Cherie Colyer's Blog, page 13
July 28, 2022
Chatting with author Janie Emaus
I'm delighted to welcome Janie Emaus, author of The Time Traveling Matchmaker, a sweet paranormal romance, to my blog.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on the final draft of a women’s fiction book. Here’s a short blurb.
An aging rock star searching for an heir. Three women hiding from the past. A young girl searching for her identity. And the biographer with the power to write their futures. Will his quest be destructive or lead them back to The Notes Between Them.
And anxiously awaiting the final illustrations for my next blended holiday picture book, Easter Eggs and Matzo Balls, releasing January 3rd, 2023.
Tell us about a book that stayed with you long after you finished reading it.
One of my favorite authors is John Irving. I was in awe of his writing after reading The World According to Garp. And The Cider House Rules is one of his books that still flashes through my mind.
Now for a fun game, Janie shared two truths and a lie. Can you guess which is the lie?
I worked in the adult video industry for ten years.My first husband was a lead singer in a band.In college, I bit the head of a goldfish at fraternity party.
About the book
The Time Traveling Matchmaker
Author: Janie EmausGenre: Paranormal RomanceHeat level (if over PG13): SweetBlurb
In The Time Traveling Matchmaker, love takes on a new meaning when soulmates are brought together through time and space.
Like every goal-oriented twenty-something, Jessica Singleton, an aspiring filmmaker, is obsessed with finding her future as quickly as possible. What she doesn't know is that the future is obsessed with finding her, too. Renn Porter, an agent with Time Traveling Matchmaker's Inc, blasts back in time - and into her life- in order to transport Jessica to the soul mate who has paid for this service...in the future. But things turn dangerous when it's revealed that Renn has been sent after his own soul mate.
Caught between two times, Jessica and Renn must struggle to stay alive. Falling in love is the biggest risk either of them has ever taken - because, as they are destined to learn, the very existence of Time Traveling Matchmakers, Inc. rests in Jessica's hands.
Grab your copy Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop
Peek between the pages...
Renn was coming toward me now and our eyes met. Fireworks went off inside my chest. He wasn’t avoiding me this time. This time I would learn the truth.
I raised my hand in a small wave.
“Watch out!” A bicyclist shouted as he sped down the sidewalk, completely out of control.
He clipped Renn’s shoulder, pushing him up against me. Renn’s coat got caught on the buckle of my purse. I heard a rip. No, more than that - I felt a rip down the center of my body, jagged like a piece of broken glass. Beneath my feet, the sidewalk tilted, and I lost my balance.
A strong a wind kept me from falling. Once steady, I turned to find Renn.
This all happened in a less than a second. And in that second Renn was gone. Vanished. Just like that. All that was left was his lemony scent. And the memory of his hand on my arm.
I didn’t see him in either direction. My head throbbed as if something heavy kept knocking into it.
A minute later a mother with her little girl walked past me. I knew before she stopped, that the little girl was going to bend down to tie her shoe. Time was going to repeat itself. Again.
She giggled, just like before. “Thanks, Mommy,” she said. “Tomorrow I can do it myself.”
I held on to the desire I had seen in Renn’s eyes, wondering about my tomorrow.
About the author:Janie Emaus believes when the world is falling apart, we’re just one laugh away from putting it together again. She has always wanted to be a writer and gained inspiration and confidence from her biggest fan: her sister. She is the author of the blended holiday picture books, Latkes for Santa Claus, a 2022 International Book Awards finalist, and the forthcoming Matzo Balls & Easter Eggs, coming out in 2023. The Time Traveling Matchmaker is her first adult book. Her essays, stories and articles have been published in numerous magazines, anthologies, and websites. In 2016 she won an honorary mention in the Erma Bombeck Writing competition. But no award is more important to Janie than her family.Connect with Janie Emaus
https://www.facebook.com/janie.emaus
https://www.facebook.com/Janie-Emaus-Books-Blogs-473633136036884
https://twitter.com/Janie_Emaus
https://janieemaus.medium.com
https://www.instagram.com/janieemaus/
https://www.janieemaus.com
July 21, 2022
Chatting with author Alana Lorens
I'm delighted to welcome Alana Lorens to my blog and to learn more about her and her latest book. Be sure to view the book trailer and read the tantalizing excerpt. Enjoy!
What inspired you to write Prophecies and Promises?
I’ve been in love with the Keys and Key West since our time living in South Florida in the 70s and 80s. We traveled them many times, and I adore all the little creatures living in the tidal waters, the sun, the sand, the trees, birds and so much more, just as heroine Tamsyn does in P&P. I wanted her to have plenty of wildlife to explore, too, so I moved the story back before the condos and timeshares to give her the space/ And, well—PIRATES! Am I right?
What are you reading?
I’m currently reading WHEN RABBIT HOWLS, about a woman with Dissociative identity disorder. She was horrifically abused as a child. What I find fascinating is the split personalities themselves—do we all have potential identities inside? I know I can react very differently to one person than I do to someone else. Are the different facets of ourselves just separate selves never pushed to the limit?
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got into writing?
I’ve been descending for several years into a dungeon of chronic pain. As it has limited the outside activities I can enjoy and partake in, I have definitely centered on my writing and writing groups to help keep me interacting with the world and distracted from what I can’t avoid.
About the book
Prophecies and Promises
by Alana LorensGenre: Historical romanceTags: #sweetromance, #pirates, #KeyWest, #SpanishAmericanWar, #badboyWhen the ‘good’ man is bad, and the ‘bad’ man is good, how’s a young woman to choose?
Blurb
Tamsyn McKiernan thinks her dreams have come true. She’s engaged to a dashing Key West bachelor and finally in her widowed father’s good graces. But in her heart, she knows something’s wrong. She loves the ocean and the quiet pleasures of nature—so what does the aristocratic life she’ll lead truly hold for her?
Mercenary captain Drake Ashton is neck deep in preparations for the Spanish-American War, running guns and other supplies to Cuban natives who want out from under their Spanish masters. He and his brother Freddie risk their lives daily, focused on saving his friends on the island. Nothing else matters but his mission.
