Diane Rapp's Blog: She's a Mystery and Science Fiction Writer!

Whisper In My Ear

Whisper In My Ear by Teresa J. Reasor

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A Magical Love Story and Fantasy

When Drew, a rising star in the musical world, meets a deaf mermaid, he is smitten. Normally his siren magic enthralls any girl he wants, but his voice has no effect on Katrina. Suddenly he can't get her captivating scent out of his mind and must find her again. Magical beings like mermaids, silkies, and sirens have lived among ordinary humans for centuries, but they must hide their powers. As Drew and Katrina fall in love, they risk bonding for life. Will Drew risk his career by bonding with a damaged mermaid who can't live in the water or hear him sing? Can Katrina trust someone who uses his gift to ensnare unsuspecting women?
I found the love story engaging and felt drawn into the story by the mystical characters living in a modern world. Highly recommended.




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Timeless

Timeless by Teresa J. Reasor

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Romance, Time Travel, and Past Lives In Scotland

This fantastic novel grabs the reader from the first page. When archeologist Regan gets sucked into another time while diving in Scotland, she nearly loses her life. Luckily Quinn a deep saturation diver manages to pull her back into the present. Romance, mixed with flashes to past lives and time travel reminded me of the Outlander series. I enjoyed the suspense as the main characters unravel an ancient mystery and dodge a dangerous adversary. You won't be disappointed with this thrilling book.




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Love this series

18 1/2 Disguises by Larissa Reinhart

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Maizie investigates a murder solo—or almost

I always enjoy the humorous books written by Larissa Reinhart. Her female characters are a real kick. The character Maizie is no exception, a child star grown up and trying to become a private detective. Readers will love the newest novel in the series. “18 ½ Disguises” is a funny tale full of puzzling clues that Maizie tries to unravel in her bumbling fashion. She is determined to solve a case all on her own. Maizie adopts a mashup character personality so that she can act more like her mentors while interviewing suspects, but nothing goes as planned. In the meantime, her love life suffers as Maizie questions herself and her future with Nash. Dating gets complicated while investing solo. Get this book, in fact buy the whole series if you haven’t already read them. I read an advanced copy from the author but the opinions are all mine.



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An Oatmeal Cookbook

5* Review:  I'm not much of a cook but these tasty oatmeal recipes are designed for anyone to enjoy.  Get your copy and get healthy--Diane Rapp ​ANNIE DOUGLASS LIMA, AUTHOR:

My latest writing project is very different from anything else I've written. It's a cookbook! But those who know how much I love fantasy might not be surprised that this cookbook ended up with a fantasy theme. Many of the recipes have names inspired by fairy tales or fantasy stories, and I love the hints of fantasy in the two covers designed by the awesome Savannah Jezowski. 
 
Why two different covers? The paperback version of the cookbook is an unusual shape, due to the unusual recipe format (more information about that below), so it couldn't share a cover with the ebook.
 
Some people might be surprised, though, that the whole book is focused on oatmeal. After all, isn't oatmeal that boring goop that nobody really eats if there's anything else available? 
 
NOT ANYMORE! In this book, you'll find recipes for delectable dishes like creamy mango coconut spice oatmeal, cinnamon almond oatmeal, blueberry cream cheese oatmeal, and (my personal favorite:) caramel banana oatmeal with peanut butter. (Okay, so that one is a little closer to the dessert end of the spectrum than the porridge end!) 

Take a look at the book blurb below for more details:
 
Are you tired of high-sugar, low-health-value instant oatmeals in tiny serving packets full of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives? Once Upon a Bowl of Oatmeal contains 70 hearty recipes packed with natural ingredients and brimful of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. All are gluten free, assuming you use gluten-free oats, and vegan (or they come with a vegan option). Most require no salt so are perfect for a low sodium diet. Almost all of these recipes can be prepared in ten minutes or less, saving you time in your busy morning.
 
Oh … and no more math! Whether you’re cooking just for yourself, for a family of six, or any number in between, every recipe comes in the form of a handy table that shows exactly how much of each ingredient you’ll need for however many servings you want.
 
Tasty enough for kids to crave, but wholesome enough to appeal to health-conscious parents, these mouth-watering recipes will give you plenty of energy for your day while pleasing your taste buds too. Download Once Upon a Bowl of Oatmeal now and say goodbye to artificial breakfasts that don’t fully satisfy.
 
Take a peek at a few of the fun recipe titles (with pictures courtesy of photographer Denise Johnson). Then scroll down for a free recipe!

And now for a free oatmeal recipe in the unique format I use in Once Upon a Bowl of Oatmeal: 

​Ready to grab your copy? Click here to download the ebook for your Kindle or to order the paperback cookbook. And if you enjoy the recipes, please consider leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or Bookbub!  About the Author:
​
Annie Douglass Lima considers herself fortunate to have traveled in twenty different countries and lived in four of them. A fifth-grade teacher in her “other” life, she loves reading to her students and sparking their imaginations. Her books include science fiction, fantasy, YA action and adventure novels, a puppet script, anthologies of her students’ poetry, Bible verse coloring and activity books, and now a cookbook. When she isn’t teaching, writing, or experimenting with new flavors of oatmeal, Annie can often be found sipping spiced chai or pomegranate green tea in exotic locations, some of which exist in this world. BUY THE COOKBOOK ​
Connect with Annie Douglass Lima Online:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/anniedouglasslima
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGoodreads
Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia
Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com
Sign up for her mailing list so she can let you know when new books are available. When you sign up, she’ll send you a free copy of one of her fantasy books! http://bit.ly/LimaUpdates

Moving can be hazardous to writing!

