A Thin Slice of Heaven

Today's special guest is author p.m.terrell, the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell, a multi-award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than twenty books in four genres: contemporary suspense, historical suspense, computer how-to and non-fiction. Prior to writing full-time, she founded two computer companies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. Among her clients were the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Secret Service, U.S. Information Agency, and Department of Defense. Her specialties were in white collar computer crimes and computer intelligence, themes that have carried forward into her suspense.

She is also the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, an organization committed to raising public awareness of the correlation between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. She is the organizer and co-chair (along with Dr. James Bass, Director of The Learning Center at Robeson Community College) of Book ‘Em North Carolina, an annual event held in Lumberton, North Carolina, to raise funds to increase literacy and reduce crime. For more information on this event and the literacy campaigns funded by it, visit www.bookemnc.org.

ABOUT THE BOOK

She had arranged to meet her husband in Northern Ireland for a second honeymoon, but when Charleigh arrives at the remote castle, she receives a message that he won’t be coming—and that he’s leaving her for another woman. Stranded for the weekend by a snowstorm that has blocked all access to the castle, she finds herself three thousand miles from home in a country she knows nothing about.

She is soon joined by Sean Bracken, the great-grandson of Laird Bracken, the original owner of the castle, and she finds herself falling quickly and madly in love with him. There’s just one problem: he’s dead.

As the castle begins to come alive with secrets from centuries past, she finds herself trapped between parallel worlds. Caught up in a mass haunting, she can no longer recognize the line between the living and the dead. Now she’s discovering that her appearance there wasn’t by accident—and it will change her life forever.

AN EXCERPT

“What’s happening?” Charleigh whispered. Her throat had grown dry and her voice was hoarse with tension. Though she attempted to keep her tone low so they would remain unobserved, it sounded loud and harsh in the strident atmosphere that seemed suddenly to have gripped the village. She felt anxiety growing deep within her and the urge to get back to the castle burgeoned with ferocity and urgency; but she realized with a sickening sensation in the pit of her soul that the growing inharmonious throngs were between them and the sanctuary of her room.

“Do not be afraid, m’ Leah,” Sean answered. He did not whisper but his voice was deep and taut. After a moment, he said, “They are reenacting an event that occurred… some time ago.”

“Oh,” she breathed. She should have felt relief but her insides continued to roil as if his explanation did not match the scene unfolding before her. Nervously, she said, “Reenactors. We have them in America.”

“You have witnessed them, then?”

“Yes. I find them very interesting…” She forced the words past her dry lips. “They reenact battles from the Civil War and the Revolutionary War, mainly.”

As the churning skies turned to the color of tar, Charleigh could discern the sources of the strange glow: they were torches held aloft by dozens of people. More were joining them, stragglers rushing from the village to catch up, while they began to spread apart in a more orderly column as they converged on the flat land they’d crossed on their way into the village. One man in the forefront stopped and began pointing and directing those that followed.

“These reenactments,” Sean continued, “were the people alive?”

DREAM CAST

We asked p.m.terrell if her book was made into a movie, who would she envision playing the characters? Here is her response:

The actor I would select for the role of the Irish ghost, Sean Bracken, is an easy one. Hands down, it would be Santiago Cabrera. Currently, he is starring as Aramis in BBC’s series, The Musketeers, in which he and Queen Anne have lit up the screen in romance

Though Santiago was born in Venezuela, he grew up in London, Madrid, Toronto and Romania.

The role of Charleigh is a bit more difficult. She begins as a woman around 40 who, by her own admission, has a thickening middle and prematurely platinum hair. I pictured a young Judi Dench: classy and classic, proper yet passionate, a woman abandoned by her husband but able to fall in love almost immediately with the Laird of Brackenridge Castle, a man who passed away more than a hundred years earlier.

Sean’s wife could easily be played by Zoe Boyle (shown at right). Fair-haired, light eyes, a classic beauty who served as Lady of Brackenridge Castle before her death. 

SPECIAL LINKS

Author’s website:  www.pmterrell.com

Twitter: @pmterrell

Blog:  www.pmterrell.blogspot.com

Facebook: author.p.m.terrell

A beautiful Celtic Butterfly Suncatcher similar to the one mentioned in the book, symbolizing both the never-ending cycle of life and the metamorphosis of a butterfly, will be given away to one lucky winner during this month's book tour. Leave a comment for a chance to win this suncatcher!

 

How to Cancel a Scheduled Appearance

Being in charge of a large book fair and writers conference like Book 'Em North Carolina has placed me in the position of working with a large number of authors, from the New York Times bestselling authors to those published traditionally as well as those who choose to self-publish.

Around this time each year, I receive a few cancellations from authors who have been scheduled to participate in the upcoming annual event. Some do it graciously and some behavior is simply rude. So I've put together a list of how - and how not to - cancel an appearance that you've been scheduled to participate in, especially if you are a featured author.

1. Provide as much notice as you can. If you've known for months that it's unlikely you'll be able to participate, don't wait until the last minute because you're dreading that email or phone call. During those final weeks before an event - especially a large one - the organizers are dealing with dozens of last-minute details.

2. Explain why without going into a lot of detail. Things happen. People get ill, whether it's you or a family member. Funerals are often unexpected and catch everyone off guard. Work commitments (if you're working a paying job in addition to your writing) often have to take priority. Letting the organizers know the situation is beyond your control goes a long way if you are ever anticipating being a part of that event in the future.

3. Don't cancel because you think you've gotten a better offer. I've had authors cancel our event (which brings in an average of 3,000 attendees per event) because a book store offered to have them sign their books the same day. Word travels in this industry and when you cancel one event to participate in another one, count on it getting back to the organizers. I've also had authors cancel because they decided they "just didn't feel like doing it", which is completely unprofessional.

4. Ask what you can do. With Book 'Em North Carolina, authors are scheduled to participate in panel discussions and conduct solo talks. Especially if you cancel an event at the last minute, the organizers are often so busy that they don't have the time or the manpower (especially when there are no paid employees but only volunteers) to figure out which panel you were on and notify the moderator. Too often the author who cancelled at the last minute simply becomes known as a no-show. Offer to notify the panel moderator or anyone else involved with your appearance.

5. Don't assume someone else will take your place. When an author applies as a featured author at Book 'Em North Carolina, a lot of work goes into processing their application. The website lists their bio, links to their websites, and their photographs. They are assigned to the Talks Schedule. Their name badges, table signs, and promotional materials are printed with their names on them. Because we have centralized cashiers, the titles, ISBNs and retail prices of each of their books are entered into the cashier database. The envelopes and accounting mechanisms are put into place to pay the author. The RSVP for their meals (which is provided free of charge by area restaurants) are submitted. Unless another author is willing to assume your identity, sign your books and substitute for you throughout the conference, then no one else is going to be taking your place. With Book 'Em North Carolina, we only substitute authors during the summer months before the conference - after that, it's too late.

We've all had things happen unexpectedly and outside of our control; event organizers understand that. Be considerate of the organizers, their time and their efforts; they'll remember it and they'll thank you for it.

This post was written by author p.m.terrell, the co-founder of The Book 'Em Foundation and founder of Book 'Em North Carolina. For more information, visit www.pmterrell.com.

The White Devil of Dublin

Today's special guest is p.m.terrell, who many authors and attendees at Book 'Em North Carolina know as Trish Terrell. She is the award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than 20 books. The first book in the Ryan O’Clery Mysteries Series, The Tempest Murders, was a 2013 USA Best Book Awards Finalist and a 2014 International Book Awards Nominee. Vicki’s Key was both a 2012 USA Best Book Awards and 2012 International Book Awards Finalist. And River Passage was the winner of the 2010 Best Drama Award. The Pendulum Files is a 2014 Best Cover Design Finalist.

Prior to writing full-time, p.m.terrell founded and operated two computer companies in the Washington, DC area. Her specialties are computer crime and computer intelligence, and her clients included the CIA, Secret Service and Department of Defense. Computer technology plays a major role in many of her suspense/thrillers. She is the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation and the founder of the annual Book ‘Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair. She is also the Vice President of the Robeson County Arts Council and is on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Robeson County Public Library.

 

 

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

 

I asked p.m.terrell which are her all-time favorite books. Here is her list:

 

Top Ten Favorite Books

1. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. I doubt that it could be published today because of its heft and how much backstory there was with Gerald and Ellen, but I love every page of it. The movie doesn’t do the battle scenes justice, and my very first crush - which I still have - is for Rhett Butler.

2. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R.A. Dick. I love the setting of the old home by the sea, the gruff sea captain who falls in love with the very human Mrs. Muir, the way they wrote a book together, and how they lived together. My only qualm with the book is I wanted the captain to stay, and I wanted somehow for the two of them to unite despite the challenges.

3. What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson. It was the first book I could not put down, and once I read it from cover to cover, I started completely over. I dissected that book, page by page, to see how the author managed to pluck such emotional strings, and how he kept me turning the pages.

4. The Haunting series by Erin Quinn. I began with Haunting Beauty and I’ve read all four books in the series at least three times. I love the imagination, the beauty of Ireland, and the way she tells a story.

5. Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier. I was told by a bookseller that this was the most terrifying story she’d ever read, so of course, I had to read it. I admit awakening at 3 a.m. in a cold sweat, and I got up at that moment, grabbed the book, and began to analyze how the author scared me so much. I love the moors of England, the house set far away from other inhabitants, the twists and turns.

6. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. I love true stories that take average people and place them into extraordinary circumstances. The story of Beck Weathers, in particular, has stayed with me all these years; how one man can survive despite all the odds, walking down Mount Everest in a blinding snowstorm when he is nearly blind from detached retinas, is just incredible. Left for dead not once but twice, it’s the story of one man’s survival - among many - and also the story of the adventurer’s quest to summit the world’s tallest mountain.

7. The Mummy by Anne Rice. I did not expect to fall in love with Ramses the Great, but I most certainly did. I’ve read that book countless times. I wish she would write more books set in Egypt, and I’d love to see the book made into a movie.

8. The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger. This is another true story of average people in extraordinary circumstances. The author provides the backdrop of the Maine town, its inhabitants, their dependence on the sea, and each of the men aboard the Andrea Gale. The book is far superior to the movie.

9. The Twentieth Maine by John Pullen. There have been countless books written about the generals in the American Civil War, but none written from the perspective of the common soldier in quite the same way that Pullen writes The Twentieth Maine. It is the story of men from the same geographic area who joined the Union Army; their trials, their triumphs, their sacrifices, their deaths and their lives, and a story that remains with me long after reading the book. Joshua Chamberlain became my hero as I watched him go from a schoolteacher to an Army officer, watched him face wave after wave of Confederate onslaught at Gettysburg, and stayed with him until he oversaw the surrender of Confederate weapons at Appomattox. It is a powerful book.

10. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I don’t know if there has ever been a first line of a book quoted as often as this one - “Last night I went to Manderley again” - and I can still envision the mansion, the cottage down by the water, the gardens and the secrets. It is true psychological suspense at its best.

 

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

Detective Ryan O'Clery agrees to meet a noted historian claiming to have discovered information about his ancestors, but when he arrives he finds her murdered and her computer stolen. His investigation will lead him back to 12th century Ireland, to a time of the Viking occupation of Dublin on the cusp of the Norman invasion, and to an albino known as The White Devil of Dublin. It will also lead him to a secret his family kept hidden for more than eight hundred years, and bring him face to face with a serial killer in the present day who is intent on finishing the job he started.

Midwest Book Review says, "Terrell's writing is absorbing, brilliant in scope, classic in style, with a hard-driving action plot, and unique in the personality development of resilient, believable characters."

Suspense Magazine says, "p.m.terrell's books are powerfully written and masterfully suspenseful. You have to hang on for the ride of your life."

AN EXCERPT

North Carolina, present day

Ryan was still perturbed when he walked through the doors of the police station. The room seemed to quiet instantly as he entered. He had grown accustomed to that at one time, when a divorce from his first wife left him in a perpetually bad mood. Feeling the tension in the air now reminded him too much of that time—a time left behind when he met Cait.

Zuker was standing behind his desk next to Ryan’s. He was on the phone but when he caught sight of his partner, he ended his call abruptly.

He waited until Ryan seated himself at his desk before asking, “Where were you?”

“I told you where I was going when I walked out the door.”

“Remind me.”

Ryan called up his email. “I’ve been interviewing the only suspect the editor gave us.”

“What was his name again?”

He glanced at him. Zuker’s face seemed pale and he looked at him with an intent expression.

“Albert Petrironcalli.”

“Albert Petrironcalli,” Zuker repeated.

“Aye. Albert Petrironcalli.” Growing increasingly more irritated, he turned his attention back to his email.

“And you’ve been there this whole time?”

“That’s right.”

“Interviewing Mr. Petrironcalli.”

“That’s what I said.”

“That was a long interview.”

“Sometimes, a long interview is necessary.”

The room seemed abnormally silent.

“So, you left here over three hours ago, and you’ve been at Albert Petrironcalli’s home for this whole time.”

Ryan swore under his breath. “How many times do I need to tell you? Aye, I left here at whatever time I left, I went to Albert Petrironcalli’s home and I interviewed him. And now I’m back here, trying to do my work if you would leave me alone to do it.”

“And you didn’t go anywhere else.”

“I just told you where I’ve been.” Ryan’s voice rose to a roar.

Zuker remained standing and his expression hadn’t changed. “So, why didn’t I see you there?”

Ryan slammed his hand on the desk. “Did I not tell you that I was going to the man’s house to interview him?” Without waiting for an answer, he continued, “Then what, on God’s green earth, would prompt you to go there as well? Did you think I needed assistance interviewing a suspect?”

“Well, that depends,” Zuker said. His voice was smooth and even, though it was loud enough to be heard throughout the room. “Was he dead before or after you interviewed him?”

 

 

SPECIAL LINKS

 

Author's website: www.pmterrell.com

 

Twitter: @pmterrell

 

 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.p.m.terrell

Kindle edition of The White Devil of Dublin: http://smile.amazon.com/White-Devil-Dublin-OClery-Suspense-ebook/dp/B00MR283L2/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-2&qid=undefined

Paperback edition: http://smile.amazon.com/White-Dublin-OClery-Mysteries-Volume/dp/1935970224/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-2

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-white-devil-of-dublin/id897548707?mt=11

All eBook formats: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/456086

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