Laina Turner's Blog, page 8

FRIEND FRIDAY – POLLY HOLMES

Friend Friday answers the question – what should I read next?

This week’s friend is Polly Holmes with her book, Happy Deadly New Year.

 

Find it on Amazon.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Never in my lifetime did I think I’d spend New Year’s Eve knee-deep in mischief, magic, and murder!

When my high-school nemesis, Prudence McAvoy, chooses The Melting Pot Café to host her New Year’s party, I know I’m courting trouble by accepting her booking. The trouble begins with Prudence turning up dead, face down in a pond, and the finger for her murder is pointed directly at my shape-shifting best friend, Jordi.

Determined to clear Jordi’s name and bring the real killer to justice, I pool resources with Harriet, Tyler, and my cheeky familiar, Miss Saffron, to find out what happened to Prudence. As the clock counts down to midnight, time is running out in more ways than one.

Can we find the killer before another body drops? Or will Jordi’s new year begin in the pokey?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Polly Holmes is the cheeky, sassy alter ego of Amazon best selling author, P.L. Harris. When she’s not writing her next romantic suspense novel as P.L. Harris, she is planning the next murder in one of Polly’s cozy mysteries. ​ According to Polly, the best part about writing cozy mysteries is researching. Finding the best way to hook the reader, a great way to murder someone, a plethora of suspects and of course a good dose of sweet treats thrown in for good measure. ​ Polly lives not far from the beach in the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia with her Bishion Frise, Bella. When she’s not writing you can find her sipping coffee in her favourite cafe, watching reruns of Murder, She Wrote or taking long walks along the beach soaking up the fresh salty air.

Visit Polly on her website, Facebook and Instagram.

The post FRIEND FRIDAY – POLLY HOLMES appeared first on In Pursuit of Fabulous.

FRIEND FRIDAY – MADDIE EVANS

Friend Friday answers the question – what should I read next?

This week’s friend is Maddie Evans with her book, Spirit of the Violinists.

Find this new release on Amazon.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lindsey Castleton has had a lousy year. She’s had to abandon the life she planned because her father is dying, taking over his music students and taking over as first violinist for his string quartet. All that would be difficult enough, but her second violinist fights her at every turn, whether it’s criticizing her, playing over her, or even double-booking the quartet. It’s beyond frustrating becauase he’s an amazing male but such a selfish man.

Jason Woodward returned to Maine from Hollywood only because his mentor was dying and needed someone to take over his quartet, so it’s galling that his mentor’s daughter is in that position. Well, also, he returned to Maine because of the social media detonation that destroyed his California career. He’ll be heading back in three months, though, so he’d better start putting those pieces back together. It’s just that it would be so much easier if Lindsey would get out of the way–and out of his thoughts.

They have no choice but to work together for now, but as Jason’s California life seeps into his Maine life, Lindsey sees just what he stepped away from in order to help her father. Meanwhile, Jason finds himself attracted to Lindsey’s confidence and clarity. It’s never going to work, though. He’s going to leave, and good riddance. At least, that’s what they keep telling themselves…and one another.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Maddie Evans lives in New England. She writes books and knits socks.

Visit Maddie on her website, Facebook and Twitter.

The post FRIEND FRIDAY – MADDIE EVANS appeared first on In Pursuit of Fabulous.

What’s on my Kindle

As an author, my love of writing first started with my love for reading. My parents took me to the library weekly, and I read several books a week. Now I try to read daily, even if just for a few minutes. It helps me be a better writer, but also it’s my favorite way to escape into another world for a short time.
I thought I’d share with you my favorite genres, books, and authors.

The post What’s on my Kindle appeared first on In Pursuit of Fabulous.

