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Wednesday 10 February 2016

Blog Tour Interview & Giveaway - Thicker Than Water by Mary O’Sullivan



Thicker Than Water 
Author:  Mary O’Sullivan

Book Description:
When local teenager, Keira Shannon and her father, business man Gerard Shannon, go missing, the town of Ballyderg unites to search for them.

As the search continues rumours of domestic violence, extramarital affairs and criminal behaviour grip the town. Families and lifelong friends begin to suspect each other.

The only certainty left is that the town has been visited by evil. Or has it? Could it be the evil one has always lived there sharing history, laughter and tears? And if so, who could it be ?

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Excerpt

Here, in Rainbow Cottage high up over Ballyderg town, Jan had found relaxation.  Ever since she could remember, possibly since she had been born, she was driven by an inner spring of energy that constantly bubbled up. She was always on the go. Tasks to be completed, decisions to be made, energy to be burned up. It was these hills, the still and brooding giants with wispy cloud hair, which first soothed her into sometimes slowing down. Changes swirled around them, the seasons, the weather, light and dark, but their core stood firm against outside influence.  Eventually she had absorbed that lesson.

From the   plate glass window of the lounge she watched a car wind its way up from the valley. She went into the kitchen and switched on the kettle, knowing from experience that the green tea they both enjoyed would be brewed by the time he arrived at the cottage.

Gerard Shannon parked in his usual place ten minutes climb on foot to Jan’s cottage.  He stood and inhaled deeply before striding out.  He always enjoyed the exercise but today he felt breathless, tormented, an iron band of tension squeezing his chest. If only the success and control he had in his business life applied to his private life also. If only he had been honest all those years ago. If only he could be honest now.




About the Author
So much has changed since Mary first scribbled childish poems in her copy book. One thing remains the same though, and that is the thrill of writing the opening sentence of a short story or novel.

Mary lives in Carrigaline, County Cork, Ireland. While she worked as a laboratory technician, her hobby—her passion—was writing. Busy with her family and job, she grabbed some moments here and there to write poetry and short stories. Gradually, the idea of writing a novel took shape. It was a shock to discover that enthusiasm and imagination are not enough. For the first time, she learned that writing can be very hard work!

Now time has moved on and Mary has seven published novels and a short story collection. All are available in ebook format. Writing is a demanding way of life but one so full of challenge and fulfilment that she cannot imagine a better way to spend her days. The hours speed past as she writes—and re-writes—always in the hope that people will enjoy reading her books as much as she enjoys writing them.

Author Links:


***GIVEAWAY***

84 comments:

  1. I am not much of a reader like both my sisters and I have one who loves mystery novels. Not sure exactly why however.

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    1. I get lost in either reading or writing mystery , James. Nice to leave all troubles behind for a little while. Perhaps your sister feels the same.

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  2. I like the suspense of thriller novels.

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    1. I can promise you plenty of suspense in Thicker Than Water , Lisa !

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  3. I love the edge of my seat feeling that thriller novels give me!

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    1. Me too , Janet . It was my love of reading suspense / thriller genre which led me to write Fire And Ice and now my latest book , Thicker Than Water

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    1. Thank you ,Edgar , and also for the follow on Twitter. Difficult to pick an excerpt to represent whole book so glad you enjoyed it.

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  5. I like trying to figure out what's going to happen next.

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    1. Hi Fee, that's exactly the same feeling I have when I write suspense . No matter how well you plan , there's always an unexpected turn to take you in a different direct ion.

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  6. Suspenseful thrillers are 1 of my favorite books. Thank you for the giveaway.

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  7. I love reading something that I can't put down.

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    1. I know what you mean , Rita. There have been a few burnt dinners in our house because I couldn't put down the book I was reading!

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  8. Definitely has to be the anticipation and the not knowing what's coming... those are the best!! :)

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    1. Agreed , Victoria . To a large extent that applies to writing suspense also. While you must work towards an end goal , the goal posts often change !

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    2. I imagine as a writer the goals change frequently especially when you have so many characters fighting for their time on the page!

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  9. What I like about thrillers is that the ever increasing heightened level of suspense, can come crashing down at any given moment.

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    1. I love that too , Sue - the feeling that the next sentence could turn the whole story on it's head and take it off in a different direction.

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  10. I love the suspense and unpredictability of thrillers.

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    1. True, Karen. Getting lost in a thriller and leaving all the nitty gritty of life behind for a while is the best type of therapy !

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  11. I love not knowing what is going to happen next! I love the suspense.

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    1. I sometimes think , Angie, that the unpredictability of suspense stories reflect life more than any other type of writing. We never know what is around the corner for any of us.

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  12. Hi Mary, Thicker than Water sounds great-I really enjoyed the excerpt! I like thrillers because of the suspense and I just have to know! So, sometimes I'll read as quickly as I can, skipping some of the details until I KNOW and then I'll go back and read it slower and savor the story with all the details. Thank you for sharing and for the contest!

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    1. Hi Betty, delighted you enjoyed the excerpt and thank you for letting me know. It was a challenging book to write as some chapters are in the voice of the killer. A murderer's mind is not a comfortable space to occupy ! Good luck with the draw.

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    2. Mary, I'm sure it was very challenging to write from that perspective! Thank you!

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  13. I like that you never know what is going to happen next and you get caught up in the unknown.

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    1. Hi Jeanna, it's the best type of escapism , isn't it? Good luck with the draw.

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  14. I love the twists and turns when you least expect them!

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    1. Ditto with the writing of the story, Steve. Good luck with the draw.

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    1. I love reading suspense too , Mary. Keeps us turning pages - even on a Kindle !

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  16. The suspense and the chills :)

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    1. Yes! The chills , Roselle .I certainly felt them as I wrote several chapters of Thicker Than Water in the voice of the killer. Challenging. Good luck with the draw.

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  17. Thriller novels keep me more involved and are really hard to put down!

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    1. Glad to hear you enjoy reading thrillers , Lee. Good luck in the draw.

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  18. The mystery and suspense! It has you on the edge of your chair ;)

    Betul E.

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    1. My son is a Gemini also. Good luck with the draw.

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  19. The anticipation of discovering what's going on!

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    1. Yes, Helen- I find that as a reader and as a writer too More than any other genre suspense surprises with changes of direction.

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  20. i love how fun they are to read

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  21. I love thrillers, because the adrenaline rush is unrivaled by other genres and it generally satisfies a deeper need of intellect for me with its intricate plot lines.

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    1. They certainly stimulate thought, Melissa , especially about killers and their motivations.

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  22. I love the rush and excitement! If I can't put the book down for hours, then it's a winner for me!

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    1. Me too. Great escape from relaity. Thank you for your comment.

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    2. Me too. Great escape from reality. Thank you for your comment.

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  23. What I like best about thriller novels is the staying power thrilling/horror stories have. There's something about thrillers that stick with me and keep me thinking about them for weeks or even months after reading them. They get my heart thumping and give me a surge of adrenaline! I love them!

    sls_11_04@hotmail.com

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    1. Some books , some characters and settings strike a chord . They are the memorable ones that stay with us. Thank you for your comment.

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  24. I love the suspense and ow fun they are to read

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  25. I don't really like them they are usually too scary for my taste

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    1. The scary stuff is not everyone's cup of tea , Linda ! Thank you for comment.

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  26. love suspense and clue to find out who the real thriller is :)

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    1. I agree that working out the clues is the most entertaining aspect, Rajee.

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  27. The twists that leave my jaw in my lap! I love when thrillers take that unexpected turn, like GONE GIRL.

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    1. I loved Gone Girl too, Pam. Did you read Girl On The Train?

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  28. i love the not knowing what will happen....

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    1. The unexpected is what differentiates thrillers/suspense form other genres.

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  29. I love trying to figure out what is going to happen.

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    1. That's exactly how I feel when I'm writing , Ree!

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  30. I love to read thriller novels because I have a very predictable and safe life and with those kind of books, I can pretend to lead a exciting life! It's just a lot of fun to read.

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    1. Sounds like you are a writer , Terri. Have you written much?

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  31. I love reading thriller novels because they keep me on the edge of my seat!

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  32. I absolutely love it when your heart is racing to find out who did it. Also it makes you feel like it's you that is in the book and your that character.

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    1. Every writer hopes to get exactly that reaction from a reader. Hope you continue to enjoy your reading , Irma.

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  33. I love the excitement, the intrigues and anticipation!

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    1. Agreed , Nikolina, and the clues too. I love trying to work them out when I'm reading a thriller.

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  34. Thriller novels - I love the suspense wondering what will happen next.
    thank you

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    1. Thank you for your comment, Barbara. I hope you continue to enjoy your reading.

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  35. The unexpected twists are what hook me to thrillers.

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    1. Hope you continue to get great enjoyment from reading thrillers, Mai,

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  36. I like a book that gives me a little anxiety it keeps my attention.

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  37. Thank you for your comment, Natasha.

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  38. I like the suspense and the not knowing what is going to happen next

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  39. I love that when I pick one up to read it. I can't put it down until I am finished.

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  41. I love flipping pages and finding out what's next!!

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  42. I love the excitement and the (hopefully) unexpected plot twists!

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  43. I like the excitement of reading thrillers

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