FEATURED AUTHOR: LORETTA MARION

ABOUT THE BOOK

A family patriarch’s dying proclamation, an enigmatic disappearance, and a century-old curse converge in the shadows of a majestic home on Cape Cod’s craggy coast.



Thirty-seven-year-old painter Cassandra Mitchell is fourth-generation to live in the majestic Battersea Bluffs, a brooding Queen Anne home originally built by her great-grandparents, Percy and Celeste Mitchell, and still standing despite tragedies that have swept the generations. Local lore has it that there was a curse placed on the family and the house is haunted, though opinions are divided on whether it's by malicious or benevolent spirits. Cassie believes the latter―but now she stands to lose her beloved home to mounting debt and the machinations of her dream-weaving ex-husband.



Salvation seems to arrive when a nomadic young couple wanders onto the property with the promise of companionship and much-needed help―until they vanish without a trace, leaving behind no clue to their identities. Cassie is devastated, but determined to discover what's happened to the young couple...even as digging into their disappearance starts to uncover family secrets of her own. Despite warnings from her childhood friend, now the local Chief of Police―as well as an FBI agent who pushes the boundaries of professionalism―Cassie can't help following the trail of clues (and eerie signals from the old house itself) to unravel the mystery. But can she do so before her family's dark curse destroys everything in its path?



Book Details:


Title: House of Ashes

Author: Loretta Marion

Genre: Mystery (with elements of paranormal and romance)

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (November 13, 2018)

Print length: 336 pages

On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours


ALSO BY LORETTA MARION

The Fool's Truth   (Fall 2016)
The Fool's Truth is a twisty tale of mystery and suspense with whispers of romance. Desperation, dark secrets and danger emerge when Cordelia Richmond and her toddler daughter become stranded in the backwoods of Maine where she’s taken in by a witch-like hermit living off the grid. The book has received the following awards: Finalist in two categories (Mystery & Suspense) IAN 2017 Book of the Year Awards, Honorable Mention New England Bookfest, Literary Titan Gold Book Award. 

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT INTERVIEW WITH LORETTA MARION

A few of your favorite things: My favorite things have never been actual things. I count myself lucky to have THE BEST friends, a great husband, a wonderful mother who is sadly no longer with us, and many devoted canine companions throughout the years.
Things you need to throw out: I have too many shoes, purses, clothes in general. My closets need a major purge!


Things you need in order to write: Peace and quiet. A nice view is always inspirational.
Things that hamper your writing: Clutter. A loaded to-do list. Noise–Even music (except for light classical).

Things you love about writing: Spending time with my characters. Escaping into another place and time.
Things you hate about writing: Deadlines!

Easiest thing about being a writer: The writing!

Hardest thing about being a writer: Although I’m proud of my writing, I find it very difficult to tout it to others. Therefore, book promotion is a challenging but necessary part of the publishing process.


Things you love about where you live: It’s near the water. There are many opportunities for outdoor activities: biking, hiking, kayaking. The history of the community is interesting. There’s a quaint downtown walkable from my home.
Things that make you want to move: Winters!


Things you never want to run out of: Peanut butter, cheese, bread, nuts…yep, it’s all food! Oh, and wine. Boring but true…water.
Things you wish you’d never bought: There are quite a few clothing items hanging in my closet with the tags still attached to remind me it’s no bargain if you never end up wearing it.


Favorite foods: See above for things I never want to run out of and add dark chocolate and pasta to the list. And I love almost all vegetables – except lima beans.
Things that make you want to throw up: Lima beans.

Favorite music or song: Too many to pick just one, though “This Old Heart of Mine” by the Isley Brothers and remade by Rod Stewart is up there. Love the classic rockers like Petty, Clapton, The Beatles, Moody Blues, Chicago, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, CST&Y, CCR, Jackson Brown, Bowie, Dylan, Springsteen, Rolling Stones. I think I may have failed this question.
Music that make your ears bleed: Not a fan of rap.

Favorite smell: Tressor (my perfume). Old Spice (my husband’s aftershave).

Something that makes you hold your nose: Gin.

Something you’re really good at: Remembering faces and names.

Something you’re really bad at: Geography – though I do love to travel!


Something you wish you could do: Something creative or artistic like painting, playing music or singing.
Something you wish you’d never learned to do: Swear – not that I do it often.


Things you always put in your books: Pets, Small towns, a female protagonist, a mystery of some sort.

Things you never put in your books: Gratuitous sex or violence

Things to say to an author: I loved your book! How do you come up with those great story ideas? You’re my favorite author! You had me guessing until the very end.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Writing is such a nice little hobby for you. (Definitely killing them off in my next book!)

Favorite places you’ve been: Almost anywhere in New England and Canada. California wine country. Big Sur. Alaska & Hawaii. Favorite European cities I’ve been fortunate to visit: Paris, Florence, Budapest, Prague, Copenhagen and Stockholm.
Places you never want to go to again: Camping.


Favorite books (or genre): Too many! I love mysteries, the classics, women’s fiction, humor.

Books you would ban: None!


Favorite things to do: Walking – almost anywhere – through the woods, along the shore, in a vibrant city, through a quaint small town. Traveling. Spending time with friends. Writing.
Things you’d run through a fire wearing gasoline pants to get out of doing: Dusting – fortunately my husband is a fantastic duster!

Most embarrassing moment: Too many – ha!
Proudest moment: I initiated a Legacy Story program for hospice patients when I was a volunteer. It was the most meaningful experience of my life and where my desire to write a novel had its beginnings.


