The Coach’s Wife by Barbara Casey – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 22, 2021 By 2 Comments

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

The Cinderella Coyotes of State University are in the Final Four, poised to win the NCAA National Championship in basketball—the culmination of March Madness. For Marla Conners, she’s proud of her husband Neal, and his achievement of coaching a collegiate team to the pinnacle of his career and the ultimate victory for his team. Yet, Marla’s idyllic life is about to be viciously attacked and torn apart by a different madness—her husband’s reputation ruined, a university disgraced, and she finds herself on trial accused of first-degree murder.

The Coach’s Wife is rife with spine-tingling suspense, conspiracy, deceit, and murder, sizzling and seductive passion, right down to the last second buzzer-beating heroics. This is also a candid and vivid behind-the-scenes portrait of Division One college basketball, university politics, money and corruption, and all the lives that are blessed and ruined by it all.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Another deafening roar exploded from the coliseum, and when it did Marla threw down her partially smoked cigarette and ground it into the polished tile floor with the toe of her shoe. Quickly she reached for another cigarette from the opened pack in her small red handbag. She lit it, sucked the smoke into her mouth, held her breath, coughed, and then slowly released it. Marla didn’t smoke, but when she paced up and down the hallways of basketball coliseums, puffing on cigarettes seemed appropriate. It gave her something to do with her hands, and it helped keep her sane.

“God, how I hate this.” Gale Simmons, the gray-haired woman pacing in the same direction as Marla, was married to one of the assistant coaches at Piedmont State. She, along with several other women—also wives of coaches, some of them wives of players—were known as the hall walkers. They were the women who met on a regular but unscheduled basis the last two minutes of every game, pacing the halls, smoking, or pretending to in Marla’s case, and trying to give each other encouragement. Unable to watch the most crucial time of the game—that last two minutes—they paced in heart-pounding agony, listening to the fans erupt in cheers or boos, and to the announcer scream out the play-by-play over the public address system.

It didn’t matter which team they supported. The bond they shared went beyond the game and winning or losing. It was after the game that most mattered. If their team won, it meant going through the torture one more time, but at least their husbands would be happy. If their team lost, it meant their husbands would go through weeks of depression and as their wives they would have to put up with an impenetrable wall of silence broken only by an occasional negative outburst—usually directed toward them. Each of the hall walkers had experienced it. And it was that experience more than any other that cemented the friendship between them.

With thirty seconds to go, the score is 76 all. This is a hot one, folks. Let’s see what the Seawolf pack is going to do. Sydney Rob makes an inbound pass into the back court to Jerry March—the clock is moving, folks. Jerry lobs the ball back over to Rob. Rob passes it over to Miller in the right court.

Interception by Darrell Washington! Holy cow, sports fans! The Seawolf’s Sydney Rob loses the ball to the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest has the ball. Washington bringing it down court. Fifteen seconds on the clock.

About the Author:

Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, as well as book-length works of nonfiction true crime, and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her nonfiction true crime book, Kathryn Kelly: The Moll behind Machine Gun Kelly, has been optioned for a major film and television series. Her nonfiction book, Assata Shakur: A 20th Century Escaped Slave, is under contract for a major film. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency. Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. Barbara is also a partner in Strategic Media Books Publishing, an independent publishing house that specializes in cutting-edge adult nonfiction. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her three cats who adopted her: Homer, a southern bobtail; Reese, a black cat; and Earl Gray, a gray cat and Reese’s best friend.

Author Website | Agency Website

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Forging Monsters Pt. 1 by Annie James – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 12, 2021 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A modern and beautiful Frankenstein’s Monster fights for the right to carve her own destiny in the human world of New York City.

A talented young dancer tired of witnessing violent crimes against women go unpunished and takes matters into her own hands.

A young woman tries to escape her past in the anonymity of New York but finds out that she cannot escape the scars on her soul, which drives her to shocking acts of violence.

Watch for Forging Monsters Part 2, coming soon.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“This body looks as if it has been chewed on–the edges of the throat lacerations are ragged and similar to a previous body that was brought in bearing the same type of teeth marks. A computer 3D model of the wounds on the second body, in front of me, determined the wounds to be made by the teeth of a large canine. However, The DNA test of the saliva left behind has been inconclusive.”

Dr. Violetta paused the tape recorder. “I have never seen anything like it,” she said to her assistant Andrew. “Take a look at the slide I have on the microscope. You’ll see.”

Andrew studied the cells on the microscope and wrote some notes in his typical scrawl that only he could read while Dr. Violetta started recording again.

“Cells separated from a human body die in moments. These cells scraped from the saliva on this body’s wounds have continued to divide and multiply, indicating that the cells are still living. Also, the DNA strands continually rearrange their structure without any outside influence. This is why it has proved impossible to conclusively determine which type of animal caused the damage to this body.” She stopped the recorder.

“This has to be kept out of the media,” she whispered, shaking her head in horrified disbelief.

“Where did this one come from?” Andrew asked, looking up from the microscope.

“He was found in Central Park.”

About the Author:Annie is the author of the Tales of Origen series and several short stories. She lives in Kentucky with her husband and two fun-loving cats who inspired the feline characters Dirtbag and Scumbucket. She has an adult daughter who is also a writer, and a grandson. Her influences and favorite writers include:

Frank Peretti
Mary Wollencroft Shelley
Apryl Baker
Dean Koontz
Alexandre Dumas
Linda Joyce
Mary Ramsey
Lance Sheridan poetry

She has lived in New York and Louisiana and loves Cajun cooking. She has had several people tell her that she should open a restaurant, but she loves writing too much to make time for it—running a restaurant is a TON of work. She has an associate degree in Administrative Assistance, majoring in writing, and business administration.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter

Buy the book at Smashwords or Amazon.

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My Favorite Books by Hawk MacKinney – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 2, 2021 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Hawk MacKinney 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.

My Favorite Books

My favorite books are and aren’t in my genre – mystery or sci-fi. Yet, they are. When not stringing words across a screen, I’m constructing the building blocks of a manuscript between my ears among the nonfiction stacks. Call it research. Whether particle physics or historical background for setting or character, I am holed up among the volumes, browsing when not writing which is very seldom. Biographies of the great personalities and nonfiction of important events have it all – saga, setting, plot, failure, success, characters bigger than life. Picky detailed research? One best be picky to probe historical settings/characters/dialogue, not to mention what they wore. My favorite bio, Désirée, the one-time fiancée of Napoléone Bonaparte, married a French general and founded the Swedish House of Bernadotte – and he blew it. The Bernadotte Dynasty still carries the crown of Sweden. How’s that for imperial screw-ups and disasters, or should one say egos run amok? And the uninformed call history and public libraries boring. Not hardly. Librarians are some of the great unsung experts of the professions that involve writers. History, dialogue, settings, plots turned downside-up, mysteries with mayhem, victim and collateral damaged innocents, characters’ strengths, and more intriguing, their weaknesses mesh into tales being told. Fiction and nonfiction involve the same constructs. It doesn’t matter where the approach begins; a face in the crowd, a title, setting, conflict, passion, lust can trigger a whole volume of scenes that expand with lightening speed…and I like to go fishing or sit on the porch swing with a hot cup of tea.


While dangling a fishing hook from his flat bottom skiff before dawn, former SEAL-turned-PI Craige Ingram spots grey-black smoke coiling above the treetops across the river in the direction of the Georgia bayous and Corpsewood Manor. Bayou or bogs, fire in the uncut cypress and pines bodes a sense that the river is no barrier to the fire that threatens his ancestral home, Moccasin Hollow. Neither are the bodies later found in the burned mansion of Corpsewood Manor. Craige wastes no time in helping his ex-SEAL buddy Lt. Graysen MacGerald who is now Head of Buckingham Homicide Investigations by unofficially investigating the bodies and an exquisite dragonfly brooch found in the mansion with a reputation for evil, hauntings, and mystery.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“How many times you got to be told to stay away from this place?” Clenched fist, a threatening stomp through the ashes and rubble of Corpsewood toward Kenyon, was no bluff.

Kenyon said, “Ain’t got no other place ‘cept them leaky sheds behind the garage. Least before the fire, I had a place to sleep. Got kicked out of my other place.”

“I’ll just bet they let your sweet cheeks sleepover. You’re just the kind of meat they liked to sucker in.”

“Now I got no place, an’ nights are gettin’ colder.”

“Get a job. Quit blowing your money, and you’d have a place of your own. They the ones that hooked you on crystal?”

Kenyon whined, “I told you. I don’t do drugs.”

Steady raven-black gaze, “Cut the crap. Ever’body’s heard all your stories. Out’a your mouth never been nothing but pity-me mewling.” Between a snarl and a chuckle, “I suppose you never done meth, push crank up your nose—whatever’s on the streets to stoke in your arms.” Glanced at the needle tracks on both arms, “Or running out’a veins in your arms and using the ones in your ankles. Wash your stringy, greasy hair; take a bath, stop acting like some mangy animal.”

“I don’t snort crystal or Nazi dope,” Kenyon griped. “You’re like ever’body else, judging someone by the way we live.”

“I don’t care what you’re on, but anyone fool enough to supply you is askin’ for trouble if that goddamn homicide Lieutenant MacGerald starts nosing around, asking questions. And his friggin’ PI SEAL mate Ingram helpin’ him is worse.”

Kenyon wiped his nose across the grimy grunge sleeve of his jacket. “If you hadn’t torched the house, I’d still have me a place.”

Knotted a fist in Kenyon’s jacket, “Buttin’ into stuff that don’t concern you ain’t good for your health. I ain’t telling you again. I didn’t start no fire. I don’t know who did, but if I find out, they won’t be startin’ no more fires.”

Kenyon squinched his face, “Ever’body always puts the blame on me.” Didn’t want no cops finding out he’d done a couple of torch-for-insurance.

Yanked Kenyon eyeball to eyeball closer, “Don’t give me shit, and don’t make trouble. Get your ass off from around Corpsewood Manor, and don’t let me catch you around here again.” Shoved Kenyon backwards against charred support beams.

About the Author:Hawk MacKinney began writing mysteries for his school newspaper, served in the US Navy for over 20 years, earned two postgraduate degrees with studies in languages and history, taught postgraduate courses in the United States and Jerusalem, authored professional articles and chordate embryology texts on fetal and adult anatomy, and is well known for his works of fiction. Moccasin Trace, a historical novel, was nominated for the prestigious Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes Book Award. Both his CAIRNS OF SANCTUARIE science fiction series and the MOCCASIN HOLLOW MYSTERY series have received worldwide recognition.

Website | Goodreads

Buy the book at Amazon.

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The Vines by Shelley Nolden – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 25, 2021 By 9 Comments

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Shelley Nolden who is celebrating her debut thriller The Vines. Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of THE VINES, along with a mug that features a unique map of North Brother Island, a tea bag and bookmark (US only).

A Letter from the Author
December 2020

Dear Reader,

I hope this letter finds you and your family healthy and well during this challenging time.

Like far too many coronavirus patients, I’ve spent dozens of nights hospitalized. While in the ICU, on oxygen therapy, I feared that my lungs would fail me before daybreak. I know how it feels to struggle for air, and the terror that comes with that. –Not as a result of contracting the virus, but rather, because of a leukemia diagnosis that caused pooling of blood in my lungs. As a result of my past trauma, I have deep empathy for those who’ve experienced severe complications from COVID-19, and for those who’ve lost loved ones.

Despite being nine years out from my diagnosis, I still grapple daily with my fears and anxieties. When details were first emerging from China of a novel virus that causes acute respiratory syndrome, the notion of a new threat to my—or a family member’s—lungs, triggered my PTSD.

The first symptom of my cancer was the death of our baby at twenty weeks gestation. While inpatient, I lay awake each night, weeping over her loss and for the eighteen-month-old I was forbidden to see because her germs could kill me. Frequently, I asked for opiates to numb the emotional as much as the physical pain. Daily, I received blood transfusions. Throughout, I experienced 105-degree fevers, dangerously high blood pressure, hemorrhaging of the eye, a full-body hive outbreak, migraines, vomiting, and severe bone pain. During this period, I spent a total of two hours with my toddler. By the time I returned home, she’d stopped asking for me.

If someone in my family contracted this new virus, it could be similarly traumatic, I’d reasoned in January 2020. So I ordered four re-usable N-95 masks, hand sanitizer, and surgical gloves. At the time, the outbreak was contained to Wuhan, and my family was amused by my purchases. In early February, my mother humored me by tagging along on a trip to Costco so she could push my second cart.

My “prepping” was not solely driven by the emotional scars of my cancer ordeal. Additionally, I feared this virus before doing so became rational because I’d spent several years researching and imagining contagions, quarantines, and elusive treatments while writing The Vines.

For the three years of treatment that followed my leukemia diagnosis, much of my writing was for my cancer blog, focusing on the themes of disease, fear of death, isolation, loss of a child, infertility. But also: survival, courage, healing, and hope. Through that process, the heroine of The Vines—and her foil—were born.

