Hello!
How is this week treating you? I hope fabulously, but even if it's not proving spectacular yet, I hope you've at least found a few great books to get lost in.
For me, as I racked my pea brain for a silly story to share with you in this week's post, getting lost in great books was first and foremost on my mind
Or rather, getting lost in "forbidden" books was on my mind after coming across a writing prompt that went something like, “Did you read any books you weren’t supposed as a kid?”
I think you can all guess the answer to this one.
After all, we had a lot of Stephen King in the house when I was a kid. I knew these were “bad” books. Scary books. Books not meant for kids. Which meant they had to be good, right?
And since they were within reach of my long monkey arms, I’d dive into them (especially the short stories) when no one was looking.
A tangent that will eventually tie into this...
My dad was once doing some household project that required him to crawl around on his hands and knees.
Seeing this as an excellent chance to play “horsey,” I would often ride on his back as he toiled away to the then-country melodies of Olivia Newton-John.
Later, when I started playing Olivia’s pop-music albums over and over (and over), he insisted that that time spent riding on his back must have warped my brain to cause such a Olivia Newton-John obsession.
But really, I think it was the Stephen King.
Or maybe it was both.
In fact, I think it SHOULD be both.
I mean, just imagine the mash-up potential!
After all, who’s to say whether beastly Cujo might not have been soothed by the sweet music of "Xanadu"?
Maybe Carrie would have had a better time in school if she’d only danced along to the Grease soundtrack?
Maybe Jack Torrance wouldn’t have gone quite so stir crazy in The Shining if he’d just high-stepped it to "Let’s Get Physical".\
Clearly, this guy needed a bit more cardio in his life, right?
We’ll never know...but my Olivia-King-warped mind is having a ball picturing it.
Anyway, rebellious reading and must-happen mash-ups aside, I hope you have a great week full of great books and great imaginary mash-ups!
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SLIGHTLY LESS SUBVERSIVE WRITING IS COMING SOON!!
Beast or Famine is headed your way on 19 October 2023.
Although it's the fourth book in the series, Beast or Famine is a great way to jump into Circus of Unusual Creatures Mysteries.
Go on and try a sample chapter* or pre-order your copy at select retailers or directly from my Payhip Bookstore today!
*The book is still in the proofreading stages, so please forgive any typos in that sample. They will be resolved shortly : )
What readers (who I only had to bribe a little) have to say about the series so far...
“Light and fanciful with a darn good mystery woven in. What fun!” (Hoard It All Before)
"I gobbled this book up like Duncan (the main character) gobbles up omelets! It was so entertaining, so laugh-out-loud funny, I finished it in two days!!!" (Fangs a Million)
“…a charming tale of dragons, deception, and dastardly deeds, and I loved every minute of it.” (Tipping the Scales)
“…an excellent read, very funny - I was kept on the edge of my seat not knowing what was going to happen next. Well worth reading…this hilarious series” (Tipping the Scales)
"...an entertaining addition to the series and should delight readers of cozies who enjoy a dash of oddball flavor." (Fangs a Million)
“Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down…it was that good!” (Hoard It All Before)
"This book is both hilariously funny and an unpredictable whodunnit - highly recommended" (Fangs a Million)
- A seaside eating contest.
- A cheating, song-stealing, and all-around-no-good ex.
- And a chain-smoking unicorn doling out dating advice.
What could possibly go wrong?
The Circus of Unusual Creatures has been invited to perform as the feature act at the Seaside Family Fun Fair’s annual eating contest.
Right from the start, trouble is brewing. Trouble that, to everyone’s surprise, has (almost) nothing to do with
Fergus now referring to himself as The Love Guru.
Besides foul moods over the weather, the working conditions, and sand wedging itself, well, everywhere, tempers truly flare when Molly’s ex-husband, Albert, shows up for the competition.
Albert has a bad track record. He’s cheated in a previous eating contest, he’s stolen Molly’s music, and he’s got an ogre-sized secret that could destroy the fun fair.
So, when the competition turns deadly, Duncan — dragon and amateur sleuth — has a long list of people who wouldn’t mind sending Albert six feet under. Problem is, two of his friends are the most likely suspects.
Matters only get worse when Duncan discovers Zin has agreed to a partnership that reeks more than a rotting sack of fish heads.
Plus, Pepper’s been so busy prepping food for the contest, she’s failed to keep up with Duncan’s omelet needs.
Seriously, no dragon should have to sleuth in these conditions.
Can Duncan find the killer before they strike again? Will Zin lose his circus to this partnership? What relationship disasters will Fergus cause? And what is up with those ogres?
Find out in Beast or Famine, Book 4 of The Circus of Unusual Creatures Mystery series.
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