A Word Please

I’m excited to present something a little different today. My good friend and fellow author Stacy Juba has recently released her brand new mystery Sink or Swim. Rather than the typical interview, Stacy had a unique idea. We hope you enjoy this crossover scene between burned out hairdresser Skye Summers from my novel The Cutting Edge and personal trainer/former reality show contestant Cassidy Novak from Stacy Juba’s new mystery novel Sink or Swim. In Stacy’s book, Cassidy has gained fame for starring on the hit reality show Sink or Swim. Not only does she lose and have to walk the plank, but upon returning home, Cassidy discovers she is being stalked. As her former competitors get killed off, Cassidy refuses to play by the stalker’s bizarre rules. She’s also being shadowed by photographer Zach Gallagher, who has been assigned to capture her personal moments for the local newspaper. She wants to trust Zach, but fears he may not be as nice as he seems. When the stalker forces a showdown, Cassidy must walk the plank again – this time for her life.
***

“Congratulations for being on that reality show,” Skye said over her shoulder, leading Cassidy to a styling chair. Soft rock music drifted from the radio. “That must have been quite an experience.”

“That’s for sure. I just wish I could have won.” Cassidy sank into the chair and Skye slipped a cape over her customer’s short-sleeved Spike’s Muscle Madness shirt.

“It’s still quite an accomplishment,” Skye said. “Reality shows aren’t my thing, so I never watched a whole episode, but I caught bits and pieces of Sink or Swim and you looked great. How did that show work anyway? I know you were on a Tall Ship and there was a plank….”

Cassidy groaned and shook her long cherry red hair out of her elastic. “Don’t remind me. Basically, there were 12 contestants competing in four teams. We served as crew members and did all the grunt work, like mopping the deck and washing dishes. Every week, someone got sent packing and had to walk the plank.”

“You lasted till the very end, though. Good for you.”

“It was tough losing to Reggie Elliott. He’s such a jerk. I was tempted to feed him to the sharks a few times.”

Skye’s eyes widened and then she laughed. “I hear you. There are some clients I wouldn’t mind feeding to the sharks and having them chewed to pieces.” She fingered the back of Cassidy’s soft waves. “So what are we doing?”

“I’m thinking of going blonde.”

“Cassidy! Tell me you’re kidding. You have the most beautiful red hair.”

“I wouldn’t really dye it, but I have this aggravating client at the gym.” Cassidy frowned. “She was addicted to watching Sink or Swim – or rather, to watching ME on Sink or Swim. She actually had the nerve to copy my hair style. I’m not just talking about a haircut, Skye – I mean, this nutcase colored her hair red! I told her I was thinking of going blonde, just to mess with her.”

“Maybe you could wear a different wig every day,” Skye said with a grin. “Either that, or kill her. I take it that fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?”

“Not exactly. Going back to work has been weird. It feels like everyone is staring at me.” Cassidy hesitated. “And I got this letter from a guy named Miles. He was talking about giving a Raggedy Ann doll to our daughter. I know it’s nothing, but it creeped me out.”

“I’m sure all celebrities get that kind of mail. That’s what you are now, Cass. A celebrity. Let’s head over to the sink.”

Skye spent the next fifteen minutes washing and trimming Cassidy’s hair. Afterwards, Cassidy left her a much higher tip than she could afford.

As Skye swept stray red locks off the floor, something caught her attention on the radio.
“Reggie Elliott, million dollar winner of the reality TV show Sink or Swim, was found murdered today in his New Jersey home,” the announcer said.

Skye froze, her hands clenched around the broom. It sounded as if Cassidy wasn’t the only one who had it in for Reggie Elliott.
***

Let’s have a look at Sink or Swim:

When reality TV turns to murder, it’s sink, swim or die. Ambitious personal trainer Cassidy Novak has gained national fame for starring on Sink or Swim, nicknamed SOS, a hit reality game show set aboard a Tall Ship. She hopes the prize money will help to launch her dream of owning a chain of fitness centers. Not only does she lose the competition and have to walk the plank in the finale, after the game show ends, the terror begins. Upon returning to her small Massachusetts hometown, Cassidy discovers she has attracted a stalker masterminding his own twisted game. She struggles to focus on her health club job and celebrity endorsement opportunities, but her stalker has other plans. As her former competitors get knocked off one-by-one, Cassidy refuses to play by his bizarre rules. She’s also being shadowed by hunky photographer Zach Gallagher, who has been assigned to capture her personal moments for a spread in the local newspaper. She wants to trust Zach, but fears he may not be the nice guy that he seems. With or without Zach’s help, when the stalker forces a showdown by threatening her family, Cassidy must once again walk the plank – this time for her life.

