NOT YOUR USUAL SUSPECTS

A group blog featuring an international array of killer mystery, suspense, and romantic suspense writers. With premises and story lines different from your run-of-the-mill whodunits, we tend to write outside the box. We blog several times a week on all topics relating to romantic suspense and mystery, our writing, and our readers. We welcome all comments and often have guest bloggers. All our authors can be contacted separately, too, using their own social media links.

We find our genre delightfully, dangerously, and deliciously exciting - join us here, if you do too!

NOTE: the blog is currently dormant but please enjoy the posts we're keeping online.


Julie Moffet . Cathy Perkins . Jean Harrington . Daryl Anderson . Nico Rosso . Maureen A Miller . Sandy Parks . Lisa Q Mathews . Sharon Calvin . Lynne Connolly . Janis Patterson . Vanessa Keir . Tonya Kappes . Julie Rowe . Joni M Fisher . Leslie Langtry

Friday, October 3, 2014

COMING ALIVE


One of my critique partners, a fellow writer and an editor, has the most endearing habit.  She speaks of my character as if they were alive.  She’ll say things like:  “Deva’s too strong to give in to that kind of bullying,” or “I think the new hairdo looks terrific on her, it emphasizes her cheekbones,” or “Green is definitely her color (Deva’s a redhead), but bronze tones are good too.” 

Stuff like that, girl talk you could call it.  I love it when she does that and my biggest hope is that readers who pick up one of my Murders by Design stories and get to meet Deva Dunne will relate to her in the same way.

Deva’s an interior designer plying her craft in Naples, Florida.  While her business is growing, and she’s gaining clients all over town, she also has a habit of running across dead bodies.  It’s kind of a talent of hers.

In the 5th book in the series, The Design Is Murder, due for e-book release on November 17th, Deva has help in solving the crime, studly Lt. Victor Rossi, of course--and a five pound Matlese puppy named Charlotte.  (The principle at play here is small car, big key; small dog, big name).  Anyway, with Charlotte’s cocktail dog walks and pythons slinking in from the Everglades, the book was fun to write. 

 

And oh yes, since the setting’s Florida, there’s a critical pool scene too.  Here’s an excerpt from the book:

Sprawled on her back in the center of an ultra-king lay a naked blonde, her hair fanned across a pillow, her legs spread apart in open invitation. I wanted to leave and give her some privacy but, fascinated, I stood and stared as Stew strode over to the bed and grabbed a handful of sheet.

“Look at that,” he said, gazing at the girl, whether in admiration or disapproval, I

couldn’t tell. He draped the sheet over her and, bending down, shook her shoulder.

“Come on, babe, rise and shine.”

Connie Rae didn’t move.

“Is everybody around here deaf?” he asked of no one in particular. He patted Connie Rae’s cheek, and no doubt would have patted more than that except for the designer looking on from the foot of the bed.

Pale all of a sudden, he glanced up, stricken. His eyes wide, he said, “You know

something? She’s cold. Ice cold. And she’s a funny color too. Kind of blue looking. I think she’s—”

He never did finish what he started to say, for without any warning at all, he passed out, falling belly first, right on top of Connie Rae’s breasts.

 
The Design Is Murder is now available on Amazon for pre-release ordering. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

5 comments:

J Wachowski said...

"...cocktail dog walks?" Oh, that made me laugh, Jean.
Also, I am suddenly picturing myself walking the dog with a martini glass full of something tasty.
But how the neighbors would talk! :)

Anne Marie Becker said...

Congrats on the upcoming release! As a reader, I love when characters come alive, especially when there's a whole series of books to look forward to. :)

jean harrington said...

Thanks for the feedback. As for the cocktail dog walks, I heard about them at a women's luncheon. Apparently at five p.m. in this particular area, the neighbors fill their glasses, leash up their dogs and stroll around visiting and letting the dogs sniff each other. Sounds like fun, but alas, I don't have a dog. I do have wine though!

And Anne Marie, I'll seize this opportunity to say how much I've admired the flaming background you've added to our NYUS site.

Marcelle Dubé said...

Congrats on the new release, Jean! I love your voice and sense of humour.

jean harrington said...

Thanks, Marcelle. It's either laugh or cry, especially when I see how the formatting on my entry messed up. Geesh.

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