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L.L. Bartlett

I am here for Friends and Networking

About Me

My name is L.L. (Lorraine) Bartlett, and I write paranormal thrillers and cozy mysteries. My first book, MURDER ON THE MIND, was published in late 2005 by Five Star/Thomson-Gale. Set in Buffalo, NY, it features my series character Jeff Resnick. Its sequel, DEAD IN RED will be published in June 2008 (again by Five Star).Here's a blurb:Sometimes it seems like murder and mayhem follow Jeff Resnick, challenging his psychic “sixth sense” to solve crimes. Since the vicious mugging that changed his life, he’s tried to keep his unwanted gift in check. But when a bartender at his favorite watering hole is murdered, visions of a sparkling red woman’s high-heeled shoe and a pair of bloody hands linger in his mind--and hit too close to home. When Jeff’s older brother Richard last helped him with an investigation, it nearly cost him his life. Still, Richard is determined to tag along as Jeff is drawn into the seamy world of foot fetishes and drag queens to find a murderer before another life is taken.While the hardcover edition of MURDER ON THE MIND is now out of print, the paperback edition is NOW AVAILABLE available from Worldwide Mystery. BUY IT HERE . https://www.eharlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=15830Former insurance investigator Jeff Resnick is mugged and discovers the resulting brain injury has left him able to sense people's secrets. When his estranged half-brother, Richard, takes Jeff to the family home to recover, Jeff's senses pick up clues to the recent vicious murder of a local banker. Despite Jeff's mixed feelings about his new sixth sense, he feels compelled to explore the banker's murder--using both his senses and his investigative skills, along with Richard's reluctant help. Against the gritty setting of wintry Buffalo, NY, and a tormented family history of his own, unraveling the truth threatens Jeff's--and Richard's--life.How do you like the new cover? (Yeah, it's up there...over there, up on the left!)Romantic Times called MURDER ON THE MIND, "A high-powered drama. Interesting characters add dimension to a tightly paced story with a good kick at the end." Check your local library to see if they have a copy.Check out Writers Digest Book, HOW I GOT PUBLISHED , which contains my essay "Critiqing The Green-Eyed Monster." It's available in bookstores now--and Amazon is offering the book at a discount (save $5.44). Check it out!I've got a short story on Amazon Shorts, too. It's called We're So Sorry, Uncle Albert, and it's only 49 cents! Take a chance on my work and order it.I recently signed a three-book contract with Berkley Prime Crime for a cozy mystery series set in Stoneham, New Hampshire. Here's a blurb for the first book, MURDER IS BINDING, to be published April 2008:Who knew the world of used and rare books could be so dangerous? Certainly not Tricia Miles, owner of mystery bookstore, Haven't Got a Clue, who is suspected of killing a fellow bookseller. To prove her innocence, Tricia must track down a murderer, risking everything she holds dear to do it.The book also features Tricia's exasperating older sister, Angelica, and her dainty little cat, Miss Marple.Visit my website .

My Interests

Reading, writing, music, bartending, photography, gardening, eating. (Yeah, I like eating. A LOT. Unfortunately, I'm on a diet.) I love to go antiquing, junking, garage saling, too. I have absolutely no "crafty" talent. My 4 cats.Support your local no-kill shelter!

I'd like to meet:

Readers of my work, who I'd also like to thank for buying my book and/or taking it out of the library.I also like meeting other writers and talking shop.And how about YOU!The Church Mouse Bazaar
Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

1049 Wegman Road
Rochester, NY 14624

Music:

Just about everything. Lately, The Beatles "Love" and a lot of new age and movie soundtracks. I've recently resurrected the original Superman soundtrack. Some of my favorite new age artists are Nicholas Gunn, David Arkenstone, Diane Arkenstone, Enya, and Chris Spheeris. I also like fusion jazz; Tom Scott is my fav.If I ever sell MURDER ON THE MIND to Hollywood, I want Trevor Rabin to score the film. Woo-hoo!

Movies:

Comedies. One of my absolute favorites is Groundhog Day. I love movies/tv shows that deal with time warps. Recently saw Little Miss Sunshine--loved it. But I think I have a new favorite in Blades of Glory. I laughed so hard....Also have loved Galaxy Quest, Elf, The Princess Bride, A Christmas Story, and dozens more but I'm drawing a blank. Can't forget to mention the Harry Potter movies (especially Goblet of Fire).

Television:

I've virtually given it up to write. (But I wouldn't mind if my books ended up on the tube.) Still, I've been known to watch anything on HGTV (I'm hooked on home renovation shows). I do allow myself to watch This Old House and Extreme Makeover Home Edition. My parents have BBC America and if that was available in my house, I'd have to prop open my eyes with toothpicks because I'd be sitting in front of the tube 24/7.I often haul out old episodes of Classic Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation. I currently watch Gilmore Girls, but shake my head a lot.

Books:

I'm a voracious reader, but tend not to read fiction when I'm writing. Favorite authors (in no special order): Dick Francis, John Mortimer, Jeanne Ray, J.K. Rowling, Lawrence Block, Mary Kay Andrews, Janet Evanovich, Jeremiah Healy, Barbara D'Amato, and Barbara Michaels. I've read a ton of Bill Bryson and Garrison Keillor, too.I also read a lot of books by my friends: Doranna Durgin, Judy Clemens, Deb Baker, Charles Benoit, Sandra Parshall, Sharon Wildwind, Elizabeth Becka, Lonnie Cruse, S.W. Hubbard, and Terry Hoover. And watch out for upcoming authors Sarah Atwell and Sheila Connolly. Try their books. You'll love them!I like to read books with a paranormal thread and cozies. (And not necessarily just paranormal cozies.)

Heroes:

My husband. He's lived with me (and my characters) for years and doesn't think I'm crazy. (Yet.)My parents, who encouraged me to write even though, as my dad says, "it's the toughest business on earth to break into."Librarians--they rock!

My Blog

It Never Gets Old

It's been almost two years since my first book was published by a small press and given a teeny, tiny print run.  The book didn't get a lot of notice, which quite frankly broke my heart.  No...
Posted by L.L. Bartlett on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 05:45:00 PST

Librarians: An Author’s Best Friends

Posted by Lorraine (L.L.) Bartlett Last week I attended the New York Library Association's annual conference, this year held in Buffalo, NY.  Since MURDER ON THE MIND takes place in Buffalo, it f...
Posted by L.L. Bartlett on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 05:44:00 PST

Fame

I am not famous.  That's good in many ways.  What if I'm wearing my tight jeans to the grocery store and they split?  Then I wouldn't want anyone to know I'm L.L. Bartlett or Lorna Barr...
Posted by L.L. Bartlett on Thu, 18 Oct 2007 05:21:00 PST

It’s copyedit time!

All summer long I waited to receive the copyedits on my upcoming books.  One has a longer lead-time, so I figured that one would come sometime this fall.  Well, it didn't.  It came firs...
Posted by L.L. Bartlett on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 04:59:00 PST

Fall Newsletter

It's fall, and time for a new issue of LLBartlett's Books newsletter.   Welcome to the readers new to the list--thanks for joining! Of course the BIG news is that today marks the debut of th...
Posted by L.L. Bartlett on Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:31:00 PST

Back in the Promotion Groove

So I'm back from Dr. Frank's Wine Cellars, my first "appearance" to kick off the paperback edition of MURDER ON THE MIND.  The day started out miserably.  The weather that is.  It was r...
Posted by L.L. Bartlett on Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:30:00 PST

Paperback Writer

We were headed off for the Labor-Day weekend.  At the last second, Frank decided we should deliver the wire I'd promised my Dad--not just leave it for him to find when he came over to feed the ca...
Posted by L.L. Bartlett on Tue, 04 Sep 2007 04:39:00 PST

HOW I GOT PUBLISHED

I think I mentioned...about a million years ago...that I was invited to participate in an anthology titled How I Got Published.  Well, until a few days ago, I didn't know if my essay would be i...
Posted by L.L. Bartlett on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 05:02:00 PST

A Crockpot Is An Authors Best Friend

I cannot take credit for the title of today's post.  It was something my friend, author Leann Sweeney, told me not so long ago.  She and another of my Writers Plot cohorts, librarian/author...
Posted by L.L. Bartlett on Thu, 23 Aug 2007 07:36:00 PST

Still Available?

Every so often I truck on over to Amazon to see how well the books are selling.  "What?" you say. "Isn't Murder On The Mind (hardcover edition) out of print?" Yes, it is.  (Thank you for a...
Posted by L.L. Bartlett on Wed, 22 Aug 2007 06:19:00 PST