S. Dionne Moore | Author

The Making of a Book Cover by Susan Sleeman

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 08:05:00 +0000

I’m often asked how a book cover is born and this question seems so timely to me right now because I just designed the e-book covers for Nipped in the Bud and Read Between the Tines.
Yes—insert big sigh here for the many hours it took me to do it—I did it myself and my graphic artist daughter—special shout out of thanks to Erin—helped me with some of the technical aspects.
What I learned in this process is that cover designers are worth every penny they are paid. Not only for their technical graphic design skills, but also for their vision in creating a cover that reflects the feel of the book.
For example: Nipped in the Bud and Read Between the Tines are cozy mysteries. This genre usually has a lighthearted feel with illustrations not actual photos on the cover.
Yet, romantic suspense books like my June release Double Exposure have an eerie, suspenseful look. The designers did an amazing job on this cover, didn’t they?
So what do readers ask me about book covers?

Do I have input on my covers?
Do I design them myself?
Do I have veto power if I don’t like the cover?
Do I always like my covers?

The answer to all of these questions is. . . it depends on the publisher.
I know, right, not a very good answer, but how a book cover is created does depend on the publisher of the book. Still, I can share some things most publishers have in common.

Authors do not generally design their own covers. In general, we’re given an opportunity to suggest a scene for the cover. Often we’re given a short questionnaire, or in the case of Love Inspired a long questionnaire, where we describe a scene or several scenes that we think fits with the book. Not an actual scene in the book, but something that will convey the feel of the book and the genre in general.
The author is asked to submit pictures that reflect that scene and that reflect the physical appearance of the characters. I’m often asked to name a celebrity that my characters look like. In fact, I keep a file of pictures for characters so as I watch a TV show or movie and see someone I think would be perfect for a character I find their pic and put it in my file. Sounds like a board I should add to Pinterest.
After mockups are created, the author is given the chance to look at them and to choose the one he or she likes. Of all my answers, this is likely the one that not all publishers employ as it costs money to do mockups of multiple covers. But you know what? If I do my job well with the questionnaire and providing pictures then the cover should look similar to my visions.
If the cover is all wrong the author in most cases has to live with it. Again, lots of money went into creating the cover and publishers are professionals who understand the marketing aspect of a cover. So they definitely have their reasons for creating it.

The one question I didn’t address is, do I like all of my covers? My answer is there is one cover I was not fond of. I didn’t like the color choices, nor did I think it conveyed the style of the book. And no, I won’t share which one it is, but in general the art departments I’ve worked with do an AMAZING job, I’m so thankful for them, and I hope I never have to design a cover myself again.

Spaghetti Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Thu, 31 May 2012 13:59:00 +0000

Simple. If you're a spaghetti lover, then this is for you.

1 pd ground beef or turkey
1 jar spaghetti sauce
spaghetti noodles
6 ou. cream cheese, cubed and softened
1 Tablespoon parsley
1/4 asiago cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Directions: Brown beef and drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and parsley, set aside.

To boiling water, add spaghetti noodles and let cook until desired consistency. Drain and immediately toss with cream cheese until smooth. Stir in spaghetti sauce.

In 9x13 dish, place half spaghetti mixture, 1/2 cup cheddar, another layer of spaghetti, finish with remaining cheddar and asiago (or parmesan).

Bake at 350 until heated through and cheese has melted and is bubbly--about 25 minutes.

Misfortune Cookies by Linda Kozar

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Tue, 29 May 2012 02:29:00 +0000

Misfortune Cookies (Until the Fat Lady Sings – Book 1)

By Linda Kozar

Best friends Sue Jan and Lovita run a beauty shop/boutique in the little West Texas town of Wachita. They share a passion of food and fun. But one day, over lunch in a Chinese restaurant, Lovita opens a fortune cookie with a sinister message: “Your father was murdered. . .” a clue that leads them to God, an international spy ring and several devastatingly handsome strangers. A most unlikely pair of detectives, these girlfriends “Comb” the countryside with style, sarcasm, and lots of Szechwan. This tale is like good take-out food–definitely worth bringing home.

