Friday, May 27, 2016

The Madness of Mercury







Today's post is a Virtual Blurb Blitz for The Madness of Mercury, a mystery by Connie di Marco for Midnight Ink. The book will be released on June 8, and the tour will run from May 9 - June 3. As a Blurb Blitz there is no author interview or blog post, but there is a blurb, excerpt and author bio. Connie di Marco will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to one winner drawn via Rafflecopter.



Connie di Marco is the author of the upcoming Zodiac Mystery series from Midnight Ink featuring San Francisco astrologer, Julia Bonatti.  The Madness of Mercury, first in the series, will be released on June 8, 2016.  Writing as Connie Archer, she’s also the national bestselling author of the Soup Lover’s Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime.  You can find her excerpts and recipes in both The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook.  She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime.  You can visit her at her website:  www.conniedimarco.com, or Facebook.com/ConniediMarco (Author) and Twitter: @askzodia. 


Buy links for The Madness of Mercury:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Q3yZXs

Barnes & Noble: bit.ly/1UapU0B

Indie Bound: bit.ly/1SBPKeq

Goodreads: bit.ly/1ou4EXV 





 Blurb for The Madness of Mercury

Astrologer Julia Bonatti never thought her chosen profession would bring danger into her life, but her outspoken advice in her newspaper column, AskZodia, makes her the target of San Francisco’s recently-arrived cult leader, Reverend Roy of the Prophet’s Tabernacle.  The followers of the power hungry preacher will stop at nothing to quell the voices of those who would stand in his way and Julia’s at the top of his list.  She’s willing to bet the charismatic Reverend is a Mercury-ruled individual, and she knows all too well that Mercury wasn’t just the messenger of the gods, he was a trickster and a liar as well.  


Excerpt from The Madness of Mercury

The second floor hallway was dim, lined with dark wood wainscoting and lit only by a few wall sconces leading to the top of a curving staircase.  A stained glass window filtered outside light onto the landing.  It was only mid-afternoon, but the sky had grown dark, muting the brilliant reds and blues of the window.  Heavy Pacific storms were closing in from the north and San Francisco would be buffeted by wind and rain through the holidays. 

At the foot of the stairs, I called to Dorothy.  She didn’t answer but a sweet and toasty aroma filled the foyer.  I followed the short hallway toward the rear of the house and pushed through the swinging door to the kitchen.  At the other end of the room, a wall of windows overlooked the back garden and beyond that, a view of the city and the bay to the north.  Black clouds, roiling and heavy with rain, were visible beyond the Golden Gate and the Marin headlands.  The storm would hit within a few hours. 

Dorothy worked at the center island, kneading dough, a full length white apron tied over her loose slacks and long-sleeved red sweater.  She looked up and smiled then spread her dough carefully over the board.  An apple and cinnamon mixture was warming on the stove top and my stomach was reminding me I hadn’t eaten since breakfast.  “What are you making?” 

“Apple pastries, little turnovers.  I make them every Christmas.  My aunts love them.  I thought it might cheer Evandra up especially . . .”  The sound of a gasoline-powered mower drowned out the rest of Dorothy’s response. 
Dorothy glanced toward the windows.  “Damn.  What’s he doing?” 

“The gardener?” 

“Yes.  Luis.”  Dorothy walked to the windows and peered out into the garden.  “He probably wants to finish the lawn before the rain starts.” 

A low stone wall formed the perimeter of the back garden, delineating an edge where the ground dropped off to a steep cliff marked with rocky outcroppings.  I joined Dorothy at the window and followed her line of sight.  The power mower was running, unattended, butting against the stone wall.  A red bandanna hung from the vibrating handlebar of the machine. 

Dorothy looked puzzled.  “He shouldn’t leave that thing like that.  Where did he get off to?”  She tossed her dishtowel on the table, heaved a sigh and opened the back door to the garden. 

“Luis . . . Luis,” she called. 

I followed her out the door and joined her on the lawn.  The wind was whipping fiercely across the hillside and the sky had grown even darker.  In the distance, the sea churned black in the bay.  Dorothy’s apron billowed like a sail in the wind.  She strode purposefully across the grass to the mower, and hit the control, silencing the monster.  She turned her head to speak to me and hesitated, then turned back and peered over the low wall.  Something had caught her eye.  She was still for a moment and then took two steps backward. 

“What is it, Dorothy?” 

Her face had drained of color.  “It’s Luis.  He’s down there.”  Her voice quivered.  “I think he’s dead.”  

Participating Blogs

May 9: Straight from the Library
May 10: BooksChatter
May 11: Long and Short Reviews
May 12: Nana Prah's Blog
May 13: jbiggarblog
May 16: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
May 17:
May 18: Author B. L. Blair
May 19: Rogue's Angels
May 20: T's Stuff
May 23:
May 24:
May 25:
May 26:
May 27: My Odd Little World
May 30;
May 31:
June 1: The Avid Reader
June 2:
June 3: Stormy Vixen Book Reviews




a Rafflecopter giveaway

35 comments:

  1. Good Morning and thanks for the great giveaway

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    1. Hi James, thanks for visiting today, and best of luck!

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  2. If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

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    1. Hi Mai - I'm not sure, maybe at this point in my life, I'd like to travel all over the world. Maybe I could find a job that would give me that opportunity. Best of luck to you.

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  3. I enjoyed reading the excerpt. This book sounds like such an interesting and intriguing read. Looking forward to checking out this book.

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    1. Hi Ally - Thanks for following along. I think you'd enjoy meeting Julia and visiting San Francisco. Good luck to you!

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  4. Thanks so much for hosting my stop today!

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  5. I loved the excerpt! Thanks for sharing :)

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    1. Hi Victoria ~ thanks for following the tour! Best of luck to you!

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  6. Replies
    1. I'm glad you like it, Jane! Hope you get to meet Julia and all her pals soon! Good luck!

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  7. Nothing better than walking into a house where something is being baked - especially bread - yum! This sounds like a really fun cozy - how many books are you planning in the series? Thanks for the giveaway

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    1. Hi Maria ~ Julia's grandmother cooks a lot, but Julia, not so much! I hope you enjoy her adventures anyway! Best of luck!

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  8. The excerpt sounds good. Thanks for the giveaway chance.

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  9. Thank you to everyone who stopped by today.

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    1. Nancy, thank you for hosting me today! This has been great fun!

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  10. Have you already started working on the next book in the series?

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  11. Hi Kim - yes, I've already turned in the second book, which I've titled Dark Sun (if my publisher approves). And now I must start working on Book 3. Glad you could visit today!

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    1. Awesome. So now, I have another question. How far in advance do you actually write a story? I'm assuming at least a year. But what if something didn't work out in the book, as far as readers hated something. Could you go back and a say fix book 2?

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    2. And I'm not saying something didn't work out for me. I'm just wondering.

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    3. Well, that's the editor's worry, really. They vet the book after it's turned in and have the right to ask for corrections or changes, depending on what the publisher wants. And they have a pretty good idea of what readers expect. Of course, you can't hope to keep everyone happy, but hopefully you end up with a good story that keeps readers interested. After that, you hope for the best!

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    4. Did I answer your question, Kim? Hope I did.
      -C.

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  12. Wishing you a great Memorial Day weekend. Be safe and enjoy and would like to salute all those who have given their lives in defense of this country. Thank you for this giveaway as well

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    1. Thanks James, it's important to remember what this holiday is all about. Wishing you a happy and peaceful weekend!

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  13. I have added this book to my TBR list and look forward to reading this book!

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    1. Hi Ally, thanks for visiting today! I hope you enjoy Julia's adventures in SF! Good luck!

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  14. Stopping by and thanking you for giving us the opportunity to win. Have a great Sunday!

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    Replies
    1. Happy Sunday to you too, James! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  15. Hope you are having a fabulous weekend! Looking forward to reading this book!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Ally - I hope you get to meet Julia and her friends soon!

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  16. Happy Memorial Day and saying thank you to all our military men and women who served our country and paid the ultimate sacrifice. God Bless our Military men and women and their families.
    Thanks for this opportunity to win this giveaway

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    1. I second that, James! Have a wonderful Memorial Day!

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