Author Interview ~ Jane Issac

MYSTERY WRITERS UNITE is EXCITED to be supporting the work of Jane Isaac author of the newly released AN UNFAMILIAR MURDER (see below).

Jane Isaac lives in rural Northamptonshire, UK with her husband, daughter and dog, Bollo.

Jane studied creative writing, and later specialist fiction with the London School of journalism. Her non-fiction articles have appeared in magazines, newspapers and online. An Unfamiliar Murder is her first novel.

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MWU: Let me start by saying thank you for agreeing to let MYSTERY WRITERS UNITE interview you, it really is a pleasure to support all the hard work that authors do! Now for the fun stuff!! If one of your children was approached and asked what your biggest writing quirk is, what would they say?

Jane Isaac: I love to listen to music when I write. My tastes vary according to my mood and what I’m working on at any particular time, ranging from a blast of Muse, Guns n Roses or the Chilli Peppers, to the gentler Snow Patrol or Keane (at present).

The problem is I have a tendency to sing a tune I’ve listened to for the rest of the day, and it usually collapses into a hum of a favorite couple of lines, repeated incessantly. Sounds great in my head, but drives my ten year old mad!

MWU: Aside from the main character in AN UNFAMILIAR MURDER, who is your favorite character and why?

Jane Isaac: An Unfamiliar Murder is essentially the tale of two women. Anna is fighting to prove her innocence, whilst Helen is trying to prove herself in the senior echelons of the police force, whilst juggling the demands of parenting teenage sons. I have a very strong connection with both these women.

Aside from these, it would have to be Anna’s boyfriend, Ross. Ross teaches at the same school as Anna, but has aspirations of being the next Sir Ranulph Fiennes. He’s sporty, fun loving, caring and undemanding – perfect boyfriend material. I fell in love with him more and more as his character developed and he still holds a special place in my heart.

MWU: What is one of your favorite chapters or scenes in AN UNFAMILIAR MURDER and why is it your favorite?

Jane Isaac: Oooh, good question. It would have to be the scene that features on the cover. It’s difficult to elaborate without giving too much away, but Anna is called to meet a very undesirable character.

It took quite a while, and a lot of research into serial killers and psychopathic behavior, to construct. Even then, I re-worked it several times to achieve the right level of suspense without the use of graphic violence. Goose bumps still spiral into my back when I read it back.

MWU: Now that you’ve completed this book, is there a character in it that you may want to go back to at another time and write about them again?

Jane Isaac: Yes and yes. In DCI Helen Lavery, I sought to avoid the divorced, alcohol obsessed detective, instead creating a career woman who juggles a lifestyle balance of a demanding job and single parenting two teenage sons. I wanted a character that readers could relate to, so that we feel her journey.

Less than a quarter of the way through the novel I realized that her character could develop in so many ways, beyond the boundaries of this story.

I’m currently working on a sequel in which she faces new challenges, and thoroughly enjoying stretching her character further.

MWU: Another question I ask every author I interview. Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, how do you cope with it?

Jane Isaac: Absolutely! Music helps a great deal and, if I’m really struggling, I quit and read someone else’s work which usually ends up inspiring me. Otherwise, I work on a new blog post. Apart from my personal blog ‘Caffeine’s Not a Crime’, I also write ‘Diary of a Newbie Novelist’ at www.newbiewriters.com and general posts for The Pajama Club.

MWU: What did you learn from writing AN UNFAMILIAR MURDER?

Jane Isaac: The benefit of a good editor! It’s tempting to wrap your arms around your favourite lines, but if they don’t drive the story forward let them go. A good editor improves your work and makes it better.

Also, actually writing the book is only one facet of the journey. If you want to get your work out there, you need to be prepared to invest your time in marketing and promoting.

MWU: If you had less than a minute to tell a perspective reader what they could expect from AN UNFAMILIAR MURDER (you are at a trade show and someone has stopped by your booth) what would you tell them? Go….

Jane Isaac: A dead body in your flat and a night in a cell. A police enquiry that uncovers secrets that link you to the victim and turn your life upside down. A killer lurking in the background.

Who are you and who is coming to get you?

Grip hold of your seats, you’re in for a rollercoaster ride.

Every family has secrets…

MWU: What can your readers expect next and when can they expect it?

Jane Isaac: I am currently working on the sequel to An Unfamiliar Murder entitled Murderous Consequences, which I hope to have finished by the summer.

MWU: Is there anything you would like to say to new writers, new readers or current fans of your work?

Jane Isaac: Writers: read as much as you can in your preferred genre. Write everyday – even if you’re just jotting down notes - and write something you would like to read yourself. I’m a sucker for a good page turner, so I sought to write a novel that I couldn’t put down.

New readers: If you like psychological crime thrillers, with strong female characters, that will worm their way under your skin until the very end – then this is the book for you.

Fans: I have two short stories entitled ‘Duplicity’ and ‘Perilous Truths’ out this summer in crime anthologies. Check out my website at www.janeisaac.co.uk for more information.

The synopsis for AN UNFAMILIAR MURDER:

What lurks beneath a normal, healthy skin?

