Veronica Cline Barton's Blog: Mistletoe and Mayhem: Yuletide at Castlewood Manor listed as, "One of the best suspense books of all time." - BookAuthority, page 24

Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Valentine’s Mood; Do the Things You *Love*

Happy Valentine’s Day Eve-Amour, Amore, Amor–so many beautiful ways to say *Love*! I’m thinking of expanding the traditional theme of Valentine’s Day love to doing the things you love best this year. Yes, I still love roses and chocolates (and of course I would never turn down a gift of crowns or boots #JustSayin). Take a walk, call a friend, read, have a spa day, have a scrumptious meal (just don’t let Gemma get a whiff), take the trip…you get the gist, do something for you…it’s well deserved!

This week I’m also coming up on my one year anniversary since I started out on Social Media, this blog, and the release of three books in my series (plus a short story prequel, more on that later). I’ve been blessed with so many positive things this past year, most importantly having the connection with you—and I *love* it! It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:

#AmMarketing #AmWriting

30 day Book Marketing Challenge update (Rachel Thompson, @BadRedheadMedia):

I’m going to give you my key take-aways I found this week (buy her book, great value!

Veronica’s #WritersDiary, When the Polar Vortex Hands You Lemons, Make Lemon Drops—Shaken, Not Stirred!

“We’re in the beautiful Canadian Rockies–lots of snow, sub-zero weather…” I had this opening line all planned for the blog today, imagining the finishing touches of today’s blog post being typed from within the stony halls of the castle in Banff Springs, as I sat by a roaring fire. But alas, the blizzard gods from the Polar Vortex of the west intervened with their snowy vengeance, and cancelled our flights!

So back we trotted home with our reclaimed bags, soaking faux fur boots dripping puddles on the floor, courtesy of  the rare torrential southern California rains. We rescheduled the trip (and indulged, ahem, in a few libations—not vodka lemon drops this go around actually, but gin/St.Germaine/lemon juice martinis (Savoy American Bar style))

Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Time for Some #InspirationResearch (IR), Canadian Rockies Style!

We’re headin’ to the hills, well Canadian Rockies to be exact and I cannot wait. 60s and sunny California good-bye, hello beautiful, snowy, sub-zero Banff Springs! Now don’t go rollin’ your eyes in the back of your head—I know much of the northern hemisphere is dealing with polar vortex temps and snow, this is my chance to join in on the winter fun.

Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Tally-ho!

Tally-ho! The blood moon has beckoned, time to move forward with the book marketing (although I think the vampires drank all the blood by the time the moon made it here to southern, California, LOL)! Its bright white magnificence has inspired me to get moving on my ever growing to-do list and “git ‘er dun.”

I do want to take a moment to thank you for the wonderful messages of hope, love, and hugs that were sent to me last week with my mother’s passing. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me—you touched my heart when I needed it most.

So, if you’re ready, it’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:

#AmMarketing

I’m a bit behind but am currently working with some folks to get the word out on my new book and the series. In February expect some posts/coverage from:

@WomenWriters : http://booksbywomen.org/ featuring posts about the book, links to interviews, and ads with my cover featured.
Mark Schultz, @wordrefiner :  http://www.wordrefiner.com and I will be doing a week of QA once again. I love doing these sessions—he always has interesting questions that make you think and ponder. And who doesn’t love Grizz! It’s a week of promo that is highly recommended!

I’m also very excited to announce that I’ll be working with Leonard Tillerman, @mywritersnook via his Patreon services for my series. Leonard is a great supporter of the #writercommunity on Twitter and other platforms and always offers excellent tips and reviews.

This week I am setting up accounts with the following sites to get my books read and reviewed (and contribute reads/reviews myself) This has been suggested by a couple of sources as ‘must do’s’ for writers:

BookBub, https://www.bookbub.com
NetGalley, https://www.netgalley.com/

One last (and apparently very important if you didn’t know) tidbit from multiple sources regarding your Amazon links that get copied and pasted as you promote your works (apparently there is a right way and a wrong way I have just found out).  You want to delete any reference tags on your link so that Amazon will give more ‘credence’ to links that get posted and hit (very important as they track every hit). For example purposes I’ve deleted the http://www.amazon that goes before the /Deadly-Receptions et al so that the link won’t activate.

