Mystery We Write presents Anne K. Albert

 

        Anne K. Albert initiated this blog tour idea for writers of mysteries, and I'm delighted she's my first guest. Her eBook Frank, Incense, and Muriel is our focus this week, along with her, the author, of course.

        First a brief bio for Anne: she has taught high school art, sold display advertising for a small town weekly newspaper, and worked for a national brand water company, but now writes full time.

         A member of the Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and married to her high school sweetheart for more than a quarter of a century, it's a given she'd write mystery and romantic suspense.

          When not in her home office, she enjoys traveling, visiting friends and family, knitting, crocheting, and of course, reading.

Vivian - What can readers expect when they read your books?

Anne - My stories chill the spine, warm the heart and soothe the soul – all with a delightful touch of humor.

Vivian - When did the dream of writing books take root in your heart?

Anne: I’m one of those late bloomers people always talk about. It never occurred to me that “real” people could be writers until I was of a “certain” age. :)

Vivian - Did you choose the mystery genre or did it choose you?

Anne – Both! As a child, I read Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden. In my teens, I discovered Agatha Christie, Erle Stanley Gardner and so many other mystery writers. I can’t resist a whodunit.

Vivian – Tell us about FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL.

Anne – This mystery takes place the week before Christmas when the stress of the holiday season is enough to frazzle anyone's nerves. To find a missing woman, Frank and Muriel must deal with an embezzler, femme fatale, kidnapper, and of course, Muriel's eccentric, (but loveable) family. Their desire to win the coveted D-DAY (Death Defying Act of the Year) Award, however, might just tip them all over the edge.

It received a 5-star review and Reviewer Top Pick from Night Owl Reviews.

Vivian – Would you share an excerpt with us?

Anne – I’d be delighted to!

Beginning excerpt from FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL:

          Imagine my surprise when Frankie Salerno showed up at my front door one cold, December, Monday morning. Displaying a set of dimples that could make a grown woman cry, he gave me a quick once over and let out a long, slow, wolf whistle. “You’re looking good, Brian. Real good.”

          Being ogled at is one thing. Being called that ridiculous nickname after a fifteen-year hiatus another. I felt a knot form in the pit of my stomach as my thoughts traveled back to Ms. Traynor’s ninth English class when Frankie wrote me a note. I have no idea of its contents. Nor do I care. All I know is the teacher intercepted it. She read it, raised an eyebrow, and zeroed in on me.

          “I believe Frankie had you in mind when he wrote this,” she said.

          To my horror, she began to read the note aloud. She got as far as the salutation he’d printed on the outside of the folded sheet of three-ring notepaper.

          “To the Brian.”

          The class erupted into fits of laughter and Ms. Traynor, satisfied we’d suffered enough humiliation for one day, returned the note to Frankie and resumed her lesson. From that day forward, I was the girl named Brian, and Frankie became my sworn enemy.

          From where I stood a decade and a half later, not much had changed except that I’d grudgingly accepted my fate. Having a few more brain cells than feminine curves had advantages. If Frankie thought otherwise, so be it. He was entitled to his opinion. But really, who needed it? Or him?

          “I’d like to say it’s great to see you again,” I said, “but we both know I’d be lying. Let’s end this before it gets messy, shall we?”

          “Aw, come on.” He pressed his large, square hand on the screen door. “Do you have any idea how many Reeves are in the phonebook? It took me more than an hour to find you. I had to check the listings in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Lackawanna–”

          I held up my hand to silence him. I’d lived in western New York state all of my life and did not need a geography lesson. What I needed was to get on with my life. Without him. Still, I could not resist getting in the last word.

          “It would’ve been quicker if you’d looked under ‘M’ instead of ‘B’,” I said.

          “I was kidding about the Brian part.”

          “Then why’d you say it?”

          “I dunno. I was a jerk back in high school and some things never change. Besides, it says a lot more about me than it ever did about you. I’m the one who couldn’t spell brain.”

****

Vivian – Where can readers get a copy of your book?

Anne: At Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, or from my publisher, Vanilla Heart Publishing. 

          Thank you, Vivian! It was such fun to visit you on my first stop of the Murder We Write Blog Tour. I’d like to invite readers to visit mywebsite  or my main blog.

          If they drop by my Muriel Reeves Mysteries blog  and leave a comment mentioning this interview, I’ll enter their name in a draw to win a pdf copy of FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL. I’ll announce the winner at the conclusion of the tour, sometime during the week of August 22, 2011. 

          You're most welcomed. I enjoyed your visit.

I  will be the guest on Carys Weldon's blog this week. Please stop by.

Join me again next week when my guest will be Beth Anderson.  

Please visit this week, different hosts post on different days starting today:

Marilyn Meredith on Jean Henry Mead's blog   

I'm suppose to appear on Jennifer DiCamillo's blog   

Carys Weldon (aka Jennifer DiCamillo) on Regan Taylor's blog 

Carol Shenold on Marilyn Meredith's blog  

Regan Taylor on Carol Shenold's blog  

Beth Anderson on Anne K. Albert's blog  

Pat Browning on Beth Anderson's blog  

Sharon Ervin on Pat Browning's blog  

Jackie King on Sharon Ervin's blog     

Mary Martinez on Jackie King's blog  

Marja McGraw on Mary Martinez' blog   

Jean Henry Mead on Marja McGraw's blog