Diane Rapp's Blog: She's a Mystery and Science Fiction Writer!, page 5

February 9, 2018

First Entries for the Sidekicks are in!

Starting from top left to right and then down: Molli Dawg, Shanna (who comes with three cats), Mika Bella, and Kenzy.
The cats (who live with Shanna) are Mr. Tom, Twinkle Toes, and Twister.

We've received a variety of entries, both dogs and cats, into our search for Sidekicks.  We may need to expand our story ideas to include those great personalities.  If you haven't sent your pictures and descriptions in, there's still time.  We are in the planning stages.  We will post new entries as they arrive.

Thanks so much for taking your valuable time to send in pictures and write very charming descriptions of your loveable pets.  The world is a better place when you are loved by a four-legged friend!


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Published on February 09, 2018 13:46

January 25, 2018

YOUR DOG COULD BE A STAR!

Picture BENTLEY IS GETTING READY TO STAR IN HIS OWN MYSTERY NOVEL.

He's so excited about the new book, practicing his moves so he can do a good job catching those crooks.  He will be ready when Diane starts typing!

But now we need more incredible dogs to star in the rest of the series!  There are five books planned in this new REALTOR MYSTERY SERIES with different lead characters in each one.  Each main character needs a fantastic sidekick to help solve crimes.

YES! We need DOGS!  These dogs must help solve different mysteries in each standalone book.  The plots include kidnapping, robbery, cattle rustling, terrorists, and artifact looting.  The dogs won't need to find dead bodies, so don't worry about sensitive personalites.  

That's right! NO MURDERS are planned so the mysteries need to be complex and the dogs must be prepared to help their humans nose out the clues.  Bentley is on the search for fantastic dogs to join him in this new cozy series and he's picky. We need clever pooches.

Sure, everyone believes they've got the best dog in the whole world, so now it's time to prove it to Bentley.  Send a short description of your incredible dog and include pictures that might be used in the books!  We need to know the name, breed, and special talents your dog might use to solve a crime.  If you've got a funny story, that's even better.  Bentley loves humor.

E-mail JPEG pictures and dog bios to diane.quicksilvernovels@gmail.com and you could win free copies of the books as they are published.  You and your dog will be thanked in the front material of the book your dog stars in, and pictures might be used on the cover.  (You must give us written permission to use the photos.)  We will  post the top contenders in this blog and ask people to comment about the ones they think should be included in the series.   Diane and Bentley will choose the winners and notify them by e-mail.  No howling if your dog is not picked!  

Do you have a special friend with four legs living with you?  OKAY, if you think your CAT could be a sidekick, Bentley won't discriminate. (Some of his best friends are cats.) Start sending those pictures and bios along right away.  We have books to plan and dogs (maybe even cats) to post on this blog.

Send an E-Mail
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Published on January 25, 2018 14:26

December 20, 2017

Bentley's 12 Days of Christmas

Picture Bentley’s 12 Days of Christmas Song
 
On the 12th Day of Christmas Poodle Santa Left for Me:
12  Ducklings swimming
11  Frogs a hopping
10  Possums hanging
9  Squirrels a climbing
8  Egrets wading
7  Foxes running
6  Eagles soaring
5  Stink - king skunks
4  Cawing crows
3  Leaping deer
2  Petting hands
And one big doggie cookie just for me! Picture I'm on guard duty watching for Poodle Santa! Picture I helped Diane choose the best smelling ornaments. Picture I supervised while Corey put them on the tree. Picture I also helped decorate the outside of the house.
Where is Santa?
​Hope all you Humans have a wonderful holiday.
I'm exhausted and need a nap before presents arrive.

Picture
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Published on December 20, 2017 14:44

November 10, 2017

Win a print copy of DNA STALKER: Revenge or Justice?

Picture Do you prefer to hold a real book in your hands, run your fingers over the silky-smooth cover, and sniff the freshly-printed pages?  You're in luck!  I am holding a contest on Goodreads from November 15 - 30, 2017 to pick a lucky reader.  The contest is open to U.S. residents (due to postage concerns) and the winner will receive a SIGNED COPY from the first printing of this book.  YES!  I have the book sitting here on my bookshelf waiting for the lucky winner.

Simply click on the button, and you  will go straight to Goodreads to enter the contest.
​IT'S EASY!  Of course I HOPE that you will enjoy the book enough to post a really good review, but there is no obligation.   Goodreads Giveaway Picture You may be sitting there tapping your fingers, anxious to read the thrilling NEW novel, but you don't want to wait for the contest to end.  You can buy the e-book now!  Better still, buy a print copy on Amazon to give as a Christmas gift, and you will receive a FREE e-book for yourself.  Now that's a great deal.

