The Tartan Shroud Blog Tour and Giveaway

A bulldozer unearths a young girl’s body on a golf course in Scotland but for some reason, Fergus Murray, the top crime officer in Tayside seems unwilling to pursue the case. Fergus contacts Willow Stone, his American cousin and pleads for help. Willow, Pinky’s favorite ex-wife, calls in all her chips and convinces Pinky, Bear, Flo, and Ettamae to go to the small Scottish town of Pitlochry to help her cousin find the killer. Along the way the American’s come across a forester with a wonky eye—haggis—the occasional bad weather spring day—various Scottish policeman all named McSomething—mutton pie—a near new, sixty-year-old Austin Taxi—a bathroom that could double for a freezer—the nearly indecipherable Scottish accent—many glasses of whiskey and beer—ancient records—a broadsword—and a real Duke! Ride with Bear, Flo, and Henry during their final mad dash across Scotland to try to stop the murderer before he kills again inside the hallowed halls of Blair Castle.

Prices/Formats: $14.95 paperback, $4.99 ebook
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780578113258
Publisher: Different Drummer Press
Release: October 1, 2012

Amazon paperback buy link ($14.95):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0578113252?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes and Noble paperback buy link ($14.95):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-tartan-shroud-ken-dalton/1113475200?ean=9780578113258

KenDalton.com paperback buy link ($14.95):
http://kendalton.com/

Kindle buy link ($4.99):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009Q80KMU?tag=tributebooks-20

Interview with Ken Dalton



When did you begin writing?

When I was fifty-two. During the last twenty-two years I spent eleven years writing for magazines, TV, and web blogs, and the last twelve years writing novels.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

The bulk of my writing is done during the daytime. I allot myself four days a week to write and devote six to seven hours each day. Occasionally, when plot points are whirling in my head, I wake up at 1:00 or 2:00 am and write for a couple of hours to clear my head.

What is this book about?

A bulldozer unearths a young girl’s body on a golf course in Scotland but for some reason, Fergus Murray, the top crime officer in Tayside seems unwilling to pursue the case.

Fergus contacts Willow Stone, his American cousin and pleads for help. Willow, Pinky’s favorite ex-wife, calls in all her chips and convinces Pinky, Bear, Flo, and Ettamae to go to the small Scottish town of Pitlochry to help her cousin find the killer.

Along the way the American’s come across a forester with a wonky eye—haggis—the occasional bad weather spring day—various Scottish policeman all named McSomething—mutton pie—a near new, sixty-year-old Austin Taxi—a bathroom that could double for a freezer—the nearly indecipherable Scottish accent—many glasses of whiskey and beer—ancient records—a broadsword—and a real Duke!

What inspired you to write it?

I love Scotland and knew I would eventually set one of my Pinky and Bear series in that country. While played a round of golf at the Pitlochry Golf Club, I crossed a wee burn (that’s a little creek to American’s) and suddenly the murder scene of The Tartan Shroud popped into my head. From that point on, my golf game went to hell because the part of my brain that should have been concentrating on my swing was spinning through potential plot twists and turns.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

If you want free shipping and a personalized inscription, my book can be ordered from my web site: www.kendalton.com
Or ordered on line at:
www.amazon.com—Paperback and Kindle editions
www.alibris.com www.barnsandnoble.com www.booksamillion.com
www.valorebooks.com
www.powells.com
www.bookdepository.co.uk (England)
www.fishpond.com.au (Australia)
www.thenile.co.nz (New Zealand)
All my books can be ordered online or at any book store in the world.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere? 

The worst enemy of the new writer is isolation. The new writer needs the eyes and counsel of successful writers who can offer positive advice on the craft of writing. As soon as possible, new writers need to join a writer’s group, in their genre, and learn how to carry out the constructive criticism of the group.

What is up next for you?

I am working on a non-fiction book concerning the great polio epidemics that raged through America from 1915 to 1955. As a polio survivor who was struck down at the age of five in 1943, I have the personal knowledge to chronicle the life changing effects of the disease during that era.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Yes. Thank you for inviting to share my thoughts with the fans of The Book Connection.


More books in the Pinky and Bear series:

The Bloody Birthright (Book 1)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0578034441?tag=tributebooks-20

J. Pincus Delmont is the most successful, and ethically challenged attorney north of Las Vegas, and he's Richard Page's only hope to escape execution by lethal injection. Pinky quickly determines his client's tale of betrayal and murder leads to Southern California and demands investigative help from Bear Zarbarte who owes him a sizeable chunk of money. The Bear is as big as a tree, street wise, sort of trustworthy, and not averse to cracking the occasional head when the need arises. A grumbling Bear drives south where he discovers, and falls for Flo Sonderlund-a woman with a body to kill for, and a mouth as caustic as a bucket of lye. By hook and by crook, Pinky, the Bear, and Flo pry a solution to the murder from a string of chumps and patsies that stretches from the fertile hills of Tuscany, Italy to eastern wasteland of Nevada, the home of the Loneliest Road In America.

The Big Show Stopper (Book 2)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0578054590?tag=tributebooks-20

Brady Blackstone, America's richest and favorite concert performer, dies in a tragic accident while Bear and Flo, along with thousands of northern Nevada's music lovers, look on in horror. However, before Bear can maneuver Flo back to their apartment to complete her birthday celebration, they stumble across a clue that makes them question if Brady's death was an accident. In The Big Show Stopper, Pinky, a sleazy but sucessful defence attorney, and Bear, a street-wise ex bartender, mix madness with mayhem as you meet Brady's less than grieving widow-a trigger-happy Carson City Cop named Ice Conner-travel in first-class luxury with Pinky as he follows a questionable lead to an exotic location and suffer with Flo in Bear's old pick up while they drive to another of America's armpit locations where they discover Brady Blackstone's killer.

Death is a Cabernet (Book 3)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0578091984?tag=tributebooks-20

A humorous mystery that takes Pinky, Bear and Flo into the wine country of northern California to discover who turned a famous winemaker into a purple corpse.

Ken Dalton was born in 1938 at Hollywood Hospital. He grew up with his parents, his older sister, Pat, and younger brother, Richard in Los Angeles. The year 1938 informs the quick reader that Ken’s older than a lot of people, but younger than some.

In a turn of bad luck, the dreaded Polio virus found Ken.

At the end of World War ll, Ken’s family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a year where he learned how to live through snow blizzards, avoid walking through the large pile of coal in the basement, and how to survive life as an Army Officer’s brat on a base called Fort Warren.

By the age of sixteen, after eleven years of operations, therapy, and braces, Ken’s luck changed dramatically when he met the girl of his dreams at a party. A few years later they married, produced three wonderful children, and settled into a happy life in Southern California.

In 1966, Ken, who worked as a technician for Pacific Bell, and his family left Southern California for the green hills of Sonoma County where they bought a home in Sebastopol surrounded with apple trees. A few years later, Ken and Arlene built a new home on three and a half acres. They raised cows, pigs, and learned how to build outstanding fences. While their children grew, they hosted two exchange students, Eva Reimers from Sweden, and Tanja Wuttke from Germany, both of whom are still loved members of the Dalton clan. Also during those years, Ken was promoted to management at Pacific Bell. He eventually ended up responsible for all the central offices, sixty-three, in an area that covered five counties.

In 1977, Ken, Arlene, Bob Wiltermood, and his wife Norma, designed, built, and operated a 2000 case winery named Pommeraie Vineyards. They produced award winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. However, after Bob died, the winery was sold. Ken and Arlene moved to a hilltop in Healdsburg.

With the winery gone, and time on their hands, Ken and Arlene started to perform with the Camp Rose Players. Twenty years and forty productions later, both are still acting and singing.

Life was good. All Ken had to do was learn some lines and bow when the audience applauded.

Then, ten years ago, Ken started to write. His first article was published in Golf Illustrated in August 1996. More golf articles followed in national and regional magazines including Golf Magazine and Fairways and Greens.

After a two-year stint on the County Grand Jury, Ken felt the need to begin his first novel.

Now, after a decade of struggle to learn the craft of writing, Ken has become the publishing world’s latest overnight sensation.

Ken Dalton's Web Site:
http://www.kendalton.com/

Ken Dalton's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/KenDaltonMysteryWriter

Ken Dalton's Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4343552.Ken_Dalton

The Tartan Shroud Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16104371-the-tartan-shroud

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

The Tartan Shroud blog tour site:
http://thetartanshroud.blogspot.com/


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