Dec 15th - 🎄 Sending holiday wishes to everyone! 🕎 | McNicol Cozies
Dec 12, 2020 2:40 am
December 15, 2020
Unfortunately, not much has changed for my work in progress in the last month. A little illness, a lot of personal life, Thanksgiving holiday, and more intruded into my schedule. Sigh...
But I am editing the prequel, Roast & Rumors, and hope to get it published by month's end. Anyone wanting a free copy, drop me a note and when it's live, I'll send you a download link. I will also send you the link to Amazon where it will be for sale for $0.99. If you enjoy the read, I hope you will post a review. If you don't enjoy it, please let me know instead of posting a negative review. LOL! I will see if I need to make changes.
I know this has been a tough year for us all and in a good year the holiday season can be challenging. All I can do is send out my holiday wishes to you all along with hopes for a better 2021.
Donna
Coming Soon!
Here's the rough draft opening to "Roasts & Rumors",
the prequel to my upcoming Red Line Coffee Mysteries.
Garrett Phillips tossed his backpack behind the counter. “You do realize how rare this is, all three of us here at the same time.”
Brett Davis and Stevie Williams laughed. The trio were all co-workers at the Jumpers Hole Fire Department. They’d known each other and worked together for more than a dozen years. Realizing they would need something to do in their off time as well as post retirement, they joined together and bought a small building in the town square and refurbished it to become the home for the Red Line Coffee Shop. They normally worked different shifts allowing one or two of them in the shop while the other was either working or sleeping.
“Rare as you turning down a chance to scuba dive, Flipper.”
Garrett thumbed his nose at Stevie who also known as Grizz for her tough demeanor when at the fire department.
“Let’s cut to it. We need to get the inventory done before we open.” As a lieutenant at work, Brett sometimes let that person take over in the shop.
“Hold your breath, Smokey. I need a cuppa before we start. We’ve got two hours before it’s time to open. Chill.” Garrett started making his morning Red Eye, a cup of brewed coffee topped off with a shot of espresso. “Anyone else?”
“I’ll take one of those,” Stevie held up her hand, then brushed her hair back and refastened her comb clip.
“I don’t know how you can drink that stuff. Tears my stomach up,” Brett grumbled and held up his travel cup. “I’ll stick to my chai tea.”
Stevie snickered. “Lightweight.”
“Leave Smokey alone. You know he’s a grouch anytime before oh seven hundred.” Garrett handed Stevie her cup and finished fixing his. When it was done, he took a sip. “Ahhh, nectar of the gods. Everyone ready?”
It took them less than the allotted two hours to finish the inventory in the storeroom and they were puzzled with the results.
“I don’t understand where the shortages are coming from. We’re taking inventory every month.” Brett shook his head in frustration.
“I know. Every week we’ve come up short on something. Never the same thing and never big amounts.” Garrett went behind the counter and started another cup of Red Eye while Stevie and Brett sat on the other side.
The shop wasn’t huge. Just a few small tables in front of the picture window looking out into the town square, one large table, and a counter that would seat half a dozen. Beside that was the pastry display and the cash register. In back was a small office, the employee bathroom and a large storeroom.
“Why open boxes and take some of the contents? Why not just take the whole box?” Stevie slumped, her elbows on the counter and her head in her hands. “It’s not bankrupting us—”
“Yet,” responded Brett. “But we’ve got to stop the leak. I know I shouldn’t say it, but—”
Garrett held up his hand. “Then don’t. We all like Ray and just because he’s new…”
“It does seem suspicious. The inventory has been off for two months and Ray has worked here for how long now?” Stevie asked.
“Two months,” all three answered.
“Well, someone is going to have to discuss this with him when he comes in tomorrow. And I’m working. It’s your morning, isn’t it Flipper?”
Garrett nodded. “Yeah. I’ll do it.”
Now on to the good stuff! 
đź’˛Featured Book Deals
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And here are some great books, shared by friends.
Check them out and I hope you find one (or more) to enjoy!
Erin moves to Eagle Falls, a place where everyone knows everyone else's business, taking over the store left to her by her aunt to start up a gluten-free bakery.
The grand opening is marred by just one thing, the death of Erin's business rival, Angela Plaint. It appears that Angela was poisoned by one of Erin’s cupcakes, making her a prime suspect.
Equipped with cupcakes, her desire for the truth, and new bakery assistant Vicky's help, Erin goes head-to-head against Detective Terry Piper to solve the murder.
Disillusioned by magic, Sally Talbott turns her back on witchcraft and jumps realms to Luna Brook, a small, quiet town nestled into the hills of the Cotswolds, England and lands a job in the local café.
Instead of a normal life filled with coffee and customers, Sally discovers her employer and landlady, Betty, fights crime for a side income and is faced with a dead body, a spilt mocha and a murderer on the loose.
A corrupt mayor with Luna Brook’s reputation to keep clean is the perfect brew for trouble and Sally soon finds the finger of blame pointing to her.
Free Download
Nurse Juno is looking forward to some festive downtime in the seaside town of Fareport Cove when shocking theft gets in the way. The Christmas season turns out to be anything but relaxing when thieves swipe a priceless necklace from under her patient's nose.
Now, Juno is racing to beat the clock and find the necklace before Christmas day with the help of best friend and local bookshop owner, Kate.
The snow is falling, the cookies are crumbling and Hallmark is calling Penny’s name. Unfortunately, it’s beginning to look a lot like murder.
Bohemian Lake’s favorite Investigative Journalist Penelope Trubble takes a break from Bohemian Lake and reluctantly agrees to investigate the death of a woman at the Sleighs & Slopes Adventure Resort in the hopes of exonerating the victim’s husband—who just happens to be Penny’s ex.
And in closing, some romance for the holidays...
Check out these book promotion specials!
Whether they like history or magic, fantasy or adventure, these kid lit stories have something for your children – or the kid in you.
It's a great time to curl up with a new cozy mystery!
Are you looking for other genres?
Want to see more books? Click here!
Well, that about wraps it up for this issue. I hope you have enjoyed it and maybe even found a few fun books to read. Feel free to forward this to your cozy mystery loving friends and we will see you next time with more to share!
