Every two months or so, I cook up a few book-related morsels and serve them up to a faithful few – actual real people who have signed up voluntarily to receives my “goodies” – in the hope of entertaining and enlightening them on my writer’s life.
This time, in the bleak mid-winter season of flu and sneezes, ice and snow, freezing fingers and toes, I thought it called for a dose of Vitamin C.
Here’s what unravelled eventually. You, too, could be in receipt of such a treat if you were to sign up to my newsletter. There’s a link in the sidebar, on the right … just over there.
Down a bit.
Yep, that’s it. 🙂
***
I’ve been busy picking up oranges and lemons as they drop from my trees in this cold spell.
What on earth would I do with them all?
. 
Have no fear. Help was at hand in the form of José Luis, a little Spanish chap who arrived, armed with a carrier bag, asking if I had any lemons to spare.
“SÃ, SÃ,” I answered readily, telling him to help himself.
He passes regularly to admire the abundance of fruit. Each time he tells me he has a tree in his garden and hasn’t had a lemon on it in four years. I don’t like to ask if it really is a lemon tree. He used to be in the Guardia Civil (police force), so I don’t fancy offending him.
Anyway, citrus fruit aside, the launch day for Casualty of Court is drawing ever closer, and many of my author friends have been helping me with its promotion. I’m not a keen marketeer, would much rather be writing.
So, instead of pushing it on any of you who might actually read this newsletter (IÂ figured if you were interested, you’d clink the link above – you would, wouldn’t you?), instead of that, I thought I’d give you a glimpse at where the series is heading from here on.
Sound good to you?
I can’t hear you, but I imagine you’re nodding along … or just skimming through looking for the special offers 😉
Well, Casualty of Court introduces The Blackleaf Private Investigations Agency where my trainee PIs launch their new business. The next book is titled:
In Heirlooms & Heiresses, after finding several missing dogs, lost cats, and straying husbands, they finally get their first serious case: a painting has been stolen from a guest’s room at the village’s only hotel. With the ‘thief’ soon revealed as the guest’s brother, you might assume the case is over. But, this is just the start of an adventure that takes Raven and Fern to The Netherlands. Tracing the painting’s provenance uncovers a link to WWII and some underhand dealings in the art world.
To further challenge them, a close friend calls upon their help to find her baby. But is it really a case of kidnap if the child is with her father?
Clearly, they have their hands full. As do I – and not with lemons anymore.
Heirlooms &Heiresses is two-thirds complete, and my mind is already on their next case.
You can tell I love a good mystery, particularly ones relating to art and culture crime. But I am also a big fan of beautiful settings and scenery, hence my reasoning behind these lovely locations in Europe. Casualty of Court is set in Portugal and Heirlooms & Heiresses in The Netherlands (apparently, Holland only covers 2 of the 12 regions within the country) The next adventure – Druids & Drachmas – is off to Ireland & Greece for a huge family celebration and an archaeological dig.
If you were to choose a mystery to read and a dream setting, what would you come up with?Â
Send me your suggestions, and I’ll put all the senders’ names into a draw to win a copy of Casualty of Court when it
releases in March.
I’m having way too much fun, aren’t I? It only seems fair, then, that I offer you some reward for having got this far. Here are a few treats, made available to you by some dear writer friends of mine.
Who fancies a dark mystery set in Hawaii? I, for one, could do with some tropical sunshine right now.
House of the Hanging Jade offers just that.
“A dark presence has invaded the Jorgensen’s house. On a spectacular bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, something evil is watching and waiting …”
Amy’s book is on offer at only 99p/99c until March 4th, so I’m saving your pennies with this one.
If that not’s for you, how about Twelve Stories for Spring.
I love a short story collection. It’s perfect for those times when you have half an hour to spare. Whether you’re stuck in a waiting room or cosy on the sofa, a little escapism helps in any circumstance.
American author, Linda Mansfield, offers a baker’s dozen of seasonal, fictional stories, suitable for all age groups. These quick, light reads were designed for stress relief in today’s busy world.
Well, that almost makes me a doctor – prescribing stress-busters to you all 🙂 
My last treat for you is free until Feb 11th, so you might have to hurry up and grab your copy quickly. Unclaimed Baggage (US link) is a heart-wrenching story that will have you gripped from the very first page.
(Click on the cover image for the UK link)
Well, that’s it for. After taking care of your pennies, relieving your stress and – hopefully – bringing a smile to your face, I’ll get back to my lemons – I have a hankering for lemon meringue pie now, so anything could happen. I really hope you’ll enter the giveaway, otherwise I’ll be sucking on those lemons for a long, long time.
It’s all over now 🙂 Well done you for sticking it out until the end. 
Stay safe, warm and smiling!
***
So, that’s what you may have missed. But, you can make sure it doesn’t happen again. You know what to do 😉
Thanks for reading
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