A Winner in my Virtual Book Tour Contest!

I have randomly selected a winner in my virtual book tour contest for a free autographed copy of Deadly Currents, the first book in my RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series featuring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner. Her name is Heidi Thomas, and she is from Mount Vernon, Washington. Heidi is a writer herself. Check out her website! Congratulations to Heidi and many thanks to everyone who commented on the different stops along my virtual book tour.

Now, get ready for another contest! I'll announce it Friday, and it's NOT an April Fool's joke!

Left Coast Crime: Report 2

This is the second report, with photos, about my trip to Santa Fe, NM, for the Left Coast Crime conference. I ended Report 1 with the Friday evening blessing ceremony. After that, we all chowed down on the plentiful appetizers and the "Mass Market Murderers" made a supreme effort to get liquored-up enough to gather our courage for our later performance of "Paperback Writer" by the Beatles. The photos below are from that hilariously awful rendition--after my muscle pose with program chair Rob Kresge. I've been told we'll be YouTube stars soon. (Shudder!)




Saturday morning was the Established Author Breakfast, where I made my pitch for Deadly Currents, and where I met up with Becke Martin, who runs the Barnes & Noble on-line Mystery Book Club (photo below).



After listening to Craig Johnson's delightful interview of Margaret Coel (photo above), I lunched with the Sisters in Crime Guppies chapter members who were attending the conference, about a dozen of us (photos below).

Patricia Gulley, Avery Aames, Kaye George.

Gigi Pandian, Elizabeth (Liz) Wilkerson, Mysti Berry.

Jill Amadio, me, Kari Wainwright's sister.

Kari Wainwright, Tammy Kaehler, Gigi Pandian.


Then I listened to the "Series vs Standalones" panel of authors who have written both: Michael A. Black, G.M. Malliet, Janet Dawson, Rosemary & Larry Mild, and Penny Warner (photo below). After volunteering in the Hospitality Suite, I napped in my room, then refreshed, dressed for the banquet. I sat at my good friend LC Hayden's table (photo below).



Sunday morning, I breakfasted with Kris Neri and the conference chair, Pari Noskin Taichert, attended the "Police Procedurals" panel moderated by LC Hayden, then hit the road. I stopped in Pueblo, CO, for a signing on the way home to Colorado Springs, did a couple loads of laundry, then fell into bed and slept for ten and a half hours!

And here's the YouTube link to the slide show from our "Murder in the Great Outdoors" panel. it's short and sassy!

Left Coast Crime: Report 1

Last weekend, I attended the Left Coast Crime conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Below are the first set of photos from the event. I'll post another report tomorrow with more photos.

Wednesday, I drove down from Colorado Springs, checked into the hotel, then went to the Otowi Station Bookstore in Los Alamos, NM, for a signing. If you're ever in Los Alamos, you've got to stop in there! What a fun collection of children's science toys and all kinds of books (they're next to the science museum in town), and the two owners, Peggy and Michele, are very nice & friendly. The next photo is of me with two store customers who bought copies of Deadly Currents at that signing.


Thursday, I spent the morning checking in, schmoozing, and figuring out where all the conference rooms were. The first panel I attended was after lunch: "Santa Fe, the City of Different", with Susan Paturzo, Joe Badal, Margaret Coel, and Susan Shea, as shown in the photo below. After volunteering in the Hospitality Suite, I went to the "Short But Not Sweet: Short Stories" panel with Jane Burfield, Stephen D. Rogers, Lance Zarimba, Patricia Morin, and Michael Bracken, shown in the second photo below.



After that was a dinner at Milagro 139 with 20 members of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America that I had arranged. The meals were delicious, the margaritas were flowing, and Denise Dietz, editor for Five Star, gave a brief talk and answered a few questions. The next three photos are from that dinner.