Click the Buy button, and get started reading today! Buy DNA STALKER Picture Book Description:

It all began with the Jonestown Massacre of 1978.  The supposed suicide of Jim Jones prompted an intense manhunt by his enforcement team, the Red Brigade, which honed skills needed to capture or kill the illusive prey. 

The stalker has tracked a target for thirty-nine years and won't be easily stopped by a pair of ship’s detectives.  DNA profiling might lead the stalker to the target, endangering innocents along the way.  Does the stalker seek revenge, justice, or stolen jewels?

Natalia and Jason work together on the cruise ship, Sea Mist, and they must stop the stalker from harming identical twins aboard the ship!  Hundreds of suspects are cruising to the western Caribbean, including six sets of identical twins.  They are participating in Genetics Ultra’s DNA study called the “Twins Project.”

Who does the Stalker seek?  Which pair of twins are in danger?
​ 
Natalia and Jason accompany the twins on shore excursions, and discover that preventing a crime is more difficult than solving one.  The romantic partners work to unmask the culprit and protect the twins from danger, but it's not easy.  Will Natalia and Jason be able to stop a well-prepared assassin?  
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Published on November 10, 2017 12:46

Sci-Fi Trilogy by Annie Douglas Lima

Picture The Krillonian Chronicles Trilogy is now complete with the new release of Book 3, The Student & the Slave!
 
Set on a world where slavery is legal, slaves wear collars, and martial arts include weilding a cavvarach, Bensin is born into slavery.  The only thing he enjoys in life is fighting in cavvarach shil tournaments. Picture The Cavvarach can be  a deadly weapon!  The shil is a shield worn on one arm.

Picture      


           The Collar & the Cavvarach (Book 1)Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister  Ellie freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire's most prestigious tournament will allow him to
secretly arrange for Ellie's escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of ime.  With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse?


                       My Review:  5* 
Mix between Karate Kid and Gladiator

Slavery in a futuristic society includes very harsh treatment that we associate with the Roman Empire. Young Bensin is a martial artist who loves the cavvarach shil mixed martial arts event. He is happiest when he's in his zone using the cavvarach to fight but he promised his dying mother that he'd look after his sister Ellie. More important he promised that Ellie would be free one day. How can a young teen help his sister escape slavery?

This book is a mix between Karate Kid and Gladiator, expertly written to make us care what happens to Bensin, Ellie, and even his new owner. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good story. Picture            

​              The Gladiator & the Guard (Book 2)

Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is just one
victory away from freedom. But after he is accused of
a crime he didn’t commit, he is condemned to the
violent life and early death of a gladiator. While
his loved ones seek desperately for a way to
rescue him, Bensin struggles to stay alive and
forge an identity in an environment designed to
strip it from him. When he infuriates the authorities
with his choices, he knows he is running out of time.
Can he stand against the cruelty of the arena system
and seize his freedom before that system crushes him?


                                My Review:  5* Roman Gladiators on Steroids

Readers get a horrifying glimpse into the world of gladiators, human slaves who are never meant to survive for long.  This futuristic “Roman Gladiator” tale brings a teenage slave into mortal peril.  He must learn to become a hardened hate-filled killer in order to survive.  Is it worth living if you’re treated like an animal and lose your humanity?

Luckily Bensin has loved ones on the outside who are determined to rescue him, regardless of the price they might pay.  It’s an exciting and heart-wrenching sequel that people (especially those who have read book 1) will really need to buy!


Picture
​           The Student & the Slave (Book 3)

Is this what freedom is supposed to be like? Desperate  to provide for himself and his sister Ellie, Bensin              searches fruitlessly for work like all the other former      slaves in Tarnestra. He needs the money for an even more important purpose, though: to rescue Coach   Steene, who sacrificed himself for Bensin’s freedom.   
 
​When members of two rival street gangs express    interest in Bensin’s martial arts skills, he realizes he      may have a chance to save his father figure after all … at  a cost.

 Meanwhile, Steene struggles with his new life of slavery   in far-away Neliria. Raymond, his young owner, seizes any opportunity to make his life miserable. But while Steene longs to escape and rejoin Bensin and Ellie, he starts to realize that Raymond needs him too. His choices will affect not only his own future, but that of everyone he cares about. Can he make the right ones … and live with the consequences?

                              My Review:  5* Freedom is Worth the Trouble!

Bensin and the other escapees may have reached freedom, but the life is not easy.  Coach Steene, who gave himself up to protect his family, becomes a slave himself.  His owner is a spoiled rich kid who wants to become a champion in cavvarach shil.  As Bensin strives to find a legal job, Coach Steene develops a relationship with his new owner.  Difficult life lessons drive both men to make ethical decisions that may affect their future.  Are they willing to pay the high price that freedom demands? 

The riveting conclusion to the Krillonian Chronicles Trilogy keeps readers on edge until the very last page.  I won’t give spoilers but this finale includes hair-raising action, heart-wrenching pathos, and examples of courage that readers are sure to enjoy.  If you haven’t read the first two books, the author included enough information to let you enjoy this one as a standalone novel, but you’ll probably want to read all three by the time you’re finished.
 
Click here to order The Student and the Slave from Amazon for a discounted price of  just 99 cents through November 30th (Regular price is $2.99 U.S.)
Picture About the Author:
Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she
teaches fifth grade at Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since her childhood, and to
date has published fifteen books (three YA action and adventure novels, four
fantasies, a puppet script, six anthologies
of her students’ poetry, and a Bible verse coloring and activity book). Besides writing, her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction), scrapbooking, and international travel.

Connect with the Author Online:
Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com
Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGoodreads
Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/AnnieDouglassLimaOnAmazon
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnLinkedIn
Google+: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGooglePlus
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Published on November 10, 2017 00:00

November 1, 2017

MAIZIE ALBRIGHT, STAR DETECTIVE

Picture       15 Minutes:
​ A Maizie Albright Humorous   Mystery (Maizie Albright Star Detective)


#WANNABEDETECTIVE 
When ex-teen star Maizie Albright returns to her Southern hometown of Black Pine, Georgia, she hoped to rid herself of Hollywood tabloid and reality show hell for a new career as a private investigator. Instead, Hollyweird follows her home. Maizie's costar crushing, but now for her gumshoe boss. Her stage-monster mother still demands screen time. Her latest rival wants her kicked off the set, preferably back to a California prison. 

By entangling herself in a missing person's case, she must reprise her most famous role. The job will demand a performance of a lifetime. But this time, the stakes are real and may prove deadly. 

Related subjects include: romantic comedy, humorous mysteries, cozy mysteries, women sleuths, murder mystery series, whodunit mysteries (whodunnit), humorous murder mysteries, amateur sleuth books, Southern humor, humorous women's fiction, chick lit, former child stars, romantic comedies, and small town humor.

Links to buy 15 Minutes: 
Kindle: http://smarturl.it/15MinKindle
Nook: http://smarturl.it/15MinBN
Kobo: http://smarturl.it/15MinKobo
iBooks: http://smarturl.it/15MiniBooks

​My Review:  5*  
Quirky new character is great

What a fun book to read! It was full of surprises and Maizie Albright is wonderful. She's a mix between Nancy Drew, Paris Hilton, and Daisy Mae (from Lil Abner). I know I date myself with that last one. Her name-dropping of famous clothes designers whenever she meets someone or changes her own outfit is priceless and her desire to become the grown-up version of her teenage TV personality is heart warming. I look forward to reading more of Maizie's adventures with her hunky boss. (I never guessed the killer until the reveal.) Picture    NEW RELEASE!
​    16 Millimeters:
     A Maizie Albright             Humorous Mystery           (Maizie Albright Star            Detective Book 2)

#StillAWannabeDetective
 
In continuing her career-makeover quest as a for-real detective, ex-teen and reality star Maizie Albright has a big learning curve to overcome. A sleuthing background starring in a TV show— Julia Pinkerton, Teen Detective—does not cut the real life mustard. It doesn’t even buy her lunch, let alone extra condiments. Her chosen mentor, Wyatt Nash of Nash Security Solutions, is not a willing teacher. He’d rather stick Maizie with a safe desk job and handle the security solution-ing himself. But Maizie’s got other plans to help Nash. First, win Nash’s trust. Second, his heart.

Wait, not his heart. His respect. His hearty respect.

So when a major movie producer needs a babysitter for his hot mess starlet, Maizie eagerly takes the job. But when her starlet appears dead, and then not dead, Maizie’s got more than an actress to watch and a missing corpse to find. Body doubles, dead bodies, and hot bodies abound when the big screen, small screen, and silent screams collide. Maizie’s on the job, on the skids, and on thin ice, hunting a killer who may be a celebrity stalker. And Maizie just might be the next celebrity who gets snuffed. ​16 Millimeters:Kindle: http://smarturl.it/16MMKindle1 
Kobo: http://smarturl.it/16MMKobo
iBooks: http://smarturl.it/16MMibooks
Nook: http://smarturl.it/16MMNook1
3 chapter preview: BookHip.com/DHCQDF

My Review: 5*
Body doubles turn up as BODIES

This series keeps getting better! Maizie must deal with a conniving mother, a creepy movie producer, a snarky movie star, and body doubles who turn up as--you got it--bodies! She's so cute and the sexual tension simply vibrates the Kindle. The author really knows how to write sassy into her characters and makes us want to read more. Good job! I recommend this book for anyone who reads!

Picture Larissa Reinhart, Author

A 2015 Georgia Author of the Year Best Mystery finalist, Larissa writes the Cherry Tucker Mystery and Maizie Albright Star Detective series.

​The first in the Cherry Tucker series, Portrait of a Dead Guy, is a 2012 Daphne du Maurier finalist, 2012 The Emily finalist, and 2011 Dixie Kane Memorial winner. Her books have also been nominated for Georgia Author of the Year and the Silver Falchion Award. Her work also appeared in the 2017 Silver Falchion Reader’s Choice winner, Eight Mystery Writers You Should Be Reading Now. 

Larissa writes the Cherry Tucker Mystery series, the Maizie Albright Star Detective series, the Finley Goodhart Crime Caper series, and various romantic comedies. She loves books, food, and traveling with her family. 

Her family and Cairn Terrier, Biscuit, lived in Nagoya, Japan, but have returned to Georgia. You can see them on HGTV's House Hunters International "Living for the Weekend in Nagoya" episode. Visit her website, find her chatting on Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads, and sign up for her newsletter at http://smarturl.it/larissanewsletter

If you enjoy your books, please leave a review. She sends you virtual hugs and undying gratitude for your support! 

The Maizie Albright Star Detective series will be as follows: 
15 MINUTES 
16 MILLIMETERS (2017) 
NC-17 (2018)

LARISSA REINHART ON AMAZON
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Published on November 01, 2017 13:33

September 15, 2017

COVER REVEAL ~ DNA STALKER

Picture I know this cover is fast work, but I've been playing  with the design for awhile now.

The DNA STALKER has been searching for the victim for thirty-nine years and won't be stopped easily.  

Now Natalia and Jason are working together on the Sea Mist, and it's up to them to stop the stalker before someone gets hurt or dies!  

Is the stalker's motive REVENGE or is it just plain JUSTICE? Lots of suspects are cruising with them on the ship, including six sets of identical twins who participate in the TWIN PROJECT. Picture As readers join Natalia and Jason, they cruise the western Caribbean and try to protect the twins.  

Learn about a tragedy in 1978 that prompted the stalker's desire to kill.  Will Natalia and Jason be able to stop a well-prepared scheme?  

Watch for a launch date and contest to win a signed print copy coming soon.
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Published on September 15, 2017 14:06

September 14, 2017

First Draft of DNA STALKER finished!

Picture  Last night I did a little happy dance as I finished the first draft!  Now all I need to do is design a cover, edit for errors, plan a book launch and MARKET!  

Okay, it sounds like I've still got loads to do and sure it's a lot of work, but the hardest part is finished.  It took eigh months from the day I sat down to write and I'm proud of the work so far.  I'll feel prouder when it's edited.  I promise to let y'all know how the different pieces fit together, so send me an e-mail to subscribe to my newsletter and you'll be the first to know. Subscribe to Newsletter
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Published on September 14, 2017 08:53

February 28, 2017

How to do research in person!

Picture Have you ever dreamed of touching the velvety-soft skin of a sting ray?  How about shaking fins with a dolphin or getting a kiss?  Well an author of cruise ship mysteries must experience her subject and get her feet wet. Picture How does joining a crowd at Sting Ray City help me write a mystery novel?  I literally immerse myself in the subject, imagine my characters in the setting, and understand the world where they work.  Yes, my characters work on a cruise ship.  They solve crimes, fall in love, and live out their day-to-day lives on a floating hotel.  Of course the surroundings are exotic but these are people doing their jobs.  Picture Can you hear the Mexican music playing?  Feel the sun on your skin?  Let your toes sink into the snowy white sand?  That is the challenge of an author.  Conducting research in person is the only way to really imbue the novel with realism.

Sitting at home, alone, my characters are beginning to whisper about their latest case.  I can almost smell the salt water and hear the waves lapping as they speak to me.  What could possibly go wrong with a cruise ship filled with happy tourists?  Do you know identical twins separated at birth?  How about a dozen.  Hmmm. Picture Raise your wineglass and make a toast to a new cruise ship myster on the way.

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Published on February 28, 2017 10:13

February 23, 2017

First 9 Clues in Game

[image error] To give new players a chance, I've decided to post the first six clues in the game. Download the Game Sheet in last week's post and mark these clues off. Watch the hashtag #GameBook on Twitter for daily clues or pop into my Facebook page. Hope you have fun playing.  You could win a free copy of a book on www.quicksilvernovels.com

Here are the next 3 clues in the game.  Starting 2/27 I will post 2 clues per day so watch my Twitter feed or go to my Facebook/quicksilvernovels page. 
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Published on February 23, 2017 09:43

She's a Mystery and Science Fiction Writer!

Diane Rapp
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 ...more
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