#IWSG: Personal Info in Characters

It's the 1st Wednesday. Happy Insecure Writers Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. And thanks to this month's awesome hosts:   Olga Godim, Chemist Ken, Jennifer Hawes, and Tamara Narayan!

This has been a productive month. I don't feel very insecure so this month's question provides my topic.

Have you ever slipped any of your personal information into your characters, either by accident or on purpose?

Sure. In my first published science fiction romance, Switched, Jessie (the main character) compares the stiff-backed hero to her teacher, Mr. Nutt. That was my second grade teacher's name. Actually, he taught kindergarten to eighth grade, in a one-room school. I don't recall what he looked like. But I do remember him being very stern. When some of the eighth graders were sixteen or older, he had to be strict.

In my PI mystery series, Alex O'Hara often repeats some of my opinions. In The Case of the Meddling Mama, Nick's (Alex's main squeeze) mother returns from Arizona without his father and moves in with Alex. Mama's reason (besides her husband ignoring her)? Everything out there is brown. No green. She wants four seasons. She misses her flowers and grass. For that character, I used my initial reaction to Arizona plus complaints from women I know whose husbands have retired.

I hope you've had a great month and that October is even better.

 Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today. 

New Life

Spring brings many signs of new life. Green grass, tulips and daffodils, yellow forsythia, and redbud trees in bloom. On Saturday, I found something new. A nest under a rhododendron. The fact that I could see it out my living room window made it more interesting. Amazingly, the nest held about fifteen eggs and Mama Mallard stood nearby. Did I take a picture then? Of course not. Talk about a missed opportunity. When I did grab my phone (my nearest camera), Mama had settled on top of her eggs. If you look carefully, you can see her tail feathers.

Four years ago, when we finally choose a location for our new home, I was slightly disappointed that we didn't back to trees. (That lot was in a flood zone.) Instead we chose the lot that backed to a pond (along with twenty-two other lots). We have enjoyed the inhabitants of that pond--the ducks, especially. We could do without the geese (who decorate our lawn with green deposits) and the muskrat whose hole in our lawn could be a leg-breaking hazard.

But the ducks are entertaining. They return each spring, build nests, and have their babies. Several of the neighbors (and Hubs) toss bread to them, making them so tame they come right up to the house as soon as they hear the slider opening. 

This spring is the first time we've found a nest on our property. Right next to our house! (This is the rhododendron. I can't see her in the above picture.) I keep hoping to catch Mama off the nest so I can take that picture. According to my resident researcher, the gestation period is 24 to 29 days. We have no idea when she laid the eggs. As you can see from the picture, she's well camouflaged. And she doesn't move, even when Hubs goes out the front door to get the newspaper or when I went out to take a picture. Apparently, she will leave the nest to get food and drink. Perhaps when the area warms up near our supper time. As I write this, the nest is in the shade, so she's busy keeping those eggs warm.

Mamas are like that, aren't they? We keep our babies warm, give them what they need, and above all protect them. In my newest cozy mystery, The Case of the Meddling Mama, Nick's mother has returned home to Michigan from Arizona where she and his dad retired. Leaving her husband of almost forty years had to be a difficult decision. But what's a woman to do when her spouse doesn't listen to her?

I'll keep my eye on Mama Mallard and take pictures when she leaves the nest. Can't wait for the grandkiddies to see this.

How is spring where you live?

Once again, Alex O’Hara is up to her ears in mysteries. After surviving an attempted murder, all she wants is R&R time with Nick Palzetti. But his mother leaving his father (“that horse’s patoot”) and moving in with Alex puts a crimp in their plans. Then Nick leaves on assignment and the teen she rescued from an abusive father believes his buddy is doing drugs. Meanwhile, Alex has two easy cases to take her mind off her shaky relationship with Nick—a philandering husband and a background check on a client’s boyfriend. Piece of cake.

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iTunes ~ Smashwords

#IWSG - Good News

It's the 1st Wednesday. Happy Insecure Writers Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. And thanks to this month's awesome hosts:   Nancy Gideon, Tamara Narayan, Liesbet @ Roaming About, Michelle Wallace, and Feather Stone!

Before I get to my own good news, IWSG had some, too. Be sure to check out the new anthology Hero Lost: Mysteries of Death and Life. 

Congratulations to the authors: Jen Chandler, L. Nahay, Renee Cheung, Roland Yeomans, Elizabeth Seckman, Olga Godim, Yvonne Ventresca, Ellen Jacobson, Sean McLachlan, Erika Beebe, Tyrean Martinson, and Sarah Foster.

My Good News

Last month, I announced I'd finished my work-in-progress. My news this month is that my novel has been published. The Case of the Meddling Mama took so long, in comparison to how I usually write. It was a source of frustration, mainly because I couldn't understand why I dogged around on it. Once I buckled down (so to speak) and pushed myself, I finished it and got it off to my wonderful free-lance editor. She found little that needed changing. Whew! Quite a few typos and some grammar stuff. I love that kind of editing. How many of you remember the ad that stated "We serve no wine before its time." (I might not have gotten that correct, but I'm guessing you might know it.)  Perhaps, this was the right time for that story.

In other news, we are home from Arizona. Again. Loved being able to celebrate our granddaughter's 2nd birthday. Her parents are bringing her up right. They read to her at night. And during the day. In fact, whenever she'll sit still. Needless to say, her grandmother read to her often, too. 

The optional question this month: What is the weirdest/coolest thing you ever had to research for your story?

That is a great question. For The Case of the Meddling Mama I researched drugs, both legal (prescription) drugs and the illegal ones. One of the characters (a teen) was convinced his buddy was using drugs. I needed to know what kinds of drugs high school kids would take and the dangers they faced. Without being preachy (I hope), I let my readers know some of the ways kids get drugs. Working in a serious topic when my mysteries are light and humorous was a challenge. I hope I did justice to it.

I learned quite a bit about drugs, but what really freaked me out were the pop-up messages. Most had advice about conquering drug addiction and where help was available. Was Big Brother watching me? 

Blurb

Go on an adventure with PI Alex O'Hara as she solves another case. Nick's mother has moved in with Alex, putting a crimp in Nick and Alex's romance. What's a girl to do? At least her new case is an easy one.

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iTunes ~ Smashwords

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today. 

#WeWriWa - #8Sunday The Case of the Meddling Mama: The Mother

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

My snippet is from my newly-released The Case of the Meddling Mama an Alex O'Hara Novel, third in my PI mystery series. Apologies for the creative punctuation, which was done to keep within the sentence limit. 

From Ginnie, I learned the following about Karl Trimmer: thirty-two, computer programming consultant, worked at home—in a new condo in Country Club Estates, a new development north along the lakeshore.

“Where did he live before that—an apartment?”

“No, he lived at home.”

Although I was surprised, I had to remember how bad the economy had been a few years ago—a lot of people fresh out of college or who’d lost jobs moved home.

“I wondered about that, too,” Ginnie tapped her short, no polish nails on the chair arm, “His mother has health issues, and since Karl’s an only child, he took care of her.”

“And what changed that he moved out—did she die, or move into a nursing home?”

“Oh, nothing like that, he hired a homecare worker to stay with her during the day--his mother can get around with a walker, and Karl got her one of those medical alert necklaces, so she can call for help if she needs it.”

“Are you concerned about her disability?”

“Maybe a little, she’s only fifty-two and I don’t understand her illness, but Karl said it can be debilitating, and . . .”

The Case of the Meddling Mama released last Monday. It's available at:

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iTunes ~ Smashwords

Blurb:

Once again, Alex O’Hara is up to her ears in mysteries. After surviving an attempted murder, all she wants is R&R time with Nick Palzetti. But his mother leaving his father (“that horse’s patoot”) and moving in with Alex puts a crimp in their plans. Then Nick leaves on assignment and the teen she rescued from an abusive father believes his buddy is doing drugs. Meanwhile, Alex has two easy cases to take her mind off her shaky relationship with Nick—a philandering husband and a background check on a client’s boyfriend. Piece of cake. 

This is the last snippet from The Case of the Meddling Mama. Next week I'll introduce a new story. Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors.  

Release Day!

Today's the day that The Case of the Meddling Mama is released. Alex can't even go to a dress shop without being "accosted" by well-meaning friends, who try to drum up business for her. Here's a sample.

When two women entered the exclusive dress shop, Ellie left to greet them while her assistant chivvied me to put on the shoes. White socks, black strappy heels, and the gorgeous emerald green bridesmaid dress—I made such a fashion statement as I stood on the platform, call Vogue.

I so didn’t want to be there, especially when I recognized one of the women. I’d been the bearer of bad news to Nora Finley last week—her Mr. Perfect turned out to be a Black Widower. He and his cohorts had the perfect plan, a plan I thwarted just in time.

“Oh, you’re here,” Nora cried out when she spotted me and tugged on her companion’s wrist, practically dragging her over. “Ginnie, this is the PI that saved my life, Alex O’Hara!”

I cringed while heat bloomed in my cheeks.

Nora looked up at me. “I’ve been telling Ginnie here that she absolutely must hire you to check out her boyfriend—she met him on one of those online dating sites.”

Ginnie winced, like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. I knew the feeling. Having so much attention made me cringe. Meanwhile, Ellie’s assistant told me to stand still while she crawled around sticking pins in the gown.

“Go on and talk to Alex, Ginnie,” Nora said. “I’m going to find you the perfect dress for your next date. Ellen has the best selection in Grand Rapids. Oh, forget that. In the entire state of Michigan. I always find something here.” She took off across the store.

Poor Ginnie—a deer captured in the headlights had nothing on her. With her blond hair and fair complexion, her embarrassment was even more apparent. I figured I’d better do something to break the awkwardness. With a smile, I leaned over, held out my hand. “Hi, I’m Alex O’Hara, reluctant dress shopper.”

“Ginnie Bakker, also a reluctant shopper.” She shook my hand and returned my smile. “I like your dress.”

I preened—didn’t get a chance to do that very often since elegant clothes were not my normal attire. In fact, I felt more comfortable in the jeans and T-shirt hanging on hooks in the dressing room. Give me a good pair of running shoes, and I’m happy.

“The gown is for Ellie’s wedding next month.” I twirled around and nearly ended up on my face. Pins scratched my ankles through my socks, and I almost wrenched my ankle—high heels and I never got along.

“Whoa, are you all right?” Ginnie put out a hand to steady me.

While I laughed, Ellie rushed up to us. “Is Klutzy Alex at it again?”

The Case of the Meddling Mama is available at:

Amazon: http://a.co/2hk7fYF

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-case-of-the-meddling-mama-an-alex-o-hara-novel

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-case-of-the-meddling-mama-diane-burton/1126242293?ean=2940157423414

iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-case-of-the-meddling-mama-an-alex-ohara-novel/id1227684677?mt=11

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/718776

I hope you enjoy The Case of the Meddling Mama. 

#WeWriWa - #8Sunday The Case of the Meddling Mama: The Client

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

My snippet is from my upcoming release, THE CASE OF THE MEDDLING MAMA, an Alex O'Hara Novel, third in my PI mystery series. Apologies for the creative punctuation, which was done to keep within the sentence limit. The "reluctant" shopper who met Alex at the dress shop and blindsided by her friend into getting Alex to check out her new boyfriend, has shown up for an appointment.

“So nice to see you again, Ginnie,” I said, shaking her cold and shaky hand.

As she sat, I walked around the big mahogany desk that dominated the office and settled in the black ergonomic chair. From beneath my partially-closed eyelids, I saw a hint of apprehension swimming in her eyes—needing to put her at ease, I said, “Did you find a dress at Ellie’s?”

“Oh, yes,” she said, surprised at my question, “I always find something there, she carries fantastic clothes.”

I laughed, “At equally fantastic prices.” Time to find out what she wanted. “I wish Ellie had come to me before she met all those losers—she’s happy now, and that’s all that counts, so what can I do for you?”

She cleared her throat, looked down at her hands then up at me before saying, “What you did for Ellen, keep me from making a big mistake.”

After she told me what she knew about Karl Trimmer, I asked if she’d met his mother.

