Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am happy to welcome Maggie to Escape With Dollycas for the very first time!!
Don’t look now but I’ve Gone and Done It
By Maggie Toussaint
Most people follow a linear career path. They climb the ladder one step at a time and savor each vantage point. Coming to fiction writing from a scientific background, I understood this linear approach. Write a book, do it really well, and build a solid base.
Guess what. My muse didn’t get the career memo. Worse, I’m starting to believe she has a severe attention deficit disorder.
First, she craved the action and adventure of romantic suspense. Then she said, “I’m not fulfilled. Let’s tackle the intellectual challenge of writing a cozy mystery.” What’s a writer to do but change direction? So, I caved and wrote a cozy series and several stand-alones.
The winds of fate tickled my muse again. “Let’s write a ghost story,” she says. “We can still call it a cozy, and even toss in some romance if that will make you happy.”
I put my foot down, but my muse was persistent. And the longer I made her wait, the more determined she became. “I must write a ghost story. It’s my lifelong dream,” she’d whisper as I awoke each morning.
Already juggling two genres, I ignored her pleas. My eye got twitchy. I got itchy. I started having attention deficit everything as my muse whispered louder. “We will write a ghost story, or you will hear me gripe all day, every day.”
Gone And Done It sprung into being rather quickly, as I had a good sense of what being haunted felt like, thanks to my wayward muse.
From this auspicious beginning, my amateur sleuth Baxley Powell emerged. She’s a petsitter and a landscaper with another gear. She talks to dead people. It’s a family trait, and her dad has been shouldering the load for years, but now he’s handing his responsibilities to Baxley.
Baxley’s got a precocious young daughter and a missing husband declared dead by his military bosses, but he’s not on the Other Side. She knows because she’s searched for him to no avail.
Before Baxley assumes the mantle of Dreamwalker from her father, she had several negative experiences of intense pyschometry. When she touched an object, she got zapped with a vivid past scene from someone who touched the item in a heightened emotional state. To protect herself from nasty surprises, she learned to block her tactile abilities. Even so, while posing as “normal,” she developed a tuned ear for liars, which gives her an edge in sniffing out the truth.
With the episodic nature of her work, Baxley decides to supplement her meager income by helping the police with cases. It seems like work she might excel in, but then she’s accused of murdering a woman at her landscaping jobsite.
Not trusting the cops to clear her name, Baxley searches for truth in this world and the next.
The book’s title was inspired by a line in the Shania Twain song “Love gets me every time.” My sleuth’s definitely “gone and done it” when it comes to solving crimes. No way she’s trusting her future to anyone but herself. Been there, made that wrong turn.
Gone And Done It is the first book of the series, with book 2, Bubba Done It, in acquisitions. Book 3 is in the first draft stage.
Reviews at Kirkus, Amazon, and Goodreads are encouraging. Of course, my muse is taking all the credit. I’ve told her at least a hundred times that no one likes to hear I-told-you-so, but she’s positively giddy about our new direction.
We have ideas for several more stories in the series percolating along, so I hope you’ll join us on our paranormal romp. With each book, another aspect of Baxley’s talent is revealed. Once Baxley accepts the role of County Dreamwalker, power descends upon her, and she has a host of psychic gifts. And yes, my muse and I bent the conventional rules of psychics a bit, but we think you’ll find the results intriguing.
Did I mention her hair? The tangible sign of Baxley’s power is an immediate vanilla frosting-like streak in her forelock. The more hair color she slathers on, the more hair turns white. And forget wearing hats. They now give her monster headaches.
Apparently, the universe wants her striped hair to be on display. Oh, joy.
But, like the letter carriers of yesteryear, nothing can stop Baxley’s search for the truth … and justice.
~Maggie
About This Author
Maggie Toussaint is the author of eleven published books, with six mysteries and five romantic suspense novels. Her latest book is her new paranormal cozy, Gone And Done It which is available at Amazon in print and ebook, and in print at Barnes and Noble
You can visit Maggie at www.maggietoussaint.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MaggieToussaintAuthor
Twitter: @MaggieToussaint
*Photos purchased and provided by author.
Gone And Done It
(Dreamwalker Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy
New Series
Five Star Publishing (April 18, 2014)
Hardcover: 275 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1432828134
E-Book File Size: 369 KB
ASIN: B00JJ2XVZ6
Baxley Powell is a landscaper and pet sitter in a small town on the coast of Georgia. While finishing up a huge landdscaping project Baxley makes a terrible discovery, a human skull. She wants to use her psychic ability to identify the victim but ends up getting tasered by a deputy instead.
Baxley has inherited a unique ability from her father. She is a dreamwalker. Dreamwalkers seem to be well known in this little town. Soon she is helping the police not only identify the remains but also solving a murder as well.
Baxley Powell is a very interesting character. Her husband, an Army man, is missing and presumed dead. She and her 10 year old daughter are just trying to live their lives. But it hard to live a normal life when the whole town knows your father is a dreamwalker and Baxley is one too. Baxley is just learning about her abilities but her father’s declining health means she needs to learn very quickly.
Baxley is a very likeable character, single mom, trying to make ends meet anyway she can. The dreamwalker ability flows very naturally in the story. Her mother is a great character as well. She uses crystals to help heal her husband and her daughter when their bodies are completely drained after a dreamwalking session. Her father and Baxley’s daughter also have a mind meld thing with Baxley and know when she is safe or in trouble. The whole theme was very fascinating.
I did have one small problem with the story. The way the death or non-death of Baxley’s husband was handled made me wonder several times if this really was the first book in this series. Several times things were referred to with not a lot of explanation like the reader should know these things already. This improved as the story continued. I realize his status will play out as the series continues I just would have liked to see the character be introduced in a different way instead of wrapped into moments that occurred in this story. I know the character whether alive or dead will have major impact as the stories continue.
This series is off to strong start. I look forward to reading more about Baxley Powell and her family.
Thanks to the author we are giving away my Advanced Review Copy
and 1 Print Copy of Gone And Done It !!
Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US or Canadian mailing address.
Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.
You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find
something you like here and become a follower.
Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.
Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.
Leave a comment for Maggie for 5 Bonus Entries !
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive
5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End May 28, 2014 at 11:59 PM CST
Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winner Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY FORM
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Love the premise for this book. Looking forward to reading it as well as your other books!
Hi Barbara! I’m getting online late today, but I’m delighted by your interest in Gone and Done It! Best of luck to you in the drawing.
I wanted to read the book when you said she got tasered. I want to know how it proceeds now.
Hi to you Greenie Joey, I’m chuckling that the tasering got your attention. It sure got mine when I attended Writer’s Police Academy. Let me go on record and say that I never want to be tasered. My thoughts are scrambled enough already! Good luck in the drawing.
Looking forward to reading this new series.
Hey Gram, So nice to meet you here at Dollycas. I write blended stories to keep my muse on track, as you can probably surmise from the blogpost. Gracious! It’s such a pretty day here today in coastal Ga. I hope you’re having good weather where you live. Best of luck in the giveaway.
Really enjoyed this book!
Thank you, Joyce! I was tickled pink that you liked the story. Coming from you, that means a lot. I didn’t cross paths with you at Malice, though I had hoped to. I think Jim and I sat across a table from each other at one of the breakfasts, but the distance wasn’t conducive to conversation. Next time, okay?
I have never read a paranormal cozy before, sounds interesting; thank you for the chance to win 🙂
Hi Lisa, There’s a small town feel about Gone and Done It, same as my series cozies, so I think you will find yourself right at home in the story. So nice to meet you here at Dollycas, and best of luck to you in the giveaway!
I’ve read two of Maggie’s books so far, this one and a Cleopatra Jones book. One theme, which may coincidental, seems to be that men are dogs. In Gone, only her father is a truly good man. In the Cleopatra Jones series, her ex-husband is a cheater and there’s a lot of suspicion that her boyfriend? hook up? is cheating and he’s a bit weak. I like the mystery aspect of the two books enough, but am not sure I will continue reading her work if this thread continues.
Hi ACM05, Thank you for trying my books. My female sleuths are reluctant sleuths and increase in confidence and ability with each story. in the Cleo books, her ex is a dog, but the cop and her boyfriend are stand up guys, though in Book 3 I had to toss a little mud on the boyfriend’s character to up the conflict. He comes through the end as a good guy, but he has communication issues, and Cleo wants good communication. In Gone and Done It, the series arc is that Baxley’s husband has been declared dead by the military, but she knows he’s still alive. He’s a good guy but he’s having to lay low. Folks are speculating whether he’s the watcher in the woods, or whether the watcher is waiting for him to show up. All I can say is these things unfold in the series. Now the sheriff in this paranormal series is a piece of work, but he doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Baxley’s father and several men in the community are stand up guys. Anyway, I hope this explanation helps you decide if you want to read more of my mysteries. I write very strong male leads in my romantic suspense series, if you read that genre. Check out Wyatt in Hot Water. You won’t be disappointed!
This sounds like my kind of cozy, thanks for the chance to win.
Hi Debbie, I’m happy that you enjoy paranormal cozies. I like putting my characters in situations where they don’t know how they will react, and Baxley sure gets tested in Gone and Done It. I hope you have good luck in the giveaway.
Hi Maggie, I love your books and can’t wait to try this new one out.
Hey Nora Adrienne, Thanks for your kind compliment. We authors labor alone for months on these stories and it is so rewarding to get feedback from readers. I hope your chances are good in the drawing. Best of luck!
Gonna have to check this out!
HI Ritter Ames, I hope you have good success in the drawing. Thanks for your interest in my work and for the comment here at the Dollycas Blog.
Oh, Maggie, don’t put me in the drawing. It’s already on my next order list. Just wanted to comment how good it already sounded 🙂 Thanks for coming by the blog today.
Okay, Ritter. Your wish is my command!
This book looks captivating.
HI Anne, That cover art just draws you in, doesn’t it? I like how the got the woman to be transparent under that long archway of oaks. To me, it seems so Southern, so very much what I’d like to read. Wishing you luck in the drawing!
Stick with that muse. She’s got some great ideas!
Hi Libby, I think I will keep this muse, though I hope I don’t upset fans by writing in more than one genre. I enjoy the variety in writing and it adds to the challenge of good craft to write in different genres. I figure if I love it, my fans will most likely love it. Wishing you all the best in the giveaway!
Sounds like a good cozy. I can’t wait to read it.
Hi Rita! I’m happy to meet you here at Escape With Dollycas! We’re a match made in heaven. You like cozies. I write cozies. See? There’s a connection, LOL! Wishing you luck in the giveaway. Blessings to you.
I understand the linear approach problems but I never had a muse fighting it. But I do have the reading bug that let’s me read what other’s write. Your book sounds fun.
Hi L Kish 771723, Trust me, I was amazed that I was able to go with the flow the way I did. For so many years, I did everything like it was a cookbook recipe or a science experiment with rigid procedures. But after being totally scared to death and writing a book with NO outline, I realized there was a huge benefit to not knowing every detail before it happened. Now, as I write my cozies, I don’t know whodunit until the end. Everyone’s guilty of something! I really enjoy writing books, so I’m happy to know there are readers out there who like the kinds of books I want to write. Best of luck in the drawing!
This book is a great read. I loved the paranormal element and look forward to learning more about it in the sequels. It’s always exciting when a character discovers an unknown ability. I am already a fan of this series.
HI Nancy! Thanks for your compliments. I am humbled. And delighted that you enjoyed the series debut. Hang on, ‘cuz there’s more coming!
I think I’ll like Baxley–both a petsitter and a landscaper are occupations I would love to try.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Hello Sue Key 12, I’m with you. I’d love to be a petsitter, and it would be fun to get to decide what plants looked best where. I’ve personally known 3 women with landscaping careers, and I’ve never known happier people. They just love rolling up their sleeves and getting those trimmers going. I figure it must be like writing a book or painting a picture. You start with a blank slate and end up with something beautiful! Best of luck to you in the drawing.
I am so glad you listened to your muse! Gone and Done It sounds like a real winner of a read and a fun series. I love starting at the beginning of a series and am looking forward to getting to know Baxley and the gang 🙂 Thank you for this wonderful giveaway opportunity.
Hi Denise, I’m excited to have this new series out “on the street” so to speak. I’m just beginning to polish the rough draft of book 3 of this series, and I believe I’ll have an announcement about book 2 shortly! I hope you have a great day and have good luck in the drawing.
Oooh…this sounds like an interesting read. I’m looking forward to reading it 🙂
Hi there, Lori H, I hope you will try Baxley’s story and that you will fall in love with her world. Best of luck to you in the drawing.
I am a huge mystery fan I love both Sherlock Holmes, Ellery Queen, Columbo , Banacheck, and Agatha Christie.
Hey Nylne, You have identified some giants in the mystery field. I don’t cast quite such a long shadow, but I hope my readers derive the same level of satisfaction from my books as they would from one of the big guns. Best of luck in the drawing.
I have never read a paranormal cozy mystery. It sounds like a book I would enjoy with the sleuth being a pet sitter and a landscaper in a small town. Love dogs. I would like to read what happens to her husband.
Nice to meet you, Mary Brandis. I think you’ll find Baxley to be an everywoman with a little something extra. She needs that extra bit because the troubles she has are more than most people have to deal with. I enjoy exploring the dynamics of small towns, and I hope you’ll love the world I’ve created for Baxley. Good luck in the giveaway!
Hi, Maggie,
I enjoyed the novel very much and recommend it to other readers.
Thank you for the praise and for spreading the word, Jacquie. I’m blessed to be your friend.
What a fun introduction. I’ve read all your Cleo series and now I am looking forward to enjoy this new one.
Thanks, Mona. Cleo is taking a small holiday while I run Baxley’s flag up the pole. I would love to be able to keep both series going. Me and my muse have to have another chat, LOL!
Maggie, you’ve “Gone and Done It”! LOL I love this mixture of ghost story and mystery. And my hat’s off to you–no way would I ever dream of tackling such a thing! Can’t wait to read it, because I know it will be a highly entertaining, superb book–and you must be on cloud 9 with all those great reviews!
Hugs, and best of luck always!
Cheryl
Just when I want to cut down on starting new series, an unusual one come out. This one looks too good to miss.
Hi Rblerner2013, I’m happy to make your acquaintance. I hope you will give Baxley a try and then let me know what you think about it. Wishing you the best of luck in the drawing.
HI Cheryl, I enjoyed this project a LOT, and I’m happy to report I’ve been offered a contract for book 2 of the series. So, fans, hang on, more Baxley will be coming down the pike in 2015. Thanks for stopping in, Cheryl. Sending a hug back your way!
Congratulations on the publication of Gone and Done It! It sounds fascinating. I love the combination of paranormal and cozy mystery. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the intro to Maggie and her new book! Can’t wait to read (and maybe win!) it! 🙂
🙂 Maggie, how fun is your muse! Love the premise for, “Gone And Done it!” Sounds like a fabulous series!!! ^5
I almost didn’t read this post but am glad I did. Maybe your muse is haunting me too! LOL!
I love the synopsis of the book and am definitely adding it to my TBR pile. Thanks so much!!
It sounds like a really cool book. I love the storyline of a dreamwalker, as well as the setting for this story. Thanks for having the giveaway.
Congrats on being brave enough to try different things in your writing. Your book sounds great. Thanks for having the giveaway.