Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 234
May 11, 2021
Blog Tour: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PRISSY by Barbara Casey
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Barbara Casey 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.
Three Army veteran misfits, a college dropout, an unmotivated high school graduate accused of murder, a controversial warden of a women's prison, and a little girl with the gift of prophesy – these are the people 31-year-old Lara Kruger invites into her life after suffering a miscarriage, a divorce from an abusive husband, and unemployment.
Read an Excerpt
Miriam walked away from her desk and paused in front of the unframed full-length mirror she had salvaged from the recent renovations in the women’s shower rooms. The edges were chipped and blackened, and there was a fairly large crack that ran vertically from one corner to the other. The condition of the mirror was the result, no doubt, of one of many displays of frustration and anger within the prison walls before she took over. Still, the mirror served its purpose. On those rare occasions when Warden Miriam Temple of the Braden Women’s Correctional Institution needed to be sure she looked her best, at least she could do so in the privacy of her own office.
Studying her reflection, she saw a tall, aging fifty-nine-year-old woman with dark hair streaked with gray cut in a simple shag, myopic brown eyes made evident by the wire-framed glasses, and a raw-boned body that could be considered well-proportioned if it weren’t for the fact that it was about twenty pounds on the heavy side, fifteen of which had settled around her thighs and buttocks. “Pear shaped, as opposed to apple shaped,” she frequently reminded herself, “so that means at least I won’t die of a heart attack.” The fact that her ear lobes were also plump and didn’t have the diagonal creases indicating some type of heart disease seemed to confirm that fact. She didn’t know if these old-wives’ tales she had grown up with were really true, but she liked to keep an open mind, especially when they worked to her benefit.
She normally didn’t wear make-up, but this morning before leaving for work, she had dug out her small tapestry bag that held what few cosmetics she owned and applied a little blush and a touch of lipstick. She rubbed one cheek with her hand now, thinking that maybe she shouldn’t have bothered. She didn’t need to impress anyone. Even if there had been the awkwardness that sometimes comes with being a large woman, it had been replaced years ago by the confidence born from a privileged background and the level of acceptance and comfort from which she viewed herself.
Her dark gray suit and crisp white blouse were clean and unwrinkled, thanks to the prison laundry facilities. The plain black pumps she wore looked both practical and appropriate to complete the over-all appearance of discipline, control, strength, and above all, a positive attitude. It was the attitude within the prison that Miriam had worked the hardest on when she took over as head warden six years earlier. There had been a stifling wave of hopelessness and despair among the female inmates so thick it made it difficult to breathe. This was manifested daily in brawls, food fights, and a behavior of non-compliance in general. “Animals get treated better than we do,” had been the mantra at the prison.
For six years Miriam had been working fourteen-hour days, overseeing the operations of the facility, staying on top of problems, writing reports, and talking to every person she could reach about helping to set up programs for “her girls” as she referred to them. Each of Miriam’s programs offered something to a few of her girls, but not to all, something she struggled with daily. She constantly researched what other correctional institutions were doing not only in this country but other countries as well, trying to come up with new ways to stimulate her girls and help them feel enthusiastic about their lives.
It had worked. She started getting noticed after the first year of her tenure. Complaints from the prisoners dropped, a State audit confirmed that for the first time in over a decade the prison budget would be in the black, and the over-all appearance of the facility was vastly improved. Government officials who previously had been reluctant to show interest now started to open doors for this hard-working, persistent, and obviously dedicated woman.
And then Prissy had been born.
About the Author:
Originally from Carrollton, Illinois, author/agent/publisher Barbara Casey attended the University of North Carolina, N.C. State University, and N.C. Wesleyan College where she received a BA degree, summa cum laude, with a double major in English and history. In 1978 she left her position as Director of Public Relations and Vice President of Development at North Carolina Wesleyan College to write full time and develop her own manuscript evaluation and editorial service. In 1995 she established the Barbara Casey Agency and since that time has represented authors from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2014, she became a partner with Strategic Media Books, an independent nonfiction publisher of true crime, where she oversees acquisitions, day-to-day operations, and book production.Ms. Casey has written over a dozen award-winning books of fiction and nonfiction for both young adults and adults. The awards include the National Association of University Women Literary Award, the Sir Walter Raleigh Literary Award, the Independent Publisher Book Award, the Dana Award for Outstanding Novel, the IP Best Book for Regional Fiction, among others. Two of her nonfiction books have been optioned for major films, one of which is under contract.
