Lori Gordon's Blog: Thrillers, Chillers and Darn Good Books, page 2
December 13, 2011
Spotlight on Heidi Sutherland, Author of Brother’s in Betrayal
Today’s spotlight is on Heidi Sutherland, author of the hot new release Brother’s in Betrayal – the first in a trilogy. If you enjoy romantic suspense, be sure to check out this sizzling debut novel from an up and coming new author. If you haven’t sampled her writing yet, this is your chance to get a sneak peak at a real page-turner and discover a great new author.
Author Bio:
Heidi Sutherlin is a writer of Romantic Suspense and Paranormal Romance, a Graphic Designer and a Cover Artist. She currently wreaks her particular brand of digital mayhem from her home in beautiful Central Oregon while riding herd on a wily four year old and a plastic addicted black Lab named Frannie.
Genre:
Romantic Suspense
What drew you to romantic suspense?
I read all kinds of genres but throughout all of the books that I read two things draw me: mystery and happily ever after. There needs to be an element to solve for me and the HEA is mandatory. That’s why all of the books that I write, regardless of genre will include those two elements in some shape or form.
Tell us a little about your book.
BROTHERS IN BETRAYAL is the first of the trilogy The Sins of the Fathers, focusing on three men, bonded in childhood and the three women that they come to love. Each of them will be threatened by a shared betrayal that will bring them closer even as it shatters the memories that they hold dear.
This first book tells Noah’s story:
Elite Pacific Northwest software designer, Grace Mason is not the criminal that Special Agent Noah Jeffries expected to find.
Unaware that she’s a suspected accomplice in an arms smuggling ring, Grace struggles to cope with the mysterious and disturbing changes in the company that she helped to build. When the danger begins to escalate she has no choice but to place her life in the hands of a man who threatens her control and makes her want what she promised herself she’d never take. Grace couldn’t have known that falling for the sexy FBI agent would make her the focus of a dead man’s vendetta.
Now Noah must uncover more than the details in a smuggling case as a betrayal from his past threatens the future of a woman he never meant to care for.
Novel Excerpt
“Are you finished with your tantrum? Pretty impressive, really. I didn’t expect you to last longer than a half hour at the most, but I think you actually managed to drag me through the entire complex. That takes you passed spoiled, right into dedicated. Nice job.”
His eyes glittered as he looked down at her, contradicting the bored tone he assumed, his jaw hardening in preparation for the battle to come.
“Spoiled!” she spluttered, “How dare you!”
“Yes, spoiled.”
He took one, then two, then three steps forward forcing her to move back until she felt the cold brick wall at her back. He was so close she could smell him; wood shavings and spice. The eyes that she had thought blue were suddenly cold and metallic. Not cold, no, a molten, gun metal blue. She’d never been able to visualize that color until now.
“You’re not happy that you have to show me around, I get it. Big deal, grow up and act like a professional. You’re more than welcome to continue to waste my time and your own, but I promise you that I won’t be going anywhere until I have what I came for. If that takes me a day or a month, fine, it will be spent within a foot from your side. You can enjoy it, or you can fight it, either way, you’re mine until I decide differently. Understand?”
He moved in so close that she could count the places they weren’t touching on one hand. From this vantage point, his face had lost the easy humor it held all afternoon. How could she have thought him gullible? How could she have ever overlooked this strength? His body was as hard as the steel in his eyes, and she could almost imagine being taken by – oh my God, she was doing it again. What was wrong with her! Then her eyes widened as the harsh words he’d just uttered managed to sink into her poor fogged brain.
He knew the exact moment when she snapped. He was watching the tide of thoughts and emotions that moved in waves across her face. Even with his patience at an end, she fascinated and stimulated him like no other female ever had. My God, she was beautiful. He watched as she seemed enveloped with her desire, followed by puzzlement and soft feminine wondering, the abrupt reeling in of the desire came next and finally the explosion of temper when his words registered. Good, he thought, let’s see how she handles someone who pushes back.
Grace jerked her arms up from where his body had them pinned, and shoved at his chest with both hands. In a far distant section of her brain she filed away the feel of his muscular frame on her oversensitive palms. She stomped on the lingering desire, even now racing through her senses and spun away and out of his reach. She turned on him then and planted both hands on her hips. The Peter Pan pose nearly had Noah laughing out loud, but he managed to just catch himself and schooled his features into his earlier scowl.
“Look here, you …you…man.” Smooth Grace, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she began again. “I am not a babysitter, nor am I a tour guide, and in the last three hours you haven’t once asked me a question pertaining to anything that we do here. What do you want? How can I help you? I’m a programmer, not a God damned promoter. We have sales reps and company flutter bugs who wine and dine and dimple for all of the other over-sexed, over-funded, pampered rich boys who fly in on their private jet, looking around for a new toy for the company that Daddy bought and doesn’t have the time to play with it. I cannot help you. Deal with it.” With an impressive flounce she turned on her booted heel and stalked away from him.
He followed, of course, though he did make certain to keep a few hundred feet between them. She was just angry enough that he wasn’t certain that she wouldn’t try to brain him with a handy stapler, or maybe even an office chair.
He wasn’t concerned. He knew where she was going. She was on her way to see Jude, where she’d no doubt explain that in no uncertain terms would she continue to “babysit” him.
My God, he thought again, she was beautiful.
He allowed a small chuckle to slip through his stony facade and then gave up completely and allowed his face to rest in its natural state, the crooked smile blooming on his lips. He hadn’t intended to push her so hard, but he couldn’t resist throwing a well timed boot into her little tantrum. And tantrum it was. Miss Grace Mason was a spoiled little code monkey, who needed a bit of a tune up, and he was just the man to do it.
What can your readers look forward to? Do you have an upcoming new release?
In the coming year I have a number of titles that I will be releasing, the first of which being the second book in the Sins of the Fathers series, BROTHERS IN DECEPTION, the story of Gage and Sam.
Where can readers learn more about you and your work?
You can learn more about me on my blog, facebook page and over at Goodreads. I’m also very active on Twitter and I love to meet new people, so feel free to stop by and say hello!
Blog – http://heidisutherlin.blogspot.com/
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5301155.Heidi_Sutherlin
Twitter – @heidisutherlin
You purchase Heidi Sutherland’s books at the following retailers:
BROTHERS IN BETRAYAL is available in both ebook and paperback. The ebook is currently $.99.
B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1107459453?ean=2940013514317&itm=3&usri=brothers+in+betrayal
Brazen Snake Books – www.brazensnakebooks.com
Spotlight on Heidi Sutherland, Author of Brother's in Betrayal
Today's spotlight is on Heidi Sutherland, author of the hot new release Brother's in Betrayal – the first in a trilogy. If you enjoy romantic suspense, be sure to check out this sizzling debut novel from an up and coming new author. If you haven't sampled her writing yet, this is your chance to get a sneak peak at a real page-turner and discover a great new author.
Author Bio:
Heidi Sutherlin is a writer of Romantic Suspense and Paranormal Romance, a Graphic Designer and a Cover Artist. She currently wreaks her particular brand of digital mayhem from her home in beautiful Central Oregon while riding herd on a wily four year old and a plastic addicted black Lab named Frannie.
Genre:
Romantic Suspense
What drew you to romantic suspense?
I read all kinds of genres but throughout all of the books that I read two things draw me: mystery and happily ever after. There needs to be an element to solve for me and the HEA is mandatory. That's why all of the books that I write, regardless of genre will include those two elements in some shape or form.
Tell us a little about your book.
BROTHERS IN BETRAYAL is the first of the trilogy The Sins of the Fathers, focusing on three men, bonded in childhood and the three women that they come to love. Each of them will be threatened by a shared betrayal that will bring them closer even as it shatters the memories that they hold dear.
This first book tells Noah's story:
Elite Pacific Northwest software designer, Grace Mason is not the criminal that Special Agent Noah Jeffries expected to find.
Unaware that she's a suspected accomplice in an arms smuggling ring, Grace struggles to cope with the mysterious and disturbing changes in the company that she helped to build. When the danger begins to escalate she has no choice but to place her life in the hands of a man who threatens her control and makes her want what she promised herself she'd never take. Grace couldn't have known that falling for the sexy FBI agent would make her the focus of a dead man's vendetta.
Now Noah must uncover more than the details in a smuggling case as a betrayal from his past threatens the future of a woman he never meant to care for.
Novel Excerpt
"Are you finished with your tantrum? Pretty impressive, really. I didn't expect you to last longer than a half hour at the most, but I think you actually managed to drag me through the entire complex. That takes you passed spoiled, right into dedicated. Nice job."
His eyes glittered as he looked down at her, contradicting the bored tone he assumed, his jaw hardening in preparation for the battle to come.
"Spoiled!" she spluttered, "How dare you!"
"Yes, spoiled."
He took one, then two, then three steps forward forcing her to move back until she felt the cold brick wall at her back. He was so close she could smell him; wood shavings and spice. The eyes that she had thought blue were suddenly cold and metallic. Not cold, no, a molten, gun metal blue. She'd never been able to visualize that color until now.
"You're not happy that you have to show me around, I get it. Big deal, grow up and act like a professional. You're more than welcome to continue to waste my time and your own, but I promise you that I won't be going anywhere until I have what I came for. If that takes me a day or a month, fine, it will be spent within a foot from your side. You can enjoy it, or you can fight it, either way, you're mine until I decide differently. Understand?"
He moved in so close that she could count the places they weren't touching on one hand. From this vantage point, his face had lost the easy humor it held all afternoon. How could she have thought him gullible? How could she have ever overlooked this strength? His body was as hard as the steel in his eyes, and she could almost imagine being taken by – oh my God, she was doing it again. What was wrong with her! Then her eyes widened as the harsh words he'd just uttered managed to sink into her poor fogged brain.
He knew the exact moment when she snapped. He was watching the tide of thoughts and emotions that moved in waves across her face. Even with his patience at an end, she fascinated and stimulated him like no other female ever had. My God, she was beautiful. He watched as she seemed enveloped with her desire, followed by puzzlement and soft feminine wondering, the abrupt reeling in of the desire came next and finally the explosion of temper when his words registered. Good, he thought, let's see how she handles someone who pushes back.
Grace jerked her arms up from where his body had them pinned, and shoved at his chest with both hands. In a far distant section of her brain she filed away the feel of his muscular frame on her oversensitive palms. She stomped on the lingering desire, even now racing through her senses and spun away and out of his reach. She turned on him then and planted both hands on her hips. The Peter Pan pose nearly had Noah laughing out loud, but he managed to just catch himself and schooled his features into his earlier scowl.
"Look here, you …you…man." Smooth Grace, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she began again. "I am not a babysitter, nor am I a tour guide, and in the last three hours you haven't once asked me a question pertaining to anything that we do here. What do you want? How can I help you? I'm a programmer, not a God damned promoter. We have sales reps and company flutter bugs who wine and dine and dimple for all of the other over-sexed, over-funded, pampered rich boys who fly in on their private jet, looking around for a new toy for the company that Daddy bought and doesn't have the time to play with it. I cannot help you. Deal with it." With an impressive flounce she turned on her booted heel and stalked away from him.
He followed, of course, though he did make certain to keep a few hundred feet between them. She was just angry enough that he wasn't certain that she wouldn't try to brain him with a handy stapler, or maybe even an office chair.
He wasn't concerned. He knew where she was going. She was on her way to see Jude, where she'd no doubt explain that in no uncertain terms would she continue to "babysit" him.
My God, he thought again, she was beautiful.
He allowed a small chuckle to slip through his stony facade and then gave up completely and allowed his face to rest in its natural state, the crooked smile blooming on his lips. He hadn't intended to push her so hard, but he couldn't resist throwing a well timed boot into her little tantrum. And tantrum it was. Miss Grace Mason was a spoiled little code monkey, who needed a bit of a tune up, and he was just the man to do it.
What can your readers look forward to? Do you have an upcoming new release?
In the coming year I have a number of titles that I will be releasing, the first of which being the second book in the Sins of the Fathers series, BROTHERS IN DECEPTION, the story of Gage and Sam.
Where can readers learn more about you and your work?
You can learn more about me on my blog, facebook page and over at Goodreads. I'm also very active on Twitter and I love to meet new people, so feel free to stop by and say hello!
Blog – http://heidisutherlin.blogspot.com/
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5301155.Heidi_Sutherlin
Twitter – @heidisutherlin
You purchase Heidi Sutherland's books at the following retailers:
BROTHERS IN BETRAYAL is available in both ebook and paperback. The ebook is currently $.99.
B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1107459453?ean=2940013514317&itm=3&usri=brothers+in+betrayal
Brazen Snake Books – www.brazensnakebooks.com
Spotlight on Heidi Sutherland, Author of Betrayal
Today's spotlight is on Heidi Sutherland, author of the hot new release Brother's in Betrayal – the first in a trilogy. If you enjoy romantic suspense, be sure to check out this sizzling debut novel from an up and coming new author. If you haven't sampled her writing yet, this is your chance to get a sneak peak at a real page-turner and discover a great new author.
Author Bio:
Heidi Sutherlin is a writer of Romantic Suspense and Paranormal Romance, a Graphic Designer and a Cover Artist. She currently wreaks her particular brand of digital mayhem from her home in beautiful Central Oregon while riding herd on a wily four year old and a plastic addicted black Lab named Frannie.
Genre:
Romantic Suspense
What drew you to romantic suspense?
I read all kinds of genres but throughout all of the books that I read two things draw me: mystery and happily ever after. There needs to be an element to solve for me and the HEA is mandatory. That's why all of the books that I write, regardless of genre will include those two elements in some shape or form.
Tell us a little about your book.
BROTHERS IN BETRAYAL is the first of the trilogy The Sins of the Fathers, focusing on three men, bonded in childhood and the three women that they come to love. Each of them will be threatened by a shared betrayal that will bring them closer even as it shatters the memories that they hold dear.
This first book tells Noah's story:
Elite Pacific Northwest software designer, Grace Mason is not the criminal that Special Agent Noah Jeffries expected to find.
Unaware that she's a suspected accomplice in an arms smuggling ring, Grace struggles to cope with the mysterious and disturbing changes in the company that she helped to build. When the danger begins to escalate she has no choice but to place her life in the hands of a man who threatens her control and makes her want what she promised herself she'd never take. Grace couldn't have known that falling for the sexy FBI agent would make her the focus of a dead man's vendetta.
Now Noah must uncover more than the details in a smuggling case as a betrayal from his past threatens the future of a woman he never meant to care for.
Novel Excerpt
"Are you finished with your tantrum? Pretty impressive, really. I didn't expect you to last longer than a half hour at the most, but I think you actually managed to drag me through the entire complex. That takes you passed spoiled, right into dedicated. Nice job."
His eyes glittered as he looked down at her, contradicting the bored tone he assumed, his jaw hardening in preparation for the battle to come.
"Spoiled!" she spluttered, "How dare you!"
"Yes, spoiled."
He took one, then two, then three steps forward forcing her to move back until she felt the cold brick wall at her back. He was so close she could smell him; wood shavings and spice. The eyes that she had thought blue were suddenly cold and metallic. Not cold, no, a molten, gun metal blue. She'd never been able to visualize that color until now.
"You're not happy that you have to show me around, I get it. Big deal, grow up and act like a professional. You're more than welcome to continue to waste my time and your own, but I promise you that I won't be going anywhere until I have what I came for. If that takes me a day or a month, fine, it will be spent within a foot from your side. You can enjoy it, or you can fight it, either way, you're mine until I decide differently. Understand?"
He moved in so close that she could count the places they weren't touching on one hand. From this vantage point, his face had lost the easy humor it held all afternoon. How could she have thought him gullible? How could she have ever overlooked this strength? His body was as hard as the steel in his eyes, and she could almost imagine being taken by – oh my God, she was doing it again. What was wrong with her! Then her eyes widened as the harsh words he'd just uttered managed to sink into her poor fogged brain.
He knew the exact moment when she snapped. He was watching the tide of thoughts and emotions that moved in waves across her face. Even with his patience at an end, she fascinated and stimulated him like no other female ever had. My God, she was beautiful. He watched as she seemed enveloped with her desire, followed by puzzlement and soft feminine wondering, the abrupt reeling in of the desire came next and finally the explosion of temper when his words registered. Good, he thought, let's see how she handles someone who pushes back.
Grace jerked her arms up from where his body had them pinned, and shoved at his chest with both hands. In a far distant section of her brain she filed away the feel of his muscular frame on her oversensitive palms. She stomped on the lingering desire, even now racing through her senses and spun away and out of his reach. She turned on him then and planted both hands on her hips. The Peter Pan pose nearly had Noah laughing out loud, but he managed to just catch himself and schooled his features into his earlier scowl.
"Look here, you …you…man." Smooth Grace, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she began again. "I am not a babysitter, nor am I a tour guide, and in the last three hours you haven't once asked me a question pertaining to anything that we do here. What do you want? How can I help you? I'm a programmer, not a God damned promoter. We have sales reps and company flutter bugs who wine and dine and dimple for all of the other over-sexed, over-funded, pampered rich boys who fly in on their private jet, looking around for a new toy for the company that Daddy bought and doesn't have the time to play with it. I cannot help you. Deal with it." With an impressive flounce she turned on her booted heel and stalked away from him.
He followed, of course, though he did make certain to keep a few hundred feet between them. She was just angry enough that he wasn't certain that she wouldn't try to brain him with a handy stapler, or maybe even an office chair.
He wasn't concerned. He knew where she was going. She was on her way to see Jude, where she'd no doubt explain that in no uncertain terms would she continue to "babysit" him.
My God, he thought again, she was beautiful.
He allowed a small chuckle to slip through his stony facade and then gave up completely and allowed his face to rest in its natural state, the crooked smile blooming on his lips. He hadn't intended to push her so hard, but he couldn't resist throwing a well timed boot into her little tantrum. And tantrum it was. Miss Grace Mason was a spoiled little code monkey, who needed a bit of a tune up, and he was just the man to do it.
What can your readers look forward to? Do you have an upcoming new release?
In the coming year I have a number of titles that I will be releasing, the first of which being the second book in the Sins of the Fathers series, BROTHERS IN DECEPTION, the story of Gage and Sam.
Where can readers learn more about you and your work?
You can learn more about me on my blog, facebook page and over at Goodreads. I'm also very active on Twitter and I love to meet new people, so feel free to stop by and say hello!
Blog – http://heidisutherlin.blogspot.com/
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5301155.Heidi_Sutherlin
Twitter – @heidisutherlin
You purchase Heidi Sutherland's books at the following retailers:
BROTHERS IN BETRAYAL is available in both ebook and paperback. The ebook is currently $.99.
B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1107459453?ean=2940013514317&itm=3&usri=brothers+in+betrayal
Brazen Snake Books – www.brazensnakebooks.com
November 22, 2011
Spotlight on Larry Enright author of Buffalo Nickel Christmas
Thrillers, Chillers andDarn Good Books
Today's spotlight is on Larry Enright, an author whose books are receiving rave reviews. His books are heartwarming, humorous and revealing, and if you haven't sampled his writing yet, this is your chance to get a sneak peak and discover a great new author.
Author Bio: Larry Enright was born to Irish Catholic first-generation immigrants and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After college, he moved to the Philadelphia area where for the past 40 years he has filled his life with many careers including teacher, musician, computer programmer, researcher, and writer. He has written four novels. The best seller "Four Years from Home" (2010) is his first published work. "A King in a Court of Fools" was published in September 2011. "Buffalo Nickel Christmas," his newest work, will be out this Thanksgiving.
Genre: Mystery, humor, nostalgia.
You have a continuing character in your novels. Give us a bit of background about him/her:
Both "Four Years from Home" and "A King in a Court of Fools" are about the Ryan family. Tom Ryan, the oldest of the five children, is the narrator and protagonist in "Four Years from Home." In that work, he is an unlikable man in his 20s, thinks of himself as king, bully extraordinaire, and the only one with a clue. This comes from his experiences as a boy and his decisions as a young man. This self perception is laid bare to the reader's examination and judgment throughout the novel as the dark mystery surrounding Harry, the youngest brother, unfolds. "A King in a Court of Fools" takes the family back to when Tom was in 6th grade and leader of the Caswell gang, a loosely knit association of kids and siblings. This story is told by Harry and is much lighter in tone and content than "Four Years." "A King" is a period piece with nostalgia, funny kid situations, and a view of the simpler life of the 50s. My newest work, "Buffalo Nickel Christmas," will also be a story about the Ryans. Those who have read "Four Years" will understand an underlying irony beyond what I have described, but am unable to divulge.
Your books "A King in a Court of Fools" and "Four Years From Home" are selling quite well. Do you think people crave a simpler time and place?
There is definitely an audience for psychological mystery, which is what "Four Years from Home" is. It is a dark and twisting story about a person you cannot help but hate. It requires some perseverance to listen to his story in its entirety, but you will not be disappointed. There is also an audience for a simple, funny, and heartwarming story, which is how "A King in a Court of Fools" has been described in reviews. People enjoy the uplifting and simple just as people enjoy reading about personal sacrifice and the extent to which love will take us.
Did you have any special inspiration for your books?
My inspiration is my life, things that have happened, things that could have happened. And when blended, reformed, changed, they become a story.
Tell us a little about your books.
"Four Years from Home"
Tom Ryan — firstborn of five children in a large, Irish Catholic family, smart and acerbic, a cheat and a bully — calls himself the future king of the Ryans. There are other opinions. His mother calls him a holy terror. Mrs. Ioli calls the police on him. His father says that had Trouble been a saint, that would have been Tom's middle name. But his parents, neighbors, peers, and siblings all must bow down before him or suffer the consequences. Just ask the Christmas turkey leftovers he buried in the side yard.
Harry, the youngest Ryan, was the shining star of the family. Bright, sensitive, and caring, he was protected by parental radar, called by God and Grandma Ryan to the priesthood, and was in Tom's eyes, a brown-nosing little punk who had become a threat to his kingdom and the primary target of his search and destroy missions.
Then Harry changed. He abandoned his vocation and quit the church, and when he left for college, he left for good. He never called. He rarely wrote. His picture disappeared from the mantle. It was as if he had ceased to exist and his shining star had been but a passing comet. The enemy had retreated and Tom's war was over.
"Four Years from Home" begins on Christmas 1972 during Harry's senior year at college. The Ryan family has gathered without Harry for another bittersweet holiday celebration. When an unexpected and unwelcome gift arrives, the family demands answers and Tom Ryan, bully cum laude, must make a reluctant journey of discovery and self-discovery into a mystery that can only end in tragedy.
"A King in a Court of Fools"
A King in a Court of Fools begins with a book — The Book of Tom — a journal writing assignment from Tom Ryan's sixth-grade teacher, Sister Jeanne Lorette. That's what she called it. Tom called it punishment. In it, he chronicles the adventures of the Caswell Gang, a group of siblings and friends with two things in common — their love of adventure and their allegiance to Tom, their king.
The 1950s book was misplaced a long time ago, and all the children have since grown up, but Harry, Tom's youngest brother, still remembers it and retells for us one of its stories in a nostalgic, heartwarming, and humorous way that will have you wishing for adventure, too.
"Buffalo Nickel Christmas"
This story takes place a few months after "A King in a Court of Fools," the week before Christmas. A Monster snowstorm is on the way, and the excitement preceding the holiday intensifies with the storm. Preparations, plans, and wishes all lead to a most unlikely adventure for the Caswell gang, and adventure with magic, kings, wizards, and Santa Claus. Once again, Harry narrates this tale in a fashion that only he can.
Novel Excerpt from chapter four of the new release, "Buffalo Nickel Christmas."
The Post Office has no official motto. The one that everyone thinks is their motto is actually just words engraved on the outside of the James A. Farley Post Office building at 8th Avenue and 33rd Street in New York City: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." And that was actually a translation of an ancient Greek work of Herodotus describing the Persian system of mounted mail carriers around 500 B.C.
None of us knew anything about Herodotus or Persia or any Post Office in New York. We just knew that nothing stopped the mail. But, deep down, we were all just a little surprised when Mr. Pearson, our mailman, rang the doorbell.
Mom answered the door. "Mr. Pearson, what on earth are you doing out in this weather?"
"Only the truck routes are canceled today, Mrs. Ryan. All the walkers are still a go."
Our post office, the one without the engraving on the outside and the Persian mounted postal carriers, was not that far from us, and we were on what they called a walking route.
"Would you like to come in and warm up a bit?"
Mr. Pearson zipped his uniform jacket up closer to his chin, covering his red flannel shirt. He was our regular mailman and always seemed to have a red flannel shirt on except during the hottest days of summer. And he always smelled like bacon no matter what time of year it was. "No, thank you, I'm nearly done. I would have dropped your mail in the box, but your Sears catalog came today and it's too big. I didn't want it getting ruined in the snow."
"That was very thoughtful, Mr. Pearson. We were wondering where it had gotten to."
"It does seem like they mailed them late this year, but that's just more rush business for the mailmen and there's nothing wrong with that." He saw me peeking out from behind Mom and winked, "You might want to pay special attention to page 269, Harry. That's my favorite."
The Sears catalog — the most amazing book ever made, over three hundred fifty pages of the neatest things in the whole world. You could get anything from the Sears catalog: toys, men's clothes, women's clothes, more toys, boots, jewelry, fragrances, watches, even more toys, cowboy hats, guns, wagons, bikes, even kits to build a real house. And did I mention toys? The catalog that came every December was officially named the Sears Christmas Book but everyone called it the Wish Book. That year, the 1956 Sears Christmas Book had a picture of a boy in blue pajamas and a girl in pink pajamas looking over the banister from the steps at a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and all the presents waiting for them — if only their parents would call the phone number on page 377 and place their orders with Santa.
Tom liked to call it the "Santa Gimme Book," as in, "Santa, gimme this," and "Santa gimme that."
Mom held the catalog high over her head to prevent The Jumping Ryans from grabbing it. They were the world famous circus act, now in town for a limited engagement. She handed it to Dad.
"I called dibs. I get it first," Tom complained.
"We can all look at it in the living room," Dad said.
I wrapped myself around Dad's left leg, and Sam tried to hold him back by his belt, but Dad was unstoppable. The catalog gave him super powers. I seem to remember a special deal on that in last year's Wish Book. He made it to his easy chair, plopped down and extended the footrest, and the little cloud of mosquitoes gathered around the irresistible light. I got the best seat in the house.
"How come Harry always gets to sit in your lap?"
Dad adjusted me leftwards so I wasn't sitting on the car keys in his pocket. "You're too heavy, Tom. You can see well enough from there."
"It's not the same."
"You'll be fine."
Kate bent over and stuck her sweetest smile right in Dad's face. "I'm not too heavy."
Tom used his knee and the leverage of the wall to edge her forward so he could get a better view of the book.
"Stop pushing, Tom."
"Stop being so crowdy," Tom said, leaning so close I could feel his breath on my neck.
"That's not even a word."
"You're not even a word."
What can your readers look forward to? Do you have an upcoming new release?
After "Buffalo Nickel Christmas," I will be returning to Tom Ryan at a later point in his life. I've been kicking around a few ideas for where his life goes, and I think it's time for the pen to put them to paper.
Where can readers learn more about you and your work?
My website is http://www.larryenright.net/ . There are a couple of book videos I did of "Four Years from Home" there, samples, tidbits, that kind of thing.
I'd love for you to follow me on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/LarryEnrightAuthor . It's the one social media site I can handle without going crazy, although I also tweet occasionally from @LarryEnright.
You purchase Larry Enright's books at the following retailers:
Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Larry-Enright/e/B0045Z9HX2/
- also available on the U.K., DE, and FR sites.
Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/larry-enright
November 19, 2011
Spotlight on Carolyn Arnold, Author of "Eleven"
Author Bio:
Carolyn Arnold is the author of several novels in the mystery, thriller and suspense genres. TIES THAT BIND, the first in a police procedural mystery series surrounding Detective Madison Knight, was her debut novel and published May 2011.
Carolyn was born in 1976 in the rural town of Picton, Ontario. While her passion for writing dates back to her teen years, it wasn’t until 2008 that she completed her first novel. She lives with her husband and her two beagles in Southwestern Ontario.
Do you work with an outline?
I’m a complete “panster” which means no outline for me. I know the basics of how the story is going to end but I let the characters lead me along. Before I write I do set out with an understanding as to the main characters. This affords me an intimate relationship with them from the first word. Of course, that relationship only grows.
You have a continuing character in your novels. Give us a bit of background about her:
At the age of 34, Madison Knight knows she wasn’t destined to be a cop, coming from generations of those who served before her. She isn’t holding onto a childhood trauma for which she seeks retribution. In fact, she’s probably a poor candidate for a Major Crimes Detective with her distaste for the sight of blood. But she pushes herself beyond it because she wanted a purpose to her life as opposed to just making it through it.
She didn’t want to be part of the “cookie-cutter mold” with family and kids even though she came close - once. The once being enough to seal the fact she didn’t need a man, and given time and opportunity any man would cheat. Instead she was left with a broken heart and her belief there was someone special out there for everyone was shattered.
Maybe if she saw things through her mother’s eyes, she would be considered a perfect daughter as opposed to the other daughter. Her sister has the “perfect” life - a husband and three girls. At times Madison contemplated whether it was simply her career choice that drew the barrier in the relationship with her mother, or if it was the fact her grandmother left her everything. It is possible Madison will never know for sure.
What Madison does know is the memory of her grandmother helps coax her through the times she struggles. Her grandmother was the one person that truly believed in her, and for that Madison could never let her down. This could be why Madison is determined to find justice for the victims and closure for the family left behind no matter what the costs.
Tell us a little about your books.
TIES THAT BIND, the first in the Madison Knight series, available now
The first case was ruled an isolated incident until the second victim. Madison Knight and her partner must work to stop a potential serial killer from striking again.
ELEVEN, FBI Thriller, available now
New FBI Special Agent Brandon Fisher never expected this when he became FBI – eleven rooms, ten bodies and one empty grave.
JUSTIFIED, the second in the Madison Knight series scheduled for December 2011
It’s Christmas Eve and the case has Madison Knight and her partner dealing with blood and lots of it. Everyone wanted the victim dead. In order obtain justice Madison Knight and her partner must find out who has the most motive and hold the guilty accountable.
Novel Excerpt
Nothing in the twenty weeks at Quantico prepared me for this.
A Crime Scene Investigator, who had identified himself as Earl Royster when we first arrived, came out of a room and addressed FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jack Harper. “All of the victims were buried–” He held up a finger, his eyes squeezed shut and he sneezed. “Sorry ‘bout that. My allergies don’t like it down here. They were all buried the same way.”
This was my first case with the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit and it took us to Salt Lick, Kentucky. The discovery was made this morning, and were briefed and flown out from Quantico to the Louisville field office where we picked up a couple SUVs. We drove from there and got here about four in the afternoon.
We were in a bunker illuminated by portable lights brought in by the local investigative team. A series of four tunnels spread out as a root system beneath a house the size of a mobile trailer, and extended under an abandoned corn field.
A doorway in the cellar of the house led down eleven feet to a main hub from which the tunnels fed off. The walls were packed dirt and an electrical cord ran along the ceiling with pigtail fixtures attached every few feet.
We were standing in the hub which was fifteen and a quarter feet wide, and arched out to a depth of seven and half feet. The tunnels were only about three feet wide and the height clearance was about the same as here, six and a half feet. The bulbs dangled down from the fixtures another eight inches.
I pulled out on the collar of my shirt wishing for a smaller frame than my six foot two. As it was the three of us could have reached out and touched each other if we were inclined.
“It’s believed each victim had the same cuts inflicted,” Royster said. “Although most of the remains are skeletal so it’s not as easy to know for sure, but based on burial method this guy obviously had a ritual. The most recent victim is only a few years old and was preserved by the soil. The oldest remains are estimated to date back twenty-five to thirty years. Bingham moved in twenty-six years ago.”
Lance Bingham was the property owner, age sixty-two, and was currently serving three to five years in a correctional facility for killing two cows and assaulting a neighbor. If he moved in twenty-six years ago that would put Bingham at thirty-six. The statistical age for a serial killer to start out is early to mid thirties.
The CSI continued to relay more information about how the tunnels branched out in various directions and the ends came to a bulbus tip.
“There’s eleven rooms and only ten bodies.” Jack rushed the briefing along as he pulled a cigarette out of a shirt pocket. He didn’t light up, but his lips suctioned around it like a life supply.
Royster’s eyes went from the cigarette to Jack’s face. “Yes. There’s one tunnel that leads to a dead end and there’s one empty grave.”
“What do you make of it?” Jack spoke with the cigarette bobbing in his mouth, and turned to me.
“Of the empty grave?”
Jack’s smile slanted higher on the right, his eyes pinched and he removed the cigarette from his mouth. “That and the latest victim.”
Bingham had been in prison for the last three years. The elaborate tunnel system he had going would have taken years to plan and dig and it would have taken strength, leaning towards Bingham not working alone. “He had help. Someone followed behind him.”
Jack perched the unlit smoke back in his lips. “Humm.”
“Anyway you’ll want to see it for yourself. I haven’t seen anything like it,” Royster continued.
Jack’s eyes narrowed and his brows compressed.
“Come–” The back of a wrist came to his nose in an instant. The spray of sneeze only somewhat diverted. More sniffles. “Sorry ‘bout that. Anyway this way.”
Jack motioned for me to go ahead of him.
What can your readers look forward to? Anything new in the works?
Coming this December is the release of the second in the Madison Knight series, JUSTIFIED.
Here’s the book blurb:
Madison Knight should have ignored the call. Now she is spending Christmas Eve dealing with her least favorite thing…blood and lots of it.
When a female victim is found in her home it has Madison and her partner tapping into the vic’s personal life. With a rash of former business partners and lovers, all of whom wanted her dead, there are not enough hours to question them all.
But trying to find the person who had the most motive isn't all that's on Madison's mind. As she struggles to establish balance in her own life, she knows she has to get her focus back. Justice requires it.
Where can readers learn more about you and your work?
Website
Blog
Facebook page
Goodreads
You can purchase Carolyn Arnold’s books at the following retailers:
Amazon
Spotlight on Carolyn Arnold, Author of “Eleven”
Everybody loves a good mystery, especially one that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Today I am talking to author Carolyn Arnold whose novel Ties that Bind is receiving rave reviews. She has a new book out – ELEVEN – which is sure to keep you glued to the edge of your seat. If you haven’t read Carolyn Arnold yet, this is your chance to get a sneak peak and discover a great new author.
Author Bio:
Carolyn Arnold is the author of several novels in the mystery, thriller and suspense genres. TIES THAT BIND, the first in a police procedural mystery series surrounding Detective Madison Knight, was her debut novel and published May 2011.
Carolyn was born in 1976 in the rural town of Picton, Ontario. While her passion for writing dates back to her teen years, it wasn’t until 2008 that she completed her first novel. She lives with her husband and her two beagles in Southwestern Ontario.
Do you work with an outline?
I’m a complete “panster” which means no outline for me. I know the basics of how the story is going to end but I let the characters lead me along. Before I write I do set out with an understanding as to the main characters. This affords me an intimate relationship with them from the first word. Of course, that relationship only grows.
You have a continuing character in your novels. Give us a bit of background about her:
At the age of 34, Madison Knight knows she wasn’t destined to be a cop, coming from generations of those who served before her. She isn’t holding onto a childhood trauma for which she seeks retribution. In fact, she’s probably a poor candidate for a Major Crimes Detective with her distaste for the sight of blood. But she pushes herself beyond it because she wanted a purpose to her life as opposed to just making it through it.
She didn’t want to be part of the “cookie-cutter mold” with family and kids even though she came close – once. The once being enough to seal the fact she didn’t need a man, and given time and opportunity any man would cheat. Instead she was left with a broken heart and her belief there was someone special out there for everyone was shattered.
Maybe if she saw things through her mother’s eyes, she would be considered a perfect daughter as opposed to the other daughter. Her sister has the “perfect” life – a husband and three girls. At times Madison contemplated whether it was simply her career choice that drew the barrier in the relationship with her mother, or if it was the fact her grandmother left her everything. It is possible Madison will never know for sure.
What Madison does know is the memory of her grandmother helps coax her through the times she struggles. Her grandmother was the one person that truly believed in her, and for that Madison could never let her down. This could be why Madison is determined to find justice for the victims and closure for the family left behind no matter what the costs.
Tell us a little about your books.
TIES THAT BIND, the first in the Madison Knight series, available now
The first case was ruled an isolated incident until the second victim. Madison Knight and her partner must work to stop a potential serial killer from striking again.
ELEVEN, FBI Thriller, available now
New FBI Special Agent Brandon Fisher never expected this when he became FBI – eleven rooms, ten bodies and one empty grave.
JUSTIFIED, the second in the Madison Knight series scheduled for December 2011
It’s Christmas Eve and the case has Madison Knight and her partner dealing with blood and lots of it. Everyone wanted the victim dead. In order obtain justice Madison Knight and her partner must find out who has the most motive and hold the guilty accountable.
Novel Excerpt – “Eleven”
Nothing in the twenty weeks at Quantico prepared me for this.
A Crime Scene Investigator, who had identified himself as Earl Royster when we first arrived, came out of a room and addressed FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jack Harper. “All of the victims were buried–” He held up a finger, his eyes squeezed shut and he sneezed. “Sorry ‘bout that. My allergies don’t like it down here. They were all buried the same way.”
This was my first case with the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit and it took us to Salt Lick, Kentucky. The discovery was made this morning, and were briefed and flown out from Quantico to the Louisville field office where we picked up a couple SUVs. We drove from there and got here about four in the afternoon.
We were in a bunker illuminated by portable lights brought in by the local investigative team. A series of four tunnels spread out as a root system beneath a house the size of a mobile trailer, and extended under an abandoned corn field.
A doorway in the cellar of the house led down eleven feet to a main hub from which the tunnels fed off. The walls were packed dirt and an electrical cord ran along the ceiling with pigtail fixtures attached every few feet.
We were standing in the hub which was fifteen and a quarter feet wide, and arched out to a depth of seven and half feet. The tunnels were only about three feet wide and the height clearance was about the same as here, six and a half feet. The bulbs dangled down from the fixtures another eight inches.
I pulled out on the collar of my shirt wishing for a smaller frame than my six foot two. As it was the three of us could have reached out and touched each other if we were inclined.
“It’s believed each victim had the same cuts inflicted,” Royster said. “Although most of the remains are skeletal so it’s not as easy to know for sure, but based on burial method this guy obviously had a ritual. The most recent victim is only a few years old and was preserved by the soil. The oldest remains are estimated to date back twenty-five to thirty years. Bingham moved in twenty-six years ago.”
Lance Bingham was the property owner, age sixty-two, and was currently serving three to five years in a correctional facility for killing two cows and assaulting a neighbor. If he moved in twenty-six years ago that would put Bingham at thirty-six. The statistical age for a serial killer to start out is early to mid thirties.
The CSI continued to relay more information about how the tunnels branched out in various directions and the ends came to a bulbus tip.
“There’s eleven rooms and only ten bodies.” Jack rushed the briefing along as he pulled a cigarette out of a shirt pocket. He didn’t light up, but his lips suctioned around it like a life supply.
Royster’s eyes went from the cigarette to Jack’s face. “Yes. There’s one tunnel that leads to a dead end and there’s one empty grave.”
“What do you make of it?” Jack spoke with the cigarette bobbing in his mouth, and turned to me.
“Of the empty grave?”
Jack’s smile slanted higher on the right, his eyes pinched and he removed the cigarette from his mouth. “That and the latest victim.”
Bingham had been in prison for the last three years. The elaborate tunnel system he had going would have taken years to plan and dig and it would have taken strength, leaning towards Bingham not working alone. “He had help. Someone followed behind him.”
Jack perched the unlit smoke back in his lips. “Humm.”
“Anyway you’ll want to see it for yourself. I haven’t seen anything like it,” Royster continued.
Jack’s eyes narrowed and his brows compressed.
“Come–” The back of a wrist came to his nose in an instant. The spray of sneeze only somewhat diverted. More sniffles. “Sorry ‘bout that. Anyway this way.”
Jack motioned for me to go ahead of him.
What can your readers look forward to? Anything new in the works?
Coming this December is the release of the second in the Madison Knight series, JUSTIFIED.
Here’s the book blurb:
Madison Knight should have ignored the call. Now she is spending Christmas Eve dealing with her least favorite thing…blood and lots of it.
When a female victim is found in her home it has Madison and her partner tapping into the vic’s personal life. With a rash of former business partners and lovers, all of whom wanted her dead, there are not enough hours to question them all.
But trying to find the person who had the most motive isn’t all that’s on Madison’s mind. As she struggles to establish balance in her own life, she knows she has to get her focus back. Justice requires it.
Where can readers learn more about you and your work?
Twitter
Facebook page
Goodreads
You can purchase Carolyn Arnold’s books at the following retailers:
Spotlight on Carolyn Arnold, Author of "Eleven"
Everybody loves a good mystery, especially one that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Today I am talking to author Carolyn Arnold whose novel Ties that Bind is receiving rave reviews. She has a new book out – ELEVEN – which is sure to keep you glued to the edge of your seat. If you haven't read Carolyn Arnold yet, this is your chance to get a sneak peak and discover a great new author.
Author Bio:
Carolyn Arnold is the author of several novels in the mystery, thriller and suspense genres. TIES THAT BIND, the first in a police procedural mystery series surrounding Detective Madison Knight, was her debut novel and published May 2011.
Carolyn was born in 1976 in the rural town of Picton, Ontario. While her passion for writing dates back to her teen years, it wasn't until 2008 that she completed her first novel. She lives with her husband and her two beagles in Southwestern Ontario.
Do you work with an outline?
I'm a complete "panster" which means no outline for me. I know the basics of how the story is going to end but I let the characters lead me along. Before I write I do set out with an understanding as to the main characters. This affords me an intimate relationship with them from the first word. Of course, that relationship only grows.
You have a continuing character in your novels. Give us a bit of background about her:
At the age of 34, Madison Knight knows she wasn't destined to be a cop, coming from generations of those who served before her. She isn't holding onto a childhood trauma for which she seeks retribution. In fact, she's probably a poor candidate for a Major Crimes Detective with her distaste for the sight of blood. But she pushes herself beyond it because she wanted a purpose to her life as opposed to just making it through it.
She didn't want to be part of the "cookie-cutter mold" with family and kids even though she came close – once. The once being enough to seal the fact she didn't need a man, and given time and opportunity any man would cheat. Instead she was left with a broken heart and her belief there was someone special out there for everyone was shattered.
Maybe if she saw things through her mother's eyes, she would be considered a perfect daughter as opposed to the other daughter. Her sister has the "perfect" life – a husband and three girls. At times Madison contemplated whether it was simply her career choice that drew the barrier in the relationship with her mother, or if it was the fact her grandmother left her everything. It is possible Madison will never know for sure.
What Madison does know is the memory of her grandmother helps coax her through the times she struggles. Her grandmother was the one person that truly believed in her, and for that Madison could never let her down. This could be why Madison is determined to find justice for the victims and closure for the family left behind no matter what the costs.
Tell us a little about your books.
TIES THAT BIND, the first in the Madison Knight series, available now
The first case was ruled an isolated incident until the second victim. Madison Knight and her partner must work to stop a potential serial killer from striking again.
ELEVEN, FBI Thriller, available now
New FBI Special Agent Brandon Fisher never expected this when he became FBI – eleven rooms, ten bodies and one empty grave.
JUSTIFIED, the second in the Madison Knight series scheduled for December 2011
It's Christmas Eve and the case has Madison Knight and her partner dealing with blood and lots of it. Everyone wanted the victim dead. In order obtain justice Madison Knight and her partner must find out who has the most motive and hold the guilty accountable.
Novel Excerpt
Nothing in the twenty weeks at Quantico prepared me for this.
A Crime Scene Investigator, who had identified himself as Earl Royster when we first arrived, came out of a room and addressed FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jack Harper. "All of the victims were buried–" He held up a finger, his eyes squeezed shut and he sneezed. "Sorry 'bout that. My allergies don't like it down here. They were all buried the same way."
This was my first case with the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit and it took us to Salt Lick, Kentucky. The discovery was made this morning, and were briefed and flown out from Quantico to the Louisville field office where we picked up a couple SUVs. We drove from there and got here about four in the afternoon.
We were in a bunker illuminated by portable lights brought in by the local investigative team. A series of four tunnels spread out as a root system beneath a house the size of a mobile trailer, and extended under an abandoned corn field.
A doorway in the cellar of the house led down eleven feet to a main hub from which the tunnels fed off. The walls were packed dirt and an electrical cord ran along the ceiling with pigtail fixtures attached every few feet.
We were standing in the hub which was fifteen and a quarter feet wide, and arched out to a depth of seven and half feet. The tunnels were only about three feet wide and the height clearance was about the same as here, six and a half feet. The bulbs dangled down from the fixtures another eight inches.
I pulled out on the collar of my shirt wishing for a smaller frame than my six foot two. As it was the three of us could have reached out and touched each other if we were inclined.
"It's believed each victim had the same cuts inflicted," Royster said. "Although most of the remains are skeletal so it's not as easy to know for sure, but based on burial method this guy obviously had a ritual. The most recent victim is only a few years old and was preserved by the soil. The oldest remains are estimated to date back twenty-five to thirty years. Bingham moved in twenty-six years ago."
Lance Bingham was the property owner, age sixty-two, and was currently serving three to five years in a correctional facility for killing two cows and assaulting a neighbor. If he moved in twenty-six years ago that would put Bingham at thirty-six. The statistical age for a serial killer to start out is early to mid thirties.
The CSI continued to relay more information about how the tunnels branched out in various directions and the ends came to a bulbus tip.
"There's eleven rooms and only ten bodies." Jack rushed the briefing along as he pulled a cigarette out of a shirt pocket. He didn't light up, but his lips suctioned around it like a life supply.
Royster's eyes went from the cigarette to Jack's face. "Yes. There's one tunnel that leads to a dead end and there's one empty grave."
"What do you make of it?" Jack spoke with the cigarette bobbing in his mouth, and turned to me.
"Of the empty grave?"
Jack's smile slanted higher on the right, his eyes pinched and he removed the cigarette from his mouth. "That and the latest victim."
Bingham had been in prison for the last three years. The elaborate tunnel system he had going would have taken years to plan and dig and it would have taken strength, leaning towards Bingham not working alone. "He had help. Someone followed behind him."
Jack perched the unlit smoke back in his lips. "Humm."
"Anyway you'll want to see it for yourself. I haven't seen anything like it," Royster continued.
Jack's eyes narrowed and his brows compressed.
"Come–" The back of a wrist came to his nose in an instant. The spray of sneeze only somewhat diverted. More sniffles. "Sorry 'bout that. Anyway this way."
Jack motioned for me to go ahead of him.
What can your readers look forward to? Anything new in the works?
Coming this December is the release of the second in the Madison Knight series, JUSTIFIED.
Here's the book blurb:
Madison Knight should have ignored the call. Now she is spending Christmas Eve dealing with her least favorite thing…blood and lots of it.
When a female victim is found in her home it has Madison and her partner tapping into the vic's personal life. With a rash of former business partners and lovers, all of whom wanted her dead, there are not enough hours to question them all.
But trying to find the person who had the most motive isn't all that's on Madison's mind. As she struggles to establish balance in her own life, she knows she has to get her focus back. Justice requires it.
Where can readers learn more about you and your work?
Twitter
Facebook page
Goodreads
You can purchase Carolyn Arnold's books at the following retailers:
November 14, 2011
Discovering New Authors
I have a long list of favorite authors, as I'm sure most of you do. My bookshelves are piled high with books waiting to be read. I've been reading most of these writers for more years than I'd care to count but once upon a time, they were unknown to me, which got me wondering, how do YOU choose a new book by unfamiliar author? With so many books out there these days, and so many more options to choose from, what makes you plunk down a handle of change to sample an Indie author, or spend the big bucks to snag the latest release from a bestselling traditionally published author.
I tend to rely on recommendations from friends and family. They know my taste and know if I will enjoy an author's work, but when I'm let loose in a bookstore, that's another story. The cover is the first thing that grabs me. If it's appealing or intriguing, I'll pick it up. I might skim the inside flap or the back cover to see if the story peaks my interest, but it's the writing that seals the deal for me. I'll read the first page and then flip to the middle. If I have the sense that I like the writer's style, I may skim a few more pages to get a sense of the characters to see if they are likable or wooden.
If I'm already a fan of an author, I don't need to be hooked with the first paragraph because I know they'll deliver.
When sampling a new author, if the writing and the characters are engaging, I'll go along for the ride even if I'm not crazy about the plot because writers tend to get better with time. I've read many a first book by unknown authors and with each new release they raised the bar a little further, ultimately ending up on my must read list.
For me, it's all about the writing…I like a book that make me care about the characters…where I can lose myself in the story and be entertained.
What about you? How you discover new author's?
November 7, 2011
#tagit
Over the course of the past few years I've had the opportunity to get to know a group of wonderful, talented, and amazing people on twitter and it should come as no surprise that they are all a part of the writing community. My biggest regret is that recently I haven't been able to tweet with them as often as I have in the past – and should any of you happen to be reading this, I miss you all and hope to be back at it soon (right after I finish the short story for the Dead Shoe Anthology).
My debut novel was released in August and I joined The Independent Author Network aka @AuthorNetwork to help market the book. I not only made some new friends, I've also have been blown away by what a supportive and tireless group they are. Thank you to @JamieDebree for making me aware of them.
But that's how we writers and authors roll – we cheer each other on, we celebrate the success of others and commiserate when sales are lackluster or a rejection letter comes via e-mail. These days there are many paths an aspiring author can take, but in the end, we all hope for the same thing. For readers to discover us and enjoy out work.
Writers want to be read. Readers are constantly searching for new authors which got me thinking. With the holidays approaching we are all going to be busier than ever. Nestled between writing, marketing, tweeting, family and work, time must also be made for shopping, family gatherings, parties and gift giving, and okay, taking a selfish moment for some holiday cheer. The hours we stretch each day will be pulled tighter than the drum some hopeful child hopes to find under his or her Christmas tree.
William Potter @WilliamPotter68 created #IAN and spends countless hours promoting authors works. Cynthia Meyers-Hanson @mchanson714 on twitter does an author spotlight each week and uses the hash tag #authorshelpingauthors as a way of paying it forward. Derek Blass @derekblass founded #AmazonLikes which is a fantastic concept and I am only naming a few. There are countless others who use their time and resources to help other authors succeed and I'd like to toss in my meager two cents and ask for your help in promoting the #tagit hash tag.
I'm sure my idea isn't a novel one – pun intended - but I did a search and haven't found that hash tag used for promoting authors work. As the holiday season approaches what better gift can we give our fellow authors than the chance to help readers discover their work?
I pledge to tag at least three authors' books each day. Don't we all have a few minutes to tag a book or three to help get each other's books noticed on Amazon? The more Indie Authors do to stand together the louder we will be heard and more readers will discover new favorite authors. And isn't that what we all want? 'Tis the season (or soon will be) after all – so let's give a little as a thank you for all the support our writing community gives to us each day. We can all use a little help from a friend – be a friend, even if you are reaching out to authors you may not know well, but admire. Give back to those who give to you and #tagit.
October 25, 2011
New Excerpt from State of Panic "Fortuitous Encounters"
The joint was jumping. Groups of people laughed over steaming plates of food. Bad jokes rang out from good old boys seated at the bar, and the juke box played country music.
Sierra rested her chin on her hand and took it all in. She envied them. They looked so normal. Everyday people, with everyday problems, letting off a little steam. What she wouldn't give to be like them, to be a part of the revelry instead of on the outside looking in.
"That's a mighty wistful expression for such a pretty lady."
The voice startled her. She glanced up and stared into the blackest eyes she'd ever seen. Two frosty mugs of beer sweated in his hands. "Mind if I join you? The beer is yours whether I can sit or not."
"I have a long drive ahead," she answered with a tired smile. "I probably shouldn't be drinking unless you're ready to provide me with shelter for the night."
He grinned. "That could be arranged," he drawled with a mischievous wink.
Her cheeks famed red "No, I didn't mean…"
"Relax, I know what you meant." He chuckled, setting one beer on the table in front of her, "I'm not in the habit of taking advantage of strangers. I can offer you a single bed and safety for a night. If you need it, that is."
Sierra frowned, studying him. He wasn't her type, but he wasn't half bad looking. Long black hair slicked back and caught in a ponytail. An interesting face, chiseled good looks, weathered by life. His body was long and lean. He wore soft, faded denim jeans and a loose plaid shirt over a pristine white tee. There was something familiar about him, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. When he cleared his throat, she realized she was staring.
"Do I pass inspection?" He lifted his beer, and gestured to the empty chair opposite her. "May I?"
She looked around the crowded restaurant. He didn't reek of cop, and she didn't think anyone had followed her. A vein throbbed in her forehead. She couldn't shake the feeling she'd seen him somewhere before. Curiosity got the best of her again. "Yes, you may."
He raised his beer and motioned for her to do the same. Bemused, she complied.
"To fortuitous meetings," he toasted, clinking his glass against hers.
A chill gripped her. She drained a fourth of the beer in a single swallow, "Why would you say that?"
He leaned back in the booth, and stretched out his legs, "Most meetings are fortuitous, wouldn't you say?"
She took another swig of beer. The cold drink soothed her dry throat. "No, I don't necessarily agree." She cringed at the crack in her voice. Inviting him to sit with her had been a bad idea.
He was nonplussed . "Ah, come on, think about it. Don't most people, the people you really connect with, come into your life for a reason? They show up right when you need them most, even if you don't realize it at the time."
She grew uncomfortable with the direction their conversation was taking. Sierra shifted in her seat, prepared to bolt.
He laughed. A deep, pleasant belly life that permeated her fear. "I didn't mean to freak you out. I guess I delved too deep to start."
"Yeah, you think? You're a bit intense."
He leaned across the table and winked. "Livin' life with intensity. That's me. Never do anything half assed. You only get one chance."
She laughed, surprising herself. "What, are you Batman or something?"
"Or something." He extended a hand. "Name's Skinbone Harris."
She choked on her beer, covering her face as it shot through her nose.
"Yeah, I get that reaction a lot." He shrugged.
She peered at him over her hand. "That's your name? Seriously?"
"Seriously. White Daddy and a Hopi Momma. Both with a warped sense of humor."
She mopped her face with a napkin. "That explains a lot."
He crossed his long legs. "It does, doesn't it? And see, you're not wistful anymore. You're laughing, and…sputtering. See? I did come into your life for a reason."
Sierra raised her eyebrows and finished off her beer. She shouldn't be drinking, but it felt good to unwind. "Well then Skinbone, serve your purpose and buy me another beer."
He signaled to the waitress for two more. "You want to talk about what's troubling you?"
"Nope."
"I guess I shouldn't be asking what a nice girl like you is doing in a dive like this."
"No. You shouldn't. And who says I'm a nice girl?"
He raised his brows, "Careful now or I might get it into my head that you're flirting with me."
"That's not at all what I was implying." She shot back an indignant look on her face; she hadn't meant to give him that impression.
"My mistake."
An awkward silence fell between them. The waitress arrived and set their drinks down on the table. Sierra cupped her hands around her glass, and met his gaze, unable to restrain her curiosity any longer. "Why do you look so familiar?"
Her question caught him off guard. He lowered his beer, studying her face carefully. "I have no idea. Fortuitousness?"
"I'm being serious."
"Okay, Serious, I don't have a clue why I look familiar, but the fact you think so intrigues me."
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him if he'd ever been to Chicago when she realized that would be a grave mistake. She needed to stay anonymous.
"Maybe if we got to know each other a little better, you'd figure out why I seem familiar. Could be I remind you of someone. Speaking of which, are you ever going to tell me your name?"
She hesitated. Divulging too much information wasn't a good idea. She settled on telling him her childhood nickname instead. "Seri."
"Okay, Seri. Here's a clue about me. I'm an enigma."
Her eyes narrowed, but she couldn't suppress her grin. " Oh, that's real helpful."
"There's more. I'm a Noetic Scientist, a Native American Spiritualist, and…"
"And?"
"An assassin."
"Assassin?" she croaked. Oh my God, she thought, it was his eyes that made him look familiar. Black eyes, just like Neil's killer. She swallowed hard not sure what to do. She gripped the edge of her seat, forcing herself to remain calm. It had to be a coincidence, didn't it?
He took a sip of beer, gauging her reaction over the rim of his glass. His eyes twinkled.
She wasn't sure how to read him; didn't know if she should be angry or scared. "You expect me to believe you?" her voice was haughty, daring him to continue.
"What I expect doesn't matter. It's what you believe." His face was solemn, but his eyes crinkled with amusement.
The hell with him. His answer tipped the scales towards fear. She felt like he was taunting her. He could be playing with her but if he was he'd picked a dangerous time to do it. A million thoughts raced through her mind. Had someone put a hit out on Neil? Or on her? She wasn't about to hang around and find out. She slapped money on the table and stood up from the table, banging her shin against the wooden booth.
He gripped her wrist. "Hey, slow down. Sit. Drink your beer. You are not in any danger. Not from me, anyway."
The blood drained from her face at his touch. She looked down at his hand, feeling a jolt of arousal down to her toes. Jesus. Did he have electricity running through his veins instead of blood? Her knees wobbled. There was no way in hell she was going to let him see how he affected her. She bit her cheek and slipped back into the booth.
"Whoa, come on, now. You look like you've seen a ghost." He flashed a pearly white smile, oblivious to her inner turmoil. "Chill. If I was an assassin, do you really think I'd announce it to a total stranger I just met in a bar?"
"No. Of course not." She took a jittery breath and composed herself. Okay, so he was joking − He had no way of knowing what a sick joke it was under the circumstances. Still, there was something unnerving about him. She couldn't shake the feeling she'd seen him somewhere before. The coincidences were starting to add up. His ink black eyes disturbed her. She couldn't ignore the fact that the killer had black eyes. Up until last night, she'd never seen eyes that shade before.
He reached for her hand; his eyes were gentle, as if he was trying to reassure her. "Listen, Seri, I don't know you from Adam, but something made me approach you tonight. We were meant to meet at this dive of a restaurant. There is a reason for it. You may think I'm crazy, but I believe in predestination. That tells me we met for a reason that, for now, is unclear to both of us. I apologize if I scared you. I didn't mean to, I was just having fun with you. You're white as a sheet. The bags under your eyes tell me how exhausted you are, and you're half-bagged from the beer. I may come on a little strong, but I mean well. Seri. Look at me."
She looked.
"Let me help you."
She shook her head. Skinbone, if that was even his name, was hitting too close to home.
"I mean you no harm. I was drawn to you because I sensed you needed help. That may sound strange to you, it may even alarm you, but you need to understand I am a very spiritual person. Our lives are destined to be intertwined. You need to trust me."
His face had an urgent quality. He was throwing off a weird vibe, and she was getting sucked in. This was bad. If she wasn't careful, in another few seconds she'd be spilling her guts to him. That would be a huge mistake. "I really need to be going."
"You're not from around here, are you?"
Alarm bells went off in her head. She kept coming back to his black eyes. She couldn't help but wonder if there a connection between Skinbone and Neil's killer? Did he know who she was, and what she had seen? He could be toying with her, trapping her like a mouse in a maze. Or was she being overly paranoid?
"Why does it matter?" she answered, scanning the restaurant. Would anyone come to her rescue if he tried to drag her out of here?
"It doesn't matter, Seri. Listen, I apologize again if I made you jumpy. It wasn't my intent. I'm sorry. I go too far sometimes. Pushing the envelope, you know? I wanted to get your mind off whatever's troubling you."
If she was going to survive until the killer was caught, she couldn't get spooked every time someone brought up an uncomfortable topic. She might as well wave a huge white surrender flag.
She took a deep, calming, breath. I can do this. I've done it already, at the gas station, the banks, with the cop and the kid who'd sold her the car. "No, I'm sorry. You're right. I'm on edge tonight. I'm also seriously out of practice at bar banter. Does it show?"
He flagged down the waitress and ordered another round before answering. "What shows is you're raw and you're hurting. You're also blowing my moment. So much for being Batman, and rescuing a damsel in distress."
The laugh formed in her belly. She wasn't proud of it, but she guffawed, right then and there. "If this is your idea of rescuing, you have a lot to learn." Tears of laughter ran down her cheeks. The tension was broken. She could feel the effects of the alcohol kicking in.
He leaned back in the booth and crossed his arms, shooting her a quizzical look. His expression only made her laugh harder. The waitress deposited their drinks on the table with a confused smile, quickly backing away eliciting a fresh round of laughter from her.
Skinbone leaned across the table. "Are you trying to get us thrown out of here? I mean, if you're that desperate to go back to my place…"
Sierra waved at him with both hands. "Stop," she gasped, trying to catch her breath. She really shouldn't be drinking. Hell, she shouldn't be laughing either. The stress and the beers were catching up to her and laughing was the only way she could relive her bottled up tension. As inappropriate as it was, she couldn't stop herself.
"You know, if you laugh yourself to death, you can't blame me. This is not the effect I'm used to getting from women."
Her sides ached. She snorted. Way to go, Sierra, she thought, that shows what a classy chick you are.
Skinbone looked around the restaurant in mock embarrassment, "Would you like to be alone? I feel like I've suddenly been dropped kicked into "When Harry Met Sally."
The entire situation was too much. Sierra dipped her head to her hands, utterly spent. She pounded the table. "Stop. Please."
"I would, but this is all you. I believe you were the one who dubbed me Batman. Trust me; I'm really not this funny. You're messin' with my MoJo."
She reached for her beer. She raised her head, and gave him a wary look, pointing a finger at him. "Don't you dare make me laugh again."
He raised both hands in surrender, "Far be it from me to amuse you into convulsions."
She struggled to keep a straight face. "God, I hate you."
"Yeah. I can see why. I made you forget your despair."
"Well, thanks for the reminder." Her fingers curled around the glass. "Here's to reality."
Skinbone touched her glass with his and took a drink. He reached for her hand. She stopped laughing. "Reality is what you make it."
She pondered his words, looking at him with bleary eyes, "That's bullshit. Reality is what's thrust upon you."
His gaze turned serious. "Come on now, do you honestly think this was a happenchance encounter?"
"I'd prefer to think so, yes."
"Amateur. Give me your cell phone."
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why?"
He reached out his hand. "Phone first. Then I'll tell you why."
She was drunk enough to oblige. Sierra dug around in her purse, searching for her disposable cell.
"I'm programming your number in my phone. And I'm giving you mine. Fate will bring us together again."
"I highly doubt it."
He arched a brow, "You wait and see. No. Uh-Uh. Don't you give me that look. Just when you need me most, when you feel like your world is falling apart, I'll call you. Mark my words. And the same goes in reverse. If, or when I'm in trouble, I expect a call from you."
"All because of a chance encounter?"
"There are no chance encounters. Do you know what Noetic Science is?"
"Nope, don't have a clue."
"Thought not. I'm going to text the phrase to you. Look it up at your convenience. I think you'll find it fascinating. Of course, you'll have to temper what you learn with my Native American Spiritualism and my proclivity at being an assassin, and all."
She glared at him, "That's not even remotely funny. Seriously."
"Not meant to be. Let me ask you something."
"Oh, God. Do you have to? Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like it?"
"Just roll with this, okay?"
"Okay. But you're buying the next round." She dismissed the fact that she was already slurring her words.
"We've gotten to know each other a little bit, and I stress, little bit." He signaled to the waitress to bring them another round.
"Agreed."
"For the purpose of this conversation, if I was an assassin, would you hate me or hate what I do?"
Sierra leaned back, running her hands through her hair with a groan "Why are you stuck on this topic?"
He grinned, "Because it's interesting. And it pushes your buttons."
The humor faded from her face. She wanted to move away from this topic
"Well, would you hate me or what I do?" he prodded, leaning over the table.
"Honestly? Both." There, she'd said it.
"Ouch." He covered his heart with his hand. "Here I thought I was a charming guy."
"There's nothing charming about death."
"Point taken. And I never said there was. But what if I only killed bad people?"
"Bad people?"
"People who pose a threat to national security, to life as we know it, the world at large. Bad guys."
Sierra shivered despite the heat. What was he saying? She regretted drinking so much. The bar noises seemed amplified, the crowd eating and drinking, ominous. She fidgeted in her seat, sweat beading up on her forehead.
"Hey." Skinbone touched her arm gently. "Are you okay?
Why did his fingers feel like lightening against her skin? The too bright lights burned her eyes. Her stomach lurched at the compassion etched across his face, like he genuinely cared. Play along, she decided, give him the answer he wants and get the hell out of here.
"I guess that would make you one of the good guys."
"I rest my case." He smiled in triumph and raised his arms, resting his head against them. "You ever gonna tell me what's chipping away at you?"
"You know, I think I'll save that revelation for another time. I need to get going." She slid out of the booth, holding onto the table for support.
"You okay to drive? My offer of a bed is still open." He stood up with her and gripped her hand.
Sierra studied his face for a good long while. She wanted to remember it. "I'm fine."
"Make your own reality, Seri. Don't make surface judgments. Sometimes there's a fine line where good and bad blur and nothing is what it seems. We will meet again. We're in each other's orbit now. The world is a hell of lot stranger than you think, kiddo. How you perceive it is up to you."
Rattled, she snatched her hand from his grip. She had one foot out the door, when she realized he was messing with her head. Skinbone was one part charm, two parts con, and who the hell knew what else. She turned back, ready to give him a piece of her mind.
He'd vanished into thin air.
Thrillers, Chillers and Darn Good Books
Today’s spotlight is on C.L. Withers whose novel Castle Cape is an Alaskan thriller that hurtles you into suspense and adventure at warp speed. With a unique set ...more
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