Vicki Batman's Blog, page 7
November 18, 2021
Favorite Book and Book welcomes author Anne Hamilton Fowler
is Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. The Pillars of the Earth is set against a backdrop of war, religious strife and power struggles which tears lives and families apart. In that time, there rises a magnificent Cathedral in Kingsbridge. Against the backdrop, love-stories entwine: Tom, the master builder, Aliena, the noblewoman, the sadistic Lord William, Philip, the prior of Kingsbridge, Jack, the artist in stone work and Ellen, the woman from the forest who
casts a curse.
At once, this is a sensuous and enduring love story and an epic that shines with the fierce spirit of a passionate age. Follett masterfully weaves these stories through political turmoil of 12th century England, creating a relevant and viable world for today's audience and for generations to come.
Your Book
"Laughter, sadness, empathy, outrage. “
“I’ve Worn Many Hats” is an inspirational read that demonstrates our human frailties, one’s ability to survive personal adversity and how we can learn to forgive both ourselves and others. It is a story of redemption."
About Anne
Canadian Anne Hamilton Fowler appeared to have it all. However, life is not always as idyllic
as it seems and at age twenty a series of events almost destroyed her. Emerging from the wreckage she reinvented herself, started over and proceeded to live on the edge with a risk- taking lifestyle. Then in 1993, an event experienced during a trip to Central America changed everything.
Red, White or Blue? Red
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Summer
Cake or Pie? Cake
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Champagne
Country music or Michael Buble? Michael
Pencil or Pen? Pen
Find Anne and her books at:
My web page: Website
For Canadian readers: Canada Ama
For US readers: US Ama
November 11, 2021
Handbag and Book presents Favorite Book and Book with author Amber Daulton
Favorite Book:
Midnight Redemptionis the sixth book in the paranormal romance Bonded by Blood series. Scottish vampire Broderick “Rick” MacDougal has loved and lost his soulmate four times, and he needs to find her next and last reincarnation to fulfill a five-hundred-year-old prophecy. I absolutely love this book and series. Rick and his ladylove Davina have had a turbulent courtship and romance that’s spanned the centuries. They’re desperately in love with one another, but the fate of the world rest on their shoulders.
I read this book in April 2020 around its release. I’m part of Ms. Burnz’s ARC team, so I received a complimentary copy, which I gladly reviewed. I could barely put the book down. There are so many wonderful characters, even the bad guys, and the subplots were woven together seamlessly. After I finished and wrote my review, I told my husband all about the book and series because I wasn’t ready to be done with it yet. I believe Ms. Burnz is creating a spin-off series starring a secondary character, and I can’t wait to read it.
All of the books in the Bonded by Blood series are standalones and can be read as such, but the last book is over 700 pages long with so many characters that it might be confusing to new readers. I recommend starting from the beginning and working your way through to fully immerse yourself in this awesome world of vampires, shifters, elementals, and fanatic humans.
About Your Book:
Rekindling the flames of love has never burned so hot.
Lies. Betrayal. A million-dollar bounty.
After an undercover mission goes awry, DEA agent Jarrett Brandt hides out in the last place he wants to be—his hometown. Now he’s stuck with his judgmental parents and the memory of his perfect brother hanging over his head. His one bright light? Marissa Reinn Brandt—his high school sweetheart and former sister-in-law.
Marissa lost Jarrett once before. No way will she let him back in; then her son offers him their guestroom. His wicked charm and smoldering stares are hard to resist, but she’ll make him work to reclaim his spot in her bed.
When his enemies close in, how will Jarrett keep Marissa and her son safe, or will he lose his shot at redemption?
About the Author:
Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series
Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats. Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? – Purple
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? – Fall
Cake or Pie? – Do I have to choose? Okay, cake. No, pie. Wait, I can’t choose.
