Tanks: Evil Lurks on Whidbey Island (The O'Malley Adventures Book 6) Tongue-in-cheek mystery adventure by Ted Mulcahey Book Tour with Guest Post

Join the O’Malleys, along with their ever-vigilant German Shepherd, Emma, on Whidbey Island as they take on criminals, embezzlers, drug lords, and murderers, putting themselves right in the center of all the danger. With the help of their friend, Bellevue Detective Bill Owens, will they come out on top?

Blurb

Whidbey Island’s peaceful, bucolic lifestyle is invaded by a deranged psychopath intent on poisoning a significant portion of the population.

The O’Malleys join Deputy Roger Wilkie, world-renowned microbiologist Dr. Andie Saunders, and friends from past episodes in a battle of wits with a dangerously clever adversary.

With unpredictable twists and turns, the challenge of apprehending the evildoer is thwarted by the storm of the century, further challenging the amateur sleuths as they match wits against the formidable villain.

It’s another tongue-in-cheek adventure featuring the retired designers and their faithful German Shepherd.

Lone Lake Road

Deputy Roger Wilkie always wondered about those curves on Lone Lake Road. His discovery of a strange little man living off the land leads to a kidnapping, a family with a history of witchcraft, and a journey to a time when early settlers were less than heroes. After moving to Whidbey Island for a quieter, more peaceful life following his stint as a decorated detective with the LAPD, his bucolic lifestyle is interrupted by a case that takes him further out of his comfort zone than he could have imagined. Along with his trusty assistant, Wally, they become a participant in a history-altering event. It’s another quirky adventure with the cast of Whidbey Islanders.

Little Dirt Road:

The O’Malleys are doing what? How is it possible that dangerous complications arise from their simple vacation in wine country? With their recent move to South Whidbey Island, only the O’Malley’s would stumble upon drug smugglers, embezzlers, and murderers amongst the locals. The quirky, pastoral island, reachable by a less than speedy ferry from Mukilteo or the narrow, deteriorating Deception Pass bridge, is no match for the wicked men about to visit.

A notorious drug lord and a nondescript enforcer with freakish hell-raising skills invade the peaceful Pacific Northwest island—where not even the friendly locales and free-roaming long-eared rabbits can soften his homicidal heart.

Weeding through the facts and surprisingly connected characters with their trusted friend, Bellevue Detective Bill Owens, the narrative swirls from Mexico to Canada and throughout Puget Sound. It’s a heart-racing and outrageously offbeat adventure for two innocent people, proving once again that trouble will find the O’Malleys without the slightest amount of effort on their part.

Juiced:

An invention that can save the planet?

Somehow, someway the O’Malleys have found themselves in the thick of things once again. On peaceful, bucolic Whidbey Island, they become entangled in a corporate plot to stifle a paradigm-shattering discovery, one that promises to upend conventional thinking, topple markets, and create an entirely new industry.

Kevin and Jenne, along with scientists from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, find themselves pitted against a band of bumbling criminals who will stop at nothing to get what they want—including arson and murder.

It’s another rollicking adventure for the retired interior designers ably assisted by their favorite detective, the FBI, and Emma, their ever-vigilant German Shepherd Dog.

Guest Post

Gloria Steinem once said "Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else." That’s how I feel when I’m writing.

If I’m on the golf course, there are times I feel I should be home doing chores or doing something with my wife (although she’s probably just as happy in the garden than having me underfoot).

If I’m doing chores or something with my wife, there are times I feel I should be writing or maybe taking Emma for a walk. When I’m writing, though, I never feel like I’m missing out on something or feeling guilty about not doing something. There are periods I get so lost in the story, the places and the characters that I lose all sense of time. You’d think sitting in a crummy task chair for three hours with no pee or coffee breaks would force an occasional glance at a watch or clock, but that doesn’t happen.

I had dabbled with writing for a long time while I was working. Usually, it was a short story or maybe an article for a trade posting. There were dozens of openings and characters started and discarded over the years. Finally, after we sold our business, I had some time to fill and revisited the remaining detritus of my efforts. I deleted most and kept a few which turned into my first completed novel, Bearied Treasure.

The title was my wife’s idea, and I can’t tell you how many people told me I had misspelled Buried. It’s the story of a fictional cult on a small island just off the coast of Vancouver Island and features a humongous Kodiak bear. Being my first effort, it is riddled with amateurish mistakes, but I still love the characters and literally shed a tear or two when I finally typed the last period.

I think Ms. Steinem had it right, at least for me.

Author Interview

On writing:

How did you do research for your book?

For Juiced I found a number of articles discussing the projects (including their battery research) at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

For Little Dirt I spent many hours researching harmful drug culture as well as the geography of the Puget Sound waters.

For both, my many years in business were immensely helpful.

Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

The easiest, of course, are the O’Malleys. The mercenary corporate characters are fun to write but often difficult. Emma, our GSD is the dearest.

How did you come up with the ideas for your books?

The idea for Juiced began when I came across an interesting article on vanadium battery technology.

For Little Dirt, it was more of a desire to highlight the many beautiful areas of the Pacific Northwest.

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

Mostly the quirky characters I bump into while living on an island.

What makes your books different from other cozy mysteries out there?

The locales and perhaps the sarcastic sense of humor from the principal characters.

What advice would you give budding writers?

Sit down and write. Then when you’re done for the day think about what you’ve written, but write without thinking first—that’s when the real you happens.

Your book is set in the Puget Sound area. Have you ever been there?

I live there.

If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?

There’s a good deal of Kevin O’Malley in me, but he’s likely an improved version.

Do you have another profession besides writing?

Nope.

How long have you been writing?

Off and on since my high school newspaper.

Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?

Not block, per se, but sometimes it’s difficult coming up with a satisfactory resolution that is somewhat unique.

What is your next project?

The O’Malleys find themselves enmeshed in nastiness among folks in the Walla Walla wine country.

What genre do you write and why?

Cozy Mysteries, mostly for an enjoyable humorous journey that takes the reader somewhere else, if only for a little while.

What is the last great book you’ve read?

It’s an old one, but Word of Honor by Nelson DeMille made an indelible impression. Probably because I was a junior officer in the US Army during the same period as the story.

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?

“I really had fun reading it”, is always my favorite.

How are you similar to or different from your lead character?

Similar in life experiences but I have considerably more foibles than Kevin O’Malley.

If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?

Paul Rudd and Sandra Bullock.

If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

“Ripple” by the Grateful Dead

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?

The reward is in solving the riddles and completing the story.

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?

Long.

Which authors inspired you to write?

Justin Scott, DeMille, and Rosenfelt.

On rituals:

Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?

Not much

Where do you write?

In my basement office.

Do you write every day?

Pretty much. Unless I’m playing golf.

What is your writing schedule?

Every morning about 9 am until I get too stiff to sit in the chair.

Is there a specific ritualistic thing you do during your writing time?

Not really, I try to do a HIIT workout in the early afternoon.

In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?

Not since thirty years ago.

Fun stuff:

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

Not sure I want to do that, really.

Favorite travel spot?

Ireland

Favorite dessert?

Pie

If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you?

Three that I haven’t read yet.

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you? The scariest? The strangest?

Brushed my teeth with glue instead of toothpaste as a kid. (I think that’s the answer for all three questions)

What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

Exposed my books to criticism.

Any hobbies? or Name a quirky thing you like to do.

Love golf.

If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?

I tried to lighten their day.

What is something you've learned about yourself during the pandemic?

Being home alone with my wife is really, really nice.

What TV series are you currently binge watching?

Slow Horses

What song is currently playing on a loop in your head?

“In Times Like These” Arlo Guthrie

What is something that made you laugh recently?

The charm of Norm and Cliff on reruns of Cheers

What is your go-to breakfast item?

Yogurt, fruit and granola.

Who was your childhood celebrity crush?

Barbra Feldon, agent 99

Bio:

Ted Mulcahey has lived throughout the US, the past 35 years in the Pacific Northwest. He’s an Army vet, sales and marketing VP, entrepreneur, business owner, avid reader, one of nine children, former caddie, and lover of dogs and golf. The last twenty-five years were spent in partnership with his wife Patte, as the owners of a highly respected and published hospitality interior design firm in the Seattle Area. They’re now living on Whidbey Island and enjoying its rural bliss.

Ted writes about things he’s seen and places he’s been. He tries to incorporate personality traits of people he’s known into his fictional characters, although none of them exist in reality. Many of the locations are real but the names have been changed. The research on Lone Lake took him back to the time when the treatment of Native Americans was abhorrent.

Find out more at http://tedmulcahey.com

Amazon:

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Ted-Mulcahey/author/B08FRPHCHJ

Tanks: https://a.co/d/ix2CY39

Little Dirt Road: https://a.co/d/bAnvUtt

Lone Lake Road: https://a.co/d/9sdFC8a

Juiced: https://amzn.to/3RBsE9Q

Goodreads:

LITTLE DIRT ROAD:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60282401-little-dirt-road?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=3F5ErlwX8h&rank=1

JUICED:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60839464-juiced?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=1g0MCjNXuI&rank=1