Monthly Archive for February, 2011

Peg’s Blog Crawl: Why Do We Say That? Part III

Published on February 28, 2011 in General News. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , .

I’d like to welcome Peg Herring to my site. Peg has been participating in the ambitious Peg’s Blog Crawl to promote her new book The Dead Detective Agency.

Friday’s post, “Bad Words” is at http://criminalmindsatwork.blogspot.com. Below is her final post Why Do We Say That? Part III before the crawl wraps up on her blog, and you even get to take a fun quiz. Be sure to comment so you can be entered into some great prize drawings. Without further ado, here is Peg’s informative post.

If you’ve followed the posts on Peg’s Blog Crawl, you might have drawn some conclusions about me. I’m not in favor of static English. I know a language must change. I am, however, in favor of holding on to whatever logic our language has and minimizing exceptions to the rules of grammar and spelling.

So why do we say what we say? We took Old English and pressed Latin grammar onto it. We added words from anyone who happened by: Danes, Germans, French, and Romans, to name a few. When we needed a term for a thing, we made it up or borrowed it from the people we got the idea or object from. (“Thing” itself is borrowed from the Scandinavians, who called their legislature the “Althing”.) Because our language is such a melting pot, we ended up with a ton of words that nobody can pronounce, much less spell, words that sound like other words, and words that mean a lot of different things. It makes English the most wonderful language to write in and the horrible language to learn. We have about 250,000 words (Spanish has about half that), but we only use about a third of them.

It’s a language full of traps: we can say the wrong thing or be misinterpreted even when we say the right thing. But for expression, for an author who wants to say what she has to say as well as possible, English offers a wealth of possibilities, so that we keep learning as we read, listen, and write.

Try to guess which language we borrowed these terms from:
Choices:
1. Skunk ___Russian
2. Pagoda ___Norwegian
3. Ski ___Portuguese
4. Vodka ___Turk
5. Karaoke ___Maori
6. Rouge ___French
7. Orange ___Japanese
8. Cocoa ___Arabic
9. Turban ___Algonquian
10.Kiwi ___Spanish

Answers tomorrow at my blog, itsamysterytomepegherring.blogspot.com

So I’ll leave you with a few questions more for amusement than answering:
Is atheism a non-prophet organization?
If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?
Would a fly without wings be called a walk?
Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?
Is it possible to have a civil war?
If you ate both pasta and antipasto, would you still be hungry?
If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?
Whose cruel idea was it for the word ‘lisp’ to have ‘s’ in it?

The Poser - Name 3 books/series where the protagonist is a criminal.

The Prizes -Weekly prizes (your choice of THE DEAD DETECTIVE AGENCY in e- or print format) drawn from the names of those who comment on the blogs as we go. Comment once/day, but the first commenter each day gets entered twice in Saturday’s drawing!

The Pitch: THE DEAD DETECTIVE AGENCY, First in The Dead Detective Mysteries, paranormal mystery. Tori Van Camp wakes in a stateroom on a cruise ship with no memory of booking a cruise, but she does have a vivid recollection of being shot in the chest. Determined to find out what happened and why, Tori enlists the help of an odd detective named Seamus. Together they embark on an investigation like nothing she’s ever experienced. Death is all around her, and unless they act quickly, two people she cares about are prime candidates for murder. Read more about this book and the author at http://pegherring.com or buy the book at http://www.ll-publications.com/deaddetectiveagency.html.

The Perpetrator: Peg Herring writes historical and contemporary mysteries. She loves everything about publishing, even editing (most days). Peg’s historical series, The Simon and Elizabeth Mysteries, debuted in 2010 to great reviews. The second in the series will be available in November from Five Star.

The Pathway: Wrap-up of Peg’s Blog Crawl will be at my blog tomorrow, itsamysterytomepegherring.blogspot.com. Thanks for crawling along! Here is a link that lists the other stops on the Blog Crawl: http://itsamysterytomepegherring.blogspot.com/2011/01/pegs-blog-crawl.html

Enter for One (Possibly Two) $10 Amazon Gift Cards in Buzz My Books Giveaway

Published on February 25, 2011 in General News. 198 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Thank you to everyone for entering and for all your tweets and shares of my links! Random.org selected the number and the winner was Misty.

Do you like spending Amazon gift cards? If so, then I have a simple contest for you. In honor of my Book Review Block party, in which more than 20 book bloggers will be reviewing Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and/or Sink or Swim during the same time-frame, I am having a Buzz My Books giveaway. I will be giving away one $10 Amazon card, and if I receive 500 GFC blog followers before the contest ends, then I will give away an additional $10 gift card.

