Sunday Snippets with M.S. Spencer

Welcome to Sunday Snippets M.S. Spencer.

Please tell us your pen name.  Your book title, genre type, and series name, if applicable.

M. S. Spencer. My latest romantic suspense/mystery is Mai Tais and Mayhem: Murder at Mote Marine (a Sarasota romance).

3 words to describe yourself

Introverted, inquisitive, idiosyncratic

3 people you would like to thank. 

Special thanks to Secret Cravings publisher Beth Walker, to my cover artist Dawné Dominique and my editor Ariana Gaynor—bless your patient, flexible, cheerful, responsive, enthusiastic hearts!

1 sentence to describe your book.

Sea turtles, romance, Russian gangsters, pigs and parrots, sex, murder and money—not necessarily in that order.

An excerpt from your book.

EXCERPT (G): Mai Tais & Mayhem, by M. S. Spencer ~ Synchronized Swimming

Two banks of folding chairs created a walkway that led to a small, bougainvillea-covered cupola. Noah stood there, nervously twisting his hands. To his left hovered five beefy cops in full uniform, trying not to stamp their feet. Tessa had a fleeting vision of them rampaging through the crowd, slapping handcuffs on wayward guests. As the strains of Pachelbel’s Canon started, she began her slow march.

The sun blazed, resplendent in a cloudless sky. A slight breeze ruffled the ladies’ hats and lace collars. Beyond the pool, a great blue heron watched sedately from the edge of the marsh, while an anhinga spread his wings and basked in the late afternoon warmth.

As she passed down the aisle, she recognized Greg, Phil and Sue Conger seated next to Molly. On the bride’s side sat Elver Johnson with his wife and Leslie Pilchard. She noted with surprise that Semele, perched demurely at Pilchard’s right, had cleaned up reasonably well in a long granny skirt and peasant top. Behind them sat Henry Stillwater next to a young girl, whose fine blonde hair and skittish expression betrayed a close genetic bond to the dolphin director. Angus took up a back row with a group she didn’t recognize, including a tiny white-haired lady in shades of pink. Must be his mother. She gave Tessa an impish grin and waved a satin-gloved hand. Tessa wondered if Angus had told her about Fiona. Or about Molly.

Cameron was nowhere in sight. She took a deep, sad breath and kept walking.

“Oh, my dear, what a beautiful ceremony. I can’t believe how young Esther looks!”

“And not too thin! She used to be such a stick.”

This, thought Tessa uncharitably, coming from one woman whose blonde wig barely hid the wispy blue hair and another whose bulk had taken up two wobbly chairs. “Yes, happiness will do that.” She smiled and moved on.

The photographer had insisted that the formal wedding party pictures be taken poolside, so Tessa, Esther and Noah, together with five gargantuan policemen, crowded together on the narrow coping. As the sun began to set, the tree swallows came out to feed, swooping acrobatically around and over their heads. The sight of all those brawny men ducking and cursing as the tiny aviators dive-bombed their heads set Tessa off. A minute later she was not amused as the water closed over her head. She rose, spluttering, to see Esther, her little tiara askew, surface next to her. Noah, with his men behind him making encouraging noises, leaned as far out as he could to catch his bride’s hand. Suddenly, like a scene from Keystone Kops, the entire brigade toppled domino style into the pool.

The cops scrambled out, mumbling curses, but it took Noah three tries to propel Esther up the pool ladder. The minister helped Tessa to a lounge chair, where she sat, wringing out her sopping dress. She swung around at a noise behind her. Cameron stood there, his mouth twitching. “I should have known Esther would insist on a synchronized swimming event at her wedding.”

Esther burst out laughing. She turned to her new husband. “And here I expected that marrying a Noah would protect me from deep water!”

Mai Tais & Mayhem: Murder at Mote Marine (a Sarasota Romance)

Secret Cravings Publishing (January 2013)

eBook 64,848 words (208 pp)

Contemporary romantic mystery, M/F, 2 flames

Buy Links:
http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=500 

Amazon: Amazon: 

http://www.amazon.com/Mai-Tais-and-Mayhem-ebook/dp/B00B3YJZJO

AllRomanceEBooks:

 https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-maitaisandmayhem-1046886-149.html

Barnes & Noble:

 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mai-tais-and-mayhem-m-s-spencer/1114193303?ean=2940016021874

I’d love to hear from you:
Blog: http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/msspencertalespinner
Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/M.S.SpencerAuthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/

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Carolyn, Whitney, AP, and Jennie.