Tag Archives: mystery

Daisy Update — Fingers Crossed

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Hello my reading friend,

Here are a few updates regarding Daisy books, and my work as an author:

Yipee!

Five Star Publishing on FacebookAt last, I have sent off Sliced Vegetarian to the publisher.  Now all I have to do is wait for several weeks to see if this second Daisy Arthur Mystery meets Five Star’s needs for publishable work.  I don’t understand much about the review process, but I do know that if the senior editor likes this book, she will make a pitch to someone else in acquisitions and then the book “goes to the top.”  At any stage the work can be sent back with “rejection” on it, but only after it’s made the complete rounds favorably will I see an email that might start with the words, “I am pleased to contact you with an offer for publication . . .” Please keep your fingers crossed for Sliced Veggie.

NEW ROLE WITH MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA

Mystery Writers of America logoI’m also excited to let you know that I was recently elected to “Membership Chair” for the Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers of America association.  This terrific organization is part of Mystery Writers of America, which has been in existence for more than 66 years.  You do not have to be a published mystery writer to join, but just someone interested in the crime, mystery and detection aspects of our fiction life.  Each month I go to the Denver Press Club and meet others interested in mystery and crime, and we listen to speakers on all sorts of interesting topics. If you’d like to become a member of either RMMWA or MWA, please let me know and I’ll send you information.

WRITING CONTESTS

Part of building an “author platform” is getting your name out there in the publishing world. To do this, you need to attend conferences, join organizations, and enter contests.  With that in mind, a few weeks ago I submitted Faith on the Rocks for consideration in the Colorado Book Awards, sponsored by ColoradoHumanities.org.  I’m also thinking about nominating Faith for Left Coast Crime’s Lefty award, which recognizes humorous mystery novels. While I will hope, hope, hope, I’m not truly expecting to win anything. It’s great to be in the game though.  Have you suggestions for contests I might enter?

CHARGING INTO THE NEXT DAISY

Okay, so I’m not even to outline mode yet, but wanted to let you know I’ve thought of a next topic for Daisy to play with.  On January first of this year, Colorado officially authorized people to posses small amounts of marijuana for recreational use. In my local paper, I see a debate over whether or not to allow a pot shop to open in our fair city. This is also a cash-based business, as the FDIC is involved with all banks, and marijuana is not legal on a national basis.  There is just too much good stuff here (and motivation to kill) for a mystery writer to leave the topic alone.

BUT I’M INTERESTED IN YOUR OPINION

Would you like me to open a new category and occasionally post my research about marijuana? Do you think Daisy may have an interesting time in a story called Pot Shots?  Please let me know, as I’d like to get started as soon as possible on the next Daisy Arthur Mystery.

For now, I’m off and running, before the whole day goes up in smoke!

Have a great week.

It’s A Mystery: High Crimes on the Magical Plane

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I read an article the other day about how scientists at some ivy league school are proving that there is no such thing as ESP — extra sensory perception.  What a let down.  I mean talk about telling people there is no Santa Claus! As many as three out of four people in the States believe in some form of ESP–that’s more than the number who believe in their political parties right now, for sure. And the belief system keeps palm readers, psychics, and ghost hunters in business for the long haul. If the researchers prove too conclusively the lack of woo-woo in our lives, an entire industry could disappear–or at least remove to another plane of existence.

Book cover: High Crimes on the Magical Plane

Great, fun read!

Is it any wonder, then, why I might have picked up High Crimes on the Magical Plane for a cozy mystery read?  Author Kris Neri explores what happens when a fake psychic, Madame Samantha Brennan, meets up with the real deal in the guise of a FBI special agent, Annabelle Haggerty.  The clash is exhilarating, funny, and well worth the hours spent between the pages of this delightful book.

Samantha Brennan hasn’t had a psychic moment in her entire twenty-eight and three-quarter years of living. Doesn’t believe in the stuff.  But she loves the clothes you get to wear as a psychic, and this profession let’s a girl meet very interesting, and often high-powered people, like the ex-Vice President’s widow. Pretty cool, huh?

And it is while Samantha is on her way to meet with the widow, that an SUV full of clowns–real clowns in make-up, frizzy wigs, and big red noses–nearly run her down and mark a huge change in the psychic’s life.  These clowns are no real funny men, but bad guys who have just kidnapped an L.A. honest-to-goodness movie star, Molly Claire, from the same apartment building where the VP widow lives.

Samantha relays her psychic vision of kidnapping for the benefit of the FBI. She doesn’t bother them with the detail that she found Ms. Claire’s empty apartment and a dead body inside, when she broke into that home to do a little cold calling on Ms. Claire.  That’s when Annabelle Haggerty, a serious-minded FBI agent takes Samantha in hand and transfers her real visions to the con-artist’s brain. Oops!

And things get complicated from there. The search for the missing Molly Claire reveals a new and monumental assault on Los Angeles by gang members–make that ALL the gang members of all the gangs in the city of angels. Did I mention the monumental assault? And that Samantha is the middle of the stew? And Annabelle is heroically trying to find the movie star, and bring justice back to the city, all while trying to keep her special powers as a Celtic Queen under wraps?

The book kept me engaged right to the end.  I hope you’ll take the chance to read this cozy and let me know what you think.  Even if you don’t believe in magic.

ABOUT KRIS NERI

Kris came to Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Conference in September, where she spoke on “Becoming a Clue Master–How to Plant Clues” in your mystery.  I walked away from that lecture with whole new approaches to writing that I’ll be excited to try in future books.  Then we met at the book sale, and I couldn’t resist picking up her book.

Kris has two book series, the Magical mysteries and the Tracy Eaton mysteries, and has published approximately 60 short stories.  She has also been nominated for several writing awards including the Lefty, Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity.

As this is Halloween month, you may want to pick up High Crimes on the Magical Plane — just to get in the spirit and all.