Flower Power Trip - A Visit with Dr.Myriam Castle & A Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Dr. Myriam Castle to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find her on the pages of the Braxton Campus Mystery series by James J. Cudney. FLOWER POWER TRIP is the third book in the series and was released last month.

For those of you who do not know me, I am the Chair of the Communications Department at Braxton College. I’m somewhere in my 50s and married to the love of my life, Ursula Power, who just happens to be the new president at our fine institution. I did nothing to help her get the job, she earned it fully on her own. I also work for one of the deans, that nasty Ed Mulligan, who I will overthrow one day in a much-needed coup. That’s just the kind of woman I am… I remove obstacles whenever they get in my way. I’ll remove you if I need to, as well, so don’t get too comfortable.

Yes, I’m direct. I was taught to be so by my parents. My upbringing is not something you need know more about, so pipe down and let me finish speaking. The world of Shakespeare is perhaps the most untapped resource on solving the variety of problems we encounter in life. Whether it’s an aging King Lear whose sanity is questioned, or an insane man—aren’t they all?—like Hamlet whose sanity should’ve been questioned sooner, this canon of literature guides my life. So it should yours.

For instance, when someone accuses your wife of murder, look to the Fool who appeared in many of the Bard’s finest plays. My Fool is Kellan Ayrwick. He works for me, and it is my duty and responsibility to make that man work as hard as possible. I see him as a worthy opponent in some ways but also as comic relief in others. When I’ve had a rough day, all I need to do is threaten to assign him the worst classes (basic grammar for freshmen) or make him repeatedly re-write a syllabus until I ultimately choose the original one he first drafted.

Shakespeare taught me to dangle people from your fingertips like a marionette show. Kellan moves when I tell him to move. The Fool does everything his master demands. Life at Braxton can often be difficult. We have parents to satiate. We have young minds to cultivate. We have donors to educate… about why they should give us money. I simply ensure these things are done with clear direction and tone and the precise amount of fear. Please don’t tell Kellan, but he’s actually quite good at his job. It’s just that he’s such a ninny and a thorn in my side, I can’t let him know I might like him.

I’ve digressed more than intended, so let me get back to the point. Ursula’s found herself in a spot of trouble with Flower Power Trip. Although I’m confident she could extricate herself with minimal trouble, she needs to oversee the college. Kellan will be leading the investigation to clear her name, and I confess, it won’t be easy. There’s that bloody knife, that unfortunate lab experiment from years ago, the explosion that might’ve changed things not for the better, and then, as you’ll undoubtedly notice from the beginning of the story, that stalker who won’t leave my wife alone. When Kellan’s done his job properly, I’ll exact my own revenge on the evil man behind the mask. Don’t test me!

One last thing before I let you go… about this Flower Power Trip… I did not ever harness the power of a flower during those tragic Hippie days of the past. I might’ve grown up in that decade, but I was not one of those people. You’ll find quite a few hidden clues in the title of this book to help you realize who spent their youth squandering it on grass. Good luck in your endeavors, I’m confident you’ll need it.

Myriam

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Flower Power Trip (Braxton Campus Mysteries) by James J. Cudney

About the Book

 

Flower Power Trip (Braxton Campus Mysteries) 

Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series 

Creativia (March 30, 2019)  

Print Length: 270 pages 

At a masquerade ball to raise money for renovations to Memorial Library, Kellan finds a dead body dressed in a Dr. Evil costume.

Did one of Maggie’s sisters kill the annoying guest who’d been staying at the Roarke and Daughters Inn, or does the victim have a closer connection to someone else at Braxton College?

As Kellan helps school president Ursula bury a secret from her past and discover the identity of her stalker, he unexpectedly encounters a missing member of his family. Everything seems to trace back to the Stoddards: a new family who recently moved in.

Between the murder, a special flower exhibit and strange postcards arriving each week, Kellan can’t decide which mystery in his life should take priority. But unfortunately, the biggest one of all has yet to be exposed - and when it is, Kellan won’t know what hit him.

About the Author

James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College with a degree in English literature. I spent fifteen years building a technology career in the retail, sports, media, and entertainment industries. I enjoyed my job, but a passion for books and stories had been missing for far too long. I’m a voracious reader in my favorite genres (thriller, suspense, contemporary, mystery, and historical fiction), as books transport me to a different world where I can immerse myself in so many fantastic cultures and places. I’m an avid genealogist who hopes to visit all the German, Scottish, Irish, and British villages my ancestors emigrated from in the 18th and 19th centuries. I frequently blog and publish book reviews on everything I read at ThisIsMyTruthNow via WordPress.

Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind, and my body. I decided to pursue my passion by dusting off the creativity inside my head and drafting outlines for several novels. I quickly realized I was back in my element growing happier and more excited with life each day. My goal in writing is to connect with readers who want to be part of great stories and who enjoy interacting with authors. To get a strong picture of who I am, check out my author website or my blog. It’s full of humor and eccentricity, sharing connections with everyone I follow—all in the hope of building a network of friends across the world.

When I completed the first book, Watching Glass Shatter, I knew I’d stumbled upon my passion again, suddenly dreaming up characters, plots, and settings all day long. I chose my second novel, Father Figure, through a poll on my blog where I let everyone vote for their favorite plot and character summaries. It is with my third book, Academic Curveball,, the first in the Braxton Campus Mysteries, where I immersed myself in a college campus full of so much activity, I could hardly stop thinking about new murder scenes or character relationships to finish writing the current story. Come join in the fun!

List of Books & Blog Watching Glass Shatter (October 2017) Father Figure (April 2018)  
Braxton Campus Mysteries Academic Curveball – #1 (October 2018) Broken Heart Attack – #2 (November 2018) Flower Power Trip – #3 (Early 2019)  

Websites & Blog Website: https://jamesjcudney.com  
Blog: https://thisismytruthnow.com  
Social Media Links Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/James-J.-Cudney/e/B076B6PB3M/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
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Purchase Link - Amazon

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