Myster We Write Blog Tour - Madison Johns

As a child, Madison Johns preferred to distance herself from other children her age, and had been described as a dreamer. Even as a small child, she remembers staying awake many a night fighting dragons, whisked away to foreign lands, or meeting the man of her dreams.

She was a voracious reader of historical romance in her teen years and has always wished to one day journey to England, France, Ireland, and Scotland.

The writing bug bit her at the age of 44 and she pounded out three books since that time. As the publishing climate changed she took a risk and decided to self publish, first a collection of two horror short stories geared for YA, Coffin Tales Season of Death.

Madison's caring nature had led her to work in the healthcare field, where she was employed as a nursing care assistant at a nursing home, and it was there that she was inspired to write her first mystery, Armed and Outrageous, introducing amateur detective Agnes Barton. The book depicts two elderly ladies digging up clues with enough laugh out loud antics to make James Bond blush.

Excerpt:

In this opening scene Agnes Barton stops by Eleanor Mason’s house who happens to be her partner in crime throughout the book.

“Why in the world, Eleanor, would you leave your door unlocked?”

Eleanor turned around with an indignant expression on her face. Her large frame squeezed into a matching mustard colored shirt and Capri pants. On her feet, she wore white flip-flops. I couldn’t understand how she could walk in the blasted things. Eleanor had blue eyes that simply danced, and her well-wrinkled skin was covered with large moles, as if collecting them. Her thin, gray hair was curled today...her hair appointment had been only yesterday. When she laughed, which she did often—her whole belly shook.

“Why would I lock the door? I knew you’d be coming straight here after getting the paper. How is Roy this morning?” She giggled and tried unsuccessfully to stop.

“You’re the one that has eyes for him, not me, Eleanor.”

“Really? Do you think he would be interested?” Her eyes bobbed and danced suggestively.

Ignoring her chatter, I held up the newspaper and handed it to Eleanor to read. She carried it to one of her white wicker chairs and sat reading the article before handing it back to me.

“It said the same thing on the news this morning. The girl’s father is on his way here too,” Eleanor said, putting her hand against her mouth as if someone else could hear her. “Word is that he is staying at Robinson’s Manor while he’s here.”

“Put your hand down, and start acting serious for once. How in the world does he think he can get in there? They are always booked this time of year.”

“There is one suite that is always empty. I heard they remodeled it real quick like just to accommodate him.”

“Certainly not … the suite?”

“One and the same.”

“The suite where Mrs. Robinson was raped and murdered in?” I couldn’t believe it. “Nobody in their right mind would want to stay in—that room. Maybe he doesn’t know.”

“Beats me, but word is he wants to be close to the place where his daughter went missing.”

I cleared my throat. “Where exactly would that be, Eleanor?”

“I was hoping you would ask. Not far from Quick Stop. It was the party store she was going to on Tuesday.”

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Armed and Outrageous is available on Amazon.

Madison says, "I will be giving away a free copy of Armed and Outrageous on every blog stop based on the comments. If you already have the book why not give your free copy to a friend!"