Karen Cantwell

Happy Mother's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Sun, 13 May 2012 15:17:00 +0000

To honor all mothers today, I'm giving away copies (either paperback or Kindle) of The Chronicles of Marr-nia, Short Stories Starring Barbara Marr.

I'm not limiting the number I give away, I just have to have received your email by 11:00 a.m. Monday morning (my time). Email to karen.cantwell@yahoo.com and type MOTHER'S DAY in the subject line. Already have a copy of Marr-nia? Consider having me gift it to your favorite mother! :-)

Be sure to tell me in your email 1) if you want paperback or Kindle copy 2) address to send it (snail mail for paperback, email for Kindle gift) and/or 3) who to send it to IF this is a gift for someone else.

and have a . . .

MOST EXCELLENT MOTHER'S DAY!

Best wishes,

Karen

Twitter? Yes or No?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:53:00 +0000

Today, while driving to Taco Bell with my son (Taco Supremes - my guilty pleasure!), he proclaimed, "you need to be on Twitter to get the word out about your books, Mom."

Now, I actually DO have a Twitter handle (@takethemonkeys), and for a while, was tweeting actively, but I began to wonder if readers were really "following" me. I have many Facebook followers and I find that Facebook is a very useful tool for letting readers know about new books, contests, polls, etc., but Twitter? I'm not so sure. So I figured, what better way to find out, than to go straight to the readers with this week's poll: DO YOU FOLLOW PEOPLE ON TWITTER? ======>

Feel free to leave comments too, if you have a particular idea or opinion you would like to expand upon on the subject!

And have a GREAT weekend!

Best wishes,

Karen

Book Winners!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:04:00 +0000

Happy Monday, friends! Well, I had a whopping 39 entries for this contest! I must say, I was very excited. So I assigned each entry a number then went to random.org to use their random number generator, and here's who they picked:
Nancy Roessner
Suzi
Lindsey Cortes
Barbara Gracki

YAY!!! I've emailed all four winners, so if your name is here, check your email. These are only in paperback currently, so I will need to put them in the mail to you. I hope you all enjoy the stories!

Thank you to EVERYONE who entered, and remember to keep checking - I run contests regularly.

Have a FANTASMICAL week!

Best wishes, Karen

My Story in a New Anthology - Win a Copy!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:10:00 +0000

I'm very excited to announce that my short story, "Next Stop, Foggy Bottom" is now available in the newly released anthology of mystery short stories, Chesapeake Crimes: This Job is Murder.

This is the fifth installment of the Chesapeake Crimes series, and features mystery shorts by Shari Randall, C. Ellett Logan, Karen Cantwell, E. B. Davis, Jill Breslau, David Autry, Harriette Sackler, Barb Goffman, Ellen Herbert, Smita Harish Jain, Leone Ciporin, Cathy Wiley, Donna Andrews, Art Taylor. Foreword by Elaine Viets.

While not yet available at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, Chesapeake Crimes: This Job is Murder can be purchased directly from the publisher, Wildside Press (CLICK HERE for their website) for $14.99.

Would you like to win a copy? Email me at karen.cantwell@yahoo.com -- type WIN A BOOK in the subject line. I'll pick a winner next Monday morning (April 30th). Good luck!

Have a wonderful day!

Best wishes, Karen

New Poll!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:37:00 +0000

Barbara Marr book #5 won't be out for a while since I am currently working on #4, Saturday Night Cleaver. But it's never too soon to start planning - for me, part of planning, is choosing the title. I actually always choose the title before preparing the plot (shhhh - that's a secret).

I thought that this time around, I would let Barbara Marr fans weigh in on the title choice!

So, please do vote =====================>

And have a GREAT weekend, friends!

Best wishes,

Karen

A New Series on the Horizon

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:55:00 +0000

First, before I get to the big news, did everyone see that Tina Fey won the poll, "Who would you like to see play Barbara Marr in the movie version?"

Now if only we could get someone to agree to buy the movie rights. And, of course, Tina would have to agree. Small hurdles. Small hurdles.

On to new news:

Over the next year, I will be releasing three books (shorter, novella length) in a paranormal romance series. The first Sophie Rhodes Ghostly Romance is titled Keep Me Ghostedand will be released to Kindle in July of 2012. I'm very excited, because I finally have a cover to share!

A brief description:

Sophie Rhodes needs a job, but does she need a man? Her talkative friend, Marmaduke Dodsworth, doesn’t think so. He wants her all to himself. That’s why things get a little dicey when she starts working for a cute eye doctor who finds her just as adorable. Oh, and there’s another problem: the cute doctor has a possessive friend as well, and just like Marmaduke . . . she’s a ghost. Will earthly love overcome spiritual intervention? A fun and feisty paranormal romance (wish a dash of mystery thrown in) – Book One in a three book series.

NOW DON'T PANIC BARBARA MARR FANS!!! The fourth Barbara Marr mystery, Saturday Night Cleaver, is also in the works, due for a December 2012 release. Later this week I will be running a poll with four title choices for the FIFTH Barbara Marr book, asking readers to weigh in on their favorite.

Have a great day everyone, full of fun, joy, and laughter.

Best wishes,

Karen

Another Fun Poll!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:17:00 +0000

Hello everybody!

That last poll was just too fun, so I've decided to run another one =============>

I hope you find this one just as fun! And if you choose "other," feel free to elaborate in the comments!

Have a great weekend, friends!

Best wishes,

Karen

Just for Fun!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:18:00 +0000

Isn't that monkey just the cutest?

He (she?) has nothing to do with this post, I just had to share.