Wrong:  /Deadly-Receptions-Castlewood-American-Almost-ebook/dp/B07MJM923B/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VOYJ02GXWZK4&keywords=deadly+receptions+the+debut+of+castlewood+manor&qid=1548186655&sprefix=deadly+receptions%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-1-spel

All of the info highlighted in red needs to be deleted from any links you send out. With this reference info Amazon can track that the link has come from you and your computer, ‘discounting’ the value they place on hits/reviews that come from the link. This was news to me but very important in the promoting your book world. I’ve tried it in tweets and removing the reference info has no impact on the link. So now you know…

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#AmReading #AmReviewing

A mind blowing read this week from the amazing writers of Twitter!

Author Travis Borne, ‘Lenders: The Unlicensed Consciousness’, 5 STARS

Author Travis Borne takes you on a mind blowing sci fi trek to the future where man is no longer the dominant species on the planet. Machines rule the world with an artificial intelligence that feeds on the minds of men, proving in vivid, disastrous detail the adage ‘be careful what you wish for’.  Author Borne takes us back and forth in time as we learn how the technology developers of the past placed a deadly mortgage on humans in the future—and how the human spirit and consciousness is never quite quenched as the surviving few try to break free in the machine controlled, AI world.

The technology details and presumptions were fascinating to me, showing a path of human devolution that could quite possibly happen. The characters and settings are described in vivid detail as the reader time travels from club debauchery to software development labs to dodging killer drones in a wasted land to the lender map locations that must be consciousness swept every day if man is to survive, or else. Did the developers of the past foresee the destruction of the future? Is there a way to escape the AI shackles of the future? This was a page turning read for me and I am so glad Lenders II: The Time Tribulations is out, for I will be back. A suspense filled sci fi read, highly recommended!

Next in the reading queue:

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The Cats Are Not Amused…

Daisy: “Why’d they take down the Christmas tree? Here I was sleeping soundly when Paw came over and started pulling out the tree skirt! There’s a cat sleeping here, hello!”

Ebbie: “Tell me about it–I was all curled up inside the Amazon box when I was bonked on the head by a falling crown ornament of Maw’s. Those pointed ends hurt! But they do feel good to rub against for a nice scratch I must admit…”

Daisy: “And what’s with all the red lights? Paw’s got them everywhere. Someone’s going to call the neighborhood association, just wait…Skootch over, Ebbie, you’re hoggin’ all the pillows!”

Ebbie (with a slight hiss): “I told you to lay off lapping that eggnog, Daisy! You need to eat the lean deli turkey like me, I’m Paw’s little princess…”

The cats collaborated into the wee hours, exiled under their coffee table, basking in  the glow of the red lights. The next morning as Maw and Paw climbed out of bed, their feet were met with the nice squishy feel of wet hairballs that had been strategically hacked. That ought to teach them–Cats rule!

Welcome to my week! Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend, friends!

Crowns and Kisses,

Veronica

P.S. Did you see the 2019 Oscar nominations? (https://oscar.go.com/) They have nothing on the Telly Tiara’s featured in Deadly Receptions of course, but I’m excited to go out and watch some of the nominated movies! Gemma would approve

Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Deadly Receptions; the Debut of Castlewood Manor—Showtime!

Deadly Receptions: the Debut of Castlewood Manor is now available for pre-order (eBook release February 1)! A major milestone for sure, and I’m so glad the last minute issues were resolved with the book proofs.

Amazon, Barnes and Noble .com, iBooks, Kobo, Copia, Baker & Taylor, Gardners, eSentral, Scribd, Ciando, ePubDirect, and Vearsa are the retailers that have been sent the eBook by BookBaby. I’m super excited to have it offered in more outlets this go round. So now it’s off to marketing in earnest, let the pre-orders commence!  It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:

 

 

First look, Front and Back!

Nothing like seeing the front and back in living color! Special thanks once again to my step-daughter, Danielle Gregorio, who designed the cover lay-out. I love the cover and I can’t wait for readers to attend the glamorous events in London, New York City, Vail, and Malibu!

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#AmReading #AmReviewing

Once again this week the writer’s of Twitter did not disappoint! A dark tale that will keep you guessing to the end, and annihilation of the human race!

Author Helen Grant, ‘Ghost’, 5 STARS

Author Helen Grant takes you on chilling read that will keep you guessing until the very last page is read. Augusta ‘Ghost’ McAndrew lives in the remote Scottish estate, Langlands House, with her grandmother, Rose, shielded from the outside world and convinced that she is living in the 1940s during the war. They grow their own food, wear the ancient gowns of their ancestors, and keep up the rooms of the house as they can. Only Rose leaves the estate to go out for essentials. Augusta is soon to turn eighteen and is longing to find out more about the outside world that her grandmother refuses to let her get to know.

A storm causes major damage at the estate, forcing Rose to bring in outsiders for the repairs. Augusta views the workers from the attic where she is forced to hide when they’re working. Tom McAllister captures her interest, and the two exchange innocent, yet forbidden hidden messages. The work is completed, and Augusta’s brief interlude with the outside world ends until the day when grandmother Rose doesn’t return home from her trip into town. Augusta is all alone in her fabricated world, until the day when Tom returns.

Tom and Augusta work to uncover the details of her past that her grandmother kept hidden from her. Their young love develops and takes Augusta to the outside world for the first time. Dark family secrets and deeds emerge–will Augusta ever be able to forgive her grandmother for her actions? Will she ever be able to acclimate to the outside world, or will the internal demons of the mind keep her hidden at Langlands House forever? A haunting read with an ending that chills–highly recommended!

 

Author K.Z. Howell, ‘Dead World’, 5 STARS

The world will never be the same in Author K.Z. Howell’s apocalyptic tale. People around the world are dying en masse as deadly bio-chemical toxins are released from famous landmarks. Someone wants the global population to be below 500 million, and are determined to change the world as we know it. Panic is rampant as people try to escape the toxic plague and get to safer grounds, but where is safe? Highways are destroyed and communications cut off by the government in an attempt to contain the catastrophe that has now become uncontrollable.

Survivalist leader Brad Tillman and his skilled network of retired military, family, and friends try to save as many people as possible, but he knows that the chaos is going to get much, much worse as civilized societies implode. Is the plague just a ruse, a tip of the cataclysmic iceberg that has been unleashed on the world? Author Howell skillfully takes us location to location with eye witness tales of the impending doom and the violent chaos that looms as looters and ne’er do wells try and get their fair share, any way they can. The suspense builds page to page as details emerge of what has happened, and conspiracy theories are rampant. Will the truth ever be found in time? I found this to be a suspense filled, page turner that keeps you guessing and leaves you wanting more! A great read from Author K.Z. Howell.

Next in the reading queue (now that the holidays are over I will be going back to 1 book per week due to time constraints) :

 

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In remembrance of my mother…

This has been a bittersweet week for me and our family. Our mother passed on this week after battling many medical issues. One of her greatest gifts to me was encouraging me to read from an early age. That gift changed my life in so many ways, and I will always be grateful. You are loved and you are missed…

Please enjoy the rest of your week and have a great weekend my friends!

Crowns and Kisses,

Veronica

P.S. Give hugs to your loved ones today! Gemma would approve

Veronica’s #WritersDiary , Let’s Get This New Year Started!

Christmas (check), New Year’s (check), Birthday (check)—my favorite holidays are now complete. Armed with yet another new crown, it’s 2019 and time for business (and lots fun of course)! I’m up to my eyeballs in marketing to-do’s, and getting the 3rd book completed for release has had its challenges this week.

I’m trying to keep a positive attitude–things will work out one way or another, I know from experience. In the meantime, I’m just going to have to schedule in a sooner than later appointment with my hairdresser to cover up the grays that have sprouted out of nowhere! It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:

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 #AmTryingToGetABookReleased

It’s almost royal showtime for Deadly Receptions; the Debut of Castlewood Manor! That is if a last minute kink can be worked out with BookBaby. For my books, I use a design style that has the first letter of the first word in the chapter as a large, drop down letter that indents the first paragraph. The large letter is cursive in style, and I just really like the look. Createspace editors came up with the design for the first two books, and I provided the first two book proofs to BookBaby to come up with a similar style for consistency.

Createspace produced the eBook design for viewing on Kindles. BookBaby’s eBook design will work on multiple eBook platforms (which from a marketing perspective should be a good thing–you’re not limited to Kindles alone). Turns out that drop down large letter design element does not translate consistently across multiple platforms, and so at the last minute, I have to decide whether to move forward without the drop down letter (forfeiting consistency with the first two books) or stop everything and go to another publisher…not a place I wanted to be. I’m hoping to work out a partial resolution with BookBaby—updates next week!

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#AmReading #AmReviewing

A great start to the new year as I traveled to some dark halls in Ireland and horse country in Texas thanks to the awesome writers of Twitter!

Author Midge Cline, ‘Wyndham Hall’ 5 STARS

Restoring an ancient Irish manor house is a dream of a lifetime for Nigel and Gwynn Morgan and their daughter Binne. After many years of traveling around the world on adventurous projects, they hope to make Wyndham Hall their home and open sections of the manor house and estate to visitors. The local villagers are wary—Wyndham Hall is a house of secrets with a tragic past, and the Morgans are outsiders.

Author Midge Cline weaves a chilling, bittersweet tale as the new owners of Wyndham Hall begin their renovations, uncovering the dark secrets of the past, and experiencing the vengeance of spirits that roam the corridors. Nigel, Gwynn and Binne, aided by their new village friends and academic family members unravel the truth, but will the evil spirits prevail and drive them away? This is a great read for YA and adults, highly recommended!

Author Shanna Swenson, ‘Abundance’, 5 STARS

Natalie Cameron and her daughter Dallie are returning to the family ranch in Abundance, Texas on the heels of a horrendous marriage that ended in tragedy, murder, and scandal. Emotions run high as Natalie comes to terms with her circumstances, and begins to build a new life with her young daughter at the family home. Ranch foreman Jack Kinsen tries to reach out to the broken woman offering kindness and friendship, but Natalie takes her hurt and anger out on him, threatening a deep attraction developing between them.

Author Shanna Swenson takes you on a steamy, romantic, emotional ride as Natalie works through her raging feelings that threaten to take her down. Will she be able to trust and love again with help from her parents and Jack? Her vengeful ex has other ideas, and is bent on destroying the woman he feels betrayed him. I really enjoyed this read filled with life complexities, developing romance, family relationships, steamy encounters, and a suspense filled ending. A great read, highly recommended!

Next up in the reading queue:

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Fun Times!

I had a fabulous birthday this year–lots of great time with family and friends, awesome gifts, and even a few days of my favorite thing in the world—snow and cold thanks to a mountain trip with Hubby! I had two ‘gifts’ that I have to highlight (and a few mountain pics from Big Bear Lake):

An original write-up featuring moi from author Sheila Patel in another of my favorite places–The Magic Vodka Wardrobe! Woot, Woot–bring on the voddies! Stay tuned for Sheila’s Book 3 release–cannot wait to get back to the Wardrobe!

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And proving a Mama is never too old to get another homemade #Christmas ornament from her son (even if he is now 31 y/o)–my #DieHardIsAChristmasMovie ornament!

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And lots of lovely, cold mountain air at Big Bear!

Welcome to my world

Veronica’s #WritersDiary , Well Hello 2019!

I hope you had a fabulous New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day–welcome to 2019! I cannot wait to see what unfolds this year—new books to read (and write!), new friends to meet, and lots of new travel adventures to take (watch out Canada, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Norway)!

I’ve savored each day the past few weeks (our decorations and lights are still up for just a few more days), enjoying the Christmas celebrations, New Years fun, and tomorrow, my birthday party with friends and family visiting from Kentucky and Tennessee (the Witten Kittens)! Being a Christmas/New Years baby gives me some added incentive to stretch out this time of year for as long as I can (we are going to have to blast the cats out from under the Christmas tree, #JustSayin) 

Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Getting Ready to Ring in the New Year!

Ho, ho, hope you all enjoyed a fabulous, almost royal Christmas day! I’m still in a semi-food coma myself, the eggnog is depleted and just a few sugar cookies are left, so dreading trying to fit into my skinny jeans…#JustSayin #HoHoHo . December 26th is a bittersweet day for me—my favorite day is over and now it’s time to close out 2018 and prepare for a new year.

My year started off with a bang—turning the big 6-0 (snorkeling in Iceland); publishing the first two books in my series in February and March; diving into the social media scene; starting the blog; taking some great trips near and far; staying up all night to watch not one, but two royal weddings; and now, waiting for book three to be released very shortly, WOWZA 2018! Alas, that was then, this is now…it’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:

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#AmGettingReadytoRelease #AmMarketing

So close now folks–I approved the final text proof last week and the cover should be finalized this week after a few changes. Once completed, the ebook version of Deadly Receptions; the Debut of Castlewood Manor will be out on ebook platforms everywhere (with hard copy print on demand versions available soon after), woo hoo! But as writers well know, this is just the beginning…

As I’ve mentioned before, I purchased the $399 marketing services pack from BookBaby to help develop a marketing plan for this release (with BookBaby’s partner, Smith Publicity). With this package, I filled out a questionnaire to identify the areas I want to focus on; sales, outreach efforts (social media, events, giveaways etc), getting more visibility and reviews for the books. Once the survey was completed and sent back to Smith Publicity, I was supposed to receive a one hour consultation to go over the recommendations for my situation.

I did not receive any info prior to my consultation call. During the call I verbally received some recommended websites to check out (BookBub, Net Galley), some #’s for groups in Goodreads that I should tie into, look for reviewers/influencers in my genre, and finally think of giveaways to do for the 3rd book release. I did receive an email listing these recommendations (after I asked for one) and was told if I wanted detailed promo services specific to me I could be put in touch with their business development team for services starting at $6000/month.

The recommendations were helpful, but I have to say that I would probably not purchase this service pack again. I have found much more detailed info for my situation  in Rachel Thompson’s book I mentioned last week ($7.99 Kindle version or free if you have Kindle Unlimited), and from other websites I found on my own. Moral of the #ammarketing story for me is to make sure I understand the scope and deliverables of any future services purchased so that expectations and deliverables are in synch.

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#AmReading #AmReviewing

I had the great pleasure of reading two more books this past week by the fabulous writers of Twitter!

Author Patricia Earnest Suter’s The Face of a Monster, America’s Frankenstein, 5 STARS

What drives a person to become a monster? A psychological question that has been studied and analyzed for centuries. Author Suter does a masterful job of delving into the history of one of the early mass murderer’s in American history, detailing the story of Anton Probst, a German immigrant who brutally slaughters an entire family. She innovatively compares and contrasts his story and environment with the life and writings of Mary Shelley on the 200th anniversary of her classic tale Frankenstein (The Modern Prometheus), a monster physically created, that ultimately turns evil due to the environmental influences of its surroundings and lack of empathy and care by its creator and others around it.

Ms. Suter leaves no stone unturned as we learn about the murderer, his upbringing, and the life choices (or lack there of due to societal constraints) that drove him to his evil acts.  Contrast that to the history of his victims, and their fateful decision to hire him which ultimately led to their deaths. Finally, learn about the personal and environmental turmoil in Mary Shelley’s life that led to her writing her classic horror tale and the comparisons and parallels to this real life tragedy.

Author Suter’s detailed, historical, compare/contrast narrative makes for a fascinating read into the human psyche and its environmental and societal influencers, both fictional and non-fiction. What makes us choose what we choose? Do we really have any control? Will we learn from history, or are we doomed to repeat past mistakes? Her research is very detailed and gives the reader insights and parallels that will make you ponder the many what ifs in our lives that ultimately determine our destiny. A very informative read, one that leads to many more questions!

Author Jessie Cahalin’s You Can’t Go It Alone (Sunflower Book 1) 5 STARS

All is not ideal in the charming Welsh village of Delfryn. Author Cahalin weaves a heartwarming, true to life, bittersweet tale centered around the lives of a few of the village inhabitants as they deal with IVF struggles, income difficulties, lost loves and new love, and loads of personal and family secrets that impact the old, the young and everyone in between. I really enjoyed the vignette view into the characters’ situations and challenges in the story. As a reader, I felt their sorrow, hopes, and joys as they faced major life issues, made decisions that would influence their future, and learned of the past actions that impacted their present.

This was a delightful read highlighting the sometimes tangled and complex relationship web of family and friends that make you laugh, shout, and cry at times. I’m once again reminded that we are all connected by our experiences, and by helping one another we ultimately help ourselves. An inspirational tale just in time for the new year, highly recommended!

Next in the reading queue:

 

A Look Back at 2018, Some of My Favorite Pictures

Veronica’s #WritersDiary, It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Not much longer now folks, Christmas is just around the corner! I hope your holiday season is in full swing–enjoy all that eggnog and fruitcake (and perhaps a few cocktails

Veronica’s #WritersDiary Time for Some Holiday #InspirationResearch in NYC!

Oh the weather outside is COLD! Yippee! So grateful to have a few days of #InspirationResearch (IR) in the Big Apple for this holiday season. We have walked the streets of NYC sight seeing, people watching (loads of character inspiration here #JustSayin), and enjoying the beautiful Christmas lights that make the city so magical this time of year.

It’s been a lot of fun going to the places where my characters visited in Deadly Receptions. I’m pleased to say we didn’t have any of the, ahem, cozy mystery drama and dastardly deeds that seems to follow Gemma and crew—I’ll take that as a (very) good thing. It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:

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The folks at Smith Publicity are putting together their recommendations for my marketing efforts in the next few months. I’m very excited about rolling out a formal plan with milestones. Serious work starts next week when I get back—some of the focus areas for me include:

Target market/audience advertising–demographics, media platform outreach
Social media expansion–for me that means Instagram
Book blurbs and elevator pitch–what’s your book about, what makes it unique–short/clear/concise
Synopsis–time to start synopsizing if you plan on querying
Press releases—local news, organizational outreach
Events–Book signings, conventions, blog tour

I’ll give more details in the next post.

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#AmReading #AmReviewing

This week I had the pleasure of reading not just 1, not just 2, but 3 offerings from the wonderful writers world of Twitter. I’ve mentally traveled from the dark corners of Paris, to the upscale British countryside of the Hamptons, to the eerie Irish corridors of Corvus Hall….

Author William Gareth Evans, Within the Glass Darkly, 5 STARS

Author William Gareth Evans draws the reader into this lurid tale of vampire lore, sweeping you back in time to the streets of Paris where beastly murders chill everyone’s blood. Revenge, twisted love, and desire drive the dark manipulations of the vampire characters, giving you a perspective of their psyche and transformative powers that was quite revealing and unexpected. I loved the detailed settings in the story, the heartfelt desires and innocence of the victims, and the suspense filled hunt and battle vignettes that keep you glued to the page.

Author Evans weaves a classic horror tale that takes the reader deeper into the history, challenges, and choices that transformed beings into these creatures of the night and the sorrow they bring to the victims and their loved ones. Good versus evil at its chilling best. A page turning, chilling read. Highly recommended!

Author Tina-Marie Miller, Fame and Fortune, 5 STARS

Author Tina-Marie Miller weaves a wonderful cozy mystery tale with the inhabitants of The Hamptons, an upscale area in the British countryside. New business ventures, evolving relationships, celebrity drama, family feuds and the backstories and turmoil’s of childhood (and adulthood) give this story a glimpse of life in the Hamptons that draws the reader in. I loved getting to know the many inhabitants–their hopes, dreams, backgrounds and fears, and the interactions that cause great joy, and despair, as they prepare for the Cotswolds County Majorette of the Year competition.

I enjoyed reading this book immensely and could not put it down! Author Miller does a masterful job weaving this tale intricately back and forth between the families and inhabitants of the Hamptons, pulling at your heart strings one minute and sending chills down your spine the next. Fame and Fortune is the third book in Ms. Miller’s view into Hampton life, and I can’t wait to read the other stories! My heart and interests have been captured by the characters of the Hamptons—a very enjoyable cozy read, indeed.

Author Bibiana Krall, Corvus Hall, 5 STARS

Author Bibiana Krall once again takes the reader on a dark tinged journey to come face to face with a past that won’t be pushed away. As a young woman from a loving family, Mary O’Brien has always had a sense of foreboding and haunting dreams that someone or something was watching her, waiting for her…tap, tap, tap…Fast forward in time as Mary embarks on a trip of a lifetime to her ancestral roots in Ireland, for the Christmas nuptials of her best friend Ashlinn and fiancé Evan, the heir to 17th century mansion, Corvus Hall, and the McCarthy family liquor dynasty.

Mary’s haunting dreams continue, becoming more vivid with her introduction to Nigel, Evan’s adopted brother, who is determined to be with her. As the day of the nuptials approaches, she explores the woods and corridors of Corvus Hall, coming face to face with the past that won’t be forgotten. A chilling tale and page turning read that will haunt you until the very end.

Up next in the reading queue:

 

Getting in that New York state of mind…

The Empire State Bldg., Bryant Park, Tavern on the Green in Central Park–this city comes to life at night! We’ve really enjoyed seeing the sights, and I think I know someone who is already focusing on some new light purchases…#JustSayin

I hope your week is fabulous–Happy Holidays!

Crowns and Kisses,

Veronica

P.S. Can’t forget those NYC cocktails—The Bad Apple (gin, apple cider, lemon). Gemma definitely approves