Bones and Roses (A Cypress Bay mystery) by Eileen Goudge

Note:  Eileen was a guest on my blog last August with her post “Will Write for Food.”

I just had the pleasure of reading Bones and Roses, the first book in a mystery series from long-time and successful women’s fiction author Eileen Goudge. From page one it was very clear the story was crafted by a veteran with solid writing skills. Good hook, the plot and pacing are perfect, characters distinct, dialogue realistic…..what else can I say?

Protagonist and amateur sleuth Tish Ballard hit bottom after years of alcohol abuse and risky behavior. Now she’s sober and working steadily at her property management business. But life has a way of throwing big surprises in one’s path (and what would a good mystery be without a few?). When Tish was a kid, her mom took off with her lover and never came back. Now someone has arranged for Tish to find her mom’s body, and it’s clear she’s been dead the whole time. Tish is on a mission now, and there are a lot of interesting characters who might help….and some who might be killers.

If you like a good fast-paced amateur sleuth mystery, I highly recommend Bones and Roses.

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The blog post that made me laugh out loud

I follow The Writing Bug, a blog from Northern Colorado Writers members. The posts tend to be about the writing life and the contributors lean toward humor. I like that.

Last week, Sarah Reichert wrote a wonderful “talk to the animals” piece that left me chuckling for hours. The Complexity of Clyde is a priceless conversation with her dog. It will brighten your day, so please hop over there at your convenience, and then let me know if it made you smile.

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Literary Agent Sara Megibow at the Fort Collins Coffeehouse July 27th

Speaking of Northern Colorado Writers, the organization is sponsoring an evening presentation from Sara Megibow of Denver’s KT Literary. The program will be about the basics of publishing and literary agents. Follow this link for lots more information.

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Kittens at the Eclectic Reader July 25th

The Eclectic Reader bookstore is having a big sale and on the final day, Cat Rescue will be present with lots of kittens to adopt. I do want to go see the kittens, but I absolutely, positively cannot bring a kitten home with me. Can I attend with my camera and only take photos? Will this be possible? Will I be strong?

Or should I skip this event and not take a chance?

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The Knee Replacement Surgery Saga

After three surgery postponements (two by the surgeon and one because I broke a bone in my foot), I now have a new surgeon and a new surgery date. I expect to get my knee repaired on Monday, October 5th.

Luckily, the knee is not giving me too much trouble at the moment. I’m signed up for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Writers Conference September 11-13 and plan to have a great time.

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Next up on my reading list

The Final Silence, one of the Belfast novels by Stuart Neville.