An Excerpt from Follow the Dotted Line by Nancy Hersage

Nancy Hersage has written for NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS. She is the winner of five national awards in playwriting; her plays have been produced on three continents and by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Her new mystery novel, Follow the Dotted Line, is the winner of Amazon's new Kindle Scout program and is published by Kindle Press.

Learn more about Follow the Dotted Line by visiting the book's Amazon page. The book is also on Facebook and Goodreads.

Here is a brief summary of the book...

Andrea Bravos is dazed and amazed when a Styrofoam burger box with her ex's ashes arrives in the mail. Her adventure to find out what happened will upset officials of several small countries, insult the founders of three major religions, give her four adult children acid reflux, and lead her to assault with a deadly golf club.

In the process, she will joyfully drag along her soft-spoken but fearsome accountant, while trying to fend off her mooch of a nephew. It's a convoluted and quixotic caper, but it all comes together in the end--even the avocados, World War II spy, IRS agent, palm reader, and deadly spider.

Move over Marple and Plum, here comes Andy!

Below is an excerpt from Chapter 8 of Follow the Dotted Line.

Chapter 8
Cremains of the Day

“What the hell are cremains?” asked Lilly.

“It’s the industry term for ashes,” Andy said, after she got up and refilled the margarita glass herself. “Cremated remains. Cre-mains. Get it?” She waited, but the girls weren’t going to be sidetracked. “Okay. Okay. Here’s what happened. I just wanted to get some basic information. The cause of death. Did your dad have a will? Stuff like that. But getting that information is harder than you think without knowing just where and when he died and without, you know, technically being related to him anymore.”

“Oh, my god,” said an alarmed Lil, “you didn’t try calling Tilda, did you?”

“Me? Call Tilda? Absolutely not.” Andy shot optic daggers at Harley, who had no doubt about keeping his mouth shut this time. “All I had were the ashes, so I just went from there.”

“From there--to where, Mom?” Sam asked.

“Well, to at least confirming that he’s dead,” said Andy. “And that is what’s in the box. The DNA results from the cremains.”

All eyes now returned to Harley, who was still holding the FedEx package.

“They can get DNA from ashes?” Lil asked, skeptically.

“No,” Sam informed them. “It’s almost impossible to get DNA after cremation. Don’t you people know anything about science?”

“But this company we found online said they could test for DNA,” said Harley. “And we had to fill out a Cremains Acknowledgement Form and everything. And they promised we’d get most of the ashes back. For burial. Or whatever.”

“To be accurate, they said there was a 50/50 chance they could get DNA from their testing,” said Andy, trying not to look as ridiculous as she was feeling. “I thought it was worth a try.”

“We’ll that sounds like a scam, Mother. So I’m not even going to ask you what you paid,” said Sam. “Your bad. Now open the package.”

Harley tried to hand the box to Andy, but she waved him off. You do it, genius, she thought to herself, then said, “Would you mind?”

He dutifully slit the clear plastic wrap covering the cardboard with his fingernail and took out the paper envelope addressed to Andy. She waved her hand again, and he opened the letter. “Read it,” she said, draining her glass.

“Dear Ms. Bravos,” Harley read. “Please find enclosed the laboratory results for the cremains testing performed by our company on the samples you sent us recently.”

“Wait a minute,” Sam interrupted. “Didn’t you have to send them a sample of Dad’s DNA for comparison?”

“Yeah,” was all Andy felt compelled to answer.

“So how did you get Dad’s DNA?”

“I, ah, had some,” Andy replied. “From a while ago.”

“You had some? Really? From a while ago? Care to enlighten us?” said Sam.

“Not really. But if I do, there will be no laughter, is that clear?” She could see Sam biting her lip in anticipation. “I mean it.” Both girls nodded agreement. “I have a lock of your father’s hair,” Andy said. “From when we were dating.”

Sam couldn’t help herself. A guffaw, if ever Andy heard one! She scowled back.

Lil put her hand on her mother’s and smiled affectionately. “I think that’s sweet.”

“Shut up,” said Andy. “Let’s get this over with.”

Harley continued. “The specifics of the test results are contained on page two of this letter. However, a summary of our findings indicates the following. Number one, the sample cremains were not suitable to extract for a DNA profile.”

