Showing posts with label Maggie Toussaint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maggie Toussaint. Show all posts

Monday, April 12, 2021

Shrimply Dead Releases today

The third book in my Seafood Caper Mystery series, Shrimply Dead, released today in print and digital formats. This book is a doozy of island fun, business changes, and a super-duper whodunnit for you and catering sleuth River Holloway Merrick to solve. You'll be scratching your head as you try to figure out who shot the veterinarian and amateur naturalist.

 BOOK BLURB

When veterinarian and amateur naturalist Jasmine Garr is shot in her yard, residents of Shell Island press caterer River Holloway into investigating the homicide. River dons her amateur sleuth cap and sets out to discover who killed her former catering customer.
Between Jasmine’s estranged cousin, a rival veterinarian, a wild animal trapper, the chicken lady, and a real estate broker, River has plenty of suspects to consider. As she peels back the layers of Jasmine’s life, dangerous secrets come to light.

Jasmine’s orphaned kitty, Iris, along with River’s cat Major, and her husband Pete help River sift through the evidence. At the same time, River recently expanded her catering business. She must service her regular catering clients, plus provide fresh baked goods for Pete’s ice cream shop.

The killer follows River’s every move relishing the thought of another victim. Time is running out. Will River solve the murder before she becomes a cold dish?

Book 3 of Maggie Toussaint’s Seafood Capers Mysteries brims with action and adventure in a lush island setting. Authentic Southern recipes included.


Digital Buy Links:      Kindle     Nook     Kobo     iBooks
Print buy link:            Amazon

EARLY REVIEWS

“I enjoyed the latest adventure in this wickedly solid whodunit that had all the elements I love. A good storyline, a great cast of characters, engaging dialogue, and an atmosphere of camaraderie. " Dru's Book Musings

“Colorful characters and tasty recipes add welcome spice to this clever culinary mystery.” Diane A.S. Stuckart, award-winning and NYT bestselling author of cozy mysteries

"This delicious cozy mystery will keep you guessing until the final twists at the end. If you have a hankering for some southern delights, snatch this book up now. " Nancy J Cohen, author of the Bad Hair Day Mysteries


GREAT ESCAPES VITUAL BOOK TOUR AND THE LAUNCH PARTY

Shrimply Dead's Great Escapes Blog Tour starts tomorrow. Check in at the central link to find out where the posts are every day!


Also, you're invited to the Shrimply Dead Launch party tomorrow evening on Facebook from 7 to 8:30 pm EST at https://www.facebook.com/newreleaseparty For more information, visit maggietoussaint.com 


Join the fun! Try the series! Solve the whodunnits-if you can! Prepare the recipes!


Digital Buy Links:      Kindle     Nook     Kobo     iBooks
Print buy link:            Amazon

Happy Book Birthday, Shrimply Dead!

Maggie Toussaint


Friday, September 11, 2020

Rebirth of House of Lies and No Second Chance

 Two of my romantic suspense/romantic mystery books formerly published by The Wild Rose Press are now on preorder and will release on September 17, 2020. Please take at look at these newly updated books and covers! These books are exclusively available on Kindle for 90 days.

HOUSE OF LIES

This was my first published book, and it won the 2007 National Readers' Choice Award. House of Lies is also the only book I ever wrote with secret agents and international spies! Here's the brand new cover (with a nice thank you to help from Polly Iyer), the book blurb, and the buy link:


It’s too late to win her father’s love. Instead, Hannah Montgomery must deal with the remote mountain cottage she inherited. The caretaker of the property, wounded ex-CIA agent Jake Sutherland, promised his dying partner that he’d help Hannah get settled.

But Hannah is very unsettled by the hidden letters from her father, letters which put Jake and Hannah on a collision course. As secrets from her father’s life are revealed, Hannah’s deep-seated quest for the truth challenges Jake’s loyalty and honor.

To make matters worse, the double agent who betrayed Jake and killed her father tracks them down. Caught in a web of deceit, Hannah must make a choice. Will she risk her heart—and her life - to learn the truth about her secretive father?

Buy Kindle version of HOUSE OF LIES

NO SECOND CHANCE

This book came about through my volunteering for a horse rescue charity and it is near and dear to my heart. I hope you will be keenly interested in this Cinderella tale of corporate espionage and redemption. Again, many thanks to my friend Polly Iyer for help with this cover.


Hope Farrier rescues unwanted horses, but she’s saddled with debt. Without help she’ll lose Second Chance Farm, the first home she’s ever known. An endowment brings the promise of future relief and the presence of shrewd business manager, Devlin Temple.

Trouble is, Devlin has his dreamy blue eyes on more than her bottom line.

