Who is Alicia Allen? Introducing Alicia Allen and the Alicia Allen Investigates crime trilogy...

 Who is Alicia Allen?

Characterization is one of the key components in a novel so, for authors, it is crucial when creating a lead character that the “creation” will appeal to a wide range of readers. This is particularly important for any author writing a series featuring the same character and who wants readers to read the rest of the novels in that series.

A Model Murder is the first part of the Alicia Allen Investigates crime trilogy and introduces Alicia, the spirited Anglo-Italian, private client London solicitor with a passion for solving crime and for munching Pringles. I am often asked questions about where the idea of Alicia came from. The most common ones are:

1. Why is she a solicitor?

2. Why did I make her a private client solicitor?

3. Where did the idea to make her Anglo-Italian come from?

4. Why Pringles?

I believe that the old adage “write about what you know” is good advice and a very good place to begin when developing and shaping a lead character. I qualified and worked as a family lawyer before I became an author so it seemed natural for me to create a character who was a solicitor because I could write about her work as a solicitor from my own personal experience of working within the law and dealing with lawyers and clients on a daily basis. Knowing the ins-and-outs of office politics in a legal setting has been particularly useful in the plots of all three novels in the series.

I made Alicia a private client solicitor rather than a criminal lawyer because it was a slightly different angle. Additionally, as a private client solicitor dealing with Wills and Inheritance there is much scope for corruption and murder and something which Alicia particularly discovers in the course of her work in Wilful Murder and Murder in Hand, the second and third books in the trilogy.

The Italian influence comes from being an Italophile with a love of the language, country and culture and that is a theme running through all the books. I also have an Italian background from way back which is probably why the influence is so strong and the desire to express it on paper. When I was researching for Murder in Hand, half of which is set in Italy, I came across some very interesting cases in Italy of family inheritances vanishing in mysterious circumstances, which sparked the idea for the plot.

Why Pringles? Pringles seems a very good fit for Alicia’s personality as once you start eating them you cannot stop and in the same way once Alicia begins investigating a case she feels compelled to press on whatever the consequences. And I think it is an engaging side to her personality. She has her foibles and that makes her very human.

You can read the latest news and media on the Alicia Allen Investigates crime trilogy at the Alicia Allen Investigates website

Further details on: 

Amazon UK

Amazon US

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5 STAR SEAL FROM READERS' FAVORITE FOR "A MODEL MURDER"

Knowing that Readers' Favorite reviews books for industry icons such as Random House, Penguin Group, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette and many independent authors and publishers I decided to submit my crime novel, A Model Murder, which is book 1 of the Alicia Allen Investigates trilogy to them for review.

I was delighted to receive the following 5 star review from them today and the accompanying 5 star seal.

A Model Murder by Celia Conrad is an appealing new modern crime story. Alicia lives in England and is half Italian and I quickly found myself rooting for her. Alicia is a lawyer who is starting a new job in a law firm that turns out to be not exactly what she had expected. Her neighbor Tammy, trying hard to become a model, is raped and murdered while working at a low life hostess club. Tammy’s roommate Kim is absolutely devastated by the murder and begs Alicia for her help. Dorothy, an elderly lady living in the same flat, is badly beaten for what she has seen. At Kim’s urging, Alicia investigates and is faced with threats and near death experiences. It becomes difficult to be sure which of her friends to trust and which are really not whom they appear to be. Twists and turns abound as we are taken into the sleazy nightclub world and the inner workings of a law firm looking for the killer rapist.

It took me a while to get used to some of the British dialogue and I have no idea of what the Italian phrases sprinkled throughout meant, but it made no difference in the reading of A Model Murder. I was hooked on page one and completely and pleasantly surprised when I reached the conclusion. A Model Murder is subtitled Alicia Allen Investigates 1 and I am anxiously awaiting number 2. Celia Conrad has jumped to the top of my favorite author list and Alicia Allen is without a doubt my favorite new fictional lawyer/investigator crime solver. This book should be on the top of every woman’s reading list.

To read more about Reader's Favorite click here.

A Model Murder and the other two parts of the Alicia Allen Investigates trilogy, Wilful Murder & Murder in Hand are available from:

Amazon UK
Amazon US

"Wow Review of Wow Crime Novel" as featured in the NEW BOOK REVIEW

I feel very privileged that Marlan Warren's wonderful review of "A Model Murder" has been featured on the New Book Review blog. 

As it states on the blog:

"The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read."

If you are an author seeking for a featured review you simply follow the submission guidelines on the blog. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. It is also a great way for readers to discover new authors.

Reviews are very important to authors so a blog such as this is an invaluable resource.

If you have time check it out here.

If you have any comments send me a Tweet at @Iwrite2b
Connect with me on Facebook Celia Conrad Author U.K. or message me through this site.

A Model Murder which is Book 1 of the Alicia Allen Investigates crime trilogy can be found at Amazon.

CELIA CONRAD INTERVIEW: "A Model Murder" (In hostess clubs and law firms, no one can hear you scream.)

I am happy to report that during its 3-day offer, A Model Murder had over 4,000 downloads onto Kindle devices as I participated in Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing Select program "Giveaway"!

A Model Murder is still available on Amazon in paperback and as a Kindle e-book ($4.99). Links for the paperback on Amazon are below, and the Kindle version can be found at:
http://www.amazon.com/Model-Murder-Alicia-Allen-Investigates-ebook/dp/product-description/B00A0OKLIC

THANK YOU:
Amazon, KDP, Shelf Buzz, Omnimystery News, Carolyn InJoy, Cannonball Read, and Italophile gave such amazing support. Very grateful to Shelf Buzz for featuring AMM for its June 2 "Today’s Picks—Best Free Kindle Books" (http://shelfbuzz.com/handpicked-kindle-books-jun-1-judged-covers/) , and Omnimystery News for doing the same!

DISCUSSION GUIDE:
The Discussion Guide can be located on this blog, and on the Lit Lovers website under "A Model Murder" at: http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/13-fiction/9690-model-murder-conrad

In case you missed it, here's the Interview that went out prior to the Giveaway (it was picked up off the newswire by several sites including BWW Books (Broadway World) and the BBC Record:

Title: A Model Murder (Book 1)
Author: Celia Conrad
Series: Alicia Allen Investigates Trilogy
Genre: Crime Fiction
Publisher: Barcham Books
Paperback     Pages 341                   ISBN-13: 978-0954623326   SBN-10: 0954623320
Release Date: Sept. 15, 2011
Kindle Edition   ASIN: B00A0OKLIC

File Size: 568 KB    Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Edition 1 (Nov. 1 2012)   Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English                Text-to-Speech: Enabled

Author Interview with "Tough Little Cookie" Celia Conrad: The British author speaks out on abuse of women in hostess clubs and law firms, and praises Amazon's KDP Select Program for E-Book Success of A Model Murder

"He told me he was used to getting what he wanted." 

—A Model Murder

What do law firms and hostess clubs have in common? The answer lies at the heart of British author Celia Conrad’s “A Model Murder,” a crime fiction novel featuring the murder of a young model moonlighting as a stripper and the harassed-at-work London woman lawyer who sets out to bring the murderer to justice.

The thriller appeared on the literary scene in 2011 before news events made its plot points seem positively prescient. Last April, a stripper was found murdered after work in Atlanta, Ga.; and last year, a gender discrimination lawsuit against a prominent American law firm settled in favor of its women lawyers.

Los Angeles journalist Marlan Warren (MW) caught up with Celia Conrad (CC) to discuss the origins of “A Model Murder” (AMM) and why publisher Barcham Books has decided to launch the e-book as a giveaway via Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Select program May 31 through June 2.

MW: In AMM, the moonlighting model tells someone, "He told me he was used to getting what he wanted..." when describing an aggressive club customer. Later your heroine Alicia Allen also encounters this attitude with the boss at her law firm. You had a career in London working "within the law" (as they say in the U.K.). How much of your own lawyer experiences found their way into Alicia's world?

CC: AMM is autobiographical in parts, which probably makes this story even darker because it is real. The legal profession is still male dominated despite what we are told about more women qualifying or more women reaching top jobs. I think for a young woman within the law it can still be quite hard.

MW: What kind of research did you do?

CC: While I was doing a little modeling, I met a model who worked in a club to supplement her income. To research, I talked with women at the clubs. They told me how they got treated depended on the "boss." They had to generate money for the club by being "nice," but the degree of how “nice” came from the top. Some bosses looked after their employees better than others. Some women felt pressured, and some did not.

MW: What’s your opinion of the recent lawsuits in the U.S. and U.K. that complain about gender discrimination in the workplace?

CC: I am sure there is still a lot of bullying. In terms of sexual harassment, the laws have tightened but I'm sure it still goes on and women are reluctant to speak out for fear of repercussions.

MW: Your heroine is a half-Anglo/half-Italian lawyer living in London with a passion for justice and a chip that rhymes with “Singles.” How much of yourself is in Alicia?

CC: Like me, she looks vulnerable, but she’s a tough little cookie. And I do love potato chips. We also share tenacity, passion and curiosity. I made Alicia half-Italian because I love Italy. I wanted her to be sharp-witted, warm-hearted and likeable with moral fiber, backbone and sincerity. She’s a private client lawyer as that’s the area I would have gone into if I hadn't done family law. I only wish I’d thought of her retorts when I was working within the law.

MW: What kind of feedback have you gotten from readers regarding the male characters?

CC: Some readers start out hating Ivano (an aggressive Italian character), but then he makes them cry. Alicia's Italian friend Cesare is seen as a "sweetie," and everyone enjoys the banter between Alicia and her coworker/love interest Alex.

MW: What were the circumstances surrounding the publication of AMM?

CC: I wrote AMM at the suggestion of my then-agent and mentor, Paul Marsh, who encouraged me to write a mystery based on my experiences as a lawyer; and I added my brief experiences as a model. Unfortunately Paul passed away before AMM was published. At the time of its release, my mother’s health was failing and I lost her last year. I was too immersed in personal turbulence to focus on promoting the Alicia Allen Investigates trilogy (AMM is Book 1). Hopefully the free Kindle e-book offer will attract a fresh crop of readers and stimulate interest. It will remain for sale in paperback

MW: What is your writing process?

CC: I jot down notes in pencil and then plot the book out. Then I work the plot backwards, having decided on whodunit and the red-herrings. The actual writing took about 8 weeks. I edit as I read aloud: something Paul taught me to do.

MW: How can people find the paperback?

CC: It can be ordered through Amazon, Barcham Books and Alicia Allen Investigates websites. And it’s in libraries all over the U.K.

MW: Two books follow AMM in the series: “Wilful Murder” and “Murder in Hand.” The former takes readers to Australia and has a plot that turns on a string of murdered relatives and a multimillion dollar Will, and the latter takes your heroine into the depths of corruption in Sicily. Did Paul Marsh assist in the crafting of these books as well?

CC: Yes. Before he died, Paul had read both books and was really happy with them. He believed Alicia is a great character who deserved to find her audience. That endorsement has always pushed me on.

To download the free Kindle version during the 3-day offer (5/31-6/2/14), go to Amazon at http://www.amazon.ca/Model-Murder-Alicia-Allen-Investigates-ebook/dp/B00A0OKLIC  and "buy" it for $0.