Beth Trissel's Blog, page 9

Furbaby Friday with Michelle Kidd!

I am happy to have my friend and fellow author Michelle Kidd here to share her darling little dog and début novel, Inspirational Time Travel Suspense, Timeless Moments. She hit it out of the park with her first book which is soaring at Amazon.

Michelle: Introducing Lacy

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Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share my fur baby with you. Thank you, Beth, for having us. My Lacy girl was a surprise gift from my husband on Easter 2011. Normally, I know when he’s hatching some plot, but her arrival came as a complete surprise. I had said after I lost my beautiful Cocker Spaniel, Samantha, I wasn’t sure I could go through that pain again. But my husband, who couldn’t stand me grieving, took matters into his own hands. I’m so glad he did. The holes those little pawprints leave can never be filled, but the heart is a wonderful thing. In time it can expand and grow to love again.

From the minute that fluffy white ball of fur crawled into my lap, shy and clingy, I knew she needed me as much as I needed her. She got over her shyness pretty quickly and totally took over our lives before we realized it. My boys adore her, and I love having another female in the house. She is definitely Mama’s girl. I’d never heard of a Bichon Frise. I read up on them and learned they are in the poodle family, but there’s nothing prissy or fru-fru about this gal. She’s my little tom boy.

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A typical day for her includes barking at the groundhog who lives under my neighbor’s shed, running the fence with her pal, the beagle, keeping my boys company while they splash in the pool, and helping her mama write the current WIP. When she’s not otherwise occupied, she loves the occasional bath—yes, you read that right. She often falls asleep while I’m rinsing her, no doubt worn out from all her other activities. It doesn’t matter where she is or what she’s doing, she comes running at the sound of the blow dryer. Wet or dry, she has to have her curls blown out.

When I sit down at the keyboard, she recognizes it’s time to get to work. It’s a tough job supporting and encouraging a writer. Lacy knows a writer’s life isn’t always easy, but her unflagging optimism gives me courage to keep typing away, even on the hardest of days!

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Author Bio:

Born and raised in the heart of Virginia, Michelle Kidd is an author, quilter, and avid reader. Michelle lives with her husband of 25 years, two sons, the world’s craziest cat, and dorky dog. When not writing, she enjoys homeschooling and time with family. A lifelong writer, she enjoys weaving her faith through her stories.

Michelle enjoys hearing from her readers and learning how the stories and characters have impacted them. For more information or to get in touch with her visit: MichelleKidd.com

*Note: My cat has since passed away, but you can find her in the pages of TIMELESS MOMENTS. (A time traveling cat . . . well, maybe)

Blurb from Timeless Moments:

(Christian Time Travel Suspense)

What’s hidden in the dark will be brought to light . . .

When Jewel Wiltshire marries, she vows to love, honor, and obey. Little does she know that her husband’s secrets will push her faith far beyond anything she can imagine. For two years she remains a prisoner until a mysterious stranger appears offering friendship and hope.

Jack Vines has the Victorian home of his dreams—or so it seems until he discovers an intriguing beauty lurking in the shadows. Stunned, he finds they share the house but live a century apart. She is a prisoner of the past, shrouded in a world of dark mysteries. He holds the keys that will protect their future. When her letters suddenly stop, can he unravel the mystery that threatens to alter both their lives forever?

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Excerpt:

Jack pressed his nose against the car window. The chilled sensation made shivers race down his spine, or maybe it was anticipation. He enjoyed the way the pale yellow sunlight streamed through the morning fog. The light shimmered across the damp street of Rivermont. How he loved the smell of wet pavement. He didn’t understand his excitement. He only knew it stirred him, this small feeling like the flutter of butterfly wings in his stomach.

To his eight-year-old mind, the Victorian homes emerged from the mist and stood like ageless soldiers along the avenue. His house was coming into view—it wasn’t his house, he corrected himself, not yet, but someday.

Here, time stood still. He closed his eyes and pictured the horse-drawn carriages, imagined the clip-clop of their hooves against the street. But if he shut his eyes, he might miss something, and he loved to look at the grand houses.

He knew every stone, every window. His heart beat faster at the grandeur. His eyes locked on each feature, the steps, the porch, down to the black numbers nailed with precision to the side of the door. He loved each detail, including the massive oak whose branches stretched out a welcome.

In autumn, the yellow-orange leaves lit the street with a peaceful glow. They fell by the hundreds, surrounding the base of the tree like a fancy dress worn long ago. Sometimes when he squinted just so, it appeared to be a grand lady calling to him. Someday he’d answer, some day…

Get Timeless Moments in kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Timeless-Moments-Michelle-Kidd-ebook/dp/B01LWLCARU

Connect with Michelle on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorMichelleKidd/

MichelleKidd Twitter: @MichelleKidd67

Email: MichelleKiddWrites@hotmail.com

Website: MichelleKidd.com

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Michelle a comment.

Historical Romance Novel Enemy of the King for the 4th of July!

