FEATURED AUTHOR: E JOURNEY

ABOUT THE BOOK

Frantic flight, peaceful life. Act of treason on an island country. Cauldron of warring emotions. Exotic beauty, ace with a gun. Hunk with gifts for mockery and cooking.

Nine-year-old Leilani and her family mysteriously flee the island country of Costa Mora, leaving her father. Years later, her peaceful solitary life in California ends when she rescues Justin Halverson from thugs and she learns a devastating truth about her father. As she agonizes over her father, Justin comforts her, and they’re drawn closer together.

With Justin, she returns to her birthplace to get her father quietly out. There, she reconnects with her past, but can she forgive her father and accept him for who he is? Can she finally be at peace with who she is? Welcome, Reluctant Stranger interweaves a love story into a tale of past political intrigue and Leilani’s inner journey, accepting her past.

GUEST POST
Our Inevitable Love Affair With Stories

by EJourney

We may very well be wired for stories. We have many uses for them. They can make us cry, laugh, get angry. They may change how we see things, draw us closer together, and push us to take certain actions.

There is power in stories. They can change our brains, say some social scientists who have studied brain cells and substances our bodies produce while we watch, read, or listen to stories. Researchers have shown:

People who read a lot of fiction tend to have higher levels of empathy and better social skills than those who don’t, probably because of the strengthening of the mirror neuron (brain cell for empathy).

Storytelling may have been and will continue to be essential to our evolution into compassionate beings.

But it’s not only listening to stories, reading, or watching films that’s proven of benefit to us. Writing stories, especially ours (as in a memoir), can also heal what ails us. How? Via a form known as “expressive writing.”  If you keep a journal of your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, then you have engaged in expressive writing.

Psychotherapists know this. They may include Writing Therapy (a formalized sort of expressive writing) in their arsenal of psychotherapy/counseling techniques, along with those based on art and music. Writing Therapy is effective, particularly for treating debilitating stress after traumatic events.

So, do you need to go into Writing Therapy for the act of writing to help you cope with trauma, emotional pain, grief, loss, or anything else that bothers you? Fortunately, the answer is no. Just take up pen and paper or your preferred electronic gadget and open your soul.

Here is what some authors say about what writing stories did for them:

“Writing saved me from the sin and inconvenience of violence.” Alice Walker, Pulitzer prize winner (The Color Purple)

“Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose or paint can manage to escape the madness, melancholia, the panic and fear which is inherent in a human situation.” Graham Greene, British novelist shortlisted for Nobel Prize (25 novels)

“The more I wrote, the more I became a human being . . . I was getting the poison out of my system.” Henry Miller, American literary innovator (Tropic of Cancer)

Pouring a painful experience on paper or your computer is cathartic. Even the act of reading through what you’ve written can be therapeutic. When you go back later to a journal of your experience, you’re more detached and can see it with fresh eyes. Your perspective can change and you may realize there is a lesson you can learn from it.

I started writing my thoughts and feelings in a little notebook when I was a kid, to help me cope with the loneliness of an only daughter whose three brothers didn’t want to be bothered with a sister. I think I have finally become reasonably comfortable with myself. But writing has grown into a habit I’ve become addicted to.

Much has been written on the emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing. Here’s one you can find on the web:  http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/11/5/338.full

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

E Journey is a realist who thinks she has little imagination. Credit that to her training (Ph. D., University of Illinois) and work in mental health, writing for academics and bureaucrats, and critiquing the work of others. She’s been striving ever since to think and write like normal people.



She’s a well-traveled flâneuse — a female observer-wanderer — who watches, observes, listens. And writes. A sucker for happy endings, she finds enough that depresses her about real life, but seeks no catharsis by writing about it. For her, writing is escape, entertainment. She doesn’t strive to enlighten. Not deliberately. But the bias of her old profession does carry over into her writing. So, instead of broad shoulders and heaving bosoms, she goes into protagonists' thoughts, emotions, inner conflicts, insecurities, and struggles to reach balance and grow.



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FEAUTURED AUTHOR: DIANE BURTON

ABOUT THE BOOK

Alex O’Hara finally gets a case that will give her bottom line a much needed boost. She might even be able to change her diet from ramen noodles to prime rib. All she has to do is track down a man who’s been missing for over ten years. Piece of cake . . . until an old flame arrives and a mugger roughs her up with orders to back off.

INTERVIEW WITH DIANE BURTON

Diane, how did you come up with the title, The Case of the Bygone Brother?
I wanted something that sounded like a Nancy Drew book, my favorite books as a kid. The reader knows up front this is a mystery. I plan to use an alliterative title in future books.

How would you describe your book in a tweet?
Small town—Big case PI mystery. Find lost brother and make beaucoup bucks. Avoid old flame. The Case of the Bygone Brother by Diane Burton.

Did you have any say in your cover art? What do you think of it?
I sure did have a say. Since I’m self-published and have no artistic talent, I hired a cover artist. Florence Price from The Novel Difference has done three of my covers. She is great to work with. She really listens/reads my mini-synopsis and what I want on the cover. She’s come up with great ideas, too, often better than mine. I love the cover for The Case of the Bygone Brother. You can tell it’s a cozy mystery, not a thriller or dark & dangerous.

What’s your favorite line from a book?
“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” ~Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. It evokes so many questions. Where is Manderley? What is it? A city, village, estate? Why did the narrator dream about it? Is this a repeated dream? Why? I loved the book from the first time I read it and each time after.

How do you get to know your characters?
They reveal themselves as I write. I’ll have a basic idea about them then — wham! — my fingers will type something and I’ll think “Where did that come from?” It’s such a great feeling.

Yes it is. When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?
Never. I know the main characters, of course, and some of the secondary ones. But not everyone. Some characters demand names and others are identified by their occupation: the waiter, the driver, etc. Giving the person a names makes them more important. The story evolves and the characters reveal themselves. With The Case of the Bygone Brother, I use a lot of Dutch names because West Michigan was settled by immigrants from the Netherlands. In fact, I named the title character, Harry Anslyn, after one of my ancestors, Louis Anslyn who fought in the Civil War.

With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?
Nick Palzetti from Bygone Brother. He has skills! And he’s not bad to look at.

That always helps! Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
When Nick returns after a long absence and finds Alex lying across the top of a lateral file cabinet trying to retrieve something behind it. He wise-cracks, and when he tries to help her down, she falls on top of him. Years ago, Alex had a giant-size teen crush on him. And now he’s back and finds her as klutzy as ever.

Who are your favorite authors?
Jayne Ann Krentz (aka Jayne Castle & Amanda Quick) — strong plot, intriguing characters. Linda Howard — stories with such emotion that I cry, great characters, and marvelous plot twists. Linnea Sinclair — best science fiction romance around, action/adventure in space. (BTW, I also write sci-fi romance.)

Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix him? Or her.
Madeline L’Engle. I’d ask her how she came up with the idea for A Wrinkle In Time and the rest of the books. I read it to my 6th grade class and to my children. Fascinating. BTW, you can come, too.

Thanks. What book are you currently reading and in what format?
I’m between books right now. I just finished Siren’s Call by Jayne Castle. Love her Rainshadow series, and this one is great. Even when books have other formats, I love reading on my Kindle. I’m supposed to be reading The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate for my book group. Since it’s in trade paperback (from the library) I haven’t started it yet. Yikes! Book group is next week. I’d better get cracking.

How do you handle criticism of your work?
Poorly. LOL I huff and whine and grouse — at my husband, never the critiquer or my freelance editor. Then I respond very politely “Thanks. I’ll consider that.”

Where’s home for you?
A Lake Michigan resort town, similar to Fair Haven (the fictional setting for The Case of the Bygone Brother) but a lot bigger. After moving many times because of my husband’s job and “power shopping” for a new house as soon as ours sold, we’d have to settle for what was available. This time we had a house built close to our grandchildren.

What three books have you read recently and would recommend?
A Killer Past by Maris Soule that features a 74-year-old heroine who literally kicks the butts of 2 gang members when they try to rob her. She has skills!

No Brakes: On the Wing by Ellen Ann Callahan. Wow. Debut book full of suspense and emotion, fast paced.

Released (Nogiku series, Book2) by S.J. Pajonas. This series is blowing me away. Post-apocalypse with hope.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Watch movies and read. I love to garden, but bad knees make it difficult. Now I “sidewalk supervise” my husband. Quilting, which I’ve neglected. I’m helping my 8-year-old granddaughter learn to sew clothes for herself and her American Girl doll, so maybe I’ll get back to quilting, too.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I’m living right where I want to be, close to family. Unfortunately, only half my family. If money was unlimited (or I sell beaucoup books LOL), we’d live half the year in Michigan and the other half in Arizona with the rest of my family.

What are you working on now?
The next Alex O’Hara novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé. She gets into more trouble again. My plan is to release it in October. I need to do a little more revising on Christmas in Space, a novella to be released in late November. And I’m in the planning stage for the next Outer Rim novel, a science fiction romance. Too many stories, not enough time. LOL

EXCERPT FROM THE CASE OF THE BYGONE BROTHER

She had trouble written all over her.

Like a scene out of The Maltese Falcon, a beautiful woman begs the P.I. for help. Shades of Sam Spade, with a slight difference. The elegantly-dressed woman pounding on my plate glass window was more than twenty years older than me and, even though my name is Alex O’Hara, I’m not male. But I am a PI —O’Hara & Palzetti, Confidential Investigations since 1965. Not that I’ve been around since 1965.

As soon as I unlocked the outer door, the woman burst through, a few maple leaves stuck to her Manolo’s. Frankly, I was surprised she wore only a sweater. She must have been freezing out there. In spite of the fact that it was mid-October, the temp had dipped that afternoon to the low forties. We might even get frost.

“Ms. O’Hara, thank God you’re still here. I was so afraid—” She broke off on a sob. Taking a small, white, lace-edged handkerchief out of her Louis Vitton purse, she dabbed at her eyes.

Now I’m not one to belittle a person’s worries. However, I thought she switched a little too quickly from imperious knocking to damsel in distress.

Damsel? Not quite. I pegged her around fifty-five, give or take a few years, and well-preserved. Even in her Manolo’s, she only came up to my chin. Next to her I felt like a hulking giant. Since I’m five-ten in my socks, I look down on most women. Despite her elaborate up-do, from my angle I could see her roots. A visit to her hairdresser might be in order. But I digress.

“What can I do for you?” I tried not to sneeze from her overpowering perfume. An oriental scent. Shalimar or Opium. I never knew which was which. I tried them on at the perfume counter at Macy’s. That’s the closest I’d ever get to wearing expensive perfumes.

“I need your help.” Her breathy voice reminded me of Marilyn. As in Monroe, not Manson.

Because Pop loved old movies, I became addicted to them. Just like I did with detective novels. I cut my teeth on Nancy Drew, moved on to the likes of Daphne duMaurier and P.D. James before graduating to Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. I watched Masterpiece Mystery on PBS and every movie Alfred Hitchcock made. In my teens, I watched reruns of Remington Steele. Once, I wore a fedora like Laura’s to work. The Pops laughed so hard I never did again.

I ushered the woman into my office with its mahogany paneling and closed the door. I held out my hand. “As you’ve guessed, I’m Alex O’Hara.” I looked at her expectantly.

She laid her hand in mine. I clasped hers firmly enough to reassure but gently enough not to crush the delicate bones beneath the cold skin.

“My name is Babette Rhodes. Babette Anslyn Rhodes.”

She perched on the visitor’s chair, her back finishing-school straight and knees pressed together. I took my place behind the desk in the big leather chair that had been Pop’s. While she twisted the handkerchief, I stacked the bookkeeping papers and tucked them into the top desk drawer. Once I placed a clean legal pad in front of me, I folded my hands on top ready for her story. A story that could solve my financial problems.

“Ms. O’Hara, I must ask you to keep what I am about to tell you in absolute confidence.”

“Of course.” Hadn’t she see the word confidential on the sign on the door?

“My brother is missing. I must find him.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Diane grew up in the Detroit-area and has lived in Portage (MI), Sedalia (MO) as well as a brief stint in Chicago-land.  She’s been a Parks & Recreation supervisor, an inventory clerk for a flute store, and a long-time volunteer for Girl Scouts. Her last job was for an oil and gas exploration company where she discovered the cure for insomnia—reading oil and gas leases.  Her longest-running gig was as a teacher where she taught elementary kids for over 10 years.  She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and the Mid-Michigan and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal chapters of RWA. She met her own hero on a blind date. It was love at first sight--for her. It took him a little longer. They currently reside in West Michigan and have two grown children and three delightful grandchildren.



Diane has been a reader all her life and loves movies, especially action adventure, mysteries, science fiction, and romantic comedy. Castle, Firefly, and NCIS are her favorite TV shows. So is it any wonder that she writes science fiction romance and romantic suspense, both with comedic elements?

Connect with Diane:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

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FEATURED: CHIARI WARRIORS

CHIARI WARRIORS

AN ANTHOLOGY FROM PAUL ANTHONY ASSOCIATES

TO BENEFIT CHIARI RESEARCH

Chiari Warriors is an anthology of short stories by 18 authors from across the globe - the UK, the USA, Canada, and Europe. The tales they tell are both nonfiction and fiction. Many are based on real life experiences. Others are based on vision and a wondrous source of imagination that these very special authors bring to their readers. Some of the stories they tell will make you cry, others will make you laugh. But some of their writing will actually terrify you when you realize that some of the accounts they recall are actually true stories from real events in their lives.

Indeed, there's something for everyone here: tales of love and war, of honor and disobedience, of hate and humor, of desire and desperation. They have produced a roller coaster of emotion on their journey to complete this anthology. It's a book to savor and enjoy, page by page.

Above all, this anthology contains the true story of a young boy who suffers from Chiari Malformation - a condition for which there is currently no known cure. The work itemizes the condition and the problems associated with this horrible human condition. Written by the self-styled Chiari Warriors, the book seeks to raise funds for health practitioners and research analysts. Accordingly, proceeds from the sale of this work will be donated to the Birmingham Children's Hospital Research Unit (a registered charity in the UK) in order to fund dedicated research into this life-threatening condition. The results of this research are shared across the globe between UK institutions, the Chiari Institute in New York, and elsewhere. If you do nothing else today, download this one to savor while doing something worthwhile for the children of the future.

Paul Anthony and family meet with the Clinical Research Unit at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

CHIARI WARRIORS (AKA AUTHORS)

Mike McNeff, USA

Amy Metz, USA

C.C. Champagne, Canada

Wayne Zurl, USA

Carter Novels, USA

Marion Tervitt, Scotland

Edward Lightfoot, England

Dave Miller, England

Joan Cook, Spain

Sandy Kilpin Miller, England

Ray Gregory, England

Steve Sharpe (with Ben)

Roger Price, England

Matt Shields

Harlequins Rugby Team

presenting his Wembley shirt to our Chiari Sufferer

Paul Anthony, England

Steve Borthwick - ex-England Rugby Captain and now Forwards

Coach for Japan Rugby Team, with his teammates,

sending a message from across the Atlantic:

"FIGHT CHIARI"

BOOK BLITZ: I, KIDNEY

Literary Fiction / Family Saga

Date Published: December 2014

Joe Zizzi's childhood in the 1950s had everything a kid could want--pro athlete dad, wonderful mom, cool big bro. When the '60s kick in, this ideal life is violently shaken: a car crash claims his mother's life and his father's career, and brother Matt becomes distant and disturbed. Over the years, Joe learns to cope and carves out a niche for himself as a college sports star, and later as a coach and writer, but he can't quite shake the family legacy. Diagnosed with kidney failure, the semi-pro husband and devoted dad has life-and-death decisions to make--and life wins, though perhaps only by a slim margin.

EXCERPT

It can’t be possible. I can't possibly have PKD. Dad wasn't symptomatic until he was about seventy or so. Here I am, I'm not much past fifty and here I am. I know with the spring term being on, I had to start coming out with it. I told the players about my condition. I’d done this in the fall also, telling them I wasn't well, but this term I told the kids the first meeting, complete with the official name for the thing. I told Sr. Frances about my condition. I told Father Arsenio about my condition. The word gets around, and the parents are all talking to me. My colleagues are beginning to avoid me. I sense distance once I let them know what was happening and the word starts getting out.

I'm on a low-protein diet, and I'm fatigued, having trouble sleeping. Between the low-protein and the little sleeping, I'm in a lot of trouble. An opposing coach catches me looking like I’m nodding out at the game. The opposing team is snickering. The kids win it for me; I’m the human interest story. They've probably never seen classic movies in their lives, but they're winning for me—the coach needs an operation! The kids are of course involved in normal real-time culture. They've named me J-Ziz and I accept it as the awesome name that it is. They worry about me. They want to know about the food restrictions. Sometimes I'm busted when they catch me eating the bad stuff in my office, which I do on a regular semi-regular basis. My standard speech is, “I'm not going to be one of these ‘do as I say, not as I do’ types with you. I'm on the straight and narrow a lot. But it's taking some getting used to. I gotta fall off the wagon sometimes or else (a) I'm not going to be human, and (b) I'm not gonna be happy." I'm entitled to this dog or murder-burger or whatever.

About the Author

Chris Six is a New York-based writer and the recipient of somebody else's kidney.

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FEATURED AUTHOR: LYNN CAHOON

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jill Gardner — owner of Coffee, Books, and More — has somehow been talked into sponsoring a 5k race along the beautiful California coast. The race is a fundraiser for the local preservation society — but not everyone is feeling so charitable . . .

The day of the race, everyone hits the ground running . . . until a local business owner stumbles over a very stationary body. The deceased is the vicious wife of the husband-and-wife team hired to promote the event — and the husband turns to Jill for help in clearing his name. But did he do it? Jill will have to be very careful, because this killer is ready to put her out of the running . . . forever!

INTERVIEW WITH LYNN CAHOON

Lynn, tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone, or do readers need to read the series in order?
Killer Run, like all the Tourist Trap mysteries, is a standalone within a series.

All of the books are set in South Cove, California, the best little tourist trap on the central California coast. The town folk include people you love, people you love to hate, and a few additions with each book. Guidebook to Murder won the Reader’s Crown for Mystery Fiction this year.

Where’s home for you?
Right now, I’m living in a historic river town on the Mississippi river. I love the small town atmosphere and the proximity to my job along with various shopping areas.

What’s your favorite memory?
I must have been pre-school as we moved out of this house by the beginning of third grade, but the front closet had an entrance to the crawl space below. The thick iron handle was recessed into the floor. I remember sitting in that closet and making up stories about how it was a portal to another land.  


What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned?
The difference between writers and authors is determination. They keep getting back up when they get knocked down. This may not be your time, but it only takes one editor to love your book. All the rest is luck. Julia Quinn said in her keynote at #RWA15 this (or a version of this) – “You can’t please everyone, every time.”

Do you have another job outside of writing?
Currently yes. I license and title vehicles for a leasing company here in St. Louis. Not the most exciting work, but I get to play with my imaginary friends a lot while I’m working.  

Would you rather be a lonely genius, or a sociable idiot?
Like most authors, I’d take the lonely genius. I do like my time alone because, let’s face it, if you’re thinking about your story, you have your characters to keep you company.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
Never give up, never surrender. I just attended the annual Romance Writer’s convention and in different forms, I must have heard that sentiment daily at sessions.

How did you create the plot for this book?
I’m a pantser, but I go into the book knowing a few things. Like for Killer Run, I knew they were going to sponsor a run, that Jackie was going to be more active in the sleuthing part (Jill needs to keep an eye out on that one), and that a new business was being added to the mix.

I love finding out new and interesting things about my town and the people who live there. Harrold, the owner/operator of The Train Station is going to throw the gang a big curve. 

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
The middle of the book. Any book, every book. There’s a story called The Phantom Tollbooth and it talks about the Doldrums . . . I feel like I’m lost in that mythical country every time I hit halfway and my mind starts playing tricks on me.

That's where I am right now! What are you working on now?
Starting this week, I’ll be returning to South Cove for Tourist Trap #7. I signed a three-book contract extension at the beginning of 2015. So happy the readers are enjoying Jill and the South Cove gang because it means I can keep writing the series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Lynn Cahoon is an Idaho expat. She grew up living the small town life she now loves to write about. Currently, she’s living with her husband and two fur babies in a small historic town on the banks of the Mississippi river where her imagination tends to wander. Guidebook to Murder, Book 1 of the Tourist Trap series won the 2015 Reader’s Crown award for Mystery Fiction.

Connect with Lynn:
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads 

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GUEST POST BY BRYDIE WALKER BAIN

ABOUT THE BOOK

Nat Sheppard’s world is turned upside down on the first day of the school holidays by the discovery of a secret room containing cave maps with clues to an ancient treasure. But Nat and her friends soon discover they’re not the only ones chasing the jewels. Professional treasure hunters are on the trail – and they’re prepared to eliminate anyone in their way.

My Brothers & The Secret of Sinbad's Cave

by Brydie Walker Bain

Accepted wisdom is to write what you know. Growing up as the oldest of five children, there’s one thing I know; brothers. I have a sister too, but she arrived too late to be a useful ally. For most of the time it was my three brothers and me, the four of us only six years apart.

There is a photograph of me, wearing my father's shoes at age twenty months. I am sitting on my newborn brother Joseph in the bouncinette. I don't look happy to see him. When Fraser arrived I was three. Five when Chad turned up. There was a brief moment of being able to dress them up, but that pliability soon vanished in a clatter of karate moves and skateboarding tricks.

My brothers created a whirlwind of energy that dominated our household. Joe's mates would start arriving in the back yard every morning before school while I was still having breakfast. En masse, they'd wander down the road together.

Saturdays were soccer game days, but every other day was for soccer training. I can still remember the thump of the ball as Chad practiced against the garage door.

Some things, though, are best forgotten. I was at high school when a mini half-pipe was built for Fraser. When I mentioned that to him a few months ago he stared at me.
'Yes, and you broke it.'
I frowned. 'Did I?'
Yes,' he said. 'Old fatty sister put her foot right through.'
I was amazed. I had happily erased that from my memory.

Car rides were the worst. My parents tried to show us as much of the country as they could, a noble idea, except for the journey. Trapped together for hours on end, the intense physical energy of my three brothers would condense into ruthless verbal barbs and then culminate in a perfect punch swung across the seats. My mother would sternly instruct me to ignore them, but how could anyone ignore a catapulting, teasing, pinching mass of arms and bad jokes?

I plotted vicious revenge. I constructed perfect mud balls to throw at them. They were round and rock solid, stored up for the right moment. But I was easily derailed. For example, I remember the intense jealousy I felt when Joseph learned to whistle before me.

My father would tell me that in years to come, my brothers would be my best friends. I'd laugh bitterly, as only a twelve year old could. But Dad was right. I love them more than anything. Any time we get together it is hilarious - often at each other’s expense. There are still punches and terrible jokes. Catching up with my brothers is one of the things I most look forward to. I just wish they could remember my birthday.

Having grown up in a household of leaping yelling boys, I was compelled to create characters in my YA novel that were funny, loyal, and cheeky too.

The Secret of Sinbad's Cave could be described as Treasure Island meets Famous Five - with a mystical twist. Nat Sheppard and her friends find a series of cave maps that leads to ancient jewels, but they are pursued by ruthless treasure hunters that will do anything to stop them.

There are three boys in my story; Nat's brother Jack, and two good friends, Barnaby and Elijah. Although they're all on Nat's side, they never miss a chance to poke fun at her either.

Following is a brief excerpt. I think you’ll be able to see from where I drew my inspiration.

Excerpt from The Secret of Sinbad's Cave

Nat pulled to a perfect stop in front of the three boys. ‘Hi,’ she said. Her heart was beating wildly.

‘Old Splattercat,’ said Elijah. His dark hair was short and spiked, and his olive skin still wore a summer tan. ‘Good to see you again.’

‘You too,’ said Nat. ‘How’s boarding school?’

‘Good,’ said Elijah. ‘I’m in the First Eleven. Not bad for a fifteen year old aye!’

‘Nice,’ said Nat. She couldn’t believe how much he’d grown; especially across his shoulders.

Elijah was calm and in control, but Barnaby was always up to mischief. He had the same olive skin as his older brother, but Barnaby was skinnier. His long scruffy hair made him look like a surfer.

‘Hi Splat,’ said Barnaby. ‘Been climbing recently?’

Nat groaned. Not again.

‘You’ve got natural Splatter ability,’ continued Barnaby. ‘Remember when we were out bouldering, and you boasted that you’d perfected that really hard climb?’

‘Was that the one she demanded we watch?’ asked Elijah. A massive grin spread across his face.

‘Yep,’ said Barnaby. ‘What happened next? That’s right, you fell and winded yourself so bad we almost called the ambulance.’

‘I was quite worried,’ said Elijah.

‘I was too,’ said Jack.

‘Yeah right,’ said Barnaby. They all laughed.

‘Anyway,’ said Nat. ‘What are you guys doing here?’

‘We were biking home when we found Jack crying ‘cos he’d lost his sister,’ said Elijah.

Jack scoffed. ‘Whatever.’

‘Do you all know Riki?’ asked Nat.

‘Long time, no see,’ said Elijah. ‘How’s it going?’

‘Good,’ replied Riki. ‘Are you guys up for a mission?’

‘Absolutely,’ said Barnaby. ‘Does it involve finding the cave Jack’s been going on about?’

‘Not yet,’ said Nat. ‘We’re going to the Glowworm Cave.’

The boys groaned. Repeated school trips through the cave had dimmed their enthusiasm for the glowworms and formations.

‘Let’s go to a real cave,’ said Barnaby.

‘You just want to play in the mud,’ said Jack.

Barnaby smiled. ‘Yep!’

‘The thing is,’ said Riki, ‘we’re going into the cave with a tour – but not coming out with one.’

‘We’re staying the night?’ asked Elijah.

‘Probably not.’ Riki lowered her voice. ‘We’ll bust out once we find what we’re looking for.’

Barnaby leaned forward. ‘Which is?’

‘Sinbad’s lost treasure.’

‘I’m in,’ said Barnaby. He glanced around the group. ‘I think we all are.’

‘Excellent,’ said Nat. ‘Listen up – here’s the plan.’


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brydie Walker Bain is a playwright, poet and children's author. She studied History and Theatre & Film at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and furthered her studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Brydie's plays have enjoyed readings in London, rave reviews and sell out audiences in Auckland, Hamilton and Waitomo. Her latest project is The Natnat Adventures. This young adult series successfully launched with The Secret of Sinbad's Cave, and continues with The Ship of Sight and The Hand of Shadow.

Contact Brydie:
Facebook  |  Goodreads  

FEATURED AUTHOR: STEVE HOCKENSMITH

ABOUT THE BOOK

After taking over the fortune-telling parlor run by her late con-artist mother, Alanis McLachlan is trying to make up for her mom's con jobs by tracking down old customers and making amends. When Martha, one of the most loyal clients, comes looking for a way out of her abusive marriage, Alanis does everything she can to help. But helping Martha leads to unforeseen consequences . . . including murder. When Martha's husband is found dead, the police show up at Alanis's door. And things only get more complicated as she tries to clear her name from the top of the suspect list. With her growing mastery of the tarot and her own formidable con artist skills, can Alanis find her way to the truth before the killer gets to her first?

INTERVIEW WITH STEVE HOCKENSMITH

Steve, tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone, or do readers need to read the series in order?
Fool Me Once is the second novel in a series about a reformed con artist turned tarot reader turned crime solver. It picks up where the first book, The White Magic Five & Dime, left off. But you don't need to have read The White Magic Five & Dime to understand the new book. Readers can dive right in. To be honest, one of my least-favorite chores when writing a series book (I've written a bunch!) is weaving in all the necessary back story so that new readers won't be confused. But I do it anyway, every time. If someone stops reading for even a second to say "Chuh? Who is this person they're talking to?" then I'm in trouble. So I make sure it never comes to that!

If you had an extra $100 a week to spend on yourself, what would you buy?
Time. That's what I really need: about 20 more hours per week. At the moment, I'm writing these Tarot Mysteries with my friend Lisa Falco, writing a series of middle-grade mysteries with science educator "Science Bob" Pflugfelder, launching a series of middle-grade graphic novels with my friend Chris Kientz, working a day job with a long commute, raising kids, walking dogs and, every so often, trying to eat, exercise, and sleep. Know anyone who sells time in a bottle? I think Jim Croce was really on to something with that.

Who would you pick to write your biography?
Forcing a writer to do my biography would be cruel indeed. I'm so boring! So I would spare my fellow scribes and say that Antonin Scalia should write it. It would probably turn out to be a pretty nasty piece of work – like Scalia himself – but as long as he's writing about me, he won't be writing Supreme Court decisions.

What is your most embarrassing moment? Or moments.
Oh, it's definitely plural. I have soooooooo many – and it feels like I remember them all. A classic would be the time I was being interviewed by a blind fan for a radio show for people with visual impairments. He said something nice about my books, and I replied with something like, "You can't see it, folks, but he's reading that off a cue card I wrote." It was meant to be a joke about being interviewed for the radio, but it took me about half a second to realize, "Oh, my God . . . he's blind . . . and most of his listeners are blind . . . and I'm an idiot . . . "



What makes you nervous?

Heights. Crowds. Noise. Speaking in public. Speaking to strangers. Speaking to acquaintances. Speaking. Centipedes. Kirkus. 

Would you rather be a lonely genius, or a sociable idiot?
That's an interesting choice. I feel like I'm already both. It just depends on when you catch me. (I can also be a lonely idiot and a sociable genius. Or that's what it feels like sometimes, anyway.) I guess if I were forced to choose, I'd go with sociable idiot. I could live without having brains, but I wouldn't want to live without my family, friends and dogs.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people? 
I love quirky, cynical, sarcastic women, and Alanis, the hero of the Tarot Mysteries, was inspired by several I've known over the years. A few editors who took a look at the manuscript for the first book thought that her wisecracking, world-weary ways made her unlikeable and overly masculine. Well, [CENSORED] that! Fortunately, the fine folks at Midnight Ink didn't feel that way, which is why the series ultimately ended up with them.

Who are your favorite authors?
The author who had the biggest influence on me was Kurt Vonnegut, though I don't think you'd necessarily guess that if you read my books. I do stuff that's much more plot-driven. But little echoes of Vonnegut's humor and outlook on life show through from time to time, I hope. Raymond Chandler, Agatha Christie, and Arthur Conan Doyle were big influences, too. I'm also extremely fond of (presented with no particular rhyme or reason) Catch-22, David Sedaris, Little Big Man, Carl Hiaasen, Lonesome Dove,  Elmore Leonard, Fight Club,  Ursula K. Le Guin and True Grit.

What book are you currently reading and in what format?
I'm reading two things at the moment. One's a history book about train robbers in the 1890s. It's on my Kindle so I can read it on the StairMaster at the gym. Unfortunately, it's the kind of history book that only historians should or even could read. The amount of research and detail is amazing . . . and overwhelming. A rip-roaring read it is not.

The other book is Tom Robbins' Another Roadside Attraction. I have it in my favorite book format: musty old used paperback. Man oh man, is it of its time. I'm enjoying it, but the forced hippie-dippy-trippiness of it can be a bit much. I'm going to the beach with my family in a week, so I'm looking forward to some lighter, more straightforward fare. I already have a bunch of Rex Stout and John D. McDonald paperbacks set aside for the trip, so I should be set.

What would your dream office look like?
Probably a giant banana. Or a monkey's armpit. I have weird dreams! If we're talking about the kind of office I'd like to have in reality, it would be small, quiet, and isolated. No windows. No neighbors. Not even any dogs. No distractions of any kind. Just me, four walls, a computer, whatever reference material I need, and a pot of coffee. Ahh . . . paradise.

What are you working on now?
I'm writing the sixth book in the middle-grade series I do with Science Bob. After that, I need to outline a story for the graphic novel series. Then I'll have to rush straight into the third Tarot Mystery. Once that's done, I plan to finally have my nervous breakdown. I've been meaning to squeeze it in for a while now, but I never have the time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Hockensmith is the author of 12 novels and dozens of short stories in a variety of genres. His novel Dawn of the Dreadfuls, the official prequel to the smash "mashup" Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, was a New York Times bestseller. His other books include the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies sequel Dreadfully Ever After, the Edgar Award-nominated mystery/Western Holmes on the Range and the science-adventure for kids Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab (written with frequent Jimmy Kimmel Live! and LIVE with Kelly and Michael guest "Science Bob" Pflugfelder). His writing has been called "clever" (by the New York Times), "intriguing" and "laugh out loud" (by the Los Angeles Times), "hilarious" and "delightfully offbeat" (by Entertainment Weekly) and "a hoot" (by the Washington Post).


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