Diane Bator's Blog, page 53

Erica Miner discusses her Opera Mystery series and her new release Staged for Murder

 

Welcome to author Erica Miner whose new cover I just love!

Former Metropolitan Opera violinist Erica Miner is an award-winning author, screenwriter, journalist and lecturer, who actively contributes to major arts websites and magazines. Her debut novel, Travels with my Lovers, won the Fiction Prize in the Direct from the Author Book Awards. The first two novels in her “Opera Mystery” series published by Twilight Times Books, Murder in the Pit and Death by Opera, chronicle assassination and intrigue at the Met Opera and Santa Fe Opera. The third novel in the series, Staged for Murder, which takes place at San Francisco Opera, was released in October 2020.

As an opera expert, Erica is a regular presenter for the Seattle Symphony, Osher Lifelong Living Institute at University of Washington and University of California San Diego, Creative Retirement Institute at Edmonds College (Seattle area) and Wagner Societies on both coasts, among many other venues.

Erica’s mystery novels are available in all formats online, in libraries and bookstores and through her publisher, Twilight Times Books (http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com/StagedforMurder_ch1.html). Details about Erica’s novels, screenplays and lectures can be found on her website, https://www.ericaminer.com.

Website: https://ericaminer.com

Social media:

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/erica.miner1

Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/EmwrtrErica

What would you say are your strengths as an author?

Because of my background as a professional violinist, I’ve learned to be extremely disciplined at my writing, which I think is all important. Having been a musician, I’m also a perfectionist, and I’m committed to rewriting and rewriting until my manuscripts are as flawless and as compelling as possible.

How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?

I write every day, most often in the mornings when I’m feeling fresh. My routine is to rise early and get all the “necessities” out of the way: breakfast, exercise et al. Then I’m clear to write all morning and most of the afternoon, or as long as I can continue to produce effectively. 

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?

I hope to have completed my Opera Mystery series with two more novels, which take place at two other opera companies who have expressed interest in having one of my books set in their theatres. Then, with my “opera family” fulfilled, I can continue to do everything I can to get my work out there so people can enjoy it. And maybe even see one of my stories on the silver screen.

If you could offer once piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?

Most important is to learn your craft, whether it be writing novels, short stories, screenplays or any other genre. If you want to write mystery novels, for example, learn all you can about that genre, from writers’ and publishers’ websites and blogs to online classes such as those from the Writers Digest. Then you will be ready to attack the blank screen in front of you.

 What would you consider to be the best compliment a reader could give your book?

The best compliment would be for a reader to enjoy the read immensely: to both be entertained and to learn something fascinating in the process. That is my greatest reward. I think it stems from being an entertainer in my “former life”!

What are you working on now?

I am working on a biography of my former violin teacher, a celebrated violinist who, sadly, passed away a few years ago. He not only taught me everything I know about playing the violin; he and his wife took me under their wing when I went far from home to study with him. I’ll never forget that. Before he passed, he expressed a wish for me to write for him this account of his extraordinary life and career. I owe absolutely everything to him, so it will surely be a labor of love.

 STAGED FOR MURDER

Staged for Murder chronicles the further adventures of Metropolitan Opera violinist Julia Kogan. Having survived murderous mayhem in previous novels at both the Met and Santa Fe Opera, Julia heads to the San Francisco Opera with her significant other, former NYPD detective Larry Somers, and their five-year-old daughter Rachel. Amidst the fiery artistic temperaments, inevitable ego-driven conflicts and emotionally fraught tensions that Julia has discovered are inherent in the art form, the stage is indeed set for murder. But can she leave murder behind? Or rather, will murder fail to follow her?

Publisher’s web page for Staged for Murder (with excerpt): http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com/StagedforMurder_ch1.html

Buy link for Staged for Murder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L748R3C

 DEATH BY OPERA

Having survived her entanglement in a murder plot at the Metropolitan Opera in Murder in the Pit, violinist Julia Kogan finds herself once more embroiled in operatic turmoil at the Santa Fe Opera. Against the breathtaking backdrop of mystical New Mexico and the elegant contemporary outdoor Santa Fe Opera Theatre, Julia, now summer concertmaster at the renowned opera company, finds herself smack in the middle of a veritable killing spree backstage. Chaos ensues, as murderous activities plague the performers on stage and off, with a vengeful killer looking to make Julia the next victim.

Buy link for Death by Opera: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Opera-Erica-Miner-ebook/dp/B07C895SZL/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=death+by+opera&qid=1604874238&s=books&sr=1-2

 

Steve Demaree tells us about 52 Steps to Murder and A Body in the Trunk

 

Welcome to author Steve Demaree and a belated Happy Anniversary to he and his lovely wife! Steve has an amazing selection of mystery novels that I can't wait to add to my To Be Read pile! 

I’m seventy-two years old and my wife Nell and I celebrated our fifty-first anniversary on Sunday November 8. We have one grown daughter. I’m a native of Lexington, Kentucky who never left town. I worked a few different jobs early in my life, then settled down in business until I turned forty, when I started writing and became a movie critic. At age forty-five, my wife talked me into going to college for the first time, but she would not let me date any of the girls in my classes. I started out thinking I would pursue a degree and made the Dean’s List. When I told my advisor that I wanted to write rather than work for someone, she told me to take only writing classes. That went well until I took a desktop publishing class, and I had to use an Apple computer. The professor came to class each day, gave us an assignment, and left. I got so frustrated because I couldn’t understand desktop publishing on an Apple computer and the professor wasn’t around to answer questions, and didn’t want to keep asking the girl next to me questions every five minutes that I walked out one day and never went back. Five years later, I quit reviewing movies and published my first book, a book of inspirational short stories. I sold 220 copies the first year and wrote another book. Many years later, two author friends told me that I needed to have e-books. It took them several months to convince me. One of them told me about BookBub, I sent one of my books to BookBub and they turned me down. The second time BookBub accepted me, 53,000 people downloaded my free book the first day, and I sold 527 of my other books that day, and my career as an author began to take off in a way it hadn’t before. Now, I have readers all over the country and in several other countries, and I have one series of eighteen books that is very popular. Many of my readers like my characters, my humor, and the fact that none of my books contain profanity, sex, or graphic violence.

What is your latest release?

My latest release is The Wrong Place, a stand-alone mystery that was just released on November 6. It is about a best-selling mystery author in his early thirties who finds himself saying “yes” to something when he should have said “no.” He ends up being drawn into a murder investigation where he is making better progress than the police and draws the wrath of one of the two detectives involved in the investigation. It is a whodunit laced with humor.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on the nineteenth book in my Dekker Cozy Mystery Series, Murder Logically Speaking. In it, an elderly woman is released to her granddaughter’s care after weeks of rehab from a fall down her basement steps. She arrives home to a meal provided by her neighbors, but the next morning when her granddaughter goes to wake her, she finds her dead. An autopsy shows she was poisoned by something she ate or drank. It is determined that she was poisoned by one of six neighbors or one of her two grandchildren. This book should be released in February.

Was there a person who encouraged you to write?

