The Case of the Bygone Brother (An Alex O'Hara Novel)
by Diane Burton
Genre: Humorous Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 29, 2014
Length: 281 Pages
Alex O’Hara finally gets a case that will give her bottom line a much needed boost. She might even be able to change her diet from ramen noodles to prime rib. All she has to do is track down a man who’s been missing for over ten years. Piece of cake . . . until an old flame arrives and a mugger roughs her up with orders to back off.
♦The
Book Excerpt♦
“Hello, gorgeous.”
I whacked my head on the display shelf.
Well, what would you do if you were lying across the top of a four-drawer lateral file cabinet, and your arm—yardstick attached—was wedged between the wall and the cabinet, trying to retrieve the license renewal application that if you mangled, crushed or couldn’t get would mean the end of your business, and the ex-love-of-your-life stood in the doorway looking at your butt?
The shelf shook on its braces from contact with my head. Never mind that the encounter didn’t do much for the aforementioned body part. The Fair Haven Chamber of Commerce awards rattled, and signed Detroit Tigers baseballs pelted my head, shoulders, and the back of my thigh. I dropped the yardstick and swore.
“I thought you promised your mother you wouldn’t swear anymore.” He would remind me of that vow.
“Relapse,” I muttered as I looked over my shoulder.
In that loose-limbed, cocky manner I once thought scary, sexy, and so cool, Nick Palzetti stood in the doorway to the spare office. He even dressed the same in a black leather jacket, black knit shirt, and jeans that molded his hips. Lordy, he could still make my mouth go dry.
As I wiggled back and sideways across the long cabinet, I felt my skirt ride up. Of all days to wear a skirt. With my foot, I searched for the desk chair I’d climbed to get on top of the cabinet. I’d kicked off my high heels before standing on the chair, probably the only smart thing I’d done so far.
“Red panties, you naughty girl.”
♦The
Cafe Review♦
AAAAA
Quirky characters, snappy dialog and surprising plot twists can all be found in author Diane Burton's romantic suspense, THE CASE OF THE BYGONE BROTHER.
I love a good mystery, so I really enjoyed reading this book. Ms. Burton managed to keep me guessing at every turn. Her characters are well-written, with a great chemistry between the heroine and her hero. I'll definitely be looking for the second book in this series!
If you're reading list includes romantic suspense with a dash of comedy, this book is for you. THE CASE OF THE BYGONE BROTHER gets a 5 Star Review from The Cafe!
♦The
Cafe Interview♦
Thanks so much for stopping by the Authors' Cafe today, Diane. I'm very excited to host you and your latest release, The Case of the Bygone Brother {An Alex O’Hara Novel}!
Thanks, Florence. I’m delighted to be here. Wait a sec while I take a sip of coffee and a bite of an almond biscotti. Okay, fire away.
Awesome - Here we go!
At what point in your life did you realized that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream but a career you were going to turn into reality?
When I first started writing, I had such stars in my eyes I knew I was going to be published right away. LOL Ten years later, my first book Switched was released. Then it took another 10 years before the next book. Not exactly an overnight sensation.
Which of your characters is most like you?
There are bits and pieces of me in all my heroines. Jessie, in Switched, is very conscious of being overweight. Jileena, in The Chameleon, strives to please her father. Daria, in One Red Shoe, lives in a small farming community (I did for 14 years) and is a teacher. I wish I could be as strong as my heroines.
If you were stranded on a desert island, which character from your books would you want with you?
Scott from Switched, Too. Besides being a hunk, he’s funny and resourceful. He’d find ways to make being stranded an adventure.
Where do you write?
In my office, I have a lovely desk my husband made where I can watch the ducks in the pond behind our house. Do I write there? Not often. Mostly I write in my recliner on my laptop.
Do you have any “rituals” you go through before you write?
Grab some coffee (or water), glance at email then start writing. If I need a break (read: my mind goes blank) I’ll play solitaire or mah jong. I always have to read the last few paragraphs to get back “into” the story.
What was your favorite scene to write and why?
In Switched Resolution when Marcus’ mother discovers he is the son stolen from her before birth. Their reunion brought me to tears. I think it’s because I’m a mother and I projected how I would feel if that had happened to me.
What would YOU like your readers to know about your books or you in general?
I love movies and try to incorporate the sense of adventure into my books along with romantic comedy.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Keep writing.
Do you have a favorite author?
Two, actually. Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle for her adventurous heroines and Linnea Sinclair for her to-die-for heroes. Both for their science fiction romances and suspense.
What is your favorite quote?
One? “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway
What genre of books do you read for pleasure?
Romantic suspense—whether it’s in the here and now or the future.
What’s the most amusing thing that’s ever happened to you?
I was with a group of writers in NYC and they all offered to go with me to ride the subway as research for One Red Shoe. (for a scene I never used). It was at night and we may have had some delightful beverages beforehand. One of our members couldn’t get through the turnstyle. We were trying to help her turn it correctly while laughing our heads off. It could have been me stuck on the outside while my friends were on the inside.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Watch movies or read. Love gardening and quilting.
Who is the Fiction Hero you’d run off with?
Rhett Butler in Gone With The Wind. I loved him the first time I read the book, even more so when Clark Gable played him in the movie.
If all TV shows were real, what show (all time) would you most like to live in?
“I Love Lucy.” While Lucy got into crazy situations, I’d be her sidekick and try to get her out of them.
When I first started writing, I had such stars in my eyes I knew I was going to be published right away. LOL Ten years later, my first book Switched was released. Then it took another 10 years before the next book. Not exactly an overnight sensation.
Which of your characters is most like you?
There are bits and pieces of me in all my heroines. Jessie, in Switched, is very conscious of being overweight. Jileena, in The Chameleon, strives to please her father. Daria, in One Red Shoe, lives in a small farming community (I did for 14 years) and is a teacher. I wish I could be as strong as my heroines.
If you were stranded on a desert island, which character from your books would you want with you?
Scott from Switched, Too. Besides being a hunk, he’s funny and resourceful. He’d find ways to make being stranded an adventure.
Where do you write?
In my office, I have a lovely desk my husband made where I can watch the ducks in the pond behind our house. Do I write there? Not often. Mostly I write in my recliner on my laptop.
Do you have any “rituals” you go through before you write?
Grab some coffee (or water), glance at email then start writing. If I need a break (read: my mind goes blank) I’ll play solitaire or mah jong. I always have to read the last few paragraphs to get back “into” the story.
What was your favorite scene to write and why?
In Switched Resolution when Marcus’ mother discovers he is the son stolen from her before birth. Their reunion brought me to tears. I think it’s because I’m a mother and I projected how I would feel if that had happened to me.
What would YOU like your readers to know about your books or you in general?
I love movies and try to incorporate the sense of adventure into my books along with romantic comedy.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Keep writing.
Do you have a favorite author?
Two, actually. Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle for her adventurous heroines and Linnea Sinclair for her to-die-for heroes. Both for their science fiction romances and suspense.
What is your favorite quote?
One? “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway
What genre of books do you read for pleasure?
Romantic suspense—whether it’s in the here and now or the future.
What’s the most amusing thing that’s ever happened to you?
I was with a group of writers in NYC and they all offered to go with me to ride the subway as research for One Red Shoe. (for a scene I never used). It was at night and we may have had some delightful beverages beforehand. One of our members couldn’t get through the turnstyle. We were trying to help her turn it correctly while laughing our heads off. It could have been me stuck on the outside while my friends were on the inside.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Watch movies or read. Love gardening and quilting.
Who is the Fiction Hero you’d run off with?
Rhett Butler in Gone With The Wind. I loved him the first time I read the book, even more so when Clark Gable played him in the movie.
If all TV shows were real, what show (all time) would you most like to live in?
“I Love Lucy.” While Lucy got into crazy situations, I’d be her sidekick and try to get her out of them.
and now it's time for some . . .
♦Cafe Random-Ness♦
Party dress or blue jeans? Blue jeans
Plotter or Panster? Little bit of both but mostly pantser
Print or e-Book? E-book. Love my Kindle.
Coastal walks or extreme sports? Me, extreme sports? LOL Love coastal walks.
Cookies or cupcakes? Cookies, esp. white chocolate chip/macadamia nut cookies
Super hero or super villain? Super hero, of course. The good guys have to win.
If you had a free afternoon, what would you spend it doing? I’d play with my grandkiddies.
The smell of what takes you back to your childhood? Burning leaves.
You suddenly realize you live in a haunted house. Do you:
- Run screaming for the door.
- Bravely go to a church, load up on holy water and try to get rid of the ghost.
- Set up ghost hunting equipment to capture phenomenon.
- Call in the Ghost Adventures crew so that you can ogle the lead guy Zac’s amazingly stiff hair when you’re not ogling his uh, physical attributes.
- Deny you have a ghost and just let it scare the bejesus out of your visitors.
#1 then #4!
Could you tell us five random facts about yourself?
- I’m the oldest of 7 and all our names begin with D, including my parents.
- My ancestry is like the United Nations: German, Dutch, Polish, English, Welsh, Scots, Irish, French.
- My favorite food is Italian.
- My great-great-great grandfather’s last name Anslyn (originally Anslijn) is the same as the title character in The Case of the Bygone Brother. He was appointed Vice Consul of the Netherlands for the State of Iowa. I have the proclamation signed by President James Buchanan in 1857.
- Even though I love writing science fiction romance, I hated science in school.
♦About Diane Burton♦
I’ve been a reader all my life, and I love movies, especially action adventure, mysteries, science fiction, and romantic comedy. Castle, Firefly, and NCIS are my favorite TV shows. So is it any wonder that I write science fiction romance and romantic suspense, both with comedic elements?
♦The
Giveaway♦
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