Meet the accidental detective – #Mystery #Humor #AmericanSouthwest @KrisBock

Blurbs

The Accidental Detective Book 1

Something Shady at Sunshine Haven

Injured in a bombing, Kate returns to her hometown in Arizona with new scars, a limp, and pain meds that give her brain fog. For the first time in her life, she's starting to feel her age (49), even though she's living like a teenager again: staying with her father, trying to understand why her sister resents her so much, and running into old friends who still think of her as Kitty.

Seeing her mother in an Alzheimer's unit is the hardest part – until an old friend asks her to investigate suspicious deaths at that nursing home. Is a self-appointed "Angel of Mercy" killing patients to end their suffering? Are family members hastening their inheritance? Is an employee extorting money and killing the witnesses? Kate uses her journalism skills to track clues, but the puzzle pieces simply won't fit. If Kate can't uncover the truth, her mother could be next on the killer's list.

Kate has followed the most dangerous news stories around the world. But can she survive going home?

 

The Accidental Detective Book 2

Something Deadly on Desert Drive

Starting over at fifty might be hard, but it shouldn’t be deadly…

Still recovering from an injury that might have permanently derailed her career as an international war correspondent, Kate Tessler is living in her childhood bedroom and pondering her second act when another case lands in her lap. Kate’s father and his coffee group are worried. Their friend Larry married a younger woman who now insists he has dementia and won’t let any of his friends visit. They’re convinced that Larry’s wife and her two adult, dead-beat kids are out to steal his money. Can Kate help?

Soon Kate and her unusual gang of sidekicks are unofficially, officially investigating. But before they can dig out the truth, a murder raises the stakes. Now they need to prove Larry is both mentally competent and not a killer. They’ll have to find the real murderer—without risking their own lives in the process.

 

Praise for Something Deadly

“I had such a lovely day reading your story. I could barely put it down. I am still in awe of how you manage to wrangle these three generations of sleuths without every going over the top or relying on stereotypes or cliches, and of course watching Kate start to come to terms both with her disability and potential inability to ever fully heal as well as her new life, aging, being back home again and reconnecting with her family—all while solving two crimes—definite multi-tasker! The story was so engaging and quite clever.” – Sinclair Jayne, author

Excerpt from Something Deadly on Desert Drive

“Clarence can drive the getaway vehicle,” I said. “Dad goes to the front door. The rest of us will go around back. Joe can go first and scout out the yard, make sure no one is in back. Arnold and I will follow. Dad, give us a minute to get in position and then ring the doorbell.”

“How long do you think you’ll need to get Larry out?” he asked.

“Five minutes? That will seem like forever to you, but we may need every second.”

We couldn’t see the house well from where we were, but I pictured it in my mind. The front walk led up to an alcove. The front door was set at least five feet back in that alcove. No one at the front door could see the gate opening, but they might hear us if we tried to cross the rocky front yard, especially if Larry was confused and asking questions.

“We’ll stop inside the gate on our way out,” I said. “If you’re still arguing, I’ll call your phone. Make sure Pamela closes the door as you leave. Then we’ll all head for the cars.”

Dad pulled out his phone and tipped his head back so he could study the screen through the lower part of his trifocals. He tapped it a few times and stuck it in his pocket. “All right. I’ll feel it vibrate.”

“We used to have to pay good money for that kind of thing,” Clarence said.

“Clarence, turn the car around now,” I said. “When we come out, pull up to the house next to Larry’s. Stay out of sight of any of Pamela’s windows.”

“I’ll give them the slip!” Clarence said. “We’ll go on the lam. We’ll peach that gold digger and put her in the big house with a pair of silver bracelets.”

“You’ve been watching gangster movies again,” Joe said.

“Right. I always wanted to be a lookout man.”

“Concentrate, people. Everyone know the plan?” I looked at each of them. “Now, let’s kidnap your friend.”

