Tag: guest post

blog tour, books

Blog Tour: The Mid-Life Trials of Annabeth Hope – Alice May

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Two very different worlds are about to collide.

Feisty country girl Annabeth Hope has sworn off men since her ex abandoned her. Juggling three resentful step-teens, a hyperactive toddler, a smallholding, and a herd of rescued llamas, she has her hands full.
With the roof about to collapse on her crumbling New Forest home, she is desperate to find a way to hold her patchwork family together. The last thing she needs is an attractive distraction moving in next door.

Burnt-out inner-city doctor Rick Mahon has left London and his medical career behind in a moment of professional crisis. A malpractice lawsuit is on the horizon, and the cancel culture mob are snapping at his heels. His plan to stay under the radar is thrown off course when he meets his new neighbour and sparks start to fly.
Annabeth and Rick couldn’t be more different, but maybe they hold the key to each other’s happiness…

“What more could we want from life? Family, friends, llamas, and hope…
An excellent read.” Jenny Kane, author of the bestselling Mill Grange Series.

The Book Guild The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope | The Book Guild Ltd

Hive The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope: Alice May: 9781835740590: hive.co.uk

WHSmith The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope by Alice May | WHSmith

Cole’s Books The Mid-Life Trials of Annabeth Hope by Alice May 9781835740590 Coles Books
(coles-books.co.uk)

Amazon UK  Amazon US


A former GP surgery manager, school librarian and art teacher, Alice May is mum to four not-so-small children. She is married to the most patient man on the planet, and they live in the New Forest. Alice started writing in 2016 and she enjoyed playing with words so much that now she can’t stop.

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Choosing a publishing route for your manuscript, by Alice May


The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope is the first book in ten years of writing that I haven’t taken down the self-publishing route. Instead, I was offered a publishing contract by The Book Guild. While I have enjoyed the freedom of self-publishing in the past, it has been an enlightening experience working with talented publishing professionals on this new release.

My first book was a memoir. The House That Sat Down Trilogy is based on the time that my house fell down out of the blue one day and I ended up living in a tent in the garden with my children because our house insurance company refused to cover us. Once we had rebuilt our home and moved back in, I started writing to get my head around how that situation had unfolded. Before long I had a manuscript. I decided to self-publish through Amazon
KDP. Every part of the process of putting that book together was driven by me. I had to source editing advice, cover creation expertise, technical advice, marketing advice, and then put it all together. There it was. My book. Publishing it had taken me on a huge journey of discovery. A journey that had inspired me to make writing my full-time career.

Having been bitten by the writing bug, I decided I wanted to write fiction. I wasn’t naïve, though, I knew I had a lot to learn. A whole series of writing courses followed, and then a period of time submitting manuscripts to agents and publishers with the inevitable painful rejections. Developing my work through constructive feedback was an enlightening process.
Eventually the day dawned when an email fell into my inbox that wasn’t a rejection.
My dreams had come true. The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope had found a home with a publisher. I had to read that acceptance email several times before I could believe it.

Given that self-publishing gives you complete creative control, I was more nervous than I expected handing over my Annabeth Hope book baby to the control of others, but I haven’t been disappointed. At each stage of the editing, typesetting, cover creation, production and marketing process I have been supported by positive and very patient publishing professionals. I ask a lot of daft questions. They explain everything clearly and help me negotiate my way. I thought I would not get any say in layouts, cover design or the overall
look of my book, but that hasn’t been the case. My opinion counts too. I was even allowed to contribute some artwork to the cover. The silhouette of Annabeth with her daughter Grace that appears on the front cover is taken from a sketch I did of my daughter and granddaughter; and that makes me feel really connected with every part of the book.

Now, the question in the back of my mind is which route should I take with future books?
(The sequel to The Mid-Life Trials of Annabeth Hope is nearly finished.)
The short answer is: both.

On the one hand, I like the control and speed of self-publishing. On the other, I could get very used to the support and teamwork involved in working with a publishing house.
I think it is good to have options, and depending on the needs of whichever project I am working on, I am open to using both publishing routes again.
The important thing is to get stories out into the world for readers to enjoy.

I really hope you enjoy The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope. A story of families, friends, hope and love. There are llamas in it too. What more could you want?

Love
Alice

blog tour, books

Blog Tour: A Christmas Carol with Grandfather Time – Rose English

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A Christmas Carol with Grandfather Time
A modern lyrical re-telling of the Charles Dickens classic for children of all ages. Young Ebenezer hates sharing and is not very caring. Can a magical clock and a ghost puppy help him mend his ways?

SharingIsCaring

At least £1 from every book purchased will go towards donating a book to each child in Hereford County Hospital over the Christmas Season 2023

Amazon Kindle Link Tree


Living on ‘England’s Green & Pleasant Land’, among the gentle rolling hills of the Herefordshire Countryside, Rose’s house is wall to wall books. She’s a Read-a-holic, whose hobby is to write stories for the young and young at heart.
Working as a school librarian, and sharing her love of books with children, was the best job she ever had. However, life moves on and another chapter was only a page turn away. Working in a very different library now, she is a key worker for the NHS helping to run the Medical Equipment Library in Wye Valley NHS Trust.
After winning FIRST PRIZE in a short story competition with ‘The Magic of Grandfather Christmas’ she is inspired to transform the tale into a collection of stories for all ages. ‘Young Ebenezer’ is inspired by the Dickens classic ‘A Christmas Carol’ and brought into modern times with a strong theme of sharing and caring.
Rose has a little sidekick called Miss Ruby Heart, a ruby King Charles spaniel from the Grandfather Time Series. The puppy is the Ghost of Christmas Past and features on the ‘Young Ebenezer’ covers.
She also has her own social media pages to check out.

Website Twitter Instagram

Giveaway To Win a #SharingIsCaring #Giveaway (To share between the whole family) (Open to UK only)*
Prize includes –
📚 Hardback picture book ‘A Christmas Carol with Grandfather Time’ (4 – 8 years average)
📚Paperback ‘Young Ebenezer ~ A New Christmas Carol’ (8+ years)
📚 Paperback ‘Young Ebenezer ~ Confronts the School Bully (8+ years)
📚Paperback ‘The Magic of Grandfather Time’ (older readers to adults) This is where the stories all began a short story of love and loss
📚Paperback/Pocket Treasure ‘Ruby’s Christmas Gifts’ (Families to share) short stories, poems, puzzles jokes.
📚Grandfather Time bookmarks, pen, fridge magnet, sticker
📚Miss Ruby Heart glitter sticker, badge, heart/pawprint bracelet
📚Sharing is Caring necklace
📚Christmas keyring

Hello I’m Rose English and I’m a Read~a~holic! I’m also an aspiring author progressing from short stories for adults, to stories in verse for children. My muse is a ruby King Charles Spaniel named Miss Ruby Heart and together we like to #ShareAStory
My addiction began as a child, being shy and not making friends easily I sought comfort in books. The local library was my second home. I even dare to dream that one day I might write a book myself and see it upon the library shelves. My real name is hard to pronounce (Susan S’ari pronounced Shari) so I created Rose English who would be that English Rose
upon the shelves. Books over spilled our home so I created our very own library in the garden shed. I even made us all library tickets to check books in and out. Heaven help the borrower who did not return a book on time. Dog-eared books were an absolute No-No and would mean a ban plus expulsion from the shed (for a time anyway).
As I grew, I dabbled in writing poetry and short stories, but life moved on and I soon found myself at college and then in permanent employment. I found little time to write as I was always reading for studying. However, there was always time to read a book for pleasure. I came back to writing when I had little money to spare for a gift for mum’s birthday so I dug out some old poems and created a personalised gift. Mum loved it more than anything money could buy and still has the original, but now she has a self-published updated print copy ‘Rainbows & Roses ~ Poetry & Prose’.
In 2014 whilst perusing my local library I came across a book about long case clocks and in it a quote that inspired my future writing.
‘A grandfather clock has a face and a voice. As it name suggests, it is more than a piece of furniture; it is a member of the family’
‘English Country Grandfather Clocks’ by Richard C.R. Barder 1983
Immediately my thoughts turned to magic and the idea of a magical clock who would be the guardian of his beloved family. Hence, the birth of ~ Grandfather Time. The clock first makes his appearance in a short story ‘The Magic of Grandfather Christmas’ it won 1st Prize in an online seasonal competition. I was later able to self-publish the story as ‘The Magic of
Grandfather Time’. Miss Ruby Heart also made her first appearance in this story.
As I struggled over the years to try and turn ‘The Magic of Grandfather Time’ into a full-length novel my sister-in-law encouraged me to try it as a story in verse. Amazon was around that time looking for a new version of the Charles Dickens classic ‘A Christmas Carol’ but for kids. Low and behold ‘Young Ebenezer ~ A New Christmas Carol’ was born. There can only be one winner and this time it was not me. However, I had great feedback from a couple of author friends and they encouraged me again to self-publish. Miss
Ruby Heart featuring as ‘The Ghost of Christmas Past’ and the model on the front cover.