All my dirty secrets

Don’t you love when you see posts on social media about how perfect someone’s life is? Their fabulous family, perfect kids, amazing house, plenty of money, etc.? And by love, I mean hate. We all know that while there are great aspects of social media, there are also many not so authentic aspects of life people post. While I don’t do that, if I saw something is fabulous, then it truly is; I also don’t post much of my personal life outside of the dogs, of course.
It’s not that I want to hide anything; I just feel I’m not all that interesting. However, at the urging of a few people, I decided to share more of an inside look at the personal Laina.

The post All my dirty secrets appeared first on In Pursuit of Fabulous.

How I went from 0 to 3 dogs in less than 2 years

Animals are the best thing in the world. Well, along with coffee and wine. While they are a lot of work I couldn’t imagine life without them. Watch me share why I keep adding dogs to my pack.

 

The post How I went from 0 to 3 dogs in less than 2 years appeared first on In Pursuit of Fabulous.

FRIEND FRIDAY – MARGARET LASHLEY

Friend Friday answers the question – what should I read next?

This week’s friend is Margaret Lashely with her book, Glad One.

Find it on Amazon in Kindle Unlimited.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
After being duped out of her life savings in Germany, Val Fremden retreats home to Florida with more than just her pride in tatters. Broke, jobless, divorced, and forty-five, she knows starting over won’t be easy. But when her only friend suddenly turns up dead, Val begins to wonder if the world is out to get her.

Maybe it is ….

The sugar-white sands of Sunset Beach attract weirdos like mosquitoes to a bug zapper. So when the will of Val’s friend makes the local newspaper, lunatics and con artists stumble from their beach shacks scuffling for a piece of the leftover pie.

Determined to find her friend’s true heir, Val reluctantly turns to three crackpots for help—a drunk, a redneck, and a snarky beach bum. Working at odds with each other, their bumbling investigation attracts the attention of a hot cop. He quickly gets into the fray and under Val’s skin. Whether it’s in a good way or bad only time will tell ….

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
As an aficionado of the absurd, I live for weirdness. As a semi-reformed redneck, I love to laugh. As a middle-aged woman, hey—I get it. That’s why I love writing stories that bring all of those things to bear with unexpected hilarity. (Needless to say, my home state of Florida provides endless inspiration.) If, like me, you’ve ever had to start over from scratch (or dream about it), you’ll find a best friend and hero in my Val Fremden series. Like me, Val’s full of flaws, but always finds a way to work around them with spunk, heart, and a lot of laughs along the way.

Find Margaret on her website and Facebook.

The post FRIEND FRIDAY – MARGARET LASHLEY appeared first on In Pursuit of Fabulous.

FRIEND FRIDAY – D.E. HAGGERTY

Friend Friday answers the question – what should I read next?

This week’s friend is D.E. Haggerty with her book, Saint Vandal’s Day: A Humorous Culinary Cozy Mystery.

 

Find it on Amazon and free in Kindle Unlimited.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
St. Valentine’s Day is THE perfect day for a wedding. Unless a vandal is trying to ruin your life that is.

Callie is finally getting her dream wedding. On St. Valentine’s Day no less. Only a vandal is determined to destroy her bakery before the wedding can occur. Anna, self-proclaimed best cupcake baker this side of the Mississippi, is not letting anything happen to the cupcake bakery. No way. Barista extraordinaire Kristie jumps at the chance to help as well. Together the three women launch a mission to find the jerk who thinks it’s okay to attack the bakery.

Will the gals of Callie’s Cakes find the vandal and save the cupcake bakery before Callie’s dream wedding is ruined?

Cupcakes not included, although recipes for all the delicious cupcakes Anna bakes are.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
D.E. Haggerty is actually just plain old Dena, but she thinks using initials makes her sound sophisticated and maybe even grown up. She was born and raised in the U.S. but considers herself a Dutchie and not only because it sounds way cooler. After a stint in the U.S. Army, she escaped the US to join her husband in Holland. She fled Holland over ten years ago when she couldn’t stand the idea of being a lawyer for one single second more. Turns out Bed & Breakfast owner in Germany didn’t do it for her either. When the hubby got a job in Istanbul, she jumped ship and decided to give this whole writer thing a go. She’s now back in Holland, which she considers home. Sorry, Mom.