Biggest lie you’ve ever told: That I was allergic to lima beans.
A lie you wish you’d told: Can’t think of one.


Best thing you’ve ever done: Quit smoking – YAY! (many, many years ago)
Biggest mistake: Starting smoking (I was young and foolish – and it was very hard to quit!)


The last thing you did for the first time: Flew on a 747 – I’d always wanted to, but never had the chance until recently.

Something you’ll never do again: Unless I absolutely must…fly in a helicopter.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR 


A true bibliophile, Loretta Marion’s affection for the written word began in childhood and followed her like a shadow throughout her life as she crafted award winning marketing and advertising copy and educational brochures. When not whipping out words on her laptop, she is traveling, enjoying outdoor pursuits, or is curled up with a delicious new book. Loretta lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Geoffrey, and their beloved Mr. Peabody, a sweet, devoted and amusing “Corgador” (Corgi-Labrador cross).

Connect with Loretta:

Website  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Books-A-Million  |  Indiebound

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FEATURED AUTHOR: MARCY MCKAY

ABOUT THE BOOK

Eleven-year-old Copper Daniels is homeless and alone. She spends her nights sleeping beneath the cemetery’s Warrior Angel statue for protection, and her days battling the mean streets of Remington, Texas, hell-bent on learning what happened the night her Mama disappeared. While Copper and her rag-tag group of friends uncover more questions than answers, only two things are certain – her Mama’s missing and someone’s trying to kill Copper.

In the tradition of The Lovely Bones and Room, Pennies from Burger Heaven tells a dark story through the eyes of a child. With wit and wisdom, Copper Daniels will steal your heart, as well as break it in two.

Awards for Pennies from Burger Heaven:
*2010 First Place – Writers’ League of Texas, Best Mainstream Novel Competition
*2010 First Place – Frontiers in Writing, Best Mainstream Novel Contest
*2010 Winner – Frontiers in Writing, Overall Best of Show

INTERVIEW WITH MARCY McKAY

Marcy, how did you get started writing?
I’ve always loved to read, but in 1995, a voice told me in a dream to write a book. I’ve been telling stories ever since.

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
The secrets I discover about my characters that even I didn’t know I knew about them!

If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
I don’t watch much TV, but on the weekends I’ll watch the USA Network while folding the laundry (glamourous, I know). I can get going on a Law & Order SVU marathon that’s EMBARRASSING. Those shows give me nightmares; they’re especially heinous . . .

For what would you like to be remembered?
Making a difference.

What five things would you never want to live without?
1.    My Kindle (I still prefer print books, but my Kindle gives me access to almost any book on the planet).
2.    My Burt’s Bees chapstick (I’m kind addicted).
3.    My car radio. (Not Syrius XM, just good ol’ fashioned FM radio, with a DJ playing tunes I love. Reminds me of driving around in high school with my BFFs).
4.    Homemade Chocolate-chip cookies (soft and gooey ones).
5.    Naps (That’s not a “thing”, but I love ‘em anyway).

Naps totally count! Who would you want to narrate a film about your life?
Meryl Streep or Mickey Mouse, I’m not sure which.

3D movies are . . .
Kinda awesome, kinda distracting. It depends on the movie.

If you had a swear jar, would it be full?
Hell, no!

What do you love about where you live?
I love living in the Texas panhandle where the sky is wide and we enjoy four, real seasons. I love that it’s easy to drive to Dallas for awesome shopping or to New Mexico or Colorado to the mountains.

Do you write every day?
Yes, even just for 10 minutes. Otherwise, I feel grumpy and “off.”

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
I’m an odd combination of the two called an ambivert. I love being around people and connecting with individuals, but afterwards I CRAVE solitude. I’m like a battery that shines bright, then must be recharged.

What is the most daring thing you've done?
Letting others read my writing. It feels like standing naked in front of a stadium full of people to judge you.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
A story narrated by a drug addict. I had to find compassion in her, and not condemn her poor choices. I was shocked at how much I liked her at the end because I understood her, even though I disagreed with her lifestyle.


You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?
An Oompa Loompa. I want to give life advice through witty songs, and work in a chocolate factory.

That's excellent! When you put it that way, I want to be an Oompa Loompa too! How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
I once had a roommate in college tell me that after 9 p.m., I became “an inoperable wench.” I MUST get my rest. I strive for eight hours of sleep, but six is my bare minimum (otherwise, I’m still an inoperable wench).

Do you sweat the small stuff?
Not usually, but when I DO sweat the small stuff, I know that’s a sign I need to get still, get quiet, and get my priorities straight again.

If you had to choose a cliché about life, what would it be?
Life is what you make it.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on book #2 in the Burger Heaven series. It’s called Hell Bent and Heaven Bound.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marcy McKay knew she wanted to write stories the moment she read about Oompa Loompas in fourth grade. She’s an award-winning short-story author and copywriter, as well as a freelance journalist and the creator of Mudpie Writing blog. Her work has appeared in Writer’s Digest, The Write Practice, Write to Done, Positive Writer and Jane Friedman.com. Marcy lives in Texas with her husband and two teens, who all still like her . . . most of the time. McKay is a member of the Writers’ League of Texas and the Texas High Plains Writers.

 

Connect with Marcy:

Website  | Blog  |  
Facebook  |  
Twitter  |  
Goodreads 

Buy the book:
Amazon