Book Details:
Ballantine Group; Alibi
On Sale: March 21st, 2017
ISBN: 9780399179051
300 Pages
Price: $4.99
About the book:
When Abi inherits her uncle’s quaint and storied single malt distillery, she finds herself immersed in a competitive high-stakes business that elicits deep passions and prejudices. An award-winning photojournalist, Abi has no trouble capturing the perfect shot—but making the perfect shot is another matter. When she starts to receive disturbing, anonymous threats, it’s clear that someone wants her out of the picture. But Abi’s never been one to back down from a fight.Arriving on the scene with her whisky-loving best friend, Patrick, and an oversized wheaten terrier named Liam, Abi seems to put everyone in the bucolic village on edge—especially her dour but disturbingly attractive head distiller. Acts of sabotage and increasingly personal threats against Abi make it clear that she is not welcome. When one of Abi’s new employees is found floating facedown in a vat of whisky, Abi is determined to use her skills as an investigative journalist to identify the cold-blooded killer and dispense a dram of justice before he strikes again. But distilling truth from lies is tricky, especially when everyone seems to have something to hide.
About the author:
Melinda Mullet was born in Dallas and attended school in Texas, Washington D.C., England, and Austria. She spent many years as a practicing attorney before pursuing a career as a writer. Author of the Whisky Business Mystery series, Mullet is a passionate supporter of childhood literacy. She works with numerous domestic and international charities striving to promote functional literacy for all children. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her family.
Author Links
Webpage – http://melindamullet.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mulletmysteries/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/mulletmysteries
Purchase Links
Amazon B&N Google Play
In the throws of a snowy winter a writers fancy turns to curling up in front of the fire with a pot of tea or a glass of wine and writing….and writing…and writing. Nirvana for the soul, deadly for the thighs. But by the time my Fit Bit buzzes me for the 5th hour in a row telling me I haven’t taken more steps than I need to stagger to the kitchen and back, the guilt sets in.
It used to be when I talked about the discipline of writing I meant the importance of selfishly setting aside time every day to write without guilt. Now, as I writing becomes a vocation and not an avocation, the discipline has become finding ways to incorporate exercise into my work day. To force myself to get up from the job at hand and move. This battle of the bulge is fought whether you work at home or in an office setting. As a chronic multi-tasker I like to try to find a way to keep on working while I excercise.
For you like minded souls here’s a couple of tricks I’ve found helpful.
Take advantage of immersing yourself mind and body in something else. I like yoga. I’ve been doing it for more than forty years and it still works. The key is to take a class and let someone else lead. Go in with a tricky plot point on your mind and then forget about it. Focus on your body. On breathing and moving. Stretch your body and let your mind fend for itself. Allow it to roam randomly through your head space without judgement, but always steer it back to its focus on the body. By the end of class I inevitably find that the solution to my conundrum pops into my head unbidden.
When the weather cooperates, walking is great for blowing the cobwebs out of your head and dispelling any lingering traces of writer’s block. The dog is always there to drag me out and I often talk through issues as we go. The dog is always singularly receptive to my discourse, not helpful mind you, but attentive without being judgmental. The perfect sounding board. I will run through conversations and character backstories. Making notes on a pad in my pocket when something occurs to me. The increased flow of blood to the brain usually ensures a better resolution than the bag of Cheetos I was staring down before I left.
If you have no particular issue on your mind create a soundtrack for your walk that you find evocative of your story line. Let it put you in the right head space so that when you come back to the keyboard your creativity blossoms. For my Whisky Business series soft Celtic music always brings to mind the soft mists and the heather covered hills.
If you are at a stage of final edits I find it helpful to run through my story as if it was a movie. Picturing the fade ins and outs, the flow between scenes and purpose of each scene. You’ll be surprised how often you will find awkward transitions and missing links.
On those brutal outdoor days I resort to the treadmill. If I need inspiration I’ll turn to one of the masters, and hour spent with Poirot, or Lynley or Holmes can jump start your creative engine. Get you looking at things in different ways. Watch the threads of evidence twist and unravel.
Most important, keep moving and keep on writing.
Author Links
Webpage – http://melindamullet.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mulletmysteries/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/mulletmysteries
Purchase Links
Amazon B&N Google Play
Guest Post:
A Winter’s Tale becomes a Winter’s Tail
In the throws of a snowy winter a writers fancy turns to curling up in front of the fire with a pot of tea or a glass of wine and writing….and writing…and writing. Nirvana for the soul, deadly for the thighs. But by the time my Fit Bit buzzes me for the 5th hour in a row telling me I haven’t taken more steps than I need to stagger to the kitchen and back, the guilt sets in.
It used to be when I talked about the discipline of writing I meant the importance of selfishly setting aside time every day to write without guilt. Now, as I writing becomes a vocation and not an avocation, the discipline has become finding ways to incorporate exercise into my work day. To force myself to get up from the job at hand and move. This battle of the bulge is fought whether you work at home or in an office setting. As a chronic multi-tasker I like to try to find a way to keep on working while I excercise.
For you like minded souls here’s a couple of tricks I’ve found helpful.
Take advantage of immersing yourself mind and body in something else. I like yoga. I’ve been doing it for more than forty years and it still works. The key is to take a class and let someone else lead. Go in with a tricky plot point on your mind and then forget about it. Focus on your body. On breathing and moving. Stretch your body and let your mind fend for itself. Allow it to roam randomly through your head space without judgement, but always steer it back to its focus on the body. By the end of class I inevitably find that the solution to my conundrum pops into my head unbidden.
When the weather cooperates, walking is great for blowing the cobwebs out of your head and dispelling any lingering traces of writer’s block. The dog is always there to drag me out and I often talk through issues as we go. The dog is always singularly receptive to my discourse, not helpful mind you, but attentive without being judgmental. The perfect sounding board. I will run through conversations and character backstories. Making notes on a pad in my pocket when something occurs to me. The increased flow of blood to the brain usually ensures a better resolution than the bag of Cheetos I was staring down before I left.
If you have no particular issue on your mind create a soundtrack for your walk that you find evocative of your story line. Let it put you in the right head space so that when you come back to the keyboard your creativity blossoms. For my Whisky Business series soft Celtic music always brings to mind the soft mists and the heather covered hills.
If you are at a stage of final edits I find it helpful to run through my story as if it was a movie. Picturing the fade ins and outs, the flow between scenes and purpose of each scene. You’ll be surprised how often you will find awkward transitions and missing links.
On those brutal outdoor days I resort to the treadmill. If I need inspiration I’ll turn to one of the masters, and hour spent with Poirot, or Lynley or Holmes can jump start your creative engine. Get you looking at things in different ways. Watch the threads of evidence twist and unravel.
Most important, keep moving and keep on writing.
Giveaway:
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Loved reading and now can't wait to get my hands on a copy. Hoping to be the fortunate one selected. :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the blog and love the cover of Single Malt Murder ~
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful and I love plots like this. Plus I am really into ebooks now also as they are so practical on my Kindle. Thank you for the review.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com