Alaina Claiborne by MK McClintock - Review tour and giveaway

(Full length historical romantic suspense)

This review is done in conjunction with the author's virtual tour with Goddess Fish Promotions.

MK will be awarding a $10 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so comment today AND follow the tour (if you click on the tour banner above, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win an awesome prize!



How far would you go to avenge your family and save the one you love?

In nineteenth-century England, Alaina Claiborne had a loving family, a cherished friend, and devoted servants. She spent her days riding across the grassy hills of the English countryside, joyful and at peace.

Then tragedy strikes and her world is forever changed. Searching for those responsible is her only focus . . . until she meets Tristan.

Tristan Sheffield, a man of many talents, searches out those who don’t want to be found. His past is filled with secrets and deeds he would rather leave deeply buried. However, when his life unexpectedly entwines with Alaina's, he soon discovers they share more than a mutual desire to catch a murderer.

On their hunt for a man driven by greed, Tristan and Alaina find that love is the greatest weapon against evil, and they'll stop at nothing to survive.



With a clever mix of mystery, history and romance, MK McClintock has forged a very good beginning to what promises to be an entertaining series.

Tristan and Alaina have similar goals:  find out who killed her parents and best friend and his father.  Presumably the same perpetrator.  To this end, Tristan befriends Alaina, and so is there when things begin to happen again in an apparent effort to silence her before she can recall the events the day her family was murdered.

With a great cast of characters, from Alaina's guardians (her aunt and uncle) to Tristan's friends (and co-spies), Alaina Claiborne certainly got me invested and kept me turning pages to make sure Alaina and Tristan would come through their adventures unscathed.

There were some things that were annoyances.  When I read a mystery, I like there to be enough clues that, should I be clever and observant enough, I can figure out whodunnit.  While here we're able to eventually deduce the minor "bad guys", the big bad is someone we don't know about until he's revealed and that frustrated me (and surprised Alaina).

And occasionally Alaina or Tristan acted in ways contrary to their obvious intelligence (especially considering Tristan was a trained spy for the British government, his behavior now and then made me scratch my head -- I suppose I can attribute it to being love blinded).

The romance is touching, tender and sweet. Do not read this book expecting scorching heat and graphic love scenes.  I don't say this in a negative way -- it's refreshing to read a story that doesn't rely on sex to build the love relationship.  Tristan and Alaina like each other long before they love each other, which was very realistic and made my heart sigh a bit.

While perhaps not "edge of your seat" thrilling, Alaina Claiborne certainly intrigued me enough to want to pick up the next book in the series.  I'd like to know how they're doing as well as follow up with Tristan's buddies. They have their own mysteries to solve and I enjoyed them enough to want to go along for the ride.

3.5 Flowers - This was a good book. I liked it.

Across the acres, darkness enveloped another, her surroundings illuminated by the flickering flame of a lamp. Alaina moved around in the attic, searching through trunks of the items that had come from her mother’s cottage in Ireland. It was difficult to see so many memories that reminded her of her parents, but she also found it calmed her. She had avoided these things since they had been delivered years ago, but now her fears became secondary. She hoped that something from her parents’ past would shed light on what was happening in the present.

Alaina rummaged through a trunk of some of her mother’s clothes, pulling them out and smelling them, hoping for a faint whiff of the soft rose scent her mother used to wear. There was something lingering around the old clothes, and it took Alaina back to a time when she was a little girl. Nevertheless, the memory ended there. She paused for a moment, as if the scent reminded her of something else besides her mother. She subsequently released the memory when she saw the bottom of the trunk was not as deep as it should have been. She pulled out the remaining dress and ran her fingers along the bottom and edges. She next looked on the outside of the trunk. Nearly six inches of extra space remained near the bottom on the inside. Alaina felt along the inside edges and became excited when she found a gap. Slowly reaching her fingers into the hole, she simultaneously pushed down on the other edge for leverage and surprised herself when the bottom tilted to reveal the extra space beneath. Removing the thin board, she set it aside and gasped when she turned back to the trunk. “Oh, Mother. What did you do?”

McClintock is an over-worked entrepreneur, baker of decadent desserts and all things chocolate, photographer of beautiful places, and most importantly, a writer.

She dreams of a time when life was simpler, the land rougher, and the journey more rewarding. With her heart deeply rooted in the past and her mind always on adventure, McClintock will always call Montana home.

McClintock is a member of Romance Writers of America, Montana Romance Writers, Hearts Through History Romance Writers, and Women Writing the West.

MK McClintock Website: http://www.mkmcclintock.com

Official Blog: http://mkmcclintock.blogspot.com

Goodreads Profile: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5438837.M_K_McClintock

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/mkmcclintock

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/mkmcclintock/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MKMcClintockBooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MKMcClintockMT

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe6kJdOe1cNxDAGoUpA8NLg?feature=mhee

Book Links

Amazon Print: http://www.amazon.com/Alaina-Claiborne-Volume-MK-McClintock/dp/0615742505/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358790363&sr=8-1&keywords=alaina+claiborne

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Alaina-Claiborne-British-Novels-ebook/dp/B00AYOT648/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358790363&sr=8-2&keywords=alaina+claiborne

Puppy Love by Sylvie Fox - Review tour and Giveaway

(Full Length contemporary fiction)

This review is done in conjunction with the author's virtual tour with Goddess Fish Promotions.

Sylvie will be awarding winner's choice of a basic Amazon Kindle or a $69 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so comment today AND follow the tour (if you click on the tour banner above, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win an awesome prize!



There are only two things Sophie Reid doesn’t do: lawyers and sex. When sexy, lawyer Ryan Becker stumbles into her life, her first two thoughts are “no,” and “definitely no.” After Sophie and Ryan rescue a dog from certain death on the Hollywood Freeway, they share one smoldering kiss. Sophie knows a potential train wreck when she sees it and leaves the dog and Ryan at the pound knowing she’ll never see either of them again.

Poor kid turned corporate attorney, Ryan vowed he’d get an education, succeed, and be welcomed in the front door of the most stately homes in Beverly Hills. Now that his career is on an upward trajectory, he is ready to settle down. Unfortunately, the women he has been meeting haven’t set his heart racing. Enter: Sophie.

A master of persuasion by profession, Ryan convinces Sophie to pursue their undeniable mutual attraction. But Ryan’s quest to be a success at the very occupation she reviles rankles her.

When a Hollywood union strikes, Ryan and Sophie find themselves on opposite sides of the bargaining table. Can their sparks in the bedroom overcome their standoff in the boardroom?



Puppy Love is a fun, sexy romantic romp that would be enjoyed by most romance fans.

First I have to say how amazing the hero, Ryan, is. Not every guy would stop in the middle of a busy highway to help someone save a dog. He does, and then goes the extra mile, helping her take it to the vet, and eventually deciding to adopt it. He’s very nearly flawless. He’s handsome, patient, kind, sexy … yum!!

Sophie, on the other hand, has her share of flaws and more. She hates how her lawyer father behaved through her childhood, and didn’t approve of how she was raised or the expectations her parents had for her, and has gone as far in the opposite direction as possible. She changes her hair color daily, has multiple piercings and works as a make-up artist. She’s also got hang-ups about sex. She’s never enjoyed it, and has built up her anxiety about that so far that she freezes when things get physical. So, she lives her life by two rules: No dating lawyers and no sex.

I loved how incredibly sweet and patient Ryan was as he courted Sophie. He saw something beneath her cranky, stubborn, colorful exterior and was determined to unearth that “real” person. Honestly, I’m not sure Sophie deserves him. She was wishy-washy, led him on then turned him down cold, couldn’t decide if she wanted him or not (and seriously, what’s not to want?). I had trouble warming up to her, mainly because I adored Ryan so much. How dare she treat him that way?

Still, the story is fun and very, very hot. Ryan takes the job of showing Sophie that sex can be enjoyable very seriously, and she’s one incredibly lucky girl.

Yes, there are other, external conflicts, but really what keeps them apart most are Sophie’s long-standing rules. While I didn’t really believe her reasons for them were strong enough to keep pushing Ryan away, I still liked the book. And Sylvie Fox is a very good writer, with a strong, interesting voice. So, though perhaps this wasn’t my favorite ever romance, I’ll absolutely read this author again. She writes in a fun, descriptive way and certainly has the talent to create very well-rounded and realistic characters.

3.5 Flowers - This was a good book. I liked it.

Their hands touched only briefly when the man handed over the dog, but she felt a jolt that zinged her to the tips of her wild berry toenails. The energy, decidedly sexual, was nothing like she’d ever experienced. It traveled up her arm and zapped her somewhere down low. She grasped the dog cum security blanket more securely and looked into the stranger’s midnight blue eyes for the first time.

He was looking at her intently, curiously, sizing her up. It was probably the hair, she figured, not her. Men like him did not look twice at women like her. Her multiple piercings and tattoos shocked a lot of conservative types. For just a moment she forgot the furry bundle wiggling in her arms. She felt an unexpected attraction to the man dressed in a starched button down shirt and pressed slacks. His whole demeanor screamed uptight lawyer or bean counting CPA – just the kind of guy she worked to studiously avoid.

The traffic started moving. To be safe, they both retreated to their cars, but Sophie could not shake the strong and instant connection she felt to the stranger.

He seemed just as bewildered. “Hey, Sunflower, I didn’t get your name.”

She smiled, trying to hide the shivers he caused. Her usual sarcastic rejoinder froze on her lips. “I’ll be fine. Thanks, really, thanks for your help,” Sophie said, her gravelly voice more husky than usual, deliberately leaving the question unanswered. She cut the exchange short, knowing that any further conversation with this guy, no matter how handsome his strong features were, no matter how well he filled out the conservatively cut clothes, was a bad, bad idea.

I write the kinds of books I love to read. The quirky characters in my romance novels experience angst, conflict, mostly great sex, and always get their "happily ever after." In my mainstream fiction, ordinary woman experience angst, conflict, and occassional great sex, but they also get embroiled in struggles against extraordinary odds, and I don't promise a happy ending. I also love thrillers, but I don't write those. I live in Los Angeles with my husband, son, and a whole lot of pets. When I'm not hanging out in Hollywood, I'm eating my way through Budapest.

Social Media Links:

http://www.facebook.com/sylviefoxbooks

http://twitter.com/sylviefoxbooks

http://pinterest.com/sylviefox/

Buy links:

http://amzn.com/B00AB3TF8O

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/puppy-love-sylvie-fox/1114001401

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/puppy-love/id580981206?mt=11

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Puppy-Love/book-2DI1n804ckWGpBXIdCF9Ew/page1.html?s=N949HAfrsUKG__iSCDCdhA&r=5

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-puppylove-1010943-237.html

http://www.booksonboard.com/sellers/halfsteps/ir.php?BOOK=1432691&sellerID=278

http://www.ebooks.com/1092904/puppy-love/fox-sylvie/

http//www.ebookmall.com/ebook/puppy-love/sylvie-fox/9781440560613

To Catch a Bad Guy by Marie Astor - Virtual Tour and Giveaway!

Today we're spotlighting author Marie Astor on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the contemporary romance, "To Catch a Bad Guy".  She's sharing an exclusive excerpt with us.

Marie is giving away custom made jewelry (US only) -- see the pictures over there to the left?  Aren't they gorgeous?

So comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner at the top, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops)! The more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a prize!

Janet Maple’s stellar career ended with a layoff and her boyfriend of five years told her that he wants to be just friends. When she lands a job at one of New York’s premier boutique investment firms, Janet begins to hope that her luck is finally turning for the better. Not only is she happy with her new paycheck, but things also seem to be looking up on the personal front, as the company’s handsome attorney expresses keen interest in Janet. However, her euphoria is short-lived, as Janet soon discovers alarming facts about her new employer’s business tactics. When her boss dismisses her suspicions as groundless, Janet finds herself confiding to a cute IT engineer, Dean Snider. The closer she gets to Dean, the more Janet is tempted to break her rule of not dating co-workers, but what she doesn’t realize is that everything she knows about Dean, including his occupation and even his name, is a lie.

Dennis Walker is a top-notch white collar crime investigator who will stop at nothing to put culprits away. When an opportunity for an undercover assignment at one of New York’s premier boutique broker dealers comes up, Dennis jumps at the chance, adopting a persona of geeky IT engineer, Dean Snider. While he may be an ace at his job, years of experience fail him when Dennis meets Janet Maple and finds himself torn between his professional obligations and his personal desires. Will he have to choose between his feelings and duty, or will he find a way to satisfy both?

Janet took a long swallow of her martini. After the traumatizing weekend, she needed a drink. “Don’t look now, but there’s a guy from work by the bar.”

“Is he cute?” Katie whispered conspiratorially, her eyes darting to the very place where Janet told her not to look.

“Don’t stare at him!”

“Geez, relax, will ya? There’s a huge crowd – I don’t even know which one he is.”

“The tall one, in a blue shirt.”

“The James Dean look-alike with the slutty blonde?”

“Yeah, that’s him.”

“He’s cute,” Katie pronounced her verdict after a momentary deliberation. “What does he do?”

“He is in IT.”

Katie nodded approvingly. “A solid and practical profession. I’m getting sick and tired of dating lawyers. They are the most self-absorbed and narcissistic bunch of men on the planet. Litigation lawyers are the worst – so pompous. Don’t ever date a lawyer.”

“Oh, I think I’ve learned my lesson on that one,” Janet replied, wondering if Katie had forgotten about Alex.

“I’m sorry, Janet. I wasn’t thinking,” Katie instantly caught on. “But back to the present. What’s the story with the cute IT guy?”

“No story.” Janet finished the last of her drink. “We chat at work sometimes.”

“We chat at work sometimes? Come on, Janet, it’s me you’re talking to. Do you like him or what?”

Janet nodded. “He is kind of cute, but….”

“But what?”

