MORGAN ST. JAMES

And on Sunday the author rested

2009-11-15T23:57:00Z

Well, I always seem to drive myself, but this past couple of weeks in Las Vegas I have pushed the envelope a bit. I've done five presentations to readers and writers promoting "Seven Deadly Samovars," all on different subjects, attended a few meetings, written several more chapters of the new Silver Sisters book, "Vanishing Act in Vegas," finished the proposal for "You Don't Say," with my co-author on that project, submitted a short story to an anthology, and posted columns three times a week to www.examiner.com and one a week to www.perpetual prose.com.

Today I took the day off. On Sunday, the author rested. Had breakfast with my granddaughter and marveled at the fact that with her 12th birthday approaching at the end of the month, she is now almost as tall as I am. She has transitioned from a child to an almost-teen. We talked a bit about how different things were when I was her age, as she took time out to text her mother and show me many of the photos and aps on her cellphone. We hung out and chatted, like a couple of girlfriends...okay, girlfriends with a bit of an age gap...okay, again...a pretty big age gap, but able to hold fun conversations.

I wish I could watch my grandsons grow up as I have with her, but photos for the most part have to do. England is a long way off, and I'm lucky to be able to visit once a year. Little Tennessee is almost two and Texas is three already. Why is it that all of my three grandchildren are named after places? Texas, Tennessee (a bit unusual for a couple of British lads) and almost-teenage Denali named for the national park in Alaska.

The interesting thing to me is that unusual names aren't considered unusual anymore. In fact, the unusual ones are names like Sally, or Bob. You know, good solid names that used to be widely used. As authors we need to remember this when naming our characters. Make sure that their names are typical of the times.

Well, as I said, I'm taking the day off, so I'm going to the movies to see Pirate Radio. Time to kick back and listen to what is supposed to be some great rock, and with Phillip Seymore Hoffman in it, it should be good.

Next week it's back to L.A. for a while.

NEW INTERVIEW ON PERPETUAL PROSE

2009-10-28T00:30:45Z

Today www.perpetualprose.com posted an interview with me and my sister Phyllice. We talked about how we came to write the Silver Sisters Mysteries, what our backgrounds are, and many other things. Check it out, and while you're there, read some of the other good interviews and articles. I write one article a week for them.

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.silversistersmysteries.com
www.morganstjames-author.com
A CORPSE IN THE SOUP
SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS
and much more...visit me on the web

A COMMENT ON THE TIMES

2009-10-23T17:25:28Z

I must admit, I am sometimes a news junkie and watch the commentary shows, even through most of the time it's hard to separate fact from fiction. It seems that radio and TV hosts are the faces of the parties they favor. You can channel or station surf and get so many versions of the same story or fact, it makes your head swim.

Sometimes I go onto overload, swearing that I will never watch another show and tune into vintage comedy shows like Lucy, Becker or The Nanny. Why? I've hit the wall on "gloom and doom" and just want to chill out and laugh.

After watching property values plumet, investments get beaten to death, political debates reduced to the level of two bullies on the schoolyard duking it out, while the poor battered victim watches in awe, (that victim is us...the public), I just want something that I don't have to agonize over. Something that will make me laugh.

I think that's why folks like our Silver Sisters mysteries. They're silly sometimes, over-the-top, goofy names, zany action, loveable characters---they're a comical crime caper that you can exercise your gray matter with, as you try to solve the mystery. If only for a few minutes, isn't that better than wondering where your next positive tidbit of information will come from?

Must be, because in the past few weeks our rank on Amazon has gotten better and better. To me, that means people want to escape and just laugh. Do you? I know I do.

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.silversistersmysteries.com
www.morganstjames-author.com
A CORPSE IN THE SOUP
SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS
Both available in every format: paperback, Kindle, e-book, CD and MP3 download
VISIT ME ON THE WEB

AN ARTICLE IN THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL AND A GREAT REVIEW

2009-10-19T17:09:02Z

"A Corpse in the Soup" got a great new review on Amazon from Gayle Bartos Pool and the Las Vegas Review Journal did an article on me in the Sunday edition. It was in both print and on line in the Living Section. Here's the link: http://www.lvrj.com/living/sisters-bond-is-no-mystery-64690112.html

Here's the review:

A Recipe for Murder, October 11, 2009
By Gayle Bartos-Pool - See all my reviews

Morgan St. James and Phyllice Bradner's delightful novel, A Corpse in the Soup, is a delicious cook's tour through what can only be called a smorgasbord of murder and mayhem in the wacky world of professional chef's.

When Beverly Hills advice to the lovelorn columnist, Godiva Dubois, is nearly killed by poison mushrooms on the set of famous chef, Caesar Romano's TV show, her twin sister, Goldie, flies in from Alaska to see what's going on. What the aging hippie from the boonies finds is a world very different from her quiet life up north. Then her daughter, Chili, gets a job on the very show that produced the near-fatal fungus.

