Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Release Day Blitz for Tempting Jane by Monica Burns


Welcome to my stop on the Release Day Blitz, presented by Enchantress Design & Promo, for Tempting Jane by Monica Burns.  Please leave a comment or question for Monica to let her know you stopped by. 


Tempting Jane
(The Rochester Sisterhood Series, Bk #1)
By Monica Burns

Blurb:

When the perfect staffing storm hits Jane Rochester’s temp agency, she winds up being Lincoln Chandler’s assistant for a week. Jane doesn’t do office romance, and her last relationship was one-sided. But one hot kiss from Lincoln changes everything. Now she has to decide if it’s love at first sight or just a fiery physical attraction.

Lincoln Chandler’s been focused on building his real estate development firm into a Fortune 500 company. He wasn’t looking for a relationship—particularly when his last girlfriend married Lincoln’s biggest competitor and took proprietary information with her in the bargain. But Jane Rochester is an undeniable force of nature, and the heat between them might be more than just a few hot nights in the bedroom.



Available for purchase at




Excerpt

Jane didn’t know whether to sob or throw up. The man was making an understatement when he’d said that today had been a bad day for her. Mistakes happened. She knew that, and she was far from perfect, no matter how much she tried to be. But today? She couldn’t remember ever having a meltdown on the monumental scale this day had become. The urge to cry made her blink as she pushed back the tears. She had zero intention of making herself look even more unprofessional than she already had today. Jane swallowed the ball of tears lodged in her throat.

“I’m not sure what to say except I’m sorry, which is sounding far too repetitive,” she whispered.

“Accidents happen. It can be fixed.”

The matter-of-fact response created a large crack in the fragile shell of control she’d encased herself in. The man was being kind, and that wasn’t helping her keep it together. She’d come into Chandler Enterprises this morning expecting Lincoln Chandler to be an ass. Instead, he was turning out to be a nice guy. Never in her life had she been so eager to see a day disappear into oblivion.

Unwilling to speak for fear of becoming a blubbering idiot, Jane concentrated on getting him to his appointment. As if understanding her need to drive in silence, he didn’t speak until she took the exit off of the interstate. Quietly, he directed her to their destination off of route sixty. A large navigator was parked on the side of the gravel road Jane turned onto several moments later. She parked in front of the realtor’s car, and shut off the engine. Hands still on the steering wheel, Jane shot a quick look at the man beside her.

“Do you need me to go with you?”

“It’s not necessary, but the fresh air will wake you up. You look like you’re about to fall asleep at the wheel.” His words sent images of a horrific car wreck flooding through her head, and Jane nodded.

“Fresh air is definitely a good idea.”

Without waiting for a response, Jane opened her car door and stepped into a sizeable patch of thick mud. Staring down at her shoe embedded in the mud, Jane sat there dumbstruck. The absurdity of it all had her wavering between laughter and tears. Lincoln had already left the car, and she heard him utter an oath beneath his breath as he squatted next to her foot.

“Hold on, Cinderella.”

A warm hand cupped the back of her calf as he eased her foot out of her shoe. There was something intimate about the action, and the air left her lungs as electricity streaked up her leg. It spiraled through her with a strength of an out-of-control wildfire until her thundering heartbeat was ringing loudly in her ears. His hand still on the back of her leg, Lincoln cradled her foot in his hand and gently urged her to swing her leg back into the car. With a small tug Lincoln pulled the ruined shoe from the mud. What had been a sensible, serviceable pump would have to be tossed. She’d never be able to get the mud out of the black suede material.

“You haven’t pissed off a gypsy recently, have you?” Lincoln said wryly as he lifted up the shoe to examine it. “I’m beginning to think you’re cursed.”

“I have a pair of tennis shoes in the back. I’ll just—”

“Nope, you’re staying here. Turn on the stereo, roll down the windows, lean back and close your eyes. I shouldn’t be too long.”

Lincoln’s expression dared her to argue with him, but she was more than happy to follow his instructions. He shut her car door then opened the rear door to place the mud-soaked shoe in the floor board of the back seat. Hands braced on the roof of the car, he stared down at her for a moment.

“Your eyes aren’t closed.” Despite the lazy, seductive note in his voice, it was still a command.


He arched an arrogant eyebrow at her, and Jane obediently closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the headrest. The scent of honeysuckle brushed across her senses, and something like the kiss of a butterfly caressed her cheek. 



About The Author


A bestselling author of spicy historical and paranormal romance, Monica Burns penned her first short romance story at the age of nine when she selected the pseudonym she uses today. Her historical book awards include the 2011 RT BookReviews Reviewers Choice Award and the 2012 Gayle Wilson Heart of Excellence Award for Pleasure Me. She is also the recipient of the prestigious paranormal romance award, the 2011 PRISM Best of the Best award for Assassin’s Heart. From the days when she hid her stories from her sisters to her first completed full-length manuscript, she always believed in her dream despite rejections and setbacks. A workaholic wife and mother, Monica believes it’s possible for the good guy to win if they work hard enough.


Connect with Monica at





Presented By

Virtual Tour & #Giveaway for The Dream Waters Series by Erin A.Jensen

Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Tour, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for The Dream Waters Series by Erin A. Jensen.  I will be spotlighting Dream World, the second book in the series at this stop.  Please leave a comment or question for Erin to let her know you stopped by.  You may enter her tour wide giveaway, where one randomly chosen commenter will be awarded a $50 Amazon/BN GC, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You may follow all of the stops on the tour by clicking on the banner above.  The more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning.  Good Luck!


INTERVIEW WITH ERIN A. JENSEN

What would we find under your bed? 

Honestly?  A big plastic tote full of gift bags, tissue paper and wrapping paper, a scale and a large family of dust bunnies.  Something has to give in order to fit writing time in between being a mom and a pharmacist.  Unfortunately, it’s usually the housework. 

What was the scariest moment of your life?

When my younger son was in preschool he got so sick with a virus that he stopped eating and drinking and had to be hospitalized.  He ran a high fever, had trouble breathing and kept vomiting.  They did all sorts of tests and couldn’t figure out exactly what he had.  I didn’t leave his hospital room for three days, and I couldn’t sleep until he finally turned the corner and started getting better.

Do you listen to music while writing?  If so, what?

I didn’t when I first started writing.  Back then, I had to have absolute quiet to get in the zone.  Now, I always listen to music while writing.  I have different songs for different characters and different moods to set the tone of the chapter.  I’ll usually listen to one song on repeat that fits the chapter I’m writing at the moment.

What is something you’d like to accomplish in your writing career next year?

I’d love to finish the Dream Waters Series.  I’m twenty-one chapters into writing Book four of the series, but it’s a little too soon to tell if the series will end with the fourth book.  I’ll have to play that by ear.  There are loose ends that need wrapping up, and there are certain things that I plan to have happen.  If it takes five books to do that, I’m alright with that.  I don’t want anything to feel rushed.

How long did it take you to write Dream Waters?

The first book in the series took about three years to finish.  It was my debut novel, and I spent a lot of time rewriting.  There’s definitely a learning curve to writing novels.  Dream World (Book Two of The Dream Waters Series) and Dream Sight (Book Three) both took about a year to write.

Dream World
By Erin A. Jensen
The Dream Waters Series, Book 2

Publisher: Dream Waters Publishing, Llc.
Release Date: October 27, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Length: 490 Pages
ISBN: B01L62Y89O
ASIN: 978-0997171242

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo



About the book:
   
Recently released from a psychiatric facility after discovering that he is a dragon and his Dream Sight is not a delusion but a gift, Charlie Oliver sets off to accept the invitation extended by a powerful dragon and potential mentor to join his ‘family’ of Sighted individuals.  As his demon guides begin to instruct him, Charlie quickly discovers just how little he actually knows about the Dream World and the creatures who inhabit it. 

While Charlie stumbles through his lessons and struggles to bring out his inner dragon, Emma Talbot has her own struggles to deal with now that she’s been taken from the facility and placed under house arrest.  Imprisoned within the same walls as the husband she suspects of being an adulterer and a murderer, Emma grows weaker while her world continues to crumble around her. 


As Charlie begins to tap into his dragon instincts, he learns more about Emma’s past and becomes increasingly convinced that he needs to save her.  But what if the very prison that binds her is the only thing protecting her from what lurks beyond?   

EXCERPT


It was exactly the sort of evening that I relished slipping into. No moon, no stars, just the pitch black of the eternal night sky and the air that sweltered thick and hot enough to rob the breath from your lungs. I sat down on a boulder beside the seemingly bottomless pool of Water and watched the Water cascade into it from the rock high above. Dark and powerful, the Water fell without a sound. In fact, not a single sound emanated from the forest. Nothing dared make a sound in my presence. I sank into the darkness, merged with it, became it. Then I looked to the top of the canyon a short distance from the Waterfall and knowing black eyes blinked in the darkness, vowing to take my place as soon as I stepped away.

I turned as a creature noiselessly emerged from the forest. Dressed in a heavy black cloak, beads and potion flasks and the teeth of various beasts strung around his neck and waist, he walked upright like a man. But beneath his cloak, the creature sauntered toward me with the bestial grace of a predator. His skull and facial bones were the bones of a man, but no flesh covered them, just pure white bone gleaming in the darkness. A wiry tuft of black hair grew from the top of his skull and eyes darker than the starless sky searched for me through fleshless sockets.

Though he couldn’t see me, he stopped just inches from my feet. “How are you, my old friend?”

I stood and let the darkness slip away from me. “That depends on whether you can help us.”

The corners of his mouth lifted into a disconcerting smile. “Still the same ray of sunshine, I see. I’m well, too. And my journey was uneventful. Thank you for asking.”

I took a step toward him, and he instinctually took two steps back. “I’d lose that smile if I were you. And save the cleverness for your potions. No one here is in the mood for jokes.”

He shook his bony head. “I’ve missed you too, Darkness. You always were the life of the party.” 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Erin Jensen is a part-time pharmacist and a fulltime creator of imaginary worlds.  She lives in upstate NY with her incredibly supportive husband, two sons (who are both taller than her) and a Yorkshire terrier who thinks he’s the family bodyguard.  In the early days of her writing career, Erin vowed to get a dragon tattoo—once her books received a milestone number of reviews—but she won’t disclose that number any longer, for fear of actually reaching her goal and having to go through with it.




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Monday, March 5, 2018

Book Blast & #Giveaway for Chicken Culprit by Vicki Walton


Welcome to my stop on the Book Blast, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for Chicken Culprit by Vicki Walton. Please leave a comment or question for Vicki to let her know you stopped by.  You may enter her tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You may follow all of the stops on the tour by clicking on the banner above. The more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning.  Good Luck!



Chicken Culprit
By Vicki Walton
A Backyard Farming Mystery, Book 1

Publisher: Vicki Walton
Release Date: February 12, 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Length: 251 Pages
ISBN: 9780999440209
ASIN:  B079SS1C4S

Buy Links:  AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE





About the book:

Moving to Colorado seemed like a great way to start over. In Carolan Springs, Anne plans to spend her days living the simpler life.

But when her neighbor is found dead in his compost pile, trouble comes knocking on Anne's door. 

All the evidence points to Anne's other neighbor, Kandi Jenkins. As the young woman begs Anne for help, Anne finds herself thrust into a world of deceit and secrets.


Who had the most to gain from Ralph's death? As the suspect list grows, Anne finds her desire for the simple life may have led her to something sinister.

                 Excerpt

“Come on, Carson.” With a hard stare from the sheriff, Sam stopped. “I mean, Sheriff Carson. I’m sure Ms. Freemont wants the killer caught like the rest of us do.”

“That’s right. In fact, I have my own suspect list.” Shoot. Why did I say that out loud?

“You do, do you? Are you a private detective, Ms. Freemont?” He stepped closer.

“No. But…” She inched back, stopping when her heel twisted.

“That is the correct answer. No, you are not. You don’t know what you are doing, and you need to stick to doing”—he appraised her—“whatever it is that you do. Leave the detective work to the professionals.”

Was he judging her by the heels she wore? She should never have let Kandi convince her the dress needed heels instead of ballet flats. She bristled at his appraisal. Well, she’d show him what she could do.

“Fine! I’ll just figure out the suspect list on my own.”

“Ms. Freemont, do you know that you can be arrested for interfering in a murder investigation?”

“I’m not interfering.”

“Good. Let’s keep it that way.” He tipped his hat, “Ms. Freemont, Sam.” He strode toward the pub.

Anne sighed in frustration. That man is incorrigible. 



AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Vikki is a well-liked speaker and knowledgeable instructor on myriad topics such as fundraising, work quilting, creative writing, design, homesteading, travel, and getting what you really want out of life. Her diverse background and passions enables Vikki to speak and write about many subjects. She’s the author of Work Quilting, a top ten book on vocational guidance. She’s also a global house and petsitter, founder and travel blogger at girlswanta.com and upcoming book on women’s travel. 

If Vikki isn’t off exploring the globe, you’ll find her at her home in Colorado digging in the garden, watching her chicken’s antics, reading a mystery or working on her newest project.

Connect with Vikki:
Twitter: @havensteader



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Cover Reveal for 39 Winks by Kathleen Valenti

39 Winks

Former pharmaceutical researcher Maggie O’Malley is losing sleep. Her boyfriend Constantine’s aunt is a multitasking sleepwalker who prepares meals, folds laundry and, one winter night, stumbles across her husband with his throat slit.

It’s a rude and gruesome awakening that’s upsetting to Aunt Polly. And interesting to the police. Maggie and Constantine work to uncover who killed the cosmetic surgery mogul and why. As they dig into the lives of those who knew him best, they discover that doctoring perception has deadly side effects.

A gripping page-turner with more twists than a surgeon’s suture, 39 Winks is a tale of lies, betrayals, and greed that will keep you up at night—and looking over your shoulder.

Ready…..

                     

Set…..

                     

Reveal!!

                             

39 Winks by Kathleen Valenti is coming May 22 from Henery Press!

You can pre-order your copy this week!!

Kathleen's Amazon Author Page

About the Author


When Kathleen Valenti isn’t writing page-turning mysteries that combine humor and suspense, she works as a nationally award-winning advertising copywriter. 39 Winks is the second of the Maggie O’Malley mystery series and follows her Agatha- and Lefty-nominated debut mystery, Protocol. Kathleen lives in Oregon with her family where she pretends to enjoy running.


Learn more at www.kathleenvalenti.com






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Thursday, March 1, 2018

Book Tour & #Giveaway for Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes and Better Dead


Welcome to my stop on the Book Tour, presented by Silver Dagger Book Tours, for Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes by Karen Rose Smith and Better Dead by Pamela Kopfler.  Please leave a comment or question for the authors to let them know you stopped by. You may enter their tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. Good Luck!

Better Dead
by Pamela Kopfler
A B&B Spirits Mystery, Book 1
Kensington Books
Genre: Cozy Mystery




As the owner of a charming Louisiana bed and breakfast, Holly Davis believes in Southern hospitality—but she draws the line at welcoming the ghost of her cheating husband . . .

Burl Davis checked out of this life a little earlier than expected—before Holly could serve him with divorce papers over his extramarital flings. Unfortunately, it was not before he nearly bankrupted her beloved B&B, Holly Grove, a converted plantation that has been in her family for generations. Holly would never wish anyone dead, but three months later she's feeling a lot more relief than grief.

Until Burl's ghost appears as an unwelcome guest. Before his spirit can move on, her not-so-dearly departed needs Holly’s human help to bust up the drug smuggling ring he was involved with. She has reservations, to say the least, but agrees to assist him if he’ll make a show of haunting the B&B to draw in visitors. But when Holly’s former love, Jack McCann, mysteriously resurfaces in town and checks in, she has to wonder if her B&B is big enough for the ghost of her husband and the very real physical presence of her old flame . . .

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo



Pamela Kopfler is a novelist, Southern-fried and sassy. She writes award-winning humorous mysteries with a kick of Southern sass. Her debut novel, BETTER DEAD, is the first in her B & B Spirits mystery series, to be followed by DOWNRIGHT DEAD, and HOG WILD DEAD. (Kensington Books) She is a four-time Golden Heart® finalist and a Daphne du Maurier award winner.

She can stir up a roux, mix a cocktail, and loves swapping stories. Putting words on the page keeps her alligator mouth from overloading her hummingbird heinie in real life. She marks her time on earth by the lives of the dogs she has loved–who often show up in her stories.
Pamela lives in South Louisiana where the spirits are restless, the food is spicy, and the living is divine.





Murder With Lemon Teacakes
by Karen Rose Smith
A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery, Book 1
Kensington Books
Genre: Cozy Mystery



In an old Victorian in the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish country, Daisy Swanson and her aunt Iris serve soups, scones, and soothing teas to tourists and locals--but a murder in their garden has them in hot water . . .
-- "... readers are immediately drawn to main character, Daisy Swanson, and her beloved Aunt Iris."
- Suspense Magazine

Daisy, a widowed mom of two teenagers, is used to feeling protective--so when Iris started dating the wealthy and not-quite-divorced Harvey Fitz, she worried . . . especially after his bitter ex stormed in and caused a scene at the party Daisy's Tea Garden was catering. Then there was the gossip she overheard about Harvey's grown children being cut out of his will. Daisy didn't want her aunt to wind up with a broken heart--but she never expected Iris to wind up a suspect in Harvey's murder.

Now the apple bread and orange pekoe is on the back burner while the cops treat the shop like a crime scene--and Daisy hopes that Jonas Groft, a former detective from Philadelphia, can help her clear her aunt's name and bag the real killer before things boil over . . .

Includes delicious recipes for Iris's Lemon Tea Cakes and more!

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo




After writing romances for twenty years, Karen Rose Smith is excited to see her Caprice De Luca home-stager mystery series published. Her sleuth reflects many of her interests: ¬interior decorating, cooking, retro fashion, gardening, and, most of all, taking in stray animals. Married to her college sweetheart, Karen has convinced her husband that felines can make purr-fect housemates. They share their home in the Susquehanna Valley of Pennsylvania with their three rescued cats. For more about Karen, please visit her website.




Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!



Virtual Tour & #Giveaway for Plum Tea Crazy by Laura Childs


Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Tour, presented by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, for Plum Tea Crazy by Laura Childs. Please leave a comment or question for Laura to let her know you stopped by. You may enter her tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. You may follow all of the stops on her tour by clicking on the banner above. The more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning.  Good Luck!

About the Book

Plum Tea Crazy
By Laura Childs
A Tea Shop Mystery, Book 19

Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Length: 336 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0451489609
ASIN: B071K4DPRH





Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Google Play

Theodosia Browning investigates a Charleston steeped in tradition and treachery in the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs.

While viewing the harbor’s Gaslights and Galleons Parade from the widow’s walk of Timothy Neville’s Charleston mansion, local banker Carson Lanier seemingly tumbles over a narrow railing, then plunges three stories to his death. But a tragic accident becomes something much more sinister when it’s discovered that the victim was first shot with a bolt from a crossbow.

At the request of the mansion owner, Theodosia investigates the tragedy and is soon neck deep in suspects. An almost ex-wife, a coworker, a real estate partner–all had motives for killing the luckless banker, but one resorted to murder to settle accounts.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!


About the Author


Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life, she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.


Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries  – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries  – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries  – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Laura’s Links:



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