Dabbling in Crime, Halloween and Blogiversary

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Oh, my what a day this is for many throughout the country are celebrating a holiday. Here at Thoughts in Progress, we’re celebrating several things – the scary Halloween holiday, my thoughts on a book releasing tomorrow, and another year blogging.

The tradition of Halloween sometimes gets a bad rap when people do terrible things in celebration. But overall I think of Halloween as a fun time for young and old alike. It’s a time for children to dress up and get way more candy than they need to eat. It also a time adults can dress up and pretend without everyone thinking they’re silly.

It seems in the past few years more and more adults are dressing up and having Halloween parties, which I think is a cool thing. I mean, just think of all the scary murder mystery stories that can come from those events. And while stores are already decked out in Christmas decorations, more and more homes are decorating for Halloween and the fall season.

I know many don’t like Halloween at all and think it’s an evil time. I’m not going to talk religion with you and argue the pros and cons of it. I just like to think of today as a fun day for everyone to dress up, eat lots of candy, and not anything serious. So, I’m wishing everyone a safe and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Next let me tell you a bit about a book that is being released tomorrow by author Shelly Reuben. It’s a fun book and I hope you’ll be sure to drop back by on Nov. 10 when Shelly will be visiting us.

◊ DABBLING IN CRIME: Death of the Violinist and Other Stories by Shelly Reuben

◊ Paperback: 230 pages

◊ Publisher: BookBaby (November 1, 2016)

◊ Language: English

◊ ISBN-10: 0988418142

◊ ISBN-13: 978-0988418141

SYNOPSIS:

          During the period when Shelly Reuben was investigating arson as a private detective, she came across individuals and events that tantalized her mind and touched her heart. Add to that a vivid imagination and an indelible belief that, even if virtue does not always triumph, it will eventually manage to hobble, stumble or stride across the finish line—and you have these eleven stories.

Originally published in The Forensic Examiner and The Evening Sun. Within the pages of Dabbling in Crime, meet: • Dante No-Last-Name-No-Middle-Initial, a throwaway kid hiding under a music school staircase, with a damaged heart and the talent of a virtuoso violinist. • Wealthy, beloved Jimmy Lillyjohn, burned to death on the top floor of his mansion after a lighted cigarette falls from his fingers onto his lonely mattress. • Mountainous, mean-spirited Hilda Pomfrey, who bullies everyone in her sphere, including her tree-loving, milquetoast husband Herb. • Honorable Police Chief Joseph Steinbeck, who reluctantly participates in a library event, and is almost murdered when he is checked out as a “Human Book.” • Prosecutor Edward Nygh, who hides evidence of arson to convict the wrong man • Nygh's reluctant assistant who travels through time to revisit her past.

“There are people who are skeptical about human nature and people who have a deep trust in human nature. And a great number of people somewhere in between. How does real life deal with these different kinds of people? This question is just one of the many interesting problems which are reflected in Dabbling in Crime, Shelly Reuben’s new collection of short fiction.” Albert Ashforth. Author of The Rendition and On Edge.

This is a book that is hard to describe in just a few lines. It’s more of one of those books that you have to experience for yourself to truly appreciate. It’s not a difficult book, but one that speaks to you on several levels.

Author Shelly Reuben leads you up the ladder of suspense only to quickly pull it out from under you with her skillful twists and turns. When I finished the first story, I felt like I'd been up that ladder and then crashed. Just when you know you’ve got something figured out, Reuben kicks the legs out from under you and you’re looking at things in a totally new direction.

Her characters are well-developed, colorful, and likeable. The characters have the traits of people you know or wished you knew in person. Each story is unique and delightful in its own way. Filled with humor and mystery, the stories are captivating. Once you start reading, it will be hard to put it down.

I truly believe she can write in any genre/style she wants. Her stories are a siren's call you can't resist.

Dabbling in Crime: Death of the Violinist and Other Stories by Shelly Reuben, BookBaby, @2016, ISBN: 978-0988418141, Paperback, 230 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the author. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Now we come to another year of blogging. WOW! If someone had told me back in 2009 that blogging would become such a big part of my life, I would have said they were crazy. I didn’t know anything about blogging, the internet, and very little about computers. I wish had I known or could have even imagined where blogging would take me when I wrote that first post on Oct. 31, 2009.

Had I known I would have probably put more thought into the blog theme and gotten one that I could do more with. At this point, I shudder to think what it would be like to change themes. Overall I guess I’m happy with the name and the theme. I do need to do some work with it and make it a bit easier to load and less clutter.

The thing I’m most thankful for (other than authors Elizabeth Spann Craig and Alice Alfonsi aka Cleo Coyle encouraging me to start the blog) is YOU – the one that is reading this right now. The support I have gotten from readers and authors who visit this blog is amazing. Y’all are awesome! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Mere words cannot express how I feel.

Through your support I started my own virtual book tour business in June of this year – MC Book Tours. It’s fun and exciting working with authors to promote their books and with bloggers spreading the word. Thank you again for being my blogging friends.

I hope everyone has a great start to their week, a safe and happy Halloween, and a wonderful day. I’m going to close with the same puzzle I used in that first post so long again. Are you celebrating Halloween? Are you dressing up for the holiday? Want to share your favorite Halloween memory with us?