HOG INSANE - Carole Brown - One Free Book or Ebook

Bio: Carole Brown lives in Southeast Ohio and is always on the lookout for catchy titles and suspenseful plots. The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman, her debut inspirational novel, is a Selah Award Finalist and a ACFW Genesis semi-finalist and also wrote a companion book (West Virginia Scrapbook: The Life of Caralynne Hayman) with discussion questions, quotes, recipes and interesting tidbits to go along with it. The first book, Hog Insane, in her cozy mystery book series, has recently been released. She has also written five children’s books, Racy, the Rabbit, dealing with character traits, and won two awards for her poems.

Carole has written her whole life as newspaper reporter, editor of journals and newsletters, and research manuscripts. When not penning her own novels, she enjoys mentoring beginning writers and founded a writer’s group called Circle of Pens where she can mentor to her heart’s content. Her passion for serving continues in her secretarial work and coordinator for the state of Ohio with ACFW.

She and her husband have traveled extensively throughout the United States ministering and counseling. They have particularly enjoyed the western states where they’ve labored with the Native Americans and many other specific places where she gathers folder for her writings. They continue to enjoy traveling, their grandsons, the country life and city lights, gardens, and good food.

Welcome, Carole. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

Suspense/mystery has always been my first love. Team that with a touch of romance and sometimes pertinent topics from today’s world, and I’m in heaven!

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

My first most innocent happiest day came when I married my best friend, my husband, Dan, and I say innocent, because being a newlywed, I didn’t realize what all a couple must learn and give and do to remain close and in love.

Having acknowledged that, enjoying the birth of my first (and possibly only birth grandchild) I will ever see/enjoy/have, I believe has been the happiest. I know he will have a lot to go through, and in this world, will face a lot of temptations and decisions, but I still count his birth as the happiest. The only thing better would be to know he loves God as he grows older.

How has being published changed your life?

A lot of my time is spent in marketing, which fortunately, I enjoy for the most part. Then I also feel more pressure to finish writing projects and get more books out there for my readers. It’s all a part of being a writer, and one I love.

What are you reading right now?

I have a missionary book I need to skim through for our missionary program at church, plus several books from writing friends I owe reviews to: Lisa Lawmaster Hess, Mary Ellis, Molly Noble Bull, Barbara Derksen, and another one Revell requested a review. There are ALWAYS plenty of books needing reviews, and I certainly try to honor that. I know how much they mean to an author.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m working on several:

I’m completing the second book in my cozy mysteries, Bat Crazy.

I’m finishing a historical romantic suspense set in the late 1800s.

I’m also working on “second” books in series including a new contemporary romantic suspense set in Montana and a historical WWII spy romantic suspense.

What would be your dream vacation?

Traveling to several countries I’ve not visited yet: Italy, Australia, and perhaps Mexico (more).

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I decide on a setting once I have an idea for a book. I like to research and go over possibilities of what could/would work, what place seems logical and most importantly, gives me the feeling of being the “right” place.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

This is a hard one for me because I have no particular interest in spending it with anyone other than my friends and family. But if I had to choose, it would be with one of my favorite writers, and I have several.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I enjoy collecting music boxes, but at the stage I’m in now, I prefer antique, interesting or particular ones that capture my attention. I have a wide variety already, so can afford to be a little choosier in continuing this hobby! J

I also enjoy scribbling quotes in journals.

And I collect mugs from states we’ve visited. Since we’ve visited many already, I probably only have about a third more to go. After that, I’ll switch to finding better or more fun or something I like better than what I have now.

We also really love traveling and being with family, especially now that we have three grandsons. We’re always planning short trips we can take with them, or times they can spend the night (and days!) with us. Mommy, so far, has been generous in sharing. J

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

The worst would be finding and keeping the time to write as a priority. We live a busy life and many things are important to me, so I grab what time I can when I can. It takes me a little longer to accomplish my writing, but I get it done.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

As always, I would say: Never, never quit. If you truly feel you’re “called” to write, then write. Don’t let anything or anyone stop you. Find your groove, find your writing technique, find five minutes here and there and keep at it.

Tell us about the featured book.

Hog Insane is a cozy mystery that introduces the married character team of Denton and Alex Davies. It’s the first book of what I call my “crazy or insanity” series, with Book 2 (Bat Crazy) due out in a few months. Book 3 will be Daffy’s Duck, and on and on, until I run out of crazy terms! Lol Here’s a bit about it:

A dead body, a missing motorcycle, a strange key, and dope are at the bottom of the trouble Denton and Alex Davies, and Taffy, their Jack Russell Terrier, run into when they head for their first stop in the Smoky Mountains immediately after early retirement.

All Denton wants is to fish and recapture his wife’s love. She wants him to respect her wishes. Instead, they find the body of Anthony Risler with a bullet hole in his head. None of the campground people, or even the sheriff, pretend to like Denton and his snoopy questions, and everyone seems to be lying.

Denton figures Risler’s missing bike has to hide some kind of evidence that incriminates the murderer. Archie McGhee, the campground manager is self-centered and greedy enough to hide the motorcycle for the murderer, so why doesn’t he know where the bike is now? The Stillwells, although good-looking and popular, brag way too much to suit the Davies. The expensive S-shaped, ruby watch they foist onto Alex ought to play into the mystery, yet Denton can find no evidence of it. The drug-using, gun-toting man who chases Taffy knows more than he’s telling and raises questions in Denton’s mind even when forced to partner with the man.

Why is the sheriff ignoring obvious clues, and why would he leave a bribery note lying around where Denton’s suspicious eyes can see it? When Denton finds the keys with the strange looking C charm Alex and Denton realize only their pastor’s wife, back in Ohio, and the small, cherry-wood box Risler gave her, can provide the final clue they need to reveal the killer.

Denton wrestles with his personal demons of self-blame over his nephew’s death while riding a bike. Alex resents Denton’s riding roughshod over her feelings. When he thinks her love is fading, he’s determined to woo her back. But if he doesn’t find the young man’s murderer, their love may stretch to the breaking point.

Amazon print: http://bit.ly/1fd3cCQ

Amazon kindle: http://amzn.to/1eDC39t

Books a Million: http://bit.ly/1fd3cCQ
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1dvNA6z

Please give us the first page of the book.

“You what?”

“I bought—”

“I know what you said,” I growled. A vision of my wife’s closet back home, filled with rows of shoes—basic colors like black, blue, brown, and white, and a rainbow of colors—flashed across my mind’s eye and nearly blinded me. Alexandria Davies had more shoes than any middle class lady should admit to.

We strolled toward the campground restaurant. The lights from the office behind us cast weird shadows on the shortcut path. I scowled and opened my mouth to let Alex hear why she didn’t need that eighty-sixth pair of shoes.

An explosive crack split the air around us and blasted the fussing right out of my head. I dropped to the mossy ground and pulled Alex down with me, breathing hard, my eyes searching the shadowy darkness closing in on us.

The throbbing rumble of a fast approaching Hog drowned out the creaks of nightlife, as the bike tore down the road that ran parallel with the path we were on. In a blur of silver and black, the sole rider wove from side to side in an imbecilic pattern.

Before I could dwell on it, a small, dark car roared by, twenty feet or so behind the bike. All the windows were dark except one, and something protruded from it. Something long, narrow, and ominous.

I blinked and hugged the edge of the road even tighter. Couldn’t be a gun.

Nah. Ludicrous.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Personal blog: http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaroleBrown.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/browncarole212

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sunnywrtr/boards/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5237997-carole-brown

I also am part of several other blogs:

Stitches in Time: http://stitchesthrutime.blogspot.com/

Barn Door Book Loft: http://www.barndoorbookloft.net/

Thank you, Lena, for this opportunity!

Thank you, Carole, for sharing a peek into your life and your new book with us.

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