Lisa Bilbrey's Blog, page 57

12 Days of Book Nerdiness: Day 7 with T.M. Franklin

Love making lists? So does Oliver! Win his story written by T.M. Franklin in "How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love with You".

Seventeen-year-old Oliver Wendell Holmes (Yes, his parents are just that peculiar, but his brother’s name is Sherlock, so it could have been worse) knows that he’s different. He’s quirky, awkward, and he’s okay with that. Oliver also likes making lists—meticulous procedures for achieving his goals, step-by-step. Whether it’s “How to Get an A in Chemistry” or “How to Get Accepted to MIT,” he has a process, and it’s worked for him so far. He doesn’t even care that the popular kids mock him. Oliver’s got his eye on the prize.
So when he decides it’s time to declare his feelings for Ainsley Bishop, the girl of his dreams, it’s only natural for him to make a list—a point-by-point strategy to win her heart. He knows it will take a grand gesture for her to see all he has to offer, and her approaching birthday provides the ideal opportunity for Oliver to put his plan into action.
Finding the perfect gift is a challenge Oliver meets with his usual dogged determination. He’ll need to watch her carefully for clues to pinpoint exactly what he should give her. And along the way, he might just learn that what Ainsley really needs is not quite what he expected.

About T.M. Franklin

T.M. Franklin writes stories of adventure, romance, & a little magic. A former TV news producer, she decided making stuff up was more fun than reporting the facts. Her first published novel, MORE, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days. MORE was well-received, being selected as a finalist in the 2013 Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book Awards, as well as winning the Suspense/Thriller division of the Blogger Book Fair Reader's Choice Awards. She's since written three additional novels and several best-selling short stories...and there's always more on the way.
Connect with T.M. Franklin
Web site: http://www.TMFranklin.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/TMFranklinAuthorTwitter: https://twitter.com/TM_FranklinEmail: TMFranklinAuthor@gmail.com

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Published on December 13, 2015 00:00

12 Days of Book Nerdiness: Day 6 with Lorenz Font

HuntedA horrible disease is ravaging the vampire community in New York City’s underworld. The Vampire Council is on a crusade to obliterate those infected. Harrow Gates is sick, alone, and hunted. A bounty hanging over his head, he is in no position to refuse when Pritchard Tack offers him not only a new beginning, but also a chance to rectify the chaos he created in the vampire world. Now the greatest threat Harrow faces is hope.
Jordan is a reluctant new vampire and a woman on a mission. Her only focus is revenge. In her search for vengeance, a stroke of luck leads her to an underground facility. Once inside the bunker, Jordan meets a man who threatens to pull her heart away from her sworn mission. There is something behind Harrow’s dark lenses that unsettles the hardened female. Is love strong enough to override her thirst for vengeance?

About Lorenz Font

Lorenz Font discovered her love of writing after reading a celebrated novel that inspired one idea after another. She is currently enjoying the buzz from her vampire novels Hunted, Tormented, Ascension and Reckoning, Books 1-4 of The Gates Legacy Series, Feather Light, an erotic romance, Indivisible Line, a romance thriller and Pieces of Broken Time, a military romance.
Lorenz’s perfect day consists of writing and lounging on her garage couch, aka the office, with a glass of her favorite cabernet while listening to her ever-growing music collection. She enjoys dabbling in different genres, with an intense focus on angst and the redemption of flawed characters. Her fascination with romantic twists is a mainstay in all her stories.
Lorenz lives in California with her husband, children, and two demanding dogs. She divides her time between her full-time job and her busy writing schedule.

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Published on December 12, 2015 00:00

12 Days of Book Nerdiness: Day 5 with Lisa Bilbrey

Lisa’s Christmas Memory
Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. When I was a little girl, I loved sitting in front of the tree and picking through the ornaments, amazed how the lights sparkled. When I was seven or eight, my twin sister and I wanted a cabbage patch doll. They were the gift to get, but that also meant they were impossible to find. My mother scoured every toy shop to find one, but was unable to. She even had people all over the country searching for them. When I opened my box and saw the little brown haired doll staring up at me, I was so excited. I cherished that doll, and when I had my daughter, Lilian became a part of her collection. She still has her to this day.

Follow Travis McCoy on his journey back home through four stories.

The Journey Home, Book One:

The Sharks’ star quarterback, Travis McCoy has it all, until an injury ends his season early. When he receives an invitation to attend the big homecoming game from his alma mater, Travis decides it’s time to face his past. The journey home sends Travis down a path that he never expects. Will he be able to come to grips when everything around him is spiraling out of control?