A chance encounter with a spiny sea urchin brings the two together, and neither of their lives will ever be the same again.
Grab your copy Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Peek between the pages...
The wine would go straight to her head soon, she knew from previous, infrequent consumption, so she must sip it slowly. One of them had to keep their wits.
She felt the curious eyes of the crew, some shy, others bolder in their observation. Tamsyn smiled at them all. One broad, bullish man came forward with a blanket, which he spread on the deck. Drake clapped the man on the shoulder.
“Good thinking, Chaney. A picnic it will be!” He gestured to Tamsyn that she should seat herself, which she did without hesitation.
Within a few minutes, trays of food came up from belowdecks, chicken spit broiled with crispy skins, fruits and cheeses, Bahamian bread with a thick slab of butter. The men vied for the opportunity to serve her until Drake finally dismissed them with a laugh.
“Cook has enough for all below. Go take your supper. We may have some business awaiting us yet tonight.”
The men cheered and noisily went down to eat. The skinny cabin boy remained to serve his captain. Drake saw that the boy got a plate of food, then sent him away. “A few moments alone,” he whispered conspiratorially.
“Just a few,” she said with a sad smile. “Then I must—”
Drake held up a finger, silencing her. “Not a word of that now.”
Tamsyn started to argue, then realized he would just cut her off again. It was right. What might happen in a minute, in an hour, would not be changed if she took the time to immerse herself in the joy and comfort of this time with Drake.
The food smelled so good in the fresh night air, and Drake urged her to taste everything, from sweet melons to spicy chicken. It was simple fare, but it satisfied her more than any of the expensive delicacies that had been served at the Pickhams’ buffet. Surely it is the company which has improved my appetite. Drake’s dark eyes danced in the moonlight, and he often turned to her with a smile, perhaps wanting to say something but reluctant to break the spell they seemed to be under.
But not yet, Mamma, not yet…Can you see me, Mamma? Tamsyn wondered silently. Can you see how happy I am?
About the author: Alana Lorens has been a published writer for more than forty years, after working as a pizza maker, a floral designer, a journalist and a family law attorney. Currently a resident of Asheville, North Carolina, the aging hippie loves her time in the smoky blue mountains. She writes romance and suspense as Alana Lorens, and sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal mystery as Lyndi Alexander. One of her novellas, THAT GIRL’S THE ONE I LOVE, is set in the city of Asheville during the old Bele Chere festival. She lives with her daughter on the autism spectrum, who is the youngest of her seven children, and she is ruled by three crotchety old cats, and six kittens of various ages.Connect with Alana Lorens Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Twitter | Instagram
July 20, 2022
Blog Tour & Giveaway: Nothing is Little by Carmella Van Vleet
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the NOTHING IS LITTLE by Carmella Van Vleet Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Title: NOTHING IS LITTLE Author: Carmella Van Vleet
Pub. Date: July 19, 2022
Publisher: Holiday House
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 224
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org
The case of a missing father is hard to crack . . . even for Felix, a tiny kid with a huge heart and an eye for detail.
Eleven-year-old Felix likes being the smallest kid in school.
At least he knows where he fits in. Plus his nickname, “Short-lock Holmes,” is perfect for someone who’s killing it in forensic science club. To Felix, Growth Hormone Deficiency is no big deal.
And then Felix learns that his biological dad was short, too. This one, tiny, itty-bitty piece of information opens up a massive hole in his life. Felix must find his father. He only has a few small clues to work from, but as Sherlock Holmes said, “To a great mind, nothing is little.”
The further Felix gets in his investigation, though, the more he starts to wonder: What if his dad doesn’t want to be found? And what if Felix’s family—his mom, his stepdad, the baby on the way—needs him right where he is?
Tender and uplifting, this warm novel from Christopher Award–winner Carmella Van Vleet celebrates little differences in us that can make a big impact.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Reviews:
"A captivating, humorous, and heartfelt story of friendship, family, and crime-solving." —Kirkus Reviews"A fresh and funny read that sells itself, and it demonstrates that there is more than one way to grow." —Booklist
"The story keeps a steady pace as it alternates between school and home, giving a firsthand account of what it's like to be young and faced with decisions that are difficult to navigate. Engaging and heartfelt, Van Vleet's title delivers big on the feels. Anyone who's ever been made to feel small will benefit from hearing Felix's story." —School Library Journal
"Nothing Is Little offers powerful proof that little things can matter in a great big way. What a beautiful book! The most huge-hearted and heartwarming story you'll read this year."—Claudia Mills, author of The Lost Language
"Smart, funny, and memorable. You can’t help but love Felix! He has big goals and a great big heart, and he’ll live large in your memory long after the final page is turned."—Margi Preus, Newbery Honor–winning author
My thoughts...
Nothing is Little is a fantastic middle-grade novel that many readers are sure to enjoy. Felix is the smallest kid in his class, but this doesn't bother him. He's comfortable with who he is and so are his friends. Still, his mom takes him to the doctor who notifies them that Felix has a growth hormone deficiency and is undergoing treatments.
It's Felix, his mom, her boyfriend, and a baby on-the-way. Together, they make a supportive, loving family. But Felix is curious about the biological dad he's never met and his mom barely talks about. When he joins the ferensic team at school, he learns how to piece together clue and how to questions others in order to uncover the truth. When he discovers his biologic dad was also short, he digs into his mom's past.
It was fun to follow Felix on his journey to discover more about his father as well as what he wants for himself. It's not all smooth sailing, but Felix is brave and strong and that's all he really needs to be.
