Eula May and the Easter Kandy Killer

Some readers are curious about how writers write.  Here is how/why I wrote my most recent story.

On March 1 (2015), I set myself a challenge of writing a short (20,000 word) Easter mystery in less than a month so it could be published before Good Friday.  I met my challenge (doing nothing else except writing!) and the book, after final editing, will be available on amazon.com soon--I'm hoping Friday, March 27.
       "Eula May and the Easter Kandy Killer" takes place during Eula May's Hollywood days before she returns home to Karnak, KY, having failed to become a successful dancing star.  (This is the same Eula May who recently starred in my first novel, "Eula May and the Flim Flam Nun.")
       The dancer's low bank account forces her to take a go-fer job working for Sal Minitini, a TV producer.  Her first assignment is help Sal and his writing team over Easter holiday weekend at the Retro Motel in Palm Springs, CA.  Sal thinks the relaxing spot will up his writers' creativity turning his new TV series, "Gals and Guns," into a big success.  
      Unfortunately, before the script is finished Eula May finds Sal's dead body.  To save herself, she needs to discover how and why he died.  And, if he was murdered, 'who done it'.  Of course, there's a handsome homicide detective who both helps and hinders her, and gets her heart beating in more ways than one.
      Warning.  After reading this book, you may find yourself looking differently at Chocolate Easter bunnies.
     

"WIRED FOR STORY" by LISA CRON

If you like to write stories, I've discovered a great help.  It's "Wired for Story," subtitled 'The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence.'  As a former psychologist I was intrigued with the idea of using brain research to create plots and characters that would keep readers turning pages.  The author, Lisa Cron, is an instructor at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program, has worked as an agent, TV producer, story consultant, and in publishing.  I especially liked Chapter 9 "What can go wrong,must go wrong--and then some."  Pity the poor heroine or hero whose creator follows these directions.  Each chapter contains a cognitive secret and a story secret.  In chapter 9, the first is that "the brain uses stories to simulate how we might navigate difficult situations in the future."  And the second is that "a story's job is to put the protagonist through tests that, even in her wildest dreams, she doesn't think she can pass."  The paperback was published in 2012, but I recently found it at The Book Table, a great little but big book store in downtown Oak Park, IL.

Thank you for more than 4,000 downloads

I was stunned that "Eula May and the Flim Flam Nun", the e-book version of my funny mystery had 4,182 downloads over the weekend.  For a 24 hour period it was # 1 mystery and # 1 cozy (subset of mystery) at amazon.com.  Thanks to all the readers that thought it would be a good read.  And I want to thank again the two artists (Sandra Tang Fremgen and Tom Fremgen) responsible for the cover that attracted such a huge number of people.
     If you want a vacation from your world, visit the madcap characters in a warm hearted town, Karnak, Kentucky, site of the Eula May series.
     I write funny stories because there is so much stress in the world.  A laugh a day keeps the doctor away.  Have fun, enjoy life.

Continuing Preview of EULA MAY AND THE MONKEY BUSINESS

Scroll down to previous blog to read the beginning of chapter 1.  This material continues it.

End of previous material

“Oh dear, I seem to have found another dead body.” I grimaced, looking at the deceased.

“Not again! You shouldn't be allowed out on your own." Sheriff Buck growled.  "Where are you? I'm coming over.”

“I'm at that new shop, Monkey Business. As mayor I thought I should welcome the owners to Karnak.” The shrill animal voice in the back kept shrieking. “Maybe you should bring someone from animal control, too.”

New material

“Lord love a duck. All I got is Deputy Kipp. He'll have to handle any animal problem. Hang on, don't touch anything. I'll be right there.” He cut the connection.

I squeezed my eyes shut hoping things would look different when I opened them. But nothing changed. It was still Monday morning, my stomach was still overfull from the Chamber of Commerce breakfast I just gobbled down unaware I would soon be staring at a dead body. I sighed, punched in #2 on my phone and heard, “Clip and Curl, we're here for you.”

“Wanda, thank God you answered the phone. I'm in deep do-do again. Get over here fast.”

“What? You think I can just run around like a jack rabbit. I've got clients to take care of.”

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but..” my voice dropped to a whisper, “I've found another dead body.”

Wanda shrieked, “Did I hear you right? Did you say...”

I cut her off. “Stop. Don't say it. Everyone in town will be running over here.”

“Where's here?”

“The Monkey Business. It's the new store in town, about a block from you.”

“Oh yeah, I know it. I'll be right there. Sylvia can run the shop.”

I clicked my phone shut. I didn't know if I should call anyone else or not. It was hard to think with all the noise coming from out back. I ran my fingers through my short, curly red hair, worried about what I should do as mayor. Scanning the shop, I noticed the animal cages were empty. Perhaps the owner didn't have time to stock them with small dogs, cats, and rabbits.

Oh, oh, I remembered reading angry letters to the paper about the new business. A 'concerned animal lover' wrote the shop should be boycotted because it encouraged 'unspeakable puppy mills'.

I didn't know about pet store ethics, but I knew the town needed new businesses. Karnak had been slammed by the current economic recession. No matter what the politicians called it, when you couldn't find a job it was a recession, maybe even a depression. I cringed as I realized now I was one of those dreadful politicians feeding at the public trough. Well, at least I hadn't sought the office. No one even told me there was a write in campaign for me as mayor to get rid of good ole boys' politics. Since my salary was only a token $1,000 a year I didn't think I was a burden to the taxpayers either.

A police car pulled up to the curb, Buck and Deputy Kipp slammed out of it and ran into the store.

“OK, Eula May, where's the body?” Buck snarled, his meaty hand on his holster.

The noise from the back grew louder. Kipp shoved back his cap and asked, “What's that?”

Eula May and the Monkey Business, Preview of my new book

Chapter 1. Not Another Body

I pulled the shiny brass knob on the glass door and walked in to the tinkle of an overhead bell. As newly elected mayor of Karnak, KY, I felt it my duty to call on new businesses and this one, Monkey Business, promised to be fun. But what I saw wasn't funny. The merchandise seemed to have tumbled off shelves in an earthquake. Boxes and bags of dog and cat food, pet toys, leashes, and shattered glass aquariums were strewn on the concrete floor. From a back room I heard squawking. There was a strange, fusty smell. I stepped around the fallen supplies to the green Formica counter. A tossed pile of clothing behind it caught my eye.

My stomach clenched as I saw what looked like a human head sticking out of the jumble. “Oh, law. Not another dead body.” I shuddered remembering the mess I'd gotten into the last time I found a body—an aborted wedding and my arrest for murder. I stared out the shop windows, trying to think of a way out of this new mickle. Ignoring the beautiful spring morning, the swaying pink and red tulips in the grassy park across the street, I moaned, “There's gotta be another explanation.”

But I knew what I had to do. I couldn't run and hide this time. I pulled my phone out of my blue blazer pocket and hit #5. Because he'd insisted, Sheriff Buck Johnson was on my speed dial.

“Sheriff here, Eula May. What's up now?” His gruff voice hurt my ear.

“It's not my fault, so don't get any ideas...” I started to explain.

“What's not your fault?” he demanded. “Get to the point.”

“Oh dear, I seem to have found another dead body.” I grimaced, looking at the deceased.

“Not again! You shouldn't be allowed out on your own. Where are you? I'm coming over.”

“I'm at that new shop, Monkey Business. As mayor I thought I should welcome the owners to Karnak.” The shrill animal voice in the back kept shrieking. “Maybe you should bring someone from animal control, too.”      [This book will be available this fall as an e-book.] 

"Invitation to Destiny" continues, Other Good Reads

Just a reminder that Chapter 2. "Who is Michelle" of  Invitation to Destiny, a free serial novel, will be posted on Friday, August 1.  The adventures of Vanessa with the honey colored hair are continued at www.amy-solittletime.blogspot.com.  In this chapter, she learns more about Charlie, opens the invitation from France, and her boyfriend with the darling dimples calls.

Other Good Reads 

Some e-books I recently read that I enjoyed are:

1.  The Gaugin Connection by Estelle Ryan.  This is the first in a series featuring protagonist/detective Genevieve Lenard, an autistic woman who is a genius at finding patterns and works in the fraud department of a huge insurance company.  She is dragged into helping outwit an international murderer who is killing promising young artists after they forge multimillion dollar paintings for him.  An ingenious plot, with engaging and enraging characters, but it is Genevieve's vulnerability, intelligence, and moral sense that will keep you reading past bedtime.

2.  Two Faced by Sylvia Selfman and Leigh Selfman.  Every time I thought the heroine was safe, another horrendous problem was tossed at her.  If you like twisty plots, underhanded crooks, and vulnerable heroines, you'll enjoy trying to figure out what's really going on.  Add a little romance, is he a hero or a villain, and the plot is complete.

3.  Butler Did It! by Sally Pomeroy.  An innocent young woman, photographing ocean curiosities unwittingly sees what she shouldn't, risks her life to save a human target, and becomes a target herself.   Fun and scary story and characters. An unusual adventure focusing on the adaptation of WWII vehicles, ships, and other apparatus for peace time research activities.  But they turn out to be extremely useful, too, for saving the world from the evil machinations of power mad men.  

 

How to Hug an Author

As a writer I try to support other writers.  A friend sent me an email, included below, which gives ideas on how to do that.  I did not write it, but if you love to read, it's for you.

Subject: *Hug an Author* Today! Here is how to support your favorite authors (it'll encourage them to write more books!)

Hello dear Bookworm! 

Did you know that authors need our help? 

Authors put their heart and soul into their books.  Then, after laboring over their book for many, many hours, they release their work into a world of millions of books where it is hard to get noticed. 

How can we help? 

There are many things we can do to support our favorite authors.
 Here are my top 5 suggestions:

5. Share the author and their books with your friends.
Word of mouth is powerful! 

4. Like their Facebook page and sign up for their email list. 

3. Purchase their new book when it comes out.

2. Share about their book on your blog (if you have one), in
forums, and on any social media platform you enjoy.

And the easiest and definitely one of the most effective ways
to support an author you appreciate is:

1. LEAVE A REVIEW for a book you love!

It’s the easiest way to show some love and it is immensely effective!  

Reviews will help bring more sales which in turn will help better rankings 

within Amazon...which are greatly important to your favorite author. 

So hug an author today. Leave a review!