Blog tour: Spotlight on KILLER DEADLINE and Guest Post by Lauren Carr on Halloween

Today, I'm showcasing the audible version of Killer Deadline by Lauren Carr. I previously reviewed this book in kindle version:

 https://christanardi.blogspot.com/2020/04/blog-tour-and-book-release-killer.html. 

More information on Killer Deadline follows, but first Lauren Carr shares her memories and thoughts about Halloween...

What is it About Halloween That Makes Us Crazy?

by Lauren Carr

My family has a Halloween tradition. Of course, it includes watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. I think every family has that tradition. It’s right up there with Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown. 

I’ve had to have seen the Great Pumpkin children’s special at least forty-five times (that’s how long ago it premiered on CBS) and still, at that moment when the moon is full and that dark figure rises up out of the pumpkin patch, I can feel my heart beating away with fright-filled anticipation. 

Linus faints. 

The eerie figure turns out to be a beagle, who has no candy to give to all the faithful boys and girls.  

  

Sally demands restitution for missing out on her Halloween candy.    

   

Believe me. This is a scary time of year. I think it has to do with the chilling fingers that seem to reach out of the dark windy weather to prick our skin to make goose bumps. The dying trees and falling leaves contribute to the eerie scene to turn our mood in the direction of spooky. 

Even more bizarre is our yearning to be scared. 

We aren’t so anxious to get the stuffing scared out of us during the summer. Can you imagine sunning yourself on the beach when a wolf man strolls up to you from the water’s edge to breathe down on you? Most likely, you won’t be thrilled when you yell, “Stop blocking my sun, Fur-Face!” 

It has something to do with the setting. 

Wait two months. When the weather turns cold, the leaves drop from the trees, the wind kicks up, and the moon turns full—you won’t only be looking out for the wolf man or vampire or Great Pumpkin—you’re hoping for one. If you’re lucky, all of them to come give your heart a good jump start. 

Some of us aren’t quite so excited about being scared or maybe we scare ourselves too much. 

Every year, our church has a trunk or treat, in which our members will decorate their vehicles and line them up on the soccer field for the children to gather their Halloween candy. Some of the volunteers will dress up in costume. 

One year, I was dressed up like a farmer in overalls. My husband, Jack, went as himself. He’s much too distinguished to dress up in costume. As always, his gray beard was nicely trimmed and he was clad in his winter coat and gloves to keep him warm on that cold autumn night. 

We had decorated the back of our SUV with fake giant spiders and spider webs. At the end of the evening, half of the vehicles had left as the time wore on and the children dwindled down to only a few stragglers or late comers. 

Then, it was time to go home. 

Most of the outdoor lights shut off. The only light left to illuminate the field was that cast by the headlights of the few remaining vehicles. 

Leaving Jack alone, I had left the back of the SUV to go talk to some friends on the other side of the field when I saw a young mother and a little girl dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood, complete with a cape hurrying along the line of vehicles left to get whatever candy was left. 

“Jack,” I called back to our SUV, “we got one more.” 

A moment later, there was a high pitched scream. Her red cape flapping behind her, Little Red Riding Hood went flying across the field—screaming the whole way. 

Her mother was right behind her. “I told you that some of them would be scary!” 

Not far behind them, my husband was running with his arms outstretched offering the bowl of candy. “Wait, little girl! Don’t you want some candy?” 

Apparently, Jack was in the front of the SUV when he heard me call. As the girl approached the back of the vehicle, he came out of the shadows. With his beard and dark coat, she thought he was the … 

(Wait for it!) 

Big Bad Wolf! 

Now poor Jack is banned from Trunk or Treat. He’s still waiting to get mad about it. 

Now for the spotlight on Killer Deadline

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Killer Deadline (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  232 pages
Genre:  Mystery/Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   April 23, 2020
Audiobook release date: August 5, 2020
Content Rating: G. This is a true cozy mystery. No sex. No on-stage violence. No swearing. Just good clean fun!

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Book Description:

Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.

When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.

But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father?

With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes.