So what's "Just for Fun" you ask? Well, I once asked readers what they would like to see more of here on the website, and one of the answers was polls.

So if you look to your right ===================>

you will see my very first OFFICIAL POLL!

So go for it - answer away!

I can't wait to see how people vote.

And don't forget to have a great day full of fun, joy, and laughter!

Best wishes,

Karen

Book Signing, Reston, Virginia

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:11:00 +0000

I'm very excited about my book signing this Saturday, March 24th, at the Barnes & Noble in Reston, Virginia.

The Reston Barnes & Noble is holding two different "Meet the Author" events for Northern Virginia Writers Club authors, and I'm lucky enough to be a part of the first one being held this Saturday. I'll be sitting alongside friends and authors, Eric Gardner and John B. Wren, and signing copies of Take the Monkeys and Run.

Where: Barnes & Noble, Spectrum Center
1851 Fountain Drive
Reston, VA 20191
(703) 437-9490

When: Saturday, March 24th from 2pm - 4pm

If you are out and about, I hope you will stop by and say "Hi!"

For more information on the event, CLICK HERE.

To learn more about The Northern Virginia Writers Club, CLICK HERE.

Have a great day!

Best wishes,

Karen

Interview With Barb, Part Deux

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 21:57:00 +0000

Welcome back to the second part of our interview with Barb! I hope you enjoyed the first few questions. I have managed to pack the rest of them into this second and final part. And there's a little . . . surprise at the end. Hope you like it!

Me: So here we go with more questions, Barb. Chaun asks, "Since you seem to have an affinity for danger and you don't seem naturally disposed to domesticity, where do you think you might be today if you hadn't gotten married?"

Barb: Do I have an affinity for danger? Really? Hmm, I never thought about it that way. Maybe there is a part of me that enjoys the thrill of tasking risks. I just thought I was prone to finding dead people the way some people are prone to strep throat. Possibly, if I hadn't gotten married I would have pursued a career in espionage. (she thinks about this a minute, then shakes her head) Nope. Probably not. More likely I would have ended up foaming up cafe lattes at a Starbucks. I'll wager that job isn't without it's dangerous elements though. Have you ever seen the wrath of a morning customer that didn't get their extra shot of espresso? (shivers) SCARY.

Me: Cindy says, "Barb, I have noticed you think very sarcastic comments and keep it to yourself. How do you think your mom would react if for one day, you said everything you thought?"

Barb: I don't have to think hard on that question - she wouldn't bat an eyelash. That's what I do admire about my mother - nothing sticks to her. She didn't get bullied as a kid because she was the biggest one on the playground, she never got bullied because she has NEVER cared an iota what anyone said about her so the bullying wouldn't have an effect. She's always been that way. I complain about my mom a lot I guess, but in truth, I probably wish I were a lot more like her (but I don't want her to know that, so I won't tell her about this interview!).

Me: Jenn wants to know where you got Indy, and how can she find one just like him?

Barb: (smiles) Oh, even though he looks like a lot of other yellow tabbies, Indiana Jones is one unique and VERY cool cat on the inside, hence the name. I'm not sure there are any others like him! However, if you want your own cool cat, I suggest adopting - we adopted Indy from an animal rescue league when he was 9 months old. Callie and Bethany both volunteer for the same league now, and I imagine Amber will too, when she's old enough.

Me: I like this question. Joe wants to know, "If you could be any historical figure, alive or dead, who would you be and why?"

Barb: (nods) That is an interesting question. You could have started with that one you know, instead of that one about the lying.

Me: You're not going to let that go, are you?

Barb: Historical figure, dead or alive . . . (thinks to herself). Hilary Clinton.

Me: Because she's a strong, female political figure?

Barb: (shakes her head) Politics bore me. Politicians have been around since the dawn of time, and look where they've gotten us. (shakes head) No, I like that she wears pant suits - there's a woman who values comfort over fashion. Go, Hilary, go!

Me: Kim wants to know about our writing space and how it supports our writing.

Barb: I don't do the writing, thankfully! I tell you my story, then you put the pen to paper, or the fingers to the keyboard I guess is the better description, huh? What is your space like, Karen? I've never actually asked you that.

Me: I write in different places, depending on the time of day and my needs. If it's the weekend and my kids are around, I might go to the library and use one of their private study rooms. At home I have a home office, and it's brightly lit, so that is very nice for writing. And probably my favorite place is our back porch in the spring and summer - it's screened in so bugs don't bother me. It's very quiet and inspiring. Thanks for asking, Kim!

Barb: Are there still more questions?

Me: Just a couple more. Judith wants to know, "What is the one thing you regret doing or NOT doing?"

Barb: That is an age-old question, isn't it? Actually, I've thought about that a lot, you know, because I always loved the movies and always thought that I wanted to be a movie director, but of course, didn't follow that path in life. But I don't regret it, because all of the choices I've made have led me here, with a life with a wonderful husband and three AMAZING daughters. I just can't imagine any other life. So, no regrets.

Me: Good answer. Okay, Dawn asks, "Are you happy that Meryl won the Oscar?"

Barb: (sits back and smiles) Wasn't that wonderful? I loved her speech too. Although . . . I am going to say, that as much as I love The Meryl, and still hold her in my heart as the most amazing actress ever to live . . . I wish Viola Davis had won this year. I thought she deserved it, didn't you?

Me: Yes, I did. Oh look at this! This reader's name is Barbara too - she asks, "What do you think of Howard's pending retirement?

