The Secrets on Forest Bend by Susan Muller

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The Secrets on Forest Bend by Susan Muller

<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Forest-..." target="_blank"> The Secrets on Forest Bend</a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Tell us what inspired your story.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The story started with a small idea. What would happen if you traced the life of a gun? What misery had it caused in the past, what pain would it cause in the future? How had it influenced the lives of those it touched?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Describe your hero and tell us a little about him.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">My hero, Adam Campbell, is a cop. He’s been a bad judge of women in the past and wonders why sexy and crazy always seem to come in the same package. He vows to be more careful in the future. He’ll run at the first sign of Datezilla.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Describe your heroine and tell us a little about her. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jillian owns a gun store and firing range. People who get close to her have a bad habit of turning up dead. The first was her sister who was accidently shot while playing with their father’s gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she didn’t die, well, not exactly. Now she lives vicariously through Jillian. And she doesn’t like Adam at all. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal">What brings the two together and what threatens to keep them apart? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adam and Jillian meet while he is tracing a gun used in two homicides. Jillian is unlike any woman he’s ever met, and Adam is immediately intrigued. As their relationship develops, Jillian feels that she has to tell him about the ghost of her sister who follows her everywhere. Adam immediately decides she’s the biggest nut case he’s ever encountered. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you’re writing a series, have you kept the same characters throughout? </div><div class="MsoNormal">And what through line or theme have you used to tie it together?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I am now writing the story of my hero’s partner, Ruben. It will include many of the same characters, but a new case to solve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This case will be very close and personal for Ruben as it involves his own mother. There will be a paranormal element, which Ruben resists believing.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">What books have most influenced your life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To Kill a Mocking Bird,</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Yearling </i>both moved me deeply and began my lifelong love affair with books. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found it amazing that someone could weave a story that transported the reader to another time and place, that characters on a page could feel so alive and real.</b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Blurb for The Secrets on Forest Bend </u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Another day. . . another dead body.<br />When Detective Adam Campbell learns that a WWII gun is connected to several murders he's investigating, he hopes that tracking down the killer will be as easy as tracing the gun's history. When he meets Jillian Whitmeyer, the last known owner of the weapon, the case becomes anything but simple.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />Adam soon learns that people who get close to Jillian have a bad habit of turning up dead. Jillian claims that the spirit of her sister, accidentally killed with that same gun, is responsible for the deaths. She warns Adam that he is likely to become the next victim. Adam's been a lousy judge of women in the past, and this one's obviously a nut case. Or is she? How does a just-the-facts detective deal with a ghostly serial killer and the sexy-as-hell sister she won't set free?</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In The Secrets on Forest Bend, a detective discovers a crooked cop, an intriguing woman, and a vengeful ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can he stay alive long enough to bring down the cop, win over the woman, and destroy the ghost?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> In this excerpt, Detective Adam Campbell is tracing a gun used in two homicides. He has just pulled up in front of J. R.’s Guns and Firing Range, address of the last known owner of the weapon.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Excerpt from The Secrets on Forest Bend: </b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><b> <span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">How could someone who took so much care with a building be negligent enough to lose a dangerous weapon? Where were the owner’s priorities? His good mood began to turn sour and a growl built up in his throat.</span></b><style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Courier New"; panose-1:2 7 3 9 2 2 5 2 4 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; text-indent:.5in; line-height:200%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --</style></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">He strolled in slowly, not wishing to announce himself until he had time to look around. The sales room was large, with well placed glass cabinets and wall displays. A hint of gun oil and Windex lingered in the air. Not a smudge or fingerprint was visible on any cabinet. The merchandise was easy to view and arranged in logical groupings. Definitely the nicest gun store he’d ever seen.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">When a display of SIG-Sauers caught his eye, he stopped to study them.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">A woman’s voice called from the back of the room. “I hope you’re here to replace that shoulder holster. It makes your jacket bunch up on one side. Not a good idea if you ever want <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blog..." name="_GoBack"></a>to go undercover.”</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Shit. Barely in the door and he was already made. His cop mode took over as he studied her. Early thirties, tall and slim, dark hair worn in some type of spiky arrangement, not a speck of makeup——why should she with that skin——and eyes like melted chocolate.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“Besides,” she went on, those eyes measuring him, “it has to be uncomfortable after a long day. You’re rather large through the chest, but I’ve got a Falco double magazine that would be a perfect fit for you. </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“No, thanks, that’s not why I’m here.” She was rather large through the chest herself, he noticed. A dark brown tank top revealed arms that were toned and strong. She certainly looked tough enough to belong in a gun store. He wouldn’t be surprised to find she could chew nails and spit out thumbtacks. </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>She nodded toward the case he’d been studying. “You’re not planning to switch to a SIG, are you?”<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>“No, I’m happy with my Glock.” This conversation was not going the way he planned. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maybe I should go outside and start over.</i></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>“Good. I know the Coast Guard and Homeland Security are going with the SIG, and it has a certain sex appeal, but in my opinion you can’t beat the dependability of the Glock for someone in your profession. </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>Time to get this interview under control, although any woman who described a firearm as sexy had a definite appeal of her own. </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">He held up his badge. “I’m Detective Adam Campbell, Homicide. I need to speak to J. R. Whitmeyer.”</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>“I’m J. R. Whitmeyer.”</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>“I’m looking for James Robert Whitmeyer, owner of this establishment. He’s listed in my records as a fifty-nine year old white male.”</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>“That’s my father. He passed away about eighteen months ago.” A shadow crossed her face but she blinked twice and it was gone. </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Adam knew instinctively she wouldn’t appreciate condolences.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“I’m Jillian Rose Whitmeyer, the new owner.” She spread her arms indicating the shop and merchandise. “What can I do to help you?”</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: 13.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 40.5pt;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Plenty, but not while I’m on duty</span></i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">.</span></b><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">The Secret on Forest Bend is Available at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Forest-..." target="_blank">Amazon </a>and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Secre..." target="_blank">Barnes and Noble </a><br /><br />Other books by Susan<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache.smashwire.com/bookCovers..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover for 'Redeeming Santa'" border="0" class="image" itemprop="image" src="http://cache.smashwire.com/bookCovers..." /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Available at <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/searc..." target="_blank">Smashwords </a></div><br />December 23, 1927. When a man disguised as Santa robs the local Savings and Loan, he takes seven-year-old Wilber Jenkins as a hostage. Using all his wiles and drawing on his last ounce of courage, Wilber manages to escape after three days on the run. Eighty-seven years later, can Wilber overcome his hatred of all things Christmas for the sake of his grandchildren?This novella is a work of fiction inspired by Texas’ most notorious bank robbery.<br /><br />This novella is a work of fiction inspired by Texas' most infamous bank robbery. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com...' alt='' /></div>

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