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WHEN YOUR MOM WON’T GIVE UP THE GHOST, A SPIRITED MYSTERY BY TERRY SEGAN

Author Terry Segan writes paranormal mysteries which involve time travel or spirits. Her Marni Legend series features a main character who can see, speak with, and sometimes annoy ghosts.

What’s the fun part of writing and why?

I love to create humor for my readers as well as a good mystery. In my own life, it’s hard to look at normal situations without my mind going off on tangents. For instance, any time I see someone lugging a rolled-up carpet, I think, “Doesn’t he have a buddy to help him hide that body?” Having grown up on Long Island, my New York sarcasm is always bubbling near the surface. This allows me to channel much of it into my writing.

**Why did you write Spirit in Tow?**

In my last book, one of the secondary characters acted as the comic relief. His comments and antics added humor without detracting from the main goal. For my Marni Legend Series, I wanted the main character to be the jokester. Since the story is told from her point of view, many of her thoughts and observations, no matter how wrong they may be, get expressed throughout the book. I also wanted her to be middle-aged and living in a seaside town on Long Island. While the town of Northport (where Marni lives) actually exists, all the shops, restaurants, and bars are pure fiction from the dark corners of my mind.

How does your main character feel about dating?

I’ll let Marni tell you herself.

Marni: It shouldn’t be this hard. Yet, since my ex-hubby got tired of sharing life with me and the constant parade of spirits demanding my attention, it’s become one of my least favorite chores. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy going out. It’s the fiasco of hunting down a qualified candidate (think one with basic social skills, a steady job which doesn’t involve grand theft auto, or forgetting to mention a wife or girlfriend) that slows the whole process of finding a potential partner. Add to this scenario, my recently deceased mother who refuses to move on and likes to appear in my apartment. It puts a real damper on bedroom antics when I do find a live guy to spend time with. Maybe that’s why I haven’t delved into online dating. How could I ever put all that on a profile?

Tell us something about yourself.

My husband and I live full time in our RV, despite not being retired yet. The tiny living suits us, and we aren’t burdened with the constant maintenance of a house and yard, freeing us to travel many weekends. Our preferred mode of transportation is his Victory Cross Country Tour—which is the technical way of saying pretty, red motorcycle. This past summer we took a week-long trip on it and got to ride through the Chandelier Tree in the Redwood Forest. A first for me in any vehicle!

Blurb for Spirit in Tow

Marni Legend is about to publish her thirteenth novel. Gus Zuckerman has been hanging around since his death in nineteen-ninety-five. With her deadline looming and her recently deceased mother refusing to move on, can Marni dispatch both spirits and still have time for romance?

Armed with sarcasm and a warped sense of humor, her innate ability to stumble into awkward situations lands Marni in the midst of a car theft ring. As her circle of friends becomes populated with felons and possible murderers, the lines blur around whom she can trust.

Juggling a hot new beau with one hand and rekindling an old flame with the other, she may need to put on the brakes with one. Should she pick the probable criminal who may know Gus’s fate or play it safe with the sweetheart from her past? She’ll need more than her special abilities and quick wit to navigate the twists and turns of this paranormal mystery.

Excerpt from Spirit in Tow

The usual cadre of fishermen dotted the docks. If I boldly stepped onto the ship, would they know I didn’t belong? Could one be a sentry in disguise? I sauntered past, trying to catch a glimpse of any crew hanging about. The boat was in complete darkness.

Gus waited on my favorite perch. “It’s about time you showed up. Why aren’t you in all black so nobody can see you? God, you look like an amateur.”

“Perhaps because I am an amateur. I’m not the one with a criminal record.” I sat beside him.

“Who says I got a record? I ain’t never been locked up.”

It never occurred to me he’d never been caught. Maybe I should have consulted him—had he bothered to show up earlier. “This way I blend in with the tourists. If anybody comes, they’ll think nothing of a woman enjoying the fresh air.”

“You got a lot to learn.”

Breaking and Entering 101 wasn’t a class I wanted to take. “Enough about my lack of burglary skills. Go check the boat, and tell me if anybody is aboard.”

“Okay, okay. Stop barking orders.” He disappeared.

I tapped my foot on the wooden dock, concentrating on the staccato noise. It soothed my racing mind as it conjured all the things that could go wrong. My plan had two parts—break in and don’t get caught. Simple, right?

Review for Spirit in Tow

When your mom won’t give up the ghost

I got such a kick out of this book. Imagine having to decide between two beaux, one likely a criminal, the other a former boyfriend. Poor Marni, whose mom insists on hanging around after her death (the mom’s) and whose sister is a real pain in the… Well, the mom isn’t the only one dropping by. There’s Gus, who’s been dead since the 90s and seems to think Marni can help him clear up a few things. In fact, there are a lot of dead people in this tale of a writer who can’t make up her mind when it comes to men and doesn’t choose friends wisely. Good thing she’s fast on her feet and isn’t afraid to jump into strange situations.

Because when it comes to Marni Legend, one adventure follows another.

Paranormal is a newish genre for me, so I was excited to discover a world I’m unfamiliar with, a world that seems normal at first glance but is definitely not. In a good way. This read was charming and full of banter. I‘m already looking forward to the next in the series.

About the Author

Terry Segan resides in Nevada. The beach is her happy place, but any opportunity to travel soothes her gypsy soul. The stories conjured by her imagination while riding backseat on her husband’s motorcycle can be found throughout the pages of her paranormal mysteries.

The photo below shows one of Terry’s favorite places to hang out, Northport dock. Terry and her brother used to fish off the dock when they were kids. The second photo speak for itself.