FEATURED AUTHOR: ELLEN MANSOOR COLLIER

ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1920s Galveston, society reporter Jazz Cross is in for a surprise when she attends a traveling vaudeville show with her beau, Prohibition Agent James Burton, and discovers that an old flame acts in the production. That night, they find a stabbing victim behind the Oasis — her half-brother Sammy’s speakeasy — who’s identified as an actor in the troupe. When the victim disappears and later turns up dead, Jazz must help prove that Sammy wasn’t the killer.

Meanwhile, a ring of jewel thieves is turning up all over town, robbing rich tourists of their precious gems. After a second vaudeville actor is found dead, Jazz discovers that the events behind the scenes are much more interesting than the outdated acts onstage.

To make matters worse, Sammy’s old nemesis demands that he settles a score and forces him into yet another illegal scheme. Can Jazz help solve the murders and prove her brother’s innocence—so he can escape the Downtown Gang for good?

A historical Jazz Age mystery inspired by real-life Galveston gangs and local landmarks.

INTERVIEW WITH ELLEN MANSOOR COLLIER

Ellen, how did you get started writing?
My mother was a World History teacher and always wrote part-time so I used to play around on her old typewriter. (She’s had several articles and a novel published as well.  We actually co-wrote a couple of romantic short stories published in Woman's World.) I won a few writing awards (and placed in the Texas state UIL contest) when I worked on my high-school newspaper so naturally majored in Journalism at UT/Austin.  Originally I always wanted to be an international correspondent, like Christiane Amanpour—but after my first newspaper internship, I quickly realized I don’t have the stomach for hard news.

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
Working in my pj’s! LOL  I love being able to create characters and plots that interest me and getting to control the outcome. Obviously I’m fascinated by the 1920s and enjoy doing the research needed to bring the Jazz Age era to life. When I can connect the dots in ways that make sense or come up with a new plot twist, that can be very satisfying.

Do you have a writing routine?
I write when I’m inspired and have free time without distractions, often at night.  As a magazine writer, I always had deadlines to meet so that was my motivation.  Now I let my ideas percolate and when I suddenly get a burst of energy (usually every other day), I can write fairly quickly. I envy those disciplined writers who just pound it out every day. I worked as a magazine writer and editor for most of my adult life, so I don’t want writing fiction to turn into a job. So far it’s worked for four mystery novels!

What do you wish you’d done differently when you first started the publishing process?
I wish I’d done more research into marketing and “building a brand.”  Since I don’t blog or tweet (by choice), I had no idea how important it was to have an online presence.  But I’d rather spend my time trying to get my books on shelves than selling online.  I used to work in advertising sales and PR, but it’s a lot harder to sell your own books! 

What do you think is hardest aspect of writing a book?
In a mystery, everything has to make sense and build to a satisfying yet logical conclusion. What’s difficult is keeping readers in suspense while connecting the dots.  We’re told to “play fair with the reader” and include a lot of clues — but then again we need to provide a surprise ending so critics don’t call your novels “predictable.”  Tough to do both well!

Do you have any marketing tips you could pass on to indie authors?
My advice to indies is: Discover what is unique and special about your novels and target your books to that market. e.g. If your book centers on a candy store or bakery or spice shop, locate shops in your area who might want to sell your books.  If your novel involves pets or animals, perhaps a grooming salon or pet shop may want to sell your books.

Better yet, find a chain who can place your books in several locations so you won’t be running all over town just to sell a handful of books.  Since my novels are set in 1920s Galveston, I’ve approached local and regional outlets as well as souvenir/gift shops.  Wherever I go, I try to pass out postcards with my book covers and info printed on front.

Currently my books sell well at luxury hotels in Galveston and area stores. In addition, I’ve set up at a few antique shows and sold several books per show (usually 10-20).  Not only do I make twice as much selling my novels directly, I’ve made new friends who come back for the latest titles. So far, I’m the only author who sells books along with vintage Deco items — and my books seem reasonable in comparison. LOL  A few dealer friends also display my books and/or postcards on their tables during major antique shows.

Why not ask your friends and contacts about various markets that might be interested in featuring your books? They may even be willing to set up a book-signing or talk. (I’ve done several book-signings in Galveston.) Also I’ve donated my books to area charities and fund-raisers — not only is it a great way to make new friends and contacts, your books receive wonderful publicity and exposure. Once you find that unique niche, you may hit just the right target market for your novels. Good luck — and think outside of the big box shops!  

What are you working on now?
I’ve just begun the fifth book in my Jazz Age series but now I’m spending more time marketing than writing! Hope to release it later this year.  Stay tuned! 

EXCERPT FROM VAMPS, VILLAINS AND VAUDEVILLE

“Please take your seats. The Villains, Vixens and Varmints Vaudeville Show is about to begin.” The master of ceremonies’ mellifluous voice boomed across Martini Theatre, and lights dimmed as a uniformed usher escorted me and Agent Burton to our front-row seats.

Disoriented, I tried not to trip in the dark while the orchestra broke into a classic overture. We squeezed in the cramped seats, our elbows and knees bumping, his long legs stretched out in front. Always a gentleman, he rarely took my hand in public though we’d dated steadily for four months now. You’d think I still lived in my old University of Texas dorm with its strict code of conduct: No ODA — overdisplay of affection.

The society editor — my boss, Mrs. Harper — had snagged two front-and-center seats to Friday night’s opening performance. No doubt the traveling troupe expected the Galveston Gazette — rather, me — to give them a rave review. Well, we’d see if this dog-and-pony show lived up to its billing, literally. The MC gave a short introduction and a chubby clown paraded onstage with a spotted pony, a small terrier-mix perched atop its back. When the clown tried to coax the pup to stand on its hind legs, the spunky mutt refused to cooperate, while the audience laughed with glee.

Next Farmer Brown came onstage with Polly, a “talking pig” that oinked and grunted to Old McDonald. Luckily the pig drowned out Burton’s groans of, “You call this entertainment?”

“Relax and try to enjoy the show,” I nudged him. “You’ve got to admit, it’s funny.”

“I’d rather catch crooks than have to endure this nonsense.”

“Hogwash! Personally, I think the pig is cute,” I razzed him, feeling sorry for the poor farmer who beamed proudly at his porky pig. “You do your job, and I’ll do mine.”

Burton could be so stubborn and yes, pig-headed, at times.

After the animal acts came a beautiful ballerina, a French mime, a boyish barbershop quartet, and a short scene from Gilbert and Sullivan’s H. M. S. Pinafore.  A chorus line of long-limbed hoofers clad in sparkly sequined tap pants and tops danced to lively Cole Porter tunes, reminding me of the bathing beauties.

When Vera, a burlesque dancer, appeared in a Gay ‘90s costume and feather boa, Burton perked up, saying, “This is more like it!” Annoyed, I hushed him to keep quiet. Fortunately she only strutted around the stage twirling her boa, not disrobing, while the men clapped and whistled. What a relief!  Overall, the performers appeared more polished than the local yokels who competed in talent shows, hoping to be the next Fanny Brice, Buster Keaton or Theda Bara . . .

During intermission, the MC announced a last-minute replacement for Dan Dastardly in the final act. So far, the routines seemed accomplished yet rather outdated, a point I’d make in my review. No need to be rude or demeaning, but a little constructive criticism never hurt, right?

“Now we can make our escape,” Burton half-joked.

“The show’s almost over. Besides, I can’t give my honest opinion without seeing the whole production. What kind of critic would I be?”

After the break, Burton stayed seated, stoically suffering through two corny comedy acts.  He perked up after a sword-swallower appeared, and applauded a knife thrower who narrowly missed his victim, a beautiful showgirl in a silky gown. I yelped and squirmed when he aimed an arrow at his brave target—and struck an apple on her head.

“These are my type of acts,” Burton grinned, while I clutched his arm, trembling.

Next “Milo the Magician” took the stage, elegant in a tux, top hat and white gloves, and  performed his requisite card tricks and rabbit in the hat act. Millie, his pretty redheaded assistant, flitted around in satin tap pants and top, diverting the audience’s attention.  I cringed when Milo sawed his willing sidekick in two halves while Millie smiled sweetly at the audience. Then he made her disappear in a large painted box—and reappear again in a gypsy outfit.  Voila!

Last but not least, Milo invited a volunteer to participate while he distracted the audience with his sleight-of-hand, deftly stealing the man’s  wristwatch. “Do you have the time?” Milo asked the flustered fella, who fumbled for his missing watch—then pulled it out of his top hat.

The final act highlighted a short scene from The Perils of Pauline, featuring a dastardly villain wearing a black mask and cape trying to kidnap helpless, hapless Pauline. Twirling his handlebar moustache, the evil masked man tied poor Pauline to a tree while the Tom Mix character managed to chase off the villain, and rescue his beloved damsel-in-distress. Yes, the act was so corny and hammy that it was comical, but I enjoyed the melodrama of it all.

I knew Amanda, an aspiring actress, would love the show. Too bad the troupe remained in town for only a week.
After the show, the performers gathered on stage, and as each act stepped forward to take their separate bows, the applause grew louder. When the Perils of Pauline actors appeared, the audience stood up, clapping wildly and cheering as the performers grinned and waved. Seems I was wrong about vaudeville: The appreciative audience gave all the actors a standing ovation.

Strange, I noticed the villain smiling at me from his vantage point onstage — or was he? Surely I imagined it . . . until he took off his hat and held it out to me like a rose, or a bribe. Then he gave me a bold wink—right in front of Burton.

Blushing, I did a double-take: Was the villain flirting with me?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance magazine writer and editor whose articles and essays have been published in a variety of national magazines. Several of her short stories have appeared in Woman’s World. During college summers, she worked as a reporter for a Houston community newspaper and as a cocktail waitress, both jobs providing background experience for her Jazz Age mysteries.

A flapper at heart, she’s worked as a magazine editor/writer, and in advertising and public relations (plus endured a hectic semester as a substitute teacher). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism and served on UTmost, the college magazine and as president of WICI (Women in Communications).

Flappers, Flasks And Foul Play is her first novel, published in 2012, followed by the sequel, Bathing Beauties, Booze And Bullets, released in May 2013. She lives in Houston with her husband and Chow mutts, and visits Galveston whenever possible.

“When you grow up in Houston, Galveston becomes like a second home. I had no idea this sleepy beach town had such a wild and colorful past until I began doing research, and became fascinated by the legends and stories of the 1920s. Finally I had to stop researching and start writing, trying to imagine a flapper’s life in Galveston during Prohibition.”

Connect with the author:
Website  |  Goodreads  | Pinterest  |  Amazon

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FEATURED AUTHOR: ELLEN MANSOOR COLLIER

ABOUT THE JAZZ AGE MYSTERY SERIES 

Boardwalk Empire meets Downton Abbey in this soft-boiled Jazz Age mystery series, inspired by actual events. Real-life rival gangs fight over booze and bars during Prohibition in 1920s Galveston, Texas — the “Sin City of the Southwest.” The series features Jasmine (“Jazz”) Cross, a 21-year-old society reporter, who feels caught between two clashing cultures: her brother’s seedy speakeasy underworld and the snooty social circles she covers in the Galveston Gazette.

Jazz longs to cover hard news and wants to be taken seriously by the good-old-boy staff, but the editors only assign her fluffy puff pieces. Still she manages to show up at most crime scenes, butting heads with seasoned male reporters, determined to make her mark.
As turf wars escalate between rival gangs, Jazz tries to protect her black-sheep big brother from violent gangsters, as well as threats from her not-so-secret admirer, Prohibition Agent James Burton.

Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play (2012)
Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets (2013)
Gold Diggers, Gamblers and Guns (2014)
Vamps, Villains and Vaudeville (2015)

TWO Q'S WITH ELLEN MANSOOR COLLIER

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a frequently featured author on A Blue Million Books. See past interviews here and here. She has recently redone all four covers in her mystery series, and I asked her to share some thoughts with us about covers and marketing.

