The #MysteryNovember Book Tour Day 9 – Gerald Darnell @darnellgerald

November 9, 2015 / Marcia Meara / 1 Comment

mysterynovember

It’s Monday morning, and the #MysteryNovember tour bus is making another stop. Today, Gerald Darnell is boarding the bus, and you can learn more about him and his books at the link below. Hope you’ll check it out, and then share with all your contacts and groups. Thanks, and Enjoy!

The #MysteryNovember Book Tour Day 9 – Gerald Darnell @darnellgerald

illegals-for-kendal

The #MysteryNovember Book Tour Day 8 – Ray Stone @raystoneauthor #SundayBlogShare

November 8, 2015 / Marcia Meara / Leave a comment

mysterynovember

The #MysteryNovember tour bus is still making the rounds. Today, author Ray Stone gets on board. Learn more about Ray and his books at the link below, and as always, may I remind you guys to pass the word along! Thanks, and enjoy!

#MysteryNovember Book Tour Day 8 – Ray Stone

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#MysteryNovember Day 5 – Carys Jones

November 6, 2015 / Marcia Meara / 1 Comment

Time to make the 5th stop on the #MysteryNovember Tour. The featured author for Day 5 is Carys Jones, and you can learn more about her and her work, by clicking the link below. Please remember to share with all your peeps. Thanks! And enjoy!

#MysteryNovember Day 5 featuring Author Carys Jones

#MysteryNovember Day 3 – Gordon Bickerstaff

November 3, 2015 / Marcia Meara / Leave a comment

All aboard for today’s episode of Rosie Amber’s #MysteryNovember Tour. The featured author is Gorden Bickerstaff, and you can learn more about him, and his books, at the link below. Please remember to share both this post, and the one linked to below, in order to get the word out to as many folks as possible. Thanks! Enjoy!

#MysteryNovember Day 3 with Gordon Bickerstaff

#MysteryNovember Tour Day 1 – Mike Martin

November 1, 2015November 1, 2015 / Marcia Meara / 4 Comments

Hooray! Rosie Amber’s #MysteryNovember Tour is underway. I hope you’ll follow along with these posts, which feature a different author each day. I’m betting you’ll find some whose work you’d really enjoy. And please remember to share both the posts on Rosie’s page, and this one, as well. Let’s get the word out about these authors, their books, Rosie’s Blog, and ours, as well. Thanks. Now here’s the link to the first featured author, Mike Martin. Enjoy!

#MysteryNovember Day 1 Featuring Mike Martin

Miyuki, Harvard Girl by Eldon Brown

September 14, 2015September 15, 2015 / Marcia Meara / 3 Comments

Excerpt from Miyuki, Harvard Girl by Eldon Brown, soon to be available on Amazon.com:

     He knew that I had observed this procedure before, so I surmised that he had another reason to get me alone. There were some things that I wanted to ask him too. On the way to the orchid house, I just blurted out, “Mr. Seto, were you spying on me?”
     “Not spy,” he said, “watch.”
      “But why?” I asked.
     “It is Japanese way. Everyone is watched. You are seeing my daughter. I must know all about you.”
      “The present was a nice touch.”
     Seto smiled. “Yes, but you did not accept.” He paused and became more serious. “Mattu-san, by now I am sure that you know I am yakuza. It is no secret. Your FBI knows, the baseball players know. It is why I always have bodyguards. I don’t think Miyuki knows, and I would prefer that she believes I am just a simple farmer.” Just then the orchid truck departed from the orchid greenhouse.
     “Is it true that you clear fifty thousand dollars for each of these shipments?”
     He smiled again and offered a slight bow. “Your information not entirely correct. I must pay a commission on every order. Each politician has a budget for meetings and official functions. I pay them twenty-five percent commission.”
      “Isn’t that a bribe?”
      “No, not bribe, commission. We call it tea money.”
     I thought, One man’s bribe is another man’s incentive.
      He looked up at me and smiled. “I suppose you believe that some tea is not exchanged in your country when those big defense contracts are signed.” His eyes seemed to twinkle.

#ExcerptWeek #JackiePhillips #TheManInTheFedora

June 7, 2015June 7, 2015 / Marcia Meara / 6 Comments

Jackie Phillips has asked me to share the first chapter of her WIP, tentatively entitled The Man in the Fedora. The title and the cover are both tentative at this point, actually, subject to change after editing and a bit closer to publication.This is Book 1 of a series about a Private Eye named Dee Dee Watson, who rides a Harley, and has a black belt in jujitsu. She’s been hired to find…well…why don’t I let you read the excerpt and see for yourself? Thanks for sharing with us Jackie, and much good luck as you pursue this dream.

The Man in the Fedora

I was sitting at my desk, wondering if I should just give it up for the day and find a good stiff drink. When he comes strolling in.

He looked like he stepped out of an old 1940’s movie set. You know the type – tall, good-looking, strong chin and steely eyes. He was dressed in a suit that cost more than I make in a year. He wore a gray overcoat with a black fedora hat. I do love a man who looks good in a fedora. He did – very good, in fact.

My name’s Dee Dee Watson and I’m a Private Eye. Yeah, a private detective. My mother doesn’t like it and my older brother gives me hell about it every time we see each other. I love what I do. I would say it pays the bills, but it doesn’t. Continue reading →

MARRED Excerpt – Sue Coletta

March 12, 2015March 13, 2015 / Sue Coletta / 32 Comments

ONE

Sunday

1:30 P.M.

I used to believe people were inherently good, if only at their core. I saw the brokenness of the homeless. The, if only he caught a break. . . I respected the overachiever in the football star, hoping for Daddy’s approval even though he knew he’d never get it. I saw the heart of the sinner. The souls of lovers. The shattered dreams of an abandoned child. I saw good in evil. Spirit in the unholy. The complexities of love, marriage, life. Hell, I welcomed the challenge. I had hopes and dreams and affirmations. I did.

And then, that all changed. My views shattered. Or maybe, my eyes finally opened.

That’s what Niko would say. Though now, devastation also fills his eyes. He no longer looks at me as his optimistic wife who loves life. I miss our blissful marriage. I miss our baby. I miss my blindfold. Oh, how I wish I could put it back on. Most of all, I miss. . . me.

Now, I’m just trying to survive. And so, I go through life on autopilot.

***

Clutching a load of laundry I hobbled down the stairs. A white-hot pain shot to my right knee and folded me in half. The basket of clothes tumbled down the stairs– socks, T-shirts, jeans, shorts and Niko’s sheriff’s uniform strewn about the living room floor.

I fell back against the stairs. Twined my arms around the railing and stared at the white lines on my forearms left by the knife. The thick scar on my neck tugged at the skin as I straightened. Even after three long years and hours and hours of counseling, one small reminder– the sight of my scars– made me relive that night over again. I still could not get past what that man did to me.

The phone startled me when it rang. Continue reading →