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MEET THE WOMAN WHO CREATED @WRITEVENT AND MORE: AUTHOR MICA SCOTTI KOLE

It’s my great pleasure to host @writevent creator, curator, author and Elusive Press head Mica Scotti Kole. Not only does Mica organize all our #WritingCommunity writer games into one convenient go-to place on Twitter, but she also curates and features writing and poetry contests from around the world. And if that isn’t enough, she also writes and promotes others through her own imprint Elusive…

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THIS IS HOW #HASHTAG GAMES CAN HELP YOU #FINISHTHATWIP GOOD MONDAY MORNING As an indie writer, I get involved in all kinds of projects with fellow journey writers.

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While researching book clubs for a panel I’ll be moderating, I came across lists of club questions members use to facilitate meaningful discussions about the books they select. If Scooter Nation was a choice, it would be pitted against queries such as:

  Is the book plot or character driven?

Are the characters relatable?

Can the story be set elsewhere?

and—here’s the trick question—What genre is it?

  Scooter Nation is a darkly bent romp centered around a cadre of eccentric funeral directors struggling under great threat. What does that mean? Is it a comedy? Thriller? Mystery? and if so, is it a cozy?

  There’s the rub.

  Since releasing Scooter, I’ve had the privilege of receiving first-hand accounts from readers detailing what the book is about, what it essentially means, and what genre it conveniently fits into. Some found it “hilarious” while others found it “chilling.” Characters were deemed “not always sympathetic” or “morally elastic” and with goals ranging from “altruistic” to “self-serving.” Others saw it as “irreverent,” “heartbreaking,” “ground-breaking” and “well-worthy of a second read.”

  All instructive, but not helpful when trying to boil the book down to one thing: genre.

  The story begins with a vengeful harridan plotting and scheming from her second-floor office in the funeral home where she works. As the illegitimate and unacknowledged daughter of the larger than life patriarch who is long dead and has inconveniently left behind two singly unworthy sons to inherit the lot, she has much to chew over. Add to the mix, a collection of decades-long funeral directors dedicated to the establishment as only long-serving employees can be, and the reader winds up in the middle of a perfect storm of death, regret, self-entitlement, and fear of the unknown.

  On one level, Scooter Nation is a love story with the weather-beaten funeral home as a forlorn and threadbare heroine-protagonist. Standing her ground on a street that has outgrown her, she is threatened by the shiny new high rises that grow up around her and the people who embrace ferociously the change that modernity is sure to bring. With her faded awnings and peeling paint, the building is a symbol of death, decay and esoteric practice that happier times have left behind. But inside, she is history; a living, breathing record of people past and present. Mistakes, triumphs and above all, tradition, live here, supported by the curators who have seen much, suppress more, and struggle to keep alive the one thing that gives meaning to their lives: history.

  In that sense, Scooter Nation is a journey story, with its funeral director hobbits laboring their way from the basement to the summit of Mount Doom—the top floor, and the woman who presumes to take by force what is hers and then rule from lofty heights. As villain, the heir presumptive will remodel, reface, redo, and do all but tear their beloved funeral home down.

  Enter then, the elements of revenge and murder. How far will the staff go to protect their livelihoods and the community that has grown from them? The funeral home, more than just a ladylove of a building, is also an anchor that holds in place like-minded people. Rightly or wrongly, they will do just about anything to stop the scourge that threatens them, even if it means aligning with persons more dubious than the woman who tries to control and change them.

  Innocence and the loss of it over many decades also figure prominently, and while the historical references do not make Scooter a work of historical fiction, it lays the groundwork for the next novel that actually is. Poor Undertaker, Scooter’s follow-up, takes the reader back to 1947, where the grand old building is at her zenith, the profession she houses is held reverently, and the staff operating behind closed doors burst with pride under their pristine English-style morning suits.

  As a comedy, Scooter Nation longs for the good old days every bit as much as it pooh-poohs faux window treatments and LED lighting. Yet there is poignancy too. People die in Scooter Nation not because they invited it, but because they must so that the story can move forward. There is no mystery here, only sadness followed by revelations leading to a blissed-out ending.

  Scooter Nation relies heavily on its characters to deliver the emotional wallops needed to elicit varying responses from those who pick up the book. Whether readers are looking for laughs or knowledge about what morticians do behind locked doors, they will find in this read something removed from pure genre.

  –A.B. Funkhauser

  To learn more, please visit the author’s Amazon page, Goodreads reviews, and this site.

    Toronto born author A.B. Funkhauser is a blended genre novelist who has won both humor and horror prizes for the same work. Her next novel Poor Undertaker examines the life and times of staff at Weibigand Brothers Funeral Home CE 1947.

  Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

  Proud Supporter

          WHAT BOOK CLUBS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SCOOTER NATION While researching book clubs for a panel I’ll be moderating, I came across lists of club questions members use to facilitate meaningful discussions about the books they select.

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FOR WRITERS

  The decision to give up the traditional publishing route was taken after a great deal of thought. But what’s it really like going it alone? Multi-genre authors Lexi Miles and A.B. Funkhauser tell all in a candid Q&A.

  1.

You worked within the perimeters of a traditional publisher but opted to go the indie route after the fact. What shaped your decision?

AB: Publishers, large and small, are like any other organization. They have guidelines and rules to follow. You need those, especially when you’re starting out and really don’t know what you’re doing. Friends will call you out on things, and you say to yourself “do they really know?” When your fellow authors at the publisher and the publishing team call you out, you listen because it’s part of the exercise, part of belonging, part of learning. Again, publishers are like all other organizations. Think in terms of a condo association or even a cemetery. (I’m a mortician so I can’t resist including the graveyard.) A condo has rules about what you can and cannot put on the balcony. A cemetery has rules about what kind of florals you place and when they must be removed. Same with the publisher. A publisher will have rules about covers; how they’re supposed to look, how many colors are permitted, what kind of fonts are allowed. This is because the publisher wants to achieve a specific look for its brand. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s all agreed upon at the time of signing. Indies have the freedom to write their own rules about content, layout, and cover design. I wanted to try that for myself. However, my biggest caution to authors who want to try this is that they not jump in “boots first” but do their research before anything else. It’s a lot of work being your own publisher and promoter. It can get you down if you don’t know what to expect.

  Lexi: I felt constricted in many ways from cover art, release dates, and overall content. I also felt like I wanted better promotion for my work and wanted to release more works (not according to the houses allotted schedule). There are a lot of options on every front when you have more freedom.

      2.

What are some of the pluses that come with independence?

Lexi: I am what you call a hybrid author (both traditional and indie). With more independent publishers you have a lot more control over the details of your books. From length to content of the story. Yes, I still adhere to the guidelines of mainstream publishers and work with editors that do the same. Let me offer an example. As a romance author if I don’t want the standard girl meets boy and boy rescues girl scenario, I can have a story that is slightly more imaginative and realistic. I can say that they have a meet cute and she is already strong on her own and he’s not emotionally unavailable (aka robotic). They both meet challenges, but their love and support for each other helps them to conquer them. (Make no mistake, I do love those types of stories. I just like it to have more dimensions.)

  AB: The same pluses that come with being your own boss. You can show up to work when you want. You can choose not to work when you want. I tend to go hard when working on a project. From concept to finished manuscript to publishing to marketing. It can be a grind. There are so many theories out there about how often to publish, how best to affect the algorithms. I did that for three years at the end of which time I had to stop for almost a year. I needed to set a new pace for my work and for me as a person. I’m doing that now. It’s wonderful.

    3.

Is there anything you miss about traditional publishing?

AB: I miss the team and the camaraderie. From the moment I signed, they were all there ready to field my untutored questions and reassure me when I got lost. As an indie, I felt like a group of one for a long time, but over time I’ve found other like-mindeds; other indies working toward the same goal: generating quality work and getting it out there. I have peeps again. I don’t feel alone at all.

    Lexi: With traditional publishers you have their audience built in. When you release your sales are more predictable, you are releasing to readers who know and trust their brand. Also, in most cases editors come with publishers. The tricky part there is finding one that works well with you and understands the voice of your story. I have a professional editor that I work with either way, so for me I don’t lose anything.

      4.

Some indies create their own imprint or use smaller more independent publishers. Can you tell us why you did that?

Lexi: First, people instantly look for publishers and imprints. It tends to signal quality of work and indicates a more professional work. Two, the freedom. I like being able to control the various aspects of my work and when you go that route you have complete creative freedom. That is an incredibly freeing feeling. That makes me confident to release all of my work because it is the exact voice I want out there.

        AB: One of the things I noticed on the book fair circuit was that potential readers would turn the book over and then say, “Oh, you’re independent.” The first couple of times it happened, I took it as an invitation to sell my virtues. The next time it happened, I asked the person what they were looking for and they said, “the publisher.” What is the publisher on the back of a book? It’s the imprint. My imprint is real; it’s registered in my country of origin and all my promo materials carry it plus the Independent Author Seal I designed. But I find having the imprint logo gets me past the first hurdle in a face to face. Rather than say “Oh, you’re indie” they say “Cool” or “What?” and then we can talk about the books. It’s a great icebreaker.

    5.

What advice do you have for authors who wish to follow your example?

AB: If you are already with a publisher, you must ask yourself why you want to DIY and then be prepared to do the research. Do you: know how to format a book; design covers; format your book into all formats (there are a few); know a good printer for your paperbacks; need to hire a professional editor or a professional cover designer; have a budget that can cover all your wants v. your needs; know how to use the advertising features across the platforms; understand the algorithms; have resource people who can guide you? And so on. I don’t want to mislead. It’s daunting.

    Lexi: First, write the book. Second, spend time editing so that it is a high quality book. Third, learn the ins and outs of what you need to do to publish it (formatting/covers), protect your work, and promote it. And finally, GO FOR IT!

            6.

What one thing (or things) did you change that leveled up your writing?

Lexi: I am always looking for new ways to level up my writing.

One, I write daily for at least an hour or more. This helps me to stay in a great groove while writing and to get a lot of high quality content in each day. Two, after writing a section, I reread it as well as get outside eyes on it to plug any holes or to help strengthen the storytelling. Three, I utilize lists/charts with a variety of commonly used words (words like more, said, very, etc.) to really help me say it like I want to bring it across (with impact). Four, I spend time in the world that I am writing. It is what I call touch/sense writing. I do this in many ways. I may listen to beach, airport, or car sounds, visit Pinterest for clothing/setting ideas, mimic a scene in some way to bring it to life (ex: workout if my character is working out), drink a beverage like the one in the story, listen to music that defines the character (character playlist), and the list goes on.

    AB: I go slow and slow=better. Being my own boss now, I don’t feel the pressure to deliver a new book each year. I wish I could, but I find that if I take the time to send the manuscript out for editing by someone with cred and then shop the cover and blurb for feedback before going to print, I get a more effective piece of work; effective in the sense that I don’t have the goofy spelling errors (pore and pour—OMG!) or awkward paragraph splits to name a couple. It really takes time to catch these things. That means, no more rushing.

    7.

Switching gears a bit, what is the one thing you tend to work into your book when possible?

AB: There are two things that have been there from the get-go. The first is the oft complained about omniscient narrator. Dunno why poor omni is disliked. For me, omni entertains as I create, dropping dollops of knowledge onto the reader above what the characters know. I just love having secret knowledge and sharing that with the reader. The second thing readers will find is treachery of the old Byzantine kind. I’m a history nerd, and old Byzantium—fair or not—is renowned for its ability to hatch incredibly complex plots with ease. I don’t write complex plots per se, what I write are characters who are either complex and don’t know it or presume to be complex and aren’t but credit themselves with being crafty. That’s fun stuff to write and it’s going to be there every time.

    Lexi: I like to show that my lead females are not in need of being rescued, but are looking for an intimate partnership. One that makes them stronger and helps both characters face some sort of challenge and to do so by finding the strength in their love. I also like to work in characters big or small that we all have met in our daily lives (judgmental relative, snippy boss, big personality, etc.). A good plot with some sweet or hot romantic moments.

    8.

What is the most rewarding aspect of publishing without a publisher/traditional (indie/smaller house)?

Lexi: I deliver the exact book I envisioned on my terms.

          AB: That’s easy: getting to know the other side of the business. I can say this without exaggeration. After getting my first book to market under the new imprint, I was left with the feeling that writing the book was the easy/fun part. The steps required to deliver a quality piece of work (now called “the product”) were numerous, involved and filled with “either/or” choices. I’m looking forward to smoother sailing on the next ones, but that, I’m pretty sure, will take some more time to get to. Learning. Never. Stops.

    9.

What is one aspect of indie publishing you did not expect?

