Books | Norma Huss

E-book Links Updated

Posted on November 14, 2016 by norma56hussNovember 14, 2016

All of my books are available as paperback and e-book through Amazon, but most are also available in formats for the other e-book readers. Time to pull it all together. Through books2read, it’s possible to give one link for each book. (The Kindle link will also show the paperback site.) Some markets other than Amazon also carry the paperback issues.

I’ll start with the Jo Durbin Series links.

Hidden Body – Prequel novelette, e-book free everywhere

Yesterday’s Body – Book 1

Forgotten Body – Book 2

: Hidden Body

The Cyd Denlinger Mystery – Death of a Hot Chick

Cherish – A YA Ghost Mystery

A Knucklehead in 1920s Alaska – The true adventures of a young man

: Death of a Hot Chick

: CHERISH

: A Knucklehead in 1920s Alaska

Sign up for Norma’s Chat. Once a month or so, I send publishing news, reviews of good books, and notice of freebies. When my next book is published in early 2017 (a book of ten short stories), all my Chat members will receive the free e-book in their preferred format. (Hey, can’t beat that, right?)

New Short Mystery – Hidden Body

Posted on March 7, 2016 by norma56hussMarch 7, 2016

Hidden Body, a prequel mystery novelette, is part of the Jo Durbin Mysteries. Jo’s sister is preparing a cottage by Chesapeake Bay for sale. Jo is along to write up the glowing words that will entice buyers to an Open House. When a black cat crosses their path, is it bad luck? Or, just maybe, that cat may lead to solving a mystery.

Did I mention it’s FREE? Available as an e-book at these outlets:

Death of a Hot Chick

Posted on January 22, 2016 by norma56hussJanuary 22, 2016

A young widow trying to survive, a ghost with an agenda, and the boat they share.
That’s the elevator pitch for Death of a Hot Chick. What is an elevator pitch, you ask? That’s when an author finds herself in an elevator with an agent and she wants to tell said agent all about her wonderful book before the door opens.

I’m not looking for an agent. I want to tell readers about my mystery and the elevator pitch works for that too. I could tell you more, but instead, I’ll talk about the cover. The boat pictured is real. Some years before I wrote this book, I saw the original Snapdragon. I took pictures and asked the owner if I could place a murder mystery on her boat. She agreed, with one reservation. Not gonna tell you what that one was, but I will tell you, perhaps she should have asked for more.

Since Death of a Hot Chick is now available for all e-readers, as well as in paperback, I want to show them all in one place. Do check them out.

New Mystery – Forgotten Body

Posted on January 17, 2016 by norma56hussJanuary 17, 2016

My new mystery has been published! Forgotten Body is the second in the Jo Durbin Mystery Series. Since it was in the running for a Kindle Scout book, I decided to offer the ebook free for five days. After all, if it had been a Kindle Scout book, everyone who nominated it would have received a free ebook. Well, I’m going one better. Anyone who wants it, can have a free book. (Of course, I won’t mind if a lot of readers decide to post a review.)

Do you remember Jo Durbin from the prequel (also new), Hidden Body, or the first volume, Yesterday’s Body? She’s the fifty-something woman who, looking to revitalize a journalist career going south, takes unusual steps. In Hidden Body, she was merely going along with her real estate salesman sister Sylvie to write up a glowing review of a cottage for sale. (Did that black cat mean bad luck? Or, did the cat help the sisters find the villain?) In Yesterday’s Body, Jo lived as a bag lady, planning to write up her experiences and maybe make big bucks. As a bag lady, she tried all the tricks the homeless might use—sleep in the park, use someone else’s keys, even take a part-time job. (We know plans in a mystery never work out.)

Here’s the short version of my blurb for Forgotten Body: Jo Durbin, embedded reporter, covers a reenactment of America’s forgotten War of 1812. Piece of cake. Action, faux dead bodies, pretend battles, and everyday lives of the RVers (Workampers)—all fodder for her pen. Except there’s a real body, forgotten in the grass.

With the victim’s checkered past, suspects multiply. When children are endangered, Jo follows a figment of her imagination despite any help or hindrance from her sister, a friend, and the man who wants to be more than a friend.

And here’s the Amazon link, free for the first five days.

How Jo Changed

Posted on December 17, 2015 by norma56hussDecember 17, 2015

I have a new cover for my first book, Yesterday’s Body. Inside the book, my amateur sleuth is just the same. On the cover, she’s changed.

The first cover was done by the small publisher, Wings ePress. Then, after my contract with them was up, I self-published with a cover by my daughter, Donna Hedricks. Now, since I’m about to publish a sequel, I wanted them to match. So. . . a new cover, by Karen Phillips. But let’s face it. Jo’s image has changed.

First Cover

Second Cover

Third Cover

Of course, I must admit, there’s not much of Jo on the third cover. But they all have the yellow cat.

Nominee – Kindle Scout

Posted on November 23, 2015 by norma56hussNovember 23, 2015

There are a lot of good books listed on Kindle Scout for readers to nominate. Forgotten Body is mine. It’s a good deal for readers as well as authors. The program lists each accepted book for thirty days, then gives readers the opportunity to nominate their favorites. Best part—when a book is chosen for publication by Kindle Scout, all those who nominated that title get it free (as an e-book) shortly before publication.

The program is good for authors too as they receive an advance and a favorable contract.

My blurb: Jo Durbin, embedded reporter, covers a reenactment of America’s forgotten War of 1812. Piece of cake. Action, faux dead bodies, pretend battles, and everyday lives of the RVers (Workampers)—all fodder for her pen. Except there’s a real body, forgotten in the grass. With the victim’s checkered past, suspects multiply. When children are endangered, Jo follows a figment of her imagination despite any help or hindrance from her sister, a friend, and the man who wants to be more than a friend.

It’s Bazaar Time

Posted on November 19, 2015 by norma56hussNovember 19, 2015

I’m gearing up to sell my books at a local Christmas bazaar. Books will be in the minority of products. There will be sewn lovelies, cut felt hangings, hand-made jewelry, paintings, and a variety of decorated items wanting to be under someone’s Christmas tree. There will be commercial booths with candy and goodies galore that may not last until Christmas. (I know, any I buy will suffer that fate.)

Ah, but books? One can partake of their delights and still gift them to others. (That’s what often happen to my holiday purchases. However, one must hold the book only partially open so as not to crack the spine, definitely not dog-ear any pages, and never read while eating anything sticky.)

And after the bazaar? Will I count my money, always assuming I actually sell a few books instead of buying others’ goodies. Well, hopefully. But I’ll go back to promoting my book that is currently available for nomination at Kindle Scout. (You knew I wouldn’t miss that opportunity right now.)

That taken care of, I wonder how many of you participate in Holiday Bazaars. Or, do you suffer (like me), with ambivalent thoughts of—what? It isn’t even Thanksgiving yet.

Kindle Scout book coming-Forgotten Body

Posted on November 12, 2015 by norma56hussNovember 12, 2015

November 14, 2015, is the big day! I just got word this morning (the 12th). My next mystery, Forgotten Body, will be on Kindle Scout.

Okay, you want to know exactly what Kindle Scout is? It’s partly a choose-your-own-read, in that anyone can nominate books they would like to read. After giving the reading public thirty days to choose a book, Amazon decides which ones they will publish in e-book form. (Part of their decision is based on the book’s popularity.) The best part for the reader: You receive a free e-book copy of each of the books you nominated. Okay, that’s only true if they decide to publish the book. (If not, they tell you where it is available.) As a reader, I’ve nominated many books I’d like to read. (They allow three nominations at a time.) Several have been published by Kindle Scout, so I’ve received free e-books. They were all great reads. They earned four or five stars when I placed my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. (Since I know those reviews help the author and the reader, I try to review every book I read.)

Of course, there’s good news for the author too. The Kindle Scout program offers a favorable contract with advance and royalties, as well as publicity.

The Kindle Scout site for Forgotten Body will include the one sentence teaser, the blurb, and almost all of the first two chapters. It will even tell you something about me and ask me questions. (I answer, of course.) Meanwhile, I’ll tell you Forgotten Body is a sequel to Yesterday’s Body. Jo Durbin, my amateur detective will do her thing (along with that elusive, imaginary cat) at a reenactment of the War of 1812. On Saturday the 12th, the whole thing will go live here. So visit, and if you like what you see, nominate. If you have any questions, ask here.

Five Stars for The Driving Lesson

Posted on November 9, 2015 by norma56hussNovember 8, 2015

I enjoyed this book tremendously. Rather surprised me— It’s in 14-year-old Charlie’s viewpoint (and I’m a great-grandma). Grandma’s really should say something like this is scandalous—a child driving a car half-way across the country, aided and abetted by his grandfather who is seriously ill, dodging the police and evading his parents. But that’s not what I want to say. I say, “Go for it!” (Just don’t let MY grandson try this 😉 ) It’s thoughtful, surprising, and sounds just right.

This book is from Edgar Award-nominated author Ben Rehder. The average readers review is 4.6. Most think it quite wonderful. It’s hilarious with a quite serious undertone, I guess you might say. One review gave it a good score for the writing, but didn’t agree with the viewpoint.

Since this is recommended for ages 13 to adult, it might be on your list for holiday giving. Amazon listing here.

Five Stars for Gaining Ground

Posted on October 26, 2015 by norma56hussOctober 26, 2015

First, I just heard about this book yesterday. Second, I have not read it. So, how can I list it as one of my five-star reads? By a bit of slight of hand—magic, if you will.

It’s somebody’s five star read. In fact, it has way over 200 reviews on Amazon with an average of 4.9 stars.

So, how did I come to choose it? How did I hear about it? My good old local newspaper. Seems the book was the pick of patrons of 80 libraries in six counties in my part of Pennsylvania as the book to read for One Book: One Community.

Sounds like an excellent pick. The book blurb is: “One fateful day in 1996, after discovering that five freight cars’ worth of glittering corn have reaped a tiny profit of $18.16, young Forrest Pritchard vows to save his family’s farm. What ensues–through hilarious encounters with all manner of livestock and colorful local characters–is a crash course in sustainable agriculture. Pritchard’s biggest ally is his renegade father, who initially questions his son’s career choice and rejects organic foods for sugary mainstream fare. But just when the farm starts to turn heads at local farmers’ markets, his father’s health takes a turn for the worse. With poetry and humor, this inspiring memoir tugs on the heartstrings and feeds the soul long after the last page is turned.”

The book will be available in all the libraries, preparing for the early 2016 events. Does your local bookstore carry this book? Probably. It’s also available by order from Amazon and Barnes and Nobel. Considering the complete title: Gaining Ground: A Story Of Farmers’ Markets, Local Food, And Saving The Family Farm, sounds like a winner to me.

Norma Huss

Mystery, History, and Spooks, Oh My!

Category Archives: Books