“Passion Governs and she never governs wisely.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

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Years ago, I was researching my early American Scots-Irish forebears when I often came across references to a battle fought during the Revolution called The Battle of Kings Mountain. The name alone drew me. I vowed to go back later and research that battle more in-depth. When I did, I uncovered fascinating fodder for the imagination.

I learned about the gallant, ill-fated British Major Patrick Ferguson who lost his life and Loyalist army atop that Carolina Mountain called King’s back in the fall of 1780. Ferguson is buried there beneath a stone cairn, possibly along with his mistress who also fell that day. He had two, both called Virginia. But it is believed one mistress made her escape on a horse by betraying his whereabouts to the advancing–and really angry–Patriots.

[image error]The hardy, sometimes downright mean, Overmountain men of Scots heritage, didn’t take kindly to Ferguson’s warning that they desist from rebellion or he’d bring fire and sword upon them and hang all these ‘enemies of the King!’

‘Book title,’ I said to self. And Enemy of the King sounds cooler than The Patriot. So I began what came to be my version of that famous movie, though I started my novel before it even came out. Whew, that WAS a while ago. I’ve invested years of research into the high drama and romance of the Revolution and gone on to write two more novels in what became The Traitor’s Legacy Series, with three novels set during and just after the war.

The Battle of King’s Mountain, a mega conflict that altered the course of a nation, plays a prominent role in the fast-paced historical romance that is Enemy of the King. And, being drawn to mysterious old homes and the notion that those who’ve gone before us are not always gone, I included a paranormal element.

[image error]I suspect my ancestors are speaking to me as I have a colonial forebear named Jeremiah Jordan and I discovered an early Meriwether in the family. My journey back through time gathers intrigue, and I wondered how the people who lived through anything as all-consuming as the American Revolution ever got their lives back to normal. The ripples from that enormous upheaval are still flowing out in concentric circles. They’ve certainly encompassed me.

[image error]Step into the elegant parlor of Pleasant Grove, an eighteenth century Georgian plantation built high on the bluff above the Santee River. Admire the stately lines of this gracious brick home and its exquisite décor. Stroll out into the expansive garden between fragrant borders of lavender and rosemary. Bask beneath the moss-hung branches of an enormous live oak, then saunter back indoors to dress for a candlelight dinner in the sumptuous dining room. But don’t plan on a lengthy stay, you’re about to be snatched away for a wild ride into Carolina backcountry.

Jeremiah Jordan is a Patriot and Meriwether Steele a Tory. She risks a traitor’s death if she fights for the one she loves.

Blurb: 1780, South Carolina: While Loyalist Meriwether Steele recovers from fever in the stately home of her beloved guardian, Jeremiah Jordan, she senses the haunting presence of his late wife. When she learns that Jeremiah is a Patriot spy and shoots Captain Vaughan, the British officer sent to arrest him, she is caught up on a wild ride into Carolina back country, pursued both by the impassioned captain and the vindictive ghost. Will she remain loyal to her king and Tory twin brother or risk a traitor’s death fighting for Jeremiah? If Captain Vaughan snatches her away, he won’t give her a choice.

‘South Carolina, spies and intrigue, a vindictive ghost, the battle of King’s Mountain, Patriots and Tories, pounding adventure, pulsing romance…

ENEMY OF THE KING.’

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The year is 1780, one of the bloodiest of the American Revolution. The entire Southern garrison has been captured and Lord Cornwallis is marching his forces deep into South Carolina. ‘Bloody Ban’ Lieutenant Major Banestre Tarleton and his infamous Legion are sweeping through the countryside. Revenge is the order of the day on both sides and rugged bands of militia are all that stand between crown forces and utter defeat.

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“I thoroughly enjoyed Enemy of the King…the characters are memorable, the setting beautifully described…the action riveting & the romance tender…for anyone who loves a well crafted historical romance.” ~ Long and Short Reviews by Poinsettia

Publisher’s Weekly BHB Reader’s Choice Best Books of 2009

2010 Best Romance Novel List at Buzzle

“An amazing and vibrant look into the American Revolution…this sexy historical is a must read!” ~ Coffee Time Romance and More by Danielle

Get Enemy of the King in Kindle or print at Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Enemy-King-Beth-Trissel-ebook/dp/B002C73OZW

Enemy of the King will soon be an audiobook. Traitor’s Legacy, the sequel to Enemy of the King, is an audiobook now. The narrator did an excellent job!

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To listen to the Traitor’s Legacy audiobook at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Traitors-Legacy/dp/B07BH7WC4P/

At Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Traitors-Legacy-Audiobook/B07BH7B5D6

Traitor’s Legacy is also in kindle and print at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Traitors-Legacy-Beth-Trissel-ebook/dp/B00MNTXQUW/

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Historical Romance Series–The American Revolution

***The three novels in The Traitor’s Legacy Series are sold individually or as a box set from all online booksellers. The three novels have been reduced in price.

In Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Traitors-Legacy-Beth-Trissel-ebook/dp/B01L5PSE1K/

***If you are interested in reading and reviewing Enemy of the King, or any of the stories in the Traitor’s Legacy Series please contact me: bctrissel@yahoo.com

Furbaby Friday with Kathryn Scarborough!

I’m happy to have fellow Wild Rose Press Author Kathryn Scarborough here to share her dear dog rescues and her paranormal romantic suspense, The Wild Mountain Thyme.

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Kathryn: Some folks in our neighborhood post a sign on their door that says, “dogs welcome, people tolerated.” Although, I’m not that drastic, I do love dogs, cats, and most critters, except those with six and eight legs. I am thrilled to share my “Fur Babies” story on Beth’s blog and also to tell her readers about my latest book released from The Wild Rose Press.

We have two dogs and two grand puppies. A grand puppy of course is a dog that is one of your children’s. My youngest son’s dog, Fei, (that’s supposedly Chinese for ‘dancing air spirit’?) is one of my favorites. She is a yellow lab Greyhound mix and has quite a personality. My two fur babies are all American dogs; just like the rest of us in this country, a mixture of anything and everything.

My youngest son found our dog, Bitsy, almost 8 years ago wandering around the parking lot of a Kohl’s department store. She was half starved, dehydrated, and had every parasite known to man. We took Bitsy in a few weeks after he found her and started the long road back to health. She was only about 10 weeks old when we got her. She’s a very well behaved with lots of herding dog mix. Perhaps English Shepherd and Shetland sheepdog. She’s very protective of us and when given the opportunity, will herd the dogs that live next door. She’s had agility and herding training. Her trainer says, “she’s a character with an attitude.”

This is from a painting called, “Found”, by Walter Hunt a British painter who lived early in the 20th century. Seeing the painting for the first time was dumbfounding because I had never seen another dog, alive or in a painting, that resembled Bitsy so closely.

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Our other dog is a ‘big brown American dog.’ We got him from the Neuse River Golden Retriever Rescue, and he may indeed have some Golden in him. The little girl whose family was his first foster family named him “Barley’, but since that’s something I put in my Scotch Broth, I renamed him ‘Barkley’, and then I added the ‘Sir Charles’. He is a loveable old fellow, who had a very hard life before we got him.

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The Wild Mountain Thyme:

There’s a serial killer murdering Irish-American tourists all over Ireland. Jim O’Flannery of the Boston Globe and Megan Kennedy of the Irish Times, are teamed up to report on the killings. They want to work together, but stay clear of each other emotionally; there was A LOT of trouble with the opposite sex in the past. But, Jim’s guardian angel appears, as a leprechaun, to pester and cajole Jim into getting involved with Megan. Jim can see Seamus, Megan can’t.

Jim and Megan trail the murderer to the west coast of Ireland, piecing together his motivation and where he may strike next.

An attempt is made on their lives, and only Jim’s quick wits saves the two. Megan disappears. Has the killer kidnapped her? Can Jim, with Seamus’s help, save her from mortal danger?

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Excerpts:

The elevator started again, but jarred to a stop suddenly between floors. There was not a sound.

Jim felt as though he’d fallen into a vacuum. He stood very still and tried not to breathe. The only sound was the rapid beat of his heart.

A puff of green smoke rose from the floorboards. It wavered through the air and wrapped itself around Jim as it hovered and shimmered. Out of the swirling vapor popped a little man about three feet tall. He wore a Kelly green waistcoat, green breeches, green knee-high stockings, and green shoes with shiny silver buckles. Jim backed against the wall of the elevator as he felt the blood rush from his face and into his feet. His jaw slid south, and his heart hammered painfully

“I’m not trying to give you palpitations, boy-o, but you must listen. Aye?” said the apparition. The little man had a long, crooked nose, slightly slanted, pale blue eyes, pointy ears, and a long stemmed pipe clutched between his teeth. His bright, fiery red hair fell down around his shoulders in soft He had a beard of the same fiery red shade that curled in front of his chin, like he’d used a curling iron to force it into shape. He held his hat, an elf’s pointed cap, in front of him, as he stared intently at Jim. Jim felt the air whoosh out of him as he slid soundlessly to the floor of the elevator. And then he forgot to breathe. The little man walked up to him, nose to nose and in an undertone, he said very quietly, “Boo.”

Jim gasped.

“Grand. I had to get you breathing again.”

All Jim had to do was take one look at Megan’s stricken face to know that the guy had done plenty of damage. Richard was a type; the sort of man who was too slick for his own good. He had charm oozing from every pore. Jim hoped he could soothe Megan out of her hurt, maybe he could give her a hug and—

Those thoughts came to a screeching halt when, over Megan’s shoulder, he glimpsed Seamus scowling at him. This time the elf/angel stood, with hands on hips and his toe tapping, in front of a teeny, tiny gothic church. The leprechaun looked steamed, and for good measure shook his head. Jim raised his hand and with as unobtrusive a movement as possible, backhanded Seamus off his little tuft of magical grass, mimicking a fly-shooing movement. Jim turned his attention to Megan. She stared down at the top of the desk, idly picking up a file and then letting it drop. Finally, she sat and took a deep cleansing breath.

“He’s scum,” she hissed under her breath.

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Get The Wild Mountain Thyme in Kindle:

https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Mountain-Thyme-Kathryn-Scarborough-ebook/dp/B078KB3ZHW

Check out Kathy’s blogs at

https://www.scarboroughbooks.com

I’d certainly love to hear what you think of the book.

Let me know, you can reach me at:

Kathryn@www.scarboroughbooks.com

Twitter: Kathy@kathy60snc

Facebook: Kathryn Scarborough, author 

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Kathryn a comment!

Furbaby Friday with Marie Tuhart

[image error]I’m happy to have fellow Wild Rose Press author, Marie Tuhart, here to share her darling little dog and contemporary western romance.

Marie: Hi Everyone. I’m here to share my furbaby. As you’ll see its hard to get a good picture of her not lying in her bed. Penny is a four pound toy poodle. She is a rescue. Penny came into my life by accident. I’d taken my mom to a pet expo at the fairground so she could look at the dogs available and we could adopt one at a later date. We stopped at the first rescue and my mom sees this cream/apricot poodle lying there and asks if she can hold her.

[image error]Mom sits down and one of the helpers put Penny into my mom’s arms. Yes, that was it–we were done. Penny cuddled right up to mom. So the next 45 minutes I spend filling out paperwork and being interviewed, and I have a dog. Now mind you, Penny was already 4 years old – she’d been in a puppy mill and was found in a corner of a barn on the property. Poor thing only had 5 teeth. But she was so cuddly but frightened. Got her home, after stopping at the pet store. Three days after we got her home, she suddenly started howling at night.

I couldn’t figure out what was going on, she was in her bed on the floor in my mom’s room where she’d been sleeping at night since we brought her home. I went in to check on her. She looked fine, stopped howling. I go back to bed. Five minutes later howling commences once again. Go back into mom’s room, pick Penny up cuddle with her, talk to her. She promptly falls asleep.

[image error]Okay, maybe she heard a noise of something. Put her back in her bed where she goes right back to sleep. I go back to bed (mind you it’s after midnight by this time.) Ten minutes later, howling starts again. I go back to mom’s room again, we’re both perplexed why she’s like this. So, since both my mom and I want to sleep, I take Penny and her bed into my room for the night.

Well, for some reason from that night on, Penny bonded to me. She would let my mom hold her but that was about it. In a way, looking back, it was a good thing because my mom passed away a little over a year after Penny came into our lives. On her first vet visit, Penny lost 3 of her 5 teeth. But let me tell you, only having two teeth doesn’t stop this little one from eating.

Now, Penny is 9 years old (she’ll be 10 this November as I use the date I got her as her birthday). She’s still 4 pounds, and a puppy. She enjoys lying outside in the sun, and being my companion as I write.

[image error]Hope you enjoy all the pictures.

Beth: I love the pictures! Penny is darling.

Author Bio: Marie Tuhart lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her muse, Penny, a four pound toy poodle. Marie loves to read and write, when she’s not writing, she spends time with family, traveling and enjoying life.

Marie is a multi-published author with The Wild Rose Press, Trifecta Publishing and does some self-publishing. To be alerted on new releases on Amazon or Book Bub. Also you can join Marie’s newsletter where she gives her group advance information on her books, runs contests and does giveaways just for newsletter readers. Marie can also be found on Goodreads, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook. And her website: http://www.marietuart.com

Her latest release is Billionaire Cowboy’s Conquest.

Buy link: books2read.com/billionairecowboysconquest

Blurb:

Sidelined from his rodeo career by an injury, billionaire Texas rancher Hunter Knight returns to home to find the staff overworked and the office a mess. He hates paperwork, so he’s pleased to hear his sister has hired an office manager. But when he finds out it’s Jessica Sinclair, his sister’s party-girl best friend from college, he’s not happy and wants her fired. Even worse than her partying past, he’s attracted to her. Burned once by his gold-digging, city woman of an ex-wife, he has no interest in playing with fire.

Dogged by a past that won’t let her go, Jessica arrives at the ranch with a plan: excel as an office manager, stay away from the bulls, and no cowboys. Her father died when thrown from a bull when she was a kid, so avoiding them is key. Cowboys, well, they’re just as dangerous as the bulls. Then there’s Hunter Knight, part owner of the Double K ranch. This stubborn cowboy can ruin everything by sending her away before she can earn a single penny. Buying time with a proposal solves one problem but leads her straight into riskier territory, fighting an attraction to the bull-riding billionaire boss.

Can this city girl and cowboy survive the wildest ride of their lives?

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He’d caught a glimpse of those slim ankles and silky skin. He went over to the rack of boots they kept for clients and selected a pair.

“The boots here are for clients to use. There are hazards on the ranch and we don’t want anyone getting hurt.” He gestured at the bench and Jess sat. Hunter snagged the small stool, put it in front of her, and sank onto it. He reached for her leg.

“There’s no need, I can put them on.” She turned away from him.

“I’m sure you can, but I want to make sure they fit.” He cupped her heel in his palm, then lifted her leg until her calf rested on his thigh. He unlaced her sneaker, slipped it off and set it on the bench next to her.

Hunter slid her jeans up to her calf. Her shiver almost had him smiling. Picking up the boot, he worked it over her toes and ankle until it was seated before he smoothed the denim back into place.

His fingers lingered on her calf, massaging the tense muscles there. Jess shifted and their gazes collided. Amber eyes blazed as his fingers caressed her through the fabric of her pants. He was playing with fire and didn’t mind getting burned.~

Purchase Billionaire Cowboy’s Conquest in Kindle: 

https://www.amazon.com/Billionaire-Cowboys-Conquest-Marie-Tuhart-ebook/dp/B07BR5GPBV/

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Marie a comment.

My June Garden in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia

June is the Garden of Eden time here, while the plants are still fresh and new and the Japanese beetles haven’t yet arrived. Dewy mornings filled with glowing flowers and bird song are a little piece of heaven. Our rich green valley reminds me of the Shire with the hobbits, especially in June. Loveliness surrounds us. Then as summer advances and the heat, usually drought, and bad bugs settle in gardening is less idyllic. Although, some summers are much kinder than others. This one will be glorious.

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Pollinators are all over the garden. After unusually heavy rain for days the sun has finally reappeared. Bees and butterflies love forget-me-nots. These are the Chinese variety below.

“The garden is a love song, a duet between a human being and Mother Nature.” ~Jeff Cox

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“It is utterly forbidden to be half-hearted about gardening. You have got to love your garden whether you like it or not.” ~W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman, Garden Rubbish, 1936

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The first coneflower in bloom. Echinacea.

“You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt.” ~Author Unknown

“I have never had so many good ideas day after day as when I worked in the garden.” ~John Erskine

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The breadseed poppy is beginning to bloom. Papaver somniferum.

“In my garden I spend my days; in my library I spend my nights. My interests are divided between my geraniums and my books. With the flower I am in the present; with the book I am in the past.” ~Alexander Smith, “Books and Gardens,” Dreamthorp: A Book of Essays Written in the Country, 1863

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” ~Cicero

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Beautiful rose-red buckwheat blooming in the garden above, covered with pollinators. White coriander is flowering beside the barley.

“Who loves a garden still his Eden keeps;

Perennial pleasures plants, and wholesome harvest reaps.”

~A. Bronson Alcott, “The Garden,” Tablets, 1868

Children also inhabit my garden. These are three of my creative grandkids and this is some of what becomes of my Amazon boxes. Cardboard weapons and protective gear for wars against Orks and other great dangers. They even made a crossbow.

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Imagination blooms in the garden.

I think on the latest book I’m writing while I’m weeding, and develop the plots. Sometimes, I just ‘am’ while I muse with the earth. The garden is a good place to ‘be’.

For more on me, visit my Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Beth-Trissel/e/B002BLLAJ6

Furbaby Friday with Andi Ramos!

I’m happy to have Author Andi Ramos here to share her delightful Furbaby and her fabulous debut novel, mystery romance, Gumshoe Girl.

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Andi: Hi Beth thank you so much for having me on Furbaby Friday I am excited to share my buddy Baxter with you and your audience. Baxter is three years old and he is insane. He even looks crazy sometimes.

But Baxter has a special talent…he loves to dance. He gets so excited he can’t help himself. My friends always video him when they are over the house when he put on his little performances.

Beth: What a hoot! I love this video of Baxter.

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Love that little guy. He was the inspiration for the furbaby in my novel, Gumshoe Girl. Mr. Muggles is a French Bulldog much tamer than Baxter, but has a lot of personality. Here is an excerpt of my story featuring Muggles:

Excerpt:

Rummaging through the overnight bag she had thrown together the night she left the Rat Bastard, she realized she was grabbing the last pair of underwear she’d brought with her. Crap! Borrowing clothes was one thing, but borrowing underwear was something entirely different.

When she’d put the bag together, she had only grabbed a couple of things, never imagining that she’d be busy investigating a missing person case. She tossed her bag on Emmie’s bed, snapped on her bra, and eased into a pair of dark washed denim jeans. She dressed them up with a teal blouse and a pair of silver beaded wedge sandals, then dried her hair, applied some natural looking makeup, and scrunched in some soft curls.

Back in Emmie’s room, she started to pick up the clothes that were strewn across Emmie’s floor and bed. Her friend would have a cow if she knew the state of her bedroom. Sheagan laughed at the thought of Emmie’s reaction; she missed her. Finally, she gathered her underwear and a couple of pieces of borrowed wardrobe that didn’t require dry cleaning, to throw them in the wash.

“Ugh, I gotta pack up that place. Humph, yeah pack. Where am I going to put all the stuff?” She looked down at Muggles, who had his head tilted to the side and was staring at her. “I gotta talk to Shawn,” she told the dog. “Think he’s come up with any leads on a place?” Muggles tilted his head to the other side. “No?” she said in a higher voice.