Our house in Texas We had a lovely home in the Piney Woods area of Texas (designed and built by my retired architect husband), so why would we decide to sell everything and move?

It turns out that Texas is just too far away from our family, and our beautiful granddaughter got accepted to a performing arts high school program.  She is becoming a talented actress with several lead roles under her belt.  We had to see her in each play, but six days of driving round-trip from Texas became too much. The mountain towns surrounding Asheville, North Carolina enticed us every time we passed through, and we fell in love with the area.   Last October we stopped for a couple of days on one of the trips, and our imaginations were grabbed by a giant monster with yellow eyes--the desire to move.  We loved the local scenery and and cute little towns, so we decided to look at lots the next time we came through.  Surely it wouldn't be difficult to design and build a small house. 

In February of 2019 we spent a full week looking for a reasonably-priced lot that was NOT located up a steep mountain road.  We finally found a neighborhood in Columbus, North Carolina.  We figured that we would have plenty of time before we needed to move, because real estate had been slow in our area of Texas. 

We made an offer on the lot and put our property up for sale.  Our plans for an "easy transition" got accelerated! It only took three weeks to get a good offer and the race began to make our move.  We closed escrow on a piece of land we had been trying to sell for five years and also closed escrow on our house the next day.  Then we had two more weeks to pack up and move to North Carolina.    We needed to find an apartment with a garage large enough to store our extra furniture and live comfortably for a year.  On-line we found a two-bedroom duplex apartment with a large garage and a nice view through giant trees. Our local real estate agent took video and still pictures to help us make the decision.  We didn't have time for another drive. 

After a harrowing drive hauling our furniture, all of our stuff is safely stored in the apartment and it's garage.  My husband is madly designing our new house and taking bids on building the structure.  We broke ground last week and the footers were poured.  Soon the walls and roof will go up and we hope to be "dried-in" before Christmas.  I can imagine opening presents filled with plumbing and lighting fixtures. We also bought antique furniture to turn into bathroom vanities.  (Photos to come.)

We will do the inside finish work ourselves and move in by the first of June.  (We did the same thing when we built in Texas, so that doesn't scare us.)  In the meantime, I am consumed with finding good prices on everything that goes inside the house and keeping the budget in line with our bank account. 

What happened to my writing?  The stories floating inside my head are nudging me to get back to work, and I will do that when I have a spare hour or two.  The characters must realize that all of my mental powers are stretched thin, but they tap their toes in the back of my mind. I have pieces of a science fiction novel already in the computer and the characters in my next mystery novel are whispering to me in my dreams. 

Writing will happen.  

Of course, next month we're planning a quick trip to Virginia to see our granddaughter perform in the lead female role in Little Shop of Horrors, just one year after the whole "let's move" idea germinated. We're anxious to see every performance of our talented teenager.  Now that we live closer, we will definitely do just that.

Watch for updates about my new novels  and more pictures of our new life.  (As soon as I find the box with a cord to upload more pictures from my husband's phone.)

There is Magic in Music

Hidden: A Radio Arcanum Novella by Mary Kit Caelsto

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When the world changed during the great dividing, Tory gained powers that she never expected. As a talented musician, she can weave magic when playing her clarinet. Of course being able to "talk" to her bearded dragon was a plus, but becoming the target of a group of magicians who wish her harm is definitely a minus. She feels compelled to protect her rain forest and will face choices she doesn't want to make.

Although this is a short glimpse into the series, it is so well-written that the reader is drawn into the world, wanting more. I recommend this introduction to the series and will be reading the next one myself.



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New Release: King of Malorn by Annie Douglass Lima

Thanks for stopping by! Take a look at this brand-new fantasy adventure story with a hint of romance by author Annie Douglass Lima.  I really enjoyed reading the advance copy supplied by the author, and here is my honest review:

Riveting Episode in the Saga

The newest book in this series has it all, assassination attempts of two kings, kidnapping of a princess, a secret insider within the usurper's inner circle, and loads of action on both sides of the border between kingdoms.  The characters, who readers met in previous episodes, are all in this book--both good and evil.  Nail-biting tension kept me reading late into the night as the escaping royal family faces danger from all directions.  The author springs surprises right up to the final chapter and several love stories keep us interested. This new episode is a welcome addition to the series and I recommend it highly.  
​
You can  download a copy of the ebook for free  between July 9th and 11th! ​
 Book Description:
    Life as the king’s younger sister should be exciting.
   Not for Princess Kalendria. She’s sick of the dissent and of constantly having her family undermined by those who think they could rule Malorn better than King Korram.
   Hoping to lighten the mood in the palace, Kalendria plans a ball to celebrate her seventeenth birthday. It doesn’t hurt that their handsome Alasian ally King Jaymin has promised to attend, and she’s been waiting for him to notice her for as long as she can remember.
   But unfriendly forces have their own party plans. When Kalendria, Korram, and Jaymin barely survive an assassination attempt, their only recourse is to flee into the wilderness. Tracked by unknown assassins, they must figure out whom they can trust and who is behind the plot. Can Kalendria help her brother reclaim his throne – oh, and catch Jaymin’s attention while she’s at it – before they are all killed and war destroys both kingdoms?
 