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? – Tea or wine
Country music or Michael Buble? – Alternative Rock
Pencil or Pen? – Ballpoint black pen
Find out more at:
Find A Hero’s Heart at: books2read
Find Amber Daulton at: site
October 28, 2021
Handbag and Book welcomes mystery author Heather Weidner
I have a thing for bright colors and patterns. I always like interesting handbags with lots of room because I always carry way too much stuff with me. I carry two cell phones (one for work), a notebook for story ideas and cool names that I hear, a ton of pens, wallet, business cards, and then all the hair and makeup doodads that I might need. I’m also a C.K. (cop’s kid), and safety and preparedness have been instilled from a young age. There’s a little device somewhere in the bottom of my purse that will break a window and cut your seatbelt strap if you go off a bridge and crash into the water. It also has to be big enough to hold anti-bacterial spray, bandages, an econo-sized pepper spray, and a small can of hair spray. I’m careful not to mix these two up. And there may still be a couple of zip-ties and a box cutter in the bottom (because we moved the summer before last).
I saw this handbag online, and I loved the giraffe print. I needed a fun, summer bag, so I ordered it. I like it because it’s roomy, and it has red trim. I just wish that it had compartments. Everything seems to fall to the bottom, and I have to rummage and feel around if I want something.
Your Book:
There is nothing like finding a dead body, clad only in a red satin thong, on your property to jolt you from a quiet routine. Jules Keene, owner of the posh Fern Valley Camping Resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is thrust into the world of the Dark Web when one of her guests, Ira Perkins, is found murdered in the woods near her vintage trailers. Jules quickly discovers that the man who claimed to be on a writing retreat was not what he seemed, and someone will go to any length to find what he left at her resort. Jules, along with her Jack Russell Terrier sidekick Bijou, has to put the rest of the missing pieces of a blackmailing scheme together before her business is ruined.
More about Heather Weidner:
Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college
professor, software tester, and IT manager. Vintage Trailers and Blackmailers is the first in her cozy mystery series, the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries. She also writes the Delanie Fitzgerald mystery series set in Virginia. Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.
Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? Red is my favorite color. (But I’ve always been very patriotic with the red hair, pale skin, and blue eyes.)
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Summer. I grew up in Virginia Beach, so I’ll always be a beach girl at heart. (Even though we live on a lake now.)
Cake or Pie? Tough one. Chocolate or Lemon Chess Pie
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? I drink mainly iced tea, but I have grown fond of iced coffees. And of course, champagne is always good for celebrating!
Country music or Michael Buble? I like all kinds of music. Today, I listened to classical music, 80s metal, and pop hits from the 70s.
Pencil or Pen? Pen. I love cool pens for editing and revising. I sign books with pink, purple, or red ink.
Find Vintage Trailers and Blackmailers at: Amazon
Find Heather Weidner at: Website
October 21, 2021
Handbag and Book guest-author Liz Lipperman and a new book!
I am happy to announce a new book from a very dear writing friend, Liz Lipperman. Here we go!
Two years ago, DR. MACKENZIE ‘MAC” CONNOLLY, a biochemist for the CIA, went deep undercover to investigate a man so evil he was dubbed “Dr. Death”, and not even her handler knew where she was. Twenty-two days later, her team traced her cell phone to a laboratory in Morocco and extracted her, killing Dr. Death in the process...or so they thought.
GRIFFIN ‘GRIFF’ BRADLEY III, a highly-skilled combat leader, heads up the elite SWEEPERS team on the clean-up missions. The son of a real estate mogul who died along with his wife in a corporate jet crash, the independently wealthy Griff holds a cynical view of women in general, since Mac, the only woman he ever loved dumped him and disappeared. Face to face with her after two years, he’s unsure if he can separate his personal feelings from his professional persona.
JOSEPH PETROVIĆ, nicknamed Dr. Death, is a rogue Bosnian biochemist now working with both al Qaeda and Venezuelan rebels to produce a nerve gas capable of killing a large number of people within seconds. Operating his laboratory in the mountains outside Caracas, Venezuela, he is close to perfecting the weapon he will sell to the highest bidder. Two years previously, in the early stages of his experiments, he became obsessed with Mac, unaware she was an undercover agent with a mission to take out his entire operation.
When he realized she’d betrayed him, it was too late to save the laboratory, but he escaped via an underground tunnel. The perception is that he perished in the fire that followed the massive explosion... until he showed up in an unrelated security photo taken in Caracas, Venezuela.
The SWEEPERS’ mission: Find Petrović, and this time, make sure he doesn’t walk out alive.
Liz Lipperman started writing many years ago, even before she retired from the medical field. Wasting many years thinking she was a romance writer but always having to deal with the pesky villains who kept popping up in all her stories, she finally gave up and decided since she read mysteries and obviously wrote them, why fight it? She has two mystery series--the Jordan McAllister Mysteries (formerly the Clueless Cook Series) and The Garcia Girls Mysteries (formerly A Dead Sister Talking Series)which are available in all formats. You might also want to check out her romantic thrillers, Mortal Deception and Shattered and a romantic short titled Can't Buy Me Love. Also, be watching for the debut of a new romantic suspense series titled SWEEPERS coming sometime next year. She wants readers to know that her G rated cozies are written as Liz Lipperman and her R rated, grittier mysteries as Lizbeth Lipperman. Check out her web page for a more detailed listing of her books along with reviews and trailers.
Find Sweepers at: Die Once MoreFind Liz Lipperman at: websiteOctober 14, 2021
Handbag and Book welcomes mystery author Raquel V. Reyes
THE CASABLANCA: I don’t know if that is the name of this handbag or not. There isn’t a label inside. I’ve been using this bag for about two years. I’m a one bag at a time woman. It was a gift from my friend and SleuthFest co-chair, Michael. He is a Goodwill hunter (not the movie) for musical instruments. I don’t know what about this bag made him think of me. I’m not a Bogie and Becall superfan. I think I’ve only watched Casablanca in its entirety once, and that was for a film class. But whatever he saw in it, others have too.
I have gotten more compliments on this bag than any other. And most of them have come from straight cis-men. I have to admit I’ve grown very fond of this purse. One reason is it is the shape I like-- a hard flat bottom so that the bag stands on its own and the straps are the right length for shoulder or arm. It is a mood, and that is why I think people are drawn to it. It is the nostalgia for black and white movies and glitz Hollywood of old.
About the Book:
A Cuban-American food anthropologist uses her culinary knowledge to solve a murder and become a cooking show star in this character-driven cozy mystery.
About the Author:Raquel V. Reyes writes stories with Latina characters. Her Cuban-American heritage, Miami, and the Caribbean feature prominently in her work. Raquel is a co-chair for SleuthFest. Her short stories appear in various anthologies, including Mystery Most Theatrical, Midnight Hour, and Trouble No More. Mango, Mambo, and Murder is the first in the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series. Find her across social media platforms as @LatinaSleuths.
Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? Aqua
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? They’re all the same in Miami.
Cake or Pie? Cake (Ok, let’s be honest—Frosting!) But I’d also take a tart Key Lime pie
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Coffee!
Country music or Michael Buble? Buble
Pencil or Pen? Pencil, but it has to be round. I’m very particular.
Find the Book at: Support your Independent Bookseller.
Book title at: Mango, Mambo, and Murder
Find Raquel V. Reyes as LatinaSleuths across platforms.
October 7, 2021
Favorite Book and Book welcomes author Judythe Morgan
My sister gave me Faith Bass Darling’s Last Garage Sale. She’d read it and thought of me and all the estate sales I’ve conducted.
It’s literary fiction and I usually read romance, so I wasn’t sure. But the story turned out to be a delightful tale of love and redemption—not to mention some killer garage sale prices on some fabulous antiques. All written with the new-to-me author’s wry and witty voice.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, all the antique descriptions, and the humorous depiction of small-town Texas (or anywhere) life. It’s a perfect book club choice because you’ll want to talk about the story with someone. The book is being made into a motion picture. I can’t wait!
About Your Book:
When Love Trusts is the fourth book in the Fitzpatrick Family series. A series about preacher kids, who are too often characterized as wild kids, rebelling against their family’s values. Each Fitzpatrick story shows how PKs work through their relationships while dealing with the same everyday issues just like the rest of the world only using an abundance of God-given grace and forgiveness...including things like PTSD in Josh’s story.
Home on medical leave, an Army sniper battles his conscience and his former best friend when a fire forces him to help at her boys’ group home. If he can learn to trust her, and himself, they might have a second chance at first love.
Growing up together in a small Texas town, Josh Fitzpatrick and Mara Burke always had each other’s backs. A relationship built on love and trust… until it wasn’t.
Now, an Army sniper home on medical leave, Josh’s wounds go deeper than the shrapnel dug from his thigh. Nightmares torment him. He feels responsible for a senseless tragedy and the death of fellow soldiers. While his body recovers, he wrestles with guilt and waits for disciplinary action.
Mara’s a single mom and administrator at a home for boys, still hiding the terrible secret that created the ten-year chasm between them.
When the boy’s home needs volunteers after a fire, Josh steps in. Sparks from their youth soon ignite a new passion, but will sharing their secrets be enough to overcome the pain and hurt between them?
About the Author:
Judythe Morgan started life as an Army brat then became an Army wife. She’s moved a lot and
worked lots of different jobs. She’s been a schoolteacher, an antiques dealer, former mayor's wife, sometimes-church pianist, and always a writer. Her diverse experiences make her life exciting, her story characters vivid, and the stories authentic and award-winning.
Answer these questions:
Red, White or Blue? Blue
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Fall or Spring
Cake or Pie? Pie
Coffee, Tea, or Champagne? Tea, and make mine Irish Breakfast Tea, please.
Country music or Michael Buble? Definitely country for this Texas gal.
Pencil or Pen? Pencil. I can’t do without my eraser!
Find out more at: Website
Sign up for my newsletter at: Judythe Morgan
Find Your book title at: Amazon
Find Judythe Morgan at: Facebook
September 30, 2021
Favorite Book and Book: Vicki Batman-Did You Think I Had One Favorite Book?
Lordy—no. I have many.
I have always loved mysteries. My first ones were The Bobbsey Twins. I especially remember
the one which takes place on Sanibel Island. I always wanted to go there and search for seashells and did when Handsome’s company held a conference.
My cousin gave us Trixie Belden. I thought Trixie rocked and wanted to be her. Loved her friend, Honey, her brothers, and Honey’s adopted brother, Jim.
Then there is Nancy, as in Nancy Drew. She’s older and has more complicated adventures. I read every one I could get my hands on.
In my late teens,I discovered Agatha Christie—the amazing Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot.
One day, I rummaged through a discount bookstore and found a book, the premise being if you like so and so author, you will like this. My so and so author was Agatha Christie, and the recommended author was Dick Francis.
Instantly, I fell into like. The heroes are young and adventurous risk-takers. And the bad guys? They’re really bad, especially the one in Come to Grief. I closed the book when finished, sat for a while, and read it again. (I’ve only done that one other time.) Three of his books have won the Edgar, one of which is Come to Grief.
I had the pleasure of meeting him at a mystery bookstore event. He said he liked my last name. LOL. Two years ago, I met his son, Felix, who is writing brilliant books, too.
I can’t exactly say which of Dick Francis’ books are a “favorite.” I’ve read them all multiple times. But Come to Grief stunned me.
Here’s something stunningly funny:
Three romantic comedy mysteries:
-With charming characters, an intriguing murder plot, and lots of laughs, Vicki Batman’s latest book,Temporarily Out of Luck, is a total delight.
-A dead ex, a hot cop, and small-town secrets. Readers will enjoy spending time in Sommerville as Hattie Cooks attempts to prove her sister Tracey’s innocence—and learn the tango—before Tracey’s wedding day.
-A romantic romp coupled with a cozy mystery, Temporarily Out of Luck will warm your heart, exercise your brain, and tickle your funny bone. Vicki Batman delivers pure entertainment--once again!
-Hattie Cooks might get lucky with investigator Allan Wellborn--if only his darn phone would stop getting in the way! Temporarily Out of Luck is a seamless blend of light murder mystery and romantic comedy that is sure to please readers of both genres.
-Great characters! I absolutely adored these characters. Hattie is always at loose ends, trying to put her life together, but now she has a job she loves at a bridal boutique. It gets complicated when her sister, Tracey, is a soon-to-be bride and Hattie is sharing tango lessons with the best man, Det. Allen Wellborn. Allen and she have a history that ended badly but their mothers are best friends and still hold out hope for them.
Weeks before Tracey’s wedding her ex-husband is killed and the evidence is pointing at her. Hattie is determined to find out who did it and clear her sister’s name regardless of Allen’s warnings to stay out of harm’s way.
This story will have you laughing half the time and holding your breath the other half. I wish Hattie Cooks was my best friend.
E-book: https://www.amazon.com/Temporarily-Luck-Hattie-Cooks-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08T7YSSRJ/
Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/temporarily-out-of-luck-vicki-batman/1138678100?ean=2940162304227/
Barnes and Noble Paperback: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/temporarily-out-of-luck-vicki-batman/1138678100?ean=9781509233373/
The Book Depository Paperback: https://www.bookdepository.com/Temporarily-Out-Of-Luck-Vicki-Batman/9781509233373/
BAM! Books-A-Million Paperback: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Temporarily-Out-Luck/Vicki-Batman/9781509233373/
Google Play eBook: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Vicki_Batman_Temporarily_Out_Of_Luck?id=7hEeEAAAQBAJ/
Kobo eBook: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/temporarily-out-of-luck/
Waterstones Paperback: https://www.waterstones.com/book/temporarily-out-of-luck/vicki-batman/9781509233373/
Target Print: https://www.target.com/p/temporarily-out-of-luck-a-hattie-cooks-mystery-by-vicki-batman-paperback/-/A-83285527#lnk=sametab
September 23, 2021
Favorite Book and Book welcomes author Judith Ayn - Back Blast
BACK BLAST by Mark Greaney is the fifth in his Gray Man series and my very favorite. I absolutely LOVE this book.
Greaney writes international thrillers and co-authored several books with the late Tom Clancy. Back Blast was published in 2016, but I probably read it in 2018 when I first discovered Greaney’s work. I have recommended this book to my critique group, most of my friends, family and relatives! They have all really enjoyed it, too.
In Back Blast, Court Gentry, who for years acted as an important CIA international covert asset, finds himself suddenly and inexplicably at the top of the agency’s Kill List. He decides to come home to the USA to solve why the agency wants to kill him and who is behind the order. What makes this book so special is Greaney’s incredible sense of humor and the down-to-earth Gentry. Whether he’s trailing drug dealers in Washington, DC, or whirling through a McDonald’s to outrun the bad guys, the laughs and incredible exploits just keep coming. He manages to fashion weapons and plans out of thin air, no matter how outnumbered he may be or how dire the circumstances. And he always stops to help other people in need because he’s a really good man.
FYI, Netflix also loved the series so much, The Gray Man has wrapped production and is coming soon as a new film franchise starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans. I can’t wait for the movies!
ABOUT MY BOOK:
Why would someone burn down kennels and murder a kindly
old caretaker at a no-kill animal shelter?
MURDER AT THE NO-KILL ANIMAL SHELTER is a prequel novella in the Cheater’s Lake Murder Series and introduces Mark Walsh, a homicide detective newly transferred from the heat of Phoenix to the small town of Cheater’s Lake, Washington, in the soggy Pacific Northwest. Walsh adopts two frisky rescue cats as he investigates the caretaker’s murder and arson burning of the kennels at the shelter. Along the way, he must also fight his attraction for the feisty redhead director, Daisy Marigold (DM), as she is terrorized and kidnapped when Walsh gets too close to solving the mystery. Welcome to the world of Cheater’s Lake.
Judith Ayn is a retired attorney living in Southern California along with two frisky felines, the
models for Gray Cat and Orange Cat. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Cat Writers Association and Mystery Writers of America. The next book in Ayn’s Cheater’s Lake series, DEAD LAWYERS, will be out in September 2021.
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite season: Summer
Favorite dessert: Cake (chocolate, of course)
Favorite hot beverage: Mocha Coffee
Favorite type of music: Michael Buble
Favorite writing instrument: Pen
Find my book on: Amazon and Kindle
Check out: Website
September 9, 2021
Handbag and Annual Fun Day??!! Vicki Batman Celebrates Annual Fun Day
Annual Fun Day or Why I Don't Say the B-word
When I turned a certain age, I decided no more b-word. I named my day Annual Fun Day. Usually, I celebrate with family and friends. Usually, I buy myself a nice handbag (and I did buy one the color of Watermelon).
This year, I'm having a pizza party-canadian bacon and bacon. And of course, cake!
Handsome asked me what I wanted for Annual Fun Day, I said cake--I ADORE CAKE. Not just any cake. The local bakery is awesome. I'm having vanilla with raspberry filling, white buttercream, chocolate ganache, and covered in white polka dots (polka dots are happy happy!).
Then I told him about the handbag.
Are you looking for a great read? I am always looking for reviewers. For Annual Fun Day (9/9), I'm giving away e-copies of Temporarily Employed, Temporarily Insane, Temporarily Out of Luck to the first ten readers who email me their favorite cake. Email
September 2, 2021
Lisabet Sarai's new book: Rajasthani Moon
Neither kink nor curse can stop a woman on a mission.
A bandit prince cursed into beast form under the full moon.
A brilliant but sadistic Rajah whose robotic sex toys mingle torture and delight.
A voluptuous spy on a mission from Her Majesty, tasked with discovering Rajasthan’s secrets.
She has never faced such a challenge.
When Rajasthan refuses to remit its taxes, the Queen calls on her most lethal and seductive secret agent, Cecily Harrowsmith. Cecily expects to have little difficulty persuading the rebellious Rajah to submit once more to the Empire. Instead, she is the one forced to submit – to endure unprecedented extremes of pleasure and pain.
Kidnapped by the ruler's half-brother Pratan and delivered into the hands of the handsome but depraved Rajah Amir, she soon finds herself fighting against her own lascivious nature as much as the schemes of her captors. Her sympathy for the moon-cursed wolf-man Pratan only complicates her situation. Cecily has never failed to complete an assignment, but now she risks betrayal by both her body and her heart.
Find the book at:Kinky Literature - https://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/363-rajasthani-moon-steampunk-shifter-bdsm-romance/
Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DBMLQQG
Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DBMLQQG
Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1100493
Barnes and Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rajasthani-moon-lisabet-sarai/1140045684?ean=2940165000041
Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/rajasthani-moon-steampunk-shifter-bdsm-romance
Add on Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58835067-rajasthani-moon
About Lisabet:Lisabet Sarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading when she was four. She wrote her first story at five years old and her first poem at seven. Since then, she has written plays, tutorials, scholarly articles, marketing brochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, a five-hundred page dissertation, and lots of erotica and erotic romance – nearly one hundred titles, and counting, in nearly every sub-genre—paranormal, scifi, ménage, BDSM, GLBT, and more. Regardless of the genre, every one of her stories illustrates her motto: Imagination is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
More Information:You’ll find information and excerpts from all Lisabet’s books on her website (http://www.lisabetsarai.com/books.html), along with more than fifty free stories and lots more. At her blog Beyond Romance (http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com), she shares her philosophy and her news and hosts lots of other great authors.
