Hiatus

Coming In 2015

I'm working on a new story for the new year. Romance with a touch of mystery. I thought stepping out of my comfort zone I'd have a hard time writing a decent story, but so far I am proving myself wrong.

The Closer I Get To You (working title)

Brief Synopsis:
He found his happiness.
She's searching for hers.

That's all I can say about the story without giving away the plot at this time. Same with the cover. This picture isn't it.

My Gift To You

I want this year to end on a happy note, and for 2015 to start the same way. So I am re-gifting an inspiring story I told you on July 8, 2011.

An Amazing Thing Happened Today

I was able to rescue a large bird with a three-pronged fishing lure stuck in its neck!

I'm not telling you this story to brag. I'm simply sharing a side of me I never knew existed.

While bike riding this morning, I passed by a bird standing still in the parking lot of a convenience store across from the beach. It was the size of a seagull. Brown, not white and black. I noticed it didn't fly off even when I was less than four feet away. Near its beak something bright yellow glinted in the sunlight. I thought the bird was eating an odd type of fish. The bird squatted so low to the ground I couldn't see the yellow thing anymore. It hit me that the bird was in trouble. I parked the bike. Dashed into the store, and told the first person I saw. The man stopped what he was doing and followed me outside. There was a short section of fishing line attached to a lure and one of the hooks was attached to the bird. The man surmised someone caught the bird while casting out, merely cut the line and left it to fend for itself.

The bird inched its way toward the highway. The man stepped on the line to keep it from darting out into the traffic or from trying to fly off. He told me to cover its eyes with my hand. I did. He examined the hook. Said he couldn't find a way to remove it without further injuring the bird. He hurried inside to ask someone else to help me, then got in his car and sped away, leaving me kneeling on the ground holding the bird with both hands.

Other people came and went. They couldn't miss seeing me. Some turned away. Others flashed a sympathetic smile. "I need help, dammit!" I shouted, angrily. An employee came out and told me The Parks and Wildlife Service had been called.

Minutes later, a woman and a man pulled up in a van. She said she's a bird rescuer. They examined the bird while I continued holding onto it. The man tried to cut the barbed tip off the hook. Broke the handle of the tinsnips instead. The woman said it would be easier if they took the bird home with them. I didn't trust her. I had a sudden flashback to the time when I was forced to take my dog to a shelter because we were moving to an apartment complex that didn't allow pets. Heartbroken, I tried to come up with a plan to smuggle my dog into the apartment. I returned to the shelter a couple of hours later to find they had euthanized him not long after I'd taken him there. I couldn't help but think the same fate awaited the defenseless bird. She said they would remove the hook and return the bird to the wild. Reluctantly, I placed it in her care.

Two things amazed me. One: The bird stopped trying to get away from me, as if it finally understood I wasn't there to harm it. Two: My role in all of this. I love birds and animals. So I wasn't surprised that I didn't look the other way or find a way to quickly put the creature out of its misery. I was surprised, however, that I wrapped my bare hands around it without being scared or squeamish, even after it bit my hand hard enough to make a bruise. It's true when they say you'll never know how you'll act in a situation until you're confronted with it. I've always been a champion of the underdog, which made it easy for me to fight for the life of the bird like I did. It's also why it's easy for me to curse the person for hurting the bird in the first place and for not taking responsibility for their actions. Cutting the line and leaving the bird to die shows a blatant disregard for life.

I didn't think to ask the woman what kind of bird it is. The photo is a close likeness. I also didn't ask her when and where she would return it to the wild. Hard as it is, I need to have a little faith.
_________

At the time this happened I was job hunting nearly every day and not having any luck finding one. Later that afternoon I received not one but two job offers. I am still working for one of those businesses. Karma, baby. I believe in it.

Merry Christmas

Am Writing

I have the start of a romance story: Title, book cover, setting, list of characters and their role, and a rough outline. I wrote the HEA ending. Then the opening line. Now I just have to fill in all the white space in between. And write a brief synopsis.

I've written a couple of paranormal romances, but never a standard romance. The only problem I'm having so far is in resisting putting a dead body in the first chapter! Mysteries are in my blood. :)

What's Happening -- Updated

Update: I'm trying my hand at writing a romance novel. A new genre for me.

Previously:
I'm writing a novella. May end up being a novel. We'll see. Have what I think is a good title. Have what I think is a good plot. I'm bringing two characters together that are featured in other stories.

Signed up for Twitter in 2010. Never did much with it. Always felt like I was talking to myself. Nowadays, I post regularly. Try to follow trends. Try not to talk about my books too much or too often. Have picked up a lot of interesting followers. Have almost forgotten how to write complete sentences. :)

I wanted to follow a certain famous horror author just because I wanted to read anything and everything this writer -- one of my top favorites -- had to say. My follow got bumped. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

My mystery novel, CAPTIVITY, is still doing good on Apple iBooks. Sales of books two and three in the trilogy are gaining speed. I'm still smiling.

Most of my free books will remain free until mid January. Get your copy while the getting is good.

Nice weather today, but I have to go to work. Tomorrow is my day off, but it's supposed to rain. Sheesh

New Book Releases For December

Tami Hoag: COLD, COLD HEART (A Stand Alone.)
Laura Childs: SCORCHED EGGS (The 6th in the Cackleberry Club Mystery Series.)
Joyce and Jim Lavene: SPELL BOOKED (The 1st in the new Retired Witches Mystery Series.)
Rebecca M. Hale: AGROUND ON ST. THOMAS (The 3rd in the Mystery in the Islands Mystery Series.)
Jeffery Deaver: TROUBLE IN MIND: THE COLLECTED STORIES, VOL. 3 (A Short Story Collection.)
E.J. Copperman (aka Jeffery Cohen): INSPECTOR SPECTER (The 6th in the Haunted Guesthouse Mystery Series.)
Waverly Curtis: THE CHIHUAHUA ALWAYS SNIFFS TWICE (The 4th in the Barking Detective Mystery Series.)
Isabella Alan (aka Amanda Flower): MURDER, SERVED SIMPLY (The 3rd in the Amish Quilt Shop Mystery Series.)
Juliet Blackwell (aka Hailey Lind): KEEPER OF THE CASTLE (The 5th in the Haunted Home Renovation Mystery Series.)
Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib): DEATH WILL ALL THE TRIMMINGS (The 5th in the Key West Food Critic Mystery Series.)
Edward Marston (aka Conrad Allen & Keith Miles): DEEDS OF DARKNESS (The 4th in the Home Front Detective Mystery Series.)
Christopher Fowler: BRYANT & MAY AND THE BLEEDING HEART (The 11th book in the Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery Series.)

A Month In Review

November is a month to remember for my novel, CAPTIVITY.

The "First in a Series Mysteries & Thrillers" event with Apple iBooks was a big success for me!

And... I got fan mail!

I can't stop smiling.

Thank you, to everyone at Apple and draft2DIGITAL for this golden opportunity.

From Me To You

LUNA TOUYE

The first two episodes in my psychological thriller series—LONG NIGHT MOON & WOLF MOON—are free for the month of December.

By day, BJ Donovan is a best-selling crime writer and a New Orleans chef.

By night, Bonnie June Donovan (aka Suite Sue) is a serial killer.

Excerpt from Chapter 1 of LONG NIGHT MOON
Virgil awoke late at night to find his wife gone. He kicked off cold and clammy bedcovers, box springs screeched when he got up. A steady breeze, weighed down with humidity, carried the vanilla-like fragrance of Joe-Pye weed and the barely audible sound of laughter through an open window.

He stood behind fluttering white sheers and watched Marie trot across the back yard, her long black curls bouncing with each footfall. The opaque security light above the barn doors cast an eerie pallor through the limbs of an old elm draped with Spanish moss. He noticed her belly, in the narrow space between her shirt and shorts, seemed rounder than normal. He lazily scratched his ass, wondered what the hell she’s doing.

A man stepped out of the shadows, and drew her into an embrace. They kissed for a moment, then entered the barn.

Marie came back out. She turned her head side to side, looked up. Virgil leaned back without thinking.

The man clasped her hand. “C’mere, baby.” He brought a shiny metal flask to his lips and took a long swig.

She giggled again. “Gimme some.”

“Sh! Not now.” He pulled her into the barn, loosely swung one door shut, the other already latched at the top.

*|*|*

Virgil slipped through the half closed door. Stood beneath the loft and listened to the rough’n ready sounds of raw lust. Glossy photos in his dog-eared girlie magazines flashed through his mind. He hiked the leather rifle strap onto his shoulder, gripped the sides of the wooden ladder. Slowly mounted the rungs; aware one always squeaks.

He found them in a clearing behind short stacks of hay. Virgil recognized him. He was the same slick salesman who’d come sniffing around last April trying to sell them some kitcheny crap. He didn’t know if his wife got any. He’d left the house to spend the rest of the mild and sunny morning planting eggplants to be sold at the farmers market and to local chefs.

A July heat wave made the guy come a-knocking again. Now he was a-rocking, in the hayloft, with a young wife and mamma.

iBooks | Kobo | Scribd | Nook | Page Foundry

LUNA TOUYE: Psychological suspense with a touch of romance.
These stories are available individually (13 books) and in bundles (5 books).

Merry Christmas

Words That Authors Are Sick Of Hearing

Such as: Infodump and Mary Sue

From The Passive Voice

Link to the rest at: i09

Who Killed Summer?

KILLING SUMMER

A standalone mystery novel featuring Sheriff Josh Wolfe of CAPTIVITY.

On a hot night in July a teenaged girl named Summer is murdered. She’ll be found one month later by two roofers, her lifeless eyes staring at the moldy interior of a rundown tool shed. The men responsible for her being there are two unlikely partners in crime, each with something to prove. One is the cowardly son of a decorated police officer. The other is a bully with a violent history. High on drugs and alcohol, neither knows who dealt the deathblow.

Fearing a confrontation, one of them agrees to pay the other for his vow of silence. But as time goes by, a hard life takes its toll on him. In order to put an end to the blackmail he’d have to take a risk. A risk that could easily backfire. Driven by hate and anger, he writes an anonymous letter to the sheriff recounting that killing summer.

Excerpt from Chapter 1
Stripped down to their underwear and socks, the two men walked into the chilly, snake infested waters of White River swatting mosquitoes every step of the way. Moving slowly through a shallow, rocky area with only their head and shoulders above the surface, they stayed close to the bank using their hands to feel around under submerged boulders. A half a mile or so upstream from where they had slung the rest of their clothing over a tree branch, the man in the lead, twenty-seven-year-old Kevin Rayland, took a deep breath, and dove under the water.

More than happy to play the role of spotter, Jasper Monroe kept a watchful eye out for game wardens who don’t care the practice of noodling has been legal in Missouri for quite a while. Since most flathead catfish are on the nest when they’re noodled, wildlife fanatics continue to argue that too many eggs are being destroyed, and this ridiculous and dangerous style of fishing must end.

They weren’t there to hand-fish. Not today. If they get caught, not tomorrow, either.

Kevin shot up out of the water, gasping for air. Swiped a hand down his face. “Found one.”

Jasper got behind him, and tucked his hands under Kevin’s arms to help him keep his balance while he twisted sideways to put his leg in the catfish hole. “Yep, it’s empty.” Jasper let go. Kevin fell backward, scraping his knee. Went under again trying to gain his footing. Angrily smacked the water with the side of his hand.

“Take it easy. Don’t be stirring up any damn leeches.” Jasper broke off a sturdy twig full of stiff brown leaves, stabbed the end in the ground above the hole to mark the spot. Piled rocks around the base for added support. “Let’s get this over with.”

In the waning daylight the men trudged back to their starting point, on guard for venomous snakes swimming about. “Good thing it rained,” Kevin whispered. “It turned the water brown. Maybe they won’t see us coming.” He shuddered, knowing how easy it would be to encounter snakes or beavers that have taken over abandoned holes. A sock won’t prevent sharp teeth or fangs from sinking into his flesh. Snapping turtles can also inflict a lot of misery by biting off a finger or two.

When they reached the rocky shoal, Jasper remained in the water. “Go on, get her.” Focused on the lengthening shadows in the surrounding woods he thought he saw movement. He leaned in, squinted his eyes, then pulled back. “Hurry the hell up,” he said in a low tone.

Kevin ran over to the boulder where they’d hidden the twenty-something ticket taker. He grasped her by her wrists, dragged her to the water’s edge. Jasper took hold of her hands, pulled her headfirst into the water. Kevin jumped in, reached under and found her feet. Her long hair flowed across her face like corn-yellow seaweed stems. The water washed blood from her wounds and marked her passing, as they floated her to the hole in the riverbank.

iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Page Foundry | Scribd

Interesting Blogs

CRIME ALWAYS PAYS — From Declan Burke

MYSTERY FANFARE — Mystery Readers Journal: News, Events, Books, Thoughts from Janet Rudolph, Editor.

IN REFERENCE TO MURDER — A reference, news, and entertainment tool for mystery readers and writers.

CRIMINAL ELEMENT — Murder. Mystery. Mayhem. Boiled Daily.

THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT — Lee Lofland’s guide to all things cops and robbers.

CRIMESPACE — A place for readers and writers of crime fiction to meet.

FLOGGING THE QUILL — Exploring the art and craft of compelling storytelling.

TERRIBLE MINDS — Chuck Wendig, freelance penmonkey.

THE KILL ZONE — Insider perspectives from today's hottest thriller and mystery writers.

MURDER IS EVERYWHERE — Six renowned crime writers blog from different corners of the world.

AUSTCRIMEFICTION — The place for discovering and sharing Crime Fiction from Australia, New Zealand and everywhere.

CRIME TIME PREVIEW — Previewing the latest crime dramas and thrillers coming to UK television and radio.

JA KONRATH — The author of the Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels thriller novels Whiskey Sour, Bloody Mary, and Rusty Nail.

14,301 Downloads...

...of a good story titled CAPTIVITY. Thank you!

From November 6 to November 23: 14,301 copies of my FREE mystery novel have been downloaded on Apple iBooks.

I would also like to extend my appreciation to everyone who went on to buy books two and three in this trilogy.

Excerpt from Chapter 1:
It was her uncanny likeness to Adele, his adoptive sister, that made him stare at her. She sat to one side of a barstool with an arm propped on the padded edge, nice legs crossed beneath a short denim skirt. She sipped a margarita; checked out the Saturday night crowd in the intimate saloon setting. Smiled and waved at anyone she knew.

Jim took a seat at the end of the bar. He slid a pack of Morilos out of his shirt pocket. One by one, the single men honed in on her only to get shot down. He lit a cigarette to curb a satisfied smile. The slow moving couples on the dance floor reminded him of his brief stint as a deckhand on a cargo ship and the way the vessel rocked side to side on the rolling sea in advance of a storm. He loved it, even when he was almost swept overboard by a crashing wave.

When a barman with ERIC on his nametag approached, he ordered a shot of off-brand bourbon. A rock glass was plunked down in front of him. Jim paid for the drink with cash. He flicked ashes into an empty peanut bowl. Downed the cheap whiskey that displeased his palate.

Tilting a hat back on his head, he cast a furtive glance in her direction. The lights winked at her auburn hair when she tossed her head back to knock long strands from her shoulder. She looked at him, her eyes twinkling with carefree interest. Glossy red lips beckoned him with a playful smile.

He stood. An older man staggered toward her. Jim realized the effort to go unnoticed so he could keep coming back was about to end.

The Backwoods Justice Trilogy: CAPTIVITY, BETRAYAL, PAYBACK

Featuring Sheriff Josh Wolfe of KILLING SUMMER

Distributed by Draft2Digital

New Book Releases For November

Jan Burke: CASE CLOSED (A collection of short stories.)
David Baldacci: THE ESCAPE (The 3rd in the Puller Mystery series.)
Parnell Hall: SAFARI (The 19th in the Stanley Hastings Mystery Series.)
J.A. Jance: A LAST GOODBYE (An Ali Reynolds Mystery Series novella.)
Anne Perry: A NEW YORK CHRISTMAS (The 12th of the Christmas novels.)
Lynn Cahoon: IF THE SHOE KILLS (The 3rd in the Tourist Trap Mystery Series.)
Anthea Fraser: JUSTICE POSTPONED (The 9th in the Rona Parish Mystery Series.)
Sue Ann Jaffarian: HELL ON WHEELS (The 9th in the Odelia Grey Mystery Series.)
Rett MacPherson: SLEEPING THE CHURCHYARD SLEEP (A stand-alone mystery.)
Stephen Booth: THE CORPSE BRIDGE (The 15th in the Cooper & Fry Mystery Series.)
Anthony Eglin: THE ALCATRAZ ROSE (The 6th in the English Garden Mystery Series.)
Michael Connelly: THE BURNING ROOM (The 18th in the Harry Bosch Mystery Series.)
Elaine Viets: A DOG GONE MURDER (The 10th in the Mystery Shopper Mystery Series.)
Ruth Rendell (aka Barbara Vine): THE GIRL NEXT DOOR (A stand-alone mystery novel.)
Rita Mae Brown: LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE (The 9th in the Fox Hunting Mystery Series.)
Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg: THE JOB (The 3rd in the Fox and O’Hare Mystery Series.)
Janice Thompson: DON'T ROCK THE BOAT (The 6th in the Bridal Mayhem Mystery Series.)
Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke: THE CINDERELLA MURDER (A stand-alone mystery.)
R.T. Raichev: THE KILLING OF OLGA KLIMT (The 9th in the Antonia Darcy and Major Payne Mystery Series.)
Victoria Hamilton (aka Amanda Cooper): NO MALLETS INTENDED (The 4th in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series.)
Jenna Bennett (aka Jennie Bentley and Bente Gallagher): DIRTY DEEDS (The 9th in the Savannah Martin Mystery Series.)
Alexander McCall Smith: THE HANDSOME MAN'S DELUXE CAFE (The 15th in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series.)
Joyce and Jim Lavene (aka J.J. Cook and Ellie Grant): DAE'S CHRISTMAS PAST (The 6th in the Missing Pieces Mystery Series.)

10,000+ Downloads In 6 days On Apple iBooks

CAPTIVITY, book one in the Backwoods Justice Trilogy, was nominated for Apple's special promotion by Draft2Digital: First in a Series Free in the Mysteries and Thrillers genre. Start a suspenseful new series for free on Apple iBooks.

And six days later....

Thanks, Apple and D2D! And a special Thank You to everyone who downloaded a copy!

CAPTIVITY:
A small-town sheriff tracks a psychopath targeting members of a retired mariner's family.


Opening Line:
It was her uncanny likeness to Adele, his adoptive sister, that made him stare at her.

Book 2: BETRAYAL
A reporter furthers his budding career as a crime scene photographer by filming new construction being set ablaze by his older brother, who has a dark secret of his own.

Book 3: PAYBACK
A deadly game of geocaching goes awry when hidden clues to the whereabouts of a kidnapped victim are swept away in a flash flood.

Interwoven tales of mystery, murder, and romance in a small, tourist town.

First In A Series Mysteries & Thrillers

The First in a Series Mysteries & Thrillers feature is now live on iBooks.

Start a suspenseful new series today... for free!

Feature Link

Now Available

A crime writer embarks on a killing spree, by means of voodoo magic, and uses details of the murders to maintain her best-seller status with an episodic thriller series.

LUNA TOUYE BUNDLES

Psychological suspense with a touch of romance.

What's Happening

A story-in-progress has come to a complete standstill. My focus is on the upcoming holidays. I have a long list of sites where I can promote my books. I am contacting a few of them every day until I reach the end of the list.

Spooky Movies For Halloween

2000 ** THE CELL – RICKY 6 – BATTLE ROYALE – GINGER SNAPS
2001 ** JEEPERS CREEPERS – THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE – SESSION 9 – FRAILTY
2002 ** THE GRUDGE – THE RING – 28 DAYS LATER – DOG SOLDIERS
2003 ** OPEN WATER – DEAD END – WRONG TURN – JEEPERS CREEPERS 2
2004 ** SAW – THE ORDEAL – SHUTTER – DEAD BIRDS
2005 ** THE DESCENT – THE DEVIL'S REJECTS – BOO – WOLF CREEK
2006 ** TAXIDERMIA – THE HILLS HAVE EYES – THE HOST – SILENT HILL
2007 ** THE MIST – PARANORMAL ACTIVITY – VACANCY – TRICK 'R TREAT
2008 ** EDEN LAKE – LET THE RIGHT ONE IN – MARTYRS – SPLINTER
2009 ** DRAG ME TO HELL – THIRST – ZOMBIELAND – THE COLLECTOR
2010 ** THE CRAZIES – PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 – LET ME IN – MY SOUL TAKE
2011 ** THE RITE – INSIDIOUS – PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 – 11-11-11
2012 ** CHERNOBYL DIARIES – SILENT HOUSE – PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 – SINISTER
2013 ** THE CONJURING – WORLD WAR Z – THE PURGE – MAMA – INSIDIOUS 2
2014 ** ANNABELLE – AS ABOVE, SO BELOW – THE PURGE: ANARCHY – TUSK – DELIVER US FROM EVIL

New Horror Book Releases

THE LAST SURVIVORS by Bobby Adair ** PRINCE LESTAT by Anne Rice

DARKNESS CLASHES by Susan Illene ** A SUDDEN LIGHT by Garth Stein

STRANGE WAYS by Bryan Smith ** PSYCHOPATH FOR HIRE by Matt Shaw

THE HAUNTED by Jonas Saul ** SHIP OF THE DEAD by John L. Campbell

A GOOD MARRIAGE by Stephen King ** THE BETRAYED by Heather Graham

THE POWERS THAT BE by A B Lee ** THE BLACK GATE by Michael R. Hicks

THE RIVER IS DARK by Joe Hart ** THE FIELDS OF LEMURIA by Sam Sisavath

THE APOCALYPSE FUGITIVES by Peter Meredith ** MIND FRAY by Alexie Aaron

ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE by Stephen Derickson ** THE SHADOWS by J. R. Ward

HAUNTED GROUND by Irina Shapiro ** THE DARK DEFILES by Richard K. Morgan

THE WOLF AND THE BOBCAT by E. A. Price ** ZOMBIE FALLOUT 8 by Mark Tufo

CONTAGIOUS CHAOS by Emily Goodwin ** BROKEN MONSTERS by Lauren Beukes
THE WALKING DEAD Book #10 by Robert Kirkman ** WAR OF THE LIVING by Joshua Guess
SHATTERED WORLD by Kate L. Mary ** THE BLEEDING HEART by Tracey H. Kitts
THE BOY WHO DREW MONSTERS by Keith Donohue ** SUNBLIND by Michael McBride

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME by Willow Rose ** IN CREEPS THE NIGHT by LE Jamez

Free Halloween Horror

iBOOKS | KOBO | SCRIBD | NOOK | PAGE FOUNDRY

Five miles from the New Mexico border, an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale shook the small town of Coyote Pass, Texas at exactly 6 PM causing a blackout. The ground was cracked for miles. A shrouded figure crept out of one of the fissures.

The members of the Cottonwood Pack think the blackout is really cool, especially since it hit on Halloween night. They load two cases of beer and a Ouija board into a minivan. Drive to the abandoned Dark Road Cemetery, hoping to conjure up a ghost or two.

Something much more terrifying is already there.

What's Happening

Working on a new series.

Something different.

Special Announcement

New covers for the Luna Touye Series!

Psychological suspense with a touch of romance.

LONG NIGHT MOON (Book 1 of 13)
Moved by the success of her debut novel, twenty-six-year-old BJ Donovan of New Orleans, Louisiana can’t handle the thoughts of being a one-hit wonder and never feeling special ever again.

Using her position as the executive chef and owner of a popular restaurant in the French Quarter to blend in with the community she embarks on a killing spree, by means of voodoo magic, and uses details of the murders to maintain her best-seller status with an episodic thriller series.

While the body count rises—from her brother’s girlfriend, found mutilated at an abandoned farmhouse, to an undercover cop murdered in a dark alley on the riverside—BJ tries to remain above suspicion as she continues to write the wrongs in her world.

Taking The Plunge

Free

All my short stories are free until they are not.

NOOK | APPLE | KOBO | PAGE FOUNDRY

STAY WITH ME -- A senseless act of murder at a remote country mansion unites two lonelyhearts.

THE PLOT -- Leland Gardner literally puts heart and soul into his new flower garden.

NIGHT OF THE DARK -- On Halloween night, in the midst of a blackout, a subterranean creature wreaks havoc on a small Texas town.

GAR -- A small group of amateur anglers learn payback bites when they try to get rid of a very large alligator gar before the start of a major fishing competition.

BONNIE PARKER SMILE -- To earn the much-coveted Bonnie Parker smile, a man hones his skills in highway robbery.

This And That

I'm extending the free period for Captivity and Long Night Moon, since they are getting a lot of downloads.

Still working full-time in retail. What I do there is physically demanding, tiring, and unfulfilling at times. But, I'm no quitter.

Found an extensive list of places to advertise my free books. Plan to get started on this way before the holiday shopping season begins.

FREE -- Until?

APPLE | KOBO

CAPTIVITY

Backwoods Justice Trilogy #1

The gruesome discovery of a woman’s corpse in the small tourist resort of Point Jove, Missouri draws Sheriff Josh Wolfe, a widower who enjoys tinkering with his award winning hot rod, into the most perilous case of his career. Hounded by the townsfolk and media, Wolfe exhausts every conventional method for solving the crime.

The investigation comes to a standstill. Then, four more residents disappear. Everyone is convinced Rhone County is harboring a serial kidnapper who chooses his victims by chance. Wolfe believes the people are not only related to one another but are somehow tied to the last surviving member of the county’s namesake.

Time is not only running out for Sheriff Wolfe but for his lover, dissatisfied wife of a homebuilder, held against her will at the Rhone family’s abandoned sawmill where spilled gasoline awaits a lighted match.

LONG NIGHTS MOON

Luna Touye Series #1

Moved by the success of her debut novel, twenty-six-year-old BJ Donovan of New Orleans, Louisiana can’t handle the thoughts of being a one-hit wonder and never feeling special ever again.

Using her position as the executive chef and owner of a popular restaurant in the French Quarter to blend in with the community she embarks on a killing spree, by means of voodoo magic, and uses details of the murders to maintain her best-seller status with an episodic thriller series.

While the body count rises—from her brother’s girlfriend, found mutilated at an abandoned farmhouse, to an undercover cop murdered in a dark alley on the riverside—BJ tries to remain above suspicion as she continues to write the wrongs in her world.

Luna Touye: The Complete Series

UPDATE: This book is currently unavailable.

Luna Touye

13 Dark Tales

Psychological suspense with a touch of romance.

Apple | Nook | Kobo | Page Foundry | Scribd

LONG NIGHTS MOON — December, New Orleans, Louisiana
Posing as Alma LeJeune, sex worker, crime writer BJ Donovan embarks on a killing spree, by means of voodoo magic, and uses details of the murders to maintain her best-seller status with an episodic thriller series.

WOLF MOON — January, St. Augustine, Florida
BJ goes on a murderous rampage after someone at a writers retreat steals her handwritten manuscript of a new novel containing details of a true crime that were never made public.

HUNGER MOON — February, Savannah, Georgia
With a little help from BJ Donovan, Alma LeJeune exacts revenge on the descendants of the people who had willingly participated in the unfair conviction and public hanging of a young Irish woman in 1735.

WORM MOON — March, Key West, Florida
Made the brunt of a sick joke by The Six, a snobbish group of writers, BJ shows them what make believe is all about when she uses the legendary Roger the Doll, a child’s toy created by voodoo magic, to hit back.

FISH MOON — April, Charleston, South Carolina
Possessed by the ghost of a female serial killer from the 1800s, Alma drugs traveling businessmen then feeds their dismembered body parts to her pet, a great white alligator.

FLOWER MOON — May, Salem, Massachusetts
A strange conversation between BJ and the descendant of a Salem witch leads Alma to believe that BJ is being drawn into a web of lies and deceit.

STRAWBERRY MOON — June, Cincinnati, Ohio
BJ grows suspicious of an elderly woman’s true motives after she asks her to help get her granddaughter away from her cruel husband, a notorious gangster.

THUNDER MOON — July, Chicago, Illinois
After a devastating hurricane hits New Orleans BJ decides to get on the road and finish her promotional tour, unaware someone is lying in wait.

RED MOON — August, Portland, Oregon
BJ is about to wage war on two animal abusers when something extraordinary happens.

HARVEST MOON — September, Hollywood, California
A playwright’s misuse of BJ’s psychological suspense series infuriates her.

HUNTER’S MOON — October, Las Vegas, Nevada
An unexpected invitation to a murder mystery dinner party makes BJ wonder if she is the intended victim.

BEAVER MOON — November, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
BJ soon regrets her decision to help a woman who claims she had just escaped from a torture chamber in the desert.

COLD MOON — December, Chalmette, Louisiana
Bonnie June is coming home, but to what end?

This story is dark fiction: sex, violence, voodoo. And then there’s that horrifying scene with locusts and honey at an abandoned farmhouse. (shudder) Clearly not romantic fluff even though a love story is slowly rising to the surface.

Cold Moon - The Final Episode

Luna Touye #13

December
Chalmette, Louisiana

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Bonnie June is coming home, but to what end?

Beaver Moon

Luna Touye #12

November

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While traveling south on 1-25 through New Mexico BJ sees a woman off in the distance walking unsteadily across the desert terrain. She gets off the highway with the intention of offering her a ride to the nearest city. Sun setting on the horizon, she speeds up, uneasy about being lost in the dark.

She feels a hard thump. Gets out and checks under the car. Oil is dripping on the ground. She knows the engine will burn up if she keeps going. Stranded and on foot, the urgency to find this mysterious woman increases. She begins to wonder if the woman is one of those nature-loving RVers, who might also be willing to provide shelter for the night.

When she comes around the front of a rock formation she is surprised to find the woman sitting on the ground singing a creepy song. She tells BJ she has just escaped from a torture chamber near Elephant Butte Lake. Leery of getting involved, she tells the woman she should speak to the authorities. BJ asks who is she? She says she is Voodoo Lily, from Louisiana. BJ Donovan is a cynic of the worst kind. She turns to leave. The woman starts crying, says she needs help. Against her better judgment BJ gives in... a decision she’ll soon come to regret.

Hunter's Moon

Luna Touye Series #11

October

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After BJ Donovan finished an author reading, a member of the audience approached her. He introduced himself as a Las Vegas entrepreneur, and a fan of her books. Invited her to a murder mystery dinner party at his club. Handed her his business card. Said it’s her ticket to the fun and games.

She arrives at the Cranberry Casino-Hotel disguised as Suite Sue. The attendant brings her to the banquet room. Standing on the threshold, BJ hesitates.

Harvest Moon

Luna Touye Series #10

September

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A playwright from California, who had first contacted BJ to say he enjoyed all the stories in Luna Touye so much that he adapted the series for the stage, contacted her a second time. He said a theater owner optioned the play from him. Reminded her that his adaptation, titled Moon Kill, was inspired by her story not based on it. Ended the brief note with an invitation for opening night.

Wearing a disguise, BJ Donovan arrives at the little theater in Hollywood without advance warning. Buys a ticket the same as everybody else. Takes a seat in the back row. Watches the play. Listens to the comments.

Hell hath no fury like a woman who is extremely angry and vindictive.

Red Moon

Luna Touye Series #9

August

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In the haunted Peregrine Saloon, the subject for the latest episode of her series, BJ Donovan overhears a disturbing conversation. One man tells another man about the recent slaughter of a black bear and how he used its hide as a warm throw for his couch and its claws as jewelry for his wife. They laugh, discuss going into the FURniture business together. Plan to track down the orphaned cubs. Understand they can cut expenses if they trap and skin the bears themselves. Seal the deal with a high-five and a shot of whiskey.

Their coldhearted scheme just plain pisses her off. BJ summons Alma to the Oregon tavern. About to wage war on the two men, something extraordinary happens.

What's Happening

The Bad Mojo Series has been rebranded. It is now known as the Luna Touye Series. All 13 Quiller titles were changed to the name of the full moon used in each episode. New covers were made.

New venues have opened up.

As an introductory offer, Long Nights Moon, formerly titled Serial Quiller 1, is available free of charge for a limited time.

All of this got me thinking about the Hellfire Trilogy.

The series has been changed to the Backwoods Justice Trilogy. Book 1, formerly titled Smoke on the Water, was changed to Captivity. Fire Flicks became Betrayal. Ashes of Vengeance is Payback.

Captivity is free for a limited time, as well.

Currently, I am not working on any new projects. I have a neglected life to maintain.

Thunder Moon

Luna Touye Series #8

July

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A devastating hurricane hits New Orleans. BJ Donovan’s life will never be the same again. With nowhere to go, she decides to get on the road and follow through with her plans for a book promotion campaign.

En route to Illinois she observes her surroundings for a plot idea to use in her new story. Before she gets to Chicago, though, she has to stop in LaPorte, Indiana for a prearranged book signing gig. When she finds out she’ll be sharing her time and space with five other mystery writers she cancels her appearance.

Too late in the day to continue her journey she goes to a fine dining restaurant to have a leisurely meal. The maître d’ apologizes then informs her that her table was reserved for someone else. By chance she is moved closer to a party of four who are discussing a string of kidnappings in Chicago. The authorities believe someone is copying the Bette Guinness lonelyhearts murder spree of 1900.

And there it is. The plot she sought for the new episode of her serial thriller. BJ pays a visit to the local library. In the midst of scanning headlines on microfiche she sees a familiar face.

Strawberry Moon

Luna Touye Series #7

June

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BJ is in Cincinnati, Ohio to research the haunted gazebo in Eben Park as a possible setting for the current episode of her serial thriller. Taking pictures of the unique structure in the moonlight for the book cover art she sees the shadowy figure of a woman through the lens of an infrared camera. Dressed in black, she’s crying quietly and looking in the direction of Mirrow Lake.

The woman, Olivia, says she is sure her granddaughter is going to be murdered by her husband, and she doesn’t know what to do to stop him. He is a gangster, a nightclub owner, and the grandson of an infamous bootlegger who murdered his wife in the 1920s.

BJ has no interest in becoming involved in someone else’s domestic dispute. Olivia tells her how he treats his wife as though she was a dumb Dora while treating the woman he’s stuck on like she’s the queen of Sheba. She doesn’t know what the hell the woman is saying, but Olivia’s fear is real and familiar. BJ has a clear understanding of what she must do.

Flower Moon

Luna Touye Series #6

May

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In Salem, Massachusetts, BJ has a feeling that she’s being watched during a group book signing. Coolly scanning the mystery and thriller aisles she spots a woman in front of a three-tier bookshelf looking at her over the top of her glasses. She holds BJ’s gaze for a moment, then turns and walks away.

Hours later the woman pays BJ a visit at her motel room. The attractive blonde introduces herself simply as Rebecca. She claims one of her ancestors, Hannah Rebecca Dorcas, was a witch who was burned at the stake and buried on private property by four men in May 1692. The only indication this unjust and illegal execution had taken place was due to severe remorse of one of the men, who took his own life within a few hours of making this chilling confession. It has taken over 300 years for their namesakes to come of age. On the anniversary of her death Hannah has returned to carry out her vow of revenge, and she needs BJ Donovan’s help because her powers are much stronger and her techniques are more modern.

Hidden from view, Alma listens to the strange story. Thoughts of Alicia Reilly drift in and out of her mind. She believes the woman has an ulterior motive, and BJ has been drawn into a web of lies and deceit.

Fish Moon

Luna Touye Series #5

April

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During a séance the ghost of America’s first alleged female serial killer, Luciana Fisher, possesses Alma LeJeune. Taking up where Fisher left off, Alma drugs traveling businessmen spending the night at the Wayfarer Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina. Before they pass out she escorts them to their room where the bed is rigged to a mechanism that lowers it to the cellar through a hole in the floorboards. In the cellar the sleeping men are hacked to pieces by Luciana and her husband, Jack, who has also returned from the dead. After dark, she feeds the body parts to her pet, a great white alligator.

One man who didn’t drink the tea escapes and leads authorities to the hotel. Alma—still trapped in a trancelike state and coming closer to being completely transformed into Luciana—is unable to resist arrest, much less defend herself when she’s on the verge of being hanged by the neck.

Where is BJ? Why did she leave her there all alone?

Worm Moon

Luna Touye Series #4

March

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Jealous over the remarkable success of BJ Donovan’s debut novel, six close-knit members of the Lieu de Crime Club get drunk at a writers conference in Key West, Florida, and come up with a plan to play a practical joke on her, just to knock her off her high horse.

They aren’t the only ones who know how to create a scenario that fits a real-life situation for a novel. Using the legendary Roger the Doll, a cursed child’s toy on display at the East Marcello Museum where he is kept under lock and key, BJ gets even with The Six.

Hunger Moon

Luna Touye Series #3
February

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While strolling around Rights Square disguised as Suite Sue, Alma LeJeune encounters the ghost of Alicia Reilly, an indentured servant who was executed in January 1735 for the murder of her cruel employer, Wilbert Weiss.

The first woman to be hanged in Savannah, Georgia, Alicia was left hanging from the gallows for three days while bystanders gawked at her decomposing body. Taking the life of her employer was defensible. Hanging her was not.

Enraged over the harsh treatment and public humiliation thereafter of the young Irish immigrant, along with the knowledge that Weiss wasn’t punished in any way for his abusive behavior, Alma hunts down the descendants of those responsible for this undeserved execution.

Wolf Moon

Luna Touye Series #2
January

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Six newly published authors, along with BJ Donovan, are in St. Augustine, Florida to spend two weeks at a popular resort and workshop where their manuscript will be critiqued and given the attention it deserves.

While BJ is out gathering information on Arlene Wornon, an American serial killer, another writer breaks into her room. BJ seeks the help of a bokor after she discovers someone has stolen her manuscript, an unpolished first draft of a thriller novel packed with unpublicized details leading up to the murder of Detective Lucas Cantin of New Orleans in Louisiana.

Long Nights Moon

Luna Touye Series #1
December

Psychological Suspense

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Moved by the success of her debut novel, twenty-six-year-old BJ Donovan of New Orleans, Louisiana can’t handle the thoughts of being a one-hit wonder and never feeling special ever again.

Using her position as the executive chef and owner of a popular restaurant in the French Quarter to blend in with the community she embarks on a killing spree, by means of voodoo magic, and uses details of the murders to maintain her best-seller status with an episodic thriller series.

While the body count rises—from her brother’s girlfriend, found mutilated at an abandoned farmhouse, to an undercover cop murdered in a dark alley on the riverside—BJ tries to remain above suspicion as she continues to write the wrongs in her world. (formerly titled Serial Quiller)

Hiatus - Back August 3