We’re delighted to meet all of you here at Fresh Fiction. This has been a great year for the Murder, She Wrote series of mysteries. It’s our 25th anniversary! There are now 42 books in the series which is based on the popular television series starring Angela Lansbury. The 43rd is written and at the publisher. While the show stopped production years ago (although you can see episodes in syndication on many cable services), you can still follow the exploits of our intrepid amateur sleuth as she trips over bodies and stays one step ahead of the police in tracking down murderers. Each book is an original mystery that finds Jessica Fletcher solving crimes all over the world, as well as in her beloved Cabot Cove, Maine. The latest book, DEATH OF A BLUE BLOOD (October 2014), brings readers to the Cotswolds, a part of the charming English countryside with rolling hills of farms and villages, thatched cottages and quaint pubs, and Castorbrook Castle, home to the Earl and Countess of Norrance. The lord and lady of the manor have invited Jessica Fletcher and her dear friend Scotland Yard Inspector George Sutherland to be their guests at a New Year’s…
Forewarned is forearmed, especially when it comes to Major Jack Ballentyne, the hero in HARD TO FORGET. A man who’s motto is: The end justifies the means, and f*ck the collateral damage. Yes, he’s somewhat lacking on the conscience front, but he has his reasons. He’s a Special Agent for a start. With the British Intelligence Service. Tasked with leading a particularly dangerous unit of men unofficially known as ‘The Assassins’. A motley crew of rule breakers whose activities are ‘plausibly deniable’ by necessity. Back to forewarned…Jack’s not exactly communicative, he’s more a man of action, (vengeful action) so here are a few subjects best avoided should you chance to engage him in conversation. 1. Shooting Lowry. It’s an incident he’d rather forget. 2. Having Lowry court marshaled. Another incident he’d rather forget. 3. His twin, Richard. These two brothers took ‘sibling rivalry’ to the extreme, and the consequences were devastating. 4. Climbing or Base Jumping. Two activities guaranteed to raise the hairs on Jack’s neck fast. (see Caution 3 above) 5. Patient Peter. A serial killer so foul, even Jack’s cast-iron stomach churns. 6. Trust. Jack has a few issues having experienced the whip-lick sting of betrayal. 7. The…
While I’m in my writing cave, I thought it’d be a good idea to check in on #Squidge and see what he’s been up to… Squidge attended #HMK2014, that Hot Mojave Knights book convention this past weekend in Las Vegas, NV with my assistant, Kelly Oakes, and proceeded to enjoy himself while I wasn’t around to keep him in line. Here are the highlights of his weekend: Upon checking in to the hotel, Squidge immediately claimed his side of the bed. Did you know he snores? And he’s quite the bed hog. Kelly left Squidge in charge of selling tickets to the Naughty PJ Party and the cash drawer came up a little short, I think he has a slight gambling problem. Squidge helped the Authors Write Hand team get ready for the party, by playing hide and seek inside the Pink Camo bags donated by author Sharon Hamilton. Squidge and 50 of his closest friends attended the event and caused all kinds of a ruckus. The highlight of the evening by far was when Squidge decided to take the “hot potato” for a test drive. This naughty game included a latex body part and lube, played in “hot potato”…
A few words on Food and Mystery from Laura Childs, author of GOSSAMER GHOST, a Scrapbooking Mystery set in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Have you ever visited New Orleans? I sure hope you have, because the entire Big Easy is a food lover’s paradise. You’ve got your jambalaya and gumbo, in varieties that include andouille sausage, crayfish, chicken, turtle, and, well . . . you name it, you’re sure to find it in New Orleans. Enjoy mud bugs? That’s crawfish, of course, so delightful and juicy. And there are oyster bars galore where you can grab a bottle of hot sauce (Liquid Storm or Saucy Wench, anyone?) and slurp tasty, sweet mollusks to your heart’s content. For upscale dining Galatoire’s in the French Quarter is a must. If you have your own waiter (the regulars do) you’ll doubly enjoy your crabmeat maison, poisson meuniere amandine, and filet béarnaise. Or head over to Brennan’s for flaming bananas foster, the Café du Monde for sinful beignets, Antoine’s for sizzling hot oysters Rockefeller, or Emeril’s or Commander’s Palace for anything. (Yes, it’s all quite fantastic.) Pop in to any number of music or jazz festivals and enjoy the street food –…
I began at my local military recruiting center when researching Navy SEALs for my novel BRIDGING TWO HEARTS. I picked up a red phone at the locked door and announced my name and reason for visiting (I obviously was not an enlistment candidate). A camera swiveled in my direction and the door buzzed to let me in. Once inside I explained to a female Navy chief that as a “retired” Navy wife, I had spent twenty years without a need to know things I didn’t need to know, therefore, I didn’t have a problem with not needing to know important details about SEAL operations. She smiled. As did every military person I explained this to over the next months. Unfortunately, she could not give me any SEAL details. Instead, she picked up a hot pink post-it note and wrote a name and a phone number. I should call “Steve” for information. When “Steve” answered the phone, I heard the click of pool balls in the background along with what sounded like a sip from a glass. I explained who I was–that I was writing a story about Navy SEALs and I just needed background information about the domestic side of SEAL life. I’ve read enough…
In the book JEAN SASSON: A NEW ORIENTALIST, Indian academic Vijay Mehta refers to you as the “voice of the Middle East women”. What does it mean to you to be recognized as an advocate for our sisters in the Middle East? JEAN: I am proud to be acknowledged as a voice of the Middle East women. I feel it is one of the two greatest achievements of my life; the other being responsible for the freedom of the many confined and mistreated animals I have rescued. I have been emotionally, and even physically, involved in assisting girls and women in need for more than 30 years. For me, one of the most depressing aspects of this entire journey has been to meet girls and women who had nowhere to turn, and to see the utter misery reflected in their sad eyes. So many told me that they felt helpless and hopeless that anyone would, or could, help them. There is no more unbearable feeling than to know a vulnerable human being is being beaten, or raped, and to struggle unsuccessfully against the culture that is keeping females in all ages in such tragic situations. So, the fact that the…
SOUL PAINTER began with a single vision: a woman, alone in the mist. The color grey filled my senses, and I put pen to paper to write that first scene. I had no idea where she lived, what she was like, or what the main conflict in the novel would be. What I did know was that there was a woman in the foggy recesses of my imagination, and she wanted out. The first few pages rested for a couple of months while the rest of the story took shape in my mind. I felt I needed to plan, so I feasted on a constant diet of “what-if.” Eventually, the thinking time paid off. The other characters took shape: a dedicated priest who was still a man, women trapped by life’s unexpected turns, and the embodiment of evil. But the woman in the fog remained a mystery. My main character was just beyond my grasp. Until I picked up the pen again. That’s when I realized Miriam was not who she seemed. I knew she was a woman hiding. I knew she was alone. I knew she was brave in the face of extreme danger but trembled when strangers stood…
Rhonda Helms and I have challenged each other to a swoon off, pitting the heroes of our September release New Adult books against each other. There will be three events (Who is sexier?, Who has the best pick up/first conversation with the heroine?, and Who does the best grovel?). We will write about our heroes and post snippets from our books. Then there will be voting! Stop by the three blogs to vote and post a comment to participate in our giveaway. Who has the best pickup line/ first conversation? PHIN (From HER BEST SHOT) When Layla, my heroine, first meets Phin, it’s in a bar while he is playing pool. She watched him play a few games and take money from his opponents. She’s intrigued by him, and yes, attracted to him, but she’s caught a little off guard when he approaches her because she thought no one noticed her come into the bar. He pointed his pool cue at her. “Are you going to sit there staring all night, or are you going to play?” “Me? I’m not stupid enough to play pool with a hustler. My day’s been crappy enough. I don’t need to lose anything else.”…
I often get asked where my ideas come from. A lot of the time I actually don’t know as I can’t pinpoint what exactly triggered it, or what made me chose that direction. Loosely, a conversation with my kids about what mazes could be made out of triggered the Court of Annwyn series. Yeah…not exactly an obvious connection to an entire alternate world ruled by fairies. But I already had in my mind the character of Caspian (THE OUTCAST PRINCE), who was psychometric. Taryn (LORD OF THE HUNT) who needed something from the fairy Court came as I went through the maze. So an idea for a story usually starts with a character. They wander in to my mind and away I go. Sometimes that character is inspired by a picture, other times a news article, most often I have no idea…I think I have a green room in my mind where characters sit around and chat just waiting for the right moment to make their entrance. For the Annwyn series it was the maze that opened the door. Once I have one character I have to go looking for the other (in takes two to make a romance). I…
Peanut butter cups usually come in pairs. Why? Who knows but when you open that package, you can’t eat just one. You have to finish both. At least I do. That other one would be left lonely, after all. Does this have anything at all to do with writing the Indecent serials? Maybe not. But let’s think about it for a minute. In AN INDECENT PROPOSITION, Jules is offered half a million dollars to spend the night with a man she’s never met. Only, that one man becomes two when she realizes there’s someone watching from the shadows. He’s scarred and bitter and completely infatuated with her, though he doesn’t believe she could ever want him because of his appearance. His best friend will do anything to bring him out of seclusion and when they both fall for this one girl, well, she’s one very lucky lady. In AN INDECENT AFFAIR, Kat was an awkward teen with emotional issues who’s grown into a beautiful woman who doesn’t quite know what to do with her life. Then best friends Tristan and Adam enter her life at a party and sweep her away from the man her mother wants her to marry….