Barb: (rolls her eyes) Yeah, that was a shocker, huh? First, he's all, "Uh, oh, didn't tell you for seventeen years that I'm an FBI agent. Sorry, honey." As if that doesn't make me feel like the stupidest wife on the planet, right? Then he's all, "Hey, forgot to tell you, my last day on the job is . . . tomorrow. You missed the good-bye party." (shakes her head) Truth though, I was relieved, right up until the day Callie and I saw him take that death-tumble during his last mission. That was (she chokes up a bit and has trouble talking) the worst day of my life. (She takes a deep breath, gains her composure). But it's all good now.

Me: You realize, Barb, that readers don't know what happened to Howard. I mean, you know if he's . . .

Barb: Alive?

Me: Right.

Barb: (smiles a devilish smile) Should we tell them?

Me: Now?

Barb: I don't know. It happened to me, but you write the books. (shrugs) I leave it up to you.

Me: Okay, but you tell them yourself.

Barb:(says nothing)

Me: Are you going to or not?

Barb: That was a pregnant pause, Karen. I was going for dramatic effect.

Me: Sorry.

Barb: Howard is . . . (pregnant pause for dramatic effect)

Happy and healthy and resting at home.

________

And that concludes our Interview with Barbara Marr! Thank you, everyone, for giving us the most amazing questions. I had SO much fun with this. I hope you all did too!

Have a wonderful day, filled with joy, fun, and laughter!

Best wishes,

Karen (and Barb)

Interview With Barb, Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 23:47:00 +0000

Welcome to Part I of an Interview with Barbara Marr.

As it turns out, there were many questions and we didn't want to burden readers with a 5 page post, so I've decided to break this interview into a few parts over several days. It was a warm, sunny day when we sat down in Barb's backyard sipping lemonade and listening to the birds singing in the trees. Very enjoyable. The question and answer session did get off to a bit of a rocky start though . . .

Me: Barb, I want to thank you for agreeing to sit down for this interview today.

Barb: (smiling) Sure. Glad to be here. How's that lemonade?

Me: Perfect, thanks. So, are you ready for your first reader question?

Barb: Fire away. I mean that figuratively, not literally. I've had enough of real guns and real shooting, trust me!

Me: I can imagine! Okay, so Bernadette asks, "How do you explain to your girls that lying is wrong when their dad has been lying all these years about being an agent?"

Barb: (stops smiling, thinks silently for a minute) Periwinkle.

Me: Ummm . . . what?

Barb: That's my favorite color: Periwinkle.

Me: That's not the question.

Barb: I know, but when you first told me about this interview where readers ask me questions, you said they'd be easy like, "What's my favorite color." That question isn't easy. That's . . . you know . . . serious.

Me: I know. I'm sorry, about that, but it's a fair question, don't you think?

Barb: How about my favorite movie director? Would they like to know my favorite movie director?

Me: Barb, they already know the answer to that one. You wear your heart on your sleeve when it comes to Steven Spielberg. How about I give you an easier question next if you answer this one now?

Barb: (sighs). Fine. Can you repeat the question?

Me: Barb!

Barb: Okay. Geez. Don't get your sticky buns all in a bundt pan. Thank you for your insightful question, Bernadette. The answer is that we did think and worry a lot about how we'd approach the girls on the subject - both explaining that their dad was an FBI agent, not an engineer, and letting them know that while lying is generally not a good thing, in this case, their dad lied to protect us, his family. We even rehearsed the talk a few times, but when we actually sat them down, Callie laughed. It turns out teenagers are smarter than we think. She said this: "We live ten minutes from CIA Headquarters and twenty minutes of Washington, DC. I have ten friends whose moms or dads are 'engineers' which we all know means they're CIA, FBI, or Secret Service. With Dad's weird hours, I had him pegged ages ago." What I learned from that talk was to go talk to my daughter, Callie, when I don't understand something.

Me: There you go. Honest answer. Now that wasn't so bad, was it?

Barb: You're right, that didn't kill me. Give me another one.

Me: Joe asks, "If you could change the ending to any film, what film would you change and how would it end?"

Barb: (smiles, looks relieved) That's easy. I've thought about this a LOT. Joe - the movie I would change is Godfather, Part III. Here's how I would change the ending: The opening credits would start to roll, then Al Pacino would come out and address the audience, telling us all that making this movie was a big mistake and that we should all go home and pretend that it never happened. The End.

Me: Didn't like Godfather Part III, huh?

Barb: Does anyone?

Me: Khaila, Bernadette, and Ingrid all want to know more about you and Colt. Why is he hung up on you? And is he truly out of your system?

Barb: Periwinkle.

Me: Barb . . .

Barb: I'm wondering if Khaila, Bernadette, and/or Ingrid are single, because you know, I'm trying to find him a good woman to settle down with. He needs someone to take care of.

Me: That's nice, and they can leave a comment if they're single and interested, but you didn't really answer the question.

Barb: First - technically there was more than one question there, and second, you asked if he was out of my system - would I be trying to find him a companion if I had any sort of attraction to him? I mean, I'm a married woman and I love my husband very much.

Me: You're not giving me a simple "Yes" or "No" here, Barb.

Barb: You've got a whole Matt Lauer, drill-for-the-answer-till-it-hurts thing going on, don't you?

Me: Obviously, Colt is a touchy subject, but how about this at least: why does he still carry a torch for you?

Barb: 'Cuz I'm irresistable. (smiles)

Me: Okay, next question. Aimee wants to know, "Have you ever thought you should option the story of your life to a movie studio?

