Whispers On The Wind

by

Dana Wayne

  Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Book Lift Off

Date of Publication: March 7, 2018

Number of Pages: 277

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You didn’t stop him. He killed her.

Dire warnings from a voice only he can hear makes Sheriff Cooper Delaney doubt his sanity. When a body is found matching one from a recent nightmare, he believes he’s gone off the deep end. The dead do not talk to the living. Or do they? One body becomes two. Are there more?

Heartbroken by betrayal, Dr. Samantha Fowler finds herself starting over at thirty-three. When she meets the local sheriff, the attraction is instant and fierce, threatening to crumble the defensive walls around her heart. Once burned, twice shy, she vows to stay far away from him for the duration of her stay at the quaint B & B they share. But when she finds one body, then another, avoiding the handsome Texan is impossible.

He’s not done.

Quarry in sight, he watches and waits. “I am the master. I cannot be stopped.” 

The clock is ticking…

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Praise

“Smooth pace and lovable characters drew me in almost instantly.”

“If you love romantic suspense, you are in for a treat!”

“Masterpiece! Dana’s ability to paint a picture with words is incredible.”

“Hard to stop reading once I started.”

“It has been a long time since I enjoyed a book as much as I did this one.”

A dog and spirits…could this book get any better?  Why yes it can with well-developed characters and a murderer hiding in plain sight.

I was thrilled to be given the chance to review this book because the synopsis just pulled me into the story almost right off the bat.  Someone from the other side was talking to both Cooper and Sam.  In Coop’s case, we are led to believe it is the victim (but which one?!).  For Sam, it is her Grandmother that is watching over her.  I felt like Cooper’s ghost was impatient, yet she wasn’t giving him very many clues to unearth the killer.

The story kept me engaged throughout wondering who was behind the murders and when the truth was revealed it shocked the heck out of me!  I did NOT see that one coming!  I don’t think there are really any obvious clues to point you towards the killer.  There is a lot of misdirection and supposition (on my part) regarding the mystery portion of this book.

Now let’s talk about the characters.  I felt like all the characters were well developed and mostly likable.  Coop and Sam are mature and while they have their issues, overall they seem to be balanced. Miss Eva (she owns the B&B) and Jason, Coop’s son, add depth to the story and there is a little secret there that comes out near the end.  You’ll have to read the book to discover that secret.  One character we get just a glimpse of is Big Mama….I think there is more to her story and would love to know more about her.  And I can’t do this review without mentioning Jack, Sam’s dog.  He is very protective of her but has taken a liking to Coop.  He is key at various points in the story to Sam’s well being and safety.

This is the first book I have read by this author and can’t wait to read more.

We give this 5 paws up!

Awarding winning author Dana Wayne is a sixth generation Texan and resides in the Piney Woods with her husband, (and biggest fan), a Calico cat named Katie, three children and four grandchildren. She routinely speaks at book clubs, writer organizations and other groups about writing and self-publishing.

Her debut novel, Secrets of The Heart, was awarded First Place – Contemporary Romance, 2017 by Texas Association of Authors, was a finalist for the 2017 Scéal Award for Contemporary Romance, Reviewers Top Pick and included on the Top 10 Books to Read This Winter from Books & Benches online magazine.

Her next two novels, Mail Order Groom, released in April 2017, and Whispers On The Wind, released in April 2018, both received 5 Star Reviews from Readers Favorite among others. She was recently included in the Top 50 Indi Authors You Should Read by calebandlindapirtle.com, an international book blog site.

Affiliations include Romance Writers of America, Texas Association of Authors, Writers League of Texas, East Texas Writers Guild, Northeast Texas Writers Organization, and East Texas Writers Association.

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FIRST PRIZE:  Signed Copy of Whispers on the Wind 

+ Floral Fan + $10 Amazon Gift Card

TWO RUNNERS-UP: eBook Copies of Whispers on the Wind

(Open Internationally)

  September 4-13, 2018

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

9/4/18	Guest Post	That’s What She’s Reading
9/5/18	Review	Forgotten Winds
9/6/18	Excerpt	Chapter Break Book Blog
9/6/18	BONUS Review	Hall Ways Blog
9/7/18	Guest Post	All the Ups and Downs
9/8/18	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
9/9/18	Scrapbook Page & BONUS Review	StoreyBook Reviews
9/10/18	Guest Post & BONUS Review	The Clueless Gent
9/11/18	Review	Reading by Moonlight
9/12/18	Author Interview	Books and Broomsticks
9/13/18	Review	Book Fidelity

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K Street Killing (Washington Whodunit)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Camel Press (July 15, 2018)
Paperback: 242 pages

Synopsis

It’s the height of campaign season, and instead of relishing newlywed bliss with her husband Doug Hollingsworth, Capitol Hill staffer Kit Marshall is busy with a tough reelection fight for her boss, member of Congress Maeve Dixon. Before Maeve and her staff–Kit included–leave Washington, D.C. to campaign full time in North Carolina, they have one last fundraising engagement.

On the iconic rooftop of a restaurant overlooking the Capitol and the Washington monument, Kit and her best pal Meg do their best to woo wealthy lobbyists for sizable campaign donations. Everyone’s enjoying the evening soiree until a powerful K Street tycoon mysteriously tumbles off the rooftop. Even with claims the fall must be suicide, Detective Maggie Glass and Kit aren’t so easily convinced foul play isn’t at work. While balancing Doug’s mid-life career crisis, Kit must spring into action to discover who killed the notorious Van Parker before Dixon’s candidacy sputters, even if it means investigating Meg’s handsome new beau, the victim’s conniving widow, and a bicycle advocate hell-bent on settling a long-standing grudge. When threatening note is left on Kit’s car, warning her to back off the investigation, she knows she’s closing in on the true story of what happened.

About the Author

Colleen J. Shogan has been reading mysteries since the age of six. She conceived of the plot of her first mystery one morning while taking a walk in her suburban Washington, D.C. neighborhood. A political scientist, she previously worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative staffer in the United States Senate and as the Deputy Director of the Congressional Research Service. She is currently a senior executive at the Library of Congress who works on great initiatives such as the National Book Festival. Colleen lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Rob and their beagle mutt Conan. She is the recipient of the Next Generation Indie Prize for Best Mystery.

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Synopsis

Three former Navy SEALs

Injured in the line of duty

Desperate for a new beginning…

Searching for a place to call their own.

Single mom and Revival Ranch’s on-site therapist Monica Finley has dedicated her life to helping brave servicemen and women, but former Navy SEAL Gabe Cortez is the one man whose shell she just can’t crack. Yet with the holidays fast approaching, she may finally have a plan. In a bid to get Gabe to open up, she’ll ask for as much help as possible—cutting down the Christmas tree, stringing lights, the whole nine yards.

Who could possibly be a Grinch with so much holiday cheer in the air?

Gabe has always hated Christmas—the holiday never fails to remind him just how alone he truly is. But the more time he spends with Monica and her young son, the more he finds himself drawn to their cozy little family…and the more he begins to realize his long-suppressed Christmas dreams may finally be coming true.

Excerpt

“Yes. Picking out a book for someone shows that you know them, and you have some clue as to what they like. It shows you’re paying attention, and that you like them.”

“So, what book are you going to get me?”

She tapped her chin, pretending to ponder it. “Maybe I’ll find one on the great art of narcissism.”

He chuckled good-naturedly.

“You can stay here and play your video games.”

“Nah, I’ll look at books.”

So they walked over to the book section of the store, and Monica tried very hard to concentrate on finding a book that her mother would like, and then her father. It was admittedly hard to concentrate with six-foot-something of former Navy SEAL just…lurking.

Which was silly. She was used to tough military men in her life. She’d been raised with one, then married to one, and none of that lurking had ever affected her. Not like this.

Sex camel. Sex camel. Only one cure for a sex camel.

“Hell,” she muttered.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing. Nothing. I think I’m going to have to order something for my dad. None of this really works. Besides, it’s nearly five, and we should head over to the florist.”

“Here. Try this one.” He handed her a book.

She took the heavy, dry-looking tome. She wrinkled her nose at the black-and-white picture on the front. It was some complicated-looking nonfiction book about the role of presidents during wars of the twentieth century.

Damn Gabe Cortez.

“How did you know he’d like this?” she demanded.

Gabe shrugged, taking it upon himself to push the cart toward the front of the store while she trailed behind.

“Marines are all the same. Like all that bullshit about politics and war. Like it’s complicated and not always a dick-measuring contest.”

“Is that all war is?”

“Is to me.”

“I don’t believe that.” He looked sharply over his shoulder at her, but she simply held his gaze. “You don’t join the military if you think that.”

“First of all, you don’t know the first thing about why I joined the military. Second, a lot of guys think it once they’ve been through one. Because you don’t come out unscathed from that. You either double down on what you believe, or you realize it’s all a bunch of bullshit.”

“So, you’re the enlightened, I suppose.”

“No, it’s not enlightened. It’s just how you deal. One way’s not better than the other.”

He always managed to surprise her. She was used to uncompromising military men, and there was an element of that to him. But it was somehow…open-minded. There was a lack of judgment. Gabe seemed to believe in survival however you managed it. Considering that was at the heart of her therapy mission, it was impossible not to admire him for it.

“So why did you join the military?” she asked, unable to resist. It wasn’t a therapist’s question either. No, this was a Monica question. She wanted to know, as a person, about his person.

She wasn’t sure what to do with that, but he smiled. Not those bitter ones meant to push her back a few paces, but one of his charming smiles. The ones he flashed her before he said something…suggestive. Her cheeks heated against her will and that foreign flutter from last night was back in full force.

“Sorry, sweetheart. That’s not a question I answer for just anybody.”

“Oh,” she said, trying to sound calm and not at all affected as she started putting her items on the conveyer belt of the checkout line. “What would an anybody have to do to become a somebody?” She steeled all her courage and calm and self-possession and looked pointedly at him.

But that grin didn’t change any, except maybe turn the air a little hotter. Which was impossible. All this heat was a figment of her over-wintered imagination.

“I’m not sure. No one ever has. But you’re more than welcome to take on the challenge.”

That word wound though her. Challenge. She never, ever backed down from a challenge. It was one of those things her parents had insisted she learn to do: face any challenge, any hardship, any responsibility.

And she had. Over and over again. But this was different, because she had a bad feeling his challenge would involve nakedness.

Oh, remember male nakedness? That was nice. His would be very, very nice.

The cashier cleared her throat and Monica blushed even deeper. “Sorry,” she mumbled, fumbling to pull her credit card out of her purse. She centered herself with the rote actions of sliding the card through the reader and taking the receipt as Gabe loaded up the cart with her bags.

As they walked out of the store, side by side, Monica kept her gaze forward. “I might take that challenge,” she said hastily as they reached the truck.

“You might fail.”

She looked up at him and gave him a very carefully blank smile. She knew it irritated him by the way his lips firmed and his jaw tightened.

“I might,” she agreed, validated somehow when he was the one to break eye contact and finish loading the bags into the truck bed. “But I also might not,” she added, heading for the passenger side door.

The fact that Gabe didn’t slide into the driver’s seat for another minute or so was very validating indeed.

 

About the Author

NICOLE HELM writes down-to-earth contemporary romance specializing in people who don’t live close enough to neighbors for them to be a problem. When she’s not writing, she spends her time dreaming about someday owning a barn. She lives with her husband and two young sons in O’Fallon, Missouri.

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Book title: Finders, Not Keepers

Book Series: Book #1 of The Not So Reluctant Detective Series, can be read as a standalone

Genre: Mystery, Romance, Humor

Published: August 20, 2018

Synopsis

What do you do with a diamond no one wants? You can’t keep it. Or can you?

While cleaning her ex-husband’s effects out of the attic, Terri finds an exquisite diamond pendant necklace. She’s determined to return the necklace to its proper owner, but the owner was brutally killed, a murder which remains unsolved, and her heirs want nothing to do with the diamond. Terri embarks upon a journey researching charities to which she can donate the diamond. When her research becomes dangerous, Terri contemplates solving the murder herself. Her best friend, Melanie, jumps feet first into investigating the murder, but her neighbor, Ryder, doesn’t want Terri exposed to any danger. Ryder, to Terri’s surprise, also wants to be more than neighbors with Terri. Luckily, he’s prepared to take any measure necessary to keep her safe because someone is determined to stop her inquiries.

Join Terri on her quest to find a home for the diamond, which may result in the unveiling of a murderer – if she survives long enough.

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Review

If I had been in Terri’s position and found a diamond necklace, I’m not so sure I would be willing to give it up or search for the owner.  Especially if I found it in my attic!

I am hoping that this is going to be a new series because the interaction between Terri, Ryder, and Melanie is engaging and comical at times.  Terri is in her early 40’s and Ryder is in his 30’s somewhere, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting Terri or from acting like a “caveman” wanting her to stay out of harm’s way.  I understood Terri’s frustrations about being told to not do one thing or another.  She is a grown woman after all!  But learning more about Ryder’s background (the important nugget comes near the end of the book) created a better understanding of his viewpoint.  Melanie is a bit of a wild child and doesn’t think about the consequences of her actions.  But she is a good offset for Terri who is very much a “follow the rules” kind of gal.

The mystery itself was well written and none of the clues were obvious in assisting me in solving the crime of who killed Jessica.  I liked how the victim was woven into Terri’s life in multiple ways and I even felt sympathy for the Collins’ family because of the way their children acted about what Jessica left behind.  You see it too often, someone dies and all people see is dollar signs and greed is rampant.

I can see future books with Terri, Ryder, and Melanie so I hope that there are more to come!

We give it 4 paws up.

Excerpt

“How are we going to solve the murder if we don’t even know where it happened?”

“We are not solving the murder! How many times do I have to explain myself? I’m only trying to honor Jessica’s last wishes by finding somewhere to donate the necklace in her memory.”

“We are totally solving this murder.”

“Did you not read the part where she was shot to death! And the police have no fricking idea what happened?”

Melanie shrugged as if she knew people who were shot to death all the time. “We’ll be fine.”

“We? We are not doing anything. I’m the one who is doing this. We are not doing anything.”

“Fine. Fine. So, Ms. Patterson, what are you going to do next, hmm?” She raised an eyebrow, crossed her arms over her chest, and leaned back in her chair.

“I’m not sure.” Terri tapped her fingers on the table. There was a long pause before she suddenly sat up straight. “Where did the obit say donations were to be sent?”

Melanie pulled the obit up on her tablet. “Westside Soup Kitchen.”

“That’s it!” She snapped her fingers. “I’ve volunteered at that soup kitchen several times. I’ll just go check it out. See if they are a good candidate for receiving the necklace.”

“You volunteered at the same soup kitchen as Jessica? Maybe you met her and don’t remember?”

“No.” Terri shook her head. “I saw a picture of her at the Collins’ house. There’s no way I would have forgotten meeting her.”

“Maybe some of the other volunteers or even the homeless people will remember Jessica. You could ask them about her.”

“Stop trying to solve the murder!”

Melanie readily agreed she wouldn’t get involved in investigating the murder, but Terri knew better than to believe her.

About the Author

I grew up reading everything I could get my grubby hands on, from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew, to Little Women. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although on the odd occasion I did manage to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. After surviving the army experience, I went back to school and got my law degree. I jumped ship and joined the hubby in the Netherlands before the graduation ceremony could even begin. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. But practicing law really wasn’t my thing, so I quit (again!) and went off to Germany to start a B&B. Turns out running a B&B wasn’t my thing either. I polished off that manuscript languishing in the attic before following the husband to Istanbul where I decided to give the whole writer-thing a go. But ten years was too many to stay away from my adopted home. I packed up again and moved to The Hague where I’m currently working on my next book. I hope I’ll always be working on my next book.

Finders, Not Keepers is my thirteenth novel.

 

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Deadly Dram: A Whisky Business Mystery
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Alibi (September 4, 2018)
Print Length 300 pages

Synopsis

Distillery owner Abigail Logan discovers that high spirits are no match for a cold-blooded killer as the Whisky Business Mystery series puts a fatal twist on stiff competition.

It’s been a year since globe-trotting photojournalist Abi Logan inherited Abbey Glen, a whisky distillery in the heart of the Scottish countryside. To her surprise, the village of Balfour already feels like home, and her new business partner, Grant MacEwan, continues to be too charming to resist. But Abi has a history of relationship disasters, so she struggles to avoid an ill-fated romance with Grant. Steering clear is hard enough on a day-to-day basis, but when the two head off to a whisky industry competition together, Abi panics. Five-star resort, four glorious days of nonstop whisky tasting, and a fatally attractive Scotsman—what could possibly go wrong?

The night before the award presentations, with foreign and domestic whisky makers at one anothers’ throats, two judges are found dead under mysterious circumstances. What started with three dream-come-true nominations for Abby Glen’s whisky soon turns into a nightmare for Abi. With a killer on the loose, she must call on her investigative skills to stop another murder—before she gets taken out of the running herself.

Guest Post

The classic advice given to any aspiring writers is to “write what you know,” so many people ask me why my protagonist is a journalist and not a lawyer. After all, I spent a large part of my professional life as a lawyer. Honestly, unless you are John Grisham, being a lawyer is just not that riveting and I wanted my protagonist to be interesting. A woman of substance and a woman who already had the tools she needed to be a successful amateur sleuth, as well as a business woman/distillery owner.

As a photojournalist, Abi Logan has a strong instinct about people and a compulsive attention to detail that serve her well as she investigates. Abi also needed to have had some experience in a male dominated profession before coming to Scotland. Being a former war correspondent she’d experienced that, along with a lot of pain and death and it left her a bit world-weary. Ready for a new challenge and a change of lifestyle. That resonated with me as I switched careers mid-stream and I hope it resonates with many of my readers as well.

Fraught relations between men and woman in the workplace have become such a hot topic lately. The death threats Abi gets in book one of the Whisky Business series go to the extreme, but many of my readers have seen discrimination, suspicion, and mistrust at work, especially if they work in a traditionally male arena. I experienced this as a lawyer, and Abi certainly would have seen it as a war correspondent, and now she’s experiencing it again as she finds her way in the whisky business.

The whisky fraternity, or the Barley Boys as Abi calls them, don’t always welcome her with open arms. The majority of owners and distillers in the whisky business both in Scotland and in other parts of the world are men. Women are slowly making their way into the profession, but they are still a comparative rarity. In these stories, Abi is one of the first, but she is lucky to have a few enlightened souls around her that are willing to recognize the historic contributions of women and to recount their stories. Abi finds strength in the stories they share about the women that came before her.

Back in the 1800’s when small-scale whisky distillation was still illegal, many women tended the stills while their husbands worked the land. Helen Cummings famously disguised the family distillery as a bakery and would serve the revenuers tea and cakes in her kitchen while secretly raising a red flag on the top of the farmhouse to let other distillers in the area know that the authorities were around. Helen and her daughter-in-law Elizabeth shepherded their distillery, now known as Cardhu, from its early illicit operations through several legal expansions and eventually crafted a very lucrative deal to sell the business to Johnnie Walker.

In the early 1930’s Bessie Williamson rose from secretary, to distillery manager, to owner of Laphroaig distillery, earning the title Mother of Laphroaig along the way. By the second World War the supplies of barley used to make whisky were desperately needed to feed the Scottish people and whisky production was put on hold by the government for nearly two years, but the women on the home front still managed to find enough barley going spare to produce a stock of whisky to tide the locals through the dark, dry days.

Today, more and more women like Abi Logan are making their way into the whisky business both in Scotland and abroad. As a woman and a whisky lover I’m having a great time watching them find their wings. Look for profiles of these special ladies on my social media sites. The times are changing and it’s great to be a part of them.

About the Author

Melinda Mullet was born in Dallas and attended school in Texas, Washington D.C., England, and Austria. She spent many years as a practicing attorney before pursuing a career as a writer. Author of the Whisky Business Mystery series, Mullet is a passionate supporter of childhood literacy. She works with numerous domestic and international charities striving to promote functional literacy for all children. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her family.

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Synopsis

Quinn Corbin’s got nothing to lose – except her life.

She’s finally got the attention of the man she’s always loved, Nick Allen. But Nick has a reputation for trouble. And after a car explosion killed his last girlfriend, many people in San Antonio, Texas think Nick got away with murder.

But Quinn, a 24-year-old elementary school teacher and bubbly optimist, believes Nick is innocent. So does her best friend Tory, a law student and sarcastic realist. Soon Quinn and Nick find their relationship growing when suddenly their world upends. Now Nick is in major trouble again and Quinn may have made the biggest mistake of her life.

With incriminating evidence mounting against Nick, Tory works to prove his innocence. But Nick finds himself in a bigger battle when he must fight to protect, and win, his true love.

Review

If you are looking for a romantic suspense book that is set in San Antonio, this might be the book you want to check out! There were twists and turns that surprised even me.

The characters in this book are a good mix of crazy, good, evil, strong, caring, and smart. I could probably throw in a few extra adjectives but this about covers it, I think! The one character that tends to steal the spotlight is Daniel. He is Tory’s best guy friend, is funny, and has an obsession with tacos. But who can blame him there, tacos are quite tasty! Perhaps the author will give him his own book.

Nick has had the cards stacked against him and several incidents have put an X on his back. It seems like many are out to get him and blame him for things that are not his fault. As the story unfolds, and especially at the end, you understand the reasoning for the actions of others. But it is based on emotion and not fact. It isn’t surprising considering the events that occur during the first half of the book between Nick, Quinn, and Tory. No, it isn’t a love triangle! Quinn and Tory are best friends and Nick is one good looking man that Quinn has crushed on for years. True love does win out in the end, but not without some consequences.

The suspense portion of the book pointed me down many different avenues but not to the truth until it was revealed. I’m still not 100% sure how Tory made the connection but once all is revealed it makes sense. I don’t want to reveal too much because that would ruin the story for you! This is one of the twists and turns I never expected to be revealed.

While this story has romance and suspense, there is also some Christian/faith moments that lead one to wonder if there really is a spiritual plane.

I know there is a spin-off from this book that involves Nick’s brother Frank. Frank is an FBI agent and happens to be in town and comes to Nick’s rescue when he needs it the most. I enjoyed getting to know Frank and will have to check out the Plebian Trilogy.

We give this 4 paws up.

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About the Author

DEBBIE K. LUM is an unlikely author, a non-reader who was inspired by a self-esteem ad campaign encouraging little girls to dream big. Her romantic suspense novels feature fun, flawed characters with steamy and complicated relationships (and plenty of surprises!) In 2018, Lum released I CAN HANDLE HIM, which was called “A fresh, enjoyable tale.” by BlueInk Reviews. Reviews for the book have been published in Booklist Magazine and Kirkus Review Magazine. Her 2017 novel, THE DOCTOR, THE CHEF OR THE FIREMAN, was called “A quick, satisfying romantic mystery.” by Kirkus Reviews. In 2016 she debuted PLEBEIAN REVEALED, PLEBEIAN IN DANGER and PLEBEIAN REBORN, a series about a married woman who finds sudden fame with her ex-boyfriend.

Debbie splits her time between Florida and Texas and drinks more unsweetened iced-tea than she probably should.

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Book Title: A Penny Lost by Aspen Bassett
Category: YA Fiction, 232 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: World Castle Publishing
Release date: Jan 13, 2018
Content Rating: PG (There’s a kiss and some mild violence)

Synopsis

Penelope Grace, usually forgotten under the shadow of her twin sister’s perfection, tries her hardest to hide her freakish ability to see into anyone’s soul.

Until she senses an unusual energy like a human-shaped void in the universe. When Penny investigates the source, she gets tossed through a crack in time along with the cute boy next door. The Void follows them through history, increasing the dangers as if testing Penny. But what is it testing for? And why does it claim to know her better than even she knows herself? Even as Penny searches for answers, she must fight to survive the tragedies of both the past and future in order to get back home.

 

About the Author

Aspen Bassett works at a library, telling stories and suggesting books. When she’s not working, she’s usually sipping hot cocoa and wondering what would happen if she had superpowers. She’s been published in multiple anthologies including Oomph: A Little Super Goes a Long Way and Inaccurate Realities.

Aspen grew up learning about chakras and auras and the true power of imagination which slips into her writing whether she intends it to or not. In college, when she wasn’t busy working on her degree in Creative Writing, Aspen also got her certificate in Women’s Meditation (basically general energy work). Now, she’s working toward a diploma in Integrated Healing Arts with a certificate in Hypnotherapy.

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Giveaway

Prizes: Win a paperback or ebook copy of A Penny Lost by Aspen Bassett. Two winners will also get a $10 Amazon GC (open to USA & Canada / 15 winners total)

(ends Sept 22, 2018)

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Synopsis

When Texas Ranger Brett Tucker accidentally derails a wedding,

he’s determined to bring the estranged couple back together…

but he never dreamed he’d start falling for the bride!

Texas Ranger Brett Tucker hates to break up a wedding, but the groom—notorious criminal Frank Foster—is a danger to any woman. So he busts into the church, guns blazing…only to find he has the wrong man.

STOP THAT WEDDING!

Bride-to-be Kate Denver is appalled by her fiancé’s over-the-top reaction to the innocent mistake and calls off the wedding—for good. Guilt-ridden, Brett’s desperate to get them back on track. But the more time he spends with Kate, the harder he falls…and the more he yearns to prove that he’s her true match in every way.

Excerpt

Brett’s courting advice is bound for success—

if only he can keep his own feelings out of the way.

 

The music stopped and a man with a sweeping mustache clapped his hands and yelled in a leather-lunged voice, “Time to change partners, folks!”

Shuffling feet and swirling skirts followed the command as everyone rushed around to partner up with someone new. It took some fancy footwork on Brett’s part to reach Kate’s side before anyone else did. He only hoped that Foster played his part the way they’d practiced.

“May I?” he asked, holding out his hand.

Kate hesitated. Her big blue eyes said yes, but something held her back. No doubt she was worried that Foster’s jealous streak would flare up and he would make a scene.

Brett cleared his throat. Come on Foster. This is your big moment. Do it the way we practiced.  It took much in the way of visual prodding and clearing of his throat before Foster finally got the hint.

“Sure, go ahead,” he said, looking like he’d bit into a lemon. It wasn’t how they’d practice it, but at least Foster got some of it right.

Leading Kate away, Brett glanced over his shoulder at Foster. “Whistle,” he mouthed. Instead of showing his jealousy or acting it out, Foster was supposed to whistle. If his tuneless whistles didn’t chase the green-eyed monster away, nothing would.

Facing Kate, it suddenly seemed imperative to recall his purpose in asking her to dance. It was the only way he could think to prove to her that Foster had conquered his jealousy or, at least, was trying to.

Brett slipped his arm around her tiny waist and closed his fingers over her dainty soft hand. She draped her arm over his shoulder and rewarded him with a brilliant smile that made him tingle inside.

Though he was a good head taller than Kate, they seemed perfectly matched as he circled the dance floor effortlessly with her in his arms. His heart pounded, but fortunately the music muffled the sound. So, this was how it felt to float on air.

Brett could almost feel Foster’s visual daggers as he steered Kate around the other couples. Foster’s pursed lips and red face suggested he was whistling up a storm, and the strange looks directed his way seemed to confirm it. Hoping Kate hadn’t noticed, he led her in such a way as to block Foster from view.

“I’m surprised Frank didn’t object to me dancing with you,” she said. “He

doesn’t usually like me dancing with anyone but him. He can be so jealous at time.”

Brett gazed into her starry eyes. If she didn’t stop looking so utterly fetching, he’d give Foster plenty to be jealous about.

Now was the time to say something positive on Foster’s behalf, but he couldn’t think much past the present moment.

“As a young child, he was bounced from family to family,” she continued, relieving him of having to jump to Foster’s defense. “He never had a real home until he came here to Haywire. And even then, he grew up without a mother. Mr. Foster didn’t remarry until Frank was in his late teens.” Her eyes softened into pools of appeal. “A background like that would make anyone feel anxious. That’s why he’s…”

“Afraid of losing you?”

She moistened her lips, calling attention to her pretty pink mouth. “Something like that.”

Catching himself staring, Brett cleared this throat and gazed over her head. He forced himself to concentrate on the fiddler, the refreshment table, the other dancers. Anything to keep from drowning in the depth of her blue eyes.

“Horehound will help,” she said. “Or perhaps you’d prefer peppermint? For your throat, I mean.”

His gaze locked with hers. “My throat?”

“I noticed back there, that you kept clearing your throat and coughing.”

“Oh, that. Yes, you’re right. Maybe some…hard candy would help.”

She smiled up at him. “You can pick up a bag when you stop by the shop tomorrow for the list.”

His mind went blank for a moment until he recalled the list of customers she’d promised him. “I’d be much obliged.”  He spun her around and then pulled her back. Holding her close, he felt her stiffen in his arms.

“Something the matter?” he asked.

“It’s Frank,” she said. “Look! He’s all red in the face.”

Brett followed her gaze. Foster’s overwrought whistling had turned his face as red as an overripe tomato.

Her face lined with worry, she pulled away. “I better see what’s wrong.”

Before he could stop her, she rushed to Foster’s side, whose arms, Brett told himself, she belonged. Not a thing was wrong with his throat, but he sure in blazes was worried about the condition of his heart.

***

 

About the Author

MARGARET BROWNLEY penned her first novel at age eleven and has been writing ever since. She’s now a New York Times and CBA bestselling author and has written thirty-five novels and one nonfiction book. Margaret and her husband have three grown children and make their home in Southern California.

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Synopsis

Snatched by a Drug Cartel. Forgotten by His Government.

Six girls from Phoenix are missing after leaving their eighth-grade dance and a white van was noticed in the area. Shortly after, a similar van was seen crossing the border to Mexico. Two DEA agents are missing, and Black Stone, a drug cartel also involved in human trafficking, is responsible. U.S. Officials may not be stepping in, but U.S. Marine pilot lieutenant colonel (LtCol) Hap Stoner, is up for the challenge. He is shown a grainy video of hooded individuals beating and ultimately executing two men. Were these victims the missing DEA agents? Can the kidnapped girls be saved in time? Speculation arises when one of their own is suspected as a double agent. Hap Stoner and his team of experienced pilots head into combat in order to uncover the truth and finally put an end to Black Stone’s reign of terror.

High-ranking U.S. military commander, Chuck Warden, is taken hostage by the ruthless Black Stone Mexican drug cartel, who work hand in hand with a treacherous Middle Eastern terrorist group.

Corrupt U.S. officials turn a blind eye. But Lieutenant Colonel Hap “Kang” Stoner takes action, leading a gritty squadron of Marine aviators on an unauthorized raid into Mexico to bring Warden home.

With intense action and stark realism, author Hugh Simpson pulls you into the pit of a gut-wrenching black ops mission where you’ll…

Plunge into the harsh, brutal world of foreign drug cartels
Witness unthinkable government greed, lies, and corruption
Discover the true meaning of courage, heroism, and patriotism

Borderline Decision opens your eyes to the chilling threat that lives at America’s doorstep. You’ll be forced to face the cold reality that your government conspires with people who want you dead.

All that stands between you and them are the silent heroes you’ve never met… until now.

Praise

“Borderline Decision takes you deep into daring black military operations you never hear about. The action is riveting and
suspenseful. You’ll live it, feel it, and ask for more.” -Casey Demchak, Copywriter & Consultant

Read an Excerpt Here

 

About the Author

Hugh Simpson is a 20-year military veteran who flew helicopters in operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield, and Desert Calm. His extensive geo-political insights come together in Borderline Decision, the first in his series of thrillers that feature U.S. Marine Pilot Lt. Col Hap “Kang” Stoner, who operates where governments fear to tread.

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