Review: Ghost Writer by Rene Gutteridge

GHOST WRITER:

AUTHOR: RENE GUTTERIDGE

 LARGE TYPE/ HARDBACK

 

I want to preface this review by saying a few words about the book.

 

First i do not know the author. She was a new to me author and I only picked up the book because I liked the title. Normally I have a little more to go on but I was in a hurry at the library the other night.  Next I want to add there are all too few times when a book does little more than entertain me. I loved to be entertained but to move me and more importantly leave me in awe of an author and her work. I have been interviewing authors, writing book reviews and of course I am an author so it takes a lot for me say those two little words "powerfully moving" this book is such a book. At least it was for me. I didn't even know what genre it was for the first half of the book. This says something about the author and how she writes. It also declares me a bit dim because it wasn't until the middle of the book that I discovered it was a "Christian Mystery Series"

Now I will move on and say more about the book....

It actually has three main plots. I mean this first there is Jonahtan Harper a Senior Editor for his publishing house. He's been with the publishing house for twenty something years. He's married to Kathy and has three daughters. Mostly he's handled a top named best selling author who has pretty much carried the publishing house for a while. However Clyde has retired but decided to write one more book this time not what he is well known for...this leads to the second main plot Clyde writes about a serial killer on death row which turns into a plot about three serial killer scheduled for execution. Except one is innocent but which one?

This leads us to Jonathan someone is writing Jonathan's life story one chapter at a time. At first he is a little amused but not overly worried until he figures out the person knows all, has been in his house and he is about to have a nervous breakdown trying to figure out who it is and whom he can trust.

The main plot is about Jonatahn's career, the people he works with and their stories. Plus manuscripts that could save the publishing house.

This book is a homerun and I do mean that in the most sincere way. GHOST WRITER will hook you line by line, and weave your emotions in all three plots plus still pull off satisfying ending that just leaves you with a stunning conclusion those two words "powerfully written" still doesn't cover it.

Pamela  

To Drink or not to Drink?

To Drink Or Not To Drink:

 

What is your favorite soft drink? Do you drink as much of it as you used to? If not what has replaced your favorite drink? Do you think the taste of soft drinks has changed over the years from the original verison?

 

I am a pepsi lover and with being a diabetic this is probably a bad deal. I do not drink diet drinks but I do drink water and tea (both ice and cold) I also have a rootbeer then and now. I do think the taste of soft drinks have changed over the years.

 

Are you addicted to soft drinks? I might be although I have to think I am more addicted to that morning cuppa flavored coffee. I would like to be a grown up and say that I am not addicted to anything but that would be a lie. LOLOL however I have learned that all things in moderation is a good thing.

 

Diabetes teaches us portion control. I like this idea a lot and while I no longer binge or snack to excess I do need to binge a little on excercise. Do you excercise on a regular basisi? I am back into a walking routine.

 

Tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment and boy am I a little nervous because I haven't been to the doctor in six months. I know I have put on weight and have been a slug this winter. Our nasty winter hasn't done me any favors but also bad habits and lack of sleep isn't helping either. I figure a change of meds or change up of how much I take is in order. My doctor moved a year ago and then while in Blue Springs I went to a new doctor. Then tomorrow I will see the doctor my husband goes to and while I have met her and know she is a size 2 it will be interesting to hear what she thinks of my health.

 

So to bring today's topic home I suspect I will have to cut out pepsi....LOL

Hugs,

Pam

A Mystery Series for Women's History Month

March is of course, Women's History Month.  A Time to celebrate amazing women throughout the ages and how they changed the world we live in.  In Seneca Falls, NY soon after the end of the Civil War, amazing women decided the time to change women's lives and their rights had come and a movement was born.  This little town has become an important place in women's history.I encourage everyone to read and learn about this powerful movement:

http://americanhistory.about.com/od/womenssuffrage/a/senecafalls.htm

http://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/rightsforwomen/SenecaFalls.html

http://npg.si.edu/col/seneca/senfalls1.htm

Read their Declaration of Sentiments and look at it through today's eyes:

http://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/rightsforwomen/DeclarationofSentiments.html


One of my favorite mystery series is the Seneca Falls Series by Miriam Grace Monfredo

From Berkley Prime Crime:

Miriam Grace Monfredo

Miriam Grace Monfredo is a former librarian and a historian. Living in the small town of Seneca Falls on the eve of the Civil War, independent librarian-sleuth, Glynis Tyron is an advocate for women and slave rights. But in the midst of her fight for justice she can’t seem to stop enmeshing herself in murder.

