‘“Ladies don’t just let a gun rattle around in the bottom of their purse.” Sallee took the beige bag, unzipped it, and dropped the contents on the bedspread. She gasped, as Officer Riley and Mr. Davis starred in silence. In place of the gun there laid a mostly flat, brownish-black rock.’
It’s 50’s Seattle and socialite Sallee Anderson appears to be at the height of her popularity. But her beauty, intelligence and savviness won’t stop her from being implicated in the cold murder of her husband; found dead in his office with a single bullet to the head. The .25 pistol used for the crime is Sallee’s, but someone has removed her gun and replaced it with a rock. Lawyer Jack is now hot on the case trying to unravel the mystery, but will he make it in time to save Sallee from jail and disgrace?
Disgrace is not all that threatens Sallee’s happiness. With suspicious family and friends surrounding her, Sallee doesn’t know who to trust, especially not with her big secret…
My review:
I love the first line in the book’s blurb and when that scene arrived, the timing was perfect. Bonnie has a strong voice and kept the suspense going throughout the story, only revealing snippets (aka red herrings) as and when required. I thought I had it figured out but I didn’t. And, no, I’m not going to tell you. If you want to find out whodunnit, you’ll have to buy the book.
☆☆☆☆
About the Author:
Bonnie Glee’s sixth grade teacher, Mr. Orville Nelson, observed her constantly writing during recess. When the school year came to a close, he mailed her a handwritten note encouraging her to follow her passion for words. Her maternal grandmother, a newspaper columnist, and her mother, a published poet, greatly influenced her. As a single working mom of five children, her publishing career began with poetry when four Utah State University professors, one by one, took her under their wings and mentored her. She held leadership positions with the League of Utah Writers, Utah Poetry Society and the National Poetry Society.
Family stories often leave a compelling image in Bonnie Glee’s mind; an image that drives her to expand such one liners as . . . ‘Your Aunt’s husband was killed by his business partner’. Bingo, Satin Murder was written. She writes about people, diverse people, and how they conquer everyday life.
When Juliet Roberts is asked to make sense of an ancient Italian manuscript, she little suspects that she will find herself propelled into the midst of one of the greatest love stories of all time. But this is only the beginning. As more hidden secrets come to light, Juliet discovers that the tragic tale of her famous namesake might have had a very different outcome…
A favourite classic story with a major new twist.
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I managed to get Sue to sit down long enough to answer a few questions…
You say your background is stranger than fiction (I’ve got some crackers in my family history, too), could you share a snippet from your family history? You don’t need to mention names.
Suffice it to say that for almost forty years, I was a skeleton in someone else’s cupboard – a secret baby who had to be given up for adoption because of the unforgiving attitudes of the time. How I came to be reunited with my birth family is a long and very complicated story, but when it happened, it felt like a homecoming. And the day I met my mother would have been a very good day to have owned shares in Kleenex!
What prompted you to write this book?
It was in response to the prompt “Write the book you want to read.” I’ve always loved the story of Romeo & Juliet but hated the ending, and I’ve often wished that there was an alternative version of the story which had a better outcome.
What’s the best thing about being labelled as “professionally weird”?
The label “professionally weird” originated when I first became involved with writing questions for BBC Radio 4’s fiendishly difficult Round Britain Quiz – something which requires a particularly warped type of mind. The best thing about the label is that it gives me something to live up to!
Thanks so much, Sue, for stopping by Celtic Connexions and sharing your book and your story.
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About the author:
Sue Barnard was born in North Wales but has spent most of her life in and around Manchester. After graduating from Durham University, where she studied French and Italian, Sue got married then had a variety of office jobs before becoming a full-time parent. If she had her way, the phrase “non-working mother” would be banned from the English language.
Since then she has had a series of part-time jobs, including some work as a freelance copywriter. In parallel with this she took several courses in Creative Writing. Her writing achievements include winning the Writing Magazine New Subscribers Poetry Competition for 2013. She is also very interested in Family History. Her own background is stranger than fiction; she’d write a book about it if she thought anybody would believe her.
Sue has a mind which is sufficiently warped as to be capable of compiling questions for BBC Radio 4’s fiendishly difficult Round Britain Quiz. This once caused one of her sons to describe her as “professionally weird.” The label has stuck.
Sue joined the editorial team Crooked Cat Publishing in 2013. Her first novel, The Ghostly Father (a new take on the traditional story of Romeo & Juliet) was officially released on St Valentine’s Day 2014. Her second novel, a romantic mystery entitled Nice Girls Don’t, is due for release in July 2014.
You can find Sue on Facebook, Twitter (@SusanB2011), or follow her blog here.
There’s a Facebook Event happening today, too. You can join the fun here:
Sophia’s Secret – Book 2 in the Greek Island Mysteries
Blurb:
This is the second book in the Greek Island Mystery series. Although each book is intended to be read as a standalone, some of the characters from the first book, Jennas’s Journey, do make an appearance.
Kat has never understood why she was sent at the age of seven from Greece to live in England with her Aunt Tigi. When she receives an email from her grandmother, the first contact in over twenty years, informing her of her mother’s death, she knows this could be her last chance to find out the truth. Little by little she finds out the shocking facts as her grandmother opens her heart. It seems everyone has a secret to tell, not only her grandmother, as Manoli, her school friend, also harbours a guilty secret. Then there’s a twenty year old mystery to solve as well as a murder and what happened to the missing Church treasure?
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I see in your bio you have a strong attachment to Greece. Can you elaborate on it?
I first went to Greece in 1984 to work as a Language Teacher and although it wasn’t love at first sight – I arrived by train in Thessaloniki in the middle of the night – as soon as I saw Athens I felt a tingle and by the time I visited the islands it was a full blown love affair. I stayed for two years in all and have been back to visit on numerous occasions. There’s just something magical about the light and the scenery and climate are fantastic. What more could you ask?
You were born in Barnsley, Yorkshire (I have a character in one of my WsIP who comes from there). What was it like to live in a former mining town? (Since I’m not sure of your age, if you lived there before the mines closed any memories such as the miners’ strike in (I think) 1984?
I have a strong attachment to Barnsley – though for different reasons to my attachment to Greece. The people are down to earth and for me it will always be home. I remember the miner’s strike well and how divisive it was to the community. It was a very dark time and some of the wounds it opened still haven’t healed completely. I have family there and whenever I return, it’s like reliving my childhood and I immediately lapse back into ‘Yorkshire.’
Sophia’s Secret is the your 2nd book in the series. How many do you envision in the complete series? Two? Three? Four? More?
To be honest, I have no idea. The first book in the series, Jenna’s Journey’ began life as a short story. I was amazed that it developed into a novel. I thought that was it but I missed writing about Greece and before long a second book was on the way. There will definitely be a third but after that I’ll wait and see what my characters tell me.
Did you always want to be a writer? When did the bug bite you?
I’ve always loved writing but never really imagined that I would write a novel. I think I just needed some self-confidence. Once I saw that it was a real possibility then the bug took hold and now I don’t think I could stop even if I wanted to.
Julie was born and brought up in a mining village near Barnsley in South Yorkshire. She graduated with a BA (hons) in French Language and Literature from Hull University. Since then she has lived and worked as a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language in France, Greece, Poland and Thailand. She now lives in rural Gloucestershire with her husband, son and a dippy cat with half a tail. She is so passionate about books that her collection is now threatening to outgrow her house, much to her husband’s annoyance!
She is the author of two novels set in Greece, “Jenna’s Journey” and “Sophia’s Secret” both part of the Greek Island Mystery series. She is currently working on a third book, ‘Pandora’s Prophecy.”
‘A thrilling and delicious story of love and self-discovery woven around a broken romance that will make you turn page after page and cheer to the end.’
Love, life, loyalties. Nothing stays the same when Emily gets drawn into the world of rock.
Glossy and sophisticated professional high-flyer Emily has no time for nonsense such as the rock music her ex-boyfriend Nate adored so much. Yet when she unexpectedly comes into possession of VIP tickets—access all areas—for new rock band phenomenon, MonX, she can’t resist the temptation.
