Rustling Up (FREE) Love!

A Special Note from Cole Walker - Hero of Rustling Up Love

Howdy, Marva, *doffs Stetson*  thanks for invitin’ me to your place today.

And a big howdy to all you gals and cowpokes out there for listenin’ to me.

My name is Cole Walker, *stands strait and squares shoulders* and I’m the sheriff of Cold Creek, Kansas. A right nice friendly little town.

Sad to say I’m havin’ problems tryin’ to keep the peace ‘round here lately. What with wily rustlers stealin’ JJ’s steers. Him puttin’ the  blame on the farmers, and the mayor givin’ me and my two deputies, Wade and Sully, one more month to find them before he calls for outside help. That’ll sure for shootin’ start an all out war.

*Sighs* Then there’s Mattie Wells, the pretty little thing that came to town with her pa to run the mercantile. Every time I look at her, my stomach does funny things. But I sure don’t understand her. First she’s liken’ me, then she turns to a hard frost in a minute. Never could figure out women. I do know she’s carryin’ something heavy on her heart. Dang, I wish she’d tell me what she’s holdin’ back.

And I can’t forget my sidekick--sorta. Would you believe a ringtail monkey? Ever since he came to town, he won’t leave me. I named him Beggar. He causes me more hassle than a poke full of pigs. He’s a thief and a stubborn little thing. Has his own mind set to pulling shenanigans all over town. What’s a sheriff to do, what with all these problems? ‘Specially Mattie. I really want that gal.

What I came here for today is to get some advice from you nice ladies and gents. Maybe you all can tell me how to win Mattie’s hand. How do I get her to likin’ me? Any advice you can give me will be ‘preciated.

Thank you.

* * *

Rustling Up Love by Lorrie Unites-Struiff is free on Kindle today and tomorrow. If you like sweet love stories (with a dash of spice) and a whole lot of humor, what's not to like about FREE!

Get Rustling Up Love at Amazon July 27th and 28th.

Newly arrived Mattie Wells sure jingles Sheriff Cole Walker's spurs with just a smile. He's determined to court her and to win her hand. But Mattie hides a dark secret and refuses to marry any man. Cole pushes to pry out her reasons and change her mind while harboring a secret of his own.

To win her heart, Cole's forced to put up with an unwanted thievin' ringtail monkey who thinks Cole is his new BFF just because Mattie thinks Beggar is adorable.

Now understand, Cole is fearless--except when it comes to critters. He's been a mite nervous ever since Pa's hound dog left teeth marks on his butt when he was a little tyke.

Under pressure from the Mayor to find and arrest the cattle rustlers causing trouble between the Double J ranch and the farmers, Cole has to prevent an all out war and pry Mattie's past out of her.

Sheriff Cole chases after Mattie, who steals his heart; a gang of rustlers who steal JJ's cattle; and Beggar who steals the town folk's jewelry.

It's a thrill of a ride.

BONUS: Here's the back cover of the print book if you like that new paperback smell. Also a very reasonably priced $4.49 on Amazon.

Rustle Up Some Trouble

Continuing with the publishing adventures of Lorrie Unites-Struiff, the third book she's re-issuing is all about love and cattle...and did I mention the monkey?

RUSTLING UP LOVE
by Lorrie Unites-Struiff

Newly arrived Mattie Wells sure jingles Sheriff Cole Walker's spurs with just a smile. He's determined to court her and to win her hand. But Mattie hides a dark secret and refuses to marry any man. Cole pushes to pry out her reasons and change her mind while harboring a secret of his own.

To win her heart, Cole's forced to put up with an unwanted thievin' ringtail monkey who thinks Cole is his new BFF just because Mattie thinks Beggar is adorable.

Now understand, Cole is fearless--except when it comes to critters. He's been a mite nervous ever since Pa's hound dog left teeth marks on his butt when he was a little tyke.

Under pressure from the Mayor to find and arrest the cattle rustlers causing trouble between the Double J ranch and the farmers, Cole has to prevent an all out war and pry Mattie's past out of her.

Sheriff Cole chases after Mattie, who steals his heart; a gang of rustlers who steal JJ's cattle; and Beggar who steals the town folk's jewelry.

It's a thrill of a ride.

Buy at:
Amazon Kindle and Print
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Call on the Dead Club

My good friend, Lorrie Struiff, is quickly turning out whole book under her own banner. She's been knocking herself out to issue a couple pretty close to the way they were previously published (by some small publishers). THE CALL ON THE DEAD CLUB is a compilation of five of the Winnie Krapski-Ghost Whisperer stories, plus a really funny bonus story titled "Splat."

Buy The Call on the Dead Club at Amazon, Kobo, and Nook. Lorrie will have all the links to all the books on her blog eventually. She might even get to doing that before she collapses in a puddle on the floor.

Did I mention all of the books are also going to be in print? Yes, indeedy. For the near term, the print books will only be available through Amazon. This stuff takes time, you know!

THE CALL ON THE DEAD CLUB by Lorrie Unites-Struiff

Come and meet Winnie Krapski who hugged a cherry tree during a lightning storm. The bolt slammed her, splitting the tree in half. The near-death experience bestowed her with a gift–one she’d rather not have.

Drafted into the C.O.D. Club (Call on the Dead) by Fat Phil Phillips, her mission is to grant the newly deceased’s ghost one last reasonable request. Can Winnie honor her oath?

Well, she tries. But, not before she stumbles into situations that almost get her killed. She’s one spunky broad. Follow her adventures.

Amazon Kindle and Print: 

Kobo
Barnes & Noble

Another Lorrie Struiff Book Hits the Market

Now out in ebook at Amazon, B&N Nook, and Kobo, the print book is in the work and soon to be available various places. Okay, I'm slightly bragging since I browbeat Lorrie into a final cover for "The Call on the Dead Club." I think it's pretty cool. Here's the skinny.

The Call on the Dead Club

A lightning blast struck poor Winnie Krapski when she tried to protect her new perm from the rain by hugging a cherry tree in her yard. Yep, the strike split the tree in half and subjected Winnie to a near-death experience.

When she woke and discovered she had a rare talent, she wanted it to go away--fast. Winnie could now see and talk to the ghost of the person laid out in a casket in a funeral parlor.

Along came Fat Phil Phillips and recruited Winnie into the Call on the Dead Club, a secret organization devoted to granting the last wish of the dead person so they could truly rest in peace. And the wish had to be completed before the casket was closed and the ghostie moved on to the next plane.

Winnie joined the group against her better judgment and, oh boy, the fun starts with her many adventures.

Secrets abound. Bullets fly.

Yep, it's Winnie granting a dead person's last request.

Gypsy Crystal by Lorrie Struiff

Lorrie's police procedural paranormal love story with gypsies is now available under her own imprint in ebook format on Amazon. Print is in the works. I'm pleased she asked me to help out with the cover. Between the two of us, I think we came up with a dandy one.

Blurb:

Everyone has secrets.

Homicide Detective Rita Moldova has a secret, a crystal amulet from her Roma bloodline that allows her to see the last image a victim had seen in their eyes before they died. Now, a ritual killer is terrorizing her town and the crystal’s magic has suddenly stopped doing its job.

FBI agent, Matt Boulet, is sent to lead the task force and gives the group strange orders. Worse, Rita senses he is holding back a deep, dark secret about the killer.

When she seeks her seer mother’s advice, she learns another secret about their clan that she finds impossible to swallow.

Rita swims through a whirlpool of confusion as the investigation continues. Can Rita deny the lore of the ancients? Can she deny her growing feelings for Matt Boulet?

Excerpt:

Before Rita had time to get her fingers on the gun, the man had shot out of the door, yanked her forward, and somehow shoved her headfirst onto the front seat. She skidded over the vinyl, her nose and cheek hitting hard, blocking her breath for a moment. Rita yelled; the door slammed shut. She scrambled to sit upright, gagging when she inhaled the dank, moldy scent of the interior. A metal object, hanging from the roof above the mirror, clunked heavy against her head. She swallowed the acrid taste in her throat.

The driver’s door opened and the man slipped inside. One corner of her mind wondered how he could have possibly run around the front of the van so fast. Rita rubbed her bruised temple and twisted the door handle. It was stuck. She rammed her shoulder into the door. It didn’t budge. The window was up. Her purse with the gun lay on the sidewalk. She worked the lock button and slammed into the door again. The impact sent shock waves down her arm to her fingertips. The van was rigged.

Rita looked at the serial killer, her heart banging against her ribs, her breathing short and shallow. Tapping the mic with frantic fingers, all she could do was pray.

The man grinned.

Guest Poster - Lorrie Struiff

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT BLOGGING?

I’v been on many guest blogs as I’m sure most authors have. My question for this post is; Do you think blogging helps spread the word of your book? Get your name known? Does it help you sell books?

Now I’m not talking spreading it to each other. You know, the whole “preaching to the choir bit.”

How many of you really have a large enough fan base/ readers, not authors that follow your guest posts? How many of you have a fan base following your personal blog?

If so, give me numbers, please.

I guess I’m having a hard time believing doing all the promoting we authors must do is garnering us much notice in the writing/selling world.

Oh yes, there are a few who have small fan bases. We don’t have the following of the biggies like Konrath or others who post.

And of course I’m constantly reading that the more stories you put out there the more notice and fans you will get to follow. Is that true? I’m not so sure.

Write a good story, all say, and you will get a following. Well? Don’t we all write good stories? We think so or we wouldn’t work so darn hard on them.

So, tell me where you stand on blogging or blog hops.

I really don’t know where I stand. Of course I’m a very slow writer so I’d rather write than promo.

Sheriff Cole Walker has no choice when Beggar, a run-away ringtail monkey, decides to move in with him. Now, Cole doesn’t like any critters much, but he doesn’t dare shoot the ringtail that sneaks out at night to steal the townsfolk’s valuables and hides them under the bed. Why doesn’t he just shoo the animal away?

Because, Mattie Wells, a pretty woman, and new in town sure jingles Cole’s spurs. She thinks Beggar is adorable and takes a shine to men who love pets. What’s a poor sheriff to do but grin and bear it?

JJ wants to start a war with the farmers for rustling his cattle. But, are the farmers to blame?

To keep the peace in town, track down cattle rustlers, return valuables from the prowling night thief, Beggar. With his deputies Wade and Sully, and Beggar, his unwanted sidekick, Cole must find a way to win Mattie’s heart, find the rustlers, and bring peace once again to Cold Creek, Kansas. Yep, Cole has a heap of trouble on his shoulders.

Excerpt

Mattie hurried to look under the desk. “Oh, my, it’s a little monkey.” She crawled on all fours to reach for the varmint, offering Cole a tantalizing view of her frilly petticoat and pretty ankles. “Come here, you poor baby.”

“Miss Mattie, stop.” Cole rushed over, a palm on his pistol. “He might bite you.”

Mattie got to her feet, the monkey curled in her arms. “Oh, don’t be silly. He’s what they call a ringtail and he’s half-starved to boot. I had a school friend once whose dad was an Organ Grinder. He had bought one like this shipped in from South America.” Her eyebrows lifted, her eyes on his hand hovering over his pistol. “You weren’t really planning on shooting this little fella, were you?”

“Me?” He let out a chuckle and quickly hooked his thumb over his gun belt. “I’d never think of doing something like that.” He made a show of glancing around the room. “I was just sharin’ my lunch, but he sure made a darn mess of the place.”

She petted the monkey, cooing softly while it lay snuggled in her arms. She bit her lip her eyes twinkling. “Oh, I see. And now you’re sweeping up the scraps. How sweet.”

Cole shuddered at how she could handle the critter so easily. He tried to smile. “Yes, ma’am. Sure was. Cleaning the office and feeding him, that is.”

Her eyes narrowed as she inspected the creature closely. “This fella’s too thin, must not have eaten for a while.” She fingered the metal band around its neck. “We need something to wedge the clip lock off his collar.” A frown pulled at her mouth while her eyes scanned the office. “Oh, hand me that ring of keys hanging on the peg. You hold the monkey and I’ll work the ring under the clip.”

“Uh, you keep a hold of him. I’ll pry the clip loose. I mean since he’s so comfortable with you and all.” He snatched up the key ring and edged closer. His hands trembled. “Why we doin’ this for anyhow? Must be someone’s pet with this fancy collar.”

“Probably, but this collar has sharp edges. It scratches his neck.” She perched on the edge of the desk, holding the monkey firmly, exposing the lock.

Cole moved his hands slowly. “Ah, hold on to his head nice and tight now. We don’t want him wiggling.”

She giggled. “Don’t worry.”

Sweat beaded on his forehead, the heat rushing to his face nearly searing his eyebrows. He reached for the collar, his heart racing. The ring slid under the clip and he forced it up. It snapped open with a ping.

“Now pull the collar apart.”

He did. The collar pushed open wide enough for him to twist it off.

“Yeow!” Pain shot from his hand to his elbow. He dropped the collar as if he had grabbed the hot end of a branding iron. The metal band clunked and spun across the floor. He stared at the bloody strip streaking his palm.

“I told you it was sharp.” Mattie set the ringtail on the desk and led Cole to the basin of water sitting on the ledge in the corner. She soaped a cloth and bathed his palm while he glared at the monkey. Her soft, warm hands gave him a little tingle in his belly, until she poured the whiskey over the cut.

“Yeow!” Cole blew on his hand. He didn’t know which was worse, the cut or the unexpected whiskey wash.

The ringtail rubbed and stretched its neck, then clapped. Cole gave him a scathing look.

Where to find "A Heap of Trouble."

Heap of Trouble E-Book

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/A-Heap-of-Trouble-ebook/dp/B0099VXLLG

B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-heap-of-trouble-lorrie-unites-struiff/1113575390

Kobo http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/A-Heap-of-Trouble/book-ikoUzKqM9E2J9GS_HDoLwg/page1.html?s=VOxj_PtkRUKhuzYmO4YlOQ&r=2

Heap of Trouble Print

ON SALE! $6.63 Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Heap-Trouble-Lorrie-Unites-Struiff/dp/1483905497

B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-heap-of-trouble-lorrie-unites-struiff/1115635643

Lorrie Struiff Asks: How do you do it?

Please tell me how...

How do you do it, authors? How do you keep up with all you must do?

By the time I get on my computer at 10 am, check my emails and answer them, it’s lunch time. Next, I have FB to contend with to make sure I tit- for-tat for the comments I’ve received on my guest blog spots from my dear friends. Now it’s time to post the material I’ve been sent for my blog. It takes time to format and make them look appealing.

Note to self: don’t forget to critique the pages your critique partners sent. Meanwhile more messages pile up in my mailbox. Oops, all the digests have just shown up from my different publishers. The authors reading digest, the readers reading digest, and the gab room digest. About nine of each and they come more than once a day.

Now it’s time to start dinner. I’m away from my computer for a couple of hours.

After dinner, I’m pooped. My eyes are blurry, burning, and I feel like I need a nap.

Wait! I haven’t worked on my story. But I’m sooooo tired that my brain isn’t making the right connections.

There are many of you who work and raise a family.

I don’t.

So…how do you do it, authors?

ABOUT LORRIE'S C.O.D. CLUB STORIES

Whoo-hoo. Winnie’s back with more troubles. This time she is “Goin’ to a Double Header.” And I’m not talking baseball.

Do you know Winnie? Do you know what she does with her life? She is a spook-speaker who grants one last reasonable request to a corpse in a funeral home. What begins as reasonable usually turns out unreasonable for Winnie.

I’d like to introduce my next story in the COD Club series. COD #3 “Going to a Double Header” from BooksToGoNow.

Stories 1&2 are combined in the first download. All of the Winnie stories are a stand-alone.

Blurb:

Poor Winnie protected her new perm by hugging a cherry tree during the rain.

Lightning shot from the sky and cracked the cherry tree in half. Winnie woke after her near-death experience with a gift. She could see and talk to the dead in funeral homes. She wasn’t a happy camper about it. Fat Phil got wind of her gift and inducted her into the Call on the Dead Club. Now Winnie must grant the last request of the spirit so they may move on in peace. Can she fulfill her duty? Let’s say she gives it a good try and leave it there. But, you can read the current adventures of Winnie in her series now. If you like Winnie, she’ll be back soon with another adventure.

Excerpt

While reading the local obituaries, I slurped my morning tea. Being a member of the Call on the Dead Club, I hoped I didn’t have to do any spook-speaking for the next few days for my assigned district. With my head cold, I felt miserable.

“Good Lord,”I gasped. The cup dropped from my fingers, shattered, and sloshed tea over the floor. My breath caught in my throat. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bickerson had a fatal car accident. They lived four blocks over from me with their twin sons.

What a terrible tragedy. I grabbed the broom and dishcloth and, after cleaning up the mess, went back to the paper. I hardly knew them, but the Mister owned the Bickerson Computer Center at the mall. His wife was a teacher at the elementary school. The visitation started tomorrow and both laid-out in the same room. Yep, in my district. Oh, crap!

Ever since I had hugged that darn cherry tree in a storm, got zapped by lightning, and had a near-death experience, I’ve been stuck with this unwanted ghostie talent.

The oath Phil Phillips coerced me into taking, granting the last request of the deceased for the worldwide COD club was not always an easy job. I should know, even ended up in the slammer once.

My bones ached, and a slight headache throbbed behind my eyes. I shivered and pulled my flannel robe tighter. This drastic change of weather from warm to chilly had me coming down with something. What a ducky way to start tomorrow. Two stiffs and the sniffles.

I grabbed the phone. No way was this gal doing double duty when I felt like death myself.

Fat Phil answered on the first ring. “Yeah, yeah, Winnie. I’m reading it now, and you’re gonna beg for help.”

“Your Caller ID’s annoying. You should get rid of it.”

“Sure I will. Well? You gonna beg?”

“Hey! You’re the president of our chapter. It’s your job to find me a partner. You know I can’t work two last requests at a time.”

“But no one else is available.”

“You are. I see your assigned district is clear. Come on, Phil. This’s heavy-duty stuff and you know it.”

He sighed long and hard. “I guess I got no choice.” Paper rustled. “I see they’re going to have viewing for two days.”

“Yeah.” I sneezed and snuffled. “I guess since it’s a double header.”

Fat Phil’s voice grated in my ear. “You sound horrible.”

“I’m not feeling well.”

“Take a few Coldquils. We gotta stick to our mission. Maybe it’ll be an easy one.

* * *

(But…does Winnie ever get an easy request? Find out in her new adventure.)

How would you like to win a free pdf download of either the first/second story or the third? Leave a comment and I will pick one name out of Winnie’s hat and give that commenter the choice of which book they want free. 

Again either Winnie 1&2, or Winnie 3.

Winnie #1 and #2 Amazon buy site
Winnie # 3 Amazon buy site



Where to Find Lorrie On-Line:

Lorrie's Amazon Author Page
Leaves and Thorns Blog
Facebook
Pintrest 

RELEASE DAY: C.O.D. Club - Double Header

Winnie Krapski's back with another hilarious tale of her adventures in the Call on the Dead Club. This is the 3rd story in the series. Check Lorrie Struiff's blog for links to all her books.

C.O.D. Club - Double Header
by Lorrie Unites-Struiff
Buy at Amazon for only 99 cents!

Blurb

Mr. and Mrs. Bickerson are in a fatal highway accident. Both Phil and Winnie work their last requests. Strange that the dead couple want their requests kept secret from one another. Why? What are they hiding?

Winnie works the request and ends up in more danger than she can handle.

Yep, Winnie is in deep poo again.

Excerpt

Morty Slovik, the mortician-owner who lived across the street, watched us through his bay window. We waved at him. After we made a mess of his funeral parlor the last time we were here, I had to ‘fess up to him about the COD Club’s mission. Don’t know why he’d been a bit spooked about it. I mean, he worked with bodies all the time. Or, maybe he felt weird knowing they were watching him.

Now, he was used to seeing me at his funeral home, as this was my usual place to deal with ghosties, and unlocked the door early when bodies were laid-out. We entered the home. The harsh tones of arguing floated down the long hallway before we reached the largest viewing room. I nudged Phil. “They sure are living up to their name Bickerson.”

“Yeah, let’s just go in and sit. Pretend we don’t hear or see them. Maybe we’ll find out what the fuss is about.”