AB: The speedy turn around time with the printer for paperbacks. Learning the formats for all the digital platforms was so all-time consuming that I just assumed that printing would take weeks. It doesn’t. It takes days. But knowing this, I had to slow right down. I had to make sure that the pdf format for the printer was pristine. Sure, they run a preview copy, but I can’t allow myself to get it wrong. That would be a waste of precious paper. It must be absolutely ready to go before I send it to the printer. Turn around can be as fast as 48 hours for a small run.

    Lexi: All the work and research that goes into every aspect, especially promoting. When going at it as an indie, even with a publisher’s backing, you have to promote, promote, PROMOTE.

        10.

In what way have you stretched yourself as a writer recently?

Lexi: I write goals daily/weekly and stick to them (writing, promoting, and connecting with readers).

            AB: My first six books are blended genre pieces that embrace satire fiction and dark humor. Some, but not all, veer into a literary stream, but that’s more because of the characters’ inclinations. For example, the hopeless romantics go on and on about the trees and what they mean, while the egomaniac sees the end of days when the squirrels arrive. Blended genres are a joy to write, but it’s not always easy to find the audience for them. In fact, it takes years of work to do that. So, for a change, I’ve decided to give pure genre a try. My first mystery, Self-Defense from the Kirsti Brüner Mortuary Mysteries Series, should come out later this summer. It’s kind of a funeral directors drum up business whether the business likes it or not scenario. There’s some grit as well as some laughs to be found in it.

    11.

What is the one thing readers should know when reading one of your books?

AB: Know that I write because I enjoy it and I have a lot of fun doing it. Approach the work with an open mind. Characters, like people IRL, don’t always tell the truth and they won’t go out of their way to help you figure them out. But do know that by the last page, all is explained. It’s important to me to give that.

    Lexi: First, thank you for reading it. Second, I hope you connect with it and can see yourself in the story. Third, I have more books due out soon! Four, strap in and enjoy the ride! And finally, there are sure to be a lot of fun, blushworthy, and intense moments. It will be rewarding!

        About

  Lexi Miles currently lives in California, has one sister named Cat, and is a proud pup mom of two mischievous Yorkies. Tropical warm spots and out of the way ranches are Lexi’s favorite escapes. Lexi loves to giggle. She’s a huge fan of positivity, and she is delighted when she can help someone else smile. Lexi loves a good in home TV/movie binge. She also enjoys music (all genres), baseball, bubble baths, cooking, and long walks on the treadmill (aka working out). As far as writing, she fell in love with it from when she was a kid, and she still finds that she falls more in love with it every day. Lexi is growing a cult following for both her poetry and romance novels (sweet to alarmingly spicy) and believes that love—all forms—is the most precious gift that we are given in life. She is thrilled to pen romance (multiple published titles), and all of that comes with it on paper! To find out more about Lexi, please go to www.LexiMilesAuthor.com.

    Toronto born author A.B. Funkhauser is a mother, mortician and monkey who favors cats but still loves dogs. Dedicated to spreading the word on matters serious, she believes that the best way to get a point across is with a hefty dose of humor. Her fourth novel, SELF-DEFENSE, is the first in a mystery series headed by intrepid mortician Kirsti Brüner. For more information, please visit her Amazon author page and this site.

    Proud Supporter

  YOU’VE LEFT YOUR TRAD PUBLISHER NOW WHAT? FOR WRITERS The decision to give up the traditional publishing route was taken after a great deal of thought.

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Scooter Nation, Unapologetic Lives Series Book 2

  Writing is a marvelous thing because of the freedom it confers. The late Hunter Thompson proved that when he created his own genre—gonzo journalism—and pushed it well beyond anything anyone had ever seen before.

  I wouldn’t presume to be on the same level as Thompson—that would jeopardize my health. But I did presume to reach the first time I took up the laptop, and I continue to do so with the newly released second edition of Scooter Nation under the Out of My Head Publishing imprint.

  Scooter Nation is many things. Part humor, part social commentary, it even hints at a bit of magical realism. This is blended genre, I’m told. It is a thing that doesn’t fit squarely into a box. But it does offer a world peopled with living, breathing protagonist-antagonists searching for two things: meaning and affirmation.

  Scooter has won humor prizes while its prequel won horror prizes.  Go figure?

  SO, WHAT KIND OF BOOK IS THIS ANYWAY?

  The world of Scooter Nation is a very old and mysterious one. Steeped in tradition and couched in secrecy, funeral service, as we morticians like to call it, is carried out behind locked doors under gilded chandeliers.

  There are several reasons for this, all of them necessary and good. But there is one single factor that trumps them all. Morticians the world over are governed by privacy laws, professional association by-laws, and codes of ethics that add up to the same thing: Protect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of their survivors at all times.

  Our duty to protect what my ethics professor called “the most vulnerable people on earth” can, at times, be misconstrued by the untested, fearful or conspiracy-loving among us. Obfuscation, fiscal malfeasance, a lack of integrity, and professional coverup are popular charges bolstered by often humorous and satirical literary offerings and television programming.

  Fair enough. If we cannot talk about what we see and do, how can we defend ourselves against misinformation?

  It was deep inside this question that Scooter Nation, a work of satirical fiction, was born.

  Imagine a neighborhood establishment that has been part of the street for nearly seventy years. During that time, it has seen many coats of paint and many different faces as staff cycle through with the passing years. Those on the street who do not have business with this business never venture inside. The only living beings that do, have congress with the dead.

  What are they like? The fictional funeral directors at Weibigand Brothers Funeral Home are inherently self-aware. Owing to the nature of their work and the long-evolved traditions that back them, they take pride in their old-fashioned livery and deep-seeded altruism that reinforces what they know well: They are doing lasting good, if only for the few short days they spend with each of the families they serve.

  Embalming may have changed drastically since the days of ancient Egypt, but these morticians know that they belong to something old, perhaps even mystical. This is why they fight back as viciously as they do when a self-entitled “upstart” bullies her way in and tries to change things in the name of transparency and accessibility.

  There are a lot of themes at play in Scooter Nation: tradition v. modernity; secrecy v. openness; beauty v. utility; kindness v. cruelty.

  The old ways teeter on the brink as big and shiny moves in. Buildings will be bull-dozed and great tabernacles will be erected to honor brand and market share. But can our brave warriors survive the gloss of bolder and greater social policy, or are they destined to disappear along with rotary dial phones and face-to-face friendships?

  Not for a second. Characters must change in Scooter Nation. Their survival depends upon it. But what passes for a makeover cannot alter what lurks deep inside.

  Do you want to know what really goes on? Step into my parlor and find out.

“Unapologetic, beautiful and crazy.”

“Who knew that funeral homes could be so entertaining?”

  Available on Amazon

  A.B. Funkhauser is a dark humor, satire fiction author with three titles to her credit. Her fourth novel, Poor Undertaker, is a prequel to Scooter Nation due this fall, 2019.

    Visit

  Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/A.B.-Funkhauser/e/B00WMRK4Q4

Website:  https://abfunkhauser.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/iamfunkhauser

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

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/funkhausera/

          WALK ON THE WILD SIDE OF FUNERAL DIRECTING Fiction author A.B. Funkhauser gets the message out with satire and humor Scooter Nation, Unapologetic Lives Series Book 2 Writing is a marvelous thing because of the freedom it confers.

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FROM TRADITIONAL TO INDIE AUTHOR

An indie author shares the self-pub experience

A writer takes a leap

  There are many reasons why I decided to go indie and not one of them has anything to do with my original publisher, who was great and very supportive. In fact, if there’s anything I miss more it is the community that came along with them. So many writers came up with me and it was from one another that we learned how to write better books.

  I’m own my own now, and with…

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NF READS INTERVIEW

From self-definition to reinvention, gonzo author A.B. Funkhauser tells all to NF Reads

It was my great pleasure to be interviewed by Tony Eames of NF Reads, a general interest site that explores the creative process and stories behind the lives of the people who pursue it. Past interviewees have included scientists, business leaders, health professionals, politicians, and www influencers. Learn more about NF Reads here: https://www.nfreads.com/about-contact/The interview is…

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GAME OF THRONES: ALL THAT POO AND A ZOMBIE DRAGON TOO

The Yammer takes a shovel to Game of Thrones

Sam’s chamber pot scene could have been funny if GoT had a rep for funny

I tried to watch the first episode of Season 7 after a three-year break and was reminded in the first two minutes why I had quit in the first place:  the showrunner’s preoccupation with fecal matter and mangled human bodies. All that poo before the opening credits invaded my senses and put me right off my food. The autopsy…

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CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE HEADS OUT WEST

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE HEADS OUT WEST

Leigh Podgorski sets the stage for romance out west in the 21st Century.

  As Song discovers the true power of freedom, Weston discovers he’s lost his heart. When rodeo clown Cody Goode is killed by the notorious bull, Baby Face, a maelstrom of events unfolds in the small town of Wild River, Wyoming. The arrival of Cody’s secret Thai mail-order bride Song throws it and especially Weston…

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SMART WITCH CRACKS HAUNTED HOUSE

SMART WITCH CRACKS HAUNTED HOUSE

  If you like witches, sentient kitty cats and gritty murder in a contemporary setting, this writer is for you! 

  Formerly a Manhattan entertainment attorney and a contributing editor to the quarterly art magazine SunStorm Fine Art, Susan Lynn Solomon now lives in Niagara Falls, New York, the setting of many of her stories. She is the facilitator of the Buffalo Writer’s Critique Group.

  Since…

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SPOTLIGHT: LONG DISTANCE ROMANCE

SPOTLIGHT: LONG DISTANCE ROMANCE

Today, Spotlight welcomes Linda Lingle whose tale of love, loss and longing leaves us wanting more.

    Deirdre Reid and Hartley (Lee) Tate feel an immediate attraction when they meet at the office where they will work together and fall in love.   There is only one problem:  they are married to others and Lee has four daughters to whom he is devoted. For 15 months Deirdre and Lee carry on a…

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SPOTLIGHT: AN EROTIC FAIRYTALE

SPOTLIGHT: AN EROTIC FAIRYTALE

Spotlight is pleased to welcome its first ever fairytale eroticist. Welcome Cassondra Windwalker! Two women is a lot for any man to handle, but when one of them is a child-devouring demon and the other is Eve, Mother Of All Living, Harry Adams really has his hands full. An erotic contemporary fairytale that follows the reincarnations of Adam and Eve and, of course, the ever-hungry Lilith,…

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SPOTLIGHT: MEET THE J. D. SALINGER OF SCI-FI J. D. SANDERSON

SPOTLIGHT: MEET THE J. D. SALINGER OF SCI-FI J. D. SANDERSON

His origins are shadowy and he is never photographed, and that’s the author! Imagine what his characters are like. Please welcome to Spotlight, author J. D. Sanderson.

Who is the Mystery Girl?

Bernard Abbey’s life was routine, stagnant, and lonely. That all changed the day she entered his life. To save him from being killed, a mysterious young woman transports Bernard to another point in time.…

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SPOTLIGHT: Murder and Mayhem with Author K. A. Meng

SPOTLIGHT: Murder and Mayhem with Author K. A. Meng

Welcome to Spotlight, where I’ll be posting at random, indie and small to mid-size press books as they come my way. Today, I begin with author K. A. Meng. We met through Solstice Publishing. Ms. Meng likes to rip her pages with gunshots and bumps in the night. Her latest stays true to form.  One murder, one plan, two possible outcomes.

The sound of a gunshot pulls Joann Fields from a peaceful…

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Check out my new article appearing today on Linda K. Sienkiewicz' awesome blogspot. TYSM Linda for giving me voice space. Xx

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SHE'S BACK! AUTHOR, POET, BLOGGER LINDA SIENKIEWICZ ON "HOW TO'S" AND "WHAT FOR'S"

SHE’S BACK! AUTHOR, POET, BLOGGER LINDA SIENKIEWICZ ON “HOW TO’S” AND “WHAT FOR’S”

1. We haven’t talked in ages, so I figure we have a lot of catching up to do “off book.” For now, we’ll just jump in. Tell us, Oh Linda:  What makes a good story?

You need some kind of conflict to keep the reader asking “how will this ever be resolved?” You also need characters that the reader cares about, even if they’re flawed or do bad things. Most readers enjoy stories of redemption because…

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SHAUN BAINES: FROM SCOTLAND WITH NOIR

SHAUN BAINES: FROM SCOTLAND WITH NOIR

It started with a “Hi, whatcha write” on Twitter, and weeks later author Shaun Baines and I were exchanging book spotlight info and a Q & A or two. It’s got to be serendipity, right?

Shaun’s bio reads like a kindred. Who hasn’t had a run-in with a bloke with a “Bad Joe” tattoo? (And if you haven’t, there’s this guy I met in Oshawa with a scorpion on his neck…)

Crime mixed with darkness and a lot…