Frozen Crimes and Skyflakes

 

                                            

Hi everyone! Welcome to the Frozen Crimes Blog Hop! In the midst of an endless summer, we in the southwest can hardly remember rain, let alone snow. But we can dream, and here’s a question to get us started:

Whom would you want to be stuck with during a blizzard, and what would you do?

 Because the very thought of freezing fades my well-earned sunspots, I’d definitely need a distraction. Someone whose wit would rivet me in place with laughter as time advanced at warp-speed, whisking us away from the frightening storm in the comically cosmic fashion of Robin Williams as Mork – from Ork. Once his fascination with "Skyflakes" subsided, and he’d taken his unique sitting position on the sofa, I’d curl up by the fire with my copy of the book we’re all talking about today: Frozen Crimes!

Hop around to the other participants to read their answers: Frozen Crimes Blog Hop

   

When disasters strike around every corner, is it possible to have a happily-ever-after?

 

BLURB: Beth and Donovan are expecting their first child. Life couldn’t get any better…until a stalker makes his presence known. This person sends disturbing messages and unsettling items, but it isn’t long before his menacing goes too far.

Hoping for a peaceful Christmas, Donovan takes Beth to Michigan. Days into their trip, a winter storm named Nemesis moves in with the goal of burying the state. Snowdrifts surround their house, and the temperature drops below freezing.

Except, the storm isn’t the only nemesis they must face. Everyone’s lives are at stake—especially that of their unborn child. Will they survive, or will they become a frozen crime?

BUY LINKS: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes

 

EXCERPT:

The crunch of the shovel pounding into the snow and ice filled his ears. It was all he could hear. The rest of the street was silent beneath its wintry blanket. Breathing was difficult with the icy air clogging his lungs. His nose burned. His throat was dry and on fire. But he ignored it, focusing on his task.

Crack, crack, crack.

He jabbed the shovel into a hunk of snow. On the third hit, it shattered into several pieces. He scooped them up and flung them to the side. He surveyed what remained. There was one big ball in the middle of the path that needed to be dealt with next. He moved over to it and struck it. That one impact had it severing in two. He was about to hit it again when something crashed into the back of his head.

Explosions of white light danced over his vision. Pain enveloped his skull.

The shovel slipped from his fingers. Blackness cloaked his mind, coaxing him into its depths.

Beth. Her name was a whisper in his head, as if his thoughts were being sucked into a wormhole.

His legs collapsed under his weight.

Cold. It seeped into him, consuming him. And then his consciousness fled down that same void that ate his thoughts.

 

***HUGE DISASTER CRIMES GIVEAWAY*** 

 

Prizes: 4 eBooks (Disaster Crimes 1-4: Hurricane Crimes, Seismic Crimes, Tsunami Crimes, Flaming Crimes) + Girl Boss Magnets (4), Inflatable Cup Holder (1), Adventure Fuel To-Go Cups (2), Anchor Fashion Scarf (1), Mermaid Nail Clippers (2), Citrus and Sea Salt Scented Candle (1), Snowflake Handmade Bookmark (1), Insulated Cooler Bag (1)

 

Eligibility: International

Number of Winners: One

Giveaway Ends: October 30, 2020 12:00am EST

LINK: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/76132e0221/?

 

 

***FREE EXCLUSIVE EBOOK***

 

 

To get the exclusive prequel to the Disaster Crimes series, sign up for Chrys’ newsletter. By signing up, you agree to receive Chrys Fey’s newsletter. After you confirm subscription, you will receive an email (so check your inbox and spam folder) with directions on where to snag your eBook copy of THE CRIME BEFORE THE STORM.

Click here to sign up and get The Crime Before the Storm FREE!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chrys Fey is author of the Disaster Crimes Series, a unique concept that blends disasters, crimes, and romance. She runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Book Club on Goodreads and edits for Dancing Lemur Press. https://www.chrysfey.com

Author Links:

Website / Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon

 

 Happy Reading!

