Here’s a competition with a difference! As some of you may already know, I’m trying my hand at a murder mystery and having a lot of fun in the bargain. The (as yet un-named) book will, I hope, be the first of a series featuring the same woman and her family. Like many of my books it is designed to be quite light, but with some slightly darker undercurrents for depth. I expect the book to be completed within the next two months.

The book is set in the little (fictional) town of Majic, which itself sounds quite mysterious but owes its unusual name to a rich Ukraine gentleman whose eccentricity actually verged on madness. Legend has it that he rode out from Bendigo after a liquid lunch with the vow that he would build his house at whichever spot he reached when the sun set. Construction took almost three years, with the enormity of the project resulting in the evolution of a town near the building site. So that when the man called Majic promptly died only three months after taking up residence, possibly due to his fondness for liquid lunches, the town called Majic continued regardless.

So now we get to the characters. You see, Majic is in need of inhabitants. These people will just form the background to the plot, popping in and out of shops or parking their cars or attending functions. These peripheral characters will not be killed off, or even do the killing off - they will just be the people who live in the area, and give it life. There are naming rights for three of these peripheral people up for grabs - you can gift them your own name or make up an entirely new one (as long as it’s not too weird!), the choice is yours. I will send you a personal particulars form for the character and you can fill out as much or as little as you like - name, gender, body type, perhaps an idiosyncrasy or two.

The competition closes on 30th April, which allows plenty of time. There are three different ways of entering:

1. For one entry simply ’like’ my facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ilsa-Evans/276737129011249,
2. For two entries just leave a comment (preferably positive!) regarding one of my books somewhere (Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThing, Facebook, Twitter - wherever you like), and
3. For three entries simply leave a short review of one of my books somewhere (Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThing etc).

Pick whichever method suits you! There is a maximum of six entries per person. Just don’t forget to email me (ilsa@ilsaevans.com) and let me know so that I can record your email address and number of automatic entries etc. The winners will be drawn at random on the 1st May. Good luck!

 
Cheers, Ilsa Evans

PS: Hope you all enjoyed the catalogue of Aussie (women) writers - still available here

PPS: And don’t forget the e-book ones a poner time,  available on smashwords at $4.99. For a sample click here.