p.m. terrell
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Drake Valley Press
Date of Publication: March 30, 2015
Number of pages: 262
Word Count: 89,820
Available at the following retailers:
Amazon BN Kobo Smashwords
Amazon BN Kobo Smashwords
Showing posts with label p.m. terrell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label p.m. terrell. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 14
@GoddessFish Guest Post: A Thin Slice of Heaven by p.m. terrell
p.m. terrell
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Drake Valley Press
Date of Publication: March 30, 2015
Number of pages: 262
Word Count: 89,820
Wednesday, November 6
Review, Guest Post & Giveaway: The Tempest Murders by p.m. terrell
The Tempest Murders
p.m. terrell
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Time Travel
Publisher: Drake Valley Press
Date of Publication: August 19, 2013
Number of pages: 252
Word Count: ~79,170
Available at the following retailers:
Amazon BN Kobo Smashwords
Amazon BN Kobo Smashwords
Excerpt:A provocative story of a love that spans centuries, of soul mates found, lost and reunited… and the lengths to which one man will go to change their destiny.
Irish Detective Ryan O’Clery is working a series of homicides in America when he discovers a journal written by an uncle, Constable Rian Kelly, five generations earlier. The journal detailed the same type of murders as the worst storm in Ireland’s history slammed into the island in 1839.
As Hurricane Irene barrels toward the North Carolina coastline, Ryan discovers even the killer’s description matches his cases exactly. And as he falls in love with television reporter Cathleen Reilly, he begins to wonder if she is the reincarnation of Caitlin O’Conor, Rian Kelly’s lover—the woman who was lost to the killer as the storm raged in Ireland—and if he is the reincarnation of Constable Rian Kelly.
Now he’s in a race to rescue Cathleen before the killer finds her—or is history destined to repeat itself?
“I know you too well,” Claire said. “You’re wanting the story of Caitlín O’Conor, aren’t you?”
“Who?”
She smiled. “Her name was Caitlín O’Conor. She was supposedly the great love of Ríán Kelly’s life. It was a star-crossed love story. Her father was a prominent man in the village and Ríán was a ‘lowly county inspector’ and though they were deeply in love, her father would not permit Ríán to ask for her hand in marriage.”
He felt his chest tighten and he sipped his coffee to avoid Claire’s piercing eyes.
“The tale is that they sneaked around for years; everybody knew it. Everybody except Caitlín’s father, that is. They were madly in love.” She sighed wistfully.
“What happened?” He kept his eyes on his coffee. “Did she marry someone else?”
“Her father died. Quite unexpectedly. Heart simply stopped. And without him in the way, they were clear to be married.” She brushed non-existent crumbs from the countertop before continuing. “He asked for her hand in marriage on New Year’s Eve. Let’s see, I believe it was 1838. Yes, that’s right. December 31, 1838.”
“How can you be so certain of the date?”
“Because seven days later, Caitlín was dead.”
His head jerked up and he stared into Claire’s eyes. They were as green as the fields of Ireland and now she cocked her head and eyed him curiously.
“He’d gone to Dublin, so the story goes,” she continued slowly.
“Ríán Kelly.”
“Aye. He’d been called away on business. And as Fate would have it, the great flood came while he was gone and Caitlín was swept away. It was January 6, 1839—Epiphany.” Her voice took on a whispered note as though she was telling a ghost story. “There were those in the faith who had forecast the end of the world would occur on January 6, 1839—the day of Epiphany. So when the air grew completely still, so still they could hear the voices of neighbors miles apart, there were some who thought the end was near.”
He waited for her to continue. His cheeks were growing flush and he could feel beads of sweat beginning to pop out across his brow. “What happened then?”
“By nightfall, there were gale force winds. They moved from the western coast of Ireland all the way to Dublin, where Ríán Kelly had traveled. Some said the winds were accompanied by an eerie moan, a rumbling of sorts. But not thunder; it was a sound never heard before nor since. It increased as the winds grew. And then the northern sky turned a shade of red that had never been seen before.
