Don’t Turn a Blind Eye on Double Blind

Don’t Turn a Blind Eye on Double Blind

Listen, there is nothing better than a fall night in with a page-turning mystery. Double Blind: The Icelandic Manuscript Murders is a crime, whodunit, novel packed with forensic and genetic science. But, that’s not all, it also intertwines the history and geography of Iceland. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind book that cannot be missed. So we decided to chat with Sara Winokur, a Ph.D molecular geneticist, and get the inside story on her fantastic novel.

Here is the captivating book description:

A young boy disappears in the chill of North Iceland. Twenty years later, a mysterious poem lands on the desk of his twin sister Brynja, a forensic geneticist, and rekindles her hopes that her brother might be alive. As Brynja unravels the clues, more poems arrive, each bearing dire consequences for those who receive them: the guard of the medieval manuscript of Icelandic sagas that possibly has the answer to her burning question, the prime minister’s secretary, the local pastor.

Is the poet out to stop Brynja from finding her brother and shut down her access to the DNA database? Or is the verse maker simply a psychopath copycat killer?

Fighting the visual auras that have plagued her since childhood and now threaten everything she holds dear, Brynja must summon the strength to navigate the twisted labyrinth of the poet’s mind and confront the dark secret buried in her family’s past.

“DOUBLE BLIND: The Icelandic Manuscript Murders” is a wild ride through the cultural landscape of Iceland, from rural farmsteads to icy fjords to the high-tech world of DNA forensics. This crime thriller packed with twists and turns will keep you at the edge of your seat until the very end.

Q Tell us about your book in 5 bullet points or less

Mystery-thriller about young female forensic geneticist

Total immersion in all things Iceland (grab your sweater)!

Beware of seemingly harmless plant-based foods. . .

Q Can you tell us 3 fun facts about you?

I’ve explored every continent

I have a photographic memory

I have a morbid fear of elevators (that actually isn’t fun)

Q Can you tell us 3 fun facts about your main character?

  •                She’s a DNA scientist
  •                She has a perceptual disorder called Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
  •                She never gives up

Q Where is your favorite place to write?

               Have laptop, will travel (i.e., anywhere)

Q Which celebrity would most enjoy reading your book?

               Reese Witherspoon (are you listening, Reese?)

Q What is your favorite passage of your book?

               A colony of gulls soared high above, carrying with them the last traces of the Blue Hour, that time of day when the sky meets the sea and becomes not air and water, not wind and waves, not the path of the sun nor the road of the whale, but the light in which the two become one, the light in which the past fades into the future and gives way to the present.

Q What is your dream vacation?

               Hiking in Patagonia and sleeping under the stars

Rapid Fire Questions and Answers:

Q Morning person or night owl?

Morning person

Q Netflix or Hulu?

               Hulu

Q Winter or Summer?

               Winter

Q 4th of July or Halloween?

               Halloween

Q The Library or a coffee shop?

               Coffee shop

Q High heels or sneakers?

               Sneakers

Q The ability to fly or invisibility?

               Fly

Q Margarita’s or Wine?

               Margaritas

Q Justin Timberlake or Justin Bieber?

               Timberlake

Q Coffee or tea?

               Coffee

Order your copy on Double Blind on Amazon today!

The Perfect Revenge: The Next Hot Saga

The Perfect Revenge: The Next Hot Saga

Releasing October 20th, The Perfect Revenge has us counting down the days until its big reveal. This contemporary women’s fiction is part one of The Dragonfly Rises saga. The reader follows main character, Zoey. We see her grow from a scared child to a serious tough cookie as she takes matters into her own hands. This book is thrilling to read and is jammed packed with romance, street justice, drama and more. So, here’s the inside scoop about The Perfect Revenge.

What makes your book series un-put-down-able?

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The main character is highly relatable, and readers will be eager to find out how she’s overcome the tough challenges she’s faced—as well as discover ever-emerging secrets about her past.

What is something interesting/cool/unbelievable you discovered while researching your book?


I patterned most of the characters in this book after real people I’ve met down through the years. The book’s central villain is a textbook narcissist, as well as a complete obsessionist, alcoholic, and (sometimes) what’s known as a “dry drunk.” As I delved deeper into these particular textbooks, I also climbed into the mind, heart, and soul of this neurotic character, which was a frightening place to be.

If you could give your book to one singer/musician, who would it be and why?


I’d choose Pink. She’s powerful and ever-ready to take a stand for what she believes in—like Zoey. The lyrics to one of her newest songs, “Hurts 2B Human,” capture Zoey’s fierce bond with herself and with those she holds dear: “You know I’d have your back…”

If your book was turned into a film/TV show, who would you tap to play the lead(s)? Why?


Zoey:
Anna Kendrick, because she can be shy and hopeless but at the same time demonstrate incredible strength.
Amy Adams, or Karen Gillan, or Rachel McAdams—all have the ability to transform from the girl-next-door who’s completely unaware of her potential, to a badass who can defeat powerful enemies.
Max:
Ray Liotta, because he can act charming while completely slimy and vicious inside.
Bryan Cranston, because can deliver a dominating presence and be extreme in the characters weaknesses.

Tell us something about you that no one else knows.


I was once kicked out of a straight-laced writer’s group for my work being too “racy.”

What three books are on your To Be Read list this summer?


What Is a Girl Worth?: My Story of Breaking the Silence and Exposing the Truth about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics by Rachel Denhollander

Devoted by Dean Koontz

The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins

Recommend a book that is similar to yours. If people like X, then they’ll love your book because…

The late Steig Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo shares heat and color with The Perfect Revenge, bothreplete with intrigue and power and violence and abuse and global finances and eroticism. The Perfect Revenge takes the reader further inside, however, as it’s told from the first-person viewpoint of the female lead. It’s Zoey’s story told by Zoey.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?


Research regarding Zoey’s biggest secret, to be revealed in Book 2.

What was the most rewarding part of writing your book?


The opportunity to inspire women to find empowerment and take control of their lives, and then to use their influence to drive society in a more positive direction.

What book made you cry and why?


The Color Purple—so many women throughout history have suffered in heinous situations against which they were powerless. That list includes my own mother, which is the driving force behind this project.

What is the second line on the 42nd page of your book?


But any time he was gone was precious to that scared eleven-year-old.”

What is the core message you want to deliver to the world through your writing/books/stories?


No matter how bad your situation, or traumatic your past, you can turn your life around and achieve self-fulfillment. I know this firsthand and have witnessed such transformation by women with much worse childhoods than my own.

Rapid Fire Questions

James Bond or Laura Croft?
Laura Croft, of course

Meat or Veggies?
Both

Skinny dipping or mountain climbing?
Skinny dipping

Formal attire or yoga pants and a hoodie?
Neither

Horseback riding or ATV?
Horseback

Kanye West or Taylor Swift?
Taylor Swift

Kittens or puppies?
Baby tigers

Ninja or pirates?
Ninja

Reading or writing?
Writing

Alice in Wonderland or Lord of the Flies?
Lord of the Flies

Coachella or Broadway?
Broadway

Chess or Fortnight?
Chess

Invisibility or mind reading?
Mind reading

London or Istanbul?
London

Miley or Selena?
I take the fifth

E.L. James or J.K. Rowling?
A potent combination

Make sure to pre-order your copy of The Perfect Revenge now!

Author J.M. Kelly has Published the Next Big Mystery Series For All Ages

Author J.M. Kelly has Published the Next Big Mystery Series For All Ages

After working with school aged kids for the last 35 years, J.M. Kelly wrote the next big book series for children and young adults. The Bobby Homes Mystery Series is the Harry Potter for the next generation. The first book, The Lost Treasure, and the second book, Monster on the Moors are available now. Readers can’t get enough and compare it to Sherlock Holmes meets Stranger Things.

As one reviewer says, ” “This book was creepy and thrilling and totally enthralling. I felt like I was there in person and shivered multiple times though out reading this book. Kelly does an amazing job setting the scene and making this world seem real. Couldn’t get enough.” — Erin Haggerty, NetGalley

Here’s more about J.M. Kelly in our exclusive interview:

Q. If you could give your book to one celebrity, who would it be and why?

A. An obvious choice would be Stephen King, for he is the master of the macabre. But, as I often see a strong correlation between books and film when I read, I’d like to provide a copy to Guillermo Del Toro, Sam Raimi, and Jordan Peale, all of whom bring horror to life in unique ways.

Q. Who is your biggest writing inspiration?

A. My wife, hands down. For the sole reason of her unequivocal support.

Q. Give us the scoop about your book.

A. Monster on the Moors is a horror thriller that takes place in the eerie North York Moors of England. Clairvoyant Bobby Holmes, his American cousin Brenda Watson, and their friends, wise guy Stevie and Michael (who is challenged by Asperger Syndrome), are drawn into a deadly mystery. They are hunted by an ancient wolf creature controlled by evil witches of British lore. When one of their friends is captured, they must rely on the investigations of a librarian who is more than he seems, the mystical gifts of a gypsy king, a mysterious stranger at the center of it all, and their own wits in a desperate race to save their friend and come out alive.

Q. Can you tell us three fun facts about you?

J.M. Kelly

A. I’m the second oldest of ten children. I spent 35 years in education as a middle school teacher and a school Principal. I started my writing career after my education career and have since written three novels and one professional book.

Q. If your book was turned into a film/TV show, who would you tap to play the lead(s)? Why?

A. Not my call and wouldn’t have a clue. I’d leave that to the professionals, although I’d have to say, Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher was a huge mistake.

Q. What’s one secret about you that you’ll share with the world?

A. I sustained a spinal cord injury at the age of 37 that left me an incomplete quad. Nonetheless, I received the NJ State Principal and Supervisor’s award for Principal of the Year for Inspirational Leadership in 2007, and have enjoyed my entire writing career since.

Q. What is the core message you want to deliver to the world through your writing/books/stories?

A. Never give up and respect and enjoy our differences. Another important message is to suffer the children…they know stuff adults long ago closed their eyes to.

Rapid Fire Questions and Answers

Q. Morning person or night owl?

A. Morning person, always.

Q. Reading or writing?

A. Reading, you need it to be a good writer.

Q. Kittens or puppies?

A. Dogs, dogs, dogs


Q. The city or the country?

A. Country.


Q. Road trip or Cruise ship?

A. Road trip, for the possibilities.

Q. Wine or beer?


A. Wine.


Q. Karaoke or bowling?

A. Neither.


Q. The ability to fly or invisibility?

A. Flying.

Q. Selfie or group photo?

A. Group, more fun.


Q. Love story or scary story?

A. Scary all the way.


Q. Bacon or Tofu?

A. Is that even a choice? Bacon.