Today I’m featuring award-winning author Anne K. Albert. Her award winning stories chill the spine, warm the heart and soothe the soul…all with a delightful touch of humor. A member of Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and married to her high school sweetheart for more than a quarter of a century, it's a given she'd write mystery and romantic suspense. When not writing she loves to travel, visit friends and family, and of course, read using ‘Threegio’ her cherished and much beloved Kindle 3G!
Anne - Thanks for featuring me today, Jackie. It’s hard to believe it’s already Day 9 of the second 2011 Mystery We Write Blog Tour. Time sure flies when we’re having fun. J
Jackie – It certainly does! Tell us about your book.
Anne - FRANK, INCENSE
2011 Holt Medallion Award of Merit
Here’s an excerpt:
My cell phone blared from the confines of my purse. I dug to retrieve it, and then picked up. “Hello?”
“Muriel,” Aunt Val said. “Come home. Quick. I think I accidentally killed someone.”
“What do you mean ‘accidentally’?” Frankie accelerated, steering the Envoy into the outside lane of highway 290 and zooming past everything in sight. Including a police cruiser.
“How should I know?” I said. “Val hung up before I could ask for specifics.”
“She’s at your house?”
“I think so.”
“You think so?”
I checked the rearview mirror for flashing lights. “Slow down. You’ll get a ticket.”
“You’re more worried about a traffic violation than the fact you’re aunt just killed somebody?”
“She thinks she killed someone. Big difference.”
“Right.”
Ten minutes later, we arrived in my driveway. The Christmas lights I’d put up that morning stretched the full length of the front of the house and twinkled on the snow-covered shrubbery with wild abandon. I might have been impressed with my handiwork if not for Val and Big Boy standing guard beside the garage. In the shadows, I saw a body at their feet.
I climbed out of the Envoy and dashed to their assistance. Problem was I had no idea what to do. Dead bodies were new to me. As were missing persons, kidnappers and ransom demands. But I was learning. Fast.
“Are you okay?” I asked, as Frankie joined me.
“I’m fine.” Reigning Big Boy in by his collar, Val toed the body that lay face down in the snow. “Don’t know about him, though.”
“What happened?”
“I took Big Boy out for his evening constitutional. Got as far as your driveway, noticed you’d put up some lights and stopped to admire them. Then, I spotted someone crouching by the side of the garage. I figured he was a burglar, so I let Big Boy loose and, well, one thing led to another.”
“Such as?” Frankie knelt down to examine the body.
“Big Boy lunged at him. I thought he’d tear the guy to pieces. Turns out all he wanted to do was sniff his crotch. You know how dogs are.”
Yeah. We knew.
“Anyway, this guy wasn’t all that obliging. He tried to push Big Boy away. Big Boy pushed back. Then the guy fell backwards into that drift and I think he hit his head on Muriel’s gnome. See?” She pointed to a mound of snow. “It’s right there. You can see the top of its head. It’s the ugliest gnome I’ve ever seen.”
Frankie looked up at me. “You’ve got a gnome?”
“Gargoyle. And it’s supposed to be ugly. To ward off evil spirits.”
“Doesn’t ward off thieves or burglars,” Val pointed out.
Frankie placed his middle finger on the man’s throat. “He’s alive.”
Readers can visit me online at her website http://www.AnneKAlbert.com/ and blogs http://anne-k-albert.blogspot.com/ and http://muriel-reeves-mysteries.blogspot.com. I’m also on Facebook www.facebook.com/annekalbert and Twitter www.twitter.com/AnneKAlbert!
I’d like to encourage readers to enter my comment-to-win contest.
CONTEST DETAILS: Three names will be selected at random from comments on all 14 of my Mystery We Write Blog Tour guest appearances. Winners will receive an e-copy of FRANK, INCENSE ~~~~~
Thanks a million Anne, for stopping by to discuss your mystery FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL. I loved your book and know that my readers will enjoy it, also.
Remember Readers: leave a comment on each of our blogs. This group is giving away over 50 books total, either during the tour or immediately afterwards.
I’m giving a signed copy of my cozy mystery THE INCONVENIENT CORPSE and a signed copy of THE FOXY HENS AND MURDER MOST FOWL. Names will be drawn by random from those who take time to leave a comment.
Hugs to all,
Jackie
19 comments:
Anne: Great excerpt. Possible death by gnome. Love it.
Wendy
W.S. Gager on Writing
Hi WS, Thanks for stopping by. Anne has a great sense of humor, doesn't she. FRANK, INCENSE, AND MURIEL not only is a great personal read, it would make a wonderful Christmas present for almost anyone.
Jackie
Anne, You make the perfect guest, one of those people that you love to have coming to visit...often.
Hugs,
Jackie
What a good excerpt. When this is all over, I'm getting everyone's book that I haven't read yet.
Marilyn
Me too, on getting everyone's book! Must confess, I've already started doing some book shopping.
Inticing excerpt, Anne. "I think I accidentally killed someone.” is a great line!
Madeline
Like everyone else, Anne, I'm dazzled by the excerpt. And, somewhat belatedly, I'm also dazzled by your organizational skills in putting this thing together and immensely grateful for being included in it. If your fan club ever needs a new president, let me know
I was intrigued by the book title some time ago. Now I'm intrigued by the ex excerpt.
Earlier, I was intrigued by the book's title. Now the excerpt intrigues me.
Woops, I thought earlier post had vanished. And I haven't a clue where that extra "ex" came from.
Marilyn, Madeline and Tim, Thanks for stopping by. And I agree, the excerpt was wonderful, as is her book.
Radine, I don't care how many 'exes' you leave. And don't worry about a second message. Blogger is acting a little neurotic today. Guess it's having 'issues,' as they say nowadays.
Hugs,
Jackie
Congratulations on the HOLT, Anne! Loved your except.
Very enjoyable, Anne. You left me wanting to know what happened next. You planned it that way, didn't you?
LOL - you've got to love killer gnomes/gargoyles. I enjoyed the excerpt very much :)
Shelley, Anne is a clever lady, isn't she?
Your name goes in the hopper for a chance to win one of my free books to be given away at the end of this tour.
Thanks for stopping by.
Jackie
p.s. Each time you visit my blogsite or the blogsit where I'm guesting, your name is entered.
jak
Jackie, thank you for featuring me today. You are a gracious host, a steadfast friend, and a fantastic writer...what a super combo!
I'll take compliments from my fellow Mystery We Write authors any day of the week (Wendy, Marilyn, Madeline, Tim, Alice, Earl and of course, Jackie) but, none of this would be possible without you.
Thanks so much for everything. I'm thrilled to be able to tag along!
Hi Radine, I've always been a fan of a play on words, and they always make me smile.
When the title came to me in the middle of the night, it just felt right. And of course, it provides a hint about what the reader will find inside!
Yes, Shelley, you really have to be careful of those gnomes and gargoyles. They're shifty little things! ;-)
Post a Comment