C.J. Petterson's Blog: Book launch scheduled, page 9

How many of these award winners have you read?

cj Sez: Congratulations to the winners and the nominees for Sisters in Crime Lefty Award winners! These novels should definitely be on your To-Be-Read list/stack.
From the SinC press release:   Sisters in Crime salutes the four Lefty Award Winners, who received their honors last week at Left Coast Crime in Tucson. Here's a complete list of nominees with winners listed first by category.

1. Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery Novel ✫ Ellen Byron, Bayou Book Thief (Berkley Prime Crime)Jennifer J. Chow, Death by Bubble Tea (Berkley Prime Crime)A.J. Devlin, Five Moves of Doom (NeWest Press)T.G. Herren, A Streetcar Named Murder (Crooked Lane Books)Catriona McPherson, Scot in a Trap (Severn House)
2. Lefty for Best Historical Mystery Novel (The Bill Gottfried Memorial for books covering events before 1970) ✫ Wanda M. Morris, Anywhere You Run (William Morrow)Dianne Freeman, A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder (Kensington Books)Catriona McPherson, In Place of Fear (Mobius)Karen Odden, Under a Veiled Moon (Crooked Lane Books)Ann Parker, The Secret in the Wall (Poisoned Pen Press)Iona Whishaw, Framed in Fire (Touchwood Editions)
3. Lefty for Best Debut Mystery Novel ✫ Ramona Emerson, Shutter (Soho Crme)Erin E. Adams, Jackal (Bantam Books)Eli Cranor, Don’t Know Tough (Soho Crime)Meredith Hambrock, Other People’s Secrets (Crooked Lane Books)Harini Nagendra, The Bangalore Detectives Club (Pegasus Crime)Rob Osler, Devil’s Chew Toy (Crooked Lane Books)Jane Pek, The Verifiers (Vintage Books)
4. Lefty for Best Mystery Novel ✫ Kellye Garrett, Like a Sister (Mulholland Books)Laurie R. King, Back to the Garden (Bantam Books)James L’Etoile, Dead Drop (Level Best Books)Gigi Pandian, Under Lock & Skeleton Key (Minotaur Books)Louise Penny, A World of Curiosities (Minotaur Books)Alex Segura, Secret Identity (Flatiron Books) §§ 

CLASSIC PIECES RETOLD is available for pre-order!

  In this sixth installment of the Mobile Writers Guild Piecesanthology series, members pay homage to some favorite classic works now in the public domain—novels, short stories, and poems. (I have retold two Agatha Christie short mysteries.)

   Mark your calendars for the book signing by multiple authors at The Haunted Book Shop during Mobile’s April 14 LoDa Art Walk. 
   Not able to be there but would like signed copies? Pre-order copies from The Haunted Book Shop and request they have them signed for you on April 14.  https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

   For Amazon purchases, click here: Buy CLASSIC PIECES Now

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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for your health and safety. 

cj

   No inflation here: THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, fast-paced, exciting suspense/thriller ebooks, are low-, low-priced at $2.99. P.S.  The Haunted Book Shop has signed copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
➜ Follow me on . . .  ➜ Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

In the Did'ja Know Department

 cj Sez: CLASSIC PIECES RETOLD is available for pre-order! Buy CLASSIC PIECES Now
   In this sixth installment of the Mobile Writers Guild Pieces anthology series, members pay homage to some of their favorite classic works in the public domain. Inside the pages of this book are tributes to the authors’ favorite novels, short stories, and poems. (I have retold two Agatha Christie short mysteries.)

 

   And wait, there’s more! Mark your calendars for the book signing by multiple authors at The Haunted Bookshop during Mobile’s April 14 LoDa Art Walk.

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FYI readers and writers, your lesson for the day

   Do you know the difference between a thriller and a suspense novel? Here's what I found . . . 

 

   “Thrillers are about the push and pull between the protagonist and the antagonist.

 

   David Morrell says, “Thrillers strive for heightened emotions and emphasize the sensations of what might be called an obstacle race and a scavenger hunt.” Will Jack be able to save the bus passengers before the villain detonates the bomb (Speed)? Will Nick prove Amy framed him for her disappearance (Gone Girl)? 