Barb: You know, there's already so many movies out there about suburban moms like me who stumble upon dead people and get kidnapped by gun-toting criminals, that I figure, why even try? They'd probably be all, "Been there, done that."

Me: You're joking, right?

Barb: Yes, Karen, I'm joking. But seriously, I asked Steven Spielberg in a dream once if he'd be interested in taking my story to film, but that's as far as I've gotten with that idea - in my dreams.
____________

Both Barb and I hope you enjoyed Part I of her interview. There are still 7 more questions to answer, so join us again on Friday for answers to a few more!

Have a great day!

Karen

Ask Barb T-Shirt Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:43:00 +0000

Good morning, friends! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day today. To my friends and readers in the areas hit by those recent storms and tornadoes, I send you my thoughts and prayers and hopes that you are doing well today.

Okay, folks! Time to announce the 2 lucky winners of the Take the Monkeys and Run T-shirts! First though, I want to thank everyone who submitted questions for Barb! They were great! I'll be sitting down with her soon and posing these hard-hitting questions, then posting the full interview a week from today.

So, who won those 2 t-shirts you ask????

Okay, I will tell you:

"Ingy" and
Khaila Nicholas

YAY!!

Congratulations!!

I have Khaila's email address, but do not have one for Ingy, so a shout-out to Ingy: email me at karen.cantwell@yahoo.com so I can make arrangements to get you your prize.

And for those who have read Silenced by the Yams and are wondering, "When will the next book be out?" the answer is - Saturday Night Cleaver is set to be released sometime between November 15th and Christmas of this year. I will have a better idea in mid-October and will keep readers updated. In the meantime, I will be posting Chapter One of SNC here on the website long before that, for those wondering what happens to Howard. :-)

Have a great day full of joy, fun, and laughter!

Best wishes,

Karen

I'm a Flixy Mom ReviewerI

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:09:00 +0000

I'm very excited about my newest venture - FlixyMom.com.

It's probably no surprise to Barbara Marr fans, that I enjoy a movie or two myself, so I recently joined forces with some parents and have created a new website dedicated to reviewing films from a family perspective.

Not only do we tell other parents if we enjoyed the movie, but how our own children reacted. Additionally, we talk about the rating - is it appropriate, not appropriate? A movie might be rated PG-13, but do you really want to take your 13-year old? Will the sexual content, language, or violence be too much for your comfort?

Occasionally, we will review adult movies as well. Because let's face it, we parents deserve a little grown-up time outside of Disney and Pixar faire. Right?

So far we've reviewed some fun ones: Kung Fu Panda 2, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Big Miracle, and more. And next week we will be posting a group review of The Lorax!

I hope you'll check us out, and if you find our reviews helpful, keep up bookmarked.

Have a great weekend everyone, full of joy, love, and laughter!

Best wishes,

Karen

Ask Barb!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:12:00 +0000

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

I hope we are all having a great week so far.

Recently, I decided that I would to post and interview with Barbara Marr. Sounds like fun, right? I thought so. Well, while contemplating questions to ask Barb, it suddenly occurred to me, who better to ask the questions than the readers! (I do have my moments of brilliance every once in a while)

So here's how it goes:

Leave your question for Barb in the comments section below, or email it to: karen.cantwell@yahoo.com - type ASK BARB in the subject line.

Any question - favorite color, shoe size, worst fear, preferred pizza toppings, etc. (keep it clean though, please - she has kids!)

And even more fun, everyone who asks a question is automatically entered into a drawing to win a Take the Monkeys and Run t-shirt (2 lucky winners!)

I'll collect questions for one week, then compile and post the interview a week later. T-shirt winners will be announced on Wednesday, March 7th.

Start asking away!

And have a GREAT day full of joy, love, and laughter. :-)

Best wishes,

Karen

Character Name Contest WINNER!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:14:00 +0000

Good morning, friends! I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday!

I'm very excited to say that over 30 people entered the Character Name Contest for a chance to have their moniker appear in Barbara Marr's next adventure, Saturday Night Cleaver.

Before I get to naming the winner, I'd like to let you know my process: for all contests, I keep a bag of numbers (folded pieces of paper with one number written on it). As entries come in, I assign each a number. When its time, I pull a number (or numbers in the case of runners-up) out of the bag. So it's very random. :-)

So, have I dragged on sufficiently to keep you on pins and needles?

Do you want to know who won?

Okay, here it is . . .

(Drum roll please)

The winner of the Saturday Night Cleaver Character Name Contest is:

Barbara Haynes!

YAY!!

Congratulations to Barbara and thank you to all who entered! Keep your eyes peeled for another contest right around the corner.

In the meantime, have a great rest of the weekend, and may your coming week be filled with fun and joy and laughter!

Best wishes,

Karen

My Love Affair With Oscar

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:32:00 +0000

People often ask if Barbara Marr is anything like me.

Well, she does have curly hair, but that was a mistake. She was supposed to have straight, dirty blond hair. (Long story there - different post)

I am not nearly as brave as Barb - not by a long shot. I'm tempted to call 911 when I break a fingernail, so trust me, I'd never take on the task of solving clues to a murder.

But Barb and I do share a preference for sweatpants over jeans or dress pants (who needs snug when loose is so much more comfortable?) and a love for The Academy Awards.

To be honest, I can't even remember how young I was when I watched my first Oscar show. Probably two. And I've only missed two shows EVER, only because I lived outside of the country at the time.

That's right - I remember the streaker (1974) and David Niven's response: "Probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings."

I remember the year that Marlon Brando declined his win and sent a Native American activist in his stead to protest the ill-treatment of Native Americans by film makers. Unfortunately, she was very nearly booed off the stage, but the memory of that moment remains vivid and poignant for me.

And who can forget (I can't!) Sally Fields' horrifying "You like me!" acceptance speech? I still cringe as if it were yesterday. I thought she'd never recover from the backlash, but she did because she's a great actress, and talent prevailed, thankfully.

Yes, so many memories I share with my man, Oscar. So many.

Most parents want their children to grow up to be doctors or engineers or presidents. Me? I want my kids to be the next Steven Spielberg, and I admit my motives are selfish. See, I dream to do more than just watch the awards from my living room. No, I want to walk the red carpet some day, sit in the audience, feel the real deal. My thinking is, of course, that my Spielberg-esque or Scorsese-ish progeny would bring me as his or her guest. Right? Sadly, I'm not so sure that will ever happen since one son wants to be a computer programmer, the other son plans on getting a PhD in physics and/or chemistry, and youngest daughter will likely save all of the animals on the planet when she takes up nature conservancy. Do we really need more programmers, chemists, and nature lovers? Geez. Where did I go wrong?

So, this Sunday night, I will sit on my couch, marvel at the splendor, pray that Meryl Streep finally takes home another statue, wonder for the billionth time if Angelina Jolie EVER smiles, and dream.

Have a great weekend everyone! And if you watch the Oscars, enjoy!

Best wishes,

Karen

Another Character Name Contest!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:46:00 +0000

Happy Saturday, friends!

Well, because I never seem to be one to rest, I'm already busy plotting the fourth Barbara Marr Mystery, Saturday Night Cleaver.

That means I need some character names!

Remember the notorious Kiki Urbanowski from Citizen Insane?
How about Super-Mom, Judi Horner from Silenced by the Yams?

They were born, so to speak, from my Character Name Contests.

So, how would you like to be a character in Saturday Night Cleaver?

Enter the contest, and it might just happen!

The contest runs for a week and is easy-peasy to enter - just leave a comment to this post with your name and email address (only so I can contact you)and tell me you are entering.

OR

if you don't want to leave your email address in a post (totally understandable), email me at karen.cantwell@yahoo.com and type CHARACTER NAME CONTEST in the subject line.

The winner is chosen by RANDOM DRAW and will be announced next Sunday, Feb. 26th.

What if you don't want your real name used, you ask? That's OKAY! If you win, you don't have to use your real name, you can make up a name (so long as it's "clean" and nice!).

Are you in???

I hope so!

Start entering!

As always, thank you for your stopping by my blogs and reading my books.

Best wishes,

Karen

Citizen Insane FREE today!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:41:00 +0000

Citizen Insane if FREE today and tomorrow ONLY on Amazon!

Tell your friends!

Have a great day, everyone!

Karen

Valentines Blog Hop WINNERS!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:14:00 +0000

First, I want to thank EVERYONE who stopped by my website and entered in the Valentine's Blog Hop. It has been such fun and I've met some wonderful people!

But, without further ado, I'm going to announce the winners. . .

A $20.00 Gift Certificate and signed copy of Take the Monkeys and Run go to:

Mary Cochran

Signed copies of Take the Monkeys and Run and The Chronicles of Marr-nia go to:

Janice Arnold
Margaret Chanteuse

FINALLY . . .

To celebrate the release of Silenced by the Yams, EVERYONE WHO ENTERED will receive (if they wish) a FREE Kindle or Nook copy of the newest Barbara Marr Mystery.

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ENTERING!

I hope you had a marvelous Valentine's Day. :-)

I will be contacting winners by email to determine how they would like to receive their gifts.

And I hope you will keep your eye out - During the release month of Silenced by the Yams, I will be holding other contests!!!

As always, thank you for following my blog, and have a wonderful day.

Best wishes,

Karen

Yams Anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:43:00 +0000

Soccer mom, Barbara Marr attracts trouble the way the North Pole attracts short men with odd wardrobe choices. So it’s no surprise when she finds herself in deep doo-doo while attempting to prove the innocence of friend and ex-Mafia goon, Frankie Romano, after he’s arrested for the murder of a famous action movie director.

This third book in the popular Barbara Marr Murder Mystery Series brings Barb out of the suburbs and into the slimy, urban world of bright lights, nightly news, and drive-by shootings. Luckily, she never loses her sense of humor or her ability to befriend some decidedly quirky characters.
_____

That's right! Silenced by the Yams is now available on Kindle and Nook!

And it's priced at just .99 cents until March 1st, so grab it up now because then the price goes up to $3.99.

Mostly, I hope you truly enjoy Barb's latest caper!

CLICK HERE FOR NOOK

And . . . HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY my friends!!!

Best,

Karen

SILENCED BY THE YAMS: Update

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:44:00 +0000

I have a lot of exciting announcements to make over the next few weeks, but probably the biggest is the upcoming release of Silenced by the Yams.

Yes, we're barreling down the final stretch, and I'm proud to say the release date is official:

Valentine's Day - February 14th!

Even more exciting, the ebook will be available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble for only .99 cents during the first two weeks of its release. This will allow fans to grab it up at a bargain rate - on March 1st, the price goes up to $3.99.

If you haven't read Chapter One, available here on the website, check it out!

And if you haven't already, you should also enter my Valentine Blog Hop Contest. The grand prize winner of my contest wins a $20.00 gift card and a signed copy of Take the Monkeys and Run and if you hop around to other author blogs, you increase your chances of winning the Hop Grand Prize: a $75.00 Amazon gift card.

