Diane Bator's Blog, page 30
April 12, 2022
Olympian Passion, Olympian Love Trilogy Book One by Andrya Bailey
Olympian Passion
Olympian Love Trilogy Book One
Award-Winning Romance at Its Best by critically acclaimed author, Andrya Bailey
Released and published by Inklings Publishing
The book is available worldwide in paperback and e-format
2016 New Apple Literary Medalist Winner in Contemporary Romance
Love at first sight - that's what grad student Sabrina feels when she spots the handsome and smart Greek archaeologist and museum curator Nikos Soulis at a reception in the Fine Arts museum. However, the Olympian-looking god of her dreams is only in town for two months to help with a special exhibit. And her rival, Maggie, won't leave him alone.
Nikos is intrigued to learn that Sabrina is interested in Greek mythology and art history. When he finds out that she's writing a paper about the Greek vases he's traveling with, he makes time to help her with her project, despite having a full schedule. Their attraction is so intense, that they can hardly handle being in the same room. Their chemistry is undeniable. Can Sabrina avoid heartbreak when she's seduced by the sexy Greek scholar?
The first book in the Olympian Love trilogy - not a stand-alone volume
★
Readers' Favorite® 5-star seal
Amazon.com Link: Amazon.com: Olympian Passion: Olympian Love Trilogy Book 1 eBook : Bailey, Andrya: Kindle Store
Amazon.ca: Olympian Passion: Olympian Love Trilogy Book 1 eBook : Bailey, Andrya: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store
“A great romance that does justice to the mythological theme." - Readers' Favorite®
More books in the series:
About Andrya:
Andrya Bailey is an award-winning contemporary romance writer who lives in Texas, USA with her family. When she travels, she loves to visit museums and learn about art, and she usually incorporates her passions into her stories. Olympian Passion is the first book in the Olympian Love series.
To request additional review copies or an interview with Andrya, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.
We look forward to the coverage !
April 9, 2022
Descendants of Avalon, a stunning new book by J. Lynn Else
Descendants of Avalon
The first book in a stunning new series by Award-Winning author, J. Lynn Else
Released and published by Inklings Publishing
The book is available worldwide in paperback and e-format
Amazon.com Link: Descendants of Avalon: Else, J Lynn: 9781944428907: Amazon.com: Books
Amazon.ca: Descendants of Avalon : Else, J Lynn: Amazon.ca: Books
More Books in The Series:
About J. Lynn Else:
J. LYNN ELSE is a Minnesota award-winning author who's self-published two historical fiction novels set in ancient Egypt, "The Forgotten: Aten's Last Queen (2013)," which was named an Indie Editor's Choice book for 2016 by the Historical Novel Society, and "The Forgotten: Heir of the Heretic (2016)" as well as a sci fi novella "Strangely Constructed Souls (2018)." Through Inklings Publishing, she's authored "Descendants of Avalon" (2018), "Lost Daughters of Avalon" (2019), and "Prophecy of Avalon" (2021)." Her short story "The Girl from the Haunted Woods," won 2nd place in the "Journey into the Fantastical" Anthology contest. In 2021, she became the Indie Reviews Editor for the Historical Novel Society. She believes in unicorns and practicing random acts of awesome.
You can find J. Lynn at:
website: http://www.teasippinnerdymom.com/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/teasippinnerdymom
Twitter @JLynnElseAuthor Instagram at JLynnElseAuthorTikTok at @jlynnelseSign up for her newsletter here: http://www.subscribepage.com/www.teasippinnerdymom.com
To request additional review copies or an interview with J. Lynn Else, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.
We look forward to the coverage !
April 7, 2022
Kathleen Marple Kalb releases A Fatal Overture, an Ella Shane historical mystery
The multi-talented Kathleen Marple Kalb returns with a great new cozy mystery!
Kathleen Marple Kalb likes to describe herself as an Author/Anchor/Mom…not in that order. She’s the author of the Ella Shane historical mystery series for Kensington Books, including A FATAL OVERTURE, and A FATAL FIRST NIGHT, named to Aunt Agatha’s Best Of: History Mystery 2021 list. She grew up in front of a microphone and a keyboard, working as an overnight DJ as a teenager in her hometown of Brookville, Pennsylvania…and writing her first (thankfully unpublished) historical novel at sixteen. After a news career with stops in Pittsburgh, Vermont and Connecticut, she’s now a weekend morning anchor at 1010 WINS Radio in New York City. As Nikki Knight, she’s also the author of the contemporary Vermont Radio Mystery, LIVE, LOCAL AND DEAD, out now from Crooked Lane. Her short stories appear in anthologies, and her story “Bad Apples” was an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Black Orchid Novella Contest. She, her husband, and son live in Connecticut, in a house owned by their cat.
WHERE TO FIND ME:
Website: https://kathleenmarplekalb.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kathleen-Marple-Kalb-1082949845220373/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KalbMarple
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleenmarplekalb/
What would you write if you knew you couldn’t fail?
Something just for fun, like the part Princess Diaries, part romantic suspense, part modern cozy mystery piece that I work on between projects. It’s bonkers and genre-bending, but it’s relaxing sometimes to use everything I’ve learned about craft just for my own enjoyment…and ignore the rules if I want to!
How do you know when your story is finished?
When I can read it through without any real questions about characters, plot or voice. If I think something doesn’t quite hang together, my editor – and readers – will absolutely catch it, too. I don’t let anything out of my hands until it’s the best I can possibly make it. Even then, I’m often not done. The wonderful thing about working with good editors is that they see improvements writers can’t because we’re too close to the story. At least for me, it’s not “The End” until my editor and I agree that it is.
Do you write part-time or full-time?
I think of it as a full-time job, and approach it that way. If I added up all the hours I spent on writing, editing, social media and connecting with other writers, I would definitely be working north of 40 hours a week. A lot of that is fun, though, so it’s not really a fair calculation. However much actual time I spend on writing, I treat it with the same professionalism I bring to my “real” job as a radio news anchor: I’m always on time, prepared, and ready to accept changes or constructive criticism in the professional way it’s meant.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
When I really have time to write, I can get a full manuscript in about two months. I don’t have a traditional first draft because I go over the previous day’s pages when I start writing in the morning, so that full manuscript is in decent shape, but still a few weeks away from a form I’m willing to show anyone. If I was working on only one project at a time (not my usual approach), I could finish a book in three to four months.
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Patience. I have none. A lifetime in newsrooms has made me very good at making fast deadlines, and very bad at letting things unfold. One of the biggest things I’ve had to learn as a writer is to give story and plot ideas time to “cook.” It’s easier if I’m working on several projects at once – I can take a break and let one settle, and write something else, then switch, and bring fresh eyes to each.
What is your next project?
I’m polishing the next Ella book – no spoilers! I’m also working on a couple of different cozy mystery ideas. My NaNoWriMo project was to finish something I’d been working on for years, and I really loved the process, and the story, so I’m polishing that too. And of course my crazy little side project!
A FATAL OVERTURE finds trouser diva Ella Shane facing her biggest challenges yet: murder, marriage – and her potential mother-in-law. The mother and aunts of her swain, Gilbert Saint Aubyn, Duke of Leith, show up at her townhouse demanding to know when she plans to marry him…only to find a body in their hotel bathtub. As Ella and Gil try to work out their marriage contract, Ella’s newspaper reporter pal Hetty gets mixed up in the murder…and an old friend of Ella’s informs her that someone is trying to take out a contract on Gil. They may be able to work out a happy ending – but it won’t be safe, or easy!
Buy: A Fatal Overture (kensingtonbooks.com)
https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496727244/a-fatal-first-night/
https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496727268/a-fatal-finale/April 5, 2022
SPARK, a destination for gamers in a stunning debut novel by Pat Daily
SPARK
Solar Prime Augmented Reality Park
A destination for gamers brought to you in a stunning debut novel by Pat Daily
Released and published by Inklings Publishing
The book is available worldwide in paperback and e-format
In his mother’s last letter, she wrote, “Find me. Save me.” And Will Kwan had heard those words before. He’d heard them in a video game. Solar Prime Augmented Reality Park, or SPARK, is a theme park for gamers: a sprawling virtual reality complex with quests and games that appeal to all ages. But beneath the surface, SPARK harbors many a secret. When sixteen-year-old Will has to escape the foster system, SPARK is his destination. “Find me. Save me.” What had his mother meant? At SPARK, he runs headlong into the force of nature known as Feral Daughter, another runaway who has chosen to make SPARK her home and her life. As their friendship grows, Will begins to walk a path that will unveil not only the secrets of SPARK, but also a
whole new perception of his world. So when terrorists threaten his new home and new friend, Will cannot stand idly by. Can Will finally get his closure? Or will SPARK be destroyed, along with the new life he has built?Amazon.com Link: Amazon.com: SPARK eBook : Daily, Pat: Kindle Store
Amazon.ca: SPARK: Daily, Pat: 9781944428631: Books - Amazon.ca
About Pat:
Pat Daily is an engineer and former Air Force test pilot who worked at NASA’s Johnson Space Center on both the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs.
When not writing or trying to bring new airplane designs to life, Pat can be found gaming online. He is a fan of role-playing games – particularly open worlds with engaging storylines where actions have consequences.
Pat and his wife spent twenty years in Houston before moving to central Washington.
To request additional review copies or an interview with Pat, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.
We look forward to the coverage
April 2, 2022
United Vidden, a debut space opera sparkling with an imagined future by the founder of Inklings Publishing, Fern Brady
United Vidden
The first book in the Thyreins Galactic Wall Series
A debut space opera sparkling with an imagined future by the founder of Inklings Publishing,
Fern Brady
Released and published by Inklings Publishing
The book is available worldwide in paperback and e-format
Shattered by her father’s decision to deny her the throne as the first female heir of Dravidia, Princess Verena makes the worst mistake of her life: She runs away. Her departure, days before her wedding to the heir of the Principality of Aulden, throws her nation into war. In a desperate bid to reverse the consequences of her choice, the princess returns to planet Jorn, anxious to prove herself worthy to rule. But it is too late. The princess finds her kingdom conquered by Prince Amiel ra Aulden. Now, Verena must earn back her birthright as well as the trust of her people.
Amazon.com Link: United Vidden: Brady, Fern: 9781944428372: Amazon.com: Books
Amazon.ca: United Vidden: Brady, Fern: 9781944428372: Books - Amazon.ca
“Fern Brady's United Vidden—the first book in her Thyreins’s Galactic Wall series—is a highly creative, compelling Science Fantasy / Space Opera story set in an imagined future of our universe, with a unique romance theme at its core.”_ Nathan Jones, Doctor Who Online
“It is unlike anything I have read before in that genre. I believe Verena to be a very relatable character, especially because of her growth and how she soon discovers what real life is like and how she adapts to continuous changes.” _ Carolina Restrepo, Readers Favorite
About Fern:
Fern Brady is the founder and CEO of Inklings Publishing. She holds multiple Masters degrees and several certifications. She began her professional life as a foreign correspondent, and taught for 15 years in Alief ISD. She has published numerous short stories, two children's picture books, and a couple of poems. Her debut novel, United Vidden, which is book one in her Thyrein’s Galactic Wall Series, was given a glowing review by Dr. Who Online, the official site of the fandom. Also available for purchase is volume one of her graphic novel/novella hybrid project, New Beginning. She has returned to the leadership of the Houston Writers Guild, with whom she served as CEO for four years previously. She co-hosts two podcasts – Author Talk and The Hot Mess Express. Besides being Municipal Liaison for Nanowrimo Houston, she is also a member of Blood Over Texas, Romance Writers of America, and American Booksellers Association. Fern lives in Houston TX with her parents and her talkative husky, Arya. Follow Fern's writing at: www.fernbrady.com
To request additional review copies or an interview with Fern, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.
We look forward to the coverage !
March 31, 2022
Introducing Gary McGugan's new release A Slippery Shadow
Welcome back to my good friend and inspiration, Gary McGugan!
I've always liked to read and tell stories but was also a captive of the corporate world for more than forty years. Anyone who has lived life at the senior levels of large companies knows there's little time for a writing career, and it took retirement from that world to launch a new pursuit. My first book was a work of non-fiction – NEEDS Selling Solutions – co-authored with my friend Jeff Allen. From that positive experience, I learned that writing a book is a challenge, but not an insurmountable one!
So I set out to use my travel and life experiences as a foundation for entertaining suspense thrillers, using the backdrop of a large corporation for my tales of intrigue. Since my 2016 debut story, Three Weeks Less a Day, I've released a new novel each year. My sixth, A Slippery Shadow, hits the bookshelves April 1, 2022.
Currently, I’m completing a 2-year term as Co-Chair the Writers' Community of York Region - a vibrant collection of writers from all genres supporting one another and improving our craft. We number almost 100 members and welcome membership from our area and beyond. Many events we hold are virtual, making it easy to become a member and benefit from the collegiality of the group and knowledge of our expert presenters. Check us out here: https://wcyork.ca/
Experts say we should write about things we know best. In my case, those subjects are business, travel, and people. As an author, my goal is to share some experiences, insight, and views as I create suspense stories designed to entertain people worldwide -- one reader at a time.
Here are links to my website and social media pages:
Gary D. McGugan Website: www.garydmcguganbooks.com
Subscribe to Gary’s VIP Readers List: https://www.subscribepage.com/garydmcgugan
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gary.d.mcgugan.books
Twitter: @GaryDMcGugan
Instagram: Authorgarydmcgugan
LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/rmbhfzer
How many hours a day do you write?
I use my three most productive hours to write—from nine ‘til noon every day.
What is your favorite childhood book?
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. I think reading the tale of his escapades along the Mississippi River instilled a passion for exploring the unknown that stimulates my love of travel to this day.
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
One year ago, I would have told you I found editing the most challenging aspect of writing. I no longer feel that way as I made a conscious decision to treat editing as an opportunity rather than a task, and now love the process of making my stories better. The most difficult remaining challenge? I’m still a two-finger typist on the keyboard. You can imagine the challenges that creates!
Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?
Five years is a very short window when you reach my age! With luck, there will be more stories. How many is difficult to predict.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
None. When I start a novel, I focus on that work exclusively and finish it completely before starting another.
Was there a person who encouraged you to write?
For many years, my wife Linda, maintained that writing would be a good outlet for my creative imagination. She’s still one of my best critics and ardent supporters.
A SLIPPERY SHADOW
Snatched from her private jet, crime-boss Fidelia Morales barely escapes with her life. Now she wants revenge. But her gang of criminals is thrown into chaos as dozens of key operatives suddenly disappear.
Howard Knight - Fidelia's former lover and accomplice in her latest heist - walks free from the same plane only to flee in a desperate quest to escape The Organization. He too is hounded by menacing encounters.
Both become entangled with massive Multima Corporation led by Suzanne Simpson. Amid a global pandemic, this powerful CEO scrambles to fill crucial executive roles while dealing with bizarre threats and mysterious interferences on three continents. All seem connected and threaten her empire.
With breath-taking reach and bewildering influence, is it possible an unseen and elusive Shadow can pull strings to manipulate people, companies, criminal organizations and governments?
https://www.garydmcguganbooks.com/store/p16/A_Slippery_Shadow.html
THREE WEEKS LESS A DAY
JOHN GEORGE MORTIMER IS AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME.
As CEO of Multima Corporation, he must find a successor quickly.
Launching a competition among his most senior executives to find
the one who shines—one his board of directors will approve—
seems like a good idea. It should be an uneventful exercise.
But the plan unravels almost immediately.
Threats from organized crime, sexual misadventures and personal
tragedy complicate his efforts. Instead of overseeing a predictable
60-day exercise in skillful leadership, John George finds himself
embroiled in a chaotic series of events that unfold dramatically
in Three Weeks Less a Day.
How quickly things can change at the highest levels! And howeasily lives can crumple in pursuit of power and control.
This fast-paced and suspenseful novel of corporate intrigue takesyou inside the lives of high-powered executives and the lengths they will go to achieve results.
https://www.garydmcguganbooks.com/store/p5/Three_Weeks_Less_a_Day_-_Paperback.html
March 29, 2022
Nancy Lynn Jarvis reveals The Corpse's Secret Life, a new PIP Inc. Mystery
Welcome to fellow Sister in Crime, Nancy Lynn Jarvis!
Nancy Lynn Jarvis left the real estate profession after she started having so much fun writing the Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries series that she let her license lapse. But after seven books, she was ready for a new adventure and is currently working on the fourth book in her PIP Inc. series which features not-quite-licensed private investigator, downsized law librarian Pat Pirard. She has also edited crowd pleasers Cozy Food: 128 Cozy Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes and Santa Cruz Weird.
The last year-and-half have been difficult, not only because of Covid 19, but because Nancy spent eight-and-a-half months out of her damaged home following the CZU Fire. She’s happy to be home again, writing, redecorating, and enjoying being a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Santa Cruz Women of Mystery.
My website is www.nancylynnjarvis.com
Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/nancylynnjarvis
Goodreads is https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard?ref=nav_profile_authordash
To buy any of my books please go to my author page https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nancy+lynn+jarvis&i=stripbooks&sprefix=Nancy+Lynn+Jarvis%2Caps%2C450&ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_17
What would you say are your strengths as an author?
I love Agatha Christie because, if you are paying attention, you can solve the mystery right along with her protagonist. I try to do the same for my readers. In one of my Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries, I even wanted readers to figure out who the murderer was a chapter before Regan did so they would be yelling, “Regan, no, be careful. That person is a killer and you’ll be next!” I thought it would be fun to give them a jump on her in solving the crime.
How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?
I’m the most undisciplined writer you can imagine. I know my characters like they are old friends and I only write when they have something to say or some adventure they are eager to follow. If they aren’t working with me, I stop writing for a few days. The Corpse’s Secret Life was difficult because I was displaced for eight-and-a-half months following the CZU wildfire in California and, when I was finally able to go home, it was to a construction zone full of air compressors and workmen constantly distracting me. Like me, my characters were overwhelmed during that time, so I didn’t write.
Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?
Hopefully still having fun writing. The more I do this, the more I enjoy the writing and the less I enjoy the necessary marketing. In five years I’d like to have someone like a personal assistant who does that for me. I also hope to have some audio books recorded.
If you could offer once piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?
Do whatever it takes to finish writing your first book. Allow yourself to declare your book done knowing that your first book probably won’t be your best work, but that you’ll get better with practice. Then get good editors, not well meaning friends or family, and take most of their advice, especially your copy editor’s advice.
What would you consider to be the best compliment a reader could give your book?
I once had a woman tell me she was reading one of my books to a dying friend. The woman told the reader she would try to hang on until the book ended because she was enjoying it so much and wanted to know what happened. I consider that effort a remarkable compliment.
What are you working on now?
I’m just starting to outline the forth book in the PIP. Inc. Mysteries series. So far I know many of the characters and who did it, although a few red herring murderers still aren’t clear. The book, which begins immediately following The Corpse’s Secret Life, will go into the Christmas season. The working title is Murder of a Christmas Groom. I’m not yet sure about that title, so if any of your readers have suggestions, I’d love to hear them. The best title will get an acknowledgement in the book and, of course, a free copy when the book comes out.
THE CORPSE’S SECRET LIFE
Pat's fledgling private investigation company, PIP Inc., has a promising new case. Pat is still wearing a wrist cast after breaking her arm in a confrontation with a killer, so when she's hired by the City of Watsonville to unearth the identity of an older woman who died in her bed, she's delighted that her next job promises to be a simple computer-based research project.
Why is it that things are never as simple as she thinks they will be? Pat soon discovers nothing is as it seems, beginning with a corpse who had secret identities, murder, and a post-death ritual thought to have last been performed decades ago.
“I love this series, and this particular mystery is very entertaining.”
Janice J. Richardson author of The Spencer Funeral Home series
“Captivating from the start! The Corpse’s Secret Life transports you into a realm of page-turning mystery… a must read”
Maryanne Porter, author of Haunted Santa Cruz, California.
March 26, 2022
Winona Kent introduces her tenth book Ticket to Ride, a mystery that follows Figgis Green’s 50th Anniversary Tour of England!
Popular Canadian mystery writer Winona Kent introduces her tenth book with the publication of Ticket to Ride, a mystery that follows folky-pop band Figgis Green’s 50th Anniversary Tour of England.
About Winona:
Winona Kent was born in London, England but grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC and a Diploma in Writing for Film and TV from Vancouver Film School. She’s the current BC/YT/NWT Representative for the Crime Writers of Canada, and is also an active member of Sisters in Crime. She lives in New Westminster, BC.
Tell us about your life outside of writing.
I've been writing since the mid-1970s and back in those days, it was virtually impossible to make a living in Canada as a writer unless you were Leonard Cohen or Margaret Atwood. So I decided a very long time ago that if I had to work full-time, I would never have a job that actually involved creative writing. I wanted to save my imagination for my own fiction. So I was a temporary secretary and a travel agent. I took a little break for three years while I got my MFA in Creative Writing at UBC, and then after that I went to work for Telus for about 18 years--I was in Word Processing, and then in their Learning Services area. Roundabout 2003 Telus decided to downsize and they offered me a massive amount of money to leave--so I took them up on their offer and went to Vancouver Film School so I could learn how to write screenplays. Then I went back to work--this time at my old alma mater, UBC--and I landed a job in their Department of Health Care and Epidemiology (later the School of Population and Public Health)-- where I was a program assistant looking after MSc and PhD students. I stayed there until October 2019, when I officially retired--and now I'm actually (and finally) a full time writer!
Along the way I've also indulged in some of my more imaginative passions. In 1995 I started a semi-official website for the British actor Sean Bean. It was active until 2012, when I archived it. But one of my legacies was the creation of the original "Death by Cow" list--which detailed all of the films that Sean died in. The title came from the movie The Field, where Sean's run over the edge of a cliff by a herd of cows. I was also granted a ground-breaking interview with Sean when he was in Toronto filming Don't Say a Word.
I have a few interesting hobbies. One of them is family tree research. I have a very mysterious great-grandfather whose birth record I can't find and whose parentage is quite murky. I've done the DNA test and plunged into genealogy head-first. The hero of my amateur sleuth novels, Jason Davey, shares that interest with me. My other passionate interest is the London Underground--and more specifically, abandoned Underground stations. A few of my novels and short stories have included current and abandoned stations in their plots.
Do you have a work in progress?
I’m just starting to research and outline my next Jason Davey mystery, Bad BoyIt has a rather startling opening, involving The Shard in London. In fact, I’ve just got back from England. The original purpose of the trip was to scatter my mum’s ashes in her birthplace (she died in May 2021) but while I was there I took the opportunity to conduct a lot of first-hand research—which included going up The Shard and taking part in a 4 ½ hour walking tour of Soho’s Musical Venues—Soho being where Jason works, in the Blue Devil jazz club. I got some amazing ideas for the book, which will feature the return of one of my favourite all-time baddies, Arthur Braskey (from Notes on a Missing G-String).
What was the most difficult section/piece you ever wrote? What made it difficult?
Hands down, Ticket to Ride, my current book. It battled me every step of the way, from the outline through all six drafts. All the time I was working on the story, my mum (aged 95) was encountering health problems, which were actually to be expected in such a very ancient lady. She lived with my sister, but I was sharing care-giver duties, and twice a week I would drive from New Westminster (where I live) to North Vancouver (where they lived) to help out, to take mum for a ride in the car, to basically spend the day with her. Without wanting to sound selfish, all those journeys did have an impact on my concentration and my ability to maintain some kind of continuity with the story. As my mum’s health declined, the problem only got worse. I resorted to all kinds of outlining software to try and keep the story straight in my mind (I’m definitely a plotter, not a pantser), until, in the end, my lovely mother had to go to the hospital and, ultimately a hospice, where she died, peacefully and with nothing left unsaid. Following that, I had to help my sister with her grief, and go through a process of sorting through mum’s belongings and papers and photos, and help my sister find somewhere new to live…so it wasn’t surprising that Ticket to Ride ended up having to be put on temporary hiatus. Finally, with mum’s affairs settled and my sister in her new flat, I found I had time for myself again. It was as if a curtain had opened. The way became clear, and I was able to finish the book. I hadn’t been aware of all the things I was dealing with at the time, but my publisher, Brian Richmond (from Blue Devil Books) very kindly pointed out that my attention had been very much distracted over the previous year and a half, so it was all completely understandable.
What sort of research do you do for your work?
I'm extremely meticulous when it comes to research. I always base my stories and novels on kernels of things that I've experienced myself, but that's usually just the starting point. I love to let my imagination run wild but, because I may not have first-hand experience with what comes next, I have to resort to research. I love doing research and I am so grateful for the existence of the internet. I remember the bad old days when I'd spend days, weeks, months, in different libraries, hunting through card catalogues and microfiche and dusty old stacks of books, writing letters, making phonecalls...the internet opened up the world for me and what used to take three months now takes about 10 minutes. But I'm always conscious that there might be a reader out there who’s an expert and they’ll take issue with what I've written and say, "No! That's not right at all!" So, as a result, I will research something until there is no room for error. One of the greatest accolades I've received recently came from a couple of my writing colleagues who were both absolutely convinced, on the basis of my Jason Davey Mysteries, that I have a background in music, and that I'd either managed a rock band or toured with one. I did take formal piano lessons and music theory for four years... but as for the rest...
Which books and authors do you read for pleasure? Is there an author who inspires you?
My favourite authors are Monica Dickens (who was Charles Dickens' great-grand-daughter), John Galsworthy (who wrote The Forsyte Saga) and John Le Carre (The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and every other spy novel he's ever written). More recently I've been spending time with English singer Tommy Steele's autobiography, all three Call the Midwife books by Jennifer Worth (upon which the British tv series was based), Roadie: My Life On The Road With Coldplay by Matt McGinn (fascinating and extremely informative) and, believe it or not, The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit. I've seen the film a few times--it's one of my all-time favourites--but I don't remember ever reading the book, which was written for children. It's absolutely charming.
I'd have to say that Monica Dickens is the author who inspired me from a very early age. She was like me--she worked for a living, but she managed to create fiction from all of her work-life experiences. The novel that made the biggest impression on me was The Listeners, which was about the early days of The Samaritans, the original telephone help line for people in emotional distress.
Was there a person who encouraged you to write?
There were a few, actually. One was a high school Lit teacher, Sam Robinson. He recognized that I wanted to be a writer when I was 14 or 15 and actively encouraged me. This was back in the days when writers tended to succeed in spite of what we were taught in school, rather than because of it. There was very little creative in the curriculum back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I was lucky that I went to a very progressive high school. Another was my Grade 12 Lit teacher, Mr. Williamson--I never did know his first name!--who actually let me write a novel for my major class project--and gave me an A+ for it when I handed it in.
Later on, when I was at university working on my BA in English, one of my instructors was Canadian writer Ken Mitchell. He taught me the basics of fiction and I'm still using a lot of his early wisdom. I also remember his favourite pet peeve: "There is no such word as gotten!"
TICKET TO RIDE
Figgis Green is on tour! But when a fortune-teller warns of impending danger, the band is suddenly plagued by a series of seemingly-unrelated mishaps. After Jason is nearly killed in Cambridge and a fire alarm results in a very personal theft from Mandy's hotel room, it becomes clear they're being targeted by someone with a serious grudge. And when they play a gig at a private estate in Tunbridge Wells, that person finally makes their deadly intentions known. Jason must rely on his instincts, his Instagram "guardian angel," and a wartime ghost who might possibly share his DNA, in order to survive.
Visit the Figgis Green website to read more about Jason and the band as they tour England.
MORE JASON DAVEY Mysteries
Book 1 in the prolific author’s Jason Davey Mystery series was the novella Disturbing the Peace, in which Jason’s extracurricular activities found him tracking down a missing musician in northern Alberta.
Then, in Book 2, Notes on a Missing G-String, Jason was asked by an old friend to help investigate the theft of £10,000 from a dancer’s locker at a gentlemen’s club in London’s Soho.
And in Book 3, Lost Time, while Jason rehearsed for Figgis Green’s upcoming tour, he was asked to investigate the disappearance of a teenager from 1974.
Now, in Book 4 of the series, Ticket to Ride, Figgis Green is on the road. But when a fortune-teller in Sheffield warns them of impending danger, the band is suddenly plagued by a series of seemingly unrelated mishaps. After Jason is attacked and nearly killed in Cambridge, and a fire alarm results in a very personal theft from Mandy's hotel room, it becomes clear they're being targeted by someone with a serious grudge. And when Figgis Green plays a gig at a private estate in Tunbridge Wells, that person finally makes their deadly intentions known. Jason must rely on his instincts, his Instagram "guardian angel," and a wartime ghost who might possibly share his DNA, in order to survive.
REVIEWS
“If you haven’t discovered Jason Davey yet, you’re in for a treat. Rock star, private eye, and the target of a deadly and malevolent force seemingly attached to his band’s anniversary tour like a demonic limpet. Delightful and compulsive reading!” ~ Iona Whishaw, award-winning author of the Globe and Mail bestselling Lane Winslow Mystery series.
“Ticket to Ride is a captivating and original mystery with a cast of quirky characters and a likable protagonist who entertains a belief in ghosts and guardian angels. Jason Davey proves a clever sleuth with a wicked sense of humour and a tenacity that never wavers even when confronted with increasingly life-threatening situations. Winona Kent writes with a deft hand, melding suspense and comedy in a thoroughly entertaining mix that will keep readers entranced until the very last page.” ~ Brenda Chapman, author of the Stonechild and Rouleau police procedural series, the Anna Sweet mystery novellas, and the Jennifer Bannon mysteries for middle grade.
“It’s time to tune up the band as guitarist and amateur sleuth Jason Davey returns for another deadly ballad! Fans of music and mysteries won’t want to miss out.” A.J. Devlin, author of the award-winning “Hammerhead” Jed ex-pro wrestler turned PI mystery-comedy series.
“What a perfect character: popular jazz musician/private eye…everybody’s perfect job, right? Well, yes! Until someone with a big grudge tries to kill you! That’s when this whodunnit gets very interesting... WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?? Perfect for a tv series, because Winona Kent does what a good crime writer must do; she puts you in the room next to the characters! Write on Ms. Kent !!!” ~ Willy Ward, songwriter, vocalist and broadcaster.
“Ticket to Ride crackles and sparkles, pulling the reader along with a heady mix of mystery, mysticism, murder and music.” M.N.Grenside, author of thriller Fall Out and award-winning TV producer
Ticket to Ride is published by Winona Kent and Blue Devil Books. It’s available in e-book and paperback formats on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books and Kobo.
Release date: March 26, 2022
For a review copy, a high-resolution image of the cover, interviews or further information, please contact Winona Kent.
Winona Kent Website: http://www.winonakent.com
Blue Devil Books Website: http://www.bluedevilbooks.com
March 24, 2022
Captive Wilderness, Goldenlach Ridge Shifters Book 1, from romance author J.E. McDonald
CAPTIVE WILDERNESS
Goldenlach Ridge Shifters Book 1
A new series and new direction for critically acclaimed romance author J.E. McDonald
Released and published by City Owl Press!
The book will be available worldwide in digital format
Captured, collared, and trapped in her human form, Brooke escapes, but at what cost?
When she and her sister are kidnapped and collared, Brooke is the only one who escapes. Dropped into the Canadian wilderness with a dangerous shifter on her tail, there is no way for her to save her sister. The only one who can help her is a reclusive man she comes across in the middle of nowhere, a loner who doesn’t speak.
Grizzly shifter Kane hasn’t socialized with another human in years, and he likes it that way. Being on his own has kept people safe from him, but now that an intriguing woman has intruded on his self-exile, he struggles to control his more primal emotions. And when Brooke goes into heat, stranded in his remote cabin is the last place she should be.
With danger sniffing at their heels, will Brooke and Kane’s forced proximity be their salvation, or prove fatal to them both?
