Kris Bock's Blog, page 17
March 22, 2022
Two group #giveaway promos plus a collection of #ScienceFiction! Find #Romance #Mystery #Fantasy #Paranormal #Scifi - many free w/newsletter sign-up (unsubscribe any time)
Looking for Sheroes: An All-Genre Giveaway for Stories with Strong, Positive Heroines
From historical and contemporary romance to mysteries and thrillers to paranormal, fantasy, and sci-fi, this group has it all - each free with newsletter sign-up (unsubscribe any time)!
Fantasy and Sci Fi!
Whether you like fantasy with dragons or elves, science fiction set in distant galaxies, or a time travel comedy adventure, find something new to read, from classic fantasy to genre-pushing science fiction.
Mystery Giveaway: Check out new authors through free stories
Sign up for newsletters and check out authors with a free story. You’ll find mystery in many genres in the stories in this group. A few examples:
An elderly coroner thinks he's stumbled onto a murder plot after a discovery of Spanish Armada gold!A veterinarian at a zoo with de-extinct animals must catch a murderer to prove a bear she designed didn't kill.A young professor returns home to teach ancient history and finds herself entangled in a mystery that is bigger than it seems.An intern kayaking along the river must figure out why the "lake monster" is after her in this romantic suspense.A book shop owner is drawn into a serial killer mystery when books from their store are left at the crime scenes.
March 12, 2022
#mysterynovel #BookBuzz on The Accidental Detective, a humorous #mystery series
Something Shady at Sunshine Haven War correspondent Kate Tessler has followed the most dangerous news stories around the world. But can she survive going home?
Injured in a bombing, Kate returns to her hometown in Arizona to recover. For the first time in her life, she's starting to feel her age (49), even though she's living like a teenager again: staying with her father, trying to understand why her sister resents her so much, and running into people who still think of her as Kitty.
Seeing her mother in an Alzheimer's unit is the hardest part – until an old friend asks her to investigate suspicious deaths at that nursing home. Is a self-appointed "Angel of Mercy" killing patients to end their suffering? Are family members hastening their inheritance? Is an employee extorting money and removing the witnesses? Kate uses her journalism skills to track clues, but the puzzle pieces simply won't fit.
If Kate can't uncover the truth, her mother could be next on the killer's list.
Try An Accidental Detective short storyGet a free short story plus bonus material when you sign up for Kris Bock's newsletter. This free collection starts with a ten-page mystery short story, “The Case of the Missing Monkey,” set in the world of The Accidental Detective series. That is followed by information about the first books in the series, Something Shady at Sunshine Haven and Something Deadly on Desert Drive, plus the first chapter of book 1. After that are three fun, short stories originally written for children.
Praise for Something Shady at Sunshine Haven I just LOVE your protagonist and the cast of characters that you built.” – Sinclair Jayne, author
“A really fun read and the perfect set up for a great series.” – Lisa Honeycutt, author/illustrator
“Book one was a good read, and I’m looking forward to a series with Kate Tessler.” – Teresa Fannin, writer
“So much fun! Her wry notes always make me laugh. The mystery seems so impossible to solve. You have so many details and such a limited ability for the heroine to get answers, which makes the story even more engaging. I love her dry sense of humor.” – Emma J. Wallace, author
Chapter 1 Preview: Something Shady at Sunshine HavenMy childhood home had faded in the harsh Arizona sun and now showed its age—rather like me. I’d never dreamed of living here again after thirty years of traveling the world.
This is temporary. You’ll find a way out.
“Do you need help?” My sister’s tone made it clear the correct answer was no. She’d already hinted that picking me up at the airport had been one more burden in her busy life.
“I got it.” I eased out of the car and limped to the trunk to retrieve my travel backpack, still getting used to my new cane. My thigh throbbed where the doctors had dug out the shrapnel and stitched it back together with Frankenstein scars. My usual fast stride was an awkward hobble up the walkway. My luggage might have been “light,” considering it held everything I owned, but it still nudged the airline’s weight limit.
The front door opened, and I forced a smile. Jen disappeared inside, and Dad and I stood face-to-face.
Our smiles faltered. I dropped the backpack and stumbled into his arms. Tension drained out of my body. I blinked back tears and felt his frailty, the tremor in his hands. He smelled like Dad with a hint of a newer scent, something that only seemed to come from old men.
“Welcome home,” he whispered.
“It’s good to be home.” I needed to rest and heal, and where better to do that than in my parents’ house? In a few weeks—I promised myself weeks, not months, and definitely not years—I would be well enough to return to journalism. “How’s Mom?”
“Good. Well, you know. She’s settled in. She can’t wait to see you.”
I didn’t ask if she’d remember me. I hadn’t noticed signs of Alzheimer’s on my last visit, but that had been a year ago, and Jen assured me Mom had faded fast. She also made it clear that since I was home with no job, it was my turn to take care of our parents.
“Sit,” Dad said. “You need to rest that leg.”
Behind him, Jen sighed loudly. “Don’t coddle her. She needs to stay active.” You wouldn’t know from the way she acted that Jen was younger by two years.
Dad winked at me. “Come and sit anyway.”
Jen hustled outside. She glanced back through the open door. “Welcome home.” She sped down the path without waiting for an answer.
I closed the door and looked at Dad. “I guess I caught her on a bad day.”
“No, just a day. Hey, a friend of yours runs the care home. She gave me a message for you. Said it was urgent.” He shuffled through the mail on the little table by the door.
I couldn’t think of any friends in Arizona. I hadn’t had any here since my childhood. My friends were scattered around the world, wherever news was happening. If she ran the nursing home, she might hope I’d write a story on the facility to promote it, or do some free PR work. Drat. Were people going to treat me like I had nothing better to do than give away my time?
Double drat. I did not, in fact, have anything better to do. And I wanted a nap.
Dad handed me an envelope. I leaned on the door and propped my cane against the table so I had two hands to tear open the envelope. The handwritten message inside was brief:
Kitty—Pleasecome see me ASAP. I need your help.
—Heather Garcia
“She sounded . . .” Dad hesitated. “She asked about your journalism and begged me to bring you in as soon as possible.”
Begged? This could be interesting after all. But who was Heather Garcia? Someone I knew in high school, given her use of my old nickname. Maybe I’d recognize her when I saw her. Or maybe not. I hadn’t changed a bit, of course, but other people sure looked different after thirty years.
Author Bio: Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. She has lived in ten states and one foreign country but is now firmly planted in the Southwest, where many of her books are set. Learn more at www.krisbock.com. Kris’s cat café series is lighthearted sweet romance. Readers call it heartwarming, fun, and delightful. Visit the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series page on Amazon US or Amazon UK.
Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie
Sweet Home Alabama
. Follow the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. These first two chapters from the novel Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium stand alone as a short story. In the future, you’ll get fun content about upcoming Felony Melanie novels and other romantic comedy news and links. Or find book 1 at Amazon US or All E-book retailers. Kris writes for children as Chris Eboch.
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March 9, 2022
Find great #Romance stories! Get #SweetRomance on the #Kindle, some in #KindleUnlimited with #ContemporaryRomance #RomanticComedy #Paranormal #CleanRomance
💕 Curl up with a Romance: Cozy cottages, island escapes, cat cafés and ranches with cowboys! If you love sweet contemporary romance, check out this group to find all your favorite heroes, from doctors to cowboys to lawmen, in big cities, small towns, and on the road.
😍 Sweet Romance on Kindle Unlimited: Do you KU? Find sweet romance enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. Browse this group for:
Contemporary Romance Historical RomanceRomantic SuspenseRomantic ComedyParanormal
Kris Bockwrites novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Accidental Detective short story and bonus material when you sign up for my newsletter. This collection includes a ten-page mystery short story set in the world of “The Accidental Detective” series, information about the series, and the first chapter of book 1. After that are three fun, short stories originally written for children. You’ll also get , a free 30-page sweet romance set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café, and a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels
The Learn more at www.krisbock.comor visit Kris Bock’s Amazon US page or Amazon UK page. (For other countries click here.)
