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On the Road – Portland, Me. – Bar Harbor, Me.

We made Portland Me. on Thursday.

Portland Harbor Hotel.

The Portland Harbor area is upscale and touristy, but a nice place to be for restaurants and nightlife.

This blog is mostly about food, because we usually don’t have the energy to do much else than go out to dinner after we arrive at a destination. In Portland, we ate at Gilbert’s Chowder House. I sampled their super seafood chowder.

On leaving Portland, we took a driving tour of Congress Street, where my son Seamus used to live.

Portland Observatory on Congress Street

It’s three hours from Portland to Bar Harbor, mostly on back roads. There was quite a bit of traffic, thanks to Labor Day.

This morning we’ve got a boat ride around Acadia National Park.

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On the Road Again – Annapolis, Md. & Kenilworth, NJ.

We started our day in Annapolis, Md. with. breakfast at Chick and Ruth’s Delly. You don’t generally get creamed chipped beef (aka SOS) on breakfast menus in NC, especially with a whole pile of breakfast potatoes to go with it.

I’m supposed to be watching my diet, but our trip next took us past one of my. all-time fave places, Jimmy Buff’s Italian Hotdogs.

We had a Jimmy Buff’s in Irvington N.J. where I grew. up, but it closed some years ago because it got robbed one too many times. But the store in Kenilworth is still open, and we just happened to go by at lunchtime, so…

After lunch, we were off to New Haven, Ct. and the world’s biggest parking lot, I-95. I did my blood sugar and decided that salad for supper was a great idea.

Tomorrow we’re off for Portland Me. and a healthy diet.

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On the Road Again – Annapolis, Md.

We’re on the road to my son Seamus’s wedding in Bar Harbor, Me. Today we’re at the Graduate Hotel in Annapolis, Md, getting ready to go to breakfast before heading to New Haven, Ct. on the next leg of the trip.

Annapolis is a beautiful town, but way expensive. And it’s in Maryland, which is one of those states for which the 2nd Amendment does not exist, so sadly, I will not be back unless absolutely necessary.

Satisfied after a fine seafood dinner at the Boatyard Bar & Grill

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Shooters! is live!

The Kindle version of the 8th Natalie McMasters Mystery, Shooters!, launched on Amazon on Monday, January 8th, 2024.

Shooters! is easily the darkest Natalie McMasters Mystery I have written, and those who know the series will agree that thai’s saying a lot. It explores a lot of today’s hot button issues, such as abortion, mass shootings, transgenderism, male and female roles, the availability of guns, and other issues that people get all worked up about. I fully expect some one-star reviews as a result.

But if you’ve followed Nattie this far in her career, you can afford to miss this one. There are some life-changing events for Nattie and the fam.

The paperback edition will be available a week or two after the kindle launch. If you want a signed copy, eiother contact me directly or show up at one of my many appearences this year.

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Sister! is a finalist for the Silver Falchion award!

The 7th book in the Natalie McMasters Mysteries, Sister!, made the short list in the action/adventure category for the prestigious Silver Falchion award. The winner will be announced at the Killer Nashville International Writers Conference Awards Dinner on Saturday, August 19 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The 6th volume, Killers!, won the award last year. Here’s hoping for a repeat!

Unfortunately, I will not be present at this year’s conference because my youngest son starts college that weekend.

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Ten Steps from Baker Street – Sherlock Holmes as a forensics pioneer.

I did a presentation for Five Miles from Anywhere, an international scion society of the Baker Street Irregulars, on June 3, and it was very well received. The presentation was entitled “Sherlock Holmes as a forensics pioneer”, which is a theme of my latest book, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: Ten Steps from Baker Street. You can download the presentation here for viewing.

5-Miles-June-2023Download

Ten Steps is available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Dr-Watson-Collection/dp/B0BW23B3QK

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The Great Holmes and Watson Blog Tour

April is blog tour month for my latest book – Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: Ten Steps from Baker Street. Here is the tour schedule:

Virtual Book Tour – April 3 – May 5

April 3 – RABT Book Tours – Kick Off

April 4 – Book Reviews by Virginia Lee – Spotlight

April 5 – Liliyana Shadowlyn – Spotlight

April 6 – Writers N Authors – Interview

April 7 – Buffy Kennedy – Guest Post

April 10 – Nana’s Book Reviews – Spotlight

April 11 – Crossroad Reviews – Spotlight

April 12 – Paws. Read. Repeat – Review

April 13 – Book Corner News and Reviews – Spotlight

April 14 – Book Junkiez – Excerpt

April 17 – Sapphyria’s Book Blog – Spotlight

April 18 – Momma Says to Read or Not to Read – Spotlight

April 19 – Matters That Count – Review

April 20 – The Faerie Review – Spotlight

April 21 – Texas Book Nook – Review

April 24 – Books Blog – Spotlight

April 25 – The Mystery Section – Excerpt

April 26 – Kim’s Book Reviews and Writing Aha’s – Spotlight

April 27 – A Life Through Books – Interview

April 28 – Just Another Reader – Spotlight

May 1 – On a Reading Bender – Review

May 2 – Jav Bond Writes – Review

May 3 – Indie Author Book Reviews – Spotlight

May 4 – Our Town Book Reviews – Excerpt

May 5 – RABT Reviews – Wrap Up 

Please visit these sites and give the tour hosts some love!

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New Sherlock Holmes book to be released 3/1/23 now on preorder

My new book of Sherlock Holmes stories is on preorder now on multiple sales channels. It contains ten new stories, written in the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Read of Holmes’s first case after he arrives in London, as he becomes known as The Wizard of Montague Street. Follow Holmes and Watson in The Adventure of the Persistent Pugilist, as they investigate Another Case of Identity, encounter The Witch of Ellenby, and more. Expeirence the joy of reading brand new Holmes stories once again!

Here are some of the preorder links. More will be added in time.

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The Great Sister! Book Tour Begins on January 2!

The latest book in the Natalie McMasters Mysteries, Sister!, will begin it’s virtual book tour on January 2. Each day, Sister! will be featured on a different blog. There will be excerpts, author interviews, reviews and more! Please visit each host listed below to show your support. And enter the giveaway to win a FREE copy of Sister!

Virtual Book Tour – January 2 – February 3

January 2 – RABT Book Tours – Kick Off

January 3 – Book Reviews by Virginia Lee – Spotlight

January 4 – Nana’s Book Reviews – Spotlight

January 5 –Book Junkiez – Excerpt

January 6 – Liliyana Shadowlyn – Spotlight

January 7 – Sue Wallace – Review

January 9 – The Faerie Review – Spotlight

January 10 – Momma and Her Stories – Excerpt

January 11 – Our Town Book Reviews – Spotlight

January 12 – The Avid Reader – Interview

January 13 – Momma Says to Read or Not to Read – Spotlight

January 14 – Susan’s Book World – Spotlight

January 16 – Paws. Read. Repeat – Review

January 17 – Books Blog – Spotlight

January 18 – Novel News Network – Review

January 19 – Book Corner News and Reviews – Spotlight

January 20 – My Reading Addiction – Interview

January 23 – Texas Book Nook – Review

January 24 – Crossroad Reviews – Spotlight

January 25 – Sapphyria’s Book Blog – Spotlight

January 26 – The Mystery Section – Excerpt

January 27 – Tea Time and Books – Spotlight

January 30 – On a Reading Bender – Review

January 31 – Kim’s Book Reviews and Writing Aha’s! – Spotlight

February 1 – The Indie Express – Review

February 2 – RABT Reviews – Wrap Up