“Bingo!” Sam said.

Having slipped from defensive to defeated in record time, Andy sighed audibly. “Would you mind, Sam? Let’s not make me feel like a bigger fool than necessary.”

Sam relented immediately. “Right. I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Want me to read number two?” Harley asked.

“Number two?” said Andy.

“Of the summary. Number two says, ‘The sample cremains show no signs of organic material and therefore do not, in all likelihood, include human tissue.’” Harley looked up, awaiting further instruction.

“Let me see the letter,” Sam said, taking the paper from Harley. She looked first at page one and then at page two. “It means the ashes are probably fake,” she said.

“Probably?” Lil wanted to know.

Sam grabbed the invoice. “The test cost $99, Lil. I doubt these folks can tell the difference between a corpse and cat litter.”

“But if there’s no organic material present,” Andy reiterated, reading the results for herself, “that means Tilda sent us dust.”

It took a few moments for the implications to sink in. And the one that sank in fastest was the bizarre behavior of the widow-in-chief.

“Why on earth would Tilda send fake ashes?” asked Sam.

“Maybe she just wanted to keep his real ashes for herself,” Lilly theorized. “We all agree she’s weird.”

“Or maybe it’s her way of flipping us off,” Sam offered.

“Or maybe he’s not dead,” said Andy, trying to squeeze herself back into the conversation. It worked.

“Why would she pretend he’s dead?” asked Sam, genuinely confused.

“Who knows?” mused Andy. “She hated it every time Mitch tried to call your dad. She was jealous. Some women are like that. Especially women who marry a guy with children and don’t have any of their own. So she decided to tell us he was dead to get us out of their, you know, busy and satisfying lives,” Andy concluded, with what she thought was just the perfect touch of contempt.

“And you think a fake cremation would be okay with Dad?” Lil wanted to know.

Andy considered this and said, “I don’t know. I don’t know what to think.”

“Well,” Sam pointed out, “Dad still could be dead. These just aren’t his ashes. Whatever’s going on, this test doesn’t actually get us anywhere, Mom.”

The kid holding the faux remains raised his hand slightly, as if he were waiting to be called on before he spoke.

“What is it, Harley?” Andy asked.

“Why don’t you just call Uncle Mark? You know. On his cell. See if he picks up.”

Out of the mouth of boobs, Andy thought.

Sam picked up her phone and dialed.

“Hi, Samantha,” boomed the voice on the other end of the line. “What’s up?”

“Hi, Mitch. Sorry to call in the middle of work.”

“No problem.”

“Listen, I want you to call Dad.”

“Call him? How do I do that?”

“You have his cell number, right?”

“Yeah. But he’s dead, Sam. Remember?”

“I know. Just call the number.”

“Call the number? I don’t want to call the number.”

“Just do it, will you?”

“Why?”

“Mom had the ashes tested. They’re questionable. We want to know if he’s still taking calls.”

“Those weren’t his ashes?!”

“It turns out there’s room for doubt.”

“Well, that certainly creeps me out, Samantha. Why have I been nominated to make the call?”

“Because you’re a big boy, Mitch. Just do it.”

A long beat, as Mitch considered his responsibilities. “Okay. Hold on.” He clicked off, and the little review committee waited in silence. He was back on the line a minute later.

“Sam?”

“Did you get him?”

“No. The number’s no longer in service,” Mitch told her. “What does that mean?”

“Damned if I know,” said Sam. “I’ll get back to you.” And she hung up.

The possibility that Tilda Trivette might have been screwing with Mark Kornacky’s remains seemed to jettison his children into action in a way that the man’s reported death had not. In the two hours before Lilly had to leave for the airport to catch her plane back to Idaho, Team Kornacky came together in a rare show of unity.

Thanks to Nancy Hersage for sharing an excerpt of her novel, and please visit her website at NancyHersage.com to learn more about her and her writing!

Meet Roy Albert Andrade, Author

Roy Albert Andrade was born in Pacoima, California and at 12 years old was persuaded by gang members to join them for his own safety. Their modus operandi was to promise him protection from bullies and rival gangs. Having had no family structure of his own, Roy joined a group that was one of many in a city torn by dozens of Latino gangs or "families" as they called themselves. First named by gang members as "Bandit," he later carried a 22-caliber pistol and was given the moniker "Killer."

Having been incarcerated but never convicted of any crime, Roy decided to use his time in prison to interview others about crimes they had committed. This developed into his passion for life and a passion for writing. Well-read and a graduate of the University of Phoenix in Arizona, he decided to write his first novel based upon those interviews.

Roy has since written and published Cultivating the DNA of Crime in May 2014 and Virula: Renaissance Outlaw in March 2015. He has also established his own companies, K1ller, Inc., K1ller Publishing Co, and The K1ller Foundation to steer the youth of America away from lives of crime. Learn more about Roy Albert Andrade and his books at www.k1ller.com and on Facebook.

1. Have you always been interested in writing, or was it something you took up later on in your life?

No. When I was younger I wanted to be a drug lord and distribute drugs worldwide. I began selling marijuana in junior high and earned nearly $2,000 per week with little effort. I began hiring people and expanded my operation outside Los Angeles County. In high school, I began selling cocaine and methamphetamine to earn additional income. Eventually, I was sentenced to prison, and filed an appeal in the California Supreme Court. A year and a half passed by before I realized the value of an education. I became a student of University of Phoenix, and graduated with an Associate of Arts degree in 2011. Around that time, I began writing Cultivating the DNA of Crime. I hooked up with George Pryce, Death Row Records' former publicist, and the rest is history!

2. What got you started with interviewing prisoners about their crimes?

While serving time at Salinas Valley State prison in Central California, I enrolled in academic courses, self-help groups, and work programs. I met a number of interesting people, and exchanged information regarding gang affiliation. So, when I write, I integrate their ideas and experiences with my own to form what I call "a work of art."

3. How does your life experience as well as your interviews influence you as a writer?

My life has always encompassed four things: money, sex, drugs, and violence. I write what I see, hear, touch, taste, and know. I have a background unlike any other. There's only two people I can name that have a similar background and have published more than one book: Rene Enriquez and Donald Garcia (R.I.P). So, what I write is authentic, and most importantly, unique.

4. What do you like about the novel as a form, rather than short stories, say, or nonfiction?

I like to get to the point! I've read numerous books, some the size of dictionaries, others the size of employee handbooks, and what I learned is this: get to the [expletive] point already! I prefer writing short stories, because I can get to the point, easier, faster, and efficiently, and make the reader turn the next page.

5. What would you most like readers to know about Cultivating the DNA of Crime?

If I can do it, then anyone can do it. Not all of us have the same goals, but that doesn't mean we can't learn from one another and achieve what our hearts desire. I'm a living testimony that if people work hard enough to achieve a particular goal, and make reasonable deadlines, then they can achieve just about anything. My goal was to write and publish Cultivating the DNA of Crime. I recently published Virula: Renaissance Outlaw, and am currently working on a third project alongside George Pryce.

Thanks, Roy!

Meet S.J. Brown, Author

S.J. Brown is a crime fiction writer in Tasmania where his D.I. Mahoney series is set. A former Humanities teacher and soccer coach, he is working now on the next two volumes in his "whydunnit" series.

Find his books on Amazon: High Beam and Dead Wood.

1. What inspired you to start writing mysteries?

I suppose it was an abiding love of the genre. The old maxim is "to write about what you know." Well, having immersed myself in murder mysteries for decades now, I feel I know them pretty well. My bookshelves are stuffed with the works of UK writers such as Colin Dexter, P.D. James, Ian Rankin, and Peter Robinson. Among the Americans I always return to Michael Connelly, and from "Down Under" it's hard to go past Peter Temple and Michael Robotham. You pick up the characteristics of compelling crime fiction almost by osmosis.

Apart from the sheer entertainment value of murder mysteries, they allow a writer to examine characters under extreme pressure. And there is always the element of seeing how a society really functions in its pursuit of justice.

2. How would you describe your main character, D.I. Mahoney?

Detective Inspector John Mahoney is something of an "outsider." He lived abroad (England) for a substantial part of his career before returning to Australia. So he struggles to re-adjust to the cultural mores of his hometown. Through his eyes, the reader is able to critically view what many unthinkingly take for granted. He is unmarried but seeks personal stability: he feels he has missed the boat in the relationship sense. His is an ongoing struggle to understand his place in the world.

But not in his professional life. Here he is a scrupulous and committed investigator. His moral compass is steady as he seeks not only to solve his cases but to bring a strong level of accountability to bear. Something of a loner in life he is a natural leader when working on a homicide case. It is then that he can keep his insecurity at bay.

3. What's the difference between a "whodunnit" and a "whydunnit"?

Within a traditional "whodunnit," there are a range of suspects and the detective cunningly solves the mystery. My concept of a "whydunnit" is that the case still requires a thoughtful solution, but there is a much greater emphasis on why characters act the way they do. In particular, why are relatively normal people "driven" to commit the ultimate crime? Many writers are good at laying out the pressures faced by investigators, but I am aiming also to explore the reasons my perpetrators enact "bloody murder."

4. Would you tell us a bit about the setting of your books?

The D.I. Mahoney series is set in Tasmania. A smallish state, by antipodean standards, it is located south of mainland Australia. Its violent convict history and island status set it apart from the rest of the nation. Geographically, it is a rugged and inhospitable place but also a locale of staggering beauty. Formerly the butt of derision, it has become an emblem of artistic creativity and tourist potential. In a real sense, it is a microcosm of the macrocosm: it is an ideal size in which to set mysteries that consider modern society.

5. How are you enjoying the transitions from teaching and coaching into fiction writing?

For a few years now, I've been scaling down my teaching commitments to devote my time to writing as well as I can. I certainly don't miss marking essays! I do miss my involvement in coaching sport, but I've committed to being an author and that takes dedication and effort. Regardless of what commercial success I attain, there are few better places to be than at my desk, in the "zone." In the same way that a good novel transports the reader, I have discovered the satisfaction of traveling to that fictional world where the magic happens.

Thanks, S.J.!

Meet Dyal Bailey, Author

Dyal Bailey is a writer, screenwriter, and restaurant owner. She took up writing after the birth of her first son and started her publishing career with an article about "What Makes a Great Bartender," inspired by her experience as a restaurant owner. From there, she launched into journalism, novels, humor, and screenwriting.

Based near Augusta, Georgia, Dyal is an avid reader and enjoys all genres, but especially mystery, suspense, and thrillers. Her novel, The Artisan, is available on Amazon. It's the first of several books in her new Artistic Assassin series.

1. How did you first become interested in writing?

I wrote a lot of poems when I was eight or nine and won some sort of prize in school for one of them. I remember that encouraging me. But I've been scribbling in notebooks since I can remember.

I first got into journalism--writing magazine articles--about 20 years ago. The whole time I was toying with fiction on the side.

What they say about it taking 10 thousand hours to become an expert at something is very true with writing, except with me it took 20 thousand hours.

I wrote and threw away a full mystery novel that I called "Murder on the Half Shell" about 15 years ago. It was truly atrocious--and unspeakably therapeutic--lol. But I'm used to failing my way to success, so I kept at it.

2. How do you balance your writing work with your work as a restaurant owner?

The restaurant owner part is easier than being a mom with seven kids. Being a homeschool mom is the really tough job. We have awesome general managers who run the restaurants; my husband is more of a comptroller, and I handle the marketing. We both work out of our home on the lake.

As far as time management, because of my busy life, I usually have only five to seven writing days a month. But when I write, I write crazy fast. Sometimes I use Dragon Dictate, and that speeds me up even more.

When I start the early editing process, not with my editor Judy in New York, but really early when I'm using several proofreaders on fiverr.com, I run it through a minimum of three or four editors at once.

Then I use multiple computer screens and run through all their edits at once. Not only is it time saving, but it helps me to see a consensus. Plus it keeps me from wasting time pushing commas back and forth, because much of editing varies according to perspective.

I'm feeding them pages right now. It's really fun, getting them to guess what comes next.

3. Your book, The Artisan, is described as a thriller, but with comedic elements. What distinguishes your book from other thrillers?

Humor is something I can't seem to help. I'm a naturally smart aleck. But it actually enhances the drama. Like an emotional judo flip.

I wrote a popular humor book under another name called Fish Gutting For Newlyweds.

I'm not sure how to explain my humorous bad guys, Gunter and Antonio. They are a lot of fun for me to write, but hard to control. They kept trying to take over the whole book.

4. What was your process like in writing The Artisan (was it fun and/or challenging and/or...?)?

I loved it!! I really and truly have a blast while I'm writing. And I attack my laptop like a leopard going after a hunk of raw meat. It's not pretty, but I like it.

5. What at writing projects are you currently working on--and what are you currently reading in your free time?

I'm knee deep in the second book of this series. I have five in the Artistic Assassin Series outlined already.

That's another key to writing fast, knowing where you're going in the book. I do all my outlining on my iPhone--then I email it to myself. It works great for me, because when I get a cool idea, I can just pick up my phone and etch in the changes.

I'm finishing up The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (brilliant), and I was half way though Digital Disruption (awesome) when I decided to re-read Waiting for Your Cat to Bark.

Last week I read a Brad Thor thriller, The Black List (loved it) and I read Lee Child's Without Fail--I love Lee Child; he writes more like an American thriller writer than most American thriller writers.

The other night I was up with a sick kid and read two books by J. Goldberg about online income. I'm using her books as part of a homeschool course I'm teaching my teens this coming fall.

I guess you could say I read kind of crazy fast as well. My Kindle makes it way too easy.

Thanks, Dyal!

Meet Tiffany Christina Lewis, Author

Tiffany Christina Lewis was honored to have her work published for the first time in May 2011. Since then her work has been featured in many books and online publications. From fiction to non-fiction, murder to relationships, Tiffany's range as a writer is wide and deep. Crazy about killing, Tiffany's favorite genre to write is crime fiction. Find her novella, Inside Out, for sale on Amazon, and learn more about Tiffany by visiting her blog.

1. As someone who has written since a young age but couldn't always find time to write because of your work and family life, what inspired you to renew your commitment to writing over the last few years?

A cousin introduced me to a woman who would soon become my mentor and publisher. This was around 2010 or so. I met another amazing woman through her during that time, and I started a blog where I met another amazing woman. To be specific, that was Katrina, Nike, and Elaine. God brought us together, that's all I can say! They blew on a weak flame and helped grow a huge blaze in my confidence and writing ability and renewed my love for writing.

I always say that "you know something is your true calling when you can't run away from it." I never really left writing. I just realized that I should be giving it my full attention and making it my career. At that point, nothing could stop me. My time with those three ladies just affirmed that for me.

2. Congrats on the publication of your novella, Inside Out. What gave you the idea for the book, and how long did it take you to write it?

Honestly, it just came to me. I am an avid fan of crime fiction and crime non-fiction, and the character of Michael Taylor just literally came to me. His whole story and everything that he was developed from a night of watching detective shows before bed. My best work comes as epiphany, and this was no exception. I always tell people, Michael just fell in my lap. And with all that, I finished putting this book on digital paper in 3 months. The editing is another story!

3. What do you like--and what do you find challenging--about writing crime fiction?

I like the violence and the mind games. I wanted to be a psychologist at one time, and I should have continued with my studies in that area, but I found a passion in education. In crime fiction, I can research mental disorders and crime-related logic.

As far as challenging, the issue I have is part of what I like. Research! Google and the library can only tell me so much, and I have to also understand what I read in order to give it to the reader accurately. I'm interested in employing an officer (or detective), and a psychologist to help me with my research in the future.

4. You write in a lot of different genres--do you find that you go back and forth between genres all the time, or do you tend to spend months writing in one genre and then switch gears, or...?

Lately I have not bounced around genres because I have been so focused on Michael Taylor, and the other project I am working on is also crime fiction. I have been writing crime pretty regularly since 2010. I'm just not as close to other genres as I am to crime so I will keep it my focus.

5. What are some projects you're working on now, and what will readers be seeing from you over the next year or so?

I am working on Michael Taylor 2, working title, and another novella based on a short story I had published in a compilation in 2012. All crime of course, but the project based on the compilation is not related to Michael Taylor. I hear every bestselling author has another book coming soon, so I'm living by that.

Over the next year or so I intend to continue publishing Michael Taylor. I also intend to start work on a female detective. I worked on her already, but she needs some work. The novella I'm working on now, unrelated to the Michael Taylor series, may have a sequel, but that depends on how well it does.

Thanks, Tiffany!