Laurisa White Reyes's Blog, page 28

BOOK REVIEW: THE MOUSE WITH THE QUESTION MARK TAIL

THE MOUSE WITH THE QUESTION MARK TAIL
Richard Peck
Puffin Books
For ages 8-12

The tiniest mouse in the Royal Mews is such a mystery he doesn’t even know his own name! He scampers off on a epic adventure in and around Buckingham Palace with a plan to seek the advice of Queen Victoria. The exhilarating journey takes him to strange and wonderful places, but will it help him discover who he is and where he came from? This delightful follow-up to the acclaimed Secrets at Sea from Newbery Medal winner Richard Peck is full of laughs, surprises and excitement.

MY REVIEW:

The story, while certainly cute and adventurous, fell kind of flat. There are simply so many mouse stories out there, and this one just didn't stand out. Nothing wrong with it. Just wasn't anything special, in my opinion. And the ending was too predictable.

$25 GIVEAWAY - AWAKENING AVERY by Laurie Lewis

 Awakening Avery by Laurie Lewis "You're depressed," the doctor declared. "Ya think?" is author Avery Elkins Thompson's sarcastic response. She can’t pull out from the malaise that set in following her husband's untimely death, and her adult children fear they are losing her too. She can't write, and questions about their father's death leave the family mired in pain. "We need a healing place," her oldest son tells her, suggesting she find it on Anna Maria Island, Florida, a former family vacation spot. When Avery returns to Baltimore to sell the family's waterfront condo, she meets rodeo-ers-turned-real-estate-brokers Teddie and Rider Davis, and Avery's quiet life will never be the same again. The Davises help arrange a short-term house swap with widower Gabriel Carson from Anna Maria, whose overprotective parenting has resulted in two self-centered, twenty-something daughters. Avery and Gabriel are in for the summer of their lives as they step into one another's messy, complicated worlds. Still, venturing out on her own again is challenging for Avery, whose experiences at the Ringling's magnificent Ca d'Zan mansion, and with the quirky characters she meets there, eventually awaken her to truths she desperately needs to remember—that God has not forgotten her, and as crazy as life can be, it is possible to laugh and love again. Get it now on AMAZONAdd to GOODREADS    Avery sighed as she switched the desk lamp off and headed down the hall, passing the “wall of fame,” where all the kids’ photos were on display. She passed a favorite vacation photo and straightened it, though the frame already hung perfectly square. She knew the frame wasn’t off. She was. More accurately, it was her reaction to a sweet moment from years ago on one of the family’s nightly walks along the beach on Anna Maria Island in Florida that was off kilter. Jamie snapped the photo of Avery and Paul as they posed before the fabled beach house of a man who had become a legend along the island. Only after the photo was printed did Avery realize that Jamie had actually caught the widowed owner of the sprawling Victorian home standing like a solitary ghost on the widow’s walk. He and his solemn, lonely watch contrasted sharply with the happy images of Avery and Paul in the foreground. Avery’s finger traced along the image of Gabriel Carson, the mysterious, romantic widower. He had so fascinated Avery’s writer’s instinct that she hounded the locals for more information on him until she discovered where his florist’s shop was located. Her cheeks still flushed when she recalled how she studied the handsome loner from outside his business’s storefront window, watching him chat and laugh with the waiting customers as he arranged their opulent bouquets. But when they exited, leaving him alone, Avery watched his eyes dim as his face settled into quiet soberness. His aura had haunted her for weeks, and when she and the family returned home to Utah from their summer jaunt, she fashioned a character in one of her books after the intriguing Mr. Carson. Avery bit her upper lip and shrank, as goosebumps spread across her arms in shame. How many times she had given thanks that she and Paul weren’t that man, mired in enduring mourning. It all seemed so ironic. So selfish. So shameful. “I’m right there with you,” she said to the man in the photo.     "It will melt your heart, kick off forgotten emotions and have you rooting for a love that was past due. You're going to some tissues for this one." "As always, Ms. Lewis writes characters who really make the story special . . . They are portrayed in such a way that the story becomes ‘real’… entirely believable, and very relatable." "A wonderful second chances story." "Wow. Catching my breath...I simply cannot put into words what a beautiful ride this was. It was complex and raw and real. This author does a phenomenal job, in my opinion, of weaving plot and character in such a way as they are seamless. I felt like I was living in the pages. Once my heart recovers I will be diving back in for another read. Simply wonderful."      Author Laurie Lewis Wherever life takes her, Laurie Lewis will always be a Marylander at heart—a weather-whining lover of God, Maryland crabs, American history, and the sea. She’s an award-wining hybrid author of ten published novels. Her contemporary romantic fiction novels include Awakening Avery, (2018), Love on a Limb, (2017), Sweet Water, (2017), The Dragons of Alsace Farm (2016), and Unspoken (2004), written as Laurie Lewis. Using the pen name L.C. Lewis, She wrote the five volumes of her award-winning FREE MEN and DREAMERS historical fiction series, set against the backdrop of the War of 1812: Dark Sky at Dawn (2007), Twilight’s Last Gleaming (2008), Dawn’s Early Light (2009), Oh, Say Can You See? (2010), and In God is Our Trust, (2011). She’s the recipient of the 2017 RONE for Inspirational Fiction, a New Apple Literary Award, A BRAGG Medallion, and she was twice-named a USA Best Books and Whitney Award Finalist. She’s currently working on a sequel to Love on a Limb, a WWII biopic, (2020) and under contract with a traditional publisher for a romantic suspense novel expected for a 2020 releasee. Laurie loves to hear from readers.    Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Code or $25 in Paypal Cash Ends 10/1/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.    a Rafflecopter giveaway