Her award-winning articles, short stories, and poetry for adults have appeared in both national and international publications including the North Carolina Christian Advocate Magazine, The New East Magazine, the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer, the Rocky Mount (N.C.) Sunday Telegram, Dog Fancy, ByLine, The Christian Record, Skirt! Magazine, and True Story. A thirty-minute television special which Ms. Casey wrote and coordinated was broadcast on WRAL, Channel 5, in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also received special recognition for her editorial work on the English translations of Albanian children’s stories. Her award-winning science fiction short stories for adults are featured in The Cosmic Unicorn and CrossTime science fiction anthologies. Ms. Casey's essays and other works appear in The Chrysalis Reader, the international literary journal of the Swedenborg Foundation, 221 One-Minute Monologues from Literature (Smith and Kraus Publishers), and A Cup of Comfort (Adams Media Corporation).
Ms. Casey is a former director of BookFest of the Palm Beaches, Florida, where she served as guest author and panelist. She has served as judge for the Pathfinder Literary Awards in Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida, and was the Florida Regional Advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators from 1991 through 2003. In 2018 Ms. Casey received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Professional Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas. She makes her home on the top of a mountain in northwest Georgia with three cats who adopted her, Homer, Reese and Earl Gray - Reese’s best friend.
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Barbara-Casey/e/B001K7S4IW%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
The book will be on sale for $0.99 during the tour.
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-According-Prissy-Barbara-Casey/dp/098524402X
a Rafflecopter giveaway
May 10, 2021
Blog Tour: CATCH IT SPINNING by Claudia J. Severin
Catch It Spinning
by Claudia J. Severin
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GENRE: Historical Romance
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BLURB:
Yvonne Edison thought she was so lucky, dating a hunky high school football hero. She was proud to be wearing Dick Dunn’s class of 1968 ring. She thought their future was college, marriage, and a family together. Dick thought his future was adding her V-card to his growing collection before moving on to corrupting college coeds.
She supposed all innocent girls had rude awakenings. New-boy-in-town Randy Sparks made her forget her unfaithful first sweetheart. Well, almost. But did Randy adore her or was he more enamored with playing basketball and fighter plane games?
Daniel Adams knew Yvonne only saw him as the boy next door. His twin sister, Debbie, was her best friend so Yvonne always tolerated him growing up. But one day he realized she had morphed into a stellar beauty and had his pulse racing and boys flocking around her. By the time he was old enough to get a part-time job and buy his own set of wheels, he worried that she may be permanently attached to some other fool.
Yvonne sampled a variety of boys: the jock, the party animal, the hippie, the poet. But she wasn’t finding true love like her baton-twirler girlfriends. Was it because she’d kept her boyfriends wanting more like a good girl? Or had she craved control too much to let anyone get so intimate?
Fast forward to ten years later, when a medical problem threatened her perfectly manicured marriage. There was a treatment for her malady, but as her husband discovered, it may have been worse than the disease. The serious side effects threatened their relationship, and her happiness kept spinning out of reach just like that baton she once tried to master. She would need all of his love and support to grab on tightly.
Catch it Spinning is the first of the Twirler Quartet. The turbulent late 1960s and early 1970s provide the social unrest that simmers in the background even in a sleepy Midwestern city.
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Excerpt Three:
DRUG STORE:
Yvonne walked around Four Star Drugstore, pretending to look at gifts and greeting cards when she wanted to bolt out the door. She hugged herself mostly to keep her hands from shaking. I shouldn’t have come here, too many people I know shop here. A glance at the pharmacist assured her he was working earnestly.
“Yvonne?”
Oh no. The last person who can find me here. She looked up into Daniel’s face, cringing.
“I didn’t know you were heading here. My dad’s sick at home, but still thinks he needs his smokes. He figured since I am eighteen now, I can buy them.”
“You can’t be here now. You must leave before anyone sees you. Or sees us together.” Yvonne pulled her long hair toward her face, as though it could curtain her.
