Monday, April 27, 2015

Fantasy/Coming of Age - Fated by Joanne Kershaw



"No matter the cost, someone must defeat the darkness."




Buy this book here





Twitter @Kershaw_Joanne


Author Favourite Things:

Quote
- TV show
Without a doubt, my favourite TV show of all time would have to be The X Files—and yes, I am supremely excited about the reboot! I watch far too much television, and so have several favourite shows right now. Top five would be Suits, Hawaii Five-0, Bones, Pretty Little Liars and Blue Bloods. There are soooo many more I could add to that list though. If you asked me in another two weeks, it might change again.

- Comic book character
Confession? I don’t have a favourite comic book character. I haven’t watched any of the Marvel films and have only seen the old Superman and Spiderman films. My husband and children have seen them all and love them, I just don’t get the time to watch them!

- Movie
I am so rubbish! Asking questions like this is like asking me to choose which child is my favourite! I guess, when I was a child my choice would have been The Labyrinth (with David Bowie). I still know every word of the script and every lyric of every song, and we watch it as a family. When I was a teenager, Philadelphia (with Tom Hanks and Antonio Banderas) was my favourite film. Since then, I have gone through phases of being addicted to Twilight, Hunger Games, Divergent and more. I cannot possibly pick one favourite. However, want a kids film recommendation and I will usually say Lilo and Stitch—I love Stitch!

- Book
There is just no way to answer this question! I read so many books, and love almost all of them. As a child, I remember being chilled to the bone by Robert Cormier’s After The First Death, which you must read if you haven’t. It was visceral, real, painful and uncomfortable—I know that doesn’t sound like a must-read, but it really is. Right now, if someone asked me for a YA recommendation that is different to the usual love triangle with a supernatural twist (and yes, I know my book fits in that category, but I love reading them!), I would say Alex Scarrow’s Timeriders series. Historically themed, with relevant issues, and lots of humour and action., it’s a must-read series.

- Candy bar
Another of my vices is chocolate and sweets. I don’t drink alcohol or caffeine and I’m a vegetarian, so sweets are my go-to treat. Apologies for American readers, these will all be British chocolates, so if you haven’t heard of them, I’m sorry. Toffee crisps are great when I want something a bit lighter, mint or orange flavoured chocolates of any form will literally bend me to your will, and I love chocolates with caramel centres.

- Junk food
Pizza. A simple margarita or a vegetable-based recipe. (That one was easy!)

- Place you visited
I have never travelled abroad and, to be honest, not extensively within the UK either. My family and I holiday in Devon, in the South West of England, and we love it there. In terms of particular places to visit, we regularly visit The Deep, which is a submarium in Hull. They have hundreds of fish and unusual sea creatures, and we usually go three or four times a year.

- Restaurant
Friends of ours own an American-themed diner in Morley, called Luppy’s Diner, which we love to visit with the children. We don’t eat out very often because it’s so expensive with the children, and even more so without (because babysitters are hard to come by!). I don’t massively enjoy cooking either, but there are some days where I have really looked forward to something in particular and when I finally get to sit down and eat it, it’s great!

- Island
Guess I’ll have to say Hawaii, even though I have never been there and can’t see ever being able to afford to. But that is where Hawaii Five-0 and Lilo and Stitch are set, so that’s my choice.


Join our Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/341970199343317/


April 25

April 26

April 27

April 28

April 29

April 30

May 1

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Friday, April 17, 2015

#CoverReveal - Contemporary Boxed Set - Spring Into Love


Spring Into Love: 11 Hot Contemporary Romances
From SENSUAL to SPICY this boxed set of ELEVEN contemporary romances includes BESTSELLING and AWARD-WINNING and USA TODAY multi-published authors.

If you like variety in your books these ELEVEN authors provide your heart’s desire from SWEET and FUNNY to DEADLY and SEXY

SPRING INTO LOVE will warm your heart and your bed. This is a limited time offer, so grab your set today! ONLY 99c!

~~Purchase Links~~
Barnes & Noble: Coming Soon 

~~Books Included~~
Happy Endings - Chantel Rhondeau
Tasting Los Angeles- Kimmie Easley
Taming Romeo - Rachelle Ayala
Consolation Prize - Abbie St. Claire
Sweet Ride! - Bonnie Edwards
Liveon ~ No Evil - Stacy Eaton
Everybody's After Love - Lyssa Layne
Betrayed - Jade Kerrion
Finding Forever- Michele Shriver
Love Unleashed - Marcia James
Kiss Me, Dancer - Alicia & Roy Street



~~Purchase Links~~

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

#NewRelease - My Favorite What If - Lyssa Layne

TITLE: My Favorite What If
AUTHOR: Lyssa Layne
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
PUBLICATION DATE: April 7, 2015
COVER DESIGN: Kage Cover Designs
LENGTH: 54,000+

Synopsis 

One year after Jacob "Smitty" Smith is stood up at the altar, his good friend Jules encourages him to redeem his honeymoon package before it expires. Reluctantly, he agrees, and finds himself sitting beside free spirit Sloan Talbott, who is attending her sister's destination wedding at the same resort. Both have been hurt. Neither is looking for love. Will one week in paradise be a fling to remember or could it possibly lead to something more?

Book Links
Barnes & Noble

Excerpt
Carrying my cup of coffee, I walk back to my bedroom and look into the suitcase. So far everything looks alright—swimsuit, shorts, t-shirts, dress slacks, and dress shirt. Jules came through on her other promise to go to the store for the trip—deodorant, soap, toothpaste, condoms. Wait, condoms?!

“Jules, what the hell is this?” I ask, holding up the box of Trojans.

Not missing a beat, she grabs the box from me and throws it back in the suitcase, zipping it up. “I got everything you could possible need. Soap, toothpaste, Pepto, Pedialyte—”

“And condoms?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had another preferred method of safe sex,” she quips as she pulls my suitcase off the bed and drags it to my front door.

“And just who do you think I’ll be having sex with?”


She shrugs as she walks back to the bedroom and shoves a pile of clothes in my arms. “I don’t know, I don’t care, but you need to get laid. So go to paradise, find some lucky woman, and get some.”


Other Books by Lyssa Layne

If you want to find out more about Smitty's friend, Jules, check out Everybody's After Love

Boxed Sets

Next Release
Lyssa's next release Until You Fall In Love and will debut June 9
Single mom Jordan Glastetter doesn't know how she'd survive without her best friend, Abram Tomko. He's the father her son never knew and he's the rock she's always leaned on. When Abram's father suffers a heart attack, it's Abram's turn to depend on Jordan, finally seeing her as the woman she's become and not the little girl he grew up with. Will they risk their friendship for a chance at love?


About the Author

Lyssa Layne is first, and foremost, the proud momma to her precious daughter, AR. In addition to working full-time and being a mommy to AR, she is also an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, a runner, blogger, and an infertility survivor.
Having watched one too many medical dramas and being inspired by author Rachelle Ayala, who introduced her to the world of indie writing, Lyssa decided to try her hand at writing a romance story. Her attempt turned into the Burning Lovesick series. You can find Lyssa’s own interests throughout her stories although all stories are fictional.
Contact Her

Facebook Party & Takeover
Friday, April 10 Lyssa will be taking over the One-Click Addict Support Group
Also, join the My Favorite What If Gossip Fest one week after it's release so that we can chat about Smitty & Sloan, discuss their future, and share other spoilers. The party will be April 14 at 8PM CT. Join the fun here!

Giveaway/Rafflecopter
Enter to win a Lyssa Layne ebook of your choice, this pair of Love earrings, or a piece of surprise jewelry from La Jolie Fille Boutique. Rafflecopter will close April 14.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

#NewRelease - Sexy paradise resort romances

Series: McCallister’s Paradise
Genre: Contemporary romance on a tropical island
Author: Chantel Rhondeau
Now available: Happy Endings, Diving Into Love, and For Love or Charity



Fall in love with the strong men and smart women of McCallister’s Paradise!

At their tropical island resort, the McCallister family works hard. Life in Paradise should be perfect. After all, the place is great for a romantic getaway. Unfortunately, the five McCallister siblings are still searching for their happily ever afters… and romance always seems just out of reach.

But determined hearts won’t be denied. And when love is on the line, a McCallister doesn't fall halfway!

Purchase Links:


Produced by www.drgraphicexpressions.com


Happy Endings - Book 1 (on sale for just 99 cents!)
Art by http://edhgraphics.blogspot.com/
Handsome, wealthy Quinn McCallister is the most eligible bachelor on McCallister’s Paradise. Making his family's island resort a success is all that matters to this workaholic. Everything changes when he meets the beautiful new massage therapist...

Larissa Benner may have survived cancer, but its aftermath left plenty of problems besides the ever-looming fear of relapse. Her family nearly went bankrupt paying for her life-saving treatments. She desperately needs the full-time therapist position on the island and the benefits that come with it. The last thing she wants is problems with her boss, or a complicated office romance.


It’s hard for her to resist Quinn’s charms—or his passionate side. However, Quinn is married to his job. The choice between love and work is tough for him to juggle and has Larissa scared. If the cancer recurs, could she count on him to be there for her? Or would he leave her to face it alone, ending her relationship in tragedy?

Diving Into Love - Book 2
Art by http://edhgraphics.blogspot.com/

Parker McCallister is the playboy of the family, never having a care in the world beyond his next fling. When Sierra Burns nearly runs him down on horseback, she challenges him in ways he's never experienced. Now all he has to figure out is how to capture this beauty's heart, and this time it is about more than sex and fun for him. 

Shortly after meeting Parker, disaster strikes for Sierra and her secret troubles are revealed. Now she needs his help in the worst way. The only problem is she wants to earn her place in life and have a chance to be the person she wants to be, not who her rich parents expect of her. Taking charity from Parker or his family would feel like a lie to her convictions, and she doesn't want dating him to be a condition of accepting their help. 

Despite her hesitations, Parker's charms and charisma are hard to resist. Just when she gives up fighting against the attraction and allows herself to hope for love, his past foists a surprise on the new couple and throws Sierra's life out of balance...again.


For Love or Charity - Book 3
Art by http://edhgraphics.blogspot.com/
Sydney McCallister isn't looking for love, especially not from an overbearing man demanding money for his charity after missing the cutoff date for proposals. Doesn't Matthew Coleson realize his organization isn't the only one hoping for a grant from the McCallister family? Tired of dealing with the constant stream of angry people and feeling terribly homesick besides, Sydney wonders if she should give up on New York and head back to the family's island resort. 

When Sydney's office is trashed and she receives a threatening message, she's certain Matt must be responsible. After confronting him, however, she learns there is more to this man than is apparent at first glance. There's something about his eyes... besides, who can resist a man who helps homeless people get back on their feet? He seems to truly care about people and swears he would never hurt anyone.

Together, they work to uncover the identity of the person threatening Sydney, and Matt seems determined to keep her safe. Questions remain for her, despite the excitement Matt brings to her life... Does he care about her for herself, or is he more interested in her family money and what that could mean for his charity?

Love's Ride - Book 4 and Cooking Up Love - Book 5 coming soon!

About the Author:


Best-selling author Chantel Rhondeau once thought a great mystery or fantasy book with strong romantic themes was the highest level of reading bliss. After reading her first romantic suspense novel, she never looked back. Chantel is author of six romantic suspense novels, a Christmas novella, and the new McCallister’s Paradise series. She lives in the western United States, and when she's not writing she loves playing cards with her family, bowling on leagues, and snuggling with her lazy kitties.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChantelRhondeau
New release mailing list: http://bit.ly/1qKSN0q
Check out all Chantel's available titles: http://www.chantelrhondeau.com/p/my-available-titles.html



Sunday, April 5, 2015

Book Tour - Mystery - Deadly Portfolio




July 2008. Four families are riding high on heady market returns until the body of Rene McAllister, wife of multi-millionaire Alan “Mac” McAllister, washes up on the beach after a daylong Fourth-of-July bash at the home of stockbroker, Matthew Wirth. Eager to avoid publicity, authorities dismiss her death as an accident. Days later, when the body of college drop out, Jamie Sherman, a neighbor to Wirth, is discovered adrift in his fishing skiff, investigators suspect foul play, but the Medical Examiner reports that the youth died of a drug overdose. Only Detective James Raker, upon hearing McAllister’s complaints of unauthorized trading in his deceased wife’s account, suspects the two deaths are related. Bucking his superiors, Raker plunges into an investigation and quickly discovers that at least four members of the affluent lakeside community had motive and opportunity in either one or both of the deaths. Raker’s pursuit slams headlong into an investigation being conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) who were closing in on Jamie Sherman’s drug dealings in the affluent neighborhood.