Books:
Children of Cain, August 2003
Brothers of Cain, September 2002
Sisters of Cain, August 2001
Must the Maiden Die, August 2000
The Stalking-horse, January 1999
Through a Gold Eagle, July 1997
Blackwater Spirits, June 1996
North Star Conspiracy, May 1995
Seneca Falls Inheritance, October 1994

Unfortunately the books are out of print, but used copies are availabel on amazon.  And of course, you can always check with your local library.

http://www.amazon.com/Miriam-Grace-Monfredo/e/B000AP5GT0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1364390701&sr=8-1

The major players of the movement and the convention are integrals to the stories and IMHO it weaves history and mystery together for wonderful tales.

Terri

Review: Peach Pies and Alibis by Elley Adams

Peach Pies and Alibis by Ellery Adams is the second book in the “Charmed Pie Shoppe” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, March 2013

 

Ella Mae LeFaye’s Charmed Pie Shoppe is wildly popular in Havenwood, Georgia—which is not surprising since Ella Mae can lace her baked goods with enchantments. The shop’s extraordinary success seems destined to continue when Ella Mae meets an engaged couple who hire her to handle the dessert buffet at their wedding.

 

But Ella Mae has a lot on her plate. She is also searching for the origin of her magical powers—and hoping to determine if the spark of attraction she feels for the handsome Hugh Dylan is authentic or just her new abilities gone awry.

 

Then Ella Mae discovers a high-standing member of the community dead, and a wedding guest becomes seriously ill at the event she’s catering. Now she’ll have to use all her sleuthing skills and culinary talents to prove her pies don’t contain a killer ingredient . . .

 

I can’t even describe how this book captured my attention from the beginning to an ending that left us with possibilities. What a great book that I could not put down until the last page was turned. The mystery kept me guessing but it was the relationship between Ella Mae and her relatives in this character-driven whodunit that made me feel like I was right there as they sought out a killer with an unexpected result. This is an great read and I look forward to the next book in this fabulously terrific series.

 

 

 

Dru

Blog | Facebook

 

 

Review: A Plain Scandal by Amanda Flower

A Plain Scandal by Amanda Flower is the second book in the “Appleseed Creek” mystery series. Publisher: B&H Publishing, February 2013

 

The people of Appleseed Creek in the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country are under attack. Soon after the dust has settled on a buggy accident that turned out to be murder, an unknown assailant begins cutting off the long hair of Amish women and the beards of Amish men.

 

New to the area, computer specialist Chloe Humphrey may not share their customs, but she is certainly alarmed over these crimes against the Amish and worries how such events will impact her growing number of friends who are more connected to that way of life.

 

In this small community, when Chloe discovers the body of an Amish businessman who was stabbed in the back and whose beard was cut off, she knows that finding the murderer and restoring peace to Appleseed Creek is as much her responsibility as anyone else’s.

 

Whenever I read a story by Amanda Flower, I know that when I turn that last page, it will leave me with a heartwarming feeling. This is a great read that quickly became a page turner as I had to know what happens next. The mystery kept me guessing and every time I thought I knew who was behind the incidents, the author changed directions with some twists that were pleasantly surprising. With Chloe leading the way and surrounded by a great supporting cast in this wonderfully crafted drama, this is the best book thus far in this delightfully charming series.

 

 

 

Dru

Blog | Facebook

 

Spring is Here????

Last week was the Vernal Equinox - the official first day of Spring.  The day when dark and light are exactly half and half of our day.  And today, well -- lots of us have snow.  I was up on the roof earlier and a man says he would like to get ahold of that groundhog....  Really?  Poor Punxsutawney Phil!  He is already being indicted I hear...

On the group last week, the question was asked, how do you know when Spring is here?  The answers were diverse, from increasing greeness to the Yankees/Mets game.  March Madness is a clue for some.  For me, its the budding of trees and those little clover flowers starting to peak out.  In DC - it is also the Cherry Blossom festival.  Last year we were in major bloom at this time - this year, not so much... But the signs are there, we had some lovely days then some not so lovely ones.

I remember, every year around this time a former co-worker would complain about the majorly fluctuating temps and I would remind her around here we tend not to have CONSISTENTLY warm days until May.  But every year she forgot that and expected it to be better.  I found it amusing.

Spring is not, has never been and never will be a light switch that flicks from off to on.  It will always bloom gradually like the new life it heralds.  Blossoms, and baby animals...  They may grow relatively fast but still they need to sprout and grow.  And part of the excitement of spring is watching that unfurling of beauty. 

Now - I DO hate the cold and really am not too fond of snow if I have to go out and drive in it like I did this morning.  But honestly, it is not a major surprise.  I have a picture of me as a kid standing in several inches of snow and holding an Easter basket.  Winter doesnt come overnight.  The leaves turn, then fall to the ground, it gets darker earlier, crisper air....  Spring is no different.

So I challenge you - instead of complaining or getting impatient, just take a moment daily to look for those signs and watch the gradual changes around you.  Be aware, you might find a new enjoyment in life!

Terri

AND if you still want to have faith in the power of the Groundhog to herald spring - check out my college roomie's book:  http://www.amazon.com/Its-You-Griffin-Susan-Pickford/dp/0870334468/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364232692&sr=8-1&keywords=susan+pickford

It's a fun story! 

Review: Brooklyn Bones by Triss Stein

Brooklyn Bones by Triss Stein is the first book in the new “Erica Donato” mystery series. Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press, February 2013

 

In Brooklyn Bones, a crime of the past comes much too close to home when Erica Donato’s teen-age daughter Chris finds a skeleton behind a wall in their crumbling Park Slope home. Erica – young widow, over-age history Ph.D candidate, mother of a teen, product of blue-collar Brooklyn – is drawn into the mystery when she learns this was an unknown teen-age girl, hidden there within living memory. She and her daughter are both touched and disturbed by the mysterious tragedy in their own home.

 

Chris’s dangerous curiosity and Erica’s work at a local history museum lead her right back to her neighborhood in its edgy, pre-gentrification days, the period when the age of Aquarius was turning dark. A cranky retired reporter shares old files with her. The charming widow of a slumlord has some surprises for her. The crazy old lady who hangs around her street keeps trying to tell her something. And there are people, including some she is close to, who know the whole story and will stop at nothing to make sure it stays buried forever.

 

From the start of this gripping drama, I was swept into the world of Erica Donato. With a riveting story line, mixing the past with the present, this novel quickly became a page turner and I could not put this book down. The author did a good job in keeping me in suspense with a few surprises that blew me away when it was revealed. Erica is a gusty heroine, yet vulnerable and I couldn’t help but root for her as she fought for the truth. Lead by a likable cast, great dialogue and with Brooklyn as the backdrop, this is a fabulous read and I can’t wait for the next book in this exciting new series.

 

 

 

Dru

Blog | Facebook

 

 

An Interview with Linda O. Johnston

 

Pamela: Tell us about your latest book?

 

This month, my fourth Pet Rescue Mystery, OODLES OF POODLES, was introduced.  OODLES OF POODLES takes place in the film industry.  It’s sort of a story within a story, since it’s about a movie being filmed about rescued poodles, starring--you’ve got it!--rescued poodles!  My cozy mystery protagonist Lauren Vancouver, chief administrator of the wonderful HotRescues animal shelter in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, gets involved because of those adorable poodles and because the HotRescues benefactor is one of the film’s co-producers.  Lauren visits the film sets often to observe how the dogs are being treated.  One night the director, who had been endangering the poodles during the filming, is run over by a car.  Murdered.  The chief suspect is Lauren’s good friend, veterinarian and TV personality Dr. Carlie Stellan.  Of course Lauren has to find the real murderer and solve the crime to help Carlie... and the dogs.

 

Oh, and by the way, my fourth paranormal romance in the Alpha Force miniseries I write for Harlequin Nocturne, UNDERCOVER WOLF, was also published this month.  Alpha Force is a covert military unit of shapeshifters! 

 

  

Pamela: We would love to know your writing schedule?

