Book Release - A Mystery for Marissa by Alison Jean Ash
The first story of the Monday Mystery Society anthology has just been released by Books To Go Now. A Mystery for Marissa is the first story in this anthology. The anthology itself revolves around ten individuals who find love in the midst of a Mystery Book Club in a small town called Oakville.
A Mystery for Marissa is the story of Rob who has found the woman of his dreams--but
Marissa stiffens up at the very hint that he might ask her out. Thinking fast, the young
bookstore owner invents a mystery reading group, just for the chance to spend some time
with the gorgeous nurse. Now the biggest mystery on his mind is how far he’ll have to go to
get her attention. Does he need to show up wounded in her ER?
Alison Ash says she really enjoyed working on this anthology with Carol Ann Kauffman, J.W. Stacks, Giulietta Spudich and Samna Ghani. "This story was a lot of fun to write, for two reasons. One, it was my first time taking part in an anthology. Since I originated the anthology and wrote the first story of the five, I got to work in everyone else's characters. One of Carol Ann Kauffman's characters became the best friend I hadn't realized my hero needed! JW Stacks' heroine was too monosyllabic until her romance in story #3 for me to do much with her, but one of Giulietta Spudich's comic characters became a running gag for us all. The second fun thing was that I got to invite the other writers to my fictional town of Oakville, and tell them where all the best restaurants and cafes were.
I'm involved in three more upcoming anthologies, another one with Samna here, and another one with JW, and a third with another group of authors. I see we're all approaching the collaboration in different ways, but it's always fun, sharing our drafts with each other, making sure we've got each other's characters right, looking at the same incidents through different pairs of eyes. It's making me grow as a writer, and I hope to do many more anthologies in the future.
This story, by the way, is dedicated to the people who provide me with my favorite forms
of entertainment: librarians and booksellers, and soccer players. I became a soccer fan late in life--I like to call myself a soccer hooligan-- and Rob's passion for the game, and the soccer matches I describe, are based on personal observation. I also really want to thank another romance writer, Suzan Colón at suzancolon.net for letting me use her photo of a bookstore as my cover background."
Book Excerpt
In a blessedly short time the agony in his leg began to retreat—along with the rest of the world, his inhibitions, and his common sense.
Adrift now, he floated somewhere above the pain. Everything looked unreal to him, soft and hazy and blurred around the edges—everything but Marissa.
“You are … without a doubt… most beautiful woman… ever seen in my life. I’ll do… anything… for a chance to see you… anything… including… broken ankle.”
She laughed, and replied tartly, “That’s the drug talking.”
“Correckshun,” Rob said carefully. His mouth felt fuzzy, and his tongue seemed to have doubled in size. “Thass the drug… letting me talk. Knew… firsh time I shaw you … you’re the one. Bet you din know…shtarted Monday Myshtery … jush to shee you ‘gain…”
Marissa stared down at him, half laughing and half frowning. “You’re crazy, Rob—not to mention stoned out of your skull. What am I going to do with you?”
“Kish me?”
Book Link
You can connect with Alison Ash:
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Great chatting with you Alison. Best of luck with your new book. Thank you :-)
Thanks for featuring me here, Samna. It gave me a great chance to chat about my experiences with anthologies. So much fun working with YOU. :-)
ReplyDeleteAlison - The anthologies do offer a different sort of writing. The collaborative process works!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great anthology! Best of luck everyone. Looking forward to enjoying the read.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful anthology! Can't wait to read it.
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