December 16-18, 2022
You are invited to a HUGE, three-day Holiday Takeover Event on Facebook by sixty mystery authors, including me! Thank you to Heather Doyle Harrisson for hosting.
We will each have a thirty-minute slot. It begins on Friday, December 16, at 2 pm PT and ends on Sunday, December 18, at 5:30 pm PT.
I will takeover on Saturday, December 17, from 11:30 am to noon, Pacific Standard Time.
This is a great opportunity to meet many mystery authors, get some holiday book shopping ideas, and purchase links.
The takeover will occur on Facebook’s Cozy Mystery Party group site. Click HERE to request to join. Then tune in, beginning on Friday, December 16, at 2 pm PT. There will be lots of giveaways and chances for viewers to comment.
Please see the ad for the schedule. All times listed on the graphic are in Eastern Standard Time.
Hope to see you there (especially during my takeover on Saturday)!
December 10, 2022
It’s holiday shopping time! And kids need good books to read.
How about giving them the Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries for gifts?
My four sleuths are polite, respectful, role-model characters who will show children how to solve mysteries and life’s problems efficiently while being cool.
Books 1 and 2 are available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.
Books 3 and 4 are available in paperback and eBook.
To read each book’s description and shop your favorite bookstore–traditional or indie–please visit my website at https://sherrilljoseph.com/books. Happy Holidays and happy reading!
November 19, 2022
Great news, indie booklovers!
As promised, the paperback version of Saffron Street: Island Danger is now available by order from any indie bookstore.
To locate and order from your favorite indie bookstore, please visit indiebound.org or bookshop.org.
Just in time for the holidays. Support your local indie bookstores! Thank you so much.
November 1, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed my one-hour Author Takeover on Facebook’s Cozy Mystery Party today! Thank you host Heather Doyle Harrisson for inviting me.
I shared lots of info via my ten posts and graphics about my writing, books, characters, series, and synesthesia. I held 4 GIVEAWAYS with books, swag, and gift cards. To enter for a chance to win, guests merely had to post answers and comments to my easy questions, e.g., What is your favorite movie? What is ancient Egypt’s allure for you?
If you like cozy mysteries, please visit and consider joining the site at https://facebook.com/groups/cozymysteryparty.
Then mark your calendars! I will be part of a HUGE group of cozy mystery authors, joining forces for a three-day author takeover on the same site. My thirty-minute slot is on Saturday, December 17, from 11:30 to noon, Pacific time. I hope you can join us!
October 28, 2022
Hello, friends, family, and newsletter subscribers: Please help me spread the word about a fun event! And YOU are invited!
I hope you will join in the excitement when I hold my one-hour Author Takeover on FB’s Cozy Mystery Party, a site with 3,300 followers.
When? This TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, at 4:00 PM Pacific.
I will be sharing lots of info about my writing, books, characters, series, and synesthesia. Plus, I will have 4 GIVEAWAYS with books, swag, and gift cards. Guests will have a chance to post answers and comments for chances to win.
Please join now at https://facebook.com/groups/cozymysteryparty prior to the event and indicate “GOING” on my event. Then, come to the Home Page at the beginning of the program on November 1.
I’m excited about this. Hope to see you there to help me celebrate the recent release of Book 4, Saffron Street: Island Danger, in my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series! Until then . . . Happy Halloween!
October 22, 2022
My interview for “Dust Jackets: Conversations with Authors” has posted in video and podcast! Choose your link below for viewing and/or listening.
Thank you, author Maggie Lynch, who founded “Dust Jackets” and conducted the interview. I had so much fun answering Maggie’s spot-on questions for thirty-six minutes for the postings.
Apple: NOTE: For those with Apple mobile devices (phones, iPads, laptops, etc. they can also access the Apple Podcast from these APPS: Overcast, Castro, Castbox, Podfriend, and GoodPods.
October 19, 2022
Today, I had the pleasure of doing a School Author Visit to Ms. Kristina Sipe’s fifth-grade class at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School in San Diego, CA.
Last June, Ms. Sipe assigned my book, Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, to her incoming class for summer reading. When the students returned to school in August, she used some of the activities from my Nutmeg Street TEACHER’S GUIDE to discuss the book with them. Thank you, Ms. Sipe!
During this in-person visit, I enjoyed answering some well-crafted questions from the students, asking them some questions, and giving away some book swag. What a wonderful group of kids! These visits energize and inspire my writing and me.
I look forward to returning to the school next fall.
And teachers out there: I do FREE virtual and in-person visits. Click HERE for more information. I love meeting my student readers!
October 11, 2022
Today, my sweet next-door neighbors Jennifer and Emile held a small Book Launch Party for me to celebrate the recent release of Saffron Street: Island Danger!
They cleverly decorated their patio with flowers, bookmark garlands, and candles, prepared a delicious light supper of three different salads, a fruit-and-cheese platter, crackers and hummus, mini muffins, and yummy desserts, and even made treat bags for my six guests–Barb, Mary, Bob, Daniel, Genevra, and Rick–and me to take home! Included were a homemade bookmark from Jennifer and a silkscreened cookie she ordered with an image of the book’s cover. Amazing!
I sold and signed all three books I took along and passed out Saffron Street bookmarks and stickers to everyone. What an enjoyable, intimate gathering of very special friends we had as we lauded the launch!
Thank you, Jennifer and Emile, for the party and all my friends and neighbors who attended. Your presence and taking time out of your busy evening to spend it with me meant so much!
October 5, 2022
What an honor to be this week’s featured author, interviewed today for Stephanie Caruso’s “The Cozy 52: Author Q and A with Sherrill Joseph,” as part of her blog site, Book Frolic! She spotlights “cozy mysteries,” which is one of the Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries’ subgenre.
Stephanie asked me some great questions and some fun, “fast-fives.” We discussed why I write mysteries for Middle-Grade kids, how many years worth of family photos I have, and who my favorite authors are, among other topics.
If you’d like to read my responses and see some photos I submitted, please click HERE. Thank you, Stephanie, and everyone for your support! It was fun.
October 4, 2022
I’m so happy to report that today on Amazon, my Saffron Street: Island Danger eBook (Kindle) version is the “No. 1 New Release” in the category of “Children’s Explore United States Books.” Whoohoo!
The eBook is also in Amazon’s “Top 100 Bestsellers” list today in three categories: #38 in “Children’s Water Sports,” #78 in “Children’s Asia and Asia America Stories,” and #93 in “Children’s Explore United States Books. Woot!
October 1, 2022
Big Announcement: Saffron Street: Island Danger, Book 4 in my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series, has officially launched as of today!
This is the work of my heart–trying to get important historical and cultural information into kids’ hands and lives via fun adventures as our four sleuth heroes solve a challenging mystery set on the Hawaiian island of O’ahu.
You may purchase my paperback and/or eBook HERE on Amazon; or, the eBook HERE from other fine retailers, including Barnes & Noble.
The link to purchase the paperback from indie/your local bookstores and Barnes & Noble will be available in mid-October.
Please watch this space for that link.
I am grateful for your support!
September 19, 2022
Watch my Events page, or click HERE to check for the imminent, early arrival of Book 4, Saffron Street: Island Danger.
Saffron Street was scheduled to release on October 11, but it’s ready to launch early ANY DAY now!
In the meantime, kids, this is a great time to catch up on my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series and get ready for Halloween at the same time with these two spooky editions:
Book 2–Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse, available for purchase HERE.
In Book 2, the detectives explore a huge, spooky mansion and the cemetery next door in search of a long-lost gigantic emerald hidden somewhere on the estate seventy years ago. But they have competition!
Book 3–Walnut Street: Phantom Rider, available for purchase HERE.
In Book 3, the detectives head to a horse ranch to try to make sense of a terrifying masked man dressed all in black on horseback, a snake-infested ghost town, and a vanished gold mine. What do these three have in common?
Thanks so much for your support.
Adults, if you purchase one or more of my books, please CONTACT me with your name, mailing address, and which of my books you purchased to receive a free signed bookplate, bookmark, and sticker to match!