About the Author

Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance, many with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Get a free Accidental Detective short story and bonus material when you sign up for her newsletter. You’ll also get a free 30-page sweet romance set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café and a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels

Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Follow the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. Or find the books on Amazon US or All E-book retailers

Social Links

Website: https://www.krisbock.com/

Blog: https://swarmchairtraveler.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kris_bock

Amazon US page: https://www.amazon.com/Kris-Bock/e/B006WV4I5O/

Amazon UK page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kris-Bock/e/B006WV4I5O

Buy Links

Something Shady at Sunshine Haven

Tule Publishing: https://tulepublishing.com/books/something-shady-at-sunshine-haven/

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097WJYYBZ

B&N Nook : https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/something-shady-at-sunshine-haven-kris-bock/1139733398

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/something-shady-at-sunshine-haven/id1573825348

Kobo : https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/something-shady-in-sunshine-haven

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kris_Bock_Something_Shady_in_Sunshine_Haven?id=br00EAAAQBAJ&hl=en_US&gl=US

Amazon Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B097WJYYBZ

Something Deadly on Desert Drive

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Something-Deadly-Desert-Accidental-Detective-ebook/dp/B09QRYQDBY/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/something-deadly-on-desert-drive

Kris Bock will be awarding Ebook copies of the first four books in the Accidental Detective Series. This includes Something Shady at Sunshine Haven and Something Deadly on Desert Drive (out now), plus early copies of books 3 and 4, Someone Cruel in Coyote Creek (not available publicly until September 29, 2022) and Someone Missing from Malapais Mountain (not available publicly until February 28, 2023) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reader Beware -- #TriggerWarnings #RacistLanguage #PoliticallyCorrect

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

To what extent are we authors responsible for protecting our readers from negative emotional experiences? Any fiction runs the risk that it will make readers uncomfortable. Indeed, some books do so intentionally. (Have you ever read anything by Chuck Palahniuk?)

Can we assume that readers are mature enough to walk away from books that offend or upset them? Or do we need to provide warnings when some content we write might trigger unpleasant memories, cause emotional distress or violate personal norms or expectations?

Society at the moment is so hypersensitive, politically correct and litigious that some publishers bend over backwards to avoid ruffling reader feathers. My publisher tacked the following warning onto the blurb for my 2014 erotic romance novel The Ingredients of Bliss:

Reader Advisory: This book contains female dominance and submission, anal sex, public sex, ethnic slurs, threats of violence and a scene of attempted rape.

Actually, the book also includes M/f D&S – wonder why they didn’t mention that?

Personally, I felt this warning was excessive. I wouldn’t have objected to mentioning the attempted rape (by a criminal character, also responsible for the “ethnic slurs” – the heroine is Chinese), but lumping that together with anal sex? This is clearly identified as erotic romance, folks! You get what you pay for.

I just finished reading a humorous MM erotic romance from the same publisher that has the following warnings:

Reader advisory: This book contains mention of physical abuse and a racist comment.

I saw this when I started the book, and I tried to notice these supposed red flags. The only “racist comment” involves a character who’s deliberately trying to seem like a nasty person asking an Australian citizen of Turkish ancestry where he’s “really” from. If there was any mention of physical abuse, it flew right by me.

The question of racist language in literature is particularly thorny right now, in midst of Black Lives Matter anger. I take very seriously the notion that language has power, that it shapes our perspectives and prejudices (as well as reflecting them). On the other hand, I believe we need to distinguish between the prejudices of the author and those of her characters.

I have a speculative fiction story I wrote not long after Trump was elected, envisioning deliberate attempts to foment hatred between ethnic groups. One of the main characters is a young Vietnamese woman, the other a Black man. They live in their respective ghettos, in a near-perpetual state of war. The story uses some very strong negative language, with each character hurling racist epithets at the other. This is important to the narrative. It illustrates how the two have been taught to view one another.

When I posted an excerpt from this work, I received some ferociously critical comments about the language. Without the racial slurs, however, the story wouldn’t work. It would be neither genuine nor effective.

Then there’s the recent movement to ban historical classics like Gone with the Wind, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and To Kill a Mockingbird because of their racist content. The racism in these books probably does reflect the authors’ own attitudes. One has to remember, however, that these views in turn mirror the beliefs and assumptions of their times. It makes no sense at all to castigate an author for racial prejudice when she was embedded in a society where racial inequity was an unquestioned norm.

Far better to use such books as examples that illustrate how much more aware we have become. Language perpetuates belief which in turn influences language. Banning these books in an attempt to insulate people from offensive content throws away an opportunity to observe, analyze and learn about this dynamic.

