LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: Photo Shoot by Jo A Hiestand

August 26, 2019 By 1 Comment


Thanks for joining us on our 12th anniversary scavenger hunt! There are two ways to enter to win and it’s easy to play– first read the blurb below, then answer the question on the first Rafflecopter. You might win a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC. Follow and visit authors social media pages on the second rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC!

Michael McLaren returns home from working a cold case in Cumbria to learn that he’s missed his uncle’s wedding in Scotland. Angry and fearful that his absence has re-opened the family rift just as it’s healed, he drives to the ancestral home, hoping his appearance and explanation will be accepted. He’s more than welcomed. His uncle asks him to investigate the murder of his first fiancée.
Fiona Lennox was found in a rowboat on a Scottish loch, shot to death during a late night photo shoot.

Why would she rent a boat after dark? Did she take it out to photograph the moonlight on the water? She could’ve done, being a professional photographer, but she was also a proponent of civic and environmental causes, which she documented with her camera. Did someone linked to one of her crusades kill her, or was the motive personal?

As McLaren uncovers layers of Fiona’s life and the reason for her nocturnal outing, he and his family are targets of intensifying attacks. But it’s not until he races against a kidnapper’s deadline and the threat of a loved one’s watery death that he realizes who killed Fiona⎯implications that are as deep and dark as the Scottish loch.

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LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: The Deadly Lies by David C Dawson

August 26, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Thanks for joining us on our 12th anniversary scavenger hunt! There are two ways to enter to win and it’s easy to play– first read the blurb below, then answer the question on the first Rafflecopter. You might win a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC. Follow and visit authors social media pages on the second rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC!

British lawyer Dominic Delingpole is honeymooning with his husband Jonathan in the gay paradise Sitges in Spain. But when Dominic’s ex-lover gets in touch, Jonathan suspects his new husband of lying. What lies have been told?

This new adventure takes the heroes of The Necessary Deaths from Sitges in Spain, to San Francisco in the US.

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Win FIVE Autographed Books from the “Master of the Thinking Reader’s Techno-Thriller” – Giveaway

August 16, 2019 By Leave a Comment

Win FIVE Autographed Books from the “Master of the Thinking Reader’s Techno-Thriller”

“Outrageously entertaining: Epic, explosive, subversive, engaged and compassionate, like a Michael Bay movie written by Aaron Sorkin.” -says author Chris Brookmyre

FIVE autographed paperbacks with international intrigue, extreme action, mysteries, unusual and diverse characters, and engaging with contemporary global and domestic events. The complete Intel 1 series of thrillers in hard copy will be yours if you win. Enter now or click the banner at the top of the page.

About the Author: Erec Stebbins is a biomedical researcher who writes novels in a variety of genres, focusing on thrillers and science fiction. His work has consistently been praised for its action and thrills alongside a deeper, often philosophical angle. The Internet Review of Books dubbed him “master of the thinking reader’s techno thriller”.

His novels have been called “unique” and “pulse-pounding” (THE RAGNARÖK CONSPIRACY), “altogether profound, reminiscent of Bradbury and Dan Simmons’ Hyperion“ (DAUGHTER OF TIME TRILOGY), and “startlingly dark” (EXTRAORDINARY RETRIBUTION) with five star ratings in Foreword Reviews, San Francisco Book Reviews, Portland Book Review, and others. His Daughter of Time trilogy is a Foreword Reviews’ 2015 INDIES Book of the Year Award Finalist.

Intel 1 thriller omnibus (books 1-4): https://books2read.com/intel1

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The Maine Nemesis by R. Scott Wallis – Guest Blog and Giveaway

August 9, 2019 By 14 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. R. Scott Wallis will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

*****

When I first sat down to create my Skyler Moore Thriller series, I knew two things: I wanted my heroine to be a woman and I wanted her to be from the southern Maine coast. Up until now, I’d always made my main characters men, but I felt very strongly about changing things up and I’m very glad that I did, because I am totally in love with these women that I’ve created.

My stories are essentially about friendships and in the very beginning of THE MAINE NEMESIS, we get a quick look back at how Skyler and her life-long best friend—celebrity chef Brenda Braxton—first met. And since my absolute favorite thing to write is dialogue, most everything that happens is told from one character to another. I’m kind of in awe of Skyler and Brenda’s relationship because it’s deep and personal and sarcastic. They’re both professionals who have achieved great things in life, but they also appreciate the little things, and value their friendship above all else.

And everyone needs a sidekick when mayhem comes knocking, which for Skyler, is all the time.

I wanted Skyler and Brenda to be from Maine because I spent so much time there as a kid and I think there is nothing quite as wonderful as a Maine summer. My uncle lived in Kennebunkport in a 100-year-old farmhouse not too far from the ocean. I have fond memories of endless lobster rolls, walks on the rocky shore, chilly evenings, and quaint old houses. And even though Kennebunkport absolutely overflows with a slew of tourists in the summertime, it has still kept that ‘Down East’ charm that I love so much.

Because I wanted to make their hometown my own, I invented Wabanaki, named after a tribe of Native Americans who once lived in the region. I was surprised that, in my research, I found no city or town named after the Indians. So Wabanaki was born. It’s very close to Ogunquit and Kennebunkport, if you know the area, but it’s much sleepier and doesn’t have nearly the same number of tourists. But, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its share of sinister residents! When women start dropping dead, the police are overwhelmed, so it’s up to Skyler, Brenda, and friends to save the town they love so much.

And because I am having so much fun exploring the world of Skyler and Brenda, I decided to keep going—they are on a tour of the United States of America, if you will. Book two, THE NEW MEXICO SCOUNDREL, is also available now, and THE NEVADA SABOTEUR comes out this September 27. I just started work on book four and it might be my favorite of all so far, because I’m taking my friends on an Alaskan cruise (something I have done four times and highly recommend). That’s out next February.

Come spend some time with, and get to know, Skyler and Brenda, and I bet you’ll enjoy the (bumpy, but always fun) ride.

Fiercely independent, insatiably curious, and always up for an adventure, public relations hotshot Skyler Moore is a hero for our time. She’s decidedly not a sleuth by trade, but mayhem often comes knocking as she and her friends visit the small towns and big cities of America.

In “The Maine Nemesis,” Skyler decides to spend the summer at her seaside cottage in Wabanaki, Maine, with her best friend—celebrity chef Brenda Braxton—and they have no idea that murder will be on the menu. But women are turning up dead in the once sleepy village where nothing ever happens. With the residents up in arms and the rinky-dink police force overwhelmed, Skyler and her friends feel compelled to lend a hand to save the town they love so much. The backdrop is classic New England Americana: lobster rolls, the whole town out for the Fourth of July, and summer evenings cooled by the ocean breeze. That…and an occasional murder, a kidnapping, and a few dangerous liaisons.

Skyler’s mile-a-minute adventure will keep you turning the pages to see what comes next for her and her Down East ‘friends.’

Enjoy an Excerpt

During one typically mild Maine summer, slightly more than a few decades ago, while the United States of America was celebrating the anniversary of its independence from England, fifth-grader Skyler Elizabeth Moore was celebrating her freedom from being the only little girl on her street. While she got along fine with most of the kids in her class, she’d not yet made a best friend—besides her beloved Raggedy Ann doll—so when Brenda Braxton, along with her brother and aunt, moved into the white clapboard house diagonally across the street, Skyler made it her mission to show the new girl around their tiny New England town in order to win her friendship.

There were only a handful of houses on the street and most of them were only used in the summer, making for a very sleepy, almost ghost town-like existence for a pre-teen girl during the school year. Skyler would stare into the houses’ dark windows as she walked to school, trying to catch a glimpse of something moving inside. A forgotten cat. A caretaker. Even a ghost. She believed in them and was certain that big old empty houses were where they lived.

When the biting winter winds that came off the ocean turned soothingly cool and the town sprung back to life after Memorial Day, Skyler would get her hopes up that a new family—with kids her age—would magically appear on the block. Specifically, a girl. So, when she finally spotted one that early July day, she wasted no time.

The moving truck was still in front of the house on the corner, and even though her mother told her to wait until the family settled in, Skyler marched herself to the open door and stepped into the front hall. She scooted to the left to avoid getting hit by a couch that two large men lifted through the doorway and then she followed them into the living room.

There she was. A girl her own age, sitting on a moving box, eating a banana.

“My mom would be very proud,” she said when she noticed Skyler. “She was always pushing fruit on me.”

“I love bananas,” Skyler lied as she moved closer. “I’m Skyler. I live across the street.”

“I’m Brenda. And I guess I live here now.”

“Welcome to Wabanaki.”

“Such a weird name for a town.”

“It’s named after an Indian tribe. American Indian, not India Indian.”

“I’ll never be able to spell it.”

“I’m good at spelling. It’s easy. W.A.B.A.N.A.K.I. Wabanaki. Almost like banana with all the A’s after the letters.”

“I guess. Did you just let yourself in?”

“I did. Is that okay with your mother?”

“I’m sure she doesn’t care. I’m glad you came in.”

“Me, too.” Skyler couldn’t stop smiling. “Me, too.”

Skyler noticed that Brenda was a little on the heavy side with a roll of fat around her middle that peeked out between her shirt and shorts, but it didn’t faze her. Brenda had a hearty, infectious laugh and positive attitude despite what Skyler would come to understand was an arduous childhood. Her homework could have been eaten by the dog, or the vacation she was looking forward to could have been cancelled at the last minute, and she’d always manage to find the silver lining. Brenda’s attitude would balance well with Skyler’s sometimes dark outlook on life.

Skyler didn’t know it at the time, but Brenda’s father went missing in action during some U.S. military action somewhere on the other side of the world and her distraught mother had been committed to a mental asylum. Her father’s sister took charge of the children and moved them from a bustling, unkempt New York City (at the time) to the more idyllic world that was sleepy Wabanaki, Maine.

For Skyler, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. The girls had the rest of the summer to play outside, have sleepovers, and get to know each other before the school year would begin. And they did just that. Sometime between building a girls-only tree house and starting a weekly lemonade stand, they’d become blood-sisters, cutting their index fingers and pressing them together to form a lifetime bond. It had been Brenda’s idea. She’d seen her brother do it with his best friend, so it wasn’t totally insane.

“It seems insane to me,” Skyler said. “But I’ll do it. If you want me to.”

“I don’t want you to do anything that would make you feel bad. And I know blood makes you scream and cry.”

“That was just that one time, Brenda, and it was only because that stupid treehouse nail went right through my leg. I’m not afraid of blood. I’m going to be a veterinarian. I’m going to have to get used to it.”

“I’m going to be a cook, I think,” Brenda said. “So, if any of your animals die, you let me know.”

“You are not cooking dead animals, Brenda!”

“What do you think steak and pork chops and hamburgers are? Dead animals.”

“But they aren’t dogs and cats. I’m going to care for puppies and kitties.”

“Veterinarians also take care of cows and pigs and horses and stuff, you know.”

“Well, maybe. But if they die—which they won’t, because I am going to go to a very good veterinarian school—I’m not letting you cook them. There will be a pet cemetery in the back behind my pet hospital.”

“That seems wrong.”

“It does, you’re right,” Skyler said thoughtfully. “Well, we’ll get your stupid brother to take the dead animals away somewhere. But, I’m serious, Brenda, the animals are not going to die. That’s why I’m going to be a veterinarian, to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“Everything dies. My dad died. My hamster died. And our first dog died when he got run over by the trash truck.”

“That’s horrible. If I was older and if I had been there, I would have saved him.”

“She was a she and her head was smooshed into the road and they had to use a bunch of shovels to clean it up.”

“That’s so gross.”

“It was.”

“And sad,” Skyler said. “I’m super sorry.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t really see that happen. Actually, I don’t think that’s what happened to her. I made it up. I think she ran away.”

“That’s sad, too.”

“Not as sad as my dad dying,” Brenda said. “At least, we think he’s dead. He never came back.”

“Maybe he’s with your dog somewhere.”

“Maybe.”

“With your mom, maybe?”

“Well, that would just make me mad.” Brenda dug her fingernail into the bottom of her sneaker.

“Why?” Skyler asked.

“Because if they’re all together somewhere else, why are my brother and me here in Wabanaki without them?”

“Oh,” Skyler said softly.

“That would mean that they don’t love us.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“But that’s what it would mean. And I don’t want to believe that.”

“Don’t. It’s not true.”

Brenda became uncharacteristically quiet for a few moments making Skyler a little uncomfortable.

“Maybe we should do it now.”

Brenda brightened when she remembered the task at hand. She pulled out her brother’s Swiss Army pocketknife. “Ready?”

“I am,” Skyler said confidently, even though she was trembling. “Because we’re going to be sisters forever.”

“That’s the idea. I don’t want to have to play with just my brother for the rest of my life.”

Brenda took Skyler’s hand in hers, turned it over so that her palm was facing up, and pressed the knife into her finger without hesitation. Skyler’s eyes widened as she watched a small bubble of scarlet red blood form. She looked into Brenda’s eyes. She smiled, cut her own finger, and they pressed them together while they screamed and laughed at the same time.

“There,” Brenda said when she was able to calm herself, “blood sisters.”

“Blood sisters,” Skyler echoed. “Can we go clean these cuts now? I don’t want to get tetanus.”

“What is tetanus?”

“I don’t know, but it’s something awful and if you get it inside you, you die.”

“I don’t want to die.”

“Me either. I have a lot of animals to save.”

“And I have a lot to cook!”

The girls took off to find water, soap, and Band-Aids, and to call it a night. The sun was setting and it was getting dark, the sign that another summer adventure must come to an end. But they’d have lots more. They ensured that with blood.

And an infection.

Brenda’s cut got infected, but it wasn’t tetanus…and she didn’t die.

About the Author:R. Scott Wallis is endlessly inspired by his surroundings and adventures. And he thrives on new chapters and creating unique projects to keep himself out of trouble. Scott started his working life as an advance person and assistant to a sitting United States Vice President. Later, he served as the creative director for a leading Washington think tank. That led to working directly for one of the richest men on Earth, conceiving and executing exclusive events for his billionaire friends. Tired of working for the man, Scott became a top-rated pop-culture podcaster and celebrity interviewer, while also dabbling in both the worlds of clothing manufacturing (creating his own baby clothes brand that was sold in over 300 stores nationwide) and retail sales, with his own well-received men’s clothing store.


Always willing to lend a hand or donate what he can, he’s an enthusiastic philanthropist, championing causes such as childhood bullying, animal adoption, and feeding the less fortunate. A wide-eyed world traveler, Scott has been to four continents, mostly by sea. While he loves exploring Europe and the Caribbean islands, it’s the vast United States that he likes best. He’s been to Alaska four times, Hawaii twice, and can’t wait to explore the eight states he hasn’t been to yet. Technically a Connecticut Yankee, Scott grew up in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, and lived for 25 years in the Washington, D.C. area, before recently discovering that the American West is where he is most at home. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.


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Joe Cosentino’s 8 Tips for Writing a Winning Mystery Series – Guest Blog and Giveaway

August 5, 2019 By Leave a Comment

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Joe Cosentino who is celebrating the recent release of his latest book in the Nicky and Noah series Drama Dance. Post a comment about why you love The Nutcracker Ballet. The one that tickles our tights the most will win an audiobook of Drama Queen, the first Nicky and Noah mystery, by Joe Cosentino, performed by Michael Gilboe.

Joe Cosentino’s 8 Tips for Writing a Winning Mystery Series
at the release of Drama Dance, the 8th Nicky and Noah mystery novel
Writing a successful mystery series is like having a baby. Okay, I’ve never done that. It’s akin to going to war. Oops, I’ve never done that either. I’m sure you get the idea. It’s difficult. Since I’m the author of two popular mystery series (The Nicky and Noah Mysteries and The Jana Lane Mysteries), new mystery writers often ask my advice about writing in the genre. In honor of the release of Drama Dance, the eighth Nicky and Noah mystery novel, here are my eight tips for writing a winning mystery series.

1) Start with the twist ending. I generally wake up at about 3am with a wonderful idea for the end of a new novel. Beginning with a shocking and terrific ending and working backwards will give the story a strong and justifiable conclusion. Readers constantly tell me they never saw the ending of my book coming. However, once the sleuth reminded them of the clues in the last chapter, they slapped their heads screaming, “How could I have missed that!”

2) Create a roadmap for the story. I moan when I read a mystery that presents suspects and then randomly selects whodunit at the conclusion. You need to chart out every clue, red herring, and plot point. It’s important to decide when to offer information and when to use sleight of hand to camouflage it.

3) A mystery, like any story, is only as good as its characters. Create realistic, loveable, captivating characters that we enjoy. I’m always so thrilled when readers tell me they love Nicky and Noah as much as Nicky and Noah love each other.

4) A mystery should include all aspects of real life, which includes romance and drama. Don’t bog your characters down with so much sleuthing that they can’t have personal lives and careers. Jane Lane faces a personal crisis in each Jane Lane mystery novel, at home and on the set. In addition to producing their show, Nicky and Noah embark on a personal journey in each Nicky and Noah mystery, including dating, marriage, and adopting and raising a child.

5) Especially in these trying times, humor can save us. Don’t force it but find the humor in as many situations as possible. It’s always there. I remember one Christmas my parents gave me a jacket and my sister a house. When I complained to my mother, she replied, “But it’s a nice jacket, and we’ll be living in the house with your sister.” I love when readers tell me they laugh out loud at Nicky’s snarky aside comments, his best friends’ Martin and Ruben’s good-natured bickering, or Martin’s secretary’s barbs. Jana Lane’s old world agent is also a riot.

6) The setting should be another character in the mystery. Whether it’s cozy, exotic, or fantastical, use the setting to help tell your story. Jana Lane’s upstate New York mansion in the Jana Lane mysteries highlights her glamorous yet small community lifestyle. Treemeadow College in Vermont is the perfect setting for the Nicky and Noah cozy mysteries with its white Edwardian buildings, low white stone fences, lake and mountain views, and cherry wood offices with tall leather chairs and fireplaces.

7) Write what you know about. Since I was a professional actor, it’s not a coincidence that my Jana Lane sleuth is an ex-child star making a movie comeback. Nicky and Noah are college theatre professors like me. Real life brings a wealth of information, stories, and characters. The Nutcracker Ballet is my favorite ballet, so it provided the perfect production for Nicky to direct at Treemeadow College in my current release Drama Dance. My colleagues at my college tease me that if they annoy me, I might kill them in my next Nicky and Noah mystery. And they’re right! (smile)

8) Travel everywhere! Not only is travelling fun and educational, you can use it in your mysteries. It’s not a coincidence that Jana Lane (and I) travelled to Washington, DC and New York City, or that Nicky and Noah (and I) embarked on trips to Alaska, Hawaii, and Scotland.

I hope you enjoyed reading my eight tips on mystery writing. Now it is my joy and pleasure to share this eighth novel in my Nicky and Noah mystery series with you. Below are the blurb, my bio, the purchase links, an excerpt, and a special giveaway offer. So take your seats. The curtain is going up on Clara, the Nutcracker, the Mouse King, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Cavalier. And of course hilarity, romance, and murder Nicky and Noah style in Drama Dance!

Theatre professor Nicky Abbondanza is back at Treemeadow College directing their Nutcracker Ballet co-starring his spouse, theatre professor Noah Oliver, their son Taavi, and their best friend and department head, Martin Anderson. With muscular dance students and faculty in the cast, the Christmas tree on stage isn’t the only thing rising. When cast members drop faster than their loaded dance belts, Nicky and Noah will once again need to use their drama skills to figure out who is cracking the Nutcracker’s nuts, trapping the Mouse King, and being cavalier with the Cavalier, before Nicky and Noah end up stuck in the Land of the Sweets. You will be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining eighth novel in this delightful series. Take your seats. The curtain is going up on the Fairy—Sugar Plum that is, clumsy mice, malfunctioning toys, and murder!

Enjoy an Excerpt

The Victorian-era playroom was adorned with wallpapered walls of pink and gold swirls. A large window hovered over a cushiony toy chest. Standing guard on one side was a grandfather clock and a pink chaise lounge on the other. Elaborately decorated gift boxes of all shapes and sizes stood between them. Cherished music played as couples in elaborate gowns and vested tuxedos executed a promenade at the Stahlbaum’s holiday party. Little boys in knickers galloped with their toy horses, and sweet girls in frilly party dresses danced with their dolls. A small, thin, elderly man entered in a puff of smoke, causing a hush in the room. Uncle Drosselmeyer, in a maroon suit, motioned for pretty young Clara, dressed in white, to join him next to the Christmas tree adorned with gold balls, candles, and garland. Clara’s younger brother, Fritz, joined her with mischief in his eyes. The adults and children left the playroom, except for Drosselmeyer, Clara, and Fritz. The lights in the room flickered as the bald man waved his tiny arms and magically produced—a garlic crusher.

“What happened to the nutcracker?” I asked from the front row center orchestra, resting the notepad and pen on my lap.

Ruben Markinson entered the stage from the wings. “I couldn’t fit a nutcracker up Martin’s sleeve.”

Martin Anderson dropped his Uncle Drosselmeyer persona and sneered at his husband. “So you expected Clara to dance with a garlic crusher?”

Ruben replied, “It’s less absurd than you dancing on stage at your advanced age, Martin.”

Martin glared at his longtime companion. “My body is a temple.”

“And it’s in ruins!” Ruben replied.

We’re back! For you Nicky and Noah mystery virgins, let me explain. I’m Nicky Abbondanza, Professor of Play Directing at Treemeadow College, a quaint college in picturesque Vermont. Treemeadow was named after the quaint gay couple who founded it: Harold Tree and Jacob Meadow. They are immortalized together in bronze at the quaint college entrance—to the delight of every pigeon in the county.

I had taken a sabbatical from teaching to direct and star in a Broadway play and direct two movies. But when producers responded to my calls with, “Don’t call us—ever again,” I realized that “those who can, do; those who did, teach.” So, missing my college more than a hooker misses a john with a fat wallet and narcolepsy, it was back to Treemeadow for me, where I was recently promoted from Associate Professor to Professor. For you non-academics, that means I make more money now. But I don’t teach and direct shows for the monetary rewards. I do it for the ulcers and heart attacks. This semester, after teaching my theatre classes at accelerated hours, I finished my classes mid-semester; and my department head and best friend, Professor of Theatre Management Martin Anderson, loaned me out to the Dance Department to direct their December production of The Nutcracker ballet. Since I have gotten myself out of many traps, I also agreed to understudy the cheesy role of the Mouse King.

For the carnally conscious, I’m tall, with dark hair, a cleft in my chin, emerald eyes, a Roman nose, and long sideburns. I have a muscular body, thanks to the gym on campus—and to my fear of giving into gravity now that I hit the big four zero.

My husband of five years, recently promoted Associate Professor of Acting Noah Oliver, as usual joined me as the production’s acting coach. Noah’s dance training in college made him a perfect understudy for the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cavalier. By the way, Noah is seven years younger than me. But it doesn’t bother me. At all!

Noah is gorgeous with golden blond hair, sea-blue eyes, milk-and-honey skin, and a tight little body. We both always wear dress shirts, dress slacks, and blazers, except to bed. Speaking of clothing, to my tailor’s horror and Noah’s delight, I have a nearly foot-long penis when erect. Had I been a caveman, I wouldn’t have needed a club. A gay porn star would hang his head (both of them) next to me. Why am I telling you this? I tell you everything.

As for the rest of the cast and crew, elderly Martin is playing Clara’s elderly Uncle Drosselmeyer. Martin’s equally elderly husband, Ruben, agreed to be our props master. Dance faculty members took on the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Cavalier, the Mouse King, and choreographer. The star dance students were cast in the roles of Clara, Clara’s understudy, the Nutcracker, and the Nutcracker’s understudy. In the ensemble, the remaining senior dance students filled the roles of the parents, and the freshmen were cast as the children. I brought my theatre student, Nate Owens, along as stage manager. Other theatre students are doing the set, lights, sound, and costumes.

Finally, due to his vast talents, and my nepotism, Noah’s and my eleven-year-old adopted son, Taavi Oliver Abbondanza Kapule, was cast as Clara’s brother, Fritz.

Now back to the action.

Praise for the Nicky and Noah mysteries:

“Joe Cosentino has a unique and fabulous gift. His writing is flawless, and his use of farce, along with his convoluted plot-lines, will have you guessing until the very last page, which makes his books a joy to read. His books are worth their weight in gold, and if you haven’t discovered them yet you are in for a rare treat.” Divine Magazine

“a combination of Laurel and Hardy mixed with Hitchcock and Murder She Wrote…
Loaded with puns and one-liners…Right to the end, you are kept guessing, and the conclusion still has a surprise in store for you.” “the best modern Sherlock and Watson in books today…I highly recommend this book and the entire series, it’s a pure pleasure, full of fun and love, written with talent and brio…fabulous…brilliant” Optimumm Book Reviews

“adventure, mystery, and romance with every page….Funny, clever, and sweet….I can’t find anything not to love about this series….This read had me laughing and falling in love….Nicky and Noah are my favorite gay couple.” Urban Book Reviews

“For fans of Joe Cosentino’s hilarious mysteries, this is another vintage story with more cheeky asides and sub plots right left and centre….The story is fast paced, funny and sassy. The writing is very witty with lots of tongue-in-cheek humour….Highly recommended.” Boy Meets Boy Reviews

“This delightfully sudsy, colorful cast of characters would rival that of any daytime soap opera, and the character exchanges are rife with sass, wit and cagey sarcasm….As the pages turn quickly, the author keeps us hanging until the startling end.” Edge Media Network

“A laugh and a murder, done in the style we have all come to love….This had me from the first paragraph….Another wonderful story with characters you know and love!” Crystals Many Reviewers

“These two are so entertaining….Their tactics in finding clues and the crazy funny interactions between characters keeps the pages turning. For most of the book if I wasn’t laughing I was grinning.” Jo and Isa Love Books

“Superb fun from start to finish, for me this series gets stronger with every book and that’s saying something because the benchmark was set so very high with book 1.” Three Books Over the Rainbow

“The Nicky and Noah Mysteries series are perfect for fans of the Cozy Mystery sub-genre. They mix tongue-in-cheek humor, over-the-top characters, a wee bit of political commentary, and suspense into a sweet little mystery solved by Nicky and Noah, theatre professors for whom all the world’s a stage.” Prism Book Alliance

“This is one hilarious series with a heart and it just keeps getting better. I highly recommend them all, and please read them in the order they were written for full blown laugh out loud reading pleasure!” Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

About the Author: Joe Cosentino was voted Favorite LGBT Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Author of the Year by the readers of Divine Magazine for Drama Queen. He also wrote the other novels in the Nicky and Noah mystery series: Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance; the Dreamspinner Press novellas: In My Heart/An Infatuation & A Shooting Star, the Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories: A Home for the Holidays/The Perfect Gift/The First Noel, The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland with Holiday Tales from Fairyland; the Cozzi Cove series: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward, Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out, Cozzi Cove: New Beginnings, Cozzi Cove: Happy Endings (NineStar Press); and the Jana Lane mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll (The Wild Rose Press). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently Chair of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and he is happily married. Joe was voted 2nd Place Favorite LGBT Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards, and his books have received numerous Favorite Book of the Month Awards and Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions.

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Buy the book at Amazon, Smashwords, or Barnes and Noble.

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What Would I Tell a New Author? by Jane Renshaw – Guest Blog and Giveaway

August 1, 2019 By 12 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jane Renshaw will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What would I tell a new author?

I would say that writing is a lot easier, less stressful and, above all, more fun if you have writer friends to support and help you (and, when necessary, give you a kick up the backside!). I can’t imagine, now, trying to write anything without the input of my wonderful friends Lucy Lawrie and Lesley McLaren. And I’ve learned so much from reading their work, commenting on it and trying to come up with suggestions.

We first ‘met’ on a writers’ forum. Their posts on the forum made me immediately warm to them both, as they had similar senses of humour to mine and were just all-round nice people. Then I started reading their work and loved it. Lucy writes women’s fiction and Lesley works in quite a broad range of genres, but mainly crime (sometimes with a supernatural or sci-fi twist) and nature writing. Their warm personalities and wit translate into their writing, but in both cases there is also a wicked streak which often makes me laugh.

I was thrilled when we started to exchange our work for critiques. We immediately ‘clicked’ and ‘got’ each other’s styles, although in some ways we are quite different. Lucy is great at putting emotions into words in a way that’s interesting and original but at the same time ‘right’ (‘Yes!’ you find yourself saying. ‘That’s how it feels!’) – she is our ‘layering’ guru, a great help when either Lesley or I is on the wrong track with a character’s motivation, internal dialogue or behaviour. Lesley’s stories are exciting and page-turny, with lots of dark humour – she is the plot guru, with the terrifying ability to home in on a plot problem like a guided missile. Not sure what I contribute – I’m maybe more of a details freak.

I don’t show my work in progress now to anyone else. I have done so in the past, asking non-writing friends and family to read it, hoping for feedback, but I found it not at all useful and in some cases very demoralising. Lucy and Lesley are honest but unfailingly constructive. And, being writers, they have the necessary skills and imaginations to be able to suggest fixes that work.

Most importantly, we have such fun! When I see an email come into my inbox from either Lucy or Lesley I smile. We are much more than writing friends now – we share all sorts of details about our lives. We’ve met in person a few times now and although it was quite scary the first time (What if they’re not the same as their virtual selves? What if we don’t hit it off? What if they don’t like me?) it wasn’t, in fact, like meeting strangers at all – we soon discovered that we knew each other very well already, and it was fine.

So, if you don’t have your equivalent of a Lucy and Lesley yet, I would suggest you start looking as a matter of urgency! Writers’ forums and groups are probably the best place to find writers of a similar mind-set.

Lucy has had two novels published: Tiny Acts of Love (‘Funny, poignant and honest, this is a cracker of a debut novel’ – The Sun) and The Last Day I Saw Her (‘It is clever, it is intelligent, it is full of twists and turns and it has rich characters with depth’ – On My Bookshelf). You can find out all about her here.

Lesley has had her crime novels shortlisted for some prestigious prizes (including the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger) but they are not yet published. You can read her nature writing (which is often as exciting as a crime story!) here.

Oh, and if you’re wondering how one administers a kick up the backside from several hundred miles away, this is the symbol we use in our emails: \_ (

When life has cast you in the role of victim, how do you find the strength to fight back?

When she was eight years old, Helen Clack was bullied so mercilessly that she was driven to a desperate act. Now she is being targeted once more, but this time her tormentor’s identity is shrouded in doubt.

When her life starts to disintegrate, she flees home to the wilds of north-east Scotland, and to the one man she knows can help her – Hector Forbes, the dubiously charismatic Laird of Pitfourie, with whom she has been hopelessly in love ever since those hellish days in the school playground, when he was her protector, her rescuer, her eleven-year-old hero.

But is Hector really someone she can trust?

And can anyone protect her from the terrible secret she’s keeping?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Helen looked up at the tree. There were plenty of pods hanging down from it, like peapods only skinnier.

How many would she need?

Yesterday when she was helping Daddy with the bales she had asked him, ‘How many laburnum seeds would someone have to eat before they died?’ and he’d shaken his head and said, ‘Hel’nie. You mustn’t ever take seeds from that tree,’ and she’d said, ‘I won’t. But how many would someone have to eat?’ and he’d shaken his head and said, ‘I don’t know, and I’m not just awful keen to find out.’

Helen wriggled her schoolbag off her back and dropped it down on the grass.

No one would see. The byre was between the tree and the kitchen window, and Daddy had gone up the fields to look at the calfies.

To reach the pods she would have to climb up on the fence, but Suzanne had shown her how to climb on barbed wire. She put one hand on the fence post under the tree, and one hand on the top wire, and climbed with her bum sticking out to keep her legs away from the jags. The wires were wobbly but she didn’t fall off. When she was high enough she let go the hand on the fence post and reached up and grabbed one of the pods.

About the Author:Having discovered early in her ‘career’ that she didn’t have what it takes to be a scientist, Jane Renshaw shuffled sideways into scientific and medical editing, which has the big advantage that she can do it while watching Bargain Hunt! Jane writes what she loves to read – series of novels in which the reader can immerse herself, which let her get to know an engaging, interesting and/or terrifying cast of characters slowly, in the same way you get to know people in real life. Ideally, the drama should be played out in a gorgeous setting, and the cast should include at least one dangerously charismatic, witty, outrageous protagonist with whom the reader can fall in love. A bit of murder and mayhem in the mix never hurts either… Hence the Pitfourie Series.

Website

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Dragon’s Revenge by C.J. Shane – Spotlight and Giveaway

July 10, 2019 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. C.J. Shane will be awarding his original artwork – an ink drawing of ocotillo on handmade paper in a wooden frame ready to hang with hooks and wire. Size of frame: 6 1/2″ by 8 1/2″ (U.S. ONLY), via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When Tucson private detective and Iraq War vet Letty Valdez is hired to investigate a murder, she immediately finds herself targeted by a violent criminal. To find the killer, Letty turns to an old memoir of life in late 19th century Tucson. Clues in in the memoir, with its tale of love between two immigrants – one, an Italian widow, and the other, an exiled Chinese revolutionary – launch Letty on a suspense-filled struggle to find answers, to stop the murderer – and to stay alive!

Enjoy an Excerpt:

By mid-morning, Letty was sleepy again. She called the dogs in from the backyard and took them with her to her bedroom.

Less than an hour later, Letty was startled awake. She sat up in bed.

Both Millie and Teddy were up, alert, and facing her bedroom door. The fur on their necks and along the ridge of their backbones was standing up erect. Both dogs were very tense and staring at the bedroom door with full attention.

Letty’s heart began to pound. She couldn’t hear anything but she knew there had to be an intruder.

Millie growled.

Teddy growled, too, a low rumbling growl from deep in his chest. Teddy’s lips curled up sharply, exposing his teeth. His pink tongue flicked in and out of his mouth. Teddy looked ready to attack and to tear someone apart with those fangs. He growled again.

Millie was ready, too. She stared at the door and growled a second time. She showed her fangs, too.

Letty felt like she almost couldn’t breathe. A paralyzing combination of fear and fury immobilized her. She was too banged up to be able to fight anyone. And whoever was on the other side of the door couldn’t be a welcome visitor. Letty realized that beyond a doubt, she had become a target.

The knob on the door began to turn slowly as if someone were trying to quietly enter the room. At the sight and sound of that turning knob, Millie barked a short warning bark. Teddy followed with a deep woofing sound. Don’t even try it, they communicated to the intruder. The door knob returned to its original position. Both dogs continued to stare intently at the door.

Letty knew that the person on the other side of the door knew now that there were two dogs in her room and those dogs were not happy.

Letty quietly got up from her bed and went to her closet. She pulled down a box from the top shelf, retrieved her Glock, and quickly assembled it. Just as quietly, she loaded the gun.

Letty moved toward the bedroom door, listening intently. She didn’t hear anything. She opened the door, gun in hand aimed and ready to shoot.

Both dogs bolted through the door past her and ran through the house. They were following the scent of the intruder. The backdoor was open. Letty did a quick check of every room in the house, gun ready. Nothing. The intruder had fled. Letty followed the dogs out the back door and into the backyard. Teddy did a quick survey of the backyard and Millie stood at attention close to Letty. Whoever had been there was gone now.

About the Author:

C.J. Shane is a writer and visual artist in Arizona. In addition to her mystery fiction, she is the author of eight nonfiction books. Her first fiction book, _Desert Jade: A Letty Valdez Mystery_, (11-2017) is a finalist for Best Suspense-Thriller novel, New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards.

Website | Rope’s End Publishing | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook

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Magic, Mayhem, and Murder by January Bain – Spotlight and Giveaway

July 8, 2019 By 14 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. January Bain will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click ont the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Book one in Manitoba Tea & Tarot Mysteries series
Charm McCall, armed with a library full of Agatha Christie stories and her unique witchy gifts, knows how to solve a small-town murder…

Charm McCall, the oldest of the McCall triplets by a whole day—or one minute before midnight if one’s being picky—is the designated driver for her whole town. Why, if it wasn’t for her, Snowy Lake would incinerate or fall into Hudson’s Bay. With her unique abilities, she’s all set to keep her family and town safe and on its proper course.

That is, until a hot Mountie moves into town, a busload of strippers breaks down on Main Street and Mrs. Hurst goes and gets herself murdered with poisoned jam. Jam crafted by Charm’s family at the Tea & Tarot café. Now it’s up to her to solve the murders—yes, plural, when another local business owner ends up dead.

Charm knows just what to do. What’s breaking a few laws if she can sleuth out the culprit? She knows the people of Snowy Lake better than any new lawman possibly could. So why can’t he just leave her be to get on with things?

And why does he have to be so darn hot?

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Will she let us stay?” Tulip’s eyes widened, her nose and cheeks reddened by the freezing wind. My triplet shivered, wiping her dripping nose on the back of her red mitten. I straightened the collar on her worn jacket and tucked the thin scarf around her neck. The snow was falling more heavily now, already filling in the tracks the three of us had made walking from the street light to the front stoop, the warning still ringing in my head. ‘Don’t knock until you’ve counted to a hundred if you know what’s good for you. Twelve, thirteen, fourteen…’

“I’m not sure, but if we’re really, really good, she might. At least for tonight,” I interrupted my counting to answer her.

“Yeah, don’t you be backtalking her like you did to Mommy,” Star said, staring accusingly.

“I never did that!” Tulip’s bottom lip started to quiver.

“Hush, no one is at fault,” I said. If she started bawling, I didn’t know how long I could hold off. My throat had a lump in it big as a baseball. Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three.

Star screwed up her face but held her tongue, though only after I gave her my sternest older-sister look. I’d been born at one minute to midnight, making me the oldest sister by a full day. Not that birthdays were ever celebrated, though we’d had eight already. Mommy said we were too much trouble on a regular day. No way was she holding a two-day party for a trio of brats.

I tugged the paper sack holding all our possessions closer to my chest, thinking of the one precious book and the half-box of Pop Tarts Mommy had tucked inside for our supper. Maybe Granny would have a toaster or a stove element to warm them up? Or maybe she might have some juice or pop? My throat was dry. Even water would taste good.

Star stamped her feet to stay warm, her pink running shoes leaving an intricate pattern from the soles as she packed the snow. Her scarf had icicles forming from her warm breath hitting the frosty air and her cheeks shone bright red. No frostbite—not yet anyway. But the wind was picking up, blowing showers of ice crystals off the roof and onto our bare heads.

Sixty-six, sixty-seven. I glanced across the open field between Granny’s house and the house next door, visualizing wolves coming out of the evergreens of the thick forest and circling the town. We’d been dropped off on one of the coldest days of the year. Minus forty-seven, according to the loud man on the radio in our old van. I’d caught the name of the town on the welcoming sign leading in. Snowy Lake, population 1259. I was proud to be the first one to learn to read, first one to do most things. Then I could help my little sisters, when they’d let me.

Eighty-nine, ninety. I was shaking now, could barely keep from kicking at the door with my foot. But a promise is a promise. If Mommy came back and saw me doing wrong, I’d get a swat for sure.

About the Author:

January Bain has wished on every falling star, every blown-out birthday candle, and every coin thrown in a fountain to be a storyteller. To share the tales of high adventure, mysteries, and full blown thrillers she has dreamed of all her life. The story you now have in your hands is the compilation of a lot of things manifesting itself for this special series. Hundreds of hours spent researching the unusual and the mundane have come together to create books that features strong women who live life to the fullest, wild adventures full of twists and unforeseen turns, and hot complicated men who aren’t afraid to take risks. She can only hope her stories will capture your imagination.

If you are looking for January Bain, you can find her hard at work every morning without fail in her office with her furry baby, Ling Ling. And, of course, she’s married to the most romantic man! Who once famously remarked to her inquiry about buying fresh flowers for their home every week, “Give me one good reason why not?” Leaving her speechless and knocking her head against the proverbial wall for being so darn foolish. She loves flowers.

If you wish to connect in the virtual world she is easily found on Facebook. Oh, and she loves to talk books…

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Totally Bound Author Page

Email address for fans – januarybain@xplornet.com


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Rouge by Richard Kirshenbaum – Spotlight

June 25, 2019 By Leave a Comment

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Richard Kirshenbaum who is celebrating today’s release of Rouge.

Like Swans of Fifth Avenue and Truman Capote’s Answered Prayers, Richard Kirshenbaum’s Rouge gives readers a rare front row seat into the world of high society and business through the rivalry of two beauty industry icons, by the master marketer and chronicler of the over-moneyed.

Rouge is a sexy, glamorous journey into the rivalry of the pioneers of powder, mascara and rouge.

This fast-paced novel examines the lives, loves, and sacrifices of the visionaries who invented the modern cosmetics industry: Josiah Herzenstein, born in a Polish Jewish Shtlel, the entrepreneur who transforms herself into a global style icon and the richest woman in the world, Josephine Herz; Constance Gardiner, her rival, the ultimate society woman who invents the door-to-door business and its female workforce but whose deepest secret threatens everything; CeeCee Lopez, the bi-racial beauty and founder of the first African American woman’s hair relaxer business, who overcomes prejudice and heartbreak to become her community’s first female millionaire. The cast of characters is rounded out by Mickey Heron, a dashing, sexy ladies’ man whose cosmetics business is founded in a Hollywood brothel. All are bound in a struggle to be number one, doing anything to get there…including murder.

Enjoy an Excerpt:

A Technicolor sky hung over the city even though it was only early May. At times, even New York City seemed to have caught the bug. The pear trees that bloomed like white fireworks every April may as well have sprouted palm trees. Everyone, it seemed, had just stepped out of a Garbo movie, and Josephine Herz (née Josiah Herzenstein) would be damned if she would not capitalize on this craze.

A young, well-kept woman was the first to grace her newly opened, eponymous salon on Fifth Avenue. With bleached-blond “marcelled” hair, a substantial bust, and a mouth that looked as though it had been carved from a pound of chopped meat, her new client had all the ammunition to entrap any man in the city, to keep him on the dole, and her cosmetic hygienist, in this case Herz Beauty, on the payroll. She lowered herself onto the padded leather salon chair like a descending butterfly and batted her eyes as though they too might flutter from her face.

“I want thickah,” she whined. She said this in a Brooklyn accent that would have killed her chances had she been an actress transitioning from silent to talkies.

Josephine nodded and reached into her arsenal, procuring the favored Herz moisturizer for a dewy complexion. She removed and unscrewed the glass jar, leaned over her client, and began to apply it to her cheekbones in soft, round swirls.

“No!” The client swatted her hand away as though to scold and dispose of a landed bug. “Not my skin,” she said. “My lashes.”

“Oh.” Josephine withdrew her hand and held it, poised high above her client’s face, as though hovering a spoon over a boiling pot.

“I want thicker lashes,” said the blonde. “Like Gloria.”

“Gloria?” Josephine was perplexed.

“Swanson!” the client said, shaking her head, miffed that she was not understood.

“I see.” Josephine replaced the glass jar in her holster bag and pro-cured a separate, zippered case. “For the thick-eyelash look, you have two options: tinting or application.” She removed both a small black cake and a moistened brush to apply the pigment and a plastic box of spidery lashes and displayed them as though they were a cache of jewels. The tube of adhesive gum came next.

The blonde’s eyes widened. She shook her head and sat bolt upright on her chair. A convalescent, revived from the dead. “Ya don’t mean you want to glue them on?”

Josephine took a long, deep breath. “How else do you think women get them?” she said. “If there were a drink ve could drink to grow them, I assure you I’d let you know,” she said in her Polish-tinged English.

“I just assumed . . . ” said the blonde. Miffed, she reached into her pocketbook and produced a magazine clipping from a crumpled stash. She unfurled a luminous, if wrinkled, image of Gloria Swanson, the Hollywood glamour girl, from the latest issue of Motion Picture. All lips, pouting like a put-out princess. She had the brow of an Egyptian goddess, the same distinctive beauty mark, and the eyelashes of a jungle cat. “Like that,” she said, pointing at her eyes. “I want to look like that for a party tonight.”

Josephine’s perfectly lacquered blood-red nails grazed the wrinkled page. She studied Gloria’s fabulous face, the brow, the lash, the pout.

“Application,” Josephine said, returning the image.

“Geez,” said the client. “You’d think by now you people would come up with something better than that.”
It was her duty, Josephine had come to feel, to tolerate stings and slights like this. But a new thought occurred to her as she prepped the lashes for application, as she meticulously heated and applied the adhesive gum. Her client was right. She often worked the floor to do just that: to listen to her patrons, her clients. And now that she was in New York, she knew enough never to be too far away from what real American women wanted. And so she took in the woman’s request with deep reverence, as she knew nothing was more important to her future sales than her clients’ needs. Blanche or Betty—or whatever the tacky blonde’s name was—was right. It was high time someone came up with something better. Josephine was certainly up to this task. The only problem was that across town, a woman named Con-stance Gardiner was doing the very same thing.

About the Author: RICHARD KIRSHENBAUM is CEO of NSG/SWAT, a high-profile boutique branding agency. He has lectured at Harvard Business School, appeared on 20/20, was named to Crain’s New York Business’s “40 under 40” list, and has been inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame. He is the author of Under the Radar, Closing the Deal, Madboy, and Isn’t That Rich? and the New York Observer’s “Isn’t That Rich?” column. He lives in New York City with his wife and three children

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Choosing the City of Chicago as a Setting by Russell – Guest Blog and Giveaway

June 5, 2019 By 6 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Russell will be awarding $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour. Read our review here.

Choosing the City of Chicago as a Setting

Even from the very moments of the opening scenes, DERRICK transports the reader to the heart of Chicago. Throughout the book, various locations around the city and iconic destinations, the reader will admire the beauty and even darkness of Chicago. In Book 1 of the Gavin Nolan Trilogy, GAVIN immerses the reader in the vibrancy of city life. When I wrote both GAVIN and now DERRICK, Chicago was a just a natural choice as a setting for several reasons.

First and foremost, Chicago has a rich, turbulent history. Between the historic landmarks, the Great Chicago Fire, infamous gangsters, 1893 World’s Fair, and the fated Chicago Stockyards, Chicago was built on determination, dedication and devotion. The city created a unique cityscape in the heart of the Midwest which bridged the East Coast and the West Coast. The beautiful turn-of-the-century architecture, the towering skyscrapers and the futuristic modern glass structures line Michigan Avenue, State Street and Wabash with both reverie and prestige. One can only imagine the streets of the burgeoning city in the Industrial Era, changing landscapes as buildings rose to the heavens in midcentury and the modern expanse circumventing the city to spiral out in the neighborhoods. In addition, Chicago truly becomes a tertiary character. Echoing New York City and Los Angeles, Chicago’s bustling city life does not cease. Within the subtle shadows of DERRICK and GAVIN, Chicago can be seen as constant moving mechanism as it always stirs at any given point of the day. As you read my books, you will feel this motion of city life through bustling traffic noises, an intoxicating fragrance and busy streets full of people.

On a personal note, I lived in Chicago for nearly two decades. Having been raised in Milwaukee, WI, I didn’t know of any city larger. When I was eleven, my older sister and I travelled to Chicago, which had a profound effect on me. The grandeur and beauty of the city stole my imagination, and even then, I was instantaneously smitten for Chicago’s zeal of life. About fifteen years later, an opportunity rose for relocating to Chicago, which I grabbed immediately. With much excitement and trepidation, I became immersed in the city by touring and visiting as many sites, locations, museums and neighborhoods throughout the area. My admiration for Chicago comes out through Derrick’s poignant moments in the book.

Even though I currently live in South Texas, and had lived in Upstate New York, I often go back to my pseudo-hometown of Chicago and admire the beautiful glass and steel scenery. The city gives me a sense of wonder and awe. Each time when I see the beautiful city scape, I feel the goosebumps rise on my arms, and become memorized by the beauty.

Please check out both GAVIN and DERRICK today. Currently, I am working on the final part QUINN. Also, follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Read to Escape!
Russell

In Hyde Park, a movie theater erupts in flames on a bitterly cold November evening.

It seems like a job for the fire department, but under Captain Creighton’s direct orders, Detective Gavin Nolan and his partner, Derrick Williamson, must investigate. Arriving on the chaotic scene, they find multiple fatalities —but one of the victims is most peculiar…

Gavin soon discovers that this fire wasn’t the first of its kind. The arsonist has set ablaze other buildings around Chicago, and more female victims left in the same gruesome state have been discovered.

Gavin and Derrick determine that the arsonist is not an arsonist at all—but a sinister serial killer with an agenda.

Juggling the unexpected events in his personal life, Gavin digs into the locations of the explosions. At the same time, Derrick probes into the victims’ lives, searching for any possible connection.

However, when the next explosion occurs, the killer leaves behind a significant object, and Derrick becomes noticeably reserved. Gavin soon uncovers an enigmatic link, one that points to Derrick’s military past. A time that his partner had wished to forget. Yet, to catch the vicious maniac, Derrick must tell Gavin everything.

In a suspenseful, gripping ride to the end, it is up to Gavin to rescue his partner from the clutches of a killer. But will he make it in time?

WARNING: This book contains graphic scenes, explicit language, and violent sexual situations.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Alarmed, the woman’s eyes opened. Her nerves twitched slightly, as if an electric shock rattled her body.

Instantly, an eerie darkness consumed her, and an unusual stillness blanketed her surroundings.

Where am I? the woman wondered.

With her instinctual medical training, she began immediately diagnosing her own condition: blurry vision, raspy breath, citrus acidic taste at the back of her throat, and weak muscles. The signs were a tell-all. She had been drugged. Most likely either clonazepam or estazolam.

As her thick braids fell in front of her eyes, she realized that her body was hanging in midair. Above her, a rope bound her hands. The burning strain in her deltoids ached deep into her lower back.

The air was unusually frigid. Her entire body was trembling. She looked down and realized she was completely naked.

Who took off my clothes? she thought, her mind racing with a fresh wave of panic.

All she could remember was getting home from a run in the cold rain of a late November day that had chilled her to the core. Since the presentation of her dissertation was only days away, she relieved the building stress with those exhilarating runs. They were especially liberating knowing that she had to head back to the university lab. Entering the darkened house, she had sworn she’d left the light on. She recalled a quick shadow slipping just behind her in her peripheral vision. She’d felt a sudden blow to head, had fallen against the wooden banister—

What day is it? The presentation was on Saturday. Did she miss it? A sense of dread engulfed her, then fear. All the seemingly endless months and years of planning her project, all the meetings with that arrogant, dimwitted professor, all those countless hours in the lab…it would all be for nothing. Most importantly, all the sacrifices she’d made with her family, spending so much time away from her daughter—and well, her husband too— would be just a waste.

About the Author: Russell has been writing for the majority of his life. Slipping into alternative universes allows him to enjoy the process of creativity from the novel’s conception to its final draft. Currently, he lives in South Texas with his wife, two kids and several cats.

DERRICK is a 2018 Winner in the New Apple Literary Awards, receiving Official Selection in Psychological Suspense.

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