Hello lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to
host Heather Weidner and her new book, “Secret Lives and Private Eyes”! For other stops on her Goddess Fish
Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above.
Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter
to win one (1) Set of 4 Nancy Drew Wine Charms to one lucky winner. Also, come back daily to
interact with Heather and to increase your chances of winning!
Thanks for stopping by! Wishing you lots of luck in this exciting
giveaway!
Please note that this giveaway is only available to
US residents. Sorry INTL – please check
out other giveaways on this blog.
Secret Lives and Private Eyes
by Heather Weidner
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GENRE: Mystery
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BLURB:
Business has
been slow for Private Investigator, Delanie Fitzgerald, but her luck seems to
change when a tell-all author hires her to find rock star, Johnny Velvet. Could
the singer whose career purportedly ended in a fiery crash almost thirty years
ago, still be alive?
And as
though sifting through dead ends in a cold case isn’t bad enough, Chaz
Wellington Smith, III, a loud-mouthed, strip club owner, also hires Delanie to
uncover information about the mayor’s secret life. When the mayor is murdered,
Chaz, is the key suspect. Now Delanie must clear his name and figure out why
landscaper Tripp Payne, keeps popping up in her other investigation. Can the
private investigator find the connection between the two cases before another
murder – possibly her own – takes place?
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EXCERPT ONE:
“Hey,
do you want another drink?” slurred the man on the barstool next to Delanie
Fitzgerald.
Delanie
leaned in closer. “No, but I’d like to go somewhere and get to know you better.
What do you think about that?” she asked, winking at the fifty-something
sitting next to her. She tossed her long red curls to one side and tilted her
head toward him. She hoped the black dress showed enough cleavage to do the
trick.
He
smiled. He looked like he was expecting her to kiss him. When she didn’t, he
waved to the bartender for the tab.
The
man placed two twenties on the bar next to his glass. Delanie slid off the
barstool, careful not to cause her micro-dress to creep any higher. Flipping
her shiny purse strap over her shoulder, she made her way out through the
crowd. Delanie felt his ragged breaths on the back of her neck, huffing and
puffing like he’d run three or four laps. He reached out and touched her
shoulder, trying to steady himself.
When
they arrived at the parking lot, she said, “I’m over there. I’ll follow you.
Where to?
“I
dunno. I’m not from this part of town.”
“We
could go to your place,” she suggested.
“Uh,
no. Too far. It wouldn’t be any fun.”
“Well,
I’m all about fun. Okay, where then?” She shivered and wished she had brought a
jacket, but it would have ruined the effect.
“Uh,
I dunno,” he stammered. “I think they’re some places over near the interstate a
couple of blocks from here.”
“Okay.
I want somewhere nice with a Jacuzzi.”
“I
didn’t bring a swimsuit.”
“Neither
did I,” she said.
He
leered at Delanie, taking in her long legs and short skirt, while fishing
through his pockets for his keys.
“I’m in the beige Corolla down there,” he
said.
She
climbed in her black Mustang and watched him stagger to his car.
Delanie
felt a tinge of guilt for letting him drive drunk, but she needed to get him at
a motel. She started the engine. He still hadn’t made it to his car. After
turning on the lights and the radio, she kicked off the four-inch heels that
pinched her feet and made her calves burn. She threw them in the backseat and
settled in to watch what he would do next.
He
finally backed out, and Delanie followed behind him until he pulled into a
small motel at the entrance ramp to I-95. The sign under the neon vacancy
advertised Jacuzzis and free breakfast.
He
parked and walked over to her car. Rolling down the window a crack, she waited.
He leaned forward but didn’t say anything.
“Why
don’t you get us a room?” she asked. “I’ll pull around back and wait for you to
get everything ready.”
“Okay,”
he smiled again and wandered off in the direction of the office. It was twelve
thirty-five according to the radio display.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GUEST POST:
Mystery Book Fan to Mystery Book Writer: How a Passion Turned into a
Career
Thank you so much for letting me visit today. I write
mystery novels and short stories. I’ve been a mystery fan since Scooby Doo and
Nancy Drew, and I’ve been writing in some fashion since elementary school.
By day, I’m an IT manager, so I haven’t take the plunge into
the full-time writing life yet. My five-to-ten-year plan is to do that as my
next phase in life. But for now, it is my second career, and I’m having a lot
of fun with writing, marketing, and meeting readers.
When I started writing, I didn't realize how much marketing
was required of authors. It has been a rush of activity (especially with all
the other things going on at the same time).
I am fortunate to be a part of several very supportive
writer groups. They are so generous with their time, advice, and company. I
blog with the Lethal Ladies Write, part of Sisters and Crime – Central
Virginia. I am also part of Sisters in Crime International and the Guppies.
I’ve had two short stories published in the Virginia is for Mysteries series
and we’ve done over eighty events and signings since 2014. It’s nice to have a
group to sign books and attend writing events with.
The journey to published author took a while. And I have
several abandoned manuscripts in desk drawers to prove it. My first published
novel was really the third I had written. The path to publication is a learning
experience. And my critique group is an amazing resource. While writing and
revising for what seemed like the hundredth time, I learned a lot about plot,
characters, dialogue, and writing. I rewrote the first chapter of Secret Lives
and Private Eyes several times.
My advice to anyone who wants become a writer is to not give
up. It is A LOT of work, but it’s worth it. You need to be persistent and to
keep working on your craft. Your writing improves by writing and revising.
While it has been a whirlwind of activity over the
last few months, it has been tremendous fun. And I look forward to what the
fall and winter brings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR BIO:
Heather Weidner’s
short stories appear in Virginia is for Mysteries and Virginia
is for Mysteries Volume II. Currently, she is President of Sisters in Crime –
Central Virginia, and a member of Guppies and Lethal Ladies Write. Secret
Lives and Private Eyes is her debut novel.
Originally from
Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby Doo and Nancy Drew.
She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell
terriers.
Heather earned her BA
in English from Virginia Wesleyan College and her MA in American literature
from the University of Richmond. Through the years, she has been a technical
writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager.
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CONNECT WITH HEATHER:
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AMAZON BUY LINK:
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Heather Weidner will be awarding one (1) Set of 4 Nancy Drew Wine Charms
(US Only Addresses) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the
tour.
**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a
purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just
helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**
This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and
Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not
Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are
solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for letting me visit!
ReplyDelete