What's Happening

New covers for THE CAJUN GIRL books were recently uploaded to all venues.

I signed up for a promotional event for THE CAJUN GIRL: Part 1 that was set to run on the 8th of this month. For some reason it did not. The book wasn't featured anywhere. I'm glad I didn't have to pay them. I'm not glad I waited a week and a half for nothing. Live and learn, and don't ever use them again.

I've made a list of other promo sites for TCG 1. The list has been evenly divided so that it will cover the next five months.

My day job is still depressing.

I'm working on new stories for the New Year.

Writers' Conferences & Book Festivals, 2016

JUNE 2016

June 10-12
MYSTERY WRITERS KEY WEST FEST Key West, FL

June 11
CRIME STORY WEEKEND Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

June 22-28
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ROMAN NOIR Frontignan, France

June 23-28
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE Orlando, FL

JULY 2016

July 5-9
THRILLERFEST New York, NY

July 15-17
PUBLIC SAFETY WRITERS CONFERENCE Las Vegas, NV

July 21-24
PULPFEST Columbus, OH

July 21-24
THEAKSTONS OLD PECULIER CRIME FESTIVAL Harrogate, UK

July 28-31
BOOK PASSAGE MYSTERY WRITERS CONFERENCE Corte Madera, CA

AUGUST 2016

August 13
SUFFOLK MYSTERY AUTHORS FESTIVAL Suffolk, VA

August 13-29
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL Edinburgh, Scotland

August 18-21
KILLER NASHVILLE Nashville, TN

SEPTEMBER 2016

September 14-18
INTERNATIONAL AGATHA CHRISTIE FESTIVAL Torquay, Devon, UK

September 15-18
BOUCHERCON New Orleans, LA

September 24
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS BOOK FESTIVAL Washington, DC

September 25-30
FALL FOR THE BOOK George Mason University Fairfax, VA

September 30-October 2
CREATURES, CRIMES & CREATIVITY Baltimore, MD

OCTOBER 2016

October 26-30
NOIR CON Philadelphia, PA

October 28-30
MAGNA CUM MURDER Indianapolis, IN

NOVEMBER 2016

November 11-13
NEW ENGLAND CRIME BAKE Goffstown, NH

November 17-20
ICELAND NOIR Reykjavik, Iceland

Coffee Break — May 3

The new mystery series has been outlined. Characters were named and assigned a role. I’m hiring an ebook cover designer. The books won’t be available until all the stories have been written and all the covers have been made. Afterward, I’m submitting them to Amazon’s CreateSpace so I’ll also have paperback copies.

However...

I just discovered Amazon Storywriter. Right away I knew I wanted to use this free service to adapt one of my novels to a screenplay. I very much wanted to do this a couple of years ago, but I couldn’t get the hang of it. Storywriter does my thinking (and formatting) for me.

I’m anxious to begin.

What's Happening

I am spending more time writing this year, less time with social media.

I've begun the first in a series of novellas based on characters from my Point Jove books (CAPTIVITY, BETRAYAL, PAYBACK, KILLING SUMMER).

March Madness Sale

THE CAJUN GIRL: Part 1 is FREE for a limited time.

iBooks | Nook | Page Foundry | Kindle

She survived a horrific childhood only to wind up trapped in a bitter, loveless marriage. Determined to find independence BJ Donovan, a French Quarter restaurateur, pens a work of fiction. Her book is a hit. But not for long. While interest in her debut crime novel continues to wane she comes up with a plan for how to top the bestseller list again. Using her position as a young executive chef to blend in with the community she embarks on a killing spree, by means of witchcraft, and uses details of the murders to begin the first book in a thriller series.

Excerpt from Chapter One:
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 Psychological Suspense Novel

New Release - A Watery Death

A WATERY DEATH

A Sci-Fi Horror Short Story

A recognized tournament is coming to Redmoon Lake. If word gets out that an abnormally large alligator gar has not only taken over the lake it has taken someone’s life the event would surely be called off. More than likely it would never be rescheduled. The members of an amateur anglers fishing club plan to take matters into their own hands.

Excerpt:
Lee Jackson, a thirteen-year-old budding geologist, moved farther away from his younger brother and the shoreline, as he continued on his quest to find more rocks and gemstones to add to his growing collection. “Chal-ced-o-ny.” He pulled a spiral tablet from his hip pocket. Flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. “Yep. Chalcedony. Includes many varieties of, um, crypto-crys-tal-line... cryptocrystalline quartz gemstones.” He stuffed the tablet in his pocket. Following a worn trail around a curve he glanced back in time to see his brother, Tate, casting his line into the water.

Page Foundry | iBooks | Kindle | Amazon UK | Nook

New Release - A Haunting At Wentzel Farm

A HAUNTING AT WENTZEL FARM
Psychological Suspense

Based on the character Evelyn Adrian from THE CAJUN GIRL

A woman is left homeless after a fire destroys her apartment building in New Orleans, Louisiana. At the same time, a severe thunderstorm warning is issued. Trying to get out of the city at night in a downpour while caught in heavy traffic she makes a wrong turn. Evelyn finds a farmhouse by accident. About to knock and ask directions, the door creaks open.

Excerpt:
The old dark house stood alone on the right side of a dirt road. Power lines came down when severe thunderstorms tore through southern Louisiana earlier in the day. She got a flashlight from the trunk of her car, and climbed the steps to the wraparound porch. A cool breeze rippled her T-shirt. Lightning cast her elongated shadow onto the door. About to knock and ask directions, the door creaked open. Evelyn backed up. A wind gust whipped her long hair in a frenzy. She took a deep breath and quickly exhaled. “Hello?” she called out in a soft tone, nudging the door open wider with the flashlight.

Kindle | Amazon UK | Nook | Page Foundry | iBooks | Kobo | 24Symbols | Tolino | Scribd

New Release - The Cajun Girl

THE CAJUN GIRL: Part 1 of 2 - A Psychological Suspense Novel

She survived a horrific childhood only to wind up trapped in a bitter, loveless marriage. Determined to find independence BJ Donovan, a French Quarter restaurateur, pens a work of fiction. Her book is a hit. But not for long. While interest in her debut crime novel continues to wane she comes up with a plan for how to top the bestseller list again. Using her position as a young executive chef to blend in with the community, she embarks on a killing spree, by means of witchcraft, and uses details of the murders to begin the first book in a thriller series.

Nook | Page Foundry | Scribd | iBooks | 24Symbols | Kobo | Tolino | Amazon US | Amazon UK

THE CAJUN GIRL: Part 2 of 2 - Twelve Gripping Episodes

A homicide detective’s interest in her goes beyond a string of unsolved murders. BJ can’t allow him to get too close. Under the guise of a book signing tour for her debut novel, she makes monthly trips to twelve specific cities in order to gather enough real-life material to complete her episodic thriller which she believes has bestseller potential. Will she also find the freedom she seeks? Or will she spend the rest of her life paying a debt she never owed?

Nook | Page Foundry | Scribd | iBooks | 24Symbols | Kobo | Tolino | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Excerpt from Chapter 1 of Part 1:

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.

Coming Soon

Writers' Conferences & Book Festivals, 2016

JANUARY

Jan. 16-23: Writers in Paradise conference, St. Petersburg, Florida
http://writersinparadise.eckerd.edu/

Jan. 22-24: San Diego State University Writers’ Conference, San Diego Marriott, Mission Valley
http://www.ces.sdsu.edu/wc

Jan. 24-30: Todos Santos Writers Workshop, Todos Santos, Baja Mexico
www.todossantoswritersworkshop.com

FEBRUARY

Feb. 10-14: San Miguel Writers' Conference and Literary Festival, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
www.sanmiguelwritersconference.org

Feb. 11-14: Savannah Book Festival, Savannah, Georgia
http://www.savannahbookfestival.org/

Feb. 11-15: San Francisco Writers Conference, San Francisco, California
www.SFWriters.org

Feb. 19-21: Galiano Literary Festival, Galiano Island, BC, Canada
galianoliteraryfestival.com

Feb. 20: Atlanta Writing Workshop, Atlanta, Georgia
http://atlantawritingworkshop.com/

Feb. 20: Birmingham Local Authors Expo and Book Fair, Birmingham, Alabama
http://www.bham.lib.al.us/programs/LocalAuthors/

Feb. 25-28: Left Coast Crime’s annual mystery convention in Phoenix, Arizona
http://www.leftcoastcrime2016.com/

Feb. 25-28: Sleuthfest, Deerfield Beach, Florida
http://sleuthfest.com/

Feb. 26-28: Digital Author and Indie Publishing Conference, Van Nuys, California
www.wcwriters.com/da

MARCH

March 5: Writing Festival, Wordcrafters in Eugene Writers’ Conference, Eugene, Oregon
http://wordcraftersineugene.org/conference/

March 5: The Augusta Literary Festival, Augusta, Georgia
http://www.augustaliteraryfestival.org/

March 12: Florida Authors & Publishers Spring Conference, Orlando, Florida
https://fpa.memberclicks.net/spring-conference

March 12-13: The Dahlonega Book Festival, Dahlonega, Georgia
http://dahlonegaliteraryfestival.wordpress.com/

March 12-16: The Tucson Festival of Books, Tucson, Arizona
http://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/

March 16-20: The Algonkian Novel Retreat, Sterling, Virginia
algonkianconferences.com/AlgonkianWriterRetreat

March 25: Tampa Writers Conference, Tampa, Florida
http://floridawritingworkshops.com/

March 26: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
http://floridawritingworkshops.com/

March 30 | April 2: AWP Writers’ Conference and Bookfair, Los Angeles, California
http://awpwriter.org/conference/

APRIL

April 7-9: The Write Stuff writers’ conference, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
www.glvwg.org

April 8: Writing by Writers Workshop at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
www.writingxwriters.org

April 8-9: IBPA Publishing University, Salt Lake City, Utah
http://ibpapublishinguniversity.com/index.html

April 8-9: North Texas Book Festival, Denton, Texas
www.ntbf.org

April 8-9: Maine Crime Wave, Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance, Portland, Maine
http://mainewriters.org/2016-maine-crime-wave

April 8-10: Okanagan Valley Writers’ Festival, Penticton, BC, Canada
http://okanaganvalleywritersfestival.com/

April 8-10: Word of South Festival of Literature and Music, Tallahassee, Florida
http://www.wordofsouthfestival.com/about/

April 12-17: Romantic Times Book Lovers’ Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada
http://www.rtconvention.com

April 14-17: Arkansas Literary Festival. Little Rock, Arkansas
http://www.arkansasliteraryfestival.org/

April 15-17: Pikes Peak Writers’ Conference, Colorado Springs, Colorado
http://www.pikespeakwriters.com/ppwc/

April 15-17: Story Circle Network Women’s Writing Conference, Austin, Texas
http://www.storycircle.org/Conference/

April 15-17: Writer’s Institute, Madison, Wisconsin
https://uwwritersinstitute.wisc.edu/

April 23: Alabama Book Festival, Montgomery, Alabama
http://www.alabamabookfestival.org/

April 23-24: DFW Writers Conference, Fort Worth Convention Center, Texas
http://www.dfwcon.org

April 28-30: 2016—Las Vegas Writers Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada
www.lasvegaswritersconference.com

April 29 | May 1: Malice Domestic, annual mystery fan convention, in Bethesda, Maryland
www.malicedomestic.org

April 29 | May 1: Grub Street’s “Muse and the Marketplace” Conference, Boston, Massachusetts
https://www.grubstreet.org/muse/

April 29 | May 1: Chanticleer Authors Conference, Bellingham, Washington
www.chantireviews.com

April 30 | May 1: Ontario Writers Conference, Ajax, Ontario, Canada
http://thewritersconference.com/

Get It While It's Hot

I gave KILLING SUMMER a new look, and then kept this mystery novel in Amazon's KDP Select/KU program.

The 5-Day Free Event begins today.

Tagline:
Blackmailed for murder, unable to prove his innocence, a man involves a small town sheriff in his plan for revenge.

Synopsis:
On a hot night in July a young woman 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.

KILLING SUMMER
They weren't there to hand-fish.

What's Happening

My trilogy, Backwoods Justice, a small town murder mystery, is available on 24Symbols.

CAPTIVITY — A sheriff tracks a psychopath targeting members of a retired mariner’s family. (Still available for Free)

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.

PAYBACK — Deadly game of geocaching goes awry when hidden clues to the whereabouts of a kidnapped victim are swept away in a flash flood.

Featuring Sheriff Joshua Wolfe of KILLING SUMMER.

***

I intend to unpublish all thirteen books in the Bad Mojo series, reduce them to just two books, change the titles, and then make them available only on Amazon for a limited time.

Rested and raring to go, I'm even more determined to write my way out of my day job. So, I am spending more time writing this year, less time worrying about sales, and less time with social media.

Cheers