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Originally published as a three part serial, enjoy The Abbie Diaries in its entirety. (Includes: Going Viral, Going Out, and Going Steady)

Synopsis

Meet Abbie, cubicle dweller by day, blogger by night. Acting as her online diary, the blog features a no-holds-barred, true life, gritty account of her sometimes funny, sometimes painful, often dirty love life. Oh, and she doesn’t always change the names to protect the innocent. After a date with coworker, Toby, she has a new reason to hate Mondays. When the post goes viral, Toby seeks revenge and enlists the help of his buddy Parker to do it. Both guys soon realize when she isn’t bad-mouthing men, she’s pretty likable, maybe even lovable, which really puts a crimp in Toby’s revenge plot. As if her life life and work life colliding aren’t challenging enough, Abbie has a crazy roommate with a vacuuming obsession, a serious problem with alcohol resulting in BUI: blogging under the influence, and a broken heart. All may be fair in love and war, but what happens next will rock the internet and her world.

Excerpt

The Office Eye Candy: Fun to Look at, Painful to Date

Abbie Baker | On March 21, 2015

If you had asked me a year ago just what I thought about office romances, I would have told you that nobody in their right mind would ever have one. Nothing good could happen from one, right? If you had asked me that a year ago, though, I would have taken inventory of all the men I worked with and would have come up with Nathan, 47, balding and wheezy; Derek, 59, a happily married father and grandfather; and Tyler, who while the right age, is gay. When you have the male coworkers I had then, it is easy to be judgmental about workplace romances.

When your elderly fellow employee retires and is replaced with a young, good-looking, single, straight guy, however, it becomes a whole lot easier to decide that nothing is just black or white. I am here to tell you, though, that your first instincts are correct: do not cross the line. Because if you do, you could end up right where I am now: loveless, mad, and with yet another reason to hate Mondays.

If you have been following the dating drama that is my life, you know that tonight was my much-anticipated date with Toby, my heart-stopping, next-cubicle neighbor. We bonded over a jammed printer, shared dismay when we thought the company was being closed, and laughed together in relief when we found out that we were only changing buildings. All in all, we were clearly destined for couple greatness.

In preparation for the big event, I was waxed, polished, and tweezed. I spent a week’s salary on a form-flattering outfit, and I spent an hour on my hair. But I didn’t mind. It was an investment in my future position as Mrs. Toby Lockland.

Is there someone you can sue when a fool-proof investment falls flat?

That’s right, ladies. Toby was an epic failure, and you guys are all going to reap the rewards of my humiliating ordeal.

Excerpt

Now I’ll tell you the truth. Toby Lakeland has never touched me once in a way I didn’t want him to. In fact, I wish he touched me more. I wish he wasn’t so scared to make a move. I wish he would…I cannot tell you what I wish he would do here. But I would tell Toby just what I wanted him to do if he would only listen. It’s dirty, though, Toby. I hope you like being dirty, Toby, because I know we can do some amazingly dirty things together. And I would like it. I’d never tell people you were making me do things I didn’t want to do. I’d want it. I’d want it even more than you probably. Because you’re so good, and you probably don’t do bad things with bad girls like me. But I promise you that I would make you like being bad, but only when you are being bad with me.

You all might be asking why I am telling you all this in a post talking about how I know I shouldn’t talk about people, but there is a perfectly good reason: I have to embarrass myself as much as I embarrassed him and maybe then he won’t be so mean to me anymore. Only he isn’t mean to me at all. He is friendly. Too friendly. I don’t want to be friends, Toby. I wanted to be in the type of relationship that means we can do the type of things I talked about in the last paragraph.

So now I have made us even. Because now we are both embarrassed, but you don’t have to be since I told everyone you were innocent in everything. You aren’t boring or arrogant or too handsy. Your hands are perfect, and I want to feel them on me again.

So here is what I want all of my readers to know, but Toby, I want you to know the most: I am not going to write about people on here anymore unless they deserve it. I am not going to make fun of men like Toby because I don’t want to hurt their feelings. It’s mean of me. So after I make all of my confessions, I am going to stop talking and be just another anonymous person who dates anonymous people. And I want you, Toby Lakeland, to be my anonymous person.

Please say yes. You don’t have to tell me on here: I know you like to be private. Just tell me. Tell me what you think of me. Tell me you don’t want to just be friends. Tell me you want to kiss me and touch me and do all the things to me that I want to do to you. And there are a lot of things I want to do to you, things I have never wanted to do to anyone ever.

All I could do since you left me so unsatisfied today is drink. That is what happens when you aren’t happy with me: I have to drink to stop feeling so sad. I don’t want to feel this way anymore. I don’t want to have to drink because of how you make me feel. I just want you. So please forgive me. Please really forgive me and like me again like you did before.

Amelie Stephens is a twenty-something wife and mother who loves to tell sweet and funny romantic stories, often those that have come from her own life. When she’s not changing diapers or cooking meals for her family, she’s writing.

Zion’s Call by Jeremy Maughan

1830’s LDS Historical Fiction

Howard Egan has left his life at sea to try his hand at the new America. A dream of owning land and a better life for himself. More than anything he wants to find a woman to spend this new life together. To his surprise he finds her on his first day on shore. He just didn’t expect her to be so beautiful or to be so harsh.

Thrown into the middle of a political firestorm between a Mormon missionary and local business men. Tasked with being the Mormon’s Bodyguard Howard has to find a way to secure his love, fulfill his duty and keep himself and the Mormon alive.

Excerpt

Howard spoke up. “Ladies.”
The three turned to face him. The woman in the center gave him an exasperated look. “Pardon me?” she asked. “Did you speak to us?” She looked him up and down. She gave a little click of her tongue and looked on unapprovingly.
Howard was taken aback by her harsh tone. He struggled to get words out, “Yes. “He stammered, “I wanted to meet you.” he said slowly so he could be understood. He cursed his swollen tongue.
The girl on the left giggled a little, the one in the middle gave her a rueful glance before looking back at Howard. She frowned. “Do you always speak like you have a mouth full of marbles? Are boots a foreign concept from where you’re from?”
Howard started to turn red. He didn’t expect to be talked down to by this woman or any other. His anger started to rise. “I just wanted to meet you and get your name.”
“A little forward aren’t you sir? I don’t think you gave me yours, for starters.”
“My apologies ladies. I am Howard.” He said putting one hand to his breast.
The girl on the left raised her eyebrows, waiting for more. “Just Howard? Are we to call you Mr. Howard?” she asked.
He looked at the other girl. Are all girls of Salem so forked tongued, he thought, or just these? “Sorry, Howard Egan.” He again found his name difficult to pronounce correctly.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Egan” the girl on the right said.
“I don’t know about that,” the black haired girl said. “Come, ladies.”
The three turned to go.
Howard took a step closer. “I didn’t get your names.” He didn’t want them to leave.
They turned again. The girl in the middle tapped her toe lightly on the cobble stones. “No, and you didn’t earn the right.” She paused to look him over again. “Clean up. Stop fighting and some day you will get to. But not today.”
She looked up at the wagon and saw the man sitting there. She nodded quickly to him and said, “Good day Mr. Chisholm. How is Mrs. Chisholm?”
“Good day to you too. She is doing well. You will have to come by sometime for pie. She so does love your company.” Mr. Chisholm replied.
“I just might do that.”
She turned and looked at Howard. He felt he was being judged, like a pig at the fair.
“Do you know this man?” she asked,
“I do. I have agreed to take him on as an apprentice.”
She inspected him one more time and looked back at Mr. Chisholm. “Well you must see something I don’t then.”
“I suspect my wife will feel the same way.” “Good Day, Mr. Chisholm” She inclined her head. Her friends did the same. The curls framing the black haired girl’s face bounced as she nodded. “It was a pleasure seeing you. I will take you up on your wife’s pies.”
They turned to leave, leaving Howard standing dumbstruck in the road.
Mr. Chisholm looked down and saw Howard was still watching the women walk away. He laughed and called to Howard to climb back on. Once he was back on the wagon, Howard asked, “Who is that girl?”
“I don’t know if it is my place to tell you. She made it pretty clear she didn’t want you to know her name. As well as I can remember, she has always been like that.” Mr. Chisholm replied.

About the Author

Jeremy Maughan a seventh generation member of the LDS Church, was born February 1978 in Provo Utah. As a young man he had a passion for reading. One of his fondest memories is laying on the back on his parents boat reading for days at Lake Powell. He would spend days reading Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, David Eddings,Terry Pratchett and many of great fantasy writers. He says that the only way he passed English in high school was because his teachers allowed him to turn in book reports as extra credit.
After High School Jeremy attended Devry Institute of Technology and studied to become a programmer. After two semesters he dropped out, having already landed a great programming job. He didn’t find the need to continue his education to get a job he already had.
A few short months after dropping out of school he was convinced by a close friend, who was a recent convert to the LDS church, to serve a mission. In May of 1997 he was called to serve in the Oregon Portland mission. He reported to the MTC just 6 weeks after submitting his mission papers. There he gained a deep testimony of the gospel that has stayed with him throughout his life.
Once he returned home from his mission his love of the North West pulled at him and he moved to Seattle to pursue his profession programming career. While attending institute his meet the love of his life and married her for time and all eternity in the Timpanogos Temple. In their 14 years of marriage they have had 5 children. Two boys and three girls.
Jeremy’s writing career started with a simple 30 day challenge and the desire to fulfill a item on his bucket list. Wanting to do a challenge to write every day for 30 days he needed something to write about. After days of struggle he was studying the writings C.S. Lewis and was inspired by the story behind The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Jeremy decided to follow in Lewis’s footsteps and write about his own children. A story was hatched and he set out to write a novel for his kids and about his kids.
He caught the writing bug and has written many stories for his family and friends. His most recent work, “ZIon’s Call” is a full length historical fiction novel based on one of his ancestors and his conversion to the gospel.

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BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/30/15

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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Synopsis

Some accidents are meant to happen…

Dr. Rihaan Mehta is a brilliant young neurosurgeon who has no inclination for love or marriage. According to him wives and girlfriends are annoying accessories that one can do without. But when his mother dangles the sword over his head in classic Bollywood style, he succumbs, and sets out in search of a bride who would fit his ‘requirements’. But can Rihaan deal with what he gets instead?

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Excerpt

He found her on the balcony.

She stepped out of the shadows.

But the girl who stood in front of him was certainly not the one he thought he’d married, and to make matters even worse, she was definitely not ordinary-looking.

She was stunning!

Just as his eyes affixed to her face, the wheels of his brain drew to an abrupt halt. What a face it was. That of an enchantress, no less.

Bathed in ethereal moonlight, with dark, wavy hair of shimmering black silk that flirted with her smooth and dewy complexion; regular, well-defined features; huge, luminous eyes that sparkled; lustrous lips, full and moist that curved into a mocking smile and…brought him crashing back to earth!

This was exactly what he had been guarding himself against! This girl, this stranger, had already knocked him off his moorings when he was least prepared for it. Beautiful creatures like her should not be allowed to roam free on the streets, in particular creep unannounced into unsuspecting men’s bedrooms! What was she doing here?

He wrenched himself out of the haze. There wasn’t any way he could afford to be unsettled in his well-planned life. He cleared his throat twice before he found his voice. “You aren’t Deepika. Where is she?”

“Yes, you guessed right,” she spoke in a low soft tone. “I’m not Deepika. She’s gone. I am Naina.” She paused for effect. “Good bye, Rihaan. Nice to have made your acquaintance.”

She turned to slip past him.

About the Author

Simi K. Rao was born and grew up in India before relocating to the U.S., where she has lived for several years.

The inspiration for her books, and other projects, comes from her own experience with cross-cultural traditions, lifestyles and familial relationships, as well as stories and anecdotes collected from friends, family and acquaintances.

Rao enjoys exploring the dynamics of contemporary American culture blended with Indian customs and heritage to reflect the challenges and opportunities many Indian-American women face in real life.

Much of Rao’s down time is devoted to creative pursuits, including writing fiction, poetry and photography. She is an avid traveler and has visited many locations around the world.

A practicing physician, Rao lives in Denver with her family.

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Giveaway

The author is giving away this Wonder Woman basket!

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Title: Genius De Milo
Author: Russ Colchamiro
Publisher: Crazy 8 Press
Pages: 320
Genre: SciFi/Comedy
Format: Paperback/Kindle

Best pals Jason Medley and Theo Barnes barely survived a backpacking trip through Europe and New Zealand that — thanks to a jar of Cosmic Building Material they found — almost wiped out the galaxy. But just as they envision a future without any more cosmic lunacy:

The Earth has started fluxing in and out of existence, Theo’s twin girls are teleporting, and Jason can’t tell which version of his life is real.

All because of Milo, the Universe’s ultimate gremlin.

Joined by the mysterious Jamie — a down-and-out hotel clerk from Eternity — Jason and Theo reunite on a frantic, cross-country chase across America, praying they can retrieve that jar, circumvent Milo, and save the Earth from irrevocable disaster.

In author Russ Colchamiro’s uproarious sequel to Finders Keepers, he finally confirms what we’ve long suspected — that there’s no galactic Milo quite like a Genius de Milo.

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Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club on Goodreads.

Excerpt

Jason’s smile dropped away, replaced with a silent, open-mouthed slug of resignation, that whatever was happening was authentic, and unfolding in real time.

In a shared-brain moment Jason and Theo slowly panned in Jamie’s direction until finally she felt their accusatorial eyes lock on her. And though neither of them spoke, the imputation of blame came through with perfect enunciation: What did you do? What’s coming?

But what could she say? Which cluster of words could encapsulate both the scope and nuance of their predicament? Jamie could offer a pretty good guess as to why their immediate surroundings morphed before their very eyes—it had to be Brigsby-related, didn’t it?—but when it came to the what, she was equally mystified.

So all she could do was stand there. She blinked a few times. Then a few times more. The night went bracingly still, as if every fractal of sound had been drained from the Universe. The three of them held in place, petrified, as if the incredible forces converging upon them were seemingly just to be unleashed. Which, of course, they were.

About the Author

Russ Colchamiro is the author of the rollicking space adventure Crossline, the hilarious scifi backpacking comedy Finders Keepers, and the outrageous sequel, Genius de Milo, all with Crazy 8 Press.

Russ lives in West Orange, NJ, with his wife, two children, and crazy dog, Simon, who may in fact be an alien himself. Russ is now at work on the final book in the Finders Keepers trilogy.

As a matter of full disclosure, readers should not be surprised if Russ spontaneously teleports in a blast of white light followed by screaming fluorescent color and the feeling of being sucked through a tornado. It’s just how he gets around — windier than the bus, for sure, but much quicker.

His latest book is the science fiction novel, Genius De Milo.

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Title: One Day At A Wedding Series
Author: Kelly Rae
Sale Blitz: June 8-10
Hosted by: SBB Promotions

Once Upon a Wedding Story Synopsis

Cassie Anderson, bridesmaid extraordinaire, is tired of attending her friend’s weddings either solo, or with her best friend, Thad. Finding a real date is simply too much work. Especially when she sees an old acquaintance from high school, Dan, at her friend Shelley’s wedding. After the spark shared between them, Dan has become the object of her affection. Too bad he has a nasty habit of having a date on his arm at every turn. Stealing another woman’s date is against the rules, but if she could just catch him alone…well, that would be fair game! Unfortunately, timing is everything, and she and Dan seem to have the worst. Always the bridesmaid, walking away with nothing more than a dreadful dress,

Cassie is committed to changing her luck and getting her man.

Every Other Wedding Synopsis

Cassie Anderson has been the girl of Dan’s dreams since high school. Unfortunately, her return to his life comes at the worst time possible. As he tries to put his life back together, he keeps an eye on her, hoping to find her single at the right time. A time when it all hurts a bit less. A time when he can offer her all of the love she deserves. After three weddings of happenstance meetings, Dan finds himself to be a little more ready for everything that is Cassie. Putting himself out there, he can only hope she is everything he thinks she might be — his forever girl.

Anything but a Wedding

Thad never expected to find anyone who meant more to him than his best friend, Cassie. She was the one woman he loved enough not to sleep with. He was a player, but an honest one. Unfortunately, not everyone felt that balanced out his love ’em and leave ’em ways. He just didn’t see a need to settle down — yet. Then, he met Brianna, who made him think about the future — a future with her — which was a new experience for Thad. Brianna is also a new kind of woman and convincing her that they have a future might just be the challenge of his life.

Not One More Wedding

Brianna works through men like she works through her closet — seasonally. Any other way has always been trouble. When she meets Thad, she is thrilled. Not only does he intrigue and excite her, but he is just like her — noncommittal. He sets her on fire with his smooth talk and honest approach to dating. Even without being physical beyond a kiss, the thought of him makes her entire body hum. Except, Thad has gone and gotten attached to her in a way neither of them expected; attached in a way she simply cannot allow. Unfortunately, he won’t allow their relationship to become physical until she surrenders her heart to him, which is a battle she isn’t sure she can win. The longer it lasts, the less sure she becomes of wanting it to.

Bonus Story! When Cassie Met Thad

Were you curious about how Cassie and Thad met? Read all about their story in this bonus story exclusive to this version.

Excerpt from Once Upon a Wedding Book One:

“Cassie. Cassie, did you see who’s here?” Shelley tugged at her skirt, trying to get her attention directed toward the back of the church.

“What’s the matter with you?” she asked Shelley and then turned to face the back of the church. “Ohh, now I see what you mean.”

“And yet, you ignored me,” Thad said from the other side.

She just blew him off with a wave. He would get over it in two seconds or less anyway.

There he stood, looking as dapper as a GQ cover. His suit was a very nice shade of blue, with a white shirt and what appeared to be a pinstripe tie. By the time Shelley had gotten her attention, he had already selected a pew and scooted by people for a seat. The most important thing Cassie noticed was his lack of a date.

Who doesn’t take their fiancée to a wedding?

This could be a good sign. Of course, she would have to do some more investigating before she determined whether he had a single status at this point, or remained affianced. It then dawned on her that she, herself, had brought a date to the wedding. She took her eyes off Dan long enough to glance over at Thad, currently very busy staring at the legs of the woman next to him.

Boy, can I pick ‘em. Even my pretend boyfriends are losers.

“Thad, do you think you could be a little more discrete about your appreciation for our neighbor there?” she asked through gritted teeth, trying to keep her disdain to a low roar.

“Oh, shit, I’m sorry Cassie. But did you see her calves? I swear, it’s just a professional thing,” he said this with the gigolo grin, his specialty, one that hardly ever worked on Cassie. Hardly ever.

“If this is where you tell me how you’re a critic and you were just admiring her legs in a professional manner, don’t bother,” Cassie uttered in her most stern, yet quiet, voice. “You critique the arts, Thad, her legs are not performing.”

“I could argue that point, but seeing how your face is scrunching up at me, I won’t. You’re right, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Thad did his best to appear remorseful and even went so far as to kiss her forehead and squeeze her hand. She did not squeeze back.

To Cassie’s way of thinking, the fact that he had been holding her hand the whole time, including while checking out the lady’s legs next to them, made it a little worse. What could she say, though, considering she had been waiting and hoping for the appearance of another man?

She turned her head and caught Dan glancing in her direction. His mouth immediately curved up into a smile and he waved in Cassie’s direction. Cassie returned the smile and raised her left hand to reciprocate the wave, realizing she’d brought Thad’s hand along with her. Making it obvious that she had brought a date to the wedding, she immediately dropped Thad’s hand. Too late. She knew Dan had seen already.

Damn it!

Kelly Rae is mom to an amazing young man. Everything else is just a way to keep busy between laughs with her son, or a way to pay for his sports equipment and growing feet. When she was twelve years old, she hit the big leagues by winning a Young Authors Award (okay, okay, it was only within her school district. Shh.) Although she has been unable to duplicate this success in her adult writing, she is giving it her best shot. Kelly, her son, and their chocolate lab, live in the Pacific Northwest where they enjoy the sun when it shines and the snow when it falls. When they aren’t dancing in the rain or singing at the top of their lungs in the car, they are planning their dream vacations…which they might even get to take some day.

Synopsis

Nathan is terrible at relationships…

Just ask his absent father, his controlling aunt and uncle…or his ex-girlfriend, Sarah. All he wants is to spend the summer before his senior year relaxing in the sun without any conflict or drama. But when he lays eyes on the beautiful, married mother of three at the opening of a yacht club, all bets are off.

Jacqueline McCarthy’s life is nothing but a façade…

Her husband is a disgraced former athlete who prefers to have his ego stroked by other women. Jackie fills her empty days with yacht club events with other bored, wealthy housewives she can’t stand, and she’d give anything to truly connect with someone.

When she meets Nathan and asks him to watch her children, she is captivated by the handsome, charismatic young man with a swimmer’s body.

Jacqueline’s attraction to Nathan doesn’t go unnoticed and one particular vindictive gossip is determined to expose what she considers an unsavory secret.

Her campaign of rumors and innuendo—and eventually physical evidence—draws the attention of friends and strangers alike, and threatens to bring their world crashing down.

However, sometimes those who are quickest to judge are the last ones who should be throwing stones…

Excerpt

Nathan knew what normally came next even though there were no standards for the path he was on. He wondered how affairs usually started without judging the fact that he fully accepted that what he was doing was a violation of one of the Ten Commandments. All the thoughts he’d experienced about morality faded from his brain. This was what he wanted, and he could gather beyond a reasonable doubt that it was what Jackie wanted too.

That didn’t stop him from opening his mouth.

“Jackie,” he started to say. She turned around so they were facing each other.

“Shh,” she said, putting her finger to his mouth. “You’ll spoil the moment.”

They kissed. Time, ideas of whether this was right or wrong, and all the other voices in his head stopped. Nathan’s brain switched over to autopilot and knew when the moment was right to end their first kiss. He adhered to her command to keep quiet and stared deep into her eyes. Two weeks ago, Jackie McCarthy was just a name to him, one he wouldn’t have given a second thought about. Now she mattered. Now she was the object of his youthful desire. What he was to her didn’t matter tonight.

She broke the silence. “You do have a bedroom here, right?”

Nathan nodded, and she got off the couch with his hand in her palm.

“Show me the way,” she whispered.

About the Author

Ian Thomas Malone is an author and a yogi from Greenwich, CT. He is a graduate of Boston College, where he founded The Rock at Boston College. He is the grandson of noted Sherlockian scholar Colonel John Linsenmeyer. Ian has published thousands of articles on diverse subjects such as popular culture, baseball, and social commentary. His favorite things to post on social media are pictures of his golden retriever Georgie and his collection of stuffed animals.

Ian believes firmly that “there’s more to life than books you know, but not much more,” a quote from his hero Morrissey. When he’s not reading, writing, or teaching yoga, he can probably be found in a pool playing water polo. He aspires to move to the Hundred Acre Wood someday, though he hopes it has wi-fi by then.

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Synopsis

Runner-Up, 2015 Beach Book Festival 

Winston Wong used to test video games but has left his downward spiraling career to follow in the footsteps of Encyclopedia Brown, his favorite childhood detective. When the Pennysaver misprints his new job title, adding an extra “s” to his listing, Winston becomes a “Seniors Sleuth.” He gets an easy first case, confirming the natural death of a ninety-year-old man. However, under the surface of the bingo-loving senior home is a seedier world where a genuine homicide actually occurred. Winston finds himself surrounded by suspects on all sides: a slacker administrator, a kind-hearted nurse, and a motley crew of eccentric residents. To validate his new career choice (and maybe win the girl), he must unravel the truth from a tangle of lies.

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

WINSTON SQUINTED AT the fine print and scowled. The Pennysaver ad was printed as “Winston Wong, Seniors Sleuth,” not “Winston Wong, Senior Sleuth.” The word “senior” was supposed to make him seem more experienced; after all, he didn’t want to sound like a noob at the detecting game. Due to the error, he now seemed lame, ready to mooch off older adults for some dough.

He picked up the phone to call the company and correct it, but then he thought, Screw it. Instead, he rubbed his slight potbelly to bring in the clients. Whenever his sister Marcy saw him, she teased, “Looks more like the lucky Buddha’s every day.” In fact, he’d had to up the size of his pants, which he now wore baggy-style like a punk kid because of his expanding waist. At least the style matched his flip-flops.

Winston swiveled in his black mesh computer chair and surveyed the office. Not a bad look for the mother-in-law unit. With no wife and family to speak of, the spare room used to be his man cave. But he had swept all the consoles and accompanying video games into the main house in preparation for his new business, leaving only two electric blue inflatable chairs. They would serve as seats for his future clients, but he had made them classy by draping them with faux leather throws.

He tapped his fingers on the scarred particleboard folding table and looked at his clunky laptop. Maybe he could play a quick game of Minesweeper first, without getting sucked in (as usual). Before he could even touch the keyboard, the door swung open.

In walked fire on stilettos. The woman’s waterfall of flaming curls tumbled onto a gold gown welded onto her curves. Her sapphire eyes, which had a slight Eurasian tilt, pierced him. “Are you Winston Wong?”

He couldn’t move.

“Seniors Sleuth?” she asked.

Winston swallowed, the saliva making his throat feel even drier. He smoothed his part to the left to better cover his blinding bald forehead. “Yes, that’s me.”

“I’ve been looking for you.”

Winston had trouble finding his voice. Before he could even respond, she turned and left. He thought he had missed his chance, but to his relief, she soon returned…ushering in an old woman wearing an outrageous frilly muumuu. The scent of apples and cinnamon lingered in the air. Maybe she was the kind of old lady who baked goodies for her grandchildren in her spare time.

At second glance, though, the warm associations faded. Ice exuded from Granny’s face. Her hair appeared colorless, and her dull blue eyes were bleached versions of her granddaughter’s sparkling ones. Granny’s gaze floated, detached from everything around the room.

“I’m Carmen Solstice,” the knockout beauty said. “My grandmother’s Eve.” She turned toward the old woman, raising her voice. “Nana, this is the nice detective I told you about, Winston Wong.”

Eve didn’t stop her roaming eyes.

Carmen brushed her slender hand against her grandmother’s shoulder. “He’s here to help you. He’ll figure out what happened to Teddy.”

At the name, Eve covered her face with her gnarled hands and moaned. “Teddy, Teddy. Why did they kill you?”

Carmen shushed her grandmother, making soothing noises until Nana became distant again. She walked her grandmother over to the far wall. “Why don’t you take a look at this, uh, artwork while the detective and I chat?”

Winston smacked his palm against his forehead. He had forgotten to remove the framed equation reading, “I like to eat = area of a circle divided by radius squared.” It didn’t even have a picture of a steaming pie to help the old woman out. Unless she liked mathematics, Nana would be occupied for a while.

When Carmen returned, Winston asked, “Um, what’s this talk about a killing?” He didn’t want his first case to be a homicide.

“Don’t worry,” she said, rolling her eyes. She glanced back at her grandmother, scooted closer to Winston, and whispered, “It’s all a figment of her imagination. Nana suffers from dementia. Teddy, my gramps, has been gone for decades, and he died quite peacefully in his sleep.”

“So what do you need me for then?”

“Well, Nana took a liking to one of her co-residents at the care facility and confused him with her long-lost husband. This other ‘Teddy’ died yesterday afternoon, and she keeps thinking that it’s foul play. It’s really stressing her out, so I want you go investigate”—Carmen used air quotation marks around the word—“and settle the matter.”

“I don’t understand. Can’t you just provide her with the original of Teddy’s death certificate?”

Carmen frowned, a cute pull of her lips. “We don’t have the documentation anymore, and I can’t be bothered getting a copy from a governmental office. They’re always so slow.”

“What about showing her the new death certificate?”

“The replacement gramps was called Joseph, so that won’t work. She’ll see the new name and be even more confused.”

Winston leaned back in his chair, making it squeak. “Let me get this straight. You want me to stage an investigation to show your grandmother that her Teddy died naturally, so she can move on.”

“Exactly.” Carmen leaned forward, her juicy strawberry lips an inch away from his. “I’ll pay you, of course.” She pulled two crisp fifties from a miniscule purse. Where had she hidden that on her body? “Will this be enough, or do you need more?”

Winston watched Carmen’s fingers dance close to him with the money and gulped. “That’s plenty. It’s not even a real case after all.”

“Good. It’s settled then.” Carmen wrote down the address on a piece of paper. Even her writing curled in seductive flourishes. “Sweet Breeze. 2255 Julian Street.” Winston watched Carmen’s hips sway away from him as she helped her grandmother out the door.

About the Author

J.J. Chow writes Asian-American fiction with a geriatric twist. She has a gerontology specialization from Cornell University and a Master’s in Social Work with geriatric field experience. She lives in Los Angeles and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

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With No Regrets by Julie N. Ford

Living With No Regrets Is Harder Than It Seems

Finley isn’t exactly sure when her life began to feel unfamiliar. She suspects the transformation started long before she caught her husband and fellow garden club member doing the white-trash-two-step on her new Bernhardt sofa. Now free from the shackles of a loveless marriage, and with her children off to college, she’s finally able to go searching for the missing pieces of her heart.

Finley’s best friend, Cathyanne, is already working hard to ensure that Finley finds true love this time around. But when Finley is unwittingly tossed into the arms of two men—their sexy trainer and her neighbor, a popular country star—Cathyanne fears finding the right guy will be more complicated than she ever could have imagined.

For Finley, building a new life feels as impossible as flying a paper airplane to the moon. But maybe, just maybe, with the right help, she will find her whole heart—even if it’s in the very last place she thinks to look.

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Praise for With No Regrets

“The imagery is beautiful, the romance very well done and realistic.” Rachel Ann Nunes.

Finley is a spunky and snarky Southern woman with a lot of sass! The romance is swoon-worthy and satisfying. And underneath it all, it’s got a great message. Definitely worth a read!

Excerpt

Trailer

About the Author

A graduate from San Diego State University with a BA in Political Science, Julie N. Ford also earned a Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama, which has only made her better able to recognize the unhealthy, codependent relationship she has with writing. Professionally, she has worked in teaching and as a marriage and family counselor. She is the author of six women’s fiction novels, including Count Down to Love, a 2011 Whitney Award finalist. When she’s not writing, she entertains delusions of being a master gardener, that is, when she’s not killing the unsuspecting plants in her yard with her good intentions. She lives outside of Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, two daughters, and the cutest Scottish fold cat you’ve ever seen. She loves to chat with readers.

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Today I welcome author Steve Vincent, author of Fireplay (free short story), The Foundation (free at the time I wrote this), and a new release due out June 11th, State of Emergency.  These feature reporter Jack Emery.

First the books and then how Steve cooked up these political thrillers.

Synopsis

A chance lightning strike. A reporter in the right place. A scandal that will rock America.

Journalist Jack Emery has seen it all. Embedded for the New York Standard with the 8th Marine Regiment in the heart of Afghanistan, he has covered everything from firefights to the opening of new schools. But nothing has prepared Jack for the story that is about to explode right in front of him.

When a convoy Jack is riding in is attacked by a lone zealot, Jack asks a question that puts him on the path of a sensational story. But he’ll soon learn that his struggles to find the hook are nothing compared to the dangers of getting it out.

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Synopsis

He who holds the pen holds the power.

When a corrupt think tank, The Foundation for a New America, enlists a Taiwanese terrorist to bomb a World Trade Organization conference, the US and China are put on the path to war.

Star journalist Jack Emery is pulled into a story far more dangerous than he could have imagined. Because the Foundation’s deputy director, the ruthless Michelle Dominique, recognizes that whoever controls the message controls the world. And she will take control, no matter the price.

Enter Jack’s boss, Ernest McDowell, owner and chairman of the largest media empire on the planet. In the midst of political upheaval, EMCorp is about to become the final play in the Foundation’s plan. When Dominique traps the EMCorp owner in her web, Jack’s the only one left to expose the conspiracy before it’s too late.

As the world powers smash each other against the anvil of Taiwan, Jack will risk everything to battle the Foundation and prevent them from taking control amid the devastation of a global war.

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Synopsis

What is the true cost of security?

Amid a wave of unprecedented terrorist attacks on American soil, a panicked and inexperienced president declares a state of emergency and hands over control of the country to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The quiet and unassuming Administrator Hall soon becomes the most powerful man in America. Determined to stop the attacks, Hall enforces his order across the US, using a newly empowered State Guard to deal with anyone who gets in his way.

As totalitarianism descends across the country, battle-weary reporter Jack Emery is faced with a terrifying new reality when friends, colleagues, and sources are imprisoned before his eyes. Among weekly terrorist attacks, FEMA atrocities, and the clamp tightening on every element of society, Jack becomes one of the few struggling to stop the madness.

This time though, he’s on the wrong side of the law and fighting the very government he’s trying to save.

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Guest Post – Cooking up a political thriller

Writing popular, genre fiction is in many ways following a recipe. I know that saying this takes away some of the mystery, but it’s the truth. While readers want to be entertained and surprised, they also want to broadly know what they’re getting if they pick up a thriller, or a police procedural, or a sci-fi or a fantasy.

But within that broad parameter – or recipe – authors have an enormous amount of freedom to cook up stories in fun and amazing ways. Some plan in great detail before they write a word, some map out a whole series ahead of time, and some write by the seat of their pants. Some are inspired by concept or some by character.

For me, inspiration comes from figuring out a cool concept or conspiracy and then finding a way to plug characters into it and have them bounce off of each other. This often manifests itself as a “what if?” question.

For The Foundation, I was interested in the concentration of media power in a few hands and wanted to explore what would happen if that were subverted to some nefarious end. That was my “What if?” After that, I had to cook up some characters and get them into trouble for 85,000 words to help scratch the itch of that original question. Given it turned into a globetrotting, action packed ride, so much the better!

For State of Emergency, the second in the series and my newest book (released on 11 June 2015), the “what if?” was more about internal subversion of a political system. Whereas The Foundation was big, bold and brassy, I think State of Emergency is a much more localised, nuanced plot. There’s still plenty of danger and action for Jack Emery to work through, but it’s a more subtle, menacing type.

The prequel novella I recently released – Fireplay – was easy. In developing The Foundation, I realised there was this rich backstory from Jack Emery’s life as a journalist that it would be a shame not to explore it. I wrote it because I wanted to, but also because I believe in giving readers – particularly in digital – a small, free treat from time to time. I may do more of these in future.

There are plenty of ideas in my head – great situations or premises for plots – that simply wouldn’t fit for a Jack Emery story. They may be developed as stand alone books in future, or as another series, but they’ll never be in this series. The concept needs to fit the plot, and the plot needs to fit the characters. If one link in the chain fails, so too will the book

Once you’ve settled on a concept, developed a plot and fit your cast of characters inside, it’s important to research all the elements of the story. Nobody is perfect at this, I’m sure I’ve made mistakes and some reviewers are quick to point them out. But, like most authors, I do my best to get my facts straight and in doing so keep the reader in the story, rather than screaming at the book for being WRONG!

This has been tricky for the Jack Emery series, for one special reason – I’m Australian. An abject fear of getting it all wrong is the reason I need to research so much. I know my own country’s politics and political system back to front, but when writing political thrillers set in America, I had to go back to school and learn. Good thing I enjoy it

If writing popular fiction follows a recipe, then coming up with great concepts and characters is the same as using good quality ingredients. The research? That’s making sure you cook it probably.

About the Author

Steve P. Vincent lives with his wife in a pokey apartment in Melbourne, Australia, where he’s forced to write on the couch in front of an obnoxiously large television.

When he’s not writing, Steve keeps food and flat whites on the table working for the man. He enjoys beer, whisky, sports and dreaming up ever more elaborate conspiracy theories to write about.

He has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political Science and History. His honors thesis was on the topic of global terrorism. He has traveled extensively through Europe, the United States and Asia.

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Title: Vicious Cycle
Author: Katie Ashley
Series: A Vicious Cycle Novel 1
Genre: Motorcycle Club Romance
On Sale Date: June 2, 2015
Publisher: Penguin
Imprint: Signet
ISBN: 0451474910
ASIN: B00OQS4DMI
Print Length: 328 pages

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Katie Ashley revs up the danger and sexual tension in her brand-new Vicious Cycle romance series.

Deacon Malloy’s life is dedicated to the Hells Raiders motorcycle club. Tough, hard, and fast with his fists, he serves the group as sergeant at arms. But his devil-may-care approach to life is thrown for a loop when the five-year-old daughter he never knew existed lands on the club steps.

Alexandra Evans is devoted to all her students—but there’s always been something about Willow Malloy that tugs at her heart. There’s an aura of sadness about her, a girl in need of all the love Alexandra can give. When Willow stops coming to school, Alexandra’s search leads to a clubhouse full of bikers…and a father hell-bent on keeping his daughter always within sight.

The moment Deacon sees Alexandra, he has to have her in his bed—and he’s never met a woman yet who couldn’t be persuaded. No matter how attracted she is to Deacon, Alexandra refuses to be just another conquest. But it’s Deacon himself who could be seduced—into a brighter future for himself, his daughter, and the woman he’s falling for against all odds.

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Excerpt

As I entered the door, I took a deep breath to try and still my out-of-control nerves. Smoke hung heavy in the air, stinging my eyes and causing me to cough. Several men in leather biker cuts lounged on stools at the bar, nursing beers. Across from me, a heated pool game was taking place.

I took a few steps inside and then froze. “Are you lost, darlin’?” a big busted woman in a halter top asked.

“Uh…I’m looking for David Malloy,” I said.

Two men at the pool table whirled around. The shorter of the two, a tough but cute looking blond, cocked his head curiously at me. But then the moment my gaze locked on the other man, I knew he was Willow’s father. They had the same dark hair, soulful dark eyes, and heart-shaped face. David, however, had dark scruff covering his face. Although he was Rev’s brother, I didn’t see any resemblance between the two. Although he was shorter and slightly less built, David was just as good-looking as Rev. “Mr. Malloy?” I questioned, as I closed the distance between us.

He tossed the pool stick on the table. Taking a long drag on his cigarette, he then stubbed it out in an ashtray on the table. “What do you want?” he demanded.

Without even glancing around the room, I knew that every eye in the place was on us. “I really need to speak with you for a moment.”

His dark eyes narrowed as they raked over my body. Then the next thing I knew, he leapt at me, knocking me back into the wall. One of his hands came to grip my throat while his body pinned me in place. Fear like I had never known overwhelmed me, sending my heartbeat drumming wildly in my ears. It was so loud it felt like a cannon blast going off around me. “Please,” I murmured.

David glared at me as his thumb pressed harder into my throat. “They’re really falling down on their job at the academy.”

“E-Excuse m-me?” I stammered.

With a smirk, he replied, “Don’t they train you ATF bitches to hide your fear a little better? I mean, you’re practically pissing your pants right now, not to mention your heart is beating ninety to nothing.”

I shook my head slowly back and forth as I tried processing his words. “ATF? I don’t understand.”

He rolled his eyes. “A white-bred piece of ass comes waltzing into my clubhouse wanting to talk to me alone. It doesn’t take a f*ing genius to realize you’re a Fed.”

A Fed? It took me a moment to process what he meant. Holy shit, he thought I worked for the government as an agent of some sort. Quickly, I replied, “No, I’m not.”

A voice came from him. “Deacon, man, you’re gonna get your ass jacked up even further for this.”

Glancing over his shoulder, Deacon said to the young, blond haired man, “Stay out of this, Bishop.”

Bishop held up his hands. “Fine. It’s your f*ing funeral.”

David’s hand slid down my throat to the buttons on my dress. Glancing over his shoulder at the others, he questioned, “What do you bet she’s wired up under her tits?”

When his hands started to rip open my dress, I couldn’t hold back my scream. “No, stop! I’m not who you think I am. I swear!” I protested.

“Then just who the hell are you?” he demanded.

Before I could answer, a tiny voice came from behind us. “Miss Alex?”

The sound of Willow’s voice caused David to release his hold on my dress, but his body still kept me pinned to the wall. At that same moment, Rev entered the clubhouse. When he saw me, his eyes bulged, and he broke into a run to reach us. Grabbing David’s shoulders, he slung him away from me. “For f*’s sake, Deacon, what the hell are you doing?”

“I’m giving this undercover ATF bitch what she deserves,” Deacon spat, taking a step back toward me.

“Christ, she’s not ATF,” Rev countered.

“Oh, then who the hell is she?”

“She’s my teacher…and my friend,” Willow answered in a small voice.

About the Author

Katie Ashley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of The Proposition Series, Runaway Train Series, as well as several New Adult and Young Adult titles. Her latest series, Vicious Cycle, has been picked up for publication by Penguin Books.

She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Sons of Anarchy, Downton Abbey, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.

With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in English Education, she spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.

She is represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.

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