The Trash Harem by Marilyn Meredith

ABOUT THE COVER FOR THE TRASH HAREM

 

Deciding what should be on a cover is always something the author and/or the publisher must decide.

Since the title of my new Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery is The Trash Harem, yes, it does refer to trash containers, the idea of one on the cover didn’t appeal.

One of the threads in the plot involves an old oak tree on property belonging to the Pechanga Indians. If you’ve never heard of this tribe of native people, they are located in the Temecula area (very southern California) and own the very popular, Pechanga Resort and Casino.

The Great Oak, called Wi’aasal, is over one-thousand years old making it the largest naturally grown, coastal live oak tree. The huge trunk is over twenty-feet around, and the largest branches touch the ground, and it is over one-hundred feet tall. This oak tree still produces acorns.

The native people revere this oak tree whose canopy sheltered many generations. It is legendary and holds spiritual significance.

At one time, the land this magnificent tree grew on belonged to the author Erle Stanley Gardner. Both the tree and Gardner play significant roles in this mystery.

The editor, Lorna Collins, and I felt a depiction of this special oak tree would be the perfect choice for the cover—and Larry Collins did a great job creating it.

Marilyn Meredith

Official Blurb for The Trash Harem:

Deputy Tempe Crabtree has retired from her job in Bear Creek when friends, who once lived in Bear Creek and attended Pastor Hutch’s church, ask her to visit them in Temecula. The husband, Jonathan, is a suspect in what might be a murder case. The retirement community includes many interesting characters, any of whom might have had a better motive than Jonathan. There is also a connection to Earle Stanley Gardner as well as the Pechanga Old Oak. What is a trash harem? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

To purchase The Trash Harem

https://www.amazon.com/Trash-Harem-Tempe-Crabtree-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B096KZDPH8/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+Trash+Harem+by+Marilyn+Meredith&qid=1622899167&s=books&sr=1-1

Marilyn Meredith’s Bio:

She is the author of over 40 published books including the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, and writing as F. M. Meredith, the Rocky Bluff P.D. series. She’s a member of two chapters of Sisters in Crime and the Public Safety Writers Association.

Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/

Blog: https://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.meredith

 

A Blast from the Past

Marilyn Meredith

I see mystery everywhere

  by Marilyn Meredith

Yes, I really do see mystery everywhere. The question, “What if” is always forefront in my mind. I think “what if” when I’m reading any intriguing article in the newspaper. When driving down the road, a gathering of vehicles, someone getting a ticket, lots of tents at the campground, an interesting conversation at a nearby table in a restaurant, something someone tells me, and I could go on and on.

For my Rocky Bluff P.D. series, I’ve gotten ideas from law enforcement professionals who’ve spoken at my Sisters in Crime chapter. I’ve also been piqued by things I’ve seen or heard when visiting the coast. (RBPD mysteries take place in a fictional small beach town.)

For my Deputy Tempe Crabtree series, other things will trigger a story idea. When I first began thinking about the plot for Raging Water, which didn’t have a title at that time, it was raining a lot where I live. Tempe lives in Bear Creek which is much like the place where I live, though 1000 feet higher in the mountains. Locals were discussing how much the river was rising and remembering past flooding. 

As the rain kept coming down, mud slid down and blocked parts of the road that leads to town. H’mmm, what if after lots and lots of rain, not only would the river flood and send folks who lived along the river finding shelter elsewhere, but a mud slide could make it impossible to leave Bear Creek.

All that could certainly make a mystery interesting, but I needed a murder.

Not too long ago two women who went to our church died under what I and a few others considered suspicious circumstances but our local law enforcement did not. Our deputies are also deputy coroners and can pronounce someone dead. In the case of these two women, both with serious chronic illnesses, no autopsies were performed. Both women were poor and didn’t have any family to demand an autopsy. I decided to include their deaths in the book. 

One more ingredient came along. A good friend of mine and a fan of the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mysteries asked if I’d put her in one of my books. I agreed. Though the character has a new name, I used her physical description and some of her personality attributes—though I’d rather say that it is her essence in the character. I did use her two dogs though, including their breed and names, and they become quite important to the plot.

Raging Water Blurb: Deputy Tempe Crabtree’s  investigation of the murder of two close friends is complicated when relentless rain turns Bear Creek into a raging river. Homes are inundated and a mud slide blocks the only road out of Bear Creek stranding many—including the murderer.

Marilyn Meredith is the author of over thirty published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series. She also writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series as F. M. Meredith. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. 

Since this original post in 2012, Marilyn has gone on to write several new books in both of her series. You can read about them and/or order them at https://tinyurl.com/y7js5q3j.

"How Writing Impacts my Life" by Marilyn Meredith

Author, Marilyn Meredith

Patricia posed this question, and it has certainly made me think. Writing impacts my life in many ways.

Besides the fact I’ve always felt like I “have to” write, it certainly fills up time. For me, the creation process works best in the early morning hours, so I always rise early, and if I don’t have any other pressing projects, writing is what I will do.

She also asked if writing is an escape and the answer is yes and no. Because there is so much craziness going on in the world today, it is comforting to retreat into the imaginary place that I’ve created and know that I do have partial control. I say partial, because sometimes my characters take off in ways I hadn’t planned.  However, the one constant is whatever the bad guy has done, he’ll get his comeuppance by the time the story is over.

Frankly, I do enjoy inhabiting the world I have created, even if it’s only for short periods every day. I don’t sit at the computer working on my manuscript for more than a couple of hours or so because I have so much else going on in my life. Not anything terribly exciting, mind you, but I have a husband and a big family and I enjoy spending time with them.

I must admit I do enjoy the fact that at least in this small area of the country I occupy, people know I’m a writer.

Another big plus with being a writer is I have many friends who are writers too, and when we get together it is great fun discussing writing and all the things that go along with it.

I’d like to hear from some of my other writer friends about how writing impacts their lives.

Marilyn

Seldom Traveled Blurb:

The tranquility of the mountain community of Bear Creek is disrupted by a runaway fugitive, a vicious murderer, and a raging forest fire. Deputy Tempe Crabtree is threatened by all three.

Marilyn Meredith’s Bio:

Marilyn has had so many books published, she’s lost track of the count, but it’s getting near 40. She lives in a community similar to the fictional mountain town of Bear Creek, the big difference being that Bear Creek is a thousand feet higher in the mountains. She is a member of Mystery Writers of American, three chapters of Sisters in Crime, and is a board member of Public Safety Writers of America.

Buy links:

Directly from the publisher in all different formats:

http://mundania.com/book.php?title=Seldom+Traveled

http://fictionforyou.com

http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com

New Contest:

Winners will be randomly picked from those leaving the most comments on the blog posts. Each winner may choose one of the earlier books in the series as either a print book or e-book.

Next up is a visit to http://barbardonlonbradley.blogspot.com/

Blog Tour Stop: River Spirits

While filming a movie on the Bear Creek Indian Reservation, the film crew trespasses on sacred ground, threats are made against the female stars, a missing woman is found by the Hairy Man, an actor is murdered and Deputy Tempe Crabtree has no idea who is guilty. Once again, the elusive and legendary Hairy Man plays an important role in this newest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery.

 How Tempe Crabtree got her Name

When I realized that I wanted a character who was part Indian, I wanted a name that sounded Indian, but unique.

Years ago, my sister did our family genealogy and when I read about my great-grandmother on my father's side and all that she went through, I was amazed by her strength and independence. Of course I'd heard about her from my father, but I never met her.

Her parents named her Temperance and she was called Tempe from the time she was a little girl. She met and married Newt Crabtree in what was called Globe at the time--now Springville where I live. She gave birth to several children who died soon after birth. When a girl was born she called her Hope because she hoped she’d live. (She did, and several more children were born after that, including my grandmother.) Just living back in that time period was tough. She was a true pioneer. When her husband died, she lived on her own for many years.

The resident deputy that I had pictured in my mind had many of the same attributes and personality traits that I'd learned about my great-grandmother. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Tempe Crabtree was the perfect name for my heroine.

Marilyn Meredith

Marilyn Meredith is the author of over thirty-five published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest River Spirits from Mundania Press. Marilyn is a member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She lives in the foothills of the Sierra. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com and her blog at http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/

Contest: The winner will be the person who comments on the most blog posts during the tour.

He or she can either have a character in my next book named after them, or choose an earlier book in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series—either a paper book or e-book.

You can find me tomorrow visiting with my good friend Lorna Collins who wanted to know where I get my inspiration after writing so many books. http://lornacollins-author.blogspot.com/

From the publisher, all formats:

http://mundania.com/book.php?title=River+Spirits

For Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/River-Spirits-Tempe-Crabtree-Book-ebook/dp/B00O3R83TQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412345856&sr=1-1&keywords=River+Spirits+by+Marilyn+Meredith

Amazon paperback:

http://www.amazon.com/River-Spirits-Marilyn-Meredith/dp/1606594117/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412900595&sr=1-1&keywords=river+spirits+by+marilyn+meredith

For Nook

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/river-spirits-marilyn-meredith/1120425385?ean=2940150347090