Cause For Elimination

 Competition can be a killer…

         Reclaiming her life after a devastating riding accident, equestrian Emily Conners' world shatters again when she discovers her friend and boss lying in a stall with a smashed skull. Now jobless and with a handsome cop underfoot investigating the case, she's torn between wanting the killer found and keeping her own secrets safe.

Detective Justin Butler always gets his killer, but this victim has a stampede of enemies and few leads to go on. Stonewalled by the tight-knit equestrian world, he looks to Emily for help, but she's strangely reluctant. Is she hiding something, or is she afraid of their growing attraction?

As the search for the murderer heats up, their hearts become entangled and their lives at risk, forcing Emily and Justin to work together to find the killer before they strike again.

Wild Women Authors features author Marla A. White and Cause For Elimination, a 2022 contemporary romantic suspense, released by the Wild Rose Press. With Marla is event rider Emily Conners who will go first.

 Welcome, Emily. Tell us a bit about Cause For Elimination. It starts on maybe one of the worst days of my life, finding my boss and mentor on the floor of one of our barn’s stalls with her head bashed in.  You’d think things couldn’t get much worse, but things get a lot rockier before they get better. However, thanks to Pam’s murder I meet Detective Justin Butler. He was a pain in my butt when we first met, but it turns out sometimes he’s a pretty handy guy to have around.   

What made you choose riding horses for a career? I’ve always loved horses, ever since I was a kid, but it’s a pretty expensive hobby so I didn’t get back to it until the man I was married to at the time became an Assistant District Attorney. Since we could afford it, I started riding again and the next thing I know, Pam asked me to help her out at the barn. Horses are just so honest, they always let you know what’s on their mind, and the riders are generally good people who are fun to be around. Riding is challenging and sometimes pretty scary, but when it goes right there’s nothing like it.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being a rider or do something different? The only thing I’d change would be to make the leap from working my desk job to working at the barn years earlier.  For a while, after my accident, it was rough but on the whole I couldn’t be happier. Now if only I can make a profit doing it!

What is your biggest fear? A while back I had a rotational fall. That’s when the horse gets hung up going over a fence and flips ass over teakettle, as my mother likes to say. I was crushed underneath him and broke a bunch bones. As a result, I became addicted to painkillers. My biggest fear isn’t falling again, it’s that I’ll get hooked again.

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? Ooh, good question. It would be a toss up between Scarlett O’Hara and Jim Butcher’s wizard, Harry Dresden. Scarlett could be a hot mess and sometimes downright mean, but she never backed away from a fight. Harry is also a mess, constantly getting on the wrong side of some powerful Fae or vampire but in the end he figures a way out. 

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Don’t ever say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to a friend. Sometimes that’s the hardest thing, right? Practicing compassion for yourself.

Thank you for taking time away from your horse[s] to speak with us. Now it’s time to chat with Marla.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? I’m with Emily about Scarlett O’Hara. She could command a room just by cocking her eyebrow!  She was the first female character I saw do more than just be the dance partner or sweet homemaker. She was strong, ambitious, and never apologized. As far as my writing goes, the late, great Robert Parker probably had the most impact on me finding my voice.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? I’m a plotter, at least with this book, so I had most of it pretty well mapped out as far as the major storylines went before I started to color in the details. I was just starting to event but had owned horses for maybe ten years so I lived the world. As I got more into it, being in the sport did inform the story to some degree but not a different path.

     For this book, the research I did was mainly mining for details to make the characters and situations feel more real. For instance, I didn’t know what kind of work my villain did for a living; I just knew I wanted him to seem like powerful, wealthy guy who wasn’t what he appeared to be. Then I saw an article about a city official in the Los Angeles area who was found guilty of taking bribes and it peaked my interest. The hardest thing was the technology of how spy cams work (LOL), but fortunately I have a friend who does that sort of thing for a living.

Tell us a bit about your publisher. How did you hear about them; what influenced you to submit to them Wild Rose Press has just been the best to work with. I first heard about them when my roommate sold a book to them years ago. A couple of years ago she encouraged me to submit a cookie book and while I had a lot of fun writing it, I was stunned to get the email that they were interested in publishing it. After that, my editor asked if I had written anything else. At that time, I’d locked “Cause for Elimination” away in a drawer where no one could see it because I was riddled with doubt that it was any good.  It was her belief in me that got it to be the award-winning book it is today.

What is the turn-around time from date of query to date of release? The process was probably a little over a year, but that’s because I’d massively over-written it and it took me quite some time to whittle it down. The Wild Rose Press team’s response time was always very prompt. 

What are you reading right now? I am currently 679^th in line to get the new Louise Penny book from the library!  In the meantime I’m bouncing back and forth between discovering new cozy authors on BookBub and reading Ilona Andrews’ “Fate’s Edge,” part of her “Edge” series.

What's next for you? So many things!  I’ve got the sequel to the Cookie Book I wrote last year [The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder] out to my trusted beta readers and hope to have it ready to submit in January. I’ve got the outline and about half the pages for the prequel to this year’s Cookie Book, [Bloodstains and Candy Canes]. I was thrilled to be able to attend this year’s Kentucky Three-Day event, one of only two 5 star level events held in the US so naturally thoughts are swirling around for a sequel to “Cause”. My horse buddies actually came up with the place the body would pop up . Additionally I have a self-published series of fantasy books, The Keeper Chronicles, and am editing the third one to get ready to publish next year.

 

To learn more about Marla A. White and the stories she creates go to:

Amazon author page: https://amzn.to/3MHIzkB

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21467766.Marla_A_White

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/marla-a-white

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TheScriptFixer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marlaw825/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarlaAWhiteAuthor

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marlaw825

 

To purchase Cause For Elimination, go to:

Amazon  https://amzn.to/3qk7XCP

Books2Read  https://books2read.com/u/b6zjM6

BookBub  https://www.bookbub.com/books/cause-for-elimination-by-marla-a-white

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62233827-cause-for-elimination

All Author https://allauthor.com/book/70256/cause-for-elimination/

New Dreams by Ellen M. Parker

 Can a woman on her own trust the man with interesting stories?

 America beckons with opportunity during the 1850’s.

     Louisa Mueller, a baker’s daughter, arrives in Elm Ridge, Illinois with determination to learn English and work as a baker. Since the death of her sweetheart a year ago, she pushes aside thoughts of marriage. However, she’s intrigued by a fellow passenger who tells the most interesting stories.

     Desperate for a fresh start, a young thief takes the name Hans Hoffmann when a look-alike passenger dies during the trans-Atlantic passage. Vowing to be an honest man in America, Hans discovers temptation wears many disguises. Will the pair be rewarded as they attempt their new dreams in a strange land?

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome author Ellen Parker as she celebrates the release of New Dreams, a historical romance, recently released by the Wild Rose Press. With Ellen is Louisa Mueller who will go first.

Good morning, Louisa. Thank you for taking time out of your day to speak with us. Let’s begin with where you are from. I was born in the village of Hamm, Westphalia. You would know the place as Western Germany.

Tell us a bit about New Dreams. It is set in the year 1851 and tells the story of my journey to and first months living in Elm Ridge, Illinois.

What did you think the first time you saw Hans? I was astonished by how much he and another young man in the group looked alike. They could have been brothers—or twins.

What was your second thought? During our first actual conversation, I was impressed by his politeness, sincerity, and determination.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Not exactly—I was intrigued but did not think beyond friendship.

What do you like most about Hans? He tells the most interesting stories about places he’s been and people he’s met along the way.

How would you describe him? Physically, Hans is ordinary height and has dark brown hair and eyes. He is gentle with horses.

How would he describe you? He tells me I am pretty, but I do not find anything extraordinary in my height of five foot, blue eyes, and honey-blonde hair. I think he likes to make me smile.

What made you choose baking for a career? I was raised in a bakery and can think of nothing better than the delicious smells of the trade. My father and uncle taught me. I never considered anything else.

What is your biggest fear? When my father died, I felt adrift in the world. No family was with me. The world in 1851 is a hazardous place for a young woman alone. I wish never to be in that position again.

How do you relax? Music and dancing—no matter how long and difficult the week has been, I can forget worries on the dance floor.

Who is your favorite fictional character? That is a difficult question. I think it would have to be from one of the Grimm’s Brothers Tales, perhaps Red Riding Hood.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My family taught me to treat everyone, even the most difficult of customers, with manners and kindness.

Thank you, Louisa. Now we’d like to chat with Ellen.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I enjoy movie, television, and books where the actual violence is “off screen” such as in the Midsomer Murders.

Is there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Two portions of my family made a journey similar to Louisa and Hans. They sailed from Europe to New Orleans and then up the Mississippi River.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I first heard about The Wild Rose Press from fellow members at a RWA chapter meeting. I liked the idea that they would publish in both ebook and print on demand.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I want to read the most recent by Louise Penny and I’m always browsing around for both historical and contemporary romance.

Lastly, what’s up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’m working on a second historical set in Elm Ridge, Illinois. However, it’s not quite ready for submission so it’s impossible to give a date.

A bit more about our guest author: Raised in a household filled with books, it was only natural that Ellen Parker grew into an avid reader. She turned to writing as a second career and enjoys spinning the type of story which appeals to multiple generations. She encourages her readers to share her work with mother or daughter – or both. She currently lives in St. Louis. When not guiding characters to “happily ever after” she’s apt to be reading, walking in the neighborhood, or tending her tiny garden.

You can find her on the web at www.ellen-parker-writes.com

Website: www.ellen-parker-writes.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ellenparkerwrites

Twitter: @eparkerwrites

 

To purchase New Dreams, go to:

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

Nook: https://bit.ly/3wR900t