Hadley Evans Ferrari, art detective in Florence, Italy, is on the scent of a forgotten Fragonard painting at a villa in Rome when she stumbles across a treasure trove of stolen Nazi artwork—from Hermann Göring’s personal World War II stash.
When she and the palazzo’s interior decorator are held hostage by the head of a secret Nazi organization and required, in a race against time, to appraise all the artwork in the house for private sale, she fears they will never escape with their lives.
Can her sexy carabinieri husband Luca Ferrari and the police department’s Art Squad get there in time to come storming in and “save the day” before the villa’s evil Count “ties up loose ends”?
“How do you know me?”
“Who in Italy doesn’t know the famous and beautiful Signora Ferrari of Massimo Domingo Art
Detective Agency?”
“I wasn’t aware anyone knew my name. My boss is the premier art expert.”
“Signora, you’re too modest. Your reputation precedes you, as does the highly questionable and fading reputation of your boss. And your particular expertise will be put to very good use here, I assure you. It’s a special job that requires your particular skills.”
“What exactly are we doing here?” Hadley demanded, acting more courageous than she felt.
“Okay, let’s dispense with the niceties, if we must. I have inherited a number of paintings, and I’m in need of your talent in authenticating and tracking the provenance of what I believe are masterworks.”
“You mean stolen Nazi art.”
The man straightened. “Certainly not. I have the records that maintain these paintings were legally sold to the buyers and that I now own Palazzo Allegretti and all of its contents.”
“But I understood that Herr Muller had purchased the palazzo.”
“Herr Muller works for us. He’s what you could call an anonymous third party. We’ve been waiting a long time to release these paintings onto the open market. I simply need your assistance in verifying their authenticity, perhaps giving us an idea of their current value, which has undoubtedly risen since they were…”
“Confiscated?” Hadley posed. “Is that the word you were looking for?”
Marilyn Baron writes in a variety of genres from women’s fiction to historical romantic thrillers and romantic suspense to paranormal/fantasy and cozy mysteries. She’s received writing awards in Single Title, Suspense Romance, Novel with Strong Romantic Elements and Paranormal/Fantasy Romance. She was also The Finalist in the 2017 Georgia Author of the Year Awards (GAYA) in the Romance Category for her novel, Stumble Stones, and The Finalist for the 2018 GAYA Awards in the Romance category for her novel, The Alibi. Her latest novel, The Case of the Forgotten Fragonard, Book 3 in the Massimo Domingo Mystery series, her 29th work of fiction, was released today. A public relations consultant in Atlanta, Marilyn is past chair and current member of Roswell Reads and serves on the Atlanta Authors Series Committee. To find out more about what Marilyn writes, visit her website at: www.marilynbaron.com/
You all know I lovelovelove it when one of my Wild Rose Press sistahs comes to visit. Today, I’ve got TENA STETLER here to tell you about her newest WRP release. Tena’s been a frequent visitor to the blog and every time she comes she brings me a new need-to-read book!
Tena…take it away…
Hey, Peggy, thank you for allowing me on your blog to talk about writing and the release of my new release, SECURITY FORCE OF TWO
I’m a writer. That’s what I do, I write. I’ve spun tales since I was old enough to read and put Crayola to paper. With my vivid overactive imagination, I’m never at a loss for a magical story. The tricky part is keeping it interesting and flowing from beginning to end. Over the past couple of years, there’s been a family crisis in my world, illnesses, major surgery, and physical therapy.
While I’ve rarely had real-life disrupt my writing, it did this time – big time. After surviving COVID in 2021, a blood clot caused by COVID, then the necessity of major surgery for full hip replacement on October 5, 2022, the words didn’t come as easily. Now this wasn’t “writer’s block”, the ideas were still there, but the continuity was not. Finally, the manuscript was submitted. However there was a glaring continuity issue, I missed. Bless my editor’s heart, she brought it to my attention (Yep, my face was red). The error was corrected and the novel was contracted. Whew!
After that fiasco, I returned to my new manuscript and barely made my weekly word count goal. My heart just wasn’t in the words. Self-doubt danced around the edges of my mind. Was it the recent chaos in my life or was the well running dry?
The family drama and illness have settled down, the loose ends are still running amuck, but we’ll get them tamed. I’m off the heavy-duty painkillers from the surgery(nothing worse than your mind floating off and you can’t catch it), able to care for myself, getting rested up, and feeling more me. Scary thought, huh? Wow, what a difference that makes.
Now, the words are back in abundance. Yippee! My second book in the Mountain Town Mystery Series is back on track. It’s taking a little longer, as I keep re-reading the partial manuscript to make sure part of the story doesn’t disappear and the continuity is spot on. I can’t tell you how much fodder that event gave the little voice in my head that creates self-doubt.
I put these words to paper—Or I guess actually it’s to screen so others will know there is always a light at the end of that dark tunnel. Sometimes you just have to wait for the ray of light, but it’s there lurking. That’s tough for me as I’m the impatient, determined sort. Well, it’s time to delve back into my next book in the second Mountain Town Mystery Series before the characters take off in the wrong direction…again. <sigh>
What I’d like to take away from all this is, take time to enjoy your family and friends. Remember to take care of you. A short walk, relax in a quiet place can get the juices flowing again. Self-doubt is a reoccurring event for most writers, don’t let it rule your world.
Now let me tell you about my new release SECURITY FORCE OF TWO.
Miacoh Zane, a Special Forces veteran, returns to Aspen Ridge, Colorado a small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains, to settle his beloved grandmother’s estate. But the town holds painful memories and family secrets he wants to leave behind for good.
Candle Bearclaw, a gifted computer analyst/programmer with talents she’s buried when recruited out of college by the CIA. After fifteen years, she abruptly resigns her position with the agency. She returns to her sleepy hometown only to discover her childhood crush has also returned and a violent crime has been committed.
Due to their covert operations experience, Candle and Miacoh are thrown together to assist Homeland Security, FBI, and her father, former chief of police, with a murder investigation. As they search for the perpetrators, will their secrets be revealed as the investigation takes an unusual twist that could blow the case wide open.
Candle Bearclaw stood in front of Carl’s large mahogany desk, laid the unsealed white envelope face up on the polished desktop, and slid it toward her boss.
“What’s this?” Carl eyed the offending envelope.
“It’s what we talked about last week, my resignation.” Candle swung her briefcase onto the leather chair beside her. Pulling out a laptop computer, a manila file folder, and a memory stick, she sat them on the corner of her boss’s desk. “It’s all here, including the passwords necessary to access the sensitive files, my work thus far on the assignment, including my contacts, and it’s a good stopping point for me. Someone else should be able to pick up exactly where I left off, seamlessly. I am requesting a no contact status by you and the agency.” She pulled out a .380 semi-automatic tucked into the waistband of her slacks, ejected the magazine, and racked the slide open. Gingerly setting the gun on the desk beside the other items, she sighed.
He looked across the desk at her, observing her actions. “I understand your position, but that may not be possible. How deep were you?”
Hands flat on the desktop, she leaned over and glared at him. “Deep enough to understand the assignment went against every fiber of my being. You knew that when you assigned it to me, and yet, you did it anyway, knowing it would be my final act as a CIA operative.”
She stood and raised her arms in a surrender motion. “For God’s sakes, Carl, I’m a computer analyst turned hacker under your fine tutelage. I can’t do it anymore.”
Carl leaned back in his chair. “A replacement will be difficult to find, if not impossible,” he said flatly. “You’re the best.”
“You should have thought about that before you forced me to take this assignment,” she insisted, pacing around the room.
Carl raked his fingers through his thick salt and pepper hair rubbing at the tension knots that formed the minute she walked through the door. “Thought you’d come around. You always have.”
Candle shook her head, feeling a little sorry for the predicament she’d put him in, though it was of his own making. “Not this time. I’m through. And I’m taking you up on the promise you made when I agreed to become an independent contractor with the agency.” She gave a half laugh. “That didn’t last long, did it?”
“That was a long time ago before you were officially with the agency. I’m not sure you can just walk now. The director needs to sign off on this.” Her boss leaned forward with his elbows on the desk, fingers tented in front of him, and gave her a hard stare.
“I guess that’s your problem. Unless, of course, you want me to have a little chat with the President.” She shrugged then returned his stare, refusing to look away. “Come on, Carl cut the bullshit. I know you don’t want me to go, but we both know I’m not cut out for what this assignment could turn into. I’m a computer geek, not a deep-cover operative.”
Finally looking away, Carl sighed, reached for the envelope, and pulled out three pieces of neatly folded paper. The first was her handwritten resignation, signed and notarized. The second had one word typed on the entire page, a password to unlock her agency computer giving access to the top-secret files stored there. “Only one password?” He raised a bushy brow in question.
“Yes, the rest you can get from my handler, Mark, along with anything you don’t understand on the third page regarding my assignment.” She turned on her heel and started for the door.
Carl stood and walked around the desk. “Candle. Are you sure about this?”
She paused and turned halfway around. “Positive.”
The determined look on her face said it all. He sighed. “Ok, I’ll set up your exit interview in one hour. That’ll give me time to get HR briefed and up here.”
“Thanks, Carl. I appreciate it.” She pulled a single piece of paper out of her briefcase and laid it in front of him. “I need you to sign off on this, acknowledging receipt of my computer, weapon, phone, and files.”
Carl pulled the paper toward him, scribbled his name at the bottom, pushed the document back to her. “You know this is going to tarnish my reputation.” He said gruffly, a small smile crossing his lips. “I just allowed one of our best geeks to cut her ties to the agency.” Carl solemnly nodded his head, bringing his eyes up to meet hers. “I wish you’d reconsider.”
Candle shook her head slowly. “Not a chance.” She grasped the polished silver handle and yanked open the door. Walking through, she closed it quietly. Leaning her back against the door, she felt like a dead weight had just been lifted from her shoulders and let out a sigh of relief. Only the director stood in the way of her freedom.
Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award-winning paranormal tales. Some call her crazy others creative. She deals with the voices in her head by writing them down and creating a fantasy world and characters you won’t soon forget. Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure, magic, and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.
Colorado is home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a fifty-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors.
I adore my Wild Rose Press sisters, and Jana Richards has been a sister since the beginning of my writing journey with WRP. Today, I’m featuring her and a few of her books in the Victorian Mansion Series. Have a look….
I originally wrote RESCUE ME, book 1 in my Victorian mansion series, many years ago. Like over twenty-five years ago. I submitted the story to Harlequin’s Duets, a line devoted to humorous, light-hearted love stories. Harlequin passed on RESCUE ME, and not long after, a computer crash wiped out the digital copy of the book. The last surviving copy was a printed manuscript that I’d stuffed into a box and pushed into the back of a closet.
Fast forward to 2007. I’d finally sold my first novel to a small publishing company. I’d read that offering a free book at various retailers was a good way of getting attention, but I didn’t have anything to offer. But then I remembered the completed story stuffed into a box at the back of the closet. I dug it out and wondered how I’d turn this pile of paper into an ebook.
Where there’s a will there’s a way. I took my pile of papers to my day job and fed it through a scanner. (Just to be clear, I did this after office hours.) The scanner turned the paper into a PDF, which I emailed to myself and converted into a Word document that I could revise. Because, oh boy, did it need revision. My writing had changed over the years, hopefully for the better.
I also had to come up with cover art. I couldn’t afford a cover artist, so I purchased a piece of vector art for $5 and a friend helped me put the text on it. Using software at Amazon and at Draft to Digital, I put the cover and the manuscript together and magically turned them into an ebook! I offered it free at several retailers.
That low-budget free book served me well for several years. But by 2018 I decided I needed something more. A free book isn’t terribly useful unless it leads to further sales. So I wrote a companion book to RESCUE ME called TAKE A CHANCE ON ME. Both are set in the same, somewhat shabby Victorian mansion in Toronto. This time, I commissioned a really great cover from artist Rae Monet, and it’s one of my favorites, probably because of the pug! I put the cover and buy links in the back of RESCUE ME, hoping to entice readers to buy the new book.
But I’d made a couple of fundamental flaws in my marketing. First of all, I didn’t change the cover of RESCUE ME when the new book released. It still had my homemade cover. Secondly, I wrote TAKE A CHANCE ON ME as a spicy, sexy book while RESCUE ME is a sweet romance. I reasoned that most of my other books were of the spicy variety, so it represented my writing better. Perhaps that was true, but it meant the Victorian Mansion two-book series (or duet) was uneven when it came to heat levels.
So, in 2022 I decided to do something about it. First, I commissioned a new cover for RESCUE ME. It was finally time to get a professional cover and once more Rae Monet came through. Second, and most difficult, I rewrote TAKE A CHANCE ON ME to make it a sweet romance. I found it wasn’t simply a matter of removing the sex scenes. The tone of the book had to change as well. It required a lot of work and took much longer than I’d expected.
But finally, by December of 2022, I was able to relaunch the Victorian Mansion duet with a new cover for RESCUE ME and a rewrite of TAKE A CHANCE ON ME. Both are now available on Kindle Unlimited. It’s been a long time coming!
Or is it? Soon after Matt moves in, strange romantic notes begin showing up at the art gallery where Chelsea works. Then she’s followed home from the bus stop late one night, and her apartment is broken into. Despite her growing feelings for Matt, all the evidence points to him as the culprit.
Matt is at a crossroads. His acting career is stalled, and all his siblings are getting married and having babies while his love life is non-existent. Something has to change. Things begin to look up for Matt when he moves next door to Chelsea. He’s totally captivated by the beautiful blonde and wants to take their relationship to the next level. But when he discovers what Chelsea suspects about him, his plans are put in jeopardy. And how can he protect her from the real stalker?
Is Matt the kind, funny, sincere man Chelsea is falling in love with, or some kind of letter-writing stalker? She must decide whether he is a dream come true or her worst nightmare.
Teacher Darcy Ferris loves to travel almost as much as she loves her Toronto neighborhood. But no matter how far she roams, she always returns to the genteelly shabby Victorian mansion where she grew up, the last place her father lived. Darcy’s world is turned upside-down when the Victorian is slated for demolition.
Since the death of architect Nick Cummings’ mother, his father has retreated from his real estate development business, and from life. In a desperate attempt to interest him in something once more, Nick buys a beat-up Victorian mansion and draws up plans to replace it with a Victorian-inspired condo. He hopes his father’s old spark will return if he helps him build the new condo. But he doesn’t expect such opposition from his new tenant, Darcy Ferris. Nor does he expect to fall in love with her.
Nick and Darcy must come to terms with the past before they can forge a future together. And they’ll need to take the biggest chance of all – on love.
When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).
Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and two senior cats named Layla and Leelou. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com
I’ve said this so many times and I love saying it again and again: I LOVELOVELOVE when one of my Wild Rose Press sistahs comes for a visit, especially when they tell me about one of their new books. Today I have sistah RACHEL BRIMBLE here for the very first time. YAY! She was kind enough to answer all my interview questions then give me a little peek into her newest WRP book VICTORIA AND VIOLET (THE ROYAL MAIDS BOOK 1) available now.
Victoria…the floor is yours!
Rachel, theAuthor:
What drives you to write?
Because I love it so much! I have wanted to write since I was very young and once I started writing toward publication in 2015, it became a huge part of my life. These days, if I go more than three days without writing, I become a very difficult person to live with, haha! It’s a compulsion…
What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why?
I have been concentrating on historical romance for the last four years or so, but I also have contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels published with Harlequin and the Wild Rose Press. Writing historical romance gives me a wonderful outlet for my history obsession and an excuse to read lots and lots of non-fiction books and watching numerous documentaries! However, I definitely write romance because I love LOVE!
What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why?
I read historical, contemporary, and romantic suspense – I think if I had to choose one as a favorite, I would have to say historical 😊
What’s your writing schedule? Do you write every day?
I am lucky enough to be able to write full-time so I tend to write from 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday with a lunch break and dog walk in between as well as a couple of hours on Saturday. I try to take Sunday off completely!
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?
I started on the kitchen table, but for the last four years, I have written from my home office which is the spare bedroom of my house. This room is my haven and I appreciate the space so much. I have a beautiful white desk with my planning boards in front of me, a window looking out onto our back garden and two walls with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves containing research books and novels.
Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnel vision?
I need total quiet to write but can edit and do my admin and/or social media content work with background noise. I need the silence to actually create.
7. Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?
No – I have just never felt the need. Lots of my writer friends have playlists for their different books, but it has never been a thing for me.
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?
My current work in progress is the second book in my Royal Maids series and is set in the court of the Prince and Princess of Wales who go on to become King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The idea for the plotline came to me when I read about Alexandra’s love of clothes and how she had been admired for her looks and style in the early 20th century the same way Princess Diana was admired in the late 20th century.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why?
It’s usually plot – I am often inspired by a historical building or a period drama I have seen on TV that I would have written differently. A plot will slowly form in my mind and then I have to wait for the characters to come forward and claim their spots in the book! I really enjoy getting to know my characters, but it isn’t until about a third way, or even halfway, through the first draft that I feel I know them well.
What 3 words describe you, the writer?
Hardworking, passionate, ambitious (Peggy here: I LOVELOVLOVE those descriptions!!!)
Rachel,The Person:
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing!
I have naturally curly hair and have not had my hair professionally cut since my wedding day in 1998 – my daughters or husband give it a quick trim whenever needed!
Who was your first love and what age were you?
Apart from childhood crushes, I would have to say my husband! We started dating when we were 18 😊
If you could relive one day, which one would it be? Think GROUNDHOG DAY, the movie for this one – you’ll have to live it over and over and….
Ooh, I have been blessed with many fabulous days in my life, but one that I will never forget and treasure forever was when my husband surprised me with a flight to Ireland and a two-night stay at Ashford Castle where romance writer Nora Roberts was hosting an afternoon tea and book signing.
I ADORE her books and it was a dream come true to talk to her and have her say hello again to me in the evening at the castle where she was staying, too.
What’s one thing you love about your significant other?
His generosity – he is such a generous person in every way and would help anyone who needed it. He has a very good heart.
If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it item, what would it be?
My laptop, of course! 😊
What three words describe you, the person?
Funny (I hope!), kind, conscientious (AWWW!)
If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be?
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any timeline, who would it be, why, and what would you do together?
The Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist – he would take me around all the dark, seedier places of Victorian London and teach me the art of survival. I love his character so much. He has always been an example of resilience to me rather than a petty criminal!