Before these two strong women, however, came the setting:

Death. Decay. Despair. Those were my first impressions of the abandoned campus on North Brother Island. Diving into research, I learned that North Brother Island’s past was, in fact, rife with misery. The haunting online images of Riverside Hospital, originally a contagion hospital and later an experimental heroin rehab clinic, provided gut-wrenching context to the grisly historical essays.

I decided that a novel set there should incorporate Riverside’s 125+ year evolution, its actual inhabitants, and the details captured by on-line photographs and Christopher Payne’s non-fiction book, North Brother Island: The Last Unknown Place in New York City, for which I attended the standing-room-only book signing. After meticulously cataloguing every map, image, and historical detail available, I took a deep breath and began structuring an epic tale that I truly believed I’d earned the right to tell.

Now, as I look at my nearly empty “emergency supply closet” and the still alarming headlines, the fact that the novel I’d written pre-COVID feels like it had been created with the benefit of hindsight is incredibly unnerving. Hopefully, this crisis will soon be behind us all, and the conclusion to my planned series, which begins with The Vines, will be read during a time when the anxieties of today feel like a distant memory.

Thank you so much for your interest in my debut novel.

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In the shadows of New York City’s North Brother Island stand the remains of a shuttered hospital and the haunting memories of quarantines and human experiments. The ruins conceal the scarred and beautiful Cora, imprisoned there by contagions and the doctors who torment her. When Finn, a young urban explorer, arrives on the island and glimpses the enigmatic woman through the foliage, intrigue turns to obsession as he seeks to uncover her past–and his own family’s dark secrets. Nolden skillfully intertwines North Brother Island’s horrific and elusive history with a captivating tale of love, betrayal, survival, and loss.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The forest was too still; he was being watched.

He tasted blood and realized he’d bitten his tongue. Another scalpel could whiz through the air, this time landing in an eye or the back of his head. Unlike all those who’d been incinerated or transported to Potter’s Field on Hart Island, his body would rot where it landed.

If Finn had respected his father’s ruling that North Brother had become too risky, he wouldn’t now be defenseless and alone, about to die on a deserted island surrounded by eight million people.

The faint hum of traffic underscored the proximity of help; so close, yet so far.

He knew his best option was to flee. Surveying the greenery, he spotted the tennis court fence that marked his escape route. Yet he didn’t bolt.

Either his invisible enemies were defending the woman, or they wanted to kill her, too. Assuming they hadn’t already sliced her throat, Finn and she, together, might be able to make it to his kayak. The currents would quickly carry them beyond the range of those blades.

With the daylight, a patrol might notice them leaving, but he’d gladly take an illegal trespassing charge over death.

A pokeberry plant blocked his view of the decaying bathroom. He eased aside a long, thin cluster of dark berries, revealing only more vegetation. He would have to get closer.

Shifting his pack onto his back, he realized that he’d dropped his sketchbook and turned to reach for it.

The air trilled.

A third scalpel—this one from above—stabbed the moleskin cover. Protecting his face with his hands, he looked up.

About the Author: A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Shelley Nolden is an entrepreneur and writer, now residing in Wisconsin. Previously, she lived in the New York City area, where she worked on Wall Street and first learned of North Brother Island. At the age of 31, Shelley was diagnosed with leukemia and completed treatment three years later. The sense of isolation and fear she experienced during her cancer ordeal influenced her spellbinding debut novel, THE VINES.

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Ellerslie by William Francis – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 23, 2021 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. William Francis will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Did you know author F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda lived in a haunted house?

It’s the Jazz Age, it’s Prohibition and aviator Charles Lindbergh is the most famous person in America. Author F. Scott Fitzgerald rents a mansion in Edgemoor, Delaware called Ellerslie hoping for a quiet retreat so that he can write his next novel following The Great Gatsby.

April Ross, the first and only female history major at the University of Delaware, is commissioned by the owner of Ellerslie to research the estate’s history for a potential sale. At least, that’s what April is told. In the days ahead, April’s historical research uncovers Ellerslie’s former owners dating back to 1810. She interacts with the Fitzgeralds, yet endures unexplained occurrences and visits by an unknown woman. Against her better judgement, April eventually accepts that the woman is a ghost and realizes that her true purpose is to find out who this woman is, or was, and what happened to her in real life.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The door had swung violently away from April and slammed shut.

“How did that happen?”

Nobody closed the door, nor did she feel a gust of wind. It would take a strong wind to close the heavy door. So how had it shut on its own?

April cautiously turned the metal door latch and peeked into the hall. She looked left. She looked right. Nobody was present. She glanced across the way and might’ve suspected the maid Elena, but the maid was busy rehanging Zelda’s clothes. So without a logical explanation for what happened April had no choice except to shrug it off and close the door.

April stripped to her slip and turned the handle to the sink’s hot water facet. The plumbing made a low rumbling noise for a couple of seconds before rust-colored water spilled out. April wasn’t alarmed. The same discoloration happened at her family home. And like home, she waited a few seconds for warm and clear water to appear.

She grabbed a bar of Pear’s soap already at the sink and started to wash her hands when a familiar aroma struck her nose.

Lavender?

April knew the fragrance well. It was her mother’s favorite. Mama rubbed the oil on her face and hands in the belief that it calmed the skin and reduced wrinkles.

Something flashed in the mirror.

Like the sensation of being watched, April felt someone, or some-thing stood near, very near. It was close enough to give her goosebumps on her arms and raise the hair on the back of her neck.

Squeak.

There was a clawfoot tub in the back half of the bathroom. The hot and cold-water valves were turning on their own.

Splash.

Water shot from the two spigots.

April’s eyes bulged. “Sweet Jesus.”

She hurried to the tub, shut off the flow, and then stared dumbfounded at the draining water. Her heart pounded as she scratched her head and wondered out loud. “How did that happen? What’s going on?”

Tink.

A tiny crack developed on the upper right corner of the mirror.

April sucked in air and watched in disbelief as a jagged fissure slowly spread diagonally across the mirror, about to split the glass in two.

Smash!

April ducked and covered her head as the mirror shattered and shards of glass clinked into the porcelain sink and scattered onto the tile floor.

When she raised her head, April stared at the glassless frame awestruck and bewildered. “Sweet Jesus, it really happened. I didn’t imagine it. It’s not a delusion.”

April then experienced a paralyzing fear as she felt something like fingertips caress the back of her neck.

“Elena!”

