Hello and welcome to the kick-off of the Summer Readers Circle. I will be hosting guest authors the last Tuesday of the month. These talented storytellers will let us in on why they wrote their books and share an excerpt from the books to hook you on that story. Yes, there will be prizes too just as in previous Readers Circle events. A lucky commenter will win the prize, so be sure to enter!!
I am thrilled to welcome Diane Bator who introduces us to her newly released mystery, Drop Dead Cowboy (Book 1 Sugarwood Mysteries). This sounds like a great beach read!
Back of the Book:
Audra Clemmings loves Halloween. At least until she sees the display of voodoo dolls in the shop next door that resembles nearly everyone in Sugarwood, Ontario—including her.
Then there’s the matter of the dead cowboy on the bench in front of her shop Stitch’n’Time…
Why did Diane write it?
My newest novel, Drop Dead Cowboy, was released June 1, 2020. It was supposed to be released in September, but Covid and a slow down at work allowed me the time to get it ready early and BWL Publishing had an opening for June. Suddenly, the Halloween themed book I’d anticipated an autumn launch for, came out before summer. I couldn’t be happier!
Audra Clemmings is part-owner of Stitch’n’Time, a craft shop that sells needlepoint accessories, quilting notions, and fabric hobby kits. Her partner in crime-solving, Merilee Rutherford, is a sucker for a new project and works for needles and thread.
The Sugarwood Mysteries series started as a Christmas novella I wrote for a former publisher I worked with. When they stopped publishing the book, the novella sat on my shelf waiting for a renewed life. While I knew it would have one, it took a few years to figure out what that would look like.
In October 2019, a friend challenged me to attempt NaNoWriMo, which stands for National Novel Writing Month. Now it’s an international program where writers challenge themselves to write 50,000 words in the month of November. With my friend’s help, we both reached well over 50,000 words and I ended up with a fun new novel based on the short story I adored. I borrowed the characters from the original story, Death of a Christmas Witch, and killed off a cowboy on Halloween. I kept the witch. She’ll be back.
This book was a lot of fun to write and I hope readers will enjoy the story as much as I have. Audra, Merilee, and the gang will be back!
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Excerpt from Drop Dead Cowboy by Diane Bator--Chapter 1
“Wow, Miss Lavinia sure goes all out for Halloween, doesn’t she?” Merilee set a brown paper tray with two take-out cups on the front counter then slipped off her black leather gloves.
“In case you hadn’t noticed, her shop is always ready for Halloween. It’s her favourite day of the year.” I reached for a cup and took a whiff. Stitch’n’Time was the only thing that kept me busy and happy now that the children were on their own and I had nothing left to do at home but clean the house and stare at walls. Not that I wasn’t good at either. “Mmm, nothing like a cup of pumpkin spice tea on a chilly October day.”
Merilee Rutherford, my best friend and partner in our shop Stitch’n’Time shook her head. “Give me coffee or let me sleep.”
“What are you talking about?” I laughed. “You get up at five in the morning to do your work out. You’re half done your laundry before I even get out of bed. You’re the earliest early bird I’ve ever met.”
“Yeah, well, it starts to catch up by mid-week.”
I sniffed my tea once more. “Does Miss Lavinia plan to do palm readings again for the Halloween Festival on Friday?”
Merilee shrugged. “I didn’t go inside. I just noticed all the creepy little voodoo dolls and shrunken heads in her window. What’s creepy is that one of them looks a lot like your husband.”
“There’s a shrunken head that looks like Rex?” I raised my eyebrows. “No wonder I haven’t seen him much lately.”
“No silly.” She tapped my arm. “A voodoo doll. How would she know what he looks like or have a piece of his blue striped shirt? Has he ever even been inside her shop before?”
I straightened a rack filled with embroidery needles and a dozen fancy crane scissors I’d bought online for a steal from another shop going out of business. “Only when I dragged him in to see her that one time. I hoped she could cure his snoring with one of her essential oil blends.”
“Did it work?”
“Nope.” I sighed. “Rex still snores like a chainsaw. The problem is now Drake has started to snore too. It’s like I’m stuck between two race cars revving their engines at the starting line. Some nights, I go to sleep in the guest room. I couldn’t get the dog or Rex to wake up. I should go check out her decorations.”
Merilee chuckled. “Oh, speaking of interesting decorations. Did you happen to see the new one on the bench in front of Miss Lavinia’s shop?”
I frowned. “Did she put something on the bench? I know a few people who won’t be happy about that. Mr. Ossington sits out there and throws breadcrumbs for the pigeons.”
“We have pigeons?” She stared.
“They’re seagulls, but he’s half blind and doesn’t notice. It’s not so bad all summer, but I worry about him in the winter. At least the chickadees and the stray cats keep him amused.”
Like what you read? Check out more!
Click here to download the eBook or order the paperback from your favorite digital publisher.
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About Diane:
