Lisa Rayns's Blog, page 20

Thirty-Two Going On Spinster Book Tour

Thirty- Two Going On Spinsterby Becky Monson "According to Webster’s dictionary, A spinster is: 1: an unmarried woman of gentle family 2: an unmarried woman and especially one past the common age for marrying 3: a woman who seems unlikely to marry 4: me Julia Dorning is a spinster, or at least on the road to becoming one. She has no social life, hates her job, and lives in her parent’s basement with her cat, Charlie.With the arrival of Jared Moody, the new hire at work, Julia’s mundane life is suddenly turned upside down. Her instant (and totally ridiculous) crush on the new guy causes Julia to finally make some long-overdue changes, in hopes to find a life that includes more than baking and hanging out with Charlie. But when the biggest and most unexpected change comes, will the new and improved Julia be able to overcome it? Or will she go back to her spinster ways?"
Buy on Amazon  
About the Author:By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. In her debut novel, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last... but it probably won't. Becky runs a large on-line book club called "This Chick Reads". Check it out on Facebook! 

 Follow Becky: FaceBook | Goodreads | Blog | Facebook - This Chick Reads 

 Follow the Book Tour! 
The author is offering a $50 Amazon Gift card as a tour prize. Fill out the form below to enter and be sure to pick up her book! 
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tangled Up in Trouble Excerpt

Tangled Up in Trouble by Olivia HardinLynlee Lincoln isn’t just a witch, she’s also a Neutralizer. Her job is a juggling act to keep magical and undead clients out of trouble. But getting back together with her old flame throws one more ball into the mix and romance with a guy who has two kids can get complicated. When her old mentor asks her to investigate the goings-on of a dark witch, things turn messy. The witch is stalking supernatural creatures to collect ingredients for a potion that Lynlee can’t seem to figure out. To keep those closest to her from becoming the next victims, she may have to confront the demons within herself.    


The first book Trolling for Trouble is forever FREE . Get caught up on the series.  
Purchase on Amazon / B&N / iTunes

Connect with Olivia and Get information about releases, contests, news and more here:
http://oliviahardinwriter.comhttp://twitter.com/oliviaH_writerhttp://www.facebook.com/oliviahardin
Follow the Tour here to win three prize packs containing a signed paperback with a bookmark from the Book Swag Shop. $50.00 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Certificate. 

Now for the Excerpt...

My eyes followed a billowy dark plume of smoke along the skyline until I found a cabin nestled atop a little rise to my left. I started that way. It was a quaint little place if you liked isolation. The house was small and simple with probably only two or three bedrooms and a narrow wraparound porch. I heard some noise coming from the back of the building so I hiked that way.

A big dirty-blond fellow was chopping wood just behind the house. He had his shirt off and I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said the guy was a rippling mass of muscle. His abs were perfectly sculpted and his arms bulged as he swung the ax high and dropped it down with what seemed only a minimal amount of exertion. Steam rose off his body in little wisps and swirls.

“Can I help you?” he asked without looking at me. I jumped, startled, and then reached up to check whether I was drooling or not. Of course he would have heard me approach. Possibly smelled me too since he was a werecat.

“I’m looking for the Dodds—Peter and Donna.”

He rubbed at a drop of sweat on the tip of his nose before turning his blue-gray eyes to me. I felt all gooey inside when he looked at me.

“My mom’s inside. Just knock on the front door”

My gooiness turned sickening when I realized this was the Dodd’s son, Peter. He wasn’t exactly a child, but I wasn’t exactly a young adult either. Werecats matured quickly.

“Thanks,” I muttered, spinning around as fast as I could.

Tangled Up in Trouble Book Tour

Tangled Up in Trouble by Olivia HardinLynlee Lincoln isn’t just a witch, she’s also a Neutralizer. Her job is a juggling act to keep magical and undead clients out of trouble. But getting back together with her old flame throws one more ball into the mix and romance with a guy who has two kids can get complicated. When her old mentor asks her to investigate the goings-on of a dark witch, things turn messy. The witch is stalking supernatural creatures to collect ingredients for a potion that Lynlee can’t seem to figure out. To keep those closest to her from becoming the next victims, she may have to confront the demons within herself.    