Friday morning I went to the New Authors Breakfast where 16 first-time authors took turns pitching their mystery books. After that, I attended the "Crafts, Hobbies & Murders" panel with good friends and cozy mystery authors Christine Goff (birdwatcher series), Maggie Sefton (knitting series), Avery Aames (cheese shop series), and Camille Minichino (miniature series). Next, I sat in on the "Industry Professionals on Publishing" panel manned by agents and editors with their thoughts on the state of the mystery business, and the publishing business in general.

Then came my own "Murder in the Great Outdoors" with Sandi Ault, Michael Norman, and Twist Phelan. We each brought a few items we took with us into the great outdoors while researching our books. Mine were a PFD (personal floatation device), whistle, and pocketknife. Also, Sandi and her husband crafted a wonderful slide show of photos of us doing outdoor activities & research and of some joke images of celebrities holding our photo-shopped-in books. People kept coming up to me later to tell me how much they enjoyed the panel, so I'm very pleased with its reception! The next photo is from that panel.


Next was a late lunch at Cafe Pasquel's with historical mystery author and long-time friend Ann Parker (photo below).


We got back to La Fonda in time for Toastmaster Steve Brewer's interview of New Mexico author Steven Havill, which was very interesting and entertaining. We reconvened in the ballroom a half hour later for a blessing ceremony performed by the Ice Mountain Dance Group from the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. The rest of the photos are from that ceremony.




Stay tuned for tomorrow's report, with photos of my most embarrassing moment at the conference!

A Flood of Positive Publicity for Deadly Currents

A veritable flood of exciting news has appeared in the press and on-line about my new mystery book release, Deadly Currents. Take a look:

One of the most exciting news tidbits for me is a wonderful complimentary review of Deadly Currents in the June, 2011 issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. Pick up a copy to read the whole review, but here's what my publicist calls a pull-line:

"Groundwater’s novel is filled with river lore, vivid descriptions, and loving depictions of the varied characters who make up the tight-knit community."

The Colorado Springs Independent printed an interview with me in their March 17th issue, titled "Full Speed Ahead."

My New Books essay, "Deadly Research," about the research I did for the book appeared in the Winter, 2011 issue of Mystery Scene. You can't read the essay on-line, but you can order the issue or subscribe at the website. Also, I'm currently attending the Left Coast Crime conference, and that issue is in everyone's book bag! A reviewer for Mystery Scene who is attending the conference asked me to sign her advanced review copy and said she just turned in her positive review of Deadly Currents to the editors. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will make the cut and appear in the next issue!

Mega-mystery-fan Dru Ann Love gave a wonderful 5-star review to Deadly Currents on her blog and in her "Dru's Cozy Report: March Reading List" monthly post to the Cozy Chicks blog.

And here's another great review from a mystery reader at her blog ALMS and Entertainment.

Omnimystery News mentions my river ranger sleuth, Mandy Tanner, in their "Firsts on the 1st" article for March.

Lastly, Deadly Currents is available in over 135 library systems (so far!), from Alaska to Maine, as recorded in the Worldcat System. See if it's in yours!

Hanging Out at the Left Coast Crime Conference

This weekend, I will be attending the 2011 Left Coast Crime Conference, subtitled "The Big Chili," in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It will be a gathering of around 400 mystery authors, librarians, booksellers, and readers to celebrate the mystery genre. If you plan to attend, here's where you can find me:

Today, Friday:

11:30 AM - 12:15 PM, “Murder in the Great Outdoors” panel with me, Sandi Ault, Twist Phelan, and Michael Norman, followed by a signing from 12:15 – 12:30 PM. We're bringing props and having a contest for free books!

5:30 - 7 PM, Opening Reception, where I'll be singing "Paperback Writer" with the Mass Market Murderers (members of the Rocky Mountain chapter of Mystery Writers of America). This is guaranteed to be a hoot and a half!

Saturday:

7:30 - 9 AM, Continental breakfast featuring Established Authors where I'll give my "elevator speech" about Deadly Currents

2:30 – 3:45 PM, I'll be a volunteer in the Hospitality Room, so I'll be looking for people to be hospitable to!

I'll also be attending panels and the conference banquet and award ceremony, and meeting various groups for meals: the Rocky Mountain chapter of MWA, the Guppies chapter of Sisters in Crime, and the Mystery Babes.

On the drive home from the conference on Sunday, I'll stop at the Barnes and Noble bookstore at the Eagleridge Shopping Center in Pueblo, Colorado from 4 - 5 PM for a signing.

It will be a busy and fun weekend, I'm sure!

Fish Tales Guppy Anthology Nears Publication

This is the cover art for the soon-to-be-released Fish Tales, The Guppy Anthology. It's a collection of short stories written by members of the Guppies chapter of Sisters in Crime, to which I belong. The stories all have a theme related to fish or water. My "Fatal Fish Flop" story was one of twenty-two that were selected to be included in the collection, and I must say I'm pretty pleased with it. The first line is:

"The guppies killed him."

I gave myself the challenge of writing a mystery story where guppies are wrongly accused of causing the death of a murder victim, and I had a lot of fun with it.

Fish Tales will be published by Wildside Press in time for copies to be available at the Malice Domestic conference in Bethesda, MD April 29 - May 1. I and many of the other story authors will be at this conference to sign our short stories in the anthology. I've read them all, and I can tell you its a stellar collection, well worth diving into!

The anthology even has it's own Facebook page. Please go to, "Like" it, read the Info page, then leave a comment on the wall about what you think of it. :-)

Pictures at an Exhibition--or Signing, that is

Last Thursday evening was the Colorado Springs launch party for my Deadly Currents release at the south Barnes and Noble Booksellers store by Citadel Mall. Since it was St. Patrick's Day, I brought green cookies for a treat, and we decorated with a green and white balloon bouquet. The night before, I had "won" a flower arrangement at a silent auction fundraiser for my church's youth group. So, I brought that to decorate my table, too.

The photos below are from the event. The first one shows me at my signing table near the beginning of the event. The second photo shows me with MB Partlow and Vic Cruickshank, two members of my critique group. The third photo shows the store's Community Relations Manager, Lora Reiher, and a friend, Susie Braun. Note how the piles of books have dwindled! We ended the evening with only 4 left. It was a successful and fun launch, all in all, for my whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner.

Discussing Results of my Virtual Book Tour at Inkspot

Today is my turn to blog at Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors. I'll discuss my virtual book tour and what kind of results I can expect from it. I'd love to hear your feedback on my tour, or virtual book tours in general, especially if you conducted or followed one recently. Please join me there!

PS. After my week with the Barnes and Noble Booksellers Mystery Book Club is up, I'll randomly select a winner for my virtual book tour contest, who will receive a free copy of Deadly Currents.

An Interview and A Visit with the Barnes and Noble Mystery Book Club

Today from noon - 12:30 MST (11:00 - 11:30 PST) on my virtual book tour, I will be interviewed by Sylvia Dickey Smith on her Writing Strong Women blogtalkradio show. Listen in to see what questions she has for me! If you can't listen to the interview live, you can always listen to it later once it's archived. I hope you'll leave a comment or question of your own for me there. Every comment will be an entry into my virtual book tour contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

Also, today will start my one week visit with the Barnes and Noble Booksellers Mystery Book Club on-line. I will answer questions from members, AND I'll be providing reports about my experiences at the Left Coast Crime conference in Santa Fe, NM, that starts on Thursday. It should be a fun week there, and I hope you'll join me.

These will be the last two stops on my virtual book tour, but you can still read all of the posts if you're joining the tour late. You can find the complete tour schedule HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post and leave a comment on each one. And I hope you'll spread the word about my book and my VBT to your mystery-reading friends. Good luck in the contest!

An Interview on the River Ranger Blog

Today on my virtual book tour, I am interviewed by Brett Fisher, a river ranger in Oregon, on his River Ranger blog. His blog contains news of interest to fellow river rangers or those who want to become a river ranger. He had some interesting questions for me, coming from his unique perspective of working in the same occupation that my sleuth Mandy Tanner does. I hope you'll read the post and leave a comment or question for me there. Every comment will be an entry into my virtual book tour contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete virtual book tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post and leave a comment on each one. And I hope you'll spread the word about my book and my VBT to your mystery-reading friends. Good luck in the contest!

A Review and Writing Discussion on the Write Now! Coach blog

Today on my virtual book tour, I am visiting Rochelle Melander's Write Now! Coach blog, where she'll share her review of Deadly Currents. Also, we'll continue the discussion we started during my guest appearance in her teleconference class on writing. I hope you'll read the post and leave a comment or question for me there. Every comment will be an entry into my virtual book tour contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete virtual book tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post and leave a comment on each one. And I hope you'll spread the word about my book and my VBT to your mystery-reading friends. Good luck in the contest!

An Interview on Writing From the Peak

Today on my virtual book tour, I am interviewed by Fleur Bradley at Writing From the Peak, the blog for the Pikes Peak Writers (PPW), a writers organization to which I belong. Among other interesting topics, we discuss my Deadly Currents mystery, the first in my RM Outdoor Adventures series starring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner that is set in Salida, Colorado. I hope you'll read the post and leave a comment or question for me here as a result of reading it. You can't comment there, which is why I'm suggesting you comment here. Every comment will be an entry into my virtual book tour contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete virtual book tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. And I hope you'll spread the word about my book and my VBT to your mystery-reading friends. Good luck in the contest!

A guest spot on OARS's Waterblogged blog

Today on my virtual book tour, I will visit the Waterblogged blog maintained by O.A.R.S., a well-known and well-respected adventure travel outfitter. They will present me to their blog readers and share an excerpt from my new release, Deadly Currents, which is the first book in my new RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series starring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner. It has received good reviews in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly and from other reviewers. I'll be monitoring the blog all day to answer questions from readers.

Please stop by and ask me some questions of your own. Remember, if you post a comment at Waterblogged you will be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents. You can find the schedule of my complete Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. And I hope you'll spread the word about my book and my VBT to your mystery-reading friends. Good luck in the contest!

A Review and A Recipe

Today on my virtual book tour, I stop at Martha Cheves's A Book and A Dish blog. Martha will share her review of my Deadly Currents mystery, the first in my RM Outdoor Adventures series, and I'll share my recipe for lamb curry. I hope you'll read the post and leave a comment or question for me there. Every comment is an entry into my virtual book tour contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete virtual book tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. And I hope you'll spread the word about my book and my VBT to your mystery-reading friends. Good luck in the contest!

An Interview on Chiseled in Rock

Today on my virtual book tour, I am interviewed by Patricia Stoltey at Chiseled in Rock, the blog for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers (RMFW), a writing organization to which I belong. Among other interesting topics, we talk about my new release, Deadly Currents, which is the first book in my new RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series starring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner. It has received good reviews in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly and from other reviewers.

Please stop by and ask me some questions of your own. Remember, if you post a comment at Chiseled in Rock you will be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents. You can find the schedule of my complete Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. And I hope you'll spread the word about my book and my VBT to your mystery-reading friends. Good luck in the contest!

The Deadly Currents Cover Story

Today on my virtual book tour, I stop at the Make Mine Mystery blog to talk about my cover story for Deadly Currents. I discuss how the cover art came about and my experiences in getting cover art changed when it needed to be. I hope you'll read this behind-the-scenes glimpse at one of the important decisions that gets made in the book production process. And, I hope you'll leave a comment about how book cover art influences your buy decision, and if you're an author, about your own experiences with book cover art. Every comment is an entry into my virtual book tour contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete virtual book tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. And I hope you'll spread the word about my book and my VBT to your mystery-reading friends. Good luck in the contest!