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Everybody Called Her a Saint, by Cecil Murphy

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Mon, 21 May 2012 02:50:00 +0000

Everybody Called Her a Saint

Posted: 20 May 2012 10:45 AM PDT

Everybody Called Her A Saint (Everybody’s Suspect in Georgia Series – Book 3)

By Cecil Murphey

Who would want to kill the sainted Twila Belk?. . .Especially since she had footed the bill for an Antarctica cruise with 48 of her “closest friends?”
But when a search team discovers the body of the murdered benefactress on Brown Bluff Island, an unlikely duo joins forces to solve the heinous crime.
Though once engaged, Reverend James Burton and psychologist Julie West are no longer even on speaking terms. Can their mutual love and admiration for a dear, departed friend allow them to set aside their animosities long enough to bring Twila’s killer to justice?

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Twylah

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:15:00 +0000

My new page that collects my tweets and displays them for you to read at your leisure: http://www.twylah.com/SDionneMoore/

Writing: Moving through Time

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:53:00 +0000

One of the most enjoyable things about writing is the ability to travel. No, I don't fly around the world, but I do heaps of research. I've been a sheep farmer in the Big Horns of Wyoming, through the terrible Johnstown flood of 1889, struggled through the Civil War in Gettysburg and the bloodiest day of battle--Antietam. I've researched poisons, guns, horses and the duties of ranch foremen and hunters who were hired for their skill in shooting wild animals to protect the herds. I've been to Wyoming during the days of the cattle barons and the Johnson County War and even researched mental insanity.

In Your Goose is Cooked, I had to know a little about owning and running a restaurant. One of the more interesting subjects I dabbled in for quite a number of months was artisan bread-making. I've made some wonderful focaccia and sour dough breads. I learned about starter and what it meant to autolyse flour in a recipe. Did you know pizza dough should be able to pass a window-pane test? I didn't, but I do now. The wetter the dough the bigger the crumb. I also became educated in the stretch and fold method of kneading for wet doughs, and all that I learned became the passion for LaTisha Barnhart's main cook, William.

William presented me with a challenge too. I needed a personality that was anti-social, yet intelligent, so I also spent time researching Asperger's and the difference between high and low functioning.

Writing has expanded my knowledge beyond the writing rules, grammar and word usage. With each book there is always an angle or a piece of information, a personality trait or a career that must be researched in order to give the story an authentic feel. The most well-written books are those that make you feel like you're there, that teach you something as you read. Those are the books I want to write.

New Release: Knocking 'Em Dead by Chris Wells

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:50:00 +0000

Knocking Em Dead (The Earl Walker Mysteries – Book 3)

By Chris Well

IS IT CURTAINS FOR EARL AND GLORIA?
Earl Walker’s life is finally on track. But while skimming through the script for a local production, Earl is horrified to learn his darkest secret is about to make a theatrical debut. Desperate to keep his bride-to-be from discovering his shame prematurely, Earl enlists the help of his friend, Jenny, and local deputy Landon Fisher. As they track down the only other man who knew the truth, Earl is shocked to discover he’s already dead. . .and confronting the playwright reveals nothing either. Things continue to careen out of control—the playwright is murdered, and Jenny’s on the spot—but can Earl hook the killer before the final curtain call?

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Beautiful Life

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:10:00 +0000

Pretty nice sunrise, huh? If I knew how to photoshop I could take out the telephone poles. On my way out this morning, I took another shot.

After three days of clouds and intermittent rain, the daisies were desperate for sunshine and had all turned their little faces toward the brief glimpse of sunshine splashed on them during sunrise. Obviously I had a bit of fun editing this one. I enjoyed some of the knew features Apple included in the iPhoto update.

I'm having a great time using the iPhone4S for taking pics.

This daisy makes me laugh. It's kind of in-your-face in its state of pedalessness. (New word!)

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Tue, 08 May 2012 02:21:00 +0000

Historical Romance

Description: When costume-maker Ellie Moore suddenly finds herself out of a job in the middle of a bleak Chicago winter, she uses her knowledge of theatrical disguise to secure a position as an undercover operative with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Her assignment: find the culprit behind the theft of silver shipped from the mines near Pickford, Arizona.

Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie begins her investigation. Soon she finds she must also pose as the dazzling young Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.

