Mystery of the Month: Awkward Moments

What might happen if you tried to bury the body of a small bird, only to find a body already buried in the hole you’ve dug?  And what might happen if another body ended up in the same hole?

Join Chris, Pamela and Mikey Cross while they try to figure out why someone would be murdered during their vacation, on private property, during the middle of the night. Watch for Chris’s cranky brother to show up unexpectedly, searching for lost gold and running people off of his property.

The Cross family is at it again, just like the amateur sleuths they swear they never meant to be.

Buy link:

http://tinyurl.com/m8s6uux

Marja McGraw has past experience in both criminal and civil law enforcement, and she occasionally calls on this experience when writing her mysteries. She’s lived in California, Nevada, Oregon, Alaska and Arizona. She writes two series: the Sandi Webster Mysteries (female P.I.), and the Bogey Man Mysteries (amateur P.I. husband and wife team), both of which take place in Los Angeles. 

With her love of dogs, she’s included two yellow Labrador retrievers and a half Golden retriever/half wolf in her stories.

Her hobby is photography, and she says that writing as a job is the most fun she’s ever had. She and her husband now live in Arizona, where life is good.

A Whole New World

I love to read and I read every single day. Well, actually, I read every night before I go to sleep. For years, I practically lived at the library where I got the majority of the books I read. I was totally in the dark when it came to small press authors whose books are usually not in my library unless they happen to be local writers.

Once I discovered the novels by small press authors, it felt like a whole new world of reading had opened up for me. Because it had. I still read novels by my favorite Big Name authors (I'll always love the library!) and I read books that are self-published too but I find that most of the books I buy and read these days are published by small presses.

About a year and a half ago, I started a list on Shelfari of the mystery/suspense novels published by small presses that I had read and enjoyed and I’ve been adding to the list ever since. There are now over eighty books by more than forty different authors on the list.

I hope you'll join me in promoting small press authors by buying, reading and reviewing their books. I promise you that you’re sure to find several books on the list you’ll love. Oh, and while you're there, please click on the site's "Recommend" button. Thanks and Happy Reading!

http://www.shelfari.com/Best-Of/10560/Best-of-Mystery-Suspense-novels-published-by-small-presses

Getting to know Tricia Miles

Today, we're getting to know Tricia Miles, the main character in Lorna Barrett's Booktown Mystery series.

  

  

Tricia, where did you grow up and where do you live now? 
I grew up in Stamford, CT and now live in Stoneham, NH. After college, I lived in Manhattan for about 15 years.  I like the slower pace of a small town.

What’s your occupation and how did you come to choose it?
I’m a bookseller who specializes in vintage mysteries, although that isn’t all I sell. I sell used books and some new, along with magazines, coffee mugs, etc. I wish I could just sell vintage mysteries, but they are harder and harder to come by and I have two employees, so need that income stream.

Tell us about one of your most memorable “adventures.” What drew you into the mystery?
I never planned to become an “amateur sleuth.” Somehow, it just happened when my neighbor was killed and the local Sheriff decided I was the most likely suspect, and all because we had a disagreement and I found her body later that day. Honestly, I’ve read far too many mysteries to know that crime doesn’t pay, and why would I want to put myself on the suspect list? Unfortunately, I seem to have acquired the nickname “village jinx” because I’ve found several bodies.

Are you married or involved in a serious relationship? Tell us about that.
I’m between relationships right now, not that my ex-husband and ex-lover seem to realize it. I’m happy where I am right now, but everyone around me seems to think I need romantic entanglement. When the time is right, I hope to find that special someone.

What are your plans for the future?
My sister thinks I need to diversify. She has several businesses and thrives on living a rather chaotic life. Me?  Not so much. I intend to keep selling books—and trying to stay out of trouble.

 

The immensely popular Booktown Mystery series is what put Lorna Barrett’s name on the New York Times Bestseller list, but it’s her talent -- whether writing as Lorna, or L.L. Bartlett, or Lorraine Bartlett -- that keeps her there. This multi-published, Agatha-nominated author pens the exciting Jeff Resnick Mysteries as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square Mystery series and the Tales of Telenia saga, and has many short stories and novellas to her name(s). Check out the descriptions and links to all her works, and sign up for her emailed newsletter here: http://www.LornaBarrett.com/

BOOK CLUBBED, to be released on July 1^st, is the 8^th Booktown Mystery.  RT Book Reviews said:  "The charm of this series is in the entrepreneurial spirit of the protagonist and her sister who run their own business while dealing with relationship issues and solving mysteries. The strength in this entertaining and suspenseful mystery lies with the colorful secondary characters and the strong plotting."

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/ohq8x4l

B&N:  http://tinyurl.com/n4jhy2z

Kindle US:  http://tinyurl.com/n3sa9sf

Kindle Worldwide:  http://authl.it/B00G3L13KQ

Nook:  http://tinyurl.com/ldfe5hv

iBooks:  http://tinyurl.com/kpacxxh

Indiebound:  http://tinyurl.com/kuos5jm

Books A Million:  http://tinyurl.com/l449zvt

Chapters/Indigo:  http://tinyurl.com/mkaln3h

Buy a "Real" Book Week

I never thought I’d say this but I love my Kindle. Why? Because I can order a book and have it right away. The price is right and there’s no shipping charge. So, because I’m an avid reader, I buy a lot of the books I read that way. I also go to the library to get books by my favorite BIG NAME authors. (Libraries don’t usually have books by small press authors unless the author is local.)

But there’s something else I do that I think is the most important. From time to time, I make sure to purchase a paper book. Why? Because if we don’t buy “real” books, we’re in danger of losing them. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to live in a world without books on my shelves that I can lovingly hold in my hands. And I don't want future generations to live without ever knowing the joy of real books.

So, I’m declaring this "Buy a Real Book" week. I hope that, after you read this post, you’ll go to (I've made this really easy for you) http://www.amazon.com/books-used-books-textbooks/b?ie=UTF8&node=283155, find a book in your favorite genre and order it. You can consider that your good deed for the day!

My Writing Process Blog Tour

Patricia Gligor

I'd like to thank author, Evelyn Cullet, for inviting me to participate in the "My Writing Process Blog Tour." She's asked me to answer four questions and here are my responses.

What am I working on?

My current WIP (work in progress) is the fourth book in my Malone Mystery series. Unlike the first three books, Mixed Messages, Unfinished Business and Desperate Deeds, which are set in Cincinnati, this book will take place on Fripp Island, SC. My main character, Ann Kern, and her two children, Danielle and Davey, will take a much needed vacation to visit Ann’s sister, Marnie. But, since mystery seems to follow Ann everywhere, this trip might not offer the peace and quiet Ann’s hoping for.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

One reviewer referred to my books as “uniquely different.” While I strive to create an intriguing plot, my series is most definitely character driven. Psychology has always fascinated me. Why do people say and do what they say and do? I want my readers to know and understand the motivation behind each character’s words and actions. I’ve come to love and understand my characters and I hope my readers will too.

Why do I write what I do?

Some of the best advice on writing I’ve ever gotten was to “write in the genre you love to read.” I took that advice and, like most writers, I hope to entertain my readers and to offer them escape from their everyday world. 
But I have another reason for writing what I do; I have a message to deliver. There’s something I feel compelled to share and I choose to do that through my books because I know that fiction can often make a point in a way that non-fiction can’t. If the writer incorporates it into their story rather than belaboring the point. 
You see, David, Ann Kern’s husband, is an alcoholic and his ongoing struggle with alcoholism is a sub-plot in my series. I’ve known some wonderful people who happen to be alcoholics and I believe it’s important for everyone to learn more about alcoholism and to know that there is help available for alcoholics and for the people who love them.

How does my writing process work?

This question put a smile on my face (and made me giggle) because, although I love the motto “Keep it simple” and I try to live that way even in our complicated world, my writing process is anything but simple. I am a plotter! Make that a Plotter with a capital P! 
I have an idea, I jot it down on a scrap of paper, I develop it over the course of time and, eventually, all those scraps of paper turn into a basic outline for the book. From there, I create a chapter-by-chapter outline which highlights what absolutely MUST take place in each chapter. 
Once I’m satisfied with the outline, I begin to write. I try to stay true to the outline but, often, other ideas come to mind and/or my characters refuse to cooperate. So, the outline isn’t “written in stone.” It’s more of a guideline to keep the story moving forward and to make sure I've "covered all the bases." The interesting thing is that, try as I might (I’d love to be a pantster), I can’t write more than a page without my outline.

I've invited these authors to participate in the blog tour and they have graciously accepted. Please be sure to visit their blogs on June 2nd.

 

Anne K. Albert

Anne K. Albert has taught high school art, sold display advertising for a weekly newspaper, and worked for a national brand water company, but now writes full time. When not at the keyboard, the award winning author enjoys traveling and house and petsitting with her high school sweetheart husband (22 countries to date), visiting friends and family, and of course, reading on "Threegio" her cherished and much beloved Kindle.

Her novels include:

Defending Glory, book 1 of the Piedmont Island Romantic Suspense series 

Frank, Incense and Muriel, first book of the Muriel Reeves Mystery series 

Love & Just Desserts, a delightful collection of short stories 

  http://www.anne-k-albert.com/

  Holli Castillo

Holli Castillo is a Louisiana appellate public defender and former New Orleans prosecutor. She received a JD from Loyola Law School in 1996 and a BA in Drama from UNO in 1990.
The publication of her first novel, Gumbo Justice, winner of the 2011PSWA award for Best Published Novel, was delayed when she was involved in a head-on collision with a drunk driver and incapacitated for a year. Her second novel, Jambalaya Justice, won the 2011 PSWA award for Best Unpublished Novel. The third installment, Chocolate City Justice, is scheduled for release in 2014. She is also an award-winning screenwriter.
Holli resides in the metropolitan New Orleans area with her husband, who is the model for Big Who in her series, her two daughters, three dogs, and two deaf cats, one of which is featured prominently in Jambalaya Justice.

 http://www.gumbojustice.blogspot.com/