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Showing posts from October, 2010

Happy Halloween and a Review of Dispel the Mist

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Good friend, Pat Browing, reviewed Dispel the Mist. DISPEL THE MIST by Marilyn Meredith Mundania Press 2009 Marilyn Meredith lives near California’s Tule River Reservation but her Preface says that her fictional Bear Creek Reservation is just that – fictional; and while Yokuts tribes were the original inhabitants of the San Joaquin Valley, the Yanduchi branch in her Tempe Crabtree mysteries is fictional. However, the Indian legends in this book are real, beginning with How People Were Made. It features the Hairy Man, who outwitted Coyote in a race to ensure that people would walk upright. The book’s cover is designed from Hairy Man pictographs at Painted Rock on the Tule River. An excerpt from DISPEL THE MIST can be read on the blog of paranormal fiction author Lynda Hilburn, with this quote from Meredith: “The moment I stepped inside the rock shelter and spotted the pictograph of the Hairy Man and his family, I knew that my heroine, Tempe Crabtree, would not only visit this sacred

My Promotion Plan for Invisible Path

Of course the first thing I planned to do was have a book launch at the little bookstore in Porterville. Since the books didn't arrive on time that had to be cancelled. I'll figure out another date to have my books there soon, I hope. I do plan to go to Sisters in Crime Saturday, if I have books, I'll take a few, if not I'll pass out cards that have the picture of the cover on them. My next big promo plan is the mystery cruise to Mexico. Hopefully I will have some books to take along with me. In December, I'll be at the Porterville Art Gallery on Main St. n the 10th and 11th from 9 to 5 both days. During the month of November, I'll be on a blog tour. Monday, November 1 Guest blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner Tuesday, November 2 Book spotlighted at Book Tours and More Wednesday, November 3 Guest blogging at Kurt Kamm’s blog Thursday, November 4 Guest blogging at Mystery World of Pat Brown Friday, November 5 Guest blogging at Mysteryrat’s Closet Tuesday, November

Serving on Panels, the Good, the Bad, the Ugly

I've been on and observed lots of panels at mystery conferences over the years and I've seen some great ones and some that had real problems. Just for fun I'll tell you about the bad and ugly. Recently, I saw one of the panelists and the moderator chit chatting while other panelists were trying to give their view on a question. It happened more than one. I was once on a panel where once each of the panelists introduced ourselves, the moderator did all the rest of the talking--we never had a chance to speak again. Another time I was on a panel with two superstars (famous mystery writers, at least far more famous than I am) and the moderator never even turned in my direction. The two superstars spoke back and forth between each other. I tried to inject a funny comment now and then. Once the moderator, a rather pompous man, asked questions using such big words and long sentences, I had no idea what he was asking--neither did the other panelists. When it was my turn, I just sai

Keeping to the Task--Writing

Lately on some of the e-mail lists I'm on, people have been discussing writer's block. That's something I don't have a problem with. What I do have a problem with is keeping to the task of writing. It's certainly not because I'm blocked. I'm nearing the end of a new Rocky Bluff P.D. book--as yet unnamed--and I really want to get with it and finish. However, life keeps interfering. I have things I have to get done. I don't think I need to name them here because they are the same things everyone has to do to get along in their daily lives. On top of that, I have a hubby who likes to do something interesting at least once a week which means heading to town, maybe shopping, eating out somewhere and going to a movie. (And I like that too--sort of like our dating time and even though we've been married for a million years, we like being together.) Because I have a new book almost here--I'm tracking it and it's moving slowly across the country in a

Does Social Media Help Sell Books?

According to a poll paid for by Sisters in Crime, the answer is no. Though Word of Mouth was near the top of what does sell books, along with being on the best seller list, and paid advertising, I couldn't help but think that Social Media is a form of word of mouth. Certainly Facebook and Twitter are seen by a lot of people. I know for a fact that social media helped Joe Konrath become a best seller in e-books. Ooops, maybe Sisters in Crime isn't all that interested in e-books even though Konrath is making more money on Kindle then he ever did with his paperbooks. Speaking for myself, I've been intrigued by books I've read about on blogs, including my own. When I interview someone and their book sounds interesting, I've bought the book. Whether the poll is right or not, I'm going to keep on writing my blogs, posting on Facebook and Twitter and interacting with people who read my books. So what do you think? Marilyn http://fictionforyou.com

What I Didn't Like About San Francisco

Despite the fact that San Francisco is a beautiful city, like any place, it has its warts and I noticed some of them. The biggest wart was all the homeless people. They congregated around the beautiful and expensive hotel where we stayed. Several had their dogs at their feet and others were smoking. Feeding a pet and smoking are expensive habits. I suspect the dog does help keep someone who is sleeping outside warm and is good protection. And speaking of sleeping outside, when I left on Sunday at 5 a.m., I saw someone asleep on the sidewalk in front of a bank. Other homeless had already been rousted from their doorways because of the heavy police presence as streets were being barricaded because of a marathon. How did I recognize the homeless people? Because of the shopping carts filled with their worldly possessions. When my roommate and I walked back to our hotel at 10 p.m. from Chinatown, garbage overflowed all the trash bins. Of course there were poor folks searching through the tr

No One Would Ever Believe That!

This was another panel I attended at Bouchercon and it was about how much can you write that people will actually accept in a book. Panelists were Cathy Pickens, Sophie Hannah, GM Malliet, Diana Orgain, Stephanie Pintoff Most readers will accept just about anything as long as it is plausible. Could what you've written happen even once? It's the authors job to make the reader believe. If the writers does a good job, the reader should be transported to the realm of the book. There is a big difference between possibility and probability. A lot more is possible than what we think. Our experiences aren't necessarily the same as those of others. The general consensus was that if the reader likes the book, will probably suspend their disbelief. My thoughts on this subject are that you want the book to be exciting enough that the reader won't even worry about the possibility. Most of the books we really love reading stretch probability. http://fictionforyou.com

From Bouchercon, Keeping a Series Fresh

This is one of the panel's I attended with some great authors: Larry GAndle, Parnell Hall, Twist Phelan, Donna Andrews, Ken Wishnia, Marcia Talley. I can't tell which one said what, but here are some of their hints: Boring to have excessive back story. Be careful not to let the series go stale. The character needs to grow. If you want the series to continue, don't tie everything up. Keep the character arc slow. Having two series makes it easier to keep it fresh because as an author you go back and forth. Launch the character into a new place of topic. Learn something new and involve the character in it. Some series are publisher driven, wanting the same thing only different. Looking to replicate results. Most readers who read series feel like it's catching up with an old friend. Parnell sang us a song. Marilyn http://fictionforyou.com

Some Comments from David Baldacchi

"Best fiction I ever wrote was when I was a lawyer." David Baldacchi was one of the famous writers in attendance at Bouchercon. He said he was a library rat when he was kid. His sister was a journalist and went along with her on her interviews. When he moved to DC, his paranoia increased. His theme in all his book answers the question, "What is justice?" There is always a quest for justice in his books. He believes in believable motivations for his bad guys such as: Left out of society; some are missing a chromosome, a silent inhibitor or no inhibitor at all. Some are like Ted Bundy, with a freaky brain. Others are born normal but change. He takes an idea and captures it into a book. He writes for himself about what fascinates him. He's committed to the subject matter. Marilyn http://fictionforyou.com

Invisible Path, Book Launch Hopefully

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On Saturday, October 23rd I planned to have a book launch for Invisible Path , the latest in my Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series. Oh, yes, they were ordered in plenty of time, but I learned on Monday that there was a problem with the bar code on the back cover and had to be re-done. I learned from my publisher on Tuesday that there was no way he could get books to me on time. Am I disappointed? Sure. But it's not the end of he world. I've sent a message to the book store and to the newspaper. Fortunately, I hand't sent out any flyers yet. I also need books to send out for review to people who need to read them before my blog tour in November. The publisher has promised to take care of that for me. Sadly, this happens a lot in the book business. Planning has to be done for a book launch and I thought I did it in plenty of time since September is the usual time for a new Tempe book to come out. I am not faulting my publisher as a lot has been going on in the publishing bu

Some Pithy Advice from Authors at Bouchercon

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The photo was taken at Fisherman's Wharf. Here are some tidbits that I wrote in my notebook while listening to different authors speak on panels. Don't worry so much about the rules, just do what works for you. The question to answer it, does it work? On a Writer's Block panel some of the comments were: Everyone has a bad day here and there. Writer's Block might be a form of depression. Naming it will not make it go away. There were several one-book writers with best sellers: Invisible Man, Dr. Zhivago, Gone with the Wind, Wuthering Heights, To See Mocking Bird. Writer's block could be emotional: panic, fear, what might come after you've published. Cures for Writer's Block: Take a day off Step away from the computer. Be playful. If blocked, may need to do more research. Read the last 30 pages you wrote. Having a deadline may get rid of writer's block. Treat writing as a job, have a schedule and stick to it. No day time TV (I'll have more tomorrow on

Bouchercon Itself

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Bouchercon was huge. Lots and lots of people. In fact, so many that there were some that I knew were there that I never ran into. The hotel was also really large and confusing to find all the places where the different panels and events were taking place. Everyone found the hospitality room, of course. The Northern California chapters of Sisters in Crime and MWA served as the hosts and did they ever work hard. Drinks and goodies were available all through the day. I was on what was called a continuing coversation. Different topics were discussed at different time with different people. The conversation I was involved in was about procedurals--Michael Black, a Chicago cop I know pretty well, was one of my fellow conversationalist, as was Dr. Lyle--who I admire because of his knowledge of forensics and have asked him a lot of questions via the Internet. I have to admit I didn't go to many panels--it was far more fun to visit with people I know but don't get to see often. I had wo

Highlights from the San Francisco Part of Bouchercon

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I arrived in San Francisco around 1:30 p.m. and took a van into the gorgeous Hyatt Hotel. When I got up the room my roommate, Gay, wasn't there so I called her on the phone and learned she was waiting for me outside. I'd gone in a side door. Because we were both hungry, we headed out for lunch. We ate on the rooftop of a lovely restaurant. The next morning we took a cable car tour, except not on the real cable cars, but busses they made out of cable cars. It was a three hour tour and I've included some of the photos. We went everywhere. When we returned to the hotel, next order of business was eating--this time a Thai place. That evening the Opening Ceremony was held. I'll report on the Bouchercon events on another blog. On Friday night, Gay and I caught a real cable car which cost $5 to ride (years ago when I went there to a PTA convention, riding the cable car was free) to China Town where we attended a dinner and award ceremony for the Private Eye Writers. The resta

Victoria Heckman

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Bio Victoria Heckman is the author of two Hawai'i mystery series: K.O.'d in Hawaii, a modern series starring Katrina Ogden, Honolulu Police Officer, and the Coconut Man Mystery series set in ancient Hawaii before European contact. She is also the author of numerous short stories and articles, as well as a stand alone mystery, Burn Out, about an animal communicator coming late fall of 2011. She is president of Sisters in Crime Central Coast Chapter. Visit her website at www.victoriaheckman.com My interview of Victoria: Marilyn: Tell me about your latest book. Victoria: What would you do if you received information that could save the lives of strangers but could also get you killed? Nomadic basket weaver Coconut Man faces this when he wanders into a village to sell his baskets and overhears a murder plot that brings war not only to this village, but to the entire island. How does a man with no status in the community change its destiny? For those of you in the California Centr

Facebook, Oh my!

I post on Facebook a lot. I enjoy it because I get to find out stuff about my family and friends I wouldn't any other way. I get to see photos quicker when they post them. But--my goodness--I'm shocked by what some people post. Do they forget who their friends are? Do they really want everyone to know their private lives? If they put something about someone on Facebook that isn't very nice--that someone is probably going to see it. Frankly, I'd rather not know anything about someone's sex life--and I've unfriended someone who wrote such graphic stuff I got a mind image I never needed to have. I also could live without all this political bashing on both sides. No one is going to convince anyone if they are on the opposite side. The meaner things get the less I like it. Telling your secrets on Facebook is not a good idea because everyone can read what you've written. I'm shocked by what some people write. It kind of reminds me people who talk so loud on th

Mystery Conventions

There are many mystery conventions to choose from. I'm only going to talk about the ones I've attended. The biggest, of course, is Bouchercon, where I am right now. Bouchercon moves all over the country and I've attended them in lots of different places including Wisconsin twice, Texas, and Alaska. Bouchercon is big--big name writers and lots of fans attend--as well as small press writers like me. It can be overwhelming and a good idea if you have a roommate. While there though, be sure not only to take advantage of the panels, and there are lots to choose from, also go take advantage of the other things offered to do. Talk to everyone, make new friends, speak to your favorite authors, let them know that you love their books. Have a good time. Left Coast Crime is probably the next biggest I've attended and they are always supposed to be in the west somewhere. Not quite as many attend, though there are still a lot of people and the con is much like Bouchercon, just small

Getting the Most Out of a Writer's Conference

While I'm at Bouchercon, I know I wont take the time to write blogs, so I thought I write a few ahead of time that will appear while I'm gone. A writer's conference is where you go to learn more about writing. Over the years, I've been to many. At first, I drank in all the presentations like a thirsty person in the desert. Oh, how I loved learning so much from such talented writers. Year passed, but I kept going to writers conferences--and still do. I know a lot about writing now, but I still learn many new things. Another thing about a writers conference is that it energizes you to get busy with your writing. When you go always pack a good attitude, go expecting to learn, take notes so you don't forget. Participate in everything. Talk to everyone. Make new friends. I've made friends at writers conference who've become friends for life. Tomorrow I'll tell you about Mystery Conventions which is a whole different experience. Marilyn

Loose Ends Kill by Robert Doerr

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Loose Ends Kill Brief Summary With nearly three decades of investigative and operational experience, Bob Doerr knows how to create a realistic and challenging murder scene. He combines his vast experience and writing savvy in Loose Ends Kill —the third mystery crime thriller in his Jim West series. In this new novel, West comes to the rescue of an old friend suspected of killing his own wife. West rolls up his sleeves and begins to dig deep—perhaps too deeply—as someone begins to follow and target him. It’s not long before West discovers that he didn’t know his friend’s wife as well as he thought. Everyone but West and his friend knew that she had many affairs. Any of her lovers could have had a motive to kill her. As he investigates one lover after the other, West ignites an outbreak of more deaths and mayhem. The killer wants him dead. His friend’s lawyer wants him to go back home, and the police threaten to arrest him. Feeling the pressure to solve the murder quickly, West set

Valley Book Fest

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Sherman Lee from the Hanford Branch of the King's County Library took this photo. I was one of about twenty plus authors who displayed books at the Hanford Mall. Because I have lots of books, I always have to choose which ones I'll take. Because Hanford is only about an hour and 15 minutes from where I live, I decided my Deputy Tempe Crabtree series would be a seller her, but I also brought Lingering Spirit and the two latest of my Rocky Bluff series. As always, I was surprised by the books that interested people. I had sent out notices about the signing to several friends who live in Hanford and was pleased when two of them turned up even though they had a problem finding me. The Hanford newspaper and the library had done a lot of publicity and the Mall had banners outside letting people know we were there. However, most of the folks who stopped by seemed surprised to see all the books and the authors. I love doing this type of event for several reasons. I love meeting new peo

Packing for Bouchercon

Hubby and I have attended many Bouchercons in the past--but I've skipped the last few. This year it's in San Francisco. Hubby dislikes San Francisco, but author friend Gay Totl Kinman asked if I'd be her roommate and I jumped at the chance. The first time Gay and I met was when we arranged to be roommates at Epicon. Since that time we've been at other conferences together, roomed again in New York and Arlington VA for Edgar week and Malice Domestic. It's been awhile since I've seen her, so I'm looking forward to our reunion as well as a good time at Bouchercon. Because there are so many superstars at Bouchercon, I'm not going to worry about selling books. I plan to have a great time going to panels that interest me, some of the side events we've signed up for, and seeing all my author friends and making some new friends. Oh, of course I'll have my cards handy to hand out to folks--but this time my main purpose is to enjoy myself. I plan to only t

Marni Graff, author of The Blue Virgin

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"In her stunning, debut mystery novel set in Oxford, England, Marni Graff keeps the reader guessing who-done-it. Her sophisticated literary style together with her compelling plot and cast of characters made the book impossible to put down. P.D. James step aside...." --Joan Seliger Sidney, Body of Diminishing Motion Marni (Marnette) Graff Marni Graff was born on Long Island and lived there for most of her life before moving with her husband and youngest son of three to North Carolina fourteen years ago. Buying property on the Intracoastal Waterway in rural Hyde County, Graff’s family was looking for a change from the fast pace they were used to, and found that on the shore of the Pungo River. For the first two years at Montgomery Point in northeastern NC, Graff wrote a column for the Beaufort-Hyde News called “Southern Exposure,” about a Yankee’s adjustment to living in the south. Graff started writing poetry in junior high and kept on writi

Camp Fire Girl Reunion Photos

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We had such a great time at the Camp Fire Girl reunion. These early photos are hilarious--check out the young me with curlers in my hair. I know we were at Bubbling Springs Park in Port Hueneme on a very foggy morning. Can't remember what all we did, but I think it involved catching crawdads. The photo with the larger group was a trip we were supposed to be making to the Griffith Park Observatory in L.A. My car broke down and we ended up at my parents--but that worked out great because my dad had his own observatory on top of the house and the girls (and leaders) had a great time. In the photo is also a pic of my mom and my oldest son, Mark, who passed away from cancer when he wss in his 40s. My oldest daughter Dana hosted a 20 year reunion of our Camp Fire group 20 years ago and then again, this past Friday night. Compare the photos. I had a great time. On the couch in the latest photo is Ruth Klinger, the first leader of the group when they were Blue Birds. I took over at the end

Camp Fire Girl Reunion

It seems my family is "reunion" crazy. Twenty years ago my eldest daughter decided to have a reunion of the Camp Fire Girl group that I had for nearly 10 years. I kept the group until the young woman graduated from high school in 1970. She's decided that since her high school is having their reunion this weekend, she wanted to get the Camp Fire Girls together once again the night before. She sent letters using all the addresses she had and many letters came back. And then she searched for people on Facebook to invite. First let me tell you about how I got involved. Dana, my daughter was in a Blue Bird group. The leader, who has been a good friend over the years and one of the biggest fans of my books, decided someone else needed to take over and called together the meeting of the mother. I was the youngest one there. (This was a long, long time ago.) No one volunteered. Feeling totally inadequate, I finally said I'd do it. My daughter loved being a Blue Bird. I grew u

Murder at Cuyamaca

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Murder at Cuyamaca by Sue McGinty Bella Kowalski, former nun, now dirt-digging obituary editor, gets an urgent call from Magda Sereno regarding her sister's murder. Magda suspects Loreli's former fiancé, a maverick rancher who takes in the homeless on an ad hoc basis. Then Magda, a surfer, is brutally murdered on New Year’s Day at Cuyamaca Beach's annual Polar Bear dip. This second book in the Bella Kowalski series leads readers through the dark underbelly of California's scenic Central Coast, where the homeless gather under bridges while the wealthy slumber beneath satin sheets, and where a crowded, sunny beach offers no guarantee of safety. About Sue McGinty: With little more than a dream, a few story ideas and a cat who’d never ridden in a car before, Sue McGinty left behind the corporate world of Los Angeles and escaped two hundred miles north to the Central Coast hamlet of Los Osos. Not the Cabot Cove of “Murder She Wrote,” but close. Before the boxes were unpacke

Mitchell Family Reunion group pic

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Not everyone was here when the photo was taken, but a schedule of events was sent out and I have to give the girls in charge credit, they followed their schedule and things moved along one after another--no one had the chance to be bored. On Saturday afternoon there was free time and a lot of the attendees took the opportunity to shop at the Outlet stores next door and I know some of the grandparents and parents did some Christmas shopping. I only went to one store and bought a new carry-on that I plan to use for Bouchercon in San Francisco. I don't want to have to pay to send any luggage for a 1 1/2 hour flight. That ties up the family reunion. If you want to see more pictures, check out my family reunion album on Facebook. Marilyn http://fictionforyou.com

Dorien Grey, author of Caesar's Fall

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A teaser about Caesar's Fall : Elliott Smith has a new neighbor; a nice, average guy who has won $57 million in the lottery. The sharks start to circle, and Elliott tries to protect him as best he can. But a tragic accident throws Elliott, his partner-in-process Steve, and sleep-visitor John into the roiling waters. I've "known" Dorien Grey for a long time via the Internet, but really didn't know much about him, so I asked for some background information and here it is. He's just as intriguing as I always suspected. Background of Dorien Grey If it is possible to have a split personality without being schizophrenic, Dorien Grey qualifies. When long-time book and magazine editor Roger Margason chose the pseudonym “Dorien Grey” for his first book, it set off a chain of circumstances which has led to the comfortable division of labor and responsibility. Roger has charge of day-to-day existence, freeing Dorien—with the help of Roger’s fingers—to write. It has reac

