Blog Tour Stop, Guest Post & Contest: JB Lynn’s Further Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman

BREAKING THE RULES by JB Lynn

In CONFESSIONS OF A SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC HITWOMAN, Maggie Lee is given a set of Life Lessons by Patrick Mulligan, her murder mentor.

In the sequel, FURTHER CONFESSIONS OF A SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC HITWOMAN, Maggie breaks all his rules.

1) DON’T GET CAUGHT

When Maggie agrees to take out a heavily-guarded drug dealer who was once married to one of her aunts (for a week) her chances of getting caught increase exponentially. Then she’s caught, although he doesn’t know the real reason why she’s there, by an old frenemy.

2) DEAD IS DEAD

The thing about killing people for money is that they have to end up dead. This is harder than it sounds.

3) DON’T GET EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED

Maggie doesn’t take this job for her usual reason (to pay for her niece’s medical care). She takes it because she wants revenge on the drug dealer who was inadvertently responsible for the death of her sister and the severe injury of her beloved niece.

In writing these books, I broke some of my own rules.

1) Never write in first person

As a general rule (and yes, all rules are made to be broken) I’m not a fan of novels written in first person, but this book demanded to be told that way.

2) Stay away from talking animals

Reruns of MISTER ED traumatized me as a young child and I’d vowed to never write about talking animals. These books have two: a know-it-all lizard named Godzilla (he prefers to be called God) and a ditzy Doberman named Doomsday.

3) Write what your agent thinks will sell

It takes a long time to write a novel, so writing something your agent hates the very concept of (a humorous story about a sympathetic hitwoman who talks to animals?) would be a giant waste of time and energy. But I LOVED the idea of these books. I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters. So what’s a writer to do? I dumped my agent, wrote the book I loved, found a new agent, and the rest is history.


***CONTEST***

What “rules” do you break? And how has breaking them paid off?

Please be sure to answer the question and to leave an email address. One lucky winner (US or Canada only) will receive an ebook copy of either the first or second Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman book (winner’s choice).


About JB Lynn:

Besides being a writer, JB Lynn is a compulsive reader, a runner (of sorts), an enthusiastic cook (who doesn’t get the appeal of the Food Network), and someone who has an irresistible urge to eavesdrop at all times.

JB has a great love of her husband, dogs, coffee, purple ink, spiral notebooks, running gear, hot showers, and ’80s music. Given enough time, all of these things will eventually show up in her books.

To learn more about JB Lynn and her books, please visit: Website * Blog

For links to purchase the books, please visit: HarperCollins


Title: Further Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman by JB Lynn
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Avon Impulse
Genre: Contemporary
Length: 100 pages

Summary:

Take three wacky aunts,
two talking animals,
one nervous bride,
and an upcoming hit,
and you’ve got the follow-up
to JB Lynn’s wickedly funny
Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman

Knocking off a drug kingpin was the last thing on Maggie Lee’s to-do list, but when a tragic accident leaves her beloved niece orphaned and in the hospital, Maggie will go to desperate lengths to land the money needed for her care.

But the drug kingpin is the least of her worries. Maggie’s aunts are driving her crazy, her best friend’s turned into a bridezilla…and a knock on the head has given Maggie Dr. Dolittle abilities—she can talk to animals. Unfortunately, they talk back.

It’s just another day in the life of this neurotic hitwoman…

Excerpt:

“I see a disco ball in your future.” Armani Vasquez, the closest thing I had to a friend at Insuring the Future, delivered this pronouncement right after she sprinkled a handful of candy corn into her Caesar salad.

Disgusted by her food combination, I pushed my own peanut butter and jelly sandwich away. “Really? A disco ball?”

If you’d told me a month ago that I’d be leaning over a table in the lunchroom, paying close attention to the bizarre premonitions of my half-crippled, wannabe-psychic coworker, I would have said you were crazy.

But I’d had one hell of a month.

First there had been the car accident. My sister Theresa and her husband, Dirk, were killed; my three-year-old niece, Katie, wound up in a coma; and I ended up with the ability to talk to animals. Trust me, I know exactly how crazy that sounds, but it’s true … I think.

On top of everything else, I inadvertently found myself hurtling down a career path I never could have imagined.

I’m now a hitwoman for hire. Yes, I kill people for money … but just so you know, I don’t go around killing just anyone. I’ve got standards. The two men I killed were bad men, very bad men.


To enter today’s contest:

You must Do TWO of the Following:

1. Sign up for e-mail updates (upper left corner). One email daily with the day’s posts.

OR:

2. Be or become a fan of Book Reviews & More by Kathy Facebook page

OR:

3. Follow me on Twitter (@BookReviewsMore)

OR:

4. Friend Book Reviews & More by Kathy on Goodreads

Make sure you have filled out the contest entry form:

5. To be eligible to enter contests on Book Reviews and More by Kathy you MUST fill out the contest entry form (found HERE). This form only needs to be filled out ONCE. Your privacy is important to me, and I will not share your information.

And don’t forget to:

6. Leave a comment on this post answering Ms. Lynn’s questions: What “rules” do you break? And how has breaking them paid off? Make sure you leave your e-mail address so Ms. Lynn can contact you if you are the winner.

5 Comments

Filed under Blog Tour, Contest, Fruther Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman, Guest Blog, JB Lynn

5 Responses to Blog Tour Stop, Guest Post & Contest: JB Lynn’s Further Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman

  1. Ruth Smithson

    The rule is listen and obey your parents. Well I married a guy they didn’t care for. We have been married 14 years and are still counting.

  2. Eileen

    I learned the hard way but I’ve learned to back down when it comes to the rule – Never argue with crazy people. They want to be right, fine.
    LOL
    edor628@verizon.net

    Eileen

  3. Ruth — Great rule-breaking! Congrats!!

    Eileen –LOL (I’ve learned almost all my lessons the hard way!)

  4. Sherry

    I’ve learned the hard way not to put total trust in anyone but yourself. Some people aren’t always the friend you think they are. But it made me closer to my true friends.

  5. Flchen1

    Those are great examples of rule breaking, JB! Love how your series is turning out! One rule I’ve broken on occasion is “don’t talk to strangers” because friends were strangers before you met them 🙂

    It doesn’t always work that way but in general it’s been fun!