Although I’m a lawyer by background, I’m now a full-time writer.  I generally get administrative things done in the morning, including... responding to interview questions!  Then I get down to writing for the rest of the day.

 

Pamela: What booksignings and conventions do you have planned for this year?

It’s a busy time.  I’ll be attending the California Dreaming conference for the four Southern California chapters of the Romance Writers of America, as well as the California Crime Writers Conference, Malice Domestic, the Festival of Mystery, and the Romance Writers of America National Conference, with lots of local booksignings in between.

 

 

Pamela: What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Keep going!  Finish that book, join local and/or online organizations to meet others at all stages of writing, and then get your work published.  These days there are a lot of alternatives, from traditional publishing to small publishers to self-publishing, so you’re bound to figure out which is best for you--and more than one may be your way to go.

 

 

Pamela: Okay, for some fun questions..what is your favorite dessert, place to vacation and charity?

Dark chocolate and chocolate ice cream; cruises, especially to Alaska; and any legitimate pet rescue organization including the one where I volunteer: Pet Orphans of Southern California. 

 

Pamela: How do you pick the names for your characters?

They sometimes tell me.  Otherwise, I try several and look in books for people looking for baby names.  For last names, I sometimes pick up an old directory of California lawyers and choose one.  I always check the names out on the Internet to see who actually has the name I’ve chosen, and I’ll sometimes change them based on who those people actually are.

 

 

Pamela: What advice do you have about "Writer's Block"?

 Once again, just keep going.  I don’t think I’ve ever experienced it since my mind’s always at work even when my fingers aren’t, but if I start worrying I just sit down and write or edit some more.

 

Pamela: What do you find the most challenging to write? Beginning, middle or the ending?

I’ve always found the middle most challenging.  I know what will happen first, and how a story will end, but even though I have some idea how things will occur to get to that ending, doing it in scenes and chapters that work means lots of planning and revision.

 

Pamela: In closing what would you like your readers to know and think about when reading your books?

For one thing, in case it’s not clear, I love animals and have fun writing about them, whether it’s in a Pet Rescue Mystery or shapeshifters in an Alpha Force story for Harlequin Nocturne.  Also, all my stories contain romance and suspense, with the genre or subgenre dictating which aspect is most important.  Most of all--have fun reading my stories!

 

Pamela: Be sure to leave us the addy to your website and any other information you would like us to know.

My website is: www.LindaOJohnston.com

I blog weekly on KillerHobbies.blogspot.com and also blog on the 18^th of every month at www.KillerCharacters.com  Plus, you can friend me on Facebook.

Spring

Well tomorrow is the first day of spring. It doesn't matter here as I live in the midwest and we are due for light snow today and worse on Thursday and Friday...so on that note let's talk about something more fun than the weather in my area.

 

I was wondering for our authors on this blog if any of you have participated in "Blog Tours" and what you think of of them? Would you do it again? What are some of the more popular topics?

 

I hear a lot about them but actually know very little about blog tours. Who picks the topics and how many blogs to a tour etc...?

For our readers do you follow your favorite authors from blog to blog? Is this one way you learn of new authors? Do you find the tours interesting and what topics would you like to see on a blog tour?

 

Okay I need another cuppa before I can think any futher this morning. I hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday....

 

Hugs,

Pamela

Review: To Brie or Not to Brie - Avery Aames

To Brie or Not To Brie by Avery Aames is the fourth book in the “Cheese Shop” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, February 2013

 

Charlotte Bessette—owner of Fromagerie Bessette, known by locals as The Cheese Shop—has a lot on her plate: setting a date with her fiancé, feeding the actors in her grandmother’s production of Hamlet, and planning the menu for her best friend and cousin’s upcoming wedding. At least her new creation—sinfully delicious Brie blueberry ice cream—has turned out perfectly.  Just days before the wedding, a stranger turns up dead in the Igloo Ice Cream Parlor’s freezer, his head bashed with a container of Charlotte’s signature ice cream. But this stranger turns out to be more than he seems, and his death threatens to unravel all that Charlotte has worked for. She has no choice but to add one more thing to her to-do list: find the killer before the villain destroys all that she loves.

