Mrs. Odboddy, Hometown Patriot

Mrs. Odboddy - Hometown Patriot is a riotous romp through a small California town in the days following Pearl Harbor when all American housewives were called upon to ration their food, take on a factory job or volunteer for multiple war-effort projects. From serving on the coast watch to collecting papers and cans, all the while exposing black market conspiracies and spies, Agnes Odboddy is the epitome of the home front warrior.

Mrs. Odboddy vows to bring the villains, both foreign and domestic, to justice, all while keeping chickens in the bathroom, volunteering at the Ration Stamp Office and knitting argyles for the boys on the front lines.

Imagine the chaos when Agnes’s long lost WWI lover returns, hoping to find $1,000,000,000 in missing Hawaiian money and rekindle their ancient romance. In the thrilling conclusion, Agnes’s predictions become a reality when Mrs. Roosevelt unexpectedly comes to Newbury to attend a funeral and Agnes must prove that she is, indeed, a hometown patriot.

Elaine Faber

'Quirky, elderly Mrs. Odboddy lives in a small CA town during WWII. Though committed to 'fighting the war from the home front' by volunteering and freely giving her time, she imagines Nazi spies and black market conspiracies under every cabbage bush. When Mrs. Roosevelt comes to town, Mrs. Odboddy must prove she is, indeed, a hometown patriot.'

Trying to consolidate a 278 page humorous WWII novel into 57 words or less fails to explain the intricacies, humor, romance, intrigue, historical events, or plot in my cozy mystery novel, Mrs. Odboddy - Hometown Patriot.

Every day, I sit at my computer and words fall onto the written page. I spend hours researching, taking notes, plotting out the mystery, thinking up red herrings, bringing bad guys to heel, writing and rewriting scenes, creating my characters by day and dreaming about them at night. Writing is my life’s dream and I love it.

However, when I wrote my first little ditties in high school, no one told me that ‘being an author’ would demand more than writing stories. Now, I find that I must master the skills of a publicist, a bookkeeper, a full time blogger, cover artist and skilled orator, keeping my eyes peeled and ears tuned for panel or speaking opportunities.

One more thing... As authors, we are expected to memorize an ‘elevator pitch’ about our books in the event that someday at a conference or convention, we have an opportunity to impress a literary agent or publisher.

We should command his undivided attention with an opening hook, define our plot’s originality, create a desire to read our scintillating novel, convince him that our novel will become a New York Best Seller, and justify why everyone from a cowboy in Texas to a stock broker in New York will buy our book with their last dollar. All this in 60 seconds or less.

I get it. These days of self-publishing or limited promotion even from traditional publishing houses, an author must be master at jack of all trades. It requires a smattering of skills in many areas or a staff of six to handle all the details. Though not necessarily a ‘master’ of any, I’ve become somewhat proficient in most.

But, never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I’d have to excel in a 60-second spiel about my book on the off chance that I might find myself ‘riding in an elevator’ to the 38^th floor of the New York Stock Exchange with a Random House publisher.

In my case, I imagine it might go something like this. “Uh.. You’re that Random House guy, aren’t you! Here. Let me push this button and stop this thing. I wrote a book, see...called Mrs. Odboddy-Hometown Patriot. It’s about this quirky, old lady who sees Nazi spies…”

Elaine Faber is a member of Sisters in Crime, Inspire Christian Writers, and Cat Writers Association. She has published four novels. Many short stories are published in eight anthologies. She favors writing in the cozy mystery and humorous mystery genre.

Elaine lives in Northern California with her husband and four housecats, the inspiration for the Black Cat Mysteries. Elaine denies that she is the inspiration for quirky Mrs. Odboddy, though she volunteers at the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop. Conspiracies and spies? Not so much. 

Mrs. Odboddy-Hometown Patriot: http://tinyurl.com/hdbvzsv

Black Cat’s Legacy: http://tinyurl.com/lrvevgm

Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer: http://tinyurl.com/q3qrgyu

Black Cat and the Accidental Angel: http://tinyurl.com/07scsm2

No time to read?

I’ve always been an avid reader but I’ve found that, through the years, my reading habits have changed. When I was a little girl and a teenager, I used to start a book and, if it drew me in, I’d read every spare minute until I’d finished it – day and/or night. I haven’t done that for many years because some things changed.

I became an adult with lots of other responsibilities. There was housework, job, family; you know what I’m talking about. But I loved to read so I had to figure out a way to get my reading time into every day. Now, I read in bed each night before I go to sleep. As a matter-of-fact, I can’t go to sleep until I’ve read for at least an hour or so. Believe me, there are many nights when I don’t want to close the book I’m reading but, when I find myself reading the same sentence three times, I know I have no choice. That’s the kind of reader I am.

But, there are different kinds of readers. Several people have told me that they don’t have time to read; they’re too busy. Others have said they suffer from eyestrain by the end of the day because their jobs require spending extensive time on the computer and reading business related material. They say the only time they read is when they go on vacation. They read on planes and/or by the pool, which is something all readers seem to have in common. We wouldn’t dream of leaving home without a book; it’s as important to us as bringing our toothbrushes!

Well, vacation time is drawing near. Soon, people will head for various destinations for the three R’s: rest, relaxation and reading and they’re going to want to have a good book to take with them. My  Malone mystery, Mistaken Identity, would love to go with you. (Although it's the fourth book in the series, each book may be read as a standalone.)

Here’s a brief synopsis and the link where you can order it in Kindle or paper formats.

Ann feels like she’s in Paradise as she digs her toes into the soft, white sand and gazes out at the ocean. She’s looked forward to this trip to South Carolina for a long time and all she wants to do is bask in the sun, resting and relaxing.

She and her two young children are enjoying their time on Fripp Island with Ann’s sister, Marnie, and Marnie’s elderly friend and former neighbor, Clara Brunner, a long time resident with a vast knowledge of the island and the people who live there. At the fourth of July fireworks, Clara introduces them to newlyweds Jenny and Mark Hall and their families.

But Ann’s plans for a peaceful vacation are shattered the next morning. When she goes for a solitary walk on the beach, she discovers the body of a young woman with the chain of a gold locket twisted around her neck and she immediately recognizes the locket as the one Jenny Hall was wearing the night before.

Shocked and saddened, Ann is determined to try to find the killer and to see them brought to justice. She convinces Marnie and Clara to join her in conducting an investigation but, in the process, she places her own life in jeopardy.

http://www.amazon.com/Mistaken-Identity-Malone-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00YVAF62M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Happy Reading!