Behind The Scenes Of BETTER OFF THREAD, By Amanda Lee

GIVEAWAY: a copy of BETTER OFF THREAD

When I decided to write BETTER OFF THREAD, I knew I wanted to write a Christmas book and I knew the book had to feature Captain Moe, Tallulah Falls’ resident Santa Claus. Captain Moe has always been one of my favorite characters. I’ve loved him since book one—THE QUICK AND THE THREAD—when he made food for Marcy and Angus, even though the diner was closed.

A few years ago, I met Joseph and Mary Moore at a Christmas craft bazaar in
Kingsport, Tennessee. The Moores write books and travel the country making
appearances as Santa and Mrs. Claus. We had a wonderful time together for the
three days we attended the bazaar. As you can see from the photographs, Joe is
certainly an authentic looking Santa!

The children adored him. They’d shyly come up to him, and Joe/Santa would give a hearty, “Ho! Ho! Ho!” and then he’d ask, “What’s your name?”

Upon hearing the answer, Santa would slap a hand to his forehead and say, “Of
course! I recognize you now. You’ve just grown so much since last year.”

I thought that was the most creative response. I mean, “he sees you when you’re
sleeping; he knows when you’re awake; he knows when you’ve been bad or good” but
he doesn’t know your name when you approach him in the mall? What’s up with
that? So, Joe and Mary had that figured out. The child has grown! This makes the
child happy and answers the question of why Santa wouldn’t know his name.

And Joe would take it a step farther in some cases. If the child was with both
parents, he might say something like, “Wow, you’re going to be as tall as your
dad. You might even be a little taller than he was when he was your age.”

The child’s eyes would widen. “You knew my dad?”

“Of course! And your mom too!”

By the time the weekend was over, even I believed that Joe and Mary were the
real Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Marcy, on the other hand, knows Captain Moe as her real-life Santa. He’s one of her favorite people in Tallulah Falls. Although Captain Moe has made several guest appearances in the embroidery mysteries, this is the first time he’s a featured character and we get to discover more about him. We always knew he was more than a wonderful friend, uncle, and cook. But in BETTER OFF THREAD, we learn about his past and a few things about his present. And Marcy is dismayed when she realizes it took Captain Moe getting accused of murder to prompt her to get to know him better.

Is there somebody in your life you might not know as well as you think? The
answer might surprise you. My husband and I were driving one day and saw a sign
that said, “Learn to read music.” I said, “I can read music…at least, a little.”
He said, “I used to. I don’t know how much of it I remember.” I was surprised to
learn that he played the trumpet in elementary school. So, you see, there’s
always something more to learn about people.

Giveaway

What is something you learned about someone you thought YOU knew everything about? One reader will get a signed copy of BETTER OFF THREAD (e-book if international address). Tell us below in the comments.

About Amanda Lee

Cozy Mystery Writer

Amanda Lee is a pseudonym Gayle is using for the new cozy mystery series featuring a heroine who owns an embroidery shop. The series is set on the Oregon Coast and features Marcy Singer, a spunky, thirty-something, entrepreneur who is handy with a needle.

Embroidery Mystery

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | GOOGLEPLUS | PINTEREST

BETTER OFF THREAD by Amanda Lee

Embroidery Mystery Series #10

Santa finds himself in a stitch of trouble in the tenth in the series from the national bestselling author of THE STITCHING HOUR...

Marcy is busy helping her customers make hand-crafted ornaments at her embroidery shop, the Seven-Year Stitch. But despite the yuletide bustle, when her friend Captain Moe asks for her help, she can’t refuse—especially when the favor is to play the elf to his Santa for sick children at a local hospital. Despite the ridiculous outfit, Marcy finds herself enjoying spreading cheer—until the hospital’s administrator is found murdered.

Although the deceased had plenty of people willing to fill her stocking with coal, evidence pins the crime on Moe. Now it’s up to Marcy, with the help of her police officer boyfriend Ted and her Irish Wolfhound Angus, to stitch together the clues to clear Moe’s name—before someone else winds up crossed off Santa’s list for good...

Mystery Cozy [Berkley, On Sale: December 6, 2016, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780451473851 / eISBN: 9780698186521]

Buy BETTER OFF THREAD: Amazon.com | Kindle | BN.com | iTunes/iBooks | Kobo | Google Play | Powell's Books | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR

Comments

18 comments posted.

Re: Behind The Scenes Of BETTER OFF THREAD, By Amanda Lee

One of my old coworkers mentioned going overseas to do some charity work a while back, and I found out he was fluent in two languages. This was a few years after we had been working together. I never would have guessed! mbradeen@yahoo.com
(Marla Bradeen 3:38pm December 5, 2016)

After years of bleaching my hair, I found out my husband
preferred dark hair. So I let my hair go back to it's
natural color. lol
(Linda Knowles 3:44pm December 6, 2016)

Even after 43 years of marriage, I'm still finding out new
little things about my hubby. And as one who works on our
genealogy, I sometimes find out things for him. He remembers
things from when he was around 2.
(Nancy Luebke 5:28pm December 6, 2016)

I've been married for 30 years and just found out that my husband got married to his first wife in Sioux Falls SD.
(Sue Farrell 5:51pm December 6, 2016)

I found out that my husband has an author as one of his
Facebook friends.
(Janice Santillo 6:08pm December 6, 2016)

I learned that my mother was an air raid warden during
WWII, but only after her death when I cleaned out her desk.
(Irene Menge 10:06pm December 6, 2016)

I thought I knew everything about my mom, but after she died, I learned so much more from my aunts and uncles and father. I really wish my mom was still here so I could learn more from her.
(Jamie Stein 11:59am December 7, 2016)

I love reading all your stories! :)
(Gayle Trent 5:10pm December 7, 2016)

After my grandfather died I found out that he had been a
POW during WWII.
(Jana B 7:38pm December 7, 2016)

I learned that a friend of mine can make homemade chocolate
covered cherries.
(Ginger Hinson 2:23am December 8, 2016)

Can not wait to read!
(Lisa Baldwin 8:28pm December 9, 2016)

I enjoy reading your wonderful stories. I especially enjoy Christmas stories.
(L Green 9:32pm December 9, 2016)

I learned that my husband secretly likes all the Hallmark Christmas movies!
(Mary Vehlies 9:54pm December 9, 2016)

I was devastated to learn a family secret when those
involved were gone.
(Judy Gregory 7:25am December 10, 2016)

I learned that my great-grandmother was a sister to my husband's great-grandmother.
(Anna Speed 12:18pm December 10, 2016)

My husband once told me he liked cats better than dogs, but
later denied saying that!
(Joan Crothers 3:13pm December 10, 2016)

Love the books, love the plots but especially love Angus.
(Penny Bowers 9:50pm December 10, 2016)

I recently learned that one of my friends is fluent in three languages (English, Spanish, and Greek).
(Bonnie H 8:57pm December 13, 2016)

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