Linda O. Johnston: Second Month of the Year Means Two Books!

Hi.  I’m Linda O. Johnston, and I’m delighted to be guest blogging on Author Sound Relations.

It’s a good month for me to be blogging--and a busy one.  Two books of mine, both in series, have been published this month!

First, let me say that I sometimes kill people for a living.  Fictionally, of course.  I also save animals, both fictionally and in real life since I volunteer at a private pet shelter.

That’s the background of my Pet Rescue Mystery Series for Berkley Prime Crime, which is a spinoff from my Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mystery Series.

This month, my fourth Pet Rescue Mystery, OODLES OF POODLES, has had its premiere.  OODLES OF POODLES takes place in the film industry.  It’s sort of a story within a story, since it’s about a movie being filmed about rescued poodles, starring--you’ve got it!--rescued poodles!  My cozy mystery protagonist Lauren Vancouver, chief administrator of the wonderful HotRescues animal shelter in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, gets involved because of those cherished and adorable poodles and because the HotRescues benefactor one of the film’s co-producers.  Lauren visits the film sets often to observe how the dogs are being treated.  One night the director, who had been endangering the poodles during the filming, is run over by a car.  Murdered.  The chief suspect is Lauren’s good friend, veterinarian and TV personality Dr. Carlie Stellan.  Of course Lauren has to find the real murderer and solve the crime to help Carlie... and the dogs.

Coincidentally, in this second month of the year, my fourth paranormal romance in the Alpha Force miniseries I write for Harlequin Nocturne, UNDERCOVER WOLF, has been published.  Alpha Force is a covert military unit of shapeshifters.  In UNDERCOVER WOLF, the hero Quinn is a shapeshifter and the heroine Kristine is a shapeshifter’s aide, both members of Alpha Force.  When Quinn’s brother and new sister-in-law disappear on their honeymoon, Quinn and Kristine go off together to find them--going undercover as newlyweds themselves.  You can see where that could lead to some interesting attraction between them.

Does it surprise you that I’m an animal lover?  Even my paranormal romances contain animals--well, people who shift into animal form, mostly wolves.  I also write for Harlequin Romantic Suspense and enjoy it--but no animals appear in those stories... at least not yet.

In any event, I again appreciate blogging here on Author Sound Relations.  It’s fun to talk about my new releases... and about animals. 

Do you like reading about animals?  What’s your favorite pet--and have you seen anyone like it in a book?

I’ll be giving away a copy of OODLES OF POODLES to someone who comments here, either about your pets or about my writing!

***Linda's winner is Debby!  Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing information.***