March 5, 2022
#BookGiveaway! Three giveaways with dozens of FREE books in #romance and #mystery genres: #ContemporaryRomance #HistoricalRomance #CleanRomance #SweetRomance #RomanticSuspense
😍 Hearts of Spring Giveaway: Sign up for newsletters and check out authors with a free story (unsubscribe any time). You’ll find sweet romance in many genres in the stories in this group:
Contemporary Romance Historical RomanceYoung Adult Romantic Suspense💓Sweet Romance Giveaway: Find new authors with free prequels, novellas, and short stories. These sweet romance titles are yours with newsletter signups (unsubscribe any time).
👮 Mystery Giveaway: Find new authors with free prequels, novellas, and short stories. These mystery offerings are yours free with newsletter signup (unsubscribe any time). Options include mystery, thriller, romantic suspense, and murder mystery titles.
February 19, 2022
Free, 99¢ and #KindleUnlimited #Mystery and #RomanceBooks - Get cozy mysteries and #SweetRomance (contemporary, historical, romantic comedy, romantic suspense, Amish and Christian #romance titles)
Celebrate Sweet Romance
with Free and 99¢ books! Take a book vacation: Visit a lighthouse, a ranch, a beach, or a cat café. These sweet and/or Christian romance novels guarantee a happily ever after.Spring into a Cozy : Are you a cat person or a dog person? Do you like your cozy mystery novels with or without a paranormal element? Check out over twenty novels, prequels, and short story collections featuring fun mysteries – each free when you sign up for the author’s newsletter (unsubscribe any time).
Strong Women : Meet spies and warriors, princesses and goblin queens, and ordinary women finding themselves. This giveaway is for books featuring a strong female as a protagonist, with lots of fantasy and paranormal, plus mysteries, thrillers, and a few romance stories. Get these stories for free when you sign up for the author’s newsletter (unsubscribe any time). Clean Romances in KU! Small towns, ranches, cottages, beaches, and other cozy sites feature in these Kindle Unlimited Romance Reads. Browse contemporary and historical romance, romantic comedy and romantic suspense, Amish and Christian titles.
February 13, 2022
Onyx and Opal Always and Forever by C.L. Hart #SweetRomance #HistoricalRomance #Romance
Onyx and Opal Always and Forever by C.L. Hart Genre: Sweet Romance, Historical Romance, Interracial Romance
When Elias Król competed in the El Paso Decathlon on an August day in 1978, he was proud to take first place. Little did he know the best prize wasn't his hard-won trophy; it was the bond he would form with the sweet young woman taking his order at the fried chicken booth.
Madison Sanders wasn't looking for love while working at her family's concession stand, but love was about to find her in the form of a lanky red-haired athlete.
This short and sweet interracial romance with a guaranteed Happy Ever After is part of a developing series but it can also stand on its own. With a very low heat rating and no profanity, it is appropriate for both teen and adult readers.
Price: $1.99 or free from Kindle Unlimited
Free to own between February 13 and February 17, 2022.
All other sellers via Books 2 Read
Odysee: Price 33 LBC (approximately 99 cents) for PDF
Payhip: PDF for 99 cents plus any tip you care to leave to offset Payhip and Paypal fees.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
C.L. Hart is a 57-year-old disabled former nurse living in a remote town on the plains of Northeastern Colorado with her adult son and three cats. When not writing gloomy Lovecraftian fantasy or doomy dystopian fiction with the occasional sweet romance thrown in to shake things up, Ms. Hart enjoys baking (results may vary) and drawing (admissibly badly.)
Blogs and Social Media
Naughty Netherworld Press Official: https://bit.ly/NaughtyNetherworldPress
Poetry of the Netherworld: https://bit.ly/POTNOfficial
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Naughty Netherworld Press and Readers Roost Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReadersRoost
Naughty Netherworld Newsletter: https://bit.ly/NaughtyNetherworldNews
Books 2 Read: http://books2read.com/clhart
February 5, 2022
Discover new #Romance authors and characters - some titles are free and some are in #KindleUnlimited - all are #SweetRomance #CleanRomance
Sweet Romance Winter Giveaway
Find new authors with free prequels, novellas, short stories, and full-length novels. These #sweetromance offerings are yours with newsletter signups (unsubscribe any time).
Sweet Romance on Kindle Unlimited
So many books are in Kindle Unlimited! But how do you find ones to try? If you like sweet romance, browse this group for:
Contemporary Romance
Historical Romance
Romantic Comedy
All are "Sweet & Clean" Romance.
February 3, 2022
99c sale Feb 3-9! Meet the cat café crew with a “Sweet and innocent romance to make you feel good about people again.” #Romance #sweetromance #contemporaryromance
Cupcakes and Confessions at The Cat Café: a Furrever Friends Sweet Romance
book 6 is only 99c/99p Feb 3-9!"This story will hit home with anyone who has had to make hard decisions in their lives and have ever wondered what if? ... definitely a book well worth getting your hands on! Highly recommended."
A chance meeting changes three lives … Two years ago, computer genius Sean Gorsuch had a health crisis and sold the tech company he built. Now he works at a cat café, dishing out hot drinks and sweet treats to customers, and lavishing attention on cats. At fifty-two and never married, he might be a little lonely, but how can he find someone who gets his quirky way of seeing the world?
Twenty-three years ago, Fiona Jones gave up her baby for adoption when her teen fiancé abandoned her. Since then, she has spent most of her life alone. A chance meeting with Sean on a plane leads to a startling revelation: his coworker, Holly, looks like a younger version of Fiona. Could Fiona have a second chance with her daughter, now grown up?
Sean helps steady Fiona through the emotional roller coaster of getting to know Holly. Fiona’s life is too complicated for romance, and Sean doesn’t want to get between mother and daughter. Still, something sparks between them. Should they stay just friends or risk their hearts?
“Loved this story…These are well written characters that grab your interest. Love all the Cat Cafe stories.”
Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series page on Amazon USor Amazon UK.
"The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series is one of my favorite series of all time. I really love reading about the cat cafe and the romances between different characters in the books. I’ve read all of the books in the series so far and always look forward to reading more. I read this book in one sitting and loved it! I love how these two seemingly awkward characters are so forward with each other which is a good thing yet a bad thing sometimes, but works out... Such a light and wonderful read. Thank you for continuing to write more in this series!!"
The Furrever Friends Cat Café helps people find furry forever friends – and just might lead to romantic true love too. If you enjoy friends to lovers and mature romance, check out Cupcakes and Confessions at the Cat Café. You’ll also find rescue cats with plenty of personality and their own ideas about what love is. The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the workers and customers at the Furrever Friends Cat Café, and the adorable cats and kittens looking for their forever homes. Some characters appear throughout the series, but each book stands alone.
Kris Bock writes novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. Get a free 35-page novella set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter. You’ll also get a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels. Kris also writes romantic suspense set in the Southwestern U.S. If you love Mary Stewart or Barbara Michaels, try Kris Bock’s stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue in the Southwest. Learn more at www.krisbock.comor visit Kris Bock’s Amazon US page or Amazon UK page.
January 31, 2022
#Mystery #Giveaway! Check out new authors w/free stories when you sign up for the author's newsletter (unsubscribe any time). #BookGiveaway #murdermystery
Mystery Giveaway! Check out new authors through free stories - each novel, novella, short story or prequel is free when you sign up for the author's newsletter (unsubscribe any time). Options include: The Accidental Detective tracks down a missing monkey in a nursing home. A secret club murders for fun. Gianna knows she's been nominated but not who did it. Students at a police academy are dying, so a struggling recruit investigates the murders. A woman visits her grandmother in an historic Nevada mining town and find the dead body (with a tuxedo cat and adorable pup as her sidekicks). A Chicago detective goes undercover in Alabama, joining forces with a group of retirees who are amateur sleuths. A spy team of women must protect their king from a new threat. A trio of detectives work to solve a murder spree based on the Fibonacci series And many more!See them all here and grab any you like!
The Case of the Missing Monkey and other short mystery stories An Accidental Detective short story plus bonus material
Get a free Accidental Detectiveshort story and bonus material when you sign up for my newsletter. This collection includes a ten-page mystery short story set in the world of “The Accidental Detective” series, information about the series, and the first chapter of book 1. After that are three fun, short stories originally written for children.
January 22, 2022
#WinterRead - a Treasure Hunting Legend Inspires #Romance & #Suspense #BookBuzz #AmReading
I love the Southwest, and I love the romance and mystery behind tales of buried treasure. When researching lost treasures of the American Southwest, I came across the story of the Victorio Peak treasure, which has it all – a heretic Spanish priest, bandits, an Apache raider, and of course lots of gold.
Desert Gold
was inspired by this tale.Treasure Hunting Law
Many people are fascinated by tales of lost treasures. Some people even devote their lives to tracking down one or more historical mysteries, while others dabble in treasure hunting as a hobby. But who actually owns the treasure if someone does find it?
The Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 states that on public land (BLM lands, national parks, etc.), archaeological finds belong to the government. Qualified archaeologists can put in permits for excavation, and the finds can go to universities or museums, but the objects still belong to the government. On private land, a treasure would typically belong to the finder, if they are excavating with the land owner’s permission. However, state rules vary. Also, “treasure trove,” paper money or objects of gold or silver, must have been lost for at least a few decades, so it is unlikely that the original owner would come to reclaim it.
Of course, not everyone follows the law. I did some volunteer training with the BLM for people interested in monitoring archaeological sites. We were warned to never approach strangers digging in the desert, as they might be illegal treasure hunters and might be violent. Life can be just as exciting as fiction!
Inspired by Legend
In writing fiction, I took liberties with the Victorio Peak Treasure, which is still considered an unsolved mystery. According to the stories, the most likely location for the treasure is now within the restricted area of the White Sands Missile Range. I moved the treasure to public land, so my characters could actually find it. Not that the adventure is easy!
In Desert Gold, quiet history professor Erin uncovers a clue to a lost treasure cave, but minutes after her discovery, a hit and run driver leaves her for dead. Is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a fight. She and her best friend Camie head into the New Mexico wilderness to track the treasure. The wilderness holds its own dangers, from wild animals to even wilder weather. The pair races to find the treasure as sinister men hunt them. Just how far will Erin go to find the treasure and discover what she’s really made of?
“The story has it all—action, romance, danger, intrigue, lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship....”
Excerpt:
Among all the legends, all the fact and fiction, one story stood out. The Victorio Peak legend had it all. A Franciscan priest and a swindler. Torture, murder, a government cover-up. Where was the truth, among all the stories? Erin wanted to find out. Over time, and with Camie’s encouragement, she’d started to take the treasure hunt more seriously. It wasn’t so much for the treasure itself—that would most likely belong to the government or the landowners. But it would make her reputation, open up new job opportunities—change her life in ways she hardly dared dream.
She touched the book gently. The pages were falling out; she didn’t want to risk carrying it around. Instead, Erin snapped a picture of the petroglyphs with her phone. That would be enough to show Camie for now.
The timing was perfect; she just had to turn in grades and field a few tearful last-minute requests for extensions, and she’d be done for the semester. What better way to spend the summer, than hunting for buried treasure?
Erin shook her head. Who would’ve thought that she, the quiet, studious girl who’d spent her entire adult life in academia in one way or another, would be planning such an adventure?
Kris Bock lives in New Mexico, where she enjoys hiking, watching the sunset from her patio, and hanging out with her husband and their ferrets. Her home office looks out on nature, complete with distracting wildlife such as roadrunners and foxes.Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter
