Wednesday, April 15, 2020

ARE YOU LISTENING?


How are you coping through our disaster? Are you bingeing TV shows? Movies? Reading lots of books? Are you listening to audio books?



If you’re doing audio books, I have an offer for you!

The publisher of my new Vintage Sweets cozy mystery series has given me a bunch of audio books (6) to give away, lucky you! The book is REVENGE IS SWEET. Here’s a little bit about it.
*****
In the picturesque tourist town of Fredericksburg, Texas, Tally Holt has opened a new candy store with a vintage twist . . .but there’s no sugar-coating a nasty case of murder . . .

Tally Holt has poured her heart, soul, and bank account into Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets, specializing in her grandmother’s delicious recipes. Tally’s homemade Mallomars, Twinkies, fudges, and taffy are a hit with visiting tourists—and with Yolanda Bella, the flamboyant owner of Bella’s Baskets next door. But both shops encounter a sour surprise when local handyman Gene Faust is found dead in Tally’s kitchen, stabbed with Yolanda’s scissors.

The mayor’s adopted son, Gene was a handsome Casanova with a bad habit of borrowing money from the women he wooed. It’s a sticky situation for Yolanda, who was one of his marks. There are plenty of other likely culprits among Fredericksburg’s female population, and even among Gene’s family. But unless Tally can figure out who finally had their fill of Gene’s sweet-talking ways, Yolanda—and both their fledgling businesses—may be destined for a bitter end . . .
*****

Interested? Here’s how to enter—it’s easy. Just post a comment here, including your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Non-Amazon Online Bookstores



I posted this on another blog a few days ago, but I think it’s worth repeating here. From my Writers Who Kill post on 3/19, I’ve added a few that were in the comments there.




As Amazon announces their priorities during the COVID-19 crisis, maybe we should take a little pressure off them. They may have trouble shipping books now or in the near future, temporarily.

With the help of a bunch of people on Facebook, I’ve collected some online paperback book sources for you to consider. You NEED to buy some books when you’re shut in, right? Many of these also sell e-books, too. Though I don’t think Amazon/Kindle is interrupted, a lot of people have other kinds of e-readers, including me.

I’m giving preference to my own publishers’ sites—can’t blame me for that, right? I haven’t tried all of these, but they’ve all been recommended. Some of them offer curbside pickup. Some are beloved local bookstores and some of those have had to close the physical building to customers.

Feel free to add your favorites in the comments. Let’s keep reading!

Untreed Reads

Wildside Press

Black Cat Mystery and Science Fiction

Darkhouse Books

Barnes &Noble

Books-A-Million

Mystery Loves Company

Powell’s Books

Indie Bound

Bookshop

Print

Book Depository

Walmart

AbeBooks

Mystery Lovers Bookshop

Mysterious Galaxy

Books Inc.

Better World Books

Third Place Books

eBay books

Copperfish Books

Once Upon a Crime

Kepler’s Books

Book People

Half-Price Books

Village Books

Beaverdale Books

Malaprop’s Books and Café

Thrift Books

The Book Rack

Belle Books, from Jackie on WWK

Books2Read, from Elle Andrews Patt on WWK

Book Shop, from Gary Phillips on WWK
(connects with indie bookstores to fulfill online sales)