I love the first Tuesday of the month -- that means new releases from many of my friends and favorite authors. Today is no different. Of course, first up is ... me .. then two of my Cozy Chicks blog sisters, Kate Collins and Duffy Brown.
CRYBABY featuring Jeff Resnick
Jeff Resnick—babysitter? It wasn’t a reference that had ever graced his personal résumé, but when he’s entrusted to care for his brother’s most prized possession—his infant daughter—Jeff is tested in ways he could never have anticipated. With his girlfriend Maggie unavailable, Jeff has only one person he can turn to for advice when his tiny niece falls ill on his watch. Kindle US | Kindle Worldwide Kobo | Nook | iBooks | Smashwords
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Dead Man Walker ... a Consignment Shop mystery by Duffy Brown
As a mortician beautician and housekeeper, Mercedes is no stranger to corpses or messy bathrooms. But the last thing she expects to find in a client’s bathtub is a dead body! Now she’s a murder suspect and it seems like her life is going down the drain. She turns to local lawyer Walker Boone to get her out of hot water. But Walker has his own surprising connections to the dead man in the tub, and now he needs Reagan’s help to clear his own name—and keep him alive…
Ever since I returned from the Ninc conference in late October, I've been hustling my butt working on a number of projects, some of which are now live and some that are still in the works. (I'll talk about that more in a week or so.)
LIVE -- FROM NEW YORK (okay, Rochester NY) IT'S ....
Cheated By Death in audio!
(Jeff Resnick Mystery #4)
I've got a fabulous new narrator, Steven Barnett, and I'm hoping that we can re-record the earlier books in the series so that Steven will be the voice of Jeff Resnick.
As I mentioned last week, BOUND BY SUGGESTION (Jeff Resnick Mystery #5) is also now available in audio. OMG -- I'm thrilled with Steven's performance. It sure had me on the edge of my seat, and I wrote it!
And out as paperbacks ...
Evolution: Jeff Resnick's Backstory
There's something about this book that haunts me. I think I've read it six times in the last month. I keep going back to it, and I don't usually go back and read my own stuff. (Although I do like to listen to it on audio in the car.) Maybe it's the whole "coming of age" aspect of the stories.
Not only is the book now available as a trade paperback, it'll soon be available in audio, too. (Again, performed by Steven Barnett.) I'll let you know when that happens. So far I've confined distribution to just Amazon because the paperbacks don't sell as well as the ebooks and there are costs associated with distribution (like being forced to not only give hefty discounts, but pay for returns--OUCH!).
Tales Of Telenia: THRESHOLD
I don't know why this book doesn't seem to resonate with readers. It sure resonates with me. Why? I'm not sure. I just know it, and the second book in the series, JOURNEY, were a heck of a lot of fun to write. I really enjoyed the experience and I thought my readers might be willing to leave their comfort zones to give my character Amanda Shelton a try. But I live in hope. The sales for Evolution have picked up since the paperback edition came out. I'm hoping Amanda will have the same kind of luck.
If the sales pick up, not only will I squeeze the next book into my writing schedule, but I'll release the series as audiobooks, too.
The audio edition of Jeff Resnick #6, Dark Waters.
The print edition of Tales of Telenia: JOURNEY
The audio editions of the first three Victoria Square Mysteries.
Booktown Mystery #10: (what I'm calling) A Not-So-Fond Farewell
Mr. L has been teasing me for weeks, telling me that I pat myself on the back because I enjoy listening to my own stories as audiobooks.
In particular, I've been listening to the latest Jeff Resnick Mystery which is now available on audio, BOUND BY SUGGESTION. I've had it since before Christmas and have listened to the complete story at least four times. I've listened to the last 5-6 chapters at least 8 or 9 times.
Why?
Because it turns out I wrote a pretty exciting book.
Not all audiobooks are good. You have to find the right voice. Example: The narrator for the first audio edition of Murder on the Mind was ALL WRONG for Jeff, and even worse for Richard. (I never did make it past the first CD because I kept cringing.)
I found the right voice in an audio producer named Steven Barnett (who has also performed Cheated By Death). Steven makes the story leap out of the speakers! The voices of the characters are pretty much perfect, especially Jeff, Richard, and Brenda. (Yeah, he even does good women's voices!)
I am just so proud of the book, and especially this audio edition. I hope my readers/listeners will be, too.
Some people give themselves expensive Christmas gifts. Some just trinkets. I think most people don't even give themselves a gift. When I give myself a Christmas gift, it's usually time off to write something I really want to write.
This year I gave myself the time to write a short story featuring my favorite character, Jeff Resnick.