As always, thank you for following my posts and reading my books! Barbara Marr fans are THE BEST!

Yours truly,

Karen

Win a $20.00 Gift Card and More!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:31:00 +0000

I'm pleased to announce that I am participating in The Valentine Blog Hop sponsored by Book Luvin' Babes.

The Valentine Blog Hop is a series of contests that run from February 1 - 14 and for my own individual contest, I am offering readers a chance to win a $20.00 GIFT CARD as well as signed copies of my books.

It's super easy to enter my own contest as well as the twenty-four other contests in the hop.

To learn how, just CLICK HERE or click on the bar above labeled Valentine Blog Hop. No purchases required!!! Just tons of great chances to win fun prizes.

Best wishes,

Karen

Foxy's Tale - FREE on Kindle!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:40:00 +0000

For just two days, January 15 and 16, Foxy's Tale, my romantic comedy co-authored with LB Gschwandtner, is . . .

FREE on Kindle!

Grab your copy now and tell your friends!

My Favorite Reads of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 23:23:00 +0000

I didn't get a chance to read nearly as much as I would have liked to, but here are my favorite reads in 2011. These are not necessarily books that were published in 2011 - just books that I read this year and enjoyed enough to recommend to other readers. And they are listed in no particular order! If you ever wondered what kind of books I find interesting, here's a peek.

And feel free to post your favorite reads in the comments! I'm always up for great suggestions!

HAPPY NEW YEAR friends!
_______

Murder Passes the Buck by Deb Baker

Description:

When her neighbor is shot and killed, sixty-six-year-old widow Gertie Johnson seizes the opportunity to move on with her life by investigating his death. Gertie is abetted (and hindered) by her grandson Little Donny, man-hungry best friend Cora Mae, and word-of-the-day challenger, Kitty. It doesn’t help that the death has been ruled an accident by the sheriff of this backwoods community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Or that Sheriff Blaze Johnson happens to be Gertie’s son.

Whether it’s interrogating neighbors, spying, or impersonating the FBI—not to mention staying one step ahead of Blaze—Gertie will do whatever it takes to solve the case, even when the killer takes aim at her.

Why I enjoyed this book:

Gertie Johnson and her cohorts are just plain fun. This is the kind of series where you immediately want to start the next book when you finish because you love the characters so much.
_____

The Righteous by Michael Wallace

Description:

When a brutal murder shocks the polygamist enclave of Blister Creek, Utah, church elders call in Jacob Christianson, a medical student and the favored son of a church elder. Jacob must solve the murder while protecting his young sister Eliza from marriage to one of three old men jostling for power within the church hierarchy.

Jacob discovers that the murdered woman has been killed in accordance with secret blood oaths taken within the polygamist temple. Together with his sister, he uncovers a plot to overthrow the church leadership, with murders that reach beyond the community and into the "gentile" world. The Righteous is a heart-pounding suspense-thriller with a depth that will haunt the reader long after the last page is turned.

Why I enjoyed this book:

It's a fast-paced mystery/thriller with a unique premise. The author knows how to grip the reader from the first page and keep you hanging on to the very end. I've already started the second book in this series, and Michael Wallace's talent proves consistent.
_____

My Planet or Yours? by LC Evans

Description:

Nora Bryant is a single Earth woman out to ban men from her life after a recent breakup. Triskam is a strikingly handsome extraterrestrial, who crash lands near her remote Arizona home. Add to this mix, a couple of misguided thugs looking for a gold rush, an overly friendly, not-so-guard dog, and a communications device that thinks it's a nanny, and you have My Planet or Yours?, a delightful new romantic comedy by LC Evans, author of the Kindle bestseller, We Interrupt This Date.

Why I enjoyed this book:

Triskan the sexy alien. He's funny AND good looking. Can you ask for more? My Planet or Yours is very simply and delight to read.
_____

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Description:

Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.

She has seen both these dreams come true. At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon -- from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence. Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

Why I enjoyed this book:

Tina Fey makes me laugh. And I think she'd be perfect as Barbara Marr in the movie version of Take the Monkeys and Run. (smile)
_____

Under Witch Aura by Maria E. Schneider

Description:

There’s an ill wind blowing in Santa Fe, and it’s touching every witch Adriel knows, including White Feather, who is far more important to Adriel than just any warlock. In search of answers, she delves into ancient magic, a family secret and dangerous religious rituals. Whoever is manipulating the elements appears to be after the ultimate goal: forbidden power over life and death.

Adriel will go to the ends of the earth to keep those she loves safe, but if she lures the enemy away, will she be able to save herself? Her only hope is to use earth magic to hide from the very air she breathes as she hunts down an unseen and untenable evil.
About the Author

Why I enjoyed this book:

I really enjoyed the magic in this book as well as the characters, and the romance aspect wraps it all up into one neat package. I judge a book by my willingness to put it down or my desire to get back to it when I'm doing other things - this book was one I would have read in one sitting if I'd had the time!
_____

Naked in Death by JD Robb

Description:

In the very first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, Eve Dallas gets involved with Roarke, a suspect in her latest murder case. But passion and seduction have rules all their own.

Why I enjoyed this book:

I'm late to this party, since this first book in Robb's series was first published in 1995, but I'm so glad I discovered it now. Quite grisly and a little graphic, the intensity of the writing and story kept me engrossed the entire time.
_____

Devil Moon by Dana Taylor

Description:

Welcome to the mystical town of Beaver Cove, Arkansas where country ghosts offer homey advice and the moon makes lovers of total strangers!

