Blog Tour: Sugar and Spice and Not So Nice by Janet McNulty

Today, we welcome author Janet McNulty who is promoting her new book Sugar and Spice and Not So Nice.


Author: Janet McNulty
Publisher: Self
Date of Publication: January 2012


Mellow Summers just wanted to go to college and get her film degree. She moved into a furnished apartment with her friend Jackie only to find that it already had a tenant: the ghost of a girl who was murdered a year earlier. Now it is up to Mellow to not only discover who the murderer is, but to prove it as well.

With the help of the ghost Rachel, Mellow sets out to solve the year old mystery. She soon finds out that she may have taken on more than she can handle. Pursued by someone who wants the identity of the killer to remain a secret, Mellow will have to use all her resources to outwit him and help the spirit of Rachel move on. 


My Take:   Sugar and Spice and Not So Nice is a pretty quick read.  It was a cute and, at times, funny mystery.  Mellow Summers heads to Vermont for college.  What she didn't expect was getting a mystery and a ghost as well.  Rachel was murdered a year before and she wants Mellow to help her figure out what happened.  After agreeing to help, Mellow finds herself in some sticky situations.  She also acquires some unique friends, like an entire biker gang!  I enjoyed this mystery as it was a lot of fun to read.  My only problem with it was that Mellow is 26, yet at times, she acted more like a typical college student of 18 or 19.  Not a big deal, but it did bother me.  If you are looking for a fun read, pick this one up!

Janet was kind enough to answer a few questions for us:

Kari :What inspired you to become a writer?

Janet: I had a friend in high schools who loved to write and some  his passions rubbed off on me.  Back then I wrote a few short stories and poems, none of which I published.  But at the same time I began writing a novel which I worked on for ten years.  Writing started out as a hobby, but now it is time to turn it into a way of life.

Kari: Where do you come up with the idea for your books?

Janet:I was watching Ghost Whisperer  one night and reading a mystery novel an thought, why not have a book where a ghost helps solves a mystery.  I’ve always liked a good ghost story and a good mystery so I figured I’d put both into one book.  The title Sugar And Spice And Not So Nice I had bouncing around my head for quite a while before I penned the first sentence.   My goal was to make this a fun but entertaining read, and that is why I wrote this book.

Kari: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?

Janet: I plan to write a sequel to Sugar And Spice And Not So Nice.  I probably won’t be released until later this year.  Currently, I am working on the second novel in my fantasy trilogy Legends Lost.  I plan to have that one completed before the end of this coming summer.  After I am finished with it, I will write the sequel to Sugar and Spice.

Kari:  Who is your favorite literary character and why?

Janet:That is a tough one.  There are three that I will have to list here.

Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings: Sam is the epitome of a loyal friend.  Through all of the dangers that he and Frodo face in their quest to destroy the One Ring, Sam never leaves Frodo’s side.  Not once does he consider turning back and leaving Frodo.  Instead he remains by Frodo’s side even after Frodo turns against him and allows Gollum to poison his mind.  While in Mordor near the end of their journey, Sam literally carries Frodo up Mount Doom to ensure that he succeeds in his mission.  One of the things that really brings Sam to life is at the very end of the story when Frodo decides to keep the One Ring.  Not once does Sam consider telling the others about Frodo’s betrayal.  Instead, he keeps is a secret and forgives Frodo for his moment of weakness.

Severus Snape from Harry Potter: Everyone loves Harry and his friends, or even Voldemort.  But I think Snape is often overlooked.  His cold manner through most of the series is a bit off putting, but there is something about his character that makes you feel sympathy for him.  Snape is one of those courageous people that literally sacrifices everything to bring down the stories villain.  He puts his life in constant danger spying on Voldemort while at he same time pretending to be Voldemort’s loyal servant.  But one of the things that really makes me sympathize for Snape is the fact that he was never able to make up with Lilly before she died.  Through immaturity and an act of selfishness, he pushed away the only woman he ever loved. Even after Lily married his arch-rival, he never stopped loving her.  After her death, he spend the reminder of his life protecting her son.  Severus Snape is the a man who lost everything he ever loved because of a selfish desire to be great.  Afterwards, he spends the remainder of his life trying to atone for his sins.

Marvin from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:  What is not to love about a clinically depressed robot?   Marvin is a new model robot that is supposed to be able to relate with people.  The problem is he suffers from depression and usually comes across as a downer.  His poor me attitude brings a certain amount of dark humor to wild ride through the galaxy.

Kari :Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

Janet: I’d be a cat.  I’ve always loved cats and have three of them.  I find them fascinating.  They are highly intelligent and have a way of getting people to do their bidding.  I also find their ability to sneak up on you without making one sound to be intriguing.

About the author:

Janet McNulty currently resides in West Virginia where she moved after receiving her B.A. in History. She lives with her three cats who keep her on task.

Ms. McNulty has also recently published a novel, Legends Lost: Amborese, under the pen name Nova Rose. She is currently working on the second novel in the series called Legends Lost Tesnayr, but also has another nonfiction book in the works, that is untitled at this point. 

Purchase Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Spice-Mellow-Summers-ebook/dp/B00727XQI2/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

http://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Spice-Not-So-Nice/dp/1469951312/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_6

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/surgar-and-spice-and-not-so-nice-janet-mcnulty/1108440466?ean=2940014057141&itm=1&usri=sugar+and+spice+and+not+so+nice