Please Welcome Mystery Author Judith Mehl

by Judith Mehl

We are delighted to welcome debut novelist Judith Mehl as our guest today.

Judy's first mystery, Formula for Murder (Pennystone Books, June 2012 trade paperback and ebook formats), introduces handwriting analyst and amateur sleuth Kat Everitt.

Today Judith tells how she incorporated her own interest in handwriting analysis into this new series. And she is giving one of our readers a chance to win a copy of the book; details below.

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A great character idea, plot twist, or location spurs on some authors. For me it was the idea that handwriting analysis could reveal my inner self — and that of others. I was hooked when I realized that how I write my o's can disclose whether I am honest or deceitful. Then I thought, "What detective wouldn't love to know these things about her suspects?" And Kat Everitt was born in Formula for Murder.

Photo provided courtesy of
Judith Mehl

This debut book in a handwriting analysis series introduces Kat and her crew of zany assistants. Though handwriting analysis serves as the most serious element in my mystery, it is not an overbearing one. I peppered the plot with little tidbits to assist the readers in wondering about suspects, or maybe cause them to think about themselves or someone they know. But the protagonist is the strength of the novel.

Formula for Murder weaves a tale of a protagonist in Vera Wang shoes who stumbles on murder and doesn't hesitate to sprint anyway — always toward the suspects. By day she's a respected and reliable university employee who juggles her publicity job with feather soothing, quick thinking, and inquisitiveness. It's that curiosity, the constant questioning, and the genuine interest she takes in everyone around her that draws her to solve murders when they come her way, in this case the murder of a professor in his laboratory on campus.

While the handwriting analysis clues serve as Kat's method to sift and sort the suspects, it's her charm and perceptiveness that offer a captivating combination of humor and murder. She doesn't outright accuse anyone but just follows the leads — generally into trouble. Her determination and panache help her wend her way through each time, though help from her friends give her a solid backing when she needs it.

With her feisty yet pleasing personality, down-home herbal advice and strange research techniques, Kat marches through the investigation seeking justice for her peers, balm for the fear that permeates the academic community, and an end to increasingly dire threats to all.

The list of suspects mushrooms as secrets, jealousies, and private passions are exposed to the harsh light of scrutiny. Kat juggles leads and clues to track the killer despite warnings from the police to stay out of the case.

Her search pits her against a faceless killer who will stop at nothing to remain hidden among the reserved buildings, quiet quadrangles, and frightened students of the campus. While gossip unmasks the raw desires and bitter rivalries of this not-so-gentle world, romance blossoms with Nick, a mysterious stranger thrust into the fray. Was his arrival the night of the murder coincidental? He's her temporary new boss but is he a friend? Or something more sinister?

While Kat and her travails form the strength of the book, the setting is grand, too. I live in the Pocono Mountains so the location was a natural choice for me. The lure of this setting is not only its beautiful peaks but its woodlands, waterfalls, and unexplored territory. Opportunities for Kat's adventures abound in this northeast corner of Pennsylvania with its dazzling lakes and streams nestled among gentle mountains.

Enjoy where all this leads and don't forget the clues. They're fun. I tell readers upfront that handwriting analysis not only requires careful study of hundreds of traits, it also involves complex knowledge of combinations, rhythm, margins, pressure, form, direction, speed, coordination, style, and connections—just to name some.

Though I'm a member of the American Association of Handwriting Analysts, I am not certified and I take my clues seriously. Therefore, my clues are all verified by a certified analyst.

Each subsequent book in the series will include the original cast and launch new unforgettable characters. Future books will also offer handwriting analysis tips at the beginning of chapters. Just remember, handwriting is a projection of personality, a mirror of one's thoughts. It reveals strengths, and weaknesses, and dark secrets.

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Judith Mehl is a member of the American Association of Handwriting Analysts, and past editor of the organization's journal. She supports the use of handwriting analysis as a valuable diagnostic tool in personal selection, marriage counseling, crime detection, vocational guidance, and business compatibility. This includes appreciating the nuances involved in solving real-world crime through handwriting's negative traits and innocent attributes.

Now a full-time writer, she has years of experience in higher education publications and public relations work. A graduate of Northern Illinois University with a degree in journalism, she published numerous newspaper and magazine articles prior to her move to fiction writing, which combines all her interests into a compatible whole. Judy's non-fiction works are peppered with gardening and medicinal herb information. Her fictitious students, faculty, and staff are colored with the quirks of her real life world.

Judy lives in the mountains where she explores the relationship of woodland plants to their environment and their medicinal value for humans. You can find more information and weekly handwriting analysis tips on her website, JudyMehl.com.

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Formula for Murder
Judith Mehl
A Kat Everitt, Handwriting Analysis Mystery
Publisher: Pennystone Books

Kat Everitt, a seasoned amateur sleuth, uses handwriting analysis to hunt suspects in the murder of a professor in the Pocono Mountains. A public relations administrator with a shoe fetish and a knack for herbal remedies, Kat sifts through the quirky personalities and private lives of people who will do anything to guard a secret. Throughout this fast-paced, character-driven mystery, rife with alarming car chases, phantom callers, and obelisks dark with doom, Kat searches for the truth.

    

For a chance to win a copy of Formula for Murder, courtesy of the author, visit Mystery Book Contests, click on the "Judith Mehl: Handwriting Analysis Mysteries" contest link, enter your name, e-mail address, and this code — 5497 — for a chance to win! (One entry per person; contest ends August 15th, 2012.)