In Appreciation

As another year comes to an end, I want to extend my gratitude to readers who have connected with me and with my books. I had the pleasure of meeting some of you at local book-signing events and on social media where you shared your reading interests and preferences with me—feedback that I’m always eager to receive!

In the spirit of giving, I’m holding a paperback giveaway on Goodreads for each of my mystery novels this month: False Impressions, Fatal Whispers, Icy Silence, and Dark Deeds. This is a one-time simultaneous offer starting December 15 before I revert to my usual one-book-a-month giveaway schedule in January. If you’re not already a member of Goodreads, you can visit the site to join. It’s free! While you’re there, visit my author page and add your name to any—or all—of my paperback giveaways for a chance to win.

I have more news. Kobo is having a Boxing Week Promotion from December 20 to January 5. My latest mystery novel, Dark Deeds, will be among the featured eBooks. It’s a perfect gift for someone on your list who enjoys reading eBooks!

Thank you again for your support and encouragement. It means so much to me and inspires me to keep on writing. Come January, I’ll be working on Book #5 in the mystery series and plotting more thrilling adventures for Megan and Michael.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Sandra

Introducing: Dark Deeds

Dark Deeds, the fourth book in the Megan Scott/Michael Elliott Mystery series, is published!

This latest novel takes my two main characters on a dangerous quest in search of an ex-convict. This time, the killer is hiding in plain sight. He’s had reconstructive surgery. No one knows what he looks like—not even the police.

With the perpetrator always a step ahead of Megan and Michael, their daring exploits intensify to heart-pounding levels. In other words, you’re in for quite a ride! Set in a fictitious small town, Dark Deeds highlights the premise that ordinary people can experience life-threatening events—even in places they consider safe. In this story, it’s a lakeside resort.

The following blurb highlights the gripping challenges my sleuths face as they battle against time to find an elusive killer:

“Where evil lurks, no one is safe.”

The suspicious fire that destroyed the shed exposes a surprise corpse—not what ghostwriter Megan Scott and investigative reporter Michael Elliott expected when they reserved a cabin at their friends’ lakeside resort in rural Ontario.

Fear overshadows their visit like a looming storm. Their friends are receiving anonymous threatening letters. An elderly resident is reported missing. Locals are wary. They aren’t used to outsiders snooping around town, asking questions.

When Michael makes a connection to a cold case, evidence points to an ex-convict looking for revenge. He’s had reconstructive surgery. He could be anyone.

Terror blankets the town as the body count mounts. The killer is playing dangerous mind games with everyone—especially with Megan. If she doesn’t find him first, she could well become his next victim.

Want to read more? To get your copy of Dark Deeds, visit the Books page on my website for links to major retailers. Then sit back and enjoy the read!

I have more exciting news this month. If you visit my Events page, you'll see two locations in November where I’ll be signing paperback versions of my books. If you're in the area, drop by and pick up a free bookmark of Dark Deeds.

The Subway

When I used to live in Montreal, I often rode Le Metro, or subway system, on shopping trips to the downtown area. The underground metro is the main form of public transport in this cosmopolitan city. It’s a convenient way to get around in the winter when snowstorms block streets, and it’s faster than making the same journey by car through heavy traffic.

The metro is such a vital part of Montreal that I mentioned it in several scenes in False Impressions, my first book in the Megan Scott/Michael Elliott Mystery series. Here’s an excerpt from Megan’s point of view after she tumbles into a busy downtown street, and a young man wearing iPod earphones yanks her back to safety:

I returned to my apartment, still debating whether or not I was losing my mind. Had I slipped off the sidewalk because of my own carelessness as the iPod guy had claimed, or had someone pushed me into the traffic on purpose?

I’d heard of similar “accidents” occurring in Le Metro. Whether a pedestrian had been pushed or had jumped in front of a speeding train of their own free will, the result was always the same: It had happened so fast that no one had seen anything. Subway authorities would evacuate the station and shut down the system along that segment of the line while police investigated the incident and maintenance crews cleaned up the mess. Commuters who knew better had adopted the habit of standing along the back of the platform to avoid being pushed in front of a subway car as it sped into the station.

The outcome of my experience paled in comparison, thanks to the iPod guy’s swift reaction. I weighed the possibility he might have shoved me into the street but dismissed it. It would have proved too tricky to maneuver a push from where he was standing beside me. I was convinced the thrust had come from behind.

Want to read more? Click on the Books page on my website to find out where you can get your copy of False Impressions. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone, but this first book will give you a glimpse into the life-threatening events that initially brought Megan and Michael together.

Enjoy the read!

Opening Paragraphs

There are countless articles on how to write the opening paragraphs of a story. To sum it up, the opening paragraphs should hook or invite the reader to visit the world of the story. The imagery conveyed should paint a picture that stirs a reader’s curiosity, wonder, and emotions.

I’m all for achieving effect, so I’ll spend time revising the opening paragraphs until I’m satisfied that the reader will want to read more. I say satisfied because there are umpteen ways to begin a story—time permitting. Seeing that authors have their own writing styles and preferences, the decision regarding the content can also be quite subjective. I prefer to keep it simple and set the tone of the story as best I can in the first paragraphs.

If you haven’t yet read my work, here are excerpts from the opening paragraphs of my first three novels in the Megan Scott/Michael Elliott Mystery series as told from Megan’s point of view:

“If I’d known I would be visiting the morgue just weeks after I saw my husband sitting with Pam at Pueblo’s Café, I’d have gone over to say hello that sunny Monday afternoon in July and maybe change destiny. But I was late for a five o’clock appointment.” (False Impressions – Book #1)

“There were times when I wished I could change the future. This was one of them. The cheerful family atmosphere around the kitchen table obscured the sequence of ominous events about to unfold, and I couldn’t do a thing about it.” (Fatal Whispers – Book #2)

“Our windshield wipers were losing the battle in fending off the barrage of ice pellets… The weather amplified the hesitation I’d had about taking this trip… It was a picturesque scene but a threatening one should temperatures plunge and the sudden storm intensify as weather forecasters now predicted. I cringed with the realization that we’d be spending the next two nights here.” (Icy Silence – Book #3)

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’m currently working on Dark Deeds, my next book in the mystery series. I can’t reveal too many details, though I can tell you that the story involves the hunt for an infamous killer in a decades-old cold case. I’ll have more information in next month’s blog post. Stay tuned!

To learn more about the riveting adventures of ghostwriter Megan Scott and investigative reporter Michael Elliott in this popular mystery series, click on the Books tab. If you’re new to this website, you can join my Newsletter to get blog posts delivered directly to your email address and be the first to find out about new book releases.

I love to hear from readers and welcome your feedback. Send me an email, or connect with me on Facebook or Twitter.

Fatal Whispers: Settings

A flower shop in Portland, Maine is only one of the settings in Fatal Whispers, my second book in the Michael Elliott/Megan Scott Mystery series. From a millionaire’s mansion to an austere abode in a church to abandoned alleys behind trendy shops, the backdrops in Fatal Whispers offer interest and intrigue.

In the story, a visit to this coastal town prompts Megan and Michael to investigate the deaths of a homeless woman, a millionaire’s young wife, and a parish priest—unexplained deaths that have baffled local police and medical authorities alike. Are the victims connected, and if so, how? Learn more about this gripping whodunit on the Books page of my website.

Wait! I have more news! Kobo is holding a Mystery & Thriller Summer Sale from July 28 to August 1. Take advantage of this event to get your e-copy of Fatal Whispers at a special low price. You’ll find the link here.

Fatal Whispers is also available at these online retailers (the links are on my Books page):

Amazon (incl. paperback)

Apple

Barnes & Noble (incl. paperback)

Chapters/Indigo (incl. paperback)

Happy reading!

Sandra