Jeff Resnick—babysitter? It wasn’t a reference that had ever graced his personal résumé, but when he’s entrusted to care for his brother’s most prized possession—his infant daughter—Jeff is tested in ways he could never have anticipated. With his girlfriend Maggie unavailable, Jeff has only one person he can turn to for advice when his tiny niece falls ill on his watch.
I'm absolutely thrilled because today is the first Tuesday of the month and my new cozy mystery, With Baited Breath, is now available.
The first review is in from Feathered Quill Book Reviews. It says in part: "A fabulous start in Lorraine Bartlett’s new series. The author seemed to know exactly how to draw me hook, line and sinker into the tale. There was quite a bit of humor, especially with Gramps on the scene. The scene has been set and I’m certainly looking forward to reading all about Lotus Bay and some of their not-so-quaint and very quirky residents.
Quill says: Lorraine Bartlett has just taken the word 'cozy' to a new level when she landed her readership on the shores of Lotus Bay!"
Earlier this year, when my mother-in-law went into the nursing home, Mr. L and I decided we needed to spend some quality time together away from worries and the hustle and bustle (and Internet) of daily life. And since we like to go out to lunch, we thought we might like to do it once a week. Since we often paired our lunch dates with a visit to his mother at the home, we went out a lot during the week. Sadly, we lost her in August.
At Coleman's -- toasting Jeff.
Over the summer we also took little day trips on the weekend to places like Coleman's Irish Pub in Syracuse and The Sherwood Inn in Skaneateles, and a bunch of other wonderful restaurants outside of Rochester and had wonderful meals. I should also add that we don't go to franchise places. Nope, we like to go to locally owned restaurants where the food is freshly made--not microwaved and served by kids who don't know a spice from an herb. (Sorry, kids.)
But now it's WINTER and we're not driving very far to get a bite to eat. And we aren't doing it on weekends, either. Why? Because it seems there's some kind of conspiracy among the locally owned restaurants NOT to open for lunch on Saturday. What's with that?
We checked (online menus from) restaurants in Syracuse and Buffalo and lots and lots of them are open for lunch on weekends, but not here in Rochester. The only exception appears to be Keenan's. Okay, we like Keenan's. They make good martinis, have wonderful food, and they have a popcorn machine where you can help yourself, but we don't want to go there every week.
So .. I guess we're stuck going out to lunch on weekdays. Today we're heading to one of my favorite restaurants, Bernard's Grove, where they have a wonderful beer-battered fish fry and lovely martinis.
Do you like to go out to lunch, and if so -- what kind of restaurant do you frequent?
Would you just look at this little Beefeater? My friend Gwen sent him to me. She said, "I stumbled across something that made me laugh myself silly, and I couldn't think of who else might think it was funny but you, so I wrapped it up and sent it to you."
A Beefeater French knitter?
Well, I think he's absolutely adorable. I'm going to hang him on my Christmas tree. And then he can come and live in my office so I can admire him every day.
Have you ever played with a French knitter? (I think I did when I was a kid, but I can't be sure.)
I'm tickled pink that the next Booktown Mystery, A FATAL CHAPTER, is now available for pre-order.
How about this cover? Don't you love it? I think it's the prettiest so far. I love Miss Marple in the picnic basket (although, to tell you the truth, Tricia left her at home).
Here's the official back cover copy.
While out walking Sarge, Tricia is led by the agitated dog to a man lying in a gazebo. She’s startled when she recognizes Pete Renquist, the president of the Stoneham Historical Society, who appears to be suffering from cardiac arrest. When Pete later dies in the hospital, the discovery of a suspicious bruise and a puncture mark on his arm suggests he may have been murdered.
Haunted by Pete’s enigmatic last words to her, Tricia begins to consider who had a motive to kill her friend. Did Pete take his flirting too far, only to have a jealous husband teach him a lesson? Or did he discover something in the town’s historical records that his killer wanted kept secret? Tricia is determined to get to the bottom of things before someone else becomes history…
It's good, but misses my favorite part of the plot. So here's a short version that I wrote.
The Stoneham Historical Society plans to give nighttime tours--ghost walks--of the Stoneham Rural Cemetery, but someone wants to prevent that--taking extreme measures. Can Tricia figure out who is behind the attacks before someone else becomes the cemetery's newest resident?
A Fatal Chapter will be released on June 2nd. It is now ready for preorder from the following places:
At the recent Novelists Inc. writers conference, a number of authors said many of their readers download their books from iBooks for their iPads and iPhones. I'm curious to know how many of MY readers do the same.
I'll give away one of my titles from iBooks and randomly choose from someone who leaves a comment. Thanks!
I'm so happy to announce tht my first Lotus Bay Mystery, WITH BAITED BREATH, is now available for pre-order for ebooks. (The Trade Paperback will be avaiable ... as soon as I figure out how to get it out there for preorder ,.. if it's possible. Keep in touch!)
Here's a brief description:
Tori Cannon and her grandfather, Herb, return from her grandmother’s funeral, and it’s with sadness that she learns the bait shop and small motel they ran has fallen on hard times. Jammed into one of the motel’s units is the body of one of Herb’s customers, his mouth filled with spikes. The victim had no enemies, except for the rich woman who wanted to level his eyesore of a home. But he’s also got a daughter who’s resentful her father wasn’t a major force in her life, and friends who were anything but. Tori’s friend, Kathy, arrives to help spruce up the property, and the two of them find themselves mixed up in the petty jealousies and deadly consequences that murder entails. Can they save the bait shop and find a murderer before they, too, sleep with the fishes?
For more information about the series, check out my website.
For preorder, click one of the links below:
If you haven't read the prequel, it's avaiable now.
Tori Cannon and her BFF, Kathy Grant, get together for a girl’s weekend of wine, cookies, and laughter, but there’s also the specter of a panty pincher hanging around the laundry room of the complex where Tori lives. Kathy thinks they can catch the culprit red-handed in a panty raid! This mini mystery introduces the two main characters of the upcoming Lotus Bay Mysteries.
The yard sales are few and far between at this time of year, but Saturday there were three we found. At one of them was a display of teapots--all pretty cheap. I bought one. But ... is it a teapot or is it a chocolate pot?
For cheese lovers, like my character Angelica Miles, the happy day has finally arrived! National Moldy Cheese Day! (She can hardly curb her excitement!)
And to celebrate, here's a recipe for blue cheese dressing.
¾ cup sour cream 1/3 cups mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ½ teaspoon dry mustard ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. Season with the mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in the blue cheese. Cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.
Today is National Taco Day ... and my character Angelica Miles of the Booktown Mysteries is celebrating with her own recipe. It's from the fourth book in the series, Chapter & Hearse.
Here's the recipe.
Hacienda Tacos
Ingredients
3 cups coarsely chopped or shredded (pulled) simmered chicken
1 onion, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 ½ to 2 teaspoon chili powder (according to taste)
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
8 oz. water
12 corn (or flour) 8 or 9 inch tortillas (or taco shells)
1 cup lettuce cut into strips
1 tomato, chopped
¾ cup grated or shredded Cheddar cheese
Your favorite bottled salsa
In a large skillet, mix together the chicken, onion, green pepper, salt, pepper, chili powder, tomato sauce and water. Cook covered over low heat for about 15 minutes. Cook, uncovered for five to ten minutes, until excess liquid is gone. Oven heat the tortillas and fill the lower 3/4 with chicken mixture and the remainder with the tomatoes, cheese and lettuce. Top as needed with a spoonful of the salsa.
Honestly, this shouldn't be that hard a decision. Tricia buys her ground coffee FROM The Coffee Bean across the street. (She's a good neighbor and supports the other businesses in Stoneham!)
Here's the cover for the first Lotus Bay Mystery, WITH BAITED BREATH I hope to have it available for pre-order sometime in October. Cross your fingers.
Meanwhile, Here's a brief description of the story.
Tori Cannon and her grandfather, Herb, return from her grandmother’s funeral, and it’s with sadness that she learns the bait shop and small motel they ran has fallen on hard times. Jammed into one of the motel’s units is the body of one of Herb’s customers, his mouth filled with spikes. The victim had no enemies, except for the rich woman who wanted to buy his eyesore of a home. But he’s also got a daughter who’s resentful her father wasn’t a major force in her life, and friends who were anything but.
Tori’s BFF, Kathy, arrives to help spruce up the property, and the two of them find themselves mixed up in the petty jealousies and deadly consequences that murder entails. Can they save the bait shop and find a murderer before they, too, sleep with the fishes?
With all that's going on in the world today, I sometimes wonder where we would be if Mark Chapman hadn't killed John Lennon. I like to think that the world would be a much better place where we didn't have to worry about radicals intent on destroying and where Gene Roddenberry's vision of a world at #peace reaching out a hand of friendship to the those who live upon other worlds would come to pass. We can't go forth in space in peace until we find it here. We're a long way from that, I'm afraid.
Today is International Peace Day. Let's give it a chance.
CRYBABY featuring Jeff Resnick
Dead Man Walker ... a Consignment Shop mystery