I have always enjoyed writing, ever since I started writing letters to teenage girls when I was a teenager. I know longer write letters to teenage girls, but after becoming a movie critic for ten years and earning less than a homeless person, I turned to writing books and published my first book at age fifty-two. I found writing less strenuous than work, so I’ve now written thirty-five books. I didn’t really have anyone who encouraged me to do this.

What would you say are your strengths as an author?

I think my biggest strengths as an author are that God gave me a vivid imagination and a sense of humor, and I’ve developed a good work ethic and enough knowledge to know when I need a break.

How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?

I write five days a week, four or five hours a day, and I usually stick to this routine. I start writing in the late morning and quit sometime in the late afternoon. I need quiet to write and write on a desktop computer. I don’t like laptops. I usually take off most of the months of March and December, and, if conditions are normal, my wife and I take an eleven-day vacation in early June, and a week vacation in late October. When I started writing, twenty years ago, I wrote only one book a year. Now, I write two to four books a year, but I don’t push it. Whatever happens, happens.

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?

I’m seventy-two years old now, so I don’t know whether I’ll still be writing five years from now or not.

52 STEPS TO MURDER

Two detectives, who detest exercise in any form, arrive at the scene where a woman has been poisoned in her upstairs bedroom and find that they must climb fifty-steps just to get to the front porch. Later, they realize they have to do the same thing to question the neighbors to see if they saw anyone enter her house. This is the first of eighteen books in a series. 

A BODY IN THE TRUNK

On the last day of school, a first-grade teacher is too busy saying goodbye to her students to think about how she is going to spend her summer. But she never envisions that, after agreeing to see a movie with her friend the next night, she will find herself at midnight, on a deserted country road, with a flat tire, and a dead body in her trunk. This is a stand-alone mystery that might end up as the first book in a series. At least, people have told me they want more books with this character.

https://www.facebook.com/Steve-Demare...

https://www.amazon.com/Steps-Murder-B...

https://www.amazon.com/Body-Trunk-Ste...

https://d.docs.live.net/3c0b607b9fe28...

Kathy Penn features Bells, Tails & Murder and Pumpkins, Paws & Murder

 

Welcome to author Kathy Manos Penn! 

I had the pleasure of pre-reading her upcoming book Collectors, Cats & Murder and loved her writing style! If you like a fun, good read, her books will not disappoint! Read on to find out more about her!

Picture Kathy Manos Penn sitting serenely at her desk surrounded by her four-legged office assistants. Happily retired from corporate America, she’d never considered being an author until someone suggested she write a cozy mystery.

As a child, she took a book everywhere—to family dinners, to doctors’ offices, and of course to bed. Years later, a newspaper article inspired her to put pen to paper and submit her thoughts to the editor. Before she knew it, she was writing weekly columns and blogs—in addition to her demanding day job. Then came a book co-written with her dog. As she says, “Doesn’t everyone do that?”

Now, she’s writing cozy animal mysteries featuring a dog and cat who converse with their owner. If a dog can write a book, surely animals can communicate. Naturally, her office assistants help with the dialogue. And, yes, they’re angling to be listed as co-authors.

LINKS:

Amazon

Website kathymanospenn.com and Facebook Author page

Tell us about your life outside of writing.

I’m one of those retirees who’s busier now than I ever was when I worked a crazy corporate job. I may not be working fifty-hour weeks anymore, but I fill my time writing weekly columns for a small local paper and working out three times a week. Like most of us, I used to enjoy lunch and coffee with friends several times a week. My husband and I have enjoyed traveling more since I retired, but again, all that’s on hold.  I start every day with coffee and the Wall Street Journal and playing Words with Friends, just like the protagonist in my cozy series.

Do you have a work in progress?

My third book—Whiskers, Wreaths & Murder—came out in September, and by the time this interview runs, I should have edited my fourth book based on the feedback from my Beta Readers and then sent it on to my editor. Hopefully, it will be published sometime February 2021. Also, hopefully, I will be busy writing Book Five. Ideas are rolling around in my brain right now.

What was the most difficult section/piece you ever wrote? What made it difficult?

Honestly, I haven’t encountered anything that would qualify as difficult. What I dislike writing are conflict scenes. I know, I know, it’s expected that a character will have conflict with someone. Maybe because I’ve always avoided arguments and conflict of most sorts, those scenes are uncomfortable for me. 

What sort of research do you do for your work?

I research all kinds of things online. I usually have an idea in mind, but my research may take it in a different direction.  For the first book, I reread the notes I took on our 2018 trip to the Cotswolds and came across the mention of J.M. Barrie and other authors summering in the village of Stanway. I started googling that and before I knew it the storyline took off with a Peter Pan focus.

For the third book, I needed to understand the entail process for titles in the UK.  I don’t go into tons of detail in the book, but I needed to have a firm grasp so I could simplify it for my readers.

Which books and authors do you read for pleasure? Is there an author that inspires you?

I’m an anglophile through and through. I read novels by Charles Todd, Deborah Crombie, Elizabeth George, and a host of other authors whose stories take place in the UK. Who inspires me? Louise Penny. She wrote her first Gamache novel when she was in her forties, and just look at her. I find her amazing and enjoyed hearing her speak at a small college in North Carolina.

Was there a person who encouraged you to write?

Much of my job during the last ten years of my banking career involved crafting speeches and presentations for senior leaders. When I began writing columns and blogs on the side, my immediate boss got a kick out of them and was very supportive. He got such a kick out of the blogs written by my dog that he kept saying I should turn them into a book.  When I retired, I did.

It was a fun project, and Banjo—my dog—enjoyed selling the book at local festivals. But it wasn’t a novel; it was more of a diary, written by the dog. I met a marketing coach online who looked at my writing and gave me a few writing prompts.  After reading my stories, she came back to me and suggested I write cozy mysteries.  That idea had never occurred to me. She was with me every step of the way, pushing, coaching, and cajoling me. If not for her, there would not be a Dickens & Christie series.

BELLS, TAILS & MURDER

She crossed an ocean to start her life over. Can she nab a killer before her quaint village becomes a graveyard?

Recently widowed Leta Parker desperately needs a change of scenery. Pursuing her lifelong dream of retiring to the Cotswolds, she leaves her soulless corporate hustle in Atlanta and moves to England with her talking dog and cat companions—Dickens and Christie. But she’s barely begun making new friends when she stumbles across her housekeeper’s body …

With several villagers pegged for the crime, Leta teams up with a retired English teacher and her sharp-as-a-tack octogenarian mother to track the killer before the trail goes cold. As the not-so-friendly local policewoman elbows them out and scandalous rumors plague the tight-knit community, it’s left to the ladies and their pets to sleuth for the truth.

Can Leta, Dickens, and Christie sniff out the culprit before the cute little town loses more than its charm?

Bells, Tails & Murder is the delightful first book in the Dickens & Christie cozy mystery series. If you like spunky literary women, amusing animal sidekicks, and inviting cultural backdrops, then you’ll love Kathy Manos Penn’s engaging page-turner.

 

PUMPKINS, PAWS & MURDER

A Cotswolds village—a Fall Fête—TWO four-legged sleuths—and a murder!

