From Gobbles to Gifts - Advent is here

We have many unbreakables on our tree.
This practice is a holdover from having toddlers
 and pets climbing our tree.

Every year, the first time I hear Christmas music in stores catches me by surprise. "Already?" I think to myself. But Christmas is big business, so of course they play it up.

We've barely got Thanksgiving boxed up, and we're inundated with sales fliers. Deals abound everywhere. Need sweaters, boots, or a party outfit? How about stuff for hunting or boating?One of the three dozen or so sales inserts from the Saturday paper will direct you to a bargain.

Anything you can't find locally is just a click away on the internet. Easy, right? Only if you're made of money. Most of us are pinching pennies, trying to stretch what we have to make it last.

Usually I start hyperventilating about now. There are Christmas cards to find and address. Letters to write. Cookies to bake. Trees to decorate. Christmas sweaters tucked away in my closet-where'd I put those things? Invitations to consider. Visits to schedule. And of course, gifts to buy.

Angels are a special favorite of mine.

I don't know what this says about me, but my gift-giving list shrinks each year. I buy for my family, of course, for my choir, and my best friends. One of my favorite events of the season is our First Coast Romance Writers holiday party where we have a blind ornament exchange.

The name for the swap is politically incorrect, but basically, when its your turn you select a wrapped package or "steal" from someone else. Once an item is stolen three times, its frozen and that person gets to take it home. Some years the hot item is a sparkly Cinderella stilleto, other years it's an angel or a purse. The catch is that the gift can't cost more than five dollars. I'm just bursting with the need to tell someone what my gift is, but I don't want to spoil the surprise. All I'll say is that he started life as a key chain fob. Now he's being repurposed as the stuff of our dreams.

This tree is from Christmas past.
 I haven't dragged everything down from the attic yet
 this year. Maybe in a week or so.

Let's talk decorating for a minute. Two of my neighbors are ready to go. One home has soft blue lights on a fence and multi-colored lights on the house. Another neighbor has bright red lights wrap candy cane style up the trunk of her palm trees. Lots of bows and swags on the house lights over there. I wonder if they'll adopt me or at least my yard.

Each year we discuss the pros and cons of decorating more than our tree. This year we'll put white lights on the fence because we have a daughter and her family visiting. We don't want to appear to be deadbeats.

Question: who do you decorate for? Yourself? Your family? Your community? Or do you enjoy looking at everyone else's decorations? I love riding around and seeing what others have done to their homes and yards - do you?



Happy Advent, everyone!

Maggie Toussaint
coming in 2012: Death, Island Style and Murder in the Buff

What's in your ... refrigerator?

A friend of mine is known for coming over to my house, sticking her head in my refrigerator, and asking in a high-pitched voice, "What do you eat? There's nothing here."

My refrigerator is usually fairly empty, but hers was always chock full of stuff. I didn't feel slighted by her comment, as we cook to suit here with minimal leftovers. Fresh meat comes home and goes in the freezer until we need it. Fruit and veges go quickly, so those don't linger about either.

Was she talking about all the sauces, pickles and juices? Not sure, but I have a fridge door of condiments. So, sure there's room in my refrigerator. I don't think its any big deal. Maybe its because I had daughters instead of sons - perhaps less food overall came and went over the transom.

Anyway, to get to the point of the blog, recently I came across someone who said they didn't store their syrup in the fridge, that they used the "ghetto" way of storing it on the pantry shelf. It got me to wondering how many jars of things don't say "refrigerate after opening."

Mini-quiz for the brave: are these things in your fridge or on your shelves: mustard, jelly/jam, syrup, soy sauce, worchestershire sauce, catsup, opened soda pops, pitchers of tea, pitchers of water. Feel free to add anything that you don't refrigerate on a routine basis that the rest of us might.

Inquiring minds want to know.

Maggie Toussaint

ps I'm part of the http://ebooks99cents.wordpress.com/ where there are new 99 cent ebooks listed daily. I'm on the menu for Wednesday. Check us out.

pss I'm also part of a charity cookbook which was recently reduced for gift-giving. Its in both electronic ($6.99) and trade paperback ($14.99) formats. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Sunshine-Baking-Memories/dp/0987725637

In High Cotton

By Maggie Toussaint

On a recent trip to the North Carolina shore, I enjoyed seeing the snowy whiteness of field upon field of ripe cotton. The plants appeared to be about knee-high, with generous mounds of fluff at the end of each stem.

I live in coastal Georgia, and history tells us that cotton used to be a big cash crop around here. To my knowledge, there’s not a single field of cotton grown in my county now, but apparently, cotton is a Big Deal in North Carolina.

These days, cotton havesting and processing at mills are done by machines.

There are many uses for cotton – clothing, medical gauze, bandages, towels, baby diapers, sheets, drapes, book covers, toys,shoes, glove liners, just to name a few.

In late fall the plants are tall, yielding the phrase High Cotton. The Urban Dictionary has three definitions for the phrase: well off in terms of happiness or wealth, having a lot of money, and coming into very good circumstances.

Fun cotton facts:

Fragments of cotton fabric dating back to 5,000 B.C. have been excavated from Mexico and Pakistan.

Wikipedia estimates 25 million tons of cotton are grown annually.

This wad of raw cotton was on the side of the road.
I think it looks a bit like a dragon or the
Loch Ness monster

China grows the most cotton.

The U.S. exports the most cotton.

During the late medieval period, Europeans believed imported cotton grew on plant-borne sheep.

About ¾ of an acre will yield 500 pounds (1 bale) of cotton.

Samples from cotton bales are tested and categorized into 14 grades of cotton based on color, fiber length, micronaire, strength, and other properties.

Harvested cotton is cleaned, combed, graded, spun, packaged, and shipped out without ever being touched by human hands.

Raw cotton and first drafts



On the left, smooth cotton from my vitamins.
To the right is my lumpy roadside cotton.
Big difference in appearance & texture.

Because I’m also wrapping up a first draft, I was struck by the similarity of a raw manuscript and fresh off the bush cotton. Both need a good bit of cleaning, combing, and grading before they’re ready for public consumption. Some cotton/manuscripts don’t make the grade. A high quality product has a special sheen and luster that is immediately apparent.
Here’s hoping we’re all in high cotton for the forseeable future. Hey, anybody seen my manuscript comb?


Maggie Toussaint
DEATH, ISLAND STYLE coming Feb 2012
http://www.maggietoussaint.com/

Mysteries: crimes of passion, opportunity, or premeditation?

Whodunit is often-asked as readers settle into a murder mystery, but the challenge to figuring out whodunit is to first identify why the murder occurred. What reason did someone have to commit the murder?


First, let’s think about the different types of murder motivations.

A crime of passion occurs when the act happens because of a sudden strong, overwhelming impulse. Some call this temporary insanity.

A crime of opportunity happens when the perpetrator sees a chance to commit the act and seizes it. Such acts have little or no premeditation.

By contrast, premeditated murder involves wrongfully causing the death of a person through careful consideration and planning.

In summary, murders are conducted as a result of careful planning, a found opportunity, or temporary insanity. Until this post, I thought my books contained varied murder motivations, but my mode of operation has been to vary the cause or emotion (power, revenge, greed, envy, etc.) behind the premeditation.

Spoiler Alert

In my Cleopatra Jones series, the victim in book one, In For A Penny, was killed in a premeditated manner for monetary gain. In book two, On The Nickel, the victim seemed to have been killed via opportunity, but the cold-blooded killer’s revenge included framing two scapegoats.

CALL TO ACTION!


Are murders in cozy mysteries are all premeditated? Any mysteries with crimes of opportunity or passion come to mind? Are the root motivations varied in police procedurals or other types of crime fiction? Are premeditated murders more interesting?

Be sure and leave a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

MORE FUN!!! Scoot on over to my friend Ryder Islington's blog where she also dishes about this same subject - here's her addy: http://ryderislington.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/crime-of-passion-opportunity-or-premeditation/
Maggie Toussaint
Blending romance and mystery into compelling fiction
http://www.maggietoussaint.com/

Confessions of a catalog shopper

Tis the catalog season

I'd like to say it's the glossy pages or the stylish clothing or the unusual stuff, but the truth is, I don't know why I love catalogs. I just do.

This time of year, the great fall migration, most of them fly right into my mailbox and take up residence. I thumb through the slick pages, imagining what I'd do with a pair of leather boots that top my knees or a gift-wrapped tower of fruit or this year's version of a denim shirt. I imagine myself looking thin, blonde, and jetting across continents in my new versatile travel wardrobe. I wonder how many bathrobes a person truly needs, then I remember I own two.

I'm drawn to the dark jewel tones of fall - the midnight blues, the burnt umbers, the hidden lakes. I ponder the strategic placement of darts and ruffles, of beading and buttons. I wonder how to get my comfy body into the tailored-looking pieces I'm drawn to. I worry about clothing looking too young or too old. I worry if people can tell I buy separates on clearance and hope they will match something, sometime, somewhere.

Pages with fleece entice me to linger. Fleece is a special weakness of mine. Gotta have it. Socks, shirts, pants, gloves, jackets, robes, scarves, coats. I love to buy it for myself and as gifts. I can't tell you how excited I was to procure my infant grandson's first fleece jacket!

Back in the days of fulltime employment, I turned to catalogs for Christmas. With a list of sizes and color favs, I knocked out my extended family list in a couple of hours, and that was before the ease of internet shopping.

When I began writing, I cut out catalog people and saved them as characters in my books. That tough looking guy in a Rolex ad? Supreme bad guy. That funky gal in cowboy boots sitting in a giant martini glass? A lost fairy godmother.

Catalogs - they're the gifts that keep on giving.

Have a favorite catalog story? Please share!

Maggie Toussaint
Catalog shopper and sometimes writer

Cool Info Bites from Writer's Police Academy

ATF agent Rick McMahan and Maggie

by Maggie Toussaint

When it comes to learning about police lore, the Writer’s Police Academy is a font of useful information. Held at a Greensboro, NC police training academy and organized by Lee Lofland, this recent event was packed with hands-on knowledge writers need to know.

Hollywood cops have more technology than you can shake a stick at, and our everyday law enforcement groups would love to have a fraction of those gadgets. From TV, we expect DNA results in minutes or hours when the reality is more like months. For a rush DNA job, it takes about a week, though new procedures and tests are in development.



Barbara Graham and handcuffing instructor Stan Lawhorne



Sound intriguing? Read on for snips of other cool stuff:

Locard’s Principle – when two objects come into contact, an exchange of material occurs.

All people shed skin cells and hair every day, about 150 hairs a day.

CSIs turn the room lights out and use those itty bitty flashlights because it helps them see better. Footprints, hairs, and other bits of trace evidence really pop under these conditions.

If a bioterrorist comes to your neighborhood, don’t opt for the white dusk mask at the hardware store, get yourself a N95 respirator mask.

One key fits all handcuffs. Enterprising crooks hide keys on or in their bodies.



CJ Lyons takes down a suspect for handcuffing,
 with Cpl Dee Jackson



Bleach cleans up bloodstains, but its use is detectable. Blood can be detected even under multiple coats of paint.

Blood spatter is dependent on on velocity, directionality, and point of origin. Unless dripped straight down, the spot more resembles an infinity symbol, with some excursions.

A sniper can shoot a one-inch square at 100 yards. As they increase distance, say 200 yards from a target¸they can hit a two inch square and so on out to 1,000 yards.



At the crime scene, from left, Dr. Denene Lofland, Dr. Katherine Ramsland, and Maggie



In 97 % of homicides, the suspect is interviewed in the first 30 days. About 61% of homicides are cleared.

Witnesses lie.

Suspects give faulty confessions.

Ego is bad for investigations.

Moisture and higher temperatures accelerate decomposition. Don’t add garden lime to that shallow grave; it’s a plant nutrient.

Our gun laws derive from social and historical events. Only the US has a gun tracing system.



SEMWA's Stacie Allen, green shirt, takes super pictures



When undercover, a cop relies on personality, attitude, and persistence to get the job done.



At the Writer’s Police Academy, I experienced the FATS, the Firearms Training Simulator. They stuck a gun in my hand and showed me how to use it. Moments later, a scenario played out on the screen before me. I learned firsthand that it takes a special person to rush headlong into danger, that suspects don’t respect cops or guns. It’s easy for your brain to freeze, or for you to get tunnel vision and ignore the rest of your environment.



Guilford Co. Sheriff's Office Ltc Randy Shepherd



I’ve barely scratched the surface of my notes, but I hope I conveyed how valuable this experience was to me. At Writer’s Police Academy, writers get firsthand information, experience a micro-window into this law enforcement world, and receive answers to their policework questions.

I highly recommend it.

Maggie Toussaint

mystery and romance author

http://www.maggietoussaint.com/

 

PS don't forget - my award winning  HOUSE OF LIES is still on markdown at Kindle for 99 cents.

Favorite setting for my mysteries

by Maggie Toussaint

Since my Cleopatra Jones amateur sleuth series focuses on Cleo's family, I tend to write scenes at her home, her office, her ladies nine-hole golf league, her car, and her church. On the Nickel, the second mystery in the series, has several church scenes, but they don't have much to do with a church service. Most of the scenes involve activities that occur in a church building.

For instance, when Detective Radcliffe bars Cleo and her friend Jonette from the church parking lot crime scene, they race around to the back, to the thicket, where for years they watched the Sunday School ladies hide Easter eggs. While vying for the best vantage point, Cleo falls through the thorny bushes, landing smack dab in the middle of trouble - ending with her being led away in handcuffs.

Other church scenes involve a funeral reception, a church ladies meeting, and a bulletin-folding morning. In this book, Cleo tries to prove her mother didn't kill the church lady, her arch-rival, even though her mother's car is the murder weapon.

Cleo is Episcopalian, which is a Protestant church, just south of Catholicism and close kin to Methodists and Lutherans. Like the church, Cleo's life has seen upheaval in the last few years. Like the church, she is somewhat resistant to change, but life has a way of changing anyway, doesn't it? The conflict of new versus old, of time-honed prayers and joyful noise, of joy found and lost - those distinctly different yet eternally connected viewpoints are all rolled into a woman trying to cope in a world she can't control.

While I try to paint her into a corner with setting, character, and plot points, Cleo finds a way to cut through all the noise and triumph. She's my hero.

Want to read more? This post is a stop on a rolling blog tour. KT Wagner shares her thoughts on favorite settings at http://northernlightsgothic.com/a-setting-i-love-to-write  and Kathleen Kaska expounds on the topic at http://kathleenkaskawrites.blogspot.com/2011/09/favorite-place-to-set-scene-do-you-have.html while Ryder Islington talks setting at http://ryderislington.wordpress.com/2011/09/12/favorite-settings-in-my-writing/ and Nancy Lauzon adds her two cents at http://chickdickmysteries.com/2011/09/11/favorite-place-to-set-a-scene/.

Have a great week!

Maggie Toussaint
Mystery and romance author
http://www.maggietoussaint.com/

Flying on 9-11

It was sobering to get on a plane this morning. In both the Philadelphia airport and the Atlanta airport, televisions broadcast the anniversary remembrance of those who'd lost their lives during the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001. Young children intoned names; children of victims told of ten years without their loved ones. Musicians played somber music.

As I glanced at my fellow passengers, it was easy to see they were as moved as I was. Tears welled and spilled and I made no move to stop them. That day took away the innocence of so many.

On the final leg of my journey, the pilot spoke to us, reassuring us that today's flight would be routine, but his voice broke a bit too as he said, "we'll never forget."

It's true. I remember the exact moment I heard at work. We gathered in the conference room, watching, and then we were sent home for safety. At home, the TV came on again as the events replayed over and over like a nightmare onscreen.

If you'd like to share a remembrance about this day or the 2001 date, please feel free.

God bless all our heroes.

Maggie Toussaint

What's your Labor of Love?



My labor of love: books!

 by Maggie Toussaint

Today, Sept. 5 is Labor Day, a holiday celebrating the end of summer in the U.S. First celebrated on Sept.5, 1882 by the Central Labor Union in NY, it became a national holiday in 1894. Early on, this day celebrated the strength of labor unions with a parade and speeches followed by family time.

Through the years, the tradition among most Americans has changed to a day of relaxation with family and friends. The summer of 2011 has been harsh with its earthquakes, hurricanes, and heat. Frankly, I'm glad to see it go.



Art is a labor of love



Since I'm mostly self-employed, I tend to work most holidays, including today, but the topic of Labor Day caught my fancy. I stated thinking about the word "labor" and the various associations I have with it: working to pay the bills, of course; working at various chores which are a real effort; pregnancy labor; and working at something I love.

Because when you work at something you love, the hours fly by. I imagine the sense of timelessness that overcomes writers like me when we are "in the zone" is shared by other artisans and laborers. I'd love to know about your "Labor of Love."



Proceeds benefit children



Here's an example to get you started. My friend Adelle Laudan compiled a charity cookbook: Sweet Sunshine: baking sweet memories. The cookbook is meant to be shared with children as it's chock full of yummy recipes, cooking stories which feature children, and adorable childhood pictures of authors with their recollections of cooking as children. (Quick plug: available at http://tinyurl.com/3slukrz ) The cookbook benefits the Sunshine Foundation for kids in Canada.

Please post a comment about what you love to do, about your labor of love. One lucky commentor will receive a digital copy of my Bed and Breakfast Romance - Seeing Red - which was a true labor of love - twice! Be sure and leave your addy if you want to be included in the drawing! I'll post a winner by 9 pm eastern time tonight.

Maggie Toussaint

My Impressions of Killer Nashville



Dr. Bill Bass, forensic expert

Once again Clay Stafford, Beth "Jaden" Terrell, and an army of volunteers have put on a super mystery conference. Killer Nashville has tracts for writers just learning their craft, writers who need a nudge to promote their work, fans, agent & editor appointments, and an all-star lineup of forensics experts. With Robert Dugoni, Donald Bain, and Dr. Bill Bass on the program, it was a can't-lose proposition for attendees - and it delivered!

I mix-and-matched tracts, attending a bit of everything. The experts were knowledgable, the panels interesting, and the crime scene was quite a challenge. And at every turn, there were friendly faces, writers, fans, published authors, agents, editors.

I was lucky enough to be on two panels which were well-attended. I connected with old friends and made new ones. What a delight it was to put faces to so many Guppy (a Sisters In Crime chapter) names I've been seeing on various loops!



Pacing panel: Michael Salisbury (mod), AJ Scudiere, Maggie, Lynda Fitzgerald

 This was the first year I attended the banquet and I had a very good time. Deni Dietz, my editor extraordinaire, sat at my dinner table. I also met Alana White, a newly signed Five Star writer with a book coming out Dec. 2012.

And I should back up to the Mystery Trivia contest on Thursday night. Greg and Mary Bruss did an outstanding job on making the game fun and testing our knowledge. Of the three teams, I was on the red team, same as last year. And even though my contributions were slight, our team displayed excellence on the trivia field and won the night. I'm officially two for two at Mystery Trivia.



Cozy panel: Luisa Buehler, CS Challinor, Jennie Bentley (mod), Lisa Wysocky, Maggie

 My take-home message? Do more social media connecting. Consistent networking is my new goal.

Now I'm back home, trying to keep my feet walking on sunshine for a little longer, but starting to wade through the piled up mail, dirty laundry, and other necessaries of living. But I'm already looking forward to next year!

Maggie Toussaint

Pacing - the red haired stepchild



Maggie talks about pacing



Everyone knows a song has lyrics, a melody, and a beat. Books have characters, plots, and pacing, which is the beat, or rhythm of your story. In the early days of my writing journey, I thought I knew a lot about pacing, but I had no appreciation for this fine point. Pacing is the art of how you string the words together that makes the story speed up or slow down.

To harken back to the music world, a music CD has an upbeat song track, then a song with a slower tempo. Or if you're more familiar with the world of dance, a fast dance and then a slow dance. That choreography is repeated throughout the album/CD.


Ancient City Writers working on pacing





This past Saturday, I spoke at the Ancient City Writers chapter of the Florida Writers Association in St. Augustine. I used examples of good pacing from top authors, broke their technique down into usable information nuggets, and also gave instruction on how to fix the pacing in your own story.

More writers working on pacing

After that, we had fun! I like the hands-on aspect of instruction, so here's what we did. Two names were solicitied from the about 35 attendees - Amy and Max. I asked for random professions and this is what came forward: nurse, phone technician, artist, and burglar. For character traits, the group came up with this list: aggressive, shy, twitchy eye, pushing glasses up the nose, and stutterer. The setting was a PTA Open House. The room broke into small groups and worked cooperatively for about ten minutes.

Lunch at Kingfish Grill with Dianne Ell,
Judy Weber, and Nancy Quatrano;
Jack's reflection is in the glass 

We had fabulous results. Lots of blended narrative and dialogue. Fast pacing. Slow pacing. Pacing that bridged between a fast opening and a slower finish. There are lots of talented writers in St. Augustine! When my workshop was over, I chatted with several very fired-up writers. People really seemed to have a renewed respect for pacing.

Afterwards we lunched at Kingfish Grill right on the water. What a lovely spot. I loved my Mediterranean Salad with grilled shrimp. From there, I visited Vilano Beach which was right across the bridge. What a fitting finale to a great day.

Vilano Beach in July

Thanks  to group member Jack Owen who generously shared his pictures with me!

A sunny day at the beach





New Look, New Reviews, a Giveaway, and a Free Read

Ta Da! Everything is brand new around here, but I think the paint is finally dry. I simplified my blog format, have some great reviews to share, a book or two to give away, and a free read to chat up. Read on!

My latest release - the Large Print version of On The Nickel - will be available at Amazon in Large Print after July 6, but you can pre-order now if you want to be the first to get your hands on a copy. In this book Cleo has to figure out who ran over the church lady. She hopes it wasn't Mama, but there's a person-sized dent in Mama's car.

I recently received two wonderful reviews for On The Nickel:

Do you like cozy mysteries with a Southern flair, a little bit of sexiness, and a lot of fun in-between the murder and mayhem? Then On the Nickel might be the satisfying read you've been waiting for. The novel stars Cleopatra Jones, an accountant, a struggling nine-hole golfer, mother of two teenage girls, and daughter to a mother who often needs corralling more than the young girls in the household. Throw in a mighty sexy golf pro and a pregnant Saint Bernard, and you have an entertaining read in itself.

To make the story even more interesting, a murder occurs in the church parking lot where Cleo's mother often meets with the Ladies Outreach Committee. And Mama's car has an unexplained dent in the fender.

On the Nickel is the second in the Cleopatra Jones Mysteries. The first is In for a Penny, which will entertain you as much as the second. Maggie Toussaint should know how to write "Southern"—she IS Southern to the core. I recommend both novels. -- Celia Yeary-Reviewer

THANKS CELIA YEARY!

 
Witty and suspenseful. All Cleopatra Jones wants is to raise her two teen-aged daughters, improve her golf game and advance her relationship with handsome golf pro, Rafe Golden. She has no desire to get drug into the center of another homicide investigation. (see In for a Penny).
But when Erica Hodges is killed by a hit and run driver in the Trinity Episcopal Church parking lot, and Cleo's own mother is the prime suspect, Cleo has no choice.
On the Nickel is a fun read with enough humor and intrigue to keep you turning the pages while Cleopatra tries to thwart the advances of her ex-husband, Charlie; encourage advances from Rafe and clear her mother's name, all while raising two teen-aged daughters and caring for a pregnant St Bernard.
A good curl-up-on-the-couch mystery. -- Ruthann Heidgerken, Amazon reviewer

THANKS RUTHANN HEIDGERKEN!

Previously, On The Nickel was reviewed by Kirkus, Library Journal, Publisher's Weekly, Harriet Klausner, The Reading Reviewer, and Mysterious Reviews. My web guy is in the process of getting all the reviews posted to my site, http://www.maggietoussaint.com/
 
In honor of the large print release, I created a free read with my Cleopatra Jones characters. Basically, Cleo and Rafe spend a weekend at the beach. Sand Dollar Secrets has a little romance, a little bit of coastal Georgia, and a little mystery to solve. This short story will also be up at my site soon, but it's already posted here. Where, you ask? Go back to the top of the page and just before the first post are two tabs - "home" and "sand dollar secrets" - all you have to do is click on the words and you'll see my short story. I hope you love it!
 
Lastly, I'm running a week long comment fest. Stop by and leave a comment (and make sure I know how to get in touch with you!). For every 20 comments that aren't mine, I'll give away a copy of your choice of my titles.
 
So dive on in, leave a comment, and check back here next Sunday when I'll announce the winners!
 
Beat the heat - with a fun summer read!!!
 
Maggie Toussaint

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/