Interview with Reid Sanders from WITCH OF DEATH by Chrys Fey

I have special guests today. My friend Chrys Fey brought along Detective Reid Sanders, a man in a hurry.

Hello, everyone! My name is Chrys Fey and I’m here with Reid Sanders, the detective from my short story, Witch of Death. He’s not very patient, so I’ll get right to it.

Hello, Reid, thanks for stopping by. I have a pot of coffee and some sandwiches at the table. And don’t worry, they’re not dainty.

Thanks, Chrys, I’m starving.

I hope you can answer a few questions between bites, because our readers want to know more about you.

I think I can manage that.

1. When did you know you wanted to be a detective?

My father bought me a detective kit when I was eight complete with a plastic badge, handcuffs, and a notebook to write down what my imaginary suspects said. Ever since, I knew I was destined to be a detective.

2. What do you like most about your job?

Hands down . . . catching the bad guy. Finding the killer (or killers) is what I live for.

3. What do you like least?

The useless, senseless waste of human life. I’ve solved countless murders but that doesn’t make up for the lives lost.

4. Do you believe in the supernatural?

Of course not! There’s no such thing at the supernatural. It’s all make believe; stories told to kids to make them behave. There are no grandma-eating wolves or child-eating witches. There ‘s no such things as fairies, aliens, or vampires.

5. What was your first thought when you saw Detective Liberty Sawyer?

When I first saw her, I was stunned speechless. Liberty embodies your typical image of a witch with her sleek, long black hair and blood-red lips, but if you look closer, you can see how stunning she is with her sharp cheek bones and bright blue eyes. So my first thought was, “Wow, she’s beautiful . . . for a witch.”

6. And your second thought?

By the time I got my bearings, we were shaking hands and an odd warm tingle traveled up my arm from our clasped hands. That would make my second though, “What the f***?”

7. She said you think she’s the witch of death? Why is that?

Because the killer is a witch and Liberty admitted to being a witch. On top of that, she knows things about the murders that only the killer would know. Plus, I’ve seen her do magick. It was incredible. Impossible. But I saw it and I saw the corpse. If she’s not the killer then that means there’s another witch out there who is.

8. One more time . . . are you sure you don’t believe in the supernatural?

Believing is one thing. Although I’ve seen things I’m not used to I’m not ready to say I believe in it. Any of it. Not yet.

Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk, Reid.

No problem, Chrys. The sandwiches were good.

I’m glad you liked them, take one for the road.

Don’t mind if I do. *Grabs a sandwich and salutes on his way out the door.*

He really is a man in a hurry. Thanks, Chrys, for sharing him and his insights. I love the covers of your two books.

Blurb for Witch of Death:

Detective Reid Sanders doesn’t believe in the supernatural, but when he’s faced with a crime scene that defies the laws of nature, he has no other choice but to start believing. And solving a magical murder involves working with a witch.

Liberty Sawyer embodies the look of your classic evil witch, so, it’s no surprise when she uncovers the murderer is a witch that she becomes Reid’s number one suspect. If she can’t convince him otherwise, more people could lose their lives to dark magic, including her.

Book Links:

Amazon US / Amazon UK / The Wild Rose Press / NOOK / KOBO

Also available: GHOST OF DEATH

Blurb:

Jolie Montgomery, a twenty-one-year-old woman, wakes up in an alley next to her corpse. She has no memories of her murder or the night she died. She didn’t even see the killer’s face before he or she took her life. Wanting justice, Jolie seeks answers in the only way a ghost can...by stalking the lead detective on the case. 

Avrianna Heavenborn is determined to find the person responsible for a young woman’s death. She gets closer to the killer’s identity with every clue she uncovers, and Jolie is with her every step of the way.

But if they don’t solve her murder soon, Jolie will be an earth-bound spirit forever.

Book Links:

Amazon US / Amazon UK / The Wild Rose Press / NOOK / KOBO

About the author:

Chrys Fey is the author of Hurricane Crimes and 30 Seconds. She is currently working on the sequel to Hurricane Crimes that’ll serve as book two in the Disaster Crimes series.

