The Night Shift Release Day!

That's right folks, The Night Shift has hit cyber shelves! The e-book version is available now. (And don't worry print book lovers, it's coming)

Blurb:

Two years of experience in the Night Shift and Fynn Adder still has a lot to learn -- before his newest case drives him back off the wagon. Recently he's been assigned a new partner, a trainee named Simon Murphy. In the middle of breaking in his new partner, a grisly murder rocks the foundation of Fynn's shaky sobriety. And not just any "regular" murder -- the murder of a child.

As more ritual killings start to spread out across the city, Fynn, Jack, and Simon scramble to track down the necromancer responsible and stop them before they complete whatever ritual they're performing. Meanwhile, Simon has to deal with the overly ambitious FBI Agent Gabriel Sheppard, whose dogged determination to put Simon's mob boss father in prison is putting Simon at risk, and hindering Fynn's investigation. As if that wasn't enough, the king of the elves wants to have a sit down, Tara’s birthday is only a few days away, and it seems the family secrets just keep on coming. The tension and pressure just never seems to end for Fynn and his crew.


That's right, Fynn and Jack are back! Enjoy!

It's Time for the Giveaway!

My additional copy of The Hanged Man's Ghost arrived today! Which means it's giveaway time folks! I'll be giving away one signed copy (dedication specific just tell me to whom), a pair of Clover knitting needles, and a skein of mystery yarn.

There could be other goodies thrown in there, I tend to be big on extra goodies. I like getting them, so my rule is give and ye shall receive.

Speaking of rules. The rules are simple.

You must, comment here, on Facebook, Twitter or Goodreads by April 7th with the answer to the following question.

What does Fynn have tattooed on his back?

I will pick a winner using one of those random number generator thingies. And then poof! I'll announce the winner, who will contact me with pertinent details.  Good luck!

Giveaway!

Very soon I'll be giving away a signed copy of the paperback edition of The Hanged Man's Ghost, in addition to a few other knitting related goodies.

Keep your eyes peeled!

The Hanged Man's Ghost Release Day!

So, apparently there was a typo in my calendar, or I'm blind, but The Hanged Man's Ghost hit cyber shelves today! I have some cool stuff up, including a knitting pattern by the lovely Sophia inspired by the book (it is completely relevant, as the MC is a knitter himself) and there's a short story companion piece to the novel as well up and...drumroll...you'll get a chance to win a signed copy of the paperback!

There could be more goodies to come, so keep your eyes peeled!

Cheers!

About the book

Detective Fynn Adder is embarking on the case that will change his life forever. The ghosts of murder victims are leaving him clues, his drinking problem is out of control, and no matter how nepotistic the Chicago Police Department might be, there are some forces his family’s reputation can’t save him from.

Just a few years ago, Fynn’s longtime partner Robert was murdered and the case went unsolved. As he gets deeper into a new investigation, it becomes apparent that somehow the two cases are connected. To make matters worse, it’s clear to Fynn that forces beyond this world have come into play.

Forces like Internal Affairs agent Daniel Voight, who’s determined to make dirt stick to Fynn any which way he can. The only real bright points in Fynn’s day are when he’s with Jack, his unfortunately straight partner. Fynn is going to have to pull himself together--because if the dead don’t kill him, his family will.

An excerpt from the book

The driving skills of Detective Jack Winchester have never been in contention. It is the manner in which he applies those skills I find disturbing. I also have my suspicions that he made a deal with the devil to always find a parking space when he needs one.

But I can’t prove it.

"So…it’s a yoga studio." I stared at the glass and metal monstrosity that was Modern Gym. Part of it was weights and treadmills, at least, the first floor was, and the sign above the very tan receptionist’s desk had the second floor labeled for yoga and meditation.

My ex with the yoga thing hadn’t gone to a gym like this. His gym had been conveniently located one floor up from his apartment that was all part of a renovated cannery.

"It’s a monstrosity," Jack confirmed. "These places aren’t gyms. My gym doesn’t have mirrors."

"Your gym is in an old car garage and run by a guy called Spider." I gave him a look. "I don’t know that you can talk."

"You can’t say he’s a bad fitness coach though." Jack flexed one arm. "I beat you in the ring, last I checked."

"Luck."

He snorted. "You wish."

The receptionist was talking on the phone in a voice that I was fairly certain was near the limits of the human ear.

"Miss?" Jack waved a hand in front of her face. "I’m looking for -- "

She held up a hand to silence him and continued to yammer away about her yorky’s delicate digestion.

"Miss, I’m with the police."

Still nothing.

I gave Jack a look and then reached over the counter and pressed down on the button, hanging up on whomever she’d been chatting with. She gave me a look that would have killed a lesser man.

"Hi." I grinned. "I’m Fynn, this is Jack, and we’re detectives investigating a homicide. I need to talk to Jason Campbell. Where is he?" After which I showed her the star dangling around my neck.

"Uh…he’s upstairs in the Shangri-la room. But there’s a class going on right now."

"That’s okay, I’m sure they’ll understand that murder comes before yoga," Jack said. "Thanks so much for your help."

We headed up the stairs, I took them two at a time just to prove to Jack I was still in shape and beat him to the top with a grin. "Ha."

"That proves nothing. You get back in the ring and we’ll talk."

"Maybe I will."

He snorted. "I’ll believe that when I see it."

We headed down the hallway the stairs opened onto and found the Shangri-la room about halfway down. I put on my cop face and gestured for Jack to go first. He opened the door and I followed after him.

The room was occupied by about fifteen very limber young women currently engaged in bending their bodies to resemble pretzels, and a man at the front of the room. Behind him was a raised platform where sticks of incense burned, giving the place an odor of musky herb over warm bodies.

The man had a sheen of sweat over his tan skin. I noticed lean muscles, and the tight shorts he wore gave a clue to the reason for the amount of pretty faces in the room. He wasn’t bad looking, but there was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way.

I tugged at the collar of my shirt and suddenly wished I wasn’t wearing so many layers.

It was kind of hot in there.

The man gave us a look. "I’m sorry but we’re in the middle of a class…"

"Jason Campbell?"

"Well, yes -- "

"Detectives Jack Winchester and Fynn Adder, we need to ask you a few questions about the murder of Jessica Yates." Jack flipped open his wallet to flash his star. "Why don’t we talk in the hall?"

"Uh…okay. Ladies, take five; I’ll be right back." He smiled reassuringly and followed Jack and me out into the hall, closing the door firmly behind him.

"You and Ms. Yates dated, correct?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, like four months ago. It’s old news."

"Why don’t you let me be the judge of that," I said. If this was the guy…well, I wasn’t all that sure if he’d make it to the station in one piece. "What caused the breakup?"

"Jessica wasn’t willing to share me," Jason said. "I told her I couldn’t be monogamous, and she freaked out. She threw a bottle at my head. I had to call the cops."

"Where were you the night before last, around four a.m.?" Jack shouldered in front of me ever so slightly.

"I was giving a private lesson at my apartment," he said smugly. "I have three witnesses."

"I suppose that’s a cute little code for fucking your students?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe. I can even give you their names. We were occupied until sunrise. Dawn greeting is very cathartic."

"Right." Jack pulled out his notepad and a pen. "Write down the names of your tryst partners and the best way to contact them."

Jason wrote while Jack stared at him.

"Here." He practically shoved the notepad back into Jack’s hands. "Can I go back to my class now?"

"Of course," I said. "But don’t leave town."

Jason sneered at me and then stormed back into the yoga class.

"Well, I think his chi is off balance."

Jack rolled his eyes. "We can’t really hold him on anything you know."

"I don’t like him."

"That’s not a crime."

"It should be. Who else are we talking to today?"

"Well, I think we’d better call his little playmates. Let’s make sure that alibi is legit. If it’s not, we can arrest him for interfering with a homicide investigation." Jack’s grin was positively feral. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of it.

God damn it. Why does he have to be straight?

"I -- I’m hungry. Let’s get lunch before we start making phone calls."

"Sure. Chinese okay with you? There’s a place just around the corner from here with really good spring rolls."

"Sure."

Jack tucked his notebook into his pocket and gave me a sharp look. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I just really don’t like that guy."

"Okay." He started to head down the hallway, and I stood frozen for a moment. Sometimes Jack made me feel like a high school kid with his first crush on the captain of the lacrosse team. Timmy Mullins…a lazy smile crept across my face. Just him and me in the locker room after the championship match.

I shook my head. Why was I thinking about that? I gave myself a mental slap and hurried after Jack.

Teaser

Here's a little teaser of The Hanged Man's Ghost. Enjoy!

Chapter One: 187

The Windy City. I was born here, and my father and his father. Caught in tradition, bleeding blue for the city. Catholic to the bone, too. It was like watching a made-for-TV movie.

    For me, the wind caught the voices of those souls lost to passion and fear. The ones that we found on the street, in back alleys and under bridges.

    But those are the voices of the past. This was the start of a case that would change things. That would change me.

    It started with a hangover, and the hangover started with a party. As it turns out, fourteen mojitos and a dozen or so Jell-o shots do not equate to a healthy morning. At least, I think it was only a dozen or so. There also may’ve been a couple beers in the count. The empty bottles at the end of the bed seemed to indicate that. The young man next to me, brunette with a slim build and pouty lips was pretty, and had probably been just as far gone when we tumbled into bed.

Blinking, clearing the crud from my eyes. I climbed out of the bed and pulled my discarded boxers back on, before stretching out my sore muscles. Where are my jeans? I looked around. His jeans, two sizes smaller than mine with a designer label, were huddled just under the bed. God, he still wore white briefs. I really hope he’s over the age of consent.

His wallet stuck out of the back pocket of his jeans, I scooped it up and flipped it open. Eric Howard, age nineteen. Thank God. I really did not need that hanging over my head. Someone needed to buy the kid boxers. Tucked just behind his driver’s license was another card, student ID? I couldn’t help myself, I jerked it out. Eric Harrison, age twenty-three. It was a fake. A good one. I kept that and put back the wallet.

My jeans had managed to climb the bookshelf. Strange. I jerked them down and pulled them on. The fake ID went in my back pocket. My shoes and ankle holster were sitting by a chair. I strapped the holster on and put on my sneakers.

Is this his place? It had a very dorm-like look to it. Book shelves crammed with junk and the occasional textbook, laundry slumped near a hamper in the corner and posters of half naked men on the walls. Okay, a gay boy’s dorm room, but a dorm room. I looked out the window. There were flowers in a box on the sill. Daisies. I didn’t recognize the street. A sign read East Monroe. Huh. Maybe I’m just down from the club. I grabbed my shirt, checked for my wallet—finding it in my pocket—and headed for the door. The kid woke up with a yawn and grabbed my hand.

“Hey, leaving so soon?” He blinked. Damn, he’s young.

“Yeah.”

He pouted. “Don’t I get a name and a phone number?”

“No, and if I see you in that club again, I’ll arrest you for underage drinking. Do we understand each other?”

He gulped, eyes wide. “Yes.”

Heh, I didn’t even have to flash my star. Hell, knowing me, I’d probably used a pick up line along the lines of, Hey, I’m a cop, you want to go have some fun? I have handcuffs. “Good. Sleep tight.” I paused. “And buy some boxers. You aren’t twelve.” He might as well have been. I buttoned my shirt on my way out the door. My cell phone buzzed as I hopped down the steps. I jerked it out my pocket and flipped it open. “Fynn Adder.”

“I don’t care how fan-fucking-tastic you think you are, Adder. You get your ass down here right now!” Captain Monroe screamed from the other end. I winced.

“Down where?”

“Don’t you check your voicemail? We have a homicide on East Adams and Wabash. You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago.”

I winced again. “I’ll be right there.” I hung up and shoved the phone back in my pocket. On the street, I hailed a cab. Miraculously, I got one. Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad. I hopped in. “Adams and Wabash.”

“Be there in five.”

Fin


The Hanged Man's Ghost
Coming February 12, 2012!

I'll be running a contest for a signed copy of The Hanged Man's Ghost in February, so keep your eyes peeled! Well, not literally, that would be horrible.

- Cheers!

The Hanged Man's Ghost

Long overdue, but here's the cover art for The Hanged Man's Ghost, scheduled for release the second week of February!

The same day it comes out I'll have a side story here on the blog that ties into some of the things that happen in this book. I've heard from a few people wondering when/where there would be more information/stories about the characters from Fiends in Low Places and Poisoned Spirits, well folks, this would be the start of the series that the stories spun off from.

The Hanged Man's Ghost marks the first of three books (Should be three) from the POV of Fynn Adder, who you met in Fiends in Low Places briefly. I'm also working on Sleeping on the Job, which will be from Simon's POV and go into greater depth with his background, he and Gabriel's relationship and all those little juicy bits glazed over in Fiends.

For those of you who've read Poisoned, keep your eyes open, because there is at least one character making a return to the page in this one, and you'll be sure to see Ian take the stage in this series. I'm working on that book too, which has no title just now, but will go into Ian's activities before the events of Poisoned.

I've other ideas I'm playing with as well, and there's still the sequel to The Grave Watchers muddling around.

Once I get the cover/schedule for my other book, I'll post about it, but for now I shall keep you guessing.