Podcast appearances and mentions of sasscer hill

In this episode, we dive into the thrilling equestrian world with author Sasscer Hill. Horses, mystery, adventure, and more, where does her drive come from? When did she accept the call to write? Join us on this episode as we dive into the world of horses and mystery. Sasscer Hill https://linktr.ee/sasscerhill https://www.sasscerhill.com/ Host Madilynn Dale: https://www.thechaptergoddess.com/ This episode is Sponsored by: Creative Edge Publicity https://www.creative-edge.services/ Standard Adobe Licensing Image(s), fonts, graphics, audio, and/or video(s) used under license from The Chapter Goddes/Madilynn Dale - stock.adobe.com Upbeat Fun Ska Rock AdobeStock #537081716 Image(s) and/or video(s) used under license from Pixabay, The Chapter Goddess/Madilynn Dale- https://pixabay.com/ Featured Artist graphics and covers provided by guest. Recorded through Streamyard, Go Indie Now/The Chapter Goddess- streamyard.com YetiBlue microphone was used for recording. Season 2 Ep. 44

Overview South Carolina author Sasscer Hill, an amateur jockey and horse breeder, writes mysteries in series - The Nikki Latrelle Horse Racing Mysteries (five volumes), The Fia McFee Mysteries (two volumes to date), TRAVELS OF QUINN, GRIPPING TALES OF FACT AND FICTION, and now a new series The Janet Simpson Cozy Mysteries, of which MURDER AT THE WILLCOTTS HOTEL is the third volume. This novella is short, but Hill's ability to create memorable characters involved in a tight cozy mystery heightened with humor makes this book asset sail! The main character Janet's observations are present in the opening lines: “I remember the afternoon Kate arrived at the Willcotts Hotel. It wasn't that she blew in like a pink breeze, her hat piled with coral flowers and feathers. It wasn't her small, prancing poodle, its collar encrusted with coral-colored rhinestones, and it wasn't the bellboy staggering beneath her three pink suitcases. No, the memory is sharp because it was the day I met Paul Delaveev…' The theatrical flair established, the cleverly designed mystery unfolds. Book Website https://www.sasscerhill.com/ Favorites https://booktavern.com/ YouTube https://youtu.be/UqQkZNp8h5U Transcript Stephen: today on Discovered Wordsmith, I have Sasser Hill. Sasser, how are you doing today? I'm Sasscer: doing well. Thank you. Stephen: Good. Yeah, I'm excited to hear about your book. But before we delve into that, tell us a little bit about who you are, where you live, and what you like to do besides writing. I Sasscer: am living in Aiken, South Carolina. I moved down from Maryland 12 years ago, which is where I did most of the horse business I was involved in for 32 years. And then I came here because it is a horse area and I knew it'd be a very favorable area for me to stick around with horsey people and see horses. And it's also a dog town and I love dogs and it's every other car that goes by has a dog with its head sticking out the window. So it's really a nice town. Stephen: Nice. And when you say horse business, what exactly were you doing? I was Sasscer: breeding foaling, raising, breaking thoroughbred racehorses. And I was also an owner who raced them and I did that for 32 years. Stephen: Okay I would expect there's some horses in your books. Sometimes. Sasscer: Oh, yeah. Are our horse racing murder mysteries. The ones that have been out and actually, they're rather traditional mysteries. They have a little bit of. Blood and guts in them, nothing too strong, but now I'm writing I'm trying my hand at a few cozy novellas, because they're quick and easy to write, and cozy mysteries are so popular right now, so I thought why not see if we can get a little bit of that income as well as what I usually write, so it's Stephen: been fun. Okay let's delve into that. Talk about your books a little bit. So today we're going to be talking about Murder at the Wilcots Hotel and this is not your first book. Is that correct? Sasscer: No, it's like maybe number 9. Stephen: Okay. So are these in a series or are they just separate individual books? Sasscer: Most of them have been my first series is a five book series about a gal named Nikki Littrell, female jockey, very young. The next series I wrote, if you want to call it that, was a two book deal for St. Martin's featuring a really strong character, female character named Fia McKee. But years ago, when I was in a Sisters in Crime group that I met, and I was taking we were doing critiques, this is when I was still up in Maryland the Sisters in Crime Chessie chapter, that was my chapter wanted to do a bunch of collections of mysteries. So anthology. So I wrote two anthologies for two different two different stories for two, two different anthologies, and they did quite well. And they were both about a gal named Janet Sim Simpson, and she was a middle aged, if not beyond middle aged female.