She made a face. “I’d rather not talk about that.”

Once again, Alex O’Hara is up to her ears in mysteries. After surviving an attempted murder, all she wants is R&R time with Nick Palzetti. But his mother leaving his father (“that horse’s patoot”) and moving in with Alex puts a crimp in their plans. Then Nick leaves on assignment and the teen she rescued from an abusive father believes his buddy is doing drugs. Meanwhile, Alex has two easy cases to take her mind off her shaky relationship with Nick—a philandering husband and a background check on a client’s boyfriend. Piece of cake.

Release date: this Monday, April 17, 2017. Available for pre-order at the special price of $1.99.

Amazon: http://a.co/2hk7fYF
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-case-of-the-meddling-mama-an-alex-o-hara-novel

There is a glitch with Amazon--a glaring misunderstanding. They will publish the unedited version then will send an immediate update. I hope they keep their promise!

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors.  

Television, Traveling, and Tigers

Have you been watching “Feud: Bette and Joan”? Very interesting series. I remember watching Whatever Happened to Baby Jane on television back in the late 1960s. Freaked me out. The following day, one of my first graders talked about watching it. WTH? What were those parents thinking?

Anyway, the series about the ongoing feud between two aging superstars has been fascinating. I’ve always been a “star” watcher. I love movies, as if you couldn’t guess by now. Every chance I get I read People magazine, usually in a doctor’s office. I can just imagine how the feud between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford would play out in today’s media. Susan Sarandon as Bette and Jessica Lange as Joan are perfect for the roles. I could believe that I’m watching the real Joan Crawford and Bette Davis.

Another movie on television caught my attention ahead of time. So I set up the DVR to record it just in case we missed it. We missed it. Worse, the time allotted was wrong. Instead of a 90 minutes, To Walk Invisible the Bronte Sisters ran for almost two hours. When the recording shut off in the middle of the movie, I was so disappointed. Fortunately, it reran at 3 am the following week. I recorded it again (adding an hour to the time indicated). What a fascinating look at the family life of three classic authors and what they had to go through to get their works published. If you get a chance, it’s worth watching.

Rogue One came out in DVD last week. Haven’t had a chance to watch this. Again. We saw it at the show. Unfortunately, because much of the cast is British (and other nationalities) and Hubs and I have some hearing problems, we missed a lot of the dialogue. I’ve been waiting for this Star Wars affiliated movie to come out on DVD so we can get closed captioning. I didn’t have time to get to the store and purchased it, let alone watch it.

Rogue One came out on Tuesday. We left on Wednesday, driving to Arizona. We left behind rain, with a good possibility for snow, for Spring in the Southwest. After the first day of rain, we had sunny, warm days for the rest of our trip. How wonderful to see flowering shrubs and trees leafing out. The farther south, the more definite Spring had arrived. Our family back home assured us the snow went east of us. Still, we were happy to leave it behind.

In the month since we left AZ, Toddler Girl’s vocabulary has increased by leaps and bounds. She’ll be two next week (our reason for returning), and we’re fascinated by how many words she knows and uses correctly plus how much she understands. This is a fabulous time. I’m so glad we could spend so much time with her. Our lovely daughter-in-law (and son) welcome us so graciously and enjoy having us stay with them. We love the time with our granddaughter and they make it easy for us.

I’m anxiously awaiting the return of my edited manuscript—which will probably be here before this post goes up. Good thing. I’m almost afraid I’m cutting it too close. The finished ms. is due on Amazon on Thursday. The penalty if I miss that deadline is steep. No more pre-orders for a year. I won’t miss the deadline. The Case of the Meddling Mama will be released a week from today, April 17^th. While it’s on pre-order, it’s priced at $1.99. After release, it will go up to its regular price of $3.99. I’ve had a lot of fun offering snippets each weekend. I hope you’ve gotten a chance to read them. 

The Detroit Tigers won opening day. Currently, they’re in second place in the American League Central. What a great week!

I hope you have a great week.

#WeWriWa - #8Sunday The Case of the Meddling Mama: Caught!

