Rebecca M. Douglass, Author

It's time for my twice-a-month writer's update (which is sort of roughly kind of every other Wednesday?) Selling books at a local arts fair: On Sunday I had a table at the Phinneywood Art Sale & Stroll. I set my expectations as low as possible, especially since the weather forecast was for rain, thunder-storms, and generally poor conditions for a street fair. I should have had more faith in Seattlites. Not only did they come out in spite of the periodic showers, but they were in a buying mood. Huge thanks to those who bought, especially my first customer who took me up on the bulk price for all 5 Pismawallops PTA mysteries. Made my day. A Coastal Corpse: The first novel in my new "Seffi Wardwell Mysteries" series is getting really close to ready. A combination of inertia and something a bit like superstition has me running way behind on all the things that should be happening as we approach the release of a new novel, from cover art to writing blurbs and beginning...

Little Shop of Murders is a collection of short mysteries by 15 authors, and we are fortunate to have  Geraldine Moorkens Byrne here to share some background on her musical Dublin mystery, "Requiem for a Violin." Also--be sure to check out the giveaway at the end of the post--four print cozy mysteries! The Little Shop of Murders (Collected Cozy Mysteries) By Millie Ravensworth, ACF Bookens, Geraldine Byrne, Rachel McLean, Diane Kelly, Nikki Knight, London Lovett, Lise McClendon, Flora McGowan, Kathryn Mykel,  J. New,  Eryn Scott, Debbie Young, Victoria Tait, Carlene O’Connor  THE LITTLE SHOP of MURDERS (COLLECTED COZY MYSTERIES) By Millie Ravensworth, ACF Bookens, Geraldine Byrne, Rachel McLean, Diane Kelly, Nikki Knight, London Lovett, Lise McClendon, Flora McGowan, Kathryn Mykel,  J. New,  Eryn Scott, Debbie Young, Victoria Tait, ...

I was fortunate to be given an advance review copy of this collection via Netgalley--many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this! Title: The Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions Author: Kerry Greenwood Publisher: coming March 30 from Allen and Unwin. 272 pages (I read an unpaginated e-ARC) Source: Netgalley ARC Publisher's Blurb: The Honourable Phryne Fisher - she of the Lulu bob, Cupid's Bow lips, diamante garters and pearl-handled pistol - is the 1920s' most elegant and irrepressible sleuth. Miss Phryne Fisher is up to her stunning green eyes in intriguing crime in each of these entertaining, fun and compulsively readable stories. With the ever-loyal Dot, the ingenious Mr Butler and all of Phryne's friends and household, the action is as fast as Phryne's wit and logic.     My Review: I have long been a fan of Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher, so I was excited to get the opportunity to read this collection, though I was also a little wo...

I've been off seeing my younger son graduate from university, so what better way to celebrate than by finally releasing my mystery collection!   It's out, it's today, and it's the 4th (and last for now) book in my collection of collections. Amazon Smashwords   Nine tales of murder and mayhem, from the classic to the absurd. Can detective L. R. Hen discover who is committing the notorious Cackling Murders? Have the waters of lakes and rivers washed away all the clues in several damp cases? And just what can motivate a brainless thug to care about something? All these cases and more are solved in this quick, fun collection of stories by the author of the Pismawallops PTA mystery series.   Order your copy today! Just 99 cents at all ebook retailers. And please, consider leaving a review when you are finished.

I have begun reading Voyagers: The Third Ghost , and I'm excited about the stories--the ones I've read so far are great! Voyagers  is the 2019 IWSG short-story anthology, and of course I'm extra excited because my story, "A World of Trouble," is in there. This isn't a review, but there have been some reviews, and posts about and by the authors, that I want to share now that I'm reading the book and thinking about it! From the authors: https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/05/insider-writing-tips-for-iwsg-2020_27.html https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/06/insider-writing-tips-for-iwsg-2020.html https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-2020-iwsg-anthology-contest-and_20.html https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-2020-iwsg-anthology-contest-and.html https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/06/strategies-for-promoting-book-part-1.html https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/06/strategies-for-promoting-book-part-2.html Reviews o...

The long-anticipated IWSG Anthology is here! Voyagers: The Third Ghost releases today, including my story "A World of Trouble." Voyagers: The Third Ghost An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology Journey into the past… Will the third ghost be found before fires take more lives?   Can everyone be warned before Pompeii is buried again? What happens if a blizzard traps a family in East Germany? Will the Firebird help Soviet sisters outwit evil during WWII?  And sneaking off to see their first aeroplane – what could go wrong? Ten authors explore the past, sending their young protagonists on harrowing adventures. Featuring the talents of   Yvonne Ventresca, Katharina Gerlach, Roland Clarke,   Sherry Ellis, Rebecca M. Douglass, Bish Denham, Charles Kowalski, Louise MacBeath Barbour,   Beth Anderson Schuck, and   L.T. Ward. Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales   will take readers on a voyage of wonder into history. Get r...

I composed my IWSG post for last week a bit in advance, since we were out in the wilds of Maine. As a result, I failed to include my writer's news, most of which happened after I queued up the post. I have a couple of things I'm excited about sharing this week instead! 1.  I got a story accepted! My short, "The Revenge of Gorg," a rewriting of the first chapter of Gorg's book was accepted for publication in the November issue of "Frostfire Worlds." I'll share more info about purchasing copies when I have it. I'm extra excited about this, because after trying a couple of years ago to put Gorg's stories into a novel form, I let that project drop in frustration. This sale restores some of my faith in Gorg, and his book is going back into the hopper for more work (as soon as I deal with a few other things). 2. I got inspired, and the outlining process for the Pismawallops PTA #5 is well under way, even while #4, Death By Library, is with the pro...

Fiction in 50 is a regular feature in the last week of every month (well, lately I’ve been using it for a Friday Flash near the end of the month as the spirit moves me). I invite any interested composers of mini-narrative to join in! I didn't do a heads-up post this month, but feel free to jump in at any time.       What is #Fi50? In the words of founder Bruce Gargoyle, "Fiction in 50: think of it as the anti-NaNoWriMo experience!" Pack a beginning, middle and end of story into 50 words or less (bonus points for hitting exactly 50 words). The rules for participation are simple : 1. Create a piece of fictional writing in 50 words or less, ideally using the prompt as title or theme or inspiration. That’s it!  But for those who wish to challenge themselves further, here’s an additional rule: 2. Post your piece of flash fiction on your blog or (for those poor blog-less souls) add it as a comment on the Ninja Librarian’s post for everyone to enjoy.   A...

Note: I shared a Spotlight for this novella during the Great Escapes blog tour, but thought it best to wait on my review, as I would probably not give this the requisite 3 stars, if I gave star, which I don't :D Title: Out of Options (Century Cottage Mysteries prequel novella) Author: Dianne Ascroft Publication Info: April 2019, 126 pages. Contains novella and bonus short story "City Sunsets." Source: Great Escapes Blog Tours Publisher's Blurb: Out of Options is a prequel novella to the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series, and introduces Lois Stone and her companions, Raggs and Ribbons, a pair of perceptive calico cats. A dry district, a shocking secret, a missing person. When Lois Stone’s friend, Beth Darrow, arranges to meet her to reveal an astonishing discovery, Lois’s curiosity is piqued. Then Beth doesn’t keep their lunch date and Lois becomes worried. What has happened to her friend? Middle-aged widow Lois is settling into life on her own in her neighb...

Cozy novella spotlight! Out of Options: A Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries by Dianne Ascroft About the Book   Out of Options: A Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries   Cozy Mystery Prequel Novella   Independently Published (April 28, 2019)   Paperback: 126 pages   ISBN-10: 1096163373   ISBN-13: 978-1096163374 D igital ASIN: B07R4GQWQN   Out of Options is a prequel novella to the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series, and introduces Lois Stone and her companions, Raggs and Ribbons, a pair of perceptive calico cats. A dry district, a shocking secret, a missing person. When Lois Stone’s friend, Beth Darrow, arranges to meet her to reveal an astonishing discovery, Lois’s curiosity is piqued. Then Beth doesn’t keep their lunch date and Lois becomes worried. What has happened to her friend? Middle-aged widow Lois is settling into life on her own in her neighbourhood and in the library where she works, and she is just about coping with her fear of strangers after her ...