Out!

Time is of the Essence, the second in the Little Real Estate Mystery series is out and on Amazon!

 

Time is of the Essence

From where I was standing, I couldn’t tell at first that anything had changed. I expected small, adorable woodland creatures to stampede from the forest across my path and hightail it down the dirt road. But I couldn’t remember if that was an incident I saw on the Discovery Channel or the fire scene in “Bambi.” A lone rabbit, thin and mangy, hopped across the deck. Not the stampede of nature one would normally associate with a forest fire. Ash drifted across the sky and settled on the grill cover and quickly laid a layer of soft gray over the surface of the deck. Two borate bombers droned closer. Out of habit I paused and watched the heavy fat planes roar overhead to drop their loads farther up the mountain. I slid the glass door closed to block out the ash, as if I were the homeowner, not a thief breaking and entering.  

I was sure it was here in the house. The only thing falling was ash; the fire was up the mountain at least a mile away. I had a few more minutes.

Down Market Produces Mystery

What do Realtors do during a down market?  Catharine Bramkamp (Realtor/Associate Broker with Century 21) wrote a mystery novel, Death Revokes the Offer; about a Realtor in a down market. When the author began her career in real estate two years ago, she had no idea that

A. The market would tank.
B. That the term short sale does not refer to a length of time
C. Realtors, on a daily basis, court danger.   

Who else cheerfully accepts rides from strangers?  Who else advertises they will be alone in an empty house from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM? Who else walks the street and knocks on doors, and if invited, walks in?  Who routinely meets unfamiliar people at empty homes?
It's surprising that so many Realtors do avoid mayhem. But in the fictional real estate world of Allison Little - A Little Goes a Long Way - mayhem, murder and menace merge into a marvelously original good time. 
 
"I had no idea you were so funny. Your wit, wisdom and information are second to none."
-  Bud Gardner (with Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen)  Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul

Reading the book will give you something to do during the down market. Writing it certainly gave Catharine Bramkamp something to do.

Find Death Revokes the Offer (A Few Little Books) $14.99 on Amazon and in your local book store.

Contact author Catharine Bramkamp
Bramkamp@yahoo.com
www.AFewLittleBooks.com

About The Author

Catharine Bramkamp is a licensed Realtor/Broker, author and writing instructor.

She has a BA from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a MA from California State University, Sonoma
She is currently with Century 21 Alliance in Sonoma County. She is an adjunct professor of Writing for University of Phoenix and an author of four books, numerous anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul and 350 articles for newspapers and magazines

She has two children but forgot where she put them. She can, however, accurately locate her husband 86% of the time.  She lives in Northern California.

She is happy to answer further questions, speak at your book club or Rotary meetings etc. 

Contact her at - Bramkamp@yahoo.com
or 707 478 1855

Books from A Few Little Books

Death Revokes the Offer:

Time is of the Essence
Allison did not enjoy her summer, she was beat up, shot at and ruined a pair of shoes. And her new love is not turning out well. She escapes to Claim Jump, a small town in the Sierra Foothills where her favorite Grandmother lives.  But despite the great weather, lazy afternoons at the river and marvelous company of grandma's eccentric friends, Allison is not relaxing. Her Grandmother is accused of embezelment, a new man enters her life and takes her on many dates but there is something odd about him plus there's a problem with an escrow - one of the sellers has dissappeared and a huge forest fire threatens the town. Twice. Allison is going to need a vacation from her vacation.

In Good Faith
There aren't many problems a Realtor doesn't anticipate before an open house, and Allison has conquered quite a few - barking dogs, neighbors practicing drums, owners who won't leave the house.  But finding her client butchered in the bedroom. . . is new.
Allison isn't sure what is worse - the holidays with her family, or facing a  psychotic killer. See?  You're having a difficult time choosing between the two as well.

The 380 Degree View
Allison is called back to Claim Jump.  Lucky Masters, the biggest developer in town (and yes, he is a big man, but that's not why they call him the largest) is dead.  The prime suspect, is Allison's Grandmother. Allison would say that the elderly are not capable of that kind of behavior, but she knows better.

 

Trash Out

During a society wedding at the perfect Sonoma County Winery, a dead body floats to the surface.

Why it couldn't be Allison's ex finance, she'll never know.