MORE BOOKS BY J.E. McDONALD:
PRAISE FOR THE WICKWOOD CHRONICLES:
“This is fine romance cum suspense novel that immediately establishes J.E. McDonald as an author of importance. The Wickwood Chronicles merit a following, as GHOST OF A GAMBLE suggests. Very impressive debut novel!”, Grady Harp, Top Shelf Magazine
“The first in McDonald ’s Wickwood Chronicles proves to be an enjoyable start to a brand-new paranormal romance series. With realism, humor, and even a bit of suspense, readers will enjoy,”, Alicia Smock, Roll Out The Reviews
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
J.E. McDonald was born and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada, The Land of the Living Skies. As a child, she was either searching the clouds for identifiable shapes, or star-gazing way past her bedtime. She cut her teeth watching Star Trek, James Bond movies, and reading the Harlequin novels her mother left in the bathroom—which resulted in an extremely skewed sense of sex education by age eleven. All of these factors contribute to her love of writing rom coms with a paranormal twist, romantic suspense, and far-future romance.
J.E. resides in Saskatchewan with her husband and three daughters, a stay at home mom by day, and an obsessed writer by night. More information about J.E. McDonald can be found at: The Wickwood Chronicles Series Books | J.E. McDonald Author (jemcdonald.net)
To request additional review copies or an interview with J.E. McDonald, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.
We look forward to the coverage!
March 22, 2022
Sci-Fi Thriller author David M. Kelly releases KWELENGSEN STORM
KWELENGSEN STORM
Book One of the Logan’s World Series
A Sci-Fi Thriller brought to you by acclaimed author,
David M. Kelly
Released and published by Nemesis Press!
The book is available worldwide in digital and paperback formats
You can turn your back on war, but sometimes it refuses to let you go.
When Logan Twofeathers takes on the job of head of engineering on Kwelengsen, the first habitable planet discovered by Earth, he thinks he’s leaving conflict far behind. But when he investigates the loss of a deep-space communications relay, his ship is attacked and crash-lands back on the planet.
With his new home destroyed by the invaders, Logan is stranded deep in the frozen mountains with an injured sergeant who hates him almost as much as the enemy. Against the ever-present threat of capture, he must battle his way through icy surroundings in a treacherous attempt to find his wife.
And when he's forced to ally himself with a disparate group of soldiers and their uncompromising captain, Logan must face the reality that he may have lost everything—and everyone—he loves. Will he choose to fight? And what will it cost him?
Amazon.com: Kwelengsen Storm: Logan's World, Book One: Kelly, David M.: 9781777156923: Amazon.com: Books
Amazon.ca: Kwelengsen Storm: Logan's World, Book One : Kelly, David M.: Amazon.ca: Books
THE JOE BALLEN SERIES:
“That’s all changed with the Internet and digital publishing; and David Kelley is an excellent example of gifted, knowledgeable writers, producing first rate fiction. This series combines good old space opera with a light touch humour. Well plotted, well paced and with central characters you start to root for. Just superb writing.” – London Citizen
“I really enjoyed Mathematics of Eternity. The main character is far from perfect (physically) and through no fault of his own is dragged into an event that could change the lives of those still living on a partially-drowned Earth. The worldbuilding was amazing, the science plausible, and the story engaging. I would highly recommend it.” - Indie Sci-Fi Fantasy
ABOUT DAVID:
David M. Kelly writes fast-paced, near-future sci-fi thrillers with engaging characters, cynical humor, and plausible science. He is the author of the Joe Ballen series, Logan’s World series, and the Hyperia Jones series, and has been published in Canadian SF magazine Neo-opsis.
David’s interest in science and technology began early. At the age of six his parents allowed him to stay up late into the night to watch the television broadcast of Neil Armstrong stepping on to the surface of the moon. From that day he was hooked on everything related to science and space.
An avid reader, he worked his way through the contents of the mobile library that visited his street, progressing through YA titles (or ‘juveniles’ as they were known back then) on to the classics of Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Harry Harrison.
David worked for many years in project management and software development. Along the way his interests have included IPSC combat (target) pistol shooting, crew chief on a drag racing team, and several years as bass player/vocalist in a heavy rock band. He also managed to fit in some real work in manual jobs from digging ditches and assembly lines jobs to loading trucks in a haulage company.
Originally from the wild and woolly region of Yorkshire, England, David emigrated to Canada in 2005 and settled in Northern Ontario with his patient and supportive wife, Hilary. Foot surgery in 2014 temporarily curtailed many of his favorite activities – hiking, camping, piloting his own personal starfighter (otherwise known as a 1991 Corvette ZR-1). But on the plus side, it meant a transition from the world of IT into life as a full-time writer—an opportunity he grasped enthusiastically.
David is passionate about science, especially astronomy and physics, and is a rabid science news follower. Never short of an opinion, David writes about science and technology on his blog davidmkelly.net. He has supported various charity projects such as the Smithsonian’s Reboot The Suit and the Lowell Observatory Pluto Telescope Restoration. He also contributes to citizen science projects such as SETI@home.
To request additional review copies or an interview with David M. Kelly, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.
We look forward to the coverage!