Playboy Devlin Temple lays a trap for the thief that’s fleecing his company. When his cousin sets his cap for Devlin’s job, Devlin knows he needs Hope’s help to secure the CEO position. In her arms he finds the solace and support he craves, but their blossoming romance prompts the thief to raise the stakes.

Will Devlin and Hope pay the ultimate price for love?

Buy Kindle version of No Second Chance.

SAVE THE DATE!

PARTY! There will be a launch party to celebrate the release of these two updated books and three updated futuristic romances from Nancy J Cohen on September 22, Tuesday, at 7 pm EDT over at https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty/ 


Sunday, July 12, 2020

Free Mystery from Maggie Toussaint

Some of you may not know I use the pen name of Rigel Carson for a futuristic mystery series. The first book in this series, G-1, is now available for free. Previously a Kindle Scout winner, this book is now out under my imprint.



At the time I wrote this, 60 years in the future of Earth seemed so far away, and yet, with recent world events, the future I envisioned has many similarities with this book. This is an eco-thriller, where a secret society with a bent on world domination will do anything to get their hands on the Keystone.



Only one man can save the world. Dr. Zeke Landry, a brilliant but reclusive scientist with a very cool entertainment model android, uses strategy and island smarts to stay one step ahead of the bad guys in each Guardian of Earth book.



If you're a fan of my other mysteries, you will find this series to be written in that familiar light vein but with serious subject matter. In any event, I hope you give this one a try. It's free!


Here's a quick description of my book: The Big Bang Theory meets the Q Continuum 

Though plague, locusts, and earthquakes riddle 2065 Earth, brilliant and reclusive hydrologist Zeke Landry focuses on solving the problem of the world’s vanishing water supply with the help of a souped-up A.I. named Forman. When his uncle disappears, Zeke and his dashing sidekick search the country for Uncle John. A routing error lands Zeke’s travel pod far from its destination. Worse, every step he makes puts him in harm’s way and has him questioning his employer’s agenda.

Chaos reigns as food and water shortages destabilize governments. The Chameleons, a secret society poised for world domination, believe Zeke has the keystone, an object of great power. They’ve already murdered in their quest to find the keystone, so if Zeke can’t produce it, his hours are numbered.

A fish out of water, Zeke must face his worst fears to outwit his enemies. He must step into his late father’s shoes to protect his heritage...and more.


What are you waiting for? This is a free book! 

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Dreamed It releases today, August 13, 2019

Seemed like it took forever for August 13 to arrive, and then it came on fast like a freight train! Wow! The wonderful feeling of a book release never gets old.

Dreamed It, Book 6 in my Dreamwalker Mystery Series, features my amateur sleuth, Baxley Powell and an ensemble cast of family, friends, and pets. This time she squares off against a wily serial killer.
Oh, man! She is in such a pickle. Not only is she trying to solve the Suitcase Murder, a teenage girl goes missing. With the girl's life clock ticking in her team, Baxley and her team keep digging, putting Baxley in dire straits.

Here's the book blurb: 

Justice for the dead and solace for the living is Baxley Powell’s creed, but she faces uncharted territory in this sixth book of the Dreamwalker Mystery Series. The Suitcase Killer has struck again, only this big city menace is now a problem for Baxley’s hometown. As that investigation heats up, a local woman is reported missing. The sheriff orders Baxley to work the missing person’s case.

Listening to the dead is familiar ground for Baxley but finding a missing young lady isn’t in her skill set. Besides, her dreams rarely follow a timeline. With the clock ticking, can this crime consultant discover a way to reach the living?

Her main source of help in the afterlife, a mentor named Rose, is unavailable. Instead, Baxley must rely on her wits and her Native American boyfriend, Deputy Sam Mayes, to find leads. Each shared dreamwalk and energy transfer binds them closer together, creating another issue. Mayes wants to marry Baxley but it isn’t that easy. They’re hampered by their community roles in opposite ends of the state.

Baxley juggles the pressure of two high-profile cases, a determined suitor, and expanding her limits. One thing is certain. Without her extrasensory sleuthing, the missing woman will die.
~*~
An excerpt is available at my website: https://maggietoussaint.com/dreamed-it/


Early reviews of Dreamed It follow:

“A tense, outstanding whodunnit,” 
- Midwest Book Reviews 

“One of the best books of the series!“ 
- Dru’s Book Musing

“An excellent adventure into the paranormal,” 
- Map Your Mystery

"A suspenseful page-turner that you won’t be able to put down.”
 - Nancy J Cohen, author of the Bad Hair Day mysteries

“Maggie Toussaint is a master of quiet suspense,” 
- Anna Gerrard, author of Peach Clobbered

~*~
 “A dream come true for fans of paranormal mysteries,”
 - Leigh Perry, author of A Family Skeleton Mysteries, on Confound It 
~*~

The book is available on wide distribution. Here are the links currently available:

KINDLE                  AMAZON                     BARNES & NOBLE

I hope you'll follow along on this amazing journey and that you enjoy the entire Dreamwalker series as much as I do!

Keep in touch!
Maggie Toussaint
https://maggietoussaint.com

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Two Mossy Bog books out now!

They're here! The Author editions of HOT WATER and ROUGH WATERS are now available across all digital platforms. These books have a mystery plot line and a romance plot line, with different sleuthing couples in each book. Each books is described below.

Hot-Water-web
In HOT WATER small town cop Laurie Ann Dinterman assists the state arson investigator, Wyatt North, who's tracking a serial arsonist turned killer. Wyatt needs to catch the guy that killed his partner, and Laurie Ann needs to keep Wyatt alive to ensure her promotion to investigator. All too soon clues put them at cross purposes. Can they catch the serial killer and arsonist before they go up in flames?

Order from  Nook     
                   Kindle     
                   Kobo
                   iBooks

"Exciting action scenes, sizzling romance, and a nail-biting climax."
- Nancy J, Cohen, author of Trimmed to Death



Rough-Waters-cover-web 2In ROUGH WATERS former Navy SEAL Rock Mackenzie believes pink-haired florist Jeanie Munro is the key to recovering his stolen sovereigns. A single mom who learned responsibility the hard way, Jeanie turns to Rock for protection when her shop and home are ransacked. After spiriting the kids off to safety, Jeanie and Rock hit the road to catch a thief and a stone cold killer.

Order from  Nook     
                   Kindle     
                   Kobo
                   iBooks

"A story about knowing what you want out of life and not letting the trials get in your way. I intend to read more of the Mossy Bog stories, you should too." - FRESH FICTION

If you like my cozies, you'll like these romantic suspense novels. I certainly hope you'll give them a try!

Also, I'm having a Facebook launch party on Thursday, May 7, from 6:30-8 pm EST over at https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty   I hope you'll join in with the revelry! You're invited.

Happy Reading, y'all.

Maggie Toussaint

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

The Trouble With Cupid, round two!

This fun mystery anthology just went live for 2019. I hope you'll consider purchasing this short story collection all of which feature Trouble the sleuthing cat from Wetumpka, AL, because all the proceeds go to charity.



$2.99
Buy from KINDLE 

Fun-sized bites of Trouble, Cat Detective! All proceeds from the sale of THE TROUBLE WITH CUPID will be donated to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. The famous black cat detective from Wetumpka, Alabama is at it again in this collection of sometimes poignant, often amusing short mystery tales.

Bestselling authors Carolyn Haines and Laura Benedict lead the lineup with the sassy “Calling All Cupids” and the sweet “Of Mice and Munchkins,” followed by Claire Matturro’s heartwarming contribution, “The Madonna in the Garden.”

With additional stories by eight other authors, including critically acclaimed veterans and exciting new talents, The Trouble with Cupid is a delightful offering of wicked fun for anyone who loves mysteries, cats, and a touch of romance.

Authors: Laura Benedict, Carolyn Haines, Greg Herren, Michelle Broussard Honick, Eve Osborne, Fran Roberts, Nancy Sartor, Maggie Toussaint, Lisa Wysocky, Claire Matturro, and Jaden Terrell.
The Trouble books are a multi-author coalition published by KaliOka Press with each mystery novel featuring Trouble, the black cat detective. All the full-length mysteries are available in e-format and print.

Come on, you know you gotta have it!

Happy Reading!

Friday, February 1, 2019

Muddy Waters cover reveal, Author Edition

As is the way with books and publishers, from time to time, rights revert to the author. That's what's going on here with the forthcoming Author's Edition release of Muddy Waters, the first book in my Mossy Bog Romantic Suspense series. It will soon be available from all digital venues.

My first priority is to reissue ebooks of the five romances that I just had rights reversion on. After that, I will see if issuing print books are warranted.

Meanwhile, please enjoy this new cover, put together with the loving hands of my friend Polly Iyer. My goal is to use the same font and font placement for all three books in this series to create a series look.




Originally issued in 2010, this book has been edited from front to back to update the content.

Muddy Waters is currently up for pre-order at Amazon, to go live on Tuesday, Feb 5. Other vendors have already pushed the listing through their sales channels so there's no waiting at Nook, Kobo, or iBooks.

Here's the new blurb:

Real estate broker Roxie Whitaker is juggling skittish clients, an anxious bride, and her wayward brother. She’d very much like to sell some property, soothe her friend’s wedding jitters, and knock some sense into her party-boy brother’s head. Meanwhile, she needs a date for the wedding. In walks Sloan Harding, the town’s former bad boy and now an Atlanta security expert, and Roxie believes he’s the answer to her dreams.

Sparks fly as he escorts her to the wedding and asks her advice about his property. While he’s home, Sloan hunts for his missing inheritance. Sloan’s search uncovers family secrets and painful memories. To make matters worse, someone in the shadows is after his inheritance, someone who will do whatever it takes to walk away with the fortune.

Also, reviewers from before loved Roxie and Sloan's story. Here are a few snips from those earlier reviews: 

“Great book, wonderful mystery and a red hot love story underlying it.  Roxie and Sloan really mix it up in and out of the bedroom and that is what makes for a great romance.  You can’t ask for more than that now can you?” –  Mary Gramlich, THE READING REVIEWER

“Toussaint pens a pleasant read for a nice fall afternoon. With its home realty and repair subplot, the author obviously knows her stuff.” – Cindy Himler, ROMANTIC TIMES

Buy Links:

Ready now:   Nook    iBooks    Kobo  

Pre-order for Feb 5 delivery    Kindle

More information at my website, including an excerpt!  Click here for the website listing.

Thanks, readers, for demanding more in this fun series that blends cozy mystery and romantic suspense. Hot Water and Rough Waters will be reissued next.

Happy Reading!
Maggie
 


Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Permanently bad hair and a fiery tale

Hi friends and fans!

I have a guest post up today at Paranormal Romance Guild. They invited me to help launch their new feature "Tell Me More Tuesday."  https://www.paranormalromanceguild.com/tell-me-more-tuesday-maggie-toussaint-shares-new-release-confound-it/



I'm very excited to have the opportunity to share my Dreamwalker Mystery series, which has a strong romantic subplot, with paranormal romance readers. My sleuth Baxley Powell has some serious psychic mojo going on!


Many new-to-a-series readers are purists, so that's why, even though Confound It is a really cool, ultra-absorbing book, I'm giving away a copy of the first book in the series, Gone and Done It. To have a chance to win, you must comment on the post at   https://www.paranormalromanceguild.com/tell-me-more-tuesday-maggie-toussaint-shares-new-release-confound-it/


The Dreamwalker Mystery Series in order from first to last are: Gone and Done It, Bubba Done It, Doggone It, Dadgummit, and Confound It. There will be 7 books in this series, with Dreamed It slated for release next summer. To find out more about my books, visit https://maggietoussaint.com/books/

But to have a chance at winning Gone and Done It, you must comment on the Tell Me More Tuesday post at Paranormal Romance Guild. See you over there!!!


Friday, July 20, 2018

Maggie Toussaint's Podcast Interview


I'm delighted to share a link to a podcast interview by Tyler Wagner of Business Insights. This brief podcast is a great way to get to know me and my mysteries. You'll learn why Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham was a sentinel book in my childhood.

Best of all, the audio interview is concise and only 5 minutes long.

Please check it out!   https://tinyurl.com/y9nf522r

Maggie Toussaint https://maggietoussaint.com

Monday, June 18, 2018

Dadgummit Wins Award!

I'm thrilled to announce that Dadgummit, Book 4 in my Dreamwalker Mystery Series, won the honor of finalist in the Detective/Mystery category on June 16, 2018, at the Georgia Author of the Year Awards.
The stiff competition had me sweating in my boots! Out of 19 category entries from the entire state of GA, Dadgummit came in second (finalist). A good friend, Roger Johns, took top honors in the category, and I highly recommend his book, Dark River Rising. Thank you, Georgia Writers Assn., for honoring Dadgummit. I am most appreciative!

Pictured above, the event emcee Michelle Khouri presents me with a certificate. GA Writers Assn also presented finalists (and winners) with cool stickers to place on our winning books.
I had a brief moment at the podium to thank my new publisher, Camel Press, for picking up this ongoing series. I did my best to sound rational and coherent but it wasn't easy. My heart was racing from excitement, and the room was crowded - somewhere between 150 and 200 people in attendance. Still, for an introvert, I did pretty good.
By now you must be wondering what the certificate looked like! I posted a photo holding the certificate above. All of these lovely photos are courtesy of my brother, Clifford Watson. He and sister Virginia Baisden accompanied me to the award banquet.
It was a great night of celebration, of making new friends, of finding a long-lost cousin, and of reminiscing with my brother and sister. Somehow Cliff managed to get these nice photos without a flash (something about bouncing the light off the wall) and I was impressed with his photography skills.
Now I just need to decide where on the book cover to place the Georgia Author of the Year finalist sticker. Decisions, decisions!

I hope you'll check out Dadgummit and all the Dreamwalker Mysteries at my website.