Click here  to download your copy of King of Malorn on Amazon now! 
 
Click here  to see King of Malorn on Goodreads.
 
Series Information:

King of Malorn is book 5 in the  Annals of Alasia . But don't worry if you haven't read the others; it will still make sense on its own. 

Each of the first four books can stand on its own as well. They each deal with events surrounding the same major political incident: the invasion of the kingdom of Alasia by the neighboring kingdom of Malorn. 

Prince of Alasia  begins on the night of the Invasion and describes what happens to twelve-year-old Prince Jaymin after he is forced to flee for his life. 
In the Enemy’s Service  features a girl as the protagonist and tells the story of those who were not able to escape from the Alasian palace when the enemy invaded. 
Prince of Malorn  begins several months earlier and focuses on the Malornian perspective of the events leading up to the Invasion. 

In each of the books, main characters from the others make brief appearances and interact with each other at the point where the timeframes and settings overlap. 

I also have a short ebook of “interviews” that I conducted with the characters in the other three books. Annals of Alasia: The Collected Interviews is not available on Amazon, but I send a free copy to anyone who signs up for my mailing list (to receive updates when I release new books or occasionally offer them for free). Author Biography:
 
Annie Douglass Lima considers herself fortunate to have traveled in twenty different countries and lived in four of them. A fifth-grade teacher in her “other” life, she loves reading to her students and sparking their imaginations. Her books include science fiction, fantasy, YA action and adventure novels, a puppet script, anthologies of her students’ poetry, and Bible verse coloring and activity books. When she isn’t teaching or writing, Annie can often be found sipping spiced chai or pomegranate green tea in exotic locations, some of which exist in this world.
 
Author Contact Info:

Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com

Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia
 
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGoodreads
 
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/anniedo...
 
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnLinkedIn
 
Bloglovin: https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/letters-from-annie-douglass-lima-6275229
 
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/annie-douglass-lima
 ​

Poodle Power!

In the Dog House by V.M. Burns

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Love this series filled with poodles!

When Lillie's husband of twenty-five years left her for a twenty-year-old stripper named Bambi, she felt like killing someone. That made her the prime suspect in his murder! This is a clever first novel in a series that I recommend highly, and not just because I have a poodle myself. The characters are interesting and the mystery has twists that will keep a reader engaged.



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Review of The Puppy Who Knew Too Much

The Puppy Who Knew Too Much by V.M. Burns




Great sequel in a charming series

Lilly and her toy poodle, Aggie, hope to find a place to live in Chattanooga, TN. When she is offered the perfect house to rent, she doesn't know that it comes with a murderer. Although she helped solve the murder of her cheating ex-husband, this is a new town and she's starting a new job. This is a charming series with a likable heroine. There is even a hint of romance that I'm sure will develop in future books. I won a copy of the book, and now I'm reading book one in the series because I enjoyed the writing and characters.



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Happy Holidays from Bentley

Hello to all my loyal fans!

I wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful Christmas at our house this year. 

It took the humans much too long to get ready.  Day after day new wrapped boxes appeared under the tree, so it was my job to guard them all.  
Naturally, I knew right away which presents were mine.  They smelled really good.

I also knew which stocking was mine, since it carried the scent of dog cookies from last year. On Christmas morning I loved eating the special treats I picked out at the dog food store. 

My sharp teeth made fast work of  flimsy wrappings, but I made sure to spit out the paper before I ate those yummy cookies.  The best part of Christmas was opening my presents. I found my favorite kind of toys inside--balls!
I had loads of fun chasing a soft, squishy, ball around the house. 

The squeaker inside gave me a real challenge.  How could I get that thing out without destroying the ball? 

​It's not my fault soft balls are so easy to chew apart.   ​Diane tried to sew up the holes in the ball but eventually the ball fell apart.

Oh well. 

Maybe "Poodle Santa" will bring me new ones next Christmas.  How long do I have to wait?  

We hope you all have a Happy New Year!

The humans are planning to watch some sparkly ball drop on television.  What fun is that?  I'd rather chase a real ball!  It's lucky for me that my "outside balls" are mostly in one piece.  (Two of them still have squeakers inside and I love to hear that noise.)  Now I just have to wait for the sun to come out.

In the meantime you could read about my heroic adventures in Diane's new novel REALTORS FOR SALE.  It is a clean read with no cursing or blush-worthy scenes, and the only violence is dog bites (of course).  Diane is planning out the next edition of the Sidekicks Mystery Series right now, so start reading about me in this one. Buy the book