Waited4You Antiques Store
Newsletter, No.01
“What can you say about Roberto Fratelli that hasn’t been said about dry weddings?” Really! Can you believe someone posted that on Waited4You’s Facebook page? (Alright, it was Opal, my best friend and the only woman captain of a tour boat on the Potomac River.) Yes, I know I’m as guilty as everyone else of always referring to my store’s former owner as the meanest man in Marthasville, VA, but he did not deserve to be murdered! There must have been a hundred posts like that. “I’m jealous of all the people who never met him.” And how about this one, “I honestly don’t know how I feel about him being an organ donor.”
Everyone in Marthasville, visitors included, are usually kind to one another. These missives surprised me.
On to a more pleasant subject. The soft opening is going well. I do hope you’ll stop by Waited4You and check out our new quilts, rare books, glassware, and furniture. Your perfect find is waiting here just for you.
Before I sign off, I’d like to ask for your help in choosing background music for the store. My tastes run to 70’s rock, but for the store I’d like more variety. I’ll be showcasing women jazz, blues, and classical artists. Give these a listen and let me know what you think –
String Queens
Sue Foley
Claudia Hayden
Nina Simone (Well, maybe not this one. For some reason it reminds me of my landlord, Brennan Adler. Ugh.)
Since it was working on my son’s campaign to be our new mayor that gave me the kick in the pants I needed to buy my parents’ old store, please vote for your favorite out of these candidates. Three winners will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
Now that I know I can open my antiques store before the holidays after all, The Future’s so Bright I Gotta Wear Shades.
Camille Benson
Dead Men Don’t Decorate, An Old Town Antique Mystery #1
Genre: Cozy
Release: November 2022
Purchase Link
Art, murder, and a secret dating back centuries collide in Cordy Abbott’s delightful cozy mystery series debut, perfect for fans of Jane K. Cleland.
Roberto Fratelli, proprietor of the antiques store Waited4You, is the meanest man in Marthasville, Virginia. So when he puts the business up for sale, the other merchants in town are overjoyed. And now the business has a prospective buyer: local resident and the newly elected mayor’s mom, Camille Benson, who’s thrilled at the prospect of getting into the antiques business. During a celebration in honor of Camille’s new venture, her best friend, Opal, tells her about finding a letter, purportedly from Sally Fairfax to George Washington, dated 1756, hidden under a chair in the shop. When they return to retrieve the cache, they find Roberto’s lifeless body on the floor and no letter.
Police question Ella Coleman, Roberto’s ex-wife, and discover that her current husband supplied Roberto with oh-so-faux Victorian furniture. Did the two cheat the wrong customer? Or could the murder be connected to an earlier theft of rare books from the shop—a theft Roberto never reported?
As Camille prepares to confront these questions and investigate the murder, she knows she might become the latest knock-off.
About the author
Proud baby boomer and dog mom, Cordy Abbott, is the author of the Old Town Mystery series. She, her husband, and their Standard Schnauzer have lived in Alexandria, Virginia for over two decades. Because she enjoys everything about the city, she can’t wait to share it with readers, even a fictionalized version.
She can be found at CordyAbbott.com and @CordyAbbott on Twitter and on Facebook at Cordy Abbott Author.
All comments are welcomed.
GIVEAWAY: See above, three commenters will win $10 Amazon gift card. To enter, please leave a your answers below. One entry per person and the giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. Giveaway ends November 10, 2022. Good luck everyone!
Nina Simone was the only artist on the list I’d heard of. After listening to the selections, I’d go with Claudia Hayden if I have to choose one. But why not use them all so your regular customers can enjoy some variety?
Hi Sharon – in Georgia. All of them it is!
Sounds like a great new series. Adding to my TBR list.
Thank you, Dianne!
It sounds awesome. Can’t wait to meet her in a book.
Thank you, Jeanie. Are you from Forest Park?
I listened to them all, and though I love blues and jazz, the String Queens get my vote. They are awesome! Thanks for introducing me to them. This book sounds delicious. I can’t wait to read it. And I love the schnauzer on the cover.
I listened to all 3, The String Queens get my vote!!! I can’t wait for the book, sounds like a read I want to read!
Aren’t they amazing!
Blues and Jazz are my favorite. Sue Hayden is great.
I really wanted to lift up women blues and jazz artists!
Love the cover, can’t wait to read the book
Didn’t the publisher do a great job! I first saw the drawing and made a couple of suggestions. Love all those colors.
Sue Foley is talented. Love the blues.
She is! Vocals and on the guitar!
Sounds great, love the cover.
Thank you!
I think for a store, it should be String Queens. Congratulations on the book! Sounds good!
You cannot go wrong with String Queens!
All the music was great but listening to Sue Foley would certainly keep me shopping longer!
Good to know! Hahaha.
I like the String Queens. Congrats on this new book! Thanks for a chance to win.
Thanks. And I’m so happy to introduce The String Queens (TSQ) to new fans.
I liked the String Queens
Aren’t they great!
Looks great!
Thank you! That means a lot!
Claudia Hayden gets my vote.
I hope you enjoyed the links.
Loved Claudia Hayden. The string queens were fun to listen to. I would switch it up a bit. I can see myself dancing as I shop.
I think the String Queens are great.
This was hard since I loved all of them, but I really thought Claudia Hayden’s music would be great background music for a store
I agree – all are so talented.
**** WINNERS ****
$10 Amazon gift card are Sheryl Sens, Laini Pearl, Lori B
Congratulations!