Posted in Book Blast, Giveaway, Romantic Suspense on May 21, 2014

operation sheba

Title:                                     Operation Sheba
Series:                                  Super Agents, Book 1
Author:                                Misty Evans
Release Date:                    May 14, 2014 (original release date September 9, 2008)
Genre:                                  Romantic Suspense

Buy Links:                            Amazon / Amazon UK

 

Synopsis

For fans of Homeland and Covert Affairs!

***#1 Romantic Suspense, #2 Romance, #3 Bestseller in Kindle Store in 2010!

***1st Place Winner of the New England Readers Choice Award for Best Romantic Suspense!

First in the award-winning romantic suspense Super Agent series by USA TODAY bestselling author Misty Evans.

Julia Torrison—codename Sheba—is keeping secrets.

Seventeen months ago she was one of the CIA’s super agents, facing down dangerous terrorists with her partner and lover Conrad Flynn. After a mission was blown and Conrad died, Julia was yanked back to Langley and given a new identity. She is now the Counterterrorism Center’s top analyst, spending her days at CIA headquarters and her nights in her boss’s bed. Her former life as a secret agent has been sealed off with her heart.

Former SEAL Conrad Flynn—codename Solomon—has his own secrets.

For starters, he’s not dead. Going under the deepest cover possible, he faked his own death to save Sheba’s life. Now he must tear that new life apart and ask for her help to hunt down a traitor inside the Agency’s walls.

Is Conrad a rogue operative or a jealous ex-lover looking for revenge?

Julia must risk everything for the man who still holds her heart in order to decide. Drawn into a web of seduction and betrayal, she is forced to play the spy game of her life, flushing out an Agency mole and stopping a hostage situation using nothing more than her iPod and her intuition.

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Excerpt

The man sat perfectly still in the semidarkness watching the woman sleep. Only a sheet covered the slender body on the queen-size bed. Long hair stretched out in waves on her pillow, and he tamped down the urge to reach out and touch it. He watched the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest and slowed his own breathing to match. Resting his gun, a suppressed Heckler & Koch, on his right thigh, he wished he had a cigarette to calm his nerves.

Cigarettes, like his true identity, had been given up years ago, but every once in awhile he caught himself craving the feel of the stick between his lips, the smoke curling around his face. At thirty-two, he’d lost track of all the things he’d given up to become the man he was at this moment. He’d played too many roles, led too many lives, losing his sense of duty and fairness only to find himself becoming the enemy he was supposed to search out and destroy.

But he’d never lost track of her.

She continued to sleep deeply, a sight he had rarely witnessed in their five-plus years together. Her demeanor when awake was calm and unshakable. She was analytical and calculating, sizing up any given situation and devising two or three options to keep herself, and him, alive. But in sleep, nightmares tormented her. Nightmares that gripped her so hard she would cry out, making his blood run cold. He would pull her close and murmur reassurances in her ear, stroke her face and rock her in his arms. Anything to scatter the demons that terrorized her mind and raped her soul.

Seeing her at peace here in the early morning hours gave him comfort. I shouldn’t have come. I should have stayed dead to her, left her in whatever conciliation she has found. But he needed her and the hand was already dealt. If he failed he would be dead, for real this time, and someone else would come for her. He couldn’t fail. Her life depended on it as much as his did.

A memory of their escape from Berlin the first time he’d used her knowledge of explosives surfaced in his mind. After he had detonated the bomb and eliminated the warehouse, he had pulled her into a hotel in the Mitte District and paid for a shabby room. There they had spent those first few hours after the explosion making love under the goose-down quilt, needing the affirmation they both still lived to wipe out the pain they shared. Hours later, after he had slept and she had stared out the window at the stagnant Spree River, they wired a car and drove to Tegel Airport. Both had changed their appearance and, traveling together, never raised a single eyebrow as they passed the airport’s security and boarded a plane to Venice. Only then in the safety of the sky did exhaustion take over and afford her sleep.

The woman stirred, bringing her legs up into a fetal position. The room was starting to gray with the approaching sunrise. Her hand slipped under her absent lover’s pillow and he smiled, the familiarity of her movement sending ripples of anticipation rushing through his veins. He struggled to keep himself from whispering her name in the silent room. Pulling himself back a step from the edge, he took a deep breath, slid his gun into the waistband at the small of his back and willed himself to be patient and savor the moment. After all, he had waited seventeen months for this.

Julia Torrison sensed two things upon wakening. Michael was gone and there was another unidentifiable human presence in her room.

Maintaining her deep, even breathing, she kept her body motionless as if still in sleep to give her mind a few more precious minutes to filter through the probable identity of her visitor.

The options were cataloged in her brain. Enemies of her country and of her own making were widespread. But who these days cared whether she lived or died? She was simply an analyst now, lost in the windowless, cubicle-induced maze of the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center. From her four-by-six bunker of space, she did what they asked her to—analyze terrorists. Fieldwork was behind her now. Years of training and self-discipline, invisible orders and covert operations lost in the blink of an eye, in the explosion of a bomb, in the abrupt and complete silence of her partner.

No enemy could have found her easily. The CIA had created a new identity for her, Abigail Quinn, and plunked her in their ultimate safe house at Langley. She had thought she would go mad from the sterile confinement of the CTC office, but filtering through the endless pools of information about the disciplined madmen trying to bring America to its knees had actually pacified her. It had become meditation, freeing her brain from the racing thoughts about him. About what she could have, should have done to save him. The guilt for still being alive while he was dead gnawed at her, especially in the dark hours of the night when Michael’s hands reached for her instead of his. But through the work, and because of Michael’s constant reinforcement, she was finally becoming Abigail Quinn. Her past self was doggedly being sealed off, layer of brick over layer of brick, never to be seen again.

Perhaps her visitor was simply a thief who had watched Michael leave with Pongo, his Rottweiler, for their daily run to the lake. However, no casual burglar could have made it past the posted guard at the gate or the home’s eleven-thousand-dollar security system.

Michael’s pillow was still warm where his head had been minutes earlier. Her hand wrapped slowly around the hidden Beretta 92F 9-mm stored there and she felt the thrill of the hunted turned hunter. People underestimated her because she was a woman and because her characteristic quietness was often taken for ignorance.

It was always their mistake.

Julia willed her heart not to pump out of her chest as she eased the safety off the gun. It really didn’t matter who the intruder was…he was in for a big surprise.

About the Author

misty evansUSA TODAY Bestselling Author Misty Evans has published over twenty novels and writes romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance. As a writing coach, she helps other authors bring their books – and their dreams of being published – to life.

The books in her Super Agent series have won a CataNetwork Reviewers’ Choice Award, CAPA nominations, the New England Reader’s Choice Bean Pot Award for Best Romantic Suspense in 2010 and the ACRA Heart of Excellence Reader’s Choice Award for Best Romantic Suspense in 2011.

Her Witches Anonymous series was dubbed a Fallen Angel Reviews Recommended Read. The Super Agent Series, Witches Anonymous Series, and the Kali Sweet Series have been on multiple Amazon Kindle bestsellers lists. Her culinary romantic mystery, THE SECRET INGREDIENT, and the first book in her Deadly series, DEADLY PURSUIT, are both USA TODAY bestsellers.

Misty likes her coffee black, her conspiracy stories juicy, and her wicked characters dressed in couture. When not reading or writing, she enjoys music, movies, and hanging out with her husband, twin sons, and two spoiled puppies.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads/ Newsletter / Pinterest

 

Break the Spy Code Contest with Giveaways!

Misty Evans wants you to be a spy! She’s hidden code words on her website that make up a famous quote from her Super Agent novel, OPERATION SHEBA. Gather all eight words to form the quote and be entered to win an iTunes or Starbucks gift card.

To play: Find the first word and instructions here: http://readmistyevans.com/book/4/operation-sheba

Once you have the famous quote, message Misty with it on her Facebook Fan Page (Be sure to Like the page first!) and you’ll be entered into the drawing.

The contest will run from May 14 – 23. Winners will be announced on Misty’s Facebook page on May 26th!

 

Tour Stops

May 14, 2014
So Many Reads
Amy Manemann
Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey

May 15, 2014
TBQ’s Book Palace
Pamela Foreman
Reviews by Molly

May 16, 2014
As Leituras do Corvo
Brittany’s Book Blog
Buried Under Romance

May 17, 2014
Reading by the Book
The Book Review

May 19, 2014
Brooke Blogs
Caribbean Accent
Becky on Books…and Quilts

May 20, 2014
Shelley’s Book Case
Long and Short Reviews
Read Your Writes

May 21, 2014
Renee Entress
My Written Romance
Storeybook Reviews

 

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Posted in Book Blast, fiction, Giveaway, Historical on May 20, 2014

goddess born cover

Goddess Born

Pennsylvania, 1730

Selah Kilbrid keeps a dangerous secret: she has the power to heal.

A direct descendent of the Celtic goddess Brigid, it’s Selah’s sacred duty to help those in need. But as the last of the Goddess Born living in the New World, she learned from an early age to keep her supernatural abilities hidden. The Quaker community of Hopewell has always been welcoming, but there’s no doubt they would see her hanged if her gift was revealed.

When a prominent minister threatens to try her with witchcraft unless she becomes his wife, Selah has only one hope—that her betrothed, a distant cousin from Ireland, arrives as planned. Marrying Samuel would keep her secret safe, preserve her sacred bloodline, and protect her from being charged as a witch.

But when news of Samuel’s death reaches the Colonies, Selah is truly on her own. Terrified, she faces an impossible choice—forfeit her powers and marry the loathsome Nathan? Or find an imposter to pose as her husband and preserve her birthright?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

2013 RWA Golden Heart© Finalist

2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award semifinalist

 

ABNA Publisher Weekly Reviewer

Set in the colony of Pennsylvania in 1730, this riveting novel begins as 18-year-old Selah Kilbrid runs into Quaker minister Nathan Crowley, a man who “labor[ed] under the delusion that [Selah] would soon be his wife” despite the fact that she was betrothed to a man on his way to America from Ireland. Nathan tells Selah that if she refuses him, he will have her “charged as a witch” because of her ability to heal the sick. To avoid Nathan’s plan to marry her the following Sunday, she leaves for Philadelphia to wait for the arrival of her betrothed and marry him before returning home. In Philadelphia, she discovers that her betrothed has died at sea. She then purchases Henry, an indentured servant, and convinces him to pose as her husband and help protect her from Nathan. As the story continues, the reader learns of Selah’s family history and the powers she possesses; Selah is half human, half goddess. It’s important that her secret stay safe, because if discovered, she could be killed. The characters are well developed and relatable; the reader empathizes with Selah and her plight. The fast-paced plot is exciting and keeps the reader guessing and in suspense. The end leaves room for a sequel, which, after such a tremendous beginning, would be anxiously awaited. A clear winner!

Kari EdgrenAuthor Kari Edgren

Kari Edgren did not dream of becoming a writer. Instead, she dreamed of everything else and was often made to stay inside during kindergarten recess to practice her letters. Despite doting parents and a decent school system, Ms. Edgren managed to make it through elementary school having completed only one book cover to cover – The Box Car Children, which she read approximately forty-seven times. Things improved during high school, but not until she read Gabrielle Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude in college, did she truly understand the power of a book.

Ms. Edgren aspires to be a Vulcan, a world-acclaimed opera singer, and two inches taller. She resides in the Pacific NW where she spends a great deal of time torturing her husband and children with strange food and random historical facts. Ms. Edgren hasn’t stopped dreaming, but has finally mastered her letters enough to put the stories on paper.

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Goddess Born Tour

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Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/15/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Posted in Cover Reveal, Giveaway, paranormal, romance on May 19, 2014
COVER REVEAL!
Brand new covers for Lancaster House and The Middle Aisle!
~A paranormal romance series by Taylor Dean~
I love my OLD covers. (Pictured on the left.) I really do. They’re different from the norm and that’s why they captured my attention.
For Lancaster House, I liked the idea of a hand reaching out from the grave. It seemed appropriate to the story; Andre reaches out to Zoe from beyond the grave. It was Carrie-like and kind of creepy.


There’s just one problem.
This is not a horror novel. Not at all. This is a paranormal romance. People who like horror are drawn to the cover and are sadly disappointed when they realize it’s a romance.
People who love paranormal romance are turned off by the cover because it looks too creepy.
In other words, the cover just wasn’t working.
I love The Middle Aisle cover because it matched Lancaster House so perfectly. And part of the story takes place in Monterey, California. Monterey is known for its Cypress trees. The tree on the cover of The Middle Aisle reminded me of a Cypress tree and seemed perfect.
But, if the right people aren’t reading the first book, no one will ever read the second one no matter what the cover looks like!
Bam! Decision made!
It was time for new covers for Lancaster House and The Middle Aisle! I love the new covers because they speak so perfectly as to what’s on the inside.
Without further ado, here they are, the new covers!
Add
Lancaster House
to

 



 

Lancaster House

on

Amazon

 

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The Middle Aisle
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The Middle Aisle


on

 

Author Taylor Dean

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.

Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/8/14
Open Internationally

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Posted in Blog tour, excerpt, fiction, Giveaway, Historical, women on May 17, 2014

 photo MrsPoeTourP_zpse2a0d396.jpg
 photo MrsPoeCover_zps24f964f6.jpg
Title:Mrs. Poe
Author: Lynn Cullen
Genre: Historical Fiction/Woman’s Fiction
Publish Date: April 1, 2013 (Paperback Release)
Publisher: Gallery Books
Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

 

~ Book Synopsis ~

 

In the nationally bestselling MRS. POE (Gallery Books; April 1, 2014; Trade Paperback; $16.00), award-nominated author Lynn Cullen uses meticulously researched historical details to deliver a pitch-perfect rendering of Edgar Allen Poe, his mistress’s tantalizing confession, and his wife’s frightening obsession, all inspired by literature’s most haunting love triangle.

1845: New York City is a sprawling warren of gaslit streets and crowded avenues, bustling with new immigrants and old money, optimism and opportunity, poverty and crime. Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” is all the rage—the success of which a struggling poet like Frances Osgood can only dream.As a mother trying to support two young children after her husband’s cruel betrayal, Frances jumps at the chance to meet the illustrious Mr. Poe at a small literary gathering, if only to help her fledging career.

Although not a great fan of Poe’s writing, she is nonetheless overwhelmed by his magnetic presence—and the surprising revelation that he admires her work. What follows is a flirtation, then a seduction, then an illicit affair…and with each clandestine encounter, Frances finds herself falling slowly and inexorably under the spell of her mysterious, complicated lover.

But when Edgar’s frail wife Virginia insists on befriending Frances as well, the relationship becomes as dark and twisted as one of Poe’s tales.And like those gothic heroines whose fates are forever sealed, Frances begins to fear that deceiving Mrs. Poe may be as impossible as cheating death its elf.

Much like T he Paris Wife, MRS. POE combines literary fiction with reimagined historical drama; much like Poe himself, Lynn Cullen captures his mysterious and macabre tone. While providing a voyeuristic peek into the heart and mind one of the history’s most fascinating literary figures, Cullen explores the themes of artistic expression, social standing in the 1800s, and the self-ownership of women.

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Excerpt

Two weeks later, I was tucked beneath a thick buffalo robe, riding downtown in Miss Fuller’s carriage. I had been too nervous to enjoy the trip or to appreciate Miss Fuller’s carriage, pulled by a clopping bay. That Miss Fuller was the only woman in New York to support herself by writing, let alone to have enough leftover to buy her own buggy, mattered little to me at that moment. Why had I agreed to meet Poe? And why would he want to meet me? He had already made and broken an appointment the previous week. I had been relieved by the cancellation, only to become agitated once more when he set up a different date. As suddenly and inexplicably as he had championed my poetry at the New York Society Library, he could withdraw his support if I said something wrong. Who knew what triggered the man’s tomahawk?

Miss Fuller jerked on the reins. “Here we are.” She looked at me expectantly, as if I should climb out of her trim little gig without her.

“Shouldn’t we wait for the doormen to take your reins?” I asked.

“Take my reins? Oh—did you think I was coming with you? No, no, dear, I’m off to investigate a slum on Hester Street. You really thought I was coming with you? I only meant that I would take you here. I thought your husband would appreciate my escorting you since he is, as you say, out of town.”

“Would you rather I came with you to the slum?” I asked.

“And have you jilt Mr. Poe? I wouldn’t dare.” Miss Fuller steadied her horse, then waved me toward the hotel. “Go on. It will be good for your books.”

Reluctantly, I climbed out from under the heavy robe. I held my breath as the carriage rattled away.

I found myself on the sidewalk before the hotel, contemplating an immediate about-face up Broadway when I felt someone’s presence behind me. Before I could move, a man said, “Lord help the poor bears and beavers.”

I turned to find Mr. Poe, his black-lashed eyes trained upon the building before us. Without a hello he said, “Davy Crockett’s words, upon first seeing this pile.”

I hesitated. “Because of Mr. Astor’s fur trade?”

He continued as if I had not spoken. “But Crockett was mistaken. It wasn’t the bears and the beavers that made Astor’s fortune. It was the opium he bought from the Chinese.”

I looked at him in surprise. “Mr. Astor deals in opium?”

He kept his gaze upon the hotel. “Whenever you see this much wealth, assume that someone dirtied his hands. Fortunes don’t come to saints.”

“I’ve never thought of that.”

He gave me a sharp glance. “Really?”

I drew back, chastened.

“Mr. Astor prefers to be known for the slaughter of animals rather than for his association with opiates. I wonder why that is.” He lowered his sights to me. “Shall we enter, Mrs. Osgood?”

So he did recognize me. I preceded him inside, into the hot maw of the lobby. As we walked past impressive people dressed in beautiful clothes, I felt low and insignificant, a ne’er-do-well’s abandoned wife, although my gown was as fine as anyone’s. What a sham I was.

I stopped to face him. “Congratulations on the success of ‘The Raven.’ ”

He frowned as if insulted.

“People love it. I hear talk of it everywhere I go.”

“‘People’ have no taste. Don’t tell me that you think it’s a work of genius.”

Was this a trick? I scanned his dark-rimmed eyes for clues.

When I did not answer he said, “Thank you, Mrs. Osgood. You’re the first honest woman I have met in New York.” He shook his head.

“It is my luck that I will become famous for that piece.”

Still not sure that I shouldn’t be gushing, I switched to safer ground. “May I ask what you are working on now?”

“A book on the material and spiritual universe.”

I laughed.

He watched me coolly.

“I’m sorry. I thought you were joking.”

“I never joke.”

“Of course not. Excuse me.”

“Although I wish I were. It will never sell.”

“Your work always sells,” I said lightly.

“Not any of my works with a true idea in them. People want to be titillated or frightened. They don’t want to think.”

I smiled hesitantly. What did he want with me?

“This is why I singled out your poems in my lecture,” he said. “They have real feeling in them, if one reads between the lines.”

I could not help but be disarmed. “Thank you. I find that the thoughts spoken between the lines are the most important parts of a poem or story.”

“As in life.”

I reluctantly met his intense gaze. “Yes.”

“I am particularly taken with your poem, ‘Lenore’:

 

So when Love poured through thy pure heart his lightning,

On thy pale cheek the soft rose-hues awoke—

So when wild Passion, that timid heart frightening,

Poisoned the treasure, it trembled and broke!

 

I swallowed my surprise. “You memorized it.”

An elegant couple drifted by, he in succulent wool and she in layers of costly lace. Mr. Poe frowned. “It spoke to me somehow, and not just because I had written a poem with the same title and had used the name in ‘The Raven.’ ”

“A coincidence.”

He stared at me.

I looked away. Why had Mr. Poe called this meeting? Surely he had better things to do than to raise the hopes of an unknown writer.

“You are probably wondering why I wished to meet you.”

I drew in a breath.

“Actually, it is on behalf of my wife.”

“Mrs. Poe?”

He frowned slightly at my unnecessary question. “She is a great reader. I have taught her all of the classics. I like to encourage her when she shows interest in good work, and your poems, Mrs. Osgood,

delight her.”

I pictured the pretty woman-child I had seen at Miss Lynch’s conversazione. I wondered if it was my poems for adults or for children that she admired.

“Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Poe. I wish she were here so that I could thank her, too.”

His expression hardened. “She has had bronchitis. Her recovery has been long and difficult. There was no question of her going out today.”

“I am sorry to hear that.”

“The few times she has ventured beyond our home have only served to set her back.”

“I am truly very sorry.”

He glanced away, then glared as if I’d offended him. “You will not hear her complain. She’s a brave, good girl. If I could only take her to Jamaica or Bermuda or some such hot clime, I’m certain she would become well.”

Why did they not go, then? With his success, surely he had the money.

“I hope she gets well soon.”

His expression settled back into cool civility. “It is bold of me to ask—we are perfect strangers, and you have obligations to your husband and family—but might you come visit her someday? I know

from looking into your eyes that you are a good person, and kind, and that your gentle association might help her.”

That was why he wished to meet with me? Ashamed of my disappointment, I exclaimed, “I should like very much to meet her! Might I have the pleasure of visiting her at your home?”

“Mrs. Osgood, you are too kind. Yes. Yes, we’d like that very much.”

“When would you like me to come?”

“At your convenience.”

“Would next week suit you?”

“Name your day. Any day. I will arrange my schedule around you.”

“Monday? In the afternoon?” I saved my morning hours for writing . . . writing, that is, what I hoped would be my imitation of his work.

He bowed, as stiffly formal as if in a royal court. “We would be so grateful.”

He gave me directions to his home on 154 Greenwich Street, then bowing again, left me in Astor’s parlor with all the frippery that bears and beavers and opium could buy.

 

More Information

National Bestseller

Great Reads of 2013 –NPR

Books That Make Time Stand Still

–Oprah.com Editor’s Pick

—The Historical Novels Review Best Books of 2013

—Atlanta Magazine
Indie Next List Pick

“Is it true that Edgar Allen Poe cheated on his tubercular, insipid young wife with a lady poet he’d met at a literary salon? Cullen makes you hope so.” –New York Times

“This fictional reenactment of the mistress of Edgar Allan Poe escorts you into the glittering world of New York in the 1840s…A bewitching, vivid trip into the heyday of American literary society.” –Oprah.com, Book of the Week

“Vivid…Atmospheric…Don’t miss it.” –People

“Nevermore shall you wonder what it might have been like to fall deeply in love with Edgar Allen Poe… Mrs. Poe nails the period.” –NPR

“A page-turning tale…Readers who loved Paula McLain’s The Paris Wife will relish another novel based on historical scandal and romance.” –Library Journal, starred review

“Immensely engaging…Set upon the backdrop of a fascinating era…this is not only a captivating story of forbidden lovers but an elaborately spun tale of NYC society.” –The Historical Novels Review

“A must-read for those intrigued by Poe, poetry and the latter half of nineteenth-century America.” –RT Book Reviews (4 stars)

 

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About the Author

 photo lynn-cullen-239x300_zpsd6e54f1c.jpg
Lynn Cullen is the author of T he Creation of Eve, named one of the best fiction books of the year by The Atlanta Journal- Constitution; and Reign of Madness, nominated for the Townsend Prize for fiction. She is also the author of numerous award-winning children’s books, including I Am Rembrandt’s Daughter. An avid traveler and historian, she lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

 

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Giveaway

5 paperback books for giveaway (US residents only). Send directly to the winners from publisher

 

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Posted in Book Blast, fiction, Giveaway on May 17, 2014

Almond Tree Book Cover

The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti

“An epic drama of the proportions of The Kite Runner… Grabs you from the first page… A gripping and compassionate work of fiction”
—Huffington Post

The unforgettable story of a young Palestinian boy whose mathematical gifts allow him to escape the difficulties of life as an Arab Israeli, The Almond Tree is a beautifully crafted debut novel written by a Jewish American woman from the perspective of a Palestinian Muslim male. It is about the power of love, the price of hatred, and the possibility of redemption.

Even as a young boy Ahmed Hamid struggles with knowing that he can do nothing to save his friends and family. Coming of age under Israeli martial law, his entire village operates in fear of losing their homes, jobs, and belongings. But more importantly, they fear losing each other.

On Ahmed’s twelfth birthday, that fear becomes reality.

With his father imprisoned, his family’s home and possessions confiscated, and his beloved brother Abbas succumbing to hatred in the face of conflict, Ahmed must find a way to care for his family and find a better future for himself. Gifted with a mind that can solve mathematical equations, he uses his intellect to take an inspiring journey that will lead him from his war-torn homeland to a life in America he could never have imagined for himself.

A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of half a century of conflict, The Almond Tree is a powerful novel that allows us to walk in one extraordinary Palestinian’s shoes and see the world through his eyes.

“Corasanti’s accomplished debut novel offers a humanistic look into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict…Sensitive, moving…” —Kirkus Reviews

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Praise for The Almond Tree

“The story is spell-binding with universal appeal…”
The Daily Star
” …a strong addition to coming of age fiction collections, highly recommended.”
The MidwestBook Review

“…one of the most riveting books I have read…
Corasanti takes a realistic premise and builds an interesting and highly believable story that only gets better as the pages fly by. While “The Almond Tree” is a fictional tale, much of it is based on the truth of what is today’s world, and as such there is also an important message located within. I highly recommend this book.”
Charline Ratcliff / Rebecca’s Reads

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Almond Tree AuthorAuthor Michelle Cohen Corasanti

Michelle Cohen Corasanti received a BA from Hebrew University in Jerusalem and an MA from Harvard University, both in Middle Eastern Studies. A Jewish American, she lived in Israel for seven years and was married to a Palestinian Muslim for several years afterwards. Nearly a decade in the making, The Almond Tree grew out of the many stories Michelle heard and witnessed while living with Palestinians and Israeli friends and family she knew and loved in Israel and at Harvard. She currently lives in New York with her family.

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$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/6/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Posted in 5 paws, Blog tour, excerpt, Review, romance on May 16, 2014

Prejudice Meets Pride Tour BannerTour Schedule

 

Prejudice Meets Pride by Rachael Anderson Book Cover

Prejudice Meets Pride by Rachael Anderson

After years of pinching pennies and struggling to get through art school, Emma Makie’s hard work finally pays off with the offer of a dream job. But when tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to make a cross-country move to Colorado Springs to take temporary custody of her two nieces. She has no money, no job prospects, and no idea how to be a mother to two little girls, but she isn’t about to let that stop her. Nor is she about to accept the help of Kevin Grantham, her handsome new neighbor, who seems to think she’s incapable of doing anything on her own.
Fun, compelling, and romantic, Prejudice Meets Pride is the story of a guy who thinks he has it all figured out and a girl who isn’t afraid to show him that he doesn’t. It’s about learning what it means to trust, figuring out how to give and to take, and realizing that not everyone gets to pick the person they fall in love with. Sometimes, love picks them.

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Excerpt

Every part of Kevin screamed at him not to take it. He didn’t want it or need it. Why couldn’t she let it go and forget about it? Why wouldn’t she let him ease some of her burdens? He wanted to—so much. It was killing him how much. But then he looked from the envelope to her eyes, and in that instant, he knew he couldn’t turn down the money. She needed him to accept it.

So he did, though he hated himself for it. To him, forty bucks was pocket change. To her, it was a weeks’ worth of groceries. “Thanks,” he mumbled.

“Thank you for loaning it to me.”

“Anytime.” His eyes captured and held hers. “I mean it, Emma. Anytime.”

“I know,” she said softly.

That would have to be enough for now. Kevin fingered the envelope, wishing there was something he could do. Something she’d let him do. “Would you like to borrow my lawnmower?” he asked tentatively, worried the question would make her go all ape on him again. “It works.”

Emma’s hand covered her mouth, muffling a strangled sound. Was that a sob or a snicker? Kevin couldn’t tell. Please don’t let her be crying. He never knew what to say or do when a woman got all weepy.

The sound came again, and Emma’s eyes filled with suppressed humor. Whew. It was a snicker. She was trying not to laugh. Did that mean he could press his luck? He gestured toward his mower. “Or, I could always mow it   for—”

“No.” And just like that, all traces of humor were gone. “I’ll mow my own lawn, thanks. Then I’ll clean it up, refill it with gas, and return it to you in better shape than before. Because that’s what you do when you borrow something.” It sounded rehearsed—a lesson ingrained in her by parents or someone else. “And then I’ll find a way to repay you for everything else you’ve done for me. Because I hate—hate—being in your debt.”

Kevin stepped forward and rested his hands on Emma’s shoulders, still clutching the envelope. He shook her shoulders lightly until those beautiful gray eyes met his. “Emma, you don’t owe me anything.”

“Yes, I do.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes—”

“No, you don’t,” he said firmly, then held the envelope in front of her face. “As far as I’m concerned, this makes us square.”

She didn’t try to say anything this time, only continued to stare at him with eyes that he could drown in. He lowered his hand from her mouth and shoved the envelope in the back pockets of his jeans, where he felt another envelope containing the art gallery tickets.

He pulled them out. “And speaking of not owing me anything, I happen to have two tickets for some big art gallery show tonight in Denver. They were given to me and didn’t cost a dime,” he quickly added. “Would you like to go?”

Her eyes clouded in confusion. “With you?”

No, with Sam or even Becky. Anyone but him. He was taking Nicole out tonight, not Emma. Nicole. If only his heart would stop pounding on his chest to say, “Yeah. With me.” The words were out before he could stop them. “I can see if Sam’s available to watch the girls.”

“You mean like a date?” Emma said.

Did he mean that? Kevin wasn’t sure. Everything that had seemed so clear moments before suddenly became murky and garbled. “How about we call it two friends hanging out? Something tells me you could really use a break.”

The confusion left her eyes, and she frowned. “Great. So now I’m the charity case again.”

Worried that he’d inadvertently turned up the heat on a pot that had only just begun to simmer, Kevin amended, “I meant a date. It’s like a date.”

Review

Yet another great book by Rachael Anderson! Emma takes on the daunting task of helping raise her nieces while her brother get back on his feet. Emma has a LOT of pride is pretty much refuses help from everyone. Then there is Kevin, a pediatric dentist and a bit of a snob. That is until he meets Emma and wants to help but is thwarted at every turn.

There were times I wanted to smack Emma for having so much pride. There is something to be said for doing things yourself and realizing when you might just need a little help. It doesn’t mean you have failed! I think I was rooting for Kevin because one he got past his snobbish side, he was a good guy wanting to help Emma in small ways.

Definitely worth the read and we give it 5 paws up!

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Coming Soon…

Coming Next in the Meet Your Match Series

 

Rachael
Author Rachael Anderson

A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

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Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/31/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 

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Posted in Book Blast, fiction, Giveaway on May 16, 2014

 

missing lily

Missing Lily

“You don’t know who I am,” I whispered. He didn’t move—either away from me, or closer—and after an interminable moment, I stepped back and hurried out of the house.

He didn’t follow me as I fled into the night.

Lylin was not used to being alone—much less alone, hurt, and lost. So when she is separated from her guard and forced to abandon her horse, she counts herself lucky to stumble upon a manor house. Still frightened by those who chased her into the night, she keeps her identity a secret, calling herself Lily as she accepts the help of kind servants, and the compassion of Lord Fallon. When they fall into an easy friendship, she wonders if her secrecy was too hasty. However, as she gets to know the manor and its residents, Lylin discovers that she’s not the only one hiding secrets, and it may be a very good thing that her host doesn’t know her true identity as a member of the royal family.

 

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Author Annette K. Larsen

I was born in Utah, part of a crazy, fun family of nine. I grew up in Flagstaff, AZ and St. Louis, MO before striking out on my own college adventure in Virginia. I decided to try my hand at writing novels after I was married and living in Idaho. I write clean romance because it’s my favorite genre, but often difficult to find.

I have Charlotte Brontë to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally, a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to face the reality of sacrificing what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but in the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it.

I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other.


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Missing Lily Tour

Tour Schedule

Not yet read Just Ella?

It is on sale for $3.99 for the duration of the blog tour.

Grab your copy on Amazon.

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Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/10/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Posted in Cover Reveal, Novella on May 15, 2014

misdeeds
Misdeeds is the follow up to Misunderstood. Misunderstood is the beginning of Johnnie and Kendall’s rocky road to their HEA. Misdeeds continues their rocky road to the HEA they deserve. You can read Misunderstood as a stand alone then Misdeeds, but you don’t want to miss out on the rest of this great series. If you haven’t tried the Death Dwellers MC series, please check it out book 1 is Misled.

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Misdeeds Synopsis

John “Johnnie” Donovan is determined to make his relationship work with Kendall Miller, the attorney he met during his cousin’s birthday party. Before he can move on with his future, however, he still has loose ends to tie up from the past in the person of a rival MC’s president who is also Kendall’s ex-boyfriend. As Johnnie tries to balance his club life and personal life, another tragedy forces him to make a choice between the two. Will Johnnie be able to live with the choices he makes?

Kendall Miller is trying to pick up the pieces of her life in the wake of her ex-boyfriend’s assault. She’s ready to move on with her life and the man of her dreams, the sexy VP of the Death Dwellers MC. She demands his complete attention and isn’t willing to share her man with all the baggage of the MC. She doesn’t want to be an afterthought to him nor does she want to live her life in the midst of the clubhouse, especially with the competition taking place between Kendall and the club president’s wife. Then, catastrophe strikes and Kendall’s life is once again altered. Can she and Johnnie have a future together or has their love been doomed from the beginning?

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Posted in Blog tour, fiction, Thriller on May 15, 2014

Ghost of the Gods 7

Title: Ghost of the Gods
Genre: Techno-Thriller
Author: Kevin Bohacz
Publisher: Mazel & Sechel
Pages: 437
Format: Paperback/Kindle

Purchase at AMAZON

Was it the accumulated wounds to the environment that had finally triggered the nanotech plague or was it simply one more step in a shrewdly crafted plan to replace us with humans 2.0? As I write this at least one pair of these transhumans breathe the same air as us, and there are likely many more. They may look like us, they may even be almost human, but they are also cybernetic and will live for an extraordinary length of time. Trust me, their goals are not the same as ours. It was not a natural plague that almost drove humankind to extinction but an attack from within, turning our own biology against us. Scientists discovered all too late an artificial entity, a sentient machine foolishly created in the image of god, had been studying us and genetically altering us for longer than we can imagine. Perhaps it is because of this god-machine that we evolved into creatures who can think and speak and know our own mortality? This silicon god is so different from us that we may never truly understand it, but what we do know is that it is terrifyingly intelligent and it hates us. What we do know is that it tried to eradicate us from the face of our planet and then stopped for no discernible reason. What we do know is that its work is not done.

Ghost of the Gods Tour Page

About the Author

Kevin Bohacz 8Kevin Bohacz is the bestselling novelist of Immortality and a lucid dreamer….Welcome to my dreams.  I am also a writer for national computer magazines, founder and president of two high technology corporations, a scientist and engineer for over 35 years, and the inventor of an advanced electric car system – the ESE Engine System (circa 1978).  I was also a short order cook for I-Hop, flipped burgers at McDonalds, and delivered Chicken Delight.  All of those careers and more are behind me now that I am a full time storyteller, a catcher of dreams.  Thank you for reading my stories and making this all possible.

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Posted in Blog tour, Fantasy, fiction on May 14, 2014

secondonright

 

second on right cover

 

Synopsis

Spawned from an ancient promise, treachery and intrigue follow the protagonists through our world and one lost to the waves. Bound by an invisible bond, they are thrust into a fantastical world of pirates and demons.

James Benedict is a just man haunted by evil. Pushed to the edge, everything stripped from him, a new man arises . . . a man whose name strikes fear into the hearts of all who hear it: “Captain Hook”.

Eileen Davis was a timid woman. Through a fateful cruise she finds herself in the company of the Captain of the Mistral Thief. With his guidance, and the meddling of the local barista, she eventually finds her inner strength.

Will the two of them unite through time to fulfill the promise of their ancestors or will tempers ignite leading all to failure?

True love’s magic is not to avoid changes, But to navigate them successfully.

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About the Author

elizabeth losElizabeth uses writing as therapy, her release from everyday stress. At night, after work and once the children are finally tucked in bed, for the fifth time, she sits at her laptop and lets her imagination flow. Typing over eighty words per minute, her stories quickly form into full length novels.

Elizabeth has produced story stories, including Sherlock Holmes fan fiction. By July 2011, her first novel, Second on the Right, had been completed. She spent several years polishing the story in order to provide a high quality product to the public. Second on the Right is her first professional novel.

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Giveaway

Open to US & UK residents only

 

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