Burden of Poof (Bonnie & Clyde Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cozy Queen Publishing LLC (September 15, 2021)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 254 pages

 

Synopsis

 

An amateur sleuth named Bonnie and her kitty companion Clyde, with names like those, what could possibly go wrong?

Life hasn’t sparkled too brightly for Bonnie Balfour over the past few years, but a heart-breaking divorce has brought her back to her small rural hometown of Bliss, Georgia, and things are starting to shape up.

The proud new owner of Bless Her Heart—a second chance dress shop and boutique on the town square—Bonnie thinks thirty-eight might not be too late for a fresh start in life after all.

Until a grouchy old widow turns up dead in a pile of donations meant for Bonnie’s shop, and the town’s new detective pins her to the top of his suspect list!

To save her shop, dream and reputation, Bonnie must coordinate clues and stitch together the truth about her innocence, but the unreasonably handsome detective and prying eyes of the local gossip mill are fast fraying her nerves.

When a series of anonymous attacks begin to hem her in, Bonnie fears the real killer is fixing to make her his next victim. Can this amateur sleuth measure up?

 

 

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Review

 

I love this new cozy series. small town, interesting characters, romance waiting to happen…and of course murder.

Bonnie has moved back to her hometown of Bliss, GA, and opened a second-hand shop for clothing and household goods. She requests donations from anyone she meets. She had recently requested items from Viola, a somewhat crotchety resident of Bliss, and was turned down until one day Viola shows up with gowns and such and says she has more for her and for her to swing by and pick the items up from her home. What Bonnie doesn’t expect is to find her dead at the bottom of the stairs and to be swept into a murder investigation by the “on loan” detective, Mason Wright. As is with most mysteries, Bonnie is the prime suspect and has to uncover clues to prove her innocence all without ending up dead herself.

There are so many factors to this book that I adored – the characters, the town, the philanthropic endeavors of Bonnie when it came to the young ladies and prom, and Bonnie’s desire to succeed with this new shop, a black rescue cat named Clyde who has a bit of a thieving issue in the store (which works out on Bonnie’s behalf later in the book). I seriously got tears in my eyes reading about her plans to make sure all young ladies had a dress for prom, definitely a feel-good moment. Bonnie’s best friend, Cami, is a hoot and engaged in revitalizing downtown Bliss. As you can imagine, in a small town people may not be aware of changes and shop away from town; and Cami is working hard to change this mindset.

The mystery portion is engaging and I honestly had no idea who to suspect of killing Viola. There are several possibilities and when the killer was revealed, it was not someone even on my radar. I found part of the justice quite interesting but you’ll have to read the book to find out what.

There is a blossoming romance between Bonnie and Detective Wright (once he determines she is not the killer), but at the same time, Bonnie is still trying to finalize her divorce, and while that relationship may have been over long ago, should she hold off and build a friendship with him before anything else? Only time will tell in future books.

This is a fantastic new series and I can’t wait to see what happens next for Bonnie & Clyde and the rest of Bliss. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Julie Anne Lindsey is an award-winning and bestselling author of mystery and romantic suspense. She’s published more than forty novels since her debut in 2013 and currently writes series as herself, as well as under multiple pen names, for Harlequin, Kensington, Sourcebooks, and Crooked Lane Books.

When Julie’s not creating new worlds or fostering the epic love of fictional characters, she can be found in Kent, Ohio, enjoying her blessed Midwestern life. And probably plotting murder with her shamelessly enabling friends. Today she hopes to make someone smile. One day she plans to change the world.

 

Website * Facebook * Cozy Queens FB Group * Twitter * Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

Bijou, a plucky modern-day house cat with an ancestral Viking spirit, spends her time running the Fox Burrow Pet Inn with her human, Spencer (she/her), and her assistant, Skunk, a mentally negligible Pomeranian. Together, the happy trio has created a safe haven for four-legged guests in their remote town of Grey Birch. But when a handsome baker from California comes to the inn with his piglet Hamlet and pitbull puppy Fennec, everything changes. And when a shocking murder occurs and Fennec goes missing in the Denver area, Bijou must dive paws-first into solving the mystery before another life is taken — maybe even her own.

