Congratulations are in order for the author of one of our recent giveaway books, and the reason why is a great sign that scrapbooking mysteries – and thus scrapbooking – are considered mainstream.
Joanna Campbell Slan has announced that Paper, Scissors, Death, her first book in the Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-N-Craft Mystery Series, has been nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Other former nominees include Janet Evanovich and Mary Higgins Clark.
The book features housewife and ace scrapbooker Kiki Lowenstein, whose comfortable life is turned upside-down when her husband is found dead in a hotel room. Reviewers have called Paper, Scissors, Death “an engaging cozy” with “an enjoyable mix of humor, suspense (and) a touch of romance.”
Joanna is the author of seven non-fiction “how to” books on scrapbooking. She has written for Creating Keepsakes and Memory Makers, and she’s taught scrapbooking in England, on cruises, and online. She’s also the founder of “The Best of British Scrapbooking Contest” that is run annually in the United Kingdom by ScrapBook Inspirations Magazine.
The Agatha Awards are literary awards honoring books and short stories in the traditional mystery genre exemplified by Agatha Christie, the best-selling author of all time. These books do not include explicit gore or sex, and usually feature an amateur sleuth. For more of the nominees, go to www.malicedomestic.org/agathaawards.html.
The second book in the series—Cut, Crop & Die—is now available for pre-ordering from Amazon.com and will be released June 1, 2009. Book club and trivia questions about Joanna’s books are available at www.joannaslan.com. Joanna also shares journaling prompts for scrapbookers through Twitter at: www.twitter.com/joannaslan.
Joanna is a lovely lady who has given much to the scrapbook industry. She was kind enough to donate some copies of Paper, Scissors, Death for a giveaway to Scrapbook Update readers a few weeks ago. I’d like to wish her luck in the Agathas on behalf of all of my Scrapbook Update readers!
About Nancy Nally
Kudos to the author, but waaah…it’s not available for Kindle yet. I’ll read it when and if that version ever comes out.