Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 226

Review: APPLE DIE by Chelsea Thomas

Chelsea Thomas (I still can’t believe the author named the character after herself) was left at the altar. I mean, the guy literally ran off during the vows. Ouch!
Six months later, she wasn’t doing much better. He ex-fiance took everything from her. When her Aunt May offers her an opportunity, this was her chance to start over unmarried, unemployed, and unshowered.
I liked how this started, but then it all kind of went downhill from there. The old town folk was kind of dull to start with, and it takes a while to get to a point. And why does there have to be a wedding.
Boring!
My rating: 2 stars

Blog Tour: THE WALL by David Pereda

 

 

The Wall

by David Pereda

 

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GENRE: Mainstream Fiction, Thriller

 

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BLURB:

 

THOMAS BERTRAM is an American living in San Salvador with his fiancée CECILIA. They own a popular neighborhood restaurant and plan to wed soon. Thomas's dream is to obtain a resident visa for Cecilia and return to the United States.

 

DOMINGO JIMENEZ and his wife BLANCA own a small repair shop across the street. Domingo's dream is to move to America as well so that his seven-year-old daughter NANCY can grow up speaking English and having a good education and a better life than he and Blanca had.

 

When armed gang members invade their neighborhood to demand "protection" money and threaten them with death if they don't pay, Thomas and Domingo's dreams for the future take on a new perspective. They decide to flee the country with their families through Guatemala and Mexico to seek asylum in the United States.

 

But their journey is more challenging than expected, and they face a myriad of difficulties and must overcome multiple obstacles that put not only their dreams but also their lives at risk.

 

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Excerpt One:

 

Thomas’s first impression was that Ciudad Juarez was a city suffering from schizophrenia.

 

Based on the Reforma newspaper article he was skimming before he fell asleep, the schizophrenia was even more severe than it appeared from the airplane window. According to the report, murderous dark forces moved underground through the city with impunity. Coexisting with a well-educated and law-abiding middle class breathed some of the world's most feared and violent drug cartels. And while the local police bragged about having achieved a drastic reduction in crime over the past decade, more than 1,000 women had been murdered—and over 3,000 reported missing during the same period.

 

The article hinted at a police-force cover-up—and even possible police involvement—and blamed the crimes on the transient population seeking to cross the border illegally into the United States. It ended with an impassioned plea to Mexican authorities.

 

It all read like blah-blah-blah to Thomas.

 

As the jetliner banked for a runway approach, he spotted some of the transient population described in the article. Small groups of people dotted the protracted chain-link fence, plastic bags either slung over their shoulders or resting on the ground at their feet. Thomas wondered how much the article's writer had been paid to blame those poor souls whose only desire was to find a better life in the United States.

 

Cecilia saw them too. “What are those people doing?”

 

“Waiting for night,” Thomas said as the plane straightened, and he lost sight of the fence. “To cross to the other side.”

 

The pilot landed with a jolt. After a couple of bounces that elicited frightened cries from alarmed passengers, the aircraft rolled to a stop on the tarmac in front of an oblong cream-colored building. Cecilia, Alex, and Thomas deplaned and were guided toward one of the doors by uniformed immigration officials. The sun was so hot that Thomas’s skin crinkled.

 

“We have to go through immigration?” Thomas asked, raising an eyebrow. “I thought we were in Mexico.”

 

“Border towns in Mexico always check your documents,” Alex said. “I don’t know why. I guess it’s in case you’re planning to cross into the United States illegally.”

 

Cecilia glanced at Thomas with concern, and he noted the dark circles under her eyes.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

My Author’s Journey

             By

     David Pereda

I started my author’s journey at the age of nine. I don’t know who or what inspired me to write. I was a voracious reader as a kid. I loved westerns, so it was only natural for my first novel to be a western titled, grandiosely, David Patterson, El Temerario. I wrote it by hand, in Spanish, and my favorite uncle typed it for me. I remember thinking in my ignorant youth that I could write better than many western authors, which motivated me to write the novel. My favorite western authors were Zane Grey and Max Brand. I still have all of Max Brand’s books.

I wrote a few short stories about different subjects as I grew up, and then my entire life changed. Because of political reasons, I migrated from my native Cuba to the United States.  I was a penniless nineteen-year-old non-English speaker when I arrived in Tampa, Florida, clutching my immigration papers.

I’m a quick learner, and two years after I arrived in Tampa, I entered the University of South Florida on a scholarship. My English teacher gave the class a dialogue writing assignment, and I wrote a short story titled, The Rose. To my surprise, he called my name one day and asked me to see him after class. The literary magazine was looking for stories, he told me, and he thought my short story was well written, and I should submit it for consideration. When I declined, he asked my permission to submit it himself. So, he did, and the story was published. It was the first time I had anything published in the United States, and I was elated. When the literary magazine asked for submissions the following year, I submitted another story titled, The Rain and The Peacock, and it was also published.

I gained confidence in my English knowledge with those two early successes, and I started writing my first novel, Ramoncito. I finished that novel after I graduated from college and submitted it to Harper & Row. While I waited for a decision, I wrote a humorous detective novel and managed to land an agent.

Three things happened that same year that impacted my writing career. First, an editor from Harper & Row liked Ramoncito and asked me to edit it and send it back to her. Two, my agent liked my detective story and suggested I turn it into an erotic novel, a pretty hot genre at the time, and gave me tips on how to do it. Three, I received a job offer from an elite consulting company offering me a coveted international consulting position together with an initial assignment in Venezuela.

I never edited Ramoncito or even answered the kind editor at Harper & Row. However, I did rewrite my detective novel as an erotic novel under a pen name. My agent quickly sold it to a publisher, and I received a substantial advance. That erotic novel has been my most successful book and is one my fans have probably never read, or, if they did, they didn’t know I wrote it. The book sold 50,000 copies, and it was well-known for a while. After that, my agent wanted me to write more erotic novels, but I declined. My first daughter had just been born, and I didn’t want her growing up and asking me one day, “What kind of books do you write, dad?” And me answering, “I write erotic books, honey.”

So, I didn’t write any more erotic books.

I accepted the international consulting position, and within a couple of months, I was in Caracas, Venezuela. I was on a roll. My English was getting better, and my writing had continued to improve. In addition, my new position paid me four times more than what I was making as a systems analyst for the telephone company.

So, I told myself I could keep writing while doing consulting work.

How wrong I was. Consulting work was extremely demanding, and by the time I got home at night, I was exhausted.

The years passed. My consulting and business career soared. But my writing suffered because I couldn’t dedicate enough time to it, and I was always traveling around the world advising governments. Then, my agent died, and I replaced him with several others in succession who couldn’t sell my work.

Finally, I had my first novel published under my name, Havana Confidential.

I was so happy that I carried a copy of the book in my briefcase with me to an assignment in Argentina. I was returning to the United States flying first class when my companion, a slender young man in a designer suit and a gold Rolex, introduced himself. I can’t remember anything about him except his superior attitude, so I’ll use a fake name.

“I’m Dr. Boludo,” he said. “I’m a brain surgeon. What do you do?”

I thought he was a bit aggressive, but I was so happy about the book that I said, “I’m an author.”

I fished inside my Hartman briefcase, brought out the book and showed it to him. He riffled through the pages unimpressed, his upper lip raised in disdain.

He handed the book back to me and said, “When I retire, I’m going to write a novel.”

I was irate. I’d been toiling with my writing for twenty years and, finally, I’ve had my first book published, and this nincompoop was going to write a novel like it was nothing when he retired.

I didn’t let my anger show, though.

I took the book from him and said. “When I retire, I’m going to become a brain surgeon.”

The nincompoop didn’t speak to me during the rest of the trip.

Eventually, after a successful international career, I decided that I had accomplished everything I wanted to achieve in life, except in writing. So, I quit my consulting and business dealings and returned to the United States with my wife and newborn daughter. I set three objectives for myself: 1) To write and publish quality award-winning novels, 2) To have my books made into films, and 3) To be able to live off my writing.

That happened eighteen years ago. My daughter is heading away to college this fall.

So how am I doing against my objectives?

Objective 1 is doing fine. THE WALL is my eleventh novel and possibly my best, and my books have won six literary awards.

Objective 2 I came close to achieving several times when Hollywood producers showed interest in one or more of my books. One even wrote a screenplay he unsuccessfully tried to sell to HBO Films. But, so far, this objective is still a work in progress.

Objective 3 I struck out. I haven’t yet made enough money out of my writing to support myself with it.

I’m halfway through writing my next novel, and I’m still optimistic about my chances of achieving Objectives 2 and 3 soon.

So, that’s a summarized version of my journey as an author. I hope you and your readers have found it valuable and entertaining.

 

 

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

David Pereda is the award-winning author of eleven thrillers and mainstream novels. His books have won the Lighthouse Book Awards twice, the Royal Palm Awards, the National Indie Excellence Awards, and the Readers Favorite Awards twice. He has traveled to more than thirty countries around the world and speaks four languages.

 

Before devoting his time solely to writing and teaching, Pereda had a successful international consulting career with global giant Booz Allen Hamilton, where he worked with the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, and Qatar, among others.

 

A member of MENSA, Pereda earned his MBA from Pepperdine University in California. He earned BA degrees in English literature and mathematics at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He loves sports and has won many prizes competing in track and show-jumping equestrian events.

 

Pereda lives in Asheville, North Carolina, where he teaches mathematics and English at the Asheville-Buncombe Community College.

 

Visit him online at: www.davidpereda.com

 

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/David-...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidPeredaAVL

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/davidmpereda

 

YouTube Book Video: https://youtu.be/1kyO7Hb06FU

 

Embed Code: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1kyO7Hb..." title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

https://www.amazon.com/Wall-David-Pereda/dp/193597050X/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wall-david-pereda/1139536309

 

 

 

Followers of the GoddessFish Tour can now receive an exclusive and hefty discount on the ebook price of The Wall - from $6.99 to only $2.99. Here are the details:

 

1) Go to https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

2) Choose to Buy the book

3) Select the format when prompted.

4) When checking out, enter this discount: TV96K

5) Follow directions to check out and download the book and pay only $2.99 instead of $6.99.

 

--> The code TV96K can be distributed to anyone you'd like without limit. The coupon expires on December 31, 2021.

 

This discount will also become available at Barnes & Noble, Apple Store, and other ebook retailers but it may take up to 72 hours for the price to be updated on those platforms. Meanwhile, ordering it from Smashwords will work on any ebook platform and device.

 

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 

David Pereda will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour,

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE by Nancy Fraser

 

Return of the Runaway Bride

by Nancy Fraser

 

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GENRE:   Contemporary Romance - Steamy

 

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BLURB:

 

Five years earlier, Emily Bennett ran out on Chase Michaels on the eve of their wedding. At twenty-two, she wanted more than the island of Last Chance Beach could offer. Intent on making a name for herself as a world-class journalist, she left to take a job with a big city newspaper.

Chase Michaels left Last Chance Beach not long after having his heart broken and joined the Coast Guard in an effort to rebuild his life. Returning four years later for a family emergency, he decided to stay and go into business with his best friend.

Emily’s returning as well. Not as the journalist she’d hoped to be but as a bestselling romance author. One of her books is about to be made into a movie, and filming will take place on Last Chance Beach and in the mainland town of Summerville.

Will Emily’s return give them a second chance at the love they once shared? Or, will her ‘other’ reason for leaving put a wedge between three best friends that can’t be healed by time or intention?

 

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Excerpt Two:

 

Pick-a-Read Bookstore, Boston, MA

Present Day

 

Emily Bennett took a seat behind the cloth-covered table and waited for her publicist and good friend Mary to give her standard introduction. No matter how many of these events she’d done, to Emily they were never routine. Nervously, she adjusted and re-adjusted the angle of the ink pens and candy dish and fanned the bookmarks and other swag out across the tabletop.

 

Mary tapped the microphone, waited for the echo to stop, and then began, “Thank you all for coming to today’s book promotion event. Author E.M. Stephens will be here for the next two-and-a-half hours, and happy to sign copies of her New York Times bestseller, Love in the Surf, as well as early copies of her newest release, A Bad Boy for Willa.” Mary paused, then added, “For those who haven’t yet heard, Love in the Surf has been optioned for a movie and will begin filming within the next month.” Beaming proudly, Mary turned in her direction. “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the romantically gifted, E.M. Stephens.”

 

The queue of fans bent around the front of the bookstore and out into the mall, with tables set up inside the entryway and books stacked in piles of twelve. One-by-one, the towers of both books diminished quickly.

 

Two hours in, less than a dozen people remained in line. Emily’s hand was beginning to cramp, but she forced a renewed smile to her lips and raised her gaze to the young man who stood in front of her.

 

“Is there a name for an inscription?”

 

“Eileen, please.” He flashed her a smile. “It’s for my mom. She’s a big fan.”

 

Emily wrote a short note and signed her name. “Tell your mother ‘thank you’ for me.”

 

“I will,” he assured her before moving on.

 

Emily repeated the smile and sign process over and over again until—finally—the line was gone.

 

Mary gathered up the remaining bookmarks, empty candy dish, and a half dozen pens before leading the way to the back of the bookstore and into a small private room. The moment the door closed behind them, Emily released a long sigh and reached for the mid-length blonde wig that had been driving her crazy for the past hour, releasing her long brown hair to hang freely across her shoulders.

 

A quick change out of her bright red blouse, tight black leggings, and fancy rhinestone hoop earrings, and back into her faded jeans and vintage T-shirt had her feeling more like Emily, and less like her alter ego, E.M. Stephens.

 

“I don’t know about you, sweetie,” Mary said, a long sigh escaping, “But I could use a greasy burger, with an onion ring and frosty beer chaser. Why don’t we get out of here and go someplace dark and inconspicuous and kick back for a while?”

 

“As much as the idea appeals to me, I’ve got to finish packing and then load the car. I’m hoping to be on the road by six in the morning, if possible.”

 

“I don’t understand why you’re driving all the way to Last Chance Beach. Why not fly in to the closest airport and rent a car?”

 

She gave a quick shake of her head. “I’ve got too much stuff to drag with me. Besides, the drive will give me two days and a night to get my story straight and figure out how to explain everything to my parents.”

 

“I still can’t believe you never told your parents about your books. With all the success you’ve had, you’d think bragging rights alone would have prompted the discussion.”

 

“I grew up on Last Chance Beach before it became a tourist magnet. I went to high school on the mainland where they still do farmer’s markets and county fairs. It was bad enough I left under less than stellar circumstances. I’ve never been ready to explain why I gave up on a career as a serious journalist to write romance novels.”

 

Mary’s grin was followed by a very unladylike snort. “For the money, sweetie. The glitz, the glamor and the chance for a huge movie deal.”

 

Emily flexed her sore hand. Opening the door, she stepped back out into the store, totally unrecognizable to her adoring fans. “Glitz and glamor? Not according to my impending carpel tunnel.”

 

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My review: Left at the altar by his bride. Years later, the runaway bride returns to a less-than-welcoming committee.

Emily, the runaway bride and now a famous romance author, doesn’t know how to explain everything especially with the filming on-site for the latest movie deal on her book. Undoubtedly, she’s bound to run into everyone, especially Chase, the love of her life. Would he ever forgive her for running out on him?

Of course, the heat and chemistry they once had was still there. Would they get their second chance?

A sweet, little beach read!

 

My rating: 4 stars

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

NANCY FRASER—Jumping Across Romance Genres with Gleeful Abandon—is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

 

Like most authors, Nancy began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it.

 

Nancy has published over forty books in full-length, novella, and short format. When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

 

 

Website: www.nancyfraser.ca

Facebook: http://facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nfraserauthor  @nfraserauthor

Bookbub: http://bookbub.com/profile/nancy-fraser

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Fraser/e/B004AOL61Y/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7206382.Nancy_Fraser

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3gC68iMStwKCr4v_S6fMIA

Newletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/bxkKvD

 

 

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Bookbub

Amazon Author Page ~ Goodreads~ YouTube ~ Newsletter

 

The book will be $0.99 during the tour.

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

 

Nancy Fraser will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: ANTITHESIS by Svet Rouskov

 

Antithesis: A Collection of Science Fiction and Other Short Stories

by Svet Rouskov

 

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GENRE: Science-Fiction

 

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BLURB:

 

Antithesis is a collection of vivid and exhilarating science fiction stories, tied together by characters whose moral challenges offer windows into humanity and the human condition. These stories are cautionary tales, flights of fancy, terrifying psychological journeys, humorous romps, and even a space opera.

 

A speculative tale about humankind becoming obsolete from the perspective of the machines we created. The story of an airline pilot who loses his faith in the physics of flying as his rational and irrational mind fight for dominance. An ancient being born of human evolution that strips us of our memories, feeding on one precious reminiscence at a time. An audacious fable that explores a new galaxy, one where humans are irrelevant, but the conflicts of a class-based society are not. A novella-length saga about a mission to Mars, the origins of humanity, and an atrocity that stretches across time and space. And finally, a story that asks the question whether an unstoppable artificial intelligence would indeed be happier traveling the vast reaches of space, or back amongst the flawed beings who created it.

 

Escape into worlds unlike anything you have seen before, but some eerily similar to our own. Antithesis – where the opposite is to be expected.

 

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Excerpt One:

 

Samantha also knew Kenji was sweet on Ellie, but Ellie wasn’t interested, as she found him dreadfully boring. Sam didn’t know why, but people trusted her. Maybe it was the fact that she was middle-aged and had done enough to know something, but still felt young at heart. Either way, Samantha loved being in the middle of the drama.

 

“Listen, Kenji, I don’t think she likes you that way,” Samantha replied.

 

“Has she said so?” “No. But it’s just … you guys are so different,” she said.

 

“How?”

 

“She’s an adrenaline junkie, rides a motorcycle, climbs mountains, hang-glides …”

 

“I’m not exciting enough for her?” Kenji asked, the hurt plainly visible on his face.

 

“No, that’s not it at all. It’s just—” But she was cut off as Ellie stormed into the room, face flushed, eyes wide, looking like she was going to hyperventilate.

 

“It’s building!” Ellie blurted out.

 

“Calm down, Ellie,” said Samantha.

 

Ellie took a deep breath, then continued, “The line is building something.”

 

“What did you program it to make?” asked Kenji.

 

“I didn’t. No one did,” she replied.

 

Kenji and Samantha exchanged a shocked look, and then both jumped to their feet.

 

Samantha and Ellie stared out the control room’s observation window. Below them, the assembly line hummed with activity. Kenji was behind them at the stations, madly entering commands on the panels. Sam turned to look at him and could see the look of shock in his eyes.

 

“No plans were entered into the system,” he said.

 

“Then what’s being made?” asked Samantha.

 

The door burst open, and Ross stormed in. He first went to the window—eyes wide, practically frothing at the mouth—but then whipped around and glared at Kenji. “What the fuck is going on?” he barked. “I don’t know,” said Kenji.

 

“What do you mean you don’t know? What are we building?”

 

Kenji didn’t answer, just curled his shoulders and lowered his head. Ross whipped around to look at Ellie. “Don’t look at me,” she said.

 

“You integrated his code, didn’t you? Take some responsibility for once!”

 

“Take it easy, Ross. Yelling’s not going to help,” said Samantha.

 

Ross slowly softened; Samantha knew the calming effect she had on him and wasn’t afraid to interrupt one of his outbursts.

 

Ross turned back to Kenji. “What happened?”

 

“As far as I can tell, the system chose to make something on its own,” said Kenji.

 

“I thought we followed the anti-artificial-intelligence laws, you know, so something like this couldn’t happen,” Ross said accusingly.

 

“We did. I can’t explain it—” Kenji began, but he was cut off by Ellie, who was at the viewing window.

 

“It’s done!” she cried.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

My review: Stories are fairly interesting tales with a sci-fi and theoretical theme. The writing was intelligent and well-done for the most part. The narrative was finely tuned and detailed, but it was a little too complex at times.  If you like stories that are out of this world, then give these a try.

 

My rating: 3 stars

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Svet Rouskov started his career as a graduate from the University of Toronto Mechanical Engineering program and became a successful automotive industry executive. After fifteen years he discovered that his real passion was writing. Once he took an introductory screenwriting class, Svet realized he was hooked and continued his filmmaking education at Norman Jewison's Canadian Film Centre. Since that time, Svet has written, developed, and produced feature films, television shows, video games, and web-based series. His passion for writing has now extended to literature, which offers him another exciting avenue to tell stories. This is Svet's first work of fiction.

