Colleen Cross's Blog, page 6

Coming in Early 2014!Anatomy of a Ponzi: Scams Past and P...

Coming in Early 2014!

Anatomy of a Ponzi: Scams Past and Present
Charles Ponzi lent the Ponzi scheme its name, but he is not the first—or the last—to dupe investors with this age-old con.  The biggest Ponzi scheme of all time is operating under the radar right now, unknown and undetected by regulators and unsuspecting investors. Learn how to spot a Ponzi scheme and discover my stunning prediction of exactly where, when, and how this massive Ponzi scheme will finally collapse.
Could you be a victim and not know it? Many people were unaware their money was tied up in Bernard Madoff’s fraud. Find out what makes these fraudsters tick, and learn how Tom Petters, Scott Rothstein, and other fraudsters amassed billions before their arrests.

Game Theory - Katerina Carter Fraud Thriller #2

Welcome to ColleenCross.com and thanks for stopping by!

My latest book, Game Theory, is #2 in the Katerina Carter Fraud Thriller Series.  Read on for more:

Katerina Carter's billionaire client has more than a nasty divorce on his hands. Zachary Barron's currency hedge fund, Edgewater Investments, is in financial freefall, somehow connected to the World Institute, a shadowy organization of the world’s rich and powerful.
Soon Kat discovers a chilling agenda: one global currency, one world government and world army. Just the environment big business needs to operate with impunity—no tripping over borders, bureaucracy or laws. With her reputation on the line and lives at risk, she must decide—is the truth worth fighting for at any cost?
Game Theory uncovers how the world really works, with wealth, freedom and power concentrated in the hands of a few. In this zero sum game, an ever-smaller pool of winners gain from the suffering of others, leaving the masses to fight over the crumbs remaining. And the players will stop at nothing to get what they want.

Praise for Game Theory
“If you like a good conspiracy theory, you'll LOVE Colleen Cross' financial thriller, Game Theory. Was the economic crisis created? Is the news we are fed designed to mold our opinions and actions? Are we all just pawns in someone else's game? You'll begin to wonder after reading Game Theory. Thought provoking and wonderfully entertaining!”
—Karen Cantwell, author of the Barbara Marr mysteries

“Another gripping page-turner from Colleen Cross. Suspense-charged to provide one plot twist after another, this credible tale of global fraud and currency domination draws you in and never lets go. An intelligent and exciting read!"
—Sandra Nikolai, author of False Impressions

3rd Annual Lit Fest New WestminsterCrafting a Killer Myst...

3rd Annual Lit Fest New Westminster Crafting a Killer Mystery - With Crime Writers Colleen Cross, Sharon Rowse and Robin Spano

Saturday April 13, 2013 Douglas College
700 Royal Ave
New Westminster, BC V3M 5Z5
Admission: Free
Contact: New West Arts Council
Phone: 604-525-3244
I'm excited to be a part of Lit Fest New West, the third annual literary festival at Douglas College on Saturday April 13th.  The event is completely free and starts with workshops starting at 11:00 am. There's something for readers and writers alike!

The event is presented by the Arts Council of New Westminster, and co-sponsored by Douglas College and the New Westminster Public Library.

I'll be hosting the Crafting a Killer Mystery Workshop along with fellow crime writers Sharon Rowse and Robin Spano. In this hands-on workshop we'll give you tips on plot, character and conflict. Our aim is to entertain - and ensure you leave with the start of your own blockbuster mystery!

Also check out workshops on memoir, political writing, ebooks and more.  Following the workshops, you can meet more than thirty authors at Volumes of Authors from 5-7 p.m. You can buy their books and have them signed. Finally, be sure to attend the Saturday night showcase. The evening entertainment starts at 7 p.m.