We slipped around the corner and sat on the soft velvet chairs that lined the room. A jungle of flowers flanked the two coffins against the back wall. We kept our faces blank.

The ghosties stood toe-to-toe in front of their caskets. Mrs. Bickerson, a thickset woman with dyed red hair, wore a black pantsuit. Hubby was chubby in his gray suit and continuously smoothed his beard. They hadn’t noticed us coming in; they were too busy running their mouths.

“Told you not to pass that semi on the two-lane road. But no, not you. You had to play chicken with a tanker,” the woman shouted.

“If you wouldn’t nag nonstop, I’d have never pushed the pedal. I figured the quicker we got to the college, the sooner I’d get away from your flapping mouth. So, it’s really your fault.”

She poked him in the chest. “The twins’ll know it’s your fault.”

“How? You gonna tell Donny and Ronny that?” He crossed his arms and smirked.

Her head bowed and her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, dear. What are the boys going to do without me?”

“Probably be happy without you checking up on them every weekend and giving them the third degree.”

She stomped her foot. “You are sooo cruel.”

“You’re no sweetie-pie either.”

The woman’s chin snapped up. “Is that your flimsy excuse for cheating on me?”

He threw his hands up and shouted. “How many times I gotta tell you, I ain’t seeing anyone.”

My nose tickled. I tried to hold back, but the sneeze erupted like a shot. The startled couple turned and looked at us then headed our way.

He eyed us up and down. “Who are they? You know them?”

“No. The woman looks a little familiar though.” The Missus crossed her arms and tilted her head. “Weird looking couple.”

“Yeah, like Laurel and Hardy.” The man snickered.

I peeked at Phil. He wore this silly grin, and his round belly covered half of his lap. Definitely Ollie. But me, Laurel? I looked down at my thin legs clad in denim jeans. When I caught myself twiddling my fingers, I quickly shoved them in my coat pockets.

The woman stood in front of me, studying us. “All the man needs is a wooly caterpillar under his nose, and this ridiculous woman with the jeans and terrible gauche hat could use a few lessons on how to dress.”

That did it. I stood, and Phil yanked me back so hard, my feet bounced up from the floor.
The woman covered her mouth, giggling hysterically. “Look at those ridiculous sneakers.”
I pushed to my feet again. Phil tugged on my sleeve. “Winnie, sit down.”

“I will not. I’ve had just about enough. It’s fine and dandy for Stubs and Chubs to verbally beat each other up, but I don’t have to take their insults.”

Their eyes widened, the woman screamed, and both backed up to the caskets.

“You can see us?” The man’s eyebrows shot up.

“No kidding.” I moved toward them. “What gave you eggheads the first clue?”

On Flowers and Thorns Blog Today

I'm visiting on Lorrie Struiff's Flowers and Thorns blog today. I hope you'll stop by to leave a comment. Lorrie is new at this blogging business, so she's really pleased when folks visit her blog.

I'm feature...what else...Witches of Galdorheim series. The first two books are now in print. They're available on Amazon at the introductory absolutely rock-bottom price of only $5.99 for a paperback. They're great gifts for your tween to 14 year old fantasy reader. When they get just a bit too old for toys, then books are the best gift to give them.

About Lorrie

Lorrie lives in West Mifflin, PA, thirty minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. She lives at home with her favorite toy—a computer.

Once a gold medalist teacher/manager for a big-name ballroom dance studio she has retired and now enjoys the quiet life of writing and watching TV. But she loves to have lunches with local authors to keep abreast of the challenging world of publishing.

Lorrie writes in many genres so you never know what she will come out with next. She never wants to bore her readers and enjoys the thrill of entertaining them by writing a good story.

Lorrie's books include:
Call on the Dead Club (hilarious!)
A Heap of Trouble (western humorous romance)
Gypsy Blood (paranormal detective)
Wild Blackberries (paranormal)
and a bunch of short stories

Find out more on her blog.

Lorrie Struiff is in A HEAP OF TROUBLE

LORRIE UNITES-STRUIFF 

Lorrie's website is: http://struiff.wordpress.com/
Lorrie's blog is: http://lorriejuly.blogspot.com/
********

READERS, AUTHORS, I NEED A QUESTION ANSWERED ABOUT FACEBOOK. CAN YOU HELP?

Thank you, Marva, for inviting me to you blog today. I do hope we get a lot of guests because my curiosity is piqued again.

Is FaceBook becoming too much like a writer’s blog?

Are we over-running FB with pleas to go to our blogs, pleas to buy our books? Are we preaching to the choir again? You authors understand what I mean.

How are FB readers responding to the inundation? I’d really like to know readers, so I hope you leave a comment.

Readers, do your eyes gloss over when reading the ads? Do you just skip over them and scroll down? Or, do you just hit your “Friends List” or “Family” and not bother with the home page?

How about you, authors? We all belong to many book sites on FB, but do readers sign up for these sites to keep abreast of the forthcoming books, the blurbs and the book pitches.

All these questions rattle around in my head. Maybe because I am an author and I wonder if we are getting through to the readers or only to each other. The choir again.

All this make me wonder, also, if that is why FB put up those lists of “Family” and “Friends.” Maybe the powers-that-be are too aware of the inundation.

Yes, yes, I know this has been happening for years as a good way to advertise our work. I’m not saying, “stop it.” Authors have no choice. And I’m certainly going to continue.

But, I would love to hear your thoughts in some comments. Satisfy my curiosity, please.

Now, to advertise my new book. Lol. I hope you scroll down and read.

A HEAP OF TROUBLE
Buy from MuseItUp Publishing
Buy from Amazon

Back Cover

Sheriff Cole Walker has no choice, Beggar, a run-away ringtail monkey has decided to move in with him. Now, Cole doesn’t like any critters much, but he doesn’t dare shoot the ringtail who sneaks out at night to steal the townsfolk’s valuables and hides them under the bed. Why doesn’t he just shoo the animal away?

Because, Mattie Wells, a pretty woman, is new in town and she sure jingles Cole’s spurs. She thinks Beggar is adorable and takes a shine to men who love pets. What’s a poor sheriff to do but grin and bear it?

To keep the peace in town, track and chase down cattle rustlers, return valuables from the prowling night thief, Beggar. With his deputies Wade and Sully, and his unwanted sidekick, Cole must find a way to win Mattie’s heart, find the rustlers, and bring peace once again to Cold Creek, Kansas. Cole has a heap of trouble on his plate.

If you want a different sort of romance, this is a western with action, comedy and some fun characters. Let me give you a peek.

Excerpt

Dang. He ran under the desk again and the door’s wide open. Cole peeked at the monkey huddled in the dark kneehole. “If you don’t get out that door and get lost, I’m gonna have to shoot you. You understand? Now get! Shoo!” Cole flapped his arms like a wounded bird trying for flight and stomped on the floor, making a ruckus. No luck.

He leaned on his long handled weapon, sighed, then slid his hand down the wood handle and sat on the floor. He didn’t trust the monkey worth a dang. Critters belonged outside, not underfoot—especially under his foot. But, what if it belonged to some youngster? He couldn’t stand the thought of some snot-nosed tyke crying his little heart out and badmouthing the big bad sheriff who shot his pet.  

A rumble from his stomach reminded him the varmint ate his lunch. Now he’d have to wait till suppertime for a decent meal. Sweat pooled under his arms, his shirt stuck to his back. He needed a smoke …bad.      

Cole reached into his shirt pocket and took out his makings. He laid the broom tight to his thigh. Unsteady hands lost some tobacco but he managed to roll a cigarette and light it. He had to think up a way to get this unholy terror out of his office.

The monkey peered at him, blinking his eyes pathetically. It crept from under the desk. Cole held his breath and inched his hand toward the broom. The monkey somersaulted, stood straight, and clapped its hands. Cole swore the little thing was grinning. It somersaulted again then hopped up and down, clapping.

Cole snapped his fingers. The monkey chattered, nodded its head, then did another tumble. After a long drag on the cigarette, Cole snapped his fingers again, his right hand never far from the broom, or his holster. The creature sat on the floor, tilted its head, and stared at him. Cole evil-eyed him back while he ground the butt out on the floor.

A biscuit lay next to the wall. Cole threw it at his foe. The monkey made a quick one-handed grab, blinked, and gnawed on the crust. The thing did look a little scrawny.

“When you’re done eating my lunch, will you leave?”

The monkey looked up and shook its head.

“Huh? If I pack you a lunch, will you leave?” Again, the monkey blinked and shook its head. Cole’s chest tightened and he put his hand on the warm grip of his pistol. “If I shoot at you, will you leave?” The monkey shrieked, ran under the desk, and hid its eyes with its hands.

“Who are you shooting at, Cole? And why in the world are you sitting on the floor?”

His head snapped up and he found himself sinking into the sweetest blue eyes. Mattie Wells grinned, deepening the dimples in her cheeks.

Visit my website at http://struiff.wordpress.com/
Lorrie's new blog is: http://lorriejuly.blogspot.com/
See what else is new.

Here's the book trailer to give you another view of A Heap of Trouble.

My Good Buddy's Book Trailer

Lorrie will be sending a little more on her new release (coming up in a couple of weeks), "A Heap of Trouble." We work our way through making a book trailer until we have something fairly decent. Do we go back and forth on artistic elements? No, we talk about what kind of monkeys and cattle work best. It's a lot of fun to put together a trailer by collaboration. Fortunately, her books lend themselves to some very fun trailer madness, which I present for your viewing enjoyment.

Quick Review - Gypsy Blood

Gypsy Blood by Lorrie Unites-Struiff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rita is a cop. However, she's also of Romany blood and has a crystal that helps her find the bad guys. Using it, she can see the face of the last person the corpse saw before death. This works pretty well until, the last face isn't right. Rita thinks that her crystal's not working right, so she consults mom.

Problem is, the crystal is working fine, but the killer is...not so easy to find.

From that beginning, Gypsy Blood leads you into the realm of gypsies and a dark family secret. A major hunk, Matt, shows up to work the case. Rita is attracted, but tries to keep her distance. However, Matt knows things about the serial killer stalking the streets that Rita does not know. Together, they must find a horrible beast from the past who's killing prostitutes, but only because the taking is easy and the beast needs blood.

Ms. Unites-Struiff carries the story into the realm of the supernatural, along with some hot scenes between Rita and Matt, to take the reader along on a wild, supernatural ride. Great read.

*** Previously reviewed under the title Gypsy Crystal


View all my reviews

Lorrie Struiff's Gypsy Blood (and a rant about e-readers)

Thank you Marva for inviting me to be a guest on your blog today. I really want to vent about E-readers. I think many of your fans will agree with me.

WHY I HATE E-READERS

  

So, with all the fuss about E-readers, I broke down and bought one. Now this has to be the sorriest thing I have ever purchased.

I read the instructions. I played with it, got on a book buying site and lo and behold. There were four books by one of my favorite authors, Ginger Simpson. Well, I just had to push the buy buttons.

Next, I saw four by you, Marva. Hmm. And I know you are a fantastic writer. Oh, a mystery and a YA trilogy. Bet I’d like the mystery and my kids would enjoy your YA novels. Not expensive at all. I pushed all the buy buttons again.

Oooh, I ddn’t know Cate Masters had e-books out. I love her romance novels, but these are only in e-book format. Oh what the heck, I may as well add a few more books to this new contraption.

Oh my, look at these books by Tabatha Shay. I love series. They look pretty good. And what hunks on the covers. Push, push, push, push, push.

Margaret West. Name seems familiar. I went to her site. Wow, paranormal. I love paranormal. Push, push, push.

I was having such a grand time finding my other favorite authors, and ahem, some I didn’t know, but the covers and blurbs tempted me beyond my rational judgment.

Feeling smug, I settled down and started reading the many, many wonderful bargains that I found, and I enjoyed them for weeks—being the avid reader that I am.

Hey, this was neat, fun.

It was neat and fun until I received my charge card bill in the mail. Did I really purchase all those books? Where are my brains?

Then I began to hate the E-reader. It’s like an addiction you can’t quit. Maybe I should start an addiction to an E-readers group. Learn to fight our impulses.

Well, it’s something to think about while I just peruse the buy site again.

Oh my, a new one by Jude Pittman.

Push.

***

Do you like mysteries? Paranormals? Romance? Thillers? Gypsy lore?

Well, how about all of those genres rolled into one?

Meet Rita and Matt in GYPSY BLOOD available today at

http://www.amazon.com/Gypsy-Blood-Born-Romany-ebook/dp/B008190LLK/

And inexpensive too. All you addicts out there, just hit push.

(Instead of a blurb, let me tell you a little about the book.)

Rita Muldova, my homicide detective has pure Roma blood. She wears a mystical crystal amulet that gives her the power to see in a dead victim’s eyes the last image the deceased had seen. What a career boost. Now, with the task force, she is hunting for the “Ripper,” a serial killer loose in her town that is targeting prostitutes. But, oh, oh, for this murderer, the crystal has stopped working.

A yummy FBI agent, Matt Boulet, has been on the Ripper’s tail since the killings started in New Orleans. He has a yen for Rita and they have a weird connection. Plus, Rita would like to jump his bones.

Rita’s mother, Anna, is a great seer whom Rita turns to in time of troubles, but Anna can’t offer Rita an explanation of why the crystal has stopped working. Anna does tell Rita the lore of their clan. Rita is both shocked and horrified of the tale.

Filled with gypsy customs and lore, the novella takes you on a wild ride into the mystical world of the paranormal with plenty of thrills and chills.

(Excerpt)

Chief Lipinski rose to his feet. “Back off, people! I have my orders, too. We follow Boulet’s plan. Hank, you and Sully hand out these sketches to as many girls you see walking the streets before Della and Rita start their rounds.”

Della nudged Rita. “Guess we get our ‘Sluts R Us’ duds out of mothballs.”

Rita nodded. She would follow orders, but too many unanswered questions floated in her mind. She raised her voice. “Since he’s such a big, strong, badass, who lived to provide the sketch?”

“Me.”

The way Boulet uttered that one word made her teeth click together.

Boulet tugged down the ribbed collar of his sweater. A red scar marred the cords in his thick neck. “My partner and I were doubling him. We were too late to save the woman. He nicked me first. While I was trying to stop bleeding, he took out my partner.” He studied the floor, then his eyes hardened as he made eye contact with everyone in the room. “But now I know this bastard, and I’ll be ready for him.”

“Sounds more like a personal vendetta,” Rita said.

“Yeah, that too.” His lips pulled back with an ironic chuckle. “More than you can imagine.”

For more details and reviews, visit my website at http://struiff.wordpress.com/

Thank you for reading. 

Gypsy Blood Now Spreading

Gypsy Blood now available on Amazon.

Everyone has secrets.

Homicide Detective Rita Moldova has a secret, a crystal amulet from her Roma bloodline that allows her to see the last image a victim had seen in their eyes before they died. Now, a ritual killer is terrorizing her town and the crystal’s magic has suddenly stopped doing its job.

FBI agent, Matt Boulet, is sent to lead the task force and gives the group strange orders. Worse, Rita senses he is holding back a deep, dark secret about the killer.

When she confronts her seer mother’s advice, she learns another secret about their clan that she finds impossible to swallow.

Rita swims through a whirlpool of confusion as the investigation continues. Can Rita deny the lore of the ancients? Can she deny her growing feelings for Matt Boulet?

Gypsy Crystal by Lorrie Unites-Struiff

GYPSY CRYSTAL

by Lorrie Unites-Struiff
Read Lorrie's website/blog
View the Book Trailer
Best Buy at Fictionwise

Rita Muldova is a homicide detective in Keyport, PA. A serial killer is on the loose in her town and targeting prostitutes. But Rita has an edge. She wears a mystical crystal amulet that has been handed down through her Roma maternal bloodline that allows her to see, in the dead victim's eyes, the last face they had seen.

But now, the crystal has quit working. Is the magic gone?

Rita confronts her mother, Anna, a crystal ball gazer and great seer, for answers. Anna and Uncle Dragus leave Rita more unsettled than before.

Matt Boulet, a special FBI agent has been following the killer's trail from New Orleans. He has a personal score to settle and holds back secrets from Rita and the task force.

There is a magnetic pull between Rita and Matt, an attraction they can't deny. And too many secrets are kept by both, plus Rita's family.

When all the secrets are finally revealed, Rita swims through a whirlpool of shock, horror and confusion. Her renewed determination to put an end to the killing spree spells danger ahead for all involved.

Excerpt
 
Detective Rita Moldova peeked around the corner to make sure the hallway was empty. Making a quick right turn, she slipped into the autopsy lab to have a few minutes alone with the body. She tucked her white shirt tighter into her jeans and zipped her windbreaker to stay warm in the chilly room. The harsh odor of formaldehyde hit her nostrils and stung her throat.

Her heart twisted at the sight of the young, auburn-haired woman lying on the stainless steel table. A white sheet covered her to the navel; bruises blemished the once pretty face. Contusions marred the pallid skin from elbow to shoulder. The gash on the front of her neck gaped, exposing open veins and torn tissue.

Rita flipped her thick, dark braid back over her shoulder, snapped on one latex glove, leaned over the corpse, and peeled back an eyelid. In her bare hand, she clasped a star-shaped crystal hanging from the gold chain around her neck, an endowment from her maternal Roma bloodline. The crystal heated in her palm, warm energy pulsing up her arm to her shoulder. The face captured in the victim’s eye coalesced and stared back. Rita drew in a sharp breath. Bobby Driscoll! She had known him since high school, and now he worked as a uniform in her precinct. What the hell was going on?

Short Stories in Smashwords

Smashwords is an excellent venue to publish your short stories in ebook format. My friend, Lorrie Struiff, writes wonderful short stories, and most have been published in ezines or even print. She decided to give the stories another home by publishing at Smashwords.

Her first venture into epubbing her reprints is A Bloody Valentine, a short story for only 99 cents.

The bloodiest Valentine Day. A historical fictional story of a day Americans will never forget.

Note: One commenter will receive a free PDF of this story.

The LUCKY WINNER!

The winner of Lorrie Unites-Struiff's novelette "Wild Blackberries" is:

DARLA!!!!

Interview and Book Giveaway

Gypsy Crystal Book Trailer

My friend Lorrie Struiff's book trailer. Awesome! Buy Gypsy Crystal in either print or ebook format on Amazon.

Wild Blackberries

Lorrie Unites-Struiff has a way with words. Her latest work is a short story loaded with tension, fear, and a touch of the paranormal.

Morgan is a writer studying shape-changing legends at an Indian reservation. She makes friends with the owner of the motel where she's staying, and with Wade Tahona, a professor of Native American history.

She's also getting as far away from her abusive husband who she really wants to make an ex-. Unfortunately, the jerk shows up in Arizona to cause trouble. Kidnapped by the jerk, Morgan fights for her life and gets help from some unlikely sources.

Cool cover too. Buy the PDF at Books To Go Now for only 99 cents.

Lorrie is the author of the paranormal police procedural, Gypsy Crystal available in print and ebook format, and has published lots of stories. Read all about Lorrie on her website.

Gypsy Crystal by Lorrie Unites-Struiff

I know this is a damned good ebook since I worked my butt off critting for Lorrie. I'm so proud of her, I could just spit.

Check out Gypsy Crystal at Eternal Press.

Isn't that a cool cover?

Ahem, settling down and writing a review now.

Rita is a cop. However, she's also of Romany blood and has a crystal that helps her find the bad guys. Using it, she can see the face of the last person the corpse saw before death. This works pretty well until, the last face isn't right. Rita thinks that her crystal's not working right, so she consults mom.

Problem is, the crystal is working fine, but the killer is...not so easy to find.

From that beginning, Gypsy Crystal takes you on a wild ride from the modern world into a dark family secret. A major hunk, Matt, shows up to work the case. Rita is attracted, but tries to keep her distance. However, Matt knows things about the serial killer stalking the streets that Rita does not know. Together, they must find a horrible beast from the past who's killing prostitutes, but only because the taking is easy and the beast needs blood.

Ms. Unites-Struiff carries the story into the realm of the supernatural, along with some hot scenes between Rita and Matt, to take the reader along on a wild, supernatural ride. Great read.