I Interrupt This Blog for an Important Announcement

Today, www.DailyCheapReads.com is featuring a Terry Campbell book (my pseudonym with Linda Campbell). Woo-hoo!! Thanks ladies!



Now Available at Amazon

Only $.99!!

Book Review

How to Survive A Killer Séance
By Penny Warner
Mass Market release in 2011
by Obsidian, 290 pages.
ISBN:978-0-451-23279-3

Party planner Presley Parker is back. In another delightfully cozy murder mystery, she’s got herself enmeshed with some high-roller, high energy, digital silicon-valley types who are nothing if not focused. The problem is they seem to have left everything resembling human values back at the starting gate. Compassion? Nowhere to be found. Fidelity? It is to laugh.

The women are sexy and high energy, the guys are bright and energetic, if often ill-tempered, and poor Presley is caught between some over-stressed corporate types, her own urges and career needs, and her flakey mother. It’s easy to see where Penny gets some of her idiosyncrasies.

A wide range of characters? You bet. Unusual ideas and offbeat characters? Absolutely. This author fully understands what her readers are looking for and in spite of having already produced a huge number of enjoyable books, she continues to plumb her creative muse to write stories that satisfy a certain risibility and belief in the quirkiness of human nature.

A fast read, well-plotted, with a setting to die for, and characters that are distinct. This is yet another of Penny Warner’s diverting, novels. Here there is no gloom or doom, just a murder or two in dark rooms, secret passageways, unreal emanations and a fast romp to a perfectly designed conclusion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Review is with permission:
Carl Brookins
www.carlbrookins.com, www.agora2.blogspot.com
Devils Island, Bloody Halls, Reunion, Red Sky
more at Kindle, Smashwords & OmniLit!

And the winner of the Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway is...

Laura H.--Bornajhawk. Come on down! Congratulations to all who commented, and I hope you come back and maybe even read Buried in Briny Bay. The ladies will entertain you. ;)

Bobbye

Top O' The Mornin' To Ya!

Happy St. Paddy's Day and the pot o' gold is waiting in for ya in the form of a free download giveaway, see details farther down. My name is Manus McGill, here to be your guest for a sneak peak into the writing of Bobbye Terry (did ye know she has a lot o' Irish in her on her mother's side? Too bad her father's had all the Scottish). She writes under different names, so look out for Daryn Cross books and Terry Campbell ones. She even did a bit of collaboration on Alyssa Lyons' first book, just is na' writing the series. Take a look at the books above me. They're all hers, though she shares the anthologies with other writers.

Today, she asked I share a tidbit from her book, Buried on Briny Bay. She be givin' away a free download, she is, format is your choice. So make sure you comment for a chance to win.

Check out the excerpt below about the fella in the hotel room bed. Do you think he had a wee bit too much green beer?

Excerpt:
Hesitating at the door to Room 225, Trixie knocked. The door creaked open a couple of inches and stopped. They stood there, looking at each other. Roxie strained to hear any movement inside. “Maybe he isn’t there.”

“The door’s open and the guy at the desk said he was in his room.”

Roxie shrugged. “Maybe he sneaked out when the guy wasn’t looking.”

Trixie exhaled sharply. “Come on Rox, nobody leaves their door open when they leave.” She pushed the door. As it swung open, they saw a body under the covers in bed. “Mr. Albright? Is it okay if we come in?”

“Frank, Frank, it’s Roxie. We just wanted to talk to you.” Roxie waited for a response that didn’t come. “Boy, he’s a sound sleeper. I wish I could do that. I wake up at the sound of a pin dropping. Then it’s up and down every couple of hours. I’m beginning to wonder if I have Fibromyalgia…”

“Would you please shut up! For Pete’s sake, what would make him got to sleep and not even lock his door. Do you think he got drunk?”

Roxie nodded her agreement. “Maybe, but he’s not snoring. Can you smell alcohol?” She took a delicate whiff of the air. “They say you can smell it a mile away if you don’t drink, and I only have a glass of wine now and again. I don’t smell anything.”

Exciting News!

Terry Campbell's Fat Chance has made the front page of Daily Cheap Reads today. Go check it out: http://dailycheapreads.com/

Also, my interview with Desmond Haas has been posted at Romance Radio Network. Please tune in and listen while you work--or play: http://rrn.me/hTOcfr

Or go to the site--The Romance Radio Network episode location:
http://romanceradio.net/2011/03/14/rrn-bobbye-terry-interview-author-show-020/


As for Daryn Cross, she will debut her new indie book, Millicent on March 25. For a limited time, it will be $.99, so watch for it.

The Roast is On!

Come join me at the beach:



Author Roast and Toast

Everone is celebrating Buried in Briny Bay's release with great food right at the ocean. No matter what The Weather Channel says, it's sunny and 88 degrees in Briny Bay.

Buried in Briny Bay Releases!

My mystery novella is now live on Amazon Kindle, All Romance Ebooks, Smashwords and Nook. I hope some of you will pick up a copy and let me know what you think. Right now it is on special at Smashwords until Saturday--only $1.50! Check out all Turquoise Morning Press books in the same sale. They're 50% off except for the Dirty Bits which are only $.99.

Blurb:
Roxie Turner finds herself up to her neck in trouble when her lifelong nemesis, Georgia Collins, is discovered buried in the town’s landfill. To make matters worse, with her characteristic Southern sass, Roxie has been saying she’d kill Georgia for more than twenty years. In fact, she listed the ways to do the woman in, constantly reminding prominent citizens of her intent. It was all a joke, or so she thought. But the joke turns on her as, suddenly, other dead bodies begin to pile up, all murdered with a technique from Roxie’s list.

Enlisting the assistance of handsome hunk, Greg Norris, Roxie’s sister, Trixie Frye, comes to her aid, bent on uncovering the killer and the truth. Can they find out both before Roxie goes to the big house?

BUY LINKS:

Kindle
All Romance EBooks
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble

Inteview with Alyssa Lyons

Alyssa Lyons is an author of Chick Mystery. Her newest work Last Wishes is available from Black Opal Books.

How did you come up with the title of your book?
Our heroine, Jordan Davis, runs a funeral boutique named “Last Wishes: You Wish It—We Guarantee It.” In addition, one of the murder victim’s leaves a last wish for her godson. This wish and the reason behind damages his sense of self and turns the lives of all those around him inside out.

What is Last Wishes about?
It’s a murder mystery and study of life in a small Virginia city. As with most of the South, the town is as much a character as the people in the story. In Last Wishes, Jordan Davis obeys the law when it suits her. Right now isn’t one of those times. She knows someone is killing older women in Lynchburg. What she has to figure is if the killer is the sexy Judge Grayson Trent or if he is her only chance of uncovering the real murderer before she’s his next victim.

What books have most influenced your life?
This is an interesting question. I’m tackling it from what influenced me most as a person. I don’t have any specific titles, but rather genres. My ability to adapt and go with the flow, even in the face of future shock, comes from having read science fiction and fantasy most of my life. For example, I read a story by Arthur C. Clark when I was just eight. It was about a communication satellite and control of the world. When the first one actually went up, Telstar I, I was shocked. I’d thought we’d had them for years. Another genre that has impacted me is mystery. I loved them from Nancy Drew and Perry Mason to now Daniel Silva and Tammy Hoag. These stories taught and remind me how to see beyond the obvious and open new ways of viewing problem solving.

However, if I were to choose two titles that I go back to year after year, they would be Jane Eyre and The Count of Monte Cristo. Jane Eyre tells me that true love is not only possible but will win in the end over the most horrible obstacles. Monte Cristo reminds that there is justice in this world. This could explain why I write romance and mysteries.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Ray Bradbury because of his sense of wonder, his embracing of the future, and his delicious sense of irony. He is writes short stories, novels, screenplays, and stage plays. He’s also an excellent writer from a technical standpoint.

What are your current projects?
I have just finished Clubbed to Death and it should be released in late Spring of this year. In this story, Jordan’s half-sister is accused of murdering the president of the Junior League with a golf club. Now a private investigator, Jordan searches for the real murderer, uncovering a plot targeting orphan children that puts her own life at risk. Stabbed and Slabbed will come out a month or two later. In this book, Jordan and Gray, will on a honeymoon cruise from hell, must discover who killed an obnoxious comedian and clear their own names before the ship limps back into port.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Keeping track of the characters and the time line. In Clubbed to Death I was writing along, I just knew who the killer was. After all, I plot everything. Then halfway through, I realized she wasn’t the killer, someone else was. Thank goodness, my subconscious knew before I did, because all the clues were there and I only had to rewrite two sentences.

Do you have any advice for other writers?
Write. Take workshops and learn your craft, but realize each instructor is only expressing his or her opinion and what works for them. Finish your manuscript. Edit and edit some more. For your final edit, read the book aloud, line by line. You will be shocked at what needs to be fixed.

