It’s already the middle of December, and I’m trying to figure out where the year has gone.  Well, I know part of the answer to that question.  I spent last winter with vertigo, the summer in the dentist’s chair when I wasn’t watching hubby build a new porch, a project that took summer and fall, and the remainder of the year I wrote.  Despite medical and dental interruptions, I feel pretty proud of myself and what I accomplished including the publication of  Murder is Academic,  the first book in my Laura Murphy Mystery Series.   Murder is Academic  also appeared in the Boxed Set of six mysteries, What’s So Funny about Murder?

 

 

I’m excited to tell you that Laura will make another appearance this coming year in Failure is Fatal:

“Distracted by the alluring smell of hot fudge, I turned my attention to my food, pushing my empty plate to one side and sliding the sundae toward me.

“The warm fudge ran down the pyramid of ice cream threatening to spill over the sides of the sundae glass, but I stopped its journey with my spoon, plunging the warm and cold concoction into my mouth.   Whoever invented the hot fudge sundae was truly a god.”

Yep, Laura is still eating chocolate.  And there’s always murder:

“I stood and walked forward to the open car door, ducking my head to be able to see into the front seat.   The overhead light in the car revealed a young woman with dark hair sprawled across the seat of the car, her head propped up on the ledge of the driver’s side window.   She looked surprised. I almost told her not to be scared, that I was there to help her, but the wound to her chest told me that she wouldn’t hear me.   Her right hand rested on her left breast as if caressing the huge crimson flower that appeared to be blooming there.   The white sweater and beige pants she wore were stained red.   I backed out of the car, the coppery smell of so much blood nauseating me.”

And Laura is on the case whether her friend, Detective Pasquis, or her boyfriend, Guy La France, want her to be or not:

“I hurried into the market, emerging in several minutes carrying a bag loaded with supplies.   With the full grocery bags in my hands, I felt somehow comforted.

“If there was anything that could make me lose my appetite it was a dead body.   Away from that grizzly scene I felt my appetite returning.   This might be my last splurge for a while. Past encounters with murder taught me that searching for a killer allowed me to gain balance in my life and my diet.   Unless Der reneged on his offer and tried to curtail my involvement in this case.   Ah, sleuthing.   It was as good as the Atkins’ plan for me. ”

You can find Murder is Academic on Amazon in both kindle and paper:

Or on Untreed Reads in ebookformats:

http://store.untreedreads.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_48_697&products_id=1244

 

And the boxed set is available from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Funny-About-Murder-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00N038P1K

Tell us about one of your accomplishments this year and give us a sneak preview of what you will be doing this coming year.