Giveaway, Guest Author, Showcase, The Book Trib/Media Muscle, The Book Trib/Media Muscle

Guest Author Susan Mallery and giveaway ENDED

CMash March 13, 2013 38 Comments

I have another treat for you today that I know you are going to enjoy!!! Alissa from Media Muscle/The Book Trib is stopping by with guest author Susan Mallery!! So without further ado, I ask that you help me in welcoming them to the group!!

SUSAN MALLERY

With more than 25 million books sold worldwide, New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery is known for creating characters who feel as real as the folks next door, and for putting them into emotional, often funny situations readers recognize from their own lives. Susan’s books have made Booklist’s Top 10 Romances list in four out of five consecutive years. RT Book Reviews says, “When it comes to heartfelt contemporary romance, Mallery is in a class by herself.” With her popular, ongoing Fool’s Gold series, Susan has reached new heights on the bestsellers lists and has won the hearts of countless new fans.

Susan grew up in southern California, moved so many times that her friends stopped writing her address in pen, and now has settled in Seattle with her husband and the most delightfully spoiled little dog who ever lived. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com and www.facebook.com/susanmallery

Q & A with SUSAN MALLERY

1) What are some writing quirks or rituals that you have in order to keep you focused?
I’m not sure I’d call it a quirk or a ritual, but looking at my mortgage statement helps me focus. Writing is a joy – I love it – but it’s also my job, and I have a lot of people depending on me to meet my deadlines. A good work ethic is something I admire in others, and it’s something I require of myself.

2) What does your writing space look like?
I work at a big wooden desk in my home office. One of the biggest luxuries of working at home is that my dog Nikki comes with me to the office every day. She snoozes while I write, but still, she’s good company. When the characters make me laugh, Nikki will run over to join the fun. She’s very wiggly when she’s excited.

By the time I reach the end of a book, the desk surface is littered with sticky notes, reminding me of something that needs to happen. Then I clear it all away and start the next book.

3) The Three Sisters Queen Anne houses and Andi Gordon’s home restoration play a large role in your new book. How are architecture and home renovation a part of your real life?
I’ve moved so many times that my friends stopped writing my address in pen. (Not as much of an issue now as it was before we saved all our addresses digitally.) Which means I’ve spent many a happy hour staring at paint swatches, trying to decide between shades of taupe. I never had a contractor as sexy as Wade, though, I’m sorry to say.

I’m addicted to HGTV. My new favorite show is the Property Brothers. You can’t go wrong with two cute brothers. I’m especially fond of the one who knows his way around power tools.

However, I’m not sure I’d have the patience to take on a renovation project as extensive as Andi’s. She was in a bad state when she bought the house on Blackberry Island. She had just been left at the altar by a man she’d dated for ten years. He wasn’t ready, he said. After ten years. So when she saw this beautiful old Queen Anne house in need of love, it called to her.

4) What do you love about writing romance novels?
I love the happy endings. As a reader, I get angry when I’ve invested my emotions into a book and then it ends badly for the characters. I have been known to throw a book against the wall. I don’t think an unhappy resolution makes a book deeper or more realistic. When readers pick up my books, they can relax into the experience because they’ll know that no matter what pain the characters might feel, they will find their way to a happy ending. I can’t even imagine writing a book that doesn’t end happily. The characters would haunt me for the rest of my life!

5) If you could choose one romantic character from literature to jump off the pages and become real, who would you pick?
Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy – oh wait, he did come to life. He goes by Colin Firth now.
Follow Susan’s Mallery’s blog tour on BookTrib here.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After Andi Gordon is jilted at the altar, she makes the most impetuous decision of her life—buying one of the famed Three Sisters Queen Anne houses on Blackberry Island. Now the proud-ish owner of the ugly duckling of the trio, she plans to open her own pediatric office on the first floor, just as soon as her hunky contractor completes the work. Andi’s new future may be coming together, but the truth is she’s just as badly in need of a major renovation as her house.

When Deanna Phillips confronts her husband about a suspected affair, she opens up a Pandora’s Box of unhappiness. And he claims she is the problem. The terrible thing is, he’s right. In her quest to be the perfect woman, she’s lost herself, and she’s in danger of losing her entire family if things don’t change.

Next door, artist Boston King thought she and her college sweetheart would be married forever. Their passion for each other has always seemed indestructible. But after tragedy tears them apart, she’s not sure. Now it’s time for them to move forward, with or without one another.

Thrown together by fate and geography, and bound by the strongest of friendships, these three women will discover what they’re really made of: laughter, tears, love and all.

THANKS TO ALISSA AT MEDIA MUSCLE/THE BOOK TRIB,
I HAVE FIVE (5) COPIES TO GIVE AWAY.
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I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
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I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Giveaway, Guest Author, Media Connect/Finn Partners, Media Connect/Finn Partners, Showcase

Guest Author Shari Arison and giveaway ENDED

CMash March 12, 2013 5 Comments

Did you know that March 10th was Good Deeds Day? I didn’t, but am glad I know now. I want to thank Brianne from Media Connect/Finn Partners, who informed me of this annual celebration. And it’s not to late to start. Friends, I ask that you help me give a warm welcome to Ms. Shari Arison!!

SHARI ARISON

Shari Arison is an American-Israeli, and the owner of the Arison Group, that fuses values-led businesses and philanthropic organizations. She leads commercial and social investments in 38 countries across 5 continents, with 27,000 employees.

FORBES magazine repeatedly ranked Shari Arison as one of the World’s Most Powerful Women (2011, 2012), and as the World’s 2^nd Greenest Billionaire (2010), acknowledging her commitment to strategic value creation for positive, game-changing environmental, economic and social outcomes.

Most significantly, to encourage goodness on all levels of society and in business, Ms. Arison initiated an annual day of service, Good Deeds Day, where people, businesses and organizations do good deeds for the benefit of others. Starting out in 2007 in Israel, last year Good Deeds Day received international involvement, with 250,000 participants in Israel and thousands more in 50 countries worldwide.
Connect with the author at her website here or visit the Good Deeds website here.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Activate Your Goodness is a practical guide for doing good for yourself and others, offering you inspiration for immediate improvement of your life and the lives of those around you. Author Shari Arison, visionary businesswoman and philanthropist, is candid about her own personal stories and also provides examples from others who have made a difference by thinking, speaking, and doing good.

As one of the world’s most powerful women and the owner of a business empire that spans the globe, Shari describes her extraordinary experiences and how she has integrated the power of doing good in all aspects of her life and career.

The unexpected and delightful insight that emerges from the book proves that when you find a way to do good for others, you also do good for yourself. This is a book to share with your loved ones and those who are partners in your desire to create a better world for future generations. Activate your goodness, and discover ways to make your life joyful beyond measure!

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

THANKS TO BRIANNE AT MEDIA CONNECT/FINN PARTNERS,
I HAVE THREE (3) COPIES TO GIVE AWAY.
OPEN TO U.S. RESIDENTS

FILL OUT RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM BELOW

GIVEAWAY ENDS MARCH 26TH AT 6PM EST

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RAFFLECOPTER AND NOTIFIED
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN

a Rafflecopter giveaway

YOUR JAVA SCRIPT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED
IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
USING THE RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM

DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or
Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affiliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Giveaway, Guest Author, Showcase, The Book Trib/Media Muscle, The Book Trib/Media Muscle

Guest Author Kristan Higgins and giveaway ENDED

CMash March 11, 2013 13 Comments

When Liz from Media Muscle contacted me, I knew you would enjoy this visit. Ready? Without further ado, Ms. Kristan Higgins!!!!!

KRISTAN HIGGINS

I started writing romance novels when my kids were little. I’d always been a writer of some type—public relations, advertising, research—but wanted to stay home with the bunnies. I’d been reading romance novels ever since I swiped Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss from my grandmother’s night table. “Higgins,” I said to myself, “I bet you could write one of these.” And so I sat down every afternoon when the kids were napping, took my lifelong love of romance novels and tried to make a career out of it. We’ve been living happily ever after since.

I live in my hometown, a small, pretty place in Connecticut where there’s a beautiful library and a wicked good ice cream stand. I’m the mom of two lovely children who have very long eyelashes and excellent vocabularies, the wife of a heroic and brave firefighter and the willing love-slave to a naughty mutt named Willow. Our cat, Huck, occasionally deigns to sit on my lap, especially when I’m typing.

I love to write books about relationships, since the search for love and security is one of the driving forces of life. My characters are regular people, folks like us, and I hope to give them a big, memorable love story rich with family, pets, food and laughter. When I’m not writing, I like to be with my kids, goof around with my husband, read, watch baseball, ride my bike and bake. I suffer from chronic bedhead and an unhealthy (and completely understandable) obsession with Derek Jeter, shortstop for the New York Yankees. We spend as much time as possible at our family home on Cape Cod, swimming in the Atlantic, shivering on the beach, swatting horseflies and watching fish evade my lure at Higgins Pond. It’s as close to heaven as it gets.
Visit Kristan at her website here.

GUEST POST

Can you give us some background on THE BEST MAN, and how you came up with the idea for the Blue Heron series?

Well, I wanted to write a series for a couple of reasons. The first was simply that I tend to become deeply attached to my characters and settings. As fun and invigorating as it is to start fresh, it’s always hard to leave those towns and people behind. The second was because readers asked for a series…I guess they feel the same way.

Because families are so integral to my stories, I wanted to create a family business that would serve as a foundation for the first two books and set the backdrop for the area. I wanted something scenic, a business that had a lot of heart, beauty and fun to it…so a vineyard seemed perfect. Being a Yankee, I wanted to stay in the Northeast; one of the things I think I do well is capture the sensibility of a region, and it would be hard to do that if I set a book in California, simply because I haven’t spent too much time there. My brother, who owns a wine shop and has worked in the wine industry all his adult life, recommended the Finger Lakes region of New York and put me in touch with a tourism bureau up there. A couple of emails, and I had some very nice contacts up there.

My husband and I went up for a long weekend, and it was truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve visited. We met with some winemakers, tasted a lot of great wine, and the series started to take shape.

The idea for THE BEST MAN started with a scene—Faith, the youngest of the Holland children, is jilted at the altar. I loved that idea, the sheer visual impact of such a scene. As with any kind of romantic trope I use, I wanted to make sure that there was an excellent reason for her being jilted. I literally sat there at my computer and said, “Okay, what are some really good reasons to stop a wedding?” I even made a list. He’s a drug addict. He’s had an affair. He’s abusive. But in those cases, the heroine would’ve had to have been really obtuse or weak or scared…I didn’t think I could relate to someone who would let things get all the way to the altar in those cases. Besides that, I don’t write dark stories. So I kept typing away. He’s gay.

I stopped at that last one. Mulled it over. What if Jeremy, the fiancé, was gay? And no one knew it. Why would they not know? Because he doesn’t fit any of the clichés. Because he’s been with Faith since high school. Because he played football and became a doctor and seems too evolved to have been in the closet, not to mention too wonderful a boyfriend to have been pretending.

Only one person suspected, and that’s Levi Cooper, Jeremy’s best friend…and best man.

So with that scene firmly in mind, the book was born. Since that information comes out in the prologue (along with Jeremy, I guess), I don’t think I’m giving anything away. From there, it was really fun to look at both Levi and Faith, and see why and how they got to that defining moment, and how they move forward.

