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Stay tuned for WHISKEY, LARGE

Coming soon (Launch Date~July 15): Book #7 in the humorous Whiskey Mattimoe Mystery Series. Here's what you're waiting for . . .

Whiskey, Large
by Nina Wright

Nine months pregnant, real estate broker Whiskey Mattimoe is literally living large. She needs a driver now and a nanny very soon. Magnet Springs is re-branding itself as a pet-friendly vacation destination, and the transition is bumpy. Someone is shooting at unleashed dogs, including Whiskey's own escape artist Abra. The shooter could be a disgruntled resident, a crazed tourist, or someone closer to home. More important, why doesn't Whiskey's husband answer his cell phone? Who's going to drive her to the hospital when her water breaks?

What You Don’t Expect When You’re Expecting

When you're expecting your first child any day now, you don’t expect to deal with . . .

A femme fatale French bulldog who likes designer clothes cut down to size
A diva Afghan hound with a penchant for escape and sexual escapades
A musician husband who fails to tell you he’s recording with the hottest girl group around
A mother who tracks your every move with her smart phone’s spy app
A grandmotherly chauffeur who wants to hand-feed you
A hometown that’s re-branding itself as a pet-friendly resort
A trusted worker who might be a corporate spy
An arson investigator who may not exist
A social media account designed to destroy you

And I haven’t even mentioned the double murder. Or the rumors about your unfortunate incarceration. Or the fact that you’re due to deliver, and you’ve never even changed a diaper; the good news is your husband’s French bulldog will let you practice on her.

Thirty-eight weeks pregnant, Whiskey Mattimoe must deal with all that and much more in Whiskey, Large, the 7^th book in the series.

Whiskey Mattimoe meets the Wall Street Journal

One afternoon about two weeks ago, just before I left my office, I opened my email and spotted this subject line in the long list of unread messages:

Wall Street Journal article

The sender was someone named Tanaka, Sanette.

Between the unknown sender and the unlikely subject line, I decided the message was spam. My cursor hovering over the “delete” tab, I was poised to click when a tiny voice in my head said, “What the hell. Open it.”

So I did.

The email contained a credible-sounding invitation for a Wall Street Journal interview from Ms. Tanaka, a real estate reporter. She said she was writing an article about novelists with backgrounds in real estate who now write fictional characters working in real estate. Her research had led her to Whiskey Mattimoe and me.

Two days later Ms. Tanaka and I had a delightful half-hour conversation followed by a shorter chat the following week. Although I had been interviewed many times about my books and plays—not to mention the fact that I interview people in my work as a journalist—I was thrilled to be part of a story in the world’s most widely read newspaper.

I never dreamed that my diverse (to put it nicely) professional background would attract the attention of the Wall Street Journal. Rather than tell you today what Ms. Tanaka and I discussed, I urge you to pick up a copy of the February 22, 2013 edition of the paper and read her well-written piece.

If you're an online Wall Street Journal subscriber, you can read it here.

If you're not a subscriber, Google

"real estate truth in fiction" wall street journal

Excerpt: Nina Wright, author of six mystery novels featuring real-estate agent and sleuth Whiskey Mattimoe, says she often embellishes absurd situations to suit her series. In real life, Ms. Wright, who lives in Oakland County, Mich., found out that one of her tenants was running an underground day-care service. In the fourth book, "Whiskey and Water," agent Mattimoe discovers that her tenant is operating an illegal adoption ring.

"There are so many things that can go wrong in real estate," says Ms. Wright. "I've bought and sold a lot of properties, but I haven't seen a single transaction where there aren't colossal screw-ups."

Speaking of potential screw-ups. here's what I learned from this experience: Think twice before dumping the contents of your in-box.

Frenchies Can Be Femme Fatales

That's French bulldogs we're talking about, as in the new canine nemesis of Abra the Afghan hound in Whiskey and Soda. You heard me! A certain Frenchie named after a popular American film star has the boy dogs in Magnet Springs standing at attention.

To order Whiskey and Soda as a trade paperback, click here if you like to shop Amazon, or here if you prefer B&N. Of course, if you have a Kindle or Nook, you can start reading in under a minute.

In the meantime, here's photographic proof that Frenchies can be femme fatales--or make somebody think they are. Yes, costumes help. Now you know what's making Abra mad!

Changing Up the Canine Roster

It’s an established fact that I am smitten by sight hounds, particularly that regal yet comical creature called the Afghan hound. But I’ve been known to share my life with—and deeply love—a few other kinds of dogs. So, before I started writing the latest Whiskey Mattimoe novel, Whiskey and Soda (due out in time for Summer Beach Reading!), I reviewed my canine cast of characters.

Abra the Afghan hound: the original Bad Girl of dog fiction, she’s a blonde diva (who looks remarkably like Sarah Jessica Parker in profile) prone to steal shiny objects and seduce studly canines.

Officer Roscoe: a dignified, expertly trained German shepherd; one of only two full-time cops in Magnet Springs, Michigan.

Mooney the “Rott hound”: a Rottweiler/bloodhound mix who can track and defend. And drool.

Norman the Golden: a trained therapy dog; also the accidental though “permanent” spouse (i.e., soul mate) of Abra the Afghan hound despite her filandering ways; father of Prince Harry the Pee Master.

Prince Harry the Pee Master: illegitimate though much-loved spawn of Abra the Afghan hound and Norman the Golden; Chester has almost mastered Prince Harry’s incontinence.

Velcro: Whiskey prefers to avoid this needy teacup shih tzu/poodle mix, or as she calls him, a “shitz-a-poo.” Velcro lives with Chester although his mother Cassina doesn’t know it. Thankfully, there are servants to bribe and many rooms to hide a dog in over at The Castle.

Okay, so what do five out of the six canines above have in common, aside from the fact that Whiskey Mattimoe isn’t skilled at handling them? Except for Abra, every one of those hounds is male. That’s why I decided to bring a female into the new book. Well, that was one reason. I wanted to see what would happen if hot-to-trot Abra suddenly found herself with a rival for the boys’ affections. Would she step up her game? Would she start a girl fight? Would she find a strong ally in her oft-conflicted human, Whiskey? All of the above turn out to be true, but you’ll need to read the new book to find out how and why –and also how funny!

Where We Began: A Look Back at Whiskey #1

In my most recent post, I promised readers a brief look back at the first five Whiskey Mattimoe mysteries and then a sneak-peek at the brand new book, Whiskey and Soda, due out next month.

So, for those of you who haven't read the series in a while, or who haven't read it yet, here's a quick recap of the very first Whiskey Mattimoe mystery, Whiskey on the Rocks:

Still reeling from her husband's sudden death, 33-year-old Whiskey Mattimoe has her hands full managing her real estate business and keeping track of Chester, the 8-year-old son of a touring pop music star. And then there's Abra, an Afghan hound with a diva attitude and a penchant for stealing designer purses.

When someone turns up dead at one of Whiskey's rental properties, the Magnet Springs part-time police force needs all the help it can get. This quiet Lake Michigan resort town is known for its mysterious magnetic fields, not murder, and the locals would like to keep it that way. At her own peril, Whiskey uncovers art theft, forgery, and some nasty dark secrets.

Bold and street smart, Whiskey can take care of herself--with the aid of an exceptionally well-trained "rott hound" who happens to have a crush on Abra. But to survive, she's got to untangle a web of deceit before it kills her business, and just possibly Whiskey, as well.

My publisher and I were delighted by critical responses to Whiskey on the Rocks:

A cozy series as satisfying as a fine single malt. --Publishers Weekly

Sprightly humor, delightful characters (including the animals), and a nicely mixed-up plot make this an entertaining debut. --Library Journal starred review

Getting the critics on your side is important, but it's what readers say or post online that matters most. I'm thrilled to answer questions about the series. Most often readers want to know what inspires me to write about (a) a woman who can't control her dog, and (b) a dog like Abra, specifically, a felonious Afghan hound with an unbridled libido.

Is Whiskey like me? Is Abra like any dog I've ever shared my life with? The answers, as you might expect, are a combination of yes and no--which is why they call what I make fiction.

I once shared a house with a woman who thought she "owned" an Afghan hound, the most glorious, graceful, gravity-defying breed of dog I've ever met. Many years later, while living in rural Michigan, I rescued a pregnant scent hound; she reserved her slavish affection for my ex, who never cared for her. That hound also had a predilection for running away and getting into mounds of trouble, which I single-handedly sorted out time and again. Combining those canine experiences with a healthy dash of narrative imagination yielded Whiskey Mattimoe and Abra the Afghan hound.

My abiding love for the west coast of Michigan is also a feature of this series. Many of my happiest days so far have been spent on the beaches and in the quaint towns that line the greatest of Great Lakes. So imagine my delight in realizing that the newest Whiskey Mattimoe book will be available in print and digital formats just in time for beach season! I highly recommend Michigan's dunes and resort towns. If you can't get there in reality, I hope you'll visit via my fiction.

Coming up: Where Whiskey has been, and where she's going. . . . .

Finally: WHISKEY AND SODA (May 2012)

You’ve waited almost three years for it, and here it comes at last. Whiskey and Soda, Book #6 in the humorous Whiskey Mattimoe mystery series, will be out in both print and ebook formats at the end of May. I want to personally thank my loyal readers for letting me know that they wanted more Whiskey. Cheers!
Update: Whiskey and Soda is now being served. To order it as a trade paperback (available only at Amazon), please click here. Or you can start reading it today on your Kindle. Ebook versions are coming soon to Nook and Kobo.

For a recap of the previous five books, you can either check my website or tune in here again soon for blog entries that highlight Whiskey’s many misadventures. I’ll guide you in a jaunty stroll down Memory Lane—or should I say, Broken Arrow Highway—with Abra the Afghan hound, plus assorted friends and felons from Magnet Springs, Michigan. Of course, Whiskey would not approve. She is the self-proclaimed Queen of Denial, preferring to forget she even has a dog, let alone one with a criminal record and an unleashed libido.

You might prefer to check your personal bookshelf or your local library for the previous five titles. If so,here they are in order: (#1) Whiskey on the Rocks, (#2) Whiskey Straight Up, (#3) Whiskey and Tonic, (#4) Whiskey and Water, (#5) Whiskey with a Twist.

The next time I post, I promise to whet your appetite for Whiskey and Soda with a preview of the new book. Until then, here’s my toast to my readers: May you always have a dog to hug and lots of reasons to laugh. Thanks again for requesting another Whiskey.

FREE Links for Apps to Download Ebooks!

With Ampichellis Ebooks, I'm working to make my books available digitally to as many readers as possible. Don't have a Kindle or Nook? Not a problem! Here are links for free application software so that you can read all the Whiskey Mattimoe (as well as my paranormal Homefree series) books on your computer or smart phone:

Kindle app for PC

http://tinyurl.com/6l9fpg4

Kindle app for mac

http://tinyurl.com/yk4vcw7

Barnes and Noble Nook for PC

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/nook-for-pc/379002322

Barnes and Novel Nook for mac

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/free-nook-apps/379002321/

Free Kobo ap for PC or mac

http://kobobooks.com/desktop

Want to read novels on your smart phone?

Android Phone

http://tinyurl.com/2bwt7j8

Iphone

http://tinyurl.com/2d342hv

Where to Find Whiskey Mattimoe Mysteries!

Hello, Readers! Yes, finally--I'm writing the sixth Whiskey Mattimoe Mystery, due out next year. Thanks for your interest in what's happening to Whiskey and her Afghan hound Abra in Magnet Springs, Michigan.

Meanwhile, you can buy the first five Whiskey Mattimoe mysteries as economical ebooks--on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and OmniLit. Scroll down for links to each title:

on Amazon

Whiskey and Water http://tinyurl.com/3g6pyzo

Whiskey on the Rocks http://tinyurl.com/3m54b4c

Whiskey and Tonic http://tinyurl.com/4yakvqy

Whiskey Straight Up http://tinyurl.com/3vmnpsd

Whiskey With a Twist http://tinyurl.com/3bgmfga

on Barnes & Noble

Whiskey and Water http://tinyurl.com/3jufag6

Whiskey on the Rocks http://tinyurl.com/3qy5jdw

Whiskey and Tonic http://tinyurl.com/3gtathr

Whiskey Straight Up http://tinyurl.com/3lz9hvw

Whiskey With a Twist http://tinyurl.com/3ojjekw

at Kobo Bookstore

Whiskey and Water http://tinyurl.com/44xzhss

Whiskey on the Rocks http://tinyurl.com/3bs3kmc

Whiskey and Tonic http://tinyurl.com/3zq7dt3

Whiskey Straight Up http://tinyurl.com/3rnr7cx

Whiskey With a Twist http://tinyurl.com/3gpgqls

at OmniLit Bookstore

Whiskey and Water http://www.omnilit.com/product-whiskeyandwater-543195-237.html

Whiskey on the Rocks http://www.omnilit.com/product-whiskeyontherocks-521424-237.html

Whiskey and Tonic http://www.omnilit.com/product-whiskeyandtonic-521426-237.html

Whiskey Straight Up http://www.omnilit.com/product-whiskeystraightup-521425-237.html

Whiskey With A Twist http://www.omnilit.com/product-whiskeywithatwist-571794-237.html

It's a Birthday Interview!

Hey, check out my birthday interview on the Writers Who Kill blog!

More…

Nina Wright's Page

Profile Information

Hometown:: Currently Shopping for a New Hometown

About Me:: Novelist, playwright, dog and cat lover. Please note: I'm much better with kids and animals than my fictional protagonist, Whiskey Mattimoe.

I also write for younger readers.

Website:: http://www.ninawright.net

Books And Authors I Like:: Almost anything by Ruth Rendell, P.D. James, James Lee Burke, Sharyn McCrumb, William G. Tapply--and so many others. Since I also write juvenile fiction, I read a lot of novels for younger readers. M.T. Anderson is one of my fave writers for that market.

Movies And TV Shows I Like:: Movies: Babel, Crash, Stranger than Fiction (every writer's gotta love that one!), Weather Man, Cache, Life Aquatic, Wedding Crashers, Defending Your Life, Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, Casablanca