There is no limit on the number of entries. However, to be eligible: 1. Every entry must be in a separate comment. i.e. if you shared on Twitter, shared on Facebook, and follow the blog via GFC, then you need to leave 3 separate comments. You must also leave your email address. Leaving it in a way to avoid attracting spam is fine, such as stacy at stacyjuba dot com. I need the separate comments so that I can easily choose random winners via Random.org. This contest is open in the U.S. only, due to Amazon’s gift card restrictions. Deadline is March 19 at 11:59 p.m., EST. You can find share links near the + sign in the upper right sidebar, leading to most social network sites.


Here is what we’re sharing:
1. Share this Sink or Swim Amazon link on Twitter, Facebook, Stumble Upon, your blog, or any other social networking sites, something along the lines of Check out Sink or Swim mystery novel on Amazon. http://amzn.to/etOZtL Leave a separate comment here for each time you share it.
2. Share Twenty-Five Years Ago Today Amazon link on Twitter, Facebook, Stumble Upon, your blog, or any other social networking sites, something along the lines of Check out Twenty-Five Years Ago Today on Amazon. http://amzn.to/9EPpSj Leave a separate comment here for each time you share it.
3. Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect.
4. Follow this blog via Networked Blogs.
5. Follow on Twitter.
6. Tweet this post. (there is a share link at the bottom of this post or to the right)
7. Mark Twenty-Five Years Ago Today to-read on Goodreads.
8. Mark Sink or Swim to-read on Goodreads.
9. Check out the Book Review Block Party – 21 Reviews in 1 Week http://bit.ly/h2hMWY

Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry, and leave your email address once. Bonus: Here are some additional bonus entries for those of you who are feeling especially ambitious! If you share them on Twitter or Facebook, please leave a comment below for each share.

1. Check out this interview with author Stacy Juba. http://bit.ly/gBOGtE
2. Once Upon A Twilight Book Review http://bit.ly/g3Z5uQ
3. I’d So Rather Be Reading Book Review http://bit.ly/hlNUCm
4. Beck’s Book Picks Review http://bit.ly/eV6HDI
5. Once Upon A Twilight Sink or Swim Review http://bit.ly/gTWpsr
6. book’d Out Review http://bit.ly/hjiFhB
7. Tifferz Book Review http://bit.ly/gWyMHJ
8. CMash Loves to Read http://bit.ly/fja042
9. CMash Loves to Read E-book Giveaway http://bit.ly/dSuZT5
10. Reading Through Life One Page at a Time – New Review http://bit.ly/f5W0hw
11. Kelsey’s Book Corner – New Review http://bit.ly/gyB5xG
12. Surrounded By Books Reviews http://bit.ly/hU56z2
13. Cheryl’s Book Nook – New Review http://bit.ly/fiJffu
14. Tic Toc Book Reviews http://bit.ly/gg2Fh4
15. Peeking Between the Pages Book Review http://bit.ly/fm54Ji
16. The Caffeinated Diva Reads Book Review http://bit.ly/fesCIh
17. My Reading Room Book Review http://bit.ly/hMvKT7
18. Juniper Grove Book Review http://wp.me/p188p9-9M
19. Sink or Swim featured at Kindle Nation Daily @stacyjuba http://bit.ly/eVtw0x
20. Sink or Swim by @stacyjuba $2.99 #Kindle http://amzn.to/i8ZRqX
21. Tic Toc Book Reviews – Sink or Swim http://bit.ly/fjZFkH
22. Emeraldfire’s Bookmark http://bit.ly/f9ZuFZ
23. CMash Loves to Read – Twenty-Five Years Ago Today Review http://bit.ly/hnXkxm
24. The Romance Reviews – Twenty-Five Years Ago Today http://bit.ly/gWFMxi
25. The Minding Spot – Sink or Swim Review http://bit.ly/fHuWOj
26. Tifferz Book Review – Sink or Swim Review http://bit.ly/f1Q5g4
27. Unpredictable Muse Guest Post – Childhood Hobbies http://bit.ly/dT8sIa
28. Spalding’s Racket http://bit.ly/exrlL1

Share any or all of the links in the above bonus posts, and report back here for an extra entry each time – again, be sure to leave separate comments so that all your entries will be included. Feel free to do some sharing and come back another time to do more.

Thanks for helping me to get the word out! Thank you to the following sites for promoting my giveaway: CashNet Sweepstakes, www.contestbeat.com, www.online-sweepstakes.com, Blog Giveaway Directory, Prizeatron Hypersweep, and www.contestguide.com.

