guest author post – The Book Diva's Reads

Guest Post: Jodé Millman – THE EMPTY KAYAK

Good morrow, my fellow book lovers. I’ve got to admit to one of my reading quirks. I seem to read a lot of books set in the fall and winter during the heat of late spring and throughout the summer. Just reading about books set in a cooler clime seems to help me cool off. Yes, I know, this isn’t really a thing, but hey it works for me (okay, that and a lot of iced green tea or peppermint tisanes). Setting is an important feature for this reader, as well as for most authors. I’m honored to welcome Jodé Millman, author of the recently released The Empty Kayak, back to the blog. Ms. Millman will be sharing her thoughts on the “scene of the crime” or the importance of setting in mysteries. Ms. Millman, thank you for coming back to visit with us, I’ll now turn the blog over to you.

The Scene of the Crime–Making Setting
a Lead Character in Your Mystery
by Jodé Millman

Recently, I had the honor of being a panelist on this topic at the Malice Domestic Conference in Bethesda, Maryland, and rubbed elbows with the incredible Hank Phillippi Ryan and Anne Cleeves. One common theme of our panel discussion rang true. Whether you’re writing cozy, historical, or traditional mysteries, or police procedurals or legal thrillers, setting establishes the structure for your novel. The 1940s Hollywood of David Baldacci, the contemporary Los Angeles streets of Michael Connelly, and the idyllic Canadian Three Pines of Louise Penny depict are perfect examples of setting not only creating the atmosphere of a novel but also becoming a unique character in the narrative.

As the writer of a mystery series, the “Queen City Crimes Series,” which is set in New York’s majestic Hudson Valley, I’ve learned to respect this region as more than just a place where I live and write. The craggy mountains, thundering waterfalls, mighty suspension bridges, and the ever-changing weather have become principal players in my novels. In my current novel, The Empty Kayak, the murky Hudson River takes center stage, the “x marks the spot” where the deadly, inciting incident occurs.

Consider your favorite mysteries by Agatha Christie or Anne Cleeves. Christie sends us sailing down the Nile in the pre-WWII 1930s or chugging along in the Orient Express. Cleeves draws us into the rocky coast of North Umberland or the town where the three rivers converge in rural Devon. Both mistresses of mystery engage setting as more than just the time of day or the physical location where their mysteries occur.

Through setting, we discover the social status of the suspects, victims, and cops, the weather at the time of the event, the historical period in which the characters live, the dialectic spoken, the characters’ names, as well as their immediate surroundings at the time of the crime. We also peek inside the inner life of Hercule Poirot and Vera Stanhope; what they like to eat and drink, the clothing they wear, and their households. Even their idiosyncrasies are ruled by their stories’ environment. Vera drinks hard Scotch Whisky, where she wears a well-worn Macintosh, muddy boots, and drives her father’s ancient Range Rover; Poirot fashions himself as a Belgian man of class and sophistication.

Setting can also serve as a respite, a beat, in the middle of your narrative. If writers need the readers to take a breather from the action or to consider a bombshell of a clue, setting can provide the reprieve. It’s amazing how your character’s opening a window for a breath of fresh air and their gazing outside can clear the head and prepare everyone for the next round of action.

As for the Hudson Valley, I incorporate landmarks like parks, historic monuments, and buildings to give readers the rich context in which my characters operate. My readers have remarked on how they enjoy recognizing their favorite markets and coffee shops in my novels. But beneath the valley’s panoramic beauty lurks a dark underbelly.

In my most recent thriller, The Empty Kayak, Detective Ebony Jones reunites with her estranged best friend, Jessie Martin, when a fatal kayaking accident occurs on the Hudson River. Imagine the Hudson River as a crime scene—all 300 miles of it from the Adirondack Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. This expansive area dispatches my protagonists throughout the Hudson Valley searching for clues, potential suspects, and an explanation of the heartbreaking tragedy. The plot is so steeped in the history and geography of the Hudson Valley that this mystery could only have occurred there. This setting is inseparable from the plot or the characters.

As you consider the setting of your novel, remember that your location establishes more than mood and atmosphere. Setting is a living, breathing character, which impacts your characters and plot like any other element of your story. Let your locale take the lead and enjoy the fantastic journey.

The Empty Kayak

by Jodé Millman

June 5-30, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

For Detective Ebony Jones, crime is always personal. But this time, it strikes too close to home.

A pop-up thunderstorm marched its way across the Hudson River, ambushing a young couple’s kayaking trip. The woman miraculously made it back to shore, but her fiancé remains missing. Ebony and her partner are the first responders who rush to the river to assist in rescuing the capsized boater.

The victim’s identity shocks Ebony to the core. Kyle Emory, the ex-boyfriend of her estranged best friend, attorney Jessie Martin, is the man who never made it out of the water. The accident ignites a firestorm between the two friends, pitting them against each other in a race to discover whether Kyle survived or whether he met his untimely demise. Under pressure from the chief and the DA, Ebony needs to solve the mystery, while Jessie seeks justice for the sake of the daughter she shares with Kyle.

The investigation leads them through the dark worlds of social media, online sports betting, and extreme sports. Along the way, they uncover lies and betrayals, and gather a list of dangerous suspects who are all linked to the accident survivor, Kyle’s mysterious fiancée. Even more, the discovery that Kyle possessed his own life-shattering secrets has trapped Ebony between her career and her lifelong friendship with Jessie. Yet neither Ebony nor Jessie will stop until they unearth the truth. Even if it destroys their friendship and their lives.

But the evidence is as murky as the secretive Hudson River. Only the river knows whether Kyle’s untimely death was an accident, a suicide, or murder.

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: May 30, 2023
Number of Pages: 400
ISBN13: 9781685122874 (Paperback)
ISBN10: 1685122876 (Paperback)
ISBN: 9781685122881 (eBook)
ASIN: B0C1PT8484 (Kindle edition)
Series: Queen City Crimes Series, Book 3
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble | B&N eBook | Kobo eBook || Goodreads

Praise for The Empty Kayak:

“Three strong women follow their own inexorable paths to justice in The Empty Kayak, and it’s a pleasure to cheer them on. The Empty Kayak is not only a compelling and believable mystery, but a sharply drawn portrait of women’s friendships”
Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of House on Fire

“Twisty personal relationships build to a satisfying, stunner finale in The Empty Kayak.”
~ Lisa Black, NYT/ bestselling author of the Locard Institute series

Author Bio:

Jodé Millman is the acclaimed author of Hooker Avenue and The Midnight Call, which won the Independent Press, American Fiction, and Independent Publisher Bronze IPPY Awards for Legal Thriller. She’s an attorney, a reviewer for Booktrib.com, the host/producer of The Backstage with the Bardavon podcast, and the creator of The Writer’s Law. Jodé lives with her family in the Hudson Valley, where she is at work on the next installment of her “Queen City Crimes” series —novels inspired by true crimes in the region she calls home.

Catch Up With Jodé Millman:
www.JodeMillman.com
Goodreads
LinkedIn
BookBub – @JodeMillmanAuthor
Instagram – @jodewrites
Twitter – @worldseats

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Guest Post: Marlene M. Bell – COPPER WATERS

Hello, fellow book divas and divos. I’ve attended a number of author presentations (virtual and IRL) over the years and it seems like there are quite a number of the same questions asked, no matter the author or genre. First, is usually “What’s your inspiration?” Next, is usually “Do you base your characters on real people?” And that is generally followed by “What’s next?” It doesn’t matter how many books an author writes, we readers are always interested in what’s coming next! Please help me welcome back to the blog, Marlene M. Bell, author of the “Annalisse Series” including Copper Waters. Ms. Bell will be sharing with us “What’s next” and I hope you’ll enjoy what she has to say. Thank you, Ms. Bell, for returning to visit with us today, the blog is now all yours.

What Writing Project Is Coming Next?
by Marlene M. Bell

The idea of Annalisse Drury as a main character who lives in New York began as a single book with her first name as the title. Only through a number of drafts and too many subplots did it become evident to my developmental editors that Annalisse’s story was much bigger than a standalone book. Several books have become the current series of four with more books on the way. Stolen Obsession‘s first draft held too many mischievous characters for a single Annalisse novel!

The scenarios for the next untitled book #5 are floating around in my mind even as I’ve released book #4, Copper Waters. When writing, I typically imagine one novel ahead so that I can end the current book in a manner that sends the reader right into the next book. Each chapter in every one of my books is designed to finish as a segue that asks the reader to jump into the following chapter—propelling them forward with a strong desire to find out what happens next. My motto, “mystery at a killing pace,” highlights my writing style; short, punchy sentences that get to the point quickly and move on while applying conversational dialog. One recent blogger used a word to describe the pacing in Copper Waters as meteoric. What a great word! As far as the next Annalisse novel is concerned, she and Alec will concentrate on his horse breeding in upstate New York…as things go terribly wrong for the couple.

My current work in progress is a break from the Annalisse and Alec story. It’s a fresh standalone novel unrelated to the series that takes place in East Texas circa 2010. Staying with my love of cozy mysteries and eclectic personalities, an entire batch of new characters will experience a tricky murder in the Woodlands! The story opens in a fictitious town of three hundred people where the protagonist, Sharon Harris, is a trained pastry chef and soon-to-be cookbook author. A culinary expert who left a cushy personal chef position in Beverly Hills. Tragedy has driven her closer to her father after the passing of her mother. More than one suitor, (a known and an unknown,) will vie for my main character’s affections as they solve the unfortunate murder of a dear friend of Sharon’s. A home invasion? An inside job? Only the old home built during the 1860s holds clues to the mysterious death. A home Sharon inherits from the now-deceased widow.

A chapter or two into writing this Texas mystery, I’m finding it a challenge to develop new characters in a different part of the country after spending thirteen years in Annalisse’s head. Once I’m solidly convinced of the new book’s title, I’ll announce more details including the cover artwork.♦

Copper Waters

The Annalisse series, Book 4

by Marlene M. Bell

May 29 – June 23, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.

Annalisse Drury and Alec Zavos are on opposite sides when an ex-lover from Alec’s past introduces him to his alleged son. With Alec’s marriage proposal in limbo, Annalisse accepts a key to her dream cottage—an invitation to a sheep station on South Island, New Zealand—only this time, she travels alone.

Unbeknownst to her, a mutual friend follows on the flight, and together they are confronted by two peculiar deaths—either accidental, or the deliberate acts of a psychopath.

Temuka police investigators are closing these cases too quickly. They want Annalisse to exit their country before she reveals the town’s darkest secrets. Will she return to Alec, or sacrifice their future together to expose it all?

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery (cozy type)
Published by: Ewephoric Publishing
Publication Date: December 2022
Number of Pages: 342
ISBN: 9780999539491 (Paperback)
ASIN: B0BL42NBFY (Kindle edition)
Series: The Annalisse series, Book 4
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Praise for Copper Waters:

“Marlene M. Bell’s COPPER WATERS is a well-written murder mystery with descriptive scenes, an intriguing setting, and enough push and pull between the characters and within the plot to keep readers engaged.”
~ IndieReader

“Marlene M. Bell is a master storyteller when it comes to the cozy mystery genre.”
~ Book Review Directory

“Copper Waters is an entertaining and fast-paced mystery, where small-town intrigue, family drama, and a high-stakes whodunit will deepen readers’ affection for the tenacious Annalisse.”
~ Self-Publishing Review

“Copper Waters is emotional and thrilling, surprising and life-changing.”
~ Review by Book Excellence

Copper Waters Trailer:

Author Bio:

Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, photographer, and she raises sheep on a ranch in wooded East Texas with her husband, Gregg.

Marlene’s Annalisse series boasts numerous honors including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (Spent Identity,) and FAPA— Florida Author’s President’s Gold Award for two other installments, (Stolen Obsession and Scattered Legacy.) Her mysteries with a touch of romantic suspense are found at her websites or at online retail outlets.

She also offers the first of her children’s picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! Based on true events from the Bell’s ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb.

Catch Up With Marlene M. Bell:
www.MarleneMBell.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @dorsetgalwrites
Instagram – @marlenemysteries
Twitter – @ewephoric
Facebook – @marlenembell
YouTube – @marlenebell4960

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Guest Post: Kelly Irvin – A DEADLY WILDERNESS

Hello book people. As the weather warms across the United States, people’s minds turn to various outdoor activities: visiting local parks, cookouts with family and friends, boating, swimming, hiking, warm weather sports, or just sitting in the sun. Authors have the unenviable task of crafting a setting and describing it in a way that the reader can picture it in their minds, even if they’ve never been to that particular location. The setting and action have to be realistic, or at least plausible, for me to gain any enjoyment from the story. I’m pleased to welcome back to the blog, Kelly Irvin, as she celebrates the re-release of her suspense thriller, A Deadly Wilderness. Today, Ms. Irvin will be sharing with us her thoughts on setting and character. Thank you, Ms. Irvin, for this return visit. I’m looking forward to learning more about setting and character. I’ll now turn the blog over to you.

Park setting, Swoon-worthy Cop Combine for One-Two Punch in A Deadly Wilderness
By Kelly Irvin

Readers often want to know how I get my ideas for my romantic suspense novels. It can be a difficult question. Sometimes I find a kernel of a story in a newspaper article or a TV news piece. Sometimes it simply comes to me while I’m washing dishes or taking a shower. That’s not the case with A Deadly Wilderness. With this novel, the setting(s) drove the story development, and the hero barged into my brain from an earlier unpublished manuscript. I simply had to figure out what to do with these two elements.

Here’s how it started. I worked as the public relations manager for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department for more than 20 years. The city has myriad of beautiful parks ranging from large, historic parks that date back to the 1800s to small neighborhood parks crowded with amenities, to sports complexes to a few virtually undeveloped wilderness areas. It occurred to me that especially the latter would make great spots to pounce on an unsuspecting victim with murderous intent. They also would make lovely places to stow bodies where they won’t be found for a long time. Because that’s the way a crime novelist thinks. The PR manager in me didn’t necessarily think it was a great idea, but the writer in charge off-the-clock loved it.

Then there was my hero Ray Johnson. I never intended for this cowboy from East Texas turned homicide detective to be a leading man. I actually created him as a sidekick to a hero in an earlier novel (which was never published). This homicide detective needed a partner so I gave him Ray. But Ray refused to remain in the background. He kept hogging the scenes. He proved himself to be everything a hero should be—brave, loyal, smart, loving, kind, and yep, good-looking. But he was a cowboy from East Texas, and I’d never even been in that neck of the woods. It didn’t matter. Ray was the closest thing to a swoon-worthy leading man I’d ever written so I gave him a novel of his own.

Then all I had to do was find a suitable plot to test the man to his limits. That’s when the fun really began. I love writing villains, and Lalo is the most dastardly villain I’ve ever written—and I’ve created some doozies. Lalo is a paid assassin who truly enjoys his job. They say characters—even the bad guys—should never be flat. In other words, all good or all bad. Lalo has at least one good quality. He loves his wife. No matter how busy he is pursuing a victim, he tries to make it home for meals. He knows she’s lonely in a town where she has no family or friends, and he worries about her. That’s about it, though. Otherwise, he’s a stone-cold sociopath.

So what about the heroine? It’s important to create as many problems for a hero as possible, right? Ray’s a widower, and it’s taken a long time for him to get over his wife’s death. Finally, he falls for Suzanne. Suzanne is a widow who lost her firefighting husband in a fire. She’s not interested in a relationship with another man who puts his life on the line every day. Did I mention that Suzanne is the sister of Ray’s boss, who is very protective of his grieving sibling? Cue the conflict.

It’s no wonder I had such a good time writing A Deadly Wilderness. I hope reading it will be equally enjoyable. One final note: San Antonio parks are very safe places for family fun. I don’t work for the Parks Department anymore, but the PR manager in me just had to point that out for the record! ♦

A Deadly Wilderness

by Kelly Irvin

May 22 – June 16, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A frantic anonymous crisis center hot-line call propels counselor Susana Martinez-Acosta smack into the center of a murder investigation and a homicide detective’s arms. Exactly where she doesn’t want to be. Following the tragic death of her husband, she’s struggled to build a safe haven for herself and her son. That new world doesn’t include hit men and persistent detectives with dangerous jobs.

An idyllic wilderness hike turns deadly when homicide detective Ray Johnson tumbles into a ravine and lands on a corpse later identified as the son of a prominent citizen. Ray works to solve the political hot potato murder before city leaders bumps him from the case. His determination to find the man’s killer leads him from the wealthiest enclaves in San Antonio to the city’s dark underbelly, all the while trying to win the woman he loves.

A Deadly Wilderness is a romantic suspense novel that will take the reader along on a tumultuous journey as the consuming need for material wealth drives a deadly wedge among family members who haven’t learned when enough really is enough.

The journey ends where it began—in a deadly wilderness. Not everyone will survive the trip.

Book Details:

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Ally Press
Publication Date: May 23, 2023
Number of Pages: 388
ISBN: 9781953290229 (Paperback)
ASIN: B0BZX54S1G (Kindle edition)
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Goodreads

Author Bio:

Kelly Irvin is the author of more than 30 Amish romance and romantic suspense novels. She has penned eight critically acclaimed romantic suspense novels, including Trust Me, which debuted in 2022. Publisher’s Weekly said of the novel: “(In this) whirlwind romantic thriller . . . Irvin follows the characters through twists and turns, writing through the lens of faith and broken faith, while illuminating a bridge across shattered relationships to second chances.” Her latest novel is A Deadly Wilderness, released May 23, 2023, from Ally Press.

The Kansas native is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Journalism. She has been writing nonfiction professionally for more than 30 years, including 10 years as a newspaper reporter. She retired in 2016 after working 22 years in public relations for the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department. She is a member of ACFW and Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers. She and her husband make their home in South Texas. They are the parents of two children and the grandparents of four grandchildren. In her spare time, Kelly reads, writes poetry and short stories, and spends time with her grandchildren as often as possible.

Catch Up With Kelly Irvin:
www.kellyirvin.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @KellyIrvin
Twitter – @Kelly_S_Irvin
Instagram – @Kelly_Irvin
Facebook – @Kelly.Irvin.Author

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Guest Post: James McCrone – BASTARD VERDICT

Good day, book people. As most of you know by now, I’m an avid reader. I strive to read a book each day and on a good day, with a few fast-paced reads, I might actually hit two books for the day. One of the many things I’ve learned since starting this blog is that authors do a ton of research for their writings. If a book is set back in time, then the author must research the political clime of the time, the language used during that period, as well as the correct fashion, foods, eating utensils, and housing. The same holds true if an author is setting a book in a different country. Language and slang usage isn’t the same in the United Kingdom as it is here in the United States, even though both countries supposedly have English as their official language. I’m incredibly pleased to welcome back to the blog, James McCrone, author of Bastard Verdict. Mr. McCrone will be discussing with us the assistance of others in his research and writing. Thank you, Mr. McCrone, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to rejoin us today. I’ll now turn the blog over to you.

It Takes a Village
by James McCrone

The writer needs a combination of arrogance and humility—arrogance to carry you over the bad spells of imposter syndrome and worse, and humility about the work itself, and your own limitations. Research is key, and taking editorial advice on board when the time comes is a must. But during the writing, there must be a balance.

I’ve written elsewhere about my difficulties in letting go. But I’m not quite a control freak. It’s true that most of the work of putting words onto the page is done alone. But just as it takes a village to bring up a child, it also takes a village to bring out a book. I look to all kinds of people for help as the book develops. And setting Bastard Verdict in Scotland made the collaborative effort more necessary.

My first reader, biggest fan, and harshest critic is my wife, Lisa. Before dinner, I’ll often print out the pages I wrote during the #5amwritersclub for her to read. (I work 9 to 5 at my day job, and so need to write in the wee hours of the morning—usually 5 am to 8 am—before heading off to work.) She’ll note inconsistencies, or things she likes, or question why a character does something, and I’ll take her comments and suggestions under advisement for the following morning when I make a new start. Generally, I start my writing day with minor edits to the previous day’s writing before continuing. And sometimes I delete the whole previous day’s work.

My protagonist, FBI Agent Imogen Trager, is a woman, and I look to my wife and daughters to make sure my descriptions, her inner thoughts and her portrayal ring true. With Bastard Verdict, I added yet another degree of difficulty. Imogen is an American in Scotland.

Though I lived in Scotland as a boy, and have been back many times, I was keenly aware that my own American-ness might inadvertently throw in something implausible or somehow “off.” I sought out a Scottish editor for Bastard Verdict, suggested by another friend there, to make sure my depictions, descriptions, and insights rang true. I also pressed Scottish friends into service. When I needed insight into the workings and intricacies of the British constitution, I reached out to a scholar I know at the University of Edinburgh. For help finding a good editor in Scotland, I reached out to another friend, a professor at the University of Glasgow.

My books deal with sometimes arcane political rules or institutions. I don’t put all my research on the page, but I need to understand it thoroughly to write about it convincingly. I’ve found that academics are very giving of their time, and they’re pleased to offer insight and expertise when you can give them focused, specific questions. (I also leaned heavily on insights from a Political Science professor and Electoral College scholar for my first book, Faithless Elector). In Bastard Verdict, I showed a crucial scene to a British constitutional scholar for review and comment. I needed to make sure I wasn’t going off the rails, and that I had it right. Or at least plausible. He offered some tweaks and explanations that I worked into the book. I was grateful for the help.

In another instance, I was having trouble thinking of a place where Imogen and her friends could hide out for a few days. While I lived in Scotland as a boy, I don’t know the country as well as some friends do. So, I asked another friend in Scotland if Alyth was a good place for my fictional purposes. He not only said that it was, but he quoted from a poem about the little town, a snippet of which I duly put into the book.

Finally, like the child raised by the village, the book is ready to face the world. Like the child, the book is as ready as it will be, and holding it back will only harm it. ♦

Bastard Verdict

by James McCrone

May 15 – June 9, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

YOU DON’T NEED TO WIN, JUST DON’T LOSE

In politics, people cheat to win, or because they’re afraid to lose. Which isn’t always the same thing. A second referendum on Scottish Independence looms, an unlikely investigator uncovers meddling in the first, and desperate conspirators panic, with deadly results. Bastard Verdict weaves high stakes, low politics, and complex characters into a noir tale of power, loss and Faustian bargains.

When a Scottish government official enlists FBI Elections Specialist, Imogen Trager (on research leave at the University of Glasgow) in the fall of 2023 to look into the 2014 Scottish Independence referendum—ostensibly as a means of ensuring that a possible second referendum will be conducted fairly—he claims that he wants an outsider’s unencumbered view.

The government official may not be what he seems, and the trail Imogen follows becomes twisted and deadly, leading to a corrupt cabal intent on holding on to power.

But they didn’t count on Imogen, a feisty, conflicted and driven investigator who goes strictly by the numbers, if rarely by the book. To find the truth, Imogen will risk everything—her reputation, career, and possibly her life. None but a very few know that truth. And those few need it to stay hidden. At any cost.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery-Crime, Thillers
Published by: Hernes Road Books
Publication Date: May 2023
Number of Pages: 293
ISBN: 9780999137741

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Author Bio:

James McCrone is the author of the Faithless Elector series—Faithless Elector, Dark Network, and Emergency Powers—”taut” and “gripping” political thrillers about a stolen presidency. Bastard Verdict is his fourth novel. To get the details right for this thriller, he drew on his boyhood in Scotland, and scouted the locations for scenes in the book while attending Bloody Scotland in 2019 and again in ’22.

His short stories have appeared in Rock and a Hard Place; Retreats from Oblivion: The Journal of NoirCon, and in the short-story anthology Low Down Dirty Vote, vols.2 and 3.

He’s a member of Mystery Writers of America, Int’l Assoc. of Crime Writers, Philadelphia Dramatists’ Center and he’s the vice-president of the Delaware Valley Sisters in Crime chapter. A Pacific Northwest native (mostly), he lives in South Philadelphia with his wife and three children. James has an MFA from the University of Washington, in Seattle.

Catch Up With James McCrone:
BastardVerdict.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @JamesMcCrone
Instagram – @james.mccrone
Twitter – @jamesmccrone4
Facebook – @FaithlessElector

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Guest Post: Kelly Oliver – COVERT IN CAIRO

Greetings, my bookish peeps. I often find it amazing that we can travel the world and even back in time simply by opening a book. As readers, we can borrow a book from our local library system or purchase a book from our local indie bookseller and travel the globe. Readers reap the benefit of untold numbers of hours of research done by the writer. I, for one, am incredibly grateful that writers are so diligent in their research and incorporate the knowledge they’ve gained via this research into their writings. One such writer is Kelly Oliver. Ms. Oliver is the author of the recently released, Covert in Cairo, and she joins us today to discuss the research she made into early twentieth-century Cairo. Thank you, Ms. Oliver, for joining us today. I can’t wait to learn more about your research and writing.

Banner with Guest Post in a script font under a line and with a stack of books over the word "guest"

Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane’s latest adventure, Covert in Cairo, takes them to… you guessed it. Cairo! This is the only place Fiona has been that I haven’t. I’m so jealous. But I sent to her Cairo at the end of the pandemic, and I had to settle for a trip to Cairo in my imagination.

As a result, I did a ton of research for the book. And I had so much fun learning about the history of Cairo and the place of Egypt in the First World War. I especially enjoyed reading about the grand hotels of Cairo.

In Covert in Cairo, Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane stay in Shepheard’s Hotel. I first heard of Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo in the novels of Elizabeth Peters. Her Amelia Peabody Mysteries are set in Egypt, and they were a huge influence on Fiona Figg. I absolutely love Amelia Peabody, especially as read in the audiobook by the incredible voice artist Barbara Rosenblatt.

I’m thrilled that in a month, at Malice Domestic, I get to dress up at Amelia Peabody as part of the celebration of Elizabeth Peter’s mysteries. I have my pith helmet and my red parasol with matching outfit. I’m just waiting for the lace-up boots to arrive. It’s going to be so much fun.

Amelia always spoke so fondly of her times at Shepheard’s.

Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo was built in 1841 by Englishman Samuel Shepheard. By the end of the 19th Century, it was known throughout the world as one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, and the first to have private bathrooms in each of its guestrooms. Its corridors were large enough to turn a four-horse carriage. And it was famous for its open-air terrace.

It was said, if you sat there long enough, you’d see the entire world pass by.

With lush gardens, a private zoo, grand granite pillars, magnificent stained-glass windows, and was adorned with colorful tapestries and Persian carpets, it was one of the finest hotels in the world. Weekly balls with evening gowns and dress uniforms were a must for ex-pats.

The hotel had many famous guests, including Theodore Roosevelt, T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), Gertrude Bell, Winston Churchill, and the Prince of Wales, among many others. Lawrence of Arabia and Gertrude Bell have supporting roles in Covert in Cairo.

I read fantastic stories of the Prince of Wales hitting golf balls in the garden, to Winston Churchill forgetting his hat and claiming it a decade later with the same claim ticket.

I also enjoyed researching the food of Egypt. Wherever she travels—at the encouragement of her more worldly friend Clifford—Fiona tries the local cuisine. In this department, I’m a lot more adventurous than Fiona.

Still, Fiona likes to eat. I mean, who doesn’t, right? And good food is a staple of cozy mysteries. I love to include recipes in my newsletter for the food Fiona tries on her various missions.

In Cairo, she was especially taken with the pudding course or dessert. And her sidekick, Kitty Lane is famous for her sweet tooth. Kitty’s favorites are Konafa, a warm dessert made of vermicelli-like strands of dough and either custard or warm milk and nuts, and Om Ali or fragrant Egyptian Bread Pudding, a simple pudding made from special bread, milk, and butter, possibly topped with rose petals and pistachios.

Not as adventurous as Kitty, Fiona’s perennial favorite snack is a few slices of toast served with a whole pot of marmalade and a strong cup of tea.

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting hungry! Time for a snack. ♦

Covert in Cairo

by Kelly Oliver

April 24 – May 19, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

1917 Cairo.

Ancient mummies aren’t the only bodies buried in the tombs of Cairo.

The notorious Fredrick Fredricks has lured Fiona to Egypt with a cryptic threat on the Suez Canal.

But when a cheeky French archeologist is murdered, and an undercover British agent goes missing, the threat moves closer to home.

Is the notorious Fredrick Fredricks behind the murders? Or is the plot even more sinister?

Competing excavators, jealous husbands, secret lovers, and belligerent spies are the leading suspects.

As they dig deeper, soon Fiona and Kitty are up to their donkeys in dead bodies.

If they can’t unwind the clues and catch the killer, they might end up sharing a sarcophagus with Nefertiti.

With humor as dry as the Arabian desert, and pacing as fast as a spitting camel, Fiona and Kitty are back in another sparkling adventure, this time in WW1 Egypt.

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: April 2023
Number of Pages: 300
ISBN: 9781804831700 (Paperback)
ASIN: B0BMF2YYQM (Kindle edition)
ASIN: B0BXYT5XKB (Audible audiobook)
Series: A Fiona Figg & Kitty Lane Mystery, 2 (These are Stand-Alone Mysteries)
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Audible Audiobook | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

PRAISE FOR FIONA FIGG:

“Perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and Maisie Dobbs.”
BookTrib

“Tantalizing and riveting with a good dose of humor while keeping the heartbreaking reality of war in the mix.”
The Los Angeles Post

“A clever mix of humor and espionage that will keep you turning the pages and laughing all the way!”
Dianne Freeman, author the Countess of Harleigh mysteries.

“A perfect blend of wit, fun, and intrigue.”
Debra Goldstein, Author of the Sarah Blair Cozy Mysteries

“The perfect wartime spy: Fiona Figg. Smart, sneaky, and full of surprises… A fun whodunit that will keep you turning the pages!”
Cathi Stoler, author of The Murder On The Rocks Mysteries

“Fun, easy-to-read, witty mystery that had me happily turning the pages.”
Melissa’s Bookshelf

“Humor, action, and intrigue. I found myself thoroughly entertained.”
Urban Book Reviews

Covert in Cairo Trailer:

Author Bio:

Kelly Oliver is the award-winning and bestselling author of three mystery series: the seven-book suspense series, The Jessica James Mysteries; the three-book middle-grade kids’ series, Pet Detective Mysteries; and the four-book historical cozy series, The Fiona Figg Mysteries, inspired by those trips to the Green Hills Library.

Currently, Kelly is the Vice President of Sisters in Crime.

When she’s not writing novels, Kelly is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University.

To learn more about Kelly and her books, go to:
www.kellyoliverbooks.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @KellyOliverBook
Instagram – @kellyoliverbook
Twitter – @kellyoliverbook
Facebook – @kellyoliverauthor

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Guest Post: Kerry Peresta – THE TORCHING

Greetings, my bookish peeps. Have you ever given thought to the power of words? Words can make us sad or glad. Words can unite or divide us. Words can incite or excite us. As Margaret Atwood said, “A word after a word after a word is power.” As a lifelong reader, I’m utterly fascinated by words and the fact that most authors may use the same words but combine them in such a manner that they’ve created something wholly new and entertaining. I’m pleased to welcome back Kerry Peresta, author of The Torching. Ms. Peresta will be sharing with us what she has learned during her journey as a wordsmith. Thank you, Ms. Peresta, for taking the time to join us today, I’m looking forward to learning more about your career as a writer.

The Books are Finished, But the Excavation Continues
by Kerry Peresta

I’m blessed, after fourteen years of hard work and persistence, to finally blurt out the words ‘I’m a novelist’, when someone asks me what I do. There was a time, due to insecurity or a false sense of humility, when I could barely say these words.

I’ve been amazed to discover that much of the job of writing (oh yes, definitely an hours-a-day job if one is serious about it!) concerns inner dialogue. Wrestling with lack of confidence. Honing an ability to resist plummeting into the pit of despair when a three-star review occurs. Learning to rip off the cloak of offense when an editor critiques with nary a word of praise.

I’ve been a writer for thirteen years but didn’t break into a decent contract and hand-held into writing a series until 2019. I’d written magazine articles, blog posts, a humor column, advertising copy, blah, blah…everything but books. I certainly wasn’t afraid to attack the process of writing a book…I’d written my first novel in 2010 and it released in 2013. However…it was such a train wreck that I wrung my hands and backed away from the process. I’d jumped the gun. My manuscript was nowhere near ready for publication, so I decided to consider the whole thing a learning experience. Actually, the journey of becoming a novelist is just that…a learning experience. I’ve learned more than I ever thought possible, and grown as a human as well as a writer! Many of the skills a novelist learns bleed over into life. For instance:

1. Enhanced Communication Skills

How many of us stutter and stammer and dig our toes into the ground when we meet a new person? Do you, like me, experience an instant urge to run in the other direction, lest the new person discovers how freaking unstable and weird we are? Well. I’ve found that working on a novel enhances my communication skills like crazy. The dialogue between my characters definitely works out some of the kinks in my psyche that I didn’t discover until I put the words down on the page! Sometimes I have to lift my hands from the keyboard, put them in my lap, and stare at what I’ve dialogued between characters. I spend a few minutes internalizing what just happened. Often, it’s a searing look at my own issues and insecurities. The excavation process of my soul occurs, revealing long-buried data in need of dusting off and examination. Perhaps tossing aside. This process has both solidified and emboldened me as a human.

2. Increased Agility of Mind

The words! The words!

I’m such a lover of words. Writing a novel forces me to leave the thesaurus open and discover new, more delicious words each time I sit down at my desk. I become so bored with writing ‘she smiled’ or ‘he grinned’ or ‘he furrowed his brow’, etc. There are only so many ways to depict these things, but I’m forever searching. Also, many times there is one lovely, perfect, word to replace the four or five useless ones I’ve written. With each book, I strive to keep the reader from becoming bored with repetitive, unnecessary words. My protagonist in the Olivia Callahan Suspense series sustained injuries from an assault that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. She lost her memory and most of her past life. With each book, I must reiterate to a new reader a bit of backstory so they understand the trajectory of the story and why. I’ve come up with many creative and concise ways to implicate what’s happened to her, which has been a thoughtful, nail-biting, experience. Again, I do not want to commit the cardinal sin of boring a reader! The end result of all this mind-bending, wordplay is that my brain is as healthy as a horse.

3. Disaster Avoidance

I’m a suspense author. If pigeonholed further, psychological suspense, because I love the arc of a character and how they evolve under the direst of circumstances. What has this process reaped in me? A clearer and more sober view of how my actions and thoughts dictate an end result. With others, or with myself. An author cannot help but put themselves in the place of their protagonist. We experience the danger and gasps of shock along with them, and our hasty, pecking, fingers pound out the tension, frustration, and despair with heart-wrenching clarity. All this desperate desire to put realism and authenticity on the page results in a taut look at ourselves. At least it does in me. What if I had truly been in that situation? How would I have responded? Would I have made different choices?

(Goodness. I hope so! My characters make terrible choices.)

The list of life lessons as a novelist is endless and ongoing. I’m grateful and humbled by what my characters have taught me, and that my readers respond with such emotion to them. The absolute best feeling as an author is when my hands take over my brain instead of the other way around. That’s when I know I’m on to something. The words almost write themselves, and I think…maybe I am a novelist, after all. ♦

The Torching

by Kerry Peresta

May 8 – June 2, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Mysterious fires. A haunting past. A secret file.

Three years ago, Olivia Callahan endured an assault that resulted in a devastating brain injury. She survived, but she couldn’t remember anything about her life or who she was. Now, she’s determined to build a bridge between the past she lost and the life she must reclaim.

When Olivia crosses paths with PI Tom Stark, she is drawn to the investigative field, and becomes his intern. She finds a heavily redacted, forty-five-year-old file locked in his desk drawer that mentions her mother as a young woman. Why had her mentor hidden the file from her, and why had he never mentioned a case involving her mother?

As Olivia moves forward with her fledgling career, a string of mysterious fires moves through the community, puzzling the Baltimore Arson Investigative Unit. One of the fires strikes Olivia’s beloved farmhouse in rural Maryland. Now, in addition to uncovering the secrets bound within the redacted file, she becomes convinced that the fires happening around the area are disturbing calling cards…and they’re meant for her.

Book Details:

Genre: Traditional Mystery or Suspense
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: March 2023
Number of Pages: 323
ISBN: 9781685123239 (Paperback)
ISBN: 9781685123246 (eBook)
ASIN: B0BX8GZDXN (Kindle edition)
Series: The Olivia Callahan Suspense series, 3 | Each is a Stand Alone Novel
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Barnes and Noble | B&N eBook | Kobo eBook | Goodreads

The Torching Trailer:

Author Bio:

Kerry Peresta is the author of the Olivia Callahan Suspense series. The Torching, book three, was released in March 2023, and books four and five in 2024 and 2025. Her standalone suspense thriller, Back Before Dawn, releases in May 2023. Additional writing credits include a popular newspaper and e-zine humor column, “The Lighter Side,” (2009—2011); the short story “The Day the Migraine Died,” published in Rock, Roll, and Ruin: A Triangle Sisters in Crime Anthology, articles published in Local Life Magazine, The Bluffton Breeze, Lady Lowcountry, and Island Events Magazine. She is past chapter president of the Maryland Writers’ Association and a current member and presenter of the Pat Conroy Literary Center, Hilton Head Island Writers’ Network, South Carolina Writers Association, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. Kerry is the mother of four adult children, and spent thirty years in advertising as an account manager, creative director, copywriter, and editor. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her working out, riding her bike or kayaking, enjoying the beaches of Hilton Head Island, or cuddling her two cats, Agnes and Felix. She and her husband moved to Hilton Head Island in 2015.

Catch Up With Kerry Peresta:
www.KerryPeresta.net
Goodreads
BookBub – @kerryperesta
Instagram – @kerryperesta
Twitter – @kerryperesta
Facebook – @klperesta

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Guest Post: Corey Fayman – GILLESPIE FIELD GROOVE

Greetings, book people. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and found some time to read. I did a bit of armchair travel to Ireland over the weekend. I don’t hyperfocus on the setting when I’m reading, but it does play a large part in providing a little something extra to the story. It doesn’t seem to matter if the setting is a realistic or fictional location, the descriptions of the area help me picture everything in my mind. Please help me welcome Corey Fayman as our guest today and he’ll be discussing the important role his hometown plays in his Rolly Waters mystery series, including the latest release Gillespie Field Groove. Thank you, Mr. Hayman, for taking the time to join us and sharing your thoughts on your hometown. The blog is now all yours.

Hometown San Diego
Corey Lynn Fayman

From Sherlock Holmes’ London to Harry Bosch’s Los Angeles, fictional detectives have been closely identified with the city they work in. When I started writing the Rolly Waters mystery series, I decided right away that I wanted to set the books in San Diego. While crime authors such as Don Winslow, T. Jeff Parker, and Alan Russell have located some of their novels in San Diego, there wasn’t a regular series that featured the area. The writing team of Robert Wade and Bill Miller wrote a series of hardboiled San Diego novels in the 1940s and 1950s and a 1970s TV detective series called Harry O was filmed in San Diego, but I wanted to write something more contemporary. It’s my town, after all.

When I was growing up, there were three things San Diego was known for—its beaches, the U.S. Navy, and our zoo. While these are still notable parts of the city’s personality and economy, the area has grown more diverse, both culturally and economically. The population has tripled since I was born. It all adds up to a richer and more complex backdrop for a detective novel. I wanted to capture aspects of San Diego that tourists rarely experience, what it’s like to live here.

There’s the sunshine and mild weather of course, but early summer brings weeks of cool fog on the coast. In late summer and fall the dry Santa Ana winds sweep in, giving rise to destructive wildfires. Rain is scarce, but when it arrives the mostly dormant San Diego River floods Mission Valley, cutting off roads, hotels, and shopping centers.

But it’s the little things I really like to write about. A worn-out Blues club downtown called Patrick’s Pub that has survived the Gaslamp District’s transition from seedy sailor hangout to conventioneer’s playground. Or the La Posta taco stand in Hillcrest where I had my first carne asada burrito—a dingy little place, not unlike the hundreds, if not thousands, of other great taco shops in San Diego. Both Patrick’s and La Posta are regular hangouts for my guitar-playing detective Rolly Waters (although he’s currently trying to cut back on his burrito consumption).

With each book, I get a chance to feature new and offbeat places in San Diego County. Black’s Beach Shuffle focused on the high-tech corridors and affluent beach towns of North County. Border Field Blues addressed the complicated past and present of Border Field Park, a neglected state park just across the border from the Tijuana Bull Ring. Desert City Diva takes the reader to our eastern mountains where a funky roadside attraction, Desert Tower, provides views of the Borrego desert and a menagerie of animals carved into the rocks. Ballast Point Breakdown gets close to home with San Diego Bay and the Navy’s Marine Mammal program as the center of action. And in my latest effort, Gillespie Field Groove, events take place in and around a small municipal airport in El Cajon.

Petco Park, Driscoll Wharf, Mitch’s Seafood, Winston’s nightclub, Imperial Beach, the Star of India, Allied Gardens, Ballast Point, Rolando, the Casbah, Lake Wohlford, Market Street, the Belly Up Tavern. The names are real and as evocative as any I could make up. All part of my books. And my hometown. ♦

Gillespie Field Groove

by Corey Fayman

May 8 – June 2, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

An obscure rock’n’roll roadie dies under mysterious circumstances. A prized Jimi Hendrix guitar has gone missing. Can Rolly Waters save his new client from the ruthless collectors looking for it?

When nurse and fledgling pilot Lucinda Rhodes hires guitar-playing private detective Rolly Waters to track down a Stratocaster guitar owned by her deceased father, Rolly is thrilled to take on her case, especially when he learns the guitar’s original owner may have been Jimi Hendrix. But Gerry Rhodes’s reckless personal history leads to more questions than Rolly and Lucinda have bargained for, as an aging rock’n’roll impresario, his trophy wife, a Russian gangster, and the FBI get involved. When a forty-year-old shooting accident reveals a surprising connection to a pop star’s hit record, Rolly sees darker forces at work. And his and Lucinda’s lives hang in the balance.

Book Details:

Genre: Private Detective Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Published by: Konstellation Press
Publication Date: March 2023
Number of Pages: 276
ISBN10: 0998748285
ISBN13: 9780998748283
Series: A Rolly Waters Mystery, 5th
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Praise for Gillespie Field Groove:

“Gillespie Field Groove hits all the right notes. Music fans and general mystery readers alike will enjoy this story’s irresistible beat.”
~ blueinkreview.com

“Exciting, compelling, suspenseful, and reflective of the realities of the music industry and San Diego culture, Gillespie Field Groove is a thrilling mystery novel in which a man seeks to right the wrongs committed by greedy executives.”
~ forewordreviews.com

“GILLESPIE FIELD GROOVE is a gripping mystery and a captivating ride through rock and roll history and San Diego’s music scene. It’s so authentic you can practically hear the fuzz and crunch of Jimi’s Stratocaster coming off the page.”
~ Matthew Quirk, New York Times bestselling author of RED WARNING and THE NIGHT AGENT (now a Netflix series)

“Rolly Waters is back with a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller custom-made for music lovers. Hired to hunt down a missing Fender Strat that may have belonged to Jimi Hendrix, Waters uncovers a series of intertwined mysteries with more twists than a crate full of guitar cables. Gillespie Field Groove is an uptempo page-turner that shines a spotlight on the music industry’s darkest corners.”
~ S.W. Lauden, author of BAD CITIZEN CORPORATION and THAT’LL BE THE DAY: A POWER POP HEIST

“Carefully crafted characters. Twists and revelations. Music and murder. A PI who plays guitar or a guitar player who dallies in detecting? Even Rolly Waters isn’t sure. Whichever it is, Corey Lynn Fayman’s latest gives you a real insight into what it means to be both. Like Don Quixote wielding a guitar instead of a sword. Awesome.”
~ Pamela Cowan, author of COLD KILL

“GILLESPIE FIELD GROOVE is like an easter egg hunt filled with suspense and intrigue that also gives readers a straightforward look into the life of a working musician. I love this series.”
~ Marc Intravaia, guitarist, RICHIE FURAY BAND; BACK TO THE GARDEN

Author Bio:

Corey Lynn Fayman has worked as a musician, sound technician, and interactive designer. He holds a B.A. in English, with a specialization in creative writing and poetry from UCLA, and an M.A. in Educational Technology from San Diego State University. Fayman spent five years as a sound technician and designer at the nationally lauded Old Globe Theatre, where he received several nominations and a Drama-Logue Award for his theatrical sound design. He’s worked as an interactive designer for organizations both corporate and sundry and has taught technology and design courses at various colleges and universities. He lives in San Diego, California, and is the author of four Rolly Waters mystery series, including Black’s Beach Shuffle, Border Field Blues, and Desert City Diva (2015 Indiefab Book of the Year bronze award). The fourth in the series, Ballast Point Breakdown, was honored with the best-in-show Geisel Award at the 2021 San Diego Book Awards.

Catch Up With Corey Fayman:
www.CoreyLynnFayman.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @clfayman
Twitter – @CLFayman
Facebook – @CoreyLynnFayman

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Guest Post: Tj O’Connor – THE HEMINGWAY DECEPTION

Good day, book people. I hope you’ve all had a wonderful week and were able to squeeze some reading time into your busy Spring schedules. It never ceases to amaze me that many authors will reveal that their characters seemed to take over the story and it, therefore, went a different way than expected. I’m not quite sure I understand that concept, but then I’ve never been in that creative situation. All I know is that I’m grateful to authors for their stories and characters however the story makes it to the page. Today’s guest, Tj O’Connor, is the author of The Hemingway Deception. He’ll be discussing with us how his characters pushed him. Thank you, Mr. O’Connor, for sharing with us today. The blog is all yours.

My Characters Made Me Do It!
by Tj O’Connor

Since my first novel was published—and I dare say for all my written novels before that—I have always told the stories of leading men in mysteries and thrillers. Oh, not that I have a “guy-thing” or anything. No, it’s because, well, I’m a guy and that’s my writing perspective. My novels have always had critical female characters in lead roles. In my Oliver Tucker paranormal series, The Dead Detective Casefiles (previously, the ridiculous monikered Gumshoe Ghost novels), Tuck told his stories right alongside Angel, his brilliant and adventurous wife. In New Sins for Old Scores, Trick McCall and Richard Jax were aided by Dr. Alexandra “Alex” Vouros. Then, in The Consultant, there was the tenacious Noor Mallory and FBI Agent Victoria Bacarro. While my writing tended to center on the male leads, the strong, smart, and skilled female characters were integral to the plots and the lead characters themselves. This was not for some misogynistic purpose. It was simply my comfort zone as an adventurer, consultant, and guy.

When I began plotting out my latest thriller, The Hemingway Deception, my literary agent, the incomparable Kimberley Cameron, suggested I headline a strong female lead. She was comfortable that given my history of strong female characters in all my books, I could do it justice. I was skeptical at first. How was I going to put myself in the thoughts and actions of a swashbuckling gal fighting bad guys and besting the traditional male roles? Strange as it sounds, I wasn’t sure I could do it.

So, first, I reread all my novels and focused in on the key leading female roles. Then, I binge-watched some excellent television series where the gals ruled the screen. Shows like Fringe, The Americans, Covert Affairs, Homeland, and others. I reached two critical conclusions doing this: first, just write the damn character and quit fretting about it—who cares if it’s a guy or a gal chasing the bad guys. And two, in those scenes where a female perspective or reaction might be important, write it the best I can and get my beta readers to tell me if I missed the mark.

In most cases, writing the scenes where I felt a female perspective was important, I reversed the roles, asking myself, “What would I do here? How is that different if it’s Ana Karras?” In most cases, I found that since I didn’t write sex or deep love emotions into the characters, the differences were small and manageable as a guy. Then, after getting those scenes on paper, I turned to two of my beta readers and challenged them to find my “mis-guided-guy” faults. Surprisingly, there were almost none.

Poof, I wrote on and finished The Hemingway Deception with two strong, independent female leads—Ana Karras and Cat Reyes—who kicked butt, outfoxed, and outthought their adversaries. Ana is hiding among the millions in Manhattan, recovering from near-death at the hands of Cuban Intelligence. When she begins an ill-fated quest to find her missionary parents lost somewhere in Latin America, she’s haunted by her past and coerced into a new mission—to capture Catalina “Cat” Reyes, a rogue Cuban assassin bound for Washington. Cat’s mission could well start another Caribbean crisis. To avert a Cuban-American war, Ana must do the unthinkable—she must once again become Ana Montilla, the notorious FARC guerrilla. As Ana struggles to keep from devolving permanently into Ana Montilla, Cat must overcome past failures and reclaim her skills as Cuba’s top assassin—or die. Ana and Cat are on a collision course. Their paths are not separate, but one. Their pasts inexplicably linked. Their futures reliant on each other. Still, it’s the secrets kept from them that will be the end game. Two deadly women. One treacherous mission. But why do Washington and Havana want them both dead? The answer is simple—Hemingway.

Ana and Cat taught me valuable lessons both about writing and the portrayal of female characters. The biggest one was to simply write a good character. Although I’m not a murderer, psychopath, or assassin, I still understand what they are and can plot through how they think and act and respond. It’s no different than with my female leads. I base characters in part on real people I’ve known in my adventures as an anti-terrorism consultant. And while I don’t know or pretend to understand all the nuances from a female perspective, I do have a wife, two daughters, five granddaughters, a best friend and editor, and many gal-pals all nearby. What better research help could I ask for? When in doubt, I simply asked for help. Most of the time, I wasn’t all that far off—like in how Ana and Cat would respond to threats to their children and what would it take to make them go on a dangerous rollercoaster mission and leave those children behind. I knew I’d spent years leaving home for a day or so on a mission or assignment only to return weeks or months later. I knew the emptiness in my gut when I knew I’d be going for weeks away from home and what it would mean for my kids (especially when they were young). I transposed those feelings over Ana and Cat and added in the terror factor and, viola, I had their reactions down.

Of course, I wouldn’t want to try and write any love scenes or deep romance among the characters. I have absolutely no doubt that I’d screw that up. So, I keep the relationships at a place where I cannot foul up the characters or have Ana bungle her feelings from my guy-perspective. You know, the safe zone. Luckily, it worked for me. Oh, and with a lot of research from my beta team and gal-pals.

In the end, the challenge given me by Kimberley Cameron wasn’t as daunting as I’d feared. I actually think I easily pulled off the lady-lead well. But, then, you be the judge. Join Ana and Cat as they careen toward each other in The Hemingway Deception. Let me know if these two kindred spirits got the job done despite my “guy-brain.”

I look forward to hearing from you either way! ♦

The Hemingway Deception

by Tj O’Connor

May 1 – 26, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Ana Karras is running from her past.
Catalina Reyes is running toward hers.
Two deadly women—one treacherous mission.
A Cuba-America war is at stake.
Why does everyone want them both dead?
The answer is simple . . . Hemingway.

Ana Karras is hiding among the millions in Manhattan, recovering from near-death at the hands of Cuban Intelligence. When she begins an ill-fated quest to find her missionary parents lost somewhere in Latin America, she’s haunted by her past and coerced into a new mission—to capture Catalina “Cat” Reyes, a rogue Cuban assassin bound for Washington. Cat’s mission could well start another Caribbean crisis. To avert a Cuban-American war, Ana must do the unthinkable—she must once again become Ana Montilla, the notorious FARC guerrilla. As Ana struggles to keep from devolving permanently into Ana Montilla, Cat must overcome past failures and reclaim her skills as Cuba’s top assassin—or die. Ana and Cat are on a collision course. Their paths are not separate, but one. Their pasts inexplicably linked. Their futures reliant on each other. Still, it’s the secrets kept from them that will be the end game. Two deadly women. One treacherous mission. What is Operation Perro? Why does everyone want Ana Karras and Cat Reyes dead?

The answer is Hemingway.

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Suspense Books
Publication Date: March 2023
Number of Pages: 370
ISBN: 9798218103323 (Paperback)
ASIN: B0BLP84N1Q (Kindle edition)
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Bookshop.org | | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Praise for The Hemingway Deception:

“A riveting ‘ripped from the headlines’ international thriller: Two women fighting for what they believe; a horrifying assassination plot; deadly enemies, including some in our own government; and a mysterious operative named Hemingway who must be found. O’Connor, a real life anti-terrorism expert, takes us on a roller coaster ride of action, intrigue, betrayal and stunning twists. Read it!”
~ R.G. Belsky, Award-Winning Author of the Clare Carlson Series

“Great characters, non-stop action, a twisted plot, and exotic locations-The Hemingway Deception is exactly what an international thriller should be. Couldn’t put it down.”
~ DP Lyle, Award-Winning Author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper Thriller Series

“A rollercoaster ride of international intrigue, governmental deception and the meaning of family. Tj O’Connor’s real-life knowledge of geopolitical affairs shines through on every quick-turning page. Bravo!”
~ Matt Coyle, Author of the Bestselling Rick Cahill Crime Series

“There are no wimps in this fast-paced thriller, male or female. The relentless action will have you flying through the pages, eager to know what happens next.”
~ Terry Shames, Author of the Award-Winning Samuel Craddock Series

“Tj O’Connor does it again in The Hemingway Deception. His action-packed writing is founded in real-world experience with anti-terrorism and threat analysis consulting. This time, he adds kick-ass women to the mix, building in multiple layers of complexity often overlooked in thrillers.”
~ Dawn Brotherton, Author of the Jackie Austin Mysteries and Eastover Treasures

Author Bio:

Tj O’Connor is the author of The Hemingway Deception, Dying with a Secret, (pending publication), The Consultant, and four paranormal murder mysteries.

Tj is an international security consultant specializing in anti-terrorism, investigations, and threat analysis—life experiences that drive his novels. With his former life as a government agent and years as a consultant, he has lived and worked around the world in places like Greece, Turkey, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and throughout the Americas—among others. Tj is a Harley Davidson pilot, a man-about-dogs, and a lover of adventure, cooking, and good spirits (both kinds). He was raised in New York’s Hudson Valley and lives with his wife and Labrador companions in Virginia where they raised five children who are supplying a growing tribe of grands!

Catch Up With TJ O’Connor:
www.TjOConnor.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @tj37
Twitter – @Tjoconnorauthor
Instagram – @tjoconnorauthor
Facebook – @TjOConnor.Author
YouTube – @tjoconnorauthor3905

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Guest Post: Colin Holmes – THUNDER ROAD

Good day, my bookish divas and divos. I’m currently wondering what in the world happened to Spring here in West Virginia. Temperatures fell into the mid-40s yesterday and there were actual snow flurries when I went out of town for a medical appointment. One of the good things about these cooler temps is that I don’t feel guilty curling up in my reading chair with my favorite blanket, a pot of tea, and a few good books. What can I say, I’m a book diva! And as a book diva, I enjoy learning as much as possible about the characters within the stories I’m reading, the settings, and especially why the author chose that time period, setting, etc. The more I learn about these things, the more pleasure I seem to derive from reading the story. As a result of this reading quirk, I’m pleased to welcome Colin Holmes, author of the historical noir, Thunder Road. Mr. Holmes will be introducing us to the main character of this book and I’m looking forward to meeting him. Thank you, Mr. Holmes, for joining us today. The blog is now all yours.

Meet Jefferson Sharp
by Colin Holmes

One of the things every novelist must know is the fictional background of our main characters. You have to know what makes them tick, to learn how they’ll react. So, here’s a little biography on the protagonist of Thunder Road as we meet the detective just west of Fort Worth in the Summer of 1947.

Jefferson Sharp was a child through the roaring ’20s and went through the Depression as a teenager. His dad held a job as a meat cutter at the giant Swift packing plant in Fort Worth, and his mother was a housewife. Sharp graduated from Paschal High School, where he played football and baseball with his childhood friend and neighbor Dave Latham. Dave’s little sister Veronica, younger by four years, was a frequent pest. Sharp was a “C” student not because he lacked the aptitude but because school bored him to death.

While job scarcity was real in the Depression, his father’s steady employment enabled Sharp to go as far with his true love—baseball—as he could. He played for a summer with the Brooklyn Dodgers’ AA farm team, the Fort Worth Cats, but he couldn’t hit a curveball and was told he didn’t have a future in the game.

With no real plan beyond baseball, he worked odd jobs. For a short time, he was a mechanic in his grandfather’s automobile garage. He worked as a pen rider, moving livestock through the enormous Fort Worth stockyards, but he found the romantic ideal of the cowboy was mostly dust, sweat, and manure. He made a friend of a Brand Inspector from the Stockman’s Association who encouraged him to apply to the police department as a first step to becoming a Stockman’s Ranger. He also introduced Sharp to the poker room at the 2222 Club and three years later, to Evelyn Lavelle at a party after the finals of the October 1940 Fort Worth Fat Stock Show Rodeo. They were married in June of 1941.

Police work appealed to Sharp’s curious nature. He was a diligent cop and a quick study, walking the Hell’s Half Acre beat with his partner William “Frenchy” Arquette. He learned how to deal with inquisitive newspaper reporters from old-hand reporter Leo Fuller of the Fort Worth Examiner.

Proving his mettle in the city’s red-light district and the saloons that catered to the cattle drive cowboys of the turn of the century, Sharp made Detective just as most of the illicit activities were moving north of the city limits along Thunder Road.

For a few months, life was great. Sharp had a detective’s badge, a new wife, and a small house on the west side of town. And then came December 7th.

Sharp enlisted on December 15th, after a week of arguing with Evelyn and her family about it. He did his boot camp in San Antonio, where, because of his police experience, he was made a sergeant, then to avenge the Japanese attack on Hawaii, he and his platoon were sent across the Atlantic to Tunisia and North Africa. Sharp fought across North Africa, then the Italian Campaign, and would have gone to Normandy but was still in the hospital recovering from battle wounds. He received the Purple Heart on three separate occasions, a Bronze Star, a battlefield promotion to Lieutenant, and just before the end of the war, another promotion to Captain. “Primarily,” he said, “for not getting all his men killed.

Sharp returned from the war to find jobs scarce. Evelyn was distant. She’d become involved with Elmer “Smitty” Smithson, a Ranger whose flat feet kept him out of the war. She was horrified when her father E.G. Lavelle, the Director of the Fort Worth and Western Stockman’s Association, gave her husband a job working with the Association and her boyfriend to ensure she’d be taken care of. Fortunately for Evelyn, most of the job had Sharp on the road doing long stakeout work at ranches rather than at home. And that is where we find Jefferson Sharp as Thunder Road opens around his cold morning campsite. ♦

Thunder Road

by Colin Holmes

May 1 – 26, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

In this gamble, more than a few poker chips are at stake.

When an Army Air Force Major vanishes from his Top Secret job at the Fort Worth airbase in the summer of 1947, down-on-his-luck former Ranger Jefferson Sharp is hired to find him, because the Major owes a sizable gambling debt to a local mobster. The search takes Sharp from the hideaway poker rooms of Fort Worth’s Thunder Road, to the barren ranch lands of New Mexico, to secret facilities under construction in the Nevada desert.

Lethal operatives and an opaque military bureaucracy stand in his way, but when he finds an otherworldly clue and learns President Truman is creating a new Central Intelligence Agency and splitting the Air Force from the Army, Sharp begins to connect dots. And those dots draw a straight line to a conspiracy aiming to cover up a secret that is out of this world—literally so.

Book Details:

Genre: Noir Mystery
Published by: CamCat Books
Publication Date: February 15, 2022
Number of Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780744304978 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 9780744304961 (Paperback)
ISBN: 9780744304947 (eBook)
ISBN: 9780744304855 (Digital Audiobook)
ASIN: B09QRN82F2 (Audible audiobook)
ASIN: B09RJLQS2S (Kindle edition)
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Audible Audiobook | Barnes and Noble | B&N eBook | B&N Audiobook | Goodreads | CamCat Books | Kobo Audiobook | Kobo eBook

Praise for Thunder Road:

“This genre-defying and enormously entertaining romp is Mickey Spillane meets Whitley Strieber meets Woody Allen. I can’t remember when I’ve had so much plain old fun reading a book and just didn’t want it to end.”br>~ Historical Novel Society, Editor’s Choice

“Sparkling 1940’s dialogue, wry humor, an unpredictable yet coherent storyline, and a breezy style all his own, make Colin Holmes’ somewhat spooky novel, Thunder Road, a winner. I’ll be on the lookout for his next novel.”
~ Rob Leininger, author of Killing Suki Flood and the Mortimer Angel “Gumshoe” series

“[In this] intriguing debut . . . clear crisp prose . . . morphs from a western into a detective story with an overlay of conspiracy theories.”
~ Publishers Weekly

“. . . one of the best mysteries I’ve ever read. The plot, characterization, timing, setting, dialogue, and tension was spot on. Love the noir feel of the past. Have to admit the ending twist caught me by surprise. Well done..”
~ Larry Enmon, author of Class III Threat, City of Fear, and The Burial Place

Author Bio:

Before the pandemic, Colin Holmes toiled in a beige cubical as a mid-level marketing and advertising manager for an international electronics firm. A recovering advertising creative director, he spent far too long at ad agencies and freelancing as a hired gun in the war for capitalism.

As an adman, Holmes has written newspaper classifieds, TV commercials, radio spots, trade journal articles, and tweets. His ads have sold cowboy boots and cheeseburgers, 72-ounce steaks, and hazardous waste site clean-up services. He’s encountered fascinating characters at every turn.

Now he writes novels, short stories, and screenplays in an effort to stay out of the way and not drive his far too-patient wife completely crazy. He is an honors graduate of the UCLA Writers Program, a former board member of the DFW Writers Workshop, and serves on the steering committee of the DFW Writers Conference. He’s a fan of baseball, barbeque, fine automobiles, and unpretentious scotch.

Catch Up With Colin Holmes:
ByColinHolmes.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @bycolinholmes
Instagram – @bycolinholmes
Twitter – @bycolinholmes
Facebook – @colin.holmes.1213

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Guest Post: Charles Salzberg – MAN ON THE RUN

Happy Friday, my bookish peeps. Every day there seems to be a news story about a new strain of Covid-19 making an appearance somewhere in the world. I’m hoping and praying that none of these new strains are as deadly as the first. Unlike many people, I actually enjoyed the “shutdown.” I stayed home and read books, lots and lots of books. The solitude was a delight for this introvert. I know, many of you had to deal with new work dynamics, not to mention childcare and education dynamics. We all learned how to cope with this new “normal.” I’m honored to welcome back Charles Salzberg, author of Man On the Run. Mr. Salzberg will be sharing the impact of the pandemic on his writing. Thank you, Mr. Salzberg, for returning to visit with us, the blog is now all yours.

How the Pandemic Played an Important Role in My Latest Novel
by Charles Salzberg

The Covid pandemic upended many lives but for someone like me who’s spent most of his adult life as a freelance writer, it was a piece of cake. After all, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that sheltering in place is something I’ve been rehearsing for all my life.

Staying home was no longer simply a suggestion. Now it was a sign of doing our patriotic duty, making sure our fellow citizens remain safe and Covid-free.

But after a while, even for me, a self-proclaimed expert at finding plenty to do within the confines of my apartment, it became a little challenging in terms of filling the time. I mean, how many Zoom lunches, or Zoom catch-ups, can one person abide?

Of course, there were the usual activities: Reading. Surfing the web. Hop-scotching between one streaming service to another, starting with A for Apple and going through P for Peacock and S for Starz, the opportunities were mind-shattering. Even doing some writing (although, to be honest, I don’t think I got any more writing done being home all day than I did pre-pandemic).

But occasionally, even the eyes need a rest and I yearned for something a little more relaxing. Something where I could lie back, close my eyes, and just…listen. And that’s how I discovered podcasts.

It wasn’t like I’d never listened to a podcast before. Like most of the country, I was hooked by Serial, the New York Times deep-dive by Sarah Koenig into the Adnan Syed murder case. And I’d been a guest on a couple of podcasts which I certainly didn’t listen to (nor, I’m guessing, were there many others who bothered to tune in). But as a steady diet? No way.

But Covid changed all that. I started hunting down true crime podcasts and was shocked to find there was a seemingly never-ending supply. I’d listen to one, which would inevitably lead to another and another and…well, you get the idea. Eventually, I was led to non-crime podcasts that offer a host of interesting topics. The search for Richard Simmons, Y2K, (Dan Taberski), Pod Save America, January 6th, the first 1993 bombing of the World Trade Building, the list is endless. And the thing of it is, much of the original reporting is first-rate.

I’m never surprised at the bottomless well of cases to talk about, injustices to uncover, mysteries to solve, but what did surprise me was the professionalism of the podcasts and the podcasters. It’s a legitimate form of journalism and, as a former magazine journalist, I was impressed, no make that extremely impressed, by the sheer, dogged, investigative work that goes into these podcasts.

And here’s how the pandemic eventually had an effect on what I was going to write next.

As soon as I finish a novel, I don’t like to put too much daylight between that ending and a new beginning. I’d finished Canary in the Coal Mine and was waiting for my next project to knock on my door. For some reason, my mind kept drifting back to the novel before Canary, Second Story Man, featuring the master burglar Francis Hoyt. Spoiler alert: at the end of that novel, Hoyt manages to elude the authorities and enters a new life as a man on the run. I had no intention of writing another book with Hoyt as the main character, but for some reason, he just wouldn’t relax his grip on me. I kept wondering, what happens to him now? Where does he go? What does he do with himself?

The only way to find out was to start to write about him, which is exactly what I did. I moved him out to the West Coast, and I even figured out what his next “job” would be, but I knew that wasn’t enough. I needed something else. And that’s where what I did during the pandemic came in handy. What if, I asked myself (the question every writer winds up asking), there’s this true crime podcaster and she decides the next subject she’s going to tackle is the legendary burglar, Francis Hoyt? And what if Hoyt found out someone was investigating his life and would then air it for all the world to hear? What would he do about it?

Thus was born Dakota Richards, a former newspaper crime reporter turned podcaster. But I knew virtually nothing about the ins and outs of the profession and so I reached out to the reporter/producer for one of my favorites, Murder in Oregon, Lauren Bright Pacheco. Unsurprisingly, (journalists are usually very helpful, especially to other writers) Lauren immediately returned my email and agreed to answer a whole bunch of questions about the profession. What kind of equipment do you use? How many people are involved in the production of a podcast and what do they do?

And so, with the help of Lauren, I hope I was able to create a compelling character and an impressive figure for Hoyt to spar with. And if I have been successful, I owe a lot of that success to Covid-19. ♦

Man on the Run

by Charles Salzberg

April 17 – May 12, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Master burglar Francis Hoyt is on the run.

After walking away from his arraignment in a Connecticut courtroom, he’s now a fugitive who has to figure out what he’s going to do with the rest of his life. And so, he heads west, to Los Angeles, where he meets Dakota, a young true crime podcaster who happens to be doing a series on Hoyt. At the same time, he’s approached by a mysterious attorney who makes Hoyt an offer he can’t refuse: break into a “mob bank” and liberate the contents.

Book Details:

Genre: Crime
Published by: Down & Out Books
Publication Date: April 17, 2023
Number of Pages: 340
ISBN: 9781643963075 (Paperback)
ASIN: B0BXFPFYMB (Kindle edition)
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Down & Out Books

Praise for Man on the Run:

“The stakes couldn’t be higher as the cat and mouse game moves to the Left Coast in Salzberg’s compelling Man on the Run. A superb mix of action, suspense, psychopathology.”

“One part heist movie, one part psychological thriller, three parts great character and blend. Salzberg’s superb Man on the Run will keep your head spinning from the first page to the last.”
~ Reed Farrel Coleman

“Man on the Run grips you from the opening page and doesn’t let go. The plot will leave you breathless with anticipation as a master burglar and a crime podcaster try to outwit and outmaneuver each other before an outrageous heist. There’s nothing better than smart characters, with smart dialogue, going head to head. You won’t want to miss a twist or turn.”
~ Michael Wiley, Shamus Award-winning writer of the Sam Kelson mysteries

“Francis Hoyt, Charles Salzberg’s brilliant burglar anti-hero from SECOND STORY MAN, is back on the prowl in Man on the Run. Old-school crime meets the podcast age as Hoyt tangles with a true-crime reporter as well as fellow felons and the law. Like his hero, Salzberg is a total pro who always brings it home.”
~ Wallace Stroby, author of HEAVEN’S A LIE

“Charles Salzberg is a genius at not only crafting a helluva page-turner of a heist novel, but he also manages to make the reader care about Francis Hoyt, master burglar and pathological narcissist. Hoyt is the man on the run, and the story of how he eludes the law, the mob, and a retired cop who has become his personal nemesis packs a solid punch and leaves you rooting for the guy who’d steal your family jewels without breaking a sweat.”
~ James R. Benn, author of the Billy Boyle WWII mystery series

“When it comes to Charles Salzberg’s work, you can expect a hard-edged story, crisp dialogue, and memorable characters. This is certainly true — and then some! – in his latest, Man on the Run. Featuring master burglar Francis Hoyt, a tough and intelligent criminal who can’t seem to turn down tempting criminal scores despite the inherent danger, Man on the Run features a true-crime podcast host, a criminal fence, and an investigator hot on the trail of Francis Hoyt as his most challenging and dangerous burglary comes into play. Very much recommended.”
~ Brendan DuBois, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author

“It’s a battle of wits and nerves as a cop, a robber, and a journalist dance around each other weaving a tapestry of deceit and suspense. Salzberg’s dialogue flows like water until it finds truth in this most entertaining read.”
~ Matt Goldman, New York Times bestselling author

“Smart, sly and compelling, with a fascinating main character – the very definition of intelligent suspense.”
~ Lee Child

Author Bio:

Charles Salzberg, a former magazine journalist (New York magazine, Esquire, Redbook, New York Times, and others) and nonfiction book writer (From Set Shot to Slam Dunk, an oral history of the NBA, and Soupy Sez; My Zany Life and Times with Soupy Sales), has been nominated twice for the Shamus Award for Swann’s Last Song and Second Story Man, which also won the Beverly Hills Book Award. His novel Devil in the Hole was named one of the Best Crime Novels of 2013 by Suspense magazine. He is the author of Canary in the Coal Mine and his short stories have appeared in Mystery Tribune, Down to the River, Lawyers, and Guns and Money. He’s been a Visiting Professor Magazine at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and he teaches writing in New York City for the New York Writers Workshop, where he is a Founding Member. He’s also on the Board of PrisonWrites and is a former Board Member of MWA-NY.

Catch Up With Charles:
www.CharlesSalzberg.com
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram – @charlessalzberg
Twitter – @CharlesSalzberg
Facebook – @charles.salzberg.3
YouTube – @CharlesSalzberg

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The Scene of the Crime–Making Settinga Lead Character in Your Mysteryby Jodé Millman

The Empty Kayak

by Jodé Millman

June 5-30, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

For Detective Ebony Jones, crime is always personal. But this time, it strikes too close to home.

But the evidence is as murky as the secretive Hudson River. Only the river knows whether Kyle’s untimely death was an accident, a suicide, or murder.

Book Details:

Praise for The Empty Kayak:

Author Bio:

Catch Up With Jodé Millman:www.JodeMillman.comGoodreadsLinkedInBookBub – @JodeMillmanAuthorInstagram – @jodewritesTwitter – @worldseats

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What Writing Project Is Coming Next?by Marlene M. Bell

Copper Waters

The Annalisse series, Book 4

by Marlene M. Bell

May 29 – June 23, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.

Book Details:

Praise for Copper Waters:

Copper Waters Trailer:

Author Bio:

Catch Up With Marlene M. Bell:www.MarleneMBell.comGoodreadsBookBub – @dorsetgalwritesInstagram – @marlenemysteriesTwitter – @ewephoricFacebook – @marlenembellYouTube – @marlenebell4960

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Park setting, Swoon-worthy Cop Combine for One-Two Punch in A Deadly WildernessBy Kelly Irvin

A Deadly Wilderness

by Kelly Irvin

May 22 – June 16, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

The journey ends where it began—in a deadly wilderness. Not everyone will survive the trip.

Book Details:

Author Bio:

Catch Up With Kelly Irvin:www.kellyirvin.comGoodreadsBookBub – @KellyIrvinTwitter – @Kelly_S_IrvinInstagram – @Kelly_IrvinFacebook – @Kelly.Irvin.Author

Tour Participants:

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It Takes a Villageby James McCrone

Bastard Verdict

by James McCrone

May 15 – June 9, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

YOU DON’T NEED TO WIN, JUST DON’T LOSE

Book Details:

Author Bio:

Catch Up With James McCrone:BastardVerdict.comGoodreadsBookBub – @JamesMcCroneInstagram – @james.mccroneTwitter – @jamesmccrone4Facebook – @FaithlessElector

Tour Participants:

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Covert in Cairo

by Kelly Oliver

April 24 – May 19, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Book Details:

PRAISE FOR FIONA FIGG:

Covert in Cairo Trailer:

Author Bio:

To learn more about Kelly and her books, go to:www.kellyoliverbooks.comGoodreadsBookBub – @KellyOliverBookInstagram – @kellyoliverbookTwitter – @kellyoliverbookFacebook – @kellyoliverauthor

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The Books are Finished, But the Excavation Continuesby Kerry Peresta

The Torching

by Kerry Peresta

May 8 – June 2, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Mysterious fires. A haunting past. A secret file.

Book Details:

The Torching Trailer:

Author Bio:

Catch Up With Kerry Peresta:www.KerryPeresta.netGoodreadsBookBub – @kerryperestaInstagram – @kerryperestaTwitter – @kerryperestaFacebook – @klperesta

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Hometown San DiegoCorey Lynn Fayman

Gillespie Field Groove

by Corey Fayman

May 8 – June 2, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

An obscure rock’n’roll roadie dies under mysterious circumstances. A prized Jimi Hendrix guitar has gone missing. Can Rolly Waters save his new client from the ruthless collectors looking for it?

Book Details:

Praise for Gillespie Field Groove:

The Scene of the Crime–Making Setting
a Lead Character in Your Mystery
by Jodé Millman

Catch Up With Jodé Millman:
www.JodeMillman.com
Goodreads
LinkedIn
BookBub – @JodeMillmanAuthor
Instagram – @jodewrites
Twitter – @worldseats

What Writing Project Is Coming Next?
by Marlene M. Bell

Catch Up With Marlene M. Bell:
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Instagram – @marlenemysteries
Twitter – @ewephoric
Facebook – @marlenembell
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Park setting, Swoon-worthy Cop Combine for One-Two Punch in A Deadly Wilderness
By Kelly Irvin

Catch Up With Kelly Irvin:
www.kellyirvin.com
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Twitter – @Kelly_S_Irvin
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It Takes a Village
by James McCrone

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BastardVerdict.com
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Instagram – @james.mccrone
Twitter – @jamesmccrone4
Facebook – @FaithlessElector

To learn more about Kelly and her books, go to:
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The Books are Finished, But the Excavation Continues
by Kerry Peresta

Catch Up With Kerry Peresta:
www.KerryPeresta.net
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BookBub – @kerryperesta
Instagram – @kerryperesta
Twitter – @kerryperesta
Facebook – @klperesta

Hometown San Diego
Corey Lynn Fayman

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Twitter – @CLFayman
Facebook – @CoreyLynnFayman

My Characters Made Me Do It!
by Tj O’Connor

Ana Karras is running from her past.
Catalina Reyes is running toward hers.
Two deadly women—one treacherous mission.
A Cuba-America war is at stake.
Why does everyone want them both dead?
The answer is simple . . . Hemingway.

Catch Up With TJ O’Connor:
www.TjOConnor.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @tj37
Twitter – @Tjoconnorauthor
Instagram – @tjoconnorauthor
Facebook – @TjOConnor.Author
YouTube – @tjoconnorauthor3905

Meet Jefferson Sharp
by Colin Holmes

Catch Up With Colin Holmes:
ByColinHolmes.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @bycolinholmes
Instagram – @bycolinholmes
Twitter – @bycolinholmes
Facebook – @colin.holmes.1213

How the Pandemic Played an Important Role in My Latest Novel
by Charles Salzberg

Catch Up With Charles:
www.CharlesSalzberg.com
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram – @charlessalzberg
Twitter – @CharlesSalzberg
Facebook – @charles.salzberg.3
YouTube – @CharlesSalzberg