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• Post #3001039

  I got the Wordle in 2 today!!! I guess that means it'll be a good day for words and writing. Wordle 1,794 2/6 🟩⬜🟩⬜🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 #wordgames #AmWriting #WritwrsLife

• Post #3001038

  Why did I change my newsletter from weekly to biweekly? Why, so I could finish the third book in the Lily Gallagher Mysteries series and get it to you sooner! https://open.substack.com/pub/susannasullivanauthor/p/the-glamorous-life-of-an-author?r=ytlja&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web #AmWriting #mystery #cozymystery #Substack #newsletter

• Post #3001037

  In every newsletter, I always share a couple of quotes from recent reading that have caught my attention for some reason. This week, I have two that captivated me because of the way they state the obvious. #AmReading #mystery #EdgyCozyMystery #AmWriting #NotableQuote https://susannasullivanauthor.substack.com/i/197422814/notable-quotes

• Post #3001036

  #AmReading: FIVE FOUND DEAD by Sulari Gentill. This is a layered, nuanced, twisty mystery set on the iconic Orient Express luxury train, in the present day. (Actually, during the time a few years ago when people were still panicking about COVID.) I'm usually pretty quick at identifying the killer, but this one had me tied up in knots until the end. Highly recommended! https://susannasullivanauthor.substack.com/i/197422814/five-found-dead-by-sulari-gentill #mystery #whodunnit #BookRev...

• Post #3001035

  Here's what advance readers are saying about CHORDS OF DECEPTION (coming July 4!) "This one's a real page-turner: I plowed straight through, ignoring my chores - I was having too much fun!" #AmWriting #EdgyCozyMystery #mystery #BookReviews #bookstadon

• Post #3001034

  I'm proud to be a #Wikimedia donor. (Wikimedia is the organization that makes #Wikipedia possible.) I love supporting the site that provides tons of useful information, without advertising and marketing distractions, for when I have to dive down that writing rabbit hole.

• Post #3001033

  #WordWeavers - May 21: How do you make your MCs likable or relatable-to in the first chapter? Give them a flaw, or a relatable problem. Readers don't relate to perfection. And they don't have to like the protagonist!

• Post #3001032

  Sometimes there are details that I need to know as an author, but they never make it into the book. And that's okay. Early on, when I was writing my first draft of DROWNING IN DECEPTION, it was important for me to know just how Lily, the main character, met her husband Michael. Is this a story you'd like to hear? #AmWriting #mystery #EdgyCozyMystery #Whodunnit

• Post #3001031

  Here's another quote from my Substack this week that states the obvious in a delicious way. If you enjoy it, consider subscribing -- every week I feature quotes that impress me with their writing, tickle my funnybone, or strike my fancy. (How's that for overusing cliches in one sentence??!!) #AmReading #NotableQuote #chocolate #mystery

• Post #3001030

  It's after Memorial Day - are you thinking about your summer reading? Retirement was supposed to be peaceful—until a condo feud and a body in the pool pulled Lily back into the action. Drowning in Deception: clean, clever, and utterly addictive. Order yours now and solve the mystery with a heroine who thinks like a nurse and acts like a detective. https://books2read.com/lilymystery #CozyMystery #RetiredSleuth #Bookstadon #AmReading #FloridaFiction

• Post #3001029

  What do you look for in an author book signings? * Listening to the author read a passage from the book * One-on-one conversation with the author * Behind-the-scenes tidbits * Giveaways * Anything else Let me know in the comments, please! I've got my first signing coming up in a couple of weeks, and I'm trying to prepare. . . #AmWriting #BookSigning #AuthorEvents

• Post #3001028

  Retirement was supposed to be quiet. Restful. Then someone turned up dead in the community pool. Meet Lily Gallagher — nurse, neighbor, unlikely sleuth. Drowning in Deception is a cozy mystery with just a little bit of an edge. https://books2read.com/lilymystery Grab your copy and dive in. #CozyMystery #DrowningInDeception #BooksOfMastodon

• Post #3001027

  Well, here’s something to strike terror into the heart of any writer. I logged into Atticus, which I use to format my books. I got a blank page. None of the 4 books saved in there showed up. Nada. Zip. Blank slate. Tabula rasa. Now, my logical mind says, “they’re having a software issue, and I have backups anyway so it’s not a big deal.” But my lizard brain is going “DEATH!!! I’M DYING!!! IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD!!!!!” #WritersLife

• Post #2657095

  Tying in with the theme of this week's Substack, here's a reader review for DROWNING IN DECEPTION that clearly states it's not "light and fluffy." I love it, thank you! I picked this up expecting a light, fluffy retirement cozy, and while it definitely delivers on the cozy mystery formula, it surprised me with some darkness lurking beneath the surface. https://books2read.com/lilymystery #AmWriting #AmReading #mystery #EdgyCozyMystery

• Post #2657094

  Author Lynn Slaughter, who's written some interesting mysteries including MISSED CUE, about a ballerina who's killed onstage, has just featured an interview with me on her blog!! Want to find out more about Lily and how I came to write about her? Check it out at https://lynnslaughter.com/2026/04/30/susanna-sullivan-writes-engaging-edgy-cozy-mysteries/ #AmWriting #mystery #EdgyCozyMyster #WritersLife

• Post #2657093

  May the fourth be with you. . . I took this picture at a visit to the Star Wars area at Disney's Hollywood Studios back in 2019. . . Here's a little-know fact. . . Back in 1999-2000, I worked in the park. One of my regular work locations was Tatooine Traders, the gift shot at the end of the Star Tours ride. #Disney #StarWars

• Post #2657092

  Lily is a warm and welcoming character. So it's not surprising she'd describe her kitchen that way! From DROWNING IN DECEPTION, an #EdgyCozyMystery https://books2read.com/lilymystery #AmWriting #mystery

• Post #2657091

  Hey, #mystery #reader, I've started working on the third book in my Lily Gallagher Mysteries series. Would you read this book based on this brief description? And does it sound like a cozy, or like a thriller (or something in between)? See below, and let me know in the comments. [1/2]

• Post #2657090

  Woohoo! My character, Lily Gallagher, was just interviewed by The Wren on Substack! You can see the interview, and learn more about Lily, at https://whatspineisyours.substack.com/p/off-the-page-with-lily-gallagher

• Post #2657089

  It's that time again! My new book CHORDS OF DECEPTION, is ready for ARC readers. It's the second in the Lily Gallagher Mysteries series, and features an unusual setting. Get all the details at https://open.substack.com/pub/susannasullivanauthor/p/harmony-discord-and-murder-oh-my #AmWriting #AmReading #mystery #EdgyCozyMystery #AmateurSleuth #whodunnit #ReadersOfInstagram #bookstagram

• Post #2657088

  This background is much darker and more atmospheric than the book warrants, but it's such a dramatic photo I couldn't resist. What do you think? DROWNING IN DECEPTION is a fun #CozyMystery with a little bit of an edge, not a thriller. If you like an #AmateurFemaleSleuth, check it out. https://books2read.com/lilymystery

• Post #2657087

  I was very happy that the author, Gina X Grant, trusted me with an ARC for this book, AN UNLIKELY HEIST, releasing today. I loved it! You can read my review here. https://susannasullivanauthor.substack.com/i/195813211/an-unlikely-heist-by-gina-x-grant #BookReleaseDay #CozyMystery #RetiredCrook #AmateurTeam #bookstodon #ReadersOfMastodon

• Post #2657086

  This quote by Sara Rosett is to snark what a 50-year old Scotch aged in oak barrels is to two-day old moonshine. If there were awards, it would win the snark prize. That's one of the things I look for in the quotes I highlight for your enjoyment -- because I enjoy it! See more at https://susannasullivanauthor.substack.com/i/195813211/notable-quotes #AmReading #bookstagram #FunQuotes #mystery

• Post #2657085

  Next month, I'll be doing a book signing for DROWNING IN DECEPTION in this adorable bookshop/cafe in #Tallahassee, Florida! More details to come. #BookSigning #EdgyCozyMystery #LilyGallagherMysteries #AmWriting #Whodunnit

• Post #2657084

  Now this is a national day I can get behind! May 12 is National Nutty #Fudge day!!! Even better, my protagonist, Lily Gallagher, can join in because even though she tries to avoid it, there are times when the only solution to a problem is chocolate. Although she prefers dark chocolate, 70% or thereabouts, she'll enjoy some well made fudge on occasion. What's yours? Dark #ChocolateCandy, or fudge?

• Post #2657083

  Look what my husband gave me for #MothersDay! Isn't it gorgeous??? #orchid

• Post #2657082

  If you like board games, you'll LOVE this #Tallahassee #bookstore where I'm signing copies of DROWNING IN DECEPTION next month! I'll be at My Favorite Books, located in the courtyard next to WinnDixie on Magnolia St., from 10 AM until noon, on Saturday, June 13. Stop by and say hi, and enjoy some surprises. #BookSigning #DrowningInDeception #mystery #event

• Post #2657081

  Did you know I publish a #newsletter on #Substack? It's called "Murder, She's Writing." I've cut back from the usual weekly schedule to every other week for a little while, while I prepare the second book in my Lily Gallagher Mysteries series for publication in July. Every issue tells you something about what I'm working on, and includes a book review or two and some interesting quotes. Newsletter readers also get [1/2] Sign up at https://susa...

• Post #2657080

  When old trauma comes up against too many secrets, someone's going to end up floating face down in the pool. Available in paperback and Kindle, free for Kindle Unlimited members. https://books2read.com/lilymystery #mystery #CozyMystery #LilyGallagherMysteries #DrowningInDeception

• Post #2657079

  There's a lot of contentious discussion about the use of AI in creative writing. On the one hand, nobody wants bookstore shelves -- virtual or actual -- filled with AI-written slop. On the other hand. . . The third book in my Lily Gallagher Mysteries series will take place at a tech expo. I spent about 10 minutes with ChatGPT and it saved me many hours -- maybe even a couple of days -- of research time. It didn't -- and won't -- write a single word for me, but it helped...