michael stoddard | Author Suzanne Adair

Regulated for Murder Summer Solstice Deep Discount

Posted on June 20, 2014 by suzanneadairJune 22, 2014

For ten years, an execution hid murder. Then Michael Stoddard came to town.

Bearing a dispatch from his commander in coastal Wilmington, North Carolina, redcoat Lieutenant Michael Stoddard arrives in Hillsborough in February 1781 in civilian garb. He expects to hand a letter to a courier working for Lord Cornwallis, then ride back to Wilmington the next day. Instead, Michael is greeted by the courier’s freshly murdered corpse, a chilling trail of clues leading back to an execution ten years earlier, and a sheriff with a fondness for framing innocents—and plans to deliver Michael up to his nemesis, a psychopathic British officer.

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The eBook version of Regulated for Murder, award-winning fourth novel in my historical crime fiction series, is on sale today and Saturday for 99 cents in Kindle, Nook, and Apple iBooks formats. Enjoy!

A big thanks to the folks at eReader News Today!

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A Couple of Guest Posts in April

Posted on April 27, 2014 by suzanneadairApril 27, 2014

Before we charge into the lusty month of May, enjoy my guest posts during the last part of April:

On Le Couer de Artiste, I talk about “Losing Myself in the Past” and the importance of Revolutionary War reenacting for my writing.

“A Day in the Life of Michael Stoddard” on Dru’s Book Musings recounts April Fools Day 1781 (A Hostage to Heritage) from Michael’s point of view, in his voice.

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My Revolutionary Valentine

Posted on February 14, 2014 by suzanneadairFebruary 14, 2014

While writing the first draft of Regulated for Murder, I realized that the climax of the book, where stakes were highest for my main character, Michael Stoddard, fell on 14 February 1781. My first thought was, “Valentine’s Day!” My next thought was, “Would Michael and his contemporaries have linked Valentine’s Day with romantic love during the American Revolution?” If so, I wanted to use Valentine’s Day to impart a chilling, kinky twist on the climax of Regulated for Murder.

Research showed me that commercialization of the holiday didn’t happen until the 19th century, when mass-produced Valentines became available. But it’s amazing how long ago people celebrated Valentine’s Day in association with romantic love. Would you believe as far back as the Middle Ages and Geoffrey Chaucer (The Canterbury Tales)?

It turns out that on Valentine’s Day in Revolutionary America, lovers would have expressed their amorous feelings to each other—possibly with the help of gifts like flowers, sweets, or homemade Valentines. Gifts. Hmm. How fortunate for me and my twisted imagination.

Happy Valentine’s Day! If you celebrate the holiday, how will you do it today, and what will the highlights be for you?

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The Fussy Librarian Spotlights Regulated for Murder

Posted on January 6, 2014 by suzanneadairJanuary 6, 2014

The first book of Michael Stoddard’s series, Regulated for Murder, is spotlighted in today’s book recommendations over at The Fussy Librarian. Regulated for Murder, on Suspense Magazine‘s “Best of 2011” list, continues to receive outstanding reviews. The latest reader to post a five-star review for the book on Amazon wrote, “When a book makes me stay up late at night to get to the end and have it solved it has to be a good read.” Regulated for Murder is available for Kindle, Nook, iTunes, and Kobo and in trade paperback format.

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Let’s Not Skip Thanksgiving, Please

Posted on November 28, 2013 by suzanneadairNovember 29, 2013

When Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving as an annual, national holiday, he had several centuries of thanksgiving legacy in America backing him up. American schoolchildren don’t usually learn that Lincoln was the one who made Thanksgiving official. Instead, they’re taught a story of Pilgrims and Indians in the early 1600s, a legend loaded with mythological elements.

Schoolchildren also don’t hear about Thanksgiving during the American Revolution, but it was there, too. In 1777, the Continental Congress issued the First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving and relied upon governors to determine how this proclamation would be observed within individual states. Independent celebrations of thanksgiving also sprang up throughout the North American colonies and were recorded by historians. For example, George Washington declared a thanksgiving in December 1777 for his victory at Saratoga.

What all these historical Thanksgiving celebrations had in common was a need to acknowledge gratitude for friends, family, and fortune, a striving for something greater than the self in the wish that all humans might have peace. For that reason, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Unfortunately, within my lifetime, I’ve watched it become subsumed in the commercialization of Christmas. Grocery store displays jump from Halloween to Christmas with nary a turkey feather or Pilgrim hat to remind us of this holiday.

We need Thanksgiving. It provides us with time to slow down, to enjoy the company of those we love and express gratitude for life. Don’t be a Thanksgiving miser or someone who must be prodded by the big turkey dinner to give thanks. Don’t rush past it on the way to Christmas. Find a way to celebrate Thanksgiving in your heart from now through Thanksgiving 2014.

And if you need a reminder of how fortunate you are, watch this short video.

Happy Thanksgiving. May yours be safe and restful.

Pssst. Today and tomorrow, pick up Michael Stoddard’s first adventure, Regulated for Murder, in the electronic form for only 99 cents at Amazon.

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Nine Five-Star Reviews for A Hostage to Heritage

Posted on May 27, 2013 by AdminOctober 20, 2013

There are now nine five-star reviews on Amazon for A Hostage to Heritage. The latest reviewer wrote, “My next trip through the Carolinas may include some detours to places referenced in the story.” Huzzah! This reviewer is rocking the actual history! How cool is that?

This week, Historical Fiction eBooks is running a repeat of my essay “Creating Tension Without Using Gratuitous Violence.” In this essay, I discuss how I used the historical event called the “Rouse House Massacre” in A Hostage to Heritage to generate tension, as well as my ideas about how far crime fiction authors need to take violence in their stories to get the point across. If you missed it the first time, stop by and see if you agree with me.

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Readers, Plotting and Pantsing, Creativity: A HOSTAGE TO HERITAGE, Book Tour Stop 14

Posted on May 7, 2013 by AdminOctober 20, 2013

My plans for a series trailer. How I involve my readers. The importance of professional editor and cover designer. Inspirations for the Michael Stoddard series. Stop by the That Thing I Said blog today to learn about my creative process. It’s the final stop on the blog tour. Thanks to everyone!

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HFeBooks Re-Runs My Time Machine: A HOSTAGE TO HERITAGE, Book Tour Stop 13

Posted on May 6, 2013 by AdminOctober 20, 2013

Got a hankering to read historical fiction? You’ll find something to hit the spot at the site for Historical Fiction eBooks. Take a look at all they have to offer. And today on their blog, they’re re-running one of my earlier essays.

What sort of historical revelations would you write about if you had a time machine to help you step back in time and sample the sensory impressions of the past? Stop by the HFeBooks blog today to learn about the time machine I discovered. Thanks!

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Five Five-Star Reviews for A Hostage to Heritage

Posted on May 5, 2013 by AdminOctober 19, 2013

Huzzah! A Hostage to Heritage just received its fifth five-star review on Amazon. “This is a complex and fast-paced thriller with twists and turns that will keep the reader engaged until the last page.” Thank you!

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Hands-on History: A HOSTAGE TO HERITAGE, Book Tour Stop 12

Posted on May 4, 2013 by AdminOctober 20, 2013

St. Augustine and Castillo de San Marcos, Florida. Ft. Frederica, Georgia. Revolutionary War reenacting. All part of the hands-on history that fuels the Michael Stoddard series. To learn how and why, stop by the Poe’s Deadly Daughters blog today. Thanks!

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