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound : A running bath!
Least favorite sound: My children crying
Best song ever written :I Have Nothing (Whitney Houston)
Worst song ever written: Mr Blobby by Mr Blobby
Favorite actor and actress: Tom Hanks
Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead) Oprah Winfrey – I follow her on Instagram and her ranch looks amazing. I’d love to sit on her porch for breakfast and then contemplate my day/friends/family etc and then choose which famous person I’m going to call up to come over for dinner…
What turns you on? Books!
What turns you off? Housework…
Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”)
Can I have 6? “How much do you love football?” hahah – yes, you can!!!!
What’s your version of a perfect day?
Writing in the morning, a long dog walk in the English countryside followed by dinner in an old pub, preferably Tudor.
It should be a dream come true to serve the Queen of England…
When Violet Parker is told she will be Queen Victoria’s personal housemaid, she cannot believe her good fortune. She finally has the chance to escape her overbearing mother, a servant to the Duchess of Kent.
Violet hopes to explore who she is and what the world has to offer without her mother’s schemes overshadowing her every thought and action.
Then she meets James Greene, assistant to the queen’s chief political adviser, Lord Melbourne. From entirely different backgrounds and social class, Violet and James should have neither need nor desire to speak to one another, yet through their service, their paths cross and their lives merge—as do their feelings.
Only Victoria’s court is not always the place for romance, but rather secrets, scandals, and conspiracies…
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association as well as the Historical Novel Society and has thousands of social media followers all over the world.
Peggy here – I can’t thank you, Rachel, enough for coming to visit me today. I loved your interview and I’ve got my own pic of me with Nora, as well!!!! It was a top 5 day in my life when I met her and got to speak with her privately!!!! Good luck with Victoria and Violet – it sounds fabulous!!!)
You all know I love when my author friends come to visit and bring me their latest work. While Jan Sikes and I have never met, we are very good email and social media buddies! Today she is visiting me and talking about her newest release SADDLED HEARTS which is garnering fantastic reviews from readers everywhere. Let me have her tell you a little about it…
Jan….
Thank you, Peggy, for reaching out to me about a guest blog post for my newest book release, Saddled Hearts! I am honored to be visiting!
While the book is no longer on tour, there were still some parts of the story I had wanted to feature but ran out of time, so I’m going to share one of those here with your followers.
While doing my research for this book, I visited The Gold Horse Ranch. The owners shared a story with me about a colt born on the ranch. The mother died giving birth, and they had to pair the colt with an adopted mother. It was a process to find the right mare who would accept the baby as her own. On the Gold Horse Ranch, they named the baby Magic, and she has a star on her forehead. They said all the other horses gathered around the stall to witness the birth. I was so taken by the story I had to include at least something similar in Saddled Hearts.
Here is the excerpt:
Colt rambled on about the horses while he drove. Genuine caring came through his words. “Lightning is a horse I’ve had since I was a boy. He was born right here on this ranch, and it was a magical experience.”
“Magical?” Sage glanced in his direction.
“His mother died giving birth. I was there with my grandfather that night, and I swear to you, a light shone down inside the stall. I know it sounds corny, but like the pictures you see of baby Jesus and the Star of Bethlehem.”
The description made the hairs stand up on Sage’s arms. “That’s amazing! What do you do when a mom can’t feed her baby?”
“We have to pair the colt with another mare. We had to bottle-feed Lightning for a while. It took a few tries, but a mare finally adopted him and raised him. Now he’s getting up in years. The average lifespan of a horse, if it’s well-cared for, is twenty-five to thirty years. Lightning is sixteen.”
“How did he get his name?”
“You’ll see when you meet him. He has a mark on his forehead that looks like a lightning bolt, and he could run like the wind. Still can when he wants to. His mother was a Thoroughbred, and his sire a Quarter Horse. That’s a great combination. I won many a race on his back.”
***
I’ll always treasure the day I spent on The Gold Horse Ranch soaking up the way of life and all the stories. I shared some versions of several of them in my book. I’d love to hear from you. Have you ever been around animals that had to be adopted by another to survive? Let’s talk!
BLURB:
Colt Layne owns the Layne Horse Sanctuary. He lives an idyllic life between caring for the animals and playing music with his band. That is until a stranger appears with unreasonable demands. When someone murders the man, Colt is arrested. He’s been framed, but by whom and why?
He needs to talk with his deceased grandfather. But that’s impossible. Or is it?
Sage Coventry is gifted with the ability to communicate with the deceased. Skeptical but desperate, when Colt consults with her, he gets more than messages from beyond the grave as she breezes into his heart with sweet patchouli fragrance and tempting lips he longs to kiss.
The race against time to clear his name and save the ranch launches them on a mission that brings shocking revelations.
You all know how much I lovelovelove having my Wild Rose Press sistahs come visit me. This year. the WRP has a new series titled CHRISTMAS COOKIES, and one of my favorite sistahs, Maria Imbalzano, has a new addition to the series that just released yesterday: RED VELVET CRINKLES & CHRISTMAS SPRINKLES. The book sounds as delicious as the title implies!!!! Maria is stopping by today to tell us all a little about the book.
Maria…
Hi Peg: Thanks so much for having me. I’m thrilled that my newest novella “Red Velvet Sprinkles and Christmas Sprinkles” has been released this week. It’s part of the Christmas Cookie Series published by the Wild Rose Press. This is the first Christmas story I ever wrote and I loved writing it almost as much as I love the Christmas holidays. One of our family traditions that I follow every year, is baking Christmas cookies. I always did it with my mom and now I do it with my daughters, although my cookies never come out as good as my mom’s did. I’m a little casual with measurements for ingredients and I don’t always have everything I need, so I substitute. The heroine of this book, Bella Simonetti, is very similar to me in that regard and there are some funny scenes where she and her mom don’t see eye to eye in the baking department. Despite that, Bella has a plan to help transform her parents’ failing business, just in time for the holidays.
Competitive, work-obsessed Bella Simonetti has just been fired from her high-paying job at a Manhattan law firm. At an all-time low, she returns home and helps her parents at their small-town gift shop, but the business is failing and may not make it past the Christmas holidays.
Successful landscape architect Dean Jackson is like a son to Bella’s parents. But he’s a persistent annoyance to her—he seems to have forgotten his unforgivable blunder thirteen years earlier.
When Bella transforms her parents’ gift shop into a cookie cottage, Dean’s generosity and magnetic smile are hard to resist, and those feelings of unrequited adolescent love come rushing back. But can Bella let go of the past and accept Dean for the man he is today?
Just then the bell over the door signaled a customer. Bella glanced up to see if their guest was here to browse or needed help, but no customer materialized. It was her dad with Dean in tow.
She had to admit he was even more striking than in high school. His light brown hair, sweeping from left to right in a perfect wave of silk, still had sun streaks from the summer, no doubt enhanced while playing on the links. And those green eyes had always been like flashing gemstones that sucked her in. But the best was his roguish smile—half teasing, half serious, but permanently heart-stopping.
Her best bet would be to prevent any cause for cheerfulness. Yet his intense frown was also mesmerizing. Staying away from him altogether seemed the ideal solution, but her parents had different ideas. Of course, her surliness toward him might make him rethink his charitable desire to help.
“Hi, Bella. How’s it going?” Even that simple greeting came with a full-blown smile.
She was screwed. “Fine.” She got right to the point—no friendly chitchat. “If you and Dad bring the boxes up front from the storeroom, Mom and I will take care of the decorating. You won’t have to stay.”
“Are you kidding? I love to decorate for Christmas. I’ve been helping your parents do it for the past few years while you’ve been AWOL.”
She blew an errant strand of hair out of her eye. “I wasn’t AWOL. I was working. In New York. I couldn’t up and leave on a Wednesday afternoon to come home and decorate.”
There came that half-teasing, half-serious smile. To avoid it, she started pulling Christmas balls hung on red-and-green silk ribbons from the large box she’d brought out.
“I can help you hang those in the window. I hid the hooks above the molding last year so we don’t have to remove them every year.”
“Clever.” Her sarcastic tone couldn’t be mistaken.
“We’ll need a ladder,” he determined. “I’ll get it from the back, then you can hand me the balls, and I’ll attach them.”
She slitted her eyes at him. “I want to hang the balls. You can do something else.”
“Fine. But it takes two for this job. You don’t want to be going up and down the ladder each time you hang a ball. It’s inefficient.”
He had a point. She’d have to bury her reluctance to work with him at the risk of coming up with some other childish excuse.
Once Dean brought the ladder to the window, she climbed up three steps and took the first ball from him. Not a well-thought-out plan since her butt was now at his eye level.
“Can you stand over here, please?” She pointed to the other side of the ladder.
“It’s better if I stand behind you, to spot you. In case you lose your balance.” His grin emerged, and she gritted her teeth to prevent a growl.
Inhaling, she reached up to tie the ribbon on the hook. Her sweater inched over her midriff, giving him a view of her torso. This day just couldn’t get any worse. If she hadn’t been so stubborn in demanding that she hang the ornaments, she’d have the pleasure of staring at his physique, not the other way around.
is a retired matrimonial lawyer who now writes full-time. Instead of drafting motions, legal memoranda, and briefs, although fascinating, she now spends her days creating memorable characters and taking them on their emotional journeys through her contemporary romance novels.
Her novel, “Unchained Memories,” won the Wisconsin Romance Writers Write Touch Readers’ Award and the ACRA Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence Award. “Sworn to Forget,” the first of the four-book Sworn Sisters Series was a finalist for the illustrious RONE award as well as the Book Buyers Best Award. Two of her novellas, “The Blueberry Swirl Waltz” and “A Song For Another Day” won first place awards in their categories in the NEST (National Excellence in Story Telling) contest. Both of these novellas were also finalists for the Beverley Award.
My Wild Rose Press sistah, Julie Howard, is part of the new WYLDER WEST series from the publisher and today her addition, THE THREE WIDOWS OF WYLDER releases. Julie sat down with me recently for an interview, so sit back and learn more about this talented writer. Then stick around for a glimpse into the Wylder West territory!
Julie, The Writer
1. What drives you to write?
It’s always about the story for me. I love to read compelling stories and getting swept up in a different world. I’ve always wanted to do the same for others. Plus, it’s tremendous fun to create characters and an intriguing plot – I live in a bit of make-believe nearly every day.
2. What genre(s) of Romance do you write, and why?
I always have a touch of romance in the books I write. I’ve written mysteries, paranormal mysteries and historical fiction. My books are mainly about the women who are the main characters and their personal journey – and there always seems to be a man in the picture.
3. What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why?
I enjoy a variety of genres, from historical fiction to mysteries to science fiction. I’m a sucker for a good story and good storytelling whatever the genre may be.
4. What’s your writing schedule? Do you write every day?
I write nearly every day, primarily in the mornings but sometimes I end up at my computer for most of the day and into the night.
5. Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?
I set up an office upstairs but that felt too secluded. Now I work at my dining room table, which works very well since it’s big and I have room to spread out. I also can see out the front window and can watch the world go by. I love seeing neighbors out and about with their children and dogs. Of course, I’m closer to the kitchen downstairs so that’s handy if I want that third cup of coffee.
6. Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnel-vision?
I like a bit of bustle around me while I write, and can tune it in or out pretty well. I don’t mean noise or loud music – but I like hearing other people around.
7. Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?
I generally don’t listen to music since it tends to influence my mood and that, in turn, impacts what I’m writing in a scene.
8. How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?
When I heard my publisher was launching a new series set in the old American West, my story came almost immediately. I already had an idea about three widows with secrets, but wasn’t entirely sure what their plot would be. When I thought about them being in the Old West, I knew immediately what my story was. I wrote the synopsis within 24 hours of hearing about the series.
9. Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why?
That’s a great question. They tend to arrive together, but perhaps the character has a slight edge. For this current story, the three main characters were there first for me and I had to figure out: What would these three women do?
10. What 3 words describe you, the writer?
Creative, obsessed, prolific
Julie, the Gal
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing!
I started kindergarten when I was three.
Who was your first love and what age were you?
I was in third grade and there was the cutest boy! Of course, he wasn’t enamored of girls then, but when we were in high school, he asked me out. It was a bit of a letdown, though he was still very cute.
If you could relive one day, which one would it be? Think GROUNDHOG DAY, the movie for this one – you’ll have to live it over and over and….
Nearly any day when my kids were preschool age. I’d love to relive a moment in time again when they were little. I know it could get old if that’s all I had forever, but they were so darn cute!
If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it item, what would it be? Hmmm, I can’t live without coffee so I’d give up a coffee maker. That would leave me with three others. Seriously. I have a coffee maker that uses ground beans, one that has an internal grinder, an espresso maker, and a French press.
What three words describe you, the person?
Kind, determined, loyal.
If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time line, who would it by, why, and what would you do together? Emma by Jane Austen. I’d love to have tea and a bit of gossip about the neighborhood.
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound: Children laughing
Least favorite sound: Power tools
Best song every written: Imagine
Favorite actor and actress: Jude Law and Judy Dench
What turns you on? Kindness
What turns you off? Meanness
Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) “It’s bigger than you think.”
What’s your version of a perfect day?
Such a tough question since there are so many things I’d want to do! I suppose I’d start off rising very early and enjoying the quiet with a cup of coffee while the sun came up. Then a few hours of writing, a long cycle by the river, a short walk in the nearby mountains, and then a big family dinner on the patio.
And now… THE THREE WIDOWS OF WYLDER
Three women on the run.
After the death of her husband, Clara flees a hanging judge and seeks refuge with her brother in Wylder, Wyoming.
With secrets of her own and good reasons to flee, spoiled and vain Mary Rose joins Clara on the trek to Wyoming. Surely a suitable man exists somewhere.
Emma is a mystery. A crack shot and expert horsewoman, her harrowing past seeps out in a steady drip. She’s on the run from something, but what?
After the three women descend on Wylder, a budding romance leads to exposure of their pasts. As disaster looms, will any of them escape?
Emma stood, legs apart, one hand on the pistol at her hip. The covered wagon was the type used years ago by pioneers, before trains tamed the prairie, and they still lumbered across areas where tracks hadn’t been laid. Two women sat side-by-side, too focused on their argument to yet notice the camp they entered. Their one horse, overmatched by the heavy wagon, was damp with sweat, its mouth flecked with froth.
“We should have stayed on the main road.” The peevish one appeared much younger, curly gold hair topped by a large straw hat. She wore a light-yellow dress with lace at her wrists and throat, a perfectly inadequate outfit for travel. “Someone could have provided directions.”
The older woman had finely-drawn features, a few strands of gray threaded through her dark, uncovered hair. Dressed in sensible blue calico, she gripped the reins too tight and the poor horse gave a pathetic shake of its head. “The whole point was to avoid people,” she sniped.
Emma strode forward and seized the reins. “For God’s sake, you’re killing him.”
The two women gaped as though at an apparition. The horse, released from harsh hands, lowered its head and halted. Its sides heaved as flies drank at its sweaty flanks.
“Whomever let you two fools handle a horse should be whipped.” Tempted to dispatch the women to hell for their cruelty, Emma rested her hand on the pistol’s handle.
They two travelers spoke in tandem. “Who are you?” and “How dare you call me a fool.”
As Emma crooned into in the horse’s ear, her expert fingers undid the buckles at its shoulders and haunches. By the time the older of the two women climbed to the ground, the horse was unhitched and Emma led it to the creek.
“That’s our horse,” cried the one in yellow. “Clara, what is that insane girl doing? She’s stealing him.”
Emma halted, shoulders stiff. She turned and pointed the pistol at the one with lace at her throat. “I’m no horse thief.” She cocked the hammer. “Apologize.”
Julie Howard is the author of the Wild Crime mystery series and Spirited Quest paranormal mystery series. She is a former journalist and editor who has covered topics ranging from crime to cowboy poetry. She is a member of the Idaho Writers Guild and editor of the Potato Soup Journal. Learn more at juliemhoward.com.
Tagline: A marriage of convenience. An unexpected love.
Single dad Ben Greyson wants only to retain custody of his two stepdaughters. A dysfunctional childhood has made family the most important thing in his life. When his late wife’s parents sue for custody, a desperate Ben is left with two choices – run away with his girls or marry his next-door neighbor.
Jamie Garven wants to be a mother. She’s intrigued by her handsome new neighbor and falls in love with his little girls. Then Ben is faced with losing his children, and Jamie agrees to marry him for a chance at motherhood. They’re determined to show the world, and the girls’ grandparents, two loving parents. Their marriage of convenience turns into unexpected love. But Ben interprets Jamie’s efforts to save their family as betrayal—they could lose everything, including each other.
“Is there anything I can say to make you change your mind about running away?”
“Say you’ll marry me.”
The words were out of his mouth before he knew he was going to say them. Jamie stared at him, eyes wide.
“What?”
“Marry me. You’re the only woman I’d trust with my girls.”
It suddenly made sense. If Jamie married him he could keep his kids.
She jumped to her feet, waking one of the dogs who’d been sleeping on the couch next to her. “What kind of marriage do you want, Ben? Are you proposing something for show?”
“No! I don’t know!” He stood and grasped her arms. “If you’re asking me if we’ll sleep together as man and wife, I don’t know.”
Her mouth twisted as if she was holding back tears. “You know I love the girls, but please don’t ask me to pretend. The last few months of my marriage, all I did was pretend. I pretended I had a husband who loved me. I swore I’d never do that again.”
Ben wanted to take her in his arms and hold her. He hated doing this to her, hated making her relive unhappy memories. He was asking too much of her and he didn’t blame her for saying no.
“Please, forget I said anything.”
He’d stick to his original plan. He and the girls would disappear. He’d change their names, go someplace where no one knew them. A life on the run wasn’t what he wanted for his children, but he’d do whatever he needed to do to keep them.
“Ben—”
“I’m sorry, Jamie.”
Ben was out the door before he could hear anymore of her objections.
When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal. Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things” was a 2008 EPPIE finalist.
In her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant, a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg, Canada. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.janarichards.com
My Wild Rose Press sistah, C.B. Clark is visiting me today and we’re talking about her new release, TWISTED LIES and the new addition to her family! Check this out!!! Leave her some love after you read the post.
Thank you for hosting me on your Blog, Peggy. I’m thrilled to be here.
Twisted Lies is my seventh romantic suspense, and my first book with a dog as a central character. When we lost our beloved, fifteen-year-old pooch, the house felt empty, so my husband and I decided we needed another dog.
I thought I remembered what a puppy was like, but I was wrong…so wrong. Penny’s a Brittany, a sporting dog, bred to run and point at game birds. She’s high energy and requires LOTS of exercise.
The first months were challenging. We had to house train her, stop her incessant mouthing and chewing, and teach her to come on command. It was exhausting. I hadn’t counted on how much attention she’d need and how little writing was possible during those first months. It’s a miracle I completed Twisted Lies.
Time moves on, and Penny’s settled down. She still needs a good run every day and lots of ball throwing, but she’s made our lives so much better. Her joy of life helped eased the stress of these past challenging months and forced me to focus on things other than the state of the world. That may be why the heroine in Twisted Lies has a beloved pet to help her though the difficult times.
Athena Cooper’s tragic past drives her to seek solace in a bottle. The addiction threatens her legal career, and she risks spiraling out of control. When her dog engineers a meeting with an all-too-handsome hunk, it’s lust at first sight…until she discovers his identity.
Businessman Russell Crawford is desperate to find the woman who cheated him out of his inheritance. His shock when she turns out to be the gorgeous red head he had a brief encounter with is only surpassed when she claims his father was a murderer.
Athena and Russ declare a truce and join forces to investigate the mystery of her parents’ disappearance from an isolated island off the rugged Northwest Coast of British Columbia. Russ promises to be her safe harbor as they uncover long-buried secrets that rock her very foundation. Can she overcome a lifelong distrust and open her heart to love?
How was it possible? After all these years? The past she’d been running from had found her. The nightmare was back. The envelope fell from her shaking hands. Her legs wobbled as she rose and stumbled out of the living room and down the short hall to the kitchen.
Afternoon sunlight streamed through the window above the sink. The cozy kitchen, with its walls painted a cheerful butter yellow, and the well-scrubbed laminate countertops, gleamed. The steady hum of the refrigerator and ticking of the antique clock on the wall were the only sounds in the silent house. The pungent smell of fried onions and roasted garlic from last night’s homemade spaghetti sauce hung in the air.
The efficient kitchen, with its breakfast nook and view of the tidy, fenced backyard and the rolling, grassy foothills and snow-crested Rocky Mountains beyond, was the reason she’d bought the small rancher. This was her favorite room—the place she sought refuge when life overwhelmed her. How many times had she sat there in the evenings after work, sipping a glass of chilled white wine, watching the birds at the feeder on the back porch, breathing in the sweet smells of flowering Saskatoon bushes, regrouping until she was ready to face the world?
These days, her drink of choice was a cup of herbal tea or unsweetened apple juice. Alcohol was off the table…had been for twenty-one unendurable days.
Twisted Lies is award-winning author, C.B. Clark’s seventh novel published by The Wild Rose Press. When she’s not busy traveling around the globe or hiking and camping in the wilderness near her home in northern British Columbia, she can be found in front of her laptop plotting the next story.
Peggy here: Penny is such a cutie – and hubby and I also adopted a Covid-times puppy!!! I haven’t had a dog in over 21 years so I feel you when you say you thought you remembered what a puppy was like, but NOT!! Hee Hee
You all know by now I Iove my Wild Rose Press sistahs and I love introducing you all to new writers I think you’ll enjoy. Today is no exception to that premise.
Meet Susie Black. Susie is new to the Rose Garden and her debut cozy humorous mystery, DEATH BY SAMPLE SIZE is out now and getting fab reviews. Susie was kind enough to stop by recently, answer my grilling questions, and then we discussed her beloved grandmother and a forgotten art: letter writing. She also gave me a little excerpt to share from her book and I think you’ll agree that once you read it, you’ll want to get this book!
First, here’s our interview:
Susie Black: The Writer Questions
What drives you to write?
Coming from a sales background, I am a student of human nature, a people watcher, and a born storyteller. During the course of my ladies’ apparel sales career, I have kept a daily journal that chronicles the quirky, interesting, and sometimes challenging characters I come in contact with, as well as the crazy situations I’ve gotten myself into and out of. My journal is the foundation of all I write.
What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why?
I actually write in the humorous cozy mystery genre, but unrequited or ill-fated romance is usually one of the motives for the murder in my plots.
What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why?
I read romantic mysteries. I lean towards whodunits, but like them spiced up with some romance that usually drives the plot.
What’s your writing schedule? Do you write every day?
Honestly, I do not have a writing schedule. If I had only specific days and hours when I could write, then I would. I set my own schedules and find that writing when the urge to write hits instead of checking the calendar or clock to see if it is writing time, makes for a writing atmosphere that is much more creativefor me.
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?
Most of the time I write in my office at my computer adjacent to a window that overlooks a golf course. I have also been known to write on my laptop while sitting on the deck of my houseboat.
6. Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnel-vision?
I am used to white noise around the house, so I am able to filter out the typical sounds of the day. Also, I have a hearing problem, so in this case, it is a benefit as I simply do not hear a lot of noise.
Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?
It depends. If I am working on a chapter that I have a good idea of how to write, then I listen to either cool jazz or oldies in the background. If I am working on a new section or one that is challenging, then no, I prefer as few distractions as possible, so no music for me to sing along to.
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?
The plotline/idea for my current WIP came from an incident I had with an unscrupulous buyer that I used poetic license to take to a much more dramatic level.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why?
I am a people person, so for me, the characters always come first. My characters always drive the plot, never the reverse.
What 3 words describe you, the writer?
Funny. Honest. Passionate.
Susie, the Gal…
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing!
I eat each item on the plate separately and completely before I go to the next item and I eat my least favorite item on the plate first.
Who was your first love and what age were you?
My first love was Dean Schneider. We were five years old.
If you could relive one day, which one would it be? Think GROUNDHOG DAY, the movie for this one – you’ll have to live it over and over and….
My Wedding Day
What’s one thing you love about your significant other?
He makes me laugh every, single day.
If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it item, what would it be?
My car
What three words describe you, the person? Honorable, Trustworthy, Sassy
If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be?
“I won’t grow up” from Peter Pan
If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time line, who would it by, why, and what would you do together?
Nancy Drew because she got me interested in mysteries. We would solve a mystery together.
