Denver, CO -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/24/2012 -- Many successful Murder Mystery novels are spawned from the creative and intricate minds of full-time authors. However, in the case of Colleen Collins, her literary success in the genre is also the result of vast experience as a private investigator.

In fact, “The Zen Man” is so realistic that it recently scooped a semi-finalist award in 2012’s Kindle Book Reviews.

Synopsis:

Just as washed-up criminal defense attorney, life-long Deadhead and current private eye Rick Levine decides to get relicensed as a lawyer, he’s charged with killing one and ends up in the slammer with a half-mill bail.

Released on bond, Rick and his girlfriend Laura have 30 days to find the real killer. In the course of their investigations, they dodge bullets, trumped-up charges and the FBI’s unwanted intervention...eventually learning that true redemption begins at home.

As the author explains, her Murder Mystery novels offer something a little different to the norm.

“As a real-life private investigator, I am able to use my wide-ranging knowledge and experience to take readers deep inside the minds and lives of those I write about,” says Collins, who is a celebrated and multi-award winning author.

She continues, “Those involved in real-life murders have a unique mind-set and pattern of characteristics, even though their actual murders may appear unique. I’ve studied these facets and combine them with first-hand experience to offer readers insight into a world they’ll likely never experience for real.”

It appears readers would agree, in fact, “The Zen Man” has garnered a consistent string of five-star reviews.

“What I didn't expect were the touches of romantic language, as delicate and erotic as a glance by Humphrey Bogart from under his hat. I also didn't expect the humorous touches in what is essentially one man's life-or-death fight to save his soul, his business and the love of his life,” says Bonnie Ramthun, a multi-published Mystery and Young Adult author.

Gerald So, owner-moderator of DetecToday was equally as impressed. He said that, “The Zen Man is an homage and update of Dashiell Hammett’s Nick and Nora Charles, a well-paced mix of banter, action, and New Age philosophizing."

Besides this new and fresh take on the traditional Murder Mystery, Collins is an experienced and respected author. Her novels have placed first in the Colorado Gold, Romancing the Rockies, and Top of the Peak contests, and placed in the finals for the Holt Medallion, Coeur de Bois Readers Choice, Award of Excellence, More than Magic, and Romance Writers of America RITA contests.

Collins also co-authors the popular blog Guns, Gams and Gumshoes, which has been noted in Ellery Queen Magazine as being one of the top three true crime blogs, ranked by PINow.com as #8 in the top 44 private investigator blogs throughout the U.S. in 2012, and chosen in 2012 by the American Library Association‘s Booklist Online to be “Web Crush of the Week” during its Mystery Month.

With so much success on her hands, Collins refuses to lose sight of what is important.

“The key with writing a Murder Mystery is to compel the reader to empathize with the protagonist and sympathize a little with the villain. The latter includes understanding the thought processes of real-life ‘bad guys’. I offer that in abundance,” she concludes.

“The Zen Man,” published by WIN Inc., can be purchased from Amazon: http://amzn.to/VWjKPZ

About Colleen Collins
Colleen Collins is an award-winning author who's written 21 novels and anthologies for Harlequin and Dorchester. She has also indie-published a mystery novel ("The Zen Man") and two nonfiction books on private investigations ("How Do Private Eyes Do That?" and "How to Write a Dick: A Guide for Writing Fictional Sleuths from a Couple of Real-Life Sleuths,” the latter co-authored with Colorado defense attorney Shaun Kaufman). Her books have placed first in the Colorado Gold, Romancing the Rockies, and Top of the Peak contests, and placed in the finals for the Holt Medallion, Coeur de Bois Readers Choice, Award of Excellence, More than Magic, and Romance Writers of America RITA contests.

Colleen graduated with honors from the University of California Santa Barbara and completed graduate work in telecommunications. She has worked as a film production assistant, improv comic, telecommunications manager, technical writer/editor, speech writer, and private investigator. All these experiences play into her writing.

More information can be found at: http://colleencollinsbooks.com/