Crepes Suzette: A Cozy Mystery by @JanetLynn4 #4FunFacts

Today author Janet Elizabeth Lynn is here with Four Fun Facts about her cozy mystery, Crepes Suzette.

4 Fun Facts

Fact 1
I love to eat but hate to cook! So my favorite desserts/foods must be made by others. However, I am proud to announce I have mastered the art of making Crepes Suzette. A wonderful, simple dessert.

Fact 2
Though I’m not adopted, I’ve had wonderful friends and college roommates who were. Many found their biological mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters and managed to have lasting relations with them. This is what prompted this story.

Fact 3
At one time I was an Entertainment Editor for a newspaper in Southern California. Many of the quirky characters, i.e., Boss man, Loony Bin, Nate the Snake are based on real people I worked with. They had regular names but…their nicknames were in my head and diary.

Fact 4
The picture of Wrigley Rose, the heroine, on the cover was inspired by my image of me in the after life!!

Crepe SuzetteSummary

Wrigley Rose, 25, editor of the Uptown Bulletin, decides to take life more seriously and makes positive life affirmations. With the encouragement of her two best girlfriends, she ventures in search of her biological parents and a husband to begin a family of her own. She discovers that her positive life affirmations work. She finds three great, but different guys to possibly settle down with, plus, she finds a lead in her search for her birth parents.

The community has always loved her witty and humorous column. But suddenly, a slander lawsuit is slapped on her and the paper. When the three guys she thought she couldn’t live without and her job become tenuous, her life takes drastic turns she never could have imagined. Especially when she discovers mysterious information about her family. Wrigley is thrown into uncharted waters and life threatening danger.

Watch the video trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fa5_slznoA

Excerpt

 

I walked into Boss man’s office for our Monday morning stand-up meeting at the Uptown Bulletin. As usual, we were waiting for Ed our copy guy. My co-worker Nate the Snake was making nice with Boss Man, and Boss man’s secretary, Lucy but I call her Looney Bin. This week she’s in an outlandish, peacock blue, pressed on lamée outfit.

First up on the agenda was the Gay Pride Parade. “I think Wrigley should go.” Nate the snake whined. “She’s in charge of the Entertainment section, not me.”

I countered with my schedule, “I have to be at the Art Festival which brought in thousands of dollars last week. They’re giving the paper an award and they’re expecting me. I’m already scheduled with two other events that Saturday.”

“I’m not going. It’s your event. You figure it out.” Nate the Snake smiled, showing his tombstone teeth.

“I can’t,” I wanted to yell but kept the lid on it.

“I’m not going and you can’t make me,” he folded his arms, extending his chin like a child in a tantrum.

I watched his lips, fully expecting him to stick out his tongue.

“He doesn’t want to go Wrigs,” Boss Man looked over his shoulder at me and blew out a smoke ring. “Make it work.”

“I can’t make it work. I can’t be in two places at once!” I think I was close to shouting.

“Okay then send Lucy.” Nate the Snake suggested.

“I’d love to!” spilled out of Looney Bin.

“She can’t do it!” I can just see Lucy walking down the sidewalk in her lamée with a crowd of gay men following her while bidding on her outfit.

Everyone looked at me, the room went dead silent. I shouldn’t have said that. Think Wrigley, say something nice. “It’s dangerous. She doesn’t know the ins and outs of covering an event like this.”

“Okay, I’ll pick you up and I’ll take you. You review it.” Boss Man volunteered.

Silence again. I put my hand on Looney Bin’s shoulder, “I’ll give you an outline to follow.” I had to sound like I wanted to help.

“Don’t touch me,” Looney Bin crouched to the other side of her chair.

“Okay. Now the next thing on the agenda,” he looked at me.

“So, why do I need a babysitter?” I protested. “I’ve been the editor of the Entertainment Section for four years. This never came up before.”

I told myself to calm down, and stay focused. I can’t let it get to me. I’m a big girl, I know how to take care of myself. I tried to listen to Boss Man but I couldn’t get last night’s assignment at the Bohemian Folk Music event out of my head. It gave me such a headache that I left early. It’s still echoing in my head!

I titled my review, “One hundred and one ways to bang on things.” Boss Man is going to have a fit when he edits it. Knowing him, he’ll sit back in his chair, blow smoke rings and stare me down. The number of smoke rings determined how mad he is.

I deliberately drank coffee this morning so I could focus for a long period of time. Nate the Snake was talking to Looney Bin. Her peacock blue four inch nails and hair bands sparkled from the sky light. I saw Boss Man’s mouth move, but for some reason I couldn’t process it. Focus, Wrigley, focus. There went my stomach again.

“So, if I’m doing a good job,” I inquired, “why do I need a babysitter?” I really felt indignant about this.

“Escort, Wrigley. Escort.” Nate the Snake interrupted. “And just think, he may be some gorgeous guy to escort you around!”

“Look,” Boss Man stared me down with those bushy eyebrows of his. “The attorneys said I’m liable…the paper is liable should something happen to you on an assignment. So we’re sending an escort with you. Deal with it Wrigs.”

I hate it when he calls me Wrigs.

Bio:
I was born in Queens, New York and raised in Long Island, until I was 12 years old. My family escaped the freezing winters and hurricanes for the warmth and casual lifestyle of Southern California.

I’ve always wanted to write so made it a quest to write a novel. Ten years later, with much blood and sweat, my first murder mystery novel was published in 2011.

I have traveled to the far reached of the planet for work and for pleasure, collecting wonderful memories, newfound friends and a large basket of shampoo and conditioner samples from hotels.

Important places to find me:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janet.lynn.5477
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/home?trk=nav_responsive_tab_home
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanetLynn4
Blog: http://janetelizabethlynnauthor.blogspot.com/
Website: www.janetlynnauthor.com
e-mail: janet_lynn51@yahoo.com

Thanks for visiting today, Janet. Crepes Suzette sounds like a fun read, and I really love the cover. I’m not much of a cook, either, so I’m impressed that you learned how to make Crepes Suzette. I’d give it a try, but my husband wouldn’t let me light it on fire. He won’t let me play with matches.

Leave a comment or subscribe to the blog to be entered in my monthly drawing for a trade paperback copy of my erotic science fiction collection Alliance: Stellar Romance.

Linda / Lyndi

A Promise At Dawn by @jelquinnauthor #RockingSummerRomance #4FunFacts

SummerMy Guest today is Jane Leopold Quinn, author of A Promise At Dawn, a Rocking Summer Romance. Do try not to get burned by the scorching sexy cover!

4 Fun Facts

1. Gil wants to paint Faye. She asks, “You don’t want to do this in the…um…the nude, do you?” She placed a hand on her chest above her breasts.
He responds, “Well, no, I’m not usually in the nude when I paint,” he responded dryly. “But that’s your choice.”

2. Gil and Faye are smooching on the beach and are attacked by two greyhounds that lope up to them, stopping short to cock their heads at the humans. The dogs are soon followed by their owner.

3. Boy, this is boring. This is what Faye thinks while she poses for Gil. Even though it’s a sensual experience for both of them.

4. Faye is older than Gil by 12 years.

JLQ-cover200x300
A Promise at Dawn
by Jane Leopold Quinn
Genre: Erotic contemporary short story

Blurb:

Their affair was scorchingly sensual.

Faye Burke, recently widowed, retreated to the coast of Maine to grieve and reassess her future. Her favorite part of the day is watching the sun rise out of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s also when the man she considers her guilty pleasure runs along the beach.

Gil Farrelly, a successful painter, is trying to get his career back on track after the studio fire that destroyed everything. He starts his creative juices flowing every day by running on the beach. The lovely woman who watches him also gets his juices flowing and he’s determined to reinvent his career by painting her.

Faye’s combination of maturity and sensual vulnerability intrigue Gil and he wants to immortalize her on his canvas. She’s flattered, aroused and ultimately frightened of the emotions he incites. He claims not to care he’s younger by twelve years but she believes sooner or later he’ll come to his senses and seek out women his own age. Can Faye conquer her fears? Can Gil prove to her it’s not age separating them but her fear?

Excerpt:

With a clatter of easels, boxes of paints and glass jars of brushes, Gil set up on her porch. A stiff breeze swept across the space but a rattan wind screen at one end did a good job of protecting them. The day had started out cloudy and threatening rain and still held that promise. He had work to do before he could give in to the weather.

Faye had greeted him at the door, looking almost as adorable as she’d looked the night before. Today she wore light makeup and left her hair loose and wavy the way he’d asked her to. Denim cropped pants and a tight red sweater made her look like a teenager. She had to be in her early forties but it didn’t matter to him. She was very attractive no matter her age. “Let’s get started, shall we Faye?”

“Would you like some coffee or something else to drink?”

“Not right now but I’ll take you up on that later, okay? Why don’t you stand over there.” He indicated the corner of the porch. “Lean one hip on the railing.” When he came close, he was enthralled by the warm vanilla fragrance infusing her hair. He lifted a hand to touch the cloud-soft mass. She stilled, then shivered as if waiting for him to make a move. He wrapped his fingers in the silky strands.

She uttered a little cry, more of a whimper. Her lips parted, her eyes widened and met his with a flustered look. At that moment he wanted her fiercely. Before he’d known anything about her, she’d seemed fragile. He didn’t know much more now but a woman who still wore her wedding ring a year and a half after her husband’s death must have loved him very much. A woman like that would have depths of emotion.

He’d thought he was in pain from losing his studio and his work but Faye’s was far more significant. He didn’t want to see her grieve any longer but all he knew for sure was that he wanted to paint her for himself. He envisioned the scene in his mind. She was perfect for it. All that was left was to do her justice. Was it because he wanted to capture her beauty on canvas or because she got his juices flowing faster than any running could? He knew it was both.

He rested his forefinger under her chin and turned her face toward him. Giving her his most soothing smile, he said, “Relax, Faye, this won’t hurt a bit. Now I’m going over there.” He pointed toward his easel. “You’re going to lean here.” He tapped the railing. “And I’ll start some sketches.”

She gazed up at him with those incredible turquoise eyes, her confusion and longing speaking to him, raspberry-shaded lips pursed slightly. Mmm, the thought roared through his mind. Kiss her.

It’s too soon.

She’s not ready.

Just paint her.

A Promise at Dawn is available at Amazon.

Amazon Reviews

“Good short story! Faye and Gil have very hot chemistry, and their story is heartwarming. I was surprised at the character development in such a short offering. Faye had suffered such a huge loss, and we were drawn in along on her new path in life.”

“Ms Quinn paints a detailed portrait of a woman re-awakening after the loss of her husband. Her emotional state is handled quite deftly. This story has pathos, passion and humor woven together. Gil and Faye’s story unfolds quickly and it’s a scorcher.”

Bio

Sensual fantasies were locked in my mind for years until a friend said, “Why don’t you write them down?” Why not, indeed? One spiral notebook, a pen and the unleashing of my imagination later, and here I am with more than a dozen books published. The craft of writing erotic romance has become my passion and my niche in life. I love every part of the creative process — developing characters, designing the plot, even drawing the layout of physical spaces from my stories. My careers have been varied — third grade school teacher, bookkeeper, secretary — none of which gave me a bit of inspiration. But now I’m lucky enough to write romance full time — the best job in the universe!

Jane Leopold Quinn

My Romance:  Love With a Scorching Sensuality

Blog: http://janeleopoldquinn.BlogSpot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jelquinnauthor

Amazon Author Page

Leave a comment or subscribe to the blog to be entered in my monthly drawing for a trade paperback copy of my erotic science fiction collection Alliance: Stellar Romance.

Lyndi Lamont