Mine owner Steven Pierce is about to lose his business after the theft of several bullion shipments--until hope arrives in the unlikely form of Lavinia Stewart, who offers to invest in Steven's mine. In his wildest dreams, Steven never expected to be rescued by an inquisitive gray-haired widow... or to fall head over heels for Lavinia's captivating niece, Jessie.

But then the thieves come after both Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Will she be forced to reveal her true identity before the criminals are caught? What will Steven do when he discovers the woman he loves doesn't exist?

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Soon to Release: The Cattle Baron's Daughter

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Thu, 03 May 2012 21:07:00 +0000

Direct to consumer sales only for this book because Heartsong sold the line to Harlequin's Love Inspired. More info to come closer to release date. For now, a peek at the wild west:

Ryan has come full circle. Back in his hometown of Buffalo. Back doing the work he once resented to survive. But although much is the same, he recognizes few faces and is glad few recognize him. He knows he can't lie low in a small town forever--hopefully just long enough to uncover the truth about his father's murder. . .and before an auburn beauty wrangles his heart.

Olivia Sattler is anxious to return to the Rocking S ranch. Years spent East have left her pining for home--the home she remembers when her mother was alive and filling her and and her father's lives with warmth. Yet the years have also stirred up change. . . And then there's Mr. Laxalt. Handsome, yes, but with enough brusqueness to fill Wyoming territory.

When unearthed secrets shed disturbing light on Olivia's cattle baron father, will the truth keep Olivia and Ryan apart for good?

First Time Ever--Your Goose Is Cooked, Book 3 of the LaTisha Barnhart Mysteries!

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:36:00 +0000

Now available for Kindle and other ebook platforms: Your Goose is Cooked (Book 3 of the LaTisha Barnhart mysteries). First time in print!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cooked-LaTisha-Barnhart-Mystery-ebook/dp/B007YIHF04/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335798298&sr=8-1

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/156156

Recipe: Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 04:15:00 +0000

These were so easy to make and they were gone within an hour. It helped that I had kids at the house to polish them off but, seriously, the plate came back empty that fast! This recipe would adapt easily if you slipped in some blueberries. Yum!

1-¾ cup flour or self-rising flour (omit baking powder and salt is using self-rising)
1-½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
¾ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
¾ cup milk

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat donut hole maker (or cake pop maker). Stir together dry ingredients (through sugar). Measure out milk, crack egg into milk and whisk. Add to dry ingredients along with oil. Mix well. Using cookie dough scoop, measure out by tablespoons into cake pop or donut hole maker. When indicator says glows "ready" remove to cool.

Melt butter in bowl. On separate plate mix together cinnamon and sugar. Roll donut holes in butter, then in cinnamon sugar.

Based on recipe from Can You Stay for Dinner Website

Recipe: Maple Honey Mustard Drums (or thighs)

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 04:05:00 +0000

Chicken thighs or drumsticks- 1 large package (Drumstick package contained 12 legs, no skin)
1 cup Dijon mustard
3/4 cup Maple Syrup
2 Tablespoons Honey
2 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
2 teaspoons Salt
1 tablespoon, fresh ground pepper
Fresh rosemary

Heat oven to 350. In Ziploc bag combine mustard, honey, maple syrup and rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Wash and pat dry chicken. Place chicken in bag and mix to coat the pieces. Place chicken and mustard mixture into 9x13 dish coated with nonstick spray. Pop in oven for 20 minutes, turn chicken, continue baking for another 25 minutes.

Serve with brown rice and veggie. The sauce makes a great gravy.

Image from wittyinthecity.com. Recipe based on wittyinthecity.com - "Man Pleasing Chicken"

Meet Author Chris Wells

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:48:00 +0000

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.

A. Well, my day job is to serve as the editor of FamilyFiction (http://www.familyfiction.com), which includes the digital magazines FamilyFiction and FamilyFiction Edge, the website, and the weekly email newsletter. Oh, yes, and all the social media. So it keeps me hopping. I’m married and we live in Tennessee.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
A. When I was in the first grade. I was six years old and also under the mistaken impression that I could grow up to be Batman. Seriously, I thought it was an occupation.
Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?
A. It goes back to high school, when I started writing for the local newspaper. All the stuff I’ve done since then has been one thing leading to the next thing—like climbing rungs up one ladder or another. Over the years, I’ve written and edited for several different magazines, including CCM, 7ball, Homecoming, and, yes, Christian Bride.
Q: Would you tell us about your current book release?
Nursing a Grudge is the first of a whodunit trilogy starring a curmudgeonly amateur sleuth named Earl Walker. When we meet him in the first book, he’s trying the live the life of a hermit at the nursing home. By the end of the third book, he’s grown as a person and he even has other people in his life. But Earl’s growth as a person comes in the most awkward manner possible. I couldn’t really help it—it’s how I write. I tend to be hard on my characters. But they say that comedy comes from pain…
Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Nursing a Grudge?

A: I am a big fan of the classic mysteries by the likes of Agatha Christie, and Rex Stout, and Ellery Queen. So, when I first set out to write a real-deal whodunit—with the clues, and the suspects, and the whole deal—my original plan was to write something along the lines of the Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin mysteries written by Rex Stout.
For those who haven’t read these wonderful books, Nero Wolfe is more or less what we call an “armchair detective”; he prefers to solve the mysteries without leaving his house. Which is where Archie comes in—he goes out and does all the legwork.
So in Nursing a Grudge, we actually meet two people in the first scene—Earl Walker, a bitter old man in a wheelchair; and Jenny Hutton, a well-meaning young lady from the local church sent to visit him. When I started out, my intention was for Earl to stay home and for Jenny to go out and do all the legwork.
But as I continued to develop the plot, the characters took on a different tone. And now Jenny was pushing Earl out of his apartment, and he was starting to meet other people. And then the story became something different—the story became about Earl meeting other people, and coming to realize that God created us to have relationships with other people. No man is an island, as the saying goes—and that is the way God made us.
A little side note: As I think about back, the original plan was for the “romance” part of the novels to come from Jenny’s part of the story. But as I got further into the process, Earl met a woman—and she became increasingly important throughout the series.
Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?
A: We need people. And ministry begins at home, with the people whom God puts in our lives.
Q: What is your favorite scene/chapter from the book?
A: Without giving away any spoilers, I am very pleased with the method I came up with for the murder. For much of the investigation, everyone assumes it’s one thing—but it turns out to actually be something different. I had never seen that one before.
Q: What inspires you to write?
A. My head is full of words. I’m just trying desperately to let them all out so I can sleep at night.
Q: How has being a published novelist differed from your expectations of the profession?
A: From the outside, it always looked like the hard part was getting in. But I find that this marathon never ends—it continues for as long as I want to be a writer.
Q: What advice or tips do you have for writers who are just getting started?
A: Whether one wants to write fiction or nonfiction, I would recommend watching for any opportunities to write: the school newspaper, the church newsletter, even your own blog. As far as I’m concerned, all writing makes you a better writer.
Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?
A. I find that what I like best is writing quirky characters getting into odd situations and then making bad decisions to get out of them. These are traits you can see in all my books to date—but now I’m trying to embrace these oddballs and let their stories unfold as they will. My agent has one particular book in hand, and I’m working on another one with an eye toward launching a series.
Q: What is something your readers might be surprised to learn about you?
A. When I was in the fifth grade, I was in a Monkees tribute band. We gave ourselves the imaginative name “The Monkees II,” and we had exactly one public performance—which was spectacularly awful.
Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?
A. My wife and I love to watch old movies—especially Alfred Hitchcock, Cary Grant, the Thin Man series, stuff like that. On the other end of the scale, we’ve lately become obsessed with Mystery Science Theater 3000; we never had cable, so we’re discovering them on DVD. It’s a hoot! I also do a lot of reading.
Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?
A. Anyone who wants to sample my writing for FREE, please swing by my website and get your free copy of First Shot: 10 Stories. http://StudioWell.com

Meet Author Anita Higman

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:45:00 +0000

Another Grave Matter and all Spyglass Lane Mysteries are available here.

Q: How long have you been writing and what other careers or jobs have you had?
A. I’ve been writing for about twenty-seven years, but before I started this career I was a waitress, a copy writer, a wheat-tarp roller (don’t ask), a clerk in a gift shop, a nurse’s aide, an assistant administrator at a nursing home, a bookkeeper, a librarian, a receptionist, a computer operator, a desk clerk at a hotel, a cosmetic salesperson, a maid, a babysitter, a model, and a disc jockey. I’d love to tell you that I became accomplished at every job, but the truth is, I was mostly bored. When I finally tried the very thing I’d been running from for years I felt I’d arrived somewhere important—I’d come home.
Q: How do you choose your settings for your books?
A. I like to set most of my novels in Texas, because people love to read about this state, and it’s where I live. I know Texas!
Q: Do you base your characters on people you know or are they totally made up?
A: My characters are a combination of both, and I think it works. At least I hope it does.
Q: Would you tell us about your current book release?
A: Another Grave Matter is my latest novel, and it’s a cozy mystery. It’s the third and last installment in the Volstead Manor Series. The first two were Another Stab at Life and Another Hour to Kill.
Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Another Grave Matter?
A: I grew up in a creepy, 100-year-old farmhouse in Western Oklahoma. The experiences in that house spawned this whole series.
Q: Tell us what you like about the main characters of this book.
A: They’re quirky and fun and unpredictable.
Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?
A. I’m working on a story that I hope will reach out to women who loved the Mitford Series. The novel is entitled, A Glimpse of Heaven.
Q: If money were no object what vacation would you like to take and why?
A. New Zealand, because it’s gorgeous and it’s the movie home of The Lord of the Rings.
Q: What is the silliest thing you have ever done?
In college I agreed to participate in an experiment where I kissed a guy who was hooked up to an EKG machine. The young man got so excited when I kissed him that the marking pen flew off the machine. Yes, it’s silly, but I do love telling that story!
Q: What is the hardest thing you have ever done?
A. Write a book and birth a baby. They are amazingly similar!
Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?
A. I just wanted to add that I think writing is incredibly hard. When I start a new book, it seems impossible. It isimpossible! But somehow word by word it gets gone. Just like when kids are born, each completed book seems like a miracle.

Recipe: Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:36:00 +0000

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon (to taste)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick cook oats
1 (11.5-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup chopped toasted coconut

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.
3. Spoon flour into cup, then combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, stirring well. Add oats; stir well. Add to butter mixture; stir until well blended. Gently stir in morsels. Fold in coconut. Use cookie dough scoop (I used 1 inch) and baked for about 7 minutes in a CONVECTION oven. These cookies turn golden fast. When they become golden in a REGULAR oven--probably around 9 minutes--immediately remove them. Let cool on cookie sheet and remove.

Recipe: Crescent Chicken Pockets

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 04:05:00 +0000

2 pkgs refrigerated crescent rolls
2 cups shredded chicken (2 chicken breasts)
1/2-3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/4 cup milk
1 T black pepper
1 T parsley

Preheat oven to 350. Spray bottom of 9x13 with cooking spray. Remove crescent roll dough and separate into 4 squares (per container). Pinch seams to seal. In each square add chicken and cheese. Pull together four corners and pinch openings to seal. Place in 9x13 pan.

Combine milk & soup, pepper and parsley. Pour around pockets. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until tops of crescent pockets are golden.

This is a great, quick dish.

Upcoming Release Spotlight: The Chase by DiAnn Mills

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:38:00 +0000

Description:

To the FBI it's a cold case. To Kariss Walker it's a hot idea that could either reshape or ruin her writing career. And it's a burning mission to revisit an event she can never forget. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But the search for the dead girl's missing mother yields a discovery that plunges the partners into a witch's brew of danger. The old crime lives on in more ways than either of them could ever imagine. Will Kariss's pursuit of her dream as a writer carry a deadly price tag? Drawing from a real-life cold case, bestselling novelist DiAnn Mills presents a taut collage of suspense, faith, and romance in The Chase.

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Miss Aggie Cries Murder, by Frances Devine

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:16:00 +0000

Miss Aggie Cries Murder (The Misadventures of Miss Aggie – Book 1)

Oh, no, Miss Aggie. Not again!

