Quirky Essays on free promo :-)

Are you having a bad day? Then my award-winning (!) humorous book "Quirky Essays for Quirky People" is just what the doctor ordered--and it's on free promo from 8/4-8/8! Check it out here:

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Quirky-Essays-People-Complete-Collection-ebook/dp/B00KC7BNNY/ref=sr_1_13?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1501872885&sr=1-13&keywords=barbara+Venkataraman

Blurb:

For the first time, all in one place, the award-winning books, "A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities," and "I'm Not Talking About You, Of Course," PLUS seven bonus essays. What a collection! If this doesn't make you smile, then you're not even trying.

"A Trip to the Hardware Store"
These humorous essays explore such quirky topics as: disastrous home repairs, ("A Trip to the Hardware Store"), an unfortunate dinner party ("Dinner is Served"), the truth about lazy people ("Lazy Bones"), the weird life of a debt collector ("Your Account is Past Due") and obsessions with gadgets ("Gadget Girl"). Other essays examine how surreal the aging process is ("Where Did the Time Go?"), why you shouldn't judge a person by their job ("Beyond Belief"), and how to complicate simple transactions ("High Finance"). 

"I'm Not Talking About You, Of Course"
A collection of humorous insights into important topics ranging from annoying pet people ("I'm Not Talking About You, Of Course"), to analyzing your inner child ("Irrational Fears"), to living like the Amish in the aftermath of a hurricane ("A Jolt of Electricity"). Other essays examine just how much damage can be caused by a sneeze ("It All Started with a Loud Sneeze"), why it is so complicated to buy a tube of toothpaste ("Ask Me No Questions"), how a parent's obsessive hobbies can become an inescapable vortex ("Crazy Hobbies"), and why spending the night in a sleep clinic is like being abducted by probing aliens ("Nightmare at the Sleep Clinic").

If you don't see yourself in each of these entertaining essays, then I'm not talking about you, of course.

Map Your Mystery Blog :-)

So, I found this cool blog called "Map Your Mystery" that organizes cozy mysteries geographically and I thought "What a fun idea!"

I contacted Christine (because it's her blog, lol) and she graciously agreed to read and review my Jamie Quinn box set. I'm happy to report that she liked it and wrote a lovely review:  http://mapyourmystery.blogspot.com/2017/08/jamie-quinn-mystery-collection.html?spref=fb

I highly recommend her blog. Here's the description:

About the Blog

The setting of a mystery book may not be as important as the clues surrounding the mystery, but in cozy mysteries, it adds to the flavor. Speaking of flavor, there are many, many cozy mysteries with all types of businesses as the central focus - bake shop, knitters shops, libraries, charmed bakeries and so much more. The businesses as well as their location make for a fun read.

My plan with this blog is to take you on a tour of the United States (at first) and plot out where your favorite mysteries are set. Maybe you will find a mystery you have not read or a business you might want to own yourself.

If you have a favorite book or a location you would like to recommend, please email me at mapyourmystery@gmail.com. If the book is one of a series, make sure you send the title of the first in the series. I'm like that - need to read from the beginning of the series.