Welcome to my tour stop for Dead Lies by Cybele Loening! Dead Lies is a mystery novel and the tour runs October 22-30 with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for more information and read chapters for free at DeadLiesBook.com.
Former NYPD cop Anna Valentine just landed her first homicide case: the grisly double murder of a wealthy young couple. But it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Recovering from personal tragedies, the young police office just moved with her traumatized child to the suburbs where she hoped to pursue a quiet life and heal. To complicate matters, although she’s sworn off men until she and her son are happy and whole again, Anna feels the pull of attraction to the handsome twin brother of one of the murder victims, a man who has yet to be crossed off the suspect list. Teaming up with lead detective Jerry Kreeger, a 57-year-old veteran cop who’s lonely, broke and close to burnout, Anna chases a crafty killer and ultimately exposes a family’s shocking secrets that will rock a town.
Go to http://www.deadliesbook.com/ for free chapters!
REVIEWER QUOTES
“Top marks…five stars…” Self-Publisher’s Showcase
“Loening is a master of her craft.” Main Street Magazine
Becoming a novelist was a dream come true for Cybele Loening, and one that was many years in the making. Like many aspiring writers and creative types, when she completed her education, she didn’t think she could make a living doing what she loved. So, she took a job that was related to writing but not actually writing: She became an editor. She loved editing but never gave up her dream of writing a novel someday.
It wasn’t until she was in her late thirties that she finally realized “someday” was right now. After many years of working in Corporate America, she was burned out of her job and exhausted by city living. She realized she was giving her best energy to a career and life that no longer fit. So, she took a huge leap of faith and quit her job to write full-time. The book she began writing eventually became Dead Lies.
Quitting her job was a scary step, but it changed her life. Tapping away at her keyboard, she realized she was happier than she had been in a while. She felt creative and energized again and was thrilled to have discovered her passion, her life’s work.
That one brave step into the unknown led to other wonderful changes in her life. For years she had dreamed of living in the country, so she began renting a cottage in Litchfield County, Connecticut, to see how it felt. She never looked back. And it was in this idyllic place that she met her soul mate and now husband, the life and business coach, Brooke Loening. They married a few years later, and together they renovated a home in which they now both live and work.
Spending her days writing and living in a place she loves, she has found bliss she never thought possible.
A spiritual seeker and lover of all of life’s mysteries, Cybele is hard at work on the next book in the Anna Valentine Detective Series and a memoir. She is also a blogger with a global mission: to help women achieve their dreams and live their very best lives.
You can find her at www.cybeleloening.com, and on Facebook (Cybele Loening and Cybele Loening Mysteries) and Twitter (@CybeleLoening).
What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
Desperation! I had been a magazine editor in New York City for 13 years and was totally burned out, both from my work and also city life, and I needed to make a change. I had always wanted to write a book, and I realized this was the perfect time to try. So I quit my staff job and took on freelance work to make money while I wrote. I immediately fell in love with my life again and never looked back.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
My heroine, Anna Valentine. She is an idealized version of me, a chick who can fire a gun and take down perps and fights for truth and justice. She has been through hell in her life but has come through all of it a better, stronger, happier person. She is also utterly flawed, sometimes insecure at times and looking to find the place where she belongs. Her struggles are universal.
Which came first, the title or the novel?
The novel. I changed the title at the last minute! It used to be “Cold Light of Day,” which now strikes me as utterly pretentious. Good thing I changed it, huh?
What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
The very last scene of the book, which I obviously can’t give away. Suffice it to say it shows the profound changes the characters make after all the drama they experience. It is so satisfying and rewarding. I’ve always hated disappointing book endings and was determined not to give my readers that.
Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you've learned as a writer from then to now?
To not stop until you’ve achieved your goal. It took me eight years to write, edit, polish and then publish this book. There were a lot of false starts, where I chucked everything and began again. It was hard but necessary. It led me to this story, with these particular characters, which really work. I am so proud of them and can’t wait to keep their stories going in the next book in the series. There were so many times I wanted to give up because it was just so hard. Writing is hard! But something kept pushing me forward. I was determined to accomplish what I had set out to do, and deep down I knew I could do it. I am so grateful I listened to that inner voice. I am so proud of this book. I am no longer just a writer, I am an author. I’ve finally embraced my calling.
What do you like most about the cover of the book?
It immediately grabs your attention and tells you the kind of book it is in an instant. This is what a good cover is supposed to do.
What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2015?
Winter Stroll by Elin Hilderbrand, a family drama set in the holiday season on Nantucket. Everything she writes is fantastic—good, fun, escapist reading. And I’m a sucker for Christmas stories.
What was your favorite book in 2014?
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, about aging and end of life issues in medicine. Not only is this book incredibly beautifully written—he is one of the finest non-fiction writers of our generation, in my opinion—it was particularly poignant for me, as I have an aging and ill mother who is nearing the end of her life.
What’s up next for you?
In addition to working on a sequel to Dead Lies, I am writing a memoir with my twin sister, Alexandra. We have a pretty great story to tell and readers of Dead Lies will recognize where I got the themes in that book. It’s all about family secrets and how damaging lies can be!
Is there anything that you would like to add?
I am so proud to announce the release of the audiobook version of Dead Lies. Go to www.deadliesbook.com to get the first three chapters for free, either in PDF or audio form, or buy it directly at Audible.com.
5 audiobook copies (through audible.com) of DEAD LIES by Cybele Loening (INT)
Ends Nov. 4
Prizing is provided by the author, hosts are not responsible.
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.
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