Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Beyond the Book: Christmas Crafts

"Elizabeth, we only have another day at Elaine's blog, and we haven't shown anyone the Christmas wreath Elaine made."

"No, we haven't, Nikki.  Readers, would you like to see it?  Elaine is super proud of it. She isn't very crafty, you know, but she did a good job on this.

"Tell them what Elaine's son said."

"He saw Elaine's wreath and said that next Christmas they should all have a wreath making competition. Several family teams have already formed."

"That'll be so much fun!  I bet Elaine wins."

(Elizabeth giggles.)  "We'll see. Here's the wreath, readers. Maybe next year all of you can start some kind of Christmas competition in your family."



Saturday, December 28, 2013

Snippet Sunday

Welcome to Snippet Sunday. I'm glad you're here. Did you have a nice holiday?  I hope so. When you're finished here, you can find more snippets at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SnippetSunday/.

This excerpt takes place on Christmas morning.

Kathryn got into the shower while visions of Hank, not sugarplums, danced in her head. No surprise there. She thought about him all the time. Did he ever wear a shirt in bed? He hadn't the night before last when they'd slept together. Well, not slept together in the usual sense...oh, never mind. She had no business thinking about Hank Lovinggood's night wear, much less his chest.

Well, why wouldn’t she think about it? Hank didn’t know a thing about physics, but he’d left her breathless this morning. A dead woman would have noticed a nice, muscular, bare chest like his.

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:

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1171&zenid=883b9bda4c52a391c32c59f5e118a742
 

Friday, December 27, 2013

Saturday Sample

Hello, readers!  Elizabeth and Nikki here. Elaine will be back at the blog on January, so we only have a few more days with you. We started our time with an excerpt from Elaine's book about Nikki, so today we thought we'd share an excerpt from Return Engagement. Blue 52, Elaine's new release, is the sequel to Return Engagement. First a blurb, then an excerpt.

Blurb:
Elizabeth Lane is one lucky woman. She has it all-money, fame, a satisfying career and a devoted fiancé. Her humble beginnings are all but obscured, but she isn't the kind of woman Senator Henry Lovinggood wants for his son, Richard. Senator Lovinggood plans to make Richard the President of the United States; he'll need a woman from a wealthy, powerful family by his side. Ten years ago the senator broke Richard and Elizabeth up, but this time it won't be so easy, for Elizabeth wants to know what might have been. This time she'll fight back, a struggle which ultimately leads to kidnapping and attempted murder and alienates her from the man of her dreams.

Excerpt: In this excerpt Richard and Elizabeth meet on a California beach ten years after they broke up.

Elizabeth threw her hands over her burning face again.

“What kind of woman am I? I haven’t seen you in ten years,

yet here I am leading you on and encouraging you to…

What’s wrong with me!”
 

Richard jerked her hands away from her face and kissed

them. “From my point of view things have finally taken a turn

for the better.” Satisfaction oozed from his voice. “You’re

willing to admit you don’t want to lose me. It’s taken ten

years, but we’re back where we belong: together. Everything

I ever felt for you came back the minute you spoke to me.”

His voice lowered and became husky and persuasive. “Don’t

tell me you didn’t feel it too.”


“I…” Elizabeth fell silent. After all, what could she say?
 

“Let me help you make up your mind about what you

want to do.” Richard pushed her back into the sand and kissed

her, a delicate brushing of lips that deepened as hearts caught

fire. Elizabeth imagined she could feel the thudding of his

heart against her own and shivered against him.
 

Return Engagement is available wherever books are sold and at http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=93283f8371a270dc45d2401f932da467&keyword=return+engagement

Fashionista Friday

Hello, Readers, Nikki Lane here. Elizabeth isn't here today. She and Richard had some kind of thing to do in Washington, so I get to do Fashionista Friday.  I love tulle skirts even though Elizabeth won't wear them. I especially like the pink skirt at the bottom of the page. These things are super versatile. You can wear them during the day, and at night change blouses, and you're ready to go.  Hey, don't forget about Blue 52. Elaine would love for you to read it!