Maggie Toussaint
https://maggietoussaint.com

Thursday, November 2, 2017

RELEASE DAY! Dead Men Tell No Tales



Time to raise the roof! The final installment of the Lindsey & Ike series is available now. It is a dream come true to have this novella series available individually. (By months end, I will have the boxed set of all three novellas in digital and print.)

A suspicious hunting accident prompts an investigation of several people in Lindsey & Ike's hometown. Lindsey McKay covers the accident for her newspaper, and her boyfriend, Sheriff Ike Harper, does the digging around. At first he's willing to accept the accident for what it seems, but things do not add up.

As word of the investigation spreads, Lindsey is drawn into the inner circle of law enforcement. It irritates her that she has insider knowledge she can't print. But instead of getting mad, she volunteers her observations  to Ike. If not for her precious Bailey, Lindsey would be on the wrong side of the dirt.

Check out the novella and see if you can outwit this villain...  BUY NOW on Kindle

If you're a dog lover, share your favorite breed of dog for a chance to win the first novella in the series. Winner selected by Random.org on Saturday, Nov. 4.

Maggie Toussaint
http://www.maggietoussaint.com

Update on Nov 4, 2017. Contest winners who won the Kindle version of "Really, Truly Dead" are KATHLEEN KENDLER and JOAN Hi. Please contact me within a week at maggietoussaint@darientel.net to claim your prize! Congratulations!

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Cover Reveal for Gone and Done It

My Five Star hardcover cozy mystery, Gone and Done It, is out of print, and now that Five Star is out of the mystery publishing business, they granted me back the print rights for Gone and Done It.

This summer and fall have been busy with a book release, two conferences, planning for next year for the Southeast Mystery Writers of America chapter, Hurricane Irma and more. BUT, I realized I needed to get this book back out there. It's the first book of my Dreamwalker Mystery series, and many people like to start with the first book.

Thanks to a very generous and talented friend, I have a cover for Gone and Done It's forthcoming trade paperback release. As soon as I get through combing through the book again, it will be released.

Meanwhile, I think this cover is dynamite. It says so many things to me. What does it say to you?

 
As we move into cooler weather that makes us want to curl up on the sofa and read until spring, make sure you have a good supply of books to read!
 
Maggie Toussaint

Saturday, August 5, 2017

Suicide survivors and grief

This is such a difficult topic. Anyone who has been touched by suicide is forever changed by that loss. I've felt it, and if you're reading this, maybe you've felt it too.

I've been touched by suicide twice in my life: once by a family member and more recently by a high school classmate. In my experience, processing these intense feelings doesn't get any easier with time. Raw is raw no matter how you slice it. The stages of grief sound clinical but they are anything but.

With denial, it's typical to feel shocked and overwhelmed by life. It's hard to cope and process something that isn't understood. Anger can coat us with guilt for not recognizing the signs and for the victim leaving us to deal with their loss. The bargaining stage is full of what-ifs for how things could be different if-only... Depression is the mantle of sadness many survivors wear. And then there's isolation and shame that make us want to hide our hurt from the world and bury our emotions. That fog of sadness oft times becomes a lens through which we now see the world. Accepting the reality of what happened is difficult for many survivors. Even if they accept what happened, that doesn't make it right or okay. It just becomes a fact. This grieving process varies for each individual.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention states that 44,193 Americans die each year from suicide. That's a rate of about 13.6 for every 10,000 individuals. For every suicide, 25 were attempted. (https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/)

With suicide being widespread and painful for the survivors, you may wonder why I'd include any mention of suicide in a cozy mystery. One of the things I try to do through my writing is to make some sense of this world. Oftentimes, events don't have happy endings, and I use fictional characters to ensure justice is served and to create a happier resolution.

The inception of my dreamwalker series was influenced by my loss over the natural deaths of two relatives. Unwilling to believe they were completely gone, I created a fictional spirit world in this series based on multiple influences in my life. My amateur sleuth Baxley Powell is a person whose spirit traverses worlds. Her goal in every book is to get justice for the dead, solace for the living.

 
Dadgummit, my latest paranormal mystery, centers around an energy thief, also known as an energy vampire, who steals people's energy, taking them to the point of death. Without revealing the whole plot, there are minor characters who are star-crossed in love. He's caught up in the energy thief's world, she's finally found someone who understands her. The energy thief takes the life of the young man, and the distraught young woman makes the choice to join her boyfriend in death via energy thief, in the vein of Romeo and Juliet. Her family is crushed, just as you'd expect them to be. But because of the dreamwalker, they receive an assurance. This pair gets a happy ending in the spirit world. Better yet, the energy thief gets what's coming to him.

Does that make suicide right? No. It doesn't. This is one person creating a scenario where the pain of suicide is lessened by a fictional resolution. Our reality is that we live in a broken world. Through religion or faith we have a belief system that may (or may not) help us through this time of trial.

How can we help suicide survivors? Here are some tips from the Survivors of Suicide website: listen, be compassionate, respect their need to grieve, be aware of support groups, be open and nonjudgmental, and more. http://www.survivorsofsuicide.com/index.html There are many more resources on the internet just a click away.



Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Release day for Dadgummit!

Happy Book Birthday to Dadgummit! Thanks to the wonderful folks at Camel Press, I am able to present book 4 of my Dreamwalker mystery series to readers. In this story, my psychic amateur sleuth tangles with an energy thief who has gone too far.



Read what the pros are saying about Dadgummit:

“Dadgummit is a stunning entry in the Dreamwalker Mystery Series by Maggie Toussaint, a mystery that explores murder and the unusual investigative skills of amateur sleuth, Baxley Powell.” – Readers Favorite

“This is one of the best books in the terrific series and I look forward to more adventures with Baxley and her friends.” – Dru’s Book Musing

“Plenty of suspense and a surprise twist.” – RT Reviews

“Highly recommended for both fans of paranormal and for those readers who just like a great story!” – InD’Tale Magazine

“Maggie Toussaint has a colorful writing style that takes readers from one venue to another with ease and total writing expertise.” – Mary Gramlich, the Reading Reviewer

Where to buy:

Amazon: Kindle and Print

B&N:  Nook and Print

iTunes:  iBook

Books A Million:  Print

I hope you'll click over to my website for more about Dadgummit: WEBSITE

Happy Reading,

Maggie Toussaint

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Southern Writers' Magazine

How exciting! My article "When A Door Closes" is featured in this month's Southern Writer's Magazine.
I drew my inspiration from what could have been a catastrophic event in my career. My mystery publisher pulled the plug on their entire mystery line. As I networked with other authors in my house and unbelievably other publishers who'd also cut their cozy lines, I realized the reaction from the news devastated some and energized others. I was upset, don't get me wrong, but I was also determined not to let it beat me.

Here's the first little bit of that article:

I encourage everyone not to let roadblocks get them down. Opportunities are still out there, if you only know where to look!

[I don't have permission to post the entire article, but I can at least post something more legible of what's in the teaser they prepared. The snip follows.]

 When a Door Closes by Maggie Toussaint
Runners pace themselves. If they go out too fast, they won’t last to the finish line. They push through the burn and find their stride. Authors go through a similar pacing process throughout their careers.

We learn how to navigate the ups and downs of story crafting, submissions, rejections, contracts, edits, blog tours, booksignings, reviews, conferences, newsletters, and social media. When we hit our stride, we feel confident and think, “I’ve got this.”

Then something unexpected happens. For some, financial or health concerns take precedent over their creative journey. For others, their publisher drops their books or an entire product line.

One day everything was fine for them, and the next, it wasn’t. When my publishing world upended, I stumbled and couldn’t quite catch my breath. Here’s what happened.

In the fall of 2015, my publisher announced it was closing its entire mystery line. The books already acquired for 2016 would still be published, but that was it. On our author loop, shock and concern dominated our posts. Many said this was a career ender for them because no house would acquire an ongoing series.

Several authors quit. They couldn’t conceive of writing for another house. Others stalled in the complaining phase of this turn of events. The rest looked around and said, “What’s next?”

A few decided to change genres, a few started a new series to shop around. Some, like me, had a backlog of manuscripts in a current series. If we wanted to keep publishing, we needed a new house or the stamina to become indie-publishers.

Finding a new house with an ongoing series is difficult, but indie publishing is no cakewalk either. Another consideration crept into my decision making process. Many of the larger mystery conferences require that authors be with a Mystery Writers of America approved publisher to be eligible for panel consideration.

Concurrently with my publisher closing their mystery business, other big houses shut down their cozy lines. Suddenly the ground was thick with unemployed cozy mystery writers, which is my genre. I knew that I couldn’t delay making a decision.... more at Southern Writer's Magazine.



Dadgummit, my August 1 release from Camel Press is receiving exciting reviews. It's up for pre-order at all venues. Check out the early reviews at http://maggietoussaint.com/dadgummit/ 

That's it for now. I hope you're having a great summer!

Maggie Toussaint
http://www.maggietoussaint.com

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Cover Reveal: Turtle Tribbles

I'm so very pleased to present the cover for the next novella in my Lindsey & Ike Romantic Mystery Series. Turtle Tribbles, the second installation in this three-novella set, is a cozy mystery featuring amateur sleuth Lindsey McKay.


For all of my Bailey the dog fans, Bailey is her irrepressible self: headstrong and curious and super friendly. She loves being Lindsey's assistant, but so does Sheriff Ike Harper. He just wishes Lindsey would focus on her newspaper and him, LOL! Lindsey & Ike's relationship encounters some rough water during the course of crime-solving...

Here's the blurb for the novella:

In Book 2 of the Lindsey & Ike Novella Series, newspaper editor Lindsey McKay must decide if she’s ready to take the next step with her boyfriend, Sheriff Ike Harper. He’s anxious for her to move in, but she worries something is missing. Meanwhile, the Turtle Girl, a college intern named Selma Crowley, begs Lindsey to cover her turtle story. Someone is stealing federally protected loggerhead turtle eggs off a Georgia barrier island, and it has to stop.

The earnest young woman convinces Lindsey of the story’s potential, and the next day Lindsey ferries to the island to see the nests and take photos. Selma promises she’ll have tangible evidence of the theft on Friday, but the revelation doesn’t occur. Worse, Selma’s missing, and no one’s seen her since Wednesday evening. Because she demanded proof from Selma for the newspaper story, Lindsey blames herself for the intern’s disappearance.

When Selma’s body is discovered, Lindsey vows to get justice for Selma and her turtles. Selma’s tribbles are over, but the tribbles are just beginning for Lindsey and her trusty sidekick, Labrador retriever Bailey.

Ready to get your copy?

Turtle Tribbles released last year bundled in the Happy Homicides 3 Anthology. This year it's going solo. I updated the story a smidge for this individual release. Right now, this author's edition version is on pre-order at Kindle. It releases on May 1, 2017. To reserve your copy today, click on this link: PRE-ORDER NOW.

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Free Cookbook

As a bonus, I'm a participant (under my pen name of Rigel Carson) in a cookbook project, so there's a free cookbook for you, if you'd like one! My Gingerbread Man recipe is a family favorite at my house and everywhere I've carried them. COOKBOOK LINK
 

Thanks for stopping in!
Maggie Toussaint





Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Cover Reveal for Dadgummit

I'm very happy to present the cover for my upcoming Dreamwalker Mystery series novel, Dadgummit. We were looking for an image of a mountainside lake with a bit of atmosphere. I think we nailed it!


In this 4th book of the series, my sleuth Baxley Powell goes on vacation to the mountains with her family and friends. What could be better, right?

For starters, there's an armed guy running around the mountains claiming he's on patrol. His visit the first evening puts our sleuth on notice that there's no relaxing around here.

Secondly, the cops have an unusual case, a case wherein they can't see any obvious means of death on a very healthy appearing young man. During a sweep of the area, they come across Baxley and friends, run their names, and realize they have a bona fide psychic police consultant on hand, one with a 100% solve rate.

So, Baxley's vacation turns into a work-cation for her, but her encounters with the paranormal have never been anything like this! Soon she's hanging out with some "people" straight out of Cherokee mythology and trying to figure out who killed Haney, the young man by the lake. As if that's not enough something is running around stealing people's energy. Oh my my.


Dadgummit releases August 1, 2017 from Camel Press. The trade paperback is available for preordering at Amazon, and it will be available in both print and ebook format at multiple venues upon release.


To read an excerpt, visit my website at http://maggietoussaint.com/dadgummit/

Happy Reading!

Maggie Toussaint

ps Don't forget our monthly contest at Booklover's Bench! We have a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or B&N up for grabs! Contest runs through the 18th of the month. http://bookloversbench.com/win-a-gift-card-march-2017/

Monday, December 5, 2016

Besties


Some of us are lucky to have best friends. It’s rare to have multiple best friends simultaneously, but I’ve been blessed to have two best friends my entire life. They are sisters, and they were my next door neighbors forever.

We grew up sharing scraped knees, Barbies, favorite songs, and chicken pox. We listened to rain on a tin roof, caught blue crabs in tidal creeks, and confided our deepest darkest secrets to each other. We forged friendships that have spanned more than fifty years.

So, when I decided to create a character foil for my amateur sleuth Baxley Powell, I wanted her to have the same rich and enduring friendship I’ve had. Newspaper reporter Charlotte Ambrose appears in every book of the Dreamwalker cozy mysteries, but she was in Baxley’s life long before the series.


In firming up their backstory, I decided this pair had been inseparable since grade school. Charlotte struggles with her weight, with confidence, and with upward career mobility. As a fulltime employee at a weekly paper, she can get title promotions, but the job remains the same, no matter the label. Meanwhile, Baxley struggles with her unusual skill of communicating with the dead, her burning desire to be normal, and her decision to suppress her psychic abilities for most of her life.

As children, teens, and adults, Charlotte and Baxley needle each other when they need an extra push. They support each other when things go wrong and cheer for each other’s successes. They’re in and out of each other’s houses all the time. Charlotte is the sister Baxley never had, and Baxley’s parents are Charlotte’s second set of parents.

