Handbag and Book welcomes guest author Grace Topping-Is Your Handbag Stylish?

 About the Handbag:

My handbag is not stylish. A plain black leather bag, it’s a bit tired looking and has teeth marks on the strap, left there by a friend’s dog. But it is very precious to me and retains a place on my closet shelf, where it has remained for more years than I want to admit to. And although I will probably never use it again, I treasure it as a reminder of a former life, and of my adventures and travels around the world.

On a cold February morning, the handbag was issued to me when I joined the Navy. I carried it proudly through my years of service and it served me well. It hung on my shoulder as I boarded ships, propeller planes, jets, and helicopters. It accompanied me in my travels to places like Hong Kong, Vietnam, the Philippines, England, Italy, and stops in between.

Someday when my daughters clear out my things and they come across it, I hope they will think fondly of it and remember that before their mom became a wife, mother, and eventually a mystery writer, she had led an adventurous life as a Navy WAVE.

About the Book:

When professional home stager Laura Bishop enters a competition to become the next TV home staging star, she figures it will be murder—but she doesn’t expect it to include a body. As tensions rise and rivalries rage, a coded notebook flips the script and Laura’s on the case.

 

But she’s not alone. Her closest confidantes pitch in by sleuthing, eavesdropping, and even staging a sting to protect those near and dear. Yet she’s still corralling a runaway teen, sparring with a handsome detective, and handling the shock of her life with a blast from her past. All while creating a cozy cabin retreat fit for first place.

 

Amidst constant cameras and glaring lights, Laura tries to style the stage and pull back the curtain on a killer before her career—and her life—get cut.

About Grace Topping: Grace Topping is an Agatha Award finalist and 

the USA Today

bestselling author of the Laura Bishop home staging cozy mystery series. She’s a recovering technical writer and IT project manager accustomed to writing lean, boring documents. Let loose to write fiction, she’s now killing off characters who remind her of people she dealt with during her career. She is the former VP of the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime, the Membership Guppy of the SINC Guppy Chapter, and a member of Mystery Writers of America.

 

Answer these questions:

Red, White or Blue? Red. Always a good color to wear for photos and interviews.

 

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Fall. I love that time of year with crisp, cool days. It reminds me of growing up in Pennsylvania.

 

Cake or Pie? Pie, definitely. Especially chocolate cream pie. My mother used to make one for me every time I went home and for my birthday.

 

Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Tea. I’m married to an Englishman, so we have a pot of tea,  covered with a tea cozy, available all day.

 

Country music or Michael Buble? Definitely the soothing sounds of Michael Buble.

 

Pencil or Pen? A felt tip pen that looks like I used a fountain pen. 

For more Information: 

Find Upstaged by Murder at:  Amazon

Find Grace Topping at: Website