Sink or Swim 6: Meet Detective Inspector Joseph Aloysius Rafferty from Deadly Reunion

Published on February 25, 2011 in General News. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Today’s contestant on the fictional game show Sink or Swim is Detective Inspector Joseph Aloysius Rafferty from Deadly Reunion, A Rafferty & Llewellyn crime novel by Geraldine Evans. (Publication: February 24 (UK) June 1 (US.) The Detective Inspector is stopping here as part of Geraldine’s blog tour.

Be sure to leave a comment for a chance at prizes. The draw of all the comments throughout the tour will take place at the end of the tour (end-Feb). There will be three winners, each of whom wins one signed copy of Deadly Reunion, (fourteenth in the Rafferty & Llewellyn crime series), one copy of each of two ebooks that are the first and second novels in the Rafferty & Llewellyn crime series, that is, one of Dead Before Morning and one of Down Among the Dead Men. They will also receive a subscription to Geraldine’s blog (which they can let lapse when it runs out).

Detective Inspector Joseph Aloysius Rafferty, 41, lives in the fictitious town of Elmhurst in Essex England. The detective needs your comments to advance to the Sink or Swim finals – the three characters whose posts draw in the highest number of unique commenters at the end of the year will be declared the winners. Here are his responses to the Sink or Swim 6.

1. Tell us about the book or series you’re from.
The Rafferty & Llewellyn crime series is a humorous series with a funny sub-plot. I’m a working-class copper, brought up on a south London Council estate. My family are the cross I have to bear in life. They tend to go in for under-the-counter deals and buying suspect ‘bargains’. I live in fear of one of them being found out in their illegalities and damaging/destroying my career. And when you add murder to the brew, you can see that a policeman’s lot in the Rafferty family is not always a happy one.

2. What is something about yourself that no one else knows?
No one else knows that I still have a yen for the builder’s life: the life that I missed out on when I joined the police.

3. Tell us about an unusual job or hobby that you’ve had?
An unusual job or hobby that I’ve had? Hmm. I started working as a police cadet soon after I left school, so I haven’t really done any other work. Hobbies? As a police officer in the CID, I don’t really have time for hobbies, though I suppose doing a nice bit of DIY fits the bill. I suppose, too, my other little hobby is a secret one: keeping assorted members of my family out of jail without my bosses suspecting.

4. What is the strangest or most exciting thing that has ever happened to you?
The strangest/most exciting thing to happen to me was when I signed up with a dating agency and ended up investigating a double murder, with me, or rather, my alter ego, in the frame for the crimes. Strange AND exciting. Well, it terrified me. The book that tells this particular story is Dying For You.

5. What would you do if you won a million dollars?
If I won a million dollars I’d probably try to save most of it, but I doubt Abra, my new wife, would let me. So I suppose we’d do the usual things: new kitchen, new wardrobes, plenty of holidays. And I’d rather like to play the markets and invest in stocks and shares with some of it.

6. Please tell us briefly about your author and list web sites.
My author is Geraldine Evans. She thought me up in the early nineties and hardnose that she is, she gave me my on-going predicaments of a family involved in low-level crime and a partner who is morally, educationally and socially, my superior. And then there’s Superintendent Bradley and cousin Nigel and Father Kelly… But thinking about them gives me a headache so I won’t even go there. Geraldine is a Londoner, but moved to Norfolk in England in 2000. She is married to George and is two years away from celebrating their silver anniversary. Here’s her website details: http://www.geraldineevans.com and here’s her blog address: http://wwwgeraldineevanscom.blogspot.com. The latest book can be purchased on Amazon in the U.S. and in the UK.

Amazon Campaign: Buy ‘My Mother the Man-Eater’ and Enter for Free Gifts

Published on February 24, 2011 in General News. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Today I’m doing something a little different, helping one of my author friends to get the word out about her new book. Tracy Krauss, author of ‘edgy inspirational’ fiction, is launching her book My Mother the Man-Eater today at amazon.com. You can help Tracy achieve ‘best seller’ status by purchasing the book at amazon.com TODAY!

About the book:

Loaded with humor, action, intrigue and romance, My Mother the Man-Eater is the story of a woman whose search for meaning in life finds an unexpected outlet. Joleen Allen is on the hunt for a man. Unfortunately, every time the mother of five meets one, he falls for one of her daughters instead! At forty-four, Joleen has lived a tough life. She became a mother at 16, and her five daughters are now grown. Her ex-husband, Harold, is out of prison and back in the picture, looking for revenge. He’ll stop at nothing – even murder – to ruin Joleen’s reputation as well as her relationship with their daughters. My Mother the Man-Eater makes for some truly tempting and redemptive reading.

About the Author:

Tracy Krauss is a prolific author, playwright, director and artist. Originally from a small prairie town, she now resides in Tumbler Ridge, BC, known for its scenic mountain vistas and many waterfalls. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon and currently teaches high school Art, Drama and English.

BONUS! Buy My Mother the Man-Eater today and receive loads of free e-gifts from these generous supporters:

Sample chapters, short stories, children’s books, and magazines from acclaimed, best selling and debut authors, such as April Gardner, Shawna Williams, Shellie Neumeier, Sana Edoja, Delia Latham, Ray Lincoln, Stacy Padula, Elaine Cooper, Stacy Juba, Lisa Lickel, Joann Durgin … and more!

Plus – free manuscript critiques, manuscript editing, and marketing and promotional tips from journalists, editors, authors and speakers, Lorilyn Roberts, Linda Yezak and Bonnie Way.

And – beautiful downloadable art cards courtesy of artist and author Brenda Hendricks. These free gifts are valid on Feb. 24 only. Click HERE for more details:

DISCLAIMER: This Best Seller book launch has been coordinated with the help of the ‘John 3:16 Marketing Network’ and many other generous supporters. The free gifts are deliverable electronically over the internet or by email by individual authors and supporters. They are not in any way associated with, nor deliverable by, amazon.com

25 Years Ago Today: Win A Kindle Download Or Book From Suspense Author Ellis Vidler

Published on February 21, 2011 in 25 Years Ago Today. 35 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

I’d like to welcome Ellis Vidler to my blog today. Along with Jim Christopher, Ellis is the co-author of The Peeper, available on Amazon. Upon retiring from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Jim Christopher turned his energies to writing what he knows best—crime. Then he met Ellis Vidler, a published author, and they began collaborating on a suspense novel. “After forty years of police reports, I like the freedom of fiction. You create characters, plan the crime, and then go about solving it.” Ellis is also the author of Haunting Refrain, published by Silver Dagger.

Ellis is giving away a gifted Kindle download or print copy of The Peeper to one lucky winner. (winner’s choice) To enter, leave a comment below with your email address by Saturday, Feb. 26, at 11:59 p.m., EST. Specify which you would prefer, Kindle download or print book.

Here’s an interview between Ellis and the cop from The Peeper, Sam Fullerton, set 25 years ago…

February 1986. Ronald Reagan is president, Woody Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters has just been released, and Regina is capturing hearts with “Baby Love.” Halley’s Comet is streaking across the sky like an omen. I hope it means good things are coming. I’m immersed in my first creative writing course since college. And a character named Sam Fullerton is taking shape in my head.

EV: So you’re a free agent, fresh out of the Marine Corps. What are your plans, Sam?
SF: I don’t know yet. I’m thinking about becoming a cop.

EV: Why? I’ve read that law enforcement consists of long periods of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. Does that appeal to you?
SF: No, ma’am, but I believe in the rule of law and defending people. Old fashioned maybe, but that’s the way I see it. Someone has to stand up for the victims.

EV (closing eyes, hand to forehead): Oh, dear. I see another knight in shining armor.
SF: What? Are you some kind of fortune teller?

EV (eyes still closed): Uh-oh. The armor begins to tarnish, dark thoughts bend the knight. It is he who needs saving . . .
SF: Ma’am, are you all right?

EV: Yes, don’t worry. I have these moments when the future opens to me. Open yourself to people who care. Twenty-five years from now, you’re going to need them.

You can find out more about The Peeper on the following web sites:
http://www.ellisvidler.com
http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com

Check out The Peeper on Amazon. Three damaged souls face weakness and murder, love and redemption on a small campus. Elliott, the lonely young man who makes “friends” through dorm windows. Sam, the world-weary cop who has to overcome his past, and Kay, the rookie, who’s finding her way in a harsh world.

For newcomers: The 25 Years Ago Today column is a regular feature on the Mysteries, Murder & More blog, inspired by the novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today.

Sink or Swim 6: Meet Rock Star Mitchell Voss From Trevor’s Song & Giveaway

Published on February 17, 2011 in Sink or Swim Reality Show. 17 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Your humble emcee is excited to announce that we have a celebrity competing today on our fictional reality show Sink or Swim. And not just any celeb. Ladies in the audience, we have none other than the gorgeous Mitchell Voss, frontman of the band ShapeShifter. Mitchell, twenty-something, hails from Riverview, USA and is from Susan Helene Gottfried’s book Trevor’s Song and the short story anthologies Shapeshifter: The Demo Tapes – Year 1 and Shapeshifter: The Demo Tapes – Year 2.

