Straight Browsing from the Library: Picture Not Perfect by D.E. Haggerty

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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A picture tells a story. But is it the truth?

When the police find pictures of Melanie hanging up at her murdered colleague’s house, they’re convinced he was stalking her. Maybe she even killed him. Melanie was not being stalked! And she certainly didn’t kill her supposed stalker – as if. But Mel – always up for a bit of drama – jumps at the chance to go search for the real killer. When Mel’s ex-boyfriend, Owen, discovers her plans, he pulls out all the stops to ensure she’s safe and to win her back. No matter what happens with the murder investigation, he’s not letting her go. With the police setting their sights on Mel, he may need to jeopardize his own career on the police force to protect her.

Will Mel find the real killer before the detectives arrest her for murder?

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Melanie opened the driver’s door and slipped into her car. She watched in the rearview mirror as Pru climbed into the back seat. The woman who was almost always wearing flowery clothes was now dressed from top to toe in black. Black tights, black long-sleeved t-shirt, and black knit cap.

“What’s with the knit cap? It’s like 60 degrees out. You’re not sick, are you?” Mel didn’t fancy sitting in a car with someone coughing the entire time.

Pru adjusted her cap to ensure her curly red locks were completely covered. “I thought we were doing a stakeout? I didn’t want my hair to give us away.” She held up the bags she’d brought. “I brought snacks and everything.”

“What kind of snacks?”

Before Pru could answer Mel’s question, Terri butted in. “We’re not doing a stakeout!”

Mel ignored Terri. Of course, they were doing a stakeout. She turned back to Pru. “Seriously, what did you bring? Anything good?”

Terri interrupted her again, “Why are we doing this?”

Mel grunted and turned around and started the car. They fell into silence as they drove the ten minutes to the address Ryder had provided.

Pru handed cups of coffee to Terri and Melanie. “Here. What do we do now?”

Mel took a sip of her coffee before answering, “We wait for something to happen.”

“Like what?”

Mel had no answer. She wasn’t exactly an expert on stakeouts. The previous and only other stakeout she’d been on ended quickly when the bad guys tried to ram their car into hers.

“How do you deal with potty breaks? I’ve got a bladder the size of a pea.”

Terri snickered next to her. “I’m sure we can find a bush for you to squat behind.”

“They never get into these details in books,” Pru grumbled before putting her coffee back into the drink tray without taking a sip.

MEET THE AUTHOR

I grew up reading everything I could get my grubby hands on, from my mom's Harlequin romances, to Nancy Drew, to Little Women. When I wasn't flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although on the odd occasion I did manage to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. After surviving the army experience, I went back to school and got my law degree. I jumped ship and joined the hubby in the Netherlands before the graduation ceremony could even begin. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic before returning to the law. But practicing law really wasn’t my thing, so I quit (again!) and went off to Germany to start a B&B. Turns out running a B&B wasn’t my thing either. I polished off that manuscript languishing in the attic before following the husband to Istanbul where I decided to give the whole writer-thing a go. But ten years was too many to stay away from my adopted home. I packed up again and moved to The Hague where, in between tennis matches and failing to save the world, I’m currently working on my next book. I hope I’ll always be working on my next book.

Picture Not Perfect is my fourteenth novel.

Author links:

Website: http://dehaggerty.wordpress.com
Blog: https://dehaggerty.wordpress.com/category/mymusings/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dehaggerty
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dehaggerty
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dehaggerty/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7210211.D_E_Haggerty
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/D.E.-Haggerty/e/B00ECQBURU/
Newsletter signup: http://eepurl.com/bbmdj9
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DEHaggerty/posts
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/denahaggerty/
Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/d-e-haggerty
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-e-haggerty-4b49a29/
Email: dena@dehaggerty.com

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Picture-Perfect-Reluctant-Detectives-Book-ebook/dp/B07KG6ZH33/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/907044
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/nl/en/ebook/picture-not-perfect
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/picture-not-perfect-de-haggerty/1129901203
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42767307-picture-not-perfect

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Straight Chatting from the Library: Jack Gets His Man by D.E. Haggerty

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Jack's Top Tips for Getting Your Man

So first of all let me say that the title of my book, Jack Gets His Man, is a clever play on words. Am I going to get my man as in catch the thief stealing from my store? Or am I going to get a man as in find love? To be perfectly honest, I kind of suck at the whole figuring out the theft thing. Apparently this fabulous body was not built to be a detective. I’m just going to stick to advice about finding love.

Tip #1 – Never look a gift date in the mouth. It may sound pathetic but the Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives set me up on two dates. Now, I may not have found love with those dates but I definitely made some friends and I could have found love.

Tip #2 – Go forwards not backwards. Do not under any circumstances have relations with an ex that is still holding a candle for you. Not only is the next morning awkward but it could ruin your chance for love if that ex turns into the green-eyed monster and chases other prospects away. Now if I could only learn to follow my own advice.

Tip #3 – Be a rule breaker. Rules are there for a reason but they are also made to be broken –sometimes. I’m not supposed to be dating my employees – boring! – because I allegedly had some issues with an employee or two thinking I was using them in the past. Anyway, I may or may not be in a relationship with an employee now. It’s probably best to discuss how to handle the relationship on the work floor before going past first – well definitely third – base.

Tip #4 – Make your move when your man can’t get away. Don’t trap him or anything because that might be misconstrued as kidnapping or something. Just maneuver yourself into a situation where the man needs to take care of you. If he jumps at the chance to take care of you, it’s time for you to jump him.

READ THE BLURB

Everything seems to be going well in Jack’s life. His store is busy making money hand over fist and his best friend has found love. The new bookkeeper at the store discovers things aren’t actually as they seem. Someone is playing fast and loose with the store accounts. Jack’s bestie and his knitting group fancy themselves detectives and jump at the chance to solve Jack’s problems. When they aren’t re-enacting scenes from Mission: Impossible, they’re setting Jack up on dates and generally insinuating themselves into his love life. They’re determined to find love for Jack as well as his missing money. Will Jack catch a thief or find love? Either way Jack’s going to get his man.

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The first candidate arrived promptly at 9:30 or at least his mom did. Danny ushered an elderly lady with a stern bun into Jack’s office and made a hasty retreat.

Jack just stared at her until Izzy cleared her throat and poked him in the ribs. “I’m sorry,” she said when Jack kept staring. “We were expecting someone named Fred. Is that you?”

The woman looked first at Jack and then at Izzy. “Of course that’s not me,” she snapped. “What kind of name is Fred for a woman?”

“Er.. um,” Izzy stumbled. “Do you know where Fred is?”

The woman rolled her eyes and harrumphed. “He’s in the bathroom. He always gets nervous at interviews.”

“Um. Okay,” Izzy was quick to respond when she saw Jack opening his mouth. Knowing Jack nothing appropriate was coming out of his mouth at the moment. “Can you have a seat outside while we conduct the interview?” Izzy could do prim and proper when necessary.

The woman gave Izzy the evil eye before turning on her heel and walking out. They never saw Fred.

Jack was licking his fingers when Danny ushered in the next candidate. “Hi!,” the enthusiastic candidate nearly shouted. “I’m Tim!” That part was definitely shouted.

Jack and Izzy stood to shake the man’s hand. He swayed a bit as he leaned forward. Jack took a sniff, but didn’t smell anything untoward. Tim collapsed in his seat while Jack stared at his hand in disgust. Tim’s hands were sweaty. Jack’s mouth pulled tight in a grimace and his nose scrunched in disgust.

“So Tim. Why do you want this job?” Izzy’s voice was overly enthusiastic in an attempt to bring Tim’s attention to her so he wouldn’t see Jack’s grimace. She need not have bothered. Tim had leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. When he didn’t respond, Izzy snapped her fingers. “Tim?”

“Huh? What?” He started.

“Have you been drinking?” Jack didn’t even bother to ask in a polite manner.

Tim shrugged. “Just a tiny drink to settle my nerves.”

Jack stood. “Okay. Thanks a lot for coming. We’ll be in touch.”

Tim looked confused but managed to struggle to his feet and lurch out of the door. Izzy was giggling uncontrollably by the time Jack sat back down. He snorted. “At least this isn’t boring.”

MEET THE AUTHOR

I was born and raised in Wisconsin, but think I’m a European. After spending my senior year of high school in Germany, I developed a bad case of wanderlust that is yet to be cured. My flying Dutch husband and I have lived in Ohio, Virginia, the Netherlands, Germany and now Istanbul. We still haven’t decided if we want to settle down somewhere – let alone where. Although I’ve been a military policewoman, a commercial lawyer, and a B&B owner, I think with writing I may have finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up. That’s assuming I ever grow up, of course. Between tennis, running, traveling, singing off tune, drinking entirely too many adult beverages, and reading books like they are going out of style, I write articles for a local expat magazine and various websites, review other indie authors’ books, write a blog about whatever comes to mind and am working on my sixth book.

Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Google+ ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

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