 

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com ~ Audible ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Killer Deadline marks Lauren's first venture into mystery's purely cozy sub-genre with a female protagonist.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: 
Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Bookbub

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Tour Schedule:

Sep 21 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 22 – Books, Tea, Healthy Me – audiobook review / author interview / giveaway
Sep 23 – seasons of opportunities – audiobook review
Sep 23 - Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review / guest post / giveaway
Sep 23 - A Page Before Bedtime –book review / giveaway
Sep 24 – I'm All About Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Sep 25 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 28 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Sep 29 – Viviana MacKade – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 29 - Blooming with Books – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 1 – The Book View – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 2 – My Journey Back – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 5 – eBook Addicts – audiobook review
Oct 5 - Pen Possessed – book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 6 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 6 - Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 7 – Library of Clean Reads – book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 7 - Buried Under Books - audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 8 – Mystery Suspense Reviews – audiobook review / author interview / giveaway
Oct 9 – Hall Ways Blog – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 12 - Amy's Booket List - audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 12 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 13 – jea reads/instagram – book review
Oct 13 - Book Lover in Florida - book review / giveaway
Oct 13 - Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 14 – Christa Reads and Writes – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 15 – My Reading Journeys – audiobook review / author interview / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway: 

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Blog Tour and Guest Post: CASTING CALL FOR A CORPSE The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries by Heather Haven

It's my pleasure to have Heather Haven as my guest today. She shares her writing adventure for this latest in the Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries. Welcome, Heather Haven.

When I began writing Casting Call for a Corpse, my latest mystery revolving around the Alvarez Family, I wanted to combine the ongoing characters from the series with a few characters from a play I penned some time ago. I also wanted to add a Scottish character in honor of my heart sister, who was adopted at birth and recently found her Scottish birth family. An homage, doncha know.

Frankly, I wasn't sure I could make it work. Some nights I lost sleep over whether or not I could pull this into anything readable. However, I really loved the characters from the play, in particular the internationally acclaimed actress, her loyal assistant, the Hispanic housekeeper, and a has-been writer who burned bright in his youth but had done little since. Putting Lee Alvarez, the protagonist of the Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries, and the actress together was easy. Close in age, I found making them friends from way-back-when in New York City added reality and depth to my tale. Also lots of humor! The other characters were a little tougher to place but ultimately, I managed to do it.

As for the storyline, itself, that was different. I was never too sure if 'this' was too much or 'that' was enough. So I took the throw-all-the-spaghetti-on-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks approach. Not quite my style. I usually know the first chapter, where I want to go, and how I want the story to end. This time I had no idea of any of it. I was a panster to the nth degree.

Surprisingly, while writing the novel this method was freeing. If I had a thought, it was in. I'd deal with the validity of it later. I wound up with some not-so-nice Russian businessmen, a trendy restaurant, threatening letters, jewel thieves, secret tunnels, and even a Christmas tree farm. I mean, why not? Then I added an inside take on life backstage in the theater, which was a large part of my existence in my salad days. I still had sleepless nights, but at least I had written pages to show for them.

Months later, when I finished the final draft, I went back in and took out extraneous plots, substories, and innuendos that didn't work or were confusing. By that time, I actually had a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Hallelujah!

When I start a new novel it's almost like writing my first one. So far I've written thirteen novels, numerous novellas, and dozens of short stories. Not one of them has been easy or formulaic. True, I've developed a few tricks along the way. I believe I know what doesn't work. But what definitively works? You got me. But that never stops me from pressing on!

Synopsis

A DETECTIVE AGENCY WITH HEART.

AND A WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

Super sleuth, Lee Alvarez, finds a dead man wearing a tuxedo in a friend’s bathtub during a soiree for San Francisco’s VIPs. And not just any friend, but an internationally acclaimed actress who recently came to live in San Francisco. And not just any bathtub, but a bathtub residing inside one of Alamo Square’s famed Painted Ladies, recently bought by said actress.

The police believe it’s the actress friend who done the man in. After all, it’s her house and her tub. And another man died under suspicious circumstances around her recently. Both romantic encounters, doncha know. The actress must be guilty.

Or is she?

For ace detective Lee Alvarez, the timing couldn’t be worse. She is supposed to go off in celebration of her 6-month wedding anniversary with her hunky hubby. Paris is calling!

Or is it?

Her long-time friend, plus her mother – She Who Must Be Obeyed – thinks she should stick around and find out who the real killer is. So Lee, family, handsome hubby, and Tugger, the cat, are on the job. But Lee’s nose is itching. Which means not one of the suspects is telling the truth.

Or not all of it. Lee soon uncovers threatening letters, sullen playwrights, dead bodies, and a criminal web of jewel thieves, all treading the boards of her friend’s latest musical. This is showbiz?

Author Haven pulls out all the stops in a cozy fan’s delight about a charming, and unconventional Palo Alto detective family who get their man or woman, as the case may be. Book Seven follows its tradition of the Bay Area’s favorite PI, who rolls over with all four paw in the air when it comes to her darn near perfect mother. But with the help of her computer geek brother and handsome hubby, Lee works to solve the case in time to celebrate her own 6-month wedding anniversary.

About Heather Haven 

Heather moved to the Bay Area and studied creative writing at Stanford University. Previously, several of her comedy acts and plays were performed in NYC. Her novels include the humorous Silicon Valley-based Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries, Manhattan-based Persephone Cole Vintage Mysteries, Love Can Be Murder Novellas, Snow Lake Romantic Suspense Series and standalone mystery noir, Murder under the Big Top, based upon her mother’s stint as a performer with Ringling Brothers’ Circus. There is also her anthology, Corliss and Other Award-Winning Stories. Her favorite protagonist is in Corliss, one of the featured short stories, but don’t tell anyone!

Author Links

Website - http://heatherhavenstories.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeatherHavenStories/,

Purchase Link 

Amazon

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 24 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
August 24 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
August 25 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT
August 26 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
August 26 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 27 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
August 27 – ebook addicts – SPOTLIGHT
August 28 – Christy's Cozy Corners – GUEST POST
August 29 – My Journey Back – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 30 – Cassidy's Bookshelves – REVIEW
August 31 – Christa Reads and Writes – GUEST POST
August 31 – Baroness' Book Trove – REVIEW
August 31 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 1 – I Read What You Write – GUEST POST
September 2 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 2 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
September 3 – CelticLady 's Reviews - SPOTLIGHT
September 3 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT
September 4 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
September 5 – Literary Gold – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 5 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

Guest Post: Soak Up the Awesome Vortex Vibe by Gilian Baker

Today, it's my pleasure to have Gillian Baker, author of MURDER OVER MEDIUM, as my guest to talk about vortexes and her book:

No one who’s visited Sedona, Arizona can forget it. Its local art, its jeep tours, its majestic beauty, its vortexes. 

Huh?

My protagonist, Jade Blackwell, responds the same way when her old friend and colleague, Gwendolyn Hexby informs her she moved to Sedona to be close to the spiritual energy of the vortexes. You see, Gwendolyn is no longer a religious studies professor, as Jade supposes. Instead, she’s found a “higher calling” as a psychic medium.

So, what the heck is a vortex?

A vortex is a place where large amounts of energy spirals, enveloping everything nearby. It's believed these locations having an energy flow that exists on multiple dimensions, which is why so many seekers visit them each year. Many believe the vortexes intensify meditation, rituals, inner spiritual work, and healing. People flock to Sedona every year, not only to enjoy the beauty of the red rocks and vistas, but to soak up the transformational energy at the various vortexes in the area. Oh, yeah, and to go on a rugged jeep tour.

Sedona has long been a hub of New Age activity. And with four of the most powerful vortexes in the United States within the city limits, it’s not hard to understand why. There are fourteen more within a 10-mile radius of the city also. That’s some powerful spiritual mojo!

Now, depending on who you ask, there are different theories about what causes this spiraling energy. And not just in Sedona, but also surrounding The Great Pyramids, Machu Picchu and Stonehenge.

Here’s a very rudimentary scientific explanation: Vortexes all over the globe exist where there are robust concentrations of gravitational irregularities. Geologists believe the environmental features of Sedona, which transition from mountains to flatland, plays a part in creating the swirling energy centers. The plentiful faults full of magnetized basalt deposits found there are also believed to alter the earth’s gravitational field.
Visitors of the vortexes in Sedona can witness the spiraling energy themselves, even if they don’t believe in any of the woo-woo theories surrounding them. The trees near the different vortexes have had their trunks twisted due to the constant swirling energy under them. Cool, huh?

What better town for my psychic medium character to inhibit than Sedona? Gwendolyn, like many before her, felt the vortexes magical pull and was unable to resist. She also understands the old adage, “location, location, location.” More than four million people visit the small town every year, and many of them are looking for higher guidance and an enlightened spiritual journey. Sedona is a great place to be a medium!

When Jade finally gets Gwendolyn to tell the story of her move from professor to medium, this is what she hears:

“One day I met a psychic healer who used this vortex energy to enhance her past life and cellular vibrational healings—some of the deepest soul work possible. She offered me a full weekend of healings so that I could experience them for myself.”

Her broad smile told me this experience had been the catalyst of her transformation even before she put it into words.

“Well, of course, as any researcher would, I took her up on it, and …well, it changed my life. I suddenly had clarity about why I was here on Earth during this lifetime. My fascination with archaic, nature-based religions suddenly made sense. For the first time in my life, I had more than a passing, intellectual understanding of the Sacred. I had experienced and knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that it was Truth. Oh, what a magical time it was! I contacted the university and resigned, never returning from sabbatical.”

“Don’t you miss academia? The research? The intellectual stimulation? I know that’s the part I miss most—there’s always something to learn, analyze and deconstruct.”

“Oh, my dear Jade. Once you experience the Sacred, nothing else can compare. You come alive inside, knowing you are interconnected with all beings. My work now is part of the planetary healing we are currently going through. That’s far more important than writing more scholarly articles on topics only other religious scholars will read. Intellectual stimulation pales in comparison to spiritual stimulation. Everything does.”

Excerpt from MURDER OVER MEDIUM. Copyright © 2017. All rights reserved.

You may ask, do I believe in the magic of the vortex energy? You bet I do! I've experienced it for myself. Totally amazing!

But everyone has to experience it for themselves. If you prefer, you can see the vortex energy as a geological anomaly that you enjoy—people report feeling joyful and at peace while in Sedona. Or, you can go all New Age and soak up the awesome vibe. Regardless, Sedona is a enchanted place everyone should visit. And while you’re there, don’t forget to get a reading with Gwendolyn!

About the Book MURDER OVER MEDIUM - A Jade Blackwell Mystery

Former English professor turned blogger, Jade Blackwell, is enjoying her predictable routine when trouble comes knocking in the form of an old friend and colleague. Unbeknownst to Jade, Gwendolyn Hexby is no longer the successful academic she once knew and trusted—she is now following a new calling as a psychic medium, a contentious career that flies in the face of the logic and deductive reasoning Jade values.

At first, Jade welcomes the visit, but things soon turn bizarre as Gwendolyn brings only disorder danger and disruption. When a murder is prophesied, and a beloved pillar of the Aspen Falls’ community winds up dead, Gwendolyn becomes Sheriff Ross Lawson’s prime suspect.
To get Gwendolyn out of hot water, and more importantly, out of her house, Jade attempts to prove her friend’s innocence. Jade believes she’s finally discovered the truth, but is soon brought back to reality when she learns all is not as it seems in the realm of the metaphysical. Not even murder.

Return to the Jade Blackwell Cozy Mystery Series in Murder Over Medium as Jade jumps into the fray of a territory not governed by logic or reason—in either this world or the next.

About the Author

Gilian Baker is a former English professor who has gone on to forge a life outside of academia by adding blogger, ghostwriter and cozy mystery author to her C.V. She currently uses her geeky superpowers only for good to entertain murder mystery readers the world over. When she’s not plotting murder for her Jade Blackwell cozy mystery series, you can find her puttering in her vegetable garden, knitting in front of the fire, snuggling with her husband watching British TV or discussing literary theory with her daughter.

Gilian lives in Flagstaff, Arizona with her family and their three pampered felines. In her next life, she fervently hopes to come back as a cat, though she understands that would be going down the karmic ladder.

Author Links

Webpage – http://gilianbaker.com/blogging-murder-first-chapter/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/GilianBakerAuthor/

Amazon – http://amazon.com/author/gilian-baker

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16252646.Gilian_Baker

Purchase Links

Amazon

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 15 – Christa Reads and Writes – GUEST POST

January 16 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – REVIEW

January 16 – Queen of All She Reads – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

January 16 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW

January 17 – Dee-Scoveries – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

January 17 – Readsalot – SPOTLIGHT

January 18 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

January 18 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

January 19 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

January 20 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

January 20 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

January 21 – Readeropolis – INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY

January 21 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

January 22 – Pulp and Mystery Shelf – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 23 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

January 24 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

Blog tour and Guest Post: DEATH ON THE EMERALD by R. F. Koreto

Today it is my pleasure to have R. J. Koreto as my guest...  

The Origins of Lady Frances Ffolkes by R. J. Koreto

I get this question a lot: where did Lady Frances come from? She has a long history. 

She wasn't the first sleuth I imagined. I first wrote a couple of novels featuring modern-day reporter Ted Jellinek and his not-quite-girlfriend, attorney Penelope Tolford. The novels didn’t find a publisher, but I did get a short story in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine out of them. Then I turned to historical fiction with Captain Edmund Winter, a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars. Again, I got a short story out of it in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, but no takers for the novel.

That's when a friend-of-a-friend read one of my manuscripts and said that she found my female characters especially strong. Could I write a mystery with a female protagonist? I didn't think that was "allowed." Could a male author create a female sleuth?

Very well, but what time period? I really wanted to stay with historical fiction. My wife and I have always been huge fans of the original "Upstairs/Downstairs" series, which starts in the Edwardian era, so I wanted to make my own mark in turn-of-the-century England.

Next, where would the tension come from? Well-born ladies didn’t have a great deal of freedom in this time period; they lived with their parents until they got married to men their fathers approved of. What if I made Lady Frances a rebel? She lives on her own, helps lead a group for women's suffrage and chooses her own romantic partners—accepting the heartbreak that comes with it. 

That became "Death on the Sapphire," the first Lady Frances mystery—and my first published novel. Lady Frances continued to stand up to Edwardian conventions with "Death Among Rubies," where she thwarted he police to save friends who were involved in a same-sex romance. And now, with "Death at the Emerald," Frances slips into the lively theater world, befriending actors—something well-born ladies simply didn’t do back then. 

So I was able to successfully create a female sleuth! But there's a final twist: I'm published under my initials "R.J." because my publisher didn’t want to highlight the fact that a male author was writing about a woman detective in a book with a large female readership!

Synopsis

One-named stunning actress Helen mysteriously vanished 30 years ago. An elderly family friend is unable to bear not knowing any longer and commissions Lady Frances Ffolkes to track her down. Taking on the role of Lady Sherlock, with her loyal maid Mallow drafted as her Watson, Frances finds herself immersed in the glamorous world of Edwardian theater and London’s latest craze—motion pictures.

As Frances and Mallow make their way through the theaters, they meet colorful figures such as George Bernard Shaw and King Edward II. Tracking the theaters seems like a dead end. That is until one of Helen’s old suitors is suddenly murdered. With the stakes raised, Frances and Mallow work quickly to uncover a box of subtle clues to Helen’s whereabouts. But someone unexpected wants that box just as badly and is willing to kill to keep it shut.

The stage is set for murder and Frances and Mallow are determined to unravel the decades-old conspiracy in Death at the Emerald, R. J. Koreto’s third installment in the captivating Lady Frances Ffolkes mysteries.

About The Author

R.J. Koreto is the author of the Lady Frances Ffolkes mystery series, set in Edwardian England, and the Alice Roosevelt mystery series, set in turn-of-the-century New York. His short stories have been published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.

In his day job, he works as a business and financial journalist. Over the years, he’s been a magazine writer and editor, website manager, PR consultant, book author, and seaman in the U.S. Merchant Marine. Like his heroine, Lady Frances Ffolkes, he’s a graduate of Vassar College.

With his wife and daughters, he divides his time between Rockland County, N.Y., and Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

Author Links

Website: www.ladyfrancesffolkes.com (contains sign-up form for my weekly newsletter)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladyfrancesffolkes/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34729807-death-at-the-emerald

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RJKoreto

Purchase Links

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million
IndieBound

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Guest Post: BETTY JEAN CRAIGE Author of the Witherston Murder Mysteries

Post by Betty Jean Craige, author of Dam Witherston and other Witherston murder mysteries published by Black Opal Books


A critic called my first novel, Downstream: A Witherston Murder Mystery (2014), an "environmental mystery." I admitted that it was. I had originally titled it "We All Live Downstream," but Black Opal Books suggested that "Downstream" would be more suitable for a whodunnit, and I agreed. The mystery involves the pharmaceutical pollution of our rivers by a longevity drug named Senextra that keeps people alive and healthy for well over a hundred years, though with some unanticipated side effects.

My second mystery in the series, Fairfield's Auction (2016), involves the sale of artifacts from the Cherokee civilization that dominated the mountains of north Georgia and western North Carolina for a thousand years before our state and federal governments sent a majority of them west to Oklahoma on the 1938-39 Trail of Tears. The mystery features a chicken truck stranded in Witherston during a blizzard and the liberation of the hundreds of caged chickens. And an African Grey parrot named Doolittle, who unintentionally provides clues to the murderer's identification. And a Cherokee village. And murder.

My third mystery, Dam Witherston (2017), involves three interracial (white-Cherokee) rapes and murders, one in 2017 and the other two in 1977 and 1828, which DNA tests disclose.

What do all three "Witherston Murder Mysteries" have in common? Most obviously, the mysteries all take place in a fictive town named Witherston, Georgia, twenty miles north of Dahlonega. Witherston got its name from the long line of rich Withers who obtained their wealth in the 1928 Georgia Gold Rush and the 1932 Georgia Land Lottery. The mysteries all include the same eccentric characters. The mysteries all allow the reader to participate in the detection through an online newspaper and documents such as maps, deeds, letters, and DNA ancestry results, as well as the narration.

But the mysteries have something else in common: an ecological view of the world, that is, a vision of nature and culture as an interconnected whole. If we view the world as an interconnected whole we see that we (people and non-people) are all dependent on the well-being of each other, that what we folks do here affects what other folks (and animals and plants and ice and rivers) do elsewhere. In other words, there is no outside. So we should be kind to each other and to the land, for our own well being.

This conviction motivated my teaching and research for decades at the University of Georgia, and it motivates my writing in my retirement.
My close friends called my first novel "preachy." They also criticized me for naming the animals. Thanks to a group of distinguished biologists we understand now that all mammals and birds, and some other animals such as octopuses, have consciousness. (See 2012 "Declaration on Consciousness.") So I say that the animals we know deserve names. In Fairfield's Auction and Dam Witherston, I strove not to preach, but I still named the animals.
Dr. Betty Jean Craige is University Professor Emerita of Comparative Literature at the University of Georgia. She has lived in Athens, Georgia, since 1973. Her first non-academic book was Conversations with Cosmo: At Home with an African Grey Parrot (2010).

Dr. Betty Jean Craige has published books in the fields of Spanish poetry, modern literature, history of ideas, politics, ecology, and art. She is a scholar, a translator, a teacher, and a novelist. http://www.bettyjeancraige.com/

Buy links:
Dam Witherston AMAZON
Downstream AMAZON
Fairfield’s Auction AMAZON

GUEST POST: ELAINE FABER - author of Mrs. Odboddy Hometown Patriot

It is my pleasure to have Elaine Faber as my guest today to talk about the wives and sweethearts of the brave men who fought in WWII...

As we think about honoring our VETERANS on Veterans Day, let’s also honor their wives and sweethearts for their steadfastness during WWII. These ladies were hometown patriots as they fought the war from the home front. In Mrs.Odboddy–Hometown Patriot, elderly, eccentric Agnes Odboddy was such a patriot. 

Rationing:

American housewives willingly gave up their precious food, clothing, tires, and other goods to aid the war effort. Ration stamp booklets were issued and many items including sugar could only be purchased when accompanied with the appropriate stamp. 

Just imagine how frustrating to find your coffee rationed to one pound every six weeks per adult. This was due to blockades affecting Brazilian ships attempting to bring coffee to the US (During part of 1942-43). The majority of the available coffee was sent to the troops.

Beef was in short supply and costly, as well as eggs, resulting in many resident chickens in suburban backyards. (Agnes obtains six chickens, but because she has no chicken coop available, she puts them in the bathroom. What could possibly go wrong?)

A limit to purchase only five tires during the entire war was put in place. By today’s standards, that sounds sufficient, but rough roads and poor tires were conducive to multiple flat tires. With a few exceptions for doctors and other public safety professionals, gasoline was rationed to four gallons per week, requiring folks to car pool, ride buses, use bicycles or walk. Speed limits of 35 mph were most common.

Victory Gardens:

To appear patriotic and reduce reliance on the limited supply of vegetables and fruit available, citizens were almost required to plant a victory garden. Suburban front yards were converted to rows of cabbages, zucchinis, tomatoes and carrots. Any vegetable with a high yield requiring limited space became the main ingredient of Meatless Monday. Even Mrs. Roosevelt planted zucchini in the White House Rose Garden. 

Watch Towers:

Ever fearful of another Japanese air attack, watch towers were erected every several miles along the California and Oregon coastline requiring volunteers to be the eyes and ears for the military. Radar was invented during the war but was in limited supply. 

As Agnes’s fantasy mystery-adventure progresses, she experiences every phase of rationing, growing a victory garden and manning a watch tower. As a dedicated hometown patriot, she is determined to root out a ration book conspiracy, identify a perceived Nazi spy and prepare for a visit from Mrs. Roosevelt. With the return of an old lover who wants to re-ignite their romance, things heat up. With chickens in the bathroom and a search for a million dollars in missing Hawaiian money, this hysterical romp through the WWII era is a fascinating novel like you’ve never read before.

Mrs. Odboddy–Hometown Patriot is available in e-book and print at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/hdbvzsv

About Elaine’s Faber

Elaine Faber is a member of Sisters in Crime, Inspire Christian Writers and Cat Writers Association.

Elaine Faber is the author of three cozy cat mysteries and the humorous novel, Mrs. Odboddy-Hometown Patriot. The sequel, Mrs. Odboddy-Undercover Courier will publish later this fall. She has published short stories in magazines and multiple anthologies. 

Elaine’s cozy mysteries include: Black Cat’s Legacy; Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer, and Black Cat and the Accidental Angel. Black Cat, the cat with the memories, tackles a California cold case murder, a Texas embezzling lawyer, and skullduggery at an emu farm in the Sierra Nevada foothills.  She has published short stories in magazines and multiple anthologies as well. 