Ellen, I loved your originals covers, but I love the new ones too. Why did you decide to redo them? 
Thanks! I like using authentic Art Deco illustrations for my covers — all the covers except for Bathing Beauties are by French artist George Barbier. c. 1920s. Then a year after my first novel in my Jazz Age series, Flappers, Flasks, and Foul Play, came out I was perusing Pinterest and I found this photo of a flapper in a fancy frock with fur cuffs and huge buttons sitting in front of  a typewriter, holding a candlestick phone and I thought, “That’s Jazz!” Who else but a 1920s society reporter would dress that way to work? I imagined her rushing to her desk after an exciting social event and pounding out the story on her old typewriter, perhaps calling a source for  more information or a juicy quote.
I just updated and colorized the cover with a new background, a postcard showing Murdoch’s Bathhouse and the Galveston Seawall. Though the original Murdoch’s was destroyed during the hurricanes, it’s still standing after all these years — a tribute to the tenacity of the Galveston locals.

Later, I  came across a colorized photo of real-life bathing beauties in a variety of wacky outfits, and thought it was perfect for my sequel, Bathing Beauties, Booze, and Bullets.  BBB is based on the actual Miss Universe Pageant founded in Galveston in 1920 to compete with Atlantic City’s Miss America Contest — with a couple of twists. After that, I wanted to update all of my covers using vintage photographs so that readers who preferred “realism” could have a choice of illustrated or photographic sets. Also, I tend to be a bit matchy-matchy, if possible . . . it’s a Southern thing. Quite a few people buy a whole set as gifts or to keep.
 
What are some creative ways that you market your books? Do you have any marketing advice for indie authors?
I actually used to work in PR as well as advertising/marketing and sales, so I’ve come up with a variety of ideas — but executing them is difficult. Since I don’t blog or tweet (yet), I’ve had to create alternative ways to sell trade copies of my books. I’ve found out the hard way that it can be really depressing and demoralizing (not to mention frustrating) to market your own novels, especially if you’re an indie author.

At first, I was really ballsy and brave and even approached my local Barnes and Noble — the manager seemed quite interested until he found out I was an indie. As a journalist, I’ve been writing for and editing newspapers and magazines since high school, but no one seemed willing to read the actual story once they found out I was self-published.

Still, I persevered and realized that I had to think outside of the big-box bookstores, literally. Who can compete with thousands of books, besides best-selling authors with huge displays if no one has ever heard of you?

The local bookshop sold dozens of my titles and held book signings for me, but I had to place my books on consignment. So I began approaching gift/souvenir shops in Galveston that also sold books. I even dropped my books off at major luxury Galveston hotels who expressed interest but wanted too high of a percentage. At one hotel, I met the retail manager who told me I needed to contact their Houston headquarters — so I left my first two novels along with my contact info, but was too chicken to follow up.

Over a year later, after I’d written two more novels, I left a message with the merchandising manager — and he called me back the same day! Turns out the hotel retail manager actually read Flappers and enjoyed it so much, that she wanted to start selling it in their gift shops. When I talked to him, he asked about the publishing company, ISBN numbers, etc — and barely hesitated when I told him I was the publisher — then sent me a W-2 form, and placed a large order. I think he became interested later because then I had four novels to sell — so they could turn a decent profit. Finally my persistence paid off!

My advice to indies is: Discover what is unique and special about your novels and target your books to that market. e.g. If your book centers on a candy store or bakery or spice shop, locate shops in your area who might want to sell your books. If your novel involves pets or animals, perhaps a grooming salon or pet shop may want to display your books for sale. Better yet, find a chain who can place your books in several locations so you won’t be running all over town just to sell a handful of books.

Since my books are set in 1920s Galveston, I’ve approached local and regional stores as well as souvenir/gift shops. In addition, I’ve set up at a few antique shows and sold several books per show (usually 10-20). Not only do I make twice as much selling my novels directly, I’ve made new friends who come back for the latest titles. So far at these shows, I’ve been the only author who sells books along with vintage Deco items — and my books seem reasonable in comparison. LOL. A dealer friend who also specializes in 1920s-era items displayed my books at the International Quilt show in Houston — resulting in several sales. (If only my novels were about quilts!) A few dealer friends also display my postcards on their tables during major antique shows.

Why not ask your friends and contacts about various markets/shops that might be interested in featuring your books? They may even be willing to set up a book-signing or talk . . . I’ve donated my books to the Houston Vintage show, the Galveston Art League fund-raiser silent auction, and Miss Houston Vintage contest (held at the 1940 Hobby Airport) — not only is it a great way to make gain new readers and contacts, your books receive wonderful publicity and exposure. Once you find that unique niche, you may hit just the right target market for your novels. Good luck — and think outside of the big box shops!

The Jazz Age Mystery Series

Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play

Rival gangs fight over booze and bars during Prohibition in 1920s Galveston: the "Sin City of the Southwest." Jazz Cross, a 21-year-old society reporter, suspects foul play when a bank VP collapses at her half-brother Sammy's speakeasy. Was it an accident or a mob hit?

Soon handsome young Prohibition Agent James Burton raids the Oasis, threatening to shut it down if Sammy doesn't talk. Suspicious, he pursues Jazz, but despite her attraction she refuses to rat on Sammy. As turf wars escalate between two real-life rival gangs, Sammy is accused of murder. To find the killer, Jazz must risk her life and career, exposing the dark side of Galveston's glittering society.

Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets

It’s 1927 in Galveston, Texas—the “Sin City of the Southwest.” Jasmine (“Jazz”) Cross is an ambitious 21-year-old society reporter for the Galveston Gazette who tries to be taken seriously by the good-old-boy staff, but the editors only assign her fluffy puff pieces, like writing profiles of bathing beauties. The last thing Jazz wants to do is compare make-up tips with ditzy dames competing in the Miss Universe contest, known as the “International Pageant of Pulchritude and Bathing Girl Revue.”

She’d rather help solve the murders of young prostitutes who turn up all over town, but city officials insist on burying the stories during Splash Day festivities. After Jazz gets to know the bathing beauties, she realizes there’s a lot more to them than just pretty faces and figures. Jazz becomes suspicious when she finds out the contest is also sponsored by the Maceos, aspiring Beach Gang leaders and co-owners of the Hollywood Dinner Club, where the girls will perform before the parade and pageant.