 

What a wonderfully-crafted story that I could not put down. With all the elements that I love in a good mystery: intriguing plot twists, suspicious suspects, a mix and humor and romance and great characters, this was a very enjoyable read that quickly became a page-turner as I had to know what happens next. I had to laugh at Rebecca, who in her quest to help Charlotte solve this murder mystery, was relentlessly asking questions of the police, by mimicking what she saw on the TV crime shows. Reading this book is like coming home again and I can’t wait for my next visit with Charlotte and her friends in this fabulous series oozing with delectable flavor.

 

 

 

Dru

dru’s book musing

 

An Interview with Maria Swan

 

Pamela: Maria, tell us about the books you write and how long it takes you to write them?

I write non-fiction and suspense with romantic elements. My non-fiction consists of stories and quizzes and other entertaining subjects that I collect overtime. Not so when it comes to fiction, my true passion. I’m a plotter. I start with a beginning and an end and fill the middle as I go. If I knew the story in advance I would be too bored to write it. I can write a fiction book in about 8 months. I’m a slow writer.

 

Pamela: What is your writing schedule?

Don’t have one. I work full time as a Real Estate agent and that’s why I can’t keep a schedule, you never know when you need to jump in your car and go show houses. But the element of surprise is part of the fun. I like what I do, a lot. My preference would be to write at night, no noises, no interruptions.

 

Pamela: When was the last time you read a book in one sitting?

I haven’t done that in a very long time, it takes me about 3 evenings to read a whole book. Last one was The Winter Garden.

 

Pamela: Tell us a little about your personal life?

You already know what I do to pay the bills. I was born in Italy, but my family moved around a lot and that was fine. I met and married my American husband (Swan) in Italy. Soon after that we started the gypsy life, moving from county to country until he decided to come back to the United States permanently. Here I am, minus the husband. I live in Phoenix, Arizona, have 2 grown sons and 2 grandsons. I visit my family in Italy as often as possible. Love to travel, try new things and date men not so ordinary. Lets leave it at that.

 

Pamela: What writing advice can you give aspiring writers who want to be authors?

Never give up! Writing is a craft, it can be learned. Sure some writers are more talented than others, but that’s true of everything. Perseverance is half the battle. How can you appreciate success if you never experienced failure?

 

Pamela: What would you like to say to your readers?

You changed my life. You restored my faith in life and humanity. I pinch myself when I read a new review. If this was a TV show I could show you the marks left by the pinching, but, hey, plenty of room for more of that. Thank you, thank you. Mille Grazie.

 

Pamela: Do you have a few favorite books that you would like to tell us about and if so have you met any of the authors?

I did a lot more of meeting the authors when I went to conferences. I will only mention some of my favorite dead authors so no one will get mad at me for forgetting a name. Agatha Christie, Simone De Beauvoir, Truman Capote.

 

Pamela: 2013 as far as your career what comes next and do you have a booksigning that you would like to talk about?

No booksigning at the moment. I’m reissuing my non fiction now that I have my rights back from Dorchester. Working on Mina’s third adventure, and getting ready for a visit to Italy.

 

Pamela: In closing what is your favorite meal, dessert, song and movie?

My comfort food is pasta, however if I’m going to go to a non Italian restaurant with new friend(s) I tend to pick steak and potato, can’t do much damage to that. As for dessert, it must be soft and chocolaty, like chocolate mousse, éclairs. Song? It has a lot to do with where I am emotionally. I have Edith Piaf in my car now. Last year it was Green Day. Movie? This is going to sound corny, but here goes. The English Patient. Love, love the movie. The book not so much.

 

Thank you so much for the interview. 

Pamela

 

Oh, Pamela, thank you, very, very much.

 

Check out Maria's website:  www.mariagrazia.tv

Review: The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott

Title: THE CHRISTIE CURSE

Author: VICTORIA ABBOTT

Berkley Prime Crime Paperback

ISBN: 978-0-425-25528-5

(A Book Collector Mystery)

 

Jordan Bingham is down on her luck. She not only needs a new job but a place to live. This situation has forced her to return to Harrison Falls, New York and living in Harrison Falls are her uncles. Her uncles are delightful, charming and a very interesting group of men who may not alway walk on the right side of the law.

 

Jordan answers an ad of a research postion that does include room and board. This is perfect for her situation but the woman who needs an assistant is not an easy woman to get along with and a worse employer. She comes with a ton of secrets and the good news is that Jordan loves her new garret.

 

Her assignment is to find a Christie Play, or find out if it is a made up hoax. Jordan has never read an Agatha Christie Mystery and so her research begins.

 

Unfortunately the search comes with a high price, someone dead, someone left for dead plus a cook who thinks it is her job to force people to eat and this includes Vera Van Alst. Vera doesn't like to eat and she likes to talk even less.

 

Jordan enlists the aide of her uncles and then there is a nice almost too nice police officer who turns up in every sticky situation.  Jordan doesn't know if he is a stalker or a nosey parker but whatever he is he sure is cramping her search and she doesn't want him lingering too close to her family.

 

When she finds out the last person to live and research at the Van Alst mansion was killed she begins to wonder if her first assignment will be her last.

 

THE CHRISTIE CURSE is by far one of the best first books in a series that I have ever read. I couldn't put it down and look forward to reading more books in the traditional charming mystery series.

The characters are interesting and Jordan is definitely Nancy Drew all grown up.

 

Victoria Abbott has penned a winner in her new series.

 

Pamela James

 

 

Review: One Hot Murder by Lorraine Bartlett

One Hot Murder by Lorraine Bartlett is the third book in the “Victoria Square” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, February 2012

 

Katie Bonner, the reluctant manager of Artisans Alley in the quaint shopping district of Victoria Square, is no stranger to ambivalence. Things have been going hot and heavy with pizza maker Andy Rust—so much so that Katie has moved in over his pizza parlor. But now that summer’s ushered in a heat wave, an apartment above pizza ovens without an air conditioner is making Katie hot and bothered. At the height of the heat wave, a tragic fire strikes Victoria Square. Wood U, a small store selling wooden gifts and small furniture, is destroyed. But the fire may just be a smoke screen—for murder. A body is found among the charred wreckage, and the victim didn’t die from smoke inhalation. He was shot. Now—despite making Detective Ray Davenport hot under the collar—Katie is determined to smoke out a coldhearted killer.

 

I know whenever I read a book written by Lorraine Bartlett, she is going to take me on a fabulous journey that transcend time and place and draws me into the goings on in Victoria Square, right alongside Katie. I loved the way this drama flows from one chapter to the next as the mystery kept me guessing with some surprising twists I didn’t see coming until it happened and I do love that in a mystery. The more I learn about Katie, the more I like her and the relationships she has with her vendors and friends. Boasting a diverse cast of characters, a warm comfortable atmosphere and enjoyable dialogue, this is by far, the best book in this wonderfully crafted series and I look forward to the next adventures with Katie and her friends.

 

 

 

Dru

dru’s book musing

 

 

Guest Blogger: Mary Jane Maffini

A perilous partnership?

My new writing partner has a lot to offer. Good thing, because if she didn’t, there wouldn’t be much I could do about it and vice versa. She’s not just my partner; she’s my daughter.  We can hardly fire each other. Luckily we don’t need to because we are very happy with the way our collaboration on The Christie Curse: a book collector mystery turned out.  We are writing as Victoria Abbott and The Christie Curse will be out on March 5th.

Victoria is taller and funnier than I am.  As an artist and photographer, she views the world differently. Things are always popping in her mind. She is a mistress of rapid-fire ideas.  And she wouldn’t get upset about, say, commas. No, they would be my burden.

In a million years, I couldn’t have come up with the larcenous Irish uncles who raised Jordan Bingham and bought her a set of lock-picks for her Sweet Sixteen.

With thirteen books and two dozen short stories published (as me, myself and I: Mary Jane Maffini), I knew how to write a book and a short story, but I didn’t know how this new venture would go.  But so what? Life is boring if you never take a chance. Victoria and I stepped off that cliff full of confidence. If you ask me how we got it done, I’m not sure.  But so far we’re getting very good reaction to our new baby!  Can we do it again?  Let’s hope so.  We’re polishing The Sayers Swindle, the second book collector mystery (December 2013) and beginning The Wolfe Widow, number three in the series (2014).  We’re still speaking and enjoying each other’s company.  

