writing, how do you deal with criticism and rejection?

My book publisher is very supportive, so I’m putting my efforts into writing cozies instead of trying to market other pieces. I’m dealing with rejection by avoiding it LOL. Seriously, I went through tons of rejects before landing my current publisher. My first cozy was turned down by ten publishers and some agents, but two of the publishers told me what was wrong with it. I made the changes, and the book was accepted. If you get the same note more than once, pay attention. I wrote a YA SF action/adventure book that was rejected 40 times; that one is still in the drawer. I had other novels, short stories and plays rejected numerous times. At the time it hurt. It took me a long time to finally learn how to write well and build a story. The key is to keep writing and improving your craft so that eventually you turn out a good piece of writing. Very few writers get it right on their first book.
If you were to cast this series as a film/TV show, whom would you envision playing the main roles?

I have no clue. I don’t watch new TV/movies so I’m unfamiliar with the current crop of actors. My favorite actors would be too old for the roles. The part of Sandy requires a tall, left-handed 30-something blond man who can sing, play guitar, and has that ‘70s cute, boyish face. Most young male actors today look too gritty/scruffy. The role of Warren, Sandy’s brother, requires a virtuoso piano/organ player; you can’t fake someone pretending to play keyboard. If I was casting a movie, I’d hold open auditions and hope for the best.

My review will be coming by the end of the week and then I will link it here. Sorry for the delay on that.

Check out the tour and enter the giveaway at the link below:

The Quirky Quiz Show Caper by Sally Carpenter

The Quirky Quiz Show Caper by Sally Carpenter

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