Sara M. Barton's Blog, page 3

Holiday Gifts for You!

Did Santa bring you a new Kindle, Nook, or Touch? You can download these special mysteries for mobi and epub:

Kindle Bundled Book Specials (mobi):

12/23/15-12/27/15 (Includes Christmas novella: “Henry Hartman’s Holiday Crisis”!)

"Henry Hartman's Crisis Management" at Amazon




12/27/15-12/31/15 (Includes holiday thriller: “Where’s Hansel and Gretel’s Gingerbread House?”)

"Deputy Gabby Grimm to the Rescue" at Amazon


Kobo Specials (epub) ALL AVAILABLE 12/23/15-1/3/16!!!

"Snow White and the Hunter" at Kobo Books



"Little Red Riding Hood and the Secret Cookie Recipe" at Kobo Books



"Henry Hartman's Holiday Crisis" at Kobo Books



"Reluctant Witness" at Kobo Books

Special Free Downloads of the Scarlet Wilson Mysteries

I've been "off the grid" lately as an author, dealing with real life issues that required my attention, so it's taken me a while to get back to my author blog. Now that I am able to turn my focus back to my writing, I want to give readers a chance to download two of my newest Scarlet Wilson mysteries for free at Kobo Books. While not as well known in the US as Barnes and Noble, Kobo Books sells to readers all over the world, from Canada to Australia to Japan and beyond.

For the next several days, you can grab these two:

Kobo Link for "Miz Scarlet and the Bewildered Bridegroom"

The elderly "Googins girls" are up to their eyeballs in wedding intrigue, as they try to convince Scarlet Wilson to turn the Four Acorns Inn into a romantic venue for ceremonies. There's only one problem...someone doesn't want Scarlet to succeed. When a series of frightening events begin to disrupt the peace and security of the inn, it's time for Scarlet, brother Bur, and beau Kenny Tolliver to investigate. Poor young Jenny, Miz Scarlet's teenage assistant, is terrified when someone seems to be stalking her. Tires are slashed in the parking lot. Masked men invade the inn. Who's behind this devious plot? Will any couple successfully walk down the bridal path of the Four Acorns Inn and reach the altar before disaster strikes?





Kobo Link for "Miz Scarlet and the Perplexed Passenger"

When the elderly Dr. Thaddeus Van Zandt finishes his latest round of chemotherapy, he invites Laurel Googins Wilson and her daughter, innkeeper and amateur sleuth Scarlet Wilson, to join him on a cruise to Bermuda. Accompanied by Mercer Security's expert investigator Kenny Tolliver, who just happens to be Scarlet's heartthrob, the foursome sets sail, only to find themselves drawn into a murder mystery. A funeral director from Maine goes overboard, and when his body is recovered, the intrigue only deepens. Is the widow responsible for the mayhem or is there an unknown killer on "Liberty of the Seas", the massive Royal Caribbean cruise ship? With only hours to solve the clues, Scarlet and Kenny work with the Royal Caribbean security team to identify the culprit and prevent another devious murder. By the time this case wraps up, Scarlet Wilson is going to need a vacation!

The Miz Scarlet Extravaganza, Sept. 14-17!

In celebration of my newest Scarlet Wilson Mystery, Book #5, Miz Scarlet and the Perplexed Passenger , I am offering ALL of the books in this series for free September 14-17, 2015 at Kobo Books. If you have an epub reader, follow these links for your free copies of my popular series of cozy mysteries:






Miz Scarlet and the Imposing Imposter #1












Miz Scarlet and the Vanishing Visitor #2













Miz Scarlet and the Holiday Houseguests #3













Miz Scarlet and the Bewildered Bridegroom #4













Miz Scarlet and the Perplexed Passenger #5










Note to European visitors --  These links may contain cookies -- alas, not the edible kind. No chocolate chips...no pecans or walnuts...no rich fudgy goodness or delectable oatmeal. Yes, I know. It's a big disappointment when we're talking technology.

Prepare to Set Sail to Bermuda with Miz Scarlet!

Life has a way of interrupting the best made plans. After many months, I'm finally putting the final touches on "Miz Scarlet and the Perplexed Passenger", Book 5 in the Scarlet Wilson Mystery Series.

It's not that I don't care about my writing, or that I took a break to lounge around in the sun, sipping margaritas and fanning myself with a palm leaf. No, I've been doing double duty, taking care of a loved one during a serious illness.


The view from The Reefs in Southampton is amazing!
Painting by Sara M. BartonIt's never easy to put one's own career and personal life on hold, to do right by someone who's experiencing a health crisis. Like Miz Scarlet, I am a family caregiver when necessary (I also blog about cancer and caregiving as The Practical Caregiver). Between medical appointments, physical therapy sessions, and cooking comfort food, I had little time to focus on the final touches of my new book. But now, as life gets back to a more even keel, I'm able to devote myself more to what I love to do -- tell a fun tale.

You might wonder why Miz Scarlet is sailing to Bermuda, rather than some exotic destination half a world away from the fictional Four Acorns Inn in Cheswick, Connecticut. The answer is quite simple. As an author, I try to add as much authenticity to my stories as I can. I love this little semitropical oasis. It's my happy place. The colors of the houses are cheerful. The people are friendly. It's a very civilized place, although the traffic can be more than a little hairy.

Fun facts:
 
Depending on who you ask, there are at least 123 islands that comprise the country of Bermuda (some put the number closer to 180, but that depends on your definition of "island" -- some of these are just really big rocks).

 It's hardly surprising that so many ships were wrecked within Bermudian waters, given that the many "islands" challenge any sailor navigating through narrow channels and crazy rip currents. Snorkeling and scuba diving is a popular activity at some of the more famous wrecks.

Bermuda sounds like a huge place, until you learn that all those tiny spits of land are found within just over 20 square miles. There are a mere 150 miles or so of roadway. Small bridges connect some of the larger main islands, so it's easy to sometimes forget you are traveling from island to island.

Speaking of island-hopping, that's what pirates did with their booty, burying treasure in the sand and raiding their competitors' turf! Bermuda was a sanctuary for many privateers fleeing from pursuers after pillaging in the Caribbean and the United States. (North Carolina is only about 650 miles from Bermuda.)

Just about everything has to be imported. That's why a gallon of gasoline is more than $8 and a gallon of milk is slightly less than that. If you buy Bermuda's famous Gosling's Black Seal Rum in a duty free shop, you'll pay about $11 for a bottle to take home to the US, Canada, or the UK, but if you buy it to drink in Bermuda, the price doubles. Ouch!

Bermuda has no freshwater rivers or lakes. That's why rain water is collected on the roofs of buildings and special catchment areas, and stored in cisterns. Every little drip and drop is precious to Bermuda residents and tourists.

This little oasis at The Reefs is a tranquil delight to soothe the harried soul.
Painting by Sara M. Barton
 Bermuda shorts are considered proper attire for men when paired with jacket, tie, knee sox, and dress shoes. But don't expect to see wild tropical prints, loud plaids, or vibrant colors. Dignified is the name of the game, whether worn by a businessman, a police officer, or a guest at a fancy social occasion.

Visitors may not rent cars (why would you want to, given the price of gasoline and the crazy traffic?) You can, however, rent mopeds, hop the pink public buses (even the school kids ride them), or climb aboard the ferry. And real estate laws don't allow for foreigners to buy certain properties. Preference is given to Bermuda citizens when it comes to housing. That's only fair, considering how small the housing market is there.

Tourism is very important to the country's stability. There are many hotels, inns, bed & breakfast establishments, and guest houses, as well as restaurants, offering a wide variety of options to visitors. Cruises are a great way to visit the island. Most ships dock in Royal Naval Dockyard; a few smaller ships tie up in Hamilton.

In the summer, Harbour Night in Hamilton is great fun. It's the big weekly Wednesday evening street party that includes musical performances, Gombey dancers, arts and craft vendors, food tents, and many of the stores on Front Street stay open late for shoppers.

So, get ready to cruise with Miz Scarlet, Kenny, Laurel Googins Wilson, and Dr. Thaddeus Van Zandt to Bermuda. It's going to be a wild time!

The Real Target of the Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church Massacre Was Faith

The crime was horrific. Nine people were gunned down in a church in North Charleston, South Carolina during Bible study. The perpetrator, identified as a young man with a purported history of drug abuse involving opioids, joined the group for an hour before pulling out his weapon and firing it.

It seems like such a senseless crime on the surface. But as someone who's worked with adult psychiatric patients and disturbed youth in state custody, I've seen enough to know that people always have a trigger for murder. The man who killed his mother thought he had a good plan to shut her up once and for all, to get her off his back. The teenage stalker who fantasized about his female victims and potential victims suffering at his hands thought he should be in charge of the universe. To him, life was a virtual reality game and people were pieces on the game board, to be manipulated. There's always some kind of trigger that motivates a criminal to act.

When I first saw the news stories on the horrific murders, I was stunned. Of all the people to kill in an event labeled as a hate crime, why these people? The more I learned about the victims, the more I understood how they came to be the targets. These were not randomly selected. They were deliberately chosen. But why?

The answer became even more obvious to me as I listened to the families of the victims speak at the initial hearing for the suspect. Myra Thompson's grandson, Anthony, told suspect Dylann Roof, "I forgive you, my family forgives you." With the pain, the suffering, the sorrow still so raw, a family was willing to forgive? The Thompson family was not alone in doing so. Ethel Lance's daughter also offered her forgiveness. But it was Felecia Sanders who broke my heart when she said: "We welcomed you Wednesday night in our Bible study with open arms....You have killed some of the most beautifulest people that I know."

That was it in a nutshell. The suspect killed some of the "most beautifulest people". These people weren't angry, vengeful, or ostracizing. They welcomed this young man into their church. They invited him to join them for prayer, for lessons on how to live as a better human being. These people were all about changing the world, making it better for everyone, uniting us with love, with hope, with faith. The pastor, Clementa Pinckney, was a state senator in South Carolina, a man used to working with people of different faiths, different races, different backgrounds. By all accounts, he sought to find common ground on which we could all stand together and recognize what is good in us. Three other reverends were in that Bible study at the time, along with a fresh-faced college graduate who was about to make his mark on the world, and some ladies you just know would have been kind to you in your time of need. They all had one thing in common. They believed in a higher power greater than any human, a force that could transform the heart, and more importantly, the soul.

As an author, I study character all the time, trying to bring realism to my stories, seeking answers to why people do what they do. What motivates them to be so cruel, so vicious to one another? This crime struck me like no other. In selecting these victims, the suspect wasn't really going after their race. He wasn't making some kind of grand gesture to prove his superiority as a white boy. No. He picked them for their goodness, for their kindness, for their decency. This was the quintessential battle of evil versus good.

In a world where it is so easy to assume that skin color or ethnicity is the revealer of a person's worth, it's what lives inside of us that really matters. When we choose to live in darkness, we know chaos. When we choose to live in light, we understand we are connected to one another. We are known by our actions more than our words. The nine victims of the massacre at the Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church were pillars of their community. They were making a difference. They were the epitome of love. That's really why, in my view, they were murdered. Their faith lifted them up, above the mundane ordinary problems of everyday life, above their own troubles, to a place where they could see God's hand at work. They believed. The suspect didn't.

What went through his mind as he sat through that Bible study? Was he excited, thinking he would soon triumph, that these wonderful souls, "the most beautifulest people" would soon be lying in a blood bath? We may never know. This tragedy seems to make no sense, and yet, to the killer, I think it made perfect sense. He wanted the superficial glory, the vestiges of respect for having destroyed human beings determined to lift up mankind. He wanted the power he saw them as having. They had their faith, their God, and by killing them, he would reign supreme. This wasn't about the color of skin. It was about the power of the Almighty. It was about believing in goodness instead of darkness. It was about coming together instead of coming apart. But this young killer was coming apart. He was clearly unraveling.

As an author, I know I will never write about these real people in a fictional story. Their pain is all too real. Their families will forever know the sorrow of this terrible loss. But I will remember the killer. When I write another mystery, he will come along with me on the journey. I will probe his dark soul in search of answers. Why? Why would you kill such wonderful people?

It's easy to make up stories, to thrill and delight readers, to amuse. But behind all the work that goes into crafting a tale, there is always someone's heartache. There is always a victim, just as there is always a predator. The difference between real life and fiction is that authors sometimes get the chance to insert heroes into the stories and save lives. Just as we love our characters, we know our villains want to harm them. You'll often see Scarlet Wilson, Gabby Grimm, and even Sydney Stansfield Hartman fight tooth and nail to do what's right. In real life, that's not always possible. Hence, the world now mourns the loss of some wonderful people. And in the end, it boils down to one thing. Do we believe ourselves to be a power greater than that faith? The killer believed he would triumph by slaying nine wonderful people. He would find glory in taking their lives from them, stealing their power. In the end, he made a lot of people sad, but he didn't destroy the one thing he most wanted to call his own, the power of faith. Life will go on, even after this tragedy. People will still believe. We will come together. We owe that to the martyrs who were struck down for believing there is more to life than humanity. I still believe.

Soviet Sleeper Network in America -- Fact or Fiction?

Did the Soviets recruit kids for a sleeper network, using a peace group as a front in the Sixties and Seventies? That was the premise for two of my "dark" thriller mysteries. They are available for the next three days at Amazon in a special download I call "Spies on the Half Shell" for free:

Spies on the Half Shell is free 5/27/15-5/29/15 at Amazon

A recent review by a reader questioned whether such a group would waste time trying to recruit someone who is resistant to the effort. I thought that was a great opening for me to explain a few things I know about recruiting tactics, whether for terror networks or for cults.

But first, is there an actual history of mind games when it comes to sleeper networks, Soviet efforts, and national security?

One of the most famous cases is probably the assassination of President John F. Kennedy by Lee Harvey Oswald. Was he pushed to commit a crime by folks who were opposed to the US efforts to stop Cuba? For decades, we've heard all about the conspiracies, but one thing we haven't talked about is the connection to an very influential woman who funded many "peace operations", and who was also involved in a number of "cosmic consciousness" studies. An heiress with an agenda...who was involved with other like-minded rich folks...did she run her own psychic research programs, which she funded privately, all while trying to get the US government to adopt her peace activism?

She was married to several men, including one very outspoken radical (and Comintern-connected) activist, a psychologist, and even a man who developed one of the most important military aircraft of our time, all while insisting that her vision for the world was a better one than the democratically elected government's.

How does Lee Harvey Oswald figure into this woman's life? Her son and daughter-in-law provided aid and assistance to the Oswalds before President Kennedy was assassinated. It was after he returned from the Soviet Union.

But is that the only murder associated with this woman and her "peace operations"? Heavens, no. There was another tragic loss of life. Holly Maddux, a young, idealistic woman was brutally murdered by Ira Einhorn, the psychic guru who was financially supported by this same wealthy heiress. Poor Holly's skeletal remains were found in a box in a closet long after her disappearance. Is that the worst thing about the case? No, the worst thing is that Ira Einhorn was on the run for too many years before he was apprehended, and throughout those years, he still had the help of his friends in that same social circle. of course, Ira claimed it was a CIA conspiracy....

If you grew up in the Sixties and Seventies, it was hard to avoid taking sides as the Vietnam War raged. Too many of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen lost their lives or came home to face a mind-blowing hostility from the American people. Many of those psychologically wounded vets were targeted by "peace groups" looking to turn the American people against the war. And the tactics used included convincing our vets that they were criminals for participating in the military actions in Southeast Asia. Many is the time I sat with vets, just to listen to their stories. I do, after all, have a background in psychology. If there is one thing I learned about war, it's this. There's a big picture and a little picture.

In the big picture, we look at the overall situation -- the threat to national security. What's going on and how does it play out for the American people? In World War II, the massive loss of American lives meant the people sacrificed to stop both the Nazis and the Japanese aggression. In Korea, the lines began to blur and the American people began to question whether we could afford to lose so many troops. Korea is also the time when psychiatrists and psychologists opposed to the military began to study the tactics used by hostile governments to turn their prisoners. And that's the time that antiwar psych warfare took hold.

By the time the Vietnam War rolled around, it became apparent to antiwar psych warfare advocates that there was a way to change public opinion by creating antiwar activists who were controllable. What role did the wealthy heiress play in this effort? She was a big advocate for "cosmic consciousness" and the role artists play in turning people against the war. The concept is simple enough. If artists have vision to see the world at peace, they should be the ones leading the charge forward.

She and her husband even got involved in UFO research and the folks who reported UFO experiences. These psychological "events" were heavily researched by university professors, including Dr. Kenneth Ring at the University of Connecticut.

Creative people are usually known for their ability to envision what might be. The dreamers among us who imagine what is not yet reality....There could be two birds in the bush, so settling is the wrong choice. This is right-brain connectivity.

Concrete thinkers are usually known for their ability to recognize reality. There is a bird right there, waiting to be taken, so even if there might be other birds in the bush, isn't it smart to go for what's there, what's practical? This is left-brain connectivity.

Ideally, we should be actively connecting both sides of our brains, in order not only to survive the here-and-now, but also as a means of improving our futures. Thus, we need both creative and concrete thought processes to enable us to live fulfilling lives.

So, how did the "peace operations" become a cover for psych warfare used by people with Soviet connections? The same heiress was involved in exchange programs between the Soviet Union and the United States government. She counted a number of influential politicians as friends. She even had her own international peace academy and engaged in diplomatic efforts in other countries.

Did the United States government pursue any of her "cosmic consciousness" research? That is how we came to have Operation Stargate and other "remote viewing" programs undertaken by the CIA, the DIA, and other intelligence entities. Who championed this in Congress? United States Senator Claiborne Pell was one of the most determined advocates. He put federal money where his mouth was, and many of his staffers were involved with the wealthy heiress's "peace operations".

Was it a way for the US government to penetrate Soviet intelligence operations? One might think so, except for the eventual outcome. The mindset of the American people was unduly influenced by the duplicity of people who used psychological research from hostile intelligence services to turn the American people against its own government.

When you look at the current world climate, when you see what Putin has done in the Crimea, Ukraine, and elsewhere, and you look at the eruption of violent Islamic jihadists, consider this. Where there is a will, there is a way. If the American people and our allies don't have the stomach to fend off threats to our national security, what will happen to the world? Will we reset the clock back to a time of tyranny? If those who would terrorize the world are able to recruit the young, the naïve, the vulnerable, whether for suicide bombings or beheadings, how do we stop them?

Psych warfare has always been a head game. It's always relied on the principles of psychological understanding that when fear experienced by the target is maximized, control can be complete. What is the antidote to such psych warfare efforts? A firm grip on reality. When push comes to shove, the stronger player wins.

Which brings me back to the comment by the reader, who thought it was more likely that any group using psych warfare techniques would likely drop any subject that was resistant and find someone else to manipulate. In the world of psych warfare, security for the effort is paramount. That means that if you are part of an old Soviet sleeper network and you play a role in manipulating minds, you can't afford to let a resistant test subject get away, because the second anyone figures out what's happening, there will be a concerted effort to thwart it.

Was there such a Soviet sleeper network in the United States during the Sixties and Seventies? Does it still exist today? The best way to know this is to know your genealogy. When you look at the creators of the antiwar movement in the United States and elsewhere, are there links directly to the former Soviet Union? In the case of "psychic research" programs from the Sixties and Seventies, the answer is yes. You are more than welcome to do your own Google, but you will find that many of the folks who were involved did, in fact, have direct family connections to the former Soviet Union or to the former Comintern apparatus. If you are a history junkie, you will find that many of the subsequent government scandals exposed in the last four decades, including efforts to stop the CIA from carrying out its duties in effectively collecting information on hostile intelligence operations worldwide, were directly connected to those former Comintern families. In spy terms, "it's a small world, after all."

There's a quote by Churchill from his 1939 radio address that sums up the current situation involving Putin's Russia best. It is:

"I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest."

Would the Soviet Union planned, implemented, and maintained a sleeper network over half a century in anticipation that would restore its interests? Maybe we were lulled by the fall, when independence seemed to offer hope to Russia and the other separate nations. We had, after all, managed to co-opt a number of Soviet spies. What if that was just an illusion, to convince us it was okay to let our guard down? What if we celebrated the breakup of Communism a little too soon. When you look at the events in Crimea and Ukraine, when you see the mind games played out as a covert war half a world away, taking innocent lives every day, ask yourself whether it is possible that psych warfare was used to destabilize America and its allies in anticipation of regaining what was lost by the fall of the Soviet Empire. Look at the current situation in the Middle East, where there is a massive effort to create an Islamic State. We can only hope there is not a secret partnership between Putin and our enemies, but the fact is that such a strategic move would, in fact, bring the world even closer to destruction. We can't fight an enemy we can't perceive, and by the time we realize what's going on, it will be, as Churchill suggested so long ago, too late. There is no do-over in life. Those who are committed to democratic principles understand the weight of that responsibility. Freedom isn't free. It comes at a price, one that each of us must recognize, lest we all perish.

Kindle Freebie -- FBI Agent Henry Hartman Takes On Mobsters and Spies

You can download Henry Hartman's Crisis Management at Amazon through May 17, 2015 for free (It's also available to Kindle Unlimited members at any time!)

This special download bundles three books:

Henry Hartman's Holiday Crisis
Henry Hartman's Boondoggle Crisis
Henry Hartman's Fall Guy Crisis

What should you know about Henry? He's not your typical FBI agent. He takes on the trickier cases, the kind that can get him into a lot of hot water.

Anyone who cares about justice knows that politics and law enforcement don't mix well when corruption enters the equation. Law enforcement agencies that depend on the largess of politicians to fund their agencies often make bad deals, and that's when corruption often rears its ugly head, endangering the public safety.

That's why Henry Hartman is a good FBI agent to have around. He understands that things can get hairy when organized crime enters the political arena and promotes its own choices to run the government. Investigations can get shut down, witnesses can be shut up, and bad guys get to be in charge. Those are the cases that sometimes take years to wrap up. Sometimes it's less important to prosecute the bad guys and more important to unravel their networks, in order to dismantle their criminal and intelligence apparatuses. That's why you rarely see Henry in federal court. He's too busy working behind the scenes to identify real threats to the public. Down the road, other FBI agents will use the information to develop new, unrelated cases that can be prosecuted.

For an FBI agent like Henry, used to putting his personal life on hold to get the job done, it's not easy to find love with the right woman, especially when he's working the complicated cases. When Henry meets Sydney Stansfield, divorced wife of a Connecticut dentist, he's determined to make her his own. But does he want to do it because he loves her or because she was married to a guy with some serious mob connections?

As an interior decorator, Syd thinks she's rebuilding her life after dumping the man who made her life miserable. But everywhere she turns, she keeps coming back to her past. She has no idea why she can't break free. That's because her ex-husband has a dirty little secret, something he kept from Syd all those years she busted her fanny to put him through dental school. For a woman badly burned by an ex-husband, Syd's not exactly chomping at the bit to get entangled in romance, and that just seems to fire up Henry's heart with a passion that just won't quit.

The real journey begins when Henry introduces Syd to the Hartman ladies, the women who helped his late father to raise this motherless boy. Faith, Hope, Charity, and Prudence have put their loving efforts into keeping this FBI agent on the straight and narrow, even though they understand the difficult and sometimes dangerous path his investigations sometimes take. They are creative, clever women armed only with their wits, even when confronting dangerous criminals. Watching them take on thugs and snoops is worth the price of admission.

With humor and quick wits, Henry Hartman provokes, prods, and pokes the bad guys, whether they're your garden variety of organized criminals or secretive spies trolling for national security secrets. He always aims to play fair with suspects and witnesses, but it's not easy when the other side is doing the same thing. For those people who get squeezed between a rock and a hard place, Henry Hartman is sometimes the only guy who will go the distance to do the right thing. But he doesn't do it alone. Sydney is by his side, along with the Hartman ladies. By the time they get done baffling and bamboozling the bad guys, nothing will ever be the same!

Henry Hartman's Crisis Management Amazon Link

Before Miz Scarlet Sails to Bermuda in Cozy Mystery 5, Read Cozy Mystery 4 Free!

I admit it. I'm a sucker for Bermuda. And when I think about a quick getaway, it's on the top of my list, whether by sea or by air. That's why I decided to send Scarlet Wilson, better known as Miz Scarlet, to this delightful island nation by cruise ship, with nothing to do but relax and have fun. What could go wrong?

The wild adventure begins because Laurel and the new man in her life, Dr. Thaddeus Van Zandt, want to travel together, so Scarlet is roped into playing chaperone for a five-night cruise. But she's not going to do it alone. Boyfriend Kenny Tolliver is sailing with them.

Retired as assistant director of public safety at Princeton University, the former "campus cop" is now regional head of Mercer Security, a national investigations firm. When Kenny needs advice on which cruise to book, he turns to an old New Jersey buddy, Marley Hornsby, who works for Royal Caribbean's security operations in Miami.

Deciding that this is a great opportunity to check out the ship's security team and reunite with his old friend, Marley decides to accompany Kenny, Miz Scarlet, Laurel, and Thaddeus to Bermuda. It all sounds great except for one thing. The two men were once bitter rivals who fought hard to win the love of Jillian, Kenny's late wife. Will the two men now battle for the heart of the fair Miz Scarlet, even as a killer plans his next murder?

"Man overboard!" Poor Laurel Googins Wilson, sitting in her wheelchair with daughter Scarlet on the balcony of their stateroom on Royal Caribbean's ship Liberty of the Seas, is sure she saw a figure hurtle past her and into the Atlantic Ocean. How could this happen?

When the security team from Liberty of the Seas rushes to rescue the man floating in the ocean, they find a shocking discovery. It was no accident! Who killed George Delaney, a small town funeral director from Caulkins Cove, Maine? His widow, Kathleen, is stunned by the bizarre turn of events. Alone, desperate, she turns to Miz Scarlet and the gang for help in solving her late husband's murder. For Kenny, that means working overtime with the Royal Caribbean security team to make sure another murder doesn't happen before FBI investigators can arrive to take over the case. But what Kenny and the others don't know could get someone killed. Unless they can determine which passenger is marked for murder, they're stymied in their attempts to prevent this heinous crime.

Have no fear, dear readers. Scarlet Wilson, the feisty, funny innkeeper/amateur sleuth is on the case in Miz Scarlet and the Perplexed Passenger . She may not have an experienced security team like Royal Caribbean's, or Kenny's law enforcement experience to call upon, but she's got something else -- a knack for finding trouble! And once she gets a whiff of a murder plot most foul, you know she won't give up, even if it means facing a dangerous stalker on her own!

While I finish putting the final touches to this seaworthy adventure, why not take advantage of my gift for you? Grab your free copy of Miz Scarlet and the Bewildered Bridegroom  at Smashwords, the digital publisher that offers my book in Kindle (mobi), Nook (epub), and other formats, a savings of $1.99.If you're new to my popular cozy mystery series, it's your chance to get acquainted with all the memorable characters at the Four Acorns Inn, including Dr. Thaddeus Van Zandt, Laurel's new romantic companion. And if you're a fan of Miz Scarlet and the Imposing Imposter ($1.99), Miz Scarlet and the Vanishing Visitor (free), and Miz Scarlet and the Holiday Houseguests (free), but haven't read Miz Scarlet and the Bewildered Bridegroom yet, what are you waiting for? This coupon expires 5/20/15!

Must you read all of the books in order to enjoy these rollicking tales? Heavens no! You'll find the gang at the pet-friendly Four Acorns Inn is always up for adventure and you're welcome to check in any time!

(If you enjoy the story, please post your reviews at Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Goodreads, and Library Thing. Feel free to pass along this coupon and let your friends save $1.99 too!)

How do you get the book for free? Go to the Smashwords page for my book and enter coupon code EG77Q after hitting the "buy" button. All you need is a valid email address. Happy reading!

Smashwords -- Miz Scarlet and the Bewildered Bridegroom

Coupon Code EG77Q expires 5/20/15

Rated PG -- mild language, mild violence, mild adult situations

When innkeeper Scarlet Wilson is asked to host Annalee Pinault and Gunnar Magnusdotter’s nuptials at the Four Acorns Inn, she never expects it to start a war of matrimonial madness. Three senior citizens want Scarlet to get into the wedding business and they aren't willing to take no for an answer. It doesn't take long for things to spiral out of hand. Someone wants to stop Scarlet and the gang, and before long, the dirty tricks turn dangerous!

How challenging can it be for the owners of this small bed and breakfast establishment to prepare for a wedding with a guest list of twelve? It hardly seems like a difficult task.
But as the preparations begin, so does the unexpected harassment. A shocking surprise in the middle of the night is discovered just before all hell breaks loose. Relieved that they have escaped a frightening fate, everyone at the Four Acorns Inn is stunned to learn the perpetrator is a professional hired for the job.

Once he's been hauled away by the Cheswick Police Department, Scarlet and the gang try again to get back to the wedding plans, only to find themselves facing a set of masked intruders willing to commit violence and vandalism.

Who's behind this horrible campaign of mayhem being waged on the residents of the inn? More importantly, what's the point of it all?

As the day of the wedding approaches, things go from bad to worse. Scarlet's mother, Laurel, and Cousin Lacey are ready to pack up and flee to Bermuda...or Tahiti...anywhere their stalker can't find them. Poor teenage Jenny thinks it's her fault these terrible things are happening. And Scarlet? She can't fight an enemy she can't see.

Enter Kenny Tolliver, Scarlet's heartthrob and the regional head of Mercer Security. He's willing to delve into the mystery and find the culprits with the help of Max Weingarten, a retired state police investigator. If only Scarlet would trust the professionals to do the job....

When Scarlet doubts Kenny's ability to protect the residents of the Four Acorns Inn, his frustration with her boils over, leading him to bet her that he can safely get the bride and groom hitched. What does he expect when he succeeds? He wants her to make a very public apology. But when there's yet another break-in just before the wedding party arrives, it seems unlikely he'll ever hear it.

As tensions and tempers rise, one thing becomes clear -- someone's willing to do just about anything to prevent Scarlet Wilson from hosting weddings at the Four Acorns Inn. Does that include kidnapping the bride?

"The Kite Runner" and the Taliban Slaughter of Hazaras in Afghanistan

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way. . . ."

That sentence started one of the most profound books I ever read in high school. Can you name it? It's from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, and even today, as the world hurtles towards catastrophe, it remains a classic on so many levels. Though it was a work of fiction, Charles Dickens managed to convince all but the heartless reader that these struggles were life-changing for his characters.

Last summer, with great reluctance, I finally read Khaled Hosseini's masterpiece, The Kite Runner . I admit I was afraid I would be overwhelmed by the emotional demands the book might place upon me. After all, I am a person of conscience. I can't watch the news and not be horrified by the mind-numbing violence we are seeing around the globe. I grieve for the little children in Syria, caught in a conflict not of their making. I am disgusted by the inhumane treatment of Christians and others at the hands of those who would rule the world with a sword.

This morning, as I ate my oatmeal and drank my coffee, I turned the pages of The New York Times. And on page A6, I came across A Gruesome Message From the Taliban, an article by Rod Nordland and Jawad Sukhanyar. There has been a wave of kidnappings by the Taliban, aimed at the Hazara population, and recently the bodies of the missing began to be recovered.

What does this have to do with The Kite Runner ? Author Khaled Hosseini made me care about Hassan, a member of that ethnic group. He put a human face to the struggle of the Hazara population by making Hassan come to life on the pages of his book. But more than that, Dr. Hosseini made the well-to-do Amir an unlikely hero, as he grew from child to man, not through years of aging, but through finding the courage to do what was right.

There's one passage in The Kite Runner that sums up the essence of the book for me. Here is what Amir says to the reader:

"I sat on a park bench near a willow tree. I thought about something Rahim Khan said just before he hung up, almost as an afterthought. There is a way to be good again. I looked up at those twin kites. I thought about Hassan. Thought about Baba. Ali. Kabul. I thought of the life I had lived until the winter of 1975 came along and changed everything. And made me what I am today."

Dr. Hosseini draws us in with that simple lure. We want to know what happened in those cold days of 1975. We know it must have been bigger than life. We know it took place in Afghanistan. We know that Hassan was somehow involved. But consider the sentence:

"There is a way to be good again."

Only in a war-torn country like Afghanistan, where unspeakable violence and brutality sometimes seem the norm, can we, as readers, dread the concept of Amir being good again. What had he done to be bad? And who had been hurt by his actions?

As the tensions rise in the world and Islamic jihad spreads across continents, those of us with consciences are all like Amir. We may desire peace and justice with all of our hearts, but we have been put between a rock and a hard place by determined  jihadists out to rule the world. Our biggest failings as human beings aren't that we are uncaring. It's that we fail to recognize the burning desire of these terrorists. What do they believe? They believe that their spiritual prophet will return to them when "The Great Satan" has been destroyed. What does that involve? It involves attacking any nation that does not accept Shariah law as implemented by them. They want it to be their house, their rules, and only those who carry the sword shall rule.

Coptic Christians led to their slaughter. Kenyans massacred. Children stolen from their homes and enslaved. Tourists attacked. Plots to blow up this or that. And now we begin to see the influx of asylum seekers flooding overwhelmed nations in Europe. (You'll notice I haven't even mentioned Iran....)

Fictional and non-fictional biographies can be powerful tools in changing hearts and minds. When we begin to step through life by the side of a sympathetic character, when we begin to relate to the everyday, ordinary struggles, especially in a war zone, we begin to understand the evil humanity can do. That's what books like The Diary of a Young Girl did to educate generations on the Holocaust. Through the eyes of Anne Frank, we experienced what it was like to hide from a brutal enemy day in and day out. Is that now what the children of Syria and other hot zones face as the safety of the world is threatened by this madness?

"There is a way to be good again."

Amir was forced to choose. Consequences pushed him to pick a side. Could he live with himself as a coward, hiding from the reality of what he knew, or must he do something to make a difference?

When you finally accept that the world is changing in dangerous ways, you too will want to be good again. The only way to do that is to understand how we got to where we are and how we can fix it. But to do that, we must recognize the mindset of the enemy. There is no peace through submission to a barbaric power. Every person deserves to be respected and supported as a human being; despite  any racial, religious, and ethnic differences we might have, we all united by the reality that we are God's children, and as such, it is our duty to stand together for what is right, not because we choose to conquer the world, but because we choose to live in peace.

"There is a way to be good again."

Borrow it, buy it, but above all, read The Kite Runner . Do whatever it takes to make your heart and mind understand what we are facing. Do not bury your head in the sand and hope it will all go away if we do nothing. It won't. As Winston Churchill remarked about the Nazi regime:

"There are those who say, 'Let us ignore the continent of Europe. Let us leave it with its hatreds and its armaments, to stew in its own juice, to fight out its own quarrels, and decree its own doom. Let us turn our backs to this melancholy and alarmist view. Let us fix our gaze across the ocean and see our own life in our own dominions and empires.'

There would be very much to this plan if only we could unfasten the British islands from their rock foundations, and could tow them three thousand miles across the Atlantic Ocean, and anchor them safely upon the smiling coasts of Canada; but I have not yet heard of any way in which this could be done.

At present we lie within a few minutes' striking distance of the French, Dutch, and Belgian coasts, and within a few hours of the great aerodromes of Central Europe. We are even within cannon shot of the continent-so close as that. Is it prudent, is it possible, however we might desire it, to turn our backs upon Europe and ignore whatever may happen there? Everyone can judge this question for himself, and everyone ought to make up his mind or her mind, let me say, about it without delay. It lies at the heart of our problems.

For my part, I have come to the conclusion, reluctantly I admit, that we cannot get away. Here we are and we must make the best of it, but do not, I beg you, underrate the risks, the grievous risks we have to run. I hope, I pray, and, on the whole, grasping the larger hope, I believe, that no war will fall upon us; but if in the near future the great war of 1914 is resumed again in Europe, no one can tell where and how it would end or whether sooner or later we should not be dragged into it, dragged into it as the United States was dragged in against their will in 1917. Whatever happens, and whatever we did, it would be a time of frightful danger for us, and, when the war was over, or perhaps while it still raged, we should be brought face to face with the victors, whoever they might be. Indeed, with our wealth and vast possessions, we should be the only prize sufficient to reward their exertion and compensate them for their losses."


If you would like to read my review of The Kite Runner , I posted it at Goodreads and other sites:
 
My Kite Runner Review at Goodreads

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The Kite Runner at Amazon
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This Week's Freebie B&B Mysteries, One Dark and One Cozy!

Two freebies...one dark and desperate, the other lighthearted and fun. Both feature bed and breakfast establishments. Which do you prefer? Or would you like to download them both?
This week's Amazon Kindle freebie is Hotel for Spies, a rollicking two-tale package that highlights the dark, murky world of espionage. Between the modern-day Shakespearean bickering of husband Benedick and wife Beatrice, there's a whole lot of intrigue going on as intelligence officers try to thwart each other in the race to get control over the Syrian conundrum. This is a rather edgy and dark tale. You can download it for free from 4/2-4/6.

AMAZON

Double the intrigue! This special anthology welcomes you to the Bard’s Bed & Breakfast....Spies, lies, and bad guys abound in these two tales!

Ever passionate and protective, Bea works overtime to keep the bad guys at bay, her cunning husband on his toes, and the wily CIA officers on their best behavior. It’s a wild romp across the Vermont countryside as the spies run wild.

First tale -- Let Slip the Dogs of War
A wily French spy, a Iranian seductress on the hunt to steal American secrets, a ruthless Russian spy with a grudge to settle....It all starts with a dead body under the bed....a young girl, naked, tattooed -- who is she and where did she come from?

The Bard’s Bed & Breakfast isn’t your typical hotel. Run by former CIA personnel, the proprietors cater to intelligence officers and others in the business of keeping national security secrets in need a safe place to stay....Duplicitous deceivers, treacherous traitors, and star-crossed lovers -- what would Shakespeare make of all this mess? Beatrice (not her real name) and husband Benedick (not his real name) bicker incessantly, just as the characters from “Much Ado About Nothing”, even as they work to protect their young Syrian ward from becoming a pawn in the Syrian War. There’s never a dull moment in Arden Woods!

Second tale -- A Plague O’Both Your Houses

A dying woman, experienced in creating and defusing chemical and biological weapons, is sent to the Bard’s Bed & Breakfast to live out her last days in comfort. Only trouble is she has no intention of going quietly! Linda Romano is determined to make everyone miserable or die trying!

The gang at the Bard’s Bed & Breakfast on Vermont’s Lake Champlain is back in another tale of twisted intelligence plots and deceptions that would have left Shakespeare shaking his head in dismay. Blackmail and murder are on the agenda as the bedridden patient forces her nurse, “Horrible Harry”, and her doctor to do her evil bidding. And the two Syrian wards, staying at the Bard’s for safekeeping? They’re anything but safe!

Not a fan of spy tales? Never fear! Meet Scarlet Wilson, proprietor of the cozy Four Acorns Inn!


If you're more the cozy mystery type, this week's Smashwords special coupon book is Miz Scarlet and the Bewildered Bridegroom, a fun romp which takes place at the Four Acorns Inn and features a wacky cast of characters. You can download it at Smashwords using the coupon code SD33R. This coupon expires on 4/7/15.

Smashwords

When innkeeper Scarlet Wilson is asked to host Annalee Pinault and Gunnar Magnusdotter’s nuptials at the Four Acorns Inn, she never expects it to start a war of matrimonial madness. Three senior citizens want Scarlet to get into the wedding business and they aren't willing to take no for an answer. It doesn't take long for things to spiral out of hand. Someone wants to stop Scarlet and the gang, and before long, the dirty tricks turn dangerous!

How challenging can it be for the owners of this small bed and breakfast establishment to prepare for a wedding with a guest list of twelve? It hardly seems like a difficult task.

But as the preparations begin, so does the unexpected harassment. A shocking surprise in the middle of the night is discovered just before all hell breaks loose. Relieved that they have escaped a frightening fate, everyone at the Four Acorns Inn is stunned to learn the perpetrator is a professional hired for the job.

Once he's been hauled away by the Cheswick Police Department, Scarlet and the gang try again to get back to the wedding plans, only to find themselves facing a set of masked intruders willing to commit violence and vandalism.

Who's behind this horrible campaign of mayhem being waged on the residents of the inn? More importantly, what's the point of it all?

As the day of the wedding approaches, things go from bad to worse. Scarlet's mother, Laurel, and Cousin Lacey are ready to pack up and flee to Bermuda...or Tahiti...anywhere their stalker can't find them. Poor teenage Jenny thinks it's her fault these terrible things are happening. And Scarlet? She can't fight an enemy she can't see.

Enter Kenny Tolliver, Scarlet's heartthrob and the regional head of Mercer Security. He's willing to delve into the mystery and find the culprits with the help of Max Weingarten, a retired state police investigator. If only Scarlet would trust the professionals to do the job....

When Scarlet doubts Kenny's ability to protect the residents of the Four Acorns Inn, his frustration with her boils over, leading him to bet her that he can safely get the bride and groom hitched. What does he expect when he succeeds? He wants her to make a very public apology. But when there's yet another break-in just before the wedding party arrives, it seems unlikely he'll ever hear it.

As tensions and tempers rise, one thing becomes clear -- someone's willing to do just about anything to prevent Scarlet Wilson from hosting weddings at the Four Acorns Inn. Does that include kidnapping the bride?
                       
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