Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by Heather Day Gilbert
Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
(An Exotic Pet-Sitter Mystery)
by Heather Day Gilbert
About Belinda Blake
and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Lyrical Press (October 1, 2019)
Number of Pages ~195
Digital ASIN: B07M75GGX4
Exotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake is nervous about her new job at the White Pine Wolf Preserve, but it turns out that the care and feeding of wild carnivores may be the least dangerous part of the gig . . .Pet-sitter Belinda Blake is no stranger to dealing with wild animals, but she’s wary when the owner of the Greenwich, Connecticut, preserve asks her to help out with her “fluffy darlings.” Her caution seems justified on her very first day, when she discovers a tour guide—dead, bloodied, and surrounded by wolves in the enclosure.Was it death by predator or something more sinister? The body count rises, but something’s not adding up. As she gets to know the rescued wolves and wolf-dog hybrids better, Belinda realizes that her human colleagues are not above suspicion. With help from her own “pack”—her pregnant sister, Red the chauffeur/bodyguard, and hunky farmer Jonas—Belinda is hot on the killer’s tail, but if she doesn’t find him soon, he’ll do more than muzzle her to keep the truth from escaping.
Q & A with Heather Day Gilbert
Heather Day Gilbert, an ECPA Christy award finalist and Grace award winner, writes contemporary mysteries and Viking historicals. Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren’t afraid to protect those they love. Like Belinda Blake, Heather plays video games, although so far she hasn’t done any exotic pet-sitting or hunted any murderers.
How long did it take you to get your first work published (from creation to actual book)? What was your first published work?
My first novel was a Viking historical, God's Daughter. It took me over a year to write and edit it, and then it was out on submission for a year and a half to publishers. No one wanted to market Vikings at that time (this was right before the Vikings miniseries took off on The History Channel). I knew I COULD market it and that it was ready, so I had cover art made and I published it independently in 2013. I've never regretted indie publishing my debut novel.
Plotter (one who plans or plots out every detail of the writing process) or Pantser (one who writes by the seat of his/her pants)?
I used to be a very loose plotter—I'd have chapter highlights planned out and the overarching action sequences. But now that I'm writing cozy mysteries, I have to submit extended synopses of everything that will happen in the book to my editor before I write the books. That's helped me nail down tricky things like timelines and get better at plotting ahead of time. BUT I do occasionally change whodunit AS I'm writing the book, and the characters kind of morph and take on lives of their own as the book develops.
What advice do you have for a new writer?
You are your own biggest advocate—not an agent, not an editor, not a publicist. You need to be ready to back your books and personally market the tar out of them.
Also, polish your book as much as you can, then be willing to listen to the right critiques of it. Learning to know what the right critiques ARE is part of the process. :)
What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
Brainstorming titles is a fun part of it, especially for cozy mysteries. I'm also that weird author who enjoys marketing. But in the end, the best part is watching my characters start coming to life as I write.
What is the one thing about the writing life that you didn’t know until you were published?
I suppose that, like all newbie authors, I assumed I'd be the exception to every rule and I'd have overnight success with my very first book. Trust me, I'm over that delusion. ;) Being an author is extremely hard work, especially in this era of social media. You have to keep many irons in the fire, and for most authors, your first book won't become a USA Today bestseller. You have to work and work and find your groove. Thankfully, your readers will find you. :)
Author Links
Website: http://heatherdaygilbert.com
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/Q6w6X
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/heatherdaygilbert
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherdaygilbert/
Twitter: @heatherdgilbert
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heatherdgilbert/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7232683.Heather_Day_Gilbert
Purchase Links
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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
October 1 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
October 1 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 1 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
October 2 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
October 2 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT
October 2 – The Self-Rescue Princess – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
October 3 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
October 3 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
October 3 – Maureen’s Musings – REVIEW
October 3 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 4 – I Read What You Write – GUEST POST
October 4 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
October 5 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
October 5 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
October 6 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
October 6 – Diary of a Book Fiend – REVIEW
October 7 – Carole’s Book Corner – REVIEW
October 7 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 8 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
October 8 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
October 8 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, GUEST POST
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Cute cover and a different setting. Sounds good. Best wishes on the new release.
ReplyDeleteI love the cover and cozy mysteries. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteYes, I bet titling cozy mysteries is a great part of the fun! I enjoy thinking about what the title means or the pun likely involved.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDelete