My Books!

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors

Welcome to Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors. This is your chance to discover new authors who just may become one of your favorites. After you finish here, you can go to http://www.wewriwa.com and https://www.facebook.com/groups/SnippetSunday/

My excerpt today is from my current WIP. It's totally unedited and has no name. If you see anything give a holler. We're picking up about where we left off last Sunday. Rhett has just told his wife Alex that he had an affair with another woman, and she had his child. I punctuated strangely so I could use more text. In the places where I have a semicolon, I really have periods.

She blinked. A small line appeared between her eyebrows as she processed his unbelievable answer. “I’m sorry, but I must have misheard you; who did you say he is?”
He set his jaw. “You heard me; I’m the boy’s father.”

“Oh.”  For a moment no one moved or spoke, but her eyes cut to his face, and she scrambled to her feet with none of the grace he’d always loved about her. She was breathing way too fast.

If you have time I'd love for you to scroll down and see yesterday's post.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

What They Are Saying About Blue 52

Scroll on down for Saturday Sample, but can I persuade you to look at this post? I'm bragging about Blue 52.

  

What they are saying about Blue 52 which is a finalist in RomCon's Reader's Crown Contest.

Tia Bach (Mom in Love With Fiction)
Honestly, I didn't want the book to end. Simply wonderful. Rating: 4.5 stars (worthy of rounding up)

Rochelle Webber (Author at Roses and Thorns)
Blue 52 grabbed me at the beginning and wouldn’t let me go. I found myself reading it when I should have been working on other projects, a sure sign of a winner. Let it grab you, too.

Mack Phillips (Fan)
I read the book and I could not put it down.

Teresa Cypher (Author)
This is the third book I've read by Elaine Cantrell and it's by far, her best yet! The characters come to life on the pages. The action and the romance are perfectly balanced. It's a wonderful blend of suspense, mystery, political dealings, and romance-- minus any explicit writing.

Ann (Fan)
They should make a movie. Cannot wait for the next book!

LASR Reviews
The author’s way with words is great, and it really kept me turning pages.

You can read the reviews in their entirety at http://www.amazon.com/Blue-52-Elaine-Cantrell-ebook/product-reviews/B00H1MHC24/ref=cm_cr_pr_btm_recent?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

Saturday Sample

Welcome to Saturday Sample. Today's excerpt is from Blue 52. In this scene, a truly awful thing happens to my hero and heroine at a fund raiser given by an eccentric friend. At this point in time Hank and Kathryn don't much like each other.


  Kathryn flushed, but before she could retaliate, Millicent and her husband descended on them, pulled their hands together, and looped a red ribbon around both of their wrists. Millicent tied a big bow and cried, “Hank and Kathryn.”

Everyone around them whistled and cheered.

“What is she talking about?” Kathryn hissed.

Great. Just great. I’m her victim this year instead of Grandpa. “Every year Millicent gives this party to raise money for local charities. There’ll be other fund-raising activities before the evening’s over, but this one is the silliest thing I ever heard of. It’s the one stunt she does every year.”

Apprehension flooded Kathryn’s face. “What do we have to do?”

“If we stand in front of another person and kiss each other, that person has to make a one hundred dollar donation.”

Kathryn looked as appalled as he felt. “I thought the fund-raisers you rich people gave were supposed to be tasteful and elegant! I’ve never heard of anything so tacky.”

“Yeah, well, Millicent doesn’t have a tasteful bone in her body.”

“I believe you.” Kathryn stared at the red ribbon as if it might bite her. “Can’t we take this stupid ribbon off?”

“Not until we raise a thousand dollars.”

Kathryn looked both angry and miserable at the same time. “I was having a good time until you came along. I like parties, but kissing you will ruin the entire evening.”

“You aren’t going to cry, are you?” Hank begged. I hope not. I’ll never live it down if she does.
“It’ll be a cold day in Hades before I cry over you.”

Hank could practically see steam rising above her. Kathryn had a temper. “Why is that?” he asked. I really do want to know. Why does she dislike me so much? Presumably she doesn’t think my mother murdered anyone, so why the attitude? Surely she didn’t expect me to fall for that time travel crap she tried to sell.

Kathryn seized the opportunity to tell him what she thought. “You have insulted me professionally, which is unforgivable.”

“What did you expect when—”

“Oh, shut up. Let’s just get this torture over with.”

Hank had to bite his lip to remain silent. I wish I could jerk my hand away and go home, but if I did, it would cause more talk than doing the damn stunt will. If I never see Kathryn Sinclair again it’ll be too soon.

“Let’s get that guy at the bar,” Kathryn ordered as she pulled Hank across the floor behind her, her high heels tapping a staccato rhythm on the marble floor.

Oh, nice. Kathryn had targeted Jeremy Miner, his grandfather’s friend. Hank showed him the red bow.

“Go for it,” Jeremy ordered with a smirk.

Hank gave Kathryn a brief, chaste peck on the lips. “That kiss isn’t worth a hundred dollars,” Jeremy protested. “If you want the money, you’ll have to kiss her properly.”

By this time they had attracted quite a crowd. “Get it over with,” Kathryn muttered. She turned up her face, and he kissed her.

Had he died and gone to Heaven? He had kissed women before, but this time he literally saw stars. His heart thudded so hard he could hear the blood pounding in his ears. He chanced a quick peek at Kathryn and glory be! She had the same dazed expression he felt sure was plastered across his own face.

“Now that was worth a hundred dollars.” Jeremy pulled a one hundred dollar bill from his pocket and gave it to Hank. “Merry Christmas, Hank.”

After that, everything seemed blurry and surreal to Hank. He had never done anything quite so stupid, yet each and every time she kissed him, it caused his knees to shake.

blurb:
"First Lady Kills President Lovinggood"
December 29, 2018



Thirty years later Hank Lovinggood embarks on a quest to prove his mother's innocence and punish the killers who took his family from him.  Together Hank and lovely physicist Kathryn Sinclair confront an implacable, twisted, merciless enemy who'll do whatever it takes to hide the truth forever. 

Buy link:

Fashionista Friday: Ray Ban Wayfarers

You can see more Ray Bans which never seem to go out of style by following the link below the picture.





Wednesday, May 28, 2014

The Perfect Score

Scroll on down to yesterday's post to enjoy a blog hop.



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Beth will be awarding a $15 Target gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

Ginny Bloom Hunnicutt is crawling back home to Cottonwood Cove Alabama-- her promising CNN news-reporting career in shambles when an on-air flub cost her the job and cost CNN a lawsuit. Putting ego aside, she takes a position at the Chatterbox – the local weekly newspaper run by her mother, the town gossip. What’s a southern belle to do in a crisis but run home to her mama?

But when a mysterious hot high school football coach rolls into town, Ginny’s luck begins to change. Seems he has more secrets than a shady politician and Ginny’s determined to dig up the truth, and write the story that will get her career back on track. Everyone knows in a small, southern town, nothing stays private.

But the more she delves into his past, the more she begins to fall for the former college football star.

The coach’s star player has some secrets of his own and when Ginny uncovers it all, she must decide if she should reveal everything or follow her heart and protect the people she has grown to care for.

Author Beth Albright weaves a saucy southern tale filled with intrigue, romance and laugh out-loud comedy. From the bright lights of Friday night football to the darkened bedroom of unexpected lovers, it’s a richly layered story with more twists and turns—and mud, than an Alabama back road.

Now enjoy an excerpt:


“I’ll have another,” I said as I ordered my second dirty martini. The Sand Box was a dingy little bar near the pier in Cottonwood Cove, Alabama.

Covered in fishing ropes and other remnants of the life on the lake, the place was a dive for the small-towns folk who lived here, and for the kids who were lake rats during the summer. But summer had ended weeks ago, the kids back at school, and we were well into September now. Late that night, the place was nearly empty.

I sat there nursing my drink, drowning myself in what I had come to believe was the most embarrassing moment of my career. The dim lights swung in old metal fixtures from the ceiling of the Sand Box. A jukebox playing Hank Williams Jr. stood missing some of its colored lights in the corner. A few old wooden tables were scattered around with a couple of red vinyl booths shoved in the corner near the pool table and dartboard.

