Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Book Spotlight and Giveaway: Slayed on the Slopes
Welcome to my tour stop for Slayed on the Slopes by Kate Dyer-Seeley! This is the second book in the Pacific Northwest Mystery series. Slayed on the Slopes released March 31st by Kensington Publishing. The tour runs April 6- 17 with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for more information.
After talking her way into a job writing for Portland’s Northwest Extreme magazine, Meg Reed may now really be in over her head. Actually, about 8,000 feet over her head. . .
She’s at Mount Hood’s remote Silcox Hut, covering the seriously hardcore Ridge Rangers—Oregon’s elite high-altitude rescue team–during their four-day winter training. Sure, Meg beefed up her outdoor skills over the summer . . . but she’s still hoping to cover the event with some hot chocolate by the cheery fireplace. Then, during a sudden blizzard, she swears she hears gunshots. No one stranded in the hut believes her . . . until self-absorbed Ridge Ranger Ben Rogers is found outside in a pool of frozen blood. Meg’s now got to find this killer quickly . . . before cabin fever does them all in!
Praise For Scene Of The Climb
“A splendid overview of the greater Portland and Columbia River Gorge region, perfect for travel buffs. Her protagonist shows promise with her determined attitude and moxie.” –Library Journal
Includes Adventure Guides!
Don't miss out on the first book, Scene of the Climb, available now!
Kate Dyer-Seeley writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Publishing. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, features the rugged landscapes of the Columbia River Gorge and a young journalist who bills herself as an intrepid adventurer in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme.
Her work has appeared in a variety of regional and international publications including: The Columbian, The Vancouver Voice, Seattle Backpacker, Portland Family Magazine, and Climbing Magazine.
Kate lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and son, where you can find her hitting the trail, at an artisan coffee shop, or at her favorite pub. Better yet—at all three.
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Giveaway:
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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.
Giveaway:
Winter warmer package- signed copy of Slayed on the Slopes, Signed copy of Scene of the Climb, Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Hot Chocolate Mix, Oregon Chai Tea, 1 Pound of Coffee and Collectable Mt. Hood art coaster (US)
Ends April 27, 2015
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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Music Monday - "Here Comes The Rain Again " by The Eurythmics (1984)
I did not have cable in the 1980's and had never seen the video before this morning. It's like a little movie. Let me know what you think of it - and this song - in the comments.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Author Interview and Giveaway: A Bookmarked Death by Judi Culbertson
Cozy Mystery – 262 Pages • Publisher: Witness Impulse (March 31, 2015) • Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers • ASIN: B00JDKBUXE
Synopsis:
For the first time in nearly twenty
years, Delhi Laine’s family is whole. But that doesn’t mean everything
is back to normal. With no proof to condemn her daughter’s kidnappers,
Delhi’s family is forced to share Elisa with her “adopted” parents. But
when they suddenly perish in a mysterious house fire, Elisa is
heartbroken…and Delhi’s husband, Colin, is charged with their murder.
Delhi knows it’s up to her to prove his innocence, but the deeper she
digs, the more it becomes evident that nothing is as it seems. When
Elisa goes missing, Delhi fears her nightmare may be repeating itself.
If she can’t clear Colin’s name and find Elisa again, there may not be
another chance. Twenty years ago she lost her daughter…if she fails now,
she might lose everything—and everyone—she holds dear.
Interview with Author Judi Culbertson
1. Your work as a used and rare book dealer sounds fascinating! How did it inspire this book and the Delhi Laine series?
I always wanted to be a writer, but I knew I would need a day job, so I went into social work as a career. I've always been fascinated by people's lives and the choices they make, and in the beginning imagined I would be able to ask them any questions I wanted. I found there was much more to it, of course, but it was a good fit for me professionally. But when I took early retirement, I couldn't wait to get into my other love, books. I relished everything about being a used/rare book dealer--the frantic hunt to seek out wonderful treasures at sales, the people I sold them to who had been looking for that particular book, and the books themselves--their knowledge, even the way they felt physically. When the business ran its course and I reluctantly moved on, I miss it. I never looked back longingly at my social work days, but I felt great nostalgic for bookselling.
So putting Delhi Laine into that genre was a way of staying in it myself and continuing to experience all the wonderful surprises it holds. It was a way to share that world with readers, to get them excited about old books and tell them what books they come across are valuable. I think you have to love what you write about and this series came about just that way.
2. What is a typical writing day like for you?
Nothing very exciting, I'm afraid. We get up early, about 6:00 a.m., and as soon as I have my coffee I settle down to write. I write mostly in the mornings when I'm most fresh, but having a day job taught me to write anywhere: in my car during my lunch hour, waiting for Little League and high school baseball games to start, on trains. I like places like Starbucks where I'm not tempted to clean the refrigerator (joke) and there's a low-level hum of activity. Especially if I'm revising, Starbucks or my local library are ideal spots.
3. Do you have any writing quirks?
The only quirk is where I write. I have a nice upstairs office with a desk my husband made me years ago, and a comfortable wing chair next to a window. When the weather is nice, there's a pleasant back deck. But I gravitate to one end of the living room couch and sit there to write. I write a first draft by hand and then revise as I type it onto my laptop--all squeezed into one spot on the couch.
4. Who are your favorite authors?
I started out in college loving Philip Roth and John Updike and have always stayed loyal to them, but I read widely. I'm partial to Jane Gardam (Old Filth), and Anthony Doerr (All the Light We Cannot See), but as soon as I write that I think of others, especially in the mystery genre such as Charles Todd, S.J. Rozan, Donna Leon. My favorite book will probably always be The Great Gatsby, but I read a lot of non-fiction, In the Garden of Beasts, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and so on.
5. What will your next book about?
With A Bookmarked Death, I've left Delhi with at least some of her life resolved, so I'm not sure where we'll go next.
Interview with Author Judi Culbertson
1. Your work as a used and rare book dealer sounds fascinating! How did it inspire this book and the Delhi Laine series?
I always wanted to be a writer, but I knew I would need a day job, so I went into social work as a career. I've always been fascinated by people's lives and the choices they make, and in the beginning imagined I would be able to ask them any questions I wanted. I found there was much more to it, of course, but it was a good fit for me professionally. But when I took early retirement, I couldn't wait to get into my other love, books. I relished everything about being a used/rare book dealer--the frantic hunt to seek out wonderful treasures at sales, the people I sold them to who had been looking for that particular book, and the books themselves--their knowledge, even the way they felt physically. When the business ran its course and I reluctantly moved on, I miss it. I never looked back longingly at my social work days, but I felt great nostalgic for bookselling.
So putting Delhi Laine into that genre was a way of staying in it myself and continuing to experience all the wonderful surprises it holds. It was a way to share that world with readers, to get them excited about old books and tell them what books they come across are valuable. I think you have to love what you write about and this series came about just that way.
2. What is a typical writing day like for you?
Nothing very exciting, I'm afraid. We get up early, about 6:00 a.m., and as soon as I have my coffee I settle down to write. I write mostly in the mornings when I'm most fresh, but having a day job taught me to write anywhere: in my car during my lunch hour, waiting for Little League and high school baseball games to start, on trains. I like places like Starbucks where I'm not tempted to clean the refrigerator (joke) and there's a low-level hum of activity. Especially if I'm revising, Starbucks or my local library are ideal spots.
3. Do you have any writing quirks?
The only quirk is where I write. I have a nice upstairs office with a desk my husband made me years ago, and a comfortable wing chair next to a window. When the weather is nice, there's a pleasant back deck. But I gravitate to one end of the living room couch and sit there to write. I write a first draft by hand and then revise as I type it onto my laptop--all squeezed into one spot on the couch.
4. Who are your favorite authors?
I started out in college loving Philip Roth and John Updike and have always stayed loyal to them, but I read widely. I'm partial to Jane Gardam (Old Filth), and Anthony Doerr (All the Light We Cannot See), but as soon as I write that I think of others, especially in the mystery genre such as Charles Todd, S.J. Rozan, Donna Leon. My favorite book will probably always be The Great Gatsby, but I read a lot of non-fiction, In the Garden of Beasts, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and so on.
5. What will your next book about?
With A Bookmarked Death, I've left Delhi with at least some of her life resolved, so I'm not sure where we'll go next.
Judi Culbertson draws on her experience
as a used-and-rare book dealer, social worker, and world traveler to
create her bibliophile mysteries. No stranger to cemeteries, she also
co-authored five illustrated guides with her husband, Tom Randall,
starting with Permanent Parisians. She lives in Port Jefferson, New
York, with her family.
Author Links:http://www.judiculbertson.net/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/172665.Judi_Culbertson
Purchase Links
Amazon
B&N
Giveaway
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Thursday, April 9, 2015
Throwback Thursday: Just One Phone
Do you remember the "good old days" of having one phone at home as well? I'd love to hear your memories in the comments, below.
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