Posted in excerpt, Historical, romance, Spotlight on March 9, 2016

groom wore plaid

The Groom Wore Plaid

Highland Weddings Series

By Gayle Callen

Avon Romance
February 23, 2016

Synopsis

Falling in love means tempting fate in this passionate new novel in USA Today bestselling author Gayle Callen’s Highland Wedding series.

Maggie McCallum’s dreams about her new fiancé aren’t the romantic sort. It’s not just that she was bartered to Owen Duff like a piece of property to end a clan feud. She’s also haunted by premonitions of his death on their upcoming wedding day. Yet the exasperating Highlander won’t let her call it off, even though his life and his clan are both in jeopardy.

Owen has wanted Maggie in his bed since he first glimpsed her years ago. If their union restores peace between their clans, so much the better. But while lusting after another chief’s sister had its risks, growing to trust Maggie is far more dangerous. Owen is falling deeply in love with the one woman he cannot hope to claim…and survive.

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Harper Collins

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Excerpt

Scotland, 1717

 

Maggie McCallum was only sixteen and Owen Duff eighteen the autumn their families spent in Edinburgh. Her mother had said she was too young for courtship, but Maggie secretly scoffed at that. Men looked at her now, and she was finally allowing herself to give a flirtatious look back.

And then at a dancing assembly, she saw Owen, Viscount Duncraggan, heir to the earldom of Aberfoyle. She’d met him only once before, at a dinner with their parents. She’d been twelve, he fourteen, and he’d ignored her. Now a friend giggled and pointed him out.

“He’s from the Duff clan,” the girl said. “Even I ken that the McCallums and the Duffs have always despised each other.”

Maggie nodded without really listening. She was staring at Owen with wide, curious eyes. He did not wear a belted plaid as so many of her family did, but an expensive tailored coat and waistcoat over knee breeches, and the polished sword at his hip sparkled in the candlelight when he strode across the dance floor to bow to a blushing girl. He had a thin face and bony shoulders that hinted at the broad strength of the man he would become. His sandy hair was gathered in a haphazard queue on his neck, loose strands brushing his cheeks as if he were too busy to be bothered fastening it more securely.

“Isn’t your brother to marry his sister? Ye’ll be practically family.”

Family or not, Maggie knew better than to be the McCallum who approached a Duff in public, right in front of her mother. She thought of her brother’s misery at marrying a woman he didn’t know or love, the way he’d done foolish, reckless things in anger when he’d first discovered his fate at thirteen. Maggie had pitied him, and felt guilty that she was secretly glad it wasn’t she forced to marry a Duff.

Her next meeting with Owen wasn’t auspicious—she merely passed him on the stairs outside her flat on High Street, as dusk settled in dark waves on Edinburgh. The tall building with a dozen floors housed all manner of people, from the chimney sweep in the cellar to the dancing master in the garret. The best floors were reserved for noblemen, and though her father didn’t have a title, he was the chief of the Clan McCallum. Her mother had leased the flat to be near the earl’s family, since her son was marrying into them, but she did not want her daughter involved beyond what civility expected.

Upon seeing Maggie, Owen came to a stop on the stairs and grinned that grin that lived in her dreams for many years to come. His warm brown eyes made her think of the chocolate English ladies favored for their morning drink, and as they took her in, skimming her form, she felt as suitably overheated as that cup she’d only once clutched in her hands on a cold winter morning in the Highlands.

She wanted to scold him for his bold gaze but then she saw the round tube he carried.

“Is that a telescope?” she demanded.

Those eyes now brightened with more than warmth. “Aye, I’m heading out to gaze upon the stars. Have ye looked through one before?”

She shook her head. She’d done nothing more intellectual than read passages from the Bible—she hadn’t been allowed more, had no access to other books. Knowing there was a whole world of knowledge out there made her ache with regret and frustration.

He held out a hand. “I’m Owen. Do ye want to come?”

She hesitated, realizing he didn’t recognize her. In that long moment she thought of her grandparents already preparing for bed, the fact that she’d just seen her mother into a sedan chair to meet with friends, and that her brother lived in his own flat near the university. She was alone.

Owen stood a couple stairs below her, and that put them at just about the same height. She stared into his eyes again, and the admiration and curiosity made her unfurl like a blossom in springtime.

But she had to be honest. Taking a deep breath, she said, “I’m Maggie McCallum. ’Tis my brother who’s to marry your sister.”

He looked at her for a long moment, and the first feelings of regret and resignation washed through her.

But Owen didn’t rush away, only extended his hand closer to her. “Nice to meet ye, Maggie. Do ye still want to come with a dreaded Duff?”

She bit her lip to keep from giggling like a foolish girl. She was sixteen, a woman now. He obviously didn’t remember her from four years before. Maybe that was for the best. Putting her hand in his, she let him lead her out into the twilight.

During the next few weeks, Owen was the excitement in days that were once dreary and repetitive. Sneaking away to ride down to the shore at the Firth of Forth, boating, exploring the grounds of Edinburgh Castle, or even meandering through shops seemed like wild adventures when she was at Owen’s side.

Rather than deter her, the very forbiddance of a friendship between them caused her to be far too reckless. He was so very different from the men she knew. He discussed physics and chemistry and astronomy as if she was as smart as he. She saw his wonder in the world, but when she asked if he would be a scientist, his expression turned hard as he said his father had forbidden it. He was the heir to an earldom, and would be educated as such. If he didn’t study the classics, his father would refuse him attendance at university next year.

Maggie sympathized, and distracted him from his sad and angry thoughts, but she could not stop dwelling on her own confusion. Every moment she spent in his company, Owen seemed more and more familiar to her, as if they’d met much earlier in their childhood, though he swore they had not. Sometimes it was as if a ghost of a dream teased her from just beyond the shadows, and she shivered.

Her dreams were nothing to make light of. More than once, she’d dreamed something that eventually came true. The family of a little boy in her clan had thought him drowned and were about to give up the search, when a dream led her to the bedraggled boy huddled beneath a cliff. Another dream foretold the suicide of a young woman whom Maggie’s father had abused. Maggie hadn’t understood what she was seeing until it had actually come true, which was often the case. And then it had been too late to help the girl. Maggie’s mother had taken her away from Larig Castle and back to Edinburgh, to keep her safe from her father.

But Owen? Could he have been part of a dream she couldn’t remember? The puzzle of it flooded her mind when she was separated from him, but the hours they were together were full of happy laughter, insightful discussion, and endless moments where she stared into his face when he wasn’t looking and imagined herself married to him. Maybe her mind was simply trying to tell her that he was her destiny, that they were meant to be together. She wanted him to kiss her, but he was ever the gentleman—or maybe he assumed that the centuries-old feud between their clans meant they could never share a more intimate relationship. It seemed to be a forbidden topic between them.

But he touched her, and each time she could have surely melted with delight. He would take her hand running across a field, guide her by grasping her elbow, put his hand gently on her waist when they stood watching the sun set amid beautiful orange and pink clouds adorning it like trailing scarves.

Two weeks into their friendship, they were carrying a luncheon basket along the river, Water of Leith, on a particularly sunny autumn day, when Owen suggested they look for mussels and Scottish pearls. This was no mere meandering in ankle-deep water, and soon they were both dripping wet, pearl-less, shivering as they crawled back up the grassy bank, laughing.

Owen lay down in the sun, and feeling reckless, she did the same, eyeing him boldly since his own eyes were closed. His queue had come undone, and long strands of his hair, dark brown with water, covered his cheeks. Without thinking, she came up on her elbow and used a trembling finger to move the locks away from his face.

His eyes snapped open, and she expected him to laugh up at her, but he seemed to concentrate intently on her face just above his. Everything external seemed to go silent as they shared a hot, meaningful gaze. She was focused on the rough sound of her breathing, the moisture beaded on his skin, the way she could feel his heart pounding in his chest when she rested her trembling hand there.

And then he cupped her head and brought her down for a kiss. His lips were cool from the water, yet softer than she imagined a man’s would be. Such boldness made her dizzy—or was it simply nearness to Owen? Her hand still on his chest, she lifted her head and stared down at him uncertainly, but he only brought their mouths together again. He parted his lips, and the shock of his tongue sliding between hers made her start with surprise and wonder. Her cool, wet skin seemed to heat, the warmth spreading out from her mouth and down her chest. Her trembling was no longer from the cold, but she didn’t know why her limbs seemed so restless. She wanted to be touched—needed it with a desperation new to her. But she was afraid to do more than brace herself against his chest as he explored her mouth and taught her to explore his.

The world shifted as he rolled her onto her back. It was his turn to rise above her, his intense face framed by blue sky and towering autumn-hued trees. She had no time to think as he kissed her again and began to touch her. His hand on her body was a hot, welcome presence, and with each touch she felt more and more as if she couldn’t lie still. His caresses journeyed across her wet clothes from her hip and upward. And when at last he touched her breast, pushed upward by her stays, she moaned against his lips and shuddered with each delicate strum across her nipple, as if he made her an instrument of desire.

Their shared world of passion was suddenly overwhelming, and she pushed against him before it was too late to stop. Owen lifted his head and stared down at her, his breathing as erratic as hers.

“We cannot do this,” she said with a trembling voice. Not that she regretted any of it, she realized, staring at his mouth and wishing to feel again the pleasure he’d given her.

Owen was looking at her mouth, too, and he practically growled, “I knew ye’d find out. Forgive me. I didn’t ken how to tell ye.”

“Find out what?” she demanded.

He grimaced.

“Owen Duff, ye have to tell me now.”

“My father betrothed me some years ago to the daughter of a Lowland clan. Even now, they journey here for us to meet.”

The last warmth from their kiss deserted Maggie. Shivering, she sat up and scooted away from him, covering her chest as if it was bared to him.

“Why did ye never tell me this?” she demanded. She’d let herself get lost in the fairy tale of their friendship, and the romance she’d thought had been blossoming. Now she knew she was simply a fool.

Owen tucked his hair back into the queue, as if he needed something to do with his hands. He didn’t look at her, and his face was as red as hers felt, but she didn’t feel any sympathy for him.

His words came out slowly at first, before tumbling over each other as fast as the rippling water behind him. “At first, I thought we were simply friends, and to know ye were a McCallum made it daring. But the need to kiss ye has been dominating my thoughts more and more.”

He met her gaze at last, and she felt like she’d never forget the heat she saw there, the passion he was showing just for her. But he was betrothed, and a lump rose high up into her throat, shutting off any words. She scrambled to her feet and backed away from him before she would embarrass herself more by crying. “I—I have to go.”

 

About the Author

After a detour through fitness instructing and computer programming, GAYLE CALLEN found the life she’d always dreamed of as a romance writer. This USA Today bestselling author has written more than twenty historical romances for Avon Books, and her novels have won the Holt Medallion, the Laurel Wreath Award, the Booksellers’ Best Award, and been translated into eleven different languages. The mother of three grown children, an avid crafter, singer, and outdoor enthusiast, Gayle lives in Central New York with her dog Uma and her husband, Jim the Romance Hero. She also writes contemporary romances as Emma Cane.

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Posted in 4 paws, Review, Romantic Suspense on March 8, 2016

Pimpernel

Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt

They seek him here; they seek him there. For centuries, the elite of the world have sought the Pimpernel everywhere. Some want to kill him, others want to hire him, but Jack Cavanaugh knows that the love/hate relationship comes with the job title.

At present, Jack is trying to dismantle an investment scheme centered in Las Vegas, but “trying” is the operative word. It’s been a month since he put the face of the scheme behind bars, yet the scam is still going strong. As Jack tries to uncover who has stepped in as the new head, what miniscule evidence there is all seems to point him back to Claire Ramsey, an introverted PhD student studying at UNLV.

If ever there as an unlikely head of a investment scheme, Claire’s it. She has a genius IQ, but from all Jack has seen, Claire’s intelligence is as much a blessing as a curse when paired up with her acute OCD. Claire can barely make conversation with the cute guy down the hall, which makes it hard to believe she could be the charismatic salesperson who is getting international businessmen to invest $5—50 million a pop.

So what is Jack missing? What is the real story behind Claire Ramsey? And once Jack learns it, will he be able to walk away?

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Review

I thought this was a fascinating book with several twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and were a bit of a surprise. I’m not going to say too much because it will give away part of it but not to worry, what I am hinting at happens fairly quickly into the book.

When introduced to Claire, I immediately thought of the show “Lie to Me” because she was very in tune with micro-expressions people make. She also reminded me of “Rainman” because of her OCD tendencies and because she could remember long streams of numbers when not on her meds.

I also liked how a small group of people took down the “bad guys” (with the help of some others…but don’t want to give away that info either!).

I really enjoyed getting to know Jack, Ren, Margo and Claire. Hopefully there will be more books featuring these characters.

We give this 4 paws up!
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SheralynAbout the Author

Some describe Sheralyn as a girl who’s been around the block and worked at every shop. This isn’t far from the truth. Writing is what she loves most, however. There’s a magical power in stepping into new perspectives time and again, and seeing the world through different eyes. Few things increase empathy more than walking in another’s shoes for 100,000 words or so. At least that seems to be the trend so far.
Some random things to know about Sheralyn:
* She’s a wanderer (geographically)
* She can write a novel, but doesn’t have the attention span for one page in a journal
* She vehemently disagrees with Stephen King’s stance that authors should not watch TV
* She is pretty much incapable of sleeping before midnight

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Posted in 4 paws, Cozy, Giveaway, Monday, mystery, Review on March 7, 2016

PLATEFUL OF MURDER large banner 640

plateful of murder cover

Plateful of Murder: A Terrified Detective Mystery
1st in Series
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Ink Lion Books (January 8, 2016)
Print Length: 278 pages
ASIN: B01ADH8JTS

Synopsis

Private Detective Claire DeNardo is afraid of everything. Simple things like balloons, roller coasters, and hairpieces make her knees knock loud enough to be a band’s rhythm section. Unfortunately, the only job Claire can find is working for her Uncle Gino in his seedy detective agency. Until now, her cases have all been middle-aged men with trophy wives who needed watching. But Claire gets swept up in a murder case despite being afraid of conflict, bodily harm, and hurting anyone’s feelings. She enlists a jaded security guard, Ed, to help her. But when Ed is attacked and left comatose, Claire must stumble along by herself. Both the client who hired her and the handsome police detective want her off the case. When the wrong person is charged, it’s up to the terrified detective, to summon all the courage she can to find the true killer.

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Review

This sort of falls into the cozy genre…although the main character is a PI…however, not a great one since she took over the business from her boss and Uncle. She is broke and doesn’t come across as being extremely competent, so it makes her a bit desperate.

There are quite a few characters so there is no shortage of possibilities of who the killer might be. In fact, I was quite surprised when he/she was revealed, but maybe shouldn’t have been given a few things that happen in the plot line.

While Claire may not be the most competent PI, she has gumption and wants to see the case through. she also has a couple of suitors, her most recent client and the police detective. Which one will she choose?

I’m going to have to pick up the next books and see where the story goes for Claire.

We give this 4 paws up!

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About the Author

carole fowkesCarole Fowkes is the author of the cozy mystery series, “The Terrified Detective.” She has also had stories in a number of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books and other similar anthologies. She’s a registered nurse and lives with her husband in Dallas, Texas.

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Posted in mystery, Spotlight on March 6, 2016

Engaged in danger cover

Synopsis

Finally, life is good for reluctant family law attorney, Jamie Quinn–her father may get his visa soon, her boyfriend is the bomb, and her law practice is growing like crazy–but when she agrees to take on a high-profile divorce case, everything falls apart. What looked like an opportunity to work with her friend Grace and make some serious bucks has turned into a deadly game, one that could destroy their friendship and tear their town apart. Why couldn’t Jamie just leave well enough alone?

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About the Author

barbara v

Award-winning author, Barbara Venkataraman, is an attorney and mediator specializing in family law and debt collection.

She is the author of: The Jamie Quinn mysteries; “Teatime with Mrs. Grammar person”, “The Fight for Magicallus,” a children’s fantasy; a humorous short story entitled, “If You’d Just Listened to Me in the First Place”; and two books of humorous essays: “I’m Not Talking about You, Of Course” and “A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities,” which are part of the “Quirky Essays for Quirky People” series. Both books of humorous essays won the prestigious “Indie Book of the Day” award.

Coming soon, “Jeopardy in July”–the next Jamie Quinn mystery!

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Posted in 4 paws, mystery, Review on March 5, 2016

what the fly saw

Publisher: Minotaur Books
ISBN: 9781250048301
Hardback, 336 pages
Release Date: March 3, 2015

Synopsis

Albany, New York, January 2020

The morning after a blizzard that shut down the city, funeral director Kevin Novak is found dead in the basement of his funeral home. The arrow sticking out of his chest came from his own hunting bow. A loving husband and father and an active member of a local megachurch, Novak had no known enemies. His family and friends say he had been depressed because his best friend died suddenly of a heart attack and Novak blamed himself. But what does his guilt have to do with his death? Maybe nothing, maybe a lot. The minister of the megachurch, the psychiatrist who provides counseling to church members, or the folksy Southern medium who irritates both men—one of these people may know why Novak was murdered.  Detective Hannah McCabe and her partner, Mike Baxter, sort through lies and evasions to find the person who killed their “Cock Robin,” But McCabe is distracted by a political controversy involving her family, unanswered  questions from another high-profile case, and her own guilt when a young woman dies after McCabe fails to act.

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Review

This is a follow up to The Red Queen Dies and I will let you know that I think you should read that book first because part of the book carries over into this one. Not a lot and you probably wouldn’t miss out on too much by not reading TRQD first, but at least you would understand the background in some places.

I learned a few things in this book that I don’t recall from the first book – nothing earth shattering, but I don’t remember reading that Hannah was African American. It doesn’t matter in the scheme of things, but I usually like to picture the characters in my head and don’t think I did that with Hannah.

I like how the crime to be solved isn’t easy to figure out. With this installment I did not guess who the killer was like I did in the first book. I was actually a bit surprised at who it was and what led the police to solving this crime!

I did notice that there were many famous people that are dead but in her book were still alive. In fact MLK Jr was still alive until around 2010 and the MLK Jr holiday didn’t start until about that time – or at least that is my understanding.  As the author says in her Acknowledgements, her world is like a parallel universe to ours.  Plus she also explains what ORB stands for which is Our Reach Beyond and for the orb weaver spider.  Also those that post on the web are not bloggers, but threaders.

I am really liking this series and can’t wait to see what happens next. We give this 4 paws up too.

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About the Author

Frankie Y. Bailey is a professor in the School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany (SUNY). Her areas of research are crime history, and crime and mass media/popular culture. She is the author of the Edgar-nominated Out of the Woodpile: Black Characters in Crime and Detective Fiction (Greenwood, 1991). She is the co-editor (with Donna C. Hale) of Popular Culture, Crime, and Justice (Wadsworth, 1998). She is the co-author (with Alice P. Green) of “Law Never Here”: A Social History of African American Responses to Issues of Crime and Justice (Praeger, 1999). With Steven Chermak and Michelle Brown, she co-edited Media Representations of September 11 (Praeger, 2003). She and Donna C. Hale are the co-authors of Blood on Her Hands: The Social Construction of Women, Sexuality, and Murder (Wadsworth, 2004). She and Steven Chermak are the series editors of the five-volume set, Famous American Crimes and Trials (Praeger, 2004). They also co-edited the two-volume set Crimes of the Century (2007).

Frankie’s most recent non-fiction books are African American Mystery Writers: A Historical and Thematic Study (McFarland, 2008), nominated for Edgar, Anthony, and Agatha awards, winner of a Macavity award. She is the recipient of the George N. Dove Award (2010). With Alice P. Green, she is the author of Wicked Albany: Lawlessness & Liquor in the Prohibition Era (The History Press, 2009) and Wicked Danville: Liquor and Lawlessness in a Southside Virginia City (The History Press, 2011).

Frankie’s mystery series features Southern criminal justice professor/crime historian Lizzie Stuart includes Death=s Favorite Child (Silver Dagger, 2000), A Dead Man=s Honor (Silver Dagger, 2001), Old Murders (Silver Dagger, 2003), You Should Have Died on Monday (Silver Dagger, 2007), and Forty Acres and a Soggy Grave (2011). A short story, “Since You Went Away” appears in the mystery anthology, Shades of Black (2004), edited by Eleanor Taylor Bland. The Red Queen Dies (Minotaur Books/Thomas Dunne), the first book in Frankie’s near future police procedural series set in Albany, New York, featuring police detective Hannah McCabe, will be released in September 2013.

Frankie is a member of Sisters in Crime (SinC), Romance Writers of America (RWA), and Mystery Writers of America (MWA). She served as the 2009-2010 Executive Vice President of MWA and as the 2011-2012 President of Sisters in Crime (SinC).

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Posted in 4 paws, mystery, Review on March 4, 2016

red queen

Synopsis

Frankie Bailey introduces readers to a fabulous new protagonist and an Alice in Wonderland-infused crime in this stunning mystery, which kicks off an exciting new series set in the near future.

The year is 2019, and a drug used to treat soldiers for post-traumatic stress disorder, nicknamed “Lullaby,” has hit the streets. Swallowing a little pill erases traumatic memories, but what happens to a criminal trial when the star witness takes a pill and can’t remember the crime? When two women are murdered in quick succession, biracial police detective Hannah McCabe is charged with solving the case. In spite of the advanced technology, including a city-wide surveillance program, a third woman is soon killed, and the police begin to suspect that a serial killer is on the loose. But the third victim, a Broadway actress known as “The Red Queen,” doesn’t fit the pattern set by the first two murders.

With the late September heat sizzling, Detective Hannah McCabe and her colleagues on the police force have to race to find the killer in a tangled web of clues that involve Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Fast-paced and original, this is a one-of-a-kind mystery from an extremely talented crime writer.

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Review

This is a slightly futuristic mystery (2019) and in a small way reminds of the JD Robb books – mostly in the technology aspect. Everyone has something called an ORB and while it is never described, it is like a souped up smart phone that does video calls and much more.

I thought this book was a great introduction to Detective Hannah McCabe and her life as a detective and some baggage she carries from her past that is tied to her brother. The family dynamic is interesting to say the least with her dad and brother. I think there is a love interest that is hinted at, but we don’t know much about this person other than they have a secret relationship. We do not even know their name.

The murders were interesting and what they had to go through to tie together 3 murders that did not seem to be related at all, but were. I will say that I sort of suspected someone by something that was said but I wasn’t 100% sure what the tie-in was so it was a nice surprise to have guessed the killer but not know exactly why.

I don’t read many police procedural type books, but I really enjoyed this one. We give this 4 paws up.

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About the Author

Frankie Y. Bailey is a professor in the School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany (SUNY).  Her areas of research are crime history, and crime and mass media/popular culture. She is the author of the Edgar-nominated Out of the Woodpile: Black Characters in Crime and Detective Fiction (Greenwood, 1991).  She is the co-editor (with Donna C. Hale) of Popular Culture, Crime, and Justice (Wadsworth, 1998).  She is the co-author (with Alice P. Green) of “Law Never Here”: A Social History of African American Responses to Issues of Crime and Justice (Praeger, 1999).  With Steven Chermak and Michelle Brown, she co-edited Media Representations of September 11 (Praeger, 2003).  She and Donna C. Hale are the co-authors of Blood on Her Hands: The Social Construction of Women, Sexuality, and Murder (Wadsworth, 2004).  She and Steven Chermak are the series editors of the five-volume set, Famous American Crimes and Trials (Praeger, 2004). They also co-edited the two-volume set Crimes of the Century (2007).

Frankie’s most recent non-fiction books are African American Mystery Writers: A Historical and Thematic Study (McFarland, 2008), nominated for Edgar, Anthony, and Agatha awards, winner of a Macavity award. She is the recipient of the George N. Dove Award (2010). With Alice P. Green, she is the author of Wicked Albany:  Lawlessness & Liquor in the Prohibition Era (The History Press, 2009) and Wicked Danville: Liquor and Lawlessness in a Southside Virginia City (The History Press, 2011).

Frankie’s mystery series features Southern criminal justice professor/crime historian Lizzie Stuart includes Death=s Favorite Child (Silver Dagger, 2000), A Dead Man=s Honor (Silver Dagger, 2001), Old Murders (Silver Dagger, 2003), You Should Have Died on Monday (Silver Dagger, 2007), and Forty Acres and a Soggy Grave (2011). A short story, “Since You Went Away” appears in the mystery anthology, Shades of Black (2004), edited by Eleanor Taylor Bland.  The Red Queen Dies (Minotaur Books/Thomas Dunne), the first book in Frankie’s near future police procedural series set in Albany, New York, featuring police detective Hannah McCabe, will be released in September 2013.

Frankie is a member of Sisters in Crime (SinC), Romance Writers of America (RWA), and Mystery Writers of America (MWA).  She served as the 2009-2010 Executive Vice President of MWA and as the 2011-2012 President of Sisters in Crime (SinC).

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Posted in Giveaway, Guest Post, romance, Spotlight on March 4, 2016

 

if we were a movie

If We Were a Movie by Kelly Oram (Power of the Matchmaker #3)

Music meets Movies in this sweet college romance from the bestselling author of Cinder & Ella.

NYU freshman Nate Anderson is a triplet who is desperate to escape his wild and crazy brothers. After they screw things up for him one too many times, Nate flees his housing situation and takes the first available room for rent as far from his brothers as he can get.

Enter his new roommate Jordan–a quirky LA girl who believes that everything in life has already been done in the movies. In this heartfelt tale of love, friendship and family, Nate learns how to deal with his new adult life using Hollywood films as a guide.

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What readers just like you are saying about If We Were a Movie:

“WOW! This book is great! The concept is so inventive, and the writing is brilliant.”
“I thought Cinder & Ella jerked with my emotions too much but this one might have it beat.”
“I finished reading If We Were a Movie yesterday. I loved it! I fell hard for Nate. Jordan was amazing! And Pearl’s timing was perfect! “

“Amazing concept with movies as chapters, and fantastic storyline.”

“I loved this story and was humming along to the songs from the book whilst reading. I can see this book becoming the movie it was written to be.”

“If We Were a Movie made me want to binge watch movies, listen to old playlists and re-read it all at once.”

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TEASER

“So this is what a Pearl-approved guy looks like.” She shook her head once and cracked a smile. “She’s got good taste, I’ll give her that. You’re an odd mix of sexy and adorable. Don’t see that often.”
I was a little taken aback by the compliment, if that’s even what it was. She may have just been stating what she considered to be fact. She laughed at my surprise and held out her hand to me. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jordan Kramer.”
I’d been afraid of that. “You’re a girl.”
Jordan laughed. “That’s what it says on my birth certificate, but I’m really glad you were able to figure it out without needing to read it.”
Nope. I definitely didn’t need that.

 

TEASER

I handed Jordan the electric guitar that I’ve had since I was twelve, and laughed when her eyes got really big. “You play the electric guitar, too?”

“Music major,” I teased, picking up my keyboard. “I play this, too. A little. And the bass guitar.”

“Awesome.” She examined the electric guitar with awe.

“Why do you seem so surprised?”

She looked at me as if the answer to that question should be obvious. “Hello. Have you met yourself? You with an acoustic guitar singing soft songs around a campfire or in a coffee house makes perfect sense. But I can’t picture you up on a stage, jamming on your electric guitar like a rock star.” She studied me a moment, then shook her head. “You’ll have to play for me, or I’m not going to believe it.”

 

Kelly OramAbout the Author

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She’s obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy.

 

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The music and movies behind the story (Kelly’s If We Were a Movie playlist)!

As I’ve said many times before, I’m one of those authors who needs peace and quiet to write. I’m a music junkie at heart, and if there is music playing, I will sing (and most likely dance) along. Fun times, but as you can imagine, not the most productive writing environment. So while I’m working, I turn the music off. But I still always have a playlist for each book. It’s usually a group of songs that remind me of a scene, or a certain character, or just have the tone that I’m going for. And while I’m working on the book, I will wear the playlist out. (Just not during writing hours.)

If We Were a Movie, despite its title, is almost more about music than it is about movies. My main character, Nate, is a talented musician on scholarship at NYU. Music is an intrical part of the plot, and hits home for me personally as I was a music major in college too. (For a while anyway…) The playlist I have for this book is closer to an actual movie soundtrack than just a random list of songs this time. (Very fitting.) Most of these songs are referenced in the book as well as that they simply remind me of the story. As you read, feel free to listen along.

The book also has a movie playlist and you can watch along as well. As much as Nate is a music junkie like me, his love interest, Jordan, is a movie fanatic. (Like my Hollywood screenwriter/editor/motion graphics artist husband!) The book is all about comparing life to the movies, and is a play on all the classic romantic comedy tropes that we all love so much. There are dozens of movie references throughout the book. In fact, each chapter is titled after a different movie that has something to do with that chapter. I guarantee after the first couple of chapters you will be trying to guess what’s going to happen next based on the chapter headings! I’m not going to give you that list of movies right now, because it may spoil some of the surprises, but I promise it’s a fun list.

So, are you ready to listen to If We Were a Movie? Here it is in my personal playlist order: (Warning, this is my most eclectic playlist yet!)

  1. Fortune Days (The Glitch Mob)
  2. Take a Chance On Me (ABBA)
  3. Tears In Heaven (Eric Clapton)
  4. Jolene (Dolly Parton)
  5. Tompkin’s Square Park (Mumford & Sons)
  6. Lego House (Ed Sheeran)
  7. Hands All Over (Maroon 5)
  8. How To Save a Life (The Fray)
  9. Inconsolable (Backstreet Boys)
  10. Cherry Pie (Warrant)
  11. Under Pressure (Queen & Davie Bowie)
  12. Zidler’s Rap (Various artists from the Moulin Rouge! Soundtrack)
  13. Spontaneous Me (Lindsey Sterling)
  14. Superman (Five for Fighting)
  15. Clarity (Zedd ft. Foxes)
  16. You Belong With Me (Taylor Swift)
  17. Marry Me (Train)
  18. If We Were a Movie (Hannah Montana)

 

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Posted in excerpt, Giveaway, romance, Spotlight on March 3, 2016

his to keep

Synopsis

Iain wasn’t just rough around the edges—he was uncivilized, despite all the elegant trappings and expensive suits. And Brynn wanted more of it. She wanted Iain in full-on barbarian mode.

She wanted to be taken.

Filthy rich British bad boy Iain Chapman made a name for himself as a ruthless businessman, but if he can secure an investment from Vegas powerhouse Trevor Blake, Iain could take his business to the next level. Solution? Hire beautifully timid corporate trainer—and Trevor’s sister-in-law—Brynn Campbell and seduce his way to success.

Brynn’s everything Iain is not: kind, delicate, decent. But she’s also got a taste for something a little beastly, and it doesn’t take long for Iain to break through her every inhibition. Brynn was supposed to be his pawn, but as Iain gets closer to his goal, he begins to realize he’s not ready to let her go, not now, not ever—even if it costs him everything.

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The first time he’d laid eyes on her had been at an evening garden party, a benefit for her family’s cancer foundation. He’d paid a fortune for a ticket in hopes of meeting Trevor. While wandering through the garden, Iain had spotted Brynn, and he’d been struck immobile. It wasn’t just her beauty or that delicate, graceful quality that captured his attention. No, it was the way she held herself apart from the crowd and observed everyone around her, as if, despite being who she was—the sister-in-law of the wealthiest man in Vegas—she didn’t quite feel comfortable in her posh surroundings. It had reminded him, uncomfortably, of himself.

And he hadn’t been able to look away.

He’d watched her for the better part of an hour. Though she tried to hide in plain sight, Iain couldn’t take his eyes off her. He saw her clearly, so why couldn’t anyone else? And when he’d begun to approach her, she’d turned on her heel and flitted away, into Trevor’s monstrously large house. Trevor had also disappeared before Iain could introduce himself. Nevertheless, he’d stayed until the end of the party, hoping to catch another glimpse of Brynn, without any luck. She’d stuck in his head ever since, though he couldn’t for the life of him say why. Now he was finally going to meet her properly.

About bloody time, too. All it took was an elaborate ruse and several thousand dollars to draw her out of her hidey-hole.

Not that this was about Brynn, he told himself. He had a goal. He was going to stay focused on that goal— she was just a bloody bonus.

“It feels wrong,” Marc said, “using this girl to get to her relatives. Seedy, yeah?”

“It’s called networking. No different than glad- handing at a cocktail party or going to a charity dinner in order to meet serious players. It’s just business. You know we’ve tried every other avenue. Blake’s lawyer won’t return our calls. I even tried to play up the expat angle with him, but I couldn’t get a meeting. Trevor Blake is a bloody fortress.”

Marc stopped treading over the hand-loomed rug. “While I’m not convinced that this is our best solution, the course she’s teaching might actually do you some good. Your leadership skills are a bit lacking, aren’t they?”

Iain paused, the cup midway to his lips. “What the bloody hell are you on about?” Iain was leadership personified. He had the portfolio and bank balance to prove it. “There’s nothing wrong with the way I lead, mate. I get results.”

“You do,” Marc agreed. “But you also hack off a lot of people. And those you don’t offend are scared shitless of you.”

“Good.” He didn’t give a damn if people feared him, as long as they did their jobs properly. This wasn’t a popularity contest. No one got a prize for congeniality. “If they don’t like working here, they’re free to quit.”

“Which explains our high turnover rate. You could stand to be a little nicer to people. Wouldn’t kill you none, would it?”

“My gran used to say you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

“That’s daft. Why would I want to catch flies?”

About the Author

Award nominated author, Terri L. Austin, spends her time dreaming up fierce heroes and snarky heroines. At night, she watches too much reality TV, then blogs about it the next day. She met her own Prince Charming in the middle of a bridal shop, and they’ve been together ever since.

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Posted in excerpt, romance, Spotlight, Texas on March 2, 2016

one texas cowboy

Title: One Texas Cowboy Too Many
Author: Carolyn Brown
Series: Burnt Boot, Texas #3
Pub date: March 1st, 2016
ISBN: 9781402296116

Carolyn Brown’s New York Times and USA Today bestselling cowboys prove that love is bigger in Burnt Boot, Texas

Synopsis

She’s got too many cowboys on her hands

Leah Brennan has always been the good girl of the Brennan family, groomed to become the matriarch of the clan. When a dark-eyed, tattooed, ponytailed bad boy saunters into her life, Leah knows he’s off-limits—but his mesmerizing gaze makes her forget everything she used to think was important. As town-wide tension rises, Leah wonders if love really can conquer all…

And the whole town’s taking sides

When Rhett O’Donnell roars into Burnt Boot on a hot July evening, the first thing he sees is a beautiful blonde. She puts a little extra giddy-up in his heartbeat, but when Rhett’s desire throws him into the middle of a love triangle and a hundred-year-old feud, he realizes that winning his cowgirl’s heart will be a lot more complicated than he thought.

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Excerpt

“I thought we were going for funnel cakes,” he said.

“After we ride the Ferris wheel so that if I get sick I don’t hate them forever,” she said.

“Have you ever gotten sick on one before?”

“I’ve never been on one.”

He came to a halt right there in the middle of a crowd pushing their way to the Ferris wheel line. “Never?” he asked.

“I’ve never trusted anyone to keep me safe before,” she said.

“Darlin’, I promise I will keep you safe.”

“Want to seal the deal with a kiss? I like the way we do that.” Her eyes sparkled.

“You sure?” His eyes darted around to see who might be watching them.

She raised up on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck. He could almost hear the phone lines buzzing as he bent his head and her lips touched his. It was a sweet kiss that only lasted a few seconds, but while her lips were on his, the whole world disappeared. For that short span of time, they were the only two people left in the universe.

“Now you have to hold me tight and not laugh at me if I get scared when we get to the top,” she said.

“I give you my promise, but we could seal it with another kiss.”

She rolled up on her toes and brushed a quick kiss across his lips. “There, now you have to take care of me because the deal is sealed.”

They were the last ones that the attendant allowed on the wheel for that ride. When he pulled the bar down Leah slid over close enough to Rhett that she could lay her head on his shoulder. One of his arms was around her; the other was crossed over in front of his body to hold her hand.

“Want me to stop it at the top for you two lovebirds?” the attendant asked.

“Yes,” Leah answered. “He’s going to keep me safe because we sealed the deal with a kiss.”

“I’d keep you safe if you’d kiss me,” the elderly, gray-haired man teased. “But like usual, I’m a day late for the pretty girls.”

“I bet you’ve known lots of pretty girls.” Leah smiled.

“Oh, yes, I have, but when the carnival moved, I left them behind.”

“A handsome but fickle fellow,” she teased.

“You better hold on to her, cowboy, or I’ll sweet-talk her into leaving with me when we tear this place down tonight.”

“I plan on it,” Rhett said.

The old guy flipped a switch, and the swing moved up. “Next,” he called out.

They moved a few feet at a time as he filled the wheel with more passengers. As the buckets went higher and higher, Rhett could feel the fear tensing Leah’s muscles, so he drew her even closer to his side, his arm tight around her shoulders.

“I’m afraid of heights,” she whispered.

“Don’t look down. Just look into my eyes,” Rhett said. “Think about last night and the stars outside the hayloft.”

“I didn’t look down from the doors,” she admitted.

He kissed her on the nose and kept his eyes locked on hers. “Right now, it’s me and you, and I’ll tell you when you can look down.”

When they made the first round and were on the way up again he said, “Now look to your right. There’s your dad and Mavis over there at the funnel cake wagon.”

“She’s pissed,” Leah said and then turned to lock her eyes with his again.

“Oh, yeah, but she’ll get over it. Next time we go around, I’ll tell you to look when we’re a little bit higher up.”

She kissed him on the cheek, and he turned so that their lips met in a sweet, quick kiss. “And then the next time a little more, until we are on top, right?”

“You’ve got me figured out,” Rhett said.

“Have you ever made love on one of these?” she asked.

He chuckled. “No, ma’am, but I’m willing, even if it means a night in jail, if you are.”

“Tell me when to look. I like the feeling of knowing that we’re going up and you’re right here. Hey, you think if we did have sex on this thing that Orville would let us share a cell?”

“It’s our story, Leah. We can tell it anyway we want, and in this story, they’d put us in the same cell where there is a king-size bed strewn with mimosa petals,” he answered.

About the Author

NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author and RITA Finalist, Carolyn Brown, has published more than seventy books. She has written historical single title, historical series, contemporary series and single titles, cowboy romance and women’s fiction. These days she is concentrating on her two loves: romantic women’s fiction and cowboy romance. She and her husband, a retired English teacher, make their home in southern Oklahoma. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. When she’s not writing she likes to spend time in her back yard with her two cats, Boots Randolph Terminator Outlaw and Chester Fat Boy, and watch them protect the yard from vicious critters like field mice, crickets and spiders.

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Posted in Anthology, Giveaway, romance on March 1, 2016

Spring in Snow Valley

 

Spring in Snow Valley: A Snow Valley Anthology

Operation—Kiss the Girl, Cindy Roland Anderson

Ivy Baker is doomed to marry a man she only pretends to be in love with to save the family ranch. Since she isn’t marrying for love, Ivy secretly creates a kissing wish list composed of scenes from the romance books she loves to read. She hopes to experience at least one kiss from her list before she becomes officially engaged and seals her fate. When she travels to Snow Valley to help her aunt recover from knee surgery, Ivy finds herself falling for Kellen Thomas, an irresistible cowboy she should avoid. By chance Kellen finds Ivy’s list, and decides to make it his mission to help her fulfill her bucket list, turning her world upside down and making Ivy want to choose her heart over duty.

Love Coming Late, Jeanette Lewis

Cynthia Eddington never thought she’d return to Snow Valley after a string of bad luck forced the sale of her beloved farm there. But here she is, about to start a new life with her children, Jackson and Anoria. Cynthia plans to focus on her career and her family; she’s not looking for romance and she’s definitely not looking for sexy cowboy, Colby Schroder.

Running from the Cowboy, Cami Checketts

Missy Horman escaped an abusive marriage and returns to Snow Valley to help her father deal with her emotionally disturbed mother. Volunteering to teach a youth Sunday school class seems like a good way to get out of her comfort zone—until she ends up kissing Porter Wilson in front of a bunch of teenagers. Embarrassed, and secretly thrilled, by the kiss, she writes Porter off as a playboy. But, Missy wasn’t the only one affected and Porter’s new mission in life is to prove that there’s more to him than flirting and world-tilting kisses. He wants to show her that a true cowboy knows how to treat a lady and, if Missy can’t keep her wits about her, she might just let him.

The Bet, Taylor Hart

When Destiny Morningstar gets blackmailed into spending her spring break in Snow Valley, the last thing she’s looking for is a date, especially not with Adam and Chase Moon—two attractive and athletic brothers. But soon she finds herself tangled up in a dating spree that includes a flag football game, swinging around the barn dance, and hiking to Snow Valley’s romantic hot springs with the town’s most eligible bachelors. At every turn she’s within kissing distance of one of the delectable Moon men. When she discovers she’s been part of some bet fueled by sibling rivalry and overactive egos she has to make a decision—forgive them both or miss out on the best thing that’s ever happened to her.

Sealed with a Kiss, Kimberley Montpetit

Jessica Mason and Pastor James are struggling to make their long-distance relationship work between Snow Valley and New Orleans where Jessica dances with the local ballet company. When April Murphy, a war widow with a child, shows up in Snow Valley, James reluctantly begins to wonder if he and Jessica are really meant to be. April would make the perfect pastor’s wife and he’d have an instant family and the stability he craves. But he can’t get the spitfire Jessica out of his mind and when she returns to Snow Valley to accept an inheritance, her male ballet partner in tow, the love triangle takes on a new edge. Can Jessica and James figure out how to create a family while living in two different states—or do they allow their hearts to move on and forget the passion they once shared?

Romancing a Husband, Lucy McConnell

Natalie Lawson is at a crossroads. Her husband is down on his luck and some days he’s just plain down while Natalie is moving forward, gaining promotions and starting new adventures. In some ways, they’ve grown apart and Natalie can’t help but wonder if her path through life will always include Eli. When tragedy throws them together, Natalie learns a profound lesson that may save her marriage and provide the key to romancing a husband.

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