More Good Reviews for Deadly Currents

Most of the reviews for my Deadly Currents mystery novel came out before or around the time of its release in March. However, some good ones have trickled in lately, and I can't help bragging about them. :)

The first is in the Summer, 2011 issue of the Mysterical-e ezine, an excellent collection of mystery/suspense/thriller short fiction and nonfiction. Go to the website to read the whole review, but I loved the last two lines:

"There’s lots of suspects, plenty of excitement, and even some time for romance. Groundwater knows her business and has made this not only exciting but also realistic."

Also, the Mild to Wild blog, a (Rafting) Guide's Life Blog, had these words of praise for the book:

"The Mild to Wild staff has discovered a great new book release called Deadly Currents. Combining murder mystery and the adventure of whitewater rafting in Colorado, we found this book to be a great read in the comforts of our beds, sitting around the campfire, or in on a cot and under the stars!"

Follow the link to read the rest of the review, and if you've got a hankerings to ride the rapids of the upper Arkansas, this outfitter is one of the best.

Lastly, avid mystery reader and reviewer Kari Wainwright posted the following review on the DorothyL mystery discussion email list:

"Deadly Currents by Beth Groundwater

Running the Arkansas River rapids in the Colorado Rockies is not for the meek. A Class V rapid can toss a raft and its riders head-over-heels into the foaming water and turn them into human debris dodging rocks and other dangers in the whitewater.

Deadly Currents protagonist, Mandy Tanner, has left her river guide job to turn to law enforcement as a river ranger. In her twenties and new to the profession, she has much to learn, both on the job and in her personal relationships. But she is gutsy and hardworking, so the reader feels she can tackle any task she takes on. Except for one. Struggling to rescue two whitewater “swimmers,” she’s only able to save one. The other, Tom King, dies.

At first, King’s death looks like possible negligence on the part of the rafting company, owned by Mandy’s Uncle Bill. She’s grateful to learn that it wasn’t Bill’s fault because King was murdered.

Even though Mandy is warned to stay out of King’s death investigation, the young woman gets involved with the possible suspects, stirring up more turmoil than even a Class V rapid can cause. King, a rich developer, had no love for the river or the natural beauty near Salida, Colorado, which earned him enemies. He also had business rivals. Plus a wife, a mistress and a son, who all had problems with him. There’s a virtual plethora of people who could have wanted him dead. And some of them don’t like Mandy asking questions.

The author creates colorful characters to people this small Rocky Mountain town. My only dislike with characterization was that sometimes Mandy’s reactions to her boyfriend and brother were on the immature side. On the other hand, that makes her more human and leaves her room to grow in future books.

Groundwater has definitely done her research in the world of rafting on the Arkansas near Salida. She brings it to a frothy, churning life, which is one reason I loved the book. My husband and I have rafted the Arkansas through the Royal Gorge twice, having exciting incidents happen each time, once culminating with my husband becoming a “swimmer.” Even though Mandy wasn’t there to pull him out of the water, he survived. Deadly Currents makes me wish I could go again, but with a bum knee, that’s out of the question for me. So when I get the urge to go for another wild ride, I’ll just have to pick up a Mandy Tanner RM Outdoor Adventure Mystery."

Many thanks to Kari, the Mild to Wild rafting guides, and Mysterical-e!

A Fun Fish Tales Quiz

As many of you know, I have a story in the short story anthology published by the Guppies chapter of Sisters in Crime that is titled Fish Tales The Guppy Anthology. All of the mystery stories selected for the anthology had to involve fish or water or both. It's been fun working with the other story authors on promotion events and ideas.

The latest promotion idea is a quiz that the group put together for Goodreads. Anyone who is a member of Goodreads can play and test their knowledge about the anthology--or just have fun guessing while learning some things about the stories. Here's the LINK to the book on Goodreads. Page down until you see "Quiz Question" and click on the "Take this quiz ..." prompt. Good luck and have fun!

Could the Ebook Revolution Lead to Buyer Confusion?

Today I want to talk about a reaction I get to a certain type of shopping situation. I'm wondering if others have the same reaction and if this reaction could apply to the ebook marketplace. Let me explain.



When I go to a large street market in another country or a large flea market or farmer's market in the US, I'm confronted with an overwhelming sea of choices. In a crowded and noisy environment, there are multiple vendors selling the same thing. Is vendor A's broccoli really any different from vendor B's? And there's usually a huge variety of things for sale, from broccoli to beef, batik to baskets, bracelets to blouses, bike tires to buckets, you get the idea.



In such markets, especially in a third world countries, it's guaranteed that a lot of the merchandise will be cheaply made and of poor quality. But I'm not an expert buyer in all of those categories of merchandise. I don't know what distinguishes a poorly made basket or blouse from an expertly made one. So, not only do I feel overwhelmed by the choices, I feel like I'm almost guaranteed to make a bad one.



What's my typical reaction? Often I just give up and walk away. The stress of decision-making is too great, and the chance for reward is too small to be worth the stress. I close my purse, avert my eyes from the vendors clamoring for my attention, and escape. Do you ever feel the same way?

