About the Book

Book: Mistletoe and Mayhem (The Little Red Truck Mysteries: Book Three)

Author: Janice Thompson

Genre: Mystery/Christian Fiction/Christmas

Release Date: September, 2025

A Wildfire Races toward the Hadley Ranch

Breathe in the nostalgia of everything old red truck in book three of a new cozy mystery series.

It’s less than a week until Christmas in Mabank, Texas, and just a few days away from RaeLyn and Mason’s wedding on Hadley ranch. Unfortunately, a wildfire with mysterious origin is rapidly traveling across several counties and headed right for the Hadley acreage. Fire fighters rush to put it out before the family homestead goes up in flames, taking the business and the old red truck with it. Their perfect wedding may be ruined, and RaeLyn and Mason are determined to find the source of the fire.

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Author Interview

Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
I’m definitely a plotter. I usually start off most of my books by working off of a 12-step plotter I
discovered years ago. But, to be honest, cozy mysteries require more plotting than most because
of the larger cast of characters. I usually outline everything and then decide which suspect will
appear in each chapter. Of course, a lot changes as I go along, so I suppose you could say I’m
“hybrid” in my approach to plotting.

What is your least favorite part about writing?
I have a love/hate relationship with deadlines. They keep me moving, even when I don’t feel like
it. I actually work better under pressure. But, I can’t tell you how many, many times I’ve had to
tell my kids and grandkids, “So sorry, but I can’t hang out today. I’m on a deadline.” That
always makes me sad.

Do you have a way to keep track of your story ideas?
I work in Scrivener and there are all sorts of tools in there to keep my ideas straight. Like I
mentioned above, I usually start with a plotter and it helps me organize my chapters, even before
I write a word. I know that sounds crazy, but I usually lay out the whole book in advance, kind of
like a story-board, but without the visuals. Scrivener is a huge help with all of that. And if I don’t
like the order of things, I can just drag my chapters around in Scrivener and swap them out.

When did you become a writer?
I wrote my first book in 6 th grade. No kidding. I had read every single Bobbsey Twins book and
was wishing I had another one to read. So, I wrote one. I remember hiding in my closet, hoping
no one would discover my little secret. (Oh, how I wish I’d kept that book!)

What is your work schedule/routine when you write?
I’m a night owl, so much of my writing gets done later in the day or into the wee hours of night.
(Side note: When I taught creative writing years ago I did an experiment with my students. I
asked them to take them their temperature every two hours over a 24-hour period. Theory is that
when we’re at our warmest, even by an nth of a degree, we are at our creative peak time. For me,
that window is between 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM. So, that’s when I get the most done.)

About the Author

Janice Thompson, who lives in the Houston area, writes romantic comedies, cozy mysteries, nonfiction devotionals, and musical comedies for the stage. She is the mother of four daughters and nine feisty grandchildren. When she’s not writing books or taking care of foster dogs you’ll find her in the kitchen, baking up specialty cakes and cookies.

More from Janice

In the mid-90s, as my children and I drove up to the Mabank area from our home in Houston, we saw smoke off in the distance. The closer we got to my mother and stepfather’s acreage—sixty-three gorgeous acres of cattle land—the thicker the smoke got.

When we arrived on Mom’s street the reality of what faced us was unavoidable. The property across the road, to our left, was in a roaring blaze, flames moving so fast my car could barely get past them on the narrow country road.

We miraculously made it to Mom’s driveway and went inside her home, hearts racing. In that moment, a decision was made to gather in a circle and pray. We offered up a passionate plea for the Lord’s protection then rushed outside to grab hoses to help water everything down.

As I sat to write Mistletoe and Mayhem, my latest cozy mystery from Barbour Publishing, I was faced with the memories of this terrifying trip. Just as you read in this story, firefighters got that massive blazed stopped, right at the edge of her property. And I can tell you as a first-hand witness that not a spark landed on any of us. Whenever I reflect on this event I’m reminded of God’s ultimate faithfulness. He spared us from certain catastrophe.

I can assure you, we as a family never forgot the mercy and grace of God as we faced our Isaiah 43 moment. No doubt you’ve been through a few fires, too. Fear not. The Lord is right there, ready to carry you through. You can trust Him, even in the fiery trials of life.

Blessings on you all,

Janice Thompson

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Isaiah 43:1b-3