DEBUT NOVEL & SNEAK PREVIEW

Our author Shannon Kirk is debuting her first novel Method 15/33 in less than a year and is finally celebrating with cover art.

And check this out, if you want a little sneak preview for the novel, Shannon's created a trailer.

For more information about the author and her work, please visit Shannon Kirk's personal website and follow her on Twitter.

Posted By Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

This True Detective knows Criminal Minds from all angles...

Our author Michael Barrett is getting all kinds of praise for his latest crime novel, Shoshana. And it's no wonder: as a former police detective, sketch artist, and private investigator, Barrett knows the crime scene intimately.

Westport News recently released an article about their hometown career cop and his successful transition to full-time author:

"I wanted people to see the cop's point of view," he said. On television police officers are portrayed as hard, often emotionless people, he said.  "On TV when a cop shoots someone, it's no big deal and that's not at all how it works.  Most cops leave the job with post-traumatic stress disorder," the retired officer said.  "A macho cop gets a SIDS call and it changes the way he thinks about people."

For the full article complete with insights into Barrett's motivation and inspiration for Shoshana visit Westport News.  And for more information about Michael Barret, Shoshana, and his other works, visit his personal website.

Posted By: Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

WALL STREET JOURNAL'S Tom Nolan Reviews CITY OF GHOSTS

Critics and bloggers alike are intrigued City of Ghosts, Kelli Stanley's third novel in her Miranda Corbie mystery series.

Tom Nolan praises, "Kelli Stanley's atmospheric mystery-adventure of art thieves and smugglers, murderers, and possible foreign agents in the Bay Area in 1940, makes quite an impression."  Who wouldn't be impressed by "art thieves and smugglers, murderers and possible foreign agents."   Read Nolan's complete review at the online edition of WSJ.

And head over to Lesa's Book Critiques where Lesa tells book-lovers, "If you want to understand pre-war America, the looting of Europe's art treasures, San Francisco's history, or the story of a strong, gritty woman, a woman with a past, and a city with a past, Kelli Stanley's City of Ghosts is a must-read."  Read her full review on her book blog.

To get started or continue your adventure in the Miranda Corbie series, visit the author's official website and for even more information and updates, follow her on twitter.

Posted by Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY Book Review: DAY OF VENGANCE

Our award-winning mystery author, Jeanne M. Dams has released the 15th novel in her Dorothy Martin series with great success.  Last week, Publisher's Weekly posted their review:

In Dams's captivating 15th Dorothy Martin mystery (after 2013's Shadows of Death), Dorothy's husband, retired chief constable Alan Nesbitt, is serving on the Crown Appointments Commission to select the next bishop of Sherebury Cathedral.  When one of the candidates, the Rev. Andrew Stephen Owen Brading, is murdered in his own church, everyone involved falls under suspicion, including Alan.  An informal team gathers to clear Alan's name by investigating each of the remaining candidates on the list.  The stakes rise when a friend of the Martins goes missing after probing the cooked books of the charismatic Rev. Geoffrey Lovelace's church.  Meanwhile, the inquiry to Brading's past opens questions as to why he was shortlisted for the mitre in the first place.  Anglophiles, especially those with an ecclesiastical bent, will find much to savor.

- 21st July 2014 issue Publisher's Weekly

To get started on this series and to learn more about the author, please see her official website.

Posted by Intern Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

LGBT Community Embraces Gerald L Dodge's BENEATH THE WEIGHT OF SADNESS

Gerald L Dodge's Beneath the Weight of Sadness is going viral within the LGBT community.  Most recently, an excerpt has been posted on the Gay/Lesbian Fiction Excerpt Blog where thousands of followers go to find the latest trending novels featuring the theme.  Scroll down to the comments to see Gerry communicating with his readers.

And it doesn't stop there.  Our pal Jay Hartman at Untreed Reads Publishing has entered Gerry's novel for the 2014 Rainbow Awards hosted by Elisa Rolle, one of the most influential book reviewers in the LGBT community (check out her extensive list of review on her site Reviews and Ramblings).  The awards include both fiction and non-fiction including art and photography -- so the competition will be fierce, but we have every confidence our author will make it to the finals!  Winners won't be announced until December, so we'll keep you posted as we hear about Gerry's progression (see the official rules and timeline here).

Beneath the Weight of Sadness is obviously worth a read.  If you haven't picked it up yet ...

ABOUT THE NOVEL

Truman Engoff, a gay, seventeen-year-old boy, living in an affluent, New Jersey town, Persia, is brutally murdered one early Sunday morning.  The murder becomes sensational not only for the fact that Truman is gay, but because the town is peopled with mostly wealthy conservatives who view anomalous lifestyles as a disruption to their strict view of how the world should function.  The death of Truman's brief life is told in four separate narratives: his father, mother, the detective investigating the case, and his best friend growing up.  All four of these people are devastated by Truman's death, and the story of his death unfolds as the characters tell the story of his life.

Find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and of course Untreed Reads.

For more about the author and his work, check out his personal website and follow him on Twitter.

Posted By Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

Book Passage Mystery Writers Conference 2014

"Learn all the clues to a successful writing career" at this year's Mystery Writers Conference scheduled for July 24 through July 27 in Corte Madera, brought to you by Book Passage, KC&A's preferred local vendor for all our books.

Aspiring writers can take classes from established authors, listen to lectures from professional publishers, and ask agents (including our own Kimberley Cameron) what they're looking for in a modern mystery novel.  The event will also feature a panel of detectives, forensic experts, and crime-scene investigators to shed some light on how to solve real life mysteries.  Check out the full list of faculty and event scheduling.

This unique opportunity is for writers of all levels interested in the mystery and/or suspense genre -- so don't miss out on all the invaluable information this year's conference has to offer and get your tickets.


Posted By Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

TJ O'Connor in the Tabloids!!!

But it's all good.  I guess the EXAMINER knows that mystery books are hot right now.  You have to keep an eye out this weekend when the issue will be distributed.

And if you don't believe in tabloids, here are a few book reviews that may entice you to pick up a copy of O'Connor's Dying to Know.

OpenBookSociety.com: "Definitely a surprise [...] you will find things are not always as they appear, and what does appear may not be what you see after all. Read the book."

Edie Dykeman from BellaOnline.com: "...check out Dying to Know and be prepared to thoroughly enjoy the ride."

Mysterymavenblog.com (who's not going to believe a mystery maven?): "...a fast-paced, humorous exploration of the netherworld."

So now you're Dying to Know what all the hubbub is about?  Check out TJ O'Connor's personal website for information on this book, the sequel, and other works.

Posted by Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

BENEATH THE WEIGHT OF SADNESS by Gerald L. Dodge

Read it, read it now!  Kimberley Cameron herself says, "I LOVE this book and want everyone to read it -- one of the best!"  And you better do what your agent tells you, right?

Untreereads.com, an awesome digital bookstore, has featured this novel on its homepage and is offering the eBook at a discount price (so, you have no excuse not to read it is what I'm saying).

About the Book: 

Beneath the Weight of Sadness is a novel about Truman Engroff, a gay, seventeen-year-old boy, living in an affluent, New Jersey town, Persia, who is brutally murdered one early Sunday morning. The murder becomes sensational not only for the fact that Truman is gay, but because the town is peopled with mostly wealthy conservatives who view anomalous lifestyles as a disruption to their strict view of how the world should function. The death of Truman's brief life is told in four separate narratives, by: his father, his mother, the detective investigating the case, and his best friend growing up, Carly Rodenbaugh. All four of these people are devastated by Truman's death, and the story of his death unfolds as the characters tell the story of his life.

For more on the author and his writing, visit his personal blog and follow him on twitter.

Posted By Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

METHOD 15/33 by Shannon Kirk

About the Book:

Imagine a helpless, pregnant 16-year-old who’s just been yanked from the serenity of her home and shoved in a dirty van. Kidnapped. Alone. Terrified.

Now forget her.

Picture instead a pregnant, 16-year-old, manipulative prodigy. She is shoved in a dirty van and, from the first moment of her kidnapping, feels a calm desire for two things: to save her unborn son and to exact merciless revenge.

She is methodical. She is calculating, scientific in her plotting. She might be a clinical sociopath. Method 15/33 is what happens when the victim is just as cold as the captors.

Method 15/33 is due out May 2015 but has already seen publicity as a finalist in the William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition and now with it's own trailer.

For more information on the author and her work check out her personal website  and follow her on twitter.

Posted by Intern Stacy Briscoe (@SLBriscoe)

A Sweet Review for BORDEAUX: THE BITTER FINISH

The Midwest Bookwatch Review is a monthly online book review publication showcasing reviews and commentaries from both staff and contributing editors and reviewers.  In the June edition, Klausner's Bookshelf featured a sweet review for our very own Janet Hubbard's Bourdeax: The Bitter Finish:

American wine critic Ellen Jordan asks NYPD Detective Maxine Maguire to act as her bodyguard while she visits Bordeaux, France. Once in country Ellen asks French speaking (from her mom) Max also to protect one of the four wine magnums valued at over $30,000 each by auctioneer Paula Goodwin though the American believes these are worthless frauds.

At the annual regional wine tasting gala in Lussac, experts test the contested wines for authenticity. However, Ellen dies from asphyxiation in her hotel room and the magnum Max left in the hotel safe has vanished. Max believes her client was murdered so she persuades her former lover French magistrate Olivier Chaumont and Commissaire Abdel Zeroual to allow her in on the investigation.

With a nod to Ellen Crosby's Wine Country Mysteries (though in France rather than Virginia) the second Vengeance in the Vineyard Mystery (see Champagne: The Farewell) is a super whodunit as suspects straddle both sides of the Atlantic. Fast-paced from the moment Max learns Ellen died, readers will enjoy this solid whodunit as questioning those with motives seems to disprove Vino Veritas.

Cheers -- I'll drink to that!

For more information about Janet, her books, and her wine visit her official website and follow her on twitter.

Posted By Book-nerd/Wine-snob Intern Stacy Briscoe

Book Passage Mystery Writers Conference 2014

The 21st annual Mystery Writers Conference is on for this July 24th through the 27th in Corte Madera, California.

Interested in attending?  Writers of all levels are welcome to learn clues from those whodunit before -- editors, agents, and publishers specializing in the mystery genre, including our very own Kimberley Cameron.  Check out the official website for details.

bookpassage.com/mystery-writers-conference

Posted by Intern Stacy Briscoe

The New Super Hero: Science Fiction Writers

When I was in high school, I took a science fiction class because I'm awesome and nerdy like that.  Actually it was because, although I fancy myself a book nerd, my home library was lacking in the science fiction department.

We read everything from Mary Shelly's Frankenstein to Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game.  No matter the year written, background of the author, or what characters he or she decided to portray, the running theme was always the evolution of man: Where did we come from?  What are we doing here?  Where are we going?

Our author Garret Calcaterra has written a very detailed article for the online edition of Black Gate on the science fiction genre and how the imagination of the present day mind helps shape our future.  So what great debacle should the Sci-Fi author tackle next?  Calcaterra's gentle suggestion: global warming.

Read the full article entitled Can SF Save the World From Climate Change? on the Black Gate website and feel free to add your thoughts to the debate in the comments section.

Garrett Calcaterra is a talented "author of dark speculative fiction."  His latest work Dreamweilder has been received by the literary community with rave reviews and his eBook The Knight's Dog has received over 34k downloads on Wattpad. To learn more about him, his writing, and latest full-length novel, check out his official website.  And don't forget to follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Posted by Intern Stacy Briscoe, whose biggest sic-fi pet peeve are people who think sic-fi and fantasy are the same thing (they are NOT, read the difference here).

YESTERDAY'S ECHO by Matt Coyle Nominated for Anthony Award

Murder, mystery, and manhunt.  Matt Coyle's Yesterday's Echo -- as David Marshall, book critic and blogger from Thinking About Books, states -- "...is a book that does absolutely everything right."  So it's no wonder the author's first novel is nominated for an Anthony Award for Best First Novel this year.  Read more reviews here.

About the Award:

The World Mystery Convention, or Anthony Awards is named after Anthony Boucher, a mystery fiction critic, editor and author.  This is a nonprofit organization run by volunteers.  Learn more about the awards on the official website, as well as a list of other nominees and past winners.  You can also follow the organization on Facebook.

About the Book:
(From the book jacket)

Unable to escape his own past, Rick Cahill risks his life for a woman who is hiding her own.  Rick Cahill was never convicted of his wife's murder, but he was never exonerated either.  Not by the police.  Not by the media.  Not even by himself.  Eight years later, police suspicion and his own guilt remains over his responsibility in his wife's death.  When he meets Melody Malana, a beautiful yet secretive TV reporter, he sees a chance to love again.  When she is arrested for murder and asks Rick for help, the former cop says no, but the rest of him says yes, and he grasps at a chance for love and redemption.  Rick's attempt to help turns terribly wrong, and he becomes a suspect in the murder and target of a police manhunt.  On the run, Rick encounters desperate people who will kill to keep their pasts buried.  Before Rick can save himself and bring down a murderer, he must confront the truth about his own past and untangle his feelings for a woman he can never fully trust.

The book is available in hardcover, kindle, and audio and your local bookstore or online.

About the Author:

Needless to say (but we'll say it anyway), we are all proud of our author Matt Coyle here at Kimberley Cameron & Associates.  To learn more about the author, his writing, and events, check out his official website.

And don't forget to congratulate him on Facebook or Twitter.

Posted by KC&A intern Stacy Briscoe

Michael F Barrett's SHOSHANA

Dan Woog, freelance writer and blogger, states, "Authors are always told: 'Write what you know.'"  So, why does Michael F Barrett's first published novel, Shoshana, have a synopsis like this:

In this gripping new thriller, rookie cop Artie Donnelly is pushed to the edge as he struggles with powerful forces that drag him into the dark abyss of neo-Nazis protecting a war criminal, a guard from Treblinka who's resettled in America...An accomplished portrait painter who has become a police suspect-composit-artist, Artie comes face-to-face with the horrors of the Holocaust.

Turns out KC&A author knows a thing or two about police work and Nazi extermination camps.  Read Dan Woog's full article here to learn more.

For more information about Michael F Barrett, check out his personal website and blog.  

Pick up Shoshana at your local bookstore or on Amazon, also available in eBook for Nook or Kindle.

Posted by Intern Stacy Briscoe

Book Bloggers Review TJ O'Connor's DYING TO KNOW

A dead detective solving his own murder mystery?  Book bloggers are blowing up their pages about TJ O'Connor's unusual perspective of a classic genre.

"The reader is treated to unique antics and seeming magic," says Joseph Arellano from Joseph's Reviews.  "Well recommended."  See the full review here.

And J.P. over at CrimeSquad.com found O'Connor's novel "to be highly entertaining and completely addictive [...] a great debut into a competitive section of the crime genre and hopefully the first of many in this 'Gumshoe Ghost Mystery' series," rating it a 4/5.  Check out the complete review on the site.

And who loves mysteries more than a site entitled I Love A Mystery?  Aylah Foureste highly recommends this "fascinating read."  Read the short but sweet review here.

So, dying to know more?  Read more reviews posted on our blog.  And check out TJ O'Connor's official webpage and connect with him on Facebook for more information about this novel and other works by TJ O'Connor.

Posted By Intern Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

Success and Series Set-Up: Vaughn Entwistle's THE REVENANT OF THRAXTON HALL is a classic in the making

US Edition

If it seems like I've been posting about Vaughn Entwistle's The Revenant of Thraxton Hall a lot lately, it's because I am.  It's not my fault.  Blame the author for writing an epic novel bound to be an epic series.  Everyone from professional critics to book-bloggers are intrigued and entertained by this paranormal take on the traditional Sherlock Holmes mystery.

OpenLettersMonthly.com, an arts and literature review, has this to say:

"This is Grand Guignol fun. Entwistle is an original who has assembled a delicious, extravagantly eccentric cast of characters. And it turns out The Revenant of Thraxton Hall is just the first adventure for Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde. I, for one, can’t wait for the next installment."

Click here for the full review.

Move on to LiteraryEscapism.com, a hub for fantasy and paranormal reviews ("and more!"), and we see the same, if not more excitement: 

"Entwistle makes use of the showmanship as well as the inherent eeriness of being in a large manor away from home.  Hallucinations reinforce the thin line between realistic and fantasy [...] I can't wait to see what Entwistle comes out with next."

Read the full review here.

 Go across the pond, and the book is receiving constantly accolades in Entwistle's home-country as well from FantasyBookReview.co.uk:

"...a fun read and I look forward to the next in the series."

Here's that full review.

UK Edition

So, what I'm hearing right now is not only is this paranormal, Holmsian murder-mystery a MUST read, but it's also a MUST write another.  Hey Entwistle...I'm waiting for your first draft!

To learn more about the author, order his book, learn about his other works (and future works...hint, hint), check out his personal website and follow him on twitter.

And check out these other reviews from our agency blog featuring Vaughn Entwistle.

Posted By Intern Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

April Book Release: Leigh Anne Jasheway's 101 COMEDY GAMES FOR CHILDREN AND GROWN-UPS

Leigh Anne Jasheway, Humor Speaker and Author is set to release her latest book, 101 Comedy Games for Children and Grown-ups this month (actual release date: April 15, 1014).

