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

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTRY PAGE

DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.

Are you ready for this?  I know you are going to love it!!  Today we have, not one, but two (2) guest authors stopping by.   So get comfy, while Julie from Grand Central Publishing/Forever, introduces us to Ms. Margaret Mallory and Ms. Sue-Ellen Welfonder.  Welcome ladies!!!

        MARGARET MALLORY               SUE-ELLEN WELFONDER

Margaret Mallory abandoned a career as a lawyer to become a romance novelist. Why this surprised everyone, she doesn’t know. Who wouldn’t rather have thrilling adventures with handsome Highlanders than write briefs and memos? Margaret lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, a goofy dog, and a crabby cat.

Sue-Ellen Welfonder is a Scotophile whose burning wish to make frequent trips to the land of her dreams led her to a twenty-year career with the airlines. Now a full-time writer, she’s quick to admit that she much prefers wielding a pen to pushing tea and coffee. She never watches television, loves haggis, and writes at a 450-year-old desk that once stood in a Bavarian castle.

Q & A with Margaret Mallory

1. Do you draw from personal experiences and/or past/current events?
I get a lot of inspiration from my historical research. Lucky for me, Scottish history is bursting with fascinating characters, murder, and mayhem. J

For this series, I was able to take a research trip to Scotland that was incredibly inspiring. Everywhere I went, I seemed to find new places I wanted to bring into the books. The faery glen on the Isle of Skye, which is the site of a couple of important scenes in THE CHIEFTAIN, is in the book because of that trip. If you are interested, I’ve put together a photo album for each of THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS books & posted them on the videos page of my website, www.MargaretMallory.com.

2. Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
I start with the characters and their conflict. Before I begin writing the book, I do character sheets, and I usually have two or three pivotal scenes in my head. I also try to have at least a sketchy outline of the plot. I have to figure out a lot of things as I go, but I write better when I know the basic direction I’m headed.

Deciding exactly where to start the story is hard—at least it is for me. A good book doesn’t start at the logical beginning, but at a high dramatic point, with one or both main characters on the cusp of change. I never have trouble in the middle, as a lot of writers do, but the first few chapters take me forever to write, in part because I’m still getting to know my characters.

What is your routine when writing? Any idiosyncrasies?
I’m not a fast writer, so I guess my routine is to work a lot! To meet my deadlines, I generally work long hours, six or seven days a week. Writing a historical every six months, is challenging, especially when there are so many other things an author has to do these days besides write books. I do get a break between series, which is good.

Q & A with Sue-Ellen Welfonder

It’s a pleasure to be here.  You’ve asked insightful questions, so this is a great way to wind down the blog tour.

CR:  Do you draw from personal experiences and/or past/current events?
SEW:  Yes.  I believe all writing has its roots deep inside the author.  Every experience, our likes and dislikes, beliefs and views, flow into the work.  Each written word is a piece of the writer’s psyche.  My medievals are influenced by special places I’ve visited in Scotland.  So are my Allie Mackay titles (Scottish-set contemporary paranormals), which also include many things that have happened to me on trips to Scotland.  It all ends up in the books.  If you know the writer, you’ll see her in every drop of ink on the page.

Current events might spark an idea in an Allie Mackay title.  The past always inspires me and I love Scottish medieval history.  The most fleeting reference can tantalize, sending my imagination on a journey that results in a new book proposal.  (or a neat plot twist for a work-in-progress). 

CR:  Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
SEW:  The beginning and through to the end.  I know the whole story before I type the first word.  That’s how my ideas come to me.  Once I start writing and the characters come alive, they sometimes have ideas of their own.  The planned route may take a slight detour.  But the destination remains the same.  It’s such character-inspired twists that breathe magic into a story.

CR:  What is your routine when writing? Any idiosyncrasies?
SEW:  I have a daily writing goal of 3,000 words.  To achieve that, I write in 1,000 word spurts.  Between writing sessions, I break to walk my dog, cycle and exercise, walk the beach, make lunch, do household chores, etc.  Because I’m a night owl, much of these activities happen between 9 a.m. and noon.  I edit in the afternoon.  My best writing happens after midnight, with me going to bed about 3 a.m.

