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Now That Something New is Over

Nov11

something new coverNow that Something New is over, a decision must be made. What next? I have so many books to choose from. The number of finished novels is now 75 (at least at the writing of his post. Could be more than that by the time it goes live).

So, the question that needs to be answered is this: What shall I share next? I admit myself in a quandary. Should I share A Novel Romance about Lionel the genius college professor? Or perhaps Mirrored, the sequel to Conduct Unbecoming and The Ninja Tattoo (another Teague McMurtry mystery)? I also have a story set in rural Kentucky in 1939, called Poplar Mountain Mystery. And don’t forget First Love, a young adult romantic suspense set in 1975. I’ll even consider Love, Death & Pizza, a modern murder mystery. I can head down a variety of roads.

Usually, I don’t get much response to a post like this, but I still hold out hope that at least one or two people will tell me what they’d like to read. Below are short blurbs with each title I’ve mentioned. Please leave a note in the comments and let me know which one interests you. Thank you! Dellani

A Novel Romance is set in my city (somewhere up North). It’s about Lionel Pettigrew, a flighty, brilliant college professor, who can’t seem to keep both feet on the ground. Not for lack of trying, he’s just a genius with a serious ADHD problem and a hard core caffeine addiction. When he meets his new research assistant, Arista Lockhart, the bullet train in his brain slows to a more manageable speed and he finds himself falling in love.

Mirrored is another Teague McMurtry mystery, set after Conduct Unbecoming and The Ninja Tattoo. Teague’s cousin Joel is on medical leave from the police force due to a work sustained injury—a man he arrested sliced him on the thigh with a knife. He’s now living in Teague’s old place on Riverside Drive, next to the elderly Millie. When she gets spooked one evening when walking her dog, Joel is concerned—but not half as concerned as Millie’s great-granddaughter, Cora Surray, who has come to live with her great-grandmother. Is it someone from Teague’s past or Joel’s who threatens their safety?

Poplar Mountain Mystery is set in rural Kentucky in 1939. Lucius Henry works for a small boarding school situated on land his great-grandfather leased to them many years ago. His father, shattered by WW I, is an abusive drunk who, not surprisingly, turns up dead. However, it becomes clear that it was no accident. It’s up to Lucius, and his girlfriend, Dorothea Belloit, to discover what’s going on and who’s behind it.

First Love is set in New Mexico in 1975. Madison Reynolds is visiting a small mission church with her Presbyterian youth group. If her on-going battle with another girl, Claire, weren’t enough, she finds herself embroiled in a mystery that threatens her and her friends. Drawn to the minister’s son, Gabriel, Maddie is in a quandary when her friend, Clayton, makes his feelings for her clear. They embark on a dangerous voyage of discovery, determined to find out who is threatening them and why.

The final choice is Love, Death & Pizza, a romantic suspense set in western Nebraska. Owner of Parnell’s Pizza Palace, Brock Parnell is not a man to start a fight, but by his own admission, he’ll surely finish it. Bullied as a teenager, and further harassed as an adult, by Tack Carmichael, Brock isn’t terribly disappointed to find out that Tack’s been killed. He actually does a celebration dance, until the cops come knocking at his door. Offended by their stupidity, Brock endures a late night interrogation by two police detectives, but he has nothing to feel guilty about. He didn’t kill Tack. They don’t believe him, but Assistant District Attorney, Adrianna Hasselhoff, does. However, someone seems very keen to pin Tack’s murder on Brock.

These are your choices, choose well because you’ll be enduring the fruits of your choice for the next however many weeks. I really would appreciate feedback, so please let your choices be known by commenting below. If we get a tie, I’ll draw a name from the hat. ~ Dellani

Announcing One Night in Daytona Beach by Dellani Oakes

Oct28

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It’s finally here! The long anticipated (at least for me) One Night in Daytona Beach, #17 in the City Nights Series from Tirgearr Publishing, is Available Now! Grab your copy while it’s still only .99 cents!

When I first heard of the City Night Series, I was intrigued. The parameters of 24 hour time frame and erotic romance, were somewhat daunting as I usually extend my stories over longer periods of time. However, I saw it as a challenge. However, I couldn’t think of a city, that I had knowledge of, which could be in any way interesting. I’ve lived a lot of places, and visited more, but somehow I didn’t think that One Night in Lubbock, Texas sounded quite as enticing as I might like. And then Troy Lambert wrote about Boise, Idaho and I knew that I could do it. Thank you, Troy!

My own city, in the Daytona area, isn’t very large or exciting, though it is in the story. In fact, a very important facet of the plot takes place here in sunny old Edgewater. And yes, we really do roll up the sidewalks early—what sidewalks there are. Mostly, we don’t have them. We are right on the Indian River, a stone’s throw from the beach, as the crow flies. As far as roads, I have to go to New Smyrna for a bridge.

Once I’d decided that, I tried to find a backdrop to the action. I couldn’t make their action the only events in the story. A friend suggested NASCAR, but I’ve never been and don’t intend to, so I passed on that. However, there are two other major events around here: Biketoberfest and Daytona Bike Week. Since The Ninja Tattoo takes place during Biketoberfest, I decided to use Bike Week instead. With that decided, I was off like a shot. I wrote the story in less than a week.

I hope you enjoy One Night in Daytona Beach and will check out all the other fantastic books in the City Nights Series. Swing your leather clad leg over that Softail and rev up your engine. Then hang on tight, you’re in for a hot, fast paced ride!

To Buy One Night in Daytona Beach

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I Love Dialogue! from The Ninja Tattoo

May15

I love dialogue doodle bannerTeague and Vivica meet under odd circumstances—he runs into her with the door at Dunkin’ Donuts. Needless to say, she’s not very happy until he buys her coffee and flirts unashamedly with her. Soon, they start dating and Teague finds out that her life is full of danger, mostly because her older brother is the head of a dangerous biker gang.

Teague was worried. The man sounded mean, hard. The tone of Vivica’s voice still bothered him. Lying in bed, he got a sudden case of the creeps. He made another circuit of the house, peeping out the edge of the drapes in the living room. With the room dark behind him, the moon reflecting off the water, he thought he saw a person lurking in the shadow of the dock. As he watched, a lighter flared, barely illuminating the figure. It was a man with a shaved head. Teague couldn’t see details from his room. He had the impression that the man was solidly built.

The idea of calling the police flickered through his mind, but he dismissed it. Instead, he got dressed in dark jeans and a black T-shirt. He got his survival knife, attaching it to his gun belt. Next, he got his Glock 22 out of the locked cabinet. He had a license to carry a concealed weapon. That went in a holster opposite the knife. As prepared as he could be, he put on his military boots and left the house by the side door that opened off the utility room. It was concealed by an arched trellis covered in bougainvillea and nearly invisible from the street. Chances were, if someone was watching the front, they were also at the back and the door facing the side street. He doubted they knew that this other side door existed. He’d lived in the house nearly a week before noticing it himself. Leaving it unlocked, he eased through the trellis, the thorns on the bougainvillea grabbing at his clothing and uncovered skin.

Ignoring the stinging wounds, he moved like a shadow through the overgrown side yard down to the street. He knew he’d be exposed crossing the street, but the nearest light was almost a block away. There were deep shadows from the thick water oaks that surrounded his house and the one next door.

Becoming part of the night, he took a circuitous route to the dock next to his, coming at the man from the right rear. His knife was out and across the unprotected throat before the other man knew he was there. Left hand held the knife, right clasped his neck in an unyielding hold.

“Who the fuck are you and why are you watching my house?” His voice a menacing whisper.

The man didn’t move, but Teague felt him tense. He was going to try to get away. The knife blade turned slightly, catching the glimmer of moonlight along the razor sharp edge. It was the only part of the knife that shone. The rest of the blade was a dark, matte finish. An assassin’s knife and Teague knew how to use it.

“Give me a reason,” Teague growled.cropped-the-ninja-tattoo-by-dellani-oakes-200.jpg

The man relaxed. “I’ve got friends,” he murmured.

“I’m sure you do. But you’ll be dead before they can take me out. Keep that firmly in mind. Now talk.”

“Doing what I’m told,” he grunted as Teague’s grip on his neck tightened. “I don’t know.”

He hyperventilated as Teague’s forearm put pressure on his windpipe.

“Swear ta God—I don’t—know!” He gasped as he collapsed on the ground. He wasn’t dead, just unconscious.

Teague went through his pockets looking for identification. He had a driver’s license on him. Teague couldn’t see it clearly in the half light, but caught part of the address. He wasn’t a local. Memorizing the face and as much of the name and address as he could, he put it back. He wondered where the other men were. Had they seen him? Doubtful, or he’d be surrounded.

He took his concealed route back across the street, making his way to his neighbor’s yard. He was up and over the high wooden fence in one smooth movement. Landing lightly on the soft turf behind his garage, he took another watcher by surprise. This one had the time to make a faint noise of alarm before Teague knocked him out.

© 2015 Dellani Oakes

To Buy The Ninja Tattoo

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIRGEARR PUBLISHING!

Mar2

tirgearrpublishing

Tirgearr Publishing opened its doors on 29 February, 2012, Leap Day.
We took a big leap of faith that day to start our new venture.
Now, one year on, things couldn’t be better. We have a great team of authors, our staff is growing, and our collection of books is second to none.

To celebrate, we’re putting all of our books on sale.
All Kindle titles for just 99c!

Join us from Sunday, 3 March, to Saturday, 9 March, for our one year anniversary sale. These days coincide with Read an eBook Week.

What a great opportunity to pick up some great digital books at a fabulous price.

This is no one-day sale. This sale goes all week!

During our sale week, you could win some FREE books.
Comment on one of our media sites and it could be you!
We’d love to hear comments on books you’ve read,
but we’ll take a simple hello or even a smiley.
Heck, just ‘like’ a post on our Facebook page between 3-9 March,
and we might pick you to win a book.
Just make your presence known and if we pick you,
you can choose any book in our catalog.
Tirgearr Publishing
One Year Anniversary Celebration – Kindle eBook Sale
3-9 March, 2013
http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com
http://www.amazon.com/TirgearrPublishing