About the Book
101 Comedy Games for Children and Grown-Ups includes eight different sections, each geared toward a different genre of comedy. The first section concentrates on introductory games for getting to know fellow participants and familiarizing oneself with the basic rules of comedy. Later chapters introduce games geared toward a specific type of comedy. Each section includes numerous games, which are presented with a general description of the activity, the purpose behind it, a list of supplies (if necessary), helpful hints, and rule variations. Jasheway also provides a key to indicate the target ages for each activity, making it easier to pick the best games for the participating group. Jasheway’s book promises to provide fun times and lots of laughs for anyone that picks it up!

About the Author
Leigh Anne Jasheway, Master of Public Health, uses the craft of comedy to inspire, engage, and relax her audience (who, according to her ranges from business organizations to dogs and occasionally empty chairs).  Her goal with her work is to "help the world become healthier and more sane through laughter."

To learn more about this stress-management/humor expert/comedy writer/stand-up comic/comedy instructor coach (including live performances, classes, or to hire her for an event) visit her personal website.

101 Comedy Games for Children is now available for pre-order on Amazon, but don't forget to check out her other books, podcasts, and video-clips.

For amusing daily anecdotes, follow her on Twitter.

Posted By Intern Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

April Book Release Announcement: Janet Hubbard's BORDEAUX: THE BITTER FINISH

Deep, intense, and full-bodied, Jannet Hubbard's latest novel brings readers murder, mystery, and wine.  The author recently celebrated pre-release with a book reading at the Book Passage in San Francisco's Ferry Building.  Kimberley Cameron was there to support her client along with intern Emily.

Janet Hubbard & Kimberley Cameron

Intern Emily & Janet Hubbard

See Janet's events page on her personal website for future readings, book signings, as well as wine tastings.  Follow her on twitter for information direct from the author.

Bordeaux releases Tuesday, April 1 and is ripe for reading and storing in any good book collection -- pre-order now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound today to get a copy.

Posted by self-proclaimed Book-Nerd and Wine-Snob Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

More Outstanding Reviews for Vaughn Entwistle's THE REVENANT OF THRAXTON HALL

Recently released in the US and soon to be released in the UK, The Revenant of Thraxton Hall has already received glowing reviews by critics and everyday readers alike (click here, here, and here to read a few), and the praise just keeps coming.

Amy Eller Lewis (@amyellerlewis), from CriminalElement.com says this book checks off all the things she's looking for in a quality Holmsian murder-mystery:

"19th Century London? Check. A Crumbling Gothic Mansion? Check. Murder? Seances? Underground crypts?  Arthur Conan Doyle hallucinating the ghost of Sherlock Holmes? Oscar Wilde and fabulous outfits? Check, check double check."

Read the full review here.

And Steve Taylor-Bryant (@OpinionGeeks) from TheCultDen.com finds himself engrossed in the scenes, settings, and characters:

"Doyle is well written and Oscar Wilde, in the almost Dr. Watson role, was a brave and exciting choice which works incredibly well. The setting itself is reminiscent of any ye olde gothic ghost story and Entwistle proves himself a very capable provider of atmosphere."

Read the full review here.

Super excited to read this book and learn more about this gargoyle-sculpting author?  Visit his personal website and follow him on twitter.

Posted by KC&A Intern Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe

Garrett Calcaterra's KNIGHT'S DOG: "Fans of George R.R. Martin will enjoy this gritty fantasy..."

And now you can enjoy this novelette on Wattpad.com for free.  Click here to read and find out why this epic fantasy novel has already gotten over 18,000 reads.

SYNOPSIS

When Dern encounters a dying knight, he forsakes his life as a thief to do the honorable thing and deliver the knight's weapons and orphaned dog to the king. Civilized life is nothing like he imagined it, though. At every turn, someone is trying to swindle him or cut his throat. Everyone but the surly dog that now looks to him as his master.... 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Garret Calcaterra is an established author of "dark, speculative fiction."  In addition to The Knight's Dog, Calcaterra has an online library of eBook singles to view and purchase.  His latest complete novel, Dreamwielder is now available in both print and ebook editions.  For more information about the author and his work, please visit his official website.  And don't forget to follow him on twitter and 

Facebook.

Post Brought to you by Game-of-Thrones-Geek and Intern, Stacy Briscoe @SLBriscoe