Murder of an Oil Heiress

The Texas sun isn’t the only thing that is scorching hot. Mallory Dillingham is beautiful, successful and primed to take over the family oil business when her father is ready to retire. However, that isn’t soon enough for the billionaire heiress. She wants it all. And, she wants it now. Mallory will stop at nothing to get what she wants, including seduction, lying and blackmail.

Joseph Barnes has stepped into her slippery trap. Can he find a way out before his evil sister-in-law destroys his marriage to Sarah? Will the Dillingham family be able to survive the destruction caused by her devious plot?

Love, betrayal, forgiveness and the bonds of family are all intertwined. This story deals with the complicated lives of the Dillingham family and the people caught in the crossfire. As Mallory wages war on everyone, innocent people pay the price.

Available 12th November via InknBeans Press, or Candy Ann’s site.

Genre: Mystery
ISBN13: 9780957466234
Published: November 12th 2013 by InkNBeans Publishing

It is my pleasure to interview Candy Ann Little, author of Murder of an Oil Heiress. Welcome to Room With Books, Candy Ann. First let me give you a little background on Candy Ann.

Candy Ann Little grew up in a small town in Ohio. She now resides in Michigan with her husband, two adult kids and 4 cats. She began writing in the aftermath of tragedy – her third child was stillborn. The nurse suggested keeping a journal to cope with the grief. Although she thought it a dumb idea at the time, she soon found a freedom and healing that only writing brought.

Eventually that pain and sorrow turned into her first Inspirational romance, Unforgiving Ghosts. Since then she has finished 2 more inspirational romances. Her historical romance The Unwilling Bride was published in 2011. She has also tried writing in the genre of mystery, including a novella, Death By Broken Heart, and her first full length novel, Murder of an Oil Heiress. Candy Ann finds it therapeutic putting her thoughts into the words and action of her characters. She also finds that discipline is the biggest lesson learned in her writing life.

When she isn’t busy writing, you can find her subbing in the public schools, or helping with church activities. Her favorite things to do are reading, cooking, baking and doing crafts.

1. Tell me a little about Murder of an Oil Heiress and what inspired you to write it?  Murder of an Oil Heiress is based on a dream I had one night. In the dream it was me but, of course I didn’t look like me. In the dream I was sleeping with my sister’s husband, blackmailing my brother, and locked the family computer up so my dad was mad at me. When I woke up my first thought was, Oh no, I’m turning into Susan Lucci. LOL!! But then I realized I had enough of a plot to outline a mystery. So I changed the family computer to a family business and looked for names for my characters.
2.  When you start writing do you usually have the story outlined or do your characters dictate what will happen?  I have to outline. I need to know where the plot is going in order to get my charters there.
3. Have you ever had arguments with your characters and who usually wins?  Yes. Not so much in Murder of an Oil Heiress, but with my historical romance, The Unwilling Bride, I argued with Caitlin about the ending of the book. She won and because I listened to her, I’m now working on a second book, The Unwanted Bride.
4. If you could write with any other author who would it be and why?  I’d pick Mary Higgins Clark because I like how she writes aspects of the characters personal life and love life mixed in with the murder. She always writes in a more simple style, which I tend write too.
5. When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?  An elementary school teacher.
6. When did you decide to write and what prompted you to start?  Sixteen years ago I had a stillborn daughter. The nurse suggested I start writing a journal to help with the grieving process. After a few years, I decided to turn my emotions into a novel. I wanted to put my thoughts and emotions in book form, but wasn’t ready for a non-fiction book. The romance was a great way to have my character go through everything I did, yet it wasn’t as close and personal. I was able to achieve some distance. Unforgiving Ghosts is my first novel and the most personal to me.
7. What music inspires your writing?  I tend to listen to a lot of love songs, both soft rock and country. I also listen to Christian groups.

Fun Facts:

What is your favorite breakfast?  I tend to like all breakfast foods. I sometimes make breakfast for supper.

What is your favorite color?  Emerald Green

What is your favorite movie?  Phantom of the Opera, of course this is a theater play. So for a straight movie I’d pick Sommersby. Although I felt a stiffness between Jodi Foster & Richard Gere, I felt that Gere pulled off his character so expertly that I could overlook the tension. It also had a surprise ending which made me sad and happy at the same time.

What is your dream car (details please)?  I want a red Mustang, an older version like 60’s or early 70’s.

I was also blessed with the inclusion of a very special blog post from Candy-Ann and I am privileged to share it with you here.

Peace After the Storm

By: Candy-Ann Little

Looking across the lush lawn, I notice some yellow and orange mums, their bright cheery colors a strong contrast to the cold, gray stone they surround. In the distance I notice four bushes strategically planted in front of a white fence. The fence and flowers are the only colors that break up the greens of the grass and trees.

In the thick patch of trees, at the edge of the property, I hear the birds, tree frogs, locusts and crickets chirping their songs, lifting their tune in unison to their Creator. I also listen to the happy humming of the bees as they flit around the flowerbed.

The rustling of the leaves, produced by the gentle wind, soothes my soul. Amazed, I watch as the branches dance, stretching their arms toward the sun in a gesture of praise. The large yellow ball brightens the blue sky, reaching down with its warmth, gently caressing my skin.

This inspiring, peaceful day brings a song to my heart and praise to my God. My spirit dances with joy as I delight in another beautiful summer day.  Strange how my feelings differ greatly from the first time I set foot here.  

Although it has been many years, I still remember the bitter wind whipping about, chilling me to the bone. The dreary fog not only settled around the cemetery, but also rooted itself deep into my heart. Bitterness and sorrow whirled inside of me like the storm clouds swirling in the sky that day. Rain drops pelted against my face as if nature herself grieved. These physical indications served only to reinforce the misery I felt while burying my baby girl.

As I stood in this very spot saying good-bye to a daughter I never got to know – her life taken away before her tiny body even entered the world, I wondered if there would ever be sunshine, peace or love in my life again.

Thankfully, as I sit here all these years later, the pain and sorrow dimmed, I can answer with certainty — yes! 

What could possibly make the pain and sorrow lessen? Life in general. It rolls on, stopping for nothing. The strong winds shift and change causing you to turn in directions you didn’t want to go. Directions you never would have dreamed possible. As hard as it may be, life does go on and you to either race behind it, trying to catch up, or roll along with it.

I stand in here in warm sunshine, feeling happy, peaceful and full of excitement. My life on a crazy course I would never have chosen, but a course that God has laid before me. Like the majestic beauty He created in the world, He’s creating my life also, using both good and bad events. Who would have thought that that the death of my daughter would lead me to this day?

How could I have foreseen that all my pain and grief would turn me into a writer? That I’d have 3 self published novels, and today, have signed on with a small press to publish my fourth book – also my first mystery – Murder of an Oil Heiress.

After the raging storms have calmed, the sky clears, and the sun peeks out. I can look back over the years and say there is most definitely peace after the storm!

Thank you, Candy Ann, for taking the time to sit down and talk with me about your writing, especially during the Official Release Tour of Murder of an Oil Heiress, and for sharing so openly with me and my readers here on Room With Books.

WEBSITE ~ TWITTER ~ PUBLISHER

Mallory brushed her hair behind her ears then placed the silver brush on the vanity. It had been two weeks since she’d visited the work site, and four weeks since Joseph had made love to her. She couldn’t wait any longer. Wanting him filled her days and consumed her nights. Hopefully, the note she sent with her maid would make him come to her.

Just as the thought formed in her mind, a knock boomed on her door. She jumped, then, smiled. He’d come to her. One more time.

“Come in,” she played coy.

The door opened with a thud. “What in the blazes do you think you’re doing?” He held up the note. “Don’t you ever threaten me!” He crumbled it up and threw it on the floor. “I’m no servant to be summoned at your disposal.”

“Oh, Joseph, I don’t think of you as a servant.” She stood, her sheer, white gown, floating to the floor. “I believe you are so much more.” Her husky voice filled the room, which seemed to shrink in size as she walked closer. “You’re my lover,” she barely whispered the words. “That’s a big difference.”

“Stop it.” Joe pushed her back a few steps. “Whatever you think is going to happen, isn’t. Get that through your thick skull.”

She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I’ve never been one to take no for an answer.” She brushed against him.

Joe grabbed her wrists. “You’re going to take it now.” He pushed her away. “I’m not drunk enough to fall into bed with you.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” She smiled, her red lips emitting doom.

“Stay away from me, and Sarah.”

“I hear poor Sarah isn’t feeling well.” Mallory pouted.

“Her blood pressure is a little high, that’s all.”

“Really? I heard she has to be on bed rest as much as possible.” A red painted nail tapped the corner of her mouth. “I wonder how finding out that her husband cheated on her will affect the baby?”

“Mallory, what do you want from me?”

“I think I’ve made myself perfectly clear on that.” She stepped closer.

“And, I’ve made myself clear.” He put his hands on her shoulders, halting her progress. “It will never happen again.”

Mallory laughed. “We’ll see.” She walked over to the closet, opened the door and put a DVD in the player.

Joe stood, horrified as images of him and Mallory appeared on the screen. She’d just tossed him a package and he ripped it open with his teeth. “I’ll put them on and take them off.” The words made him feel weak. The images made him want to vomit.

Mallory smiled at his reaction. “I have the whole night on tape. We can watch every moment and relive it.” She stepped closer, carefully judging his mood. He seemed mad enough to strangle her. “Perhaps Sarah would enjoy it.”

“Stop it.” Joe yelled, tears filling his eyes. “Why are you doing this?”

“I want you, Joseph. And, I always get what I want.” She brushed up against him. “That was the best night of my life. We can have it again.”

Joe stood, transfixed, watching the screen. What had gotten into him that night? He’d drunk too much before and never wound up making such a mistake. “I can’t do that again.”

“Oh, yes you can.” She kissed his neck. “Or, I’ll have to show this to Sarah.”

“No.” Tears streamed down his face. “It’ll destroy her.”

Mallory brushed her chest up against him like a dog in heat. “Then make love to me again.”

“No.”

“Yes.” She kissed his lips. “I want to feel your hands all over my body.” She took his hands, brushing them across her chest.

Joe watched as her nipples hardened beneath the thin material. He could feel the heat from her body. He hated how his body reacted to her.

“Kiss me, Joseph.” Her husky voice floated around him, drowning him in sorrow. “Touch me.” She squeezed his hands around her nearly naked breasts. “Make love to me.” She captured his lips with hers. “I’m yours to do with as you please.”

“That could be dangerous.” He pictured his hands strangling her thin, white neck.

“Anger can hold just as much passion as love.” She kissed him, sealing his fate.

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