Check out our website at www.victoria-abbott.com and you can always drop by www.maryjanemaffini.com if you’re wondering what else I’ve written and what the dogs look like.

So how about you?  Could you or have you had a collaboration with a family member? And …?

 

About The Christie Curse:

What’s a girl to do? Especially when she has to make a living and raise the money for grad school.  It’s not Jordan Bingham’s fault that most of the members of her large family are known to the police and that her duplicitous ex maxed out her cards before vanishing to parts unknown. She’s a solid citizen and she plans to make a go of it. If this means working for the most hated woman in Harrison Falls, New York, so be it.  After all, the reclusive collector, Vera Van Alst, is all about books and that’s a good thing. Jordan can use the money and loves the Victorian garret that comes with the job in the historic Van Alst House, especially as it means getting out from under her uncles’ watchful and larcenous eyes.  Jordan might even get used to the cat.  Maybe. 

All to say, what could go wrong?  Jordan’s about to find out in The Christie Curse, first in the book collector’s series.

Don’t worry at all about the blushing police officer, Tyler Dekker, or that seductive and sexy librarian Lance DeWitt. Worry about what happened to Jordan’s predecessor, currently six feet under.

Oh and a word to the wise reader: as you’re tiptoeing through The Christie Curse, watch your ankles.

 

Guest Blogger - Alice Duncan

Good Lord, another month’s come and gone. I guess time flies whether you’re having fun or not. Doesn’t seem fair somehow.

 

However, March will be an interesting month for me (note I didn’t say a “good” month. Sigh). PECOS VALLEY DIAMOND, book #1 in my Pecos Valley cozy historical mystery series and my very first audiobook, is now available from Audible.com and Amazon.com and for your iPod! This is actually exciting news for me, since I listen almost exclusively to audiobooks because hideous arthritis now prevents me from reading paperbacks at all, and hardbacks only occasionally. Bummer, but at least there are audiobooks now. Not enough of them, but they’re out there. Somewhere. Here’s the cover and links to where you can buy it. It would be really swell if someone other than I would buy the thing, y’know? Not that I’m expecting miracles or anything, but . . . well, never mind.

 

Buy PECOS VALLEY DIAMOND from Audible.com

Buy PECOS VALLEY DIAMOND from Amazon.com

And you can buy PECOS VALLEY DIAMOND for your iPod, but I guess you have to do it through Audible or Amazon.

 

Also, this month PECOS VALLEY RAINBOW, book #3 in my Pecos Valley cozy historical mystery series, will be published by Five Star/Cengage. Here’s the book cover and purchasing information.

 

Buy PECOS VALLEY RAINBOW from Amazon.com

Buy PECOS VALLEY RAINBOW from Barnes & Noble

Buy PECOS VALLEY RAINBOW from Five Star/Cengage

 

 

Other than that, life is as boring as ever, although I have a beautiful foster-wiener dog. In fact, I’d keep him (his name is Bruce, but that’s not his fault) if I didn’t already have entirely too many dogs. Here’s Bruce. He reminds me very much of my very first dachshund, Hansel Schnitzel Fritzel von Poncho Poo Puddle Monsieur von Puppy Stink Duncan, who was the love of my life from fourth grade on up. He’ll probably be snapped up instantly when New Mexico Dachshund Rescue has its adoption event in Albuquerque on March 9. Sigh.

 

If you’re interested in reading PECOS VALLEY RAINBOW and don’t feel like buying it (an event that happens quite frequently in my life), please feel free to enter my contest. Send me your name and home address to alice@aliceduncan.net, and I’ll put your name into my special contest doggie dish, from which Bam-Bam, another black-and-tan wiener dog (although a rather strange one, due to his having been crated at a puppy mill in Big Spring, Texas, for his first two years) will slurp up three wieners—I mean winners—at the end of the month. And then I’ll send out both February’s and March’s books to the winners of February’s and March’s contest. Sorry I haven’t sent February’s books yet. I haven’t felt well for most of February.

 

And please visit my updated web site: www.aliceduncan.net (where you can read the first chapters of almost all of my zillion and three books) and my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/alice.duncan.925 where I mostly post funny dog pictures, because I’m afraid people will hate me if I post anything political.

 

Thank you!