Sasscer Hill, who's been involved in horse racing as an amateur jockey and racehorse breeder for much of her life, sets many of her novels against a background of big money, gambling, and horse racing. Her novel, FLAMINGO ROAD, won the Dr. Tony Ryan Best in Racing Literature award for 2018. Her other novels have garnered a Carrie McCray award and nominations for Agatha, Macavity, and Claymore awards. You can learn more at her website: https://www.sasscerhill.com/ Learn more about our Book Lights host at: http://authorlisakessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

Sasscer is an Award-winning author of horseracing mysteries and thrillers. Her newest title, SHOOTING STAR, is the fifth novel in the "Nikki Latrelle" mystery series. Sasscer has been involved in horse racing as an amateur jockey and racehorse breeder for much of her life and sets many of her novels against a background of big money, gambling, and horse racing. Her novel, Flaminga Road, won the $10,000 Dr. Tony Ryan Best in Racing Literature award for 2018. Her other novels have garnered a Carrie McCray award and nominations for Agatha, Macavity, and Claymore awards. Books: Shooting Star Get the book on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3Evnl4N ASIN: 1947287222 Racing From Death Get the book on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3Ini15X ASIN: 1515254313 The Sea Horse Trade Get the book on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3du1fUc ASIN: 151526579X Racing From Evil Get the book on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3dpHXzh ASIN: 1533479607 Full Mortality Get the book on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3y12p36 ASIN: 1515249956 #WritersCorner #BLiveMedia #WritersNetwork #WritingCommunity #SasscerHill #ShootingStar #RacingFromDeath #TheSeaHorseTrade #RacingFromEvil #FullMortality #WritersLife #TheConversation #Ad --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blivemedia/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://alternative-read.com/shooting-star-saturdayspotlight-interview-with-bestselling-author-sasscer-hill-saturdayshare-review/ Thanks for listening! Sassy Personal and Virtual Author Assistant Alternative-Read.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/alternative-readcom/message

On this episode of Past the Wire TV  and our podcast  Gate to Wire Jonathan Stettin sits down and talks with author Sasscer Hill.Sasscer has a unique and interesting background in the thoroughbred industry and actually won a race as a steeplechase rider. She's ridden, owned and bred horses including foaling. All this led her to become a novelist writing about the Sport of Kings.I think most of us would agree racing needs more positive exposure. Sasscer feels the same and remembers the days of true journalism and mainstream coverage of the sport. Meet Sasscer with Jonathan and you just might want to check out one of her books which can be found at her website sasscerhill.comWe think you'll enjoy meeting this interesting and talented lady!Thank you for watching Past the Wire TV! and listening to the Past the Wire podcast Gate to Wire!

J.E. McDonald was born and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada, The Land of the Living Skies. As a child, she was either searching the clouds for identifiable shapes, or star-gazing way past her bedtime.She cut her teeth watching Star Trek, James Bond movies, and reading the Harlequin novels her mother left in the bathroom—which resulted in an extremely skewed sense of sex education by age eleven. All of these factors contribute to her love of writing rom coms with a paranormal twist, romantic suspense, and far-future romance.J.E. resides in Saskatchewan with her husband and three daughters, a stay at home mom by day, and an obsessed writer by night.http://jemcdonald.netSasscer Hill was involved in horse racing as an amateur jockey and racehorse breeder for most of her life. Her mystery-thrillers portray the world of horse racing, and the skullduggery that big money and gambling so often attract. Her novels have won the Dr. Tony Ryan Best in Racing Literature Award (Flamingo Road) and the Carrie McCray Award (The Dark Side of Town). Her Nikki Latrelle mysteries have also received multiple award nominations for Agatha, Macavity, Claymore, and an additional Dr. Tony Ryan Award.Travels of Quinn, published in 2020, stepped away from horse racing. Instead, the mystery-thriller revolves around the gypsy con artists known as Irish American Travelers. This novel was a finalist for a Silver Falchion Award for Best Mystery of 2020.Her new novel, “Shooting Star," July, 2021, is the Fifth in the award-winning Nikki Latrelle Horse Racing Mystery Series. Nikki is charged with protecting the racehorses used in a movie filmed at Santa Anita Racecourse. Sasscer lives in Aiken, South Carolina horse country, with her husband, a dog, and a cat.http://sasscerhill.comThe Douglas Coleman Show now offers audio and video promotional packages for music artists as well as video promotional packages for authors. We also offer advertising. Please see our website for complete details. http://douglascolemanshow.comIf you have a comment about this episode or any other, please click the link below.https://ratethispodcast.com/douglascolemanshow

J.E. McDonald was born and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada, The Land of the Living Skies. As a child, she was either searching the clouds for identifiable shapes, or star-gazing way past her bedtime.She cut her teeth watching Star Trek, James Bond movies, and reading the Harlequin novels her mother left in the bathroom—which resulted in an extremely skewed sense of sex education by age eleven. All of these factors contribute to her love of writing rom coms with a paranormal twist, romantic suspense, and far-future romance.J.E. resides in Saskatchewan with her husband and three daughters, a stay at home mom by day, and an obsessed writer by night.http://jemcdonald.netSasscer Hill was involved in horse racing as an amateur jockey and racehorse breeder for most of her life. Her mystery-thrillers portray the world of horse racing, and the skullduggery that big money and gambling so often attract. Her novels have won the Dr. Tony Ryan Best in Racing Literature Award (Flamingo Road) and the Carrie McCray Award (The Dark Side of Town). Her Nikki Latrelle mysteries have also received multiple award nominations for Agatha, Macavity, Claymore, and an additional Dr. Tony Ryan Award.Travels of Quinn, published in 2020, stepped away from horse racing. Instead, the mystery-thriller revolves around the gypsy con artists known as Irish American Travelers. This novel was a finalist for a Silver Falchion Award for Best Mystery of 2020.Her new novel, “Shooting Star," July, 2021, is the Fifth in the award-winning Nikki Latrelle Horse Racing Mystery Series. Nikki is charged with protecting the racehorses used in a movie filmed at Santa Anita Racecourse. Sasscer lives in Aiken, South Carolina horse country, with her husband, a dog, and a cat.http://sasscerhill.comThe Douglas Coleman Show now offers audio and video promotional packages for music artists as well as video promotional packages for authors. We also offer advertising. Please see our website for complete details. http://douglascolemanshow.comIf you have a comment about this episode or any other, please click the link below.https://ratethispodcast.com/douglascolemanshow

When Nikki's ex-lover Will hires her to protect the horses used to film a movie at Santa Anita Racetrack, she learns evil is alive and well in Hollywood.Keeping Thoroughbreds safe from a director who doesn't know a horse from a hamster is tricky. More difficult are the unresolved feelings between her and Will, especially when sexy, young movie star, Jamie Jackson, sets his sights on Nikki.But when a sniper's bullet shatters the brain of a cameraman close enough that she can smell his blood, Nikki's need to protect the film crew overrides everything. Her sleuthing unearths a trail of corruption and when she must lie to Will to protect his life, she's on her own. Can she identify the evil behind the scenes before she and Will become the next victims?Shooting Star is the fifth rocket-paced story in the award-winning Nikki Latrelle mystery series. If you like protagonists with heart and courage, unexpected twists, and a thrill ride to the finish, you'll love Shooting Star.Find out why this series has so many fans. Buy Shooting Star today!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to know more about Sasscer and to watch the live interview, refer to this link: https://sheblurbs.wixsite.com/sheblurbs/post/let-s-talk-with-sasscer-hill --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sheblurbs/support

Episode 20: Welcome to the Equestrian Author Spotlight podcast! In each episode, you’ll hear inspirational stories from horse book authors including writing advice and marketing tips to help you write your own horse book. If you are an author, aspire to be an author, or simply love horse books then you are in the right place! In this week's episode, you'll meet Award-Winning Equine Author Sasscer Hill. You'll learn ... About her life as an amateur jockey and how it led to her breeding her own racehorses which inspired her to become an author of horse racing murder mystery and suspense thrillers. What it was like working with small press, how she transitioned to independent publishing, and what to look out for in contracts. How she combines what she knows about the horse world with input from legal and law enforcement professionals to develop her novels. The emotional story of winning the Dr. Tony Ryan Best in Racing Literature Award and what she did with the $10,000 prize. Thoughts on finding your herd through writing organizations, conferences and critique groups. And MUCH more! Website: https://www.sasscerhill.com/ Visit https://www.carlykadecreative.com/podcast.html where you can read the episode show notes and find the links and recommended resources. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, or via RSS so you’ll never miss a show. Want a free guide to secrets of horse book authors? Gallop over to https://www.carlykadecreative.com/wisdom.html and join the Equestrian Author Spotlight email list to have the author advice resource delivered instantly to your inbox. If you are an author who writes about horses and would like to be spotlighted let me know. I’d be happy to include you, too. Visit my contact page at https://www.carlykadecreative.com to fill out a request.

We enjoy some listener's first world equestrian problems, chat with author Sasscer Hill about her latest book and DeAnn from Horse Nation shares some of her favorite posts from last week. Debbie Loucks joins Jamie as co-host.The HORSES IN THE MORNING Crew: Glenn the Geek: co-host, executive in charge of comic relief; Jamie Jennings: co-hostGuest Co-host: Debbie Loucks, host of Horsemanship Radio podcastTitle Sponsor: Our AuditorsGuest: Sasscer Hill, Travels of QuinnGuest: DeAnn from Horse NationThere’s an App for that! Check out the new Horse Radio Network app for iPhone and AndroidFollow Horse Radio Network on Twitter or follow Horses In The Morning on FacebookAdditional support for this podcast provided by Greenflower Botanicals (Use coupon code HRN for 20% off) and Listeners Like YouSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=87421)

We enjoy some listener's first world equestrian problems, chat with author Sasscer Hill about her latest book and DeAnn from Horse Nation shares some of her favorite posts from last week. Debbie Loucks joins Jamie as co-host.The HORSES IN THE MORNING Crew: Glenn the Geek: co-host, executive in charge of comic relief; Jamie Jennings: co-hostGuest Co-host: Debbie Loucks, host of Horsemanship Radio podcastTitle Sponsor: Our AuditorsGuest: Sasscer Hill, Travels of QuinnGuest: DeAnn from Horse NationThere’s an App for that! Check out the new Horse Radio Network app for iPhone and AndroidFollow Horse Radio Network on Twitter or follow Horses In The Morning on FacebookAdditional support for this podcast provided by Greenflower Botanicals (Use coupon code HRN for 20% off) and Listeners Like YouSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=87421)

If you are a fan of mystery novels or books with horse racing themes, you are going to love Elise’s guest today on the Because Of Horses podcast, Sasscer Hill. She’s a novelist, former thoroughbred breeder, and an amateur steeplechase jockey, and her evocative storytelling is "can't-put-it-down" entertaining, with frequent comparisons to the legendary Dick Francis. Sasscer sets her award-winning novels against a background of big money, gambling, and horse racing. Her first book in the “Nikki Latrelle” series, Full Mortality, was nominated for both an Agatha and a Macavity award. And recently, she has written a new award-winning series featuring protagonist “Fia McKee.” The first book in the series, Flamingo Road, was released in April 2017 and was just honored with the Tony Ryan Book Award... ironically, beating nominee Felix Francis – Dick Francis' son!  Sasscer's second book in the series, The Dark Side of Town, came out just a few weeks ago. Tune in to this episode with Elise and Sasscer Hill to hear more about her experiences as a young girl being mentored by incredibly kind and world-renowned equestrians; how she has explored her interests in racing, breeding, and writing; and about the process, plots, and characters behind her award-winning novels.   Topics of Discussion: [:46] About Elise’s guest today, Sasscer Hill. [2:19] What stands out for Sasscer when she looks back at the path that led her to become a distinguished author. [4:50] Has Sasscer always known what she wanted to do? And did she always plan on having horses in her life? [6:35] When did Sasscer have the epiphany that she could make writing her career? [9:22] About the two people Sasscer dedicated her first book to (Rhoda Christmas Bowling and Alfred Smith Sr.) and what their kindness meant to her and to her career. [16:10] Ways the Smith family continued to help Sasscer throughout her life — and the monumental race that she won in 1986. [18:27] Reading listener feedback! [19:52] Elise and Sasscer talk about the exhilarating experience that is steeplechasing. [22:04] Sasscer’s story of buying a dubious mare who went on to change her breeding career. [25:47] Sasscer’s take on crafting a well-realized plot with the added component of getting the “horse side” right. [26:33] Elise reads one of Sasscer’s reader reviews that truly captures the appeal she holds for horse-loving book-people. [27:27] What it means to Sasscer to read such fantastic reviews of her books and how she feels when she meets readers in person at book signings and other author events. [29:15] Because of the characters' authenticity and how real-to-life her books are, has Sasscer encountered some readers who believe the books' plots are more fact than fiction? [34:12] When Sasscer finds herself at a race track, does she envision future stories and plots? And how she gets subject matter expert guidance on plot elements and storylines. [36:38] How does Sasscer meet horse racing and police experts, and gain their agreement to work with her? [40:19] Thanking listeners who have recently made a donation to the podcast! [41:14] How Sasscer originally found out about the TRPB and how she used them as inspiration in her newest book series with protagonist “Fia McKee.” [45:26] Sasscer talks about the plot of her newest novel, The Dark Side of Town, and how it continues Fia McKee’s character arc from her last book, Flamingo Road. [51:05] Sasscer speaks about her award nominations. [52:28] A preview of next week’s Because of Horses, with guest, Paula Josa Jones. [53:19] Beyond a “horse book” --  You don’t have to be in the horse world or be invested in horses to read Sasscer Hill’s (and Dick Francis’) books. [56:22] Where to find Sasscer and her books online.   Know Someone Inspirational, Whose Life Has Been Forever Changed Because of Horses? Because of Horseswould love to get to share their story! To recommend someone please send an email to elise@becauseofhorses.com.   Discover More About this Week’s Guest— Sasscer Hill SasscerHill.com Sasscer Hill’s Amazon Book Page Sasscer Hill’s Facebook Page   Mentioned in this Episode: Flamingo Road, by Sasscer Hill The Dark Side of Town, by Sasscer Hill Full Mortality, by Sasscer Hill Barbara Parker (NYT best selling author) Because of Horses Episode 28: Laura Romfh Upcoming Because of Horses Episode with Steve and Connie Tusha of Great Oak Equine Because of Horses Episode 27: Stacy Westfall The video of Stacy Westfall’s viral ride Thoroughbred Racing Protection Bureau (TRPB) Dave Berry Books by Elise Chand Upcoming Because of Horses Episode with Paula Josa Jones Our Horses, Ourselves: Discovering the Common Body: Meditations and Strategies for Deeper Understanding and Enhanced Communication, by Paula Josa-Jones Dick Francis The Hunt for Red October (A Jack Ryan Novel), by Tom Clancy   Like what you hear?Because of Horseswould love to hear your feedback! Please email elise@becauseofhorses.comto send Because of Horsesyour thoughts.   To Support the Podcast: Donate on Paypalto help keep Because of Horsesrunning — all amounts are welcome! Subscribe: RSS Feed, iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Stitcher, and Player FM

Elise’s guest today on the Because of Horses podcast is Laura Romfh — avid athlete, lifelong equestrian, and the visionary fashion designer who created Romfh Equestrian Apparel. Laura was the first designer to create technical equestrian performance sportswear — thinking of riders from an athlete’s mindset — using fabrics and design elements that provide comfort and athletic performance benefits, with lines that are flattering to all different body styles.   Laura has truly put together equestrians’ athleticism, the realities of riding, modern textiles and beautiful designs into her apparel — all while remaining true to the centuries of equestrian tradition. Thanks to Laura and Romfh Equestrian Apparel, riding clothes are not only functional and durable, they’re seriously attractive and comfortable -- designed to move the way an equestrian athlete needs to move. They’re competition-ready and they’re designed from fabrics that breathe.   This episode, Laura and Elise speak about how Laura successfully designs riding attire that is beautiful, comfortable, and showring approved; what led her to start up her own company at the age of 25; what a typical day of balancing both riding and designing looks like; the gratifying experience of receiving feedback from "real" riders; and about her own, unique connections to her horses of a lifetime!   Topics of Discussion: [:45] About Elise’s guest today, Laura Romfh. [1:21] How Laura successfully balances the elements most important to riders -- designing riding attire that is beautiful, comfortable, and showring approved. [3:16] Laura’s riding background and what her solid foundation in riding means to her as she thinks back on her childhood. [5:44] How Laura’s experience designing apparel for surfers led her to open her own design company for equestrians. [8:12] What led Laura to take the leap of incorporating breathable fabrics into her designs, ultimately landing her first big break with Dover. [13:00] What Laura remembers most from the time she pitched to Dover and became an overnight success. [14:00] When Laura realized she had a success on her hands. [16:39] Reading listener feedback! [18:06] What it’s like for Laura to see some of the finest equestrians in the world wear her designs. [20:32] The process of sponsoring an athlete and how she decides who to work with. [23:18] A typical day for Laura as a rider and designer, and how she maintains her energy! [24:40] Laura’s transition from dressage to jumping. [28:24] Laura’s three horses-of-a-lifetime! [35:12] Laura’s special experience and connection of raising a horse from its "foal-hood." [37:25] What strikes Laura as she considers the strong legacy of equestrians and our connection with horses, as a designer of clothing that riders both enjoy and depend on? And what Laura would like her legacy to be. [41:38] The gratifying experience of receiving positive feedback from riders about her apparel. [44:00] What does Laura envision for the future of equestrian attire? [50:07] What to expect on next week’s Because of Horses with guest, Sasscer Hill! [50:52] What Laura wants to do next, both in her own riding and the exciting news for Romfh Equestrian Apparel! [53:18] Where to find more about Laura online and follow her online.   Know Someone Inspirational, Whose Life Has Been Forever Changed Because of Horses? Because of Horses would love to get to share their story! To recommend someone please send an email to elise@becauseofhorses.com.   Discover More About this Week’s Guest — Laura Romfh Website: Romfh Equestrian Apparel Social Media: Romfh Equestrian Apparel on Facebook, Laura’s Personal Facebook Page, and Romfh Equestrian Apparel on Instagram.   Mentioned in this Episode: Romfh Equestrian Apparel Parsons School of Design Dover Danny Forbes Because of Horses Episode Upcoming Because of Horses Episode with Sasscer Hill   Like what you hear? Because of Horses would love to hear your feedback! Please email elise@becauseofhorses.com to send Because of Horses your thoughts.   To Support the Podcast: ● Donate on Paypal to help keep Because of Horses running — all amounts are welcome! ● Subscribe: RSS Feed, iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Stitcher, and Player FM

While the adage “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” may be true, it’s no secret that many people shopping for books don’t take that advice. A book cover is more important than you might think. You could be the greatest author and your book could be phenomenal, but if your cover doesn’t grab a reader’s attention and give them insight into what your book is about, they won’t necessarily buy it. We’ve had Sasscer Hill on a previous show to talk about how she revived older books to increase sales and she talked about changing her cover design. In this episode, we dive a bit deeper into what she did to change her covers. For more information, visit the show notes at http://kindlepreneur.com/e26

In our first case study about reviving a dead book, Kevin McLaughlin took his books that were previously selling poorly and, with a few tweaks, he was able to re-release them and garner more sales than before. This episode is the second case study that examines a few things authors can do to make their books stand out to achieve better marketing success. Sasscer Hill published her first book in 2010 with a small publisher and was nominated for both the Agatha and Macavity Awards, and while it was very well received, she was only getting six percent profit from her publisher using Print-on-Demand. But when she got the rights back and made some changes, she saw more money in the first month than the money she made in six months with her previous publisher. For more information, visit the show notes at http://kindlepreneur.com/e20

Author and former jockey Sasscer Hill has been inspired by both her literary heroes and her real life when it comes to writing her horse racing thrillers. Anyone who knows me well knows what a loon I am about the late author Dick Francis. He was a champion jockey in the UK, who rode for the Queen Mother among others, before he became a bestselling author. My guest today, Sasscer Hill, shies away from comparisons to Francis, but I suspect her horse racing novels might appeal to Dick Francis fans among my listeners. Sasscer endeared herself to me by not only citing Francis during our interview, but also two of my other favorite authors; Robert B. Parker and Walter Farley. Our conversation felt like a match made in heaven. ;-) In other mystery novel news, It's a Mystery Podcast guest Peter Bartram (episode #27) has a new trilogy of books out this month in his Colin Crampton 1960s journalism series. You can learn more about the Morning, Noon, and Night trilogy at ColinCrampton.com. You can find out more about today's guest, Sasscer Hill, and all her books on her website SasscerHill.com. You can also find her on Twitter @SasscerHill. Click on any of the book covers to go to Sasscer's books on Amazon. Press play (above) to listen to the show, or read the transcript below. Remember you can also subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts. And listen on Stitcher. You can also click here to watch the interview on YouTube. Transcription of Interview with Sasscer Hill Alexandra: Hi, mystery readers, this is It's a Mystery Podcast. I'm your host Alexandra Amor, and I'm here today with Sasscer Hill. Hi, Sasscer. Sasscer: Hi, how are you? Alexandra: I'm good. How are you? Sasscer: I'm feeling very well, thank you. Alexandra: Oh, good. Well, let me give our listeners an introduction to you. Author Sasscer Hill was involved in horse racing as an amateur jockey and has been a racehorse breeder for most of her life. She sets her novels against a background of big money, gambling, and horse racing. Her mystery and suspense thrillers have received multiple award nominations. Her first book in the Nikki Latrelle series, "Full Mortality" was nominated for both an Agatha and a Macavity Best First Book Award. Sasscer has written a new series for St. Martin's Minotaur. One of the new books in this Fia McKee series won the Carrie McCray 2015 Competition for First Chapter of a Novel, as well as the 2015 Claymore Award Nomination. The first book in the series, "Flamingo Road," was published April 18th, 2017, and we'll talk about that a little later in the interview. I want to start out first to talk about the Nikki Latrelle book. Tell us a little bit about Nikki and her background. Sasscer: Nikki is younger than my new heroine, Fia McKee. Nikki is only 23 years old, and her story is that her mother died when she was very young and left her in the hands of a stepfather, who was also, it turned out, once the mother was gone, she knew for sure that he was a pedophile, and before she'd only been...knew something was wrong. So what she did was in the middle of the night, she escaped out of her window and ran through the streets of Baltimore, you know, in bad areas, and made it to Pimlico Race Track and, climbed over the wire fence, and dropped down into the back stretch of Pimlico, and somehow managed to make a new life for herself because she couldn't go home. Alexandra: She was a teenager when this happened, correct? Sasscer: Yes, she was 13 when that happened. And the first story opens when she's 23 and she's become a jockey. Interestingly enough after I did the whole three series for Wildside Press, and I got the rights back, and I redid the covers and published the books myself. I wrote a prequel, which does go back to when Nikki was 13. I really enjoyed doing it because I had always had the story in the back of my mind. You know how when you're an author,

The Nikki Latrelle Mystery Novels are set in the high-stakes world of horse racing -- a world Sasscer Hill knows well and captures in vivid detail. It's impossible to talk about horse racing mysteries without giving a nod to the master, Dick Francis. But Sasscer was also influenced by Walter Farley's Black Stallion series, which she devoured as a child. She also gives a shout out to Tami Hoag and Margaret Maron, and to Dick's son, Felix, whose new series is set in the same realm as Sasscer's soon-to-be-released Fia McKee series. The first book in Sasscer's new series, Flamingo Road, comes out in early 2017.  Check out Sasscer's blog for ongoing updates as well as more info on Irish Travelers, Fia McKee, and horses.  ;-)  As always, if you'd rather read than listen, a transcript is below. Enjoy! Transcript of Interview with Sasscer Hill Laura Brennan: My guest today is thriller author, amateur jockey and racehorse breeder, Sasscer Hill. Her Nikki Latrelle mysteries are set in a world she knows well: behind the scenes at -- and on -- the racetrack. Sasscer, thank you for joining me. Sasscer Hill: I'm delighted to be here. LB: I absolutely want to talk about writing and your books, but first, I want to talk about horses. You grew up around horses? SH: I did. I took a lot of riding lessons as a child, but it wasn't until my father died when I was 16 and a gentleman who had a lot of champion steeplechase horses took me under his wing -- he was a family friend that my family had known. And I learned almost everything I know about horses from him. And then of course I ended up buying a broodmare and had my own race horses for 30 years. So, yeah, I know a little bit race horses and horses in general. LB: It's just an, it's an entirely different world than anything I've experienced. How did you start riding competitively? SH: The gentleman who took me under his wing, as I said, was a big-time steeplechase person, and so of course he was involved in the sport. And I loved it from the get-go. I just thought it was the coolest thing in the world, racing over fences. But scary, you know? And I ended up entering some amateur, little steeplechase races and it was scary as heck, but it was a real adrenaline rush. And a lot of fun. So I stuck with that and won a big race up in Potomac one year when I was 36, and that was my big day. But it is, you connect with horses. When you're really connecting with the horse, it's like you steer him with your mind. It's incredible. LB: Well, you give your horses, and the books, they have so much personality. SH: Oh, they do in real life, not just in books. They have tremendous personality. LB: So you turned to writing, with a T, and why mysteries? What linked racing with murder for you? SH: Oh, Dick Francis, for sure. And I started out of course with Walter Farley's Black Stallion books, and they were always filled with intrigue. And of course like all of us mystery lovers, who didn't love Nancy Drew? And all those kinds books as we grew up, and as we got older we were reading all those wonderful English writers like Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie and I mean I just loved all of those. And of course I graduated to Dick Francis and that was it for me. I thought, boy, I'm gonna write like Dick Francis -- or at least in the tradition of. Nobody can write like Dick Francis, and to try, I thought, would be very foolish. Just in the tradition of. LB: I think there's a commonality though, between you and Dick Francis, in that racing comes first for your main character. SH: It does, for Nikki Latrelle. In the new books that are coming out with St. Martin's, it still at the racetrack, but now instead of a jockey, I'm dealing with a female agent who works for the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau. And that's kind of a different story line, but still it's all about the horses. Because the stories wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the horses at ...

Author Debbi Mack interviews mystery author Sasscer Hill on the Crime Cafe podcast. Please consider lending your support to the Crime Cafe podcast on Patreon.

Karen Berk talks about a new breeding program in South Korea, Michaele Dimock on her work with mustangs and Sasscer Hill on her latest equine mystery "The Seahorse Trade". Listen in...Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=87421)