 

   “In a thriller, a reader usually asks the question ‘How?’ and is propelled through the story by action.” Joel Goldman contends. “Both the reader and the hero of a thriller novel already know who’s responsible for the crime, and both are waiting to see how that criminal will be brought to justice.”

 

   Suspense is about tension and what may happen, and can be present in any genre.

 

   Writer’s Digest’s Writer’s Encyclopedia says, “Suspense is the element of both fiction and some nonfiction that makes the reader uncertain about the outcome. While most obvious in mystery stories such as those published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine or Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, suspense is present in all good fiction.”

    Best Selling Crime Writer, Libby Fischer Hellman, writes, “Suspense is not so much what is happening, as what may happen. It’s about anticipation, often anticipating the worst.

 

   Award winning author Steven James believes thriller writing, mystery writing, and literary fiction are all the same. “Simply put, if you don’t hook your readers, they won’t get into the story. If you don’t drive the story forward by making readers worry about your main character, they won’t have a reason to keep reading.”

 

  cj’s question is:  When so many novels have some of both of these genres (and more) in them, do the labels really matter?

 

   New York Times Bestselling Author Allison Brennan says “The difference between thrillers and suspense in fiction is primarily marketing. They can be used interchangeably for many books.” (Source: Excepts from https://diymfa.com/reading/mystery-thriller-suspense-label-matter)

 
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cj Sez:  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for your health and safety.

 

cj
  No inflation here: THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, fast-paced, exciting suspense/thriller ebooks, are low-, low-priced at $2.99.
P.S.  The Haunted Book Shop has signed copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

 

➜Follow me on . . .  
➜Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page
➜Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor
➜BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson
➜Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

DST and Mobile Literary Festival report

 cj Sez: Daylight Saving Time is here.

  Did you remember to Spring Forward one hour? I did then forgot to actually do it.
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  Literary Festival Small banner  I had a wonderful time at the Mobile Literary Festival yesterday, an event that shines the spotlight on local authors and poets, both traditionally and self-published.
SRO in "Children's Books..."   The Festival was well attended. Published prose authors and editors conducted workshops, poets read from their works, and a TV crew even showed up to interview the woman behind the MLF: Jodie Cain Smith.
  The Haunted Book Shop had a pop-up book store presence where attendees could buy books by local authors and have them autographed on the spot. Guess who didn’t get her books there. Sigh. Family life kind of interfered. Authors needed to get them to the library by Friday before the conference, but I was left without access to my vehicle to transport them on Friday.
  On the plus side, I did get to sit in on the “Pantster v. Plotter: The Great Debate” workshop. I was interested in the in-depth descriptions and analyses by the writers of both processes, but I think I’m still a pathfinder. 
  The Mobile Writers Guild “Pitch War” panel (authors, editors, agent) critiqued twenty-nine pitches. I’m thinking the MWG needs to offer a hands-on/practice workshop on what agents expect to see.
  All of that in one day, and it was free! The Festival was sponsored by the Mobile Writers Guild, the Mobile Public Library, and The Haunted Book Shop. Thank you and sa-lute. (Psst: I heard there are already plans in the works for next year.) 

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  I’m happy to repost the gorgeous cover of the Mobile Writers Guild upcoming anthology, CLASSICS RETOLD PIECES, in which I have retold two Agatha Christie short mysteries.
  Stay tuned for contributor spotlights and a release date, coming soon.§§
  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for your health and safety.
cj
  No inflation here: THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, my fast-paced, exciting suspense/thriller ebooks, are low-, low-priced at $2.99.   P.S.  The Haunted Book Shop has signed copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us  
➜Follow me on . . .  ➜Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

It's a cover reveal !

 
cj Sez: I am beyond thrilled to share the gorgeous cover of the Mobile Writers Guild upcoming anthology, CLASSIC PIECES RETOLD, in which I have retold two Agatha Christie closed-door mysteries.

 Another beautiful cover design by MWG member, Steven Moore

  Stay tuned for contributor spotlights and a release date

 
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  If you’re in the Mobile, AL, area, you’re in great luck. The (FREE) Mobile Literary Festival returns after its pandemic hiatus. WRITE NOW comes  to the Ben May Main Library on Saturday, March 11, 2023.

 

Great topics, excellent faculty, shopping and networking breaks, longer lunch break.

 

Which workshop piques your interest? I’ll be part of the work crew, but hope to break out a bit of time to listen to the pros and cons of “Pantster v. Plotter: The Great Debate."

 

The plot vs. pants session will be an in-depth look at the strengths and weaknesses in the process of heavily outlining the work (plotting, story boarding, etc.) versus writing the first words of a project without any idea of what the outcome will be (writing by the seat of your pants.) Of course there are a ton of ways to approach a writing project, so the Festival invited three different authors—Carrie Dalby (Possession Chronicles series), Amy Delcambre (Secret Mobile, A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure), and Amanda Gibson (In the Absence of Serpents)—to share their insights on the pros and cons of their preferred process. Ought to be a very interesting workshop, since I consider myself a “pathfinder.”

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For your reading enjoyment

Carrie Dalby's Possession Chronicles

 
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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for your health and safety.

 

cj
No inflation here: THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, my fast-paced, exciting suspense/thriller ebooks, are low-, low-priced at $2.99.
P.S.  The Haunted Book Shop has signed copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

 

➜Follow me on . . .  
➜Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page
➜Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor
➜BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson
➜Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

Stop in for a fresh point of view

cj Sez: Lyrical Pens is excited to present a guest post today.DARLENE DZIOMBA          
  Welcome, welcome to Lyrical Pens, Darlene. I think your unique comparisons and descriptions of your journey to publication will help everyone visualize the struggles of an aspiring writer. Carry on . . .

 

“  People say, “What I know about, fill in the blank, wouldn’t fill a thimble.” Five years ago, when this crazy thought of “I should write a book” popped into my head, I could probably fill a thimble with my knowledge of writing a book. I had written long papers in Graduate School, so I understood how to outline and general rules of grammar. I had read thousands of mystery books and knew a story needed a protagonist, a villain, a plot, and some red herrings.

 

  I sat down and began my outline. I am a plotter. Hats off to the pantsers out there. I need a plot. Then I started writing. I wrote and wrote and wrote some more. I had what published authors would call a very long synopsis. There were more pages than a synopsis, but I was nowhere near book-length. I signed up for a Writers Workshop to get feedback on my progress. Ten talented writers, one a published author provided me with volumes of feedback. My knowledge level overflowed the thimble and topped off a shot glass. 
  Shots can be fun, but more education was in order. I turned to Sisters in Crime. I took online classes, zoomed into webinars, and lurked across multiple list servs. I revised and rewrote, and wrote some more. My knowledge level expanded, and I could easily fill a six-ounce glass.     I got to around forty thousand words and patted myself on the back. I was doing a great job. However, I wasn’t sure what to do next. I was not ready to start submitting this work to agents. At least I knew that much. So I went to someone whose knowledge could fill a ten-gallon punch bowl, a librarian with a published author in the family. He introduced me to a host of people who were happy to read my WIP and give me more feedback.      Armed with a ten-ounce wine glass of knowledge and my 74,000-word manuscript, I started submitting to agents. Then I emptied glass after glass of wine as I listed between listening to crickets and receiving rejection emails.

  I had outgrown my glassware, and it was time to pivot. Through all the learning and networking, I met many self-published authors. I researched platforms.
I established a business to collect royalties and pay for writing expenses. (A person can dream that the royalties will one day cover the expenses.) I grabbed one of the empty pinot grigio bottles and filled it with my knowledge. I had a book, and I knew how to self-publish it. Clues From The Canines was released.

  I didn’t want to stop learning at 750ml. If the royalties are going to pay the expenditures, one needs to know far more about Marketing and Publicity than I did. My fellow writers at the Guppies and SinC Grand Canyon Writers were there to help. 
  With enough knowledge to fill a three-liter wine box, Up Close and Pawsonal, the second book in the Lily Dreyfus series, will release on March 4. 2023. In this book, Lily Dreyfus will enjoy an outdoor concert until shots are fired from a passing SUV, critically injuring two bandmates. She is drawn into investigating the crime to help cope with PTSD and to avenge the death of the band member who was her coworkers’ nephew. 