 

 

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Praise

 

“A cozy told from a unique purr-spective makes for an interesting series debut. Cat lovers in particular will find Bijou, an adroit Norwegian Forest Cat, irresistible.” — T. C. LoTempio, national best-selling author of the Nick and Nora mysteries

“A don’t-miss witty and whimsical cozy with a feisty feline sleuth that pawsitively pounces off the page.” ―Elizabeth Craig, best-selling author of the Myrtle Clover mysteries

“Charming. Witty. Fun. Bijou, the Viking cat, the narrator of Cold Snap, is a fearless feline who will capture reader’s hearts and keep them entertained. Cat lovers will be delighted by Schneider’s tale.” —Abby Collette, Wall Street Journal best-selling author of An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery series

“I found Codi Schneider to be a creative writer with compassionate insight into feline thinking. Cold Snap is a steady stream of humor, suspense, and amazing antics of Bijou the Viking cat. This novel is refreshing as you never know what Bijou will do next or what other animal she will enlist as her accomplice. The author keeps you entertained with the drama animals come up with while the humans fall in love, start a business, and solve a crime. This novel was a delight to read…I highly recommend this story to animal lovers.” —Readers’ Favorite, 5 stars!

“There is a genuine mystery at the heart of the novel . . . A sweet and often amusing animal-centered whodunit.” —Kirkus Reviews

 

A note from Codi about her love for animals

 

“My favorite thing about traveling is not only meeting people from all around the world, but meeting the animals. Whether it’s making friends with horses in Egypt, cows in India, or dogs and cats in Japan and Thailand, I’m always drawn to their welfare and to their stories. I find that the more animals I meet and observe, the more I’m inspired to write from their perspectives.”

 

Excerpt

 

Crime doesn’t often visit the town of Gray Birch, Colorado, because it can’t squeeze itself over or between the mountains. They’re too high, you see. And too close together. Even the clouds here have to tuck in the abdomen just to pass by. I’d certainly never seen Crime in my seven years as a resident. Not until last summer. Well, spring, really. It all happened last spring under the cloak of a white sky that didn’t so much murmur mystery as conundrum. And this crime, this conundrum, blew in with the snow—just as cold, just as shocking.

But first, before I recount this tale, an introduction. You may call me Bijou. Though Brynhild or Freydis would be more fitting because, despite my French name, I’m 100 percent Norwegian Forest cat. Possibly 99 percent. I know this because I have the beautiful long fur. And the strength of ten bears. Also, I’ve earned exactly 103 tabby stripes for bravery.

My ancestors, dear reader, were Viking cats. Rapturous specimens and decorated longship mousers possessed with the Ancient Bloat of Respect. That bloat now resides on me. Some might say I’m overweight, but I know better. This bloat has been passed down through posterity and hangs proudly between my knees. And like all forms of respect, it must be fed frequently.

Now, as a modern-day Viking cat, you’d think I’d bat the jowls of Crime with rapid-fire paws. But when I trotted along the riverpath that shockingly snowy night of June 1 and stumbled upon the beaten and bloodied corpse, I wasn’t in my most Vikingest state. I was too full of maple cupcakes and bubble ale. For instead of anticipating Crime that night, I’d anticipated, and greatly indulged in, the grand opening of Witching Flour, Gray Birch’s new bakery. And I wasn’t alone; nearly the whole town had come out for it.

The corpse was, as corpses tend to be, very dead. It laid supine on the riverpath, propped up by an unenthusiastic shrubbery. The side of its head was matted with blood and rogue spindrifts of river spray, and one hand lay palm-up on the ground, its fingers extended as though reaching for something important. Something unseen.

Donning my imaginary Viking helmet and hefting my imaginary Viking shield, I crept closer. Overhead more clouds gathered, crowning the mountains and murmuring the many merits of more snow. The flakes coming from these springtime drifters were heavy and thick, cloaking the sur- rounding flowers in buttercream. This storm, I knew, had angered the townspeople. They were desperate for summer, their knobby knees revealed beneath paisley skirts just that night. Possibly, I thought, closing in on the shrubbery, this much blood would anger them as well.

My paws sinking into winter’s spite, I circled the shrubbery to investigate the matter of identity. Reaching the riverside, I stopped to face the corpse head-on. Now we Viking cats have many expectations, but I had not expected recognition. I stared at this face I knew, but there was a failing to see eye to eye. Its eyes were empty and mine full.

For a long moment, time stood still, all noise and all thought drowned in the shock of falling snow.

And then, with a buzz of oddly composed clarity, I knew it was imperative I search for that same something important and that same something unseen those stiff, white fingers reached for. I knew now what it was. Who it was. He could be hiding. He hated violence. He hated cold and darkness. I called for him, but, of course, he couldn’t answer. Lifting my paw, I pushed off, searching every bush and bramble, checking every hollow and tree well, arching around rocks and stuffing myself in spaces never meant for a Viking’s vast- ness. I gave extra care to check the river, my eyes piercing the moonless waves and coils—the water slick and soft as it slid over its rocky bed.