Idiosyncrasies?  A big one is ‘going silent’ at deadline.  I ignore email, avoid the phone, and head the other way if I spot a chatty neighbor when I’m walking my dog (letting her ‘catch me’ would trap me for an hour of ‘small talk’ when I should be writing).  I listen to classical and New Age music (no words).  I wear a special rune pendant for good luck.  I believe every writer’s office should include a cherished pet.  I dislike chapter openings but know the words flow once I have the first line or two, so I sometimes type “XXX…” and move on, going back later to add a ‘good’ opening.  I must know the hero and heroine names before I begin their story.  I could list more, but won’t.  I believe all writers have ‘peculiarities.’

Thank you so much for inviting me today.  This was a lovely end to a fabulous tour. (said with a wink and a smile at Margaret, too)

Highland Blessings!
Sue-Ellen Welfonder
www.welfonder.com

ABOUT THE BOOKS

In THE CHIEFTAIN, Connor, chieftain of the MacDonalds of Sleat, holds the fate of his people in his hands. Rival clans are plotting to take over his lands, and duty determines whom he will fight, trust . . . even marry. Beautiful Ilysa dresses plainly, speaks softly, and loves her chieftain from afar. Yet when Connor finally stokes the embers of desire that have so long burned within her, Ilysa feels bliss unlike any she’s ever known.Can she find a way to prove she is the woman he needs by his side?

In SEDUCTION OF A HIGHLAND WARRIOR, Chieftain Alasdair MacDonald has sworn to preserve the peace in the Glen of Many Legends. Though he’s handsome and fearless, his warrior’s heart belongs only to his beloved land-until the fair sister of his oldest enemy shatters his defenses. Lady Marjory Mackintosh will do anything to unite the warring clans, even seduce Alasdair MacDonald. She has loved the rugged Highlander since she first saw him and now, as temptation leads to surrender, Marjory dares to possess him, body and soul.

BOOK DETAILS

THANKS TO JULIE, FROM GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING,
TWO LUCKY WINNERS WILL RECEIVE BOTH BOOKS
U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY

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.
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.

Tomorrow is the day for love.  Did you know that Valentine’s Day is the 2nd most popular day for card sharing?  And what better way to spend it then with an author who has written about love and beyond.  So I ask, for you to help me in welcoming Ms. Concetta Bertoldi to CMash Reads!

CONCETTA BERTOLDI

Concetta is a full-time medium with a two-year waiting list, who regularly is consulted by members of Britain’s royal family, American celebrities, politicians, and others. She also is a New York Times bestselling author who has been featured in TIME Magazine and on NBC’s Early Today. Her books include: DO DEAD PEOPLE WATCH YOU SHOWER?; DO DEAD PEOPLE WALK THEIR DOGS?; and, her latest, INSIDE THE OTHER SIDE.
Visit Concetta at her blog here.

If you are in the New York area, Ms. Bertoldi will be at The Duplex tomorrow.  Stop by and visit!!

Q &A with Concetta

Concetta could you tell us what your prime motivation was knowledge wise in creating your book Inside the Other Side?
Well the subtitle tells a lot about that: Soul Contracts, Life Lessons, and How Dead People Help Us Between Here and Heaven. I wanted to let people know that this world is not all there is. Here we have many struggles and it can seem meaningless. But it all has meaning – just aren’t aware, we forget the agreements we made with God before coming here. When we go back “home” to the Other Side, everything is clear to us again. It’s all for our betterment, our spiritual growth. I just want people to know that their lives are important; we don’t come here “for nothing.” And while we are here we have the full support of our guardians, the souls of others who have crossed before us or who have opted to stay on that side specifically to help us while we are here.

Would you give our readers a bit of background on how you originally opened up to your abilities?
I opened up to my abilities as a child, ever since I can remember I have heard angels, spirits, loving souls speaking to me who wanted to be heard. I was lucky to have such understanding parents – my father’s father had a similar gift – who did not judge me or try to tell me it wasn’t real. Even though my mother was a little bit afraid of it all, they both encouraged me to embrace the Other Side.

Ok, I am a testicular cancer survivor and had a physically abusive father and mentally had a pretty rough childhood. I hear Capricorns usually do. I am curious to the perspective of soul contracts with scenarios like these. Could you share some wisdom on this?

Every soul born to this side comes here for the growth of his or her soul. Each of us is both here to learn and to teach. We learn through our interactions with others here, through our experiences – whether to do with our relationships, our health, and our work. We learn about our feelings, we learn about the affect we have on others. We can learn specific lessons like trust or courage. And whether overtly – say, in speaking or writing a book or becoming a teacher – or simply by the example of our behavior, our life, we all teach others while we’re here. Each of us have good and bad in our lives, joyful time and difficult times. It’s what we take and transform from them that counts toward our spiritual development.

So how do dead people help the living out exactly? Could you give us some examples?
There are so many ways, from simply giving comfort in difficult circumstances to helping us find lost items, from car keys to important papers – anything, really, to bringing people together who need to be in touch for some reason, whether for love or for something they are meant to do together. They can even help us right some wrong that has been done or help us know the truth about a puzzling situation. A short time after I first went public a woman came to me and told me that her sister had died after being in an accident. She’d been badly hurt and had had her leg amputated. She’d been recovering and expected to go back to work when she was found dead in her bed f a gunshot wound. The death was ruled a suicide. This woman was very upset that her sister would kill herself. When I did the reading, I heard a spirit saying that it had not been suicide. I don’t now recall the specifics, and to be honest, it’s unusual for me to have this kind of reading, but whatever was said, this woman got the information she needed to look more closely into the death. I don’t tend to follow up on my readings – usually when I learn an outcome it’s from the individual I read for or someone who knows them. So it was much later that I heard that it was discovered that the gunpowder was on the wrong hand, indicating this lady did not shoot herself, and that her husband had been convicted of the murder. A reading may not give exact information, but this woman was looking for something when she came to me and she was able to take the message and put the pieces together.

What exactly happens when we die? Would you share with us the transition of going through death?
Well, I’m not a doctor so can’t give any explanation as to what happens to us physically, other than that I can say that the soul, of course, leaves the body and returns to the Other Side of the veil, where it came from in the first place. When we die, it is a homecoming, a celebration for most of us. We are met by those we knew and loved on this side who crossed over before us. We meet all our many guardian angels and the spirit masters. All is made known to us – how we affected others, the differences we made, the mistakes we made, what we could have done differently. The Other Side – or call it heaven if you like – is a beautiful place. Love, compassion, forgiveness – all is waiting for us.

Why do we come here exactly to the Earth? I really have wondered if it is forced at times. Or if I am a fallen angels cast down into the bible belt of the South as punishment for some past misdeeds. Probably not true or could be. Smile. Your thoughts on why we incarnate here exactly? Why not just stay in heaven?
LOL!! Oh, to stay in heaven…wouldn’t that be great?  But it’s not realistic. We come here to learn, to grow, to become more like God. We could be sent among folks who seem very different from ourselves. It’s a real challenge to look for our commonality. But the truth is that we are all one. That in itself is a big lesson, but I don’t know that it’s a lesson that would be the entire make-up of someone’s “soul contract” for a lifetime here. We usually have a number of things we are working on simultaneously. Patience with others who frustrate us could well be one of your lessons, but there are certainly many others. Each of us has our own unique customized agreement with God. The “why”, all the answers will be made known to us… eventually.

I deal with negativity a lot and my father who has passed away also dealt with it a lot. It seems to plague my family a whole lot. What are some ways to overcome this and could you go into Negativity a bit with us?
If only we could get rid of negativity all together !!!!  Join the club. I understand what you are saying because I am married into it and have a family of history of it. In a scenario of negativity, everyone involved has a choice to make, either to be negative, or to take another road. It doesn’t even matter “who started it.” At any point, you can shut it down for yourself and set a different example for anyone else who may be part of it. Grow beyond what you have been born into, It’s all about choices, we all have free will and it’s not necessary to just go along with what everyone else is doing. At any point we can choose to embody the energy of love instead of choosing to be part of the dark energy of negativity. I talk in my book about making deposits into a karmic bank with our acts and our words. If we’re the one being negative, it’s not easy to walk away from what can be so ingrained in our behavior that it feels like a big investment. But investing in negativity will ultimately bring us down, and can bring down others around us, and we end up with a huge karmic debt for later in our life or for the next life, or even many lives beyond this one. It’s not necessary to put our souls in that position. We can work with our own negativity and the negativity of others while we’re here and it can be like the sand that irritates, but ends up making a pearl.

So what is your perspective on why there is evil in the world or why it is allowed by God exactly? Like the Sandy Hook incident and war etc. I struggle with things like these and also with the Christian religion that seems so blood soaked. Curious to your perspective on this.
Everyone wants to know Why? On this side there are so many unanswered questions. Even knowing what I do about the way things work on a spiritual level, I still have always asked why God would allow this or allow that, Heaven is a perfect place; this side is the veil of tears. On this side we struggle with negativity, with things that seem “unfair” or just downright brutal. I feel on very thin ice when I try to read God’s mind on these matters. Even when I personally don’t understand I choose to trust God, have faith in God, knowing in my heart there is a purpose to all God creates, although that is a hard thing to accept when something terrible happens to you or someone you care about. I do know that there are two sides to these kinds of stories. What we would call “the perpetrator” and what we would call “the victim(s).”

In our many lifetimes of spiritual growth we are asked to play every role at some point. We are both the abuser and the abused – sometimes we may even play both roles in the same life. Until we reach spiritual perfection we all have a capacity for cruelty on some level. I can tell you my true belief that the children and teachers who died at Sandy Hook came here for that purpose, it was part of their agreement before coming here. Particularly the children were highly evolved souls who knew they were coming for only a short time in order to set an example, to set other wheels in motion. Any time something like this happens, whether it is a local tragedy or a world war, many other changes are set in motion by and for people both close to the situation and far away. Nothing happens for no reason.

Everything has purpose. It has a large, far-reaching effect and many souls are changed by it. And I hope I don’t sound unfeeling to say that often out of our deepest sorrows something very beautiful will be born simply because we cannot accept the void created by such terrible loss and are motivated to do something that will honor the memory of who or what we lost. The role played by the perpetrator – whether an individual acting alone or a gang or an army made up of thousands – is an especially tragic one. That individual also made an agreement before coming here.

I am not God so I could not tell you whether that individual lived up to his agreement, but I can tell you that when harm is done, very heavy karma is attaches to those acts and it can take many, many lifetimes to balance it. In this life, each one of us has our own particular pain to face. If we truly are seeking a “Why” these experiences will bring us more knowledge, more understanding, more empathy. I don’t think we ever can understand it all here on earth, we are too limited in all things. The Christian religion is another whole subject – I have many questions about that too. It has always amazed me how humans have fought bloody wars, criticized others, made useless judgments all in the name of religion. Meanwhile God is all LOVE and COMPASSION.

Could you share some stories of the dead interacting with the living with us?
My mother, father, and brother have all gone to the Other Side, but every day they are still a part of my life living here on earth. They constantly are interacting with me. During the Sandy storm my husband and I had to leave our home. We were lucky to have friends who could take us in so compared to others we were reasonably OK. But it was impossible not to be affected by the struggles and suffering all around us in New Jersey. It was a very anxiety-ridden and stressful experience. In the midst of all that, my mother came to me, and very simply said that we always need to remember that here is not where life is …there – heaven – is where real life is. It’s funny that this thought could be so calming but I felt so much better even with all the destruction around me and knowing that they stand next to us, these spirits of loved ones who are looking after us, in good times and bad.

Another of my favorites I told in my first book, Do Dead People Watch You in the Shower? I had done a reading for a couple who told me this one. As a young, broke couple they’d bought a house from a man they knew who was going into a nursing home. They didn’t love his taste, but didn’t have money for new furniture so agreed to buy it furnished, and not long after, the man who had sold it to them passed away, leaving no relatives. Sometime later, the young woman began having a recurring dream, featuring, of all things, the old man’s couch. Eventually the couple scraped together a little money and were able to replace the couch – they had chosen another one and the old one would be removed by the guys who were delivering the new one. But the night before the young woman again had the dream, but still didn’t know what it meant. The next day as the couch was being carried out she literally heard a voice saying insistently, “Look in the couch.” She said, “Stop!” and began to lift cushions and actually tear the couch apart. Lo and behold she found several thousand dollars the old man had stashed there, and clearly badly wanted this young couple to have.

Can you tell us anything about some of your interactions with Britain’s royal family or celebrities and politicians regarding some of your counseling?
I don’t like to kiss and tell. However while reading for Sarah (The Duchess of York) I heard from Princess Diana. Very often the souls on the Other Side will use someone here to send a message to others and she asked Sarah to send her love to her sons. She told of a future wedding and children coming to the family. She confirmed to Sarah that she was really Diana  by reminding her of a time when Sarah borrowed a pair of shoes from Diana – there was an amusing story attached to the shoes, which I won’t go into, but Sarah immediately remembered the incident and confirmed it. I loved it that a duchess would borrow shoes from a princess.

What is Concetta Bertoldi up to next book wise and projects wise? Also any links you would like to share? Thank you for the interview!
I am always “filing thoughts” – questions I’m asked by people who write to me or things I think of on my trips. Amazing things I see and hear about – I think about how those things relate to the big questions everyone has about our existence here and on the Other Side. My husband and I love to travel. I especially love going to places where there is a lot of history – I love hearing the souls who still linger in these places telling me their stories. Getting out and about in the world has shown me how connected we all really are. We all are interested in the same things; we all want the same things. I just have so much love for the whole human race – all colors, religions, black or white, straight or gay, Muslim, Christian, Jew, or Hindu. Everyone has something wonderful to share. So I’m looking forward to doing even more traveling, meeting more people, doing more events around the country and the world.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Synopsis (from Amazon):

Psychic medium Concetta Bertoldi knows how it is: Heaven is perfection. Life on Earth is the tough part.

It’s here we need to meet challenges, learn lessons, and grow spiritually even as we cope with our sense of “aloneness” and “not enough-ness” or the loss of a loved one. Through all of this our guardian angels, those who have crossed to the Other Side—or “the dead guys,” as Concetta calls them—offer us loving, behind-the-scenes assistance.

In Inside the Other Side, Concetta explains the importance of the agreements we make with God before being born into a new physical life. She gives advice on dealing with life’s difficult issues: from relationships to a lack of abundance, from illness and aging to coping with loss. Concetta’s wise, witty, and uplifting assistance will help you get more in touch with the Other Side so that you can call on your own angels whenever they are needed the most.

Book Details

Inside the Other Side:
Soul Contracts, Life Lessons, and How Dead People Help Us, Between Here and Heaven
By Concetta Bertoldi
William Morrow Trade Paperback; July 17, 2012
256 pp; $14.99
ISBN 978: 0-06208740-9
Will also be made available as an e-book

THANKS TO CAROLE, AT MERYL L. MOSS MEDIA,
I HAVE FIVE (5) COPIES TO GIVE AWAY
OPEN TO RESIDENTS OF U.S. AND CANADA

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.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or
Barnes & Noble. I am an  IndieBound affliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

We all have our lists, albeit TBR, wishlist, books read, etc.  Well I have another one, “authors to read” list, which I have all my favorite authors that I enjoy reading their works.  Many that are published by The Story Plant.  That’s why I’m so excited today.  One of the authors on that list is stopping by today to tell us all about her latest novel.  Please help me welcome back Ms. Laurel Dewey!!!!

LAUREL DEWEY

Laurel Dewey was born and raised in Los Angeles. She is the author of two nonfiction books on plant medicine, a Silver Spur nominated Western novella, hundreds of articles, and three other novels in her Jane Perry suspense series, Protector, Redemption, and Revelations along with the Jane Perry novelettes An Unfinished Death and Promissory Payback and the story collection Unrevealed. She is also the author of the novel Betty’s Little Basement Garden.
Visit Laurel at her website, Facebook and Twitter.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After the life-altering ending in the third Jane Perry thriller, REVELATIONS, Jane Perry takes time off from the job to find the missing part of herself she never knew existed. But her journey is quickly hijacked when a wanted criminal, Harlan Kipple, steals her car. Kipple—accused of the heinous murder of a prostitute in a seedy motel—is on the run and desperate to stay that way. Jane’s personal plans take a back seat as she tracks down her stolen ride and discovers through an unusual source that Kipple may be innocent and is being framed by a nefarious group. When she trails Kipple and confronts him, every belief she ever had about this world and the next is put to the test.

Kipple, who by his own admission is not the “brightest bulb in the box,” received a heart transplant seventeen months ago. His life changed from the moment he woke up in the recovery room. In fact, he’s not so sure where he ends and his heart takes over. As strange as that sounds to her, Jane cannot deny what she witnesses after spending just two days with Kipple. It becomes clear that nothing is what it appears as Jane is drawn into a deep rabbit hole with dark webs and darker crevices that force her to operate on the other side of the law. With the police hot on Kipple’s tail and a devious faction intent on finding him first, Jane is caught in the middle and realizes that solving this crime could have fatal consequences.

