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Character Interview: Frank Swiver from Harley Mazuk, mystery/private eye, White with Fish, Red with Murder
We’re thrilled to have here today Frank Swiver from Harley Mazuk’s new mystery, White with Fish, Red with Murder. Frank Swiver is a 35-year-old shamus living in San Francisco, California.
It is a pleasure to have him with us today at Beyond the Books!
Thank you so for this interview, Frank. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
It’s funny how things work out. The book is my story, in my words, but when I go back and read it now, I do seem a little slow on the uptake sometimes. And I make mistakes with the dames. But I was telling it the way it happened. You look at the big picture, I do all right with women. And I never claimed to be Sherlock Holmes, just a hard-working private eye.
Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality? If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently?
I don’t know about “colorizing my personality.” We were trying to write a page-turner here, and we told it the way it went down. That was fair enough to me.
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
I’m not fearless, but I have the courage it takes to do the job. And I’m a hard worker. If I take your money, I’ll keep at it until I solve the case. Courage and perseverance . . . you can take your choice.
Worse trait?
My loyalty to women is not always all it should be. I’m thinking here about Vera Peregrino, my secretary. I let her down. I look back on it and I don’t know how it happened. But at least I stuck with the case and sprung her from jail on that murder rap.
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
While I was on this case, a redhead I met in Chico told me I looked like that cat in Out of the Past, Robert Mitchum. I believe he’s a little younger than me, so I took that as a compliment. He’s a bit beefier than I am—I lost a lot of weight in Spain during the Civil War and never put it back on. And I don’t have a dimple in my chin. But I think she was getting at something about Mitchum’s eyes.
Do you have a love interest in the book?
Yeah, two. And that’s the problem.
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
I questioned one of the suspects, Spitbucket McQuade, the wine critic, over lunch at the Black Lizard Lounge. Just my luck he picks that day to open a poisoned bottle of Burgundy. McQuade got me a little hot with his cracks about Cicilia, and I slapped him in front of witnesses before I left. Twenty minutes later, he drops dead on the steps of his apartment building, and the owner of the Black Lizard tells the cops my name. I had to do some fast talking to keep them from taking me in. That’s where I started to worry. If I’d ended up in jail on a murder rap, I wouldn’t have been able to solve the Thursby killing and save Vera.
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
I wouldn’t have wanted to be McQuade, because he died. And while he was alive, nobody liked him.
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
The ending is not happy—I don’t get married and live happily ever after. At least it’s not a tragedy—I don’t die. But when the story ended, I felt I’d be better off dead. I guess that’s what they call noir.
What words of wisdom would you give your author if he decided to write another book with you in it?
Next time, Mr. Mazuk, less wine, more sex. And give me a chance to make it up to Vera.
Thank you for this interview, Frank Swiver. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
Oh, yeah. There’s a short adventure I had in Utah, in 1950. I called the case, “Pearl’s Valley.” It should be coming out as a stand-alone novelette in April, from Dark Passages Publishing. And there will be more novels, too.
Harley Mazuk [http://www.harleymazuk.com/] is a mystery writer living in Maryland. His first novel, White with Fish, Red with Murder [http://www.drivenpress.net/white-with-fish-red-with-murder] is out now, from Driven Press. [http://www.drivenpress.net/]
Interview with Rosemary and Larry Mild, Authors of ‘Death Steals a Holy Book’
Rosemary and Larry have published award-winning novels, short stories, and essays. They coauthored the popular Paco and Molly Mystery Series and Cry Ohana, a thriller set in Hawaii, as well as stories in anthologies. Members of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Hawaii Fiction Writers, they now call Honolulu home. Visit www.magicile.com.
- What is the best thing about a husband and wife writing team?
Larry: You’re never writing in a vacuum. There’s always someone close by to listen to your story’s direction and your choice of words. The helping hand when you can’t find that ever-so-right word or story twist is a godsend.
Rosemary: Being able to read aloud to each other allows us to hear how the story really sounds. And we always leave room for playtime!
- What is the worst thing about a husband and wife writing team?
Larry: If you’ll excuse my Latin, there’s this co-writus interruptus thing. Working back-to-back in the same room, it’s too easy to stop her and ask: “Doesadrenaline have an e? rather than look it up myself.
Rosemary: Sometimes I interrupt in a more dramatic way. I was fishing a hammer out of Larry’s tool drawer (he’s a retired engineer) and the conversation went like this:
Larry: “Where are you going with that hammer?”
Me: “I’m going to discipline the vacuum cleaner. It’s stuck on high.”
Larry: “Bring it here.”
So I do, he turns the vac upside down, and in five minutes has it fixed. I asked: “If I had given it a few whacks would I have broken it?” Larry: “Probably.”
There are times when Larry’s pridefully, elegantly written passages don’t work for me; they can stop the action. So I’ll do what I call “judicious pruning,” but Larry calls it “slash and burn.” Then, with sleeves rolled up, we negotiate. I’m a little more diplomatic than I used to be. But not much. Larry’s greatest strength as a writer is his imagination, his inventiveness. He conjures up all our plots and writes the first draft. He’s at the computer for five to six hours of writing on most days. He has a much longer attention span than I have.
Larry: She could work a little faster. We’re getting a little behinder by the day.
Her strength as a writer? She has this wonderful feel for people and human nature. So she breathes life into my minimalist characters: physical appearance, sharpening the dialogue, and often adding a defining trait. And Sometimes she adds a scene for more conflict.
Rosemary: What can get in the way of our working together is my own nonfiction writing life: personal essays and my memoirs. Love! Laugh! Panic! Life with My Mother is the newest. Miriam’s World—and Mine is my second memoir of our daughter Miriam Wolfe, whom we lost in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. She was 20 and my only child. Larry and I had only been married a year when we lost her.
3. What part of the process do you look forward to most?
Larry: That instant when all the story parts come together. The first draft is an exciting journey, especially when new, unplanned pieces join the trek and fit just so. And it’s no slight pleasure when the finished and bound book arrives from the printer.
- In terms of writing, what are you most likely to disagree on?
Rosemary: When Larry churns out extended poetic passages that slow the action.
Larry: When Rosemary comes up with her mixed metaphors. And when she edits my stuff ruthlessly! She even tweaks my short business letters.
