Join us for this tour from Aug 31 to Oct 9, 2020!
I hope you will scroll down and read a very interesting Guest Post - A Day In The Life Of A Mystery Writer by this wonderful author, Lauren Carr!
Book Details:
Book Title: Candidate for Murder by Lauren Carr
Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 12)
Category: Adult fiction, 464 pages
Genre: Murder Mystery / Political Satire
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: June 9, 2016
Format available for review: Print (USA only). Audible download, ebook (mobi, epub, PDF)
Tour dates: Aug 31to Oct 9, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 - (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
"It is an amusing look at politics and media today. Appropriate to see how the Deep Creek mayoral election relates to current events. Dissatisfaction with politicians on many levels often leave us looking for extreme change. It may leave you thoughtful. It may leave you writing Gnarly's name in as your preferred candidate in the next election."Reviewer: Merry Citarella, Jaquo.com
"Hilarious, mysterious and full of adventure, Gnarly and his human friends will have you on the edge of your seat unable to put your book down. Candidate for Murder is well written, played out and a story that you have just never heard before. I enjoyed every moment reading this book!" Reviewer: Working Mommy Journal
https://www.youtube.com/embed/OvCB5VnQlmUBook Description:
It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the year-round residents who enjoy their rural way of life and the city dwellers who are moving into mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed-gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clotheslines. When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees to the town’s residents, David O’Callaghan, the chief of police, decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run for mayor of Spencer! What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight, Gnarly becomes the front-runner, and his political opponents proceed to dig into the canine’s past. When one of the mayoral candidates ends up dead, it becomes apparent that slinging mud is not enough for someone with a stake in this election. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!
Buy the Book:
Audible ~ Amazon
B&N ~ BAM ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads
Guest Post
A Day in the Life of a Mystery Writer
By Lauren Carr
For some reason, the general population is curious about the daily life of a writer.
What goes on in our lives from sun rise to sunset? Do we simply sit in front of the computer transmitting literary greatness from our brains, down our arms, and out through our fingertips to the keyboard?
Or is our life more like a Neil Simon play (most of his protagonists were writers based on himself) with quirky characters coming in and out throughout the day to annoy and inspire us? Have you ever noticed how little time Neil’s protagonists actually spent writing?
Or maybe we live like John-Boy Walton from The Waltons, where every day is filled with a wondrous insight into this thing called life?
As a young girl aspiring to one day be a mystery writer, I had fantasized that my life would be like that of Jessica Fletcher in It’s Murder, She Wrote, or Ellery Queen. Not a week would go by without a dead body and mystery popping up for me to solve.
After penning almost thirty mysteries across four series (Mac Faraday Mysteries, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries) I have given up all hope of tripping over a dead body on the way to the coffeemaker in the morning. Frankly, there’s not enough time in my schedule to nab real killers.
So, you may ask, what is the day in the life of a mystery writer really like? Well, I have found that it takes a daily routine and a commitment to sticking to it in order to write books.
Here’s how I do it:
6:00 am: Each day starts with a vigorous run at the crack of dawn. To reveille performed by my security team [Sterling (German Shepherd/Chief of Security) and Storm (German Shepherd/Deputy Chief of Security)], I jump out of bed and run for the door to let them outside, where they immediately secure the perimeter from any invading squirrels, deer, or low-flying birds.
Hit the button to start the coffee brewing on the way to the door.
6:15-6:30 am: Prepare mess (breakfast for the security team).
6:30-7:00 am: Wake-up to coffee while reviewing e-mails and checking books sales. Read the important stuff. Example of important: Recipe from a friend for Oreos Truffles.
7:00 am: Security announces that the perimeter is secure, and they are now ready for breakfast. The Chief of Security (Sterling) remains outside to direct deer traffic taking the expressway on the south end of the property. (Every now and then, a couple will have a collision while trying to text and drive from Route 115 to the river. Will they ever learn?)
Grab another cup of coffee and move from emails into social media.
Book promotion. Writers are expected to spend some time every day promoting their books. The best way to expand readership is to keep up on what other authors are doing through social media and blogging. But writers need to be careful not to get so sucked into social media and end up not having any time to write.
The social media and blogging are also great research tools. Friends and followers on social media are always sending me links to great blogs and videos with information that I can put in my books. Like this one I got just today:
Of course, this video will demand in-depth research before I can put it in a book (in other words, numerous viewings.)
7:30 am: Husband wakes up to discover that the coffee pot is empty and that I have once again set up camp in the corner of the living room instead of working in my writer’s studio.
After making another pot of coffee, I send the Chief of Security (Sterling) outside to once again check the perimeters. The Deputy Chief has gone back to bed, which annoys the chief to no end. Sterling is anal about security. After all, his master is a mystery writer with a following. There could be an obsessed fan out there in a squirrel suit. Meanwhile, Storm takes her morning nap. She needs her beauty sleep.
Back to writing guest blog posts and getting the word out to my followers on social media about Gnarly pulling ahead in the polls in Spencer’s mayoral election. What a cute picture of a husky pup! I need to retweet that! … A nun killed a priest in Texas? Need to read that news article—research potential!
10:00 am: Husband wants breakfast and another cup of coffee—stares at me until I pick up the message telepathically. Sterling announces that the feral cat next door is threatening an advance from the Northeast ridge. He needs back up. Imperative that I take a break from writing to go take care of my family before they completely fall apart. Hey, got a new follower on Instagram! She’s a mystery writer. Let me check out her books!
11:00 am: Discover that I am now five hours into my day and I am still in my bathrobe and slippers. You can’t expect to go far in your writing career if you don’t treat it seriously. You need to dress for it. Shower, dress, and get ready to work on my latest work in progress.
12 Noon: Husband asks what’s for lunch. Discover that I was so busy that I have not had breakfast. It is a busy life for a mystery writer!
1:00 pm: After cooking and eating lunch, I sit down to my laptop to work on my book. Email pops in from friend with link to article about an old man who kills wife of sixty years because he got sick of listening to her yap. That’s research potential!
2:15 pm: Sterling announces that it is time to play catch. As Chief of Security, it is important that he stay at the top of his game by keeping his reflexes in tip-top shape with exercise. Go outside to play catch.
3:00 pm: Now it is time to get to work on my book.
4:00 pm: Husband asks, “What’s for dinner?” Unable to answer, I open the freezer door and stare into the interior until something jumps out at me. Husband rejects that. Back to staring into the freezer. Next thing that moves gets thawed.
5:00 pm: Move from freezer to the computer screen--Staring at the computer screen until drops of blood form on my forehead from thinking so hard.
5:35 pm: Inspiration breaks through and greatness pours from my fingertips onto the keyboard.
5:45 pm: Sterling sits in front of my chair and stares up at me. Telepathically he communicates. Feed me.
6:00 pm: Feed dogs and cook dinner.
8:00 pm: After Dinner. The quiet of the evening is a great time to get those creative juices flowing. Now is the time to let my characters come to life and write late into the evening.
8:30 pm: Security team announces that it is time to secure the perimeter for the night. On the way through the kitchen, a carton of ice cream calls to me from the freezer. A hot fudge sundae would surely give me strength to write late into the night.
9:00 pm: Security declares the boundaries safe for the night and come to call it a night. The Chief (Sterling) critiques the team on their day’s performance. The Deputy Chief (Storm) disagrees with the Chief’s evaluation. She is not lazy! She just has a different style than he does. An argument results. Sterling feels Storm over reacted. I’m called in to negotiate. Everyone retreats to their beds in disgust.
With the sundae devoured, I return to the laptop with the full intention to write late into the night … or until the pillow starts calling out that it’s my bedtime (around 12 Midnight).
How did Jessica Fletcher write so many books in It’s Murder, She Wrote with mysteries to solve every week?
____________________________________________________________
I was so excited to be reading and reviewing another Mac Faraday mystery by Lauren Carr, and especially because I get a visit with Gnarly, Mac's German Shepherd. I love this quirky canine and he is by far my favorite character in this series.
It's election time in the town of Spencer and guess who is on the ballot? Yep, You got it, Gnarly! It started out as fun, but boy did it get nasty fast! Taking readers down a road of a fast paced, action packed suspense thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. There is so much going on here, so many wonderful characters to get to know, but it is also so much interesting fun to follow these characters in their quest to find a new mayor. I so much enjoyed the twist with the election, and I loved getting to dig deeper into Gnarly's life. And we find some interesting things about the loveable and adorable German shepherd! Author Lauren Carr does a fabulous job writing this book, and weaving it all together for a great ending. These Mac Faraday stories with the wonderful Gnarly are growing on me fast. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
I have read several books by Lauren Carr now and and I know I will enjoy every page of the book. I love her writing style. Her characters are always interesting, fun, realistic, and you can always expect to find a read that will stay with you for a good long while and have you coming back for more. If you love a good clean, fun, suspense story this is a great one to check out. Candidate for Murder is a very deserving 5 plus stars for me.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Also Available for Review:
Go Back to the Beginning to When Mac Met Gnarly.
"Lauren's dialogue is brisk, her setting beautiful and the addition of Gnarly is very clever...It's Murder, My Son is a delightful read and I look forward to more of Carr's Mac Faraday mysteries." --Connie Gregory, Connie's Reviews
"I couldn't put this book down! Lauren Carr develops the characters and weaves the details of the murder investigation into a complex storyline that keeps the reader relentlessly turning pages. She is skilled at teasing you into reading more. I finished the last page still wanting to read more!" -- Kelly Carpenter, Kelly's Lucky You
"No disrespect to Mac Faraday, Archie Monday, David O'Callaghan, Travis Turner or any of the multitude of good, bad and ugly characters populating Lauren Carr's It's Murder, My Son; but to me the most interesting character in the book is a lovable, mischievous, sneaky German shepherd named Gnarly." - David M. Kinchen, Huntington News
Book Details:
Book Title: It's Murder, My Son by Lauren Carr
Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 1)
Category: Adult fiction (18+), 288 pages
Genre: Murder Mystery
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: June 23, 2010
Format available for review: Audible download, ebook (mobi, epub, PDF)
Tour dates: Aug 31 to Oct 9, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 - (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
Book Description:
What started out as the worst day of Mac Faraday’s life would end up being a new beginning. After a messy divorce hearing, the last person that Mac wanted to see was another lawyer. Yet, this lawyer wore the expression of a child bursting to tell his secret. This confidence would reveal Mac as heir to undreamed of fortunes, and lead him to the birthplace of America’s Queen of Mystery and an investigation that will unfold like one of her famous mystery novels.
Soon after she moves to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, Katrina Singleton learns that life in an exclusive community is not all good. For some unknown reason, a strange man calling himself “Pay Back” begins stalking her. When Katrina is found strangled all evidence points to her terrorist, who is nowhere to be found.
Three months later, the file on her murder is still open when Mac Faraday, sole heir to his unknown birth mother’s home and fortune, moves into the estate next door. Little does he know as he drives up to Spencer Manor that he is driving into a closed gate community that is hiding more suspicious deaths than his DC workload as a homicide detective. With the help of his late mother’s journal, this retired cop puts all his detective skills to work to pick up where the local investigators have left off to follow the clues to Katrina’s executor.
Buy the Book:
Audible ~ Amazon
B&N ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads
Meet the Author:
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, Thorny Rose Mysteries, and the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—close to thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds (including the nephew of the late-great Gnarly! (pictured above)) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest
~ Goodreads
TOUR SCHEDULE:
Sep 1 –Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Sep 2 – Books for Books – book review of It’s Murder, My Son
Sep 2 - Blooming with Books - book spotlight of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Sep 3 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of It’s Murder, My Son / giveaway
Sep 4 – Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Sep 7 –Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 8 – Christa Reads and Writes – book review of It’s Murder, My Son / giveaway
Sep 8 - My Reading Journeys - audiobook review of It's Murder, My Son / giveaway
Sep 9 –My Fictional Oasis – book review of Candidate for Murder
Sep 11 –Nighttime Reading Center – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 11 –fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Sep 14 –Literary Flits – book review of It’s Murder, My Son / giveaway
Sep 15 –Jazzy Book Reviews – book review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Sep 16 –Books for Books – book spotlight
Sep 17 –Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of It's Murder, My Son / guest post / giveaway
Sep 18 –My Journey Back - audiobook review of It's Murder, My Son / giveaway
Sep 21 –My Journey Back - audiobook review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Sep 22 –Mystery Suspense Reviews – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder
Sep 22 - Mystery Suspense Reviews - book spotlight / author interview
Sep 23 –Books and Zebras @jypsylynn – book review of Candidate for Murder
Sep 24 –Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Sep 25 –Buried Under Books - audiobook review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Sep 28 –StoreyBook Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 29 –Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight
Sep 30 –Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Sep 30 - Blooming with Books - audiobook review of It's Murder, My Son / giveaway
Oct 1 –Christa Reads and Writes – book review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Oct 1 - So Fine Print – book review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Oct 2 –Adventurous Jessy – book review of It’s Murder, My Son / giveaway
Oct 5 –Splashes of Joy – book review of It’s Murder, My Son / giveaway
Oct 6 –Literary Flits – book review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Oct 6 - Amy's Booket List - audiobook review of Candidate for Murder
Oct 7 –Sylv.net – book spotlight
Oct 7 - My Reading Journeys - audiobook review of Candidate for Murder / guest post / giveaway
Oct 8 - Splashes of Joy – book review of Candidate for Murder / guest post / author interview / giveaway
Oct 9 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
Oct 9 - Adventurous Jessy – book review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
TBD – Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of Candidate for Murder / giveaway
TBD – Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of It’s Murder, My Son / giveaway
Prizes: $50 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Lauren Carr, author of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER (ends Oct 16)
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/518e728474/
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