#NewRelease: A MURDER OF PRINCIPLE by Susan Coryell

I'm happy to share some great news. Susan Coryell has a new release. I was fortunate to receive an Advanced Reading Copy of A MURDER OF PRINCIPLE for review (see below). As a former teacher myself, I especially enjoyed the setting for this murder mystery.

What happens when an unscrupulous principal threatens to destroy a model high school?

 Blurb: 

A new principal takes Harding High by storm, wreaking havoc with every executive order, every decision, tearing down the stellar school tenet by tenet. Teachers, other administrators, students, parents—the community at large increasingly react to the tremors shaking Harding High as Principal Wendy Storme churns a destructive path through their traditions, values and protocol. Everyone seems to have a valid motive for murder.

English department chair, Rose Lane, and her rookie sidekick, intern Penny Bright, are determined to move the hurricane force Storme out of Harding for good…except that somebody beats them to it with the decisiveness of murder.

Excerpt:

With a blast of nerves,

Rose pushed open the door and moved inside the large, windowless room. Settling her eyes on the principal’s desk, she noticed that the woman’s position was oddly out of the ordinary; her limbs stretched unnaturally and her neck twisted away to the side. The desk itself was covered in a flurry of papers and every drawer had been pulled and left open. A mug of spilled coffee puddled

down one side of the desk. Written on the mug was the word Boss.

Rose fought panic as she moved in and surveyed the surreal scene before her. Principal Wendy Storme had not moved. The face on the twisted neck was frozen in an ugly grimace of terror—with mouth and eyes wider than normal. Her swollen jaws and neck had darkened to a macabre blue. A thin stream of drool crept down Wendy’s chin and her eyes stared unseeing at the wall beyond. Without notice, Wendy’s body flopped to the floor with a flaccid thud, virtually at Rose’s feet. 

Principal Wendy Storme was dead.

Amazon buy links: 

http://a.co/b8SLuj3 for print

http://a.co/fCezpm5for e-book

About the author:

A career educator, Susan Coryell has taught students from 7^th grade through college-level. She earned a BA degree in English from Carson-Newman College and a Masters from George Mason University. She is listed in several different volumes of Who’s Who in Education and Who’s Who in Teaching.  Coryell belongs to Author’s Guild, Virginia Writers, and Lake Writers. She loves to talk with budding writers at schools, writers’ conferences and workshops. Her young adult anti-bully novel EAGLEBAIT is in its third edition for print and e-book, updated with cyber-bullying. EAGLEBAIT won the NY Public Library's "Books for the Teen Age," and the International Reading Association's "Young Adult Choice."

A RED, RED ROSE, first in a cozy mystery/Southern Gothic series, was nominated for a literary award with the Library of Virginia. BENEATH THE STONES, the sequel, was released in April of 2015. NOBODY KNOWS, the final novel in the Overhome Trilogy was published October, 2016.

A MURDER OF PRINCIPLE is under contract with The Wild Rose Press and was released March 12, 2018

The author has long been interested in concerns about culture and society in the South, where hard-felt, long-held feelings battle with modern ideas.  The ghosts slipped in, to her surprise.

When not writing, Ms. Coryell enjoys boating, kayaking, golf and yoga. She and her husband, Ned, love to travel, especially when any of their seven grandchildren are involved.

Please visit Susan Coryell’s website: www.susancoryellauthor.com and her blog: www.susancoryellauthor.blogspot.com or contact her on Facebook and Twitter.

Amazon Links:

A Red, Red Rose: http://a.co/0eoAvPC

 Beneath the Stones: http://a.co/fVIowQ8

Nobody Knows:  http://a.co/aoXACMd

Diane's Review

 A Great Whodunit. What happens when a new principal single-handedly destroys the camaraderie, spirit, and good name of a high school and some of its staff? People want to kill her. (I’m lucky I never had a principal like her!) 

