Elena Hartwell's Blog, page 48
September 2, 2022
Ash Bishop Launches Debut Sci-Fi
Ash Bishop launches Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc
Guest Post + Author&Book Info + Giveaway!Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc by Ash Bishop
Finding work is easy. Staying alive is a little bit harder.When Russ Wesley finds an unusual artifact in his grandfather’s collection of rare antiquities, the last thing he expects is for it to draw the attention of a ferocious alien from a distant planet. Equally surprising is the adventurous team of intergalactic exterminators dispatched to deal with the alien threat.
They’re a little wild, and a little reckless. Worse yet, they’re so impressed with Russ’s marksmanship that they insist he join their squad . . . whether he wants to or not.
Book DetailsGenre: Science Fiction
Published by: Camcat Books
Publication Date: September 6th 2022
Number of Pages: 416
ISBN: 0744305616 (ISBN13: 9780744305616)
The first book I ever wrote was a doozy. It was about a businessman enjoying all the privileges of wealth and power, until he’s murdered. He “wakes up” in utero, reborn in the womb, but with all of his previous memories intact. He eventually encounters many problems: diapers, mushy food, and numerous other baby-related humiliations … but the biggest problem is trying to solve his own murder. Unsurprisingly, the book never sold. In fact, it never even landed representation. The closest I got was kind-hearted agents who said they really enjoyed reading it but couldn’t figure out how they would market it, and where it would fit on shelves.
The shelf question is a good one. Is it a mystery novel? Religious? Sci-fi/Fantasy?
The first novel I did actually sell to a publisher, Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc, debuts on September 6th and I’m quite excited. It’s squarely in the science fiction genre, about a squad of blue-collar space exterminators. Their job is to hunt creatures that have jumped ecosystems and whose habits are so harmful they’ll destroy the new ecosystem if they’re not relocated or eliminated. Think of it like this; what if your job was to relocate Ridley Scott’s Alien every time it got loose in a heavily populated city?
It’s a fun concept and I think I can run with the “exterminators in space” motif for quite a few novels. Here’s the interesting thing, though. I already sold my second novel, slated for release in Summer 2023, and it’s a straightforward modern-day mystery/thriller. My books are no longer straddling genres, but now I’m doing it.
A colleague of mine, author Johnathan Maberry is in the same club. He writes horror, high fantasy, mystery/thrillers, comic books, television shows, etc. He believes that good writing is good writing and that we shouldn’t limit ourselves. I tend to agree, but I have a second theory about genre that makes the entire conservation a moot point anyway.
First, what exactly is a genre? At its simplest level, it’s how we organize our bookstores. Whenever I go in one, I make a pre-arranged loop: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Mystery, Manga, Graphic Novel, Literature. Each section seems to have its own conventions, styles, and moods. Scholars who are wiser than me often attempt to trace the origin of these useful categories. Many give Edgar Allen Poe credit for the modern detective structure because of his short story Murder in the Rue Morgue (1841). Tolkien is sometimes identified as the creator of high fantasy with The Hobbit (1937). We science fiction writers wouldn’t have gotten very far without the genre-defining work of HG Wells in The Time Machine (1895) and War of the Worlds (1897), though others would want us to peel back almost a century and give OG science fiction credit to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818). Trying to pin down a genre’s exact birthday is fun; it’s also a really nice way to get academics to start a fist-fight. There’s another date and title that interests me even more than all those anyway: May 25, 1977—the release date of the original Star Wars.
I would argue that, as the 20th century marched toward Star Wars’ eventual debut, the question of when a genre was born became less and less important. In fact, despite our refusal to abandon genre on bookstore shelves, I think the second half of the 20th century pretty much destroyed the distance between genres altogether. Or, at least, it mushed them up into such a jumbled salad that genre classifications became unnecessarily limiting at best, false advertising at worst.
What genre is Star Wars anyway? Is it science fiction? It sure seems to be since there are robots, blasters, and starships engaging in space combat. When I saw it as a kid, I was sure it was just that, which is why I was so surprised to meet the “Emperor” at the conclusion of The Empire Strikes Back. He was clad in a robe and hood, and he shot lightning bolts from his fingers. My young self was confused. Didn’t that make him a wizard? There are no evil wizards in sci-fi! If you had one, you’d need valiant knights to defeat him. Wait…Jedi knights? And weren’t Luke and Darth sword fighting with those cool-looking lightsabers? Is Star Wars actually part of the fantasy genre? It’s a good question.
Let’s make it even more complicated by talking about Han Solo.
Han wears a black leather vest and keeps his gun slung low on his hip. When he runs into a pack of stormtroopers, he quick-draws his blaster and starts a gunfight that would make Doc Holliday proud. Doc Holliday famous for the gunfight at the Ok Corral—a semi-true myth of the western genre. See where I’m going with this? When you consider that Han travels with the savage Chewbacca who can’t speak the common language and fights with a crossbow, you realize that Doc Holliday isn’t quite the correct parallel. Han is the Lone Ranger. And Chewbacca is a taller, slightly less racist, version of Tonto. Is Star Wars a western?!
George Lucas’s love of pulp fiction is well known. What people tend to miss is the way he threw so many pulp genres directly into Star Wars and the way that the modern viewer was more than ready to accept them like that. Genres are comfort food, but by themselves, they can also get stale. A genre salad like Star Wars, or Firefly, or The Princess Bride, can refresh the tropes so effectively the story becomes immediately beloved.
We multi-genre authors are a rare bread, but we’re also a moot point. Who cares what bookshelf your book is on, when the boundaries between stories have been so thoroughly scrambled? The young boy in The Princess Bride loves baseball so he asks if his grandfather’s novel “has any sports in it?” The grandfather’s answer could sum up the modern reader’s tastes perfectly, “Are you kidding? Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles!”
Sounds like a great addition to the “sports” genre to me.
My debut sci-fi novel Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc is available on September 6, 2022. My follow-up, the mysterious Horoscope Writer will be available in Summer 2023. Find them on bookshelves everywhere
Ash Bishop
Ash Bishop is a lifetime reader and a lifetime nerd, loving all things science fiction and fantasy. He has been a high school English teacher, and worked in the video game industry, as well as in educational app development.
He even used to fetch coffee for Quentin Tarantino during the production of the film Jackie Brown. Bishop currently produces script coverage for a major Hollywood studio, but he spends his best days at home in Southern California with his wonderful wife and two wonderful children.
He earned an MFA in Creative Writing from San Diego State University. This is his debut novel.
To learn more about Ash, click on any of the following links: AshBishop.com, Goodreads, BookBub – @Ashlbishop, Instagram – @ashlbishop, Twitter – @AshLBishop, Facebook & TikTok – @ashlbishopVisit all the Stops on the Tour for Ash Bishop!
09/02 Guest post @ The Mystery of Writing
09/05 Interview @ I Read What You Write
09/07 Review @ Wall-to-wall Books
09/08 Review @ Lynchburg Reads
09/11 Guest post @ Novels Alive
09/12 Review @ I Read What You Write
09/13 Showcase @ Celticladys Reviews
09/15 Showcase @ Nesies Place
09/17 Interview @ The Scribblings of Sarah E. Glenn
09/18 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
09/23 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
09/24 Review @ The World As I See It
09/26 Review @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
All We Buried, available now in print, eBook, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator 2020
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!)
Available in print (hardback and paperback) and eBook
The post Ash Bishop Launches Debut Sci-Fi appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
September 1, 2022
Death at the Manor: Historical Mystery
Death at the Manor by Katharine Schellman
Guest Post + Book & Author Info + Giveaway!Don’t miss any book tour posts! Click the link here.Death at the Manor
The tortured spirits of the dead haunt a Regency-era English manor—but the true danger lies in the land of the living in the third installment in the Lily Adler mysteries, perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn.Regency widow Lily Adler is looking forward to spending the autumn away from the social whirl of London. When she arrives in Hampshire with her friends, the Carroways, she doesn’t expect much more than a quiet country visit and the chance to spend time with her charming new acquaintance, Matthew Spencer.
But something odd is afoot in the small country village. A ghost has taken up residence in the Belleford manor, a lady in grey who wanders the halls at night, weeping and wailing. Half the servants have left in terror, but the family seems delighted with the notoriety that their ghost provides. Intrigued by this spectral guest, Lily and her party immediately make plans to visit Belleford.
They arrive at the manor the next morning ready to be entertained—only to find that tragedy has struck. The matriarch of the family has just been found killed in her bed.
The dead woman’s family is convinced that the ghost is responsible. Lily is determined to learn the truth before another victim turns up—but could she be next in line for the Great Beyond?
To purchase Death at the Manor, click on any of the following links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | bookshop.orgGenre: Historical Mystery
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: August 9th 2022
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 1639100784 (ISBN13: 9781639100781)
Series: Lily Adler Mystery #3
One of the questions I get asked the most about writing is what a typical “writer’s day” looks like for me.
It’s a question I wish I had a good answer to! While I would love to be the sort of writer who has a set schedule and a firm ritual to put me in the writing mood, the truth is that the stage of life I’m in doesn’t lend itself to very consistent work days.
In addition to writing full time, I also have a day job (which is often my night job) as well as two small children. So on days that I have daycare, or days when my husband is home with the kids, I tend to cram in as much work as I can. For me to write, all I need is a working computer and however much time I have to myself.
My days generally begin between 6 and 7am, depending on when my kids wake up. If it’s a daycare day, my husband is out the door with the kids around 8:30am. My working hours on daycare days tend to be between 9am and 4pm, when I leave for pickup, and then begin again once my kids are asleep for the night.
But of course, that work varies greatly! I’m fortunate that my day job is also done on my own schedule and from home since that gives me a great deal of flexibility. On any given day, I may be…
… drafting a new novel
… going through notes from my editors
… fact-checking or editing articles for a client
… working on a marketing graphic for a book tour
… doing a Zoom interview
… meeting with a bookstore owner
… writing a newsletter for my author email list (which, by the way, you can sign up for here if you want a free mystery!)
… updating my website or social media
… half a dozen other things that always seem to pop up
Some days I get through everything on my to-do list and realize I haven’t gotten a single new word down. That’s okay—I don’t think a writer has to write every day. There are a lot of other things that need to get done too!
On days when I’m home with my kids, I generally don’t work unless they’re asleep. But when a deadline is looming, all those divisions go out the door.
Put the baby in a carrier so that I can hold her while also going through edits at the kitchen counter? Done that.
Schedule strategic playdates with the neighbors so that my older kid can be out of the house while I frantically try to get a few more words written? Absolutely.
Ignore the mountain of laundry and the dirty bathroom because I know I’m already going to be up writing until 2am and can’t afford distractions? Those are someone else’s chores right now!
So if can’t seem to create a routine for yourself, whether for writing or another creative pursuit, or if you’re in a stage of life that doesn’t allow to have a “typical” structure to your days, don’t worry too much about it.
The routine will come later. The bathroom will get cleaned another day. The work can still get done, even if the process isn’t always streamlined or pretty.
At least, that’s what I tell myself.
Katharine Schellman — Author of Death at the Manor
Katharine Schellman is a former actor, one-time political consultant, and now the author of the Lily Adler Mysteries and the Nightingale Mysteries. Her debut novel, The Body in the Garden, was one of Suspense Magazine’s Best Books of 2020 and led to her being named one of BookPage’s 16 Women to Watch in 2020.
Her second novel, Silence in the Library, was praised as “worthy of Agatha Christie or Rex Stout.” (Library Journal, starred review) Katharine lives and writes in the mountains of Virginia in the company of her husband, children, and the many houseplants she keeps accidentally murdering.
To learn more about Katharine, click on any of the following links: KatharineSchellman.com, Goodreads, BookBub – @katharineschellman, Instagram – @katharinewrites, Twitter – @katharinewrites & Facebook – @katharineschellmanVisit all the Stops on the Death at the Manor Tour!
08/08 Showcase @ Nesies Place
08/09 Showcase @ BOOK REVIEWS by LINDA MOORE
08/10 Interview @ I Read What You Write
08/10 Review @ Review Thick And Thin
08/13 Review @ Bookish Indulgences
08/15 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
08/17 Review @ nanasbookreviews
08/18 Showcase @ Silvers Reviews
08/19 Review @ It’s All About the Book
08/20 Showcase @ Brooke Blogs
08/22 Review @ Books, Ramblings, and Tea
08/23 Interview @ Cozy Up With Kathy
08/24 Showcase @ The Authors Harbor
08/25 Showcase @ The Mystery Section
08/26 Review @ Cozy Up With Kathy
08/29 Review @ Novels Alive
08/30 Showcase @ Celticladys Reviews
08/31 Review @ Avonna Loves Genres
09/01 Guest post @ The Mystery of Writing
09/01 Review @ 5 Minutes for Books
09/02 Podcast Review @ Books to the Ceiling
All We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator 2020
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook.
The post Death at the Manor: Historical Mystery appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
August 30, 2022
River of Ashes: New Southern Gothic
River of Ashes, one of Apple’s Most Anticipated Books for Summer in Mysteries & Thrillers
Spotlight + Book&Author Info + Giveaway!Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the ink here.River of Ashes
Along the banks of the Bogue Falaya River, sits the abandoned St. Francis Seminary. Beneath a canopy of oaks, blocked from prying eyes, the teens of St. Benedict High gather here on Fridays. The rest of the week belongs to school and family—but weekends belong to the river. And the river belongs to Beau Devereaux. The only child of a powerful family, Beau can do no wrong. Star quarterback. Handsome. Charming. The “prince” of St. Benedict is the ultimate catch. He is also a psychopath.
A dirty family secret buried for years, Beau’s evil grows unchecked. In the shadows of the haunted abbey, he commits unspeakable acts on his victims and ensures their silence with threats and intimidation. Senior year, Beau sets his sights on his girlfriend’s headstrong twin sister, Leslie, who hates him. Everything he wants but cannot have, she will be his ultimate prize. As the victim toll mounts, it becomes clear that someone must stop Beau Devereaux. And that someone will pay with their life.
River of Ashes is a Southern Gothic, Psychological Thriller inspired by true events in the vein of V.C. Andrews with elements of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn and You by Caroline Kepnes. River of Ashes addresses social issues including sexual violence and bullying.
Genre: Southern Gothic / Psychological Thriller / Coming-of-Age
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication Date: August 2nd 2022
Number of Pages: 284
ISBN: 1645480984 (ISBN13: 9781645480983)
Series: St. Benedict #1
A howl came from the direction of The Abbey.
Andrea leaned away from him, listening. “What’s that?”
Beau nuzzled her neck. “Wild dogs. They live on The Abbey grounds. There’s a couple of legends about them.”
“What legends?” She stepped out of his embrace.
He watched her hips beneath her coat. “They say the dogs stay around The Abbey waiting for the lady in white. She was a gamekeeper for the seminary school and a lover of one of the monks. She died on the grounds, betrayed by the man she loved. Her dogs were kept to manage the varmint population. The wild dogs are said to be their offspring.”
Beau slipped the coat from her shoulders. “The gamekeeper was found hanging from a tree in a white hooded cloak. It was all kept very hush-hush at the time. After the woman’s death, the dogs roamed the grounds and lived off the land. They’re said to only appear when death is near.”
Beau looked at Andrea to see if she was sufficiently unnerved.
“That’s just creepy.” She glanced at his hands as he tugged at her jeans. “But a guy who brings girls to these abandoned cells is into creepy.”
He liked the image the cells portrayed. It was his laboratory, like he’d read about in Frankenstein, where he could experiment and create his own monsters.
Alexandrea Weis & Lucas Astor — Authors of River of Ashes
Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, PhD, is an IPPY Award-Winning author, advanced practice registered nurse, and wildlife rehabber who was born and raised in the French Quarter.
She has taught at major universities and worked with victims of sexual assault, abuse, and mental illness in a clinical setting at many New Orleans area hospitals. She is a member of the International Thriller Writers Organization and Horror Writers Association.
The Strand Magazine said, “Alexandrea Weis is one of the most talented authors around, and in a short time her novels are destined to stand along with authors such as Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, Joyce Carol Oates, and Jeffery Deaver.”
To learn more about Alexandrea, click on any of the following links: AlexandreaWeis.com, StBenedictSeries.com, Goodreads, BookBub – @AlexandreaWeis, Instagram – @AlexandreaWeis, Twitter – @AlexandreaWeis & Facebook – @AuthorAlexandreaWeisLucas AstorAuthor Lucas Astor is an award-winning author and poet with a penchant for telling stories that delve into the dark side of the human psyche. He likes to explore the evil that exists, not just in the world, but next door behind a smiling face. Astor currently lives outside of Nashville, TN.
To learn more about Lucas click on either of the following links: LucasAstor.com & Instagram – @lucasastorauthorVisit all the Stops on the Tour!
08/01 Guest post @ Novels Alive
08/02 Showcase @ BOOK REVIEWS by LINDA MOORE
08/04 Review @ addictedtobooks86
08/05 Review @ Lynchburg Reads
08/06 Showcase @ Nesies Place
08/08 Showcase @ Books, Ramblings, and Tea
08/09 Review @ Novels Alive
08/10 Review @ Lisa Wetzel
08/11 Interview @ I Read What You Write
08/12 Review @ tea. and. titles
08/13 Review @ sleeping. book. junkie
08/14 Review @ enjoyingbooksagain
08/15 Review @ Elaine Sapp (FB)
08/17 Review @ read_betweenthecovers
08/19 Review @ Urban Book Reviews
08/22 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
08/24 Showcase @ 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS
08/25 Review @ Geaux Get Lit
08/28 Review @ erikalaceyreads
08/29 Review @ Celticladys Reviews
08/30 Spotlight @ The Mystery of Writing
08/30 Interview @ Urban Book Reviews
All We Buried, available now in print, eBook, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator 2020
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!)
Available in print (hardback and paperback) and eBook
The post River of Ashes: New Southern Gothic appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
August 20, 2022
Lethal Legacies: A Washington Whodunit
Lethal Legacies, the latest Washington Whodunit by Colleen Shogan
Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Rafflecopter Giveaway + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.Lethal Legacies (A Washington Whodunit)
It’s springtime in Washington, D.C. and congressional staffer Kit Marshall has more on her plate than she can handle. With her boss campaigning for an open U.S. Senate seat, Kit is left to run the office in her absence and manage a new week long American history extravaganza filled with high-profile events, lectures, and receptions.
When the Director of the Capitol Visitor’s Center ends up dead, Kit springs into action to clear a longtime friend, who becomes the prime suspect in the murder. With her best pal Meg pressuring her to solve the mystery quickly, Kit must figure out how to navigate her closest relationships while keeping an eye out for the diabolical killer.
The investigation takes Kit across the city to famous locations, including Georgetown University, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the White House.
When the killer strikes a second time, the pressure to solve the crimes intensifies. Has our favorite Capitol Hill sleuth finally met her match? In the end, Kit learns the hard way that history tends to repeat itself, often with deadly consequences.
Lethal Legacies (A Washington Whodunit)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Camel Press (August 9, 2022)
Paperback : 236 pages
ISBN-10 : 1684920302
ISBN-13 : 978-1684920303
Digital ASIN : B09VMPZCC4
Colleen and Conan
Lethal Legacies
is the eighth book in the Washington Whodunit series. What would you like readers to know about the earlier books?The previous books follow Kit Marshall, a congressional staffer who also solves mysteries. She is joined by her best friend Meg, husband Doug, and dog Clarence. Later in the series, Kit’s brother Sebastian makes an appearance and ends up as a permanent character.
Washington DC makes a fabulous setting for a murder. What have been the pros and cons of using such an iconic location?I know the city quite well and have a lot of personal experience with the places I portray in my books. Washington, D.C. is a political town, and that can present challenges. Politics is part of every book, yet I never wanted it to dominate the stories.
With a background in political science, you bring a lot of expertise to your series. How do you balance accuracy with dramatic license to create such intriguing mysteries?The government processes and everyday happenings are accurate, or at least as I have experienced them. At times, I need to stretch some of the facts. For example, I don’t think the United States Capitol Police would give Kit quite so much latitude in real life.
Tell us about Kit Marshall:She’s resourceful, even tempered, and has a passion for justice. She’s always trying to right a wrong, which is why she’s passionate about solving mysteries.
What does a typical work/writing day look like for you?I work a full day, oftentimes at my office on Lafayette Square near the White House. I write in the evenings and on the weekends. Days can be quite long!
What are you working on now?I’m taking a break right now and enjoying it.
Final words of wisdom for aspiring writers:I think sharing your manuscript with other writers is important, especially in the beginning. Your peers will catch things that you miss; everyone has blind spots.
Author Pet Corner!
Conan!Conan is a 12-year-old beagle mutt rescue.
Clarence in the books is based upon him!
Colleen Shogan — Author of Lethal Legacies
Colleen J. Shogan has been reading mysteries since the age of six. A political scientist by training, Colleen has taught American politics at several universities and previously worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative staffer in the United States Senate and as a senior executive at the Library of Congress. She is currently the Senior Vice President of the White House Historical Association.
Colleen is a member of Sisters in Crime. “Stabbing in the Senate” was awarded the Next Generation Indie prize for Best Mystery in 2016. “Homicide in the House” was a 2017 finalist for the RONE Award for Best Mystery. “Calamity at the Continental Club” was a 2018 finalist in the “best cozy mystery” at Killer Nashville. “Larceny at the Library” won the 2021 IPPY bronze medal for mystery. She lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Rob and their beagle mutt Conan.
To learn more about Colleen, click on her name, photo, or any of the following links: Facebook, Twitter & GoodReadsa Rafflecopter giveawayVisit all the Stops on the Tour!
August 8 – Novels Alive – SPOTLIGHT
August 8 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT
August 9 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
August 9 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 10 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
August 10 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
August 11 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
August 12 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – GUEST POST
August 12 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 13 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
August 14 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
August 15 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 16 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 17 – Girl with Pen – SPOTLIGHT
August 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
August 18 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 18 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 19 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
August 19 – Diane Reviews Books – GUEST POST
August 20 – The Mystery of Writing – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 21 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT
August 21 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT
August 21 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT
Elena Taylor/Elena HartwellAll We Buried, available now in print, eBook, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator 2020
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!)
Available in print (hardback and paperback) and eBook
The post Lethal Legacies: A Washington Whodunit appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
August 17, 2022
Depths of Deceit: By Laura Oles
Depths of Deceit, the latest release by award-winning author Laura Oles
Guest Post + Book & Author Info + Giveaway!Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.Depths of Deceit
Two sisters.One deadly secret.No time to lose.PI Jamie Rush has her hands full with small-time skip-tracing and surveillance jobs in Port Alene, Texas. The work is steady, though she still struggles to make ends meet. But when her partner, Cookie, brings in a low-paying and potentially time-consuming case, Jamie takes it on out of loyalty.
Cookie’s childhood friend, Renata, needs to find her younger sister, Leah. As Jamie digs into Leah’s past, it becomes clear that the missing woman’s life was shrouded in secrets, the kind that could jeopardize those involved in the case.
To complicate matters, PI Alastair Finn has returned, and he’s willing to reclaim his town by any means necessary. Jamie has never been one to retreat, and Alastair enjoys a good fight. Sparks will fly.
A missing woman. Felonies. Finn’s return. Every twist reminds Jamie that she’s still an outsider in this town. Jamie must prove herself all over again, and the stakes have never been higher.
Genre: Mystery, Female PI
Published by: Red Adept Publishing
Publication Date: May 31, 2022
Number of Pages: 292
Series: A Jamie Rush Mystery, #2
Those close to me like to joke about my affection for paper products. It’s hard for me to walk by an office supply section without checking out the pens, planners, and journals. I still use a paper planner (Jibun Techo Biz) even though Microsoft Outlook tracks most of my calls and appointments. When shopping in a bookstore or gift shop, my daughter has had to remind me to “put the notebook down.”
In writing projects, I find comfort in structure and outlines, which is why I have always gravitated towards plotting in the plotting vs. pantser debate. Index cards in varying sizes and colors are my jam; I can build a story with these basic tools. I find my writer’s block sometimes stems from those times when I haven’t thoroughly thought through a scene or an event so the process of notetaking as a brainstorming exercise can help me uncover the answer. I love to see things in print, to figure out how to solve a puzzle by putting pen to paper. Before each book begins, I know where I’m starting and how it will end. I have an outline of key scenes, events, and reversals.
My characters, however, don’t always seem to care about my plans.
When people ask if I’m drawn to character or plot, the truth is that I’m drawn to both, but the characters always come first. I gravitate towards characters and their world, and the plot comes later. I can’t figure out what they’re up to until I understand who they are and what matters to them.
Sometimes I hear dialogue in my head, and I don’t know who it belongs to (is that weird?). This seems to happen most often in the grocery store.
In the Jamie Rush mysteries, Jamie is a skip tracer who specializes in finding missing people. She’s an outsider, the daughter of con-artist parents who felt a proper education included how to target marks and how to disappear when a deal went south. Jamie has parlayed this childhood experience into a career in investigation, using her education to help others rather than take from them. I knew so much about Jamie and her background, her fears, her relationships, and her trust issues before I knew anything about her caseload. Understanding her deeply also helped me decide which kinds of cases she would commit to and how far she would go to solve them.
Characters win over plot, for me, for another reason. There have been times where I thought a certain plot element would help move the story forward, and a character has disagreed. They just go off and do something else. I hesitate to tell you how many words I’ve cut in the pursuit of a completed novel, but I now understand that this is part of my process. Someone once said (and I wish I could remember who) that “you need to write the bad words to get to the good ones.” I think this is also true with characters and their arcs. It’s important to experiment, but also to listen when they tell you that you’re forcing them to do something that isn’t in their nature. Characters may grow, stretch, and evolve (or stay stuck), but their choices must reflect the path they’re on.
So, I continue to plot and outline and to consider how I can take these characters I adore and put them in danger. However, I’ve learned how important it is for the plot to evolve from the characters, their choices, and their reactions. Some of my favorite scenes in DEPTHS OF DECEIT come from those moments when the character catches me off guard by completely ignoring my instruction. I’m now less of an outliner and more of a guide. There’s nothing more thrilling than when a character surprises me with a turn of events because that means the reader might enjoy it, too.
Excerpt: Depths of DeceitA Jamie Rush Mystery #2 By Laura OlesThe mermaid in the truck bed was what caught Jamie Rush’s attention. The cast-iron figure peeked over the hatch, her carved, flowing hair and demure smile in view. This was supposed to be a standard identify-and-repo job. Jamie was certain she hadn’t seen a mermaid on the itemized paperwork. Brody Rutger, in addition to hiding from creditors, had added theft of a local celebrity to his resume.
The day had started strong, with a lead on Rutger and an opportunity to catch him between fishing charters, using a boat he’d quit paying on months before. Suddenly, Marian the Mermaid was caught up in the mix.
And something was going on with the weather.
The month of November normally brought a steady stream of long-term vacationers from the north—affectionally called Winter Texans—who fled harsh winters for the promise of more tepid temperatures. Those who’d already set up residence in Port Alene were likely to be disappointed. Port A, usually quite predictable in her warmth, had suddenly changed her mind. That day, she was trading humidity for frigid air, and the wind, once laced with a warm, salty breeze, was offering only a cold shoulder. The palm trees lining Island Main bristled from side to side, and the town seemed to have turned inward in response. The icy wind whistled in the gap of her Tahoe’s window.
Jamie shuddered at the weather’s frigid downturn, while her partner, Cookie Hinojosa, all but cursed Mother Nature. He believed anything under seventy degrees was downright blasphemous. Jamie tilted her head toward the gray sky and welcomed the sting of air on her cheeks, her head briefly popping out the driver’s-side window. Cookie glanced over and shook his head. “
You’re very grumpy this morning,” Jamie said. She gave him a once-over, taking note of the large Dallas Cowboys logo on his chest, the silver star claiming almost all the space between his shoulders. “I see you found your favorite winter hoodie. Probably more fun to wear when they’re winning.”
Cookie turned to her and scowled. “Et tu, Brute? You’re going to dump on our favorite team? Really?”
Jamie reached over and gave her partner’s meaty shoulder a squeeze. “They need to earn our love by playing better. And we’ve been damned patient.” She rubbed her hand up and down his sleeve, noting the fabric felt cold. “You should probably break down and buy a proper winter jacket.”
“This is South Texas. Only snowbirds wear ‘proper’ winter jackets.”
Cookie dismissed the idea of wearing anything that added additional bulk to his substantial frame. “My Hawaiian shirts are sad from neglect.”
She had to agree. A long-sleeved Hawaiian shirt would look ridiculous on anyone. She rubbed her hands together and hoped the cold snap would soon dissipate, returning the balmy temperatures Port Alene normally delivered.
“I’m going to pull back a bit,” Jamie said.
Their skip of the day, Brody Rutger, owed their client, AAA Repo Services, $15,027. Brody had ducked all attempts at collection, so Jamie and Cookie had been hired to locate him and return the boat. Jamie and Cookie specialized in skip tracing, which essentially meant finding people who didn’t want to be found. They worked skips but also some surveillance—which paid well but was boring beyond belief—and some divorce cases, which also paid well but renewed Jamie’s resolve to never get married. In Jamie’s experience, if a person disappeared, the reasons involved money, private information, or violence. And secrets—always a secret.
Laura Oles — Author of Depths of Deceit
Laura Oles is the Agatha-nominated and award-winning author of the Jamie Rush mystery series, along with short stories and nonfiction. With two decades of experience in the digital photography industry, Laura’s work has appeared in trade and consumer magazines, crime-fiction anthologies, and she served as a business columnist.
Laura loves road trips, bookstores and any outdoor activity that doesn’t involve running. She lives in the Texas Hill Country with her family.
To learn more about Laura, click on any of the following links: LauraOles.com, Goodreads, BookBub – @LauraOles, Instagram – @lauraolesauthor, Twitter – @LauraOles & Facebook – @lauraolesauthorVisit all the Stops on the Tour!
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All We Buried, available now in print, eBook, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator 2020
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!)
Available in print (hardback and paperback) and eBook
The post Depths of Deceit: By Laura Oles appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
August 16, 2022
Dan Padavona: Prolific Thriller Author
Dan Padavona, a prolific author of thrillers and horror
Author Interview + Author & Book Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any author interviews! Click the link here.Grave Girl — Dan Padavona’s upcoming release
Every mind holds a secret. Some are more deadly than others.
Nightshade County Sheriff Thomas Shepherd is a successful model for every law enforcement officer with autism. He leads an idyllic life in his uncle’s old home along Wolf Lake and is planning to marry private investigator Chelsey Byrd.
But when a star athlete’s girlfriend disappears while camping, everyone blames the boyfriend. He’s volatile and dangerous. Did he murder the girl and bury her in the woods?
The sheriff’s gut tells him there’s more to the story than the boyfriend is willing to admit. The more he digs into the case, the more he worries someone is hiding a dark secret.
Is the boy a killer. Or is he the next victim?
To pre-order Grave Girl, click on the following link: AmazonDan Padavona — The InterviewYou are a prolific author, if someone wanted to start reading from your list, where do you recommend they start?
Click on the Cover to PurchaseI recommend readers begin with Her Last Breath, the first novel in the Wolf Lake thriller and mystery series. This series not only represents my best writing, but also who I’ve become. While the Wolf Lake books are tense thrillers on the surface, beneath they are about empathy, overcoming adversity, and the powers of friendship and love.
One of my favorite writers is Dean Koontz, who tells some pretty creepy tales yet always concludes his stories with hope and happiness. I love this combination.
You write a lot of thrillers, but your writing career started with “Storberry,” a bestselling vampire story and you write horror novels as well. How does the process differ for you between writing thrillers and writing horror? If it doesn’t differ, what draws you to writing one genre over another each time you sit down to work on a new novel?It’s true that I began my writing career as a horror author, and Storberry was essentially a love letter to Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot.
Between 2014 and 2018, I was exclusively a writer of horror. That darkness weighed on me, and I craved deeper characters and storylines. What I love about the thrillers and mysteries I write (and yes, many can be labeled as serial killer thrillers) is that they open up a world of possibilities in my storytelling, yet I’m free to bring elements of horror (tension, frightening imagery) into my stories and give readers an extra thrill.
Significant differences exist between my writing processes for horror and thrillers. When I wrote horror, I typically created the story from the seat of my pants, not planning anything. I allowed my imagination to take me down macabre rabbit holes, and the results were often disturbing. When writing thrillers and mysteries, I utilize “story beats”, which in my case are short paragraphs that I construct for each chapter during the book’s planning phase. I find these necessary, as I often plant clues throughout the story and need to remember them. Story beats keep me focused and spur my daily writing, while giving me creative leeway to let my brain run wild with an idea.
How did growing up near the Finger Lakes region impact you? You still live in New York; do you believe geography imprints and impacts us as writers?I do. When I was young, our family spent time at Skaneateles Lake, perhaps the most beautiful of the Finger Lakes. Stepping into Finger Lakes country is sometimes akin to entering Tolkien’s Middle-earth. It’s so lush and beautiful during the summer and fall. Without question, the region inspires creativity.
Many of my stories are based in the Finger Lakes. While we live a short drive from the region, I plan to move there in a few years. Thanks to my writing career, I might even be able to afford it, lol.
Grave Girl releases December 27, 2022. It’s the start of another series, the Thomas Shepherd Mystery Series. Tell us about that upcoming book:Grave Girl and the Thomas Shepherd Mysteries will essentially pick up where Wolf Lake left off. The series will be set in the same location, and readers’ favorite characters will return, though it won’t be necessary for readers to experience Wolf Lake first. The new series will stand on its own.
In Grave Girl, the girlfriend of a famous college athlete vanishes without explanation. As the sheriff digs into the disappearance, he discovers deadly secrets that implicate various suspects.
The first entry in the Thomas Shepherd Mystery Series promises to gripping and tense, while still maintaining the warmth of the Wolf Lake books.
I should also point out that Thomas Shepherd has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism. When I wrote Her Last Breath, I figured that would add an intriguing angle to his depth and character. Then I started receiving messages from parents of children on the autism spectrum, thanking me for shedding a positive light on Asperger’s syndrome and demonstrating that it’s a gift, not an affliction. I never meant to carry the torch for autism awareness, but I’m happy my stories have made a positive difference in people’s lives.
Prior to becoming a full-time author, you worked for the National Weather Service. Tell us about that career:What an amazing 28 years. Since viewing The Wizard of Oz when I was a few years old, I’ve been fascinated by tornadoes and severe weather. I never dreamed I’d one day become a meteorologist.
Originally, I planned to work as a sports broadcaster. During my senior year of college at SUNY Cortland, one semester from earning a communications degree, I realized I’d missed my true calling. After graduating, I applied to Oneonta and earned a second degree in meteorology. The National Weather Service hired me in 1994.
Meteorology is a thankless job at times. It’s a lot of fun, but we all hear the same jokes. “I wish I could earn a living being right 50% of the time.” In truth, our forecast accuracy is better than 90% and improves every decade.
However, the job has its share of warts. Like doctors, emergency officials, the police, and military, we work rotating shifts. We’re also on the job 365 days a year. Our office never closes, whether it’s Christmas or our children’s birthdays. We all sacrifice a great deal. Though I miss the friends I made and the daily challenge of forecasting the weather, I would never go back. Writing has blessed me with a freedom that few enjoy.
What are you working on now?The third book in the Logan and Scarlett Serial Killer Thriller Series comes out on August 31st. Right now, I’m correcting the last few typos my beta readers discovered and planning the fourth book. Busy as always, I’m also putting the final touches on Grave Girl.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:Always put your best foot forward. Even if you are just starting out and have little money to spare, hire an editor who understands your genre. The quickest route to poor reviews is to throw an unedited story on Amazon and hope for the best.
I also recommend authors hire the very best cover designers in their genre. Like it or not, readers judge books by their covers. Yours must meet genre expectations and look strong beside the best sellers.
Finally, don’t wait for inspiration. Inspiration is mythical, as is writer’s block. Writers write. Form a habit of writing every day, even if it’s only for fifteen minutes or a half hour. You’ll be shocked by how quickly the pages add up with consistent effort.
Author Pet Corner!
Rest in peace sweet Dunes.
Ralphie!Dunes was a special pup. We rescued him from a shelter in Hilton Head, SC. We were never certain of his breed. He looked like a smallish black lab, but we suspect he had pit bull in him and possibly beagle. Dunes lived twelve wonderful years. He lives in our family’s hearts. I even included him in a book last year.
We adopted Ralphie from a pet store. My daughter had wanted a bunny, but when we arrived, I sold her on how much more fun a dog would be. He’s a bugg – half Boston Terrier, half Pug. Ralphie is 14 and ½ and still going strong. We’re very fortunate to have him in our lives.
Peanut!Peanut is another rescue from Hilton Head. (We used to vacation there every summer) We think he’s 12 or so, but we don’t know. His former owner left him at a groomer and never returned. Peanut is a chiweenie – chihuahua and hot dog mix. He has a bottomless pit for a stomach and would eat us out of house and home if we allowed, and he’s quite the character.
Dan Padavona
Dan Padavona grew up in Cortland, New York, outside the beautiful Finger Lakes, where he earned degrees from SUNY Cortland and SUNY Oneonta. He entered the National Weather Service in 1994 and later became a forecaster for NOAA. After publishing Storberry in 2014, Dan fell in love with writing and authored nine additional titles by the end of 2017.
When he’s not writing, Dan enjoys photography, biking, weightlifting, and storm chasing. Dan has videotaped tornadoes from New York to Oklahoma and Texas and was nearly swept up by a strong twister outside Sweetwater, Texas. A self-proclaimed ice cream and gelato lover, Dan admits to spending too much time in the gym, compensating for his questionable nutritional decisions.
To learn more about Dan, click on his name, photo, or any of the following links: Facebook , Twitter, and InstagramElena Taylor/Elena HartwellAll We Buried, available now in print, eBook, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator 2020
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!)
Available in print (hardback and paperback) and eBook
Header image from Ferobanjo on Pixabay.
The post Dan Padavona: Prolific Thriller Author appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
August 13, 2022
In Danger of Judgment: Spotlight
In Danger of Judgment, debut thriller by David Rabin
Spotlight! Author & Book Info + Excerpt + GiveawayDon’t miss any blog tour posts, click the link here.In Danger of Judgement
When a covert operation during the Vietnam War ends in tragedy, one of its members resolves to kill the man who betrayed it to the enemy. Now, fifteen years later, he’ll finally get his chance.
Chicago, 1987. Home of mediocre baseball teams, gangs that rule the streets, and a Mexican drug cartel that supplies the city with heroin. Chicago Police Detective Marcelle DeSantis and her partner, Bernie Bernardelli, are working a series of heroin-related murders, and their job just got more complicated. The man who sabotaged the Vietnam operation, Robert Thornton, is now the chief enforcer for a Southeast Asian heroin cartel, and after fifteen years overseas he’s arrived in Chicago to eliminate the reigning cartel and seize control of the city’s heroin trade.
Racing to stop a drug war, Marcelle and Bernie don’t realize they’re about to be caught in a deadly crossfire: another man is circling in the wings, one of Thornton’s soldiers from Vietnam, who’s preparing to exact his long-sought revenge against his former mentor. He’s the last person anyone would ever suspect, and when he finally makes his move, the paths of these four people will explosively converge.
Genre: Crime Thriller
Published by: Black Rose Writing
Publication Date: August 4th 2022
Number of Pages: 369
ISBN: 1685130593 (ISBN13: 9781685130596)
The eight men filing into the Tactical Operations Center had six days’ beard growth, they reeked of sweat and jungle, and their clothes were smeared with soil and grime and still-wet enemy blood.
Major Henry Sampson waited for them at a table at the rear of the TOC, as far away as they could get from the beeping, static, and chatter of the radios. The men settled themselves around the table and didn’t wait for Sampson to ask a question. They’d just completed their fourth mission, and by now they knew the debriefing procedure.
“Eleven,” said the first man.
In due course, Sampson would steer them to other aspects of the mission, but they always started with what was most important: the number of enemy killed in action.
Sampson had had a rude awakening a few years earlier, during his first tour in South Vietnam. He was a West Point man, a professional soldier to the core, but Vietnam was a war unlike any he’d prepared for. In every war America had ever fought, the objective was to capture and hold territory, but in Vietnam, that was never the goal. The only metric that mattered was the body count.
“Tell me about the first one,” Sampson said.
“Sentry in the southwest sector. Older than usual, thirties, maybe, leaning against a tree with a Chicom AK slung over his shoulder. He wasn’t even scanning, just gazing into the distance, probably thinking about his old lady back in Hanoi. I snake-crawled from the rear, put my hand over his mouth, and pulled back. Three stabs and a slash through the neck. No sound.”
The man described the rest of his kills and then they went around the table. By the time they finished, the count reached 102. It was a good night’s work.
Sometimes the body count was so high that Sampson wondered whether they were exaggerating, but he questioned them carefully and they convinced him the count was true. When the two guys from the Department of Defense had given him the assignment, he didn’t dream the men would kill so many.
* * *
The DOD men had arrived by helicopter on a soggy December morning in 1968, late in the rainy season at Phu Bai, South Vietnam, where Sampson was stationed with the 101st Airborne Division. They weren’t in uniform, but from the way they exited the Huey—quickly and gracefully—Sampson could tell they’d spent some time in the bush.
There was no fanfare on their arrival. That was by design. Sampson had been told the men would meet with him and then leave, and the fewer the people that knew about the meeting, the better.
The DOD men introduced themselves as Robinson and Reese, and it occurred to Sampson that whoever gave them their code names must have been a Dodgers fan. They wore identical navy-blue suits, white shirts, muted ties, and blank expressions. Robinson was black and Reese was white, but otherwise they could have been twins.
Sampson took them to his hooch, a rudimentary structure of plywood elevated a foot off the ground and divided into four living quarters. Inside, the décor was olive drab, drab being the operative word. Sampson’s corner had a cot, a small desk, makeshift shelves, a locker, and a table fan.
He pulled over a couple of folding chairs for the two men to sit on. Sampson wished he had a conference room befitting their importance, but the hooch was the only venue at the base where they could be assured of privacy. He’d made sure that the other three officers who lived there would be absent for the meeting’s duration.
Reese got it started as Robinson shook a Marlboro out of a hard pack and lit it with a Zippo. “We’re going to tell you some stuff you may already know, but bear with us. We’ll get to the good part shortly.”
Sampson sat up straight and did his best to look attentive. “I’m at your disposal, sir.”
“When you got here,” Reese said, “you were fighting the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army. The VC are still around, but we hit them so hard during Tet that they’re no longer a major threat to the South. That’s why you’re now focused on the NVA.”
Robinson took the baton. “The NVA’s constantly moving men and supplies down the Ho Chi Minh Trail, infiltrating into the South, probing for weaknesses. Occasionally, they attack us and the South Vietnamese, and then they hightail it back to the North. Now, we both know that in a war you’re supposed to pursue the enemy, take the fight to them instead of the other way around. That’s how it’s always been done, but this is Vietnam, where nothing gets done the way it’s supposed to.”
“We’re not allowed to send ground troops into the North,” Sampson said.
Reese nodded. “That’s right, and it’s not because our civilian leadership is spineless, contrary to what you guys in-country may believe. North Vietnam has a great, big patron on its northern border called Communist China. In ’64, the Chinese told us that if we sent boots north of the 17th parallel, they’d intervene on behalf of their North Vietnamese comrades. Meaning, they’d send a few million Red Chinese soldiers down south, just like they did in Korea when we drove too far north, and we all know how that turned out for us.”
“Not real well.”
“Yeah. Not real well. We want to help the South Vietnamese, but we don’t want to start World War Three. Frustrating for us, frustrating for you.”
“I don’t make policy, sir. My duty is to follow orders and execute the mission.”
“I’m glad you mentioned that,” Robinson said, “because we came here to give you a mission.”
“Sir?”
Robinson stubbed out his cigarette and leaned forward. “You are very quietly going to insert ground troops into North Vietnam.”
They proceeded to tell him about the operation they wanted him to supervise: how the men would be selected, how they’d be trained, and the nature of the missions. They spoke for nearly an hour. Sampson listened intently, saying nothing. When they finished, they asked if he had any questions.
He did indeed have a question, though he hesitated to ask it, fearing they might think him insolent. But it was such an obvious issue, he just had to ask. “Why go to all this effort? All this planning, the massive selection process, the special training? Why don’t you use the men you already have?”
The DOD men looked at each other without a trace of reaction, communicated telepathically, and turned back to Sampson. “That’s above your pay grade,” Reese said, “but if you’re not comfortable with this op, we can find someone else.”
Now Sampson wished he hadn’t asked, but he recovered quickly. “I can do it,” he said.
“There’s one more thing. The body count is important—the higher the better, of course—and it needs to be accurate. You’ll have to drill it into the men to keep an accurate count. Can you do that, Major?”
“I can do it.”
Sampson thought the whole thing was a crock, just another foolhardy operation in a senseless war. But they got through the selection process and trained the men, and when they were finally let loose on their missions, they surpassed everyone’s expectations. The body counts were staggering.
* * *
It was now late 1972, and Team One was nearing the end of its sixth mission. The Huey had inserted them six nights ago. They’d spent three nights approaching the target camp, followed by three nights of recon. Seven of them would attack the camp, and the eighth would remain just outside the camp’s perimeter to cover them as they withdrew.
They wore no insignia and bore no identification, all to give the government plausible deniability if things went south. For the same reason, they never called each other by name during their missions. They were Ares Numbers One through Eight, a bit of theater they deemed absurd but acquiesced to nonetheless.
They killed time with the usual idle chatter: their favorite bands, best road trips, girlfriends good and bad. In their three years together, they’d told the same stories so many times that the telling was no longer the point. It was how they reinforced the bonds among them.
“Okay, guys,” Ares One said, “fifteen minutes till go time.”
They synched their watches, and as they went through one last gear check, Four addressed the elephant in the room. “The war’s almost over, so this is probably our last mission.”
Silence. No one wanted to talk about it.
“You know I’m right,” Four continued. “The Paris peace talks are barreling down the tracks. Kissinger went on TV and said peace is at hand.” He absent-mindedly checked his M16 again. “When we started out, I thought you guys were a bunch of losers, and now I don’t want it to end.”
“Jesus, you’re a downer,” Five said. “Look, when we get back, we’ll do it up right. Get us a case of that black-market champagne, put on some CCR and turn it all the way up.”
“Temptations,” said Seven.
Everyone laughed. Seven loved Motown.
“Enough of this shit,” Three said. “If this is our last mission, I don’t want the perimeter again. I want some action. Lemme be on the assault team.”
Two shook his head. “If Sampson and Thornton find out you violated the orders—”
“Fuck ’em,” Three said. “What’re they gonna do, fire me?”
No one had a response to that unassailable logic, and Three turned to Six. “Let me take your place,” Three said. “Take the easy duty tonight.”
Six looked at the others. They all nodded.
Three and Six exchanged weapons and ammo, Six getting the sniper kit. They all gave each other thumbs-up, and the seven men on the assault team moved silently into their assigned sectors.
Six checked his watch. The men would breach in twenty minutes and return one hour after that. He had nothing to do now but wait.
He stared into the darkness, listening to the sounds of the jungle and imagining the men—
Gunfire.
There should not have been gunfire.
It was not the treble staccato of American M16s. It was the bass thuds of Chinese AKs.
The gunfire ended abruptly, and then all was silent.
A flood of thoughts coursed through his brain.
His friends were dead.
The enemy had known they were coming, and so the enemy knew he was here.
And now, the enemy would come for him.
* * *
Sampson sat in his hooch, drinking his fourth Scotch of the night. The operation had gone along like clockwork until that bastard Thornton went rogue, the chief instructor selling out his own men.
The higher-ups had immediately terminated the entire operation, and Sampson could just imagine the hysteria now playing out at DOD. First, there would be recriminations. Who picked Thornton? Who vetted him? How in the hell did no one foresee this? Then they’d have to invent stories to tell the families, explaining why the bodies of their sons and brothers weren’t coming home. They’d prime people to describe how heroically the men had died, so the families would buy it and not inquire further. And once the cover-up started, they’d have to cover up the cover-up. It would feed on itself and grow exponentially until the cover-up itself was more important than the events that birthed it.
As distasteful as it was, Sampson knew there was nothing else they could do. If the public ever learned the whole story, there’d be more heads rolling at DOD than bowling balls at the local alley on dollar night.
* * *
Three weeks after the operation ended, the DOD men visited Sampson again.
In the four years since he’d last seen them, Sampson’s world had changed dramatically. The war was winding down and would end soon—and for Sampson, that was a problem. The way to get ahead in the military was to serve in a war zone. He’d done multiple tours in Vietnam, but once this war ended, who knew when there would be another one? He would have to find a way to make himself invaluable.
When the DOD men arrived, they looked just the same as before, all the way down to their navy-blue suits and inscrutable faces. They assured Sampson that no one blamed him for the unfortunate way the operation had ended. They complimented him on how well he’d run it, and on the results the men had obtained. A promotion to lieutenant colonel was already in the works.
When he heard the word “promotion,” Sampson knew they were about to get to the real point of the meeting. Guys like them always dangled a prize before asking for something.
“There are two other things,” Robinson said. “DOD wants to keep the operation and its outcome confidential.”
No kidding, Sampson thought. “What else?”
“The upper echelon at DOD considers the remaining men to be somewhat unstable.”
“What you mean is, you think they’re crazy.”
“However one puts it, given their, uh, mental disposition, we consider it prudent to monitor them until the last of them has passed away.”
Sampson saw the logic of it. “Where do I fit in?”
“The perpetuation of secrecy and the observation of the men are related tasks, and we need someone to oversee both. We’d be pleased if you could do that, at least until your retirement, which we hope will be many years from now. Can you do that, Major?”
At that moment, Sampson saw his future.
These assignments were delicate. They were critical. They would last the rest of his career.
They were giving him a way to make himself invaluable.
He took his time and pretended to think about it, not wanting to look too eager, then slowly nodded.
“I can do it,” Sampson said, though it would be another fifteen years before he’d discover just how complicated it could get.
Chapter 1Sunday, May 10, 19878:02 p.m.ChicagoMarcelle leaned against the railing of an apartment building at the south end of the 3700 block of Wilton Avenue, waiting for someone, though not for anyone in particular. She’d been there for five minutes and decided to wait another two before moving on.
The street was deserted, the residents having battened down the hatches in anticipation of twilight. An empty Old Style can rolled down the street in a grating, metallic rhythm, pushed by the wind coming off Lake Michigan a mile to the east. The only sign of life was the rumbling of an L train on the tracks a half-block from where she stood. The neighborhood seemed peaceful, though she knew its tranquility could be deceiving.
She was about to give up on this spot when two men in their late teens rounded the corner at the other end of the block and began walking toward her. They wore the gray and black colors of the area’s predominant street gang, the Latin Eagles, and they walked with a slow swagger as if they owned the place, which they pretty much did. One was taller and one was shorter, and thus became, in her lexicon, Mr. Tall and Mr. Short.
The instant they saw her, they broke into big smiles and started conversing energetically. She’d gotten their attention. It didn’t surprise her, because she was accustomed to getting attention. She was about five-eight and in her late twenties, with dark brown hair that barely touched her shoulders and a face that belonged on a magazine cover. Tonight she wore a light coat that was open at the front. Marcelle always dressed for success.
The men were five steps away now.
She put her right hand in her coat pocket.
“Que pasa, mami chula,” said Mr. Tall.
They walked back and forth around her from opposite sides, examining her from head to toe and leering at her, no doubt expecting she’d panic and try to extricate herself.
Except she didn’t.
Instead, she smiled at them.
It was a beautiful, radiant, magazine-cover smile, and because it was the last thing they’d expected, they froze in their tracks.
Her hand came out of her coat pocket.
It held a badge case.
“Detective Marcelle DeSantis,” she said, “and I want you to know I do appreciate the compliment.”
“Mierda,” said Mr. Short.
“We don’t talk to police,” said Mr. Tall.
Her smile turned into a pout. “A minute ago, you thought I was sexy, and now you don’t even want to talk to me? My feelings are hurt.”
The men looked dumbfounded. Marcelle figured no police had ever spoken to them that way, and she took the opening. “I’m not here to hassle you guys. You’re just two fine-looking dudes strolling down the street. Fact is, I need your help.”
Now they looked intrigued. “Help with what?” asked Short.
“I want to find the guy who killed your friends. Hector, Ramon, Angel, and Luis.”
“We take care of our own business,” said Tall.
“That’s good to know. Have you found the guy yet?”
Again, they were speechless.
“I know you want to find the guy who did it,” Marcelle said. “You want revenge, and you want people to know they shouldn’t screw with the Latin Eagles. The problem is, you won’t find him on your own.”
“Why not?” asked Tall.
“Because he’s a pro and you guys aren’t exactly Sherlock Holmes. If he gets found, it’s going to be the Chicago Police Department that does it.”
Tall shrugged. “We don’t know anything.”
“Okay,” she said, “but maybe you’ll remember something or hear something.”
“What do we get if we help you?” Short asked.
Now she knew she was getting somewhere. When they asked for something, it meant they were interested.
“I’ll tell you what you’ll get. If we convict the guy, he’ll get a life sentence or death row. Either way, he’ll go to a prison. Probably Pontiac, Stateville, or Joliet, and you’ve got members in all three. I’m sure your buddies will give him a warm welcome when he arrives.”
It was the men’s turn to smile.
“I’m gonna go now,” Marcelle said, “but I want you to remember something. I didn’t give you any shit. I didn’t ask for ID or search you. I treated you like men because that’s what you are.”
They nodded their agreement.
“Here’s how I work,” she continued. “You play straight with me and I play straight with you. As long as you’re law-abiding, I’ll treat you like you live on Lake Shore Drive.” She handed each man a card. “If you learn anything that might help us, call me. I don’t know your names and you won’t have to give them.”
The men pocketed the cards. Short looked ready to leave, but Tall stood still, his face gripped in concentration, as if trying to recall something from long ago.
Now, he looked like he remembered.
He stood up straight and looked her squarely in the eyes. “It was good to meet you, Detective. Have a nice night.”
David RabinDAVID RABIN was born in Chicago and raised in its Lakeview neighborhood. He later moved to Atlanta, where he worked as a trial lawyer for thirty-three years. Now retired, he writes fiction, runs a competitive shooting program, and competes in rifle sports, including the discipline of Highpower Rifle, in which he holds two High Master classifications.
He and his wife, a former clinical social worker, have two grown sons. In Danger of Judgment is his first novel.
To learn more about David, click on any of the following links: DavidRabinAuthor.com, Goodreads & Facebook – @DavidRabinAuthorVisit all the Stops on the Tour!
08/10 Showcase @ BOOK REVIEWS by LINDA MOORE
08/11 Showcase @ Nesies Place
08/12 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
08/15 Interview @ I Read What You Write
08/17 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
08/17 Review @ Novels Alive
08/18 Guest post @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
08/19 1st Chapter Read & Review @ Mysteries to Die For: Toe Tags Podcast
08/31 Review @ The World As I See It
08/31 Showcase @ The Authors Harbor
09/01 Showcase @ Celticladys Reviews
09/29 Review @ I Read What You Write
All We Buried, available now in print, eBook, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator 2020
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!)
Available in print (hardback and paperback) and eBook
The post In Danger of Judgment: Spotlight appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
August 10, 2022
Dead In the Alley: New Mystery
Dead in the Alley, the latest mystery by Sharon Michalove
Author Guest Post + Book & Author Info + Giveaway!Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.Dead in the Alley
When Bay Bishop’s husband was murdered in the alley behind their northern Michigan restaurant, she thought she’d lost the love of her life.
Now she’s a suspect.
And her high-school boyfriend, who left her broken-hearted years ago, is one of the detectives on the case.
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Published by: Indie Published
Publication Date: August 10, 2022
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1-7369187-4-6
As an inveterate mystery reader from an early age, my dream was to be Agatha Christie, or Dorothy Sayers, or Ngaio Marsh. Their books were like M&Ms. Had to eat the whole bag. I would find an author I liked and take the whole series out of the library. I remember discovering Frances and Richard Lockridge. I was so enamored with Pam and Jerry North that even now I have a Chemex coffee pot.
But wanting to have written is not the same as writing. In 2018, I decided to take writing more seriously but I soon realized that I wasn’t going to be able to plot a mystery and that Rom-Com didn’t offer me enough scope. In the end I put mystery and romance together and wrote the first draft of At First Sight, a romantic suspense novel. Three and a half years, and many rewrites later, I published it to celebrate my seventieth birthday. I immediately started my second book, At the Crossroads, another romantic suspense.
And then, the unthinkable happened, I woke up one morning with not only the idea of a mystery, the whole plot, characters, and setting were all there. Until Dead in the Alley, I had never been able to put a mystery together. I spent some time planning and wrote the first draft in two months. After my early readers told me that the plot held together and they liked the characters, I threw myself into the revisions.
My writing journey has been long and twisted, but I credit my mother for my love of books and both my parents for the freedom to read whatever I wanted, no matter how inappropriate. (My dad and I both tried reading Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure—Fanny Hill—one year when a copy was left in our motel room instead of the usual bible. We both thought it was boring.)
When I was four, my mom stopped reading to me. Years later, I asked her why, assuming that she had been too busy with my new brother. Her answer surprised me. “You could read on your own,” she said. Before you gasp in astonishment in my precocity, reading was the one skill I mastered early. Math, on the other hand, is still a struggle—and I’m not talking about calculus or even algebra. I use a calculator for basic arithmetic. But back to reading…
An eclectic omnivore, I read classics, history, biography, mystery, fantasy, poetry. I couldn’t wait to be old enough to take out books from the adult part of the library. My parents were pretty lenient about what paperbacks I bought, even though I brought home things like The World of Suzie Wong and From Russia with Love when I was fourteen.
The first whiff of censorship was when my grandfather bought me No Time for Sergeants. When I stayed with them, he and I would walk down to the drugstore in the evening. He told me to pick out a book. My grandmother was shocked and declared that I had to return it the next day. But she didn’t confiscate it. So that night, I stayed up and read the whole thing. I’m sure much of it went over my head but I’m sure I enjoyed it as much because it was illicit as for the story.
The key to my reading was in that last word—story. I read to be entertained and to learn. From later rereading, I knew that much in my early reading went over my head. Didn’t matter. Story was the most important thing, although I learned to appreciate good characters too. My addiction to “Golden Age” mysteries, particularly British mysteries, cemented a belief that plot was the most important element. I consumed books in gulps and changed my major from English to History when I realized that I liked to read, not analyze what I read.
Turned out, analysis was the missing element in my reading if I wanted to be a writer. Not what my college professors asked me to do—explain the significance of “dust” in Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend, for example. The analysis I’m talking about is how writers create characters, make description come alive, elicit emotion. Why sentences work and why they don’t. Learning to appreciate the writing as well as the story. And figuring out the puzzles of putting a plot together—why some endings fall flat, and why some openings don’t provide enough of a hook to make the reader want to turn the page. I finally learned how to put a book together. There is no magic formula, but
Being a writer means that I read less. I still love reading but writing takes up more time than work ever did. When I do read, I notice places where I think something could be phrased better, how an author differentiates characters through dialogue (or doesn’t), when a scene could have been eliminated or fleshed out more. Flying through a story is a thing of the past. I wish I could say that I still read a book a day, but these days I’m lucky if I get through a couple of books a week.
The difference is that reading enriches my writing in a way that my earlier reading never did. Learning to read as a writer, makes me better at both.
Sharon Michalove — Author of Dead in the Alley
Sharon Michalove grew up in suburban Chicago. She received four degrees from the University of Illinois because she didn’t have the gumption to go anywhere else, and spent most of her career at the university, eventually earning a PhD, working in departmental administration, publishing and libraries. Her specialties are 15th-16th century European history, polar exploration, and food history. She may be one of the few people in America to never live outside her home state.
In graduate school, she met and married the love of her life. They shared a love of music, theater, travel and cats. He died in 2013.
Sharon also loves hockey, reading, cooking, writing, and various less elevated activities like eating cookies and sampling gins and single malts. After spending most of her life in a medium-sized university town she moved back to Chicago in 2017 so she could go to more Blackhawks games and spend quality time at Eataly. In 2021 she accomplished a lifetime goal by publishing her first novel. Unfortunately her other lifetime goal, to be English, is likely to remain unfulfilled.
To learn more about Sharon, click on any of the following links: www.SharonMichalove.com, Goodreads, BookBub – @sdmichalove, Instagram – @sdmichaloveauthor, Twitter – @sdmichalove & Facebook – @sharonmichaloveVisit all the Stops on the Dead in the Alley Tour!
07/18 Review @ Lynchburg Reads
07/18 Showcase @ Celticladys Reviews
07/19 Showcase @ BOOK REVIEWS by LINDA MOORE
07/20 Review @ From the TBR Pile
07/21 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
07/23 Review @ Paws. Read. Repeat
07/24 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
07/30 Showcase @ Brooke Blogs
07/31 Showcase @ Nesies Place
08/02 Showcase @ I Read What You Write
08/08 Review @ Jersey Girl Book Reviews
08/08 Review @ Melissa As Blog
08/10 Guest post @ The Mystery of Writing
08/10 Showcase @ The Authors Harbor
08/11 Review @ A Room Without Books is Empty
08/12 Review @ nanasbookreviews
08/12 Review @ Pat Fayo Reviews
09/29 Interview Podcast @ Blog Talk Radio
09/29 Review @ Just Reviews
All We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator 2020
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook.
The post Dead In the Alley: New Mystery appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
August 8, 2022
Be Kind To Yourself
Be Kind To Yourself
Hello Readers!
Be Kind to Yourself + Book Giveaway!
Just wanted to do a post to say how much I appreciate all of you. We’ve had a tough couple of years and I’m grateful to everyone who visits my blog to find new books, support authors, and learn about the writing process.
We are all struggling with different things, from isolation to illness, from job loss to the loss of loved ones, and everything in between. It’s hard sometimes to keep in mind that everyone is facing challenges, so I thought I would just take a moment and say I feel your struggles, I know it’s hard, and I’m wishing you strength and serenity.
Be Kind To YourselfTo celebrate that, I’m giving away a copy of The Foundation of Plot or All We BuriedShare this post on social media or add yourself to my newsletter to enter to winI’ll draw a winning name on August 15The publishing industry has had an incredible amount of issues to overcome. Paper shortages and rising costs, distribution problems, burnout for editors and agents. Writers have had to cancel in-person events, we’ve lost out on signings and conferences, and meeting with readers.
I wish I could say we are out of the woods, but the world continues to be a difficult place, so I wish you all tenacity.
But most of all, I wish you good health.Drop me a note, I’d love to hear how you’re doing. We are all in this together.
I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
Be Kind To Yourself (and others)
All We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator 2020
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook.
Reading image from Stocksnap on Pixabay
The post Be Kind To Yourself appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
August 4, 2022
Death a Sketch: A Paint & Shine Mystery
Death a Sketch, the latest Paint & Shine Mystery by Cheryl Hollon
Guest Post + Book & Author Info + Rafflecopter Giveaway!Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.Death a Sketch
In eastern Kentucky, Miranda Trent runs a unique tour company called Paint & Shine, but sometimes the peaceful mountains play host to murder . . .
Miranda’s business—combining Appalachian adventure tours with art and a bit of moonshine—is the perfect place for an outdoor sporting goods company to hold an employee retreat. It’ll be a challenge, but the money they’re paying will definitely help with building her new distillery.
Miranda has lots of teamwork-fostering activities planned, from sketching classes to Southern cooking, but the executive running things prefers a more competitive spirit. In fact, after the workers are split into teams, they’re told that only the winners will keep their jobs, and tensions begin to spike. Even after a participant is found dead, the contest continues—while Miranda starts drawing her own conclusions about the ambitious attendees. Now she just has to find the proof . . .
Death a Sketch (A Paint & Shine Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Kentucky
Kensington (July 26, 2022)
Mass Market Paperback : 288 pages
ISBN-10 : 149672528X
ISBN-13 : 978-1496725288
Digital ASIN : B09KP3TJ8F
I always read more in the summer than in the winter down here in Florida. This is because I’m spending more time indoors in lovely, air-conditioned comfort. The reason? It’s HOT here. It’s too hot to walk downtown in the noon-day sun. In fact, we call it the 90/90 season. That’s a temperature above 90 degrees with more than 90 percent humidity. I do spend a bit of time around the pool – after all my writing is done, of course.
Some of that is a habit. As a schoolgirl, I always enrolled in the library’s summer reading program. My dad encouraged each of us four siblings to read widely. Not just adventure tales, but also non-fiction books in astronomy, woodworking, photography, gardening, and anything else that caught our fancy.
Summer is also my chance to tackle that TBR (To Be Read) pile of books that threatens to topple over and send me or my husband scrambling to gather up his, mine, and our next-to-read books. Summer is my chance to catch up.
I’ve also started reading series books out of sequence. Right! OUT OF SEQUENCE! I’ve discovered if I like the current one, I’m happy to get the rest of the series. If it’s well-written, then I’m in good hands.
How many books do you plan to read this summer?
Cheryl Hollon — Author of Death a Sketch
Cheryl Hollon now writes full-time after she left an engineering career designing and building military flight simulators in amazing countries such as England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India.
Fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, she combines her love of writing with a passion for oil painting and creating glass art.
Cheryl and her husband live in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida.
Visit her online at http://cherylhollon.com, on Facebook or on Twitter @CherylHollon.
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
August 1 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT
August 1 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 1 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
August 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
August 2 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
August 3 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 3 – Books Blog – SPOTLIGHT
August 4 – The Mystery of Writing – GUEST POST
August 4 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
August 4 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
August 5 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
August 5 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
August 6 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
August 6 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
August 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – GUEST POST
August 7 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
August 7 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT
August 8 – Novels Alive – REVIEW, RECIPE
August 8 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 9 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
August 9 – Celticlady’s Reviews = SPOTLIGHT
August 10 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT
August 10 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
Elena Taylor/Elena HartwellAll We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio.
Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Investigator 2020
Foreword INDIE Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
The Foundation of Plot, a Wait, Wait, Don’t Query (Yet!) guidebook.
The post Death a Sketch: A Paint & Shine Mystery appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