About Carmella Van Vleet:
Carmella Van Vleet is a former kindergarten teacher and the author of numerous books for children, including To the Stars!, which was co-authored by astronaut Kathy Sullivan and named to the Amelia Bloomer list. Her debut children's novel, Eliza Bing Is (NOT) a Big, Fat Quitter, received the Christopher Award and was named to four state award master lists. Just like Eliza, Carmella loves tae kwon do—she has earned her black belt! She lives in Ohio and can be found online at carmellavanvleet.com
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads
Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a finished copy of NOTHING IS LITTLE, US Only.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
7/11/2022
Excerpt
7/11/2022
Excerpt
7/12/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/12/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/13/2022
Excerpt
7/13/2022
#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog
Excerpt
7/14/2022
Review
7/14/2022
IG Post
7/15/2022
Review/IG Post
7/15/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
Week Two:
7/18/2022
IG Review
7/18/2022
Review
7/19/2022
IG Review
7/19/2022
Review
7/20/2022
Review/IG Post
7/20/2022
IG Review
7/21/2022
Review/IG Post
7/21/2022
Review/IG Post
7/22/2022
Review
7/22/2022
Review
July 19, 2022
Blog Tour & Giveaway: Sunset Rising Series by S.M. McEachern
Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About the Books:
SUNSET RISING, WORLDS COLLIDE, NEW WORLD ORDER (Sunset Rising Series)
Author: S.M. McEachern
Pub. Date: Final book was published in 2015
Publisher: Clownfish Publishing
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 284
Find them:
Book 1 FREE with a Kindle Unlimited membership: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle
Book 2: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo
Book 3: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo
________________________________________________
From Book 1:
“This book has it all—love story, good vs evil, drama, and suspense. Definitely a book you can’t put down!” – Midwest Book Review
"I've seen it compared to The Hunger Games and I'd have to agree. I can already see the movie version becoming a hit!" Amazon Reviewer
2015 Readers Favorite Gold Medal Award for best YA Dystopian
Deep inside a mountain in what used to be North America dwells the last of humanity. Welcome to the Biodome, where steel, rock and armed guards separate the privileged from the slaves.
Born and raised a slave in the Pit, Sunny O’Donnell has always accepted that she'll spend her life working to keep the Dome running and, if she lives long enough, willingly meet her end in the annual Cull when she reaches the age of thirty-five. This was the price her ancestors paid for their place inside the Biodome, the only safe haven from the global nuclear war of 2024. But when Sunny’s mother is killed in the Cull, the hopeless reality of her future becomes painfully clear.
Bereft and disillusioned, she heads down a reckless path that sets off a deadly riot in the Pit and leaves her accused of treason. Her only way of escaping public execution is to make a truce with her prison mate, who happens to be the heir to the dictatorship and hated enemy of the Pit. Now caught between two worlds on the brink of war, Sunny must weigh her own survival against risking everything to save the Pit.
S.M. McEachern delivers the action and adventure of The Hunger Games, the intrigue of The City of Ember, and the romantic notes of Les Misérables in her debut novel set in a future that is disturbingly plausible.
G Rating: no foul language, no explicit sex, some mild violence.
________________________________________________
What Readers are Saying:
"One of THE BEST dystopian books I've ever read!! If/when this becomes a movie ... I will be the first in line!" - Midwest Book Review
"Romance, intrigue, and action all come together beautifully here to create an experience that will leave anyone asking for more." - Readers Favorite Gold Medal Award for best YA Dystopian
“… a romance straight out of a Shakespearean play, with the action of Katniss and Peeta.” - Amazon Reviewer
"I might even love this more than I loved Hunger Games (and that's saying a lot!)" - Goodreads Reviewer
"I've seen it compared to The Hunger Games and I'd have to agree. I can already see the movie version becoming a hit!" - Amazon Reviewer
"I was a huge fan of the Hunger Games series and I actually loved Sunset Rising more! I am putting it on my top 10 list of most favorite books." - Amazon/Goodreads Reviewer
"FABULOUS!!! I fricken loved this story! If you love Dystopian YA novels, READ THIS BOOK!" - Goodreads Reviewer
"This book truly blew my mind. It is pure GENIUS ... (it's) as good, if not BETTER, than the Hunger Games." - Amazon Reviewer
"If you like Veronica Roth, you'll like this. I'm glad I tried a new author!" - Amazon Reviewer
"Let me start off by saying this novel stole hours of my sleep. I could not put it down." - Goodreads Reviewer
Peek between the pages of Sunset Rising (Book One)
I found the rope and gave it a good tug to make sure it was secure. “Here. Use this to rappel down. I’ll go first and guide you along as best I can.” I scrambled over the side and began my descent.
“Wait!” Jack’s face appeared above me, terrified. “Aren’t you going to use the rope too?”
“I don’t need it. I’ve been doing this since I was five. And besides, I don’t think that old rope is going to hold two of us.”
I climbed down about ten feet to give him room. I heard him double- checking the rope. “Come on.”
“I can’t even see!”
I rolled my eyes. At this rate we were going to get caught for sure.
Finally, he lowered himself over the side, tentatively feeling around with one foot. I descended another ten feet and looked up to see if he was following, but he hadn’t made any progress. “Jack, you’re taking too long. Trust the rope.”
“You mean this old rope, Sunny?” he snapped. I bit back a laugh.
I heard him take a deep breath and watched him lean out. He lowered one foot, then the other, and again. He continued to rappel in a slow and steady rhythm. I descended another ten feet, thinking I probably shouldn’t be this close. If he fell, he would take us both down.
We continued on, me staying ten feet below Jack and encouraging him to keep going. He was painfully slow, but I tried not to get frustrated. I remembered it was hard the first time I did it, too.
Finally, we arrived at the sixth level and I pulled myself onto the landing. “Almost there, Jack.”
When his feet dangled just above my head, I gave them a little tug to help him along.
“Stop!” Jack’s voice was edged with panic. “I’ll do it myself.”
I let go of him. I didn’t need him screaming and bringing the guards in here. He lowered himself far enough to reach over to the landing. I grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him in. He hugged the side of the wall, testing to make sure his feet were firmly on the ground.
“That was the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
Scariest? He had no idea. “Welcome to the Pit, Jack.”
