Friday, January 23, 2015

Book Tour and Giveaway - MacDeath by Cindy Brown

I'm thrilled to be part of this blog tour. Cindy Browns new book MACDEATH is out! Leave a comment and email for a chance to win a copy. You will be hooked from the start.
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MACDEATH
by Cindy Brown

MACDEATH frontMacdeath
Cozy Mystery
Paperback: 275 pages
Publisher: Henery Press (January 20, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1940976693
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Synopsis:
Like every actor, Ivy Meadows knows that Macbeth is cursed. But she’s finally scored her big break, cast as an acrobatic witch in a circus-themed production of Macbeth in Phoenix, Arizona. And though it may not be Broadway, nothing can dampen her enthusiasm—not her flying caldron, too-tight leotard, or carrot-wielding dictator of a director.
But when one of the cast dies on opening night, Ivy is sure the seeming accident is “murder most foul” and that she’s the perfect person to solve the crime (after all, she does work part-time in her uncle’s detective agency). Undeterred by a poisoned Big Gulp, the threat of being blackballed, and the suddenly too-real curse, Ivy pursues the truth at the risk of her hard-won career—and her life.

my review:
At the opening of this book you will meet Ivy Meadows. Ivy is the star of the show Macbeth and more than excited that she got the part.On the night  of the performance on of the cast members is killed and Ivy is on the case to find out who the killer is and bring them down. With a cast of characters that will steal the show this whodunit will keep you reading until the final curtain call. Cindy Brown is the author of this fantastic read. Get this book today and enjoy hours of great reading. 
Guest Post:
Anatomy of a First Mystery Novel


Step one: Wake up with a great character in your head. Decide to write a novel. After all you’ve written over a dozen plays and screenplays. Writing a book can’t be that different, right?


Step two: Take first draft of the beginning of Macdeath to your writers group. They ask why it’s all dialogue and no setting or character descriptions. Realize that writing a book is different than writing a play.


Step three: Rewrite beginning of book and take it back to writing group. This time they say, “This is a murder mystery right? Shouldn’t there be a body by now?”  Decide it’s okay to have the death happen later.


Step four: Go to a workshop where you hear that it’s a bad idea to use shifting first-person point of views (POVs) like you do in Macdeath. Maybe. But you like shifting first person POVs.


Step five: After much revision, you begin submitting your manuscript to agents.  Some emails fall into the black hole of submission-land, some receive form rejections, but a few garner responses from agents who give you encouraging feedback and suggestions for revision. Like not having shifting first person POVs.  Hmm.


Step six: While submitting Macdeath, you also start writing the second book in the series. You win kudos for this book, The Sound of Murder and wonder if you should give up on the first book.


Step seven: You decide you really like Macdeath and spend a year re-writing so that it’s in just one point of view. You begin sending it out.


Step nine:  You hear Kendel Lynn of Henery Press speak at the Left Coast Crime conference. She’s funny and nice, and their books look great. You think she might “get” your book, so you submit Macdeath.


Step 10: Kendel e-mails you!  She loves Macdeath but thinks it needs a major overhaul. You talk on the phone, and she asks if you can move the murder closer to the beginning of the book. Of course you can!  And after resolving to listen more closely to your writing friends, you sit down and get to work.
BROWN-picAbout This Author
Cindy Brown has been a theater geek (musician, actor, director, producer, and playwright) since her first professional gig at age 14. Now a full-time writer, she’s lucky enough to have garnered several awards (including 3rd place in the 2013 international Words With Jam First Page Competition, judged by Sue Grafton!) and is an alumnus of the Squaw Valley Writers Workshop. Though Cindy and her husband now live in Portland, Oregon, she made her home in Phoenix, Arizona, for more than 25 years and knows all the good places to hide dead bodies in both cities.
Author Links
Website & Blog: www.cindybrownwriter.com
Twitter handle: @friendlybrown

Purchase Link 
Amazon B&N and Book Depository Coming Soon!


22 comments:

  1. MACDEATH by Cindy Brown sounds like a delightful cozy! I am looking forward to reading it. Thank you for the giveaway. :)
    myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com

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  2. This sounds like a cool cozy. I am adding it to my TBR list. Thanks for the giveaway! raquel36m(at)gmail(dot)com

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  3. Macdeath sounds intriguing and unique. Thanks for this lovely feature and giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  4. I would enjoy MACDEATH which is a mysterious cozy. Many thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  5. Sounds like a great book
    rjprazak6@gmail.com

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  6. Wow this sounds like a great book. And I love the interview of how she got the book written.

    Angie Young
    thelittlereadingcabin@yahoo.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! It was a rocky road, but it had a happy ending!

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  7. The play that is like Voldemort-he who shall not be named
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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    Replies
    1. Ha! Never thought about that. Wonder if JK is a Shakespeare fan?

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  8. I would love to read this book—thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

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  9. Sounds like a great book! Thank you for the contest!

    woodrumbetty@gmail.com

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  10. Looks fantastic, I hope to get a chance to read it :)
    jslbrown2009(at)aol(dot)com

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  11. So glad you liked Macdeath - thanks, Shelley!

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  12. This sounds like an interesting first book---I like the theater aspect. Thanks for the contest.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  13. I'd enjoy reading this book very much...thanks for the giveaway!
    gshefty@gmail.conm

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  14. I like the way to write a first book. I bet you learned there's a lot of difference between writing a book and plays or screenplays. You also spent quite a bit of time researching. I would love to read this book. Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks to everyone for your comments, and to Shelly for hosting me. I hope you enjoy Macdeath!

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    2. Melody, you should have seen my early first draft - all dialogue, no setting or character description, just like a play:)

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  15. would so love to read this!!!
    thank you for the giveaway!!

    cyn209 at juno dot com

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  16. Winner is... Congratulations to Raquel!!

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  17. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BOOK AND THANKS FOR THE GIVEAWAY! SHELLEY S. calicolady60@hotmail.com

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  18. Woo hoo! I love cozy mysteries! Thank you for the chance to win and read it!
    heatheranne99 at gmail dot com

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