The first book Trolling for Trouble is forever FREE . Get caught up on the series.  
Purchase on Amazon / B&N / iTunesAbout the AuthorWhen Olivia Hardin began having strange movie-like dreams in her teens, she had no choice but to begin putting them to paper. Before long the writing bug had her and she knew she wanted to be a published author. Several rejections plus a little bit of life later, and she was temporarily “cured” of the urge to write. That is until she met a group of talented and fabulous writers who gave her the direction and encouragement she needed to get lost in the words again. 

Olivia’s attended three different universities over the years and toyed with majors in Computer Technology, English, History and Geology. Thenl one day she heard the term road scholar and she knew that was what she wanted to be. Now she “studies” anything and everything just for the joy of learning. She's also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and she’s sometimes accused of being artistic.

A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband, Danny and their puppy, Bonnie. 

Connect with Olivia and Get information about releases, contests, news and more here:
http://oliviahardinwriter.comhttp://twitter.com/oliviaH_writerhttp://www.facebook.com/oliviahardin
Follow the Tour The author is giving away three prize packs containing a signed paperback with a bookmark from the Book Swag Shop. $50.00 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Certificate. 
Fill out the form below to enter 
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Hunka Hunka Nursing Love Book Blast

A Hunka Hunka Nursing Loveby Kathryn Maeglin Imagine a visiting-nurse service with hot young guys as caregivers. What golden girl wouldn't dig that? 

Valerie Palka is a savvy businesswoman who is obsessed with keeping her elderly mom, Helen, safe from all the lethal disasters that can befall widows living alone. Helen thinks the workaholic Valerie should focus on having as much luck in the bedroom as she does in the boardroom. But when Helen takes a spill and is rushed to the ER, a handsome male nurse, Keith Nuber, strikes her fancy, and she tells her daughter, “If you could get a handsome devil like that to take care of me, I'd be willing to consider it.” So Valerie creates a care agency, Home Health Hunks, staffed by attractive younger men. 

Valerie's idea is filled with potential … and potholes. As she navigates the tricky road to satisfying her mom as well as her own ambition, she falls in love with one of her employees--Keith--and learns about the true meaning of success.
Buy on Amazon  
About the Author:When Kathryn was a little girl, she wanted to be a nurse. However, she quickly discovered that was not a wise choice, since she couldn't stand the sight of blood. Next she wanted to be an actress. Unfortunately, her only talent onstage was that she could be heard in the back row.

Finally she decided to become a journalist. Her original goal was to be Jane Pauley's replacement on the “Today” show. Alas, she didn't have Jane's looks, poise, confidence, skill or wisdom. In fact, the only thing they had in common was that they were both corn-fed blondes from the Midwest. In Kathryn's case, much more corn had been consumed.

So she ended up being a print journalist for 24 years. She worked for daily newspapers in Rock Island, Ill., and Madison, Wis.; for a Chicago-based trade journal that covered the radio and TV industry; and as special projects editor for the Indianapolis Business Journal. She started a couple of special sections for women, one of which won two state awards, while the other won a national award.

She now writes fiction for women. She's happily married and has two overfed, underemployed cats. She loves to hear from readers, so you can e-mail her at kathryn@kathrynmaeglin.com You can also read her humorous current-event poems on Facebook and Twitter or visit her website at www.kathrynmaeglin.com Ten percent of Kathryn's net royalties will be donated to two charities that serve people dealing with cancer: Cancer Support Community and Pink Ribbon Connection.

Prize: $50 Amazon gift cardFill Out the form below to Entera Rafflecopter giveaway

Elena Dillon Guest Post

CrushingAs a pampered and adored daughter of a wealthy Southern family Rory's life was seemingly perfect until her troubled childhood crush moves back in across the street forcing her to choose between him and the life that has been chosen for her. As if that isn't enough, her quiet island town has turned dangerous. A good friend has gone missing, lending truth to the rumors of a serial kidnapper. In her quest to help she becomes a target and will have to make choices about love, friendship and the inevitable sacrifice that they both require. 


Purchase  Kindle / Paperback


Elena Dillon’s blog /Twitter /Facebook /Google+ /Goodreads / Literary Addicts

  Elena lives and writes in a suburb North of Los Angeles. She has never lived anywhere besides California which is probably a good thing since she hates being cold and is terrified to drive in the snow. She loves being a wife and a mother to her two kids and three dogs, although really the bulldog is the fourth child who has never matured beyond the toddler stage. A self proclaimed nerd, she has been writing since she was a child. She has only recently, however, come out of the closet about this to her family and friends. They now understand better, but not completely, why she talks about characters in stories as if they are real people. 

Follow the Tour here to win a beach basket and a $50 Amazon Gift card for her tour.



Now for the guest post...



Classic Cars



In both of my books the love interests have classic cars for their ride. I have a fondness for American Muscle cars. Growing up my older brother and his friends all owned some type of American made muscle cars. They would stand out in front of my house almost every night and “bench race”. Trying to decide whose car was the fastest, what they should do to their cars to make them faster and what car they would buy next if they had the money.

Just about every Saturday night one of those guys would do a burn out in front of my house. Our street had to be repaved every year instead of every other because we had big grooves in the street in right front of my house that eventually became potholes.

Looking back on it now our neighbors must have hated us. Between the burn outs and the big thug looking boys hanging out in front of my house drinking beer until all hours I can’t imagine what they thought of us. We knew they were harmless but I’m pretty sure the neighbors didn’t.

I loved having so many big brothers. I would sneak out and try to be unobtrusive to listen to their conversations. If my parents caught me I was banished back to the house. Of course that made me want to be out there even more.

Everything I now know about cars I learned from them by osmosis. I’m pretty sure those guys are the reason I love cars in general. I love to drive and I’m a bit of a lead foot. I didn’t even know how much I knew about cars until I got to high school and could hold a conversation with guys when they started talking cars. I would get some strange looks but I thought it was perfectly normal.

So of course when I had to decide what cars the heroes of my stories would be driving it was easy. Yup whatever it was it needed to be classic muscle. Sometimes I tell you what they are and sometimes I leave it up to you to picture but they’re there because to me no car’s cooler than a classic.

The Fairytale Mother Review

The Fairytale Mother Once upon a time two lives intertwined…
A broken heart.
When Andrew Krenshaw’s wife goes missing, terror becomes desperation as he is forced to cope with a world of uncertainty where he has suddenly become a single father, an unfortunate celebrity… a potential murderer.
A hopeful heart.
Melanie Tull has everything she ever wanted in her life… except perhaps love. Her husband is absent and demanding all at once. Her home, a shell of perfection with a cold center. Her life, busy yet vacant.
… Herein lies the tale that binds them.


Buy: Kindle / Paperback /B&N (coming August 8th)

Follow the Book Tour here to win a Baking Basket. 

Now for my Review...
The Fairytale Mother is a very intricate and involving tale about two couples. It drew me in and held on in an enchanting  and mysterious way, keeping me guessing for most of the story. Near the end, when it all came together, I was surprised and satisfied with the story. I loved it! 

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Embracing the Wolf Excerpt

Embracing the Wolf by Stephanie NelsonFor the first time, Anna Avery was looking forward to the future. She’s mated to her soul mate. The pack has become her new family, and she has friends she can confide in. She had every reason to look ahead, until a vision put her future happiness in jeopardy. Someone is set on destroying her mate, Adam, and only Anna can prevent this possible future. While trying to unravel the hazy web of her premonition, she finds out the annual pack conference will take place on her mountain. And Adam’s parents will be attending. As only a “made” wolf, Anna will have to face their prejudice and possibly make the hardest decision she has ever had to make. Because saving Adam’s life might just mean walking away from him for forever.


Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble
About StephanieStephanie resides in the Midwest with her husband and furry children. When she's not cooking up Gwen and Anna's next adventures, she enjoys reading, traveling and watching movies.


Follow Stephanie: Website / Facebook / Twitter
Join the Social Event on Facebook August 1 -3 to Get to Know the Author and for fun prizes

Follow the Book Tour here


Now for the Excerpt...


Relationships never used to be this difficult. Why couldn’t Adam be a regular guy with regular parents and regular problems? I’d gone twenty-three years without succumbing to the mushiness of relationships. Most of my dates had consisted of some guy trying to sweet-talk me while I silently prayed for an asteroid to crash into whatever diner we were at. It all made sense now, the reason why none of my beaus worked out before. I’d been waiting for Adam all along. It was like my soul knew he was out there, somewhere, waiting for me, too.

Two weeks ago we’d been blissfully happy, too engrossed in each other to face the bigger issues. And to be honest, Adam was still in that state. I saw it every time he looked at me. Touched me. Kissed me. The issues were sitting solely on my shoulders. He was the prince in this story and I the waif he’d fallen for. God, it sounded like some bad Lifetime movie—only with a lot more hair and teeth. Maggie’s words haunted me. I wanted to shrug it off as nothing more than a snooty woman not thinking I was good enough for her baby boy. If only it were that easy. I could deal with bitchy in-laws and their upturned noses. What I couldn’t handle, what tortured my mind, was the fact that I was worse than a poor girl who’d captured the prince’s heart; I was a liability.

