Deborah Sharp "Mama" Titles Giveaway

Deborah Sharp, author of the delightful redneck traditional "Mama" series just announced that Mama Gets Trashed will appear in bookstores in the fall of 2013. To read the full announcement, which is nearly as much fun as the books themselves, sign up for Deborah's newsletter on her web site.

To go directly to Deb's contest, continue reading…

Did you think I forgot the contest? I've been thinking about Mama Rides Shotgun and Mama Gets Hitched, the series' second and third books. I remember how it was, growing up as a middle kid. The oldest grabbed the firstborn attention. Then, adoration focused on the newest arrival, the baby. Not that I'm bitter. I wanted to throw some love at the ''middle kids'' in my series, shine the spotlight they deserve.

By the end of this week (10-28), email me at: debsharp1@gmail.com
Write 'MIDDLE CONTEST' in the subject line. Four entrants will be chosen at random to win a personally inscribed copy of Book 2 or Book 3. If you've already read that title, I'll sign it and send to anyone you choose. The contest is restricted to entries in the USA.

Happy reading!

The Whole She-Bang

I just watched a delightful trailer for a new short story anthology from the Toronto Chapter of Sisters in Crime. The trailer contains the first sentence from each story. I think the hooks are clever and that lots of folks will want to follow through reading the rest of the stories. Let me hear what you think.

Elaine Viets National Bridesmaid Dress Contest

Murder Is a Piece of Cake, Elaine Viets’ eighth Josie Marcus mystery shopper mystery, will be published November 6. In this novel, Josie’s interfering mother-in-law is locked up for Murder One, and Josie has to find the real killer before she can marry Dr. Ted Scottsmeyer.

Elaine is holding a bridesmaid dress contest to celebrate Josie’s wedding. The prizes include two $100 gift certificates to the bookstore of the winner’s choice.

Did you wear a bridesmaid dress you can't believe a bride would inflict on a friend?

Enter the "I Can't Believe I Wore This Dress. It’s outrageous" category.

How about one so pretty you'd want to wear it again?

Enter it in the "I Can't Believe I Wore This Dress. It’s gorgeous" category.

Winners in both categories will receive $100 gift certificates to the bookstore of their choice, for e-books or tree books, and an autographed copy of Murder Is a Piece of Cake.

Second place is a $25 gift certificate and an autographed copy of Murder Is a Piece of Cake.

Third place is an autographed copy of Murder Is a Piece of Cake.

Stop by Elaine's website and see Elaine’s bridesmaid dress and wedding photo from 1971. Remember, that pale orange chiffon was cutting edge in Florissant, Missouri.While you're there, enter the Elaine Viets National Bridesmaid Dress Contest now through November 1, 2012.

Meet Dru Ann Love

I was delighted to meet mystery blogger Dru Ann Love at Bouchercon in Cleveland. I've seen Dru Ann at conferences for several years, but we've never formally connected. She stopped by the registration table for the Raleigh Bouchercon where I was trying to interest folks in the 2015 conference. I hope some of my readers will drop by Dru's Book Musings, where "reading is a wonderful adventure."

Barry Award - Best British Crime Novel

Congratulations to Peter James for the Barry Award for Dead Man's Grip! I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. James at the Cleveland airport after Bouchercon. Sadly, I hadn't attended the awards ceremony, so I didn't know to congratulate him in person.

Macavity Award Winners

Thursday evening, October 4, Janet Rudolph presented the Macavity Awards at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland during Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention. Janet is the driving force behind Mystery Readers Journal. A list of the nominees can be found on Janet's Mystery Fanfare. Winners are listed below.

Best Mystery Novel
Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran
Best First Mystery Novel
All Cry Chaos by Leonard Rosen
Best Mystery Related Non-Fiction
The Sookie Stackhouse Companion, edited by Charlaine Harris
Best Mystery Short Story
"Disarming" by Dana Cameron
Sue Feder Memorial Historical Mystery
Dandy Gilver and the Proper Treatment of Bloodstains
by Catriona McPherson

By way of congratulations, how about reading the winners' books?