Arriving home from a routine day at work, Anna Cottrell has no idea that her life is about to change forever. But discovering the stabbed body of a stranger in her flat, then becoming prime suspect in a murder enquiry is only the beginning. Her persistent claims of innocence start to crumble when new evidence links her irrevocably with the victim...

Leading her first murder enquiry, DCI Helen Lavery unravels a trail of deception, family secrets and betrayal. When people close to the Cottrell family start to disappear, Lavery is forced into a race against time. Can she catch the killer before he executes his ultimate victim?

Author Interview ~ Sevastian Winters

MYSTERY WRITERS UNITE is THRILLED to be supporting the work of Sevastian Winters author of BONFIRE STORIES, THE TROUBLEMAKER, THE NON-CONFORMISTS GUIDE TO GETTING OUT OF DEBT, HOW I ARE BECOMED A VERY MUCH GOODER AUTHOR (love this title!) and WOLF’S RISE (see below).

Sevastian Winters is a story teller's story teller. An author who firmly believes that characters have the inalienable right to be themselves, good, bad, and ugly, Sevastian enjoys injecting his characters into impossible situations.

A faced paced, action author who grabs you and pulls you through the pages, never stopping to let you breathe, Sev's got some stories to show you. So lace up your running shoes and let's go!

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MWU: Let me start by saying thank you for agreeing to let MYSTERY WRITERS UNITE interview you, it really is a pleasure to support all the hard work of fellow authors! Now for the fun stuff!! What would you say your biggest writing quirk is?

Sevastian Winters: Thanks for having me. Hmm…. My biggest writing quirk… When I finish a book, before I release it, I print out a copy and light it on fire. I figure that one man’s masterpiece is another man’s kindling, and if anyone is ever going to burn one of my books, I want to make sure I’m first.

MWU: Aside from the main characters in THE TROUBLEMAKER and WOLF’S RISE, who is your favorite character and why?

Sevastian Winters: To tell you the truth, if I had it to do again, I’d re-write the Troublemaker. It probably won’t help my bank account to say this, but it’s not a very well written book. The story is good, but the execution is so embarrassing that I nearly took it off of the market recently. Now to answer your question: I really love my minor characters. I think a writer has to, if they want to get any traction with readers. People are complex. No one is fully good or fully bad, and especially when a character has limited ‘on screen’ time, the writer has to figure out how to bring them to life…to create a person instead of a prop. If I had to pick my favorite among them, I’d likely go with T.J. from Wolf’s Rise. He’s a walking paradox, and I love that.

MWU: What is one of your favorite chapters or scenes in THE TROUBLEMAKER and WOLF’S RISE and why is it your favorite?

Sevastian Winters: Bar none, my favorite scene in those two books comes from the Troublemaker, shortly after a couple is forced to endure the trauma of delivering a still-born baby. I’ve never gone through that pain personally, but after writing the scene I could barely get out of bed for three days. The scene itself is incredibly visceral, purposefully disjointed, and perfectly human.

MWU: Now that you’ve completed several books, is there a character in any of them that you may want to go back to at another time and write about them again?

Sevastian Winters: Well, for sure, I am writing a number of sequels to Wolf’s Rise. Next in that series is Wolf’s Cry, with releases at the end of March. I’m also planning to write a book called My Hat’s Funeral which I intend to pen as “Bill Collins,” a minor character from Wolf’s Rise, who wrote a novel and movie screen play by that name. I like the idea of littering the story universe with odes to other stories. I think that is a fun little way of saying thank you to fans who stick with my work.

MWU: Another question I ask every author I interview. Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, how do you cope with it?

Sevastian Winters: Writer’s block is cured by but one thing: Writing! Show me someone with writer’s block and I will show you a person who is wrapped up in being a writer instead of being wrapped up in chronicling a story. When all else fails, ask your characters what is next. Then write it. Writer’s block doesn’t happen for people who are sitting at their desk with the story file in front of them. For those starting with a blank file, looking for characters or a story, I recommend the story formula I teach in my book How I are Becomed a Very Much Gooder Author. I defy anyone to use that story formula without finding a story to write.

MWU: Writing THE TROUBLEMAKER must have presented some interesting challenges being that the subject, even in this day and age is still pretty taboo, what where they and how did you overcome them?

Sevastian Winters: Actually, it didn’t present any challenges for me in the slightest. I write the story that’s there. I don’t care too much about who the reader might be. I know from the outset that there is always a market for a well-told story, even those whose subject matter is considered taboo. A writer’s job is to act as a camera and microphone… never a commentator. The characters themselves must live out their truth on a page…whether that truth bears any resemblance to how I feel personally as an author or not. I work from the premise that every character has an inalienable right to be themselves. As such, I start with characters and then I put them into the pressure cooker of story to find out what will happen next. I don’t believe a person can be a very good writer until they fully grasp the truth of that. Maybe that makes me a bit pompous… I don’t know. I just know that, for me, showing the character’s truth is far more important than whomever might be offended by it.

MWU: If you had less than a minute to tell a perspective reader what they could expect from THE TROUBLE MAKER or WOLF’S RISE (you are at a trade show and someone has stopped by your booth) what would you tell them? Go….

Sevastian Winters: Wolf’s Rise is the werewolf novel for people that don’t like werewolf novels. It’s a military thriller… Werewolves meet the Bourne Identity. If you like six-page descriptions of drapes, Wolf’s Rise isn’t for you, but if you like books so jammed with action that you can skip your cardio workout at the gym for the week, then lace up your running shoes and come run with the big dogs!

MWU: I just love the title of your “HOW I ARE BECOMED A VERY MUCH GOODER AUTHOR” publication! Can you give readers a glimpse into why you wrote this book and how it can help aspiring writers like me?

Sevastian Winters: Having read dozens of books on writing, I came to realize that most books on writing discuss writing as a business or writing as a craft, but none of them discuss it as both. Having worked for ten years as a marketing professional and six years as a corporate CEO, I am well acquainted with some things to which most authors have very little exposure. I’m no expert, and I am wary of anyone who says they are, but I have done my homework. I wrote this book as a cheat sheet, to help writers bypass some of the mistakes I’ve made along the way. No matter if you’ve been writing for ten minutes or ten years, How I are Becomed a Very Much Gooder Author has something that will make you say “wow! I never thought of it like that before!”

MWU: What can your readers expect next and when can they expect it?

Sevastian Winters: I am releasing two new novels in the Spring: My Eyes Face Forward: Memoirs of the Serial Killer, and Wolf’s Cry, the first of several sequels to Wolf’s Rise.

MWU: Is there anything you would like to say to new writers, new readers or current fans of your work?

Sevastian Winters: Yes, please. To new writers, I say, excellence is its own reward. Learn your craft. To new readers, I say, never read a book just because you have it. Life is too short to read bad books, eat bad food, or collect bad art. Read what really appeals to you, and if a book doesn’t keep you riveted, put it down and go find something else. To new fans, I say Thank you. I am honored and I promise continued dedication to excellence. 

The synopsis for THE TROUBLEMAKER:

Tyler Wabash has more to deal with than just an abusive childhood in a single parent household. He (or rather she) was also born in the wrong body. Join Tyler on the Journey of a lifetime as he grows from a troubled little boy named Tyler into a triumphant woman named Renee. Sometimes life is as much about the journey as it is the destination. (Author note: This book was written before I realized that line editing and content editing are different skill sets. I am taking steps to have this book properly line edited by Feb. 1 2012).

The synopsis for HOW I ARE BECOMED A VERY MUCH GOODER AUTHOR:

Ten years as a marketing professional, followed by six as a corporate CEO and 5 years of writing full time, have given me a unique perspective on the business of being an author. From learning how to brand yourself, to starting the next book after your fans have begun to review the work you just finished, How I are Becomed a Very Much Gooder Author takes you through the steps, one by one, from aspiring author to very much gooder author, all the way, helping you avoid the pitfalls that I've found along the way in my writing and publishing journey. I don't claim to be an expert, but I have absolutely done my homework. Consider this book your cheat sheet. No matter your experience as an author, I guarantee, it will be worth every penny of the $3.99 eBook cover price.

The synopsis for WOLF’S RISE:

The military thought they were making the perfect weapon. Unfortunately for them, they were right! Werewolves meet the Bourne Identity in Volume I of this adrenaline packed LupoSapien Project series.



To purchase any of these titles, click on one of the links below:

The TroubleMaker

How I are Becomed a Very Much Gooder Author

Wolf's Rise (The LupoSapien Project)

Author Interview ~ Alan McDermott

MYSTERY WRITERS UNITE is DELIGHTED to be supporting the work of Alan McDermott author of GRAY JUSTICE (see below).

Alan lives in the south of England and is married with beautiful twin daughters. When he's not creating clinical software for the NHS he writes short stories for his daughters and thrillers for everyone else. In his spare time he wishes he has more spare time...

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MWU: Let me start by saying thank you for agreeing to let MYSTERY WRITERS UNITE interview you, it really is a pleasure to support all the hard work that indie authors do! Now for the fun stuff!! If your wife was stopped at the grocery store and someone asked her what your biggest writing quirk was, what would she say?

Alan McDermott: Definitely the faces I pull!  When I’ve written some dialog I tend to re-read it making the facial expressions I would expect of the characters.  By taking part in the scene I can tell if it feels realistic.  I don’t mind her laughing if it gives me the effect I’m looking for.

MWU: Aside from the main character in GRAY JUSTICE, who is your favorite character and why?

Alan McDermott: That would have to be Abdul Mansour.  I wanted to create someone who was dark to Tom Gray’s light and I think I captured that in his character.  This is a man for whom human life means nothing, and he is willing to sacrifice anyone to achieve his goals.  I found Gray’s character quite easy to relate to, but Mansour was anathema to me, so it took a lot of work to create him.  I wanted someone who had a single purpose and was ruthless to a fault, and I think I managed to achieve it.

MWU: What is one of your favorite chapters or scenes in GRAY JUSTICE and why is it your favorite?

Alan McDermott: That would have to be the battle scene towards the end.  I wrote the majority of the book with that scene in mind and I couldn’t wait to get it down on paper.  The book took me a year to write but that scene was done in a day and a half.  I added as much detail as I could and a few readers have commented on how vivid it was. 

MWU: Now that you’ve completed this book, is there a character in it that you may want to go back to at another time and write about them again?

Alan McDermott: I plan to bring Andrew Harvey back in the third book.  He was the MI5 officer tasked with stopping Tom Gray, and while he was doing his very best he was hamstrung by Gray’s excellent planning and the short amount of time he had.  I actually felt sorry for him at the end of the book and he was the first one penciled in for a return.

MWU: Another question I ask every author I interview. Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, how do you cope with it?

Alan McDermott: I had a bad case with Gray Justice and I’m going through something similar with the sequel.  With the first book I didn’t write a single word for ten weeks.  I’d gotten so hung up on maintaining a daily word count that I was trying too hard, and I found that putting it aside and forgetting about it let me come back with fresh ideas.  If I hadn’t taken that break I don’t think Gray Justice would be the book it is today.  In fact it was heading in a different – and not very plausible – direction at the time.

In the current project, whenever the block sneaks up on me I simply close the book and take a step back.  That lets me gather my thoughts and consider the next line.  Once I have that committed to paper the rest of the scene seems to fall into place.  It has meant a longer process than I would have liked but I feel it is worth it in the end.

MWU: What did you learn from writing GRAY JUSTICE?

Alan McDermott: Going back to the previous question, I have learned not to put words down just for the sake of reaching a deadline.  Writing is like chess: you have to think a few moves ahead, and every scene I write has to take subsequent chapters into consideration.  I am constantly revising the outline and I’m not afraid to go back and change a scene in order to help develop a new idea.  This does slow the process down, but I would rather take a year to deliver a great book than spit out something I’m not proud to call my own.

I also learned the value of having a good editor.  With Gray Justice I published it within a few hours of finishing it, and boy did I pay for that!  I have had to upload several new versions as errors have come to light, and I won’t be making that mistake again.  I have an editor lined up for the sequel, a certain Becky Illson-Skinner.

MWU: If you had less than a minute to tell a perspective reader what they could expect from GRAY JUSTICE (you are at a trade show and someone has stopped by your booth) what would you tell them? Go….

Alan McDermott: It’s a rollercoaster ride from start to finish, with twists and turns and an ending that no-one sees coming.  The action scenes are vivid, the tension builds throughout and you’ll be carried along in the most original story you’ve read in a long time.  As one reader put it, “Think Law Abiding Citizen and you’ve only scratched the surface.”  While that was a fabulous film, I wasn’t trying to match or emulate that story: I was aiming to deliver a fresh twist on the vengeance theme, and I’m confident I delivered.

MWU: What can your readers expect next and when can they expect it?

Alan McDermott: I am currently working on the sequel, which I hoped would be out in late February 2012, but I recently revised the outline (again!) so I’m hoping to get it on the virtual shelves by the end of March.

MWU: Is there anything you would like to say to new writers, new readers or current fans of your work?

Alan McDermott: To new writers: try to imagine your book on the big screen.  The music industry is constantly churning out covers and the film industry is giving us remakes of classics, yet there is so much original material to be tapped in the indie market.  Come up with something never seen (or read) before and you have a great chance of making a name for yourself.  I have had so many people tell me that they would love to see the film version of Gray Justice at http://thekindlebookreview.blogspot.com/2011/12/kindle-book-review-reviewers-choice-day.html and that was always my original dream.  It’s a real compliment when my work has the same impression on others.

To anyone about to read my book, the ideals of Tom Gray are his alone.  I could have had him accept the decision of the court, but that would have meant the world’s shortest novel with a piss-poor ending.  Instead, I ask you to suspend disbelief and indulge him in his endeavors.

To my current fans, I can’t thank you enough for the reviews and messages of support.  When I started out on this journey I was a man alone but now I feel like the father of thousands, with the responsibility to deliver time and time again.

The synopsis for GRAY JUSTICE:

When a son is killed by a career criminal who spends just a few months in jail for his crime, the father can either accept the decision of the court, or make his voice heard: When it happens to Tom Gray he chooses the latter and takes retribution to a whole new level. His five-day campaign reaches a global audience and targets the British government, who need him alive, but four thousand miles away an up-and-coming figure sees the chance to make a name for himself and travels to England with one mission: kill Tom Gray.

Author Interview ~ Don Bruns

Mystery Writers Unite is so EXCITED to be interviewing Don Bruns, author of JAMAICA BLUE, BARBADOS HEAT, SOUTH BEACH SHAKEDOWN, ST. BARTS BREAKDOWN, BAHAMA BURNOUT, STUFF TO DIE FOR, STUFF DREAMS ARE MADE OF, STUFF TO SPY FOR, DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF, and TOO MUCH STUFF (see below).

Don Bruns, an advertising executive, has a lot of irons in the fire. He and three friends converted an old 1905 neighborhood grocery store into a very cosy, nostalgic used book store, Bookends Used and Rare Books. Living in Ohio, the author travels to Florida and the Caribbean on a regular basis.

--- Interview

First, thanks for agreeing to let Mystery Writers Unite interview you, it is a pleasure to interview talented writers and after reading STUFF TO DIE FOR, I so wanted to interview you. What a great book!

MWU: If your wife Linda was approached on the street, what would she say your writing quirk(s) is/are?

Don Bruns: I don’t know if it’s a quirk, but I like to write out by the pool when I’m at our home in Florida.  And there’s a mockingbird that sits on the roof of the house next door and gives me a concert.  Somehow I’m inspired by that.

