When Leslie sent me her guest post for the day, she told me I wasn’t allowed to change it … and then I read it and totally got all mushy!  The whole chicken suit thing, however, really is tempting …

Leslie Langtry is the author of the Bombay’s Greatest Hits series (which includes ‘Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy — available for 99 cents at most retailers!), The Adulterer’s Unofficial Guide to Family Vacations, and (according to her website) several books she hasn’t finished yet, because she’s very lazy.  (ha!)

Romantic Times says this about the Bombay family series: “Langtry’s ability to make this lethal and outrageous clan both funny and somewhat endearing is a testament to her style. Who knew the assassination business could produce so many laughs…”

I think the books are awesome, too (and you’ll see proof of that below … wink!)

At any rate, without further ado, please welcome Leslie to the blog!

It’s true.  The moment I read Carpe Demon – I was hooked on Julie Kenner (well, not literally hooked – because that would be awkward and stalkerish).  I loved the idea of a soccer mom/demon hunter.  At the time, I was just starting my soccer mom/assassin stuff.  Reading Julie’s books gave me the inspiration I needed to work on and finish the book.

Let’s go back to the beginning.  It was the mid-2000’s, chick lit was dying off (Noooooooo!).  Publishers had shut down their humor lines (because no one liked laughing…I guess?).  Things were bleak.  I was 38 and finally decided to write a book to see if I could sell it.  I’d been to a couple of Romance Writers of America national conferences, and all I heard from editors was, “Do you do medieval Scotland (um, no, I can barely spell the names)?  Or dark paranormal (is a cannibal shapeshifter too dark?)?  Or serial killer suspense (yeah…that stuff creeps me out)?”

The fact is, I wanted to make people laugh.  I wanted to write to write about characters my age (mostly because I can’t remember what it was like to be under the age of 30).  “No one is doing that,” was the response I heard over and over.

Then in 2005, I read Carpe Demon.  And suddenly there was a glimmer of hope.  Someone else was doing what I wanted to do – and doing it well, I might add.  So in between waiting for each new Demon book to come out – I wrote a book about a widowed soccer mom, named Gin Bombay, who happens to be in the family business of assassination.

In 2006, I sold the book on my 40^th birthday to a publisher.  My editor asked if there was any author in particular I’d like a blurb from.  I immediately asked for Julie Kenner.  And Julie came through!

“With an irreverent, tell-it-like-it-is, suburban-mom-assassin narrator, Leslie Langtry’s ‘Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy delivers wild and wicked fun.” – USA Today Bestselling Author, Julie Kenner.

Do I need to tell you how awesome that was?  That quote was the first, serious validation of my writing – and it came from my hero – Julie Kenner!

So basically, if Julie asked me to write a book in a storefront window, dressed like a chicken for a week.  I’d totally do it.  For her (not for anyone else because chicken suits chafe).

Thank you Julie Kenner!

Julie here:  See what I mean about mushy?  (I swear I didn’t pay her off to say good things.)  And, honestly, I’m so touched by Leslie’s kind words that I’ll totally give her a pass on the chicken suit thing.  (That’s reasonable, right?)

I want to thank Leslie for offering to guest blog today and apologize in advance if I don’t pop in as much as I’d like to.  I’m at the hospital today for Isabella’s bone graft surgery, and not only do I not know the WiFi situation, but I’m also probably a bit distracted!

Visit Leslie at her website or on Facebook!

Thanks in advance for making Leslie welcome!  Have you read the Bombay series?  Do you like kickass suburban moms?  Should we toss a few demons their way and have Kate join forces with the Bombay family?  Hmmm….