Leta Parker is back with her talkative companions—Dickens the dog and Christie the cat.

Though Leta’s still haunted by her tragic loss, moving from Atlanta to the village of Astonbury has given her a new lease on life.

Leta’s days are filled with yoga, book club, walks with Dickens, naps with Christie, and outings with friends. Add preparations for the Astonbury Fall Fête—complete with scarecrows, pumpkins, and costumes—and she’s beyond busy.

All is well until a dead body is discovered on the riverbank, and once again, Leta and her sleuthing girlfriends are drawn into a search for a killer—a search that takes them to Dartmouth on the coast of England.

Will touring Agatha Christie’s summer home help them access their inner Miss Marples?

Will Dickens sniff out clues closer to home? Or will Christie the cat outthink them all?

 

Discover the answers—and a recipe—in Pumpkins, Paws, & Murder, book two in Kathy Manos Penn’s Cozy Animal Mystery Series.

 

Matt Ferraz reveals Murder for Reel and A Convenient Cadaver

  

A warm Escape with a Writer welcome to author Matt Ferraz!!

Matt Ferraz is a Brazilian author with works published in English, Portuguese and Italian. His love for the crime genre started at the age of eight when his grade school teacher gave him a copy of Agatha Christies Death on the Nile. This led Matt to his first attempts at writing a crime novel in his mother's old typewriter. In 2013, Matt released Killing Dr. Watson, his first novel in English, from MX Publishing, in the UK. From there, he ventured into the cozy genre with the series Grandma Bertha Solving Murders. Matt is also the author of Sherlock Holmes and the Glad Game, a crossover novel that combines Holmes and Watson with Pollyanna Whittier, from the classic children's books. Always willing to try new genres, Matt spent two months in the Costa-Rican cloud forest in 2019, to write his epic adventure novel Sawara: A Jaguar's Memoir. Murder for Reel, the first book in the Usherette Mysteries, is Matt's love letter to the act of going to the movies. He used his real-life experience of organizing film festivals with zero budget to create a funny and heartwarming mystery.

Tell us about your life outside of writing.

I live in Contagem, an industrial town in Central Brazil, where I've spent most of my life. Besides my books, I make an income by teaching writing online in several online schools. I've also funded a project in Uganda, in which I teach writing online for free to the Batwa tribe.

Do you have a work in progress?

Yes, I'm working on a book that takes place during the pandemic. My main character is a once-famous Hollywood star who's cloistered in her house, unable to go out and... well, you'll have to wait and see!

What was the most difficult section/piece you ever wrote? What made it difficult?

My novel Sawara: A jaguar's memoir was literally written in the jungle! I spent two months in a writer's retreat in the Costa Rica cloud forest and finished the book in two months. It was a great experience, but I wouldn't do it again.

What sort of research do you do for your work?

When I submitted the manuscript of my cozy mystery Murder for Reel, the publisher asked me to make better use of the novel's setting: a small American town in the 1950s. So I decided to watch a lot of movies that took place in that era. I also did a lot of research about the slang and clothes people used at that time. Watching movies gives you a great visual basis for that kind of thing, more than books and newspaper articles ever could.

Which books and authors do you read for pleasure? Is there an author that inspires you?

When I was nine years old, my teacher gave me a copy of Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. It was my point of no return. From there on, I knew I wanted to write that kind of book for a living. I'm such a geek that I even have a tattoo of Hercule Poirot on my right forearm! I'm also a big fan of Stephen King, Raymond Chandler, and Robert Louis Stevenson, to name a few.

Was there a person who encouraged you to write?

My mother always encouraged me. When I was eight, she gave me a typewriter and would read everything I wrote. Once I wrote an incredibly gruesome horror story, which almost made her faint. But that didn't keep her from giving me useful critiques. She's an amazing person, and I could never do this without her support.

Website:  http://mattferraz.com/

 

MURDER FOR REEL   (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LYP9XRW)

In the late 1950s, the Palladium Movie Theater was the most popular place in Emberview, Colorado. In her first night working as an usherette at the Palladium, young Katrina Stevens is excited to be starting her dream job. During the screening of a science-fiction film, her boss and owner of the theater, Don Keller, is found murdered in the projection booth. Don’s murder causes an uproar and soon the Palladium is facing closure. To support the theater, Katrina organizes a film festival to show old movies from reels that Don kept in storage. However, Don’s murderer has other plans, and unless Katrina can find out who the killer is, the Palladium––and Katrina herself––are in great danger.

 THE CONVENIENT CADAVER  (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XYSQ1W8/)

When Grandma Bertha moved to her son’s place, she brought along three dogs, several cases of beer and many, many horror film DVDs. While her daughter-in-law insists on the idea of sending Grandma Bertha to a retirement home, a dead girl appears near the house, shot three times in the back. Many years ago, Grandma Bertha let a murderer escape for not trusting in her own detective abilities. Now, armed with her wit and wisdom, she decides to solve that crime before the police. Could this crazy dog lady be a threat to a cold-blooded killer? And for how long can the family stand that situation?

Clifford Barker talks about Zero: Earth and Zero: Earth Fire

 

Welcome to writer Clifford Barker!
Clifford and I are friends who have never met in person yet chat a lot online. I am thrilled to have him as a guest on my blog and learn more about his books. I'm still in the middle of reading his book but can honestly say I'm enjoying getting to know his characters and his interesting version of Earth!

 46 years old, been writing since 2015. I am a mechanical design engineer who was born in Sheffield, England but moved down to Bridgend in 2012 for work. I like motorcycling, drawing, cooking and walking my dogs. When I get writer's block, I usually make a tobacco pipe. I am not a smoker per se but bought a pipe in 2013 after my girlfriend watched me chew through another biro and suggested I should get a pipe instead. The pipe I bought was defective ... I knew I could do better.

I was inspired to write the Zero series of sci-fi novels after a dream which woke me up and left me quite disturbed. I find it easy to write but harder to find enough time to write. So far I have done all  my own covers as I am still moderately artistic though my eyes are getting weaker day by day. Enjoying the whole experience but I don't expect to get rich from it.

Facebook:- https://www.facebook.com/clifford.barker.3517/

Blog:- https://8596zero.blogspot.com/

Qwertythoughts:-https://www.qwertythoughts.com/book/zero-earth/5cf0e1e496cc95b665641b9c

                            https://www.qwertythoughts.com/book/zero-earth-fire/5e8361c774e1b28d482db20c

Twitter:- https://twitter.com/CliffordBarker9

Amazon:- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Clifford-Barker/e/B089KTMLZ2

What would you say are your strengths as an author?

That's a tough question to answer, I am not really a trumpet blower. I like to think that since starting writing Zero - Earth back in 2014, I have been singularly focused on getting the story, and subsequent stories down. I remember that I used to have other hobbies, but as I am well into book four of the series, I don't think about much else. Writing Sci-Fi is hard. It's such a vast genre with so much talent already established. The key is bringing something new and exciting, this is where my effort went. Writing words is easy, developing characters and creating believable dialogue around topics which have no basis in reality, and keeping it original, that is a task. I am a bit of a perfectionist, as such I could not release book 1 until I had 2 and 3 done too. I wanted to make sure all the facts aligned, and various Easter eggs have been dropped for readers to find later. This took time, it would've been far easier not to do this, but again I am trying to be dedicated to the reader's enjoyment and create something which provokes thought.