Wednesday, December 25, 2013

My First Page: Chrys Fey



Blurb:

 

After her car breaks down, Beth Kennedy is forced to stay in Florida, the target of Hurricane Sabrina. She stocks up supplies, boards up windows, and hunkers down to wait out the storm, but her plan unravels when she witnesses a car accident. Risking her life, she braves the winds to save the driver. Just when she believes they are safe, she finds out the man she saved could possibly be more dangerous than the severe weather.

 

Donovan Goldwyn only wanted to hide from the police, but the hurricane shoved his car into a tree. Now he's trapped with a beautiful woman while the evidence that can prove his innocence to a brutal crime is out there for anyone to find.

 

As Hurricane Sabrina wreaks havoc, Beth has no other choice but to trust Donovan to stay alive. But will she survive, or will she become another hurricane crime?

 

 

First Page of Hurricane Crimes:

 

     Beth was going to die.

     At least according to the nervous weatherman on her flickering television screen. An

image of what was supposed to be Florida wavered in and out, except it was barely

visible beneath the swirling mass of a Category 5 hurricane named Sabrina, which

seemed to have a vendetta against the sunshine state. She never once sidled away

from Florida but came head-on while gaining strength like a warrior preparing for battle.

     Before the first gust of wind swept over the land, the governor put Florida on a state

of emergency. Authorities advised everyone to board up their houses and leave. If you

didn’t, you were practically signing your death certificate.

     Beth Kennedy didn’t have family and had nowhere else to go for safety. Then her car

decided to break down, leaving her stranded at home. Apparently, it was conspiring with

Hurricane Sabrina for her demise. She boarded up all the windows; stocked up on

batteries, bottled water, and canned goods; and was going to hunker down to wait out

the storm. Anyone who planned to do this was either stupid or crazy, this again from the

nervous weatherman. And she didn’t like it when someone called her stupid.

     Crazy? Perhaps. Stupid? No.

     Outside, gale force wind was punching the sides of her house as rain pelted the

boards protecting the windows. The roof above her head groaned as if in pain. She

doubted her fence would last much longer.

     She peeked out the window next to the front door, which was shaking violently in its

frame. The street beyond was littered with debris, her neighborhood was empty, and the

town she called home was ghostly. She was probably the only person in all of Florida

who hadn’t left.

     Beth strained to see through the horizontal rain. At first, she thought she was seeing

things, but there was no mistaking the blue car fighting against the fierce wind and rain.

It was going too fast and swaying dangerously from side to side. She watched

helplessly as it lost control and slammed into a tree a couple of houses down. The hood

crumpled up like a crushed soda can.

 
Book Links:



 


Bio:

Chrys Fey is the author of the short stories—The Summer Bride and Fallen. She created the blog Write with Fey to offer aspiring writers advice and inspiration. She lives in Florida where she is ready to battle the next hurricane that comes her way.

 

Author Links:





Chrys, thank you so much for sharing your first page with the readers. I can't wait to read your book. I love stories with nature's fury as the background. Readers, get your copy as quick as you can!

Monday, December 23, 2013

Christmas Around the World


Christmas is celebrated throughout the world, even in places you may not think of when you think of Christmas. Here’s an interesting sampler of Christmas customs from other countries.

South Korea-Santa is often seen wearing either red or blue.

Egypt-not many people are Christians, but those who are celebrate Christmas on January 7, not December 25.

Democratic Republic of the Congo-People don’t give gifts. On Christmas Eve they have tremendous musicals often with five or six separate choirs. They have plays that begin with the Garden of Eden and end with the story of King Herod killing all the baby boys. In some places the plays last until dawn. On Christmas Day they have more musicals.

Russia- Sauerkraut is the main dish in the Christmas Eve meal. Vzvar is served at the end of the meal. It’s a sweet drink made from dried furit and honey boiled in water. It’s traditionally served at the birth of a child, in this case Baby Jesus.

Italy-a favorite way to celebrate Christmas is by having a nativity crib set up. They’re all very elaborate. The cribs are put out on December 8, but Baby Jesus isn’t put in the crib until December 24.

The manger scene above is one I made many years ago. We use it every Christmas. 

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Snippet Sunday

 
Welcome to Snippet Sunday! It's only a few days until Christmas so let's have a Christmas excerpt from The Table in the Window. When you're finished here, you can find more excerpts at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SnippetSunday/  In this excerpt, my hero and heroine are walking to the theater.

The minute they left the building the wind assaulted them.

“My teeth are ch…ch…chattering,” Marley stuttered.
 

Mentally crossing his fingers for luck, Rob put his arm

around her and hugged her close. “It’s only a little way to the

theater.”
 

Marley was either too cold to mind, or she really didn’t

mind, because she didn’t move away from him. By the time they

reached the theater, Rob felt as warm as toast, and it didn’t have a

thing to do with the weather. She felt so small, so feminine,

snuggled into his side. His arm tightened around her as he

breathed in her warm female scent.


Blurb:
Being dumped by your gorgeous fiancĂ© is bad enough no matter when it happens, but he did it at Christmas time! Marley thinks she’ll never get over it, but Rob Travers disagrees. He sets out to win Marley’s heart, well aware that when she finds out about his past, she may turn her back on him forever.


Buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Table-Window-Elaine-Cantrell-ebook/dp/B006GYAQ26/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387685713&sr=8-1&keywords=the+table+in+the+window+by+elaine+cantrell


Friday, December 20, 2013

Saturday Sample

"Hey, Elizabeth, whatcha doing?"

"I'm reading, Nikki. Blue 52 is awesome!"

"Oh, I know. I've already read it. Want me to share one of my favorite parts?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay, here goes. I liked this part because I think it's funny. Stanton is the bad guy."


Senator Lovinggood saw Stanton and hastened to Hank’s side. So did Elaine, Joan, and Kathryn.

"Senator, ladies," Stanton said with a nod of his head. "Please accept my condolences."

The senator went red in the face. Before he could say anything, Hank chuckled. "Josh, Josh, Josh," he chided, his playful tone at great odds with his wolfish demeanor. "You should have left well enough alone and not destroyed the evidence Rudy found. Without evidence, I can’t bring you to trial, so I guess I’ll have to kill you."

"I believe you just threatened my life." Stanton turned to the burly man behind him. "Did you hear that, Jack? A man comes to pay his respects to the dead, and his life is threatened."

"Yes, sir. I heard what he said."
Hank smiled. "I’ve never made a threat in my life."


"You Lovinggoods must have a death wish," Stanton snarled.

Hank shook his head. "No, we’ve just been stupid. We were playing by the rules. We should have realized with an animal like you, the rules don’t apply." The smile left his face. "I’ve finally learned my lesson."
Stanton’s eyes turned dark with loathing. "There are still some Lovinggoods left. If I were you  I wouldn't go around making threats."

Joan laughed in his face. "Do you really think any one of us would hesitate to die if it meant the end of you? I think I have more right to kill you than Hank does. You robbed me of a husband and two children. Hank only lost his parents."

"No, let me do it," Senator Lovinggood argued. "Richard was my son."

Elaine put up her hand to silence them. "Nonsense. My heart could go at any minute. I’m the logical choice. At least I could die satisfied."

Kathryn slid a supporting arm around Elaine. "He took my brother. I lost my parents, and without Chris I’m all alone in the world. I’d be glad to do it."

Hank smiled at all of them and clapped his grandfather on the shoulder. "I appreciate the offers, but I still want to be the one."

"We all have a right to kill him," the senator answered. "We could draw straws, and the short straw wins."

Joan nodded. "That’s a good idea. Let’s go home and do it right now."


