Sunday, April 12, 2015


 I'm so happy to have author  
Mike Martin  
back on the blog today!

Mike is giving away a copy of his new book 
A TWIST OF FORTUNE
Book 4 in the Sgt. Wildflower Mystery series!


A Twist of Fortune is the fourth book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series and it continues the adventures of Sgt. Windflower as he tries to solve crime and experience the joy and the sadness of life in a small maritime community. Follow along as he feels the sometimes bitter taste of an east coast winter and the unique culinary delights of this part of the world.

The Sgt. Wildflower Mysteries are not cozies like I normally cover here on the blog. 
That being said, it is a wonderful mystery series and I know you're going to enjoy it. 

A Word From Mike Martin


Killing Off Characters

One of the most difficult decisions I had to make in my latest book, A Twist of Fortune, was to let one of the characters die. Not one of the main characters or gawd forbid the protagonist, because then the series would be over. I won’t tell you who it was, other than to say that it was a very friendly character that almost everybody inside the story (and readers too!!) liked and enjoyed. It was difficult because I tend to grow fond of the characters and except for the villains, would really like them to stick around.

But that’s the way the story unfolded and since I am a true ‘seat-of-the pantser‘ who doesn’t have an outline or a plot I didn’t feel I had any choice. I’m hoping it doesn’t upset too many people and I did create what I felt was a beautiful funeral and send-off, but it made me realize again how connected we all can become to fictitious characters in our favorite books or television shows.

I think that’s actually a good thing, especially when we connect to the good guy and gal characters. It is a little escape from reality, but I think we all need a bit of that. Plus there’s a common bonding that happens when we find characters that we can all love together. Think about shows like Downton Abbey. They have killed off a lot of characters but a few are sacrosanct, at least to me. If they ever killed off Lady Mary, I’d swear off forever. Even if the show goes off the air, which I heard it will next year, I will never forgive them if they do in Lady Mary.

Maybe that’s because I want the characters to live on, if not in my favourite TV show or books, then at least in my imagination. I also want to see where they are going and what they are going to do next. When I’m writing my books I don’t know either. I have to wait until I can get the words to spill out of me and fall onto the page so I can read what happened. That makes the process a whole lot more exciting that developing a plot and creating a storyboard and a character wall and all the things that writers who are ‘plotters’ have to go through. (I really admire them, but I think my way is a lot more fun.)

Sgt. Windflower is a real character to me, a person in my life that when I’m back home in the neck of the woods where he patrols the highways, I can almost feel his presence. And I think that’s a good thing in my life. Because he is a good person/character and reminds me sometimes of what the right and honorable thing would be to do in difficult situations. He is a part of me, at least part of creative side and I think I would really miss him if he wasn’t around. So rest easy, gentle readers, Sgt. Windflower will live to dress up in his RCMP red serge and continue his adventures on the southeast coast of Newfoundland, at the very tip of Canada.

As for the rest of the characters, I make no commitments. They live and die based on the will of the creative muses. Some may just have to be sacrificed for the greater good, or at least a better story.

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter for your chance to win!
Giveaway open to US and Canada.
(Canadian winner's will receive an eBook copy only)

Learn more about Mike Martin




As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by 
clicking on the link in the 
upper right hand corner of this page.

Good Luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


28 comments:

  1. This sounds like a great book~completely new series and author for me~thanks for the introduction and the contest! woodrumbetty@gmail.com

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  2. Mike Martin is a new author to me, but mysteries are my favorite genre, and I look forward to being introduced to his work. Thank you, Lisa and Michael, for the chance to win this giveaway. - j_mazur@msn.com

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  3. I've been wanting to read this series. Thank you for the chance to win.

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  4. I just recently heard of this series & I would love to read this book. Thanks!

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  5. I would love to read this book—thanks for the chance to win a copy!

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

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  6. new-to-me author/series.....
    a definite must-read for me!!!
    already added to my Wish List......
    thank you for the giveaway.....

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  7. (Yay can leave a comment... was not working before)

    This looks like a good series. Need to read the other books of course but love the chance to win this to get me started. Thanks for that chance. :-)

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  8. I enjoy Sgt. Windlfower and Mike Martin's work. These are true cozies to me. Now I double can't wait for my copy to arrive 'cause I want to know who dies.

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  9. I enjoy reading mysteries. Thanks for the opportunity to win a book by an author I haven't read as yet.

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  10. This is a new to me series that I want to read now. Thanks!

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  11. This sounds like a great read". I have not read Sgt. wildflower books before and I am excited about this giveaway. It's always good to have new series to look forward to. Thanks!

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  12. Interesting how small town coastal communities lead to so many mysteries.

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  13. I haven't read any of these books but I would like to try one. It is a different slant from the usual "cozy" and sounds interesting.

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  14. Happy Monday, Lisa!

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  15. I liked Mike's post. I am sure it's difficult to make certain decisions about characters!

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  16. This sounds like a good series---I think I'd better start reading it---but now I won't want to get too attached to any of the supporting characters.

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  17. Looking forward to trying this series....this will be a new one for me :)

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  18. Thank you everyone for your comments. And Good Luck!

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  19. New author to me. Series sounds interesting. Just downloaded the first book.
    Thanks for a chance to win.
    Carol Smith
    penelope223(at)yahoo(com)

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  20. This series sounds captivating. Thanks for this great feature and giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  21. Sounds great! Thanks for introducing me to a new author and for the give away!

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  22. Mike Martin has once again written another intriguing book. Thanks for the info on this new book and the giveaway. robeader53@yahoo.com

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  23. I had already 'liked' the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries book page on facebook, but I don't know that I've actually read any of the books yet.
    What I find interesting is Mike's way of writing -- just letting the story unfold as he puts pen to paper { or fingers to keyboard :) }. I just can't imagine being able to be that creative. Of course, I am not a writer [of anything], nor do I aspire to be. And I don't think I'm creative at all. I can follow a pattern {sewing, cross stitch, cooking/baking, etc}, but even to come up with the colors, or ingredients, or whatever is more than I want to attempt. In cross stitch, or any thing of the kind, I prefer kits where everything is provided. And I don't think writing comes in a kit. :)
    But when I have a book in hand, I can read.

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  24. I haven't yet read this series, since I'm just hearing of it for the first time. I enjoy mystery series even if they aren't cozy, and this sounds like an enjoyable series. Looking forward to picking this one up.

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  25. Thank you to everyone who commented and good luck to everybody in the draw. Special thanks to Lisa K for hosting and for all you do for authors and readers,
    Thanks again
    Mike Martin
    Author of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series

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  26. I have wanted to read this series for a while. Thank you for the chance to win a copy.

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  27. It's true that we get attached to some characters. I have stopped reading a few book series when a central character was killed off for what seemed to me to be no reason. This sounds like an interesting series. Thanks for the giveaway.

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