Joan Hall is with us today. I first met Joan when she joined Story Empire, and she’s a powerful addition to the team. I’ve read some of the Driscoll Lake series, and enjoyed every bit of it. I need to finish the rest of it, and it’s on my list.
Make Joan feel welcome today, and feel free to use those sharing buttons on her behalf. I know she’d do it for you if you were on tour.
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Hello, everyone. It’s a pleasure to be here for Story Empire’s Something Wicked Tour. Craig, thanks for hosting me on this final day.
Jealousy is a powerful emotion that is often hard for some people to control. In some cases, it can lead people to do unthinkable things, up to and including murder.
A Belgian woman killed her sky-diving partner because of a love triangle. A Florida man, Brian Bates, murdered his ex-wife when he learned she’d began dating again. A Miami high school student killed his best friend because of jealousy. The list goes on.
In Unclear Purposes, the third and final book of the Driscoll Lake Series a jealous person is set on revenge. They won’t allow anything or anyone to stand in the way of getting what they want. Curious? Here’s an excerpt from the book.
Excerpt:
Some occasions required a person to be an extrovert. To mingle with the crowd. Other times one needed to blend into the background. Being able to disguise oneself had its advantages. The ability to be virtually unrecognizable.
Tonight was a time to remain hidden. To observe.
Three couples sat at a table close to the stage. It was a cozy little scene with lots of interaction among them. The women each had a distinct beauty, the men all tall and handsome. Talk about standing out in a crowd.
Who wouldn’t envy the brunette and her six-foot-four husband? Or the auburn-haired physician and her successful man? But the third couple was the most intriguing.
What exactly was between them? Casual friendship? Something more? The desire to know had been festering for several weeks. It was the reason for tonight’s visit to Pinnacle. To confirm what was already feared.
It didn’t take long to determine the answer. The way Christine and Vince danced together wasn’t something casual friends would do.
When the song ended, Rachel Nichols whispered something to them before leaving the floor with her husband. Whatever it was, caused a change in Vince. It wasn’t hard to see he had gone into alert mode as if looking for something or someone.
Careful. He’s been in law enforcement. Trained to be observant. Wouldn’t take much for him to notice something out of the ordinary.
The inner battle began.
Calm down. Breathe. There’s no way anyone would recognize you. Still, it’s probably best you leave. Your mission is accomplished. You’ve got the information you came for.
The relationship between Christine Lawrence and Vince Green would have to end. There were lots of ways to ensure that would happen. But when it came down to it, there was only one way to guarantee success.
Blurb:
Some people take secrets to the grave…
Three years after her husband’s murder, Christine Lawrence still struggles for balance. She has a rewarding career and a close circle of friends but feels oddly unfulfilled. Worse, the close relationship she once had with her teenage daughter has grown increasingly strained.
Former FBI agent, Vince Green, is battling demons of his own—painful secrets that drove him from Driscoll Lake. Newly resettled in the small town, he makes his living as a private investigator.
When Vince and Christine cross paths, stumbling over the body of a murder victim, he’s forced to confront memories he thought long buried. The circumstances surrounding the killing are eerily similar to a victim from his past.
As the body count continues to rise, Christine finds herself drawn to Vince. With a murderer stalking the streets of Driscoll Lake, neither is aware the killer has targeted her as the next victim—or that Vince’s past is key to unmasking a disturbed and deadly killer.
Connect with Joan:
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Great post, Joan. Jealousy is most definitely a dangerous and scary thing. I loved how you used it Unclear Purposes, and I enjoyed the Driscoll Lake Series. 🙂
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Thanks, Harmony. It was bittersweet bidding this series goodbye. I enjoyed writing the books. But on to new things. Thanks for all your support this week (and always.)
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Craig, thank you for hosting me. It’s always a pleasure to touch base with your readers and you are a gracious host. This week has been fun!
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You’re always welcome here.
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Thanks, Craig. And you know you’re always welcome at my site.
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It’s astounding what some people will do because of jealousy. You used that plot point to create a mesmerizing read with Unclear Purposes, Joan. I loved this whole series, especially this book!
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Thanks, Mae. This one was in some ways the most challenging to write but probably the best of the three overall.
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Jealousy can be a great driver for our characters.
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Great excerpt, Joan. Jealousy is one powerful motivator – amazing what people will do because of it.
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It is, Teri. I always think of the movie Fatal Attraction. Scary.
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Jealousy is the worst of human emotions, Joan. Book 3 sounds fabulous but I need to read book 2 first.
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Thank you, Robbie. Yes, it’s better to read them in order (otherwise some things about book two won’t be a surprise). Thanks for all your visits and encouraging words this week!
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I have enjoyed learning more about the Story Empire authors books, Joan.
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I love this excerpt, Joan! You show the jealousy the disguised person is feeling in a very real way, even to the paranoia. Thank you for hosting, Craig!
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Thanks, Jan. It’s sometimes hard to get into the mind of a character when we don’t think like they do. I hope I portrayed this person in a realistic way. Thankfully, we have the internet to research and read about real-life events.
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Thanks for coming along on the tour.
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Well done, Joan. Thanks to Craig for hosting
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John, thank you for all your support this week!
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Thanks for making the rounds with us.
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Was right on my aluminum can route so no biggie. 😁
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Chilling line to end the excerpt on! A great read Joan 🙂
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Thanks so much, Jessica!
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We just slipped from something wicked to something motivational. Joan, that’s twisting the mystery deeper. It’s been an interesting week with all your background posts and the different angles on the tour theme. Well done!
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Wicked motivation? Thanks for visiting and for your support this week.
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Oh, that’s good.
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