How I Handled Research for this Book by B.T. Polcari – Guest Blog and Giveaway

June 18, 2025 By 13 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. B.T. Polcari will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

How I Handled Research for this Book
I will start this post with stating my greatest fear about writing books. I mean, by far, my absolutely biggest, baddest, most terrifying, fear. And it has nothing to do with getting a bad review. Although, gotta admit, that’s right up there. But it isn’t my biggest fear. What gives me nightmares and leaves me in a cold sweat after one of my books is released?

Someone coming up to me or leaving a comment that something I wrote isn’t correct or possible or even remotely feasible.

Terrifying.

So, prior to writing a story, as part of my very involved plotting process, I research everything. And I mean—everything. No detail is too small. As an example, in my last book, Fire and Ice, I even researched pre-1600s Atlantic hurricane seasons.

I know.

It’s bad.

Now that I’ve bared my author’s soul, I’ll give a little insight into the painstaking amount of research I conducted before ever writing the first words of Lucky Secrets. Speaking of which, as a little reward for reading this post, here is the first sentence of the book:

“I recently overheard my golf-crazy dad go on and on about some of his golfing buddies insisting on taking something he disparagingly called a “mulligan” when they hit a crappy shot.”

How’s that for a hook, pun intended. I could go on and explain what a hook is in golf, but there is an adage to trust the reader, so I won’t.

And no, the story has nothing to do with golf. Go figure.

Back to my book research psychosis. When I begin the plotting process for a book, I create a “Research” folder for all the articles, photos, scans, and similar that I come across as I build the plot out in a document I call my “blueprint.” A typical blueprint for one of my books runs around fifty pages. For Lucky Secrets, my research folder contains 169MB of data (97 files) plus there is a second folder containing 60MB of photos I used to help visualize and build out various rooms of the El Sueño mansion where the story is set.

Keeping in mind that a lot of what I research never makes it into the plot, I thought it would be fun to list some of the subjects and articles I researched for Lucky Secrets. Just remember, this is not even close to being the full list of topics, and what I have listed below might not have been woven into the plot. But this will give a taste of where I’ve been during the plotting of the story, and where Lucky Secrets might go.

• Best Instant Cameras
• Cook Islands Trusts and How to Use Them Properly
• The Cook Islands
• The Best Offshore Trust Jurisdictions for Asset Protection
• The Count of St. Germain
• The Man Who Will Not Die
• Casanova and The Marquise D’Urfe
• The First National of Chicago Robbery
• The Bangladesh National Bank Robbery
• The 2014 Moldovan Bank Fraud Scandal
• How to Steal $1 Billion in Three Days
• Chopin’s Etude, Opus 10 Number 4
• Stan Swamy
• The Theft of Caravaggio’s Nativity
• How Dogs Can Smell Deception and Sense Lying
• Professor Khaw Kim Sun
• Italian Olive Oil and the Mafia
• Eddie Tipton
• Swimming Pool Maintenance
• Numerology
• Truly Random Numbers
• Numbers in Egyptian Mythology
• License Plates
• Fortune Cookies
• Mortgage Fraud Schemes
• Insider Trading
• Arbitrage
• Plane Autopilot Basics
• Money Laundering Through Casino Gambling
• The Dark Web
• The Bhima-Koregaon Case
• The Steve Fossett Plane Crash

If you can figure out the Lucky Secrets plot from the above list, then you shouldn’t be reading this post but instead be writing mysteries!

A big thank you to Long and Short Reviews and Goddess Fish Promotions for letting me share my book and give a little insight into my author psyche (yikes) and the types of topics I research as I prepare to write a book. Which is pretty much everything, as is evident from the above.

And if anybody finds something in Lucky Secrets that is inaccurate—keep it to yourself. Wink.

College student Sara Donovan is in the homestretch of graduating when a mysterious package arrives with an invitation to an exclusive contest. One that will drastically change the winner’s life. Included are unsettling photographs from forgettable chapters in her life and a threatening note strongly suggesting she participate.

With no good options, Sara enters the contest and finds herself at a fabulous mansion up against eight formidable opponents, each with a dark secret and all racing to solve seven levels of riddles and puzzles.

After a contestant’s body is discovered, Sara contemplates dropping out when another package arrives, its chilling contents making clear she’s at the center of a dangerous game with deadly consequences if she quits. But what it doesn’t say is—what happens if she wins?

Enjoy an Excerpt

I spent the first two hours of every workday by myself while Finn was off with Bertie drinking his lunch, presumably trying to forget his ex-wife. On my first day way back on the fifth of August, I enthusiastically reported to work. I was stoked, ready to assist the unrenowned yet Majelski-recommended, and sorta sober, Melvin “Finn” Finnegan, with taking down perps, crooks, and degenerates. Instead, I spent that day and most of the last seven months digging up dirt on two-timing husbands, boyfriends, and insurance fraudsters, and tracking down the last location on the Internet for delinquent debtors and the occasional bond jumper. Truth be told, the only time I spent out of the office was walking from my car to the dang building and then back again for the trip home to Sketchville. But working the streets on a high-profile case? Any case?

