Stephanie Abbott's Blog, page 10

Bonfire Night

Guy Fawkes Mask

“Remember, remember, the fifth of November, Gunpowder Treason and Plot”

On November 5, 1605, Guy Fawkes was arrested for plotting the assassination of King James I. In Great Britain, the day has meant different things to different people: a commemoration of the king’s survival, a celebration of bonfires and fireworks to break up the autumn monotony, even an appreciation of those who question authority and challenge the powers that be. When writing my latest book, Marriage Can Be Murder, I wondered how my village of Birdswing would celebrate in 1939, just two months after the start of the Blackout. Here’s an excerpt:

In addition to his amateur detective work, Ben kept up his rehabilitation efforts, forcing himself to put on his coat, pick up his cane, and walk the length of the high street twice a day. Only once did he fall, pivoting so quickly to avoid a tomcat that his left knee buckled. As the big, ragged creature darted into an alley, Ben was hauled to his feet by a trio of  little old ladies, then questioned by ARP Warden Gaston, who’d burst out of Morton’s café when he heard the commotion.

“I’m quite all right. It was only a one-eared cat. Orange, with stripes. Did you think I’d been attacked by German agents?” Ben grumbled, dusting off his trousers.

“I didn’t think at all,” Gaston said proudly. “In event of emergency I never do. One of my luckier qualities.” To the small crowd, he said, “Off with you! Find suitable occupation. That’s an order. The poor man’s embarrassed enough, making up tales of cats without you lot gawping at him.”

“Tales?” Ben peered into the alley, gloomy from the shelter of two overhanging roofs. He thought he saw two yellow eyes glowing back at him from behind the metal rubbish bins. But as soon as he blinked, they were gone.

“I can give you a ride back to Fenton House,” Gaston continued, not unkindly. “Or give you my arm and help you there, if you’re dead set on walking. Need to speak to Agnes about this Bonfire Day nonsense. I’ve half a mind to drive up to the manor and tell Lady Juliet I’ve changed my mind about permitting it.”

“Please don’t.” The village thrummed with anticipation; Ben had heard about little else for weeks. Due to the blackout, Birdswing was forbidden from the usual nighttime festivities for Guy Fawkes Night: roman candles, Catherine wheels, a huge bonfire in the village square. There had been some efforts to convince the vicar to throw a substitute party in the church hall, perhaps with a papier-mâché bonfire, candles, punch, music, and dancing. Having never approved of Guy Fawkes Night, which struck Father Cotterill as practically pagan, he’d refused. But just as the disappointed villagers resigned themselves to 5 November as yet another silent, colorless night, Lady Juliet had appeared on the high street, bursting into shops and salons and restaurants with the news. On the very next Sunday, a daylight version of Bonfire Night would be held at Belsham Manor, and every resident of Birdswing was welcome.

“If you try and shut it down at this point,” Ben told Gaston, “you’ll likely have a riot on your hands. Besides, your sister isn’t home. She’s getting her hair done. I’ve never seen her so excited.”

“Excitement breeds disobedience,” the air warden muttered. “I can’t imagine what’s gotten into Lady Juliet. She’s never been one for parties. Usually wanders off halfway through or spends the whole night reading a book.”

Ben knew what had gotten into her, and while he had his doubts about the scheme’s efficacy, he couldn’t fault the good intentions behind it. Breathless with enthusiasm, she’d rang him a few days ago, spilling out her thought process before he could even say hello.

“Last night, as I was propped up in bed reading a mystery novel… wait. I just realized I’ve never asked. Do you enjoy mystery novels? I do, so long as the woman isn’t a ninny. Can’t abide ninnies. At any rate, I was reading, and thereupon it struck me like Archimedes in his bath: how does one advance a case like Penny’s, where there are more suspects than evidence? Eureka! Give a dinner party and invite all the players!”

She paused, both to take a breath and receive praise. Ben knew better than to laugh, though he was glad she’d announced her plan by phone. Had she been able to see his expression, the resultant injuries might have put him back in that ghastly Edwardian wheelchair.

“You mean, actually invite them to Belsham Manor, lock them in your parlor, snuff the lights, and wait to see who turns up dead?”

“No, that’s how murders happen, not how they’re solved,” Lady Juliet said patiently. “The idea is to get the liquor flowing, get them chatting and joking and laughing, and just observe. The murderer is sure to be exquisitely uncomfortable under pressure and thus reveal himself. Particularly if it’s Freddy Sparks.

“The pretext is simple,” she continued. “Guy Fawkes Night during the day. Why moan about not being allowed to burn an effigy when we can do it before sundown? As for our suspects, I doubt I can dig up Mrs. Hibbet, but I’ll invite her, just in case. And I’ll need to go back to Plymouth to invite Bobby Archer, but that’s no sacrifice. I can apologize for accusing him—the better to snare him later, if it comes to it—and purchase a new dress while I’m there.”

“New dress?”

“Yes,” she barked. “No tartan skirt and no trousers but a proper dress, like Margaret’s friends. Perhaps I’ll get my hair curled, too, and put on my mother’s sapphire earbobs, rendering you and your kind speechless.”

He grinned. Any day he could get a rise out of Lady Juliet was a good day. “Ah, but my kind is in short supply. Your table may be overloaded with ladies. How many villagers will you invite?”

“Why, all of them, of course.”

© Emma Jameson, Lyonnesse Books, 2014

Amazon: http://amzn.to/10SMu6m

BN: http://bit.ly/1xa1kiS

Apple Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/marriage-can-be-murder/id936762241?mt=11&uo=4

Kobo Books: http://bit.ly/1ureZoB

Filed under: Books, Dr. Benjamin Bones, Emma Jameson, Kindle Tagged: Blackout, Bonfire Night, cornwall, emma jameson, Gunpowder, Guy Fawkes, Marriage Can Be Murder, Plot, treason

Why Cornwall?

So, most of you know me from the Lord & Lady Hetheridge books, which are set in present-day London. And I adore London, so when I first had the inspiration (about a year ago to this day) to create a new series set in wartime Britain, why not London? There’s so much drama, including the Blitz, the evacuations, the rise of Churchill, the change in women’s status as they go out to work in greater numbers, etc. But when I write a book, it always starts with the lead character — in this case, Dr. Benjamin Bones. I knew right away that he grew up in London, but he was on his way to someplace rural. As Dr. Bones took shape, the village of Birdswing sprang to life as well. And two of my early readers (those saintly folk who read an unedited manuscript and give honest feedback) told me Devon was the wrong place for Birdswing. It belonged in Cornwall.

Remember Tintagel, the legendary birthplace of King Arthur? It’s in Cornwall. There’s also spectacular beaches, famous destinations like Land’s End and St. Ives, the wild beauty of Bodmin Moor and many prehistoric ruins. I’ll post a few pictures to give you a taste.

The beach in St. Ives.

Bodmin Moor at sunset.

Cornish street.

Lanyon Quoit silhouette.

Restornmel Castle

Spectacular, isn’t it? More tomorrow.

Filed under: Books, Dr. Benjamin Bones, Emma Jameson Tagged: cornwall, cozy mystery, emma jameson, Land's End, Marriage Can Be Murder, new books, new ebooks, new fiction, Restornmel Castle, St. Ives, Tintagel

A New Book at Last!

Hi, all! I promised myself I wouldn’t return to this blog until I had a new full-length novel to offer. Well, here it is! It’s live on Amazon and BN (Nook) and should appear in the Apple Store and at Kobo very soon. Here’s what it’s about.

Murder in Haunted Cornwall

On the eve of World War II, Dr. Benjamin Bones is at war with himself. While most young men are being sent away to fight the Germans, Ben is chosen to serve on English soil. Ordered to move to wild, beautiful Cornwall, he must trade his posh London office and stylish city life for the tiny village of Birdswing, population 1,221 souls. But leaving his home and shelving his career ambitions aren’t the only sacrifices facing Ben. His unfaithful wife, Penny, is accompanying him to Cornwall in a last-ditch effort to save their marriage. But moments after their arrival, Penny is run down in the street, and Ben is almost fatally injured. And while the villagers assume Penny’s death to be an accident, Ben quickly deduces it was murder.

As he convalesces in Fenton House, which the locals call haunted, Ben meets Birdswing’s eccentric inhabitants. Mr. Gaston, the volunteer air warden, obsessed with defending his remote village against Nazi spies; Mrs. Cobblepot, a thoroughly practical housekeeper who believes in fairies; and Lady Juliet Linton, a prickly, headstrong aristocrat who won’t take no for an answer. While adapting to life during Britain’s “War at Home,” a time of ration books, victory gardens, bomb shelters, and the Blackout, Ben sets about solving the mystery of Penny’s murder—with a little help from Lady Juliet and the Fenton House ghost.

MARRIAGE CAN BE MURDER (Dr. Benjamin Bones Mysteries #1) is the new cozy mystery series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Emma Jameson.

I do hope while you await Hetheridge #4, you’ll give this one a try. Cheers!

Filed under: Books, Dr. Benjamin Bones, Second World War, World War II, Writing Tagged: BBC, Call the Midwife, cornwall, cozy mystery, England, Foyle's War, mystery

Bird After Bird by Leslea Tash

Hi, all!

I know, I need to blog more often. And today I’m here because my friend Leslea Tash has just published her debut novel, a romance called Bird After Bird.

Here’s the blurb:

Dear Birdy, Princess Birdzilla von MuffinStuff, Keeper of Dreams, Lover of our Fine Feathered Friends, queen of my life and light of my world, I hope this letter finds you well. If you are reading this then I am gone, and sweetheart, I am so sorry.

Chi-town professional Wren Riley is 25 and a rising star in the business world. She can eat a man alive and laugh about it to her girlfriends in seconds flat–and she does, on the regular. Behind the power suits and the flashing, flirty eyes, however, Wren has a secret, vulnerable side. Following a devastating loss and the discovery of a bird journal she and her father made together years before, Wren sets out to seek peace, closure, and something she just can’t name. Is that something tied to the little paper cranes she keeps finding along the way?

Laurence Byrd grew up a lanky Hoosier kid with the good/bad fortune of having the same name as the state’s perennial basketball legend. With a better affinity for dogs than sports or school, he ends up in the Army instead of the Chicago art school of his dreams. Still, his service to our country is something he can be proud of–until an argument with the girl who means the world to him results in a series of events that blows his life apart. With no one left to understand him, black sheep Laurie pours out his heart into letters and drawings he never intends to send–then he folds them into paper cranes that he leaves behind like messages in little winged bottles. He never dreams someone might be finding them.

God damn it, Sylvia, for a few moments I tricked myself into feeling really alive. I cut it off before anyone got hurt, but just for a moment or two, I really thought I might feel something again–something like trust. Something like love. Not the kind of love we had, but something new. Something like hope.

Spoiler alert: Wren and Laurie are going to meet. And when they do, their lives are never going to be the same.

“I must admit that when I got to the end of this book, I let out a tiny whimper from under my breath. It was over and I didn’t want it to be; the style of writing was unique, fun, quirky and witty.” ~JC at All Is Read



“Sweet and delightful.” ~Yolanda, of Yolanda Has So Many Books

 

Filed under: Books, Publishing, Writing Tagged: Bird After Bird, contemporary romance, Leslea Tash, Little Women, NA, new adult, Romance

Little Boy Blue

Attention Nashville area peeps:

This beautiful boy needs a home. He is 1 year old and already neutered. I would take him myself, but we have three already and one (Zahara) hates the other two (Howard and James) so we have enough perpetual drama.

If you would like details, comment on the thread, PM, or email me at emmajamesonbooks@gmail.com.

And if you’re not in Nashville but are interested, I would be more than willing to meet you halfway to get this sweet boy to his forever home.

Filed under: Emma Jameson Tagged: adoption. pet adoption. Nashville. forever home, cats

The Four Questions

Welcome to the Writing Process blog tour. I was tagged by my good friend Shéa MacLeod, an author of paranormal romance. What’s the tour all about? Authors talk about their writing process, as well as briefly touch on their current projects. Then, they pass the torch to three other authors.

1. What am I working on now?

That’s easy — Lord & Lady Hetheridge #4, Black & Blue, and Dr. Benjamin Bones #1, Marriage Can Be Murder. Both are cozy mysteries with a heavy emphasis on characterization. The Hetheridge series is set in present-day London; Chief Superintendent Anthony Hetheridge, a baron, acts as Scotland Yard’s liaison to the wealthy, not all of whom play nice, either with the Metropolitan Police Service or each other. The Dr. Bones mysteries will be set in a small English town outside Plymouth during what the Brits called “The War At Home” — that period during the Second World War in which the English endured a great deal, including the Blitz, to safeguard their homeland and way of life.

2. How does my work differ from others in the genre?

That’s tough, since the answer is really for readers to decide. I will say, I think my characters are not only fun, but intriguing enough to capture the imagination. They are all quite real to me, down to the supporting characters who only get five lines per book, and I hope they’re real to my readers, too.

3. Why do I write the things I do?

I’m an Angolophile from a very early age, with no idea how or why it happened. My brief visit to London in March 2013 far exceeded my expectations, and only increased my desire to write books set in England. I’ve loved mysteries, both hardboiled and cozy, for many years now, so it’s also a case of adding to the bookshelves I adore. Some of my favorite mystery writers include Ruth Rendell, M.C. Beaton, and Alexander McCall Smith.

4. How does my writing process work?

Now here’s where I’ll get in trouble with those who craft How To Write A Book columns. I write what comes to me, when it comes to me. Then I rewrite it a bazillion times, get it edited, and turn it loose on the world. Setting a daily word count goal doesn’t work for me — I can do it (heck, this is already at 385 or so) but invariably, I end up deleting whatever was forced out. Once, as a young, young writer, long before I went full time, I could sit down and type and type and then spend months if not years trying to fix a mountain of pages. Trying to decide what stayed, what went, what needed reworking and what was good enough. It was awful, and the result was unreadable.

Now I await the vision and write like a woman possessed when it comes.

This makes me slower than some of my colleagues, especially for readers who only know me as Emma Jameson — then it will seem like forever until I get the next one out. But the truth is, I’d rather be slow and proud of my work. Churning out a product according to schedule doesn’t work for me. I did it once, under another pen name, and ended up pulling the book. Although its sales were modestly successful, and reviews were good, I knew I’d rushed it to make an artificial deadline set by me, to appease some “publish every ninety days” rule. Never again.

Thanks for reading! Now it’s time for me to pass the torch.

Cheryl Bradshaw is a USA Today bestselling mystery author. She recently released Bed of Bones, her fifth Sloane Monroe novel. Link to the very first, Black Diamond Death, below:

Sarah Woodbury is the author of the tremendously success After Cilmeri series. Her latest book, The Fallen Princess, is available for pre-order on most ebook venues. Book #1, Daughter of Time, is free everywhere. Click the cover for the Amazon link.

Christine Demaio-Rice is the author of the award-winning Fashion Avenue trilogy. Click on the boxed set image for the Amazon link.

Filed under: Emma Jameson

99 Cent Book Sale Continues! #BESTSELLER

The sale continues! Today I’m featuring some sci-fi and fantasy. If you like romance in the mix, there’s Cruxim by my friend Karin Cox. Here’s the cover and blurb:

What is Cruxim?

Amedeo is Cruxim, a mysterious, immortal fallen angel. Destined to seek redemption as a vampire hunter, he nourishes his insatiable hunger on vampire blood. But when the object of his passion, the novice nun Joslyn, is turned into a vampire and enters a vampire coven, Amedeo’s worlds collide. Shattered by the loss of his beloved, he vows to rid the world of vampires once and for all, even if it means destroying Josyln in the process.

A Paranormal Game of Cat and Mouse

Joining Amedeo on his quest to rid the world of the undead is Sabine. Half-woman, half-lioness, she is a Sphinx, a Guardian who has protected humans from vampires since the dawn of time. Yet Sabine comes to this fight pursued by her own enemies. Dr. Claus Gandler knows the secret of Sabine’s mythological past and has vowed to torment her for eternity or destroy her forever.

Immortal Ever After?

Captured by the evil doctor, Amedeo and Sabine are paraded as sideshow freaks in Gandler’s Circus of Curiosities. Only vampire Joslyn has the power to intercede. Will she prove Amedeo’s redemption, or his destruction?

Next there’s Sunset by Arshad Ahsanuddin. Here’s the cover and blurb:

By DayLos Angeles, 2040. When the terrorist known as Medusa threatens to kill millions with a stolen nuclear bomb, Nick Jameson makes a fateful decision. He reveals himself on global television as a Daywalker – a vampire with a soul. To save Los Angeles, Nick exposes not only his own gifts but three separate cultures based on millennia-old magic.By NightThe three metahuman races exist in careful balance, working to maintain a fragile peace. Nick and his fellow Daywalkers successfully master their natural bloodlust. The Sentinels, armed with both magic and steel, repress their warlike instincts. And even some Nightwalkers, normally their natural enemies, have deserted the Court of Shadows to join the triple alliance. Nick Jameson is deeply involved with two such Nightwalkers – handsome Lorcan and powerful Rory. Both men love Nick. But neither can protect the new Ambassador to Humanity from the events he has set in motion.By the Sword

Jeremy Harkness was lured into Medusa’s service under false pretenses. A loner with no one and nothing to cling to, he was willing to die for his cause. But the night Medusa tried to obliterate Los Angeles, Jeremy met Nick Jameson, triggering the onset of his own psychic gifts. For Jeremy is the third race of metahuman, a Sentinel, born to kill the Nightwalkers with no quarter asked or offered. And neither Medusa nor the Court of Shadows will settle for peace when they can make war.

Betrayal and treachery lurk around every corner on the road to coexistence, and at every turn, Nick must question who to trust among his metahuman allies, friends, and lovers—before their civilization is plunged into the depths of darkness and bloodshed. With millennia-old magic, emerging romance, and ever-shifting allegiances, this inventive series unveils a scintillating, homoerotic world of Nightwalkers, Daywalkers, Sentinels, and Humans, who battle for world dominance in the not-too-distant future.

Now comes Downside Rain by Lin Welch. Cover and blurb:

Another place lies palm to palm with the world we know. Downside, Earth’s backdoor, where magic, madness and monstrosities abide; where rain falls from a cloudless red sky and neon pulses day and night.

A fallen angel in a derelict tower weeps crystal tears.

A powerful man hides a dark secret.

Wraiths skim through the streets.

Rain and Castle dispose of monsters, be they mischievous but relatively benign

sprites, or ghouls which don’t limit their feasting to the already dead. When the

hunters become the hunted, they must survive attacks by demons and Gettaholt

citizens compelled by powerful magic. Who is trying to kill them, and why? Can

a wraith die twice?

Next there’s Guardians of the World by Jolea M. Harrison. Here’s the cover and blurb:

GUARDIANS OF THE WORD is an epic fantasy, science fiction amalgam that tells the story of Dynan Telaerin and his ancestor’s long struggle to rid the world of evil. Beyond the barrier lies the heart of deception, trapping the world in a repeating cycle of devastation, rebirth and then destruction once again, every thousand years. For countless cycles knowledge is destroyed, the words of truth lost to future generations until one young man, the First King of Cobalt sacrifices his eternal soul to remain. He brings previously lost knowledge forward in time to his ancestors, Dynan and Dain, who like him are telepathic twin brothers. It is their destiny to finally break the cycle, or doom the world to the final darkness. For in their time, the Gods are weakened, evil prevails and unless it is defeated once and for all, will remain to rule in domination and terror.

In CHOSEN, Dynan Telaerin finds himself on a corpse-strewn hillside, uncertain if he’s dead or alive, charged with saving his ancestor, the most powerful telepath to ever exist. The race for survival drastically changes when his brother, Dain is taken. Will courage alone be enough to face the greatest evil to exist? Will he lose his soul to save everyone else?

Finally, if you’d like a FREE book, check out The Sable City by M. Edward McNally:

For the first time in a hundred years, Vod’Adia – the fabled Sable City – is Opening. All across the known world, adventurers hungry for gold and relics from the Witch King’s era are making their way to the legendary ruins. For many of them, the Sable City will claim their lives and perhaps even their very souls. But for one heroic fellowship bent only on rescue, entering this deadly place may do worse than destroy them. It may destroy the entire world.

The journey begins in the Miilark Islands, where a most unusual dwarf makes a most unusual choice. Captain Block, charged with finding the exiled heir of House Deskata, picks Tilda Lanai to accompany him – a young woman newly trained in the arts of the Guild, but completely untested. With the help of a rag-tag company that includes a ronin samurai, a semi-competent wizard, a noblewoman in disguise, a healer, a warrior-priest and two ex-soldiers (one in danger of being hanged for desertion), Tilda’s quest leads her into the very heart of the Sable City–where devils and demons roam freely, and very little is what it seems.

Check out these and many more 99 cent or free books by clicking here!

Filed under: Books, Free Reads, Kindle Tagged: 99 cent books, arshad ahsanuddin, Cruxim, Downside Rain, free books, Guardians of the Word, Jolea M. Harrison, Karin Cox, Kindle, Lin Welch, M. Edward McNally, Sunset, The Sable City

More 99 Cent Books! #BESTSELLER

You survived Thanksgiving — now what?

The 99 cent sale is still going on, and there’s a book for every taste. Yesterday I focused on mysteries. Today, I’ll show you books for middle grade and YA readers.

First, here’s the cover and blurb for Curse of the Ice Dragon by my friend Tara West.

Born with mark of the Mighty Hunter, Markus has the skill and strength to feed his people, but not to confront his own tyrannical father. Shamed by his cowardice, Markus releases his frustration on the forest creatures.

The village prophet warns that Markus’s reckless ways will bring down The Hunter’s Curse, and for every animal Markus kills, his loved ones will suffer the same fate. When the warnings go unheeded, the Sky Goddess unleashes her ice dragon. Now Markus must flee the dragon without killing it or his beloved brother will die.

Markus’s flight takes him to the lands of the mysterious Ice People. There, the beautiful maiden Ura helps Markus learn the compassion and courage he needs to face the wrath of the Goddess, but the final confrontation will not be without price, as Markus must choose between the life of his brother and the fate of the girl he loves.

Next, for older readers, there’s The Kiss Off and Over It from my friend Sarah Billington. Here’s the cover and blurb for The Kiss Off:

When sixteen year old Poppy Douglas writes a song about her ex-boyfriend Cam and ex-friend Nikki, she has no idea that her heartbreak is about to go global.

A local band picks up her song from Youtube and soon she’s along for the ride with her own fanbase as they blow up on the local club scene and hit the international charts. Though it turns out leaving Cam behind isn’t as easy as she had hoped.

Tangled in a web of unfinished homework, ill-considered sexting and a new lead-singer boyfriend, Poppy has a choice to make between the ex that inspired it all and the rock God whose poster lines the inside of half the lockers at school. But as she struggles to keep her emotional dirty laundry private, she learns that the truth can be hard to find when your life is in the headlines.

Also for YA readers who love fantasy, there’s Troll Or Derby by my friend Red Tash. Here’s the cover and blurb!

In Troll Or Derby, fifteen-year-old Roller Deb is singled out by town bullies for both her skates, and for being different. When her popular homecoming queen of a sister is kidnapped by a scuzzy drug dealer, Deb must flee the trailer park in which she’s grown up, and rescue her. Along the way, Deb becomes enmeshed in the magical realm of trolls and fairies, and the blood-thirsty version of roller derby at which these beings excel. But spending too much time among the fairies comes with a price. Will Deb choose to save her sister, with the aid of a mysterious troll? Or will she be lost to the lures of roller derby, and this magical new realm, forever?

Intrigued? Check out every book on offer by clicking the picture below.

Filed under: Books, Kindle, Tara West Tagged: 99 cent sale, amazon, Curse of the Ice Dragon, Kindle, Over It, Red Tash, Sarah Billington, Tara West, The Kiss Off, Troll Or Derby, YA

HUGE 99 Cent Sale! #BESTSELLER

Happy Black Friday! I hope you’re … oh, who am I kidding? For most of us, Black Friday is either an exhausting obligation or a free-for-all to be avoided at all costs. So how about an ebook sale instead? Benefits include (1) ability to shop from your ereader, phone, or computer, (2) low, low prices and (3) purchases will count as gifts if you’re so inclined. 

From USA Today Bestselling Author Cheryl Bradshaw, there’s Whispers of Murder and I Have a Secret. Here’s the blurb for Whispers of Murder:

It was Isabelle Donnelly’s wedding day, a moment in time that should have been the happiest in her life…until it ended in murder.

Three women, three motives to kill:

–A jealous sister

–A company CFO

–A newfound friend

But which one is plotting against her? Which one wants her dead? Think you know who did it? Think again.

From New York Times Bestseller J. Carson Black, we have The Devil’s Hour.

“J. Carson Black’s THE DEVIL’S HOUR is a superior mystery novel in all respects. Fine prose, terrific suspense, believable characters, and one of the most unexpected and satisfying conclusions I’ve read in a long time. Highly recommended.”

—John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author of DAMAGE

From Amazon and iTunes bestselling author Sarah Woodbury, you can start her time travel romance series for FREE with book one, Daughter of Time.

In 1997, the disappearance of three young girls rocked the city of Tucson, Arizona. Eleven years later, one of those girls, Micaela Brashear, comes home–alive.

Criminal Investigator Laura Cardinal worked homicide for Arizona DPS, but now she’s been moved to the Open-Unsolved Unit. With a new job and a new partner who questions her every move, Laura pieces together Micaela’s fragmented memories in the hope she will learn the whereabouts of the other two children.

When a man walking his dog finds the bones of a child in a shallow grave on the mountain above town, it becomes clear to Laura that Micaela was the lucky one.

But the killer isn’t through yet, and afte

r the fiery death of someone close to Laura, she realizes she faces an implacable enemy.

From Amazon, BN, and iTunes bestseller Sarah Woodbury, you can start her time travel romance series for free with book one, Daughter of Time.

From The Kindle Book Review:

While a time-travel romance, the relationship between Meg and Prince Llewlyn of Wales is not cliché. It’s truly two people struggling to overcome their different backgrounds and the current political climate of 13th century Wales to follow their hearts. The completely fresh storyline of a Daughter of Time is one of the strongest aspects of this story.

Daughter of Time is a sweetheart style romance in that the sexual scenes take place off stage, and an enjoyable look at chivalry in a way that explains how functional it was for the time period, and not just a cliché romantic notion modern readers have about knights in shining armor.

And from my friend Christine DeMaio-Rice, there’s her award-winning Fashion Avenue mysteries, all three for just 99 cents!

WINNER – Preditors & Editors Best Mystery of 2012

WINNER – 2012 eFestival of Words – Best Mystery/Suspense.

A Red Adept Select for outstanding book in its genre.

This set includes all three award-winning, full-length mysteries, including book one, Dead is the New Black:Fashion designer Jeremy St. James is everything Laura Carnegie could want in a man. He’s gorgeous, rich, and talented. The fact that everyone says he’s gay doesn’t stop her from dreaming of being in her boss’s arms. As a matter of fact, she suspects his inaccessibility is part of his charm.When Jeremy’s backer is found dead in his office and he’s accused of the crime, he trusts Laura, and only Laura, with the keys to the design room. She wants him back and out of jail, and in the process of exposing a counterfeiting ring and finding the real killer, she uncovers the secretive man under the temperamental artist; a man who is most definitely not gay, and a man who might not be that inaccessible after all.There are MANY MORE books in this huge sale, including sizzling romances (adults only!), fantasy, science fiction, young adult, and humor. I’ll feature more as the promotion continues. Check it out, and stay safe (and sane) on this Black Friday!

Filed under: Blue Murder, Books, Emma Jameson, Free Reads, Kindle Tagged: bestseller, Black Friday sale, Cheryl Bradshaw, Christine DeMaio-Rice, J. Carson Black, Kindle, New York Times bestseller, Sarah Woodbury, USA Today bestseller

Help for the Philippines

Hey, just a brief note. If you’re like me, you’ve been appalled and probably overwhelmed by images of devastation in the Philippines after Supertyphoon Haiyan. Well, one of the best ways to help is to give money. I chose the Philippine Red Cross because they are local, and will be able to put the money to swift and proper use. If you would like to check out their website, go here. Please note if you choose to make a gift, it will be in their currency (pesos), so you’ll need to consult a USD to phP converter first, like this one.

Filed under: Charitable Giving, Emma Jameson Tagged: charitable giving, disaster relief, Philippines, Red Cross, supertyphoon