$50 AMAZON GIVEAWAY - REMEON'S DESTINY by J.W. Garrett

Remeon's DestinyRealms of Chaos Book 1by J.W. GarrettGenre: YA SciFi Fantasy
A boy seeking adventure… A world that's dying… A war that may have no winners…


Thomas longs to escape the drudgery of farm life, dreaming of adventure and running away from his demanding parents.
Planet Remeon is on the brink of destruction, fighting a crippling disease that threatens to wipe out their civilization.
Thrust into their world, Thomas is caught in the middle of telepathic mind games between the Day Watchers and the Night Dwellers.
Alliances will be broken. Thoughts will be controlled. Will anyone survive?

**On Sale from 8/27 – 9/20!!** Add to Goodreads Amazon* Apple * B&N* Kobo
I've been writing in one form or another since I was a teenager. My love of the Fantasy genre goes all the way back to elementary school when I read The Hobbit for the first time - I've been hooked ever since. I currently live in Florida with my family, but love the state of Virginia where I was born. My works include poetry, short stories, and book two in my YA Fantasy series, Realms of Chaos, is now in process.


You can visit my website at www.jwgarrett.com to subscribe to my newsletter and find out the latest updates regarding new releases and works in progress.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Today is my birthday. I am now the big 50!!!
I haven't been this excited about a birthday since I turned 40. I love birthdays. Not just mine, but I love celebrating my kids' birthdays and friends' as well.
I believe every year we are alive is a blessing, a gift, from God. Whether we know it or not, our days upon this earth are numbered. Life is meant to be an adventure! We are here to learn and to experience what it means to be human. We are here to love, to laugh, to cry, to mourn, to hope, to feel gratitude, to forgive, and to be forgiven.
I wake every morning with a determination to make that day count. I'm a list-maker. Each day begins with a list of what I want to accomplish. Often, I don't complete everything on that list, but I feel a sense of pride when things are checked off, even if it's just getting a load of laundry done or writing 500 words of my latest book.
I don't watch much TV because I believe time is a precious commodity and should not be wasted. I love spending as much time as I can doing the things I love to do with the people I love the most. I have no regrets about how I've spent the past fifty years, particularly in relation to my kids. Some of my favorite things I've enjoyed doing and still do with my kids are going to museums; attending theater productions and concerts; supporting my kids in their sports, music, theater, etc.; going to the park; volunteering wherever my kids are involved (I even coached my son's basketball team once); taking my kids out to lunch; going to the beach; going to Disneyland; watching movies; and a whole lot more.
I've woven together a lifetime of wonderful memories and have great relationships with all five of my children. That alone has made my life worthwhile.
But I've done some other things of which I'm pretty proud as well: served a full-time mission for my church; earned a B.A. and M.A.; published many books and earned several awards; started my own business and helped other authors publish their books; volunteered in many capacities including (my favorite) at the local theater where three of my kids have performed; and served in many callings in church including Gospel Doctrine Instructor, Choir Director, Nursery Leader, Primary Teacher, Young Women Presidency, Relief Society Instructor, Relief Society Presidency, & Primary President.
But at 50 years old, I'm only halfway done. What do I still want to accomplish?
I want to travel to Alaska, Hawaii, Rome, and all over the U.S.. I want to write more books and get published with a top publisher. I want to learn languages like Latin and Spanish and Korean and Greek. I want to study the history of Christianity and maybe get a degree in it. I want to build my publishing business. I want to see all my kids succeed in college, get married and have families, and be happy. I want to study music like piano and voice and guitar. I want to read hundreds of books.
I'm not worried because my #1 goal is to live to 100! So I have plenty of time to get all this done. Mostly, when my life finally does come to an end, I want to look back and feel satisfied that I've done something good in the world, that I've made a difference somehow, not only in the lives of my kids but for other people as well. I hope to be able to do that with my books, but God's not finished with me yet. He may have some things planned for me that I haven't foreseen.
I'm grateful for every day, every hour, I draw breath. I'm grateful for the experiences, good and bad, that life has given me thus far. And mostly I'm grateful for my family. I'm grateful to love and to be loved.
God bless, and here's to another 50 years!
--Laurisa

