The #MysteryNovember Book Tour Day 2 Shelley Pickens @shelleypickens

Welcome to Day 2 of this year’s #MysteryNovember Book tour.

Our guest today is Shelley Pickens and her book Unhinged.

Being normal isn’t always a good thing, especially if it ends up killing you.

Aimee, the sixteen year old girl who can see your every memory with just one touch, is fresh out of the torture room after risking everything to capture a killer. Despite her instinct to avoid contact with others, she tries her best to find a new normal at school—perhaps even a boyfriend. But for those who are cursed, happiness and normality aren’t easy to obtain. A bizarre illness spreads like wildfire through the school and causes those around Aimee to lose their sanity before falling into a coma. Slowly, all the people she loves succumb to this strange disease.

Alone and terrified, she must use her curse to find a way to save her family and friends. As she delves deeper and deeper into their memories, she realizes David, a delusional person from her childhood, is the bigger threat that could destroy her. Despite the danger that surrounds her, she struggles to solve the puzzle before it’s too late to help those she cares for the most.

But as David moves closer to eliminating her, one puzzle still remains. Will she be able to save herself?

Where is your home town?

I had the distinct misfortune of living in one of the most humid places on earth – Columbia, SC! But as the capital of South Carolina, it is also a beautiful, safe place to grow up and build wonderful childhood memories. Though, to this day, I still won’t eat our beloved state crop – Okra! YUCK!

What do you like about writing in the mystery genre?

I can’t honestly remember a time when I was young that I haven’t thought about writing some poem or short story after my mind has revealed its latest creative idea. Yet, after a teacher in my master’s program demolished my writing style, I couldn’t write for a good decade. It wasn’t until I saw a television special highlighting the Journey of one of my favourite authors – J.K. Rowling – that I became inspired enough to pick up my pen once again and begin writing novels. With my best friend’s encouragement, I jumped blindly and not so bravely into the world of publishing this past July.

What sub-genre of mystery does your book fit?

Must I just pick one? 😉 I love reading romance, anything YA or Paranormal and almost anything Dystopian. Though I do love a great mystery, I can’t quite get into horror books. The only exception to that is Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas series. I’m totally in love with goofy Odd!

Where is your book set? 

“Unleashed” takes place at a high school in rural Georgia. The setting is based off of the actual high school at which I currently work as a Spanish teacher. ¡Arrrriba!

Can you introduce us to the main characters?  

But there’s a new threat rising up to greet her. A bizarre illness spreads like wildfire through the school and causes those around Aimee to lose their sanity before falling into a coma. Slowly, all the people she loves succumb to this strange disease. Alone and terrified, she must use her curse to find a way to save her family and friends. As she delves deeper and deeper into their memories, she realizes David, a delusional person from her childhood, is the bigger threat that could destroy her. Despite the danger that surrounds her, she struggles to solve the puzzle before it’s too late to help those she cares for the most. But as David moves closer to eliminating her, one puzzle still remains. Will she be able to save herself?

Aimee is a strong willed survivor who chooses to live her life alone and away from others. She is the epitome of a Goth girl with long blonde hair dyed black, a nose ring and covered head to toe in black clothes to deter people from interacting with her. She loathes all human contact because she’s cursed. Her curse is that if she touches you, she absorbs all of your memories, all of your secrets. She has great inner strength and truly does desire friendship yet lives a lonely life for an obvious reason: she doesn’t want to absorb any more horrible memories of killers.

Where can readers find out more about you and your writing?       

Book trailer for book 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLbiytP_bEk

 Book Trailer for book 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQvKX0rb-Zg

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22798155-the-haunting-of-secrets

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shelleypickens

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shelleypickensauthor

Website: www.shelleypickens.com

Publisher: http://www.fireandiceya.com/  

If you are interested in my story “Unhinged” or the first book, “The Haunting of Secrets”, (and I hope you are!) please visit any or all of the sites below. The coolest is my book trailer done by the video class at my high school with actors from drama!  

When I’m not writing or teaching, you can find me surfing Facebook or twitter for all the latest news, tidbits and gossip! I share all my new adventures in life and in writing on both Facebook and Twitter. I am sorry to say that I am very new at blogging but post as much as I can when I’m not running around taking my hot mess kids to either baseball or soccer.

Where can readers find your book?  

Amazon US: http://goo.gl/0jNSRM

Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/I5DyOq

Barnes and Noble: http://goo.gl/ZUC0Ig

Publisher Site: http://www.fireandiceya.com/authors/shelleyrpickens/unhinged.html

The Haunting of Secrets (book 1)Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00M2E3IVK/ref=nosim?tag=bookdire-21&linkCode=sb1&camp=2378&creative=8430

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/459523?ref=booksdirect

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-haunting-of-secrets-shelley-r-pickens/1119986452?ean=9781612359298&offerid=239662

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/The-Haunting-Secrets-Shelley-Pickens/dp/1612359299/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412615352&sr=8-1&keywords=the+haunting+of+secrets

 Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/535634

Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/I5DyOq