But there was nothing. No tracks in the snow, no scent upon the wind, no sound but the whisper of my own paws. Returning to the shrubbery, I forced myself to face those poor, sightless eyes head-on. Then, without warning, a war cry ascended from my lips, ballast to the weight and thump of my dropping heart.

Swallowing, I found my throat arid. Unfamiliar with the ways of Crime, I racked my brain while my stomach roiled. All the while, that poor, dead face stared at me with a horrid, tactless derision.

Then I saw it. The tiny circle of red webbing. His collar, silver tag faceup, the name, Fennec, engraved across the slick surface. It lay half-buried in the snow, inches from the corpse’s outstretched fingers.

Any air I still possessed flung itself from behind my incisors and legged it for Lapland. A rush of sound filled my ears as though the whole of the river had drained into their canals. Dizzy, I tipped to the side and made a snow cat on what was recently a burgeoning mushroom.

A Viking, I mused, staring up at the tumbling flakes, really should possess more fortitude. Possibly though, Crimes of Awfulness took getting used to. There had never been any murders or dognappings in this town before. There were a few hundred stone cottages nestled in the forested valley between the mountains, yes. There were mild-to-medium cases of altitude sickness and honeyed lattes peppered with cayenne, yes. Murders and dognappings, no.

Swiveling my neck, I looked again at that once kindly face I knew and loosed a lament that could chip wood. I was just a splat in the snow. A gray-and-black-striped mop, wrung out and left to dry under the watchful eye of a blizzard. Bijous weren’t meant for shock. They were meant for swording, fjording, and consuming great quantities of salted cod.

The minutes floated by as I mused darkly on offenses against the law, letting the snow mound on my midriff and waiting, waiting for Trauma to vacate the system.

 

Excerpted with permission from COLD SNAP: A Novel by Codi Schneider. © 2021, Codi Schneider. Published by SparkPress, a BookSparks imprint, a division of SparkPoint Studio, LLC.

 

 

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About the Author

 

Codi Schneider was raised in the snowy mountains of Colorado on a steady diet of books. She is a mystery-loving animal enthusiast who, when not writing, can be found traveling the world on horseback. She lives in Denver with her husband, two horses, and a cat who is not a Viking but a lover of REM sleep.

 

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Synopsis

 

Hate (or is it love?) is in the air in this enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy anthology. Find your happily ever after with six smart and sexy, feel-good romcoms. Stories range from sweet to medium steam level.

Available for a limited time only.

100% of proceeds from preorders will be donated to the Animal Welfare Institute.

 

This anthology includes never before published standalone titles

Tracy Krimmer: Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Hilary Grossman: Cop An Attitude

Holly Kerr: Bite Me

Allie Boniface: Dare Me

Liz Alden: The Rival In South Africa

Sarah Peis: Booby Trap

 

 

 

Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon CA * Amazon AU

 

B&N * Kobo * Apple Books

 

 

Review

 

These six short stories are bound to entertain you. They range from spicy to mild and different situations. They are perfect when you are short on time or don’t want to put a long book down.

I have read four of the six so far and have enjoyed each one from the characters, the storyline, and the setting.

While each one entertained, I found Dare Me quite fascinating in regards to the plot. I have never heard of a Mistress Dispeller but apparently, this is a thing. Someone that breaks up affairs of the rich and famous.

Cop an Attitude is a spin-off of one of the author’s series but I didn’t realize it until the end. I enjoyed seeing one of the gang in this book and I found the relationship between Waverly and Peter quite interesting especially once she learns who he really is and why he has been treating her the way he has in the first part of the book. But love wins out!

Bite Me has dogs…that won me over immediately! I also liked the unbending chemistry teacher and his fear of dogs but is he willing to move past that for the right woman?

Pick up this book next time you are looking for a little sweet and a little spicy, it won’t disappoint!

We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Liz Alden * Allie Boniface * Hilary Grossman

 

Holly Kerr * Tracy Krimmer * Sarah Peis

 

 

Giveaway

 

There is a giveaway for a $60 gift card (to the retailer of the winner’s choice)

+ a paperback of Hate Me Like You Mean It (1 winner, open internationally)

 

Click on the image below to enter the Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Three women wake up to the consequences of one impulsive pact in an insightful novel about friendship, love, and fulfillment by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jamie Beck.

While at a casino to celebrate her birthday, Jessie Clarke proposes a pact to her reserved sister, Liz, and their childhood friend Chloe: the three women will say yes to any adventure that comes their way. Jessie is mourning her recent divorce, so the other two reluctantly agree. Twelve hours later, they awaken to the shocking consequences of their behavior.

A viral video throws Liz’s career and reputation into question. A major loss at the craps table rocks the foundation of Chloe’s staid marriage. And Jessie’s desperate bid to unblock her artistic creativity results in a life-changing choice. Staring down the crossroads, each woman finds her relationships—with herself, with each other, and with loves both old and new—tested. At every turn, they struggle not to let fear decide their fates. Will they give in, or will their misadventures lead to the greatest fulfillment of all?

 

 

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Review

 

Jamie Beck writes beautiful novels about women and the challenges they face in their lives and this book is no exception. We meet Jessie, Chloe, and Liz, who get together for a birthday celebration at a casino. Events from that night throw their life in directions they never expected.

I became invested in each character and would get angry at Chloe’s husband for not being supportive of her, surprised at how Liz is treated at her job as an online morning show host after a drunk video surfaces, and Jessie’s inability to move on after her divorce. However, this book shows the growth that each lady exhibits after handling the situations at hand and the support that they give each other as they venture out on new paths in their lives. I think that there are characters in this book that anyone could relate to and not just the three women. Jessie & Liz’s parents are workaholics and seem to expect perfection, or at least their father does from them. There is some resolution to thoughts and events from previous years for each of the sisters that helps to close the circle on any bad thoughts or feelings.

This was a fast read for me but there is so much to take in and I enjoyed every page. We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

National bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than two million copies. She’s a Booksellers’ Best Award and National Readers’ Choice Award finalist, and critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing, the author of the Cabot novels, the Sterling Canyon novels, and the St. James series enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking and hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family.

Fans can learn more about her on her website, www.jamiebeck.com, which includes a fun “Extras” page with photos, videos, and playlists. She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook.

 

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Synopsis

 

It’s 1912, and protagonist Helen Fox is a factory worker living in New York’s tenements. When tragedy strikes in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, Helen is seduced by the Suffragist cause and is soon immersed, working alongside famous activists.

As Helen’s involvement with the cause deepens, she encounters myriad sources of tension that test her perseverance: estrangement from her husband, who is blindsided by his wife’s sudden activism; ostracization by neighbors; unease at working side by side with wealthier suffragettes; and worry about her children as she leaves them to picket the White House in Washington.

The narrative spans World War One and concludes with the triumph of 1919. In a time when the obstacles for women, from any background, were insurmountable, Helen discovers her voice as an independent woman and dreams of equality in a male-dominated society.

 

 

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Praise

 

“The Accidental Suffragist is the so-timely story of the sacrifices one mother makes – to her family, her safety, and her previous identity – when called by a cause and stirred to act.  Through the telling of this factory worker’s experience, Gichon reminds us of the grave sacrifices so many women made more than a century ago and the debt of gratitude we owe them today as we see Kamala Harris’s ascent to Vice President.  My teenage daughters snatched this book from my hands before I could even finish.” –Alisyn Camerota, CNN Anchor and Author of “Amanda Wakes Up”

 

“With its captivating heroine and rich historical details, The Accidental Suffragist is a novel that both enlightens and enthralls. A must-read for those interested (and we all should be!) in the fight waged by brave American women determined to secure their right to vote.” –Nina Sankovitch, Author and Historian

 

“The Accidental Suffragist is an entertaining, meticulously researched novel about the struggles and eventual triumphs of the Suffragist cause in the early twentieth century. Within this fascinating historical context, Gichon also explores the challenge and compromise inherent to working motherhood, a topic equally relevant today as it was then.” –Heather Frimmer, M.D., Physician and Author “Better to Trust”

 

“Many women wish the world was a kinder, fairer place for them, some women make it so. Gichon, like her heroines, moves through the world fueled by love and a sense of justice, the result is a richly detailed and studiously researched novel that will bring hope to your heart.” –Lorea Canales, Author of “Becoming Marta”

 

 

Review

 

We know there were some persistent women in the early 1900s that battled for the rights of women, especially to vote. This novel is a look into that movement and while fiction, some of the events did happen such as the protest in Washington with many suffragettes arrested, jailed, beaten, and abused by those that held them captive.

Helen may not have ever expected to end up working for a suffragette movement but when her daughter is killed in a factory fire, she happened to be in the right place at the right time to meet some of these women. It was hard to read how many women in that time had to ask permission from their husbands to take a different job, go on a trip, and so much more. I know that was very common at that time, but we have come a long way and I am thankful to these women that fought for my rights as I have them today.

Helen thrives in this new position and while she knows not many women in her neighborhood would stand with these women to march, she knows that she is doing it for them and for her daughters so that they do not have to end up working in a low-end job. It is a hopeful book because we see the results of the efforts of women such as Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her daughter Harriet Stanton Blatch, who fought for our rights and didn’t back down. While many of the women were not from poorer families, they still fought for all women to be considered equal. I would like to think I would have been one of the women protesting and marching to make this world a better one.

We also see the relationship with Helen’s husband evolve. It isn’t always smooth sailing but perhaps that was because he was frustrated in his life and couldn’t see the silver lining. He didn’t understand what motivated her until he found a cause he could get behind in his own life regarding his job. I think that opened his eyes to what motivated Helen.

Overall this is a fascinating book that might make you appreciate what these women endured to make our lives better.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Widely quoted in The New York Times and more, Galia Gichon spent nearly ten years writing financial research for top investment banks before launching Down-to-Earth Finance, a top personal financial advising firm in New York.

Galia is the author of My Money Matters, a personal finance book which received notable press from the New York Times, TODAY Show, CNN, Newsweek, Real Simple and more. Galia Gichon consistently leads seminars for Barnard College where she has taught for 13 years, and other organizations. She is an avid angel investor focusing on women-led and impact startups and actively counsels startups through accelerators.

 

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Swindler’s Revenge: A Karina Cardinal Mystery
Cozy Mystery/Women’s Adventure Fiction
5th in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Power to the Pen (September 1, 2021)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 228 pages

 

Synopsis

 

There are no softball cases in the FBI…especially when an agent gets dirty.

Karina Cardinal’s Saturday starts out with a bang, and it’s not the home renovation marathon she’s watching on HGTV. It’s the FBI banging on her door, hunting for a fugitive. As if she could easily hide one in her modest condo. Especially one named Mike Finnegan.

The two of them called it splitsville a couple months ago, but Mike? Take a $1.2 million bribe? No and no and no. No matter how much damning evidence the feds claim to have. When a mysterious burner phone shows up in her pocket, Karina has no doubt who dropped it there. Mike is deep undercover and so far off-grid, he needs help to figure out who’s framing him—and why.

Classic Karina, she jumps in with both feet, ignoring the dangers. The trouble with leaping before you look? You can land in a world of dirt. And when an old enemy starts playing hardball, you can end up six feet under it.

—–
International bestselling and award-winning author Ellen Butler presents book five in the Karina Cardinal mystery series! Fans of Elizabeth Peters and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum will adore this gripping mystery adventure.

 

 

 

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About the Author

 

Ellen Butler is the international bestselling author of the Karina Cardinal mystery series and award-winning historical suspense, The Brass Compass. Fans who enjoy the suspense of Melinda Leigh and the humor of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum will fall in love with Butler’s Karina Cardinal.  Her experiences working on Capitol Hill and at a medical association in Washington, D.C. inspired the mystery-action series. The Brass Compass has won multiple awards for historical fiction and is compared to such bestselling novels as Kristen Hannah’s The Nightingale. Ellen lives with her family in the suburbs of Washington, DC.

 

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Giveaway

 

 

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A Calculated Whisk (A Vintage Kitchen Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
10th in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beyond the Page (September 21, 2021)
Paperback 212 Pages

 

Synopsis

 

In the new Vintage Kitchen Mystery from the author of Cast Iron Alibi, Jaymie Leighton is confronted with two murders and the threat of danger far too close to home . . .

When a woman living under a cloud of suspicion for her husband’s death comes to vintage kitchen collector Jaymie Leighton with a mysterious request, she’s not sure whether, or how much, to get involved. The police believe they have new evidence of foul play in what was initially ruled an accidental death, and the woman’s terrified they’ll try to pin the crime on her. Before Jaymie can decide whether to help her, though, the woman’s found murdered in the woods near Jaymie’s cabin.

Still unsure whether the woman was truly innocent in her husband’s death, Jaymie decides to get to the bottom of both murders. But as she digs deeper into the couple’s past and discovers a tangled array of long-buried wounds and family secrets, Jaymie begins to sense that danger is still lurking in the woods near her home. With a killer on the loose and her family in danger, Jaymie must uncover the culprit before she loses all she holds dear, including her own life . . .

Includes a vintage recipe!

 

 

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About the Author

 

Victoria Hamilton is the bestselling author of several mystery series including the national bestselling Vintage Kitchen Mysteries and Merry Muffin Mysteries. She does, indeed, collect vintage kitchenware and bake muffins. She also writes the Lady Anne Addison Historical Mysteries. She drinks tea and coffee on writing days, and wine other times. She crochets (a little), paints (a little), and reads (a lot). A solitary being, she can be coaxed out of her writing cave for brownies and cat videos.

She started her writing life as Donna Lea Simpson, bestselling author of Regency Romances, paranormal historicals, and historical mysteries, and still has a soft spot for the Regency period.

 

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Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Your home is more than an address – it’s a reflection of your soul. Your living space mirrors your inner space, telling the story of your life through your physical home.

Function and feeling go hand in hand. The sacred place you call home supports the foundation for your inner balance and an empowering, fulfilling life. When limiting beliefs, negativity, and stress surround you, it’s time to dive deep into who you are to build an environment where you are at home within yourself.

In OM for the hOMe, interior designer and life coach Carrie Leskowitz shares her holistic approach to intentionally curating an environment where you’ll thrive physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Full of design philosophy, creative lifestyle tips, and introspective activities, this is your complete guide to decorating a space with your authentic self in mind so you can achieve zen, inside and out.

You’ll discover:

• How your house influences and reinforces your self-worth, aspirations, and joy
• C-O-R-E pillars of wellness to explore your identity, values, and the home you need
• Why energy in a room may be “off” – and how to invite a positive flow using natural remedies
• The physical and mental clutter limiting you from manifesting abundance
• Furniture, lighting, and coloring ideas for your unique style to promote health and happiness

When home and heart align, the door to transformation opens wide. Get OM for the hOMe and design a life you love from within the beautiful place you live.

 

 

Amazon

 

Excerpt from Chapter 1

 

Your home is within you and outside of you.

Whether we are talking about the human body or your living space, they are both vessels for your soul. Your home is so much more than an address. Home is experiential. It should capture your attention, integrate all your senses and allow you to explore what’s possible. It should be your sacred, safe space to land; it is your spiritual compass, pointing the direction to your north star. There is great power in making your home into a hOMe.

Think of your home as a giant living vision board, helping you aspire to and manifest goals. It is a foundation for your identity, telling all who enter how you see yourself and what you value. Your home is an anchor in the storm, safely keeping you moored to who you are in a way that nothing else can. You want to intentionally create environments that help you thrive physically, emotionally, and spiritually because there is a deep synergy between our inner state and our outer state. Consciously creating a home that supports you in mind, body, and spirit—and that mirrors your authenticity—is an act of self-care of the highest order. Your home is a state of mind as well as a self-portrait. Others look at your home and make assumptions based on the picture you paint.

When I talk about om for the home, I am talking about it in terms of energy, an energy whose balance requires that you need to be very mindful and thoughtful in your effort to feel your best in your hOMe. For me, that starts with a stillness that isn’t always easy to achieve.

 

 

About the Author

Carrie Leskowitz is a certified life coach and award-winning designer with more than 20 years of experience transforming both spaces and lives. As founder of Carrie Leskowitz Interiors, she helps clients nurture the holistic connection between their homes and their physical, emotional, and spiritual health through self-exploration and reinvention. Her beautifully curated homes focus on the mind-body connection to promote overall wellbeing and an abundant life.

Before her design business, Leskowitz worked as a fashion show coordinator, producer, and stylist, which continues to inspire her to design with a dash of drama. A Philadelphia native, she splits her time between her hometown and Boca Raton, Florida.

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Grenade Bouquets (Runaway Train, Book 2) by Lee Matthew Goldberg

 

Publisher:  Wise Wolf Books (August 5, 2021)

 

Series: Runaway Train, Book 2

 

Category: Young Adult, Runaways, Outcasts, Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Depression, Mental Illness

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

I had stars in my eyes and I couldn’t see around them…

The year is 1995 and my parents have finally allowed me to take the summer to tour in a VW van across the country with my boyfriend Evan and our band. Yes, my dream to be a singer became reality. Even with Clarissa, Evan’s jealous ex-girlfriend, as the lead singer, it’s my presence on stage that led us to a major record deal. There are moments you’ll always remember in life, but I can’t imagine anything more cool than hearing your song on the radio for the first time.

But being a Rockstar isn’t as easy as it sounds. Using alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms, nothing but tension surrounded me, hurting my still blossoming relationship, and continued grieving over my sister’s death.

A love letter to the nineties and a journey of a girl becoming a woman, Grenade Bouquets charts the rollercoaster ride of a band primed to explode on the scene, as long as they keep from actually exploding.

 

 

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Praise

 

“An engaging ’90s pastiche with an earnest heart beating at its center.”- Kirkus Reviews

“Runaway Train is a high-energy testimonial to the redemptive power of a road trip with an awesome soundtrack. Lee Matthew Goldberg balances the urgency of youth with a whiff of anticipatory nostalgia for the music and misadventures of late adolescence. Attuned to way distinctions between music genres and teen idols can feel like impermeable walls worth defending, and then crumble as a teen like Nico Sullivan finds her own voice.”- Jenn Stroud Rossman, author of The Place You’re Supposed to Laugh

“Raw. Riveting. Runaway Train stays true to its title as it explores the deep pain of a teenager desperately trying to find peace in a world full of pain. Lee Matthew Goldberg is a master at bestowing sympathy and strength on deeply flawed characters. Realistic and shocking, hopeful and satisfying, Runaway Train will keep readers turning the page.”- USA Today Bestselling Author Rebecca Forster 

“It’s an incredibly challenging task for an author to utilize a darkly comedic tone without coming across as disingenuous–but Goldberg executes it here with expert precision. Brimming over with the visceral atmosphere of the early 90s grunge era, RUNAWAY TRAIN is a must-read for those willing to buckle up for the ride.”-Peter Malone Elliott (Director of Operations, Book Pipeline)

 

 

Guest Post

 

How To Research Your Story Before Writing Your Book

 

By Lee Matthew Goldberg

 

Research is a huge part of writing a novel. Even though you’re creating fiction, it has to be based in believability. For all of my eight novels, there’s been some degree of research, even before I started writing.

My first book Slow Down took place in the world of Hollywood, focusing on a director. I spoke with a few directors to get the ins-and-outs of their days and to answer some technical questions too. My second book The Mentor was set in the world of academia and publishing. I taught undergrad for ten years, so that research came from experience. One of my characters is a book editor and I spoke with editors about how they choose manuscripts and then champion them in-house. My third novel The Desire Card had the most research of the three because it was a thriller about a Wall Street Executive getting a liver of the black market. I did a lot of research prior to writing about working on Wall Street and the black market, which was not easy research to do. The book also had a part that was set in Mumbai, so the bulk of the research was recreating Mumbai on the page. An editor of mine lived in Mumbai for many years, so he helped with a lot of the details. For each of the books, research became a guide to developing the story. I got more ideas after researching, so it was so important to do before I began writing and plotting.

My fourth novel The Ancestor had the most research of any. It was about fishermen in the wilderness of Alaska, so I did a ton of research about both. A third of the novel also takes place during the Alaskan Gold Rush in the late 1800s. I watched many documentaries and read many books about the era before I even attempted to write. And when I was writing those parts, I only read books set in that era, so I could immerse myself in those times.

For my Young Adult series Runaway Train and the second book Grenade Bouquets, the novels are set in the 1990s. I was a teenager at the time, so I remember a lot, but the main character is a girl. I asked friends to send me any info about what a teenage girl would be interested in in the 90s. I also watched a lot of TV from that era like the shows My So-Called Life and 90210. The books are heavily influenced by music as well. Each chapter is a different grunge song that the main character adds to her mixtape. Of all the research I did, this was the most fun, since I got to relive my favorite era of music. I even got the rights from the band Soul Asylum to use their song “Runaway Train” in the book.

Whether you set a novel in the past or the present, research is so important in creating a full picture of believability for the readers. These days, the internet is your best friend to find out any info, but it’s also good to talk to professionals as well. For me, it was getting in contact with directors, editors, people in finance, fishermen, and those who grew up in the 90s to give firsthand knowledge that would help round my characters.

Whatever you decide to write, make sure you put in the work to really bring it to life for your readers. Trust me, they’ll tell you if you don’t!

 

 

Guest Review by Gud Reader

 

There is something unique about young adult adventurous books with rock stars as their characters. When delivered perfectly they offer the reader some glimpse of the glamour, the glitz and even the downside including the drugs and the depression. One such good read which does this just right is the ‘Grenade Bouquets’ by Lee Matthew Goldberg. As a bonus, it takes place in the 90s. So, even though it is written with young adults in mind, their parents will enjoy it as well.

The book, a sequel of the ‘Runaway Train’ brings back Nico now a seventeen-year-old teenager whose life is now wrapped up in touring with her new band. Grenade Bouquets. For Nico performing on the stage is just like a dream come true especially doing so alongside the lead singer Evans who also doubles up as her new boyfriend. However, despite the band making huge strides in the rock arena, Nico has to keep on battling. First Clarissa who is Evan’s ex and also a member of the band is on Nico’s neck bashing her at every instance, secondly, while Nico’s star is rising, her fellow band members start harboring some resentment towards her. Also fresh from mourning her sister’s loss how will her inexperienced teenage self-deal with her newfound fame, Clarissa’s resentment, and the depression which is slowly creeping in?

The author Lee Matthew Goldberg does a marvelous job of featuring Nico who, despite being a teenager has that glorious sneer of a tough punk queen who knows how cool she is and does not care if you agree. Despite having a dark, provocative, and aggressive side complete with some confrontational dust-ups she knows she has to rise.

This one is your pick if you are looking for an adventurous book complete with the rock life thrill. Also, you will walk away with some behind scenes of the rock life involving the skullduggery, alcohol, and also depression.

 

 

About the Author

 

Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of seven novels including THE ANCESTOR and THE MENTOR, currently in development as a film off his original script, and the YA series RUNAWAY TRAIN. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the Prix du Polar. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, Hypertext, If My Book, Past Ten, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Underwood Press and others.

His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City.

 

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Giveaway

 

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THE LAST TRIAL OF T. BOONE PICKENS

 

by

 

Chrysta Castañeda & Loren Steffy

 

 

Genre: Biography/Autobiography, Courtroom Drama

Publisher: Stoney Creek Publishing Group

Date of Paperback Publication: September 15, 2021

Number of Pages: 300 Pages

 

 

 

 

Finalist, 2020 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award 

T. Boone Pickens, legendary Texas oilman and infamous corporate raider from the 1980s, climbed the steps of the Reeves County courthouse in Pecos, Texas in early November 2016. He entered the solitary courtroom and settled into the witness stand for two days of testimony in what would be the final trial of his life.

Pickens, who was 88 by then, had made and lost billions over his long career, but he’d come to Pecos seeking justice from several other oil companies. He claimed they cut him out of what became the biggest oil play he’d ever invested in—in an oil-rich section of far West Texas that was primed for an unprecedented boom. After years of dealing with the media, shareholders and politicians, Pickens would need to win over a dozen West Texas jurors in one last battle.

To lead his legal fight, he chose an unlikely advocate—Chrysta Castañeda, a Dallas solo practitioner who had only recently returned to the practice of law after a hiatus borne of disillusionment with big firms. Pickens was a hardline Republican, while Castañeda had run for public office as a Democrat. But they shared an unwavering determination to win and formed a friendship that spanned their differences in age, politics, and gender.

In a town where frontier justice was once meted out by Judge Roy Bean—“The Law West of the Pecos”—Pickens would gird for one final courtroom showdown. Sitting through trial every day, he was determined to prevail, even at the cost of his health.

The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens is a high-stakes courtroom drama told through the eyes of Castañeda. It’s the story of an American business legend still fighting in the twilight of his long career, and the lawyer determined to help him make one final stand for justice.

 

 

 

Amazon

 

 

 

Praise

 

“Think you know T. Boone Pickens, the larger-than-life business titan, energy trader, and corporate raider? Think again. The attorney representing Pickens in his final major court battle and the business writer who covered him most over the decades reveal a whole other T. Boone that few people outside his bubble could have ever imagined.” —     Joe Nick Patoski, author of Austin to ATX and host of the Texas Music Hour of Power

 

“Chrysta Castañeda and Loren Steffy have accomplished the remarkable. They’ve taken issues most familiar to lawyers and judges, woven them into an incredible story and presented to all an enjoyable journey through The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens.” —    Craig Enoch, Former Texas Supreme Court Justice and founder of the Enoch Kever law firm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHRYSTA CASTAÑEDA is a Texas trial attorney specializing in oil and gas disputes. She formed her own boutique law firm in 2014 after more than twenty years as a partner and associate in some of the world’s top law firms.

 

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LOREN STEFFY is a journalist and author of four other nonfiction books: Deconstructed: An Insider’s View of Illegal Immigration and the Building Trades (with Stan Marek) (Stoney Creek Publishing, 2020), George P. Mitchell: Fracking, Sustainability and an Unorthodox Quest to Save the Planet (Texas A&M University Press, 2019), Drowning in Oil: BP and the Reckless Pursuit of Profit (McGraw-Hill, 2010) and The Man Who Thought Like a Ship (Texas A&M University Press, 2012). His first novel, The Big Empty, was published in April 2021.

 

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STONEY CREEK PUBLISHING

 

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