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound: Waves breaking on the seashore
Least favorite sound: Fingernail scratches across a chalkboard
Best song every written: People, by Barbra Streisand
Worst song ever written: Woolly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs
Favorite actor and actress: Favorite actor: Jack Lemon Favorite Actress: Meryl Streep
Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead): Fearless Golda Meir because she was one of the first female heads of state in a major country and did what was necessary to defend Israel.
What turns you on? Love
What turns you off? Narrow minds
Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”): “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to be at work really early tomorrow.”
What’s your version of a perfect day? My husband, son, and I are together enjoying one another’s company.
And now, A little on that forgotten letter-writing art form:
In this modern time of smart phones that do almost everything including talking for you, it is hard to believe, but back in the early days, telephones were difficult to use, often unreliable, and expensive to own. Not every family, including mine, could afford the luxury of having one.
Like many families, once my Nana’s siblings grew up and left home, they scattered across the country. Nana knew the importance of keeping her family together no matter how many miles separated them. Since a phone was not an option, as the oldest child, Nana was chosen to write letters to family members living far from home. With the same level of dedication as the postman; come rain, sleet, or snow, war or peace, prosperous times or the depths of a national depression, my blind-as-a bat without her coke bottle-thick glasses Nana sat every Monday night at her dining room table and wrote a letter to each of her siblings. Her letters sewed the thread that kept our close-knit tribe connected.
When I was in my sophomore year of college my family moved from Los Angeles to Miami. Despite their valiant attempts to persuade me to join them, I wasn’t interested in relocating to “God’s waiting room,” and remained out west. The good news was that Nana added me to her list of weekly letter-writing recipients. Lonesome for my family, Nana’s weekly letter was an eagerly-anticipated lifeline to my family’s heart and soul. For all of us, that letter was the glue that kept our family bound together no matter how far from home one of us wandered.
The designated town crier, Nana’s letters were more like a newsletter. A date with her friends at the movies? After reading her letter, I was in the seat next to her. She reported who went, what they wore, if they were late or early; where they sat, if they had a snack, what the snack was, editorials on how much the snacks and the movie tickets cost, and every detail of the movie that was so complete, the recipient of her letter could write a decent review based on Nana’s commentary. If she described what an attendee was wearing, I could close my eyes and picture the outfit perfectly. Her descriptions were so detailed and rich, that if she was describing a meal, I could smell the wafting aroma and taste the food.
Out of sentimentality or maybe a sixth sense that someday I’d need them, I kept every one of those letters. Like Nana, they were strong-willed and hearty; surviving dogs, a child, countless moves, several major earthquakes and a devastating house fire. I had no formal creative writing training when I decided to write my first manuscript. I had a story to tell, but no clue how to tell it. I instinctively pulled the carefully wrapped packets of letters out of the storage box and re-read every one of them. I could picture Nana at the dining room table writing the letters. I heard her voice inside my head speaking to me. My long-gone, full-service Nana had given me all the tools I needed. I re-packed the letters, started to write, and thanks to Nana, I never stopped.
In a detached society that values cheaper and faster, we are insulated from direct contact with one another more each day. E-mail and texting replaced a phone call, and Zoom is the new version of a face to face meeting. We don’t need brick and mortar to build walls anymore. Modern technology has certainly had an impact on society mores and improved many aspects of our lives. Regrettably, technology was also a death knell for several means of personalized communication. Nana would have been horrified that a quaint, old fashioned skill like letter-writing disappeared. My debut humorous cozy mystery Death by Sample Size is out now. Thanks to Nana, my story has been told in a distinctive voice that comes through loud and clear.
Peggy here: I lovelovelove writing letters – and receiving them!!
Everyone wanted her dead…but who actually killed her?
The last thing swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik expected was to discover ruthless buying office big wig Bunny Frank’s corpse trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey with a bikini stuffed down her throat. When Holly’s colleague is arrested for Bunny’s murder, the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to find the real killer. Nothing turns out the way Holly thinks it will as she matches wits with a wily killer hellbent on revenge.
When the elevator doors opened, I had to stop myself short not to step on her. There was Bunny Frank-the buying office big shot-lying diagonally across the car. Her legs were splayed out and her back was propped against the corner. Her sightless eyes were wide open and her arms reached out in a come-to-me baby pose. She was trussed up with shipping tape like a dressed Thanksgiving turkey ready for the oven with a bikini stuffed in her mouth. A Gotham Swimwear hangtag drooped off her lower lip like a toe tag gone lost. Naturally, I burst out laughing.
Before you label me incredibly weird or stone-cold, let me say genetics aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. If you’re lucky you inherit your Aunt Bertha’s sexy long legs or your father’s ability to add a bazillion dollar order in his head and get the total correct to the last penny. Without even breaking into a sweat, it’s easy to spout at least a million fabulous traits inheritable by the luck of the draw. Did I get those sexy long legs or the ability to add more than two plus two without a calculator? Noooooooooo. Lucky me. I inherited my Nana’s fear of death we overcompensated for with the nervous habit of laughing. A hysterical reaction? Think Bozo the clown eulogizing your favorite aunt.
I craned my neck like a tortoise and checked around. Then I clamped a fist over my mouth. Cripes, how could I possibly explain my guffaws with Bunny lying there? The disappointment was simultaneously mixed with relief when there was no one else in the parking lot. Where was security when you needed them?
I toed the elevator door open and bent over Bunny. I’d seen enough CSI episodes to know not to touch her. She was stiff as a board and I attributed the bluish tinge of her skin to the bikini crammed down her throat. I was no doctor, but I didn’t need an MD after my name to make this diagnosis. Bunny Frank was dead as the proverbial doorknob.
It was no surprise Bunny Frank had finally pushed someone beyond their limits. The only surprise was it had taken so long. The question wasn’t who wanted Bunny Frank dead. The question was who didn’t?
Born in the Big Apple, Susie Black now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.
She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.
Just behind my college graduation, wedding day, and the birth of my son, June 9th was truly one of the most amazing days of my entire life. My debut cozy mystery Death by Sample Size was released for publication. I am humbled, honored, and proud to be able to say that now I am officially a published author! A life-long dream has come true, a hard-fought-for goal has been accomplished.
Peggy Jaeger, Author 