Nancy J. Cohen's Blog: Nancy's Notes from Florida, page 108

Versatile Blogger Award

Thanks to LEONIE LUCAS who granted me the Versatile Blogger Award! I put off posting this announcement because it was daunting to come up a list of with 15 bloggers that I follow. It took some work to trace my steps and see where I've been, but several hours later, I'm done. Whew!   

So, here are the rules:

Thank the award-giver and link back to them in your post (done)
Share 7 things about yourself (Oh heck, I have to be interesting now??)
Pass this award along to 15 others (Um.. oh there's her.. and them.. and well, see below for some cool blogs)
Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know about the award (Yay!)

Seven Things About Me You Didn't Already Know…

I prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate.
I always have to read before going to sleep.
I don't sing but I like to dance.
Taking walks is my favorite form of exercise.
The only crime show I watch on TV is Castle (unless you count Grimm).
I love to read historical romance but I won't write it.
I hate filling out these types of questionnaires.

Here are some people that I follow, although I'm often in lurk mode. Please check them out:

Fifteen Blogs You Really Ought to Know!

Allison Chase's News and Views — Popular author of steamy Victorian romance.
Cynthia Thomason — Award-winning author of historical & contemporary romance.
It's Not All Gravy — MaryAnn Miller writes books, screenplays, and stage plays.
Killer Crafts and Crafty Killers — Lois Winston's blog features crafting tips, cozy mystery authors, and recipes.
Author Expressions — Multi-published authors chat about the writing life.
Jungle Red Writers — Eight mystery writers talk about life and writing.
The Kill Zone — Musings of eleven top mystery and thriller authors (including me!).
Escape with Dollycas — Lori Caswell offers book reviews and entertaining posts by guest authors.
Poe's Deadly Daughters — Elizabeth Zelvin's blog is for mystery lovers.
The Stiletto Gang — A group of women writers discuss life and love.
Cozy Chicks — Nine mystery authors discuss life, writing, and their latest releases.
Terry's Place — Terry Odell writes romance with a twist of mystery.
Mona's Blog — Romance author Mona Risk discusses her books and world travels.
Believing is Seeing — Sandra Sookoo writes romance with a paranormal twist.
Fabulous Florida Writers — Jackie Minniti's site features Florida authors.

Hair Horror Stories

When I started the Bad Hair Day mysteries, I asked readers to share their bad hair day stories and then I put these on a page at my Website. Several years later when I revamped my site, I took these down, but I'd saved some in a file. I thought I would share these true bad hair day stories with you.

I'll bet you have your own. I remember going to one stylist for a cut who had short, layered hair. After she trimmed mine, I looked in the mirror and my jaw dropped. She'd given me a similar style, except with my fine hair, the ends stuck out and my hair hung flat. That was the one and only time I'll ever get a short haircut. Chin-length is the shortest that looks good on me. A cute pixie style to bring out my eyes? It would sit there like limp noodles with no body. So here are the woes other customers have shared, but first a few tips I've learned from these experiences:

· Bring a picture of the style you'd like your hairstylist to try on your own head. She's not a mind-reader.

· Be aware that your hair has its own unique texture. What looks great on someone else might not work on you.

· Go to the salon for a professional coloring and avoid home dye jobs. Otherwise, you might rush in for a costly color correction.

· If something goes wrong, speak to your stylist before taking it further. See if she can correct the mistake.   

· If you've agreed to certain services, you owe for them. Don't try to walk out just because your hair didn't turn out exactly as you'd expected.

· Tell your stylist if you have a new medical condition or are taking medications that might affect the hair.

Anonymous: I tried a little self-beautification and decided to highlight my hair to look like a singer on a CD I'd bought. My hair is black and had previously been relaxed for about a week. The highlights were to be a light brown color and of course I could not use the cap to get the effects that the singer on the CD had. So I did a little free-styling with the color that was called Sahara Shimmer. My hair was supposed to turn out with beautiful golden blond highlights. On the box it read, "What you see is what you get." Boy, they weren't lying.

As I applied color to the front section of my hair, I thought this would look good. It was already turning brown. So I started applying it to the other sections of my hair. Well, the box did mention that it would be best to have a friend to help and looking at my hair turning blond right before my eyes at the roots in the front section and in that section only, I panicked.

I started applying all the highlight coloring to my whole head hoping it would turn out one color at least. Fifteen minutes later, I washed it out and prayed I didn't look too bad. As I flipped my hair from under the running water and looked in the mirror, all I could see was a sunburst. I never knew that I could get the color of the sun in my hair. My hair was the color of the rising phoenix. Around the edges and at the roots of my hair, it was blond fading into a copper color with a blond strand here or there. Throughout the middle of my hair at the roots, you could see the remnants of my black hair that used to be healthy and strong after the relaxer straightened it. Now it's fried, dyed and lay to the side. Pray that I will have success at the beautician. Hopefully she can give me back my original color without my hair falling out, as it is already breaking off now.

Anna says: About a year ago I went to a hair salon that I had been to once before. I brought along a picture of a girl with slightly layered hair that was just brushing her shoulders. I told the stylist that I wanted it an inch or two longer than the picture and very slightly layered. Most days, I pulled my hair back so it had to be able to be pulled back at least into a ponytail.     

Well, she cut it about a half an inch below my chin and it was very layered. It looked horrible on me and the worst part was I couldn't pull it back. I tried washing and blow-drying it differently and curling it but nothing made it look better. I was sobbing about it in my room when a good friend, Abby, called. When she heard me crying, she asked what was wrong. When I told her how I had gotten a horrible haircut, she burst out laughing. Neither of my parents understood either how much what my hair looked like mattered to me. I spent the next two weeks sobbing in my room and refusing to leave the house. Word from the wise: SPEAK UP IF YOU THINK THE HAIRSTYLIST IS CUTTING TOO SHORT, TOO LAYERED, TOO LONG, Etc. OR AT LEAST TELL THEM YOU DON'T LIKE IT BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE SALON. THERE IS USUALLY SOMETHING THEY CAN DO.

A reader shares: My sister and I decided to lighten our naturally very dark hair, so we used those at-home kits. Well, halfway through the hour-long process, our hair was very orange and we were scared. So stupidly, we tried about 3 different at-home kits. Now, I have unnaturally jet‑black, purple hair, and my sister has unnaturally light orange hair. Never again, I'll tell ya.    

Melissa's story: I'm a teenager who loves to cut her hair every so often. I like to keep it short because it goes well with my face. I try to get different looks every time I go to my stylist. I have never done my hair at home, and I trust her to the fullest. I never complain and always say "Do what you think is best." I have nice wavy hair, and she's always taken good care of it.                             

Well, when I went for a cut this time, she cut too much from the top. Now I look like a mushroom. I can't let my hair loose and it's too short to pick it up completely. I look horrible; I can't even look at myself in the mirror. I'm going on vacation in three weeks and have no clue what to do with my hair. So, a word of advice to anyone, always put your two cents in as to what you want done with your hair. At the end of your appointment, you're the one walking out on the street with your hair.

<><><>

Check out hairstylist Marla Shore's customers in Shear Murder:

Order a signed copy from Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million

What hair horror story would you like to share?

Jewish Wedding Customs

Today is the official "on sale" date for Shear Murder! Weddings form the theme for this story, a suitable topic right before Valentine's Day. Consider giving a copy of this Bad Hair Day mystery as a gift to your friend or family member.

Hairdresser Marla Shore is a bridesmaid at her friend Jill's ceremony. Things go terribly wrong when Marla finds the matron of honor—Jill's sister—dead under the cake table. Weeks away from her own wedding, Marla has to find the killer fast or she might end up wearing a funeral shroud instead of a bridal veil.

For both ceremonies, I had to research wedding customs the bride would follow. Here are some of my findings:

Why is the bride veiled?                                      

The tradition honors Rebecca, who veiled her face when she was first brought to Isaac to be his wife. The veil also symbolizes modesty and tells us that a person's character is more important than the outward appearance. If truly following the customs, the groom is supposed to lower the veil over the bride's face. Thus after getting a glimpse of her, he won't be deceived as was Jacob when Leah was substituted for Rachel.

What is the meaning of the canopy under which the couple are wed?

The four-posted chuppah symbolizes the home being built by the happy couple. It is open on all sides like the tent of Abraham and Sarah who welcomed visitors.

Why does the bride circle the groom seven times?

Just as the world was created in seven days, the bride, representing Mother Earth, reminds people that marriage is part of the creation process. At the same time, she symbolically builds the walls of the couple's new dwelling, as embodied by the chuppah.

What happens next?

Blessings of betrothal, including the Kiddush or blessing over wine, come next. The Kiddush is a sanctification prayer recited on most religious occasions. Here it signifies the sanctification of a man and woman together in marriage.

When is the couple officially married?

In Jewish law, a marriage becomes official when the groom gives his bride an object of value, such as a gold ring. For more religious observers, it is placed on the bride's right forefinger where witnesses can readily see it, and the ring is a plain band without any stones. The ring symbolizes the continuity of an everlasting marriage.                

The Ketubah, or Jewish marriage contract, is read after the giving of the ring. This document is signed and witnessed, often immediately prior to the ceremony, and is considered legally binding. It details the husband's obligations to his wife, including among other things, his duty to provide food, clothing, and marital relations. It also mentions his obligations regarding child support and provides for his wife's financial security in the event of death or divorce.

What kind of blessings follow?

After the giving of the ring and reading of the Ketubah, seven more blessings are offered. These, like the previous ones, are accompanied by sips of wine.

Why does the groom smash a cloth-wrapped glass?

This practice is supposed to remind people of the Holy Temple's destruction in Jerusalem. It means that to truly experience joy, one must be open to the possibility of sorrow. Some say this is the last time the groom gets to put his foot down.

<><><>

One of the most interesting topics I discovered during my online research was the concept of Soul Mates. According to one source, forty days before a male child is conceived, a heavenly voice announces whose daughter he will marry. This match is called bashert. However, finding one's bashert doesn't mean that bliss will follow. Jewish law allows divorce. The Lord also arranges second marriages, choosing a man's next wife based on his merits.

Some resources:

http://www.aish.com/jl/l/m/48969841.html

http://www.jewishweddingnetwork.com/jewish-wedding-traditions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_wedding

http://www.jewfaq.org/marriage.htm

<><><>

Shear Murder by Nancy J. Cohen

Weddings always make Marla Shore shed a tear of joy, and she's elated to attend her friend Jill's reception. Marla's own nuptials are weeks away, and she's busy following her frenetic to-do list. Her plans go awry when she discovers Jill's matron of honor dead under the cake table, a knife embedded in her chest. Lots of folks aren't sorry to see Torrie go, especially since the bride's sister knew their deepest secrets. But when suspicion falls upon Jill, Marla wonders if her dear friend is truly innocent. She'd better untangle the snarl of suspects and iron out the clues before the killer highlights her as the next victim.

BUY NOW !

Leave a comment during Nancy's blog tour and enter to win signed copies of Perish by Pedicure and Killer Knots.

Coming next: Why I Like Cozies at The Stiletto Gang  on Thursday, Feb. 9 (That's tomorrow!)

The Plotting Process

I love it when a new story begins to come together. I've started to plot my next mystery, and as such, I'm in the discovery phase as I mentioned below in my discussion on the three stages of writing. This means I'm getting to know the general background, setting, and characters before sitting down to actually write the story.

Since this will be a continuation of my series, I already know the main characters and the setting. So who's the victim? That's the first thing I determine. Next come the suspects. Who wants this guy dead and why? I begin by making a list of possible acquaintances, relatives, or business associates close to this individual. Then I give each one a motive. Suspect A is embezzling money. Suspect B is skirting state regulations. Suspect C resented the victim for spurning her. And so on. What's more difficult is linking these people together.

For example, the Victim discovers an irregularity and reports it to Suspect B. Suspect B advises him to notify the authorities. Instead, he tells Suspect C. Suspect C, alarmed about the implications, threatens Suspect B to keep her quiet. Meanwhile, after the Victim dies, Suspect B throws suspicion on Suspect D. This person tips off the sleuth that Suspect E could cause trouble. You get the idea?

It's wonderful when these connections start snapping together. At this point, I begin writing my synopsis. I also have to determine the personal angle for the sleuth, because the mystery won't take up an entire 75,000 words. We want the story to be about her life and how the crime impacts her and why she gets involved. What other difficulties is she facing at this time? How will she grow and change by the end of the book?

Research also comes into play at this stage. I have to ask my police source about the crime scene and I have to look up info on the "irregularity" the Vic discovers and where that can lead my sleuth. Maybe I'll send her to a location I haven't visited before, so I'll have to figure out how to work that into the plot.

The discovery process can take weeks or even months. I don't like to hurry it. Once the fragments start to brew in my subconscious, it's like a stew that has to simmer so the ingredients can blend together. Ideas will bubble to the surface and I'll jot them down. I'll delve deeper into my characters, determining who they are and cutting out photos from magazines to suit them. Eventually, I'll have a cohesive whole and a completed synopsis. Then I can begin writing.

Kirkus Review of Shear Murder

SHEAR MURDER by Nancy J. Cohen

Finding the bride's sister's corpse under the dessert table can ruin most of your day, as hairstylist Marla Shore (Killer Knots, 2007, etc.) discovers at her friend Jill's wedding.

With her own special day a scant two weeks off, Marla plays close attention to the Barlow-Hartman nuptials. And at first things look perfect. Jill Barlow has even converted to Judaism so she and Arnie can include the traditional Seven Blessings in their service under a gorgeous, flower-bedecked chuppah. Jill's sister Torrie, a fashion reporter from Boca Style Magazine, has talked philanthropist Falcon Oakwood into allowing the wedding to take place on the opening day of his Orchid Isle nature preserve, so Boca Style photographer Griff Beasley is on hand to take lots of fabulous pictures. Florist Phillip Canfield has outdone himself in supplying cascades of rare blooms. Of course, Jill's quarrel with Torrie over what to do with the parcel of land they co-own, managed by their realtor cousin Kevin, doesn't bode well. But the real downer is Marla's discovery of Torrie's body tucked under the table just before Jill and Arnie cut the wedding cake. Marla is so bummed out that she can hardly make tender love to her sexy fiancé, Dalton Vail, that evening. Instead of writing out place cards, she spends the time before she ties the knot asking pointed questions of anyone she thinks may be responsible for Torrie's demise, until of course someone decides to shut her up—unfortunately, not soon enough.

Cohen takes the amateur-sleuth-who-asks-too-many-nosy-questions formula to new depths. It's enough to make your hair curl.

Kirkus Reviews

Pub Date: Jan. 18th, 2012

ISBN: 978-1-4328-2554-6

Page count: 246pp

Publisher: Five Star

Review Posted Online: Dec. 4th, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15th, 2011

http://search.comcast.net/?cat=web&con=homepage&q=Shear+Murder

**Don't forget to follow my blog tour and leave a comment for a chance to win free signed books! Coming next:

Saturday, February 4, Poe's Deadly Daughters, Topic: Florida as Character

Sunday, February 5, Cozy Chicks, Topic: Love and Murder

Thursday, February 9, The Stiletto Gang, Topic: Why I Like Cozies

Thursday, February 16, Patricia Stoltey, Topic: Obsessions and Orchids

Tuesday, February 28, Killer Characters, Topic: Hair Care Q&A with Marla Shore

 

Space Coast Writers Conference

First, congratulations to MAUREEN HAYES who won my January blog contest!

Remember to check my dates in February (click on Appearances above) and comment on my blogs and guest posts to enter a drawing for more free prizes.

This past weekend, I had a great time meeting new friends at the Space Coast Writers Guild Conference.

As a published author, I served as a mentor to three newbie writers. My experience is more fully described on Wednesday over at The Kill Zone . Based on those sessions, I wish to offer these writing tips for your opening chapters:

Start with action or dialogue. If you absolutely must begin with a description, make sure it is emotionally evocative from the main character's viewpoint.
Leave backstory for later or weave it in with dialogue. Or drop it in a line or two at a time in the character's head if it relates to the action.
Make sure all conversations serve a purpose.
Remember to include emotional reactions during dialogue between characters.
Make sure your characters are not talking about something they already know just so the reader can learn about it.
Keep the story moving forward.

We all gained a greater understanding of our work from this interactive mentoring experience. I helped my group with critiques of their work, suggestions for author branding and promotion, getting an agent, etc. They helped me determine suspects' motives for my next mystery.

I also presented a session on Getting an Agent, which included writing the selling synopsis and query letter. I didn't get to attend many sessions myself, except for one on working with Amazon Createspace. But we attendees had a couple of meals together where I met new friends and heard interesting keynote speeches. The hotel on Cocoa Beach was on the ocean so we got to watch the sun rise over the water. A good restaurant in town is the Lobster Shanty if you ever go there. During the book signing, I sat next to mystery author Lois Winston. We chatted and traded info about the industry.

As an experienced author, you'll see how much you know and how far you've come when you attend conferences with mostly beginning writers. I hope I was helpful to the people I mentored. Now I can face my next story with renewed enthusiasm.

SUNRISE ON THE BEACH

LOIS WINSTON AND NANCY COHEN

If you have any doubts about whether you should sign up for a writers' conference, do it now. You'll pick up new gems of writing advice or industry buzz, make new friends, gain name recognition, and come away reenergized. It's worth the time and money to invest in your career.

After this intense conference, we relaxed at the Magic Kingdom. The expansion of Fantasyland continues with construction evident. Other attractions were closed for refurbishment as well. It was a perfect day, sunny in the seventies. We just enjoyed strolling through the grounds and admiring the flowers and landscaping. As always, we had one new experience. We got stuck on the Carousel of Progress in the 1920's scene. This kept repeating itself and we didn't revolve to the next diorama. Everyone got up after viewing the scene for the third time and left through one of the exits. I saw later that they had fixed the ride. Oh, well. It didn't obstruct from our pleasure.

 BIRD WATCHING THE PEOPLE

SPLASH MOUNTAIN

Conference Prep

How long does it take you to prepare for a writers conference? Soon I'll be heading off to the Space Coast Writers Guild Conference in Cocoa Beach, SleuthFest in Orlando, and Malice Domestic in Bethesda. It can take me up to a week to get ready for each event.

Conferences necessitate a lot of preparation, especially if you're going as a speaker. Aside from determining what you hope to accomplish, i.e. attending specialized craft sessions, learning about new publishing options, meeting editors, etc., there's the physical prep. Here's a checklist of things to consider.

Prepare for your talks. If you're a panelist, it's easier because you don't have to do much prep, unless each person is expected to give a presentation. Moderator-run panels mean more work for the moderator but less work for the panel guests. If you are conducting a workshop on your own, you'll need to compose or update your material.     
Get copies made of handouts. If you're speaking on different topics, assemble each handout in a separate manila envelope to keep them organized.
Order business cards unless you have them ready. Consider updating them with QR codes or with your social network URLs.
Pack brochures, bookmarks, and flyers about your books.
If you are driving, toss a box of extra books into your trunk in case the bookseller in charge of the signing doesn't get your books in time. Bring a checkbook because the bookseller might offer to sell you leftover stock at a discounted price. Also consider giving away a book or two at your talks as a door prize or at the Q&A session.
If you're donating a raffle basket, get this ready.
Bring a signup sheet for your newsletter.
Print out the conference workshop schedule and highlight your appearances. List these on your website and other online sites and include these papers in your suitcase. Bring a highlighter along so you can go through the conference schedule on site and mark things you want to attend.
Box promotional items for goody rooms, i.e. pens, magnets, and other swag.
Print out contact info for friends you hope to meet at the conference.
Decide which outfits to wear to the different events. Business attire for daytime, dressier clothes for evening? Don't forget matching shoes, handbags, and jewelry.

Nancy Cohen, Allison Chase, Cynthia Thomason

If you're driving, print out directions to the venue. If you're flying, make sure you have all the required documents.
Determine what gadgets to bring along: iPad or Laptop? Kindle or Nook? Camera to photograph authors, panelists, and parties so you can document your post-conference blog?
Notebook to take notes.
Sharpie pens for signing books and ballpoint pens for note taking.
All the usual things you bring when traveling: toiletries, cosmetics, medicines, etc.

And the countdown begins. What else would you add to this list?

     

Crime Scenes

Detective R.C. White (retired) spoke at yesterday's Florida chapter of Mystery Writers of America. Here's a smattering of what he discussed. Even though my cozy mysteries don't contain forensics details, you never know when such knowledge will be useful.

Consider involving a Public Safety Aid in your story. The PSA doesn't have arrest power but does a lot of the grunt work.
DAVID—Driver and Vehicle Identification Database. If an officer has this equipment in his car, he can bring up your driver's license photo, driving record, vehicle registration info, and your emergency contacts if you've listed them.
NCIS is one of Detective White's recommended TV shows.
Bag and Tag. In reality, more than plastic bags are used. Guns may go in boxes. Items may go into brown bags. But on TV, they use plastic bags so the viewer can see the item.
Before touching anything at a crime scene, you must carefully observe and photograph.        
Photographs should be taken from wide angles all the way to close up shots. The camera should be at a ninety degree angle. Tripods or other equipment are sometimes used to steady the camera, which has to be leveled to take the shot. Often a ruler is placed beside the item being photographed. Different types of rulers may be used depending on what's being photographed. Lighting is important. Footprints, for example, require oblique lighting.
A database of shoeprints exists, or at least it did when the detective was active at work.
Luminol glows like a wrist watch in a darkened room, and it's a time exposure. This chemical agent is used to expose possible blood stains. False positives can come from rust, copper, iron, enamel paint, horseradish, etc. So it's a presumptive test. The next step is to take a swab and test it. Some of the other techniques deploy PTH or phenylthaline and Protein Dye Stains.
For fingerprints, besides lifting tapes, Iodine Fuming involves breaking a glass beaker tube and blowing through it. The fumes adhere to grease and oils, i.e. prints may become visible. Must photograph them before the chemical fades. Ninhydrin turns fingerprints into color so you can see them this way, too. (Disclaimer: This is what I heard, so it's subject to my perception. Accuracy should be verified before using this source).

At this point, Detective White showed us clips from the film, "My Cousin Vinny", to demonstrate courtroom technique. He said this movie is required viewing at some law schools. I hadn't seen this movie. It looks hilarious as well as informative. Will have to watch the TV schedule to catch it next time it plays. 

I may never use this information in one of my stories, but again, you never know. It's absorbed into my mental storage unit of crime data from mystery conferences. But it proves one important point. Don't rely on television for your investigative details. Get the facts, ma'am, and check your sources.

<><><>

Please visit the sites on my Blog Tour and leave a comment for your chance to win a free signed copy of Shear Murder. This site counts, too, but I'd like to thank my hosts by having folks stop by my guest sites. Today I'm at Lelia Taylor's Buried Under Books.

**January 22, Sunday, Buried Under Books, "Setting as Inspiration"

Coming Next:

January 25, Wednesday, Escape with Dollycas, "Weddings and Murder"

January 30, Monday, Savvy Authors, "Concluding a Series"

And if you missed my prior ones:

January 13, Friday, Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers, "Character Quirks"

January 16, Monday, Author Expressions, Author Interview

January 20, Friday, Jungle Red Writers, "Conferences, Cocktails, and Coffee"

Cruise with your Muse

Sign up now for Florida Romance Writer's biannual cruise conference!

Come Cruise with your Muse on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Sea from Ft Lauderdale, Florida on Thursday, January 24th, 2013 to Monday, January 28th, 2013. Join us and see the beautiful blue seas of Cozumel and bask in the Caribbean sunlight. Writing Workshops, Editor/Agents Appointments, and more! Spouse/companion package available.

For Pricing information visit us at: http://frwfuninthesunregistra.blogspot.com/

To register follow these few simple steps.

Step 1: Register http://www.frwriters.org/conferences.html

Step 2: Pay Conference Fee http://www.frwriters.org/reg_paypal.htm

Step 3: Our Travel agent Elda Awapara-Maldonado at ONE WORLD CRUISES will contact you to finalize your plans and receive your cruise fee deposit.

