This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sally J. Smith & Jean Steffens will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC (USA only) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
'Tis the season at The Mansion on Mystic Isle, and Melanie Hamilton, resident tattoo artist at the resort renown for its supernatural atmosphere, can feel the holiday spirit everywhere in the Louisiana bayou. The festive mood runs deeper than just the tinsel, mistletoe, and twinkling lights, as the milk of human kindness is flowing with gift giving, good cheer, and donations. But when Papa Noël turns up as dead as the Ghost of Christmas Past, and all the bounty from a recent charity drive is stolen, Melanie turns to Jack Stockton, the handsome resort's general manager, to help her find the killer and get it all back.
Who wanted Papa Noël dead and why? Was it the bag of loot they were after, and Papa just got in the way? Or was it a more personal attack on the jolly man in the red suit? Not only does Mel find herself in a fight to prove one of her co-workers innocent, but she's also in a race against a ticking clock to save the life of a sick child. Before long, she closes in on the killer—or maybe it's the killer closing in on Mel!
Read an excerpt:
Jack offered me the crook of his arm, and we entered the Ghostly Christmas Gala.
…The room was alive with charm. Old Marley, the Ghost of Christmas Past, née Lurch, dragged this chains around the salon, dust, née Johnson's Baby Powder from the scent of it, floating off his shredded garb as he moved. His deep and miserable moan was pretty scary and would have frightened children if there had been any in attendance.
Odeo, the Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come, lumbered the room as the grim reaper, sickle and all. His face and dark skin sunken back into the cowl made the place where his features should have been look eerily like a black hole.
…And Melvin, the little person who'd performed Lurch's Christmas elf counterpart made a fine Tiny Tim, crutch under one arm, knickers, and knee socks.
He hobbled over when we walked in and glared up at Jack. "I go out to the levee with you and knock a few heads together on your behalf, and this is the thanks I get? What the heck? Tiny Tim? I mean, could we be any more cliché here?"
Jack looked truly repentant. "Hey, Melvin, believe me." He ran one hand from his own head downward. "None of this was my idea. Tonight, we play the roles we're assigned."
Melvin snorted. "Still. I mean, really?" and hobbled away.
"Not a happy Tiny Tim, is he?" I said."
"Hm-mm." Jack said. "Man, I hope he doesn't hit anybody with that crutch."
About the Authors:
The two desert dwellers work together side-by-side, literally finishing each other’s sentences, putting together their novels faster and more efficiently than they ever could individually.
When their heads aren’t together over a manuscript, you’ll find them with their families, at a movie, the yoga studio, the mall, or out-to-lunch—in the food sense, not the spaced-out sense, well…most of the time. Their current series include Jordan Welsh & Eddie Marino Novels, Mystic Isle Mysteries, Danger Cove Pet Sitter Mysteries, Aloha Lagoon Gabby LeClair Mysteries, and Digby Sloan Mysteries. Visit our website, look around, and sign up for our newsletter. We love hearing from our readers and always answer our e-mails: smithandsteffens@cox.net.
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Website: http://www.smithandsteffens.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Smith-and-Steffens/406147242823342?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SmithSteffens
Mystic Mistletoe Murder will be $0.99 during the tour - https://www.amazon.com/Mystic-Mistletoe-Murder-Isle-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B01M32CZUL/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480301619&sr=8-1&keywords=mystic+mistletoe+murder.
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Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThe page looks wonderful. Thank you for hosting us.
ReplyDeleteOur favorite book cover designer, Janet Holmes created the wonderful cover for Mystic Mistletoe Murder and Mystic Mayhem. We love the bright colors and the holiday theme she created for Mystic Mistletoe Murder.
ReplyDeleteSally and I had a lot of fun creating the Mystic Isle series, dreaming up the Mansion, the employees, and the townspeople. Melanie Hamilton has a big heart and is always helping people. Jack Stockton, her boyfriend, who doesn't love a man that helps his girlfriend solve a murder. You can read all about the crazy cast in Mystic Mistletoe Murder & Mystic Mayhem ~ Book 1.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the tour, the book looks great, and thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Lisa.
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ReplyDeleteGood morning Everyone,
ReplyDeleteYou might wonder what sparked the idea for the Mystic Isle Mysteries? In the Hollywood hills, there’s an awesome private club called the Magic Castle. It’s housed in a spooky Victorian mansion and is one of the most interesting places in the country, maybe even in the world. Magicians are mentored and perform there. It’s creepy and charming and a little hokey all at the same time. Mystic Isle Mysteries is the offspring of our wish to write the equivalent of Scooby-Doo cartoons for grown-ups and our fascination with the Magic Castle. One of those “what ifs” writers come up with all the time—what if there were a hotel that catered to fans of the supernatural as a setting for a cozy series?
In the Mystic Isle Series, Mystic Mistletoe Murder, we do not base our characters on real people. We make them fun and quirky to fit the theme of the storyline. :-)
ReplyDeleteDo you have any writing rituals?
ReplyDeleteCOFFEE and lots of it. Regular for Jean & Decaf for Sally.
We thought you might be interested in what our writing day is like.
ReplyDeleteSally & I work 3 days a week from 9am to 2pm. After fifteen or so minutes of hey-what’s-new, we take care of the business end of our partnership, then work on our current project.
We’re currently writing three series: Mystic Isle Mysteries, Danger Cove Pet Sitter Mysteries, and Aloha Lagoon Gabby LeClair Mysteries. It takes a lot of great organization to keep things straight. And while Sally is more right-brained, and I (Jean) is awesomely left-brained and about the most organized person in the state. It takes two to do it all.
Here is our writing process ~
ReplyDeleteWe start by plotting the storyline first, moving on to writing the lengthy synopsis, and then finally outlining several chapters.
Hi Everyone ~ Glad to be here today,
ReplyDeleteEditing can be a difficult and lengthy process when you are on a tight schedule. And Sally and I usually are on a tight schedule. Here is how we handle our editing process. We get the notes back from the publisher and dig in.
Our writing space.
ReplyDeleteSally and I (Jean) work at two desks side-by-side with 2 large monitors set up attached to our two laptops. Papers, coffee cups, dog treats, and the occasional snacks fill up any clean spots that aren’t already taken up with notes and research.
I feel I can speak for Sally when I say ~ we make a great writing team. :-)
Thank you for the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Rita. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteWe hope everyone is enjoying the posts.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Debra. We hope your also enjoyed reading about how we write.
DeleteEnjoyed reading about the Ghostly Christmas Gala. So beautifully written, I felt like I was there.
ReplyDeleteWe hope you pick up a copy of the book.
DeleteWe are so glad you enjoyed it Karen.
ReplyDeleteWell we are signing off for the night. It was wonderful chatting with everyone. Have a nice evening.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post - thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you could stop by Victoria. Sorry I missed you last night.
ReplyDeleteJean Steffens & Sally J. Smith ~ Authors