  There is still more to learn about the craft, and I will continue to gain knowledge as the Lily Dreyfus series expands. In August, I will attend Killer Nashville. By the end of the conference, I’ll have enough knowledge to fill a small barrel of bourbon.”

/ / / / 
  Darlene is a member of Sisters in Crime National and several regional SinC groups. She combined her passion for the written word and animals into the Lily Dreyfus series. Darlene volunteers at the Animal Welfare Association, a New Jersey animal shelter, where she chats with the dogs while completing her assignments. She has a 30-year career in Finance at the University of Pennsylvania and is an avid reader, gardener, and traveler.  Darlene lives in New Jersey with her four-legged best friend, Billie.
Find and follow Darlene on these sites:
www.ReadDarlene.com @ReadDarlene1facebook.com/read.darlene.7 ReadDarlene@hotmail.com

Up Close And Pawsonal 

Buy Up Close Now  A casual evening of listening to music by a local cover band turns into a murder investigation when a drive-by shooting destroys the tranquility of the night and critically injures two of the band members. 
  Lily Dreyfus, stressed and unsettled from having been at the concert, is informed that one of the dead band members is the nephew of her coworker at the Forever Friends Animal Shelter. Lily will leash together a set of seemingly unrelated events to seek the perpetrator and make them heel.  

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cj Sez:   Darlene, your journey to get Up Close and Pawsonal ready to launch is a super example of dogged determination, discipline and attention to detail for all aspiring writers and perhaps a learning moment for readers. Thank you for sharing on Lyrical Pens, and we wish you best-selling author sales and rave reviews for Up Close and Pawsonal.
 That’s it for today’s post, folks. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for your health and safety.
cj

No inflation here: THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, my fast-paced, exciting suspense/thriller ebooks, are low-, low-priced at $2.99.
P.S.  The print copies are out of stock . . . EXCEPT AT The Haunted Book Shop. This indie bookstore has signed copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
➜Follow me on . . .  ➜Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

Lots of interesting tidbits for writers

cj Sez: Sisters in Crime upcoming events

  These two published authors use very different methods of writing. One is an avowed plotter and the other is an unapologetic pantser. Hear how each works and then listen to them discuss how they might not be that far apart after all. Every writers needs to find the system that works for them!
  Members are required to sign in to register for the webinar. Non-members are invited to register for the webinar; however, you must establish a Guest Non-member account on our site so that you can sign in to register.  Creating your account is a one-time process, and you can sign in with the same credentials for all future webinars.
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  "Named for the late, pioneering African American crime fiction author Eleanor Taylor Bland, the award is intended to support the recipient in crime fiction writing and career development activities. The no-fee submissions are open to any crime writer of color who has not published more than ten short works or two novels. More information is available at www.sistersincrime.org/EleanorTaylorBland "


"Eleanor Taylor Bland was the author of fourteen book-length works of crime fiction  between 1992 and 2007. The books featured Marti MacAlister, a female police detective and an enduring and beloved heroine who went against the grain of stereotypes related to African American women in much of U.S. popular culture."

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From the latest blog post at JaneFriedman.com:  How Writing Your Synopsis Can Fix Your Book
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NEXT WEEK . . .

  Stop by Lyrical Pens on February 26 when we feature a guest post by Darlene Dziomba, writing about her five-year journey to get “Up Close and Pawsonal,” the second book in her Lily Dreyfus series, ready to launch. 

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For your reading enjoyment

  Here’s a Mobile Writers Guild anthology chock full of a variety of short stories that transcend its popular holiday theme.

The Ebook is sale-priced, too!
Buy Mardi Gras Pieces    

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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for your health and safety.

