3 of 7 not 7 of 9*

Sometimes the stars* do align and you get to meet the most interesting people. Some of whom you recognize instantly as a potential friend. A person you can relate to or be silly with. Someone who will hold their own in a debate and help you solve the problems of the world. Someone with whom you can share your obsessions and rely upon to be discrete.

 Anais Nin said, "Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." This quote is never truer than for the friendships among writers. Often our fictional worlds develop within the nurturing circle of authors we trust.

I have been extremely fortunate to develop close friendships with two of my Crime Writers of Canada colleagues, Alison Bruce and Melodie Campbell. In fact, they are responsible for leading me to Imajin Books and all the great things that have evolved since. We're in a writers' critique group together in addition to being Imajineers.

And now - we're all FREE together. I should say, our books are FREE. Naturally, this is a ploy to get you hooked on our books, but either way, you get a terrific read for no dinero = 0 dollars = 0 out of 0.

Alison Bruce

 http://www.amazon.com/Under-Texas-Star-Alison-Bruce-ebook/dp/B00501H6YM

"Everyone has to start somewhere.

I start with coffee."













Under A Texas Star

Disguised as a boy, Marly joins a handsome Texas Ranger in the hunt for a con man and they must bring the fugitive to justice before giving up the masquerade and giving in to their passion.

When Marly Landers is fooled by con man Charlie Meese, she's determined to bring him to justice--even if it means dressing up as a boy and setting off across the plains to find him.

Texas Ranger Jase Strachan is also after Meese, for crimes committed in Texas. He joins forces with the young boy in a journey that takes them to Fortuna, where a murder interrupts their mission. Jase is duty bound to find the killer, no matter the cost.

Under the Texas stars, Marly and Jase are drawn together by circumstances beyond their control, yet fate plots to tear them apart. Will Marly finally get her man?

Melodie Campbell

Click here: http://tinyurl.com/6p2vhgr

ROWENA THROUGH THE WALL

(Book 1 in the bestselling Land’s End Time Travel trilogy)

“Outlander meets Sex and the City” Vine Review

“Hot and Hilarious!”  Midwest Book Review

“A cross between Diana Gabaldon and Janet Evanovich”

“Is that a broadsword on your belt, or are you just glad to see me?”
 

When Rowena falls through her classroom wall into a medieval world, she doesn't count on being kidnapped - not once, but twice, dammit. Unwanted husbands keep piling up; not only that, she has eighteen year old Kendra to look out for and a war to prevent.

Good thing she can go back through the wall when she needs to...or can she?

 

Catherine Astolfo (aka Me)
http://www.amazon.com/Bridgeman-Emily-Taylor-Mystery-ebook/dp/B005Z5IM28  

The Bridgeman is a story of masks, of people who don the cloak of the ordinary to commit extraordinarily evil acts. 

It's also a story of a love so strong it has survived its own tragedy. The Bridgeman is the tale of a community that must join together to defeat the horror of its underside.  

UNDER THE COVER!

Well, not really under the cover, but here IS the cover you've all been waiting for. Jefferson Airplane serenades Karoline into the world....When the truth is found to be lies, and all the joy within you dies, don't you want somebody to love, don't you need somebody to love...?

And here's a snippet of my wonderful Kirkus Review:

  "In her latest novel, Astolfo (Legacy, 2012, etc.) takes what at first glance appears to be a straightforward story of murder and guilt to an unexpected place ... where love is discovered.  -->

A deliciously vibrant portrait that realistically muddles good and evil."—Kirkus Reviews

Who is Detective Madison Knight?

Welcome to my guest Carolyn Arnold. She's one of my virtual friends and has kindly featured me on her blog, too. Carolyn's the author of the Madison Knight series, and the Brandon Fisher FBI series.   Today, she’s going to tell us about the Madison Knight series.

Me: Carolyn, can you tell my readers about the Madison Knight series?

Carolyn: First of all, it is designed as a stand-alone mystery series, which means you can read these books out of order and still pick up on the series' characters and story line.

Me: Exactly who is Detective Madison Knight?


Carolyn: Major Crimes Detective Madison Knight, fueled by determination to find justice for victims, is a strong, independent female amidst a career dominated by men.  If you love a strong protagonist lead, I invite you to meet Madison for yourself.


To find out more about Madison Knight and the series, you can visit my website here.

Me: How many are books are currently available in the series?

Carolyn:Three novels are currently available, but two more are slated for release 2013.  FOUND INNOCENT will be the fourth in the series slated to release in fall 2013, and LIFE SENTENCE, the prequel to the series releases August 14, 2013.

TIES THAT BIND
Meet Madison Knight as she and partner must pull together to stop a potential serial killer.

JUSTIFIED
See the softer side of Madison Knight in Justified as she's assigned to a case on Christmas Eve.

SACRIFICE
Madison must risk all, including her career, to bring a killer to justice.

Me: Would you like to share some more information on the first in the series, TIES THAT BIND, and an excerpt?

Carolyn: Absolutely. 

This is the book overview:

Detective Madison Knight concluded the case of a strangled woman an isolated incident. But when another woman's body is found in a park killed with the same line of neckties, she realizes they're dealing with something more serious.

Despite mounting pressure from the Sergeant and Chief to close the case even if it means putting an innocent man behind bars, and a partner who is more interested in saving his marriage than stopping a potential serial killer, Madison may have to go it alone if there's not going to be another victim.


Excerpt of TIES THAT BIND: 

Chapter 1


Someone died every day.  Madison was left to make sense of it.  She ducked under the yellow tape and surveyed the scene.  The two-story, white-sided house would be deemed average any other day, but today the dead body inside made it of interest to the Stiles PD and a few curious onlookers who gathered in small clusters on the sidewalk.
She’d never seen the officer securing the perimeter before but she knew his type.  The way he stood there with his back straight, one hand resting on his holster, the other gripping a clipboard, identified him as an eager recruit.
He held up a hand as she approached.  “This is a closed crime scene.”
She unclipped the badge from the waist of her pants and held it front of him.  He studied it as if it was counterfeit.  She respected those who took their jobs seriously—on a regular day—but not when she functioned on limited sleep and the humidity level topped ninety-five percent at ten-thirty in the morning.  “Detective K-N-I-”  Her name died on her lips when the front door opened and Sergeant Winston stepped out.  She would have groaned audibly if he wasn’t closing the distance between them so quickly.  She preferred her boss behind a desk.
Winston gestured for the young officer to let her in.  He glared at her before leaving his post.  She envied the fact he could leave.
 “It’s about time you got here.”  Winston fished a handkerchief out of a pocket and wiped at his receding hairline.  The extra few inches exposed a large forehead that could have served as a solar panel.  “I was just about to assign the lead to Grant.”
Terry Grant was her partner of five years and her junior by three.  Damn if he’d give the lead to Terry.
“Where have you been anyway?”
She disregarded his inquiry, jacked a thumb in the rookie’s direction.  “Who’s the new guy?”
“Don’t change the subject, Knight.”
She’d have to offer some sort of an explanation for being late.  “Well, boss, you know me.  Up all night slinging back shooters.”
“Don’t get smart with me.”
She flashed him a cocky smile and pulled a Hershey bar from a front pant pocket.  The chocolate had already softened from the heat.  It didn’t really matter.  She took a bite.  Heaven.  She spoke with a partial mouthful.  “What are you doing here anyway?”
“Call came in.  I was nearby.  Thought someone should respond.”  He went to step over the tape to the sidewalk, but it wasn’t a smooth maneuver.  His foot got caught up in the band.  He hopped on the other leg to adjust his balance and straightened out.  He continued speaking as if he hadn’t noticed.  “The body’s upstairs, main bedroom.  She was strangled.”  He pointed the tip of a key toward her.  “Keep me updated.”  He depressed a button on his key fob.  The department-issued SUV’s lights flashed.  “I’ll be waiting for your call.”
As if he needed to say that.  Sometimes she wondered if he valued talk more than action.
 With the Sergeant gone, she could feel the eyes of the young officer on her.  He stood there judging her from a distance.  What was his problem anyway?  She took another bite as she turned her attention to the house.
Terry came out.  “Too bad you had to show.  I think I was just about to get the lead.”
“I’d have to be the one dead for that to happen.”  She allowed a small smile to show as she brushed past him.
“You look like crap.”
The smile faded.  She stopped walking and turned around.  Every one of his blond hairs was in place, making her self-conscious of her short cut, wake-up-and-wear-it style.  And his cheeks held a healthy glow, no doubt from his morning two-mile run.  She hated people who could do mornings.
“What did you get?  Two hours sleep?”
“Three, but who’s counting?”  She took another large bite.
“You were up reviewing evidence from the last case, weren’t you?”
She didn’t feel inclined to answer.
“You can’t change the past.”
She didn’t feel hungry anymore and wrapped up what was left.  “Let’s just focus on this case.”
“Fine, if that’s how it’s going be.  Victim’s name is Laura Saunders.  She’s thirty-two.  Single.  Officer Higgins was the first on scene.  Call came in from the vic’s employer, Southwest Welding Products, where she worked as the receptionist.”
“What would make the employer call?”
“She didn’t show for her shift at eight.  They tried reaching her first, but when they didn’t get an answer, they sent a security officer over.  He found the door ajar, called downtown.  Higgins was here by eight forty-five.”
“Who—”
“The security officer?  Terrence Owens.  And don’t worry we took a formal statement, let him go.  Background showed notta, not even a speeding ticket.  We can function when you’re not around.”
She cocked her head to the side.
“He also testifies to the fact he never stepped one foot into the place.”  Terry paused and laughed lightly.  “Said he’s watched enough cop shows to know it would contaminate the crime scene.  You get all those people watching those stupid TV shows, and they all think they can solve murder.”
“Is Owens the one who made the call downtown?”
“Actually, procedure for them is to route everything through administration.  A Sandra Butler made the call.  She’s the office manager.”
“So an employee doesn’t show for work, they send someone to your house?”
“She said it’s part of their safety policy.”
“At least they’re a group of people inclined to think positively.”  Madison felt sweat droplets run down her back.  Disgusting.  She moved toward the house.
“You can’t take that in there.”  The young officer came hurrying over.  He shoved the clipboard under his arm, tucked a pen behind an ear.  He jabbed a pointed finger toward the chocolate bar.
She glanced down at it.  Chocolate oozed out of a corner.  He had a point so she handed it to him.  His jaw tightened.  She forced a smile and patted his shoulder.  “Good job.”  He walked away with the bar dangling from the wrapper he held pinched between two fingers mumbling something indiscernible.
Terry said, “You can be so wicked sometimes.”
“Why thank you.”
“It wasn’t a compliment.  And since when do you eat chocolate for breakfast?”
“Oh shut up.”  She punched him in the shoulder.  He smirked and rubbed his arm, same old sideshow.  She headed into the house with him following behind her.
“Stairs are to the right.”
“Holy crap, it’s freezing in here.”  The sweat on her skin chilled, and she found it a refreshing welcome.
“Yep, a hundred and one outside, sixty inside.”  Two steps from the top, Terry spoke over a shoulder.  “And just a forewarning.  It’s not your typical strangulation.”
“Come on Terry, you’ve seen one, you’ve—”  She stopped talking, stood in the bedroom doorway.  Terry was right.

Want to read more?  You’ll have to purchase Carolyn Arnold’s book.  Speaking of which, where can we find TIES THAT BIND?

Amazon Kindle US
Amazon Kindle UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Apple
Sony

You may also find out more about Carolyn Arnold and her books at:  http://carolynarnold.net

Two More of Karoline's Godparents!

You know how you have a baby shower and everyone comes and gives best wishes? Well, I'm going to introduce you to the ones who gathered at Sweet Karoline's book baby shower to give their endorsements. Come on in, maybe you'll meet some authors who are new to you and become your faves too. 

I met Mike (Michael J. McCann) at Word on the Street Toronto last year. Although I'd met him virtually (he's also a member of Crime Writers of Canada), we hadn't been introduced face-to-face. I immediately loved his enthusiasm, friendliness and sense of humour. So I bought his book. How thrilled was I that I also loved his writing? I immediately read another and another. So when it came to an endorsement, he was one of my first picks. Even though he was massively busy, he read Karoline for me.

Here's  an intro to Michael J. McCann from his website: 
Michael J. McCann lives and writes in Oxford Station, Ontario on seven acres in the Limerick Forest south of Ottawa. 

Lucky bugger, eh? His books are fabulous. You should read them. Here's a bit about the first novel I read.

Homicide Lieutenant Hank Donaghue is on vacation when he stops overnight in Harmony, a quiet little town where nothing ever happens. Without warning, the police kick down the door of his motel room in the middle of the night and drag him off to jail on suspicion of having strangled a woman behind a bar. Although he insists he’s a cop himself and had nothing to do with it, the local chief of police won’t listen. An eyewitness claims he saw Donaghue go behind the bar where the murder took place – and the victim was Chief Askew's wife. Donaghue calls on Detective Karen Stainer to help get him released from jail. Once he's free, he and Karen must find Marcie Askew’s killer before it’s too late! 

Go get Mike's books here: Michael J. McCann





Next up is Lisa Pell. She is one of my virtual friends, believe it or not. We hooked up on Facebook and Twitter and started conversing. Lisa lives in Washington, D.C., and I haven't had a chance to visit her there - yet.

Lisa (in the middle) and her hubby to the right

At one point, she asked me to read her book, and I was honoured to do so. Later, she actually included my review in Who's Your Daddy, Baby? Here it is:

 “The topic is certainly current, given the space age approaches to fertility. Add to that the connections through the cyber world and the story couldn’t be more contemporary or intriguing…However, what I really liked most about this book was the writing. It’s intelligent and witty, informative yet easy to read.”

   – Catherine Astolfo, author of the Emily Taylor Mysteries and Past President of Crime Writers of Canada

 

Here's a bit about the novel, from Lisa's website:

 

Inspired by the author’s experience, Who’s Your Daddy, Baby? is the story of Lori McGuire Pomay, a happily married career woman living in suburban Washington, D.C.  Lori undergoes genetic testing for in vitro fertilization and her world is rocked when she is told the dad she always knew could not possibly have been her biological father.  This mid-life shocker sends her into an alternately hilarious, heartwarming, and heartbreaking search for truth about her heritage – from Appalachian Cherokees to Purple Kings on a church stage, with high-rolling gamblers, car dealers, dentists, and all manner of confused amnesiacs in their seventies along for the ride. 

 

If you think it sounds great, you're right! Lisa and I have never met in person, but we will, I just know it. Now that we're connected by being godparents of each others' books, it's inevitable.

 

And when I read about her witty, fun-loving ways, I just know it's going to be a meeting of the jovial minds. Go buy Who's Your Daddy, Baby? here at Lisa's Website. 

Birth Announcement: Number 5

Anne and Karoline's apartment. Slightly modified by imagination.

Last night I gave birth to book baby # 5. Her name is Sweet Karoline. After all the pain and suffering it’s a bit of a relief. It does mean that I have to send her into the world now, though. All this time she’s been protected in the womb of my imagination.

Her siblings wait for her to join them on bookshelves and online. They are all girls, too. Just like Michael Jackson I gave my children the same names. They all end with “An Emily Taylor Mystery”. They’ve got so many traits in common you might think they’re quadruplets. Except that they were born a couple of years apart.

Karoline, however, is completely different. She’ll always stand alone.

I’m about to enter my new baby into the world. First I have to register her birth. Next I’ll give her to my first readers. They will be gentle but nevertheless they will find flaws with her. They’ll poke and prod her and do all kinds of checks on her. Like examining all her commas and inner dialogues and clues.

After that she’ll go off to publisher’s school. This might subject her to rejection. Several times over, perhaps. Publisher schools are private and very particular about their students. When she does get accepted she’ll again be poked and prodded. She might even be rearranged. Parts of her may have to go or be redone. She’ll learn a lot. In many ways she’ll be a different book when she graduates.

Once all her schooling is finished she’ll be on her own, out in the world. I hope she receives acceptance, joy, success and good health. But I can’t protect her forever. She’ll be at the mercy of reviewers, bloggers, random media and readers around the world. She’ll get to travel a lot.

Her sightseeing missions could be short lived. Or they could be wildly successful and blessed with longevity. I can only dream that she'll be awarded and feted. You never know what your children might do. You love them no matter what.

Meanwhile I’ll be at home. I’ll enjoy her successes from afar. Grieve for her failures. Work on sibling six, which has already germinated.

To Market, To Market, Will I Be a Fat Pig?

I've discovered that sitting at my computer tweeting, scribing, linking, facebooking, googling, skyping, and chatting has done absolutely nothing for my butt. In fact, I am expanding as I sit here. I may be stuck here for good. Soon my cheeks will spill out over my desk chair onto the floor.

I did have a plan. Under my desk is my step. It’s made of solid foam and it’s just high enough to require some work to step up and down. Currently it serves as my footstool. Two lovely blue weights gather dust to my left. They would be excellent for exercising the arms while I facebook. The stairs loom over to my right. Running up and down them for more water would be good for me. Both for the cardio and the fluid. Instead I seem to think a bottle of red wine more conducive to marketing.

Has all of this been working? Have I sold a rash of books? I have absolutely no idea. I’m too busy to check. 

I am engrossed in cyberworld, anchored to my chair by my enormous derriere, scrambling to find those weights under the dust and piles of paper. My eyes are glued to the screen. My fingers are the only part of my anatomy getting thin. Even my fingernails have disappeared. My pinky is especially slender because of her habit of sticking straight up in the air every time I take a sip of wine. She gets a real work-out.

How can you possibly help me?

Go buy one of my books, for godssake, so I can rise to my feet before it’s too late.

Check out the new chapter book from Imajin Books called Imajin This! You get to preview all the authors before you buy – all for free from Smashwords. Including The Bridgeman and Victim.http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/114590

What's Your Name Little Girl?

When I was a kid, I went to Camp Robogey every summer. I didn’t even make up the name of that camp, though I may have invented the spelling.

They taught us lots and lots of camp songs, which we’d holler at the top of our lungs out in the field and on the bus. One of them was called, “What’s your name?” The boy was “Lemme Kissya”. The girl gave a variety of answers, depending on her mood. Such as “Ida Wanna” or “Wanna More”.

To me, having a variety of monikers was not unusual. In our household, we all had nicknames. Admittedly, I was the one who gave out the names, so I guess it’s more honestly to say that everyone was called something different depending on my mood. Beanaball, Dursky, Wild Cherry, Facey…they all meant something at the time. One of my sisters still suffers under the name I called her nearly fifty years ago: Leedalo. (It’s a long story.)

For me, Catherine meant my parents were not very pleased with me. Which occurred fairly often, since I was the eldest and a spoiled brat. Catherine Lynne was even worse because my mom or dad was taking the time to say the first and second, usually in a rather loud voice.

I was therefore Cathy. To my friends, my family, and to my parents when I was behaving. At school. In the yearbooks. In the newspaper, when I wrote for the Press Club, or got my picture taken with the high school field hockey team.

When I got married, the woman always took her husband’s name. So I did and now I had a different last name. Then I got married again. Repeat. Then I got married again. Kept both that time. (No comments, please, on my former serial marriages. That’s for another blog—maybe.)

Cathy This, Cathy That, Cathy ThatNow, Cathy Now. Mr. Now called me Katy, so I added that to the list.

Still not Catherine.

Until my books came along. Catherine, after all, is my legal name. Catherine Astolfo to be specific (having dropped That in common usage). So that’s how my books got published: The Bridgeman, by Catherine Astolfo; Victim, by Catherine Astolfo (www.imajinbooks.com).

BUT, my different names habit continued and I unknowingly made it very difficult for people to find my books. My blog, I call Katy’s Words (www.katywords.blogspot.com). My website, I call www.catherineastolfo.com. My email uses both: cathy@catherineastolfo.com.

People who are my readers (and sometimes my friends) call me Catherine. It still makes me shiver. But it’s better than having them ask, “What’s your name, old girl?”

On Being Indie

Donna Carrick, an extraordinary person, writer, and now publisher, invited me to do a guest blog in her series "On Being Indie" and I was thrilled to do so. Having been Indie (self-published) and now published (with Cheryl Tradif, who never discourages her authors from switching back and forth between modalities), I had lots to write about.

Check out the blog at www.carrickpublishing.com and please leave a comment!

Thanks - I honestly always appreciate my readers, even though I don't always say it.

Cathy
www.imajinbooks.com

The Writer Must Write

My friend Ann-Marie drops by unexpectedly to give me a book on writing by Stephen King. But she doesn't just have this wonderful gift in her hand - she also has a carved box with a quote from Ernest Hemingway on the side.
"A writer must write what he (or she) has to say, not speak it." (OK, I added that part.)
Ann-Marie tells me she was in Buffalo, saw it, and thought of me, her friend, the writer. She says she felt guilty when she bought The Bridgeman for only $3.99. I look into her beautiful eyes, her skin that shines so youthful, and I am close to tears. Little does she know that her support and friendship are worth far more than money could ever be. I am the luckiest person alive, with friends like her, a loving family, a job that I believe I was born to do.
And now a beautiful little box, carved with pens strewn across the lid, reminding me that a writer must write.
Each time I look at it, I will be inspired to clack away at the keys of my lovely little laptop, my head in a fictional world, my heart in the real one. I will think of how fortunate I am and smile.
Now go enter the Emily Taylor contest, so I can give a little back!
Cathy

Unabashed Hussy Blog

Unabashed Hussy Me I looked up hussy and one of the definitions was a “shameless ho”. That seems to fit. I am throwing all my dignity away and selling my children. OK, well, the ones that I wrote, not birthed. Still. All because I want to be John Locke. Not the guy from Lost, the other guy. The one who sold a million ebooks. I haven’t finished reading his book about how he sold a million, because I don’t have time. So I brazenly sent out the following marketing plea to all the people I know. And even some I don’t know. I’ll let you know how it goes, but only if you become one of my customers. I’ll even tell John. Maybe he can add unabashed hussy to the index in his book. Could WE Sell a Million? Well, maybe not, but another writer did it, so why not try? Here’s how you can help make me a best seller and maybe sell…well, lots of books. You’ll also be eligible for prizes – a Kindle ereader or a gift certificate to your favourite restaurant are among the ideas that I’ve come up with. Of course, the higher the sales, the more numerous and better the prizes will be. Go through the steps below and you’ll see how it works. 1. On or after October 25, 2011, go to Amazon, Smashwords, or Kobo, or www.imajinbooks.com and order my book. The first one will be The Bridgeman, second Victim...maybe Legacy before Christmas. If you don’t have an ereader, you can choose a pdf file from Smashwords and read it on your computer until you win the Kindle. If you’ve already read them, pretend it’s a ticket for the prize. Don’t worry about registering for any of these Internet sites. They’re safe and they won’t bug you - if they ever do, tell me! Then let me know that you have bought it and I will put your name into the draw for a prize. If this is as far as you want to go, thank you thank you, and I hope we both win. If you can do a little more, see #2. 2. Get your friends, family, colleagues, people whose secrets you know, and people who owe you to do the same as #1. Ask them to tell you when they buy it. Then let me know, too. Your friends’ names will go into the draw and so will yours – if 10 friends bought, you get ten more chances and they get one each. If they tell their friends, etc – well, you get the idea. If this is as far as you want to go, a million thanks and again, may we both win. If you can do even more, see #3. 3. Give my book some stars and/or a review on Amazon or any of the other websites (such as Smashwords). Put it up on twitter or Facebook or any linkage to which you are connected - your company newsletter, whatever. Let me know that you did this, and you get (an)other chance(s) at the prize(s). If you can do even more, you must be my best friend or family ha ha - see #4. 4. Sign up for my blog at www.katywords.blogspot.com. Again, they’re safe and they won’t bug you and if they ever do, tell me! My blogs will appear in your email on a regular basis, letting you know where I am so you can come see me and who knows? Win ANOTHER prize. Thank you for considering doing any or all of the above. You are the BEST. Cathy