HOMECOMING CHAOS
By D.W. Brooks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Romantic
Suspense/Mystery/African American Fiction
A dead body in the parking lot of her family’s
business, a killer on the loose, and a handsome detective asking a lot of
questions…
Jamie Scott’s life fell apart four years ago
when she broke off her engagement, turned down a dream job, and went overseas
to run away from her life. Now she’s back, but the reunion is not without
problems. She arrives home just in time to attend the soiree her mother
planned, but she’s not prepared for what she finds—a dead employee in the
parking lot.
Detective Nick Marshall is assigned to the
murder case at the forensics lab owned by Jamie’s family. He meets the
headstrong Jamie, but he has a job to do. And his attraction to her… well, he’s
a professional.
Jamie knows the stakes are high. She has to face
the past and save her parents’ business while dealing with her family drama and
an uncertain future. She also has to deal with Nick, who wants her out of the
way of his investigation. But fate keeps throwing them in one another’s paths…
and into chaos that they both want to avoid, but neither can seem to escape.
“Wait, wait. Hold on. Do you have a warrant? Do we need an
attorney?” Jamison stood up, too. She was almost as tall as the detective and
incredibly pretty up close, which caught him off guard. “Aren’t there
proprietary issues at the lab?”
Nick paused and deferred to Ronald. Ronald chimed in. “We’re
just trying to get information about this woman’s death. You can call a lawyer
if you wish but retaining one may slow things down.”
“Hmmm.” Jamie stared at both detectives. She couldn’t read
either of them, but the situation gave her pause. She recognized the importance
of finding out what had happened to their employee. However, the family
business needed to be shielded as much as possible. Jamie hadn’t been back
long, and her brain was still cloudy and jet-lagged, but she recognized the
potential perils in just letting the police roam free in the lab. “Dad, Mother,
someone should call Richard,” she said, scrutinizing both parents.
Margaret said, “Good idea. I’ll call while I change. He can
meet us there.” She gave the detective and the other officers a superior
glance. “Richard Bradshaw, he’s a partner at Bradshaw, Taylor, and Kline, and
he is our son-in-law.” She turned to walk into the master suite, with Gregory
following.
Nick shook his head, and Ronald was less subtle with a
steady scowl. Both had heard about Richard’s firm and peripherally knew
Richard. This situation just got a lot more difficult. Nick didn’t suspect the
family, but involving a lawyer usually complicated their police work. He turned
back to Jamie, who was studying his reaction. He adjusted his face so she
couldn’t sense his annoyance.
Jamie noted the subtle change and smiled to herself. She
could tell she had annoyed him. Even annoyed, he’s pretty cute. “I need to get
my coat. If you will excuse me,” she said, heading back to her bedroom.
Upstairs, Jamie changed clothes, retrieving a pair of skinny
black jeans from her bag. As she slid into her jeans, her mind wandered to the
detective. She typically dated guys that were taller than her—with her
ex-fiancé being the lone exception—Eddie had been the same height. A strong
jaw, wavy-ish hair, nice lips, and a commanding presence—which Jamie suspected
the detective had in spades—didn’t hurt either. Just the type of guy she would
typically go for if the circumstances were different. Rifling through the
dresser, she found a white Henley shirt
she’d left on a previous visit. She had gained almost fifteen pounds since
then, and the shirt fit snugly. She now had boobs! Placing the hat back on her
head, she was glad she had an appointment at the hair salon later in the day.
Yikes, she thought after catching herself primping in the
mirror. Am I trying to impress the detective who’s investigating us? Girl, it has
been a long time. Although he is hot. She shook her head exasperatedly.
 |
| D. W. Brooks |
The author is a
doctor and editor who lives in Texas with her husband
and children. She enjoys trying to stay in shape, sporadically cooking, reading
(still), writing, and working on her blog. She is eternally grateful to the
woman who donated a kidney to her over 5 years ago and continues to advocate
for organ donation as much as she can.
To learn more
about D. W. Brooks and future publications and events, click here
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Thank you for stopping by and sharing your book Homecoming Chaos. There is always more to an author’s life. So, we thought our readers
and visitors would enjoy learning more about you and your writing career.
What are some of the most valuable lessons you have learned from
writing?
I have developed additional courage. I know
that is strange to say given my previous profession as a physician. But in
becoming a physician, you are judged by and rely on your intellect and brain.
You are used to being graded on that scale, and you can improve your scores by
studying harder, working harder, or requesting help. Writing a book is different. It doesn't
matter how smart you are, the reaction to your book has nothing to do with you
or your smarts. And after living a life where I could work to improve my
reception, this is an industry where you throw caution to the wind. You might
write a great book, and people may not be into it or you may have a hard time
finding your audience. It takes courage to put yourself out there.
Also, I found some additional resilience. This
was the first book that I ever finished. It wasn't easy, but I did it!
What type of characters do you enjoy creating?
I like creating characters who are basically
good people, but they have character flaws or experiences that make them do
bad or stupid things. I haven't created a straight evil character yet, but I am
looking forward to making one. Perhaps I will whenever I write my first
straight mystery story.
Which authors have influenced you the most?
Alexandre Dumas: I appreciated his skill in
spinning an engrossing read.
Charles Dickens: His ability to describe
and set a scene had me struggling through his introductions to get to the real
story.
James Patterson: His earlier works were
really fast-paced and thrilling.
Janet Evanovich: The ability to create a
long-running series with engaging characters. Also, the ability to have a
lighter-hearted mystery series.
Alex Haley: I just felt every word that he wrote in Roots.
Have you ever had writer’s block, and if so, how did you
overcome it.
I haven't had writer's block; most of my
writing issues come from a lack of time and time management. When I wrote Homecoming Chaos, I had nothing else to do. Due to a genetic condition, I was on
dialysis and was exhausted while waiting for a kidney transplant. So, I had no
deadlines – perceived or real. Now, I have more deadlines and more to do, so I
am trying to organize my schedule to get my writing done.
Have you ever received a negative comment or review about your book,
and if so, how did you handle it?
While the vast majority of my reviews have
been 4 or 5-star, I have received a couple of 3-star reviews with comments
about issues they had with my story construction or writing style. Of course,
seeing any criticism stings but I try not to let it bother me too much. I also
don't linger over them. It's self-protection.
However, as I work on my next novella and
novel, I am considering the content of their comments. I am not changing
everything about my writing style, but I am paying close attention to one or
two of the issues they raised.
What approach do you use when developing your characters?
To create a character, I start with age,
placement in family, and education. I then look up popular names during the year
they were born to select the name (this name may change as I write the
character). Often, I fine-tune character traits as I go through the story where
reactions to situations guide me to alter a personality trait. So, some
character issues may be in flux as I write.
From where do you get your story ideas?
I put pieces together from things I have read
or seen on the news, from movies and television shows, and other things to try
to create different scenarios. I also have a vivid imagination. I then do some
investigations to make sure that specific things can actually happen in real
life.
Are your stories based on true current or past events?
No, they aren't based on specific events.
There may be some elements that may sound familiar, but I generally don't write
ripped-from-the-headlines-type stories.
When it comes to writing, how do you manage your time?
This is a big issue for me right now. When I wrote Homecoming Chaos, I
was in kidney failure. My life was on hold until I received a kidney
transplant. Writing with no plan or deadline is a different experience than
writing with deadlines and time goals to meet. I am still working on organizing
my schedule now that I have goals, schedules, and deadlines to work with. It is
a challenge. Nonetheless, in 2024, I plan to focus and write 1 novel and 2
novellas. 💜
Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions. We
wish you good health and continued success in your endeavors.
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