Besides, these books are not mere racist polemics. They’re powerful, engaging stories with memorable characters. They have enduring value which I believe is not negated by their admittedly racist elements.

Would I object to a reader advisory mentioning the racism in Gone with the Wind? Probably not, though I’d wonder if a brief warning is in fact too superficial. Far better, perhaps, to include a preface discussing the issue in greater depth, including its historical aspects.

Of course, most people don’t read prefaces.

Do they pay attention to reader advisories?

One reason I dislike advisories is that they prime the reader to look for certain story elements. In some cases this can interfere with suspense or surprise. In The Ingredients of Bliss, I wanted the reader to be shocked when Le Requin attacks Emily Wong. The reader advisory spoils that.

Very occasionally, though, I will include an advisory on the books I self-publish. If the book is a reprint, I want to be upfront about that. No reason to aggravate people who’ve read a previous edition. And for my most recent release, Incognito, I included a rather extensive reader advisory, because the novel is marketed as an erotic romance but severely strains some of the genre’s conventions.

Reader Advisory: This novel is an erotic romance featuring a committed relationship and culminating in a wedding. Nevertheless, the main characters participate in a wide range of taboo sexual activities, both together and separately.

I felt it necessary to include this because I’ve experienced the ire of some romance readers when they come across any behavior they consider to be “cheating”. If readers consider monogamy or fidelity to be a fundamental requirement for their romance, they should definitely steer clear of this book!

So this warning is more about marketing than anything else. I really don’t want to offend readers or make them unhappy. (And I don’t want them leaving bad reviews!)

On the other hand, I also believe that the people who read my books are adults who won’t be permanently traumatized if they encounter something that’s personally objectionable or sensitive. If something squicks or triggers them, I hope they’ll simply stop reading. Close the book. Turn off the app. They are, after all, ultimately in control.

Join us for Charity Sunday, 26 June 2022! #CharitySundaySignup #Altruism #Marketing

Image by Moi Lolita from Pixabay

Next Sunday, the 26^th of June, I’ll be hosting this month’s Charity Sunday blog hop!

Charity Sunday is a meme designed to give authors and bloggers a chance to give back to the world—as well as, hopefully, to attract new readers.

How does it work? Each participant selects a favorite charity. Before Charity Sunday, you should prepare a blog post that: 1) talks about the charity and why you support it; 2) provides a link to the charity; 3) includes an excerpt from one of your books; 4) includes the code to show links to other participating blogs.

It’s fun if you can make the excerpt relate somehow to your chosen charity, but this isn’t required.

For every comment left on your post, you commit to giving some amount to the relevant charity. The specific charity and the amount to donate are up to you. You can set an upper limit to your donation if you want.

If you’d like to participate in the next Charity Sunday on June 26th, just sign up using the Linky List below. Please be sure that the link you enter will lead directly to your Charity Sunday post, not just to the home page of your blog.

For more detailed instructions, go here:

https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2019/08/sign-up-for-charity-sunday.html

You can get my new 2022 Charity Sunday banner from here.

For an example post, check out this link from my last Charity Sunday:

https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2022/05/charity-sunday-for-love-of-reading.html

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Review Tuesday: Awfully Ambrose by Lisa Henry and Sarah Honey -- #GayRomance #Australia #ReviewTuesday

Awfully Ambrose by Lisa Henry and Sarah Honey

Pride Publishing, 2022

Ambrose Newman isn’t really bad. In fact, he’s a rather decent chap, not to mention really good looking. But as a struggling actor, saddled with responsibility for his not-completely-grounded-in-reality ex-soap-opera-queen mother, he has trouble making ends meet. Hence his business, Bad Boyfriend, Inc. If you’re trying to convince your parents that the boyfriend they don’t like isn’t so terrible after all, you can hire Ambrose. Pretending to be your new flame, he’ll put on a show of being the biggest dickhead on the planet. Granted, it’s not Broadway, but it does use Ambrose’s drama skills and earns him enough to pay his rent.

Liam Connelly loves his big, boisterous Irish family, but sometimes he wishes they’d give him some space. His mother’s convinced the Sydney university student must be miserable and lonely without someone special. In fact, Liam’s mostly happy, even though the last guy he lived with cheated on him. He’d be happier still if his mom would just back off a bit. So when he meets Ambrose (who’s being especially bad at the restaurant where Liam works), he figures the actor could do just as capable a job playing the role of good boyfriend, to reassure Fiona Connelly that her son’s love life doesn’t need her intervention.

The ruse works, all too well. As Ambrose gets drawn into the Connelly’s world, things get increasingly complicated – especially when he realizes he wants Liam as more than a client.

I requested a review copy of Awfully Ambrose because the premise struck me as quirky and original. It turned out to be a fabulously entertaining read. I found myself laughing out loud as I savored the antics of Ambrose, Liam’s outrageous Grandad Billy and Liam’s cat Tobermory. With snappy dialogue, characters who are comic without being totally unrealistic, and a love story that will warm your heart without insulting your intelligence, the book is a thorough delight.

I also enjoyed the setting. Much of the action takes place at the Connelly family winery, which I believe must be located in the Gold Coast. I’ve never visited Australia, and I tend to think of it as dry and dusty, but the area around the vineyard is clearly lush and green, and wet enough to flood regularly. The vivid descriptions definitely made me want to check out this area myself (including the mouth-watering descriptions of the wine and the cheese!)

Speaking of which, I appreciated the Aussie glossary at the start of the book. Sometimes I find Australian English very puzzling.

Awfully Ambrose is the first book in a series called Bad Boyfriend, Inc. I was wondering how Ms. Henry and Ms. Honey were going to keep the idea going after Ambrose retires from the bad boyfriend biz. Snippets from the next book, Horribly Harry, made me think an equally enjoyable encore might just might be possible.

If you’re looking for a light-hearted, clever MM romance with a creative plot and appealing characters, give Awfully Ambrose a try.

 

A journey to the truth – #FamilySecrets #ContemporaryRomance #NewZealand @_Iris_B

Let me take you to New Zealand

I’m happy to share with you another story which is set in NZ.

If you love Australian / New Zealand romance, be sure to get your copy today!

About IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE

The discovery of her mother's diaries unravels a secret which sends Lani on a journey to New Zealand.

She lost her mother in an accident. Now, Lani Dekker is determined to meet the man who, according to her mother's diaries, is her father. He's not what she expected, a bit on the extravagant side, but she soon warms up to him, thanks no less to Dylan, her father's neighbour. Despite her attraction to Dylan, she can't figure out whether he's a friend or foe.

Dylan Harper is merely going through the daily motions after his wife died in a ski crash. That is, until his life is turned upside down by the arrival of his neighbour's daughter. Their attraction is instant, even more so when they wake up in the same bed after an earthquake. However, it's her accusation that his interest in her involves her father's money rather than their mutual magnetism that derails their newfound bond.

Will finding the truth about her parents be a chance for Lani and Dylan to overcome their differences'

Get your copy of IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE today on Amazon

 

 

What reviewers say about the story:

5 stars

A beautiful plot line with very emotional characters.. The path to love is difficult and has lot of interesting turns for the characters.Loved the book and the leads.

5 stars

Heartwarming story about love, forgiveness and acceptance. Lani's grieving her Mother's death and trying to cope, when her grandpa opens up and tells her about an untruth, lie. She finds her lost father, unbeknownst to him he even has a daughter. Toby, Lani's birth father, never married or loved another woman after her mother. Toby's neighbor, Dylan, and long time friend had lost his wife after only 2 years of marriage and he is still missing her when Dylan finds Lani in the stairwell of Toby's home. Lani's mother's belief in memories and forgiveness helps Lani move on in forgiveness toward her Grandpa, accepting and loving her Dad, Toby and loving Dylan for who he is.

Add IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE to your Goodreads TBR !

 

Where to find Iris:

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bQ68rL

Website http://www.irisblobel.com/

Blog http://www.irisblobel.com/blog

Twitter https://twitter.com/_iris_b

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/IrisBlobel

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4067254.Iris_Blobel

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Iris-Blobel/e/B00FNFP3LI/

Other Online Bookstores https://books2read.com/irisblobel

 

Each family has a unique tale - #SingleDadAnthology #KindleUnlimited #Romance @KayelleAllen

Just in time for Father’s Day...

Blurb

Families come in all shapes and sizes. Divorced, widowed, adopted, blended, fostered, gay or straight -- each family has unique tale. Join these authors as they tell stories of amazing single dads who find love in unexpected places. Laugh, cry, get a little hot, maybe even throw your phone.

