Virtual Book Tour: The Scheme by Amethyst Drake

 Good morning, everyone! Please welcome author Amethyst Drake to Full Moon Dreaming! She is here to tell us about her new release, The Scheme. Amethyst will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC and a signed copy of her book to one commenter, a $10 Amazon GC and a signed book to a second commenter, and a signed book to a third commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on her tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!

 

THE SCHEME

Amethyst Drake

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GENRE:  Mystery

 

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BLURB:

 

Katherine Carson, a former intelligence operative turned private detective, has never been in it for the money. But when a desperate CEO offers double her usual fee to find his missing daughter, she can't refuse.

 

Set in Baltimore, 2009, what begins as a simple missing person inquiry transforms into a complex case of espionage, financial crime, and deep-seated grudges. For Katherine, this case strikes a personal chord, stirring up haunting memories from her own past. As unexpected connections emerge, she must confront her unresolved guilt.

 

Can Katherine and her team of private detectives solve the case before it's too late, or will the turmoil of her past consume her?

 

 

 

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EXCERPT:

 

Lee reached up and felt the top of the door frame. “No key. I guess Ames forgot to leave it.”

 

“He has his own key. He just said Olivia keeps it up there.” Katherine bent down to flip back the welcome mat. Still no key. She sighed. “Should we see if the manager has a spare?”

 

“The manager isn’t on site.” Lee slouched against the wall. “If only we knew someone who could pick a lock.”

 

Katherine rolled her eyes, but smiled in spite of herself. “Breaking and entering could lose me my license.” Lee and Jake liked to tease her about some of her skills, although they always stopped short of mentioning the Espionage Services Agency.

 

“Sure, sure. But we do have permission to enter. And we’d have to drive to Wilmington to get another key from Mr. Ames..." Lee let his voice trail off and studied his fingernails.

 

Katherine chuckled and pulled out her pocket knife. “You know I don’t carry picks anymore.” She opened the knife and carefully slid the high carbon stainless steel blade between the door and the striker plate. Finding the latch, she pushed it out of the door jam and opened the door.

 

“Don't tell Sammi.”

 

“Never.” A huge grin spread over Lee’s face.

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Amethyst Drake is a passionate storyteller. She excels at crafting delightful characters and enjoys developing com-plex relationships among them. Mystery has always been her favorite genre to read, making it a natural choice for her writing. She aims to blend her personal experience with mental health and the moral complexities of intricate interpersonal relationships into engaging novels.

 

Amethyst loves reading all kinds of mysteries, suspense, and thrillers and enjoys watching classic detective and espionage dramas like "Murder, She Wrote," "Perry Mason," and "Mission: Impossible."

 

She also loves hearing from readers! Connect by signing up for her newsletter at amethystdrake.com or email amethyst@agswordsmiths.com

 

Links

Author Website https://amethystdrake.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amethystdrake.author

Amazon https://amzn.to/3M5lmJO

Barnes and Noble https://bit.ly/3Z3VsOv

 

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Q&A with Author Amethyst Drake

 

Q: Which musical would you say best exemplifies your life – and which character in that musical are you?

A: Ooo! I love this question. I love musicals! I think I would choose the classic Irving Berlin movie musical White Christmas. And I would be the general who becomes an innkeeper. General Tom Waverly is not the main character of the musical, but he is essential to the story because the main characters are focused on cheering him up and helping him. Gen. Waverly has a perfectly fine life, but sometimes he feels unappreciated and lonely. He longs to have an impact on the world, but challenges block him from doing so. In his darkest hour, his friends and family rally around him to remind him of his true value and show their appreciation and love for him. I have had many times in my life when I have felt alone or discouraged. But my friends and family always build me up and encourage me not to give up. (It also happens to be my favorite musical.)

Q: Take these three words and give me a 100 word or less scene using them: hammer, saucer, traffic lights

A: Josh set a saucer of treats on the porch for his cat. He grabbed his hammer to make some repairs to the loose porch railing. He was proud of his historical craftsman. He stroked his cat as she licked the bottom of the saucer.

Suddenly, a car horn blared. Josh looked out toward the traffic lights. The traffic light was out! Josh scooped up his cat and took her inside. His hammer and repairs would have to wait.

Q: When you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot?

A: I usually start with the plot, deciding what is going to happen in the story. But my thoughts quickly shift to how these events are going to affect my characters. Since I’m writing a series, my main characters are already established. So I don’t have to worry too much about developing them from scratch, just how the plot is going to play into their character arc.

Q: What is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other?

A: My favorite date with my husband is going to Derby Dinner Playhouse in southern Indiana. We enjoy talking and eating dinner before the show, and the show is always fantastic. Any kind of live entertainment is fun. We enjoy interacting during the performance and talking about it during intermissions. Derby Dinner has a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere and it is on the top of my list of romantic dates.

Q: Do you have an historical crush and if so, who is it?

A: I can’t say I’ve really had a crush on a historical figure, but then I’ve never really thought about it before! I would probably choose a writer or poet. Someone who conveys deep emotion and meaning though their words like Shakespeare, Lord Byron, or Robert Frost. On the other hand, I am deeply moved by the art of Claude Monet, Rembrandt, and Da Vinci. So maybe I would choose an artist as my historical crush.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Virtual Book Tour: N'awlins series

Please welcome my good friend and fellow author Sharita Lira, aka Michael Mandrake, who is going to tell us about her N'awlins series! Also, she has a little something to say about plot bunnies!

The Dangerous Plot Bunny

Sharita Lira

Greetings! It’s September already? Good grief. Most of the year is gone, quite unbelievable that 2015 is flying by, but we say that every year. And here I sit at my computer with rewrites, edits, new stories, but then the plot bunnies pop in my brain.

Doesn’t matter to the plot bunny what you have to do. Edits? So. New stories waiting to be write? Who cares. Here’s another 10! They come when I write, sleep, sometimes while driving and I have to ignore them or I might have an accident.

What the hell? Do they plan these attacks? I certainly think they do. When I least expect it, I’ve got ideas from a photograph, a song, scenario, a sentence or word, and if it’s really good it’s ready to be written in synopsis form with a couple of pictures for inspiration. If not, the thoughts are scribbled in my notebook or in my new story folder until they become complete thoughts.

Do those ever develop into stories? Yeah they do. One started out as a very small idea I wrote in my notes; an interracial couple meets when one man notices the other’s apartment getting burglarized. That turned into 3 books which I’m downsizing into one. When will I have time for this? Dunno!

The things multiply and can become vicious, but tell me, where would authors be without them? When in a slump, some call it writer’s block, other’s call it, well, a slump, they need these to jumpstart their writing. If you’ve been devoid of ideas, then they’re good to look back on. Mind you, this rarely happens to me. I think I have enough stories to last quite a while, but if it does, I’ll look in the book and my ever growing synopsis folder which is currently full of half done ideas. Oh and don’t even mention the ones that are started and unfinished. Those just need serious edits and would probably be ready if I took the time, but again, when will this be?

Hopefully soon, but don’t quote me on that. Seemingly, everyday a new plot bunny attacks with a new idea for me to ponder over.

What about the rest of you? Authors, what do you think about the plot bunnies? Do you hold on to them? Have little scraps of paper waiting to be read? Tell me. Thanks for listening.

Overall Series Blurb

The N’awlins Exotica/Paranormal series

The city of New Orleans is rich in tradition, diverse, and known for the inspiration it provides. In the “Big Easy” there lies the hunger for the erotic as well as the unknown. The residents here feel that sexual energy and it reveals itself through their various creative activities.

Join the characters as they take a wild ride on the edge, enjoying their town for all it has to offer. There’s a certain magic in the air, an erotic magic that cannot be ignored.

Books 1-3 On Sale 99 Cents

Book 1

Blurb: New Orleans is supposed to be the big easy. One night changes everything for Frankie Choteau. 
New Orleans. A city rich in tradition, diversity, and on the comeback trail from hurricane Katrina. Francois “Frankie” Choteau, a resident of this town, a cop with a hot temper and low tolerance for bs. Kajika Fortier, a transplant from Oklahoma came here looking for a dream and unfortunately it’s turned into a nightmare. On a hot summer night, they meet and cross paths during a very difficult situation. Despite this, the attraction between them is evident and loneliness for both men is a fate worse than death. They’d both like a chance at happiness but will the circumstances and Frankie’s uneasiness prevent their happy ever after?

Amazon    

Allromance  

Smashwords 

Read the first chapter here

Book 2

Blurb: Livin’ in N’awlins ain’t all that easy…

Kajika Fortier loves his job, the attention he gets from onlookers, and Frankie Choteau. However, his new partner’s jealousy, mood swings, and over protectiveness drives Kajika to the brink but at the same time, excites him to no end. 

To complicate things further, a murderer is on the loose looking for blood. All three of the killer’s victims are strippers which not only makes Frankie nervous about Kajika’s safety but leaves him questioning his love for being a homicide detective. Coupled with the stresses of cold cases as well as some fellow officers shunning him for coming out, Frankie is having second thoughts about staying in New Orleans. Despite the encouragement from Vance, Kenina, and Orrin as well as new chief Quinn Murray, Frankie is wondering if his life’s passion really is to catch the killers. 

Will the new couple survive these new issues that impede their nearly perfect union? Or will the relationship fail, thus leaving Kajika alone and a target for New Orleans latest serial killer? Detective Choteau and Kajika’s commitment to one another is being tested in more ways than one and they only have one another to lean on.

Amazon 

All Romance

Smashwords

Book 3

Blurb: Living in the Big Easy is downright deadly especially if you’re a stripper. When another exotic dancer is found dead in her apartment, the heat mounts on Frankie and his fellow detectives to find the killer. Due to the magnitude of this unsolved mystery along with the LaBoy murders, tension runs high at Nineteen making it hard for all to breathe around the police station and sending everyone into a frenzy.

There’s no denying Frankie’s love for Kajika but in the back of his mind, hot thoughts of the mutual jerk off with Orrin Daugherty loom over his head. Though the feelings are mutual, Orrin wants nothing to do with this and pushes Frankie away. Add in to the mix his fascination with partner Vance Morain along with his severe case of blue balls and you got one hell of a predicament for these for complex and volatile men.

The men at Nineteen are burning with desire for one another and pleasure is beginning to be almost as important as business.

Will the sinful disruptions stop them from finding the killer roaming the streets of the Big Easy?

WARNING: Lots of lewd dialogue and smoldering sex between males.

Amazon

All Romance

Smashwords

Author Sharita Lira: In one word, crazy. Just crazy enough to have 3 different muses running around in her head, driving her to sheer exhaustion with new plot bunnies and complex characters.

This happily married mother of two beautiful children loves music, computers, reading, and still enjoys reading and writing fanfiction. She’s a proud member of the Erotica Readers & Writers Association, as well as an advocate for rights of LGBT citizens.  She’s also a contributor to the heavy metal ezine Fourteeng.net.

For more information, please visit http://www.thelitriad.com as well as her Facebook fanpage, The Literary Triad.

The Literary Triad - http://www.thelitriad.com/#!

Michael Mandrake – http://tabooindeed.blogspot.com

BLMorticia – http://blmorticia.wordpress.com

Rawiya - http://rawiyaerotica.wordpress.com

TriadPromo - http://triadliteraryworks.blogspot.com/

Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/rawiyamikembl

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/TheLiteraryTriad

AuthorGraph - http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/rawiyamikembl

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Dexter is Dead Review

Dexter is Dead (Dexter #8)  

Author: Jeff Lindsay

Publisher: Doubleday

American release date: July 7, 2015

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/crime/mystery/306 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★

Dexter finds himself incarcerated in a correctional facility, ironically, for murders he did not commit. His wife, his girlfriend and future meal ticket, as well the pedophilic actor who was putting the moves on Astor, Dexter’s stepdaughter.  It seems as though everyone is against Dexter, and wishes to do him harm. Especially Detective Anderson, whose sloppy attempts at manipulating evidence are responsible for Dexter’s current predicament. Even his sister has turned her back on him. Where is the so-called family loyalty demanded by the rules according to Harry? Gone with the wind, apparently.

Assistance comes from an unusual source, his sociopathic brother Brian, who arranges for a top-notch lawyer, who gains Dexter’s release. Hooray! Except not. It seems Dexter has just stepped into a hornet’s nest of Biblical proportions, and bodies seem to follow in his wake, ones he did not cause. As if to compound matters, his children and Deborah’s son have been kidnapped, and the race is on to rescue them before the kidnappers take out Dex and Brian.

This is the last book in the series, and as such I felt obligated to read it, despite having despised the one that came before. But… O.M.G…. I want that time back, and to un-know what I just read.

I’m sorry but this book stunk to high heaven. It had long stretches of super boredom, of Dexter’s deep introspection and what not, and whereas I normally can enjoy such perambulations through the mind of Dexter, this was off. Way off. It felt as though Lindsay forgot how to write Dexter properly. Like he’d substituted a “margarine” Dexter for the “butter” version. It may look similar, and taste somewhat close, but the composition is not the same and leaves something to be desired.

I know Dexter enjoys his meals, but good Lord, he seems to have become a real glutton in this one.  Food tours? Seriously? And maybe that has to do with his lack of employment, but I don’t think so. Not to mention, the normally acute Dexter failed to pick up on clues that I got right off the bat, like a certain vehicle that seems to be everywhere. And the time he caught his lawyer speaking Spanish to someone over the phone. I know, in Miami, that’s not suspicious. But under the circumstances, it is.

The only redeeming point, and for which I gave it the single star I did (that and you can’t rate below a 1) are the scenes with Brian, which I’ve longed for for some time. However, these don’t make up for the rest of the book. Even characters such as Deb and Vince Masuoka are mere shades of their normal selves.

And the ending…. Is beyond horrible. The title does say it all, and believe it, he is. I’m glad. I wouldn’t want him to be embarrassed any more than he must be at such an ending. Mr. Lindsay, I am ashamed of you for permitting this to happen, and also, where is your editor, and why didn’t he or she tell you how bad it really was, to save you from making such a mistake? He/she did you a great disservice.

I know Dexter aficionados will read it for the same reasons I did – because it’s Dexter, and Dexter is awesome, and for closure for the series. Well, closure is all well and good, but boredom is another matter, and indignation that one of my favorite serial killers should go out with a decided whimper, when he should have had a bang.

My suggestion is to not read the book and remember Dexter fondly.

A New Cover and a little bit of disappointment

Happy Friday! TGIF, right? From what I can see, it's sunny here, maybe chilly (I'll know better when I go shopping later).  I am happy to report that M.A. Church and I have our cover for our first joint venture, Be My Alien, which is being released by Dreamspinner Press in May/June of this year. Things are moving quickly on that front, so probably May. But before I reveal that, I just have a couple of other things I wish to mention first.

I am visiting with Lexi Ander today, at her blog, and talking about Revelations, so please stop by and say hello!

Secondly, I'm in a bit of a slump right now. It's amazing how much of a writer's life consists of waiting to hear from people, particularly publishers. Waiting is the hardest part, once you've finished polishing your work/heart and sent it out for inspection. But sometimes receiving an answer is harder than not receiving one.

As you may know, I've recently re-acquired the rights to most of the works I had published with Silver (and that is a whole other can of worms that I won't go into). Like many other former Silver authors, I am trying to get them back into circulation with other publishers. I succeeded with A Special Christmas, which is being published by Torquere Press in December, and about which I am very excited. Still others are in the waiting stages. But one in particular, that I subbed to a publisher who shall be nameless, was rejected because the publisher said they had too many resubs and couldn't take it. I thought that was reasonable, considering how much Silver material must be out there, and probably Noble Romance too. But then the same publisher turned down an original book, as well as a book by a friend, and we put it down to they don't want paranormal right now.

Until yet another friend received contracts - and not just any contracts, but for resubs that are also paranormal.

So I was lied to. For what purpose? I have no idea. She could have told me anything else - the truth would have been nice - and I wouldn't have thought anything of it. Disappointed, sure. But now I'm pissed and I'm hurt, and I have to ask myself do I want anything to do with a publisher who would lie in such a way when it wasn't necessary? How cold and callous is this publisher? What else is she capable of?

Needless to say, I'm in a tizzy, and a writer in a tizzy isn't in the best frame of mind in which to write. Self-doubts creep in - those nasty little things that linger just beneath the surface at the best of times and come out when a writer is at her lowest.

I'll get over this and I know it. But it leaves me with a poor taste in my mouth, for I realized that so far, all of the publishers I've worked with have disappointed in some way - some worse than others. I hope this isn't the norm, and I pray that in the future I'll find out differently. But for now, color me jaded

Enough of that. On to the cover reveal. And a little bit about Be My Alien, the first book in the Moonlit Skies series by M.A. and myself.

What’s an alien to do? Dumped at the Empire State Building by the very male he’s been trying to get a date with forever, Taz is stranded on a backwater planet called Earth with no money, no idea where the motel they rented is located, and… he’s starving to boot! The lovely moonlit skies he had admired no longer hold any appeal for him.

Where can he go, what can he do? The answer comes in the form of a human named Reed… and a love that will travel across the universe. 

Blurb:

A man too busy for love…

Reed owns an upscale men’s boutique with a naughty back room. While making a late delivery to a client, he runs into Taz.

A man on a disastrous date…

When Taz agreed to come to Earth on a date, he didn’t expect to be dumped and left with no way home. Then he falls into Reed’s arms—literally.

A coffee date soon becomes a trip back to Reed’s apartment. But when Taz’s stripes begin to show, Reed discovers Taz comes from a planet far, far away.

Reed never believed aliens existed, but he’s facing one now. What in the world is he going to do?

Excerpt:

“Are you okay? Hello?”

Reed dragged his mind away from those sexy green eyes. “Ah, huh? What?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall on top of you like that. You see, it was like this. I was pushed, and you just happened to be there and….” The stranger grinned at Reed. “And down we went.”

Reed shifted under the body lying so contentedly on top of him. Hell’s bells, the guy fit against him perfectly. From the feel of things, they were both close to the same height. Which also meant certain things were… aligned. “Oh yeah, I’m okay. Banged my head a little, but I’m fine.”

The stranger bit his bottom lip, his teeth worrying the tender skin. Reed debated slamming his head against the floor a few more times in the hopes of rattling his brain back to normal as the stranger rolled off him.

“I really am sorry.”

“No harm done.” Reed sat up and looked at the guy once again. Well, not much harm, anyway. His libido just had to pick now to perk up, didn’t it? But damn, this guy was sexy. Reed struggled to his feet and held his hand out to the man still on the floor, looking up at him. The guy took his hand and let Reed pull him up. “Name’s Reed. Are you okay?”

“Hi, Reed!” The guy hopped to his feet in a single, lithe movement, as if it was the most….world. “My name is Taz. Nice to meet you, and yes, I am.”

For a moment there was a flash in the guy’s eyes that belied his statement. “Good, that’s good. Glad to hear it. Well, I guess I’d better be going—”

A forlorn expression crossed Taz’s face and his pretty eyes clouded. “Oh.” 

Reed hesitated. There was something about the guy that pulled at him. When was the last time he’d felt that pull? Way too long ago. Taz was cute, sure. But there was this look of hurt. Dammit, Taz just looked so lost. Insane as it was, he wanted to make it all better.

A little bit about the authors:

Author bio:

M.A. Church

M.A. Church lives in the southern United States and spent many years in the elementary education sector. She is married to her high school sweetheart and they have two children. Her hobbies are gardening, walking, attending flea markets, watching professional football, racing, and spending time with her family on the lake.

But her most beloved hobby is reading. From an early age, she can remember hunting for books at the library. Later nonhuman and science fiction genres captured her attention and drew her into the worlds the authors had created. But always at the back of her mind was the thought that one day, when the kids were older and she had more time, she would write a book.

By sheer chance she stumbled across a gay male romance story on the web and was hooked. A new world opened up and she fell in love. Thus the journey started. When not writing or researching, she enjoys reading the latest erotic and mainstream romance novels.

My links:

Blog http://machurch00.blogspot.com

Twitter @nomoretears00

Facebook: M.A. Church http://www.facebook.com/pages/MA-Chur...

