Forever (Hachette Book Group), GCP/Forever, Giveaway, Guest Author, Showcase

Guest Author JODI ELLEN MALPAS showcase & giveaway

CMash July 30, 2013 1 Comment

WELCOME JODI ELLEN MALPAS

JODI ELLEN MALPAS

Jodi Ellen Malpas was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, UK, where she lives with her family. Working for the family construction business fulltime and with the prospect of taking it over once her father retired, she tried to ignore the lingering idea of writing a novel until it became impossible. She finally found the time and courage to release her creative streak and in October 2012 self-published This Man as an e-book. She took a chance on a story with some intense characters, notably Mr. Jesse Ward, the Lord of the Manor, and sparked incredible reactions from women all over the world. Two months later, Jodi made the decision to give up her day job to concentrate on her new and very unexpected career in writing.
Connect with Jodi at these sites:

ABOUT THE BOOK

THE STUNNING CONCLUSION TO THE THIS MAN TRILOGY IS A #1 NEW YORK TIMESBESTSELLER! The Manor, the very place where their passionate love affair began, fills with guests on what should be the happiest day of Ava and Jesse’s lives. She has accepted that she’ll never tame the fierceness in Jesse-and she doesn’t want to. Their love is profound, their connection powerful, but just when she thinks that she’s finally gotten beneath his guarded exterior, more questions arise, leading Ava to believe that Jesse Ward may not be the man she thinks he is. He knows too well how to take her to a place beyond ecstasy . . . but will he also drive her to the brink of despair? It’s time for this man to confess.

Read an excerpt

I’m relishing in the calmness and quiet as I swim length after length, no one joining me, no one venturing in to use the Jacuzzis, and no one coming to relax on a sun lounger. But then I hear movement, and I stop mid-length to see who has arrived. My eyes flick to the entrance of the changing area, and then Jesse emerges, wearing a loose pair of black swimming shorts. I sigh in appreciation, and he blasts me with his smile, before diving straight in, his body stretching out, making minimal noise or splash as he slips below the surface. I float in the middle of the pool and watch the shadow of his tall body approaching me under water until he’s right in front of me, but he remains submerged.

Then I feel his palm wrap around my ankle, and I squeal as I’m yanked under the water, just catching a lungful of air before I disappear, my eyes naturally clenching shut. His lips meet mine, his arms surrounding me, and he rolls us around under the water, our skin slipping all over each other, our tongues dancing wildly.

This is nice, but I’m rubbish at holding my breath, and he must be gasping for air, having been down here a lot longer than me. I pinch him to indicate my depleting breath, and my lungs scream a thank you when we surface, my legs clenching around his waist and my arms around his shoulders. I try to grab a hold of my bearings and attempt to open my eyes, and when I do, I’m greeted by a dirty great big grin. I know he can’t touch the bottom himself, so he must me treading water frantically with my dead weight clinging to him. You would never know it, though. He looks like he’s just floating effortlessly in front of me.

I push his wet hair from his face and match his grin. ‘You closed the pool, didn’t you?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ He shifts me around to his back and starts swimming to the side. ‘It’s never busy at this time of day.’

‘I don’t believe you.’ I rest my chin on his shoulder. ‘You couldn’t stand the thought of me in a bikini and others seeing it. Admit I’m right.’ I’ve got my Lord worked out.

He reaches the edge of the pool and pulls me from his back, pushing me up against the side. ‘I love the thought of you in a bikini.’

‘But for your eyes only?’

‘I’ve told you before, Ava. I don’t share you with anyone or anything, not even their eyes,’ He slides his hands down my sides and onto my thighs. ‘Just for my touch,’ he whispers. It makes me immediately clench my thighs as he leans in and kisses me gently before scanning my face. ‘Just for my eyes.’ His finger slips into the side of my bikini bottoms, and I hold my breath as he strokes me softly. ‘Just for my pleasure, baby. I know you understand me, don’t you?’

‘I do,’ I shift in front of him and drape my arms over his shoulders.

‘Good. Kiss me.’

I dive right in and show my appreciation with a long, hot, passionate kiss that draws a low moan from each of us. His hands shift to my waist, his big palms circling me completely as he holds me tight, and we kiss for the longest time – there in the middle of the pool, just me and him, drowning in each other, consuming each other, loving each other.

BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Fiction, Romance
Print Length: 501 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: July 2, 2013
ASIN: B00C102T2Y

PURCHASE LINKS:

THANKS TO JESSICA and MARISSA AT FOREVER/GCP,
I HAVE TWO (2) EBOOK COPIES, VIA NETGALLEY, TO GIVE AWAY.
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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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Blue Dot Literary, Guest Author, Showcase

Guest Author D.J. DONALDSON showcase

CMash July 29, 2013 Leave a Comment

WELCOME D.J. DONALDSON

D.J. DONALDSON

D.J. Donaldson is a retired professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology. His entire academic career was spent at the University of Tennessee, Health Science Center, where he published dozens of papers on wound-healing and where he taught microscopic anatomy to thousands of medical and dental students.

He is also the author of seven published forensic mysteries and five medical thrillers. He lives in Memphis, Tennessee with his wife and two West Highland terriers. In the spring of most years he simply cannot stop buying new flowers and other plants for the couple’s prized backyard garden.
Connect with D.J. Donaldson at these sites:

ABOUT THE BOOK

Andy Broussard, the “Plump and Proud” New Orleans medical examiner, obviously loves food. Less apparent to the casual observer is his hatred of murderers. Together with his gorgeous sidekick, psychologist Kit Franklyn, Broussard forms a powerful, although improbable, mystery solving duo.

When Kit goes to meet an anonymous stranger—who’s been sending her roses—the man drops dead at her feet before she could even get his name. Game on.

Andy Broussard soon learns that the man carried a lethal pathogen similar to the deadly “Ebola”—a highly contagious virus, feared worldwide for killing its victims (grotesquely) in a matter of days. When another body turns up with the same bug, widespread panic becomes imminent. The danger is even more acute, because the carrier is mobile. The man knows he’s a walking weapon and… he’s targeting Broussard.

And when Kit Franklyn investigates her mystery suitor further, she runs afoul of a cold- blooded killer, every bit as deadly as the man searching for her partner.

Louisiana Fever is written in Donaldson’s unique style: A hard-hitting, punchy, action-packed prose that’s dripping with a folksy, decidedly southern sense of irony. Mix in Donaldson’s brilliant first-hand knowledge of forensics, along with the sultry flavor of New Orleans, and readers will be fully satisfied with this irresistibly delectable mystery.

READ AN EXCERPT

p. 64, last paragraph

Broussard did not like other people interpreting murder scenes for him before he saw them himself. But he always had to weigh that dislike against the relative inconvenience of the time the call came in and the judgment of the detective working the case. Life was too short to throw on your clothes in the middle of the night and dash off to a run-of-the-mill murder that presented no unique or puzzling features. True, he hadn’t eaten yet, but he was already dressed. And if Gatlin wanted him, that was good enough.

“Where are you?”

He jotted the address down on the little spiral pad he kept taped to the counter.

“I’m on my way.”

He tore the page out of the pad, stuffed it in his shirt pocket, and grabbed his bag, which always sat by the back door. He went into the garage, set the timer for the light at five minutes, and paused for a moment on the top step, admiring the sight before him—six 1957 Thunderbirds, all of them in mint condition.

It was a dazzling display—each a different color, their spotless paint reflecting the garage lights like great jewels. The Russians had Fabergé and his eggs; the English, Grinling Gibbons and his picture frames; the French, Falconet and his bronzes. But the United States had Henry Ford, and Broussard had six examples of his finest work, one for every day of the week . . . well, almost every day. He had long believed that six cars was abundance and that seven would be eccentricity. Still . . . there was room for another.

A few minutes later, he backed out of the garage in the white one and headed for the Mississippi River bridge. For neckwear, Broussard owned only bow ties, mostly because the long kind had a tendency to fall into his work when he bent over. Then, too, there really wasn’t enough clearance between the T-Bird’s steering wheel and his shirt for any extra fabric.

The sun was a cool sphere low in the sky and he reached over and flipped the passenger visor down to keep it out of his eyes. After so many years as ME, he rarely encountered any big surprises, but he still found drama in death and his blood still sang in his veins on his way to a scene. When that was no longer true, he’d retire.

As he turned onto the West Bank Expressway a short while later, his stomach rumbled mightily in protest over his missed breakfast. To calm it, he unbuttoned the flap on his shirt pocket, fished two lemon balls out, and slipped one into each cheek.

BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Fiction / Mystery & Suspense
Published by: Astor + Blue Editions LLC
Publication Date: March 5th, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-938231-33-9
Number of Pages: 301
E-Book $5.99

PURCHASE LINKS:

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.
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

Guest Author DR. ERIC BERG showcase & giveaway

CMash July 27, 2013 Leave a Comment

WELCOME DR. ERIC BERG

Author Eric Berg

Eric Berg, DC, 47 years of age is a chiropractor who specializes in weight loss through nutritional and natural methods. His private practice is located in Alexandria, Virginia. His clients include senior officials in the U.S. government and the Justice Department, ambassadors, medical doctors, high-level executives of prominent corporations, scientists, engineers, professors, and other clients from all walks of life.

He is the author of The 7 Principles of Fat Burning, published by Action KB Publishing in January 2010. In addition, Eric Berg is widely published in trade magazines, including Chiropractic Today and The American Chiropractor, and in consumer publications such as First for Women, Men’s Exercise, New Beauty, Upscale and Let’s Live. Dr. Berg trains chiropractors, physicians and allied healthcare practitioners in his methods, and to date he has trained over 2,000 healthcare professionals.

He has been an active member of the Endocrinology Society, on the advisory panel for the Health Science Institute, and has worked as a past part-time adjunct professor at Howard University. Eric Berg’s nonprofit foundation, Health Technology Foundation, is currently being approved nationally for the purpose of providing research to substantiate alternative healthcare technologies, giving cost-effective solutions and result-oriented healthcare. As a leader in natural health and food coaching, Eric Berg has appeared on many radio and television shows, including ABC, CBS, and as a monthly host on Channel 8’s Sports Talk. He has also had his own radio health show on WOL in 2005.
Connect with Dr. Berg at these sites:

The 7 Principles of Fat Burning

The 7 Principles of Fat Burning is the handbook to the sensational Berg Diet that has empowered thousands of people to get healthy, lose weight and keep it off. It shows how to activate your fat-burning hormones with a tailor-made eating and exercise plan for your body type.

The 7 Principles is a highly practical book that provides clear explanations-aided by dozens of charts and illustrations-of the principles of healthy weight loss. Easy-to-understand health and nutrition information and simple tests to determine your correct body type are the keys to its success. Knowledge is power and The 7 Principles of Fat Burning gives dieters the power to take command by eating the healthy diet that activates the fat-burning hormones for their body type.

For years people have been told to lose weight to be healthy. The truth is, you need to get healthy to lose weight. The Seven Principles of Fat Burning shows you how. Dr. Berg thoroughly educates readers and puts them right where they should be: in charge of their own weight.

PURCHASE LINKS:

THREE (3) COPIES TO GIVE AWAY.
OPEN TO U.S. RESIDENTS

FILL OUT RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM BELOW

GIVEAWAY ENDS AUGUST 4th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

DEBORAH PLUMMER BUSSEY Guest Author showcase & giveaway ENDED

CMash July 23, 2013 Leave a Comment

WELCOME DEBORAH PLUMMER BUSSEY

DEBORAH PLUMMER BUSSEY, PH. D

One of Deborah Plummer Bussey’s favorite childhood memories is visiting the local library where she first immersed herself into the world of books, but she never thought that one day she would become a writer. She is now releasing her third book in summer 2013.
Bussey lived in Cleveland, Ohio, until she was recruited to the University of Massachusetts Medical School in New England. She holds a Master of Education degree in community consultation and a doctorate in psychology. She is a psychologist and human resources professional with expertise in diversity management and organizational development.
After a lengthy career as an academic, she discovered a passion for writing. Bussey’s nonfiction self-help book, “Racing Across the Lines: Changing Race Relationships Through Friendships,” released by Pilgrim Press received the publishing company’s Mayflower Award for Best Publication in the church and state category. She is also the editor of the “Handbook of Diversity Management: Beyond Awareness to Competency Based Learning” from University
Press of America.
Having spent more than a dozen years of her life as a nun, Bussey is the creator of the Sister Nun mystery series. Half Dozen Publications released her debut novel, “They Still Call Me Sister,” in December 2011. Her newest book, “The Family That Stays Together,” is due out in June 2013.
Bussey lives in Westborough, Mass., where she is a regular blogger for The Huffington Post.
Connect with Dr. Bussey at these sites:

Q&A with D. P. BUSSEY

With such a successful career as an academic, why did you start writing the fictional Sister Nun mystery series?
A friend, an attorney who writes fiction in her spare time, encouraged me to write fiction. And so I did. I write fiction because it is cathartic to make stuff up. It reminds me of being on the stoop of my inner-city childhood home laughing with my sisters on made up stuff we thought was hilarious, or crying about made up stuff that manipulated our emotions, or scaring ourselves by our imagination of a world embedded in fear.

