Odds and Ends

by Rhonda - the Southern Half of Evelyn David

Let's catch up.

Amazing that it's already February. Time is just rushing by for me. The past twelve months have been so busy at both my day job, my writing job, and my home life. I'm having a little trouble keeping up.  

In Oklahoma it's been cold, cold, cold. Single digits temperatures and multiple snow events. You'd think the outside weather would inspire me to do some serious writing, but instead I just want to curl up with a blanket, a cup of hot tea, and a good book. At heart I'm a reader first, writer second. I'm very late to the party, but I just read Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I enjoyed it very much and I've purchased the sequel Dragonfly in Amber, but have not had a chance to start it. 

While my favorite tv shows (Major Crimes and The Black List) are either on hiatus or done for the season, I've become a big fan of Netflix and my Roku. I've finished several British series – Waking the Dead, Calling the Midwife, The Bletchley Circle, Island at War and a rewatch of Foyle's War. I'm working on MI-5. I think there are about 80 episodes of that series, so it will take me awhile. Looking forward to new episodes of House of Cards, produced in house by Netflix. 

Anyone watching the Winter Olympics? I'm planning to watch the ice skating and maybe some of the snowboarding events. Have to admit that I'm not as invested in watching as I was twenty years ago. Maybe I just kept up with the athletes more. My co-author's son, sports reporter Sam Borden, is in Russia covering the events. His blog about his adventure is very engaging. He's almost as good a writer as his mother. I recommend you check it out.  

On the home front this past year there have been roof repairs, new hot water heater, new washing machine and a few other things I've put off doing/replacing. If I don't get a new mattress soon, I'm going to permanently cripple myself. Speaking of which, there is good news – not on the new mattress quest but on the maiming myself point. Thursday night I thought I broke my little toe on my left foot again, stubbed it against the corner of a dresser, but now I think it's just a bad bruise or sprain??? Any way my painful limp has made way to cautious but mostly pain-free walking now.  

I did accomplish something this month. My 93-year-young aunt has written a book about her life growing up in the 1930s rural Indiana. I've formatted and published it for her. It's her first book! It's available in both Kindle and trade paperback formats -The Laughing and the Weeping by Bettie B. Dossett. Her delight in the physical act of holding the trade paperback version reminded me of how I felt when Evelyn David's first book, Murder Off the Books was published. There is a certain special joy that is indescribable.  

The collective "Evelyn David" has been occupied getting our Brianna Sullivan Mysteries published in audiobook format. The first four are available now at Audible (through Amazon) and iTunes. Our wonderful narrator, Wendy Tremont King, has provided a delightful voice to psychic Brianna Sullivan. The fifth book, A Haunting in Lottawatah, will be out as an audiobook in the next month or two. Can't wait for that one! Should work out really well in audio format.

Speaking of ebooks - I heard a news report about that 25% of readers now have access to ereaders or tablets. Amazing! Also there is something new coming - sound tracks for ebooks. Not someone reading the book for you, but a sound track! Music, sound effects, etc. Not sure if I'm ready for that. Although for our haunted house book - creaking stairs, rattling chains....

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Brianna Sullivan Mysteries - e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Lottawatah Twister - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Missing in Lottawatah - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Good Grief in Lottawatah - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Summer Lightning in Lottawatah - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Lottawatah Fireworks - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords

AUDIOBOOKS

I TRY NOT TO DRIVE PAST CEMETERIES

Audible - http://tinyurl.com/briannaaudible

iTunes - - http://tinyurl.com/BriannaITunes 

THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER IN LOTTAWATAH

Audible - http://tinyurl.com/dogdaysaudio

iTunes – http://tinyurl.com/DogDaysITunes

THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT(S) OF LOTTAWATAH

Audible - http://tinyurl.com/holidayaudio1

iTunes - http://tinyurl.com/holidayitunes

UNDYING LOVE IN LOTTAWATAH

Audible - http://tinyurl.com/undyingloveaudio

iTunes - http://tinyurl.com/undyingloveitunes

The Ghosts of Lottawatah - trade paperback collection of the Brianna e-books
Book 1 - I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries (includes the first four Brianna e-books)
Book 2 - A Haunting in Lottawatah (includes the 5th, 6th, and 7th Brianna e-books)
Book 3 - Lottawatah Fireworks (includes the 8th, 9th, and 10th Brianna e-books)

Sullivan Investigations Mystery series
Murder Off the Books Kindle - Nook - Trade Paperback
Murder Takes the Cake Kindle - Nook - Trade Paperback 
Murder Doubles Back Kindle - Nook - Trade Paperback
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Moonlighting at the Mall (short story) - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords

Romances
Love Lessons - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords

Behind the Scenes at the Olympics

By Evelyn David

I'm a proud Momma for lots of reasons. I have been blessed with four wonderful children, two incredible daughters-in-law, and the most enchanting (brilliant, funny, gorgeous, and every other superlative) granddaughter in the world. I count my blessings every single day.

Son number two is a writer. We often talk about the process, the ups and downs of the business, the exhilaration of a piece well-composed, the depression when you can't even find the words to construct a shopping list. Sam is, without a question, my favorite writer. I say that as his mother, of course, but also as a pretty discerning reader who recognizes smart, insightful, funny, emotionally-connecting writing when I see it.

The news that Sam would be part of The New York Times Olympic coverage was exciting. But it meant being away from home for more than a month, which gave him pause. As he asked, would Riley, now age two, be driving by the time he came home? This is the age where the changes are coming at breakneck speed and he doesn't want to miss a one.

For Sam, his favorite sports writing is never about the score, it's about the people. Take this piece on the twist of fate that propelled Mariel Zagunis to be the American flag bearer at the Olympics, and the intertwining lost dreams of Nigerian Jacqueline Esimaje-Heath. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/28/sports/olympics/us-flag-bearer-made-most-of-golden-opportunity.html?ref=samborden  

Or the challenges that Muslim athletes are facing at the Olympics as they balance the rules of Ramadan and the physical demands of training and playing.  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/01/sports/olympics/ramadan-poses-challenges-for-muslims-at-the-olympics.html?ref=samborden

What struck me is that, like Sam, mystery writers never know when a supporting character will suddenly step up and take over the page. When we first began writing Murder Off the Books, Rhonda and I had a clear idea of whodunnit. We wrote an elaborate backstory for the character that only stopped short of suggesting that the individual was not all that different from Hannibel Lecter (Silence of the Lambs). And then we started writing our book. The character morphed into someone we liked so much that the backstory was trashed and the killer became someone else.

Writers always have to be on the alert for the "sleeper" – be it the athlete who seems to emerge out of nowhere or the murderer who leaps out of the pages, to everyone's surprise.

Sam will be in London for another few weeks. We're following his stories closely, beaming with pride, and considering a murder mystery set at the Olympics!

 Marian, the Northern half of Evelyn David

Zoned for Murder
Kindle
Nook
Smashwords
Trade Paperback

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries - e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Lottawatah Twister - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Missing in Lottawatah - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Good Grief in Lottawatah - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Summer Lightning in Lottawatah - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords

The Ghosts of Lottawatah - trade paperback collection of the Brianna e-books
Book 1 - I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries (includes the first four Brianna e-books)
Book 2 - A Haunting in Lottawatah (includes the 5th, 6th, and 7th Brianna e-books)

Sullivan Investigations Mystery
Murder Off the Books Kindle - Nook - Smashwords - Trade Paperback
Murder Takes the Cake Kindle - Trade Paperback  (exclusive to Amazon for 90 days)
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle - Nook - Smashwords
Moonlighting at the Mall (short story) - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords

Romances
Love Lessons - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords