Matanzas Bay by Parker Francis

Quint Mitchel, Master-At-Arms in the Navy, exemplary service in the Gulf War, former DEA Agent now a self-employed private investigator volunteers in archaeological digs in his spare time. He calls them “mental health days” as he wrestles with his own demons from the past. While participating in a dig at St. Augustine’s Trinity Episcopal Church with his friend Dr. Jeffrey Poe, the city’s archaeologist, he uncovers a wicker container with a dead body inside. When his friend Dr. Poe is arrested and charged with the murder Quint is hired by the wife of the murder victim to find the real killer.

Quint Mitchell is a multi-dimensional character suffering from tragedies yet unresolved in his past. He is determined to help his friend find the real killer no matter the personal cost. Throughout the story Quint comes to grips with the past and learns how to move forward with his life. The supporting cast of characters is colorful, engaging, well defined and adds to the intricate background and suspense conveyed in the story.

The writing is fast paced and moves fluidly from character to character throughout the entire story. The interaction between the characters is palpable as the mystery and intrigue of this story unfolds.

The backdrop for this story is the beautiful and historic city of St. Augustine Florida painted with an accurate and stunning sense of detail. I have personally been to this city many times and the descriptive writing of the author knowledgably portrays the streets and historical locations while at the same time delivering a unique feel for the essence of this historical City in a powerful and distinctive voice.

I feel it is important to point out that the certain references to the Civil Rights movement in 1963-1964 and the role played in the City of St. Augustine in those turbulent times are historically correct as mentioned in the Author’s Note at the end of the book.

MATANZAS BAY won author Parker Francis, aka Vic DiGenti, the 2007 Josiah W. Bancroft, Sr. Award, and was named a Book of the Year in the 2009 Royal Palm Literary Awards Competition sponsored by the Florida Writers Association.

I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this book for the intense suspense/mystery as well as the overall feel for the rich background and history of the city of St. Augustine.

Back to School Free ParTay

Mike Bove - Author Interview

It is my pleasure to share with you my interview with Mike Bove Author of Willowtree.

How would you describe yourself and how does your description translate into the way you work?

I would say I am an enigma.  I can be deadly serious or super silly, meticulous or sloppy, passionate or indifferent, critical or accepting.  I have always been interested in a wide variety of activities and have always encouraged others as a teacher, coach, parent, or friend to try new things.  I have done a great many and diverse jobs along with my two careers as a teacher and mailman.  Some might say I don't know what I want to do.  I'd answer that I want to do everything; I never had a boring day in my life.  That lifestyle affects the way I go about preparing for and working at writing.  I carry a small notbook and write down thoughts, ideas, or anecdotes wherever I am.  Some of these notes make it to larger, categorized sheets and often require research to go with them.  The sheets can contain brief plot or scene outlines, character traits, medical or police information, or simply a list of possible character names.  When writing, these notes are spread all around on the floor, desk and the wall.  My dictionary is close by, as are several other references; it is an organized mess.  Because of my other interests, I do not write often enough, but I work for long hours and days when I am into it.

Did you always want to be a writer?

In high school and college I enjoyed my English and Literature courses, but especially liked it when the assignment required imagination.  I mean, when I was able to write what I wanted, not just feedback from the lessons or a book report.  I first thought of writing a book while teaching in the 70's and 80's.  But I thought the book would be about teaching acting or play production to youth.  And I considered a book on track and field for students.  Theater and coaching track were my passions then, and I had developed a training philosophy and many coaching procedures from my research and experiences in both disciplines.  I did write an adaptation of a Russian folk tale for the stage.  I produced and directed it with High School students.

The idea of writing a novel came much later, after my teaching and coaching careers were over, and I retired in 2010.  I began devouring mysteries, and decided to begin writing my own.

Willowtree is a wonderful book with Bruce DelReno as the main character. What was your inspiration for this book?

While commuting to work in Sedona from my home, passing through the Prescott National Forest, I daily admired an area of land and thought it would be a great location for a home or resort, even a town.  That was the clincher for me in deciding to write my book.  That is the location of Willowtree, my ficticious town.  The vistas described in Bruce's narrative are from this place.  I think my experiences as a mailman and golf enthusiast led me to create my alter-ego, Bruce DelReno.  A small town where the golf course was the main attraction was appealing to me, since playing golf and waiting for the mailman were now my main activities.  The story simply evolved from a simple beginning, finding a dead body.  The town I live in contains many of the desert willows I wrote about, and the jimsonweed grows abundantly on the golf course.

Will we see Bruce DelReno again with another mystery to solve?

Bruce is now working on his next case with Ben, his Indian friend.  If you guessed he found another body, you're correct.  This time the victim is a pro golfer who returns to Willowtree for an exibition.  I am about one quarter through the manuscript of Stinger Maguire and am very excited about what I have so far, where it is leading, and the new characters.  A draft of the first chapter is available on my Goodreads.com page, goodreads.com.

What process do you go through to define your characters?

I create a character based on his or her's purpose in the story.  I use some of my numerous notes for traits and idiosyncrosies.  Some characters are based loosely on people I know or have met.  Readers who know me have said Bruce is like me, and he does share my interests, but I have never had anything whatsoever to do with a murder investigation.  Ben and Genny are exaggerations of a good friend and my real wife.  And, I did encounter a guy like the villain in Willowtree, but I doubt he really killed anybody.  Like the plot, the characters develop as the story processes.

What type of research did you do for this book?

It is amazing how many times I had to look something up, just to be sure a fact or a small detail like the color of a Mary Kay cosmetic bag, was correct.  Of course, sometimes I just make things up.  I hope readers can identify with some of those subleties.  For Willowtree I made sure the golf facts were correct.  I also wanted the medical facts concerning the drugs and their effects to be right, so I did a lot of research for those.  Thanks, Google.

What do you hope readers will experience while reading your books?

The main thing is to have fun.  I hope readers enjoy the reading process.  It is just a story told in a simple style.  I hope they "get" most of my sometimes odd humor.  I write as I speak, very concisely, even terse.  So I don't advise skimming my book, there really aren't that many words.

I also hope that readers can feel my appreciation for for certain things like the beautiful desert willows, a golf game, and caring friendships like those between the good-guys in my story.

Do book reviews have an influence on your writing?

I believe so.  The many reviews of Willowtree, favorable or not, have given me insight that will improve my writing.  There would be no second book in progress if not for the encouragement I received from many readers.  I appreciate the reviewers' interest in my book and taking the time to offer their thoughts.  I have and will certainly continue to consider their points when writing.

 Are there any Authors who have given you inspiration?

There are many authors that I greatly admire in many genres.  Their books are the ones that make me smile, laugh, or cry while reading, and keep and treasure afterward.  If you borrow a Vonnegut from my collection, you will bring it back, or I'll go after it.  I also save Shakespeare, Barbara Kingsolver, Joseph Wambaugh, and others.  My favorite mystery writers who have provided inspiration mainly because of their style, construction, characters and dialogue are George V. Higgins, Stuart Woods, Wambaugh, Ross MacDonald, Elmore Leonard, and William G. Tappley.  I love their clever dialogue, and I hope I can someday write something remotely similar.

This is your chance to speak directly to readers who haven’t discovered your book. What would you like to say to them?

Willowtree is a cozy, there is no obscene violence, sex, or language.  An unusual drug is discussed, but there is no horrible drug scene.  The book is meant to be a humorous tale about what happens to ordinary people in a small Arizona town when extraordinary events, like murders, affect their lives.  Themes of golf, food, nature, and human compasion guide Bruce DelReno, the retired mailman and amateur sleuth through his adventures in solving the crimes.

Mike Bove - Author Information

Check my website, http://www.mikebove.net, for more information about Willowtree and the second Bruce DelReno mystery, Stinger Maguire.

Friends of Marilou George and Confessions Of A Reader are able to download Willowtree  in any format and get 50% off at Smashwords until September 30.  Use coupon code KS38C at checkout. I welcome any feedback through the contact page on my website, and enjoy hearing from readers.

Follow Mike on Twitter

Thank you, Marilou, for all you do in support of Indie authors.  Best wishes for continued success for you and your endeavors.

My Review of Willowtree

Grace Unexpected by Gale Martin

Grace Savage along with her pregnant sister-in-law and best friend Rae Ann are visiting a Shaker Village in New Hampshire. While touring the Village and learning about Shaker life Grace is appalled by the notion that celibacy is at the root of the Shaker lifestyle. She has a rather strange encounter with a portrait of a Shaker woman taken around 1880 and decides her tour is over. Upon returning home her boyfriend Christian breaks up with her on her birthday while taking a shower in her bathroom and Grace decides that she will firmly embrace the ‘Shaker Plan’ of celibacy in her own life. The circumstances and course of her life are about to change and Grace learns how to deal with her emotions and relationships in a challenging and life altering way.

Grace is a wonderful character that is a force to be reckoned with. Gale Martin has the unique ability to draw and define her characters with precision and depth. Each character introduced in this story is substantial and woven into the story seamlessly and successfully. Addison and True are her two suitors and characters that are endearing in their own way as well as being a driving force in this book. The remaining cast of characters are vivid and colorful and lend a unique and substantial element of realism, enjoyment and fun. As the character Les - President of the University would say "Are we having fun yet?".

Grace Unexpected is also a book about self-discovery and self-appreciation. It brings to the surface issues faced by women both in the workplace and in their personal lives. It delicately and with humor tackles situations that I feel women can relate to and understand in an intelligent and humorous way.

Gale Martin has a writing style that not only keeps you invested in the story but allows you to laugh and appreciate and learn at the same time. This is a delightful, funny, intelligent and wonderfully written story that I wholeheartedly recommend.

My review of  Don Juan In Hankey, PA

Skin Games By Adam R. Pepper

Maria knows they well kill her if they find her. They have killed her brother and father, burned the family restaurant down and are now after her. She needs to find refuge and pursues a man referred to as “Skin” to help her seek retaliation. She finds him and he recounts his personal story to assure her of his commitment and trustworthiness.

Sean O’Donnell, aka Shamrock, aka Skin tells his own unique story which is the essence of this book. When his rough Irish father left him and his Italian mother alone to fend for themselves he was forced to grow up fast. He was lured into a life of crime in order to help his mother financially and becomes embroiled in the mob. This life suits him and rolls along smoothly until he starts dating the mob boss’s daughter.

This first person account is enticing as the character of Sean takes us into his world of many dimensions and compels the reader to become absorbed in his life. His portrayal as a strong, loyal, trustworthy and yes even sympathetic character encourages you to have a great sense of compassion for him.  All the characters are intricately defined and contribute to the complexity of the story. The constant banter between the characters is believable and enticing.

This story is an examination of loyalty, friendship, love, honor, greed and the struggle for power. The realistic characterizations of life in the mob filled with violence and betrayal keeps you deeply involved in the plot and anxiously waiting for more. SKIN GAMES is a fast paced, action packed wild ride to the disturbing depths of the mob that will command your attention.

This is the first book that I have read from Adam R. Pepper and will definitely NOT be the last.

ZURI by Ruth Harris

Ruth Harris has the unique ability to seamlessly bring together a story filled with compassion and realism mixed with a true sense of empathy and ZURI is no exception. ZURI brings to our consciousness the intelligence and emotions of animals along with the all too real dangers they face in the wild at the hands of poachers. 

The Kihali Animal Orphanage in Kenya encompasses 23,000 acres of protected Nakuru Reserve. Renny Kudrow is the director of the orphanage and is alerted by the elephants distinctive alarm system that there is an emergency. He calls his team together and they head in the direction of the disturbance along with their new veterinarian Dr. Starlite Higgins. What they find is an orphaned baby rhino protecting her mother who has been killed by poachers for her horn worth $80,000. The team must find a way to secure the baby rhino and get her back to the orphanage to save her life. What follows is the story of love and trust and the efforts of the team as well as a goat named Boozie who are determined to nurse ZURI back to health and teach her to trust again.

This story hits you in the face with the true reality of wildlife poaching and the effect it has on the animals and people involved. Africa is especially vulnerable to poachers who are so greedy they use any means possible to achieve their horrific goals. The Rhino population is slowly diminishing in South Africa where tourism is an invaluable source of income and the protection of the animals is vital.

The characters of Renny and Starlite while each dealing with emotional upheavals of their own join forces to nurture and protect these magnificent animals and forge a bond that is inevitable. The characters and the scenic descriptions of the African landscape lend to the luscious backdrop of this story.

We are also privy to the intelligence of animals and their capacity for forgiveness and love. Also in the forefront is the ability animals have to nurture each other as Boozie the loveable goat makes it her mission to draw ZURI out of her nightmare and teach her to trust again.

This is a cautionary tale about human greed yet a loving portrayal of animals and their struggle for survival. I recommend this book to all readers it is a unique blend of human and animal interaction that will teach and enthrall you. 




Read my Interview with Ruth Harris