MWU: Aside from your wife, who would you say has been the biggest supporter of your writing?

Don Bruns: I have a support group.  My attorney, a former math teacher, a buddy from Chicago.  But I’m always surprised by the ladies in their eighties and even nineties who email me or call me on the phone.  There are three or four of them that read everything and comment on all the characters and scenes from the books.

MWU: If you were one of the characters in the STUFF SERIES and one in the CARIBBEAN SERIES, what type of character would you be and why?

Don Bruns: Skip is the narrator in the Stuff series.  A starred review from Booklist compares the narrative style to Mark Twain’s Huck Finn, so I suppose I’d be Skip.  I think Twain probably identified with Huck.  In the Caribbean series my protagonist is a journalist who covers rock and roll and travels to the islands.  No question who I want to be in those books!

MWU: If Skip Moore or James Lessor could step from the pages of the STUFF SERIES what do you think they would say to you? What would they be thankful for? Upset about?

Don Bruns:  Skip does step from the pages as the narrator with asides to his readers.  Skip Moore is an interesting guy.  He’s a smart dude, could be independent, but for some reason chooses to follow some of the hair-brained schemes his best friend comes up with.  Secretly, Skip wants James to succeed, knowing all the while there’s a slim chance of that happening.  James just wants to make a million dollars in the shortest time possible with the least amount of effort.

MWU: If one of your characters could step from the pages of the CARIBBEAN SERIES, which character would you most want it to be and why and least want it to be and why?

Don Bruns: Ginny Sever, Mick’s ex-wife is a vibrant character.  She’s a knockout and very strong.  I patterned her after a young lady in Chicago who I admire a great deal, so I know who she’s most like.  Still, I’d like to meet the real Ginny Sever.  There’s no one I wouldn’t want to meet.  These are my people.

MWU: If you had less than a minute to tell a perspective reader what they could expect from the STUFF SERIES or the CARIBBEAN SERIES (you are at a trade show and someone has stopped by your booth) what would you tell them? Go….

Don Bruns: Elevator pitch?  The Stuff series is about two 24 year old guys in Miami who start their own detective agency.  They have no clue what they are doing and they are constantly screwing things up.  Publisher’s Weekly says “Be prepared for laugh-out-loud moments.”

The Caribbean series is about a journalist who covers the entertainment industry.  Mick Sever always seems to find the seamy underbelly of the business and he investigates the strange characters that populate the world of pop culture.

MWU: I really enjoyed Angel from STUFF TO DIE FOR and wondered if he comes back and makes an appearance in any of the other STUFF SERIES books?

Don Bruns: You wouldn’t believe how many people want Angel back.  I haven’t found a place yet, but the book for 2012 is still being written, so who knows?

MWU: How do you develop and differentiate your characters and how do you “stay in character” when your writing? Has this processed changed over time?

Don Bruns: I have a pretty clear sense of who the characters are.  It’s always been there.  My publishers did not believe that I wrote the first Stuff book,  They accused me of using my wife.  They just didn’t feel that I could make the departure from hard-boiled Mick Sever to befuddled Skip Moore.

MWU: Who do you see as your “ideal” reader?

Don Bruns: I should have a better sense of who he or she is, but I don’t.  Demographics say it should be women 35 plus.  I hear from a lot of guys and women, so I don’t really know.

MWU: What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

Don Bruns: Keep writing.  People get hung up on the story line, or characters or they put it down for awhile.  If you’re putting words on paper things start to happen.  You can sort them out later.  Just keep writing.

MWU: What are you working on now and when do you expect to release the next book? 

Don Bruns: Too Much Stuff is just out.  Next year Food Stuff (or possibly Unsavory Stuff) is coming out in December.  And I’ve got another series I’m working on plus a stand- alone that I’m shopping

MWU: Is there anything you would like to say to new writers, new readers or current fans of your work?

Don Bruns: The same advice as to writers.  Keep writing.  To the readers, keep reading.  We appreciate your support!

The synopsis for STUFF TO DIE FOR

Chasing the American Dream could leave you running for your life. Best friends James Lessor and Skip Moore are hardly on the fast track. While James works as a line cook at Cap'n Crab, Skip spends his days selling—rather attempting to sell—security systems to people who have no money and have nothing they care to protect.

James and Skip aren't upwardly mobile, but they're about to get literally mobile when James spends a surprise inheritance on a white box truck. An investment in the future, he surmises, as these two are starting a business. Moore and Lessor, or Lessor and Moore. Have Truck Will Haul.

But the fledgling business takes a shocking turn when James and Skip unload the contents of their first moving job and find some unexpected cargo—a bloody human finger.

As James and Skip scramble to stay one step ahead of the perpetrators of a gruesome crime, they'll learn that there is some stuff you should never touch—and some stuff to die for in this witty, gritty mystery about big dreams, big ideas—and big trouble.

The synopsis for STUFF DREAMS ARE MADE OF

James Lessor, Skip Moore and their white box truck are back. And when Reverend Preston Cashdollar and his traveling tent revival come to town, James and Skip reinvent themselves—as Holy Rollers.

Rest assured: James and Skip aren't seeking salvation; they're seeking the Almighty Dollar. After all, Cashdollar's prosperity gospel draws thousands of people with open minds—and open wallets. After some minor modifications to the truck, Less or Moore Catering is ready to roll, and the entrepreneurs are born again, intent on making a mint by selling meager meals to the hungry masses.

As James and Skip become entrenched in the Cashdollar culture, they start to realize that this good reverend is nothing but bad news. Cashdollar may preach about seeing the light, but his organization has a dark side of greed, power, corruption and murder.

When James and Skip see something they shouldn't, their meals-on-wheels venture is about to become hell on wheels. The love of money may be the root of all evil, but the stuff dreams are made of could be James and Skip's worst nightmare. As James and Skip seek the truth, they'll either need to keep the faith or run like the devil!

The synopsis for STUFF TO SPY FOR

Best friends James Lessor and Skip Moore are still stuck in dead-end jobs, still living in their ratty apartment in Carol City, Florida, and still dreaming of hitting the big time. It seems those dreams are finally within reach when James lands a job to install a state-of-the-art security system for Synco Systems. There's a huge commission—and plenty of strings-attached. To collect on the cash, James will have to provide 'additional services' by assuming the role of pretend boyfriend of Sarah Crumbly, an employee who's having an affair with Sandler Conroy, Synco's married president. When Sandler's wife offers James a tidy sum for the dirty details about what's going on at Synco, James and Skip resurrect their entrepreneurial dreams and go into the business of being spies. The spymobile—their beloved, rattletrap of a boxtruck—is on its last legs, and they'll have to spend a small fortune on spy equipment, but there's no business like spy business. In this spy game, James and Skip may be the ones who get played—or worse.

The synopsis for DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

It's official: stumbling, bumbling James Lessor and Skip Moore are licensed private investigators. Now, that's some scary stuff. It could take time to get More or Less Investigations off the ground, so James takes a job with a traveling carnival show. But this show has a dubious reputation, having had a string of accidents and at least one death in the past year.

When they're hired to investigate what's caused the carnival chaos, James and Skip set into motion a dizzying, roller-coaster chain of events.

After a terrifying trip on the Dragon Tail ride, a not-so-fun dust-up in Freddy's Fun House, and a host of threats, James and Skip realize they'll get anything but cooperation from this cantankerous cast of carnies. But when a carnival worker is murdered, James and Skip will have to act fast . . . because they might be next in line.

For James and Skip, the only thing sweeter than the smell of corndogs and fried dough will be the sweet smell of success—but in this case, 'success' means getting out alive. When this investigation goes completely off the rails, and James and Skip will be in for the ride of their lives.

The synopsis for TOO MUCH STUFF

It took Henry Flagler years to build a railroad to Key West. It took thirty seconds for a hurricane and a twenty-foot tidal wave to destroy it. Five hundred people were killed in that violent 1935 storm and many more were missing. Among the unaccounted for was a finance director for the East Coast Railway, Mathew Kriegel, who had loaded one and a quarter million dollars in gold on a train that very morning. The man and the gold were never found.

Newly minted private investigators James Lessor and Skip Moore have just been hired by Kriegel's great-granddaughter to help her search for the lost gold. And she many or may not have the map that leads to the treasure.

Fighting off competitors, scuba diving, digging in a spooky cemetery, and almost getting killed in the proccess is just part of their job. Come along for the ride, but watch your back. It's a very dangerous mission, and don't count on James and Skip for help. They can barely take care of themselves.

The synopsis for JAMAICA BLUE

When successful and charming rock journalist Mick Sever goes to Jamaica to see the "next big thing," a reggae/rap band with a flare for hypnotic beats and violent lyrics, he finds that there's more than just sun, sand, and music on the island of Jamaica. Danger, lies, sex, and murder abound in the tropical paradise.

Led by front man Derrick Lyman, a talented and captivating performer with a radical political message, the band seems set for instant stardom. But then a young girl is savagely murdered at an after-party celebrating the band's first American concert in Miami. Roland Johnson, the band's security guard, is caught with a knife in his hand at the crime scene. Roland is arrested and charged with murder. For all involved the case is closed—all except Mick Sever.

Sever, a relentless and charming sleuth, isn't convinced that the simple guard is the cold-blooded killer everyone thinks he is. Stories of other murders and violence that follow the band lead Sever to believe there is more to the story than meets the eye. Threatened by the band, the police, and dangerous unknown assailants, Sever, with the help of his beautiful and intelligent ex-wife Ginny, is determined to learn the truth.

In the world of music, with double deals, beautiful women, and sexy sounds, nothing is as it seems. Set against the exotic backdrops of Florida and Jamaica, this is an edgy, atmospheric, edge-of-your-seat mystery that will keep you guessing right up to the shocking ending.

The synopsis for BARBADOS HEAT

Congressman Robert Shapply is no saint. A former music insider who fleeced his clients for millions, he now leads the crusade against offensive and violent rap lyrics. When he is attacked and murdered in front of his Adams Morgan home, the list of suspects—from former clients to current headliners—is endless.

But the killer might be closer to home: Police arrest Shapply's son and charge him with murder.

For music journalist Mick Sever, covering this case is personal. Mick, a former client of the congressman and best friend of the accused killer, knows the case isn't quite as simple as it appears. He believes his friend's claims of innocence and sets out to prove them. With the help of his ex-wife and an old friend, Mick must penetrate the bizarre Shapply family—the icy matriarch, Alicia, the disturbed daughter, Amber and the minister brother-in-law—to find the truth.

From Washington, D.C. to Sarasota, Florida and Barbados, rock and roll journalist Mick Sever follows the leads, trying to prove the innocence of his former childhood friend. Threatened by unknown assailants and dangers at every turn, Mick becomes the hunted as the killer turns the tables in a stunning climax.

The synopsis for SOUTH BEACH SHAKEDOWN

When you're looking for a lost person, looking in Miami, Florida can get you killed. As entertainment journalist Mick Sever and his ex-wife Ginny try to find their friend, pop-music star Gideon Pike, they soon realize he doesn't want to be found. Pike's career, his business associates, and his fortune are all being held hostage by a Korean mobster named Jimmy Shinn, who is blackmailing the singer/piano player.

The steamy underworld of Miami, with its excesses, crooked cops, strip clubs and murder all comes into play as Sever and his ex-wife try to find Gideon Pike and save his life. In the meantime, they risk losing theirs.

Billions of dollars are at stake in fast-paced South Beach, and when those kind of dollars are in play, the stakes are high. The Severs never give up on the hunt, and enlisting the help of some colorful locals, they search for the singer and the story, finding that you should always be somewhat careful of the people you put your trust in.

The synopsis for ST. BARTS BREAKDOWN

Sun, sand, and a psychopath. It's a deadly mix. Rock and roll journalist Mick Sever is back with a new assignment: interview music legend Danny Murtz. One of the most successful producers in music history, Danny Murtz has walls lined with gold and platinum records—and a closet full of skeletons.

Known for producing an unbelievable string of hits, Murtz is also tied to a string of disappearances. It seems a number of Murtz's romanitc conquests have vanished into thin air. After his latest incident, Murtz conveniently retreats to his secluded St. Barts villa.

Before Mick Sever can hop a plane to the island paradise, he's nearly run over by a speeding car. Coincidence? Maybe, but hit maker Danny Murtz and near misses seem to go hand in hand.

Murtz's stay in St. Bart isn't quite the relaxing vacation he'd hoped for. When he begins receiving anonymous threats implicating him in a number of crimes, Murtz gets the message loud and clear: someone is trying to bring him down. Fueled by a steady stream of drugs and alcohol, and ravaged by mounting paranoia, Murtz begins to unravel. In Murtz's muddled mind, everyone is suspect—even his long time secretary Nancy and attorney/manager/chief cleaner-upper Harvey Schwartz. And Mick Sever's quest to get to the bottom of the story puts him at the top of Murtz's hit list.

If Danny Murtz has his way, Mick Sever will only need a one-way ticket to paradise. Because if Mick isn't careful, his next column will be an obituary—his obituary.

The synopsis for BAHAMA BURNOUT

F or rock and roll writer Mick Sever, another story, another deadly island paradise is all in a day's work. This time, Mick heads to Nassau, Bahamas, home of the legendary Highland Studio. Known for pumping out hits that burn up the charts, Highland is where the magic happens-or rather, where the magic happened until a devastating fire destroyed the entire studio. No one knows how the fire started, who started it-or whose body was found among the charred ruins.

Sent to get the inside story on the opening of the new Highland Studio, Mick finds this is hardly the Phoenix-rising-out-of-the-ashes story he expected. Some say the studio's haunted, some say it's cursed, but one thing is for sure: someone—or something—wants to stop the music. A smashed guitar and erased tracks send a subtle warning, but murder? That's an entirely different tune. If Mick doesn't act fast, Highland Studio, along with everything and everyone in its path, could go up in smoke. It's not always better to burn out than to fade away.

To learn more about Don or to order any of his books, please visit his webiste: Don Bruns 

Author Interview ~ R.S. Guthrie

MYSTERY WRITERS UNITE is THRILLED to be starting off 2012 supporting the work of R.S. Guthrie, author of BLACK BEAST and his NEW RELEASE LOST (see below).

Rob lives in Colorado with his wife and two Australian Shepherds, and a Chihuahua who believes she is also an Aussie. He hopes to retire to the remote mountains of Wyoming and continue to write.

As a special thank you to all our readers, MWU will be giving one lucky commenter an eBook version of both of Rob’s books – as a reader of his work, I can tell you that you won’t be disappointed!!

--- Interview

MWU: Great to be interviewing you again! Being that we’ve talked before, I had to dig a little deeper to come up with great questions…lol With that, here is the first one – if your wife was approached on the street and was asked what your writing quirk(s) is/are what would she say?

R.S. Guthrie: Well the first thing she would say is “thank you for knowing who my husband is---you’re the one!” Then she would probably say that my biggest writing quirk is that when I want to read what I’ve created I will send it to my Kindle and then draw a hot bath to read my writing. Oh, did I mention it’s a bubble bath? TMI, right? It’s okay, I’m comfortable in my manhood…

MWU: If you could be a character in the CLAN of MACAULAY SERIES, and you can’t pick Bobby Mac, which one would you want to be and why?

R.S. Guthrie: Great question, now that you took the cool, manly hero out of the running! I’d say Gunnery Sergeant Montgomery McBride. He’s a fairly minor character in the series, but he’s one of those memorable guys—a Senior Drill Instructor in the Marine Corps who at sixty can still do more pushups than his charges. Just a tough son of a gun who takes life by the, uh, horns.

MWU: What do you think readers will most enjoy about the MACAULAY CLAN SERIES?

R.S. Guthrie: This one is pretty easy. I chose to write a series because I feel very strongly about memorable characters with whom a reader can relate and for whom they can cheer. I tried to do that with Detective Bobby Mac and I get a lot of really positive feedback on that protagonist. I think readers will find they connect with Mac. He’s an everyman hero.

MWU: If your main character in the MACAULAY CLAN SERIES (Bobby Macaulay) could say something to you, what do you think he would say?

R.S. Guthrie: He’d probably tell me to stop getting him in these dangerous situations all the time. Maybe write him on to a nice private beach in Bali with Agent Amanda Byrne. And no bad guys. (I’d like to think he’d also thank me for making him so cool.)

MWU: If you had less than a minute to tell a perspective reader what they could expect from BLACK BEAST AND LOST (you are at a trade show and someone has stopped by your booth) what would you tell them? Go….

BLACK BEAST: Action. Not a lot of filler. A fast-paced read with human, likable characters that you will care about. An interesting villain.

LOST: More horror than the first book.  An adventure element and some creepy twists. The good, bad, and ugly in family relationships.

MWU: If you were approached to make the MACAULAY CLAN SERIES for TV, who would you think could do the best job in the role of Bobby Mac? Father Rule?

R.S. Guthrie: The funny thing is I was tasked a few months ago with coming up with a Bobby Mac image for an online promotion. I ended up choosing a fairly familiar face—a current television actor, who also plays a tough, ex-military cop: Australian Alex O’Loughlin, who currently plays Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett on Hawaii Five-0. I guess we’d just have to offer him more money.

MWU: How did you develop and differentiate your characters and how do you “stay in character” when your writing?

R.S. Guthrie: My characters are a combination of protagonists and antagonists I have read over the years. As a writer, much of my style comes from subconsciously emulating the writers I love. I say ‘subconsciously’ because I fuel my imagination by reading the authors I love and then the writing just comes. When I am writing, I read almost exclusively in my genre. That keeps my mind in the game.

MWU: Who do you see as your “ideal” reader?

R.S. Guthrie: I am still trying to build my readership, but one of the things I have noticed is that I get the majority of positive feedback from women readers. I think the ideal reader for what I write is someone who enjoys dialogue and a writing style that gets to the point. I don’t enjoy reading long, overwritten books, so I don’t write ten pages of landscape development. If a reader likes a “good read” book that they don’t want to put down, that’s my reader.

MWU: What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

R.S. Guthrie: Listen to all criticism—there is almost always something useful in comments from someone who has taken the time to read and critique your work. And never argue with a critic. Ever.

MWU: What are your thoughts on the ever-changing publishing industry? What do you see for the future, as a writer?

R.S. Guthrie: The price point of books scares me. It’s incredibly low—many readers are becoming accustomed to spending anywhere from 99 cents to a couple of dollars for a novel-length work (and 99 cents seems to be more and more the de facto price for an indie book). I think the “established” authors’ books are going to keep coming down and pretty soon writers are going to have a hard time making a living. You can’t support your writing on 12 cents net per book.

MWU: Is there anything you would like to say to new writers, new readers or current fans of your work?

R.S. Guthrie: To new writers I would say take pride in your work; make it the best it can be. To all readers I would say support your favorite writers by posting reviews, buying their work, and passing the word. To current fans of my series I would say don’t worry, Bobby Mac isn’t going anywhere!

Synopsis for BLACK BEAST:

Decorated Denver Detective Bobby Macaulay has faced down a truckload of tragedy over recent years. The death of his partner; the loss of his own leg in the line of duty; the companionship of his beloved wife to cancer; his faith in God to his inner demons.

After the man who ruined his leg and killed his first partner is executed, Macaulay becomes the lead detective investigating the Sloan’s Lake murders. The method of killing in this double-homicide is so heinous it leads Macaulay and his partner down an ever-darkening path—one that must be traversed if they are to discover the evil forces behind the slaughter.

Just when Bobby Macaulay is questioning the very career that has been his salvation, he will discover a heroic history buried within his own family roots: The Clan MacAulay—a deep family lineage of protectors at the very core of a millenniums-long war against unimaginable evil.

Synopsis for LOST:

L O S T is the sequel to Black Beast, the 5-Star debut novel in the Clan of MacAulay series.

Denver Detective Bobby Mac returns in this intense horror/thriller, set in the northern panhandle wilderness of Idaho. After receiving a phone call from his brother, the Chief of Police in Rocky Gap, Idaho, Bobby Mac travels north to assist in the investigation surrounding two gruesome murders and the abduction of an eleven-year-old girl.

These two seasoned cops---estranged brothers reunited---will bring all of their experience to bear in a case that threatens not only the safety of a small town, but also the sacred lineage of a family of heroes.

Make sure to leave R.S. Guthrie a comment so your name can be entered into our draw for a free eBook copy of both of his fantastic books!