FEATURED AUTHOR: TERESA A. LARUE

ABOUT THE BOOK

When Kate Spencer learns her aunt’s fiancé is two-timing her with an old rival, she has no choice but to pass along the information to her mother, who promptly informs her sister what a cad the man is. They are as shocked as the rest of the town when the rival turns up dead and the two-timing fiancé disappears. Worse yet, an anonymous call places her aunt at the scene of the crime.

Complicating matters, the lead investigator on the case turns out to be Kate’s old boyfriend. Though he has a hard time believing the woman who once marched in front of his school carrying a ‘save the frogs’ sign is capable of murder, he has to consider her aunt his prime suspect.

Can the trio find the killer before Kate’s aunt is arrested for murder? Are they putting their own lives in danger by investigating the crime?

A Talent for Murder is a cozy, southern mystery filled humor and colorful characters, with a touch of romance thrown in for added fun.

INTERVIEW WITH TERESA A. LARUE

Teresa, how did you get started writing and when did you become an “author”?
I’ve been writing for years, and have two unpublished novels in my filing cabinet to prove it. But I never considered myself an author until last year when my novel, A Talent for Murder, was accepted for publication by FiveStarCengage.

What’s your favorite thing about the writing process?
I love the revision process. Once I have something to work with, I enjoy adding textures, tightening the tension, etc. The hard part for me is staring at a blank page.

How long is my to-be-read list?
Too long to count. I have tons of books on my kindle, plus a stack of library books, and a closet full of books “I’m going to get to.” Somehow, it never grows shorter.

If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
Most of the shows I love are on CBS: Scorpion, all the NCIS shows, Elementary, Hawaii Five O. Do I sense a pattern here?

For what would you like to be remembered?
I’d like to be remembered for being a kind person. There are so many hurting people in the world, I want them all to know someone cares.

What scares you the most?
That’s easy: heights. When I was younger I always rode the Ferris wheel because I didn’t want anyone to call me a chicken. One day I got stuck at the top with my cousin and she began rocking the seat back and forth. I lashed into her. After that, she never asked me to ride with her again.

YouTube is . . . Great! I couldn’t figure out how to replace the string in my weedeater. I went online and found a How-To video. It amazes me how much good stuff you can find on it.

What five things would you never want to live without?
I’d never want to live without books, and lots of them. Chocolate, which makes everything better. Sunshine, I tend to get cranky when the weather stays dreary. My family, I have to talk to someone, besides myself. My computer, it beats a typewriter any day.

Do you spend more on clothes or food?
I definitely spend more money on food. I HATE to shop for clothes. I only do it when I absolutely have nothing to wear.

Are you an introvert, or an extrovert?
I’m an introvert. I hate big social gatherings. I much prefer one-on-one interaction.

What would your main character say about you?
She knows my pain.

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
My favorite library is the St. Tammany Parish Library in Slidell. The librarians do a super job! My holds are often waiting for me at the desk before I even get to the check-out counter. And they never complain about all the inter-library loans I place.

What’s your relationship with your cell phone?
I have one of those cheap pay-as-you-go phones, which has more minutes on it than I’ll ever use.

What is your favorite movie?
Gone With the Wind.

Do you have a favorite book?
The one I’m reading at the moment.

Do you sweat the small stuff?
You bet! I usually have a list of “things I want to get done today” in my head. I hate it when I don’t get to the end of the list.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on another Flower Patch Mystery. Once again, Happy and Lula Mae are up to their old antics as Kate works hard to solve another murder.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Teresa LaRue grew up in a small town along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She’s worked as a secretary, assistant manager of an audio book store, and manager of a fashion jewelry store. She is an avid reader, gardener, and movie buff. She lives across the lake from New Orleans with her husband, two of her children, a dog named Bones, and a cat named Chloe.

Connect with Teresa:       
Website  |  Goodreads        

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FEATURED AUTHOR: BILLIE THOMAS

ABOUT THE BOOK

A cheating wife in a classic car drives someone to murder.

Interior decorators turned amateur investigators, Chloe and Amanda Carstairs have spent the summer transforming their client’s creepy old castle into a luxury hotel. But before the first guest checks in, the owner’s wife checks out – with the help of a bullet to the head.

When Chloe’s dad is accused of the crime, there’s no time for the ladies to drown their sorrows in the hotel’s mini bar. Instead, they have to contend with a sneaky blackmailer, an unsolved murder from the past, and a cunning killer with nothing to lose.

The second Chloe Carstairs Mystery is filled with the same clever twists and hilarious mother-daughter relationship that made Murder on the First Day of Christmas such a fun, fast-paced read. The mystery will keep you guessing, but as any good decorator will tell you, even a beautiful setting can’t hide the ugly truth.

INTERVIEW WITH BILLIE THOMAS

Billie, how long have you been a writer?
I’ve been a writer since I first put a jumbo pencil to paper. In school, I would actually write the books I did book reports on. (Love that my teacher let me do that.) I learned to love the flow early and have been chasing that feeling ever since.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
The second Chloe Carstairs mystery. I wrote the first one with my mom and the mother-daughter relationship was very much like ours. After she passed away unexpectedly, I told everyone I was really glad I had the series to work on because it made me feel close to her. But the truth is, it made me pretty sad and I missed her feedback. Luckily, I have some great beta readers to pull me through my doldrums.

What’s the worst thing someone has said about your writing? How did you deal with it?
Usually, bad reviews don’t bother me. (My favorite is: “I didn’t know if I could get through this book after the first chapter but I stuck with it and it turned out okay.”) Writing is subjective and humor is subjective, so not everyone is going to be a fan. But I once had a boss who said I had no talent. Hearing a huge overarching statement like that, from someone I thought was the arbiter of such things? I pretty much collapsed like a dying star. Luckily, I’m a little older and hopefully, a little wiser and know the difference between constructive and destructive criticism.

Who would you want to narrate a film about your life?
Tina Fey. And she’d need to write it too. I think she’d make me sound much smarter and funnier than I really am.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
An unapologetic introvert. My day job in advertising makes me interact with people and make presentations far more than I’d like, but as long as I can retreat to my house (a.k.a my fortress of solitude), I’m fine. I love having a calm, cozy place to close out the world and enjoy my own company for a while.

What is the most daring thing you've done?
After losing my job and getting divorced in the same year, I started freelancing so I could finally do the traveling I’d always wanted to do. Within just a couple of years, I’d visited Italy, Thailand, Cambodia, Guatemala, Peru, Ireland, and Vietnam. It was a total life reboot and my comfort zone was just a dot in the rear view, but I learned so much about myself and what I’m capable of.

You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?
Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series. Girl’s got some serious skills and isn’t afraid to use them!

If you had to choose a cliche about life, what would it be?
What’s for dinner?

What scares you the most?
Losing people close to me. After losing my mom, I know it can and does happen. I think my worry keeps people alive. Worry is my superpower.

How do you feel about Facebook?
I’m getting a little jaded about it. I want to see your kids’ first-day-of-school pictures and funny posts about your day. Rants and outrage and ugliness make me feel very weary. 

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
Flow! When you get in the zone and actually lose time and the only thing that brings you back to the real world are reproachful dog eyes demanding dinner.

If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
I’m going to cheat and say Netflix. I love binge-watching shows, especially Masterpiece Mysteries.

Lightening Round:
Cake or frosting? Cake!
Laptop or desktop? Laptop.
Chevy Chase or Bill Murray? Bill Murray.
Emailing or texting? Emailing.
Indoors or outdoors? Outdoors.
Tea: sweet or unsweet? Unsweet. (Curse you, slowing metabolism.)
Plane, train, or automobile? Train.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Billie works at an advertising agency, which might explain why she's constantly thinking up ways to kill people without getting caught. She lives in Birmingham, has a really cute boyfriend and an even cuter dog. Murder on the First Day of Christmas, her award-winning first novel, and its follow up, Murder in a Two-Seater, are filled with mystery, romance, humor and decorating - because these are a few of her favorite things. Visit her blog at ChloeGetsAClue.com or connect on twitter at @chloegetsaclue.

Connect with Billie:
Blog  |  
Facebook  |  
Twitter  |  Goodreads  

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Just Released: Heroes & Hooligans in Goose Pimple Junction

About the book:

Goose Pimple Junction is just recovering from a kidnapping and a murder, its first major crimes in years, when trouble begins anew. Life is turned upside down in the quirky little Southern town with the arrival of several shifty hooligans: A philandering husband intent on getting his wife back, another murderer loose in town, a stalker intent on frightening Martha Maye, and a thief who’s stealing the town blind of their pumpkins, pies, and peace. Together, they’re scaring the living daylights out of the residents and keeping the new police chief busier than a set of jumper cables at a redneck picnic. Suddenly, he has his hands full trying to apprehend a killer, stop a stalker, and fight his feelings for the damsel in distress.

Heroes & Hooligans is the second book in the Goose Pimple Junction mystery series.

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Marry in haste, repent in leisure. ~Southern Proverb


Lenny drove to his neighborhood bar with the windows wide open and Johnny Cash blaring on the radio, but he was oblivious to both. He was thinking about the phone conversation he’d just had with his ten-year-old daughter Carrie. It made him crazy the way her mother’s family called her “Butterbean.” What kind of a name was that for a child? But today he was crazy for a whole new reason. Jealousy and anger tore through him faster than small-town gossip. His daughter had spilled everything, and just when he thought he’d finally gotten a break, she said, “Mama kinda had a boyfriend but not anymore.” And: “Mama was kidnapped, but she’s back now.”

He pulled into the parking lot of the bar thinking, Boyfriend? We literally aren’t even divorced yet and she had a boyfriend? He pounded his fist against the steering wheel. He knew she’d been cheating on him. And now she’d done it right in front of their daughter. No doubt about it, he was going to have to do something about this Martha Maye situation.

Pulling into a primo spot at the front door, he looked up at the old rusty sign that had been over the entrance for years: TEETOTALERS AIN'T WELCOME HERE. He winced at the loud screech announcing his car door opening, followed by the same screech when he slammed it shut. He glanced around the parking lot and saw the same cars that were there every night. His feet crunched on the gravel as he walked, and he remembered waking up three months earlier and slowly realizing his wife and daughter weren’t there.

The familiar bacon and coffee smells were gone. Cartoons weren’t blaring on the TV. His wife’s clothes were missing, along with his daughter’s, her teddy bear, and her dolls. The bookshelves were dotted with bare spots where Martha Maye’s favorite knickknacks and paddywhacks had been. And then he saw the note on the kitchen table that said she was divorcing him and that he shouldn’t try to find them. The realization that she’d left him in the middle of the night and taken their daughter seared through him like a red-hot poker.

Pretty stealthy for a woman who could literally be outwitted by a jar of marshmallow fluff. If she thinks she can literally run out on me and then humiliate me by going out with some scumbag before we’re even divorced, she has another think coming. I’ll show her. I’ll put on the charm and win her back.

Country music blasted as he opened the door, turned his head, and spit in disgust. She literally can’t be let her out by herself. Just look where it got her: kidnapped and almost killed.

