Some people can remember vivid details of their first kiss. Others, the moment they met their spouse or the first time they ever drove a car alone. But me, I remember the moment I knew I was destined to be a librarian.

It was the morning of my fifth birthday. My great grandmother presented me with a frilly dress she’d made all by herself. It was powder blue with lace trim and a satin bow. When I put it on, she took my hand in hers and walked with me to the library down the street. After I selected my books for the week, I brought them to the counter as I had countless times before, but, this time, when the librarian handed my books back to me, she also handed me a library card.

Not my great grandmother’s card.

Not my mother’s card.

My card… My very own library card.

I suppose for most kids, the novelty of getting your own library card wears off within an hour or so. But for me, that was the moment I set my sights on a career path that led me here—to Sweet Briar Public Library in Sweet Briar, South Carolina.

My days are spent reading to children, pairing patrons with books, helping teenagers with research, ordering new titles, shelving returns, and solving murders.

Didn’t see that last one coming, did you?

Don’t worry, neither did I.

But I also didn’t expect to make the kind of friends I’ve made since moving to Sweet Briar. Rose, Leona, Margaret Louise, Debbie, Georgina, Beatrice, Melissa, and even my on-again/off-again nemesis, Dixie, have all taught me what it means to be a friend.A true friend.

And as the saying goes…

Good friends will help you move, but really good friends will help you move the bodies.
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You can read more about Tori Sinclair and her habit of uncovering dead bodies in DANGEROUS ALTERATIONS, the fifth installment in the Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series with Berkley Prime Crime. The first book in the series is SEW DEADLY. To learn more about the series, visit the author’s website: www.elizabethlynncasey.com

While spending a rainy afternoon at a friend’s house more than thirty years ago, Elizabeth Lynn Casey fell in love with writing over a stack of blank paper, a box of crayons, and a freshly sharpened number two pencil. From that moment forward, she never wanted to do or be anything else. Today, Elizabeth is the national bestselling author of the Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series with Berkley Prime Crime. She is also an award winning romance author under her real name, Laura Bradford. Fans will be pleased to know that Laura will be debuting a brand new Amish cozy mystery series next summer with the release of HEARSE AND BUGGY on June 5th. She lives in Yorktown Heights, New York with her husband and their blended brood.

** To celebrate the release of DANGEROUS ALTERATIONS, I’m giving away one copy of the book, thanks to the publisher. To enter, you must leave a valid e-mail address in the comment box with your comment. This is only open to US addresses at the publisher’s request. Contest ends on November 5th at 6pm EST. Winner will be notified by e-mail and has 2 days to respond. The book will be shipped directly from the publisher. **

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