Stacy Juba is also the author of the mystery novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and the patriotic children’s picture book The Flag Keeper. For more about her books, visit her web site http://stacyjuba.com/blog/.

Here are all of Stacy’s books on Amazon, in both print and Kindle format:

Stacy and I would love to hear your thoughts on Skye’s chat with Cassidy! Feel free to leave your comments and/or questions here. And be sure to check out Stacy’s books. Her two mysteries are excellent reads and her children’s book is both fun and educational.

Thanks for reading!

I’m excited to have my good friend Stacy Juba here today to discuss her new children’s book The Flag Keeper! Stacy has also generously offered to provide a free e-book download of her mystery novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today to one lucky commenter! Read on for the details!

Before we talk about Stacy’s new book, I should introduce you:

Award-winning writer Stacy Juba has published books for all ages, including the brand new patriotic children’s book The Flag Keeper. Her recent mystery novels for adults include Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and the upcoming Sink or Swim. Stacy has written more than 2,000 articles and won over a dozen writing awards. Her young adult novel Face-Off was published by Avon Books when she was 18 years old. After years of working as a reporter, Stacy now concentrates on writing fiction and freelancing.

Here’s a look at The Flag Keeper:

Elizabeth may be a little bear, but she treats the American flag with big respect. After Dad leaves for a trip, Elizabeth pledges to raise the flag all by herself and create her own Independence Day. This patriotic picture book is designed to teach children about U.S. flag etiquette through an educational fiction story. It includes discussion questions, flag facts, and an activity. The Flag Keeper is ideal for military families, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, classroom and library use, and for anyone who wishes to teach a special child about American flag etiquette. It is a perfect complement to patriotic holidays.
***

Stacy took time out of her crazy schedule to chat with me about The Flag Keeper and her foray into writing for children. Here’s what she had to say:

What prompted you to write this particular book?

I wrote this story about seven years ago and got the idea after seeing how patriotic my husband was. He has always loved flags, and after we moved into our house, I encouraged him to buy a flag pole. Once we had the pole installed, I was intrigued by how he always carried the flag outside every morning and brought it inside at night. I didn’t understand why we couldn’t just leave the flag outside in the dark. That would have been a lot easier. He explained to me about U.S. flag etiquette and how the American flag should be brought in at night unless it’s under a spotlight. I never realized that and asked him about other aspects of U.S. flag etiquette. I found out, for example, that if your flag gets worn out, you should give it a proper retirement and get a new one. Every couple years, my husband purchases a new flag and brings the worn one to the local VFW as the post properly retires worn-out flags in a special Flag Day ceremony. I remembered learning about Betsy Ross and the history of the flag in elementary school, but I’d never heard about any of these flag etiquette rules before. I don’t think this is something that’s taught in most schools and decided to fill a niche by writing a children’s book about it. The overall theme is that while you won’t go to jail for breaking these rules, following them displays your respect and makes us all better Americans.

The artwork was done by your father. Is this the first picture book he has seen his work published in?

Yes. Initially, I submitted the story to children’s book publishers, just the text of the book, before he ever did illustrations. Publishers want to use their own illustrators for picture books. I was frustrated that all I got were form rejection letters on the story. With my young adult and adult manuscripts at that time, I had an agent and had some close calls. Even before that, I’d get some personal rejection letters from publishers on my novels, but with The Flag Keeper, it was 100 percent form letters. There was absolutely no interest in a fiction book about flag etiquette. Eventually, I gave up and it became a family project. I had envisioned Elizabeth as a young girl, but my father likes drawing animals and made her into a bear. I thought that added a dimension of sweetness and gentleness to the story. I never intended to independently publish the book, but then I found out how easy it was, especially because my husband is a talented graphic designer.

How do your children feel about being able to sit and read one of mom’s books?

They aren’t that curious about my adult books, but they thought the picture book was neat. I have a college friend with two children and they were fascinated when my first adult mystery novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today was published. They were asking her questions about the cover and the book trailer video, but she didn’t want to give them much detail since it is a murder mystery. I recently sent them a copy of The Flag Keeper in the mail with a note that said “Here’s a book from Auntie Stacy that you don’t have to wait 10 years to read!” So, it’s nice to share a published book with young readers.

Any plans to write another children’s book?

My father and I did another children’s picture book for fun, but I’m not sure whether I will publish it or not. I don’t foresee myself writing more picture books as I want to focus on launching an adult mystery series. I initially wrote the picture book manuscripts around the time I discovered that I had hypothyroidism. I was absolutely exhausted and was in a brain fog much of the time, and couldn’t focus on writing a novel. Once I finally went on the medication, it took awhile to feel back to normal, but I missed writing. I decided to write a couple of picture book manuscripts as I had several friends who were children’s book authors and it seemed more manageable as I’d be focusing on a much shorter story. I shared the manuscripts with them in online critique groups and they worked with me to make the stories stronger.

I do have a young adult paranormal thriller Dark Before Dawn which I expect to be published within the next couple of years, and within the next five years I plan to reissue an updated version of my 1992 young adult hockey novel Face-Off and possibly publish its never-before seen sequel Offsides. So, I will have future books coming out for a junior high and high school audience.

You typically write in the mystery genre. What did you enjoy most about breaking out of that mold and writing for kids? What did you find the hardest?

I enjoyed analyzing a lot of picture books to get a feel for the genre. It was fun sharing The Flag Keeper manuscript with my critique partners and using my journalistic skills to convey factual information about the flag code into a fiction story. I enjoyed doing the research and compiling the flag facts at the end of the book. My published children’s author friends believed the book was strong enough to be published, so even though I put it on the shelf for a few years, I never forgot about the manuscript. The most rewarding part for me was seeing it brought to life with illustrations, then seeing the terrific job my husband did with the graphic design. He used whimsical stars and stripes lettering and really dressed up the book with small touches here and there.

Even though it was easier for me to focus on a short manuscript at that fatigued time of my life, writing a picture book manuscript was far from easy. The hard parts were using a vocabulary at a child’s level, making sure every paragraph or so gave enough visuals to inspire an illustration, and cutting, cutting, cutting so the story didn’t get too long. I love describing characters and scenery in novels, but in a picture book, it’s the illustrator’s job to convey those details. I had to cut most of my descriptions as they bogged down the story. It’s challenging to write tight, yet give the illustrator enough detail to create the pictures. I also wanted to make sure that the book would be a valuable teaching tool for teachers, school librarians and troop leaders, so that they could read the story to their group and then have a discussion about flag etiquette to help reinforce the information. An educator friend tested the pre-published version on an elementary school class and gave me input on the topics they discussed and a flag-folding activity that the class did. I used her feedback to create discussion questions and include a suggested activity in the book. So, a variety of people lent their feedback to The Flag Keeper to make it as strong as possible. I am excited to finally share the published book with young readers!
***

I’ve read The Flag Keeper and it is truly both fun and educational (for kids and adults)! You can check it out on Amazon:

Curious? Here’s a glimpse at both the print copy and Kindle version:

For twenty-five years, Diana Ferguson’s killer has gotten away with murder. When rookie obit writer and newsroom editorial assistant Kris Langley investigates the cold case of the artistic young cocktail waitress who was obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology, she must fight to stay off the obituary page herself.

Leave a comment here before midnight EST on Saturday, October 23. I’ll randomly pick the winner and announce it here. Be sure to use a valid email address and watch your spam folder. I’ll pass the winner’s email address on to Stacy and she’ll provide that lucky person with a free download code!

Now go ahead an leave a comment! Happy reading.

Book Spotlight for April & May

A Shelter From The Storm by Dianne Sagan

Synopsis: Brittany Camp flees to a short-term shelter for battered women when the worst snow storm in 50 years hits Seattle. She must draw hidden courage from within and fight for her family’s safety but finds herself only one step ahead of her volatile husband who’s bent on killing her.

What makes this work of fiction different than most about domestic violence? Shelter from the Storm has very little actual violence and has an underlying theme of hope for a woman who is running for her life. Brittany Camp is not a woman of revenge, she is a woman who hopes to find inner strength for the toughest thing she’s ever done.

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Duncan’s Diary by Duncan Moron

Synopsis: Duncan is in the throes of a mid-life crisis and searching for his own identity. His problems seem no different than other men facing the same issues, but as he struggles through a divorce and the challenges of co-parenting his children, Duncan soon realizes that he feels complete inside only when he begins to secretly explore a world of torture and death-a world that only he controls. Suddenly, Duncan’s life is no longer normal at all.

As Duncan deals with his newfound guilty pleasure of destruction and wickedness, his diary entries reflect a roller coaster psychological journey. Duncan grapples with the ramifications of what he is becoming, but at the same time, graphically describes the deaths of several of his victims. Clearly a man caught between his morals and an evil calling, Duncan leads a seemingly typical life during the day, but in the dark of night becomes a monster. Only one man suspects what Duncan is capable of-his best friend, Sudhir, a detective in the Palo Alto Police Department.

Despite Duncan’s cries for help penned on the pages of his diary, he becomes a master at hiding his transformation from “the guy next door” to a masterful serial killer.

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Sensitivity 101 for the Heterosexual Male by Philip Nork

Synopsis: The journey we are on is a difficult one, even more so for those of a broken family. Follow the adventures of one such boy as he searches for the two desires we all have in common: to be accepted by others and to be truly happy.

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Twenty-Five Years Ago Today by Stacy Juba

Synopsis: Obit writer and editorial assistant Kris Langley feels like the newsroom slave – that is, until she stumbles across an unsolved murder while compiling “25 Years Ago Today” items from the microfilm. Determined to launch her reporting career, Kris investigates the cold case of Diana Ferguson, an artistic young cocktail waitress obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology. She soon learns that old news never leaves the morgue and that yesterday’s headline is tomorrow’s danger, for finding out the truth about that night twenty-five years ago may shatter Kris’s present, costing her love, her career, and ultimately, her life.

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Imagining The Future by Magdalena Ball & Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Synopsis: As part of the special celebration gift book series, Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball have produced a new poetry chapbook focusing on fathers, husbands, and men in general. This makes a wonderful gift for Father’s Day or anytime you want to say something unique in a way that only poetry can to a special male in your life.

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600 Hours of Edward by Craig Lancaster

Synopsis: Edward Stanton, a middle-aged man with Asperger syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder, lives alone in a small house in Billings, Montana, where he has managed to keep the world at arm’s length. He sticks to things he count on, like his nightly viewings of the ’60s cop show “Dragnet,” and things he can count, like the days of the year and the daily temperatures. But in a 25-day slice of his heavily regimented existence, the world turns the tables on Edward and forces him to confront life in all its beauty and ferocity.

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Joe’s Black T-Shirt: Short Stories About St. Louis by Joe Schwartz

Synopsis: St. Louis is an amazing city where elitists, idealists, and pacifists co-exist with the disenfranchised, the amoral, and the secretly racist. Ignored, except by the brave who decide to live here or the damned with no other choice, come thirteen stories that prove there is nowhere in the world like it.

Download it free at: www.Scribd.com
Or purchase the book at: www.Lulu.com

Today, I’m am thrilled to introduce everyone to Stacy Juba! I recently read Stacy’s first book, Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, and it captivated me! I can’t wait to read her next one!

A little about Stacy:

Stacy Juba is the author of the mystery novels Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and the upcoming Sink or Swim. She is a former journalist with more than a dozen writing awards to her credit. Her web site is www.stacyjuba.com and her blog is http://stacyjuba.com/blog/.

Her Book:

Obit writer and editorial assistant Kris Langley feels like the newsroom slave – that is, until she stumbles across an unsolved murder while compiling “25 Years Ago Today” items from the microfilm. Determined to launch her reporting career, Kris investigates the cold case of Diana Ferguson, an artistic young cocktail waitress obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology. She soon learns that old news never leaves the morgue and that yesterday’s headline is tomorrow’s danger, for finding out the truth about that night twenty-five years ago may shatter Kris’s present, costing her love, her career, and ultimately, her life.

I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Kris Langley today! Kris unwittingly stepped into the starring role in Stacy Juba’s book Twenty-Five Years Ago Today. At the time the story began, Kris had no idea her life would be interesting enough to write about. However, a few small choices led her down a path she (and her readers) will never forget.

Kris, welcome and thanks for coming! You decided to make a sudden career switch and wound up as an editorial assistant, while also writing obituaries for a newspaper. Was writing something you’d always wanted to do?

I was always good at writing and it came easily to me, but I wouldn’t say it was something I always wanted to do. To be honest, I never really knew what I wanted to do. It was more, where did I want to go and where could I escape from the stressful thoughts and nightmares that always plagued me. College wasn’t fun for me in the way that it was fun for my roommates. I thought it would be exciting to live in New York after graduation, but my administrative assistant job didn’t fulfill me and all the noise of the city just made me even more unsettled. I fell into journalism after I moved back home and took the newspaper job, and I feel fortunate to have re-discovered writing. I now have an outlet for all those emotions I’ve been suppressing – things I can’t say out loud, I can voice through my writing. And the written word has power. You’ve probably heard the expression “power of the press.” That makes me feel empowered also.

Can you tell us how you went from writing obituaries to investigating a murder?

One of my tasks at the newspaper is compiling the 25 and 50 Years Ago Today column. One day while researching my column, I stumbled across the 25-year-old cold case of Diana Ferguson. I was disturbed to see that the case had been unsolved all these years. I decided to snoop around a bit, and as a result, met Diana’s sister and mother. That made Diana even more real to me, and I felt compelled to do what I could to bring justice for her family.

What was it about Diana Ferguson’s case that tugged at your heartstrings?

I’m no stranger to murder. My cousin Nicole was murdered when we were kids and I’ve always blamed myself for that. Thanks to my childish prank, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Finding Diana’s killer was a way of redeeming myself from my past mistakes. I thought if I could solve Diana’s murder, in some small way, maybe it would make up for what I did to Nicole. I was also intrigued by Diana. She worked as a cocktail waitress in a seedy bar and didn’t have a lot of ambition. Her father’s death had devastated her and it was like part of herself had died with him. But as a hobby, she painted these beautiful, haunting scenes of Greek and Roman mythology. I really wanted to know what Diana’s paintings meant and whether they might provide a clue to the murder.

Now that you’ve fully confronted the trauma of your youth, have you been able to forgive yourself for the part you thought you played in your cousin’s death?

I will always regret what happened with Nicole and I don’t know if all of the guilt can ever be erased. But, now I’m ready to stop being so hard on myself. I can admit that I’m only human and I was just a kid back then. For the first time, I’ve been talking about it with people rather than bottling it all up inside, and there is something freeing in that.

You and Eric Soares had a lot of chemistry, even at the start when you weren’t sure you trusted each other. Might there be an Eric Junior in your future?

Eric and I have a lot of obstacles to overcome, but I’d love to see where that path leads. I’m in no hurry to settle down and have kids, though. For one thing, I just need to have fun. I haven’t had a lot of fun in my life. Also, I’m just starting to find myself. I don’t think I’d be a good mother right now. But someday… yes. I’d like a husband, two kids and a white picket fence. I’m starting to realize that I deserve happiness.

Do you plan to use your investigative skills to hunt down the killers in other unsolved murders?

You never know!
***
You can purchase Stacy’s book on Amazon by clicking here!

You can also purchase it through her publisher, Mainly Murder Press:
http://mainlymurderpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=33, as well as Barnes and Noble and a variety of other bookstores!