News Flash! BHCC Takes Major Hit!

Could the BHCC be unraveling? In a few days’ time, three events have occurred:

First, I received this email:

Brandilyn, I wanted to drop you a note to say hi. I have been a card carrying member of the Big Honkin' Chickens Club for years. I'm also an aspiring writer who has enjoyed reading your blog. I finally broke down and read one of your books. I was reading it to discover how you tied faith with suspense. I read Brink of Death. I must admit that I didn't hate it. In fact, I read it in one evening and was turning the pages so quickly at the end that it was ridiculous. So while I'm not a huge fan of the genre, I am a fan of your writing.

Imagine that. A BHCC member who read one of my books, and reports no nightmares. And actually enjoyed herself.

Then to further weaken the club’s foundations, its very Vice President, Robin Lee Hatcher, posted about Coral Moon on her own blog yesterday. Ever the chicken, she admitted to not reading the book, but did highly tout my writing to others.

In her post, Robin mentioned BHCC President Deb Raney. These two share a common entry into the club. Since they had enjoyed my previous women's fiction novels, both forced themselves to read my first suspense, Eyes of Elisha. Both had nightmares. In her comment to Robin’s post, Deb claimed she gained 10 pounds after reading the book because she could no longer walk the path she’d once used for exercising. From then on, both of these dear pals of mine swore off my books.

Naturally I did the only thing a self-respecting suspense author/pal would do. I eventually dedicated a book to them. The creepiest one of all: Web of Lies. Surely these two weenies would read a book dedicated to them.

Not.

I answered Robin’s post and Deb’s comment with this challenge:

Deb and Robin, you know I love ya both. And yes, I am such a forgiving soul. But I'd send ya both five pounds of chocolate--your choice of brand--if you'd read Web of Lies--the BOOK I SO THOUGHTFULLY, GRACIOUSLY, CONSIDERATELY AND WITH ABSOLUTELY NO TEASING INTENT OR ILL WILL--dedicated to both of you.

Heh-heh.

I thought that would be the end of it. But these BHCC members can fool you sometimes. Deb replied in an email:

Okay, I’ve responded to your challenge, Brandilyn, and to prove my intentions, I’ve just finished the prologue and Chapter 1. Okay...I gotta admit it: you’re good and I’m hooked. (Even though that first scene is WAY too much like the murder I witnessed in a grocery store 13 years ago!) I’m also home alone right now, so may hold off on chapter 2 until Ken and Tavia get home. Or maybe I’ll take it to the hospital and snuggle next to my dad and read it where spiders are regularly exterminated and medical help is close at hand, just in case I have a stroke or something. ; ) But I can already taste the DeBrands. Hey! Wait a minute! This book is going to make me gain 10 pounds, too, isn’t it??? You sneaky thing, you...

Deb concluded by noting: I even stooped to putting you in my ‘What Deb’s Currently Reading’ feature on my website.

That's a might deep stoop all right, Deb.

BHCC, you just might lose your president. Either she’ll come over to the dark side or be hit with a major coronary. Either way she’ll be two sizes bigger after eating all that chocolate.

DeBrands, huh. Better start savin’ my pennies. That is, if she finishes the book.

Who's bettin' she won't get through it?

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Coral Moon blog tour continues today and tomorrow.