International Writer of Mystery, Travel, and Wine
I was interviewed today on my local radio station. We chatted about my books, both fiction and non-fiction, and talked about travel and writing in general. It was a lot of fun which surprised me because public speaking still makes me a bit nervous.
Please listen when you have a chance. I’d love to hear your comments.
Have you ever had to be hyper-focused on tasks and projects in your life even when events around you are chaotic and super stressful? Welcome to my last eight weeks.
First, I relocated to Connecticut in September. Anyone who has ever moved can tell you that moving is not fun, no matter how you make the move.
In the midst of chaos, I faced a personal family crisis which helped me determine that moving back had been the right choice. I was very productive on numerous projects.
I finished working on four ebooks and audiobooks. The first is about a new writing method called B2C Content Writing: How to Write Case Stories. B2C Content Writing: How to Write Case Stories is a comprehensive how-to manual that will teach you a new form of content writing for your B2C clients. This is an untapped market, so learn a new skill and launch a new career or side gig while helping your clients become more successful. Available on Amazon and Audible.
I next updated, expanded, edited, and published some of the material in my How Do I Move to… series. The first three guides have just been published:
The next three guides relating to Costa Rica, Belize, and Panama will be available by the end of the year.
I then decided to embrace TikTok and Instagram as video forums for promoting my books. I’ve created a short video for each book and posted the videos on both platforms. I’m still learning how it all works and, I must admit, have not yet found the secret sauce to turn a video viral, but I’ll get there. Determination!
Finally, I learned how to create and publish ambient videos on YouTube. I used my love for travel and the peaceful sound of rain to design and produce three 15-minute videos for my new channel, Ambient International Vibes (). The videos are great for a quick break and help to both refocus your mind and relieve stress. The three videos are:
During this hyper-focused, super-productive time, I also found and outfitted my new apartment and spent time reconnecting with friends. I’ve also just signed up for a course on SEO Content Writing to further develop my skills because you should never stop learning and trying to do and be better, whatever that means for you.
I could have chosen to let the stress to dictate what I did but instead decided to work through the feeling. It was definitely worthwhile as this was probably one of the most productive periods in my life. Choose how you will deal with stress and don’t ever let it stop you from achieving your goals!!!
I’m announcing a second blog tour for The Berlin Device. This time, the tour will be a Blurb Blitz Tour.
Hosts of the tour and dates that The Berlin Device will be on these sites follow:
June 13: All the Ups and Downs
June 14: Gina Rae Mitchell
June 15: The Reading Addict
June 16: Fabulous and Brunette
June 17: Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read
June 20: Andi’s Book Reviews
June 21: Viviana MacKade
June 22: Locks, Hooks and Books
June 23: Iron Canuck Reviews & More
June 24: fundinmental
If you have any time on those dates, please visit the sites above and like or comment on the post. The more engagement a book receives, the better it looks for the author.
Also, if you have already read The Berlin Device, please go to Amazon and leave a review. Amazon bases which books they share with other readers based on the following factors:
Thank you all for your help and support on my author journey!
The Berlin Device
A Xander Berlin Adventure Book 1
by Tammy Wunsch
Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery
Xander has led a life of luxury with a cushy job in the family business. After his father’s mysterious disappearance, Xander became CEO of the multi-million dollar, international enterprise and tries to prove himself to everyone, including himself.
Xander discovers encrypted files in his father’s hidden safe that detail his illicit activities. His father was more than disreputable—he was a member of a secret and diabolical organization whose sole objective is world domination. In the files are plans for the Berlin Device—a satellite weapons system that has the potential for unparalleled destruction.
Chloe has scrimped and saved for an amazing hiking vacation. When nothing goes right in her travels, fate intervenes and she and Xander are thrown together in a hopeless quest across Europe to recover the device before more innocent people die.
Dodging bullets, bombs, and barbaric henchmen, Xander and Chloe discover a mysterious facility that could become their final resting place…if their enemies have their way.
Can they escape with their lives?
More importantly, can they save the planet from The Berlin Device?
Tammy Wunsch is an International Writer of Mystery, Travel, and Wine – with a side of Course Development – who currently resides in the Quiet Corner of Connecticut. Formally educated in business, she has worked in a variety of industries and is both entrepreneurial and adventurous by nature. She is passionate about animals and loves to travel, cook, kayak, and read.
The latest submission for my writing workshop. If you would like to join, visit Empower Writers and ask to join the group. If you’d just like to comment, I welcome those as well.
War is a distant memory and peace has reigned on Earth for millenia…
It all started in the year 2148. That was the year the Malicodi arrived. Their technology was so advanced and they had figured out how to eradicate disease, for all sentient beings. The Malicodi were a peaceful people, but they could afford to be with their vast technological superiority. They were willing to share their technology and their advanced medical care on one condition–peace on Earth.
It took about a month for world leaders to decide that this was a great deal. Frankly, I’ve never understood what took them a whole month. The Malicodi’s tech was able to detect any type of weaponry and, with the push of a button, the weaponry was vaporized. They improved our agricultural industry so that everything was grown organically and much quicker than previously. World hunger, famine, and disease took a little longer, but within a year, Earth was populated by a prosperous, healthy society.
Defense budgets were rerouted to space exploration. The Malicodi shared their interplanetary travel technology and the first Earthships were launched within five years, with many more in the coming years. The Malicodi had shared the coordinates for other friendly planets and the people of Earth were ready to take their place among the stars.
The Earth became a paradise–the skies were blue, the waters ran clear, and even the ozone layer was being rebuilt with Malicodi tech. There were Malicodi colonies on every continent and they cohabited peacefully with the people of Earth. Crime was non-existent as food was plentiful and the Malicodi had also wiped out illegal drugs. Governments invested in education equally in every community and jobs were abundant, so there was no need for illegal activities.
The year was now 4217. Life on Earth was very peaceful and we had Earth colonies on nearly two hundred different planets. I was on Earth for work purposes but had decided to take a short break and visit one of the historical museums that depicted life before the year 2148. Let’s just say I’m glad I lived in this time period. I couldn’t imagine the suffering that people endured prior to 2148–the disease, the malnutrition, the crime, and the constant threat of war somewhere on the planet.
I came to Earth to consult with Guj, one of my colleagues in the Global Psychiatric Consortium (GPC). Just because there was nothing to worry about didn’t mean that people still didn’t worry. Mental illness was not completely cured with a healthy planet, organic food, and no crime. The GPC was located on New Malicodi, a floating city in the south Pacific. I arrived by the high-speed underwater monorail. It was very quick, not as quick as the transporter, but I could never get used to the demolecularization process so I chose the monorail instead.
The hydraulivators brought me swiftly to the 267th floor. I wandered down the hall to Guj’s suite, stopping to chat with various colleagues and friends. When I arrived at the Reprogramming Suite–Guj was world-renowned for helping humans eliminate disturbing thoughts through both intensive talk and laser therapy. He had a 100 percent success rate and I was always fascinated when I could watch him in action. Guj’s secretary told me that Guj was expecting me and I smiled coyly at him. We had a very satisfying liaison the last time I had visited Guj and part of me was hoping that would happen again. His return smile and wink made me certain I could look forward to an invigorating, and very satisfying, evening.
I walked back to Guj’s interior office. He always said that a view would distract both him and his patients so he enjoyed the interior space. I opened the door and noticed that the lights were set at the dimmest setting. Everything inside was shadowy and indistinct. I sensed movement to my right and fell back against the door when something slammed into me and moved toward the outer office.
What was that? I felt something wet on my face and reached up to dab it with my hand while telling the AI to turn up the lights. When the suite was illuminated, I stood staring at my hand. It was covered in blood that I also felt dripping off my face. I was dumbfounded for a moment. Where did the blood come from?
“Guj?” I called out. “Where are you? What’s happening?”
I received no response and ventured deeper into his office. Finding a tissue, I wiped my face and hands to remove the blood. The door to the laser suite was ajar and I could see a pale blue light emanating from within. “Guj,” I called again, thinking he maybe hadn’t heard me over the gentle hum of the laser. I peeked around the door and then my world came apart.
Guj was restrained on the laser table while the laser moved slowly back and forth across his body. His eyes stared at me but he couldn’t see me. Guj was obviously dead. Apparently murdered. The first murder to occur on Earth since the year 2150 and unfortunately, I was going to get a first-hand view of what happens during a murder investigation. I sighed and held back the bile as I crossed the room to turn off the laser. This working vacation would soon turn into the worst nightmare I could ever have imagined.
The latest submission for my writing workshop. If you would like to join, visit Empower Writers and ask to join the group. If you’d just like to comment, I welcome those as well.
The young man at the train station was very odd. He paced outside on the platform even though the next train was not due for twenty minutes and it was only 22℉. His gait was a little off too–almost like he was limping, but not quite. I was fascinated and my overactive imagination kept coming up with outlandish reasons for him to be pacing outside at the train station in such cold weather.
After five more minutes, the young man was joined by a middle-aged woman. She was stunning and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. The young man stopped in front of her and they engaged in an animated conversation. He was gesticulating erratically and pointing down the track toward Cold Springs, the next town over.
I surreptitiously stood up and walked closer to the open window, hoping to overhear their conversation. Fortunately, the window was open so I didn’t have to strain too much, however, they were speaking in a language I had never heard before. I have traveled to every continent and over 50 countries on this planet, so trust me when I say that I believe they were speaking an alien language.
I now began to notice details on each of them that I hadn’t noticed before. To start, the young man’s eyes were spaced a little too far apart and they were next to the bridge of his nose, not above it. Now that I was really looking at him, I observed that his nose was wide and very flat. These details made his face seem almost frog-like.
I turned my attention to the woman. Her eyes were a little lower than normal, but not quite as low as the young man’s eyes. There seemed to be an aura surrounding her that made it difficult to study the details of her face. They were still engaged in conversation in whatever language they were speaking, so I continued my examination. I wanted to be sure I had the details right because I would definitely be posting about this later.
I noticed two bumps above her shoulders. They were almost hidden by her cascading hair, but as she grew more frustrated with the young man, she tossed her head around and the bumps were clearly visible. I tried to speculate on what the bumps represented, and then, when she lifted her arm to point at the young man, her shirt fabric tightened and two more bumps a little lower on her back.
My sharp intake of breath must have alerted them to my presence, they turned toward the window I was using for reconnaissance. I quickly jumped to the side, but I could tell by the sudden silence that they had seen me. I held my breath and looked around the train station, realizing for the first time that it was completely deserted. Where was the station master?
The door to the platform creaked open and I started praying for the first time in fifteen years. My eyes were shut tightly and I had my arms wrapped around my body. A moment later, I felt a hand on my arm and screwed up all my courage to slowly open my eyes. The woman was standing in front of me and glaring with barely-controlled anger. “What did you hear?” she demanded.
Even though she was still speaking the alien language, I could somehow understand her. I tried to speak, but feeling her cold, clammy hand on my arm had me frozen in fear. I finally roused myself and whispered, “Nothing.” To my surprise, my words were also in the alien language and I nearly passed out from the rush of emotions that ran through me.
She narrowed her eyes further and I gaped when I noticed that her pupils were triangular and not round like human pupils. “I don’t believe you.” She withdrew her hand from my arm and took a step back. “It’s time to come home, Xcartierz,” she murmured. “You have been living with the humans for far too long. Your Rumspringa was over two years ago. You have a family that loves and misses you.” She looked at the young man on the platform. “Plus, Zbigxqr wants to go home. He is tired of watching over you and he is especially disgusted by the humans and their filthy habits.”
I stared at her for an eternity. Suddenly, a flood of memories flashed by my eyes, reminding me of my true identity and my homeland. I cautiously felt behind me and ran my hands over the bumps on my back. I broke down in tears and sunk to the floor. “Why did I not remember who I am or where I am from?” I asked bitterly.
“You assimilated too well, my dear. It will take a little while to revert to your natural self. Now let’s go home.”
I rose cautiously and followed Helxza out to the platform. I raised my eyes in remorse at Zbigxqr. “I’m sorry for keeping you away from home for so long, my friend. You must miss your family.”
He smiled at me and I shuddered with my remaining vestiges of humanity, repulsed by the four sharp teeth in Zbigqr’s mouth. When he placed his hand on my arm, however, I was filled with peace and tranquility. “It is okay, Xcartierz. We will have many stories to share when we get back home to Tipsqxr.We will be quite famous for a little while.”
I smiled back at him, feeling the camouflaging blur shed from my body. I looked at my reflection in the window and almost didn’t recognize myself from five minutes ago. I was six and a half feet tall–short for the women of my planet. My hair was a lush green, the color of grass after a refreshing rain, and cascaded down my back. My skin had a reddish hue and when I smiled at myself, I saw the dazzling diamond-like teeth that all women on my planet possess. I turned back to Helxza, “I’m ready,” I announced.
Helxza raised her arm and a small aircraft came swooping out of the sky. It wasn’t a typical Earth aircraft though and I strained to remember what planes looked like on Tipsqxr. As the craft drew closer, landing gear extended that perfectly fit the railroad tracks as it glided toward us and stopped quietly in front of us.
We quickly boarded and I was gathered into an embrace by my brother Xcarlierz. I now remembered that he had left at the end of our designated Rumspringa time. I had no regrets though. I had lived a lifetime of memories during my time on Earth.
The latest submission for my writing workshop. If you would like to join, visit Empower Writers and ask to join the group. If you’d just like to comment, I welcome those as well.
Cara settled in behind the front desk of Harmony, the quaint seaside inn she had just purchased in southeastern Connecticut. Geographically, it wasn’t far from New York City where she had spent most of her thirties toiling away for one of the city’s largest law firms. Emotionally, she was a world away. She was officially burnt out. Working ninety to one hundred hours per week and most weekends had left her exhausted. Fortunately, it had also left her comfortably situated and able to take on a new career at forty.
She knew nothing about running an inn, but she was smart. She had taken a few online courses in how to run a business and accounting and had shadowed the former owner for a month before making it official. She was sure she could handle this. Well, maybe just reasonably sure she thought as she looked over the upcoming online reservations. There were a lot of empty spaces that should have been filled up with guest names. She sighed. She had thought it would be a good idea to take over in late winter and learn the ropes before the busy spring and summer season started. She sighed again and inwardly reviewed her bank account. She would be fine living on her savings for a few months, if necessary, but she’d rather not.
Cara leaned in and pulled up her business plan. She was a firm believer in the you-never-can-be-too-prepared school of thought. She reviewed her projections and felt a bit despondent. Had she really thought she could make this work? She shook her head and thought about how she could really use a miracle about now.
The bell over the front door rang and Cara smiled warmly at the new arrival. She didn’t have anyone scheduled for tonight so she couldn’t greet the person by name. “May I help you,” she inquired in the friendly tone she had been practicing. This was completely different from the no-nonsense, tough-as-nails tone she had practiced when she was practicing patent law.
Cara was immediately mesmerized by the stranger’s penetrating blue eyes and wavy dark hair. He was broad-shouldered and had a nice smile, even if it was a little crooked. Heck, nobody was perfect. She took a step back as his presence was slightly overwhelming. If he noticed the effect he had on her, he was kind enough not to show it. He reached into his tailored jacket’s inner pocket, pulled out a wallet, and flipped it open—exposing a shiny gold badge.
“Ms. Cara Wilcox?” he inquired in a deep, bass-baritone that made Cara’s insides react with a slight quiver.
“Yes, how may I help you, Detective?” Cara figured it would be best to establish a friendly and helpful rapport with the local police, in case she ever needed their assistance with an unruly guest.
“Hi, I’m Detective Burton from the Harmony Harbor Police Department. Do you have a guest registered for tonight named Phyllis McDermott?”
“I don’t usually give out guest information, Detective, may I ask why you are inquiring?”
Detective Burton sighed. “We found a confirmation email on her phone for the Harmony Inn for this weekend. I just wanted to double-check that she has not already checked in.”
Cara contemplated the detective for a few seconds. “Yes, Detective Burton. Ms. McDermott is registered for this weekend. She is one of the lawyers at the firm where I used to work. We’re planning a mini-reunion this weekend. Can I ask again why you want to know?”
The detective grimaced. “I’m sorry to tell you, Ms. Wilcox, but Ms. McDermott was found near the Harmony Harbor Metro-North station.”
Cara stared at him for a second. “What do you mean that she was found near the station? Was she lost?”
Detective Burton shook his head and scratched his cheek. “I’m sorry. I’m never good at this. Ms. McDermott’s body was found near the tracks. She was murdered.”
“Murdered…” Cara trailed off as numerous scenes of their time spent together in the trenches of the law firm flitted through her memory. “I mean, are you sure? Maybe she just died of natural causes.”
Detective Burton snorted a mirthless laugh. “There’s nothing natural about a bullet through the heart, Ms. Wilcox. She was also beaten pretty badly. Do you know if Ms. McDermott knew anyone else in Harmony Harbor?”
Cara sunk back into her chair. “I don’t believe so, Detective. She was coming to celebrate her promotion to partner.” Cara shook her head. “I just can’t believe this. She was going to be my first guest. I just took over the inn today.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I know this is a shock. I may have additional questions for you later as you may be the only person within a hundred miles who knew her.”
Cara shook her head numbly. “Whatever you need, Detective.”
He leaned across the counter and looked deep into her eyes. “Can I get you anything before I head back to the crime scene? I hate to leave you here alone.”
Cara smiled weakly at him. “Thank you, Detective. I’ll be fine. Mrs. Summit will be here shortly and she’ll keep me company.” She stood back up which brought her very close to the detective.
He continued looking into her eyes and time seemed to stop for a moment. Detective Burton slowly blinked and broke the contact. “I’ll just leave you my card, Ms. Wilcox. Please call me if you think of anything that might be important.”
“Cara, please.” She took the card from his outstretched hand and his fingers gently brushed against hers. She thought she detected a slight flush as he slowly moved away, but she was sure she was mistaken. She hadn’t made anyone blush in years. “And Detective?”
He turned toward her again with his crooked smile and yes, that was a slight blush. “Yes, Ms., uhm, Cara?”
Cara grinned back at him though it didn’t really feel right under the circumstances. “I know this is an active investigation, but I would appreciate any information you can share. We were, not exactly great friends, but work friends, and I spent a lot of time with her over the years.”
Detective Burton grinned—oh my, was that a dimple?—and nodded at her. “I’ll be back later this evening and share what I can with you. Try to have a good afternoon, Cara.”
The way he said her name felt like a warm caress and Cara felt like a lovesick teenager. “You, too, Detective,” she called after him as he waved and walked out the door.
As I mentioned in my last post, I started a new, online writing workshop called Empower Writers that is housed on Facebook. It’s a private group with a free lifetime membership for the first 50 members. I post weekly writing prompts to help writers practice their craft and members provide peer reviews that consist of positive feedback and gentle critiques. I encourage anyone with an interest in writing to join the community.
As post submissions are limited to approximately 500 words, I allow members to post links to their writing prompt submissions if they run longer. I don’t generally write a full story, but there are times I’d like to write more than 500 words so I thought I would start publishing my submissions here. I welcome your comments and maybe someday, these short writing posts might turn into an actual book idea.
Please enjoy The Trapdoor, and I look forward to reading your comments on this, and future stories. I also look forward to welcoming you as new members to Empower Writers. Click here to join.
Kaley opened the window and gazed down the long, gravel driveway. She was exhausted! She must have woken up at least ten times last night. Kaley hated the nighttime when Richard was away on business. On those nights, she always seemed to hear strange noises in the house that woke her from a sound sleep. She shuddered with the memory and then took a long, slow drink of coffee.
Today was the day. She was going to take advantage of Richard being away and start cleaning the basement. She had plans of eventually converting the basement into a man-cave on one side for Richard and a writing room on the other side for her. She often got too distracted to write when she sat at the island in the kitchen and this was a project she had been putting off for some time.
She descended the stairs and looked around. She contemplated the boxes and bins that had been stacked here since they moved in two years ago. The dumpster had been delivered yesterday and she was planning on just throwing all this stuff out. If they hadn’t used it in two years, there couldn’t be anything that important in there.
Kaley spent the next hour making numerous trips out to the dumpster. She had given each box and bin a cursory search just to be sure she wasn’t throwing out any of Richard’s cherished childhood memories. As expected, she wasn’t. She reached the last two large boxes and cursed because she knew she couldn’t carry them out on her own. She gritted her teeth and pushed them with all her strength to the side so that she could start cleaning.
She stopped for a moment and peered at the wall. She thought she was hallucinating, but there appeared to be a trapdoor on the floor that had been hidden by the large boxes. Kaley pulled her phone out, turned on the flashlight app, and crouched on the floor to get a better look. Yup, it was definitely a trapdoor.
Kaley began to tremble. The memories of all the horror movies she had ever seen came flooding back to her, overwhelming her with their portents of doom. She shook her head and told herself not to be silly. She decided that she would open the trapdoor. Of course, she wouldn’t be stupid about it. She went to the tool bench that was fastened to the far wall and rooted around until she found a heavy wrench. She also grabbed a large flashlight that was usually stored upstairs.
Kaley made her way back to the previously-hidden door and hefted the wrench. She definitely felt much safer with a wrench in her hands. She crouched down and took hold of the ring that functioned as a handle. She was prepared for the door to stick, so she was surprised when it swung up at her easily and almost soundlessly, causing her to tumble backward.
As she regained her footing and dusted herself off, she aimed the bright flashlight beam down into the hole. She was stunned. She couldn’t see very far, but there appeared to be a tunnel leading away from the house.
Kaley sat back on her haunches and contemplated climbing down into the tunnel. Memories of the eerie sounds she had heard at night-and of all those horror movies-made her pause. She pulled out her cell phone and called her best friend, Mary Jane, whom everyone called MJ. MJ had grown up next door to Kaley and they had gone on a thousand adventures over the years. Plus, MJ was a combat veteran and nobody would think twice about messing with her, even in a creepy tunnel.
It must have been Kaley’s lucky day because MJ was not only home from work that day, but she was also excited to go on an adventure with Kaley. MJ didn’t like Richard so they didn’t hang out much when he was around. Secretly, Kaley thought MJ was a little jealous of her for finding such a great guy like Richard to marry. MJ had not been very lucky in the romance department.
MJ arrived about thirty minutes later and came storming down into the cellar where Kaley had sat watching the trapdoor. She had closed it and moved one of the large boxes on top of it for safety until MJ could join her. MJ strode over to the opening and peered at the closed door. “Is this our adventure for the day?” she asked, her voice resounding across the basement.
Kaley nodded meekly.
“Ok, let’s get going then!” MJ announced enthusiastically. She opened a messenger bag and pulled out two headlamps. “I thought these might come in handy,” she said, handing one to Kaley.
Kaley tried to smile bravely, but her nerves were stretched taut. As she pulled on her headlamp, she gasped to see that MJ was now strapping a holstered gun to her belt. “I don’t think that’s necessary,” Kaley squeaked out.
MJ shook her head. “It’s better to be prepared and safe than sorry.”
Kaley sighed and moved toward the box. MJ leaned in and helped her push it back to the side of the room, then leaned over and hauled the door open. She seemed surprised as well that it opened so easily. “That’s not a good sign,” was all she said as she began the descent down the stairs.
Kaley took a deep breath and followed MJ slowly. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she turned around next to MJ and was shocked to see that there was indeed a tunnel, or more precisely, three tunnels, each leading in different directions.
“Which one do we explore first?” Kaley asked timidly.
MJ shrugged her shoulders and pointed toward the tunnel on the right. “Let’s start there.” Kaley nodded and they moved toward the mouth of the tunnel. Kaley grudgingly trailed after MJ who seemed to be acting as if this was a party. Kaley thought she heard MJ humming the theme to Jaws, but she must be mistaken.
Suddenly, MJ stopped short and asked incredulously, “How did that get down here?”
After nearly colliding with MJ, Kaley peered around her. She was shocked to see that this tunnel ended in a small room that had been carved out of the rock. There was a massive fish tank against one wall along with a leather sofa, a small bar, a flatscreen television that must have been at least 60 inches, and a bright green shag rug. Kaley and MJ stared dumbfounded for what must have been five minutes before MJ walked over to the sofa and picked up a newspaper that was lying on top of it. Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and she turned slowly to face Kaley.
“I think we need to go and get reinforcements,” she whispered. “Let’s go.” Without waiting for Kaley’s agreement, MJ drew her pistol and moved stealthily back down the tunnel. They covered the distance quickly and clamered up the stairs, back into Kaley’s cellar.
“What was it?” What scared you, MJ?” Kaley asked breathlessly.
MJ took a few deep breaths, holding up a finger as she frantically looked around. She grabbed a metal crowbar that was on Richard’s tool bench and threw the newspaper to Kaley.
Kaley looked at it curiously. “What? I still don’t get why you’re so freaked out.”
MJ stared at her for a few seconds as she slid the crowbar between the circular handle, crossing it over the floor. “Look at the date, Kaley.” MJ pushed the heavy boxes on top of the trapdoor and murmured, “That should keep it closed for now.”
Kaley was looking at the newspaper incomprehensively. “That’s yesterday’s date. I don’t even get this newspaper…” she trailed off as a fresh wave of terror washed over her. “That means –“
“That means that someone has been down there since yesterday, Kaley.” She looked around quickly. “I’m not sure how they get in and out of your house without you noticing, but it’s not safe. He’ll know we found the tunnel, or should I say tunnels. Damn it, Kaley! Let’s go! Grab an overnight bag and spend a few days at my place.”
They climbed the stairs to the kitchen and MJ glanced back down as she shut the door. She moved a chair over and wedged it beneath the doorknob in place of a lock. “I don’t know if we locked someone down there or out of there, but whoever has been going there will not be happy to have their access denied.” She pushed Kaley. “Go get that bag.”
Kaley went upstairs to her room and started throwing random clothes in her overnight bag. She heard MJ yell upstairs, “I’m going to call the Sheriff. We can get a group together tomorrow and explore the whole network of tunnels down there.”
“Ok,” Kaley yelled back down as she contemplated whether she should bring the blue or black sweatshirt then decided to bring both. She heard the creak of a floorboard in the hallway and thought MJ had come to rush her.
She zipped her bag and turned around, words dying on her lips as the tall, muscular man with a jagged scar running down the left side of his face sneered at her and then whispered, “Hello, Kaley. It’s so nice to finally meet you. You’re usually asleep when I’m in your room.”
He may have said more, but Kaley’s body could not stand any more of the tension and she promptly passed out.
It has been a busy couple of months!
I’ve been working on my podcast website, How Do I Move To… which informs listeners on various aspects of moving to different countries. I’ve published eleven podcasts with over 500 downloads and covered countries in Europe and the Americas. The podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Google – and many others. You can access all the published webcasts here.
In addition to the podcast, How Do I Move To… has a YouTube channel which is in the process of being updated. I have discontinued the written guides, though some are available still on Amazon and in the eBookstore.
I’ve recently launched an online writers’ workshop called Empower Writers. The workshop will be run over Facebook. It’s a private site where writers can submit their responses to weekly writing prompts, receive peer reviews, make friends and connections, and access a writers’ resource library. The best part is that the first 50 subscribers get a FREE lifetime membership – check it out and join today!
Finally, I’ve been hard at work on my fourth novel. It is titled The Berlin Device. The book is an action/adventure novel featuring Xander Berlin, a man desperately trying to step out from his father’s dark shadow. He embarks on a mission across three continents, dodging assassins and witnessing the effects of the device. It’s a non-stop adventure that I think you will really enjoy, especially if you enjoyed The Navarre Brotherhood. I expect to self-publish the novel in January so stay tuned for more details. I’m still finishing edits and working on the cover, but a draft of the edit follows:
If you’re feeling generous, please support some of my favorite animal rescue sanctuaries:
International Primate Protection League
Thanks for following along in my adventures and enjoy the holidays!
I hope you can join me this Saturday, September 11, 2021, for a book signing event for Vineyards Can Be Murder. The event will take place at The Vineyard at Hillyland in Scotland, Connecticut, from 2:00 through 4:00 p.m. There will also be an antique car cruise and live music – I also heard there might be a food truck!!
Come to Hillyland and get your book signed, drink some delicious wine, view some interesting automobiles, listen to music, and have a fun-filled, Saturday afternoon. I will also have Vineyards Can Be Murder available for purchase as well as Reunions Can Be Murder and The Navarre Brotherhood.
Read below for the press release.
I hope to see you there!!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 6, 2021| Windham, CT
Visit www.TammyWunsch.com for contact details, review copies, photos, and an author bio.
On Saturday, September 11, 2021, there will be an official Book Launch Celebration for a novel published by local author, Tammy Wunsch. The event will take place from 2:00 p.m. through 4:00 p.m. at The Vineyard at Hillyland, located at 75 Murphy Hill Road in Scotland, CT. At the event, you can meet the author, have your book personally signed, enter to win a beautiful prize, and receive some book swag. Books will also be available for purchase. For more enjoyment, there will also be an antique car cruise and live music!
Inspired by her love of vineyards – and a love of wine – author Tammy Wunsch continues her Wine Tasting Mystery Series in which Kat and her friends are hot on the trail of clues in the death of Milano Vineyards’ enigmatic vineyard manager. Kat is busy in her new job at the vineyard and needs to search for the killer before he – or she – strikes again. She also needs to probe her relationship with Marco and Chance, plan a wine tasting, and decide when to harvest the grapes – all in a day’s work! If you’ve ever suffered through the pitfalls of learning the ropes on a new job, you will relate to Kat’s trials and tribulations in her new position in which she often ends up covered in wine.
Kat Snow finally feels like she fits in after returning to her hometown, the fictional town of Harmony, just north of Boston. She has an expanded circle of friends and two handsome men vying for her attention. She’s still reeling from being forcibly retired from the Boston Police Department after a meth addict’s vicious attack left her partially disabled, disgruntled, and at her wit’s end. Her best friends, Syd and Ricky, along with Amelia, Sunny, Marco, and Chance, have helped ease her transition back to small-town living. Kat has also managed to find murder nd mayhem – along with delicious wine!
Join the author for snacks and swag. There will also be an antique car cruise and live music. Bring a chair, drink some wine, and support a local vineyard at the “Vineyards Can Be Murder: A Wine Tasting Mystery Series” book launch and signing event. You are certain to enjoy this action-packed, wine-filled whodunit that will keep you guessing until the end. Readers of this book have expressed great enthusiasm for the project and avidly follow the Tammy Wunsch, Author Facebook page.
“Vineyards Can Be Murder” by Tammy Wunsch
Softcover|6 x 9 in|294 pages|ISBN 978-1639444199
E-book|294 pages|ASIN B096D4TSJB
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and TammyWunsch.com
© 2023 Tammy Wunsch
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