
WITH A SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE (A Bay Island Psychic Mystery)
By Lena Gregory
It is my pleasure to welcome Lena Gregory
back to Escape With Dollycas today!
Hi Lena,
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I grew up in a small town on the south shore of Eastern Long Island, much like the ones I write about, but I recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of Central Florida. I live with my husband, daughter, and son-in-law, two sons, and four dogs. In addition to the four cozy mystery series’ I’m currently writing, I also write inspirational romantic suspense, work as a freelance editor, and homeschool my eleven-year-old son. In my spare time, which is rare, I enjoy spending time with my family, walking (while taking pictures of scenery and wildlife), and reading.
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I research everything for my books and spend hours doing so before beginning a book and while I’m writing. I research methods of murder, motives for murder, climate-related to the areas my towns are located in, roadways if they are driving in a real place, local foods, and customs. I even research the names of my characters to be sure they are as original as possible.
Do you ever suffer from Writer’s Block?
I do occasionally suffer from Writer’s Block, usually while I’m on a tight deadline, of course. When that happens, I try to just sit and write, at least get something on the page. I can always rework it or delete it later on when the words start flowing more easily again.
What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?
“Never give up!” It’s definitely not an easy road, and there is plenty of rejection along the way, but achieving your dream is so worth it.
When you are not writing what do you like to do?
I enjoy walking a lot, especially with my kids. We like to hike the local trails, and I love taking pictures while we walk. There are so many interesting things in Florida. In addition to the gorgeous scenery, I’ve gotten pictures of snakes, alligators, peacocks, and all different kinds of birds. I’ve been trying for three years to get a picture of the hummingbirds in my yard, but they are just too fast.
Did the COVID pandemic affect you and your writing?
It definitely did affect my writing, mostly because I began homeschooling my eleven-year-old son. We just made it through fifth grade (no easy task), and are moving on to sixth. Lol. My son is not a huge fan of school and was begging to be homeschooled even before the pandemic. Now that we’ve tried it, and both love it, I doubt he’ll ever go back to brick-and-mortar school, so I’ve had to adjust to writing around his school schedule.
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
This is such a difficult question! I’m not much of a traveler and prefer to be home, especially since I don’t like to fly, but in a perfect world, I think I’d love to see Italy. My daughter and son-in-law talk about going all the time, and they make it sound so appealing.
What is next on the horizon for you?
My current goal is to somehow get through writing the thirteen or so books I have contracted over the next two years. I enjoy writing cozies, and I’m hoping to continue with all four of my current series’ as well as adding one more which I’ve begun plotting. I also write an inspirational romantic suspense series under a pen name, which I’d like to continue. In addition to that, in another pen name, I have a YA fantasy trilogy reprint due to release next year and a MG fantasy due to release in July of 2023, and a picture book as well. So, all of my writing is pretty much planned out through 2024, and then I’ll have to reassess and decide what to do next.
Wow, Lady, you are going to be one busy woman and I am sure all your readers are excited about all the irons you have in the fire!
Thank you so much for visiting today!
Keep reading for info on Lena’s latest book!
About With A Spirit of Vengeance
With A Spirit of Vengeance (A Bay Island Psychic Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Setting – Bay Island (Just off Long Island, New York)
Beyond the Page Publishing (June 28, 2022)
Paperback Print Length : 249 pages
ISBN-10 : 1958384046
ISBN-13 : 978-1958384046
Digital ASIN : B0B3GG5P68
Psychic Cass Donovan must uncover the truth about long-buried secrets and recent murders to bring peace to a troubled spirit and bring justice to a flesh-and-blood killer . . .
When the spirit of Ophelia Wilson turned to clairvoyant Cass Donovan for help, Cass was able to prove Ophelia’s innocence in the century-old murders of her family members—and solve a contemporary murder in the process. But Ophelia’s spirit has returned, this time angrily demanding that Cass expose the identity of whoever did kill her family. And then eerily, two descendants from the Wilson family tree are murdered, suggesting that Ophelia has the power to meddle in modern-day events to satisfy her rage.
As Cass struggles to solve the two recent murders and unravel the sparse clues about murders from a hundred years ago, she and those around her begin to suffer Ophelia’s wrath—including an attempt on the life of one of Cass’s closest friends. Relying on all of her own psychic powers, Cass has to confront the spirit’s hunger for vengeance and track down a merciless killer before she becomes the next victim of both . . .
More About Lena Gregory
Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.
Author Links – Newsletter – Website – Facebook – Facebook Page – Twitter – Goodreads – Pinterest
Purchase Links –
Amazon Barnes and Noble Kobo
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 27 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
June 28 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
June 29 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – GUEST POST, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
June 30 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 30 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 1 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
July 3 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
July 4 – OFF
July 5 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST
July 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 6 – Angel’s Guilty Pleasures – AUTHOR INTERVIEW, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
July 7 – I Read What You Write – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 7 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
July 8 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 8 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
July 9 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
July 9 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
July 10 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 11 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 11 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT
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Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
Thank you so much for having me, Lori! It’s always a pleasure to visit! And thank you for sharing the release of With a Spirit of Vengeance and for such an amazing tour.
Congratulations on your latest release, Lena.
I love the cover.
I haven’t read anything from this author yet, sounds like a fun book.