You can download  the electronic version of my book for free for the next five days, starting tomorrow, April 25. Just go to Amazon.com, click on Books on the pull down menu and type in Mount Diablo Murder Maybe. If you don't have a kindle or other device you can download a kindle for pc or mac - also for free. Read my book - You'll like it.

What's it about?

It’s 1989. Ellen Savage, lead investigator, Homicide, Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office, is satisfied with her career and proud of her progress. She is an attractive, thirty-two year old, very single woman. She is content in her rut.

Out of the blue, her placid life is turned upside down when she is re-assigned from the Coroner’s Office to the Felony Investigation Office. Claiming short-handedness, the County District Attorney, Patrick James, assigns Ellen to lead the investigation into the bizarre, occult looking murder of a young woman found dead at the top of Mount Diablo. Overwhelmed, flattered, excited about the assignment, Ellen dismisses the big question: why me? and dives into the investigation head first.

Along with the assignment comes another unexpected development, a possible love interest. Just like her career, Ellen’s lack of romance has suited her fine for a number of years. When Steve Gray is assigned to assist her in the investigation, that too changes. Steve is handsome, unassuming, easygoing and very taken with Ellen. Ellen is caught between her professionalism and an ever-growing warm response to Steve’s obvious infatuation. It has been a long, long time.

Just as the investigation is getting off the ground, it is hindered by the District Attorney. He seems to regret his initial decision, attacking Ellen’s investigative competence, until she is nearly defeated and even nearer to throwing in the towel. But with a courage she didn’t know she had, and the support of her loyal team, she continues, standing up to James and following the evidence where it leads, even when it leads her places she dreads to go.

The Passive Voice

“Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”  - Friedrich Nietzsche

 Nietzsche. How we love him. He gave us the "That which does not destroy us..." cultural icon. Odd, but I recently learned a word for an identifiable "piece" of a culture, I don't know, like the MacDonald arches, or "I'm not comfortable with...", for our culture, but now I can't think of it.
 So, Nietzsche. What about deaf people? Do they think it's a pretty crazy world out there? Okay, I know, can't pick on Nietzsche. Besides, I kind of love him too. I don't know him, really. I read "When Nietzsche wept" by Irvin D. Yalom. Great book! In fact, Yalom is an amazing psychotherapist, read "Love's executioner and other tales of psychotherapy". I think I will, again.
 Lastly. "Those who were seen..."? Is that what's called a passive voice, or what? Later.

 This piece is a response to a prompt from Nostrovia

Book cover design by Molly Knappen. BTW

The joys and sorrows of self publishing

    I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to edit my own writing. I am still finding a few, mostly insignificant errors, but at least one fairly important one – and this is like the millionth edit. Or at least, it feels like it. But the good thing is, I like the results I am getting, being my own publisher/editor/author. (!yup!)

   I really like the font I have chosen. It’s called Verdana. This is Verdana (Normal – 10). I am a reader first, and I don’t have 20-20 eyesight – far from it. I don’t have good light, (we live in a cave), my glasses are old and I usually use Walmart reading glasses. So I check out the ‘readability’ of a book before I check it out.
   I also like the way the book is bound. It opens easy and is not hard to keep open. Have you ever had to fight with a book to keep it open – your hands get tired. It’s bound in a way too, so you can, if you want, fold the pages neatly open, smooth them out, and the book will lie flat’? Pretty cool.