Ignoring the orders to drop his investigation, Raker fears that the killer will attack again and races to prevent it. The killer does strike for a third time but, tragically, claims the wrong victim. The story is set in the fictitious bedroom community on Heron Lake, NC, a short commute from Charles City, a metropolitan area of more than 1,000,000 and the financial center of the state.


You can pick up your copy of the book here.



I have been writing all of my life. I first published at the age of 10 in a nationally distributed magazine. I grew up in Yankton, South Dakota where I graduated from high school and went on to secure a degree in English from St. John University (MN), 1961. After teaching for three years, I entered the world of business and spent over 40 years in the financial services industry. During my career, I held positions with The Travelers, Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Minnesota, Wilson Learning Corporation and Wachovia Bank and Trust. In 2007, I retired from Merrill Lynch after 15 years with the Winston-Salem, NC, office where I started my own group that served several hundred clients up and down the east coast. Since retirement, I have concentrated on my writing which has been a life long passion and avocation.

I published a small volume of poetry in 2000. My first novel, "Deadly Portfolio: A Killing in Hedge Funds," came out September, 2011, and I followed up with the sequel, "Breached," in October, 2014. I am planning yet another book which I hope to have published in 2016. Meanwhile, I will continue to post articles on the internet and my own web site, www.jjhohn.com, including book and drama reviews, autobiographical sketches and other non-fiction pieces. My poetry has garnered a few awards over the years and I will continue composing in the years to come.

 
Twitter:@writerjohnj
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=90345196&trk=spm_pic




Deadly Portfolio Excerpt

“Hello,” McAllister said, his voice weak and raspy on the other end of the line.

“Mac, this is Matthew. Mac . . . ah . . . we have something to tell you. It’s about Rene, Mac. Ah . . . do you have anyone there with you now?”

“No. Why? Did she finally show up?”

“She’s dead, Mac. She drowned sometime last night. Shirley found her body this morning down by the Sherman dock.”

“Dead? You’re sure it’s her?”

“It’s her, Mac. No mistake. Do you want me to come get you?”

“At your place?”

“Yes. Well . . . no, actually . . . down next to Sherman’s dock. The police and EMS people are here right now. Do you want me to come get you?”

“Oh . . . no! My God . . . no. I’m OK. I’ll be right there.”

“Come to our house first.”

“Right. Your house. I will.”

Matthew heard McAllister pull up and went out to meet him. “Do you want to come into the house?” he asked.

“No. I want to see Rene.”

“She’s dead, Mac. There’s nothing to see. Nothing you’d want to see.”

“No. I want to see her.”

“You need to prepare yourself. She’s . . . she’s all covered with sand and wet and . . . well . . . she looks pretty bad.” McAllister peered over Matthew’s shoulder to catch a glimpse of what was going on at the lakeshore. “Come on then. I’ll go with you.”

The police cordoned off the area of the beach where Rene’s body was found with yellow and black ribbon. The crowd continued to collect and gawk at the EMS and police. Matthew and McAllister pushed their way through the people toward the beach. Matthew was surprised at the size of the area that the police isolated. The ribbon stretched from the Sherman dock, up into the yard to a folding chair, and then at an angle to a tree on the lot line between the Sherman property and Clay’s. Officer Fletcher was walking the length of the Sherman dock with the roll of ribbon closing the area at the end of the dock so that the water immediately in front of the body would be in the restricted zone. Detective Raker looked up as Matthew and McAllister approached.

“You need to respect that barrier,” Raker called out.

“That’s my wife.”

Raker rose to his feet immediately and walked over to confront McAllister. “You’re McAllister?” he asked.

“Yes. Alan McAllister. Can I see her?”

“At the moment, no, sir. I’m sorry. We need to make certain we can move her without disturbing the scene . . . so it will not be compromised. It won’t take long,” Raker explained. “I’m sorry. Your wife’s been dead for several hours, apparently from drowning. Why don’t you and your friend go back to the house. When we’re through here, we’ll let you know. You can view your wife’s body before we take it to the medical examiner.”

McAllister strained to see Rene’s body that lay more than 50 feet away in the sand. “This is an accident, isn’t it? Why the police?”

“Just routine,” Raker replied. “Please, the quicker we can get on with it, the better. I’ll want to talk to you in a few minutes.” Matthew put his hand on McAllister’s shoulder and nudged him to turn. Mac conceded reluctantly, and the two men trudged back to the deck where Shirley was standing. She had been joined by Joyce Sherman. “Have you had breakfast or anything?” Matthew asked.

“No. I’m not hungry.”

“Well, come sit down. A cup of coffee, maybe?”

“Fine.”

“I’m so sorry,” Joyce whispered as he stepped onto the deck. “I’m so very sorry.” McAllister walked over to a chair and sat down. Moments later, Shirley reappeared on the deck with two steaming cups of coffee. The four sat silently for several minutes.

“So she wasn’t breathing or anything . . . when you found her?” McAllister asked.

“No,” Matthew replied.

“How did you find her?”

“I found her, Mac,” Shirley said. “I was up early taking a walk along the shore. At first, I didn’t know what I was seeing. She was lying face down in the water just a few feet out where it’s shallow. I thought it was a sail or something from a boat . . . something from all the traffic on the lake yesterday . . . but as I drew closer, I recognized Rene’s dress.” Shirley words were becoming more difficult. Tears welled up in her eyes. “My heart just stopped. But I had to see . . . and I walked right up to the water’s edge. Then . . . then I knew, and I called for Matthew right away.”

“We dragged her up on the beach,” Matthew said. “I could see that she was dead, Mac. Her lips were blue. She wasn’t breathing. He skin was all pasty . . . like it had been under water for a long time. We called 911 . . . and then I called you.”

“My God, who would’ve thought?” McAllister groaned. “I mean . . . I thought she’d gone off somewhere. That I’d find her at home . . . or near the house. I went out looking for her, but I never thought anything like this would . . .” Mac said as his voice trailed off.

“Everybody did everything they could to find her last night,” Joyce said. “We looked everywhere.”

McAllister waved off her remarks. “I just can’t bring myself to believe it. I know that’s her down there . . . but somehow . . . I don’t know . . . I just can’t quite get around it. What’s the matter with me?” he said looking up at Matthew.

“You need time is all,” Matthew responded. “More time.”

“You know . . . we didn’t get along well these last few years . . . but I never would’ve wished this on her. She was pretty drunk last night, wasn’t she?” Matthew, Shirley and Joyce looked at one another, surprised by Mac’s apparent indifference to what was happening.

“Very,” Matthew replied softly.

“I wonder if she suffered,” McAllister said.

From the deck the activities of the police and EMS team could be seen over the heads of the onlookers. Matthew noticed that the two EMS attendants had eased Rene’s body into a black body bag, zipped it shut, and lifted it onto a gurney.

“I’ve always heard drowning is a very peaceful death,” Joyce offered.

“Not one I’d choose,” McAllister growled. “What’s going on down there?” he asked and stood up to see for himself. Detective Raker was holding the black and yellow ribbon high above his head so that the EMS attendants could roll the gurney underneath it. They headed for the ambulance, pushing their way through the crowd toward the deck. When they reached the house, Raker had them stop, came up on the deck, walked over to McAllister, and asked him quietly if he still wanted to see the body.

“Yes,” McAllister said and followed Raker off of the deck to the gurney.

“God,” McAllister moaned. Sand still covered much of her face, and her hair remained plastered to her forehead. “God, it hardly looks like her.” He looked again. It was she. Rene. His wife. Dead.

He could not look at her any more. He stepped back and nodded to Detective Raker who, in turn, nodded to the EMS attendants. One of them stepped forward and pulled the zipper up the front of the bag and closing it over Rene’s face. McAllister felt Matthew’s hand on his shoulder.


“Come on, ol’ man,” Matthew said. “Let’s go sit down.” Back on the deck, they heard the ambulance doors slamming closed and the vehicle’s engine fire up. As they heard it accelerate down the street, they—Mac most of all—felt themselves surrendering Rene out of their care. A finality overtook them. McAllister drew a deep breath and slumped back into his chair.




a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow along with the event on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/events/994119343936276/

And check out all the participating bloggers.
April 1
April 1
April 1
April 1
April 2
April 2
April 2
April 3
April 3
April 4
April 4
April 4
April 5
April 5
April 6
April 6
April 7
April 7