He hopped up on all fours and started shaking his butt. Sheagan smiled. “You don’t care that I don’t find a place, as long as you get a cookie.” Muggles started spinning in circles hearing the word cookie.

She laughed. “Well, at least YOU want to keep me around.” He stopped and looked like he was ready to start a race. “Even if it’s just for aaaaa…” he looked at her wide-eyed, “…cookie.”

The excited dog raced towards the kitchen, and she grabbed the laundry before following to give him his treat.

[image error]Blurb:

Sheagan O’Hare got more than she bargained for when her newly inherited detective agency lands its first case; a missing person, embezzlement, and murder. Sheagan’s out to prove she can hang with the pro’s, despite the constant reminder of her amateur status from an annoyingly attractive FBI agent, Colin ‘Mac’ MacEvine, who’s forced himself into her life.

How does she feel when an old high school friend hopes to ignite a new romance?

Will she be able to discover if detective work and love can mingle before someone gets hurt?

Buy Links for Gumshoe Girl — Currently on sale for .99:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gumshoe-Girl-Andi-Ramos-ebook/dp/B07CMZVJ9Zi

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Gumshoe-Girl-Andi-Ramos-ebook/dp/B07CMZVJ9Z

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/gumeshoe-girl/id1376902448

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/820388

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/gumeshoe-girl

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gumeshoe-girl-andi-ramos/1128555736

A[image error]uthor Bio:

Andi Ramos is a debut author from central Massachusetts where she lives with her family, goat, and Boston Terriers. Her love for reading grew into a passion for writing. She dabbled with pen and paper for a long time and eventually stopped pushing her amusements aside and started developing those stories into novels. One of her favorite things to do is to hop into her motorhome with her family and write while traveling down the road as they journey to various destinations.

Website: www.andiramos.com

Blog: www.andiramos.com/blog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andiramosauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/andiramosauthor

Now In Audio– #YA #Paranormal #Romance The Hunter’s Moon

The Hunter’s Moon, Book One of my YA Paranormal Series The Secret Warrior, is out in Audio. I found a great review at Goodreads:

May 15, 2018

Christine Grabowski rated it

it was amazing

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Shelves: audiobook, ya, paranormal

This was a fun read… or listen. It was actually one of the first YA books I listened to on audio.

The beginning of the book pulled me right in with a scene with 16-year-old Morgan and her 10-year-old brother, Jimmy. It reminded me a lot of the relationship Meg has with Charles Wallace in a Wrinkle and Time because Jimmy is also very smart. (He was actually one of my favorite characters.) I loved how the author created a beautiful world in the Shenandoah valley of Virginia where some people can change into werewolves. The focus of the book was more on Morgan’s curse and her future. The real action will start in book 2 as this was only a novella. It kept me hooked with interesting characters and a unique take on werewolves.

The Hunter’s Moon is available in Kindle and Audio at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hunters-Moon-Secret-Warrior-ebook/dp/B017OCROM8

Furbaby Friday with Elsie Davis!

I am happy to welcome Author Elsie Davis to share her beautiful kitties and sweet contemporary romance, Back in the Rancher’s Arms. I’m especially taken with Kitty Hermione. What a gorgeous cat.

Elsie: Meet Hermione and Draco!

Hermione(multi-color with black eye patch)adopted us last year on a cold, dark wintry night and has warmed our hearts ever since. It’s funny because I wrote Back in the Rancher’s Arms before we met Hermione, and in my story there’s a white dog with a black eye patch. (Patches.) Coincidence? I don’t think so. I consider it providence. She was meant to be our baby.

Furbaby Friday with Jennifer Wilck

I’m happy to welcome Author Jennifer Wilck to share her lovable rescue dog and contemporary romance release, A Heart of Little Faith.

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Jennifer: When you want someone to do something, there are many ways to accomplish it. You can beg, plead, yell, instruct or just give “the look.” Midnight is our rescue dog—part Border Collie, part Lab and lots of other unknown parts. She’s smart, she’s loyal and she has trained the entire family to do her bidding. Her method of choice? Leaning and staring.

[image error]She’s been with us eight years, and has decided that I’m the alpha and the rest of the family are hers to herd. Must be the Border Collie in her. Every morning, she waits at the bottom of the stairs until I come down. I’m not the first to come downstairs, but when I do, she looks at what I’m wearing. If she recognizes my “workout clothes,” she jumps around until I take her for a walk.

After we walk and I feed her, she does her own thing for a while until she decides it’s time to see the world. She walks over to wear I’m sitting and leans against my leg until I get up and open the door for her to look outside and watch the neighborhood critters, dogs, walkers and cyclists.

[image error]When she wants to be let outside, she will come over to me or my daughter and lean against our leg. If we ignore her, she’ll lean harder or fall into us until we respond. For my husband, she’ll sit and stare at him.

She’s trained us well. We know exactly what she wants without her barking or making a single noise.

I like to think that if she were a person, she’d be one of those people whose quiet way about them demanded respect and obedience. A woman or man with a presence. Kind of like the hero in my upcoming self-publishing release, Gideon, from A Heart of Little Faith.

Gideon is the strong, silent type. He knows what he wants—and what he doesn’t—and he lives his life on his terms, even from a wheelchair. When he meets Lily, a widow with a six-year-old daughter, his life is turned upside down. Still, he manages situations with a look, a glance or a caress. He’s never going to be the loudest or most boisterous in the room. He won’t cut you with an insult, although he can be brusque and grumpy. But his quiet presence draws everyone to him.

A Heart of Little Faith was the first book I wrote and published with a small indie press. When that press went under, I sold it to another small press. That one went under too. I love everything about this book, and I didn’t want it to languish hidden on my computer, so I decided to self-publish it—I’ve always wanted to see what that was like, so it was a perfect opportunity. After extensive content editing, copyediting, and a new cover, it’s up for preorder on Amazon and will release on June 1. I hope you’ll consider taking a look at it.

[image error]Blurb:

Lily Livingston is a widow raising her six-year-old daughter, Claire, in New York City. Devastated by her husband’s death three years ago, she’s in no hurry to fall in love again. Besides, trying to balance her career with motherhood leaves her little time for romance.

With a wheelchair instead of a white horse, and a vow against falling in love again as his armor, Gideon Stone is the last person Lily expects to sweep her off her feet. But when a business agreement forces the two of them together, that is exactly what happens. As they navigate the minefield that fast represents their relationship, can either of them overcome the obstacles to find true happiness in each other’s arms?

Excerpt:

“What’d we miss?” Mark asked as he slid along the row into the empty seat next to his wife. Lily and Kim stared blankly at each other.

“Um…” Kim started to reply.

“Somebody pitched and someone else hit,” Lily said as she attempted to be helpful. Mark and Gideon groaned and shook their heads.

“Pitiful,” Gideon hid a smile. “That’s the best you could do?”

“Well, you didn’t tell me I was supposed to report back to you,” Lily squeaked as she tried to justify her actions. “Besides, Kim and I were busy talking.” She reached over and took a bite of Gideon’s hot dog. The smoky, spicy taste made her mouth water. He grabbed her wrist.

“Wait a minute,” he spluttered. “Are you crazy? First, you don’t pay attention to the game, and now you think I’m going to share my hot dog with you?”

“Yup.” She licked a speck of spicy mustard off the corner of her mouth.

He raised an eyebrow, entranced by the glimpse of her tongue. “And what makes you think that?”

“Because I’m so darn cute,” she retorted. Gideon pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, shook his head and with a sigh, handed over his hot dog.

Lily giggled, took another bite, albeit a small one, and returned it to him as the others laughed. She put her hand on his arm. She made circular motions with his fingers in the hairs curled above his wrist. When he covered her hand with his, she smiled and returned her focus to the game.

Soon it was time for the seventh inning stretch. As everyone else stood up, Lily leaned over and kissed Gideon on the lips. Her gaze trained on his face, he raised his eyebrows in surprise at her unexpected move. His eyes changed from amber to chocolate brown as her lips pressed against his. His lips tasted slightly salty. She wrapped her arms around his neck and his shoulder muscles contracted as he pulled her closer. She longed to taste him more fully. Their kiss deepened and a soft whimper escaped from deep in her throat. Shuffling feet and snapping chairs sounded as everyone took their seats, and Gideon and Lily pulled apart. Joe let out a whistle.

“What was that?” Gideon asked as his gaze remained locked on hers.

“My own seventh inning stretch,” she replied. “Like it?” Here goes nothing. She caught her breath. She’d thought about kissing him all day. Without a chance to discuss their relationship, and fearing he’d brush it off anyway, she decided to take the plunge. Tony said she had to make her feelings clear. She’d fantasized about kissing Gideon, but nothing had prepared her for the reality. His lips had been firm, yet yielded to the slightest pressure of her mouth. He brushed through her hair, caressed the nape of her neck like he owned her. His kiss held the promise of tomorrow; as if all she was required to do was lock her lips to his, hold on, and all her wishes would come true.

Gideon growled, leaned over and brushed his nose against hers. “Oh yeah.” He pressed his lips to hers again. This time it was firmer, more confident, a take-no-prisoners kind of kiss. Lily’s head spun and a joyful sound burbled from deep within her throat. “What’s funny?” He leaned back in his chair, a frown creasing his forehead.

The crack of a bat, the announcer’s comments, the shouts and yells of the fans, as well as the rustle and shuffle of his friends around him came into focus.

“Oh you know, first base, baseball game. You know…” Her voice drifted off and heat flooded her face and chest.

“Guess I’ll have to get tickets to some more games.” He winked at her.

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Little-Faith-Jennifer-Wilck-ebook/dp/B07D3BNZG9

[image error]Author Bio:

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. When she’s not writing, she loves to laugh with her family and friends, is a pro at finding whatever her kids lost in plain sight, and spends way too much time closing doors that should never have been left open in the first place. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate.

She writes contemporary romance, some of which are mainstream and some of which involve Jewish characters. She’s published with The Wild Rose Press and her books are available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.jenniferwilck.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jennifer-Wilck-201342863240160/

Facebook Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2055470311366345/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JWilck

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjenniferwilck/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jennifer-wilck

Newsletter: http://www.jenniferwilck.com/contact.html#newsletter

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Jennifer a comment.

Furbaby Friday with Ellen Dye!

I’m happy to welcome fellow Wild Rose Press Author Ellen Dye–from the next door state of West Virginia–to share her kitty family and latest Women’s Romantic Fiction release, Relatively Crazy.

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Ellen: Growing up as a true urbanite, living in apartments and moving frequently for my mother’s job, we always had a kitty or two in our family who faithfully made the move with us from town to town or state to state. Occasionally a stray, underfed, lost feline would make its way to us and was always welcomed, fed, loved and made to feel at home. But always there would be a frantic rush to find a new and permanent home for our new arrival before the landlord found out that we were over the allowable amount of kitties firmly agreed upon in our lease. And even though we never failed to find happy accommodations for our new friends I was always sad to have to say goodbye.

This is how I knew I wanted to grow up to be a Crazy Cat Lady, even though this was many years before the term was even coined. It became my dream to own a cottage in the woods where limits on kitties allowed would not exist.

My childhood girlfriends spent untold hours creating dream homes for their Barbie dolls, imagining comfortable yet spacious living areas for their future husbands and children. I, on the other hand, occupied myself arranging Barbie’s overstuffed furniture topped with paw-pleasing cushions and blankets into groupings I thought would allow for maximum kitty relaxation and calculated necessary paw space required per kitty so I could adjust my cottage-in-the-woods to comfortably house at least a dozen purring family members.

Time passed, I traveled, I grew up and then when I was ready to settle down I found my dream cottage in the West Virginia woods. Our family of four kitties and son happily settled in, relishing the peaceful quiet of the woods. Soon enough kitties just seemed to appear on the doorstep, some in need of food and shelter, some in need of medical attention, and all in need of a loving home. True to my childhood dream, I’ve had room—and no landlord to prevent—welcoming each unexpected new arrival into their forever home.

[image error]On Christmas Eve, this past year my son and I counted six kitties in our little family, five boys and one girl. It had been something of a sad holiday as just a few weeks prior we’d lost our beloved 15 year old elder-kitty, Pewter, who been with us since she was a six week old kitten, to kidney disease. And although we loved each of our kitties dearly, we still missed our silver tabby girl deeply.

The morning had dawned cold and blowing a bitter wind as my son and I were enjoying a cup of coffee at the kitchen table and watching our six kitties enjoying a holiday breakfast of chunk white tuna. It was the kind of bitter cold outside that makes one grateful for the simple luxury of a warm home and hot beverages and no outside chores to be done. Just as I mentioned this to my son, he stood and leaned toward the window. “Mom, I think there’s something in the snow.”

I turned just in time to see a fluff of gray creeping across the deck between frozen snow piles left from our last storm. Heedless of the cold I hurried outside and saw a heartbreakingly thin, sad puff of dirty gray and white fur crouched between piles of leftover snow. As I crept closer, two frightened green eyes watched me closely.

“It’s okay. You’ve come to the right place,” I whispered, inching closer. “Let’s get you warm and fed.”

I guess she decided I was a pretty good egg as she let me pick her up, carry her inside to warmth and a bottomless bowl of tuna fish. And she was immediately welcomed to the family with open paws by the rest of our herd.

In keeping with her holiday arrival we chose the name, Merry and as it turned out it fits her well. She is a very happy young lady who purrs almost continually and is always ready for a tussle with her favorite catnip mouse or a leap up the scratching post tower for a rollicking game of swat-the-tail with her favorite buddy, Elliot.

And now that spring has arrived she enjoys taking a sunbath on the deck, but she doesn’t wander off onto the grass. I think it’s because she’s as happy in her forever home as I am.

Blurb for Relatively Crazy: 

[image error]On her fortieth birthday, housewife Wanda Jo Ashton is expecting her husband’s standard gift of an E and E from T—that being Elegant and Expensive from Tiffany’s. However, what she gets is the news that her formerly successful, dependable, corporate attorney husband is leaving her to pursue the rich life of a kept man.

Left with nothing, she has no choice but to escape the San Francisco area with her sixteen-year-old daughter in tow and head toward the mountains of West Virginia and the embarrassingly quirky family she left behind twenty years ago. Here, Wanda Jo must carve out a future, complete with career and home, in the midst of family feuds, computer phobias, and the occasional home-brewing explosion.

Only the presence of her daughter and a few good friends, including her old buddy Sam Branson, make life bearable at all. Can it be true that the good life begins at forty?

Download Relatively Crazy in Kindle at:

 https://www.amazon.com/Relatively-Crazy-Ellen-Dye-ebook/dp/B076GNYR8X

***Follow Ellen’s Amazon Author Page at: https://www.amazon.com/Ellen-Dye/e/B002C79CSA

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Ellen a comment.