Tyler Colins's Blog, page 25
December 12, 2021
Coco’s Nuts, Day Three, Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
It’s Day Three of the 99-cent Coco’s Nuts promo.
Coco’s Nuts, the third mystery in the Triple Threat Investigation Agency series, finds the three newbie private eyes—JJ, Rey, and Linda—entrenched in their second assignment: proving socialite-turned-trucker Buddy Feuer didn’t murder her boss, infamous entrepreneur Jimmy Picolo.
Despite what the evidence says, JJ, Rey and Linda are convinced that Buddy has been set up. In their search for the truth, JJ, Rey and Linda deal with several suspects. A number of persons hated Picolo enough to kill him, but locating the one who pulled the trigger is difficult.
Their detecting travels lead them along a few detours—like the world of gambling and the collectors who skulk in the shadows. What of nutty Coco Peterson, a Picolo employee who has been MIA since the murders occurred? The odd little fellow has been missing since his boss’ murder.
Why was Buddy’s best friend gunned down a few days after Picolo? For that matter, why did someone pump a few bullets into Picolo’s assistant? Exploding bombs suggest the Triple Threat Investigation Agency trio have asked one too many questions. Hopefully, they’ll find answers before the private eyes themselves blow up.
To complicate matters, the ever-enigmatic Cash Layton reenters JJ’s life. Solving the current case is challenging enough, never mind having to figure out what the arrogant undercover cop / drug dealer is all about.
If you’re curious to find out how they fare, please check them out at:
Forever Poi, Hope you Enjoy . . .
. . . the third case the private eyes from the Triple Threat Investigation Agency. It’s the last day of the 99-cent Forever Poi promo.
Who set fire to two up-and-coming art galleries and left two charred bodies in the rubble? It’s a complex/complicated case, but the trio—JJ, Rey, and Linda—is up for the challenge!
They sift through a long list of potential suspects and find many reasons—and secrets—for the murders of the two unfortunate victims. Two angry ex-hubbies reveal an intriguing and dangerous side to a beautiful diva. Lusting lovers aim to please, regardless of the nature of the request. A trip to Chicago results in a former enemy making a return. And an arrogant “sometimes boyfriend” makes a reappearance.
If you’d like to see how the private eyes do, please check them out:
https://www.amazon.ca/Forever-Poi-Tyler-Colins/dp/1079716483
Coco’s Nuts, Day Two, Woo-Hoo
It’s promo day #2 for Coco’s Nuts—available for just 99 cents.
Coco’s Nuts is the second paying case our Triple Threat Investigation Agency undertakes. As [still] rookie private eyes—Rey, and Linda and JJ (me)—search for evidence that demonstrates socialite-turned-trucker Buddy Feuer did not shoot her boss, Jimmy Picolo (an entrepreneur with “questionable ties”, who had an enemy or ten).
We’re certain Buddy has been set up. But how to prove it when all the proof proves otherwise? It’s a challenging case that keeps us on our toes and takes us into some curious and dangerous (if not deadly) realms—like debt-collector territory, where they “collect” any way they deem fit.
Here’s an excerpt:
A fine mist enveloped me like steam-room vapor, but a dark sky suggested dense rain would soon return. It was gusty, too, as if we were experiencing the tail end of a tropical storm. As I waited for Ric to finish addressing an assistant, I slipped off the PVC rain jacket hood and rearranged a bulky nylon water-resistant drawstring bag so it wasn’t pulling my left shoulder.
“If you find something of note in my brother’s North Shore refuge, I want to know about it.” A threat lingered beneath Ric’s honeyed words
Standing at the designated intersection, I scanned puddle-heavy streets. Kent, driving a Cherokee-red Mustang, should be pulling into view any moment. He’d dropped by Fugger’s to pick up a spare key for the North Shore retreat. The chauffeur hadn’t been keen on passing it on when initially approached, but Ric’s okay ensured the key was ours for the day.
“Did you hear?”
“I heard,” I replied curtly.
“Are you going to call me when you’re done, hon?”
“I’ll call, but what are you expecting us to find?”
“Remnants of Coco Peterson maybe.”
“Remnants?” I asked, keeping my tone neutral. “As in . . . ?”
“Jewelry maybe. A tattoo maybe.”
Again, mention of both. By the way, do you know if there’s any truth to the rumor that Coco’s sucking up the big one? Kent’s question tumbled around my head like dice in a crap game.
“Is he dead?” I demanded. “Did you or your brother kill him?”
“You’re the detective, hon. You tell me. Check in around nine tonight — hold that thought. I’ll check in.” Ricardo Mako Picolo disconnected.
I stared at the cell phone, not sure whether to curse or laugh at the man’s audacity. And just because he’d previously mentioned an incentive, who’d decided I was on the Picolo payroll?
A horn that belonged on a freight train and not a classic car sounded. Kent Winche waved cheerfully from the driver’s seat of a very bright, highly polished 1965 Mustang Convertible.
“Very nice,” I commented nonchalantly upon opening the passenger door.
He winked. “It’s got character . . . like me.”
“You, Mr. Winche, are a character.” With a droll smile, I slipped onto the leather seat.
If you’d like to learn how we fit the [many] pieces of this crazy puzzle together, please check us out at:
Forever Poi . . . Oh Boyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Or should that be oh myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy? Dang. Hi, it’s Linda. My bad. I forgot to post about the third day of the 99-cent promo for Forever Poi, the third official case of the Triple Threat Investigation Agency, our newly found (and doing not too shabby) business. This also marks the fourth day. (And, now, I’d better head to the breakfast table and hear the grumblings.)
Poi has us trying to figure out who torched two up-and-coming art galleries and left two bodies in the ruins.
My best friend, Rey, and her cousin, JJ, and I are sure it’s one and the same person. The problem is determining of the perpetrator is—because there are plenty of them! An art gallery owner who owes a lot of money. A dangerous diva. An I’ll-do-anything-for-you lover. Add to the mix a former queenpin trying to go [somewhat] legit, a surly up-and-coming artist, and two spurned/used ex husbands who haven’t forgotten or forgiven.
Here’s an excerpt, as told by fellow P.I., JJ:
The three of us snuck past a battered barrier like dogged fans past a teen idol’s security. We picked our cautious ways down the narrow debris-laden laneway running between both galleries—or rather the fragmented, crumbled walls that had once served as them.
“Gross.” Gail cursed. “I’m glad I wore old runners.”
“Wish I had,” Rey muttered. “At least I was smart enough to bring a rain jacket.”
“Wish I had,” I murmured.
We continued along the soggy, mucky ground with flashlights in spotlight mode.
“It doesn’t look like any fire damage restoration has started,” Gail commented, picking her grimacing way forward.
“You know, someone might see the lights and come checking. Maybe we should be more careful,” Rey suggested, lowering her flashlight.
“Then we won’t see a thing,” I stressed.
“Point taken.” Rey sighed softly.
“The powers that be have surely gone over this place with a fine-tooth comb,” Gail commented. “Do we really think we’re going to find something in the little time we have before meeting this Timmy-Tom guy?”
“The powers that be may have checked every nook and cranny, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to be found,” I said encouragingly.
“Never say never, right?” my cousin jested with a slap to my back.
“We should have brought a shovel or rake, or something to weed through the gunk.” Gail surveyed the ground with a scowl.
Rey reached into a nylon backpack and pulled out a garden trowel. “We have this.”
“Smart thinking, girl.”
“We don’t earn the big bucks ‘cause of looks,” she grinned. “Okay, Cousin Jilly, let’s start serious P.I.’ing.”
“Why don’t you two take the left and I’ll take the right as we move along,” Gail proposed.
Several minutes later, the three of us where in the area where Lolita’s body had been found. Flame-licked, dented bins lay like washed-up tsunami debris.
Rey scrunched up her nose. “You can still smell the fire.”
“Kind of smells like . . . lingering death.”
“Ya think, Cousin Jilly?” Rey’s raspberry was louder than usual.
After a playful punch to her shoulder, I requested she aim the light in and around the bins. Pushing the nearest one aside, I searched inside the rusted, broken container. Nada. Together, we checked the next three. Nothing.
Crouched, Gail ordered us over. Her beam illuminated the side corner of a broken step. Poking from sooty dirt was a diamond-encrusted two-tone heart charm of rose and black gold.
“Pretty,” I murmured.
“Expensive,” Rey added.
“Could it have belonged to Lolita? She did have a bracelet.”
“I thought it was a brass cuff?”
“You’re right.” Shifting the knapsack, I removed two small plastic bags, one to pick up the heart, the other to contain it.
“If it wasn’t Lolita’s, then it may belong to her killer,” Rey stated excitedly.
“May is the key word, but if this pricey little piece does belong to the killer, then it confirms we’re looking for a woman,” I announced.
“Quite likely, but not necessarily,” Gail said with a fixed gaze.
“You’re absolutely right. Never assume.”
She clicked her tongue and rose. “I’m surprised it wasn’t discovered, which makes me wonder if it might have been lost more recently.”
“Given it was semi-buried, I’d have to disagree that,” Rey said.
“Me, too. The rain’s been pretty intense. It may have washed the charm into the open and that’s why it wasn’t previously found.”
Gail shrugged and twirled slowly. “Do we want to check anywhere else? Or stay around here and wait?”
Rey gestured. “Let’s take a quick peek in the area where Carlos’ body was found, just so we have—what do they call it? Context?”
“It can’t hurt.” I removed my cell and took photos.
“Are you still checking out Cholla Poniard’s place tonight?” Gail fell into step beside us. “Or should I say this morning?”
“Why not? We can search for a bracelet missing a charm,” Rey said.
“That would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” I pointed out.
“Not to mention dangerous and illegal,” Gail stated.
My cousin dismissed the comment with a snort and wave.
“I don’t believe Rey wants to be reminded,” I chuckled, stepping over a mound of charred wood.
“Hey, where you all headed?” a gruff voice boomed.
If you’d like to see how we handle this perplexing case, please check us out at:
https://www.amazon.ca/Forever-Poi-Tyler-Colins/dp/1079716483
December 10, 2021
Coco’s Nuts . . . Day One, What Fun
It’s promo day #1 for Coco’s Nuts—you can get it for a mere 99 cents. (You can’t even buy a chocolate bar for that anymore, unless you maybe go to the discount store.)
Coco’s Nuts, the third mystery in the Triple Threat Investigation Agency series, finds the three rookie private eyes—JJ, Rey, and Linda—entrenched in their second professional assignment: proving socialite-turned-trucker Buddy Feuer did not shoot her boss, infamous entrepreneur Jimmy Picolo.
Despite what police believe and evidence suggests, JJ, Rey and Linda are convinced that Buddy has been set up. In their quest for answers, the trio contends with a slew of suspects. Several persons hated Picolo enough to kill him, but locating the one who pulled the trigger proves challenging and the threesome strives to uncover a killer amid a cast of curious and unconventional characters.
Their detecting travels lead them along a few detours, like the world of gambling and debt collectors, also known as limb-breakers. Picolo’s daughter, Annia, owes thousands of dollars to them in Vegas and Oahu. Could this have motivated her to kill her father—so that she could collect a sizeable inheritance? What about Picolo’s son? Was Jimmy Junior overly eager to take over his father’s businesses? What of nutty Coco Peterson, a Picolo employee who has been MIA since the murders occurred? The odd little fellow is a central piece in this perplexing puzzler.
Why was Eb Stretta, Buddy’s best friend, gunned down a few days after Picolo? For that matter, why did someone pump five bullets into Mr. Razor, Picolo’s assistant? Exploding bombs suggest the gals from the Triple Threat Investigation Agency have ruffled feathers by asking too many questions. With any luck, legitimate answers will be obtained before something significant blows up—like the trio.
If you’re interested in learning whether the women succeed, please check them out at:
The Two-Parter Continued: The Still Inexhaustible Robin Murphy
The previous post focused on Robin Murphy’s critically acclaimed books—and she has penned many, from a paranormal mystery series to chick-lit and nonfiction. This one centers on her informative [impressive] website/blog. Her site is what I’d love mine to be: instructive, well written, and smartly designed.
“Where our experience makes your journey easier . . . keep on writing.”
Robin’s absolutely correct about there being countless books, posts, and articles telling us how to market books. I myself have read many and, for the most part, find that they can impart some tidbits of useful information. She’s also spot-on when she says, “you need to choose which is best for you and what you feel comfortable doing.”
Not everyone has the time to spend countless hours marketing, networking, and/or promoting. And while we should be exceptionally careful (wary) about putting out money to do any of these, if the company is legit, then financial expenditures (b-u-d-g-e-t) may also be something to take into account. Determine what you’re capable of accomplishing . . . and go for it.
The purpose of this post is not to repeat what Robin asserts and presents info-wise, but to have you to visit her comprehensive site. Check out the fabulous advice/guidance this bestselling author has to offer. You’ll find writing links, marketing tools and tours, podcast interviews, and even book covers for sale.
“Writing is my passion and I have met so many amazing people that have helped me along the way. I want to share what I’ve learned in the best possible way of instruction that I can. I hope I can achieve that here and I wish you luck.”
As an aspiring writer (or even a published one), you might want to read Robin’s edifying book, the “practical, hands-on and user-friendly” A Complete “How To” Guide for Rookie Writers.
To learn more about Robin, please check her out at:
http://rookiewriterssolutions.net/index.html
https://www.facebook.com/rookiewriterssolutions/
https://twitter.com/authorrmmurphy
https://www.amazon.com/Robin-Murphy/e/B007TO7NEQ%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
December 9, 2021
Forever Poi, What a Joy
. . . given it’s 99 cents today (getting anything for less than a dollar is always a joy, don’t you think?).
Hi, it’s JJ, one of the P.I.s of the Triple Threat Investigation Agency. This marks Day Two of the 99-cent promo for Forever Poi.
Poi is our third case and it has us trying to determine who burned down two up-and-coming art galleries . . . and left two bodies in the rubble.
My colleagues, Cousin Reynalda (Rey) and her best friend, Linda, are certain the arsonist and killer the same person. The challenge: there are a slew of suspects!
One of the [deceased] gallery owners had a row with his partner and lover the day before. Did now non-lover kill his partner? Given the second body belonged to a previous queenpin, had there been a need for vengeance by a former foe? Might there have been a need to collect the insurance payout, considering there’d been some serious debts floating around? Or is there another, more sinister reason?
If you’d like to see how we solve a most challenging (if not confusing) case, please check us out at:
https://www.amazon.ca/Forever-Poi-Tyler-Colins/dp/1079716483
December 8, 2021
Forever Poi, Oh Boy!
Today marks the first day of the 99-cent promo for Forever Poi.
Forever Poi, the fourth mystery in the Triple Threat Investigation Agency series, has private eyes JJ, Rey, and Linda out to discover the answer to a perplexing question: who torched two Chinatown art galleries and left two charred bodies in the rubble?
Are the arsonist and killer the same person? The trio believes so. JJ (Jill Jocasta Fonne), her melodramatic cousin Rey (Reynalda Fonne-Werde), and Rey’s best friend, Linda Royale, deal with a plethora of possible culprits. The day before the fire, Carlos Kawena, one of the arson victims, had a nasty break-up with his partner, James-Henri Ossature. There were financial issues, too. Could James-Henri have done the dastardly deed to collect insurance and be rid of his lover? What about the second victim, Mary-Louise Crabtree, a former queenpin? Given her sketchy past, might a former foe have finally sought vengeance? If so, was Carlos merely collateral damage?
When the trio is hired by insurance adjuster Xavier Shillingford to assist in the investigation, it soon becomes evident that professional arsonists did not set the fires. As they immerse themselves in the challenging case, a host of curious [and sometimes creepy] characters materializes.
If you’d like to see how they fare, please check them out at:
https://www.amazon.ca/Forever-Poi-Tyler-Colins/dp/1079716483
December 7, 2021
A Two-Parter: The Inexhaustible Robin Murphy
Given they’re two different components, I thought I’d first focus on the books and second on Robin Murphy, her website and offerings. A lovely Maryland-based lady who wears many hats, Robin constantly contributes, in one way or another, to the literary world.
And just who is Robin Murphy, for those not in the know? Besides having served in the administrative and graphic design areas for several years, she’s a speaker, writer, and the sole proprietor of Rookie Writers Solutions.
Robin is an Amazon blockbusting author of a paranormal mystery series—thanks to her fascination with the paranormal, murder mysteries, and ghost investigations—featuring Marie Bartek and the SIPS Team. The first, Sullivan’s Secret, was an Amazon bestseller, while the subsequent [highly recommended] books have received notable critical acclaim.
Sullivan’s Secret (2011)Secret of the Big Easy (2012)Federal City’s Secret (2013)Secret of Coffin Island (2015)Savannah’s Secret (2017)
Point and Shoot for Your Life, was a one-off, or non-series, book. Viewed on NBC, ABC and FOX, it was voted one of “The 50 Best Indie Books of 2016”. Another intriguing/entertaining read, it revolves around down-on-her-luck photographer Hannah Mills, who is out of work and about to get evicted. A relative wills her a rare Navajo blanket worth a million dollars, but before Hannah can auction the blanket, human traffickers kidnap her niece—and the blanket is the ransom.
There’s nonfiction as well: The Complete How-To Guide for Rookie Writers. It has been described as “a very practical, hands-on and user-friendly book to enable a rookie writer to learn how to get their newly created work produced and available to readers”. Sounds like a worthwhile read for any writer!
One last fascinating FYI: our prolific writer was also named one of the “50 Great Writers You Should be Reading in 2011”.
More in part two of . . . The Two-Parter.
In the meanwhile, please feel free to check out Robin here:
https://www.facebook.com/rookiewriterssolutions/
https://twitter.com/authorrmmurphy
https://www.amazon.com/Robin-Murphy/e/B007TO7NEQ%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
December 3, 2021
Blankety-Blank
This is post some may consider blankety-blank. But this brain is blank re a post topic of worth/note, so blankety-blank to that.
A-ha.
COVID-19 and the variants are blankety-blanks.
A toxic relationship is blankety-blank.
Selfish / self-centered / self-absorbed people are blankety-blanks.
A constant complainer is a blankety-blank.
People who won’t see the whole picture are blankety-blank.
Tyrants and bullies are blankety-blanks.
A list of blankety-blanks that can go on for pages and pages is blankety blank.
Life, if one may call it that in relation to yours truly, is [still] blankety-blank . . . but here’s hoping that the distant dim light somewhere at the end of that long winding tunnel will soon be blankety-blank visible. (Yeah, a pity party is pretty blankety-blank too, LOL, but I had to put it out there, so blankety-blank to me too.)
It’s a blankety-blank shame when you give something your all, and nothing happens . . . but that does not mean to give up. Just give over. And blankety-blank (!), start again. You can blankety-blank do it (and so can I). Keep the faith.
Hmmm. Maybe the old (emphasis on “old”) gray matter isn’t as blank as initially thought. Yeah, okay . . . maybe that light bulb was a teeny one, but it sure wasn’t a malfunctioning one.
Have a blankety-blank great day (that, my friends, is said with humor and meant with love).