Invisible Path on the Way, Reviewers Wanted

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The day Invisible Path went live on Mundania Press's website I ordered 50 copies. That may seem like a lot, but I'll be going on a blog tour in November and some of the blog hosts also review books. I'll also be asking for other people to review Invisible Path, probably the same ones who reviewed Dispel the Mist the book that came out last fall. Anyone else who'd like to review Invisible Path and put the review on Amazon and anywhere else you can think of, do let me know. mmeredith@ocsnet.net Now the fun begins--or it will once the book arrives. Marilyn http://fictionforyou.com

More Reunion Photos

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Here are some more pictures. Granddaughter Melissa with her hubby, Billy. Melissa and my other granddaughter Genie, and niece, Linda, were the organizers for the event, each having particular duties they were in charge of. They did a great job. The shot of my oldest girl and youngest shows that the theme was the color blue. Daughter Lori cooked tortillas for our taco super on Friday night. The only thing that went wrong was one of my great granddaughters got ill late Saturday night and on Sunday morning everyone pulled out after breakfast. All together 49 people showed up--though they weren't all there together at the same time. One came only for Friday night and Saturday and went home in the afternoon. A couple of families arrived late Friday night and went home after dinner on Saturday. One family came at Saturday afternoon after a kid's baseball game and went home after the talent show. We had some missing who came other years and a couple of new ones this year. The big thin

Pictures from the Family Reunion

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These are just a few photos to give you an idea of what was happening at our reunion. I'll post a few more tomorrow. The teen boy was also the teen girl at the talent show. Since he's a really macho and most athletic kid (and one of my many great grandkids) it was hilarious seeing him dance and strut around like a really cute girl. Many worked to make this event a success. In the photo with the food is my eldest daughter and her daughter. There were lost of water games--oldsters against the kids and the oldsters won them all. Young kids were kept busy all the time with crafts, a Wii, and lots of activities. So much fun to see so much family all at one time. Marilyn http://fictionforyou.com

California's Budget Dilemma Hits Home

California's legislators and Governor are supposed to pass a budget by July 1. It is now October and still no budget. This is playing havoc on all state-funded businesses. It seems to me if the legislators didn't get paid until the budget was passed and had to experience what all these people who rely on the state are now going through, they might get to business instead of taking summer vacations. (Yes, they did.) My 19 year-old-granddaughter who lives on her own works for a state-funded day care. People who leave their children in this day-care are charged by the amount they make at their jobs--and the remainder is state-funded. The day-care has continued to operate the last few months but has finally exhausted its funds and had to close. Not only does it affect all the teachers who work there but also the people who leave their children while they are working. Many have had to quit their jobs. The owners of the day care have helped all their employees get on unemployment. My

Eeek! Where are My Books?

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My book launch for Invisible Path is schedule for Saturday, October 23rd--yes, this Saturday and I learned on Monday that there had been a problem with the bar code holding up production of the books. I ordered 50, I've got reviewers waiting for copies to read before my blog tour in November. Time is running out. This happens too often and certainly makes me nervous. The last word is some of the books will be delivered via air transport, so I'll at least have some for the launch. I've sent a notice to our newspaper already and of course a poster for the bookstore, Books Off Main in Porterville, they have hanging in the store. I'll be there at 2 p.m. with books or not. All of you who read my blog posts, pray and think positive thoughts that my books arrive in time. Marilyn, who hates when this happens.

Dr. Bob Maninger author of FLINT

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Synopsis for Flint In the small Oklahoma community of Flint, Dr. Bill Spence pursues a ruthless serial killer. The murderer is determined to make these crimes appear as though the Cheyenne are responsible. Diamond Oil Company refinery workers have gone out on strike and the tension is mounting. The evidence at the crime scene is a graphic replication of Native American battlefield mutilations. Bill Spence’s area of expertise leads him to uncover the killer’s intended scenario replicating the Greasy Grass battlefield. Bill receives assistance from his good friend and Cheyenne insider, Ben Freeman, as he navigates each terrifying crime collecting clues to help the local police solve these grizzly murders. Ben is implicated even though he appears to be above such a crime spree, because he keeps showing up at the scene at the wrong time. The Cheyenne decide it is time to step outside the law and perform the Sun Dance to purify their people. Bill relies on his friend Kristine to keep him fo