Maddie Harris left Boston in humiliation. She hopes the job as assistant principal in a small Arkansas town will keep her too busy to notice the hole where her heart used to be. Phil Wilcox, divorced former NFL star, returns to his hometown as the new football coach. He hopes to repair the tattered relationship with his eleven-year-old daughter, despite his thorny ex-wife. Maddie is neat and color coordinated; Phil takes "casual" to its limits. Neither is seeking romance, but a mischievous moon and a friendly spirit have other ideas.

Why I enjoyed this book:

GREAT characters! This is a delicious romance with a hint of paranormal. A delightful story with vivid, fun, and interesting characters that I was rooting for constantly.
_____

Dead to Writes by Cathy Wiley

Description:

Cassandra Ellis is a soon-to-be published author, days away from achieving her lifetime goal. But before she can celebrate, before she can even have her first book signing, she's brought in to Baltimore City Police Headquarters for questioning in connection to a real-life murder.

It seems she's the last person to see the victim alive, since she had just met with the former arsonist to conduct research for her next book. Most damning, her day planner was found next to the body.

When another of her subject matter experts is killed-- again right after meeting with her-- Cassie decides to investigate things herself, rather than leaving it in the hands of the police. Although she'd love to get her hands on the homicide detective assigned to the cases.

Using all the tools available to her, including her research skills, her knowledge of murder and murderers, and... psychic parrots, she tries to solve the case before another friend is killed. Along the way, she finds out that murder in real life is different than murder on the page.

Why I enjoyed this book:

Cassie Ellis is an absolutely LOVEABLE character. I had a blast riding along while she bumbled her way through solving the crime.
_______

So there you have it! What were some of your favorite reads of 2011?

A Holiday Gift to YOU!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Cantwell) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:41:00 +0000

Happy Holidays to everyone! Despite the fact that I am not a cold-weather fan, this is my favorite time of year, because the spirit of the season is pure and true. To quote Fred Astaire as the postman narrator in Santa Claus is Coming to Town:

"Lot's of unhappiness? Maybe so. But doesn't Santa take a little bit of that unhappiness away? Doesn't a smile on Christmas morning scratch out a tear cried on a sadder day? Not much maybe. But what would happen if we all tried to be like Santa and learned to give as only he can give: of ourselves, our talents, our love and our hearts? Maybe we could all learn Santa's beautiful lesson and maybe there would finally be peace on Earth and good will toward men."

I have now divulged a secret about myself: I'm a big sap. (smile)

So in the spirit of giving, and to show my gratitude to all who have read and loved my books, I'm sharing a work that is very precious to me -- The Chronicles of Marr-nia.

First, below, you can read one of the bonus short stories from that collection. While it doesn't have a Christmas theme, there is snow, and snow always reminds me of Christmas. (smile again)

Second, FROM NOW UNTIL CHRISTMAS DAY, I am giving away a copy (Kindle, Nook or PDF) of The Chronicles of Marr-nia to anyone who emails me at karen.cantwell@yahoo.com. Be sure to type HOLIDAY GIFT in the subject line. Do you already own The Chronicles of Marr-nia? Email me anyway, because I can always send you a copy for a friend.

"Sherman's Purpose"
by Karen Cantwell

Coffee. Sorry excuse for a beverage, thought Sherman Foster, staring into the empty can. Stuff
tank up the house, made his nose itch and his stomach turn.

Resealing the empty container with its plastic lid and shoving it to the back of the counter, Sherman snickered, pleased with himself that he had purposely let the coffee run out. He’d show Horace. Make him real mad, he would. Predictably, Horace would soon yell from his room.
“Sherman! Hey, Sherm! Can ya bring me a cup a coffee? My rheumatiz is actin’ up.”

“Heh, heh,” cackled Sherman to himself. “Ain’t no coffee ta-day, Horace ol’ boy. Guess you’ll just have some o’ that caffeine withdrawal, ’cuz I ain’t goin’ out in this weather. Sure enough, I ain’t gonna walk half a mile to the Seven Ee-leven, just to get you some stinkin’ coffee.”

Sherman shuffled slowly on the yellow linoleum floor that, in its heyday, had been the color of soft, speckled cream. For a man his age, a trip from the fridge to the counter was a major undertaking. An arduous ordeal.

Steam blossomed invitingly from the bowl of oatmeal in his hands, stimulating his saliva glands, tempting his taste buds. But halfway to the table, he remembered the honey.

“Damn!” grumbled Sherman to the quiet, friendless kitchen. “Can’t eat no bowl of oatmeal without honey.”

A mouse on the floor might have heard the scritch-scritching of Sherman’s cheap slippers (courtesy the Salvation Army) scuffing the floor as he moved back to the counter where the honey bear bottle colonized with the hen salt shaker and rooster pepper shaker next to the ramshackle gas stove – the same place they’d resided all the years Sherman knew.

Finally, Sherman’s bony bottom made contact with the seat of the tippy chair at the small round table. Hunched over the chipped ceramic bowl, holding the bear upside down over the oatmeal, Sherman waited for the honey to drip. He had no choice but to wait. The arthritis made it near impossible to squeeze even the tiniest bit.

Before the honey came, Sherman sighed. He took a peek behind him, down the hallway. “Damn!” he mumbled. “I got oatmeal and I got honey. Horace may be a pain in my ass, but he ain’t got no coffee.” He shook his head. “Damn, stinkin’ coffee.”

Flipping the bear back upright, he set it onto the tabletop with a thump. He looked down the hall, sighed one more time, then rose from the chair slow as a sloth and began the long, laborious ritual of bundling up for a cold, even more laborious walk to the Seven Ee-leven.

*****

“Hey there, Sherm!” Nancy bellowed from behind the counter. She smiled so broadly that her chubby cheeks pushed her eyes nearly half-closed.

“Damn, Nanc, you look like a crazy China-woman when you smile like that. Anyone ever tell ya that?”

“Why, yes, Sherm,” she laughed. “You, as a matter of fact.”

“Then why you still do it?”

“To give you sumthin’ to complain about.” She patted her stomach when she talked and didn’t stop smiling. It was Nancy’s way.

Evidently, she didn’t care if she looked like a crazy China-woman or not.

“So what can we get ya today, Sherm?”

“Can o’ Folgers,” Sherman answered, shuffling in the same direction as always.

“For Horace?” she asked.

“Who else? I told ya a thousand times, I can’t stand the smell of it, much less the taste. Stuff rots your gut.” He had made a successful trip to the coffee aisle, picked a can off the shelf and returned to Nancy’s register, where he began the slow motion effort of opening his tattered coin purse. “It’ll probably kill him,” said Sherman, counting out quarters, dimes and nickels one at a time onto the cold counter, “if the laziness don’t first. He should be walkin’ here himself – get up off his feet ever once in a while. He’s just an idiotic old fart. Oughta put him in a home. Let someone else take care of him.”

“You love your brother, Sherman Foster. I know ya do.” Nancy was getting that sad look on her face again. It bothered Sherman. Sure enough, he didn’t like the China-woman look, but that sad-as-a-lost-puppy look was even spookier. Someone really should have a talk with that woman.
He clinked a final coin onto the counter. “That enough, Nanc?”

She counted out the coins, which totaled a dollar fifty-three. The coffee cost three dollars and ninety-nine cents, not including tax.

“That’s enough, Sherm,” she said. “You be good now. See ya tomorrow?”

“Not if I can help it! This oughta last him least a week for cryin’ out loud,” moaned Sherman, making his tortoise-like way to the door.

“Right. Well, say ‘Hey’ to Tina when you see her,” said Nancy, who then turned her attention to another customer.

Sherman shook his head and wondered to himself. Tina? Who’s Tina?

Snowflakes had started to fall – monstrously luscious snowflakes, floating to the ground like the feathers of angels wings. Once outside, Sherman stopped and looked to the sky. “Snow. Who’s gonna shovel this crap? Sure ain’t gonna be that lazy bum, Horace.”
A young girl stood next to him, looking skyward, eyes shining. “I love the snow,” she whispered.

Grumbling and angling his head toward the sidewalk he began the long shuffle back to the house where he and his brother had spent years growing from boys to men, so long, long ago.
He passed the big field where they played cops and robbers, and where in winter, they would sail like the wind down the heaven-kissing hill on toboggans. That was when snow was a dream, not a nightmare.

He passed the cemetery where they’d buried Mother, and then Father, who just didn’t want to live without her no more.

He passed Pearl O’Leary’s house – the woman who broke his heart. Of course, Pearl didn’t live there no more, but her granddaughter did, and every once in a while, when she visited the girl, she would stop in and say “Hey!” to Sherman and Horace. She always complimented Sherman on how kind he was to take care of Horace the way he did, bein’ like a nurse and all. “You’re a good man, Sherman,” she’d say.

“Ach – he’s a bum. Oughta put him in a home.”

“You ain’t foolin’ me,” she’d answer, “You love your brother, Sherman. I know it.”

Back in his house, which wasn’t much warmer than the air outside, Sherman shook off the snow, hung his ratty coat on its hook, laid his hat and gloves carefully on the radiator nearby, then made his arthritic way to the coffee pot on the stove.

“Hey, Horace!” Sherman shouted down the hall. “You’ll have yer stinkin’ coffee soon! Don’t go yellin’ fer it ‘cuz I don’t wanna hear yer caterwaulin’.”

Dog-tired from his grueling walk, Sherman decided to have a sit on the sofa in the living room. Take some weight off his feet for just a few minutes – just while the coffee perked up. As happened on most days, he laid his head down and drifted off.

When Tina came at her usual time, she found a familiar scene – open can of coffee on the counter, a pot percolating furiously over the flame of the single functioning burner left on the stove, and Uncle Sherman asleep on the living room couch.

She took the red can, opened the small door of the pantry, and placed it next to the others that filled the four lined shelves. She counted them. Twenty-one. Twenty-one cans of Folgers. She threw away the empty can, but knew that miraculously, she would find it on the counter when she returned the next day.

After cleaning up, she covered Uncle Sherman with the quilt and waited. When he woke up, she would sit and tell him again. Tell him that Uncle Horace had passed peacefully in his sleep nearly a month ago now. She would ask Uncle Sherman, didn’t he remember? Didn’t he remember finding Horace in bed that morning, and the lovely funeral when they buried him next to Uncle Fred and Aunt Mimi? Didn’t he remember?

Finally, Sherman would shake his head and say that he did. He did remember. He would sit weeping on the couch, his crippled hands cupping his shaking head.

“Why?” he would ask. “Now what’m I gonna do?”

Then he’d curl up in a ball, and sleep again.

Tina would come back. She would come back every day and clean that ancient and tarnished coffee pot. After all, it was his purpose – making coffee for the brother he loved.

Everyone who knew Sherman, knew the truth. That those two had been more than brothers – they’d been best friends. And they knew that despite his cranky grumbling, Sherman Foster really had loved Horace all the years that he lived.

Loved him more than a child loves the sight of new falling snow.