This closeness works out well for best friends in real life and for characters in stories. For instance, when everyday things that happen to us, we turn to our friends first. Our friends are our sounding boards and our barometers. They tell us when we’re messing up, and they rat us out to our folks when we need it. The same goes for Baxley and Charlotte.

In book one of the series, Gone and Done It, Charlotte helps Baxley through the decision to become the Dreamwalker. She helps Bax when the admission of power totally whitens Baxley’s forelock. On the flip side, Baxley clues her friend into the first murder the county has had in forever. That’s solid gold and pure adrenaline for an ambitious reporter like Charlotte.

In the second Dreamwalker mystery, Bubba Done It, Charlotte gets first dibs on reporting the banker’s death, but her astute observations shape the overall police investigation. There’s a lot of give and take in their relationship and a squabble or two for good measure. As always, Charlotte remains the brains of the pair and Baxley the pluck.

And now we’re to book three in the series, the subject of this book release blog tour, Doggone It. With several months of dreamwalking under her belt, Baxley enjoys a more formal relationship with the sheriff’s department. The increased work and pay make her life as a single mom easier, but the more cop work she does, the less she can confide in Charlotte in real time. With Charlotte being a member of the press and Baxley on the side of law and order, a rift in their friendship threatens.

In addition, Charlotte’s reporting of two previous murder cases shakes up the pecking order at the paper and gains her notice throughout the state. She’s sure her next murder story will springboard her to a bigtime career. While Charlotte pursues fame and fortune, Baxley keeps a low profile. The people she meets are either dead, criminals, family of the dead, or cops. Her dreamwalking clients drop by at all hours of the day and night, leaving her little time for her friend.

Adjustments must be made if Baxley and Charlotte are to remain close friends.

Read more about Baxley and Charlotte in Doggone It!
Buy link on Kindle and Hardcover

This post originally aired at Storeybook Reviews on October 20, 2016  http://storeybookreviews.com/2016/10/guest-post-giveaway-doggone-it-by-maggie-toussaint/

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Methods of death in mystery fiction


Killing off victims in mystery fiction isn’t as easy as you think. Shoot ’em is my default M.O. For most people, death follows getting shot in the heart or the head. Those are nearly always fatal wounds.

Right… But wait. If authors kill off all their victims by shooting them, readers think poorly of said authors. They think we’re gun freaks or something.

That’s not good.

Just as it’s not good to have all victims of one gender and all killers of another gender. Readers like variety. Writing mystery fiction isn’t as simple as wash-rinse-repeat.

Further, in cozy mysteries like my Dreamwalker series, the violence needs to happen off-screen. In other words, I research a means of death, learn enough about it to sound like an expert, and then keep 95 percent of that knowledge out of the book. Bummer.

On the bright side, I have talked to some interesting “experts” and I have fascinating books on my bookshelf. When my book on poisons arrived, my husband’s face turned white as an oyster shell. He held up the book, with the cover facing me, and said, “Should I be worried?” [Sidebar note: Family members often take a dim view of this kind of research.]

After reassuring him that I had no intention of killing him, I dove into the book on poisons. I knew from my days as a toxicologist that just about anything, even water, can be a poison depending on the dose. (In a previous book, I poisoned someone by giving them something in their coffee which reacted fatally with her prescription medication.)


So, how do I want to kill thee (on paper)? Let me count the ways… I’ve already mentioned shooting. That’s easy to explain because many suspects have access to weapons. But I have poisoned someone in a book. I’ve had several victims die from knife wounds. Recently I branched out and coshed someone on the head with a shovel. I’ve had a couple of victims who were drowned, a hit-and-run with an auto, an arsonist who killed with fire, a couple of drug overdoses. So far I haven’t killed anyone with a spider, snake, shark, or alligator, though I’ve used those elements to ramp up tension. I also haven’t asphyxiated anyone, either manually or with car exhaust. But I haven’t ruled them out for future books, or any other methods I might have overlooked.


For Doggone It, book 3 in a paranormal series, I chose the eerie setting of a haunted house that was being used as a movie backdrop. I also have the experience of seeing what happens when a film crew descends on a town. It’s a little strange and at times very over the top. Therefore, having someone be shot and killed would be too ordinary for this mystery.

In my opinion, people (and book characters) are a mixture of good and bad. The people who conform to societal norms are generally considered “good” people, while the individuals who operate outside of what is considered good and “right” are considered “bad.” Doggone It uses an unusual means of death for the victims, one that fuels my sleuth to get justice for them. She needs all her resources in this world and the next to catch this killer.

Want to learn more about Doggone It?
This post was originally seen at Paranormal & Romantic Suspense Reviews on Oct. 29, 2016