Just Another Girl and her Books: #IABBAddict: The Bo(d)y Next Door by Denise Malone

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Book Spotlight

Author: Denise Malone

Title: The Bo(d)y Next Door

Pages: 265

Genre: Romantic Mystery

Date published: February 15, 2014

Synopsis:
All single girl Alison Brown really needs is to spend a week on the beach with her best friend, Frankie. But instead of margaritas and sunscreen, she gets a murder next door and death threats. Now, she's involved in a police investigation while trying to save her own neck and get the heck out of Dodge. And to top it all off, the hot new neighbor, Poindexter "Dex" Jones, is determined to keep her safe and maybe get her into bed. The question is, what's more dangerous: the killer or Dex trying to steal her heart?

AMAZON // GOODREADS

Excerpt

It was a Friday night, but it was no ordinary Friday night. I was turning in my invoice for the week, early, because Frankie and I were preparing for our annual May vacation the following week. I am a work-from-home medical transcriptionist, and Frankie, my best friend, owns a salon. The last few weeks have been crazy busy for Frankie because it’s prom season. The last of the proms for the local schools was scheduled for Saturday night, and then Frankie and I were headed for the coast of Texas for a few well-deserved days on the beach before wedding season started up in June. But before we started thinking about bikinis, sunscreen, and margaritas, she had to pamper the last of this year’s juniors and seniors for prom.
The first few weeks of May every year are always stressful for Frankie, doing manicures, pedicures, and amazing hairstyles for these girls every Friday and Saturday afternoon and into the early evening to make sure they all looked perfect for their proms. In addition to the busy Fridays and Saturdays, Frankie had to do payroll, keep the place clean and well-stocked, and keep her regular appointments. It’s been exhausting for her, so I’ve spent the last few Sundays helping Frankie get everything restocked and ready for her Tuesday morning appointments so she could take Mondays off to rest.
As I hit send on my email to turn in my invoice, my phone rang. It was 8:00, and Frankie was calling.
“What’s up?” I answered. “Are you exhausted again?”
“Of course,” she replied. “I’ll be over in 10 to have a beer and some pizza. I’ll bring a movie, too. Cool?”
“Cool. See ya in a few,” I said.
I’ve always loved it when Frankie and I just enjoyed a night in, drinking beer and eating pizza. We live in an apartment complex that caters to single professionals. Most of the people who live here are young because children aren’t allowed, but there are a few older singles that live here, too. She lives two doors down from me, and we met when I first moved in two years ago. At the time, I was coming off a breakup with Dr. Grant Bishop, a resident physician who’d decided that I should follow him to Africa where he was going to work for Doctors Without Borders. I wasn’t interested, so he broke our engagement. Still depressed, I decided to move to the singles apartment complex and try to get back into the dating scene.
I was shutting down the computer when I heard the doorbell ring downstairs. Frankie was a little early.
“Door’s open,” I yelled down the stairs as I headed to my bathroom. When I heard the front door open, I said, “Brownies are on the counter if you want one. Down in a minute, gotta pee.”
“Um…thanks?” a male voice came back up the stairs. That was definitely not Frankie. Who the hell did I just invite into my apartment?

About the Author

Denise Malone lives in Texas with her husband, children, and a demented Doberman. Besides being an avid reader, she enjoys crocheting and watching college football. Her first book, The Bo(d)y Next Door, was released February 16, 2014.

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Giveaway

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Interview

What inspired you to become an author?

When I was in the 4^th grade, I decided I wanted to be Judy Blume when I grew up. I’ve written for years, but only recently decided to publish.

I assume all authors also love to read, so what book inspired your love of reading?

I can’t say that it was any one book in particular. I was a voracious reader as a child. My dad and step-mom were readers, as were my grandparents. Books were always around growing up, so for me, reading was just a normal part of life.

How old were you when you wrote your first story?

It was probably in early elementary school, maybe 2^nd or 3^rd grade.

Who are some of your favorite authors now?

Jenna Bennett is by far my favorite. I also enjoy Janet Evanovich, Jamie Lee Scott, Liliana Hart, Alexa Grace, Josh Lanyon and several others.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Total pantser. Outlines are too constrictive for me.

Are your characters based on people you know?

Not really. There’s one character in The Bo(d)y Next Door that’s a mash up of two people from my real life. Other than that, my characters are the people that run around in my mind causing havoc.

What are some of your writing rituals?

I must have music in order to write. Silence is deadly for my writing mojo.

How do other books influence your writing?

I don’t know. I just write the stories my characters tell me about.

How do you get motivated to sit down and write with all the real world interruptions?

I have a need to write, and when I don’t write for a while, I get grumpy.

Which one of your books is your favorite?

Tender Loving Killer is probably my favorite at this point just because you get to know the characters better, especially Frankie.

If you could have a writing retreat anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be and why?

I’d love to visit New York City. I think sequestering myself in a hotel to write would be neat, so long as I could open the windows to take in the sights and sounds of the city.

If your main character were an alcoholic beverage, which beverage would they be and why?

Al would have to be some kind of sweet drink with a kick to it. She’s really a nice person, but she has a temper and is quick to lash out when she feels threatened in any way.

If you could live in a fictional world, which world would you choose and why?

I’d live at Hogwarts just because I loved the Harry Potter series. I’d probably be chasing George Weasley around.

What’s the best way to hide a body?

Why hide them? I leave them out for Al to find.

This or That

Coke or Pepsi? Coke

Paperback or e-reader? E-reader

Facebook or Twitter? Facebook

Peeta or Gale? Peeta

Edward or Jacob? Edward

Money or love? Love

Tattoos or bare? Bare