Spotlight on In It for the Money by David Burnsworth

by Carol6 Comments
Read an excerpt: Chapter One Lowcountry, South Carolina, early June, Thursday morning The old rotary phone sitting on the desk refused to ring. No matter how much Blu Carraway wanted it to. He looked out the window of his makeshift office at the surrounding marsh and sighed. Crumpled up in his right hand was the latest tax assessment, in his left was an electronic cigarette. Without thinking, he took a hit off the vaporizer, which replaced Camels as his only vice. Well, that and pirated satellite TV. And still the receiver remained silent. One more good job. It was all he needed. Then Charleston County would be happy for another year, and he’d get to keep his little island home. Just. One. Good. Job. The hula girl on his desk a Desert Storm buddy had given him when he first hung out his PI shingle bobbled at him as if to say, “How long did you think you could keep this up, tough guy?” He swatted her off the...
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Clink Street Blogival: The Expansion by Christoph Martin

by CarolNo Comments
The Magic of Collaboration The Expansion is the first in a series of political thrillers written by a collaborative writing team: Christoph Martin Zollinger and Libby O’Loghlin. Here, Christoph and Libby talk about the collaborative writing process. Christoph Martin Zollinger I came up with the idea for The Expansion book while I was in the air, on a flight from Panama to Switzerland, and I knew it was going to need to be a collaborative effort from the beginning, because the scope of the story is huge! It starts in the UK, moves to Switzerland, then to Panama and the US (Washington, D.C.), and amongst all that we have a cast of very colorful characters who carry the story through all the politics and clandestine twists and turns behind the ‘seemingly’ straightforward project: the expansion of the Panama Canal! One of the best aspects of working as a writing team is that Libby’s and my skills and strengths are very complementary, but we have...
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Clink Street Blogival: Soho Honey by A. W. Rock

by Carol2 Comments
Read a couple excerpts: #1 Having just returned to Soho Costas has recommended a cheap hotel for Branen to stay in on his first night... Hotel California had a small entrance in Tisbury Court, a paved alleyway between Wardour and Rupert Street. The frosted glass door had a red glow behind it; the kind that brothels have. He mentally thanked Costas and tried the door, noticing it swung both ways, he suspected like some of the guests, and making it easier to eject unwanted customers. The reception area was particularly attractive. On the right-hand side there was a desk, resembling a cheap pulpit. Behind it sat a tabloid newspaper which didn’t reveal its reader. “I need a room,” he said. The newspaper seemed to be studiously ignoring him. “Have you got a room?” The newspaper lowered revealing a shabby, unshaven man with a thick neck and the shoulders of a wrestler. Without looking up he pushed the register across the desk and the movement of his...
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All Signs Point to Murder by Connie di Marco

by Carol7 Comments
First off, I did not read the first in the series, but I'm pretty sure I know what happened in it based on some of the conversations Julia has in this one. Second, I'm not a believer in astrology, but you really don't have to be to enjoy this book. Yes, Julia's an astrologer, and yes that plays into how she goes about solving the mystery, but she would have found the same solution eventually even without consulting her charts. I like Julia. She cares about people, she's smart, and she's definitely persistent. She has some great friends too. I'd like to hang out with them. And maybe have her read my chart. As far as the mystery goes, I though overall it was well-done. I thought I knew who the killer was, then I wasn't sure, then I thought I knew. It turned out that I was right but hadn't guessed the whole motive. There were plenty of suspects and...
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Book Blast: Audition for Murder by P. M. Carlson

by Carol1 Comment
Hear More About AUDITION FOR MURDER: Read an excerpt: Lisette stumbled on the way to the car, and Nick caught her elbow to steady her. Rob had unlocked the back door, and Nick helped her in while Rob let Maggie into the front passenger seat and then went around to the driver’s side. There were a few snowflakes blowing in the wind, and his pale hair licked about his forehead like little flames. He sat down, closed the door, and stared at the wheel a minute. “God,” he said. “I’m stoned. A little.” “Do you want someone else to drive?” asked Maggie. “No. I’ll be fine.” He raised a dramatic finger and declaimed, “Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used.” “Every inordinate cup is unblessed,” countered Nick, who had maybe had a drop too much himself. “I’ll be extremely careful,” Rob promised. He turned the key and started out of the lot. Lisette lurched against Nick as they rounded the corner onto...
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When the Sky Falls by Joseph Bendoski

by Carol1 Comment
I loved the concept of When the Sky Falls and it was clearly well-researched. Sky Fall Events cause mass panic in a population, but the "news" itself is fictional. It's a little complicated subject, but fascinating really. The writing style is direct, which works here. The book starts off with a really gripping scene, which you can read below. A couple of complaints. First, there are a lot of characters. It was a bit difficult to keep track of them and several of them are not as well-developed as they could be. Second, there was a bit too much violence for me personally, especially in the second half of the book. I guess I just wasn't expecting it. Read an excerpt: Porto, Portugal. October 30, 1988 The lights flickered and went dark, that’s when it started. Luis reached up and adjusted the bulb with his fingers. The hot glass burned his skin. He gritted his teeth as the sensation grew stronger. He doubted the bulb...
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