With themes as diverse as immortality, regeneration, resurrection, transformation and death, author Laurel Dewey tackles this latest Jane Perry novel with originality and plenty of suspense. “Finding yourself” takes on a whole new meaning in KNOWING.
Read my review here.

Read an excerpt:

Book Details

Genre: Suspense
Published by: The Story Plant
Publication Date: 12/4/12
Number of Pages: 394
Purchase Links:

Who needs a good mystery, to curl up with, during this very cold winter?  Our friend Rebecca, from The Cadence Group is stopping by to introduce us to today’s guest.  Please help me in welcoming Rebecca and author, Duncan Whitehead!!

DUNCAN WHITEHEAD

Duncan Whitehead was born in England in 1967. After a successful career in the Royal Navy where he served in British Embassies throughout South America and saw service in the Gulf War he joined the world of super yachts as a Purser onboard some of the world’s largest private vessels, working for many high profile individuals, being fortunate enough to visit some of the world’s most luxurious and exotic places.

Eventually retiring to Savannah, Georgia, he began to partake of his greatest passion, writing. Initially writing short stories he finally put pen to paper and wrote The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club, inspired by the quirky characters and eeriness of his new environment. The book, a thriller, which boasts an assortment of characters and plot twists, is set in the leafy neighborhood where he lived.

His passion for comedy saw submissions to many online satire news sites and a stint performing as a stand- up comedian.

He is a former boxer, representing the Royal Navy and an English under 19 team as an amateur and is a qualified teacher of English as a foreign language as well as a former accomplished children’s soccer coach.

In 2011 Duncan returned to South America, spending six months in Brazil and a few months in Paraguay before travelling to the Middle-East and Europe before returning to the United States to settle in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and lists his hobbies and passions as cooking, the Israeli self defense art of Krav Maga and the pressure point martial art Dim- Mak.

Duncan has written over 2,000 spoof and comedy news articles, under various aliases, for an assortment of web sites both in the US and UK.

As well as his other activities he performs volunteer work, as a hospice volunteer visitor and teaches English to refugees arriving in South Florida.

He has penned a further novel; a comedy set in Manhattan, The Reluctant Jesus, which is set to be published early 2013 and is working on the script for a potential sit-com.

Duncan has one daughter, Keira, and lives alone.
Visit the author at his website here and Facebook.

GUEST POST

Character Development

The development of the characters for my book – The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club – came about very interestingly.  I had written a number of years ago, two unpublished short stories that had twists at the end.  I used these two separate and standalone stories as the basis of some of the plot and developed certain characters from the original short stories.  The character of Elliot was always going to be a former children’s writer and I needed him to have a pretty plausible back-story so I loosely based him on a real life alderman who lived in my neighborhood. I then rewrote my original short story and used the character of Elliot as the main protagonist.

The character Kurtze I wanted to come across as a nice old man, a sort of Grandfather type figure.  My aim was to make him as approachable, kind and decent as possible…which (and not to spoil the plot) is to  shock the readers when his true (or possibly true) identity is revealed……..

Kelly was a fun character to work with; she is attractive and kind of dumb but deep down is a caring person.  In my mind she kind of resembled Britney Spears, pretty but vulnerable.  She is of course not based on any real person.

The development of The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club characters, the actual women who form the club was also very fun.  I decided to have three characters who though friends, had entirely different backgrounds and conflicting moral standards.

Heidi I saw as a stern looking woman, fierce and kind of a natural leader, her character developed into something abhorrently evil and sinister though it was fun to kind of progress her from a nice, harmless old lady into (and no spoilers) something or someone with a very checkered past.

Carla, who is portrayed on the cover of the book, is an attractive woman to whom the years have been kind.  I based her character on women who pamper themselves and pay a lot of money to retain their figures and partake of plastic surgery.  Her secrets befitted her character, a man hunter, a cougar and a woman who could manipulate thanks to her looks.

Many of the characters have traits of people I know and I used those traits to help me develop each individual character, there is part of someone I know in every character of the book and sometimes in more than one character.

The great thing I feel about the characters in my book is that I can develop them further, especially in the sequel and for those that survive this book there will be more secrets and back-stories that will let readers get to know them even more!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Something is not quite right in the leafy Savannah neighborhood of Gordonston.

As friends and fellow members of her afternoon cocktail club gather to mourn the death and lament the life of Thelma Miller, not all is what it seems.

As old friends vie for the attention of widower, Alderman and mayoral candidate Elliott, jealousies surface and friendships are strained. An old woman with a dark secret and an infamous uncle plots her revenge for a perceived wrong done over thirty years before, a once successful children’s writer with his own secret is haunted by memories of the past and aspiring model Kelly Hudd has just won the trip of a lifetime.

As secrets are revealed and history, both old and recent, unravel and an intertwined web of deceits and lies surfaces in the middle class neighborhood a killer lurks and is anyone really who they seem to be?

A mysterious European gentleman in South America, a young Italian count parading the streets of Paris and a charitable and kind hearted nephew recently arrived from India add to the remarkable assortment of characters in this story of intrigue, deceit and revenge. What is the secret a recently retired accountant is trying to hide and just why did the former showgirl and attractive sixty two year old widow Carla Zipp really have plastic surgery?

As the plot thickens and the Georgia summer temperature rises we discover who is destined for an early-unmarked grave in the wooded park that centers the tree-lined avenues of Gordonston.

A mysterious organization with links to organized crime, a handsome fire fighter who can do no wrong and a trio of widows with deep hidden agendas compound a story of simplistic complexity.

As twists and turns lead the reader to a conclusion that they will not see coming and a sucker punch ending that will leave readers breathless, The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club’s top priority remains the need to chastise the culprit who refuses to ‘scoop’ after his dog walking sessions in their treasured park.
Purchase links:   Amazon     B&N     IndieBound

Fun fact:  February 22 is National Dog Walking Day.
THE GORDONSTON LADIES DOG WALKING CLUB eBook will be on $ .99 promo from February 14 through February 22.

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

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.
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.

Ohhhhh what a treat!!  When Liz, from Meryl L. Moss Media/The Book Trib, contacted me about today’s book feature, not only did I think it sounded like a story that I would enjoy, but thought you would too.  So I invited the author to stop by and tell us about it.  So without further ado, Ms. Pam Jenoff!!

PAM JENOFF

Pam Jenoff is the author of several novels, including The Kommandant’s Girl, which received widespread acclaim, earned her a nomination for a Quill Award and became an international bestseller. She previously served as a Foreign Service officer for the U.S. State Department in Europe, as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army at the Pentagon and as a practicing attorney. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania, her master’s degree in history from Cambridge University and her bachelor’s degree in international affairs from The George Washington University. Pam Jenoff lives with her husband and three children near Philadelphia where, in addition to writing, she teaches law school.
Visit Pam Jenoff at her site here.

GUEST POST

 How do you create a love story during times in history when love and lust were not discussed outside of marriage?

One thing that fascinates me as a writer of historical fiction is the commonalities in people, the way that women in differing time periods had the same feelings and doubts and desires as we do today.  So the love story feels much the same to me.  However, it is certainly true that the conversations were different.  I’m not sure they were often discussed inside marriage, much less outside.  But operating within those societal constraints creates a level of tension that can actually, if managed properly, be very useful in storytelling.

ABOUT THE BOOK

As the world’s leaders gather in Paris following World War I to chart a new political order, one young girl suddenly finds herself at the center of it all in a city full of mysterious figures, foreign intrigue and dark, deadly passions. THE AMBASSADOR’S DAUGHTER (Harlequin MIRA, February 2013, $14.95 U.S./$17.95 CAN.) is bestselling author Pam Jenoff’s long-awaited follow-up to The Kommandant’s Girl and The Diplomat’s Wife.

When Margot Rosenthal’s diplomat father is summoned to Paris in 1919 as a German delegate to help rebuild a new world from the ashes of the Great War, Margot is eager to accompany him and delay her return to Berlin and her wounded fiancé, Stefan, who now feels like a stranger to her.

Although Margot spends her days frustrated by the overcrowded streets of Paris and her nights bored at her father’s dreary political functions, she nevertheless relishes what little freedom she has left before her impending marriage. But Margot’s entire world is suddenly turned upside down when she strikes up new alliances with two separate people, each as different as night and day, but to both of whom Margot is drawn as strongly as a moth to a flame.

As Margot fights to suppress her burgeoning new desires, dark forces are at play, seeking to manipulate her for their own nefarious purposes. With the fate of the world looming, Margot finds herself being used as a pawn in a political chess match played by people who are willing to sacrifice the lives of everyone she holds dear to achieve their goals. For a girl who has never had freedom of choice before, suddenly Margot has too many choices to make, each more harrowing than the last.

Excerpt:

“He considered it important, though, to somehow have a voice at the table, a presence before the Germans were formally summoned. So he had secured an invitation for Papa, an academic who had spent the war visiting at Oxford, to advise the conference. It was important to be there before Wilson’s ship arrived, Papa explained. We packed up our leased townhouse hurriedly and boarded a ferry at Dover.”

THANKS TO LIZ, AT MEDIA MUSCLE, I
HAVE TWO (2) BOOKS TO GIVE AWAY
OPEN TO U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS

CLICK HERE FOR 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.
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.

We all have had this happen to us.  Read a debut novel that blew us away!  That happened when I read this author’s novel, Murder Takes Time.  Could he do it again?  The answer is YES!!  This is one author that you need to put on your authors to read list!!  And today, I have the distinct honor, to have him back as he begins his VT with PICT!!  Friends, please help me welcome back, Mr Giacomo Giammatteo!!!!

GIACOMO GIAMMATTEO and SLICK

Giacomo Giammatteo lives in Texas, where he and his wife run an animal sanctuary and take care of 41 loving rescues. By day, he works as a headhunter in the medical device industry, and at night, he writes.

Visit Giacomo on his website:     or:     

ABOUT THE BOOK

Detective Connie Giannelli’s life has been torn apart several times. First when her mother died and then years later when she found out her Uncle Dominic was in the mob. Her life is about to be shredded again, and this time it could destroy her.

Connie’s love of family and her badge are both threatened when an undercover drug bust leaves two cops dead and the drugs missing. Internal Affairs is looking for any excuse to take her badge, but she’s not worried about them finding the missing drugs—her secrets could prove to be far worse.

Now Connie’s racing against the clock to figure out who killed her partners and took the drugs—dirty cops or Uncle Dominic’s friends. And she has to do it before IA pins the whole damn thing on her.

Read my review here.

Read an excerpt:

Follow his tour here.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Published by: Inferno Publishing Company
Publication Date: October 2012
Number of Pages: 421
Note: Excessive Strong Language & Graphic Violence

Purchase Links: 

THANKS TO AUTHOR, GIACOMO GIAMMATTEO, I
HAVE ONE (1) EBOOK VERSION TO GIVE AWAY
OPEN TO ALL

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTRY PAGE

REVIEW DISCLAIMER
This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the
best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book
was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
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 affliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Does today’s guest sound familiar?  Well, it should.  Mr. Nappi was here last month with Nicole from Tribute Books.  And today he is back to tell us about another book.  So I aske that you help me give Mr. Frank Nappi a warm welcome back to CMash Reads!

FRANK NAPPI

Frank Nappi has taught high school English and Creative Writing for over twenty years. His debut novel, Echoes From The Infantry, received national attention, including MWSA’s silver medal for outstanding fiction. His follow-up novel,The Legend of Mickey Tussler, garnered rave reviews as well, including a movie adaptation of the touching story “A Mile in His Shoes” starring Dean Cain and Luke Schroder. Frank continues to produce quality work, includingSophomore Campaign, the intriguing sequel to the much heralded original story and the just released thriller, Nobody Has to Know, which received an endorsement from #1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille. Frank is presently at work on a third installment of his Mickey Tussler series and his next thriller. He lives on Long Island with his wife Julia and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony.
Visit Frank at his website, Facebook and Twitter.

GUEST POST

ABOUT THE BOOK

Echoes From The Infantry is the tale of one Long Island World War II veteran, the misery of combat, and the powerful emotional bonds that brought him home to Rockaway Beach and the love of his life, Madeline Brandt. It is about a father and son, and their ultimately redeeming struggle to understand each other’s worlds – one a world at war, the other shaped by its veterans. Nappi moves artfully between the present and past, weaving a fictionalized tale of this Long Islander’s struggle to reconcile with the demons from long ago and his family’s neverending battle with many of the intangible burdens caused by the private life of a man they never really knew. He touches our hearts with a story of courage and perseverance…a story of men who faced the greatest challenge of their generation.
Amazon purchase link.

Watch the trailer:

THANKS TO AUTHOR, FRANK NAPPI, I HAVE ONE (1)
EBOOK VERSION TO GIVE AWAY. OPEN TO ALL

CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY PAGE

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 affliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.