The Truth: Diary of a Gutsy Tween by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein - Q&A and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Barbara will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

If someone were writing a story about you, what would your blurb say?

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein has always been a pathfinder in Positive Psychology, focusing most often on girls, tweens and teens so that they can recognize what is most special about themselves and gain courage, self-confidence and resiliency by utilizing their talents, strengths and potential. She herself has become an icon figure for women of all ages. She has been a psychologist and educator for over 35 years and is proud of it. Serving society with one's wisdom and knowledge never gets stale. In fact it helps us stay healthy and happy. As a women who is as active with her Enchanted Self mission now as ever, utilizing each new technology as it comes about, currently video is one of her favorites, (find her on You Tube at Barbara Becker Holstein). She reminds women of all ages to have the courage to stay with one' dreams and aspirations.

Would you tell us a little about your newest release that isn't in the blurb?

The Truth, Diary of a Gutsy Tween is part of a long chain of events. It was really birthed over ten years ago when I wrote a book that ended up unpublished in which a young girl met up with her adult self and a long conversation of shared wisdom, humor and love happened between them. And now the chain of events is moving on again. This time there is a play 'The Locket' about the girl which has had staged readings three times and hopefully a full production soon, and now in production is a short film about the girl. This is a fabulous and fun adventure!

What was your favorite scene to write in this story?

My favorite scene is in the last pages where the girl finally realizes that she has her own way of holding on to the best of herself as she grows older and she is no longer afraid of growing up. What could be a better moment in life?

If you could trade places with one of your characters, who would it be and why?

I would probably choose Angela, the girl's best friend because she has a more fun household and a mother who really listens to her. Also, she is a little lighter in spirit than The Girl. I may write a book where Angela is the main character. It would be fun to have her come alive and we would learn more about the world that both of them live in.

"I hate Angela and I wish she would move away tomorrow!" "I get so worried when I hear my parents fighting at night." "My mother thinks my crush is silly. I know I am in love!" "I have so many questions about growing up. Who will answer them?" "I feel so awful when Jake makes fun of me." "When I grow up I going to remember how to have fun with my kids and never look away." Growing up is tough. Adults don't always understand you (even though they were once kids), and children today face increasing pressure to be, look, or act a certain way. Written in the voice of a girl on the cusp of becoming a teenager, The Truth provides young girls with an opportunity to see how a girl, who is in many ways like themselves, handles her toughest problems and most personal thoughts. Each new page brings forth a discussion to help girls handle everyday problems: How do you survive a bully? How do you handle a crush on a boy? What can you do about relentless teasing by your peers? What really matters as you grow older?

In a positive and supportive diary-entry format, Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein encourages tween girls to carry the most precious parts of themselves into adulthood. A great book for mothers and daughters to read together, The Truth is aimed to improve communication, understanding, and self-esteem for young girls as they enter the rocky road of teenager-dom.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Date: July 7

Dear Diary:

I feel so lonely. I can’t believe my parents made us move. Don’t they understand how awful it is for me? I don’t have anyone to share secrets with. I talk to Angela on the phone, but it isn’t the same. Sometimes when I’m on the phone with her I get the feeling that she is on her computer at the same time or maybe just thinking about other stuff. I don’t feel that closeness with her anymore. I want to feel it, but I don’t know how. I’m afraid to ask her if she is playing a game on the computer or chatting on Facebook at the same time as she’s on the phone with me.

The only good thing that happened is I asked Angela if she wants to send selfies back and forth to each other. My phone is old and I don’t have FaceTime, but I can still take pictures and send them to her. She loved the idea, so I spent hours yesterday sending her pictures of me in different rooms in my house and in the backyard, too. It was a lot of fun. I dressed up as if I was putting on a play and each room was a new scene. I wore a velvet scarf and one of my mom’s fancy hats and put on an old long petticoat I used to dress up in as a kid and then I went outside and stood on the swing that is hanging from a tree. It was hard to keep the swing still enough to get a good Selfie, but finally I did, and I sent it to Angela. She sent back a selfie of herself dressed up like a Flapper girl from the 1920s, posing with a long stick as if it was a cigarette in a holder. We laughed and laughed on the phone, and it was the best I have felt since we moved. The best part was that if felt like we were together again even though we are apart!

I have been a positive psychologist in private practice for the past thirty years. In the course of working with my clients, I originated the idea of THE ENCHANTED SELF(R), a positive psychology therapy where I teach people how to recognize and utilize their strengths, talents, skills and even lost potential. I have developed a number of methods, including using our memories to rediscover what is right about ourselves and our lives, rather than what went wrong, helping people to overcome adversity, experience positive emotions and live the good life!

Since developing this concept, I've been able to use many tools to bring the Enchanted Self to everyone, particularly women and girls. I've written many books, starting with THE ENCHANTED SELF, A Positive Therapy, and then Recipes for Enchantment, The Secret Ingredient is YOU! My books for girls are very popular, as they are great fictional reads and also help deal with many of the questions that trouble kids as they move into the tween and teen years. The Truth, Diary of a Gutsy Tween and Secrets, Diary of a Gutsy Teen are the first two books in this series.

I really love to teach and educate about happiness and how to benefit from positive psychology in ways that let us lead lives of meaning and happiness. You can find me all over the place on the web. In particular, www.enchantedself.com, www.thetruthforgirls.com, on Facebook at Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein: Psychologist & Author, on Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/barbarabeckerho/ and on You Tube. Just look for me on You Tube via Barbara Becker Holstein.

Amazon: www.amazon.com/Barbara-Becker-Holstein/e/B001JXEZ8U/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/barbara-becker-holstein/2493846

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Madison's Song by Christine Amsden - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Christine Amsden is awarding a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter a $10 Amazon/BN gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Her voice is enchanting; his soul is black…

Madison Carter has been terrified of Scott Lee since the night he saved her from an evil sorcerer – then melted into a man-eating monster before her eyes. The werewolf is a slave to the moon, but Madison’s nightmares are not.

Despite her fears, when Madison’s brother, Clinton, is bitten by a werewolf, she knows there is only one man who can help. A man who frightens her all the more because even in her nightmares, he also thrills her.

Together for the first time since that terrible night, Scott and Madison drive to Clinton’s home only to discover that he’s vanished. Frantic now, Madison must overcome her fears and uncover hidden strengths if she hopes to save him. And she’s not the only one fighting inner demons. Scott’s are literal, and they have him convinced that he will never deserve the woman he loves.

*Stand-alone companion to the Cassie Scot series

Enjoy an excerpt:

Her head rested perfectly atop his shoulder. She wasn't a short woman and he wasn't a tall man. He only had three inches on her, but it put her at the perfect height for his embrace. She fit him. Her beautiful body, soft and full, fit him perfectly too. This wasn't a woman who would break at his touch.

He wanted to kiss her. He wanted more than that, but just now he wanted to feel her lips against his. He had refrained the night before, glorying in her touch alone, forcing himself to let that be all he needed. But today he wasn't sure it would be enough. Today he felt desperate and unsure.

He placed a finger under her chin and lifted it slightly. Her eyes met his in question, but he didn't answer in words. He answered by settling his lips over hers in a soft, gentle brushing of skin against skin. Then he backed away slightly.

Her eyes were closed and her lips slightly parted. She looked a bit dazed and very unsure, but she wasn't pushing him away. He could smell her growing interest and it made his heart swell with newfound hope and need.

He brushed his lips against hers again before deepening the caress. She returned the kiss, a little inexpertly but with all the passion he'd known she possessed. She opened her mouth to him.



About the Author:

Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that affects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.

In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.

Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.

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The Gift of Maybe by Allison Carmen - Q&A and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly drawn commenter will receive an autographed copy of the book, and another randomly drawn commenter will receive a $25 Amazon/BN GC. Prizes are awarded via rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to It's Raining Books, Allison. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I was inspired to write this book to help people find hope and possibilities during uncertain times. If we fear the unknown, it is sometimes hard to find the courage and strength to pursue our dreams and change our lives. We see the unknown as another obstacle standing in our way. Yet as we start to embrace the idea of Maybe as explained in the book, we see that the unknown is a place where new possibilities exist and our lives can be different. We understand that just because we don’t know the answer today, it doesn’t mean things will be negative or not work out in the future. We open up to thoughts such as: Maybe things will get better; Maybe a new opportunity will present itself soon; or Maybe we are exactly where we need to be in this moment. Maybe is a perspective that carries us through the twists and turns of life with the hope that we can still have the life that we desire. Based on the positive response from many readers, I believe the book is helping people shift their relationship with uncertainty and find more hope and opportunity in their lives.

What research is required?

I wrote from my own life experiences and those of my clients with the mindset of Maybe. Maybe helps me with my stress and worry every day and gives me hope that more is possible in my life.

Name one thing you learned from your book.

Uncertainty can feel dark and scary. But only because we forgot that everything new and beautiful in our lives will be born from the unknown.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I need to read out loud to edit my work.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

It depends on my mood and what I am doing that day. I guess I am both.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

The book Real Happiness by Sharon Saltzberg

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I am writing a book about using the philosophy of Maybe in parenting. Maybe has enabled me to parent with less stress and more ease. I am able to recognize that my children’s lives often are not determined by one moment and, even during tough times, Maybe everything will still be okay. Of course there are imperative moments when our kids must listen to us, like taking a particular medicine if they are sick or mandatory safety provisions during certain activities. Yet much of what we believe is 
”imperative” is a story that we are writing in our minds making us believe that there is only one way for our children to have joyful and successful lives. As we embrace Maybe, we remember parenting is a long road and our children’s well-being and futures are always filled with more opportunities and possibilities even when we can’t see them in the moment.

Do you have a question for our readers?

What makes you worry? Are you afraid of uncertainty? Do you think the mindset of Maybe could help you?

Allison Carmen spent many years fighting a powerful addiction. It wasn’t drugs, alcohol or fame. It was an addiction to certainty. If she didn’t know what the future would bring – and who does? – she felt anxious and afraid. This decades-long struggle followed her through college, marriage, parenthood, and a successful law career. While everything seemed fine from the outside, Allison was in a constant battle that was unwinnable, sapping her energy, attention, and spirit. Until the day she discovered The Gift of Maybe.

Maybe is a simple yet powerful philosophy that has transformed Allison’s life, and the life of her many clients (now that she has ditched her legal career and has become a successful life coach). The message is this: In the face of uncertainty, Maybe opens your mind and heart. It creates a little space for hope. It allows you to take a deep breath, stay in the present, and forge your own path.

Many things in life are beyond our control, but the mindset of Maybe presents a simple, powerful way to stay connected to what’s possible, and work to make it happen. It is just one change of perspective, but Maybe it changes everything!

Enjoy an excerpt:

You may be wondering how something as easy as thinking or saying the word “Maybe” can have the kind of impact I am describing. That is precisely the beauty of Maybe. The idea of Maybe is so easy to apply, and at the same time it can have a profound effect on whatever part of your life you choose to apply it to. Whether you have been recently laid off from your job or you are having health concerns or money problems, whether you are looking for love or success or just looking to live life with less emotional pain, the philosophy of Maybe provides you with a tool to help you find your way. It helps you alleviate stress or worry, helps you embrace the uncertainty in your life as an opportunity, helps you enjoy the present, and helps you live with less emotional suffering. It is a mind-set that can influence all aspects of your life, a strategy you can use when life throws you an unexpected curveball.

As you experience the mind-set of Maybe, it will take on a meaning unique to you. Maybe creates a space where so much more is possible. Maybe becomes the constant that never lets you down.

Maybe is not a plan or a story; it is the offer of an unfolding experience. Embracing Maybe is a process, one that evolves and will continue to improve your life in new and exciting ways. For this reason, the true power and nuance of Maybe will come to you outside the pages of this book, when you experience your first moment of joy and vigor in the face of uncertainty.

Maybe is just one change of perspective, but it is one that can change the very direction of your life. So, let’s take a journey together into the land of Maybe, and may we all find a life of peace, happiness, hope, and success. Just Maybe!

About the Author:

Allison Carmen is a business consultant and life coach and the author of The Gift of Maybe, a book offering hope and possibility in uncertain times. Allison is a blogger for The Huffington Post and Psychology Today and she has been featured on Psychcentral.com, InnerSelf.com, LifeHacker.com, EnergyTimes.com, bookcountry.com and examiner.com. She lives in New York City.

Twitter is @giftofmaybe https://twitter.com/giftofmaybe
Website is http://allisoncarmen.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allison-Carmen/240188549364970?focus_composer=true
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-carmen/
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-gift-maybe

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Center of Gravity by Laura McNeill - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Laura McNeill will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Her whole life, Ava Carson has been sure of one thing: she doesn’t measure up to her mother’s expectations. So when Mitchell Carson sweeps into her life with his adorable son, the ready-made family seems like a dream come true.

In the blink of an eye, she’s married, has a new baby, and life is grand.

Or is it?

When her picture-perfect marriage begins unraveling at the seams, Ava convinces herself she can fix it. It's temporary. It’s the stress. It’s Mitchell’s tragic history of loss.

If only Ava could believe her own excuses.

Mitchell is no longer the charming, thoughtful man she married. He grows more controlling by the day, revealing a violent jealous streak. His behavior is recklessly erratic, and the unanswered questions about his past now hint at something far more sinister than Ava can stomach. Before she can fit the pieces together, Mitchell files for divorce and demands full custody of their boys.

Fueled by fierce love for her children and aided by Graham Thomas, a new attorney in town —Ava takes matters into her own hands, digging deep into the past. But will finding the truth be enough to beat Mitchell at his own game?

Center of Gravity weaves a chilling tale, revealing the unfailing and dangerous truth that things—and people—are not always what they seem.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Every day, somebody, somewhere, needs a hero.

Think about it. The mom lifting a two-ton truck to save her son after a car crash. The dad who can't swim—who jumps in the water anyway—to pull out his drowning daughter. The guy who kicks down a door of a burning house because his friend’s kid is trapped inside.

All of a sudden, getting hurt doesn’t matter. There’s no thinking twice. Just a gut pumping, jump-off-the-cliff, no turning back.

For these regular people thrown into crazy life or death situations, there's one big hero moment. Then, they go back to work, their jobs, or school.

And it's someone else's turn.

I’m only in the third grade, but I’ve been waiting for my chance to be a hero my whole life.

An ear-piercing shriek yanks me back to the school playground.

“Emma Dunlop’s stuck up in the oak tree.” My best friend Mo runs up, breathless. He bends over, chest heaving in the humidity, and puts both hands on his knees. “She’s freaking out.”

Shielding my eyes, I grit my teeth. The tree’s as big as a monster, with twisted brown branches that extend like arms, thick emerald leaves at the fingertips. Spanish moss hangs from the lowest limbs, the ends curling like a snake’s tail.

Though I can’t see her through the tangle of limbs, I picture Emma hanging on tight to the rough bark. Shaking. Really scared. Trying not to look down at the brick-red clay.

I run a hand through my hair.

She’s in trouble. And I know why.

Legend says a man’s head—a genie—is hidden in the leaves and branches. Weird, rough pieces of wood make up his face. He has knots for eyes. A bump for his chin. It’s for real. I’ve seen it.

All the kids know the story. If you touch the genie’s nose, your wish will come true. Of course, my dad doesn’t believe in stuff like that and says I shouldn’t either. He’s a Ph.D. And does an important job at the college. So I guess he knows what he’s talking about.

But that’s not going to save Emma now. I start to jog, then full-out sprint. At the base of the tree, I push through a crowd of my classmates. Third and fourth graders, gaping, heads tilted, mouths open like baby birds. When I reach the trunk, I squint up and find Emma’s brand-new saddle shoes dangling high above me. I see pale, thin legs, and the crisp edges of her plaid jumper. And despite everyone talking and whispering, I hear Emma crying. It’s a whimpering wail, like a hurt animal.

“Y’all go on back inside now. Go back to class,” my teacher says, pushing the group back an inch or two. I end up jostled next to the school librarian, who’s holding her hands like she's praying.

Our eyes meet. Mine flicker away.

“Don’t even think about it, Jack,” she warns.

But I kick off my shoes anyway and grab hold of the trunk. Deep down in my belly, I make myself act like I'm not scared. I don’t like heights or even hanging upside down from monkey bars. But Emma needs me.

About the Author:

After six years behind the anchor desk at two CBS affiliates, Laura moved to the Alabama Gulf Coast to raise her family. Her accolades in broadcasting include awards from the Associated Press, including Best News Anchor and Best Specialized Reporter.

Laura works at Spring Hill College as the school’s web content and social media manager and is active in her community—participating in fundraisers for the American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House, and Providence Hospital’s Festival of Flowers.

Laura was recently awarded a 2-book deal with Thomas Nelson Publishing, a division of HarperCollins. Her novel, Center of Gravity, set in Mobile, Ala., will be published in July of 2015. Laura is represented by Elizabeth Winick Rubenstein, president of McIntosh and Otis literary agency in New York. Her writing awards include those from William Faulkner-Wisdom Creative Writing Competition, Writer’s Digest, RWA, and the Eric Hoffer competition.

She holds a master’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in interactive technology from the University of Alabama. She is a native of Upstate New York and currently resides near the Alabama Gulf Coast with her two children.

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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5280308.Lauren_Clark
https://instagram.com/dixiegirlwriter

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The Last Dreamgirl by Shane Hayes - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Shane Hayes will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

For every man there’s a girl who grips his imagination and his heart as no other girl ever did or will. She may be in her teens or a mature woman. He responds to her as a boy to a girl. Whether she comes early in his life or late, there is a throne in his subconscious that she takes possession of, without trying, often without wanting to.The image he forms of her reigns there in perpetuity, even if she has left his life, or this life. Her enchantment never fades or fails, and he is never immune to it. She may not be for him the last wife or paramour, but she is the last dreamgirl.

Enjoy an excerpt:

"Look, my mother’s worried sick. I need to go home.”

“Is home such a happy place?”

“Yes!” she lied.

“Then why do you walk through the streets crying every night?”

“I don’t!”

“You do! I saw you twice this week. That’s why I picked you.”

“What? Picked me? What do you mean ‘picked’ me?”

“That’s why you’re here—because you looked so unhappy.”

She squinted at him like he was mad. “Are you saying you brought me here to cheer me up?”

“No, not that exactly. I wanted your company. A girl’s company. A girl who was kind of pretty and… unhappy. You were both.”

She looked confused and angry. “What do you know about my unhappiness?”

“Not much,” he said, “but I know it’s there. And it’s a little like mine. You seem very shy. People scare you. You’re not comfortable with them. You can’t talk to them. Your nose is always in a book. You read sometimes even in the schoolyard. You hang on to the edge of a crowd, but you’re not really part of it. Like me, you don’t seem to have any friends. When I saw you walk down the street Monday night crying, I knew you were probably unhappy at home too. That clinched it. You were the one. And you were crying again last night when you passed my car.”...

Sandra’s astonishment had deepened. She hadn’t dreamed anyone would watch her like that. “What do you mean, I was ‘the one’?”

Ollie hesitated. “The one… I needed,” he ventured. “The one… to be my friend.”

She was glad he avoided terms of romance or passion. “Because I looked lonely and I cried?” she said.

“You passed the unhappiness test with flying colors.... Please, Sandra, let me get you something. Even if it’s just orange juice or coffee.”

She said coldly: “The only thing you have that I want is freedom. Offer that and I’ll accept it.”

Ollie sighed. “That’s not on the menu this morning. But it will be. I promise it will be. Not today, though.”

Sandra objected. “Not even later today? This afternoon or tonight?”

“Not till we’ve been friends for a while, Sandra. Absolutely not till we’ve been friends for a while. If you freeze me out, our time of friendship won’t begin. And I won’t let you go till we have it. This will last longer if you don’t cooperate.”

“What do you mean ‘cooperate’?”

“Talk with me, read books with me, listen to music with me, look at paintings and sketches with me, tell me about yourself and your life. Let me tell you about myself and my life. Be my friend. Let me be your friend. Share meals with me. Share breakfast now, that’ll be a start.”

Sandra cried, “I can’t be your friend if you keep me in a cage. I’m your prisoner or your pet, not your friend.”

About the Author:

A native Philadelphian, Shane Hayes earned his bachelor’s and his law degree from Villanova University, and studied for a year at Princeton Theological Seminary. He worked as a writer/editor for Prentice Hall and an attorney for the federal government. He is married, has four children, and lives in suburban Philadelphia. His nonfiction book The End of Unbelief: A New Approach to the Question of God was released by Leafwood Publishers in the fall of 2014.

Two young men meet on ship when both are recently out of college. They share a flaming ambition. Each aims to write novels that will be internationally acclaimed and win him a place in American letters. One of them, Paul Theroux, achieves the dream in all its glory: becomes world famous, writes over 40 books, and three of his novels are made into films. The other, Shane Hayes, fails completely, but keeps tenaciously writing, decade after decade, plowing on through hundreds of rejections. Then almost half a century later, Shane contacts Paul, who remembers him, reads three of his books, likes them, and praises them with endorsements.

In writing to agents and publishers Shane could now say, “Query for a novel praised by Paul Theroux.” No one offers a book deal because of an endorsement, so rejections keep coming. But more people let him send at least a sample and are predisposed to see merit in it. At his age, time is crucial. In the month he turns 75, Shane receives contracts on two of his books from different publishers. He will always be grateful to the literary giant who remembered ten days of friendship half-a-lifetime after it ended.

Website: http://www.shanehayes.org/
Blog: http://www.shanehayes.org/blog.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShaneHayes732
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shane.hayes.9256

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Bob by Tegon Maus - Q&A and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tegon Maus will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to It's Raining Books, Tegon. Why do you write in your genre?

I write a variety of genre… Sci-Fi, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Paranormal, Romantic Comedy, Action Adventure. All are a product of the story. I write the story that forms in my head. I have no idea what genre it is until I’m done.

What draws you to it?

Purely the story. Once it’s in my head I can’t shake it until I write it down or a better… more entertaining one takes its place.

What research is required?

I generally work with common knowledge to take advantage of how people feel or think about a particular subject. Then I like to move the story just a little off center… just a little out of sync at first so my readers don’t notice… then before they realize it they are down the rabbit hole. Now they believe anything… everything I show them !

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

In my day job I see people in every light imaginable. You can tell if a person is good at heart or only wants to take advantage right away. All of them… correct that… all of us have a quirk or two – some a little more. My heroes are merely a mirror that shows all the little flaws we struggle so desperately to cover up. We are all flawed to the point of hilarity, it just depends on how you look at it.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

Not really… I do like to wear my lucky writing shirt while at the computer… inspiration comes from a fresh box of fig newtons and a handful of M&Ms separated by color or a box of Gob Stoppers with a little salt while I work. I wouldn’t call that odd or a superstition… nope. Can’t think of a thing… not really.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

100% a pantser… I like to be surprised where the story takes me.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

My printer, of course… a new box of Fig Newtons and assorted other goodies… sorted by color and a stack of bills a foot thick.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

The 3rd book in THE EVE PROJECT SERIES… The Cordovian Effect. It’s a soft SCi-Fi book about the ramifications of living life as an Android… of trying to hold on to a love that was the meaning of life in the first place. What would you do? How far would you be willing to go to save it? How far is too far? Would you have a soul? Would it matter to you compared to losing all you hold dear?

Do you have a question for our readers?

Can’t think of a one… I will say look for my books, I’m very funny!

The first time I heard it, I thought nothing of it at all... nothing. I've been in the newspaper game for more than twenty-seven years and that kind of experience gave a guy an edge but even that didn't prepare me. I'd been beaten, shot at, even stabbed a couple of times over the years but I always got the story... always. But this one... this one was big... too big perhaps... Maybe we were ready, maybe not. Either way, it wasn't my call. None of which filled me with the fear, the trepidation... the anguish of five little words that still haunted me today... "Is okay. I have cousin."

Enjoy an excerpt: "Bob?" I began, pointing toward the dark, stooped figure of Fred threading his way through the underbrush.

"Is Fred's way... live to close too nuclear plant. What Bob going to do?" he said, holding up both hands in defeat.

I had no idea what to say to that.

Bob, following Fred's lead, pulled a black ski mask over his face, before handing me a baseball cap.

"What's this?" I asked totally expecting a ski mask, turning the cap over in my hands.

"Beginner’s hat. Maybe, next time, for you," he smirked.

I'd been ribbed before, and I can take it almost as good as I can give it but this... from Bob? Damn aggravating.

I tripped along in the dark, getting my feet tangled on every stick, every root, every obstacle that stuck up out of the ground as I trailed behind him.

He, unlike Fred, seemed to be more than comfortable in the woods as well as the dark. Fred walked slightly ahead, darting from tree to tree as if hiding himself from some unseen observer.

Bob and I simply stood in place, waiting for him to wave us on as he dashed to the next tree or rock outcropping.

After what seemed like forever and more scratches and bruises than I had acquired in a lifetime, we found the house.

Fred, his back pressed against a sizable rock as if he were keeping it in place, held his position a dozen yards ahead of us. He waved frantically, signaling for us to get down and we obeyed.

A moment later headlights swept over where we had stood. The sound of tires grinding through the dirt filled the air.

"Shit," I breathed to myself. I hadn't expected this to be easy. It never had been in the past, but with Bob and Fred leading the way, we were screwed.

Fred scampered to his next position, waving us on to the rock he had just left behind when he felt the coast was clear.

It took us another fifteen minutes to cross the distance from where we first saw the house to physically touching the building.

I had to admit, my heart pounded hard in my chest, certain we were about to be caught as Fred pulled himself up to peer into a window.

"Clear," Fred whispered and we crept around the corner.

There were no cars, no trucks, no men with guns to be seen anywhere. Fred had hit it on the mark. For all outward appearances no one was home.

We continued to follow Fred as he made his way to a back door. Slowly, silently, he eased himself onto the porch kneeling before the door, slipping a hand into his shirt pocket.

Removing two small, shiny tools from its folds, he went to work on the knob.

Faster than I could say "is belt" Fred worked the lock, turning the knob. The door opened slightly.

We held a collective breath, waiting for the sound of an alarm.

"Clear," Fred whispered softly as he allowed the door to open fully. Crouched, almost on all fours, he scooted inside, closing the door behind him.

Unfathomable amounts of time seemed to slip by with each heartbeat as Bob and I stood outside in the dark and waited.

My anxiety, a mere seed in the pit of my stomach, had begun to run away with me. My palms grew sweaty.

"Is nice," Bob offered, leaning against the building, pushing both hands into his pockets.

"What?" I asked with disbelief.

"Is nice. Bob always busy... go here, go there. Wife always - when take wife to dinner? When go to opera? When take wife to see sister? When have time for wife? When Bob take out trash?"

"We just broke and entered. We can go to jail for this."

"Is nice, out with friends. That's all Bob say."

Before I could formulate an answer the door eased opened again.

"We're alone," Fred said.

Bob and I slipped in, closing the door behind us. We now stood in the mud room off the kitchen.

No more than six by five it held a built-in bench on one of the paneled walls, with a coat rack filling the opposite. The oversized tile floor continued throughout the kitchen as well.

The dim glow of a night light traced the edges of the granite topped cabinets and dining table. On the opposite side of the room was an opening to the hallway.

My attention was drawn by the sound of someone going through one of the cabinets.

"Fred," I whispered hoarsely, looking about the room for him.

"Da," he responded, popping up from under one of the cabinets, a large frying pan and matching lid in his hands.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked angrily.

He began to speak in Russian as Bob patted him down, removing a stainless steel sauce pan from under his shirt.

Bob said nothing beyond a couple of quick snaps of his fingers before pointing to me.

Fred's arms went limp again as his hands went to his pocket, retrieving a fifty, handing it reluctantly to me.

"You should be ashamed," I admonished, happily snapping the money right out of his hand.

We moved through the kitchen to the hall and to the door that someone had used to spy on us.

At that moment, the sound of a toilet flushing reached us from somewhere upstairs.

Like little kids, all three of us dove for the door, rushing inside. On the other side the floor vanished, becoming little more than a small landing with stairs trailing into the darkness.

About the Author: I was raised pretty much the same as everyone else... devoted mother, strict father and all the imaginary friends I could conjure. Not that I wasn't friendly, I just wasn't "people orientated". Maybe I lived in my head way more than I should have, maybe not. I liked machines more than people, at least I did until I met my wife.


The first thing I can remember writing was for her. For the life of me I can't remember what it was about... something about dust bunnies under the bed and monsters in my closet. It must have been pretty good because she married me shortly after that. I spent a good number of years after inventing games and prototypes for a variety of ideas before I got back to writing.


It wasn't a deliberate conscious thought, it was more of a stepping stone. My wife and I had joined a dream interpret group and we were encouraged to write down our dreams as they occurred. "Be as detailed as you can," we were told.


I was thrilled. If there is one thing I enjoy it's making people believe me and I like to exaggerate. Not a big exaggeration or an outright lie mine you, just a little step out of sync, just enough so you couldn't be sure if it were true or not. When I write, I always write with the effort of "it could happen" very much in mind and nothing, I guarantee you, nothing, makes me happier.

Publisher: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Maus_Tegon
Website: http://www.tegonmaus.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tegon-Maus/150255051766767
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TegonMaus
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Tegon-Maus/e/B009PFZILW
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5808023.Tegon_Maus
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/tegon

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A Lady of Good Family by Jeanne Mackin - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jeanne will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Raised among wealth and privilege during America's fabled Gilded Age, a niece of famous novelist Edith Wharton and a friend to literary great Henry James, Beatrix Farrand is expected to marry, and to marry well. But as a young woman traveling through Europe, she already knows that gardens are her true passion. How she becomes a woman for whom work and love, the earthly and the mysterious, are held in delicate balance is the story of her unique determination to create beauty while remaining true to herself.

Enjoy an excerpt:

1920
Lenox, Massachusetts

My grandparents had a farm outside of Schenectady, and every Sunday my father, who worked in town, would hitch the swayback mare to the buggy and take us out there. I would be left in play in the field as my father and grandfather sat on the porch and drank tea and Grandma cooked. My mother, always dressed a little too extravagantly, shelled the peas.

A yellow barn stood tall and broad against a cornflower blue sky. A row of red hollyhocks in front of the barn stretched to the sky, each flower on the stem as silky and round as the skirt on Thumbelina’s ball gown. In the field next to the barn, daisies danced in the breeze. My namesake flower.

I saw it still, the yellows and red and blues glowing against my closed eyelids. The field was my first garden and I was absolutely happy in it. We usually are, in the gardens of our childhood.

When I opened my eyes I was on a porch in Lenox, a little tired from weeks of travel, a little restless. My companions were restless, too, weary of trying to make polite conversation as strangers do.

It was a late-summer evening, too warm, with a disquieting breeze stirring the treetops as if a giant ghostly hand ruffled them. Through the open window a piano player was tinkling his way through Irving Berlin as young people danced and flirted. In the road that silvered past the inn, young men, those who had made it home from the war, drove up and down in their shiny black Model T’s.

It was a night for thinking of love and loss, first gardens, first kisses.

Mrs. Avery suggested we try the Ouija board. Since the war it had become a national obsession.

“Let’s,” I agreed eagerly.

About the Author:

Jeanne Mackin‘s latest novel, A Lady of Good Family, explores the secret life of gilded age Beatrix Jones Farrand, niece of Edith Wharton and the first woman professional landscape design in America. Her previous novel, The Beautiful American, based on the life of model turned war correspondent and photographer, Lee Miller won the CNY 2015 prize for fiction. She has published in American Letters and Commentary and SNReview and other publications and is the author of the Cornell Book of Herbs and Edible Flowers. She was the recipient of a creative writing fellowship from the American Antiquarian Society and her journalism has won awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. She lives with her husband, Steve Poleskie, in Ithaca. A Lady of Good Family is available at Barnes and Nobles, Amazon, and other bookstores.

Website: www.jeannemackin.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeannemackin1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeanneMackinAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/36613.Jeanne_MacKin

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Dragon Knight's Axe by Mary Morgan - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Mary Morgan will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Battled scarred, Dragon Knight, Alastair MacKay, has fled to the seas to separate himself from his powers that are connected to the land. Yet, when he rescues a woman from a slave trader in Ireland, he steps back inadvertently into a world filled with magic—taking on the role of protector and leading him on a journey to confront his greatest fears.

Research assistant, Fiona O’Quinlan loves translating ancient artifacts at Trinity College. When she falls asleep on an archeological dig, she awakens in another time. She soon discovers a Dragon Knight’s relic has been entrusted into her care. Determined to return the artifact to the Great Glen, Fiona is unprepared for the danger ahead—losing her heart and soul to Alastair “Beast” MacKay.

Will their love be strong enough to soothe the beast and heal the man? Or will Death swing its axe, leaving them lost for all eternity?

Enjoy an excerpt:

He would get the truth out of her. She was now his. Bought and paid for.

His anger simmered just below the surface, and he allowed his eyes to flash with the fire of the dragon. Hearing her gasp, he smiled. Good, little bird. Fear me. Without giving her time to react, he swept her up and dumped her over his left shoulder, and strode to the ship.

He heard her sharp intake of breath, and then she started to pound against his back. “Put...me down,” she demanded.

“Nae.”

She started to kick, and he clenched his jaw in frustration. The little bird had talons. He responded with a smack to her bottom, but instead of removing his hand, he kept it against her soft curves. “I will put ye down when we are on my ship.”

She went completely still, and then she screamed.

Alastair dumped her onto the ground. “For the love of Brigid, did ye have to yell into my ear?”

Fiona rubbed at her bottom and then stood. “You beast,” she spat out at him. Jumping onto a nearby boulder, she looked directly into his eyes. “Don’t you ever touch me like that again.”

Alastair yanked her to his chest by her arms, his face mere inches from hers. “And what are ye going to do?” He watched as her eyes widened in alarm. Blue eyes that reminded him of the sky on warm summer days. Then his gaze traveled down to her lips, red as berries.

Instantly, his beast roared to life. Claim one kiss, Alastair.

About the Author: I am a constant daydreamer and have been told quite often to remove my head from the clouds. Yet, this is where I find the magic to write my stories. Not only do I love to weave a good tale, but I have a voracious appetite for reading. I worked for Borders Books for almost fourteen years. Imagine my delight to be surrounded by so many books, talking to others about them, and getting paid.

Pure bliss!

I have traveled to England, Scotland, Ireland, and France. There are those who know me well when I say, “My heart is in the Highlands.” I believe I have left it there or maybe in Ireland.

When not writing, I enjoy playing in my garden—another place where magic grows. Of course, there is time spent with my family. They are the ones that keep me grounded.

I love to hear from my readers. You can contact me at:

Website: http://www.marymorganauthor.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mary.morgan.564
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/m_morganauthor
Pinterst: http://www.pinterest.com/marymorgan50/

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Everywhere It's You by C.B. Salem - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. C.B. Salem will award a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter a $20 Amazon/BN GC. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Legal investigator Kristina Andersen has been drugged.

It started when she came into work and was tasked with finding the firm's biggest client: the intense, enigmatic pharmaceuticals billionaire Landon Tatum.

She'd just had a sexy encounter with him while working a birthday party undercover at a seedy strip club the previous night. Now he's missing, and she needs to find him.

Problem: the drug coursing through her veins makes it so every man she sees looks like the man she's looking for.

And that's just the start of it.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Her last-night’s-self walked to the front of the room, balancing gracefully on very high heels as the first guest arrived. Then another bout of nausea washed over her, fogging her mind. Her eyes had to be lying.

Landon Tatum had just entered the room.

This was wrong. He’d come in later, she knew it. Fifteen minutes before the birthday boy, maybe twenty. There had been more than a dozen people there. Even Fordelli, the man she had come to watch, had arrived first. She’d been watching very carefully and this wasn’t the kind of thing she’d forget.

He wore a black suit, black shirt and a silver tie. That wasn’t right either. But the clean-cut, brown hair, the thin-lipped mouth, the dark eyes, they were as she’d remembered. The perfect, sharp cheek bones with a slightly crooked nose that looked like it had been broken in a fight once and never fixed. It was the kind of “blemish” she couldn’t take her eyes off of.

She breathed shallowly. This was wrong. When had she become this attracted to him? Until recently, she’d thought of him as an attractive guy. Not mouth-watering can’t-take-my-eyes-off. That hadn’t happened to her since high school.

She watched herself approach to offer him a drink. Then the next guest came in, to the right of where her eyes had been focused.

Tatum again. Sharp cheeks. Slightly crooked nose. Dark, perceptive eyes.

Another black suit, black shirt, but this time a blue tie. She flicked her eyes between the two of them. They were both there. She was seeing two of him.

About the Author: C.B. Salem lives, writes, and dreams in Chicago. When she isn’t reading or plotting the next scene in her book, she enjoys cooking new dishes and having quality cuddles with her two dogs: Murphy and Oliver.

http://www.cbsalem.com
http://www.twitter.com/cbsalem
http://www.facebook.com/cbsalem

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A Thin Slice of Heaven by p.m. terrell - Q&A and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. p.m.terrell will be awarding a Celtic Butterfly Suncatcher similar to the one mentioned in the book, symbolizing both the never-ending cycle of life and the metamorphosis of a butterfly to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome back to It's Raining Books, p.m. If someone were writing a story about you, what would your blurb say?

I hope it would say that I always tried to bloom where I was planted. My life has been the opposite of a well-planned one; it’s been filled with unexpected twists and turns, seemingly insurmountable challenges and devastating heartbreak. But with each detour I’ve encountered, I have tried to remain positive; I’ve looked for the possibilities in every place and circumstance I’ve found myself in, and I have tried to make the world a better place because I’ve been here.

Would you tell us a little about your newest release that isn't in the blurb?

If you believe in life beyond what we can see with the naked eye, this story will capture your imagination. I wasn’t prepared for the number of people who had lost loved ones and told me how comforting the story was to them. They had all felt their loved ones once they had passed on; they’d heard a whisper of a voice, saw a fleeting, filmy image, or felt their presence in dozens of different ways. Reading A Thin Slice of Heaven, especially Sean’s explanations of passing to the other side and communicating with those who had been left behind, spoke to them—and I hope it speaks to you as well.

What was your favorite scene to write in this story?

It was when Sean showed Charleigh how ghosts can become visible and even physical. He began slowly, explaining the field of energy around each person, but the scene progresses to a fever pitch. I had great dreams for weeks after writing that scene! I researched reported physical contacts with spirit entities, ranging from haunted houses to visits in the night; how living beings displayed evidence of having been touched—from finger indentions in their skin to scratch marks—and I also reviewed scientific evidence supporting the theory of parallel universes. It is a fascinating subject for me, and taking Charleigh and Sean to dramatic, sensuous heights was something I’d never written before.

If you could trade places with one of your characters, who would it be and why?

I’d trade places with Charleigh; Sean loves her so unconditionally and so deeply that any woman would be crazy not to want to be in her shoes.

She had arranged to meet her husband in Northern Ireland for a second honeymoon, but when Charleigh arrives at the remote castle, she receives a message that he won’t be coming—and that he’s leaving her for another woman.

Stranded for the weekend by a snowstorm that has blocked all access to the castle, she finds herself three thousand miles from home in a country she knows nothing about.

She is soon joined by Sean Bracken, the great-grandson of Laird Bracken, the original owner of the castle, and she finds herself falling quickly and madly in love with him. There’s just one problem: he’s dead.

As the castle begins to come alive with secrets from centuries past, she finds herself trapped between parallel worlds. Caught up in a mass haunting, she can no longer recognize the line between the living and the dead. Now she’s discovering that her appearance there wasn’t by accident—and her life is about to change forever.

Enjoy an excerpt:

A movement caught her eye and Charleigh started, whirling around. No one was there. She laughed nervously; no doubt, it had been a bird outside the window, its reflection caught in the mirror. Still, she returned to the door. There was a simple doorknob lock which seemed woefully inept, but she quickly recognized a thick piece of wood standing against the wall as an old-fashioned bar, and slipped it into place. It was better than a deadbolt, she reasoned.

She kicked off her shoes and checked her cell phone again. Finding no reception, she returned to the window and held it aloft until a weak bar appeared.

The phone beeped, causing her to jump, as a text message appeared.

She stared at it, not realizing that she’d been holding her breath until it expelled in a whoosh that left her dizzy.

“Charleigh,” it read, “I can’t do this. I’m not in love with you. I’m in love with someone else.”

“The feckin’ arse.”

The sound of the man’s deep, rich voice startled her and she spun around. No one was there. The bar remained across the door. There were no blind spots in the room; it was circular and plainly, though tastefully, furnished. She strode purposefully to the bathroom. A set of candles blazed on the countertop and though the shadows danced in the corners of the room, she could clearly see that she was alone.

Yet she could not have imagined it. The tone had been resonant and almost gravelly, the timber of a man’s voice upon first arising. The brogue had been both commanding and melodious.

But as her heart stilled and her mind allowed the words in the message to sink in, she realized that Ethan was not coming. He perhaps had never intended to join her. And now she was stuck in Ireland as a snowstorm raged outside her windows, three thousand miles from home.



About the Author:

p.m.terrell is the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell, a multi-award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than twenty books in five genres: contemporary suspense, historical suspense, romance, computer how-to and non-fiction.

Prior to writing full-time, she founded two computer companies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. Among her clients were the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Secret Service, U.S. Information Agency, and Department of Defense. Her specialties were in white collar computer crimes and computer intelligence, themes that have carried forward to her suspense.

She is also the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, an organization committed to raising public awareness of the correlation between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. She is the organizer and chairperson of Book ‘Em North Carolina, an annual event held in the real town of Lumberton, North Carolina, to raise funds to increase literacy and reduce crime. For more information on this event and the literacy campaigns funded by it, visit www.bookemnc.org.

Author’s website: www.pmterrell.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pmterrell
Blog: www.pmterrell.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.p.m.terrell

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Out of Character by Diana Miller - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Diana Miller will award a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Stepping out of your comfort zone can be hazardous…

Denver, Colorado, ER doctor Jillian Rodgers has never done an impulsive thing in her life. But all that changes when she meets the man of her dreams on a ski vacation. Within twenty-four hours, they’ve spent a passionate night together and Jillian is convinced she’s halfway in love. After all, she figures the worst that can happen is she’ll go home with a broken heart…

But the man pretending to be an ordinary guy is far from it. In fact, he shouldn’t get anywhere near Jillian. Yet there’s something about her he can’t resist—and she’s perfect for his cover. Besides, he’s sure he isn’t endangering her.

Unfortunately, they’re both wrong.

When someone uses their chairlift for target practice, Jillian ends up wounded—and her dream man promptly disappears. Within days, her car explodes. Just when things can’t get any worse, she’s kidnapped at gunpoint. Soon Jillian’s running for her life and forced to depend on the man who deserted her, a man who claims he’s trying to protect her but whose story has more holes than a gauze bandage. A man Jillian once thought she loved, but now isn’t sure she should even trust.

Enjoy an excerpt:

The moon and stars sparkled in the crystal cold, illuminating shadowy peaks, onyx sky, and an occasional fat snowflake. In the lamplight below their chairlift, two silhouettes traversed glowing Styrofoam snow. Jillian half-expected to see an ice palace and snow queen. “Admit it, it’s beautiful.”

“Beautiful.” Mark kissed her, his lips warm despite the chilly air.

“Be careful. You might fall out.”

His teeth flashed in the twilight. “Then I could find out how good a doctor you are.”

“I’m damn good.”

He kissed her again, longer this time. “Can’t argue with that.”

“I was referring to my medical skills.” She took a deep breath, inhaling air that seemed to purify her lungs. “I love this. Thanks for agreeing to do it.”

* * * *

Mark nodded. He was glad she was enjoying it. But after two more runs, three tops, they were heading back to his place. He didn’t have much more time with her, and he didn’t intend to waste—

A bullet struck their chair.

“Damn it. Get down.” Mark pressed Jillian forward with her head between her knees. He covered her head with his chest as a second bullet hit his ski boot.

“What is it?” She sounded confused, scared.

“I think someone’s shooting at us.” Adrenaline sharpened his senses. He scanned the hillside, but couldn’t see anyone. From the direction of the bullets, the sniper was hidden in the thick pines that lined both sides of the slope. Shooting back would be futile, even if he’d dared stop shielding Jillian long enough to pull out his gun.

She cried out, jerked under him, and dropped her poles.

Mark’s gut clenched. “Are you all right?”

“It hit my shoulder, but I don’t think it’s bad,” she said shakily. “Why is this happening?”

A shot whizzed past his ear. Nearly a bulls-eye.

About the Author:

When she was eight, Diana decided she wanted to be Nancy Drew. But no matter how many garbage cans she dug through, conversations she “accidentally” overheard, and attics she searched, she never found a single mysterious letter, hidden staircase, or anything else even remotely mysterious or suspenseful. She worked as a lawyer, a soda jerk, a stay-at-home mom, a hospital admitting clerk, and a conference host for events ranging from Lutheran music to the International BB Gun competition. She spent long hours volunteering in a nineteenth century mansion allegedly full of secrets and a few ghosts. Still no luck.

Diana ultimately decided the only way she was going to inject any mystery or suspense into her otherwise satisfying life was by writing about it. Her debut novel, Dangerous Affairs, won a Golden Heart Award from the Romance Writer of America, and she’s received five Golden Heart nominations, including one for Out of Character.

Diana lives in the Twin Cities with her family and an energetic Wheaten terrier.

Website: dianamillerwriter.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dianamillerwriter
Kensington: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/31374?category=313166

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The Lady Meets Her Match by Gina Conkle - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Gina Conkle will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Rough-around-the-edges Cyrus Ryland rose from humble origins to become England’s wealthiest citizen and most eligible bachelor. Called the King of Commerce, he thinks nothing of marriage until he hosts a masked ball and discovers an alluring woman hiding in his study. After one dance the lady vanishes, leaving behind a single shoe. The hunt is on, but finding her is only half the battle.

Claire Mayhew wants her hard won independence…a mid-town shop of her own. She resists the scorching attraction with Mr. Ryland — her new landlord, but Cyrus isn’t a man who gives up easily.

Enjoy an excerpt:

She peeked up at him around his arm, her pretty face impertinent among all that untamed hair. Her tone and bearing matched the prim coffee shop proprietress, but the view was pure brazen tavern maid at the end of her day.

His arms flexed. So, the East Ender gave him up. He wanted to thrash the lad for doing something so foolhardy as bringing Claire here. Too many bad things happened to women in this ward, even those who lived here and knew their way around.

Claire placed a hand high on his arm while her flimsy linen cleaned him. She made small, soft sweeps low, where his spine met his breeches. Her skirts brushed the backs of his exposed calves, something more intimate than their first dance. A wicked need to tease her struck, lightening his mood.

“I have a better idea for getting my back clean. It involves a copper tub, large enough for two.”

The swiping slowed. Her hand on his arm lifted, and the loss left his skin cool.

Perhaps he went too far. Then her palm rested on his ribs, settling there with discovery. The heat of each curious finger splayed provocatively on his flesh in a lover’s exploratory touch. A heady rush followed, sending a pleasant burn over his already-hot torso.

“Whatever your plans in that copper tub of yours, I’m sure it’s not safe for a woman like me.” She said softly against his shoulder blade. “Though I’m sure you have some creative ideas.”

Cyrus looked over his shoulder, her blond head close to his back. “Careful, Miss Mayhew, or you’ll admit out loud you want more to happen between us.”

Gina writes Viking and Georgian romance with a softly sensual side. She loves history, books and romance…the perfect recipe for historical romance writer. Her passion for castles and old places ---the older and moldier the better--- means interesting family vacations. Good thing her husband and two sons share similar passions. When not visiting fascinating places she can be found delving into the latest adventures in cooking, gardening, and chauffeuring her sons.

On the web: http://ginaconkle.com/
On my monthly newsletter: http://bit.ly/11etrfM
On twitter: https://twitter.com/ginaconkle
On facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GinaConkleWriter
On pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/gloveshistory/

Buy Links for The Lady Meets Her Match:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Meets-Match-Midnight-Meetings/dp/1402294301/

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lady-meets-her-match-gina-conkle/1119260029

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-lady-meets-her-match

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lady-meets-her-match/id945020873?mt=11

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Gina_Conkle_The_Lady_Meets_Her_Match?id=QZiVBQAAQBAJ

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The Lei Crime Series by Various Authors - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The Lei Crime Series: eight novellas, by eight different authors, is based on Toby Neal's vivid and captivating Lei Crime Series.

Each week in June this tour will explore two different books in the series. This week we are featuring two crime/mystery/suspense books: Half Moon Girls by Corinne O’Flynn and A Snake in Paradise by Eden Baylee.

The authors will be awarding a $30 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please click on the banner to see the other stops on this tour.

Even paradise has a dark side...

When Detective Leilani Texeira begins investigating a murder on Kaua`i, she's struck by one thing: the victim looks like her. As Lei battles dark memories stirred up by the likeness, a friend calls, worried that her daughter didn't come home last night. Lei soon discovers that the dead girl and the missing girl were friends and last seen together the previous day.

Can she conquer her demons and capture a killer in time to rescue the captive?

Lainey Lee has always dreamed of going to Hawaii. It should have been her honeymoon trip, only it never happened. Now, in a poetic twist of fate, she is making the journey twenty-seven years later—following a messy divorce.

Once on the Big Island, Lainey discovers paradise, but white sand beaches and blue skies are not all Hawaii has to offer. She soon meets Julian, a mysterious stranger ten years her junior. They share an instant connection.

Lainey is eager to shed the fears that trapped her in a loveless marriage, but is Julian a tempting distraction, a new beginning, or a snake in paradise?

About the Authors:

Corinne O'Flynn is a native New Yorker who now lives in Colorado and wouldn't trade life in the Rockies for anything. She loves writing flash and experimenting with short fiction. She is a scone aficionado, has an entire section of her kitchen devoted to tea, and is always on the lookout for the elusive Peanut Chews candy.

When she isn't writing, Corinne works as the executive director of a nonprofit. She is a member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. You can find her online at her website, Facebook, or Twitter @CorinneOFlynn. She blogs about her adventures at http://www.corinneoflynn.com.

Twitter: @CorinneOFlynn
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/oflynnbooks

Buy her book at Amazon.

Eden Baylee left a twenty-year banking career to become a full-time writer. She incorporates many of her favorite things into her writing such as: travel; humor; music; poetry; art; and much more. She writes in multiple genres and has written three collections of erotic novellas and flash fiction—Spring into Summer, Fall into Winter, and Hot Flash, along with contributing to the anthologies: Allegories of the Tarot, Indie Authors Naked, and Triptychs.

In 2014, she released her mystery-suspense novel Stranger at Sunset, the first of a trilogy with psychiatrist, Dr. Kate Hampton. Look for the second book entitled A Fragile Truce in 2015.

Eden loves hearing from readers, so connect to her via her website at www.edenbayleebooks.com.
Twitter @edenbaylee
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/edenbaylee

Buy her book at Amazon. a Rafflecopter giveaway