Rochelle Weber--Author

at 11:30 PM

I’d like to welcome Jenna Scali of the Jenna Scali mystery series, e-Murderer and Murder on Moonshine Hill by Joan C. Curtis.

RW: Can you tell us about yourself?

JS: My name is Jenna Scali. I’m half Italian and half Irish. My dad died suddenly when I was nine years old and my little sister, Lou, was seven. We grew up in High Point, North Carolina. I now live in Athens, GA and Lou lives somewhere in the jungle of Africa (Peace Corps). So, you can see we’re really different. I’m gonna be thirty next year, and I’m dreading it. I just finished my PhD at the University of Georgia in criminal psychology and I’m starting a research job at the university soon.

My current boyfriend is Rich Watring who is a detective sergeant with the Gwinnett County Police. He’s gorgeous and I miss him whenever he’s away from me (which is a lot since I live in Athens and he lives in Lawrenceville).

RW: During what time-period does your story take place?

A. My stories take place in the present time

RW: How are you coping with the conflict in your life?

JS: I’ve had some trouble coping with my divorce, but Rich has distracted me. Then, last year, I had that problem with the e-Murderer. That really shook me up. I’m finally starting to get over the shock of that experience. My good friend, Quentin Pearson, also helps. He gives me a good kick in the pants when I start feeling sorry for myself. And my second-best friend, Starr Andrews, likes to give me pedicures. (I’m ticklish so I avoid her when she comes at me with her toe polishing tools!).

RW: Bubble baths or steamy showers? Ocean or mountains? Puppies or kittens? Chocolate or caramel?

JS: I love the steamy showers and often do my best thinking there. For me it’s the mountains. In Murder on Moonshine Hill, I got to visit the North Carolina mountains in the spring. The mountain laurel was amazing—my favorite color—purple. And kittens. I have two amazing cats, Churchill and Stalin. As for chocolate or caramel, I’d love either, but the caramel has to be smeared with a bit of chocolate to make it fabulous.

RW: Werther’s has a hard candy that’s both chocolate and caramel swirled together. Yum!

So, if money were not an object, where would you most like to live?

JS: I’d live in Italy, hands down. Anywhere in that amazing country. I have a good friend, Rosaria Mangiavillano, who is Sicilian. She is sorta teaching me Italian. I say sorta because with me getting my PhD and her with a 2-year-old, it’s hard to find time. I’ve never been to Italy, but Rosaria and I will go someday and probably take Quentin with us. That’s my dream and what a trip it’ll be!

RW: What is your secret guilty pleasure?

JS: My secret guilty pleasure is bingeing on Agatha Christie movies. Give me a Saturday or Sunday morning with a Christie movie, a cat on my lap, and a bowlful of Hershey’s kisses and I’d be in heaven.

RW: If you were stranded on a tropical island, who would it be with? You can choose any living, deceased or mythical figure.

JS: That’s an easy question. It would have to be my BFF Quentin Pearson. He would keep me laughing in the worst times and he’d make me get up at the crack of dawn and do calisthenics on the beach. I’d sure miss my current heartthrob, but…my choice is still Quentin!

RW: If you came with a warning label, what would it say?

JS: Beware of her curiosity. My friends tell me I’m much too curious for my own good. It has led me into some very sticky situations. With the e-Murderer, I couldn’t let it alone and it almost got the better of me. And, I won’t give away what almost happened to me in Murder on Moonshine Hill when my curious nature took me to places I should have never gone.

RW: I’ll tell. You got into all kinds of trouble on Moonshine Hill. I was worried about you. But, you gave me a chuckle or two as well. And really, who else would take a gay guy as her escort to a wedding in Redneck Central?

Party life or quiet dinner for two?

JS: I’m clearly a quiet dinner for two kind of girl. I prefer to stay at home. Quentin struggles to pull me out of my rut all the time. Fortunately my new boyfriend likes to chill in my living room with my cats, just like me. My ex was a party boy. That was one thing that tore us apart. I suppose I should have realized that when I married him. But, I was young and foolish.

RW: You’d never be able to tell, but (fill in the blank).

