Annalisse Series, Book 2
Mystery/Suspense
A small amount of Romance
(not the focal point of the story)
Date Published: 12-11-2019
Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing
Antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury drives to her family farm in upstate New York to consult with Aunt Kate about her troubled relationship with Greek tycoon, Alec Zavos. When Annalisse arrives, she learns the beloved farm she expects to inherit is for sale.
That same morning, they find a stranger’s body decaying in the barn. Then her aunt vanishes.
In Spent Identity, Annalisse and Alec join forces for the second time. They must find the mastermind behind her aunt’s abduction before Kate’s health issues worsen. Was the corpse in the barn a coincidence or a warning? The clock ticks for Annalisse to find her aunt and repair what she has left with the man she loves.
Interview with Marlene M. Bell
As a writer, what would you
choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
A sheep, of course. I’m
known as the Sheep Lady because we raise sheep and I sell sheep-related gifts.
Even my novels always refer to sheep or farms and ranching in some form or
another.
How many hours a day do you
put into your writing?
I like to write by 10 am in
the morning and go until 3 or 4 pm. Four to Six hours is an average day. This
includes at least one weekend day.
Do you read your book
reviews?
Yes! It’s important to know
if you are making habitual mistakes that bother your readers. I don’t spend as
much time reading the glowing reviews as much as I do the occasional 3-star
versions or a 4-star rating. 1-2 star reviews aren’t worth reading. It’s nice
to read the 5 stars though!
Do you leave hidden
messages in your books that only a few people will find?
That’s an interesting concept! No, at this point, the
only hidden messages are those sent by my main characters to the reader to help
them solve the mystery. Due to the number of twists in my stories, it’s
everything I can do to keep plot and characterization smooth and clear for the
reader.
Can you tell us a little bit
about the characters in SPENT IDENTITY? Annalisse Drury is a 29-year-old
antiquities appraiser from Manhattan who’s only living close relative is her
aunt Kate in upstate NY. Annalisse’s love interest is international business
owner, Alec Zavos, a Greek-Italian trained veterinarian with a Thoroughbred
horse operation. He is currently running the family sports car manufacturing
business following the death of his father.
In book one, STOLEN OBSESSION,
Annalisse and Alec are running to and from jewelry thieves in Greece and
Turkey. Alec’s mother, Generosa, partners with Annalisse in her gallery after
Alec’s father is murdered on the family yacht on the Aegean Sea.
SPENT IDENTITY begins in
upstate New York on Aunt Kate’s farm as they uncover a body in the barn. Then
Kate vanishes. Annalisse and Alec join forces to find Kate’s whereabouts and
solve the mystery of the dead guy with a familiar name.
Can you tell us a little bit
about your next books or what you have planned for the future?
Book 3, CALICO RAVEN in the Annalisse
series is a continuation from where SPENT IDENTITY leaves off. I will begin to
write the third installment in January 2020.
Alec and Annalisse travel to
the Cayman Islands to unlock Alec’s father’s secrets in order for Alec to sell the
family business—a business that takes him away from Annalisse, his training and
true vocation…to become a practicing equine surgeon.
While on the island, they encounter a young woman’s murder in the office
of Alec’s ex-employee. A brutal death of a slow bleeding wound not unlike a
suicide where she bled out at the wrists, with a twist. Very young alligators
were placed near her tied body while she was alive. To solve the murder and
find out if Alec’s deceased father had concealed things to keep Alec from
selling the business, Alec and Annalisse will continue the journey to Bari,
Italy and run into Mafia bosses on the island of Sicily.
Do you allow yourself a
certain number of hours to write or do you write as long as the words come?
I’m not a writer who gets
major blocks while writing. Lucky me! My stories are always outlined ahead of
time which keeps the words flowing. I write until my back aches, usually, or
I’m tired of sitting.
Do you have a certain number
of words or pages you write per day?
I like to budget for a chapter
a week or 2 small chapters in a week’s time. SPENT IDENTITY took 8 months to
write the first draft. I hope to have the third book done at a quicker pace.
What inspires you to write?
I’ve had this series rambling
around in my head for years, and have to get these 4-6 books onto paper and in
print. I love to create the stories from my imagination and the photos I take
of my sheep and the beautiful wooded scenery around me on our East Texas ranch.
Would you rather
Read fiction or non-fiction?
Fiction is so much more fun!
Read series or stand-alone?
I like series books if the author is talented. Like Diana
Gabaldon and her Outlander books.
Read Science fiction or horror?
Definitely science fiction. The first book of that nature
I recall reading as a young teen was an old book named, “OPHELIA.” It’s
probably no longer in print, but I enjoyed it!
Read Stephen King or Dean Koontz
Dean Koontz. I’m not a fan of King.
Read the book or watch the movie?
Read the book.
Read an ebook or paperback?
Paperback only. I don’t use eBooks.
Be trapped alone for one month in a library with no computer
or a room with a computer and Wi-Fi only?
The month in a library.
Do a cross-country book store tour or blog tour online?
Blog Tours Online for me. It’s hard to be on the road
with sheep to feed at home!
About the Author
Marlene M. Bell is an award-winning writer and acclaimed artist as well as a photographer. Her sheep landscapes grace the covers of Sheep!, The Shepherd, Ranch & Rural Living, and Sheep Industry News, to name a few. SPENT IDENTITY is the second book in the Annalisse Series.
Her catalog venture, Ewephoric, began in 1985 out of her desire to locate personalized sheep stationery. She rarely found sheep products through catalogs and set out to design them herself. Ewephoric gifts online can be found at https://www.TexasSheep.com. Her books at: https://www.marlenembell.com
Marlene and her husband, Gregg, reside in beautiful East Texas on a wooded ranch with their dreadfully spoiled horned Dorset sheep, a large Maremma guard dog named Tia, along with Hollywood, Leo, and Squeaks, the cats that believe they rule the household—and do.
Contact Links
Twitter: @ewephoric
Purchase Links
7 comments:
thanks for hosting
This sounds really good. I am also intrigued by the troubled relationship with Greek tycoon, Alec Zavos.
interesting interview
Great interview - thanks for sharing!
I enjoyed the interview
Fabulous bundle!
always like a mystery
Post a Comment