“Well, so the myth goes, Ríán Kelly left Dublin immediately. It was a miracle he made it back to the village at all. He traveled through the night, in the rain and the hail, with the winds all about him. Bridges had been washed away; the wind had been so strong—stronger than anything Ireland had experienced in more than three hundred years—so strong that it whipped the Atlantic into a fury and pushed it all the way across the island. Streams and creeks became raging rivers. Whole villages were wiped out. Even some of the castles were beyond repair.”
He rested his elbows on the counter and put his head in his hands.
“You’re sure you don’t want to lie down, Re? You look as if you might faint.”
“I’m fine,” he said. “What happened when Ríán Kelly reached his village?”
“It was gone. Oh, there were a few buildings still intact. The church, for one. But Caitlín O’Conor’s home had been washed away. There was no sign of Caitlín.”
“So that’s where the story ends, does it?”
“Oh, no. I suppose it’s where it just begins.”
Guest Post:
THE WEATHER AS ANTAGONIST
In The Tempest Murders, Irish Detective Ryan O’Clery not only must battle a nemesis that seems to have reincarnated from the past, he must also combat a storm of epic proportions that threatens to snatch his lover from his grasp.
The storm is Hurricane Irene, and I remember it well. For days, the weathermen and news anchors cautioned residents to prepare for the storm’s winds and rains. It was a massive storm; even on the Doppler radar that tracked it off the coast, it was easy to see it would converge on several states at once. Several models had it making landfall just 60 miles from my home, which would also likely cause spin-off tornadoes and flash floods.
I was researching Ireland’s history as I prepared to write a story of two soul mates that lost each other and found one another again, only to be threatened with history repeating itself, when I came across The Night of the Big Wind, the most massive storm in Ireland’s history. It occurred on January 6, 1839, the day of Epiphany—a day in which some believed the world would end. The skies turned completely black in the early afternoon, and some reported that voices traveled for miles in the air’s sudden stillness before the winds kicked into a fury never seen before or since. History has it that those winds carried the Atlantic Ocean from the western coast of Ireland all the way to the Irish Sea, sweeping away whole villages, livestock… and people.
I knew when I found the story of The Night of the Big Wind that coupled with Hurricane Irene, I had the backdrop for my story—which became The Tempest Murders. I called it that because the storm that swept through Ireland was not known as a hurricane, though it had hurricane-force winds.
The scenes in the book depicting the hurricane’s landfall and violent rains were taken from my own experience. Not only had I been alone at the time Hurricane Irene came through North Carolina—thankfully, it made landfall north of my home, and not over it—but I had also driven in between tornadoes two years ago, while driving from Mississippi back to North Carolina during a book tour. As I drove through Alabama with one tornado having knocked out power and flattened whole communities, I knew another tornado was at my back—and the only hope I had was to try and outdrive it. I was one hour ahead of it and out of its path when it slammed into Tuscaloosa. I vividly remember the bent light poles across the Interstate like a scene out of The War of the Worlds; the rain-slicked roads and the ominous feeling in the air.
In The Tempest Murders, television reporter Cathleen Reilly is covering the devastation caused by Hurricane Irene, unaware a killer is stalking her. Her lover, Ryan O’Clery, is desperately attempting to reach her in time—and if he does not, history will have repeated itself: in 1839 as the ocean was swept through an Irish village, a serial killer murdered a distant uncle’s lover—and the killer, the unique method of murder, and even his victims match exactly.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
I hope if any of you readers live in the North Carolina area, you’ll make plans to join me and more than 75 authors, publishers and literary agents—plus a Hollywood producer—at the Book ‘Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair scheduled for Saturday, February 22, 2014 in Lumberton, NC. The event is completely free and open to the public; authors will be selling their books and participating in panel discussions all day. The headliners are New York Times bestselling authors Bob Mayer and Haywood Smith, Hollywood producer Adam Cushman and Emmy-winning Tarheel Traveler Scott Mason. All the details are at www.bookemnc.org.
Thanks for hosting me!
Review:
The is the first book that I have read by p.m. terrell, though I have had my eye on her Black Swamp Mysteries for awhile now.This stand alone seemed like the perfect way to get a feel for her writing style before committing to the series. I am super glad that I did, and will be adding her other books to my TBR pile.
This story opens January 7th, 1839 in Ireland. Rián Kelly has just arrived back home after a horrendous night of traveling through the elemental equivalent of the nine circles of Hell. Rián is a constable who has just returned from a trip to Dublin on business. Unfortunately, he arrives home to late to save his true love Cait from a killer.
Chapter 2 brings us to roughly present day (2011) North Carolina and we meet Ryan O'Clery as he wakes from a dream of Rián and Cait. Ryan has had these dreams his entire life and Cait is as familiar to him as his own face reflected in Rián's. Ryan is a detective working a serial killer case. Little does he know how close upcoming events will mirror the dreams that haunt him every night.
I do not consider this book a Time Travel novel. None of the characters travel back in time. Yes, the main character has dreams of what could be interpreted as a past life, but he doesn't actually go back in time. The two couples live parallel lifes, but to me this isn't the same as time travel. So if that is the only thing holding you back from picking up this book, just strike that excuse off of your list. ;)
I really enjoyed this book even though it was told almost completely from Ryan's perspective. Or maybe because of it. It is rare for a romance to be from the male's pov. It lent and unexpected flavor to the story that was very unique and intriguing. I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads.
Giveaway:
p.m. will be awarding a Celtic bracelet (US only) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
So follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.
Book Tour Info:
Don't forget to check out the other stops on the Book Tour:
October 14:
Teena in Toronto
One World Singles Magazine Blog
October 15:
Bookgirl Knitting
October 16:
fundinmental
October 17:
Kathleen Valentine's Blog
October 18:
Hope Dreams. Life... Love
The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat
October 21:
Book Reviews by Dee
Tina Donahue Presents
October 22:
Full Moon Dreaming
Hywela Lyn - Romance That's 'Out Of this World'
October 23:
Unabridged Andra
October 24:
A Writer's Life
October 25:
Long and Short Reviews
October 28:
Magic and Mayhem
October 29:
Fantasy Powered by Love
October 30:
The Most Happy Reader
October 31:
fuonlyknew
November 1:
Celticlady's Reviews
November 4:
The Simple Things in Life
November 5:
Andi's Book Reviews
November 6:
Musings and Ramblings
November 7:
Danita Minnis
My Devotional Thoughts
November 8:
Harlie's Books
Author Bio:
p.m.terrell is the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell, the award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than eighteen books in four genres: contemporary suspense, historical suspense, computer how-to and non-fiction.Prior to writing full-time, she founded two computer companies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area: McClelland Enterprises, Inc. and Continental Software Development Corporation. Among her clients were the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Secret Service, U.S. Information Agency, and Department of Defense. Her specialties were in white collar computer crimes and computer intelligence.
Vicki’s Key was a top five finalist in the 2012 International Book Awards and 2012 USA Book Awards nominee and her historical suspense, River Passage, was a 2010 Best Fiction and Drama Winner. It was determined to be so historically accurate that a copy of the book resides at the Nashville Government Metropolitan Archives in Nashville, Tennessee.
She is also the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, an organization committed to raising public awareness of the correlation between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. She is the organizer of Book ‘Em North Carolina, an annual event held in Lumberton, North Carolina, to raise funds to increase literacy and reduce crime. For more information on this event and the literacy campaigns funded by it, visit www.bookemnc.org.
She sits on the boards of the Friends of the Robeson County Public Library and the Robeson County Arts Council. She has also served on the boards of Crime Stoppers and Crime Solvers and became the first female president of the Chesterfield County-Colonial Heights Crime Solvers in Virginia.
To connect with the author online:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Vicki's Angels
Monday, September 9
Interview &.Giveaway: Secrets of a Dangerous Woman by p.m terrell
Secrets of a Dangerous Woman
Black Swamp Mysteries, Book 3
p.m terrell
Genre: Suspense
Publisher: Drake Valley Press
Date of Publication: July 30, 2012
Number of pages: 350
Cover Artist: Glenda Sue Chapman
Excerpt:
“Why didn’t you let me go?” Vicki almost screamed at Dylan as she slammed the kitchen door behind her.
“Think about what you were doin’,” he said. “Had you come toward this house, they’d a’been straight on your heels. You’d ‘ave been leadin’ ‘em right to ‘er!”
She stomped down the hallway and came to an abrupt stop at the living room door. Brenda was seated in the corner, watching television. She was bathed in darkening shadows and had she not moved when Vicki entered the doorway, she might have missed her sitting there.
“Turn off that blasted show,” Dylan ordered. “I can’t stand all that political nonsense.”
Brenda muted the show. “Aren’t you two in a jovial mood?”
“What did you see?” Dylan asked, turning to Vicki. “And don’t give me what you told Sam. I know you saw more. And you knew who you were lookin’ at.”
“Sam?” Brenda’s voice had changed to a hushed tone. She sat perfectly still now, her hands held in her lap.
“Brenda’s in danger,” Vicki said, the words tumbling out. “It was Congressman Willo. He ordered the CIA to kill her.”
“What?” Dylan said. His voice also changed and some of the tension left his face, leaving a stunned expression. “Why?”
“I don’t know why.” Vicki turned to Brenda. “It’s something you know. Something that has to do with oil, an oil scheme—”
“Wait a minute,” Brenda said, leaning further back into her chair. Her face was now cloaked in shadows. “Are you telling me that—not only does Dylan work for the CIA but you do, too?”
“You knew Dylan worked for the CIA?” Vicki turned to stare at Dylan.
“Don’t look at me. I didn’t tell ‘er!”
“He didn’t have to tell me,” Brenda said hotly. “I saw him there. But you—you—”
“Well, this has just turned into a big house o’ secrets, now hasn’t it?” Dylan quipped. “Seems that everybody is hidin’ somethin’ from everybody else.”
“I don’t have time to explain,” Vicki said, ignoring Dylan and turning to Brenda.
“You’ve been spying on me!”
“I—”
“It’s you, isn’t it? When I’ve been using your computer. You’ve been right behind me, looking over my shoulder! I knew it was you!” She stood up and walked behind the chair. Both hands grasped the seat back. “You said you were picking me up because—I thought you wanted to reunite—I—I—”
“I did—I do. I want our family back together.”
“Before or after I go to prison?”
Interview:
Today, we welcome p.m. terrell to Musings and Ramblings. Let's all give her a big Geeky welcome!
I have some questions for you that are writer specific as well as some fun stuff so that we can really get to know the real you. *grin* Plus we will finish things off with round of Think Fast. Ready to begin?
Writing Specific
1. Tell us something about yourself that's not in your bio.
I could be entirely happy living my life in a make-believe world. The only drama I want in my life is that which is found within the pages of a book. And I will go to great lengths to avoid confrontation. I try to remember that I am here for the journey and not the destination and that in the big scheme of things, details don’t matter (except in my books).2. What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I love to read; right now, I am fascinated by all the books set in Scotland and Ireland, especially those that take me back in history. I also have four rescue dogs: a foxhound, a collie, a Jack Russell and a Jack Russell-Basset Hound mix, who keep me hopping. And I have seven aquariums. The crown jewels are my angelfish, some of whom have grown to be ten inches tall. I even started a blog (www.vickisangelfish.blogspot.com) because I found so much interest in my angelfish breeding.3. How did you choose the genres you write in?
The non-fiction genres chose me. I began my writing career with articles on computers, which were published in magazines in the 1980’s. A publisher (Dow Jones-Irwin) contacted me and asked me to write a few books on software, which I did. And when a different publisher (Palari) asked me to write a book for authors on marketing and promotion, I wrote Take the Mystery out of Promoting Your Book.
I also wrote two historical books, River Passage and Songbirds are Free, at the prompting of my family. River Passage was my first award-winning book and Songbirds are Free continues to be my bestseller.
But the books I enjoy the most are the suspense. I come from a long line of law enforcement, and I believe that element of crime comes naturally to me as I write. I’ve noticed as I read more romance, I weave more romantic elements through my books, which I believe makes them better and appeals to a broader range of readers.4. Is there any particular author or book that has influenced you or your writing?
I have to be very careful when I am reading. My editor first noticed it when I wrote Ricochet; I had been reading a lot of Daphne du Maurier’s books (especially Jamaica Inn and Rebecca) in which she describes a lot about flowers and terrain. My editor told me my writing had become too verbose and too flowery, and when I looked back at the passages she’d highlighted, I realized that du Maurier’s style had crept into my own.
Today’s readers (and certainly the editors) seem to be happier with less flowery prose and concise sentences that keep the action moving at a break-neck speed. So when I am writing, I have to be very careful not to read the classics!5. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
The toughest criticism was an editor a few years back that slashed my book to pieces. I had worked with an FBI Agent to make certain my scenes were technically accurate and the editor changed whole scenes to things that were inaccurate—like posting Marines with oozies at the entrance to Quantico, something that has never been done. I had to go back and check all my facts and submit information to the publisher proving that my version was technically accurate. It delayed my book for over a year.
The best compliments are those readers who tell me they couldn’t put down my books; that once they started reading, I gripped them from the first page and kept their attention throughout the entire book.Fun Stuff
6. If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, fictional or real, who would it be and why?
Alex Band. I’d want to know how he comes up with those awesome song lyrics. His lyrics definitely touch the soul.7. You are going to be stranded on a deserted island and bring 3 luxury items. What would they be?
An air conditioner, a generator and DEET.8. Pick two celebrities to be your parents. Who are they and why?
Cary Grant and Michelle Obama. Politics aside, Michelle Obama seems to be a great mother who keeps her feet on the ground and raises two girls so they’re ready for the adult world we live in. And I’d want Cary Grant because, well, because he’s Cary Grant!9. What would we find in your refrigerator right now?
Plenty of salad fixin’s and an awesome chicken-and-rice casserole I make for my dogs.10. If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
A Soul’s Journey Outside the BoxThink Fast
Summer or Winter? Spring or Autumn
Coffee or Tea? Neither
Cake or Pie? Pie
Car or Truck? Mini-van
Print or Electronic? Electronic
Thanks being here today and for the interview. Anything you would like to add?
I want to invite all readers to visit me and 75 more authors, publishers and literary agents—plus a Hollywood producer—to Book ‘Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair. It will be held in Lumberton, NC on Saturday, February 22, 2014 at the campus of Robeson Community College. Admission is totally free—even parking is free. The doors open at 9:30 AM. For more information, visit www.bookemnc.org.
Giveaway:
p.m. will be awarding this Celtic Open Knot necklace to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
So follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.
Book Tour Info:
Don't forget to check out the other stops on the Book Tour:
September 9:
Out of the Lockbox
Musings and Ramblings
September 16:
Wicked Readings by Tawania
September 23:
Danita Minnis
September 30:
Straight from the Library
Author Bio:
To connect with the author online:
Website | Blog | Vicki's Angelfish Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Monday, July 15
Guest Post & Giveaway: Vicki's Key by p.m. terrell
Vicki's Key
Black Swamp Mysteries, Book 1
p.m. terrell
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Drake Valley Press
Date of Publication: March 17, 2012
Number of pages: 324
Word Count: ~93,280
Excerpt:
Vicki let the end of the towel drop so it brushed against her knees as she held the top against her breastbone. With one hand, she pulled the shower curtain back.Guest Post:
Dylan stood barefoot in the doorway, his back against the doorframe, his long legs stretching toward the opposite side, one hand planted against the opposite doorframe as though he’d been semi-reclining there for some time.
She gasped instinctively.
He returned her stare silently.
“How long have you been there?” she asked, tugging the towel to cover her breasts.
“Long enough.”
She felt exposed, though the towel was doing an adequate job of covering the front of her body. But his eyes didn’t waver from her face while his own remained entirely expressionless. The rage he’d displayed earlier was gone, and so was his broad smile. He simply looked at her impassively as though he was immersed in his private thoughts.
“What are you doin’ here?” he asked, finally breaking the silence.
She clasped the towel to her. “I—I was taking a shower.”
“No,” he said, his voice measured, “what are you doin’ in here?”
She thought of the shower in her own private bathroom, and how insensitive she must appear to have let herself into his private space without asking. She opened her mouth to respond but the words would not come. “I—I” was all she could manage.
He dropped his hand from the doorframe. Without taking his eyes off hers, he moved deliberately across the bathroom until he stood in front of her. His eyes wandered to her hair, and Vicki realized she was trembling from the air conditioning against her wet skin. Without speaking, he took her towel and wrapped it around her. As the bath sheet was draped around her slender body, he took the corner and began to gently rub her hair with it. He stopped after a moment, his hand against her face and gazed at her cheek as he brushed it with his thumb.
“What were you cryin’ for, Woman?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
“‘I don’t know,’ she says. Same thin’ me mum used to say. ‘What are you cryin’ for, Mum?’ I’d say. ‘I don’t know.’ ‘Well, you do it every night. Seems like you’d have figured it out by now.’”
I always wanted to be a writer and wrote my first novel—all thirteen pages of it—when I was nine years old. But Life sometimes serves up some curve balls and in the late 1970’s I found myself on the ground floor of the personal computer industry.
I fell into computers while working as a temporary employee to put myself through college. I was trained on the job on mini-computers and mainframes and was working with an IBM subsidiary when they were asked to evaluate a computer that sat on a desktop. Most of the evaluators considered it a toy and a fad that would go nowhere. But when I discovered the spreadsheet software they’d bundled with it, I was hooked. We had nothing like it on either the mini or mainframe platforms. That personal computer would become known as the Apple.
It was just a few years later when I left IBM and started my first computer company. By that time IBM had developed their own IBM PC, which was making its way into government agencies for the first time. I began with Department of Defense contracts and soon expanded into working with the Secret Service, the CIA and federal and local law enforcement.
I loved the combination of criminal investigations coupled with computer technology. My favorite assignment was working on Medicare fraud and abuse. I sat around with several auditors, thinking of ways to defraud the government. Once we hit on some good ideas, I went about writing programs to see if anyone was doing that. The result: we recovered millions of dollars in taxpayers’ money by catching fraudulent activities.
The experience would lead to writing suspense that often uses computers to commit crimes. As I delved deeper into discovering what cybercriminals were capable of performing, my plots seemed all too real: rigging elections through touch-screen voting machines (The China Conspiracy), trucking industry kickback schemes (Kickback), the use of stolen identities for illegal immigrants (Ricochet), driving oil and gasoline prices artificially high (Exit 22), and selling insider secrets on politicians to the highest bidder (Secrets of a Dangerous Woman), to name a few.
It would also lead to founding the Book ‘Em Foundation, a joint effort between law enforcement and authors, to highlight the correlation between high illiteracy rates and high crime rates. The annual Book ‘Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair is now held annually in Lumberton, North Carolina to raise funds for increasing literacy rates and reducing crime.
Giveaway:
p.m. will award one randomly drawn commenter a Celtic Shamrock Necklace.
So follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.
Book Tour Info:
Don't forget to check out the other stops on the Book Tour:
July 8:
Full Moon Dreaming
July 15:
Musings and Ramblings
Tina Donahue Presents
July 22:
A Writer's Life
July 29:
Writing into the Sunset
Author Bio:
p.m. terrell is the award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than 18 books in 4 genres. A full-time author since 2002, she previously opened and operated two computer companies in the Washington, DC area. Her specialties were in the areas of computer crime and computer intelligence and her clients included the Secret Service, CIA and Department of Defense as well as local law enforcement. Computer and spy technology are two themes that recur throughout her books. She is the co-founder of The Book 'Em Foundation, whose mission is to raise awareness of the link between high illiteracy rates and high crime rates. And she founded the annual Book 'Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair which takes place each February.To connect with the author online:
Author Blog | Series Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
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