Hello 2016

So it's a new year, that time when I make resolutions I have no intention of keeping and plan to be a better person.  This year will be different, right? Not so much.  

So with the idea in mind that I probably won't keep them anyway, here are my ten resolutions for 2016:

1.  Try to be less adorable.  It's hard. As I get older, it's a natural progression that I get more precious. I'm too old to be beautiful or sexy or even really pretty, so I'll take adorable.  But since I probably won't keep this resolution anyway, I'm going to pretend to try.

2.  Pay off my bills.  I can barely write that with a straight face. I'll go right from this blog to some online shopping trying to catch New Year's deals.  I just cleaned out my closet from last year, and it is looking hungry.

3.  Lose weight. Okay, this one I probably will keep, the most difficult one, the one no one keeps. Because I lost 30 pounds in 2015.  Really, since September 22, which is when I started walking on a tread climber to rehab my legs from a head on collision in 2008.  Yes, it has taken me that long to decide I was ready.  I hate to write down how much I've lost, although I'm kind of proud of it, because anyone who actually knows me will then realize how fat I was because they can see how much weight I still have to lose.  But I lost another pound during Thanksgiving and managed to maintain during Christmas, even with being out of town, so I think I'll keep this one going.

4.  Quit cursing.  Like hell I will.  I am a lawyer. I am a writer. I am a good person. I feed stray cats and all three of my dogs and my two cats were rescues.  I was the PTO president at my daughters' school for a year and on the board a bunch of years.  I give bums dollars.  Sometimes fives.  I over tip, even when the service is crappy.  I pray for strangers on Facebook even though I am completely not religious.  If I want to curse, I'm going to curse. Even good people need a stress outlet.

5.  Quit treating driving like a competition. I'm a Sagittarius.  Everything is a competition.

6.  Finish writing book three and four of my series with Oak Tree Press.  This is another one I'll actually do. Chocolate City Justice Part 1, The Party, has a July release date, and Part Two, The Storm, a December release. Not finishing isn't an option.

7.  Organize my office.  Nah. I prefer working in the living room anyway.

8.  Make the hubby finish renovating the bathroom he started in 1999.  If it hasn't happened yet, it probably won't.

9.  Walk the dogs.  We have a big back yard, I'm not sure why that's even a thing.

10.  Be a better person.  This one I always try. I don't know if it's really fair to call it a resolution. I mean, who really tries to be a worse person?

January of 2017 I'll look back and check my progress.  Wish me luck.

Writing and Editing

I spent the better part of yesterday editing one of my novels that is already in print. A reader complained that the novel was poorly edited. There was one glaring typo in it, which I won't point out in case other readers haven't found it. But the reader also indicated a misuse of the word "there" in place of the word "their."  I went through the manuscript and used the 'find' feature to locate every time the words  "there" and  "their" were written and found they were all used correctly.  So the reader either is unaware of the correct use of the words herself, or she was just being spiteful.

I don't think one typo--which is actually a real word, just not the word it was supposed to be--constitutes horrible editing.  I have a publisher. My books are edited. We try our best not to let anything sneak through the cracks.  That being said, even the best editor  or publisher or writer in the world can miss a word.

Our brains tend to make sense of the words we see on the page, whether they are misspelled or not.  This means it is difficult to make sure that any manuscript is one hundred percent perfect.

So now I am looking back through both of my published novels and trying to make them perfect to have my publisher in effect re-publish them.  I am also working on the third and fourth books in the series, trying to make the story, which was originally going to take place in one book, less complicated by stretching it over two. 

And then I will rewrite, edit, have it edited, and it will be published in two parts, Chocolate City Justice Part One and Part Two. 

And they may not be perfect. A typo just may get through.

Hopefully, my readers will enjoy the story anyway.

F.M. Meredith (aka Marilyn Meredith) Guest Blogger

My Writing Process

Marilyn with Billie Johnson

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that authors all have their own writing process—and this is how I do it. To be perfectly honest, though, mine has changed a bit over the years.

I’ve never been one to outline or plan ahead what each chapter will be. When I was writing historical sagas (only two) I did a lot of research as far as an historical timeline so the fictional events would coincide appropriately. For this, I kept 3X5 cards with pertinent information.

As far as 3X5 cards, I still have a set for each of my series with information about the ongoing main characters such as physical attributes and cars they drive. I haven’t really kept them up-to-date, nor do I refer to them as often as I should.

Violent Departures

Because I’m writing two series, which means two books a year, I’ve streamlined my process.

For each book, I have a spiral notebook where I write down the new characters I’m going to introduce like the person who is going to die, who might have wanted that person dead and why (usually for three or more suspects), the way the person will be killed, and any other facts that I want to weave into the story.

In this notebook, I keep track of the days things happen. In most of my mysteries, time moves quickly.

When I have a pretty good idea of where the story is headed, I try to begin with a catchy or at least intriguing first sentence. And then I just start writing. I usually end each chapter with a cliff-hanger—sometimes in the middle of a scene. 

As new ideas pop in my head—and they do often—I jot them down in the notebook.

I do my writing directly to the computer in most cases, but if I’m out of town I might write in longhand in that same notebook.

Some brainstorming I do on trips with my husband, while he’s driving.

I try to write at least five days a week, always in the morning when my brain is freshest. Sometimes I get distracted by other jobs—such as writing a blog post such as this one.

Every chapter is read to the critique group that I’ve belonged to for many, many years. I pay attention to everything that is said though I don’t always do exactly what they’ve suggested, but usually I’ll make some change.

Once they’ve heard everything, I go over the manuscript again looking for typos, awkward phrases, dialogue that doesn’t sound right, and inconsistencies. I have an editor I like to use who is good at catching inconsistencies I missed. Once I’ve addressed her suggestions, I send the corrected manuscript onto my publisher.

When she sends the proof back to me, I go over it carefully, looking for typos etc. again. It’s always shocking how many I find.

While all this is going on, I’m busy planning my promotion for the book, and writing the other series.

F. M. Meredith aka Marilyn Meredith

Violent Departures:

College student, Veronica Randall, disappears from her car in her own driveway, everyone in the Rocky Bluff P.D. is looking for her. Detective Milligan and family move into a house that may be haunted. Officer Butler is assigned to train a new hire and faces several major challenges.

Bio:

F.M. Meredith, also known as Marilyn Meredith, is the author of over thirty published novels. Marilyn is a member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. Besides having family members in law enforcement, she lived in a town much like Rocky Bluff with many police families as neighbors.

Contest:

Because it has been popular on my other blog tours, once again I’m offering the chance for the person who comments on the most blog posts during this tour to have a character named for him or her in the next Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery.

Or if that doesn’t appeal, the person may choose one of the earlier books in the series—either a print book or Kindle copy.

Links: 

Purchase Violent Departures  http://tinyurl.com/jvmubw5

Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/

Blog: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/marilynmeredith

Tomorrow I’m visiting http://justthefactsmaam.blogspot.com/ and I wrote about the research I do.

JOHN ADDIEGO - Twelve Question Tuesday

John Addiego

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you.
I love being a father, I love being a husband to my best friend, Ellen, and I love this amazing spiritual journey I’m on.

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person?
On days when I think I’m dumb I love a dog’s assertion that I’m a genius for finding the car keys. On days when I need to be honest about my writing, a cat lets me know that a cliché is always a cliché.

3.  Tea or coffee?
Coffee, very strong. I have a stove-top espresso-maker.

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? (Either what you prefer or what you prefer on others.)
On me, briefs. On John Boehner and Mitch McConnell I prefer a male thong of some kind.

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote?
A short story in high school about a wimpy kid like me who finds a gun and kills somebody by mistake.

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?
In college after publishing some poems, but I’ve always kept it a bit secret.

7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written?
I always prefer the most recent.

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?
My brother and I nearly dropped chicken bones on Joe DiMaggio’s head at an Oakland A’s game as he was coming out of the dugout (true story).

The Jaguar Tree

 

9.  How did you end up getting published?
I tried querying and even getting an agent without success, then tried going straight with a query to an editor whose work I admired.

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen?
I would fight, or most likely hide. If I keep eating asparagus, maybe they won’t want to eat me?


11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
Decide to be a parent, which was also the best thing I’ve ever done.

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.
I’d go for rich. I’d like to be known as a person who does good things, but I think fame makes people lose their freedom and anonymity, not to mention their senses. I wouldn’t want to see my stomach on the cover of the Enquirer next to some speculation about my secret liaisons with John Travolta’s masseuse.

BLURB from THE JAGUAR TREE:

“John Addiego weaves a spellbinding tale of mystery and intrigue ... a novel that is as visual as it is intelligent. The story unfurls much like the Central American rivers in the novel, seemingly leading in one direction then seamlessly changing course, keeping the reader analyzing the clues until the end. The book plays out like a movie, with stunning descriptive passages juxtaposed with action sequences so real the reader is put into the middle of the story, sweating in the steamy jungle and sweltering bars and dodging bullets and machetes with protagonist Frank Alvarado.  Combining religion, politics, history, and murder,  THE JAGUAR TREE is a mystery, thriller, and literary fiction all rolled into one, providing everything a reader could possibly ask for in a novel.” Holli Castillo, author of Gumbo Justice and Jambalaya Justice


To find out more about John Addiego, visit his website at http://www.johnaddiego.com/


To purchase The Jaguar Tree The Jaguar Tree Amazon Link

J.S. Quelch-- Twelve Question Tuesday

J.S. Quelch

Today I am pleased to welcome Oak Tree Press author J.S. Quelch to Twelve Question Tuesday.

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you. 

a. Music is my first love. Listening to, writing, and playing it. Writing Karl and the Kooltones, a life story of a musician, was a natural extension of that.

b. I am a jack of all trades, a master of none.

c. I believe social media makes people less social and is the greatest time waster of our time. 

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person? 

Neither. Allergies run high in my family. 

3.  Tea or coffee? 

Coffee with freshly roasted beans from Up Café http://www.upcafe.com/ I grind myself. 

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? (Either what you prefer or what you prefer on others.) 

Boxer-briefs in winter, commando in summer. 

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote? 

The first copyrighted piece I wrote was a song called $7 Fine about 20 years ago that I still play with my band Woodshop (like Woodshop The Band on Facebook). The song tells the story of a trip to the Indianapolis 500 that is also loosely chronicled in Karl and Kooltones. 

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer? 

After I signed a publishing contract with Oak Tree Press. 

7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written? 

Definitely Karl and the Kooltones. It was a project I worked on for over seven years. 

 8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you? 

My second son was born with complications. The first 30 seconds after he was born he wasn’t breathing, and it was like I couldn’t breathe either. Fortunately the nurses resuscitated him and he’s a fine young teenager now. 

9.  How did you end up getting published? 

I did a lot of research at the library and on the internet and identified a large number of publishers. I did more research and narrowed down the list to publishers that specialized in newer authors and literary/urban fiction. I sent out about 15 queries and decided to select the offer from Oak Tree Press. 

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen? 

Fighter. I’m an avid sportsman and quite prepared for any kind of apocalypse. 

 

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done?

Picking up and moving to Montana for a summer in my twenties. I had no money, no job, and nothing to lose. It turned out to be one of the greatest adventures of my life. 

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that. 

Rich. Not because I’m greedy or need the finer things in life, but because I value privacy famous people don’t enjoy.

J.S. Quelch

Author of Karl and the Kooltones

Available at Oak Tree Press http://oaktreebooks.com/

 

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Karl-Kooltones-J-S-Quelch/dp/161009154X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421039004&sr=1-1&keywords=karl+and+the+kooltones

 

Like him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006774224722&fref=browse_search

Twelve Question Tuesday- Nancy LiPetri

Today, I am re-posting the Twelve Question Tuesday of writer Nancy LiPetri in celebration of the release of her novel, The Wooded Path, which is now available.

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you. 

I have a sense of humor you may not pick up on right away, and amuse myself by having characters say and do things that keep my friends guessing about the real me.

Nature is one of my greatest passions, right up there with my kids and hubby and writing—I’m a shameless ‘bird nerd’ since moving to NC nine years ago, have had my yard certified as a wildlife habitat, and am always looking forward to exploring the next trail, park or beach.

I really enjoy working out, not only to try to stay in shape and ward off everything that stole my mother’s golden years from her, but because being a regular in group pilates, yoga and spin is my big social break away from my home office where I talk to my dog and cats all day. Thank goodness for Facebook friends, too!

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person? 

Although my recent Facebook photo posts are my daughter’s German Shepherd, son’s puppy and my own sweet old golden retriever, when forced to pick, I’m first a cat person. We have two I find endlessly exquisite. Have always lived with a cat and always will. Besides, there are reasons my wonderful golden is nicknamed Marley Money-Pit Inconvenience.

3.  Tea or coffee?

Tea. Have been fortunate to get spoiled with longjing direct from China, thanks to hubby’s travel. Coffee with creamer is just a weekend treat.

4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? (Either what you prefer or what you prefer on others.)

Boxer-briefs. They show more shape than boxers, yet leave something to the imagination.

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote?

I kept a diary all through childhood and into college. People always knew to get me a new one for Christmas, you know, the kind with the little lock and key. Guess it’s no wonder my first novel has a “Dear Diary” character. The first multi-page story I remember writing was about horses (I was into The Black Stallion series at the time, in elementary school).

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?

Well, I’ve been a copywriter all my adult life, so have called myself a writer for decades. Always wrote for a hobby, too. But not until signing with Oak Tree Press did I call myself an author.

7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written?

The Wooded Path because it made one of my early readers say exactly what I hoped for, that it’s intriguing and fun and made her say, “Hey, that’s me!”

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?

 Having teenagers. Giving up the control over what’s dearest to you….  I know I sprouted gray hairs when they began to drive. 

9.  How did you end up getting published?

Becoming an empty-nester finally got me the time to complete and polish a manuscript (I know other authors get it done amid the chaos of a really busy life, but I lose hours of reality when I write, and was afraid of letting too much slide), and then over months of querying publishers I received enough positive response to keep trying until I found the right match: Oak Tree Press.

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen?

Fighter! Been wanting to try out this kickboxing on someone. Elbow strike!

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done?

Hmmmm, what daring thing could I share? Getting married before we both had graduated and had “good” jobs, not knowing where life would take us.

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.

I’m a practical girl, and I’m sure I wouldn’t enjoy all the attention and lack of privacy that comes with fame, so have to choose rich. But I wouldn’t change my comfortable lifestyle…oh except for maybe buying myself and my daughter more horses…and land for them…and a hot stable hand to help us….


Blurb for The Wooded Path available now:

Ever wonder if you’re normal? Laine McClelland sure does. When the mysterious disappearance of a bunco friend, Paula, shakes her Lake Norman neighborhood, her seemingly perfect world is suddenly filled with dark thoughts, dangerous temptations and surprising confessions. What is normal once you realize life’s short, anyway? Was her marriage ever enough? She finds herself risking it all…and afraid of what really happened to Paula.


Nancy LiPetri lives on Lake Norman, North Carolina, the setting of The Wooded Path. Originally from landlocked Iowa, she has enjoyed living on both coasts as well as in her husband’s native Chicago, taking her family and copywriting career with her and gathering inspiration for her fiction along the way.

Visit her on Facebook. And to find out what it’s really like on Lake Norman, visit her at
www.NancyLonLakeNorman.blogspot.com

Buy The Wooded Path at http://www.amazon.com/Wooded-Path-Nancy-LiPetri/dp/1610091620/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415337044&sr=8-1&keywords=nancy+lipetri

ANN HOWLEY- Twelve Question Tuesday

Please join me in welcoming author Ann Howley to Twelve Question Tuesday.

