Idle – Book Tour and Giveaway

 

Some women run from trouble…others out-think it

 

Idle

Sadie Hawkins Mysteries Book 2

by Patricia C. Lee

Genre: Amateur Sleuth Mystery

 

 

Sadie Hawkins thought her toughest challenge was keeping her small freight business afloat—until her best friend, Tanya Woods, is arrested for murder. With the police convinced Tanya is guilty, Sadie attempts to prove her friend’s innocence before it’s too late.


As Sadie launches her own investigation with her crew, they use their special skills and step outside the law to uncover dark secrets tied to StreetSmart; Tanya’s workplace that provides a support system for rehabilitated young adult offenders. While her search for the truth intensifies, Sadie and her associates find themselves in a dangerous web of betrayal, lies, hidden motives, and vengeance.


With her business at risk, her trust tested and best friend on the line, Sadie must rely on both her instincts and the loyalty of those around her as she strives to find the killer. However, in a world full of secrets, even friends can become enemies and the truth might be more than she can handle.

 

 

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I had parked the van down the street and was watching Tanya’s brother’s house. There was no car outside, yet a light shone in a downstairs window.

Ten minutes later I let out a low groan and turned to the dog. “This will not work, you know that. You shouldn’t have talked me into this.”

Moose remained silent and had the decency to hang his head.

My fingers ruffled his ears. “I forgive you.”

Another fifteen minutes went by with no movement whatsoever. It was like waiting for a snail to cross the road. We could sit here all night and still be no closer to gaining any evidence to help Tanya’s case. Maybe Wayne could make inquiries within the police force about Lewis and his gang. But it would mean answering questions and revealing my interest in Tanya’s case that went beyond mere concern. We hadn’t spoken since that night and I wondered how he would feel if the only contact I attempted would be to request a favor. However, this could be an opportunity to feel him out, to discern if the remoteness I sensed was my imagination.

Before I chickened out, I dialed his number on my phone. The call didn’t complete a full second ring then disconnected. Odd. In the past, the connection usually went up to six rings and then his voicemail would kick in. The same result with another try. Okay, so his phone was probably off. No need to second guess his intention, like maybe he was avoiding me. He could be in bed. Or working on a case. Maybe undercover. But a tiny voice in the back of my brain whispered He’s a cop. Shouldn’t they be available at all times in the event of an emergency? And why would he turn off his voicemail option?

Before I could contemplate that new wrinkle, Moose let out a low growl. My driver’s door flung open and I got yanked out of the van.

 

First Gear

Sadie Hawkins Mysteries Book 1

 

 

In the heart of Texas, Sadie Hawkins’ entrepreneurial dreams take flight when a golden opportunity lands in her lap: hauling antiquities. But when calamity strikes she finds herself not just fighting for her business, but for her freedom.

 

Determined to clear her name, Sadie dives into her own investigation, leaning on a motley crew of rehabilitated young adult offenders known as StreetSmart for support. Racing against the clock, confronting both her past and a deadly adversary, Sadie discovers that this mystery holds more than just her future – it holds her life in the balance.

 

Embark on a gripping journey with Sadie as she untangles the web of danger and deceit threatening to consumer her in this suspenseful mystery that will keep you turning pages.

 

 

**On Sale – Get it 50% off!**

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My attacker pierced me with a threatening glare. “Shit.”

Although I never thought I was going to get caught, because you don’t break into a place with the sole purpose of that happening, I wasn’t stupid enough not to let Will know where I was. Before I snuck in I had phoned him and despite his repeated attempts at talking me out of it, he made me promise to contact him as soon as I was in the clear.

The person reached behind, withdrew a gun. “I say we kill her.”

My focus pinpointed to the cylinder’s round hollow end aimed at my face. The dim lighting in the kitchen didn’t reflect off the barrel but seemed to be absorbed by it, not only into the metal but also the blackness of intent it represented. At that instant I heard nothing else except my breathing, as if I was underwater. Although my heart ricocheted against my ribs it seemed I only heard every tenth beat, like time had slowed and the sound was akin to my life draining away from a bullet wound. 

My life didn’t flash before my eyes, like they claim in books and movies but what did enter my brain was regret. In the two-point-three seconds it took between breaths, my thoughts went to my mother. Who would take care of her? And how would my brother explain that her only daughter was no longer alive because of cocky recklessness? Would my mother even comprehend she’d never see me again? The burden of care would have to fall on Blaine now because he couldn’t afford to keep our mother in the facility where she currently was. The pressure of caring for her plus two kids would put a strain on his marriage and it would all be because of me. And then there was Clayton and the unresolved issue of how I still felt for him.

My focus went again to the end of the weapon pointed at me and bile slid up my throat, launching my fear factor off the charts.

 

 

Pat is an Amazon bestselling author and playwright who has had a love affair with the written word since childhood, many times immersing herself in the stories of Enid Blyton and Carolyn Keene. An active imagination gave inspiration to short stories and her first play as a teen.

 

Her full-length play, The Truth About Lies, was staged at a regional theatrical competition in 2006.  She was selected as “One of 50 Authors You Should be Reading” in 2012. One of her novels achieved a finalist slot in the 2013 International Book Award Contest – fantasy category. And her Daughters of the Crescent Moon Trilogy garnered second place in the 2016 Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewers Choice for Best Series.  She is also the winner of the 15th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Story contest for A Holy Night.

 

Although still in pursuit of a place truly called home, Pat shares her life with a husband and cats, all of which claim rule over the house at one point or another. Besides dreaming up the next novel, she enjoys traveling, baking, camping, wine, and of course reading – not necessarily in that order. And she believes chocolate should be its own food group.

 

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

 

 

What inspired you to write this book?

Sadie Hawkins popped into my head one day with her Texas twang and Dan Post tricolored watersnake boots and after a week of rattling around in my brain, I had to get her out on paper. I wanted her to be different than the usual female protagonist with the height, body image, clothes and profession because not all women are like that. So I made her petite, curvy, prefers jeans over dresses, has a passion for baseball and works in the moving industry.  

 

How did you come up with the concept and characters for the book?

 Sadie was inspired by a good friend who is a petite, feisty redhead. She’s wacky, doesn’t let anyone stand in her way and that’s just what Sadie is like. Because the genre is amateur mystery, I thought it would be fun to have the secondary characters, Sadie’s ‘crew’ have special talents that help her solve the crime – talents that have a toe over the legal line. Think of it like the A-Team but without all the explosions and guns!

 

Where did you come up with the names in the story?

I used Sadie Hawkins as the main character’s name because of the connotation behind it – Sadie Hawkins dance where the girls take charge and ask the boys to dance. The name serves as a bridge between social norms and I think the character reflects that.

 

With Will, I did need his name to portray one of money and prestige, hence William Ellington. As for the other characters, they didn’t come from anything specific.  

 

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

The humor. I have a wicked sense of humor and I loved writing some of the predicaments that Sadie gets into.

 

How did you come up with the title of your first novel?

My first novel is Destiny’s Past and trust me, it was a hard one to come up with. But the trilogy is based on destiny, it’s the whole theme and because the trilogy has time-travel, once I came up with Destiny’s Past, it was only natural to have Destiny’s Present and Destiny’s Future as the remainder.

 

As for the Sadie Hawkins mystery novels, because Sadie is in the moving/trucking industry I wanted to the titles to reflect that – ergo: First Gear and the second novel IDLE. Future works will be titled along the same line.

 

Who designed your book covers?

My girlfriend and I came up with the concept but the actual design is from the talented Cathy Walker of cathyscovers

 

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Each and every book I’ve written I’ve always found something I would change but have learned that at some point you have to let it go. So, in answer, there is probably something inconsequential but not worth mentioning.

 

Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

Patience. Patience. Patience. It took four years to finally get it done.

 

If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?

That would be Sylvia Brady from IDLE because she’s a super cool senior, drives a Harley Davidson, can handle her alcohol and knows how to coverup things!

 

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

Sadie is based on a friend but the rest of the characters in the mystery series are from my imagination.

Tyson, a character from Destiny’s Future is based on another good friend.

 

Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.

With all that’s going on in the world, books are more important than ever to take us away from that. FIRST GEAR and IDLE have humor and adventure. The characters go through real-life struggles and Sadie’s loyalty to her friends is unstoppable.  

 

If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?

Wow, that’s a good one! Never thought of that before. So, after doing some research (because as an author that’s what we do!) I’d say the closest would be leather. The scent symbolizes strength, durability and resilience which are all the characteristics of Sadie.

 

Is there an writer which brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?

 My favorite author is Sidney Sheldon. He was the one who inspired me to write more than just short stories. His capture of characters and situations were amazing. Loved his Master of the Game.

 

I’d love to ask him why he didn’t write his books but narrated them and had someone else type them up. How his brain worked that way whereas I NEED to feel the keypad beneath my fingertips and the conversations I have in my head wouldn’t come out the same if I said them, instead of thinking them.

 

 

What made you decide to get the book made into an audiobook?

I only have two books in audio at the moment and I decided to try that method when I saw the global rise in usage.

 

Who did the narration on the audiobook and what made you choose them?

The books were narrated by different people. My decision was based on cadence, diction and tone (I prefer women with a lower voice)

 

What goes into making an audiobook?

I use a company called FindAway voices because I don’t have the time or knowledge to do it myself.

 

How many audiobooks do you currently have and are there any more on the horizon?

2 with the hopes of having a 3rd our in the next year. That would complete my Daughters of the Crescent Moon Trilogy in audio.

 

What was the first audiobook you ever listened to?

 The first one was years ago and it was a Janet Evanovich novel. Although I enjoyed her writing, the narrator didn’t appeal to me so I stopped listening to audiobooks for a long time. Now, I love them! Listen to them all the time but am picky about the narrator. I do have my favorites and listen to just about everything they narrate no matter the book.

 

Do you prefer to listen to audiobooks or read a book?

 I still prefer to read. I listen to audiobooks while I do other things, like housework, going for a walk, etc.

 

 

57 Comments

  1. Heather Swanson

    Looks very exciting Do you write in a daily journal?

  2. Lisa Brown

    I love a good cozy mystery; I hope to get a chance to read it.

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Lisa. Thank you stopping by my tour. IDLE and FIRST GEAR sort of fall between the lines of cozy and regular mystery being that although these two novels do take place in Houston, future books will probably not always do so. Profanity isn’t in cozy and although I do have a bit in mine, it’s the barest minimum. Also there is one scene where someone gets hurt but again I kept the ‘details of the scene’ to the barest minimum. :-)

  3. Hi Heather. Thanks so much for commenting. No, I don’t journal. I did try a few times and after about a week, I realized I didn’t have the dedication it requires. Yet when it comes to writing fiction a totally different story. I do admire people that can journal, though.

  4. Marcy Meyer

    I like the cover art. Looks great. This sounds like a really good read.

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Marcy. Yes, I love the cover! My artist did such a good job! Thanks for stopping by :-)

  5. Pat Lee

    Thank you ever so much, Maia, for hosting my tour!! :-)

  6. Cindy Merrill

    Very few females go in for this kind of work because of family obligations, such as described above,

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Cindy. Yes, that was one of the reasons I wanted to have Sadie’s job as something different. To break the ‘mold’ And a very good friend of mine is a truck driver so I can get some great stories for possible situations in future books from them lol!

  7. Wendy Jensen

    This sounds like a great mystery read.

    • Pat Lee

      Thanks, Wendy. Hope you get a chance to read it. Thank you for stopping by :-)

  8. Barbara Montag

    Amateur Sleuth Mystery – I love this genre along with the amazing cover!
    Thank you for the excerpt.

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Barbara. Amateur sleuth is fun – Sadie get herself in such predicaments! I used to watch Murder She Wrote all the time. Thanks for stopping by! :-)

  9. Carol G

    The character’s name caught my eye first–is Sadie Hawkins’ Day even still a thing anywhere? Anyway, the story, and series, sound good.

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Carol. It’s been a while since I was in school so I can’t say if they do the Sadie Hawkins thing anymore. Thank you for your kind words and for commenting :-)

  10. Piroska

    Thanks for the great blurb and excerpt. The book sounds very intriguing.

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Piroska. Glad the blurb piqued your interest. Lots of interesting things happen in them lol! Thank you for stopping by :-)

  11. heather

    I enjoyed reading about this book it sounds like one I would like to read for sure.

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Heather. Great, I hope you get a chance to read about Sadie, her crew and the antics they get caught up in! Thank you for stopping on my tour :-)

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Rita. Hope you get a chance to read it! Thanks for commenting :-)

  12. wendy hutton

    this sounds like an interesting series

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Wendy. My plan for the series is to have Sadie branch out of Houston using her moving/hauling business and wherever she goes…well trouble follows lol! Thanks for stopping by :-)

  13. Thomas Gibson

    Excellent author! Congrats on your tour!

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Thomas. I appreciate your kind words and thanks for stopping by! :-)

  14. Soha Molina

    What inspired you to become a writer?

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Soha. Nothing really inspired me, per se. I’d always enjoyed making up stories and writing them on paper. I even used to make up a running story in my head every night as a child to help me get to sleep. I love to read and perhaps that is what put me on the path to writing. I do remember reading Sidney Sheldon and thought, wow, I’d love to be able to do this.

      I appreciate you asking and thanks for stopping by :-)

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Leela. Some of the people who have read it enjoyed it. Hope you get a chance to read it as well. Thanks for your comment :-)

  15. Sherry

    I really like the excerpts and the covers.

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Sherry. Thank you, I’m glad you liked them. I loved writing the story and yes, the covers are awesome. I notice that your avatar is a wolf. If you go to my FB page, you’ll see a video I recently posted about sleeping with wolves. Check it out! Thanks for stopping by on my tour :-)

    • Pat Lee

      I love them too! Thank you, Terri, for stopping by :-)

  16. Jeanna Massman

    Sadie sounds like an amazing character and I love the excerpt!

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Jeanna. Sadie is an amazing character (okay yes, I am bias lol!) but when she popped into my head, I knew that she demanded something different. Thank you for commenting :-)

  17. Cynthia C

    I always enjoy a good mystery!

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Cynthia. Me too, as long as it’s not too gruesome. Thanks for stopping by!

  18. Ann Fantom

    This sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Ann. Thank you for stopping by. Hope you get a chance to read FIRST GEAR and IDLE :-)

  19. Debbi Wellenstein

    I enjoyed the excerpt for First Gear. Thank you for the giveaway!

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Debbi. You are very welcome. Hope it piqued your interest. Thanks for commenting :-)

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Stephanie. Thank you. Have a great day!

    • Pat Lee

      Thank you, Beyond! Have a good one!

  20. Melissa Cushing

    I cannot wait to check out this book. Looks and sounds incredible and I love the cover art too!

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Melissa; I hope you do enjoy both FIRST GEAR and IDLE if you should read them. And yes, the cover really is amazing. Thank you for stopping by! :-)

  21. beth shepherd

    This looks like a good one!

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Beth. Thanks for stopping by!

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Sarah; Hope you get a chance to read the books and thanks for stopping by :-)

    • Pat Lee

      Hi Danielle; Thanks. I’m really lucky with my cover designer, she did an amazing job!

  22. Alyssa

    I can’t wait to read it, sounds compelling!

    • Pat Lee

      Hello Alyssa. When you do read it I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by :-)

  23. Joanne Gregory

    I’d love to read this book!

    • Patricia C. Lee

      Hi Joanne. I hope you get a chance to. Thanks for commenting! :-)

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