Tag: Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles

A Chance of a Ghost Review

I’m offering you a vacation. To beautiful Magnolia Bluff, Texas. In the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Beautiful scenery. Wineries. A quaint little town. With murder and ghosts.

My fellow Underground Authors, Rob and Joan Carter, have their book, A Chance of a Ghost, on pre-order for only 99¢.

It’s Book 23 in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series and it’s a spooktacularly thrilling mystery.

I just finished reading an ARC. And it didn’t disappoint. What’s especially fun about A Chance of a Ghost is that we get to see how ghost “busters” actually work.

Rob and Joan are members of the Tampa Bay Spirits, a group that investigates paranormal activity. And they bring their experience to the newest murder mystery in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles.

Mike and Maureen Donovan, (fictional) members of Tampa Bay Spirits, depart Tampa and find themselves in Magnolia Bluff to help Mike’s cousins rid their newly renovated home of whatever it is that is making doors slam and things move.

But they no sooner arrive than Mike has a premonition that someone in town is going to die. And that’s something they hadn’t counted on.

Mike and Maureen meet Harry Thurgood, the owner of the Really Good Wood-Fired Coffee and Ice Cream Emporium (known as the Really Good to the locals), and Mike begins to suspect that Harry is the man who is to be murdered: burned to death in his own coffee shop. And probably not while roasting coffee beans.

Then the Donovans meet Bertram and George, the ghosts who have been causing all the ruckus trying to get someone’s attention to help Bertram solve a century old mystery.

The Carters take us on a twisty-turny rollercoaster of a ride as Mike and Maureen try to help the ghosts move on and prevent Harry from becoming living barbecue.

In addition, we learn how paranormal investigators actually work. How they try to contact the dead and discover what they need in order to stop haunting a house. We also discover that not all spirits are friendly Caspers.

There is plenty of suspense, action, and thrills in A Chance of a Ghost. It’s an entertaining page turner that I found regretting having to put down. You know, like to eat or sleep.

So grab your copy today! It’s on pre-order for only 99¢ on Amazon.

Then put on your deerstalker and get your infrared cameras ready.

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

 

 

 

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with two bestselling novels. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes 

 

Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries on Amazon!

Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles on Amazon!

 

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Bestseller! Oh, my!

The launch of Who Mourns Elektra? (Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles, Book 21) has been my best one yet.

The book has been on the Amazon Top 100 Religious Mysteries list for a week. It reached as high as #25, and has been in the top 50 for most of the week.

In addition, it crested at 34,055 in the paid Amazon Kindle store. Pretty doggone good to reach into the top 35,000 overall.

With 2 of my last 3 books hitting the Amazon Top 100 charts, I’m hoping this is the beginning of a beautiful trend. A fantastic foretaste of even better things to come.

I’m still not pulling in enough from book sales to get that Rolls Royce I’ve always wanted. But I am hopefully seeing some payoff for my perseverance at this indie author/publisher gig.

The best thing is that the money I am making has cost me nothing other than a very little bit of time. And I like that.

Thanks for my success also goes to the Underground Authors and their united promoting of my books. 

And finally thanks to all who purchased a book to once again propel one of my creations into bestsellerdom. Thank you!

Who Mourns Elektra?. Another bestselling novel. Be still my heart!

If you haven’t picked up your copy, you can do so on Amazon.

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

 

 

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes 

 

Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries on Amazon!

Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles on Amazon!

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Last Day at 99¢

Today’s the last day Who Mourns Electra? is only 99¢.

Get Your Copy Today!

Tomorrow the price goes up to $4.99.

Harry wants a quiet life, shared with the love of his life, Rev. Ember Cole, running his coffee shop.

The Rev. Ember Cole wants to forget her past and do what she can to help usher in the Kingdom of Jesus.

Unfortunately, life and the town of Magnolia Bluff have other things in mind for our quiet and unassuming couple. Things like murder.

If you like puzzle mysteries that hearken back to a gentler era, touched with a bit of romance, you’ll love Who Mourns Elektra?. 

It’s available on Amazon at 99¢. But today is the last day.

Get Who Mourns Elektra? Today!

Because tomorrow it will be $4.99.

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

 

 

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes 

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Who Mourns Elektra is Live!

Today’s the day! Who Mourns Electra? is live! And only 99¢.

Get Your Copy Today!

Harry wants a quiet life, shared with the love of his life, Rev. Ember Cole, running his coffee shop.

The Rev. Ember Cole wants to forget her past and do what she can to help usher in the Kingdom of Jesus.

Unfortunately, life and the town of Magnolia Bluff have other things in mind for our quiet and unassuming couple. Things like murder.

If you like puzzle mysteries that hearken back to a gentler era, touched with a bit of romance, you’ll love Who Mourns Elektra?. 

It’s available on Amazon at 99¢ for the next week only. Get your copy today!

Get Who Mourns Elektra? Today!

 

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

 

 

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes 

 

 

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Best Year Ever

Last year, 2023, was my best royalty year in the 9 years I’ve been an indie author/publisher.

And that was almost entirely due to proceeds from one book: Death Wears a Crimson Hat, which is the first book in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles multi-author series.

Watch the Meet the Author vodcast to learn about the beginning of the series.

In October 2023, I released my second contribution to the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles. You can watch the Meet the Author vodcast to learn more about Ten Million Ways to Die. One reviewer thought the book was better than my inaugural book, Death Wears a Crimson Hat.

And on February 20th, Who Mourns Elektra?, my third book in the series will launch.

You can watch the Meet the Author vodcast to learn more about my newest book.

Where can you buy these books? Just tap or click the title and you’ll go to Amazon.

Death Wears a Crimson Hat

Ten Million Ways to Die

Who Mourns Elektra? (Link will go live when the book does)

And for the entire series (lots of great reading awaits), go to the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series page on Amazon.

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes 

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A New Year of Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles

Year 3 of the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles begins next month, February 2024, with the publication of 

 

Who Mourns Elektra?
By CW Hawes

The book features not only murder and mayhem, but also the troubles and joys of the ongoing relationship between mysterious coffee shop owner Harry Thurgood and the Reverend-with-a-past Ember Cole.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 17, at 7pm ET, on the Meet the Author podcast, catch the live reveal of the first 3 books for this year.

This will be a fun show as Linda Pirtle, RC & JP Carter, and myself talk about our upcoming books.

The show can be seen on the Meet the Authors YouTube channel. The time for the live show is 7pm ET.

Be there, or be square!

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

 

 

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes 

 

Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries on Amazon!

Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles on Amazon!

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Lone Star Blog Tour

Note: The tour is over, but you can still read the reviews and check out the books. Lots of good reading in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles. Reading you don’t want to miss.

We’re in the final days of the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles Lone Star Blog Tour.

Take a visit of the Lone Star Literary Life Tour page for links to all of the reviews and to enter the giveaway. That’s free stuff, folks. And who doesn’t like free stuff? Especially when it’s good free stuff.

Ruthie Jones wrote a great review of Death Wears a Crimson Hat. Read it on her blog, Reading by Moonlight.

Karen Siddall wrote a marvelous review of Ten Million Ways to Die. Read it on her blog, Boys’ Mom Reads!

It’s so very satisfying when readers pick up my book and get lost in the story and fall in love with the characters.

To bring someone happiness and pleasure is a very great joy.

So head on over to the blog tour page, read the reviews of all the books, enter the giveaway, and most of all — read the books!

The Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series features some absolutely amazing writing. So get moving to Magnolia Bluff today.

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

 

 

 

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes 

 

Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries on Amazon!

Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles on Amazon!

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Nine Years and a Blog Tour

Nine years ago this month I published my first four books. And the subsequent adventure has been very interesting to say the least.

That I’m still writing and publishing is a testimony to perseverance and perhaps just doggone stubbornness. 

In the past 9 years I’ve witnessed many authors come and go. And some of them were super writers. Which makes me sad to think of all that talent going unused. But that is the way it goes, unfortunately.

I haven’t gotten rich. In fact, I’ve yet to rich $5000 in royalties from my books. Nevertheless, I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve written stories that have provided entertainment for the folks who read them.

And when the dark days come, and they do, the days when you wonder is it worth it, I read a few of the reviews I’ve gathered over the years and tell myself — yes, it’s worth it. Telling the stories that collect in my head is worth the work to make them available to others to also enjoy.

We writers have a tendency to work alone and for indie authors, at least most of us, I don’t think that’s a good thing.

After 9 years, I think working with an active group of likeminded writers is the key to success. You probably won’t get rich, but you will have the support to keep on going and the advantage of working together to promote each other — and that is a definite key to success.

Lone Star Blog Tour

I am very fortunate to be one of the charter members of the Underground Authors.

The group was started by the late Caleb Pirtle III. His initial vision was to get together a group of writers who were actively writing and publishing to cross promote each other’s work.

Now, we not only promote each other’s books, but we also write a multi-author crime series: the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles.

Going on right now is a blog tour of the series hosted by Lone Star Literary Life. Here’s the link for you to check out the tour: https://www.lonestarliterary.com/content/magnolia-bluff-crime-chronicles-underground-authors

Going Forward

Next year, my intention is to launch a Kickstarter campaign, write the next Justinia Wright mystery, start a new series, and write some short stories.

Whether I do the above, or decide to do something else — I do know I’ll be writing.

Because as Harlan Ellison said, “Writers write.” It’s as simple as that. And I’m a writer.

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

 

 

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes 

 

 

Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries on Amazon!

Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles on Amazon!

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A Magnolia Bluff Deep Dive with CW Hawes and Richard Schwindt

Recently I sat down with my fellow Underground Author, Richard Schwindt, and talked about the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series: its past and its future. We also talked about my writing.

I had a lot of fun in this interview. Richard asked some thought-provoking and probing questions. A few not easily answered.

Give the video a watch. You’ll learn about the creation of Magnolia Bluff and where it might be headed. You’ll also get to know me a bit better.

 

The Underground Authors’s short story anthology, Beyond the Sea, is on Amazon. Proceeds go to charity.

You can find my latest contribution to the series, Ten Million Ways to Die, on Amazon.

 

And the entire series is on Amazon.

 

Richard Schwindt’s books are also on Amazon.

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

 

 

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes

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Ten Million Ways to Die — Now Live!

If you’ve ever had children, or gotten a puppy, or kitty, you know the feeling I have of love towards my newest baby: Ten Million Ways to Die, the 18th book in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series.

It might seem silly to some to equate a book launch with a newborn human, dog, or cat, but you see there are people, real people, within the pages of that book. And they are the children given life by my imagination.

In this virtual world in which we find ourselves, where people fall in love with AI apps, I don’t think anyone should find it strange that people can and do fall in love with the people they find within the pages of a book.

People love their dogs, their cats, their children, their spouse, their partner, Mr. Darcy, Heathcliff, Eudora and Doc, Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, and Klara.

And so it is with authors. At least some authors. Doyle grew to hate Sherlock Holmes. Christie hated Hercule Poirot. But I think most authors have an affinity for, if not love for, their characters. Their virtual children.

I know I do. I love Tina and Harry Wright of the Justinia Wright mysteries. And Bill Arthur of the Rocheport Saga. Plus Pierce Mostyn, Dotty, and Helene of the Pierce Mostyn Paranormal Investigations series. And Lady Dru and Dunyasha from the alternative history world of Lady Dru Drummond.

In my opinion, if an author doesn’t love his characters with an intense love, then neither will the reader. 

So today, I give you a story involving two characters I love dearly: Harry Thurgood and the Reverend Ember Cole.

Ten Million Ways to Die is a mystery in which amateur sleuths Harry and Ember must solve a murder in order to get police detective Reece Sovern off their backs.

Ten Million Ways to Die is also the story of the blossoming love between Harry and Ember.

But the story is also a tale of revenge, justice, and misguided love.

Ten Million Ways to Die is live today on Amazon.

It’s also available on Kindle Unlimited. If you’re a KU subscriber, you’ve already paid to read the book. So go ahead and do so. You don’t want to waste your money, do you?

You can listen to me read a scene from the book here: https://youtu.be/kIpDKf2VkwE 

Comments are always welcome. And until next time, happy reading!

 

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with a bestselling novel. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes 

 

Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries on Amazon!

Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles on Amazon!

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