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you. 
A.  I see humor everywhere and find reasons to laugh every single day. If something makes me burst out in a gut-busting belly laugh, then that qualifies as a bonus day.
B.  I’ve run 16 marathons so far and I’m trying to coax my middle-age mom legs to make it to 20.
C.  I am a very non-violent person unless I see a big, hairy spider in the house, and then my vengeance is swift, explosive and complete. I am willing to train US Navy Seals or Special Forces if asked.

After a 10 mile run

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person?
At the moment, my dog Sparky is sacked out at my feet, but when he’s awake, he will confirm that I am hopelessly devoted to dogs. However, I love those funny videos where cats cram themselves into something tiny like a Kleenex box and then practically dare you to think it’s abnormal.

3.  Tea or coffee?
Every morning: Coffee. Black. Bold.
Rainy days: Tea. Hot. Sometimes with honey.

 
4.  Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, or commando? (Either what you prefer or what you prefer on others.)
I regret to inform you that I am so acutely unfocused on male undergarment choices, I had to think hard to envision a boxer-brief. So men, wear whatever you want. And plumbers, just please keep the crack covered.

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote?
At the tender age of 9 or 10, I wrote a letter to the editor of National Geographic Magazine to express my shock over a story about rats that are considered holy and are allowed to overrun a famous temple in India. I distinctively remember telling the editor that the article made me feel sick (which was true), and that I could hardly bear to look at the magazine (which was a lie, because I couldn’t stop staring at the appalling photographs of rats and humans living, dining and sleeping together.)

My heartfelt missive must have made an impression, because several months later I received a response, not from the editor, but from the publisher of National Geographic Magazine, who said that my letter had come to his “particular” attention. He thanked me for writing and said he was glad I “enjoyed” the article.

I think my rat letter gave him a good laugh.

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?
When skirt! Magazine sent me a check in the whopping triple-digit range for my unexpectedly heartwarming story about the 3 days I spent in the Orange County Jail in 1984. 

7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written?

I am proud of every paragraph and every word in my new memoir, Confessions of a Do-Gooder Gone Bad, except maybe the part about getting revenge on an angry driver by using the Five Pound Booger Look, which, by various Facebook comments, appears to be a fan favorite anyway.

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?
To quote my excellent stepson who just finished reading my book: “Between Turkey, Israeli army outposts, East LA, Bakersfield and various randos in your apartment, it is my unprofessional opinion that you are incredibly lucky to be alive.” 

Good thing I was too young and naïve to realize it!

9.  How did you end up getting published?
It took 3 years to write Confessions of a Do-Gooder Gone Bad and one year to edit and revise it before I even started sending queries to agents, editors and publishers. Out of the 24 query letters I sent, I got 3 requests for the full manuscript and a contract from Oak Tree Press!

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen?
I would KICK ZOMBIE BUTT. Let me at ‘em!

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
When I hit the send button to email my first query letter to a literary agent, I felt so scared and nervous I thought I was going to be sick. Nothing made me feel more vulnerable than exposing my work to the outside world after sitting in solitary writing confinement for so many years. That felt very daring.

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.
When discussing what we would do if we won the lottery, all my friends talked about buying a new house or car or traveling the world, but the only thing I could think of was that I needed new underwear. This proves that a) I am not meant to be rich, and b) although I don’t pay close attention to men’s undergarments (see question 4 above), I know enough to know when I personally need new underwear. I would choose fame, but even then I would rather live in obscurity than be famous in a Kim Kardashian or Honey Boo Boo kind of way.
 

From the Author:

Confessions of A Do-Gooder Gone Bad is a wry, humorous coming of age memoir about a well-intentioned “problem child” raised by conservative, evangelical Christian parents in Southern California during the Sixties and Seventies.  As she naively stumbles through her youth and young adulthood, one misadventure after another, she also struggles to reconcile her ultra-Christian upbringing with women’s liberation, prejudice, protest and poverty during this turbulent era, eventually gaining a different perspective of faith in a world more complicated, funny, terrifying and wonderful than she expected.

 


Find out more about Ann Howley:

http://annkhowley.com/

http://annkhowley.com/waves-of-gratitude/

Buy Confessions of a Do Gooder Gone Bad by Ann Howley:

http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Do-Gooder-Gone-Bad-Howley-ebook/dp/B00MZM57JU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409174687&sr=8-1&keywords=confessions+of+a+do-gooder+gone+bad

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/confessions-of-a-do-gooder-gone-bad-ann-k-howley/1120143073?ean=9781610091398

HELEN OSTERMAN- Twelve Question Tuesday

Today I am pleased to welcome fellow author Helen Osterman to Twelve Question Tuesday.

1.  Please tell me the three most important things people should know about you.
The three most important things people should know about me are:
a.  I’m the mother of five, grandmother of nine and great-grandmother of one.
b. I’ve been a nurse for forty-five years and am currently retired.
c. I have fulfilled a life-long dream of being a writer. I have eight published books, another coming out this fall, and have written a number of short stories.

2.  Are you a dog person or a cat person?
I love dogs. Do not have one now because arthritis prevents me from giving it adequate care.

3.  Tea or coffee?
Most definitely coffee. I begin my day with two cups of freshly ground Rain Forest Rescue coffee.

4.  Question omitted.

5.  What was the first thing you ever wrote?
The first thing I ever wrote was a very short story when I was in the primary grades. It was terrible, but, I persisted. In my mind I was always doing something adventurous.

6.  When did you finally decide to call yourself a writer?
All through my nursing career I wrote articles for nursing and medical journals. I perceived myself a writer then, but only when I held my first published book in my hand, did I feel like a real author.

7.  Which of your works are you most proud to have written?
Song of the Rails, a Love Story, is dearest to my heart because it is partly autobiographical. I shed many tears writing it and readers tell me the same, both men and women.

8.  What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?
The scariest thing that ever happened to me was hearing that my thirty-five year old mountain climbing son had fallen fifty feet. He was climbing in Mexico and I couldn’t get to him. He was severely injured and rushed back to Chicago where, a surgeon with whom I worked, had to remove his right foot. I nursed him back to health knowing just what to do because, ironically, I was working with amputee rehabilitation at the time.

9.  How did you end up getting published?
I was at the Love is Murder Conference in Chicago where publishers and agents were taking pitches. A representative of Thompson/Gale listened to my ten minute pitch and loved the plot. I had the foresight to bring a CD with the manuscript on it. Five weeks later, I had a contract. 

10.  Would you be food or fighter if the zombie apocalypse were to happen?
If the zombie apocalypse happened, I would die of fright. So I guess that makes me food.

11.  What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
The most daring thing I’ve ever done is having my picture taken clinging to the forty foot mast of my son’s forty-nine foot sailboat. Same son who was mountain climbing.

12.  Would you rather be rich or famous--and you could only have one-- and why?  The fame would be based on something good, not something like being the best serial killer or anything like that.
I would rather be famous for my writing. I try to teach something in every book I write. My medical knowledge always sneaks in, whether I realize it or not. When readers tell me how much they enjoyed a certain book and why, that’s all the riches I need.




FROM THE AUTHOR:
 

I received the following blurb for my novel, Locked Within, and Emma Winberry Mystery, #5 in the series from the late Michael Palmer, MD, author of medical thrillers. I will always treasure it.

Locked Within is a simply wonderful story written by an author who clearly knows our craft.  I had a great time with this book and recommend it to any reader who enjoys clever plotting and vivid characters.

Osterman is a nurse who understands what it means to care and be cared for. Her writing is scalpel sharp and much more intelligent than some of the cozies I have read.

Locked Within is fun and fascinating. Fans of my books will have a great time with it.

Bravo, Helen Osterman!

Michael Palmer, MD

New York Times Winning Author: Political Suicide

My books are available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. Also from Oak Tree Press.

Website:helenosterman.com