Meg Perry's Blog, page 7
November 16, 2020
The new Space Coast Mystery is here!!
Available for Kindle and on Kindle Unlimited: Three Thousand Miles, Space Coast Mystery #2. Here’s the link. And here’s the blurb:
It’s been exactly six months since space reporter Justin Harris and AFOSI agent Greg Marcotte met, and they have plans for their anniversary weekend. But those plans go badly awry when they receive word that Capt. Melissa Cross, an Air Force officer and former astronaut, has been murdered in her Merritt Island home. While the investigation sends Greg across the country, Justin works his contacts to find out why Capt. Cross was bumped from a mission to the International Space Station. As a second murder draws Justin deeper into the case, he and Greg are faced with more questions than answers.
Where is the boat that Capt. Cross’s neighbor saw? Why are so many federal officials taking an interest in the Cross case? Who is the man found floating in the river?
And why is Justin’s mom moving back to Cocoa Beach?
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November 12, 2020
Cover Reveal: Space Coast Mysteries #2
Justin and Greg are back! Here’s the beautiful cover from Lyrical Lines Proofreading and Book Covers. Isn’t it gorgeous??
The book will be out in a few days.
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September 30, 2020
What I’ve learned about myself during the pandemic
I miss eating out.
In times of uncertainty, I turn to food.
In times of uncertainty, my concentration and creativity fly out the window.
I really prefer to work from home.
My house is not as well organized as I thought it was. (And I didn’t think it was all that well organized to begin with.)
I can’t WAIT to retire. (One year, eleven months from tomorrow.)
David Sedaris is a comfort read for me. Who knew?
The Stoics had it right. Focus on what you can control, accept what you can’t.
I hope all of you are healthy and safe.
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Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoicism. Public domain.
June 30, 2020
Drugged to Death available in print!
Finally! I don’t know why I couldn’t format it this time – it was so easy before. Anyway, it’s available now, if you’re a print aficionado. Drugged to Death Print
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Jamie Brodie Mystery #20
June 26, 2020
What are you doing tomorrow?
[image error]Because at 4:00 pm Eastern time, we’re doing something fun! All of the authors from the Footsteps in the Dark anthology – Josh Lanyon, S.C. Wynne, Carroll S. Poe, L.B. Gregg, Nicole Kimberling, Dal MacLean, Z.A. Maxfield, and me – are doing a thing! It’s called Footsteps in the Bar. We’re all doing a brief reading from our work in the anthology (in my case, Twelve Seconds) and answering questions. And there will be drinks. BYOB.
Hope you can make it! It’s a Zoom meeting; here are the details you’ll need.
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88431097465
Meeting ID: 884 3109 7465
Kevin Burton Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Footsteps in the Bar
Time: Jun 27, 2020 01:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88431097465
Meeting ID: 884 3109 7465
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May 21, 2020
I’m on the Gay Mystery Podcast!
Another treat this week! I’m the featured author on the Gay Mystery Podcast, which debuts today. I had a fun, delightful interview with Brad Shreve, the creator and host of the podcast, all about Jamie Brodie and the mystery series. You can listen to it right here:
Gay Mystery Podcast with Meg Perry
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May 20, 2020
Drugged to Death is now available!
Woohoo!!! A day early! Drugged to Death, Jamie Brodie Mystery #20, is now available in e-book format through both Amazon and Smashwords. Other e-reader platforms will probably be available by tomorrow; print will take a couple more days.
Called out in the middle of the night.
Pete Ferguson’s call is from his sister; their dad has collapsed and is in intensive care. Pete flies to Tucson to be at his bedside. Jamie Brodie was already concerned for Pete’s emotional well-being, and his worries only grow each time he talks to Pete – who seems to be gradually falling apart.
Kevin Brodie’s call is from his boss, Tim Garcia; there’s been a double overdose at the Powell Library at UCLA. When the standard drug screens come back negative, Kevin and Jon Eckhoff go on the hunt to identify a new pharmaceutical killer.
When Kevin and Jon’s quest leads them in a direction they couldn’t have imagined, Jamie gets answers to some old questions, and is left with two more mysteries.
How is everything that’s happening in LA connected to New Mexico?
And will he and Pete make it through this crisis in one piece?
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Jamie Brodie Mystery #20
May 12, 2020
A snippet from Drugged to Death
Just a little something to whet your appetite. Nine more days!
As Bill Frazier had predicted, there wasn’t much that was helpful in Rick Ramsey’s personnel file. There were, however, a couple of intriguing findings.
Ramsey’s one-page resumé was included. Jon read it, frowning, then waved the page at Kevin. “Why would a guy with a master’s degree in public health turn to truck driving?”