When Fey was six years old, she realized her dream of being a writer by watching her mother pursue publication. At the age of twelve, she started writing her first novel, which flourished into a series she later rewrote at seventeen. Fey lives in Florida where she is waiting for the next hurricane to come her way. 

You can connect with her on Facebook and her blog, Write with Fey. She loves to get to know her readers!

Author Links:

Facebook / Blog / Website / Goodreads

Grief, Loss, and Shopping

Last week, my two sisters and I visited my cousin in St. Louis who'd lost her mother last month. While preparing to go, I didn't realize how much our visit would mean to her. She had the chance to talk about her mom and the end of her mom's life. We gave her a short break, offered suggestions, and listened. Perhaps that was the most important. Just listening. And she took us shopping. There's nothing like wandering in and out of quaint shops to shut out grief for an afternoon. 

Having lost my own mother, mother-in-law, and her sister within eighteen months, I knew grief first hand. I knew about being overwhelmed ("OMG, what am I going to do with all this stuff?") as Hubs and I emptied his mother's and aunt's condos. I'm the oldest of seven, so I had lots of help with Mom's estate. But Hubs was an only child and his aunt had no children. After our garage, basement, and dining room filled up with the belongings of two women who both lived over a hundred years (you read that right), I was paralyzed by indecision. My sister's husband was also an "only" and she, too, had to deal with her mother-in-law's estate alone. She filled up their backyard shed until she could figure out what to do with it all. Why is it that dealing with "stuff" seems to overshadow our thoughts instead of memories of our loved one?

Both of us could identify with our cousin, another only child. My other sister was our mother's caregiver, as was my cousin, and could empathize with the void in her life. Before we left, I shared with her what the Hospice counselor told me--give yourself permission to grieve and take as long as you need. That's how I got through losing three important women in my life.

I hope my cousin discovers that in time the pain will ease. It never goes completely away. It just doesn't hurt as much.

On a different note, today is also my turn on The Roses of Prose. Come on over and see what I have to say about the characters in my stories who don't behave.

Time - Where Does It Go #IWSG

It's that time of the month again. No, not that time.  The first Wednesday of the month is Insecure Writers Support Group time. IWSG is the brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. And thanks to this month's awesome hosts M. Pax,  Tracy Jo, Patricia Lynne,  Rachna Chhabria,  Feather Stone, and Randi Lee!

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!

Is there anything more frustrating than knowing exactly where your story is going and not having the time to write it? That was my dilemma last month. I was so close to the end of my science fiction romance WIP. May was not the month to finish it. If you visited last month, you know I wrote about what sucks away time. That was not the case. I forced myself to refrain from solitaire and mah jong. I didn't watch all my TV shows. And I stayed away from Pinterest.

Confession time: I played a few games at night (when I was brain dead) and I did watch a couple of shows (again while being brain dead). I did stay away from Pinterest, thought. That counts. I had other issues that prevented me from writing.

First, Hubs and I spent two wonderful weeks in Arizona cuddling our new granddaughter. Truly a hardship!   Loved it. I planned on not getting much or any writing done while we were gone. I didn’t realize how flying east messes up your system. Along with laundry, paying bills, etc., getting back to normal ate up another week.

While we were in Arizona my aunt died. Although we couldn’t make it for the funeral, I knew how much my cousin needed support. She was so excited that my sisters and I were coming to visit. So that shot another week. Rereading, that sounds like I begrudged the time. I'm more frustrated than anything.

Non-writers think because we don't have an 8 to 5 job, writing isn't "work" and can be interrupted at any time. Deadlines are deadlines, even the self-imposed ones. I self-publish, but my deadline is every bit as important as a deadline from a publisher. I have my freelance editor lined up and my being late getting the manuscript to her will put her behind. I could even lose my slot on her calendar. All that will delay the publication. I even started setting up promo ops. To fulfill them, the book has to be published.

Yet, how can I disregard family? Maybe I should have told Baby Girl not to come too soon. Or put off visiting my cousin. I know if I don’t go now, there will be other reasons to put it off. 

Balancing family and work is difficult no matter what occupation you have. Those of you who have full-time jobs (that pay), plus young families with all that entails, and manage to carve out time to write put me to shame. At times, I feel like such a slacker. My children are grown. I’m retired (from the job that pays), Hubs is understanding, and we’re both fairly healthy. I shouldn’t have any excuse not to write full-time . . . and to meet deadlines. I may be burning a lot of midnight oil.

How do you manage?

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.

BTW, I will be without internet service until tomorrow when I’ll try to visit everyone’s blog. Thanks for understanding.

Book Blitz - LETTERS FROM THE INSIDE by Teresa Blue #Giveaway

In lieu of my regular blog, I'm happy to share my friend Teresa Blue's newest story. I hope you'll check it out. Best wishes, Teresa.

About the Book

Letters from Inside
by Teresa Blue
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance | Kobo Books | Boroughs Publishing
Genre: Romantic Action/Suspense
Published by: Boroughs Publishing
Release Date: February 15, 2015
Length: 181 Pages

Detective Tom Harrington’s touch is like a warm balm, soothing life’s scratches from Linda Wheeler’s troubled heart, but he is also the last man she should trust: a stranger, a cop, a threat to all she holds dear.

 

INSIDE 
Leaving her two-timing, alcoholic husband was tough, but single parenting is harder. Still, waitress Linda Wheeler will do anything for her teenage daughter. Jessica might be rebellious, but at her core she’s sweet and good, and a mother’s love must remain deep and true. Even when her child makes a terrible, perilous mistake that might end her in jail—or worse.

AND OUT 
Detective Tom Harrington has personal reasons for keeping an eye on Carl Jenkins, so he follows the recently paroled rapist to the small Michigan town of Berrien. There he finds something even more personal…and confusing. Why would a seemingly decent woman write letters, pouring her heart out to such a dangerous convict? Is she really as lonely as she is beautiful? Linda Wheeler is a mystery that demands unraveling, just as her soft lips demand kissing and her wounded heart demands soothing. Above all, he must protect her—and his own secrets.

Excerpt

The bedroom door slammed behind her as Jessie threw herself on the ruffled spread stretched smooth across the bed, the one chore her mom still seemed willing to do as part of her motherly duty. 

Grabbing the slim-line phone, Jessie dialed her best friend. If she had a cell phone she could have called her sooner, like the moment she'd opened the mailbox and saw the cryptic handwriting, knowing immediately it was from him.

“Hey, Lisa. What’re you doing?” 

She turned on the small Holly Hobby lamp that had belonged to her mom and, with the phone cradled next to her ear, removed a wrinkled envelope from beneath the waistband of her jeans. 

“Not much,” Lisa said. “Same-O-bull.”

“Well…guess what?” Jessie lay back against the headboard. “I got another letter today.”

“Another one? That makes what? Four? Five?” Lisa’s high pitch squeal blasted through the receiver.

“Five, not counting the card he made me.”

“Seriously? I can’t believe you’re actually writing to a convict.”

“I am very serious. I stopped playing games a long time ago.” 

“Aren’t you the least bit afraid? I mean, convicts are dangerous you know.”

“First of all, I like to think of him as a kindred spirit. Like me, he’s someone whose rights have been taken away. He probably didn’t do much of anything, just couldn’t blend in with the so-called normal people.” She blew at the bangs hanging over her eyes. “As if we all can.”

“Yeah, but Jess–”

“But what? Mom’s doing her best to keep me a prisoner around here, I may as well find out first hand what being locked up is all about.”

Jessie rolled across the bed and placed her feet against the headboard. 

“Okay, I see your point,” Lisa agreed. “What will you do if he wants to meet you or something? Or, oh my God, what if he’s like, a sex pervert? He could be a real psycho.”

“You’re starting to sound just like my mom. I’m not going to write him forever, you know.” 

Her stomach fluttered and she wondered for a moment if maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea, and then envisioned her mom’s stern face and squelched the thought. With all the crap she’d been through lately, this diversion was just what she needed. 

“Don’t forget the guy’s locked up, remember? Unless he’s Houdini there’s not much he can do behind bars,” Jessie said, and let go a long exaggerated breath. “Guess what I asked him?” Her girlish giggles erupted and she dropped her voice barely above a whisper. “If they really make license plates,” she said and snorted with laughter. “Can you imagine? I get my permit next year. I could probably get a discount on my tags.”

The sound of her mom’s footsteps stopped outside her room.

“I’m leaving for work now, Jess. Be sure and lock the door, okay?”

“Okay, Mom. I will.” Soon after, her mom’s car started up and rolled down the driveway.

“I’ve heard those cons have humongous biceps. I mean all their spare time is spent pumping iron, right?” Her face became hot just thinking about what the mysterious pen-pal might look like. “I’ll bet he’s a hunk.”

“Well, I still think you’re crazy, Jess. What are you going do if your mom sees the letters? Or, even worse, suppose he were to call the house or something?”

“Relax. Our mail doesn’t come until late afternoon and I always get it first. And I didn’t give him the phone number. I’m not totally stupid, you know. Besides, it’d probably be collect and my mom would never accept the charges. You know how freaking cheap she is. I mean, come on, I'm probably the only living person on the planet who still uses an old-fashioned house telephone. I mean, would it kill her to shell out eighty bucks a month for me to have a freaking cell phone?"

“She told you she didn’t have the money, Jess.”

“Whatever.”

“I don’t think you should write him again. Besides, couldn’t he, like, get in trouble, you know, writing to a minor?”

“I already thought of that. I signed the letter Linda Wheeler. Cool huh?” 

“You did not!”

Jessie held the phone away from her ear until the yelling died down. “Chill out, will ya? I’m sure I’ll probably never meet the guy. And if by chance he does show up, so what? Mom doesn’t appreciate a good man. Let’s see how she deals with a bad one.”

About Teresa Blue
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Teresa Blue grew up in a Southwest Michigan town so small it didn't even have a stoplight. Sweltering summer evenings were spent on the front porch hoping to catch a breeze and life seemed to crawl. She discovered books and by the time she entered high school, had sailed the high seas with Captains and rode the English countryside with highwaymen, robbed stages--well, you get the idea. She fell head over heels in love reading romance.

And for awhile reading was enough, until the day it wasn't. For whatever reason, she picked up a pen and just wrote. And has been at it ever since. Happily married for thirty years, the mother of three, she's also a grandmother to four. Her favorite day of the week is Monday when the kids - and grandkids - all return home for a hot cooked meal. And for a few hours the house is filled again with kids, cartoons and chaos.

Teresa is a member of Mid-Michigan Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of America.

The Giveaway

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Haunting Nathan (Book 1 - Haunted Dreams Series)
by Lillie J. Roberts
Amazon
Published by: Crimson Rose Publishing
Release Date: September 28, 2014
Length: 61 Pages
A natural skeptic, Nathan Daniels is challenged by his professor to write his thesis on existence of spectral energy—supernatural in nature. Entertained by the idea and prepared to debunk the possibility, he’s in for a shock. Not only is his new apartment haunted, but he finds the hazy pull of the pretty blonde in white go-go boots and pink miniskirt irresistible. 

Ande Conners is caught in lonely limbo—and unfortunately—stuck wearing the Halloween costume she died in decades earlier. Pacing the same apartment without hope of change or release, she can almost feel her absent heart beating faster when Nathan moves in and sets up his ghost busting equipment. 

Reaching out to him in those moments between consciousness and dream, she seeks his help. Can they make a connection? Will he be the one to help her move beyond this world or does fate have something else in store for the two of them? 

Warning: Fantasy, ghost story with a hot twist! Ghosts can have fantasies too.