JS: I love to dance. I say you’d never be able to tell because I’m not terribly graceful. Quentin is my bellydance instructor and he gives me a hard time for my stiff, uncooperative limbs. “You’re too tense, Jen. Lighten up!” He yells at me all the time. But, that doesn’t mean I don’t love doing it. I really do envy his gracefulness.

RW: If I could (fill in the blank) I’d (fill in the blank).

JS: If I could, I’d grab Rich, Quentin and my two cats and runaway to a quiet island off the coast of Sicily. All I’d do all day long is read murder mysteries.

RW: Those are all the questions I have for you. Thank you for speaking to me.

Joan C. Curtis

Bio

Joan is an award-winning writer who has published seven books and numerous stories. Readers compare her to the great Southern writer, Fanny Flagg. “She writes characters and a story that will stay with you.”

Her debut mystery/suspense novel, The Clock Strikes Midnight, won the Royal Palm Literary Award in 2015. The e-Murderer: Book 1 Jenna Scali Mysteries won the Gold from the Global EBook Awards 2016. Her newest release is Murder on Moonshine Hill: Book 2 Jenna Scali Mysteries.

Murder on Moonshine Hill

Book 2 Jenna Scali Mystery Series

The Plot:

When Jenna decides to go to this wedding, she expects to dredge up old secrets and old hurts and she expects to see people from her past, but she doesn’t expect to stumble on a dead body.

Jenna’s friend is arrested. The wedding is cancelled. And Jenna’s tendency to stick her nose where it shouldn’t be leads her into the path of the killer.

Set in the serene mountains of North Carolina Murder on Moonshine Hill is filled with suspense, humor, and a quirky cast of supporting characters.

An Excerpt:

Beneath the crisp morning sky that promised a glorious spring day lay a broken body. The legs sprawled backwards and the arms stretched over head. One hand gripped a shiny object. Dried leaves and pine straw stuck to the bright yellow Polo shirt. A grotesque grimace covered what was left of the face. The clothes looked neatly pressed and clean except for the dried debris. Ants crawled over the bare neck and hands, making the body look as though it moved. Flies surrounded the head. The wind blew a wisp of hair back from the youthful brow. An ugly hole pierced the forehead.

Young buds sprouted from the wild azalea and rhododendron bushes. Birds chirped, hawks squawked, and a rippling creek filled the silence. But the overpowering smell of death kept a lone raccoon and two deer at a safe distance.

Contact Joan C. Curtis:

Website: http://joancurtis.com

Blog: http://joancurtis.com/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joanccurtisauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoanCurtis

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Joan-C.-Curtis/e/B0024JEG6E/

Book Links:

Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing, Inc.

The Clock Strikes Midnight:

Video Trailer: https://youtu.be/rIeIokOeBw4

MuseItUp Publishing, Inc: https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/coming-soon/the-clock-strikes-midnight-detail

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NUGACKO

Roses & Thorns Review: http://rosesndthorns.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-clock-strikes-midnight-by-joan.html

e-Murderer:

Video Trailer: https://youtu.be/vsK_cmUnwu4

MuseItUp Publishing, Inc: https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/now-available-in-ebook/e-murderer-detail

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013GR330M

Roses & Thorns Review: http://rosesndthorns.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-e-murderer-jenna-scali-mystery-by.html

Murder on Moonshine Hill:

MuseItUp Publishing, Inc: https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/museitup/mystery-thriller-suspense/cozy-mystery/murder-on-moonshine-hill-detail

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HWOR4J6

Roses & Thorns Review: http://rosesndthorns.blogspot.com/2016/11/murder-on-moonshine-hill-by-joan-c.html

You’ll notice we always include the publisher’s buy link. That’s because authors usually receive 40-50% of the net proceeds from the publisher. Editors and cover artists usually receive about 5%. When you buy a book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or another third-party vendor, they take a hefty cut and the author, editors and cover artists receive their cuts from what is left. So, if a book costs $5.99 at E-Book Publisher.com and you buy from there, the author will receive about $2.40-$2.99. If you buy the book at Amazon, the author will receive about $1.70-$2.10.

Download the file from the publisher onto your computer as you would any other file. I’ve created a folder for books on my computer, with subfolders by source (Marketing for Romance Writers, Net Galley, Authors who find me on Kindle lists, etc.). That way, if there’s a glitch with your Kindle, the books are on your computer. Some publishers send books in all digital formats. If my Kindle breaks and my kids buy me a Nook, I won’t have to replace all of my books. If you have a Kindle and your hubby has a Nook, you won’t have to buy separate copies, so buying directly from the publisher can save you money.

Moving the file from your computer to your e-reader is as easy as transferring any file from your computer to a USB flash drive. Plug the larger USB end of your e-reader charging chord into a USB port on your computer and simply move the file from the folder into which you’ve downloaded the book to the Documents/Books directory on your e-reader. You can move the file by highlighting it and dragging it to the documents directory or subdirectory in your Kindle you want to move it to. Or right click on it, and then left click copy or move. Or hit Control/C for copy, Control/X for cut, and Control/V for paste.

Your author will be happy you did when he/she sees his/her royalty statement.

Thanks for visiting.

at 11:30 PM

Hi, Rochelle. Thanks for taking the time to meet with Vinnie and for introducing him to your readers. I appreciate it.

Let me warn you all in advance—he may seem cranky because he doesn’t like to be the one answering questions; he likes to be on the other side of the interrogation. He’s a little prickly and a bit saucy. Some of his answers might make you a little uncomfortable. But just remember, he’s one of the good guys and he just likes to push people’s buttons.

Besides, we may get lucky and catch him on his best behavior. Fingers crossed!

Thanks for the warning, Staci. Now, I’d like to welcome Vinnie Falco of Mind Control by Staci Troilo.

RW: What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?

VF: Because no one would want to read about a former orphan, right? (He sighs.) Sorry. My story… There is unrest in Italy—the government is crumbling and people are revolting, calling for rulers like the Medici were. The four Notaro sisters are the secret legacy of the Medici line. It is believed that when the country learns of the descendants, they’ll be pressed into service as new rulers of the nation. The girls don’t want the responsibility. Furthermore, a nefarious faction is determined to control the girls after their ascension to power or, if they can’t manipulate the girls, to assassinate them. The author told my story because I work for the Medici Protectorate—a secret organization centuries old, sworn to protect the Medici line until such time as their identities are revealed to the world.

RW: Can you tell us about your heroine?

VF: What can I tell you about Jo? She’s one of the four sisters targeted for assassination. She’s also beautiful, tough, and secretly haunted by a tragedy in her past. Peeling back all her layers is becoming an obsession of mine. And as I face a few surprising revelations of my own heritage, she’s the person I’d most like to share them with.

RW: Bubble baths or steamy showers? Ocean or mountains? Puppies or kittens? Chocolate or caramel?

VF: Alone, steamy showers, but with company, either will do. (He waggles his eyebrows, then clears his throat.) Water is water, you know?

Ocean over mountains.

Puppies over kittens.

Chocolate over caramel.

RW: If money were not an object, where would you most like to live?

VF: Money’s not an object. I spend my time split between Italy and New York, and I’d have to say I prefer Italy, especially near the coast. But lately I’ve been with the Notaro family in Western Pennsylvania. Honestly, I love Italy, but I’ve grown quite fond of the greater Pittsburgh area. The view of the rivers is spectacular, the people are pretty cool, and the food is great. I wouldn’t mind splitting my time between the two areas.

RW: If you were stranded on a tropical island, who would it be with? You can choose any living, deceased or mythical figure.

VF: I’d have to say Jo. Not only is she great company—most of the time—she’s a construction genius, so I have no doubt she could figure out a way to build us a sturdy shelter. Besides, she’s not hard to look at, and if I’m going to be stranded for a while, might as well be with someone easy on the eyes, you know?

RW: Cherries or Bananas? Leather or lace? Black or red? Mud Bath or Oily Massage?

VF: Cherries over bananas.

Leather for me, lace on a woman.

Black over red for clothes. Red over black for a girl’s hair.

Oily massage over mud bath. Mud’s not much of a bath.

RW: If you came with a warning label, what would it say?

VF: (He grins.) The “dark” in tall, dark, and handsome refers to more than my looks. Engage at your own risk.

RW: Satin sheets or Egyptian cotton?

VF: Egyptian cotton. The higher the thread count, the better.

RW: Party life or quiet dinner for two?

VF: People tend to piss me off. Definitely a quiet dinner for two. But don’t ask me to cook it. I can barely manage a microwave dinner on my own.

RW: I love pizza with (fill in the blank).

VF: Meat. The more, the better.

RW: Those are all the questions I have for you. Thank you for speaking to me.

VF: I’d say it was my pleasure, but I didn’t want to do this. I shouldn’t be away from Jo this long. She has a tendency to get into trouble when I’m not around. I’m only here because Staci made me do this. (Staci’s in the corner waiting for Vinnie, and she clears her throat. When he looks at her, she glares at him.) I mean, you’re welcome, Rochelle. Thanks for having me. Now I really need to get back. (He bolts out of the room, shooting Staci a dirty look on the way out the door.)

RW: (I giggle.) Poor boy’s got it bad for Jo. Thanks for getting him here, Staci! Not sure she heard me. She’s running after Vinnie shooting daggers with her gaze.

Staci Troilo

Bio:

Staci Troilo has always loved fiction, ever since her parents read her fairy tales when she was a young girl. Today, her interests are much more eclectic. She loves getting lost in sci-fi battles, fantasy realms, horror worlds, suspenseful intrigues, and romantic entanglements.

As goes her reading, so goes her writing. She can’t pick a single genre to focus on, so she doesn’t even try. She’s proud to say she’s a multi-genre author.

When she’s not reading or writing, she’s spending time with family and friends, possibly cooking for them, or maybe enjoying an afternoon in the pool.

Mind Control

The Plot

Three decades. Two continents. One secret that could cost him everything.

Too many secrets... and Vinnie Falco is buried in them. He works undercover day and night to keep watch over Jo Notaro, whose fiery temperament matches her boundless energy and unparalleled beauty. Jo is unable to withstand the endless scrutiny and constant surveillance, so when Vinnie’s ever-watchful gaze lingers too long, she can feel his touch—and she doesn’t know if she loathes it or loves it.

Vinnie’s job to watch Jo goes much deeper. He’s a vice president of an international corporation, a front for a secret organization—the Medici Protectorate—which continues a tradition going back nearly five hundred years to guard the Medici line. Jo and her sisters are the descendants of the Medici and someone wants them dead.

But Vinnie has another secret he’s desperately trying to hide. A secret that could push Jo too far away for even him to save her.

An Excerpt:

“What are you doing here?”

“I think a better question is what are you doing here?”

“Damn it, Vinnie.” She snatched her rental agreement and keys from him and stormed into the parking lot. “You know why I’m here.”

“And you know why I’m here.” He followed her.

“No, I don’t. You being here defeats the whole purpose of me being here.”

“Sorry, Red, but I’m just doing my job.”

“Well, stop doing it so well. I fired you, remember?”

“For some reason, I don’t think this is what you fired me from.”

“Well, from this, too. I need to go. Stop interfering.”

“Stop running away, and I won’t have to stick so close. Unless you want me to.”

“Go away.” She unlocked the driver’s side door.

“You better open this door.”

“Or what?” She got in the car and shut her door.

“Open my damn door, Jo.”

She started the car and turned on the radio. “Sorry. Can’t hear you.”

He clenched his fists. “Now, Jo.”

She shook her head and gestured to her ear. “What’d you say?” She put the car in reverse and backed out of the space. Way out. He stood there, staring at her. He’d be mad that she stranded him, but she would get away. It was all for the best. They’d be safer without her.

He clenched his jaw and shook his head.

Yeah, he was definitely going to be angry with her. But she had to do it. She put the car in drive and hit the gas.

He didn’t move. Was he crazy? Was he seriously playing chicken with her? Didn’t he realize he’d lose against a car? Maybe she should swerve. Or stop. Or surely he’d move at the last second, right? She took her foot off the gas. Waited.

He didn’t move.

Her foot hovered over the brake. She looked down at the speedometer.

Thump.

Contact Staci at:

Website: https://stacitroilo.com

Blog: https://stacitroilo.com/blog

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cimLCD

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorstacitroilo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stacitroilo

Amazon Author Page:

https://amazon.com/author/stacitroilo

Other Links: https://stacitroilo.com/links