PLEASE JOIN ME — REGISTER LINK BELOW Please join me for the VIRTUAL launch event of Iniquity: A Sean McPherson Novel, Book Four, where I’ll be in conversation with Chris Norbury, author of the Matt Lanier mystery-suspense-thriller series.
JOIN FROM ANYWHERE My hometown Indie book store, Rediscovered Books, is hosting this FREE virtual Crowdcast event.
DATE Thursday, April 25
TIME 5-6 pm Pacific Time 6-7 pm Mountain Time 7-8 pm Central Time 8-9 pm Eastern Time
YOU’RE INVITED Please join me for the virtual launch event of Iniquity: A Sean McPherson Novel, Book Four, where I’ll be in conversation with Chris Norbury, author of the Matt Lanier mystery-suspense-thriller series. . . JOIN FROM ANYWHERE My hometown Indie book store, Rediscovered Books, is hosting this FREE virtual Crowdcast event. . . DATE Thursday, April 25 . . TIME 5-6 pm Pacific Time 6-7 pm Mountain Time 7-8 pm Central Time 8-9 pm Eastern Time . . REGISTER NOW https://www.crowdcast.io/c/ogss7kyi3vxe
ONE MONTH FROM TODAY, Iniquity, book #4 in the Sean McPherson crime thriller series releases—Woohoo!
Available for preorder at your favorite bookseller.
ADVANCE PRAISE “With its atmospheric setting, page-turning suspense, and luminous insights into trauma, resilience, recovery, and friendship, this thriller will hook readers and keep them hooked.” —THE PRAIRIES BOOK REVIEW
When a human trafficking ring kidnaps PI Sean McPherson’s pregnant wife, McPherson learns the lines he’ll cross. Because when a person has it all, they have everything to lose.
Iniquity, book #4 in the Sean McPherson series,hits the shelves two months from today. The paperback and ebook formats are available for preorder now at your favorite booksellers.
The audiobook version will be available shortly after April 9 on all audiobook platforms, including Audible, Chirp, Findaway Voices, Google Play, Kobo, Libro.FM, OverDrive, and Spotify.
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Advance Praise “Meticulously plotted, beautifully written, and explosive Buchanan’s new Sean McPherson novel, Iniquity, barrels along like a freight train. Its characters come to life on every page as they defend themselves from a ruthless crime boss who threatens their lives once again. Her protagonist is an intelligent and compassionate private investigator who puts his family and friends above all else as he tries to rescue his wife and two innocent children from this maniacal killer who’s bent on selling them into the brutal world of human trafficking. Set at a writing retreat in the Pacific Northwest, Iniquity delivers from beginning to end, a must-read thriller that keeps you sitting on the edge of your seat.” —JEFFREY L. DIAMOND, author of the Ethan Benson thrillers
I want to introduce you to the behind-the-scenes people who enrich your Sean McPherson reading experience.
CHRISTINE DESMET (upper left) Christine has been my writing coach for over a decade. Her eyes are the first pair to see what’s happening at Pines & Quill. As I complete each chapter, she reviews it and then lets me know what’s working (and why) and what doesn’t work (and why). Then, she suggests how I might fix it.
CANDACE JOHNSON (upper right) Candace is my copyeditor. Once the manuscript is finished, she finesses my prose to observe the conventions of good writing, verifying proper syntax, word choice, spelling, punctuation, and adherence to The Chicago Manual of Style.
REBECCA STERN (lower left) Rebecca is the voice of the Sean McPherson novels. As the audiobook narrator, she embodies then speaks for each character, breathing three-dimensional life into them until they rise off the page (almost flesh and blood) for the reader’s listening pleasure.
LAUREN WISE (lower right) Lauren is my project manager at SparkPress. From orchestrating book cover artwork to retail distribution and everything in between—page layout, in-house proofing, and final edits—she sets the deadlines I must meet to ensure an annual Sean McPherson spring release.
THANK YOU Thank YOU for your readership and for posting reviews that bring new readers to the Sean McPherson novels.
Niall MacCullough at the Pines & Quill writing retreat has been busy baking gingerbread latte cookies for the holidays. A cross between a soft, chewy gingerbread cookie and a steaming mug of latte, these easy-to-make treats are made with real espresso.
You can make them as drop cookies or cutouts—or both ways, like Niall—then glaze them with sweet, thick, creamy brown butter icing that melts in your mouth.
Prep time — 25 minutes Cook time — 15 minutes Servings — 22 cookies
INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 sticks salted butter at room temperature 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar 2-4 tablespoons espresso powder or instant coffee powder 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 large egg 1/3 cup blackstrap molasses 2 1/4 cups, plus 1-2 tablespoons, as needed all-purpose flour 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt granulated sugar for rolling
BROWN BUTTER ICING 1 stick salted butter at room temperature 1 1/2 -2 cups powdered sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 pinch cinnamon sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, espresso, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg, mixing to combine. Then, add the molasses and mix to combine. Add the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt, beating until combined.
Place the sugar in a small bowl.
FOR DROP COOKIES Roll the dough into tablespoon-size balls (if the dough is too sticky, add 2-4 additional tablespoons of flour), then roll through the sugar. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies start to set around the edges. The centers should be a little doughy. Let cool on the pan.
FOR CUTOUTS Divide the dough in half. Roll out the dough on a floured piece of parchment paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Make sure you’re using enough flour, or your dough will stick. Cut out the cookies into desired shapes. Transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Niall recommends using a floured spatula to lift the cookies. Cover the baking sheet and place in the freezer until firm, 15 minutes. Roll out the leftover scraps, and repeat with the remaining dough. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until just set.
MEANWHILE Make the icing. Add the butter to a pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to lightly brown until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, a pinch of cinnamon, and salt. Immediately spread the icing over the cookies. It will set quickly.
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to five days.