Vicki Batman's Blog, page 3
September 22, 2022
Blog: Favorite Handbag and Book with author Augustina Van Hoven

The brother of a co-worker was learning how to work with leather. I described the purse I wanted, and he made it. I absolutely love it and it’s worth every penny. The purse is black, inside and out with lots of compartments and pockets.
About the Book:

Not everything is beautiful under the light of a silvery full moon.
A new evil walks the night in the woods near Dante’s Hallow. Nicholas Harwood and his companions-a druid sorcerer, a witch, his best friend and a few ghosts, race against time to stop this new creature before the body count grows higher. Can they save the town without alerting the local people to the truth about the supernatural?
About the Author: Augustina Van Hoven
Augustina Van Hoven is a paranormal romance author who lifts the veil on the secrets hidden in the world around us. Whether it’s traveling through a crack in time, interacting with the dead, or meeting the supernatural creatures living among us, her characters find love in unexpected places. What would you do if you actually met a shifter? Or woke up a hundred and fifty years in the past? Or looked into a mirror and found the face staring back at you wasn’t your own? Come and read stories that show you what is possible if you will only believe.
Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? Blue
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Fall
Cake or Pie? Cake
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Coffee
Country music or Michael Buble? neither one
Pencil or Pen? Pen
Find the Book at:
Cursed at: Amazon
Find Augustina Van Hoven at: website
September 15, 2022
Blog: Favorite Book and Book with author Jana Richards - Are you a fan of Word War Two Historicals?

I had a little internal debate with myself as I tried to decide which book is my favorite. I finally narrowed down my all-time favorite author to Rosamunde Pilcher. Then I debated which book of hers I could call my favorite book because I truly love them all. I finally settled on COMING HOME. I’m a sucker for a World War Two love story.
So, here’s a brief plot summary of COMING HOME:
In 1935, fourteen-year-old Judith Dunbar is left behind at a British boarding school when her mother and baby sister leave join their father in Singapore. At St. Ursula’s, Judith becomes friends with Loveday Carey-Lewis (love that name—could it be more British?) and the lonely teenager is taken in by Loveday’s family at Nancherrow, their Cornish estate. At Nancherrow, Judith learns about British aristocracy, family, values, and wealth.
When war breaks out in 1939, the young men of Nancherrow go to war, including Loveday’s brother Edward and her fiancé Gus, and Jeremy Wells, a friend of Edward’s who’s been in love with Judith for years. Both friends will learn the meaning of sacrifice, loss and pain. Nothing will ever be the same again.
I first read COMING HOME in the 1990s. The book first came out in 1995 so it was a new read when I picked it up at the library. Like I said, I’m a Rosamunde Pilcher fan and have been ever since my mother-in-law picked up a bunch of her books at a garage sale in the eighties and gave them to me. I was excited Ms. Pilcher had a new release.
I mostly remember bawling my eyes out as I read this book. This is a sweeping story of coming of age against a backdrop of war. Judith learns some hard lessons about the true meaning of love and responsibility when her parents are lost and her younger sister Jess comes into her care. The book takes us across the world, from the English countryside in Cornwall, to Ceylon and Australia, and many points in-between. The characters are wonderful and memorable, especially Judith.
At 826 pages, COMING HOME is a long book. But it didn’t feel long. As one Goodreads reader said, when you finish those 826 pages, you wish you had another 826 pages to read because you want to stay in that world with those characters. I understand the audiobook is 40 hours long! It sounds daunting but I am definitely going to have to give the audiobook version a listen and revisit that world.
When I finished COMING HOME, I felt like I’d been through a war, and had fallen in love, along with the characters. Even after all these years, the characters, and especially the emotions the book evoked, have stayed with me, and I believe that is the hallmark of great writing.
About Your Book:

Love can make you stronger, if you let it.
Charlotte Saunders has a full life—a rewarding career as a nurse, meaningful volunteer work at a dog shelter, and family, friends and pets she adores. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t forget the horrible event that’s haunted her for ten years.
A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Damon Greyson now helps others who have suffered trauma. His experience and intuition alert him to trouble in Charlotte’s past, and he wants to help her, if only she’d let him.
As they work together to help veterans suffering from PTSD and neglected dogs needing loving homes, their feelings for each other deepen. But when the trauma from Charlotte’s past roars back to life, both are forced to confront their painful histories—or die trying.
About the Author: Jana Richards
Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? Since I’m Canadian, I have to say red and white.
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? I love the shoulder seasons, spring and fall.
Cake or Pie? Do I really have to choose?
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Yes, please!
Country music or Michael Buble? Michael Buble.
Pencil or Pen? Pen, definitely.
Find out more at:
Find Coming Home at: Amazon
Find Jana Richards at: Website
September 8, 2022
Blog: Handbags, Books...whatever welcomes author Jessica E. Subject with her handbag and new book, R E T

My handbag is a Lug Zipliner. I bought it online during the pandemic when my old handbag started to fall apart and the majority of stores were closed. I wasn’t familiar with the brand name, but it was the closest thing I could find to what I wanted. Which is, lots of pockets and space.
It holds everything I need and even things I don’t need, but forget to take out. It’s 15” x 12” and can be used as a shoulder purse or worn as a backpack. I wear mine as a shoulder bag, but I think I’m going to try wearing it the other way. Mine is gray with a black interior. There is an insulated pocket tucked into the side, and the front zippered pocket is RFID. It's perfect for everything I need.
About the Book:

Ret and Ilam plan to stay single forever. But one night can change everything.
Can these two teammates survive the resulting media storm? What will it mean for their careers? Their team? And for them?
Jessica E. Subject is a USA Today bestselling author of science fiction and paranormal romances, bringing to life a wide variety of characters. In her stories, you could not only meet a sexy alien or a pop star tiger shifter, but also unsuspecting clones and feisty omegas. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting to live and love, or to an alternate reality where shifters live among humans. When Jessica is not reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to go to fitness class, listen to BTS, and walk her Great Pyrenees/Retriever her family adopted from the local animal shelter. Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two not-so-little children. And she loves to hear from her readers.
Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? Red and Blue (Combined, they make purple)
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Any season but summer
Cake or Pie? Both
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Water
Country music or Michael Buble? BTS
Pencil or Pen? Depends what I’m writing
Find the Book at:
R E T at: Amazon
Jessica E. Subject at: Website
September 1, 2022
Handbags, Books...whatever blog with author Brenda Whiteside - What is Your Favorite Forever Movie? and her book, Secrets of the Ravine

Stuck at a sleepy, family camp in the Catskills with her parents seemed like a bad way to spend her last breath of summer until Baby meets bad-boy Johnny. Johnny, played by Patrick Swayze (swoon) is the dance instructor. When he enlists her as his new dance partner, the fun begins. There are dramatic moments that run the gamut from maddening to heart-tugging. But when Baby meets Johnny, music and dancing, and of course love, explode the screen.
I first saw Dirty Dancing in late summer of 1987. I’ve watched it several more times on television. Although my movie tastes are wildly wide, this is the kind of movie that gets under my skin. I take the characters home in my head. I sing the songs over and over. I wish I could dance like that!
Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze are the movie. That didn’t turn out so well for Ms. Grey. She even got a nose job (big mistake) but worked very little after the iconic role. Unfortunately, the world has lost Patrick Swayze.
Do I recommend it? You bet I do.
About the Book:

Lies can haunt, but the truth will kill.
Magpie MacKenzie doesn’t believe in coincidence. But when a ringer for her long-dead love walks into her life the same day skeletal remains are unearthed, she’s convinced the universe is sending her a message. Fearing her father will be accused of the crime, Magpie will do whatever it takes to find the truth. Even risk her heart on this familiar stranger who may hold critical clues to the unsolved mystery.
While visiting purportedly haunted Joshua, Arizona, lawyer Zac Peartree is instantly drawn to the free-wheeling shopkeeper. His attraction propels him on a collision course between past and present where digging up secrets could prove fatal.
Using decades-old clues and Zac’s déjà vu moments, the couple embark on a treacherous race to prove her father’s innocence before Magpie becomes the next victim. Can they save her from a murderous fate, or will love be the final casualty?
About the Author:
Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense and romance. She's penned a couple of historicals and straight romance, but she's found villains and danger make a good story that much better. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart so won't discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.
Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? White
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Winter
Cake or Pie? Pie (make it fruit)
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Coffee, coffee, coffee
Country music or Michael Buble? Well, if I have to choose between these two (neither my favorite) I’ll go with country, but it’s got to be the old time, real country music.
Pencil or Pen? Pencil
Find the Book at:
Secrets of the Ravine at: Amazon
This book is on sale September 1-5 in celebration of Book 3 releasing on 9/5.
Brenda Whiteside at: Website
August 25, 2022
Blog: Tina Donahue and her new book: Sinfully Hot!
SINFULLY HOT - an Erotic Paranormal Romance by Tina Donahue

A hotter-than-sin reaper. A badass demon. Hell doesn’t get steamier than this.
Zekiel owns the newest nightclub in the French Quarter. The decadent atmosphere draws the corrupt, their blackened souls just what he likes to reap.
Jewel is not amused. Not only has Zekiel cut in on her territory, Satan’s gotten hardcore, upping her quota. All hell’s going to break loose if mortals don’t start selling their souls to her.
The race is on. Zekiel claims victory and wants Jewel as his prize for one evening. Nothing forbidden. Nothing denied. In other words, the whole enchilada, including voyeurism and BDSM.
After the first promising look and lingering touch, they’re goners…even though they’re supposed to be competitors.
He brushed his lips over her ear. “Are you challenging me?”
She was a hot mess, unable to do anything except submit. His breath was fresh and warm, his muscles harder than stone. “Challenge you to what?” Us doing the horizontal tango? Bondage? Punishment?
“To see who can claim a soul faster. You seem to think you can.” He snuggled his tongue into her ear.
Jewel shivered. Her knees bumped his. “Not seem. Know. What happens when I win?”
He laughed, his chest and hard stomach quivering.
She should have slugged him but couldn’t find the strength. His beard-roughened cheek scoured hers in the best possible way. Never again would she consider reapers loathsome creatures worse than pond scum. However, he had still horned in on her turf. That deserved retaliation.
She broke free from his grip and stroked his inner arm.
He trembled.
She purred. “What’s the matter, baby? Afraid of real competition?”
He eased back slightly. Charcoal locks dangled over his forehead, begging her to ease them into place.
She resisted.
His dimpled smile returned. “Are you serious? Competition from you?”
This book was previously published in a box set.
About Tina Donahue: Tina’s an Amazon and international bestselling novelist who writes

passionate romance for every taste – ‘heat with heart’ – for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. She’s won Readers’ Choice Awards, was named a finalist in the EPIC competition, received a Book of the Year award, The Golden Nib Award, awards of merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competitions, and second place in the NEC RWA contests. She’s featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, she worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.
On a less serious note: she’s an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, brakes for Mexican restaurants, and has been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally while wolfing down tostadas. She’s flown a single-engine airplane (freaking scary), rewired an old house using an ‘electricity for dummies’ book, and is horribly shy despite the hot romances she writes.
Find Sinfully Hot at: Books2Read
Find Tina Donahue at: Website
August 18, 2022
Handbags, Books...whatever welcomes author Joyce Woollcott, Her Favorite Book, and Her Book

I bought the book as soon as it was released, possibly 2019-20? I bought it because I had been anticipating this latest mystery. At least one of her Jackson Brodie novels has been turned into a BBC TV series. All her books are fabulous, with five now in the Brodie series. I was sad to finish it and read it again from time to time. Always finding something new. 353 pages long.
About Your Book:
Book One in The DS Ryan McBride Mysteries.

The body of a young woman is found by a river outside Belfast and Detective Sergeant Ryan McBride makes a heart-wrenching discovery at the scene, a discovery he chooses to hide even though it could cost him the investigation – and his career.
The victim was a loner but well-liked. Why would someone want to harm her? And is her murder connected to a rapist who’s stalking the local pubs? As Ryan untangles a web of deception and lies, his suspects die one by one, leading him to a dangerous family secret and a murderer who will stop at nothing to keep it.
And still, he harbors his secret ...
A NICE PLACE TO DIE is due for release August/September 2022.
About the Author: J. Woollcott.
I was born in Belfast and now live in Canada. I’m a graduate of the post-grad course at

The Humber School for Writers and BCAD, University of Ulster. My first mystery, Abducted, was long-listed in the Canadian Arthur Ellis Awards in 2019. My second book, A Nice Place to Die, won the RWA Unpublished Mystery/Suspense Daphne du Maurier Award in 2019 in New York. A Nice Place to Die was also long-listed in the Arthur Ellis Awards for 2020 and short-listed in the Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence in 2021. I’m working on part two of the Ryan McBride Belfast Murder Series, Blood Relations, due out in August 2023. I’m a member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Southwest Florida Writer’s Guild.
Answer these questions:
Red, White, or Blue? White.
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Summer–definitely. Hot, blue skies, sitting outside in the garden with a glass of wine.
Cake or Pie? Pie, key lime, plum, Banoffee, and the list goes on. But Banoffee is the best. Bananas + toffee. A combination of textures and flavors, a cookie/biscuit or graham cracker crust with dulce de leche, bananas, and homemade whipped cream.
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Champagne of course.
Country music or Michael Buble? Michael Buble (and Van Morrison).
Pencil or Pen? Pencil. You can erase your mistakes.
Find out more at:
Find A Nice Place to Die at:
Find Joyce Woollcott at: Website
July 14, 2022
Blog: Your Favorite Handbag and Book with author Kathleen Buckley

I needed an evening bag for a formal wedding 1,400 miles from home. The size was important, because apparently, it’s impossible to travel without a smart phone now, to check email, confirm one’s return flight, do pre-security screening, call cabs, all kinds of things. My dumb phone was dying anyhow, so I got a smart phone. But all my evening bags (yes, I have a bunch of them) were the wrong color and too small and that was true of every bag I looked at in stores or online. When I was panicking and beginning to think of making a bag, I finally found one (new, without tag) on Etsy.
It was big enough to hold a smart phone, ID, money, credit card and a pair of glasses. I’m not quite sure what to call the color: is it sort of pinkish brown? Brownish mauve? Something else? Whatever, it harmonized with my peach silk, vaguely Edwardian, gown. There are beads: a lot of beads, including a fringe and a long, long tassel (6½ inches). The chain strap is shoulder bag length, and the (heavy) brass purse frame makes it a potential weapon. The lining is a deep burgundy satin, and it has a little inside pocket holding a mirror.
I can’t imagine when I’ll carry it again, because I’m not a formal event goer as a rule and my wardrobe runs more to twills and tee- and sweatshirts than evening wear. On the other hand, I’ll need to find a reason to wear the peach silk again…
About the Book:

What do you owe your family?
The Barding earldom may be doomed. A shocking suggestion might provide another potential heir.
Miles Halliwell, Barding’s man of business, owes everything to the earl. Does loyalty to his employer require him to deal with a known criminal and incite forgery? Unfortunately for Miles’s peace of mind, it may.
To protect her family's reputation, Julia St. John, daughter of a baron, has given up everything to live in obscurity with an illegitimate son. She has no better future in sight, until Barding's man of business offers a possible solution and a new life…at the cost of a few more lies.
About the Author: Kathleen Buckley.After a career including light bookkeeping, working as a paralegal, and a stint as a security officer (fascinating!), Kathleen Buckley began to write as a second career, rather than as a hobby. Her first historical romance was penned (well, word processed) after re-reading Georgette Heyer’s Georgian/Regency romances and realizing that Ms. Heyer would never write another. She is now the author of seven published Georgian romances: An Unsuitable Duchess, Most Secret, Captain Easterday's Bargain, A Masked Earl, A Duke's Daughter, Portia and the Merchant of London, and A Westminster Wedding. Full disclosure: no bodices are ripped in her romances, which might be described as "powder & patch & peril" rather than Jane Austen drawing room. They do contain mild bad language, as the situations in which her characters find themselves sometimes call for an oath a little stronger than "Zounds!"
Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? Red!
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Fall.
Cake or Pie? Pie? What kind? Oh, pecan. Or blueberry.
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Champagne!
Country music or Michael Buble? Michael Bublé.
Pencil or Pen? Pen.
Find the Book at:
A Westminster Wedding at: Amazon
Kathleen Bucklet at: 18thcenturyromance
June 30, 2022
HBW-Your Favorite Movie and Book with author Amber Cross - Do You Love Black and White Movies? and her book
About Your Favorite Movie:

I love black and white movies (I grew up with b&w tv for the first few years of my life), epic movie scores, and simple story lines portrayed by talented casts.
I first watched this movie when AMC came out and immediately fell in love-with Claudette Colbert’s depiction of lonely wife Anne Hilton, Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple as her teenage daughters growing to adulthood, Joseph Cotten’s unflagging support for his best friend’s family, Agnes Moorehead as the jealous friend who says what Anne doesn’t dare think, and Hattie McDaniel trying to keep everyone’s spirits
up.About the Book:
Smooth and mellow meets spunky and sweet
Lisa Kirkpatrick is stubborn, but she's not stupid. If this guy needs a date to evade an unwanted admirer, who is she to object? It's not as if handsome men are lining up to ask her out. Sure, they know there's a woman in the wheelchair, but it would never occur to them that there's a WOMAN in the wheelchair. He notices. This solid, fun, straight-shooting guy ticks off every box on her ideal man list. But why do they call him Slick?
Roger Plankey thought his life was full until he walked into the town clerk's office and laid eyes on the woman behind the counter. A spunky, independent woman with a dash of humor and just enough sass to keep him on his toes. She fills that unknown void in his life like she was made for him. But is there such a thing as too perfect?
About the Author:
Amber Cross was raised on a family farm in New England, one of a dozen siblings, each one inspiring her writing in some way. She still lives in that same small town with her husband and the youngest of their five children. She loves spending time in the woods, in the water, and watching people because every one of them has a unique and fascinating story to tell.
Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? White
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Fall
Cake or Pie? Neither-cookies!
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? None
Country music or Michael Buble? Country
Pencil or Pen? Pen
Find the Book:
A Full-bodied Love at: Amber Cross
Amber Cross at: Website
June 23, 2022
Favorite Handbag and Book welcomes author Estelle Pettersen - What's Trusty, Filled with Love and a Dog? and her book

The handbag isn’t a special brand but it does the trick if I want to brighten an outfit when attending an event. The handbag and shoes, especially the image of the dog, sure have caught people’s attention and serve as a great conversation starter to break the ice.
The inside of the handbag is cotton-candy pink but nobody really sees that except for me, as I keep my handbag closed. It can fit all the important things I carry – mobile phone, lipstick, a small vial of perfume, concealer, tissues, and my wallet.
It’s cute, fun, and a little different from everything else out there. The handbag goes with other shoes I have, so I can mix and match a bit. It’s the ideal accessory to brighten a winter, or to wear in the summer.
About the Book:

Newsday Australia reporter Elizabeth Martin seems to have it all. Until her boss gives her an ultimatum that will change her future.
It’s 1996 and Elizabeth has to choose: work for six months at a country newspaper, Maranoa Herald, or lose her job. Convincing herself this is just another stepping stone, Elizabeth leaves the city and her fiancé, lawyer Paul Ricci, for a small town in rural Australia. Despite the scorching heat and pests, Bandara holds a charm of its own—Keith Starling, a handsome farmer with sky-blue eyes and a spellbinding smile.
What happens when Elizabeth returns to the city and discovers what Paul’s been hiding from her? Will she choose her career or everlasting love in the country with Keith? Find out in this steamy Australian romance novella, a prelude to the Starling Sisters series.
About the Author:
Estelle Pettersen is an Australian/Norwegian author and former journalist whose romance stories explore empowerment, freedom, and finding one’s strength. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Journalism and Psychology, from the University of Queensland, Australia. Her second degree is an MBA from Queensland University of Technology, Australia. She is a member of Romance Writers of Australia and is passionate about history, languages, cultures, traveling, food, and wine. She is happily married and living in Norway these days.
Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? Red.
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Spring.
Cake or Pie? Can I have both? But if I had to choose, it would be pie.
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Definitely coffee. It’s what wakes me up in the mornings.
Country music or Michael Buble?That’s a tough one. I’ve heard good songs from both Michael Buble and country musicians like Garth Brooks and Kenny Rogers (the lyrics of “The Gambler” is brilliant), whose songs inspired some chapters in my country novella Elizabeth.
Pencil or Pen? Pen. I don’t mind getting ink on my fingers.
Find the Book at:
Book title at: Amazon
Your name at: Elusive Romance
June 16, 2022
Favorite Handbag and Book welcomes author Debra Goldstein: What Did I Buy on the Spur of the Moment? and her new book, Five Belles Too Many
About the Handbag:

The purse is a simple bag with a tan interior and a few pockets. One’s possessions are protected by the zippered closure. What highlights the bag, and jazzes it up for nighttime as well as daytime usage, are the alternating metal and rhinestone studs, as well as the cat’s rhinestone rimmed glasses. The light background with the blue accents makes it a purse that easily compliments one’s outfit.
About the Book:

When Sarah Blair’s mother participates in a reality show competition for the perfect Southern wedding, things get a little too real . . .
Sarah Blair’s mother, Maybelle and her friend, George Rogers, are one of five finalist couples competing for a “perfect” Southern wedding - and guess who has to be her Southern Belle mother’s chaperone! Even more vexing, the producers have decided to put the crew and participants up at the restaurant/bed and breakfast owned by Sarah’s nemesis, Jane Clark.
When someone turns up dead, with Jane kneeling by the body with blood on her hand, Sarah knows she can’t stand Jane, but she doesn’t think she’s a murderer. The producers vow the show must go on, but to protect her mother and the other contestants, Sarah vows to find the true killer before someone else gets eliminated . . .
Includes quick and easy recipes!
About the Author:
Judge Debra H. Goldstein writes Kensington’s Sarah Blair mystery series (Five Belles Too

Many, Four Cuts Too Many, Three Treats Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, and One Taste Too Many). Her novels and short stories received an IPPY award and have been named Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and Silver Falchion finalists. Debra served on the national boards of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and was president of the Guppy and SEMWA chapters. Find out more about Debra at https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com
Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? Blue
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Spring
Cake or Pie? Pie
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Coffee
Country music or Michael Buble? Country Music
Pencil or Pen? Pen
Find the Book:
Five Belles at: Amazon
Find Debra Goldstein at: Website