ABOUT THE BOOK

SOMETIMES THE BEST MAN IS THE ONE YOU LEAST EXPECT…

Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she’s ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family’s vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there’s some great scenery there….

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief—and best friend of her former fiancé. There’s a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it’s not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she’s having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.

Read an excerpt

Levi Cooper, chief of police of the entire Manningsport Police Department, all two and a half of them, tried to give people a break. He did. Even the tourists with the lead feet, Red Sox stickers on their bumpers and complete disregard for speed limits. He parked the cruiser in plain sight, the radar gun clearly visible—Hi there, welcome to Manningsport, you’re going way too fast and here I am, about to pull you over, so slow down, pal. The town depended on visitors, and September was prime tourism season; the leaves were starting to turn, buses had been rolling in and out of town all week, and every vineyard in the area had some special event going on.

But the law was the law.

Plus, he’d just let Colleen O’Rourke off with a stern lecture and a warning while she tried to look remorseful.

So another speeder just wasn’t going to be tolerated today. This one, for example. Seventeen miles an hour over the limit, more than enough. Also, an out-of-towner; he could see the rental plates from here. The car was a painfully bright yellow Honda Civic, currently clocking in at forty-two miles per hour in a twenty-five mile-an-hour zone. What if Carol Robinson and her merry band of geriatric power-walkers were out? What if the Nebbins kid was riding his bike? There hadn’t been a fatal crash in Manningsport since he’d been chief, and Levi planned on keeping it that way.

The yellow car sailed past him, not even a tap on the brakes. The driver wore a baseball cap and big sunglasses. Female. With a sigh, Levi put on the lights, gave the siren a blip and pulled onto the road. She didn’t seem to notice. He hit the siren again, and the driver seemed to realize that yes, he was talking to her, and pulled over.

Grabbing his ticket pad, Levi got out of the cruiser. Wrote down the license plate number, then went over to the driver’s side, where the window was lowering. “Welcome to Manningsport,” he said, not smiling.

Shit.

It was Faith Holland. A giant Golden Retriever shoved its head out of the window and barked once, wagging happily.

“Levi,” she said, as if they’d seen each other last week at O’Rourke’s.

“Holland. You visiting?”

“Wow. That’s amazing. How did you guess?”

He looked at her, not amused, and let a few beats pass. It worked; her cheeks flushed, and she looked away. “So. Forty-two in a twenty-five mile-an-hour zone,” he said.

“I thought it was thirty-five,” she said.

“We dropped it last year.”

The dog whined, so Levi petted him, making the dog try to crawl over Faith’s head.

“Blue, get back,” Faith ordered.

Blue. Right. Same dog as from a few years ago.

“Levi, how about a warning? I have a, um, a family emergency, so if you could drop the cop act, that’d be super.” She gave him a tight smile, almost meeting his eyes, and pushed her hair behind one ear.

“What’s the emergency?” he said.

“My grandfather is…uh…he’s not feeling well. Goggy’s concerned.”

“Should you lie about stuff like that?” he asked. Levi was well acquainted with the elder Hollands, as they made up about ten percent of his work week. And if Mr. Holland really was under the weather, he’d bet Mrs. Holland would be picking out his funeral clothes and planning a cruise.

Faith sighed. “Look, Levi. I just took the red-eye from San Francisco. Can you give me a break? Sorry I was going too fast.” She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “I’ll take a warning. Can I go now?”

“License and registration, please.”

She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Still got that branch up your ass, I see.”

“License and registration, and please exit the vehicle.”

She mumbled something under her breath, then groped around in the glove compartment, her shirt coming out of her jeans to reveal a patch of creamy flesh. Looked like the fitness revolution had passed her by; then again, she’d always been a little lush ripe chunky, ever since he could remember. The dog took the opportunity to shove his head out again, so Levi scratched him behind the ear.

Faith slammed the glove box shut, shoved some papers in Levi’s hand, got out of the car, nearly hitting him with the door. “Stay put, Blue.” She didn’t look at Levi.

He glanced at her license, then at her.

“Yes, it’s a bad picture,” she snapped. “Want a tissue sample?”

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary. This has expired, though. Another fine.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she crossed her arms under her chest. Still had that amazing rack.

“How was Afghanistan?” she asked, looking over his shoulder.

“Really great. I’m thinking of getting a summer place there.”

“You know what I wonder, Levi? Why are some people always such hemorrhoids? You ever wonder that?”

“I do. Are you aware that antagonizing an officer of the law is a felony?”

“Really. How fascinating. Can you get it in gear, please? I want to see my family.”

He signed the paper and handed it to her. She wadded it up and tossed it in the car. “Am I free to go, Officer?”

“It’s Chief now,” he said.

“See someone about that branch.” She got into the car and drove off. Not too fast, though not slowly, either.

LIVE CHAT WITH KRISTAN TOMORROW….DON”T MISS OUT!!

THANKS TO LIZ AT MEDIA MUSCLE, I
HAVE FOUR (4) COPIES TO GIVE AWAY.
OPEN TO U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS

FILL OUT RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM BELOW

GIVEAWAY ENDS MARCH 25TH AT 6PM EST

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RAFFLECOPTER AND NOTIFIED
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OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN

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Guest Author, Partners In Crime Tours, Showcase

Guest Author Nancy S. Thompson

CMash March 9, 2013 1 Comment

This winter has been brutal here in New England. However, curled up with a good mystery is a great way to wait for spring. And today’s guest has written such a book. I ask that you help me welcome Ms. Nancy S. Thompson to CMash Reads!