I had come home, tail tucked neatly between my legs, to lick my wounds. My name is Virginia Bruce Hunnicutt. I go by Ginny. My sisters and I all have my mom’s maiden name as our middle name. I kept it as my last name for my TV job. Ginny Bruce, reporting. I was a reporter for CNN in Atlanta. Was being the key word here. I had been fired two weeks prior because one of my sources was a fake. I swear I checked the credentials but the story turned out to be full of inaccuracies and CNN is now in a lawsuit. I may never work in the media again. And CNN was my dream job.

My name is now as muddy as the Alabama red dirt, which is exactly where I ran home to: Cottonwood Cove, Alabama. It’s the safest place to be. And even though I had become quite the big city girl, the one I had always dreamed of being, somehow, the safety of being home in Cottonwood Cove had its perks. Like being in this dive bar in the middle of the week late at night, with only one other soul in here besides me. Oh, God—and he was making his way over to me just as I was finishing my second round.

“What’s your poison?” he asked in his deep sexy baritone. He was beautiful. Rugged and sculpted with dark wavy hair and gorgeous lips; he was about six foot three and deliciously well built. His dark blue eyes undressed me as he moved closer to me—or maybe that was just me thinking I’d be more comfortable with my clothes off with this gorgeous man. He was dressed in a navy Polo button-down and perfect fitting blue jeans. His large muscular thighs and broad defined shoulders were evident even under his clothes. One dimple accentuated the right side his cute, boyish face. He smiled at me like he was fixin’ to eat me up, and oh, I was feeling like dessert as he slid in next to me at the bar.               He looked like an athlete. Or a god. Come to think of it, in Alabama, those are one in the same. Regardless, he was heaven to look at, or maybe I was seeing him through double martini glasses. Probably the latter since I only weighed about 125 pounds and I knew better than to have more than two drinks. Ever.

“I’m having dirty martinis,” I answered. “You?”

“I’ll have the same,” he said to the bartender.


Beth Albright is the author of the award-winning, best-selling series The Sassy Belles. After knowing Beth for just a few short seconds you are sure to learn she is from Alabama. No, its not the lilt of magnolia you can still catch in her voice, or even the way she lovingly describes her undying love for her famous alma mater's football champions. She will tell you she loves Tuscaloosa, even after living quite literally all over the country. Though Beth has had a remarkable career, from New York City to Hollywood, and all points in between, she has never forgotten where she came from...and what she loves. That's why when it came time to write, Beth had no choice but to write about Tuscaloosa and The University of Alabama, and all the quirky people she still calls family, though some do not actually share her bloodline!

Beth Albright has always been a storyteller. After spending nearly 15 years in talk radio, as a talk show host, playing the part of a principal character on the soap opera, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, owning her own acting school and children’s theater, and raising a son who was a nationally ranked figure skater, Beth has decided to return to her roots; storytelling. When she was in the sixth grade, her teacher gave her the floor every Friday to tell her stories. See, Beth was a talker, a future talk show host in the making, and she was telling stories so much that her teacher couldn’t teach. The teacher told 12 year old Beth if she would begin writing her stories down, she would be allowed time to share those stories with the class.

And she’s been writing, AND talking ever since. Beth has interviewed Bob Hope, Oprah Winfrey, Betty White, Wolfgang Puck and George Burns live from the Chinese Theatre, as well as numerous other celebrities, and authors. Then Beth became a principal character on Days of Our Lives. But through all of the excitement of talk shows and soap operas, Beth loved telling stories to her audience the most. With a degree in Journalism from her beloved University of Alabama, She always remains true to her roots, born and raised in Tuscaloosa, “My grandfather was the play by play announcer for the Crimson Tide in the 50s!” Beth will proudly tell you.   She is a down homespun girl, although she currently lives in San Francisco with her TV producer husband and her brilliant son. But her heart is always in Alabama.










Monday, May 26, 2014

My Writing Process Blog Tour

Welcome to the My Writing Process Blog Tour. Many thanks to Annette Snyder who invited me to participate. You can find Annette's blog at http://www.annettesnyder.atspace.com Annette's book Intimate Flames was a 2011 EPIC finalist.

Here are the blog questions and my answers.


1)      What am I working on?


At the moment I’m working on a women’s fiction novel set in the Isle of Palms, South Carolina. I live in South Carolina and have been to the Isle of Palms many times, so it seemed like a good location.


 My heroine, Alex, had a domineering, critical father which has colored her image of herself. My hero, Rhett, comes from an old, influential family. Alex describes their life together as a fantasy, a never-ending dream, but one day Rhett comes home with news that will shake the foundations of her world.


 Then she meets Harland and soon finds there is a choice to be made.


 At this time I have no idea what the title will be.




2)      How does my work differ from others of its genre?


Both romance and women’s fiction can be erotic in nature, but that isn’t me. I don’t know if I could write erotica. It would be more like an instruction manual than anything, so I think that is one important distinction.


 Another distinction is that some of the novels I’ve read are over the top and probably couldn’t happen in real life. I try to write things that could happen to anyone.




3)      Why do I write what I do?


I write romance and women's fiction because I think that first of all, most folks are fighting some kind of battle in their lives.  Maybe they’re in a relationship that went bad, and they’ve lost the one they love.  Whether it was by divorce, death, or just walking away, it tears a huge hole in someone’s heart.  Maybe the problem is health-related.  Someone has to accept that there are now limitations placed on them.  Have you ever dealt with unemployment?  How do you feed your children with no paycheck?  My romances always have a happy ending which gives us hope that tomorrow things will be better.  We can believe that ‘this too shall pass.’  


 Romance also satisfies our craving for justice. In my work the bad guys always get what’s coming to them, and so do the good guys.


 Besides, I’m a romantic at heart.



4)      How does your writing process work?


Naturally, it begins with an idea. Sometimes I can identify the source and sometimes not. Then I choose characters that I think would fit the story and make up a profile for them. Then, I start to write. Plot wise, I know where to start and where to end up, but everything in between is a mystery. I allow my characters to reveal themselves as I write.
I hope you've enjoyed a glimpse of my writing process. On June 9, your hosts will be Jennifer Gravely, Joselyn Vaughn, and RosaLinda Dias.



Jennifer Gravely: http://jenniferraegravely.blogspot.com

Born in Ohio but raised in Pickens, SC, Jennifer Rae Gravely graduated from Converse College with a triple major in history, politics, and English before earning a master's degree in education. Returning to her high school alma mater to teach English and coach volleyball, Gravely's teams won five state championships and seven upper state titles in eleven years. Moreover, the SCACA named her coach of the year for the 2013 season.

Jennifer writes about the fictional Southern town of Keowee. The Astraea Press novels, Knight of the Dead and Set to Love, in addition to the short story, "Love and Diamonds," deal with present day Keowee and are contemporary romances.

She lives with her husband, daughter, seven beagles, and one rescued barn cat.
Jennifer loves to talk beagles, balls, and books!




 Joselyn Vaughn

I live in the Great Lakes state with my husband, three rambunctious children and one geriatric beagle. When not cleaning up the disasters left by the aforementioned, I enjoy reading, running (sometimes it's fleeing the craziness at home), reconstructing clothing, thrift store shopping and surfing Pinterest.com. (I spend way too much time there and am getting all kinds of exciting ideas for projects for my husband to do. He is less than thrilled by this.) 
 
I love writing romance because I enjoy stories where everything works out all right in the end and the main characters have a happily ever after. My stories are set in small towns with quirky characters that take on a life of their own.

I would love to hear from you. Stop by my blog (http://joselynvaughn.com) or connect with me on Facebook (http://facebook.com/joselynvaughn).




RosaLinda Diaz 

RosaLinda was raised in a particularly magical section of Los Angeles; between the original Disney Hyperion Studios and Snow White’s Cottages. The magic in the air and soil gave her already active imagination roots and wings. Wings that took her gypsying around Europe, Australia, and Africa, and roots that brought her back to California to earn her B.A. at Pepperdine University. She makes her home in California’s Central Coast igniting the fire of creativity and sparking imaginations with her endeavors. Find her at http://rosalindadiaz.com/RosaLinda_Diaz/Welcome.html






Sunday, May 25, 2014

Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors

Welcome to Snippet Sunday. Here's the secret some of you have been waiting to find out. I'm picking up from where I left off last week. My hero came home with life changing news for his wife. Totally unedited. See anything I need to fix?  From my latest WIP:

“Who’s the boy?” she asked as she stared at the blonde child in the photo. “He looks like a Landers.”
“He is.”
“Well? Are you going to make me pull it out of you? Who is he?”

The buzzing dizziness he’d felt earlier returned with a vengeance. “He’s my son.”

Find more participating authors at:
http://www.wewriwa.com
http://www.https://www.facebook.com/groups/SnippetSunday/


Saturday, May 24, 2014

Saturday Sample: Blue 52

Welcome to Saturday Sample. My excerpt today is from Blue 52. In this excerpt, my heroine, Katherine, has come to my hero's house to demand an apology from him. Elaine is my hero's grandmother.

“What are you doing here?” Hank interrupted as he entered the living room, his voice cold and furious. “How dare you come here to harass me?”

“Hank! You’re being rude,” Elaine chided. “If you and Dr. Sinclair have had a disagreement, there are better ways of handling it.”

“Grandma, you don’t…”

“You owe me an apology,” Kathryn butted in. “Who do you think you are to run out on me like that?”

His eyes darkened with anger. “Apology! You’re the one who owes me an apology. You wasted my entire afternoon, and…”

“I am the best physicist in the world,” Kathryn smoothly inserted. “I’m not bragging either; I’m simply telling you the facts. You have denigrated my professional expertise, so I demand an apology.”

Hank’s voice rose slightly. “Well, you won’t get an apology from me.” His face had flushed, which under other circumstances might have amused her.

Senator Lovinggood favored Kathryn with a big smile. “Go on, son. Apologize. She’s too attractive for you to stay angry with her.”

“Grandpa…”

“What’s wrong, Hank?” she jeered. “Are you upset by your lack of imagination, or does it bother you that you’ve proven to be an impossible boor? Don’t you want to kiss and make up?”

“I’ve heard about enough of your nonsense,” Hank shouted. “I’ll show you how to kiss and make up!”

He crossed the room in two strides and jerked her against him so hard her breath left her with an audible little gasp. He grabbed the back of her neck and hauled her face to his, and then he kissed her. For a split second Kathryn strained away from him, but she gave in, clenched his shoulders, and kissed him back.

Buy Link: http://amzn.to/S1je8A

Blurb:

"First Lady Kills President Lovinggood"
December 29, 2018



Thirty years later Hank Lovinggood embarks on a quest to prove his mother's innocence and punish the killers who took his family from him.  Together Hank and lovely physicist Kathryn Sinclair confront an implacable, twisted, merciless enemy who'll do whatever it takes to hide the truth forever. 


Friday, May 23, 2014

The Eye Dancers

I have two blog guests today plus Fashionista Friday so scroll on down to meet my other guest and maybe win a gift certificate. You can also see some swimsuits!  Yeah, summer's almost here.


The Eye-Dancers

by Michael Fedison

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Seventh-grader Mitchell Brant and three of his classmates inexplicably wake up at the back edge of a softball field to the sounds of a game, the cheering of the crowd. None of them remembers coming here. And as they soon learn, “here” is like no place they’ve ever seen. Cars resemble antiques from the 1950s. There are no cell phones, no PCs. Even the spelling of words is slightly off.

 

A compulsive liar, constantly telling fantastic stories to garner attention and approval, Mitchell can only wish this were just one more of his tall tales. But it isn’t. It’s all too real. Together, as they confront unexpected and life-threatening dangers, Mitchell and his friends must overcome their bickering and insecurities to learn what happened, where they are, and how to get back home.

 

The answers can be found only in the mysterious little girl with the blue, hypnotic eyes. The one they had each dreamed of three nights in a row before arriving here. She is their only hope. And, as they eventually discover, they are her only hope.

 

 And time is running out.
 
 

 

Excerpt:
 
(Opening of the book)
 
 Peering out his bedroom window, his eyes flattened into squinting slits, Mitchell Brant saw her.
           
“No,” he said.  “It can’t be her.  It can’t be.”
           
But it was.  She had come again.
           
He looked away, at the night-shadows on the floor, at the sheets jumbled and strewn on his bed.  Maybe she wasn’t really out there.  Maybe it was just an illusion, some odd distortion of the light.
 
He looked out the window.
 
She was still there.
 
He felt the fine hairs at the nape of his neck stand up.  Gooseflesh, cold against the stifling humidity filtering in through the open window, speckled his forearms.
 
The girl was standing under the streetlamp, looking straight in at him—the same way she had last night and the night before.  She was just a child, probably no more than seven years old—his sister’s age.  What was she doing out in the street, alone, well past midnight?  Was she a runaway?  And why had she come three nights in a row?
 
He tried to look away again, but he couldn’t.  It was as though the girl had cast a spell over him.  “What’s with you?” he said to himself.  “Just go back to sleep.”  Instead, he stood up.  She had raised her right arm above her head, waving at him frantically.
 
“Help me.”  The voice filtered in through the window.  “Why don’t you . . .?”  The girl’s voice.  And yet, there was something different about it, something off.  It sounded hollow, as if it had originated from a dark place, a secret place, cold like the grave. 
 
 
 
 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Michael S. Fedison was born in Rochester, New York, and now lives with his wife, Sarah, and regal cat, Luke, in the green hills of central Vermont. Michael has been writing creatively for as long as he can remember, and has had short fiction published in several literary magazines, including Iconoclast and The Written Word. He works as a full-time technical writer and also is a freelance proofreader and copy editor.
 
Michael has been a lover of imaginative stories his entire life. He enjoys any story that takes you by the hand, lifts you up, and transports you to another place, a new and creative way of looking at the world around us.
 
 Buy Links:
 
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/The-Eye-Dancers-ebook/dp/B00A8TUS8M
 
B & N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-eye-dancers-michael-s-fedison/1113839272?ean=2940015770261
 
Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/255348
 




Michael will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour so follow his tour and comment often. You can find his schedule at

 
 
 
 

 

No Hard Feelings


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Marta will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.


Some secrets can’t stay hidden, especially when they involve murder…

Liz Farrell is still reeling over the murder of her mother almost a year earlier at the hands of her father, Leo Bauer, when she receives the startling news that she’s inherited her estranged father’s sizable estate. Unable to come to terms with her father’s unspeakable legacy, Liz and her grandmother, Kate Stanton, visit Leo’s property in Benedict Canyon, desperately hoping to find closure. Instead, they find a bunker hidden under an old hunting lodge that had been used by Leo at one time to hold Liz’s mother captive. Horrified by the discovery, Liz immediately orders the bunker filled and the lodge destroyed but the ensuing demolition quickly comes to a grinding halt after a man’s remains are discovered in a shallow grave at the base of the old lodge. Once the press get wind of the gruesome discovery, rumors quickly surface, linking the remains to a murder spree that took place at the same address almost half a century earlier; a murder spree conveniently covered up by the governor at the time who also happened to be Leo Bauer’s stepbrother. Liz and Kate’s efforts to uncover the truth behind the murders are soon hampered by family secrets and a killer who’s intent on finishing the job started almost fifty years ago.

Enjoy this excerpt:

I need to escape him. I need to escape the man who is both my lover and my captor, but there is nowhere to run.

With a firm grip on my good arm, he pulls me along after him through the crush of humanity, toward the converging crowds gathering at Pandora’s Box on the corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights. The closer we get to our destination, the louder and more boisterous the crowds of protestors and police seem to become. I cry out in pain as my body is jostled, hurting my dislocated left shoulder, which is supported only by the flimsy sling he has fashioned for me. However, he doesn’t hear me cry out because he’s too busy trying to keep up with his two friends.

For a second, I actually toy with the idea of wrenching my arm out of his grip and making a run for it, but almost immediately, I’m overcome by a fear so paralyzing that I’m barely able to breathe. He’s already given me a nasty taste of what he will do to me if I ever try leaving him. He’s promised to stop at nothing—and spare no one—until he finds me, even if it means killing every member of my family. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from living with this monster, it’s to always take his threats seriously. With a sinking heart, I realize I am nothing more than a pawn to him; valuable when needed, but as with everything in his life, sadly expendable once I’ve served my purpose in his pursuit of his master plan. He has very few displays of human emotion, so it’s difficult to figure out what he’s thinking at any given time. One thing I am sure of, though, is that he trusts no one, least of all me.

About the Author:
By the time Marta Tandori reached fifth grade, she was an avid reader and writer with a stack of short stories collecting dust in a box under her bed but it wasn’t until she began studying acting in her early twenties at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York that Marta realized acting wasn’t really her passion – writing fiction was. What followed was years of writing workshops as well as correspondence courses in writing for children through the Institute of Children’s Literature in Connecticut. She credits the award winning author, Troon Harrison, as the instructor who helped her find her literary voice. Marta’s first work of middle-grade fiction, BEING SAM, NO MATTER WHAT was published in 2005, followed by EVERY WHICH WAY BUT KUKU! in 2006. With her more recent endeavors, Marta has shifted her writing focus to mysteries and suspense having “strong female protagonists with closets full of nasty skeletons and the odd murder or two to complicate their already complicated lives”. To learn more about Marta, please visit her website at http://martatandori.com, her Facebook Author Page at www.facebook.com/MartaTandoriAuthor, or her Twitter page @MartaTandori .

Fashionista Friday

Not a size zero? You can still find a great swim suit. How do you like these?



Thursday, May 22, 2014

When You Let Go


BOOK CONTEST: The Author is giving away one e-book copy of An Unexpected Blessing( Kindle or Nook Only) To enter go here: http://bit.ly/1v0qb9e

Book Title:  When You Let Go
Genre: Christian Fiction, Novel
Publication Date:  May 22, 2014
Genre:  Christian Fiction

About The Book:
An answered prayer. An unforeseen betrayal. A family healed by grace.
Amara and Ejike Dike had been married for six glorious years. Amara was convinced Ejike, was the perfect gift from God. Loving, charming and very easy on the eyes. They had a beautiful life. Well, not so beautiful. Amara’s inability to bear children made her feel like a less than the perfect mate for her husband.

Then after many years, God lifted her faith and had finally heard her cry. The Dikes couldn’t be happier.

A surprise visit from Chinelo, Amara’s long lost cousin, turns Amara’s world upside down and threatens to turn her once-perfect existence into ashes.
Ejike loved his wife with a passion. They shared a burning desire and faith in God that burned deep. However Chinelo’s appearance would open a Pandora’s Box that had purposely been kept shut.

Faced with the loss of all she holds dear, Amara finds herself at crossroads. Would she lean on God’s sustaining grace to let go and travel the rocky path to forgiveness? Or would she throw everything to the wind and walk away?

When You Let Go is a novel about people who know what the Word of God instructs but struggle with actually doing it when the chips are down


About The Author:
Born in Akron, Ohio to Nigerian parents. UnomaNwankwor spent her childhood and early adulthood years in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. She is a romantic at heart and is passionate about telling stories of faith and hope about love. She hope to capture her readers through stories that are faith based with an element of love. After all, “and now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” ~1 Corinthians 13:13

She is the published author of An Unexpected Blessing (2013) and The Christmas Ultimatum (2013) and many published flash fiction and short stories. Her work has appeared in Africa Book Club and the Kenyan Ezine ;Wamathai and well as numerous radio shows and blogs. She is currently working on her next novel When You Let Go (May, 2014) and A Scoop of Love (October, 2014).

Her readers are in love with her unique way of telling stories that capture the essence of her present home base; Atlanta Georgia and her Nigerian culture. She calls them her God-given stories and strives every day to be a use her gift to His glory.