Eleventh Stop on my Virtual Book Tour: Poe's Deadly Daughters

Today and tomorrow on my virtual book tour, I am at the Poe's Deadly Daughters blog. I'll be talking about "The Dangers and Excitement of Whitewater Rafting", and I've sent in some KILLER action photos! Please stop by.

This virtual book tour is to promote the recent release of Deadly Currents, the first book in my new RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series. It is set in the upper Arkansas River valley of Colorado and stars whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner. The book has received good reviews in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly and from other reviewers.

Feel free to ask me a question about whitewater rafting in a comment on my post. Remember, if you leave a comment at Poe's Deadly Daughters you will be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. And I hope you'll spread the word about my book and my VBT to your mystery-reading friends. Good luck in the contest!

Tenth Stop on my Virtual Book Tour: LadyKillers

Today on the tenth day of my virtual book tour, I am at The LadyKillers blog. In honor of their "Best Friends Week," my guest article is an interview with Cynthia Abbott, the bartender best friend of Mandy Tanner, the whitewater river ranger protagonist of my new release, Deadly Currents.

Deadly Currents is the first book in my new RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series set in the upper Arkansas River valley of Colorado. It has received good reviews in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly and from other reviewers.

Please stop by and ask Cynthia some questions of your own. Remember, if you post a comment at The LadyKillers you will be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. And I hope you'll spread the word about my book and my VBT to your mystery-reading friends. Good luck in the contest!

Ninth Stop on my Virtual Book Tour: Working Stiffs

Today on the ninth day of my virtual book tour, I visit the Working Stiffs blog. There, Bill Tanner, the beloved uncle of the protagonist, river ranger Mandy Tanner, of my March 8th release, Deadly Currents, is interviewed. Bill talks about the origins of his close relationship with Mandy and his concerns for her.

Please stop by and ask Bill (or me) a question of your own. Remember, if you post a comment at Working Stiffs you will be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. Every comment gives you another entry in the contest. Good luck!

Eighth Stop on my Virtual Book Tour: Jungle Red Writers

Today on the eighth day of my virtual book tour, I visit the Jungle Red Writers blog. I'll talk about "How a Rural Colorado Sheriff’s Office Works" and explain my research of the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office in Colorado for my new release, Deadly Currents.

Please stop by and make a comment or ask a question about about how a rural Colorado Sheriff’s Office works or about how whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner interacts with Victor Quintana, the detective assigned to Tom King’s case. Remember, if you post a comment, you will be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. Every comment gives you another entry in the contest. Good luck!

Seventh Stop on my Virtual Book Tour: Suspense Radio

Today's stop on my Virtual Book Tour is a live radio interview on Suspense Radio from 8:00 - 8:30 MST, 7:00 - 7:30 PST. Listen in to see what questions John Raab, publisher of Suspense Magazine, has for me! If you can't listen to the interview live, you can always listen to it later once it's archived.

If you post a comment at Suspense Radio you will be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. Every comment gives you another entry in the contest. And you don't have to comment on the day of the post to enter, so today might be a good day to catch up. Good luck!

RELEASE DAY!

Today is the official release date for Deadly Currents, the first book in my RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series starring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner. What does that mean, really? It used to mean that no one except reviewers could get their hands on a copy of the book before the official release date. But Amazon has been shipping copies of Deadly Currents already, and some bookstores already have the book on their shelves. For those who've preordered the Kindle version, however, it does mean your downloads should be delivered today.

And for me, it means I'll spend the day at the computer trying to get the word out via email to friends, family, etc. Then, I have a blogtalkradio interview at eight. After that, I'm going to celebrate with some bubbly! How can you help me celebrate? Click on one of the "buy me" links below OR make plans to attend one of my in-person signings that are listed HERE.

To order an autographed copy to be shipped to you, contact Black Cat Books.

To buy the book elsewhere, choose one of the following:

1. • Order from your local independent mystery bookstore
   

2. • Order from your local independent bookstore
   

3. • Order from Barnes & Noble
   

4. • Order from Amazon
   

5. • Order direct from Midnight Ink
   

Sixth Stop on my Virtual Book Tour: Meanderings and Musings

Today on the sixth day of my virtual book tour, I visit Kaye Barley's Meanderings and Musings blog. There, the protagonist, river ranger Mandy Tanner, of my March 8th release, Deadly Currents, is interviewed. Mandy reveals some things about her background and how she became a river ranger. She also shares some photos of her favorite places and people.

Please stop by and ask Mandy (or me) a question of your own. Remember, if you post a comment at Meanderings and Musings you will be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. Every comment gives you another entry in the contest. Good luck!

Fifth Stop on my Virtual Book Tour: Cozy Chicks

Today on the fifth day of my virtual book tour, I am at the Cozy Chicks blog. My guest article talks about the beautiful and adventurous setting for my new mystery, Deadly Currents: Salida, Colorado, and the upper Arkansas River valley. I even provided some photos of this lovely place.

Deadly Currents is the first book in my new RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series starring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner. It will be released in three days (March 8th) and has received good reviews in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly and from other reviewers.

Please stop by and join the discussion of book settings. Have you ever read a book, fallen in love with its setting, and made a trip to that location? What about Colorado? Ever visited my home state?

Also, Rosa St. Claire's interview of me for the Miami Books Examiner that was supposed to appear on March 4th appeared yesterday on March 5th. And she added a lovely review of Deadly Currents! In the interview, she asks me about my family background, my writing and books, what I like to read, people I admire, and more. She requested some childhood photos, so you can see what I looked like as a little girl and a teenager. If you haven't had a chance to look at it yet, please do and leave a comment.

Remember, if you post a comment at either Cozy Chicks or the Miami Books Examiner you will be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. And I hope you'll spread the word about my book and my VBT to your mystery-reading friends. Good luck in the contest!

A Break in the VBT for Announcements!

First announcement is that I need a Wikipedia editor. My Wikipedia entry, which was composed by someone else, is hopelessly outdated, and I don't have the time to learn how to make Wikipedia edits to fix it. If anyone who reads this IS knowledgeable about how to edit Wikipedia pages and is willing to update the page by mining my website, contact me there. For doing the update, you'll get a free autographed copy of Deadly Currents, and maybe some more books, depending on the effort you put into it.

Second announcement is that enough new subscribers have signed up for my email newsletter that I awarded another prize! Courtney from Ashburn, Virginia received an autographed copy of Deadly Currents as well as a mystery book written by another author I admire. I award a prize of one of my mystery books and 1-2 books by other mystery authors every time a hundred more subscribers sign up for my email newsletter. Those are great odds, so please sign up and encourage your friends to do so!

Third announcement is that Deadly Currents has received its first customer review on Amazon, and it's five stars! You can read it HERE. I couldn't be more pleased. What would REALLY please me is more people adding their reviews after they read Deadly Currents, so I hope you'll consider doing so!

Fourth announcement is that the new Winter Issue of Mystery Scene magazine, which should be hitting newsstands and mailboxes early next week, includes a New Books essay titled "Deadly Rsearch" written by me. Please pick up a copy and read about the research that went into the writing of Deadly Currents. A bonus is that handsome Robert Crais graces the cover. ;-)

Fifth announcement is that it's only THREE DAYS until the official release date of Deadly Currents!!! Are you excited? ... I am!

And now back to the regularly scheduled program, starting tomorrow, with the next stop on my virtual book tour.

Fourth Stop on my Virtual Book Tour: Miami Books Examiner

Today on the fourth day of my virtual book tour, I am interviewed by Rosa St. Claire, the Miami Books Examiner in her on-line column. She asks me about my family background, my writing and books, what I like to read, people I admire, and more. She also asked for some childhood photos, so you can see what I looked like as a little girl and teenager!

Please stop by and add your own questions to Rosa's. Remember, if you post a comment at the Miami Books Examiner, you will be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my complete Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. Every comment gives you another entry in the contest. Good luck!

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
I just read an email from Rosa St. Claire that the interview with me won't appear until tonight in her Examiner column. I will post another update here once it appears.

Third Stop on my Virtual Book Tour: Patricia Stoltey's Blog

Today on the third day of my virtual book tour, I am a guest on Patricia Stoltey's blog, and my article is about "What Whitewater River Rangers Do".

My March 8th release, Deadly Currents, stars whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner, who patrols the upper Arkansas River in Colorado. It is the first book in my RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series that has received good reviews in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly and from other reviewers.

The article includes some photos I took of river rangers in action during their spring swiftwater rescue training course.

Do you think being a river ranger sounds like an attractive job or not? What questions do you have about river ranger job duties? If you post a comment at Patricia's blog, you will be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. Every comment gives you another entry in the contest. Good luck!

Second Stop on my Virtual Book Tour: Femmes Fatales

Today on the second day of my virtual book tour, I am a guest on the Femmes Fatales group blog, talking about the First in Boating on the Arkansas (FIBArk) whitewater festival that takes place in Salida, Colorado every June. The festival events are a backdrop for the murder investigation in my March 8th release, Deadly Currents. It is the first book in my RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series starring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner, and it has received good reviews in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.

I include photos of festival events in my guest post, including the hilarious Hooligan Race. I hope you enjoy the post, maybe even enough to plan a trip to Salida for FIBArk. Remember to post a comment at Femmes Fatales to be entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents!

You can find the schedule of my Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. Every comment gives you another entry in the contest. Good luck!

First Stop on my Virtual Book Tour: Gelati's Scoop & Reviews

Today is the first day of my Virtual Book Tour for Deadly Currents, the first book in my new RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series starring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner. It will be released in one week on March 8th. And what a way to kick off the show! Giovanni Gelati is hosting me at his Gelati's Scoop blog, where he reviews books. His review of Deadly Currents is fantastic and warms my heart. You've just GOT to read it for yourself. :)

In the comments on his blog, we're having a discussion about what adventure, sport or activity you've always wanted to try and haven't yet. See what mine is and leave a comment about yours. When you comment, you're automatically entered into a contest for a free copy of Deadly Currents.

You can find the schedule of my Virtual Book Tour HERE. I hope you'll read each day's post, and leave a comment on each one. Every comment gives you another entry in the contest. Good luck!

While I'm on the subject of reviews, quite a few positive reviews for Deadly Currents have appeared lately. The first is from the March 1 issue of Library Journal. You can read the whole mention in their "Mysteries in Brief" column there, but here's a quote from it:

"With a fresh locale and a spunky if at times too emotional heroine, this is a promising new series by the author of the gift-basket designer Claire Hanover mysteries (A Real Basket Case)."

The next review is from Carol Thomas, who writes the Mystery Series Examiner column. You can read her whole review of Deadly Currents HERE, but a quote from it is below:

"Those who enjoy environmental mysteries – Sandi Ault’s Jamaica Wild series, Nevada Barr’s Anna Pigeon series, C.J. Box’s Joe Picket series, Jessica Speart’s Rachel Porter series or Randy Wayne White’s Doc Ford series, to name just a few – will welcome this new addition to their ranks."

And the third review is from Patricia Reid, who posts her reviews at Goodreads and other locations. You can read her review of Deadly Currents at Bestsellersworld or Mysteries Galore.com. And, here's a quote from it to whet your appetite:

"The scenery around Salida and descriptions of all the activities based on the nearby Arkansas River make for an interesting and exciting read."

I'm thrilled with all the good reviews Deadly Currents is receiving, including those already received from Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly! Now, don't forget to visit Gelati's Scoop.