Want to come but don't have a roommate or companion yet? No worries. You do not need to have this settled until March 15th, 2012. If you need help finding a roommate, please let us know. We have already paired up a few fabulous people.

Present a workshop for us and receive a discount of $50 off your conference fee. Email your proposal to heidilynnanderson@att.net

Our conference website can answer most of your questions http://frwfuninthesunworkshops.blogspot.com/  or feel free to email me at FRWfuninthesun@yahoo.com

See you onboard…

Kimberly Gonzalez

Conference Chair

FRW Fun in the Sun 2013

Note from Nancy: I've signed up!

Shear Murder Release Date!

Today is the official release date for Shear Murder, my tenth Bad Hair Day mystery, so you're going to have to put up with my shameless self-promotion. That's the trouble when we authors must toot our own horns. We get as tired of talking about Me as you do hearing about it. Lately I've been clogging the loops and social networks with my blog tour announcements. I want to make it worthwhile for my hosts by getting a crowd on days when I guest post. But it means I am constantly tweeting and FB'ing and listing my tour dates and topics. I sent out one email newsletter to my fans already and will send another blast next month on my book's official sale date.

What? You thought I said today was the release date? Indeed, I did. However, for this publisher, that means the books are shipped from the warehouses today. They'll be ready in the bookstores on February 8, the actual "on sale" date. Confusing, isn't it? It was a lot less so with my prior publisher, who just had one pub date. As it is now, I'm not sure which day to urge fans to buy the book. Does it really matter anymore?

Here are a couple of sample interview questions from my online blog tour. If you leave a comment on one of my guest posts or here during January, you'll be entered into a chance to win a signed copy of Shear Murder and a set of Paua shell jewelry.

Tell us about your latest book.

Shear Murder is the tenth book in my Bad Hair Day mystery series. It's the culmination of a personal journey for my hairstylist sleuth, Marla Shore. It's about weddings and new beginnings. Just when Marla is planning her own nuptials, she gets caught up in another murder investigation. Marla is a bridesmaid at her friend Jill's wedding when she discovers the matron of honor—the bride's sister— dead under the cake table. She has a lot going on in her life, but when Jill pleads for her help in solving the case, Marla can't refuse. It's a fast-paced tale with humor, romance, and suspense as Marla races to find the killer before her wedding day arrives.

Considering the book is a mystery, how much can you tell us about the villain?

Since the story is a whodunit, I can't tell you much! Many people had reason to want Torrie, the matron of honor, dead. Torrie was the bride's sister, and Jill had a secret past that Torrie threatened to expose. How far would Jill go to maintain her sister's silence? Then again, Torrie's colleagues each had their own reasons to want her out of their way.

Meanwhile, Torrie's husband inherits a piece of property that Torrie had jointly owned with her sister. How badly does he need the money from a property sale? And speaking of commercial property, Jill's uncle and cousin were involved in a shady real estate deal with the owner of Orchid Isle, where Jill's wedding took place. Did Torrie learn too much about his secrets? And so on. As you can see, there are a number of suspects. You'll have to read the story to figure out which one of them is the culprit.

What motivated you to write this story?

My books all have happy endings, and so I wanted to give my series one, too. Seriously, my fans wanted to know when the next Marla Shore mystery would be coming out, but my former publisher had cancelled the series. As the markets changed, I decided to finish this book and give my readers the closure they deserved. So I really wrote it as a response to fans and in gratitude for their support. I hope they are pleased with Shear Murder. It was a delight to write, and I had fun bringing back all the secondary characters we've grown to know and love. I am grateful to Five Star for getting this book in front of readers. So if you're looking for a humorous mystery centered around weddings with a whodunit puzzle to solve, check it out.

What's next for you?

My next book will start a new paranormal romance series based on Norse mythology. Warrior Prince is book one in The Drift Lords series. I've written three books so far in this universe, and I'm eager to share these stories with readers. (Watch for new sale announcement!) After this project is off the ground, I'll turn my attention back to another mystery. And you never know, it might even be another Marla Shore adventure.

Watch the Book Trailer

BUY NOW!