Social Links:
Website: http://www.unomanwankwor.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/unwanwkorauthor
Twitter handle:  https://twitter.com/unwankwor
Email: unwankwor@kevstelgroup.com

Buy Links:
Nook: http://bit.ly/1o02rk5



Tour Hosted by Write Now Literary Book Tours www.wnlbooktours.com

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Mind Games


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $100 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn winner (via Rafflecopter) during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.  NOTE:  Book one of this series is on sale for only $0.99 during May!

Beware your heart and soul…

Evan broke Cassie’s heart two months ago, and she still doesn’t know why. She throws herself into family, friends and her new job at the sheriff’s department, but nothing helps. The only thing that finally allows her heal and move on is the love of a new man, mind mage Matthew Blair. Cassie finds him…irresistible.

Matthew may also be the only one who can help keep the non-magical residents of Eagle Rock from going crazy over the murder of a beloved pastor’s wife. It looks like a sorcerer is to blame, but while Cassie tries to figure out who, others take matters into their own hands. With tensions running so hot, a single spark might set Eagle Rock ablaze.


Now enjoy an excerpt:

Rick was still on some tirade about the heat, possibly trying to blame an August heatwave on sorcery, or perhaps the wrath of God, when I got the oddest sense of foreboding. It was a tingle, one of those things that is easily dismissed in the moment but, in retrospect, makes you think, I had a feeling…

Upon entering the diner my impression of danger strengthened, though it took me a minute to pinpoint the source of the threat. I noticed two things at once: First, Mrs. Meyer’s oddly shifty gaze as she worked the cash register, and second, the nervous expression of the stooped, middle-aged man standing opposite her.

The tinkle of bells startled the man in front of the register more than it should have. He turned slightly, took a good look at Rick and me in our deputy’s uniforms, and let out a cry of alarm. The next thing I knew he held a pistol in his shaking hands. “Don’t move!”

I froze. In that microcosm of time between instants, I gathered that Rick and I had interrupted a robbery and the man probably thought someone had called the cops. There was a sense of desperation about the man that made him seem wild and unpredictable – a dangerous combination, especially for a man holding a deadly weapon.

When time resumed, everyone in the diner began to panic. More than a few people screamed. Dishes fell and broke. Everyone scrambled for cover, most sheltering under tables.


Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.

In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.

Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.

Cassie Scot ParaNormal Detective (Cassie Scot #1) Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cassie-Scot-ParaNormal-Christine-Amsden/dp/1606192752/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368971523&sr=8-1&keywords=Cassie+Scot

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cassie-scot-christine-amsden/1115049717?ean=9781606192757

Audible (audiobook): http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/Cassie-Scot-Audiobook/B00FA89FZ8/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1379697202&sr=1-1

Secrets and Lies (Cassie Scot #2) Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FX4C0YM/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00FX4C0YM&linkCode=as2&tag=chrisamsde-20

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secrets-and-lies-christine-amsden/1117158667?ean=2940148499534

Audible (Audiobook): http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/Secrets-and-Lies-Audiobook/B00HFDO8BC/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1395684489&sr=1-1

Mind Games (Cassie Scot #3) Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JLRNZ3C

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mind-games-christine-amsden/1119167384

Social Media Links:

Web site: http://christineamsden.com/wordpress/

Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/christineamsden

Blog: http://christineamsden.com/wordpress/?page_id=200

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Amsden-Author-Page/127673027288664?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristineAmsden

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/117845642477854934607/posts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1030664.Christine_Amsden

Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective ($0.99 in May)

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

First Chapter: http://christineamsden.com/wordpress/?page_id=1712

Buy Links for Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cassie-Scot-ParaNormal-Christine-Amsden/dp/1606192752/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368971523&sr=8-1&keywords=Cassie+Scot

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cassie-scot-christine-amsden/1115049717?ean=9781606192757

Audible (audiobook): http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/Cassie-Scot-Audiobook/B00FA89FZ8/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1379697202&sr=1-1


a Rafflecopter giveaway