Visit D.E. on her website, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

The post FRIEND FRIDAY – D.E. HAGGERTY appeared first on In Pursuit of Fabulous.

FRIEND FRIDAY – WHITNEY WALKER

Friend Friday answers the question – what should I read next?

This week’s friend is Whitney Walker with her book, After Broken.

 

Find it on Amazon in Kindle Unlimited.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
A single dad, broken by his wife’s death. A mother, once broken by the loss of her first love. 

Everyone needs a second chance at Christmas… 

Liz  

Seventeen years ago, we’d said goodbye. I learned to live without him. My happily ever after is more than most women dare to dream. A perfectly scripted life is complete with a comfortable marriage to a doctor, an expensive SUV adorned with children’s sports stickers, and a Pinterest-inspired, designer-decorated home. So why did I just promise his daughter the Christmas she dreams of?

Sean 

I’m taking life one breath at a time. My wife is gone. Trying to outrun the pain, I face an uncertain future as a single father at a new hospital in a new city. Unless fate has a different idea. My here-and-now has collided with my past. I’ve just said hello to the woman I’ve never forgotten holding in my arms, devastated, as I told her goodbye seventeen years ago. Will she ever learn the secret that it wasn’t my choice?

Facing death changes everything.  

It gives us the courage to follow our dreams.  It shows us the love we are willing to fight for.

The promise of a second chance lies before us. Is the collateral damage too much to risk pursuing the fairy-tale ending that unbreaks our broken hearts?

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Unapologetic hopeless romantic? Seeker or dreamer who doesn’t mind laughing and crying, sometimes in the same sentence? If this sounds like you…you are my tribe and I write for you! I write for those who believe tears and laughter are best friends, second chances are better than firsts, and true love is worth fighting for. I’m just a girl who dreamed of a happy ending – in books – and in life. If you don’t get the house cleaned or mush change plans because you can’t tear yourself away from your friends on the pages, my work here is complete! With faith, wine, and chocolate by my side, I aspire to be the best mother to two, girlfriend to “the one”, daughter, friend, and yogi I can be. It’s a work in progress, but I appreciate the chance to share my life learning through writing.

Visit Whitney on her website, Facebook and Instagram.

The post FRIEND FRIDAY – WHITNEY WALKER appeared first on In Pursuit of Fabulous.

FRIEND FRIDAY – JULIE BROOKMAN

Friend Friday answers the question – what should I read next?

This week’s friend is Julie Brookman with her book, Memory Lane.

 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A free vacation turns into the key to her past – and the love she didn’t know she lost.

Katie started a new life after a car accident left her with amnesia several years ago. She has a new job that she tolerates, and lives with her supportive dad. But she still feels like something is missing. When she wins a getaway to the Michigan island where her family vacationed when she was a child, Katie is thrilled. But why is everyone acting so strangely around her when she gets there?

When Zack lost the love of his life, he returned home to Mackinac Island. He never gave up hope that she would someday return, so when she shows up as a tourist, he is overjoyed. But having the woman you love not know who you are is harder to deal with than Zack expected. And how can he make her fall in love with him again in the short amount of time she’s there.

Find Memory Lane on Amazon.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie Brookman started her career after college as the manager of a bookstore, before later becoming a journalist who covered a small suburb of Phoenix. Now she’s returning to her first love – romance novels. Julie lives in Arizona with her husband, her three awesome kids and her kitty, Pepper Potts.

Visit Julie on her website, Facebook and Twitter.

 

The post FRIEND FRIDAY – JULIE BROOKMAN appeared first on In Pursuit of Fabulous.

Why I relaunched the Presley Thurman Cozy Mystery Series

The post Why I relaunched the Presley Thurman Cozy Mystery Series appeared first on In Pursuit of Fabulous.