If you want to be published by an established publisher do your homework: know the market and its requirements. Don’t be discouraged by rejection letters, just keep writing and submitting. If you want to be an Indie, make sure your work is as polished and professional as possible, if necessary hire an editor, and treat it as a business. Because it is.

Blurb: He was a judge. He didn’t break the law…at least not until he met her. Judge Grayson Trent never suspected the woman his Aunt Becca hired to handle her funeral arrangements would be the very same woman who has consumed his fantasies from the moment he saw her standing before him in court. He soon discovers she hasn’t changed her ways. Not only is she still ignoring the rules when it suits her, now she’s a target for murderer. Unless, she is the murderer herself.

She wasn’t really breaking the law, just bending it a little…and all for a good cause. Jordan Davis sees nothing wrong in breaking a silly city ordinance, especially when it interferes with her fulfilling the last wishes of her clients. To her Judge Trent is a narrow-minded, overbearing stick in the mud—a very sexy and hot stick in the mud. Until it seems as if he is responsible for several murders. Maybe the hunk of a judge isn’t as law abiding as she thought. Or maybe they’re both in danger of being a killer’s next victim.

Excerpt:
“There she is! That’s Jordan Davis! The woman ruining our lives!”

Judge Grayson Trent winced at his mother’s uncharacteristic outburst. Normally her voice never rose above a genteel drawl, except when yelling at him. As he slanted a glance to his right, the idling engine of the motorcycle beside them drew his attention—a red Triumph Rocket III. The rider wore a one-piece red-leather catsuit that he’d swear was painted on the long-legged figure of a Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model. A full face red helmet shielded her head from view, except for an enticing curly black ponytail brushing her lower back in the breeze.

Attached to the bike’s back, where the second seat should have been, was a red metal cage with roll bar.

He grinned at the panting black miniature Schnauzer, his front paws on the edge of the cage. He wore a custom-made red crash helmet with faceplate and a small black leather jacket. Emblazoned in red letters across the back was “Born to Ride.”

Gray chuckled. “The pooch looks capable of handling the controls.”

“It’s a trap. That sweet animal is just another one of her weapons.” Libby inched forward until they were even with the driver. “You don’t understand. She’s a charlatan! She draws in unsuspecting old people who have money with promises she’ll make their last wishes come true.”

“And this ruins our lives how.” Unable to stop himself from feasting his eyes on that red catsuit, he stared at the dog’s mistress. “Have you been fighting about Becca?”

“Gracious, no. We don’t even talk.”

“So what’s the problem?”

Then she raised the face shield on her helmet.

Their gazes met.

He groaned. “It’s her.”

She was a she-demon, a succubus. He’d seen her once, three thousand miles from here and been on fire since. He couldn’t go to sleep without seeing her dark blue eyes with touches of purple staring at him, beseeching him. Every night he imagined her splayed in his bed, her long, wavy black hair spread over his pillow filling his dreams with heat.

He hadn’t imagined he’d ever see her again. But he’d hoped he would. If he wanted his life back, he had to exorcise her from his mind, and what better time to start then now, on her home turf. That way when he left to return to California, he’d be free of her.

His eyes widened at of the look surprise on her face. Or was that interest? He hoped the former, yet both dreaded and desired the latter. As a judge and knowing what she was, he should have nothing to do with her. He snorted. Yeah, tell that to the fantasies kept up at night and put her face on every woman he was with.

Narrowing his eyes, he returned her look with his most judicial glare, the one guaranteed to put the fear of God into criminal defendants appearing before him.

Except for her.

Surprise lit her eyes. Then she did the damnedest thing—gave him a slow, sexy smile and winked.

God help him. He thought she’d learned her lesson in San Francisco when he almost tossed her in jail for twenty-four hours for defacing public property. Instead, he’d let her off with a fine and warning. If his mother was right, she hadn’t learned a thing.

The moment the light turned green, she shot him a sassy grin, tapped the shield back into place and peeled off down Boonsboro Road, the schnauzer hanging on for dear life.

Interview with Author Susan Whitfield

Susan Whitfield is a mystery author. Her newest work is available from L&L Dreamspell.

What is the name of your latest book and how did you come up with the title?
The latest book in the Logan Hunter Mystery series is entitled Sin Creek. The title began as Gator Creek because the book is set around Alligator Creek near Wilmington, North Carolina but I later changed the name to Sin Creek because it fits the book’s content much better.