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

My snippet is from my upcoming release, THE CASE OF THE MEDDLING MAMA, an Alex O'Hara Novel, third in my PI mystery series. Apologies for the creative punctuation, which was done to keep within the sentence limit

In last week's snippet, Alex chastised Nick for kissing her, afraid that his mother would know. 

With a nonchalance that never failed to grab my attention, Nick put his hands on my chair arms and turned me to face him. His chocolate brown eyes smoldered—oh, yeah, melted dark chocolate that turned my insides all gooey—and when he leaned in to kiss me, my eyelids fluttered closed.

“Nicholas, I need your expense reports from last month, where are—” Maria said as she burst into Nick’s office, talking until she stood in the open connecting door with her hands on her hips. “No hanky-panky in the office.”

There we were, two red-faced adults acting like kids caught kissing behind the garage—we’d done that, too, at six and eight years old, only, it had been his dad who’d caught us.

“Ma, did you want something—uh, expense reports?” he said, recovering a lot faster than I did, since my mouth still hung open, like a guppy that had fallen out of the bowl.

She bristled, saying, “In all the years your father—that horse’s patoot—worked here, he and I never fooled around.”

Nick put his hands on her shoulders and said, “I remember a time when you two were kissing in the kitchenette, and, as I recall, he had his hands—”

“Enough,” she said, blushing from her neck up to her soft bangs. “This is a business, and you two will refrain from PDAs.”

Once again, Alex O’Hara is up to her ears in mysteries. After surviving an attempted murder, all she wants is R&R time with Nick Palzetti. But his mother leaving his father (“that horse’s patoot”) and moving in with Alex puts a crimp in their plans. Then Nick leaves on assignment and the teen she rescued from an abusive father believes his buddy is doing drugs. Meanwhile, Alex has two easy cases to take her mind off her shaky relationship with Nick—a philandering husband and a background check on a client’s boyfriend. Piece of cake.

Release date: April 17, 2017. Available for pre-order at the special price of $1.99.

Amazon: http://a.co/2hk7fYF
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-case-of-the-meddling-mama-an-alex-o-hara-novel

Be sure to check out the other authors. 

#IWSG: WIP Completed

It's the 1st Wednesday. Happy  Insecure Writers Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. And thanks to this month's awesome hosts:  Christopher D. Votey, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Fundy Blue, and Chrys Fey!

Instead of bemoaning the fact that I’m still working on my WIP, I have good news. My cozy mystery, The Case of the Meddling Mama, is finished. I did a happy dance after I shipped it off to my editor.

Once again, Alex O’Hara is up to her ears in mysteries. After surviving an attempted murder, all she wants is R&R time with Nick Palzetti. But his mother leaving his father (“that horse’s patoot”) and moving in with Alex puts a crimp in their plans. Then Nick leaves on assignment and the teen she rescued from an abusive father believes his buddy is doing drugs. Meanwhile, Alex has two easy cases to take her mind off her shaky relationship with Nick—a philandering husband and a background check on a client’s boyfriend. Piece of cake.

Release date: April 17, 2017. Available for pre-order at a reduced price.

Amazon: http://a.co/2hk7fYF

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-case-of-the-meddling-mama-an-alex-o-hara-novel

Still, I have the usual insecurities when releasing a new book. Will people buy it? Will they like it? Will they leave a review? A good one, hopefully. But none of that can reduce the joy of completing a story and getting it out there for others to enjoy.

Happy Spring!

Because April is the A to Z Challenge (which I’m not participating in, btw), this post is shorter than usual. Have fun, all who are participating. This week we’re traveling (again), so I’ll be late in responding and visiting you all.

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today. 

Daffodils, Baseball, Tornadoes

You can tell it’s Spring in Michigan—and in most of the Midwest. Daffodils and other spring bulbs are poking their heads through the cold ground. Today is the first day of baseball—the Detroit Tigers play the Chicago White Sox. Time to get boats in the water. And it’s tornado season.

Every fall, Hubs and I plant tulips and daffodils in the hopes that we’ll have lots of color despite winter’s brown grass. Unfortunately, some critters think bulbs are a delicacy. Not sure, but we think it’s a rabbit and his/her buddies. The profusion of blooms fills me with joy and hope. So we’ll plant more bulbs and hope for the best.

