My psychological thriller, Sea Scope, is on Sale until April 4 for 99 cents. This book won a silver medal from Reader’s Favorite, was a finalist in the mystery category of Top shelf Magazine’s contest, and was nominated for best mystery by the Author Academy Awards. It was also a 5-star recommended read of the IHI Book Review Project.
Sarah Collins needs an escape. Mourning her brother’s death and the impending breakup of her marriage, she returns to her childhood home in South Carolina, where her family operated an inn.
Sarah hasn’t been back to Sea Scope for twenty years; not since she and her brother Glen discovered a body by the nearby lighthouse. She never understood why her parents left Sea Scope so suddenly, or the reasons behind her father’s suicide.
After Sarah returns to the inn, she faces long-buried memories, text messages and strange clues. Something is not right in Sea Scope. Reunited with people from her past, she tries to figure out what’s going on in her childhood home.
When past and present collide, Sarah must face truths about her family, and what happened that summer day by the lighthouse. But will she survive to tell the tale?
Purchase link: mybook.to/SeaScope
If you haven’t subscribed to Debbie’s Drafts, my author newsletter, subscribe before April 2 to be eligible to win a $10 gift card and a paperback copy of one of my books in which you will be named. Details will be included in my April newsletter.
Sarah Collins needs an escape. Mourning her brother’s death and the impending breakup of her marriage, she returns to her childhood home in South Carolina, where her family operated an inn.
Sarah hasn’t been back to Sea Scope for twenty years; not since she and her brother Glen discovered a body by the nearby lighthouse. She never understood why her parents left Sea Scope so suddenly, or the reasons behind her father’s suicide.
After Sarah returns to the inn, she faces long-buried memories, text messages and strange clues. Something is not right in Sea Scope. Reunited with people from her past, she tries to figure out what’s going on in her childhood home.
When past and present collide, Sarah must face truths about her family, and what happened that summer day by the lighthouse. But will she survive to tell the tale?
Someone is strangling disabled people in the small town of Baxter, Connecticut. Detective Courtney Lang and her ex-partner and ex-lover, wheelchair-bound Bill Thompson, are paired up again and put in charge of the investigation. During the course of their search, Courtney uncovers information that points toward a connection between the murders and an unsolved series of muggings by a masked man, the same man who shot and disabled Bill a year ago on the night he proposed marriage to her.
Complicating matters for Courtney is her guilt about Thompson’s shooting, her affair with her new partner, Mark Farrell, and her unresolved feelings over the deaths of her mother and sister who perished in a fire while she was away from home.
As the deaths accrue and the “Handicapped Strangler” as the killer is coined by the press continues to rampage the town adding victims of different ages, sex, and disabilities to the murder count, Courtney discovers a clue that could crack open the case but may put her and Bill’s life in jeopardy.
From March 19 to March 23, my standalone psychological mystery, Sea Scope, will be free.
Sarah Collins needs an escape. Mourning her brother’s death and the impending breakup of her marriage, she returns to her childhood home in South Carolina, where her family operated an inn.
Sarah hasn’t been back to Sea Scope for twenty years; not since she and her brother Glen discovered a body by the nearby lighthouse. She never understood why her parents left Sea Scope so suddenly, or the reasons behind her father’s suicide.
After Sarah returns to the inn, she faces long-buried memories, text messages and strange clues. Something is not right in Sea Scope. Reunited with people from her past, she tries to figure out what’s going on in her childhood home.
When past and present collide, Sarah must face truths about her family, and what happened that summer day by the lighthouse. But will she survive to tell the tale?
I hope you all had a nice 2019 and that 2020 is even better. Here is a recap of my writing and author appearances in 2019 with my tentative calendar for 2020.
On April 6, I attended the Long Island Local Author Fair at the Tilles Center at Long Island University’s C.W. Post Campus.
On April 24, I appeared on Between the Covers TV Show with fellow guests from the Book Fairies. Here is a link to the episode.
On May 4, I published my standalone psychological mystery, Sea Scope.
In May, I was awarded a Certificate of Excellence for my cozy mystery, Love on the Rocks.