The fateful gig turns into more than one night, and Emily finds herself strangely drawn to this new and unfamiliar glittery world. However, only weeks later, MonX and her own universe fall apart with devastating consequences for all. When MonX lead singer Mike appeals for her help, she reluctantly embraces a new opportunity. But she soon discovers that while she may be a rock chick after all, a groupie she is not… Or is she?
Just exactly where do her loyalties lie? And what direction will her life take now that she’s left behind everything she treasured?
Warning!Fallen For Rock contains some explicit content and strong language that may not be suitable for readers under eighteen years of age.
About Nicky Wells: Romance that Rocks Your World!
Nicky Wells is your ultimate rock chick author. Signed to US Publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing, she writes Romance That Rocks Your World, featuring the rock star and the girl next door… because there’s no better romantic hero than a golden-voiced bad boy with a secret soft heart and a magical stage presence!
Nicky’s books offer glitzy, glamorous romance with rock stars—imagine Bridget Jones ROCKS Notting Hill! If you’ve ever had a crush on any kind of celebrity, you’ll connect with Nicky’s heroes and their leading ladies.
Nicky loves listening to rock music, dancing, and eating lobsters. When she’s not writing, she’s a wife, mother, occasional knitter, and regular contributor at Lincoln’s Siren 107.3 FM. Rock on!
Did you know? There’s a single out now by Nicky’s fictional rock band Tuscq come to life! “Love Me Better” is available for download from Amazon, iTunes and many other places.
Whatever your genre, or preferred medium, curling up and reading a good book on a cold wintry day is fab and in my corner of the world, there have been a pile of them this season.
There are loads of genres to choose from – crime, romance, paranormal, Young Adult, New Adult, non-fiction, memoirs and literary fiction.
A great place to get your reading material is at your local independent bookstore. Mine is Leeds County Books. If I find a book whilst shopping elsewhere, I take down the details and then go here and order my copy, if it isn’t already on the shelf.
I also have a great collection of ebooks on my ipad in the Kindle app.
And I’m going to do a wee bit of shameless, self-promotion here. If you’re looking for a great read, check out A Shadow in the Past and The Consequences Collection, written by yours truly.
a debut novel by Melanie Robertson-King – aka moi.
Cover created by Aidana WillowRaven
Blurb:
When a contemporary teen is transported back through time to the Victorian era, she becomes A Shadow in the Past…
Nineteen-year-old Sarah Shand finds herself thrust back into the past. There she struggles to keep her real identity from a society that finds her comments and ideas strange and her speech and actions forward, unlike Victorian women. When Sarah verbally confronts confining social practices, including arranged marriages; powerful enemies commit her to a lunatic asylum. After falling in love with the handsome Laird of Weetshill, Robert Robertson, she must decide whether to find her way back to her own time or to remain in the past with him.
A Shadow in the Pastis available as a paperback from Amazon, Chapters, and local bricks ‘n mortar bookstores.
If you’d prefer to buy it as an ebook, all you have to do is click on the logo of your choice to download it. The link for all the amazon domains is the same, you just have to change the .co.uk to your own.
So what are you waiting for? It’s your opportunity to get a great read in print or ebook format!
Thank you so much for letting me showcase my forthcoming steamy action-romance novel SHANNON’S LAW. It’s the second in my PASSION PATROL series – stories where sassy female cops lock up the criminals and always get their man.
February marks the start of my “Pinterest Reveal Virtual Book Tour” in the run-up to the launch on the 28th February 2014.
Every day there are feature posts on topics relating to SHANNON’S LAW on blogs all around the world. They’re all linked together on one big Pinterest Board. Each post replaces a ‘mystery’ silhouette that was posted in January. I saved all my notes and photos as I was writing, on a private Pinterest Board and now I can share them with you.
Today’s subject is: Inspirational Jewellery – A very special ring sold in 2013
Empress Joséphine’s engagement ring… just about 1 carat each stone. Sold in 2013 by Joséphine’s family in Fontainbleau, Paris. THE most romantic ring in history?
