Breaktime With Jackie

New: BIM LINk

2011-10-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

Good news this week: I was offered a link to the vast entertainment Books in Motion offers readers - a link to look for the genres all of us readers look for - and there's a wealth of them for you in each genre. I haven't seen a place to put a link on this blog or I would be offering it to you now. However, I'm going to put it on my web page so everyone who visits will be able to 'c'mon in and look around,' not only at my Spanish Eyes audio but look around at all the other genres and authors available at BIM.

Break's over, happy reading (and listening :-)
Jackie

Paranormal SITE

2011-10-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

My latest Maryvale cozy mystery has been up a couple of weeks now and is selling well - thank you for visiting Maryvale again or if you haven't yet - c'mon over LOL.

I'm sure everyone waits and watches to see if a new novel in a series is going to be popular and I'm no exception. (I can hear other writers nodding - it's the rocks in our heads I guess-ha!) Anyway, I'm so glad you've found my new word child and I'm waiting for a review in progress now on this latest of my Maryvale series.

I held my breath worrying about how the new characters and the (more than just a touch of) paranormal would be received. When I posted my last blog in September, I asked if visitors would please leave a comment about the new characters. I loved writing about them and each is such an individual with his own hang-ups and endearments too, so their characters are set but their futures (in the series) are not. So I asked anyone who felt like putting in his/her two cents worth to leave a comment about it. No one commented, but you did buy the book - that really makes me feel good - thank you, and I hope you had a great time visiting Maryvale - but please, if and when you do visit, leave a commlent. One of the very best things about writing is the people you meet, the interesting readers and fellow writers you meet along the way and in digests, groups, other blogs, et cetera.

Thanks from my heart for buying my books and please come back to vist Maryvale and here too.

Break's over,
Jackie :-)

MARYVALE UPDATE

2011-09-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

Hello, fellow readers, writers, and cyber friends :-). My newest Maryvale cozy mystery is now live as I told you on my last post. I've checked sales and you've found it, bless your hearts - thanks for the sales which I hope will grow as the word gets around :-)

I know the new one with the paranormal scenes may attract some new Maryvale visitors and I know, like me, cozy mystery readers prefer to read them in order or at least know where in the order the one they're considering fits in. So, here's the list in order, forgive me if this is a repeat for most of you:

1. The Devil in Maryvale; 2. The Nelson Scandal; 3. Recipe for Trouble; 4. Mardi Gras Murder; 5. An Unpopular Corpse; and 6. A Hysterical Site. Mardi Gras Murder and A Hysterical Site introduce some new Maryvale citizens and I'd love to hear from any of you who want to comment about them. Of course, Sheriff Cas Larkin and his wife Connie will be in every one, but the characters will depend on the current crime or crime wave (LOL) that Maryvale and Pine County, Tennessee is caught up in at the time.

Please come over and check from time to time and comment to keep me posted, I love hearing from you.

In the meantime, thank you, thank you, thank you, dear readers for your visits to Maryvale.

Break's over,

Jackie

HYSTERICAL SITE QUESTIONS

2011-08-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

I've now got the sixth of the Maryvale series live on Kindle but I'd like to hear from you who have bought other adventures in the series. A Hysterical Site introduces four new characters. I enjoyed writing about them and their problems and adventures but their futures depend on YOU! Comment here if you want to tell me what you liked or didn't like. Their characters are set but their futures aren't. Like the rest of us - LOL.

The series: 1. The Devil in Maryvale; 2. The Nelson Scandal; 3. Recipe for Trouble; 4. Mardi Gras Murder; 5. An Unpopular Corpse; 6. A Hysterical Site - Happy reading!

Break's over, :-)
Jackie

LIVE NOW! A HYSTERICAL Site

2011-08-09T08:52:00.000-07:00

Live now and available on Kindle: another Maryvale cozy mystery!
"A HYSTERICAL SITE begins with a bloody RED murder; scatters COLORFUL characters and clues from New York to the little town of Maryvale, Tennessee; and has a couple of scenes guaranteed to make the paranormal shows on television GREEN with envy-ENJOY!"
The seies to date is: l. The Devil in Maryvale (Sheriff Cas Larkin has a brutal homicide on his hands; cattle thefts and mutilation; and a club which smacks of devil worship.) 2. The Nelson Scandal (Sheriff Cas Larkin and his match-making wife, Connie solve four murders, two of them more than a hundred years old. 3. Recipe for trouble (When Pine County's one celebrity begins to write her new cookbook her kitchen explodes; Sheriff Larkin looks into recent accidents she's had; and when she rents a cabin on the lake to work uninterrupted, someone poisons her; and the project is beginning to look like a recipe for trouble.) 4.Mardi Gras Murder (Sheriff Cas Larkin is plagued with a missing citizen no one has reported; a stranger found drowned in the lake; and one of the Pine County citizens is in jail in New Orleans accused of murder.) 5. An Unpopular Corpse (The librarian finds a body on her doorstep with no ID; no tracks up to the porch;and no one wants to talk about him or how he got there.) 6. A Hysterical Site: This one has just been added to the list on Kindle Aug. 2, 2011. (A HYSTERICAL SITE begins with a bloody RED murder; COLORFUL characters and clues are scattered from New York to the little town of Maryvale, Tennessee; and it has two scenes guaranteed to make the paranormal shows on television GREEN with envy - ENJOY!"

This is for cozy lovers who like to read a series in order. Happy reading!

Break's over! :-)
Jackie

$0.99 EBOOK COUPONS!

2011-05-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

Heads up, cozy mystery lovers and other ebook readers too. Smashwords is having a $0.99 sale from now till May 22, 2011! There are many interesting genres to choose from including my first two Maryvale cozy mystery novels. The novels are: The Devil in Maryvale, coupon #QJ74B and The Nelson Scandal, coupon #ZH98B - so go shop,and happy reading :-)
Break's over,
Jackie

BARGAIN EBOOKS-$0.99

2011-05-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

Good news for cozy readers and for other ebook goodies and genres-the month of May is full of bargains from Smashwords and their markets on and Kindle too. These $0.99 prices are good for the month of May.

Also, for those who like to read the first of a series first, scroll down to the blog entry that has all the Maryvale series (so far) by number, title, and a brief logline or thumbnail so you can see if you want to make more visits to Maryvale.And of course, there are more on the way :-)

Happy reading, break's over,
Jackie

$0.99 Ebooks

2011-04-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

More good news, not only are the first two Maryvales on Kindle on sale for $0.99 right now, there are also coupons on Smashwords for these two. The Smashwords price will be in effect until June 26, haven't decided yet if I will end Kindle sale then or not. In fact, I'm hoping enough people will visit that I'll be able to tell what the majority of cozy mystery readers want.

Here's my question, I'll see if I get any response:

1. Leave first two cozies at $0.99 and raise price from $2.99 to $3.99 on the rest of the series. (This has been suggested by some other writers as broke as I am and needing ink cartridges-:-)
2. End the Kindle sale the same time as the Smashwords coupons and leave the $2.99 price on all the Maryvale series books at $2.99.

Hope I get some opinions - break's over,
Jackie

$0.99 Maryvale Ebooks!

2011-04-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

Fellow readers and writers, here's good news if you're a cozy mystery lover like I am: My first two Maryvale mysteries - The Devil in Maryvale and The Nelson Scandal, ebooks on Kindle are now on sale for $0.99 for 30 days - maybe longer if sales demand.

I'm hoping you will enjoy your two visits to Maryvale and want to come back for more. You're not going to run out of something to read, there are five of them now: The Devil in Maryvale; The Nelson Scandal; Recipe for Trouble; Mardi Gras Murder, and An Unpopular Corpse. I'm working on another Maryvale and also have more books listed on Kindle, so please take a look.

If you visit, please go to the guest book, I love meeting new readers and writers (when I'm not up to my ears in writing or my own reading - LOL

Break's over,
Jackie

Series Nos./Thumbnails

2011-03-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

Hi, fellow readers and writers. I've seen a lot of help asked for by avid readers like me, to find the first and other numbers of novels in a series so we can read them in order (I like to do that too :-) So here goes: The Title; No.; and a thumbnail

The Maryvale series:
THE DEVIL IN MARYVALE (1)
A stunning homicide in the small town of Maryvale sends Sheriff Cas Larkin on an investigation from a trailer park on the industrial side of town to the Pine County Coutry Club uncovering the town's darkest secrets; a secret club at the high school which smacks of devil worship; and he is also plagued with cattle rustling and mutilation. Fighting lack of evidence and the Pine County Judge with only circumstantial evidence and his gut feeling, Cas sets a trap for the killer in their midst.

THE NELSON SCANDAL (2)
Sherif Cas Larkin has two homicides on his hands which may be connected and his wife Connie, runs into classic 'haunting' conditions in the Pine County Library basement. Cas and his matchmaking wife follow hot clues and cold trails to investigate four homicides, two of them over a hundred years old.

RECIPE FOR TROUBLE (3)
Pine County's only celebrity, Mattie Carrington is writing another cookbook rumored to be even more popular than her first. However, before she's got a good start, her kitchen blows up and she decides to find privacy to work at a cabin on the lake near Maryvale which involves more delay and comic interest in the Present Too Often form of Mattie's younger sister, Katie's boyfriend, Eugene. When mattie finally is settled in to work, someone poisons her and the whole thing is beginning to look like a recipe for trouble. As Mattie lies in a coma, it's up to Cas to find the culprit and save Mattie in spite of friends and relatives all trying to help.

MARDI GRAS MURDER (4)
Sheriff Cas Larkin and his matchmaking wife, Connie, and even his Aunt Harry, have their hands full with Cas's case involving a stranger drowned in the lake; a disappearance no one is willing to admit is a disappearance; and a Maryvale citizen accused of homicide way down yonder in New Orleans! They wade through old politician's secrets, a witch's interfering mother, and alligators to get at the truth. C'mon in, the entertainment's fine...

AN UNPOPULAR CORPSE (5)
When Hannah, Asst. Librarian of the Pine County Library tries to get her morning paper the door is blocked by the legs of a strange and quite dead man. When Sheriff Cas Larkin finally gets his idenity and other personal information the question that comes to mind along with 'who done it?' is why didn't they do it sooner - the man was very unpopular and no one really wants to talk about him or why he was dumped on Hannah's porch. In spite of his interest in a young woman of which Cas does not approve, Coroner Cliff helps him untangle clues that just don't seem to go together or solve any part of what happened. The plot twists will keep you turning pages to a surprising and unexpected climax.

MAGGIE AND JOE series:
DEAD ON ARRIVAL (1)
Maggie Murphy's husband Horace's motorcycle accident leaves her a widow at twenty-four. Broke, and the cosmetic ads say your skin starts drying out at twenty-five, Maggie wastes no time on self pity. She gets a part-time job which turns into full time when she finds the mutilated body of the journalist she was hired to replace. On top of other financial and emotional problems there is an instant attraction between Maggie and Joe Driver, the handsome policeman sent to investigate the murder. He helps her get more information on Horace's accident and the relationship between them heats up as Maggie's Aunt Myrtle keeps a sharp eye on Maggie's social life. With characters like: a co-worker named Fatima (AKA Queen Esther Johnson); Evil Elvira, a former slave who claims to be over a hundred years old; and friends at the paper, it's a merry southern romp with love, laughs, the MPD, the FBI all trying to find out 'who all done what?'

THE SNAFUED SNATCH (2)
When two young hoodlums are disappointed at the take from robbing convenience stores, they decide to try kidnapping and search the papers for information on local businessmen. They decide to kidnap Grace Hanover, Maggie's cousin and boss's wife and ask for a hundred thousand in small bills which they think will be low enough so he will just pay and not involve the police. They plan the kidnapping for Halloween night and everything goes well except for one little glitch. There is a party going on and they get the wrong woman. They snatch Maggie, Hank's cousin instead of Grace. With Maggie chloroformed, bound hand and foot in their van they call Hank at his Halloween party and tell them they have his wife and the figure they have in mind is only hundred thousand dollars in small bills. Hank, full of good bourbon and looking at his wife across the room laughs at them. He says the way Grace spends money and credit he can't possible take her back for a mere hundred grand and hangs up on them! Waking during the last part of the conversation Maggie smiles to herself at the difference between her and Joe's bank balance and a hundred thousand dollars. This is followed by panic as she wonders if Joe is looking for her; if he even knows she's gone; and what's going to happen to her when these two idiots find out she's not Grace?

There's an insurance series with two so far: ONCE BURNED (1) AND VARMINT (2)
AND MORE'S COMIN'

Happy reading, break's over,
Jackie

$2.99 Novels @Kindle!

2011-02-26T16:56:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm 'in up to my ankles and in head first' in the writing/publishing business. It's exciting and I've even got a couple of new covers on my new Kindle books. My e-books are all $2.99 with a few for even less so everyone who wants a wide choice of novels will have a good choice. The newest ones are Mardi Gras Murder; An Unpopular Corpse; and Good and Dead. Check them out and do leave a comment when you visit here.

I love meeting new readers and writers.
Break's over :-)
Jackie

BacklistEbooksAnthology!

2011-02-07T12:29:00.000-08:00

Backlist Ebook is considering one or more anthology ideas. Heads up to get some really good reading in these short stories by authors you have 'met' here and elsewhere in cyberspace :-)))

Right now two of the genres being considered are Mystery/Horror and Family. These are just a few of the ideas being considered so watch for more news about it on Facebook and BeB and other places.

In the meantime, check out your favorite authors and genres on Amazon. com and the Kindle bookstore. Snow days are happy days with a book to read :-)

Just remember there are roots and buds and good stuff under all that snow!
Break's over,
Jackie

Happy 2011 Readers & Writers!

2011-01-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

Here it is, a brand new year to make progress, make friends, and make do in some cases with the economy still in the - well, never mind - concentrate on the good stuff like a little poem that sticks in my mind:

As you travel on through life
Let it ever be your goal
To keep your eye upon the donut
and not upon the hole! :-)

Another bright spot is seeing something good to balance anything that's not so good. The thing I'm watching closely right now (besides the family health both physical and financial) is my ebook sales. I've priced them all no higher than $2.99 and crossed my fingers (didn't change my typing much - ha!) but my sales though not big enough to brag yet are at least going steadily up.

Also, I've got all my rights back except two hard covers which are still under contract, the rest are available on Kindle and live right now at great prices. Also, people seem to be reading the series since multiple sales are being reported.
The Maryvale series; The Maggie and Joe series; the Chris and Duff Insurance series; plus the stand alones and others on my Kindle list.

Also, I'm hoping to hear from fellow readers and writers on my blog so please if you come to visit, leave a comment (and welcome and thanks for coming :-)
There will be more Kindle novels and good prices too and soon - keep checking back and have a great 2011.(And do keep your eye on the donut!)
Break's over! :-)

Christmas Ebook & More

2010-12-01T12:48:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Christmas I've put THE NELSON SCANDAL on Kindle at a 'gift' price of $2.99. Thumbnail: Sheriff Cas Larkin and his matchmaking wife Connie follow hot clues and cold trails investigating four homicides - two of them more than a hundred years old!

Also new on Kindle is RECIPE FOR TROUBLE; MARDI GRAS MURDER; and AN UNPOPULAR CORPSE. Since these are all cases for Sheriff Cas Larkin in my Maryvale series and I'm planning on writing as long as I can see the monitor - look for more (please? LOL)

In the meantime, I wish all of us happy reading, writing, and cyper hugs,
Break's over,
Jackie

Woops! SecondnewnovelonKindle!

2010-10-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

This is a PS I guess - since I forgot to tell you about the other newest Kindle novel in my last post.

Title: L.I.F.E. (Takes place in the near enough to worry about future).

Logline: Two senior med students hard up for living expenses and tuition apply for part time jobs and find out the current difination of L.I.F.E. is just as bizarre as their mysterious new jobs. Read it - dare ya! :-)

Break's really,positively over this time :-)
Jackie

Back With News!

2010-10-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

Here I am again after a long break. I'd tell you what I'm into, onto, and up to, too (maybe) but I might want to sell the movie rights, LOLFOF. The Fickle Finger of Fate sometimes just defies imagination.

The newest thing is I have more things on Kindle and at very good prices both here and on the Amazon UK Kindle.

On the publishing front: Dead on Arrival, HC first of the Maggie and Joe series is available as of January 2010 from Five Star/Gale.

Merrywinds, a romance/adventure novel will be out HC in November also from Five Star, then the large print will be out in December of 2010.

I've just put two new full length novels up on Kindle also:
The Snafued Snatch, second of the Maggie and Joe series.
Thumbnail: "Two young would-be criminals disappointed with the take from robbing convenience stores, decide to try kidnapping. They look in all the Memphis papers, case businesses, and decide to kidnap Hank Hanover's wife, Grace, and ask only a hundred thousand dollars so he will pay and not call the police. They plan the 'snatch' for Halloween night when the Hanover's are having a party and it goes well except for one little hitch. Instead of Grace they get Hank's cousin, Maggie. With Maggie tied up in their van they call Hank at the party. They tell Hank they have his wife and the figure they have in mind is a hundred thousand in small bills. Hank, full of good bourbon and looking at his wife across the room, laughs at them, says the way Grace spends money and credit he can't afford to take her back for a mere hundred grand and hangs up on them. Maggie hears the last of the conversation and is inclined to laugh at the difference between a hundred thousand and her check book balance - but does her husband, Joe even know she is missing? And what will happen when these two morons find out she's not Grace?

There are also new low prices on the Amamazon UK to hopefully make some new friends in the UK.

The gorgeous fall weather is making it impossible to stay in the house any longer! Break's over - please come again,
Jackie

MARCH FREEBIE LAUGH

2010-03-29T22:03:00.000-07:00

This is from LIGHTEN UP - one of my ninety-nine cent e-books on Kindle. LIGHTEN UP is composed of a few random articles from the humor column I did for a weekly in Memphis before I got too many deadlines (way back then - LOL).

"It's never too late to start exercising" according to the spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. Funny how I think about exercise at night when it's too dark to get out and walk. Sort of like deciding to cut down on certain kinds of foods right after a heavy meal that includes an embarrassing lot of them. The move-it-or-lose-it school of thought is getting more prevalent (louder, too) as America gets older. However, to a person as talented at relaxing as I am (I practice a lot), it seems there are as many people overdoing the moving as there are couch potatoes who are at least enjoying the process of losing it. You can't drive more than three blocks in any direction without passing or meeting someone in sweats (some of those sweats cover a multitude of sins like a coat of paint) either walking briskly or jogging for dear life. Some of the joggers are red in the face as Rudolph's nose and huffing like they should have brought their oxygen with them. Makes you wonder if they're going to jog right through the Pearly Gates. (They're surely smart enough to do a quick U-turn if they start seeing smoke or smelling brimstone in their quest for the Body beautiful!)

All this talk about pectoral muscles, abs, 10K runs, and (shudder) cellulite, is hard to ignore (yeah, I'm trying). Especially since my own exercising is minimal with a capital MIN. A glance in the mirror at all of the above which belong to you seem to be moving south thanks to flab and gravity. Reminds you of the horror stories warning of what happen if you don't exercise and take care of muscles, bones, and the cardio-vascular system. all that long worded propaganda makes a nice, deep easy chair look like a death trap. You immediately recall the warning that if you don't exercise the quadraceps in your thighs, you'll soon be unable to get out of that chair under your own power!

Knowing all that plus my own limitations: being three years older than God and never by any stretch of the imagination the athletic type, I exercise just enough to feel good, work up an appetite (as if I needed that one), ease my conscience, and not take root anywhere.

My laps around the yard are respectable enough, since it's a big yard. Of course of the five acres available I always pick the two in the shade. None of those exercise freaks said getting burned and wrinkled would do your muscles any good. The laps around the yard (in the shade), unavoidable errands, and necessary housework (kicking a path through and cleaning enough not to fear a visit from the fire department or board of health,) are enough for me until the bathroom scale starts saying "get off " instead of those little red numbers.

My lap around the couch is a snow job, the only exercise involved being to adjust a pillow to just the right angle to read a book comfortably.

Don't let the do-gooders push you into overdoing it and jogging through the Pearly Gates before your time. When you decide to walk more, there are lots of ways to enjoy that too. Don't be brainwashed into making work out of it. Walk to places you want to go. There are lots of interesting destinations at the nearest mall - enjoy!

Hope you had fun and some chuckles - break's over! :-)

Jackie

FREEBIE LAUGHS

2010-02-28T08:52:00.000-08:00

This is one of the columns in LIGHTEN UP - a $0.99 ebook on Kindle. It's excerpts from a humor column I did years ago before I got too many deadlines (life et cetera LOL) It's also short enough to put on your computer if you don't have an e-reader so you can read them one at a time or whenever you want to.

This was entered in one of the AWC (Arkansas Writers contests) and won first prize in the humor article contest. It's name was LUCKY Me at that time, now it's part of LIGHTEN UP on Kindle :-)Here it is:

The beautiful spa city where I was born is now in the middle of the annual horse racing season. The excitement, myriad social whoopie occasions, greedy expectations, and general chaotic scrambles for parking space are rising along wth the fattening of the purses for the races. In spite of all that, I have not, so far, bet one peso, yen, or American buck on a horse. It just isn't humane to burden a poor beat with the kind of luck I have. It's enough entertainment to see the methods some people use to bet, and the results they get. One sunny afternoon at the matinee, two obviously learned professors of the sporting game who sat in front of me and my husband poured over newspapers, tout sheets, and other information, calculators in hand, before picking THE WINNER. That noble bast came in fifth. The air head with party colored hair behind us who bet on a horse with a name like ther cousin's cat, had a winning ticket according to what I could understand of th shrieks and jumping up and down and general rampant joy when the winner was announced.
Lady Luck's curse on me is not confined to horses. It sort of parallels Murphy's Law - anything that can go wrong will, you know how it goes. Somehow, when I got my ticket into the world, the angel in charge that day left good luck and a sense of direction out of my hiking kit. I'm doomed to work twice as hard for all accomplishments and carry a map and a compass, or do without and be lost as a goose. This maks for some tough choices and beaucoup self discipline.
Once in a while I forget my betting on a poor animal could be hazardous to its health and I take a chance. Not a calculated risk - a chance. Chances are much more fun than dull old calculated risks and make the adrenalin pump. Would you believe I once bet on a likely looking grayhound at the dog track who ran back the other way and tripped four other dogs? Whether or not they shot the big palooka, I couldn't tell you. All I know, is they wouldn't let ME do it!
You can see, with luck like that, I have to be very, very careful. About a year ago, the grcery store near us put up a pen outside and gave away chances on a Mexican burro with sacks of groceries. My husband wouldn't let me go in there for fear I'd wind up inning the thing! Fortunately, it wasn't long before someone else did so we didn't starve.
We are gong to the dog track with some friends next week (I'm going to bet two bcks to show on the rabbit).

Blog friends; Five Star writers; and other cyber friends: To read this: On Your browser go to Jackie Griffey's Books and click where it has the title of this blog - FREEBIE LAUGHS happy reading :-)

Break's over!
Jackie

http://www.pumpupyourbook.com./2009/12/08/the-devil-in-merrivale-virtual-book-tour-january-10/

2010-01-25T12:31:00.000-08:00

It's been so long since I updated i'm expecting to see news I've 'quit smoking' LOL. Nope, I'm still among the living (probaby because I never have smoked - ha!). Anyway, I'm 'up to my ankles and in head first' and about 'blogged blind' even if I have neglected my own blog.

Think I told on here that Zumaya Publications has bought my Maryvale series for their new mystery imprint - Enigma. They have staked me to virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book and I'm burning the midnight oil answering interview questions and doing guest blogs. It's fun, but it takes up more time than you thought you had!

Enigma has changed the name of my little fictional town to Merrivale and is calling it the Cas Larkin series - he's my Sheriff Hero.

I've got the first of a new mystery series just out this month from Five Star, the name of it is Dead on Arrival and you will see a good write-up about it on International Thriller Writers January Webzine by Austin Camacho.

The virtual book tour goes on till January 29 so please come by and comment or ask any questions you want to - I love meeting new readers and writers. You can find it on your browser at: http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2009/12/08/the-devil-in-merrivale-virtual-book-tour-january-10/

I look forward to hearing from you.:-)

Break's over!

Surviving Christmas

2009-12-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

Whew! Had a wonderful Christmas whether we could afford it or not. The biggest problem was where to put the things in the 'absolutely necessary and the best I could do' things - you know, which line of credit could stand it I mean. Well, we did it I think. Anyway, we ate. We had a few (practical) gifts. We celebrated. We enjoyed. Now the the question for 2010 - can we survive and get our debts back down to a (reasonably) manageable level and still eat and have a roof over our heads? I think so. I hope so. We're working on it. LOL. Getting some of these debts down to managable is my only resolution for the new year aside from the one I make and break every year: "Engage brain before putting mouth in gear!"
Happy New year and good luck to all of us - oh yeah, one more thing.
The publisher who gave me a contract on my Merrivale series (Zumaya Publications, their new mystery imprint, Enigma) arranged for me to do a blog tour at Pump Up Your Book so please do visit and leave comments or questions on my guest blogs. Go to Pump Up Your Book and visit all of them. I'll answer every question and really enjoy meeting new readers and writers and fellow bloggers too.
Happy New year and good luck to all of us. Break's over!
Jackie

Free Excerpt/Take Time to Laugh

2009-12-17T11:27:00.000-08:00

Here's a day-brightener for friends, fellow readers and writers. It's an excerpt from my LIGHTEN UP which is now on Kindle for $0.99.

Tis the season of more feelings than Peace on Earth and jolly whoopee. If the madding crowd doesn't stampede and stomp you to death in the mall, and you don't have a stroke from frustration trying to find someone to wait on you, the other shoppers will take deadly aim at you as you cringe in your car at the mercy of traffic lights (both working and non-working) in the snarl of traffic where you've got hemmed in and can't move in any direction.

