One day my
daughter and I were sitting on the patio talking, and of all things a black
butterfly flew into the yard and buzzed me. I’ve never seen a black butterfly
before and didn’t even know they existed. This beautiful insect hung around for
about half an hour, maybe more. He landed on my shed and practically posed for
photos. I obliged him.
Of course, I
researched it. It’s called a Red Admiral, and although it’s black, there’s some
color on its wings.
I couldn’t
get this bug off my mind. Who’d have thought a black butterfly could inspire a
mystery. Well, it did, and of all things the story is more about the mob back
in the 1950s than the butterfly. In the story, the black butterfly isn’t a
what, but a who.
Of course,
the butterfly begged to see itself on a book cover, so I obliged. I tried
putting other elements from the story on the cover with the insect, but it just
didn’t work. There’s a yellow dress in the story and I tried adding that. Nope,
it didn’t work. I even tried putting a violin case containing a gun and ammo on
the cover, but that didn’t work either. It was a lone butterfly or nothing. I
have to admit that half the fun of a book is creating the cover, especially
when I can use my own images on it.
So what kind
of story did this little guy inspire? A book titled Black Butterfly - A Bogey Man Mystery. What else?
“Chris and Pamela Cross are in the thick of things, once
again, when an elderly neighbor asks for their help. The Black Butterfly has
been accused of deadly crimes and her past is catching up to her.
The body of a gangster who’s been missing for over sixty
years is found buried under a casino floor in Las Vegas. Once again, the Black
Butterfly is accused of murder, which brings the thug’s family to California to
find answers.
Enter Chris’s mother
and the Church Ladies. Have they lost their minds? Why on earth would they try
to protect a woman thought to be a Hit Lady in the 1950s?
The Crosses are about to find answers that might have been
better left buried in time.”
I said sometime back that I was
never going to write anymore Bogey Man Mysteries, but this theme seemed to fit
the Bogey characters best. I guess the lesson learned is never say never.
Now I’ll take a break from writing
and turn my attention to a neglected home. It’s also begging for attention.
Then it’s on to another Sandi Webster mystery.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy
reading about the Black Butterfly and the thugs who tried to frame her.
Until next time, have a great week
and don’t forget to support your local authors.
CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s
website (in dire need of updating)
CLICK HERE for a quick trip to
Amazon.com
I almost forgot. Old Murders Never Die – A Sandi Webster Mystery, will be free on Amazon on Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1
(not an April Fool’s joke). If the idea of a ghost town intrigues you, this is
the book for you. Imagine being stranded in a ghost town with a history. (CLICK HERE to view the book trailer.)
