Thursday, February 5, 2015

Interview & Giveaway - The Vanishing Wife by Barry Finlay (A Mystery)

 
The Vanishing Wife

by Barry Finlay 

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BLURB: 

How far will a man go when his family is threatened?  Mason Seaforth is about to find out. He is a mild mannered accountant living a quiet, idyllic life in the quiet community of Gulfport, Florida with his wife, Samantha.  At least, it’s quiet and idyllic until Sami, as she’s known to her friends, vanishes the night of their 20th anniversary. 

Mason is thrown into a life that is meant for other people as he and their brash friend, Marcie Kane, try everything to find out what has happened to Sami.  A search of Sami’s computer uncovers notes describing a past that Sami has buried for more than 20 years.  Then come the threatening phone calls: to Sami, to their daughter Jennifer at university in Miami, and to Mason. 

Mason and Marcie are thrust into a race against a sadistic killer to discover what has happened to Mason’s wife. He reluctantly exchanges his spreadsheets for a Glock 17 and he and Marcie follow a trail left behind by Sami which leads them to a potential confrontation with some very dangerous men in Canada.  Mason is required to make decisions that he could never imagine himself making and each one has deadlier consequences than the last. The wrong one could result in the death of his entire family.   
 

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EXCERPT:


Mason Seaforth was waiting. 

It was 6 o’clock in the morning and the darkness in the suburbs had begun to ease. The sun would soon make its appearance for another day, causing the shadows to beat a hasty retreat. Mason was now restlessly sitting on the couch in the sunroom that belonged to him and his wife Samantha, or Sami as she was known to her friends. He was staring at the walls and thinking that if he smoked, now would be a good time to light one up.  

He hated waiting. Mason was a very punctual man and had always had the attitude that everyone’s time is precious. He never wanted to give the impression that his time was more valuable than anyone else’s. His wife was no different. She had always had the same attitude as he did, and together they’d earned the reputation of being the “Early Seaforths.” That’s what made this so unusual and frightening at the same time.  

Mason was waiting for Sami. 

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Let's learn a little about author Barry Finlay!
 
 


What is your writing environment? 

I’m fortunate enough to have an office where I do my writing. My desk is usually messy but as they say, “I know where everything is.”


Who is your perfect hero and why?
 

My perfect hero is an ordinary person who does extraordinary things. By that, I don’t mean someone who somehow discovers superpowers and saves the world. My perfect hero is someone who faces some real life adversity and overcomes it. The brave men and women who fight so we can have the amazing lives we do are heroes. People who are confined to a wheelchair or are blind or who overcome some addiction are heroes in my eyes.


What authors have caught your interest lately and why?
 

I just finished reading the 100-Year- Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson and really enjoyed it. It’s laugh-out-loud funny in paces. But other authors I read regularly are people like Daniel Silva, Steve Berry and Kathy Reichs. I like authors who engage the reader from the beginning and they can do that for me.

 
What type of book have you always wanted to write?
 

I have written three completely different books now. The first one, Kilimnajaro and Beyond, was the story of my climb of Mount Kilimanjaro at age 60 with my son. The second, I Guess We Missed the Boat, is a humorous travel memoir and my latest, The Vanishing Wife, is a thriller. Of the three, I would have to say that the thriller was the one I really wanted to write because I didn’t know if I could pull it off. I’m pretty happy with the result.


Top 3 things on your bucket list?
 

I’ve been fortunate in my life and have done and seen a lot. However, I have a bucket list of places I would like to see that includes the Grand Canyon, the Swiss Alps and Southeast Asia.


How did you get the idea for this particular novel?
 

I have often thought how horrible it would be if a loved one simply disappeared and that is the premise for my book.  I added in some bad guys and a trail that takes the husband from the U.S. to Canada in search of his missing wife just to make it that much more difficult for him.   


What is your favorite scene in your new release?
 

It would have to be the ending. In my opinion, The Vanishing Wife really picks up speed as it moves towards a conclusion and many have said it’s a page-turner. I think there are some twists and turns that rapidly unfold that will keep the reader involved.


What are you working on now and when can we expect it to be available?
 

I just released The Vanishing Wife and am focusing on marketing and promotion. I have a storyline percolating in my mind but nothing concrete yet. I expect the next release will be in two or three years.


What do you like to do when you are not writing?
 

I have three grandchildren and it is a joy to spend time with them. I have been raising money to help the kids of Tanzania since I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2009 and my wife and I host a golf tournament and Variety Show each year to contribute to our fundraising. Some of the proceeds from my books also go towards the cause. I also love to stay fit so I go to the gym, curl and snowshoe in the winter and play golf and hike in the summer. The days just race by.


What would you consider a perfect date?
 

A perfect date would involve a dinner and a movie.


What is one interesting fact about you that readers don’t know?
 

My first vehicle was a BSA motorcycle which I purchased when I was 16. It only lasted a year as I dumped it on a gravel road but it was fun while it lasted.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links: 

In 2009, Barry Finlay went up a mountain as an accountant and came down as a philanthropist. After over thirty years in various financial roles with the Canadian federal government, he took his life in a different direction and climbed Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro at age sixty with his son Chris. The climb and their fundraising efforts to help kids in Tanzania led to the award-winning book, Kilimanjaro and Beyond: A Life-Changing Journey. He followed that up with the hilarious travel memoir, I Guess We Missed The Boat, which was named Best Travel Book of 2013 by Reader Views. Now, he has completed his debut fiction book, The Vanishing Wife. Barry was named to the Authors Show’s list of “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading” in 2012. In 2013, he received the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal for his philanthropic work in Africa. He lives in Ottawa, Canada with his wife Evelyn.
 






 


Giveaway:

Barry will be awarding a medium or large t-shirt with the author's "Keep On Climbing" logo on the front to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour (US/CANADA ONLY).  Follow the tour HERE

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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