Not a chance.

A typical weekday for me consisted of business and criminology classes in the morning, then grabbing a quick lunch of fifty-cent noodles and a cola before jumping in my traumatized hatchback more the color of gray primer than its original black and flying up I-59 to one of the more questionable areas of Birmingham for a scintillating five hours as a part-time receptionist and researcher for Finn. And if that wasn’t enough to light up my life each and every fricking day, my drive home was a daily battle-royale with crazed Birmingham commuters reminding this soon-to-be college graduate, hopefully, that I was no match for their unparalleled skill at breaking every traffic law in the book while exhibiting quite the fluency in sign language.

About the Author: B.T. Polcari is a graduate of Rutgers College of Rutgers University, an award-winning mystery author, and a proud father of two wonderful children. He’s a champion of rescue pups (Mauzzy is a rescue), craves watching football and basketball, and, of course, loves reading mysteries. Among his favorite authors are Richard Osman, D.P. Lyle, Frederick Forsyth, and Michael Connelly. He is also an unapologetic fantasy football addict. He lives with his wife in scenic Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads
Order signed copies of the book from the author’s website.

Buy the book at Amazon, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, or Bookshop.org.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , , ,

The Search for Sasha Lockwood by Thomas Grant Bruso – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 26, 2025 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Thomas Grant Bruso will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Something is stalking the campgrounds at Pine Hill Creek.

Rumor has it that local folklore about the notorious Bigfoot is responsible for the mystery of a missing young woman.

When eighteen-year-old high school senior Sasha Lockwood vanishes without a trace while camping with her friends, fear and horror sequester a small community. Local and federal law enforcement officers begin an exhausting twenty-four-hour investigation of seventy acres of vast forest, looking for the victim.

The tight-knit community is in an uproar, horrified by these unexpected events. An unrelenting sheriff’s department and a media-savage system doggedly interrogate Sasha’s parents and close friends.

What happened the night Sasha Lockwood disappeared? Is it real or part of a cruel joke? Is Bigfoot responsible, or is something sinister at play in the deep, dark woods?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Journal thoughts

I’ve got a secret.

I can’t stop thinking about my best friend, Annie Monroe. We’ve been friends since forever. I don’t know what I’d do without Annie. She’s not only a friend, but a decent, caring person. She is beautiful, artistic, and somebody I don’t ever want to lose.

We went swimming in her parents’ inground pool today. We ordered pizza and had a few beers. Her parents were out of town. So, it was refreshing to be alone with Annie. Finally. Usually, we see each other at school, while passing in the hallways or after ninth period study hall, or by our cars in the parking lot. Rarely are we alone, which I’d prefer. I love hanging out with her. She makes me feel good. We laugh and smile when we’re around each other. She makes me feel safe. I admire her self-deprecating personality and wise-cracking jokes.

It’s as if time stops when we’re together. Annie introduced me to her shoe collection and the new painting she’s been working on since the beginning of the school year.

She’s so talented, and everything she creates shines like the gorgeous high heels and charm bracelets and that great big smile she wears every day.

Her new pastel and watercolor painting is of Lake Champlain where we used to sit every weekend by the water’s rocky edge. She unveiled the final product to me last weekend when she invited me for a picnic by the lake.

She also told me she loved me more than a friend.

Hearing the words over egg salad sandwiches and potato leek soup (her signature dish) hit me like a hot skillet on the back of the head.

I was floored, speechless, and thrilled—all at the same time. I knew how I felt about Annie. And being around a person for so long only heightens those emotions. But I never knew how Annie felt about us. We’d never done anything sexual together, not even kiss, obviously.

Years ago, I struggled with my sexuality and my feelings for girls, especially Annie. I wanted to make a move and kiss her or hold her hand and tell her I loved her. But I was naïve and scared because I was unaware of her thoughts—whether she liked me the way I liked her or not.

What if Annie wasn’t sympathetic? What if she wasn’t a lesbian? What if my open-hearted discussion about love and romance spiraled out of control and left egg on my face? I didn’t want to ruin a good thing with Annie. Our friendship meant everything to me, like life or death.

I always wondered or worried that she’d notice how I looked at her when we were together, sitting by the lake, or walking by each other in the hallways at school, or during one of our sleepovers.

Annie Monroe is a stunning beauty, an eye catcher for both sexes. I almost drown staring at her peaches and cream complexion and losing myself in her illuminating blue eyes.

There is a sunset glow about her when you’re in her company. Life feels less lonely, unhinged. At least, for me. Reality blurs and all my problems vanish when Annie opens her mouth to talk, or smile. The way she curls the feathery locks of her hair around her earlobe weakens my soul in a wonderful way.

So, when she told me she loved me, more than a friend, I cried happy tears.

We held hands for the first time in public, by the lapping water, in the gathering dusk.

It was magical. Our relationship was more than just…friends.

Love is a powerful thing.

The way Annie and I love is unmatched by all the other romantics walking around: fighting, cheating, and living a lie.

We are happy together.

Our secret is safe with us.

About the Author: Thomas Grant Bruso knew he wanted to be a writer at an early age. He has been a voracious reader of genre fiction since childhood.

His literary inspirations are Ray Bradbury, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Jim Grimsley, Karin Fossum, and Joyce Carol Oates.

Bruso loves animals, reading books, and writing fiction, and prefers Sudoku to crossword puzzles.

In another life, he was a freelance writer and wrote for magazines and newspapers. In college, he won the Hermon H. Doh Sonnet Competition. Now, he writes and publishes fiction and reviews books for his hometown newspaper, The Press-Republican.

He lives in upstate New York.

Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | BlueSky

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or NineStar Press.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , , ,

Mean Cuisine by Wendy W. Webb – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 18, 2025 By 3 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Wendy will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Beluga Stein is taking a cooking class and it’s a real killer. This time she’s traded her signature loud muumuus for ill-fitting chef attire, including a toque the size of her ego.

A well-liked chef is found dead and it’s up to Beluga and her feline familiar, Planchette, to investigate. There’s no recipe to follow, only the hope that her erratic psychic ability will hit the spot. Is a supernatural entity stirring up trouble, or something far more dangerous?

Beluga and Planchette can’t stand the heat, but there’s no way out of this kitchen while murder is the main dish.

 

Enjoy an Excerpt

Beluga Stein’s Diary

The evil smell lingers.

Even with all the windows in the house open, the doors cracked a notch, the attic fan going full blast, and Planchette’s tail fanning his face like he was Egyptian royalty preparing for personal delivery of a peeled grape, the odor of exploded eggs clings to everything like a sock stuck to the back of a shirt by static cling.

Alas, there is no magic laundry cloth to separate one thing from another. So for now I’ll have to live with sulfuric fumes and pretend I like them. Or at least pretend they weren’t there even after the water long since boiled out of the pot and left the eggs all alone. My choices are severely limited.

Not that I didn’t consider Tanya’s suggestion to move into a hotel room for the night. I did. Briefly. But my reputation in this small town precedes me, so the various housing entrepreneurs said. In rather unkind tones, I should add.

So what if my reservation for three included a surly goat, a cat with an attitude, and myself? Emerson, while a gifted goat in many ways, has not yet mastered opening a mini bar. Planchette has little interest in watching expensive in-room movies unless there’s a female cat in the leading role, and I’ve been housebroken for months now. So why not take us for the night?

Honestly, people can be so rigid.

To: Food-Co
From: Culinary Program
Re: Weekly Purchase Order

—Wheat flour, 100 lbs.
—All purpose flour, 100 lbs.
—Sugar, 50 lbs.
—Butter, 50 lbs.
—Eggs, 4 cases
—Body bag, 1

About the Author:Wendy W Webb (aka one of the many Wendy Webbs) has published dark fantasy short stories and novels, co-edited anthologies, and has had productions of stage and radio plays. After a hiatus as a doctoral student of emergency management and as a disaster responder, she welcomed the return to fiction with The Wild Rose Press writing the gothic Widow’s Walk, and two updated books in the Beluga Stein supernatural-humor-murder mystery series, Bee Movie and Mean Cuisine. Sunbury Press under the Milford House imprint published the paranormal, travel, “memoir,” Eye of the Gargoyle. She adores her husband; two dogs, one of which turns on iTunes whenever Wendy leaves her office; dry red wine; theatre; and travel as long as she doesn’t see any more ghosts!

Buy the book at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , , ,

A Killer Whisky by Susan Calder – Spotlight and Giveaway

February 26, 2025 By 8 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Susan Calder will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The 1918 influenza pandemic strikes Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Great War rages overseas. While her husband fights in Europe, Katharine works in a doctor’s office to support her children and her brother, a wounded veteran. One night their neighbour suddenly takes sick and dies. The attending doctor concludes the man died from influenza, but Katharine suspects someone laced his whisky with a drug that mimics the deadly flu’s symptoms.

Katharine convinces the police to investigate. Worried about her brother’s involvement with a suspect, she delves into his secrets and comes to fear he’s connected to the murder. She grows disturbingly attracted to the investigating detective who returns her affections. He’s convinced her brother or someone else close to her is a killer and risks his career to pursue the crime. Katharine must discover the truth so she can move forward in a world that has changed forever.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Katharine’s fingers slid over the piano keys. Her daughter strummed a toy banjo, and her son banged pots and pans. They drowned out her brother, John, on the alto saxophone. “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” blared through the living room. Katharine turned to the next page of her sheet music. She struck a wrong note then a sour chord. The song stumbled to a merciful end.

She swivelled the piano stool to face John. “I haven’t played that since before the war.” She remembered the merry evening in this room with her husband and their friends. By the following month, all the men who had been there had enlisted. One had since died in the mud of Passchendaele.

“With a little practice, we’ll be playing the dance halls,” John said.

“Really, Uncle John?” Lillian’s eyes lit up.

“Absolutely.” John raised his saxophone. “What’s our next tune?”

“Bedtime for Henry and Lillian,” Katharine said.

“Why?” Henry bolted up from the floor. “We don’t have school tomorrow.”

“Uncle John will teach you.”

John smirked at Henry. “I’m sharpening my ruler for when you misbehave.”

Henry jumped onto the davenport and clapped his wooden spoon “drumsticks.”

“You go change,” Katharine told him. “Lillian and I will clean up.”

He pointed the spoons at his sister. “There’s a Hun. Pow.”

“I’m not a Hun,” Lillian said. “I’m an Ally.”

“A dirty Hun. Pow, pow.”

“An Ally.” Lillian held her banjo to her chest in defence. “Tell him, Mama.”

“We’re all Allies,” Katharine said. “Canadians.”

“Huns. Pow, pow.” Henry aimed a spoon at them both.

Lillian squealed and ducked between the davenport and piano.

“Pow.”

“Stop it, Henry,” Katharine said, firming up her tone. “If you don’t get into your nightshirt now, Lillian and I will walk in while you’re getting dressed.”

About the Author Susan Calder lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She is the author of five novels published by BWL Publishing Inc. A Deadly Fall, Ten Days in Summer, Winter’s Rage and Spring Into Danger are part of her Paula Savard Mystery Series. The books follow the adventures of Paula, a Calgary insurance adjuster who works with the police to solve insurance-related crimes. Susan’s standalone suspense novel, To Catch a Fox takes a troubled Calgary woman to Southern California on a quest to find her missing mother. In December 2024, BWL will release Susan’s first historical novel, A Killer Whisky. The story is set in 1918 Calgary and will be the 12th and final book of the BWL Canadian Historical Mystery Series. Susan has also published non-fiction articles. Her short stories and poems have won contests and appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines. She is a member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and the Writers’ Guild of Alberta.

Website | Facebook

Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , , ,

Inn the Dead of Winter by Rhonda Blackhurst – Spotlight and Giveaway

February 12, 2025 By 3 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rhonda Blackhurst will be awarding a free e-book of Inn the Dead of Winter or book one, Inn the Spirit of Murder to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to Spirit Lake in the dead of a Minnesota winter, where the brutally cold temp isn’t the only thing to fear.

Andie Rose Kaczmarek, a six-year sober life coach and owner of the haunted Spirit Lake Inn, has learned the hard way that the living are far more dangerous than anything in the spirit world.

When a controversial guest fails to return to her room on the same night a body is discovered in a fish house on Big Spirit Lake, Andie Rose teams up with her sponsor and sidekick, Sister Alice, and her emotional support red retriever, Aspen, to solve the case.

After Andie Rose discovers illegal activity on the inn’s property that ties to the murder, the investigation shifts into high gear. As she uncovers shocking secrets of those she thought she knew, someone is intent on keeping her quiet at any cost.

Can the inn’s resident ghost save her from impending harm when it seems the ones closest to her pose the greatest threat?

Enjoy an Excerpt

We were in the dead of winter in Spirit Lake, Minnesota, a town dubbed the paranormal capital of the nation. I gazed through the frosted windowpane at the ominous fog that hung low over Whisper Lake.

I crossed my arms in front of me, briskly rubbed my biceps, and shivered. It was a brutal cold that seeped deep into the bones and seemed to even send the inn’s resident ghost into hibernation.

The library’s gas fireplace clicked off by itself, the dancing flames disappearing. I guess I wasn’t in the room alone after all. I shuddered and glanced down at my feet where Aspen, my red retriever emotional support animal, stretched lazily on his side, eyes half closed, unfazed.

Since the 1940s, guests of the Spirit Lake Inn, home to the famous apparition, have heard a woman’s whispers on the lake, earning its name, Whisper Lake, the fireplace in the library turned off and on by itself, the espresso machine in the coffee bar hummed to life, and many other unexplainable incidents, all while no one else was present.

The old grandfather clock in the corner of the room ticked methodically as the pendulum swayed back and forth. When the clock’s St. Michael chime announced the top of the hour—and fifteen minutes until teatime downstairs—Aspen rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up onto all fours.

“Come on, boy,” I said, ruffling the fur on his neck. “Snack time.”

Abut the Author: Rhonda is an avid reader, writer, coffee and dark chocolate connoisseur, and certified life coach. She has 10 independently published novels: The Inheritance, a contemporary fiction novel; seven books in the Melanie Hogan Mysteries; and Finding Abby and Abby’s Redemption in the Whispering Pines Romantic Suspense duology. She was awarded the 2022 Master of Literary Arts Award from the Brighton Chamber.

Website | Personal Facebook | Author Facebook | Instagram | BookBub

Buy the book at The Wild Rose Press.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , , ,

Bad Guy by Ana Diamond – Spotlight and Giveaway

February 10, 2025 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ana Diamond will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Luke Daniels has done his fair share of bad things. But when the FBI offers him a deal in exchange for infiltrating the local Mafia’s infamous Costa Crew, Luke has no choice but to accept the challenge.

Beautiful, smart and tough, Sophia Costa wants out of the Crew. Appointed boss by her brother after he’s sent to prison, she wants no part in the murder, deceit and secrecy typical of Mafia life.

Just as things heat up between Luke and Sophia, a mysterious hitman targets Sophia, and Luke’s handler starts to wonder if Luke is up for the task.

As the lovers face the possibility of losing everything in order to be together, the line between loyalty and betrayal blur.

Enjoy an Excerpt

At the entrance, a burly guy with a pug nose and dressed in a long black trench coat scanned the bar, like he was looking for someone. Kid turned toward the other end of the bar, signaling to a guy wearing a black fedora, who then promptly disappeared into the back room.

Pug Nose took notice of Kid’s intervention and barreled toward him with gritted teeth. But before he could get his hands on Kid, Luke elbowed him right in the center of his face. He fell back, clutching his bloody nose, while Luke continued the onslaught until he sensed surrender. Then he jumped off him while the others in the crowd lifted Pug Nose off the floor. Blood ran down his face and soaked his shirt. The room fell quiet as the sound of stilettos clicking on the floor became louder by the second.

Luke shook off the pain in his knuckles as he watched the dark-haired beauty approach.

She stopped and stared at Pug Nose’s injuries, quickly glanced at Luke, then back at Pug Nose. “Take this message back to your boss. We’re not afraid of you and if you come back, we’ll kill you one by one.” She nodded at her crew to take Pug Nose away, then turned to Luke.

A nervous tickle made him clear his throat as she stared up at him with deep sapphire-colored eyes. He couldn’t imagine what role she played in this dirty game full of thugs and thieves.

“I have to personally thank you for stepping in for Kid. What’s your name, Fighter?” she asked with a tiny smirk on her full red lips.

“Luke Daniels. May I ask who you are?”

“My name is Sophia Costa. I’m the boss.”

About the Author: When Ana Diamond isn’t writing about tough gals finding love in unexpected places, she’s at work by day in the medical field. She writes romantic mystery novels with feisty strong women and alluring men who can’t resist them. Her books are fast paced, entertaining and heartfelt all at once.

Ana is a 2020 Tara Contest Finalist for Body Conscious and 2015 Melody of Love contest finalist. She lives in New York with her husband, two children and two needy but wildly entertaining kitty cats.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | Threads | Bluesky | Websit

Buy the book at your favorite online venue.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , , ,

Hijinks, Hitchhikers and Mayhem by Gail Koger – Spotlight and Giveaway

January 27, 2025 By 13 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Gail Koger will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

All Casey wanted was to have hot, mind-blowing sex with Hothar, her soul mate. That little fantasy went up in smoke when she’s stuck babysitting a cowardly witch who is the galaxy’s only hope of survival.

Enjoy an Excerpt

My gaze fixed on a tall, brawny warrior dressed in a spiffy black uniform striding across the landing pad. God, why did he seem so familiar? I eyed his short hair and beard. He didn’t look Coletti. Maybe he was one of Zarek’s mercenaries. I mentally scanned him, and my jaw dropped. “Oh, my God. Hothar?”

The warrior stopped and turned to face me.

My affectionate companion had turned into a cold-eyed stranger. My stomach tied in knots; I walked over to him. “What happened to your warrior’s braids?

“I cut them off.”

Color me confused. Braids were an important part of a Coletti warrior’s identity. “Why?”

“I went undercover as an Avicii mercenary.”

Which explained his brown eyes. “And the beard?”

“It hides my Coletti features.” Hothar’s gaze roamed over me. “You have not been eating properly.”

“Gee, I wonder why?”

“I must go. Zarek awaits me.”

Talk about a slap in the face. Was he that eager to get away from me? “Who do you think told me where you were? Should I call you War Commander now or will Hot Lips still do?”

The muscles in Hothar’s jaw bunched. “I do not answer to Hot Lips.”

“Don’t I get a hug, Hot Lips?”

Hothar’s hands fisted. “I gave my word to Zarek that I would not touch you.”

“Well, I didn’t.” I wrapped my arms around him. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“And I you.”

Pain squeezed my heart at his cool, impersonal tone. He didn’t sound like he had missed me at all. His body remained stiff and unyielding. My God, he hadn’t even smiled at me. I took a step back and smacked his chest. “You’ve changed your mind about us. That’s why you never wrote or called or linked with me.”

About the Author: I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea what a real emergency is. Take this for example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone I took up writing.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub | Amazon | Bluesky
Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , , ,

Climbing A Mountain: How Authors Actually Make Books by Paul G. Wright – Guest Blog and Giveaway

January 20, 2025 By 10 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Paul G. Wright will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Climbing A Mountain: How Authors Actually Make Books

To the average person, writing a book might seem straightforward. The author gets an idea, jots down some notes, locks themselves in a room for a few weeks, and emerges with a manuscript. Then they call in an Editor—basically a “Superwriter”—who marks it up with a red pen, and after a few corrections, the book is ready to send to a publisher.

Simple, right?

Well… not exactly.

The media loves the romanticized image of the inspired author burning the midnight oil and mailing their dream story to a publisher who immediately turns it into a bestseller. It’s a great fairy tale, but the reality of writing is a bit more complex. It’s not magic—it’s work.

Take my latest book, Line of Sight, for example. It started with a cool idea. A spy trying to retrieve an invisibility formula from a master criminal. But the idea was just the beginning. To build a believable world, I needed research. Lots of research. I don’t work for the CIA, so I called friends with relevant experience. A police officer, and a Marine Corps veteran for starters. Their expertise helped me understand law enforcement, military protocols, and the nuances that make a spy story credible.

Next, I tackled the invisibility formula. What would it be? How would it work? I consulted a science-fiction-loving colleague, along with a family friend who’s a scientist and inventor. Through these conversations, I crafted a plausible mechanism for the formula and a world where it could exist.

Then came the characters. The heart of any story. Writers like to talk about “character creation,” but here’s the truth: we draw inspiration from real life. Characters aren’t carbon copies of people we know, but they are influenced by personalities, quirks, and moments we’ve observed. Just as a musician draws inspiration from existing melodies, writers shape their fictional characters from the experiences they’ve had with real people.

But how do you actually write the thing? The answer is, little by little. Writing a book is like tackling a big work project. You research, assemble a team (your characters), and set a schedule. Most writers outline their story, break it into manageable pieces, and commit to showing up every day.

Some days, the words flow effortlessly. Other days, you want to delete everything and escape to a bar. But, just like any big project, you keep going. You pour a fresh cup of coffee, sit down, and keep typing until the manuscript is done.

Yes, there’s imagination involved, and moments where the words seem to come from nowhere. But at its core, writing a book is a project. You take an idea, flesh it out with help from others, populate it with characters inspired by real life, and then you write. Day by day, page by page, until you’ve climbed to the top of the mountain.

And submitting the manuscript? Well, that’s another blog!

It is 1995, and intelligence operative Lora Chandler, a.k.a. Agent Vogel, is tasked with investigating the claim that Professor Simon Blackmarr has cracked the invisibility problem. A mission that leads her back to the half-forgotten beach town of Lancaster, Florida. Home to estranged love interest, and newspaper reporter Richard Davis. Her feelings for him have never really died, and matters become even more complicated when Vogel learns that Blackmarr’s breakthrough is legitimate. A scientific discovery that —in the wrong hands — could alter the balance of global power. The stakes become even higher when the professor is abducted from the university, forcing Vogel back into the shadowy realm of espionage to find out who and why. It will take all the skill and cunning Lora Chandler possesses to stop a threat that could have devastating consequences for her personal life — and the world at large.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The file lay in easy reach, on the conference table. The letters LMAR printed across the front. In another moment she would have it. She reached out.

“I think not.”

Mason. He was like a cat, with more lives.

“You think wrong,” said Vogel.

Mason’s hand slammed down on the folder, inches from hers. Their eyes met—his with that same arrogant smirk she’d seen a hundred times before, his dark hair perfectly in place. As always, he was impeccably dressed, his wine-red tie in a flawless knot. Vogel couldn’t deny it—under different circumstances, she might . . . But no, he was an international criminal and a murderer. And he kissed like a college freshman. The lines were drawn.

Mason looked at her through steely eyes. “Vogel,” he said coolly, “why do we always seem to have this same discussion?”

Vogel smirked. “Because, Mason, you’re terrible at losing.”

Mason nodded. “A character flaw, I’m afraid, that is permanent.”

She snatched the file away as Mason lunged for her. Instinctively, her hand went for her gun, and she pointed the sleek black barrel directly at his head. He froze, a smile playing across his face.

“Now let’s be practical,” Mason said. “There’s no way out.”

“You always say that.”

A door opened and men in dark fatigues entered, holding assault rifles. Mason’s henchmen. She should have known. They stood on either side of him, with their weapons trained on her like spiders. Vogel counted six in all.

Mason eyed her. “Really, Vogel. I mean, what are your options? Why don’t you just hand that over and we can all sit down?”

A bead of sweat ran down her back. Her shoes were tight, and she hadn’t showered since Wednesday. She felt gross. This was taking longer than expected. They were on the thirtieth floor, standing in front of a series of plate glass windows. Mason was right. There was no way out.

It was then she heard the roar of the helicopter.

About the Author: Paul G. Wright is a native of Atlanta, GA. He has worked as a newspaper journalist, freelance writer, and screenwriter. He studied acting at the Warehouse Actors Theater and earned his degree in filmmaking from Columbia College Hollywood, in Tarzana, CA. He currently resides in the Atlanta area with his wife and their cat Dusty.

Website | Instagram | Amazon Author Page

Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , , ,

The Poseidon Project by E. William Podojil – Interview and Giveaway

January 16, 2025 By 8 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

If you could apologize to someone in your past, who would it be?

EWP: I’d apologize to someone with whom I was in a relationship. It didn’t end well, but we both ended up better off.

If you could keep a mythical/ paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have?

EWP: Anything that flies; dragon, phoenix, griffin, so my pet could take me places.

How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this particular genre?

EWP: I try and keep my books about people, all types of people, which is real life. People are the variables that can make a situation good or bad. I try to write about a diverse set of characters, how they are challenged, how they interact, clash, agree.

What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received?

EWP: The best piece of advice: Go for it and try. Worst piece of advice: You can’t do anything until you get an agent.

Are the experiences in this book based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

EWP: Many of my own experiences are woven through my stories, but so far, none have been based upon real events or people. I’m working on a project now that attempts to do that, so we’ll see how it goes.

The Poseidon Project is an international suspense thriller and the first book in The Herb Society Mysteries series

Molly Halloran and her friends have a secret past. Their bucolic retirement is suddenly upended when Molly’s husband is abducted and held for a steep ransom. Now she, her friends, her tech executive son, Lukas and his Air Force pilot boyfriend must race against the clock and travel halfway around the world to meet the kidnappers’ demands. But when they learn why her husband has been abducted, they realize how high the stakes truly are. Molly and her friends now must face their past in order to save the future. But not only their futures; the world’s.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The Spectrum’s engines roared, providing thrust to power the plane to takeoff speed as it lurched ahead down the runway. The plane’s power was evident as the acceleration force held them in their seats. This plane was designed to go fast, and the cabin was surprisingly quiet. As they hit takeoff speed, Taylor pulled back, and the nose lifted off the ground, followed shortly by the rest of the plane. The landing gear retracted immediately into the fuselage.

The passengers quietly stared out the large porthole windows as the Goose climbed out of Tucson. It was almost dusk, and Lukas spotted thousands of saguaro cacti dotting the sides of mountains that cast distorted shadows that looked like goblins. The exhilarating views captivated everyone. That is, for everyone except Donna, who sat rigid in her seat, hands clenched and her eyes squeezed shut. Lukas shot her a thumbs up in thanks to Donna—already not a fan of flying, but all in for a fifteen-hour flight halfway around the world just to support her friend. The plane’s angle leveled off, and soon Taylor emerged from the cockpit, curious how well the passengers had settled into their home for the next fifteen hours. Linda and Betty had their eyes shut, as Donna distracted herself with her laptop.

Taylor walked back to the crew stateroom for a few minutes. He and Diego had a brief conversation before Diego walked up to the cockpit. Lukas moved toward the back of the plane to set up his inflight internet connection and workspace. Linda and Betty awoke, startled and disoriented after their brief power nap, while Donna adjusted their seats to face each other, a small table between them. Betty remarked that it reminded her of a train.

“How’re you doing?” Taylor asked Lukas.

“Just trying to get set up here. I’ve got a lot of work to do on the way to Dubai. I need to connect with my team in Croatia to get some data and ideas on how I can get this ransom together. It’s still early morning there, so I’ll wait a few hours.”

“Why don’t you get some sleep until then?” Taylor suggested. I’m gonna try to myself. You mind?” Taylor pointed to the empty seat next to Lukas.

“Of course not.” Lukas stood to let him in. Taylor sat and reclined his seat. “I changed my mind. I’ll let the kids do the first leg, then I’ll replace one of them, and we rotate like that.”

Lukas saw that his mom and her friends were already starting to doze off, no doubt tired from the frenetic day. “Why don’t you sleep with me?” Taylor said, and then caught himself. “I mean not with me but next to me—you know what I mean. You make me all tongue-tied, Dr. Halloran.”

“Sure, I could use a nap. I’m relieved we’re finally on our way.” Lukas reclined his seat to the same angle as Taylor’s. The cabin was mostly dark, except for the LED accent lights that glowed a cool blue.

Taylor reached out and touched Lukas’ hand. “Is this okay?” He then intertwined his fingers with Lukas’. “This is better than okay. Sleep tight.” Lukas raised their joined hands and kissed the back of Taylor’s. Pretty soon, their hands were on each other’s thighs.

Heat rose from Taylor’s athletic legs.

Despite the sadness, stress, and emotion of this week, Lukas appreciated the kind soul sleeping next to him. As he was resting, Lukas suddenly felt a rush of panic. What am I doing? Random memories of Drew raced through his head as he tried to calm himself. He tried to rationalize his thoughts. Yes, I just met this guy. Yes, I promised myself I’d never get hurt again. But he’s such a nice man. What if he’s psycho? He pulled his hand away from Taylor and eventually calmed his mind and drifted off to sleep. When Lukas woke up, he noticed his mother sitting with her eyes open, staring at nothing, either deep in thought or terrified of something. Lukas walked over to her. “Ma, are you doing okay?”

“I think I’m okay. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“I know. This has got to be tough for you…” “Honey, I’m not talking about your father. Of course, I’m concerned about him, but it’s only a matter of time until we can see him, hopefully.”

About the Author

Edited in Prisma app

E. William Podojil has worked as a writer, advisor and international business executive while living in the Netherlands and the United States. He studied screenwriting at UCLA. His first novel, The Tenth Man, was published in 2004, by Haworth Press. His latest novel, The Poseidon Project, will be published by Wild Rose Press in August, 2024 as the first book in the Herb Society Mysteries series.

Podojil currently resides in Northeast Ohio with his husband and three sons. He travels extensively and writes about his experiences on his website.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , , ,

Beautiful Evil Winter by Kelly K. Lavender – Spotlight and Giveaway

January 8, 2025 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $15 Amazo”n/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops.

Can a novel about an American couple’s quest to adopt a Russian baby be called a Multi-Award-Winning Suspense Thriller? Yes.

“…The book is difficult to put down, enticing you to read a few more chapters before bed. In the end, the book leaves the reader satisfied, but the story never fully leaves your mind.” The US Review of Books

In the late 1990s, a time in Moscow reminiscent of the unforgiving gun-slinging days of the frontier west, mild-mannered Ethan and hot-blooded Sophia board a Russian bound plane. Armed only with a homespun plan, the desperate American couple hopes to to adopt a baby boy.

What can go wrong? Maybe, an innocent ill-fated encounter with the Mafia or maybe, being marked as a target for mob revenge. Perhaps, having to rely on a first-time adoption coordinator to complete the process and shelter them from harm. Honestly, what won’t go wrong?

Crippled by circumstances – confined and monitored in a Moscow apartment, no language skills, no cell phone, no clue, no landline, no gun, no nearby family and a baby to protect, they have to find a way to out. Everything and anything can go wrong. How can they prevail?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Will it happen this time? The ban announced last night—will it ruin everything? Dad says Russian law takes effect the moment it’s ratified. I’m so worried, Ethan.” I rub my eyes and lean my head back while the American jet engines roar in the background. My head throbs and my hands sweat as we try to begin our thirteen- hour journey. We’ve been sitting on the tarmac for two hours due to a mechanical problem.

Ethan grabs my hand and squeezes it softly, then leans over to plant a kiss on my forehead. I gaze at his face,; bags frame his red eyes. I look out the window to distract myself. It’s a sunny, cold day, the sky clear of clouds and full of promise for flight.

“One step at a time, Sophia. We’re closer than we’ve ever been. Remember that,” he says soothingly. Turning back to him, my body becomes rigid as anger spills over me like hot molten lava.

“You’re thinking the same thing I am! We should be overjoyed at the prospect of meeting our son! This is a time for celebration, a time for effervescent bottles of uncorked champagne! But this do- it-yourself adoption is a nightmare! How much longer can we handle disappointment after disappointment? The closer we think we are…the farther away we are,” I vent.

The conversation with Natasha on the phone last night burns in my brain.

“Adoption very risky in Russia now. The ban make Mafia watch money very close.”

How could she say that on the eve of our trip?

I play back what Natasha said.

“This trip big gamble for you. I work to keep adoption away from Mafia. If I do not, police arrest you for human trafficking or Mafia take you. Better to go to prison. My name not appear anywhere, only yours. Phone will be disconnected. And I never know you.”

About the Author: Kelly’s fascination with fiction began in middle school when she entered a book-reading contest and won. As an ardent fan of the resonating narrative and the cliffhanger, she decided to dedicate herself to becoming a skilled writer. When college professors spotlighted her writing in the classroom, it anchored her interest in becoming a novelist.

After earning a business degree, she continued to pursue her education at UCLA, via the UCLA Writers’ Extension Program, where her work earned praise from an award-winning author. A rickety project trip to Russia, to adopt a baby boy, provided the inspiration for her debut novel, Beautiful Evil Winter.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Intagram

Buy the book at the author’s website.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Horror, Mystery/Suspense, Other Tagged With: , , ,
Next Page »