 

Please check out his IMDb page for details of his work and representative contact information.

 

 

CONNECT WITH SVET ROUSKOV

 

WEBSITE: https://svetrouskov.com/

 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3118508/

 

PURCHASE LINKS for ANTITHESIS

 

AMAZON.COM https://amazon.com/dp/0228840317

 

AMAZON.CA https://amazon.ca/dp/0228840317

 

BOOKSHOP https://bookshop.org/books/antithesis...

 

INDIGO CHAPTERS https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/...

 

BARNES & NOBLE https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anti...

 

BOOK DEPOSITORY https://www.bookdepository.com/Antith...

 

SMASHWORDS https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

 

APPLE BOOKS https://books.apple.com/us/book/antit...

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 

The author will be awarding $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: DEATH OPENS A WINDOW by Mikel J. Wilson

 

Mourning Dove Mysteries, Book 2

Mystery, Crime Fiction, LGBTQ

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Date Published: Oct 19, 2019

 

BEST eBOOK SUSPENSE/THRILLER - New Apple Book Awards

BEST COVER OVERALL - New Apple Book Awards

 

The Mourning Dove Mysteries series includes:

1. MURDER ON THE LAKE OF FIRE

2. DEATH OPENS A WINDOW

3. A LIGHT TO KILL BY (coming August 3)

 

Emory Rome is back in DEATH OPENS A WINDOW, Book 2 of the Mourning Dove Mysteries and the follow-up to the international bestseller MURDER ON THE LAKE OF FIRE.

 

As he struggles with the consequences of his last case, Emory must unravel the inexplicable death of a federal employee in a Knoxville high-rise. But while the reticent investigator is mired in a deep pool of suspects – from an old mountain witch to the powerful Tennessee Valley Authority – he misses a greater danger creeping from the shadows. The man in the ski mask returns to reveal himself, and the shocking crime of someone close is unearthed.

 

About the Author

Award-winning mystery author Mikel J. Wilson draws on his Southern roots for the international bestselling Mourning Dove Mysteries, a series of novels featuring bizarre murders in the Smoky Mountains region of Tennessee. Wilson adheres to a “no guns or knives” policy for the instigating murders in the series.

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Instagram

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Excerpt: MOUNTAIN BLAZE by Debby Grahl

 

Rodeo star Dillon McCoy comes home to the mountains of North Carolina to lick his wounds and take over running the family ranch, the Lazy M, unaware danger awaits. Diana Thompson is having doubts about her engagement to Trent Sawyer. Needing time away, she agrees to leave Chapel Hill and spend Thanksgiving with her friend Jenn at her ranch. When Diana and Dillon meet, neither can deny their attraction, but both must resolve past relationships before giving in to their desire. Danger lurks after Dillon turns down an anonymous offer to purchase the ranch. And when a body is found, Dillon is determined to discover who wants the McCoy land bad enough to commit murder. Can he and Diana elude the killer while the sparks of their newfound love grow?

 

 Available on Amazon

 

