Fun at Malice Domestic



Maggie Toussaint at Malice Domestic!

Gracious sakes! What an adventure I had at Malice Domestic. I roomed with fellow Five Star author Barbara Graham from Cody, WY, and we had the best time together. Both of us are brand new grandmothers, both have been married for about the same number of years, both have two grown kids, and both have two mysteries out now from Five Star. We had an unending supply of material to talk about!

The night before the conference we went walking about Bethesda with Barbara's best friend's daughter, who took us to a Mussel Bar for dinner. We were part of an urban scene - go figure! All I was missing were tall boots, a size 4 waist, and long hair. Well and maybe a year eraser so that I was a twenty-something again. We laughed and talked and greatly enjoyed the ambiance.

Let's see - the conference! Malice Domestic is a fan conference for mystery readers. Seemed like there was upwards of 300 people there, swelling to 400-ish with spouses etc for the Saturday night banquet. I met so many people and the names and faces are already a  colorful blur. Mostly I remember everyone being so very keen about mysteries, which is a huge ego boost to every author there.

Malice Go Round is a great event. There were 20 tables of fans waiting anxiously to hear about our new books. Two authors had 4 minutes total at each table to pitch their work and give a handout of some type, and then they moved on to the next table. The room was a-buzz with such excited chatter. Photographers roamed and would snap your picture at the craziest times. My pitch varied wildly, and I think at one point I forgot my name! But my touring buddy, author JL Wilson, kept me on track. One time she even reminded me that the car was the murder weapon in On The Nickel. Talk about losing it! My only regret is that I forgot to take my camera to Malice Go Round and didn't snap a pic of me with JL. Next year, JL, if you'll have me for a touring buddy.

New authors I met that I have photos of include Michael Mallory and Amanda Flower, both Five Star authors. I also have pictures of Barbara and myself with Peggy Ehrhart, another Five Star author I met in Maine several years ago. Other authors I met included Leslie Wheeler (a Five Star author!) and Nancy Means Wright who co-hosted the banquet table where I sat on Saturday night. I ate dinner with Beth Groundwater and several fans one night. Deborah Sharp was there with her "Mama" wedding veil. She graciously supported me by coming to my panel - thanks Deborah! I met other authors and fans, but I admit to being so starstruck that most of the names and faces blew in one ear and out the other.

Sue Grafton was there. (I ate dinner in the same room as Sue Grafton. Imagine that!) And I saw many of my friends from the Mid-Atlantic MWA. It was a joy to see Verna Suit again, along with Donna Andrews, Marcia Talley, and Trish Carrico. I met Avery Ames, a fellow Guppy who won first place with her novel - cool! She was so gracious, friendly, and fun. There were tons on SINC members there, and so many Guppies, I can't begin to name them all. Thank goodness I remembered my Guppy name tag. It was like I was in a secret club or something.

I had a blast on my Malice panel with Kaye George, Kris Neri, Kay Finch, and moderator Joan Boswell. We had quite the time in a dimly lit room at 8:45 in the morning. Hotel staff slunk in like the Pink Panther bearing floor lamps, making me silly with laughter. Everyone soldiered on as if nothing was happening, but I couldn't help commenting on it as we spoke about murder staying all in the family. Afterwards, people lined up for me to sign my books. What fun!

Roommate Barbara Graham and I took a jaunt on the Metro down to DC. Peggy Ehrhart caught the same train and went elsewhere in DC, but it was nice that our paths crossed so randomly! I admitted to being hopeless with maps and directions, so intrepid Barbara set us out on a course to see the Post Office Museum. Both of us had been to numerous Smithsonians, so this was quite a lark. We ended up a bit far from the Museum, metro-stop wise, so we spent the afternoon strolling down Pennsylvania Avenue, talking and gawking. We phoned Wyoming for directions and soon were on the right track. Eventually, we found the museum and we were impressed with the number of exhibits. Everything from wagons and planes and trains to mail bags and Pony Express riders and stamps galore. Lots of history in that place. Then it was back to the Metro to Bethesda, where I met a New Orleans gal attending Howard University, and Barbara met a young man from Wyoming who she tried to matchmake with her best friend's daughter, also living in DC.

More pics below. I'm getting my sea legs back under me today, then its off to Killer Nashville in August!

  

Five Star trio! Maggie, Michael Mallory, & Barbara Graham



Five Star and Guppy quartet! from left Peggy Ehrhart, Amanda Flower, Barbara Graham, and Maggie Toussaint












The Post Office Museum in DC



Maggie at the Post Office Museum
















Malice is already on my calendar for next year - see you there!

Maggie Toussaint
http://www.maggietoussaint.com/

Money Money Money



Maggie's office - with Madonna's new puppies!

  

  Greed is one of the biggies, one of the “Thou Shalt Nots,” but human nature continues to err on the side of “I want more.”

Not so good if you desire peace on earth, but great news if you’re a mystery writer like me. Using people’s foibles is a time-honored means of moving a story along.

My Cleopatra Jones mystery series is based on a small town amateur sleuth who has expertise in accounting. Her insider knowledge comes in handy when she’s on a case.

In my brand new book in the series, On the Nickel, Cleo is propelled into action when Mama’s nemesis, the church lady from hell, is found dead by hit and run – and Mama’s Olds has a person-sized dent in the front.

Tension between the two seniors had been rising of late, and the church lady had even filed a police report citing Mama with terroristic threats. Cleo is in a bind. She knows that when people get cornered, they strike out and do terrible things. The church lady had cornered Mama, that’s for sure, but had Mama lashed out?

Cleo needs to know. The clock is ticking because the police are closing in on Mama. The only thing Cleo knows is that Mama is lying to her.

While Cleo digs around in the church lady’s life, she finds financial discrepancies. Money is a problem – the church lady is flat broke. The more Cleo digs, the more the noose tightens around Mama’s neck. Can she save her mother from the slammer?

Here’s a snip from the story:

The events of the day returned in a rush as I locked my car. I ticked them off on my fingers.

One, there had been a vehicular accident at the church. Two, Erica Hodges was dead. Three, Mama had a history of run-ins with Erica Hodges. Four, on Monday I listened to Mama and Erica Hodges exchange insults in public. Five, Mama’s whereabouts today were a mystery and her over-the-top behavior even more of a mystery.

I don’t know what made me look at her Oldsmobile. Honestly, I don’t know why I looked at all. But I did. And then I wished I’d gone straight inside the house and minded my own business.

The motion-detector light on the corner of the house had activated when I pulled into the driveway. The parking pad was now brightly illuminated.

I touched the jagged safety glass of Mama’s shattered headlight cover. A suffocating sensation tightened my throat at the large indentation in her not-so-shiny bumper. The hood of her car mounded in the middle, pushed back from the leading edge. This car had hit something.

Or someone.

Dread charged through my veins, taking my breath away. Fear clawed at my heart, dragging me down to a place where I didn’t want to go. Dazed and bewildered, I staggered over to my Volvo for support. The hood warmed my cold fingers.

This was very, very bad.

Unthinkable.

The pieces of the puzzle resolved in my head. With each connected piece, the picture became clearer. Mama and Erica. Rivals and combatants. Mama alive. Erica dead. Mama’s car damaged. Erica dead.

Even to a rank amateur like me, the evidence pointed to a devastating conclusion. I shook my head in disbelief. This was Mama I was talking about. She was stubborn, opinionated, and bossy, and those were her finer qualities.

Stars twinkled in the night sky overhead. Crickets chirped in the darkness. A light went on in my next-door neighbor’s kitchen. A diesel pickup truck rumbled past on Main Street. And I stood beside my mother’s damaged car in my driveway.

Ordinary things. Trivial things

But my life wasn’t ordinary or trivial any longer.

A cold-blooded killer lived under my roof.

--

Maggie Toussaint

On The Nickel

Five Star / Cengage ISBN 9781594149542

Available for order at Amazon, $25.95

www.maggietoussaint.com http://mudpiesandmagnolias.blogspot.com/

Maggie Toussaint is a native Georgian who had a nearly 30-year sojourn in Maryland. While there, she tried her hand at golf and spent many hours chasing white balls in the woods. That experience imprinted on her vivid imagination and had her thinking, what if there was a dead body out here? That idea led to the first Cleopatra Jones book, In For A Penny. On The Nickel is off to a great start with reviews by Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly. Maggie also writes romantic suspense, with four books out now. Check www.maggietoussaint.com for excerpts, reviews, stunning covers, and buy links for each title.

Request these titles at your library!

Holy Toledo, Batman! Kirkus Loves Us!

Omigosh and halellujah! When a nice review comes in, it is truly time to celebrate. My publisher forwarded me the review out today from Kirkus for ON THE NICKEL, my brand new mystery. It's out now through the publisher's website, and it will be available through online stores such as Amazon and B&N on April 6.

Anyhoo, I'm dancing around coastal Georgia like Snoopy doing the happy dog dance. Without further ado, here's the KIRKUS review:


Just when life is finally improving for divorced accountant Cleopatra Jones, a secret from the past reaches out to bite her Mama.


After years of putting up with rude, pushy behavior from town doyenne Erica Hodges, Cleopatra Jones' Mama finally blows her top at a church meeting. When Erica is found run over in the church parking lot, Mama is naturally a prime suspect. Since her friend Detective Britt Radcliff seems stuck on Mama as the guilty party, Cleo is forced to investigate Erica's death. But Mama refuses to explain the recent damage to her car Cleo has noticed. At the same time, Cleo has her hands full with her cheating ex-husband, who's trying to get her back, her heavily pregnant Saint Bernard and her sexy golf pro, Rafe Golden, who's improving more than her game. Once she finds time to investigate, Cleo learns that not only was Erica hated by most everyone who knew her, including her two children, but that after running through a large fortune, she'd been getting along by indulging in blackmail. Mama's feud with Erica goes all the way back to their early boyfriends, one of whom Mama is now secretly dating again. When Mama's car is identified as the murder weapon, she's arrested, and Cleo must put herself in danger to ferret out the truth.


The second in this amusing and romantic series (In for a Penny, 2008) is a welcome addition to the cozy ranks.

I'm grinning like all get out. What a wonderful review!
 
Maggie Toussaint
a Georgia peach

Giving Back



George Eshilman, Maggie Toussaint, Wally Orrel

 This past week, I spoke at the Rotary Club in my hometown. The invite flumoxed me at first as this is a group of folks who help others in a very big way. I'm guilty of scheduling myself to the max, so that there's no time leftover for one more thing.

To prepare, I started thinking of giving back and helping others, and I was delighted to realize I had something to say. Now there's no way I give "Service Above Self" like the Rotarians, but I'm not a total slacker either.

About 4 years ago, I wrote, produced, and starred in a mini-series for local access TV on literacy. It was a blast, and I really enjoyed creating the programs. However, 25 minutes of air time equated to more than ten hours per week of prep-work. After I did about 5 shows, I had done all I could do without giving up my paying day job. But it was a community service.

Within the writing realm, I've helped beginning writers with critiques and advice.  I donated the profits from No Second Chance to a horse rescue farm.Outside of writing, I've helped at church, cooked meals for shut-ins, served on the Library Board, wrote newsletters for non-profits, and tutored elementary students.

I'm not saying this to toot my horn, but to seed the helping ground. Chime in and let me know of ways you've helped others. Maybe we'll spark a wave of helping!

Maggie Toussaint
Seeing Red - the bed and breakfast that almost wasn't
$2.99 in all digital formats
http://www.smashwords.com/

A story reborn!

I'm in the process of bringing an early publication back out as an e-book and a trade paperback. SEEING RED is the story of Emma and Quentin and their quest for love.

I'm pleased to say I have a wonderful cover, courtesy of Laura Shin! Take a look for yourself - I hope you like the new "sweeter" look for this classic story. I've always loved staying in Bed and Breakfasts and I loved that movie "The Money Pit." If you've ever done any rennovation, you know what a nightmare it can be.

In Seeing Red, Emma needs to rehab an old property and Quentin's her man. Or he wants to be. She's not sure she wants his attention, but he's keen on building a lasting foundation with her.

Coming soon: SEEING RED!

Maggie Toussaint

Great Reviews for Muddy Waters!!!

I'm delighted to announce that Muddy Waters is launched to great acclaim! It is so heartening when a reviewer (and readers!) "get" what you've put down in book form. I'm honored to have so many excellent reviews to post. Here's an abbreviated snip from each of the reviews I've received on this romantic suspense to date.

Fantastic Read! Maggie Toussaint does an amazing job of foreshadowing as she weaves together a tapestry of suspense, mystery, small community life, and love while bringing into clear focus the overt and covert conflicts both Roxie and Sloan try to resolve. Ms. Toussaint’s writing style with superb imagery, exquisite description, and a touch of humor make Muddy Waters enthralling reading. Muddy Waters satisfies that hunger for a love that promises a happy-ever-after. – Long and Short Reviews, LASR BOOK OF THE WEEK. Full review at Long and Short 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. Full review at Mary Gramlich Blogspot

Couldn’t stop reading! Five stars! Toussaint’s book is a delightful, contemporary romance spiced with a mystery that keeps you guessing whether the Harding fortune exists or if it was jut a figment of a drunken imagination. Sloan and Roxie’s relationship unfolds in a natural way that draws the reader into their story. And the barriers between them and happily ever after are so organic to their personalities and their past that the reader truly wonders if these two will be able to work it out. – Keena Kincaid, author of Enthralled. Full review posted at Amazon.com

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 Magazine

5 stars! A great book! I read Muddy Waters in one sitting because I didn’t want to put it down. You’ll feel the same way. The Georgia background rings true, with its small town clannish-ness, everyone knowing everyone else’s business, and never accepting that a leopard can change its spots or a miscreant should be allowed to live down his past. Both Roxie and Sloan are well-done; each is shown to be a strong character in his/her own right, while acting completely opposite to beliefs in relation to the other. The dialogue is smart and realistic, the progression of the story believable. Mac the dog is a delight. – Reviewer Icy Snow Blackstone. Full review at Book Reviews by Icy Snow

Muddy Waters is a fascinating story about Roxie and Sloan who both have ancestral history that intertwines as the story moves on. There are several layers to this story with a mystery surrounding money, Roxie having strange things happen to her, and Sloan whose company stopped a hacker attack with no leads on who did it. I thought Maggie Toussaint wrote the characters with a believability that captures the hearts of readers. – Emily, Single Titles. Full review at SingleTitles.Com

Muddy Waters was a great read and I can’t help but think of it time after time even after I’m done. Toussaint’s writing is crisp and easy to read. The plot is tight, filled with plenty of twists and turns that keep the reader on their toes. One of the most endearing aspects of the story is how Toussaint captures the authenticity of small town America, giving delicious depth to the setting and characters. – Steph Burkhart, author of Romance under the Moonlight. Full review posted at Amazon.com

Five Stars! Muddy Waters is another great read from award winning Maggie Toussaint. Small town setting and attitudes color the story and carry the plot to its conclusion. You won’t want to put it down until you reluctantly turn the last page. – Reviewer JJD as seen at Amazon.com


Maggie Toussaint’s Muddy Waters is a romantic suspense novel that draws the reader into the story from the first page with the pull of the tide against the Georgia coast. This is a fun read and a delightful break from some heavy tomes. – Nash Black, author of Haints. Full review posted at Nash-Black.blogspot.com

Thanks so much for your support and for accompanying me on this publishing odyssey!

Maggie Toussaint
http://www.maggietoussaint.com/

Muddy Waters - successful blog tour

My recent release Muddy Waters is making a great showing. I'm very excited by the reviews that I've received, which I'll recap in a later post.

At my first Muddy Waters signing this past weekend, 40 books were autographed - pretty darned fabulous by my standards!

I mounted a supercharged blog tour to promote the release. I'll provide a recap here for those.

On Oct. 25, Vicki Hinze posted chapter 1 of Muddy Waters at her Chapter1Zone. Elise Stone won a copy of Muddy Waters. Congratulations Elise! http://web.mac.com/vickihinze/Chapter1Zone.com/Home.html



Also on Oct. 25, I was a guest at Long and Short Reviews, where I blogged about heroes who make you go ahhh. http://lasrguest.blogspot.com/2010/10/guest-blog-maggie-toussaint.html



On Oct. 26, I hosted a discussion on the Sisters In Crime yahoo loop about expectations.

That same day, I appeared as a guest on the SOS Aloha Blog, another interview, where I got to dish about the south and what part southern culture and conflict play on the stage of my books. Kim's blog is a great place to visit. http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-10-27T20%3A28%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7



Oct. 27 found me at Between the Lines, Carol Ann Erhardt's blog, talking about Muddy Waters.
http://carolannerhardt.blogspot.com/2010/10/muddy-waters-by-maggie-toussaint.html

On Nov. 2, I returned to LASR for an interview where I got to talk about handwriting and the south. Joelle won an ebook copy of Muddy Waters. http://longandshortarchives.blogspot.com/2010/11/author-interview-maggie-toussaint.html

I hit Liana's place next and I had a blast talking about the kayaking trip that provided a key story moment for Muddy Waters. There are lots of photos too! http://lianalaverentz.blogspot.com/2010/11/maggie-toussaint-talks-about-muddy.html


Next up was my appearance at Between The Lines hosted by Linda Coker where I wrote a character interview of Sloan Harding, the leading man of Muddy Waters. I had many interesting comments on this one! http://betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com/2010/11/author-maggie-toussaint-guest-blogs.html



I blogged all week long from Nov. 7 to 14, that's right, 7 posts, about my writing journey. Allie, the site host, was amazed that I had comments throughout the week. Thanks so much to loyal fans for slogging through my personal history and the nuances for registering at this site! This was at Novelspotters in their Behind the Scenes feature: http://novelspot.net/node/3515 is the first column.



Over at the Lovestruck Novice, I blogged on Nov. 15 about obstacles in writing and the importance of Point of View. http://thelovestrucknovice.blogspot.com/2010/11/lovestruck-novice-welcomes-maggie.html

Whew! That was some marketing campaign. I had a lot of fun and made some new friends who I hope will be along for the entire ride.

Maggie Toussaint

www.maggietoussaint.com