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you know that baseball is my favorite sport. Never mind that Hubs and almost every person in the U.S. will be glued to their televisions tonight watching the NCAA Basketball playoffs. I’d rather watch baseball. Some equate watching baseball on TV the equivalent of watching paint dry. Not me. As a kid, I played baseball. As a parent, I watched my kids in Little League, and even kept score for our son’s team. Baseball is a sport whose rules I understand. Besides, it’s fun. While it's quite a hike across the state to watch the Tigers play in person, I can still get my baseball fix by attending the West Michigan WhiteCaps games. The WhiteCaps, a minor league team affiliated with the Tigers, play just north of Grand Rapids.

While the first two signs of Spring are fun and exciting, the next one is scary. I lived in Missouri for six years. Tornado Alley. A tornado hit Sedalia the year before we moved there. Despite the devastation to houses, a mobile home park, and the factory where Hubs went to work, no lives were lost due to the advance warning system. After seeing pictures of the devastation, I have a healthy respect for tornado sirens. I hope you do, too. While Michigan isn’t exactly in Tornado Alley, we do get tornadoes here. So, I know where in my basement to go when the sirens sound. My heart goes out to everyone who has been affected by the tornadoes this past week.

The Case of the Meddling Mama takes place in Spring. My cover designer, the talented Florence Price of The Novel Difference, did a great job with the cover. See the containers containing tulips in front of Alex’s building and the people frolicking on the beach? They’re smart enough not to go into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan. But it's a great time to go fishing and sailing.

Blurb:

Once again, Alex O’Hara is up to her ears in mysteries. After surviving an attempted murder, all she wants is R&R time with Nick Palzetti. But his mother leaving his father (“that horse’s patoot”) and moving in with Alex puts a crimp in their plans. Then Nick leaves on assignment and the teen she rescued from an abusive father believes his buddy is doing drugs. Meanwhile, Alex has two easy cases to take her mind off her shaky relationship with Nick—a philandering husband and a background check on a client’s boyfriend. Piece of cake.

Release date: April 17, 2017. Available for pre-order at a reduced price.

Amazon: http://a.co/2hk7fYF

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-case-of-the-meddling-mama-an-alex-o-hara-novel

Have a great week. Happy Spring!

#WeWriWa - #8Sunday The Case of the Meddling Mama: What a Kiss!

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

My snippet is from my upcoming release, THE CASE OF THE MEDDLING MAMA, an Alex O'Hara Novel, third in my PI mystery series. Along with some creative punctuation, it hasn't been edited yet, so suggestions are welcome.

In this snippet, Alex has changed into "professional" attire and is waiting for a client in her office.

“Hello, gorgeous,” Nick said from the open doorway between our offices. 

I wanted so much to fly into his arms, have him hold me and say everything would work out, but not with his mother nearby--and not when I'm supposed to be Ms. Independent.

“You’re back.” I gave him a brilliant smile to make up for not jumping his bones.

He sauntered in, pulled me out of my chair, and planted a kiss on me that melted my pantyhose. Good Lord, could that man kiss. 

When I came up for air, common sense reared its ugly head, and I whispered, “Not with your mother in the next room.”

Nick pulled away, reluctance and disappointment plastered on his face. “The offices are soundproof, she doesn’t know what we’re doing.”

“Don’t count on it.”

Once again, Alex O’Hara is up to her ears in mysteries. After surviving an attempted murder, all she wants is R&R time with Nick Palzetti. But his mother leaving his father (“that horse’s patoot”) and moving in with Alex puts a crimp in their plans. Then Nick leaves on assignment and the teen she rescued from an abusive father believes his buddy is doing drugs. Meanwhile, Alex has two easy cases to take her mind off her shaky relationship with Nick—a philandering husband and a background check on a client’s boyfriend. Piece of cake.

Release date: April 17, 2017. Available for pre-order at the special price of $1.99.

Amazon: http://a.co/2hk7fYF
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-case-of-the-meddling-mama-an-alex-o-hara-novel

Be sure to check out the other authors.