What’s it like to be me, you ask? Ha! Don’t even get me started. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I love my new life. Divinity is such a quaint, small town in upstate New York. It has all these ancient Victorian houses, old-fashioned street lamps, and old-time mail boxes. And many of the businesses refuse to modernize, holding onto their history with a death grip, but that somehow adds to the town’s charm. Only, the citizens didn’t exactly warm up to me right away. I guess it didn’t help that my first reading for the frazzled town librarian predicted murder.

Speaking of the towns people not warming up, Detective Mitch Stone still hasn’t, hence the reason for his nickname Grumpy Pants. He’s this big, rugged, tough guy with a mysterious past that wounds him. He drives me crazy, but there’s something that draws me to him. I know I can help him, but he won’t let me in, and he’s about the biggest cynic in existence. Trust me, people, he was not a happy camper when Mayor Cromwell insisted Chief Spencer and Captain Walker allow me to work side-by-side with the Grumpmeister in solving the librarian’s murder. Thank goodness the mayor is a “true-believer.”

Morty, my cat, is a true-believer as well. Okay, so he’s not really my cat. It’s more like I belong to him. When I moved into my ancient Victorian house rumored to be haunted, Morty was already there. He decided I was a keeper, and he let me stay. I tried to take care of him, but I’ve never seen him eat or sleep, and I have a sneaking suspicion he’s the one doing the haunting. Morty and Mitch don’t get along, which makes it very difficult to help. Not to mention I’m trying to get my fortune-telling business going, also not easy since sleuthing takes up so much time. Thank goodness for my news friends Joanne and Sean. Jo runs Smokey Jo’s Tavern and Sean is her number one bartender. Let’s just say that’s where I go when I need therapy.

So all in all, my days are insane and my nights even crazier. Someday I hope my life calms down a bit. I had enough craziness back in the city with my stifling parents who are also cynics. I still can’t believe they showed up in Divinity to “help” me with my little problem. Who are they kidding? They aren’t here to help me. They’re here to make sure I don’t taint the family name. I warned you not to get me started. Believe me, people, you don’t want to be me. But no worries. I’ll turn things around. You wait and see. They don’t call me Sunny for nothing.
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You can read more about Sunny in Tempest In The Tea Leaves, the first book in the new “Fortune Teller” mystery series.

The life and times of Sunshine Meadows is written by Kari Lee Townsend who lives in Central New York with her very understanding husband, her three busy boys, and her oh-so-dramatic daughter, who keep her grounded and make everything she does worthwhile…not to mention provide her with loads of material for her books. Kari is a longtime lover of reading and writing, with a masters in English education, who spends her days trying to figure out whodunit. Funny how no one at home will confess any more than the characters in her mysteries! Kari writes fun and exciting stories for any age, set in small towns, with mystical elements and quirky characters. You can find out more about her on her website www.karileetownsend.com and also on the group mystery blog she cohosts, called Mysteries and Margaritas, at www.mysteriesandmargaritasblogspot.com

Kari has generously offered to giveaway one copy of Tempest In The Tea Leaves. To enter, please leave a comment with your email address so that we may contact you. One entry per person and the giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. Contest ends August 14, 2011 at midnight EST.

Books are available at retail and online booksellers.