Designer Dirty Laundry (Large Print Edition)


Book Description

She expected the fashion industry to be ruthless. She wasn't prepared for it to turn deadly. ​ Ready to redesign her life, style expert Samantha Kidd accepts a job in her Pennsylvania hometown as a trend specialist. But her first day goes completely A-line when she stumbles across her legendary boss dead in the elevator. And after the body disappears, she can't help but pull on the mystery's thread and unravel an entire wardrobe of suspects. ​ Supervising her deceased employer's vogue competition, Samantha tries to hem in a sexy shoe designer and countless ego-driven creatives to stitch together the clues. But when her own name appears on the police's suspect list, the sleuthing fashionista's days on the catwalk could be numbered. ​ Can Samantha put a killer in the spotlight before she's sewn up for a crime she didn't commit? ​Designer Dirty Laundry is the first book in the feel-good Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like witty protagonists, clever dialogue, and fashion-forward drama, then you'll love Diane Vallere's chic story.




The Planthunter


Book Description

An exciting and refreshing call to arms, The Planthunter is a new generation of gardening book for a new generation of gardener that encourages readers to fall in love with the natural world by falling in love with plants.




Designer Dirty Laundry


Book Description

Enjoy this FREE humorous cozy mystery series starter with an amateur sleuth and rom-com elements by national bestselling author Diane Vallere. Meet Samantha Kidd as she trades high fashion for dirty laundry and learns a great wardrobe isn't enough to turn her life around, let alone catch a killer. Ready to redesign her life, style expert Samantha Kidd accepts a job in her Pennsylvania hometown as a trend specialist. But her first day goes completely A-line when she stumbles across her legendary boss dead in the elevator. And after the body disappears, she can't help but pull on the mystery's thread and unravel an entire wardrobe of suspects. Supervising her deceased employer's vogue competition, Samantha tries to hem in a sexy shoe designer and countless ego-driven creatives to stitch together the clues. But when her own name appears on the police's suspect list, the sleuthing fashionista's days on the catwalk could be numbered. Can Samantha put a killer in the spotlight before she's sewn up for a crime she didn't commit? Designer Dirty Laundry is the first book in the hilarious Killer Fashion mystery series, although each book can be read as a standalone. For fans of Gina Lamanna, Margaret Lashley, and Gretchen Archer, this humorous cozy mystery has a determined amateur sleuth looking for a fresh start by moving back home--only to be suspected of murder! If you like witty protagonists, clever dialogue, and fair-play whodunits, then you'll love Diane Vallere's chic story. What people are saying: "...the book is enriched by the author's cleverly phrased prose and convincing characterization. The surprise ending will satisfy and delight many mystery fans. A diverting mystery that offers laughs and chills." ~Kirkus Reviews "an impressive cozy mystery from a promising author." ~Mystery Tribune "Designer Dirty Laundry shows that even the toughest crime is no match for a sleuth in fishnet stockings who knows her way around the designer department. A delightful debut." ~Kris Neri, Lefty Award-Nominated author of Revenge For Old Times' Sake "Combining fashion and fatalities, Diane Vallere pens a winning debut mystery...a sleek and stylish read." ~Ellen Byerrum, National Bestselling author of the Crime of Fashion mysteries "Vallere once again brings her knowledgeable fashion skills to the forefront, along with comedy, mystery, and a saucy romance. Buyer, Beware did not disappoint!" ~Chick Lit Plus "Fashion is always at the forefront, but never at the cost of excellent writing, humorous dialogue, or a compelling story." ~Kings River Life "A captivating new mystery voice, Vallere has stitched together haute couture and murder in a stylish mystery. Dirty Laundry has never been so engrossing!" ~Krista Davis, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Diva Runs Out of Thyme "In Designer Dirty Laundry , author Diane Vallere stitches together a seamless mystery. Samantha Kidd is a witty heroine that you will root for as she fashions a fresh stylish start in her hometown of Ribbon, Pennsylvania." ~Avery Aames, Agatha Award-Winning Author of The Long Quiche Goodbye "Samantha Kidd is an engaging amateur sleuth." -Mysterious Reviews "It keeps you at the edge of your seat. I love the description of clothes in this book...if you love fashion, pick this up!" -Los Angeles Mamma Blog "Diane Vallere takes the reader through this cozy mystery with her signature wit and humor." -Mary Marks, NY Journal of Books "Maybe your handbag holds only a phone and a wallet, but if you're Samantha Kidd, from Diane Vallere's Style & Error series, there may be something deadlier in the bag.?"~Sheila Connolly, New York Times Bestselling Author of Murder at the Mansion For readers who like humorous character-driven cozy mystery series accessorized with a dash of romance and a dollop of fun! Diane-Fans describe “her vintage Vallere goodness,” and say she is a “great storyteller” with “a way with creating strong female characters and intrigue” who is “a superb and very humorous writer.” Her gift of creating “spunky sleuths in fun settings” take readers to Dallas, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, Pennsylvania, and outer space.




Dirty Laundry


Book Description

When a suburban housewife battles jealousy from a controlling husband, something has to give... and it just may be someone's life. But not everything is what it seems. "Read in one sitting." - David Rountree, Award-Winning Director




Designer Dirty Laundry


Book Description

Designer Dirty Laundry is the first book in the feel-good Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like witty protagonists, clever dialogue, and fashion-forward drama, then you'll love Diane Vallere's chic story.




Dirty Laundry


Book Description




Fahrenheit 501


Book Description

Enjoy this humorous cozy mystery inspired by Agatha Christie with a fashionable amateur sleuth and a mystery connected to the past by national bestselling author Diane Vallere. Burn out...or fade away? When Samantha Kidd is invited to fill an about-to-be-vacated spot in a secret society, she jumps at the chance. The group’s mission is to preserve famous fashion patterns through memorization and pass them down to future generations, and Samantha’s dreams of Chanel jackets and Halston dresses are dashed when she’s assigned the Levi’s 501 jean. But when the retiring denim expert turns up dead, she fears there’s more than fashion history at stake. Garments from the deceased member’s estate are linked to a series of local cold cases, and Samantha questions everything. Was the member’s death an admission of guilt of past crimes or vigilante justice? As she pulls at the threads of the investigation, she finds the fabric of her secret society fraying at the seams. Can Samantha unzip the facts or will the truth stay buttoned up forever? Fahrenheit 501 is the twelfth humorous book in the Killer Fashion mystery series, although each book in the series can be read as a standalone. For fans of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Cannell, and Jessica Fletcher, if you like puzzle plots, fashion history, and unusual crimes, you'll love this funny and eerie amateur detective mystery. Diane-Fans describe “her vintage Vallere goodness,” and say she is a “great storyteller” with “a way with creating strong female characters and intrigue” who is “a superb and very humorous writer.” Her gift of creating “spunky sleuths in fun settings” take readers to Dallas, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, Pennsylvania, and outer space.




Fashionopolis


Book Description

An investigation into the damage wrought by the colossal clothing industry--and the grassroots, high-tech, international movement fighting to reform it from a bestselling journalist who has traveled the globe to discover the visionary designers and companies who are propelling the industry toward that more positive future.ture.




Green Grows the City


Book Description

Anyone who has ever created a garden knows that it is a process replete with drama: there's the feverish excitement of drawing up plans and making lists of plants; the bleak depression of realizing that the plans will have to be altered; the "Eureka!" moment when a brilliant solution presents itself; the grim frustration of dealing with meddlesome neighbors and recalcitrant plants. For Beverley Nichols (1898–1983), making a new garden in a London suburb in the years just before World War II was positively operatic in its emotional trajectory. Fans of Beverley Nichols will find in Green Grows the City the same elements that have delighted them in his other books: the wit, the style, the cats, and of course Gaskin, gentleman's gentleman extraordinaire. Those new to Nichols are in for a rare treat.




Voice and Vision


Book Description

Voice & Vision is a comprehensive manual for the independent filmmakers and film students who want a solid grounding in the tools, techniques, and processes of narrative film in order to achieve their artistic vision. This book includes essential and detailed information on relevant film and digital video tools, a thorough overview of the filmmaking stages, and the aesthetic considerations for telling a visual story. The ultimate goal of this book is to help you develop your creative voice while acquiring the solid practical skills and confidence to use it. Unlike many books that privilege raw technical information or the line-producing aspects of production, Voice & Vision places creativity, visual expression, and cinematic ideas front and center. After all, every practical decision a filmmaker makes, like choosing a location, an actor, a film stock, a focal length, a lighting set-up, an edit point, or a sound effect is also an expressive one and should serve the filmmaker's vision. Every decision, from the largest conceptual choices to the smallest practical solutions, has a profound impact on what appears on the screen and how it moves an audience. "In Practice" sidebars throughout connect conceptual, aesthetic and technical issues to their application in the real world. Some provide a brief analysis of a scene or technique from easily rentable films which illustrate how a specific technology or process is used to support a conceptual, narrative, or aesthetic choice. Others recount common production challenges encountered on real student and professional shoots which will inspire you to be innovative and resourceful when you are solving your own filmmaking challenges.