Don't say we didn't warn you.

Universal Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/PackageDealSingleDadAnthology

Join these amazing authors as they show off these amazing single dads! Featuring Stories by: Kayelle Allen, Rae Tina, Rhylie Matthews, L.P. Guleva, C. E. Lashua, Jenni Lynn, and Kaci Rose.

This is a multi-author anthology. Stories may come with a trigger warning and end on a cliff-hanger. Please be aware before reading.

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60373257-package-deal

Cover by Eve Graphic design

 

Universal Buy Link https://books2read.com/PackageDealSingleDadAnthology

Includes Kayelle Allen's  MM scifi romance "Hacking Planet Fun"!

Website https://kayelleallen.com/anthology-package-deal

Website Series https://kayelleallen.com/anthologies

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09RYJZC6X

BookBub https://books2read.com/PackageDealSingleDadAnthology

BookFunnel https://buy.bookfunnel.com/s3w48bbriw

BookSprout https://booksprout.co/book/100569/package-deal

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60373257-package-deal

StoryOrigin https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/f8323f16-90e7-11ec-8675-dbe3df82efa7?via=kayelle

More new releases:  www.kayelleallen.com

Announcing the Winners! #Giveaway #NewRelease #ThankYou

Image by AxxLC from Pixabay

A big thank you to everyone who entered my Incognito new release giveaway! I got a great response.

Here are the winners. I’ll contact you privately, but you deserve to be recognized.

First prize - $10 bookstore GC – Rene M.

Second prizes – free ebook – Mary P. & Piroska

Also, I want to acknowledge the promo help I received from my author friends. So many of you put up posts about the release! I’m deeply grateful.

The winner of the author/colleague prize – another $10 GC – is Kate Hill.

If you somehow missed the release... ;^) … here is the blurb and a brief excerpt.

 

Blurb

Shy and serious by day—insatiable by night.

During the day, Miranda Cahill works diligently on her doctoral thesis. At night, she has sex with strangers.

Public coupling, multiple partners, age play, spankings, bondage, lesbian lust—each salacious adventure exposes new dimensions of her depravity. Her secret life explodes when she realizes her masked partner at a kink club and the charismatic colleague courting her are in fact the same man.

Dickens scholar Mark Anderson seems like an affable, uncomplicated Midwesterner, but he has hidden depths, myriad talents, and an unlimited appetite for erotic variety. With Mark as her guide, Miranda comes to accept the intricacy of her own desires, as well as to trust her heart.

Excerpt

A knock on her office door brought Miranda back to the here and now. She had been lost, uncharacteristically, in the manuscript, a classic piece from the collection of the British Museum. There were no annotations, no commentary, on the photocopied pages. Her laptop, neglected, had turned itself off to save power. She sighed and shook her head as if to clear away the lascivious images.

“Come in,” she called, wondering who it could be. She often worked on Saturdays, precisely because the department was deserted and she could read and write undisturbed.

The grizzled head of Harold Scofield poked through the door. “Hello, Miranda. I am sorry to intrude, but I have someone to whom I would like to introduce you.” Miranda smiled to herself; her genial thesis advisor always sounded like a grammar textbook. The gray-bearded figure in suspenders bustled in, followed by an attractive young man in dark-framed eyeglasses.

“Miranda, I would like to present Mark Anderson, our new lecturer. Mark will be handling the Dickens course for the summer session.”

“Mark, this is Miranda Cahill, my most promising graduate student.” Miranda blushed, and Dr. Scofield’s eyes twinkled. “Miranda has chosen a rather controversial topic for her thesis, a new interpretation of the corpus of Victorian erotica.”

The newcomer’s polite smile expanded to a grin. “Really. That’s fascinating. Sounds far more—stimulating—than my dissertation on the metaphorical significance of orphans in Dickens and his contemporaries.”

Miranda’s blush deepened as she noted the double entendre. She met his teasing gaze, almost defiantly. “Yes, it is an intriguing topic, and I believe one of considerable literary and social significance, as well.” He had thick, dark hair, slightly tousled. His eyes behind the glasses were velvety brown with glints of gold. In his face, she saw intelligence, energy, and humor.

Find all the buy links on my website, here: https://www.lisabetsarai.com/incognitobook.html