Today I took a writing break and went to Houston’s Murder By the Book bookstore to support a good friend and meet a new (to me!) author.
Dean James, who used to manage the store, has been a true friend to my writing career, giving me encouragement to be a little braver about writing and submitting. Dean has written several mysteries under his own name, but his latest is under his pen name Jimmie Ruth Evans. As Evans, Dean’s first two Trailer Park Mysteries, Flamingo Fatale and Murder Over Easy, gave us feisty, independent Wanda Nell Culpepper of Tullahoma, Mississippi. Wanda Nell has a bad habit of getting involved in murders, and her new misadventure is Best Served Cold. I picked up a copy today at Dean’s signing. It’ll probably be the first book I read when I can take a mini writing vacation after March 1.
Also signing today was author Leann Sweeney. Leann’s Yellow Rose Mystery series, based around Texas heiress Abby Rose, is set in Houston. I have to admit that since I haven’t read them, I splurged today and bought all four: Pick Your Poison, A Wedding to Die For, Dead Giveaway, and the newest, Shoot from the Lip.
Reading mysteries is one of those not-guilty pleasures that I can simply enjoy without thinking, Damn! I wish I’d written that! since I don’t write mysteries. Of course, if I came up with a really good plot and an engaging sleuth as my favorite mystery writers do….
Houston-area writers Dean James and Leann Sweeney.
Does Dean James write the gay vampire in England books????
If so — I LOVE him!
Now I have to retrieve those books from my sister and read
them again!
Yes, he sure does.
I’ve read and enjoyed Dean James’ Simon Kirby-Jones mysteries, but didn’t know he had this other series going — I’ll order them from Amazon today. Thanks for the update!
You’re welcome. He has another series on the way, too, and as that becomes available, I’ll be sure to mention it here.
Good book tips…thanks.
You’re welcome. It makes me happy if I help readers and authors find each other. We’ve definitely been helped by readers’ word of mouth, as well as by other authors.
(In spite of our mutual desire for me to be a queen, I’m not using the royal we, but talking about my fellow TJB writers and me.)
Never heard of Dean James. Good to know a new author to read!
I took Murder Over Easy on my long weekend this past week. I LOVE Wanda Nell! I plus-sell the hell out of them to my mystery customers at the store. The series is my perpetual staff pick choice.(althought I bumped it for ACC during the holidays) My manager is even gonna let me do a “Funny Female Sleuths” endcap highlighting Jimmie Ruth along with Evanovich and Diane Mott Davidson.
I wish he’d write another Simon Kirby Jones Mystry, though, too. LOL
Gary from KY
PS: I had to put aside 3 Forutnes until I get my bi-focals changed, as the print was too small for my 41 yr old eyes. =( LOL
I had to put aside 3 Forutnes until I get my bi-focals changed, as the print was too small for my 41 yr old eyes.
LOL, trust me, I understand.