Category: Uncategorized

#MysteryExchange Cathy Perkins

  By Uncategorized

I know it’s August, but the #MysteryExchange isn’t over. This week I’m pleased to present Cathy Perkins and her Holly Price books.

A Different Point of View
By Cathy Perkins
When I was young, if you’d asked me for the last place I’d expect—or want—to live, my answer would’ve been, “In a small town.” Small towns seemed to be cultural wastelands, populated by gossiping neighbors who were all related to each other. And out west? That option never entered my Southern soul.
Fast forward a few years and dangle the right job opportunity at the right time and—you got it in one—we moved to a small town in eastern Washington state. We quickly discovered most of those myths about small towns were simply…myths.
As we settled into our new hometown, I debated whether my novels should make a similar cross-country leap. My South Carolina based mysteries featured a law enforcement protagonist. To get appropriate operational procedures, along with cop attitudes and humor, I drew from a circle of friends at various levels of local, state and federal law enforcement. Curious about procedures in our new town, I participated in the Citizen’s Police Academy and discovered most of the same policies and philosophies I’d encountered back east. (I also learned more than I ever wanted to know about making meth. Nasty nastystuff.)
Volunteering for the Sexual Assault Center as a hospital victim’s advocate provided an intimate view of law enforcement. Other than one cocky, testosterone-laden patrol officer and another older guy I wanted to strangle (except that would be assault and I really had no interest in going to jail), I found the officers professional, well educated and well trained. Nobody’s perfect, but I appreciated what these men and women did on a daily basis.
And those inevitable slow days in a small town? Well, let’s just say the day my in-law’s moving van got stuck at the entrance to the retirement village (blocking traffic on the main road—another relative term), all four patrol cars PLUS the sergeant showed up. Once they finished laughing, they helped a retired mechanic (who was in heaven being the expert, by the way) do something to a suspension part and un-stuck it. For some strange reason, the chief of police was not amused when I relayed this story at a party… So far, I’ve refrained from using this tidbit in a book.
With only five patrol officers on duty during a shift (and fewer than this in the even smaller nearby towns) reciprocal agreements were a must. Neighboring cities, counties, even Washington State Patrol was a welcome addition when suspects took to the highways to escape. I made use of this mutual support during Holly Price’s carjacking in So About the Money (Book 1 in the series). In addition to the local officers, county deputies and state patrol officers joined the chase to catch the villains in that scene. On a broader scale, I’ve used the involvement of outside agencies—the DEA, for example, in In It For The Money—to work with—and against—the local law enforcement agencies.
I’d better back up a second. For this series, along with changing locations from South Carolina’s cities to a small town in eastern Washington, I switched from a multiple (hero, heroine, villain) point of view approach and a law enforcement main character, to a single, civilian character. Whew! Talk about stretching and growing as an author. Everything that happened in the story had to come through that one character’s experiences and reactions. (And no cheating with, “Well, Laurie, as you know, this thing you should already know about happened, but let me give you the complete backstory.”) Action and body language became as important as dialogue for revealing character—but that’s a different discussion.
Rather than having my new protagonist act as a private investigator or a journalist working the crime beat, I made my heroine an accountant. Curious, bright and loyal to friends and family (hmm, she’s much better at crime solving than my dog) she made a terrific character to “follow the money.” Of course, when you poke at villains, they have a tendency to poke back, harder. It was fun to write the scenes where Holly bumped up against law enforcement and filter the scene through her impressions—her point of view—rather than another cop’s.
My new law enforcement friends did insist I get the details right. Even if they produced giant eye-rolls from my heroine.
So About the Money romps through eastern Washington with its rivers, wineries, Native American casinos, and assorted farm animals. Add in some wicked fun chemistry between the CPA amateur sleuth and a local detective and Holly Price better solve the case before the next dead body found beside the river is hers.


In It For The Moneycontinues Holly’s adventures:
Holly Price traded professional goals for personal plans when she agreed to leave her high-flying position with the Seattle Mergers and Acquisition team and take over the family accounting practice. Reunited with JC Dimitrak, her former fiancé, she’s already questioning whether she’s ready to flip her condo for marriage and a house in the ‘burbs.
When her cousin Tate needs investors for his innovative car suspension, Holly works her business matchmaking skills and connects him with a client. The Rockcrawler showcasing the new part crashes at its debut event, however, and the driver dies. Framed for the sabotage, Tate turns to Holly when the local cops—including JC—are ready to haul him to jail. Holly soon finds her cousin and client embroiled in multiple criminal schemes. She’s drawn into the investigation, a position that threatens her life, her family and her increasingly shaky relationship with JC.
Links
Thanks for letting me visit today, PJ! I invite your readers to head over to my blog and read your #mysteryexchange post about the story behind The Marquesa’s Necklace, The Oak Grove Mysteries, Book 1. https://cperkinswrites.com/2018/07/paranormal-transformation/
Author Bio
An award-winning author of financial mysteries, Cathy Perkins writes twisting dark suspense and light amateur sleuth stories.  When not writing, she battles with the beavers over the pond height or heads out on another travel adventure. She lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd. Learn more at her website, http://cperkinswrites.com.

#MysteryExchange Cathy Perkins

  By Uncategorized

I know it’s August, but the #MysteryExchange isn’t over. This week I’m pleased to present Cathy Perkins and her Holly Price books.

A
Different Point of View

By
Cathy Perkins

When
I was young, if you’d asked me for the last place I’d expect—or
want—to live, my answer would’ve been, “In a small town.”
Small towns seemed to be cultural wastelands, populated by gossiping
neighbors who were all related to each other. And out west? That
option never entered my Southern soul.

Fast
forward a few years and dangle the right job opportunity at the right
time and—you got it in one—we moved to a small town in eastern
Washington state. We quickly discovered most of those myths about
small towns were simply…myths.

As
we settled into our new hometown, I debated whether my novels should
make a similar cross-country leap. My South Carolina based mysteries
featured a law enforcement protagonist. To get appropriate
operational procedures, along with cop attitudes and humor, I drew
from a circle of friends at various levels of local, state and
federal law enforcement. Curious about procedures in our new town, I
participated in the Citizen’s Police Academy and discovered most of
the same policies and philosophies I’d encountered back east. (I
also learned more than I ever wanted to know about making meth. Nasty
nasty
stuff.)

Volunteering
for the Sexual Assault Center as a hospital victim’s advocate
provided an intimate view of law enforcement. Other than one cocky,
testosterone-laden patrol officer and another older guy I wanted to
strangle (except that would be assault and I really had no interest
in going to jail), I found the officers professional, well educated
and well trained. Nobody’s perfect, but I appreciated what these
men and women did on a daily basis.

And
those inevitable slow days in a small town? Well, let’s just say
the day my in-law’s moving van got stuck at the entrance to the
retirement village (blocking traffic on the main road—another
relative term), all four patrol cars PLUS the sergeant showed up.
Once they finished laughing, they helped a retired mechanic (who was
in heaven being the expert, by the way) do something to a suspension
part and un-stuck it. For some strange reason, the chief of police
was not amused when I relayed this story at a party… So far, I’ve
refrained from using this tidbit in a book.

With
only five patrol officers on duty during a shift (and fewer than this
in the even smaller nearby towns) reciprocal agreements were a must.
Neighboring cities, counties, even Washington State Patrol was a
welcome addition when suspects took to the highways to escape. I made
use of this mutual support during Holly Price’s carjacking in So
About the Money (Book
1 in the series). In addition to the local officers, county deputies
and state patrol officers joined the chase to catch the villains in
that scene. On a broader scale, I’ve used the involvement of
outside agencies—the DEA, for example, in In
It For The Money—to
work with—and against—the local law enforcement agencies.

I’d
better back up a second. For this series, along with changing
locations from South Carolina’s cities to a small town in eastern
Washington, I switched from a multiple (hero, heroine, villain) point
of view approach and a law enforcement main character, to a single,
civilian character. Whew! Talk about stretching and growing as an
author. Everything that happened in the story had to come through
that one character’s experiences and reactions. (And no cheating
with, “Well, Laurie, as you know, this thing you should already
know about happened, but let me give you the complete backstory.”)
Action and body language became as important as dialogue for
revealing character—but that’s a different discussion.

Rather
than having my new protagonist act as a private investigator or a
journalist working the crime beat, I made my heroine an accountant.
Curious, bright and loyal to friends and family (hmm, she’s much
better at crime solving than my dog) she made a terrific character to
“follow the money.” Of course, when you poke at villains, they
have a tendency to poke back, harder. It was fun to write the scenes
where Holly bumped up against law enforcement and filter the scene
through her impressions—her point of view—rather than another
cop’s.

My
new law enforcement friends did insist I get the details right. Even
if they produced giant eye-rolls from my heroine.

So
About the Money romps
through eastern Washington with its rivers, wineries, Native American
casinos, and assorted farm animals. Add in some wicked fun chemistry
between the CPA amateur sleuth and a local detective and Holly Price
better solve the case before the next dead body found beside the
river is hers.


In
It For The Money
continues Holly’s adventures:

Holly Price traded
professional goals for personal plans when she agreed to leave her
high-flying position with the Seattle Mergers and Acquisition team
and take over the family accounting practice. Reunited with JC
Dimitrak, her former fiancé, she’s already questioning whether
she’s ready to flip her condo for marriage and a house in the
‘burbs.

When her cousin Tate
needs investors for his innovative car suspension, Holly works her
business matchmaking skills and connects him with a client. The
Rockcrawler showcasing the new part crashes at its debut event,
however, and the driver dies. Framed for the sabotage, Tate turns to
Holly when the local cops—including JC—are ready to haul him to
jail. Holly soon finds her cousin and client embroiled in multiple
criminal schemes. She’s drawn into the investigation, a position
that threatens her life, her family and her increasingly shaky
relationship with JC.

Links

Thanks
for letting me visit today, PJ! I invite your readers to head over to
my blog and read your #mysteryexchange post about the story behind
The Marquesa’s
Necklace, The Oak
Grove Mysteries, Book 1.
https://cperkinswrites.com/2018/07/paranormal-transformation/

Author
Bio

An
award-winning author of financial mysteries, Cathy Perkins writes
twisting dark suspense and light amateur sleuth stories.  When
not writing, she battles with the beavers over the pond height or
heads out on another travel adventure. She lives in Washington with
her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd. Learn
more at her website, http://cperkinswrites.com.

Favorite Furniture #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Uncategorized



July 30, 2018
Tell us about your favorite piece of furniture. Does it have a story behind it?

 It’s a simple rocking chair. Plain wood, no fancy carvings, with a few dents and bruises. Right now, I don’t even own any cushions to soften the seat. I’m not sure I’d call in my favorite piece of furniture, but it’s close.

But it has a story. You see, this is the chair my parents bought for me when I got pregnant for the first time. I won’t tell you how many years ago that was. That was pre-internet shopping, and I think it was ordered from Sear, Roebuck and Company through their catalog.  Or possibly Montgomery Wards. I’ll wait while you young ones go google that. I lived over 1000 miles from them, and that was the best way to get it to me.

 There was a lot of rocking done in the chair after my daughter was born. The little dog we had at the time liked it, too. You can’t see it in the picture, but there’s a spot on the back rocker where he ate the wood away while he was teething. I’ve never tried to fix it.

When we moved even farther west, the chair made the trip with us. When my son was born, it was there to rock him, too. (Although he preferred our couch when he was tiny. I think he liked the feel of the rough fabric.)

Eventually, we made the move back from the west coast to the east coast. And yes, the chair moved with us. It didn’t get sat in as much as the kids grew up, but I had no desire to get rid of it. Eventually, we made the move from Florida back to Wyoming and to my dismay, the chair didn’t fit in the moving truck. So it stayed in Florida with my daughter, with the plan that she’d ship it to me when she could. But that didn’t happen for ten years.

There came a time when she left Florida and came to live with us. The chair came with her. Now she’s elsewhere with her husband and two children, but the chair stayed with me. I don’t use it very often, but it’s a good, solid chair that will likely outlast me.

Do you have a favorite piece of furniture? Feel free to share in the comments.

Blogger

Favorite Furniture #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Uncategorized



July 30, 2018
Tell us about your favorite piece of furniture. Does it have a story behind it?

 It’s a simple rocking chair. Plain wood, no fancy carvings, with a few dents and bruises. Right now, I don’t even own any cushions to soften the seat. I’m not sure I’d call in my favorite piece of furniture, but it’s close.

But it has a story. You see, this is the chair my parents bought for me when I got pregnant for the first time. I won’t tell you how many years ago that was. That was pre-internet shopping, and I think it was ordered from Sear, Roebuck and Company through their catalog.  Or possibly Montgomery Wards. I’ll wait while you young ones go google that. I lived over 1000 miles from them, and that was the best way to get it to me.

 There was a lot of rocking done in the chair after my daughter was born. The little dog we had at the time liked it, too. You can’t see it in the picture, but there’s a spot on the back rocker where he ate the wood away while he was teething. I’ve never tried to fix it.

When we moved even farther west, the chair made the trip with us. When my son was born, it was there to rock him, too. (Although he preferred our couch when he was tiny. I think he liked the feel of the rough fabric.)

Eventually, we made the move back from the west coast to the east coast. And yes, the chair moved with us. It didn’t get sat in as much as the kids grew up, but I had no desire to get rid of it. Eventually, we made the move from Florida back to Wyoming and to my dismay, the chair didn’t fit in the moving truck. So it stayed in Florida with my daughter, with the plan that she’d ship it to me when she could. But that didn’t happen for ten years.

There came a time when she left Florida and came to live with us. The chair came with her. Now she’s elsewhere with her husband and two children, but the chair stayed with me. I don’t use it very often, but it’s a good, solid chair that will likely outlast me.

Do you have a favorite piece of furniture? Feel free to share in the comments.

Blogger

#MysteryExchange Avery Daniels & The Romance of Resorts

  By Uncategorized

And the #MysteryExchange goes on! This week it’s Avery Daniels and her Resort to Murder series.

The Romance of Resorts by Avery Daniels
I’m Avery Daniels, author of the Resort to Murder mystery series. My amateur sleuth, Julienne, works in a luxury resort and the plan is to have each book based in or around a resort. In my researching of resorts, the romantic appeal is apparent whether you are single, dating, or hitched.
Many, or most, of you have seen an episode of a reality show about finding love. Whether it’s the Bachelor, Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, Average Joe, Joe Millionaire, or the Cougar the courtship is done in luxury locations and homes. There is something about being in a resort style setting that sparks romance. Many have even suggested that the reality shows create this illusion because of the locations that won’t hold up to normal life after the show.
I found many people talking about how romantic a resort is mention how they feel totally away from the ordinary and focused on each other. The top romantic resorts make that sense of a couple’s getaway a priority in the staff. Otherwise the setting varies based on the couple’s taste.
Are you into beaches with water activities, then you might like an indoor/outdoor villa complete with private infinity pool, private sand beach, champagne picnic for two, private excursions on the resort’s yacht, and torch or candle lit sea-side dinner under the stars.
Maybe you enjoy traveling Europe, then you might swoon over canopy beds with a sunken hot-tub before a large fireplace, walking around a medieval town with historic ruins, touring centuries old olive groves and vineyards, strolling ancient forests criss-crossed by walking paths where you come across deer and pheasant. There are even a few historic manor houses or castles turned into luxury accommodations to immerse yourself in history.
Maybe a mountain oasis is more your speed with horseback riding around a lake, bicycling around mountain towns, skiing or snowboarding, hay rides, canoeing, swimming, and hiking. If you’re really adventurous you can white water raft, try some hot springs (even some clothing optional ones), spa and massage treatments, outdoor hottubs, and enjoy hot chocoloate and s’mores around communal fire pits. Or maybe order room service to enjoy with a sunken hot-tub before a large fireplace in your room. There are even luxury tent-cabins (called Glamping for glamour camping) that still have resort level amenities.
Then there is the safari resort experience to really get away from the ordinary. Wildlife viewing with excursions and day trips to wildlife preserves and learning about the native cultures are the draw for these resorts. Or maybe the theme park resort is more your style so you can play and be a kid again with all the adult luxuries.
There are many types that can even have a combination of the classifications in one resort. Here is a quick listing of the types or classifications of resorts around the world to consider: Beach Resorts, Golf Resorts, Island Resorts, Luxury Resorts, Lake, Mountain, Ski, Spa, Pet-Friendly, Theme Park, Historical, Dude Ranch, Singles, Couples, Adult-Only, Family, Eco-Tourism, Clothing-Optional, Casino and All Inclusive Resorts. Often times one resort will fall into a few categories.
Whatever your style, there is a resort to help you with your inner romantic. Even as a single person, I love the romance of resorts. Sometimes it is the beauty around the resorts that nurture a romantic mindset.
What would be the elements of your romantic getaway?
Avery Daniels was born and raised in Colorado, graduated from college with a degree in business administration and has worked in fortune 500 companies and Department of Defense her entire life. Her most eventful job was apartment management for 352 units. She still resides in Colorado with two brother black cats as her spirited companions. She volunteers for a cat shelter, enjoys scrapbooking and card making, photography, and painting in watercolor and acrylic. She inherited a love for reading from her mother and grandmother and grew up talking about books at the dinner table.     
​
Iced:
     Julienne has her ideal job as an event planner at a prestigious resort. During a luncheon event she coordinated, a renowned celebrity pastor is killed next to the buffet. All eyes turn to her as the suspect. If she wants to stay out of jail or even keep her job, Julienne needs all the help she can get to solve the crime.
     Julienne goes undercover and investigates a local swingers group as she follows the trail of clues before they go cold. Can she gather enough suspects and motives to convince the police to widen their investigation? Can she do it before the killer sets his murderous sights on her? Will her personal life ever be as simple as unveiling a murderer?
buy links for Iced
Nailed:
     Julienne is snow bound in the middle of the Rocky Mountains with a killer striking at will.
     Julienne LaMere gets to attend a Resort Management conference at a prestigious ski resort in the Colorado Mountains.  What should be an enjoyable getaway attending workshops by day and shopping and enjoying the resort by night comes to a screeching halt when a loud-mouthed guest is murdered plus the roads and town shut down for an epic blizzard.
     In addition to attending the conference, dodging a smitten teen boy, and seeking clues among the gossiping – and increasingly tense – guests, her best friend’s heart has warmed to an unlikely man and may get broken.  As if her mind isn’t already fully occupied, Julienne and her new boyfriend Mason are skiing down troubled slopes in their relationship.  Will Julienne put the scant clues together and unveil the culprit before a murderer gets away?
buy links for Nailed
Social Media Links:

#MysteryExchange Avery Daniels & The Romance of Resorts

  By Uncategorized

And the #MysteryExchange goes on! This week it’s Avery Daniels and her Resort to Murder series.

The
Romance of Resorts by Avery Daniels
I’m Avery Daniels, author of the Resort to Murder mystery series.
My amateur sleuth, Julienne, works in a luxury resort and the plan is
to have each book based in or around a resort. In my researching of
resorts, the romantic appeal is apparent whether you are single,
dating, or hitched.
Many, or most, of you have seen an episode of a reality show about
finding love. Whether it’s the Bachelor, Bachelorette, Bachelor in
Paradise, Average Joe, Joe Millionaire, or the Cougar the courtship
is done in luxury locations and homes. There is something about
being in a resort style setting that sparks romance. Many have even
suggested that the reality shows create this illusion because of the
locations that won’t hold up to normal life after the show.
I found many people talking about how romantic a resort is mention
how they feel totally away from the ordinary and focused on each
other. The top romantic resorts make that sense of a couple’s
getaway a priority in the staff. Otherwise the setting varies based
on the couple’s taste.
Are you into beaches with water activities, then you might like an
indoor/outdoor villa complete with private infinity pool, private
sand beach, champagne picnic for two, private excursions on the
resort’s yacht, and torch or candle lit sea-side dinner under the
stars.
Maybe you enjoy traveling Europe, then you might swoon over canopy
beds with a sunken hot-tub before a large fireplace, walking around a
medieval town with historic ruins, touring centuries old olive groves
and vineyards, strolling ancient forests criss-crossed by walking
paths where you come across deer and pheasant. There are even a few
historic manor houses or castles turned into luxury accommodations to
immerse yourself in history.
Maybe a mountain oasis is more your speed with horseback riding
around a lake, bicycling around mountain towns, skiing or
snowboarding, hay rides, canoeing, swimming, and hiking. If you’re
really adventurous you can white water raft, try some hot springs
(even some clothing optional ones), spa and massage treatments,
outdoor hottubs, and enjoy hot chocoloate and s’mores around
communal fire pits. Or maybe order room service to enjoy with a
sunken hot-tub before a large fireplace in your room. There are even
luxury tent-cabins (called Glamping for glamour camping) that still
have resort level amenities.
Then there is the safari resort experience to really get away from
the ordinary. Wildlife viewing with excursions and day trips to
wildlife preserves and learning about the native cultures are the
draw for these resorts. Or maybe the theme park resort is more your
style so you can play and be a kid again with all the adult luxuries.
There are many types that can even have a combination of the
classifications in one resort. Here is a quick listing of the types
or classifications of resorts around the world to consider: Beach
Resorts, Golf Resorts, Island Resorts, Luxury Resorts, Lake,
Mountain, Ski, Spa, Pet-Friendly, Theme Park, Historical, Dude Ranch,
Singles, Couples, Adult-Only, Family, Eco-Tourism, Clothing-Optional,
Casino and All Inclusive Resorts. Often times one resort will fall
into a few categories.
Whatever your style, there is a resort to help you with your inner
romantic. Even as a single person, I love the romance of resorts.
Sometimes it is the beauty around the resorts that nurture a romantic
mindset.
What would be the elements of your romantic getaway?
Avery Daniels was born and raised in Colorado, graduated from college with a degree in business administration and has worked in fortune 500 companies and Department of Defense her entire life. Her most eventful job was apartment management for 352 units. She still resides in Colorado with two brother black cats as her spirited companions. She volunteers for a cat shelter, enjoys scrapbooking and card making, photography, and painting in watercolor and acrylic. She inherited a love for reading from her mother and grandmother and grew up talking about books at the dinner table.     
​
Iced:
     Julienne has her ideal job as an event planner at a prestigious resort. During a luncheon event she coordinated, a renowned celebrity pastor is killed next to the buffet. All eyes turn to her as the suspect. If she wants to stay out of jail or even keep her job, Julienne needs all the help she can get to solve the crime.
     Julienne goes undercover and investigates a local swingers group as she follows the trail of clues before they go cold. Can she gather enough suspects and motives to convince the police to widen their investigation? Can she do it before the killer sets his murderous sights on her? Will her personal life ever be as simple as unveiling a murderer?
buy links for Iced
Amazon link:  https://www.amazon.com/ICED-Resort-Mystery-Avery-Daniels-ebook/dp/B071LFD6JV
B&N Link:  https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/iced-avery-daniels/1126467939
Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/iced-14
iBooks:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/iced/id1386484965
IndieBound:  https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780999031803
Nailed:
     Julienne is snow bound in the middle of the Rocky Mountains with a killer striking at will.
     Julienne LaMere gets to attend a Resort Management conference at a prestigious ski resort in the Colorado Mountains.  What should be an enjoyable getaway attending workshops by day and shopping and enjoying the resort by night comes to a screeching halt when a loud-mouthed guest is murdered plus the roads and town shut down for an epic blizzard.
     In addition to attending the conference, dodging a smitten teen boy, and seeking clues among the gossiping – and increasingly tense – guests, her best friend’s heart has warmed to an unlikely man and may get broken.  As if her mind isn’t already fully occupied, Julienne and her new boyfriend Mason are skiing down troubled slopes in their relationship.  Will Julienne put the scant clues together and unveil the culprit before a murderer gets away?
buy links for Nailed
Amazon link:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B52WDH6
B&N Link:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nailed-avery-daniels/1128059321
Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/nailed-33
iBooks:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1352799888
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780999031834
Social Media Links:
Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/c2DgfT
Website:  http://www.Avery-Daniels.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AveryDanielsAuthor
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/My_AveryDaniels
BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/avery-daniels
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/168

Wardrobes! #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Uncategorized

Let’s talk wardrobe. Do you gravitate to one color? What is your go to style? What shoes do you prefer?

Once upon a time, I opened to my closet door and realized it was a sea of blue. All blue. I hadn’t done it on purpose, and if you had asked me, I would have told you blue wasn’t my favorite color. I’m still not sure how it happened. I’ve never let it happen again.

Now I gravitate to black. On purpose. My entire wardrobe isn’t black, but I have a lot of it. On purpose. Especially for work. It’s a great basic color that goes well with almost every color, and I don’t have to think to hard when I get dressed. Put on a pair of black pants and what ever color shirt I feel like wearing and I’m done. If I want to add an extra punch of professionalism, I can top it off with a black blazer.

Colors I don’t have in my closet? Green and gray. I own one green blouse and one gray sweater. I just feel as if both colors don’t look good on me. And I love me some nice gray but I’m normally disappointed when I try it on. It doesn’t work with my skin color.

Weekends my go-to is blue jeans. (or black jeans.) Depending upon my plan of activities, it’s either t-short or a casual top to go with them.  I have more t-shirts than I need, really, but many of them are souvenirs of a trip somewhere, and I hate to get rid of them. I’ll keep them until they are worn out.

And my choice of shoes? None. Bare feet are my style. As soon as I get home, the shoes come off. As a kid, each summer I used to walk on the rocks in the driveway to toughen up my feet. As a result, my feet aren’t pretty, but I don’t care. I can go outside without stopping to put shoes on for a quick trip to the mailbox or to water my flowers.

When I have to wear shoes, tennis shoes are my choice most of the time. Sandals will work as well. (but not the kind that have the piece that goes between your toes. I hate those. Give me a pair of Jesus walkers any day.)  I do own a couple of pairs of dress shoes. Black for work of course, and low heeled. Watching me walk in a pair of stilettos is not something you want to remember.But since I live out west, I had to buy a pair of boots. Not your traditional cowboy boots, but a lace up pair. They were the closet thing I can find to a pair of boots I owned back in my hippie days.

Oh, before I go, I should mention I own a few dresses. I rarely wear them. But at least I have them available for the proper occasion.

Now, let’s go find out what the other authors are wearing!

July 23, 2018
Let’s talk wardrobe. Do you gravitate to one color? What is your go to style? What shoes do you prefer?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

Blogger

Wardrobes! #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Uncategorized

Let’s talk wardrobe. Do you gravitate to one color? What is your go to style? What shoes do you prefer?

Once upon a time, I opened to my closet door and realized it was a sea of blue. All blue. I hadn’t done it on purpose, and if you had asked me, I would have told you blue wasn’t my favorite color. I’m still not sure how it happened. I’ve never let it happen again.

Now I gravitate to black. On purpose. My entire wardrobe isn’t black, but I have a lot of it. On purpose. Especially for work. It’s a great basic color that goes well with almost every color, and I don’t have to think to hard when I get dressed. Put on a pair of black pants and what ever color shirt I feel like wearing and I’m done. If I want to add an extra punch of professionalism, I can top it off with a black blazer.

Colors I don’t have in my closet? Green and gray. I own one green blouse and one gray sweater. I just feel as if both colors don’t look good on me. And I love me some nice gray but I’m normally disappointed when I try it on. It doesn’t work with my skin color.

Weekends my go-to is blue jeans. (or black jeans.) Depending upon my plan of activities, it’s either t-short or a casual top to go with them.  I have more t-shirts than I need, really, but many of them are souvenirs of a trip somewhere, and I hate to get rid of them. I’ll keep them until they are worn out.

And my choice of shoes? None. Bare feet are my style. As soon as I get home, the shoes come off. As a kid, each summer I used to walk on the rocks in the driveway to toughen up my feet. As a result, my feet aren’t pretty, but I don’t care. I can go outside without stopping to put shoes on for a quick trip to the mailbox or to water my flowers.

When I have to wear shoes, tennis shoes are my choice most of the time. Sandals will work as well. (but not the kind that have the piece that goes between your toes. I hate those. Give me a pair of Jesus walkers any day.)  I do own a couple of pairs of dress shoes. Black for work of course, and low heeled. Watching me walk in a pair of stilettos is not something you want to remember.But since I live out west, I had to buy a pair of boots. Not your traditional cowboy boots, but a lace up pair. They were the closet thing I can find to a pair of boots I owned back in my hippie days.

Oh, before I go, I should mention I own a few dresses. I rarely wear them. But at least I have them available for the proper occasion.

Now, let’s go find out what the other authors are wearing!

July 23, 2018
Let’s talk wardrobe. Do you gravitate to one color? What is your go to style? What shoes do you prefer?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

Blogger

#MysteryExchange Linda Brendle & Tatia’s Tattoo

  By Uncategorized

It’s week three of the #MysteryExchange and this week I’m happy to introduce Linda Brendle and her book Tatia’s Tattoo.

About
the book:
As
a successful D.C. lawyer, Tatia’s mission in life was to destroy
the sex trafficking trade in small-town America. She knew where to
find it. She’d been there. With only apathetic foster parents to
protect her, she fell prey to the local pimp. Trapped in the sordid
underbelly of a small Texas town, she survived by sheer will. Her
friendship with her fellow victim Cindy was the only light of
humanity in the darkness until she saw a familiar face. Would Mrs. G,
a mama bear of an attorney, still think she had strength and
potential? Would Jesse, the young Christian tattoo artist and biker,
still look at her with a twinkle in his eyes? Or would they both see
only the mark of shame Eric had etched onto her forearm?
Excerpt
from the book:
Tatia
couldn’t breathe. She could feel his weight on her chest, his hot
breath on her face – and pain – she felt hot, searing pain
running up the center of her body. Then, he rolled off of her, and
she could breathe again, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to. If she
could hold her breath long enough, maybe she could go where Mama and
Daddy went, to their Father’s house. Suddenly, he grabbed her by
the shoulder and jerked her off the bed into a standing position.
“Go
clean yourself up. My friend will be here in fifteen minutes. Stop
your bawling and freshen your make-up. You look like hell.”
He
turned to the bed to straighten the rumpled sheets. When he caught
sight of the fresh bloodstains, he threw his hands in the air in
exasperation.
“Was
this really your first time?”
The
only reply from the bathroom was the sound of running water and soft
sniffling.
“I
could have charged twice as much,” he yelled.
Tatia
woke with start as her alarm clock freed her from the nightmare she
had re-lived for more than a decade. She turned off the alarm and
slipped to her knees beside the bed, asking God to take away the
horror of the dream and to replace it with His light. Basking in the
love she felt in response to her prayer, she rose and picked up her
partially packed suitcase from the floor. She placed it on the bed,
ready for last-minutes toiletries, and headed for the shower. She had
a plane to catch and girls to rescue.
About
the author:
Linda
first began to write during her years as a caregiver. After two
memoirs, A
Long and Winding Road and
Mom’s Long Good-Bye, she
ventured into the world of fiction. Tatia’s
Tattoo will
be followed soon by Fallen
Angel Salvage, the
continuing story of Tatia, her family, and Eric ten years later.
In
semi-retirement from the business world, Linda holds a part-time job
as secretary for her church and an on-line position as an accounting
specialist for BookPros. She also writes a column for the weekly
newspaper in the tiny East Texas town where she and her husband David
live with their feral cat Kitty.
Where
to find the author:

#MysteryExchange Linda Brendle & Tatia’s Tattoo

  By Uncategorized

It’s week three of the #MysteryExchange and this week I’m happy to introduce Linda Brendle and her book Tatia’s Tattoo.

About the book:
As a successful D.C. lawyer, Tatia’s mission in life was to destroy the sex trafficking trade in small-town America. She knew where to find it. She’d been there. With only apathetic foster parents to protect her, she fell prey to the local pimp. Trapped in the sordid underbelly of a small Texas town, she survived by sheer will. Her friendship with her fellow victim Cindy was the only light of humanity in the darkness until she saw a familiar face. Would Mrs. G, a mama bear of an attorney, still think she had strength and potential? Would Jesse, the young Christian tattoo artist and biker, still look at her with a twinkle in his eyes? Or would they both see only the mark of shame Eric had etched onto her forearm?
Excerpt from the book:
Tatia couldn’t breathe. She could feel his weight on her chest, his hot breath on her face – and pain – she felt hot, searing pain running up the center of her body. Then, he rolled off of her, and she could breathe again, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to. If she could hold her breath long enough, maybe she could go where Mama and Daddy went, to their Father’s house. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the shoulder and jerked her off the bed into a standing position.
“Go clean yourself up. My friend will be here in fifteen minutes. Stop your bawling and freshen your make-up. You look like hell.”
He turned to the bed to straighten the rumpled sheets. When he caught sight of the fresh bloodstains, he threw his hands in the air in exasperation.
“Was this really your first time?”
The only reply from the bathroom was the sound of running water and soft sniffling.
“I could have charged twice as much,” he yelled.
Tatia woke with start as her alarm clock freed her from the nightmare she had re-lived for more than a decade. She turned off the alarm and slipped to her knees beside the bed, asking God to take away the horror of the dream and to replace it with His light. Basking in the love she felt in response to her prayer, she rose and picked up her partially packed suitcase from the floor. She placed it on the bed, ready for last-minutes toiletries, and headed for the shower. She had a plane to catch and girls to rescue.
About the author:
Linda first began to write during her years as a caregiver. After two memoirs, A Long and Winding Road andMom’s Long Good-Bye, she ventured into the world of fiction. Tatia’s Tattoo will be followed soon by Fallen Angel Salvage, the continuing story of Tatia, her family, and Eric ten years later.
In semi-retirement from the business world, Linda holds a part-time job as secretary for her church and an on-line position as an accounting specialist for BookPros. She also writes a column for the weekly newspaper in the tiny East Texas town where she and her husband David live with their feral cat Kitty.
Where to find the author: