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SHANNON MUIR’S THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF!
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WIDOW’S RUN
TG Wolff
* Thriller *
Author: TG Wolff
Publisher: Down & Out Books
Pages: 236
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
investigate, but in the end, all they have are kind words for the new
widow. Months later, a video emerges challenging the facts. Had he
stepped into traffic, or was he pushed? The widow returns to the police,
where there are more kind words but no answers. Exit the widow.Enter
Diamond. One name for a woman with one purpose. Resurrecting her CIA
cover, she follows the shaky video down the rabbit hole. Her widow’s run
unearths a plethora of suspects: the small-time crook, the mule-loving
rancher, the lady in waiting, the Russian bookseller, the soon-to-be
priest. Following the stink greed leaves in its wake reveals big lies
and ugly truths. Murder is filthy business. Good thing Diamond likes
playing dirty.
“TG Wolff’s novel is for crime-fiction fans who
like it action-packed and hard-edged. Written with feisty panache, it
introduces Diamond, one of the most aggressive, ill-tempered, and wholly
irresistible heroines to ever swagger across the page.” –David Housewright, Edgar Award-winning author of Dead Man’s Mistress
★★★★★ORDER YOUR COPY★★★★★
Amazon → https://tinyurl.com/y3eaf8ro
“Hey Diamond.” Chips crunched in my ear. “How’s Italy?”
“How’d you get this phone number?”
“I called myself from it last night.” A bag crackled in the background.
“When and where was I?”
“When you went to the bathroom. You said make yourself comfortable.”
I wasn’t gone three minutes, not three minutes. “And you took it as an invitation to steal my phone number?”
“You know, for emergencies and stuff.” Either he had shoved another fistful of chips into his mouth or he had wadded up the bag into a ball and was gnawing on it.
“Dix, you put one more chip in your mouth and I’m going to swim across the Atlantic and give you a chip bag colonoscopy.”
He laughed. “That’s something old people get, right? Something like a camera up the butt?”
It’s hard to physically intimidate someone who lived day in, day out with violence. You know. Been there, done that, got the black eye. The one he’d gotten for his birthday still had days until it would fade.
“Yeah, Dix. I hear it comes with good drugs though. So, who is she?”
This time he glugged liquid, finishing it with a sloppy lip slap. “Who is who?”
“You know who.”
“Do who know you?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Dix, you’re making my head spin. You texted me you know ‘who she is.’ Tell me who she is while I’m still young enough to care.”
“Oh. Her. Ilsa Dumanovskaya. I’m not making it up either. Musta sucked to spell her name in kindergarten. Least her parents gave her a short first name.”
I leaned against an ice-cold plaster wall, prepared to commence head pounding. “Why should I care?”
“Because of Doc.” Doc. That was the nickname the kids at the YPF gave Gavriil. He liked the stories I brought home and showed up one afternoon. It wasn’t even “take your husband to work day.” I found him arguing with the science teacher over a chemical equation. They got past their chalkboard differences, created a bouncy-ball polymer, then had contests to see which formula bounced higher. The kids loved it. Gavriil came in once a week for lecture and the occasional spontaneous laboratory experiment.
“She’s the woman he met in Rome.”
My chin snapped up. My heart beat in double time. I had her face, now I had her name. I signaled Carlo for pencil and paper. “Give it to me.”
“She owns a bookstore. I have the address for her store and her apartment. Do they call them flats?”
“No idea. Give me the address.” My mouth watered with the taste of deep-fried quarry.
“Three-twenty-one valle Didochachiata.”
My pencil stayed still. “That can’t be right.”
“Maybe I’m not saying it right. Three-twenty-one Vya Deedoshakiata. Better?”
“No. Carlo? Can you figure out this address?” I handed over the phone and recommenced pacing.
Carlo alternated between speaking and listening. Then he laughed. Of course, he and Dix would understand each other. Gibberish was an international language.
Author Interview
What initially got you interested in writing?
Boredom. I was living in Cleveland, Ohio, working as an engineer on a project in Northern Kentucky. Once or twice a month, I made the five-hour drive with nothing to break up the miles except Columbus. When the radio couldn’t hold my attention, I began weaving stories. They were small at first, little vignettes that gave me something to hold on to mile after mile. Stuck in hotel rooms, where I didn’t sleep very well, I began to write purely for pleasure. One vignette connected to another and soon I had a story. That assignment wrapped up over ten years ago. I still write for pleasure, having many more stories finished than I have published.
What genres do you write in?
Mystery is my dominant genre. I love who-dun-its. I write variations on that theme. I have three romantic suspense books published under the pen name Anita DeVito. I have several paranormal mysteries and romances completed, but not published. Who doesn’t love a good vampire or werewolf story?
What drew you to writing these specific genres?
As I said, I love who-dun-its. It’s a toss up if I love reading or writing them more. Probably writing, it lasts longer. With romantic suspense, I’m drawn to the people side. Stakes can be amped up with a spicy love interest element. With the paranormal, I’m drawn to the fantastical nature of the genre. There is a freedom in moving boundaries beyond the ordinary.
How did you break into the field?
I am very fortunate to have fellow author Kyra Jacobs in my corner, cheering me on and occasionally kicking my rear. She first encouraged me to submit in a writing contest that, while I didn’t win, resulted in the contract with Entangled Publishing for three books. It was Kyra again who saw Down & Out Books was accepting queries and encouraged me to send in my recently completed WIP, which was published in April 2018 as EXACTING JUSTICE. I think we all need cheerleaders who can nudge (or push) us out of our comfort zones, challenging us to do more than we think we can. Without Kyra, I doubt I would have suited up, let alone taken the field.
What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?
The take aways depend on the book. EXACTING JUSTICE was inspired by the events that lead to Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter. It wasn’t conceived to be political, it doesn’t voice an opinion, rather it points out the potential short sidedness of developing opinions based on the glimpses of fact gleamed in a news blurb or social media rant. We have some big issues in our country and the world. Stand to the left, stand to the right, stand smack dab in the middle, but be intentional and thoughtful. Words and actions matter because all lives matter.
For my newest release, WIDOW’S RUN, the purpose was to entertain. I hope people find a break from their day in it. Still, looking back, two take away themes emerged. First, enjoying the people in your life today because tomorrow isn’t promised. Everyone I talk to about this has a story of losing someone, regretting not taking the time when they could. For me it was my Dad. Enough said there. Second, being lonely is not the same as being alone. Everyone has experienced feeling like out of place, disconnected, or similar. It’s easier to believe the voices in your head than to look to the people around you for support. The lead character, Diamond, struggles with her purpose in life after her husband’s death because she hasn’t accepted these truths. People are lonely for many reasons, and loneliness can lead to some bad decisions. #AddToCart #JustOneMore #CrumbsDontCount You matter. And someone besides me thinks so. Give them a call.
What do you find most rewarding about writing?
Finishing. Every piece written is a labor of love, with some being more laborious than others. When you work on something that takes as long as a book, that has as many steps in the process as a book, it is very rewarding to reach the point where it is called Done. It doesn’t have to be published, finishing is its own reward. And it’s the signal that you are ready to start another.
What do you find most challenging about writing?
The most challenging thing about writing is how long it takes to do it well. My head is packed solid with so many good ideas that there isn’t time to do them all justice. It is hard to pick one (or two or three) to work on and then give it the time it needs to develop. I want to race ahead. For me, the key to overcoming the challenge of impatience is to remind myself to enjoy the journey. When I do, the work is not only better but the pleasure I experience quadruples.
What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?
Write. Write. Write. Go to events with other writers. Ask questions. Listen to the answers. Write. Don’t jump on every band wagon. Write. Write. Edit.
When I work book events, people often come up and tell me about there great ideas for books. After finishing, they often leap directly to asking for information on getting a publisher or agent. But they haven’t written the book. Writing, like any craft, takes practice. So write. Write like no one is going to read it. Write to make yourself laugh. Write, put it down, pick it up six weeks later.
What type of books do you enjoy reading?
I enjoy reading mysteries, but do not read them when I am writing. I tend to read romance, romantic suspense, paranormal, and paranormal romance when I’m writing mysteries. I mix in random classics, too, like Don Quixote, Edgar Allen Poe, Dante’s Inferno. Reading is my escape, so I tend to select stories that aren’t too serious and don’t require an MFA or thesaurus.
Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?
My background is in Civil Engineering, in which I hold a Master’s degree. I have been working in the water / wastewater field for twenty-five years and many of the skills I have developed to solve problems related to pollution are the same I employ to craft mysteries.
What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?
Information about my upcoming releases is available on my website, tgwolff.com. There you will also find my occasional blog, Ampersand, where I play at the nexus of arts & science. I have been known to show up on Twitter @tg_wolff and on LinkedIn as Tina Wolff.
Author Bio
area between good and bad, right and wrong. Cause and effect drive the
stories, drawing from 20+ years’ experience in Civil Engineering, where
“cause” is more often a symptom of a bigger, more challenging problem.
Diverse characters mirror the complexities of real life and real people,
balanced with a healthy dose of entertainment. TG Wolff holds a
Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering and is a member of Mystery Writers
of America and Sisters in Crime.
★ WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS: ★
Website → www.tgwolff.com
Twitter → @tg_wolff
Facebook → www.Facebook.com/tina.wolff.125
