NBTM Virtual Book Tour + #Giveaway: Divorce is Murder by Elka Ray @ElkaRay @GoddessFish

Divorce is Murder

by Elka Ray

GENRE: Romantic Suspense, Mystery

BLURB:

As teens, they bullied her. Twenty years on, she's not scared of them. Except she should be...

After returning to her quiet hometown to care for her ailing mom, divorce lawyer Toby Wong is hired by Josh Barton, a guy who broke her heart as a teen at summer camp. Now a wealthy entrepreneur, Josh wants to divorce Tonya, the mean girl who tormented Toby all those years ago. When Tonya is found murdered, Josh is the prime suspect.

Together with her fortune-teller mom and her pregnant best friend, Toby sets out to clear Josh, whom she still has a guilty crush on. As she delves deeper into Tonya's murder, Toby keeps running into catty ex-campers she'd rather forget. Are her old insecurities making her paranoid? Only too late does she realize she's in danger.

The first entry in an addictive new series, Divorce is Murder introduces fans of mystery and romance to an irresistibly smart and sarcastic new heroine - Chinese Canadian divorce lawyer Toby Wong.

Excerpt:

Colin peers into the empty parcel, then sticks two fingers inside. He pulls out an envelope-sized slip of paper and lays it onto the table. Although the words are facing the wrong way, I have no trouble reading it. Fashioned from letters cut out of newspaper, the note reads: LEAVE VICTORIA, BITCH.

Tonya had received a similar note with her red-paint-flecked Barbie doll.

A muscle in Colin’s jaw jumps. He looks angry. “Who could have sent this?” he asks. “Do you have any bitter ex-boyfriends? Guys you might have rejected? Anyone who came on too strong?”

I shake my head. I’d rather not tell Colin that it’s been nineteen months since my last date, with a guy I met in a Toronto doctor’s office who spent our entire date describing—in vivid detail—his recent hernia surgery.

“How about social media?” asks Colin. “Are you active on dating sites? Have you gotten any similar sorts of messages. Anyone seem obsessive? This kind of stuff can start online and then escalate.”

Again, I say no. My few attempts at internet dating were so lame I swore never again. The real world is weird enough. “There’s nothing like that.” I survey the bra, wishing the label weren’t sticking out, those double AAs on full display. “But it’s my bra,” I admit. I explain how, just last night, it vanished from my building’s communal laundry room.

Colin’s frown deepens. “Last night? That means whoever sent this was in your building.” He tugs at his collar, clearly agitated. “This isn’t good, Toby."

Interview with Elka Ray

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

It's a tree. My early life was nomadic. I love the idea of setting down roots.

How many hours a day do you put into your writing?

As well as writing, I work as an editor. I'm usually at my desk from 8am until 3:30pm, if not longer.

Do you read your book reviews? If yes, do they affect what you write in the future?

Yes, sporadically. They always teach me something - what I'm doing well, what I could do better, and who my readers are (or aren't).

Do you leave hidden messages in your books that only a few people will find?

No. No. No. That sounds like a high school newsletter!

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Divorce Is Murder?

In her early thirties, divorce lawyer Toby Wong is forced to move back to the small town where she was bullied as a kid. Soon after, Toby's chief-tormentor is found murdered. Toby gets embroiled in the case, which brings her back in contact with all the people she left town to forget. Luckily, to offset all the meangirls, there are a few great people in Toby's corner: her smart, practical best friend, Quinn, and her odd but endearing fortune teller mom, Ivy. Two attractive and very different men are also vying for Toby's affection.

Can you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the future?

I'm thrilled that Divorce Is Murder is the first in a series, all featuring Toby Wong and set on Canada's scenic Vancouver Island. In the next book, a socialite friend of Toby's mom goes missing after dabbling in internet dating.

Do you allow yourself a certain number of hours to write or do you write as long as the words come?

I'm very disciplined. It's rare the words don't come and a sure sign I'm sick, exhausted, or too busy to think straight. Then it's time for a rest or a swim.

What inspires you to write?

I'm fascinated by what motivates people, especially when they're doing things that seem immoral, illogical, or self-defeating.

Would you rather:

Read fiction or non-fiction?

Fiction. But I love true crime and psychology titles.

Read series or stand-alone?

Series is fine so long as the book can also stand alone.

Read Science fiction or horror?

Horror but it has to be brilliant. C.J. Tudor is killing it lately.

Read Stephen King or Dean Koontz

Stephen King is one of the best writers alive, in any genre.

Read the book or watch the movie?

Seriously? Would you trust any author who said the movie?

Read an ebook or paperback?

Because I live in a small village in Vietnam, where mail is dodgy, I've come around to ebooks. Plus it's very humid here and paper books go moldy. Nothing like a smelly book to put you off reading!

Be trapped alone for one month in a library with no computer or a room with a computer and Wi-Fi only?

Both options sound like hell. I'd choose the computer and wifi because I have to work - and at least I could write my own stories for entertainment. But a month without books would be tragic.

Do a cross-country book store tour or blog tour online?

Since I live in Vietnam, a cross-country book store tour would actually be an around-the-world tour. While I enjoy meeting readers and other authors, my energy is better spent at home. The internet is wonderful for forging connections. My favorite bookish community is on Instagram. Please come and find me at: https://www.instagram.com/elka.ray/

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

ELKA RAY

Stories that don't let go

Elka Ray writes fast-paced romantic mysteries and scary thrillers - a dichotomy that reveals her belief in Yin and Yang, or the balance of opposites. A great lover of scientific facts, she may be found clutching crystals for good luck; reads highbrow journals and tabloid trash; and refuses to watch romcoms yet moved in with her now-husband on their first date.

Elka is the author of three novels – the romantic mysteries DIVORCE IS MURDER and HANOI JANE – and the noir thriller SAIGON DARK. She also has a collection of short crime and ghost stories set in Southeast Asia – WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW. Elka lives with her family near Hoi An, Vietnam. She is represented by Folio Literary Management. - link to http://foliolit.com/agency#f.About

Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Buy Link:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.