Launching Again in the Lei Crime Kindle World

What’s in Mrs. Hale’s Receipt for the Millions 1857?

Epic Launch on May 12th

For the third time in two years, I’m launching a new mystery novella in Toby Neal‘s Lei Crime Kindle World: Volcano House. It’s set on the Big Island and involves crime reporter Wendy Watanabe of KHIN2 News, her great-aunt, Auntie Bee Watanabe, a book club, and a missing manuscript of Robert Louis Stevenson.

When I was invited in January 2015 to be part of the original launch of the Lei Crime Kindle World, I had never written a mystery, let alone a novella before, but I did know about Hawaii. This latest launch involves 11 authors. For the first time, we are launching as a group with a little help from our friend, Amazon. For us, it’s a wonderful opportunity to get known. Some of the authors are new to this Kindle World, but a few are returning writers. Scott Bury is one of the original eight who launched with me into this engaging platform for writers.

Scott and I both write historical fiction, but he also writes in other genres. He also gives wonderful advice on writing. I thought it would be fun to introduce him to you, my readers.

Scott Bury, Writer and an All-around Booster for the Writer’s Life

Scott Bury admits that he can’t stay in one category. After a 20-year career in journalism, he turned to writing fiction. He has written children’s fiction, mysteries, historical magic realism, action thrillers, memoirs and erotic romance.

In between writing books and blog posts, Scott helped found an author’s cooperative publishing venture, Independent Authors International. He is also President of author’s professional association BestSelling Reads.

Here’s Scott’s excerpt from ECHOES. Take it away, Scott.

ECHOES Blurb

I am hopelessly in love with a memory. An echo from another time, another place.” — Michel Foucault

In 1999, the Kahuna was The Man on Oahu’s west coast. The coolest guy at the wildest parties, with the coolest posse, the best weed and the most beautiful girlfriend.

Then he disappeared.

Fifteen years later, that girlfriend is no longer a high school senior. She is FBI Special Agent Vanessa Storm, and she sees through every lie the Kahuna spins when he shows up again to beg her help.

How can she say no when the Kahuna wants her help not for himself, but to protect his little brother. Young Cole ‘Aukai is ready to set fire to the whole Oahu illegal drug trade—for revenge.

Vanessa was about to get up when someone startled her for the second time that day. “Oh, my god. It’s the Kahuna!” said a high, bright, girlish voice.

A heavy woman ran around the back of the minivan. Long dark hair, heavy framed glasses over small dark eyes, a loose blouse that did nothing to hide her weight, tight shorts over bare knees the color of mocha, and sensible, flat shoes. She ran up the walk to the cafe’s steps, stopping to gawk at Dylan. “Oh, my god,” she repeated, panting. “It must be more than 10 years since I saw you. No, longer. Fifteen? Oh, my gawd.” She took a ridiculously big purse off her shoulder and started shuffling through it. “You were, like, the coolest guy …” She found what she was searching for. A second later, her pudgy hand held a cell phone triumphantly.

“Wait a minnit,” Dylan said, holding a hand up, palm out.

“Come on, Kahuna, take a selfie with me,” she said.

Vanessa recognized her: Mele Acobo, a girl a few years younger than her, who had worked to make herself known throughout the Hamika Valley High School for her poetry and stories. She had had a huge crush on Dylan then, even though he must have been seven years her senior.

“No, no, no pictures,” Dylan protested, holding his hands in front of his face. “And stop calling me ‘Kahuna,’ okay? I’m here on the down-low.”

Mele lowered her cell phone, eyes widening. “Oh, I’m sorry. But Ka—I’m sorry, Dylan, you were the absolute coolest guy in high school, and … well, I’m sure you’ve been doing just fascinating things since you left town. I’d love to do a story about you for my ‘Personalities of Oahu’ series—”

“Hold on. What series?”

“Oh, I guess you don’t know. I’m the Associate Editor of the West Coast Tribune now.” She smiled, pride in her eyes.

“The what?” Dylan asked.

Vanessa answered. “The local newspaper here. Tell me, Mele, is it still owned by Walter Webster?”

Mele looked at her without recognition for a moment, then her jaw dropped again. “Vanessa … Vanessa Storm! Oh, my god! I heard you moved to, like, Canada or something.” She grabbed Vanessa’s right hand and pumped it like she thought she would get water. “Oh, wow, you two were an item, right? I always thought you were the prettiest girl in senior year.”

Vanessa could not help laughing. “Thank you, Mele, but I don’t really think …”

“Oh, stop being modest. How do you think you got the hottest guy in school?”

“I wasn’t in school anymore when we were going out,” Dylan said. He did not look happy.

Mele waved to dismiss Dylan’s comment. “Stop it. That’s what I liked best about  you two. You were never stuck up. Wow. And now you’re back together.”

“We are not ‘back together,’“ Vanessa protested. Meanwhile, Dylan was looking  over Mele’s shoulder, up the street, then over his own shoulder, down the other way.

“Well then, what brings you two back to Hawaii?” Mele insisted.

“Actually, I’ve been back here on Oahu for over a year now,” Vanessa said.

“What? You’ve been back home for a year and you’ve never come back to see your alma mater?”

Vanessa laughed. “I’ve been pretty busy, actually. I honestly haven’t had any free time for sight-seeing. But maybe soon,” she promised.

Mele stepped back, eyes narrowed. “‘Busy,’ huh? That’s what everybody says. So what have you been so busy with? What are you doing now that you’re back in the islands?”

“I work for the FBI.”

-30-

Echoes is Scott Bury’s fourth Lei Crime Kindle World title, joining these earlier works.

• Torn Roots (2015)
• Palm Trees & Snowflakes (Christmas, 2015)
• Dead Man Lying (2016)

His blog is at http://scottswrittenwords.blogspot.com/ His twitter handle is @ScottTheWriter.

Come to the Party! We’d love to have you join in the fun. There will be give aways.

You can find us on Facebook this Friday, May 12. My time slot is 6:00 PM PST. https://www.facebook.com/events/288223094965588/

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