FEATURED AUTHOR: NICOLE ASSELIN

Thirty-two-year-old Madeline Boucher’s Grandfather instilled a love in the Boston Red Sox into her from an early age and increased that love by purchasing a local Independent League Baseball team, the Abington Armadillos.



After losing her corporate job in Boston, Madeline realizes her best option is to join the family baseball business. As the new “Social Media Director” for the team, Madeline attends her first business function and witnesses an argument between her brother Ben, and a strange man.



A few days later when walking the ballpark during her early morning hours, she finds the body of a man beaten to death with a baseball bat in the Visitor’s Dugout. It was the man her brother was arguing with at the party. Madeline is concerned that her brother would be considered a suspect. Through the local detectives and Davis—the head of security for the ballpark—she learns the victim is Christopher Dailey, a local baseball scout and prior felon.



When her brother is arrested and taken to the police station, she realizes she needs to figure out who the real culprit is, so her brother doesn’t take the fall for something she knows he didn’t do.

Book Details:


Title: Murder at First Pitch


Author’s name: Nicole Asselin   


Genre: cozy mystery    


Publisher: Pandamoon Publishing (September 4, 2019)


Print length:188 pages

On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours




Things you need in order to write: my trusty laptop. This summer I have been listening to Red Sox games whilst I write. Sometimes I just get out of the house and head to Dunks or Starbucks (or Barnes and Noble).
Things that hamper your writing:  social media! I always find myself checking Facebook and Twitter too many times during a writing session.


Easiest thing about being a writer: inspiration! Everything is a story, and I find that sometimes I have too many ideas to write down.

Hardest thing about being a writer:  finding time to write!


Things you love about where you live: seasons. Living in New England is amazing, especially in the Fall. The leaves are changing, and the weather is chillier.  Which means sweaters and boots.
Things that make you want to move: I grew up moving a lot with my Navy father, and every few years I get the itch to just move. That, and it’s crazy expensive living up here.


Things you never want to run out of: BOOKSSSSSSSSS!!!!
Things you wish you’d never bought: Um, books? Cause now I’m poor and have books all over my floor.  BUT I WILL NEVER STOP!  *maniacal laugh*


Favorite beverage: iced tea lemonade unsweetened from Starbucks *Yum*

Something that gives you a pickle face: coffee. I’ve tried, and I just can’t do it.

People you consider as heroes: my parents are personal heroes in life. My mom has gone through a whole bunch and is still kicking butt. She might not think it sometimes, but she is the coolest. My father has been successful in both the Navy and private career, so he’s given me my work ethic that I follow today.

People with a big L on their foreheads: what I want to say will probably offend half the country . . . but, you know. Also everyone who agrees with the racist, misogynistic, homophobic people who try to tear people down instead of realizing that we are all special and unique!

Things you always put in your books: cats. I have three of them, and I love them.

Things you never put in your books: super bloody gory deaths. Not my jam. Plus, I write cozies, so those don’t show particularly violent deaths.

Things to say to an author:  “I loved your book!”

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “If it were me, I would’ve done this different in your book . . . ”

Favorite places you’ve been: I took my Mom to Ireland in 2017. It was both our first times, and she is an O’Loughlin by birth. It was AMAZING. The west coast of Ireland is my new favorite place. My dream in life is to retire to the countryside and have a sheep farm somewhere out there.

Places you never want to go to again:  okay, so this might be a hot take, but I HATED New Orleans. I loved all the history of the city and the old cemeteries . . . but man, it was just way too hot. Even when I went to get beignets at like 4 in the morning it was already melting weather. So, I’m good.

Proudest moment: this book getting published! I’m so excited to be able to share this book in the world, and I hope people enjoy it!


Most embarrassing moment: way back in HS, I traveled to Europe as part of a group known as American Music Abroad in their choir. There was a super cute kid named Will (I think it was Will) that I had crush on as soon as the trip started. So, in Heidleburg Germany, we had the night off, and we all went around the town exploring.  I ended up with him on a stoop eating ice cream just talking. I was so happy. And then, he dropped the bomb. “What’s your name again?  Is your roommate available?” No joke. My roommate, Martha, was the worst . . . she always snuck out in the middle of the night and would get us both in trouble. So, after that, I just stayed with my friends and enjoyed the rest of my time, not telling anyone what had happened. Mortifying.





Nicole Asselin grew up a Navy Brat, and spent her formative high school years in the middle of Pennsylvania but always identified with her New England roots.


Nicole graduated from Curry College in Milton Mass with a degree in English/Creative Writing, minoring in Dance in 2004. She also attended George Mason University and received a Master’s in Arts Management. Now working just outside of Boston as a Technical Writer, she lives on the South Shore of Massachusetts with her three cats Julia, Jacques, and Madeline (no relation to the main character of her book).


Nicole is a current member of Sisters in Crime (National and New England) and the Mystery Writers of America. She sits on the Board of Directors for the NE branches of both groups as Social Media Liaison. She’s attended several conferences in the past few years to study the craft including Malice Domestic, Bouchercon, and the NE Crime Bake. Her short story, “Mile High Murder” can be found as part of Z Publishing’s “America’s Emerging Suspense Writers: East Region” published in early 2019.




Connect with Nicole:
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  
Amazon


Buy the book:
Amazon

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FEATURED AUTHOR: BARBARA BARRETT

Beware the east wind! It’s hurricane season in Florida, and everyone’s attention is focused on preparing for the latest tempest. But in Serendipity Springs, mah jongg pals Marianne, Sydney, Micki and Kat are caught in a different kind of whirlwind—a mesmerizing murder case involving a slain hypnotist/chef and the woman police suspect of doing her in, her embittered catering partner, Portia.

Tasked by Portia to help clear her name, and at the risk of infuriating Kat’s sheriff boyfriend, Marianne and her friends discover there are more than enough suspects—and secrets—to go around. Wary of getting themselves into more dangerous situations, Marianne and Syd agree to let their protective spouses join the hunt, even if their scheming husbands are really in it for the action, not bodyguard duty.

As they dig into the hypnotist’s explosive files, more and more questions arise. Was she blackmailing her clients? Did her husband knock her off to gain access to those secrets? And is Portia telling them everything she knows? The sleuths pile their own deceptions on top of the suspects’ lies as a dangerous storm gathers steam offshore. When will the east wind strike, and will the hurricane’s merciless eye reveal a killer?

Book Details:

Title: Beware the East Wind   

Author: Barbara Barret

Genre: cozy mystery (senior sleuths)


Series: Mah Jongg Mystery series, Book 4


Published: August 17, 2019


Print length: 254 pages

On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours

Ifs


Q: If you could talk to someone (living), who would it be and what would you ask them?
A: If you’re familiar with the TV show, Love it or List it, you know who Hilary Farr is. On the show, she’s a bit argumentative and self-important, but a lot of that is staged. I think the rehabs she creates are the some of the best in this genre of TV show, and I’d like to learn more about her outlook on interior design and, if she’ll share, the behind-the-scenes scoop on what it’s like putting together this show.

Q: If you could talk to someone (dead), who would it be and what would you ask them?
A: I never really knew my paternal grandmother. She experienced mental problems shortly after my aunt was born and was institutionalized thereafter. Although my mom took my sister and me to visit her a few times when I was a little girl, I know very little about her. What was her early life like? Were her problems evident from a young age or did they present only later? What does she think caused them? How did she meet my grandfather? How did she feel about my father?

Q: If you could live in any time period which would it be?
 A: I’m happy with the current time period, crazy as it is. But I’m happy I lived through the 50s, 60s, and 70s. So many technological and cultural changes occurred then and I was part of them.

Q: If you could be anything besides a writer, what would it be?
A: As you may have guessed from my earlier response about Hilary Farr, I’d be an interior designer. TV rehab shows fascinate me, not that I’d like to start with some of the challenges faced on Flip or Flop, but I’d love to have unlimited resources and complete independence to do my own thing.

Q: If you were on the Amazon bestseller list, who would you choose to be one before and one after?
A: One before, Nora Roberts. One after: James Patterson. Why? Because I think I could be spotted there by potential readers who might associate me with their writing. And I would consider myself fortunate and to have arrived to be included in this company.

Q: If you could meet any author for coffee, who would you like to meet and what would you talk about?
A: I just finished reading Life and Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins. Unlike some of her earlier books, which were contemporary romances, this was women’s fiction. I almost didn’t finish this book because so many of the characters were unlikable, but I kept at it and appreciated how it all came together. I’d like to sit down with her and ask her why she created such loathsome characters. One of the main characters is an eighty-five-year-old woman who is hiding her illness from her granddaughter. Higgans’ first person description of a person of this age was intense; how did she learn so much about the inconveniences of age when she is a much younger woman? How could she so aptly describe the early stages of dementia and how it affects the mind?


Ands


5 favorite possessions: 
    •    my laptop computer
    •    my TV set
    •    pictures of my children and grandchildren
    •    my wedding rings
and
    •    my car

5 things you need in order to write: 
    •    my laptop computer
    •    a TV set
    •    a comfortable chair
    •    a scenic view
and
    •    Diet Coke

5 things you love about writing: 
    •    the chance to express my thoughts
    •    the process of inventing characters and plot
    •    how it keeps my mind active
    •    the chance to explore other worlds
and
    •    the control I have over my own creations

5 favorite places you’ve been:
    •    Hawaii
    •    France
    •    Vancouver, BC, Canada
    •    Spain
and
    •    Florida

5 favorite authors:
    •    Susan Elia MacNeal
    •    Marylee Ashford
    •    Nora Roberts
    •    Susan Elizabeth Phillips  
and
    •    Agatha Christie

Whats

Q: What’s your all-time favorite movie?
A: West Side Story (Sweet Home Alabama is a close second.)

Q: What’s your all-time favorite author?
A: Agatha Christie.

Q: What’s your all-time favorite city?
A: Paris.

Q: What’s your favorite song?
A: “Happy Together.”

Q: What’s your favorite snack?
A: Pizza.

Q: What’s your favorite ice cream?
A: Maple Nut.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do when there’s nothing to do?
A: Watch TV.

Q: What’s your favorite candy bar?
A: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

Q: What’s your favorite movie snack?
A: Buttered popcorn filled with M&Ms and Diet Coke.

Q: What’s your favorite color?
A: Blue.


Q: What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop?
A: Three of my grandchildren.


Q: What movie genre do you prefer?
A: RomCom.

Q: What book are you currently working on?
A: Book 5 of the Mah Jongg Mystery series, working title: Flower Power.

Q: What’s your latest recommendation for:
Food: Red Robin Onion Rings (frozen)
Music: Soundtrack from Hustlers
Movie: Where Are You, Bernadette?
Book: Mr. Churchill’s Secretary
TV: Call the Midwife (It’s been around for some time, but I just discovered it and love it!)
Netflix/Amazon Prime: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Miscellaneous: Learning German.

OTHER BOOKS BY BARBARA BARRETT

Craks in a Marriage  
Bamboozled 
Connect the Dots
Beware the East Wind 
Don’t Toy with Me 
Change Up
Love in the Third Act 
Driven to Matrimony 
Paradise by Design
The Billionaire’s Big Birthday Bash
The Sleepover Clause 
Seduction on Wheels 
Keeping It Casual
Tough Enough to Tango 
Not Your Mama’s Mambo 



 

Barbara Barrett started reading mysteries when she was pregnant with her first child to keep her mind off things like her changing body and food cravings. When she’d devoured as many Agatha Christies as she could find, she branched out to English village cozies and Ellery Queen.

Later, to avoid a midlife crisis, she began writing fiction at night when she wasn’t at her day job in human resources for Iowa State Government. After releasing eleven full-length romance novels and one novella, she returned to the cozy mystery genre, using one of her retirement pastimes, the game of mah jongg, as her inspiration. Not only has it been a great social outlet, it has also helped keep her mind active when not writing.

Beware the East Wind, the fourth book in her “Mah Jongg Mystery” series, features four friends who play mah jongg together and share otherwise in each other’s lives. None of the four is based on an actual person. Each is an amalgamation of several mah jongg friends with a lot of Barbara’s imagination thrown in for good measure. The four will continue to appear in future books in the series.

Anticipating the day when she would write her first mystery, she has been a member of the Mystery/Romantic Suspense chapter of Romance Writers of America (Kiss of Death) for over a decade. She credits them with helping her hone her craft. She is also a member of Sisters in Crime and Sinc-Iowa.

Barbara is married to the man she met her senior year of college. They have two grown children and eight grandchildren.


Connect with Barbara:
Website  |  Newsletter  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  |  Apple

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NINE ESSENTIAL WOMEN'S HEALTH READS

Halloween is just around the corner, and winter is not far behind! That means it’s finally time to relax indoors after a busy summer and back-to-school season. It’s the perfect time for bookworms to curl up under a favorite blanket with a cup of tea, and catch up on some of the reads we’ve missed this year! The extra time is also a great opportunity for some self-development and learning more about what makes you tick. If you want to combine these two activities, take a look at the roundup from the women’s health experts at Rory below. They’ve included summaries and recommendations for the top books to read on women’s health, covering the mind, body, and spirit.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BOOKS

If the list above isn’t enough to sate your appetite for knowledge, here are a couple more of our favorites. These spicy reads should keep you warm even during the chilly winter nights, and chances are you’ll learn a lot about yourself in the process.

The Vagina Bible by Jennifer Gunter

Sometimes called Twitter’s “resident gynecologist,” celebrated author and OB/GYN Jennifer Gunter answer all the burning questions you have about your vagina and its health, along with plenty of others you’ve probably never even thought of. Is there a specific way I’m supposed to be cleaning my vagina? Are lace thongs unhealthy? Is the G-spot even real? It’s Dr. Jen’s “vagenda” (her word, but we love it) to provide a comprehensive resource for women of every age, and in her new book she definitely succeeds!

Come As You Are  by Emily Nagoski

This New York Times bestseller finally answers the question we’ve all had at one time or another, which is: Why is it so easy for guys to have a good time in bed while we ladies are often left feeling lukewarm at best? Well the answer is complicated, just like we are. Turns out, women have a much higher variance in our sexual anatomy than men do, which makes us a little harder to figure out. Beyond the physical differences, our mood and feelings also play a much more central role in our desires than they typically do for men. This book is seriously fascinating and will have you thinking about your own experiences in a much deeper context!

Key Takeaways

If you’ve finally finished reading most of our winter picks, or even if you’ve just gotten through the summaries, you’ve probably noticed several key themes that are central to the messages in many of these books:
    1.    Listen to Your Body – Whether in terms of food, emotions, or sex, your body knows best! Staying in tune with yourself will be the best indicator for how to make healthy choices.

    2.    Give Yourself a Break – It’s absolutely true that you are your own worst critic. Learn to forgive yourself for your mistakes and treat yourself as you would a friend.

    3.    Know You Have Power – If there’s something in your life that’s dragging you down, chances are that with enough determination, you can do something about it. Whether it’s eating right or learning to assert yourself, you can make things happen.

Our physical, mental, spiritual, and sexual health are all connected, and it’s important to continue to learn about your body and do what you can to help yourself thrive. For more resources for women of all ages, visit Rory.



Reposted from Rory: https://www.hellorory.com/roar/health-books/

FEATURED AUTHOR: BRYAN J. FAGAN

ABOUT THE BOOK

Gibson Baker had it all. A beautiful house in Seattle, a beautiful girlfriend and a steady teaching job.

But when Gibson’s loses his job and his girl on the same day, he’s forced to crawl home to Eugene, Oregon.

At least Mom’s happy to see him.

His successful realtor sister, Hope, is not impressed and makes it clear he needs to land another job, and soon! Dempsey, Gibson’s best friend from high school, arrives with promises of ‘the opportunity of a lifetime’. Dempsey wants to open a restaurant. But Dempsey’s dreams are always that – dreams. And Gibson’s not eager to get involved in yet another doomed venture. Until Gibson’s childhood sweetheart, Gail shows up.

What starts out as a wild dream, a desperate plan and a dare, soon takes on a life of its own. With Hope’s help, the trio of misfits finds the perfect spot for the restaurant, but as the grand opening approaches, each must face unresolved issues from their past.

Can they pull together and grow beyond their previous failures, or will they give up their dreams to do the safe and responsible thing?

Book Details:


Title: Dempsey’s Grill


Author: Bryan J. Fagan


Genre: comedy/romance       


Publisher: Foundations Book Publishing (August 26, 2019)


Print length: 324 pages

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT WITH BRYAN J. FAGAN

A few of your favorite things: corn on the cob on a summer day; my daughters laughter; Saturday mornings.
Things you need to throw out: moldy bread that has more hair than me; memories of my one and only blind date; my one and only 8-track tape. 


Things you need in order to write: two Oranges; pot of coffee; hazelnut creamer; two favorite pens and one sheet of typing paper.
Things that hamper your writing: pen running out of ink; out of oranges; no coffee and/or hazelnut. 


Things you love about writing: the challenge.
Things you hate about writing: see above.

Easiest thing about being a writer: listening to the characters speak.

Hardest thing about being a writer: admitting that the story isn’t ready to be told.


Things you love about where you live: I’m from Western Oregon. The sound of the rain is music to my ears.
Things that make you want to move: Eugene is a big city. I’d love to move back to the country.


Things you never want to run out of: laughter.
Things you wish you’d never bought: a witch’s hat. Don’t ask. It was the 1980’s.


Words that describe you: funny; determined; adventurous.
Words that describe you but you wish they didn’t: loud.

Favorite foods: steak; German Chocolate Cake; cherries.
Things that make you want to throw up: peas.

Favorite music or song: Def Leppard; Motley Crue; The Cars; The Sundays.
Music that make your ears bleed: Rap. Don’t ever go there.

Favorite beverage: diet Dr Pepper
.
Something that gives you a pickle face: hot tea.

Favorite smell: fresh cut grass; sawdust.

Something that makes you hold your nose: silage—yuk!!!

Something you’re really good at: creating a story out of a single word.

Something you’re really bad at: anything math.


Something you wish you could do: go back in time and play football at my high-school.
Something you wish you’d never learned to do: date bad girls.

Something you like to do: crash on the couch and watch a movie with my daughters.

Something you wish you’d never done: attempted to fix the lawnmower. Let’s just say it was a long day.

People you consider as heroes: my grandparents.

People with a big L on their foreheads: people who talk but don’t listen.



Last best thing you ate: thick-cut steak—yum!!!!!

Last thing you regret eating: late night Taco Bell. I keep forgetting I’m not in my 20’s anymore.

Things you’d walk a mile for: a good knee so I can walk a mile.
Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: spiders. Yes, I’m one of those.

Things you always put in your books: a broken person who heals.

Things you never put in your books: harming an animal.

Things to say to an author: I just ordered your book.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: How much money do you make?

People you’d like to invite to dinner: people who make me laugh and think.

People you’d cancel dinner on: people who do not make me laugh or think.

Favorite things to do: exercising; talking to friends; listening to my daughters tell me about their day.

Things you’d run through a fire wearing gasoline pants to get out of doing: vacuuming.

Things that make you happy: writing.

Things that drive you crazy: wondering why I’m not writing.

Most embarrassing moment: asking a woman when she was due. She wasn’t. 

Proudest moment: holding my first born for the first time.

Best thing you’ve ever done: stop being scared.

Biggest mistake: letting a friend down.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: sliding down an icy hill.

Something you chickened out from doing: sliding down twice.

The last thing you did for the first time: balanced a cucumber on my nose.

Something you’ll never do again: balance two cucumbers on my nose.

TRAILER FOR DEMPSEY'S GRILL

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Bryan Fagan is a former Chevy Chevette owner, a culinary arts degree holder, and a one-time journalist. He is also a failed magician. He could never make the rabbit disappear. His adventures in life have allowed him to create funny and loving characters that he hopes you will enjoy.

Connect with Bryan:
Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter 

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

FEATURED AUTHOR: MARC JEDEL

    


ABOUT THE BOOK

He's afraid of losing his girlfriend. But maybe he should be more concerned about the dead body she's crying over?



Marty Golden can barely string a voicemail message together, let alone keep up with his new love. This quirky uncle's hectic Silicon Valley lifestyle needs a reboot when a youth league soccer game becomes a murder scene. And nothing can stop him from donning his amateur sleuth uniform when he discovers his sweetheart used to have quite a thing for the dead guy . . .

With a not-so-helpful paw from Buddy the Labrador,  he does his best to sniff out a long list of possible suspects. But between gossipy soccer moms and the costume-clad members of a Renaissance Faire, Marty's theories fall harder than a jousted knight.



Can Marty solve the case before the trail and his new flame grow cold?



Serf and Turf is the third book in the zany, Silicon Valley cozy mystery series. If you like laugh-out-loud comedy, dorky sleuths, and a festival of old-world fun, then you'll love Marc Jedel's humorous murder mystery.



Buy Serf and Turf to sign in to a great mystery today!


Book Details:

Title: Serf and Turf: A Silicon Valley Mystery

Author: Marc Jedel

Genre: cozy mystery


Series: A Silicon Valley Mystery, book 3


Publisher: BGM Press (October 9, 2019)


Print length: 213 pages

On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours




IFs ANDs OR WHATs INTERVIEW WITH MARC JEDEL

Ifs


Q: If you could be anything besides a writer, what would it be?
A: Superhero, definitely a superhero. Who wouldn’t want to be one if they could be anything?

Q: If you were on the Amazon bestseller list, who would you choose to be near you on the list?
A: Recently I was fortunate enough to have my first novel, Uncle and Ants, hit #1 on Amazon’s bestseller lists in 3 categories. For a few hours, I was ranked #43 overall in Amazon’s Author Ranks. I found it quite amusing that I was ranked right below Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. He, of course, was ranked #42 as is only appropriate for making that number famous as the answer to the “question of life, the universe, and everything.”

Q: If you could meet any author for coffee, who would you like to meet and what would you talk about?
A: I’d love to meet Janet Evanovich and talk to her about how she has managed to write so many books in her different series. Janet turned out to be an improbable inspiration for my writing.
On a vacation, I picked up my wife’s copy of a Janet Evanovich novel. She got mad when I didn’t return it until I’d finished. My wife that is, not Janet. Janet would be happy because I’ve purchased a number of her other books and even consulted her How I Write book when I started Uncle and Ants.

Q: If you had to do community service (or already do volunteer work), what would you choose?
A: I volunteer each week at two different community service organizations. At one, I help people in their job search by creating resumes and helping them apply for positions. At the other, I help blind people learn how to use technology so they can waste time using social media, listening to music, and deleting spam like all the sighted people.

Q: If you could choose a fictional town to live in what would it be?
A: I’d choose the town of Eureka, from that TV show of a few years ago. It was a perfect place for a cozy mystery writer with a protagonist who is a software engineer—humorous and strange stuff happened nearly every day, the authorities regularly turned to the engineers to save the world, and most of the time everyone lived happily ever after. If possible, I’d prefer to avoid the days with the potentially apocalyptic events, but I guess you can’t get everything you want.




Ands


5 things that drive you crazy:
•    people who say they don’t have time to read but manage to spend hours per day watching videos or checking social media on their phones
•    the smell of boiling bones (probably best not to ask how I know this)
•    names of colors beyond those that came in the Crayola 8-pack—or possibly the 16-pack. All the rest were merely invented to punish the color-blind. And the fashion-challenged.
•    software bugs
and
•    coming up with lists of 5 things.

5 things you love about where you live:
•    Winchester Mystery House
•    The Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz
•    Mystery Dinner Theater
•    San Jose Mystery Room  
and
•    are you getting the picture yet?

5 things you always put in your books: 
•    humor and wacky side characters, 
•    realistic situations and realistic decisions made by the characters. I hate books where the whole thing could be resolved with a thirty second phone call or quick text.
•    Surprise twists (sometimes even I don’t see them coming) 
•    Buddy, the Labrador
and
•    after bumbling around for a while, Marty coming through in the end—thanks to his attention to detail

5 words to describe you:  
•    Seriously
•    Needs
•    New
•    Ideas
and
•    Fast


5 things you’d need on a deserted island: 
•    my dog
•    internet
•    beer
•    lounge chair
and
•    a fully-fueled yacht.
Oh! And my wife. I didn’t mean to leave her off. She should totally rank higher than my dog and beer. Or at least higher than the lounge chair.

Whats

Q: What’s your all-time favorite memory?
A: My wedding. I have to do something to make up for my last answer. Besides, it’s got to be up there in the top 10 anyway so I’ll go with it.

Q: What’s your all-time favorite library?
A: Although it’s no longer a functioning library, I would recommend everyone check out Chicago’s Old Public Library building in downtown. It’s a beautiful building with tiled, mosaic ceilings and an incredible Tiffany glass dome.

Q: What’s your favorite quote?
A: Well, I guess I’d say I try to live by advice from my dad: “If the appetizers are good, eat them. You never know what’s for dinner.”

Q: What’s your favorite movie snack?
A: Milk Duds mixed together with popcorn. Really, it’s a thing. Don’t knock it until you try it.

Q: What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop?

A: I’ve got a picture that my nieces drew for my birthday a number of years ago. You can see this picture here. This picture was one of the inspirations for my series so I keep it on my computer to motivate me to keep writing.

Q: What’s the loveliest sight you’ve ever seen?
A: My wife. (Yeah, still trying to make up for forgetting her on the deserted island.)

What’s your latest recommendation for:
•    Food: I’m all in favor of food. Looking at my scale, it’s clear I’ve been way too much in favor of food recently so perhaps it’s best to have fewer food recommendations.
•    Music: When I’m writing, I can only listen to instrumental music. Spotify’s playlists for studying can be quite good. I’ve also actually found some of the soundtracks from videogames to be nice accompaniment to writing. When I’m not writing, I tend to listen to rock and hence why music lyrics often creep into dialogue in my books.
•    Movie: I rarely see movies, but I enjoyed Yesterday, the movie featuring the music of the Beatles. I mean, even if you hate rom-coms/sci-fi/drama, at least you’d like the soundtrack.
•    Book: In the cozy mystery genre, my two favorites are: Left Hanging by Patricia McLinn and Louisiana Longshot by Jana DeLeon. Another series I’ve greatly enjoyed is David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series—very funny legal mysteries.
•    Audiobook: I’ve been enjoying listening to the great job that B.J. Harrison, the narrator, is doing with the audiobook versions of my three books. The first comes out in December and the rest follow shortly.
•    TV: Disappointed that Elementary’s seven season run ended. I like mysteries, especially when they take a classic like Sherlock Holmes and update it smartly.


Books in the Silicon Valley Mystery series:

Uncle and Ants (#1)       
Chutes and Ladder (#2)  
Serf and Turf (#3)       


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marc Jedel writes humorous murder mysteries. He credits his years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley for honing his writing skills. While his high-tech marketing roles involved crafting plenty of fiction, these were just called emails, ads, and marketing collateral.

For most of Marc’s life, he’s been inventing stories. Some, especially when he was young, involved his sister as the villain. As his sister’s brother for her entire life, he feels highly qualified to tell tales of the evolving, quirky sibling relationship in the Silicon Valley Mystery series.

The publication of Marc’s first novel, Uncle and Ants, gave him permission to claim “author” as his job. This leads to much more interesting conversations than answering, “marketing.” Recently becoming an Amazon best-selling author has inflated his ego way more than his family would have wished.

Family and friends would tell you that the protagonist in his stories, Marty Golden, isn't much of a stretch of the imagination for Marc, but he accepts that.

Like Marty, Marc lives in Silicon Valley where he still can’t understand Daylight Saving Time. Unlike Marty, Marc has a wonderful wife and a neurotic but sweet, small dog, who is often the first to weigh in on the humor in his writing.

Visit his website, marcjedel.com, for free chapters of upcoming novels, special offers, and more.


Connect with Marc:
Website  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  LinkedIn  |  Bookbub 
Website:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
BookBub:
GoodReads:

Buy the book:
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FEATURED AUTHOR: R.A. MERRILL

ABOUT THE BOOK

A child born with a heroin addiction suffers from withdrawals. But somehow holds onto life by the grace of God. Overcoming everyday child abuse wasn’t easy. A school life that’s affected by everyday violence does nothing to help the already strained family ties. While the memories of his tainted past remain unresolved, negative thoughts lead to a life as a recluse.

In the long run, he became addicted to alcohol for 18 years to numb his emotional pain. Surviving five suicide attempts, and multiple run-ins with the law. Resulting in a three-year probation sentence.

His heartbreak leads to self-destruction. But somehow, through everything, he finds an inner strength he never knew existed. Will his desperate escape from addiction-free him from the clutches, or will it prolong the inevitable?

Book Details:


Title: Shattered Memories: Addicted


Author: R. A. Merrill


Genre: Nonfiction


Publisher: Imprint Native Press (March 6 2019)


Print length: 191 pages

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT WITH R.A. MERRILL

A few of your favorite things: cellphone, laptop, wallet.
Things you need to throw out: old VHS tapes.


Things you need in order to write: Microsoft Word, I cannot be distracted.
Things that hamper your writing: noise, writers block.


Things you love about writing: I enjoy sharing my work with the world. I tend to believe I can make a change in others’ lives.
Things you hate about writing: rearranging a manuscript, and the editing process.

Easiest thing about being a writer: being creative.

Hardest thing about being a writer: trying to find the right words to flow good throughout a manuscript.


Things you love about where you live: the area is peaceful; I also like the rain in the Northwest.
Things that make you want to move: I would like a bigger house.

Favorite foods: mexican, pizza, potatoes.
Things that make you want to throw up:  eggs, peas, canned corn, grits, fish, peanut butter, brownies, Oreo cookies, coffee.

Favorite music or song: I like a lot. Motown, love ballads, soft rock, 80s, rap, r&b, pop.
Music that make your ears bleed: bass songs.

Favorite beverage: orange juice and water.

Something that gives you a pickle face: pickles.

Favorite smell: tropical scents.

Something that makes you hold your nose: boiled eggs.

Something you’re really good at: art, guitar, cooking.

Something you’re really bad at: singing.


Something you like to do: write and creative book covers.

Something you wish you’d never done: drink alcohol for 18 years.

People you consider as heroes: my mother and grandmother who are no longer with me.

People with a big L on their foreheads: grinding my teeth when I’m upset.



Last best thing you ate: nachos.

Last thing you regret eating: cake and cookies.

Things you’d walk a mile for: orange juice.
Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: people who continue to ask the same questions.

Things you always put in your books: imprint logo.

Things you never put in your books: editor names.

Things to say to an author: What genres do you write?
Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Your book sucks!

Favorite places you’ve been: Seaside Oregon.

Places you never want to go to again: Jail.

Favorite things to do: work, read, write.

Things you’d run through a fire wearing gasoline pants to get out of doing: fly.

Things that make you happy: work, family, my dogs, Samantha.

Things that drive you crazy: when my dogs bark nonstop.

Most embarrassing moment: too many.

Proudest moment: releasing my new book.

Best thing you’ve ever done: found Samantha.

Biggest mistake: dating my ex-girlfriend Brenda.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: broke glass out of a car window.

Something you chickened out from doing: Going on fast rides.

The last thing you did for the first time: answered this question.

Something you’ll never do again: drink alcohol.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

R. A. Merrill, author of the new book Shattered Memories: Addicted, wrote (his first book) in 2018. He completed the entire manuscript in five months and hasn’t stopped writing since. Mr. Merrill is writing his new book, Her Worst Nightmare. He is 39 years old and a member of the United Lumbee Nation Indian tribe.

He has achieved many awards for outstanding caregiver training. He’ll soon be releasing his fiction series in 2020. He lives in Longview, Washington, with his girlfriend Samantha & stepdaughter Nevaeh. He enjoys spending time with his family. His hobbies include playing piano and guitar, and something sparked his passion for art at the early age of 12. He’s obsessed with doing his absolute best at whatever he does. His life motto is “Keep striving for excellence!”




Connect with the author:
Facebook  |  Twitter

Buy the book:
Amazon

FEATURED AUTHOR: CHRISTINA FREEBURN


ABOUT THE BOOK 


Making a list. Merry’s life is Christmas chaos. Her divorce is still in question. She’s behind on crafting orders. Ebenezer is an escape artist. And with one day left, she hasn’t completed the line-up for the annual Christmas parade, thanks to one grinch. Once Merry knows the Christmas secret, she realizes Santa isn’t what’s coming to town.



Checking it twice. Santa’s naughty list, courtesy of Jenna Wilcox, will roll down Main Street with names of residents who deserve a lump of coal in their stocking. Saving the parade won’t be easy, but Merry is up to task. Or so she thinks until she discovers Jenna’s body stashed in Santa’s sack.



Going to find out. As facts are unwrapped, Merry finds the line blurred between who’s naughty and nice. As threats are aimed at her and those she loves, Merry dashes for the truth before the murderer puts her on the naughty list and crosses her off for good.

Book Details:


Title: Better Watch Out

Author: Christina Freeburn

Genre: cozy mystery


Series: Merry & Bright Handcrafted Mystery, book 2


Publisher: Henery Press (October 15, 2019)

Print length: 252 pages

On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours




IFs, ANDs OR WHATs INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTINA FREEBURN

Ifs


Q: If you could step back into a moment or day in time, where would you go?
A: I would return to a day when my two youngest were both on the same little league team. Now that all my children are grown and out of the nest, I miss those days and times when activities had us all together.

Q: If you could be anything besides a writer, what would it be?
A: A librarian.

Q: If you had to do community service (or already do volunteer work), what would you choose?
A: A cat rescue organizer. This spring/summer I was an accidental cat rescue as feral cats kept having their litters on our porch or bringing their kittens to us once they were old enough to eat dry food. I, with the help of my son’s girlfriend, found homes for 12 kittens.

Q: If you were on the Amazon bestseller list, who would you choose to be one before and one below you?
A: I’d choose authors who being on the list gave them the boost of confidence to write the next book and enjoy the journey. It can be hard at times.


Q: If you could meet any author for coffee, who would you like to meet and what would you talk about?
A: Pam Andrews Hanson, and we’d talk about everything, anything, and nothing. She’s one of my best friends and it’s been years since we’ve been able to sit and talk with each other. We don’t live near each other, so the majority of our conversations are through messages (either text of Facebook).

Ands


5 favorite possessions:  
    •    scrapbook albums
    •    Disney trading pin
    •    laptop
    •    electronic cutting machines (Cricut and Cameo)
and
    •    living room Christmas tree (I have more than one)

5 things you need in order to write:  
    •    laptop
    •    computer glasses
    •    notebook
    •    Vera Bradley pen
and
    •    a drink

5 favorite foods:  
    •    seafood
    •    gnocchi
    •    bread
    •    cheese
and
    •    asparagus (especially wrapped in bacon)

5 favorite places you’ve been:
    •    Disney World
    •    Caribbean
    •    Cape Cod
    •    California
and
    •    Stamp and Scrapbook Expo in Chantilly, Virginia

5 favorite things to do:
    •    crafting
    •    reading
    •    traveling
    •    photography
and
    •    spending time with family

Whats

Q: What’s your all-time favorite place?
A: Disney World.

Q: What’s your all-time favorite movie?
A: Christmas With the Kranks.

Q: What’s one thing that very few people know about you?
A: I can’t watch the Nightmare Before Christmas because Jack Skellington creeps me out too much. 


Q: What’s the most beautiful sound you’ve heard?
A: A baby’s laugh.

Q: What’s your favorite/most visited Internet site?
A: Amazon
.

Q: What’s your favorite song?
A: Currently, "Someone You Loved."

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do?
A: Travel.

Q: What’s your favorite ice cream?
A: Mickey Mouse ice cream bars.

Q: What’s your favorite hobby or past-time?
A: Crafting, especially paper crafting.

Q: What’s your favorite movie snack?
A: Buttered popcorn.

Q: What’s one thing you never leave the house without?
A: Wallet.

Q: What drives you crazy?
A: The Charmin commercials
.

Q: What movie genre do you prefer: drama, comedy, action, adventure, thriller, or horror?
A: Usually drama, but I love superhero movies.

Q: What do you collect?
A: Disney trading pins . . . and scrapbook supplies

.

Q: What’s your latest recommendation for:
Food: Broccoli and cheese soup (here’s my favorite recipe for cooking in an Instant Pot)
Music: Ed Sheeran, No. 6 Collaboration Project
Movie: Aladdin (Live Action)
Book: Say No More by Hank Phillippi Ryan
TV: The Masked Singer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christina Freeburn has always loved books. There was nothing better than picking up a story and being transported to another place. The love of reading evolved into the love of writing and she's been writing since her teenage years. Her first novel was a 2003 Library of Virginia Literary Award nominee. Her mysteries series, Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery and the Merry & Bright Handcrafted Mysteries, are a mix of crafty and crime and feature heroines whose crafting time is interrupted by crime solving.

Connect with Christina:
Facebook  |   Twitter  |   Instagram

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  B&N  |  Kobo