C.S. Poe is here today promoting the latest in her popular Snow & Winter series from DSP Publications, The Mystery of the Moving Image! Read an exclusive from the series and be sure to enter to win signed paperback copies all 3 of the books in the series! Good luck!
Hello one last time, friends! I’m C.S. Poe and this is the final stop on The Mystery of the Moving Image blog tour. This is the third book in the mystery-romance series, Snow & Winter. Here is the conclusion to the frustrating apartment hunt that Sebastian and Calvin have been enduring since Book Two, The Mystery of the Curiosities.
And check out the last giveaway as well! I have the first three paperback books in the series signed and ready for a bookshelf!
Please enjoy Part 5 of my coda.
C.S. Poe
I stepped out of the dangerously overcrowded Starbucks and approached Calvin and Dillon standing beside a USPS postal box. I tried to nudge my sunglasses up with my arm while holding the coffee cups—which didn’t work—and instead some hot droplets of house brew dribbled down my hand and wrist.
“Shit.”
Calvin reached forward, took his latte, and then pushed my sunglasses up my nose with his other hand. “Thank you,” he said.
“Oh sure.” I took a drink of the blessed hot water and bean concoction. “What time is it?”
Calvin looked down at his watch. “7:30 a.m.”
I grunted and began walking. Calvin fell into step alongside me.
“Do you need help at the Emporium today?”
“No, no. Don’t be silly.”
“It’s not silly of me to ask.”
Fuck. How does Calvin do this to me at the most random and seemingly innocent moments?
I slid my free hand around his arm, holding lightly. “Correction. I appreciate the offer, but I want you to enjoy your time off.”
“Call if you change your mind.”
I took another sip of coffee. “Maybe we should consider Brooklyn,” I said with a bit of reluctance.
“Do you want to live in Brooklyn?”
“No. But I’m ready to give up on the East Village.” We stopped at the end of the block and waited for the light to change before crossing. “Max keeps pushing for us to move out there.”
Calvin laughed. “Max just wants a buddy to live closer to hang out with.”
“I’m a decade older than Max.”
“You’re still his friend.” Calvin came to a stop before we reached the end of the next street. He let Dillon sniff a tree. “If you want to stay in your neighborhood, then we won’t stop looking. Got it?”
“Got—” I glanced to my side as a woman stepped out of a front door, cursing while staring at her phone. She was dressed in a smart suit with her hair pulled back in a bun. “—it.” I watched her put the cell to her ear, wait, and then hang up on the call. “You okay, ma’am?”
She glanced up. “Are you Mr. Johnson?”
“Ah, no, sorry.”
She frowned again. “My apologies.” She pocketed the phone. “I organized this early-morning viewing and my client has apparently bailed on me.” She put her hands on her hips. “I got up at 5:00a.m. for this.”
That’s when I noticed the sign behind her on the front door.
FOR RENT
I let go of Calvin’s arm and stepped toward her. “Are you a Realtor?”
She raised an eyebrow, but instinctually pulled a business card from her coat pocket. “Kelly Green. I’ve only had the job a week though.”
I took the card and brought it closer to study the small text.
“I’m not off to a hot start,” she added a bit glumly.
I stared at her again and waved Calvin over, unaware if he was even looking our way. “This is the place?” I asked, nodding my chin at the building.
She turned and pointed up. “Yeah. It just went up for rent. It’s an older building, but on the fourth floor, the apartment has been renovated into a huge, gorgeous loft with stairs. It has giant bay windows overlooking the street. It’s a real steal. I can’t believe that fuc— ah— Mr. Johnson didn’t show.”
I grinned suddenly. “Can we see it?”
Kelly turned to me once more. “Sorry?”
I felt Calvin step close. I motioned to the two of us, her business card still in my hand. “We’ve been trying to find a new place in the East Village for two months. I’m desperate.”
“Don’t you want to know the cost? Additional fees? About the neighborhood?”
“Oh no,” I answered. “Cost— whatever. Fees—we’ll pay them. Neighborhood—I got it.”
“O-Okay,” Kelly drew out. “Sure, then. Come inside.” She unlocked the front door, led us past a wall of small mailboxes, and to the stairs. “If you do happen to like it, we’ll have to run a credit report of course.”
“We’ve both got good credit,” Calvin said, bringing up the rear.
Kelly stopped at the second floor. “I didn’t get your names.”
“Sebastian Snow.”
“Calvin Winter.”
“Pleasure to meet you both.” She seemed a bit brighter and more enthusiastic by the time we reached the fourth floor. “The super is very helpful. There’s laundry machines in the basement. Ah, here it is, 4B.” Kelly unlocked the door and let me step inside first. “What do you think?”
I let out a breath. “Hot damn.”
Tour:
Blurb:
It’s summer in New York City, and antique shop owner Sebastian Snow is taking the next big step in his relationship with NYPD homicide detective, Calvin Winter: they’re moving in together. What should have been a wonderful week of playing house and celebrating Calvin’s birthday comes to an abrupt end when a mysterious package arrives at the Emporium.
Inside is a Thomas Edison Kinetoscope, a movie viewer from the nineteenth century, invented by the grandfather of modern cinema, W. K. L. Dickson. And along with it, footage of a murder that took place over a hundred years ago.
Sebastian resists the urge to start sleuthing, even if the culprit is long dead and there’s no apparent danger. But break-ins at the Emporium, a robbery, and dead bodies aren’t as easy to ignore, and Sebastian soon realizes that the century-old murder will lead him to a modern-day killer.
However, even with Sebastian’s vast knowledge of Victorian America and his unrelenting perseverance in the face of danger, this may be the one mystery he won’t survive.
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Author bio:
C.S. Poe is a Lambda Literary and EPIC award finalist author of gay mystery, romance, and paranormal books.
She is a reluctant mover and has called many places home in her lifetime. C.S. has lived in New York City, Key West, and Ibaraki, Japan, to name a few. She misses the cleanliness, convenience, and limited-edition gachapon of Japan, but she was never very good at riding bikes to get around.
She has an affinity for all things cute and colorful and a major weakness for toys. C.S. is an avid fan of coffee, reading, and cats. She’s rescued two cats—Milo and Kasper do their best on a daily basis to sidetrack her from work.
C.S. is a member of the International Thriller Writers organization.
Her debut novel, The Mystery of Nevermore, was published by DSP Publications, 2016.
Snow & Winter 1 – 3 signed paperbacks.
Rules & Regulations:
Giveaway ends 10/21/18
One winner will be randomly chosen by C.S. Poe
Open to US and International mailing addresses.
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Loved this coda, and can't wait to dive into the book this weekend!
ReplyDeleteFinally!! What a nightmare lol. But perseverance pays. Thanks for the coda, Carol. I quite enjoyed sharing their misery. lol
ReplyDeleteLoved the coda. Thank you for writing such great characters. Can’t wait for the audiobook of Moving Images.
ReplyDeleteLove the coda....I can't get enough of Snow & Winter!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHot damn that was a great coda! Seb and Cal can finally get settled in their new place.
ReplyDeleteThis was fun. Sebastian has goof luck on occasions,
ReplyDeleteit's interesting
ReplyDeleteI know CS's work, but still need to read this series!
ReplyDelete--Trix
I was fortunate to read book 1 for the Rainbow Awards and simply loved it! This sounds good as well. I really enjoy what you write. Much success to you!
ReplyDeletetaina1959 @ yahoo . com
Thanks so much for the short and the wonderful series!
ReplyDeleteNow I know how Sebastian & Calvin got their wonderful new apartment that is in book 3. Thanks for the coda! I am 2/3 of the way through the book and loving it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Coda, I've enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteLove all the coda parts. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete