an early CINCO de MURDER

CINCO de MURDER

Taste of Texas, book 3

Read a little, Buy the book

READ A LITTLE, BUY THE BOOK

Tex-Mex waitress and part-time reporter Josie Callahan serves up more Lone Star justice in this spicy mystery from the author of The Good, the Bad, and the Guacamole.

It's fiesta time in Broken Boot, Texas, and tourists are pouring into town faster than free beer at a bull roping for the mouthwatering Cinco de Mayo festivities. Tex-Mex waitress Josie Callahan, her feisty abuela, and even her spunky Chihuahua Lenny are polishing their folklórico dances for Saturday's big parade, while Uncle Eddie is adding his own spicy event to the fiesta menu: Broken Boot's First Annual Charity Chili Cook-off.

But Uncle Eddie's hopes of impressing the town council go up in smoke when cantankerous chili cook Lucky Straw is found dead in his tent. And when Josie's beloved uncle is accused of fatal negligence, she, Lenny, and the steadfast Detective Lightfoot must uncover who ended the ambitious chilihead's life--before another cook kicks the bucket.

GINA NELSON writing as REBECCA ADLER  grew up on the sugar beaches of the Florida Gulf Coast. Drawn to the Big Apple by the sweet smell of wishful thinking, she studied acting on Broadway until a dark-eyed cowboy flung her over his saddle and high-tailed it to the Southwest.

Rebecca is a member, and former president, of North Texas Romance Writers and a member of Sisters in Crime North Dallas. She spends her days corralling high school Thespians while pouring her own melodramatic tendencies into writing the Taste of Texas cozy culinary mystery series set in far West Texas filled with sweet, Southern-fried flavor, delicious suspense, and scrumptious Tex-Mex recipes. Rebecca's alter ego, Gina Lee Nelson writes sweet contemporary romance.

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THE Q&A

ANGI: What do you love best about your sleuth, Josie Callahan?

GINA: I love that she’s a bit scatterbrained, but courageous and stubborn when it comes to defending her family and friends. I’m so proud of her. She left her crushed dreams behind and managed to make a new life in the high desert town where she grew up.

ANGI: Favorite date night…fancy or at home?

GINA: I prefer home because I eat out way too often—the life of a writer/ theatre teacher I guess. Home is where I’m most comfortable; and now that my kids are old enough to take care of themselves, I eat what I want.

ANGI: Would you put yourself in a Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?

GINA: I would put myself in an Action Adventure so that I would have a better chance of being my own boss. Of course, I could still be the boss if I were an evil queen or ugly stepmother. Hm. It’s a toss-up.

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

GINA: Wow. Love, love to watch Wallace and Gromit. If I had to pick a traditional cartoon, Scooby’s cool and so are Popeye and Olive Oil.

ANGI: Benedict Cumberbatch or Chris Pine?

GINA:  Is there any contest? Of course, Benedict Cumberbatch. Kicking myself that I missed his live performance in Frankenstein with Johnny Lee Miller that was shown in limited release in cinemas.

ANGI: What’s your favorite thing about your town, Broken Boot?

GINA: I’m a big fan of Far West Texas. Big Bend Country near the national park has the rugged beauty that takes my breath away. The dark skies at night, the mountains surrounded by desert, the coyotes and the roadrunners. The setting is my favorite thing about Broken Boot. The citizens of Broken Boot may be rugged; but they’re friendly.

ANGI: Your favorite play?

GINA: I just saw an incredible production of Trojan Women. It’s my new favorite. Women taking control in the midst of pain and loss.

ANGI: Got a favorite song? What makes it special?

GINA: I’m an Overcomer by. When I am in the midst of the daily and cyclical chaos, it reminds me that I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.

ANGI: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

GINA: I do read a lot of them. I think most of them are valuable. They help me to improve and also help me to not be so hard on myself and my writing.

ANGI: Geek or Jock?

GINA:  Geek. I teach a lot of jocks. Though they are very sweet, I prefer the bookish sort.

 

ANGI: Favorite inspiration

GINA: Dance as though no one is watching. Love as though you’ve never loved before. Sing as though no one car hear you. Live as though heaven is on earth.

ANGI: The most daring thing you’ve ever done… Care to share?

GINA: Climbing Enchanted Rock near Fredericksburg, in the summer, alone, as if I exercise…which I don’t…was pretty daring. My heart nearly sprung out of my chest. No idiom intended.

ANGI’s GOTTA ASK:  Where is your favorite place to write and why? 

GINA’S GOTTA ANSWER:  Hm. No place special. I’m just too busy. Too many kids at home…sharing a small space. Sometimes I write in my special director’s chair…a gift from my first drama team.

ALSO OUT NOW for GINA: 

Lone Star Love Anthology

NTRWA Authors

Download it for FREE

PREVIOUS RELEASES by GINA:

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE GUACAMOLE

Taste of Texas, book 2

Read a little, Buy the book

HERE TODAY, GONE TAMALE

Taste of Texas, book 1

Read a little, Buy the book

 See the previous post

GINA is giving away one autographed copy of CINCO de MURDER

North America ONLY

Angi Morgan

Get Lost on Facebook   @GetLostInAStory  #GetLostStories

AND OUR NEW Facebook Group: The Readers’ Spot

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GINA WANTS TO KNOW:  What is your favorite Tex Mex dish?

Rebecca Adler and Tex-Mex

Today, I have my good friend Gina Lee Nelson who writes Cozy Texas Mysteries as Rebecca Adler. 

Gina and I go way back. And it's awesome that she's also writing about one of my favorite places in Texas...Marfa. She's here today to chat about her upcoming release, the second in her Taste of Texas series.

REBECCA ADLER grew up on the sugar beaches of the Florida Gulf Coast. Drawn to the Big Apple by the sweet smell of wishful thinking, she studied acting on Broadway until a dark-eyed cowboy flung her over his saddle and high-tailed it to the Southwest.

Prior to writing, she always found a way to add a touch of the dramatic to her life from dinner theatre in Mississippi to playing a giant Furskin in the New York Toy Fair, plus plays and musicals.

She's currently content to pour her melodramatic tendencies into writing the Taste of Texas cozy culinary mystery series set in far West Texas filled with sweet, Southern-fried flavor, delicious suspense, and scrumptious Tex-Mex recipes. Rebecca's alter ego, Gina Lee Nelson writes sweet contemporary romance.

Facebook  Goodreads  Twitter @CozyTxMysteries  website    Amazon   GLIAS Interviews
Updates and newsletter

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE GUACAMOLE

Tex-Mex waitress and part-time reporter Josie Callahan is about to serve up some Lone Star justice in this spicy Taste of Texas Mystery.

Tourists are pouring into the town of Broken Boot for the annual Homestead Days Music Festival. Opening the celebration at Two Boots dance hall is smooth-talking country singer Jeff Clark, the ex-boyfriend of Josie’s best friend, Patti Perez. When the charming Clark woos Patti onstage in an attempt to rekindle some sparks with his old flame, Josie fears her friend will end up as just one more notch on the singer’s guitar strap.
 
To impress her editor at the Broken Boot Bugle, Josie and her Chihuahua, Lenny, pursue the singer to Patti’s house, hoping for an interview. Instead, they discover Clark facedown in a bowl of guacamole with a bloodied guitar at his side. With Patti suddenly a murder suspect, Josie must use her reporter skills to find out who had a chip on their shoulder—before the killer double dips....

HERE TODAY, GONE TAMALE

Taste of Texas, book 1

Read a little, Buy the book

In this all-new culinary cozy mystery series, reporter turned Tex-Mex waitress Josie Callahan is about to go from serving queso to solving cases…
 
After losing her newspaper job in Austin and having her former fiancé unfriend her on Facebook, Josie Callahan scoops up her Chihuahua, Lenny, and slinks back to Broken Boot, Texas. Maybe working as head waitress at Milagro—her aunt and uncle’s Tex-Mex restaurant—isn’t exactly living the dream, but it is a fresh start.
 
And business is booming as tourists pour into Broken Boot for its famous Wild West Festival. But when a local jewelry designer is found strangled outside Milagro after a tamale-making party, Josie’s reporter instincts kick in. As suspects pile up and alibis crack faster than taco shells, Josie needs to wrap up this case tighter than her tía’s tortillas—before another victim calls for the check…

GETTING TO KNOW THE AUTHOR

ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?

REBECCA: When I’m on a deadline—like now—I get lost in a story about six days a week. I teach theatre during the day, but I’ll often work on my book an hour or two after work. The bulk of my writing is done on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

ANGI: Hugh Jackman or Chris Pine?

REBECCA: Depends on the role. Usually Chris Pine because of the whole James T. Kirk thing.

ANGI: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?

REBECCA: Whoa, I had to really think about that one. I would say a couple of the men, young and old, who teach as well as coach at my school. They go out of their way to engage with their students, listen to their problems, give them second chances, and make them laugh at themselves.  If the hero can be a woman, I think of Jackie. She’s a young mom, recently separated from her husband due to his addiction. Yet she continues to reach out to the homeless in our huge city, doing their laundry, bringing them healthy food, and sharing the gift of love that still resides in her heart.

ANGI: What's your most favorite thing to do in your state?

REBECCA: Easy one. Eat Tex Mex and visit the mountains and high desert of the Big Bend Country of Texas. It’s so easy to incorporate these things in my series because I truly enjoy them. The cheesy goodness of enchiladas and the big open sky. Both put that spring in my step.

ANGI: What’s your favorite meal?

REBECCA: If I had to pick one, which would be cruel and unusual punishment, I would pick a combo platter of chicken, shrimp, and beef fajitas with a side of seven layer queso dip.

ANGI: What do you like about the heroine of your book?

REBECCA: Of course, all heroines are plucky, but Josie’s got her own mojo. Left at the altar and laid off from her dream job at the Austin Gazette, she’s returned home to Broken Boot determined to make the best of her new circumstances. Instead of hiding under a rock, she’s embracing her small town neighbors, pursuing a job at the local paper, and learning to recognize the right man when he comes along.

ANGI: Sand or Snow?

REBECCA: Sand. I grew up in Florida, so sand’s in my blood. And I love the high desert. As long as I have on a good pair of hiking boots—and it’s not August—I prefer to hike along a rocky ridge in pursuit of a breathtaking vista.

ANGI: What might we find in your heroine's purse?

REBECCA: She’s carrying the smallest purse known to man. Inside you’ll find lipstick, comb, breath mints, and driver’s license.

ANGI: Superman or Batman?

REBECCA: Superman, duh. He doesn’t cover his face or live in a cave full of bats, and he wears those sexy glasses.

ANGI: Would you rather be in a Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?

REBECCA: Hmm. I love fairy tales and I use them to teach drama throughout the year. But I can’t say I find the poor, downtrodden miller’s daughter much to my liking. I would prefer to be fighting for my life or someone else’s instead of being a wicked witch or pampered princess.

ANGI: What’s your favorite rerun on television?

REBECCA: If Big Bang Theory’s on when I walk through the room, I have to stop.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

REBECCA: I do have favorite movie experiences. I remember the spectacular rush I felt when I first saw The Matrix, The Bourne Identity, and the new Star Trek with Chris Pine. I was so moved by Last of the Mohicans with Daniel Day Lewis, I think I saw it three times at the box office, which is rare for me.

ANGI: What drinks or snacks are always on your desk when you’re writing?

REBECCA: Gobstoppers. Tea. Coffee. Baby carrots.

ANGI: Hiking Boots or Dancing Heels?

REBECCA: Hiking boots.

ANGI: Are you a Star Wars fan? Favorite thing about the reboot?

REBECCA: I’m more a fan of the original three Star Wars movies. I think Rey, the new heroine, is the best part of the reboot.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: What’s one thing from your bucket list?

REBECCA’S GOTTA ANSWER:  Visit Italy and sail around the isles of Greece.

UP NEXT for REBECCA

CINCO DE MURDER

Taste of Texas, book 3

REBECCA is giving away one free paperback copy of THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE GUACAMOLE (North America Readers)

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ANGI'S back tomorrow with

MAGIC & MAYHEM

~Angi Morgan

Get Lost on Goodreads, Facebook

or @GetLostInAStory  #GetLostStories

REBECCA WANTS TO KNOW: Is Tex Mex popular in your neck of the woods? And what is your neck of the woods? 

WHY DO WE LOVE COWBOYS?

ANGI MORGAN

In honor of National Day of the Cowboy I thought it would be fun to see why romance authors love cowboys. How about you? How would you answer the poll?

WHY DO YOU LOVE COWBOYS?

• their honorable character
• their boots
• their riding abilities
• their work-ethic
• the way they fit their jeans

I think the Cowboy Code by Gene Autry pretty much sums up why we love our cowboys!

"Seriously? I have to choose an answer? You have made this poll waaaaay tooooo tough :) 

Because I'm forced to pick, I'll say #1.  Probably because I'm at the time in my live where a person's character matters more than anything else." ~Cathy McDavid

GENE AUTRY'S COWBOY CODE

as stated on GeneAutry.com 

REBECCA ADLER
* Work Ethic

The Cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man, or take unfair advantage.

CAROLINE CLEMMONS
* Work Ethic

He must never go back on his word, or a trust confided in him.

He must always tell the truth.

He must be gentle with children, the elderly, and animals.

CATHY McDAVID
*Honorable Character

He must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas.

E.E. Burke

He must help people in distress.

He must be a good worker.

He must keep himself clean in thought, speech, action, and personal habits.

CAROLYN RAE
*Honorable Character

He must respect women, parents, and his nation's laws.

LEXI POST
*Honorable Character

The Cowboy is a patriot.

~ ~ ~

The Real Cowboy Way article has a lot of cute sayings. Check it out. Angi's favorite: A COWGIRL CAN DO IT BY HERSELF...A COWBOY WON'T LET HER.

Heidi Hormel
*All of these

ROMANCE READERS WHO I POLLED AGREED...

* their honorable character
* their boots
* their riding abilities
* their work-ethic
* the way they fit their jeans

THEY LOVE THEIR COWBOYS because...

...ALL OF THE ABOVE

CARO CARSON

KYM ROBERTS

"The entire package! Their strong work ethic leads to an incredible fit in their jeans and their boots create a very sexy swagger. Add a little patriotism with their honor and you've got a keeper. The ability to ride however, is a dream come true!" ~Kym Roberts

"The way he fills out his jeans." 

~Caro Carson, E.E. Burke & Angi Morgan

Cathy MacRae
*Honorable Character

Heather Long
*Work Ethic

Check out NATIONAL DAY OF THE COWBOY.

And what Cowboy celebration would be complete without some 

Waylon and Willie

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WHY DO YOU LOVE COWBOYS?