Samskaras Excerpt

Samskaras by Melissa LummisWhen the universe conspired to bring Loti and Wolf together, it was just getting warmed up. After surviving Modore’s attempt to kill Wolf, the lovers want nothing more than some peace and quiet. But the universe has other plans. And Loti and Wolf are done waiting to find out what they are. All too aware there will be no happily-ever-after for them until Modore is dealt with, they form a dubious alliance with untrustworthy forces from Wolf’s past. While searching for clues to the homicidal vampire’s whereabouts, they uncover secrets that begin to unravel reality as they know it. Tangled up in the chaos of black ops conspiracies and fae treachery, they make a fatal mistake—overlooking the enemy in their midst. Can love and light survive a downward spiral into darkness?

Purchase Amazon / B&N

Facebook / Twitter / Blog

Join us July 16 - 18 for our Book Tour Social Event. Learn about Author Melissa Lummis, her books, and stick around for some fun Join HEREFollow the Tour here and enter to win a Love and Light Prize Pack.
Now for the Excerpt...


“What’s wrong?” Adrenalin spiked under her ribs as he led her by the elbow towards the bedroom. Fia followed, but Wolf waved her back. Frowning, she stopped short and crossed her arms over her chest, but didn’t protest.

“Margarite has been working with Katie and the coven to look for weaknesses in our wards and shields, and they’ve found an oddity.” Wolf pulled her into the bedroom.

Calisto waited for them with his bondmate, Margarite, and Loti’s surrogate grandmother, Katie Brown. Katie was also the leader of the local coven and her best friend’s actual grandmother. The king size bed and Loti’s antique Chinese wardrobe were already in place. Guided was hooking up the stereo and the satellite receiver.

“What have you found?” Loti felt like they only got a few brief moments of normality before the whole Modore thing shattered her illusion of safety.

“Something is odd. It’s like an energy imprint. Something was here, but is now gone. I say gone because there really is nothing to detect, just kind of like a warm spot where it was.” Katie worried her earing.

“Where?” Loti asked.

“Here,” Calisto waved around the center of the room.

“In this room or the entire house?” Wolf turned in a circle, sniffing the air.

“Mmm, this room, I think.” Margarite was moving her hands through the air like a mime in a box, bending over the bed. “Around here. The floor, I think.” She actually got down on her knees and peered under the bed. “Here.”

Loti shielded her eyes, a blush blooming. Oh good grief. Don’t say a word, Wolf.

Wolf winked at Loti. “Well, you said it’s gone? Just an afterglow? Did you recognize a magical signature?” She scowled at him as she shifted her weight to the other foot and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Well, not really. It’s like pure energy. I’ve never felt anything like it except at the shrine.” Margarite had a unique ability to differentiate energy types, even more so than an ordinary healer could and Loti prayed she wouldn’t figure this out. “This is like the universe itself, unmanipulated, unadulterated. Like it lacks a conduit.”

Wolf snorted and Loti glared at him, Don’t say a word. He grinned at her and she resisted the urge to yell at him. Calisto and Katie watched the wordless exchange, but Margarite was getting up from the floor and hadn’t caught it.

“I think it’s nothing to worry about,” Wolf said, taking Loti’s hand. She wanted to jerk it out of his grip, but took a deep breath instead. She wasn’t sure if she was more mad or more embarrassed that Wolf’s teasing might give the other’s a clue to what she understood.

“Well,” Margarite’s eyes were clouded with concern.

“You’re not sensing Modore or a unique signature, like a spell or a caster, are you?” Calisto wrapped his fingers around Margarite’s hand.

“No, but I’m still worried.” She curled her bottom lip under and chewed on it.

“I think we’re all just a little paranoid these days.” Katie patted Loti on the shoulder and winked at her as she left the room. Loti’s mouth fell open. Had the witch guessed?

Margarite looked around at Loti who wouldn’t meet her gaze, her brow wrinkled. She glanced up at Wolf who seemed to be repressing a wicked smile. “You really don’t think it’s anything to worry about?” Then her face went slack and they could almost see the light bulb appear above her head.

“Oh.” A repressed laugh twisted her mouth. “Oh. Je vous prie de m'excuser.” She hid a laugh behind a petite hand. She was gifted in energy detection, but it hadn’t occurred to her, to any of them, that the source of this particular energetic footprint could have been unintentional.

“Let’s go see what Peacepipe and Mitch have cooked up.” Guided slapped Wolf on the back and left the room, a big grin on his mug.

Calisto and Margarite followed him. Margarite mouthed, “I’m sorry” to Loti as Calisto dragged her by the hand through the doorway. When Loti turned to Wolf, he was grinning at her like the Cheshire cat.

“Stop it. That was ridiculously embarrassing.” Loti play slapped him on the arm. He grabbed her hand and kissed it.

“I thought sex was the last thing that would embarrass you?” Her chest heaved as he enveloped her in his arms and kissed her neck.

“Not now, we have a house full of guests and a ton of things to unpack.” She pushed half-heartedly at his chest. “And I’m not embarrassed by sex, but come on, even you have to admit that this is a little weird. We can’t make love without something changing between us, and now we’re leaving metaphysical wet spots?”

He chortled so loud, she knew everyone in the house must have heard him.

Apocalypse Excerpt

APOCALYPSE CULT is the first book in the Gray Spear Society series. They are God's secret warriors, His henchmen, His assassins cloaked in shadows. When lives and souls are at risk, He sends the Gray Spear Society to save mankind. This time the enemy is the Church of One Soul, a cult that intends to kill thousands of unsuspecting tourists in Chicago. But this is merely the first step in plunging the world into a devastating war. The Society has only a few days to destroy their elusive foe, despite interference by overzealous federal agents.

Purchase Apocalypse Cult:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Follow the Author:Website | Facebook | Twitter | PinterestJoin us July 11 9PM - 10 PM EST Twitter HashTag #ApocalypseCultBookTour July 19

Pinterest Event July 23

Video Chat on Literary Addicts July 31 - August 2 for our Social Media Event on Facebook . Come learn More about the author and win prizes

Follow the Tour here - the author will be offering a $50 Amazon Gft Card to the giveaway winner.



Apocalypse Excerpt...


Aaron needed an escape route. The front gate at the northern end of the compound was built from thick bars of steel, welded together, so busting through it wasn't an option. If he tried ramming the perimeter fence, he might get stuck or crash into a tree. His best chance was a small gate at the southern end. Beyond that gate was a narrow dirt road which would take him back to civilization.

He turned hard and drove south at full speed, confident in his plan.

There was some kind of violent commotion in the center of the compound. He glanced in that direction.

A huge man dressed in black and gray was battling several guards at once. Three opponents were on the ground, but at least a dozen more surrounded him and reinforcements were on the way. The guy had no chance of escape. He was like a lone moose caught by a pack of hungry wolves.

That's Joseph! Aaron realized. What the hell? He's supposed to be with Galina!

Aaron aimed the pickup truck straight at the fight and stomped the accelerator to the floor. He leaned on the horn to make sure his intentions were absolutely clear. Cult members scattered out of the way, their bare calves moving quickly under the lights.

Joseph bravely stood his ground as Aaron approached at full speed. Aaron hit the brakes at the last second, causing the truck to spin on the loose dirt. Joseph vaulted into the bed of the truck even before the wheels stopped turning. Aaron drove off.

At last, he reached the southern gate. Two guards tried to bar his way, but when it became clear he wouldn't stop, their courage broke and they jumped aside. The pickup truck barreled through the gate with a satisfying crash.

Embracing the Wolf Book Tour

Embracing the Wolf by Stephanie NelsonFor the first time, Anna Avery was looking forward to the future. She’s mated to her soul mate. The pack has become her new family, and she has friends she can confide in. She had every reason to look ahead, until a vision put her future happiness in jeopardy. Someone is set on destroying her mate, Adam, and only Anna can prevent this possible future. While trying to unravel the hazy web of her premonition, she finds out the annual pack conference will take place on her mountain. And Adam’s parents will be attending. As only a “made” wolf, Anna will have to face their prejudice and possibly make the hardest decision she has ever had to make. Because saving Adam’s life might just mean walking away from him for forever.

Buy: Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble
About StephanieStephanie resides in the Midwest with her husband and furry children. When she's not cooking up Gwen and Anna's next adventures, she enjoys reading, traveling and watching movies.

Follow Stephanie: Website / Facebook / Twitter
Join the Social Event on Facebook August 1 -3 to Get to Know the Author and for fun prizes
Follow the Book Tour

a Rafflecopter giveaway