Worse, her half-brother Sammy Cook, owner of the Oasis, a speakeasy on a rival gang’s turf, asks her to call in a favor from handsome Prohibition Agent James Burton—an impossible request that could compromise both of their jobs and budding romance. While Agent Burton gives her the cold shoulder, she fends off advances from Colin Ferris, an attractive but dangerous gangster who threatens Sammy as well as Burton. In the end, she must risk it all to save her friends from a violent killer hell-bent on revenge. Inspired by actual events.

Gold Diggers, Gamblers and Guns

During Prohibition in 1920s Galveston, the Island was called the "Free State of Galveston" due to its lax laws and laissez faire attitude toward gambling, girls and bootlegging. Young society reporter Jasmine (Jazz) Cross longs to cover hard news, but she's stuck between two clashing cultures: the world of gossip and glamour vs. gangsters and gamblers.

After Downtown Gang leader Johnny Jack Nounes is released from jail, all hell breaks loose: Prohibition Agent James Burton’s life is threatened and he must go into hiding for his own safety. But when he’s framed for murder, he and Jazz must work together to prove his innocence. Johnny Jack blames Jasmine’s half-brother Sammy Cook, owner of the Oasis speakeasy, for his arrest and forces him to work overtime in a variety of dangerous mob jobs as punishment.

When a bookie is murdered, Jazz looks for clues linking the two murders and delves deeper into the underworld of gambling: poker games, slot machines and horse-racing. Meanwhile, Jazz tries to keep both Burton and her brother safe, and alive, while they face off against a common enemy.

Vamps, Villains and Vaudeville

In 1920s Galveston, society reporter Jazz Cross is in for a surprise when she attends a traveling vaudeville show with her beau, Prohibition Agent James Burton, and discovers that an old flame acts in the production. That night, they find a stabbing victim behind the Oasis — her half-brother Sammy’s speakeasy — who’s identified as an actor in the troupe. When the victim disappears and later turns up dead, Jazz must help prove that Sammy wasn’t the killer. After a second vaudeville actor is found dead, Jazz discovers that the events behind the scenes are much more interesting than the outdated acts onstage.

To make matters worse, Sammy’s old nemesis demands that he settles a score and forces him into yet another illegal scheme involving the troupe’s money-making ventures. Can Jazz help solve the murders and prove her brother’s innocence—so he can escape the Downtown Gang for good?

A historical Jazz Age mystery inspired by real-life Galveston gangs and local landmarks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance magazine writer and editor whose articles, essays, and short stories have been published in a variety of national magazines. In the 1990s, she reviewed mysteries for The Houston Chronicle, which was like a crash course in writing novels. During college summers, she interned as a reporter for a Houston community newspaper and once served as a cocktail waitress, both jobs providing background experience for her Jazz Age mysteries.

A flapper at heart, she's worked as a magazine editor/writer, and in advertising/marketing and public relations (plus endured a hectic semester as a substitute teacher). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism and was an editor and writer on UTmost, the college magazine. During her senior year, she served as the president of WICI (Women in Communications, Inc).

Flappers, Flasks, and Foul Play is her first novel, published in 2012, followed by the sequel, Bathing Beauties, Booze, and Bullets, in 2013. Gold Diggers, came out in 2014, and last but not least, Vamps was released in 2015.

Collier loves to travel with her chemical engineer husband Gary and visits Galveston whenever possible.

"When you grow up in Houston, Galveston becomes like a second home. I had no idea this sleepy beach town had such a wild and colorful past, and became fascinated by the legends and stories of the 1920s."


Connect with Ellen
Website   |  etsy  |  Amazon author page

BUY THE BOOKS

Cover Reveal for Vamps, Villains and Vaudeville

About the book

In 1920s Galveston, society reporter Jazz Cross is in for a surprise when she attends a traveling vaudeville show with her beau, Prohibition Agent James Burton, and sees an old flame in the production.  That night, they find a stabbing victim behind the Oasis — her half-brother Sammy’s speakeasy — who’s identified as an actor in the troupe. When the victim disappears and later turns up dead, Jazz must help prove that Sammy wasn’t the killer. After a second vaudeville actor is found dead, Jazz discovers that the events behind the scenes are much more interesting than the outdated acts onstage.

To make matters worse, Sammy’s old nemesis demands that he settles a score and forces him into yet another illegal scheme involving the troupe’s money-making ventures. Can Jazz help solve the murders and prove her brother’s innocence—so he can get away from the Downtown Gang for good?

A historical Jazz Age mystery inspired by real-life Galveston gangs and local landmarks. Vamps, Villains and Vaudeville will be out in late spring/early summer.

Check out Goodreads for the book giveaway for Gold Diggers, Gamblers and Guns through May 25.

Jazz Age Mysteries

About this author

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance magazine writer and editor whose articles, essays and short stories have been published in a variety of national magazines. During college summers, she worked as a reporter for a Houston community newspaper and as a cocktail waitress, both jobs providing background experience for her Jazz Age mysteries.

A flapper at heart, she's worked as a magazine editor/writer, and in advertising and public relations (plus endured a hectic semester as a substitute teacher). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism and served on UTmost, the college magazine and as president of WICI (Women in Communications).

Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play is her first novel, published in 2012, followed by the sequel, Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets, released in 2013. Gold Diggers, Gamblers and Guns, the third book in the trilogy, came out in May 2014 and picks up right after BBB.

Collier lives in Houston with her husband and Chow mutts, and visits Galveston whenever possible.

"When you grow up in Houston, Galveston becomes like a second home. I had no idea this sleepy beach town had such a wild and colorful past until I began doing research, and became fascinated by the legends and stories of the 1920s. Finally I had to stop researching and start writing, trying to imagine a flapper's life in Galveston during Prohibition."

