AN EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER ONE-SCATTERED LEGACY
“We believe Josh falsified invoices with certain clients and moved money to offshore accounts without my consent. I was so angry I removed him without hearing his side of it. As far as I’m concerned, he’s totally responsible whether he was directly or indirectly involved. I wish I’d handled the situation differently. My short fuse got in the way when I felt Dad’s business was being used illegally as a giant retirement fund for Josh. He would know whether Dad used illegal monies from the racing team. We’re waiting on the board’s decision to prosecute Josh.”
“We have to find him.”
“He found me,” Alec grumbles. “Josh called me while I was in Mom’s office. I haven’t heard from him since I let him go.” He shakes his head. “He wants my help.”
Gen’s sitting at her desk in front of her favorite collection of astronomy books, staring at the wall. Her eyelids are rimmed red, and she’s grasping a wadded tissue in her hand. My stupid fear of a blackbird’s feather placed in an envelope pales against her sadness at the reminder of a lost soul mate. She witnessed her husband’s head explode, as I did, when Pearce fought gunmen on the yacht. It’s surreal when someone you know has died in front of you. Dreamlike, until their life jolts away and a body is left in place of a vibrant human being, like the man with his grin on the tabloid cover. Gen loved her husband deeply. No matter how many times I assure myself it wasn’t my fault what happened, Pearce might still be alive if the Mushasha jewel—Stop it. Samantha Freeman, my best friend, wouldn’t give up her matching horse bracelet either. The curse was powerful, and it pulled us along. Pearce’s fate was sealed the day he was born. Only God knows what’s in store for us. I have to show Alec and Gen that Pearce’s short existence was meaningful. His record must remain untarnished for Gen and her son.
“Has anyone been smoking? It smells like something’s burning.” I check the wastebasket for cigarette butts and find it recently emptied. “Alec, please sit before you fall down.”
His chair squawks along the tile in front of the Victorian pedestal desk. “Mom, I’m sorry.” Alec pats his mother’s hand across the blotter. “I didn’t think what seeing Dad again might do to you.”
“He’s gone, dear. There’s no bringing him back. Believe me, I’ve tried.” Gen smiles and dabs the corner of her eye. “Honey, how do we get in front of this bad press? Signorile’s sale must go forward. It’s decided. You and Annalisse are to be freed of the corporation to enjoy yourselves. Phooey on this bad timing, before your trip and all.” She glances at me and points to the armchair.
“Have you heard from Global Star Class yet? What’s the best move?” I ask Alec.
“Embezzlement matters. Serge LeBlanc is a straight-up guy, so he won’t peddle the Signorile acquisition to his board while there’s a scandal hanging over it.” He rubs between his brows and takes out his phone. “We need Bill’s expertise on this one.”
The call is made via speakerphone so we can all be a part of it. It’ll be great to hear Bill’s voice again. After Kate’s mysteries were solved a few months ago, Bill returned to his other investigations with his partner, Dan Chappell. Bill’s a good friend to Alec, and he helped us both cope with Kate and Ted’s nightmare at Walker Farm and in Massachusetts. The uncle I thought had committed suicide came back for revenge. Ted is being held in jail now for the plot to ruin Kate. Bill doesn’t know where Kate went, which was our hope when he dropped her at the airport, so she’s in charge and determines when she makes a return. That mother-daughter talk will have to wait until she’s ready. She left me with only a letter explaining that she is my birth mother, and I have a father who doesn’t know I’m alive. It’s little wonder my decision not to marry Alec at this time is frustrating for him. I’m so afraid something in my past will hurt Alec or his mother.
“Hey, I was about to call you. Have you heard mainstream news?” Bill Drake asks.
“You’re on speaker with Mom and Annalisse. I’m at the gallery, and yes, we’ve read the gossip rag’s trash.” Alec lays the phone on the desk.
“Good morning, Generosa, Anna. I hope you’re both well.”
“Hi, Bill,” I chime, imagining what color palm tree shirt he’s wearing with his chinos. “Did we catch you at a bad time?”
“Not in the least. I’m in Connecticut, finishing up a case. What’s up?”
“Can you break away to join us in Lecce?” Alec looks away from the speakerphone.
“Lecce… Where’s that?” Bill asks.
“Italy,” he says, staring at an imaginary spot above my head.
Gen whips around to glare at Alec. “Son, where are you going?”
I’m just as shocked. It’s stifling enough to have Brad, Alec’s bodyguard and chauffeur, along on the trip. Since there’s already three of us, one more will ensure zero privacy with Alec. Not the trip of my dreams. We’ll put off the romantic venture for another time.
“Do you want me to reopen the earlier investigation on the Signorile accounts?” Bill asks.
“What investigation? You never mentioned this before.” Gen grabs another tissue.
Alec raises a palm toward his mother. “It’s more complicated than that, Bill. I spoke to Josh already.”
“Is that right? Wow. Surprised he’d take your call after being fired.”
Alec erupts into mirthless laughter. “Bring all you’ve got on Josh Jennings before, during, and after his tenure with Signorile. Go deep, really deep into the slimy mud if you have to, and meet us at the Challenger hangar.”
“Text me the address and gate. When and what time?”
Alec whispers to me, “What time will you be ready in the morning… six, seven?”
“Name it.” This is Alec’s mission, and I’m along for support, even though our beautiful, scheduled destination is a smoking pile of rubble blown up by an ex-employee I’ve never met.
“We don’t have time to waste. Can you make it from Connecticut to the hangar, say, by seven thirty a.m.? You’ll be able to get your beauty rest on the plane. Pack for at least a week. The ocean air is nice during midday and a little cool at night.”
Lecce must be near the coast. Alec notices my confusion because he walks by and sits on the arm of my chair.
“Anything else?” Bill asks.
“Yeah. A woman was found murdered in Josh’s office, wrapped in concertina wire. He’s the suspect.”
Alec’s admission triggers the weird visual in Gen’s office. Is that the woman I saw? I don’t know whose silence is more deafening, Bill’s, Gen’s, or mine.
Thursday, December 2, 2021
Author Interview - Scattered Legacy by Marlene M. Bell #Mystery #Suspense #AuthorInterview
What’s your one-line pitch or teaser for the book? Grab a reader’s attention with one line.
“The Truth Has Claws.”
Tell readers a little about your main character or characters?
Annalisse Drury is an antiquities valuator who owns an art gallery in Manhattan with her friend, Generosa Zavos, the mother of her significant other. Annalisse lost her parents and younger sister in an accident, and lived her teenage through college years with her Aunt Kate. There, on Walker Farm, she was exposed to livestock and ranch life. She’s reclusive with few close friends because of the traumas in her young life.
Traumas can cause trust issues, and her relationship with Alec Zavos, a handsome Greek-Italian, periodically suffers because of his fame, wealth, reputation, and tendencies to be a workaholic. He was left the family car corporation after the yacht attack that took his father. (Stolen Obsession, book one.) Alec is kind, brought up with an old-fashioned belief system, and deeply loves Annalisse. If she will let him. Each installment in the Annalisse series points out the many tensions and frustrating moments between Alec and Annalisse. Adventure and homicides seem to get in the way of their happiness.
Where do you like to write? Do you have an office or writing nook?
I have an office just off the master bedroom with an L-shaped desk. It’s loaded with stacks of writing research, sticky notes and various notebooks filled with all of my storylines and character profiles. The personal computer has the largest screen I could find and the printer takes up a large corner of my desk. Ewephoric, my company, began in 1985 with a mail order catalog of sheep related gifts. I still put out a new catalog each year, so catalogs are scattered about my desk most days. This is the actual photo for this morning 11-1-2021. The desk is tidier than usual…
What is one of your best marketing tips for other authors?
My strongest pet peeve is what I see all the time from authors in all genres. The overuse of social media to chronically promote their books and nothing else. DON’T DO THIS. Every fan wants to know when their favorite author drops a new book in a series or begins another. However, no one wants to constantly be reminded with posts that say, “BUY MY BOOK.” People have lives, writers and readers alike. Why not tell readers what you do in off hours? Show pets, or post a beautiful scenic landscape in between pictures of paperback or kindle books— I love to visualize the personal lives of the authors I read.
My suggestion to writers is: give your readers a glimpse into the off hours. Let them know that there’s more to the author than just books. You’ll find your readers will want to engage with you on other topics, not just books. The more they feel close to the author, the better the chance to encourage them to pick up your next release. If your fans are asking questions and engaging with these new posts, whatever you do, don’t ignore their questions! You will defeat the purpose.
What websites or tools have you found that offer the best results?
Marketing anything is a multi-pronged adventure. You get out as much as you’re willing to put in. I have a tendency to go to the extremes with my promotions with the use of a publicist, many virtual book tours and submitting my books to book contests. This is an expensive approach, but it does get you noticed. There are entry fees to these contests, so be aware. Nothing is totally free anymore.
My goal is to get reviews, not sell a million books. The more books you write, the more your work will appeal to the masses. Be sure and do your homework on all virtual tours and book giveaway sites. Protecting intellectual property should be the most important aspect of marketing your work. There are those who steal books and do unmentionable things with them. Be careful and stick with reputable online companies. There are too many places to mention here, but begin with Writer Beware posts. They will alert you to the venues to stay away from.
I also like Net Galley and Hidden Gems for new release promotions. They will bring a good response. Hidden Gems has the least cost, but they have a 6-month waiting list. Net Galley has huge exposure potential, but can get pricey depending upon many factors.
Any advice for aspiring writers?
With 4,500 books published every day, there are a sea of authors for readers to muddle through. When it seems the darkest, that’s when you may get your break. Find the best editors and cover artists. Spare no expense. Employ good help, for they will help you succeed. Readers want credibility. The more books you can put out, the better your sales will be.
Annalisse Series
Book Three
Marlene M. Bell
Genre: Mystery - Suspense
Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing
Date of Publication: 11-4-2021
ISBN ebook: 978-0-9995394-7-7
ISBN Print: 978-0-9995394-6-0
ASIN: B09HRCTBXJ
Number of pages: Print 352
Word Count: 84,610
Cover Artist: Isabel Robalo
Tagline: The Truth Has Claws
Book Description:
To outsiders, the relationship between Manhattan antiquities assessor Annalisse Drury and sports car magnate Alec Zavos must look carefree and glamorous. In reality, it’s a love affair regularly punctuated by treasure hunting, action-packed adventure, and the occasional dead body.
When Alec schedules an overseas trip to show Annalisse his mother's birthplace in Bari, Italy, he squeezes in the high-stakes business of divesting his family’s international corporation. But things go terribly wrong as murder makes its familiar reappearance in their lives – and this time it’s Alec’s disgraced former CFO who’s the main suspect.
Accompanied by friend and detective Bill Drake, Annalisse and Alec find themselves embroiled in a behind-closed-doors conspiracy that threatens the reputation and legacy of Alec’s late father – linking him to embezzlement, extortion, and the dirty business of the Sicilian Mafia. The search for the truth sends the trio straight into riddles, secrets, and an historic set of rosary beads. Annalisse leads Alec toward a discovery that is unthinkable, and events that will change their futures forever.
Scattered Legacy is the third in Marlene M. Bell’s thrilling Annalisse series, which weaves romance, crime, and historical mystery into addictive tales to instantly captivate fans of TV show Bones or Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.
“Mystery at a killing pace”
Marlene M. Bell is an award-winning writer, artist, and sheep breeder who resides in beautiful East Texas. Her renown sheep photographs grace the covers of many livestock magazines.
The third book in the Annalisse Series releases in 2021. Scattered Legacy is an international mystery with light touches of romance. Stolen Obsession and Spent Identity, books one and two, received numerous awards including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery in 2020. Her mysteries can be found at marlenembell.com.
Marlene also writes children's books. Her first children's picture book, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! is based on true events with Natalie from the Bell’s ranch. It's a touching story of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb. Mia and Nattie is honored to be a Mom's Choice Gold Award winner.
Marlene shares her life with her husband and a few dreadfully spoiled horned Dorset sheep: a large Maremma guard dog named Tia, and cats, Hollywood, Leo, and Squeaks. The cats believe they rule the household—and do.
Newsletter Sign Up: https://www.marlenembell.com/books
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ewephoric
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/marlenembell
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Great interview and excerpt! I can't wait to read Scattered Legacy! Thanks for sharing it with me and have a wonderful holiday season!
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