WRITER 2 WRITER: 3 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR WRITING POP!

Congratulations! You’ve written an amazing book. The story is exciting, the characters are memorable. It’s the best work you’ve ever produced. But for some reason, readers just aren’t getting into it. It falls flat. Sales are low. Reviews are disappointing.

The problem might not be with the story but with your writing. Like any talent or craft, writing well takes a lot of practice. Successful novels are not just good stories, they are good writing . Readers get sucked into the words and can’t stop turning pages. So, how can an author transform mediocre writing into a tale that shines?

Here are three techniques that can help:

1: Kick Your Vocab Up a Notch – It doesn’t matter whether you write for fourth graders or adults, romance or horror— words matter . Some literary works relish using elaborate language, while other authors prefer the infrequent use of such words. The key is to locate mundane vocabulary in your text that could be replaced with something more effective. Consider this excerpt from Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain:

“That same heaviness, the same torpor and melancholy, a kind of sickly-sweet emo funk that’s almost pleasurable, in the sense that it hints at something real. As if sorrow is the true reality? Without ever exactly putting his mind to it, he’s come to believe that loss is the standard trajectory.”

Throughout his book, Fountain chooses to balance the straightforward speech patterns of a Marine with language that reveals Billy’s intelligence and deep emotions. He uses torpor, for example, instead of its more commonplace synonym, apathy.

2: Repeat, Repeat, Repeat – Repeating a term or phrase is a powerful poetic device that draws the reader into a narrative and allows him to connect emotionally with the story. Don’t overuse it because then a text can become tedious, but occasionally repeating a word can emphasize its value. Think of Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful “I Have A Dream” speech, or examples from other works such as Snow by Orhan Pamuk:

“Every person had a star, every star had a friend, and for every person carrying a star there was someone else who reflected it, and everyone carried this reflection like a secret confidante in the heart.”

Here, the repetition of the words star and reflect communicates the significance of this particular metaphor and signals to the reader that this is something he should pay attention to.

3: Vary Sentence Patterns – While it’s tempting to make every sentence a work of art, to plug in impressive words at every opportunity and make your entire book sound like a long poem, the truth is varying the styles and lengths of sentences is much more effective. In Everything I Never Told You, the author, Celeste Ng, masterfully utilizes variation:

“Hannah’s body knows all the secrets of silence. In the dark, her fingers slide back the bolt, then grasp the safety chain and unfasten it without rattling. This last is a new trick. Before the funeral, there was no chain.”

Notice that there are no fancy words here. Ng relies on stark, simple language to take us inside five-year-old Hannah’s head. The author pairs longer, complex sentences with short, concise ones resulting in a compelling rhythm for the reader to follow.

If you want your writing to catch and hold readers’ attention, try upping the quality of your writing with vocabulary, repetition, and variation. For more on these and other literary devices that can improve your writing, check out University of Toronto Press’s A Dictionary of Literary Devices.