About S.M. McEachern:
S.M. McEachern (who also writes new adult as Susan McEachern) comes from the rocky shores of Canada’s East Coast. She is a graduate of Dalhousie University, with an honors degree in International Development Studies with a focus on ocean development. Throughout her academic studies and early career, Susan had the privilege to study and work with Elizabeth Mann Borgese, daughter of nobel prize winner, Thomas Man). An author in her own right and a political activist for world peace, Mrs. Mann Borgese played a significant influence on Susan’s view of the political world stage.
Visit Susan's website at smmceachern.com for free short stories and updates on new releases.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sign up for S.M.’s Newsletter!
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
Giveaway Details:
2 winners will win eBooks of the SUNSET RISING series, International.
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
7/11/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/11/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/12/2022
IG Review
7/12/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/13/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/13/2022
Review/IG Post
7/14/2022
Review/IG Post
7/14/2022
Review/IG Post
7/15/2022
IG Review
7/15/2022
IG Review
Week Two:
7/18/2022
Review/IG Post
7/18/2022
IG Review
7/19/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/19/2022
Excerpt
7/20/2022
IG Review
7/20/2022
IG Post
7/21/2022
Review/IG Post
7/21/2022
Review
7/22/2022
Review/IG Post
7/22/2022
Review/IG Post
July 14, 2022
Chatting with author Anastasia Abboud
I'm delighted to welcome Anastasia Abboud to my blog. Today, I have an excerpt from her new book Tremors Through Time. But first, let's start with a speed round!
Morning or night? Morning, especially dawn
Favorite food? French fries!
eBook, paperback, or audiobook? All, absolutely all.
Favorite season? Fall, glorious fall.
Favorite movie? Elf
Night on the town or cozy evening in? Delicious cozy evenings.
Stilettos or flipflops or sneakers? Sneakers!
Chicken or steak? Fajitas, entrecôte, rib-eyes…
Favorite junk food? French fries forever!
Beach or mountains? Looooove the mountains.
About the book
Tremors Through Time
Author: Anastasia AbboudGenre: Time Travel RomanceHeat level: some steam, mostly fade to blackIn the infinite vastness of time—past, present, future, past—love prevails.
Blurb
She's made mistakes and paid the price, but Deidre Chisolm is no quitter. She'll never again be a fool for a man, not even her gorgeous new neighbor with his haunted eyes and strange accent. She'll be friendly, but nothing more.
Lachlann has to go back to fourteenth-century Scotland. He can't forsake his family, his son. But when a beautiful, kind, funny lady buys the house next door, he's never been so drawn to anyone in his life. Would she believe his story? After years of struggling through nightmares and flashbacks, headaches and illiteracy, dare he ask her to help him return?
Get your copy today! Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play
Peek between the pages...
A few hours later, still sipping champagne, Deidre sorted through her old hope chest. Hope chest. The irony wasn’t lost on her.
Suit of armor, my ass. She snorted. It was a wonder she even had dishes to eat on after the long, expensive divorce. But she would’ve paid any price to be free and to prevent that asshole from sucking one more penny from her.
Over. It’s over, Deidre. After almost five years of subsisting in tiny efficiencies, living out of boxes, five years of scrimping, saving, and tears, the divorce lawyer had been paid in full and she’d been able to save enough for a small down payment on a house. She’d done it. She’d made a new life for herself. She had her own home, a good position at the University of Houston, and she was on track for tenure. She’d be fine.
Fine, fine, fine.
Rising onto her knees, she rifled through the chest. Where was it? A soft quilt, an embroidered pillow, a lace shawl, a tea cozy…She continued pulling out her dear granny’s handiwork until she found it. Unwinding a long, lace table runner, she removed layers of tissue paper. As the last of the wrappings fell away, she choked back tears and stared at the face of her farmer, a face she had known all her life.
The small, framed drawing was one of the few things of value she possessed. Faded and fragile, it was a bona fide and precious antique, handed down through her father’s family for generations, placed in her keeping by her grandfather. It had hung in the great room of the farmhouse. She’d stood looking up at it so often that Gramps had finally moved it to her room. She couldn’t have been more than eight years old.
After that, she’d shared every sadness, every disappointment, and every joy with her farmer. She gazed at the beloved face.
No one knew who he was, but he’d been the impetus for her chosen career, the very reason she’d wanted to study medieval history. In her studies, she’d come across drawings of medieval farmers guiding their teams of oxen, but hers stood alone, strong and sure, facing the artist.
She touched the glass, tracing him with her finger, feeling that, somehow, he reached through the centuries to comfort her.
“I wish you were here,” she whispered.
She worked for another hour, until her back ached and her chest hurt from unshed tears. It wasn’t quite dusk, but it felt like midnight to her. She needed fresh air.
Stepping out the kitchen door, she walked around her swampy swimming pool to stand looking out at the fifth green. It was a warm summer’s night, but a breeze was blowing. She loved the view. Too bad she had no one to share it with.
She’d always believed she would have a family by the time she was thirty. But here she was, thirty-two and completely alone. Alone on her birthday, alone in a house she had purchased as a gift for herself. She blinked back tears and focused on the golf course.
The green looked almost endless. Small hills rose here and there, framing her view. There was a pond in the distance and, beyond it, a copse of pine trees. It was beautiful, the main reason she had chosen this property. It reminded her of home.
She thought longingly of the peaceful summer days she’d spent following her grandfather around on the family farm while her parents worked in Durham. They’d shared countless happy hours sowing seeds and harvesting together. He was gone now, and she missed him terribly.
She would plant a vegetable garden. Gramps would be with her in spirit.
The sun was dipping beneath the trees when Deidre finally decided to move. Unpacking would be a lot more productive than standing around feeling sorry for herself. Wiping her cheeks, she began to turn toward her house and suddenly realized she wasn’t alone.
There was little privacy between the golf course properties. Low, wrought-iron fences and short hedges were the rule.
A man—a huge man—was standing just on the other side of the fence. His face was in shadow. But in the fading light, she could just make out his features. She froze. Her heart began palpitating.
Her farmer! But he couldn’t be.
Could he?
Well, of course not, Deidre.
But she would recognize that face anywhere. She’d known it all her life. That face was engraved on her heart.
Wow. She was overly tired, no doubt about it. Maybe it was the champagne. Clearly, she wasn’t up to meeting neighbors. With a quick nod in his direction, she hurried back into her house.
About the author:For me, playing is the best -- playing outdoors in nature or in my garden, experimenting in the kitchen, spending time with those I love. I also enjoy disappearing into a good book, attempting crafts, learning, writing, exploring, discovering. I especially like to mix it up and have yet to perfect any of it; and I've come to realize that perfection's not the point. It's all wonderfully fun. That's the point!
I prefer authentic and natural, be it food, lifestyle, people. I passionately enjoy both history and science, and certainly sociology to a degree, and I am most truly a romantic.
My husband and I have been married for over forty years. We reside near Houston, Texas, surrounded by loved ones. We have a blast with our little grandchildren.
I thank God for this wonderful life.Connect with AnastasiaWebsite | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub | Linked In | Amazon
July 12, 2022
Book Tour & Giveaway: Kenzie's Kingdom by Sam Beck
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the KENZIE'S KINGDOM by Sam Beck Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Title: KENZIE'S KINGDOM Author: Shea Fontana, Agnes Garbowska (Illustrated), Rebecca Taylor (Editor)
Pub. Date: July 26, 2022
Publisher: Wonderbound
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 128
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org
When modern meets medieval, Kenzie must help a squire get back to the past in this time-traveling fantasy adventure!
A DIFFERENT KIND OF PRINCESS
Kenzie hates that her family moved to a castle to start a Medieval-themed resort, but all that changes when a time-traveling squire needs Kenzie’s help to get back home to the past! From the best-selling creative team behind DC Superhero Girls, this is a perfect read for fans of Phoebe and her Unicorn, The Baby-Sitter’s Club, or Witches of Brooklyn.
Peek between the pages...
About Shea Fontana:
Shea Fontana is a writer for film, television and graphic novels. Her credits include developing and writing the DC Super Hero Girls animated shorts, TV specials, movies and graphic novels; Polly Pocket (developed and story editor), Doc McStuffins, The 7D, Whisker Haven Tales with the Palace Pets (wrote show bible and first season), Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (story editor), the new Muppet Babies series; two Disney on Ice shows where she wrote new material for the worlds of Mickey Mouse, Inside Out, Disney Princesses, Finding Dori, Frozen, and other Disney and Pixar properties; and the feature film, Crowning Jules. She has also written for top comic titles including Justice League, Wonder Woman, Batman: Overdrive (coming 2019), Catwoman/Looney Tunes, and contributed anthology pieces starring Deathstroke and Teen Titans.
Her DC Super Hero Girls graphic novels have been New York Times Best Sellers. Her debut graphic novel, Finals Crisis, was honored with Diamond's 2016 Gem Award for Best All-Ages Graphic Novel, and DC Super Hero Girls: Past Times at Super Hero High won the 2017 Gem Award for Best All-Ages Graphic Novel as well as the Comixology Reader's Pick award for Best All-Ages Graphic Novel of 2017. DC Super Hero Girls won the 2018 Ringo Award for Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel. She was listed 61st on Bleeding Cool’s Power List of Comics for 2018. The London Free Press declared her “not afraid to be corny,” which is an accurate assessment of her persona both on and off the page.
She lives in sunny Los Angeles where she enjoys hiking, hanging out with her beagle, Ziggy, and changing her hair color. Using the secret identity “Shea Q. Off,” Shea played roller derby until her angry knees forced her into early retirement.
Website | Twitter | Facebook| Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
About Agnes Garbowska: Agnes has worked with many of the major comic book publishers illustrating such titles as the New York Times Best Sellers & Gem Award winner DC Superhero Girls for DC Comics, My Little Pony, Care Bears, and Jem and the Holograms for IDW, Grumpy Cat, Boo: the World's Cutest Dog, and Li’l Vampi for Dynamite Entertainment, Sonic Universe Off-Panel Stripes for Archie Comics, and Victories for Dark Horse. She has worked with Marvel Comics, providing artwork for Girl Comics and Spider-Ham 25th Anniversary Special. She is also the artist for the 2014 Halloween Comic Fest comic, The Adventure of Ernie from Aspen Comics.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads
Giveaway Details:
2 winners will receive a finished copy of KENZIE'S KINGDOM, US Only.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
7/11/2022
Excerpt
7/12/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/13/2022
Guest Post/IG Post
7/14/2022
#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog
Excerpt
7/15/2022
Guest Post
7/16/2022
IG Post
Week Two:
7/17/2022
IG Post
7/18/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/19/2022
IG Post
7/20/2022
Review/IG Post
7/21/2022
@just_another_mother_with_books
IG Post
7/22/2022
Review/IG Post
7/23/2022
Review/IG Post
Week Three:
7/24/2022
Review/IG Post
7/25/2022
Guest Post/IG Post
7/26/2022
Review
7/27/2022
Review
7/28/2022
Review/IG Post
7/29/2022
Review/IG Post
7/30/2022
Review/IG Post
Week Four:
7/31/2022
Review/IG Post
8/1/2022
IG Review
8/2/2022
Nagma | TakeALookAtMyBookshelf
IG Review
8/3/2022
Review/IG Post
8/4/2022
Review/IG Post
8/5/2022
Review
Book Tour & Giveaway: The Impossible Destiny of Cutie Grakle by Shawn K. Stout
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE IMPOSSIBLE DESTINY OF CUTIE GRACKLE by Shawn K. Stout Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Title: THE IMPOSSIBLE DESTINY OF CUTIE GRACKLE Author: Shawn K. Stout
Pub. Date: May 31, 2022
Publisher: Peachtree
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 336
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org
Do you believe in impossible things? Cutie Grackle does. She has to. Otherwise, she’ll never be more than a lonely 10 year old in a cursed family.
Cutie Grackle is used to being different—she lives alone on a mountain with her feeble-minded uncle, and when she’s not sucking pebbles to trick her stomach into feeling full, she’s chatting with a weathered garden gnome for company. But having a flock of ravens follow you is more than just different. Cutie worries the birds are connected to the curse Uncle Horace tends to mutter about. And she’s right.
The ravens present her with a fortune from a cookie, and when she touches it she’s pulled into a vision from her family’s past. It involves the curse and her long-lost mother. The birds offer up a series of objects, each imbued with memories that eventually reveal Cutie must do what her mother could not: break the curse.
Part outdoor survival adventure, part fantastical quest, Shawn K. Stout’s The Impossible Destiny of Cutie Grackle is a journey of hope, heart, and a willingness to believe in the impossible.
Peek between the pages...
Chapter 1THE BIRDS WERE FOLLOWING ME.
Which was a very irregular thing, even for me. My life was full of the kinds of things people
might call irregular, but up until then, not one of them had to do with birds. I knew it could
only mean one thing: Either I stunk of worms, or something bad was fixin’ to happen.
In my heart of hearts, I was really hoping for worms. I was sitting in the front seat of Toot
Jefferson’s old pickup truck, watching the trees fly by the window, when I spotted the birds for
the third time that morning. They were ravens. Five of them.
“One of these days, I’m going to take me a tropical vacation,” said Toot. “When I get lucky.”
“When will that be?” I asked, sniffing my bare arm and trying to remember the last time I
washed. “Oh, I don’t know the particulars,” she said, “but one of these days my ship will come
in. Believe you me.” I stuck my head out of the window to get a better look at the birds. The
warm June wind tickled my face. They were doing a pretty fine job of keeping up with us,
those birds. Although, considering how tenderfooted Toot was with the gas pedal, it couldn’t
have been awful hard. “But there aren’t any ports in West Virginia,” I said, leaning back inside
the truck. That was the problem with living in a landlocked state; there was no easy way out.
“A minor technicality.” Toot was gripping the top of the steering wheel with both hands. Each
of her plump fingers was outfitted with a ring, which she clacked against the wheel. Clack.
Clack. “I read about a woman who woke up one morning with the firmly held belief that she
would win the lottery even though she had never gambled before in all her life. So she bought
herself a ticket. And the next thing she knew, she was a super-mega jackpot winner and on the
front page of all the papers. Now she owns a chain of islands. Not just one island, a whole
chain. Can you believe such a thing?”
I nodded.
I believed in most impossible things.
Toot steered her old truck over the dips in the gravel road down the mountain. Her dyed curls,
the color of a chili pepper, swept her chin. The road to the nearest town, Gypsum, was steep,
and Toot badgered the brake the whole way.
Toot Jefferson worked in the cafeteria at Vera B. Marigold Elementary, where I had just
finished fifth grade. Toot saw it as her own personal concern to look in on me, especially
during the summer, and once a month, she drove me down to Gypsum’s No Hunger Food
Pantry, where I could get food for myself and my uncle, Horace.
“Do you see those birds behind us?” I said, looking out the window again.
“Birds?” Toot adjusted her rearview mirror. “I think they’re following me,” I said. “I saw them
back at Horace’s place, and now here they are again.” “Following you?” said Toot. She
clobbered the brakes, sending me into the dashboard.
“Murderation!” I said, shifting back into my seat and holding onto the door handle.
Then Toot gave me a worried look. “Honey, birds don’t follow. They look for food. They build
nests. They lay eggs. Such is the uncomplicated life of a bird. We should all be so lucky.” She
frowned and kept her eyes on me until I looked away.
Maybe I’m getting like Horace, I thought as I watched the trees out my window. Strange. Or,
sick. “Now then,” Toot said, easing off the brake for a bit and then smashing it again. “How’s it
been?” I tugged at a loose thread on the cuff of my jeans. “There’s something wrong with
Horace.” Toot raised her eyebrows at me, and I said, “I mean, more wrong than usual. Lately
all he does is sleep. Unless he’s running around with Charlie Mullet. He was gone three days
and then came back last night, muttering to himself about the curse again. And sometimes, he
just stares out the window, you know? At nothing. Like he’s here, but he’s not really here. Like
his mind is caught someplace else.” Clack. Clack.
Uncle Horace had always been strange, since as far back as I could remember. Strange because
he kept himself away from most people, and he never was much for talking. When he did have
something to say, he didn’t make a whole lot of sense. He talked in circles, and even triangles
and rectangles, but never in straight lines. He believed that a curse was set on him and our
family, and that’s the reason we lived the way we did, him and me. The reason my parents
went away. He wouldn’t say anything more about the curse than that, not that I believed him
much, anyhow.
Over the years, I’d gotten used to Horace and his strange ways, but the last couple of weeks,
ever since Charlie Mullet came back around, something was different. It was like there was a
curtain pulled tight around Horace that kept him in a dark place, that kept him from being in
the world that everybody else lived in, including mine.
“I don’t mean that old Horace,” said Toot, shaking her head. “I mean you, sugar. How’s it
been?” Clack. Clack.
“Oh. Fine.” The words came out as thin as toilet paper. Still, I nodded, smiled, and hoped Toot
would believe they were true. Nothing good would come from Toot worrying any more than
she already did.
“One day you’ll see,” she said, taking her foot off the brake and letting the truck catch some
speed. “Your life’s gonna change in a heartbeat. Just that quick.”
Toot said that a lot. But it couldn’t happen quick enough for me.
I looked in the truck’s side mirror. The ravens were still there.
We hit a deep pothole. I bobbed in my seat, and the coil springs underneath me sproinged.
Toot pushed up her purple glasses and rubbed at the deep lines in her forehead, smoothing
them. “Sugar, I’ve got to tell you something. I’m going away for a little while.”
Clack. Clack.
Something heavy pulled at my stomach. “Away?” I sputtered. “Where? For how long?”
Then Toot explained that her mama had gotten worse and how she was going to be with her
on her last days. Last days, that’s what she said. She was going to drive all night, the good Lord
willing, across the great state of West Virginia to Charles Town, where her mother lived. She
didn’t know how long she would be gone. Maybe a few weeks. Maybe more.
The trees that lined both sides of the road leaned in closer, as if they couldn’t believe it either.
I wrapped the loose thread from my jeans tight around my finger. Like I was holding onto the
world and trying to steer it around a bend. “Can I come with you?”
“You know I would bring you along if I could,” answered Toot. She tramped on the brakes
again. “I don’t think Horace would like it.”
“We could ask him,” I said.
Toot shook her head. “It’s not only that, sugar. My mama, she’s so sick.” Her voice grew
smaller. “She’s about to leave this world, and the manner in which she’s gonna do that may
not be something you want to see.”
I didn’t want to see anybody leave this world, but the problem was, I also didn’t want Toot to
leave mine. The wind untucked my hair from behind my ear.
Toot reached over and put it back into place. “You know if I had my druthers, the way things
are for you right now, well, that’s not the way things would be.”
I let go of the thread. Would be. It was an idea so big I couldn’t see its edges, and nothing was
too impossible to fit inside. Like waking up one day and, just like that, finding that everything
was different. Easier. We were quiet for a long time.
“My mama,” said Toot, after a while. “She liked to tell me fairy stories when I was a little girl
about your age. Sometimes the stories came from a book, but most of the time, I think she just
made them up on the spot. But before she got going with a story, she always told me to keep
my eye on the luminaries.”
“What are luminaries?”
“That’s the same thing I asked her,” said Toot. “She told me that luminaries are the bright
ones. The ones who look into the belly of the dark forest and see a way through when nobody
else can. By the end, some of them even made it to the highfalutin castle. And you, Cutie
Grackle, you’ve got the makings of a luminary. You’ve just got to do what I’m always telling
you.”
“Don’t lose heart,” I replied.
“Amen to that.”
About Shawn K. Stout:
Shawn K. Stout is the author of several books for young readers, including A Tiny Piece of Sky (Philomel/PRH), which was a Bank Street Best Book. Shawn holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Maryland with her family. Visit her at www.shawnkstout.com
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
Giveaway Details
1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE IMPOSSIBLE DESTINY OF CUTIE GRACKLE, US Only.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
7/4/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/4/2022
#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog
Excerpt
7/5/2022
@just_another_mother_with_books
IG Review
7/5/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/6/2022
Review
7/6/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/7/2022
IG Post
7/7/2022
Review/IG Post
7/8/2022
Review/IG Post
7/8/2022
Review/IG Post
Week Two:
7/11/2022
IG Review
7/11/2022
IG Review
7/12/2022
Excerpt/IG Post
7/12/2022
Review/IG Post
7/13/2022
Review/IG Post
7/13/2022
Review/IG Post
7/14/2022
Review/IG Post
7/14/2022
Review/IG Post
7/15/2022
Review/
7/15/2022
Review/IG Post
July 8, 2022
Sugar Creek Romance Series
I'm delighted to support these fantastic authors. Read on to learn more about this project.
Without further ado, a message from the authors of Sugar Creek...
Ready to fall in love with 6 new holiday romances from 6 award-winning and best-selling authors? The Seasons of Sugar Creek is a sweet romance series set in an idyllic town in Vermont. Although the books release this October, you can order a limited edition collector's book box this July. Each of the three boxes, valued over $100, comes with TWO author-signed HARDBACK novels, ebook codes, series swag, Sugar Creek-inspired, and handpicked holiday gifts, and a collectible Sugar Creek ornament--all this will be delivered to your door this December! Immerse yourself, or that book-loving friend, in Sugar Creek and shop now. Although we can only ship to U.S. addresses only, we offer an ebook option, too.
Make your pledge and reserve your special edition book box today on Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a crowdfunding website where you pledge your support for a project. You only pay when the creators make their fundraising goal. If they don’t make their goal, the project doesn’t happen. That's right, it's all or nothing so spread the word to all your sweet romance reading friends.
We know you'll be delighted with these Sugar Creek Book Boxes.
Our project goes live on 1 July 2022 and ends on 30 July 2022. Some options are limited, so click the link, sign up for a Kickstarter account, and make a pledge today.
Sugar Creek Holiday Box Set
July 7, 2022
Chatting with author Amber Cross
Please help me welcome Amber Cross to my blog, and stick around to learn more about her latest book, A Full-Bodied Love.
What inspired you to write this book?
Lisa did. She was a minor character in Tender Possession, a best friend in Open Door to Love, and she just kept “getting in my face” and screaming at me, “Write my book!” so I did. I was also inspired by a little boy with spina bifida and my youngest daughter who spent five years in a wheelchair.
What can you tell us about your main characters?
Roger is Glen’s older brother from book one in this series-A Precedent for Passion. He is thoughtful, generous, funny, and dependable. He lost his wife when their second son was just a baby, so he doesn’t waste time or energy trying to control things he can’t control. Instead, he works hard, cares for those around him, and has a good time when the opportunity presents itself.
Lisa is Jonnie’s best friend in book three in this series-Open Door to Love. She is friendly, funny, and doesn’t take herself too seriously though she deals with some pretty serious challenges. She lives every day in full color and celebration mode and makes it her mission to spread joy to others.
What research you did do before writing this book?
I contacted the Spina Bifida Association of Greater New England and asked if any of their members would be willing to answer questions for me. Within twenty-four hours I had two board members agreeing to, and just a couple hours later that number was four. I sent them a list of questions, some intimate, and combined their real-world, practical answers with information from medical sources to represent Lisa accurately.
I also contacted a cousin in Maine with a list of questions about modern-day dairy farming. As a kid, I learned to milk a cow our family kept, but Roger’s farm is a commercial enterprise. She answered everything from the temperature at which milk is stored to the amount of time each cow spends on the milk carousel.
Tell us three things we’d find if we looked under your heroine’s bed?
Her cat! A spoiled marmalade feline named Mischief.
Stray gems or beads-Lisa has a side business making jewelry (plus she makes her own costumes.)
A yoga mat. Lisa does a series of exercises first thing every morning. She has health challenges others don’t, and needs to start her day with stretches.
How about the hero’s bed?
A pair of slippers. Roger is that kind of guy. He works hard, but when his long day ends, he relaxes.
Sadie! A mongrel, blind in one eye, completely devoted to him.
Maybe his hockey stick. Roger plays a pickup game every Sunday morning after chores.
If you met Lisa on the street: She would strike up a conversation with you and within minutes you’d be an old friend.
If you met Roger on the street: He would greet you with a nod and move aside so you have plenty of room to pass.
When Roger relaxes, he likes: A glass of red wine, reading an autobiography, or watching a documentary on television.
When Lisa relaxes, she likes: Rock music-the louder, the better-and working in her craft room.
Together, these two are spontaneous, funny, generous, and steadfast. They have to work through some serious challenges and fundamental differences, but true love is worth fighting for.
More About this Book:
A Full-Bodied Love won The Founders' Award at the Fall in Love With New England reader/writer conference 2021
Every book I write features a wine from A Hard Row to Hoe winery in Chelan, Washington. The title of this book is a play on wine descriptions and Lisa’s physical challenges.
Full-bodied means to be heady, mellow, lusty, mature, potent, rich, and strong.
I hope this love story represents those elements.
About the book
A Full-Bodied LoveAuthor: Amber CrossGenre: Contemporary RomanceHeat level (if over PG13): SteamyBlurb
Lisa Kirkpatrick is stubborn, but she’s not stupid. If this guy needs a cover date to evade an unwanted admirer, who is she to object? It’s not as if handsome men fall all over themselves to ask her out. Most don’t even see her. Sure, they know there’s a woman in the wheelchair, but it would never occur to them that there’s a woman in the wheelchair. He notices. This solid, fun, straight shooting guy ticks off every box on her ideal man list. But why do they call him Slick?
Roger Plankey didn’t know what he was missing. Health, prosperity, friends, and family, he thought his life was full until he walked into the town clerk’s office and laid eyes on the woman behind the counter. A spunky, independent woman with a dash of humor and just enough sass to keep him on his toes. She fills that unknown void in his life like she was made for him. But is there such a thing as too perfect?
Grab your copy today! Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Apple Books
Peek between the pages...
Smooth and mellow meets spunky and sweet…
“If you’re running from the law, you’ve come to the wrong place.”
A woman leaning out of the town clerk’s service window pointed to the police department across the hall. She wore a black felt witch’s hat, and orange pumpkins dangled from her ears, as brilliant as the smile on her face.
Well, well, well.
“It’s not the cops I need,” he admitted, approaching the window and thrusting his hand out in greeting. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure. Roger Plankey.”
“Lisa Kirkpatrick.”
Her skin was soft against his work-roughened palm, her beautifully manicured nails a sharp contrast to his blunt-tipped square fingers. Halloween decorations sparkled on the black-painted ovals, but nothing shone from her left ring finger. He checked.
“Are you new here, Lisa?”
“I’m the deputy clerk. I work when Maisie needs a day off.”
“Ahh, that would explain why we haven’t met before.” Reluctantly, he took his hand back to retrieve paperwork from the inside pocket of his canvas barn jacket. “I’ve got a bunch of vehicles to register.” He passed the documents through the window, letting his gaze wander over her pretty face while she scanned them. Brown hair curled against the brim of her witch’s hat and caressed the nape of her neck. Thick eyelashes feathered high apple cheeks, and when they lifted, her hazel eyes reminded him of spring rain on the meadow.
About the author:
Amber Cross was raised on a family farm in New England, one of a dozen siblings, each one inspiring her writing in some way. She still lives in that same small town with her husband and the youngest of their five children. She loves spending time in the woods, in the water, and watching people because every one of them has a unique and fascinating story to tell.
Connect with Amber Cross
Website | Facebook | Instagram
July 6, 2022
N.N. Light Book Heaven's Christmas in July Fête
Calling all holiday-themed readers! It’s more than evergreens and twinkly lights at N. N. Light’s Book Heaven’s sixth annual Christmas in July Fête. 46 Christmas, Hanukkah and holiday-themed books featured plus a chance to win a $75 Amazon (US or Canada) gift card.
I’m thrilled to be a part of this event. My book, Merry Little Wishing Spritz, was featured on July 4th. Hop over to N.N. Light's read what I love most about the holidays. You won’t want to miss it. Plus, Merry Little Wishing Spritz is on sale for .99 cents!
About the book
Title: Merry LIttle Wishing SpritzSeries: Christmas Cookie SeriesGenre: Contemporary Paranormal RomanceBlurb:
Modern-day witch Cassie Moore’s cozy life turns upside down when her friend foresees the wrecking ball that threatens to destroy Cassie’s home and workplace. But Cassie isn’t giving up without a fight. She casts a well-intended spell meant to save her apartment and her job. But magic is unpredictable, especially when her friend casts a little charm of her own that has Cassie lusting after the man she desperately wants to despise.
Jack Quinn has had his eyes on Lakeside Books for years, and he couldn’t be happier the owner is finally ready to sell. He has big plans for the cozy waterfront property, but he didn’t expect to care about the store or its employees. And he never imagined he’d be drawn to a certain brown-eyed saleswoman.
Praise for Merry Little Wishing Spritz
Winner Best Holiday Romance 2021 – N.N. Light Book Heaven
Still Moment Magazine 2021 Readers’ Choice Finalist
"A perfect holiday romance that will make you laugh, smile, and perhaps even swoon." – Sydney Winward, author
"A warm and enchanting holiday romance… Just perfect for curling up by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate, and maybe a cookie or two!" - Laura Strickland, author
"Such a magical holiday romance, it's going on my annual holiday reads list." – N.N. Light,
"Merry Little Wishing Spritz made me smile, grin, giggle and thoroughly entertained me." – Long and Short Reviews
Click here to read an excerpt.
Grab your copy on Amazon for 99. centsOther retailers
a Rafflecopter giveaway
