Blog Tour, Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway for Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder by Meg Macy

 Inspiration From A Traitor

I first created the Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear cozy mystery series for Kensington in 2016. I discovered that the idea was fairly unique, with the lone exception of an older series featuring a retired cop and his wife, a teddy bear collector and artist, solving murders. Once my premise of a teddy bear shop and factory was given the green light, I began researching.

Easy peasy, since the first thing I planned was a visit to the Chelsea Teddy Bear Factory, about an hour’s drive from my home in southeast Michigan. Lots of my friends had gone, and I’d been collecting teddy bears shortly before my daughter was born. At last I’d get to see how teddy bears were manufactured, learn the history behind the factory, and maybe buy a few. The Chelsea Teddy Bear Factory had been doing tours since 2001, so my trip was long overdue. Plus, they also had a wonderful toy museum.

However, when I looked up the directions on Google Maps, I was shocked. To my horror, I learned the business had shut down. Closed? Since when? And RATS! How did I miss this bad news? Apparently the founders decided to move manufacturing operations out of Michigan two years prior, in 2014. They moved kit and caboodle to Missouri. Traitors! Chelsea is a small town, so losing the teddy bear factory was a huge blow. At least I managed to find a new and tagged Chelsea teddy bear on eBay for a decent price to use as inspiration. That soothed my ruffled feathers. A little.

At least I found lots of information on Google about the business including the materials they used for bears, the tours they once conducted, the stuffing they used, plus photos of their former factory building, their sign, etc. To be fair, I also checked out Build-A-Bear and the Vermont Teddy Bear company for comparison purposes, and that gave me the chance to flesh out plans for my “Silver Bear Shop & Factory” plus their competition. Next I plotted out a village map and a list of businesses, owners, and other minor characters. That is the most fun during the research phase.

I also studied a YouTube video (see the link below), which shows the Chelsea Teddy Bear Factory in its heyday. Their former claim to keep their toys “Made in America” is no longer valid. Most mass-produced stuffed animals are now made in China and Indonesia. What a shame. That played a big part in book 1, Bearly Departed.

Having once written online articles for a real estate company, reporting their staff’s community involvement, I was able to use details of holiday events, parades, picnics, and charity fundraising efforts to my character’s fictional world. That helped a lot when I created the “Oktobear” Fest in Book 2, Bear Witness to Murder, and a village Christmas tree lighting and parade in Book 3, Have Yourself A Beary Little Murder.

While I’ve (sort of) forgiven the Chelsea Teddy Bear Factory for leaving Michigan, I keep kicking myself for missing a great opportunity to visit. Drat. At least readers can visit my fictional world of Silver Hollow.

https://youtu.be/oZIdQ9VUA5U

Award winning author Meg Macy writes the “Shamelessly Adorable” Teddy Bear cozy mystery series for Kensington, and is also one-half of the writing team for the Agatha Award-nominated historical mysteries featuring Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins. As Meg Mims, she’s written award-winning western historical mysteries and sweet Christmas-themed romance novellas with rescue dogs and cats. Meg tackles her to-be-read pile between deadlines, and enjoys tearooms, flowers, and gardening. Visit her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or her website at www.megmacy.com

About Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder

 

Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder (A Teddy Bear Mystery)  

Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series  

Kensington (September 24, 2019)  

Paperback: 288 pages 

ISBN-10: 1496722655 

ISBN-13: 978-1496722652  

Digital ASIN: B07MRC5KZG

 

This holiday season, teddy bear shop manager Sasha Silverman must solve the slaying of Santa Bear . . .

Sasha and her sister Maddie are thrilled that the Silver Bear Shop and Factory has won the Teddy Bear Keepsake Contest, which means they get to produce a holiday specialty toy, a wizard bear named “Beary Potter.” Promising to be just as magical is Silver Hollow’s annual tree-lighting ceremony and village parade. Only one hitch: the parade’s mascot, Santa Bear—played by Mayor Cal Bloom—is missing.

After a frantic search among the floats, Bloom is found dead. When the outfit is removed, it’s clear the mayor’s been electrocuted. Who zapped hizzoner and then stuffed him into his Santa Bear suit? While the police investigate the grisly crime, Sasha attempts to track down the murderer herself, with some help from the Guilty Pleasures Gossip Club. Can they wrap up this case in time for Christmas—or will Sasha meet her own shocking end?

 REVIEW

*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

As a huge bear loved this series has been perfect for me from book one but each new one still manages to top the last. This was is just fantastic! Gearing up for Christmas the annual tree lighting and parade are here making things chaotic yet fun. Especially Santa Bear a huge town favorite. The mayor plans to be in the suit but when he is running late they go searching only to find him dead under some weird circumstances. Sasha just wants to stay out of it but her mother has other plans. Holiday events make for a perfect way to talk to people which makes for a fun yet still mysterious investigation. Macy definitely knows how to write a truly fabulous cozy with the bear bits making it even better. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.

About Meg Macy

Meg Macy is an award-winning author and artist, and lives in Southeastern Michigan, the setting of her Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear cozy mysteries for Kensington. Her first published book, Double Crossing, won the 2012 Spur Award for Best First Novel from Western Writers of America. Meg is also one-half of the writing team of D.E. Ireland, authors of the Eliza and Henry Higgins Mystery series—of which two titles have been Agatha Award finalists. Meg love gardening, watercolor painting, and reading books of various genres.

Author Links  

Facebook Twitter Instagram Website Pinterest  

Subscribe to my newsletter!  

Purchase Links  

AMAZON B&N KOBO  

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS  

September 23 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST - Sapphyria's Book Reviews  
September 23 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT  
September 24 – Laura's Interests – REVIEW
September 24 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog - REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW 
September 25 – Book Babble – REVIEW  
September 25 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT  
September 26 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW  
September 26 – Here's How It Happened - SPOTLIGHT  
September 27 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT  
September 27 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT  
September 28 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW, GUEST POST  
September 29 – Literary Gold - CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 29 – Diary of a Book Fiend - REVIEW  
September 30 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT  
September 30 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT  
October 1 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW  
October 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW  
October 2 – Baroness' Book Trove – REVIEW  
October 2 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT  
October 3 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT  
October 3 – My Devotional Thoughts – REVIEW  
October 4 – The Book's the Thing – REVIEW  
October 5 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW  
October 6 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW

   

 Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!