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5141393.M_A_Church

Publishers:

Dreamspinner: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_650

Romance First Publishing: www.rfppublishing.com

Changeling Press: http://www.changelingpress.com/author.php?uid=177

Storm Moon: http://www.stormmoonpress.com/authors/MA-Church.aspx

Author bio:

Julie Lynn Hayes

Julie Lynn Hayes was reading at the age of two and writing by the age of nine and always wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Two marriages, five children, and more than forty years later, that is still her dream. She blames her younger daughters for introducing her to yaoi and the world of M/M love, a world which has captured her imagination and her heart and fueled her writing in ways she'd never dreamed of before. She especially loves stories of two men finding true love and happiness in one another's arms and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and two cats, loves books and movies, and hopes to be a world traveler some day. While working a temporary day job, she continues to write her books and stories and reviews, which she posts in various places on the internet. Her family thinks she is a bit off, but she doesn't mind. Marching to the beat of one's own drummer is a good thing, after all.  Her other published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, MuseitUp Publishing, and No Boundaries Press and she has also begun to self-publish at various places on the Internet.  

My Links:

My blog:  http://julielynnhayes.blogspot.com

My Twitter: @ShelleyRunyon

My facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=527332074

My Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3442231.Julie_Lynn_Hayes

My Publishers:

Museit Up Publishing:  http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php

Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_222

M.A. and I are hard at work on the second book in the series, which will be full-length. As of yet, it has no title. We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Be My Alien! Have a great weekend!

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie

Guest Blogger Marian Lanouette

Welcome today friend and fellow author Marian Lanouette! She's bravely answered my infamous Rick Reed questions, and she's going to talk to us about If I Fail, the first book in her Jake Carrington series. Go ahead and start, Marian, I'll find us something to drink.

The Questions

1)      You’re marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is that person and what item do you have?

It would have to be Alan, because I find him to be so much fun. Even after 33 years. The item, hmmm, my Nook or chocolate. What do I choose? I'd have to say my Nook, it will last longer.

2)      Which musical would you say best exemplifies your life – and which character in that musical are you?

Wow, I love Funny Girl and A Star is Born. But I have to say the Wizard of Oz. I would be Dorothy.

3)      Take these three words and give me a 100 word or less scenario using them:  composite, cute,  bloody

The detective was so darn cute; I couldn't concentrate on the artist's composite of the crook even though he left me so bloody.

4)      You’ve just been let loose in the world of fiction, with permission to do anyone you want. Who do you fuck first and why?

Hmm!  Johnny Depp because he can be so many people

   5)   What is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other?

A quiet dinner and conversation and…

    6)  When you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot?

When a story comes to me it's like a movie. I see the whole thing floating through my mind. Then I have to capture it on paper.

    7)   If they were to make the story of your life into a movie, who should play you?

I love Charlize Theron.  She's  such a great actress and so glamorous. Maybe she could elevate me a little.

    8)   Who’s your favorite horror villain and why? Children of the Corn. The anti-Christ scared the bejeebes out of me.

   9)   Do you have an historical crush and if so, who is it? No.

   10) Is there a story that you’d like to tell but you think the world isn’t ready to receive it? I think every story has an audience. You just need to find them.

 And now, Marian, if you will, tell us about If I Fail.

Back Cover:

Are rules really meant to be broken? Jake Carrington finds out the hard way and the answer is no! Dating Chloe Wagner was a huge mistake, and Jake should have known better—he’s investigating the murder of Chloe’s sister. Now Chloe is the number one suspect in that murder. If she’s convicted, Jake could lose not only his rank, but his job. If that’s not bad enough, he’s got a stalker on his hands, someone who’s threatening his fledgling relationship with the lovely Mia. Things are getting just a little too personal for comfort!

Excerpt:

On days like this, Jake questioned if there was a God. He held the broken, lifeless body of the infant girl in his arms, tears running down his face. He didn’t try to hide them. Jake’s emotions reflected in the eyes of everyone. His partner Louie turned away and kicked the chair. Jake knew this horror would live with each of them for the rest of their lives.

Keith Amara, the morgue assistant, tapped Jake on the shoulder. “I’ll take her.”

“She didn’t have a chance.” Jake handed her to Keith.

“No, she didn’t.”

He lay the child on the stretcher with such care that Jake’s respect for Keith increased immensely. Jake reached down and pulled the sheet up over the baby to conceal her from the morbid crowd that waited in the street below. He never understood the fascination of the onlookers at each crime scene. He believed they hoped to view the body so they could talk about the gruesome details, get their fifteen minutes of fame. Some would offer up a silent prayer of thanks to God for the safety of their children. Tragedy, even the tragedy of a stranger, affected people—it reaffirmed their zest for life, even here in the slums.

Jake composed himself. Turning to face the suspect, he fisted his hands at his side to contain his fury. The line of the law could be blurred here, Jake understood. Each officer wanted a piece of the creep. Knowing he had to keep a tight rein over the situation, Jake held his voice level when he spoke to Washington. He saw no humanity in the suspect; his act alone proved Washington had none. Looking into Washington’s eyes he observed they were dead, like the child he’d killed. He wore a dirty, wrinkled cotton T-shirt with stained jeans. The front of the jeans showed a large, wet patch where Washington pissed himself. The only thing this creep cared about was his next fix.

Jake walked to the body, reached down and uncovered it, and forced himself to look at the baby again. Her head, crushed in on the left side, reminded Jake of a broken hardboiled egg. He could estimate the amount of force that was required to cause such a wound, yet the baby didn’t die immediately. She had lain there suffering until one of the older children snuck out of the apartment and got a neighbor to call the police.

Now he stood in the doorway of the living room watching the police process the room. A child who knew how to stay out of an adult’s way. Jake guessed his age at nine, though his eyes were those of an old man. They reflected life on the street. No child’s eyes should hold such darkness. He understood the pain on the boy’s face, because every day of his life he dealt with the violent death of his own sister at the age of fifteen. It haunted him, invading his thoughts and dreams at unexpected times. Could he have done something to prevent it?

“Man, you don’t understand. I couldn’t think with all the noise from the kid. She never stopped crying. She cried all day, all night long, she cried all the damned time. I couldn’t take it no more. Her mama shouldn’t have left her here,” Washington rambled, turning to Jake.

Unbelievable. The suspect wanted sympathy. It took all of Jake’s control not to ram his fist in the creeps’s face. Instead, he asked, “Where’s her mother, Washington?”

“She went to work,” he slurred. “I gotta sit down, man.” The first officer on scene had thrown him up against the wall, where he remained.

“I told you not to move a muscle. You move, every cop in the room will be on you like flies on crap. They’d like nothing better than to take you down. So stand still and start talking. What’s the mother’s name?”

“Her name’s Sheila Johnson.”

“You shut the hell up, kid, unless I tell you different, you understand?” Washington shouted.

Jake pushed him hard into the wall. Washington let out a groan.

Jake whispered in his ear. “Don’t you dare move or speak, unless you’re spoken to, understand?” Jake waited for him to nod before he spoke again.

“Now apologize to…” Jake jammed the suspect into the wall again, this time digging his elbow into the small of his back.

He was mad at himself because he didn’t bother to get the boy’s name. He’d never asked. Jake looked at the boy. “What’s your name, son?”

“It’s Aaron. Please…” He trembled.

“There’s nothing for you to fear, Aaron, I won’t let this man near you. He’ll be going away for a long time.”

“My…my mom works at the 7-Eleven. She won’t be home before midnight.”

Jake looked at his watch. Seven o’clock. His next visit would change lives. He hated this part of the job: the sadness, the denial, eventually the grief that washed over them and then eased off when a survivor started to accept the news. It’s bad enough when the notification’s for an adult—how do you tell a mother her infant is dead? Murdered by the hand of the child’s father? He motioned the uniform closest to him to take Aaron back to the bedroom with the other kids.

Before he left the room, Aaron turned and spoke to Jake. “Her name’s Keisha.”

“Excuse me?”

“The baby. Her name’s Keisha.” Aaron cried for the first time since Jake arrived on the scene.

“We’ll make sure Keisha’s taken care of, Aaron.”

He nodded and left the room.

“Tough kid,” Louie said.

“He’ll need to be,” Jake responded.

About the Author:

Marian’s If I Fail, A Jake Carrington Mystery is her debut novel. Since she discovered books at the early age of five she’s been reading non-stop. Mysteries are her favorite genre. She writes full time and has just completed her second book in the Jake Carrington Series. Her passions are reading and writing. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and enjoys snowboarding and boating.

I can tell you from personal knowledge that this is one great book, and so is the sequel. I was privileged to be able to edit both books, and that's how I met Marian.

Thanks for stopping by, Marian, come back again soon!

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie