The sun is getting stronger and climbing higher in the sky. The pale violet wild clematis is in bloom. The chickadees and red polls are fluttering and flittering, chirping, and teasing the cat. And those of us who live and write in Montana face a daily dilemma: write or play? Even our longer days aren’t long enough for everything. LESLIE BUDEWITZ is still celebrating her win! Death al Dente, first in her Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel, given at the annual Malice Domestic Mystery Convention. Leslie is the only author to win the Agatha for both fiction and nonfiction — her guide for writers, Books, Crooks & Counselors: How to Write Accurately About Criminal Law & Courtroom Procedure (Quill Driver Books), won the 2011 Agatha Award for Best Nonfiction. More about the award in this Flathead Beacon interview.  She’s also busy preparing for the launch of the sequel, Crime Rib. (Published by Berkley Prime Crime and available for pre-order now — links here.)  The TV show Food Preneurs comes to Jewel Bay to film the annual art and food festival and its centerpiece, the steak grill-off, and sparks fly. When a contestant is killed, can Erin smoke out the killer before the town’s reputation goes up in flames?  If you’re in western Montana, join us for her Book Launch party, Friday June 27th, from 4-7 pm, at Frame of Reference Gallery in Bigfork!

The following is a recent 5 star review on Marie F. Martin‘s Harbored Secrets. After a recent free promotion the book now has over 100,000 downloads.  Thank you readers.