Here is the full schedule for this exciting event:

Lecture Hall A (Rm-2201)
Time: 11AM to 12 noon
Author/Presenter/Panelists: New Westminster Public Library
Workshop Title: EBooks: A Growing Trend

Lecture Hall B (Rm-2203)
Time: 11AM to 12 noon
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Colleen Cross, Sharon Rowse & Robin Spano
Workshop Title: Crafting a Killer Mystery- Writer’s workshop

Lecture Hall A (Rm-2201)
Time: 12: 45 to 1:45pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Candice James:
Workshop Title: Vision and Verse

Lecture Hall B (Rm-2203)
Time: 12: 45 to 1:45pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: J.J. Lee
Workshop Title: Memoir: The Long and Short of Writing - Updated

Lecture Hall A (Rm-2201)
Time: 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Authors and Small Publishers Panel Discussion
Workshop Title: w/Michael Kenyon, Bob Robertson
Bio: Anvil Books and Leaf Press

Lecture Hall B (Rm-2203)
Time: 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Ryan Lester, Author
Workshop Title: The Self Publisher’s Starting Kit: How to Survive
Bio: In the Brave New Digital World

Lecture Hall A (Rm-2201)
Time: 3:15pm to 4:15pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Max Wyman: A Critical View of the Arts

Lecture Hall B (Rm-2203)
Time: 3:15pm to 4:15pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Political Writing Workshop w/ Bill Tieleman, Daniel Fontaine, Kathryn Marshall, Laila Yuile

We are pleased to announce the lovely Rene Saklikar as our Author in Residence this year!

Volumes of Authors – an author book signing event 5:00pm-7:00pm

The FREE Showcase event evening event starts at 7:00-9:00 at the Laura C Muir Performing Arts Theatre, Douglas College

LitFest - 2013 Showcase Performance Schedule
Curtain: 7:00pm

Act I

* Candice James – Poet Laureate
* Don Hauka - Author
* Michael Hetherington - Author
* Sylvia Taylor – Author
* Bob Robertson & Linda Cullen - Author

Act II

* Douglas College / Kwantlen University Percussion Ensemble
* Royal City Literary Arts Society
* Renee Saklikar – Poet and John Oliver - Composer
* Shadows & Dreams Theatre Company
* JJ Lee – Author
* C R Avery - Music & Spoken Word
*program subject to change

3rd Annual LitFest New WestminsterSaturday April 13, 2013...

3rd Annual LitFest New Westminster Saturday April 13, 2013Douglas College700 Royal Ave
New Westminster, BC V3M 5Z5Admission: FreeContact: New West Arts CouncilPhone: 604-525-3244

Crafting a Killer Mystery - With Crime Writers Colleen Cross, Sharon Rowse and Robin Spano
I'm excited to be a part of Lit Fest New West, the third annual literary festival at Douglas College on Saturday April 13th.  The event is completely free and starts with workshops starting at 11:00 am. There's something for readers and writers alike!

The event is presented by the Arts Council of New Westminster, and co-sponsored by Douglas College and the New Westminster Public Library.

I'll be hosting the Crafting a Killer Mystery Workshop along with fellow crime writers Sharon Rowse and Robin Spano. In this hands-on workshop we'll give you tips on plot, character and conflict. Our aim is to entertain - and ensure you leave with the start of your own blockbuster mystery!

Also check out workshops on memoir, political writing, ebooks and more.  Following the workshops, you can meet more than thirty authors at Volumes of Authors from 5-7 p.m. You can buy their books and have them signed. Finally, be sure to attend the Saturday night showcase. The evening entertainment starts at 7 p.m.

Here is the full schedule for this exciting event:

Lecture Hall A (Rm-2201)
Time: 11AM to 12 noon
Author/Presenter/Panelists: New Westminster Public Library
Workshop Title: EBooks: A Growing Trend

Lecture Hall B (Rm-2203)
Time: 11AM to 12 noon
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Colleen Cross, Sharon Rowse & Robin Spano
Workshop Title: Crafting a Killer Mystery- Writer’s workshop

Lecture Hall A (Rm-2201)
Time: 12: 45 to 1:45pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Candice James:
Workshop Title: Vision and Verse

Lecture Hall B (Rm-2203)
Time: 12: 45 to 1:45pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: J.J. Lee
Workshop Title: Memoir: The Long and Short of Writing - Updated

Lecture Hall A (Rm-2201)
Time: 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Authors and Small Publishers Panel Discussion
Workshop Title: w/Michael Kenyon, Bob Robertson
Bio: Anvil Books and Leaf Press

Lecture Hall B (Rm-2203)
Time: 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Ryan Lester, Author
Workshop Title: The Self Publisher’s Starting Kit: How to Survive
Bio: In the Brave New Digital World

Lecture Hall A (Rm-2201)
Time: 3:15pm to 4:15pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Max Wyman: A Critical View of the Arts

Lecture Hall B (Rm-2203)
Time: 3:15pm to 4:15pm
Author/Presenter/Panelists: Political Writing Workshop w/ Bill Tieleman, Daniel Fontaine, Kathryn Marshall, Laila Yuile

We are pleased to announce the lovely Rene Saklikar as our Author in Residence this year!

Volumes of Authors – an author book signing event 5:00pm-7:00pm

The FREE Showcase event evening event starts at 7:00-9:00 at the Laura C Muir Performing Arts Theatre, Douglas College

LitFest - 2013 Showcase Performance Schedule
Curtain: 7:00pm

Act I

* Candice James – Poet Laureate
* Don Hauka - Author
* Michael Hetherington - Author
* Sylvia Taylor – Author
* Bob Robertson & Linda Cullen - Author

Act II

* Douglas College / Kwantlen University Percussion Ensemble
* Royal City Literary Arts Society
* Renee Saklikar – Poet and John Oliver - Composer
* Shadows & Dreams Theatre Company
* JJ Lee – Author
* C R Avery - Music & Spoken Word
*program subject to change

Game Theory - Katerina Carter Fraud Thriller #2

I'm thrilled to announce the second book in the Katerina Carter Fraud Thriller Series, as well as the official book launch on November 30, 2012, 6 -10pm at the Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia Street, New Westminster, B.C. It's just steps from the Columbia Street Skytrain station, and everyone is welcome! 
If you'd rather not wait for the launch, you can pick up a copy of Game Theory and/or Exit Strategy, (#1 in the series), in ebook or paperback at Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble or other retailers, or at the links below.
Game Theory is set in and around Greater Vancouver and on the Sunshine Coast in Western Canada.
Read on for more:
The most precious things come at a cost—something fraud investigator Katerina Carter knows all too well. She struggles to cope with her uncle Harry’s ever-worsening dementia, just as his estranged daughter reappears.
Kat lands her biggest case ever. Edgewater Investments, a currency hedge fund, is in financial straits. Billionaire Zachary Barron’s business is in freefall, somehow connected to the World Institute, a shadowy organization of the world’s rich and powerful.
Soon Kat discovers a chilling agenda: one global currency, one world government and world army. Just the environment big business needs to operate with impunity—no tripping over borders, bureaucracy or laws. With her reputation on the line and lives at risk, she must decide—is the truth worth fighting for at any cost?
Game Theory uncovers how the world really works, with wealth, freedom and power concentrated in the hands of a few. In this zero sum game, an ever-smaller pool of winners gain from the suffering of others, leaving the masses to fight over the crumbs remaining. And the players will stop at nothing to get what they want.

Praise for Game Theory
“If you like a good conspiracy theory, you'll LOVE Colleen Cross' financial thriller, Game Theory. Financial fraud investigator, Kat Carter, is confronted with the very real possibility of world order conspiracy in this smart and compelling read that relates hauntingly to the current global economic and political climates. Was the economic crisis created? Is the news we are fed designed to mold our opinions and actions? Are we all just pawns in someone else's game? You'll begin to wonder after reading Game Theory. Thought provoking and wonderfully entertaining!”
—Karen Cantwell, author of the Barbara Marr mysteries

“Another gripping page-turner from Colleen Cross. Suspense-charged to provide one plot twist after another, this credible tale of global fraud and currency domination draws you in and never lets go. An intelligent and exciting read!"
—Sandra Nikolai, author of False Impressions

Game Theory - Katerina Carter Fraud Thriller #2

I'm thrilled to announce the upcoming release of Game Theory, Katerina Carter Fraud Thriller #2  in October 2012.

If you haven't read Exit Strategy, #1 in the series, you could start there first. But each book is a standalone read too. To find out more about Game Theory, read on...

The most precious things come at a cost—something fraud investigator Katerina Carter knows all too well. She struggles to cope with her uncle Harry’s ever-worsening dementia, just as his estranged daughter reappears.

Kat lands her biggest case ever. Edgewater Investments, a currency hedge fund, is in financial straits. Billionaire Zachary Barron’s business is in freefall, somehow connected to the World Institute, a shadowy organization of the world’s rich and powerful.

Soon Kat discovers a chilling agenda: one global currency, one world government and world army. Just the environment big business needs to operate with impunity—no tripping over borders, bureaucracy or laws. With her reputation on the line and lives at risk, she must decide—is the truth worth fighting for at any cost?

Game Theory uncovers how the world really works, with wealth, freedom and power concentrated in the hands of a few. In this zero sum game, an ever-smaller pool of winners gain from the suffering of others, leaving the masses to fight over the crumbs remaining. And the players will stop at nothing to get what they want.

Praise for Game Theory

“If you like a good conspiracy theory, you'll LOVE Colleen Cross' financial thriller, Game Theory. Financial fraud investigator, Kat Carter, is confronted with the very real possibility of world order conspiracy in this smart and compelling read that relates hauntingly to the current global economic and political climates. Was the economic crisis created? Is the news we are fed designed to mold our opinions and actions? Are we all just pawns in someone else's game? You'll begin to wonder after reading Game Theory. Thought provoking and wonderfully entertaining!”
—Karen Cantwell, author of the Barbara Marr mysteries

“Another gripping page-turner from Colleen Cross. Suspense-charged to provide one plot twist after another, this credible tale of global fraud and currency domination draws you in and never lets go. An intelligent and exciting read!"
—Sandra Nikolai, author of False Impressions
http://www.colleencross.com/

Exit Strategy Goodreads Giveaway

I'm giving away a signed copy of Exit Strategy, #1 in the Katerina Carter Fraud Thriller Series.  You can enter the contest at the link below until September 10, 2012.

Stay tuned for the release of Game Theory, #2 in the series, coming up in October!


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Goodreads Book Giveaway Exit Strategy by Colleen Cross Giveaway ends September 10, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win

Crime Writer Spotlight - Polly Iyer

Polly Iyer is my guest this week on Crime Writer Spotlight. Does crime pay? Polly's books explore that question along with the themes of greed and ethics from both sides of the law.  Here's Polly:

I love cons. Not the guys in prison, although one of my book’s heroes is an ex-con, but the kind of cons in books and movies where there’s a very fine line dividing the good guys from the bad. Elmore Leonard, Lawrence Block, and Donald Westlake come to mind as authors who test the ethics of the main characters.
“The Sting” is one of the best movies ever made about crooks ripping off crooks. Who can forget Paul Newman’s Henry Gorndorff as he and Johnny Hooker, Robert Redford, put one past crooked businessman Doyle Lonnegan, played by Robert Shaw? Then there’s The Grifters, a much darker movie about a conmen. There are so many more where the theme is greed, as it is in all the books and movies where a con or fraud takes place.
I’ve written four books, seven, if you count three under my pen name, and all but two have some kind of fraudulent dealings. Two of my books have a con- artist as a main character. In my case, both are women. Surprise!
In HOOKED, my heroine is an ex-call girl whose illegal offshore account is discovered when the feds dig into the affairs of an old client, a Brooklyn mob boss whose accountant buried her money, unfortunately not deep enough. The New York Sex Crimes Division, in collaboration with the IRS, offer her a deal―work undercover at a high-class brothel to find out who’s murdering prostitutes, and they’ll give her a pass for failing to pay Uncle Sam his share of illegally-earned money—after she pays back taxes and penalties. That’s right. She was skimming off the top to save for an early retirement, which the cops won’t allow until she does what they want. Damned if she does; damned if she doesn’t.
In MIND GAMES, my psychic entertainer has been called every name in the book ever since she was six-years old, but fraud is the one that sticks. Is she? Hmm, yes. Sometimes. Arranged seating at her performances paid for with credit cards allows her computer hacker employee to glean information she can use in her act. Then there are telephone records, email accounts―well, you get the picture. There are reasons why she pretends to be a charlatan, of course, but she’s still a cheat even though she really is psychic. Sound complicated? It is.
The unethical careers of my female characters are explained up front, but the other two books written under my name, InSight and MURDER DÉJÀ VU, have business scams that, if explained here, would give away too much of the story. I will say one of them has to do with pharmaceutical fraud and the other with a Ponzi scheme, and both require the expertise of a forensic accountant to expose the fraud, as does Hooked. These schemes result in the deaths of innocent people, none of which involve my main characters.
Unless crimes of passion are involved, most mystery/suspense/thriller books have some sort of greed-generated crime that entails cooking the books. In the real world, one doesn’t have to look far to see the behind-the-scene chicanery perpetrated by the rich and crooked who will unlikely spend one day in prison for their fraudulent ways. The crooks in my books always get caught. In real life, not so much. Makes you wonder if crime really doesn’t pay.

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Crime Writer Spotlight - Rosemary McCracken

I'm very pleased to welcome crime writer Rosemary McCracken. I love Rosemary's subject matter: white collar crime and fraud. In Safe Harbor, things are not always as they seem, and it always pays to ask questions. Without further ado, here's Rosemary!

I recently discovered Colleen Cross’s Exit Strategy and was instantly caught up in forensic accountant Katerina “Kat” Carter’s investigation of a blood diamond laundering scheme that has murderous consequences. The thriller is a page-turner, but part of the attraction was that my protagonist, Pat Tierney, also works in the world of finance.

Unlike Colleen, who is an accountant, I’m not a financial professional. I’m a journalist, specializing in personal finance and the financial services industry. I talk to financial advisors and investment managers. I attend their conferences. I know the issues they face and the concerns they have. Most of them are caring, committed people, and they do wonderful things for their clients by helping them get their financial houses in order.

At one point, I considered becoming a financial advisor myself. I like people, so I really like the fact that client-advisor relationships are integral to this profession. “Know your client” is the mantra of every financial advisor. They need to know what’s going on in clients’ lives to ensure that they are in suitable investments.
But I quickly dismissed the idea of setting out my shingle as a financial advisor. I wouldn’t have the stamina for it. I’d have second thoughts about my investment decisions. I’d have sleepless nights during down markets – and markets have been murder in recent years. But when I set out to write a mystery series and was looking for a central character, an investment advisor was my first choice. Pat embodies traits of some of the people in the industry I most admire. She cares about her clients. She’s a champion of the small investor. She has sleepless nights during down markets.

Pat’s profession gives her a great edge as an amateur sleuth. The fact that financial advisors know their clients means they know if they have health concerns, and they will be one of the first in the know if a client is diagnosed with a terminal illness. They know how much money a client has – or doesn’t have. And money is a great motive for all kinds of crime, including murder.

There is one type of crime that Pat is particularly well positioned to spot – white collar crime. The financial services industry revolves around money, and therefore provides opportunities for people who are clever and greedy enough to challenge the system. Think fraud, embezzlement, money laundering. There will always be some bad apples in circulation, and some of them working in the industry itself. Committed professionals like Pat want to see tougher penalties for fraudsters, and believe the system in Canada is too soft on offenders. They want to protect their clients, their firms and themselves from liability.

In Safe Harbor, red flags go up when a rookie advisor is immediately given a large investment account to manage. When Pat looks more closely at that account, she sees a sizeable part of its assets in slowpoke stocks. Things just don’t add up. And when thing don’t add up for a financial professional, something is very wrong.

Rosemary McCracken is a freelance journalist and fiction writer who lives in Toronto. Her first mystery novel, Safe Harbor, was shortlisted for Britain’s Debut Dagger in 2010. It opens when a frightened woman barges into financial planner Pat Tierney’s office with a shocking request: “Look after my boy; he’s your late husband’s son.” The next day the woman is murdered and police say her seven-year-old child may be the killer’s next target.


Safe Habor was released by Imajin Books this spring, and is available as an ebook and a paperback on Amazon.com; also as a paperback on Amazon.ca and Barnes & Noble. Visit Rosemary on her website and her blog. You can also view the Safe Harbor book trailer here.

Exit Strategy Giveaway

Visit Goodreads and enter to win a copy of Exit Strategy.  Or, if you don't want to wait you can buy it at Amazon, Kobo,  Barnes & Noble and all other retailers.

Good luck!


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Goodreads Book Giveaway Exit Strategy by Colleen Cross Giveaway ends July 27, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win