Sapphire Tides and September

Hey, hi!

Here it is the first month of autumn, and the only sign that the season actually intends to arrive this year is the early appearance of migratory Lesser Long-nosed bats.  Having followed the “nectar trail” from Mexico to Arizona, I guess it’s only fitting that they sneak around in the dark, slurping hummingbird feeders till they’re empty, leaving their own trail of nectar on the patio floor in their wake. Interestingly, if we take the hanging feeders down and leave them on the table at night – still in plain sight – the bats won’t touch them. I think it upsets the hummers, though. They’re a bit testy in the mornings if we don’t hang the feeders back up in time for breakfast ;-)

The excessive heat has evidently bothered even the snakes this year, as every other day or so, new skin is shed and left near our front door. While this has unnerved more than one delivery person, I’m wondering where all these naked snakes are hanging out.

In answer to the question I asked in my website blog, my sister brought up a September song I simply can’t get out of my head!  Let’s see if anyone else brings it up.

Sir George Ivan “Van” Morrison will reportedly release three new songs targeting COVID restrictions in the coming weeks. I like his style, and at least he’s not throwing bricks through storefront windows.

Local musician J.D. Loveland has founded Zoom Entertainment Network, which offers an impressive alternative for live concerts with what he calls “Zoomcerts.”

Author Dean Koontz is in the spotlight of late. Not because he’s good, but because he’s so good he might even have predicted our current pandemic in his 1981 novel “The Eyes of Darkness.” While ardent fans, including myself, highly doubt that assertion, I wish I could remember who I lent my copy to so I could read it again.  I read “Devoted” earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

According to Goodreads, I’ve read fifteen books this year, plus two they don’t even know about. I’m sure glad they keep track ;-)

I’ve done something else as well. Something I’ve meant to do, and have hinted at for some time now – what a year it’s been, huh? – Anyway, I figure “Read an Ebook Day” is as good a day as any to announce the release of my latest (YA) book, “Sapphire Tides” Read all about it here if you like.  

If you have a favorite September song, book, or movie - or thoughts on anything I've rambled on about, feel free to share!

IWSG - The Form of Stories

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

You’re just in time for IWSG Day, which occurs the first Wednesday of every month in the form of a blog hop featuring all of the members of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. Founded by Alex Cavanaugh and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a place to share the awesome views and exciting news that occurs along our fascinating writing journeys. Pull up a chair and join us!

Our gracious co-hosts this month are:  PJ Colando, J Lenni Dorner, Deniz Bevan, Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, and Louise - Fundy Blue!

Our Optional Question of the Month is:  If you could choose one author, living or dead, to be your beta partner, who would it be, and why?  Oh, this is easy. I would love to have Zilpha Keatley Snyder as my partner! From the very first sentence of her book The Velvet Room: “When the tire went flat for the third time that day, it went with a bang.” I was absolutely captivated by the familiar sincerity with which she crafted an atmospheric haven for an overcast life on a black and white page. To this day, I’m inspired by her work.

September is Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month, which is pretty much every day around here ;-) Happy September, everyone!

It’s also Shameless Promotion month! But I’ll save it for another day ;-)

At a time when we’re all looking for something to do besides screen time, movie binging and frequent trips to the fridge – by the way, this gospel singer delightfully nails it -

It’s good to see some of the “old” past times coming back. For instance, knitting, baking, jigsaw puzzles, and board games. And while many creative arts venues are temporarily shuttered, there are a surprising amount of ancient almost-lost arts finding their way back.

Such as Amezeiku – The Japanese art of candy sculpture for which a Takumi (craftsman) has barely five minutes to artfully form (with his fingers) a nearly 200-degree Fahrenheit dollop of candy into the realistic shape of say, a sea turtle, koi, or an octopus – on a stick before the confection hardens. Looks too pretty to eat, don’t you think?

Anyone out there helping out with homeschool?

“If history were told in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten,” ~ Rudyard Kipling

Happy Writing!