NANCY S. THOMPSON

Nancy Thompson makes her fiction debut with The Mistaken. She is an interior designer and California transplant, currently living with her husband near Seattle, WA.
Connect with Nancy at her website, on Facebook and Twitter

ABOUT THE BOOK

Tyler Karras is an honest man, a transplanted Brit living the American dream, but his charmed life takes an unexpected turn when his brother, Nick, is coerced into joining ranks with San Francisco’s Russian mafia. Ty intervenes to secure Nick’s freedom, yet only succeeds in incurring their wrath. With no choice but to accept Nick’s new life, Ty returns to his own, but his dreams are dashed when his wife—pregnant with their first child—is killed, the victim of a reckless crime.

Despondent and bitter, Ty macerates his grief in alcohol. From the depths of the bottle screams a voice, howling for vengeance. His target is a stranger, the woman who drew his wife toward her death. He doesn’t know her, but he’ll find her, and when he does, he will make her pay, for a deal has been struck with Nick’s Russian associates, enslaving her into a life of bondage. But as Ty moves forward in a cloud of alcohol, he mistakes the wrong woman for his intended victim and now all his plans have gone straight to hell.

With his eyes made clear by the stark reality of his mistake, Ty is driven, compelled by remorse and a relentless sense of guilt to make amends and protect Hannah Maguire, the innocent woman whose life he has derailed. He vows to keep her safe and out of the Russians’ hands, but they’re holding Nick as leverage to force Ty to complete their deal and turn over the girl. Once again, he must fight to free his brother, miring all three lives in further jeopardy. But Ty can’t do it all: Save the girl, his brother and his own soul. One of them must make the ultimate sacrifice.

BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Psyshological Thriller
Published by: Sapphire Star Publishing
Publication Date: October 18, 2012
Number of Pages: 409
ISBN: 978-1-938404-13-9
Note: Excessive strong language, Graphic violence

Purchase Links:

Watch the trailer:

Read an excerpt:

God, I didn’t want to do this. Just thinking about it had my gut tied in knots, but I was out of options. My brother had given me no choice. I was tired of his promises, sick of his attitude, of everything always being someone else’s fault, never his. While my fiancée, Jillian, and I had discussed what I should say to him, I continued to rehearse, point by point, during my short commute home. But who was I kidding? I knew damn well, no matter what I said, my brother would throw every word right back in my face, like he always did. But I didn’t care anymore. After four long weeks, he had overstayed his welcome, and now it was time for Nick to leave.The confrontation loomed only minutes away, and I was dreading it. And if that wasn’t enough, there was the fog. Cold and persistent, it clung to the road like a drowning man to driftwood. It was the one thing I’d never grown accustomed to here in San Francisco, the summer fog burning off each afternoon only to reappear a few hours later, denser than ever. Add to it the waning twilight and you couldn’t see much at all, just indistinct shapes of black and grey. I could barely make out the colorful Victorian facades standing shoulder to shoulder along my street. The painted ladies simply faded into the mist.

I pulled into my driveway and shifted into park, a long sigh escaping at the thought of what waited for me inside. As I grabbed the roll of blueprints next to me, a movement outside caught my eye, a dark shape on the sidewalk a few doors down, writhing about in the murky shadows. I strained to see what it was, an injured animal perhaps, though it seemed too large for that, at least in this part of The City. Golden Gate Park maybe, but that was blocks away. I snatched my keys from the ignition, shut the door to my truck, and ambled up the front walkway, my gaze fixed on the squirming silhouette. There were no noises or crying that I could hear, but then again, the fog had a way of deadening all sound. After wrestling in the dark with the deadbolt, I shot one last glance over my shoulder then pushed through my front door.

“Nick?” I called out, my keys jingling as I worked them from the lock. “Why are all the lights off?” I switched on the hall light and kicked off my shoes as I waited, but I heard no reply, so I tried once more, only louder. “Nick, you hear me? Where are you?”

A disturbing silence hung in the air, uncomfortable and creepy. Unexpected since my brother was supposed to be home, day and night, no exceptions. He’d recently gotten himself into a heap of trouble, and now there were some large men gunning for a little payback. Par for the course for my little brother. He was always getting into one scrape or another. But this time was different. Nick was scared. Really scared. Scared enough to ask if he could hide out at my place while he tried to straighten out the mess with the men he’d crossed, a gang of Russian thugs from his neighborhood in the Outer Richmond District here in The City. One wrong step, like out the front door, and Nick might not see the light of another day, or so he told me.

I glanced upstairs, but it, too, stood dark and quiet. Something definitely wasn’t right. The hair pricked on the back of my neck, and the knots in my stomach morphed into a swarm of butterflies, all battling to escape. I threw down my keys and blueprints and walked through the house, turning on lights in my path.

“Nick, answer me! Where the hell are you?”

I don’t know why I expected a response that third time. Maybe I was just praying for one instead, but the silence was all the answer I received. I stood still, deep in thought, worried about what might have happened. He wouldn’t have left the house, would he? I turned toward the entry hall. Oh God, no. I dashed back out the front door, pausing on the porch as I scanned for the dark form. It was still squirming on the sidewalk, but it appeared even larger now.

The streetlight out front was just beginning to dance to life. Sporadic bursts of pale pink light illuminated two feet as they kicked and twisted in the hazy air. The single shape expanded into three distinct forms—all human—one prone on the ground and two bent above, their arms sawing up and down and back and forth with hands clenched tight into fists.

“Oh, God. Nick!” I sprinted toward them in a panic, anxiety blossoming into fear.

“Tyler!” he wailed, but his cry was cut short by pounding thuds.

The other two men—both built like bulls and panting in exertion—stood up straight. They turned toward me with their fists pulled back. And as the streetlight overhead finally flickered on for good, the one inside my head flashed bright then flamed out.

Follow Nancy’s tour and enter for a chance to win THE MISTAKEN:

March 1st: Review & Giveaway~Kate @ Read 2 Review
March 2nd: Guest Post~Jo @ Writers and Authors
March 4th: Reviews~Tammy & Kim @ Reviews by Tammy and Kim
March 6th: Showcase & Interview~Laurie @ Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
March 7th: Showcase~Ashley @ Dr. Pepper Diva
March 8th: Showcase & Interview~Jean @ JeanBookNerd
March 9th: Showcase~Cheryl @ CMash ReadsMarch 12th: Review & Interview by Stacy @ Literary Mania Reviews
March 13th: Review & Giveaway~Nicole @ Bless Their Hearts Mom
March 14th: Review & Giveaway~Tammy & Michelle @ The Nook Users Book Club
March 15th: Review & Giveaway~Athena @ The Stuff of Success
March 18th: Review, Guest Post & Giveaway~Vicky @ Deal Sharing Aunt
March 22nd: Review & Giveaway~Brittany @ Britt’s Book Nook
March 23rd: Review & Giveaway~Gina @ Hott Books

DISCLAIMER

Guest Author, Showcase

Guest Author Kari Lee Townsend

CMash February 26, 2013 Leave a Comment

I am positive, that you will recognize today’s guest. Many of you have read her previous novels and some may remember her past visits here at CMash Reads. The last time she stopped by was this past June for Corpse In The Crystal Ball and before that was, August of 2011 for Tempest In The Tea Leaves. Today, she is stopping by to tell us about her latest book. So, I ask, that you help me in giving her a warm welcome back. Ms. Kari Lee Townsend!!

KARI LEE TOWNSEND

Kari Lee Townsend lives in central New York with her understanding husband, her three busy boys, and her oh-so-dramatic daughter 🙂 She is the National Bestselling Author, Agatha & RT Reviewer’s Choice Award nominee for her Fortune Teller Mystery series. Kari also writes romance under the name Kari Lee Harmon. Small towns, mystical elements, quirky characters and a few chuckles along the way are what her books are all about. To find out more about Kari and all of her books, check out her websites at: www.karileetownsend.com & www.karileeharmon.com

ABOUT THE BOOK

TROUBLE IN THE TAROT (book 3 of the Fortune Teller Mysteries – March 5, 2013)

For psychic Sunshine Meadows, sometimes fortunes can be deceiving…

Lately Sunny has been experiencing a period of big opportunity: her business in Divinity, New York, is thriving, and Detective Mitch Stone has finally agreed to take Sunny on a date. But thanks to her clairvoyant abilities, Sunny knows better than anyone that life deals out bad cards along with the good.

When Sunny agrees to read tarot cards at the annual summer Solstice Carnival, she meets her Granny Gert’s “arch nemesis” Fiona Atwater, and is overcome by a vision of Fiona in a violent argument. Sunny knows trouble is brewing when Granny and Fiona start having squabbles all over town. But the fighting comes to a head when a local baker gets run over by a big white Cadillac—and Granny and Fiona are found at the crime scene.

Sunny knows she should step aside and let Mitch handle the investigating, but she’s not about to ignore her visions and leave her granny’s life in fate’s hands…

THANKS TO AUTHOR, KARI LEE TOWNSEND, I HAVE ONE (1) COPY
OF THIS BOOK ALONG WITH A SIGNED BOOKPLATE AND BOOKMARK
OPEN TO U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTRY PAGE

DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.

Guest Author, Showcase, The Book Trib/Media Muscle

Guest Author Mark Rubinstein

CMash February 23, 2013 Leave a Comment

Today’s guest author is receiving rave reviews for his novel!!! So when Alissa, from Meryl L. Moss Media, emailed me, I jumped at the chance for him to stop by and visit. So without further ado, Mr. Mark Rubinstein!!!

MARK RUBINSTEIN

MARK RUBINSTEIN grew up in Brooklyn, New York, near Sheepshead Bay. After earning a degree in Business Administration at NYU, he served in the U.S. Army as a field medic tending to paratroopers of the Eighty-Second Airborne Division. After his discharge, he went to medical school, became a physician, and then a psychiatrist. As a forensic psychiatrist, he was an expert witness in many trials. As an attending psychiatrist at New York Presbyterian Hospital and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Cornell, he taught psychiatric residents, psychologists, and social workers while practicing psychiatry. Before turning to fiction, he coauthored five books on psychological and medical topics. He lives in Connecticut with as many dogs as his wife will allow in the house. He still practices psychiatry and is busily working on other novels. To learn more, please visit www.markrubinstein-author.com.

GUEST POST

Why Crime?

I’m often asked why I write crime-thriller novels. Sometimes, I think the answer is easy: I love to read them, so I write them, too.

But why crime more than any other genre? You can tap the range of human emotions and experiences in virtually any genre, so what about crime novels is so attractive?

I suppose part of the answer is that I find events that could actually happen to people like you and me the most frightening of all. The chance that you’ll encounter a ghost, be transported to another planet, or have a paranormal or sci-fi experience is pretty remote. Often, the story is pure fantasy, and the situations aren’t possible. But you could very well be the victim of some thug’s violent intentions or end up as the target of extortion or threats, or you could unwittingly run afoul of some criminal enterprise.

In other words, the situations in crime novels take on the prospect of possibility, which makes the stories ever-more frightening. These events could actually occur.

But more than fear drives these novels. Greed, lust, revenge, cowardice, nobility—these attributes run rampant in crime novels. And the narrative is all vicarious, so the tension, anxiety, and outright fear are felt by someone else, not by you. You can live through a character’s experiences. This aspect makes the story tolerable—even enjoyable. You can pull back anytime you want.

Even more striking (and this quality is not limited to crime fiction) is that many characters in crime novels are larger than life. If they’re well developed by the author, they draw the reader inexorably into their spheres.

Think of Vito Corleone in The Godfather or Harry Bosch in the books by Michael Connelly. Imagine Ben and Chon in Don Winslow’s fabulous novel Savages or Eddie Coyle in George V. Higgins’s classic crime novel The Friends of Eddie Coyle (made into a movie, starring Robert Mitchum). Or think about characters in novels like Get Shorty, by Elmore Leonard, or Mystic River, by Dennis Lehane. The characters live and breathe on the page, and you can’t help but love some and hate others. You end up worrying about and rooting for some, while you loathe and want to see the demise of others.

Maybe enjoying crime novels all boils down to basics—the old good-versus-evil dichotomy of human existence. Maybe it’s more complicated than that. I’m not really sure. I just love a good crime thriller.

Mark Rubinstein
Author, Mad Dog House

ABOUT THE BOOK

Thirty years after escaping his hell on earth—a harrowing childhood in SheepsheadBay, Brooklyn—Roddy Dolan is grateful to be living the life of his dreams. He has a successful, fulfilling career as a surgeon, a beautiful family, and a lovely home in Westchester County, New York. His past is now just a bad dream.

When he was young and living in Brooklyn, Roddy had an explosive temper and shady friends, which nearly landed him in prison at 17. If it weren’t for a compassionate judge and the Army, Roddy might have ended up going nowhere. But that’s the past, gone for good. Today, at age 45, Roddy is a different man—worthy of the respect he has earned. He is in control of his destiny and rage is no longer part of his life. Or, so Roddy thinks…until a character from his past turns up and re-evokes his long-buried “Mad Dog” alter ego.

A gripping, harrowing, and provocative psychological thriller, MAD DOG HOUSE (Thunder Lake Press; October 23, 2012, 12.99, 978-0-9856268-4-6), revolves around three men—Roddy “Mad Dog” Dolan; his best friend, Danny Burns; and Kenny “Snake Eyes” Egan—who grew up in hell together and never thought their pasts would come back to haunt them. Throughout the novel, Mark Rubinstein provokes people to think about the haunting power of the past and the demons lurking inside their loved ones…and perhaps themselves.

THANKS TO ALISSA AT MERYL L. MOSS MEDIA,
I HAVE TWO (2) BOOKS TO GIVEAWAY
OPEN TO U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS

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Guest Author, Partners In Crime Tours, Showcase, The Story Plant

Guest Author Peter Leonard

CMash February 21, 2013 Leave a Comment

I have waited a long time for today. But it has finally arrived!! If you are a frequent visitor, then you know that I am a big fan of The Story Plant’s imprint. Every author that I have read has gone on my “authors to read” list. And today’s guest is on that list. He is visiting today, with his sequel of Voices Of The Dead, as a stop on his virtual tour with Partners In Crime Tours. Buckle up. His newest novel is quite a ride!! Please help me welcome back, Mr. Peter Leonard!!!!

PETER LEONARD

Peter Leonard’s debut novel, QUIVER, was published to inter- national acclaim in 2008, and was followed by TRUST ME in 2009, and VOICES OF THE DEAD and ALL HE SAW WAS THE GIRL in 2012. BACK FROM THE DEAD is his fifth novel.
Connect with Peter at his website here or on facebook .

ABOUT THE BOOK

Peter Leonard’s jaw-dropping VOICES OF THE DEAD introduced us to two mortal enemies: Holocaust survivor Harry Levin and Nazi death angel Ernst Hess. Now, their struggle reaches its dramatic conclusion in BACK FROM THE DEAD.

Bahamas, 1971. Ernst Hess, missing and presumed dead, regains consciousness to find himself stuck in a hospital bed on a strange ward in a foreign country. He must do what he needs to do to get his life back and to finish the job he has been doing for decades.

Harry believes he has already stopped Hess. When he finds out that the war criminal has somehow survived, Harry must do the only thing he can do – kill Hess again – even if it means crossing continents and putting his life and the lives of those that matter to him on the line.

Action-packed and darkly humorous, BACK FROM THE DEAD is the unforgettable conclusion to a story that launches Peter Leonard into the pantheon of great suspense novelists.
Read my review here.

Read an excerpt:

Harry pulled in the driveway, parked and went in the side door. He expected to see Colette in the kitchen, starting dinner. She was going to make sauerbraten, potato dumplings and red cabbage, an authentic German meal. He’d been thinking about it all day and he was hungry. Colette was a terrific cook, and that was another benefit of living with her. He threw his keys on the counter, hit the message button on the answering machine. Another one from Galina.“Harry, you going to call me one of these days?”

No, he said to himself. Walked into the foyer, glanced in the den and moved into the living room. Someone was sitting in his leather chair, legs crossed on the ottoman. The man had dark shoulder-length hair and wore black jeans, a white shirt and a black leather jacket.

“I don’t think you’re a burglar,” Harry said, “or you’d be looking for the silver, so tell me what you’re doing in my house?”

“I stopped by your office. We could have handled it there, but you were too busy to see me,” he said with an accent that sounded like he was from Berlin.

“You buying or selling?”

“I am trading.”

“For what?” Although Harry had a pretty good idea.

“Where is Ernst Hess?”

“I’d try his estate in Schleissheim or his apartment in Munich. Maybe start by talking to his family and business associates?”

“I know he came here to see you.”

“Where’s Colette?”

“Safe for now. Tell me about Herr Hess.”

Harry pulled the Colt from under his shirt and aimed it at him. “I’ll tell you what. You want to trade, I’ll trade Colette for you. We can start there, see how it goes.”

“Put the gun away. You are not going to shoot me or you will never find her.”

The guy got up and came toward him. He was tall, six two, six three, and looked like he was in shape. Harry pulled the hammer back with his thumb. “First one’s going to blow out your knee cap. You better hope there isn’t a second one.” That seemed to persuade him. The German froze.

“I’m going to give you another chance. Where’s Colette?”

“Not far from here.”

“Let’s go see how she’s doing.”

“I have to call, tell them we are coming.”

“How many are there?”

“Two.”

“We’re going to surprise them,” Harry said. “And if they’ve done anything to Colette, you’re the first one I’m going to shoot. Believe that if you believe anything. Take off your coat, throw it over here and turn around.” He did and Harry checked the two outside pockets of the jacket, found a parking receipt, and a pair of handcuffs. There was also a piece of notepaper that had an address on Crooks Road in Troy and a phone number. “This where they have Colette?”

In the other pocket he found car keys and a small semi-automatic. He ejected the magazine and put it in his pocket. The German had his back to Harry, looking over his shoulder.

“Take off your clothes. I want to see what else you’ve got.”

The German stripped down to his briefs and tossed everything on the floor at Harry’s feet. Harry picked up the man’s pants and checked the pockets, found the key to the handcuffs and his wallet. Opened it, name Albin Zeller from Munich on the driver’s license.

“You a Nazi, too, Albin?” Harry said.

Zeller, with his back to him, didn’t say anything. He was less threatening now in his underwear, thin legs, pale skin that had never been in the sun.

“Why are you looking for Hess?” He didn’t respond.

“You break in, say you want to talk, but you don’t say anything.” Hess was a wealthy man and a member of the Christian Social Union, an important political figure in Germany. Harry could understand why there were people who wanted him found. Hess must have told someone his plans. Otherwise how would Zeller have been able to follow his trail to Detroit? Harry threw him the handcuffs. “Put them on.”

Zeller turned, caught them, clamped them on his wrists. “Where’s your car?”

“On the street.”

That wasn’t going to work, walking a handcuffed Nazi in his undies out to the car at gunpoint. “All right, let’s go. We’ll take mine.”

“They are expecting a phone call.”

“Well they’re going to be surprised then, aren’t they?”

“What about my clothes?”

“You’re not going to need them.”

“You drive up to the house they will kill her,” Zeller said.

“Then we won’t drive up to the house.”

Harry was parked in the driveway by the side door. It was 5:30 and almost dark. He led Zeller out, popped the trunk, took his eye off the German for a second and Zeller took off, hurdled the neighbor’s fence like a track star and disappeared. Harry started after him and stopped. Went back to the car, closed the trunk and drove to Troy to find Colette.

Dominic stared at the baby as Zeppe drove, letting his finger trace along her forehead. “She’s quiet for one so young,” he said, no trace of the vehemence that tainted his voice earlier.

“Yeah, I guess she likes you.”

“And look at those eyes. Such big brown eyes.”

“Beautiful,” Zeppe said, but he never took his eyes from the road.

When the little girl smiled, Dominic smiled with her, but soon afterward turned somber. He thought of the fate Maria suffered because of him. If anyone should have had children it was her, but she refused to marry Dominic because of what he was, and she refused to marry anyone else. He saw the pain when she sat at the playground and watched the children play. Pain she didn’t deserve. Perhaps this was God’s answer to his prayers.

There would be birth certificate issues and people to pay off…but that could be arranged. The bigger problem was getting Maria to accept the baby and then making sure no one ever told the truth. That was the difficult one. Truth had a way of creeping through cracks and oozing to the top, no matter how deep it was buried. He knew he could trust Zeppe, and he could trust Maria…but something in his gut ate at him. This would take careful planning.

Zeppe pulled up to a warehouse. Dominic got rid of the gun and changed clothes. Half an hour later he turned down the street to Maria’s house.

“Turn the corner and park on the street after hers,” Dominic said. “We’ll walk.”

“Dom, it’s cold, and that baby—”

“The baby will be fine in the blanket. I’d rather not be seen on Maria’s street.”

After Zeppe parked, Dominic checked to make sure no one was watching then signaled Zeppe to bring the baby. They walked around the corner and up to Maria’s house.

A few knocks brought Maria to the door, surprise registering on her face when she saw them. “What are you doing here?” Her voice not much above a whisper.

Maria was the same as always—as plain as her tawny hair and as quiet as a church at night. “Came to see my beautiful friend,” Dominic said, and removed his cap.

She brushed her fingers through the sides of her hair. “Beautiful? I’m already graying.”

Dominic hugged her and kissed her forehead. “I love that gray,” he said, then nodded to Zeppe, who handed the baby to Maria.

She went wide-eyed. “Whose baby is this?” She held the girl against her and peeled the blanket back one layer at a time. “She’s so small. Where’s the mother?”

Dominic brushed the baby’s red cheeks with his finger, and nudged her head with his nose, sniffing in her scent. For the second time tonight a smile lit his face. “Babies are so innocent. You can even smell it on them.”

Maria walked through the house, humming a tune while she rocked the baby in her arms. “You didn’t answer me, Dominic. Who does she belong to? Some woman friend of yours?”

“I’m surprised at you for saying such a thing, Maria.” Westminster chimes were signaling the half-hour. Dominic waited for them to stop; they were Maria’s favorite. “We found her on the street corner. She was in a stroller, freezing.”

Maria looked at him, perhaps trying to judge the truth. “I’m sorry, Dominic, it’s just…I thought…” She shook her head and continued walking. “Who would do that to a baby?” She kissed the girl’s head several times. “Poor baby,” she said, then turned to Dominic. “What can we do with her? Did you call those…services people?”

“You know I would never do that; besides, you always wanted a child. Now God has sent you one.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t keep her.” Maria made the statement, blessed herself when she said it, but a plea rode on her words.

“You must keep her. God has given you a gift. Someone who didn’t care abandoned her, now someone who does care will raise her.”

Maria stared at Dominic for a long time, then she hugged the baby as tears formed in her eyes. “There is no way I can keep her, but I will watch her for a while.” She walked with her for a few moments, then said, “In the meantime, I’ll call her Concetta.”

Dominic nodded, a smile on his face. Maria would never let go of that baby. “Concetta Gianelli. A good name.”

“I told you, Dominic, I can’t keep her. What would the neighbors say? They will—”

Zeppe shook his head. “Tell them a relative died. Trust me, they won’t say anything.” He leaned over and kissed Maria on the cheek, then kissed the baby. “I promise you.”

Dominic looked at Maria, then Zeppe. “If Maria keeps Concetta, no one is to know where she came from. Understand? No one.”

“Don’t worry,” Zeppe said. “Just the three of us.”

Maria nodded, clutching the girl as if someone might take her. “Yes, just the three of us.”

Zeppe turned and headed for the door. “I’ll wait outside.”

“Good night, Giuseppe.”

“Yeah, good night, Maria.”

As the door closed behind Zeppe, and Maria walked to the kitchen, Dominic made the sign of the cross, asking God for forgiveness. It was one thing to kill a man—but to take his baby and claim it as a gift from God might be pushing things too far. That was the kind of thing that could haunt a person in both lives. And what will Maria do if she finds out the truth? Even worse, what will this little girl do if she finds out?

Book Details:
Pages: 282
Genre: Suspense
Publisher: The Story Plant
Publication Date: January 22, 2013
ISBN: (P) 978-1-61188-063-2 (E) 978-1-61188-064-9

Purchase Links:

Guest Author, Showcase, The Cadence Group

Guest Author Steve O’Brien

CMash February 19, 2013 Leave a Comment

I was excited when Rebecca, from The Cadence Group, contacted me about today’s guest. This is the 3rd visit here at CMash Reads, which as you know means, there is another book for us to hear about. You can see his previous stops here for Redemption Day and Bullet Work. So without further ado, Mr. Steve O’Brien!!

STEVE O’BRIEN

Steve O Brien is an attorney, author, and former thoroughbred owner. Dead Money is his third novel. It follows Bullet Work and the critically acclaimed Elijah s Coin, recipient of nine literary awards, including Best Young Adult Fiction, National Best Books Awards, and Best Novella, Next Generation Indie Book Awards. He lives in Washington, D.C.

GUEST POST

Where’d you get that idea?

The most common question I receive is where did I get the idea for my book? Ideas for storylines, at least for me, don’t magically appear. I don’t necessarily look for ideas either. It could be something I read many years before that suddenly jumps onto the page.

That’s what happened with Dead Money.

It came from a short news story. That caused me to investigate further. The story goes like this:

On July 16, 1981 a middle aged man in a gabardine suit walked up to the betting window at Pimlico racetrack three minutes to post for the third race. He wagered $5000 to show on a horse named Mister’s Mistress. Then he made a similar bets on long shots in the sixth and seventh races.

The man in the gabardine suit had a bad day. He did not cash a single bet that day. But the real betting wasn’t in Maryland, it was in Las Vegas. At that time Las Vegas did not commingle bets with US racetracks. That meant that bets in Las Vegas did not affect the pari-mutuel payout. Bets made in Las Vegas were paid at track odds. Friends of the gabardine suited man had a very good day in Las Vegas, cashing bets on heavy favorites that paid more to show than they did to win.

In the third race, favorite My Edelweiss paid 3.40 to win, 2.40 to place and 4.40 to show.

The seventh race was where they made their biggest strike. Noble Side won paying 3.60 to win, 3.40 to place and 9.40 to show.

The man in Maryland manipulated the show pools, his friends in Las Vegas bet and cashed at track odds. Their bets were outside the commingled pool and therefore did not lower the odds on their chosen horse.

Although casinos executives are loath to talk about losses and betting scams, Hank Heffron, manager of the sports book at Barbary Coast Casino said, “They got us. They made a bunch of bets and probably hit every book in town.” When asked if the casino honored the wagers, Heffron said, “Yeah, we cashed them. But it won’t happen again.”

Really?

As long as there are non-commingled betting services that pay track odds, there will be the risk of a pari-mutuel betting scam.

So where did my story idea come from? That news article was the genesis. Then I asked “what if?” What if someone pulled this betting scam in one of the biggest races in the country—-The Kentucky Oaks?

That’s where Dead Money was born.

As any good reader of fiction, you still might be suspicious. You may think technology has changed, that speed of information forecloses scams like this. Las Vegas bets are now part of the commingled pools. Digital fingerprints make illicit bets harder to pull off.

You would be right.

But if you’re convinced that such a scam won’t work in today’s environment, check out the fifth race at Thistledown Racetrack on May 21, 2012.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The stranger’s menacing, dismissive laughter echoed in attorney Dan Morgan’s head. In the heart of thoroughbred country–Churchill Downs–a major con was about to be pulled. Despite Dan’s efforts, his filly, Aly Dancer, was somehow part of the scheme.

You Can’t Stop It.
Dan’s dream as a thoroughbred owner was to run in a Grade I race—a televised stakes race. That opportunity had finally appeared. So far it had only resulted in threats, violence and death.

You Can’t Stop It.

What was the scam? Who was involved? Who could he turn to?
Post time was nearing.
The man’s sinister voice would not leave him.

You Can’t Stop It.

THANKS TO REBECCA, FROM THE CADENCE GROUP,
I HAVE ONE (1) BOOK TO GIVE AWAY
U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY

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