Welcome to Crescent Hills where beauty only runs so deep ➱ Ugly Beautiful People an Adult LGBTQ Thriller by CJ Bedell Book Tour with Guest Post and giveaway
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Book Title: Ugly Beautiful People
Author: CJ Bedell
Publisher: Next Chapter Publishing
Cover Artist: Lordan June Pinote
Release Date: August 31, 2023
Genres: Adult LGBTQ Thriller (3 out of 5 point of view characters are bisexual)
Themes: Coming out, Self-acceptance, finding yourself, death, grief, loss
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Length: 59 000 words/249 pages
The book stands alone, but it is intended to be the first book in a trilogy.
It ends on a small cliffhanger. Most of the plot points that happen in Book 1 are wrapped up, though.
Buy Links
Amazon US | Amazon UK | B & N | Kobo
Welcome to Crescent Hills where beauty only runs so deep. Scandal lurks just below the surface behind the McMansions, designer clothes, and fancy cars. And a death will bring the lies, secrets, and betrayals to a boil.
Blurb
Welcome to Crescent Hills, where beauty only runs so deep. Scandal lurks below the surface behind the McMansions, designer clothes, and fancy cars. When the town is shaken by the disappearance of journalist Ivy Fields, whispers of betrayal and intrigue begin to unravel the threads binding its elite residents.
Audrey, haunted by her own past, is determined to unveil the truth behind Ivy's disappearance, hoping to find closure she never received. Amidst this, Marcia grapples with the confines of her seemingly perfect marriage, leading her down a dangerous path. At the same time, a young Ben navigates the complexities of love, friendship, and societal expectations. Meanwhile, Cassandra's life gets disrupted by a ghost from her past.
As Crescent Hills residents confront their own dilemmas, the shadow of Ivy's disappearance looms large. For behind every beautiful façade, there are secrets yearning to be exposed, and as they say, the past always finds a way to catch up.
Excerpt
Birds screeched when Audrey opened her eyes. She yawned, then stretched. Her back hairs stuck up. Audrey might’ve been lying on the seating of the pontoon boat, but black no longer veiled the sky. Instead, sunlight beamed from the cloudless sky.
Audrey scanned the boat. Ivy was gone.
Dread filled Audrey’s insides—she couldn’t think of one logical explanation as to why Ivy would no longer be on the boat. Audrey did the only thing she could and leaned up against the edge of the boat and peered into the water. No sign of Ivy.
Something vibrated from her jean’s right pocket and she whipped out her iPhone. Sawyer was calling her. “Hello?” Audrey asked.
“I wanted to see how you were doing this morning.” Sawyer chuckled. “And don’t worry. I’m not mad you decided to have a fun night with Ivy. Just glad Ivy texted me about you staying over at her place. Most people wouldn’t be so courteous.”
“I’m still on the boat,” Audrey blurted. “And Ivy is nowhere to be found.”
“Come again?”
“We never went back to shore and had dinner.”
“How much did you drink last night?”
“Just one gin and tonic.”
A folded piece of paper on the driver’s seat of the boat caught Audrey’s attention, and she rushed over to it. “I’m sorry, but I’ve gotta go,” she said. “I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
Audrey pressed END before shoving her iPhone back into her pocket. Then, she unfolded the note and read it.
Dear Audrey,
I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but I’ve been very unhappy
with my life for a long time, and I’ve decided to end my life.
I know my suicide will probably come as a shock to you. However,
please always think of me fondly.
Love,
Ivy
Audrey crumbled the note and it fell onto the floor of the boat. After that, she screamed. Tragedies were supposed to be something that she watched on the news, not witnessed first- hand. But no explanation was necessary about how cruel life was and the universe often had a twisted sense of humor.
Tears welled in Audrey’s eyes. Nothing could’ve prepared her for this moment, because she wanted to cry. And cry. And cry. Ivy couldn’t be dead; she was only thirty-seven. So, she still had a little more than half her life left.
Ivy was in trouble and Audrey hadn’t seen the signs. So,
Audrey’d never forgive herself for Ivy’s suicide. Audrey had failed Ivy, and she couldn’t fathom how she’d continue with life.
Audrey’s throat tightened. Perhaps Ivy’s death was only meant to resemble a suicide and was really murder. There was a reason people always touted the saying about life being stranger than fiction. Audrey shook her head. Yeah, that had to have been it. Ivy couldn’t have been desperate enough to commit suicide.
The only thing Audrey was certain of was that Ivy was nowhere to be found. And that was why she’d get to the bottom of Ivy’s death. Whether someone murdered Ivy or Ivy actually committed suicide, there had to be more to the story.
Author Interview
When did you first realize that you
wanted to be a writer?
When I was in Elementary School. My
love of reading is ultimately what got me into writing. I thought it’d be fun
to write stories. So, I did. But boy, did I have a lot to learn.
How many books have you written?
Too many to count. If we’re talking
both published and unpublished, then it could very well be thirty or more
books.
How long does it usually take you to
write a book?
Generally speaking, I can write a
book in two to four weeks.
How did you come up with the idea for
your book?
UGLY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE is meant to be
the book equivalent of a soap opera. So, you have these attractive people
living in decadence. But there’s a ton of drama and lots of secrets.
Ultimately, I want the book to be a twisty beach read.
Who are your favorite authors?
Sara Shepard, Adam Silvera, Helene
Dunbar, Adam Sass, Julian Winters, and Robbie Couch.
Do you aim for a set number of
words/pages per day?
Sort of. I don’t think it’s necessary
to write every day. But when it is a writing day, I like to write between 4,000
to 12,000 words in a day.
What is the hardest thing about
writing?
The actual writing. Pumping out 4,000
to 12,000 words in a day takes a lot of discipline and time. So, the hardest
part for me is often breaking the procrastination barrier.
What is the easiest thing about
writing?
Coming up with ideas. I have so many
ideas for books. And the book ideas sometimes just come to me at the oddest
times.
What do you think makes a good story?
Having conflict/drama in a book, yet
still offering readers hope and a happy ending. I’m so sick of books and
television shows that have tragic/unhappy endings for the sake of gritty
realism or shock value. Books and television shows being fiction means nothing
is inevitable. If I wanted realism, then I’d turn on the news. Most people read
books (or watch television) for escapism. Not to be reminded the world is a
messed-up place.
Do you like music or silence when
your write? Do you outline or do you just write?
I like listening to music when I
write. Most of my books have a thriller or mystery element, and listening to
music help sets the mood for my writing. And, yes. I’m an outliner. I find
outlining essential to the writing process.
What do you love best about your
current book?
I just love how UGLY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
is the product of hard work and determination. This book has been in my head
since I was a little kid (so since when I was in Elementary School), and I
never let go of the book. The idea has changed slightly over the years. But the
central core of the story is still there.
Chris Bedell is the author of over a dozen novels. He also graduated with a BA in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2016.
Author Links
Giveaway
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win
one of two ebook copies of Pieces of My Life.
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