 

~~~

Diana ran to the bedroom. She closed and locked the door behind her and hurried to the sliding doors leading onto the deck. She slid them open and ran.

Once she made it to the trees, the snow was deeper. Sinking to her knees, Diana struggled to move quickly. Knowing her trail would be easily followed, she pushed on. Not having a clue where she was going, Diana hoped to spot a landmark she’d recognize from their trail rides.

Was Dillon coming? Did he know she was missing? Surely by now he was looking for her. But how long would it take for him to realize she was at the ranch?

Breathless, her hands and feet numb, she wiped tears from her cheeks. Stop it. You have to remain strong to survive. She gritted her teeth. Why had she changed from her sturdy boots to these fancy leather ones. She could almost hear Jenn now, “Girl, what’s the matter with you?”

None of this made any sense. What in the world was she doing lost in the woods in the snow running from a killer?

Diana, her teeth chattering and her cheeks raw from the cold, let out a little sob. How long had she been wandering in the woods? She thought she’d been heading down hill, but she couldn’t be sure. She blinked. Had she seen something move? She listened, but neither the sound of a bird or the chatter of a squirrel could be heard. Unease crawled up her spine when a shadow a few feet ahead flickered through the trees. Okay, it’s probably an animal who’s as afraid of you as you are of them. She started forward. A scream lodged in her throat when the image of a woman formed before her. She floated above the ground and motioned for Diana to follow.

Mesmerized, Diana couldn’t move. Upon the wind, a lilting voice said, “I will not harm you. I will lead you to safety. You must hurry.”

“Who are you?” Diana whispered.

matter with you?”

None of this made any sense. What in the world was she doing lost in the woods in the snow running from a killer?

Diana, her teeth chattering and her cheeks raw from the cold, let out a little sob. How long had she

been wandering in the woods? She thought she’d been heading down hill, but she couldn’t be sure. She blinked. Had she seen something move? She listened, but neither the sound of a bird or the chatter of a squirrel could be heard. Unease crawled up her spine when a shadow a few feet ahead flickered through the trees. Okay, it’s probably an animal who’s as afraid of you as you are of them. She started forward. A scream lodged in her throat when the image of a woman formed before her. She floated above the ground and motioned for Diana to follow.

Mesmerized, Diana couldn’t move. Upon the wind, a lilting voice said, “I will not harm you. I will lead you to safety. You must hurry.”

“Who are you?” Diana whispered.

 

Review: SENSE AND SCENT ABILITY by Renee George (Book 1)

 

Nora died on the operating table and woke up with the extraordinary ability of smell. I guess opening up her own aroma therapy show was just the thing. However, the scents were provoking hallucinations or “visions”—some of them that might look murderous. And that’s exactly what she’s been getting around her best friend’s ex—a serial abuser according to what she saw in her vision.

After saying the world would be much better without him, the man ends up stabbed to death, and her friend was the prime suspect. Can Nora find the real killer and prove her friend’s innocence?

Witty and clever! Interesting to see how the smells provoked such visions. An enjoyable mystery!

 

My rating: 5 stars

Review: FOR WHOM THE SMELL TOLLS by Renee George (Book 2)

 

Nora’s smell o’ vision is back!

She’s still pretty spry for a 50-year-old what with dating Detective Hottie, a guy 20 years younger than her. Story is still witty and clever. This time a body washes up. A woman had drowned. Was it an accident or murder?

Nora’s on the case to find out, but would her allergies affect her super smeller?

Overall, this was another good mystery, however, toward the end, too many characters entered the mix, causing some confusion and making the conclusion somewhat anticlimactic. Seriously, where did all these people come from? Story pretty much petered out by the end.

 

My rating: 3 stars

Review: DEATH ON THE DANUBE by Jennifer S. Alderson (Book 1)

Lana, a tour guide in Budapest? Well, it’s not like she had any other job. Her resume was indeed long: a disgraced journalist, injured magician’s assistant, former kayaking guide, and part-time yoga instructor.
Christmas was the worst time to lose your job. Still, Budapest? I don’t even know where Budapest is. Still, a free trip’s a free trip. And this was an opportunity for adventure. But, still traveling alone for the first time outside the U.S? It’s scary, but exciting.
I liked Lana’s wit and easy-going persona as well as the lovely Budapest settings. The customers on tour were an eclectic bunch—so bitter and demanding. They were certainly keeping Lana on her toes, especially when keeping with the mantra: “happy customers leave 5-star reviews.”
Mulling over the guest’s backgrounds and connections, Lana discovers shady dealings (affairs, financial ruins, etc.) Who ends up dead? Could a scorned woman be the only suspect?
A riveting mystery!
My rating: 4 stars

Review: DEATH BY BAGUETTE by Jennifer S. Alderson (Book 2)

Travel can be murder.
Lana, the tour guide, was going to Paris! It’s a V-Day trip for couples in the City of Love, which would be great if she didn’t have to leave her new beau and if her 2 best friends were bickering. The last thing she expected was running into her new beau and his wife on the very same tour she was guiding. Yikes!
Again, great depiction of the scenery, but it was slow. This tour was a little dull at times, which made it hard to keep up. But, on the bright side, instead of the lovey-dovey couples, Lana had to play referee to their marital squabbling, which just spiced things up.
The mystery was not as interesting to keep u with. When was somebody going to die already? And does she have to describe every mindless activity? I like the concept of the series and it's a decent read overall, but this one was just a little too boring.
My rating: 3 stars