What is about?
Here’s the blurb: The Cape Fear River snakes through eastern North Carolina past the stunning port city of Wilmington, and sidling up next to it is Gator Creek. Some call it “Sin Creek”, a sliver of water where wickedness and decadence take precedence over decency.

When SBI Agent Logan Hunter discovers a dead UNC-Wilmington co-ed used porn to pay tuition, she tracks down and questions other co-eds, learning that far too many of them have been coerced into the raunchy business and have scars to prove it. Hunter battles dens of iniquity, zeroing in on a brazen but somehow illusive ferry to find a deranged killer and bring down the porn operations while trying to keep her recent marriage to Agent Chase Railey from falling apart. Even though she succeeds in finding the killer, the investigation changes her life in ways she could never have imagined.

At the front of the book, I’ve written a letter to readers about what inspired the book. I’ll share it with you:

Dear Reader,

Inspiration for the book you’re holding in your hands is based
on a repulsive truth I fashioned into fiction to raise public awareness
about the seamy side of some young lives, and the monetary
lures that plunge far too many into Internet notoriety, terminal
disease, and sometimes, violent death.

Back when I was a high school administrator, I asked a student
of mine how her sister coped with college life. She told me
her sister found a lucrative way to raise tuition and live “the high
life.” What this student said next left me shaken, and I’ve never
been quite the same since.

I went home that night and searched for Internet information the student
had casually given me, hoping to find no truth in what she
said. I couldn’t have been more wrong! I still shiver that some
among us are so willing to be part of the filthy underbelly that
runs beneath many of our towns and cities.

Research for this book challenged me to search my soul, and
I stopped on many occasions not certain if I should continue. But
someone needs to tell this story—as ugly and offensive as it may be.

SIN CREEK is truly a work of fiction. However, the seed
that started it is alive and spreading like a lethal dose of poison
throughout society.

“Porn is a multi-billion dollar business in the USA.”
(Source: www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/porn)

“Five million new cases of STDs surface every year around the world.”

What books have influenced your life most? I loved Little Women and other books about strong women when I was a child, but I really became a mystery fan when I picked up a James Patterson book. I love the Cross series and have read every one of them. I’m also a big fan of Scottoline, Gerritsen, Hoag, Cornwell, and Sandra Brown.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Patterson, I suppose.

What are your current projects?
I’m currently writing a non-series book about two menopausal women who’ve been friends since infancy. Their misadventures include shopping for sex toys, using a cheating husband’s belongings for target practice, and coping with cruelty to animals and a debilitating illness.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Focusing. I think I have adult ADD. Seriously.

Do you have any advice for other writers?
Persevere! Believe in yourself! And for Pete’s sake, edit thoroughly before you publish it.

Excerpt from Sin Creek:

But Taryn saved the day in the sweetest way. She stood beside
us and presented Chase and me with the Mason jar filled
with rainwater, now wrapped in ribbon. Everyone looked on
with great curiosity.

“Logan and Chase, as you begin your life together, know
that we all love you and wish you many happy and healthy years
together. And when you have your first child, use this rainwater—
which I caught on the first day of your life as husband and
wife—to baptize him. The water has been boiled and the jar sealed
until that day. May you both be blessed.”

Taryn got a standing ovation and I cried. I’d never heard of
such a charming gesture, and Chase and I would cherish the gift
until we had the opportunity to use it some years down the road.

Super-Snooper Blogfest

Join me today to talk about one of my character's stuff. As part of this blogfest, I'll be giving away a digital copy of my novella, Buried in Briny Bay when it is released by Turquoise Morning Press on March 14th. So comment about my entry and let me know if you like cozy mysteries with a generous dose of humor. After you're done, click on the button on the right sidebar and go to the main site to choose another blog in this blogfest.

Which character's stuff is discussed below?

(Character) smiled as a stranger walked up and handed her the tab. “Hope you’ll come back for some more Southern hospitality.”

“I will,” the man said. “Best lemon ice box pie I ever ate.”

“House special,” she said with a big grin. After he walked out, (Character) leaned back down on the counter. “That guy sure seemed like a scout.”

“They have scouts for diners now?”

(Character's)eyes widened. “Don’t you have cable? Look at all those shows like that guy that tries to beat the record and get his name and picture on the wall, and there’s even one that highlights the twenty best places to eat across country. Food is something people never get tired of looking at and then wanting to devour. It could mean a booming business for the diner.”

“Whatever. You better hope Floyd doesn’t retire anytime soon from the barber shop.”

“I’ll drain him dry, honey. Besides, it’s one of the only professions where he can watch TV between customers. A match made in couch potato heaven."