A Day in the Life of Georgia Thornton {+ Giveaway}

It’s a pleasure to welcome author Diana Orgain to Thoughts in Progress today to talk about her protagonist in her latest release, A FIRST DATE WITH DEATH, the first installment in her new A Love or Money Mystery series.

Diana is here to tell us how Georgia Thornton, her new protagonist, spends a typical day. I’ll also be sharing my thoughts on this fun new series. In addition, thanks to Diana and the lovely Danielle at Penguin Group, I have a print copy of A FIRST DATE WITH DATE to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for more details on this.

Please join me now in giving a warm welcome to Diana. Welcome, Diana. What’s a day in Georgia’s life like?

5:30am – Get into Hair and Make-up. Really? Why did I agree to appear on the godawful reality TV show, Love or Money? Oh yeah. Life wasn’t going as smoothly as it could.

6:30am – I’m still not awake yet, and I look unrealistically pretty for this “reality” show.

7:00am – Time to get on the set. I miss my phone and wish the producers would let me have communication with the outside world.

8:00am – Still waiting around the set (which happens to be on location at the Golden Gate Bridge) for the crew to finalize things.

9:00am – Back into hair and make-up even though we haven’t filmed a single scene. The wind on the bridge is fierce. Why does this make-up lady look so familiar? Oh Lord. Is she the same woman I put behind bars before I got canned from SFPD?

10:00am – Ah! The men for first date have arrived. Yippee. Time to get the show on the road.

11:00am – Disaster strikes…

Diana, thanks for sharing this look at Georgia’s day. I think we can all relate to a day going nothing like we’d like for it to.

Now for those who aren’t familiar with Diana, here’s a little background on her.

Diana Orgain is the author of the Maternal Instincts Mysteries and coauthor of Gilt Trip with Laura Childs in the New York Times bestselling Scrapbooking Mysteries. 

She holds a B.A and M.F.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University with a minor in acting. Diana has acted professionally both on stage and in national commercials. She’s written several plays, which were produced at San Francisco State University, GreenHouse Productions, and PlayGround. 

Diana lives in San Francisco with her husband and three children. For more on Diana and her writing, visit her at www.dianaorgain.com.

Here’s a brief description of A FIRST DATE WITH DEATH:

Reality TV meets murder in the first in a new mystery series from the author of the Maternal Instincts Mysteries and co-author the New York Times bestselling Scrapbooking Mysteries.
        When brokenhearted Georgia Thornton goes looking for romance on reality TV, she has nothing to lose—apart from a good man, a cash prize, and maybe her life…
        What was Georgia thinking? Sure, some cad ditched her at the altar, but can she really find love on TV? Her best friend—and producer of the reality show Love or Money—thinks so. Ten men. Ten adventure-filled dates. What can go wrong? For starters, a faulty bungee cord that hurls Georgia’s first date into a tragic spiral of the Golden Gate Bridge.
        He’s replaced by Paul Sanders, Georgia’s former fiancé. But the cop isn’t looking for a TV gig. Suspecting that the lover’s leap was no accident, Paul’s going undercover. When another bachelor gets a fatal kiss-off, the reality is that someone has killer new plans for the show—and for Georgia herself. Now, under the threat of permanent cancellation, Georgia fears that the only man on the set she can trust is the one man she just can’t count on…

Here are my thoughts on this entertaining cozy mystery…..

You don’t have to be a fan of reality TV to enjoy author Diana Orgain’s A FIRST DATE WITH DEATH as the suspense and mystery will hold you captive until the very end. 

The story flows smoothly and at a good pace to keep you guessing who will be picked and who the killer really is. The setting comes to life through the author’s eye for details.

The characters are likable and realistic. The protagonist is funny with strengths and weaknesses readers can relate to. The secondary characters add charm to the fascinating story.

This is a delightful beginning to a promising new series that puts reality TV in a whole new perspective. The author combines humor, friendship, and loyalty with suspense and intrigue for a well-developed story.

A First Date With Death by Diana Orgain, A Love or Money Mystery Book #1, Berkley, @2015, ISBN: 978-0425271681, Mass Market Paperback, 304 Pages 

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

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is for one print copy of A FIRST DATE WITH DEATH. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will end at 12 a.m. on Sunday, March 22.

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load, so please be patient. The winner from this giveaway will have 72 hours to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected. The email will have ‘Thoughts in Progress Diana Orgain’s Tour’ in the subject line, just so you know what to watch for (in case it goes into your spam folder).

Thanks everyone for stopping by today during Diana’s visit. I hope we’ve enticed you to check out this new series. Have you ever thought about being on reality TV? Do you have a favorite reality show? BTW, Happy Friday the 13th! (the second one this year).

*This post contains affiliate links.

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Murder on Bamboo Lane on Tour (+Giveaway)

It’s my pleasure to welcome author Naomi Hirahara to Thoughts in Progress today to talk about her latest release, MURDER ON BAMBOO LANE, the first installment in her new Officer Ellie Rush Mystery series.

Naomi joins us to tell where Ellie Rush came from and I’ll share my thoughts on this fun new series. In addition, Naomi is giving away a print copy of MURDER ON BAMBOO LANE. Please see the end of the post for the giveaway details.

Here’s a brief synopsis of MURDER ON BAMBOO LANE:

Trouble awaits rookie LAPD Officer Ellie Rush as she patrols the mean streets of Los Angeles on her bicycle…
      Bike cop Ellie Rush dreams of becoming a homicide detective, but it’s still a shock when the first dead body she encounters on the job is that of a former college classmate.
      At the behest of her Aunt Cheryl, the highest-ranking Asian-American officer in the LAPD (a source of pride for Ellie’s grandmother, but annoyance to her mom), Ellie becomes tangled in the investigation of the coed’s murder—with equal parts help and hindrance from her nosy best friend, her over-involved ex-boyfriend, a smoldering detective, and seemingly everyone else in her extended family…only to uncover secrets that a killer may go to any lengths to ensure stay hidden.  

Please join me in welcoming Naomi to talk about ‘Finding Ellie Rush.’

For the past five mystery novels, I’ve been in the head of a man significantly older than me (although as the years pass, that gap is closing in!). His name is Mas Arai, a gardener in Southern California, Hiroshima survivor, and, of course, a reluctant detective. Mas was modeled after my father and men like him – working class and seemingly ordinary on the outside, but with intricate secrets and strength within.

In April of this year, I’m embarking on a very different mystery protagonist, Ellie Rush. She’s, well, first female and considerably younger, 23 years of age. And the biggest challenge for me – she’s a bicycle cop with the LAPD assigned to downtown Los Angeles’s central core.

Don’t ask me the last time I’ve ridden a bicycle, but take my word for it, I can. And in terms of shooting a gun, I have. In 2011, the same year my beloved father was battling terminal stomach cancer, I participated in a Southern California-based ATF Citizens Academy once a week for two months. There we learned about the hidden perils of cigarette smuggling (usually this crime is linked to more dangerous international gang syndicates), the adventures of going undercover, and how to follow an arson trail. 

Providing a brief break from sharing caregiving duties with my mother, these sessions let me escape into the shoes of someone completely different from me. We even donned earpieces and stuffed wireless radios in our jackets to do surveillance at a local mall, wore bulletproof jackets and aimed pellet guns inside an abandoned office which, for our pretend purposes, was supposed to be harboring suspects, and finally went to an outdoor gun range, where we shot firearms of various sizes.

The biggest eye-opener for me is how essential it is for law enforcement officers to work together as a team. But what about the lone rogue detective that we see so much on TV, the movies, and novels? In crashing a drug pad, often the Number Two ATF man or woman has to pull the collar of the person in front. “Hey, not so fast!”

As a lover of basketball, I could totally relate to team coordination. Everyone has a certain role and purpose. I had always viewed law enforcement as powered by adrenalin and emotion, but for it to work properly, quite the opposite is true.

During that same year, I also agreed to step in as an instructor of a UCLA undergraduate writing workshop. As I gazed at the beautiful, fresh faces of these 15 young people, I was transported to my college days, when despite a sluggish economy, we also remained optimistic about our futures.

Somehow these two experiences – the ATF Citizens Academy and the UCLA writing class – intertwined in my brain. The following year, my father passed away in a hospital bed in the room where he had watched his favorite samurai and Japanese soap opera programs on TV for decades. As I struggled with this great loss, I grappled with focusing on something new and young. Slowly this young woman, Ellie Rush, emerged – vibrant and enthusiastic, yet still wondering how she would make her mark on this world.

While the tone of the Office Ellie Rush mysteries are much lighter and breezier than my Mas Arai mysteries, there are still some common elements. I still want to take my readers on a tour of lesser known areas in my “homeland” of Los Angeles. And family and friends are important to both – although cranky Mas will not admit it publicly.

Ellie has her first mystery adventure in Chinatown, so the first book is titled MURDER ON BAMBOO LANE. Hope you might want to take a ride with her, and it won’t matter when you were last on a bicycle.

Naomi, thanks so much for sharing this look at how Ellie came to be. Your father sounds like he was a great influence in not only your life, but your writing.

Now let me share a bit of background on Naomi.

Naomi is the Edgar Award-winning author of the Mas Arai mysteries. The first book in her Officer Ellie Rush Mysteries has been released by Berkley Prime Crime and is available in both mass market and eBook format.

For more information on Naomi and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Now here are my thoughts …..

MURDER ON BAMBOO LANE by Naomi Hirahara

Being drawn into an unfamiliar setting, meeting new characters, and taking a fascinating journey are all part of the fun reading the first installment in a new series.

Author Naomi Hirahara doesn’t disappoint in her new cozy murder mystery, MURDER ON BAMBOO LANE, the first book in her Office Ellie Rush Mystery series. Hirahara introduces readers to a fun and determined young protagonist, Ellie Rush, an LAPD bike cop.

Ellie Rush may be a bike cop but when her college friend Jenny is found dead, she’s determined to help find her killer. Working with the handsome lead detective Cortez Williams, Ellie soon discovers there may be more to Jenny’s murder than first thought. The more they investigate, the more complex the case becomes taking readers on a roller coast ride of possible suspects and motives.

The author has created a well-blended cast of characters that readers will find likable, realistic and compelling. Their diverse backgrounds adds depth and richness to the story.

Readers are given a glimpse into Chinatown and various parts of L.A. through the vivid descriptions by Hirahara. Her eye for details and intricate accounts places the reader among the characters.

MURDER ON BAMBOO LANE moves at a good pace holding the reader’s attention. This is a riveting start to what promises to be an alluring new series.

Murder on Bamboo Lane by Naomi Hirahara, An Officer Ellie Rush Mystery Book #1, Berkley Prime Crime, @2014, ISBN: 978-0425264959, Paperback, 304 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher as part of the author’s virtual book tour in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is for one print copy of MURDER ON BAMBOO LANE and is open to residents of the U.S. only. To enter the contest simply click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. Be sure to include your email address in your comments, if it’s not included in your profile. The widget may take a few second to load, please be patient.

Thanks so much for stopping by today to visit with Naomi. When was the last time you rode a bicycle? Have you ever been to Chinatown?
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The Perfect Suspect and Train Dreams

Ever get tired of reading books from the same genre all the time?

I wouldn’t say I get tired of reading them, I just find I don’t seem to have as much enthusiasm when I read too many back to back. I enjoy the variety of switching from one genre to another. It makes each read more refreshing to me. 

With that in mind I have two completely different style books to share with you today. The first is a novel of suspense and intrigue, while the second is a novella of poignant fiction almost a memoir.

THE PERFECT SUSPECT by Margaret Coel

Reading a murder mystery, the reader tries to discover the killer’s identify before the author reveals it near the end of the book.

With THE PERFECT SUSPECT, author Margaret Coel has given readers a new challenge. She reveals the killer at the start and keeps readers guessing how and when the killer will finally be caught.

Here’s the blurb that sparked my interest: A scream renders the early morning quiet of an upscale Denver neighborhood when David Mathews, the wildly popular candidate for governor, is found murdered. It quickly becomes a high-profile homicide and local investigators are pressured to make an arrest. When David’s estranged wife, Sydney, is arrested for first-degree homicide, journalist Catherine McLeod receives an anonymous phone call from a woman who claims she saw the real killer leave the scene of the crime and it was not Sydney. Because the caller is afraid to confide in the police, Catherine risks her career—and her life— to uncover the truth and find another witness who can identify the candidate’s real murderer: Detective Ryan Beckman, the lead investigator in the case.

 

Pitting a reporter against a murdering detective leads to suspense, intrigue and a gripping story. The author’s writing is smooth and flowing as it draws you further into the plot with the turn of each page. While you know who the killer is, it’s a fascinating story of cat-and-mouse as you guess how the killer will finally be brought to justice. The twist at the end may surprise you.

The story deals with three independent women who face life’s adversities in very different ways - the killer, the reporter and the witness. Two of the women, McLeod and Beckman, are strong and determine. It’s a case of good, evil and one trying to do the right thing.

THE PERFECT SUSPECT is a sequel to BLOOD MEMORY, but is a stand alone read. 

The Perfect Suspect by Margaret Coel, A Catherine McLeod Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2011, ISBN: 978-0-425-24348-0, Hardcover, 304 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

TRAIN DREAMS: A NOVELLA by Denis Johnson

TRAIN DREAMS begins with the attempted murder of a ‘Chinaman’ in the American West before the turn of the 20th century.

Young day laborer Robert Grainier has joined with some of his fellow workers who are attempting to throw a Chinese worker off a bridge for allegedly stealing. The man breaks free while screaming at the men in his native language. Grainier feels certain the ‘Chinaman’ has cursed them all.

From there the story follows the few triumphs and many defeats Grainier faces throughout the course of his life. He works as a logger, a bridge builder, and as a freight hauler. He loses his wife and baby daughter to a great fire that sweep the area just hours before he returned from a logging job.

The novella tells of various people and situations Grainier encounters. It tells of the harsh life many faced. It also tells of how the landscape of the west changed, as well as the changes the people experienced. It talks of Grainier’s first airplane ride, his seeing the world’s fattest man and his encounter with the ‘wolf girl.’

The story is rich in history and Will Patton’s powerful narration adds great emotion to the story. Patton gives each character in this tale great depth.

TRAIN DREAMS is a short audio, but well worth listening to. The characters will stay with you long after the story ends. 

Train Dreams: A Novella by Denis Johnson, Read by Will Patton, Macmillan Audio, @2011, ISBN: 9781427213778, Unabridged, 2 CDs, Run time: 2½ hours

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Author Laura DiSilverio: Research And A Giveaway

It’s my pleasure to welcome author Laura DiSilverio as the special guest blogger today as she drops in to talk about writing and her new book and series.

Laura’s new series is the Mall Cop Mysteries and her first installment in the series is DIE BUYING, which launches today. Thanks to Laura and Kaitlyn at Berkly Prime Crime I can offer 1 copy of DIE BUYING to a lucky visitors commenting on today’s post. Please be sure to see the end of the post for the giveaway guidelines.

Here’s a brief synopsis of DIE BUYING: Emma-Joy “EJ” Ferris, a security officer with the Fernglen Galleria, likes mall cop work, although it’s usually more humdrum than the military policing she did until a Taliban sniper left her with a bum knee and a medical retirement at thirty-one. Back home in Vernonville, Virginia, EJ deals with shoplifters, teens spray-painting Christian graffiti on cars, and a boss who acts like the halls of Fernglen are the mean streets of Newark. She also copes with her 83-year-old Grandpa Atherton, a long-retired CIA operative who likes to “keep his hand in” by purchasing all the latest techno-gadgets and spying on mall customers and shopkeepers. EJ’s boredom vanishes the week someone “liberates” all the reptiles, including a 15-ft python, from The Herpetology Hut and a body turns up, posed as a mannequin, in the window of Diamanté, an upscale boutique. EJ must quickly catch the killer since fear of another murder is emptying the mall faster than you can say “All sales final.”  

Laura has joined us to talk about writing in general and research in particular.

The old writing adage says “Write what you know.” Well, sometimes you don’t know what you think you know.

Take my research for my latest series, the Mall Cop mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime). I thought I knew malls. I’ve spent more hours in malls than Michael Phelps has spent in swimming pools. I’ve shopped in them, movied in them, and had my hair done in them. I’ve tossed pennies in mall fountains and taken my kids to see mall Santas. I’ve visited malls in the nation’s capital and in L.A., in twenty or thirty states, England, and the Philippines.

But, when I set out to write about a mall security officer, my fictional Emma-Joy “EJ” Ferris, I figured I should talk to a real one, even though I was pretty sure I knew everything there was to know about malls. Boy, was I wrong. 

I assumed mall security personnel had keys to all the stores. Wrong-o. (They don’t so they and the mall won’t be liable for any losses.) I thought the mall would have a centralized roster of all employees. Wrong again. (Employee lists are maintained separately by each store.) And I had only the vaguest notion of how security camera systems worked or how many cameras a medium-sized mall was likely to have. (Security folks don’t like to give out specific numbers, but somewhere between 150-200, in most cases.)  

Luckily, the Director of Security at my local mall set me right on the above topics and many more. In addition to talking to him, I spent many more hours at the mall—no, not shopping. I spent that time observing security officers, looking for the cameras, and exploring the spaces that mall visitors don’t usually see:  halls behind shops, administrative offices, utility closets, loading docks.  

All of which is a long way of saying don’t take it for granted that you know what you think you know. Take the time to do a couple of interviews, do a bit of extra research, find the behind-the-scene details that make your setting come alive. If you can spend that research time in a variety of malls, you’re better off than if you have to delve into the particulars of emptying port-a-potties, or patching potholes in August in Arizona.  Just something to keep in mind when you’re trying to decide where to set your next book.

Laura, thanks for guest blogging. I’m like you, I thought mall security personnel would have keys to all the stores in order to check inside each after closing. Extra research does pay off. Wishing you much success with DIE BUYING and your new series.

Now a little research on Laura. She spent twenty years as an Air Force intelligence officer before retiring in Colorado with her husband, two daughters, and a dog.

For more on Laura and her writing, check out her website at http://www.lauradisilverio.com and “Like” Laura on Facebook.

I am able to offer 1 copy of DIE BUYING as a giveaway. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and addresses with post office boxes can’t be accepted. To enter the giveaway, just comment on Laura’s post between now and 8 p.m. (EST) on Tuesday, Aug. 9. Be sure to include your e-mail address, if it’s not included in your profile.

What do you think of extra research for a story? If you’re an author, do you take that extra step to ensure you have all your facts straight? As a reader, do you think the extra effort adds to the storyline? Share your thoughts and thanks for stopping by.

 

Scoop to Kill by Wendy Lyn Watson

Summer may be coming to a close in many parts of the country right now, but for the proprietor of an old-fashioned ice cream parlor in Texas it’s just heating up.

Tallulah Jones, Tally to her friends, owns the Remember the A-La-Mode ice cream shop in Dalliance, Texas, and is trying to get her life back on track. Her cousin Bree and Bree’s daughter Alice, who calls Tally ‘Aunt Tally,’ help out.

Honor’s Day at the local college finds Tally serving ice cream during the festivities. But before long the happy event turns tragic when Alice discovers the murder body of a fellow student, Bryan Campbell. Bryan is the nephew of Tally’s childhood friend, Detective Cal McCormack.

Suspicion soon falls on Emily Cowper, an English professor Bryan had accused of sexual harassment after she failed him. Tension mounts as Professor Cowper is a friend of Alice’s and a former lover of Finn Harper. Finn is Tally’s high school heartthrob and still causes her pulse to race. See the tangled web that’s starting to form here? Nothing like living in a small town to connect everyone.

The harder Tally tries not to mend into the murder, the more she gets pulled in. Before long another body is found dead. While the authorities believe it’s suicide, Tally thinks it’s murder and by the same killer. 

As she begins looking at the college faculty for answers, Tally finds they have more secrets than she has flavors of ice cream. The closer she gets to finding the real killer, the closer the killer gets to making her and Alice the next victims.

SCOOP TO KILL is an entertaining and enjoyable read. Author Wendy Lyn Watson keeps you guessing right up until the end. Her descriptions and dialogue give you the feel of a real small town in Texas and make you wish for a pleasant evening at the local ice cream shop.

This is the second installment in the Mystery a la Mode series, but it is a stand alone book. There is just enough hint of Tally’s previous run in with murder to wet your appetite, but not put you in the dark.

The book includes ice cream recipes, as well as a sneak peek at the next Mystery a la Mode installment coming in June 2011.

Author Wendy Lyn Watson’s website is www.wendylynwatson.com

Scoop to Kill, A Mystery a la Mode, Berkley Prime Crime, @2010, ISBN: 978-0-451-23076-8, Paperback, 288 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.