Fantastic Special Guest, Andy Peloquin: All About Fantasy

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I'm really happy to host author Andy Peloquin, particularly because, as a mystery/crime writer, I usually host authors in my genre. But it's great to break out of your norm and go for something completely different now and then! Andy's fantasy series is great, so I hope this will serve as a learning blog as well as an introduction to his work (or to the next book in the series for current fans).  

Lament of the Fallen debuted two days ago, so you can pick it up NOW. Right here!

The Ins and Outs of Fantasy by Andy Peloquin

A lot of people don't understand the "fantasy" genre. To many, the idea of fantasy brings to mind elves, dwarves, magic, sorcerers, dragons, and all those other typical fantasy tropes found in books like Lord of the Rings and The Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones TV show).

But the genre of fantasy is actually much broader than that! Most fantasy books don't involve those elements. Instead, they (as Wikipedia describes them) "use magic or other supernatural elements as a main plot element, theme, or setting."

There is really only one rule for a book to be classified as fantasy: There has to be something fantastical, be it magic, magical/supernatural creatures, or an alternate world.

Let's take a look at some of the different types of fantasy:

-        Urban fantasy takes place in the modern world (usually a city), but with fantastical elements mixed in. Harry Potter is urban fantasy.

-        Epic fantasy or high fantasy takes place on other worlds, ones with little or no connection to Earth. Lord of the Rings is epic fantasy.

-        Portal fantasy involves people traveling from our Earth to an alternate fantastical world. The Chronicles of Narnia could be considered portal fantasy.

-        Dark fantasy involves elements of horror (monsters, demons, serial killers, etc.) in a fantasy world. Elric of Melnibone  is a dark fantasy series.

-        Historical fantasy is historical fiction with fantastical elements mixed in. The Outlander series is historical fantasy.

These are the most common fantasy genres, though there are many more (grimdark, sword and sorcery, heroic, juvenile, paranormal romance, etc.).

The Last Bucelarii series is firmly set in the dark fantasy genre, with elements of the grimdark sub-genre. The series involves demonic creatures and other elements of horror, but it qualifies as grimdark due to the amoral, violent, and gritty nature of the world in which the Hunter and the other characters live.

For those who are used to more "classic" fantasy genres (epic, heroic, sword and sorcery, etc.), delving into the dark world of grimdark/dark fantasy may be a bit difficult. To go from shining heroes and noble intentions to death, violence, treachery, murder, mayhem, and monsters can take adjusting. But as you get into it, you'll find the gritty nature of the books have a lot more in common with real life than you might think. If you're anything like me, you'll be hooked in no time!

 Thanks, Andy! I have a feeling I'll develop yet another obsession. Here's all about and how to get Andy's books (including book one if you haven't read it yet):

 

The Last Bucelarii (Book 2): Lament of the Fallen

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A faceless, nameless assassin. A forgotten past.  The Hunter of Voramis--a killer devoid of morals, or something else altogether? (The Last Bucelarii--dark fantasy with a look at the underside of human nature)

The Hunter of Voramis is no more.

Alone with the bloodthirsty voices in his head, fleeing the pain of loss, he has one objective: travel north to find Her, the mystery woman who plagues his dreams and haunts his memories.

When he stumbles upon a bandit attack, something within urges him to help. His actions set him at odds with the warrior priests commanded to hunt down the Bucelarii.

Left for dead, the Hunter must travel to Malandria to recover his stolen birthright. There, he is inexorably drawn into direct conflict with the Order of Midas, the faceless, nameless group of magicians that holds the city in a grip of terror. All while struggling to silence the ever-louder voice in his mind that drives him to kill.

From feared assassin to wretched outcast, the Hunter's journey leads him to truths about his forgotten past and the Abiarazi he has pledged to hunt. His discoveries will shed light on who he really is…what he really is.

Fans of Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, and Brent Weeks will love the Hunter…

Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Bucelarii-Book-Lament-Fallen-ebook/dp/B01JJ5CKOU

Amazon Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Bucelarii-Book-Lament-Fallen/dp/1535388668/

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Last-Bucelarii-Book-Lament-Fallen/dp/1535388668/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30973111-lament-of-the-fallen

 

Bio:

Andy Peloquin: Lover of All Things Dark and Mysterious

Contact: http://andypeloquin.com/books/

Vermont Visit: Serendipity Comes Along

      As we pull into the little town, a wall of heat and sun falls like a weighty blanket on our heads. We’re in Middlebury, Vermont, in the middle of the day, in the middle of the town green. Vince and I sit in a band shell and wait, gulping the breeze gratefully, though it’s pretty capricious. 