There is a fair bit of jewellery in Shannon’s Law. Some of it is new but some of it is pre-owned. Lovers of baubles will probably be aware that the price of new jewellery does not indicate its cost in terms of metal and gems. Anyone who has ever sold an item will know that the secondhand price is often a fraction of the original tag in the jewellers store. There are some fabulous bargains to be had if you are prepared to consider something previously loved.
The above applies to most transactions. If the item was previously loved by someone famous all bets are off. During the writing of the story I was looking for a ring. There was already a Napoléon and Joséphine flavour to the narrative. While looking for a suitable object, the engagement ring given to Joséphine came up for sale at auction. Of course I had to step in and try to buy it. It was a snip at $ one million. Sadly I didn’t have quite enough cash. Despite my personal disappointment, one of the characters in the book did manage to make the winning bid. This is why I find fiction so appealing.
Looking at the ring I can imagine it on Joséphine’s finger. Napoléon was only a soldier in 1796 and it would have melted his credit card in the way that she had melted his heart. Somehow he got the cash. My theory is that it was in order to find the money that he went to war with half the world. The ring itself is beautiful. It is called a “toi et moi” style (“you and me”). The gold has aged to a gorgeous rose patina. It has a tear shaped sapphire alongside an inverted diamond of the same size and shape. It is a true work of beauty. It remained in Joséphine’s family until it was sold in March 2013 – the anniversary of two hundred and fifty years after her birth.
Wild child inner-city cop Shannon Aguerri walks a dangerous line between her methods and justice. When the bosses lose their nerve, after yet another maverick mission, she is transferred to green pastures to play out the role of a routine village cop. When she encounters signs of slave and drug trafficking she homes in on serious millionaire criminals.
As a loner she has attracted men but nothing has stuck. When she meets Spencer, the hunky and widowed Earl of Bloxington, there is an immediate rapport between them. Their social differences mean nothing to their passion and need.
Already in the mix is an upper class female rival – who has long plotted her way into the Earl’s bed. The jealousy is an evil shade of green and the anger is a violent scarlet.
Often inhibited by a sense of duty and honour, Spencer is slow to reveal his feelings. When Shannon confronts him with the need to choose between her word and that of her rival, he does not immediately support her.
All issues are set aside, when they are forced together to carry out a desperate rescue mission. Their love is stronger than everything ranged against them.
SHANNON’S LAW comes out on February 28th 2014 in print and digital formats for all e-readers.
You can pre-order the digital version at a pre-launch special price from Nook, Kobo, and iTunes. It will also be available in all digital formats on Smashwords.
See this post and others from my tour as they go live on Pinterest.
The draw will be made at random, by Rafflecopter on the 7th March 2013.
Companion Cook-Book
In addition to SHANNON’S LAW, I’m launching a companion digital cook-book with illustrated recipes for all the meals from the novel.
It’s called COP’S KITCHEN – Read the love story and taste the romance!
To celebrate the launch of SHANNON’S LAW, there is a special FREE gift for you in my RAFFLECOPTER draw. As well as great, unique prizes to win, EVERY ENTRANT will get their own digital copy of – COP’S KITCHEN. There are many ways to get bonus chances – by commenting on this post, liking Facebook Pages etc.
Authors are often asked what inspired them to write. For my novel “Orion’s Gift,” the answer is easy.
One winter, I was on vacation in Baja California, a state of Mexico, living in a travel trailer for three months. The sun and sea were glorious, and on days I didn’t feel like fishing, swimming, or snorkeling, I could go hiking in the desert. Life was easy and fun at this small beach where only about six other campers stayed.
One day an elderly woman arrived in a camper van with San Diego plates. She parked by the beach and never got out of her vehicle for the whole three days that she stayed there, preferring to sit in her van, smoking cigarettes and listening to audio tapes.
I wondered at her strange behaviour. Why would she drive all the way from San Diego and not get out of her van at this beautiful beach? Why was she inhaling that thick cigarette smoke when she had the cleanest air in the world right outside her door? What was she listening to? Maybe it was one of my novels on the audio tape and she just had to hear what happened next. I wish!
I had no answers and it bothered me that I couldn’t figure it out. I decided then, that hers would make a good story, if only I knew what it was. I imagined all kinds of scenarios and Orion’s Gift began to take shape.
