My first name is Meredith, but everyone including a few people I don’t even like very much, call me Red. Some genuinely unpleasant types started calling me The Red Queen after I was appointed interim dean of my journalism school. My boss, the former dean, was found dead at the bottom of the stairwell and several of the faculty members were suspects in his death.
Of course I have red hair, my best feature. I‘m less certain about the rest of my looks but I’m having an on-again off-again affair with an incredible detective who says I’m lovely. Lovely is a lovely word for an insecure college professor whose life story so far has been punctuated with turbulence.
For starters my mother was an alcoholic who killed herself driving into a tree. Then I dated a lawyer who liked it rough, if you know what I mean. So rough that one night I clonked him with an iron lamp base and broke his nose. In response, he proposed. I was a newspaper reporter then but, after this guy kept calling, I fled to grad school, got a PhD and started teaching journalism at Mountain West University in northern Nevada.
I hoped for a quiet and contemplative life on a university campus, but it’s been nothing but one disaster after another. A typical day for me opens with two members of my faculty who like to duke it out in faculty meetings and act like schoolyard bullies. This can be followed by a student threatening a professor who has flunked her for cheating.
And we haven’t even gotten to my enemies list of fellow professors who think me unqualified, unreasonable and too young to tell them what to do. Or stop doing. I’ve gotten three anonymous notes suggesting I resign and leave town or I might be the next person to end up dead at the bottom of the stairs. Come on.
What I really want is a day when I can enjoy the beautiful scenery of northern Nevada under a clear blue sky followed by an evening when the air is dry and soft as velvet. Add a glass of wine and my erotically skilled detective and that day would be perfect.
However, that day never comes. I’ve just been told that one of my students is close to death and I have to rush to the hospital.
Maybe I will find some peace and quiet after my detective and I have solved the mystery of the brutal death of the former dean and discovered the author of those terrifying notes.
Then again, here’s a disturbing thought. Maybe I am the sort of woman who is destined to attract violence.
You can read more about Meredith in The Red Queen’s Run, the first book in the new “Red Solaris” mystery series, published by Henery Press.
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 6 p.m. eastern on December 16 for the chance to win a copy of THE RED QUEEN’S RUN. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
About the author
Bourne Morris began writing when she was ten and her teacher suggested she write a play. She learned to love writing almost as much as reading. She wrote poetry and literary criticism at Bennington College, and after that, worked in the fiction department of McCall’s Magazine and then found a job as a copywriter in an advertising agency. She worked happily at Ogilvy&Mather, New York during the “Mad Men “ era. David Ogilvy and his colleagues treated her 
wonderfully, promoted her several times and then sent her west to become head of their agency in Los Angeles. She had a splendid run in advertising.
In 1983, Bourne joined the University of Nevada Reno as a full professor in Journalism where she taught until 2009. She learned about campus politics when she served as chair of the faculty senate. She retired to write fiction in 2009 after a wonderful teaching career. Now she lives in a beautiful part of northern Nevada with a generous and supportive husband who puts up with her obsession with murder, betrayal, sexual assault and all kinds of criminal behavior. Fortunately, they are owned by a golden retriever who keeps them safe.
“The Red Queen’s Run” is the first in a trilogy that focuses on Bourne’s interest in the causes and consequences of campus violence. Visit her at bournemorris.com.
Wow! This sounds like a great series. Would love to get the chance to red it!
Sounds like Red lives quite a life! Something going on all the time! I could use a little excitement in my life and reading The Red Queen’s Run is just what I need!
I would enjoy reading this story. I like the idea of a series. Thank you for the chance. Thank you
Well, this one looks very interesting!
Another good read for my t-b-r list 🙂
I’m ready to read more.
Red sounds like some kind of woman who lives on the edge and the writer makes her come to life in such an interesting way…..just reading the excerpt one would like an opportunity to read more of this series. Thank you for chance to win
I love trying out new series. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
Sounds like a great read!
Looks great, thank you for the chance 🙂
I would love to read this book—thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!
Sounds wonderful, thank you the chance. Would love to read this
Sounds like a great read. Thank you for the chance!
Campus violence is so recent here in Tallahassee. I really would love to have this book.
Sounds like an interesting read.
I’ve never read anything by this author. It would be a new adventure for me.
I would love to win a book in a series I intended to start reading. Cozy mysteries are my comfort zone and I admire all talented and gifted authors who provide me with hours of reading pleasure.
Wow! She came out swinging a lamp. Impressive.
I definitely want to check this book out.
I plan to give this book a try. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
Love books about campus life so am really looking forward to this.
Sounds like a great book, thanks for the chance to win
Sounds very interesting!
I’ve heard about the horrors of Academia, and actually worked as a police officer at UT Austin when I lived in Texas. Higher education sets the prefect scene for murder!
It sounds really exciting! I love the cover too1
That was supposed to be: I love the cover too!
I love the name of the book, and it sounds like a great read. Thanks for having the giveaway.
This sounds like an exciting series!
Wow is all I can say …. very intriguing.
I thought you were talking about me there for a while! Tell me if I survived!
Love the premise of this book…
Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
Sounds like an interesting new series–I’d love to win and get started on the first book
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I’ve gotta admit that her perfect day could be mine too. I’d even be ok with her detective boyfriend! Ok, not going to happen, so I’ll happily read about it.
Added to my Wish List!!!
This sounds like a good read
Enjoy the university setting. You have my attention with this one. Judy
Breaking someone’s nose and then receiving a proposal from that person…now that is a unique plot!
I like trilogies.
This looks promising and maybe a bit edgier than some other cozies out there.
Interesting character
Love new authors and series especially if Dru’s reviewed.
thanks for the chance to win a book that sounds interesting.
Thanks for the chance to win. Would love this book.
Love to read this
I want to read this book. Awesome! Thanks
This sounds like a great book! Thank you for the chance to win it!
I am always looking for new cozy authors, so I am very pleased to add this to my list.
Great picture
oh my, what drama..glad i only experience through reading!
A new author for me. Must add it to my books to read list.
Need a New author.
contest is closed.