Typical of most mysteries, the dead body shows up immediately. Then, Author Coryell does something different. She takes the reader back in time, so we can understand what led to such a drastic event. High schools employ many people. Consequently, many characters inhabit this story. Some are lightly described, but the main characters—Principal Wendy Storme, English teacher Rose Lane, and her intern Penny Bright are well-developed. The story is told through Rose and Penny’s points-of-view, and it’s done well.

Step-by-step, Principal Storme wreaks havoc on people’s lives—demoting here, replacing there, even firing—giving everyone, not just in the high school but in the community as well, a motive to kill her. At first, I thought some of the things Storme did were illegal. But I’ve been out of the education world for over thirty years. I didn’t realize how much has changed, especially in a right-to-work state. It’s surprising what goes on behind closed doors in a high school. If you enjoy a good mystery, you’ll enjoy this book.

5 Stars

Release Day: Evil Speaks Softly by Maureen L. Bonatch @mbonatch

                           

Evil Speaks Softly

The Nightwalkers Series, Volume 1

Maureen L. Bonatch

A paranormal romance from The Wild Rose Press

Release Date: October 11, 2017

Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor, DCA Graphics

Tagline: Everyone has a story to tell. Even the dead.

Blurb:

They were never supposed to meet. Fame came easy for Liv by following in the footsteps of the female writers in her family. The cycle repeated for decades…until Liv changed the story. Her villain doesn’t like the revision—and he isn’t a fictional character. In his story, the bad guy always wins.

They were never supposed to find love. Liv never questioned her demanding nocturnal muse, or the strange incidents in her old, family home until she met Gage. His job was to watch her from afar, not reveal the truth about the curse and the stories of the dead. They’ve broken all the rules. Together they unravel secrets as they strive to stop the cycle. Liv’s ability to find love, and protect her loved ones, hangs on the fickle whims of the dead—and they’ve got nothing to lose.

Evil Speaks Softly

Maureen L. Bonatch

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Speaks-Softly-Nightwalkers-Maureen-Bonatch-ebook/dp/B0755QWHG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504657747&sr=8-1&keywords

The Wild Rose Press: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/5292-evil-speaks-softly.html?search_query=maureen+l+bonatch&results=7

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/evil-speaks-softly-maureen-l-bonatch/1127092799?ean=2940158562211

Rating: Sensual (PG-PG13)

Page Count: 312

Word Count:  82982 

Digital Price: 5.99

Print Price (if applicable): 16.99

ISBN(s):

978-1-5092-1708-3 Paperback 
978-1-5092-1709-0 Digital 

Excerpt

“I met this strange man at the bar last night. He told me some really weird

stuff.”

            I paused. When she remained silent, I continued. “He said it was related to my writing.” She watched me with the fascination of one who desperately wanted to look away but couldn’t. As if a deer blinded to the oncoming headlights, she was fixated, trapped. “He said to talk to you.”

I searched her face. I knew my Grams. When resignation settled on her features a knot clenched in my stomach from either fear, or the excitement of validating Gage didn’t fabricate the story. Perhaps he wasn’t crazy.

            Grams slowly closed her eyes and opened them again. “He found you?”

            I nodded.

             She turned to stare out the frosted window where the birdfeeder sat frozen over from the recent snow. “I can’t believe he took that risk. Watchers are never to approach the Recorders. It could totally upset the balance.” She worried her lower lip between her teeth.

             When she used the same terms as Gage, my anxiety elevated. I expected her to deny his claims and then we’d laugh about the incident. “Grams, please tell me. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I took a deep breath. “Some weird things happened last night. Occasionally I notice unusual things, but it’s an old house and I have an active imagination, but this time it scared me.”

About the Author:

Maureen Bonatch dreamt of becoming a Solid Gold Dancer. When the show ended, she continued dancing in her living room but pursued other dreams. Surviving twins gave her the confidence to learn to belly dance, declare herself a tequila connoisseur, and act as biker babe to her alpha hubby. These adventures, her vivid imagination, and a love of sarcasm help her craft stories full of fun, magic and mayhem.

