A Slice of Carmel

Mystery and detective story set in Carmel, California. First in Series. Widowed Jaden Steele desperately wants a change in her life. She is a communications instructor at a college in Nebraska. Leading a seminar at Asilomar, California, she is fascinated by the Monterey Bay area and a man she meets there-Sergio Martelli. A new life is waiting for her. Jaden, who was rasied by her grandparents, was taught how to make and throw knives by her grandfather. She finds and buys a cutlery business in Carmel. Her life will be perfect. After her move she learns Sergio is married. Jaden is furious and wants nothing to do with him. He is murdered with a knife from her store and Jaden Steele is the first suspect. Walk the streets of Carmel, California, and meet the memorable characters who are Jaden Steele's friends. Her best friend turns out to be Bobbi Jones, who, a year earlier, was the most famous woman in the country. She was tried and acquitted of the murder of her abusive husband. Bobbi tried to disappear in the village of Carmel. If you are a mystery fan you will love solving this mystery in the famous tourist village-by-the-sea. Cover art by Elizabeth A. Miklavcic, co-artistic director of Another Language, a multi-media performing arts company. Check their website at www.anotherlanguage.org
About the Author: Barbara Chamberlain won the 2011 award for fantasy from the Arkansas Writers Conference. "The Flight of Alpha I" also was awarded a prize for juvenile fantasy in 2014 by The National League of American Pen Women. Her original Okinawan fable, "A Bowl of Rice," was First Place in the 2009 Writers Digest Competition. Her award winning books, "The Prisoner's Sword" and "Ride the West Wind" were named Recommended Reading by the National Council of Teachers of English. Barbara was a reference librarian at Harrison Memorial Library in Carmel, California, when she began to write, "A Slice of Carmel." She was advised by Dr. Tanya Johnson, who was a partner in the cutlery store in the village. Barbara conceived the characters on walks around the main area of Carmel. Look for the sequel, "Slash and Turn." The visit of a Russian ballet company to Monterey Bay turns deadly. Jaden Steele and Bobbi Jones team up to solve the mystery. See www.jadensteelemysteries.com. Barbara has always loved to write and has also published many short stories. She leads seminars in creative writing and storytelling and is a professional storyteller. Her bachelor's degree is in American history from the University of California at Santa Cruz and her masters is in Library and Information Science from San Jose University. She was a school librarian at Bradley Elementary School in Corralitos, California, and a reference librarian at Monterey City Library and Harrison Memorial Library in Carmel. Currently Barbara is president of the Northern California National League of American Pen Women, and the Cabrillo Host Lions Club in Aptos, California. She is the first vice district governor of Lions District 4C6.