So commenced my transition to children’s author. Now having found my niche I thought about turning Ebenezer’s story into a picture book and we finally get ‘A Christmas Carol with Grandfather Time.’ In the story he is the narrator and along with Miss Ruby Heart the pair encourage the boy to be more caring and share with others. #SharingIsCaring
Who knows what the future holds, my aim is to create stories of Grandfather Time for both the young and young at heart. I am currently focusing on promoting the latest book to enable me to raise money to have more picture books printed so I can gift them to the children in my hospital over Christmas.
Thank you for enabling me to spread my joy of reading. A big THANK YOU to Rachel’s Random Resources and all you lovely bloggers involved in this mini blog tour.
May the magic of reading be with you always.

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by
Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal
data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

books

Guest Post: Introducing Your Paper Quest

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We are Your Paper Quest! A UK-based book of the month subscription box that exclusively features books from self-published authors. Our goal is to help indie authors get more exposure, whilst helping readers read outside the box. 

YPQ logo

Millions of books are both traditionally and self-published a year. It’s a daunting task to try and figure out where to even begin, especially if you’re interested in self-published and indie stories. We try and serve as taste-breakers, changing genres and themes every month whilst focusing on accessible stories. Choosing two different takes and perspectives to show the different approaches to a specific theme. Ensuring that if you might not like one, you’re bound to like the other.

Our subscription provides readers with two curated self-published novels averaging around 500 total pages per month. Along with bookish bits, such as unique notes from the authors to complement their stories, subscribers also get an invitation to join our virtual book club, where they can meet other subscribers to discuss the stories, and also ask questions directly to the authors themselves. That’s right, we have interviews with each featured author and we want to hear from our subscribers directly! This helps give a more personal experience.

Whilst we are always looking for new subscribers and can only supply subscribers within the UK, we are also always on the lookout for new authors to feature! If you’re a self-published author based anywhere in the world who writes in English, our submissions are always open on our website! We know how plagued the industry is with scams, rest-assured, we have contracts in place to protect your IP, and pay YOU to be featured! We also handle printing and distribution to further lower the burden off of your shoulders.

You can follow us on most social media @yourpaperquest and visit our website: www.yourpaperquest.co.uk  

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you might have! We’re always so happy to hear from readers and writers alike! 

Thanks for hearing us out and Happy Reading! 

Ryan & Steve

Steve & Ryan
books, reviews

Guest Post: Paul Maunder on writing The Atomics and my review!

ramblingmads

Today author Paul Maunder has kindly written about his experience writing new book The Atomics and I’ve been lucky enough to have read it (Thank you Lightning Books for my copy). My review follows after Paul’s essay. Enjoy!

A GOTHIC STORY OF MADNESS, REVENGE AND URANIUM-235
Midsummer, 1968. When Frank Banner and his wife Gail move to the Suffolk coast to work at a newly built nuclear power station, they are hoping to leave violence and pain behind them.
Gail wants a baby but Frank is only concerned with spending time in the gleaming reactor core of the Seton One power station. Their new neighbours are also ‘Atomics’ – part of the power station community. But Frank takes a dislike to the boorish, predatory Maynard. And when the other man begins to pursue a young woman who works in the power station’s medical centre, Frank decides to intervene.
As the sun beats relentlessly upon this bleak landscape, his demons return. A vicious and merciless voice tells him he has an obligation to protect the young woman and Frank knows just how to do it. Radiation will make him stronger, radiation will turn him into a hero…

A Productive Mid-Life Crisis

My winding path to publishing The Atomics

Paul Maunder

When I started writing fiction in my early twenties, I had no idea what I was doing. I’m sure many fiction writers will recognise that feeling, but my ignorance ran especially deep. Throughout my teenage years I was engaged in, obsessed by, cycle racing. My dream was to win the Tour de France not the Man Booker Prize. I read nothing but cycling magazines. But cycle racing is a cruel sport; I discovered the sizeable gap between my ambition and my ability, and at eighteen, tempted by the opportunity to reinvent myself at university, I gave up the lycra. 

At university I studied politics. Literature was only a very faint beep on the edge of my radar screen. I still wasn’t reading novels (I was barely reading the politics books required for my course), yet in the third year, when allowed to choose a course from another department, I went for an English Literature course about the American city. Perhaps that was the first glimmer of an interest in books, though I was too busy organising raves and other nefarious pursuits to really think about it.

The crucial moment came in the summer after leaving university. A friend lent me his copy of American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. I read it quickly and was absorbed, appalled, exhilarated. It was not the sex and violence that attracted me but the idea of what a novel could be. It was so different to my preconception of what constituted ‘literature’. Immediately I thought, I can do that. And I started doing just that.

It only took a few days for me to realise that I could not do anything remotely like that. But by then the addiction had taken hold. I was a writer. I knew that with absolute certainty. 

Over the following two decades I wrote five novels, plus a couple of false starts. I enrolled on the MA in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway, where I studied with Andrew Motion. I consumed books on the craft of writing and ploughed my way through dozens of novels. My ignorance about literature had allowed me to start writing without the sense of inadequacy that cripples many aspiring writers who know what a good book is. I saw this happening in my MA classes – the older, more experienced readers in the group would produce ten pages of prose but condemn their own work because it didn’t live up to their idea of what they should be producing. I had no benchmarks so I arrogantly thought that everything I produced was top-notch. 

I inched towards publication. Each novel I wrote was better than the last. I could always turn out a few pages of half-decent prose, but my downfall lay in bigger, structural issues. Plot, or lack thereof. Story, ditto. Characters that didn’t live and breathe. I submitted to literary agents and endured the slow drip of rejection letters. 

In the year that I turned forty I signed with a fantastic literary agent, one of those big names in the industry who commands respect from publishers. I had a novel set in the Second World War that felt ready, and a couple of editors were interested. I felt certain this was the moment I would drag myself across the line (I still had the arrogance of self-belief). The editors passed. My agent encouraged me to redraft the book, and I got lost in a maze of rewriting that I didn’t really understand or believe in. I lost sight of what the book was about. By the eighteenth draft I was left with a big mess.

I gave up. Switched to journalism and non-fiction. Published two books – with relative ease – about cycling. This was my mid-life crisis, more sedate and productive than buying a sports car or having an affair. Writing non-fiction required me to pull together a lot of information then build a story out of it that would, hopefully, engage the reader and keep them turning the pages. That transformed the way I looked at fiction. 

My earlier novels had been filled with all the strange and disparate ideas that had been floating around my head at that particular time – Cornish independence movements, custom coffin-makers, mobile libraries, dance music, Dad’s Army. The books had a facetious, too-clever tone. They didn’t hang together as stories, and there was no emotional truth at their core. Writing non-fiction taught me the importance of story, above all else. And the importance of considering the reader at all times. Previously I’d thought that whatever I wrote would be so perceptive, so insightful, that any sensible reader would be impressed. Now I understood just how daft that position was.

When I started The Atomics I focused on story and character. Create real characters, tell their story. That was my mantra. Now the book is about to be published by Lightning Books. I got there, eventually.

The Atomics by Paul Maunder is published by Lightning Books on May 3rd  

My thoughts: this was a really interesting book about a man slowing unravelling while working at a nuclear reactor and living in a small, intense community in a remote part of Suffolk.

There’s a sense of claustrophobia and a sort of incestuousness, the employees and their families seem to only socialise with each other, and Alice, who’s from the local community feels like something of an outsider.

Frank is seriously disturbed following the events that drive him from Oxford, and this leads him to do some terrible things. He’s also convinced that the uranium used at the plant is gifting him powers, as opposed to making him ill. The quiet desperation of his wife, Gail, increases as his mania does.

I found the growing violence and strangeness in Frank fascinating but also repelling, the voice in his head is menacing but also seductive in its desire for destruction.

Alice and Gail are also interesting – neither really belong in the village, even though Alice grew up there. Both want things their current lives won’t give them and don’t really know how to get them.

Thank you to Lightning Books for my review copy and Paul for sharing his experiences with us.

blog tour, books

Guest Post: The Far Wild – Alex Knight

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About The Far Wild

An expedition gone awry. Suni Koudounas is enamoured with the wonders — and dangers — of the Far Wild. As a naturalist’s apprentice, she’s studied every book and expedition report about the miraculous wilderness. But when her mentor goes missing on expedition, Suni sets aside the Far Wild of ink and paper to venture after him into the primordial jungle.

A missing skyship. As the empire’s most beloved adventurer — or most successful raconteur — Senesio Suleiman Nicolaou doesn’t want much. Wealth beyond measure, fame beyond reason, and a small kingdom somewhere warm should be about enough. When news of the rescue mission reaches him, Senesio knows there’s no better opportunity to add to his living legend.

The most dangerous wilderness known to man. With unexpected enemies above and monstrous predators in the jungles below, it’s up to Suni, Senesio, and their companions to uncover the truth of what’s happening in the Far Wild. It’s a revelation that will shake the empire to its core and reshape the lives of all involved — assuming, of course, they don’t all get eaten first.

Storytelling Thrives at the Intersection of Preparation and Imagination

Howdy, everyone. I’m Alex Knight — author of the recently released fantasy thriller, The Far Wild — and it’s a pleasure to be here today to talk about the writing. Or, more specifically, storytelling.

The debate on how best to write a story is endless, with numerous different camps all preaching different methods. And because writing is such an individual process, I think this is a situation where we can say everyone is right.

Whatever works for you is the best strategy to use.

That being said, I think I have an idea of something we can all use more.

I’m no household name, but I do have six books under my belt now — and a background as a ghostwriter with many more finished works. If I’ve learned one universal truth in my time writing fiction, it’s this:

Storytelling thrives at the intersection of preparation and imagination.

Pantsers like to figure everything out as they go. Plotters like it all planned and prepared.

I think it’s best to write a story by going right down the middle.

The times I see my readers most excited are the times when they’re thinking about a plot event, or world detail, or hinted-at character backstory, and letting their minds run wild. But how do we get their minds to do this?

We create the opportunity for it. And how do we do that? We write right up to the intersection of preparation and imagination.

Plan your plot, create your character backstories, fill your fantasy world with history and living cultures. Then tell the readers just the beginnings of it all.

Obviously, for plot-necessary events, you’ll need to explain as fully as required, but for the rest, I think a less detailed touch is called for.

Lead the readers down the beginning of a rabbit hole.

“Why does X culture do Y?”

“Well, because of The Event.”

“What’s ‘The Event?’”

Don’t explain. Just give it an intriguing name, a few small details, and set it free in the story. It’ll soon run wild in the readers’ imaginations, too. But even more than that, it’ll run wild in yours.

I like to plan my stories pretty thoroughly. But I’ve learned to leave just enough unplanned that my imagination can surprise me.

This is where the magic of writing comes into play.

Create a world, then let it grow naturally in your mind. It’ll soon surprise you and leave you wondering at all the intricacies and mysteries of it. And if it does that for you, it’ll do it for the readers, too.

These sort of jumping off points keep wonder alive in fantasy worlds, and keep us thinking about them long after the book or series is finished.

We write to tell stories, but when we leave room for imagination, we do more than tell stories, we create living, shared worlds. For ourselves, and for our readers, to enjoy for years to come.

Alex Knight is filling good books with bad jokes one sentence at a time. As an author, his work includes the fantasy thriller, The Far Wild, and the LitRPG trilogy, Nova Online. As an aspiring twin he’s not making much progress, but remains determined.

You can learn more at AuthorAlexKnight.com.

blog tour, books

Guest Post: Notorious Minds Blog Tour

ramblingmads

PROPOSAL 2020-0794 Judith Holstrom Banner set 5 01 2020-0113 3d Box Set Judith Holstrom on transparent-WEBSITE

TITLE: NOTORIOUS MINDS BOXSET
GENRE: Mystery/Thriller Crime
ISBN: 9781947649651
ASIN: B085S2DYPH
RELEASE DATE: 13th October 2020
PRE-ORDER DATE: 17th March 2020
PUBLISHER: FIRE QUILL PUBLISHERS

What does it take to commit the perfect crime?
Delve into these dark and twisted tales by twenty USA Today and International Bestselling Authors. No matter what kind of crime story typically catch your imagination, there sure is something for everyone.

Conspiracies, political plots, and yes, even murder, are just a few of the crimes waiting inside this box set. Discover a narcissistic grandmother running an underground syndicate, or a support group bent on murder…and even a serial killer who turns his victims into fairytale creatures.

Prepare to delve into an elite killing team who made a mistake, an oil rig filled with secrets ready to explode and a reporter uncovering a treasonous plot.

Uncover how fatal passion, jealousy and fear can be to a group of royal marines and learn from a detective who is far from home fighting demons from his past in order to stay alive.

Can you figure out how the police solve a killer’s confession to nine murders that haven’t happened yet? or how a girl tethered to the heart of a serial killer becomes the FBI’s no 1 ally.

This box set is packed with thousands of pages that will hold you on the edge of your seat, crying for answers. Definitely a must for fans of Patterson, Lee, and Grisham. One-click it today!

AUTHOR LINE UP:

Judith Lucci – USA TODAY AND WSJ BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Carlyle Labuschagne – USA TODAY
Eva Winters – USA TODAY
Lena Bourne – USA TODAY
Karen M. Bryson – USA TODAY
Inge – Lise Goss – USA Today
Karen Randau – Award Winning Author
Eric J. Gates – Award Winning Author
Deborah Shlian & Linda Reid – International Bestselling Author
Sian B. Claven – Award Winning author
Brandy Nacole
Kelsey Reed
N. Gray
Majanka Verstraete – International Bestselling Author
Thomas J. Eyre
Adam Alexander
DL Jones
K.L Lamar
D.J Grayson
Judith Holstrom

BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE….

Pre-Order now and you will receive our amazing pre-order gift – pre-orders are digital and printing is at readers cost.

2020-0784 Judith Holstrom banner

HOW TO CLAIM THE PRE-ORDER GIVEAWAY

PRE-ORDER PURCHASING LINKS

Amazon

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Itunes

Kobo

GIVEAWAY READERS BUNDLE

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GRAB IT NOW

My Writing Journey
by Karen Randau

Karen-RandauI think we all know something about what makes us tick from an early age – judging from my 5-year-old grandson’s love of Legos, he’s destined to be a builder, an engineer, or something that involves putting things together.

For me, I don’t remember not having a passion for writing and storytelling.

Writing became a way of life as soon as an elementary school teacher taught me to print Run Spot Run. I’ve processed most of my life’s major events – my best friend moving away, my boyfriend liking someone else, the end of my marriage, the birth of my son – by writing about them. I verbally told myself stories until my sister informed me that talking to yourself meant you were crazy – then I moved my storytelling to inside my head.

It seemed natural to put my love of writing into a career by getting a degree in journalism/public relations from the University of Texas at Austin. That launched a career spanning the industries of high tech, mental health, and non-profit

For nearly three decades, I worked for an international non-profit organization that partners with communities in developing countries to help them end extreme poverty. My travels let me witness life-saving work in Bolivia, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia. Those experiences inform my writing and storytelling.

While quietly confessing strange thoughts to a friendly co-worker one day, I asked, “Do you think I’m going crazy?” I was, after all, verbally telling myself stories again. My friend answered, “No, I think you have a novel in you that wants to get out.”

So, I sat down to write my first novel.

I’m thankful it never got published but did get edited and rewritten five times. I attended conferences and workshops, continued rewriting, and talked to dozens of published authors about what it takes to produce an engaging, fast-paced story that will grab and keep a reader’s attention.

And I learned that too many edits will destroy a story.

I shelved that first novel and created a protagonist I loved, Rita Avery. Her husband died in a theater shooting in book 1 of my Rim Country Mystery Series, Deadly Deceit. Rita found love again and married Cliff in book 2, Deadly Inheritance, where they nearly get blown up in an Viking burial cave. Rita’s missing mother shows up after 25 years in book 3, Deadly Choices, and Willow has gone from being a vegetarian hippie artist to an ex-con who helps Rita figure out why a woman with an arrow in her chest stumbled into their campsite. In book 4, Deadly Payload, Rita is largely on her own when Cliff and hundreds of towns people are sickened by a bio-terrorism attack. Rita’s sleuthing reveals it was a practice run for a larger attack, and she fights to thwart it before thousands more die. Deadly Payload was a finalist in the Book Excellence Awards and the Beverly Hills Book Awards.

The same characters are featured in Deadly Reception, part of the Tawnee Mountain Mysteries that take place at a posh New Jersey resort where Rita’s daughter is hosting her wedding. What could possibly go wrong there?

You can learn more about these books on my website.

My contribution to the Notorious Minds Crime Mystery/Thriller Boxset is called Mystery Bones Murders. It features Frankie, a young widow who is angry and isolated and suffers from dyslexia. She lives on her Wyoming cattle ranch with two pet cows (Rosie and her calf Diesel), a rescued German Shepherd (Lexi Princess Warrior), and an American Paint Horse (Concho). When Frankie and Concho are rescuing Diesel from a thorny bush one stormy night, they find a human femur. The action shifts into high gear – and the body count rises – as Frankie discovers a serial killer is using her property to bury his victims, and he’s watching her.

The boxset is available pre-order on several online retailers for only 99 cents, and we authors would like to thank you for your purchase with a free gift of several of our novels. Go to the Notorious Minds Boxset website for details on how to order and claim your free gift.