Elaine lives in Elk Grove, CA. She and her husband share their home with three house cats, the inspiration for the Black Cat Mysteries. The Agnes Odboddy character is a figment of Elaine’s vivid imagination and in no way relates to her quirky personality.

Contact Elaine at Elaine.Faber@mindcandymysteries.com (e-mail)

http://www.mindcandymysteries.com (Website)

Books Available at Amazon:
http://tinyurl.com/lrvevgm Black Cat’s Legacy

http://tinyurl.com/lg7yvgq Lethal Lawyer

http://tinyurl.com/07zcsm2 Accidental Angel



http://tinyrul.com/hdbvzsv Mrs. Odboddy – Hometown Patriot

BLOG TOUR GUEST POST: MAJOR CRIMES (Jersey Shore Mystery Series) by Michele Lynn Seigfried

Today I'm pleased to have Michele Lynn Seigfried - or actually Chelsey Alton, one of the main characters in MAJOR CRIMES - as my guest...

A Day in the Life of Chelsey Alton

By: Michele Lynn Seigfried

Hi! I’m Chelsey Alton and I’m one of the main characters in cozy mystery novel, Major Crimes by Michele Lynn Seigfried. I’m a bit of a mess—especially with my love life. To give you an idea of how crazy my world is, here is a day in my life…

The front door was unlocked, which was strange because I never left my front door unlocked. Even though I had the ugliest house on the block, I never left without locking it. Even though the only thing of value in it was a hideous engagement ring from a pathetic ex who never became my husband, I never left without locking it.

With all the hoopla in my life as of late, I shouldn’t have been surprised that I had forgotten to do something simple, like lock my door before I left. I pushed open the wooden door and peeked inside. A sinking feeling churned in my stomach. The TV was on and the crate that housed my German Shepherd, Snickers, was empty. I froze. Was someone in my house?

I shook off the fear. My parents had to be there. They kept a key to my place. I stepped inside. Snickers didn’t charge or bark at me like normal. Wait! Their car isn’t outside!

Fear prevented my legs from working. It was as if I was the leading lady in one of those cliché horror movies—you know, the kind where the dumb girl enters a house with a killer inside and searches it instead of running for her life. Here I was, the dumb girl, in the house with Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, or Bill Cosby. Where is Snickers?

Once my imaginary cement shoes disintegrated, I crept over to the couch. There was a baseball bat underneath. Once again, I thought about how stupid I was. Why did I go for the bat instead of running for my life? With my bat in hand and a dose of false bravado, I searched the house. Yup, that was me—the dumb girl. It was a little after one in the afternoon. What stupid criminal breaks in during the day when neighbors could see him? Or her for that matter!

Tiptoeing toward the kitchen, I heard a footstep. I plastered my back along the wall beside the kitchen entry and raised the bat, pretending to be Babe Ruth anticipating another home run.

A man stepped out of the kitchen. I swung the bat, aiming for his gonads. He caught it in his left hand. In his right hand was a glass of merlot. “Don’t you have anything better to drink around here?”

How he caught that bat and didn’t spill a drop of wine was beyond me. “What the heck are you doing in my house?”

Snickers sat in the corner of the kitchen watching us. He was calm and quiet. A rawhide chew toy rested between his paws. No wonder he was too occupied to greet me at the door. Stupid dog. My entire body trembled from the passing fear and rush of adrenaline.

“I came to see you. What’s with the bat, Chelsey? Are you itching for a game of softball?”

“You’re such a horse’s patoot.”

The man who had reduced me to a pile of nerves was Bryson Kelly. Bryce for short. A cop, former co-worker, and someone who once kissed me—though not someone you’d call a former significant other. At least my dog liked him.

Let’s just say that as the day went on, things only got worse. If you really want to know more, you’ll have to read the rest in Major Crimes. I guarantee that you will be entertained, because there’s never a dull moment in my life!

SYNOPSIS:
Buckle up for hours of laughter, romance, and excitement with this Jersey Shore Mystery. When handsome detective, Bryce Kelly, is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he finds himself on the run and in hiding. Can amateur sleuth, Chelsey Alton, and a few quirky friends help him find the real killer and prove his innocence before it’s too late? If you love mysteries, don’t miss this humorous whodunit!

Purchase Link
Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michele Lynn Seigfried is the author of humorous, cozy mystery novels and a children’s picture book author/illustrator.

Michele was born and raised in New Jersey. In her mystery novels, she draws from her personal expertise in the area of municipal government, in which she has served for over 17 years in two different municipalities. 

She holds a B.A. in communication from the College of New Jersey with a minor in art. She obtained the Master Municipal Clerk certification from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks in 2010. She also holds the Registered Municipal Clerk certification and Certified Municipal Registrar Certifications from the State of New Jersey.

In combining her love of writing with art, Michele began writing and illustrating children’s picture books in 2013. She has won several awards for her novels.

Author Links:
Website: www.michelelynnseigfried.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MicheleLynnSeigfried
Twitter: www.twitter.com/micheleseig
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/MicheleSeig
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/MicheleSeig
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/micheleseig
Email: MicheleSeigfried@gmail.com
Google+: www.google.com/+MicheleLynnSeigfried
Tsu: https://www.tsu.co/micheleseigfried


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BLOG TOUR and GUEST POST: MOLLY'S MISADVENTURES by D. E. Haggerty

Today, it is my pleasure to have D. E. Haggerty as my guest...

Molly’s Misadventures Blog Tour

D.E. Haggerty

Guest Post

Why Molly’s Misadventures was an Adventure to Write

I think I’m pretty well-rounded as a writer. I’ve written military suspense, historical mysteries, and cozy mysteries. All of my books have one thing in common – there is always a puzzle to be solved. From figuring out what happened to Skylar’s grandfather in Buried Appearances to clearing Dee of murder in Love in the Time of Murder, I’ve always included some type of mystery in my novels. Sure, there is romance, laughter, and suspense as well, but the main point of the story is the resolution of the mystery.

Molly’s Misadventures is different – there’s no mystery to solve. The novel is primarily a love story and that scared the pants off of me for several reasons. In the first place, I don’t do sex scenes. I’m more of a fade to black type of writer. Not that I don’t read erotica. P-lease. I love erotica. But every time I write a kissing scene I’m looking around in my home office to see if anyone can see what I’m writing. And gosh, I can’t imagine my dad – who reads everything I write, mostly because I send him free copies – reading a sex scene I’ve written. Gross. Just gross.

And although I love me some hot and steamy graphic sex scenes. The scenes are often tiresome. How many ways are there to describe making love? How many times can a writer use the words ‘his hot rod’ or – my personal favorite – ‘his silk covered steel shaft’? Although sex is an important part of life and often an essential development in a story, how often do characters need to get it on in a book anyway?

Romance stories themselves are also repetitive. It’s almost as if there is a strict set of rules to follow. Boy meets girl. They fall in love. Boy does something stupid to break girl’s heart. They reconcile. The end. BOR-ING. And how many hot stepbrothers exist anyway? And – trust me – not all men in the military are hot! I was convinced I couldn’t write a novel, which was strictly a romance, as it’s all been done before.

So why did I write Molly’s book if it scared the beejezus out of me? Well, first of all, I’m not one to not do something just because I’m scared. I’m absolutely terrified of heights, but that doesn’t stop me from rappelling. I also didn’t want to anger my muse. My muse gave me this awesome idea and I fell in love with the idea. Who am I to tell my muse she needs to come up with something else?

I also realized that a romance doesn’t have to be only about romance. There’s character development to consider and what about self-development? And, of course, there’s laughter. There has to be laughter. I also played around with the format of the novel for fun. I added blog posts and Facebook updates to mix things up. Before I knew it, the story was finished and it didn’t kill me. In fact, I really enjoyed writing Molly’s story. So much so that I’m having a hard time starting my next manuscript. I never would have predicted that when I chewed off all my fingernails while writing up my ideas for Molly’s story!

Synopsis
I’m having the suckiest day ever. First, my father, aka Mr. Grumpy Pants, calls to say his nurse just walked out on him. Likely story. I rush home to pack only to walk in on my husband getting it on with his younger, skanky secretary. Unfortunately, my quick weekend trip home to fix Dad’s problems turns into a stay of a few weeks. Luckily, I’ve got Danny, the neighbor boy I had a crush on when I was a dorky, braces-wearing, nose-buried-in-a-book teenager, and a brand-spanking new blog to keep my mind off things. Before I know it, I’m writing product reviews of vibrators and getting questioned by a store rent-a-cop at the world’s worst date ever. All while trying to figure out how to take things with Danny to the next level. Not to complicate things or anything but my boss decides to give me an ultimatum – come back in four weeks or don’t come back at all. How in the world did my life get so complicated?

About The Author
I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.

Author Links
Website: http://www.dehaggerty.com
Blog: http://www.dehaggerty.com/mymusings
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dehaggerty
Twitter: https://twitter.com/denaehaggerty
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DEHaggerty/posts
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/denahaggerty/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7210211.D_E_Haggerty
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/D.E.-Haggerty/e/B00ECQBURU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_5?qid=1438239628&sr=8-5

Purchase Links:
Amazon
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/594767

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