Rosemary: You know how it is. Stephen King said, “To write is human. To edit is divine.”
Larry: Somehow we’ve managed to write seven novels and dozens of short stories and haven’t killed each other yet!
- How are you most like your protagonists Dan and Rivka Sherman?
Larry: We made them like us (I won’t say how long ago): a Jewish couple in their early fifties. Dan and Rivka leave thriving careers as an editor and electronics engineer (which we were) to buy our fictional Olde Victorian Bookstore in Annapolis, Maryland.
Rosemary: Physically, Dan is his own man. Tall and gangly, he sprawls when he sits. He has bushy, black hair and eyebrows. The only thing thin about Larry is his gray hair. However, Dan is very much like Larry in personality: analytical and practical, yet imaginative. He’s a born problem-solver. He’s also kind and sensitive and an incorrigible punster.
Larry: Rivka is a lot like Rosemary: feisty, super-smart, affectionate, and addicted to chocolate. She has coffee brown hair and glasses with a slightly pear-shaped figure.
Rosemary: Larry is too kind to say that I’m also bossy (so is Rivka) and I can get really hyper. I’m a high-energy person. I rush around, bumping into furniture in our little apartment, sometimes bruising my hips, and even stupidly falling. Larry says, “Relax!” He’s right, of course, but I get mad because he’s right. I hate being wrong!
- Why do you think bookstore owners make good sleuths?
Larry: They must be intellectuals and probably also extroverts. Dan and Rivka create an inviting climate so they have a constant flow of interesting characters coming through their front door.
Rosemary: Books and the world around them possess the potential for many engaging plots.
- What is the real-life story behind the plot of Death Steals A Holy Book?
Rosemary: Here’s Larry’s preface explaining it all.
My Sacred White Elephant
Many of us possess something out of the past for which we have never found a practical or decorative place. Maybe it’s a gilt-framed picture of a great-great uncle, a bewildering trinket, an ugly vase, or a haphazard stamp collection. Or it may be a trunk stuffed with such items…kept in the family, even though no family member recalls exactly why.
My own white elephant is a rare holy book passed down from my maternal grandfather to my mother and then to me. Sefer Menorat ha-maor arrived at our house in a flimsy, white department store gift box nestled in tissue paper. This edition is written in Yiddish, the language that predominated among European Jews at the end of the eighteenth century when it was printed. Sefer means book. The English translation of Menorat ha-maor is The Candlestick of Light. It was originally written in Hebrew in the fourteenth century as a moral and religious household guide for Jews in the Middle Ages. One of the most important books of its time, it is filled with biblical topics and rabbinical interpretations on righteous living; a compilation of sermons, anecdotes, and tales drawn from both written and oral Jewish law and ethical teachings.
I cannot read Yiddish. The Sefer Menorat ha-maor sat in my house year after year deteriorating. In 2008 I opened the gift box, gently lifted the book out, and placed it on the table. Small brownish flecks of the heavy leather cover fell off. Carefully opening the cover, I found neat script on the flyleaf: dates ranging from 1803 through 1836, along with names I did not recognize—births, I presumed. The edges of the yellowed pages had turned brown as well. They were brittle, too brittle to continue in my care. The projected extent and cost of restoration were beyond anything I could manage. Sadly, in its condition, I could not display this fragile holy book in the place of honor it deserved. I sought professional help.
After consulting with a cantor and three rabbis, my Sefer Menorat ha-maorwas carefully packaged and sent on its way to Cincinnati, Ohio, for curator evaluation at the venerated Klau Library of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Dr. Dan Rettberg, of blessed memory, attested to the book’s authenticity. Its permanent home is in the Klau Library’s Rare Books Collection. It was my honor to donate it.
Sefer Menorat ha-maor inspired me to create the basic plot for Death Steals A Holy Book. Forgive me for taking a few literary liberties with its condition, content, and monetary worth for the sake of the story.
—— Larry
- Do the two of you read the same books, or the same types of books?
Larry: Not often. I prefer action/adventures, thrillers, and spy stories: David Baldacci, Clive Cussler, Frederick Forsythe, Robert Ludlum, Robert Ruark, James Clavell, Nelson DeMille, James Michener, Leon Uris, and Wilbur Smith. Add great historical novels to that, like Ken Follett’s two trilogies.
Rosemary: Larry is much tougher than I am. He’s a Navy veteran (Korean War) with a strong stomach . I cannot stand graphic violence—and descriptions of torture. I think they’re disgusting. I really appreciate Michael Connelly, John Grisham, Louise Penny, P.D. James, etc. We’re both crazy about Ken Follett‘s two historical trilogies. I also like really good nonfiction like The Boys in the Boat and Kathryn Graham’s autobiography. I’m a huge fan of Nora Ephron, Heartburn, etc. I totally tune in to her.
- What’s next for Dan and Rivka Sherman?
Larry: The Shermans are busy selling books until we come up with a new plot for them. Currently under rejection are the following: A Missing Body at a Nudist Colony; A Vegan Commune in Bhutan; Verbal Complaints from a Murdered Woman; and If I Could Do It Over, I’d Still Die.
- What’s next for Rosemary and Larry?
Larry: I just finished the first draft of a big novel tentatively titled Between the Mountains and the Great Sea. It’s a continuing saga of the families in our Hawaiian adventure/thriller Cry Ohana.
Rosemary: Larry has also finished the first draft of a text, Exploring the Mystery, 18 Valuable Lessons. Both books are waiting for me to work on.
Larry: We’re publishing our second series of short stories in Mysterical-E,an online mystery magazine. The “Copper and Goldie” stories are lots of fun, about a disabled ex-cop, now a cabbie, and his golden retriever. They drive around Honolulu, Hawaii, together solving crimes.
- Also very exciting: we’re panel co-chairs for “Honolulu Havoc”—the Left Coast Crime mystery fans’ convention coming in March 2017. Join us for a fabulous four days at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Register now for a discount at http://www.leftcoastcrime.org/2017.
Character Interview: Victoria Leung from Georges Ugeux’s mystery novel, The Flying Dragon
We’re thrilled to have here today Victoria Leung from Georges Ugeux’s new mystery novel, The Flying Dragon. She is a 34-year old Chinese detective living in Hong Kong.