By Frances Devine

It’s been six months since Miss Aggie’s first misadventure, and now a man’s dead body turns up in a secret tunnel at Pennington House. Miss Aggie skedaddles off to Jefferson City to her nephew Simon’s house, leaving Victoria and the rest of the seniors with another mystery to solve.
In the middle of their sleuthing, Phoebe Collin’s mysterious Uncle Jack appears, regaling them with tales of his adventures in the import/export business in Germany. But he seems a little too suave for Victoria, and his stories leave questions that make her wonder. Could his activities during World War II have been illegal? And could he have something to do with the body in the tunnel?
To add to her confusion, a handsome stranger arrives in Cedar Chapel, making Victoria’s heart flutter and causing her to doubt her relationship with Benjamin Grant. After a frightening trek through one of the tunnels at Pennington House, Victoria and her elderly friends, uncover yet another mystery. One that puts terror in their hearts.

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LaTisha Barnhart Cozy Mysteries

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 23:11:00 +0000

Celebrating Spring in a big way. Book one and two of the LaTisha Barnhart Mystery series are now available as ebooks! Murder on the Ol' Bunions and Polly Dent Loses Grip are both available for .99¢ from Smashwords.

Murder on the Ol' Bunions

Read the sample here:

Polly Dent Loses Grip

Upcoming Release Spotlight: Historical Romance "The Marshal's Promise" by Rhonda Gibson

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Description:

Mail-order bride Rebecca Ramsey arrives in the New Mexico territory full of dreams-but they're shattered when she discovers her intended husband has been killed. If it weren't for U.S. marshal Seth Billings's housekeeping job offer, she'd have nowhere to go. Rebecca loves tending to Seth's home, but the strong and silent lawman is harder to figure out. What secret is he hiding?

Caring for Jesse Cole's would-be bride is the least Seth can do. If it weren't for him, the young man would still be alive. Seth had promised to look after Rebecca-and to keep her safe from Jesse's enemies. Now if only he can keep his heart safe, as well...

Book Takeaway:

Love doesn't always come in the manner we expected.

Why the author wrote this book:

I have always loved mail-order bride books and wanted to write one.

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Nursing a Grudge author Chris Well Says. . .

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:40:00 +0000

My whodunit series for Spyglass Lane Mysteries stars retired bus driver and senior sleuth Earl Walker. When we meet him in Nursing a Grudge, he’s a widower confined to a wheelchair and living in a retirement home about to be shut down.

He’s a grumpy old man who prefers to be left alone. He’s mad at God, and he’s mad at the world. (And he wouldn’t be too thrilled with you, either.)

Then a well-meaning young lady from the local church drags Earl out of his apartment and pushes him into an awkward social situation with his neighbors at the home, hilarity ensues. Oh, and someone drops dead.
When Earl is the only one who believes the man was murdered, he takes it upon himself to solve the case. In the course of his investigation, he learns that he does need other people, after all. (It’s a growth thing.)
Of course, Earl Walker is not the first “senior sleuth” to follow a trail of clues. In honor of the release of the Earl Walker Mysteries, here are five other mystery series that starred crime solvers in their golden years:
01 MISS MARPLE by Agatha Christie

Perhaps the most famous elderly sleuth of all time, Miss Jane Marple was introduced in Agatha Christie’s 1926 short story “The Tuesday Night Club.”

The first novel-length mystery starring Miss Marpleâ€”an elderly spinster living in the village of St. Mary Meadâ€”was 1930′s The Murder at the Vicarage. In the years since, Miss Marple has been portrayed many times in films and television adaptations.

2 JESSICA FLETCHER by Donald Bain

The long-running television series Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996) featured the adventures of Jessica Fletcherâ€”widow, retired school teacher, mystery writer, and amateur detective. The series has been off the air for years, but Jessica continues to solve new mysteries in print. (Nearly 40 novels as of this writing!)

3 DRURY LANE by Ellery Queen

In the 1930s, Drury Lane was an elderly amateur detective created by Barnaby Ross. Which was a pen name for Ellery Queen. Which, in turn, was a pen name for Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee. Whose real names were actually Daniel Nathan and Emanuel Lepofsky. (I think the chain ends there, but who can know for sure?) Introduced in 1932′s The Tragedy Of X, Drury Lane was a retired Shakespearian actor forced to leave the stage when he lost his hearing. He appeared in four mystery novels, later reissued under the Ellery Queen byline. (Which was the pen name for…aw, forget it.)
4 DR. MARK SLOANE by Lee Goldberg

For several seasons, TV viewers tuned in to Diagnosis: Murder (1993-2001) to watch the mystery-solving misadventures of Dr. Mark Sloane. His day job was to be, you know, a doctorâ€”but he just couldn’t help meddling in cases being worked by his son, a homicide detective. Following the end of the TV series, Dr. Sloane and company continued solving mysteries in a series of novels.

5 IVY MALONE by Lorena McCourtney

Senior citizen amateur sleuth Ivy Malone is a woman with “a wry sense of humor, a powerful faith, and a mutant curiosity gene which sometimes get her into trouble.” She also discovered that in today’s youth obsessed culture, an older person can sometimes pass through without being noticed. Ivy Malone appeared in four Christian mystery novels: Invisible (2004), In Plain Site (2005), On the Run (2006), and Stranded (2006).

Of course, there are lots more we could name here. (Feel free to mention your suggestions in the comments section below!)

After you’ve filed your complaint, be sure to check out Nursing a Grudge! Over the course of the Earl Walker Mysteries, I promise that Earl grows into a better person. In the most awkward manner possible.
Happy reading!

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Nursing a Grudge (The Earl Walker Mysteries – Book 1)

By Chris Well

WHAT’S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN?

For twenty-five years, EARL WALKER has been defined by the two worst things that ever happened to him: The death of his beloved wife, and the bullet that ended his career as a metro bus driver. Now bound to a wheelchair, he lives at Candlewick Retirement Center … where he barely knows the neighbors. Not that it matters: Following a failed state inspection, residents have thirty days to get out.
When he’s dragged from his assisted-living apartment to a clandestine spicy hot chili party, he almost has fun … until someone ends up dead. Now Earl seems to be the only one suspicious of the way the partygoer met his demise. Can he solve the puzzle—and figure out his relationship with his new lady friend—before Candlewick is closed down and the suspects move away?

Promise of Yesterday & Murder on the Ol' Bunions

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 01:42:00 +0000

Cozy mystery Murder on the Ol' Bunions is now available as an ebook for Kindle as well as other formats.

LaTisha Barnhart's bunions tell her something's afoot as she delves deeper into the murder of her former employer, Marion Peters. When LaTisha becomes a suspect, the ante i upped, and she is determined to clear her name and find the real culprit.

She's burping Mark Hamm's bad cooking to investigate his beef with Marion and getting her hair styled at a high falutin' beauty parlor to see what has Regina Rogane in a snarl. She's playing self-appointed matchmaker between the police chief and a prime suspect and thinking Payton O'Mahney's music store lease might be the reason he's singing out of tune when discussion of Marion's murder arises. LaTisha's thinking she just might use the reward money to have her bunions surgically removed. But she's got to catch the crook first.

Historical romance Promise of Yesterday is now available as an ebook for Kindle, Nook, and is now appearing in iBooks for iPad!

Escaping the horrors of slavery, Chester Jones returns home after many years. After meeting the enigmatic Marylu, sparks fly as he gently pushes his way into her heart. As love blossoms, secrets from Marylu s past arise, causing her to question her newfound feelings. And then what about those rumors linking Chester to a murder. . .? Will Marylu allow God to heal her heart or will it be shattered again?

Recipe: Sesame Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:03:00 +0000

1 pd chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp dark sesame oil
4 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
1/3 cup chopped fresh scallions, green sections

Combine flour, salt and pepper. Dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture. In large skillet, heat vegetable oil. Quick fry chicken pieces until golden on all sides. Remove from grease. Discard oil and wipe pan. Toss in sesame seeds and toast on med-low, stirring frequently, until golden. Remove and set aside.

Add soy sauce and sugar and simmer until sugar is dissolved, then add sesame oil. Toss in sesame seeds and scallions. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken and mix until coated.

Serve over brown rice with vegetable.

Note: If using soy sauce that is not reduced sodium, omit salt.

Free Ebook: Nipped in the Bud by Susan Sleeman

noreply@blogger.com (S. Dionne Moore) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Susan Sleeman here. I’m thrilled to tell you that Nipped in the Bud, the first book in my Garden Gate Mystery series is FREE for a limited time on Amazon Kindle. So check the description below then hop on over to AMAZON and get your copy for absolutely FREE. Be sure to confirm it is still free before purchasing as Amazon changes things without notice sometimes.