Mike Martin's Blog, page 17
November 30, 2015
4th Annual Windflower Holiday Sale
It’s time for the Annual Windflower Holiday Sale. For the last three years I have been donating a portion of the proceeds from the December sales of all Windflower books to a great community cause. It’s a great way for me to give back a little to people and organizations who need so much, especially this time of year
This year during the months of December and November, I will be donating $5.00 from the sale of every Windflower book to the Minwaashin Lodge in Ottawa. Minwaashin Lodge is a healing centre in Ottawa that provides a range of programs and services to First Nations, Inuit and Metis women and children who are survivors of domestic and other forms of violence, and who may also be suffering the effects of the residential school system.
The mission of Minwaashin Lodge is to provide wholistic programs and services for grandmothers, women, children and youth impacted by family violence and residential schooling. All programs and services are provided in the context of cultural beliefs and values as part of the healing journey.
The money donated will go to support First Nations, Inuit and Metis women and children to have a good meal and presents from Santa under the tree on Christmas morning.
For more information about Minwaashin Lodge and to make your own donation please visit:
Special Offer
If you make a donation to Minwaashin Lodge I will donate an additional $5.00. Just let me know that you’ve made a contribution. In addition I will send a signed copy of the latest Sgt. Windflower Mystery, A Twist of Fortune, to you, or a friend or relative of choice, anywhere in the world.
E-mail me at mike54martin@yahoo.ca and I’ll send the other book along. And of course, add my additional donation to the cause.
The Windflower books are available in Chapters/Indigo stores across Canada and at Chapters.ca
You can also find them online:
In Canada on Amazon.ca at
http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sgt+windflower+mysteries
In the United States from Amazon.com at
In the United Kingdom at Amazon.co.uk at
Thank you for supporting Minwaashin Lodge.
http://www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com/
Twitter @mike54martin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl
August 14, 2015
Fun in Newfoundland and an Author Interview
Fun in the fog in Newfoundland, updates and an author interview. Picture with Lee Warren and his missus in Grand Bank.
Greetings from foggy, damp and dreary Newfoundland. The weather sucks but still a great place to visit and write. Had a great time signing books at Costco in St. John’s and at the Provincial Seaman’s Museum in Grand Bank. Check out the Facebook page for photos and more.
Here is an author interview with the fab MJ Meads. Great questions that really make you think. Hope the answers do too.
Here is the link and the interview text
http://www.mjmeads.com/2015/08/interview-mike-martin.html
This week’s interview is with Mike Martin, author of the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries.
Mike draws inspiration from the landscape, climate and people of his birthplace of Newfoundland, so I’ll be finding out how he works, how often he gets back to Newfoundland and whether he’d serve por’ cakes at a dinner party!
When did you first realise you could write and at what point during the writing of your first book did you realise that you in fact couldn’t?!
I have always wanted to be a writer so it didn’t really come as a surprise when I turned out to be one. Writing always came easily. It was really only when I started writing fiction did I realize that I actually had no idea how to turn the stories in my mind into a beginning, a middle and an end: something that would even somewhat resemble a book. That at turns terrified me, froze me, and finally pushed me out of comfort zone to ask for help, both in person from people I trusted and from sources like Stephen King’s book “On Writing”, so that I could move forward. It was after this that I realized that writing is not a talent, but a craft that needed to be fed, watered and nurtured.
The Sgt. Windflower Mysteries are set in your birthplace of Newfoundland. What makes the area so special to you creatively?
Newfoundland is an island which by itself creates a dynamic of isolation from the outside world and a togetherness with the inhabitants. Out of that comes stories that are unique and seldom told away from the island. It has its own culture, cuisine and even its own dialect and sayings that make it a foreign language to all but the most favoured outsiders. It has a combination of geography and weather that is wet, wild and full of adventure. Just the fog, which is always onshore or hovering off the coast, creates a sense of mystery that makes it a great place for creativity to flow and blossom.
Sgt. Windflower is a keen food lover, is gastronomy equally important to you when you travel?
Food is an important part of my life, at home and on the road. I love finding new recipes, especially for seafood, to try out on my family and friends. But I wouldn’t describe myself as a true foodie. I am more of an observer, of both food and life, on the road. I am actually more of a voyeur. My absolute favourite thing is to watch what other people are eating when I am on the road and then to order the same thing. I will let friends make recommendations for dinner and lunch and if I eat what they’re eating, I am almost always both surprised and satisfied. Maybe that makes me a little less adventurous when it comes to my gastronomical choices, but so far it seems to be working. So why mess with a good thing?