Buy Jazz Age Mysteries

Featured Author: Ellen Mansoor Collier

Fans of Ellen Mansoor Collier and her Jazz Age Mystery series will be thrilled to know the third book in the series, Gold-Diggers, Gamblers and Guns, has been released. I'm happy to have her back today with with an excerpt. Ellen has previously been here to talk about book one in the cozy mystery series, Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play and book two, Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets. To read an interview with Ellen and excerpts from both books, click here and here.

About the book:

During Prohibition in 1920s Galveston, the Island was called the "Free State of Galveston" due to its lax laws and laissez-faire attitude toward gambling, gals and bootlegging. Young society reporter Jasmine (“Jazz”) Cross longs to cover hard news, but she's stuck between two clashing cultures: the world of gossip and glamour vs. gangsters and gamblers.

After Downtown Gang leader Johnny Jack Nounes is released from jail, all hell breaks loose: Prohibition Agent James Burton’s life is threatened and he must go into hiding for his own safety. But when he’s framed for murder, he and Jazz must work together to prove his innocence. Johnny Jack blames Jasmine’s half-brother Sammy Cook, owner of the Oasis speakeasy, for his arrest and forces him to work overtime in a variety of dangerous mob jobs as punishment.

When a bookie is murdered, Jazz looks for clues linking the two murders and delves deeper into the underworld of gambling: poker games, slot machines and horse-racing. Meanwhile, Jazz tries to keep both Burton and her brother safe, and alive, while they face off against each other, as well as a common enemy.

Excerpt from Gold-Diggers, Gamblers and Guns

In the background, I heard a scuffle, loud voices, furniture scraping across the floor, an object being thrown. Burton tensed up and turned toward the noise, his slate-blue eyes darting around the room.

“What’s all the ruckus? A fight?” I stared at the casino, hoping for some excitement. The other diners also shifted in their chairs, whispering and clucking like nosy busybodies. Finally a diversion from the “James and Jazz nightclub act.”

“I’ll go see what’s wrong.” Burton stood up just as two bouncers escorted, or rather dragged, a dark, disheveled middle-aged man in a top hat and tuxedo, toward the exit. His swollen face had taken quite a pummeling, resembling raw beefsteak. A bleached blonde floozy  followed him, loudly complaining, “Unhand him, you beasts! That’s no way to treat a paying guest. He won fair and square. The Maceos owe us money!”

I gripped Burton’s arm, his muscles taut beneath his sleek suit. “James, wait. You’re off-duty now. This isn’t your department.”

“I can’t stop being a lawman just because I’m out with my girl.”

My girl? When had we made it official?

Holding my breath, I watched as he approached the Maceos’ men, asking, “Where are you taking him?” When they refused to answer, he rushed toward the commotion in the back.
How could I blame him? Curious, I leapt out of my chair and pretended to look for the powder room, making eye contact with the gun molls giving me the once-over. Did they think Agent Burton was going to raid the place?

Rows of slot machines and black jack tables sat positioned in full view of the dining room, beckoning diners to try their luck. A few gold-diggers decked out in beaded gowns and feathers draped their arms over geezers old enough to be their fathers, if not their grandfathers, betting at the craps tables.

“Want me to blow on your dice, honey?” I heard one gal purr to a fat cat in a top hat. How could he refuse?  Some guys in tuxedoes guarded a couple of closed rooms, frowning as I glanced their way. I imagined the high-rollers were losing their shirts while club owners Ollie Quinn and the Maceos counted their profits like Ebeneezer Scrooge.

In the powder room, the mirrored walls reflected the elegant seating area with its marble wash basin and gold fixtures—real gold or plated? —straight out of a movie set.

“Nice gown.” I smiled at a flashy flapper who wore an ice-blue sheath with a big bow on one hip, her plunging neckline dangerously close to revealing all her assets.

“Gee, thanks!” she drawled. “You don’t look so bad yourself, sister.”

“Any idea what that fight was all about?” I washed my hands, acting nonchalant.

“Who knows? Those gamblers are always accusing each other of cheating.”

I wanted to ask more questions, but an older Negro attendant handed me a fluffy towel with a frown. I rushed back to the table just as Burton returned with Sam Maceo glued to his side....

“Who was that man?” Burton pressed. “The one with his nose out of joint.”

“A couple of wiseguys got hot under the collar, that’s all. Accused this city slicker of cheating. So Rose took care of the situation on the spot.”  Maceo shrugged it off, knowing his brother Rosario Maceo provided in-house muscle and protection. “We call it cleaning house.”

“Does this city slicker have a name?” Burton asked.

“I’m sure he does.” Maceo gave Burton a pointed look, then turned his full charm on me. “Wouldn’t you rather be enjoying the company of this lovely lady?..."

“He wasn’t very forthcoming, was he?” I said to Burton after he left. “Did you see anything fishy?”

“A bunch of stuffed shirts sitting around a table playing poker. Seems a few goons ganged up on this joker, beat him to a pulp. Wonder if he really tried to cheat them?” 

“Did you recognize anyone?” I asked. “Any bigwigs?”

“Not off-hand. I think the victim is from out of town, maybe a card shark. I wonder what they plan to do next. Take him for a ride?” Burton suddenly stood up, put on his new Stetson and held out his hand. “Let’s go. Maybe we can follow them?”

Flustered, I grabbed my mesh bag, nervous yet excited at the thought of going on an actual police chase. “If you don’t mind, I’ll take the Champagne.” I shoved in the cork and picked up the bottle.  “Hate to let all this fine bubbly go to waste.”

All heads turned as we made our exit, the staff gallantly opening the wide double doors.  Outside, the humidity hit me like a slap and my carefree curls began to droop.

“It’s a 1925 Packard convertible,” Burton told the valet, scanning the area for signs of the men. “Say, did you see the last car that just left?  Any idea where it was going?”

“Beats me,” the youth said with a shrug. “But they were in some kind of hurry.”

As Burton stepped off the walkway, following the valet into the parking lot, an old Ford swerved around the corner, brakes and tires screeching, headed right at Burton.

“Look out!” I screamed, dropping the bottle of Champagne, hearing it shatter on the pavement, spraying liquid and tiny specks of glass. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion: I saw a flash of light and heard loud, popping noises, covering my head as shots rang out, staring in shock when Burton collapsed on the lot.

Other books in the Jazz Age Mystery series:

Buy Flappers, Flask and Foul Play | Buy Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets

About the author:

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance magazine writer and editor whose articles and essays have been published in a variety of national magazines. Several of her short stories have appeared in Woman's World. During college summers, she worked as a reporter for a Houston community newspaper and as a cocktail waitress, both jobs providing background experience for her Jazz Age mysteries.

A flapper at heart, she's worked as a magazine editor/writer, and in advertising and public relations (plus endured a hectic semester as a substitute teacher). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism and served on UTmost, the college magazine and as president of WICI (Women in Communications).

Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play is her first novel, published in 2012, followed by the sequel, Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets, released in May 2013. She lives in Houston with her husband Gary and Chow mutts, and visits Galveston whenever possible.



Connect with Ellen: Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Buy the book:

Amazon | available at Barnes & Noble soon!

Featured Author: Ellen Mansoor Collier

Ellen Mansoor Collier was here in June to talk about her novel, Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets, the second book in her Jazz Age mystery series. She's back today to give us a peak at the first book, Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play, which is now available in print on Amazon or Ellen can provide signed copies if you e-mail her at: decodame@flash.net.

About the book

"Boardwalk Empire" meets "The Great Gatsby" in this soft-boiled "Jazz Age" mystery, inspired by actual events. Prohibition is in full swing in 1920s Galveston, Texas: the "Sin City of the Southwest." Jasmine Cross, a young society reporter, feels caught between two clashing cultures: the seedy speakeasy underworld and the snooty social circles she covers in the Galveston Gazette. 

During a night out with her best friend, Jazz witnesses a bar fight at the Oasis--a speakeasy secretly owned by her black-sheep half-brother, Sammy Cook. But when a big-shot banker with a hidden past collapses there and later dies, she suspects foul play. Was it an accident or murder?

Soon new Prohibition Agent James Burton raids the Oasis, threatening to shut it down if Sammy doesn't talk. Suspicious, he pursues Jazz, but she refuses to rat on Sammy. As turf wars escalate between two real-life rival gangs, Sammy is accused of murder. To find the killer, Jazz must risk her life and career, exposing the dark side of Galveston's glittering society.

Excerpt from Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play

Why in the world was Agent Burton here? Everyone stopped working to watch him make his grand entrance. People don’t usually parade around in a newsroom: They sort of shuffle or stumble or stomp—unless a story’s really hot, then they’ll run. I felt like running away too, but I stayed glued to my chair, pretending to work, my heart racing.

Burton seemed to enjoy the attention as he headed my way. He was hard to ignore: Standing before me, all six feet-plus of golden skin and hair, he towered over my desk. Looking up, I noticed the curious eyes watching us in the too-quiet newsroom. The reporters stopped typing, fingers poised over keys, hoping for a scoop. Mrs. Harper stared with unabashed interest.

“To what do I owe this disturbance?” I adjusted my cloche, acting nonchalant.

He grinned at me, then looked around the suddenly still office. “I need to ask you a few questions. Can we go somewhere private?”

“What do you want?” I put on a brave face so the newsboys wouldn’t see me sweat.

Burton scanned the hushed room. “You really want to discuss it here, out in public?”

He had a point. Did I want the whole staff listening in on my private conversation? He probably wanted to talk about Sammy, who was no one else’s business.

“Let’s go outside,” I agreed. Head down, I followed him past a leering Hank, feeling like a naughty kid going to the principal’s office.

Nathan entered the newsroom, a camera slung over his shoulder, stopping to stare at Burton. “Jazz, is everything jake?”

“Everything’s berries.” I smiled to pacify him, but I admit, I had the jitters.

“I remember him. Your boyfriend?” Burton seemed amused.

“He’s the staff photographer.” I ignored his wisecrack. “And a good friend.”

Outside, I felt safe among the throng of people and automobiles passing by in a rush. The hustle and bustle of the streets and sidewalks seemed almost comforting. I looked around for Golliwog, but she must have been making her daily rounds for scraps.

“How was lunch?” In broad daylight, Burton didn’t seem quite as menacing or intimidating. Plus a group of hard-boiled reporters peered out the newsroom, spying on us.

“Fine.” I crossed my arms, partly to cover my growling stomach. “So what brings you here?”

“Sorry to barge in that way.” He smiled, tugging on his hat. “But I had to get your attention. You wouldn’t give me the time of day the other night.”

“Can you blame me? A raid isn’t exactly the best way to meet new people.”

“I think we got off on the wrong foot.” Burton stuck his hands in his pockets, jingling some change. “Perhaps we can talk over dinner, instead of standing out here on the sidewalk?”

“Dinner?” Was he serious? “Just like that?” I snapped my fingers. “You waltz in as if you owned the place—like you did at the Oasis—and expect me to dine out with you, a total stranger, because of your badge? You’ve got a lot of nerve, mister.”

“I wouldn’t be a Prohibition agent if I didn’t.” He looked smug. “How about tonight?”

Don't miss the second book in the series:
Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets

It’s 1927 in Galveston, Texas—the “Sin City of the Southwest.” Jasmine (“Jazz”) Cross is an ambitious 21-year-old society reporter for the Galveston Gazette who tries to be taken seriously by the good-old-boy staff, but the editors only assign her fluffy puff pieces, like writing profiles of bathing beauties. The last thing Jazz wants to do is compare make-up tips with ditzy dames competing in the Miss Universe contest, known as the “International Pageant of Pulchritude and Bathing Girl Revue.”

She’d rather help solve the murders of young prostitutes who turn up all over town, but city officials insist on burying the stories during Splash Day festivities. After Jazz gets to know the bathing beauties, she realizes there’s a lot more to them than just pretty faces and figures. Jazz becomes suspicious when she finds out the contest is also sponsored by the Maceos, aspiring Beach Gang leaders and co-owners of the Hollywood Dinner Club, where the girls will perform before the parade and pageant.

Worse, her half-brother Sammy Cook, owner of the Oasis, a speakeasy on a rival gang’s turf, asks her to call in a favor from handsome Prohibition Agent James Burton—an impossible request that could compromise both of their jobs and budding romance. While Agent Burton gives her the cold shoulder, she fends off advances from Colin Ferris, an attractive but dangerous gangster who threatens Sammy as well as Burton. In the end, she must risk it all to save her friends from a violent killer hell-bent on revenge. Inspired by actual events.

About the author

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance magazine writer whose articles and essays have been published in several national magazines, including: Family Circle, Modern Bride, Glamour, Biography, Cosmo, Playgirl, etc. Several of her short stories have appeared in Woman's World. A flapper at heart, she’s the owner of DECODAME, specializing in Deco to retro vintage items.


Formerly she’s worked as a magazine editor, and in advertising and public relations (plus endured a hectic semester as a substitute teacher). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism. During college, she once worked as a cocktail waitress, a short-lived experience since she was clueless about cocktails. Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play is her first novel. She lives in Houston and visits Galveston whenever possible.

Connect with Ellen:
Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Buy the books:
Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play: Amazon |Barnes & Noble
Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Featured Author: Ellen Mansoor Collier

Historical Mystery writer Ellen Mansoor Collier is here today to talk about Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets, a Jazz Age Mystery #2. One reviewer called it "the ultimate fun read for the beach or backyard." With a whiff of romance, too!

About the book:

It’s 1927 in Galveston, Texas—the “Sin City of the Southwest.” Jasmine (“Jazz”) Cross is an ambitious 21-year-old society reporter for the Galveston Gazette who tries to be taken seriously by the good-old-boy staff, but the editors only assign her fluffy puff pieces, like writing profiles of bathing beauties. The last thing Jazz wants to do is compare make-up tips with ditzy dames competing in the Miss Universe contest, known as the “International Pageant of Pulchritude and Bathing Girl Revue.”

She’d rather help solve the murders of young prostitutes who turn up all over town, but city officials insist on burying the stories during Splash Day festivities. After Jazz gets to know the bathing beauties, she realizes there’s a lot more to them than just pretty faces and figures. Jazz becomes suspicious when she finds out the contest is also sponsored by the Maceos, aspiring Beach Gang leaders and co-owners of the Hollywood Dinner Club, where the girls will perform before the parade and pageant.

Worse, her half-brother Sammy Cook, owner of the Oasis, a speakeasy on a rival gang’s turf, asks her to call in a favor from handsome Prohibition Agent James Burton—an impossible request that could compromise both of their jobs and budding romance. While Agent Burton gives her the cold shoulder, she fends off advances from Colin Ferris, an attractive but dangerous gangster who threatens Sammy as well as Burton. In the end, she must risk it all to save her friends from a violent killer hell-bent on revenge. Inspired by actual events.

Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets is the sequel to Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play.

Interview with Ellen Mansoor Collier:

How long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I started writing as a kid, and my mom, who was a teacher and part-time writer, gave me my first functional toy typewriter when I was about 10. I took my first journalism class in high school, served on the school newspaper, and won a couple of writing awards (including a UIL award in News writing). In college (the University of Texas at Austin—hook ‘em horns), I majored in magazine journalism and wrote for the college magazine. I’ve been working as a freelance writer and editor most of my adult life.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

Obviously I like alliteration, and wanted to make the titles in my Jazz Age series consistent and recognizable.

I love alliteration too! You're a freelance magazine writer/editor, what else do you do?

I also dabble in antiques and collectibles. I worked for two antiques dealers right after college, between journalism jobs, and caught the bug early. Unfortunately I was too broke to buy much so always put things on lay-away, like Jasmine.

How did you create the plot for Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets?

When I found out the Miss Universe pageant originated in Galveston as a bathing beauty contest, I wanted to create a mystery around the actual events. My original idea was more ominous and menacing, but I didn’t want to kill off too many characters! 

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

I’m definitely a pantser, not a plotter. With both books, I had a general idea of the plots, but they evolved and changed as I went along. Maybe I’d be more prolific if I plotted out everything first!

Tell us about your cover art.

As an indie, I get to pick and choose my cover artwork and fonts. Luckily my brother, Jeff J. Mansoor, is a talented graphic artist and pulls it all together for me in an attractive design. I’m very visual and enjoy the process of designing my own covers. Sure, I’d love to be traditionally published, but I’d hate to give up this creative control!

Have you ever bought any books just for the cover?

Yes, I hate to admit, I do tend to judge a book by its cover. I’ve found that an artistic cover usually means the writing is good as well, but not always. 

What do you do to market your books?

Since my mysteries are e-books, I’ve mainly spread the word through blog tours. I may get some hard copies printed up so I can distribute them to shops, hotels and bookstores. 

Are you like any of your characters?

I’m definitely most like Jasmine, outspoken and curious, but I’ve never wanted to cover crime scenes or murders. I’m a wimp in real life!

What five real people would you most like to be stuck on an island with?

As far as writers go, I’d love to meet Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, F. Scott & Daisy Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. They’ve all had controversy and mystery in their lives, and I’d probably interview them to death (no pun intended)!

Good one! What have been your favorite books from childhood up to adulthood?

I enjoyed the Mary Stewart and Phyllis Whitney mysteries, so they were my biggest influence though I don’t write romantic suspense. Of course, I love Rebecca, especially the final twist—so creepy and atmospheric! Also I read a lot of Dorothy Parker’s short stories and poems in high school.


Do you have a routine for writing?

Usually I just write when I’m inspired. I’m too hyper to sit and stare at a blank page. If I have writer’s block, I like to get up and move around, or go out and do anything but write. As a journalist, I like to set deadlines for myself since I’m a fanatic about meeting deadlines. I knew the Great Gatsby was coming out May 10 so I wanted to finish Bathing Beauties before then! 

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

I like to write late at night or early morning, when it’s quiet outside. I moved my laptop to the kitchen so I could have a view. If the weather is nice, I often edit outside (usually at Café Express or La Madeleine).

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?

How nice! All over the US, Australia and the UK for a book tour. For fun, I’d love to visit Greece, Austria, Spain, Belgium, Turkey, Portugal, Morocco, New Zealand...I love to travel.

Excerpt from Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets:

Sammy appeared, looking disheveled and rumpled, his shirt half-buttoned and dark hair curlier than usual. “What happened to you?” I asked, stifling a laugh.

“All those dames!” He gasped for breath. “Get a few drinks in ‘em and they turn into vultures! They were all over me!”

“I noticed. So what are you complaining about?” I teased him. “I thought you liked having a fan club around.”

“I do, but...” He looked down, smoothing out his shirt, then buttoned it back up. “I just feel so bad. I don’t know what to do...” His mood turned somber.

“About what? Amanda?” No secret my best friend had a big crush on my handsome half-brother.

“About everything...” He paced the tiny office, rubbing his unshaven face, as if trying to think. “I’m in a jam and I don’t know how to get out.”

“What kind of jam?” I could tell Sammy was stalling for time, so I went over to him and shook his arm, to stop his pacing. “Sammy, tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s about the gangs. Their turf wars.”

“What else is new?” Galveston gangs had a long-standing rivalry, and it didn’t take much to set things off. Broadway served as the boundary separating the two gangs, and it was no-holds-barred if and when that line was crossed—the Beach Gang’s turf was located north of Broadway, and the Downtown Gang was south.

Naturally Sammy wanted to stay on good terms with both gangs, who controlled the flow of booze on the Island. Agent Burton had tried, but failed, to shut down their operations, but he did manage to cut off a few sources, including a dangerous bootlegger, for a while—with our help.

“What’s the latest feud about?” Word was, Ollie Quinn had set his sights on the Downtown Gang’s turf, and with his reckless wheeling and dealing, Johnny Jack seemed ripe for a coup.

“Let’s just say the Maceos don’t always see eye-to-eye with Ollie or Dutch Voight. They want to get out of the prostitution racket, but Ollie wants to line up houses all over the island, even set up shop in the clubs.” Sammy took out a Camel cigarette and lit it, avoiding my gaze.

I’d heard similar stories and Mack, our top reporter, confirmed several rumors in a hard-hitting series for the Gazette describing the turf wars, a string of eye-opening articles the gangs didn’t appreciate. In his latest piece, Mack quoted anonymous sources who claimed the Maceos were trying to oust Quinn and Voight, vying for the top spots in the Beach Gang.

“You don’t say. How does that affect you?”

“Word is, the Maceos want to break away from the Beach Gang, branch out onto new turf, start their own operation.” Sammy puffed away, hiding behind a cloud of smoke. “Johnny Jack knows we’re friends, and he didn’t care as long as they kept out of his way and left Market Street alone. But after the ice man hit, all hell broke loose. Now Johnny Jack wants to stop the Maceos cold before they muscle in on his territory.”

“How does he plan to do that?”  After a string of recent killings, I saw first-hand how vicious the Galveston gangs could be if you double-crossed them.

Finally Sammy quit pacing and plopped down in his worn banker’s chair. “Jazz, you’ve got to help me. I need a favor, a big favor. ”

“What kind of favor?” I eyed him, skeptical. Sammy always made it clear that I was supposed to stay out of his business, for my own safety, but now he wanted my help?

“Remember the night I spent in jail?  Somehow Johnny Jack got the idea that your Prohibition friend bailed me out. So now he thinks we’re best buddies.”

“That’s not true.” I bit my lip, feeling guilty, since I’d asked Agent Burton to get involved, to help get Sammy out of jail. Fortunately he’d managed just fine on his own.

“I just tolerate the guy ‘cause of you. But now I need his help.” Sammy leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Johnny Jack’s putting the squeeze on me. He threatened to tell everyone in the Downtown Gang that I’m Agent Burton’s squealer if I don’t do what he wants.”

“His informant? Bunk! What does he expect you to do?”

His shoulders slumped. “He wants me to convince Burton to raid the Hollywood Dinner Club and shut it down—during the bathing beauty dance routine this Friday night.”

About Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play, Book 1 in the Jazz Age Mystery series

The Great Gatsby meets Midnight in Paris in this soft-boiled historical mystery, inspired by actual events. Rival gangs fight over booze and bars during Prohibition in 1920s Galveston: the “Sin City of the Southwest.” Jazz Cross, a 21-year-old society reporter, feels caught between two clashing cultures: the seedy speakeasy underworld and the snooty social circles she covers in the Galveston Gazette.

During a night out with her best friend, Jazz witnesses a bar fight at the Oasis--a speakeasy secretly owned by her black-sheep half-brother, Sammy Cook. But when a big-shot banker with a hidden past collapses there and later dies, she suspects foul play. Was it an accident or a mob hit?

Soon handsome young Prohibition Agent James Burton raids the Oasis, threatening to shut it down if Sammy doesn't talk. Suspicious, he pursues Jazz, but despite her mixed feelings she refuses to rat on Sammy. As turf wars escalate between two real-life rival gangs, Sammy is accused of murder. Jazz must risk her life and career to find the killer, exposing the dark side of Galveston's glittering society.

About the author:

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance magazine writer whose articles and essays have been published in several national magazines, including: Family Circle, Modern Bride, Glamour, Biography, Cosmo, Playgirl, etc. Several of her short stories have appeared in Woman's World. She’s profiled a variety of people, from CEOs and celebrities (including Suze Orman), to charity founders (Nancy Brinker et al) and do-gooders. A flapper at heart, she’s the owner of DECODAME, specializing in Deco to retro vintage items.


Formerly she’s worked as a magazine editor, and in advertising and public relations (plus endured a hectic semester as a substitute teacher). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism, where she enjoyed frou-frou cocktails and lots of lattes. When she’s not concocting stories, she enjoys traveling, shopping at flea markets, listening to instrumental jazz, reading cozy mysteries (of course) and taking walks with her husband Gary and hyper Chow mixes (Coco and Champagne).


Connect with Ellen:
Website | Facebook | Goodreads: Flappers | Goodreads: Bathing Beauties


Buy the book!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords