MADE IN ACAPULCO story collection is free for all

MADE IN ACAPULCO story collection is free for all

Oct 8, 2013 | #EmiliaCruz

Fact may be stranger than fiction but in some cases they are deliberately similar. I routinely comb the news for inspiration for the Emilia Cruz mystery series so that "action torn from today's headlines" isn't just a tagline.  Yes, readers will be entertained by fast-paced tales of intrigue and mystery. But they'll also learn about the impact of Mexico's drug war.

Made in Acapulco by Carmen Amato

MADE IN ACAPULCO: The Emilia Cruz Stories is a collection of 5 short stories, many of which were inspired by real events in Mexico. The stories take place before the action in the full-length Emilia Cruz novels, including CLIFF DIVER and HAT DANCE:

The Beast captures Emilia's struggle to become the first female detective on the Acapulco police force. It previously appeared in The Huffington Post's Huff/Post 50 Featured Fiction showcase.

Note for missing womanThe Disappeared sees Emilia track a friend who goes missing. This story launches the continuing theme of missing persons, especially women, that runs throughout the series. It was inspired by the numerous reports of missing women in Mexico, such as this 2012 New York Times article about missing and murdered women in Juarez.

Related Post: Finding Mexico's Missing: New Effort or Whitewash?

The Artist was inspired by Mexican poet Javier Sicilia's efforts to raise the awareness of the plight of families whose loved ones have gone missing amid Mexico's drug violence as well as threats to schools in Acapulco in 2011 that caused 140 schools in that city to close. For more see The Huffington Post report on Sicilia's 2012 "caravan" tour of the United States as well as this report in the Christian Science Monitor about the school closings.

The Date explores the downside of a job that pits Emilia against Mexico's enduring culture of machismo. It draws on real events that occurred at a nightclub in Mexico in 2006, as reported by the BBC.

The Cliff is the original Emilia Cruz story and was previously published in the now out of print first edition of MADE IN ACAPULCO. Written for a literary critique group, the story was initially entitled So Far from God and introduced Kurt Rucker. CLIFF DIVER, the first full-length Emilia Cruz novel, was based on this story.

The stories in MADE IN ACAPULCO draw on the headlines coming out of Mexico today, but it also shows the warmth and resilience of the Mexican people. Mexico is a beautiful and vibrant country with a rich heritage and culture, and Emilia represents hope for the country's future.

2018 update: MADE IN ACAPULCO: The Emilia Cruz Stories is permanatly free across all ebook platforms.

Amazon https://amzn.to/2z1PsZH

BN.com https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/made-in-acapulco-carmen-amato/1128330225 

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/made-in-acapulco 

Playster  https://play.playster.com/books/10009780985325640/made-in-acapulco-carmen-amato

Apple https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1366616267

You are invited to spend some time in Acapulco with Emilia, Rico, Kurt and the infamous Lt. Inocente, among others.

Will this short story collection prove that fact is stranger than fiction? Probably not, although it may show just how much art imitates life.

P.S. If you enjoyed MADE IN ACAPULCO, please leave a review!

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A Book Savor Chat with Canadian Author Sandra Nikolai

Oct 3, 2013 | #friends

The Book Savor series grew out of my love for good friends, good books, and great conversations about what we are reading.

This week's guest, Canadian mystery author Sandra Nikolai, shares the books she savors.

Anne frank cover1.Carmen Amato: What was the first book you read that marked the transition from reading kids’ books to grown-up fare?

Sandra Nikolai: When I was a young teen, I read The Diary of Anne Frank. The story touched me deeply because I imagined myself in her situation during the Nazi occupation. It brought home the realization that not every young person has a carefree youth and that some pretty bad things can happen in this world.

2. CA: You are shipwrecked with a crate labeled “Books.” What 3 books do you hope are in it?

SN: I’d hope to find a book on survival skills because I’m a city girl, and I’d need all the help I could get. If an escape plan didn’t work out, I’d dig out Somewhere Over the Rainbow to bolster my hopes of being rescued and returning home. I’d also hope for a huge joke book, because if I were going to die, I’d want to die laughing.

3. CA: What book would you give as a housewarming gift and why?

SN: A coffee table book with lots of photos and illustrations on a topic that ranged from art to cooking to travel, depending on the guest’s interests. Coffee table books attract attention and encourage conversation in a wide variety of topics.

4. CA: You can invite any author, living or dead, to dinner at your home. What are you serving and what will the conversation be about?

SN: I’d invite forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, bestselling author of the Dr. Temperance Brennan series on which the program Bones is based. I’d serve lasagna with a tossed green salad and a bottle of Chianti. Nothing with bones! We’d chat about her books and Montreal—a city we both know well. I’d wait until we’d had coffee and tiramisu before asking her about the grisly details of her work in the lab.

5. CA: Can you leave us with a quote, a place, or a concept from a book that inspired you?

SN: “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” Rudyard Kipling, 1865-1936

Tell us about yourself in 3 sentences or less.

SN: My parents encouraged my love of reading and I’ll be forever grateful to them. I couldn’t imagine my life without books. Even more so without writing.

Sandra NikolaiMore about this week's guest: Sandra is the author of a mystery series featuring a ghost writer and a crime reporter; a real departure from the standard police or private detective cast of characters. Her first book, False Impressions, had a character so duplicitous I was glad he was the victim! Her second book, Fatal Whispers, has just been released and delivers more of the psychological twists that readers enjoyed in the first. The title is a fabulous twist on on the murder weapon, which you'll never guess. Her links:

  • http://sandranikolai.com
  •  @sandranikolai

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A Book Savor Chat with Fabretto CFO Monica Drazba

Sep 26, 2013 | #friends

The Book Savor series grew out of my love for good books, great friends, and interesting conversations about books.

This week Fabretto Foundation CFO Monica Drazba talks about the books she savors.

Shirley Jackson book cover1.Carmen Amato: What was the first book you read that marked the transition from reading kids’ books to grown-up fare?

Monica Drazba: We Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson.  I read this disturbing book when I was in sixth grade or so.  I spent hours trying to figure out what it all meant.  It still scares me to this day.

2. CA: You are shipwrecked with a crate labeled “Books.” What 3 books do you hope are in it?

 MD:

  • Modern Times, by Paul Johnson
  • The Rise of the West, by William H. McNeill
  • To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

(I’ve been meaning to re-read the first two, and the last is my favorite novel –one that I re-read every couple of years.)

(plus I hope there are lots of good murder mysteries, more histories, and of course, nerdy sci-fi and fantasy books!)

3. CA: What book would you give as a housewarming gift and why?

MD:  The Egg and I by Betty McDonald: her story of setting up a household in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest is fun and witty and makes everyone feel better about their own new household travails.

4. CA: You can invite any author, living or dead, to dinner at your home. What are you serving and what will the conversation be about?

 MD: Well, aside from Carmen Amato and a variety of Mexican dishes, it would probably be David McCullough or maybe Robert Caro. I’d serve up something simple (grilled tenderloin, roasted vegetables, pilaf), so I could spend my time outside of the kitchen listening to their anecdotes and insights on modern history.

5. CA: Can you leave us with a quote, a place, or a concept from a book that inspired you?

MD: “…., and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.” -- the last line from To Kill a Mockingbird.  My mother died when I was very young, and we were raised by my dad--- a troop of tomboys (all sisters until my father remarried and my half-brother came along).  The ending always resonated with me and still does --- parenting, love, and being there for your children.

Tell us about yourself in 3 sentences or less.

Monica

MD:  I moved to Latin America from my home state of California in 1980 with my husband and 9 month old daughter.  After 33 years, four countries, and three more children born and raised between Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico and Ecuador, books have been my most enduring friends.  I love entertaining my breathing friends in our home in Nicaragua, where we have lived for the last seventeen years and where I work for a non-profit promoting education and literacy among the rural poor.

More about this week's guest: Monica is a force multiplier when it comes to her work with Fabretto, a foundation with a  mission "to empower underserved children and their families in Nicaragua to reach their full potential, improve their livelihoods, and take advantage of economic opportunity through education and nutrition." Fabretto runs schools, vocational programs, craft cooperatives, and much more; all to raise living standards and give children a better future. You can read more about Fabretto at http://www.fabretto.org.

A Book Savor Chat with MommyMaestra.com Founder Monica Olivera

Sep 19, 2013 | #friends

The Book Savor series grew out of my love for good book, great friends and interesting conversations about what we are reading.

This week's guest, Monica Olivera, the founder of MommyMaestra.com and Latinas4LatinoLit.org, talks about the books she savors.

1.Carmen Amato: What was the first book you read that marked the transition from reading kids’ books to grown-up fare?

The Thin Man novelMonica Olivera: Dashiell Hammett’s The Thin Man. Actually, My grandfather, who was always reading, had a collection of Hammett’s books that included the Thin Man series, The Maltese Falcon, The Dain Curse, and a few others. And I’m sure that was when my love affair with mysteries began. Soon after these books, I was gobbling down Agatha Christie and others. Our local library was a home away from home, as was a nearby second-hand bookstore.

2. CA: You are shipwrecked with a crate labeled “Books.” What 3 books do you hope are in it?

MO: Anything by Elizabeth Peters, Garrison Keillor, or Isabel Allende. I can’t really narrow it down to three books since there are so many that I love and enjoy. My bookshelves groan under the weight of my “favorite” reads from which I simply cannot part. And I have eclectic tastes because I enjoy a good mystery just as much as I do a good comedy or drama. I cannot resist a well-told story.

3. CA: What book would you give as a housewarming gift and why?

MO: Lake Wobegon Summer 1956 by Garrison Keillor. Because every home deserves laughter.

4. CA: You can invite any author, living or dead, to dinner at your home. What are you serving and what will the conversation be about?

MO: Rudolfo Anaya, I think. I would serve warm pork tamales (if I knew how to make them), fresh limonada, and maybe flan for dessert. Or tres leches. We would talk about the desperate need for our children to hear and read these stories that reflect our childhood experiences and how by writing we in some way immortalize said childhood and the loved ones who may have since passed on.

We would talk about how critical it is for our children to hear and read our stories so that they can grow up with confidence, knowing that their history matters and that they have the ability to make a difference.

5. CA: Can you leave us with a quote, a place, or a concept from a book that inspired you?

MO: “Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.” ~Maya Angelou

I agree and think we should nurture a child’s love of reading with books about subjects that he or she is passionate about. Living books make learning a joy.

Tell us about yourself in 3 sentences or less.

I am a homeschooling Latina mami of two who is passionate about reading and education. My most vivid childhood memories are of spending time in libraries and second-hand bookshops. I cannot enter a bookstore without making a purchase because I can’t resist the possibility of a well-written story.

More about this week's guest: Monica is the founder of MommyMaestra.com, a home schooling resource for Latino families, and is speaking this week at the LATISM13 conference in New York City. I met Monica through the Latino literacy website Latinas4LatinoLit.org, of which she is also a founder. As many readers know, I wrote book discovery posts for the L4LL website this past summer. Working with Monica has been a joy due to her professionalism and clear communications.

A Book Savor Chat with Mystery Author Jerold Last

Sep 12, 2013 | #friends

The Book Savor series grew out of my passion for great books, great friends, and conversations about books we love. Join in!

This week mystery author Jerold Last talks about the books he savors.

1.Carmen Amato: What was the first book you read that marked the transition from reading kids’ books to grown-up fare?

Sherlock Holmes novelJerold Last:  I don’t remember which of two it was, either Sherlock Holmes and “The Hound of the Baskervilles” or “The Guns of Shiloh” by Joseph A. Altsheler.  We were learning about the Civil War in 5th or 6th grade, which brought me to the Public Library and Altsheler’s highly readable series of young adult novels about the War Between the States.  One of my uncles gave me a copy of Doyle’s classic for a birthday gift at about the same time.  Of course I’d read all of the Nancy Drew novels and Hardy Boys books before this.  Given my lifelong love of mysteries, I’d like to believe my first adult novel was Sherlock Holmes.

2. CA: You are shipwrecked with a crate labeled “Books.” What 3 books do you hope are in it?

JL:  That’s a tough choice to make.  Maybe a waterproof iPad and a WiFi connection is an allowable selection?  If I have to choose, then:  1. “The Novels of Dashiell Hammett”; 2. “Raymond Chandler’s Stories and Early Novels”; 3.  Ross MacDonald’s “Archer at Large”.  That’s several weeks worth of reading for me.  Hopefully, rescue is possible about then.

3. CA: What book would you give as a housewarming gift and why?

 JL:  That would depend on whose house was being warmed.  If it were a mystery fan, I’d be inclined to give them copies of all seven of my published books (less than $14 at Amazon’s current retail prices).  If they preferred non-fiction, I’d probably select an interesting ethnic cookbook.  We have one on Mexican regional cooking that we’ve enjoyed for many years.

4. CA: You can invite any author, living or dead, to dinner at your home. What are you serving and what will the conversation be about?

 JL:  I think it would be Robert B. Parker, author of the Spenser series.  We’ll serve braised pheasant, shot by me, and found, pointed, and retrieved by Jolie, one of our dogs, from the freezer.  Side dishes include mashed potatoes with garlic, since there’s a lot of gravy, and salad (it’s California so there’s always fresh veggies).  Conversation would be about mystery writing, and whether Spenser’s and Susan’s German Shorthaired Pointer, Pearl The Wonder Dog, would have fit into our pack of three GSPs.  Jolie, the model for Juliet in “The Deadly Dog Show”, seems to have a similar temperament to Pearl’s, but is much better trained. Finally, I’d like his opinion of whether Roger makes a good, albeit much more educated, Spenser-type hero, and what he thinks of Bruce as an assistant hero in the mold of Hawk.

5. CA: Can you leave us with a quote, a place, or a concept from a book that inspired you?

JL:  From Raymond Chandler’s essay “The Simple Art of Murder”, he describes the character of the private detective as follows:  “Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid.  The detective in this kind of story must be such a man.  He is the hero; he is everything.  He must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man.  He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor . . .  He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world . . . If there were enough like him, the world would be a very safe place to live in, without becoming too dull to be worth living in.”

Tell us about yourself in 3 sentences or less.

JL:  I’m a scientist, a Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at The University of California Medical School in Davis.  There are times I feel schizophrenic as I try to juggle my life as a scientist with my life as a mystery writer, like this morning’s interview with a local TV news reporter sharing my allegedly expert opinion of the health effects of inhaling the particles produced by the major wildfires currently burning here in California and throughout the western states.  I live with my wife of almost 40 years, Elaine, three generations of German Shorthaired Pointers, and currently the fourth generation of this canine family represented by eight grand-puppies born to Schone two nights ago.

More about this week's guest: Jerold is the author of the Roger and Suzanne mysteries which I first discovered because several are set in Montevideo, Uruguay. The latest is The Deadly Dog Show (find it on amazon here), the fifth novel in a series, which also includes two shorter novellas, and the second series entry (after The Body in the Parking Structure) to take place in California rather than South America.  The settings and locales for the preceding South American mystery novels, The Empanada Affair, The Ambivalent Corpse, The Surreal Killer, and The Matador Murders are authentic; Jerry and Elaine lived previously in Salta, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay for several months each, and selected the most interesting locations for Roger and Suzanne mystery settings.  Jerry's blog describing the background and birth of Jerry's books; Jerry, Elaine, and the dogs' lives; and all things mysterious can be found at http://rogerandsuzannemysteries.blogspot.com.

Ebook vs Print: Enough Already and Here’s Why

Sep 10, 2013 | #noticed

ebook vs print

As both an author and an avid reader I'm often asked what now seems like an age-old question: ebooks or print? The question implies that I find one superior to the other. Often, the person asking already has an opinion and wants to know if my opinion matches.

Well, it doesn't and here's why. The answer is BOTH.

Both ebooks and print have multiple advantages.  Based on circumstances, one format may hold more of an advantage than another for the reader at a certain point in time.

A reader should have the option of seizing the advantage that is most suitable for the circumstance at hand and move between formats without having to swear an oath of allegiance to either.

So let's examine the evidence, as the characters in my books occasionally say, and compare the advantages of both formats.

Ebooks:

  • Portable and lightweight: This is important if you want to take several books on a long trip, or move household effects with a weight limit.
  • Cost and access: Ebooks are typically cheaper, faster to obtain, and many are free. Ebooks can be downloaded around the world which is great if you live somewhere without a bookstore or in a foreign country where English-language books are few and far in between.

Print:

  • Display and physicality: Books with pictures can be gorgeous personal statements, reference volumes, and home decor. Antique books carry their history with them and are powerful reminders of the past. First editions and signed books are valid collector's items.
  • Selection: Handling a book, reading the back cover, sneaking a look at the last page, getting the author's autograph on a paper copy--these are all things that help us select books and discover new authors.

I'm sure there are other advantages to each format and if you can think of some, leave a comment. But for now, enough with the ebook vs print question. I'm going to turn on my Kindle and finish reading the latest Swedish mystery, while trying not to be distracted by the 2000 or so books lining the shelves next to me.

Huffington Post Premieres Emilia Cruz Short Story

Sep 3, 2013 | #booknews, #EmiliaCruz

Acapulco by night

This week the very first Emilia Cruz story, “The Beast,” was published by Huffington Post, in the website’s Huff/Post 50 showcase of female fiction writers. Acapulco beat cop Emilia Cruz wants to become a detective. But will they break her before she gets to the squadroom? “The Beast” is all about how the series started and takes place about 2 years before the action in CLIFF DIVER and HAT DANCE.

I’m pinching myself as I type today because I’m an avid reader of HuffPost, and being published on the website has been on my bucket list for awhile. I was surfing through the website at a coffee shop when I read about the writer showcase and sent the story off, expecting deafening silence. But instead I got a charming email from  Alexander Eichler at the Huffington Post saying: “We’d be pleased to publish “The Beast” on HuffPost — all of us here who read it were quite enamored of it.”

“The Beast” is part of a collection of Emilia Cruz stories that will be published later this year in an expanded edition of MADE IN ACAPULCO. Its debut on Huffington Post is a milestone for me.

So without further ado, here is “The Beast” on Huffington Post. The blood-red picture of Acapulco looks perfect with it!

If you like the story, please share with Facebook friends and leave a comment for Huffpost readers.

Many thanks to Alex E. and the team there for the opportunity.

NEW!

Acapulco is hotter than ever in the second Emilia Cruz mystery

Get it today on amazon!

Book Review: For Love of a Cause by Elly Michaels

Book Review: For Love of a Cause by Elly Michaels

Aug 30, 2013 | #reviews

Every once in awhile we come across books that we simply can't put down. FOR LOVE OF A CAUSE by Elly Michaels is one of them.

In 1970’s Bolivia a small insurgent group is battling an undefined but assumed corrupt and brutal government. American suburbanite Annie Crossland travels there with a church group to aid an orphanage and connects with the British purveyor for the well-hidden insurgent group. Annie accompanies him on a supply trip to the main rebel encampment where she finds a role for herself that has been hitherto missing in her life, as well as a volatile yet fulfilling relationship with the rebel leader. Yet we know the fate of most South American rebellions . . .

This is an amazingly well-researched book that lets us walk in Annie’s shoes the entire way. She is the bored wife of a wealthy and bland lawyer but she has hidden strengths and skills that quickly become useful to the rebel group; shooting thanks to skeet with her father, Spanish from college courses, and animal husbandry because of the horses she has at home. She is an innate organizer, as well, who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.

The authenticity and writing quality of this book, in terms of both description and characters, cannot be overstated. Annie is no idealistic do-gooder and she is torn between going back to her husband, the Brit who makes periodic supply trips between civilization and the rebel encampment, and her growing fascination with Alex, the educated and handsome but brutal Marxist rebel leader (think Che complete with black beret and cigars.)

Everyone is complex—the product of their background—and Michaels does a wonderful job of slowly connecting Annie and Alex as each struggles with lust, ideology, and relationships with other members of the growing rebel force. I was impressed with the way the author kept Alex true to his character and never gave into temptation to soften him into an easier person for Annie to love. And Annie never loses her awareness of his volatility and cruelty. Dialogue is used to good effect such as when Alex taunts Annie because she is not eating and she tells him it is because he smells like an animal or they argue over socialist ideology. The atmospherics throughout the book are excellent and consistent.

The rebels want to create a new society in Bolivia and try to create a system of local justice to provide the peasantry some measure of protection and stem the Bolivian Army’s random seizures, taxes, and rapes. Annie gets caught up in the effort, deciding to stay with Alex and divorce her husband. Some of the best scenes are those in which Annie shoulders a gun and engages in guerrilla warfare with the rebels whose infiltration strategies are well described. Expect your heart to pound as Annie panics but does what is required, with an emotional aftermath she barely survives. Another stellar scene is when the volatile Alex finds out that she is married. And then there is the chilling moment when he becomes the ultimate arbiter of justice in the area the rebels now control.

I would have liked a little more backstory on the Bolivian government the rebels are fighting and a reference to JPG files was out of context, given the assumed time period of the book. The book also deserves a better editor, cover, and description page on Amazon. It is a gem that couldn't be more hidden.

The author's Amazon page and the book's categories fit this into the Romance genre. There is sexual tension, to be sure, but billing this book as a run-of-the-mill romance does it a disservice. This is a sweeping 5 star novel that fans of Ann Patchett or Anita Shreve will enjoy.

for love of a cause

A Book Savor Chat with Writer Elizabeth A. Martina

Aug 29, 2013 | #friends

 The Book Savor series is new to this blog and grew out of my passion for good books,  good friends, and great discussions about what we are reading.

This week writer Elizabeth A. Martina shares the books she savors.

1.Carmen Amato: What was the first book you read that marked the transition from reading kids’ books to grown-up fare? 

EAM: The first book was one from the assigned reading list required to enter 9th grade. It was "The Axe" by Sigrid Undset, the Nobel Prize winning author. Adult themes and religious themes together for the first time. I was shocked at the complexity but bought the rest of the series. It was so intimidating that I never read the other three books.

2. CA: You are shipwrecked with a crate labeled “Books.” What 3 books do you hope are in it? 

Lives of the Saints book coverEAM: First and foremost, the Bible. You can read that over and over and still find more you didn't notice before. Then, I would like to find Butler's Lives of the Saints, preferably the four volume edition. Third choice would be "To Kill A Mockingbird". I figure if I am shipwrecked it might take a while to find me. I get bored quickly if I don't have literature to make me think.

3. CA: What book would you give as a housewarming gift and why? 

EAM: I tend to like to give books that will be read again and again. Books that direct your thinking. I often will consider a coffee table book featuring a subject that I know the person would value. For example, a religious book for a religious-minded person or a book on cats for someone who is really into cats. I once gave the book "A Catholic Mother Speaks to Her Children" by Marie Catherine-Sophie de Flavigny to a mother of six.

4. CA: You can invite any author, living or dead, to dinner at your home. What are you serving and what will the conversation be about?

EAM: I adore the couple writing team, Bodie and Brock Thoene. I would serve them barbequed spare ribs, mustard potato salad and moscal wine. Ribs, because they are country folk and would probably enjoy that. The wine, because it is sweet and my favorite. Conversation would inevitably turn to history of the 20th century, which is predominantly their book themes, and to Christianity which is always their secondary theme.

5. CA: Can you leave us with a quote, a place, or a concept from a book that inspired you?

EAM: This is from one of Glenn Beck's books: "Good decent people are around. Good decent people can succeed." I like this quote because so often, in today's society, many people think there is no decency or value system anymore. Reminding people of the fact that values still exist will go a long way towards helping this world.

More about this week's guest: Elizabeth A. Martina grew up in central New York and went to school in both New York and Massachusetts. She has a son and several foster children.  Most of her storytelling ability comes from her grandmother, who told her tales of growing up in the 1910s and 20s. Her current project is a true crime story of passion and organized crime uncovered via historical archives in Italy, the US, and Canada.

In Memorium: The Unsung Influence of Mystery Author Leighton Gage

Aug 27, 2013 | #friends

Fellow international mystery author Leighton Gage, creator of the Inspector Silva mystery series set in Brazil, passed away last week at his home in Florida. I never met him but he influenced me as both a writer and a reader.

Late last year, as I prepared to publish the first Emilia Cruz novel set in Mexico, the words of dismissal I’d received about trying to publish books for a U.S. audience in which all of the characters are Mexican still stung.  So it was a comfort to discover a Goodreads group about mysteries set in various locales around the world and read a post about Leighton Gage’s Brazil-based Inspector Silva books.

It was the first mystery series I’d heard of set in Central or South America. Emilia Cruz had footsteps in which to follow!

The Inspector Silva books are relentlessly authentic. I’ve been to São Paolo, where the fictional Silva lives, and can truly say that Gage nailed the environment. Disconcertedly so, in many ways. The books don’t shrink away from the brutality of life in the favelas, the choking traffic, endemic corruption, or express kidnappings and other criminal cruelty.

book coverInspector Silva is the product of his environment, as are his subordinates. The plots are driven by circumstances that can be uniquely Brazilian, such as the land rights issue that drove the action in his first book, Blood of the Wicked. Read my review here.

I was pursuing the same path, taking readers into the heart of a culture, with characters who live and breathe the reality of that place, and deal with circumstances that are shaped by that environment. Along with Jo Nesbo in Norway (the Harry Hole series), Ian Rankin in Scotland (the DI Rebus series), and Donna Leon in Venice, Italy (the Guido Brunetti series), Leighton Gage became my role model as an international mystery series author who excels at authenticity.

So it was a huge personal milestone when Leighton Gage followed me on Twitter! We connected as well on Facebook and Goodreads. We never dialogued on any of those platforms but it was enough for me to be recognized by someone who not only enjoyed success in our field but had repudiated the bad advice I’d been given about trying to publish books with all Latino characters. I’m sorry I never got to tell him that. I can only offer a belated thank you to Leighton Gage for both his books and audacity. 

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Leighton Gage

Illustrating the Release of HAT DANCE with Drama and Dialogue

Illustrating the Release of HAT DANCE with Drama and Dialogue

Aug 20, 2013 | #booknews, #EmiliaCruz

Great mystery novels need drama and dialogue. HAT DANCE, the latest Emilia Cruz novel, delivers both but sometimes words aren't enough. Sometimes it helps to have images as well.

Here is a bit about the book, which is being released for Kindle today and in paperback later this week, with images that give a taste of what this mystery series is all about.

The plot

Emilia barely escapes an arson attack that appears to be an effort to assassinate Acapulco's popular mayor. Assigned to investigate, Emilia cannot shake off her own fears of the fire and her narrow escape from it. But even as she tries to focus on the arson investigation, Emilia is bound by a promise to look into the disappearance of a girl from Emilia's own neighborhood. That simple promise will lead to some nasty family secrets and a jailed hooker who knows more than she is saying.

old concrete wall and chandelier

As the arson investigation veers off-course and Emilia lands on the wrong side of a dirty Vice cop, she'll start making deals for access and information. But everybody knows that an honest cop can't afford to deal with the devil . . .

Read Chapter 1 here

The cast

Many characters that readers met in CLIFF DIVER are back:

  • Emilia Cruz Encinos: the first and only female detective on the Acapulco police force
  • Carlota Montoya Perez: Acapulco's ambitious and scheming mayor
  • Victor Obregon: The head of the police union for the state of Guerrero is both powerful and dangerous
  • Kurt Rucker: A norteamericano hotel manager who wants more than Emilia can give
  • Franco Silvio: The senior detective doesn't want women in the squadroom, making him Emilia's most dangerous enemy
  • Chief Salazar: Acapulco's chief of police walks a fine line between political stooge and serious cop

sleep_quotePlus some new faces:

  • Mercedes Sandoval: A dance teacher will become a much-needed new friend
  • Lt. Nelson Rufino: The new chief of detectives has secrets he's not willing to share

Check out the Emilia Cruz dreamcast here.

The setting

As always, the city of Acapulco inspires drama and dialogue all by itself. There is the Acapulco that tourists know--the sweep of the most beautiful bay in the world, luxury hotels and condos, fabulous restaurants and night life. But there is also the Acapulco that is a prize to be fought over by drug cartels, a place where life is cheap and poverty is as pervasive as the salt spray coming off the ocean.

The two faces of Acapulco will claw at Emilia and force her to live between them. No crime is ever simple, no investigation is ever easy.

Candle

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Book cover design: Updating political thriller THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF MEXICO CITY

Book cover design: Updating political thriller THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF MEXICO CITY

Aug 17, 2013 | #booknews

This book cover design story starts about seven years ago when I was eating dinner with Sherry, the genius of all things PR, in a swanky Italian restaurant.  Red wine, tortellini, and a laptop with a gallery of 4 proposed cover designs for THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF MEXICO CITY.  The publisher was waiting for my ideas and we were discussing each design.

The waiter stopped by.  A potential book buyer!  We showed him the mock covers, slowly scrolling through the presentation, and he zeroed in on a dark red cover with a grunge flag of Mexico.  It was Sherry's favorite, too, and so I sent it off to the publisher as a concept to consider.

Six months later, the publisher had made a mess of the cover--and several other key elements--and we parted ways. It took another 6 months for the book to finally be published on 5 May 2012. 

Related: The Lost Chapter of THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF MEXICO CITY

Since that fateful dinner at the Italian place--which has since closed, alas, THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF MEXICO CITY has had several facelifts in the quest to find its audience. Here is the story of that book cover design quest!

1. Unused publisher version October 2011

cover designThe title is barely readable. The flag isn't centered. The writing on the left is a weird green.  The back looked even worse, reducing a photo of Mexico's Zocalo to a dark blob.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Submitted to friends on Facebook for a vote

cover designThe candle concept was intended to bring together the idea of the light in the dark as well as votive candles and the Catholic Church, which is a major element of the book.

But some of the responses were "might be a vampire book" and "from a frequent traveler standpoint, I may pass on first glance on the candle - thinking it may be a love story."

So this cover didn't let readers know the book was a contemporary thriller.

 

 

 

3. The "Dirty Money" concept

cover designPutting the pesos on the cover was a breakthrough in the concept of the design; money laundering is what leads Eddo Cortez Castillo to uncover the political doublecross.

This cover got positive comments: "I like this one but then again I liked the flame too."

But it also garnered comments such as "light is too bright" and "where's the girl?"

 

 

 

 

4. The debut cover (2012)

cover designThis design got some great Facebook comments and was published with the book on 5 May 2012:

"I like the red.  I like the way your name pops.  I also like the candle at the bottom."

"I like the position of the tag line."

"That sounds like a commitment to me!!!!  I am looking forward to seeing your latest book on the shelf!"

"THIS IS IT! I'm jumping up and down."

 

 

 

5. The anniversary cover (2013)

cover designAfter a year there were several reasons to update the cover:

The original cover with the pesos led many to think it was a non-fiction book

The candle seemed to just float at the bottom

The tagline was too small to be read on the book's amazon book page.

A new design was needed that gave the book a stronger thriller vibe, was cleaner and less cluttered, and could be an eye-catching thumbnail. It also needed to stay consistent with my other books in terms of how my name was presented.

The single graphic did it all. As one friend said, this cover "sparked" her interest the most!

 

6. The romantic thriller cover (2016)

The hidden Light of Mexico CitySales weren't what the book deserved, so back to the branding and design drawing board. New tactic: emphasize the relationship at the core of the story.

The new cover put the Cinderella story angle front and center. Lovely, evocative, but somehow there was still a disconnect between the story the cover told, the story the sales description told, and the book itself, with themes of corruption, money laundering, and social inequality. 

But I simply love the photo. He's holding her so tight.

Related: Check out the dreamcast!

 

 

7. The political thriller cover (2018)

cover designA MAJOR shift in presentation and branding, accompanied by a bold counterdrug message sales page in 2019. The second chapter, introducing protagonist Eduardo Cortez Castillo jumped the line to be the first chapter so that anyone reading the "What's Inside" on Amazon immediately gets the point of the book.

The red and sense of movement are more eye-catching than the previous covers and easier to read as a thumbnail. Once the cover and the new sales copy debuted, sales perked up.  

Let's hope this is the last cover! Check out the new sales copy below.

Related: Read Chapters 1 & 2

 

A ruthless druglord is on the brink of buying Mexico’s presidency.

Only one man stands in his way.

In this stunning thriller from a former U.S. intelligence officer, secrets fuel the drug war raging along the US-Mexican border. On the eve of Mexico’s presidential elections, government attorney Eduardo Cortez Castillo discovers collusion between the country’s powerful Minister of Public Security and the drug cartel leader known as El Toro.

Coded messages . . . a secret website . . . clever money laundering.

"Enthralling political drama . . . Politics and corruption, and a man and woman from opposite ends of the social spectrum who fall in love." -- Literary Fiction Review

Marked for death by cartel assassins, Eduardo follows the money trail deep into drug smuggling territory. There he’ll find that violence buys loyalty, votes are for sale, and the odds are against survival.

Back in Mexico City, a woman whose name means Light of Mary waits for him.

The cartel is looking for her, too.

Grab your copy of today’s most relevant and unexpected thriller!

Critically acclaimed author Carmen Amato uses the counterdrug expertise gained during a 30-year career with the Central Intelligence Agency to weave together a story that rings with authenticity. Amato is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal.

Not since The Manchurian Candidate has a political thriller book kept readers so riveted to characters who leap off the page. From Mexico's class system, to the country's spiraling drug violence, to the harsh realities of the US-Mexican border, get ready for a heart-stopping ride through the darkness of today’s war on drugs.

“Within minutes of reading the opening pages of this story, the reader is completely taken away and wrapped completely in the heart of Mexico City and its culture. The cornucopia of characters and their sub-stories are painted beautifully with layers of depth. Experiences are real and vividly shared . . . The peek into the classes and drug world are both captivating and thrilling.” – InD’Tale Magazine

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