“Dating at work could be complicated, and I don’t want to complicate things too much now,” Janet added quickly. She certainly had plenty of things to be anxious about at work without having to worry about Dean Snider.

“’I don’t want to complicate things right now?’ Things are always complicated: that’s the nature of life. Sounds to me like someone is being a chicken.”

“Sounds to me like someone is being overly nosy,” Janet shot back, already regretting having mentioned Dean. “Besides, he’s clearly not interested in me: as you can see, he’s got a date.”

“A date, please! I’m sure it’s some girl he just met at the bar. Speaking of which, there’s an interesting development.” Katie’s eyes darted toward the bar again.

Even though she knew she should not, Janet let her eyes follow the direction of Katie’s glance, and in spite of herself, she was delighted by what she saw.

About the Author: Marie Astor is the author of contemporary romance novels Lucky Charm, On the Rim of Love, This Tangled Thing Called Love, romantic suspense novel, To Catch a Bad Guy, and a short story collection, A Dress in a Window.

If you would like to find out more about Marie’s books, please visit Marie at her website: www.marieastor.com.

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Astor/e/B004EBDX9Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection
Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4665230.Marie_Astor

Books by Marie Astor:

To Catch a Bad Guy
This Tangled Thing Called Love
Lucky Charm
On the Rim of Love

Eliza Daly guest blogs -- with a giveaway!

Today I'd like to welcome author Eliza Daly here to talk about getting published and to spread the word about her romantic suspense novel, "Identity Crisis". She's going to give away an eBook copy of the book to one commenter today -- so make sure you leave her a message!

Thanks for stopping by, Eliza. The floor is yours!

Getting Published--The Luck of the Irish?

I celebrated my Irish heritage on St. Patrick’s Day by eating shepherd’s pie, doing a pub crawl, and wearing green along with my pin that reads, The Luck of the Irish. I’ve heard that saying my entire life. Curious where it originated, I did a wee bit of research. Some believe the phrase was coined during the gold rush years in the U.S. when some of the most successful miners were Irish or Irish American and discovered their “pots of gold” out west. At the time, rich Irish immigrants were as rare as leprechauns, so they were thought to be quite lucky. Or, it may have come from the legend that catching a leprechaun, who would hand over gold in return for his release, was a lucky event that only took place in Ireland. Others believe the Irish are lucky because they’ve been able to persevere despite famines, wars, oppression, mass immigration, and other hardships. So in that sense, maybe I do have the luck of the Irish.

Not that I’ve had it nearly as rough as my Irish ancestors, but despite hundreds of rejections, I was able to keep bouncing back and persevere, becoming a published author. Believe me, there were many days I wanted to quit. Although I was disheartened at times, and feared my bad luck and timing would never change, I never gave up on myself or a book. Several of my books have gone through major evolutions. Identity Crisis was originally a 400-page women’s fiction book. In the end, I felt something was missing. A hero. My protagonist Olivia needed someone to protect her and support her when her father is murdered and she discovers she was placed in the Federal Witness Security Program when she was five years old. She needed someone by her side who would give her the strength and courage to seek out the family she never knew existed. So I cut 300 pages, added a hero, and rewrote the book. I truly believed in the book and never gave up on it.

My perseverance has been stronger at times than others. I wrote a blog a few months back titled “911—Help Someone Killed My Muse.” I told the story about how my muse went missing for over two years, during which time I didn’t write a new book. However, I entered contests, rewrote existing books, and queried agents and editors. Needing a diversion, I started researching my Irish ancestry. Then one day my muse reappeared, psyched about a new idea for a women’s fiction book set in Ireland. I’m lucky that my Irish heritage inspired my muse and gave her the kick in the butt she needed.

It appears I’m very lucky that I was born with perseverance. I have several perseverance quotes on my desk. My favorite is one by Thomas Edison. “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” I guess I shouldn’t complain about my number of rejections.

Thank you so much to It’s Raining Books for having me here today and helping me celebrate the release of Identity Crisis. I will be giving away an e-copy of Identity Crisis to one commenter. To enter, please leave a meaningful comment or a question for me--writing related or personal. Please include your e-mail address with your comment. The winner will be announced March 25. Thank you for stopping by!

Eliza Daly’s first attempt at creative writing was in fourth grade. She and her friends were huge Charlie’s Angels fans and she would sit in her bedroom at night writing scripts for them to act out at recess the following day. She was Kelly Garrett. Fast forward to the present, she’s still writing stories about beautiful women who always get their men. The journey from fourth grade script writer to published author wasn’t an easy one, but it was always an adventure and the final destination was well worth it.

When Eliza isn’t traveling for her job as an event planner, or tracing her ancestry roots through Ireland, she’s at home in Milwaukee working on her next novel, bouncing ideas off her husband Mark, and her cats Quigley, Frankie, and Sammy.

You can find Eliza on the web at Website, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

When Olivia Doyle’s father dies under suspicious circumstances, rather than inheriting a family fortune, she inherits a new identity. She learns they were placed in the Federal Witness Security Program when she was five years old. Her father was involved in an art forgery ring and testified against the mob. Brought up not to trust anyone, Olivia has a difficult time relying on U.S. Marshal Ethan Ryder to protect her, and to keep her secret. She fears her father may have continued his life of crime through her art gallery. She has little choice but to depend on Ethan when she realizes someone is now after her. Olivia’s search for the truth leads her and Ethan across country to a family and past she doesn’t remember.

At the age of ten, Ethan witnessed a brutal murder. He vowed when he grew up, he’d protect people in danger. Protecting Olivia is difficult when she won’t trust him. He soon realizes his desire to protect her goes beyond doing his job, but if his judgment becomes clouded by emotions, her safety could be jeopardized.

Can Ethan and Olivia learn to trust each other when they uncover secrets that will change their lives forever?

Identity Crisis is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, All Romance, eBooks.com, and Kobo

Desert Rice by Angela Scott - Virtual Review tour and Giveaway

(Full length contemporary fiction)

This review is done in conjunction with the author's virtual tour with Goddess Fish Promotions.

Angela will award one commenter at every stop a Mobi or ePub copy of WANTED: Dead or Undead or Survivor Roundup from her backlist, and one randomly drawn commenter on the tour will receive a $15 gift card to Amazon, so comment today AND follow the tour (if you click on the tour banner above, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win an awesome prize!



Samantha Jean Haggert is a beautiful twelve-year-old girl, but no one knows it. All they see is an awkward boy in a baseball cap and baggy pants. Sam's not thrilled with the idea of hiding her identity, but it's all part of her brother's plan to keep Sam safe from male attention and hidden from the law. 15-year-old Jacob will stop at nothing to protect his sister, including concealing the death of the one person who should have protected them in the first place--their mother. Sam and Jacob try to outrun their past by stealing the family car and traveling from West Virginia to Arizona, but the adult world proves mighty difficult to navigate, especially for two kids on their own. Trusting adults has never been an option; no adult has ever given them a good reason. But when Sam meets "Jesus"--who smells an awful lot like a horse--in the park, life takes a different turn. He saved her once, and may be willing to save Sam and her brother again, if only they admit what took place that fateful day in West Virginia. The problem? Sam doesn't remember, and Jacob isn't talking.



Ms. Scott is a truly talented author.  Truth is, this isn't the type of book I'd normally read. I wasn't really sure what I was getting myself into with Desert Rice, but I was so completely caught up with the authentically written, realistic characters it didn't matter that the plot was one I wasn't hugely excited about.

That's not to say the plot is bad -- it isn't. It's just I'm really a fan of happier stories, and this one takes you to the very last page before you can feel that the characters might actually be, if not happy, then content and safe.

You see, Desert Rice follows the lives of two kids running from an abusive home.  What they go through is raw and emotional and frequently heart-wrenching.  It's a credit to the author that I cried for these kids more than once, and I wondered how they were when I wasn't reading (as if they were real people, still living their lives while I slept or worked).

This is a book that won't leave you unmoved.  It will make you think and do some soul-searching.   And, undoubtedly, you'll be surprisingly eager to dive into the next book and find out how Jacob and Sam (and the rest of their "family") are doing to heal and move past those events that scarred them here.  I absolutely recommend this book.

4.5 Flowers - This was a very good book! I'd recommend it to my friends

I hear voices. Tiny fictional people sit on my shoulders and whisper their stories in my ear. Instead of medicating myself, I decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. I’m not crazy. I’m an author. For the most part, I write contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, I found myself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West—and loving it. My zombies don’t sparkle, and they definitely don’t cuddle. At least, I wouldn’t suggest it.

I live on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. I graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of my love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn’t require math. I can’t spell, and grammar is my arch nemesis. But they gave me the degree, and there are no take backs.

As a child, I never sucked on a pacifier; I chewed on a pencil. I’ve been writing that long. It has only been the past few years that I’ve pursued it professionally, forged relationships with other like-minded individuals, and determined to make a career out of it.

You can subscribe and follow me on my website, where I blog obsessively about my writing process and post updates on my current works. I’m also on Twitter and Facebook, but be forewarned, I tweet and post more than a normal person.

Website: www.angelascottauthor.com
http://www.whimsywritingandreading.weebly.com/
Twitter: @whimsywriting
http://twitter.com/#%21/whimsywriting
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelaScottWriter

LINKS:

Amazon:
DESERT RICE http://www.amazon.com/Desert-Rice-ebook/dp/B008U04YU4/ref=la_B007N3J0L2_1_3_title_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1358357000&sr=1-3

DESERT FLOWER http://www.amazon.com/Desert-Flower-ebook/dp/B00B0QNQF4/ref=la_B007N3J0L2_1_4_title_0_main?ie=UTF8&qid=1358357000&sr=1-4

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/angela-scott

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/angela-scott/id486086004?mt=11

The Bannockburn Spell by Nancy Adams - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

Today we're spotlighting author Nancy Adams on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the erotic romance, "The Bannockburn Spell". She's sharing an exclusive excerpt with us.

Nancy will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner above, it'll take you to a list of tour stops)! The more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a really cool prize!

With the help of a bet, an eight-hundred-year-old marriage contract, and a spell, ex-SBS soldier Will might just have enough in his arsenal to capture Meghan’s heart.

Since arriving in Little Glen, Scotland, Meghan Kennedy’s life has got decidedly more interesting. She enters into a bet with hunky ex-SBS soldier, William MacKenzie, discovers an ancient marriage contract and to top it all off, she learns that she had a spell cast on her…eight hundred years before she was even born. None of it matters, because she refuses to make the same mistake twice. Will’s hard body and sexy grin don’t matter, his beautiful hypnotic eyes don’t matter, and it doesn’t matter that every time they kiss her body calls out for his, as though denied of his touch for hundreds of years.

Ex-SBS soldier William MacKenzie is disciplined, trained to be an efficient soldier and he takes the same approach with his life as he does his business. Then Meghan arrives, with her fiery temper and hair to match, all he can think about is Meghan. Her feisty temper bemuses him, her beauty astounds him and her stubbornness annoys the hell out of him. Lucky for him, he doesn’t know how to quit, he can be just as stubborn and occasionally ruthless, and he will use any means necessary to get her. Of course the ‘means’ at his disposal just happen to be a bet, a marriage contract and an ancient spell, but if in the end Meghan belongs to him, who is he to argue?

“Why are you running away from me?”

“I wasn’t running, I have work to do, I’d like to get back so I can finish it.” Not really a lie, she always had work to do, but she wanted to be away from him too.

“You’re lying. You’ve been avoiding me, and you haven’t spoken to me or Duncan in days.”

“How would you know?” Was her voice higher? “And even if I haven’t, it’s none of your business.”

“I went over to speak with Duncan this morning. He told me what you said to him. He didn’t deserve that, Meghan, it was my decision to use the contract. It was my choice. Get mad at me, not Duncan. He loves you very much, he wants what’s best for you.”

Will froze when he saw the shimmer of tears. He didn’t want to see her cry. He only wanted her anger directed at him. Duncan was regretting his decision to tell him about the contract, worried it had ruined his relationship with her. The moment Duncan had mentioned that Meghan was coming to Little Glen, the changes in him were immediate. Sure, he was still grumpy, but there was that spring in his step and the pride in his voice whenever he talked about Meghan. Will wouldn’t be responsible for Duncan losing that, she had just come back into his life.

“And you’re what’s best for me?”

“Yes,” he answered honestly as a tear slipped down her cheek. He hated seeing her cry, he would rather have her yelling and screaming at him, he could handle that, these silent tears were killing him. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He stepped towards her, but she backed away placing a hand on her stomach.

“Yes, you did. You want me to feel guilty about what I said to Duncan, and you got your wish, I do feel guilty and I will go home and try to set things right. Satisfied?” she snapped.

He sighed. “My only intention was to clear Duncan of any wrongdoing.”

He couldn’t blame her for feeling angry. He had dumped a bombshell on her. And then to hear that Duncan had been the one to tell Will about the contract?

“Let go of this stupid contract, Will. Things could get back to normal, back to the way they were,” she pleaded, her turquoise gaze burning a hole in his armour. “Please?”

He was willing to give her anything, but not that. “No. Our bet still stands.”

She threw her hands in the air and shouted, “You’re driving me crazy. Do you really want to do this? You don’t even know me.”

He sighed contentedly, she was back to yelling. “I know enough.”

“You don’t know anything. I could be some loony who hacks up her lovers.”

He couldn’t help but laugh. “You won’t have time. I’ll be keeping you busy.” He laughed louder when her eyes grew wide and her cheeks flushed to a soft pink.

“You think so, eh! You want to see the real me, well, get ready, you’re in for one hell of a shock.” She barged past him and stalked up the road.

“I can hardly wait,” he called out.

I am a full-blooded Canadian, right down to the maple syrup running through my veins. I enjoy watching hockey, but despise skating...and the cold. I enjoy a good helping of Tourtiere with a side of Poutine as must as the next person, yet I am only bilingual when it comes to swear words. I am proud to say I survived my token shot of Newfie Screech, although I did refuse to kiss the Cod - that is never going to happen - and I openly admit, that I fell in love with the Rocky Mountains the first time I saw them.

I have many occupations written down in my passport, mom, wife, author...zookeeper! However, I have to say that writing is by far the easiest part of my day.

I have three small -but legal- addictions: bed lines, lavender, and books. All of which, are replenished on a regular basis. Reading into the wee hours of the morning, is one of many bad habits, next to spontaneously rearranging furniture and randomly painting rooms in my house.

Author Links

Website: http://fancynancyadams.wix.com/erotic-nancy-adams#
Blog: http://fancynancyadams.blogspot.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyAdams.scribblingseduction?ref=hl

Buy Links

Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/192-0007671-1785769?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=The+Bannockburn+Spell

Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bannockburn-spell-nancy-adams/1114077085?ean=9781781841785

Kobo:
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Bannockburn-Spell/book-CkaSk-3Mz0mx4cPIX7XhvQ/page1.html?s=JHsWnfQQ-EyixUlC1M86Pw&r=1

All Romance Ebooks:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thebannockburnspell-1039690-143.html

Publisher:
http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1927

Jilted by Kelly Jamieson - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

Today we're spotlighting Kelly Jamieson on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the contemporary romance, "Jilted".

Kelly will be awarding a $15 Amazon or BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner above, it'll take you to a list of tour stops)! The more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a really cool prize!

The wedding’s off but the honeymoon is on...

Devon can do this. She can show up at her ex-boyfriend Josh’s wedding, even though he’s marrying her ex-best-friend. She can show everyone she’s happy with her fabulous life in Boston, her great career, her amazing shoes — and she can show everyone she’s over him.

Truth is, her life isn’t so fabulous. She’s just been downsized out of her job, her Jimmy Choos won’t pay her rent, and...she’s still heartbroken that Josh chose family over her. The real reason she’s enduring this wedding is that her next stop is nearby Greenbush Island, her last hope of finding a new job.

Josh knows marrying long-time friend Allie will make everyone happy after the rough time their families have been through, and since the woman he really wanted to marry chose her career and big city life over him—why not?

But the perfect wedding turns into a perfect disaster when Allie leaves him at the altar for another man. He never saw that coming! But hey, Devon’s there, offering to help him look for Allie on Greenbush Island, where he’d planned their honeymoon. Only, all they find are their old feelings for each other and a temptation to risk their hearts one more time...

Warning: This book contains a firefighter hot enough to ignite flames, a woman who doesn’t want to get burned again, a honeymoon suite but no honeymoon, and sex not on the beach (sorry).

Helping Josh find his fiancée? Yeah, that sounded like a lot of fun.

At that moment, Devon was tempted to climb over the railing, jump off the boat and swim to shore. Her heart picked up speed and her breathing went shallow as anxiety gripped her. What the hell was she doing?

She forced herself to breathe normally, drawing air into her lungs slowly, fresh briny sea air, forced herself to relax her death grip on the railing. William Mudge. The position at Heffington International. The job she so badly needed, not just to pay her rent, although yeah, that was pretty damn important, but because her career was who she was. It was, sadly, all she had. So, that was what she was doing. This was going to work out perfectly. She stole a glance at Josh.

What if they found Allie there? Then what would they do? Was Josh going to try to fight for her? This could get ugly.

But what if they didn’t find Allie? She had no idea what would happen then.

Josh leaned on the rail beside her and they both stared out at the ocean, undulating in shades of gray and blue, creamy whitecaps dotting the surface here and there. Seagulls soared above, the lowering sun illuminating them pure white against the clear blue sky.

“So,” Devon said. “You and Allie planned to spend your honeymoon on the island.”

“I planned it,” he said. “I just told her about it yesterday so she’d know what to pack.”

“Oh. That’s a beautiful inn.”

“Yeah.” He lifted one big shoulder. “I thought it would be nice. Not too far away. And there are lots of things to do on the island.”

Devon pursed her lips. On a honeymoon, you wouldn’t think they’d care about things to do—beyond getting out of bed to answer the door for room service. But what did she know about honeymoons? Nothing, that’s what.

Kelly Jamieson is a best-selling author of over twenty-five romance novels and novellas. Her writing has been described as “emotionally complex”, “sweet and satisfying” and “blisteringly sexy”.

Where you can find Kelly:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Nine Naughty Novelists

Pinterest

Nobody Has to Know by Frank Nappi - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

Today we're talking to Frank Nappi on his tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the thriller novel, "Nobody Has to Know".

Frank will be awarding a $50 Amazonn GC to one randomly drawn commenter, so comment today AND follow this tour (if you click on the banner above, it'll take you to a list of tour stops)! The more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a really cool prize!

Thanks to Frank for answering all my prying questions!

Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

Nobody Has To Know is actually the first time that I deviated from what I typically write. My agent had suggested to me some time ago to try something a little different, a little risky if you will. It took some time to come to fruition, but Nobody Has To Know was a most exhilarating, eye opening departure from my usual historically based fiction that has been categorized as YA crossover. The process by which I crafted this novel was far different from the others, and engendered in me a new found respect for others who write faithfully in this genre.

What research is required?

No research required for this one. As is the case with all of my work, just being a student of the human experience offered ample material with which to work.

Name one thing you learned from your hero.

Cameron Baldridge offers a frightening glimpse into a world both chaotic and threatening. His proclivity for self destructive decisions reminds me, as it does all of us, of just how drastically life can change with a poor choice. And, for all of us who have come close to making one of these choices without actually carrying through, Cameron provides a safe distance from which we may watch what could have been.

Any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I don’t think I do anything too quirky or idiosyncratic. Unless of course you consider that I can only do my very best work if I am seated at my desk, with my 12 inch Batman posable figure, F. Scott Fitzgerald magnetic finger puppet, Mr. Met Bobblehead doll and musical Rocky Drive-In Christmas ornament all around for support and inspiration. I don’t know. Is that weird?

Plotter or pantser?

A little of both I would have to say. I am anything but formulaic but of course there are times when an idea strikes and it must be recorded.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

Two orange New York Mets stadium seats obtained from Shea Stadium before they knocked the old place down. If I look long enough, I can still see me and my dad sitting there, sharing the sights and sounds of the game we both love so much.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

Well, I am presently playing with another thriller since the reception for Nobody Has To Know has been so warm. I am also working on a third installment of my Mickey Tussler series.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Yes. How important is it for you as a reader to like the main character in the book you are reading? Can you still enjoy and appreciate a story that features as its protagonist a less than likable person?

Nobody Has To Know, Frank Nappi's dark and daring new thriller, tells the story of Cameron Baldridge, a popular high school teacher whose relationship with one of his students leads him down an unfortunate and self-destructive path. Stalked through text-messages, Baldridge fights for his life against a terrifying extortion plot and the forces that threaten to expose him. NHTK is a sobering look into a world of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations, and will leave the reader wondering many things, including whether or not you can ever really know the person you love.

Cam knew he should not have encouraged her - should have never pursued her. It was the first thing he was told before he took the job. It wasn’t so much an admonition as it was a statement of fact.

“Remember, you can be friendly with these kids, but you are not their friend,” his mentor, a seasoned veteran of twenty nine years, warned. “Especially the girls. That’s just trouble waiting to happen.”

Cam shrugged it off. He had heard that warning before. Besides, he had no interest in teenage girls, especially the ones sitting in his classroom.

“No problem there John,” he had explained at the time. “I have it covered. I have no time for any of that. I’m involved already. College sweetheart. It’s cool. Really. We’ve been together for years.”

“Is that right?” John commented. “Then what’s the deal? I mean, twenty five isn’t old friend, but seems to me you should have taken it to the next level by now.”

Cam flushed and stood more awkwardly now. John marveled at his protégé’s attempt to free himself from the moment’s grasp.

“I don’t know,” Cam replied. “Why does everyone ask me that? I really don’t know. I guess the timing has never been quite right.” He paused briefly, gleaning some obscure meaning behind the raised eyebrows of his friend and mentor, then continued to speak, like an actor who had just been cued from offstage.

“But that should change soon. Hayley and I will probably be engaged by Christmas.”

Cam should have remembered John Volpe’s words. He should have listened to logic, and tucked away those feelings. He should have done a lot of things, like remembered his master’s thesis – the one that explored La Femme Fatale. He knew all the names. The sirens of Greek Mythology. Mata Hari. Memo Paris. Daisy Buchanan and Mattie Silver. And of course there was Nabokov’s Lolita. She was the one he remembered most. “All of them,” he had written, “are so very beautiful, so alluring, yet deadly – life draining vampires who possess the power to transfix the opposite sex with their feminine wiles, leaving these spellbound males weak, vulnerable and ultimately barren.” He should have remembered. He should have considered how much he loved teaching and his genuine affection for everyone at Hillcrest High School. He tried. But all he could see was her. For some reason, all he could think about was her long dark hair, and what it would be like to touch it – to let the soft strands cascade across his own body. And the wet shine of her lips. My God, what would it be like to feel those as well? To press his to hers. She was so beautiful, so exquisite, so young.

So many times, during their little chats before and after class, he stared into her blue eyes, marbled with gray flecks, and was lit by her electric smile, all the while wondering how it was that this universe managed to give birth to such a perfect creature. She was perfect. She was just as Nabokov had described his Lolita -- the nymphet, a mystical, magical, sweet smelling creature budding with sexuality, ripening on life’s vine, right before his very eyes. Yes, the forbidden fruit. Oh how she tortured him. The curve of her mouth; her slender waist and fully formed hips, both attenuators to the rhapsody of her walk; her sweet smell and the softness of her tan skin. Everything about her called to him desperately. It was a familiarly paralyzing feeling. The girl was also familiar. He could recall, as a kid, humid summer evenings with his friends, racing around on damp lawns under a gray sky that had just begun to soften into the pitch of night. Freeze tag was the game most often. Some complained it was a bit juvenile, but there were all sorts of variations, including a wrinkle that included their favorite alcoholic drink of choice.

The rules of the game were basic: once touched, you could not move. You remained frozen in place, sometimes drinking to excess, until someone freed you from your current state. He could still remember waiting, silent and still, for what seemed sometimes to be an eternity. It was uncomfortable. Cam’s knees would ache and his arms would burn. It was interminable. He was always tempted to transgress, to flex his muscles under the cover of the deepening night. He never did. Even though he could move, he never did, for the spirit of and passion for the game always trumped logic and reason.

He played it all the time, with Maleigha. She was his first love. It was the summer before he began high school when he met her. She had just turned fourteen, and was visiting her cousin, who happened to be his next door neighbor. He was slightly older and they had spent that entire summer together, swimming and riding bikes. He often thought, even now, how odd it was how they seemed to click instantly. She came from a Latin American family that lived in a trailer in New Jersey. She was a singer, and a lover of jazz music. He was just a kid from Long Island who loved the Mets. Their cultures and upbringing differed greatly as well. Yet somehow, none of it mattered. It was part of the magic.

The days that summer were filled with innocent fun with a group of others. They sat around many afternoons listening to their favorite tracks from Rage Against the Machine and The Smashing Pumpkins while playing Super Mario 64 on his Nintendo. When they tired of that, the world outside offered more frivolity, including wiffle ball, Marco Polo, tag, and man hunt. They were rarely at a loss for entertainment. Those were good days. But night time was really special. At night, it was all about Maleigha.

Often, Cam would take her for walks through the nature preserve not too far from his house. She loved the sound of the crickets, and the gentle trickle of the shallow waterway that snaked its way through the underbrush. It was there they would hold hands and talk about the summer and the beach and about their feelings for each other.

“This is very different from where I come from,” she said, marveling at the moon through the treetops. “I really love it here.”

“Is Long Island really that different from New Jersey?” he asked.

She looked at him with bubbling amazement.

“Yeah, just a little,” she answered, shaking her head playfully.

“Well, it’s not that far,” he said. “Maybe your family can move here.”

She never looked so sad.

“I don’t think so Cam.”

“Well, you never know,” he continued. “Besides, you can always visit, right?”

She was thinking of her mother, and the last thing she said to her before Maleigha left.

“Have good time at Carla’s, behave yourself Maleigha, you hear? No trouble, okay? But by time you get back, we be all set to leave for Ecuador. No worries mi hija. It be fine.”

It will be fine, her mother kept saying. Somehow, Maleigha just could not see how moving to the other end of the earth would ever be fine. Not now. Not ever.

“Sure Cam,” she said through glassy eyes. “I can visit.”

He thought of Maleigha often. It was eleven years since he had last seen her, and he was now a twenty-five-year-old man with a beautiful fiancée and a promising career. Time had altered many things for Cam, but Maleigha remained a part of him. And although life had offered him a promising path to follow, other thoughts were now surfacing as well, like how this new nymphet of his, Nikki, knew very well, on some level, just how enticing she was. That’s why her sweaters fell the way they did across her round breasts, and why her clothes left very little unknown about just how shapely she was. It was the same reason why she twirled her hair when she laughed and why she giggled flirtatiously every time she said hello to him in the hallway. She was no child. No way. And he was no longer a man in control, but a tortured soul, slave to her essence, lost always in beautiful, woeful distraction.

There were moments when it was almost more than he could bear. When she touched his arm playfully, or blinked her eyes in that coquettish way of hers, it rendered him in agony. His heart would rebel feverishly, and his reality would divide instantly into two sectors – the ecstasy felt from the passing of electricity through that touch or flirtation and the devastation of a world that simply forbade any further advance. Those fires of love, or perhaps lust, burned wildly in the chasm between hemispheres and transformed quickly into waves of passionate thought. What would it be like, he wondered, to press his body up against hers? Just once. To feel, with all his being, her tight, silky skin next to his. It was a desire that ruled his soul.

Even so, he should have known better. Although only seven years separated the two, it should never have gone any further. It should have ended with those harmless flirtations, like their conversations about things they both loved, like the Mets and Kanye West, and the way he always saved her a piece of his Orbit gum or the many visits he made to Carvel, where she worked part time, just because he was “in the neighborhood.”

“You again?” she said laughing. “This is the third time this week. You sure must love ice cream.”

“What can I say Nikki,” he answered. “I’m addicted.”

Yes, he should have recognized the signs and just walked away. But he didn’t. Somewhere, deep within the darkest chambers of his soul, lurked the feeling that he had to have her – that his body would not survive in her absence. It was an uncompromising pang. Not even John’s advice and knowledge of all that he could lose were enough to extricate him from the blissful imaginings and real life longings. No. It did not matter. Nothing else mattered. Not any more. His world had been turned upside down in an instant, and he had reached the point of no return.

Frank Nappi has taught high school English and Creative Writing for over twenty years. His debut novel, Echoes From The Infantry, received national attention, including MWSA's silver medal for outstanding fiction. His follow-up novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler, garnered rave reviews as well, including a movie adaptation of the touching story "A Mile in His Shoes" starring Dean Cain and Luke Schroder. Frank continues to produce quality work, including Sophomore Campaign, the intriguing sequel to the much heralded original story and the just released thriller, NOBODY HAS TO KNOW, which received an endorsement from #1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille. Frank is presently at work on a third installment of his Mickey Tussler series and his next thriller. He lives on Long Island with his wife Julia and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony.

Nobody Has to Know book trailer:

http://youtu.be/WdMjNDJ5hT4

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/FrankNappi

Website:

http://www.franknappi.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/authorfranknappi

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/589342.Frank_Nappi.

Nelson DeMille's Endorsement:

"A haunting, briskly-paced page turner that explores the darkest recesses of the human psyche while propelling the reader through an intricate series of hair-raising twists and turns. Nobody Has to Know is a masterfully written tale that is expertly told. Frank Nappi knows how to entertain the reader from start to finish."
-- #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Nelson DeMille.

The Art of Change by Kelly Andria - Virtual tour and giveaway

Today we're spotlighting Kelly Andria on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the contemporary romance, "The Art of Change".

Kelly will be awarding a $25 Amazon or BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner above, it'll take you to a list of tour stops)! The more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a really cool prize!

Gallery owner Nellie, a giving yet neurotic New Yorker, brings together a mismatched cast of characters in the opening of Ryan Whittaker’s debut, a phallic show. Little does she know that she is setting the scene for odd and unpredictable relationships, much like Shakespeare in Midsummer Night’s Dream. The frenzied, magical mix-up is an outrageous farce with a deep moral message: there is a RIGHT place for everyone in this world and love and friendship cement us in it.

The Art of Change is a funny, smooth reading romance, which deals with bridging differences in gender, education, social milieu, in an insane but pragmatic, modern fairytale, set in New York City. The twists of the plot are written without an ounce of cynicism but simply acknowledging that life is neither here nor there, neither black or white and all can be dealt with in real friendship and love.

Chapter 2

Monroe Burton looked at the art show invitation on his dresser. Ryan Whittaker: The Manhunt: The Elusive State of Happiness.

He didn’t know whether it was the age of the artist—a brash twenty-eight years— or the forthright sexual innuendo of the title placed above the painting of the phallic symbol in chiaroscuro that aroused his curiosity. An artist with an eye for seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary . . . isolating and bringing it to another level of meaning. Voyeurism with humor. Instantly, he decided to attend.

“I’m so tired of installations, photography, video and performance art, ad nauseam—enough! I need paintings. I am definitely ending my gallery tour with this show tonight,” he told himself.

In addition to the immediate interest sparked by this exhibit, Monroe had a soft spot for the gallery owner, Nellie Adams, a forty-something recent divorcée who had opened her own gallery, 911, despite all odds. Judging from her previous shows, it was clear she promoted budding artists, controversial views, and outsiders, irrespective of profit and possibility.

Nellie reminded him of older times, when art used to be ART and not another commodity or a way of exhibiting wealth and power. Over the last thirty years, the majority of art had become tied to social causes and issues. It had become so complicated. But, hey, he thought, if that’s what sells . . .

Yet how exhausting and uninspiring it is for an art critic to review works such as the latest he had seen and simply refused to write up: a woman between two huge pieces of Styrofoam toast, a human slice of salami, supposedly symbolizing the pressure and subordination of the female by the male, the family, and career. He was drained, tired, and weary of reviewing works he thought were less than junk. He had kept his standards high, his views fresh, and the art world appreciated his precise dissections and fair criticism. Even if the readers sometimes didn’t agree with the review, they would always enjoy it!

Monroe picked up the elegant card and turned it over in his hand.

Now, global art . . . maybe? Tonight he wanted to unveil an artist who moved within realms like bioengineering or human issues—like AIDS! Now there was an idea: sex awareness with a twist. Yes, this young man from Oregon just might be sending this message. It was something Monroe wanted to believe.

About the Author: Kelly Andria is the pen name of two very close friends who decided to write a story to make people laugh. The two authors, although different in many ways and viewpoints, have a lot in common. Both Greek Americans coming from conservative vibrant families, they learned to speak and act as they believe. Fair but always kind. Their passion for art, food and romance led them to become authors of a comedy that redefines the “boy meets girl” norm. The wacky one of the group knew that they had the stories in them. The other half quickly became convinced as their quirky characters took shape and form and gained a voice of their own.

Website: http://www.kellyandria.com/

Buy Links:

Xlibris: http://bookstore.xlibris.com/Products/SKU-0115730049/The-Art-of-Change.aspx

Amazon Kindle Edition: http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-of-Change-ebook/dp/B008PEXGQ8

Amazon print: http://www.amazon.com/Art-Change-Kelly-Andria/dp/1477120025

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-art-of-change-kelly-andria/1111961653

Divine Fury by Robert B. Lowe - Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway

Today we're talking to Robert B. Lowe on his tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the mystery/thriller novel, "Divine Fury".

Robert will be awarding a $25 Amazonn GC to one randomly drawn commenter, so comment today AND follow this tour (if you click on the banner above, it'll take you to a list of tour stops)! The more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a really cool prize!

Thanks to Robert for answering all my prying questions!

Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

Since my Hardy Boy days, the mystery-thriller genre has always been my ‘comfort’ leisure reading. When I started my first book (that was Project Moses and Divine Fury is the second), I wasn’t sure how great I’d be at all the facets of novel writing but I thought I could piece together a mystery-thriller plot that had some nice twists and turns and didn’t collapse on itself. I also thought I could keep the pace and action going. To me, that meant mystery-thriller. Since then, I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback on the characters. In fact, I hadn’t planned on a series with the same main characters and a couple of the same secondary ones as well. But, people made it clear they wanted/expected that so, I figured, what the hey. So, the Enzo Lee series is two and counting!

What research is required?

I try as much as possible to keep the locations to places where I’ve been. So, generally I’ve been to all those places – whether a farming area or restaurant. But, I may try to refresh it or spur some my descriptive side by looking up the location on the Internet or looking at people’s photos. One of the characters in Divine Fury is an army vet who was injured in the Black Hawk Down incident in Somalia. I read a lot about that, and also ready about U.S. Army snipers. Some of the injuries I described are pretty close to technical reports I read that discussed what happened there. They were written, I think, as part of a study to better understand the types of casualties that can be expected based on the type of actions in modern warfare.

My main character is a newspaper reporter and I’ve had lawyers in the plot at places. I worked in both of these professions and have a pretty good general sense of the general corporate world so for those aspects I can rely on my own background. Beyond that, I’ll often try to talk to people in other professions or with expertise in certain areas. For example, I’m working on a plot now that involves medical research and drug development so I’m developing some lunch-and-coffee contacts for that. My journalism interviewing/research skills have come in handy.

Name one thing you learned from your hero 

Enzo Lee, the main character, is a former investigative reporter who has remade himself into a fluff feature writer who, of course, gets sucked into situation where his prior expertise is required. He writes much more clever stories than I ever did when I was a journalist.

Any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I’m always trying to figure out what to do when I get stuck. I figured out that if I just start describing something – hopefully the place where the next chapter will take place or the food on the table, etc., it gets me started and pretty soon I’m into the scene.

I’ve also started to jump ahead to places or scenes I’m thinking about, even if they occur much later in the book. I may or may not use it. More likely, I’ll revise it a lot or cannibalize it somehow. But, it keeps me writing when I’m having trouble just walking through the book chapter by chapter. It helps to go with your energy and enthusiasm when it’s there for a character or scene. If the book is somewhat like a painting, you’ve got to fill that part of the canvas at some point anyway. Often, it helps with a lot of other parts as well.

Plotter or pantser?

I think of it as ‘explorer.’ I know generally what it looks like on the other side of the forest but I’m pretty unsure exactly how I’ll get there. I know there will be dead ends and obstacles. Some I can overcome. Others I just have to run into, realize I can’t got that way and find a different way.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

I’m in a guest studio over my garage where I often go to write. Just a sink with a high window but with lots of leaves and sunlight hinting at my neighbor’s garden. There is also a nice ipod speaker dock l’ve got Pandora playing the Neon Trees channel.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I’m up to about Chapter 9 of my third books, also an Enzo Lee mystery thriller. There will be at least 50 more chapters so there still is a long way to go. I’m hoping I’ll be finished by the end of the summer. I think I may take a break from Enzo for the next book. I may center it on another popular character or perhaps go off in another direction altogether. I expect to stay in the mystery-thriller genre but there are a ton of different types of books you can do within that.

Do you have a question for our readers?

If you read a lot of budget and free indie ebooks, what percentage would you say are:

-give up before 40 pages
-get through it but see serious flaws
-worth my time
-wow!

Do you have any way – lists, reviews, recommendations, etc. – you use to screen the dogs?

Candidate Andrew Harper was a college basketball star, a crusading prosecutor and a beloved Congressman. He is also openly gay. When the San Francisco politician gets the inside track to become California’s next governor, it sends shockwaves through the political and religious establishment.

Reporter Enzo Lee is cajoled into leaving his comfortable niche covering fluffy features for the San Francisco News to cover the historic campaign. A series of campaign events are mysteriously and dangerously disrupted. A key endorsement is scuttled at the last minute. An earlier murder takes on new significance when it is linked to a Watergate-style break-in involving computer spying.

But, finding the culprits behind political sabotage and high-tech hacking take a back seat when it’s discovered that a troubled war veteran armed with guns and explosives has begun a violent journey from small-town Montana to the City by the Bay.

When Lee becomes a target himself he must dodge attempts on his own life while trying to expose the conspiracy and, with the help of police allies, foil an assassination plot.

Divine Fury is the newly released second book in the Enzo Lee series from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert B. Lowe. The series was kicked off by the best-selling Project Moses, the bioterroism thriller that made the Amazon Top 20 Mysteries list and was a finalist in the Best Indie Books of 2012 competition.

Divine Fury is a page-turning thriller with suspense, action, romance and enough twists to keep the reader guessing. It also focuses on a timely theme as the issues of same-sex marriage and gay rights become a major cultural battleground in America.

“Gripping…with an adrenaline-filled climax combined with compelling characters.” – Kirkus Reviews

“A fascinating and fast-paced mystery/thriller. It is a thought provoking and extremely captivating story." – Kindle Book Review

When he saw the red Ford in the distance heading toward him, he knew he was right. It took another two minutes before they were where he wanted them – right in front of his position completely exposed on the mountain side.

The first shot took out the left front tire and brought the Ford to a halt. The second shattered the windshield. When he took out the rear left window, they finally realized someone was shooting at them and they ducked down. Two more shots took out all the glass on the left side.

Walberg saw the doors on the right side – away from him – open and then close. He could hear them shouting and screaming hysterically.

“Stop! Stop! Stop shooting at us! Help! Somebody help!”

He pulled off three more shots, hitting the side of the truck. Maybe they couldn’t hear the rifle with the suppressor on but they’d certainly hear and perhaps feel the impact of the bullets.

Then the driver’s side door opened. The big one. He must have been too bulky to drag himself over the console with the gear shift in the way and get out the other side. As he stepped hurriedly to the pavement beneath the truck, he immediately slipped and went sprawling on this face beneath the open door.

Through the scope, Walberg could see his face clearly as he pulled his head up and, still sprawled on the ground, searched the hillside. He seemed so close, Walberg felt that he could pick which side of his face to shoot if he wanted.

“Bang,” he said softly. “Bang. Bang.”

Robert B. Lowe is a Pulitzer-prize winning author whose fiction is based in San Francisco, his adopted home. His past experiences – a 12-year career in investigative journalism and a Harvard Law School degree – enable him to write gripping mystery thrillers in both the legal and journalistic fields. Lowe draws his inspiration from John Grisham, Dick Francis and Lee Child and adds his own San Francisco twist. Readers will enjoy his references to the city’s landmarks such as Chinatown, North Beach and Pacific Heights and the Bay area’s foodie culture.

Divine Fury is Lowe’s second novel. His first was the best-selling Project Moses which reached the Amazon Top 20 Mysteries list and was a finalist in the Best Indie Books of 2012 competition hosted by the Kindle Book Review.

Divine Fury continues the adventures of Enzo Lee, a jaded journalist rehabilitating his career as a feature writer in San Francisco who stumbles into scandals and criminal conspiracies that require his investigative expertise to unravel.

When Lowe isn’t writing he enjoys a day at the golf course and spending time with his wife and daughters.

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/W1rVMC
Website: www.robertblowe.com
Twitter: @authorRobBLowe
http://www.amazon.com/Divine-Fury-Mystery-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00A42ADKG
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/divine-fury-enzo-lee-mystery-thriller-series-robert-b-lowe/1113780048?ean=2940015869545