POLITICAL DIRTY TRICK - James R Callan - One Free Book

Welcome back, James. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

He has blessed me more than I can imagine. I have faith he will continue to hold me in the palm of His hand.

I so agree with that, and I thank Him often for where He’s led me. Tell us a little about your family.

We have been blessed with four great children, one son and three daughters. Our son is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Our eldest daughter handles royalties for those who write the music for movies. Our middle daughter teaches in elementary school and sings in her own band. And our youngest daughter is a writer of middle grade non-fiction and has over 70 books published.

Then we have six grandkids, two granddaughters and four grandsons.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

When I’m in the middle of writing a mystery, I don’t want to read any mysteries. Same thing for suspense. Those are my favorite genres to read, but when I’m writing, I don’t want to be exposed to other writers’ ideas in the same genre I’m writing at the moment.

What are you working on right now?

I have just published the third Crystal Moore Suspense novel, Political Dirty Trick. So, mostly I am working on the launch of this book. It is published in digital, paperback and hardcover editions. The audio will be out in the summer. But plot snippets for another Crystal Moore book are beginning to rattle around in my brain.

What outside interests do you have?

My wife and I like to travel. We have visited all fifty of the United States. We have traveled to six continents (having missed Antarctica). We have a nice home in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and spend a good bit of time there.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Both my Father Frank Mystery Series and the Crystal Moore Suspense books are primarily set in northeast Texas. Why? First, I know the area well. I was raised in Dallas and after spending twenty years in Connecticut, I moved to rural northeast Texas. Second, there are many interesting characters here that give me models for book characters. And third, several of the

plots have naturally come from this area. For instance, Cleansed by Fire centers around church burnings. That happened here a few years back. Then Over My Dead Body was inspired by eminent domain used by private companies. That actually happened to my wife and I just about one year before that book was released. Hmmm. Coincidence? Maybe not. A Ton of Gold was the result of reading an old Texas folktale.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

How difficult and time consuming marketing would be. Foolishly I thought the publisher would handle all that. There’s a lesson here about rose-colored glasses.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Patience. And I am not a very apt student. But He has been so good to me throughout my entire life, I’ll try to do better for Him.

   

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Read, write and be persistent.

Tell us about the featured book.

In Political Dirty Trick, Crystal’s good friend, Ron Drake, is a shoo-in to win the gubernatorial race in Texas. Two volunteers in the opposition camp (George and Ginnie) believe their candidate’s only chance is a political dirty trick that will sink his numbers in the polls. They construct an elaborate hoax and with a source in the D.A.’s office, leak fake news to the media.

The dirty trick is successful and Drake’s numbers plummet. But things go wrong and a man is killed. Ginnie is determined not to get caught for the man’s death, and to cover it up, another man is killed.

Crystal sets out to find who is leaking the unfair information. She has no idea the murders are connected to the fake news. But as she begins to gather clues, Ginnie decided no one is looking for her or George—except Crystal. To Ginnie, Crystal must be eliminated and she makes several attempts on Crystal’s life.

Drake’s once invincible lead evaporates and on election day, he comes in second. But the election isn’t over. The attempts on Crystal’s life aren’t either. Drake may lose the election. And Crystal may lose her life.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Saturday, March 24

She crept into the room, a mere shadow. No sound. No trace of her presence. The small flashlight she pulled from her pocket produced only a slight glow, hardly noticeable from across the room, invisible from outside. But it revealed the major objects in the room: a desk, two chairs. And the Mondrian. She studied the painting for a moment. Why would anyone pay big bucks for this nonsense? With a canvas, a paint pallet and a bottle of vodka, I could produce the same thing in an hour or two. Would anyone pay me three hundred thou for it? Not a chance.

No one was in the house, yet she moved with care to lift the painting off the wall. Lighter than she expected and only about three feet square. She turned and glided out of the room. Except for the missing painting, nothing had been disturbed, not even the dust. She made her way down the short hall and into the kitchen, headed out the way she came in.

She froze.