The heat is really turned up when rival chefs vie for the coveted Gourmet Gladiator award. Chef Romano is waging a war of words with handsome aerobic chef, Biff Wellington. But there are lots of axes to grind in this plot, so when one of the chef's turns up dead, Godiva and Goldie use their skills to help solve the crime.

To add to the sweet concoction, Godiva and Goldie's mother and uncle do their best to find out who dunnit. These cool cats are in their 80s, but they don't let that stop them.

This is a fun ride through TV land and even to the wine country of California. The two great gals are fun to be with and you're with them all the way to the nail-biting end.

My New Columns

2009-09-28T21:44:05Z

I'm now writing two on line columns in addition to my books and short stories. Articles on http://www.perpetualprose.com will discuss various aspects of the craft of writing. This is cool, because although I live in Las Vegas and L.A., the column is published in Perth, Australia. Talk about a global situation!

I'm also writing about local happenings in the writing industry, profiling people, groups, companies and events in the literary community in Las Vegas, and topics of interest for http://www.examiner.com. A complete listing of my new columns can be found at: http://www.examiner.com/x-24363-Las-Vegas-Writing-Examiner

One of the important things in life, in my opinion, is never stop learning, never stop checking out new things, and live every day!

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.silversistersmysteries.com
www.morganstjames-author.com

DOWNTOWN JUNEAU-FRANKLIN STREET

2009-09-21T01:30:24Z

Since our new Silver Sisters comical crime caper, SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS, begins in Juneau, Alaska, I thought I'd give you an idea of what Franklin Street looks like. This was obviously taken on a patriotic holiday, so I must qualify that the flags aren't there all the time, but you can get a sense of the area. Cruise ships dock in the bay on the other side of the street.

This is the street where Goldie's Silver Spoon Antiques Shoppe is located. Phyllice Bradner, my sister and co-author, actually designed the color schemes and some of the other details during the restoration of some of these historical buildings, as well as restoration of the legislature building and governor's mansion several years ago.

Our books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BooksaMillion and many other sites.

www.silversistersmysteries.com
A CORPSE IN THE SOUP
SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS

SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS NOW ON KINDLE AT AMAZON

2009-09-20T18:43:07Z

The second zany Silver Sisters comical crime caper is now available as a Kindle edition on Amazon. Seven Deadly Samovars finds Goldie receiving the wrong shipment of fancy Russian tea dispensers at her antique shop in Juneau, Alaska while her twin, Beverly Hills advice columnist Godiva Olivia DuBois, is in town visiting. She can't reach the exporters, so puts the samovars on display in her shop. They sell quickly but people begin to die. Why? A visit from the bumbling Russian thugs, the Dumkovsky brothers, might hold a clue. The Silver Sisters and their eighty-year-old mother and uncle, former vaudeville magicians, are hot on the trail, trying to prevent more murders! Check out our website for more information.

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.silversistersmysteries.com
A CORPSE IN THE SOUP - Best Audio Mystery Book 2007-USA BOOK NEWS
SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS - Available in Kindle, CD and MP3. Coming soon in paperback.

silversisters @ 2009-09-04T00:33:00

2009-09-04T07:57:04Z

This photo was on Yahoo tonight. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. This one tells the story of what's going on in the "Mareck" wildfire threatening Lakeview Terrace, California. I wrote about my thoughts on the fire yesterday, having been close to fires four times and evacuated once. I've been very worried about my friends who have a ranch in Lakeview Terrace. They're fantastic people who have dedicated their lives and just about every penny they have or can raise through their non-profit foundation, to helping disabled kids and young adults as well as working with kids of all ages and abilities in an equestrian vaulting program. See more about them on www.valleyviewvaulters.com.

I'm trying to reconcile all of this in my mind. Bad things happening to good people. The ranch that houses Valley View Vaulters is now threatened by the fire. The horses have been evacuated to L.A. Equestrian Center as Rick Hawthorne travels back and forth to feed and exercise them.

Only days ago, the Hawthornes took in refugee horses themselves from Big Tujunga Canyon. Now the rescuers have become the victims, not knowing from one moment to the next whether or not they will be evacuated. Their life work, and the fates of the kids they help could be wiped out in a heartbeat. According to tonight's news, those fires have now been ruled arson. I have to ask myself what kind of person does this? Destroys lives, like those of the two firemen who perished when their vehicle plunged into the canyon, wipes out property like that of all the people who have lost their homes, dreams and memories, and for what? The thrill of seeing the flames?

Here's a little excerpt from an e-mail I received today from my dear friends. I only hope that their home/ranch is spared and their lives can return to a semblance of normalacy. And the kids--those incredible kids with so much heart, the ones they help--can resume their lessons soon.

Imagine what it must have felt like for my friend to write this while the flames licked at the edges of an area much too close for comfort: "Our horses have been evacuated to the LA Equestrian Center (on Sunday) and we have been told to prepare to evacuate also. The fire is deep in the mountains right now, but is moving to a part of the Lake View Terrace area, Little Tujunga Canyon, again, on the other side of Foothill. Rick needs to feed and clean the horses daily. We are getting help for that also. The smoke is awful . . . . I'm staying at home now and inside , which helps somewhat, and we need to be here to know when and if we are to be evacuated."

MORGAN

BACK IN L.A. FOR A CHANGE

2009-09-03T17:33:57Z

Well, I'm back in Los Angeles again, complete with its smog and traffic. However, after leaving the murky skies of Las Vegas yesterday, it doesn't seem that much different. The smoke and ash from the Station Wildfire in California has definitely made its mark in Sin City. Sunday night you could smell the smoke the minute you stepped out on the Strip. Thank goodness progress is being made.

I have a small idea of what the fire victims must feel like. In my lifetime, I've been threatened by fires four times. Twice in the Porter Ranch area of Northride, California, once in Chatsworth, California, and the worst of all...living right on the beach in Malibu, California.

One Porter Ranch fire--an oil well fire--was burning for several days and they had to bring in a famous firefighter named Red Adair from Texas. He knew how to contain the oil well fires, if at all possible. For two days, we didn't know whether we would have to evacuate or not. Then a few years later, another fire broke out, coming much closer to our house while raining ash over everything. Again, as the wind shifted, we got the message that we would, then wouldn't have to evacuate.

During the Chatsworth fire, I lived on horse property and was very worried about what to do with the horses if we had to evacuate, but we didn't.

Finally out of the foothill fire areas, I breathed a sigh of relief. Now I was living in a beach house in Malibu, right on the sand with the water sometimes thirty feet away and sometimes under the stilted house when the tide was in. No worries there...right? Wrong!

When the Malibu fire jumped Pacific Coast Highway and burned it's was down to the beach,it was the one time I was evacutated. For three days I lived in a hotel wondering if there would be a house to come back to. Fortunately it was spared, but only by fifty feet!

So my heart goes out to those who have lost so much. Four times, it could have been me.

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.silversistersmysteries.com
A CORPSE IN THE SOUP - 2007 Best Mystery Audio Book - USA Book News
SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS: watch for September 2009 release

silversisters @ 2009-08-28T09:15:00

2009-08-28T16:16:25Z

I just finished listening to the audio book of Jeffrey Deavers' "Garden of Beasts." It is set in Nazi Germany and follows the path of an American button man (killer for hire) who has been sent to kill one of the top people in the party. In true Deaver manner, the story is filled with rich descriptions, twists and turns and definitely captures your interest. I'm usually not a fan of this type of novel, but do like Mr. Deaver's writing, so I decided to give it a try and was rewarded with a book that I would recommend.

Audio books can be highly affected by the quality of the narrator. This one was excellent. Combining the well drawn characters and the compelling narrative, I found myself sitting in the car after I arrived at my destination so I could listen to a little bit more.

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.silversistersmysteries.com
A CORPSE IN THE SOUP
COMING IN SEPTEMBER: SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS

COOL AGAIN IN LAS VEGAS AND A RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT

2009-08-27T18:25:56Z

Whew! Thank goodness the repair company finally sent out someone who knew what he was doing. The other guy just couldn't wait to leave, which was obvious the minute he walked in the door. After three service calls, I was still sweltering with a laboring, or mostly non-working system.

When wonderful Daniel was sent in response to my melt down and demand to the AC company that they send someone who could actually fix it, it only took him about two minutes to determine that the fan motor was bad. He ordered a new fan and by the next evening everything was fixed.

Here's the scary part. I asked him what could have happened...worst case scenario...if I'd simply gone back to L.A. after the last time the inept serviceman paid me a visit. He frowned and said, "Well, worst case, your compressor could have blown up!" That's a comforting thought.

Anyway, as the release date for Seven Deadly Samovars approaches (September)I'm getting more excited as I always do before a release. My advance copies arrived, and it looks great. When I appear on the "Knock 'em Dead" panel at the Burbank Library on September 5, I'll have a few advance copies available. Check the website, www.silversistersmysteries.com, for details and other appearances.

Whoo hoo! Now it's time to finish VANISHING ACT IN VEGAS.

Morgan St.James
www.silversistersmysteries.com
www.morganstjames-author.com
http://AllAboutArliss.blogspot.com

SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS IS ALMOST HERE

2009-08-20T02:53:18Z

Look for the second Silver Sisters comical crime caper, SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS, to be released in early September by L&L Dreamspell. It will be available in every format from paperback, Kindle and e-book to CD and MP3 from Books in Motion.

Here's something cool. The audio books are out already, so if you want to preview, you can go to Barnes & Nobel's website and search either A CORPSE IN THE SOUP or SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS. Then click on the audio clip link and listen to a bit of either book.

My sister Phyllice and I are about half-way through the first draft of VANISHING ACT IN VEGAS, and the whole quirky group...twins Goldie and Godiva and eighty-year-old Flossie and Sterling really get into trouble this time. We're having a barrel of fun writing it and I even got to go backstage at a major magic show on the Strip to research one scene. That is a definite advantage to living part time in Las Vegas.

Although, my air conditioning went out the other day, and with the temp at about 105, I would have been a lot more comfortable at my other residence in California...five blocks from Venice Beach!

Still, I love Las Vegas, and if I had to choose between the two, Las Vegas would take it hands down.

Now all I need is for the air conditioning repair service to send someone who knows what they're doing. I've already had three ill-fated service calls.

Hot under the collar...

MORGAN
www.silversistersmysteries.com

ARE YOU EVER DONE EDITING?

2009-07-22T21:26:15Z

On the blog http://AllAboutArliss.blogspot.com, Arliss talks about writing a romantic suspense novel for fourteen years and finally taking it to publication as two books--A DREAM LOST and THE DEVIL'S DUE. They will finally become reality in 2010.

Check it out. It's informative and entertaining. Today's entry is "Are You Ever Done Editing?"

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.silversistersmysteries.com
www.morganstjames-author.com

TRIED TO SEND AN ANSWER TO SUNNYONE

2009-06-17T00:46:23Z

I tried to reply to Sunnyone but am not sure it went through. She tried to find our books at her local library and wasn't successful. Hopefully, if it didn't go through, she will read this post.
YOU CAN REQUEST THAT THEY ORDER IT BY THE ISBN #'S. SOME LIBRARIES WILL TAKE RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE THAT. OTHER NOT.

THE FIRST BOOK IS A CORPSE IN THE SOUP - which takes place mostly in the greater L.A. area, plus some Hollywood glitz.

THE SECOND ONE, SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS,IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO BOOK AND WILL BE RELEASED IN PAPERBACK, E-BOOK AND KINDLE AROUND AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING THE GALLEY. It starts out in Juneau, Alaska then to Seattle, then to L.A.

WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON THE THIRD BOOK, VANISHING ACT IN VEGAS. I WOULD HOPE TO SEE IT IN LATE 2010, BUT IT ALL DEPENDS UPON HOW FAST PHYLLICE AND I WRITE.

IF YOU'VE VISITED MY WEBSITE, THE PUBCHASE LINKS ARE ALSO THERE, IN CASE YOU CAN'T FIND THE BOOKS IN A LIBRARY. You might also ask your library if they participate in the Overdrive Audio Book program. Many libraries have our books as an MP3 download through Overdrive.

Morgan St. James
www.silversistersmysteries.com

ANYTHING TO AVOID EXERCISE?

2009-06-04T16:42:46Z

It is a fact of life! If you don't exercise, unfortunately the sands shift south, and as the years keep clicking by I'd like to keep my "sands" as much in tact as possible, thank you very much. So, I commit myself to exercising at least three times a week.

However, being a writer, my time is my own to schedule, so sometimes that self-imposed exercise date at 9:00am turns into noon or even later. I mean, first I have to scan all of my e-mails, don't I? What if the publisher wants something? Gotta be right on top of that. And, I'm writing a new Silver Sisters mystery with my sister Phyllice. What if she desperately needs feedback or comment on the last chapter I sent her of VANISHING ACT IN VEGAS? Oh, yeah, the final edits for the print edition of SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS are almost finished, too. What if the editor needs another change?

Of course, after checking all of my messages, I have to answer all of my friends out there, don't I? And it wouldn't hurt to read through those chapters or edits I worked on until three in the morning.

Nest, a headline on AOL or Yahoo catches my eye. Gotta read that one and find out what's going on in the world, be it world-class earth-shattering news or juicy gossip. Whoops, before I know it, it might be almost time for lunch. Fuel for the furnace, you know.

Okay, I've run through all the excuses. Here's the reality. Actually it's only 9:40am here in L.A. Not bad. Almost the time I would have finished exercising if I'd been true to myself.

The edits on SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS await,but they're not going to change at all in the next half hour. I have chapters to go through for my novel THE DEVIL'S DUE, currently being finalized. They beckon to me, too, but...I know...I know...they'll still be there to be worked on after I wipe the sweat from my brow! Getting a little desperate now. My friend's manuscript--I promised to read it, got to work on the Sisters in Crime newsletter, and how about all of the other projects just waiting to be noticed?

Rats! I've run out of excuses. Time to turn on the DVD and do those exercises. Then, with my mind as sharp as a keenly-honed blade, my writing life resumes.

Cheers...

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.silversistersmysteries.com
A CORPSE IN THE SOUP - BEST MYSTERY AUDIO BOOK-USA BOOK NEWS
Available in every format you can think of
SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS - Now in Audio-Coming soon in paperback,
Kindle and e-book
Visit me on the web

A WRITER'S LIFE

2009-06-04T01:04:26Z

Today was totally dedicated to writing. This morning I had breakfast with two of my friends from the world of writing, and we discussed various presentations we are going to polish for talks to several types of groups including libraries, seniors groups, organizations and writers' conferences. We've appeared on panels together during the past few years, and really have a good time bantering back and forth for the benefit of the audience.

Fortified with a nice blueberry scone and (gulp) too much coffee, this now wired writer was ready to attack our editor's marked up galley for the paperback of the latest Silver Sisters comical crime caper, SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS. Whooee. The audio book was released in March, and now the time is drawing near for it to be in print. Several hours later, now crosseyed, my whites a blazing shade of red, I wrapped up the last of the requested changes for the first fourteen chapters. That gives me time to work on other projects before the next batch of chapters arrive, including the newest Silver Sisters adventure, VANISHING ACT IN VEGAS.

I worked on another of my manuscripts last night until around 2:30 am. But you know what? I love it. My books and stories are either in print or close to going into print and that's what I care about. As an "accidental writer"--you see, I never started out to be one--I love sharing how that came about with people who ask, "When did you know you wanted to be a writer?" Well, for starters, I was an interior designer at the time. When I saw my first magazine article in print in a prestigious magazine, the bug grabbed me.

Here are a few pictures from last month's trip to Holland:

ONE OF THE CANALS IN AMSTERDAM
PART OF THE SEA WALL IN ZEELAND. THIS IS AN AMAZING SYSTEM--THE SORT OF THING WE NEED IN NEW ORLEANS. WE TOURED THE PUMPING STATIONS AND LEARNED HOW THE WHOLE SYSTEM WORKS.

silversisters @ 2009-06-02T13:05:00

2009-06-02T20:06:05Z

Wow! How time flies. It's been quite a while since I've posted so it's time to catch up. Here's a photo of me at the incomparable Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam...one of my favorite places in the world!\

I spent a month in Europe from the middle of April to the middle of May and had a great time. However, it started with a river cruise from Amsterdam to Brugges, Belgium and the disaster everyone fears when traveling--particularly if you'll be gone for a long time--ALL of our luggage was lost. You know, that helpless feeling that invades your soul when you know every bag has come down the chute and not one of yours is in sight. The thin shred of remaining hope that maybe the folks in baggage claims can help you.

Well, that shred disintegrates when it's obvious that no one in the baggage claim department seems to know what' going on. Because we traveled on two different airlines, the proverbial right hand didn't know what the left hand was doing.

Last time I checked United and US Air were supposed to sort of be under one umbrella. The only good thing was that the Dutch baggage agent spoke English, as do most Europeans, but what he had to say wasn't encouraging. It seems that the two airlines basically don't communicate with each other even though each can access the other's computer notes. His caution was, "The notes are from United, so I can't say if they're accurate or not. I think your luggage is in Philadelphia. It should be here tomorrow because there's only one flight a day."

Not so bad. We could wing it for one day, by buying spare underwear and a few sundries at the airport before we went to the ship. WRONG! The next day the luggage hadn't come nor was there any sign of it anywhere. "Bad news," said Michael, our helpful cruise director, "the airline said there was no flight from Philadelphia to Amsterdam today, so they think your luggage is still in Philadelphia...or maybe Chicago. GREAT! At dinner, I became known as "the lady in the striped sweater whose luggage is lost." The passengers really didn't pay that much attention to my husband's attire being the same as the day before.

The following day, having run out of clean underwear, besides enjoying sights we were in search of a store to replenish our supply, and maybe buy a teeshirt or two, just in case. Once on the ship, our choices would be limited. I bought a cool AMSTERDAM teeshirt, figuring that if the luggage turned up when we returned to the ship, I could use it as a sleep shirt. NO LUGGAGE.

By now, I was getting a bit unglued. We'd lost the chance to buy real clothes, because we were leaving Amsterdam for the small village of Hoorn. I implored Michael to get in touch with the airline and let me speak to them. The conversation was circular with no conclusions ever being reached except that no one really had a clue where the luggage was. I asked if he could call United directly to find out what their notes meant. His answer? "United baggage services is in Mexico and I doubt they would know as much as me, here in Amsterdam. I think your luggage will probably be sent tomorrow, from Philadelphia...or Chicago."

Resisting the urge to throw the phone, I said in measured tones, "Why didn't you tell me there was no Sunday flight when the luggage was lost on Saturday? Then we could have purchased clothing at the airport." I don't recall exactly what he said, because I was red-hot by then. My laptop charger was also in the luggage, so no laptop of my own. Ugh. A writer unable to use her laptop. I had a thumb drive with me, but had used up all available battery power on the plane. Michael took pity on me and said he would lend me one for an hour, and after that would have to charge five Euros an hour to use one of the ship's.

When I went to the reception desk to return Michael's laptop, lo and behold the woman on duty said, "Good news. US Air called and they're sending your luggage right over. They promised it would be here before we sail at 6:00." I glanced at my watch. It was 4:30. At 4:00 the agent told me it was in Philadelphia...or Chicago. Well, I wasn't going to argue. Maybe the gods would smile upon us and the luggage would arrive. And it did...from Barcelona! Go figure.

More on my travels later. As for now, I'm back to writing the next Silver Sisters funny mystery, doing book festivals and signings while wearing my Amserdam tee shirt!

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.silversistersmysteries.com

TWO RELEASES IN ONE WEEK!

2009-03-16T03:12:35Z

At the beginning of the week, we received our author copies of the newly re-issued A CORPSE IN THE SOUP from our new publishers, L&L DREAMSPELL. It isn't up on Amazon yet, but can be purchased directly from the publisher. It will be on Amazon as soon as they load it.

http://www.lldreamspell.com/ACorpseintheSoup.htm

Then at the end of the week, our new SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS audio book was released by Books in Motion, Inc. A comical new Silver Sisters crime caper. Same thing as A CORPSE IN THE SOUP. It isn't up on Amazon yet, but can be purchased from the publisher directly. It will be on Amazon soon.

http://www.booksinmotion.com/SEVEN_DEADLY_SAMOVARS_By_ST_JAMES_AND_BRADNER_p/-978-1-60548-290-3.htm

Phyllice and I are still walking on air!

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.silversistersmysteries.com

A NEW EDITION OF THE FUNNY MYSTERY, "A CORPSE IN THE SOUP"

2009-03-02T18:23:47Z

The cover of A CORPSE IN THE SOUP will be changing radically as of March 14, 2009. That's because we have a new publisher, and the new edition will be released on that date.

Silver Sisters Mysteries are funny, zany escapades and the cover from our previous publishers did not shout "funny". This edition will also have an excerpt of the new SILVER SISTERS COMICAL CRIME CAPER---SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS. Audio book release is expected by the end of March (Books in Motion) followed by the paperback, e-book and Kindle by the end of August.

This will be the new style for our Silver Sisters Mysteries covers. Just take one look at the chef on the left, and there's no question that something is afoot. The chef whose face is in the soup is not lapping it up--he's dead. But who killed him and why? Guess you'll have to read the book to find out.

Several libraries across the country already shelve the book with the ISBN number of our old publisher. The new edition, published by L&L DREAMSPELL will be available on Amazon soon or can be requested at bookstores or libraries by using the following ISBN number:

978-1-60318-120-4

Our audio books will continue to be published by BOOKS IN MOTION. If you want to request this award-winning comical crime caper on CDs,

the ISBN number is 1-59607-857-X -- it was named Best Mystery Audio Book by USA Book News !

When SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS is released as an audio book by Books in Motion you can bet I'll post the cover and an excerpt.

What is the secret of those fancy Russian teapots? This time the whole family really gets into the act--The Silver Sister twins Goldie and Godiva are aided and abetted by their 80-year-old mother and uncle, Flossie and Sterling, (former vaudeville magicians) as they set traps for the bumbling but dangerous Dumkovsky brothers. Goldie received the wrong shipment of samovars at her antique shop in Juneau, Alaska. But now the Dumkovskys are even killing people to get them--why?

WATCH FOR RELEASE DATES or check our website:
www.silversistersmysteries.com
MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.morganstjames-author.com

SO MUCH GOING ON, SO LITTLE TIME

2009-02-18T20:00:12Z

Everything has been moving at a whirlwind pace, but it's time to take a deep breath, smell the coffee and do a little catch-up.

I'm always balancing so many balls in the air, I know one day one of them will probably hit me on the head! The wonderful Amazon Shorts Authors anthology, THE WORLD OUTSIDE THE WINDOW, was released last month and is doing very well. If you haven't already gotten your copy, you should. I was privileged to be one of nineteen authors whose stories were chosen for this eclectic collection of short stories. Everyone sees the same thing, but when the author's imagination steps in, the result is nineteen unique stories and a multitude of places, times and genres.

On March 14, our new publisher L&L Dreamspell will be releasing the new edition of our award-winning Silver Sisters adventure, A CORPSE IN THE SOUP, this time with a cover that says, "FUNNY BOOK!" It will also feature an excerpt from the second Silver Sisters comical crime caper, SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS, due for release this summer in all formats including paperback, audio and electronic. Work is progressing on the third book in the series, VANISHING ACT IN VEGAS.

As always, I'm also working on three other books, two with collaborators and one on my own.

Here was the high point of my day yesterday. I received a call in the morning from a woman who was the organizer of a party I'd attended. Their organization is going to sponsor a launch party of SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS after it is released. She was speaking to the restaurant manager about the possibility of having it there, when apparently our waitress overheard the conversation. According to the woman who called me to tell me the story, it went something like this: "Morgan St. James? You mean, the author Morgan St. James was here? I've read her Chicken Soup for the Soul stories and they really touched me. Helped me though some rough times. I wish I'd known she was here." Of course, the woman got her phone number, and I left her a nice message.

It is so gratifying to know that your stories mean something when that very something might be what gets them through the day. I always get comments on how the Silver Sisters mysteries make people laugh, and how much they love the characters. A few people have told me they feel like they'd love to sit down and visit with Goldie and Godiva, our twin protagonists who are as different as Goodwill and Gucci, or with Flossie and Sterling, their eighty-year-old mother and uncle who are former vaudeville magicians.

But then there are the people who tell me, for example, that "Shopping for Dancing Shoes," in Chicken Soup for the Shopper's Soul made them cry because it could have been their parent, or the inspiration they received from "Measuring Miracles by Leaps and Bounds," in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Celebrating People Who Make a Difference. Those are the comments that inspire me to write more stories that are true in addition to the fiction I enjoy so much.

For a true, VERY FUNNY STORY that couldn't have been filled with any more laughs if it was fiction, check out my Amazon Short, THE SECOND TIME AROUND. There are lots of books with that title (should have checked before I chose it) so you'll have to search for mine. I've included the cover to make it easire to find.
Keep checking back. You can always send me comments on write2morgan@aol.com.

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.silversistersmysteries.com
www.morganstjame-author.com
A CORPSE IN THE SOUP
Best Mystery Audio Book 2007-USA Book News

THE WORLD OUTSIDE THE WINDOW - A GREAT ANTHOLOGY

2009-01-30T18:28:48Z

The World Outside the Window by Anthony Waugh

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the result of nineteen Amazon Shorts authors having a vision and creating an incomparable anthology. It is a wonderful read and let's you see what different stories nineteen creative writers envision working with the same information.

View all my reviews.

MY FIRST POST AFTER NEW YEARS EVE

2009-01-21T01:39:56Z

This post is a little off-beat for me. It is a tribute to President Obama and two old friends who would have been so proud.

We are now two-thirds of the way through the first month of 2009 and, of course, today was momentous. I took the day off from writing and watched the innaugration and some of the festivities before and after. I was both joyous and sad.

It is amazing to think that we have come so far in what seems like a long time, but in the big picture,really is not that long at all. As Barack Obama said today, fifty years ago his father could not have been served in many restaurants. When he said that, two friends came to mind. One passed away two years ago and I don't know if the other is alive at this time.

The one who passed away was my dear friend and former business partner, Jim Scott, a unique fellow if ever there was one. Jim and his wife laughingly called themselves beige people and he would kid around saying that they were sitting on the color fence. I met Jim when I applied for a job with his company. First I met his partner,a nice man, but decided that I didn't think the job was for me. Before I left, he introduced me to Jim, an elegant, articulate man with a twinkle in his eye. We connected immediately. I went to work for them and about eight months later, Jim and I formed a marketing and promotion company. Jim passed away about two years ago from brain cancer and I still feel the loss.

Here is where he fits into the story. He told me he descended from a family with, as many former slave families, Jefferson Davis in his blood line. He even showed me an ancient photograph of his ancestors with Jefferson Davis' family. As a free man His grandfather started a restaurant on his back porch in Goldsboro, NC and eventually it moved into the main house. The ribs were so outstanding, that dignitaries came to sample them. His grandfather, Adam Scott, even cooked for President Roosevelt. But as President Obama said, Mr. Scott could not have walked into a white restaurant and be served. Nor could Jim's father. He said that because his mother was light, if they were traveling she would go into the hotel and book the room. Then the rest of them would sneak in.

That brings me to my other friend. He was a senior engineer who was passed over many times for promotions with one excuse or another, but the real reason was color. Eventually the company realized what a gem they had and recognized him with promotions they should have years before. He and his wife were the best friends someone could have in a time of need. When I had marital problems that led to divorce, and bodily threats, they invited me to bring my son to the city that they had recently moved to as the result of another promotion. "We have room and it bothers me to have you in fear. You can live with us and I'll get you a job. Take a few months, and give yourself a new start."

Well I didn't do that. I toughed it out and managed to survive. But I always thought about happier times, before my divorce, when we had asked them to take a trip with us. With the grace that was so much a part of them, they declined. So I foolishly pressed it. I really wanted to enjoy the time with them. Finally, he looked me in the eye and said, "We will go anywhere in town that we can with you, but we can't travel with you to the city (unamed) that you want to, because simply put, we can't stay at the same hotel. It's segregated. Head slap time. I hated that he had to say that to me.

So, congratulations, President Obama. I supported you all the way and a new era has just begun. My friends would have been so proud!

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.morganstjames-author.com
www.silversistersmysteries.com

silversisters @ 2008-12-31T00:30:00

2008-12-31T08:45:55Z

Well, there are only a few more hours left in 2008, and what a year it has been! We have had more unfortunate happenings than most years, an unusual presidential campaign, an historical election, scandal, record snow in Las Vegas, a new grandchild in England, and the list goes on.

I received a Christmas letter this week that actually moved me to tears. I make no secret that I'm against the Iraq war. A friend I worked with several years back is an officer in the Navy reserve. I haven't heard from him lately, and through his wife's Christmas letter found out that he was mobilized and sent to Iraq in April. He will be there until next April. His wife's letter was called "I spy." It began with "I spy a soldier," and detailed events through the year in the eyes of a military wife and children of a husband sent to a far off land. It was so poignant in its simplicity that I finished reading with tears streaming down my face.

I've worried that was what would happen for a few years now. He's a fellow in his thirties with three small children. This post is dedicated to my prayers for his safe return, and the safe return of all of our brave men and women engaged in this disasterous war.

I also pray that our country will get back on it's feet as the unique country that we once were and will be again, and that our new president will be able to carry out at least a portion of the things on his agenda. I wish for the political parties to stop slinging mud at each other and pull as one to restore our prestige.

I wish adequate health care for our citizens, jobs where a living wage can be earned and the preservation of family units.

We all have our own aspirations and hopes for the coming year, and with a positive can-do attitude we can help 2009 to be a happy, prosperous year.

Thanks to everyone who has visited our site this year and purchased our books. Look for the new Silver Sisters comical crime caper, Seven Deadly Samovars, in 2009.

MORGAN ST. JAMES

ALL ABOUT WRITING TODAY

2008-12-17T03:02:47Z

It's always exciting to me when I know that the release of a new book isn't far off. So I'm doubly excited right now. First of all, I got the word that the second Silver Sisters Mystery, SEVEN DEADY SAMOVARS, is now with the narrator, so the audio book should be released in the first quarter of 2009 as planned. If you read A CORPSE IN THE SOUP, you know all about our zany Silver Sisters and their equally zany mom and uncle. If not, rather than elaborating here, I invite you to visit either of my websites. www.silversistersmysteries.com or www.morganstjames-author.com. Our books are stand-alone although they're a series, but it would be fun to read A CORPSE IN THE SOUP before SEVEN DEADLY SAMOVARS is released. You can also check your library. Several across the US have the book in their collection - generally the MP3, but also paperbacks and CDs. If you want to see if they'll order it, use the ISBN numbers on the Silver Sisters site.

Hey, live dangerously. Visit both websites! They are packed with information about our books and my real life sister and co-author Phyllice Bradner, and of course, lots about me and what I'm doing. On the Silver Sisters site, you'll find a PDF of Chapter 1 of A Corpse in the Soup, an interview with the twins' 80 year old mother, an audio clip from the award winning audio book, reviews and lots more. So, drop by.

A very sweet short story I wrote, entitled SAYING GOODBYE TO MISS MOLLY, will be part of a wonderful anthology of short stories in all genres that have common threads. THE WORLD OUTSIDE THE WINDOW. This unique collection was written by 19 authors who are part of the Amazon Shorts books. We all have at least one story on Amazon Shorts. This book was the dream of one of the authors, more picked up the ball, a publisher hopped on board and when it comes out, it will represent authors all over the country who didn't know each other and pulled together a fantastic book. Again, the link is on our website.

Last but not least, we are clicking along writing the third Silver Sisters book, VANISHING ACT IN VEGAS, and I love being back in the swing of writing with Phylllice again. We have so much fun as sisters when we create the adventures and characters that our phone conversations go on for hours. After all, I live in L.A. and Las Vegas and she lives in Oregon.

Cheers. Think about giving someone who loves funny mysteries A CORPSE IN THE SOUP for Christmas. If you have a friend or relative who is sight impaired, the audio book is perfect.

CHECK THIS OUT - THE WORLD OUTSIDE THE WINDOW

2008-12-07T07:58:07Z

My story, "Saying Goodbye to Miss Molly," will be part of a new anthology entitled, "The World Outside the Window."

Before I say any more, the release will be in January 2009, but it's available for pre-sale now. Here's the link for all of the information -

http://www.rjbuckleypublishing.com/amazonanthology.html

This is a boook that started with an idea from one Amazon Shorts writer, Lana M. Ho-Shing, who was joined by E. Don Harpe. Don ran with the ball so to speak and before you knew it, Lana and Don recruited seventeen other authors of Amazon Shorts to contribute a story. I was fortunate to be one of this great group of writers.

We were given several things that could be used in our stories, but we could write in any genere we wanted to as long as the guidelines were adhered to. The result - a unique collection of short stories ranging from sci fi to romance to mystery. You name it. There is even one where the window was in an office building in the Twin Towers on 911.

I thought I was going to write a mystery, but all of a sudden as I sat at the computer, Miss Molly popped into my head. I wrote and wrote as though she was dictating her story and the result was a sweet story about an old woman in her nineties recalling the love of her youth.

As of January The World Outside the Window will be available on Amazon and in many bookstores across the country. If they don't carry it, you'll be able to order it. For now, if you want to be one of the first to have a copy please visit the RJ Buckley Publishing site above.

Our publisher, Rebecca Buckley, took the book on its final journey from manuscript to publication. There is something for everyone in The World Outside The Window.

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.morganstjames-author.com
www.silversistersmysteries.com