10 Interesting Facts About Chief Detective Carlo Fantin

As the love interest in the Gilda Greco Mystery Series, Carlo Fantin is torn between his growing feelings for Gilda and dedication to duty. Here’s a look at his back story.

1. Born and raised in Sudbury—a mid-sized city in Northern Ontario—Carlo embraced the sports culture of the community. During the warmer months, he swam, water-skied, and fished in the lakes that surrounded the area. In the winter, he enjoyed playing hockey, downhill skiing, and snowmobiling.

Continue reading on the StoreyBook Reviews blog.


Touring with Great Escapes

I’m so excited about my tour with Great Escapes. Starting tomorrow and continuing for two weeks, I’ll share posts, spotlights, and interviews at selected blogs. When you visit, remember to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway – you could win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Check daily for link updates.

July 10 – StoreyBook Reviews
July 11 – Socrates’ Book Reviews
July 12 – CelticLady’s Reviews
July 13 – Books, Dreams, Life
July 14 – Teresa Trent Author Blog
July 15 – Christa Reads and Writes
July 16 – Island Confidential
July 17 – Jane Reads
July 18 – Escape with Dollycas Into a Good Book
July 19 – Dee-Scoveries
July 20 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy & Sissy, Too!
July 21 – Varietats 2010
July 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into a Good Book
July 23 – Valerie’s Musings


The Tour’s End

Friday was the last day of a month-long tour for my latest release, Too Many Women in the Room. I’m grateful to everyone who visited, commented, and shared the posts on social media. A special thanks to the twenty-nine author friends who featured me on their blogs.

May 28 – Donna Warner
May 29 – Just Romantic Suspense
May 30 – Marian Lanouette
May 30 – Claire Gem
June 1 – Romance Recipes
June 4 – Jen Stwinom
June 5 – Jacquie Biggar
June 5 – Lori Robinett
June 7 – Marilyn Meredith
June 7 – Lois Winston
June 9 – Ryan Jo Summers
June 11 – Lesley Diehl
June 12 – Vicki Batman
June 13 – Marsha West
June 14 – Mrs. N
June 15 – Marni Graff
June 15 – Carly Jordynn
June 16 – Kathryn Hunter
June 19 – Marilyn Levinson
June 19 – Kristina Stanley
June 20 – B.K. Stevens
June 20 – Madelyn Hill
June 22 – Rachel Sharpe
June 23 – Mysteriastis
June 24 – Ally Shields
June 26 – Judy Penz Sheluk
June 26 – Paty Jaeger
June 30 – Sisterhood of Suspense
June 28 – Writers Who Kill



What About the Men?

Since the release of Too Many Women in the Room, I have received many comments about the temperamental female characters that populate the novel.

Potential readers have also asked…

What about the men?

Three male characters play significant roles : Chief Detective Carlo Fantin, Chef David Korba, and Photographer Michael Taylor.

Continue reading on the Sisterhood of Suspense blog.


The Back Story

Once I get the initial spark of an idea, I like to play around with a What-If scenario and after much deliberation come up with a title for the novel. Only then can I start writing the first draft.

That MO worked well for Book 1 of the Gilda Greco Mystery Series:

Spark: Dead blondes turn up in dumpsters throughout the city.

What if… A woman wins a $19 million lottery and then returns to her hometown, only to find herself the primary suspect in the murders of four blondes. Can she prove her innocence and solve this case before it’s too late?

Title: A Season for Killing Blondes

Book 2 presented a challenge. I toyed with several storylines about a Greek restaurant, a charismatic chef, two murders, and a group of women who didn’t always get along. Frustrated with these disjoint elements, I turned my attention to shorter pieces and hoped that inspiration would soon arrive.

It came from an unlikely source.

Continue reading on the Mysteriastis blog.


First Two Pages—Too Many Women in the Room

While deciding whether or not to start with a prologue, I recalled advice I had received from a workshop facilitator: “Use only if the prologue adds an interesting and integral layer to the narrative.”

Interesting and integral…Definitely a challenge and one I decided to tackle in my new release, Too Many Women in the Room. Having written the rest of the novel in the first-person POV, I wanted the reader to be privy to the thoughts and feelings of the victim in his final hour.

Continue reading on B.K. Stevens’ blog.


All About Martinis

When it comes to food and hospitality, Chef David Korba is the consummate pro. In addition to developing signature entrées and desserts, David also offers trademark martinis with such tantalizing names as Babyface, Bellini, and Long Kiss Goodbye.

Definitely an auspicious start to Xenia, an innovative Greek restaurant near Sudbury, Ontario. But the VIP dinner quickly spirals out of control and the guests leave with empty stomachs. Well, almost empty stomachs…those trademark martinis provided a pleasant interlude before all the drama started in Too Many Women in the Room.

Continue reading on Marsha West’s blog.


Still Loving My Vintage Purse

I had always associated vintage clothing with the early part of the twentieth century, but recently I discovered that clothing from the 1920s to twenty years before the present day is considered vintage.

I imagine the same applies to purses.”MsoNormal”>I purchased my first “grown-up” purse during the summer of 1977. My mother had hinted that I needed to upgrade my wardrobe in preparation for my first year of teaching: suits, pumps, an LBD, and an evening purse.

So, together we went on a mini shopping spree that included a stop at Birks in downtown Sudbury. One of North America’s most prestigious jewellers since 1879, Birks was the Go-To stop for diamonds, pearls, fine jewellery, watches, and the perfect gift for almost any occasion. Receiving a gift beautifully wrapped in their trademark blue boxes would automatically elicit oohs and aahs at birthday parties, showers, and other festive events.

Continue reading on Vicki Batman’s blog.


Chatting with My Sisters

I’m visiting two authors from the Sisterhood of Suspense: Marian Lanouette and Claire Gem. We are a group of 15 suspense authors who like to share our love of this genre with readers and writers. Today, I’m chatting about my writing journey and Too Many Women in the Room.

Drop by their blogs and enter the giveaway. You could win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Marian’s blog

Claire’s blog