It is a pleasure to have her with us today at Beyond the Books!
Thank you so for this interview, Victoria. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
I honestly believe that Georges has truly captured some of the complexities of my personality: my mix of sensitivity and assertiveness, my femininity and my determination. I am proud of these qualities. I often felt that he was so perceptive, he even uncovered some of my vulnerabilities in a way that I might not have been aware of in the moment. It isn’t often one meets a man that understands such a complicated woman.
My readers have noticed or will probably notice how I react under duress and stress, especially when I am pushed. I immediately go back to the inquiry. This, of course, does not mean I am not shocked or upset. However, Georges knew what I was going through and decided to be discreet. I thank him for that. I would not have liked to see what I went through in excruciating detail on paper. He respected me.
Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality? If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently?
Let’s face it: I believe that he loves me even if he will not admit it. The color he gave to my character was truthful, but he painted it as a friend would do. So my personality is a very appealing one. In fact, Georges was probably a little too nice. He is obviously an emotional guy…and probably a romantic one!
I actually really like the way my personality was colored, but I know I cannot always be as nice as he made me. I also happen to know, my character was created and based on a combination of women he has known or admired. It is, of course, very flattering to be associated with pianist Yuja Wang and actress Zhang Ziyi.
What he captured extremely well is the difficulty for a young woman, particularly in the Chinese culture, to be taken seriously in the professional world. Flirtation is, of course, plentiful, and I am not shy. I have to use my charm sometimes. But, I also want to be recognized for the professional I have become. Having been a bank auditor, a financial fraud cop and now a detective, I have gained experience and knowledge – and I expect it to be recognized and respected. It is an uphill battle, and Georges captured my challenges very well in the novel.
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
I am assertive. Even in emotional moments, I am capable of holding myself and maintaining my position. I am not a crier, even though I am emotional. When I encounter people that are dishonest or try to manipulate, I can be ruthless and unforgiving. For example, one of the suspects in this case was trying to seduce me and was lying to me simultaneously. He quickly found out it was NOT the way to convince me of anything.
Worse trait?
I can overreact, which is probably connected to the emotional part of me.
I am not convinced it is a bad trait, but I can be a bit sneaky. I use all the tools I have to destabilize a suspect or a liar. When I know I am right, I apply my skills to make sure he or she falls into my trap. I relish the moment I see some arrogant liar become a paper tiger. I have found that men can often be so infatuated with themselves when interacting with women. I can very well pretend to be seduced if it encourages a suspect confess.
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
Georges has contacted Zhang Ziyi. He was impressed by her roles in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Memoirs of a Geisha. I agree completely. The combination of her films fit the two sides of my character: the warrior and the seductress. I would be thrilled if she accepted to play me. We are even the same age. If not, there are certainly other Chinese actresses who could represent my character perfectly.
Do you have a love interest in the book?
If you’re asking whether or not I was attracted to a man in the book, the answer is yes. There were moments in which I struggled internally to remain objective and assertive. Many of the men were very handsome…but there was one in particular I wouldn’t have minded spending an evening with. Of course, he was one of the prime suspects and had betrayed my best friend, Diana Yu. So, it was definitely a non-starter.
I also could understand the elements of passion and sexual orientation in the story – they fit with my personality.
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
As soon as I realized that sexual orientation was a major factor and a reason for aggression, I knew the story would evolve into a different world. I did not mind it, but it this was the moment I needed to mobilize assessment of its role in the plot and realized that some of the character’s motivations would likely be irrational. I knew it would become ugly.
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
Without disclosing details, there is a sleazy character in the book, one who actually approaches Victoria Leung to launch the investigation. He is so infatuated with himself, disingenuous and manipulative, not to mention the way he treats his peers and women in general.
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
I never thought that the hatred of the primary suspect would be so extreme and irrational, and it was a true challenge interrogating him. However, I do like the fact that I enraged him to the point where he unconsciously admitted his own guilt.
What words of wisdom would you give your author if s/he decided to write another book with you in it?
Georges should continue the path he is on. He incorporates so many of his own values in the story. He may, however, have to include a bit more detail in the sex elements of the book…I will be 36, and each day that goes by I can feel my biological clock ticking. I do wonder what he has in mind for me. He certainly knows my femininity but protected me this time. Hopefully he will unveil that side of me in the next book.
Thank you for this interview, Victoria. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
Absolutely. I know Georges wants me to travel.
He did share with me that the next plot will likely take place in the city of London. I look forward to it, as I am delighted to spend some time in London. It is a city that Georges himself, lived in for many years so I am sure he is going have me discover unusual parts of his own experiences. He is truly unpredictable.
I should be back early 2017!
////////////////////////////////
Title: THE FLYING DRAGON
Genre: THRILLER/SUSPENSE
Author: Georges Ugeux
Website: http://www.georgesugeux.com
Publisher: Archway Books
Find out more on Amazon
About the Book:
Celebrated non-fiction author Georges Ugeux delivers an intense, imaginative and intriguing financial thriller in his debut novel, The Flying Dragon. Set against the backdrop of the high-energy, high-tension world of global finance, The Flying Dragon plunges readers deep into a world where power, greed, money, and passion can intersect in a most dangerous way.
The Flying Dragon introduces protagonist Victoria Leung, a beautiful, brilliant, fearless, and highly accomplished financial fraud investigator. Responsible for taking down Sun Hung Kai Properties’ Kwok Brothers, a real estate empire, Victoria not only established herself as a formidable talent, but earned the nickname “The Flying Dragon” in the process. When she leaves the fraud department of the Hong Kong Police, Victoria accepts a position as a senior detective at Pegasus, an international security firm based in London. The Pegasus job affords Victoria much-needed freedom, but that calm is shattered when Victoria receives an urgent message from her close friend Diana Yu. It seems Diana’s ex- boyfriend Henry Chang is in danger. Henry’s co-worker, Bertrand Wilmington, head of the derivative trading desk of a global bank, has fallen from a window of the twenty-second floor trading room.The Hong Kong Police Force quickly concludes that the death was a suicide, but is there more to this story than meets the eye? Henry Chang thinks so—and knows that if anyone can find answers, it’s Victoria, the Flying Dragon herself. Hong Kong and Mainland authorities are unsuccessful in cracking the case, but Victoria uses her expertise to discover key clues. And Victoria, a dogged, tough, tenacious investigator, won’t back down until she gets answers. As she races to piece together the puzzle of what really happened, Victoria is swept up in a world of danger, deception, and deadly consequences. Can she extricate herself from this perilous web of arrogance, power, money and greed? Will she expose the corruption and bring down a financial giant? Or will time run out? The clock is ticking….
A Belgian and U.S. national, Georges Ugeux is the Chairman and CEO of Galileo Global Advisors LLC, an investment banking advisory boutique. Ugeux joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1996, as Group Executive Vice President, International. An adjunct professor at Columbia Law School, Ugeux is the author of a numerous nonfiction books about finance. The Flying Dragon is his first work of fiction
Character Interview: Kate Davidson from Tracy Weber’s cozy mystery, Karma’s a Killer
We’re thrilled to have here today Kate Davidson from Tracy Weber’s new cozy mystery, Karma’s a Killer. Kate is a thirty-three-year-old yoga teacher living in Seattle, Washington.
It is a pleasure to have her with us today at Beyond the Books!
Thank you so much for this interview, Kate. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
I think Tracy did a pretty good job of characterizing me this time, though I wish she would have shared fewer of my internal thoughts and emotions with readers. I mean, come on, shouldn’t a girl have a few secrets? And there are some scenes I’d prefer to forget. That whole rabbit in the Doga (yoga for dogs) class scene, for example. Did she really have to share that? It was humiliating!
Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality? If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently?
Well, she could have made me a little bit less neurotic-seeming. My anger management issues and my pogonophobia—the irrational fear of beards—aren’t exactly my strongest traits. But to be fair to Tracy, I’m far from perfect.
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
Loyalty. Like my German shepherd, Bella. I might take a while to warm up to someone, but once I do there’s almost nothing I won’t do for them. Including putting myself in danger to prove they are innocent of murder.
Worse trait?
My temper, for sure. I’ve struggled with my fiery temper since my first two-year-old temper tantrum, which is a problem when you make your living teaching yoga. People expect yoga teachers to be Zen all of the time, and I’m definitely not. I am getting better though. Maybe all of that meditation practice is finally paying off.
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
That’s a tough one. Maybe Zooey Deschanel? Her hair color’s darker than mine, but we have the same sort of girl-next-door energy.
Do you have a love interest in the book?
Definitely. My boyfriend Michael and I have been together almost a year now. That’s six times my normal record! ;-) He recently moved into my house and it’s going pretty well—except for his housekeeping deficit disorder and the chaos of our home remodel. If we can make it through the house renovations, we’ll make it through anything. So expect Michael to stick around for this and all future books. Unless we kill each other off during the remodel.
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
When my car got broken into with my German shepherd, Bella, in the back seat. I don’t care about my beater Honda, but when someone threatens Bella, they’d better be prepared to deal with the full wrath of Kate. Bella has proven in the past that she would die for me. How can I do anything less for her?
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
I’d rather not be the murder victim, of course, but I don’t want to give that name away, so I guess I’ll have to say Tiffany, the little bleached-blonde bimbo who works for Michael at his pet store, Pete’s Pets. Then again, it can’t be very fun to be Dharma, who is stuck in a prison cell for a crime she didn’t commit. All things considered, I’d rather be me.
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
I’m delighted with it. Who could have predicted that three hundred pages after being attacked by a Chihuahua, I’d have come to peace with a repressed memory from my childhood and reconnected with a long-lost family member? And I even ended up with a new way to torture Tiffany! Nothing is more fun than that.
What words of wisdom would you give your author if s/he decided to write another book with you in it?
The biggest piece of advice I would give Tracy is to keep the promise she’s already made to her readers—that she’ll never kill an animal in her books. I’m not too worried, though. Tracy’s as much of an animal nut as I am. I’m pretty sure she’d kill me off before Bella.
Thank you for this interview, Kate. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
Definitely! My fourth adventure, tentatively titled A Fatal Twist, is already written and at Tracy’s editor. And I’m sure there will be many more. There seems to be no end to the amount of trouble I can get myself into. And Bella is never far behind, making life infinitely more interesting!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A certified yoga therapist, Trcay Weber is the owner of the award-winning yoga studio, Whole Life Yoga in Seattle, and the creator and director of Whole Life Yoga’s teacher training program which, to date, has certified over 250 yoga teachers. She and her husband live in Seattle with their challenging yet amazing German shepherd Tasha.
Connect on with Tracy on the Web:
https://www.facebook.com/tracywe http://www.wholelifeyoga.com/blog/
Title: KARMA’S A KILLER
Genre: Mystery
Author: Tracy Weber
Website: www.tracyweberauthor.com
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Purchase on Amazon
About the Book:
A fun, fresh, feisty new mystery featuring Seattle yoga teacher Kate Davidson and her trusty canine companion Bella,Karma’s a Killer is a taut tale with more twists and turns than a vinyasa yoga class. In this charming, clever and utterly captivating cozy mystery, Kate Davidson discovers that when it comes to murder, there’s no place like om.
When she agrees to teach doga—yoga for dogs—at a fundraiser for Dogma, a local animal rescue, Kate believes the only real damage will be to her reputation. But when an animal rights protest at the event leads to a suspicious fire and a drowning, a few downward-facing dogs will be the least of Kate’s problems… The police arrest Dharma, a woman claiming to be Kate’s estranged mother, and charge her with murder. To prove Dharma’s innocence, Kate, her boyfriend Michael, and her German shepherd sidekick Bella dive deeply into the worlds of animal activism, organizational politics, and the dangerous obsessions that drive them. And if solving a murder weren’t complicated enough, Kate will also have to decide whether or not to reconcile with the estranged mother who abandoned her over thirty years ago. Not to mention having to contend with an almost-bankrupt animal rescue, a cantankerous crow, an unwanted pigeon houseguest, and a rabbit in a doga class. What couldpossibly go wrong?
Character Interview: Casey Eubanks from hardboiled crime novel ‘Casey’s Last Chance’
We’re thrilled to have here today Casey Eubanks from Joseph B. Atkins new crime novel Casey’s Last Chance. Casey Eubanks is a 40-year-old small-time hustler from Jonesboro, North Carolina.
It is a pleasure to have him with us today at Beyond the Books!
Thank you so for this interview, Casey. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
Look, I’m not much of a book reader, and I don’t know much about writers other than this reporter I once met. I guess this writer did all right. He pretty much nailed the facts. What happened, happened, and I am what I am. He makes me look like some kind of a loser, and maybe I am a loser. Don’t know I want the world to know it. I screw things up, get myself in a lot of trouble. Done that all my life, and I usually make things worse when I try to fix it, worse for other people, worse for me. I finally did something right, though. Read the book. You’ll find out.
Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality? If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently?
I’ll tell you one thing. I don’t take nothing off nobody, whether you’re the Big Mahah or some small-fry who thinks he’s bigger than he is. I don’t go looking for trouble. Don’t need to. It’s going to find me. Somebody crosses me, I settle it. If I had written this book, I’d make that point stronger. Casey Eubanks has his pride. Casey Eubanks is not out to prove anything, but a lot of people seem to want to prove something to him. That’s where they mess up.
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
I don’t run from a fight. I don’t go looking for one, but I don’t run from one either.
Worse trait?
I had a woman tell me once I don’t trust people enough, particularly women. That’s probably true. All that got started with my mother, but damn if I want to talk about her. Next question.
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
Play me, Casey Eubanks? You know, I like that actor John Garfield. He’s a pretty tough guy, even looks like me a little. Good-lookin’. Yeah, John Garfield. Tell him Casey Eubanks wants him for the role.
Do you have a love interest in the book?
A love interest? That’s a good one. Sure. Orella Weicker. You can say a lot about Orella Weicker, and I have myself, good, bad and worse, but she always opened the door when Casey Eubanks knocked. She never turned me away, and she worried about me. Nobody else ever did. I never showed much appreciation for that, but she’s crazy, like me, and she did some things that I took pretty hard, things I couldn’t forget. It’s why I acted the way I did.
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
When the writer’s got me driving like a bat out of hell through the Mississippi Delta in the middle of the night. Everybody chasing me. Shit. Pardon my language. He’s got me crazy, all messed up in the head, and not sure what to do next. I’d like to know who wouldn’t be messed up in the head after what had just happened to me. When I read that part of the book I thought to myself, “Get yourself behind that wheel, writer, and see how you would handle it.” It’s different when you’re living it and when you’re just writing about it.
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
I would not want to be Max Duren, the big shot, smoking his little yellow cigarettes, walking around in his fancy suite in Memphis, Tennessee, like he’s some kind of god. I ain’t no angel, but I don’t do to people what that guy does. I don’t know much about heaven and hell, but if there’s a hell he deserves to be there as much as anybody I ever met. Even the devil wouldn’t want to be around that son-of-a-bitch.
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
I don’t like what happened, but what can I say? It ended the only way it could end. I’ve had friends who read the end tell me, “Hey, can’t you do something about this?” I tell them, “What can I do? Did you really expect something different?”
What words of wisdom would you give your author if s/he decided to write another book with you in it?
I’d tell him, “Hey, next time, maybe you and me could sit down and discuss how we can tell this story the way Casey Eubanks wants the story told.” But you know, that probably wouldn’t work. You know why? I’d just make him leave two-thirds of it out, make me look like some kind of Sunday school teacher, and that wouldn’t be right. I’d just screw it up, like I always do.
Thank you for this interview, Casey. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
Who knows? I got a lot of stories in me. Don’t we all?
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Title: Casey’s Last Chance
Genre: Mystery
Author: Joseph B. Atkins
Website: http://www.laborsouth.blogspot.com www.sartorisliterary.com
Publisher: Sartoris Literary Group
Purchase on Amazon
About the Book:
Tough, gritty, and atmospheric, Casey’s Last Chance unfolds against the backdrop of a treacherous, race-torn 1960s South that’s ready to explode with civil rights workers challenging an organized resistance itching for combat. The central character, Casey Eubanks, is a small-time North Carolina hustler on the run after an argument with his girlfriend Orella leaves his cousin dead. A crony steers him to a big operator in Memphis, Max Duren, a shadowy former Nazi with a wide financial network. Duren hires Casey to do a hit on labor organizer Ala Gadomska, who is stirring up trouble at one of Duren’s mills. Things go wrong, and Casey’s on the run again, this time from Duren’s goons as well as the cops. Enter Martin Wolfe, a freelance reporter investigating Duren’s operation. He tries to solicit Casey to help him and FBI agent Hardy Beecher bring Duren down. Casey dumps Wolfe, steals his car, and returns home to Orella. A bloody shootout with a Duren goon, however, convinces Casey to join Wolfe and Beecher. It’s Casey’s last chance. The three take off back across the South to execute a plan to destroy Duren. Everything works until the explosive end…but will anyone emerge unscathed?
Character Interview: Des Fairweather from Jane Tesh’s fantasy novel, Butterfly Waltz
We’re thrilled to have here today Des Fairweather from Jane Tesh’s new fantasy, Butterfly Waltz. Des is a 27 year old musician living in Parkland, North Carolina.
It is a pleasure to have Des with us today at Beyond the Books!
Thank you so for this interview, Des. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
I’m very glad you invited me! I do feel I was fairly portrayed in this book, although I wish I had been braver at the beginning and willing to take more chances. But it all worked out in the end.
Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality? If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently?
When you talk about colorizing personality my author actually works with colors. She tells me my name is a combination of gray, blue, and green, while Jake’s, my best friend in the story, is a contrasting black, red, and yellow. I thought she might be a little out there with this, but she discovered there is a condition called synesthesia, which a lot of writers have, where they see letters as colors. She likes to have a balance of colors in all her books.
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
I like to think I can help people who are in trouble.
Worse trait?
Sometimes I wish I could refuse Jake when he pesters me to join him tracking down his wild tabloid stories, but it’s hard for me to say no when a friend asks for my help.
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
This is a very hard question! I’ve been told I have soulful eyes, so an actor who looks like a younger Robert Downy, Jr., might be the one.
Do you have a love interest in the book?
In this story, I fall in love with an amazingly beautiful young woman who inspires me to write music. But she’s a magical creature, and I have a great fear and distrust of magic.
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
I was okay until I walked into this perfectly innocent-looking forest that abruptly closed around me, and I was attacked by a huge snake. I didn’t know how I was going to get out of this situation. I’m still not sure exactly what happened.
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
Jake’s lifestyle would drive me crazy. He’s brash, loud, and believes in everything: UFOs, ghosts, zombies, you name it. He lives his life at high speed and doesn’t mind breaking the rules. I’m a rule-follower who needs peace and quiet.
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
I don’t recall much of the ending, except that I’m writing more music. I think you’ll see why when you read the book.
What words of wisdom would you give your author if s/he decided to write another book with you in it?
My author has told me my story is over, but if she ever decided to write another, I’d ask her to help me stop worrying. Of course, she’s a big worrier, so I know where that comes from!
Thank you for this interview, Des. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
I appear briefly or I’m mentioned in my brothers’ books. Jerry’s having all sorts of adventures with his wife, Madeline, in the Madeline Maclin Mystery series, and the author’s at work on Tucker’s story, which will be another fantasy.
I’ve enjoyed this! Thanks for having me on Beyond the Books.
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Visit Jane’s website at www.janetesh.com and her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/GraceStreetMysterySeries. You can also find her on Goodreads, Amazon’s Author Central www.amazon.com/author/janetesh, andwww.twitter.com/janetesh.
Her blog is www.janetesh.wordpress.com
ABOUT THE BOOK
When he helps his friend Jake Brenner, a tabloid writer on the hunt for a big supernatural story, Des Fairweather is swept up in a world of mystery and intrigue. Despite his skepticism of the validity of the stories Jake is seeking, Des reluctantly accompanies Jake on his latest adventure—all with the promise that Jake can help Des secure an audition with the city symphony, a break Des desperately needs.
When Jake’s search takes the two out to the country to investigate an unusual phenomenon at the Snowden estate, Des encounters a startlingly beautiful young woman who claims to be magical. That young woman is Kalida, a mysterious creature who has escaped from the people of the Caverns and renounced their evil ways. But when Kalida is discovered, her people will stop at no end to get her to return to their world. Will Des be able to cast aside his fears in order to save Kalida….before it’s too late?
A mesmerizing tale that blends music, mystery and magic, Butterfly Waltz charms with its enchanting storyline and compelling characters. Resplendent with adventure, intrigue, and the allure of the supernatural, Butterfly Waltz is delightful.
Get your copy now on Amazon
Profile: Christine Amsden, Author of ‘Madison’s Song’
“Writing has taught me the importance of self-confidence in becoming good at anything,” says Christine Amsden, who, in spite of having been diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision, has gone on to become the award-winning, bestselling author of the Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective fantasy/mystery series published by Twilight Times Books.
“My parents encouraged reading a LOT,” says this speculative fiction writer, who grew up gobbling up The Chronicles of Narnia, The Baby Sitter’s Club, andFlowers in the Attic. “I know they read to me too, but I was an advanced reader at an early age and preferred to read on my own when I could. I have memories of staring at picture books, making up stories about the pictures though I couldn’t understand the words.” At the tender age of 8, she wrote her first short story, about Cabbage Patch Dolls going to Mars. From then on, she wrote fairly consistently until 2003, which marked the beginning of her professional career when she attended a workshop with Orson Scott Card.
Amsden may be legally blind, but she hasn’t allowed that part of her life to stop her from becoming a prolific author, and nowadays she splits her time between writing, freelance editing, and coaching — with a keen focus on writing. She loves to write about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations, giving special attention to people and relationships, her way of making science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone. “I will continue to marry romance with speculative fiction because I simply love both genres,” states the author. “I love a good character story. I think character is more important than just about anything else, and a great character will have me reading any genre at all and loving it. I get a lot of people telling me that they like my books even though they ‘don’t normally read stuff like that.’ I think it’s because of the characters.”
In what she describes as her messy, cluttered desk, and with a special arm attached to her monitor to help her eyes and back, Amsden creates her stories rich in characterization and world building. Her latest book, Madison’s Song, a companion to her Cassie Scot series, is about a shy young woman who has suffered more than her fair share of betrayal in the past. A friend of Cassie (the only ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers), Madison now gets a chance to prove that she can be more than a plump, shy sidekick. When her brother’s life is in danger, she faces her greatest fear with head held high to save him. The story is equally about Scott, a werewolf who has fallen in love with a woman he doesn’t believe he deserves.
Amsden’s writing style is straightforward and conversational, which is probably why most readers and reviewers describe her work as highly entertaining and fast paced. “I’m not the sort to hide the story behind flowery prose,” she says. “I like the words to get out of the way of the story.” She’s a fast writer as well, finishing the rough draft of the book in only two months, though she then put it aside for a year before revising it, a process that took her five additional months. Her writing process, though fluid, is different with each book. “My best story ideas are the ones that come to me while I’m doing something else, although this doesn’t excuse me from putting in my hours of conscious effort. No two projects that I’ve worked on have developed in exactly the same way, either. I like to try new strategies, mix things up, so life doesn’t get boring.”
Like the Cassie Scot series, Madison’s Song will also be available in audiobook format, which is how Amsden “reads” most books these days. “It was important to me, when I became an author, to make my books available to listen to as well as read, and not just for others with disabilities. Audiobooks are a terrific way to enjoy books for busy people whose reading time can be combined with a daily commute, or with housework.”
Like most authors, Amsden loves sharing her creative ideas with the world, something which can be understandably challenging. “Nothing is universally liked,” states the author. “I try not to read negative comments or reviews, but it’s almost impossible to avoid all of it. When someone ‘gets me’ I feel an almost euphoric connectedness to the world; when someone doesn’t, (in a really big way), it almost makes me feel isolated.”
The definition of success varies from writer to writer. For Amsden, it has changed since she started writing. “At one time (not too long ago), I had an unrealistic expectation of success that involved becoming a bestseller and making an upper-class living off of my books,” she confesses. “When the Cassie Scot series came out, I sold thousands of books but still didn’t make the kind of money that would let me ‘earn a living’ off of it. It made me rethink my definition of success, because
by all measurable standards my books are doing well – I’ve got great reviews, I’ve won several awards, I’ve sold many thousands of books, and I’m making money. I feel most successful when I connect with readers who love my books. So maybe that’s what success is. I’d love to connect with more readers, sell more books, and make more money, but I’m becoming satisfied with who and what I am now. (Like Cassie.)”
At the moment, the author is waiting for her next book, Kaitlin’s Tale, to be released by Twilight Times Books. She’s also hard at work on a new series set in a completely different world and with a new cast of characters. Though it’s way too early to say much about it, readers can count on it being filled with romance and the paranormal.
A native of St. Louis, Christine Amsden now lives in Olathe, Kansas with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success, and their two beautiful children.
Bibliography:
Touch of Fate (Twilight Times Books, 2006)
The Immortality Virus(Twilight Times Books, 2011)
Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective (Twilight Times Books, 2013)
Secrets and Lies (Twilight Times Books, 2013)
Mind Games (Twilight Times Books, 2014)
Stolen Dreams (Twilight Times Books, 2014)
Madison’s Song (Twilight Times Books, 2015)
Connect with Christine Amsden on the web:
Interview with Isidore Farrugia from Gabriel Valjan’s new mystery-suspense novel, ‘Turning To Stone’
Title: Turning To Stone
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Author: Gabriel Valjan
Website: http://wintergoosepublishing.com
Publisher: Winter Goose Publishing
Purchase link: http://amzn.to/1N73WGy
We’re thrilled to have here today Isidore Farrugia from Gabriel Valjan’s new mystery-suspense novel, Turning To Stone. Isidore Farrugia is a fortyish-something detective living in Naples, Italy.
It is a pleasure to have him with us today at Beyond the Books!
Thank you so for this interview, Detective Farrugia. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
I do think that the author did a great job because I was in quite a mess, doing undercover narcotics work within a Camorra clan. Most readers know about the Sicilian mafia, but not much has been written about the Neapolitan criminal organization, or about the ‘Ndrangheta, which hails from my native Calabria. Each criminal enterprise has its own structure and Tomasso, another character in the novel, explains it well, although he gets a little poetic at times. As for me, the only quibble I had with the author is that he had me get shot at more than once. I took two bullets in a place that made me the butt of unwanted jokes from my colleagues. Please, give me a little dignity. It had better not happen again.
Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality? If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently?
He was kinder to me than I am to myself. I’m a driven individual, often temperamental, although Claudio Ferrero, the journalist undercover like me in Turning to Stone, but with the ‘Ndrangheta, would pick a choice word to describe me. This time around, Gabriel managed to show me at my best. I began my career doing undercover work in Taormina (Sicily), where I made a name for myself before I started working narcotics. The author got it: undercover work is a combination of acting and gardening in that you’ve got to play a role and spread the manure just right because the stakes are high, and they were in this outing of the Roma Series.
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
Tenacity.
Worse trait?
Stubbornness. There are stronger words in Italian and even more in Calabrese, but I am pigheaded. Plain and simple: I am the one with long ears. I’ll get fixated on something and I won’t let go.
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
I can’t think of a particular actor, but if I could pick someone who could convey my energy and my moodiness then I would pick Idris Elba, but he’s too dark-skinned, though my mother was Spanish and dark and my father, Calabrese, and darker. Elba’s Luther has some of my energy, although I’ve been far more violent than him – by necessity, of course.
Do you have a love interest in the book?
I do. Her name is Noelle. We met in Milan. Readers learned about her and my first experience with yoga in Book 3 of the Roma Series: Threading the Needle. Now, there the author put me smack in the middle of a thorn bush. In Threading, I had the Italian version of Internal Affairs on my back and the media chanting my name – all because I’d accompanied Bianca to a meeting and some college kid got gunned down in an alley. It wasn’t the first time I helped her. I flew all the way to Boston (Book 2: Wasp’s Nest) to warn her that a professional killer was after her. Hey, I think there’s a pattern here. Perhaps, the author doesn’t like me, but he gave me Noelle. No complaints there, and I’m more flexible, too. Win-win.
At what point in the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
I was deep undercover with the Camorra and I had to go to a meeting, which I don’t want to spoil for readers, but let’s just say that it went horribly wrong.
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
Tough question; come to think of it, it’s not one that would have occurred to me, to be honest. Who among my fellow characters would I not want to be? There are admirable traits among all of them, but I guess that — it’s still weird contemplating it — it would be Dante, because he has to put up with Bianca. She has formidable computer and research skills, and I admire her composure and utter equanimity under pressure. What gets under my skin, though, is that she can be a bit abrupt sometimes, a little too direct, which strikes me as a very American trait. At times, I think she gets obsessive to the point that she is secretive and withholds information from the rest of the team. I do love her in my own way, but I don’t know how Dante does it. Perhaps, Bianca and I are too alike and I see myself reflected back at me. I know my answer sounds more like I wouldn’t want to be Bianca, but that isn’t the case. I just don’t know whether I could be Dante and have her around me 24/7. I’ll say this, though: they complement each other, but she is too much work for me. What’s that word in English I’ve heard used to describe people like her? Don’t tell me, I’ll think of it. Ah, yes, I’ve got it: high-maintenance.
How do you feel about the ending of the book, without giving too much away?
We grew closer as a team, but my gut tells me that something bad is on the horizon. Bianca has become introverted, as if she were hiding something. Then, I heard that she was going to Boston, which says right there that something is wrong between her and Dante. Bianca says it’s work, but I know her. She is running away from Dante. She can say it’s Rendition, but I don’t believe it one bit. Gabriel always includes the first chapter of the next book in the Series at the end of his novels. Book 5: Corporate Citizen looks promising. But, why did it have to be Boston? I’m telling you that Gabriel has it in for me. So, my Italian is not exactly RAI, but Silvio, our translator, can help out. Oh, before I forget, Silvio has a pet in Turning. Tell me, who walks a cat?
What words of wisdom would you give your author if he decided to write another book with you in it?
- Please don’t have me shot at again. Please. I feel like Sergeant Murtaugh in Lethal Weapon. ‘I’m getting too old for this…’
- I’d like for him to bring up some of past work in Calabria. I’m proud of that time in my life. It was my work on the San Luca Vendetta that caught the attention of the late anti-Mafia magistrates Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. The ‘Ndrangheta is impenetrable, but I got in and did my job.
- We both know that Alessandro has bad luck with women, but please find him a girlfriend soon. He’s got that puppy-dog look and it’s breaking my heart.
Thank you for this interview, Detective Farrugia. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
Yes, you will. Readers can learn about me in the first three Roma Series books, and join me in Turning To Stone for an adventure in Naples. Loki, Bianca’s mysterious contact, is now giving her baffling anagrams. They seem to lead to a charismatic entrepreneur who has a plan to partner with organized crime to manipulate the euro and American dollar. Against a backdrop of gritty streets, financial speculation, and a group of female assassins on motorcycles, we discover that Naples might just be the most dangerous city in Italy.
About the Author:
Gabriel Valjan is the author of the Roma Series from Winter Goose Publishing. His fourth book, Turning To Stone, came out 15 June 2015. Gabriel writes short stories, which are available online and in print. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
Connect with Gabriel Valjan on the web:
Blog: https://gabrielswharf.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gabriel-Valjan/291400997547203
Twitter: @GValjan
Website: www.gabrielvaljan.com
Pinterest boards for the Roma Series books
Book 4: Turning To Stone | https://www.pinterest.com/gvaljan/turning-to-stone/
Book 3: Threading the Needle | https://www.pinterest.com/gvaljan/threading-the-needle/
Books 2: Wasp’s Nest | https://www.pinterest.com/gvaljan/wasp-s-nest/
Book 1: Roma, Underground | https://www.pinterest.com/gvaljan/roma
Character Interview: Commander Truchaud from R.M. Cartmel’s mystery, The Charlemagne Connection
We’re thrilled to have here today Commander Truchaud from Dick Cartmel’s new mystery, The Charlemagne Connection. Commander Truchaud is a 45 year old police detective from Nuits-Saint-Georges, currently on leave there from his post in the National Police in Paris, the capital of France. It is a pleasure to have him with us today at Beyond the Books!
Connect with the author on the web:
Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Amazon
BB: Thank you so for this interview, Commander. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
CT: I think so yes. Certainly the narrative is an accurate description of what actually happened, and he has described the feel of the middle of high summer on the Côte.
BB: What do you believe is your strongest trait?
CT: I am a very thoughtful policeman. I wouldn’t have reached the rank of Commander if I wasn’t. That’s similar to being a Captain over here.
BB: Worst trait?
CT: People tell me I’m not really a people person. I don’t really know what they mean by that.
BB: If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
CT: Of course I would say someone like George Clooney, but if you were then to ask me why, I wouldn’t have the faintest idea! If you want someone like me to play me who wasn’t me, I might say someone like Thierry Godard from the French Series Engrenages. But then I’m not really like Gilou at all. Maybe it should be someone like Clark Gregg who plays Agent Coulson in Agents of Shield or Ben Miller in Death in Paradise, are probably more like me, yes I think Ben Miller in that role.
BB: Do you have a love interest in the book?
CT: Er, Yes I suppose I do. You’re not doing to discuss this with my superiors are you? I think my thoughts about one of the junior officers in the book are singularly inappropriate for a Commander.
BB: At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
CT: When the author described me looking at that officer’s knees. I was afraid he was going to go off at a tangent into some fantasy world of his own. We were at a potential crime scene, for heaven’s sake, and there was this author apparently concentrating on a police officer’s legs. I thought we ere going to have a fairly major row at that point.
BB: If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
CT: Well fairly obviously the victim. Why? Because the victim won’t ever get to taste the wine that is being made during the course of the book, some of which I can assure you is exquisite.
BB: How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
CT: If I gave anything away, I have a sneaking feeling the author would be most upset, but what do I feel about it? Wistful, I suppose, would best describe it, but then we’re not talking about the solution of the book, we’re talking about the ending. What’s the difference? You’re going to have to read it and see.
BB: What words of wisdom would you give your author if he decided to write another book with you in it?
CT: Interesting way of putting it. I sincerely hope he does so, this is the second book of a trilogy, and it can’t be a trilogy unless there are three of them! The first book, {The Richebourg Affair} is set in the spring. This one is set in the high summer, and the third one that he tells me he is writing now is set during the vintage, where they harvest the grapes and make the wine. So what words of advice would I give him? Do the research and get it right.
BB: Thank you for this interview, Commander Truchaud. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
CT: If you invite me, I will try my very best to get here, it’s been great fun.
Book Review: ‘Stolen Dreams’ by Christine Amsden
I can’t believe this is the last book in the Cassie Scot new adult paranormal mystery series! I really have enjoyed this series a lot.
If you’re new to the series, I advise you to pick up the books in order:
Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective
Secrets and Lies (Cassie Scot #2)
Mind Games (Cassie Scot #3)
Stolen Dreams (Cassie Scot #4)
In this the final installment, talented author Christine Amsden brings the infamous Scot vs. Blackwood family feud to a close, but not without filling her story with enough intrigue, mystery, twists and surprises to keep you thinking about the characters for a long time.
And this is, really, the biggest draw in these stories, the characters, especially Cassie and Evan. Cassie has been such a likable protagonist throughout the series, smart and strong and opinionated, yet caring and warm-hearted. Evan –yes, arrogant, condescending and overprotective Evan — has also been the perfect hero. They were school sweethearts…until Evan’s father stole her powers from her and gave them to Evan, thus starting a conflict between them that brought them to the depths of despair, especially for Cassie.
There are many subplots in this book, but the main problem happens when Cassie’s father is killed and she and her family think that Evan’s dad is the one responsible. The primary storyline has to do with finding out if this is true or not and, if not, then who, in fact, is responsible.
There are many surprises in Stolen Dreams, and I enjoyed all of them. Fans of romance will especially enjoy the focus on Cassie and Evan’s relationship. I loved the ending. In sum, this was a wonderful series, and the author delivered a satisfying closure. I wonder what she will come up next? I’m certainly going to be on the lookout for her future books.
My review was previously published in Blogcritics Magazine.
Beyond the Books 