Here’s a recap of the rules: the three literary characters with the highest number of unique commenters to their post will be chosen as winners at the end of the year. Mitchell tends to draw groupies wherever he goes, so groupies and new fans, leave your comments below. If you enjoy reading e-books, be sure to leave your email address as Mitchell’s creator Susan is giving away five Smashwords downloads of one of the band’s books. +1 Retweet this post. +1 Share on Facebook. Deadline to enter is Feb. 24 at 11:59 p.m., EST. But first, let’s meet Mitchell. Look, but don’t touch, ladies! He’s a married man.

1. Tell us about the book or series you’re from.
The ShapeShifter project, as Susan calls it, was supposed to focus on me and my wife, Kerri. Then Trevor took over and now, it’s all about him. Right now, this is a three-book series: two collections of short stuff and the novel. You can read them in any order. Here’s a buy link. You can use it to get to lots of specific vendors. Spread the love. You know how that goes.

2. What is something about yourself that no one else knows?
No one? Not even Kerri? Sheesh. I don’t think there is anything. Well, wait. Maybe there’s that time when I was a kid and I tried riding my bike by standing on the seat and not holding onto the handlebars. After I picked myself up from the wreck and hobbled home, I told Ma I’d gotten beat up by the neighborhood bullies. I don’t think she believed me. I had to earn my next bike, too.

3. Tell us about an unusual job or hobby that you’ve had?
When we were waiting for the band to take off, I worked crew for Riverview’s Community access cable TV channel. I was the poor sod who got to move the sets around, empty the garbage, sweep up, get the coffee, make the f***ing coffee — did I mention I hate coffee? Hell, I even built a few sets. I was a one-man show.

4. What is the strangest or most exciting thing that has ever happened to you?
Strangest: Trevor. If it’s been strange and it’s happened to me, Trevor’s been part of it. Behind it, usually. Most exciting? That’s a toss-up between Kerri and the band. That’s where the highest highs in my life have come from, and I’m not talking the pharmaceutical kind of highs. Just the good, old-fashioned kind. The “Life is f***ing amazing” kind.

5. What would you do if you won a million dollars?
Probably let Kerri use it to fund that scholarship at Riverview Art. She won’t take any of the money I’ve earned from the band to do it, but she might take winnings. Maybe. She insists she wants to use the cash she earns from her own art. Whatever makes her happy, I guess.

6. Please tell us briefly about your author and list web sites.
My author is a kick-ass woman, plain and simple. She’s bucked some hard trends and unpopular views to bring me and the gang to readers.
Her name’s Susan Helene Gottfried and you can find her at http://westofmars.com All those social networking things have the West of Mars handle — Facebook, Twitter. Even the Facebook fan page is the West of Mars Fans. Stop by below and enter the Smashwords giveaway. Susan hands out coupons to Smashwords the way dealers give out samples. Same reason, too: one taste of me and the band and you’re hooked. Isn’t that the reason you asked me to do this interview, Stacy? Halfway through the novel and you can’t get enough. Welcome to the Trevolution, babe.

Mitchell Voss called me by name! I’m blushing! For more information on the mock online season of Sink or Swim, inspired by the mystery novel of the same name, you can view the rules and application form here. In the meantime, check out Trevor’s Song on Amazon and leave Mitchell some comments below. Don’t forget to leave your email address if you’d like a chance at the free e-book!

25 Years Ago Today: Blues Mystery Author Peggy Ehrhart

Published on February 14, 2011 in 25 Years Ago Today. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

I’d like to welcome my guest, fellow Sister in Crime Peggy Ehrhart. Peggy is a former English professor who lives in Leonia, New Jersey, where she writes mysteries and plays blues guitar. She holds a doctorate in Medieval Literature, and her publications include a prize-winning nonfiction book. Her short fiction has appeared in FMAM, Crime and Suspense, Flashing in the Gutters, Spinetingler, Crime Scene: New Jersey 2, Murder New York Style, and several other venues.

As a guitar player, she performs regularly with the Still Standing Band. Her blues mystery, Sweet Man Is Gone, was published by Five Star/Gale/Cengage in 2008. The sequel, Got No Friend Anyhow, was published in January 2011. I love Peggy’s story about what she was doing 25 years ago as it involves Greek mythology, which is one of the subplots of my own mystery novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today. Here is Peggy’s anecdote:

PEGGY: When the call came, my mother-in-law grabbed the first thing she could find to write on: a paper bag. She was babysitting and she handed me the message when I got home from the market.

“The acquisitions editor called,” it read in her careful script. “They want your book. Call him.” And there was a number.

One of the happiest days of my life—and a huge relief. What if my ten years of work had gone for nothing? But no—my first book had found a home. The acquisitions editor who’d called was from the University of Pennsylvania Press.

An odd home for a mystery novel, you might be thinking. But my first published book wasn’t a mystery. It wasn’t even fiction. It was a weighty tome called The Judgment of the Trojan Prince Paris in Medieval Literature.

It dealt with the medieval retellings of the Judgment of Paris myth. Paris was the Trojan prince who stole Helen from her Greek husband Menelaus, thus launching the Trojan War. But his claim to Helen stemmed from an earlier episode. The goddesses Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera requested that he judge their beauty, awarding a golden apple to the winner. Aphrodite bribed him with the gift of Helen, he gave her the apple, and when he claimed his prize, the angry Greeks attacked Troy. Homer tells the rest of the story in the Iliad and the Odyssey.

That book was an unusual preamble to a career writing mysteries—but maybe not. The Judgment of Paris was so popular in the Middle Ages because it was interpreted as a story in which a young man chooses his destiny. Aphrodite stood for a life devoted to the senses, Athena for a life devoted to the mind, and Hera for a life devoted to possessions.

Shortly after my Judgment of Paris book appeared in 1987, I too chose my destiny. Academia was great and I’ll never be sorry I spent all those hours in the library. But it wasn’t enough. In 1989 I bought an electric guitar and formed a blues and rock band, and shortly after that I started work on my first Maxx Maxwell blues mystery.

Read more about Peggy on her web site. Check out Got No Friend Anyhow on Amazon. The book is the second adventure for blues-singer sleuth Elizabeth “Maxx” Maxwell. As Maxx pursues the killer of record-producer Rick Schneider, the reader is taken on a ride that keeps pages turning in classic whodunit style all the way to a dramatic and unexpected climax.

For newcomers: The 25 Years Ago Today column is a regular feature on the Mysteries, Murder & More blog, inspired by the novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today.

Blog Tour Recap and Reminder to Enter CSN Stores/Book Giveaways

Published on February 11, 2011 in General News. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

I’ll have another great line-up of guest authors starting next week, but in the meantime, I wanted to post a quick update about my efforts to raise awareness of my mystery novels Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim. Below are links to some of my January interviews and guest blog posts, in case you’d like to find out more about my writing.

Interview at Writers Who Kill: This was one of the most thorough interviews I’ve ever done, and as a former reporter, I appreciate thorough interviews. We talked about how I’ve written for different age groups, how I research my books, and about the changing publishing industry.

Article on Motherhoot: What A Bunch of 8-Year-Olds Taught Me About Writing

The Indie Spotlight: a quick interview about Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and an excerpt from the book.

Interview at A Moment With Mystee: This was a very well-rounded interview also, touching on everything from the inspiration for my books, why I became a writer, and the writing process, to my favorite color, and my very messy desk.

Just a reminder that there are still a couple days left to enter my giveaways. Visit this link to enter for a $50 gift certificate to CSN Stores, to use at any of their 200+ online stores. Deadline is Feb. 14 at 11:59 p.m.

Lastly, don’t forget to enter for 6 print books and 27 e-books – stop by this link before Feb. 13 at 11:59 p.m. Then follow the linky to over 200 other book blogs giving away prizes.

Any tweets or Facebook shares for any of the above posts is much appreciated! Thanks for reading.

Stop Here for Follower Love Giveaway Hop: Win Chance At 33 Books!

Published on February 7, 2011 in General News. 105 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

Winners:   Brooke, Jessica, Barbara, Tabathia, Laura, Carole, Abbi, Judy, Alyssa, Rhonda, Marlena, Donnas, Lisa, Janet, Jennifer, Lacey, Amanda, Hana, Vidisha, Penny, Andrea, Jaidis, Maria, Priscilla, Lisa, BJ

Thanks to everyone for entering!

If you like giveaways, you’ve come to the right place! To celebrate the launch of my new reality show-themed mystery suspense novel Sink or Swim, I am participating in the Follower Love Giveaway Hop organized by the super-efficient Inspired Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. To help me celebrate, nine of my author friends have generously donated print and e-book copies of their books for my on-line celebration. We’re giving away six print books and 27 e-books below. Once you’re done leaving your information, please stop over to my other launch party giveaway event where CSN Stores is offering a $50 gift card to one lucky winner. Then be sure to visit the Love Giveaway Linky below to find more than 200 other blogs giving away book-related prizes!

You must be a resident of the U.S. to win a print book, however, the e-book giveaway is open to everyone. Here is how to enter:

Where Reality TV turns to murder... For more information on this book, a cross between a cozy mystery and a romantic suspense novel, click on the book cover.

1. You must be a follower of this blog. If you’re not already following, you can click the Google Friend Connect or Networked Blogs options, or you can follow the blog via Goodreads by becoming a fan. The blog is also syndicated via Kindle.

2. Leave a comment below with your e-mail address by February 13 at 11:59 p.m., EST. Please include how you’re following the blog, whether you are entering the print giveaway, the e-book giveaway, or both. Add up your entries.  New  – I will accept entries through Feb. 14 but please note that most giveaways on the linky will end Feb. 13 at 11:59 p.m.

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+2 If you purchase a copy of Sink or Swim either in trade paperback or as an e-book and then email a copy of your receipt to stacy at stacyjuba.com by the Feb. 13 deadline, you’ll receive 2 extra entries. The book is available from a variety of retailers in the store.

Here are the prizes donated by a group of extremely talented authors. Stop by their web sites to find out more about their work. :

Murder at Timber Bridge by Kd Easley (1 print book) – Randi Black is overwhelmed. She’s the single mom of teenage twins, is battling a coworker with wandering hands, has just run into an ex boyfriend who wants to rekindle the old fire, and had to take a job working for her ex husband. What she doesn’t need right now is to get caught up in the middle of a murder investigation. As the body count rises, Randi is forced to uncover a killer, neutralize her stalker and get her sons to school on time. It’s almost more than a woman can handle.

Second Chances by Maria Savva (2 print books) – Told from the perspective of both the husband and wife, Second Chances is a story of a relationship breaking down. Many will relate to the emotions felt by the couple as they try to work through their problems caused by years of silence where there should have been words. Although dealing with a serious subject, Second Chances is an uplifting and, in parts, a very humorous read.

The Cutting Edge by Darcia Helle – (1 print book and 1 e-book) Hairstylist Skye Summers fantasizes about killing her annoying clients. Unknown to Skye, a serial killer has created his own fantasies revolving around her. The book mixes dark humor, mystery, suspense and romance.

A Patchwork of Stories: 9 Tales from Sunny Side Up to Over Hard by Kaye George – (1 e-book and 1 print book) This collection includes the story nominated for an Agatha in 2010, a diet spoof, a Walmart people short short, and much more. These stories originally appeared in Web Mystery Magazine, Writer’s Post Journal, Hard Luck Stories, Mouth Full of Bullets, Mysterical-E, Crooked, and Powder Burn Flash. Kaye is the author of the comic mystery, CHOKE, coming May 2010 from Mainly Murder Press.

The Trouble With Tessa by Lainey Bancroft – (1 print copy and 1 e-book.) At thirty-five, Erin Sanders is resigned to a single, childless lifestyle. Then dynamic Tanner walks into her office and proposes that she pretend to date him in order to assess the mental well-being of Tessa, his orphaned niece. Erin falls hard and fast for the man. As an added bonus, she and Tessa come to adore each other. But like all things too good to be true, she discovers her perfect stud may be a perfectly deceptive dud.

Nexus Point by Jaleta Clegg (4 e-book copies) – Stranded on a primitive world, betrayed by her crew, facing death at the hands of the natives, hunted by drug smugglers, Captain Dace has one hope of rescue – convince the Patrol agent trying to kill her that she’s innocent.

Madness and Murder by Jenny Hilborne (2 e-book copies) – Frustrated by the rising body count and lack of evidence, veteran homicide detective, Mac Jackson, questions his own ethics when he risks the life of an innocent young woman to trap a cunning and sadistic serial killer. Known for his uncanny precision with a hunch, he is all too aware that, this time, the stakes are much higher if his gamble fails to pay off. Jessica Croft, withdrawn, vulnerable and emotionally scarred, moves from Sacramento to begin a new life in San Francisco with her twin brother, Judd. Her chance for happiness is short-lived when she suddenly finds herself the target of a relentless madman with a deadly agenda.

Shapeshifter: The Demo Tapes: Year 1 by Susan Helene Gottfried (4 e-book copies) – A band’s demo tape is intended to introduce listeners to their music. Likewise, this collection of short pieces allows readers into the fictional world of Trevor Wolff and his band, ShapeShifter.

Shapeshifter: The Demo Tapes: Year 2 by Susan Helene Gottfried (4 e-book copies) – The Demo Tapes: Year 1 introduced the reading public to ShapeShifter and the two men behind this fictional band: Trevor Wolff and Mitchell Voss. The Demo Tapes: Year 2 brings you more of the short fiction that brings these people to vivid life.

Trevor’s Song by Susan Helene Gottfried 1 (4 e-book copies) – Fame and fortune have destroyed many a rock star, but not Trevor Wolff. ShapeShifter band dynamics will never be the same even before Trevor’s two girlfriends, a world tour, and a bunch of secrets complicate life. Trevor may have to make common cause with his worst enemy — his best friend’s girl.

T’on Ma by Magnolia Belle. ( 1 e-book) Historical fiction, set in Texas 1850 and involving the Kiowa and homesteaders trying to live together. Lana Cooper, 17 yr-old daughter of homesteader, falls for Two Hawks, a Kiowa brave. Her parents push her into marrying Liam O’Connell, a West Point graduate stationed at Ft. Worth. This is the first in a three-part series.

Miami Snow by Darcia Helle (1 e-book) Nick Donovan’s ex-wife and best friend have turned his world upside down. Broke and emotionally shattered, he moves hundreds of miles away in an attempt to start over. But his ex-wife has a hold on him that he can never escape. Soon he meets Brandy, who quickly leads Nick into a world of sex, drugs, and cash. Now Nick is sinking fast and desperate to stay afloat.

Beyond Salvation by Darcia Helle (1 e-book) A teenage runaway disappears from the streets. Michael Sykora, part-time hit man, is asked to find her. He tracks her down with the help of street-smart friend, Nicki and friend and hit man, Sean. In the process, they uncover a world where salvation comes with a price tag and God’s words are used to incite fear in a congregation of believers.

Enemies and Playmates by Darcia Helle (1 e-book) When the abused decide to fight back, the abuser’s world might just shatter. Lauren Covington’s family maintains a grand facade that hides the private abuse they suffer at the hands of her father. Jesse Ryder, a private detective, steps into that world and, in the process, falls in love with Lauren. Together, Lauren and Jesse dodge death and expose the truth behind the facade.

Hit List by Darcia Helle (1 e-book) Sanity is not something you lose, like your car keys or that elusive sock in the dryer. That’s what Ian believed before his mother stepped over the edge from sane to crazy. Ian hires private investigator Lucianna Martel to retrace the events of his mother’s last sane day. Eventually they discover that Corinne may not be so crazy after all.

No Justice by Darcia Helle (1 e-book) How far would you go to right a wrong? Michael Sykora is a software designer and part-time hit man. He specializes in hard-core criminals; rapists, child molesters. When Nicki, a close friend, gets into trouble, Michael steps in to help. Having lost his fiance to a brutal crime, Michael will do whatever necessary to keep from losing another woman in his life.

Please leave the requested information in the comments and don’t forget to head over to the CSN Stores giveaway, as well as follow the links below to more than 200 other book giveaways. Happy Valentine’s Day!

CSN Stores Gives Away $50 Gift Card to Celebrate New Reality Show Mystery Novel

Published on February 5, 2011 in General News and Sink or Swim Reality Show. 313 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

The winner of the CSN Stores Giveaway was Kathy L. Congratulations!  Thank you to everyone who entered!

To celebrate the launch of my brand new reality show-themed mystery novel Sink or Swim, CSN Stores is generously offering a $50 gift certificate to one lucky winner to spend on anything from a laptop messenger bag to barstools, dishes, suitcases and diaper bags. With over 200 online stores to choose from, the winner will definitely find something to spend the one-time-use CSN $50 gift certificate on! Please note that the giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian readers only.

If you’d like to submit your name for the drawing, then please post a comment and include your email address. Also add up points from any extra entries.

Extra Entries
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Click on the book cover to find Sink or Swim discounted in trade paperback on Amazon, or $2.99 on Kindle. Visit the Store Tab above for more retailers.

I’m grateful to CSN Stores for helping me to throw an on-line launch party for my new mystery novel Sink or Swim. How do you change the channel when reality TV turns to murder? After starring on a hit game show set aboard a Tall Ship, personal trainer Cassidy Novak discovers that she has attracted a stalker. Soon, she will need to call SOS for real. “Survivor Steph,” Stephenie LaGrossa, owner of GIGI Restaurant & Lounge, Philadelphia PA, television personality and fan favorite Survivor: Palau, Guatemala, Heroes vs. Villains, recently shared her thoughts about the novel and what it’s like being a reality show celebrity. You can read Stephenie’s words here and catch up on her busy life since Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.

In addition, from Feb. 8-13, nine of my author friends will help me celebrate the Sink or Swim release by giving away over 30 books (print books and e-books) to blog followers. You’ll also be able to visit more than 200 other book blogs giving away prizes as part of the I Am A Reader, Not a Writer Love Hop. If you enjoy reading, be sure to stop by my book giveaway. As a tie-in to Sink or Swim, I’ve also launched an on-line version of the show in which authors can enter their characters as contestants. You can meet our first few contestants and get the full scoop here.

Thank you to the following sites for promoting my giveaway: CashNet Sweepstakes, www.contestbeat.com, www.online-sweepstakes.com, Canada Sweepstakes.com, Blog Giveaway Directory, Prizeatron and www.contestguide.com. And thank you to CSN Stores for making this giveaway possible! The winner will be chosen via Random.org.

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