Author to Author with British Mystery Writer M.A. Comley
British author M.A. Comley is here to talk about her multiple mystery series. Her latest book IN PLAIN SIGHT, 3rd in the DI Hero Nelson series, came out last week and quickly shot to the top of...
Taxes and the Mystery Author: Winners and Losers
In May I will celebrate my fifth year as a published author. For most of that time I was what the IRS would term a "hobbyist" but in April 2016 I embraced full-time authordom. Here were my...
Coming Soon! PACIFIC REAPER: A Detective Emilia Cruz #Mystery
PACIFIC REAPER, the 5th book in the Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series will be released for Kindle on 28 March, with the paperback version coming the following week. Detective Emilia Cruz...
When a Favorite Teacher Shows Creativity and Compassion
My favorite teacher was Mr. Taverna. He was the only male teacher in the elementary school and undoubtedly the most famous. Everyone in town knew that Mr. Taverna was a great teacher and it was...
Friends with Books: The Founder of BooksandSpoons.com
This week I stumbled upon the great site http://www.booksandspoons.com/, run by reader and chef Anu-Riikka. Half of the site is devoted to book reviews of romantic thriller and suspense novels and...
Romantic Suspense Who’s Who: Brilliant Academic Meets Iraq War Vet
AWAKENING MACBETH was recently reviewed by Kirkus Reviews and there was so much emphasis placed on the characters that it read like a Who's Who guide to romantic suspense. The book's premise of an...
Travelling in Dreams with AWAKENING MACBETH
AWAKENING MACBETH, is full of secrets. My family secrets become my character's secrets. Their secrets become a frightening truth. "A page turning paranormal romance"-- KIRKUS REVIEWS. Cue the...
Romance’s Newest Hero is a Wounded Warrior
Two weeks ago, I posted this picture on my Facebook page. (You can thank me again later, dearest reader Karen) The wounded warrior in the picture is Brian Taylor "BT" Urruela, taken by photographer...
Mystery and Thriller Trends for 2017
I recently chatted with Mary Rosenblum from New Writers Interface about what we can expect when it comes to mystery and thriller trends in 2017, as well as what really hooks a reader and draws them...
#New Release, Take 2
I could call it New Release, Part 2. Or The Case of the Disappearing Thriller. Or I could say that romantic suspense novel AWAKENING MACBETH, is FINALLY alive and well and available for your Kindle...
NEW RELEASE! Romantic Thriller with a #Paranormal Twist
AWAKENING MACBETH is out now for kindle readers, with the paperback coming 10 January! It's a romantic suspense thriller with a paranormal twist set in Charlottesville, Virginia and Edinburgh,...
Exciting News and Author Views
It's always exciting news when you learn something about yourself. Recently, I've figured out that disappointment doesn't mean failure. Frustration doesn't mean giving up. And creativity is a...
What I #amreading in December
I hereby declare December to be Discover a Good Book Month. Between decoration envy when I look at the neighbor’s artfully placed lanterns, red candles, and sprays of greenery; and the self-induced...
Detective Emilia Cruz’s gambling addiction
Detective Emilia Cruz is a gambler. You could even go so far as to say she has a gambling addiction. The Gambler As a cop in Acapulco, one of the most deadly cities in the world thanks to Mexico’s...
Music and Mystery with NPR’s Alt.Latino
My turn as a guest DJ on National Public Radio’s Alt.Latino show with host Felix Contreras has aired! Click below to listen to the show or find it here on the NPR webpage which includes expanded...
Romantic thriller with a paranormal twist hits #KindleScout
"She inherited a secret her soul doesn't know." That's the tagline on the cover of AWAKENING MACBETH, my latest romantic thriller. I want your vote Amazon's Kindle Scout program allows readers to...
5 Presidential Election Thrillers Better Than #Election2016
Exhausted by the run-up to the US presidential elections on 8 November 2016? Exchange those robo calls and campaign ads for some election thrills of the literary variety with 5 presidential election...
Book Review: Midnight Sun by Jo Nesbo
For those mystery lovers who reveled in Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series, his new stand-alone novel Midnight Sun will be a bit of a surprise. Midnight Sun is easier on the blood pressure than Harry,...
“Authorize” Advice from Pulitizer Prize Author Richard Ford
Last year, I was lucky enough to attend the F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival. Pulitzer Prize winning author Richard Ford was guest speaker and winner of the 2015 F. Scott Fitzgerald Award for...
Book Review: The Blackhouse by Peter May
In The Blackhouse by Peter May, the setting is the remote, windy, and rainswept Hebrides islands off Scotland’s western coast. The murder is gruesome and mimics a recent killing in Edinburgh being...
The Importance of a Fatal Flaw
Mysteries are all about complicated people solving complicated plots. We love characters with issues—even a Fatal Flaw--that make them vulnerable and real. It’s why Spenser has his Code, why John...
Author to Author with Estelle Ryan
I've been reading Estelle Ryan's Dr. Genevieve Lenard mystery series, starting with THE GAUGUIN CONNECTION. The series is a fresh take on the usual whodunit, both in terms of style and characters....
Book Review: A Death in the Family by Michael Stanley
A DEATH IN THE FAMILY by Michael Stanley is a deeply authentic visit to Botswana, hosted by Detective David “Kubu” Bengu of the country’s Criminal Investigation Division. The novel stands alone but...
Puzzles for Mystery Lovers
It's ironic perhaps, but true. Mystery lovers love a good puzzle. So I was intrigued when reader Becky A. sent me an email suggesting that the Detective Emilia Cruz covers would make...
Anne R. Allen’s Essential Tips for New Authors
Lately, several emerging authors have asked me what to focus on as they start their careers. For a pro opinion, I turned to Anne R. Allen, author of How To Be A Writer In the E-Age. Anne writes the...
A lesson in personal growth
KING PESO, the 4th Detective Emilia Cruz novel, was released on 18 August and the paperback will be released on 30 August. So far the reviews have been positive and sales encouraging. But as I...
Exclusive! First chapter of KING PESO
The countdown to KING PESO is officially on! The 4th Detective Emilia Cruz novel will be released for Kindle on 18 August and in paperback on 30 August. While you wait to see just how hot it can get...