Maureen lives in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons —biking, sweat pants, hockey and hibernation—keep her there. While immersed in paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line. She enjoys reading & writing—of course! Also bicycling, being a backseat motorcycle babe, watching movies, hockey, wine tasting (usually in her living room where she still dances) and laughing.

Discomforting Thoughts About the Author & Evil Speaks Softly:

·         As a writer who 'writes by the seat of her pants' Maureen’s relentless characters can be demanding in wanting their story told and often have their own agenda. They just aren’t ruthless spirits and there’s no ancient curse…that she’s aware of.

·         The herniated disc Maureen suffered from while writing this story may have leaked a little extra darkness into the tale.

·         Maureen’s first house had a restless spirit.

·         Twins run in Maureen’s family—just no feisty triplets.

·         Maureen has no knowledge of wrestling but she did watch some WWF back in the day for entertainment.

·         Maureen believes she has had sleep paralysis in the past.

·         Nighttime spirits don’t terrify Maureen much since she’s up at the crack of dawn and can barely stay awake after 9:30 p.m.

                                          

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Maureen-L.-Bonatch/e/B00KHY1KK8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbonatch

Blog: http://www.maureenbonatch.com/blog/

Website: http://www.maureenbonatch.com

Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/1AV4L

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/maureenbonatch/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maureenlbonatch

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3103486.Maureen_L_Bonatch

Contact Info: mbonatch@yahoo.com

CHECK OUT MAUREEN'S GIVEAWAY

$15 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meet Author Diana Rubino @DianaLRubino

My guest today is author Diana Rubino. I met Diana through that fabulous group Authors Helping Authors.

Welcome, Diana, please tell us about yourself.

My passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my books, and short stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. My urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. I live on Cape Cod with my husband Chris

Where can readers find you?

My Website

www.dianarubino.com

My Blog

www.dianarubinoauthor.blogspot.com

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor/?ref=hl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/DianaLRubino

Goodreads

http://bit.ly/1V3GCgt

LinkedIn

http://bit.ly/1nYfgNK

Amazon Author Page

http://amzn.to/1EQWdfJ

Let's learn a little about your writing. How long does it take you to write a book?

Since I write historicals, the research can take up to a year or longer. When I’m writing, I set a daily goal of 2500 words, about 10 pages.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I bicycle, golf, play my piano and devour books of any genre. My husband and I have a home on Cape Cod that we try to get to as much as possible.

What do you enjoy most about life?

Having something to look forward to—even something simple, like going to the beach on the weekend.

Where do you start when writing? Research, plotting, outline, or...?

I use Donald Maass's THE BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK, which has many probing questions about characters and the story. I then write a detailed outline, which I don't always follow when writing. My daily goal is 2500 words a day.

I do everything in Word on my computer, but sometimes I write in longhand; it helps me connect to the characters more closely.

Are your stories driven by plot or character?

Character, in the genres I write in…the characters are who drive the plot; they make the plot what it is. The plot happens because of who they are and what they do to make things happen.

If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?

I always ask readers what era they’re interested in—medieval, Renaissance (Tudors), or what part of American history. Then I recommend whatever book is set in that era—Richard IIIs time, Henry VIIIs time, colonial, Civil War, early 20^th century…and I do have one about vampires on an Italian cruise ship if anyone wants to go there!

What do you hope readers take with them after reading your work?

My mission is to make readers forget their troubles for a while, escape into another time and place, and maybe get a few laughs along the way.

What two authors would we find you reading when taking a break from your own writing?

I read all of John Grisham’s books and for nonfiction, Ron Chernow writes the best biographies.

Tell us about your latest release.

My latest release is a time travel romance, DARK BREW.

          This story took 11 years from start to finish. In 2004, I read an article by Pamela Butler in the Richard III Society's magazine The Ricardian, about Alice Kyteler, who was accused of witchcraft in 1324. She then vanished into history. I couldn't resist writing a book about her.

Accused of her husband’s murder, druid Kylah McKinley travels back through time to her past life in 1324 Ireland and brings the true killer to justice.

Two months of hell change Kylah’s life forever. On her many past life regressions, she returns to 14^th century Ireland as Alice Kyteler, a druid moneylender falsely accused of murdering her husband. Kylah’s life mirrors Alice’s in one tragic event after another—she finds her husband sprawled on the floor, cold, blue, with no pulse. Evidence points to her, and police arrest her for his murder. Kylah and Alice shared another twist of fate—they fell in love with the man who believed in them. As Kylah prepares for her trial and fights to maintain her innocence, she must learn from her past or forever be doomed to repeat it.

Excerpt:

Kylah shut Ted’s den door. She couldn’t bear to look at the spot where he gasped his last breath. His presence, an imposing force, lingered. So did his scent, a blend of tobacco, pine aftershave and manly sweat. Each reminder ripped into her heart like a knife. Especially now with the funeral looming ahead, the eulogies, the mournful organ hymns, the tolling bells . . .

These ceremonies should bring closure, but they’d only prolong the agony of her grief. She wanted to remember him alive for a while longer, wishing she could delay these morbid customs until the hurt subsided.

Throughout the house, his essence echoed his personality: the wine stain on the carpet, the heap of dirty shirts, shorts and socks piled up in the laundry room, the spattered stove, his fingerprints on the microwave. But she couldn’t bring herself to clean any of it up. Painful as these remnants were, they offered a strange comfort. He still lived here.

“I’ll find that murderer, Teddy,” she promised him over and over, wandering from room to empty room, traces of him lurking in every corner. “I’ll do everything in my power to make sure justice is served. Another past life regression isn’t enough anymore. I know what I have to do now. And I promise, it will never, ever happen again—in any future life.”

She inhaled deeply and breathed him in. “Go take a shower, Teddy.” She chuckled through her tears as the doorbell rang. She cringed, breaking out in cold sweat when she saw the black sedan at the curb.

“Not again.” No sense in hiding, so she let the detectives in.

“Mrs. McKinley, we need your permission to do a search and take some of your husband’s possessions from the house,” Nolan said.

“What for?” She met his steely stare. “I looked everywhere and found nothing.”

“Mrs. McKinley, the cupboard door was open, four jars of herbs are missing, and the autopsy showed he died of herb poisoning. Those herbs,” Nolan added for emphasis, as if it had slipped her feeble mind. “Foxglove, mandrake, hemlock—and an as-yet unidentified one,” he read from a notebook. “The M.E. determined it was a lethal dose.”

Sherlock Holmes got nothin’ on him, she thought. 

“Where’s this cupboard, ma’am?” Egan spoke up.

“Right there.” She pointed, its door gaping exactly the way she’d found it that night. Nolan went over to it and peered inside.

“Ma’am, it would be better if you left the house for a half hour or so. Please leave a number where you can be reached,” Egan ordered.

Nolan glanced down the hall. “Where is your bedroom?”

What could they want in the bedroom? “It’s at the top of the stairs on the right. But we didn’t sleep together,” she offered, as if that would faze them. It didn’t.

After giving him her cell number, she got into her car and drove to the beach.

An hour later, she let herself back in and looked around. They’d taken the computer, her case of CDs, her thumb drive, her remaining herb jars, Ted’s notebooks, and left her alone with one horrible fact: This was now a homicide case and she was the prime suspect.

Purchase Dark Brew  

Kindle

Amazon Paperback 

B&N Nook 

The Wild Rose Press--Paperback & Ebook

 Thanks for coming, Diana. It's a pleasure getting to know you better. Best wishes on your latest release.

Blog Swap with Judy Ann Davis ~ New Release

I'm happy to welcome Judy Ann Davis to my site. Though we've never met in person, I've known her for over four years, ever since I joined Authors Helping Authors group. Judy is celebrating her new release, Four White Roses. First, let's get to know a little about her.

Welcome, Judy. Tell us about yourself.

I have a degree in Journalism and Communications and have written for industry and education. I began my career in writing as a copy and continuity writer for radio and television in Scranton, Pennsylvania. I’ve written everything from technical grants and curricula to commercials, public relations and news articles.

Over a dozen of my short stories have appeared in various literary and small magazines and anthologies, and I’ve been fortunate to receive numerous awards. To date, I’ve written four novels, one novella, and an anthology of short stories which I’m currently editing for reprint.

I love to garden, golf, and read. But best of all, I’m on the lookout for anything humorous to make me laugh. Most of my novels include a little comedy. I’m a true romantic who enjoys laughter, love, and the happily-ever-after moment. 

I belong to Pennwriters, Inc. and Romance Writers of America, and I divide my time between Central Pennsylvania and New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

We have some interests in common, Judy. Reading and gardening, and I ove humor and a good HEA. Now, where can readers find you?

Blog: www.judyanndavis.blogspot.com

The web: www.judyanndavis.com

Facebook: Judy Ann Davis Author https://www.facebook.com/JudyAnnDavisAuthor/

Twitter: JudyAnnDavis4   https://twitter.com/JudyAnnDavis4

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/judyanndavis44/

Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Ann-Davis/e/B006GXN502/

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4353662.Judy_Ann_Davis

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

My second grade teacher had our class collectively journal on a blackboard in our room every day. We would take turns telling Mrs. Robbins what we did the night before, what the weather was like, etc., and she write it into a comprehensive entry. She also read to us at the end of the day before we boarded our buses. I was enthralled by the “Boxcar Children.” She hooked me on reading and a love for the written word.

What a great teacher. Next question: how long does it take to write a book?

It takes me over a year to get a book written. I’m a slow writer, but I’m also a gardener, woodworker, and golfer—I prone to slip away from pounding the keys more than I probably should.

With spring finally here, I'll bet your garden is glorious. What do you enjoy most about life?

My two sons are grown and living in Texas and Alaska. My husband and I, besides dividing ourselves between Pennsylvania and Florida, travel to be with family. We’ve been able to see many places in the United States and meet many interesting people.

If you could give the younger version of yourself advice, what would it be?

Don’t let anyone dissuade you from writing. I didn’t attempt to write a novel for ten years when I received some bad advice from an agent, even though I was writing and selling short stories. I learned that every piece of advice, isn’t always “sound” advice. Evaluate all of it carefully.

That's great advice. How sad that you received such bad advice. What do you hope readers take with them after reading your work?

The only thing I want readers to get is a sense of well-being, and perhaps a few laughs. I want them to realize there is love in the world despite the chaos that often exists around us.

Tell us about your latest release.

TAGLINE: Can one wily old ghost help two fractured souls find love again?

Four White Roses is a romantic mystery with comedy—and a wily old ghost who adds a paranormal element. The main character, widower Rich Redman, returns from Dallas, Texas, to Pennsylvania never once envisioning that his Grandmother’s ghost would still be dwelling in her house. Although he can’t see her, she periodically appears on a rocker on the back porch and makes it move. Along with his quirky old housekeeper who tries to keep him and his precocious eight-year-old daughter in line, the ghost of Grandmother Gertie prods him toward solving a mystery and falling in love with a very beautiful and talented landscape artist, Torrie Larson, also widowed. Torrie has a daughter as well, and together the little girls are double trouble, creating havoc along the way as they try to tame an elusive white cat. It’s a feel-good story with tears and laughter.

BLURB:

When widower Rich Redman returns to Pennsylvania with his young daughter to sell his deceased grandmother’s house, he discovers Grandmother Gertie’s final request was for him to find a missing relative and a stash of WWI jewels.

Torrie Larson, single mom, is trying to make her landscape center and flower arranging business succeed while attempting to save the lineage of a rare white rose brought from Austria in the 1900s.

Together, the rich Texas lawyer and poor landscape owner team up to rescue the last rose and fulfill a dead woman’s wishes. But in their search to discover answers to the mysteries plaguing them, will Rich and Torrie also discover love in each other’s arms? Or will a meddling ghost, a pompous banker, and an elusive stray cat get in their way?

EXCERPT:

“You know I begged your mother not to make me send you back to Texas after each summer you spent here with me,” a voice said from the rocking chair behind him. “Your mother was adamant it would never happen. If your father hadn’t insisted you come here each summer, Joyce would have packed you up and sent you to some dude ranch or camp for rich kids instead. Luckily, once the divorce proceeding got underway, she was outvoted; and when high school rolled around, I finally got you for good—along with your stubborn Redman attitude.”

Rich flinched and the hair at the back of his neck felt like bugs were crawling up it. “You know, Grandmother, you really have to give me some sort of signal when you want to start a chat with me. Popping up unannounced scares the hair right off my head. Don’t they give specters some sort of warning bell to use?”

“Ding dong! Listen up, Richard Lee Junior. You think it’s fun to fade in and out of your life like I’m a fuzzy radio signal?” The rocking chair began to move. “I see you and Torrie resolved your little differences.”

Rich refused to take the bait. He wasn’t going to talk about Torrie Larson with anyone. He needed time to figure her out. “What do you know about Great Uncle Walt?”

“He went to New York to seek his fortune. He didn’t keep in touch with the family.” Grandmother Gertie’s ghost snorted derisively.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.” The rocker creaked. “I see you’re contemplating refinishing the floor in the living room and having the room repapered. Have Torrie help you pick out new furniture, or get those wingback chairs reupholstered. I’d stick with a gold color.”

Rich’s voice rose an octave. “You’re serious? You’re dead and you’re worried about the color of upholstery I’m going to be sitting on?”

“Phfftt. There you go, Richard Lee, being impertinent again.”

  

BUY LINKS:  Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Four-White-Roses-Judy-Davis-ebook/dp/B06XPBKY7F/

Wild Rose Press - http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/5016-four-white-roses.html

#WeWriWa - #8Sunday: One Red Shoe

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to read write! Writers share an 8 to10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other writers. You can find them here.

I'm back again with another snippet from my romantic suspense, One Red Shoe. In last week's snippet, Daria was leaving Iowa for NYC, despite her overprotective brothers' objections. Here's what's happening on the other side of the world.

Sam unlocked the hotel room, realizing too late that it wasn’t locked.

“Hello, Samuel, long time no see, as you Americans say,” Yuri Grashenko said from the corner of the small room, his smile as deadly as the Walther PPK in his hand. “Please return what you stole from my employer—he is most unhappy.”

“Why you talk nice to thief?” said the male voice behind Sam.

Spinning low with a move he hadn’t forgotten from his college basketball days, Sam slammed into the newcomer as a bullet from the PPK slammed into the wall where Sam’s shoulder had been seconds before. One good thing, Yuri wasn’t trying to kill him…not yet, anyway.

Sam and the newcomer—geez, the guy was big—rolled down the dark stairs in a tangle of arms and legs, elbows and knees wreaked as much havoc as the wood steps, bruises on bruises.

His dad was right…Sam should have gone to work in the steel mill, shoveling slag had to be easier than this.

It Happened One Night meets Knight and Day.

When elementary teacher Daria Mason left Iowa for a writers’ conference in New York City, she didn’t expect to come home with a wounded spy. Sam Jozwiak works for a shadow agency that gathers intel vital to U.S. security. From the moment he steals digital files from a Russian Mafia kingpin, Murphy’s Law takes over. No matter how he covers his tracks, the kingpin’s assassins find him. What’s worse than getting shot in the butt? Accepting help from an Iowa tourist. Thus, begins a road trip that takes Sam and Daria cross country with the assassins right behind them. 

TWRP ~ Amazon ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ Barnes & Noble

Be sure to check out the other authors.