A noise, ever so slight, came from the back door. A key slipped into a lock.

The owner, at a campaign rally, shouldn’t be home for another hour. Light flooded the entry room and she heard footsteps coming toward the kitchen, toward her. The room was still dark, but her eyes had become accustomed to the low light. Her mind raced as fast as her heartbeat. She started forward, then stopped. Back toward the study would leave her exposed in the hall.

The only other exit was a door on her left. She opened it. A pantry. She slipped in, and eased it shut just as the kitchen lit up.

Intriguing. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is: http://www.jamesrcallan.com

My blog is: http://www.jamesrcallan.com/blog

My author page on Amazon is: http://amzn.to/1eeykvG

Thank you, James, for sharing this new book with us. I’m eager to read it, and I know many of my blog readers are, too.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Political Dirty Trick: A Crystal Moore Suspense (Volume 3) - Paperback
Political Dirty Trick: A Crystal Moore Suspense - Kindle

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 or country if outside North America. (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

A SILVER MEDALLION - James R Callan - One Free Book

Welcome back, James. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

A Silver Medallion releases this week. The horizon is filled with my least favorite activity - marketing. But this is an important book in that it highlights the plight of so many people who get trapped in an intolerable situation, with no way to get out, and the good people who try to help them. So I will market it to the best of my ability.

A very important topic. Tell us a little about your family.

My wife and I have four grown children and six grandchildren. Unfortunately, they are scattered across the U.S. from Pennsylvania to California. It does provide us with ample reasons to travel.

I’m really blessed to have all my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren live within 20 miles of us. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Yes, it has, mostly in three ways. My favorite genre to read is mystery. But when I am in the midst of writing a mystery, I do not read mysteries. Second, now I read more "women's fiction" to learn more about emotions. And as I meet more writers, I read their books, thus expanding my reading list.

What are you working on right now?

I have begun the third Father Frank mystery, which will follow Cleansed by Fire and Over My Dead Body. These are cozy mysteries where a minister must solve the crime.

What outside interests do you have?

My wife and I both love to travel and we do a good bit of that, both in the U.S. and abroad. In Texas, we live in the middle of a forest and when we are home, we spend a lot of time outdoors, working on the gardens, cutting dead trees, or just enjoying nature.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

All of my recent books have a Texas flavor. Beyond that, the major conflict often leads me to the location.

I’ve written books set all over the U.S., but now I’m trying to use Texas settings more often. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

I think it might be John F. Kennedy. He brought a spirit to America that was not here before and has not been here since. I’d want to ask him what could be done today to restore some of that spirit, that optimism, that patriotism back to the country.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

How important and difficult marketing would be. Even with a publisher, today the author is expected to do most of the marketing. It is something I am ill-equipped to do. And it is very time consuming. But it is an important part of being an author in 2016.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Patience. And I seem to be a slow learner.

I’m thinking all authors have a hard time with that. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Write. Read. Market. First and foremost, you must write a lot—every day if possible. Second, you need to read a variety of good authors. Reading different authors gives you a balance. Reading only one author, even though he or she is good, does not provide a well-rounded background. And reading good authors puts good writing in your psyche. Reading bad writing does the opposite. Marketing is a reality. It should start early. Some say before the book starts. I’m not sure about that, but certainly early is better than later.

Tell us about the featured book.

In A Silver Medallion , young, unadventurous Crystal Moore meets a woman held slave in modern Dallas, Texas. She is not held by chains, but by threats to harm her two children left in Mexico if she should escape or even tell anyone of her situation.

Crystal would like to forget about this, but her conscience won’t let her. She finally realizes that the only resolution is to go to Mexico and try to rescue the two girls, for only when they are free and safe will the mother dare to escape.

In Mexico, she enlists the aid of mysterious Juan Grande. If she succeeds, the children and the mother will be free, but Crystal will have two powerful and ruthless men who will want her dead.                    

Please give us the first page of the book.

CRYSTAL Moore drove slowly along the sandy road that curved through the property she had roamed as a child. Her grandparents had christened it “The Park” when they purchased it over fifty years ago. To Crystal, they could have named it Serenity. The tall, stately Southern pines, the oak and hickory trees, the mirror-still lake, the peaceful quiet, all worked to cast a spell of tranquility over her.

Crystal’s maroon LeSabre crested the hill. Two hundred feet ahead, her grandmother stood under a maple tree, its autumn foliage creating a golden halo above her grey hair. Eula Moore was staring at the small storage shed about twenty feet behind her cedar-shake house. She aimed a double-barreled shotgun at the door of the building.

Fifty feet from Eula, Crystal switched off the ignition, eased out of the car, and moved forward, careful not to crack a twig or crunch a dried leaf. Now she saw her grandmother’s right index finger curled around the trigger. Whatever was going on, she did not want to distract her Nana.

Eula Moore pointed the shotgun at the shed, her wrinkled hands as steady as those of an eye surgeon. “Don’t make no sudden moves. I got a nervous trigger finger. I might just blow your head off.”

Nothing moved.

“Now, very slowly, come on out in the open, and keep them hands over your head where I can see ‘em.”

Experience told Crystal her grandmother had heard the car, but Eula’s attention never left the shed. The elderly woman stooped down, gaze still fixed on the building, picked up a rock with her left hand and made a sweeping, underhanded throw. As the chunk of limestone arched skyward, Eula pulled the ancient shotgun up and once more trained it on the shed.

The rock struck the tin roof with a satisfying bang. No animal came bolting out the door. The noise echoed and died away. The birds stopped their chirping. All was quiet.

Crystal crept up beside her grandmother. “What’s in there, Nana?” she whispered.

“Animal. Person. Beats me. But I didn’t git to seventy-five being careless.”

Eula Moore, five feet two inches tall, ninety-five pounds with short-cropped grey hair, held a strategic position. No one could leave the shed without coming into her gun’s sight. And no one could see her without first revealing himself. Eula looked frail, but her voice was strong, her will stronger. “Better come out ‘fore I start shootin’.”

A slight breeze wiggled the leaves on a towering oak tree shading the area. A squirrel sat motionless. The scene was as peaceful as a painting of a country lane. Except for the shotgun.

A few moments passed. Then a single finger came into view. Gradually, it turned into a whole hand, waving in a small arc. “Por favor, no dispare.” The tiny brown hand fluttered again. The voice quavered slightly. “Please. No shoot. No shoot.”

           

Eula didn’t lower the gun or take her gaze off the shed. “Por favor? Spanish?” Eula said to Crystal. Then to the tiny hand, “Manos arriba.”

Now, two hands waved. But no body appeared.

“You need to work on your Spanish, Nana. He may not know what you’re saying.”

Eula snorted. “Pardon me. I didn’t go to S.M.U. Or Stanford. Maybe you can do better.”

Crystal turned toward the shed. “Salga con las manos arriba. Come out with your hands up.”

A foot materialized in the opening. “Hands up.” Then a body began to emerge. “Hands up.”

Was it a child? Little more than five feet tall and slender as broomcorn, she could have been a girl of fourteen. Her uncombed hair, nearly reaching her waist, appeared as black and shiny as obsidian. Pink and blue embroidery decorated the rough-woven, white dress hanging from her shoulders and stopping just short of her scratched knees. Well-worn leather sandals revealed feet accustomed to no shoes at all.

The small hands trembled slightly as the young Mexican edged forward, but she held her head high and her back ramrod straight.

Eula waggled the barrel of the shotgun at the girl. “Far enough. Hold it right there. Alto.” Eula focused on the girl, but spoke to Crystal. “Okay. So I don’t remember my Spanish good enough to find out what I got here. See what you can do. But don’t get in my line of fire.”

A cloud drifted away, allowing the sun to play fully on the girl’s face. This was not a child. Those large eyes could not develop such sadness, such pain, in such a short life.

“¿Como se llama?” Crystal asked.

The thin young woman maintained her focus on the gun. “Rosa. Rosa Bonita Lopez.”

“¿Habla Ingles? Do you speak English?”

“Un poco.”

“Hablo Español un poco. Vamos probando con Ingles. Let’s try English,” said Crystal. The young woman’s expression did not change, nor did her attention waiver from the shotgun.

“Okay. Your name is Rosa Bonita.”

“Si. Yes.”

“And what were you doing in the shed?”

The Mexican woman’s forehead wrinkled and she tilted her head slightly to one side. Is she puzzled by the English or by what kind of an answer to give? Crystal tried Spanish again. “¿Que hacias en el cobertizo?”

After several seconds, Rosa looked at Crystal. “Food.”

“You were looking for food?”

“Si.”

“Are you hungry?”

Eula made a small grunt. “Dumb question.”

“Si. Yes.”

“When did you eat last? ¿Cuándo comiste por última vez?"

“Ayer en la mañana.”

“Yesterday morning!” Crystal turned to her grandmother. “She’s probably starving. Let’s take her in and give her something to eat. Then we can find out why she’s here.”

Eula didn’t move or lower the shotgun but Crystal walked over, smiling, took the young woman’s hand and led her into the house.

I’m eager to read the rest. I’ll do that as soon as I finish the book I’m reading now. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Amazon Author's page:          http://amzn.to/1eeykvG

Website:                                 http://www.jamesrcallan.com

Blog:                                       http://www.jamesrcallan.com/blog

Facebook:                               https://www.facebook.com/james.callan.33865

GoodReads:                            http://bit.ly/13fCBdp

Thank you, James, for sharing this new book with us. My blog readers will find the story as fascinating as I do.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

A Silver Medallion (Crystal Moore Suspense) (Volume 2) - Paperback
A Silver Medallion (A Crystal Moore Suspense Book 2) - Kindle

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

A TON OF GOLD - James R Callan - One Free Book

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

I write mostly mysteries and suspense novels. I have published several non-fiction books, including two on the craft of writing. But my focus is on mysteries and suspense novels. In writing mysteries, I like the challenge of creating the puzzle, of giving clues to the reader without giving away the secret, of giving the protagonist obstacles he or she shouldn't be able to overcome and then figuring out how he or she will manage to overcome them.

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

Tough question. But I think it was the day my seven year old son came into the living room and said, "Where are my books. I've missed school. I need to catch up on my work." You see, he had been hit by a car and received a head injury. For days he didn't know where he was, what happened, or much else. For days he would ask what happened even though we might have told him half an hour before. We were very concerned about the head injury. His simple fifteen words brought us great relief. He was okay.

How has being published changed your life?

I had intended to write in my twenties, but that didn't support a family. So, I took a forty year detour through mathematics and computer science. After the kids were all out and self-supporting, I returned to my first love - writing. When my first book was published after such a long time, it was a very emotional high for me. I feel I am doing what I should have been doing all along.

What are you reading right now?

After many years of reading only technical material, I now read across a wide field. Of course I read mysteries and suspense books, as those are my favorite genres. But I also read some urban fantasy, romance, and other areas. My wife tells me I must read romance in order to make characters in my books better. I read many books of author- friends in other genres. And of course, I read materials on marketing, the bane of most writers.

What is your current work in progress?

My current WIP is titled The Silver Medallion. It is a suspense book in which the protagonist, Crystal Moore, discovers a woman in Dallas being held as a slave by threats to harm her two young girls in Mexico. Crystal would like to walk away and forget it, but her conscious won't let her. She realizes the woman will never try to escape as long as her children are held hostage. The only way to help her escape is to free the children first. She is not an adventure seeking person. Nonetheless, she travels to the jungles of Mexico to free two young girls.

What would be your dream vacation?

I think a weekend on the moon would top any earth-bound vacation I could take. And one of these days, that will be possible.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I first think of goal that must be reached. This could be solving a murder, rescuing someone, etc.. Then I work on the perfect culture, location, and time period to frame the story. 

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

After reading and hearing and seeing much of the Pope Francis visit to the U.S., I think an evening with him would change my life.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Visiting with friends and travel would follow close behind writing and reading. I am fortunate to have friends from around the world and they broaden my view and understanding. My wife and I have been able to travel a great deal. We do understand how blessed we are on so many fronts.

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

Procrastination. And I do not do a good job of overcoming it. A strict deadline is probably the best aid to avoiding it.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Sit down and write. Be it short stories, poems, articles, blogs, or e-mails, write. (Writing checks does not count.) Make yourself write something every day. After awhile, the writing will begin to congeal and you will be on your way.

Tell us about the featured book.

A 178-year-old folktale causes murder, kidnapping, and arson in 2012 Texas. In this contemporary suspense novel, Crystal Moore, a young computer scientist, is dragged into danger when thugs set out to kill her 76-year-old grandmother, her only living relative and the woman who raised her. Crystal has no idea who would want to harm her grandmother, or why.

In the midst of murder, arson, and kidnapping, the man who nearly destroyed Crystal emotionally is coming back. This time, he can ruin her career. She will need all the help she can get from a former bull rider, a street-wise housemate, and a feisty grandmother to stop the criminals and confront her nemesis.

"What is truly impressive about Callan's writing is his gift for characterization." From a review by John Brantingham of Over My Dead Body.

Please give us the first page of the book.

The Year: 2012

Crystal Moore stood in her stocking feet, glaring at the row of shoes in her closet. Her raven hair, flipped up just below her ear lobes, looked like it had received three strokes with a brush. Dark circles under her eyes belied eight hours sleep.

“Terrific, I’m late and can’t find a single shoe to wear,” she grumbled.

“One won’t do any good. Need a pair.” Brandi Brewer, a mug of hot chocolate in her hand, lounged against the door to Crystal’s bedroom. “What kind you looking for?”

Hands on hips, Crystal surveyed the jumble of shoes. “Something that’ll match my outfit.”

Brandi appraised her housemate’s attire and shrugged. “Which part?”

Crystal’s frown only deepened.

“How ‘bout those by the foot of the bed.” Brandi pointed the mug at a pair of charcoal slings.

Crystal turned her head and focused on the shoes. “They’ll do.” She padded over and stepped into the Guccis.

“Coffee?”

“Don’t have time. Didn’t sleep well last night, and can’t seem to get going.” She rummaged in her purse, found a tube of lipstick and bent down to look in the mirror over the dressing table.

“Guess not. I got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. No news flash there. When I passed your door, you were really thrashing around. Thought you had a man under the covers.” Brandi giggled. “Who’s Dr. Coup?”

Crystal’s hand jerked, sending a slash of bright coral from lip to nose. Slowly, her shoulders sagged, like a balloon losing some of its air. Her eyes glazed over and she stood motionless, barely breathing.

Dr. Krupe. The brilliant Dr. Krupe. Why couldn’t she purge his memory from her brain?

She forced her mind back to the present, straightened her back, focused her eyes. “I don’t know any Dr. Coup.”

“Well, he was on your mind last night. Heard it going and coming back.”

“I don’t know anybody by that name.” She snatched a pale pink tissue from a box on the dresser and tried to repair the damage. “And why were you eavesdropping?”

“Eavesdropping? You were talking in your sleep, for God’s sake. And I have to pass by your door to get to the bathroom.” The short, auburn-haired woman turned and sauntered into the living room.

Crystal examined the image in the mirror. Her upper lip retained an orange glow on the right side. She glanced at the clock, shook her head and tossed the tissue at the wastebasket. She dropped the lipstick in her purse and hurried into the living room.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Author Page at Amazon         http://amzn.to/1eeykvG

Web page:                               www.jamesrcallan.com

Facebook page                        https://www.facebook.com/james.callan.33865  

Blog Page                               www.jamesrcallan.com/blog

Thank you, James, for sharing this book with us. I know my readers are as eager as I am to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

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