Diane Rapp's Blog: She's a Mystery and Science Fiction Writer!, page 2
November 27, 2018
Review NC17, Maizie Albright Star Detective
NC-17 by Larissa ReinhartMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Big Foot and guns don’t mix well.
Maizie Albright is an ex-actress on probation, training to be a private investigator. Left alone to run the office (while her boss is in a coma), Maizie must hold things together. Her to-do list includes getting new clients, collecting a past-due fee, attending therapy sessions, doing community service, and figuring out how to track down a missing person on her own. Sleep can’t fit into the schedule.
When three desperate teenagers (appearing on a Bigfoot Trackers U-Tube channel) hire Maizie to find their missing co-star, she can’t say no. Soon men with guns try to kill her, an ex-boyfriend turns up with a massive diamond ring, and her new therapist suggests selfie-therapy. Maizie’s courage and intelligence are sorely tested. Big Foot and guns don’t mix well.
This novel is guaranteed to keep readers interested from start to finish. I highly recommend this fast-paced, funny, and interesting mystery. I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book.
View all my reviews
November 9, 2018
Hywela Lyn, Futuristic Author
I recently met Hywela Lyn through a science-fiction and fantasy retweet site. Of course redheads must stick together, so I became interested in her fiction. We both enjoy writing about characters living beyond our solar system. Learn more about this futuristic author and you'll get interested in her inventive fiction.
Diane Rapp
Meet Hywela Lyn
Horse and dog lover, romantic, virtual star traveller and author, Hywela Lyn lives in a small village in England, with her long suffering husband Dave, although her heart remains in her native rural Wales, which inspired so much of her writing.
Although most her writing tends to be futuristic, the worlds she creates are usually untainted by crowded cities and technology, embracing the beauty and wildness of nature. Her characters often have to fight the elements and the terrain itself. Her heroes are strong and courageous, but chivalrous and honourable - and of course, handsome and hunky. Her heroines are also strong and courageous, but never lose their femininity. However difficult the journey, love will always win in the end.
She is a member of The Romantic Novelists' Association (UK) and Chiltern Writers, her local writing group.
A keen animal lover, she has a mare with attitude, called Flying T'pau, a semi-feral stable cat, Dusty, and a rescued terrier, Choccy, who manages to twist her round his little paw. When she is not writing, she can usually be found enjoying the outdoors with the horses and dog - or just eating chocolate!
Come join her in adventures beyond the stars, where new wonders await, or travel back to a time where the world was greener and less frantic, to a time where myths and legends merge and legendary heroes shape the future.
HOW I CAME TO WRITE THE DESTINY TRILOGY
I didn't know I was going to write a trilogy. Starquest started out as a short story, inspired by my character Kerry Marchant. I had in my mind a tall, rather dour but good-looking man, a brilliant computer programmer and starship designer with a difficult past. I'm not sure where Kerry came from, I think he was an amalgamation of several television SF characters. My trilogy has been likened to StarTrek which I love, but I did not knowingly incorporate any of it into the series. The starship, designed and built by Kerry himself and his super-wealthy friend, Jon Quinlan, was called the Destiny, designed to be an exploratory vessel to take them and their crew away from Earth and the oppressive dictatorship of the Global Union of Earth and Allied Planets.
I always knew this would be a romance, so I had to find a heroine, and she came to me in the form of the flame haired Jestine Darnell, known as Jess. The original short story had a rather tragic climax, but Jess was having none of it, and told me there was more to this story. So, having separated her from the starship and her crew, I helped her embark on her search for Kerry and the Destiny. When it came to the end of the book, however, Jess again argued with me and told me the nice, neat ending I had in mind was not what actually happened. The more I thought about it, the more I realised she was right. So the H.E.A. I'd had planned for her was scrapped and she had an alternative happy ending, which was, of course, more logical. The characters are usually right!
One of the people Jess met in Starquest was Tamarith, a telepath from Earth Colony Niflheim, a planet covered in ice and mist. By the time Starquest was accepted by the Wild Rose Press I had already started writing Children of the Mist, which is set almost entirely on Niflheim and features many of the characters from the first book, with Tamarith as the heroine. She and Jess had become firm friends, so it was only natural that she and her family should call on Jess to help them when Niflheim was in trouble. There were a few mysteries surrounding the planet which were hinted at in in Starquest, and in the second book the history of Niflheim, before its colonisation, was revealed. I have to admit the planet’s origin came as a surprise to me, even as I wrote it. Of course, while helping to save her world, Tamarith fell in love and found her own H.E.A.
It took a lot longer for Beloved Enemy to come into being. I hadn't thought of writing a third book, but Kerry had lost out in the first one. He wasn't happy about it and kept nagging me for his own story. Eventually I gave in and what had started out as a short story became a trilogy. Kerry and Cat went through a lot and I didn't make it easy for them, but at last, they too, were rewarded with their own happy ending. Finishing this book was bitter-sweet. It was very satisfying to finish it, but I'd become very fond of my characters and hated to leave them. I'm now working on an entirely new unconnected story, and I don't envisage my trilogy becoming a quadrilogy - but who knows?
(Each book can be read as a 'stand alone' although best read in order, and the first two books are now also available as audio books, with Beloved Enemy currently in audio production.)
The Destiny Trilogy - Book 1
STARQUEST
When Jestine Darnell is rescued from her sabotaged starship by the crew of the Destiny her only objective is to complete her mission and keep her promise to save a world from slavery. Love is the last thing on her mind. However, she has not counted on losing her heart to Kerry Marchant the ship’s second in command, who makes his distrust of her painfully obvious, despite the chemistry between them. The completion of her mission has consequences that neither of them could have foreseen.
Enter Dahll Tarron, who becomes involved in a long and dangerous quest to find the Destiny. Fates become intertwined, perils shared, culminating in the realization that sometimes love may be so close that there is a danger it will not be recognized until it is too late… starquest u.s. starquest U.K.
The Destiny Trilogy - Book 2
CHILDREN OF THE MIST
Two minds united against a common foe. Two hearts afraid to show their love: Long ago Tamarith fell in love with a man she can never have, and is convinced she will never love another. However, she cannot help but be intrigued by a handsome stranger whose psychic powers exceed even her own. Vidarh seeks only to find his true purpose in life and to win the regard of his father, who eschews his son’s psychic abilities.
Thrown together by a common threat to their planet, then torn apart by an evil greater than any they could have imagined, can Vidarh save the lovely Nifl woman who has captivated him, before it is too late? Will Tamarith and Vidarh overcome the deadly enemy who threatens to destroy all they know and love?
Will they find the happiness they both seek? Or are they fated to live their lives alone?
children of the mist U.S. Children of the Mist U.K.
The Destiny Trilogy - Book 3
BELOVED ENEMY
Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.
Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship, but to his heart.
Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?
Beloved Enemy U.S. Beloved Enemy U.K. Connect with the author at the following websites: website Amazon U.S. facebook Book Bub blog Amazon U.K. Twitter Newsletter Sign-up Wild Rose Press Author's Page
Diane Rapp
Meet Hywela LynHorse and dog lover, romantic, virtual star traveller and author, Hywela Lyn lives in a small village in England, with her long suffering husband Dave, although her heart remains in her native rural Wales, which inspired so much of her writing.
Although most her writing tends to be futuristic, the worlds she creates are usually untainted by crowded cities and technology, embracing the beauty and wildness of nature. Her characters often have to fight the elements and the terrain itself. Her heroes are strong and courageous, but chivalrous and honourable - and of course, handsome and hunky. Her heroines are also strong and courageous, but never lose their femininity. However difficult the journey, love will always win in the end.
She is a member of The Romantic Novelists' Association (UK) and Chiltern Writers, her local writing group.
A keen animal lover, she has a mare with attitude, called Flying T'pau, a semi-feral stable cat, Dusty, and a rescued terrier, Choccy, who manages to twist her round his little paw. When she is not writing, she can usually be found enjoying the outdoors with the horses and dog - or just eating chocolate!
Come join her in adventures beyond the stars, where new wonders await, or travel back to a time where the world was greener and less frantic, to a time where myths and legends merge and legendary heroes shape the future.
HOW I CAME TO WRITE THE DESTINY TRILOGY
I didn't know I was going to write a trilogy. Starquest started out as a short story, inspired by my character Kerry Marchant. I had in my mind a tall, rather dour but good-looking man, a brilliant computer programmer and starship designer with a difficult past. I'm not sure where Kerry came from, I think he was an amalgamation of several television SF characters. My trilogy has been likened to StarTrek which I love, but I did not knowingly incorporate any of it into the series. The starship, designed and built by Kerry himself and his super-wealthy friend, Jon Quinlan, was called the Destiny, designed to be an exploratory vessel to take them and their crew away from Earth and the oppressive dictatorship of the Global Union of Earth and Allied Planets.
I always knew this would be a romance, so I had to find a heroine, and she came to me in the form of the flame haired Jestine Darnell, known as Jess. The original short story had a rather tragic climax, but Jess was having none of it, and told me there was more to this story. So, having separated her from the starship and her crew, I helped her embark on her search for Kerry and the Destiny. When it came to the end of the book, however, Jess again argued with me and told me the nice, neat ending I had in mind was not what actually happened. The more I thought about it, the more I realised she was right. So the H.E.A. I'd had planned for her was scrapped and she had an alternative happy ending, which was, of course, more logical. The characters are usually right!
One of the people Jess met in Starquest was Tamarith, a telepath from Earth Colony Niflheim, a planet covered in ice and mist. By the time Starquest was accepted by the Wild Rose Press I had already started writing Children of the Mist, which is set almost entirely on Niflheim and features many of the characters from the first book, with Tamarith as the heroine. She and Jess had become firm friends, so it was only natural that she and her family should call on Jess to help them when Niflheim was in trouble. There were a few mysteries surrounding the planet which were hinted at in in Starquest, and in the second book the history of Niflheim, before its colonisation, was revealed. I have to admit the planet’s origin came as a surprise to me, even as I wrote it. Of course, while helping to save her world, Tamarith fell in love and found her own H.E.A.
It took a lot longer for Beloved Enemy to come into being. I hadn't thought of writing a third book, but Kerry had lost out in the first one. He wasn't happy about it and kept nagging me for his own story. Eventually I gave in and what had started out as a short story became a trilogy. Kerry and Cat went through a lot and I didn't make it easy for them, but at last, they too, were rewarded with their own happy ending. Finishing this book was bitter-sweet. It was very satisfying to finish it, but I'd become very fond of my characters and hated to leave them. I'm now working on an entirely new unconnected story, and I don't envisage my trilogy becoming a quadrilogy - but who knows?
(Each book can be read as a 'stand alone' although best read in order, and the first two books are now also available as audio books, with Beloved Enemy currently in audio production.)
The Destiny Trilogy - Book 1STARQUEST
When Jestine Darnell is rescued from her sabotaged starship by the crew of the Destiny her only objective is to complete her mission and keep her promise to save a world from slavery. Love is the last thing on her mind. However, she has not counted on losing her heart to Kerry Marchant the ship’s second in command, who makes his distrust of her painfully obvious, despite the chemistry between them. The completion of her mission has consequences that neither of them could have foreseen.
Enter Dahll Tarron, who becomes involved in a long and dangerous quest to find the Destiny. Fates become intertwined, perils shared, culminating in the realization that sometimes love may be so close that there is a danger it will not be recognized until it is too late… starquest u.s. starquest U.K.
The Destiny Trilogy - Book 2 CHILDREN OF THE MIST
Two minds united against a common foe. Two hearts afraid to show their love: Long ago Tamarith fell in love with a man she can never have, and is convinced she will never love another. However, she cannot help but be intrigued by a handsome stranger whose psychic powers exceed even her own. Vidarh seeks only to find his true purpose in life and to win the regard of his father, who eschews his son’s psychic abilities.
Thrown together by a common threat to their planet, then torn apart by an evil greater than any they could have imagined, can Vidarh save the lovely Nifl woman who has captivated him, before it is too late? Will Tamarith and Vidarh overcome the deadly enemy who threatens to destroy all they know and love?
Will they find the happiness they both seek? Or are they fated to live their lives alone?
children of the mist U.S. Children of the Mist U.K.
The Destiny Trilogy - Book 3 BELOVED ENEMY
Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.
Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship, but to his heart.
Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?
Beloved Enemy U.S. Beloved Enemy U.K. Connect with the author at the following websites: website Amazon U.S. facebook Book Bub blog Amazon U.K. Twitter Newsletter Sign-up Wild Rose Press Author's Page
November 2, 2018
Valerie Burns, Mystery Author
I'm a sucker for books that involve dogs, and mysteries which feature poodles are even more attractive to me. When I started noticing the beautiful drawings of poodles on V.M. Burns' covers, I just had to check them out. If you enjoy mysteries, historical novels, and dogs, then get acquainted with the novels by this talented author.
Diane Rapp Kensington Publishing Contest:
Help Mystery Bookshop owner, Samantha Washington dig up the truth before it’s too late!
One Winner Will Receive:Full Set of the #MysteryBookshopSeries (including an ARC of THE NOVEL ART OF MURDER)Plum & Punch Ceramic Poodle Trinket Tray Enter Contest
Meet V.M. (Valerie) Burns
Valerie was born in Northwestern Indiana and spent many years in Southwestern Michigan on the Lake Michigan shoreline. She is a lover of dogs, British historic cozies, and scones with clotted cream. After many years in the Midwest she went in search of milder winters and currently lives in Eastern Tennessee with her poodles. Her debut novel, The Plot is Murder was nominated for a 2017 Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Valerie is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime.
What Got Me Started Writing?
I have been hooked on cozy mysteries since I read my first Nancy Drew book. When I read my first Agatha Christie, The Murder of Roger Akroyd, I was a goner and there was no turning back. As a lover of cozy mysteries, I’ve often thought, there should be a book about…Eventually, I decided to try my hand at writing. The first series I wrote was the RJ Franklin Mystery Series. It features memories of my childhood in Indiana and especially my godmother. This series also includes the songs and the tastes of my childhood, growing up in the church, singing in the choir and eating the delicious southern foods known as ‘soul food.’ However, it took many years and a lot of rejections before I finally found a home for that series.
In the meantime, I had another idea for a series, the Mystery Bookshop Mystery series, and started writing that. At the time when I started this series, I had moved to shores of Lake Michigan in Southwestern Michigan. It was this series which sold first and although my publisher wasn’t interested in the RJ Franklin series, they asked if I wanted to submit a proposal for another series. Many years ago, I spent a lot of years competing with my chocolate toy poodles (Coco and Cash and yes that’s their pictures on the covers of mystery bookshop series) in performance events like Dog Agility and Canine Obedience and thought it would be great to write a mystery series which included dogs and my time as a member of a dog club.
Mystery Bookshop Mystery Series
This unique mystery series will include two mysteries for the reader to solve – the historical British cozy Samantha's writing, and the Mystery she is living.
THE PLOT IS MURDER
After Samantha Washington’s husband dies, she quits her job as an English teacher to pursue their shared dream of opening a Mystery Bookstore. When the realtor who listed the building for sale, and later tried to stop Samantha from purchasing, is found dead in the back courtyard, the police think Samantha is a good suspect. With the help of her grandmother and her friends from the retirement village, Samantha sets out to find the real murderer.
But opening a mystery bookstore is only one half of Samantha’s dream. The other half includes writing a historic British cozy set between the wars. Included in this book is the British historic cozy tale of Lady Elizabeth Marsh and her family who must solve the mystery of an American who dies in their back garden. THE PLOT IS MURDER
READ HERRING HUNT
Samantha Washington’s assistant and local football hero, Dawson Alexander, is accused of murdering his girlfriend. it’s up to Sam, her grandmother, Nana Jo, and the girls from the retirement village to use their connections to find the real murderer.
In the British historic cozy, American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, attempts to help England avoid war and secure a prominent position for her husband, the former king, Edward the VIII. However, when Wallis’ maid, is found murdered wearing the duchess’s clothes, Lady Elizabeth Marsh must determine not only, who the intended victim was, but must catch a cunning murderer and avoid a catastrophe that could send not only England but the entire world into another war.
READ HERRING HUNT
THE NOVEL ART OF MURDER (Releases November 27, 2018)
Washington’s grandmother, Nana Jo, is passed over for an important part in the Shady Acres Retirement Village and her rival is murdered after a violent argument, Nana Jo becomes the prime suspect for murder. It’s up to Sam and the girls to solve the murder and find the real killer.
Lady Daphne Marsh is expecting His Grace, James Browning the Duke of Kingfordshire, will propose marriage while they are at the home of their cousin, Winston Churchill. However, when Winston’s son, Randolph’s date is murdered, Lady Daphne is suspected. Can the Marshes clear Lady Daphne’s name and prevent scandal falling on the already beleaguered Member of Parliament, Winston Churchill?
THE NOVEL ART OF MURDER Dog Club Mystery Series
IN THE DOG HOUSE
When Lilly Echosby’s husband, Albert, decides to end their twenty-five-year marriage and trade his forty-something-year-old wife in for a younger model, she’s furious. When her husband is murdered, Lilly is arrested for murder. Can Lilly and her team including: three women, two men, three poodles and one Plott Hound find the real killer before she or someone she cares about become the killer’s next victim. IN THE DOG HOUSE
THE PUPPY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (Releases February 2019)
Lilly's left behind the drama of Lighthouse Dunes, Indiana to start over in the hometown of her best friend, Scarlett "Dixie" Jefferson. As she gets settled in her new rented house, Lilly gives Aggie, short for Agatha Christie, her own fresh start by enrolling her in the Eastern Tennessee Dog Club, where Dixie is a trainer. But drama seems to hound Lilly like a persistent stray. Her cranky new neighbor appears unfamiliar with Southern hospitality and complains that Aggie barks too much and digs up his prized tulips. But what the poodle actually unearths is the buried body of a mysterious man who claimed ownership of the lost golden retriever Lilly recently rescued. Now it's up to Lilly and Dixie to try to muzzle another murderer.
THE PUPPY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH RJ Franklin Mystery Series
In this multicultural mystery series, all the titles are taken from Negro Spirituals. Each book includes soul food recipes that provide a taste of the African American culture depicted in the books.
TRAVELLIN’ SHOES
When the choir director at a local church is bludgeoned, shot, and set afire, Detective R.J. Franklin is pulled in to investigate. With very little information to go on, R.J. sets out to catch a killer. Thankfully he is isn't alone. With a lot of help from his colorful Godmother, Mama B, his partner and a new love interest who might turn out to be a suspect, R.J. has to follow the trail and solve the murder before the murderer kills again. TRAVELLIN' SHOES Connect with V.M. Burns at the following websites:
Website TWITTER FACEBOOK Bookbub
Diane Rapp Kensington Publishing Contest:
Help Mystery Bookshop owner, Samantha Washington dig up the truth before it’s too late!
One Winner Will Receive:Full Set of the #MysteryBookshopSeries (including an ARC of THE NOVEL ART OF MURDER)Plum & Punch Ceramic Poodle Trinket Tray Enter Contest
Meet V.M. (Valerie) BurnsValerie was born in Northwestern Indiana and spent many years in Southwestern Michigan on the Lake Michigan shoreline. She is a lover of dogs, British historic cozies, and scones with clotted cream. After many years in the Midwest she went in search of milder winters and currently lives in Eastern Tennessee with her poodles. Her debut novel, The Plot is Murder was nominated for a 2017 Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Valerie is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime.
What Got Me Started Writing?
I have been hooked on cozy mysteries since I read my first Nancy Drew book. When I read my first Agatha Christie, The Murder of Roger Akroyd, I was a goner and there was no turning back. As a lover of cozy mysteries, I’ve often thought, there should be a book about…Eventually, I decided to try my hand at writing. The first series I wrote was the RJ Franklin Mystery Series. It features memories of my childhood in Indiana and especially my godmother. This series also includes the songs and the tastes of my childhood, growing up in the church, singing in the choir and eating the delicious southern foods known as ‘soul food.’ However, it took many years and a lot of rejections before I finally found a home for that series.
In the meantime, I had another idea for a series, the Mystery Bookshop Mystery series, and started writing that. At the time when I started this series, I had moved to shores of Lake Michigan in Southwestern Michigan. It was this series which sold first and although my publisher wasn’t interested in the RJ Franklin series, they asked if I wanted to submit a proposal for another series. Many years ago, I spent a lot of years competing with my chocolate toy poodles (Coco and Cash and yes that’s their pictures on the covers of mystery bookshop series) in performance events like Dog Agility and Canine Obedience and thought it would be great to write a mystery series which included dogs and my time as a member of a dog club.
Mystery Bookshop Mystery Series
This unique mystery series will include two mysteries for the reader to solve – the historical British cozy Samantha's writing, and the Mystery she is living.
THE PLOT IS MURDER
After Samantha Washington’s husband dies, she quits her job as an English teacher to pursue their shared dream of opening a Mystery Bookstore. When the realtor who listed the building for sale, and later tried to stop Samantha from purchasing, is found dead in the back courtyard, the police think Samantha is a good suspect. With the help of her grandmother and her friends from the retirement village, Samantha sets out to find the real murderer.
But opening a mystery bookstore is only one half of Samantha’s dream. The other half includes writing a historic British cozy set between the wars. Included in this book is the British historic cozy tale of Lady Elizabeth Marsh and her family who must solve the mystery of an American who dies in their back garden. THE PLOT IS MURDER
READ HERRING HUNTSamantha Washington’s assistant and local football hero, Dawson Alexander, is accused of murdering his girlfriend. it’s up to Sam, her grandmother, Nana Jo, and the girls from the retirement village to use their connections to find the real murderer.
In the British historic cozy, American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, attempts to help England avoid war and secure a prominent position for her husband, the former king, Edward the VIII. However, when Wallis’ maid, is found murdered wearing the duchess’s clothes, Lady Elizabeth Marsh must determine not only, who the intended victim was, but must catch a cunning murderer and avoid a catastrophe that could send not only England but the entire world into another war.
READ HERRING HUNT
THE NOVEL ART OF MURDER (Releases November 27, 2018)Washington’s grandmother, Nana Jo, is passed over for an important part in the Shady Acres Retirement Village and her rival is murdered after a violent argument, Nana Jo becomes the prime suspect for murder. It’s up to Sam and the girls to solve the murder and find the real killer.
Lady Daphne Marsh is expecting His Grace, James Browning the Duke of Kingfordshire, will propose marriage while they are at the home of their cousin, Winston Churchill. However, when Winston’s son, Randolph’s date is murdered, Lady Daphne is suspected. Can the Marshes clear Lady Daphne’s name and prevent scandal falling on the already beleaguered Member of Parliament, Winston Churchill?
THE NOVEL ART OF MURDER Dog Club Mystery Series
IN THE DOG HOUSE
When Lilly Echosby’s husband, Albert, decides to end their twenty-five-year marriage and trade his forty-something-year-old wife in for a younger model, she’s furious. When her husband is murdered, Lilly is arrested for murder. Can Lilly and her team including: three women, two men, three poodles and one Plott Hound find the real killer before she or someone she cares about become the killer’s next victim. IN THE DOG HOUSE
THE PUPPY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (Releases February 2019)Lilly's left behind the drama of Lighthouse Dunes, Indiana to start over in the hometown of her best friend, Scarlett "Dixie" Jefferson. As she gets settled in her new rented house, Lilly gives Aggie, short for Agatha Christie, her own fresh start by enrolling her in the Eastern Tennessee Dog Club, where Dixie is a trainer. But drama seems to hound Lilly like a persistent stray. Her cranky new neighbor appears unfamiliar with Southern hospitality and complains that Aggie barks too much and digs up his prized tulips. But what the poodle actually unearths is the buried body of a mysterious man who claimed ownership of the lost golden retriever Lilly recently rescued. Now it's up to Lilly and Dixie to try to muzzle another murderer.
THE PUPPY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH RJ Franklin Mystery Series
In this multicultural mystery series, all the titles are taken from Negro Spirituals. Each book includes soul food recipes that provide a taste of the African American culture depicted in the books.
TRAVELLIN’ SHOES
When the choir director at a local church is bludgeoned, shot, and set afire, Detective R.J. Franklin is pulled in to investigate. With very little information to go on, R.J. sets out to catch a killer. Thankfully he is isn't alone. With a lot of help from his colorful Godmother, Mama B, his partner and a new love interest who might turn out to be a suspect, R.J. has to follow the trail and solve the murder before the murderer kills again. TRAVELLIN' SHOES Connect with V.M. Burns at the following websites:
Website TWITTER FACEBOOK Bookbub
October 26, 2018
Jaime Munn, Paranormal Author
I met Jaime in a science fiction & fantasy retweet group, and I've enjoyed reading the books profiled here. If you like a bit of mystery mixed with paranormal creatures, then this series will appeal to you. Nilla may be a witch, but she's not the kind you're used to reading about. Check out these books and get hooked on the series.
Diane Rapp
Meet Jaime Munn:
He lives in a house with too many windows on the outskirts of Manchester, the city of immortal bees. He writes contemporary and urban fantasy stories. His novels blend the real world with his fascination for all things supernatural. By day he is a hypnotherapist. By night, he is not a vampire.
Why did you start this series?
Hello, I’m Jaime, and I’m not a vampire. Although vampire novels were what ended up luring me away from the adventure novels I was heavily into back in the day. They thrust me neck deep (pun so intended) into fantasy land. I was completely won over by the unlimited imagination inside these books, and although my to be read pile is somewhat eclectic, I generally first pick the book with something fantastic in it. Why read ordinary when you can read extraordinary? That’s how I ended up writing in the fantasy genre…and it’s how I first met Nilla Hayes. She’s a witch. She doesn’t kill people. Not ever. She also has a lot of trouble hanging onto a girlfriend…or maybe she’s changing that since she moved out of the city and into a quaint little town with just a smidge more magic in the air.
Nilla is who I want to talk to you about today.
I was drawn into writing the Witchlight books by the fact that there were a whole lot of badass characters in Urban Fantasy who could do it all. They kicked ass hard. They were champions in marksmanship. Knew how to master any weapon. They had all the skills and abilities they needed to get things done. They were one woman (or one man) armies. I thought, what if you can’t do it all alone? What if you had a hero who was not a master of everything she needed to blast her enemies and their allies into dust on the wind? What if the superhero needed help…not just a little help, but sometimes a lot of help? What if the hero absolutely couldn’t win alone?
Don’t get me wrong; I do love a kickass hero who can take out a death squad, manage a side job or two at the same time, and have all the aces up their sleeves to make sure the big bad goes right back to hell! Who doesn’t? The Witchlight series just has a different premise that I found interesting and I thought my readers would too.
I wrote a short to explore the concept and GLOAM was the result. Nilla Hayes was my hero, and she didn’t have all the skills. She also comes with some self-imposed limitations. Usually, she gets her win with a lot of help. I enjoyed writing her so much that I decided to write more. This witch is a personal favourite, and I do intend to continue telling more stories about Nilla Hayes, her friends, and her benefactors.
Dip your toe in with the quick read GLOAM (it’s free).
GLOAM
Tell a Witch a Lie
I saw the corpse shadow from the corner of my eye; a sallow bruise like a tornado sky. It hung there, unmoving, no matter which way I turned my head. It wasn’t ready to drift across my vision and reveal itself. I sighed, mentally preparing for a day stalked by the reluctant shade.
This morning Nilla Hayes woke up with death. She’s not sure whose death it is, but when she finds out her day isn’t going to get a whole lot better. You can’t solve everything with witchcraft. Gloam (Free)
LUSTRE
Witch in Haste
It was just after my latest werewolf girlfriend opted for ex. Emotionally, I was a bit of a mess. That’s the only way I can explain why I took a job from an angel. Perhaps too that is why the memory of that day hasn’t faded one bit.
It takes a special kind of very bad day to break the one rule that every witch has. Never – and I mean never, never – work for angels. If breaking up is hard to do, try it while hunting down a dream thief with a mean streak. Add in a very tight deadline courtesy of your unfriendly, neighbourhood supernatural, and even if the job is all expenses paid, it still amounts to a very, very bad day. You can’t cash anything from the other side. When you witch in haste…your regrets might make the obituaries. Lustre
BUMP
Be Careful Who You Witch For
Ever had that feeling – when you’re completely alone – that you’re being watched? I envy you. I see the watcher in an empty room, and I firmly believe ignorance would be bliss.
Nilla Hayes has a problem. It isn’t the pretty werewolf she shouldn’t be attracted to. It isn’t that her best friend is trying to set her up, either. There are things going bump in the night, and they all start with a wicked witch. Things would be a lot easier if Nilla could just turn a blind eye, but not all witches are bad.
Now it’s war – and no one is safe when witches duel with magic.
Bump Connect with Jaime Munn at the following websites: Website Facebook twitter
Diane Rapp
Meet Jaime Munn:
He lives in a house with too many windows on the outskirts of Manchester, the city of immortal bees. He writes contemporary and urban fantasy stories. His novels blend the real world with his fascination for all things supernatural. By day he is a hypnotherapist. By night, he is not a vampire.
Why did you start this series?
Hello, I’m Jaime, and I’m not a vampire. Although vampire novels were what ended up luring me away from the adventure novels I was heavily into back in the day. They thrust me neck deep (pun so intended) into fantasy land. I was completely won over by the unlimited imagination inside these books, and although my to be read pile is somewhat eclectic, I generally first pick the book with something fantastic in it. Why read ordinary when you can read extraordinary? That’s how I ended up writing in the fantasy genre…and it’s how I first met Nilla Hayes. She’s a witch. She doesn’t kill people. Not ever. She also has a lot of trouble hanging onto a girlfriend…or maybe she’s changing that since she moved out of the city and into a quaint little town with just a smidge more magic in the air.
Nilla is who I want to talk to you about today.
I was drawn into writing the Witchlight books by the fact that there were a whole lot of badass characters in Urban Fantasy who could do it all. They kicked ass hard. They were champions in marksmanship. Knew how to master any weapon. They had all the skills and abilities they needed to get things done. They were one woman (or one man) armies. I thought, what if you can’t do it all alone? What if you had a hero who was not a master of everything she needed to blast her enemies and their allies into dust on the wind? What if the superhero needed help…not just a little help, but sometimes a lot of help? What if the hero absolutely couldn’t win alone?
Don’t get me wrong; I do love a kickass hero who can take out a death squad, manage a side job or two at the same time, and have all the aces up their sleeves to make sure the big bad goes right back to hell! Who doesn’t? The Witchlight series just has a different premise that I found interesting and I thought my readers would too.
I wrote a short to explore the concept and GLOAM was the result. Nilla Hayes was my hero, and she didn’t have all the skills. She also comes with some self-imposed limitations. Usually, she gets her win with a lot of help. I enjoyed writing her so much that I decided to write more. This witch is a personal favourite, and I do intend to continue telling more stories about Nilla Hayes, her friends, and her benefactors.
Dip your toe in with the quick read GLOAM (it’s free).
GLOAMTell a Witch a Lie
I saw the corpse shadow from the corner of my eye; a sallow bruise like a tornado sky. It hung there, unmoving, no matter which way I turned my head. It wasn’t ready to drift across my vision and reveal itself. I sighed, mentally preparing for a day stalked by the reluctant shade.
This morning Nilla Hayes woke up with death. She’s not sure whose death it is, but when she finds out her day isn’t going to get a whole lot better. You can’t solve everything with witchcraft. Gloam (Free)
LUSTREWitch in Haste
It was just after my latest werewolf girlfriend opted for ex. Emotionally, I was a bit of a mess. That’s the only way I can explain why I took a job from an angel. Perhaps too that is why the memory of that day hasn’t faded one bit.
It takes a special kind of very bad day to break the one rule that every witch has. Never – and I mean never, never – work for angels. If breaking up is hard to do, try it while hunting down a dream thief with a mean streak. Add in a very tight deadline courtesy of your unfriendly, neighbourhood supernatural, and even if the job is all expenses paid, it still amounts to a very, very bad day. You can’t cash anything from the other side. When you witch in haste…your regrets might make the obituaries. Lustre
BUMPBe Careful Who You Witch For
Ever had that feeling – when you’re completely alone – that you’re being watched? I envy you. I see the watcher in an empty room, and I firmly believe ignorance would be bliss.
Nilla Hayes has a problem. It isn’t the pretty werewolf she shouldn’t be attracted to. It isn’t that her best friend is trying to set her up, either. There are things going bump in the night, and they all start with a wicked witch. Things would be a lot easier if Nilla could just turn a blind eye, but not all witches are bad.
Now it’s war – and no one is safe when witches duel with magic.
Bump Connect with Jaime Munn at the following websites: Website Facebook twitter
October 19, 2018
Elyse Salpeter, Spiritual Mysteries
Meet Elyse Salpeter:She is an author who loves mixing "the real with the fantastic" in her books. She likes nothing better than taking different scenarios and creating worlds where things just aren't what they appear to be.
Her 5 book thriller series, THE HUNT FOR XANADU, THE QUEST OF THE EMPTY TOMB, THE CALL OF MOUNT SUMERU, THE HAUNTING OF CRAGG HILL HOUSE, and THE SEARCH FOR STARLIGHT are about a brilliant and fearless young woman named Kelsey Porter, whose life is steeped in Buddhist spiritual mysteries and she is constantly discovering the world around her is not what she believed it to be.
Her Dark Fantasy Series, THE WORLD OF KAROV and THE RUBY AMULET take us to other realms filled with magic and evil as a dark presence is seeping through the dimensions.
Her YA novels, FLYING TO THE LIGHT and FLYING TO THE FIRE are about a young deaf boy who knows what happens to you when you die and now people are after him for the answers.
Lastly, her horror novel, THE MANNEQUINS, is about a film crew that enters an abandoned mansion and disappears, while her horror anthology, RICKET ROW is filled with creepy tales, guaranteed to keep you up at night.
When she's not writing, she's cooking, gardening, running around with her twins and eating shock food in her Gastronaut Club.
What got me started writing this series:This is an interesting story. I have been writing for years, concentrating on horror and fantasy novels. But I am a huge fan of the Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child Aloysius Pendergast series. I’m fascinated at the amount of research and interesting, smart topics they cover in these books and I decided that I wanted to create a series that I thought THESE authors would love. So I started the Kelsey Porter series. It’s steeped in Buddhist spiritual mysteries. Everything is based on real lore (though I do twist some of it to fit my own literary devices).
After I wrote the first few books, I got the courage to contact Douglas Preston to see if he’d like to review it. I told him what the series was about and he asked to read it! And, he gave me a stellar review. My dream to write a series my favorite authors would love came to fruition!
THE HUNT FOR XANADU
She survived… but she was the only one.
Who murdered her parents?
At twenty-two years old, Kelsey Porter has been trying to avenge her parent's death for years. Why had they taken her to Tibet? Why had they actually believed in the mystical land of Xanadu? Why had they dedicated their life to finding it… only to get killed on their quest? Xanadu wasn’t real.
Or was it?
She needed to know more and with the help of Detective Desmond Gisborne, maybe they could find the killers and avenge her parent's deaths. She had nothing to lose.
Or did she?
You'll love this thriller for its action and suspense, and because everyone secretly craves a quest for vengeance.
REVIEW: The Hunt for Xanadu by Elyse Salpeter is a remarkable novel, a fascinating and fantastical journey in time and space, and one of the most gripping novels I've read in a long time. It flies along at the pace of a thriller, with plenty of murder and mayhem along the way. But behind the thrill-ride is a spiritual story, an archetypal tale of mystery and darkness,riddled with fascinating and esoteric concepts in Tibetan Buddhism. Vivid characters, a truly appealing protagonist, unexpected twists, and crisp writing complete this unforgettable book. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
--Douglas Preston, #1 bestselling author and co-creator, with Lincoln Child, of the Pendergast series
FUN FACT: The Hunt for Xanadu appeared on Jeopardy!’s October 25, 2016 issue as a $200 question.
Buy Hunt for Xanadu
THE SEARCH FOR STARLIGHT (NEW NOVEL)She just needed to complete a simple errand... how hard could that be?
As soon as Kelsey embarks on the Emperor and Empress's request to locate a mysterious object and return it to them, her entire world is plunged into chaos.
Someone is following her, someone else has broken into her home, and now she believes the people she trusted most have all been lying to her.
As Kelsey unravels the truth, she learns that her journey to this moment has never been entirely her own. Until now.
Readers will love this novel, which holds the answers to all your questions that have arisen throughout the series. Connect with Elyse Salpeter at the following locations:
Website Amazon Author's Page Universal Book Links Instagram Wordpress Facebook Twitter
October 12, 2018
Laurie Woodward, Children's Fantasy
About Laurie Woodward:“I want children to see the magic inside them,” says author, blogger, and long-time educator and author Laurie Woodward. “I want to empower them. I would like students to learn that by becoming effective communicators and helping other children to resolve conflicts peacefully they are making the world a more positive place to live. They learn that giving to others builds self-esteem and creates memories they can be proud of for a lifetime.”
Laurie Woodward was born in Chico, California and moved to Santa Maria in third grade. As a child, she loved climbing trees, pounding her chest while crying “Ah-ah-ah,” like Tarzan, reading, and daydreaming. But the diary she got for her eleventh birthday soon became a treasured friend, one she’d turn to again and again as she navigated her way to adulthood.
After graduating from Camarillo High School, Woodward attended Hancock College where she joined several environmental and human rights groups to work for conservation and peace. She even became vice-president of a group that was instrumental in getting recycling bins on that campus. After she transferred to San Diego State University to study social work she continued her activism and was blessed to be a resident in the communal home, Intersection House, run by Campus Christian Ministries. Here, she worked to help the homeless, unemployed, was a “big sister,” hosted weekly vegetarian dinners for the community, and shared a vision for peace with a group of like-minded people.
During college she worked at a variety of jobs such as Catalina Island camp counselor, waitress, lifeguard, and swim instructor.
She married in her senior year and her son, Nicholas, was born. After graduating, she and her husband, photographer, David Stroup, moved to Nipomo where she has lived ever since. All the while journaling about her life’s journey.
When Nick was two, she worked as a coordinator for a rape crisis agency where she organized and trained hotline volunteers, taught rape prevention classes, engaged in phone counseling, and provided accompaniments for rape or abuse victims during hospital exams. While being of service fulfilled a part of her, the long hours away from her family soon made her reexamine her career choice.
1n the 1990’s she went back to school to become a teacher, receiving her teaching credential from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo a month before her daughter, Jessica, was born.
For the past twenty-four years she has worked as a bilingual elementary school teacher in Santa Maria. At the same time, she raised her family and worked on honing her writing skills. Since working full-time while being a mother leaves little time for writing, she started a practice of rising an hour early to work on her poetry, stories, and about 15 years ago, novels.
As an author, she was thrilled to finally receive a publishing contract from the small press, Creativia in 2017. Now her published works include The Artania Chronicles, Forest Secrets and co-writing The Dolphin Legacy. Laurie was also a collaborator on the Dean and JoJo anti-bullying DVD, Resolutions. Every book contains a lasting message of hope showing the reader that when one is true to him/herself bullies can be defeated in both real and fantasy worlds.
What inspired you to write this series?
All kinds of things inspire me. Dreams. Things I read. A shape in the clouds. The idea behind Forest Secrets began when I was traveling in Alaska. I remember looking out the window at each of the trees and thinking how each was unique, almost human, as if the trees were morphing form. I began The Artania Chronicles when our government started putting so much emphasis on test scores in schools. It felt like overnight that creativity was being replaced by rote learning. As teachers were told to do less art, music, and other creative endeavours, it felt like we were squelching a beautiful part of children, their creative selves.
To me, that creativity is magical. Thus, in Artania, every time a child sketches, paints, or sculpts, it births a beautiful part of children, their creative selves. But when people turn away from their true selves it gives rise to these monsters I call Shadow Swine whose purpose is stop all creation.
THE PHARAOH’S CRY (BOOK I OF THE ARTANIA CHRONICLES)
Can a kid who’s forced to bathe six times a day save a magical world? It’s not his fault his father drowned in a mud puddle just before he was born, turning Mother into a cleaning fanatic. Now eleven-year-old Bartholomew Borax III can’t go to school, play outside, or, worst of all, make art. But he has to. So he sketches in secret.
Then two amazing things happen, he’s allowed to go to school and he meets skateboarding painter, Alexander Devinci. In Bartholomew’s book, Alex is wicked cool because he gets needing to create. But sharing glimpses of a freaky world every time they brush past each other makes for a tentative friendship. Meanwhile, Alex’s strained relationship with his mother takes an ominous turn when she has a heart attack, leading Bartholomew to reach out.
Later, during an art museum field trip, a rainbow inside a painting yanks the boys into another realm. Bartholomew’s living in an antiseptic mansion is nothing in comparison to how weird Artania is with living paintings, sculptures, and sketches. It shares some mystical connection with Earth, but is in grave danger. Twelve pharaohs have been captured and if they are not freed soon, an entire Artanian nation will be destroyed. But only Alex and Bartholomew’s powers can rescue them.
No way.
When he sees a struggling Artanian child pulled underground, Bartholomew finally agrees to help, not knowing if it will be enough. With Egyptian gods, goddesses, and warriors at their side, they brave a series of battles, duels, and skateboarding escapes. Bartholomew blunders again and again. Amidst dead and wounded comrades, his guilt grows. As his confidence begins to erode, he must work with Alex but it takes all of his talents and more to battle an evil race of shadowy creatures. For only the power of true creation will finally defeat Sickhert’s army and bring art back to the world. Artania, The Pharaoh's Cry
KIDNAPPED SMILE (BOOK II OF THE ARTANIA CHRONICLES)
Mona Lisa kidnapped? Her father, Leonardo, in tears? What will the Deliverers do?
It has been a year since Alex and Bartholomew first ventured into the mystical Artania. Once again they are called upon to keep this art-created world safe.
But peril waits at every turn.
Traitorous Pirates. Fearful gods and goddesses. Monsters of the deep. A world’s safety lies in the hands three twelve-year-olds. Alex and Bartholomew, with their spunky sidekick Gwen, return to Artania to wrench the kidnapped Mona Lisa from the hands of ruthless pirates.
As shadowy dream-invading creatures unleash a new power, dragons appear over Santa Barbara but disappear from a mystical land. Fearful, The Thinker calls upon an unlikely trio of thirteen-year-olds to find out why. Soon, Alex, the brooding painter, Bartholomew, the home-schooled sculptor, and Gwen, the skater girl, enter his art-created world on a quest to return the elusive golden dragons to the sky. With battling dragons, murderous outlaws, and enchanted scrolls these teens will need to find strengths they never knew they had in a relentless battle to keep an entire land from turning to dust. Kidnapped Smile
DRAGON SKY
(BOOK III OF THE ARTANIA CHRONICLES)
As shadowy dream-invading creatures unleash a new power, dragons disappear from a mystical, art-created world.
Soon after, Alex, Bartholomew and Gwen enter this magical place on a quest to return the elusive golden dragons to the sky.
With battles in the skies, dangerous outlaws and enchanted scrolls, the three teens will need to find strengths they never knew they had in a relentless battle to keep an entire land from turning to dust
When a mystical art-created land is in danger it’s up to an unlikely trio of kids to save it. Once they enter this magical place, Alex, Bartholomew and Gwen join gods, goddesses, and painted beings in a battle against an evil race bent on annihilating all art. But it won’t be easy as only the true art will keep Artania safe.
Dragon Sky
FOREST SECRETS
The half-tree, half-human beings lived a secret existence deep in the old growth forest.
Until now.
When 11-year old Daisy Castillo discovers a plot to destroy the forest, she tries to halt the approaching evil while keeping these magical creatures from being discovered.
But danger waits in every shadow. For if these corrupt men succeed, the Forest People will die. A few surprises are in store, as some unknown and undiscovered friendships hold the key to her success. Fate hangs in the balance as Daisy faces her deepest fears, including heartbreak from the past, to rise up against all odds.
Suspenseful, mysterious, and full of danger, Forest Secrets captures the enchantment of nature and the power of friendship in this classic tale of good vs. evil. Forest Secrets
DEAN AND JOJO:THE DOLPHIN LEGACY
(COWRITER)
As a young dive instructor, Dean Bernal visits the quiet bays of the Turks and Caicos Islands and meets a wild bottlenose dolphin named JoJo. Fascinated by the beauty and playfulness of the intelligent animal, he is immediately mesmerized, and they soon become close companions, diving, playing, and swimming in the crystalline blue waters of the islands. This sparks the beginning of a deep friendship that spans decades. Over the years and with great patience, Dean carefully gains the dolphin’s trust.
In the safety of isolated bays, they explore the coral reefs and caves, and out at sea they body surf hurricane waves, and get lost in lightning storms. Dean confronts sharks to save JoJo when he is small and when he matures the dolphin defends Dean from predators. But when the encroachment of man and his machines severely injure JoJo, it forces Dean to administer aid to his suffering friend and save him from certain death. Dean is called to action.
He begins a campaign to protect JoJo from machines and from those driven by greed who wish to capture him. Dean seeks to safeguard his environment and habitat from destructive development and the intrusion of tourism. But it isn’t easy and many are opposed to his efforts. However, after many years of international media exposure in magazines, newspapers, and films, which put pressure upon corrupt government officials and crooked businesses, JoJo is declared a national treasure and Dean is appointed his official warden.
But the battle is just beginning. There are growing controversies with unscrupulous government officials, exploitive executives, and suspicious strikes from ski boats. Later JoJo’s entrapment in a strategically placed turtle net almost kills him. Still, the love for this dolphin keeps Dean fighting. And as JoJo touches more and more people, Dean learns about our human ability to heal ourselves through nature and how compassion shown to animals brings us openness, sensitivity, and peace.
Dean and JoJo, The Dolphin Legacy
Let your inner Super-Hero shine! Picture of my daughter, Jess, and I at a Superhero day at school. Here There are FREE anti-bullying and peace resources on my website and blog. I was bullied horribly as a child: told I was an ugly dog daily, grabbed, pushed, and once a group of popular girls held my 7th grade boyfriend and me by the arms and tried to force our faces together in in a kiss. I still feel that pain and want to help others however I can. There are scores of free lessons and ideas to help parents, teachers, caregivers, and children. Website Facebook Page Vimeo Read-Alouds Page Book Bub BLOG Twitter Amazon Author Page
October 5, 2018
Anna Celeste Burke, Cozy Mysteries
If you enjoy reading a good mystery with interesting characters, you can't go wrong with this talented author. Fair warning--you'll get hooked on the series you start and must read them all.
Diane Rapp
Meet Anna Celeste Burke:
Thank you, Diane, for inviting me to share my work with your readers. In my retirement from my role as a professor and research dean, I’m still a little surprised to find I’ve become an award-winning, USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling mystery author.
I publish as ANNA CELESTE BURKE and write Cozy Mystery, Mystery, and Romantic Suspense stories all focused on “ Snooping into life's mysteries with fun, fiction, & food--California style!”
Please tell us about your series:
The Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery series was my first series. It’s set in the California desert near Palm Springs, which for much of the year passes as something akin to an earthly paradise. The area has attracted more than its share of moguls, movie stars, pop stars, and presidents. I thought it would be interesting to put a member of the monied class in paradise and run her ragged.
Jessica Huntington, an unconventional sleuth with a shopping addiction and panic disorder is a child of privilege. As she hurtles toward midlife she suddenly finds she’s become a calamity magnet—beginning with the ruthless betrayal by her would-be “master of the universe” husband.
A little spoiled, and way in over her head when she takes up sleuthing, Jessica’s got a heart of gold. Loyal to her friends, resourceful, and intent on overcoming her bad habits, she’s on a mission. If money doesn’t make you happy, what does? Justice for her friends, family members, and clients who fall prey to the well-heeled heels who move in her social circles.
Mystery, suspense, romance, and humor—all the elements that I find interesting in cozy and traditional mysteries make their way into the books in this series. Because I was a chef at Walt Disney World before I became a stodgy professor, my characters also eat well. There are five books in this series with a sixth—A Dead Nephew—in the planning stages.
Each of the books features a self-contained mystery that’s solved by the end of the book. The bigger mysteries in Jessica’s life, though, continue and are central to her development as a character. All the books in the Jessica Huntington Series are free to read with Kindle Unlimited. Series on Amazon
A Dead Husband
Jessica Huntington
Desert Cities Mystery #1
Even in a desert paradise, life is full of unpleasant surprises like a dead husband.
"My first day as a sleuth was more Stephanie Plum than Miss Marple." Meet Jessica Huntington, an amateur sleuth with a shopping jones and a black AMEX card. She soon finds out that money can’t buy happiness or save your neck. Her well-planned life in shambles, she’s hiding out near Palm Springs, California. When her best friend’s husband is murdered, Jessica and her friends are soon stalked by scoundrels in pantyhose, stilettos, Bruno Maglis, and Armani suits. Roger Stone had something that got him killed. What was it and what will his killer do to get it back? A Dead Husband
A Dead Sister
Jessica Huntington
Desert Cities Mystery #2
A down and out meth addict claims to have witnessed the murder of Kelly Fontana, and a decade-old cold case heats up.
Who killed Jessica Huntington's troubled 19-year-old friend all those years ago in a hit-and-run accident? More than a decade after her death, Chester Davis claims, “It weren’t no accident!” Why would anyone have murdered the auburn-haired beauty with the voice of an angel and a streak of something wild?
Jessica teams up with Kelly's handsome cousin, Detective Frank Fontana, to uncover the truth and get justice for Kelly. Join Jessica, Frank, and their quirky friends as they try to figure out whodunit and why! A Dead Sister
A Dead Daughter
Jessica Huntington
Desert Cities Mystery #3
Murder and mayhem take Jessica Huntington to new heights when Libby Van Der Woert insists on meeting at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
Jessica Huntington’s back and hot on the trail of bad guys with deep pockets! What’s up with the missing and misguided daughters of wealth and privilege in the care of esteemed psychiatrist, Dr. Carr? He’s not talking—he’s dead.
Getting to the bottom of things Jessica-Huntington-style, sets off a whirlwind tour of fashionable enclaves, upscale rehab clinics, shops, restaurants and other haute hangouts. Behind all the glitz and glam Jessica discovers secrets, lies, malpractice, and corporate wheeling and dealing. How can Jessica and her friends outwit and outlive ‘la crème de la crud’ wreaking havoc from Palm Springs to Beverly Hills? A Dead Daughter
A Dead Mother
Jessica Huntington
Desert Cities Mystery # 4
Family dysfunction, infidelity, murder, and mayhem--what else can you expect from members of the rich and famous in Jessica Huntington's social circles?
Jessica's mother, Alexis, and her ex-husband, Jim Harper, are in big trouble in A Dead Mother. Mom's back in the desert--in the hospital. An arraignment in court goes off the rails after Jim Harper's Bel Air mansion is trashed and a man is left fighting for his life. Jessica's love life almost veers off track, too, as she struggles to balance job, family, sleuthing, and her attraction to Attorney Paul Worthington and Detective Frank Fontana.
When the body of her client, a prominent member of the Palm Desert community, is found dead on the side of the road, Jessica gives up hope that this year will be better than the last. There are plenty of well-heeled heels to choose from among the suspects with murderous motives: love, lust, lucre, and loathing. A Dead Mother
A Dead Cousin
Jessica Huntington
Desert Cities Mystery #5
More murder and mayhem have calamity magnet, Jessica Huntington, desperately searching for the truth—this time it’s Frank!
A frantic call for help has Jessica on the run.
Taken from his home while his daughter hides upstairs, Detective Frank Fontana is gone. Jessica’s out to save him, but what if he doesn’t want to be found? Has he been abducted or is he on the run?
Even a message from Frank isn't all that clear-cut: Trust no one. Even the devil was once an angel. Is it a warning to Jessica or a confession as Frank’s partner, Detective Rikki Havens, suggests?
When a body turns up, the identity of the victim only fuels the controversy. Good cops. Bad cops. Missing money. Undercover operations that may or may not have ended. Jessica and her friends soon become entangled in a web of secrets and lies that make it hard to know who’s on which side of the law.
Is Frank a good cop gone bad or in the worst mess of his life? A Dead Cousin Does Jessica Huntington have any remaining living relatives?
Coming next: A Dead Nephew Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery #6
Connect with Anna Celeste Burke at the following links: Amazon Bookbub Facebook Twitter Website & Newsletter Sign UP
Diane Rapp
Meet Anna Celeste Burke:
Thank you, Diane, for inviting me to share my work with your readers. In my retirement from my role as a professor and research dean, I’m still a little surprised to find I’ve become an award-winning, USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling mystery author.
I publish as ANNA CELESTE BURKE and write Cozy Mystery, Mystery, and Romantic Suspense stories all focused on “ Snooping into life's mysteries with fun, fiction, & food--California style!”
Please tell us about your series:
The Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery series was my first series. It’s set in the California desert near Palm Springs, which for much of the year passes as something akin to an earthly paradise. The area has attracted more than its share of moguls, movie stars, pop stars, and presidents. I thought it would be interesting to put a member of the monied class in paradise and run her ragged.
Jessica Huntington, an unconventional sleuth with a shopping addiction and panic disorder is a child of privilege. As she hurtles toward midlife she suddenly finds she’s become a calamity magnet—beginning with the ruthless betrayal by her would-be “master of the universe” husband.
A little spoiled, and way in over her head when she takes up sleuthing, Jessica’s got a heart of gold. Loyal to her friends, resourceful, and intent on overcoming her bad habits, she’s on a mission. If money doesn’t make you happy, what does? Justice for her friends, family members, and clients who fall prey to the well-heeled heels who move in her social circles.
Mystery, suspense, romance, and humor—all the elements that I find interesting in cozy and traditional mysteries make their way into the books in this series. Because I was a chef at Walt Disney World before I became a stodgy professor, my characters also eat well. There are five books in this series with a sixth—A Dead Nephew—in the planning stages.
Each of the books features a self-contained mystery that’s solved by the end of the book. The bigger mysteries in Jessica’s life, though, continue and are central to her development as a character. All the books in the Jessica Huntington Series are free to read with Kindle Unlimited. Series on Amazon
A Dead HusbandJessica Huntington
Desert Cities Mystery #1
Even in a desert paradise, life is full of unpleasant surprises like a dead husband.
"My first day as a sleuth was more Stephanie Plum than Miss Marple." Meet Jessica Huntington, an amateur sleuth with a shopping jones and a black AMEX card. She soon finds out that money can’t buy happiness or save your neck. Her well-planned life in shambles, she’s hiding out near Palm Springs, California. When her best friend’s husband is murdered, Jessica and her friends are soon stalked by scoundrels in pantyhose, stilettos, Bruno Maglis, and Armani suits. Roger Stone had something that got him killed. What was it and what will his killer do to get it back? A Dead Husband
A Dead Sister Jessica Huntington
Desert Cities Mystery #2
A down and out meth addict claims to have witnessed the murder of Kelly Fontana, and a decade-old cold case heats up.
Who killed Jessica Huntington's troubled 19-year-old friend all those years ago in a hit-and-run accident? More than a decade after her death, Chester Davis claims, “It weren’t no accident!” Why would anyone have murdered the auburn-haired beauty with the voice of an angel and a streak of something wild?
Jessica teams up with Kelly's handsome cousin, Detective Frank Fontana, to uncover the truth and get justice for Kelly. Join Jessica, Frank, and their quirky friends as they try to figure out whodunit and why! A Dead Sister
A Dead Daughter Jessica Huntington
Desert Cities Mystery #3
Murder and mayhem take Jessica Huntington to new heights when Libby Van Der Woert insists on meeting at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
Jessica Huntington’s back and hot on the trail of bad guys with deep pockets! What’s up with the missing and misguided daughters of wealth and privilege in the care of esteemed psychiatrist, Dr. Carr? He’s not talking—he’s dead.
Getting to the bottom of things Jessica-Huntington-style, sets off a whirlwind tour of fashionable enclaves, upscale rehab clinics, shops, restaurants and other haute hangouts. Behind all the glitz and glam Jessica discovers secrets, lies, malpractice, and corporate wheeling and dealing. How can Jessica and her friends outwit and outlive ‘la crème de la crud’ wreaking havoc from Palm Springs to Beverly Hills? A Dead Daughter
A Dead MotherJessica Huntington
Desert Cities Mystery # 4
Family dysfunction, infidelity, murder, and mayhem--what else can you expect from members of the rich and famous in Jessica Huntington's social circles?
Jessica's mother, Alexis, and her ex-husband, Jim Harper, are in big trouble in A Dead Mother. Mom's back in the desert--in the hospital. An arraignment in court goes off the rails after Jim Harper's Bel Air mansion is trashed and a man is left fighting for his life. Jessica's love life almost veers off track, too, as she struggles to balance job, family, sleuthing, and her attraction to Attorney Paul Worthington and Detective Frank Fontana.
When the body of her client, a prominent member of the Palm Desert community, is found dead on the side of the road, Jessica gives up hope that this year will be better than the last. There are plenty of well-heeled heels to choose from among the suspects with murderous motives: love, lust, lucre, and loathing. A Dead Mother
A Dead CousinJessica Huntington
Desert Cities Mystery #5
More murder and mayhem have calamity magnet, Jessica Huntington, desperately searching for the truth—this time it’s Frank!
A frantic call for help has Jessica on the run.
Taken from his home while his daughter hides upstairs, Detective Frank Fontana is gone. Jessica’s out to save him, but what if he doesn’t want to be found? Has he been abducted or is he on the run?
Even a message from Frank isn't all that clear-cut: Trust no one. Even the devil was once an angel. Is it a warning to Jessica or a confession as Frank’s partner, Detective Rikki Havens, suggests?
When a body turns up, the identity of the victim only fuels the controversy. Good cops. Bad cops. Missing money. Undercover operations that may or may not have ended. Jessica and her friends soon become entangled in a web of secrets and lies that make it hard to know who’s on which side of the law.
Is Frank a good cop gone bad or in the worst mess of his life? A Dead Cousin Does Jessica Huntington have any remaining living relatives?
Coming next: A Dead Nephew Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery #6
Connect with Anna Celeste Burke at the following links: Amazon Bookbub Facebook Twitter Website & Newsletter Sign UP
September 28, 2018
Julie Moffett, Geek Girl Mystery Writer
To say that I am a fan of Julie Moffett's "Geek Girl Mysteries" is a real understatement. I was impressed with the quirky and funny characters, so I got my husband hooked on the novels (which is really saying something). He NEVER reads "chic novels" but now asks me when Julie's next book is coming out. (He would consider reading one of her Romance novels until a new Geek Girl novel is released--really?)
If you haven't read one of these books yet, then get started! You've got some catching up to do. In addition to the ten-book Lexi Carmichael Series, Julie has a spin-off White Knights Series featuring teenagers who were introduced in Lexi's books. Both series are 5* in our opinion.
Diane Rapp
Meet Julie Moffett:
She is a bestselling author and writes in the genres of mystery, young adult, historical romance and paranormal romance. Julie has won numerous awards, including the 2014 Mystery & Mayhem Award for Best YA/New Adult Mystery, the prestigious 2014 HOLT Award for Best Novel with Romantic Elements, a HOLT Merit Award for Best Novel by a Virginia Author (twice!), the 2016 Award of Excellence, a PRISM Award for Best Romantic Time-Travel AND Best of the Best Paranormal Books of 2002, and the 2011 EPIC Award for Best Action/Adventure Novel. She has also garnered additional nominations for the Bookseller's Best Award, Daphne du Maurier Award and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.
Julie is a military brat (Air Force) and has traveled extensively. Her more exciting exploits include attending high school in Okinawa, Japan; backpacking around Europe and Scandinavia for several months; a year-long college graduate study in Warsaw, Poland; and a wonderful trip to Scotland and Ireland where she fell in love with castles, kilts and brogues.
Julie has a B.A. in Political Science and Russian Language from Colorado College, a M.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and an M.Ed from Liberty University. She has worked as a proposal writer, journalist, teacher, librarian and researcher. Julie speaks Russian and Polish and has two sons. Question: What got you writing the Lexi Carmichael series?
I came up with the idea to feature a hero the exact opposite of a James Bond-type character. So, I created an antithesis character—female, geeky, no fashion sense, socially awkward, and she has to save the day with her BRAIN as opposed to her stellar good looks and charm. From that, Lexi Carmichael, geek extraordinaire, was born. I did, however, make her a Bond geek, which makes for a lot of fun laughs, and some of the titles are twists on Bond themes. I also wanted to make it cool for a woman to be in a highly-dominated male field and have her kicking it, as well as breaking some glass ceilings along the way... :
NO ONE LIVES TWICE
(A Lexi Carmichael Mystery)
Get your Geek On! Prepare for adventure with reformed hacker and trouble magnet Lexi Carmichael as she does whatever it takes to help the good guys win.
I'm Lexi Carmichael, geek extraordinaire. I spend my days stopping computer hackers at the National Security Agency. My nights? Those I spend avoiding my mother and eating cereal for dinner. Even though I work for a top-secret agency, I've never been in an exciting car chase, sipped a stirred (not shaken) martini, or shot a poison dart from an umbrella.
Until today, that is, when two gun-toting thugs popped up in my life and my best friend disappeared. So, I've enlisted the help of the Zimmerman twins—the reclusive architects of America's most sensitive electronic networks—to help me navigate a bewildering maze of leads to find her.
Along the way, my path collides with a sexy government agent and a rich, handsome lawyer, both of whom seem to have the hots for me. Hacking, espionage, sexy spy-men—it's a geek girl's dream come true. If it weren't for those gun-toting thugs… NO ONE LIVES TWICE
WHITE KNIGHTS
(Book 1 in the White Knights series)
Geek Girls Rule!
My name is Angel Sinclair. I’m the youngest senior at Excalibur Academy for the Technologically Gifted and Talented in Washington, DC. I was pushed ahead a year because of my high IQ and considerable prowess behind the keyboard, making me an outcast even among my own peers. I’ve been looking for my dad all my life. A brilliant mathematician and cryptographer, he disappeared under mysterious circumstances when I was eighteen months old. Although my mom tells me I must put him in my past, it only makes me more determined to find out what happened to him.
When weird accidents start happening at my school and the vice principal is involved in a deadly incident, I don’t see it as a coincidence. After launching my own investigation, with the aid of an unexpected set of allies calling themselves the White Knights, I discover a threat far greater than I ever could have imagined. I could take my discoveries to the authorities, but my own investigative methods would be at risk. Can anyone say hacking?
No, it’s up to me to set things right. My objectives are straightforward: clear the name of the vice principal, learn the truth about my father, and stay alive. In other words, save the day and try not to look too much like a dork while doing it. White Knights
Connect with Julie Moffett at the following websites:
Website (Sign up for Newsletter) Amazon Twitter Instagram FACEBOOK Book Bub
If you haven't read one of these books yet, then get started! You've got some catching up to do. In addition to the ten-book Lexi Carmichael Series, Julie has a spin-off White Knights Series featuring teenagers who were introduced in Lexi's books. Both series are 5* in our opinion.
Diane Rapp
Meet Julie Moffett: She is a bestselling author and writes in the genres of mystery, young adult, historical romance and paranormal romance. Julie has won numerous awards, including the 2014 Mystery & Mayhem Award for Best YA/New Adult Mystery, the prestigious 2014 HOLT Award for Best Novel with Romantic Elements, a HOLT Merit Award for Best Novel by a Virginia Author (twice!), the 2016 Award of Excellence, a PRISM Award for Best Romantic Time-Travel AND Best of the Best Paranormal Books of 2002, and the 2011 EPIC Award for Best Action/Adventure Novel. She has also garnered additional nominations for the Bookseller's Best Award, Daphne du Maurier Award and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.
Julie is a military brat (Air Force) and has traveled extensively. Her more exciting exploits include attending high school in Okinawa, Japan; backpacking around Europe and Scandinavia for several months; a year-long college graduate study in Warsaw, Poland; and a wonderful trip to Scotland and Ireland where she fell in love with castles, kilts and brogues.
Julie has a B.A. in Political Science and Russian Language from Colorado College, a M.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and an M.Ed from Liberty University. She has worked as a proposal writer, journalist, teacher, librarian and researcher. Julie speaks Russian and Polish and has two sons. Question: What got you writing the Lexi Carmichael series?
I came up with the idea to feature a hero the exact opposite of a James Bond-type character. So, I created an antithesis character—female, geeky, no fashion sense, socially awkward, and she has to save the day with her BRAIN as opposed to her stellar good looks and charm. From that, Lexi Carmichael, geek extraordinaire, was born. I did, however, make her a Bond geek, which makes for a lot of fun laughs, and some of the titles are twists on Bond themes. I also wanted to make it cool for a woman to be in a highly-dominated male field and have her kicking it, as well as breaking some glass ceilings along the way... :
NO ONE LIVES TWICE (A Lexi Carmichael Mystery)
Get your Geek On! Prepare for adventure with reformed hacker and trouble magnet Lexi Carmichael as she does whatever it takes to help the good guys win.
I'm Lexi Carmichael, geek extraordinaire. I spend my days stopping computer hackers at the National Security Agency. My nights? Those I spend avoiding my mother and eating cereal for dinner. Even though I work for a top-secret agency, I've never been in an exciting car chase, sipped a stirred (not shaken) martini, or shot a poison dart from an umbrella.
Until today, that is, when two gun-toting thugs popped up in my life and my best friend disappeared. So, I've enlisted the help of the Zimmerman twins—the reclusive architects of America's most sensitive electronic networks—to help me navigate a bewildering maze of leads to find her.
Along the way, my path collides with a sexy government agent and a rich, handsome lawyer, both of whom seem to have the hots for me. Hacking, espionage, sexy spy-men—it's a geek girl's dream come true. If it weren't for those gun-toting thugs… NO ONE LIVES TWICE
WHITE KNIGHTS(Book 1 in the White Knights series)
Geek Girls Rule!
My name is Angel Sinclair. I’m the youngest senior at Excalibur Academy for the Technologically Gifted and Talented in Washington, DC. I was pushed ahead a year because of my high IQ and considerable prowess behind the keyboard, making me an outcast even among my own peers. I’ve been looking for my dad all my life. A brilliant mathematician and cryptographer, he disappeared under mysterious circumstances when I was eighteen months old. Although my mom tells me I must put him in my past, it only makes me more determined to find out what happened to him.
When weird accidents start happening at my school and the vice principal is involved in a deadly incident, I don’t see it as a coincidence. After launching my own investigation, with the aid of an unexpected set of allies calling themselves the White Knights, I discover a threat far greater than I ever could have imagined. I could take my discoveries to the authorities, but my own investigative methods would be at risk. Can anyone say hacking?
No, it’s up to me to set things right. My objectives are straightforward: clear the name of the vice principal, learn the truth about my father, and stay alive. In other words, save the day and try not to look too much like a dork while doing it. White Knights
Connect with Julie Moffett at the following websites:
Website (Sign up for Newsletter) Amazon Twitter Instagram FACEBOOK Book Bub
September 21, 2018
Dianne Harman, Cozy Mystery Queen
As far as I am concerned Dianne Harman is definitely the queen of Cozy Mysteries. She has so many wonderful books that we were forced to concentrate on just one of her many series. Be sure to take a look at her Amazon Author's page to see the pages of best sellers listed. My Kindle is full of them.
Diane Rapp
About Dianne Harman:
Diane, thank you so much for having me on your blog and allowing me to talk about what I love most: books. Today I thought I’d give you a little background on my Northwest Cozy Mystery Series.
I was born in Tacoma, Washington when my father was in the Air Force. We left when I was one, and I grew up in the Midwest. Interestingly enough, I met my husband when we were in college and he was in ROTC, which meant upon graduation the Army had him for two years. And lo and behold, where was he stationed? Yep, right outside of Tacoma, Washington at Fort Lewis.
When his tour of duty was over, we moved to California, had children, and became well established in the community. My husband was a lawyer prior to being in politics, so when our son graduated from college, he wanted to be a lawyer. Well and good, but none of the California law schools were interested in a young man with so-so grades but a great party record. He applied to Gonzaga Law School in Washington. I suggested he fill in the ethnicity box for Native Americans, because, although I’m not a registered member of a tribe, I have family letters saying I’m 1/8 Native American.
He was accepted, met a woman, put the partying behind him and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a full scholarship to the University of Washington for a Master’s in Tax Law. Seriously? My son? I hate anything to do with numbers.
So my life became a circle of Washington - born, newlywed, and then son and daughter-in-law. Everything seemed to rotate around Washington. I visited my son and his wife numerous times in Seattle, and thus a series was born.
Murder on Bainbridge Island was set on the island, mainly because I think it’s a great place. A woman divorced in midlife starts a catering business on the island, falls in love, and has a guest murdered at her first event. Murder on Bainbridge Island
Murder in Whistler takes place in Whistler, British Columbia. My husband and I flew up there after spending time in Seattle. My husband plays golf, so it was only fitting that a murder takes place on the first hole of a golf course in Whistler.
The series instantly became a bestseller, and I soon followed up with Murder in Seattle: Murder in Whistler
Beginning with Murder in Seattle, a new character was introduced, Al De Duco, who has become a favorite with my readers. He’s ex-Mafia with a heart of gold – I mean, who wouldn’t love a tough old guy who’s afraid of spiders and water? Murder in Seattle More books in this fantastic series:
Murder after Midnight, http://getBook.at/MAM, Murder at Le Bijou Bistro, http://getBook.at/BIJOU, Murder at the Gallery, http://getook.at/Gallery, Murder at the Waterfront, http://getBook.at/MATW, and the latest, Murder and Food Porn, http://getBook.at/FP.
New Release!!! I personally love the characters in the series and am in the process of writing the next one which is taking place at Al’s condo in the Caymans. When one makes a lot of questionable money, it’s nice to have a place where it can be hidden! Dianne Harman is a USA Today and Amazon Chart #1 Bestselling Author
Amazon: http://ow.ly/s6pN5
Web Site http://www.DianneHarman.com
Diane Rapp
About Dianne Harman:Diane, thank you so much for having me on your blog and allowing me to talk about what I love most: books. Today I thought I’d give you a little background on my Northwest Cozy Mystery Series.
I was born in Tacoma, Washington when my father was in the Air Force. We left when I was one, and I grew up in the Midwest. Interestingly enough, I met my husband when we were in college and he was in ROTC, which meant upon graduation the Army had him for two years. And lo and behold, where was he stationed? Yep, right outside of Tacoma, Washington at Fort Lewis.
When his tour of duty was over, we moved to California, had children, and became well established in the community. My husband was a lawyer prior to being in politics, so when our son graduated from college, he wanted to be a lawyer. Well and good, but none of the California law schools were interested in a young man with so-so grades but a great party record. He applied to Gonzaga Law School in Washington. I suggested he fill in the ethnicity box for Native Americans, because, although I’m not a registered member of a tribe, I have family letters saying I’m 1/8 Native American.
He was accepted, met a woman, put the partying behind him and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a full scholarship to the University of Washington for a Master’s in Tax Law. Seriously? My son? I hate anything to do with numbers.
So my life became a circle of Washington - born, newlywed, and then son and daughter-in-law. Everything seemed to rotate around Washington. I visited my son and his wife numerous times in Seattle, and thus a series was born.
Murder on Bainbridge Island was set on the island, mainly because I think it’s a great place. A woman divorced in midlife starts a catering business on the island, falls in love, and has a guest murdered at her first event. Murder on Bainbridge Island
Murder in Whistler takes place in Whistler, British Columbia. My husband and I flew up there after spending time in Seattle. My husband plays golf, so it was only fitting that a murder takes place on the first hole of a golf course in Whistler.
The series instantly became a bestseller, and I soon followed up with Murder in Seattle: Murder in Whistler
Beginning with Murder in Seattle, a new character was introduced, Al De Duco, who has become a favorite with my readers. He’s ex-Mafia with a heart of gold – I mean, who wouldn’t love a tough old guy who’s afraid of spiders and water? Murder in Seattle More books in this fantastic series:
Murder after Midnight, http://getBook.at/MAM, Murder at Le Bijou Bistro, http://getBook.at/BIJOU, Murder at the Gallery, http://getook.at/Gallery, Murder at the Waterfront, http://getBook.at/MATW, and the latest, Murder and Food Porn, http://getBook.at/FP.
New Release!!! I personally love the characters in the series and am in the process of writing the next one which is taking place at Al’s condo in the Caymans. When one makes a lot of questionable money, it’s nice to have a place where it can be hidden! Dianne Harman is a USA Today and Amazon Chart #1 Bestselling Author
Amazon: http://ow.ly/s6pN5
Web Site http://www.DianneHarman.com
September 13, 2018
Realtors for Sale: Sidekicks Mystery Series (Book 1)
Description of novel:Three realtors have been kidnapped over the past weekend in California. Charlotte Baxter was taken from a high-end "painted lady" mansion in San Francisco, Bonnie Jamison was kidnapped from an open house in Sacramento, and Maureen Collins was grabbed while setting out signs at a country cross road in Paso Robles.
Agents in Santa Barbara may be next. Tamara Owens is a young widow, just starting her life over again...finally. She is now targeted by a serial kidnapper, and worse yet, might be sold off to a middle-eastern collector. All four women are movie-star lookalikes, and a wealthy sheik would pay millions for the complete set.
When brokers in Santa Barbara are warned about the kidnapper, Tamara's office use trained guard-dogs to protect women holding open houses. Tamara decides to use her athletic Standard Poodle, Bentley, as a protector. Will it work?
It takes courage, ingenuity, and a feisty dog ready to charge a burly goon for Tamara to escape. Paxton Johnson, the lead investigator for the state's CBI, teams up with Tamara and Bentley to track down the kidnapper and expose a statewide human-trafficking ring. The two humans are drawn together romantically, and the savvy poodle keeps nudging them together.
Pre-order sales will start soon! Watch for the announcement.
This novel is the first book in a Sidekicks Mystery Series, starring clever dogs (and a few cats) Be sure to sign up for the RSS feed (lower right) on this blog or follow Diane on Amazon to learn about new books coming out.
All the books are clean reads with no blush-worthy scenes, foul language, or violence (other than a few dog bites). Diane's Amazon Page
She's a Mystery and Science Fiction Writer!
You've heard of split personalities, well, Diane Rapp spends part of her time sailing the high seas to solve mysteries. When she feels seasick, she travels to the planet Drako to check in with her fri
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