From May 15 to 18, I attended the Cat Writers’ Association Conference in St. Louis, Missouri where I spoke on a panel with three other members who write cat mysteries: Sandy Murphy, Patricia Fry, and Mollie Hunt.
So far, for 2020, I will be answering questions at the Hicksville Library’s book club discussion of my book, Sea Scope, on January 15.
On February 1, I will be appearing at Barnes and Noble in Massapequa, New York with 8 other mystery authors.
On March 28, I’ll be appearing at Starbucks in Bay Terrace, Queens with fellow NY authors, Elaine Donadio, Andrea Roche, Lisa Diaz Meyer, and Tracy Auerbach.
On April 25, I’ll be appearing at Barnes and Nobel in Selden, New York with fellow NY authors Elaine Donadio, Andrea Roche, Luisa Diaz Meyer, and Tracy Auerbach.
In July, I’ll be attending the Cat Writers’ Association Conference in New Jersey.
I also have two complete manuscripts I am hoping to publish in 2020 and am working on some short stories. I appreciate all the support of my readers and fellow authors and those who have hosted me at local author fairs and events.
Today, August 17, is Black Cat Appreciation Day, and I’m happy to say that I have my own mini panther. Harry turned a year old in August and is the sweetest fur boy you could imagine. Here are some photos of this handsome cat.
For those familiar with my books, you know that I like to write about cats. Although the library cat in my Cobble Cove mystery series is Siamese, I have included black cats in some of my writing. In my latest release, Sea Scope, there’s a black cat named Al who lives at the inn in the book.
My new release, Sea Scope, has been nominated for three awards. Below are the voting links and information about each contest. Every vote is greatly appreciated.
Sea Scope, has also been nominated for an Author Academy Award. All votes are appreciated. Please scroll to the bottom of page 10 where my book is listed in the mystery category. Thank you so much. (link: http://AuthorAcademyAwards.com)
Sea Scope is listed on the bottom of page 10 in the mystery category of the Reader’s Choice Awards.
I’m proud to announce the release of Sea Scope, my standalone psychological thriller. This book, quite different from my cozies and yet still containing a couple of cozy elements such as cats and an inn, also has other unique features. It’s the first book of mine to contain photographs and illustrations along with facts about lighthouses and lighthouse lore. In addition, it alternates back and forth in time in various chapters; and, while told in first-person by Sarah, the protagonist in the current time, it’s told by other characters in third-person in the past.
Sarah Collins needs an escape. Mourning her brother’s death and the impending breakup of her marriage, she accepts an invitation to return to her childhood home in South Carolina, where her family operated an inn.
She hasn’t been back to Sea Scope for twenty years; not since she and her brother Glen discovered a body by the nearby lighthouse. She never understood why her parents left Sea Scope so suddenly, or the reasons behind her father’s suicide.
After Sarah returns to the inn, she faces long-buried memories, text messages and strange clues. Something is not right in Sea Scope.
Reunited with people from her past, she tries to figure out what’s going on in her childhood home. As the past and present collide, she must face truths about her family, and what happened that summer day by the lighthouse. But will she survive to tell the tale?
Excerpt
When we crossed the bridge to Bretton Island, Carolyn exclaimed, “I wish my first view of Cape Bretton wasn’t in the pouring rain. It still looks lovely. I can see the lighthouse in the distance.”
I’d noticed it, too, but tried to ignore the emotions that welled up in me at its sight. We followed the one-lane road to Sea Scope next to dripping Spanish moss. The road wasn’t well lit, and I had to concentrate to find the turns that led to the inn relying on my memory more than the address I’d plugged into the car’s GPS which was often inaccurate.
“It’s coming up,” I notified Carolyn as we took another twisting turn, the wipers furiously swishing against the windshield in a futile attempt to keep it clear of the downpour.
“Thank God,” she said. “Be careful, Sarah. I can hardly see the road.”
The tires felt like they were rolling in mud as I accelerated so the car could crest the hill up to the inn. I finally came to a stop a few feet from Sea Scope’s door next to two cars, one I recognized as my aunt’s Honda. I wondered who the green Camry belonged to.
“This is it,” I told Carolyn who was already gathering her purse and overnight bag. “I think we can make it inside without using an umbrella if we run for cover under the porch.”
Carolyn looked ahead at the house. It was not as large as I remembered, but things always appear bigger to children. I could tell, even in the dark, that it needed upkeep. The bushes out front were overgrown and, although I couldn’t see the back garden, I assumed it also needed tending.
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” Carolyn said with her hand on the car door. “I love these types of Victorian sea homes. It looks like the houses I saw when I visited Cape May years ago. The view of the water and lighthouse must be amazing in good weather. I can’t wait to see the inside.”
“I’m glad you approve. It looks a little unkempt to me and not as large as I remember, but it still exudes that Southern charm of which my aunt and father were always so proud. C’mon, let’s make a run for it. It looks like one of the other guests is already here. No need to drag along our suitcases. The overnight bags we used in the motel should be fine. We can get the other stuff tomorrow.”
Carolyn nodded, throwing open the passenger door to the onslaught of rain. I ran up the porch steps behind her. When I got there, I tapped the anchor doorknocker even though I saw there was now also a bell.
“Welcome to Sea Scope,” I said, taking a deep breath as I waited for an answer.
Author Bio
Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a reference librarian at a public library on Long Island. She is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Long Island Authors Group, and the Cat Writer’s Association. She has a BA in English and an MLS in Library Science from Long Island University. Her novels include the four books of the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series: A Stone’s Throw, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Written in Stone, and Love on the Rocks. Debbie has also written a romantic comedy novella, When Jack Trumps Ace, a paranormal romance, Cloudy Rainbow, and the standalone mystery, Reason to Die. She lives on Long Island with her husband, Anthony; daughter, Holly; and three cats, Stripey, Harry, and Hermione.
Sarah Collins needs an escape. Mourning her brother’s death and the impending breakup of her marriage, she accepts an invitation to return to her childhood home in South Carolina, where her family operated an inn.
She hasn’t been back to Sea Scope for twenty years; not since she and her brother Glen discovered a body by the nearby lighthouse. She never understood why her parents left Sea Scope so suddenly, or the reasons behind her father’s suicide.
After Sarah returns to the inn, she faces long-buried memories, text messages and strange clues. Something is not right in Sea Scope.
Reunited with people from her past, she tries to figure out what’s going on in her childhood home. As the past and present collide, she must face truths about her family, and what happened that summer day by the lighthouse. But will she survive to tell the tale?
Author Bio
Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a reference librarian at a public library on Long Island. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters-in-Crime, the Long Island Authors Group, and the Cat Writer’s Association. She has a BA in English and an MLS in Library Science from Long Island University. Her novels include the four books of the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series published by Solstice Publishing: A Stone’s Throw, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Written in Stone, and Love on the Rocks. Debbie has also published a romantic comedy novella featuring a jewel heist caper, When Jack Trumps Ace, a paranormal romance, Cloudy Rainbow, and has written articles and short stories for several anthologies of various genres. She lives on Long Island with her husband Anthony, daughter Holly, and three cats.
I’m proud to announce that I’ve signed a contract with Creativia Publishing for my psychological thriller, Sea Scope.
When infertility threatens her marriage and her husband refuses to seek medical help, children’s book illustrator Sarah needs an escape. Sea Scope, the family-owned inn in South Carolina where she spent her childhood, seems just the place. It’s been twenty years since she’s set foot there, twenty years since she and her brother Glen discovered the body of a guest. Although ruled a suicide, Sarah always had her suspicions. Now she faces long-buried memories and ominous text messages from someone claiming to be her dead brother.
A devout skeptic and seeker of facts, Sarah hunts the prankster, uncovering inconvenient truths and family secrets along the way, until that long ago “suicide” looks more like murder. And if Sarah keeps digging, the next body found by the lighthouse may just be her own.
What’s unique about this book are the true facts about lighthouses and lighthouse keeping that are scattered throughout. Of course, what will come as no surprise to readers of my other books, this one also features a cat.
Keep your eyes on this blog and subscribe to my newsletter for further details about this book and the release date.
Ruff Drafts 