$25 GIVEAWAY - SECONDHAND HEARTS by Jo Noelle

 Secondhand Hearts by Jo Noelle As a member of a top country-western band, Chase has the money and fame he's always wanted. When he meets the beautiful woman who owns Treasure Mountain Pawn, he has to hide both of those things from the one person he wants to know everything about him. When Elena sees Chase for the first time, his turquoise eyes and tousled brown hair convince her that she might believe in insta-love. Just in time, her brain takes over, reminding her that her business is in trouble, making her future uncertain—not a good time for love. But being with Chase is as easy as following her heart, until she finds he has a secret big enough to break it. Amazon  
 Elena looked around the business her dad had built—a thirty-six-hundred-square-foot legacy with iron bars on the windows called Treasure Mountain Pawn, that had passed on to her. “Elena, I got ya something I think ya need.” Tug walked toward the back of the store. “We agreed. No presents,” she called over her shoulder, but he continued toward the storage room as if he hadn’t heard her. Something I need? I need a huge inheritance from a long-lost relative. Or a millionaire business partner. Or to win a lottery as soon as possible. The bell on the front door jingled again, drawing Elena out of her wishes. Tug had turned the sign to “Closed” when Lucas left, but apparently, he’d forgotten to lock it. Glancing up, she found herself looking into turquoise eyes. Not blue, not green, but somehow both. His brown hair was perfectly tousled, and there was a shadow across his jaw, not like he forgot to comb or shave, but like he knew he rocked that look—complete with rolling a guitar pick between his fingers. His sleeves were pushed up, revealing muscular arms ribbed with veins. He walked toward her in a black button up—tight across his broad shoulders and obviously muscular chest, and then tucked into slim blue jeans behind a large belt buckle. He wore western boots, expensive but not flashy. She couldn’t help taking him in. Oh, my gosh! She could hardly breathe. Everything she found attractive in a man was wrapped up in one neat package.      Author Jo Noelle Jo Noelle is a Colorado native but lived in several mountain states--Idaho, Utah, and California. She has two adult children and three small kids. She teaches teachers and students about reading and writing, grows freakishly large tomatoes, enjoys cooking (especially desserts,) builds furniture, sews beautiful dresses, and likes to go hiking in the nearby mountains. Oh, and by the way, she's two people--a mother/daughter writing team. We write dessert romances--satisfyingly sweet, and you'll want more.  
   Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Card or $25 in Paypal Cash Ends 10/1/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.    a Rafflecopter giveaway

$25 GIVEAWAY - LIES JANE AUSTEN TOLD ME by Julie Wright

 Lies Jane Austen Told Me by Julie Wright Ever since Emma read Pride and Prejudice, she's been in love with Mr. Darcy and has regarded Jane Austen as the expert on all things romantic. So naturally when Emma falls for Blake Hampton and he invites her home to meet his parents, she is positive an engagement is in her future. After all, Blake is a single man in possession of a good fortune, and thus must be in want of a wife. But when it turns out that what Blake actually wants is more of a hook-up than a honeymoon, Emma is hurt, betrayed, and furious. She throws herself deeper into her work as CMO of Kinetics, the fastest growing gym franchise in the nation. She loves her work, and she's good at it, which is why she bristles when her boss brings in a consultant to help her spearhead the new facilities on the East Coast. Her frustration turns to shock when that consultant turns out to be Blake's younger brother, Lucas. Emma is determined not to fall for Lucas, but as she gets to know him, she realizes that Lucas is nothing like his brother. He is kind and attentive and spends his time and money caring for the less fortunate. What she can't understand is why Lucas continues to try to push her back into Blake's arms when he so clearly has fallen as hard for her as she has fallen for him. Realizing that her love life is as complicated as anything Jane Austen could have dreamed up, Emma must find a way to let Blake know that it's time for him to let her go and to let Lucas know it's time for him to love her back. AMAZON * Deseret Book          "Wright does contemporary romance right in this diverting novel with just enough heft."-Publishers Weekly "Employing her own deliciously dry sense of wit, Wright deftly pays homage to the inherent romantic wisdom found in Austen's classic novels in this delightfully fun and refreshingly sweet contemporary romance."-Booklist "Modern, clever, and funny, Wright's novel is a smart remix of tropes from Austen's work. Lies Jane Austen Told Me is a satisfying and sweet contemporary romance that knits together romantic classics with modern manners."-Foreword Reviews      Author Julie Wright Julie Wright (1972-still breathing) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She's lived in LA, Boston, and the literal middle of nowhere (don't ask). She wrote her first book when she was fifteen. Since then, she's written twenty three novels and coauthored three. Julie is a two-time winner of the Whitney award for best romance with her books "Cross My Heart" and "Lies Jane Austen Told Me" and has also won the Crown Heart award. Her book "Death Thieves" was a Whitney finalist for 2016. She is agented by Sara Crowe. She has one husband, three kids, two salamanders, one dog, and a varying amount of fish (depending on attrition). She loves writing, reading, traveling, hiking, playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner.    Giveaway Details Ends 10/1/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.    a Rafflecopter giveaway

$25 AMAZON GIVEAWAY - HELL HOLE by Leland Anderson and Donald Firesmith

Hell Hole: The Official Screenplayby Donald Firesmith and Leland AndersonGenre: SciFi, Paranormal Horror
When a huge hole opens up in the path of a controversial new pipeline, the oil company’s head of safety convinces her estranged husband to fly up to Alaska’s North Slope and investigate. But when geologist Jack Oswald rappels down into the mysterious pit, he discovers it is unlike anything he has ever seen. Giant wolf-like creatures attack the nearby protester camp, slaughtering both wildlife and people. When they kill protesters and even the oil company’s armed guards, a member of a secret society dedicated to defending humanity from demons has no choice but to reveal herself. The survivors soon learn there are worse monsters than hellhounds. To repair his broken marriage, Jack only needs to save his wife, defeat a devil, seal the hell hole, and put an end to Armageddon. What could possibly go wrong?


This movie script for the full-length feature film, Hell Hole, is based on Donald Firesmith's novel, Hell Holes: What Lurks Below.
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Hell HolesBook 1: What Lurks Below
It’s August in Alaska, and geology professor Jack Oswald prepares for the new school year. But when hundreds of huge holes mysteriously appear overnight in the frozen tundra north of the Arctic Circle, Jack receives an unexpected phone call. An oil company exec hires Jack to investigate, and he picks his climatologist wife and two of their graduate students as his team. Uncharacteristically, Jack also lets Aileen O’Shannon, a bewitchingly beautiful young photojournalist, talk him into coming along as their photographer. When they arrive in the remote oil town of Deadhorse, the exec and a biologist to protect them from wild animals join the team. Their task: to assess the risk of more holes opening under the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the wells and pipelines that feed it. But they discover a far worse danger lurks below. When it emerges, it threatens to shatter Jack’s unshakable faith in science. And destroy us all…
**Get it FREE!!** Add to Goodreads Amazon* Apple* B&N* Kobo* Smashwords

Hell HolesBook 2: Demons on the Dalton
When hundreds of huge holes mysteriously appeared overnight in the frozen tundra north of the Arctic Circle, geologist Jack Oswald picked Angele Menendez, his climatologist wife, to determine if the record temperatures due to climate change was the cause. But the holes were not natural. They were unnatural portals for an invading army of demons. Together with Aileen O'Shannon, a 1,400-year-old sorceress demon-hunter, the three survivors of the research team sent to study the holes had only one chance: to flee down the dangerous Dalton Highway towards the relative safety of Fairbanks. However, the advancing horde of devils, imps, hellhounds, and gargoyles will stop at nothing to prevent their prey from escaping. It is a 350-mile race with simple rules. Win and live; lose and die...
**Only .99 cents!!** Add to Goodreads Amazon* Apple* B&N* Kobo* Smashwords

A geek by day, Donald Firesmith works as a system and software engineer helping the US Government acquire large, complex software-intensive systems. In this guise, he has authored seven technical books, written numerous software- and system-related articles and papers, and spoken at more conferences than he can possibly remember. He's also proud to have been named a Distinguished Engineer by the Association of Computing Machinery, although his pride is tempered somewhat by his fear that the term "distinguished" makes him sound like a graybeard academic rather than an active engineer whose beard is still slightly more red than gray.


By night and on weekends, his alter ego writes modern paranormal fantasy, apocalyptic science fiction, action and adventure novels and relaxes by handcrafting magic wands from various magical woods and mystical gemstones. His first foray into fiction is the book Magical Wands: A Cornucopia of Wand Lore written under the pen name Wolfrick Ignatius Feuerschmied. He lives in Crafton, Pennsylvania with his wife Becky, and his son Dane, and varying numbers of dogs, cats, and birds.

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$25 GIVEAWAY - THROUGH THE FIRE by Elizabeth Johns

   Through the Fire: A Traditional Regency Romance by Elizabeth Johns When two people have walked through fire, can love bring the healing and help they need? Spurned by love, Lady Margaux Winslow, daughter of the Marquess of Ashbury, has no use for the other eligible gentlemen of London. Despite her beauty, her sharp tongue soon earns her a reputation as a dragon. Convincing her parents to let her retreat to their Scottish estate, a home for abandoned young women, Margaux feels she can do something meaningful with her life. At their wits' end, her parents believe a few months in seclusion will teach her to appreciate her privileged existence, and accept the next gentleman of worth who offers for her. Margaux has no plans to yield. But neither she nor her parents bargain for the proximity of the gorgeous, blue-eyed Scotsman on the neighbouring estate. Gavin Craig, content with his life as a country doctor, is unexpectedly thrust into the world of aristocratic society after the accidental deaths of his brother and nephews. With all the duties his new title entails, and his adoption of three orphans, Gavin desperately needs a wife. She should preferably a lady, trained since birth to manage a noble house, servants and family. His former disdain for a marriage of convenience has been rapidly overcome by the colossal task of learning to run a large Scottish barony. One lovely candidate is right next door … except that she's inexplicably determined to be a spinster… Amazon * iBooks * Kobo * Nook * Audible
     Gavin looked at the letter in his hand in utter disbelief. His heart was tearing in two. His brother, wife, and children had been killed when their carriage had slipped down the side of a cliff. “This canna be true.” He shook his head and fought back tears. “I am afraid it is, my lord.” “My lord? No. I doona wish for it. I’m a simple country doctor. I have a humble life and practice here.” “I am terribly sorry for your loss, my lord. But you are, in fact, the eleventh Baron Craig now, and thus have some rather large holdings that are your responsibility.” “This was not supposed to happen. Iain had three strapping young lads!” The solicitor looked grave. “Perhaps, my lord, it would be best for you to return to Castle Craig and see for yourself.” The solicitor was met with a blank stare from a set of startling blue eyes; a look that was common to those who had been met with grievous news, but who had not yet assimilated the ensuing change in circumstances. “Verra well. I will join you there as soon as I have made arrangements.” Gavin went through the motions of closing up his house and seeing his practice into the capable hands of his apprentice, a graduate of Lord Easton’s school. Of late, Gavin had taken many trips into England to the school in Sussex and had toyed with joining it as an instructor on a full-time basis, but he had never been able to cut ties with Scotland. How would he practice medicine as Lord Craig? He would have to find a way, while at the same time doing his best to carry on with his brother’s works in Parliament. Gavin had seen more death than most, but he had not been prepared for the loss of his brother, or of Iain’s wife and children. They had been the last family he’d had left. He had never before given a thought to running the large Castle Craig estate, and hoped desperately that his brother had appointed a trustworthy steward. His carriage was loaded with immediate necessities. His servants would send the rest of his belongings with those of his staff who wished to join him at the new residence. He had one final stop before setting off to bury his brother and begin his new life. ~*~ “What are you pondering, mon chere?” Margaux heard her mother ask. “Very little, Maman,” she remarked, as they sat darning socks for some of the children. Her parents had remained with her, hopeful to change her mind. “We are having a guest for dinner tonight. Someone interested in contributing to the orphans.” “Très bien,” she said absent-mindedly. Guests were a normal occurrence with her parents. “You should wear the emerald satin—bring some colour to your face, non?” “If you wish, Maman.” Margaux cared little for what she wore these days. “Allons y.” Lady Ashbury stood and directed her daughter to do the same. “I will see you at dinner.” Lady Margaux went through the motions of dressing. Her maid arranged her hair in a manner worthy of a ball, she noticed. She had to admit she had been experiencing a mild case of the dismals. Once she established a routine here she would come out of it, she was certain. She had never been one to sulk, but she needed to find something useful to occupy her time. No, she corrected her thoughts. To make a new life. She made her way downstairs, determined to be more cheerful. If she could only convince her parents she was happy here, then they would be satisfied she was content. “Ah, there she is now, Lord Craig,” Lord Ashbury said as he saw her. “Dr. Craig?” Margaux said, stunned as she met the eyes of the handsome doctor who had been enamoured of Lady Beatrice.  "Johns' wonderful, well-crafted characters come alive in this engaging series... These characters are well written and lovable and will keep readers turning the pages." ~Library Journal "Elizabeth Johns is now one of my top 5 authors! Her style of writing is easy to follow and keeps you hanging on." ~Lavender24 "Great googily moogily. Scotsmen in kilts... This is a good one." ~The Doctor's Companion         Author Elizabeth Johns National bestselling author Elizabeth Johns was first an avid reader, though she was a reluctant convert. It was Jane Austen’s clever wit and unique turn of phrase that hooked Johns when she was “forced” to read Pride and Prejudice for a school assignment. She began writing when she ran out of her favorite author’s books and decided to try her hand at crafting a Regency romance novel. Her journey into publishing began with the release of Surrender the Past, book one of the Loring-Abbott Series. Johns makes no pretensions to Austen’s wit but hopes readers will perhaps laugh and find some enjoyment in her writing. Johns attributes much of her inspiration to her mother, a retired English teacher. During their last summer together, Johns would sit on the porch swing and read her stories to her mother, who encouraged her to continue writing. Busy with multiple careers, including a professional job in the medical field, author and mother of small children, Johns squeezes in time for reading whenever possible.  
   Giveaway Details Ends 10/1/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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$200 SILVER DAGGER ANNIVERSARY GIVEAWAY!!!

Silver Dagger Book Tours is now 2 years old this month!

Believe it or not, Silver Dagger Book Tours was created and is mainly operated by just one person! I used to be just an internet crawler looking for new books and giveaways and stumbled upon book tours. After indulging in many dozens of tours, I decided I'd like to try my hand at blogging in my spare time (with absolutely no blogging experience at all!) I was a book blogger for several companies (and still am) and stuck with it for over 3 years. In that time, I learned all the ropes and became a pretty efficient blogger, but there was still something missing- I wanted to make my posts stand out a bit! So, I started creating small graphics like “about the book” and the other standard graphics that you see in all my tours nowadays and started jazzing my posts up. I became pregnant with my second child in the fall of 2015 and me and my hubby decided to try to purchase our first home finally, so I quit my waitressing job to pack up everything for the move and never looked back! It took several months of trying to get the ball rolling and was quite difficult at first to get authors to tour with me. Thus, I had an idea to let everybody pay what they can comfortably afford instead of set rates as I thought what some other companies charged were just outrageous!Since then, I have done over 1000 tours and worked with hundreds of amazing authors – many who come back for repeat tours! I have 2-3 tours kick off every weekday with occasional tours on the weekends and EVERY tour is required to have a giveaway so readers can gain a little something and have fun while they enjoy learning about new books.I have an absolutely amazing group of bloggers that share my tours on their sites and really couldn't have gotten this far without their continued support and would like to thank each and every one of them! Ya'll are amazing! I also have two assistants that help me check links and keep up with blogger activity – Janet, who's been with me over a year, and Laurie, who is a new addition. Ya'll ladies are spectacular and I couldn't do it without you!Absolutely everything else is completely run solely by me though and I really enjoy organizing tours and helping new authors get discovered. I don't discriminate and host ALL fictional genres in ALL age ranges as me and my bloggers have a broad range of readers that enjoy many different genres. After two years of astronomical tours, I am going stronger than ever now and growing on a daily basis with plans to continue hosting tours for many many years!
If you are an author interested in booking a tour with me, you can see a general FAQ page and booking HERE!

If you are a blogger interested in joining some of my tours, you can see my current sign ups HERE!And sign up for email invites HERE!




A third generation local of the historic town of Fredericksburg, TX, I was born and raised among the rolling hills of the Texas Hill Country where the beauty of the landscape is breathtaking and town is  famous for the Main Street historic shopping district, the best peaches in the world, wildflowers and wine. I really can't imagine living anywhere else!A country girl through and through, I grew up hunting, fishing and digging for Indian artifacts, all the while enjoying the many rivers and swimming holes around town. I'm a stay at home mom with three beautiful boys, ages 9, 2, and 1 that encompass my entire world!A bookaholic from birth, I have always had a deep passion for reading and spend many late nights devouring books into the wee hours of the morning. My “real” book collection numbers over 3000 books and take up an entire small room in our house with custom bookshelves built by my husband that I call my “book cave”. I've been building this collection since my childhood and will keep on adding to it for the rest of my life. Of course, I also have a similar collection of ebooks as well as I finally went digital a few years ago. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, playing with my kids, doing DIY renovation projects with my husband, cooking, and relaxing on my back porch with a good cup of coffee while I watch the massive axis deer herd come through the yard.

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