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?

www.LeeannBetts.com

www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com

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)

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