 

cj

No inflation here: THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, my fast-paced, exciting suspense/thriller ebooks, are low-, low-priced at $2.99.
The Haunted Book Shop has signed copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

➜Follow me on . . .  ➜Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler

cj Sez: No problem if your Cajun French is rusty: “laissez les bon temps rouler” (pronounced "Lay-say le bon tom roo-lay") only means “let the good times roll.” The excitement kind of looks like this: 

  The Mardi Gras parades in and around Mobile just keep on rolling, and rain can’t dampen the enthusiastic crowds with hands reaching out to catch the throws flying off the floats.
  Revelers are taking home lots of loot: moon pies, plush toys, cups, glowing necklaces, Star Wars swords, and, of course, beads! 

§§  Only two weeks to go!

  Hey, all you young writers (and your teachers) in Mobile and Baldwin, AL, counties, the last date to submit a short story to the Mobile Writers Guild for the Tracy Hurley Fran Driscoll Contest is only two weeks away.

  The Mobile Writers Guild is sponsoring a Writing Scholarship contest calling for submissions of short story fiction written by students in grades 6 through 12 in Mobile and Baldwin counties.
  The process goes like this: Write your story, edit it, get it proofread (the more eyes that read it, the better), polish it some more, and submit the manuscript to the Guild by February 26 for a chance to win a ca$h prize. (Be sure to follow the instructions.)§§

Also happening in two weeks . . .

Stop by Lyrical Pens on February 26 when we feature a guest post by Darlene Dziomba, writing about her five-year journey to get “Up Close and Pawsonal,” the second book in her Lily Dreyfus series, ready to launch. §§ 
For your reading enjoyment

  Here are a couple of Mobile Writers Guild anthologies, chock full of a variety of short stories that transcend their popular holiday themes.

And the Ebooks are sale-priced, too!Buy Valentine’s Day Pieces  Buy Mardi Gras Pieces 
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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for your health and safety.

cj

  No inflation here: THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, my fast-paced, exciting suspense/thriller ebooks, are low-, low-priced at $2.99.

P.S.  The Haunted Book Shop has signed copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
➜Follow me on . . .  ➜Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

Feeling a bit maudlin

cj Sez: Well, there you have it. I’m nearing another milestone and feeling a little maudlin. A birthday is coming up later this month. I have to say I’m kind of awed with the years I’ve accumulated. 

  I'll admit to being on the far end of middle age, so staying active is primary for me. I haven’t taught an aerobics class in years, but I still enjoy taking an hour-long class of low-impact circuit training twice a week and an hour of yoga once a week. 

  The rest of the week I get my rear out of the computer chair and spend time being physical around my house and two acres of yard. My goal for 2023 and beyond is to keep on keeping on.
  Here’s an encouraging quote from author Babette Hughes (In case you’re wondering, she’s way older than me.):
“Age is not a disability, it is a second chance at life. I’m 92 years old and Post Hill Press has just published my three-novel Kate Brady series; (The Hat; The Red Scarf; The Necklace); I’m working on my fourth novel (Searching For Vivian) and fifth book, and am a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post.”
  Five years after that quote, in 2020, Hughes published 97 Speaks: Lessons From the Decades. It was her eighth book and second memoir.
  P.S. I plan to spend my birthday eating chocolate cake and taking advantage of free lunches and free desserts at more than one restaurant.

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Coming soon . . . a Guest Post 

  Be sure to stop by on Feb. 26, when Lyrical Pens will feature a guest post by Darlene Dziomba, writing about her five-year journey to get “Up Close and Pawsonal,” the second book in her Lily Dreyfus series, ready to launch.
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Timely anthologies and on sale, too.

Buy Valentine’s Day Pieces now

Buy Mardi Gras Pieces now
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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for your health and safety.
cj

  No inflation here: THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, my fast-paced, exciting suspense/thriller ebooks, are low-, low-priced at $2.99.

P.S.  The Haunted Book Shop has signed copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
➜Follow me on . . .  ➜Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

And the news just keeps coming

 

cj Sez: Wanted, Readers and Writers.  The Mobile Literary Festival returns (after the enforced pandemic hiatus) to the Ben May Main Library on March 11, 2023. 
  For readers and writers of all genres and skill levels, the Mobile Literary Festival aims to inspire and educate. And attendance at the workshops and author panels is FREE! Check back with the Lyrical Pens weekly posts for more info. 
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  It’s awards season all around the country—movies, TV shows, theater, and BOOKS!  Malice Domestic has announced the nominations for the upcoming Agatha Awards.
  From the Malice Domestic site:
  “The Agatha Awards celebrate the traditional mystery, best typified by the works of Agatha Christie. The genre is loosely defined as mysteries that contain no explicit sex, excessive gore, or gratuitous violence, and would not be classified as "hard-boiled." 
 There are too many wonderful nominees/books to list them all, but you can look for their names here: https://www.malicedomestic.org/agatha-awards.html  
  I know many of the nominees, some of whom are members of writing groups to which I belong, so it’s impossible for me to have fingers crossed for the win for just one of them. So I’ll say, Congratulations to all and win or no, I send you all best wishes for wonderful reviews and sales.
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  Everyone in Mobile, Alabama, has a Mardi Gras story. In the Mardi Gras Pieces anthology, the second installment of the Mobile Writers Guild Pieces anthology series, the guild members share their stories—some true and some fictional, some funny, some touching, and some downright chilling. 
  So don your beads, deck yourself out in purple, gold, and green, grab a Moon Pie or some King Cake (be careful not to swallow the baby), and coffee or tea and relax while you experience a little bit of the Mobile Mardi Gras tradition. 
 Valentine’s Day is coming up, too, and the Mobile Writers Guild created the Valentine’s Day Pieces anthology as the perfect gift. Amazon blurb: 
“Love is in the air, but so is something else . . . In this third installment of the Mobile Writers Guild anthology series, our members celebrate the traditional romantic aspect of Valentine’s Day with sweet and funny stories of hearts, flowers, and kisses, but they also explore the darkness that surrounds the day with a few tales of intrigue, madness, and murder."
And the anthologies are sale priced, too!

Buy Valentine’s Day Pieces now 

Buy Mardi Gras Pieces now
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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for your health and safety.
cj
  No inflation here: THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, my fast-paced, exciting suspense/thriller ebooks, are low-, low-priced at $2.99.
  P.S.  The Haunted Book Shop has signed copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us  
➜Follow me on . . .  ➜Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

For readers and writers . . .

cj Sez: The importance of a vivid and intriguing first sentence has been hammered, again and again, into aspiring writers. And it’s true. That first sentence needs to invite and draw the reader into the story. But then there’s this:

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Upcoming awards
  And I quote:   “Mystery Writers of America is proud to announce, as we celebrate the 214 th anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allan Poe, the nominees for the 2023 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2022.

  “The 77th Annual Edgar® Awards will be celebrated on April 27, 2023, at the New York Marriott Marquis Times Square. The Edgar Awards, or “Edgars,” as they are commonly known, are named after MWA’s patron saint Edgar Allan Poe and are presented to authors of distinguished work in various categories.”

  I was excited to see that I actually know some of the awesome writers. To find out if your favorite author is among the nominees and/or how many of the books you’ve read, click here: https://mysterywriters.org/mwa-announces-2023-edgar-award-nominations/

  And when you look up the books, pay attention to the cover designs as well, especially you indie published or soon-to-be-published authors. Lots of cues there.

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  Mardi Gras Season is happening now in Mobile, AL. The first parade rolled through Dauphin Island on January 21. Yeah, I know. Mardi Gras, the day aka Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday, is a month away—February 21. But hey, why wait a whole month to eat King Cake and party? Valentine’s Day, all sweetness and romance, is next on the list of February celebrations.

  Here are a couple of Mobile Writers Guild anthologies, chock full of a variety of short stories about those two popular holidays. And the Ebooks are sale-priced, too!

Buy Mardi Gras Pieces

Buy Valentine’s Day Pieces

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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for your health and safety.

cj

No inflation here: THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, my fast-paced, exciting suspense/thriller ebooks, are low-, low-priced at $2.99.

P.S.  The Haunted Book Shop has signed copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
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