The Corpse With The Ruby Lips by Cathy Ace - Book Tour and Giveaway!


The Corpse With The Ruby Lips by Cathy Ace
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Source: Great Escapes Book Tour


"To sum up today's session then, 'Sticks and stones might break my bones, but words will never hurt me,' is not something we believe to be true anymore. Not only can words can be extremely hurtful, but that hurt can cause psychological damage, which may present itself in many different ways."

I was lucky to have the chance to make an interview to Cathy Ace, the writer! Here it is...

First of all I want to ask a few basic questions...
- When did you start writing?
I’ve been most fortunate to have a career in marketing, advertising, public relations and training which meant I have pretty much always made my living from writing, but on behalf of clients. In 1988 I wrote a crime-themed short story which was published, but then I got caught up running my own business. I didn’t come back to crime writing until 2007, when I wrote and self-published a collection of short stories, then in 2008 I self-published a collection of novella. Those were seen by a publisher here in Canada who invited me to submit a manuscript for a novel, which was published in 2012: THE CORPSE WITH THE SILVER TONGUE was the first Cait Morgan Mystery.
- Which are your routines to make you focus on your writing?
I’m an utterly anti-routine person! I’ve spent my entire working life avoiding routine, and I stick to that even now. However, I do find I do most of my writing at night, when everyone’s gone to bed (husband and dogs!) and there are no expectations for me to reply to emails. Then I can concentrate on my invented worlds.
- Do you have a favourite book so far?
Of all the books I’ve had published (and by the end of November 2016 that will be a total of 11) I have fallen into, out of, and back into love with each of them as the writing process has developed but, no, I don’t have a true favourite…that really is like asking which is my favourite child. Sorry.

This is my first Cait Morgan mystery, and I loved how all the mystery, secrets and story collide in a surprising end. So here are my questions...
- Where did you get the idea?
This particular book finds Cait alone in an unfamiliar place without the support of her new husband, and being drawn into a cold case. That’s really where the idea began…with Cait being forced to face her “old self” while an entire family also has to face its history. Cait’s never been the most reflective of people – she’s much happier to judge others than herself – so I wanted to put her in a situation where she was forced to question how she’s changed during the past few years of her life (or throughout eight books, as far as my readers are concerned).
- Why have you based your book in Budapest? You seem to know a lot about the city, which is your favourite place?
I’ve spent a lot of time in Budapest; when I travelled the world training staff members in marketing and marketing communications for various companies, one of my clients sent me to Budapest where they would bring in all their staff from across Hungary and Romania for training and development. I therefore visited Budapest for a couple of weeks, three or four times a year for more than half a decade, and grew to know and love the place. Over those visits I managed to add on days when I could get to all the usual tourist destinations, but I also was offered a glimpse into everyday life there by those who invited me into their homes – a delight and an honour. Other than that wonderful glimpse into real life in Budapest I’d say that maybe the place that made the biggest impact on me was the church of St Matthias, which, at more than 700 years old, has stood through so much of the history of the city. It’s been both a Christian church hosting coronations and royal weddings, as well as being the city’s main mosque during the years of Turkish occupation.
- It surprised me that Cait is a lecturer, why? It's not a glamorous life or easy. What attracted you about it?
When I began writing the Cait Morgan Mysteries I, too, was a lecturer at university, so I suppose it was natural to choose that as Cait’s role. Her background mirrors my own, though while I remained working in marketing communications where I was able to apply my knowledge of psychology, Cait took herself back to university and focused hers on the criminal mind, bringing her to her current post about a decade before the first novel’s setting.
- Are your characters based in real life or completely fiction?
All my characters are fictitious, though, of course, real people seep into them in part. Cait’s very much based upon me, though she and I are not the same person…she has abilities I lack, and I haven’t given her all my traits either.
- Some facts that are said in the book are sad and scary at the same time, specially the informants. Have you met anyone who has lived with that fear on their body, to be informed or being the informant?
Having been lucky enough to get to know a good number of people who had lived in Budapest throughout the years when the Communist party was in charge, I therefore also got to know a lot of people who knew exactly what it was like to have to think before they spoke or did anything that could be seen as being anti-communist by the party…because everyone who lived in Budapest at that time lived that way. I have also met people who were watchers, listeners and informants.  
And the last one, but more important...
- We will read a new Cait Morgan mystery soon?
It’s almost the end of 2016 now, and there will be new Cait tales coming in 2017….but, for now, that’s all I can say. 

After reading this interview I am sure you will want to read the book, so here's the giveaway! Good luck! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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