MURDER BY 4: Where We've Been--Where We're Headed

Wow!! This has been a busy and amazing year for us here at Murder by 4. As a quick recap, MB4 was launched on February 18, 2008. The number of visitors (well over 9,000) in these first nine months, the over 80 guest bloggers, and the posting of 243 articles has far exceeded our expectations. Thanks to all who join us every day and follow our posts at MB4!

What’s happening on an individual basis? Here’s a chronological tally:

Marta Stephens:
Book two of the Sam Harper Series, “The Devil Can Wait” was released by BeWrite Book (UK) on November 3. You’ll find the excerpt and reviews by clicking on the book cover on my website: http://www.martastephens-author.com/. I have a contest link posted on my home page right now and am anxious to get some takers. Check it out! Two more contests will be posted – one in January and another in March, so keep checking for a chance to win, win, win.

November brought me several great book talks/signings opportunities locally as well as a few Internet radio interviews. I also spent most of the month getting ready for my December virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotions. Many thanks to Dorothy Thompson for pulling it all together! The links will be posted daily at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/. The complete list of tour stops (guest blogs, interviews, and book reviews) will also be available in the events page on my website (see above) as well as on my page on Book Tour, http://www.booktour.com/author/marta_stephens.

Last but not least, the voting page for NOVEMBER Book Cover of the Month is now ready, and my book THE DEVIL CAN WAIT is awaiting votes!! Every voter will be entered in a drawing for the winning title. Voting is simple, and the instructions are on the voting page at: http://www.erinaislinn.com/BookCoveroftheMonth.htm. The SILENCED CRY book cover won August 2007 Cover of the Month. Won’t you please help me win another one?



Aaron Lazar:


On the literary front, MAZURKA and HEALEY'S CAVE are due out in January and April of 2009. Aaron will update his readers with a special bulletin when he gets the print copies in hand. He’s still waiting for the reviews from the big review houses, such as Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, Booklist, etc. But the time is fast approaching. If you’d like to reserve an autographed copy of either book, just let Aaron know at aaron.lazar@yahoo.com.

Meanwhile, he enjoyed corresponding with the students at Pfeiffer University who read
TREMOLO: CRY OF THE LOON (the third book released and the prequel to DOUBLE FORTÉ), for their Mystery Writers class. They had a ball corresponding, the students loved hearing from a “real” author, and Gus LeGarde now has a new group of folks who plan to follow him through the series.

He agreed to do several new radio shows, as well. The dates and links will be posted on his events page, on http://www.legardemysteries.com/ when it’s all settled. Hope you’ll stop by and join him. Some of the hosts include our own Kim Smith, Dr. Niama Williams, Renée Giroux, and Dr. Kent Gustafson.

His book signings are over for the season, and now he reports that it’s time for him to take a break from all that and luxuriate in writing during the cold winter months. But if you’d like to order some books for Christmas, Aaron is offering specials on all three books. Autographed gift set are also available and can save over ten dollars buying directly from him. What a deal, huh?

Kim Smith:
Check out Kim’s radio talk show on our sidebar here at MB4. Kim started this Blog Talk Radio show a few weeks ago and has had some great guests so far! She’s looking to fill more of her Wednesday and Sunday spots so if you’re interested, contact her at pubd2b@yahoo.com. She’ll be thrilled to hear from you!

Of course we’re all very excited about the release of Kim’s debut novel, AVENGING ANGEL, a Shannon Wallace Mystery on December 18, from Red Rose Publishing in e-book format. Mark your calendar on December 18, to stop by MB4 to read my interview of Kim—at last, the tables have turned! Very cool cover, Kim!




S. W. Vaughn:
S. W. continues to stay busy with her writing and is currently working on producing a book trailer for her pal, M. Stephens. ;) She informed me today that she began a new "rambling spot” so be sure to stop by http://fishpopsicles.blogspot.com/ and see what’s up with S. W!


Best wishes to all. We hope your holidays are splendid, full of love, and warm you to the core. And as Aaron always says, remember to take pleasure in the little things.