D.E. Haggerty's Blog, page 54
February 19, 2017
#MTW continues w/a spotlight on Patricia Loofbourrow, author of The Red Dog Conspiracy serial
[image error]
Book title: The Jacq of Spades
Series: The Red Dog Conspiracy, Volume 1
Author: Patricia Loofbourrow
Genre: Steampunk
Published: November 12, 2015
Synopsis
Kidnapping. Murder. Betrayal.
Would you put your life at risk for a child you barely know?
In a far future US, the once-beautiful domed neo-Victorian city of Bridges is now split between four crime families in an uneasy cease-fire. Social disparity increasing and its steam-driven infrastructure failing, a new faction is on the rise: the Red Dogs.
22 year old Jacqueline Spadros was kidnapped from her mother’s brothel and sold to the Spadros syndicate ten years ago. The murder of her best friend Air as he tried to save her from them haunts her nightmares. Now unwillingly married to one of the city’s biggest drug lords, she finds moments of freedom in a small-time private eye business, which she hides in fear of her sadistic father-in-law.
Air’s little brother disappears off his back porch and the Red Dogs are framed for it. With the help of a mysterious gentleman investigator hired by the Red Dogs to learn the truth, Jacqui pushes her abilities to their limits in hope of rescuing the child before the kidnapper disposes of him.
Dark, gritty, multi-layered Victorian-inspired detective neo-noir that keeps the reader guessing to the very end.
Grab a copy!
[image error]
Book title: The Queen of Diamonds
Series: The Red Dog Conspiracy, Volume 2
Synopsis
A job gone wrong. A blackmailed friend. A city in turmoil. An obsession leading down a sinister path.
NO ONE IS AS THEY SEEM …
The Queen of Diamonds brings you the second action-packed chapter of the Red Dog Conspiracy.
While the villain Frank Pagliacci is defeated, all is not well in Bridges. Tensions rise between the Families, who accuse each other of spying, while Red Dog attacks escalate. Aristocratic jewel merchant Anastasia Dame Louis, styling herself “The Queen of Diamonds,” hires private eye Jacqueline Spadros to collect from her debtors so she can leave the city.
But Jacqui can’t leave David Bryce’s kidnapping and the murders of her teenage informants unpunished. Convinced the madman “Black Jack” Diamond was behind the crimes, she pursues ways to prove it. The scoundrel and his crew, however, seem to be one step ahead: the terrifying man in white is seen lurking outside David’s home, forged letters appear across the city, and merchants in the Spadros quadrant report threats from a man who fits his description.
Jack’s sister Gardena Diamond then asks Jacqui for help: someone is attempting to blackmail her. It is then that Jacqui learns Rachel Diamond’s curious secret – and the truth behind her terrible condition.
When witnesses who can identify the kidnappers begin dying and evidence emerges that Jacqui’s mother is next on the list, Jacqui is forced to make a dreadful choice.
Someone will surely die. Will it be Jacqui, or her mother?
Note: this is chapter 2 of a 13-part serial novel, the Red Dog Conspiracy. While it’s not mandatory to have read chapter 1 (The Jacq of Spades), it’s highly recommended to do so before venturing forth.
About the Author
[image error]
Patricia Loofbourrow was born in southern California and currently lives in Oklahoma. Learning to read at the age of three, she grew up on Heinlein, Bradbury, and Asimov, and found at an early age that she loved science.
Earning a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry from Cal Poly Pomona then an MD from Rush University, Dr. Loofbourrow practiced family medicine for ten years before changing careers in 2000 due to disability to become a stay at home mother to her three small children. After leaving medicine, Patricia Loofbourrow ran one of the first “ask a doctor” patient education websites from 2000-2004.
Patty began writing poetry in her teen years. She wrote her first novel during the 2005 National Novel Writing Month, going on to write ten novels, four novellas, and well over 100 short stories, mostly speculative fiction. She has been a long-time member of the Forward Motion Forums, and was the founder of Fifty Word Fiction on DeviantArt. She has also worked as a freelance non-fiction writer and editor since 2000, and currently has an educational website on home edible landscaping.
Stalk the author!
Today’s #MTW stop is an interview with @RonnieAnovelist, author of Aries #romanticsuspense
You are a psychologist writing psychological thrillers. Are your novels based on true events?Or perhaps just drawn from your training?
I am a New York State licensed School Psychologist and worked for the NYC Dept. Of Educ. for 33 years. In Gemini I had the career of the killer, the psychologist part, not the stripper. The content, in part, is from my experiences. I’m also a holistic health practitioner and what I teach my clients, my characters use. I call them Tools of Empowerment which are crystals, the Tarot, essential oils, among others. The main character of Gemini, forensic psychiatrist, Dr. John Trenton has been psychic and clairvoyant since he was a toddler and he communicates with his spirit guide, Max, as I do with mine. In Aries, Detective Samantha Wright is first coming to terms with her intuitive abilities.
The titles of your Sign Behind the Crime series are astrological signs. Is this just a plot device or is astrology an important aspect in your everyday life?
It’s a plot device. The symbolism of the sign is what gives clues to solving the crime. I’ll read my horoscope but I’d don’t do the charts and work with the astrological houses. I’m not an astrologist.
What’s the most amusing thing that happened to you while writing or researching the Sign Behind the Crime series?
The novels are classified as steamy romance so it’s quite funny when my husband’s friends go over to tell him how lucky he is.
Plotter or Pantser? Explain.
Definitely a plotter. I can work in my notebook 5 months or more before I start to type. Bc I did that, Aries flowed out of my brain onto paper in three months ten days for 122k words and was accepted by my publisher two weeks after submission. I do allow my characters to take me into plot twists and turns and develop their own roles. When I do that, the plot is better for it. It’s a way of getting into deep pov by allowing the mind of the character to take over.
What’s your favorite part about the writing process?
I love it when my mind opens and the words flow giving me a cohesive scene. Getting into deep pov is important to me bc I want to avoid head hopping. Writing is also a catharsis. I can work through angry situations and get revenge. For example, I found my books on a privacy site using YouTube. My publisher got the books down. But I used piracy as a subplot in Scorpio which is coming out in Sept.
How do you react to a bad review of your book?
In all honesty, I hadn’t had any. I had a three rating for Aries bc the reader was not into the level of sex and she ‘the relationship between the main characters was very sexual.’ How did I react? I didn’t. The rest of the review was exemplary.
What are the most important attributes for remaining sane as a writer?
Perseverance and the motto of ‘never give up.’
Tell us about your next release. Can we expect more Sign Behind the Crime books? And when can we expect it?
Scorpio is coming out in September 2017 and I’m writing Libra now. Scorpio is book 3 and the characters from Gemini and Aries are in Scorpio with their own plots. Detective Samantha Wright and Dr. Frank Khaos of Aries own the story, though. Scorpio is a romantic suspense unless my publisher wants to continue the label romantic thriller. To me, it’s more suspense and the plot is pushed and is dominated by the romance. It’s very intense emotionally for the characters with my first male serial killer. I wrote a female killer in Gemini, a group of female killers in Aries, and I wanted to shake it up with a male killer.
[image error]
Book title: Aries
Series: The Sign Behind The Sign
Author: Ronnie Allen
Genre: romantic thriller
Published: traditionally published by Black Opal Books Jan. 2016
Synopsis:
Lying. Deception. Cover-ups. Anger. Revenge. Death. That’s what happens when an Aries-obsessed killer combines black magick rituals, knives…and murder. Samantha Wright, a rookie NYPD detective, gets her first case, a big one, by stumbling over the body while jogging in the park. Sam has a lot to prove, both to herself and to her new precinct, on this serial murder case involving fashion icons in NYC. Together with a rough around the edges BJJ fighter, forensic psychiatrist, Frank Khaos, Sam chases down leads through the five boroughs of NYC. As the bodies pile up, sparks fly and Sam and Frank, polar opposites, go from their dislike for each other to setting the sheets on fire. But their main suspect is hooked up to an IV in a hospital bed, so how has she pulled off five murders in seven days? And can Sam and Frank stop her before even more innocent lives are lost?
Grab a copy!
About the author
[image error]
Ronnie Allen is a New York City native, born and bred in Brooklyn, New York, where she was a teacher in the New York City Department of Education for 33 years including the obtaining of a New York State license as School Psychologist. Her various roles included classroom teacher, staff developer, crisis intervention specialist, and mentor for teachers who were struggling. Always an advocate for the child, Allen carries this through as a theme in her novel Gemini, with the reader seeing the horrors of child abuse through the eyes of three characters.
In the early 1990s she began a journey into holistic healing and alternative therapies and completed her PhD in Parapsychic Sciences in 2001. Along the way, Allen has picked up many certifications. She is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner as well as a crystal therapist, Reiki practitioner, metaphysician, dream analyst, and Tarot Master Instructor. She has taught workshops in New York City and in Central Florida where she now lives.
Stalk the Author
February 18, 2017
#MTW continues w/the spotlight on @JSAauthor author of The Lover’s Portrait #mystery
[image error]
Book title: The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery Series: Adventures of Zelda Richardson (Book 2 – can be read as a standalone)
Author: Jennifer S. Alderson
Genre: Mystery, Amateur Sleuth, Historical Fiction
Published: June 24, 2016
Synopsis
When a homosexual Dutch art dealer hides the stock from his gallery – rather than turn it over to his Nazi blackmailer – he pays with his life, leaving a treasure trove of modern masterpieces buried somewhere in Amsterdam, presumably lost forever. That is, until American art history student Zelda Richardson sticks her nose in.
After studying for a year in the Netherlands, Zelda scores an internship at the prestigious Amsterdam Museum, where she works on an exhibition of paintings and sculptures once stolen by the Nazis, lying unclaimed in Dutch museum depots almost seventy years later. When two women claim the same portrait of a young girl entitled Irises, Zelda is tasked with investigating the painting’s history and soon finds evidence that one of the two women must be lying about her past. Before she can figure out which one it is and why, Zelda learns about the Dutch art dealer’s concealed collection. And that Irises is the key to finding it all.
Her discoveries make her a target of someone willing to steal – and even kill – to find the missing paintings. As the list of suspects grows, Zelda realizes she has to track down the lost collection and unmask a killer if she wants to survive.
This amateur sleuth mystery describes the plight of homosexuals and Jewish artists in Europe during World War II, as well as the complexities inherent to the restitution of artwork stolen by the Nazis in the 1930s and 1940s.
The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery draws on the author’s experiences gained while studying art history in the Netherlands and working for several Dutch museums.
Grab a copy!
Amazon ~ Kobo ~ iBooks ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords
~ Excerpt ~
June 26, 1942: Just two more crates, then our work is finally done, Arjan reminded himself as he bent down to grasp the thick twine handles, his back muscles already yelping in protest. Drops of sweat were burning his eyes, blurring his vision. “You can do this,” he said softly, heaving the heavy oak box upwards with an audible grunt.
Philip nodded once then did the same. Together they lugged their loads across the moonlit room, down the metal stairs and into the cool subterranean space below. After hoisting the last two crates onto a stack close to the ladder, Arjan smiled in satisfaction, slapping Philip on the back as he regarded their work. One hundred and fifty-two crates holding his most treasured objects, and those of so many of his friends, were finally safe. Relief briefly overcame the panic and dread he’d been feeling for longer than he could remember. Preparing the space and artwork had taken more time than he’d hoped it would, but they’d done it. Now he could leave Amsterdam knowing he’d stayed true to his word. Arjan glanced over at Philip, glad that he’d trusted him. He stretched out a hand towards the older man, “They fit perfectly.”
Philip answered with a hasty handshake and a tight smile before nodding towards the ladder, “Shall we?”
He was right, Arjan thought, there was still so much to do. They climbed back up into the small shed and closed the heavy metal lid, careful to cushion its fall. They didn’t want to give the neighbors an excuse to call the Gestapo. Not when they were so close to being finished…
~ About the Author ~
[image error]
Jennifer S. Alderson worked as a journalist and website developer in Seattle, Washington before trading her financial security for a backpack. After traveling extensively around Asia and Central America, she moved to Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands. There she earned degrees in art history and museum studies. Home is now Amsterdam, where she lives with her Dutch husband and young son. Jennifer’s travels and experiences color and inform her internationally-oriented fiction. Her first novel, Down and Out in Kathmandu: adventures in backpacking, is a travel fiction adventure through Nepal and Thailand. The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery, her second book, is a suspenseful ‘whodunit?’ which transports readers to wartime and present day Amsterdam. Both are part of an on-going stand-alone series following the adventures of traveler and culture lover, Zelda Richardson.
Stalk the author!
Website ~ Blog ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page ~ LinkedIn
February 17, 2017
If you do any of the following, you’re probably over 40 #Grammar #Justforfun #AmWriting
I was just working on a document a fellow writer sent me for review, and I couldn’t help but notice all those spaces between sentences. Ah, I thought, she must be over forty since she’s using the old-fashioned two spaces after a sentence rule. That got me to thinking about grammar rules that have changed and whether it’s possible to guess someone’s age from their grammar. So, just for fun, let’s have a look at grammar that gives away your age.
[image error]Two spaces between sentences. If you use two spaces after a period, you’re probably over forty or use a manual typewriter. And I really hope you don’t use a manual typewriter. There are actually people out there who do. Yes, it’s true. I once took a job at the Province of North Holland to replace someone who was retiring. Not only did the man use a MANUAL typewriter, but he had a big cartoon taped to his dusty computer that said computers were for cave dwellers. I never did understand that joke.
[image error]His or her. Welcome to the new century, where we are now using the singular they. I know, I know. It feels wrong, but – admit it – it’s also easier and kind of makes sense. The Brits are totally okay with the singular they, American sources are still clenching their teeth and wondering why we have to follow the stupid Brits anyway.
And or But. If you are violently opposed to starting a sentence with and or but, you’re probably over forty. Unless, like me, you like to write in first person and have realized that a lot of thoughts start with BUT. If you’re one of my characters, you probably use the word ‘but’ way too much, BUT you don’t know how to stop.
Split infinitives. Oh gosh, where to begin with this one. We all learned in school that splitting infinitives was bad – equivalent to having sympathy with those Ruskies. (In case you didn’t guess it yet, I went to school during the Cold War.) Unless all your characters are over forty and speak using perfect grammar (or are Sheldon Cooper), you’re going to need to get over your irrational fear of split infinitives.
Fun is a noun. Apparently, fun is now an adjective and we mere mortals are allowed to use it as such. I’m still violently opposed to ‘funner’ and will continue to fight the good fight against the use of that word in anyone’s vocabulary. Good thing I live in a country that does not have English as a first language, because you just know I would stop people on the street and correct them for use of that word. (Free has also morphed into an adjective, but one new adjective a week is all I can take.)
I’m not going to get into the defunct use of whom. Whoever did the research indicating its use was declining obviously hasn’t read any fiction lately. For my thoughts on the whole who or whom debacle, read this blog post.
February 16, 2017
#MTW continues w/interview of @MarieJones14057 author of Into the Shadows
Mystery Thriller Week keeps giving us thrills with today an interview from Marie Jones, author of Into The Shadows
Can you tell readers about your journey to become a writer?
My passion for writing and creating stories began from a very young age, where I loved nothing more than writing stories into my special A4 lined book. I remember one of my english teachers reading out one of my stories to the whole class and encouraging me to keep writing; she was one of my greatest influences. I remember also receiving a letter from Barbara Taylor Bradford – I was so excited! Later on in life, I went on to study creative writing at night college. I was always an avid reader from the time I could read and would completely lose myself into the story I was reading.
Some of the novel takes place in Ireland. Is that a favorite place of yours to visit?
I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many countries in the world but Ireland, to me, is one of the most beautiful. I remember the day I stood on Inch Beach near Dingle in Southern Ireland, where this story begins, and simply had my breath taken away by the mesmerizing beauty of it. My other passion is photography, so I was in my element that day, taking many photos. I remember almost visualising a woman standing before me on that beach. Once I’d returned home, the writer in me sparked into life and began to weave a story around this one photo, so much so I used the idea of a woman’s face on a photo to take my main character, Lily, on an extraordinary journey of her own. One image, one moment, one chance to take it.
Describe Into the Shadows series in 140 characters (also known as a tweet).
‘Into The Shadows’ is a romantic suspense, woven with mystery and family drama. It is one woman’s journey to take a brave step to change herself and her situation, literally going into the very shadows of herself, and by doing so drawing others own shadows out as they are intricately pulled into her story.
What’s the most amusing thing that happened while writing Into The Shadows ?
Getting very wet when I didn’t realise the tide was coming in!!
Plotter or Pantser? Explain.
A little of both. I plot out my main story as I go, but always want to leave room for sudden twists and ideas that spring to life as I write.
How do you react to a bad review of your book?
Fingers crossed, so far I’ve been fortunate to receive only 4 and 5 star reviews, which has been incredible and I never take any of those reviews for granted. If I did receive a bad review, I think you have to accept it, everyone is entitled to their views and opinions.
What are the most important attributes for remaining sane as a writer?
Always having a positive, never giving up attitude, even when you face rejections. And just enjoy the love and craft of bringing a story to life. Words are so powerful, beautiful, haunting. They can transport you into a world so unlike your own, even into a different realm, time or space. They can express your thoughts, dreams, desires, with such great depth and power. For me, writing is a part of who I am, my passion, my heart. I care about my characters, I want them to be people the reader can connect and identify with, I want them to inspire.
Tell us about your next release. And when can we expect it?
I am currently working on my next novel, The Perfect Storm, though still some way to go! It is set in the highlands of Scotland. My main character, Sophia, is faced with the impossible choice of trying to help an old uni friend, yet kept in the dangerous dark as to what it is Sophia is helping to keep safe. I like to combine writing novels with writing theatre/TV scripts and would love to break into these writing worlds too!
[image error]
Book title: Into The Shadows
Author: Marie Jones
Genre: Mystery, suspense, romance
Published: December 2015
Synopsis:
Arriving home from a short holiday in Dingle, Lily Crossways makes a staggering discovery on one of her photos taken on ‘Inch Beach’, a woman’s desperate face is staring directly at her. Yet Lily knows she was alone that day on the beach. Who is she, is she even real, and why has she appeared to Lily? Unable to let the woman go, Lily makes the uncharacteristic decision to leave behind her safe world in England and return to Dingle to try and find her. Her search eventually leads her to cafe owner David Carson, this woman’s brother, who hasn’t seen his ‘missing’ sister in five years. Lily must now convince him to trust in her, taking bold steps to prove herself to him, and together track down his sister before it’s too late. Yet are either prepared for the hidden secrets they are about to uncover in their earnest desire to find her, and the impact it will have on those they love?
Grab a copy!
About the Author
[image error]
Around writing and family life, I also work part time as a Teaching Assistant at a local primary school, every day encouraging the budding talent of our future writers.
I’m married, and we have two gorgeous children. I’m loving being in my 40s and highly recommend it!
My other passions include photography, travelling and pencil drawing. I ran my own photography business for a few years and had my photos exhibited.
I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many countries around the world, yet Ireland still remains one of my all time favourite countries. What an amazing world, full of God’s beauty and creation, we live in…
Whether I am writing stories, photographing or drawing, everyday men and women with all their amazing complexities will always fascinate and inspire me.
Stalk the author!
February 15, 2017
#MTW continues! Interview w/ @HeatherWeidner1 author of Secret Lies and Private Eyes #Mystery
Thank you so much for letting me visit today. I write mystery novels and short stories. Secret Lives and Private Eyes is the first in the Delanie Fitzgerald mystery series. She is a private investigator who lives in Central Virginia.
You’re welcome! Let’s get started. Secret Lives and Private Eyes features a private investigator as the heroine. Tell us what your inspiration was to write a mystery featuring a female sleuth.
I am part of a mystery writers group, Sisters in Crime. I was plotting a new mystery at the time when we had a female private investigator give a talk about her work. I thought it would be a great job for my heroine. She could be a sleuth with access to crime scenes, but not an official member of law enforcement. My sleuth, Delanie Fitzgerald, gets herself in and out of a lot of sticky, and often humorous situations. She gets into way more trouble than I do.
Describe Secret Lives and Private Eyes in 140 characters (also known as a tweet).
Shhhh! There are secrets someone doesn’t want uncovered? Is Johnny Velvet still alive? And who killed the mayor?
Secret Lives and Private Eyes want to hang with you? Perhaps more important – would you want to hang with them?
I really like my sleuth, Delanie, and her computer hacker partner, Duncan Reynolds. I think I would love to hang out with them. She likes to have adventures. We’d meet for coffee or lunch. She also drives a smoking hot Mustang. My husband and I have several now, including a 1966. Our fathers were both police officers, so we’d have a lot in common. And we’re both redheads.
What’s the most amusing thing that happened to you while writing or researching Secret Lives and Private Eyes?
My father is a retired police officer, and he’s my best law enforcement resource for research. I was an adult before I realized that not everyone talks about murder, mayhem, and crime scenes at the dinner table. He’s always available to answer questions like, what does a meth lab smell like and have you ever seen a crime scene involving a pitchfork? He also saves me from having really strange Google searches.
Tell us about your next release. And when can we expect it?
I have a short story, “Par for the Course” coming out in a wine-themed mystery anthology, 50 Shades of Cabernet, in March. I’m working on the last round of revisions before I send book two to the publisher. Hopefully, that will be out in 2017.
What’s your favorite part about the writing process?
I love the researching and writing part. I start out as a plotter who outlines the story. Then I start writing, and the characters often take me where they want to go. Revising and editing take the most time and energy.
Plotter or Pantser? Explain.
I’m a hybrid – a little bit of both. I start off as a plotter. I outline each chapter. I even color code where the clues, romance, and comedy are, so that I space it out. Then I start writing, and the characters often take over. I become a pantser (write by the seat of your pants person). And then the plotter side takes over again, and I have to update my outline.
How do you react to a bad review of your book?
Nobody likes bad reviews. They sting, but I have to remind myself that it’s someone’s opinion, and there are lots of opinions.
What are the most important attributes for remaining sane as a writer?
You need balance. When I dreamed of being a writer, I thought I would sit around and write books and get big checks. The publishing world has changed, and a lot is expected of writers. I spend a great deal of time marketing and maintaining my social media sites and platform. I blog, participate in a critique group, write my books, and work full-time. I try to stay organized and get ahead of due dates, so there isn’t a mad dash to meet deadlines. But, it’s worth it. My life is crazy busy, but I wouldn’t trade a minute of it.
[image error]
Book title: Secret Lives and Private Eyes
Series: The Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries (first in the series)
Author: Heather Weidner
Genre: Mystery
Published: May 2016
Synopsis
Business has been slow for Private Investigator, Delanie Fitzgerald, but her luck seems to change when a tell-all author hires her to find rock star, Johnny Velvet. Could the singer whose career purportedly ended in a fiery crash almost thirty years ago, still be alive?
And as though sifting through dead ends in a cold case isn’t bad enough, Chaz Wellington Smith, III, a loud-mouthed, strip club owner, also hires Delanie to uncover information about the mayor’s secret life. When the mayor is murdered, Chaz, is the key suspect. Now Delanie must clear his name and figure out why landscaper Tripp Payne, keeps popping up in her other investigation. Can the private investigator find the connection between the two cases before another murder – possibly her own – takes place?
Secret Lives and Private Eyes is a fast-paced mystery that appeals to readers who like a strong, female sleuth with a knack for getting herself in and out of humorous situations.
Grab a copy!
Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Books a Million ~ Indiebound ~ iBooks
About the Author
[image error]
Heather Weidner’s short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series and 50 Shades of Cabernet (March 2017). She is a member of Sisters in Crime – Central Virginia, Guppies, Lethal Ladies Write, and James River Writers.
Secret Lives and Private Eyes is her debut novel.
Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.
Heather earned her BA in English from Virginia Wesleyan College and her MA in American literature from the University of Richmond. Through the years, she has been a technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager.
Stalk her here:
Website and Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page ~
Pinterest
Is it past or passed? #WriterWednesday #Amwriting
It’s a miracle my Kindle survived yesterday’s read. I kept seeing the same mistake again and again. Obviously, it was driving me nutso. Unfortunately, the mistake is a common one. I see it being repeated in book after book. (Yes, I’m repeating myself, but I’m seriously annoyed.) What’s the error? Confusing the word past with passed and vice versa. I get where the confusion is coming from – the words are pronounced the same after all. My Dutch husband often struggles with how to write words in English that sound the same. Funny enough, I have the same problem in Dutch as the past participle often ends in -d or -t and you can’t hear the difference. There’s a whole mnemonic device (which they call a donkey’s bridge) to remember whether to use the -d or -t. I can’t even remember how to spell the donkey’s bridge (‘t kofschip), which makes things a bit complicated. Thank goodness this is one of the few things Microsoft Word grammar control actually gets right.
But I’ve gone off on a bit of a tangent there, haven’t I? Back to passed or past. In this case, it’s not a question of remembering some bizarre mnemonic device. You simply need to look at how the word is used in the sentence and you’ll be fine. First, let’s define the words.
[image error]
[image error]
Looking at these definitions, there is an obvious difference that will eliminate mistakes 95% of the time. Past is an adjective, noun, or preposition whereas as passed is a verb. Look at your sentence, if you are using past as the past tense of (to) pass, it’s an easy fix as passed is the past tense of pass and not past. The trouble arrives when past is used as an adverb or preposition. But just remember, prepositions and adverbs are nouns as well.
Remember diagramming sentences? Don’t worry, I won’t make you diagram a complete sentence, but it is helpful to be able to determine the subject and verb. (Okay, that is part of diagramming a sentence, but I said I wouldn’t make you diagram a complete sentence and this is only step 1.) Because past is many things, but never a verb.
Let’s look at some simple examples: Is it past or passed?
I walked past the post office.
Determine the subject and verb. I is the subject. Walked is the verb. In this case, past is a preposition and therefore past is correct.
The danger had past.
The danger is the subject. The verb is had past. Past is not a correct past perfect form of the verb to pass. (FYI: every past tense form of to pass is passed) Therefore, past should be passed. The danger had passed.
I am not a grammer geek. Really, I’m not. I make just as many mistakes as the other writers, but I do try to learn from not only my mistakes but mistakes from others as well. Write on …
[image error]
February 14, 2017
Read the 1st chapter of Wellington Belle (#Free today!) from Cheryl R. Lane #MTW
[image error]
Book title: Wellington Belle; Book Four in the Wellington Cross Series
Series: Wellington Cross
Author: Cheryl R. Lane
Genre: Historical romance/mystery/suspense
Published: September 2016
Synopsis
In 1895, Annie “Belle” Wellington moves into Adams House, a boarding house that she helps run with the owner, Amanda Adams, in Charles City, Virginia. Life in the boarding house quickly turns awry when they encounter a mysterious death, a shocking rape, and other secrets in the old house. In the midst of all of this, Belle finds herself falling in love with Amanda’s cousin, Jason, after dancing with him at her family’s annual Spring Ball. But who committed the heinous acts in the boarding house? Sheriff Bob and Belle’s brother, Bertie, carry out the investigation
Grab a copy!
Amazon (ebook copy is free today!) ~ Barnes & Noble
Excerpt
Chapter One
April 1895
“Father, I’m moving out and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”
Annie Belle Wellington, or Belle, as she preferred to be called, was in her bedroom on the third floor of her family’s plantation home, Wellington Cross, packing a trunk.
Her father, Ethan Wellington, had different opinions about his youngest daughter. “It’s not proper, Annie Belle.” He made her feel like a child when he used her first and middle names together.
“It’s perfectly proper these days, and besides, Amanda needs me to cook breakfast, afternoon tea, and supper, and it’s getting too tiresome to travel up and down the road twice a day.”
Belle began working at the Adams House two years ago when she turned eighteen, right after attending finishing school. The boarding house was the first of its kind in Charles City, and the proprietor, Amanda Adams, was a lonely unmarried woman who wanted to do something different after her mother passed away, something to take her mind off of her grief. So she moved to town from City Point, just across the James River, and found a nice big house but was unable to afford it on her own, so she turned it into a boarding house. Belle’s duties in the beginning had included cleaning the rooms and keeping the fireplaces lit. Her father had objected then, not wanting her to be subjected to such demeaning work, but she persisted until she got her way.
“Besides, it’s not safe traveling at night with just me and Junior,” she continued, referring to Cyrus, son of a couple of older ex-slaves, Cora and Cyrus.
Ethan ran his fingers through his graying brown hair. “I just want you to be safe. There are a lot of unmarried men staying in that boarding house. What if one of them tried to hurt you? Who would come to your rescue?”
“I can handle myself. I don’t need a man to rescue me,” she said with a sharp tongue.
Belle didn’t have a man in her life, had never let a man touch her. At twenty, she had plenty of suitors, danced with many men at parties and balls, even kissed a few of them, but she had yet to find one suitable to be a beau. Let alone a husband. She’d learned from a young age how to deal with men by watching her two older sisters, Lillie and Lizzie. Even watched as they made fools of themselves letting their beaus grope them in the garden. Belle wanted something more in life than just getting a man. She saw plenty of men of all ages at the boarding house, but none she wanted to have anything more to do with than check them in, take their money, and fix them some food.
Belle’s mother, Madeline, stepped into the room, hearing the argument. “Is everything all right?”
“Your daughter wants to move into that boarding house,” Ethan said.
“Mother, will you please explain to Father that I’m capable of taking care of myself? You’ve taught me all I need to know about shooting a gun, and I can scrap with the best of them, just like I’ve done with Godfrey and Bertie since I was little.”
“You do know how to handle yourself to a certain point,” Madeline said, “but what if someone surprises you and you don’t see him coming?”
Belle’s mother had been abducted when she was twenty, so she’d always been very protective of Belle and her sisters while at the same time teaching them how to defend themselves.
“I’ll keep a close watch and lock my door at night. And a gun on the bedside table. Please, Mother. I’m twenty years old, unmarried, and I want a career. Like Lillie.”
Her oldest sister owned a dress shop in town where she spent part of her day fitting women into the latest fashions. Belle liked the idea of doing something for herself instead of being herded from one ball to the next looking for a husband like she was some kind of slave at auction.
“I’m surprised anyone can afford a boarding house after the economic slump we’ve had,” Ethan said.
“That’s why the boarding house is so popular, Father. It’s cheaper than the tavern. We only charge twelve dollars a week for room and board.”
“Oh, so it’s we now?” Ethan asked.
“Yes. I think she might make me a partner soon. That’s why it’s so important that I move in with her to help her run things and be close by. You don’t want me to miss this opportunity, do you?” Without waiting for an answer, she continued on, “The boarding house even has modern conveniences like a bath-room for bathing and an indoor kitchen so I wouldn’t have to go outside to cook meals or heat water for tea. And the earth closet is close by on the back porch just outside the bath-room when I need to use the privy.”
“An indoor kitchen? The whole house could burn down,” Madeline said.
Her mother had also lost her memory after an incident when she was twenty and the house she’d been living in was burned to the ground. Sometimes it was hard winning an argument with her because she had experienced so many terrible things and she was extra cautious.
“It’s perfectly safe,” Belle insisted. “And it makes it so much nicer to serve food straight from the kitchen to the dining area without having to go outside in inclement weather.”
“That does sound nice,” Madeline agreed.
Belle continued, smiling inside, knowing how she could get her mother to side with her. “You should see the new bathtub Amanda had put in last week, Mother. It’s cast iron but covered with porcelain enamel so it won’t rust. You won’t believe how smooth it feels. And it’s elevated on four legs. There’s a long curtain that hangs from the ceiling for complete privacy, and there’s a fireplace for heating water and also for warmth in the wintertime.”
Her mother nearly purred. “It sounds so luxurious.”
Belle nodded. “Yes, Amanda said it was advertised to be a hog scalder, but she swore that people in England were taking more baths now, and that our visitors would be more inclined to stay at the house if we had such nice amenities.” She did her best to give as many details as she could remember to butter them up, especially her father.
“I can see you’ve learned a lot about this,” he said.
“Besides,” she continued, “Junior can stay here where he’s needed and stoke your fireplace at night instead of hauling me up the road and back.”
“What do you think, Ethan? Shall we let our last little bird leave the nest?” Madeline asked.
“I suppose you can try this, but Belle, please come back home if at any time you don’t feel safe.”
Belle nodded enthusiastically.
“Promise me,” her father stressed.
“I promise.” She reached over and hugged him first and then her mother. “Thank you both.”
She went back to packing, not hiding her grin.
Her father kissed her forehead before he walked out the door, and her mother stayed to help, asking more questions about the bathtub.
Belle arrived at Adam House before sunset, driven by Junior in the carriage and accompanied by her father, who had insisted on coming. The two men carried her trunk upstairs to the room where Belle would be staying. It was a small room on the second floor across from the library and the reception area where people checked in, a convenient place for her to be situated. She served meals in the library and checked people in just inside the back door of the house.
Customers would enter through the front door and be led to the parlor where Amanda would interview them to determine if they were suitable to stay in the house. In that way, she could weed out the riffraff. Once she approved of them, they were escorted to the back of the house where Belle would check them in, take their pay, placing it carefully and honestly in an old-fashioned tender box that she kept hidden inside the fold-down desk, and would hand them a key to their room.
After her father and Junior left, she put the last of her undergarments into a tall walnut chest of drawers and looked around her new room at the boarding house. Her room. It was smaller than what she was accustomed to, but she felt so proud to be living here and being a part of this business. It was a beautiful home and would now be her home.
She walked down the hall to the library and looked at the grandfather clock to see that it was half past seven. There was only one boarder at the moment, a businessman who looked to be in his fifties with graying hair, traveling through town by himself. Dull and boring was her impression when she’d checked him in earlier that day, but he was pleasant.
Amanda came into the library. “Belle, I’m going to turn in early tonight. Mr. Gardner said he was in for the night and wouldn’t need anything else. I’ll lock up on my way down if you don’t need me for anything.”
“No, I was thinking about taking a bath. Would that be all right?”
Amanda smiled, tucking a loose strand of her red hair behind her earlobe. “That’s the second bath this week, Belle. You’ll be the cleanest girl in Virginia if you keep that up.”
Belle laughed. “I just love that bathtub.”
Amanda’s green eyes seemed to twinkle. “I understand. Be careful coming back up the stairs when you’re done. Wear your shoes. And lock the bath-room door if you use the privy.”
“Yes, ma’am, I will.”
“Please don’t call me ma’am, Belle. That makes me feel old.”
They both laughed.
Amanda sobered and said, “You’ve been working here for two years so you’re like family to me.” Belle smiled. “I’m glad you decided to move in here. It’ll be good to have another person around here at night.”
Belle noted a tinge of melancholy in Amanda’s eyes.
“I’m happy to be here, Amanda. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good-night,” Amanda said, taking an oil lamp with her down the hallway towards the staircase in the middle of the house.
Belle went back into her room, took off all her clothes, and wrapped a pale pink dressing gown around her. She slipped her feet into some matching slippers, presents from her parents the previous Christmas, picked up an oil lamp, and headed down the hallway. The new gas lamps on the walls were turned off at night for safety and conservation.
She padded down the wooden stairs quietly to the first floor and down the hall towards the bath-room, the next to the last room on the right, located at the stables side of the house.
She carefully turned the handle of the door and was surprised to hear splashing water inside the room.
“Amanda?” she whispered softly. She thought that perhaps Amanda had decided to take a bath before turning in.
She pushed the door open a little further and was shocked to see a man sitting in the bathtub with dark wet hair. A gas lamp on the wall illuminated his cold brown eyes which pierced hers. He was obviously enraged at the intrusion.
She quickly turned her head away. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Gardner. I was told you had turned in for the evening. Please forgive me.”
She quickly closed the door and ran back down the hall with her oil lamp swinging dangerously. Before she reached the staircase, she heard the bath-room door open. She quickly flattened herself against the wall around the corner next to a cupboard and put the lamp on the floor behind her. Peeking around the corner, she saw a tall man wearing only a white cloth around his lower body, carrying a lantern. He walked across the hallway into a storage room beside the kitchen. Belle thought it was odd for anyone to go in there.
It was only then that she realized that the man had dark hair, not gray.
He was not Mr. Gardner.
So who was this man?
Was Amanda hiding a man in the house?
About the Author
[image error]
I was born and raised in Johnson City, Tennessee, and went to college at East Tennessee State University before marrying my high school sweetheart and moving to Virginia Beach, Virginia. I started writing as a hobby when I was in college after purchasing a couple of Southern Heritage cookbooks, which were filled with pages of beautiful old plantation homes. I used to sit outside in my backyard and type on a manual typewriter at a picnic table under the trees. I continued writing after moving to Virginia Beach and visiting beautifully restored homes in Williamsburg as well as plantations on the James River. I’ve been working as a medical transcriptionist for over 25 years while writing on the side, and finally decided to self-publish my first book, “Wellington Cross,” on Amazon in December 2012. I have since written “Wellington Grove,” “A Wellington Christmas,” a novella, book three in that series, “Wellington Rose,” and my newest release, book four, “Wellington Belle.” I have also started a new Angel Series and published two books so far in that series, Starlight Wishes and Sunrise Kisses. I am currently working on my next book, which will be book five in the Wellington Cross series. I am still married to my sweetheart after 28 years, and we have one son and a Havanese bichon.
Stalk the author
[image error]
Interview with @StephenBentley8, author of Operation Julie, true crime memoir #MTW
[image error]
Undercover: Operation Julie – The Inside Story is a memoir of your time as an undercover officer. What made you decide to write this memoir?
It is a book that has been in my head for so many years; the old adage about “everyone has a book within them” was certainly true in my case. The trouble was initially I didn’t know how to write it. I started and stopped so many times until I discovered how to write.
Operation Julie is still a “big deal” in the UK and still one of the largest drug busts in that country. News articles about it still crop up on a frequent basis and I became somewhat annoyed at some of the inaccurate reporting so that was a further reason for writing the book – to put the record straight.
I also needed to write the book because subconsciously I needed to exorcise some “ghosts” from the past. The writing of it became a therapeutic exercise and is even now helping me to come to terms with the psychological impact of working deep undercover – the living of a “lie” as two very different people but in the same skin.
You donate a portion of your book royalties to the James Bulger Memorial Trust. Tell us about that and your decision to make this donation.
James Bulger was a toddler murdered in the Merseyside area of the UK in 1993. It became a high-profile case and shocked the nation not just because he was a toddler but the fact his killers were aged about 10 or 11.
My early detective experiences were on Merseyside. About one year ago, Stuart Fergus contacted me through my personal blog Expat in Bacolod (a city in the Philippines). Stuart is married to Denise, the mother of James and Stuart also helps run the charity started in James’ name.
He contacted me because a man from Merseyside had told Denise and Stuart he had seen a vision of James in a cave in the Philippines but they had lost his contact details. They thought he may have been an expat living in the Philippines and I volunteered to write a blog post in an attempt to find this man. Sadly, the man was never traced but I struck up a firm “virtual” friendship with Stuart and decided to support the charity named after James Bulger.
You’ve been a police officer, an attorney, and now an expat writing from the Philippines. Can you tell us about your journey to become a writer?
Phew! That is a long story. I first wanted to write when I was still at school and thought about journalism as a career. It didn’t happen. I guess my writing skills were sharpened by my 14 years as an attorney and the professional training to become a trial lawyer. Oral argument and skills are but one factor as counsel in a trial. You also need to be at least proficient in preparing written arguments particularly on matters of law.
That kind of legal writing gives no scope for storytelling for obvious reasons! I have always had something of a storyteller in me (my Irish genes?) so I first started seriously writing on my blog.
I then wrote many articles and stories as a freelance writer hopefully honing my technique. Finally, I tested the waters with my first book all about my experiences of crazy drivers in the Philippines and published it on Amazon. That gave me the confidence to finish my memoir. More recently my confidence in my own writing has been boosted by being invited to become a HuffPost UK contributor and I now have two articles published there.
That confidence has been lifted higher still by some of the kind remarks made in Amazon reviews of my memoir relating to my writing style.
Can you give us just a taste of Undercover: Operation Julie – The Inside Story? A small anecdote perhaps?
Sure, and I guess the most dramatic part of my story and the book is the meeting with the Canadian gangster and drug dealer. He was talking about huge quantities of Bolivian cocaine and asking me to help import it into the UK.
It’s not unusual when deep undercover to be challenged by the “bad guys.” The Canadian did and held his fingers to my head shaped like a pistol. What followed was a mock execution with him making the “Pop! Pop!” sound of mimicking two bullets fired into my brain. That was his way of warning of the consequences if I turned out to be a cop. I am still here to tell the tale.
Tell us about your next release. And when can we expect it?
That’s a tough one to answer. I now have three book projects on the go and a fourth on the back burner. I really do have to decide which one to concentrate on first.
It will either be my debut novel based on undercover cops but pure fiction this time! Or it may be a sequel to my memoir as many people and readers seem to want to know more, not only about my undercover days but also other aspects of my life.
Maybe it will be the book about my paternal grandfather (see bio) but that is still at the research stage.
You can now understand why it’s a tough question. In any event I am hopeful a further book will be published by the end of 2017.
[image error]
Book title: Undercover: Operation Julie – The Inside Story
Author: Stephen Bentley
Genre: True Crime/Memoir/Law Enforcement
Published: September 14, 2016
Synopsis:
This unflinching memoir … opens up a world of drugs, crime, passion, and fear in a way that no other book has ever been able to do: because it’s true… Bentley’s sympathetic and yet tough view on those that he met and the people that both helped and hindered him is gripping, and his narrative sweep can sometimes make you forget that this is fact, not fiction – Review Excerpt
Operation Julie is still today the “point of reference” for all British undercover operations and training. The BBC in 2011 claimed this massive and unique police operation was the start of the “war on drugs.”
The author, Stephen Bentley, was one of four undercover detectives engaged on Operation Julie, one of the world’s largest drug busts. He, together with his undercover partner, not only infiltrated the gang producing around 90 percent of the world’s LSD but also uncovered a plot to import huge quantities of Bolivian cocaine into the UK.
The drugs underworld knew the author as Steve Jackson. How did he successfully infiltrate the two gangs? Did he have to take drugs? How did ‘living a lie’ affect him? Discover the answers and get inside the mind of Steve Jackson, undercover detective …
I found it a fascinating, straightforward, honest account of an insider who was in truth an outsider. It’s a tale of outrageous greed, lust, violence and the bravery of a few men who had an admirable goal and how they managed it. An insider’s perspective of the drug trade, told with charm, intelligence, and at times humor, by a talented man, uniquely qualified to dish the real story, who above all was an honest decent man. Just a plain good read. – Review Excerpt
Grab a copy today!
Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ Other Venues
About the Author
[image error]
Stephen Bentley is a former police Detective Sergeant and barrister (trial attorney) from the UK. He is now a freelance writer and HuffPost UK blogger. His memoir ‘Undercover: Operation Julie – The Inside Story’ is a frank account of his undercover detective experiences during Operation Julie – an elite group of detectives who successfully investigated one of the world’s largest drugs rings. When he isn’t writing, Stephen follows the (mis)fortunes of Liverpool Football Club from afar and relaxes on the beaches of the Philippines with his family where he now lives. Stephen is currently working on two books. He is writing his first novel. It is based on his real life undercover cop days. He is also writing a book about his paternal grandfather, a rating in the British Royal Navy. Able Seaman Frederick Bentley joined the Navy as a “boy sailor” in 1916 at the age of 17. He was on the Prince of Wales in 1941 when that ship was sunk by the Japanese in the South China Sea. His grandfather survived and remained in the Navy until 1945. He would like you to know that he will donate a portion of all book sales royalties to the James Bulger Memorial Trust, a UK registered charity.
Stalk the Author
Website ~ Facebook ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Twitter
February 12, 2017
#MTW continues ~ interview w/Anna Willett, author of Retribution Ridge, brutal yet touching #thriller
Retribution Ridge is full of action and suspense. Tell us what your inspiration was to write in this genre.
I’ve always been drawn to darker stories both in books and on films. So it feels natural for me to write stories that examine the darker side of human nature and behaviour.
Writing thrillers gives me the opportunity to write about characters that who are battling the more sinister aspects of human behavior. Sometimes the battle is going on inside a character as well as around them. I write stories that I’d be interested in reading – as a reader I want to be caught up in the drama. To experience thinking and behaviour that’s alien to me. I want stories that thrill and disturb me so that’s what I try to write.
Retribution Ridge takes place on a hiking trip in the wilderness. Are you a hiker? A lover of the wilderness?
I spend a great deal of time hiking in the bush. There’s something compelling about the wilderness, it’s beautiful and scary at the same time. As well as a source of inspiration, the isolation is conducive to the uninterrupted thinking process necessary to develop a story.
Describe Retribution Ridge series in 140 characters (also known as a tweet).
Retribution Ridge is a stand-alone novel. If I had to describe it in 140 characters, I’d probably say: Unrelenting action and chills. A Brutal yet touching thriller.
What’s the most amusing thing that happened to you while writing or researching Retribution Ridge series?
We (my husband and I) were walking in the bush at dusk. I like to take photos and make notes, really get the feel for the area I’m writing about. So I’m thinking about a terrifying chase through the wilderness. What would my main character do? How would she survive? And out of nowhere springs a male kangaroo. He had to be nearly seven feet tall and all muscle. I’ve seen plenty of roos in the bush, but there was something very menacing about this one – nothing like Skippy. My reaction was far from the courageous female character in my books. I picked up a stick and then ran in the other direction.
Some claim that the thriller genre is dominated by men. Has being a woman in a male dominated genre effected your writing or marketing of your writing?
A good thriller transcends gender, at least it does for me. I write about situations and people as I see them sometimes that means dealing with grim or brutal circumstances. I write from a female perspective of course, but it’s still no holds barred. My novels often involve strong female characters which I suppose has to effect the marketing. While the genre might be male dominated, women are taking the lead in many ways. Look at writers like Agatha Christie, Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl) and Karin Slaughter. Some of the best crime, mystery/thriller writers of all time are women so the genre is certainly not a boys club.
Plotter or Pantser? Explain.
I’m not a plotter, I don’t write a full outline before I begin. I know the setting and what I want to happen. I know my main characters. From there, I let the characters lead me because as they develop, so does the story. Once I’m a few chapters in, I’ll make some notes about what I want to happen in each of the subsequent chapters. It’s usually just one or two lines but it helps me keep up the momentum and drive the story forward. I leave most of the research and fill in the blanks when the novel’s finished, otherwise I become too side tracked. If, for example I want to write about a certain type of car, I’ll just highlight the word car and leave the rest for later. When I first started writing, I’d stop and go online trying to find information. Sometimes an hour would go by. I realised that the details can wait, getting the story out is the most important thing for me.
How do you react to a bad review of your book?
Bad reviews are a fact of life. It’s impossible to please everyone so it’s not surprising when someone gives a bad review. An unfair review is harder to take. But it’s just one of those things that makes being a writer so interesting. I don’t dwell on the negatives, I just feel grateful that someone cared enough about my work to leave a review.
What are the most important attributes for remaining sane as a writer?
Don’t force it. I try to set goals in terms of word count, but if I need a day off for whatever reason, I take it. I love writing, and so I protect that feeling by not letting the work become a chore. Some people say a writer must write every day. If that’s what works for them, then by all means do it. Having an artistic outlet keeps me sane. I’m very fortunate to be able to do something I enjoy, but if I had to force myself to produce, even when life gets in the way, what would be the point?
Tell us about your next release. And when can we expect it?
I’m working on a couple things at the moment; both thrillers. One is about two women who meet and after a seemingly unimportant encounter, one of them is abducted by a serial killer operating in Perth and the South-west. The two women’s lives become connected in a deadly way.
The other is about a group of friends that spend a weekend at a secluded holiday house. The idilic setting turns out to be anything but. The weekend becomes a test of loyalty and trust that has grim consequenses.
I’m hoping to get something out in the first part of next year.
[image error]
Book title: Retribution Ridge
Author: Anna Willett
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: The Book Folks
Synopsis
For Milly Birdsworth and Her sister Judith, a two day trip in an isolated area of the National Park seems like an ideal way to mend their tattered relationship. With Milly’s best friend Harper along for moral support and experienced hiker Lucas as their guide, it seems nothing can go wrong.
But when everyone has something to hide, it’s difficult to know who to trust. What starts out as an adventure to bring two sisters together quickly becomes a terrifying ordeal where old wounds are exposed and a deadly tragedy is brought to light. One thing is clear, someone is seeking retribution and won’t stop until the guilty are punished.
Get a copy!
Other works from the author
[image error]
About the Author
[image error]
Anna Willett is the author of Backwoods Ripper and Retribution Ridge. Raised in Western Australia Anna developed a love for fiction at an early age and began writing short stories in high school. Drawn to dark tales, Anna enjoys writing thrillers with strong female characters. When she’s not writing, Anna enjoys reading, travelling and spending time with her husband and two children.
Stalk her!
Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook
