Thursday, March 21, 2013

LET'S GET COZY! CURSE OF THE PTA: A PREVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED 
CURSE OF THE PTA
A PTA Mystery
BY LAURA ALDEN
ABOUT THE BOOK:
As the new PTA president, Beth Kennedy wants to make a difference in the lives of the students and faculty at Tarver Elementary. But with a killer on the loose, staying alive is the first order of business...

With the book sales from their Story Project, the PTA has come into some money. Now they just have to decide how to spend it. With different factions vying for their own interests, Beth brings in financial consultant Dennis Halpern. But before they can come to a resolve, Dennis comes to his final end—shot to death right in the school.

With the doors to the building unlocked, virtually anyone could have done the deed. And they soon discover that Dennis had plenty of secrets. Now locals are whispering that the PTA is cursed, and it’s up to Beth to catch the killer before she gets cashed out.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR IN HER OWN WORDS:
I grew up in Grand Haven, Michigan, where I spent summers picking blueberries and winters falling down on skis.

In the early 80’s I graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in geology. While my pursuit of the degree was interesting, a knowledge of how biaxial crystals behave in convergent polarized light has proven completely useless in my various careers. Ah, well.

Except for a year spent in Connecticut, I’ve lived in Michigan all my life. Currently, I live on a lake with my husband and two cats. Which means I now spend winters and summers falling down on skis.

My Life as a Writer

Once upon a time, I won an elementary school poetry contest. The prize was getting up in front of the entire school to read my poem aloud. If the intention was to frighten me from publicly admitting I wrote, it worked like a charm.

The B minus in my college creative writing class didn’t help.

Despite a lifetime of rapacious reading, writing my own novel didn’t occur to me until the ripe old age of thirty seven. I’d just left a management job and taken a position in which I had very few responsibilities. Within two months, I was writing daily, devouring books on writing, soaking up Julia Cameron’s three pages a day advice and following Robert Ray’s schedule in The Weekend Novelist.

A year later, I had a novel in hand — a romance with elements of mysticism. I told the tale of Cinderella after the ball. I wrote of disparate cultures and loneliness and hard-won joy. I wrote and wrote and wrote.
And it was rotten. But, hey, I’d finished a novel! And I don’t read that many romances, anyway. I chose that genre only because I thought it would be easier (hah!) than writing what I love to read. Mysteries.

So I wrote book number 2. A mystery. That, too, sucked. Not as badly as my failed romance, but a sucky book is a sucky book. Next!

(For books number 3 and 4, see above paragraph.)

Numbers 5 and 6, a thriller and a mainstream novel, do not suck. I have high hopes for both books. With any luck an agent and a publisher will think so, too.
SOME OTHER BOOKS BY LAURA ALDEN:
                               

 
GIVEAWAY
THANKS TO KAYLEIGH AND THE GOOD FOLKS

AT OBSIDIAN AND PENGUIN BOOKS,

I HAVE ONE COPY OF CURSE OF THE PTA,

TO GIVE AWAY TO A LUCKY READER
 
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
 

COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!


HOW TO ENTER:


+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU READ ABOVE ABOUT CURSE OF THE PTA THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS


+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG AND/OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK HERE AND LEAVE ME YOUR LINK


+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING AT LAURA ALDEN'S WEBSITE HERE 


+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE WAY YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG. IF YOU FOLLOW MORE THAN ONE WAY, YOU CAN COMMENT SEPARATELY AND EACH WILL COUNT AS AN ENTRY


+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON A CURRENT GIVEAWAY THAT YOU HAVE ENTERED ON MY BLOG. IF YOU ENTERED MORE THAN ONE, YOU MAY COMMENT SEPARATELY FOR EACH TO RECEIVE MORE ENTRIES
 
GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, APRIL 10
   GOOD LUCK!

160 comments:

  1. This sounds like a good cozy. I would like to see who did it.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am a email subscriber.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I entered wave.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am excited about this book because I loved the first book in the series,' Murder at the PTA'. Even more than the mystery, I loved the main character, Beth Kennedy. It was so easy to identify with her.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I tweeted:

    http://t.co/M3xurwUfQ5

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I read over her bio again on her website. I loved my one year of geology so I understand why that was her undergraduate major. Wonder if she has a rock and fossil collection like I do?

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I follow your blog with an e-mail subscription.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I follow your blog with Networked Blogs.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I follow your blog with a RSS feed on my IGoogle page.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I follow your blog with Twitter.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I follow your blog with Facebook.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I follow your blog with Twitter.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I follow your blog with Goggle Friends Connect.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I have read one of the previous books and would love to win.

    nlb1050@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. I entered the giveaway for "Alex Cross, Run".


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I folow via eamil.

    nlb1050@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I entered the giveaway for "Bowled Over".


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I entered the giveaway for "Reconstructing Amelia".


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  19. I entered the giveaway for "The 2nd Interenational Cookbook for Kid".


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I entered the giveaway for "Trouble in the Tarot".


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  21. I entered the giveaway for "Manuscript Found in Acra".


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I entered the giveaway for "Tempetuous".


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  23. I entered the giveaway for "A Week in Winter".


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  24. I entered the giveaway for "The Good, The Bad and The Witchy".


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  25. I entered the giveaway for "When She is Gone".


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  26. +5 March Facebook Bonue Entry

    #1

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  27. +5 March Facebook Bonue Entry

    #2

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  28. +5 March Facebook Bonue Entry

    #3

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  29. +5 March Facebook Bonue Entry

    #4

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  30. +5 March Facebook Bonue Entry

    #5

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  31. A great cozy. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  32. I entered Wave. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  33. I entered Alex Cross. Run. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  34. I entered reconstructing amelia. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  35. I entered Louder than words. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  36. I entered International cookbook for kids. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  37. I entered A Week in winter. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  38. I entered Trouble in the tarot. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  39. I entered A Fete worse than death. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  40. I entered Manuscript in Accra. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  41. I entered tempestuous. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  42. I entered When she was gone. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  43. I entered witchy. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  44. The author has written this series. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  45. This sounds unique. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  46. I have to read this author's books. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  47. I am an e-mail subscriber. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  48. Entered Tempestuous. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  49. Entered Wave. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  50. Entered A Week in winter. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  51. Entered A Fete worse than death. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  52. Entered Tarot. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  53. Entered International kids cookbook. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  54. Entered Bowled over. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  55. Entered Alex Cross, Run. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  56. Entered When she is gone. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  57. Entered Accra manuscript. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  58. Entered reconstructing amelia. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  59. Entered the good, the bad and the witchy. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  60. This is a wonderful series - one of my favorites!
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  61. I think that the PTA is something most of us can relate to---so this should be a fun book.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  62. I noticed on the author's website that she writes another cozy series under the name Laurie Cass that is about a bookmobile cat. I MUST find that series.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  63. I am an email subscriber.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  64. I follow on twitter as @Suekey12.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  65. I follow on Networked Blogs as Suzan Morrow Farrell.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  66. I follow on GFC as Suekey.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  67. I follow on facebook as Suzan Morrow Farrell.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  68. I follow on Google+ as Sue Farrell.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  69. March facebook +5 bonus - #1
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  70. March facebook +5 bonus - #2
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  71. March facebook +5 bonus - #3
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  72. March facebook +5 bonus - #4
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  73. March facebook +5 bonus - #5
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  74. I entered Alex Cross, Run.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  75. I entered Bowled Over.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  76. I entered Reconstructing Amelia.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  77. I entered Louder Than Words.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  78. I entered The 2nd International Cookbook for Kids.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  79. I entered Trouble in the Tarot.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  80. I entered Wave.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  81. I entered A Fete Worse Than Death.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  82. I entered Manuscript Found in Accra.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  83. I entered Tempestuous.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  84. I entered A Week in Winter.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  85. I entered The Good, The Bad, and the Witchy.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  86. I entered When She Was Gone.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  87. love this series!
    drakebdog@GMAIL.COM

    ReplyDelete
  88. follow via gfc
    drakebdog@GMAIL.COM

    ReplyDelete
  89. facebook follower 1
    drakebdog@GMAIL.COM

    ReplyDelete
  90. thank you for this giveaway!!
    already on my WishList!!

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  91. +5 March FB Bonus Points - #1

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  92. +5 March FB Bonus Points - #2

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  93. +5 March FB Bonus Points - #3

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  94. +5 March FB Bonus Points - #4

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  95. +5 March FB Bonus Points - #5

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  96. i follow via email........

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  97. i follow via FB........

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  98. i follow via GFC........

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  99. i entered A Fete Worse than Death giveaway.........

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  100. i entered The Good, The Bad & The Witchy giveaway.....

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  101. So many tales to tell at the PTA. I'd love to find out who killed poor Dennis. I wonder what his secrets were.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  102. Her next series is the bookmobile cat mysteries.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  103. I am a GFC follower

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  104. I am an RSS subscriber

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  105. I am an email subscriber

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  106. +5 March facebook
    3
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  107. +5 March facebook
    4
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  108. +5 March facebook
    5
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  109. I entered Big Sky River.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  110. love this series
    follow via gfc
    drakebdog@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  111. follow via gfc
    drakebdog@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  112. facebook 1
    follow via gfc
    drakebdog@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  113. facebook 2
    follow via gfc
    drakebdog@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  114. facebook 3
    follow via gfc
    drakebdog@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  115. facebook 4
    follow via gfc
    drakebdog@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  116. facebook 5
    follow via gfc
    drakebdog@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  117. I like these mysteries and it brings back memories of the PTA.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  118. +5 March facebook 2
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  119. +5 march facebook 3
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  120. +5 March facebook 3
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  121. GFC Follower
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  122. Sounds like a fun read!
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  123. Like you on Facebook
    (as AdrianeCoros)
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  124. I follow you on GFC
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  125. Entered A Fete Worse Than death
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  126. Entered A Week in Winter
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  127. Entered Trouble in the Tarot
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  128. Entered The Good, the bad, and the witchy
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  129. +5 March FB Bonus (1)
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  130. +5 March FB Bonus (2)
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  131. +5 March FB Bonus (3)
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  132. +5 March FB Bonus (4)
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  133. +5 March FB Bonus (5)
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  134. Love this series! Thanks for the info and chance to win.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  135. Email subscriber.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  136. Twitter follower.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  137. Entered A Mermaid in Brooklyn.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  138. +5 Swag.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  139. +5 Swag.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  140. +5 Swag.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  141. Entered The Good, the Bad, the Witchy.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  142. Nice to see from the pics on her site, that Laura had a Raggedy Ann very similar to mine growing up..
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  143. Entered Tempestuous.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  144. Entered A Week in Winter.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  145. Entered Exposure.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  146. Entered The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  147. I entered End Me a Tenor.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  148. Entered The House at the End of Hope Street.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  149. Entered Homicide Hustle.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  150. entered The Homicide Hustle giveaway

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  151. entered End Me a Tenor giveaway

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  152. I entered Exposure.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  153. I entered Making It.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  154. I entered The Mermaid of Brooklyn.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  155. I entered The Homicide Hustle.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  156. I entered And Then I Found You.
    suefarrell.farrell@ gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  157. I entered There Was An Old Woman.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  158. I entered The House at the End of Hope Street.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  159. I entered End Me a Tenor.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete