Barbara Edwards's Blog, page 7
November 26, 2016
Guest Joe Cosentino shares Rag Doll, a #New Release
Why I Wrote RAG DOLL, the fifth Jana Lane mystery,
published by The Wild Rose Press
by Joe Cosentino
As a young actor playing opposite stars like Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Jason Robards, Holland Taylor, and many others, I was incredibly fortunate to find out first-hand what goes on behind the scenes (no pun intended) of a theatre stage, movie set, and television studio. As a child I loved child stars like Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, and Patty Duke, seeing their movies over and over. So I used my admiration for those child stars along with my show business experiences to create a heroine who was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old.
In PAPER DOLL Jana at thirty-eight lives with her family in a mansion in picturesque Hudson Valley, New York. Her flashbacks from the past become murder attempts in her future. Jana ventures back to Hollywood and uncovers a web of secrets about everyone she loves. In PORCELAIN DOLL, Jana makes a comeback film and discovers who is being murdered on the set and why. In SATIN DOLL, Jana and family head to Washington, DC, where Jana plays a US senator in a new film, and becomes embroiled in murder and corruption at the senate chamber. In CHINA DOLL, Jana heads to New York City to star in a Broadway play, faced with murder on stage and off. In each case Jana also encounters romance with a different leading man. As I come from a funny Italian family and am a huge mystery buff, Jana also experiences many comical situations, plot twists and turns, and a shocking ending in each book.
Now in RAG DOLL with Miami Vice and Murder She Wrote being all the rage of television, Jana stars in a new television mystery series, The Detective’s Wife, opposite Chris Bove, the hunky detective who got away in SATIN DOLL. Guest starring on the show is young ingénue Christa Bianca, a rags to riches story who has flooded the press. Life imitates television as Christa’s loved ones are murdered, and Christa and Jana could be next. Once again it’s up to Jana to use her knowledge from her days as America’s most famous child star and save the day before the lights fade to black. Jana’s amazingly resilient, old world Hollywood, incredibly funny, and loyal agent, Simon Huckby, is back. The other suspects include Jason, the young prop man with a secret; bit players Karen and makeup girl Cindi who have their eyes on Christa’s guest starring role; two couples in supporting roles who have a conflict with Christa and Christa’s husband/manager, the domineering Andrew Bianca; Christa’s calculating agent Stu, and her Uncle Nick, trying to stay in show business on Christa’s coattails. So settle back on the sofa, get the remote and popcorn, and turn on the television for the next Jana Lane mystery! BTW, I want to play Simon Huckby in the TV series! I love to hear from readers. Please contact me via my web site at:
http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
RAG DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery
by Joe Cosentino
published by The Wild Rose Press
http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4671-rag-doll.html
http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4671-rag-doll.html
http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/paperback-books/4753-rag-doll-paperback.html
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ragdoll-2126977-367.html
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rag-doll-joe-cosentino/1124742578?ean=2940156928002
Murder, romance, and scandal on and off the set of Jana Lane’s new murder mystery television show. America’s most famous ex-child star Jana Lane is starring in The Detective’s Wife, a murder mystery television show in 1985. Guest starring on the show is Christa Bianca, a rags-to-riches ingénue who has flooded the entertainment press. Life imitates television as cast members are murdered, and once again it’s up to Jana, along with sexy ex-detective Chris Bove, to save the day before the lights fade to black.
Praise for CHINA DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery:
“Set on Broadway in 1984, “China Doll”…combines plenty of drama with a mystery complex enough to keep the reader guessing. Every member of the cast has not only some depth but intertwining romance and quirk to spare. The romance surrounding Jana as she struggles between remaining faithful to her husband and the feelings that stir around Peter will leave the reader torn until the end. With a smooth pace, intriguing mystery, and plenty of danger…An excellent read for lovers of mystery and drama!” Ind’Tale Magazine
“Joe Cosentino never disappoints…his novels are superb. I find myself addicted to each story that he writes, and once he writes a new book the characters end up being added to my all-time favorite lists. There’s plenty of action, intrigue, and murder to go around. A talented writer whose words constantly draw me in every time. I look forward to the next masterfully woven story in this series. Jana Lane is definitely a new female sleuth that should be on everyone’s reading list. I highly recommend China Doll to readers worldwide.” Urban Book Reviews
Praise for SATIN DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery:
“A book that will captivate any reader! A page turner that won’t let you go! This is one author you can always depend on to publish a good read!!” Stormy Nights Reviewing
“Joe Cosentino is a brilliant mastermind when creating the perfect mystery series. In each novel in this intriguing series of his, Jana Lane Mysteries, readers are blown away by his writing. The instant readers jump into Joe Cosentino’s fictional world, the danger feels real, the suspense is killing, and the plot moves so fast. Action, lights, camera!” “A fast-paced murder mystery that readers will easily fall in love with…and one they can’t live without. Overall, I highly recommend this new title in the Jana Lane Mysteries and look forward to the next best adventure from Joe Cosentino.” Urban Book Reviews
Praise for PORCELAIN DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery:
“Porcelain Doll is Joe Cosentino at his finest. We are drawn back to the fashions and attitudes of the 1980’s in a character-driven story full of intrigue and passion.” Kirsty Vizard, Divine Magazine
“Beautifully written and intensely detailed, Porcelain Doll is one not to be missed. Flirtatiously decadent with a strong moral undertone, set in a decade of extraordinary social change this is a story of its period that is as poignant today as it was then. Joe Cosentino controlled the emotions that the book encouraged with a deft but delicate touch. Suspenseful and mysterious, Porcelain Doll is a masterful creation, one that was impossible not to be affected by.” Carol Fenton, BooksLaidBare Reviews
“Murder, mystery, and suspense are high inside of this brilliant masterpiece by Joe Cosentino.” “Every page fills the readers with intrigue.” “Edge of your seat mystery that lures readers instantly.” “Once you read it, you can’t put it down.” Urban Book Reviews
“Porcelain Doll hooks from the start with characters behaving badly, all of whom have life-changing secrets.” “The story includes a nice arc, well-developed characters, and a few unexpected surprises.” InD’tale Magazine
Praises for PAPER DOLL, the first Jana Lane mystery:
“Paper Doll is a superbly crafted mystery with an eclectic cast of characters that will engage you and elicit some very emotional responses as you are completely caught up in the events that unfold in these pages. Everyone has secrets and the people in Paper Doll have them in spades!” Fresh Fiction
“If you like novels that are filled with new and old Hollywood, and a range of sub-plots, you are going to love this!” Saguaro Moon Reviews
“I liked that there was enough evidence for each of the suspects to keep me guessing until the very end.” Molly Lolly Reviews
“Joe Cosentino knows how to keep his readers’ interest with every page.” Urban Book Reviews
“Mr. Cosentino has produced a masterpiece of mystery” “The story gripped me from the start and there were enough twists and turns, with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, to keep hold of me until the end of the book.” “Great book, can’t wait for book 2.” Readers’ Favorite
Print ISBN 978-1-5092-
Digital ISBN 978-1-5092- 29
Released: November 16, 2016
Pages: 260
Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor
Bestselling author Joe Cosentino won Divine Magazine’s awards for best mystery novel, best humorous novel, and best contemporary novel of 2015. He is the author of the Jana Lane mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll (The Wild Rose Press); the Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Queen, Drama Muscle, and the upcoming Drama Cruise and Drama Luau (Lethe Press); the Cozzi Cove beach series: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward, and the upcoming Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out (NineStar Press); and the romance novellas: In My Heart anthology (An Infatuation & A Shooting Star), A Home for the Holidays, and The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press); and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). As an actor, he has appeared in principal roles in film, television, and theatre opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently head of the department/professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino
Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino
An excerpt of RAG DOLL by Joe Cosentino, published by The Wild Rose Press:
Jana and Bove did the scene again with a thin piece of gauze over the camera lens aimed at Jana.
Ah, the plight of a middle-aged actress.
Jana felt even better about that take. Their relationship worked, and the energy bounced back and forth between them almost effortlessly. Again Jana wondered what it would be like sharing her days with Bove and kissing Bove in bed before sleep each night.
Herm’s call for action brought Jana back to the scene. Bove’s close-up was even better than the first two takes. It was as if they had been married for years with an easygoing yet emotional rapport.
“Cut!”
“Good job, partner.”
Bove smiled at Jana. “Right back at you.”
As she started to rise from the bed, Jana spotted Christa in the distance with a look of horror on her face.
The young woman screamed as a lighting screen headed straight for her. Stu Silverman, standing next to Christa, noticed and pushed Christa out of the way in
the nick of time. The screen crashed to the floor inches away from Christa’s feet. Standing on the other side of her, Andrew Bianca took his wife in his arms, and she
wept on his shoulder.
Bove whispered to Jana, “Here we go again.”
Filed under: writing Tagged: Joe Costeno, Rag Doll, romantic suspense
November 17, 2016
Guest Linda Carroll-Bradd & her #New Release
Please welcome my guest, Linda Carroll-Bradd
Why did you write this story, Linda?
I love responding to publisher calls for submissions because within the call is a hint of the direction to take in brainstorming a plot. I already have a story set in 1880s Aspen with this publisher and the call specified two more important aspects: winter time and a cowboy. So I figured why not use that setting? (Plus I’d already done tons of research about the area).
Additional research revealed a long-standing animosity between cattle ranchers and sheep herders in this area of Colorado Territory. So there I found my external conflict. Because I’d learned about the tragedy of Great Blizzard of 1886 while writing another story, I wanted to set this novella in the aftermath and show the impact on an individual.
My hero, Konrad Windsor, is determined not to lose another steer to the elements, and the heroine, Anora Huxley, may have a solution with the dogs she trains for working her family’s sheep. But their first interactions turn out all wrong.
BLURB
After losing half his herd in the Great Blizzard of 1886, rancher Konrad Windsor needs to safeguard his cattle. Tomboy Anora Huxley trains the Australian Shepherds and Kelpies that run the family’s sheep herd. Although cattlemen and shepherds are at odds, the pair discovers common interests. A threat is overheard, and Konrad rides out to Anora’s ranch to protect her. The tense situation reveals their true feelings. Will Anora be swayed by family loyalty, or will she listen to her heart that responds to Konrad’s silent signals?
EXCERPT
Twirling her finger like a tornado, Celina grinned. “Turn so I can see from all angles.”
“And I can move.” First, she bent over to touch her toes. “See?” Then, with hands on her waist, she leaned from side to side. She was just finishing the last quarter of her second spin to display her outfit when the bell over the door tinkled.
“Gaelle, you about ready to leave?” a deep voice asked.
At the familiar sound, Anora gasped. She dropped her hands to her sides at the same moment she came to a stop at the sight of that man filling the doorway. Her skirts swished around her legs a couple of times before settling.
“Yes, I’m ready.” Gaelle was quick to answer.
His eyes widened as he ran his gaze down her length from head to toe and then flicked to the table where her underthings lay. With a slow move, he dragged his hat off his head and pushed the door closed behind him. A quirk pulled at one corner of his mouth.
Beard-stubbled, the man had been good looking. Clean-shaven, he was downright handsome. Heat flashed in Anora’s cheeks, and she panted, not taking in enough air. Certainly this breathlessness had to do with the corset, and not with the appearance of this attractive but arrogant man. Her gaze caught his dark one, the color of hot cocoa, and her stomach leapt, like when she took a tumble. She had to look away.
Stifling a squeal, she dashed forward, bunched the garments together, and stuffed them under her coat. Then she whirled and pinned him with a hard stare. “What on earth are you doing here?”
BUY LINK
Amazon: http://a.co/6efnAeC
BIO
As a young girl, Linda was often found lying on her bed reading about fascinating characters having exciting adventures in places far away and in other time periods. In later years, she read and then started writing romances and achieved her first publication–a confession story. Married with 4 adult children and 2 granddaughters, Linda writes heartwarming contemporary and historical stories with a touch of humor from her home in the southern California mountains.
WEB CONTACTS
Website www.lindacarroll-bradd.com
Blog http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com
Facebook http://facebook.com/linda.carrollbradd
Twitter https://www.twitter.com/lcarrollbradd
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/lindacarroll-bradd
Filed under: My Favorite Books, writing Tagged: Linda Carroll-Bradd, romance, Silent Signals, western
October 25, 2016
I love Halloween by Barbara Edwards #TheSnarkologyHalloweenHop #Giveaway
#Giveaway Win an ebook copy of one of my Rhodes End Series. Just leave a comment and i’ll do a random drawing on November 1, for the winner.
The Snarkology Halloween Hop link “http://www.simply-linked.com/listwidget.aspx?l=5E862B0F-C9B0-4440-A067-855E014F3FC9”
I love halloween and all the scary trims and treats. I decorate with carved pumpkins on my porch. We don’t get many trick-or-treaters on my dead-end road. Not like when we lived in a community in Florida. One year I made myself a Black-widow spider costume and sat in 
a lawn chair near the door. I had eight limbs: two fake dangling between my arm and leg on each side. The kids were so scared they refused to come and get the candy from the bowl on my lap. I wish i’d gotten a few pictures.
Anyway. It was a fine example of the weird twists my mind takes. Like in my Rhodes End Series.
Here are the first three books. I’m working on four and five.
Ancient Awakening 
by Barbara Edwards
Link: https://amzn.com/B002TG4NFG
Police Officer ‘Mel’ Petersen is the only one who believes a suspicious death is murder. By disobeying direct orders from the Rhodes End Chief, she risks her career to follow clues that twist in circles to her backyard and lead the killer to her. Her neighbor Stephan Zoriak is a prime suspect. While working for a major pharmaceutical company, he is exposed to a dangerous organism that changed him. He suspects he is the killer and agrees to help Mel find the truth when the deaths continue. In the course of their investigation Mel and Steve find more death and continued distrust that make them wonder if love can defy death.
Ancient Blood (Finding Rhodes End Book 2)
Ancient Blood
by Barbara Edwards
Link: https://amzn.com/B0052NUR12
After narrowly escaping a stalker’s vicious attack, Lily Alban is left with the ability to see auras. After moving to tiny Rhodes End, she finally feels safe, and against her better judgment, falls in love. She soon discovers the man she loves is not a man at all. Botanist, werewolf Cole Benedict has dedicated his life to researching a cure for Lycanthropy. He resists his attraction to protect Lily from the beast inside him. When Lily’s stalker returns, he’s determined to keep her safe even if that means embracing the instincts of his wolf. Together they must use extraordinary gifts to catch Lily’s stalker before he attacks again. Will revealing their inner-most secrets to one another destroy their growing love or save them both?
Ancient Curse (Finding Rhodes End Book 3)
Ancient Curse
by Barbara Edwards
Link: https://amzn.com/B00OFB22T2
Evil never dies; and for psychic Rainie Gamble who accepts a job to weed out evil artifacts, this could not be more true. When she arrives at the home of Thomas Broquette, her new boss, she isn’t sure what to expect. But the handsome and intriguing Thomas is only the tip of the paranormal activity she encounters while going through his library.
After several near misses when Rainie is injured by evil forces, she wonders if her new boss is hiding a secret? What does the previous owner Mason have to do with the threads of doom encasing the estate? And why does Thomas bring her father, a well-known art thief, into their midst.
The attraction she feels for Thomas grows, as does the evil winning its battle against the inhabitants of what could be her new home. Rainie wonders if she will find and defeat the inhuman force causing all their problems before she and Thomas are sucked into its evil forever.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/ODg4NzNhZWVkY2FiOGM0OTQwZThiN2Q1ZTEwZTgwOjE=/?
Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win your choice of my Rhodes End Series before you return to the hop.
http://www.thesnarkology.com/snarkology-halloween-hop-oct-26-31st/
Please follow, friend or like me. I love to hear from my readers.
Blog https://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpress.com/
Website http://barbaraedwards.net
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraEdwards.Author
Twitter https://www.twitter.com/Barb_ed
Amazon Author’s Page http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003F6ZK1A
GoodReads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/496095.Barbara_Edwards
Return to the Snarkology Halloween Hop list http://www.thesnarkology.com/snarkology-halloween-hop-oct-26-31st/
Filed under: My Books, writing Tagged: Ancient Awakening, Ancient Blood, Ancient Curse, Barbara Edwards, Giveaway, Snarkology Halloween Hop
October 13, 2016
#Review: Nobody Knows by Susan Coryell by Barbara Edwards
Definitely a four star story. Susan Coryell has written another fascinating and complicated plot.
A successful author, Ashby Overton is thrust into turbulent memories from the Civil War from former plantation slaves. Susan Coryell takes her heroine from a happy life at Overhome Estate in Southern Virginia into dark secrets from that war-torn era.
When Professor Ellis O. Grady produces items that indicate his claim to be an Overton, Ashby’s sixth sense is aroused. She is drawn to the abandoned Chapel and cemetery on former Overton property.
The plot twists through more hints of long-buried secrets.
Ashby has to rely on herself to unknot the past and save her family’s heritage.
The only flaw I found was difficulty in keeping track of her large family and various friends.
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Nobody-Knows-O...
Blurb:With a successful writing career and blissful marriage, Ashby Overton is fulfilled and content at historic Overhome Estate in Southern Virginia until a stranger walks into her life. The arrival of Professor Ellis O. Grady coincides with a violent and bizarre turbulence emanating from the dark world of Overhome’s ancient spirits.
As paranormal events build into chaos, Ashby must use her sixth sense to sort out the real from the imagined in both the visible and the invisible worlds as, stirred into fury, the souls of Civil War slaves engage in a dangerous battle destined to reveal long-held secrets of the past.
What is the connection between the enigmatic professor, a slave-built chapel and a restored overseer’s cottage on Overhome Estate? Ashby struggles to find the answers before the spirits destroy her family’s heritage, and the lives of those she loves.
Filed under: writing Tagged: Civil War, ghosts, Nobody Knows, Susan Coryell
October 6, 2016
My Guest Kathy L Wheeler presents Blood Stained Memories
Welcome to my guest, Kathy L Wheeler
Please tell us why you wrote Blood Stained Memories.
I originally started this book to write under Mel Odom’s Winter Frost gothic line. But as so often happens, I got sidetracked and it was put on the back shelf. In the meantime, my friend Amanda McCabe and I flew to Atlanta for the RWA National Conference, but decided to drive home. We stopped in Pensacola for three nights and stumbled upon Fort Pickens which turned out to be the perfect setting for my Gothic Romance.
We went by there twice. The first time, we made it to the museum store and all hell broke loose. The sky was black, the wind pelting. You truly could tell the ocean from the sky. There was no seeing the ruins that day! We drove back the next day. We’d almost decided not to go, but it was just too irresistible. It was almost 6p as we pulled into the parking lot and one last car was leaving. The sun was out, but the sky on one side was dark. You’ve seen those days, right? Half sun, half it-can’t-tell-what-it-wants-to-do? By this time the museum was closed but the ruins were open. There were tri-fold sheets with a numbering system that detailed the different parts. So Amanda read, while I explored. You see, she is a bit…um…claustrophobic. We walked by one part with two tunnels that looked as if they might meet at the very back. I told her I was going to go in. She said, “I’ll wait here.” I took her picture from way back there and she looked like a ghost. (That’s not even the interesting part.)
We made our way through the 9 sections, stepping over corpses (I think it was a mouse.) We returned to our Victorian B&B and were each on our computers and she starts telling me all this stuff about the ruins. (This was the interesting part.) How they were haunted and the ghosts…I was sooooo glad we hadn’t read that before we visited. I don’t freak out that easily, but man, it was creepy…and the perfect backdrop for Blood Stained Memories.
Blood Stained Memories
A World of Gothic: United States
Kathy L Wheeler
Excerpt:
I glanced over to my handsome chauffeur. Water from his hair dribbled down a strong neck that disappeared into the collar of his rain-soaked shirt. He and Adam must be somewhere in their mid-to-late thirties by now. I knew his dry hair would resemble burnished gold. The light from the dashboard didn’t reflect the tone of his skin.
I leaned back in the seat and let his accent wash over me. Its familiarity settled nerves drawn so tight I felt I would shatter with a sudden move. I cleared my throat. “Where do you call home, Mr. Creighton?” There wasn’t much of him that reminded me of that long ago young man, just the clipped British words, making it easier to remember to refer to him as Mr. Creighton.
He grinned. Most likely relieved I’d finally joined the conversation. “Call me, Ian. Manchester, mostly. I’ve been here since spring assisting Adam with his research. I spent summers here on the island as a younger man until—” He tossed a quick glance in my direction. “Well, I’d planned on returning home by now.” His gaze dropped to my ringless fingers before he shifted his attention back to the road. “Though I may find my stay here pleasantly extended.”
Until what? I wanted to scream. Instead, heat flamed my cheeks at his not-so-subtle regard. I curled my fingers beneath my tote and out of sight, at a loss for words. My goal on this quiet Gulf Coast island was not to find romance. My sole agenda dealt with the bland contents of the letter stowed in my bag. A letter stained with my own bloody prints.
Amz preorder buy link (won’t have the rest until the 8th): https://amzn.com/B01K82OKJG
Blurb: There on the Gulf Coast in the Florida Panhandle lies the ruins of a haunted, old armory…
Blurb: Helena Abigail Evans-Ross remembers nothing from her past except the sting of her Aunt Lydia’s hand almost knocking her head from her shoulders. “Don’t look!” she screamed, just as Abby’s gaze meets her father’s blank stare, and the realization that she is holding the bloody knife that ended his life. She’s home to learn the truth—but can she live with a truth is she is the one who murdered her own father?
A World of Gothic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AWorldofGothicSeries
Bio: Kathy L Wheeler (aka Kae Elle Wheeler) is the author of fourteen contemporary and historical novels and novellas that range from sweet to spicy. She has a BA in Management Information Systems from the University of Central Oklahoma that includes a vocal minor. She loves the NFL, the NBA, musical theater, travel, reading, writing and just to scratch the singing itch…. karaoke. She is a member Romance Writers of American and The Beau Monde chapter. She currently serves as editor of both, the Regency Reader and Novel Notes Authors newsletters. Kathy lives in Edmond, OK with her attorney and musically talented husband, Al. She has one grown daughter with an adorable baby boy and another on the way, and one bossy cat, who acts as if she were the rescuer rather than the rescue-e!!
Social Media:
Filed under: writing Tagged: A World of Gothic, Blood Stained Memories, classic gothic, contemporary, Ghostly presence, Gothic Romance, Kathy L Wheeleer, Kathy L Wheeler, Mystery, ruins
September 29, 2016
My guest Leanna Sain presents Red Curtains
Please welcome my guest, Leanna Sain.
Leanna, why did you write Red Curtains?
The ‘story seed’ for RED CURTAINS came from a trip to Savannah, Georgia. It was our first visit there, and a celebration of our 26th anniversary. While we waited for a tour bus, a homeless man, wearing a long trench coat over ragged layers of clothing, and a goofy court-jester type hat with little bells on the ends of each dangly point, sauntered up to a mailbox and proceeded to sprinkle some invisible substance around the base of a mailbox while chanting some unknown language. I instantly knew I had a story seed, and my mind took off. Once on the bus, I jotted notes furiously, my mind going much faster than I could transfer them to paper.
I decided to make one of the book’s main characters homeless, but made her a woman rather than a man. I had her discover a discarded bag of counterfeit money in her daily search through trashcans. She also witnessed a murder, which we find out later is connected to the fake money. Because people tend not to give a lot of credence to what the homeless have to say, she can’t go to the police with what she knows. She has to find another way.
I had to do a lot of research on homelessness for this book. The statistics staggered me, and I decided I had to do something to help, if I could. As a result, I’m donating a percentage of sales to the “Stand Down” program I mention in the story. I hope it raises awareness and encourages others to do what they can to help too.
Dead bodies, fake money and falling in love were NOT part of the assignment.
Cleo Davis must find a model for her senior art project or she won’t graduate. When she discovers Lily Telfair-Gordon, she gets more than just an eccentric old woman who spouts famous quotes, talks to ghosts, and wears a weird hat. Lily has unwittingly stumbled upon a counterfeiting ring, and Cleo gets dragged right into the middle of it.
Jonas Holmes, an investigative reporter for the local paper, is asking the question: why do bodies of homeless men keep showing up in the river? But the homeless are scared and won’t talk to him. When he finds Cleo and Lily, he thinks his problems are solved; he doesn’t realize that they’re just
beginning.
While romance blossoms between Cleo and Jonas, they work together to see how the two things are connected, but will they find out before it’s too late?
Leanna Sain, Author“Gate” Trilogy; Wish; Red Curtains
www.LeannaSain.com
North Carolina native, Leanna Sain, earned her BA from the University of South Carolina, then moved back to her beloved mountains of western NC with her husband. Her “Gate” books have stacked up numerous awards, from Foreword Magazine’s Book-of-the-Year to the Clark Cox Historical Fiction Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians. Sain’s fourth novel, WISH, is a stand-alone, YA crossover.
Her Southern romantic suspense or “GRIT-lit,” showcases her plot-driven method of writing that successfully rolls the styles of best-selling authors Mary Kay Andrews, Nicholas Sparks, and Jan Karon into a delightfully hybrid style that is all her own. Regional fiction lovers and readers who enjoy suspense with a magical twist will want her books.
She loves leading discussion groups and book clubs. For more information or to contact her, visit: www.LeannaSain.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Leannasbooks
Twitter: Leanna Sain@Leannasbooks
Website and blog: http://leannasain.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/LeannaSain
Buy link:
http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4594-red-curtains.html
https://www.amazon.com/Red-Curtains-Leanna-Sain-ebook/dp/B01L5R53U8
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/red-curtains/id1149202885?mt=11
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/red-curtains-leanna-sain/1124412152?ean=2940156862825
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/red-curtains
Filed under: writing Tagged: Leanna Sain, new, Red Curtains
June 17, 2016
Keeping memories of the men in my family by Barbara Edwards
In remembrance on this Father’s Day.
Francis A. Radjeski
My father, Francis Radjeski, lived a long and full life, passing away in his eighties. He was a foreman at Bowsers manufacturing for most of my youth, then worked for a company Called American Research. he built environmental test chambers.
He didn’t talk much about growing up in New York with seven brothers and sisters. He never said why he chose to leave all of them behind and move to Connecticut when I was a toddler. I do know he worked in the Brooklyn Navy Yards during World War II and wasn’t drafted because he was vital to the war effort.
My father was a skilled electrician, welder and carpenter.
His biggest gift to me was his love of books. Every evening he’d read a chapter from one of the classics to us. I heard Tarzan, Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island, Huckleberry Finn, and many others.
His dream was to be a writer but he never published a word.
My grandfather, Anthony Radzijewski, was born in Poland and migrated to New York in the early 20th century. I don’t know why and never thought to ask. He arrived at Ellis Island with fifteen dollars and a suitcase with a change of clothes.
He had a job at the Parson’s estate on Long Island for as long as I can remember. He was the head gardener. His Rhododendrons won awards for their display.
From the stories he was a tough disciplinarian, using a razor strop to enforce his orders with the boys.
He grew grapes on an arbor at the house in Bayside and we picked the grapes to make jelly. Before my time, they raised a pig in the backyard. Even to this child his roses were beautiful and smelled like heaven.
My mother’s father, Cyprian Gadamowitz, also migrated from Poland. He and his brothers were going to be conscripted into the Russian Army and their father, a pharmacist, sent to them to America. They were to go to South America (Brazil?) but my grandfather had been so seasick he refused to get back on the ship. He also had seven children.
I remember he had a rooster in the backyard that chased me. I even have a photo of that bird somewhere.
Cyprian worked as a mason. He did tile work in the Empire State building when it was built. He worked hard and drank hard. I don’t recall him ever kissing us grandchildren or giving us a hug.
It’s my blessing that because these men lived, I live. I like to think I’m as strong and tough as they were.
Have you written down your family memories?
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Filed under: family and friends Tagged: Anthony Radzejewski, Cyprian Gadamowitz, family, Francis, Radjeski
May 24, 2016
Writing again by Barbara Edwards
After months of frustration I am writing again. The joy is bubbling like champagne. I’m not
up to speed yet, but I feel hopeful. My writer friends understand. Writing is not a choice. It’s an obsession. An addiction. Being so overwhelmed with other parts of my life that I had 
to put my writing aside took a toll on me.
Depression threatened. I didn’t want to get out of bed. I couldn’t concentrate. I didn’t care about normal things like getting dressed or using makeup. uh oh. All classic signs I was slipping into a real slump. I was lucky. I did recognize I had a problem.
Its not easy to get out of that hole. It took me several weeks to force myself into a healthy routine.
And most of those days I wanted to write.
I can’t blame all of my feelings on not writing since being the caretaker for my recovering husband took all of my time and energy for months. He’s been cleared by his cancer surgeon.There is no trace of that horrible bugaboo, but life is not back to routine. He still 
has a physical therapist to help rebuild the muscles weakened by long days in bed.
So what did I do? I stopped nagging at myself. I got enough sleep. I worked in my garden although it wasn’t really spring yet. I walked my dog.
The fresh start I got this week is like a blessing.
Thanks you to all my friends for your support and prayers.
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Filed under: writing Tagged: Barbara Edwards, caretaker, writing
May 10, 2016
Continuing my dream vacation by Barbara Edwards
Because I lost my internet during the trip home, I stopped posting and never got back to share the second half of our trip to Alaska.
Here is more of what we experienced in the wild, vast country.
Wrangell View from the park
Wrangell The road up
Wrangell
Wrangell
Filed under: writing Tagged: Alaska, Barbara Edwards, Nemo Point, Wrangell
March 17, 2016
Guest Joe Cosentino presents Porcelain Doll
THE JANA LANE MYSTERY/ROMANCE SERIES by Joe Cosentino
author of PORCELAIN DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery, published by Wild Rose Press
Anyone old enough to remember Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, Patty Duke, seeing their movies over and over as I did as a kid? Didn’t you love them? I sure did. So I created a heroine who was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old. We get the backstory in PAPER DOLL, as Jana at thirty-eight lives with her family in a mansion in picturesque Hudson Valley, New York. Her flashbacks from the past become murder attempts in her future. Jana ventures back to Hollywood, which helps her uncover a web of secrets about everyone she loves. She also embarks on a romance with the devilishly handsome son of her old producer, Rocco Cavoto. Since readers loved PAPER DOLL and begged for more Jana Lane novels, I continued with the series.
In PORCELAIN DOLL, which released March 16 from The Wild Rose Press, the present story begins. Jana makes a comeback film and uncovers who is being murdered on the set and why. Her heart is set aflutter by her incredibly gorgeous romantic co-star, America’s heartthrob Jason Adonis. The other suspects include Jana’s James Dean type young co-star, her older John Wayne type co-star, her children’s Eve Harrington type nanny, the film’s gossipy makeup and hair artist, a local reverend trying to stop the film’s production, and Jason’s agent. In SATIN DOLL (not yet released from TWRP), Jana and family head to Washington, DC, where Jana plays a US senator in a new film, and becomes embroiled in a murder and corruption at the senate chamber. She also embarks on a romance with Chris Bruno, the muscular detective. In CHINA DOLL (not yet released from TWRP), Jana heads to New York City to star in a Broadway play, enchanted by her gorgeous co-star Peter Stevens, and faced with murder on stage and off. I am currently writing RAGDOLL, where Jana stars in a TV murder mystery series and once again life imitates art.
I set the series in the 1980’s since I love the music, hair styles, clothing, and decadence of that era. I had great fun writing about Jana’s mansion, wardrobe, makeup, and hairstyles. I was also able to incorporate some of the music, films, television shows, Broadway shows, and political and social events of the era.
The reviews have been amazing. For example: “Porcelain Doll is Joe Cosentino at his finest. We are drawn back to the fashions and attitudes of the 1980’s in a character-driven story full of intrigue and passion.” Kirsty Vizard, Divine Magazine
“Beautifully written and intensely detailed, Porcelain Doll is one not to be missed. Flirtatiously decadent with a strong moral undertone, set in a decade of extraordinary social change this is a story of its period that is as poignant today as it was then. Joe Cosentino controlled the emotions that the book encouraged with a deft but delicate touch. Suspenseful and mysterious, Porcelain Doll is a masterful creation, one that was impossible not to be affected by.” Carol Fenton, BooksLaidBare Reviews
As another reviewer wrote, I use my insider knowledge of show business to devilish ends! Prior to becoming a college Theatre Professor/Department Head, I was an actor in film, television, and theatre, working opposite stars like Bruce Willis, Nathan Lane, Rosie O’Donnell, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. I knew my novels would include show business in some way, since show business has always been such a huge part of my life. As an avid mystery reader, it was clear to me that my novels would also be page-turning mysteries with clever plot twists, engaging characters, romance, and lots of clues leading to a surprising yet earned conclusion. Since coming from a funny Italian-American family, I also knew humor would play a role in my novels. I’d love to come full circle and play Jana’s funny, resilient, and fiercely loyal agent, Simon Huckby in film or television version!
I hope you read PORCELAIN DOLL, and let me know what you think. I LOVE hearing from readers! http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com.
Buy link: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6684
Praise for PORCELAIN DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery:
“Porcelain Doll is Joe Cosentino at his finest. We are drawn back to the fashions and attitudes of the 1980’s in a character-driven story full of intrigue and passion.” Kirsty Vizard, Divine Magazine
“Beautifully written and intensely detailed, Porcelain Doll is one not to be missed. Flirtatiously decadent with a strong moral undertone, set in a decade of extraordinary social change this is a story of its period that is as poignant today as it was then. Joe Cosentino controlled the emotions that the book encouraged with a deft but delicate touch. Suspenseful and mysterious, Porcelain Doll is a masterful creation, one that was impossible not to be affected by.” Carol Fenton, BooksLaidBare Reviews
Praises for PAPER DOLL, the first Jana Lane mystery:
“Paper Doll is a superbly crafted mystery with an eclectic cast of characters that will engage you and elicit some very emotional responses as you are completely caught up in the events that unfold in these pages. Everyone has secrets and the people in Paper Doll have them in spades!” Fresh Fiction
“If you like novels that are filled with new and old Hollywood, and a range of sub-plots, you are going to love this!” Saguaro Moon Reviews
“I liked that there was enough evidence for each of the suspects to keep me guessing until the very end.” Molly Lolly Reviews
“Joe Cosentino knows how to keep his readers’ interest with every page.” Universal Creativity Digital Magazine
“The setting, the characterization and the plot keep you turning the pages.” The Book Mistress
“Joe Cosentino has crafted an engaging tale of secrets, lies and deceit set in that crazy, ego driven scene called Hollywood.” Deb Sanders
“Mr. Cosentino has produced a masterpiece of mystery” “The story gripped me from the start and there were enough twists and turns, with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, to keep hold of me until the end of the book.” “Great book, can’t wait for book 2.” Readers’ Favorite
ASIN:
Released: March 16, 2016
Pages: 260
Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor
Paperback: 978-1-5092-0603-2
Digital: 978-1-5092-0604-9
Heat Level: Sensual, PG-13
Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino wrote Paper Doll the first Jana Lane mystery (Whiskey Creek Press), Porcelain Doll the second Jana Lane mystery (The Wild Rose Press), Drama Queen the first Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), Drama Muscle the second Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), An Infatuation & A Shooting Star & A Home for the Holidays & The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press), Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back (NineStar Press), and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming novels are Satin Doll the third Jana Lane mystery (The Wild Rose Press), China Doll the fourth Jana Lane mystery (The Wild Rose Press), Drama Cruise the third Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), and Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward (NineStar Press). Joe was voted 2nd Place for Best MM Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards for 2015.
Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Excerpt:
1982.
As Jana sat waiting for Jack to call for action, she looked up at Jason’s encouraging face. She again was taken aback by his incredible beauty.
Reverend Charlton and Gloria reentered the study.
Jack called for quiet and action. Jana and Jason played the scene, where the detective notifies her of her husband’s death. Jason delivered his lines with warmth, vulnerability, and obvious affection for Jana. In turn, Jana listened then reacted with deep emotions, conveying shock, loss, fear, and hysteria while being comforted by the man she trusted. Jana clutched onto Jason with such force, her fingernail accidently tore a hole in his jacket.
“Cut!” Jack hollered.
While the wardrobe woman repaired Jason’s jacket, Jana noticed Reverend Charlton step out of the study again, this time with Ryan O’Halloran.
After the two men returned, and the jacket was mended, Jack called for slate and action for take two. Jana and Jason did the scene two more times. Each take was more realistic and heart-wrenching than the next, and each appeared as if it were the first time Jana was given the sad news.
After the third take, Jack shouted, “Cut! It’s a wrap. Ryan, let’s move on to the next location.”
Jana wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Jason placed his hand on the side of her face. “You’re amazing.”
“You’re not so bad yourself, partner.”
“You make me better,” he said with adoration in his true-blue eyes.
They shared a smile as again people hurried around the room like ants after a picnic.
Suddenly, Jana heard a loud crash followed by a scream. Leaping from her chair, she followed the horrified gazes of the others in the room to Ryan O’Halloran lying motionless on the floor with a Fresnel tungsten shuttered light next to his head, and blood dripping from his scalp onto the hardwood floor.
http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6684
myBook.to/PorcelainDoll
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/porcelain-doll-joe-Cosentino/1123368757?ean=2940157711948
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-porcelaindoll-1979755-367.html
Filed under: My Favorite Books, writing Tagged: Jana Lane, Joe Cosentino, porcelain Doll