Be Mine This Christmas Night

If you came for Fashionista Friday, scroll on down, but why not enjoy this post first? LA Sartor is talking about her new Christmas novel, and it sounds wonderful.



Elaine, thank you for having me as a guest on your blog.  Today I'm going to talk a bit about my latest book and my journey as an indie writer, so pull up a chair and drink of choice and join me.
I just released my third book; Be Mine This Christmas Night, and not a day or two later,  my husband brought to my attention an article from the Wall Street Journal titled "Torrent of Books on Way Before Holidays."
Thank you, sweetie, for showing me this. NOT.
I began to second guess my decision to write this book. Why did I think I could compete? Why a Christmas book?  Why did I go with KDP Select for this one?
Doubts swirled and threatened to swamp me. Then I took a deep breath and remembered that indie publishing is not for the faint of heart.
I reminded myself that I wrote a wonderful Christmas story set in my hometown of Boulder, CO, which lights a star on Flagstaff mountain every season. To me the star symbolizes hope. Hope that seems to flare brighter during this season. Hope for mankind, for peace, for the light to shine into the darkness of hearts and into souls.
Which is the reason I wrote the book. It's not about the Boulder star per se, which does have a starring (sorry for the pun) role in the story, but stars themselves are an important element in the book, just as hope and wonderment, snow and holiday lights are important elements. Symbols of the season that heals hearts and fosters love in Be Mine This Christmas Night.
And that's why I think I can compete. Because I so believe in this story and in the season. This book simply had to be written.
Also it's dedicated to my brother with whom I spent so many wondrous Christmas mornings.  In Germany as babies and toddlers and the wonder of seeing a Christmas tree for the first time. In Pacific Palisades, CA, when our father would tramp in the fireplace ashes and onto the carpet, and we were sure they were Santa's boot prints. In Boulder, Colorado where we put our own star up on the chimney.  Memories that bring me happiness and hope.
And for my last doubt? Why did I go with KDP Select for this book and not the others? 
If you're unfamiliar with Kindle Direct Publishing Select, it means by choosing this program, that I can only sell on their site, Amazon (and all of them throughout the world) for 90 days. I have five free days if I wish to use them and I will, and I get paid if someone borrows the book.
So yes this means I can't put the book for sale anywhere else. I can have a paperback and do. So it is limiting…in a sense.
KDP Select is an experiment. I know that I must try everything marketing-wise that makes sense to me.  And I want to find out how this strategy will promote me, my stories and my writing. This season of hope and of light seemed the perfect time to do this.
Lending the book with the hope that people will love my writing and want the other two  books and spread the word about author L.A. Sartor was one goal. And the other? That this story which will hopefully be read all year long will resonate  with each reader, that the light will shine, and with luck and faith, spread. That more people will buy it, fall in love with it and tell others, as word of mouth is the best sales pitch of all.
So why not try if I believe in the power of my story so strongly?
Be Mine This Christmas Night starts with the rhyme:
Star Light Star bright,
The first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.
~ anonymous
 
Which is also the series name, Star Light ~ Star Bright. And that's what I'll be doing when I see the first star tonight. That and a bit of prayer.
Book Two of the series comes out in 2014 and Book Three, I don't know yet, maybe early 2015.
More chances, more risk, my heart is not faint.
I hope your Holidays were bright and the New Year brings you happiness and peace.
 
Bio:
Leslie Ann Sartor (aka L.A. Sartor) began telling stories around the age of 4 when her mother, at Leslie’s insistence, wrote them down and Leslie illustrated them.  As an adult she writes suspense and action adventure novels with a dash of romance, and screenplays—she's had a contracted adaptation!  She lives in Colorado with her husband whom she met on a blind date.  Leslie loves to travel and thinks life is an adventure and we should embrace the journey.  She has a blog: My Story, My Way ~ an Indie Adventure. She is also one of the Five Scribes.  Check out her website, www.lesliesartor.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook
Titles published:
Dare to Believe (2012)
Stone of Heaven (May 2013)
Be Mine This Christmas Night (Holiday 2013)
…Stay Tuned for more and join my mailing list at http://lesliesartor.com/?page_id=214
 
Blurb:
The Children's Author …
Annie Hamilton's children's series Star Light~Star Bright is a mega hit. She loves kids and wants nothing more than a family of her own, but twice burned, thrice shy. When a gorgeous man with two young boys moves next door, Annie can't help but dream her impossible dream.
 
And The Widower Who Moved Next Door …
Cole Evans is a brilliant scientist, but finds fatherhood a challenge. When his son develops a bond with their enchanting neighbor, the boy’s favorite author, Cole discovers just how much he's lost—and how much he needs.
 
Will Their Wish Come True This Christmas Night?
Can Cole overcome family meddling and alleviate Annie's fears so they can be a ready-made family?
 
Buy Links:
 




Bio:

Leslie Ann Sartor (aka L.A. Sartor) began telling stories around the age of 4 when her mother, at Leslie’s insistence, wrote them down and Leslie illustrated them.  As an adult she writes suspense and action adventure novels with a dash of romance, and screenplays—she's had a contracted adaptation!  She lives in Colorado with her husband whom she met on a blind date.  Leslie loves to travel and thinks life is an adventure and we should embrace the journey.  She has a blog: My Story, My Way ~ an Indie Adventure. She is also one of the Five Scribes.  Check out her website, www.lesliesartor.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook

Titles published:

Dare to Believe (2012)

Stone of Heaven (May 2013)

Be Mine This Christmas Night (Holiday 2013)

 

Blurb:

The Children's Author …

Annie Hamilton's children's series Star Light~Star Bright is a mega hit. She loves kids and wants nothing more than a family of her own, but twice burned, thrice shy. When a gorgeous man with two young boys moves next door, Annie can't help but dream her impossible dream.

 

And The Widower Who Moved Next Door …

Cole Evans is a brilliant scientist, but finds fatherhood a challenge. When his son develops a bond with their enchanting neighbor, the boy’s favorite author, Cole discovers just how much he's lost—and how much he needs.

 

Will Their Wish Come True This Christmas Night?

Can Cole overcome family meddling and alleviate Annie's fears so they can be a ready-made family?

 

Buy Links:



Thursday, December 19, 2013

Fashionista Friday: Red

"Hey, Elizabeth, why don't we have any buy links today?"
 
"I'm not sure. I just had a hard time getting the outfit to post. If you want buy links you can see them at http://www.polyvore.com/red/set?id=107397318"
 
"I love the red color."
 
"So does Kathryn, Elaine's heroine in Blue 52. Do you want to read an excerpt about the time she wowed Hank in her red suit?"
 
"Naturally! We'll put it below the outfit. It's Fashionista Friday after all."
 

 
In this excerpt, Hank (hero) meets Kathryn (heroine) for the first time.
 
 
As she approached his desk, she held out her hand. “Mr. Lovinggood, how are you? I’m Dr. Kathryn Sinclair. Thank you for seeing me.”
She had a firm handshake and looked him right in the eye. “Not at all, Dr. Sinclair. Please, have a seat. May I get you a cup of coffee?”
“Yes, that would be lovely.”
Hank filled a disposable cup with coffee. The cups biodegraded in three months’ time, so nobody hesitated to use them. The trashcans overflowed with cups by the end of the day. “Cream or sugar?”
“Black, thanks.”
He handed the coffee to Dr. Sinclair and got a good look at her legs in the process. Nice. She wore a well-cut, red suit that looked expensive. He liked her short little skirt, but the neckline of the jacket didn’t plunge quite enough.
Hank flushed. He was no hormone-riddled teenager. The woman hadn’t come here for him to ogle her. “My secretary told me that you wanted to talk to me about a crime,” he said as he seated himself behind his desk, unconsciously smoothing his tie and sitting up straight.
“That’s right, I do.” She didn’t wait for him to prompt her to tell her story. “The crime was committed a long time ago, but there’s no statute of limitations on murder, right?”
Hank nodded. “You want to talk to me about a murder?”
“Oh, yes. A man and his wife were brutally murdered, and the murderers framed the wife to take the blame.” Dr. Sinclair paused to take a sip of her coffee. “Their names were Lovinggood.”
The words hit him hard, right in his gut. “Tell me who you really are.”
 
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. 
 
 
 
 


A Shadow on the Ground


A Shadow on the Ground

by Rebecca Lee Smith

 

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

 

BLURB:

 

Morgan Maguire is afraid to believe in second chances. The family orchard is failing, her twin brother is being framed for murder, and the sharks are circling. The tough exterior she's spent years hiding behind is beginning to crumble, just as the man who shattered her heart is back in her life. Gage Kirkland is as compelling and magnetic as ever, and he's offering the kind of help she may not be able to refuse. But can she trust him?

 
To finance his troubled son's therapy, Gage, a former investigator, takes one last job--recovering a stolen Civil War artifact. Unfortunately, it's in the possession of the woman he left behind, the woman who's haunted his dreams ever since. The electricity between them still crackles, but unless he helps exonerate her brother and finds a way to confess his true reason for returning, how will he ever recover Morgan's heart?


EXCERPT:


Gage leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. The words weren’t exactly pouring out.

 
He took a deep breath and clasped his hands in front of him, like a preacher signaling for the congregation to bow their heads. Then he took another breath and plowed ahead.

 
“Jeremy lost his mother two months ago, and he's a mess right now. He keeps lashing out at me, hoping to make me hurt as much as he does. I'm sure you've figured that out. But I want you to know I did not kill my ex-wife—his mother.”

 
“I didn’t think you did,” Morgan said.

 
“It was an accident. There were extenuating circumstances which Jeremy blames me for. But I did not—I could never—” He lifted his eyes and looked at her. “I don't want you to think badly of me.”

 
“That's why you came back here tonight? So I won't think badly of you?”

 
“Yes. I mean, no. I just—”

 
“Well, I do think badly of you. I'll always think badly of you.”

 
“You don't mean  that.”

 
“Why not? I can think badly of you  if I want to. Most girls have a guy in their past they wish they'd never met. You're mine. Of course, most girls don't get to experience the thrill of having the guy show up out of the blue twelve years later. With his kid. On the worst day of their lives.”

 
“If I'd known you were going to find a dead body today, I would have waited until tomorrow to show up.”

 
She leveled her gaze at him. “I can’t tell you how much better that makes me feel.”





AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Rebecca lives with her husband in the beautiful, misty mountains of East Tennessee, where the people are charming, soulful, and just a little bit crazy. She's been everything from a tax collector to a stay-at-home mom to a house painter to a professional actress and director. When she's not churning out sensual romantic mysteries with snappy dialogue and happy endings, she likes to travel, go to the Outer Banks for her ocean fix, watch old movies, hang out at the local pub, and make her day complete by correctly answering the Final Jeopardy! question.

www.rebeccaleesmith.com.
 
Twitter - @rbeccaleesmith
 
Amazon Author Page –  http://amzn.to/1aEqJo4 
 
Buy link for digital - http://amzn.to/1chj56X
 
Buy link for paperback –


"Wow, Elizabeth, this sounds good!"

"I know, Nikki."

"Is she giving away anything?"

"Yes, a $50 Amazon or B&N gift certificate."

"Oh, goody, how do I enter?"

"Go to http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e43450 
to enter. You can find her schedule at  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/11/virtual-book-tour-shadow-on-ground-by.html ."

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Good Faith by Liz Crowe


 
GOOD FAITH

By

Liz Crowe

 

BLURB:  

 

Strong personalities—volatile marriages—stressful careers—conflicting goals—difficult children.

 
Contemporary challenges facing close-knit families form the crucible that forges a new generation.

 
Brandis, Gabriel, Blair and Lillian emerge from the entanglement of their parents’ longstanding emotional connections, but one’s star will burn brighter – and hotter – than the others.

 
With a personality that consumes everyone and everything in its path, Brandis Gordon struggles to maintain control as he ricochets between wild success and miserable failure. His life proves how even the strongest relationships can be strangled by the ties that bind.

 
Brandis and Gabe Frietag are as close as any brothers, bound by both loyalty and fierce rivalry. The strength of their ultimate alliance is tested time and again by Brandis’ choices.

 
Companions from birth, Blair Frietag and Lillian Robinson share loner tendencies, but come to rely on each other through adolescence. As they mature, both are forced to confront their feelings for the men they knew as boys.

 
Somewhere between the tangle of good memories and bad, independence and addiction, optimism and despair, the intertwined destinies of the new generation finally collide, leaving some stronger, others broken, but none unscathed.

 
As a chronicle of three families navigating the minefields of teen years into the turbulence of young adulthood, Good Faith holds up a literary mirror to contemporary life with joys and temptations unflinchingly reflected. Its fresh, real-life voice portrays the sheer volatility of human nature, complete with the hopes, dreams, and unexpected setbacks of marriage, parenthood and “coming of age.”

 
 
Excerpt 1
 
That morning his father had roused him from a sound sleep. He’d blinked, confused, by the angle of the sunlight. He rarely slept much past eight since he usually had some sort of training or the other.
 “Let’s go son. Time for lunch.”
 Brandis had dragged himself up, his limbs feeling like they weighed a thousand pounds each. His brain buzzed with a strange sort of energy, his typical state, and not at all welcome considering it normally didn’t hit him until later in the day. The conversation his father began as soon as they were seated at their usual diner did not help.
 “So, listen, Brandis. These girls…Katie’s friends from college….”
 Brandis sipped his ice water, waiting for his father to finish the thought. His heart pounded, and his face flushed hot with embarrassment.
 Jack sighed, as if exasperated that Brandis didn’t pick up the thread on his own, leaving him to carry on with the awkwardness about to ensue. Then he leveled his gaze, his face open, not angry or judgmental. “I think that you may be in for some…I mean, they’re…shit.”
 “If you are gonna tell me where babies come from again,” Brandis said, after deciding to ease his father’s obvious distress. He cocked an eyebrow and half a smile. Jack seemed to relax somewhat as Brandis continued. “Don’t bother. I already know.”
 He flashed his brightest smile up at the middle-aged woman who stood at their table, coffee pot in hand. She blinked rapidly at him, and at that precise moment, Brandis got his first flash of…something…about his power. Up until now he’d merely been “Brandis the trouble maker, the causer of strife.” Suddenly, he felt strong, amazingly so, stronger than even the man sitting across from him, a taller, older version of himself. His body tingled all over, as he tested the smile out again on the woman, making her slop some coffee out onto the table. His father frowned, but then chuckled as the woman walked away after they gave their orders.
 “Son,” he said, leaning back and cradling the coffee mug to his chest. “Your adventure has only just begun.”
 “Huh?” Brandis picked up his cup but didn’t drink any. He hated coffee, but had ordered it in a burst of need to be more like Jack. As he sipped the bitter stuff, he was transported back years before when he and his dad would spend every single Saturday morning together, eating breakfast at this very diner. He had adored the man, he remembered distinctly. His chest hurt at the simplicity of their relationship then. He looked away from Jack’s deep blue, knowing gaze.
 The subject changed of its own accord, and Brandis let it. Although part of him wanted to ask for advice, a much bigger part would not allow the words past his lips.
 They ate, discussing the upcoming football season and Brandis’ part in it. The recruiting company Jack had contracted last year to video his every move would start up with the first game. He’d made varsity again, technically as backup quarterback to a senior boy. Brandis didn’t see this as a setback and had every intention of starting under center by the second or third game.
 Finally, when they pushed their empty plates back and sat looking at each other, Brandis felt more comfortable in his father’s presence than he had been in a long time. Jack said, “I am pretty sure at least one of those girls sleeping in the basement is determined to change the status of your virginity for you probably as soon as tonight.”
 Brandis choked on the last sip of lukewarm coffee. His face burned, and his body tingled again. “I’m…it’s…uh….” He clutched the napkin in his lap unable to meet his father’s eyes.
 “No need to say anything. Let’s just say your mother is an astute reader of female intent. While I was busy admiring your sister’s friend’s ass, she apparently read the girl’s mind or something.” Brandis’ face flushed even hotter.
 He resisted the urge to protest, to proclaim his innocence of such things. Because he wanted it back—those mornings between them, father and son, man and boy, not this awkward, man and almost-man bullshit. Because while the thought of one of his sister’s college friends popping his cherry remained a pleasant fantasy, it also made him feel older than he wanted to be right then.
 “So, I bought a box of condoms this morning,” Jack went on. “Put some downstairs in the side table drawer and the rest in your room. Use them please.” He sipped the last of his coffee, looked as if he were about to get up, then leaned forward, touching Brandis’ wrist. “Have fun. Don’t be an asshole to women. Let every experience teach you…something. Because you are nothing as a man if you don’t learn from every woman you…love.” Jack looked out the window onto the nearly empty parking lot. Then he turned back, tightened his grip on his son’s arm. “God, you are so…young.” His face fell a moment, then he perked up again, his eyes twinkling. “Okay, so, your mother told me to tell you not to let them corrupt you. But all I’m gonna say is this: always wear protection, no matter what, no matter how much you don’t want to. And don’t let your mom catch you in the act. I’ll handle her otherwise.”
Then he let go, stood and smiled, draping a friendly arm around Brandis’ shoulders as they exited the restaurant.
 “You really didn’t tell me you were admiring Katie’s friend’s ass, did you, Dad?”
 “No, son. I most certainly did not. You obviously misheard me.” Jack winked as he stood by the passenger’s side of his classic Corvette convertible and tossed the keys to Brandis. “Remember what I told you. Don’t ride my clutch.”
 
 
AUTHOR INFORMATION:
 
Amazon best-selling author, beer blogger and beer marketing expert, mom of three, and soccer fan, Liz lives in the great Midwest, in a major college town.  She has decades of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as a three-continent, ex-pat trailing spouse. While working as a successful Realtor, Liz made the leap into writing novels about the same time she agreed to take on marketing and sales for the Wolverine State Brewing Company.   
 Most days find her sweating inventory and sales figures for the brewery, unless she’s writing, editing or sweating promotional efforts for her latest publications. 
 Her early forays into the publishing world led to a groundbreaking fiction subgenre, “Romance for Real Life,” which has gained thousands of fans and followers interested less in the “HEA” and more in the “WHA” (“What Happens After?”).  More recently she is garnering even more fans across genres with her latest novels, which are more character-driven fiction, while remaining very much “real life.”
 With stories set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch, in successful real estate offices and many times in exotic locales like Istanbul, Turkey, her books are unique and told with a fresh voice. The Liz Crowe backlist has something for any reader seeking complex storylines with humor and complete casts of characters that will delight, frustrate, and linger in the imagination long after the book is finished.
f you are in the Ann Arbor area, be sure and stop into the Wolverine State Brewing Co. Tap Room—but don’t ask her for anything “like” a Bud Light, or risk serious injury.
 
 
Elizabeth and Nikki Weigh In
 
"Wow, Elizabeth, I want to read this book."
"Me too. Maybe we'll get lucky and win it in Liz's contest."
"What contest? You know I love contests."
"One randomly drawn winner will win an ebook or print copy of Good Faith, one randomly drawn winner gets an ebook or print copy (where available) of their choice of a Liz Crowe (Tri Destiny) backlist book and one grand prize winner will receive the ENTIRE Stewart Realty series in ebook OR print."