You were inspired by your own experiences as a psychologist and former nun to create the character of Kathy Carpenter. How is she like you, and how does she differ through fiction?
Kathy and I share the same fascination with human behavior and what makes people tick. Our values are the same—strong connection to family, steadfast faith, love of people and a deep appreciation for the value of diversity. We are both a little neurotic and are particularly fond of worrying. However, Kathy is riddled with a lot more self-doubt than I possess (only because I am older). Kathy is a lot more naïve than I hope that I am, and far less of a rebellious Catholic than I often can be.

Is her sister, Tina, based on someone in particular?
Tina was inspired by my own sister Lisa. They are very similar in personality and behavior. Lisa’s designer name is Simone Alisa and she is quite gregarious. When I was in the convent she would tell people that she had a sister who was a nun and they never believed her. She is the one who gave me the nickname Sister Nun, a shortened version of “my sister is a nun.”

Although your books are stimulating mysteries, you delve into deeper themes about managing the complexities of life especially in a diverse world. What are you ultimately trying to say through your writing? Is your fiction work a back up to your regular commentary on Huffington Post and other news outlets?
My belief is that if you are fully embracing life you are bound to encounter diversity and by extension its challenges and benefits. The Sister Nun stories reflect the challenges that people often encounter while trying to navigate our increasingly multicultural society—the tension between religion and sexual orientation, cross-racial friendships and interracial marriages, stereotypes about age- appropriate behavior, the susceptibility to materialism as a way to achieve happiness. The characters in these stories struggle with these challenges but also are able to grow and receive the benefits—deep friendships, creativity, inner peace, increased self-confidence and a real sense of community. There are similar themes in my Huffington Post blogs. I get to take a somewhat playful tone in my fiction work with the some of the same themes I blog about and provide commentary; especially the state of black America, communicating across differences and the critical need for the modernization of the Catholic Church. These are serious topics but I have fun embedding them the in dialogue.

What kind of role does your extensive knowledge of psychology play in your writing?
As a result of my training as a psychologist, the Sister Nun mysteries may have a bit more back- story than some mysteries. I want the readers to really understand who the characters are and what motivates them to do what they do. I try to make their behaviors consistent with their psychological make-up. I also bring in pop culture as context and to demonstrate the influence of our environment on our thinking and behavior.

You give readers a glimpse into life as a nun. How much of it is true?
The lifestyle depicted is pretty authentic although the specifics would vary among religious orders. “They Still Call Me Sister” provides more of a historical perspective and describes more of Kathy’s time as a nun in the late 1970s and 1980s. “The Family That Stays Together” provides a glimpse into contemporary religious life and the issues that some religious women experience. They are fully human, loving individuals and it would be naïve to think that they do not struggle with the same temptations similar to what other individuals experience.

What is the secret to writing a great mystery novel?
I believe great mysteries are about controlling the flow of information so that the reader is so engaged in the story that the subtle clues are not popping out while they are reading but are traceable after they get to the end and the mystery is solved. When readers get to be a detective along with the protagonist then they have experienced a great mystery.

Can we expect more detective work from Kathy and Tina in the future? Absolutely. They are sharpening their sleuthing skills and as Kathy expands her clinical practice there are a lot more murders to solve. Her close friend, Fr. Randy, will be featured more in the next story and we will get more of a glimpse in to modern priesthood.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When a television celebrity becomes suspect in the murder of her ex-fiancé, sister sleuths Kathy and Tina rally to support their family friend. Soon they end up in trouble. Will family ties be strong enough to protect a suspected murderer?

BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Half Dozen Publications
Publication Date: July 2013
Number of Pages: 278
ISBN: 978-0-615-818658
Paperback: $9.99; eBook: $4.99

PURCHASE LINKS:

THANKS TO SAMANTHA AT JKS COMMUNICATIONS,
I HAVE ONE (1) COPY TO GIVE AWAY.
OPEN TO U.S. RESIDENTS

FILL OUT RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM BELOW

GIVEAWAY ENDS AUGUST 6th 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, Page Turner Book Tours, Showcase

Page Turner Book Tours Presents: HEARTS IN EXILE by MYSTI PARKER showcase & giveaway ENDED

CMash July 23, 2013 9 Comments

WELCOME MYSTI PARKER

MYSTI PARKER

Mysti Parker (pseudonym) is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel, A Ranger’s Tale was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and the second in the fantasy romance series, Serenya’s Song, was published in April 2012. The highly anticipated third book, Hearts in Exile, has already received some great reviews. The Tallenmere series has been likened to Terry Goodkind’s ‘Sword of Truth’ series, but is probably closer to a spicy cross between Tolkien and Mercedes Lackey.

Mysti’s other writings have appeared in the anthologies Hearts of Tomorrow, Christmas Lites, and Christmas Lites II. Her flash fiction has appeared on the online magazine EveryDayFiction. She serves as a class mentor in Writers Village University’s six week free course, F2K.

Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specfic publication, and is the proud owner of Unwritten, a blog voted #3 for eCollegeFinder’s Top Writing Blogs award. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.
Connect with Mysti at these sites:

GUEST POST

Living In Spite of Depression

Everyone’s got something holding them back. That’s the way of life, isn’t it? We have goals and the inevitable obstacles to overcome in order to reach those goals. But, why must it be so hard? What good comes out of the constant bumps in the road?

Last summer, I was officially diagnosed with clinical depression. I’d been in denial about it for so long, I was one of those people who thought “depression isn’t real—it’s just in your head”. When it got to the point that I was literally lying in bed for most of the day, unable to cope with even the slightest stress, I knew it had gone beyond being “just in my head”. I had to get help, and I am SO glad I finally did. You can see the article I wrote on my blog about it here: http://mystiparker.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-journey-to-inner-peace.html

Good days are outweighing the bad now, but there are still those times when life gets overwhelming, when I feel the pinch of all the tasks begging for my attention and just want to hide under the covers and never come out. That kinda sucks when you’re a full time wife, mom of three young kids, and a writer. I mean, I have things to do, people! I can’t just give into this monster called depression.

So, I’m not. I’m doing my best to balance my life so that depression does not get the upper hand. Sure, it clouds up the day sometimes, but I’m learning to deal with it. Besides a low-dose medication, I try to take care of myself physically. When I keep active and eat right, I can definitely feel a difference.

I am careful not to take on more work than I can reasonably accomplish. That can be hard, simply saying “No” to things, especially when it’s something I would enjoy. And I have to stay somewhat organized in planning activities, making lists, keeping track of events and working steadily on tasks so I’m not falling too far behind. But, that’s what I have to do to keep my mind at ease and not sink into the shadows of depression.

Through this journey (or roller coaster ride), I’m learning more about myself. I’m learning my strengths and weaknesses and how to play up the former and work around the latter. I’m learning to be more pro-active and to speak my mind more often, which often means saying no to tempting offers. I’m learning to live my life in spite of depression, because I have a great life to live!

What’s holding you back? How do you jump over your own hurdles and live in spite of it all?

****

ABOUT THE BOOK

Somewhere, hidden in the waters of the Southern Sea, lies an island unlike any other. Within the amber glow of its pyrogem-laden cliffs, legend says the very heart of the dragon god Drae keeps the island, and its occupants, alive.

Loralee Munroviel, daughter of Leogard’s High Priestess Arianne, had no idea what she would face when she arrived by boat ten years ago and was left alone in exile. All she knew about Draekoria’s inhabitants was written in one tattered notebook. Now, her life revolves around keeping Drae’s descendants happy. Never in her life did she imagine being a Dragon Keeper.

Captain Igrorio Everlyn, known as Sir Robert to his unit of Holy Paladins, has faced his share of hell, battling the evils of Emperor Sarvonn’s tyranny and the dark god Tyr’s abominations. But none of that compares to the ten years of hell he’s been without Loralee, presumed dead.

One freak storm changes everything. Now the two of them must fight to re-establish the delicate balance of the island before the dragons take things into their own hands. Through it all, they discover the secrets that kept them, and their hearts, exiled for a decade.

BOOK DETAILS:

Title: Hearts In Exile
Series: Tallenmere (stand-alone)
Author: Mysti Parker
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Melange Books
Formats Available In: All eBook formats and Print
Release Date: June 3, 2013

PURCHASE LINKS:

READ AN EXCERPT

Excerpt From Chapter Three:

After a shipwreck, Sir Robert wakes up in a strange cottage, only to find Loralee, the love of his life, whom he thought had been dead for a decade…

“I don’t understand. What is this place?”

“It’s an island. Very few know of its existence.”

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of this confusing dream come to life. “But, why would you be here, and why would you be sorry? Unless…”

The words wouldn’t come. My racing mind pitched in to help. Unless she didn’t want to marry me after all.

Wrenching pain I’d kept tucked inside broke free, and I clambered to my feet. Loralee followed suit, backing herself into the small dining table.

I tried, but could not hide the bitter anger in my words. “How could you do this to me? Do you have any idea what I’ve been through?”

Her eyes widened. She clutched the table with one hand and her robe with the other. “What you’ve been through? I didn’t want this. I was forced here.”

“What do you mean, forced here? Where are your shackles?” My voice roared through the little cottage as I gestured around me with one arm. “Where are the bars? This looks like no prison I’ve ever seen.”

Her voice cracked the air, rivaling with my own. “I was betrayed, forced into exile. Don’t you understand? I never wanted to leave you. I never wanted anything so much as I wanted you.”

Pacing away, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I had to calm myself, to let the weight of this discovery, the improbability of her explanation to sink into my water-logged brain.

I couldn’t bring myself to look at her just yet, so I stared at my bare feet instead. “Why didn’t you tell me, write to me?”

“I tried. I begged the supply ship crew to bring my letters to you. They always took them, but never brought one in return. I suspect they destroyed them, but I had no way of knowing.” She sucked in a shaky breath as though trying to hold back her tears. “I never stopped loving you.”

Turning back to face her, I felt like a mindless beast. Here I was, raging against the love of my life when she’d all but been brought back from the dead.

“Loralee.” I eased toward her. She cringed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Without a word, I leaned in and pressed my forehead to hers, allowing myself to breathe in her scent for the first time in a decade. We stood suspended like that for a while, lost in time, and emerging from a purgatory neither of us had imagined ten years ago. I would have been content to stand like that forever, but Loralee burst into tears and wilted to the floor.

I followed her down and opened the quilt to wrap us both inside. I held her tight while she cried.

While I cried.

I finally got enough breath to speak again. “What did you mean by forced here? They told me you were…” I couldn’t say it, not with her warm and so very alive against me.

“I know.”

The weight of it all came crashing down on me. “This is my fault, isn’t it? You’re here because of me.”

She made no attempt to wipe her cheeks, but shook her head and stared at the rafters as though entreating the gods. “No, it’s not your fault. Not at all. There is so much to explain, I don’t know where to start.”

I couldn’t comprehend any of it, so I focused on the here and now. “You found me on the shore?”

She nodded.

“The crew, Francis…did you find anyone else out there?”

“No, I had Xax-, I mean, no, I searched but didn’t find anyone else.”

The familiar weight of grief squeezed my chest, and a few more tears escaped before I could stop them.

She pulled me close and whispered, “I’m so sorry. I know how much you loved him. We all did.”

“We all grieved for you. You’ve been here…all this time?”

“Yes.”

“By the gods, Loralee, I’ve missed you so much.” I put my wet cheek against hers and pressed my lips to her soft skin. “Part of me died the day I thought you… please…just tell me how you ended up here.”

Loralee took a few deep breaths and finally pulled away from me. She caressed my cheek and smiled weakly. “I’ll make us a pot of tea. And then, I think we should start at the beginning, back to the Great Plague and when we first met. Do you remember that?”

Smiling past the sadness, I covered her hand with mine and closed my eyes. “How could I ever forget?”

THANKS TO MYSTI PARKER AND PAGE TURNER BOOK TOURS,
I HAVE ONE (1) EBOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
OPEN TO ALL-EBOOK

FILL OUT RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM BELOW

GIVEAWAY ENDS JULY 7th 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

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

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.

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Partners In Crime Tours Presents: Guest Author ROBERT J. RAY

CMash July 22, 2013 Leave a Comment

WELCOME ROBERT J. RAY

ROBERT J. RAY

Robert J. Ray is a writer/ teacher with six Matt Murdock Mysteries, three volumes of The Weekend Novelist writing series, a tennis story, a thriller about diamonds, a small business textbook that has gone through five editions, and short pieces for magazines. He spent a dozen years teaching college students how to write better. He spent five years teaching tennis, using techniques like Inner Game.
Connect with Mr. Ray at these sites:

ABOUT THE BOOK

A dead girl with an arrow sticking out of her back sends Matt Murdock and Helene Steinbeck on a killer-hunt that takes them to Angel Mountain where a cold-blooded steely-eyed killer has hypnotized some rich people into funding a naughty habit involving pretty girls, young women in great shape from the worlds of Art and Professional Sport. The odds are fifty to one that they won’t get out of this mess alive.

READ AN EXCERPT

She had the day off and she was lonely in Taos so she took her laptop and her sketchpad and sat in the shade at the Hard Wire Café. She was sketching a guy for money because she was broke.

He was handsome, with a great tan and a gorgeous smile. When he left her with a twenty she felt even lonelier. She bought a coffee, sweet iced latte, and hung out—was he gone forever or what?

An hour passed, then two. She did another sketch—ten bucks, thank you—and then the handsome guy was back.

“Come to a party,” he said. “Artists and writers, Colony People. Our kind, okay?”

The guy drove a silver Humvee.

She kicked off her sandals and settled into the comfy seat smiling. The guy had this really great profile.The Humvee climbed up, past the Pueblo, and crossed through a gate into Never-Never Land. Roofs, aspen trees turning, a lawn so green it came from England.

The first person she met gave her a drag. The smoke invaded her brain, curled like a cat. The people were beautiful, some her age, some younger. The food was out of this world.

Smoked meat, soft and succulent. “Have another bite, hon?” What is this meat, anyway?

There was wine, beer, tequila shooters, Scotch whiskey so smooth it raised your hopes for a better world. A world for starving artists like herself.

She danced around the campfire, barefoot. Her feet were tough from pounding New York streets.

A pretty girl, Tammy with a Texas accent and a bouncy blonde ponytail, whipped off her blouse and kept dancing— torchlight on bare tits, sell that sketch, make a killing.

Another girl, another blouse, and another. Blouses tossed like leaves in the wind, until she was the only one left, the only girl not on display. So she said, “What the hell?” and they clapped their hands, chanting, as she flung her blouse away and then….

BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Camel Press
Publication Date: June 15, 2013
Number of Pages: 331
ISBN: 978-1-60381-925-1 // 978-1-60381-926-8

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Partners In Crime Tours Presents: Guest Author MARIE ROMERO CASH

CMash July 21, 2013 Leave a Comment

WELCOME MARIE ROMERO CASH

MARIE ROMERO CASH

MARIE ROMERO CASH was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to a family that would eventually number seven children, and has lived there most of her life. After graduating from Santa Fe High School, she took a job as a legal secretary, a field that would provide a lifetime of employment. But then, in her mid-thirties, she discovered the traditional arts of northern New Mexico. After twenty years of creating award-winning art, she began to write about it, but decided she needed a higher education to do so. At fifty she enrolled in college and, five years later, graduated with a degree in Southwest Studies. In 1998, she received the prestigious Javits Fellowship to pursue her education. Since then Marie has written several books about the art and culture of the southwest, including a memoir about growing up in Santa Fe. Treasure among the Shadows is the third book in the Jemimah Hodge Mystery Series, which began with Shadows among the Ruins and Deadly Deception.
Connect with Ms. Cash at these sites:

ABOUT THE BOOK

A woman is strangled and shot. She was last seen alive at a casino near Santa Fe. Forensic Psychologist Jemimah Hodge is on the case, as is her new boyfriend, Sheriff Rick Romero. The trail has already grown cold when another woman is murdered under similar circumstances. The first dead woman left behind a disgruntled ex-spouse but no other obvious suspects. Gilda Humphreys, the second victim, is another story. First there is her househusband, then there are all her co-workers … It seems no one is shedding a tear for Gilda.

While going through Gilda’s field notes, Jemimah discovers that the woman was experiencing a sexual renaissance. Could one of her lovers have killed her? Then there is Tim McCabe’s treasure hunt. A wealthy gallery owner and collector, McCabe has buried a chest filled with valuable coins and jewelry and challenged the public to find it. When Gilda wasn’t dressing down her co-workers or dallying with lovers, she was searching for McCabe’s treasure.

Was it greed that killed Gilda? A scorned lover or vengeful co-worker? With so many suspects and so few clues, Rick and Jemimah face one of the most challenging cases of their careers.

Treasure Among the Shadows is the third book in Jemimah Hodge Murder Mystery series.

READ AN EXCERPT

It was a typical February Day. Locals referred to the month as Febrero Loco, crazy February, because the daily weather was as unpredictable as a roulette wheel. It was unseasonably warm and just to be on the safe side, the air conditioning at Buffalo Thunder Casino, north of Santa Fe, was cranked up.

The casino was gearing up for the upcoming Valentine’s Day, pulling out all the stops with promotions geared toward attracting patrons with the cherry red Toyota Camry give-away. Blackjack modules formed a large circle around the Craps and Texas Hold’em tables. The electromagnetic field and the thousand flashing lights could easily illuminate an entire city. Waitresses attired in short frilly skirts and low cut tank-tops stopped at each console to offer cold sodas, water and coffee, and friendly smiles to encourage tips.

She walked through the automatic doors, the strong odor of cigarette smoke assaulting her senses. Vanity precluded her from wearing sorely needed eyeglasses and she squinted her eyes in hopes of seeing a familiar face, preferably male and old enough to buy her a drink. She navigated her world in a blur, peering out of heavily made-up brown eyes and beneath thin, perfectly arched eyebrows. Dark red lipstick and a heart-shaped face framed by recently touched-up auburn hair completed the picture. She was dressed in black pants, a sparkly jacket and stiletto heels. The first was to hide the extra ten pounds she carried and the second was to give her four-eleven height a boost.

She found her favorite slot machine in a corner next to the lounge, where she could sometimes score a few drinks and maybe a place to stay for the night. Of late, she frequented the casinos on Highway 85staying until closing and hitching a ride back to Santa Fe, where she hung out in the laundry rooms of motels on Cerrillos Road. She was not a hooker. She was a forty-year-old woman down on her luck, having burned all the bridges behind her. She was desperate to win a jackpot to get her back on her feet.

She glanced through the corner of her eye at the man playing next to her. He was exactly her type—brown-skinned, tall, sleeveless t-shirt to show off bulging biceps, tattooed arms, long hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. Before the night was over, they were snuggled in a corner of the lounge, sipping rum and Cokes. If she played her cards right, she had a good idea where the evening was going to end up.

BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Camel Press
Publication Date: June 1, 2013
Number of Pages: 310
ISBN: 978-1603819077

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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.
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.

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Guest Author: E.Z. FRIEDEL showcase & giveaway ENDED

CMash July 18, 2013 19 Comments

WELCOME E.Z. FRIEDEL

E.Z. FRIEDEL

E.Z. Friedel is a novelist and surgeon. His first novel, The Cutting Room, based on his medical experiences in Spanish Harlem, was published by Bantam. It sold out its first printing of 50,000 copies and was optioned three times to NBC. He lives in Atlantic Beach, N.Y., and has done 20 years of research for his second novel, MARILYN’S RED DIARY.
Connect with E.Z. Friedel at these sites:

ABOUT THE BOOK

Based on shocking new information, a fictional account of what might have happened to the iconic and troubled star is revealed in MARILYN’S RED DIARY (Sand Shack LLC; June 1, 2013). Incorporating the people who tried to protect her, and those that may have killed her, this shocking and scandalous story is told by Marilyn herself as she recounts the events of the day—and the steamy, sexual encounters of the night—confiding in her diary all the details of her dirty little secrets about the famous and

powerful. At the time of her death, the diary, if discovered, with its explicit insider knowledge of covert activities, would have brought down the U.S. government, the Kennedys, and the CIA.

MARILYN’S RED DIARY is at times funny, scandalous and sad, but always brutally honest. Marilyn Monroe is caught between intellectual giants—her awkward, award-winning playwright husband, Arthur, and her dashing politician boyfriend, Jack. Then along comes Jack’s fiery brother, Bobby. The world’s dream girl relates her intimate adventures in this touching portrait of a hard-working, extremely bright woman, trapped in her own sensuality and, tragically born far ahead of her time.

BOOK DETAILS:

Publisher: Sand Shack LLC
Publication date: June 1, 2013
Number of Pages: 367
ISBN: 978-0-9888907-0-1

PURCHASE LINKS:

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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.

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.