As promised, I’m giving away 15 advance review copies of my new frontier fiction. In Defense of Delia is set in 1838, four years after the events of Wishing Caswell Dead. Technically, it’s not a western because the setting (central Illinois) is east of the Mississippi, but this historical novel feels like a western to …Read More
Cover Art for In Defense of Delia: A Sangamon Novel
I’m so pleased to show off this excellent cover for In Defense of Delia which will be released by Five Star/Cengage on November 23, 2022. Cover design credit: Kathy Heming Synopsis: 1838: Delia Pritchard gets a chilly reception when she returns to Sangamon, Illinois, after a thirteen-year absence. She’s riding a Palouse …Read More
Review: Chasing Justice by Kathleen Donnelly
When Maya Thompson returns stateside after serving in the Marine Corps and losing her K-9 partner in a traumatic event Maya feels was her fault, she joins the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Forest Service. To add to her service-related PTSD, she is present when her best friend, another officer and K-9 handler, is …Read More
Book Mini-Reviews
When you look for my reviews on Goodreads or Amazon, you’ll find only four- and five-star ratings. One reason is that I rarely finish a book if I don’t like it by the end of page ten. The second reason is that I don’t want to discourage a reader who might find a book right …Read More
Book(s) Review: The Judas Files
The five books in The Judas Files series present an original concept of Hell with Judas Iscariot leading a not-so-merry band of hellish souls who are supposed to sow discord and disaster Topside. There’s a secret mission, however, to thwart the evil and save humanity. Gabe is that double agent. What’s even more difficult is …Read More
Book Review: The Storm Crows by Jenny Sundstedt
In Jenny Sundstedt’s novels, Passing Through and The Storm Crows, counselors in an afterlife waystation provide advice and therapy for people who’ve died but have unresolved issues that prevent them from moving on. In The Storm Crows, Eugenia Kratt is the supervisor who tries to keep everyone, both clients and counselors, on the right path. …Read More
A Six-Word Mystery Contest for Everyone (over 18) Opens September 1st
Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers of America sponsors a six-word mystery contest. Doesn’t that sound like fun? This is the fifth year for this competition which is growing in popularity and drawing entries from all over the world. The contest logo is above, but you can’t really “enter now.” Mark your calendar so you don’t forget …Read More
I’m a Claymore Award Finalist!
I am so pleased and honored to announce that I am one of the 20 finalists for the Killer Nashville Claymore Award competition. This award is based on the first 50 pages of unpublished manuscripts submitted in a range of crime fiction categories. The full list of finalists can be found at the Killer Nashville …Read More
Where Does the Time Go?
I’ve not been in hiding, just busy doing other things. I’m working on a cozy mystery with humor. I write a monthly post (usually submitted late) for the Blood-Red Pencil blog. I do social media tasks for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America (RMMWA). I’ve been reading a lot (also known as …Read More
My Post at the Blood-Red Pencil Blog
Please visit the Blood-Red Pencil Blog for my post on memoir. I’ve listed several recommendations along with my comments.