Cozy Wednesday with Gail Oust – Author of Curried Away – #Review / #Giveaway too! – Great Escapes Book Tour

I am so excited to Welcome Gail back to Escape With Dollycas today! 

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

Or, maybe for whom the clock ticks, would be more appropriate when discussing the dreaded “D” word.   Every writer dreams of having a book contract, but with every contract comes a deadline.  I tend to believe that the “dead” part of deadline is significant.  Deadlines are sneaky devils.  They lull you into a false sense of complacency when they’re six, nine, or twelve months away.  You think you have all the time in the world to whip your story into submission.  While in this state of bliss, you take occasional days off to have a little fun, entertain out of town guests, or just goof off.  You might agree to speaking engagements, attend a writers conference or two, or even volunteer to moderate a panel.  No worry, you tell yourself, you have plenty of time.  You have everything under control.

Bam!  Then it hits you.  A closer look at the calendar reveals the deadline you thought tame is about to pounce and bite your head off.  Your focus narrows so all you can see is the darn computer screen and the stupid cursor with its incessant blinking.  You transform into a frantic Captain Hook chased by the crocodile who swallowed a ticking clock.  No more play dates with friends.  You wonder if they’ll forget your name but not for long because you have plot points to ponder.  Meals become haphazard and you’re grateful your husband likes egg sandwiches and gas station pizza.  You desperately need a hair cut but your hairdresser tends to be chatty and you can’t spare the time.  A manicure is on the horizon, too, but that only occurs when your long fingernails keep hitting keys you never intended.  There are chapters to write; pages to polish.  Your world dwindles until there is only “The Book.”   Then, miraculously, its finished.  You hit the SEND button, and your manuscript flies through cyberspace to land on the desk of your editor in publisherville.

Now it’s time to celebrate, time to toast your success, get caught up on sleep, renew acquaintances, and cook elaborate meals.  And, strange as it may sound, it’s time to wish for another deadline.

~Gail

 

 

Synopsis

Piper Prescott, proprietor of Spice It Up!, has persuaded Doug Winters, the mild-mannered vet she’s been dating, to demonstrate Indian cuisine at her shop. But before Doug’s presentation of classic chicken curry is completed, Ned Feeney, local handyman, bursts in with news of a murder.

Sandy Granger, the director of a local production of Steel Magnolias, was found strangled in the third-floor balcony of the Brandywine Creek Opera House. Sandy, it seems, had not endeared herself to cast or crew. Complaints about her ran the gamut from her management style to her lack of people skills. Everyone connected with the production falls under suspicion, including Piper Prescott’s BFF, Reba Mae Johnson, who made it well known how unhappy she is that she was cut from the cast.

When the spotlight for the dastardly deed shines on Reba Mae, Piper rushes to her friend’s defense. Who among Sandy’s detractors was angry enough to wrap a silk scarf around her neck—and pull tight? Will Piper succeed in solving the case before she becomes the killer’s encore performance? And will she ever learn just how to prepare the perfect curry?

About The Author

Friends often accuse Gail Oust of flunking retirement.  While working as a nurse/vascular technologist, Gail penned nine historical romances under the pseudonym Elizabeth Turner for Avon, Pocket, Berkley, and Kensington.  It wasn’t until she and her husband retired to South Carolina that inspiration struck for a mystery.  Hearing the words, “maybe it’s a dead body,” while golfing with friends fired her imagination for the Bunco Babe Mystery series originally published by NAL.  In conjunction with Beyond the Page Publishing, the Bunco Babe series has  been republished in digital format as the Kate McCall Mysteries complete with new titles and a whole new look.  Gail is currently writing the Spice Shop Mysteries for Minotaur/St. Martin’s.  When she isn’t reading, writing, or sleeping, she can usually be found on the golf course or hanging out with friends.

Author Links
Links:  Webpage – www.gailoust.com, Gail Oust Author on Facebook, and Goodreads.

Purchase Links
Amazon B&N  Google Play

Amazon   B&N

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 6 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW

January 6 – Girl with Book Lungs – SPOTLIGHT

January 7 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW

January 8 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW

January 9 – Jane Reads – REVIEW, GUEST POST

January 10 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &,Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

January 10 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT

January 11 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – COZY WEDNESDAY

January 12 – Readeropolis – REVIEW

January 12 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 13 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW, GUEST POST

January 14 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

January 15 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 15 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW  

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. 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.”