How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?

When the words are flowing, I write every second I can. 2 to 3 chapters on the fly are quite easy for me. I was lucky that way with book 1 and 3 which practically wrote themselves, I was just a conduit. That's what it felt like anyway. Book 2 was difficult, I knew that I had to really deliver on the things I'd set up in book 1. Now having edited book 3 and made it ready to publish, and working so hard on book 4 as well as writing Quinn the Assassin, a short story, I don't follow any set schedule. If anything I have been struggling with a few blocks recently, but I am also trying to pace myself. Monday and Tuesday I don't write at all, I watch anime with my son, just to take my mind off what I am doing. I am lucky I have such a great partner, she lets me get on with whatever I am doing and backs me totally, even though she hates Sci-Fi.

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?

It would be great to still be writing, I have a few short story ideas related to the Zero series which I would like to have completed by then. I have also put down a few other story concepts which I would like to explore in more detail. I think maybe you are asking ... Do I want to be famous? I don't think that's possible for a self published Indy on the Zon. The best I can hope for would be a small but loyal following of people who like action and adventure tempered with science, humour and very dark happenings. When I post samples of my work, the response is usually good, but thats all. This does not translate into sales. I think for the next step to happen ... recognition ... I need to take a deep look inside, and start shouting about my work a little more.

If you could offer once piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?

Keep your head down and stay focused. Initially people will not take you seriously, in this phase only what you and close relatives think actually matters. If you think you have a decent story get it down. You only have to be able to put meat on the bones of your original idea. I didn't tell many people I was writing a book, all of them looked at me sideways, but at no point did I lose faith in my idea. A huge wave of self doubt hit me when the final manuscript was ready for book 1 and it was time to publish. This is a wall only you can break through, or it was for me, I do my own editing so I had no outside feedback on whether the story was any good or not. You have to find some belief in yourself and just do it. Then when the reviews come in, you need to see the bad ones and cherish them, they make the good reviews much more legitimate.

What would you consider to be the best compliment a reader could give your book?

I had a great review from an author called Stephen Ethier, we did a review for review, and after reading his book The Void revealed, I was filled with doubt that Stephen would like mine. His book was so intricately woven, a few levels above mine which is quite linear by comparison. The result was the best review I have ever had. What follows is just part of what he wrote, and I was blown away.

"It is apparent that the author is an expert at describing the inner workings of alien technology with such detail that the devices become real world believable. You will be wondering if the author has some hidden source of technical information that the rest of us are not privy to."

I was not expecting that ... Not at all, but it makes me feel better about the late nights and missed meals.

What are you working on now?

Since lock down I have gone into hyper focus mode. I have edited and finished a darker version of Quinn the Assassin, a short story which fleshes out the backstory of the main protagonist from book 1. He is a major thorn in Zero's side and writing his character I felt sorry for him, but also I was in awe of him, so I felt his story deserved to be told. The first version was a bit of a joke, but it showed me what I didn't want. I did salvage some of the latter chapters, but the front end was completely rewritten. I also introduce Khaalida, the "Woman" who adopts Quinn. She is one of my favourite characters in the series.

In addition I have edited book 3, a prequel which follows Zero before he finds the circle of numbers. This has since gone to my proofreader, a really nice lady who runs a publishers clearing house and works for biscuits. She does not do Sci-Fi but I think I've converted her judging by her excitement to receive new manuscripts and read them first.

Right now I am trying to hammer out book 4 which goes right back to the start. This book has been a joy apart from frequent stoppages. I wrote a third of it in one month back in 2017 and then left it until this year to continue. Such a break presents a mild challenge, if only because I had to get back into the mindsets of each of the new characters.  I am aiming to get Quinn, book 3, Zero - Earth Fall and Book 4, Zero - Alternate Earth (Working title, maybe not final) out this year.

Then I just have to do book 5, this will come back to the present time and characters from all books will be mashed together to fight a new foe.

 

Book 1 - Zero - Earth

Super soldier, super spy ... Alien odd job man.
Gray Albern, alias agent Zero is a busy man as together with his boss and friend Geyldian, an alien clone human hybrid, they attempt to prevent the human race from making leaps which might destroy the planet or themselves. It’s a mission the circle of Numbers has been looking after for eons ever since their creators the Devine evacuated Earth, moving onward to a new home world.
Now everyone’s job is about to get harder still as the humans inadvertently give away the position of planet Earth to an old foe of the Devine.
In a feud which has run for millions of years across the cosmos, the Khai-mah are on their way. Their aim? ... To extinguish the Devine, their neighbours of old and expand across the universe, possessing all that they find and killing any race that would dare to stand in their way.

At a time when the cloned caretakers of the planet were just beginning to allow the humans to progress technologically at a faster rate, with the goal of shepherding the planets indigenous race toward an enlightened state similar to their own, news that the Khai-mah have found the tiny blue planet couldn’t have come at a worse time.
The humans aren’t ready, the caretakers know what’s coming but they aren’t ready either, having stagnated technologically since their arrival to planet Earth.
Only Zero can stand in the way of the Khai-mah, but he has problems all of his own…

To Buy:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BKMRTCF

 

Book 2 - Zero - Earth Fire

In their never-ending quest to wipe out the Devine and gain ground, the Khai-mah finally arrive to take the Earth by force. Only Zero, Joan, Wraith and the Numbers stand in their way. Development of new craft and weaponry continues which will give humanity a fighting chance. With Joan appointed as human ambassador, she stubbornly refuses to shield Humanity from the Khai-mah threat.

Bonds of unity form all over the planet … Now is not the time for petty squabbles. Nothing ever runs smoothly, and as Khai incursions grow more frequent and vicious, Zero makes a dark realisation. With parts of the planet turned into molten wasteland, Wraith attempts to convince Joan to take the ultimate risk and extend the hand of friendship. This sends a ripple of discord through the hive.

Halting any further advance, the forces of Earth stand toe to claw with the marauding Khai. All the while trouble looms as the Khai Object continues its steady approach. But something else is coming … Something equally deadly, from much closer to home …

To Buy:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B086HTXFKH

Debbie de Louise talks about No Gravestone Unturned, Sea Scope and Memory Makers

 

Welcome to awesome author Debbie De Louise!  My cat Jazz and I had the honor of participating in a Facebook Halloween Party with Debbie  on Oct 30 and nearly forgot all about her Escape today! 

Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a reference librarian at a public library on Long Island. She is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, Long Island Author’s Group, and the Cat Writers’ Association. She has a BA in English and an MLS in Library Science from Long Island University. Her published novels include Cloudy Rainbow, a paranormal romance, and the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series featuring the books A Stone’s Throw, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Written in Stone,  Love on the Rocks, and No Gravestone Unturned. Debbie has also written two Cobble Cove eBooks, Sneaky’s Christmas Mystery (the 2019 winner of the Cat Writers’ Association’s MUSE Medallion) and Sneaky’s Summer Mystery. In addition, she has written a romantic comedy novella, When Jack Trumps Ace, and articles and short stories for several anthologies of various genres. Her standalone mysteries include Reason to Die, Sea Scope, (the 2020 silver medal winner for the psychological suspense category of the Readers Favorite contest), and Memory Makers. She lives on Long Island with her husband Anthony, daughter Holly, and 3 cats, Stripey, Harry, and Hermione.

  What genre do you write?

I write several genres, but mostly mysteries: cozy and psychological. I also wrote a medical mystery, Memory Makers, that came out in the summer. I have a cozy mystery series, the Cobble Cove mysteries that feature a librarian and a library cat in the small, fictional town of Cobble Cove in upstate New York. I've just completed the 5th book in that series, No Gravestone Unturned, a Halloween mystery that was published in October and is currently on blog tour with Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. The ebook is free from Amazon until the end of the day on November 1. You can get it here: mybook.to/CobbleCove5

 Does your reading choices reflect your writing choices?

Definitely.  I enjoy reading mysteries and thrillers, but I also like to try other genres. I learn techniques from other authors I read such as how to use multiple timelines such as what I've done in No Gravestone Unturned and also in Sea Scope, my standalone psychological thriller that won a silver medal in the Readers' Favorite 2020 contest.

Which type of characters are your favorite to write?

I enjoy writing Alicia, the librarian, because she is sort of based on me. I'm a librarian, and I also write mysteries like Alicia. I also enjoy writing cat characters. At the beginning of my cozy mystery series, Sneaky, the library cat, was an ordinary cat who led Alicia to clues by ordinary cat methods such as scratching on boxes with secret letters. Later in the series, I began to allow readers to "see" Sneaky's thoughts and the other cat I introduced into the series, the female calico, Kittykai. In my new book, they can also see the black cat Salem's thoughts, as well, and follow the cats who investigate the mystery, although Alicia and the other human characters in the book are unaware of this.

If you could offer once piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?

I interview other authors on my blog, and most of them answer this question by telling new authors to persevere and never give up. I think that's great advice. There are many challenges to being an author including rejection, poor sales, bad reviews, and time restraints, etc. But if you really love to write and are motivated to publish, you can't let those obstacles get in your way.

Do your characters come before or after your plot?

In my series, the characters come first, but in my standalone mysteries, the plot usually does. Both are integral to a good story.

What are you working on now?

I just published the 5th book in my series, so I'm taking a break from book writing and concentrating on writing stories and articles, although I'm also working on putting together a non-fiction cat book called Pet Posts: the Cat Chats that will deal with health, behavioral, and other feline issues told from the points of views of my current and previous cats. I also submitted a short mystery story to the Bouchercon 2021 Anthology and applied to submit a mystery to a cat fantasy collection being published by author Molly Fitz. I also have an article coming out in the print edition of Catster Magazine in their January/February issue which is actually hitting the stands in November.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.delouise.author/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Deblibrarian

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2750133.Debbie_De_Louise

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bIHdaQ
All Author: https://allauthor.com/author/debbiedelouise/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/debbie_writer/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiedelouise/

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debbie-de-louise

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/debbiedelouise

Debbie’s Character’s Chat Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/748912598599469/

Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up: https://debbiedelouise.com

Sneaky the Library Cat’s blog: https://Sneakylibrarycat.wordpress.com

 

NO GRAVESTONE UNTURNED
It’s October in Cobble Cove, and Alicia is busy preparing for the library’s Halloween party when she learns that John’s aunt from Florida has died and that John’s cousins and their spouses are coming to town to bury their mother. The day after the funeral, the caretaker’s son is found dead by John’s grandfather’s gravestone, from a blow on the head. The only witness seems to be Sneaky the library cat, who, having left the library, turned up at Alicia’s door with blood and dirt on him.

As Alicia, Gilly, and Sheriff Ramsay investigate, a generation of family secrets is uncovered. Are one of the guests staying at the inn a killer? Will the humans solve the crime, and can Sneaky, Kittykai, and Salem, the inn’s guest cat, team up to help?

 

SEA SCOPE

 Sarah Collins needs an escape. Mourning her brother’s death and the impending breakup of her marriage, she returns to her childhood home in South Carolina, where her family operated an inn.

Sarah hasn’t been back to Sea Scope for twenty years; not since she and her brother Glen discovered a body by the nearby lighthouse. She never understood why her parents left Sea Scope so suddenly, or the reasons behind her father's suicide.

After Sarah returns to the inn, she faces long-buried memories, text messages and strange clues. Something is not right in Sea Scope. Reunited with people from her past, she tries to figure out what's going on in her childhood home.

When past and present collide, Sarah must face truths about her family, and what happened that summer day by the lighthouse. But will she survive to tell the tale?

 

 

MEMORY MAKERS

 Twenty-five years ago, Lauren Phelps and her sister Patty were kidnapped from their backyard on Long Island. Lauren escaped her captor, but Patty was killed.

Ever since, Lauren has suffered from nightmares of the “Shadow Man.” Trying to recall his face and avenge her sister’s murder, Lauren, now a kidnapping investigator, enrolls in a clinical trial for a new memory drug.

At the offices of Memory Makers in California, she receives the injections of the Memory Makers' serum, and begins to experience flashbacks of repressed memories. Along with the flashbacks, she receives threats from an anonymous source that point back to her childhood trauma.

Soon, Lauren becomes involved with a fellow trial participant who seeks to recall his own traumatic past. But can Lauren discover the identity of the “Shadow Man” before history repeats itself?

 

Debbie Grahl brings us her new release Mountain Blaze

 

Welcome to author Debbie Grahl!!

 

Award winning author, Debby Grahl, lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with her husband, David. Besides writing, she enjoys biking, walking on the beach and a glass of wine at sunset. Her favorite places to visit are New Orleans, New York City, Captiva Island in Florida, the Cotswolds of England, and her home state of Michigan. She is a history buff who also enjoys reading murder mysteries, time travel, and, of course, romance. Visually impaired since childhood by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), she uses screen-reading software to research and write her books. His Magic Touch, a paranormal romance, was released by Wild Rose Press December 5, 2018. Her latest book, Mountain Blaze, will be released November 2.

You can find Debby at the following:

Website -- www.debbygrahl.com
Facebook -- https://www.facebook.com/debbygrahlauthor?ref=br_rs

Bookbub -- https://www.bookbub.com/search/authors?search=debby%20grahl
Twitter -- https://twitter.com/DebbyGrahl

Tell us about your life outside of writing.

I live on Hilton Head Island SC with my husband David. I enjoy biking and walking on the beach . My favorite places to visit are England, New Orleans, New York, and my home state of Michigan. I love to shop, go out to lunch, play Bunco, decorate for Christmas, eat chocolate and drink red wine. I read murder mysteries and romance novels.

Do you have a work in progress?

Mountain Blaze is a contemporary romance which will be release by The Wild Rose Press on November 2nd. This is the first in my Carolina trilogy.

What was the most difficult section/piece you ever wrote? What made it difficult?

This would be the first novel I submitted to a publisher. I, like a number of first time writers, didn’t have a clue about what I refer to as the no-no’s of writing. I thought you wrote the book and sent it off and waited to hear back from the publisher. I had no idea about taglines, changing point of view, using too many adjectives, how to describe my characters, show don’t tell, and many more faux pas. My first editor sent my MS back and said, “You have a good story, if you could only write it.” Ouch. I took online writing classes which I would recommend to anyone who is just starting out.

What sort of research do you do for your work?

If possible, I like to go to the location of the story. It’s important to get the details right. If you place a building or a restaurant in a specific place and it’s wrong, your readers will catch it. This is true for historicals especially. You need to get your dates and times correct. It’s also helpful for me to observe the people and surroundings where I’ve set the story. If I can’t go in person, I use the internet and Google Earth for my research.

Which books and authors do you read for pleasure? Is there an author who inspires you?

I love classic British murder mysteries: Ngaio Marsh, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L Sayers. For romance, there are too many to name, but Heather Graham, Amanda Quick, Nora Roberts, Sandra Hill, and Julie Howard are a few. I also enjoy Carolyn G. Hart and Carola Dunn. Because I love mysteries, all my romances have some kind of mystery in them.

Was there a person who encouraged you to write?

It wasn’t a person but a circumstance which caused me to begin to write. I was born with a deteriorating eye disease which has taken my vision. I lost the ability to read print in my early twenties, but even when I could see to read, it was difficult for me. I began to make up my own stories, and with the invention of screen reading software I’m able to write my books. Everything I write, is read back to me aloud by the computer. 

MOUNTAIN BLAZE

Disillusioned by his wife’s betrayal, rodeo star Dillon McCoy comes home to the mountains of North Carolina to lick his wounds. When he agrees to take over the family ranch, the Lazy M, he’s unaware danger waits.

Diana Thompson is having doubts about her engagement to Trent Sawyer. She agrees to leave Chapel Hill and spend Thanksgiving with her friend Jenn at the Lazy M. When Diana and Dillon meet, neither can deny their attraction, but both must resolve past relationships while fighting their growing desire.

After Dillon turns down an anonymous offer to purchase the ranch, attempts are made on his life. When a body is found, Dillon sets out to discover who wants the McCoy land enough to commit murder.

 

HIS MAGIC TOUCH

The night before Jared Dupre’s wedding, a specter warns him that the demonic witch, Adam Montief, has kidnapped his brother threatening to kill both him and Jared’s fiancée, Kendra O'Connell, in a centuries-old vendetta Jared knows nothing about. A powerful witch himself, Jared tracks Adam from New Orleans to a remote island off the coast of Connecticut. A swordfight ensues, and a final thrust of Jared's blade sends Adam over the cliff into the dark sea below.

But when Jared returns to New Orleans, he finds a triumphant Adam alive and intent on seducing Kendra. Kendra, not knowing Jared was forced to break off their engagement to save her life, has turned to a new man, unaware he’s Adam who has vowed to kill the man she truly loves.

With help from an ancestor's spirit, Jared discovers the motive behind the Montiefs' vengeance. He plans Adam's final destruction while fighting to win back Kendra before she is drawn into Adam's world of sadistic evil.

 

Newcomsville is ready for their Christmas tour, but betrayal, blackmail and murder lie beneath the gentle mantle of new-fallen snow.

Rue Toulouse

Two strangers must learn to trust one another to survive in a world of family greed and ruthless revenge.

The Silver Crescent

Betrayal, murder. and a stolen fortune bring Elise Baxter to Cedar Bend to solve a family mystery.

Diane Bator presents Drop Dead Cowboy and a NaNoWriMo teaser

Today, I'm taking over!!

I'm so grateful to see this blog grow and expand but today I've had to reschedule someone so here I am! I'd love to tell you more about me and what I do as a writer. Here it goes....

Hi everyone, my name is Diane Bator. I am the author of 10 mystery novels and a member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime Toronto, International Thriller Writers, and the Writers Union of Canada. I am proud mom to three grown kids and grateful to be a prolific writer. When I’m not writing, I work in a theatre which may be subject to immortality in a whole new series. No surprise I’ve considered trying my hand at writing a play, right?

 

What genre do you write?

I used to love reading mysteries and inhaled the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Kathy Reichs, Karin Slaughter, Mary Marks, Lillian Jackson Braun, and so on. Ironically, I never tried my hand at writing one but I didn’t have one specific genre. Then a few years ago I entered a contest to write a mystery novel and won! Just like that, I found my niche.

Thanks to a couple great friends, I’ve also slid into writing fantasy, which isn’t a genre I’ve read much of until lately.

 

If you could offer once piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?

Write the book YOU want to read. I love to create books that speak to me in some way and I hope that they will interest other readers. If you write to the market, it may become work and no longer fun. That’s where something like Nanowrimo comes in! For me, November is playtime with stories.

 

What are you working on now?

Part of the way I write is that I always have a few irons in the fire. Currently, I’m working on:

All That Shines (Book 2 Glitter Bay Mysteries) coming June 2021

Dead Without Remorse (a Gilda Wright novella) coming August 2021

Written in Stone (an AJ Cadell Mystery – ALL NEW) coming November 2021

As well, I’m planning to self-publish my award winning novella, Murder on Manitou. Watch for that as well!

 

AND This is where the Nanowrimo part of this comes in!

My newest novel, Drop Dead Cowboy, was written during Nanowrimo 2019. If you’re not familiar, the goal is to write 50,000 words in the month of November, which works out to 1,667 words per day. (You can find out more at https://nanowrimo.org/)

Since many authors find that to be far too many words to deal with, they will set smaller goals for themselves. Personally, I find writing about 1,667 words per day is a great challenge and have “won” the contest twice. Winning just means that you meet YOUR goal!

Do you have to write a complete story? No. You can write poetry, non-fiction, flash fiction, whatever you want to write. The biggest goal is to WRITE!

Aside from my blog, you can find me just about anywhere. I’d love for you to follow me around social media. You never know what I’ll post:

  My publisher:  https://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/

Website

http://penspaintsandpaper.com

Blog

http://dbator.blogspot.ca/

Twitter

Instagram

https://twitter.com/dibator 

https://www.instagram.com/dianerondeaubator/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/dianebatorauthor/?ref=settings

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7179945.Diane_Bator

DROP DEAD COWBOY

DROP DEAD COWBOY 

Sugarwood Mysteries is my newest series that features Audra Clemmings and her partner in Stitch’n’Time Merilee Rutherford as well as Audra’s dog Drake. Needlepoint, a collection of voodoo dolls, and small-town antics are all featured in this series.

In Book 1, Drop Dead Cowboy, Audra Clemmings sees the display of voodoo dolls in the shop next door that resembles nearly everyone in Sugarwood, Ontario—including her. 
Then there’s the matter of the dead cowboy on the bench in front of her shop Stitch’n’Time…

Book 2 (a future project) will feature the same characters, a Christmas theme, and even more voodoo dolls!
Just what is going on in Sugarwood?

 

The best place to purchase my books:  https://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/

To hear more:  

Azaaa Davis shares Soul's Day Boxset in time for Halloween

 

Welcome to paranormal author Azaaa Davis!!

Azaaa Davis is an American author of urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels.

She fell in love with reading as a high school freshman and continues to read, write, and draw today. Her background in social work helps her portray realistic characters in otherworldly—and sometimes terrifying—situations. A New York native, Azaaa currently lives in New Hampshire (USA) with her husband and daughters.

She debuted with This Time (book one in the Nadira Holden, Demon Hunter series) in 2018. A novel about demon hunters, family ties and the magic of love.

Azaaa is working diligently to finish writing more fantasy novels while raising her daughters. Thank you for showing an interest in her stories!

What genre do you write?

I write urban fantasy novels and paranormal romance novels using contemporary settings in the US.

 

Does your reading choices reflect your writing choices?

Yes. I only write stories I want to read. I write the untold stories about women of color in new paranormal worlds. I'm writing what I know, what I like to read and what I want to see more of in the world.

I prefer reading fiction: fantasy and romance. They can be very accessible as well as thought-provoking. These genres dominate for those seeking escapism from daily life.

 

Which type of characters are your favorite to write?

I enjoy writing bad girl characters. I like writing about female villains that enjoy following their own rules. I also enjoy writing loveable yet flawed heroes and antiheroes with a lot of baggage to unpack.

 

If you could offer once piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?

There's so much writing advice flowing around out there that it becomes hard to figure out what tips and techniques will work for you as a writer.

"Write everyday." While I do not write fiction everyday, I "wear my writing hat daily." I'm writing my story and increasing my word count, editing a story with feedback from a test reader or my editor, or I'm reading for fun to refill my creative well. When I don't wear my writing hat for days or weeks it can become a long, doubt-filled process to feel comfortable and confident about my writing skills again.

Do your characters come before or after your plot?

My characters come first. Often imagine a fascinating person, and then I wonder how they would handle being in this or that paranormal situation. So far my protagonists have been humans with special abilities. I plan to write about supernatural creatures as my protagonists in future stories like witches, vampires and wolf shifters.

When I created my debut novel, I thought about a female of color as a vampire slayer and my story developed from there into Nadira Holden Demon Hunter.

 

What are you working on now?

I have a few writing projects in progress. I am wrapping up a holiday-themed fantasy short story. I hope to give this exciting new story away for free as a thank you to my fans. I'm also working on part II of a paranormal duology titled Never Marry A Shifter. Jilted, part I, releases this month on 10/20/2020 as part of the Soul's Day Boxset.

 Website: https://www.azaaadavis.com

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/azaaadavis

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/azaaadavis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azaaa.davis

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18178994.Azaaa_Davis

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/azaaa-davis

 

SOUL'S DAY BOX SET- Horror and Paranormal Halloween-Themed Anthology

Old Hallows Eve, when things go bump in the night,

Children come to play, and the witches provide the fright.

For 20 authors, USA Today and international bestselling,

The Halloween tales become more than this foretelling.

In the Soul’s Day Boxset, a mansion feeds on souls,

 A gargoyle captures them, and a demon dungeon master makes the calls,

Campers gets picked off one by one,

The Karnaval’s corn dogs are less than fun,

Ghosts lurking around every bend,

‘I do’ at the wedding is certainly the end.

A boxset of chills and thrills to keep you up at night,

One-click pre-order to snap your copy filled with fright.

On old Hallow’s eve when creatures come to play,

With this spine chilling pages, it’s where you’ll want to stay.

 JILTED  -- Azaaa's contributing story to the Soul's Day Boxset is a paranormal romance novella.

 Administrative assistant by day and boss lady on social media by night, Theresa enjoys sharing her charmed life with half-million followers. The only thing she loves more is being engaged to the hottest doctor at the clinic where they both work. Cementing her fame by reaching one million followers would be the icing on her wedding cake.

Life stops running smoothly when her husband vanishes on their wedding night and a leaked photo of a barely-dressed Theresa yelling at the police sparks a viral sensation. With everything at stake—love, reputation, followers, and career—she embarks on a reluctant voyage of discovery. Follow Theresa as she stumbles over her new husband's secrets and develops her inner strength.

Price: $0.99 

Releasing Tuesday, 10/20/2020

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4Dy5Ne 

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086ZVTKSS 

Book Website: https://soulsdayboxset.com 

 

THIS TIME 

Nadira Holden, Demon Hunter (book one)

Resurrected into present-day New York, Nadira Holden is asked to save the world ... again. She achieved legendary status when she gave her life to protect humans from demons. To her, it was yesterday. To the rest of the world, it was twenty years ago. Understandably, Nadira is adrift.

People have made peace with demons, worshipping them like celebrities. No one wants to believe that the beautiful creatures who brought magic to mankind could be causing the disappearance of so many people. Nadira wonders if this unfamiliar world is worth saving. Then her father goes missing, and she refuses to play nice. Gloves off. She has to do what she does best. Fight.

Nadira Holden, Demon Hunter is a new adult urban fantasy series from fantasy author Azaaa Davis that combines monster-slaying action, family drama, and simmering romance. If you like Vampire Hunter Anita Blake and Buffy The Vampire Slayer then buy This Time today!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F7X4HT1

 * * *

THAT NIGHT

Nadira Holden, Demon Hunter (book two)

All Nadira Holden wants is to preserve the last of her soul and create a new life free of magic, demons, and war. Her involuntary bond with a succubus makes her desires impossible. The threat of this disgruntled demon possessing her urges Nadira to find the succubus's missing body.

Nadira's only hope of avoiding demonic possession lies with Derek, the only demon she can tolerate without slaying. Except, his hands are full trying to secure his recently-inherited title of prince. Desperate, Nadira agrees to help Derek secure his title by experimenting with the deadly magic they once generated in exchange for his aid in her investigation.

To untangle herself from the evil that surrounds her, Nadira must be willing to betray her friends and get cozy with her enemies. She may even have to do the unthinkable: break the peace treaty that allows demons and humans to coexist. If she can't toss aside her scruples, Nadira may not make it out of this ordeal with her soul intact. That Night is book two in the Nadira Holden, Demon Hunter series. If you like monster-slaying action and simmering romance then buy That Night today!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NDTQHQ7

Judith Pittman and Gail Roughton discuss their new release Mother Shipton and the Sister Witches

 

Welcome to the lovely writing duo of Jude Pittman and Gail Roughton!

 Today I have a special treat. Two authors in one! Jude and Gail are fantastic writers who have collaborated on a book I can't wait to read! Jude is also my publisher and has a great series I've read the first book of so far, Deadly Secrets featuring Kelly McWinter. Don't tell anyone, but Kelly is my new book boyfriend! Dreamy, smart, and a PI. He also has a dog! Judging from the book list, I'm a couple books behind in his adventures. Carry on, ladies, I have some reading to catch up on...

Jude Pittman lived for many years in California and Texas but in 1991 she returned to Canada and married Metis author John Wisdomkeeper. Jude and John now live in British Columbia

Writing since she was a teenager, Jude has followed her dream throughout her lifetime, and in the process has met and worked with countless others following their own personal dreams. Jude is also publisher for BWL Publishing Inc. A Canadian publisher of quality genre fiction.

Her published books include the following:
Mystery series:
    Deadly Secrets, Kelly McWinter PI, Book 1
    Deadly Betrayal, Kelly McWinter PI, Book 2
    Deadly Consequences, Kelly McWinter PI, Book 3
    Deadly Lights, Kelly McWinter PI, Book 4

Paranormal Romantic suspense:
    co-written with author Gail Roughton – Mother Shipton and the Sister Witches

Novella: co-written with author John Wisdomkeeper - Street Justice

Novel: co-written with Katherine Pym, Canadian Historical Brides Collection, Book 5 - Pillars of Avalon, Newfoundland

Jude’s social media links:

@judebookswelove is twitter

Facebook is  https://www.facebook.com/Jude-Pittman-Author-100131784855170/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Gail Roughton is a native of small town Georgia whose Deep South heritage features prominently in much of her work. She’s a retired paralegal who lived in a law office for over forty years, during which time she raised three children and quite a few attorneys. She kept herself more or less sane by writing novels and tossing the completed manuscripts into her closet, most of which have now emerged in published form. A cross-genre writer, her books range from humor to romance to thriller to horror and she’s never quite sure what to expect when she sits down at the keyboard. Now multi-published by BWL Publishing, Inc., her credits include the four book War-N-Wit, Inc. series, The Color of Seven, Vanished, and Country Justice. She also writes with co-author Jude Pittman on the Mother Shipton paranormal series. She usually has a project or two on the backburner but never discusses any for fear of jinxing them. Given her affinity for the supernatural, this should come as no surprise to any reader.

 Published by BWL Publishing, Inc.

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, iTunes

Gail Roughton on Facebook

Writin' With Southern Stylin'!

What would you say are your strengths as an author?

Jude:  My ability to identify with my characters and bring them to life.

Gail:  To be perfectly honest, I don’t consider myself an author at all. I’m a transcriber. For me, a novel begins with a character, one I didn’t actually create myself, at least not consciously. All the bits and pieces of now and then, here and there, conversations overheard in the grocery store, observations of people made in doctors’ offices, place names that have tickled my fancy—well, they all coalesce into at least one character, male or female, good or bad, could be either, who gradually begins to grow until before I know, they’ve stood up and started walking and talking and inviting other characters in, with or without my permission. They start acting out their own story lines until I’m watching a movie in my head. At that point, all I do is sit down, describe the scenes I’m seeing and transcribe the dialogue I’m hearing. So I don’t really think I’ve (as in me personally) have a strength as an author, I just have very vocal, very pushy imaginary people running around in my head. Go figure.

How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?

Jude:  I write sporadically. Because I’m also a publisher my routine is erratic and I may not write for a few weeks and then I’ll suddenly write a couple of chapters in one period. I’m afraid the idea of a “schedule” dries my creative juices right up.

Gail:  Strict schedule? Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I will go days, weeks, months and years without writing a word, just ask my cyber sister, co-author and publisher Jude Pittman. (But don’t ask her what she thinks about it.) Or rather, without writing a word on paper. Usually something’s always brewing in the back corners of my brain, often completely without me even realizing it. For me, writing can be summed up in one sentence, if I might modify an old wine commercial. “We write no line before its time.”

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?

Jude:  Still working away at publishing the best stories I can write and hopefully coming up with stories that readers want to read.

Gail:  Exactly where I am now. Writing doesn’t rule my life, though I let it when I first entered the professional publishing world. For me being a published writer is just a fact about me, not a definition of who I am. I almost let that happen years ago and I’m never even coming close to that again.

If you could offer once piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?

Jude:  Learn your craft. Don’t get swayed by the current mass of inexperienced and untrained hopefuls who throw together a manuscript with no idea of what it takes to properly plot and craft a novel, and then rush to self publish so they can call themselves a published author. Would you perform heart surgery after a few months of deciding that you wanted to be a surgeon? Learn to write a story that readers will enjoy reading and you’ll be proud to claim as your own.

Gail:  Learn to read your own work as though you’ve just picked it up in a bookstore and know nothing about the book or the writer who wrote it. Now, having read the first five pages—even the first page—would you keep reading it? And remember you don’t know the first thing about the author.  No?  Why not?  Then fix it. Learn to self-edit with the ruthlessness of a surgeon with a scalpel. Writers so in love with their own words that they can’t concede a book needs editing have an audience of one—themselves.

What would you consider to be the best compliment a reader could give your book?

Jude:  The best compliment a reader can give me is when they ask when the next book in the series will be available.

Gail:  To silently scream “NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! That can’t be the end!!!!” when they’ve reached—you guessed it—“The End”

What are you working on now?

Jude:  Book 2 in the Mother Shipton series; Mother Shipton and the Secret Agent Sisters, and Book 5 in the Kelly McWinter PI mystery series, Deadly Ghosts. I tend to work on a couple of projects at a time switching back and forth between them as the mood strikes.

Gail:  I’ve got several works in various stages of completion, from half done to just a few pages, but I’m very superstitious and am always afraid talking about them jinxing them. That’s the same reason I never want covers before a book is done, a peculiarity that drives Jude crazy.

 

DEADLY SECRETS, Kelly McWinter PI Mystery

Kelly McWinter is a former Fort Worth police officer who suffered a personal tragedy that caused him to quit the force and isolate himself in the community of Indian Creek, Texas. Kelly is the Clint Eastwood, John Wayne type of man who makes everyone feel safe. The characters at Indian Creek are so unique and eccentric that readers and reviewers alike have fallen in love with the regulars who frequent Cam Belcher's Hideaway Bar and Barbecue.

Editorial Review:

Tammy from Fallen Angel reviews describes the Kelly McWinter P.I. mysteries as "A fabulous mixture of Texas humor, heart-pounding action, sexy nuances and mounting suspense. There's plenty of excitement, plenty of intrigue, a local flavor to tickle the toughest of taste buds and a good serving of hot, steamy romance to titillate the senses."

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08129M4VD

 

MOTHER SHIPTON AND THE SISTER WITCHES

The Shipton history is complicated. Some families have a guardian angel. The Shiptons have a guardian ancestor who whizzes through the centuries and jumps right in whenever one of her girls is in trouble.

All the girls have power and they’re watched over by elder sister Lillian, who takes her job as family trouble shooter seriously. There’s no shortage of trouble to be sorted out either and even with their own powers each of the girls needs help. First Katherine's oilman fiancé disappears in the Gulf of Mexico, and then Irene's world champion saddle bronc rider fiancé is sabotaged and in danger of being trampled by a bucking bronco.

The spider-web of trouble stretching between these three modern sister witches might be too much for even a time-traveling guardian angel to handle on her own.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08J6NWX55