Feature: Flotsam and Jetsam: The Amelia Island Affair

Who's littering the park with corpses?

          State Park Rangers Simon Ribault and Ellie Ironstone are used to dealing with messy campers and ravaging raccoons, but when three bodies wash up on the beach, they mobilize all their powers of deduction. Who are they and how did they get to the shore of Amelia Island? Are they connected to the secretive League of the Green Cross? Or linked to a mysterious Jamaican drug ring?

          Ellie, new to Amelia Island, must penetrate a close-knit community if she wants to find answers to the mystery, all while deciding between two rivals for her affection: Thad, the handsome local idol, and Simon, the clever, quirky bookworm.

          Simon, for his part, will have to call on his not-so-well-honed romantic prowess to lure Ellie away from Thad and at the same time use his wide-ranging research skills to solve the case.

Wild Women Authors welcomes author M. S. Spencer and Georgia Petrie from Ms. Spencer's current release out of The Wild Rose Press: Flotsam and Jetsam: The Amelia Island Affair. First up is Georgia.

Where are you from? Born and bred in Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Florida. It’s the southernmost of the Atlantic Sea Islands, and the only one in Florida. It’s a small community—everybody knows everybody else, and their pickup truck, and their dog.

Tell us a bit about Flotsam & Jetsam: The Amelia Island Affair. The story opens without me, when the hero Simon and the heroine Ellie, rangers at the Fort Clinch state Park, come upon a dead body on the shore of the river, under the walls of the fort. In short order two more corpses are found. They must first identify them, and then how, when, and why they ended up dead within a couple of miles of each other. At the same time Simon investigates their relation, if any, to a mysterious group called the League of the Green Cross, made up of city fathers and other leading citizens, that met in the fort the night of the murders.

          Simon—the poor sap—is in love with Ellie, but she has a crush on Thad, a handsome idiot. Only his best friend, the lovely Georgia (c’est moi, I blush to disclose) can convince him that Ellie loves him. I have to work my tail off, too, because Simon is a nitwit with his head in the clouds.

What did you think the first time you saw Simon? We met in kindergarten. He claims I stole his swing from him. All I know is he socked me. Socked me! A girl! 

What was your second thought? That he was a silly ass, which I continue to think to this day. Honestly? He’s been my best friend ever since.

Did you feel it was love at first sight? See above. Oh, and perhaps the excerpt will explain our relationship.

What do you like most about Simon? He has the most beautiful hazel eyes in the world. Also, he knows a lot of stuff. He can be endearingly vague and appropriately sharp at the same time.

How would you describe him? You apparently had spaced out while I was talking, so I’ll repeat. He has lovely hazel eyes. His rich brown hair is usually tousled and his nose is usually red from rubbing it against the pages of a book (he refuses to accept that he’s a bit myopic). He’s tall and lanky and really sweet. Oh, and he loves his mother (always a good sign).

How would he describe you? If I bribed him, he’d say I’m gorgeous. My dad (we call him Santa because he plays one at the hardware store) once said I would put Christie Brinkley to shame. Lessee, details—waist-length ebony hair and eyes this unusual shade of malachite green, which believe me clashes with way too many colors. Long, Tina Turner legs…and a mind like a steel trap. Also, I eat like a horse, which makes up for Mr. Wimpy, who eats nothing but plain hamburgers.

What made you choose law as a career? Considering Simon’s penchant for trouble, I knew I’d have to represent him in court one of these days. Of course, now that I’ve decided to become a prosecutor I can finally make him pay for running that red light.

What is your biggest fear? That Simon won’t get on the stick and ask Ellie (the heroine) out.

How do you relax? Well, I love to make lists. I’m known for it. In fact, when poor benighted Simon and his Girl Friday Ellie are stumped for answers to the murders, I whip out my trusty pen and notebook and clear everything up for them. (You might not want to tell Simon I put it quite that way.)

Who is your favorite fictional character? Probably Atticus Finch, hero of To Kill a Mockingbird.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Always carry a crowbar when you go out for pizza. Trust me.

Thank you, Georgia, for taking time out of your clearly busy schedule to speak with us. Now it's time to chat with your creator, M. S. Spencer.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? When I was young I devoured English literature. I loved its formal, precise style. Then I discovered Anne Rice (her first books) and drowned myself in her lush, exotic, complex images. Some quotes from movies (most Bogart ones) have stuck with me: “Was you ever stung by a dead bee?” or “You do know how to whistle, don’t you? Just put your lips together and blow.” Or Katharine Hepburn’s exquisitely grand “Nevertheless” in response to the German captain in The African Queen.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? A couple of years ago I attended the Amelia Island Book Festival and explored the island. It was so chock full of crazy history and characters that I had to write a story about it.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? My publisher Secret Cravings unfortunately had to close, and Rhonda Penders at Wild Rose said she’d be willing to take a look at my body of work. Thankfully, she liked them and I now have seven books out with them, and one on the way. They are fabulous to work with.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I enjoy thrillers by James Rollins—ones with exotic settings and adventures based on historical events, and cozy mysteries.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Fabulous news! Flotsam & Jetsam is already ON the shelves. 

Released December 17, you can get it either as ebook or print at:

Wild Rose Press: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/6345-flotsam-and-jetsam-the-amelia-island-affair.html

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Flotsam-Jetsam-Amelia-Island-Affair-ebook/dp/B07JKTXYJC

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/flotsam-and-jetsam-m-s-spencer/1129787048?ean=2940161601945

ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/flotsam-and-jetsam/id1439717297?mt=11

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/flotsam-and-jetsam-the-amelia-island-affair

Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/flotsam-and-jetsam-the-amelia/9781509223350-item.html

It will also be available at Walmart.

Here's an excerpt from Flotsam and Jetsam: The Amelia Island Affair:

Note from the author: In this excerpt, Georgia and Simon tell the tale of their aborted attempt at romance.

Ellie said, “I’m beginning to see a pattern. So you two never tried to…er…”

“Let the relationship ripen into romance?” Georgia smirked at Simon. “Once. You’d better tell it, Simon.”

“Not me.”

Georgia emitted a theatrical sigh. “It was in high school, our senior year. We decided that if there was anything there, we’d better find out before we both left for college. We went to a concert—”

“A movie.”

“That’s right. You wanted to see The Gangs of New York so we settled on Almost Famous.”

“Then we drove to the local lovers’ lane.”

“Actually, to Egan’s Creek playground. Looks out over the swamp.”

“Marsh.” Simon beetled his brows at Georgia. “Anyway, we sat there discussing tort reform and sustainable fisheries until Georgia decided the time of reckoning was upon us.”

“Go on.” Ellie’s lips were pressed tightly together, but Simon noticed her eyes danced.

Georgia took over. “So…the great Lothario makes his move. He yawns, then slowly raises an arm, the idea apparently being to let it fall with studied insouciance across my shoulders. Unfortunately, his sleeve catches on the gear shift. Feigning calm—his hands are shaking so much the whole car rocks—he extricates himself. Then, ignoring my helpless titter, he leans toward me. I attempt to reciprocate, but my foot gets stuck on this disgusting piece of chewing gum.” She directed a pointed look at Simon. “I don’t know why you kept that car in such gross condition.”

“I didn’t. That car was as pristine then as it is today.”

Ellie looked at Santa. “The Mustang?”

Simon let just a wee bit of pride seep out. “The very one. I bought it from the pharmacist—”

“Mr. Eckart.”

“Yes, and stop interrupting. I bought it with money I made working at the ER diner summers.”

“ER diner? I don’t know that one.”

Santa leaned in. “ER for Emergency Room. It’s a block from the hospital, so most of its regular customers are doctors and recovering patients.” He chuckled. “They’ll eat anything. Its real name is Duffy’s.”

Simon waited a minute in the vain hope of bullying them into silence before resuming in a slightly louder voice. “As I have explained to Ellie—and regret to see I am forced to reiterate—my car is a vintage 1966 convertible Mustang GT, fully restored. The model recently sold on EBay for…er…a lot of money.”

Georgia, undaunted, disagreed. “He kept the outside pristine; the inside was packed floor to ceiling with books and magazines. I had to sit on top of a pile of old Popular Mechanics issues.”

“Journals in mint condition, mind you—I don’t dog ear my books, let alone my journals, like some people do. And I would remind you that the gum was yours.” He turned to Ellie. “At the last minute, it occurred to her that having a gob of Doublemint stuffed in her cheek while making out might dampen the mood. She lobbed it onto the floor when she thought I wasn’t looking.”

“I dropped it on a piece of tissue you’d left there. At any rate, I couldn’t get close enough to Simon’s lips, and we eventually gave up.”

“Suffice it to say, it was a fiasco.”

“And we both realized it was not to be. It came as such a relief.”

A bit about our feature author:

Although M. S. Spencer has traveled in five continents, she spent the last thirty years in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional assistant, speechwriter, and non-profit director. She has two grown children and a perfect granddaughter. Ms. Spencer has published twelve mystery/romantic suspense novels, and currently divides her time between Florida and Maine.

To learn more about M. S. Spencer and the stories she creates, go to:

Blog: https://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com

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Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-s-spencer

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