Suki McMinn, aka Susan McNabb, will be at The Book Shelf in Tryon, signing copies of her debut novel, Drop Dead Gorgeous, on Saturday, March 8 from 2-3:30 p.m.

Having grown up in Asheville, N.C., McMinn returned to the area to settle in Tryon after 27 years in Los Angeles. She and her husband are both graduates of Asheville High School, re-connected and married in their forties and returned to life in the Blue Ridge Mountains in 2011.

“I’m so excited that my first book signing will be in Tryon,” McMinn said. “We chose this wonderful little town to live in, not even realizing what a rich literary history it has. It’s been home to many wonderful writers and still is.”

McMinn is a member of Tryon Writers as well as the North Carolina Writers Network and often reads her work at Tryon’s bimonthly Literary Open Stage. She is also a member and volunteer at Lanier Library in Tryon, publicity chair for the Tryon Garden Club and active member of Tryon AAUW, Foothills Questers, Upstairs Artspace and Tryon Arts and Crafts.

McMinn began writing as a second career after nearly three decades working as a model and commercial actor. “Drop Dead Gorgeous” is her first novel, an adult vampire romance set in L.A. in the modeling world and Book One in her L.A. Vamps series.

“I write what I know,” McMinn said. “Like my main character, I lived in L.A. and worked as a model, only I didn’t bite anyone. In the L.A. Vamps series, I’ve created a nest of hunky male vampires who live and hide among humans and in this first book, one happens to also be a supermodel. “After being turned, he returns to his dream girl and his dream job, but it’s not easy trying to fit into his former world now that he’s undead and his evil maker doesn’t want to share him with anyone.”

Drop Dead Gorgeous has debuted to impressive reviews and earned a “5 kisses” rating on the romance review blog, “Read Our Lips,” that called it “quick, fun, action-packed,” and “a new, fresh take on vamps, filled with smut and suspense.”

“I’ve been really overwhelmed with the positive response,” McMinn said, “even though the book had an unusual release.” Temptress Press initially published the ebook version of Drop Dead Gorgeous in December 2013, but within days closed their doors and so McMinn self-published the second edition and print version in January 2014.

McMinn added, “I’m just so thrilled people are enjoying the book. I’m working on Book Two in the series now, “Die Laughing” and hope to see its release this year.”

– article submitted