And so, we end the month on a hopeful note.
“Whatever you want to do, if you want to be great at it, you have to love it and be able to make sacrifices for it.”
— Maya Angelou
And so, we end the month on a hopeful note.
“Whatever you want to do, if you want to be great at it, you have to love it and be able to make sacrifices for it.”
— Maya Angelou
“Writing is the act of failing at something all the time. Do it with a sense of humor, and it ain’t no big deal. Life is just about falling on stage and getting up, and that’s what writing is all about, too.”
— James McBride, The Writer, February 2014
Interviewer Stephanie Stephens: “Is there one thing in life you’d like to undo?”
Actor Jeffrey Tambor: “No, and I’ll tell you why. All merits and all mistakes produce all the colors on your palette, and the interesting thing about acting or any art is that the mistakes are as valuable as the merits. So I’ve gotten great lessons from errors in my life. You have to make mistakes.”
– Jeffrey Tambor, interviewed in Parade, May 7, 2017
(Photo by Leslie: the bridge over the Swan River, at Bigfork)
Oh, look, a book! By me! You may be used to it by now, but if it ever stops thrilling me, it will be time to hang up my pen — or my keyboard!
TREBLE AT THE JAM FEST, #4 in the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, officially launches today, from Midnight Ink, in trade paperback and e-book. Watch for the audio book later this summer.
From the cover: Erin Murphy, manager of Murphy’s Mercantile (aka the Merc), is tuning up for Jewel Bay’s annual Jazz Festival. Between keeping the Merc’s shelves stocked with Montana’s tastiest local fare and hosting the festival’s kick-off concert, Erin has her hands full.
Discord erupts when jazz guitarist Gerry Martin is found dead on the rocks above the Jewel River. The one-time international sensation had fallen out of sync with festival organizers, students, and performers. Was his death an accident?or did someone even the score?
Despite the warning signs to not get involved, Erin investigates. And when the killer attacks, she orchestrates her efforts into one last crescendo, hoping to avoid a deadly finale.
If you shop online, here are the links:
IndieBound
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
Fact & Fiction
If you shop in person, you can find TREBLE and my other books in Whitefish at Bookworks, in Kalispell at the Bookshelf, Montana Marie (formerly Think Local), and the Hockaday Art Center, in Missoula at Fact & Fiction, Shakespeare & Co, and Barnes & Noble, and in Bigfork at Roma’s Kitchen Shop, Bay Books, and the Bigfork Art & Cultural Center.
And here’s where I’ll be this summer, live events and blog tour stops–posts about the book and writing life, interviews, reviews, and the occasional giveaway! And remember, you can find me and a recipe at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen on the 1st, 3d, and 5th Tuesdays, and on Killer Characters on the 27th of each month.
Thanks for being part of the fun! And remember, wherever you go this summer, be sure to take a good book!
Maybe it’s because I’m working on something completely new, writing a novel without a contract for the first time in six years, that all the quotes in my collection that jump out at me are about failure. < sigh > Reading them is helpful — as was the sight of a hillside full of my favorite wildflower, the arrowleaf balsamroot. I hope the quotes are useful to you, too.
“[Successful novelists] know that success is never a sure thing and that failure is always an option. Writing is intimidating and scary, but also exciting, because the most important things we do in life involve some risk.”
– John Freeman, author of How to Read a Novelist, in The Writer, Oct 2013
After a short break, Erin and the villagers return on June 8, in TREBLE AT THE JAM FEST, the 4th Food Lovers’ Village Mystery, from Midnight Ink (trade paperback and e-book; audio later this summer).
When the body of an internationally renowned guitarist is found on the banks of the river outside town during the annual Jewel Bay Jazz Festival, Erin investigates to protect the community, and keep the music playing.
More details, and an excerpt, on my website.
I’ve got a lot of fun planned, and I hope you’ll join me along the way—in person, or on the screen. Here’s where I’ll be live:
Wed June 7, 2017, 7 pm, Tattered Cover, Aspen Grove (Denver) Book talk and signing
Thurs June 8, 2017, 7 pm, Rocky Mountain chapter, Mystery Writers of America (Denver) CADA (see RM-MWA website for specifics)
Common mistakes fiction writers make about the law
Sat June 10, 2017, 5:30 Bigfork Art & Cultural Center
Celebrate the new book in the hometown!
Tues June 13, 2017, 7 pm Fact & Fiction, Missoula
Whitefish mystery writer Christine Carbo and I celebrate our new books together!
Thurs June 15, 2017, noon Seattle Mystery Bookshop
Signing and chatting, with Martin Walker, author of the Bruno mysteries!
Thurs June 15, 2017, 7 pm Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park (Seattle)
Book talk and signing
Saturday, July 1, 2:00 Montana Book & Toy Co., Helena
Signing and chatting about mystery!
Sat-Sun, August 5-6, 2017 Bigfork Festival of the Arts
Celebrating and signing, in the Village!
And join me on line for a great blog tour–posts about the book and writing life, interviews, reviews, and the occasional giveaway! And remember, you can find me and a recipe at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen on the 1st, 3d, and 5th Tuesdays, and on Killer Characters on the 27th of each month.
June 6 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
June 6 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW
June 6 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
June 7 — Cozy Wednesday on Escape with Dollycas — talking about music festivals
June 7 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 7 – A Cozy Experience – REVIEW
June 8 — Dru’s Book Musings — A Day in the Life of guitar phenom Gabby Drake
June 8 – I Wish I Lived in a Library – REVIEW
June 8 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
June 9 — Mysteristas – interview
June 9 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
June 9 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT
June 10 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW
June 10 – Bookworm Cafe – SPOTLIGHT
June 11 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
June 11 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
June 12 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – INTERVIEW
June 12 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 13 – Books Direct – GUEST POST
June 13 – Queen of All She Reads – SPOTLIGHT
June 14 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
June 14 – Deal Sharing Aunt – INTERVIEW
June 15 – Classy Cheapskate – REVIEW
June 15 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – GUEST POST
June 16 – Varietats – REVIEW
June 16 – Teresa Trent Author Site – SPOTLIGHT
June 17 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW
June 18 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
June 19 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 19 – My Journey Back – REVIEW
Wherever your summer takes you, be sure to take a good book!