Coffee and a Book Chick

Me and Lisa Gardner

I am absolutely certain that this is the exact way to spend a Sunday.

The Book Mark, a locally owned and operated independent bookseller in Neptune Beach, Florida, always has incredible authors who stop by to discuss their newly released book, or just to visit with their fans. Lisa Gardner, author of twenty-six novels and known for her suspense/thriller D.D. Warren series was today's visitor, and I was thrilled to sit amongst Lisa's diehard fans to hear her stories of the Body Farm in Tennessee, Search and Rescue dogs, and all the other tidbits of developing her stories.

Here's one interesting tidbit that she shared when she visited the Body Farm: Did you know that Search and Rescue dogs actually get terribly sad when, although successful in finding a body, become very depressed that what they did find is no longer alive? Dogs are incredibly sensitive and intelligent animals, and they get burned out by their jobs and experiences. Many times, dogs need to end their day on a good note and their handlers will ask someone to hide for thirty minutes so that the dog can be rewarded for not just successfully locating the individual, but that this one is alive.

To put it bluntly, Lisa was wicked cool to listen to. Is it weird that I enjoy reading books and listening to authors talk about macabre details on murder and mayhem?

Steve Berry

And of course, it is always a treat that Steve Berry, author of the Cotton Malone series, introduced her! His new book, The Jefferson Key is coming out in May! (Note: I would have included the picture of me with Steve Berry, but suffice it to say, it was not a flattering picture of moi, so I had to leave it out. He will be back in May however, so I will be present for that and will have my husband there to take my picture this time).

Lisa's new book is Love You More, published by Bantam Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, and is in stores this month. A synopsis from her site:

Pushed to the brink by an abusive husband, state police trooper Tessa Leoni finally snapped and shot him in self-defense. But Tessa isn't talking - not about her dead husband, her battered face, or her missing six-year-old daughter. Now, Detective D.D. Warren will have to race against the clock to unearth family secrets, solve a murder, and save a child.

I'm already excited to read this one!

Happy Reading,

Coffee and a Book Chick