His daughter had told him they’d been staying at his mother-in-law’s house. He should have figured. He’d always known Louetta to be a meddlesome old biddy. She lied to me when I called looking for my wife and daughter. She aided and abetted a woman leaving her husband. She allowed nefarious suitors to court my wife. Both of them must have literally stopped to think and forgotten how to start again.
And then there was his no-account, good-for-nothing brother who, upon learning of the impending divorce, wanted to know if Lenny would mind if he dated Martha Maye. Boy, I’m gonna slap you so hard, when you quit rolling your clothes’ll literally be outta style. My baby brother and my wife. Yeah. Over my dead body. How could he even ask such a thing? Both of them were nothing but a bunch of backstabbing traitors.

He hitched up his jeans under his overflowing beer belly, swaggered into the bar, and ordered a Colt 45. The jukebox was playing, “I Want a Beer as Cold as My Ex-Wife’s Heart,” and he thought that was pretty darn perfect for his life at the moment.

Looking around the room, he spotted a hot blonde giving him the eye. He sucked in his gut—a move that didn’t yield the desired result—and looked back, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. She brazenly smiled back at him.

How dare Martha Maye leave me? I can literally get any woman I want. And two on Saturday.
A football star in high school, homecoming king, and voted best looking his senior year, Lenny was used to women coming onto him, not leaving him. He put the bottle to his lips and downed half of it.

That woman was literally lucky to have me. Sure, I’ve put on a little weight, but only in the gut. I practically have to fight women off with a stick. Looking around the room again, he saw female eyes on him from several tables in the room. Yessirree, sir, I still got it.

Lenny started to lift his bottle to his mouth again but halted midway when two men sat down heavily on barstools on either side of him; they looked capable of eating their young. Both men were muscular and tough. One was as tall as a telephone pole. One was as short as a gnat’s tail. The taller man had black eyes under bushy eyebrows, and the other man wore aviator sunglasses on a flat, wide nose. He pushed the glasses to the top of his head to give Lenny his best glare.

“We’ve been looking all over Hell and half of Georgia for you, boy.” Eyebrows scooted his stool in close, crowding Lenny.

“Shoot.” Lenny’s hand automatically moved to his ankle holster, checking for his knife. “That don’t surprise me none. You literally couldn’t find oil with a dipstick.”

“Solly says he’s had about enough of you,” Eyebrows said.

“Yeah,” Mr. Gnat joined in, “he’s had about enough of you.”

Lenny snorted. “You can tell Solly to blow it out his butt,” Lenny said boldly, more boldly than he felt. He shelled a peanut, popped it in his mouth, and threw the shell into Mr. Gnat’s face.

“Solly says not to let you off the hook this time.”

“Yeah, not to let you off the hook.” Mr. Gnat’s left eye twitched.

“What’s with Mr. Echo over here?” Lenny pointed his thumb at the short man.

The telephone pole ignored him and said, “Solly says you’ve screwed him over for the last time.”

“Yeah, the last time.”

“I didn’t screw him over the first time.” Lenny drained his bottle. He felt like his mouth was full of cotton. “Solly wouldn’t tell the truth to save his life from dying.” Lenny tried to stand up, but the men had him penned in.

“You can’t talk about Solly that way.”

“Yeah, not that way,” Mr. Gnat echoed.

Eyebrows looked behind Lenny to his friend. “This boy has the mental agility of a soap dish, Joey.”

“Yeah, a soap dish.”

Lenny leaned in real close to Joey, who said, “Whatta you think you’re doing?”

“Just wondered if I got close enough if I could literally hear the ocean.”

“Boy, what you need is an education,” Eyebrows said.

“Yeah, an edj-ee-cation.” Gnat strung the word out.

The men grabbed Lenny’s arms, lifting him off his stool. The song on the jukebox had ended, and Lenny heard the crunch of peanut shells as the men propelled him toward the door.

“Boys, y’all best not be messing with me,” Lenny snapped, trying to break free.

“That’s mighty big talk for a punk like you.” They stepped aside as someone came through the door, and then they threw Lenny through it. He landed on the ground but sprang right back to his feet, his dukes up, ready to fight.

Eyebrows was fast. He knocked Lenny to the ground again with a left hook. Joey followed up with two kicks to the ribs.

Lenny pulled himself into a ball, both to protect himself from further harm and to have better access to his ankle holster. But Joey saw the knife and kicked it away as Lenny drew it from his pants leg.

The men both grabbed Lenny by an arm again, pulling him upright, and Eyebrows punched him in the gut, causing him to double over. They double-teamed him and left him on the ground bloody and beaten, as cars whizzed past on the road in front of the bar.

Right before Lenny passed out, he thought: Tomorrow I’ll pack up and head for Goose Pimple Junction to reclaim what’s rightfully mine. I’ll literally be a devoted husband and father and get my family back. I ain’t gonna let that woman leave me. Nobody leaves Lenny Applewhite.

About the author:

Amy Metz is the author of the Goose Pimple Junction mystery series. She is a former first grade teacher and the mother of two sons. When not actively engaged in writing, enjoying her family, or surfing Facebook or Pinterest, Amy can usually be found with a mixing spoon, camera, or book in one hand and a glass of sweet tea in the other. Amy lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

Connect with Amy:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

  

Fearured Author: Billie Thomas

Another of the fantastic four authors from Cozy Mystery Book Tours is here today. Don't miss the details of how to enter at the bottom of this post. In April, the main character in Murder on the First Day of Christmas, Chloe Carstairs, was here, and I'm delighted to have her author, Billie Thomas, here today. I love Billie's book as well as her sense of humor. Meet Billie Thomas and her debut novel...

About the book:

Finding a severed hand at a client’s house might throw lesser decorators off their games. But Chloe Carstairs and her mother, Amanda, won’t let a little thing like murder keep them from decking the halls. With a body under the partridge’s pear tree and a dead Santa in a sleigh, they have to crack the case before the killer strikes again – this time much too close to home.

Filled with laugh-out-loud humor, romance and a delightfully difficult mother-daughter relationship, this new series from Billie Thomas offers a fast-paced caper as these two southern ladies try to keep their very merry Christmas from turning into the Noel from hell.

Interview with Billie Thomas:

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

I’ve been a writer since before I could hold a pencil. In school, I would actually write the books I did book reports on. (I can’t believe my teachers let me do that.) It always came so naturally to me that it was – and still is – a joy.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

I’m an Associate Creative Director at an advertising agency, which means I get to make a living writing. I come up with ideas for television commercials, radio spots, print ads, and websites. If you’ve had a craving for a Little Debbie snack cake or a burning desire to bundle your services with AT&T, you might have me to thank.

That's so cool! You're like a real live Peggy Olsen. Okay, Mad Lady, give me a tweet about your book. (140 characters or less.)

He was making a list. Checking it twice. Till someone put Santa permanently on ice. http://tinyurl.com/cqa323b

What books have you read more than once or want to read again?

If books were boys, I’d be considered a stage-five clinger. I latch onto one and won’t let go. I read the same books over and over, loving the way my interpretation changes – or doesn’t change – with whatever’s going on in my life at the moment. Some of the ones I go back to time and again are The Shining, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, A Confederacy of Dunces, all the Harry Potter books, all the Sue Grafton and Lee Harris’s books...man, I really do have a problem.

Not a problem--just a passion! What do you do to market your book? 


I let my main character Chloe Carstairs do most of my marketing. Chloe has her own website, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter accounts. She’s got her own distinct voice and personality, so I let her live in the spotlight. I prefer to stay under the paparazzi’s radar.

Something tells me you have just a distinct voice and fun personality as Chloe. She's obviously one of your imaginary friends. Do you have others?

I have my muse. Or maybe I should say she has me. I call her Stella because of her fondness for Belgian beer. We brainstorm ideas together – whether it’s for a book, an ad campaign or a problem I’m wrestling with in real life. When I’m writing, I make a concerted effort not to control the narrative. To jump in with how I think the story should go or what I need my character to do. I find if I let Stella take the lead while I daydream and free-write in my journal I catch her flights of fancy like butterflies in a net, which helps me make intuitive leaps in my writing – and, often, in my life – that surprise and delight me.

I love that. Does Stella have a sister you could send my way? Are any of your characters inspired by real people? Who?

Several of my characters are inspired by real people in my life. The mother-daughter relationship is like a greatest-hits version of the one I had with my own mother. When my mom died unexpectedly of an aneurism at the end of 2011, I was so glad I had this book and that it was the first in a series. Working on it makes me feel close to her.

Are you and Chloe alike?

Chloe and I are more than I’d like to admit, especially since I’m older than her. It doesn’t bode well for her that I’m still trying to solve the mystery of my own love life.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

I love the scene in which Chloe questions Lance, the smarmy Pilates instructor about his affair with one of the women she considers a suspect. Here’s an excerpt:

     Lance Martin was strutting in from the pool like an over-tanned god in his tiny Stars-and-Stripes Speedo. Apparently, he was the only one who hadn’t noticed that the unheated water had him flying at half-mast. Ignoring two girls giggling by the smoothie machine, I approached him, my eyes fixed squarely on his.

     “Hey, Chloe-Jo. Whattaya know?” He gave a satisfied nod, as if he had known this moment would come and I was right on schedule.

     “Not much. Just wanted to ask you a couple of quick questions.”

     He smiled indulgently. Questions. Yeah, that’s what they all say.

     “It’s about Nancy Browley. One of your clients?”

     He nodded, fixing me with an intense look that probably made dozens of bored housewives slide the passenger seat of their SUV’s into the recline position. “I hear you,” the look said, “and I think what you’re saying is important.”

     Trying not to be completely grossed out as Lance toweled off his sinewy muscles in a suggestive manner, I pushed on. “It’s just that some people are saying you and she have more than a client-trainer relationship.”

     His intense gaze never wavered as he nodded thoughtfully.

     “I mean, I don’t care if it’s true. I’m certainly not some big stickler for the rules. I was just wondering if, you know, it was.” He was really weirding me out with that stare.

     “Was what?” he asked finally.

     “Was true.”

     “What’s true?”

     “That you and Nancy have a relationship.”

     “Nancy who?”

     I managed to hide my frustration, but really. That Speedo must’ve been tighter than it looked.

     “Nancy Browley. Are you guys...um...dating?”

     He smiled broadly, his towel now covered in the bronzer that enhanced his golden tan. God, I hate being single.

That is a great scene. What do you like to do when you’re not writing or interviewing smarmy Pilates instructors?


I love cooking, hiking with my Rhodesian Ridgeback, Kamali, and traveling. Every chance I get, I take off for somewhere exotic: Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Peru, and Costa Rico just to name a few.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on the second in the Chloe Carstairs Mysteries series, Murder in a Two-Seater. After helping transform an old – and supposedly haunted – castle into a bed-and-breakfast, Chloe and Amanda find themselves embroiled in another investigation when the wife of their client winds up dead in a classic car.

I'm looking forward to reading it and having you back here to talk about it!

Hey, y'all, I told you Billie has a great sense of humor, and here's evidence in her tweets. They're always entertaining. Check it:

Recent Chloe Carstairs tweets:

• When I said add a splash of color, I meant throw pillows. Not blood splatter.

• Shift into neutral this season. Soothing earth tones make yellow crime scene tape pop.

• A cold draft, shadowy corners and creaky floorboards transform any room into a panic room!

• Color on the ceiling draws the eye upward. As will that body hanging from the rafters.

• A real wood fire adds instant ambiance. And quickly burns the will you’re left out of.

• Opt for heavy fabrics in light colors so your wingback chair won’t feel as cold and stiff as the body slumped in it.
  
  

About the author:

Billie Thomas works at an advertising agency, which might explain why she's constantly thinking up ways to kill people without getting caught. She lives in Birmingham, has a really cute boyfriend and an even cuter dog. She is a founding member of the writing collective, IndieVisible. Murder on the First Day of Christmas is her first novel. Other publications include Bar Code: Your Personal Pocket Decoder to the Modern Dating Scene.




Connect with Billie Thomas and her protagonist Chloe Carstairs:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Links to books
Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

The Fantastic 4 Cozy Mystery Book Tour Giveaway

There will be four prize packages:

Prize 1 (US/Canada only)
* a Kindle Touch
* a $15 Amazon.com giftcard

Prize 2 (International)
* a Kindle copy of Topped Chef and Bowled Over
* a $15 Book Depository giftcard

Prize 3 (International)
* a Kindle copy of Murder on the First Day of Christmas & Game Drive
* a $15 Amazon.com giftcard

Prize 4 (US/Canada)
* your choice of a cozy mystery paperback (up to $25 in value)

To enter:
1. Fill in the form here.
2. There is no requirement to follow any of the blogs participating, but we hope you will support these amazing blogs by following them. They do a great job, many of whom host for us every month.
3. Giveaway ends on May 15, 2013 at midnight and the winners will be contacted via email.

Featured Book: Murder is Ugly

I love doing character interviews, and I'm happy to have Jinx Delaney here today to talk about her new mystery novel, Murder is Ugly, by Price McNaughton. The book was released on April 9 by Talebearers Publishing.

About the book:

When Jinx Delaney accepted her friend Brynn Brookefield's invitation to spend the summer with Brynn and her family, she expected a relaxed, fun, horse-filled getaway that would hopefully help her find direction and get her life back on track. However, upon her arrival at the Brookefield’s exclusive community, she begins to suspect that not everything is as perfect as the members of the wealthy, picturesque neighborhood would like her to believe. Jinx finds herself embroiled in a web of suspense and deceit as a series of grisly crimes sweeps through the community, revealing dark secrets and tearing apart the residents’ seemingly perfect lives. As neighbor turns against neighbor, Jinx begins to realize that when it comes to high society, murder really is ugly.

Set against a backdrop of a historic, Old South community and a high class horse barn, McNaughton weaves a riveting tale of murder and suspense, filled to the brim with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end, while skillfully painting the ironic tale of a community whose beauty lies only skin deep.

About the character:

Jinx Delaney is a recent college graduate who is looking for her purpose in life. She loves her horse, Ranger, and dreams of competing with him professionally, but she’s not sure what direction to go in. When she visits her sorority sister, Brynn Brookefield, for the summer, she finds herself swept up in mystery. The historic homes in the closed community her friend calls home are filled with secrets and gossip. Jinx finds that her summer may be more than she bargained for when one of the neighbors turns up dead.

Character Interview with Jinx Delaney

How did you first meet Price?

Well, Price had me in the back of her mind for quite some time. A mystery presented itself to her and then I rumbled up in my old blue and white truck, ready to solve it.

Want to dish about her?

She’s nice, but a tad forgetful. She changed my name several times, and I still have trouble going by the new one, though it does have special meaning.

Did you ever think that your life would end up being in a book?

Not at all! I find that my writer and I are very alike, so I thought I would end up more like her. Definitely not involved in mysterious deaths and a secret community.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

I think the night of the party was pretty special to me. I had never seen anything like it so it made a big impression. But that walk home in the rain...Brrr!

Did you have a hard time convincing your author to write any particular scenes for you?

No, she was willing to put me in pretty much every scene. I’m a little nosy, so it was easy to squeeze myself into some tight situations. In the future though, I want more time with Ranger and a stronger focus on our upcoming competitions. She’s assured me that it shouldn’t be a problem.

What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere?

I love riding! I can’t wait to start hauling Ranger to some local shows, but I’ve got my eyes on the big time. Maybe you’ll see the two of us in lights someday.

If you could rewrite anything in your book, what would it be?

It was hard on me to lose my newfound friends. I’d like to write them back to existence, but Price has told me that mysteries don’t work that way.

She's right. Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters?

To be perfectly honest, I don’t care for many of them. In Murder is Ugly, I really only know one person, my sorority sister, Brynn. I find this closed community and some of the people who live in it to be a bit creepy.

Do have any secret aspirations that your author doesn’t know about?

I’d love to try some trick riding.

If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?

Exactly what I’ve been doing this summer. Riding in the morning and swimming in the afternoon.



What impression do you make on people when they first meet you? How about after they've known you for a while?

I think they think of me as sweet and innocent, but after they’ve known me for a while they find that I’m much more clever than they thought.



Ah, one of those. What's the worst thing that's happened in your life? What did you learn from it?

It’s hard to name just one thing, but knowing someone who was murdered was pretty terrible.

Tell us about your best friend.

Brynn is hilarious. She’s loyal and sweet. She’s also great with her horse, Banshee. We have so much fun together. 



What are you most afraid of?

Murderers!!!



Are there a lot of murders in your town?

No, not in my hometown, but I have found that there have been a lot of deaths in Brynn's neighborhood. It's rather odd, now that I think about it.

Yikes. What’s the best trait your author has given you? 

I think my best trait is that I’m very down to earth.

What’s the worst?

My worst trait is definitely my overactive imagination.



What do you like best about Max? Least?

Brynn’s brother Max is fun, loyal, and handsome, but he’s also very mysterious. It’s hard to figure him out.



Honey, all men are hard to figure out. He sounds like a keeper to me. How do you feel about your life right now? What, if anything, would you like to change?

I’m in a strange place. I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my future. It’s definitely time for a change. I would like to start competing with Ranger and work my way up to the pro level.

What aspect of your author’s writing style do you like best?

I like the way she describes spooky scenes.

If your story were a movie, who would play you?

My author!

Describe the town where you live.

The town where I live is very boring, so I’ll tell you a bit about the community instead. It’s closed off and everyone here seems to be rich. You would have to be to afford the upkeep the community demands. Everyone spies on their neighbors, and I’ve never seen people pass more judgement on others than here.

Describe an average day in your life.

Right now, I wake up, go jogging with Brynn, go horseback riding, hang out by the pool, and attend community functions. But after this summer, I don’t know what it will be like.

Why? What happens after summer?

After this summer, I'll have to make new plans. The Brookefields have kindly had me as a guest, but I'll have to leave soon. I'm not sure what I'm going to do or where I'm going to go as of right now. Hopefully, it will come to me.

Will you encourage your author to write a sequel?

Of course! Ranger and I have a lot of stories and adventures left in us. She can’t give up on us now.

Well, good luck wherever you end up. I hope murder doesn't follow you, but if it does, and you end up in another book, come back to tell us about it, okay?

About the author:

Price McNaughton was born and raised in a small town in Tennessee. A childhood steeped in the stories and legends of her ancestors as well as the southern way of life led her to carry on the tradition and become a storyteller herself. After years of traveling and working at a variety of jobs, she has finally returned to her roots and devoted herself to writing. A Vision of Murder is her first book.

Note: A Vision of Murder is free on Kindle today, April 15!

Connect with Price:
Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Talking with Kathleen Brooks

A few months ago, I met Kathleen Brooks at a Centre College alumni author event. Today I’m happy to have the author here to talk about her romantic suspense novel, A Bluegrass State of Mind. In addition to attending the same college and being a fellow Kentucky author, I was surprised to find how much we are alike. From the quirky characters in our fictional small southern towns, to both wanting to live in Charleston, South Carolina, to...well, this is her interview, so I’ll just say that after each of her answers, I found myself saying, oh my gosh—me too!




About the book:
See where the USA Today Bestselling Author Kathleen Brooks began!
 This is the first book in Kathleen Brooks' Best-Selling Bluegrass series.

 McKenna Mason, a New York City attorney with a love of all things Prada, is on the run from a group of powerful, dangerous men. McKenna turns to a teenage crush, Will Ashton, for help in starting a new life in beautiful horse country.

She finds that Will is now a handsome, successful racehorse farm owner. As the old flame is ignited, complications are aplenty in the form of a nasty ex-wife, an ex-boyfriend intent on killing her, and a feisty racehorse who refuses to race without a kiss. Can Will and McKenna cross the finish line together, and more importantly, alive?

Welcome, Kathleen.

Let’s get right to it. What do you like best about writing?

I love getting lost in my imaginary world of Keeneston, Kentucky. 



What’s your least favorite thing?

I hate that I sometimes get totally lost in the writing and let the laundry and dust pile up.

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

I begin by creating an outline that lays out the beginning, middle and end. As I'm writing, I let the characters take over.

Characters really do make the best writers! What about cover art--I found my cover artist online and worked with her to produce the front and back book covers. Did you have any say in your cover art?

Yes, I hire my own cover artist. Her name is Calista Taylor, and she is wonderful. We work together to find the right combination that really embraces the story within. We laugh and have a great time with the process. This part is very exciting because you know it is getting very close to release at that point.

You’re so right. I was so excited to see the first draft of my cover, because it was like seeing the face of my “baby” for the first time. When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?

Yes, Bluegrass State of Mind is the first book of the Bluegrass series. Each of the books is set in the same town, so many of the secondary characters appear in each book. Also, as a reader, I always wanted to know what happened to my favorite characters after the book was done. So I always include updates on couples from past books in each new release.  There are always new characters brought into the new stories, but they are all created before I get into the writing process.

Again, I totally agree. I’m constantly on the lookout for new names. How do you name your characters?

Here in Kentucky, you get a variety of different names.  I have tried to infuse that in my stories.  My main characters all feature first names that I personally like. To get the last names, I typically look through online sources to find the best combination. But the most fun is picking Southern names and nicknames.  I have several double first names that seem to just roll off the tongue.  The nicknames are a result of funny life experiences.

Ditto, ditto, ditto! Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

I really enjoyed creating the scenes at the Kentucky Derby. It was so much fun to create a scene for the readers who may never get to experience the real thing.

Well, as a Louisvillian, the Kentucky Derby holds a special place in my heart. Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow? Music? Acting out the scene? Long showers?


Yes, I have a playlist of music that is upbeat rock music. I also have to call my husband in to work out fight scenes and mental blocks during writing. He never knows what's about to happen when he walks in the room!

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?


I absolutely love living in Central Kentucky.  But if I had to select a second place to live, I would choose Charleston, South Carolina.  I visit the area often and absolutely love the local food.  This history of the city is well preserved and celebrated by the residents.  The Southern flare is definitely a big plus for me. And you can't beat being so close to many wonderful beaches!

Last question--what are you working on now? 


I am currently working on my sixth book (the third in the Bluegrass Brothers series).  It does not have a title right now, but will soon.  I am anticipating a January 2013 release.

I know your fans are excited to hear that! Thank you so much for talking to me today, Kathleen.

I just want to mention the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway that Kathleen is sponsoring. Each day will feature different prizes which will be announced in that day’s post on her blog. Kathleen is giving away tons of books donated by some great authors. Prizes range from e-books, signed books, gift cards, and more! Visit Kathleen’s blog for the rules and more information, and the promotion is running on her Facebook page.

About the author:

Kathleen Brooks has garnered attention for her debut novel, Bluegrass State of Mind, as a new voice in romance with a warm Southern feel. Her books feature quirky small town characters you’ll feel like you’ve known forever, romance, humor, and mystery all mixed into one perfect glass of sweet tea. Kathleen is an animal lover who supports rescue organizations and other non-profit organizations whose goals are to protect and save our four-legged family members. Kathleen lives in Central Kentucky with her husband, daughter, two dogs, and a cat who thinks he’s a dog.

Find Kathleen:
Website
Blog 
Facebook page
Goodreads author page
Twitter
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Apple iBooks

Talking With Wayne Zurl

I'm happy to have Wayne Zurl, author of the Sam Jenkins mystery series, here today to talk with us about his newest novel, Heroes & Lovers. This is Wayne's third full novel, although he's written many novelettes. Wayne writes mysteries with humor and great characters. Best of all, his town of Prospect, Tennessee isn't far from Goose Pimple Junction.

About Heroes & Lovers (A Sam Jenkins Mystery)

Sam Jenkins might say, “Falling in love is like catching a cold. It’s infectious and involuntary. Just don’t sneeze on any innocent people.”

Getting kidnapped and becoming infatuated with a married policeman never made TV reporter Rachel Williamson’s list of things to do before Christmas. But helping her friend, Sam Jenkins with a fraud investigation would be fun and get her an exclusive story.

Sam’s investigation put Rachel in the wrong place at the wrong time and her abduction by a mentally disturbed fan, ruined several days of her life.

When Jenkins learns Rachel has gone missing, he cancels holiday leaves, mobilizes the personnel at Prospect PD, and enlists his friends from the FBI to help find her.

During the early stages of the investigation, Sam develops several promising leads, but as they begin to fizzle, his prime suspect drops off the planet and all the resources of the FBI aren’t helping.

After a lucky break and a little old-fashioned pressure on an informant produce an important clue, the chief leads his team deep into the Smoky Mountains to rescue his friend. But after Rachel is once again safe at home, he finds their problems are far from over.
 

Howdy, Wayne. You've written a lot of Sam Jenkins mysteries. What is the best part of writing for you?

All my adult jobs have involved writing in one way or another. Long before I began dabbling in anything creative, I wrote reports in the Army and police department. I got a kick out of hearing a senior officer say that I’d submitted something well written. And, on occasion, someone in upper management would read my report before they ever met me. So, I made sure what I turned in would be good enough for them to remember the guy who wrote it. All this is pressing ahead to how I enjoy hearing people pump my ego with praise of what I write.

After I retired, I took a volunteer job at a state park where among other things, I wrote publicity for their living history program. Those pieces led to twenty-six non-fiction magazine articles. Occasionally, I’d meet readers who liked what I wrote—more opportunity for ego building. But I also got paid for my efforts and thought that was cool.

In 2006, I decided to try writing fiction. I figured I could base (loosely or otherwise) my stories on old cases I investigated or supervised. That looked like the fun part of the chore. I enjoyed that aspect most and still do. That’s the best part of writing.

What is the worst?

Post-publication marketing and promotions. I’d love to be operating back in the old days where a publisher’s PR department did all the work and writers only attended book signings and radio and TV interviews. Realistically, I’ll never see that scenario.

I would totally agree with you on that. How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)

A simple arrest ends in tragedy. Sam Jenkins does some serious ass kickin’ to save a friend in HEROES & LOVERS, a #police #thriller.

That one weighed in at 132, sir. Lookin’ good. How did you create the plot for this book?

In the first two novels and all fifteen novelettes, Sam Jenkins has been developing an emotional involvement with TV reporter, Rachel Williamson. Both characters are married (to other people,) and so far things are professional and platonic. But I wanted something to make readers grit their teeth, and I didn’t want the tired old tension-getter, common to so many cop stories, where the hero goes into a situation without backup and finds himself in jeopardy.

I’ve seen several very successful TV shows go on for years with a premise of sexual tension between two main characters who aren’t involved in a conventional way. I liked the idea and needed a reason to get Sam and Rachel a little closer. I wanted readers (and especially females who buy more books) to question my sanity. I want them to say, “Hey, he’s married. What is he doing?”

Those interested should stay tuned and find out if Sam and Rachel have an affair. Does it last? Does Sam leave Kate? Real soap opera, huh?

To keep this a cop opera, and not steamy Harlequin romance material, I needed legitimate police work to lead them into a story-worthy problem. The initial “scheme to defraud” investigation gets Sam and Rachel working together closely. Later, circumstances throw them into a relationship neither turns away from.

As Rachel wraps up her news coverage of the fraud scam, she’s kidnapped in Sam’s jurisdiction, and everything becomes super-personal for the chief, and the reader sees a darker side of our normally genial, wise-cracking ex-detective.

I dug into my bag of war stories and used an actual incident of an assault / attempted rape of one of the secretaries from where I worked. That wasn’t my case, but for me and every other person around me, it became a top priority and many people worked their off-duty time to find the guilty party.

How do you develop your characters?

Most of the characters I invent are based on people I knew—or they’re composites of more than one person. This helps me determine how those personalities will react to a certain situation and what they’ll say and how they’ll speak. That’s extremely helpful in writing dialogue and giving these people unique voices. If I can hear how a real person spoke, I can perpetuate their fictional voices.

Reviews are a necessary evil for authors. How do you handle criticism of your work?

Like everyone else, I enjoy positive criticism. I feel the “warm fuzzies” and they improve my day. Occasionally, someone tosses a few “cold pricklies” at me and, by necessity, I dissect the negative information.

First, I try to identify where the critic is coming from. Are they just speaking about a personal dislike? Intellectually, I know I’ll never please all of the people all of the time, and while nasty remarks hurt, I have no choice but to let them go. Readers are entitled to their opinions . . . Until I hunt them down and meet them in a dark alley and then—just kidding.

If I can determine that the critic is more professionally capable of analyzing my story technically, I’ll still feel bad over the [possibly] nasty comment, but I’ll look for important constructive criticism that may make future work better.

When I belonged to an on-line writer’s workshop, occasionally I’d run into a reviewer who lacked all bedside manner and never tried to soften the negative comments they felt compelled to make. Fortunately, most of those fellow writers were part of a minority and nothing but toads who thought they knew it all. But among those assorted ineffectual readers, I’d find a few intelligent but obnoxious authors who, in a most unfriendly way, offered gems of wisdom. Only a fool would disregard good information that could make a finished product better.

I’d always file away this good advice, but still look forward to that dark, back alley.

I’m a collector of quotes. What’s one of your favorites?

Back in the 18th century, Edward Gibbon said, “I never make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinions I have no respect.” Good advice that can save you a lot of aggravation.

That reminds me of one of my favorite southern proverbs: Never argue with a pig. It just frustrates you and irritates the pig." Anyway…you live in beautiful Tennessee, but if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

After an extremely warm and dry summer, I’ve rekindled my interest in Scotland. Years ago, when the exchange rate was $1.03 to the pound, we considered buying a stone cottage in the Highlands and retiring there. But Reaganomics decided American tourists should spend their travel dollars in the US and miraculously, a pound sterling ended up costing $1.75 almost overnight. In effect, my pension dollar had been cut almost in half and the idea of moving to Scotland took a back seat to the mountains of East Tennessee. I’ve been to Scotland thirteen times. I’d go back in a heartbeat. It’s a great place.

Discounting Scotland, if you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? Don’t worry about the money. Your publisher is paying.

I’m getting in the mood for another trip to Alaska. And since money is no object, I’d book the best cabin on a small cruise boat and go from Ketchikan to Juneau along the Inside Passage. From there, we’d fly to Anchorage and spend a couple of days in the Captain Cook Hotel. Then, rent a cabin in Homer for a week of fishing for halibut and salmon and a flight to the Katmai Peninsula to photograph the brown bear and watch them catch a few salmon.

You have written a gazillion things and have had three books published this year. What are you working on now?

I’m about ready to finalize the second pass of edits and revisions to a novel I call PIGEON RIVER BLUES. It’s Sam Jenkins’ first venture into the world of country and western music. Here’s the jacket summary I’ve come up with:

Winter in the Smokies can be a tranquil time of year—unless Sam Jenkins sticks his thumb into the sweet potato pie.

The ex-New York detective turned Tennessee police chief is minding his own business one quiet day in February when Mayor Ronnie Shields asks him to act as a bodyguard for a famous country and western star.

C.J. Profitt’s return to her hometown of Prospect receives lots of publicity . . . and threats from a rightwing group calling themselves The Coalition for American Family Values.

The beautiful, publicity seeking Ms. Proffit never fails to capitalize on her abrasive personality by flaunting her alternative lifestyle—a way of living the Coalition hates.

Reluctantly, Jenkins accepts the assignment of keeping C.J. safe while she performs at a charity benefit. But his job becomes more difficult when the object of his protection refuses to cooperate.

During this misadventure, Sam hires a down-on-his-luck ex-New York detective and finds himself thrown back in time with old Army acquaintances who factor into a complicated plot of attempted murder, the destruction of a Dollywood music hall, and other general insurrection on Sam’s “peaceful side of the Smokies.”

When I finish my work, I’ll see how my publisher / editor likes the idea.

I’m sure he will like it just fine. I hope you’ll come back when it’s ready to be published. Thanks for stopping by, Wayne.

Thanks, Amy, for inviting me to your blog and introducing me to your fans and followers. 



About the author:
>
Wayne Zurl grew up on Long Island and retired after twenty years with the Suffolk County Police Department, one of the largest municipal law enforcement agencies in New York and the nation. For thirteen of those years he served as a section commander supervising investigators. He is a graduate of SUNY, Empire State College and served on active duty in the US Army during the Vietnam War and later in the reserves. Zurl left New York to live in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with his wife, Barbara.

Fifteen (15) of his Sam Jenkins mysteries have been produced as audio books and simultaneously published as eBooks. Ten (10) of these novelettes are now available in print under the titles of A MURDER IN KNOXVILLE and Other Smoky Mountain Mysteries and REENACTING A MURDER and Other Smoky Mountain Mysteries. Zurl’s first full-length novel, A NEW PROSPECT, was named best mystery at the 2011 Indie Book Awards, chosen as 1st Runner-Up from all Commercial Fiction at the 2012 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, and was nominated for a Montaigne Medal and First Horizon Book Award. His second novel, A LEPRECHAUN’S LAMENT, is available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle. A third full-length novel, HEROES & LOVERS, is scheduled for release on Sept 29, 2012.

For more information on Wayne’s Sam Jenkins mystery series see www.waynezurlbooks.net. You can read excerpts, reviews and endorsements, interviews, coming events, and see photos of the area where the stories take place.

Look for Wayne at these places:
Facebook page
Goodreads author page
Twitter
Amazon author page
Amazon: Heroes & Lovers
Barnes & Noble: Heroes & Lovers