The bleak nature of the Newfoundland climate sometimes dictates the tone of your novels, will there ever be a chance for Windflower to experience working elsewhere?
Windflower is a police officer, a member of the respected Royal Canadian Mounted Police and as such he can, and probably will start to travel and work, in other jurisdictions. He has already travelled a bit around Canada in his previous assignments and is probably now ready for some new adventures on what the locals call ‘the mainland’. But I can also see this Mountie involved in some international work and projects that could easily take him to the United States. I’m also trying to figure out a way to get him to the Caribbean so that I do some research there during the winter!
How often do you get back to Newfoundland and have you found yourself drawn back there more since writing the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries?
I visit Newfoundland at least once a year, and most years I am here a couple of times. My partner bought and is in the process of restoring her grandfather’s old house in Grand Bank and that means we have a place to stay when we come to visit. I do have a strong attraction to Newfoundland, but sometimes I think it’s more that I’m in love with the ocean. It relaxes me and calms my spirit, even when it is at its ferocious best. I am always inspired to write when I visit Newfoundland and I have to hold myself back from plunging right into another book or another project. I’ve learned to allow the ideas to percolate and seep into me like the fog. And then when I get back, I can take these ideas and turn them into something special. Maybe even another Windflower book.
Where do you do most of your work, what does your office or creative space look like?
My regular writing space is actually quite small and utilitarian. Maybe even sparse. I don’t like to be distracted when I work or write and I don’t like noise so I try and keep it as quiet as possible. I try and write to a word count or quota and not get up until I’m finished. If I get stuck I walk out onto my balcony that overlooks the Ottawa River. Just the movement is often enough to break the logjam and allow my writing to continue. But I’ve found that I can write a little, just about anywhere. One place I cannot write however is in Starbucks. Too much noise and activity. Maybe it’s all the other people writing in there.
One fabulous place to write, especially on a hot day is at the food court in mall. Not at mealtime and not when it’s baby and mom day at the movies, but at quiet times I can sit and write a lot in a very short time.
Are you working on the fifth in the Sgt. Windflower series and when can we expect to get our hands on it?
The ideas for the fifth Sgt. Windflower Mystery are floating around in my head. But I try to keep them circulating while I rest and relax during the summer. When I get back to reality and back to work in the fall I will gather up those mental notes and begin the Windflower adventure again. The best thing about writing this series for me is that I literally disappear into the story for a month or so while I am banging out the first draft. It’s exciting because I do not write from a script or an outline so I only find out ‘who dun it’ at the end, just like the readers.
Finally if you could invite 3 authors to a dinner party, living or dead, who would they be and what would you serve?
There are so many writers that I would like to invite, but if I only have 3 then I would pick J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Dickens and John Steinbeck. Each of them in their own way talked about social justice issues in a very interesting and entertaining way. I’d love to hear their perspectives about our society today. I don’t think I’d ask them about their writing though. I do believe they have already given enough of themselves through their work. If they wanted to give me any suggestions, however, that would be great!!
In terms of food for dinner I think I’d like to serve them a Sgt. Windflower favourite: pan-fried cod with scrunchions (tiny pieces of fat-back pork fried to a crisp) along with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Dessert would be of course, chocolate peanut butter cheesecake, Windflower’s all-time fave dessert. I think they’d like it, don’t you?
http://www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com
Twitter @mike54martin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl
July 23, 2015
Review of A Twist of Fortune on Apartment613 “Latest novel in Sgt. Windflower police series is ambitious”
Check out the review of A Twist of Fortune on Ottawa’s premier arts and entertainment blog Apartment613.
“Latest novel in Sgt. Windflower police series is ambitious”
http://apt613.ca/write-on-ottawa-latest-novel-in-fun-detective-series-tackles-ambitious-themes/
For folks in Ottawa A Twist of Fortune is available at Books on Beechwood and Chapters. If your neighbourhood Chapters doesn’t have it in stock, ask them to order some copies.
Don’t Forget about these August Events
Provincial Seamen’s Museum Special Event August 6, 2015
We are also thrilled to announce that we’ve been asked to do a very special event at the Seaman’s Museum in Grand Bank. On Thursday August 6 there will be a series of readings from the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series along with music from a popular local band, The Pidgeon Family who play traditional Newfoundland tunes and favourites. There will be a book signing and light refreshments afterwards. Admission will be free and open to all. 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Provincial Seaman’s Museum in Grand Bank
Costco St. John’s Book Signing August 8, 2015
Costco has been onboard with Sgt. Windflower Mysteries since near the beginning and have been very supportive (and sold lots of books). We are also very excited to report that they will be hosting a Book Signing for a Twist of Fortune at the store on Saturday August 8.
See you at Cosco St. John’s on Stavanger Drive at 12:00 on Aug 8.
Mike Martin is the author of the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries which are set in Newfoundland at the easternmost tip of Canada. His latest book is A Twist of Fortune, available from Amazon in paper and Kindle all over the world, and in Canada through Chapters/Indigo/Coles and select independent book stores.
www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com
Twitter @mike54martin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl
July 14, 2015
Why I am a Writer: Guest Blog on Book Obsessed
Check out my guest blog today on Book Obsessed with Cecile Sune
http://cecilesune.com/why-i-am-a-writer/
“Why I am a Writer”
I sometimes get asked why I chose to be a writer. The truth is that I didn’t chose it as much as writing chose me. Having three older sisters, two of whom turned out to be teachers, gave me an early and life-long love of reading. I loved going to the library and getting my quota of books for the week. And I was fascinated and amazed by the fact that people could, would and did, write these fabulous books that filled my school bag.
I always wanted to be like them, to write a book. But of course I hadn’t the foggiest idea how to do that, and growing up in a working class family, the artist life did not come highly recommended. You could and would get beat up in my neighbourhood for just talking about it. So I kept my writing desires to myself, but secretly starting writing small pieces that I would destroy all evidence of shortly after their creation.
When I entered the working world I gravitated towards jobs that had some element of writing to them. Mostly clerical and administrative jobs that meant routine and mundane correspondence. But I realize now that it helped me hone my craft. As my experience grew I was able to move up and around a little more and that led me into communications and all of the corporate manifestations of that, from newsletters to briefing notes. I even found work as a ghostwriter and speechwriter, did a little editing and production-side work.
But deep inside of me still lived that little boy who wanted to write a book and until I did I knew, I just knew, I would never be satisfied. So, I did. I wrote a small fiction book based on characters that had been building inside of me since my early days. And once I started writing that book, it was like a flood had been released and the words kept tumbling out in wave after wave. I couldn’t stop them if I wanted to. So that’s the first reason I write: Because I am a Writer and I have to write.
The second reason that I write is because I have stories to tell. These stories are not mine. I am simply the messenger, the carrier of the legends and stories that live inside the creative current. I am not the only one who has sat on the wharf in Grand Bank and thought about the stories in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series. But I am the only one who sat and watched and listened and then took the time to write down the stories that the fictional characters inside me were trying to tell.
That doesn’t in itself make me special or even a good writer. But it opens the door to the possibilities that are already sitting, waiting for us on the other side. I also get to tell these stories in my own, very personal and unique style that is mine alone. I get to include pieces of other people’s stories that they have told me. Stories that they heard from their parents or grandparents. Parts of history and parts of family traditions. Portions of culture and artifacts and sometimes just a great yarn!!
If you are a writer you know what I mean. But if you want to be a writer I think you also know what I am talking about. I have someone approach me at almost every public event who tells me that they have a great story, a great book that they want to write. I believe them and encourage them to let that story out. Not only will it drive you crazy trying to get out of your head, we need your story out here amongst us so that all of us can learn and grow together. That’s why I write: because my story needs to be out here in the world to learn and grow with yours.
Finally, I write, or maybe it’s I continue to write simply because there are readers. In particular, people that will take a chance on an unknown, indie writer like me and spend a few bucks to check me out. Readers that come up to you at a book signing or other event to tell you how much they enjoyed the last book or the series. Sometimes they are the big and powerful like the Member of Parliament from my home town who called me out of the blue to tell me how much fun he was having with Sgt. Windflower. At others it’s just an ordinary bloke like the guy in Grand Bank who came up to me on the street, with his library book under his arm, to tell me how much he loved the books.
I write in the hopes that I can bring joy, a few laughs, maybe a couple of hours of escape from the dreariness of life. That’s what books have done for me and what I want to give back to the world. Let me share a phone call that I just received from a long-time reader and book reviewer. She said that people around her part of the world had been reading the Sgt. Windflower books and she had some feedback to give me. I welcome feedback, good and bad, and was expecting some combination of both. I was not expecting what she told me.
She said that three people had contacted her that had read the Sgt. Windflower books based on her reviews and recommendations. The first was a retired RCMP officer who liked the fact that the books rang true to his experience with the Force. The second was a man from a small community who connected with the small town feel and food and culture of Grand Bank where the stories are mostly set. Both of these were high compliments. But what really blew me away was the third person who contacted my friend. This person was suffering from pancreatic cancer and undergoing horrific treatments to try and repel the disease. He told my friend that the only way he could relax before the treatments was to read, and the only books that brought him any peace or reduced his anxiety were the Windflower books. Wow!!
This just reminded me again of how fortunate I am to be able to write. And that every book has the potential to not just make fame or fortune, but to actually impact another person’s life in a positive way. I think I’ll keep writing.
Mike Martin is the author of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series set in small communities on the southeast coast of Newfoundland. The latest book A Twist of Fortune is available in Canada through Chapters/Indigo/Coles and select independent book stores.
It is also available online and as an e-book here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-twist-of-fortune-mike-martin/1121721096?ean=9781634903806
Booklocker
http://booklocker.com/books/7981.html
Books a Million
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Twist-Fortune/Mike-Martin/9781634903806?id=6287674007697
You can follow the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries at: www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com
Or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl
July 8, 2015
Newfoundland News: Costco Onboard, Book Events in August
Lots to report on from Newfoundland. First of all we are very pleased to announce that A Twist of Fortune is now available from Costco on Stavanger Drive in St. John’s.
Costco Book Signing August 6, 2015
Costco has been onboard with Sgt. Windflower Mysteries since near the beginning and have been very supportive (and sold lots of books). We are also very excited to report that they will be hosting a Book Signing for a Twist of Fortune at the store on Saturday August 8. More details to follow.
Grand Bank: Sharon’s Nook and Tea Room
Just got back from Newfoundland and while the weather is horrific the people are as warm and welcoming as ever. Got to drop in to see Sharon and Jack Grandy in Grand Bank at Sharon’s Nook and Tea Room. Drop in for a piece of their speciality cheesecake. They have dozens of varieties including Windflower’s favourite: Peanut Butter Chocolate. And buy a copy of A Twist of Fortune while you’re there!!
Downhome Shoppe and Gallery
We also visited the Downhome Shoppe and Gallery on Water Street in St. John’s where they have a large display of all the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries including a special boxed set. This is a fabulous place and a must-visit if you get to St. John’s. It’s a craft and gift store, an art gallery and a bookstore all rolled into one. Yes it’s kitschy and touristy but it is also a great location to buy books, particularly local books. If it’s written by a Newfoundlander, or about Newfoundland, or the Atlantic Ocean you will find it at the Downhome Shoppe. And if you come by on Saturday afternoon you just might be lucky enough to get a taste of the best toutons in St. John’s. If you want to know what toutons are, you have to read Sgt. Windflower Mysteries.
Provincial Seamen’s Museum Special Event August 6, 2015
We are also thrilled to announce that we’ve been asked to do a very special event at the Seaman’s Museum in Grand Bank. On Thursday August 6 there will be a series of readings from the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series along with music from a popular local band, The Pidgeon Family who play traditional Newfoundland tunes and favourites. There will be a book signing and light refreshments afterwards. Admission will be free and open to all. More information and a poster will be available soon.
Mike Martin is the author of the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries which are set in Newfoundland at the easternmost tip of Canada. His latest book is A Twist of Fortune, available from Amazon in paper and Kindle all over the world, and in Canada through Chapters/Indigo/Coles and select independent book stores.
www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com
Twitter @mike54martin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl
June 23, 2015
Writers: Don’t Get the Summertime Blues
It’s summertime and the writing is, well sometimes it’s hard to write in the summer. That’s why I don’t even try anymore. I have learned that summer is supposed to be about relaxing and enjoying myself, visiting with friends and family and just lolling about in the garden or at the beach. But the craziest thing happens when I give myself permission to relax. I get these amazing ideas.
It’s almost like unlocking a safe. Once I open up my mind and loosen my grip on the day to day, the universe releases all of this energy about the possibilities, the writing possibilities, of the future. So as I relax by the water I take a notepad or a small notebook with me and I jot down these ideas as they appear. I don’t try and analyse them or make them fit into any particular order. I just watch them appear and I write them down. When I have some quiet time later in the day, or sometimes early the next morning I take a look at them.
I still don’t try and make sense of them or where they are going, or supposed to go. I observe them and then I put them away. But here’s the cool thing. After my summery days at the beach or lying in the hammock reading a good book are over I take them all out again. As I read these random notes I realize that they’re not really random at all. They have transformed into a story line or a series of activities or aspects of characters in my current series that that I had never thought of before. Sometimes even new characters and ideas for new stories are there. It’s kind of like Christmas morning for a writer!!
So I don’t write in the summer anymore. I have realized that’s not my job. My job is to listen and observe and take notice of what is happening underneath the surface. All I have to do is sit back and relax. I can do that. I’m actually quite good at it.
After the summer is over I have not only gotten myself back into a healthy frame of mind from just taking it easy, I also have these great ideas to work on. Some become the seeds that grow into the next Sgt. Windflower Mystery while others are left to ferment and grow inside of me. Still others never become anything more than that cool breeze you feel every so often on a hot summer day, they are not supposed to be anything but a thought, an idea, or maybe just a way to help you and your brain relax.
That’s how I’ll be spending my summer. Not really looking for inspiration but ready to jot it down when inevitably comes. How about you?
Mike Martin is the author of the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries which are set in Newfoundland at the easternmost tip of Canada. His latest book is A Twist of Fortune, available from Amazon in paper and Kindle all over the world, and in Canada through Chapters/Indigo/Coles and select independent book stores.
Book Signings in June
Chapters Queensway in Toronto on Friday June 26 7-9 pm
Chapters Kingston in Kingston on Saturday June 27 1-4 pm
www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com
Twitter @mike54martin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl
June 11, 2015
Re-Discover the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries
For those of you who are just discovering the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series through A Twist of Fortune here is some more information about the first three books in the series. They can be read as stand-alone stories, but if you want all of the flavour and colour of Sgt. Windflower’s adventures you can pick up the rest of the series anytime. They are all available online through Amazon all over the world and through Chapters/Indigo in Canada.
Here is a snap shot and a cover shot of the first three books in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series.
The Walker on the Cape (Book 1 in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series)
A man’s body is found in a small fishing community on the East Coast. First everyone thinks it’s a heart attack or stroke but then it’s discovered that he was poisoned. Who would do this and why? Finding that out falls to Winston Windflower and his side-kick Eddie Tizzard. Along the way they discover there are many more secrets hidden in this small community and powerful people who want to keep it that way.
The Walker on the Cape
Amazon Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A95U6JQ
Barnes and Noble Nook:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-walker-on-the-cape-mike-martin/1113728332?ean=2940015727500
Chapters/Indigo:
The Body on the T (Book 2 in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series)
Sgt. Winston Windflower is enjoying an idyllic life in the small town of Grand Bank, Newfoundland when a mysterious and very dead body washes up on a nearby beach. Follow along with Windflower and his team as he tries to solve this mystery and uncovers a whole lot more lurking under the fog on the southeast coast off Atlantic Canada. Windflower is the ultimate outsider, an RCMP officer and a Cree from northern Alberta, yet he feels right at home with the rich culture, food and history of this part of the world. But his world is shaken by a series of events that threaten his new-found happiness. And it all starts with the discovery of The Body on the T.
The Body on the T
Amazon
Chapters/Indigo
Beneath the Surface (Book 3 in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series)
Sgt. Windflower is back!!! This time he faces down an international crime syndicate. Murder, mayhem and the Russian Mafia. Windflower is joined again by his trusted ally Eddie Tizzard, his rock-steady girl, Sheila, and a cast of supporters from the new Mayor to an old Crown Attorney. Together they fight the bad guys, at home and abroad. Windflower has to take on modern challenges like sexual harassment while re-discovering his roots and inner strength.
Beneath the Surface
Chapters/Indigo:
Amazon:
Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beneath-the-surface-mike-martin/1119417270?ean=9781632631138
http://www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com
Twitter @mike54martin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl
June 8, 2015
Two Big June Events for the Big Smoke aka Toronto
We are very pleased to be heading back to Toronto for two big book signing events in June. We are also pretty excited about a special Sgt. Windflower Mystery contest that is being run by NOW magazine in June as well.
We have always had great support in Toronto, particularly from our friends at Indigo Bay Bloor and Chapters Queensway and from the Toronto Star.
Jack Batten reviewed A Twist of Fortune in his Whodunit column in the Star on May 30. Here what he had to say:
“Sergeant Winston Windflower, the mild-mannered aboriginal Mountie at the centre of Mike Martin’s Newfoundland series says he isn’t accustomed to handling more than one emotion at a time. This time out, Windflower endures so many grim events- a possible breakup with his girlfriend, the drunkenness of an RCMP superior, a murdered pharmacist- that we readers expect Windflower’s emotional sang-froid is bound to snap. But as ever, it’s the man’s attractive good nature that carries the day and the book.”
So join us in Toronto to celebrate A Twist of Fortune
On Friday June 19 we will be at Indigo Bay Bloor in Toronto from 6-9 pm.
On Friday June 26 we will at Chapters Queensway in Toronto from 7-9 pm.
Hope we see you there!!
And stay tuned for information on the NOW magazine contest. Win a signed copy of the complete set of Sgt. Windflower Mysteries including A Twist of Fortune. Contest scheduled to begin June 18.
A Twist of Fortune is now available in the GTA at
The Sleuth of Baker Street
Indigo Bay Bloor
Chapters Queensway
Indigo Eaton Centre
More Chapters/Indigo locations coming daily!!
And always on line from Chapters/Indigo
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/a-twist-of-fortune-a/9781772160291-item.html
http://www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com Twitter @mike54martin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl
June 2, 2015
Where to Buy A Twist of Fortune
A Twist of Fortune, the new Sgt. Windflower Mystery is available for order online all over the world. See below for links. It is also starting to be available in stores across Canada. Here are some retail locations where you can buy A Twist of Fortune in Canada.
And stay tuned because more locations are being added every day.
Ottawa
Books on Beechwood, 35 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa
Chapters Rideau, 47 Rideau Street, Ottawa
Toronto
Sleuth of Baker Street, 907 Millwood Road, Toronto
Indigo Bay/Bloor, 55 Bloor Street, Toronto (Book Signing July 19)
Indigo Eaton Centre, 220 Yonge Street, Toronto
Chapters Queensway, 1950 The Queensway, Toronto (Book Signing July 26)
Kingston
Chapters Kingston, 2376 Princess Street, Kingston (Book Signing July 27)
St. John’s, Newfoundland
The Downhome Shoppe and Gallery, 303 Water Street, St. John’s
Chapters St. John’s , 70 Kenmount Road, St. John’s
Coles Avalon Mall, Avalon Mall, St. John’s
Coles Village Mall, Village Mall, St. John’s
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Chapters Fredericton, Regent Mall, Fredericton
All Sgt. Windflower books are also available for order in Canada from:
Red Tuque Books and Downhome Publishing
http://www.shopdownhome.com/listings.php?search=sgt+windflower&go.x=15&go.y=14
And Online:
Canada
Chapters Indigo
United States
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-twist-of-fortune-mike-martin/1121721096?ean=9781634903806
Booklocker
http://booklocker.com/books/7981.html
Books a Million
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Twist-Fortune/Mike-Martin/9781634903806?id=6287674007697
United Kingdom
Amazon UK
Australia
Amazon.au
May 13, 2015
The Reviews So Far: What People are Saying about A Twist of Fortune
The reviews are starting to roll in and reviewers really like A Twist of Fortune. Here are some samples from the reviews to date.
“A Twist of Fortune” is a leisurely stroll through some of Canada’s wild places, where no one can hide from the effects of crime. We get an insight into the communities and people who choose to live away from the bright lights of the cities.”
Rosie Amber: Book Reviewer, Avid Reader and Bookworm
“A Twist of Fortune tells the story of drug smuggling gangs and multiple homicides, but the book isn’t fixated on murder mystery and instead weaves the criminal investigation narrative around those of the decline of the local fishing industry and Windflower’s personal life, relationships and his love of the local food and not so local scotch whisky.”
Kindle Book Review
“A Twist of Fortune is the 4th in the Windflower series that grows on you. It’s essentially a character driven story, the character being Winston Windflower and those around him but also a character called Grand Bank Newfoundland, a small town facing change that it’s not quite ready for. It’s a police procedural that feels real, no instant forensic results but the real backstory of how cops deal with a mixture of crime, highways closed because of weather and small town life meeting today’s demands.”
Don Graves D.D. Mystery Reviews
“Sgt. Winston Windflower is a food loving member of the RCMP. A Twist of Fortune continues the romantic involvement of Sheila Hillier and Winston through some ups and down. Sheila is arrested at the beginning of the book for helping to save the fish plant in Grand Banks. If you have been following their romance you will love the ending of this book.”
Linda Grant aka The Crafty Gardener
“A Twist of Fortune is a reminder that good people can do good things, be good friends, and believe in the good life of small communities. Festivities and principles are still important and the Canadian cuisine can still be celebrated. The story reads more like a day-to-day, step-by-step, report of life in a close-knit community, where criminal activities are handled as part of the make-up of the people in town. I would compare it with a Maeve Binchy novel with a crime plot thrown in, without the high drama and suspense of the murder mystery genre.”
Margitte Mayer on Goodreads
“The real strength of A Twist of Fortune lies in the author’s ability to make the characters and setting come alive to the reader. The reader is quickly wrapped up in the lives of the people. The chapters are relatively short and the narrative voice is succinct, dry, straightforward, and easy to read. I liked reading about the morning rituals of the protagonist. The description of the traditional Cree beliefs was certainly a bonus. The sexual activity between the characters is only ever gently implied and I liked that as well.”
Online Book Club
“Sgt Windflower is back and I must admit, this made me smile. He is perhaps the most laidback detective I have ever come across in literature, loving his food and his walks around Grand Bank as much as he does locking up the criminals in the sleepy Newfoundland town. In A Twist of Fortune Sgt Windflower is back on a murder case, as well as keeping an eye on the unrest in Grand Bank caused by the fish plant, one of the town’s biggest industries, closing down.”
Cheryl Pasquier: Madhouse Family Reviews
“Relying on good, old-fashioned detective work to solve his cases, Sgt. Windflower thrives in a skilfully nuanced, though not overly contrived plot that delivers a number of surprises, but it’s the dialogue and the subtleties of Windflower’s character that really makes this superb detective novel stand out. On many levels he defies our expectations, living his life according to values which are wholly congruent with the setting that surrounds him and it’s due credit to Martin that he captures the beauty, contrasts and grandeur of his chosen backdrop to create a real sense of visual ambience.”
Book Viral
“Sgt. Winston Windflower becomes more interesting with each book. He is not the typical renegade or fast action cop; he does his job, follows the rules whenever possible, and keeps his balance with his beliefs and personal relationships. He has high expectations of the people he supervises and doesn’t let problems slide and yet has great empathy. The other characters hold their own too, especially Tizzard, Sheila, Herb and the coroner. In A Twist of Fortune the plot is well done; the Mounties must work together to track the complicated drug network. I especially love the setting. In this book the Newfoundland winter is a major factor. Some might think the snowstorms are overdone but those of us in the northern climes are well aware that once one of these systems starts pounding an area, it can be relentless. Well done!”
Prairie House Reviews
This book is well written and is the kind of story that makes you feel good when you read it. The characters are well-developed and it has a strong plot. Though there is probably a little too much focus on food and coffee consumption, the story unfolds nicely and comes together well at the end. It has the perfect blend of showing an interesting daily life, the charm of a small town, the intrigue of police work, and the love shared between two people in a strong relationship. A Twist of Fortune is well-written, entertaining and interesting, and while at times it is a bit predictable, it doesn’t detract from the quality of the story. It’s a fun and heart-warming book that makes you want to read the rest of the series.
Red City Reviews
Here’s where you can buy A Twist of Fortune online
Canada
Chapters Indigo
United States
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-twist-of-fortune-mike-martin/1121721096?ean=9781634903806
Booklocker
http://booklocker.com/books/7981.html
Books a Million
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Twist-Fortune/Mike-Martin/9781634903806?id=6287674007697
United Kingdom
Amazon UK
Australia
Amazon.au
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