“What? What’s gotten into you? It isn’t a secret we are dating.”
“Shhhh. Don’t say that here. Go outside until I leave.” She made shooing motions with her hands, while he frowned and shook his head.
“Yvonne Edison, prescription is ready,” the pharmacist called over a loudspeaker.
Daniel squinted at her, as she was still motioning for him to leave. He went outside and stood in front of the drugstore.
Yvonne charged the prescription to her parents’ account and walked outside. Daniel stood right by the door, but she hurried to get into the driver’s side of her father’s Pontiac. He got in on the passenger side.
“Do you mind telling me what that was all about?”
Yvonne sighed. She opened the prescription sack and pulled out a plastic disc container and handed it to him.
His expression was blank. “What is this?”
She rolled her eyes. “Birth control pills.”
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My review: Yvonne wanted to hold on to her virginity until the time was right, but her boyfriend, Dicky Dunn, may not feel the same way. In fact, he may have been lying about his love for her, which he proved the night he tried to force something more and stops speaking to her. This leaves Yvonne heartbroken and wondering if she was still going to the prom. Then she gets invited by her best friend’s little brother. Her life revolves around themes such as friendship, harassment, competition, pregnancy, and a turbulent married life. As topsy-turvy as her life is, it’s no wonder why there so many references to the spinning baton.
This is a simple and relatable tale that spans the time from high school to adulthood. It carries a slow, even pace as it narrates the fun, awkward, and serious times of love.
A nice read.
My rating: 3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Claudia Johnson Severin lives on a farm in southeast Nebraska. She grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the Eastridge neighborhood. She went back to her high school twirler days for this series. Like her main characters, she found hours of practice together developed friendships which led to many adventures outside of school.
Like Yvonne, she graduated from the University of Nebraska with a journalism degree. She also worked at Lincoln Telephone Company. The infertility storyline is based loosely on the experience of college friends.
This is the first of the Twirler Quartet series. She previously wrote Her Side of History—Finding My Foremothers’ Footprints, an anthology of historical fiction about four of her family’s female ancestors.
Writing about past decades gives her a chance to rewrite history and gives the characters a chance to benefit from lessons learned in the time since. She loved the 1960s, but wouldn’t trade her smartphone for a teen line or her SUV for her old Volkswagen Beetle.
Website: https://claudiaseverin.net
Facebook: (4) Author Claudia J. Severin | Facebook
Buy: Amazon.com: Catch It Spinning (9781734214833): Severin, Claudia J.: Books
The book will be $0.99.
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Claudia J. Severin will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
May 8, 2021
Review: JUST ONE TOUCH by Melanie Shawn (Book 16)
Pregnant? Jasmine was pregnant. This should thrill her fiancé, right? It might’ve if she hadn’t caught him having sex with someone on their kitchen table. The cherry on top was throwing up on the new hunky vet in town, who was also her boss and new neighbor.
Jasmine is such a hard worker with working all these jobs and having to go to school. She wants to make a life for her and her baby. Gotta admire that. Jasmine’s ex is such a jerk! Not only did he get her pregnant, but he also got the girl he cheated with pregnant, too.
It’s so sweet how Leo was so gentle and caring toward Jasmine. He wanted to make sure she was okay. But can a wandering nomad like him be a dad to someone else’s baby? Still, Leo would do anything for Jasmine and her unborn baby.
A compelling read from start to finish. A sweet romance!
My rating: 5 stars
Review: FAIRY TALE LOVE by Melanie Shawn (Book 8)
Med student Becca has always been “just friends” with childhood buddy Brian. But perhaps it was time to start seeing more than friendship. It’s always nice to be with your best friend—the one you always tell everything to and the one you can always be yourself around.
Being cast on a reality love show called “Fairy Tale Love” might push the two to finally be honest with each other. Can they watch each other paired with another? Even if it was only part of the show? Or was it a show? There’s some good competition, good tension, and some good flirtation in this game.
A nice fairy tale love!
My rating: 4 stars
Review: ALL HE FEELS by Melanie Shawn (Book 11)
Ginny, a famous country singer, was staying with an old friend whom she couldn’t stop thinking about since that night they spent talking. Dax couldn’t believe his luck, and now he was working undercover to protect her. Now the two must share living spaces while fighting off their sexual urges. There’s something about a man that’s fought in wars and can build houses that’s so sexy!
Will she return to the bright lights of fame or settle down with the one she loves?
Soulful and sweet! A nice, lighthearted romance!
My rating: 4 stars
May 5, 2021
Blog tour: SEDUCED BY THE HANDYMAN by Nancy Fraser
Seduced by the Handyman
by Nancy Fraser
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GENRE: Steamy Contemporary Romance
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BLURB:
After a prolonged and messy divorce, 42 year old Cate Matthews uses her financial settlement to purchase a condo in a regentrified warehouse. The only problem with her new home is the plumbing. It doesn’t take her long to realize she needs an expert to fix the rusty pipes—both the building’s and her own.
Mitch Taylor, 27 year old former Army Ranger and now full time student, is working hard toward earning his engineering degree while balancing his education with part time work doing household repairs.
When Mitch shows up in Cate’s lecture hall, she’s immediately impressed with his knowledge of U.S. history, a subject to which she’s devoted her academic career. However, as impressed as she is with his historical acumen, when he lands on her doorstep with an impressively large bag of tools in hand, history is the last thing on her mind.
Perhaps this much younger and infinitely sexy man is just what she needs to get her dormant sex life back on track. Given the huge difference in their ages, Cate assumes the relationship will fizzle out after a few—albeit perfect—trips around the bedroom.
Much to her surprise and delight, Mitch seems to be in it for the long haul. Their 15 year age difference is the least of her worries when she realizes how quickly she’s been seduced by the handyman.
Warning: Contains language and lovescenes some readers may find HOT!
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Excerpt One:
“Dammit!” Cate Matthews shut the kitchen tap off quickly, but not before water sprayed everywhere, drenching the countertop, the china she’d placed on top of the dishwasher, and a good portion of her brand-new hardwood floor.
“Let me guess,” Sela shouted from the living room where she worked unpacking boxes.
“The half-assed patch job you attempted on your faucet didn’t take.”
“Shut up,” Cate groused. “I never claimed to have plumbing skills, and that Plumbing for Dummies book was less than helpful.”
Her best friend laughed heartily, arriving in the kitchen with an armful of towels. “Need these?” Sela asked.
“No. Thank you. I got most of it with half a roll of paper towel.”
Sela shot her a grin. “Are you ready to concede you need to call a real plumber?”
“I’m ready to concede this condo hasn’t turned out to be as perfect as I’d thought,” Cate admitted.
Sela pulled a bottle of wine from the fridge and took two glasses out of the cupboard.
“Perhaps you should have held out for more in the divorce. You could have been the one to keep the house, not that asshat ex of yours.”
Cate shook her head and gladly accepted the offered glass of wine, plunking herself down onto the closest chair. “It took four long years to finally come to an agreement. I was just glad to have it over and done with it.” She paused, taking a long drink of Cakebread chardonnay. “Besides, after I found out he’d screwed his last fling-of-the-month in our bed, I lost all interest in the house, and everything in it.”
“I can’t believe he admitted it,” Sela said, shaking her head, her short brown curls bouncing around her full face.
“I think it was his plan all along. He knew I’d cave and give him the house, and he was willing to pony up an extra cash settlement in exchange.”
Sela turned in her chair, scanning the open concept living area. “This is a great condo,” she admitted, “and within walking distance of the university.”
“I do love it—except for the wretched plumbing.” Setting her empty glass aside, Cate returned to organizing her kitchen. “I’ll give in and call a plumber in the morning.”
Sela stood and reached for her lightweight jacket. “I’d better get going. Ted’s due back from Boston on the eight-thirty flight and I told him I’d pick him up.”
“Thanks for the help, Sel.” Leaning forward, she gave Sela a hug. “Give Ted a kiss for me. I really appreciated his help finding this place.”
“Even with the plumbing?” Sela teased.
Cate nodded. “There’s something ironic about a forty-two-year-old divorcee who’s not had sex in nearly five years moving into this renovated warehouse.”
“How so?”
Cate grinned, a short laugh escaped. “Simple. Just like this old building, my pipes are definitely rusty.”
