Monday, January 25, 2016

NO ACCOUNTING FOR MURDER - Leeann Betts - One Free Book

Dear Readers, here’s another author to welcome to our blog for the first time. You know how much you love contemporary suspense.

Bio: Leeann Betts writes contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical suspense. No Accounting for Murder and There Was a Crooked Man, books 1 and 2 in her By the Numbers series, recently released. Book 3, Unbalanced, releases in January, with plans for Book 4, Five and Twenty Blackbirds, due in April, with more planned for later dates. Leeann and Donna have penned a book on writing, Nuggets of Writing Gold, and Donna has published a book of short stories, Second Chances and Second Cups. You can follow Leeann at www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com and Donna at www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com . All books are available at Amazon.com in digital and print, and at Smashwords.com in digital.

Welcome, Leeann. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
I think it depends on the book. Carly is an accountant, and I am an accountant. Carly likes mysteries, and so do I. Carly isn’t a joiner, and I tend not to be either. Carly is married to a computer programmer, and guess what my hubby does—right, he’s a programmer. Apart from that, I don’t live in a small town. I do have step-children, but two daughters not a son and a daughter. And as much as I love a good mystery, I’ve never found a body or identified a murder suspect.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
I guess that depends on your definition of quirky. Co-writing a book with my real self would probably count.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?
I’ve loved to write ever since I was a kid, and I could fill a page with words in a flash. However, it wasn’t until about ten years ago that I knew I had at least one book in me. When I began writing No Accounting for Murder, I hoped I had at least one book.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I enjoy mysteries, suspense, and almost any genre that includes either mystery or suspense.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?
I have a husband who is very calming. I also make lists so I don’t have to keep everything in my head. And I like paper files so I can capture stuff inside the covers.

How do you choose your characters’ names?
Carly’s name came from my step-mom’s name which was Carrie. Mike is my husband’s brother. Other characters sometimes come from people I know that I like. If I don’t like the character, I use a name dictionary that includes character traits, and I look for negative traits.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
I think that changes with time. I was very pleased that I had one book in me. And then when I finished the second, wow! Third—you’re getting the picture. I’ve completed more than 20 novellas and novels, so I guess that’s a good accomplishment. Being published in devotional books—a dream come true. And now I’m independently published—never thought I’d go this route.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?
A cat. Stress free. Do what you want when you want, and ignore people who are asking you to do something J

What is your favorite food?
Chocolate. If I could eat it without any negative health repercussions. As it is, I eat it sparingly.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
I think my greatest roadblock was thinking anybody but me would want to read what I was writing. I took a chance and sent the first book to ten people I didn’t know (they volunteered through a couple of online writers groups I belong to) and when I got their responses, I saw they laughed where it was funny, cried where it was sad, couldn’t figure out whodunit but were very satisfied with the conclusion.

Tell us about the featured book.
No Accounting for Murder features Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant. While this is her first book, this is not her first mystery. If readers would like to read a prequel short story to this book, they can go to http://www.leeannbetts.com/2.html and read “Roasted Bean Counters.” In the first book, Carly’s daughter is suspected of embezzling money, and a disreputable business receives a building permit under the table, threatening the peace and quiet of Bear Cove, Maine. When Carly investigates both situations, she receives threatening faxes, she has an accident that was no accident, and a key witness goes missing, only to turn up dead in yet another suspicious accident. Can Carly figure out who is behind all of these events, or will the killer succeed in keeping her quiet—for good?

Please give us the first page of the book.
Bear Cove, Maine, population three hundred and twelve souls at the height of the lobster season, was normally a sleepy little town, just the way Carly Turnquist liked it.

But not this morning.
           
Faintly at first, building in volume, came sounds not normally heard in quiet Bear Cove. Horns blared, voices shouted, and bass music boomed, rattling the pictures on the walls. Carly pressed her face closer to the windowpane, tipping her head first right, then left, determining the direction of the commotion.

"Sounds like it's coming from downtown," she muttered to no one in particular. "I hope it's not one of those Watkins boys joyriding again."

Not wanting to be left out of the loop, she took the stairs two at a time up to the bedroom she shared with her husband Mike, arriving at the top landing slightly out of breath. Deciding what to wear to check out the blaring horns and loud voices wasn't difficult. As a forensics accountant who worked out of her home, Carly had a handy wardrobe replete with sweats, jeans, t-shirts, and hoodies.

How can readers find you on the Internet?
and Facebook and Twitter

Thank you, Leeann, for sharing this new book with us. My blog readers will love it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
No Accounting For Murder: Book 1 (By the Numbers)

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

27 comments:

Leeann Betts said...

Thank you, Lena, for hosting me today. And thank you, readers, for taking the time to visit. Carly is one of my favorite characters, and yes, she is somewhat autobiographical. As readers, do you tend to prefer characters who are more like you, or less like you?

Connie Porter Saunders said...

Hi LeeAnn and Lena. LeeAnn, I enjoyed getting to know you and I look forward to reading more if this book. In answer to your question, I think it is 50-50 as to my preference of the character. I prefer that they have some of my moral character and this is why I read Christian fiction but I enjoy someone who is braver and more adventurous. I can enjoy the danger and thrills vicariously and that is why I enjoy romantic suspense. Thanks for sharing this first page and giving us a chance to win your book
Blessings!
Connie from KY
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com

Linda Kish said...

I wonder how you coauthor a book with your main character. Sounds interesting. The start sounds good. Tell me more.

Linda in California

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Leeann Betts said...

Hi Connie: Thanks for your comment. I like to write from a Christian worldview, too. I've tried writing more of a "Christian" book with salvation scenes and Bible verses, but for me, it always sounds contrived. So I prefer to have my characters discover their need for God in a more subtle way. Good luck in the drawing. Leeann

Leeann Betts said...

Hi Linda: I think I don't co-author as much as I insert the parts of me that I like (my love of numbers, my propensity to ask too many questions and poke my nose in where it doesn't belong), but then, like Connie said, I want my characters to say and do those things I either wouldn't or wouldn't be quick enough to say or do. That's one advantage of writing -- it gives you time to come up with the quick comebacks :) Let's see, more about the story -- well, Carly believes this company is buying a property just outside town to move in a nudist colony, which she is against. So she starts asking around, like who would approve such a permit. The mayor did, under the table, so to speak. And when she tries to ask him questions, he avoids her like the plague. Then her daughter calls and says money is missing from the school account where she volunteers, and they board thinks she took it. Can she come help? Then begins a series of accidents, threats, and mishaps, that instead of deterring Carly, make her more curious. So she keeps asking questions. And then not one but two attempts to kill her occur before she figures out who is behind all this. Hopefully that's enough for you to want to read more :) Leeann

Donna B said...

I would love to read No Accounting For Murder! I love working with numbers/accounting and love reading suspense stories. This sounds like a very interesting book. Donna from Illinois d[dot]brookmyer[at]yahoo[dot]com

Mary Preston said...

A great first page thank you. Love the cover.

Mary P

QLD AUSTRALIA

Anne Payne said...

Hey Leeann, Great interview with Lena! You're a new-to-me author and I hope to read one of your books soon. I have always loved mysteries, ever since devouring The Dana Girls books when I was a young girl. I read them like they were chocolate candy!

I once told DiAnn Mills (during an author FB chat)that if I could be anyone in another life, I would want to be an FBI agent. That's about as far from what I do in real life, as possible. So to answer your question, I guess I prefer characters who are less like me. :-)

Anne ~ VA

rubynreba said...

I usually prefer characters who are less like me. I tend to be quiet and not take too many chances. I love to read about daring characters!
Beth from IA

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

Oh, this book has such a great storyline, I would enjoy reading it very much.
I live in Canada .

Leeann Betts said...

Hi Donna: Thanks for the encouragement. If you don't win the free copy, I hope you'll read No Accounting for Murder anyway. And the good news is, if you like it, Book 2 is out, There was a Crooked Man, and Book 3 comes out January 31, Unbalanced. And more are planned!

Leeann Betts said...

Hi Mary:
Thanks. I love the cover, too. My husband and I design our own covers, and the photography is mine, too.

Leeann Betts said...

Hi Anne: My first career choice was to be a veterinarian, and I almost pursued that in my later adult years, but God had a different plan. I'm an accountant by training, a detective by aptitude, so I guess if I was considering a career change, it would be to specialize in forensics accounting. If you don't win, I hope you'll check out the series some other way. Good luck!

Leeann Betts said...

Hi Ruby: I think a lot of us live what we'd consider boring lives. But to others, our lives may be exactly what they wish theirs was like. The grass is always greener, and all that. Maybe in your next book, choose a secondary character to be the opposite of what you are. That might provide a great counterpoint to your main character. And that daring character doesn't have to be an antagonist, either. Good luck in the contest.

Leeann Betts said...

Hi Marjorie: Thanks for the encouragement. I was actually born in Canada -- Newfoundland, to be precise. Funny thing is, in my first draft, Carly made a comment she was "as full as an egg". But my critique group had never heard that saying. Have you? Good luck in the drawing.

GrandaddyA said...

I am not an accountant but I studied accounting years ago. I believe I could relate to the lead character in this book. It sounds interesting.
Edward A in VA

apple blossom said...

sounds intriguing thanks for the chance to win
live in ND

Sharon Richmond Bryant said...

Enter me!!
Conway, SC.

Abigail Mitchell said...

Love Mysteries! Please enter me!
Blanch NC

Abigail Mitchell said...

Love Mysteries! Please enter me!
Blanch NC

Leeann Betts said...

Hi Edward, Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. Good luck in the drawing. And I think accounting is like riding a bike -- you never really forget :)

Leeann Betts said...

Hi Apple Blossom: Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. Good luck to you. And I hope if you don't win, you'll still snag a copy and read it.

Leeann Betts said...

Hi Sharon: Consider yourself entered! Good luck in the drawing.

Leeann Betts said...

Hi Abigail: Glad to hear from another mystery-lover like myself -- and Carly. Good luck!

Tammy G. said...

Yay! A great looking read!
Tammy in East Texas

Brenda Arrington said...

Sounds interesting and like one I would enjoy.
Brenda in VA

Pam said...

I, too, am a great fan of suspense books. Would love to try out this "new-to-me" author's work.

Pam in OH