Now, let's look at the electronic book marketplace. Again, there's an enormous variety of choices, and again a lot of the books are of poor quality. Making a good choice and feeling like you're not wasting your money can be just as overwhelming. I must admit that I've yet to test the waters, that instead I read only paper books and only those that are recommended to me by readers (or writers) whose judgement I trust.

What about you? Are you closing your purse and walking away, too? Or have you found a way to wade through the morass and find the true bargains, the electronic book purchases that you will savor for years to come?

Spoilerville

What the heck is Spoilerville, you might ask. To find out, go to Inkspot, where I'm posting today and read all about it. :)

Final Proof of A REAL BASKET CASE

Last week I finished reviewing the final proof for the paperback/ebook re-release of the first book in my Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery series, A Real Basket Case. This new release is being published by Midnight Ink and will be out in November.

You'd think that with two editions already published, the hardcover and large-print, that no changes would need to be made. How wrong you'd be! Here's where I marked changes.

First, the author blurbs. It's been almost five years since I originally requested them. The hardcover edition was released in spring, 2007, and I obtained the blurbs in late 2006. Those authors have gone on to publish more books and some have attained or re-attained New York Time bestseller status. So, I changed the blurb attributions to reflect their recent accomplishments.

Second, there's the copyright or "verso" page--you know, the one with all the small print gobbledygook. I had to correct the reference to the press that produced the hardcover version and check that the proper book designer, cover artist, etc. were listed.

Third, the dedication page. Previous editions didn't have one, and Midnight Ink gave me the option to include one. I decided to take them up on their offer and wrote a dedication. To whom, you might ask? It's a secret! ;-)

Fourth, the acknowledgements page. I rewrote most of this, primarily to list and thank those hard-working folks who toiled on this new edition. I also shortened and summarized my thanks to those who helped with the hardcover edition, because, well, they're thanked profusely there.

Fifth, the text itself. My new copy editor at Midnight Ink found a few things that she thought should be changed, and I agreed with the changes. Then I found a few more on my read through the whole book (which, by the way, was a pleasurable exercise, since I hadn't lived through Claire Hanover's first adventure in five years). Lastly, I found a formatting error that had been introduced in the new version. Yes, these were all small changes, but ones that I think will improve the product.

So, my feedback to the editor has been sent, and that was my last chance to make changes. Let the printing begin! And I'm on to my next writing task ...

Refilling the Well

I am in a temporary lull in activity for my writing career. July 2nd was the last public promotion event for my new release, Deadly Currents, the first book in my new RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series starring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner. My critique group has finished reviewing the manuscript for Basketful of Trouble, the third book in my Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery series, and I'm awaiting expert feedback on some scenes before I turn it into my literary agent for review. And, I'm awaiting a contract offer on the third book in the RM Outdoor Adventures series, Cataract Canyon.

I'm generating ideas for Cataract Canyon and throwing them into an outline file, but it's hard to get motivated to start writing it in earnest without a contract. My muse is dragging her heels, saying she needs a break. She's urging me to read some good books, watch a few good movies, try some new experiences, get outdoors and get some exercise, etc. The creative well was drying up and needed to be refilled. So, I've been doing just that. The posts prior to this one show some of what I've been doing: bottling bourbon at the Breckenridge Distillery and sliding down the longest tubing hill in the world. I've also tried some new hikes and bike rides.

I've been doing a lot of reading, as evidenced by my Goodreads postings, and I've seen some of the new blockbuster summer movie releases with my husband. He and I are busy preparing for our move to full-time living in our Breckenridge home, and I've been having some fun planning future travel adventures for us. Lastly, I've put myself on a diet and a daily exercise regimen to lose the weight I gained while traveling--and eating out--to promote Deadly Currents. So, when I do go back to spending long hours in my writing chair, hopefully I'll be in good physical condition for it!

I've learned not to force myself to write when my body and my muse tell me it's time to focus on other aspects of my life outside my writing life. It's time for the scales to balance in the other direction for a while. As I said, ideas are already clicking for Cataract Canyon, and I'm sure that when the contract offer comes, I'll be ready to plunge into that whitewater adventure. In the meantime, I'm soaking up fun experiences that will replenish my creative juices.

What do you do to refill the well when you feel depleted, mentally, emotionally, and/or physically? Take a vacation? Spend more time sleeping? Make some other kinds of changes in your life? I'd love to see what others do to refill their wells!

Flamingo Fatality Audio Short Story Publication

I'm pleased to announce that my humorous mystery short story, "Flamingo Fatality," has been published in audio form by Sniplits and is available for purchase for only 99 cents.

"Flamingo Fatality" first appeared in print form in 2005 in the Manhattan Mysteries anthology, that came about as the result of a short story contest held by the Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave held in Manhattan, Kansas. All of the stories selected for the anthology had to be set in Manhattan, as mine was. In the story, Diane is just enjoying a simple lunch hour walk when she discovers a dead pink flamingo and is thrust into the mystery behind it--accompanied by an eccentric old woman and a very handsome cop.


I'm very pleased with the reading done by voice actress Kailey Bell, and I hope folks will purchase and listen to the story for a few good laughs. If you do, please let me know what you think of it after listening to it!

Sniplits has published two other mainstream fiction stories of mine, "Covered Dish Casseroles" and "Biscuit Connection," if you'd like to listen to other short stories written by moi. :)