     We’ve just spent a lovely, interesting evening at our friends’ country home, along with a scrumptious meal, and now we’re on a research adventure together. Usually it’s only Vince and I, but we’re thrilled to add the other four. Our conversations are always challenging, invigorating and original. Thus having them on a research jaunt is a real bonus.

     At lunch, Frances and Marty mention that they’ve seen a few covered bridges in Vermont and want to go back to a couple they found especially interesting. I’d never thought of covered bridges as part of my research, but I begin to realize that they are part of the landscape. They might not be part of the story, but any good description of Vermont will likely have to mention them, so we decide to join the hunt.

When we arrive in Brandon, only a few miles south of Middlebury, I am thrilled. I knew it would be the right size (thanks, Google Earth), but I’d only hoped it would have the look and feel that I wanted.

To qualify: the new novel doesn’t take place in Brandon, but in a little community to the west of it, closer to Lake Champlain. However, this village doesn’t really exist. It’s called Salmon Creek. As the days of research march ahead, SC takes shape. The Lilac Inn gets enlarged and moved. Parts of Orwell stand in for my village, as does an empty field overlooking the lake. 

     Brandon can be herself. She’s the closest (and largest) town to Salmon Creek.

     As for the Lilac Inn, it turns out that this place was once a private retirement residence. I am shocked by the serendipity of it all! With its arched porch, gardens, banquet rooms, grand staircase, old-fashioned lift, and bar, it’s utterly perfect.

     We hunt through the Brandon Cemetery, stroll through two covered bridges. One is a railroad bridge. The train tracks are now ripped up and replaced with gravel and wood, but the covered bridge still looks magnificently ineffectual. 

     Nearby, I find my sunflower garden, a critical part of the novel’s opening. Just as I’d hoped, the sunflowers are enormous, with fat green leaves and huge brown faces and yellow bonnets.  We spend an afternoon under the arches while rain pours onto the fat leaves and clatters on the roof. Thunder echoes in the distance. This is exactly what I came here to do: experience life in Salmon Creek. Later, as I synthesize everything, I begin to hear Rosie’s voice. To understand her better. To be able to write her story. 

      They really do have salmon in Vermont, along with moose and maple syrup. We traverse the rolling hills in sunshine, gaze into small town life, spend hours talking on the Lilac porch. I have only enough time to make short notes, but I am content and happy.

     Both evenings, we have sumptuous meals at the Café Provence, somehow appropriate that Mary Jo and Ken, who went to the south of France with us years ago, are here too. We listen and talk to the locals, with their very indistinct accent – almost Southern Ontarian, we joke.
I drink in the scents, ask Vince to photograph plants, trees, flowers and rooms.

And then I find the book on a shelf in the common room. The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene. A Nancy Drew Mystery. Serendipity flies again!

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

Where Am I?

This past March, I went to Los Angeles to refresh my memory (hadn't been here in a couple of years) and to scout out a certain location for book five. Quite a lot of the action of Sweet Karoline takes place in L.A., but the first scene rolls out in a certain apartment complex.

I'm not going to tell you where the building is located - but LA County is a HUGE hint. If you can guess where I am, you could win a free ebook copy of one of my books - your choice of 5!!

Anyway, a friend of ours chose an Italian restaurant in which to meet in the very town in which I'd placed my main protagonists.

I hadn't much time in between tours, meetings and dressing for dinner, so I was a little flustered. This had nothing to do with the wine consumed at lunch, I am sure, but I forgot the address of the location in my suitcase at the hotel.

Luckily, one of the waiters lived in town. He immediately recognized said spot from my description. As serendipity would have it, the place was about two minutes down the same street as the restaurant! Now that's when you believe there's a guiding hand above.


As soon as I saw the park that spreads out next to the building, I recognized it. Why? Because my hubby and I had been there on Google Earth!

However, there was nothing like actually standing in front of the place that I'd imagined, manipulated and dreamed about for months. My characters had lived here. Despite the fact that I'd changed a few things to suit my purposes, the apartment complex was alive and spooky and perfect in the California dusk.

 Surrounded by wrought iron, gothic, its lights mesmerizing in the darkness, it looked just right for filming a psychological suspense.

Here's how I describe it in the book:
 

"Our apartment is part of a Moorish-Spanish designed collection of buildings that boast a beautiful stone façade, light brown stucco walls and rounded bay windows. Every balcony is bounded by gorgeous wrought iron, except for ours, which has rather high stone walls instead. The only drawback is that we have to stand up to see any view.

 "I used to shiver with delight and pride every time I entered the stone archway that graces the front entrance. Now I shiver for a wholly different reason."

That night, I was beside myself with excitement. Turns out this building has been the site of films before; most recently, an episode of True Blood, Season 5. I couldn't believe I had randomly picked this building to be Karoline and Anne's apartment! Again, there was serendipity at work.

Once my amazing producer/casting director Rep gets a certain Hollywood actress to read the book, we can start filming right away.

Where Am I?

 This is what they say on the location's website:  
"It has been used as a site for many motion pictures, music videos, reality shows, TV shows, and commercials for the past 40-odd years."

Holy coincidence, Bat Girl!

Have you figured out where I am? What town I'm standing in? What the building's called?

Leave me a message at cathy@catherinastolfo.com with your guess and you just might be chosen to receive a free book.

But you only have until July 14 to guess.

That's when Sweet Karoline comes to a book site near you!

Endorsement = Approval or Support - or both!

Here are the last, but not least, portraits of my endorsers. I am so thrilled with all six reviews of Sweet Karoline. After all, these are authors whose work I admire. And they like me, they really like me (and Karoline too, of course)!

I met Robin Spano at Bouchercon a few years ago, even before I'd read her books.
 

Later, we had a wild night at the Bloody Words Conference in Victoria, B.C., and I totally fell in love (the friendship kind) with her kind, thoughtful, funny, smart personality. We are forever bonded over red wine, getting locked out of a hotel, and William Deverell.

I know - the above needs more information, but what happened in Victoria stays in Victoria. Here's some stuff you can be told, though, from Robin's website:

Robin grew up in downtown Toronto and now lives in Lions Bay, BC. When she’s not lost in fiction, she loves to get outside snowboarding, hiking, boating, and riding the curves of the local highways in her big black pick-up truck. She’s a founding member of Off The Page Toastmasters – a public speaking group for writers. She is married to a man who hates reading and encourages her endlessly. Which is great, because it’s Keith who drags her away from her computer to do all those fun things outside.

I've met Keith, too, and they're both amazing. Robin's three books feature
Clare Vengel, a modern 20something who wants to be a great undercover cop. She isn't. She can slip into a cover role and befriend suspects in all walks of life, but her resistance to authority and her tendency to have too much fun on the job consistently trip her up.

I really liked all three novels, because the writing is smart and snappy, the voices are authentic, and the various settings are interesting. Oh, and the plots are great (you can tell I'm a more character-oriented reader, can't you?).

According to Robin's website, "the books can be read in any order. In fact, reader reviews favor the latest, so we recommend starting with Death's Last Run." Personally, I recommend all three. Visit Robin and decide for yourself!

Douglas Wickard and I met on Twitter. Seriously. Then we connected on Facebook. We started writing back and forth. I read his book and he read a couple of mine. We decided we were kindred spirits - certainly I loved A Perfect Husband and thought his twisted characters were right up my alley LOL.

From his website, here's a bit about Douglas that I think will explain why I found him so interesting:

"I left home early, at sixteen, and joined the military. By twenty-three I was a world traveler. I traded in my small-town upbringing for the City; Los Angeles first, then New York. For over twenty years I lived in the Big Apple, working in the hospitality industry, but I never stopped putting pencil to paper, fingers to keyboard. My introduction to professional writing began with musicals. My first optioned show was called Waiting. Head Over Heels and Lovers & Liars followed. Although Broadway was the goal, my shows never saw the light of the 'Great White Way.' But, my association and collaboration, at that time, with so many wonderful, talented musicians, singers and writers was a creative dream, a children's playground."

Well, he happens to be back in Los Angeles, having written his first thriller novel and nearly finished the second. Since my son and daughter-in-law are in LA, I was able to meet Douglas in person this year. Even though it was only for a quick drink, I know we'll meet up again. We talked non-stop and could probably do so for several hours!

A Perfect Husband is a terrific book, very exciting and gritty - you have to read it. Can't wait for the sequel. Here's a description, which sounds as awesome as the novel really is. (Click on the title to buy it.)

An abandoned cabin... a diabolical killer... a hidden cemetery. A deadly secret is about to be uncovered.
Sami Saxton is starting over.

Gone... is the philandering lawyer husband of twenty-three years. History!
Sold... is the Upper Eastside brownstone complete with designer zip code and 'all the right stuff.' Finished... is her somewhat tarnished career as a veteran editor in the ever-changing corporate world of publishing.
Could things get much worse?
Yes, of course. Sami just turned 42! But, Sami has made up her mind.
Far from the neon blur of Manhattan—the dizzy buzz of restaurants, theater openings and one too many cocktails—located seventy-two miles outside the City in the sleepy, rural township of Montague, New Jersey, Sami is looking to rebuild her life. A rebirth, one might call it. And, she intends to do this spiritual resurrection in a small, abandoned fishing cabin, built over forty years ago by her now deceased father.
Not quite...
A lethal serial killer has taken up residence in the basement of Sami's remote cottage, using her father's carpenter table for a hobby far more sinister than woodcutting.
Sequestered deep within forty-two acres of tall pine trees, bristling brooks and fresh water lakes...
Sami Saxton is about to fight for her life...
The hard truth... nobody will ever hear her scream!


Visit Douglas for yourself right here.

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. 

Endorsers! How I Love Thee!

Since we have to wait a little bit for Sweet Karoline to show up, I want to introduce you to my amazing endorsers.

What's an endorser, you ask? Well, the first criterion is that the endorser must be another writer whom you admire. The second criterion is that s/he is willing to read your novel in manuscript form, ignore any errors (this is pre-edit, you see), and tell you what they think. You expect them to be honest, because obviously if they don't like the book, they won't provide an endorsement.

Fortunately for me, I found six authors who fit the criteria perfectly. I'm going to show them to you, two at a time, alphabetically.

I met Mel Bradshaw through Crime Writers of Canada. Before I met him in person, I had already read his book, Victim Impact, and loved it.  Once I met him in person, I loved him, too, and his wonderful wife, Carol.

Here's a quick peek from his website:

Torn from the Headlines: Victim Impact

Drug wars and courtroom drama in the Golden Horseshoe. The rights of the criminally accused versus the needs of the victims. A twenty-first century thriller.

When criminologist Ted Boudreau’s academic interest in biker gangs brings tragedy into his home, a penal progressive must confront his inner vigilante. There will be other victims. Can all receive justice?

“It’s a haunting novel… a must read.” (Don Graves, Hamilton Spectator)

I have to admit I haven't gotten to the Shenstone stories yet, but I have them ready to read once I complete two other novels I've got my nose into. Mel knows why I am especially interested in the Shenstone mysteries! Quarrel with the Foe and Fire on the Runaway are on my shelf. You should get them on yours, too. Go here for all the links: Mel's Website

"Detective Sergeant Paul Shenstone of the Toronto police gets his first case as lead investigator in 1926. His professional assets include a year of university, combat experience during the Great War, and a bachelor's freedom to focus on a problem without family distractions. His liabilities? A thirst for whiskey despite Prohibition, a fondness for women, and a tendency to go it alone rather than fit into an organizational pigeon-hole."

Mel Bradshaw and Me at a Signing with the "Other Mel" (Campbell) to Mel's left.

 Next in line is Liz Bugg. I recently attended the launch of her third book, Yellow Vengeance. (That's one of the two novels I told you about that I'm currently reading.) I have read the first two as well, and love them all.

Here's a sneak peek from Liz's website about her first book, Red Rover.

Thalia Spencer is missing. Is she in trouble or simply avoiding her family?

This fast-moving thriller follows Calli Barnow through the twists and turns of Toronto’s neighbourhoods, from rundown but friendly Kensington market to the Church Street gaybourhood, through the ravines of Rosedale and Mount Pleasant’s Mausoleums.

Calli is an engaging companion, flawed but determined, pursued by her own demons as she tries to find a missing girl before more trouble finds her.


The above synopsis mentions the three things I love about Liz's books: the fast pace, the setting descriptions, and the wonderful Calli whose witty, sardonic voice endeared her to me from the start.

Liz and I at the launch of Yellow Vengeance.

I've met Liz on a number of occasions and, I'm happy to report, not only do we like each other's writing, we like each other too! What a perfect combination.

Got get Liz's books at her website right here. 

Step up to the Book Bar: This Round is on Luke!

My guest, Luke Murphy, is one of my Imajin Books colleagues. One of the great things for readers - besides getting your hands on terrific titles - is that our novels are relatively inexpensive and, sometimes, we like to thank our fans by buying a round of books.

Take it away, Luke!

My International bestselling crime-thriller, DEAD MAN’S HAND, is now FREE, from June 26-28.

I’ve been so happy with the success and reviews since releasing my debut novel back in October. DMH hit International Bestselling status almost overnight.

There are so many crime-thriller writers and so many books in the genres that competition is at an all-time high. Many people have asked what makes my story so special and who would enjoy my book.

Why has this novel generated an audience?
- Dead Man’s Hand has tension and excitement as a result of the action taking place in a single week.


- The African-American protagonist is not stereotypical. While his race is significant, he does not moralize about the issue or his situation.  

- The “find out who framed you to save yourself” plot has a twist in that Watters researches the crime online, primarily using analysis of character rather than physical evidence.


- Point of view is easy to follow but engagingly complex, with scenes from the perspectives of Watters, the detective, the cheating wife, and a hired assassin.

Who is my MAIN target audience and why?

- Thriller readers looking for an atypical thriller hero—an African-American who is no saint.


- Sports fans will be fascinated by Watters’ struggle to recover his decency and win, a kind of Blind Side story with little sentimentality and few illusions.

- A Las Vegas setting—the world of The Hangover movies and many youth films like Bridesmaids—will appeal to 20s-30s readers.

- Watters’ romance with a former prostitute will appeal to younger female readers.  The marital tension between Detective Dayton and his wife will interest adults. Both men and women will enjoy the twist on the femme fatale figure of the murderer’s lover, who has her own schemes.

Get Dead Man’s Hand for FREE - http://ow.ly/hd4Xv

Back cover text:

What happens when the deck is stacked against you…

From NFL rising-star prospect to wanted fugitive, Calvin Watters is a sadistic African-American Las Vegas debt-collector framed by a murderer who, like the Vegas Police, finds him to be the perfect fall-guy.

…and the cards don't fall your way?

When the brutal slaying of a prominent casino owner is followed by the murder of a well-known bookie, Detective Dale Dayton is thrown into the middle of a highly political case and leads the largest homicide investigation in Vegas in the last twelve years.

What if you're dealt a Dead Man's Hand?

Against his superiors and better judgment, Dayton is willing to give Calvin one last chance. To redeem himself, Calvin must prove his innocence by finding the real killer, while avoiding the LVMPD, as well as protect the woman he loves from a professional assassin hired to silence them.

Reviews:

"You may want to give it the whole night, just to see how it turns out."
—William Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Back Bay and The Lincoln Letter

"Dead Man's Hand is a pleasure, a debut novel that doesn't read like one,
but still presents original characters and a fresh new voice."
—Thomas Perry, New York Times bestselling author of Poison Flower

"Part police procedural, part crime fiction, Dead Man's Hand is a fast, gritty ride."
—Anne Frasier, USA Today bestselling author of Hush

Get it FREE - http://ow.ly/hd4Xv

Luke Murphy lives in Shawville, Quebec with his wife, three daughters and a pug.

He played six years of professional hockey before retiring in 2006. Since then, he’s held a number of jobs, from sports columnist to radio journalist, before earning his Bachelor of Education degree (Magna Cum Laude).

Murphy's debut novel, Dead Man's Hand, was released by Imajin Books on October 20, 2012.

For more information on Luke and his books, visit: www.authorlukemurphy.com, ‘like’ his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/#!/AuthorLukeMurphy and follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/#!/AuthorLMurphy

Three Random Things about Author Cheryl Kaye Tardif

  

 Three Random Things about Author Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Today's special guest is international bestselling author Cheryl Kaye Tardif, who is celebrating the release of her new thriller, SUBMERGED, during her official Blog Tour. I asked Cheryl to share three random things about her, and a bit about SUBMERGED.

Turns out we have a lot in common, since I too did background "acting" (in This is Wonderland).

Cathy, since we both have film connections, I thought it would be fun to share some random experiences I've had in the film industry. So here are my Three Random Things…

1.     Just over 20 years ago I worked as a background actor or "extra" in Vancouver, BC, and one of the shows I worked on was The Commish, starring Michael Chiklis (from Vegas and The Shield fame). I appeared in a few episodes, but the most memorable one was a Halloween show ("The Witches of Eastbridge" episode) where a killer was poisoning candy. I was in a scene with several cast members, including Michael—about 10 of us altogether. I think Michael thought I was one of the main actors because he introduced himself to me and shook my hand. Minutes later I met Stephen J. Cannell, producer/writer extraordinaire. Then I sat beside one of the guest actors for the scene.

2.     One of my other jobs as a background actor was for a scene on The Heights (a popular FOX show back then, similar to Melrose Place.) In my first scene on the show I was partnered with a much older man for a scene in a lounge. Since there can be a lot of waiting and retakes, I decided to make my "roll" fun and I convinced my partner that we were playing the part of older man and expensive escort. I even took off my wedding ring. When I told my husband afterward, he just rolled his eyes. He knows me well. I can make even a somewhat mundane task seem exciting. J

3.     On set for another episode of either The Heights, the director decided they didn't have enough extras for an outdoor scene on a busy city street. So we were asked to change our appearance as much as possible so they could use us more than once. Watching it back later with my husband, I pointed and said, "There I am." I had my hair down and was wearing a black jacket. A few seconds later, walking in the opposite direction, I showed up on screen again, hair up and wearing a blue jacket. I think that was also the scene where two of the main male actors had to scarf down hotdog after hotdog until the director finally said it was a wrap. I felt kind of sorry for those guys. They looked a little green…

And now I am dreaming about other movies—my movies, from my novels. One day. Until then, here's a little SUBMERGED appetizer…

From Cheryl Kaye Tardif, the international bestselling author that brought you CHILDREN OF THE FOG, comes a terrifying new thriller that will leave you breathless…

SUBMERGED

"Submerged reads like an approaching storm, full of darkness, dread and electricity. Prepare for your skin to crawl."

—Andrew Gross, New York Times bestselling author of 15 Seconds

Two strangers submerged in guilt, brought together by fate…

After a tragic car accident claims the lives of his wife, Jane, and son, Ryan, Marcus Taylor is immersed in grief. But his family isn't the only thing he has lost. An addiction to painkillers has taken away his career as a paramedic. Working as a 911 operator is now the closest he gets to redemption—until he gets a call from a woman trapped in a car.

Rebecca Kingston yearns for a quiet weekend getaway, so she can think about her impending divorce from her abusive husband. When a mysterious truck runs her off the road, she is pinned behind the steering wheel, unable to help her two children in the back seat. Her only lifeline is a cell phone with a quickly depleting battery and a stranger's calm voice on the other end telling her everything will be all right.

*SUBMERGED has a unique tie-in to Tardif`s international bestseller, CHILDREN OF THE FOG.

Get SUBMERGED today.

Learn more about Cheryl Kaye Tardif at http://www.cherylktardif.com and follow her on Twitter.

Enter Cheryl’s March Giveaway – 59 Prizes! http://www.cherylktardif.blogspot.com

Oh What a Thrill!

I absolutely LOVE writing. At times, I can't even focus on the conversation I'm having because I am writing in my head. I'm the kind of author who "cooks" the story for a long time, in notes, scribbles, memory. As I age, however, I'm discovering that I can't multitask like I used to - thus the vacant stares every once in while when I'm supposed to be doing two things at once (e.g. writing and talking).

When I get the words right, it's absolutely thrilling. For instance, I love this passage from THE BRIDGEMAN because I think it describes Emily and Langford's love for one another so well.

I actually get a shiver when I read it. Every time. I think it shows why being a writer is such an obsession: when you love what you do, and when you get it "write", it hooks you forever.

THE BRIDGEMAN is free December 26-27-28 so I can get YOU hooked on the series.

FREE DECEMBER 26-28

 PS THIS EXCERPT IS FOR ADULTS ONLY.

He began to rub my neck, kneading the tension in my shoulders, letting his hands play over the small soft hairs at the nape of my neck. Standing very close to me, touching me, I could feel his body begin to respond, as I snuggled into his arms. I turned as I finished the last (telephone) call, my arms around his hips, my face buried in his t-shirt. I loved the smell of him, slightly sweaty mixed with a little of the fragrance of paint and soap. He tilted my head up, smiled at me, his eyes tracing over my face with the gratitude and wonder of someone who had almost lost his love and would forever appreciate regaining it.

We kissed for a while, slowly at first and then more urgently, before he led me to our bed. Once we were undressed, he caressed me, his artist's hands exploring my body with tenderness and knowledge. I allowed my mind to drift, became aware only of the soft hairs of his body, the gentleness of his fingers, the wetness of my response... I let myself blend into him, felt the strength flowing between us, knew that whatever else happened in our lives, this was all that was really important.