The Journey of Champions, Book Two:

Travis McCoy thought the journey home would be the hardest choice he ever had to make. It isn’t until he finds himself walking out the door and leaving his family behind that he realizes his journey is only just beginning. Now, with only a handful of weeks until Christmas, Travis tries to find his way back home. This time, he plans on staying forever.

The Journey to Forever, Book Three:

Finally back in the warm embrace of his family, Travis McCoy relishes every moment he gets to spend with his wife and son. After almost losing them due to his own selfishness, he makes the decision to never let go of his family again. With his plan set in motion, Travis, Penelope, and Max start a new journey, one that leads them to forever.

The Journey to a New Life, Book Four

Travis McCoy’s journey has led him down a road of changes where he found the love of his life and their child. Travis, Penelope, and Max have struggled during their time apart, found their way back home, and finally tied their lives together as a family. Now, Penelope and Travis find themselves on a new journey, one that leads them to the greatest gift of all.

About Lisa Bilbrey

Obsessive, compulsive, slightly crazed, but enough about her personality. First and foremost, Lisa Bilbrey is a mom to three and a wife to one. She loves to write, and spends the majority of everyday writing. It's who she is, and what she's meant to be doing. Words are her life, the air she breathes, and the nutrients of her soul. Finding a love in the written word, Lisa Bilbrey started writing as a way to express herself and let her voice be heard. From the first word she wrote, she'd found her heart and soul. Always willing to learn, she's spends much of her time trying to improve as a storyteller.

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Published on December 11, 2015 00:00

12 Days of Book Nerdiness: Day 4 with M.B. Feeney

Get your choice of stories from M.B. Feeney. Get a sneak peek here.

An anthology of short stories by M. B. FeeneyThe world is filled with people destined to help and to serve. Doctors, nurses, police, and firefighters—each and every day, these special people work to help others in times of need. Often, this means putting their own lives at risk in order to do their jobs. They give of themselves to benefit society, and they do it without any expectation of thanks.And then there is the military…These are the men and women who don’t head home to their families and safe homes to relax at the end of a shift. They are on the front lines, far from home and often fighting someone else’s battles because it is the right thing to do. Military families struggle to cope with the constant worry and the long periods of separation, staying strong to support those who serve in everything they do, and often are left to pick up the pieces when the highest price is paid.Servicemen and women are heroes in the purest sense of the word. Even when the world’s gone mad and their hearts are breaking, one thing remains unchanged.

Excerpt: Billy Skinner19 August 2012London20123639
Pte Jonno Cooper
Operation HERRICK
BFPO 7721234567Hey Shit Face,Jonno, my man! Got a wicked tan yet? Or is it one of those ‘White Van Man’ tans: face and below the t-shirt sleeves only? I’m not ashamed to brag; I am golden brown, and it’s driving the ladies wild! Wild, I tell you! I think I may be getting pretty lucky this summer. Don’t you just wish you were me? Well, more than usual.In some ways, I wish we could switch places. Being a soldier was all I ever wanted to do, and my own body betrayed me. We were supposed to do the Army thing together, but my bloody asthma soon put a stop to that. That doesn’t mean I’m not proud of you, ‘cause I am, more than I’ve ever been proud of anyone. Well, let’s face it; no-one’s ever given me reason to be. I guess that’s one of the reasons I wanted to sign up. I wanted people to be proud of me for once.Crap! Hels warned me that writing this letter would be like going to see a shrink. She told me that now you aren’t around to take the piss, it makes it easier to write the words. I swear, if you take the piss when you get back, I will rearrange your face for you. It’s not that I’m ashamed to be writing what I just did, I would just rather you didn’t use it as ammo against me when we’re out on the lash, mate.Speaking of being out on the town, a bunch of us, including Stace, were in Leicester Square for Jim’s birthday. The lads decided that he needed to go on a ‘pull a pig’ night to see how many mingers he could cop off with. He managed to pull some right howlers, but then he met Emily. He sat with her all night ignoring the rest of us. They’ve been inseparable for the last three weeks. I must admit, I felt like an utter shit after joining in with the lads. I met her yesterday, and she’s alright. I don’t know how she puts up with him, but to each their own, I guess.I assume Stacey told you about Suzi’s birthday being a total wash out. I felt sorry for her; she’d been planning it for ages. Why she wanted a garden party is beyond me, but it was her day, I guess. Shame the heavens opened the night before and carried on for three days straight. We ended up down the pub. I’ve never seen that girl so drunk in my life. Stacey had to sit up with her all night in case she threw up in her sleep. She’s a good ‘un, your missus. I promise she’s doing okay, mate.We were all worried about her at first but your letters are really helping her and she’s been spending a lot of time with Suzi, too. As much as the girl bugs me—no, not ‘cause we shagged that one time—she’s been a good friend for Stace.It’s too quiet without you, you loudmouth toerag. I’m still struggling to get used to not calling you when I see something funny, or you not being with us on a night out. I’m so used to having you backing me and my mouth up, that I’m getting myself into a bit of trouble. You need get your arse home so you can start talking me out of shit again because I refuse to think before I speak. It’s just not my style.Hurry back. We need to go drinking.
Love you, mate, Billy.
Links: Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1OrSjdy
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1mDMJsQ

Disheartened about not being able to find “Mr. Right” on the London dating scene, best friends Jodie Lynch and Louise Hewson create a blog to not only document their disastrous dates with the numerous “Mr. Wrongs” and “Mr. Okay-for-nows” but also to help those going through the same experiences and to see where they’re going wrong. How will they deal with everything the dating scene has to throw at them — planned or otherwise?

Excerpt:
Conversation Two:Me: *looks at his sticker* “Hi, John.”John: *mumbles* “Hi.”M: “So, tell me about yourself . . .”J: “Um . . . I’m thirty, I work in the city . . .” *takes nervous sip from his bottle of poncy beer*M: “That’s . . . er . . . nice.” *gulp* “So, you live local?”J: “Not too far. Me and mum co-own a house about ten minutes away.” *alarm bells*M: “Oh . . . that’s great.”J: “Er . . . so, what do you do for a living?”M: “I’m a legal secretary.” *tumbleweeds*At this point I’d given up the will to live and knocked back almost a whole large glass of wine. We sat in silence until the bell rang again.
Links: Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1VJ3ymf
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1FttYig

There’s something about that one person we date in our teens but never become intimate with. Why does a sexless relationship render us unable to stop carrying that person, the what if, with us into our adult life?For Heidi Johnson, Shane Hughes is her “one that got away.” Through the years, he has stayed in the back of her mind while she became an adult, a mother, and her own person. Meanwhile, Shane has lived a life of regret that he let Heidi go for the wrong reasons: fear and a misguided sense of not wanting to hurt either of them.When they reconnect online, the memories they’ve tried to suppress over the years return, reigniting the feelings never explored ‘back in the day.’ Will a school reunion in their home town of London, surrounded by old school friends, help the pair address the questions the years apart left unanswered? Or will they still be left with wanting more?

Excerpt:
I scrambled to get my thoughts straight, wishing I’d thought this meeting through better.“Sorry.” I apologised again, bringing a small smile to her face. “I thought I had what I wanted to say clear in my mind, but the moment you walked in, it all went to shit.”“Don’t worry about it. This is your rodeo, take your time.” I glanced at my phone. There was still a decent amount of time to catch my train.“Thanks.” I took another deep breath to steady my nerves. “I know we spoke last night, after. . .” I trailed off, not sure how to phrase my words.“We had a rampant fuck in a dark alley?” Heidi supplied, making me laugh.“If you want to put it that way, fine by me.” My face began to ache from my grin, but I didn’t care. I was finally at ease and knew what I wanted to say and how to say it. “I wanted you to know that I didn’t turn up just looking to get in your knickers last night. I know I’ve flirted, some of it got pretty hardcore, but I never expected anything.”“Look, Shane. Yeah, the flirting online got pretty intense, but if I hadn’t wanted it to continue, you know me well enough to know I’d have put a stop to it. I did go to the reunion with a purpose. I wanted to remind you exactly what you’d let go. It makes me sound big-headed and full of myself, but it made me feel good. Like you, I never even considered for one moment that we’d end up in that alley, but we did.” She paused to take a sip of her coffee.I watched her intently, blown away by her frankness. This woman never ceased to amaze me, or make me regret my rash decision fifteen years prior.“As I said last night, it shouldn’t have happened, but I won’t regret it. It made us both feel fantastic, and if need be, has given us some closure.”Did I want closure? I’d told her last night that I left wanted to know how it would feel to make love to her and I hadn’t lied. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I must have thought that us having sex would, as Heidi mentioned, give us a closure on our unresolved history, but it hadn’t.“It hasn’t for me.” I had promised myself to be open and honest with her before we parted ways once again. She maintained eye contact even though her skin was flushed with a blush that spread from her throat to her cheeks.“Me either.”
Links: Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1CTSRWA
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1P4yE5b

Ava Jones has settled for a life that she’s not sure she wants anymore, but won’t admit it. Her best friend, Erica Davidson talks her into taking a break on the Isle of Wight. Her days on the island are spent thinking things through, and arguing with Morgan whom she hates on principal.Is it so wrong for her to want a life that follows the script of a honest to God romance film?

Excerpt:
We tried for a couple of years to have children, but it never happened. After many serious discussions, we decided to give up on the idea altogether. That was when we bought our first fur baby: a beautiful Collie cross called Rhea. She was our little girl, and we both doted on her. We assuaged our guilt over our mutual neglect by caring for Rhea, devoting our attention to another living being rather than to each other. The puppies, Remus and Romulus, soon joined her, and our “family” was complete.For as long as I’d known him, Marcus had played Sunday League football, which was followed by an afternoon with his teammates at the very pub I was now approaching. Coupled with training one evening a week, his evenings out gave me more than enough time to spend with Erica or at home with the dogs.“Have you thought any more about that holiday I mentioned?” Erica asked while we claimed our usual table. Our customary bottle of red wine was already ready and waiting for us.“I have . . .” My words drifted away when I thought back to her idea of a girlie getaway on the Isle of Wight. Just as its name suggested, the top-class Lakeside Hotel with attached spa was located right next to a beautiful lake. Bliss.“And? Why the hesitation?” Erica pushed like she always did, her blue eyes flashing once more as she looked into my brown ones.The idea of a real getaway caused the blonde hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, but I tried to rein my excitement in. “I don’t know. It sounds amazing, and Lord knows I could do with some time away.”“Do it, then.”I knew I had enough holiday time available at work. Screw it.“Let’s do it.”
Links: Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1M66c3O
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1LSnxMK

About M.B. Fenney

M. B. Feeney is an army brat who finally settled down in Birmingham, UK with her other half, two kids and a dog. Currently at university studying for her BA (Hons) in primary teaching, she procrastinates on her assignments by listening to music of all genres and trying to get ‘just one more paragraph’ written on whichever WIP is open. She is also a serious doodler and chocoholic. Writing has been her one true love ever since she could spell, and publishing is the final culmination of her hard work and ambition.
Her publishing career began with two novellas, and she currently has multiple projects under way whilst Honour, a compilation of her own military based shorts, was released in November 2013. Always having something on the go can often lead to block which eventually gets dissolved by good music and an even better book.
Her main reason for writing is to not only give her readers enjoyment, but also to create a story and characters that stay with readers long after the book is finished, and possibly make someone stop and think “what if…”

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Published on December 09, 2015 22:00

12 Days of Book Nerdines: Day 3 with Brooke Williams

Brooke’s Christmas Memory
One year many years ago, my sister and I made handprint sweatshirts for our parents as a joke. The joke was on us because we got them in return from our parents the next year with THEIR giant hand prints on them. I still have and cherish and wear that shirt!

Renee Lockhart has her eye on a lofty goal…to fill the open position of morning radio show host at the station where she works. When her co-workers sign her up for a local TV version of The Bachelor, Renee goes along with it in order to raise her profile. Upon seeing her bumbling audition, Ben McConnell, one of the most eligible bachelors in town, insists that Renee be placed on the show. But Ben gets much more than he expected in Renee… he gets a girl who can’t seem to do anything right…and a girl he can’t seem to resist.

About Brooke Williams

Brooke Williams is a sleep-deprived stay at home mom/freelance writer/author who has an unnatural interest in dandelions. She attributes her humor to her two young girls for keeping her in the lack of sleep state on a regular basis. She has been married to her husband Sean since 2002. Brooke has a background as a radio announcer and producer and also did a short stint as a TV traffic reporter. Brooke specializes as a freelance writer and creates blogs, articles, web content and more for clients all over the world. She has written a number of novels including: “Someone Always Loved You,” “Beyond the Bars,” “Wrong Place, Right Time,” “Accept this Dandelion,” “Mamarazzi,” "Backwards Christmas" and "Dandelions on the Road."

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Published on December 08, 2015 22:00

WRAPPED WITH A BOW by The Crazy Lady Authors

The Crazy Lady Authors Present A Blizzard of Books - 9 Holiday Stories as Unique as a Snowflake.

Blurb: Come warm your toes by our fire, relax, and indulge yourself with this box set of amazing tales. In the spirit of the season, the Crazy Ladies present this gift of heartfelt stories that will make you laugh, cry, and give thanks for the many blessings in your life. From our heart to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas.

Stories:
Aubree Lane — The Kissing Ball
Cherime MacFarlane — A White Cat For Christmas
RE Hargrave — Sugar & Spice
Teri Riggs — True Love Never Dies
Ella Medler — Frozen Heart
Mychele E. Gwynn — Sophie’s Wish
Jennifer Bryan Yarbrough — Christmas for Faith
Samantha Jacobey — Christmas Candy
Holly Barbo — The Crystal Snowflake

Add to Goodreads:

https://goo.gl/VEMP7y

The Kissing BallAubree LaneBio:Aubree Lane lives in the beautiful foothills of Northern California with her husband, two wonderful sons, and a super special peek-a-poo named Tanner.http://www.aubreelane.com/https://www.facebook.com/AubreeLaneAuthor?ref=bookmarks https://twitter.com/AubreeLane3Blurb:Sparks fly when the non-profit One in One-Fifty and Melissa Ellison team up to create mistletoe magic for the town’s Christmas dance. The hanging spheres of kissable kindness kickoff holiday happiness and ornamental optimism, but all is not what it seems. An evil elf lurks in the shadows, conspiring to prey on those most vulnerable. Will Melissa find the miracle she needs to protect the ones she’s grown to love and respect?*

A White Cat For ChristmasCherime MacFarlaneBio:Born in New Orleans, I am proud to call myself an Alaskan. I have lived here for 38 years, I have seen -40 degrees, hauled water, made bear bacon and still live in a cabin. I have used a fishwheel to catch salmon coming up the Copper River. I have cut firewood on shares and worked as a cocktail waitress during pipeline days in a small lodge on the Richardson Highway. I was my second husband's chief mechanic's helper and roadie.My second husband, a Scot from Glasgow, was the love of my life. When I write Scots dialect, I personally experienced hearing it from my in-laws. When my husband got on the phone to Scotland, after 5 seconds I could barely understand a word.We moved to Wasilla to get warm. It barely drops past -25 degrees here in the winter. I became a paralegal and worked for over 26 years for the same firm. Thousands of documents I have written have been before various judges all over the state.Alaska is my home. I never thought I would love it so much I’d never want to leave. The beauty of Alaska is a draw I cannot resist. I love the people and the history. I have been captured by a place I came to under duress. Life does play some interesting tricks on one. I lost my first husband to alcohol. My second husband, the love of my life, died as a result of disease. We were not apart more than 24 hours for 20 plus years. I never wanted to be anywhere but with him. He was a man to run the river with and was my biggest fan.http://www.amazon.com/Cherime-MacFarlane/e/B00EP24SZWBlurb:Mike has a very good reason to be careful. His business leaves him open to threats and possibly violence. He is suspicious of the woman hanging around the old dilapidated garage near the road. What is she doing on his property?Angie saw the little kitten on the way to work. The poor little thing is living under the old shed. She wants to rescue it before the temperature drops so low it freezes to death. The big man is intimidating, but the kitten needs help, and she’ll take on the irate homeowner if she has too.*

Sugar & SpiceRE HargraveBio:R.E. Hargrave lives on the outskirts of Dallas, TX where she prides herself on being a domestic engineer. Married to her high school sweetheart, together they are raising three children from elementary age to college age. She is an avid reader, a sometimes quilter and now, a writer. Other hobbies include gardening and a love of a music.A native 'mutt,' Hargrave has lived in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Alabama, Texas, and California. She is fond of setting her stories on location in South Carolina and Texas, but its anybody's guess as to what the genre will be!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/REHargraveTwitter: https://twitter.com/REHargraveAmazon: http://amzn.to/1R9Ua8rBlurb:Lacey Harrison has been dealt an unexpected hand in life: being a single mom. With her father's help and that of the residents at Royal Hills Nursing Home, she thrives and goes on to become a successful baker. She is content with her life but knows that she and her daughter Candy are missing something. Will things change for the better when Trent Childress moves into town and adds some spice to her sugar?
*

True Love Never DiesTeri RiggsBio:Teri Riggs was destined to be a writer. As a small girl she didn’t read bedtime stories, she made up her own. Who needed Little Red Riding Hood or The Three Little Pigs when there were so many great tales bouncing around in her head? When she grew up and became a mother to three little girls, she continued the tradition of making up bedtime stories. On the occasions she chose to tell conventional fairytales, Teri usually gave them a bit of tweaking here and there or added a new ending. Her girls loved it.After her daughters had the nerve to actually grow up and leave home, Teri discovered she had a passion for writing and jumped right in. It came as no surprise she chose to write mysteries and happily-ever-after’s since that’s the genres she loves to read.Teri lives in Marietta, Georgia with her husband, one of her daughters and two dogs that seem to think they rule the world. And some days Teri thinks maybe they do.Teri still frequently tells herself stories as she falls asleep. The only difference now is she wakes up the next morning and turns her bedtime stories into books.Stay in touch with Teri:Website: http://teri-riggs.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Teri-Riggs-329379907142621/timeline/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeriLRiggsGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898896.Teri_RiggsAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/Teri-Riggs/e/B00F2KYWHKBlurb:Samantha has mourned the tragic Christmas Eve death of her husband for three years. During that time, she’s moved to a home in the small town of Heaven’s Beach, has made plenty of new friends, and owns the local art gallery. She should be happy. Instead, she misses Nate, the love of her life, to the point of distraction. To make matters worse, her mind seems to be playing tricks on her lately and she begins to see images that can’t possibly be real.With the help of her friends and mother-in-law, Sami has finally decided it’s time to pull her life together once and for all. But is it ever truly possible to move on?Or is it a fact that True Love Never Dies?*

Frozen HeartElla MedlerBio:Ella Medler is a U.K. author and editor. She writes fiction in many genres in a seemingly vain attempt to slow down her overactive brain enough to write non-fiction on subjects she knows a thing or two about. She also does not believe in the starchy use of English and ignores the type of rule that doesn’t allow for a sentence to be finished in a preposition. Her books are action-driven, and well-developed characters are her forte. Loves: freedom. Hates: her inner censor.She lurks around here: http://www.amazon.com/Ella-Medler/e/B007FVQTFW/And here: https://ellamedler.wordpress.com/And in many other questionable places.Blurb:Quiet and listless, the glass heart sat hidden under layers of unremarkable clutter, its secret safe. The human hands had touched it often through the strata of debris, but until now, had never uncovered it fully. At last, the yellow duster cut through the grime, and the heart began to shift. It would most likely have frozen over again, up on its high shelf, if the cat’s careless pouncing hadn’t made if fall into a box full of tinsel. This is how the history of time and place began to change – with the story of the frozen heart.*

Sophie’s WishMichele E. GwynnBio:Michele E. Gwynn spent eight years writing as a freelance journalist for newspaper, magazines, and contributed to sites online such as Yahoo Voices, Open Salon, FashionErotica.com, AlwayzTherro.com, and Examiner.com to name a few. Still, she always loved a good story and after an attempt at screenwriting for the debut of Project Greenlight in 2000, she decided that fiction was what she really loved creating so her fingers began to type. She is now a published author (briefly under the umbrella of Beau Coup Publishing before going Indie) of three series; the Kriminal Erotic Series (a crime/detective series with steam), the Angelic Hosts Series (a spiritual action/adventure suspense/mystery with a twist of romance), and the Harvest Trilogy (a horror/sci-fi series inspired by a true event). She has authored a stand-alone contemporary romance, Waiting a Lifetime, which is currently an official selection for nomination in The Romance Reviews Readers Choice Awards Winter 2015, and will be publishing her very first dark paranormal romance, Darkest Communion, Halloween 2015. She has a lot of literary irons in the fire planned for 2016 to include the first novel in her new series, The Ghosts of Cardiff, (a supernatural murder mystery series), and a collaboration with a fellow author as well which is still under wraps so "Sssh!"Blurb:A child of destiny, Sophie Fairchild’s origins were a mystery to her parents, Nanette and Charles. Unable to conceive on their own, Nanette had prayed to God every day at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre located on the Rue du Chevalier-de-Barre in Paris that He would bless her and her husband with a child. Found on their doorstep one winter morning tucked away in a wicker basket, surrounded by two fat cats and several doves, Sophie was the answer to their prayers. Five years later, the Fairchild’s find themselves once again wondering from where and whom Sophie came. After bringing home countless animals from stray cats to injured birds, she has now befriended a homeless girl with no family of her own. Dogged by tragedy, the young girl experiences heartbreaking loss. Stalked by darkness, she enters the Basilica seeking change to buy bread, but ‘borrowing’ from the donation box turns disastrous. Sophie watches as a child with sticky fingers runs out of the church as if the very devil himself was in hot pursuit. Concerned, she takes off after her, finding her hiding in a dark alley. Still, Sophie knows she has nothing to fear, and once again, she brings home a homeless stray determined to help, unaware that darkness follows. With Christmas fast approaching, Sophie seeks a way to give her new friend, Cecilia, a very special gift…with the help of an angel or three. But will she be safe from the prophesy that her kind act has put into play?*

Christmas for FaithJennifer Bryan YarbroughBio:Jennifer Bryan Yarbrough is the author of the Porter Kingston Series. Lost and Found is her first published novel in this series. Other books in the series are Found By Love (Book 2), Found at Last (Book 3) and her recently released book, Eden's Kiss (Book 4).Jennifer also writes under the name J B Yarbrough for teens. You can check out her short story under that name, The Tree House, on Amazon.com.Jennifer currently resides in Oklahoma where she was born and raised and lives with her husband and 3 children. When she isn't writing she is spending time with her family or reading and finding new authors to love.Blurb:Christmas... That one word brings so many different emotions to the surface for Faith, and none of them good. After her boss forces her to take a holiday vacation, she spirals down into terrible loneliness.Having no friends or family in her life, Faith finds herself spending most of her time at the local diner. It's there that she meets her first friend; Prudence, a loud and opinionated waitress who turns out to be the mother figure Faith always dreamed of having.When Prudence's single, gorgeous nephew, Alek, appears out of the blue, Faith starts to question why she has always chosen to be alone. Alek tries his best to show Faith the life that she has been missing out on, and decides to show her the true meaning of Christmas. His charm forces her to let down her guard, to have a little faith, and to trust him, but in the process, she begins to question everything about herself. Can Faith trust a man she barely knows not to hurt her as her own family has done? Will love heal her lonely heart, and will there finally be a happy Christmas for Faith?*

The Crystal SnowflakeHolly BarboBio:Holly's world is shaped by her love of family, the beauty of the natural world and an irrepressible creative drive. She has always been curious and sees life through questions. These four characteristics color her writing voice and her stories frequently evolve from her asking “What if....?” Her tales tend to have non-urban settings with nature contributing to the plot, building discordant themes inside a seemingly peaceful refrain.Holly weaves alternative worlds with threads from today.Find more of Holly’s books here:http://www.amazon.com/Holly-Barbo/e/B...Blurb:When Chayse’s friend is murdered before he can get protective custody, she and her department in Homeland Security are thrust into a race to stop a destructive cyber worm from wiping out all bank and stock market records during Christmas break. The good news: there's an inoculating code which will stop the worm. The bad news: it's hidden in a special crystal concealed in the sculpted walls of a beautiful ice hotel in the Lapland region of Sweden and the terrorists are searching for it too. As the snow flurries of November freeze into December, each side rushes to find the crystal with entirely different goals. Will the Christmas holiday bring destruction for the Western financial systems?*

Christmas CandySamantha JacobeyBio:Anyone who knows me could tell you, I am a friendly kind of person, never met a stranger and take up conversations anywhere at any time. I work hard, and my mind never seems to shut down, as I wake up often in the middle of the night with ideas pouring out and demanding to be dealt with. Of course that means much of my books were written in the middle of the night.I grew up and still live in the great state of Texas where everything is bigger, where we have warm weather and a central location. I love my state, my town, and my family, which includes my four sons, my significant other, and many friends as well.I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this story and hope that you will love reading it just as much. And of course, there will be many more adventures to come.You can follow Samantha Jacobey at:Website: www.SamJacobey.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamJacobeyTwitter: https://twitter.com/SamJacobeyPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/samanthajacobey/Blurb:Life isn’t always sweet, even for girls called Candy.Candice Parker’s life has never been easy. Plagued by losses and setbacks, each day is a struggle for the petite brunette and her young son. When fireman Gary enters her world, he is one mistake she refuses to make; but after tragedy strikes, she may not have a choice.Gerald Ford has never been what anyone would call settled. Always keeping things simple, he lived a fast and furious lifestyle, with no intentions of slowing down. However, when he inherits his family’s ancestral mansion on his thirtieth birthday, he considers the possibility that it’s time for a change. Could this complicated young woman be his Christmas Candy?

Buy Links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1IuIZHs
Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/kop9yz
Amazon AU: http://goo.gl/D7UhVf
Amazon CA: http://goo.gl/u8Qe4W

Unusual Christmas Traditions Around the World
#3

In Japan, KFC equals Christmas

Just like how Christmas turkey is a must on Christmas, for the Japanese it’s the Colonel’s Chicken. Since the beginning of this marketing campaign four decades ago, KFC has been associated with Christmas in the minds of the Japanese for generations, a tradition passed on from parent to child in spite of its commercialized beginnings. More than 240,000 barrels of chicken will be sold during Christmas, five to ten times its normal monthly sales.

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Published on December 08, 2015 00:00

12 Days of Book Nerdiness: Day 2 with Diane Munier

Diane has plenty of tales to tell and you could win 6 of them!

All across the country, men are drifting home from the war. But when Tom Tanner musters out, he doesn’t plan to go home. After the horrible loss of his older brother, Tom doesn’t feel worthy of the family’s company. But his guilt won’t allow him to cause them more pain and so he goes home for one last visit. But his plans are challenged one day. What Tom finds at the neighbor’s home is a scene right out of the war. But it’s not just about killing. The Missus Addie Varn, is ready to birth. Tom wants to run, and he will come fall, but now he must roll up his sleeves and play midwife.

Tom Tanner has taken on a family. He lived through the war, but becoming a lover and pa to two small children may be the role that breaks him. This is the story of a man’s slow rise from black sheep to patriarch. 1866 is a time of learning to carry on in the aftermath of civil war. Tom is ready to heal, ready to take over Addie’s farm and make it a grand place. He has money from reupping in the war and reward money for bringing a few notorious outlaws. Can Addie’s love help him settle and become an outstanding man like his pa? It’s the only fight worth making-- a fight for love.

In the summer of 1963, sweet little ten-year-old Catholic school girl Georgia Christine meets eleven-year-old smoker with armpit hair who really does live on the wrong side of the tracks, Easy. Georgia and her best friend Abigail May are mystery solvers in their spare time, and Easy and his brother Cap will keep these two little ladies on their sleuthing toes. But as the years pass, can a friendship that begins in childish excitement survive the dark twists and turns that brew under the surface of their lives?

Two lonely souls on the beach. A chance meeting or orchestrated? She invites him to leap to the end of what could be a great time. She has a cabin for three weeks. He has his grandfather’s Victorian house. He doesn’t take chances as a rule, but he’s been drifting for a long time. Does he have the guts to take her up on the offer? It’s reckless. But his moral compass got reset after the incident. So maybe he’ll leap and see where he lands.

Hilly Grunier has been in love with Danny Boyd since she was a kid telling scary stories on summer nights at the fire hydrant while Danny pulled close on his bike. But when Danny is thirteen, their friendship ends when he and his brother Sukey have a vicious fight over Hilly. Years pass, and Hilly carries a secret and growing love as she watches Danny rise athletically to the top of their school’s food chain. He even dates the prom queen and rumor says they are engaged. Now Danny has graduated and shows up in her dad’s shop looking for some temporary employment until the army picks him off for Vietnam. He’s thrown aside his college scholarship and the golden girl. He seems to be searching for something new before he leaves town. He seems to be searching for her. Hilly can’t let him go overseas without showing him how she feels. But once he’s gone, her own battle intensifies. It’s a long road to finding her thunder.

The house next door to Sarah and her mother Marie has been vacant since the murder that happened there when Sarah was ten. Their neighbor, Frieda, was like a second mother to Sarah and she died brutally and that event sends a paralysis over this sleepy neighborhood that hasn't lifted for seventeen years. Imagine Sarah’s surprise when the old place finally sells to an on-line buyer. She looks through the thick growth separating her house from the other and a wild man looks back. He’s thirty-seven year old Spencer Gundry. Once he shaves the beard and gets a haircut, he’s not hard to look at. Well Sarah’s mom doesn’t think so. And maybe she doesn't either. Problem is, Sarah has evolved into the neighborhood watchdog and she knows this tumbleweed Gundry has as many secrets as the house he owns.

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Published on December 07, 2015 22:00

12 Days of Book Nerdiness: Diane Munier