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Blurb:

Evil never rests.

Jordan hoped her life would change after the fiery death of the devious sorcerer, Asa Trebane. She was wrong. The Black Order of the Cult is gearing up to select a new Supreme Leader, and Lucifer will be judge and jury.

Seeley, Jordan’s mother, is possessed with a curse, and even the priests can’t find a solution to defeat the evil devouring her. Jordan must dig deeper into the Satanic realm and joins forces with a wicked witch to save her family from the clutches of Hell.

However, when things go awry with her guardian angel, Markus, Jordan is shrouded in her own longing as she faces the darkness without his light.

There’s trouble in paradise and souls are at stake as Jordan fights to hold onto a normal teenage life ~ the angel she loves ~ and a family that hangs in peril.

Snippet 1:

Every so often, Jordan’s gaze strayed to the finely built human angel. His jersey spread over his muscled pecs, running the length of his narrowing torso. Her eyes dawdled on the exposed skin where his shirt had ridden up past the waistline of his jeans. Curious, she wondered if he bore a scar from the knife wound inflicted by Asa Trebane a month before. She’d always bear the burden of being a pawn in her angel’s intended demise.

Snippet 2:

While turning, Em’s hand dipped into the pocket of her chenille robe. Out poured a chain of beads, a rosary. She’d looked done in. The proof was in the slope of her shoulders as she hobbled down the hallway, fingering the beads.

Jordan was more than certain that Em hadn’t been fooled. Her grandmother had seen and heard plenty through the years. Also, she was convinced her grandmother was a true warrior in her own right. Her fight consisted of harnessing Satan with a beaded chain of prayers.

Snippet 3:

Breathing shallow, she scanned the thicket. Five yards ahead, she envisaged transparent waves, like shimmering heat on a blacktopped road. Within the airwaves, an image appeared, an exact replica of Father James kneeling, his spirit-like figure fading in and out.

His lips moved. “Join. Spiritually. Time. Running out.”

The words pitched in and out of her ears as if he was speaking through a

dysfunctional megaphone. “Weaken enchantments . . .”

Snippet 4:

With his back to Seeley, Mortimer called over his shoulder, “Asa’s procrastination in annihilating you, body and soul, has made you stronger.” He made a sweeping turn. “Heavenly powers guard the Chase women like hawks. Nevertheless, Jordan’s blood, and may I add, yours—” His red-rimmed eyes locked on her. “—will eventually be ours.”

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Synopsis

Welcome to Book One in the Blessings, Georgia series of Southern contemporary romance from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Sala. With the support of her handsome, unassuming friend Mike Dalton, LilyAnne Bronte is finally ready to put the past in the past.

It’s never too late

Mike Dalton has secretly loved LilyAnn Bronte since they were all children together in the small town of Blessings, Georgia. But one fateful day T.J. Lachlan roars into town and starts showering LilyAnn with his charm, and Mike feels his dream of them being more than friends slipping away.

To find the love you missed

LilyAnn, as anyone in Blessings will tell you, let herself go after her fiancee was killed in Iraq. The attention of the handsome new guy shocks her into a revelation: she’s ready to live again, and maybe the best is yet to come. The thing is, everybody in Blessings is sure it’s Mike and LilyAnn who belong together-and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to make LilyAnn realize the love of her life has been by her side all along.

(Originally published as The Curl Up and Dye.)

Review

ahhh, a trip to Blessings GA and the quaint town and its citizens. This time the story focuses on LilyAnn and Mike who have known each other since kids and it is about 11 years past graduation. LilyAnn has her demons but Mike loves her anyway. We of course see Ruby in this story (she owsn the Curl Up and Dye beauty shop) and several other town folk from the other books.

I loved this book other than the fact that there were a few too many f* bombs for my taste. there weren’t that many but seemed like more than her other books…or maybe I just don’t remember. But the writing and characters draw you into the story and you are rooting for various characters and hoping others get their just desserts. There are a few surprises and LilyAnn learns how to take back control of her life.

If you have read the other books in this series you will definitely enjoy this one. I think I’d give it 4 1/2 paws.

Title: Counterfeit Conspiracies
Author: Ritter Ames
Genre: Mystery / Suspense

Synopsis

Laurel Beacham may have been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but she has long since lost it digging herself out of trouble. Her father gambled and womanized his way through the family fortune before skiing off an Alp, leaving her with more tarnish than trust fund. Quick wits and connections have gained her a reputation as one of the world’s premier art recovery experts. The police may catch the thief, but she reclaims the missing masterpieces.

The latest assignment, however, may be her undoing. Using every ounce of luck and larceny she possesses, Laurel must locate a priceless art icon and rescue a co-worker (and ex-lover) from a master criminal, all the while matching wits with a charming new nemesis. Unfortunately, he seems to know where the bodies are buried—and she prefers hers isn’t next.

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Excerpt

Clouds shrouded the moon. The Dobermans, Zeus and Apollo, snoozed by the rose bushes after devouring the tasty treat I had offered. Waves crashed in the distance and gave the crisp sea air a taste and smell of salt spray. The estate’s showplace lawn ended a hundred yards away at a private beach.

Like my previous visit, I wore head-to-toe black. For this jaunt, however, I hadn’t donned the ebony-beaded Vera Wang halter gown and Jimmy Choo stilettos I sported the last time. No, for the current foray, my Lycra garb more closely resembled Catwoman with my blonde hair hidden under a dark hood. Night vision goggles finished off the ensemble. The difference between arriving invited versus an incognito—and illegal—entrance. I pulled up my turtleneck to cover the lower part of my face and fitted night vision goggles over my eyes.

As I slipped through the mansion’s side door, the left wall security pad flashed. I patted the ring of leather pouches attached to my belt and removed a cute little gizmo I’d picked up in Zurich that resembled a garage door opener. Only this handy gadget decoded electronic security systems, rendering them harmless. The tiny warning whine never had a chance to turn into a scream; my device made friends and invited us to enter.

At the upper landing, infrared lasers protected the area from unwelcome visitors. I opened another pouch, withdrew a small, specially formulated aerosol can, and sprayed in a sweeping pattern. As the particles fell, laser lines were revealed in vivid detail. Seconds later, I’d picked the lock on the turret gallery door.

The last time I stood in the gallery the master of the house provided a guided tour and made a blatant pass beneath the gaze of a Dutch Master. My ability to deflect the Lothario took grace and diplomacy, plus restraint to curb the strong desire to disable his favorite body part. Still, the event had been worth the effort. A six-month quest was over, and I had found my Holy Grail of paintings.

“My father started this collection,” the slimy billionaire had bragged. “He made purchases while stationed in Europe in the mid-1940s. I added to the works and specially constructed this temperature-controlled castle safe room.”

On this return visit—my acquisition finale—I slid into the darkened gallery. The circular space, lit only by the minimal luminosity filtering through a half-dozen narrow arched windows, allowed my shadow to mix with those already in residence. Night vision goggles allowed the glorious set of Rembrandts and French Impressionists to glow alongside the beauty I came to liberate.

It was a vibrant seascape, circa 1821, and a breathtaking scene of energy and clear passion. A little known work by a well-respected artist, which had been cherished by the family of its previous owner before eventually falling into the hands of the billionaire’s father. Gazing upon the work, I could almost hear the buoy bell ringing in the distance, but the room’s current illumination left the scene too dark to see beyond the receding foamy water. I shivered as if the wind picked up; the painting was that powerful.

I heard a noise. A human-moving noise. I had to hurry.

Review

If you are looking for a slow paced book, this is NOT the book for you! This book has a quick pace and spans a relatively short period of time. I’m not sure if this fits into the cozy genre but it is definitely a mystery.

I thought the book was well written and I kept wondering who the “bad guy” was going to be and was very surprised. I did not see that ending coming! Laurel has an interesting relationship with Jack, who we think is MI-6 but it is never confirmed. He definitely holds things close to the vest, but apparently he is on the right side of the law. It will be interesting to see how their relationship continues in the second book.

I liked how Laurel was in the business of recovering stolen artwork and returning it to the rightful owner. I’m hoping that there continues to be an education in art for the reader (or for those like me that are not familiar with the art world).

I was reading the synopsis for this book here nd either I glossed over the information or it wasn’t in the book, but I do not recall that Laurel is from a wealthy family. It doesn’t matter much to me because I still enjoyed the book!

We give this 5 paws up and can’t wait to read book 2.

About the Author

Ritter Ames is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Organized Mysteries series and the Bodies of Art Mysteries series. When she’s not writing or brainstorming new mysteries Ritter is usually trying to get her favorite yellow lab to stay out of the pond, or keep her grouchy black cat from trying to give the dog away on Freecycle. Ritter would love to live on a boat and write from far flung locations around the globe, but the dog would constantly have to be fished from the water, and her husband and cat would just complain endlessly about the dog’s smell, so staying on land seems to be the only good option to keep her sanity and not get sidetracked from writing.

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Giveaway

The prize is a $150 value: signed copy of Counterfeit Conspiracies, a 7″ Kindle Fire HD, a movie DVD, a SAS SpyPen with hidden camera, and an Amazon gift card

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Gone by Midnight
Genre – Cozy Mystery
Print Length: 149 pages
Publisher: J. Lavene (February 2, 2016)
ASIN: B019AJC1XU

Synopsis

Fans of Joyce and Jim Lavene will thrill at this collection of thirteen short stories—many are set in the worlds of their national bestselling mystery series, including the Missing Pieces Mysteries, the Renaissance Faire Mysteries, the Retired Witches Mysteries, and an upcoming mystery novel!

These stories contain the elements of mystery and fantasy the Lavenes are famous for, as well as some new things their readers have never seen. Several stories feature characters interacting with ghosts, magic, and the supernatural—the healing woman in “Courtship;” the Civil War widow in “One with the Darkness;” the city girl who summons a wizard from the past in “The Magician and the Sorceress/Accountant;” and the young introvert in “Aunt Edna” who finds her calling with help from a ghostly visitor.

Poignant, charming, and captivating, Joyce and Jim Lavene bring their characteristic wit and heart to these stories and introduce each one with a passage about its origin or how it ties into the universe they’ve created. Gone by Midnight is a treasury of tales that will delight the mind and touch the heart from one of the most prolific writing duos of our time.

 

About the Authors

Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. Jim lives in rural North Carolina with his family as Joyce passed away in late October 2015. She will be missed.

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Giveaway

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Title: The Average Girl
Author: Angelina Goode
Publisher: Beach Blanket Publishing
Pages: 228
Genre: Romantic Comedy

Synopsis

Being average can lead to wonderful things…

Olivia Fowler, helper of the star-struck, runs a successful business helping average people meet celebrities in everyday ways. Flawless at what she does, the celebrities don’t have a clue they’re part of a pre-planned meeting. Business is booming and Olivia knows everything there is to know about Hollywood’s famous and their behavior. Her clients trust her because she is just like them, not famous.

But when Olivia accidentally meets the super-famous Alexander Young at the grocery store, her world is flipped upside-down. She can’t possibly resist those charming eyes and sexy arms. As their romance blossoms, Olivia learns she may not know as much as she thought she did about celebrities and their ways.

Then Olivia’s most important and loyal client requests to meet Alexander. Suddenly, Olivia is forced to choose between her love and her business.

Will Olivia be able to keep her booming business a secret from her soon-to-be boyfriend? Will her clients still trust her if she is no longer the average girl?

Excerpt

I sit quietly at the Starbucks on the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevard, pretending to work on my laptop. Two tables away from me and next to the condiment counter sits my client, Sarah, drinking coffee and pretending to read a book. This is our second day at this Starbucks and we have already been here for forty minutes. I am beginning to wonder if we should re-evaluate our plan.

Suddenly a wave of hushed excitement spreads through the store. Everyone’s eyes are glued to the swinging front doors as Ryan Scott strides through with his shoulders back and chin up. Everyone’s eyes, that is, but Sarah’s. She looks at me without turning her head, and I give her the tiniest of nods before spinning back around to stare. She responds to my nod by feigning interest in her Jane Austen novel.

Great Sarah! Keep calm. I know you want to burst inside, but play it cool.

Ryan’s eyes quickly scan the room. Before they return to the menu board, they briefly linger on Sarah, the only person who appears not to notice him. He orders his grande latte with a double shot of espresso and leans smugly against the counter with his arms folded across his chest. He appears to be staring into space, yet every few moments his eyes fall back to Sarah, who has still not looked up from her book.

The barista calls his name, and he pauses to make sure everyone hears it before he reaches for the drink. When he turns around, Sarah is beginning to pack her things, leaving the Austen novel on the table. He heads toward the condiment counter for his regular three sugars. Just as we had rehearsed, Sarah stands up, still focused on packing up, and he tries to pass her. He stops for a moment, Sarah blocking his way.

Thank goodness these celebrities are creatures of habit. It makes my job so much easier.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.” She breathes calmly as she speaks to him. She slings her navy-blue Coach bag over her shoulder and smiles, her head leaning to the side, her eyes soft.

“That’s all right,” Ryan responds. He stands waiting for her to move but blocks her exit. He half smiles at her.

“Okay then.” Sarah glances toward the door behind him, still smiling.

“Oh, now I’m in your way,” he declares as he steps aside and watches Sarah move toward the door. “Wait, hey, your book!”

I exhale. The one contingency worked as planned. Should be easy from here on out, as long as she sticks to the script.

She stops and turns back, hiding her smile. Ryan stands there, holding her book in his hands. “Jane Austen, huh.” He smirks. “I’m shooting a movie based on one of her books next month.”

“Oh, you’re an actor. What book?” she asks, pretending not to know.

“Pride and Prejudice.” He seems intrigued by Sarah’s indifference. “Well, here you go—” He ends his sentence by fishing for her name.

“Sarah,” she finishes for him.

“Sarah,” he repeats, revealing a slow, sexy smile, “maybe we can have a cup of coffee next time.” He holds out the book but is not loosening his grip.

“Yes, maybe.” She takes the book from him, and he lets her. “Thanks.” Then she is out the door. Ryan turns and grabs his three sugars, looking around the room again to make sure everyone is still watching. Before he finishes stirring them in, I am out on the street and dialing Sarah’s cell number.

“Wow! That was unbelievable! I can’t believe it worked!” she cries.

“You were awesome! Did you see the way he looked at you?” I ask.

“Yes! I did!” She pauses. “Thank you so much, Olivia. You really made my dream come true. I mean, I never could have done this without you. I’m going to recommend you to all my friends,” she rattles on.

Thrilled that all went as planned, I head back down Santa Monica Boulevard toward my office.

Review

I don’t know what I was expecting but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I guess you could say because Olivia is helping your average citizen meet celebrities but through casual encounters – like at the grocery store, car wash, library, etc. She also coaches the women (seems to be all women, no men mentioned!) on how to dress, act etc based on her research, and possibly past experiences,with the celebrity in question. The one thing that stuck out the most is that she told these women to act natural…not like a crazed fan because that won’t get you anywhere.

I thought it was quite funny how Olivia manages to meet a celebrity using her own methods, but not on purpose, and this celebrity becomes more than just a casual acquaintance. Of course she puts herself into dangerous waters by not being up front with him about what she does for a living. But I can see where it might be hard to tell a celebrity that you arrange meetings with other celebrities for your clients. would seem rather odd.

Now of course Olivia has some friends in her corner that keep her grounded…and her brother Preston can be a bit of a killjoy, but he does it out of love and protection.

Overall the book was well written and very enjoyable…and even made me wonder how I would act if I were in the position of meeting one of my favorite actors. Heck I know I get giddy meeting authors as they are celebrities to me!

We give this book 5 paws up.

About the Author

Angelina Goode began writing as a teenager. Though her first works were poems about love-struck teenagers, she grew her craft while earning her degree in Journalism and Creative Writing. A former grade school teacher that loved teaching children to write, she enjoys finding creative ways to present everyday events. Now she primarily writes light-hearted contemporary women’s fiction. She lives in Los Angeles where she enjoys the occasional celebrity sighting and year-round sun.

Angelina started gaining first-hand fan and celebrity experience as a devoted follower of her generation’s boy band. Her experience shifted in college when she interned in the promotions department for a Los Angeles based radio station and for the public relations department of a network television station. There she was able to learn about the ins and outs of promoting celebrities and all the backstage activities that are rarely seen by the public eye. She was also able to observe fans’ behavior from an objective perspective, seeing what it looks like to an outside observer.

Now she combines her experience as a loyal fan attending numerous concerts and meet and greets every year, her brief but educational stint in the entertainment industry, and a highly active imagination to create fiction for celebrity lovers of all ages.

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Synopsis

The epic Weir Chronicles continues.

The rebels poison Ian and it’s up to Rayne and Patrick to find a cure before their friend succumbs and Earth’s fate is left in the hands of adversaries intent on taking control of the planet. To obtain answers, Rayne must travel to an alternate world where few survive as Patrick unearths the secrets of the rebels and discovers a truth that shatters his beliefs about the Weir and the future of Earth.

Excerpt

Desperation transforms us into something unrecognizable—willing to do the unthinkable

The forecast had promised a cloudless, bluebird sky for the ceremony. The threatening thunder and gray frosting overhead was anything but. Hordes of parents, carrying the weight of college loans on their backs, arrived in waves eager to see their offspring walk across a stage and receive the coveted piece of paper, its value equal to a decent-sized home. Their grumbles and curses floated down from the stands, blaming local weathermen for their failure to bring an umbrella.

Rayne knew better. The clueless humans couldn’t predict the weather any more than the Pur Syndrion would know when their arch enemy, the Duach, would strike again, or where planet Earth’s next calamity would appear.

Many of the seated crowd fixed their gazes on the heavens. Rayne kept her attention riveted on the surrounding college stadium, scanning for a hint of green from the recesses of a dark corner, any place Ian could shyft to the stadium and still remain hidden from the crowd. He promised he’d be there, but as the battle to protect the planet raged on, Ian’s promises came and went as often as the tides.

Her cell phone chirped and Rayne glanced at the screen. Any sign of him?

Not yet, she texted back to Patrick.

Milo made jambalaya and cornbread.

Rayne scanned the sea of bodies searching for Patrick and Tara. The promise of her favorite meal and a celebration back at Ian’s mansion barely made a dent in the emptiness she’d carried around for the past few weeks. The only graduation present she wanted was for Ian to share in her special moment.

It was at times like this she longed for her mother and imagined her seated among the other proud parents. Knowledge of the bigger battle to protect Earth from the Duach, the darker sect of the Weir, had Rayne second-guessing the worth of finishing her degree. But it was a goal she swore she’d see to the end. She ran her fingers across her sash. Pursuit of the summa cum laude ranking contributed to many a sleepless night during finals. She didn’t mind; anything to fill the perpetual void.

Where are you sitting? she texted.

North side, mid-section, three rows up from the field.

Rayne twisted in her seat and swiped the swinging tassel out of her line of vision. She found them in the crowd thanks to Tara’s snowy hair and early-twenties figure that stood out amongst the parents and grandparents. From this distance, Patrick’s short-cropped, chocolate hair and not-so-lean torso blended with the bodies in the crowd. Rayne waved and her gown’s sleeve swept back and forth like a flag caught in the wind. Tara nudged Patrick and pointed at Rayne. Tara stood and clapped. Patrick cupped his hands around his mouth and gave a resounding hoot, loud enough for Rayne to hear above the buzz of a couple thousand voices.

The ground beneath her chair shook. Rayne grabbed the seat back. A few standing graduates stumbled and fell into nearby seated classmates. The quake came to a halt as suddenly as it reared its head. Rayne looked to her friends in the stands. Tara had her cell phone out, no doubt checking her app to get an accurate reading. Ian’s core fluctuations told him how serious each tremor was without the need to refer to a spiking graph. He often predicted the tremor’s arrival a heartbeat before everyone else felt it.

Rayne’s cell chimed. Hold on! Patrick’s text message screamed on Rayne’s screen. Something BIG is coming.

The ground beneath Rayne’s feet gave a violent shake. A deafening roar came from beyond the plywood stage. High above the stands, the stadium’s press booth shook from side to side as if suspended by rubber bands. CRACK! A corner of the booth crumbled and concrete crumbs rained toward the seats below. Rayne strained to see through the rising dust cloud.

Shrieks and screams filled the stadium as the undulating stands jolted people to their feet. The narrow rows swelled with families scrambling to escape. A large man fell into Patrick and he in turn stumbled into Tara as the row of people made to flee. Rayne shook her head in disbelief as Patrick’s arms bobbed up and down in a futile attempt to calm the pressing crowd. Tara grasped Patrick’s arm and jerked him to sit as the throng of people fought their way into the already packed staircase leading up and out of the stadium.

A tremor snaked up a lamppost and with a POP, the massive spotlight dislodged and swung downward from its thick cable like a wrecking ball. Sparks burst into the air and sizzled in a cascading waterfall as it slammed into the empty uppermost row of seats.

A collective shout came from the front of the stadium. An earthen wave raced toward them and uprooted the makeshift stage, splitting it in two. Squawking professors, their colorful gowns flapping like birds, took flight and landed in piles on the grassy field.

The wave reached the graduates and upended one row of chairs after another on a beeline course toward Rayne. Graduates piled up around her like a wall. Trapped!

A blinding emerald burst came from one row ahead. Ian appeared shielding his face with his arms. The closest graduates clamored over each other in retreat as chairs toppled amidst shrieks. Ian fell to one knee and raised a fist high above his head, then drove it against the ground. His power met Earth’s wave head-on and with a thunderclap, they cancelled each other out.

Ian slowly rose to his feet but wobbled for a second from the tremendous energy drain. He looked haggard and gaunt. Thick stubble covered his face and the dark circles surrounding his eyes were enhanced by his ebony, disheveled hair. “Sorry I’m late,” he said

Rayne strained to hear him over the shouts. “You made it,” she said and gave him a smile that would have been wider if not for the near-brush with calamity.

“I can’t stay,” he said in a voice dripping with regret. The tremors had stopped but no one stood still long enough to notice. “There was a quake about fifty miles off the coast. I need to check on tidal wave threats along the—”

“Go,” Rayne said, but her heart said stay.

“Don’t let Patrick eat it all.” Ian crouched low, between the piles of upturned chairs. A green burst, and he was gone.

Rayne stood still staring at the spot, committing his image to memory.

Q&A with Sue Duff

We’re now on the third book in the Weir Chronicles. Can you tell us where you got your inspiration for the series?

I was in search of a new kind of superhero and I drew upon my love of science in a deliberate avoidance of all things alien, vampire, werewolf, or typical wizardry. From that basic premise, Ian’s character and the world of the Weir gradually took shape.

Since there may be some readers that haven’t yet seen Fade to Black and Masks and Mirrors , can you catch readers up who are just now joining in on the adventure?

The main protagonist and “superhero” is Ian Black. Born the last of the Weir, all hope rests on him to save the planet, but he doesn’t inherit the powers as predicted. Tortured in a last ditch effort to bring his supposed powers to the surface, he escapes and hides among the humans as an illusionist – until a nosy college reporter uncovers his secret. Together, they discover a malevolent Weir who is sucking Earth’s energy and depleting its resources at an alarming rate.

The Weir are a race of magical beings who have served as caretakers of Earth for thousands of years and it is their connection to the planet that keeps what roams above in harmony with the energies that churn below.

Unfortunately, they are becoming extinct and as a result, there is an intense rise of natural disasters across the globe.. Desperate to save the earth and prevent the end of their race, the Weir turn to modern science to perpetuate themselves. But this philosophy separates their kind into two warring factions – the Pur and the Duach. To keep them from killing each other, and all but guaranteeing their extinction, a Curse is created by the Ancient counsel as a means of keeping them apart. Of course, as you could predict, the Weir soon discover it’s not wise to mess with Mother Nature!

A band of rebels, committed to stopping their mutual enemy, come on the scene in Masks and Mirrors , and give Ian reason to be suspicious as he struggles to uncover what ulterior motive they have for saving Earth.

What has been one of your favorite experiences as an author?

I’m not sure I can pinpoint a single accomplishment, but I have to admit that having a young fan come up to me at the 2015 Denver ComicCon and tell me that she wrote a book report on Fade to Black for school will stick with me forever!

What are your initial thoughts when thinking about your book(s)?

I write the way I like to read – short chapters that end with a cliffhanger so you can’t help but turn the page and read just ‘one more chapter.’ I’ve received feedback from individuals, who don’t typically read my genre, but end up loving my books. Others that aren’t big readers have finished my novels in one, two or three sittings!

Do any pieces of the book come from personal experience?

When I was a teenager, we took a road trip up the California Coast and spent time in the redwood forests. I thought it was the most breathtaking place on Earth, which is why I have Ian living there in my stories.

About the Author

Sue Duff has dreamed of dragons and spaceships before she could even read, so it’s only natural that she now combines both fantasy and science fiction as her favorite genre. Having written since high school, Duff never took it seriously until a skiing accident laid her up for an entire summer and she turned on the word processor to combat the boredom. A couple years later, her first urban fantasy novel, Fade to Black , was one of five finalists in the RMFW Colorado Gold Writing Contest and in 2015, Duff’s writing earned her the PEN Award.

She is the second oldest of six girls with an avid reader mom and her dad, the family’s single drop of testosterone in a sea of estrogen.

By day, Duff is a dedicated speech-language therapist at an inner city school district, a career she pursued much in part to her aunt who got her hooked on stories of the profession when Duff was younger. She is passionate about the work she does and regularly works to help those students that need it the most.

Sue is a member of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and The Pikes Peak Writers.  She calls Colorado home and when not saving the world one page at a time, she can be found walking her great dane, getting her hands dirty in her garden, or creating something delicious in her kitchen.

Check out her blog, A Cook’s Guide to Writing and other musings on her website.

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Proposals and Poison
Wedding Planner Mysteries book #3
by Rachelle J. Christensen

“Cozy mystery meets romantic comedy in this fabulous, fast-paced story.” – Cami Checketts author of The Resilient One, A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance

Love can be a very dangerous thing.

At least it seems that way to Adri Pyper, the premier wedding planner in Sun Valley, Idaho. When one of her clients dies mysteriously, Adri takes the advice of the local detective and swears she will stay out of the investigation . . . this time. Luke Stetson’s involvement in the case, along with the possibility of a kiss between the two, should be enough incentive to keep Adri out of trouble. But when a dog-themed wedding is almost ruined by a suspect, Adri and her assistant, Lorea, are thrust into private eye mode. When poison enters the picture, even a reluctant sleuth can’t steer clear of danger.

“Packed with danger and romance, intrigue and entertainment, Rachelle Christensen’s Wedding Planner series is romantic suspense that will keep you turning pages late into the night!” –Maria Hoagland, Author of The ReModel Marriage (Romance Renovations series)

About the Author

Rachelle is a mother of five who writes mystery/suspense, nonfiction, and women’s fiction. She solves the case of the missing shoe on a daily basis. She enjoys raising chickens and laughing with her husband. She graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in psychology and a minor in music.
Rachelle is the award-winning author of ten books, including The Soldier’s Bride (a Kindle Scout Selection), Wrong Number, Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things, What Every 6th Grader Needs to Know, and Christmas Kisses: An Echo Ridge Anthology. Her novella, “Silver Cascade Secrets,” was included in the Rone Award–winning Timeless Romance Anthology, Fall Collection.

Rachelle has a VIP mailing list where all subscribers get access to free books, guides, and other resources. Sign up now to hear what exciting news Rachelle has to share.

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Series endorsements

“Mystery, suspense, murder and romance all intriguingly tied together in one very fun walk-down-the-aisle cozy mystery!”—Shauna Wheelwright, reviewer

“I love a great mystery that keeps my interest and keeps the pages turning. I loved the Hawaiian setting, that was a character on its own. As the story progressed, I enjoyed where the author went with the mystery, doing a perfect job of planting the right amount of seeds to try to throw me off the trail of who the killer was.”—Mindy Holt, reviewer

 

Giveaway Details

$25 cash giveaway plus an ebook bundle of the Wedding Planner Mystery Books 1 & 2. (gifted via Amazon)

Ends 3/3/16

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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Drawing Blood (A Sketch in Crime Mystery)
2nd in Series
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Midnight Ink (February 8, 2016)
Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738742281
E-Book ASIN: B019KKTX0I

Synopsis

CeCe Prentice returns with her band of Dumpster-diving pals in this fast-paced mystery that puts the eco-friendly heroine back on top—of a pile of trash.

When Big Bob, manager of the town dump, goes missing, CeCe is worried about more than where she’ll score her next salvaged car. First at the scene when Bob’s body is recovered from under the weekly recycling haul, CeCe is quick to identify potential witnesses and provide crucial scene sketches. But when CeCe is uncharacteristically startled by an unidentified woman at Bob’s abandoned house, her artistic talents are challenged, and her drawings, much to her frustration, come up short.

With CeCe’s observational talents on the fritz, Detective Frank DeRosa, CeCe, and her network of Freegans are forced to recreate Big Bob’s life from the garbage up. The team is soon thrust into the underworld of recycling where what appears to be junk could actually be the clue that saves a life.

Amazon * B&N

About the Author

Deirdre Verne (Lower Westchester, NY) is a mystery writer, college professor, and an active college blogger. Deirdre’s interest in green living inspired her to create an off-the-grid character who Dumpster dives her way through the “Sketch in Crime” mystery series. Verne’s second book, Drawing Blood, is available in February 2016.

“A dysfunctional functional family to die for…[CeCe Prentice’s] second case is every bit as twisty and surprising.”-Kirkus Reviews.

A member of Sisters in Crime, Deirdre’s short stories appear in all three New York chapter anthologies – Murder New York Style, Murder New York Style: Fresh Slices and Family Matters.

Webpage * Blog * Twitter * GoodReads

 

 

Giveaway

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Huntress Moon
By Alexandra Sokoloff

 

Thomas & Mercer
Series: The Huntress/FBI Thrillers (Book 1)
Paperback: 373 pages
November 18, 2014 $11.99

Synopsis

A Thriller Award nominee for Best eBook Original Novel… Book 1 in award-winning author Alexandra Sokoloff’s riveting new Huntress FBI series about a driven FBI agent on the hunt for that most rare of all killers: a female serial.

FBI Special Agent Matthew Roarke is closing in on a bust of a major criminal organization in San Francisco when he witnesses an undercover member of his team killed right in front of him on a busy street, an accident Roarke can’t believe is coincidental. His suspicions put him on the trail of a mysterious young woman who appears to have been present at each scene of a years-long string of “accidents” and murders, and who may well be that most rare of killers: a female serial.

Roarke’s hunt for her takes him across three states…while in a small coastal town, a young father and his five-year old son, both wounded from a recent divorce, encounter a lost and compelling young woman on the beach and strike up an unlikely friendship without realizing how deadly she may be.

As Roarke uncovers the shocking truth of her background, he realizes she is on a mission of her own, and must race to capture her before more blood is shed.

This is a new release of a previously published edition.

Blood Moon
By Alexandra Sokoloff

Thomas & Mercer
Series: The Huntress/FBI Thrillers (Book 2)
Paperback: 313 pages
February 24, 2015 $11.99

Synopsis

Twenty-five years have passed since a savage killer terrorized California, massacring three ordinary families before disappearing without a trace. The only surviving victim of his rampage was a child…who is now wanted by the FBI for brutal crimes of her own.

Special Agent Matthew Roarke is on an interstate manhunt to track her down, despite feeling torn between his dedication to duty and his sympathy for her horrific history and motives. But when Roarke’s search unearths evidence of new family slayings, the dangerous woman he seeks—and secretly wants—may be his only hope of preventing another bloodbath. He just has to find her first.

The pulse-pounding sequel to Huntress Moon is sure to leave readers on the edges of their seats.

Revised edition: This edition of Blood Moon includes editorial revisions.

 

Cold Moon
By Alexandra Sokoloff

Thomas & Mercer
Series: The Huntress/FBI Thrillers (Book 3)
Paperback: 388 pages
July 7, 2015 $11.99

Synopsis

The hunt for mass murderer Cara Lindstrom is over. FBI Special Agent Matthew Roarke has been working for this moment: the capture of a killer who savagely hunts the worst of humanity. But Roarke remains traumatized by his own near-death at the hands of the serial killer who slaughtered Cara’s family…and haunted by the enigmatic woman who saved his life.

Then the sixteen-year-old prostitute who witnessed Cara’s most recent murder goes missing, and suddenly pimps are turning up dead on the streets of San Francisco, killed with an MO eerily similar to Cara’s handiwork.

Is a new killer on the loose with a mission even more deadly than hers? In the pulse-pounding third Huntress/FBI Thrillers book, Roarke will have to go on the hunt…and every woman he meets, even those closest to him, may prove deadly.

Buy the Books here on Amazon

About the Author

Alexandra Sokoloff is the Thriller Award-winning and Bram Stoker, Anthony, and Black Quill Award-nominated author of the supernatural thrillers The Harrowing, The Price, The Unseen, Book of Shadows, The Shifters, and The Space Between; The Keepers paranormal series, and the Thriller Award-nominated, Amazon bestselling Huntress/FBI Thrillers series (Huntress Moon, Blood Moon, Cold Moon), which has been optioned for television. She has also written three non-fiction workbooks: Stealing Hollywood, Screenwriting Tricks for Authors, and Writing Love, based on her internationally acclaimed workshops and blog (www.ScreenwritingTricks.com), and has served on the Board of Directors of the WGA, West (the screenwriters union) and the board of the Mystery Writers of America.

Alex is a California native and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, where she majored in theater and minored in everything Berkeley has a reputation for. She lives in Los Angeles and in Scotland, with Scottish crime author Craig Robertson.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Pinterest

Synopsis

Seven days have passed since Naples real estate agent Megan MacKenna has heard from her twin sister, Madeline, who was vacationing on the beautiful, Caribbean island of St. Croix. Though authorities are not convinced there is a case to solve, Megan knows with all of her heart something happened to Maddy. When Megan receives a direct warning to leave the island or end up like her sister, she turns to the only person who has taken her seriously since she arrived, Gabe, a breakfast cook at a local diner.

Undercover DEA agent, Gabriel Walker has been building his cover for months, waiting for the opportunity to work his way into the infamous Torrez crime ring. When Megan shows up asking questions and Gabe realizes her twin’s disappearance might be linked to the Torrez men, he has to convince her to go back to Florida before she becomes their next victim.

The closer Megan gets to the truth, the more Gabe begins to suspect he is missing a huge piece of the puzzle. And someone is closing in on Megan…

Amazon USA * Amazon UK * Amazon Canada * Amazon India * Kobo * Smashwords

Excerpt

Megan peered out at the vast expanse of ocean gleaming in the bright morning sunshine before her. The turquoise waters seemed to go on forever. From the Caribbean Airways in flight map, she had noted the islands of Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and St. John were in the far off distance. She had been told a faint view of the densely populated St. Thomas could sometimes be seen on a perfectly clear day, but no matter how she strained her eyes, she couldn’t quite see it today.

Had Maddy hopped on a sailboat and continued her travels to another island as the police officer had suggested? It wasn’t like Maddy not to check in. Her cell phone had been going straight to voice mail since the last photo Maddy had sent, and according to the cell company, the cell phone was out of service range. Something had happened to her sibling. The last communication with Maddy had been an unexplained picture of an iguana. No message, no text, nothing. Just an enormous, slimy, dragon-resembling lizard. Megan sunk her head to her chest. Where in the world was her sister?

“Everything okay, Miss?”

Startled from her hopeless thoughts, Megan sat upright at the sound of the low voice. Her eyes scanned the length of the man standing before her, and she pursed her lips together. She guessed he was probably about six-foot-two.

As she sat silently, observing him, the man repeated his question, “Are you okay?” His tone bordered on cautious, but concerned.

“Everything’s fine,” she finally managed with a tight voice.

With a smile, his concern faded away, and he reached behind his back to untie a grease-spotted apron. He folded the apron up, pulled out a chair at the table right next to Megan’s, about a foot and a half from her, and sat down.

An internal alarm went off, making Megan feel extremely uncomfortable with his proximity, and she fidgeted with her hands as he stared at her, finally forcing them into her lap. How could a voice so soothing go with a gruff-looking character like him? And what in the world was he doing sitting down so close to her?

 

About the Author

Fiction author, Sarah Elle Emm, is a native of Evansville, Indiana and graduate of The University of Evansville. She has lived in Germany, England, Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and traveled extensively beyond. Sarah is the author of LAST VACATION (suspense), and the teen fantasy Harmony Run Series, which includes PRISMATIC, OPALESCENT, CHATOYANT, and NACREOUS. She is also the author of MARRYING MISSY, (women’s fiction), a #1 Amazon Best Seller. When she’s not walking the plank of her daughters’ imaginary pirate ship, she is writing.

Fun Fact

I grew up visiting the island of St. Croix with my family. As an adult, I lived in the U.S. Virgin Islands, on both St. Croix and St. Thomas. I always wanted to write a fiction story that took place there, but I never took the time to write it until recently.

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