And kids, happy reading as you watch for Book 4. Please have a fun, safe “spooktacular” Halloween!
September 16, 2022
As you may know, I’m a member of Blackbird Writers, a group of mystery, thriller, suspense, and/or crime writers. Our goal is “to bring mystery and mayhem to the world!”
Most of the Blackbirds live in the Midwest or East; only a few of us are out West but none are usually near me. As a result, I’ve never met a member of the flock in person.
Until today!
This morning, I had the pleasure of meeting my fellow bird Sharon Lynn (pink shirt), who was in town with her husband, Dave, and dog, Kip, from Arizona. They have a boat, Sea Lion, moored at the Kona Kai Resort and Marina here in San Diego, so we arranged a meet up.
After a tasty breakfast of toasted coconut pancakes at one of the resort’s restaurants and the typical talk you’d expect when two writers get together, Sharon graciously took me on a tour of her boat and a stroll to see some nearby yachts.
Thanks, Sharon, for such a fun time!
And I hope to meet many other Blackbird Writers next August when Bouchercon 2023, a World Mystery Convention for Writers and Readers (!), comes to San Diego. Click the link if you’d like to attend!
September 11, 2022
It’s finally here! The Cover Reveal for Saffron Street: Island Danger!
Travel to Hawai’i with our four fearless detectives on one of their most intriguing cases to date, a mystery wrapped around the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Japanese internment camps. But watch out! Danger lurks–even in paradise!
Please click HERE or copy and paste https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62066348-saffron-street to mark Saffron Street: Island Danger as “Want to Read.” Thanks!
Coming in paperback and eBook on October 11, 2022. For mystery lovers, ages 9 and up.
Watch this space!
August 31, 2022
Today, my Book 4 beta-reader reviewers, fact checkers, and praise-quote writers are submitting their work to me! I’m excited to see what they wrote.
It also means we’re getting closer to the release of Saffron Street: Island Danger in October.
But first, the Cover Reveal! It will happen on September 11, 2022. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek for you!
August 25, 2022
I had the honor of being interviewed this morning by Maggie Lynch, author and podcaster from “Dust Jackets: Conversations with Authors.”
Maggie focuses her interviews on celebrating authors as career writers so the listener might love the authors’ approaches and try one or more of their books.
She asked me many questions, including how I came to be a children’s author, my writing process, about synesthesia, the origin of my characters and book titles, and much more.
You can hear my responses when the podcast releases in mid-October–just in time for the launch of Saffron Street: Island Danger. Please watch this space for the actual date.
The podcast will air over many platforms: Vimeo, YouTube Video, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn and Alexa, IHeartRadio, Spotify, and Pandora. Thanks again, Maggie. It was delightful!
August 8, 2022
My wonderful, thoughtful neighbors Jennifer and Emile just returned from a bicycling tour through Belgium and the Netherlands. In addition to riding bicycles, they curate a Little Free Library in front of their house.
Jennifer and Emile took one of my signed, personalized paperback copies of Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets with them and photographed it throughout their trip.
At the end of the tour, they left it in one of the Little Free Libraries that they had preselected in Belgium. I hope a child has discovered Book 1 and is getting hours of reading fun from it already.
My little book is so well traveled now! Thank you, Jennifer and Emile. And someday, I will take another copy to a faraway destination myself–Egypt would be perfect!
August 3, 2022
I was delighted but not surprised today to discover that my sweet fellow Blackbird Writer, Galit Gottlieb, posted an article on Medium.com about my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries middle-grade series. It is entitled “Sherrill Joseph’s Middle-Grade Mysteries.”
Love it! Thank you, Galit. Blackbird Writers are so supportive. And yes, Galit, if you had been my student, I would have made you feel like a million bucks.
Click HERE to read her touching article, or you can paste the link into your browser: https://medium.com/write-and-review/sherrill-josephs-middle-grade-mysteries-eaa85a44ceb.
Medium.com is “an open online publishing platform where one million readers find dynamic thinking, and where expert and undiscovered voices can share their writing on any topic.” It is owned by Wikipedia.
July 23, 2022
My Book 3, Walnut Street: Phantom Rider, is appearing today at a book festival via a group co-op catalog with forty-three other children’s books. My book is in the rack photo, third row up from the bottom and to the right (dark cover)!
Our group is sponsored by Story Monsters, Ink, which will showcase our books at the seventh annual Payson Book Festival, held in Payson, Arizona.
Visitors can view the catalog along with copies of our books, then volunteer to write reviews. Can’t say it enough: Reviews are gifts to readers and writers alike.
Click HERE to view the catalog. Walnut Street is on page 4.
Thank you, organizers and participants. Fingers crossed for some reviews! (Update on July 27th: Two people offered to review my book. Fingers remain crossed!)
July 12, 2022
Hey, Bargain-Hunting Summer Readers!
Want to read my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series, Books 1, 2, and/or 3 FOR FREE???
I’ve put all three books up in Group Giveaways at prolificworks.com!
Click HERE to claim for free Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets and/or Walnut Street: Phantom Rider from July 15 – August 5, 2022, in the Group Giveaway “Pack Your Bags.”
Click HERE to claim for free Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse and/or Walnut Street: Phantom Rider from July 12 – August 2, 2022, in the Group Giveaway “Conspiracies and Criminals.”
Click HERE to claim for free Walnut Street: Phantom Rider and/or Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse from July 15 – August 15, 2022, in the Group Giveaway “Mystery Giveaway.”
Happy reading! And I hope you’ll consider leaving a review for my books on Amazon and GoodReads. They are a gift to readers and writers!
July 6, 2022
I am so pleased to announce that my Book 1, Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, has been awarded a Five-Star review from Readers’ Favorite Book Awards!
You can read the review by teen reviewer Kristen Van Kempen by clicking HERE. Or you can read it below:
Reviewed By Kristen Van Kampen (Teen Reviewer) for Readers’ Favorite
Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets by Sherrill Joseph is a suspenseful mystery novel following the four main characters, Lexi, Lanny, Moki, and Rani, as they try to find a stolen Egyptian urn and prove that their family friend Dr. Thornsley was not the thief. However, they soon discover that the case is far more than just a theft as a masked man has been creeping around the Thornsley home and damaging the Egyptian pond in the backyard. Things escalate even further when the four friends are themselves attacked, almost being run over by a car. Will Lexi, Lanny, Moki, and Rani manage to solve the case before anything else happens?
With an intriguing mystery and interesting characters, Nutmeg Street by Sherrill Joseph is an entertaining read. I appreciated that the mystery is introduced in the very first chapter because it drew me into the story right away, and the chase scene at the end of that chapter made me want to keep reading. The book is highly descriptive, which helps paint a picture of the action, while the map at the beginning helps the reader follow the characters’ travels around their neighborhood and to visualize the setting better. I learned a lot about ancient Egypt, snakes, and even a few Hawaiian words by reading this book. I liked the fact that the characters all had distinct personalities, interests, fears, and habits, which helped to make them feel more real. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it.
I hope you enjoyed her review as much as I did. You can choose your favorite book store and purchase your own copy of Nutmeg Street by clicking HERE. Or go to https://sherrilljoseph.com/books
June 24, 2022
My Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series, Book 3, Walnut Street: Phantom Rider, is the second of sixteen books featured in the June 24th issue of Publishers’ Weekly’s Book Life magazine!
Click HERE to see it in the magazine’s “Indie Spotlight: Mystery, Thriller, and True Crime” segment under “Children’s and YA Mystery,” the first category listed.
You may purchase your own copy of Walnut Street from any bookstore by clicking HERE to investigate your choices. Please consider supporting your local indie book store.
All three of my books would make fabulous summer reads for kids ages 9-12 and the adults who love them. Thank you!
June 13, 2022
Are you a Hitchcock fan? Today, it was my turn to post a blog for my group Blackbird Writers.
The topic I chose to research and present was about two plot devices that most crime, thriller, mystery, suspense, and whodunit authors, screenwriters, and directors depend on to grab and hold their readers’ and moviegoers’ attention, namely, Red Herrings and MacGuffins.
Sir Alfred Hitchcock was the master of suspense and also the master of the MacGuffin.
Never heard of one of both of these deliciously deceptive devices? Click HERE to read my blog! I hope you enjoy it.
May 25, 2022
My neighbor Jennifer and I took my Book 3, Walnut Street: Phantom Rider, on an urban “walking tour” today. We paused to photograph the book and enjoy the sites, extending the walk to three hours.
Our goals? To complete San Diego’s Seven Bridges Hike while photographing my book along the way. The 5.5-mile hike spans some of the city’s finest canyons, parks, museums, and small shops, including my beloved Balboa Park and its surrounding, charming neighborhoods.
The seven bridges we crossed were the Park Boulevard Rose Garden Bridge, Balboa Park’s Cabrillo Bridge, the First Avenue Bridge, the Quince Street Bridge (which inspired the Quince Street Footbridge in my series), the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge, the Vermont Street Bridge, and the Georgia Street Bridge. We completed the roundtrip hike all on foot.
Not only did we reach our goals, but the added benefit was that I racked up 17,000 steps, finishing the day with over 22,000 steps, an all-time record for me!
If you would like more information on the hike, please click HERE. I hope you enjoy the photos, all taken by Jennifer. Thanks, Jennifer!
May 22, 2022
Updates on Saffron Street: Island Danger, Book 4 in my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series:
- I have finished my Round 1 revisions for Saffron Street. Yay! Its manuscript went back to the editor today for Round 2 edits, then its “final” revisions.
- The cover art has been ordered! Work on the cover will take part of the summer. I will do a Cover Reveal in September, one month before publication.
We are now two more step closer to its publication in October 2022.
Stay tuned for more updates!
April 20. 2022
I received word today that Walnut Street: Phantom Rider, Book 3 in my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series, won the Firebird Award in the category of Juvenile Fiction for the First Quarter of 2022!
Please click HERE to see my name and book listed. Once on the page, please scroll down to “Juvenile Fiction.”
And for a fun promo ad that Speak Up Talk Radio did for my award, please click HERE. 🙂
Thank you, Pat Rullo, at Speak Up Talk Radio for organizing this annual event, which benefits women and children in homeless shelters. Congratulations to all the winners!
April 14, 2022
The first draft of Saffron Street: Island Danger, Book 4 in my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series, went to the editor today. Hurray!
That’s one step closer to its publication in October 2022. After it’s gone through two edits and two revisions, the cover art will be done.
Stay tuned for updates!
April 11, 2022
Today, my author interview was featured on AllAuthor.com, a site where readers and writers can connect.
Please click HERE to read the interview. I had a lot of fun doing it.
Thanks, Mady Joshi at AllAuthor.com for the opportunity!
March 27, 2022
I am so thrilled to announce that, today, I finished the first draft of the Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries, Book 4, Saffron Street: Island Danger! It’s set on the Hawaiian island of O’ahu.
Book 4 goes to the editor on April 14, so I will have some time to make it my best effort.
I miss my dog Jimmy Lambchop who was my writing cheerleader from the bed behind my writer’s desk. But little buddy, I must still feel your presence and encouragement.
Thanks so much, precious boy! I couldn’t have done it without you.
February 11, 2022
Lucky me! ELA teacher Mrs. Alfano accepted my request to return for more fun in a second virtual school author visit today! I had the pleasure of spending nearly an hour with her fifty-two wonderful fifth graders again at Shoemaker Elementary School in Macungie, PA. She team teaches with Mrs. Beky. My first visit was on January 27, 2022.
This time, I surveyed the students to see who liked which detective. Then, the students asked the detectives questions. I pretended to be the detectives and answered accordingly.
I thoroughly enjoyed doing two read-alouds, one from Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse, and the other from Walnut Street: Phantom Rider. That was like “old times” before I retired from teaching!
We rounded out my visit with more questions from the students.
Following my first visit, the students and teachers sent me an adorable “WORD WARRIOR” cuff bracelet, which I showed them. I also shared a necklace my daughter gave me in February 2020 when my very first book, Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, launched. It is a mini version of the book on a chain!
Thank you so much, Mrs. Alfano, Mrs. Beky, and all your delightful students. You made my day!
February 8, 2022
Walnut Street: Phantom Rider, Book 3 in my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series, is one of many books featured in “The 56th Annual Local Author Showcase” at the San Diego Central Library!
Quoting from the website, <mysdpl.org/localauthor> “The Local Author Program highlights the intellectual and creative
accomplishments of writers in the San Diego region and is presented for reading interest as well as the opportunity to highlight the diverse and abundant talent we have locally. A centerpiece of the Local Author Program is the Local Author Showcase. The Showcase includes books and eBooks written by adults, teens and children. In its 56th year, the aim of the Showcase is to bring exposure to local talent and nurture the pursuit of the writing arts in San Diego. . . . A call for submissions goes out in September inviting San Diego County authors who published books in the current year to register for the program and submit their book. The annual deadline for submitting books is typically in late November. . . . Qualified books are displayed in the Dickinson Popular Library at the San Diego Central Library @ Joan Λ Irwin Jacobs Common. The Showcase runs throughout the entire month of February.”
The books will be on display through February in special display cases for public viewing. Afterwards, the books will be available for check out.
Please peruse the list of all event entries, in alphabetical order by authors’ last names, HERE.
February 3, 2022
In my neighborhood of North Park in San Diego, California, a fun community park opened on January 16, 2022, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. A decade in the making, it was created from a little-utilized commercial parking lot behind the Observatory Theatre at the corner of North Park Way and 29th Street. You can check it out HERE.
Named the North Park Mini Park, it is a mostly concrete plaza where families and friends can gather. Benches, tables and chairs, drinking fountains, a performance stage, kids’ play equipment, and a few educational displays are provided. It will also host live music events, outdoor movie nights, and the weekly Farmers’ Market.
To support the North Park Business Association, residents were invited to purchase personalized pavers that have been set in a concrete section near the main entrance. In addition to two I purchased (one to honor my family’s presence in the neighborhood since 1945; and, one to honor my dog Jimmy Lambchop), I also bought one as a North Park children’s mystery author. It is in the upper area of the paver display.
If you’re ever in the area, I hope you’ll stop and check it out.
February 1, 2022
I am so honored to have been chosen for author Valerie Biel’s February 2022 Author Series spotlight, “Wisdom from the Publishing World.”
Valerie asked me first to share what advice I would give my pre-published self. The second question was what I wish I’d known before publishing.
If you like, you can check out the article HERE.
January 27, 2022
What an honor and a privilege it was for me today to have a virtual school author visit!
Fifty-two smart fifth graders and their two teachers Mrs. Alfano and Mrs. Beky from Shoemaker Elementary School in Macungie, Pennsylvania, wanted to meet me after they read my Book 1, Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, as a class.
I spent almost an hour with the group. They heard the story of my reading and writing journey from childhood to becoming a teacher, then a writer. They wanted to know what it was like to be a writer, if I do research for my books, how much revising I have to do, and all about synesthesia!
Thank you, Mrs. Alfano, Mrs. Beky, and all your cool students for a very fun and personally motivating morning. Teachers–bless you! Kids–they are why I write!
January 22, 2022
Something new has been added to all the pages of my website: a voice-activation button (See the black circle at the left, top of each entry). I thank a reader who contacted me with the suggestion.
Clicking on the black circle will allow you to hear my blogs, events, and all content! To stop, click it again, and the voice will pause.
I hope this will helps students and adults with visual impairments as well as anyone who would rather listen to than read the contents.
Please try it out, and let me know what you think HERE. Thank you!
January 10, 2022
As of today, I am excited to announce that I have added another job description to my list. I am now officially an independent publisher!
I have created Quince Street Press, named after the Botanic Hill street where my twin detectives live.
Quince Street Press will exist to publish my books only. You can check it out HERE.
I thank the hybrid publishers and staff at Acorn Publishing, LLC, for the incredible education I received from them in publishing my series’ first three books.
Starting with Book 4, Saffron Street: Island Danger, you will see a new imprint on the spine and on the title page–a quince fruit above a rectangle!