Instead of this poor old strange woman, I created Sylvia, a young and beautiful California girl in her thirties. I gave her a reason for suddenly leaving her seemingly perfect life in Chula Vista, near San Diego. I couldn’t have her be without a romantic interest, so I created a man for her. While Sylvia and Kevin spent time star-gazing, watching the constellation of Orion, each kept a secret from the other. When the spouses they had deserted come looking for them, the young couple’s new love is tested and their lives are turned upside down
I still wonder about the woman from San Diego though. What was the real story? Probably, I’ll never know.
Orion’s Gift is available at all amazon outlets and at Smashwords.com.
Anneli Purchase has written two other books, “The Wind Weeps” and “Julia’s Violinist,” which are also available on amazon and smashwords. You can find out more about them by visiting Anneli’s webpage at http://www.anneli-purchase.com
I’d like to thank my good friend, Scottish crime writer, Chris Longmuir for tagging me to take part in the #mywritingprocess blog post. I don’t have as impressive intro to my post as Chris does, but without further ado, I’ll tell you about my writing process.
I have a few projects on the go at the moment. One is a time-travel romance which is the sequel to my debut novel, A Shadow in the Past. The other is a contemporary romance which I started a few years ago but put it on the back burner when events I had included in my book started happening. It was purely coincidence but it freaked me out so I’ve had to let it sit. What events were these you ask? I started writing this book shortly before the first helicopter ditched in the North Sea in the spring of 2009. Writing of such a thing, then it happening rattled me to know end, but at the same time it’s made the research on the subject much easier since it’s almost always in the news – especially when there have been other ditchings.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
Imitation is a form of flattery but when it comes to writing, imitating someone else’s style and voice isn’t something I do. I think it’s my voice and the direction I come at things from that makes my writing unique. I live in Canada but write books set in Scotland – Aberdeenshire where my father was born. I think my love of the country and its people comes through in my writing.
Why do I write what I do?
Reading in any genre is an escape from the real world. I like to read romance in any form so that’s why I write it. It’s also a genre I feel comfortable writing. Although I like to read crime fiction, I know I could never carry off a full-length novel successfully.
How does your writing process work?
I’m what you call a plantster. I need to know the ending before I begin but otherwise, I don’t know where I’m going or how I’ll get there. I like the surprises that come from the unexpected directions I end up going in.
I don’t write every day and really should. I’m hoping to get back into that routine now that the New Year is here but so far it’s not gone quite according to plan. However, as an idea comes to me or I come across something in the news that will work in one of my works-in-progress, I jot it down in an email along with any pertinent links so that when I am ready to sit and write, I have my notes readily available.
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In the coming weeks, you’ll be able to read these authors’ writing processes:
Gina Dickerson – Gina writes Young Adult and New Adult fantasy romance swirled with a huge dollop of adventure. She also writes romantic suspense, horror, short stories, and is a columnist for her local newspaper. http://ginadickerson.blogspot.com
Beverly Stowe McClure – Sometimes known as the “bug” lady, she is a former teacher who now writes stories for children and teens. http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com
Preditors & Editors Readers’ Poll for 2013 is now open
Once again my publisher – 4RV Publishing – is nominated in the Preditors & Editors Readers’ Poll in a number of categories. Voting is easy. Click on the link beside each category listed below, select the 4RV title/author/artist etc., then scroll to the bottom of the page and enter your name and email address. And to confirm you’re not a spammer, enter the author’s name in the box beside the thumbnail of the book cover that’s there. You’ll receive a confirmation email with a link in it. Simply click on it to confirm your vote. (My debut novel, A Shadow in the Past, finished 3rd in its category in the 2012 P&E Readers’ Poll.)
4RV Publishing is nomininated in the following Preditors & Editors Readers’ Poll categories:
It would be great to see 4RV finish first in each category but in order for that to happen, they need your votes. Only one vote per category, too. The Preditors & Editors Readers’ Poll closes January 14, so don’t delay.
My Scottish roots and writing by Melanie Robertson-King
Blurb:
About the Author:
Emma Calin’s Website
