Welcome Lori Avocato!

I want to introduce you all to our latest addition to the Killer Fiction roster, Lori Avocato! I first met Lori before I was published, when I was looking for mentors and she was pioneering the “chick lit mystery” genre with a series about a former nurse turned crime fighter in her Pauline Sokol murder mystery series. I absolutely loved Pauline’s brand of irreverent humor, and Lori’s blend of laughs, romance, off-beat characters, and a great mystery had me hooked from book one. Not only is Lori a veteran of the publishing world, but she’s also served in the United States Air Force as a nurse, spending four years as a real life “Hot Lips Houlihan.” I can’t WAIT to hear some of the stories there!

We’re super excited to have her on board as our final Killer member, and she’ll be blogging regularly every other Friday. Starting today! So, take it away, Lori…
Thanks, Gemma, for the intro! Sometimes when I read one about myself, I think--who the heck are they talking about? lol (Usually they make me sound much better than I am!)

Well, as you said, I am an author, veteran, nurse and mother. Actually, today is my youngest son's 22nd birthday (I had him when I was very, very, very young!) It is so hard to believe and to make matters worse, my oldest son will be 24 next Friday! I must have been on the "gods of children's" shit list at some point in my life to have two kids in December.

My birthday is also in December (29th) so I know the universe has had it in for me in some aspect for quit some time. Any of you that have a birthday around the holidays understands. We are kindred souls of the "combination" gift. One boot for Christmas. One for my birthday. One tire for my birthday. One for Christmas. And this from my PARENTS! Around Thanksgiving, as my family makes their holiday plans, my sister usually says, "Let's have a cake on Christmas for Lori so we all don't have to come back to town for her birthday." Gotta love my sister's sentimentality!

I swore I would never have a child in December--and I had two. Thank you very much, Mother Nature. I always celebrated their birthdays in November when they were young. Now, it's a "Happy Birthday" text, a gift card to shop for themselves, and, if they are lucky and in town, a meal. Birthday boy today is getting his choice, rack of lamb, whenever he gets home.

Hey, maybe I'll start a blog for those of us who suffer the birthday combination gifts due to being born the wrong time of the year. Bright side: I am a Capricorn and although I'm not up on astrology, I seem to be pretty even keeled, definitely organized (I grew up with one of those mothers who said, "don't waste any steps, go to the bathroom before you leave, take a tissue, and wear clean underwear--okay that part was more for keeping face if sent to the ER, but the rest made me organized as all get out and it helped with my nursing and military career), and other Capricorn traits that seem to fit me. My mom is also a veteran. She was in WWII and not even a nurse!

So, enough about birthdays and when they fall. I have overcome the universe and am at a great point in my life right now. I've started a new series called "Lethal in Lace" thus the moniker "Lori Lethal Avocato" my fellow bloggers here have given me. The series involves Polish (yes, I am one!) lace makers and how they modernize a centuries' old craft--involving G-strings. Enough said.

I just finished the seventh book in the Pauline Sokol Mystery series Gemma had mentioned above and it is available on my website. It was fun to write, and I am about to write an epilogue to the series in the near future. Pauline is based on my late "kick-ass" grandmother who died on her birthday at the age of 92 and the first book of the series came out on her birthday! What kind of kismet is that!? Oh and I just got back from a fabulous trip to Spain, a day in Morocco and several days in Paris. That picture above is me in Paris, drinking my favorite drink there. Coffee with REAL whipped cream! We just don't have as good whipped cream here as in Europe. I admit, I do have a sweet tooth.

Well, it has been great fun chatting with all of you! Talk to you in a few weeks.

Lori Lethal Avocato!