All the scary scenes aren't in the movies set on a dark and stormy night. Some of them are right out in bright sunlight in the middle of a mob of lunitics, all bad-mouthing each other for the delay in their ritual celebration of peace on earth, good will toward men (which doesn't include their vehicles.)

The worst is yet to come. Some of the things you'e had delivered or managed to get into the trunk of your car are in boxes stenciled with the three words that can make any family man's blood run cold - Some Assembly Required. This is the absolute epitome of understatement. What's in that innocent looking cardboard carton is a lot of bits and pieces along with a little plastic sack labeled hardware. There's also a leaflet with 'simple' instructions for the simpleton who bought the thing. Included, is a picture of the product the way it's supposed to look - if all the pieces are there; you have an engineering degree; and there are no interruptions; and you are blessed with the patience of Job.

You lay out all the neatly numbered pieces, never mind the hardware yet. This is the point where you notice the instructions are in English, Spanish, and French, implying any simpleton in any location in the world should be able to do this job, so you should be able to also. This is the first stab of self coubt packed into this Pandora's Box of troubles.

All the big and little odd shaped pieces have numbers or letters on them. Some of them have both, the hardware too. It helps to keep the picture of the finished product where you can see it. It may begin to look like you're getting there by the time you get most of it assembled. In some cases reasembled, because piece E should have been insered in chunk 10A before putting 10A into slot 2B.

By now you are sure you will be through by Christmas. But Christmas what year? The next stage is when the monster, if you use just a little imagination, resembles the pictue of the finished product. So you decide you can do witout shelves three and four. And what difference does it make if you don't put on that door that you had on upside down and had to remove on that extra shelf? Who need it, anyway? The thing is now functional and somewhat resembles the picture, give or take a couple of shelves. So you call it done.

The struggle it took to get that far makes you wonder how the French and Spanish buyers made out with their projects. As you close the instructions, on the back side of the brochure there's more print in some other foreign language. The picture looks like a screwdriver being inserted into an electical outlet. I bet that cuts down on the number of complaints!

Break's over - Merry Christmas! :-)

Audio Books Coming Soon!

2009-12-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone is looking over the three books I put on Kindle since two of them are small enough to order to read on your computer if you want to. There are audio books coming in the near future too - it's really going to be hard to get away from me isn't it? You may as well give up and order a couple of my books.:-)

I'm thrilled that when Books in Motion schedules Spanish Eyes for their audios, MP3s and other goodies I'll be published in all formats. Of course, I'd be a lot more thrilled if I weren't still squeezing ink cartridges out of the grocery list. It really is true that a writer must write. I like to write as well as read and I plan to keep writing as long as I can see the monitor.

My Merrivale series will begin in December (this month!) with The Devil in Merrivale and The Nelson Scandal will follow next year, there will be a new one each year. Come visit Merrivale and also when you visit here, please sign my guest book and leave a Hi! or a comment. I love meeting readers and other writers and would like to hear from you.

Five Star will publish my Dead on Arrival in January of 2010, the first of a new mystery series. Merrywinds, a young adult adventure novel will follow in December of 2010.

Whatever you're reading, have fun and enjoy this beautiful fall weather.

Break's over!
Jackie

Ninety-nine Cent Books!

2009-11-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

Well, it had to happen with the economy in the toilet - ha! I tried to lower my price on three ebooks to $0.00 but Kindle wouldn't let me - price has to be "between $.99 and $200.00." So now I've got three items on Kindle for ninety-nine cents as early Christmas presents for anyone who wants to read them. I'm a newcomer to Kindle and have been putting things on it since the last of May or the first of June. The 'freebies' I hope you (fellow readers and writers ) will like are: LIGHTEN UP which is random articles from the humor column I did several years ago before I got so many deadlines to meet; THREE M ANTHOLOGY is three different stories involving mystery, magic, and mischief; and the third one is CHRISTMAS TREK which also has the reading script for anyone who is curious to see a reading script can get a look at what they look like-this one's a family story set in the future when we've let polution run us off Planet Earth to colonize another home in outer space.

I just can't stay in here a minute longer, I'm going out and enjoy the gorgeous fall weather - hope everyone is stocking up on books to read when winter comes.

Happy reading. Break's over!
Jackie

Now Hear This!!!

2009-09-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

The good news is: I've just signed a contract with Books in Motion for an audio book of SPANISH EYES (HC from Five Star and LP out in Nov. 2008). Don't know when it will be scheduled but am really pleased about it. It's my first audio book (couldja tell? LOL).

The Merrivale cozy mystery series will begin Nov. 2009 with the first one, THE DEVIL IN MERRIVALE and there will be another each year from Zumaya Publications.

I'm waiting for Pat Browning's book, WINTER MOON, the second of her Pearl series. Watch Krill Publishing and Amazon for announcement. ABSINTHE OF MALICE, the first of the series is now available and is the first of the Pearl series. No cozy mystery lover should miss this series, you'll be returning to Pearl as often as Pat Browning will let you (me too :-))

Also, please watch here and at Amazon for two 'Christmas presents:' I'm changing the price on two e-books to $0.00 till the end of the year. If they turn out to be popular, will probably leave them as gifts. Like everything else in publishing, it will take a while to get into the system; make the changes; and wait, wait, wait, till the changes are made. These two e-books will give anyone who needs a little ray of sunshine in our daily lives some laughs and chuckles. Will announce soon as I can get it done.
Break's over! :-)
Jackie

jjgbreaktimewithjackie.blogspot.com

2009-08-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

jjgbreaktimewithjackie.blogspot.com will take you directly to my latest blog. Somehow another entry on the net takes you to an entry back in August years ago!? So be advised, go to jjgbreaktimewithjackie.blogspot.com to get the latest blog, news, one writer to other writer's and reader's discussions and gossip, and general sharing, whoopee, and keepin' in touch. I love to hear from fellow writers, readers and anyone who wants to share experiences and news bulletins that all of us enjoy on our respective digests and lists. One of the very best things about being a writer is meeting so many wonderful, talented, and just plain interesting people. And please, when you come to visit, sign my guestbook. :-)
Break's over!
Jackie

Angel's Flight

2009-08-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

Heads up, cozy mystery lovers! I've discovered Alice Duncan's Mercy Allcutt and want to share the good news with you. ANGEL'S FLIGHT is the second in her series and it sent me hunting the first one. LOL. In fact, I paused a bit (lack of money is holding me up - doesn't it always?) to put a review on Amazon and give it the five stars it deserves. I don't know whether it took or not so just in case I'm posting it here:

"ANGEL'S FLIGHT is an adventure that makes the twenties live again. Mercy Allcutt will have you in her corner rooting for her as she insists on a career in a society that's nearly deaf to all women and working women in particular. Doing what Mercy wants to do whether it's socially acceptable or not gets Mercy into trouble just being herself. She works as a secretary and assistant to Ernie Templeton who is a private investigator, former policeman, and the current love interest in Mercy's life. When Ernie turns down a job involving a suspected phoney seance, Mercy attends the seance instead and is on the scene and questioned by the police when one of the guests is murdered. This infuriates Ernie and Mercy's mother who chooses this unfortunate time to visit from Boston and express her disapproval of her daughter's current life style in LA. Her presence makes Mercy's daily escape to the office both necessary and entertaining for the reader. Alice Duncan has done her homework on her chosen period of time with styles, events, and the death of Rudolph Valentio as an intresting backdrop. Scenes and settings of ANGEL'S FLIGHT are well done and the colorul characters involved in the plots twists and turns will keep you turning pages right up to the cliff-hanger climax. Alice Duncn's Mercy Allcutt series is a must for cozy mystery lovers. "

If anyone has any helpful suggestions about posting reviews or any other useful information about the mystrious workings of Amazon let me know :-)

Break's over!
Jackie

2009-07-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.comicbooksuperheroes.net/ Go here to see pictures and read about Superman, Wonder Woman, and all the magical 'good guys and gals' you've read about from comics to movies. I've put an anthology on Kindle and my first story in it is Wonder Mom. A suburban housewife who wishes on a star for Wonder Woman's powers - and gets them! Jay at the above address let me use my favorite, Wonder Woman, on my cover for my book.

Another fellow writer and friend used the statue of Superman in her Metropolis series. If ever we needed the 'good guys' and heroes worthy of our affection and attention, it's now. I'm a life long fan of Wonder Woman and a born optimist so of course all my novels have a happy ending. I may make the going ruff and tuff, but the good guys win and peace is restored. I don't know who wrote it (if anyone knows where it came from, please let me know) but it's a good thing to inspire us right now and give us hope:

"As you travel on through life,

Let it always be your goal

To keep your eye upon the doughnut

And not upon the hole!"

So keep your eye on the doughnut fellow readers and writers.

Break's over!

DEAD ON ARRIVAL Coming Soon!

2009-07-04T19:14:00.000-07:00

DEAD ON ARRIVAL , the first in my Maggie and Joe series is scheduled to come out in January of 2010. The cover will soon be up on my web site.

I've also put some things on Kimble and some scripts are included. If you're curious to see what a reading script looks like they're there. I'm hoping some agent or maybe even an actor looking for a vehicle will see them since options are available (long as I'm wishing I might as well go first class and I'd love for someone looking for a vehicle to look at my scripts and think it's 'just right' for him or her.

The in print books all have a page on my web site. Some of the ones on Kimble do too, but all of them are there on Kindle if you can't find them in print. One of the things on Kindle is LIGHTEN UP, which is a random selection of some of my early humor columns - funny to look at the ones with problems that we're STILL having!? It's strictly for entertainment, it will give you some laughs.

Come by and visit, I'd love to hear from you!
Break's over,
Jackie

Kindle Announcement:

2009-06-15T22:00:00.001-07:00

Kindle now has seven items from me. Browse to look at an anthology (Magic, Mischief, Mistery); Humor from my previous humor column; even some scripts if you haven't read a reading script before; along with novels too - and there will be more coming when I have more to list. Prices are low - enjoy! Also feel free to comment here, ask questions, just visit - I'd love meeting you and enjoy talking to readers, writers and fellow bloggers.
Break's over!
Jackie

Interesting Blogs

2009-06-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

Terry Odell's blog is a good place to visit if you are a cozy mystery fan (http://terryodell.blogspot.com.) I'll send you some more good blog locations too from time to time :-).

At the moment, I'm going the happy dance around my chair waiting to hear from a publisher who says my submission 'sounds interesting' and I will hear from her shortly.

I'm also reading Pat Browning's ABSINTHE WITHOUT MALICE again to consider putting a brief review on the blog soon. I went to it on Amazon to put the review on and give it the five stars it deserves when for some reason I couldn't get it to work(?) I'll try later.

In the meantime, the weather man seems to have lost his umbrella (or someone tired of treading water swpipped it) and we're having a week of glorious sunshine. Go out and enjoy if you are too!
Break's over!
Jackie

CHAPTERS/REVIEW/EXCERPTS

2009-06-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

This is to announce some new things on the blog and ask for advice and opinions - fellow readers and writers feelings on things in general.

In addition to thumbnails and news about the books I've got coming out (and already on my web site) I'm going to add some reviews, excerpts of some of the novels and hopefully make the information more helpfull to readers looking for cozies, romance/suspense, and of course, a few laughs along the way.

The next post will have a brief review and something about the novel and the author and it will be ABSENCE OF MALICE by Pat Browning. I'm not going to give a set time frame since my life is just not programmed for that right now. I will post reviews and further information ASAP and am looking forward to hearing from fellow readers and writers.

Break's over!
Jackie

2009-05-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Who needs a calendar? As the economy flounders deeper into the toilet, everybody and his dog (or accountant) is sending out their monthy bills earlier and earlier. Do they they think you'll make a mistake and send them two payments? Not until I and the rest of the people pinching pennies and clipping grocery coupons start getting those checks of ours twice a month. It's just not going to happen.
Wouldn't it be nice, fellow writers, if the accountants who get out advance and royalty checks did that too? Oh, well, I know that's just not going to happen either.
On a brighter note, the book I talked about in my last blog is out now. STRANGER IN PARADISE came out in hard cover from Five Star. And I actually got a royalty check for the large print of SPANISH EYES that came out in Nov. of 2008.
Last month I was asked to speak at the opening of a beautiful new library in Jacksnville, Arkansas (eleven miles away from Cabot where I live.) I have always had a soft spot in my heart for librarys and said fine - I'll be there. Then I found out they wanted me to speak on "How to Write a Novel." That was a challenge, since there are as many ways to write a novel as there are recipes to fix spaghetti or homemade chili.
I approached the problem like I write (I hear those who know me chucking already). I just wrote down all my thoughts, problems, hopes, wishes, everything except profanity (and I don't write erotica either) then eliminated about 90% of it and voila!
This brought me up to questions from the floor which is always fun. The best thing about writing is the people you meet. Writers, other readers. And the friends you make along the way. Not to mention the fun it is to read all the good novels you hear about.
The main things I stressed was if money is your main ambition, you should find another line of work. If you love to write, write. And never ever get discouraged. One of the best quotes I've heard from another writer I've got typed out and taped beneath my monitor. "Nobody can call you a failure until you quit!"
Break's over!
Jackie

First Merrivale and DEAD ON ARRIVAL

2009-04-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

New cozy mysteries and sample chapters are coming soon. The first Merrivale cozy mystery novel from Zumaya Publications is scheduled to come out in November, 2009 and sample chapters will be posted on its page at my web site. The Maryvale name is changed to Merrivale but my characters still have all their good points, freckles and all, so come get acquainted with them and the gifted citizens too. The first of the series is THE DEVIL IN MERRIVALE and it's a big and beautiful (and comfortable to read) trade paperback.

I will be speaking at the grand opening of the new and beautiful new library in nearby Jacksonville, Arkansas on April 26 at 10:30 AM and I'll say more about this series then. Please stop by and say hello if you are in the area. They have asked me to speak on "How to Write a Novel" so I have my speach all finished and my 'props' ready. One of the things I'm taking is an article about Janet Evanovich to give those in attendance the courage not to give up when they get discouraged. I'll also have a drawing for an ARC and explain what those are.

The main body of my talk will be how to JUST GET STARTED, giving some of the tools and helpful things available for a budding writer.

Of course, the first thing I'll point out is there are as many ways to write a novel as there are recipes for spaghetti - so do come by if you can. There will be questions from the floor and your two cents and your presences are welcome. That's another good thing for writers, to talk with and network and enjoy meeting other readers and writers.

Keep checking on the sample chapters on my site, as well as news about other things.
Break's over!

Lost in Googleland!

2009-04-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! Anyone? I hope there's someone out there - this is the first blog with my new e-mail address. I'm now a gmail user and off we go!

First of all I'm still trying to find my way around and recover some addresses and things I seem to have lost in the rush.

Mainly, my new books coming out now are:
STRANGER IN PARADISE: HC from Five Star, romance suspense 3/09
THE DEVIL IN MARYVALE: TR from Zumaya Publishing, first of the Merrivale cozy mystery series, 11/09
DEAD ON ARRIVAL: HC from Five Star, first of a new Maggie and Joe cozy series 1/10

Late bloomer or not, I love to write and plan on writing as long as I can see the monitor LOL :-)

The very best thing I've discovered about writing is meeting new friends, fellow readers and writers - so please, visit often and sign the guest book and know your input is welcome. Since I have a gripe-in session once in a while, please feel free to tell me all your good news and bad news, and of course, any funny or helpful or warning experiences you want to share. I look forward to hearing from you.
Break's over!,
Jackie