KRL always strives to support the arts, and small unique businesses--Duende Creative House is a bit of both. Owners Haley White and Miguel Gastelum have also been a part of the local theatre community for some time. I chatted with them both recently about their new endeavor.
Ever since its beginning fifteen years ago, it has been important to me that KRL support the LGBTQ+ community. It is as much a part of our DNA as supporting the arts, books, and animal rescue. This week we are chatting with LGBTQ Fresno to learn more about what they do and who they are, as well as some of their struggles and needs.
I have been a fan of Agatha Christie since I was a teenager, so when I heard that Encore Theatre in Tulare was producing her famous play, The Mousetrap, I knew I had to see it. But it also sparked another idea. I reached out to Encore and asked if I could come to one of their performances and talk about mysteries and sign and sell my Tower District Mysteries. They said yes. So at the 2 p.m. matinee performance of The Mousetrap on November 9, I will be doing a brief talk and Q&A about writing mysteries, and about my books, after the show. I will also have copies of both books for sale at that performance.
A brand new original musical is opening next week on stage at Fresno Pacific University. It is entitled In Color. Recently, we chatted with the show’s creator Joy Ndombeson.
If you have been reading KRL for very long, you know that I am a huge fan of vampires—have been for most of my life. So when I heard that there was going to be a gay cozy mystery series featuring vampires I knew I had to check it out. Dead & Breakfast is the first in the series and I absolutely love the tagline on the cover-Come For the Vampires, Stay For the Scones! Boy am I glad that I did. I will happily check into this bed and breakfast any time.
Covering the arts and those who make it is one of KRL’s core purposes. Earlier this year I met local filmmaker Marcos Villarreal at one of my booksignings in Visalia for my Tower District Mystery series and began chatting about his filmmaking. We connected more recently so he could share with KRL more about what it is he does. The timing of this was perfect, as he is currently involved in a horror film which is perfect for Halloween month!
Acorn TV is an excellent choice if you love mysteries not made in America. Most of them are set in the UK, but there are some set in other countries such as Australia and New Zealand. The Crow Girl is a recent release on AcornTV with the final of the six episodes airing on October 13, and is based on the Crow Girl book series written by Erik Axl Sund.
I can’t imagine a play better suited for Halloween month than Dracula, and the College of the Sequoias in Visalia has their own version of the play on stage right now! Professor of Cinema & Theatre Arts, and director of the show, Chris Mangels, adapted this play from the book. The remaining performances are October 16-18.
We at KRL are always on the lookout for businesses that are unique, and Coffein Coffee Co. in Clovis fits that bill perfectly. Interviewing them during Halloween month also felt like a perfect fit—from their coffin shaped coffee bags (which can be packaged in a tiny little coffin), to their interest in bat rescue—what could be better!
I have been a big fan of Ann Cleeves’ work, thanks to the TV versions of Vera and Shetland, for some time. They are two of my absolute favorite mystery TV shows. The first book of hers that I read was part of the Matthew Vine series (I have read all of that series so far), and I immediately became a fan of her writing, as well.