“He has a master’s degree?”
“Yup. Bachelor’s in health science and a master’s in public health, both from Sacramento State.”
“Maybe the money was better. Maybe he had the urge to travel.”
Jon snorted. Kevin said, “Yeah, I don’t believe that either. Whoever’s staging all of this called his old buddy Rick and ordered him to change careers.”
“Probably paying him over and above what he’s making from Southland.”
“That, or he knew something about Rick that was coercive. Are his references listed there?”
“Nope, says ‘on request.’ Do you have ‘em?”
Kevin scanned through the employment application. “Here they are.” He laid the page where both he and Jon could see it. “You want to do the talking?”
“With pleasure.” Jon dialed the first number, and put his phone on speaker.
The voice that answered was male, raspy, and elderly. “Yell-ow.”
“Hello. Is this Mr. Burmeister?”
“That’s right. Who’s this?”
“This is Jonathan Eckhoff with the City of Palmdale, California. I’m calling about Rick Ramsey. He’s applied for a part-time job as a coach in our city’s recreation department, and I’m checking his references.”
Kevin chuckled at the smoothness of Jon’s deception. Burmeister said, “A coach, eh? Well, I never knew Rick to have anything to do with kids, but I reckon he’d be okay.”
“How do you know Mr. Ramsey?”
“I was his neighbor for a couple of years before he moved down there. Nice guy, no wild parties. Had a few girlfriends.” Burmeister chuckled. “Lookers, all of ‘em. But never caused any problems.”
“Mr. Ramsey never had any trouble with the law that you were aware of?”
“Nope. Kept his nose clean, from what I could tell.”
“Is there anything else you can tell us about Mr. Ramsey that might help us make the hiring decision?”
“Naw. Only knew him for the past couple of years, but he seemed okay.”
“All right. Thanks for your time, Mr. Burmeister.” Jon said goodbye and hung up.
Kevin said, “Only knew him for two years.”
“Mm hm. Not much to go on there.” Jon dialed the next number.
A woman’s voice answered, “Alameda County Public Health Department.”
Jon raised an eyebrow at Kevin. “Hello, this is Detective Jonathan Eckhoff with the Los Angeles Police Department. Could I speak with Leslie Chambers?”
“Do you know which department she’s in?”
“No, ma’am, I’m sorry.”
“Okay, hold on.” There was a click, and Jon and Kevin were treated to a repeating series of admonitions, in both English and Spanish, about vaccinating their children and getting their flu shots.
Kevin said, “Alameda County.”
“What about it?”
“Jason Poe was from the Bay Area before he moved to Alamogordo.”
“Huh. Think Poe and Ramsey knew each other?”
“Dunno. But if they were both working for the owner of the conversion camp…maybe.”
The phone clicked again, and the woman’s voice returned. “I’m sorry, sir. Ms. Chambers doesn’t work here anymore.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Could you transfer me to your human resources department?”
“Sure. Hold on.”
Jon and Kevin waited through another message about vaccinations. Then a different woman said, “HR.”
Jon introduced himself. “We’re doing background on a potential witness to a crime down here, and we believe that he used to work for you. The name is Rick Ramsey.”
“He’s not a current employee?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Okay, hold on.”
They held on. Kevin said, “If this keeps up, I’m gonna have to go find someone’s kid to vaccinate.”
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Jamie Brodie Mystery #20
May 7, 2020
Drugged to Death cover reveal!
Here it is, coming two weeks from today! Cover and blurb:
Called out in the middle of the night.
Pete Ferguson’s call is from his sister; their dad has collapsed and is in intensive care. Pete flies to Tucson to be at his bedside. Jamie Brodie was already concerned for Pete’s emotional well-being, and his worries only grow each time he talks to Pete – who seems to be gradually falling apart.
Kevin Brodie’s call is from his boss, Tim Garcia; there’s been a double overdose at the Powell Library at UCLA. When the standard drug screens come back negative, Kevin and Jon Eckhoff go on the hunt to identify a new pharmaceutical killer.
When Kevin and Jon’s quest leads them in a direction they couldn’t have imagined, Jamie gets answers to some old questions, and is left with two more mysteries.
How is everything that’s happening in LA connected to New Mexico?
And will he and Pete make it through this crisis in one piece?
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Jamie Brodie Mystery #20
April 21, 2020
What day is it again?
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Alhassan Abdul-Manan [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)%5D
It hit me yesterday, when I was trying to figure out the date to write on a check. (Yes, I still have to write checks a couple of times a month.) Today – April 21 – is one month before May 21.Duh, you might say. What’s May 21?
It’s the publication date for Drugged to Death. 