About the Author:

Raised in Newark, Delaware, William spends his days working in Corporate America and writing about the First State. He achieved a Masters Degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, but also writes non-fiction. Through Arcadia Publishing he has produced 5 books related to Delaware: The DuPont Highway, Along the Kirkwood Highway, Along the Christina River, Building Interstate in 95 in Delaware and Newark Then &amp Now. Fiction titles include: A Life Told to None, The Umpire, Seacrest, and the five-star The Katie Dugan Case. Whether his books are fact or fiction, William hopes to entertain as well as inform and leave the reader with a satisfying experience.

Facebook | Goodreads

The book is available to buy at Amazon, or free to read on Kindle Unlimited Amazon.

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Temporarily Out of Luck by Vicki Batman – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 18, 2021 By 6 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Vicki Batman will be awarding a handbag, a $10 Amazon gift card, a $10 Starbucks gift card, and lots of goodies to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Great job. What man? And murder. Newly employed at Wedding Wonderland, Hattie Cooks is learning the industry from a woman she greatly admires. When her former brother-in-law is found dead in his luxury SUV, all fingers point to Hattie’s sister who is planning her own I dos.

Detective Allan Wellborn is caught between a rock and a hard place—Hattie’s family and investigating the murder of a well-connected Sommerville resident, the same loser who was once married to Hattie’s sister. Determining who’s the bad guy—or gal—isn’t going to be easy and sure to piss off someone.

Can Hattie beat the clock to find out who murdered Tracey’s ex before she is charged with the crime and her wedding is ruined?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Sometimes, I felt like a small white mouse housed in a cage with lots of small white mice, whose playground activities involved eating, sleeping, and continually revolving on the exercise wheel. Just like one rodent friend—who I named Mr. Happy-Go-Lucky, having a field day back-flipping from the top of the spinning wheel—something happened. Unexpectedly, I found myself airborne.

Not hurt, a sense of disappointment overcame me, plus a bit of confusion, and a whole lot of colorful adjectives too numerous to list. I, mostly known as Hattie Cooks, shook off the pine shavings and joined the rat race. Sometimes, life sucked.

But wallowing? Not a good solution.

Being positive? A better one.

In most cases, a pitstop was a good idea, and I found comfort in my chocolate stockpile. And in most cases, I found empty shelves, for I had little dough to supply my habit due to the loss of my adored job as an assistant buyer at Sommerville’s top-class department store, Tucker’s, and the subsequent low-paying temporary ones I reluctantly took in the interim. Due to the expenses of rent, food, utilities, budgeting became my new compadré. However, for my recent birthday, Mom suggested friends and family provide me with treats. They were generous—gifting lots and lots of my favorite M&Ms in vast colors and flavors.

Mom’s idea totally rocked as the best birthday gift ever.

From outside my door, I heard Allan Wellborn smack the doorframe.

“You know how to find me.”

I roused from my ruminations and banged my forehead against the wall.

About the Author:

Funny, sweet, and quirky, Vicki Batman’s stories are full of her hallmark humor, romance, and will delight all readers. She has sold many award-winning and bestselling romantic comedy works to magazines and most recently, three humorous romantic mysteries. An avid Jazzerciser. Handbag lover. Mahjong player. Yoga practitioner. Movie fan. Book devourer. Cat fancier. Best Mom ever. And adores Handsome Hubby.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Instagram | Bookbub

Buy the book at Amazon.

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Character Creation by W.F. Ranew – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 16, 2021 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. W.F. Ranew will be awarding a $15 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.

Character Creation

Red Farlow is a private investigator and lead character in his namesake mystery series from Tirgearr Publishing.

Red’s creation started fifty years ago when I worked as a daily newspaper reporter. I’d written a relatively short story about the murder of a young girl by an eleven-year-old boy. The next afternoon, the law enforcement agent in charge of the investigation called me to complain. He said the story didn’t reflect the heinous and cruel nature of the murder. He went on to explain in some detail.

I lost touch with the agent over the years, but the lesson from his phone call rings crystal clear in my memory. I also took something else from his call. The name Red.

Red Farlow grew in my head over the years.

Character creation is important for me as for anyone writing fiction. Coming up with good names and matching character traits can be challenging for some, but for me it’s a natural. Having grown up in the Deep South of the US, I’ve known untold number of men named Bubba, several called Bugger, and one or two named or nicknamed Hoot, Goose, Swansy, Flippidy-dip, Big Belly, and finally, a big man even his grandmother called Nana, because he looked just like her. There are people known only by their initials, too. Like A.J., J.P., and W.W., nicknamed Two Dub. I was at my high school graduated before the classmate I knew as J.P was really Jesse Perry.

Most of these people were pretty good fellows, but some walked around meaner than hornets swatted by a cane pole. Mostly, you find the meaner ones in my stories, simply because character deficiencies are so much more colorful to write about.

In Rich and Gone, I wrote in a character named Halbert “Sho’nuff” Dixon. Name just popped into my head as I wrote a throwaway scene of a neighborhood cop who confronted Red Farlow. Thing is, Sho’nuff wouldn’t leave the story. He kept following Red around and pestering him. After a while, Red remembered arresting the man many years before.

Finally, Red has a cousin named Bubba in an upcoming book. The man’s son? You guessed it. Bubba Junior.

PI Red Farlow has a meeting with Wickham Art Center board chair in Atlanta, but when he arrives, he finds the chairman slumped over his potter’s wheel with a medieval battle dagger protruding from his back.

During the investigation, other victims are discovered in the pottery studio, each meeting the same gruesome end as the chairman. Is the dagger a dramatic flourish of a twisted mind, or a more profound message?

Clues soon reveal a real estate scheme—wealthy Venezuelan investors plan to plow Wickham under and build condos on the site.

Red gets his hands muddy as he throws himself into finding the answers.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Death preceded me.

That notion drifted into my mind like a ghost when I encountered the unknown, especially in the dark. Perhaps it was my spook, a lurking memory of all the bodies I’d seen.

Or maybe the heat of the August night—barely cooler than the day—had fried my brain like bacon grease crackling in a hot skillet.

Something conjured this foreboding as I walked toward the clay studio of the Wickham Art Center.

I went over to meet Kevin Densmore, businessman and Wickham board chair, to discuss a recent murder at the center. After two weeks, the police had turned up little in leads or suspects. Wickham’s leaders became worried about staff and student safety and the venerable institution’s reputation.

Densmore wanted to hire me, or so I’d been told by a friend on the center’s board. I’m Red Farlow, a private detective.

Down an alley through the darkness, the mansion’s back door light glowed. There, signs indicated the way to the pottery studio. I walked into a dimly lit chamber and looked back to the wheel room. I later learned potters had created mugs, bowls, and jugs on a wheel for thousands of years.

The whole place was a mess, with everything covered in a patina of gray clay. The dust layers reminded me of exploring a dry riverbed in my youth. The clay crumbled under my bare feet, leaving an imprint on the ground and a thin crusty layer on my skin.

I breathed the clay’s essence and looked around the room.

About the Author:W.F. Ranew is the author of the Red Farlow Mysteries series of ebook s from Tirgearr Publishing. He’s launching Blood Mug (#4) on Feb. 24, 20210. Other Red Farlow stories are Rich and Gone (#1), Blue Magnolia (#2), and Eat Beach (#3).

Ranew is a former newspaper reporter, editor and communication executive. He started his journalism career covering sports, police, and city council meetings at his hometown newspaper, The Quitman Free Press. He also worked as a reporter and editor for The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle, The Florida Times-Union and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In corporate communications, he has written speeches for President Jimmy Carter and leaders of public companies, including Bank of America, CitiGroup, Equifax, NCR, The Coca-Cola Company, and ING.

Early in his career, he worked as part-time radio dispatcher for a small-town police department.

Ranew has self-published two previous novels: Schoolhouse Man and Candyman’s Sorrow.

He lives in Atlanta and St. Simons Island, Ga.

Amazon Author Page | Tirgearr Author Page | Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

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The Player’s Encore by Joe Cosentino – Q&A and Giveaway

March 16, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Long and Short Reviews welcomes back Joe Cosentino who is celebrating yesterday’s release of The Player’s Encore, the second book in his Player Piano Mysteries series. Post a comment on what you love about player pianos, gay romance, Key West, Tuscany, or whodunits. The one that tickles our ivories the most will win a complimentary e-book of The Player, Player Piano Mysteries Book 1, by Joe Cosentino.

Joe, congratulations on the release of The Player’s Encore, a new MM mystery/romance/fantasy novel.

I’m ready for my encore. (smile)

For anyone who hasn’t read The Player—and they should!—recap the first novel in The Player Piano Mysteries series for us.

I decided to blend my love of the Art Deco period with my passion for the contemporary cozy mystery—with a gay slant—and out came The Player. It is the story of Andre Beaufort, a grade school music teacher living in Hoboken, New Jersey, who having found a player piano in the basement, brought back to life the spirit of dapper Roaring Twenties playboy Freddy Birtwistle—the original owner of the house. The two men got off to a rocky start, but they eventually fell madly in love and solved two murder mysteries—in Freddy’s old city house and country house.

Why did you have Freddy come from the Roaring Twenties period?

I’ve always loved the Roaring Twenties period: the pinstriped suits and beaded dresses, Art Deco houses and furnishings, catchy tunes from Gershwin and Porter, wealthy bon vivant personalities, the Charleston, catchy expressions like “the bee’s knees,” and of course the player piano.

Why did you decide to write a second book in The Player series?

I worried that readers might not like The Player as much as they adored my popular Nicky and Noah mystery series. To my elation, readers loved The Player, and they begged me for another Player novel. Since I love the beach (hence my Cozzi Cove series) and Italy (as noted in my A Home for the Holidays Bobby and Paolo Holiday Story 1), I decided that Andre and Freddy would next solve murder mysteries in Freddy’s old house in Key West and at his family’s past villa in Tuscany.

What happens in book 2?

As in book 1, readers get two stories for the price of one! In part I of The Player’s Encore: The Beach House, Freddy yearns to visit his family’s beach house in Florida. So, Andre and Freddy embark on a vacation to the stunning home which has become a bed and breakfast. Before Freddy can say “zotched,” a young, mysterious houseboy is murdered, the second hunky houseboy to meet the same fate. As it turns out, the suspects are all related to the latest victim: his desk clerk boyfriend, his incredibly handsome cousin who happens to be a doctor, and his feuding parents. Also in the mix are the accountant with slippery books, a studly new houseboy who can’t keep his feather duster in his pants, and a little girl with a secret that changes Andre and Freddy’s lives. Since the detective obsessed with the case has come up with an empty seashell, it’s once again up to lovers Andre and Freddy to find the murderer and save the inn—and themselves!

In part II: The Villa, Andre and Freddy venture off on a vacation with Andre’s uncle, an ex-priest, to Tuscany, where they stay at an inn that happens to have once been Freddy’s old family villa. Before the sun sets golden on the hills, a young, handsome, wealthy guest is murdered. The suspects are the victim’s distant father who is his competitor in business, a sexy Italian guide with a secret, two hunky gay travelers connected via a travel app, and a straight married couple who appear ready to embark on new sexual conquests. At the same time, Freddy finds his deceased sister’s diary and makes a surprising discovery that changes his life. When the muscular Italian detective investigating the murder seems lost in his spaghetti, it’s yet again up to lovers Andre and Freddy to solve the mystery and save the day!

What’s special about the novel?

The two mysteries include lots of sexy characters, cozy settings, humor, surprising plot twists and turns, fun red herrings, a touch of drama, a shocking yet justifiable ending, and of course lots of sweet romance.

Why a player piano?

While walking through an antique shop upstate New York, I came across an old player piano. It was handcrafted from maple, mahogany, and spruce with an elaborate leaf pattern molding. In the center section stood the roll of pre-programmed music on perforated paper: George Gershwin’s “Someone to Watch Over Me” from 1926. While listening to the song, I couldn’t help imagining who might have owned the Pianola. Since player pianos were popular with the wealthy in the Roaring Twenties, I imagined the owner, like the piano, was a player and a socialite from a family who made their fortune in the railroad industry. I named him Freddy Birtwistle.

Tell us more about the dazzling and captivating Freddy.

Freddy is tall and lean with slicked-back jet-black hair, violet eyes, high cheekbones, a thin nose, and rosy cheeks. True to his time period, he is meticulously dressed in a pinstriped black suit and vest, white silk shirt, and gray suspenders with matching bowtie and silk pocket handkerchief. His shoes are shiny black patent leather with white spats. Even more interesting than Freddy’s looks and wardrobe are his alluring and joyous bon vivant personality. Since Freddy socialized with the rich and famous of his time, he has numerous entertaining stories to tell about the elite of his time. Oh, and Freddy is a ghost, having been shot at thirty years old by a misinformed jealous husband.

Is book 2 told through Andre’s perspective as was the case with book 1?

Yes, now twenty-seven, Andre Beaufort is tall and thin with a cut body, amber eyes, dark hair, milk chocolate complexion, and a bubble butt. Andre and Freddy are happily in love. They are a ghostly Holmes and mortal Watson.

Who are the supporting characters in The Player’s Encore?

In Part I at the Key West beach bed and breakfast, we meet hunky houseboys Christian Hart and Nico DeFina, Christian’s parents and his gorgeous cousin Dr. Spencer Hart, Christian’s boyfriend beefy desk clerk Yusef Raji, oily inn manager Troy Grey, and his young daughter Ana Grey. When Christian is murdered, Butch Detective Ken Evans solicits Andre’s help who asks for Freddy’s assistance in catching the murderer.

And in the second story?

In part II in the Tuscan Villa, we meet Andre’s hunky Uncle Darryl right out of the priesthood, the inn’s beefy owner Bartolo Lotto, cute travelling roommates Rai Ming and Felix Gutierrez, young A-lister Colin Maverick and his gray fox father CEO of Maverick Enterprises Julian Maverick, and a straight married couple ready to expand their horizons. Sexy Detective Francesco Ferrari seems more interested in Uncle Darryl and Bartolo Lotto than solving the murder mystery. So, it’s Freddy and Andre to the rescue.

How are the stories cozy?

They take place in a quaint bed and breakfast on the beach and in a gorgeous Tuscan villa overlooking olive orchards, vineyards, lemon trees, and rolling hills kissed by the sun.

Why do you think there aren’t many other gay cozy mystery series out there?

MM doesn’t have to mean only erotica, dark thrillers, or young adult novels. While that’s fine, I think we’re missing a whole spectrum of fiction. In the case of the Nicky and Noah mysteries and now The Player series, my books include romance, humor, mystery, adventure, and quaint and loveable characters in uncanny situations. The settings are warm and cozy. The clues and red herrings are there for the perfect page-turning whodunits.

Many of your characters in The Player and The Player’s Encore are of various ethnicities and sexual identities. Is that deliberate on your part?

Sure. We live in a diverse world. Literature should reflect that.

I’m sure you’ve been told that the books would make a terrific TV series. How would you cast a TV version?

Here’s my wish list to for the regular cast: Matt Bomer as Freddy, Blake Young Fountain as Andre, Wanda Sykes as Freddy’s Aunt Nia, and now Wilson Cruz as Freddy’s Uncle Darryl. Come on, TV producers, make me an offer!

How can your readers get their hands on The Player’s Encore?

The purchase links are below.

Thank you, Joe, for interviewing today.

My pleasure. I hope everyone will give The Player’s Encore a play. I’m sure, like Andre and me, you will fall in love with Freddy and have a great deal of fun trying to solve the mysteries. And I love to hear from readers. So drop me a line at my website.

Can a man and a ghost be soulmates? When young music teacher Andre Beaufort unleashed the ghost of dapper Roaring Twenties playboy Freddy Birtwistle from his antique player piano, he never imagined they would fall in love and solve two murder mysteries. Now Freddy yearns to visit his family’s beach house in Florida. So, Andre and Freddy embark on a vacation to the stunning home which has become a bed and breakfast. Before Freddy can say “zotched,” a young, mysterious houseboy is murdered, the second hunky houseboy to meet the same fate. Will Andre and Freddy find the murderer to save the inn—and themselves?

A year later, Andre and Freddy venture off on a vacation with Andre’s uncle, an ex-priest, to Tuscany, staying at an inn which happens to have once been Freddy’s old family villa. Before the sun sets golden on the hills, a handsome young guest is murdered. Will Andre and Freddy uncover the secrets of Freddy’s ancestral home, solve the mystery, and find eternal love?
The Player’s Encore, the second installment in the popular Player Piano Mysteries series by Joe Cosentino, includes two cozy mysteries: The Beach House and The Villa.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Bag in hand, I made my way inside the house and down a long white marble hallway. A muscular, young man with olive skin and jet-black hair and eyes stood behind the counter. Offering me a white smile, he said, “Welcome to Apollo Branchus.”

I stood opposite the counter, dropping my bag at my side. “Thank you. I’m Andre Beaufort.”

“I’m Yusef Raji. We spoke on the phone.”

“I remember.”

He glanced at his computer screen. “You are registered for room five.”

“The player piano room.”
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“You saw our photos online?”

I nodded. “And Ava confirmed it for me on the front porch.”

He rubbed his wide nose. “Ava is a bit precocious. She’s our manager’s daughter.”

“She told me.” I explained, “I’m a grade school teacher. I like talking to kids.”

“What do you teach?”

“Music.” I grinned. “Not math, which was good news for Ava.”

A tall man who appeared to be in his thirties with receding mousy brown hair entered the counter area from a closed door marked “Manager.” “I’m Troy Grey, the manager. I apologize if my daughter bothered you.”

I replied, “It was no bother at all. I enjoyed speaking with Ava. She welcomed me to the inn. Ava seems like a bright little girl.”

Troy offered me a wan smile. “Yes.”

“Mr. Beaufort is registered in room five,” Yusef said.

Troy’s small brown eyes focused on me. “Welcome. I hope you enjoy your stay.” As he exited through the same door, I wondered why Ava’s father wore a violet silk shirt and designer black slacks and she dressed like an urchin.

“Yusef, aren’t you going to introduce me to the new guest?”

I spun around to face a short, very muscular young man with smooth olive skin, curly chestnut hair, and a Roman nose.

Yusef waved toward him. “Andre Beaufort, this is Nico DeFina, our houseboy.”

“Every house needs a boy.” Clad in a skintight cranberry T-shirt and white shorts, Nico aimed his wide pecs and massive bulge in my direction. “Welcome to the bed and breakfast, Andre.”

“Thank you.”

He licked his full lips like a blood hound spotting a rib roast. “I’ll do my best to make you…comfortable.”

Yusef cleared his throat. “I need to check him in.”

Nico’s sapphire eyes focused back on Yusef. “All right. I’ll check in with you later.” Nico winked at me. “Let me know if you need any checking out after checking in.” He disappeared.

I asked Yusef, “Is he always that friendly?”

“You got away easy. He asked the last guest checking in if he wanted a slab of beef between his buns.”

We shared a laugh.

Yusef glanced back at his computer. “Now, I have your deposit to reserve the room. May I scan your credit card to cover additional expenses?”

I handed him my card. As he scanned it, I asked, “Does the owner live on the premises?”

Yusef shook his head. “But Troy is in regular contact with him.”

“How long have you worked here?”

“Eight years.”

“How about Troy?”

“Twelve.”

“Did Ava’s mother work here too…before she passed away?”

“Arabella was the cook.” He grinned. “She was full of life and laughter…until she became ill three years ago. Troy was understandably devastated.”

I nodded. “Life is so fleeting.”

“One of the reasons to take vacations.”

I agreed. “Especially in places as beautiful as this one.”

“Then let’s get you started.” He handed me a key. “This will unlock your room and the front door, which we lock at midnight. The beach outside is private for our guests only. There are beach chairs, umbrellas, towels, and bottled water on the front porch.” Yusef’s eyes rested on my biceps and pecs. “You’ll need to bring your own bathing suit.”

I held up my bag. “Not a problem.”

“After travelling, you must be ready for a rest before dinner. The two parlors on this floor are open to guests as is the front porch. Refreshments are served in the back parlor each day at four. Breakfast is served seven-thirty to ten am in the garden room, toward the back of this floor. Through the front sitting room are the stairs to the bedrooms. Your room is the last one on the left.” He glanced at my small bag. “Obviously, you won’t be needing help with your luggage.”

“Do you have any recommendations for dinner?”

He scratched at his thin beard. “There’s a great restaurant just three blocks north of us. They serve local-caught fish and key lime pie made from local limes. The food is amazing.”

“Sounds great.” I grinned. “Thank you for being so helpful.”

He returned the smile. “My pleasure. Enjoy your stay. And please let me know if you need anything.”

About the Author: Joe Cosentino was voted Favorite MM Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Author of the Year by the readers of Divine Magazine for Drama Queen, the first Nicky and Noah mystery novel. He is also the author of the remaining Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas; the Player Piano Mysteries: The Player and The Player’s Encore; the Jana Lane Mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll; the Cozzi Cove series: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Moving Forward, Stepping Out, New Beginnings, Happy Endings; the In My Heart Anthology: An Infatuation & A Shooting Star; the Tales from Fairyland Anthology: The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland and Holiday Tales from Fairyland; the Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories Anthology: A Home for the Holidays, The Perfect Gift, The First Noel; and the Found At Last Anthology: Finding Giorgio and Finding Armando. His books have won numerous Book of the Month awards and Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions. As an actor, Joe appeared in principal roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Jason Robards, and Holland Taylor. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree from Goddard College, Master’s degree from SUNY New Paltz, and is currently a happily married college theatre professor/department chair residing in New York State.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

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

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Winning by Craig Dinsell – Interview

March 11, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Craig Dinsell whose debut novel Winning was released in December.

Craig is mainly from the UK, but New York is his nearest city. This actually led to his scariest moment, on 9/11.

“My office was in one of the towers that went down. I was in San Francisco that morning and not knowing if my colleagues and indeed who amongst the whole community there had survived was terrifying.”

He has been writing for years in the context of business or poetry for personal enjoyment. His poetry is all about imagery and people trapped in stories where the cadence of each word is critical to the shape of the poem and reading experience.

“Poems can be short snapshots or great sagas where the reader can be more or less ignored in favor of the message,” he explained. “It’s been interesting to step out into fiction where it is perhaps a bit less about the art of the moment then stringing the moments together into a drama that will command the reader’s attention. But perhaps that sounds a bit too pretentious.”

“What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?” I wondered.

“As I understand it, for fiction, intriguing characters and scenes that drag you in and a plot that has a few surprises which flow from fresh perspectives and ideas. Writing which grabs the reader from the start. But perhaps the skill in writing is to leave the reader enough white space to use their imagination. As a writer I think that one often feels compelled to fill in all the gaps but I’m learning that that kills imagination. Probably nothing matters more than the writer’s passion and engagement with the characters in their story.”

Craig tole me that he begins with the characters. He spends enough time with them that he can hear their voices and let them direct where the story should go.

“I’ve also been finding that switching the characters between roles is interesting. By doing this the plot can turn in unexpected directions,” he said.

He told me his first book was about knives and chameleons, being lost and found. The new book he’s working on is about another wort of journey undertaken by a bunch of quite dysfuntional characters.

“It’s really quite funny,” he said. “I hope!”

I asked, “What is the hardest part of writing for you?”

“Finding the time to do it. And once I get going, not getting too caught up in the details of each scene. My editor, David Haviland, gave me some great advice early on – “get in and get out!”

He researches books in a few ways. Like one of his characters, he picks up ideas and conversations from here and there and jot them down. He also uses the internet a lot.
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“If I am writing about something that happened in the sixties, for instance,” he explained, “I will do a lot of digging to get maps, images and newspaper pieces about what was happening then.”

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

“The other night I heard someone say, ‘If you like a scene write a scene.’ That may not be original but it is great advice because a scene can lead anywhere. Some advice about reading a lot of other fiction writers may not be as helpful- Sure, it’s vital to be well read but the whole point of writing is to be original and truly creative? But there again maybe there isn’t anything new under the sun to quote Ecclesiastes (oops!)”

Finally, I asked, “What is something you’d like to accomplish in your writing career next year?”

“I don’t know about next year. Tomorrow is too far off for predictions these days? My chief writing ambition now is to publish my next novel and a book of collected poems this year!”

Fen Morgan, Chief Investment Officer at XelFunds, is a brilliant investor, and an insufferable romantic. Living mostly in his head, he accumulates private collections, as he wanders alone through fictional mental landscapes, crammed with investment theories and shards of poetry

When Fen is catapulted into a top job, a grisly tragedy strikes, and he is shaken to his core. Sardonic wit is no longer a sufficient defense. In despair, yet alive to the possibilities that may result, Fen searches for answers.

His colleague Grace, meanwhile, desperately tries to make her way through the Neanderthal tribes that occupy the C-suites of Wall Street. Uncertain that there is anything of worth in life beyond her ambition, Grace gambles on an act of betrayal that will determine her survival.

Winning is a gripping story of Wall Street, knives and chameleons, played out across an intriguing, international canvas. As Fen’s stock rises, and Grace plays politics, they consider what it means to win the world but lose your soul.

About the Author:As Chief Human Resources Officer at a series of global companies Craig mentored numerous international teams and leaders enabling them to thrive in the face of traumatic culture and personal change. He has also been active with not for profit organizations as both a strategy consultant and board member.

A course on behavior in small groups at the Grubb Institute in London first sparked his passion for creating diverse and resilient organizations. He studied Theology at The London School of Theology, where he was not a good fit.

Craig resides on a farm near New York City with his wife Sheila, occasional flocks of sheep and Henry an eccentric Golden Retriever. Winning is Craig’s first novel, Henry’s novel is still in process.

Buy the book at Amazon.

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Ten Things Most People Don’t Know About Me by Luba Lesychyn – Guest Blog and Giveaway

February 25, 2021 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Luba Lesychyn will be awarding a print copy of Theft Between the Rains to a randomly drawn winner (US or Canada ONLY) via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

10 things most people don’t know about me

In my two books, the main character is inspired by my own experiences and escapades working at Canada’s largest museum, the Royal Ontario Museum. But, there’s many things that people don’t know about me. Here’s my top ten list.

1. When I came up with the idea for Theft By Chocolate (about a woman looking for chocolate, love, and an international art thief in all the wrong places), I was a raging chocolate addict. But when it came to write the sequel using the same lead character, Kalena Boyko, in my own life I had gained control over my addiction. I suppose you could say I’m a recovering chocoholic.

So, when writing the sequel, Theft Between the Rains (a story about what happens when my lead character inexplicably begins receiving art work listed as still missing since WWII starts turning up on her doorstep), I diminished the number of chocolate references and put more emphasis on water as the primary motif.

2. When I attended a summer writing workshop at a Toronto college, where I eventually did a creative writing program, an editor from an internationally renowned publishing house as well as a highly respected Toronto publishing agent ripped apart, in front of the entire class (probably more than 100 aspiring writers), the sample pages I had submitted as part of the enrollment requirements. I never thought I’d live that down, but I did and I vowed to learn as much as I possibly could about the craft of writing.

3. I became a vegetarian and conscious eater between writing the two books. So, readers will find that I make more references to organic and fair trade chocolate in Theft Between the Rains and have avoided including certain commercial chocolate brands that enable unethical practices in farming and harvesting in developing countries.

4. My first passion was actually film, even from a very young age, and my writing career started with blogging about my experiences attending Toronto’s International Film Festival (where during a period of 10 days each year, I would see 50+ films) including my amusing stories about dashing between theaters and screenings.

5. When I wrote Theft By Chocolate, I was terrified that my former colleagues at the Royal Ontario Museum would think I didn’t do them justice and that my use of artistic license in describing museum life would not be appreciated. In fact, the opposite turned out to be the case and even people I would consider to be stalwart academics took the time to contact me and tell me how much they enjoyed both books. In fact, in the first edition of Theft By Chocolate, I called the ROM by another name, so when I wrote Theft Between the Rains, I called the museum by its actual name and subsequently updated Theft By Chocolate and changed all the references to the Royal Canadian Museum to Royal Ontario Museum.

6. I wasn’t able to find a publisher for several years for Theft By Chocolate. Eventually, I travelled to the Women’s Fiction Festival in the town of Matera in Southern Italy where I pitched my book and found a publisher that was smitten with my manuscript. Unfortunately, they closed their doors a couple of years later so rights returned to me. When I wrote Theft Between the Rains, I made a conscious decision from the start to self-publish the sequel.

7. I’m one of those writers who for the longest time suffered from imposter syndrome, thinking that I was not a ‘real’ writer because I didn’t do it full time. I not only had a really demanding full-time job, but I was also teaching yoga evenings and weekends. It’s only been very recently, after having written two books, and working on my third and fourth, that I have come to realization that I AM a writer!

8. Like many writers, I am an introvert and when I do readings, I can’t eat for hours before or after it takes place. Now that I am doing readings virtually, one would think that I wouldn’t get stage fright, but in some ways it’s even worse because you’re staring at a computer screen and praying technology doesn’t break down. Fortunately, I have been told repeatedly my jitters don’t show and, if anything, I have great testimonials about my apparent confidence and ease of speaking at such events. If they only knew!

9. Despite being shy, I have organized all my own library and private book events (including when I had a publisher – who were UK based and I live in Canada). I did all my own leg work and self-promotion.

10. And finally, I have turned into an audiobook hoarder. I currently have a ‘pile’ of 20 audio books to which I haven’t listened.

What would you do if you worked at a reputable international museum and art works listed as still missing since WWII began showing up on your doorstep?

That’s the substance of the newest urban art theft thriller Theft Between the Rains by Luba Lesychyn.

Drawing on her more than 20 years at Canada’s largest museum, Luba reintroduces many of the affable and quirky characters from the prequel, Theft By Chocolate. Also resurrected is the malicious art thief who has been on the world’s most wanted criminal list for decades.

Theft Between the Rains takes readers behind the scenes at museums and to parts unknown of Toronto. And with water being a character unto its own, Luba uses both humor and thriller elements to weave a page-turning story while simultaneously illustrating how changing weather patterns and flash flooding are impacting metropolitan centers globally.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Lying slumped back in a chair, my body felt as though a truck had dumped a load of concrete over me. I mustered enough energy to crank my head upwards, but my brain was foggy, punch-drunk, as if I’d overdosed on gluten. In a mirror on the opposite wall, I caught a glimpse of my reflection. What was that dark mark on my throat, small and round? My head drooped downwards, and I noticed the door swelling open, incrementally, a sliver of light growing by millimeters. And then…a leg came into view. And, another. Where was I? Who was this coming in? Was I asleep, having one of those 3:00 am witching hour anxiety dreams? Should I get up? I couldn’t get up. Neurons were misfiring. I knew that person at the door. He was saying something to me…but the words seemed out of sync with what I was hearing.

Why did this guy sound like Johnny Cash…singing “Hurt”? Oh my god, it was Marco Zeffirelli, and now he seemed to be screaming at me, but it sounded as though he was underwater.

“Huh, what’s going on?” I said. Was I on some kind of drug trip? I didn’t do drugs. Did someone drug me?

Marco’s hands came towards the sides of my face, tugged at something, and the music stopped. Oh, right. It was all coming back to me. I had been listening to my iPod while working at my desk.

About the Author: Luba Lesychyn is a popular Toronto-based mystery writer, a graduate of the Humber School for Writers, and a respected author in the library readings and events circuit.

In her two books, she draws from her more than 20 years of work experiences at the Royal Ontario Museum (Canada’s largest museum), and her time working for a private museum consulting firm to write humorous, international art theft thrillers featuring amateur sleuth Kalena Boyko. Her newest book, Theft Between the Rains, is a sequel to Theft By Chocolate (about a woman looking for chocolate, love and an international art thief in all the wrong places) published in 2012 by Attica Books and launched in Canada and the UK.

Luba currently spends her time writing and virtually touring Theft Between the Rains in which lead character Kalena Boyko returns to find herself pulled into international art theft intrigue when masterpieces missing since WWII start appearing on her doorstep.

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Buy the book at Amazon or Kobo.

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