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My review: When your faucet is leaking, who you gonna call? A hot, young plumber, of course!
And after her bitter divorce, Cate’s old pipes were rusty. She didn’t realize the new handyman would be one of her students.
This is a nice story that slowly eases into a torrid love affair. Full of descriptive and lengthy narratives, story takes the reader on a sweet and sensual ride.
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 thirty-five 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
Jigsaw Puzzle Link:
Seduced by the Handyman Puzzle
Purchase Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XQWTXHD
Apple: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/seduced-by-the-handyman/id1556055163
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/seduced-by-the-handyman
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seduced-by-the-handyman-nancy-fraser/1138917265
Universal: http://books2read.com/handyman
The book will be $0.99.
Trailer Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5nZo...
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Nancy Fraser will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
May 4, 2021
Blog Tour: THE MISADVENTURES OF A (WANNABE) SLUTTY BARTENDER by WS Carmichael
The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender
by WS Carmichael
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GENRE: Romance/Romantic Comedy
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BLURB:
Ava Moreland has it all planned out. In two months, she will marry her fiancé, Tim. She’ll continue working at Vegas’s famous Cosmopolitan bar while he runs his father’s accounting firm. Soon they’ll start a family and she’ll have the white picket life she’s always dreamed of.
Or not.
When her fairytale engagement implodes in a devastating display, Ava embarks on a quest to reclaim her identity and feminine prowess – by sleeping her way through Las Vegas. With her best friend, Jarrod, acting as wingman her plan is foolproof.
Or not.
Nothing goes as planned with hilariously disastrous results. Her sexual misadventures will keep you in stitches as Ava searches for herself in Sin City, finding herself and her happily ever after in the unlikeliest of places.
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Excerpt Two:
“That’s your master plan? To become known as the slutty bartender?” Jarrod raises one eyebrow, his skepticism written all over his face.
“Well, it sounds bad when you put it like that.” I shrug. “You’re misunderstanding the point.”
“Is the point to see how many STD’s you can rack up?”
I sigh. “No. The point is to reclaim my womanly power. The point is to live life. The point is to embrace life’s opportunities without the expectation of a happily ever after. The point is to forget about Mr. Right and enjoy Mr. Right Now.”
Jarrod shakes his head, leaves me sitting on the sofa alone and goes into his bedroom.
“I thought you’d be totally on board!” I shout to his closed door.
I mean, seriously. It isn’t as if I told him I was going to lay spread eagle in front of The Bellagio holding a sign reading ‘Free Sex’. While I’m not the type of girl to throw her cooter at every guy passing by, I see no reason to be a total prude either. I’ve decided to explore the world of one-night stands. I get hit on all the time at work. What’s so wrong with taking someone up on the offer if I find him attractive? I am no longer beholden to anyone.
A few minutes later, Jarrod jerks his door open. “Ok. I’ve thought about it. You can do this, but you need a chaperone.”
“I don’t need a chaperone.”
“Ok, A wingman, then. I’ll be personally vetting your selections to make sure there’s no psycho vibes.” He plops down next to me on the couch.
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AUTHOR GUEST POST
Hmmm…What’s a day in my life like?
Most mornings, I wake up to sunlight streaming through the French doors opening onto my private balcony overlooking the cattle ranch my best friend and partner in life, Mark, and I own together in Northeast Wyoming. In the nicer weather, I take my coffee outside where I enjoy the view while I plan my day. My assistant gives me the day’s schedule. There are meetings with producers and screenwriters to discuss the movie version of The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender, headshots to approve for casting calls and cover models. I usually work out before breakfast so I can start my day energized with a feeling of accomplishment. After a shower and breakfast, I spend several hours working on my next bestseller. My agent sets strict deadlines because the demand for my novels is almost impossible to keep up with. In the afternoons, I accompany Mark as we work the ranch before we settle in for an evening of visiting and board games with our (collective) five children who all live on the ranch with us.
(Cue scratchy record sound)
Oh, wait. You wanted to know about my actual life?
Alright, you asked for it…There is nothing glamorous or sexy (except Mark) about my actual life. First of all, we don’t own a ranch in Wyoming. We live in upstate NY, a couple of hours north of the city. While writing is my passion and I love what I do, it doesn’t pay the bills – not yet anyway. At least five days a week, I wake up at four a.m. to my phone alarm blaring The Brothers Osborne, I’m Not For Everyone, because let’s face it – I’m not for everyone. Two presses of the snooze button and a shower later, I’m out the door at five fifteen to go to my bill paying job as a nurse where I will work either an eight- or sixteen-hour shift, depending on the day. Normally, I get off work at two p.m., by which time I still have no idea what to make for dinner. After polling Mark and the kids, I’ll still have no idea what to feed my family, so I wander around Walmart while I hope for inspiration. I’ll no doubt leave with way more than I planned to buy. To be fair, Mark does at least half the cooking. He is an awesome partner. It isn’t unusual for me to come home after a sixteen-hour shift to find he has a glass of wine and a light snack ready for me to enjoy while I relax in our hot tub. Massages with happy endings are never out of the question either. I definitely scored a huge win when I found him.
When I get home, my time is spent in equal parts justifying why I can’t work out, cleaning the house and juggling paperwork for our other two businesses. Mark runs a wildlife control business. If you’ve got critters in your house that do not belong there, we’re the people you call. Raccoons in the attic? Squirrels in the soffits? Woodchucks invading your garden? Skunk living under your porch? We do it all. Summertime is especially busy, so I help with pickups after my day job. If the weather is nice, there is a good chance I’m driving around with an animal of some sort in my vehicle. And yes, I have gone to work smelling like skunk on occasion, much to the dismay of my coworkers.
I try to write for a couple of hours at least three times a week, but as I’m sure you know, life has a crazy way of getting away from us. Most of the time, my writing is interrupted multiple times by an assortment of children. Mark and I have five between us. He has two and I have three. They range in age from eighteen to twenty-two. Only two of mine actually live with us, but the rest are in and out regularly. I never mind the interruptions, though. As parents, we only have our children around us for a short time. I’ll have plenty of uninterrupted writing time when they all run away to live their own lives, but I’m not in a hurry for that day to come.
My real life is busy and exhausting and wonderful. I may not have time to do everything I want to do because I am busy doing all the things I need to do, but I wouldn’t change a thing – except maybe being a successful enough author to ditch the day job and buy that ranch in Wyoming…
If you want to read more about my crazy life and family, please visit my blog at www.WSCarmichael.com.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
WS Carmichael is attempting to write the world into romantic bliss one novel at a time. Based in upstate NY, she travels as often as her hectic schedule will allow. When she isn’t busy writing, she’s a mother, nurse and avid sportswoman.
WS Carmichael fell in love with romance at an early age when she would sneak Harlequins from her mother. A voracious reader, she eventually made the jump to writing.
Writing is her passion and she’s always jotting down new storyline and character ideas. Often, her characters take on a life of their own and don’t always cooperate with her plan for them. Creating well developed, strong alpha male characters that don’t fit into the typical romance hero mold makes her novels exciting and relatable. A woman who believes whole heartedly in happily ever after, she gives her heroes the heroine they deserve.
You can check out her blog and find out more on her website:
Social Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wscarmichaelauthor/#
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RomanceWSC
Website: http://www.wscarmichael.com/
Amazon buy link:
https://www.amazon.com/Misadventures-Wannabe-Slutty-Bartender-ebook/dp/B08RBFPR2J/
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
WS Carmichael will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
May 2, 2021
Review: THROUGH HIS EYES by Deborah Camp
Trudy is a psychic getting paid by people willing to pay. One day, she gets called to Florida to work on a serial murder case with a renowned psychic named Levi Wolfe, who also happens to be hot and sexy. There’s an instant attraction between the two. The physical and mental chemistry between them is electrical.
With Trudy having a strong connection to the killer and Levi embodying the spirit of the dead victims, the team follow clues, closing in on this vicious killer before another victim is claimed. Story sends the reader on a wild psychic ride.
Captivating and well-written! An enthralling and sexy story!
My rating: 5 stars
Review: THROUGH HIS HEART by Deborah Camp
Dreams of a little girl are haunting Trudy. Kidnapped?
Visions of her and a man were coming to her and she knew she just had to help. Her relationship with fellow psychic Levi was also growing, but now he must face demons from his past.
Will she find the girl and bring her home in time for Christmas?
This story mainly deals with her struggles to connect with the kidnapper, evangelists that think she’s a fake, and her lover’s childhood misery. It didn’t really concentrate so much on the case or her psychic ability.
A nice read overall, but it doesn’t make me want to continue the series after this.
My rating: 3 stars
April 28, 2021
Blog Tour: A RECKLESS HEART by Jennifer Wilck
A Reckless Heart
by Jennifer Wilck
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GENRE: contemporary romance
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BLURB:
Meg Thurgood, former society girl, took the blame for her friend and paid a steep price. Now all she wants is solitude and a chance to rebuild her life. She thinks she's found that in an isolated house she rents from a mysterious stranger.
Simon McAlter has hidden in his house on the coast of Maine since a fire left him scarred. A successful landscape architect who conducts his business and teaches his classes remotely, he's lost his inspiration and is trying to pretend he's not lonely.
Simon's new neighbor is more than he bargained for. When he learns Meg's secret, will he retreat into the shadows or will he learn to see past the surface and trust in Meg's love?
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Excerpt One:
Nervous laughter bubbled in her chest. They’d been close before and held hands. Granted, he’d covered hers on the ladder, but still. It wasn’t the first time they touched. Why was this different? She remembered the sensations when he’d covered her hand on the roof— warmth and roughness and safety. And she wanted it. She bumped her hand against his, on purpose, to feel his skin. It wasn’t smooth like hers. Its texture, unique to him, fascinated her. A moment later, he rubbed his arm against her.
Was it accidental, too? She snuck a glance at his profile. Although his hair blocked most of his face, she’d swear when the wind blew it, a ghost of a smile hovered, like they shared a private joke. Her belly warmed, and the air between their knuckles, where they almost touched, crackled with electricity.
The next time their bodies touched, she slipped her hand through his elbow. His body jolted before he pressed her arm against his side, and they walked to the curve of the shore connected.
When they stopped, they watched the waves lap over the rocks, their froth sputtering into the cracks.
“This is the only place I’ve ever not felt alone,” he whispered.
“How long have you been alone?”
“Too long,” he replied. “This is the only place I’ve ever felt seen.”
“I can’t imagine you invisible,” he said.
“When “It Girls” and camera bulbs surround you, it’s easy to fade into the background.”
The sky and water darkened as the light faded, and she shivered in the chill air. Her hand grew icy as he pulled away from her. As she was about to complain, a weight landed on her shoulders. His arm drew her close. He remained still, as if he waited to see if she’d object. Instead, she leaned against his side. Heat emanated from him, and tingles ran through her body. A desire to turn into him, to press her body against his, to kiss him, overwhelmed her. He positioned her in front of him and rested his chin on the top of her head. His heart beat against her back. A soft moan escaped her lips, and they both froze. All of a sudden, she was aware of how close she was. His jacket was warm from his body and smelled like him.
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My review: Meg wanted to take control of her life again, claim her innocence, and start over. She was hoping some time in a remote cottage would do the trick. Her landlord, Simon, was a bitter, billionaire recluse with burn scars he never wanted anyone to see.
The two are stand-offish and fearful of getting too close. But slowly their barriers begin to crumble and start to see beyond those exteriors.
Story captivates the reader overall. The writing was good, although slow at times. The landscapes are described in wonderful detail.
A nice story about second chances and finding the inner beauty.
My rating: 4 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Jennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Pretty soon, her head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Even as an adult, she thinks about the characters and stories at night before she falls asleep or walking the dog. Eventually, she started writing them down. Her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after.
In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate.
She writes contemporary romance, many of which feature Jewish characters in non-religious settings (#ownvoices). She’s published with The Wild Rose Press, as well as indie, and all her books are available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.jenniferwilck.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jennifer-Wilck-201342863240160/
Newsletter: https://www.jenniferwilck.com/contact.html#newsletter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JWilck
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjenniferwilck/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jennifer-wilck
Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Reckless-Heart-Scarred-Hearts-Book-ebook/dp/B08X429BMX/
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Jennifer Wilck will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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