Karen Docter's Blog, page 165
January 1, 2018
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: BABY BUTTERFLY KISSES, Purple People Book 3 by Rena Marks
[image error]KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
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BABY BUTTERFLY KISSES
Purple People Book 3
BY RENA MARKS
Blurb
The mates of Helian Six are protecting the refugee Puritans hiding on the planet Hesprii by pretending they are their visiting human cousins.
The males of Helian Six have welcomed a bounty hunter crew from their home planet of Freijia who have a mission to either return, or destroy those same Puritans.
Conflict wreaks havoc on the planet unless the males and females of Hesprii can keep the predators and prey separated. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of room for separation when the snipers fall for the ladies hook, line, and sinker.
Nor when the ladies decide to find poor fools to lose their virginity to.
~~
[image error]BABY BUTTERFLY KISSES
Purple People Book 3
BY RENA MARKS
Excerpt
Marcie sighed. “Our guys are great. You can’t believe what they’re doing! Tea. My wonderful, genteel husband is teaching the guys how to appreciate tea and bake scrumptious scones. You know he once said you want to be delicate with your scones just like you’d be delicate with your lady.”
Anita’s mouth dropped. “Bajoc?”
“Well, how many genteel husbands do I have?” Marcie snapped. “And you, Miss Anita,”—she mimicked Bajoc’s voice—“are so very lucky. I saw Kamau sitting in the front of the class, paying rapt attention.”
“Are you sure that’s what they were doing?” Anita asked suspiciously.
“Very. Bajoc was wearing that ruffled pirate shirt the Commander found at a trading post. He only wears it to tea.”
“I hate that thing,” Lara swore. “Every day Tristan asks if it would be polite to ask Bajoc to replicate it. Every day I assure him it’s rude as hell to ask for a personal belonging to be replicated.”
Marcie grimaced. “Yeah, I don’t know what Goodwill post the commander found that one at, but at least the men are trying for a fashion statement. Twenty years from now, we’ll look back at our hair and their shirts and laugh.”
“Some woman is grateful she talked her husband in donating that thing,” Diamond snickered.
“But I’m proud of Bajoc for working so hard at bringing your men up to speed,” Marcie said. “I’m going to crochet him something lovely. Perhaps a new blazer so he can look professional when he teaches his classes.”
“I’m not sure if you’re that good yet,” Joy said carefully. “We just started learning a few basic stitches…”
“Pfft,” Marcie snorted. “What’s so difficult? I’ll crochet two long pieces and roll them together, stitching them closed for sleeves. Then I’ll crochet one long piece for the midsection, folding it over for shoulders. I’ll sew the sleeves on, and voilà! A blazer.”
“We’ll call it the Frankenstein collection with all the stitched pieces,” Anita snickered.
Marcie narrowed her eyes. “You’re just jealous.”
“Jealous? You said Kamau was sitting up front, being an apt pupil. That means he wants to learn. You know why? For me. To impress me. Hell, I’m gonna make him something, too. I got a start right here. A pair of pants will be easier than a blazer because you haven’t even figured out where you’re gonna stick the hole for the head when your blazer folds over his shoulders.”
“Um, the pants may be too short,” Joy said gently. She didn’t want to insult the poor woman, but the statement of pants for anyone’s legs, much less the giant warriors, was a wee bit ridiculous. The humans couldn’t even stitch a simple square with four even sides. And Joy had stressed the importance to them of the sides being even.
“I’ll just make them longer,” Anita announced. She yanked and pulled the bits of fabric that she had just crocheted like bread dough.
Joy sighed. That had been lesson number one she just ruined…not to stretch the yarn as one stitched.
“Tristan needs a shirt,” Lara said. “He’s such a good husband. He signed up for the class just to support his buddy, Bajoc. It’s not like he needed tea lessons.”
“Are you saying Kamau did?” Anita’s eyes narrowed.
“Do you remember when men’s rompers were all the rage?” Marcie asked. “I’ll bet if you make an extra long shirt and fasten it with a quick stitch between the legs, it’ll make a really elegant romper.”
Anita snorted. “Yeah. Maybe with a beanie. You know what’s cool about knitting? We don’t have to make holes for their horns in the beanie. They can just poke their horns through.”
“Crochet, not knit,” Joy corrected.
“Ladies, let’s not quibble,” Joy said. “Let’s just focus on the clothing you wish to make your men.” Suddenly the Frankenstitched clothing didn’t sound like such a bad idea. These real humans were a dramatic lot. Thankfully, the thought of the clothing smoothed over the ugliness in the mates’ eyes, too.
“I’ll start more slowly than them,” Diamond said. “I’ll just knit a tie for Kresna.”
“Crochet,” Joy corrected softly.
“Whatever. I’ll make him a lovely tie.”
“I always thought a man with a scarf all knotted around his throat was sexy,” Jannie said. “And we’d like to get pregnant, so I’ll make the scarf in pink and blue for my amazing Chautles.”
“Dammit, I was gonna use those colors for Tristan since we have a boy and a girl,” Lara snapped. “Oh well, I guess I’ll make his in a neutral lemon yellow and spring green.”
“Maybe a nice mint,” Marcie suggested helpfully.
“Yes. That’ll go nice with his coloring,” Lara said, pacified.
Joy looked at the wide eyes of her sisters as they stared at the interaction of the humans. These humans were weird. They had absolutely no fashion sense. Not like the Puritans who were boldly exploring colors and frou-frou fabrics.
[image error] Meet Author Rena Marks…
Rena Marks began her writing career in 2015 after a six year hiatus. While she was gone, the industry grew and changed so completely, she decided to change with it and went along with a new genre in the sci-fi field. Her tastes vary from romantic comedy, her latest release, to Dystopian worlds, and alien abduction themes along with aliens live among us themes. She releases a book every six weeks while she ponders new ideas from upcoming releases.
She usually writes from her balcony in Colorado, but on particularly colder days is curled on her living room sofa with a blanket and laptop.
~~~
Links to Rena’s website, blog, books, etc.
How do four virgins pretend to be worldly women, when the only available males are the snipers sent to capture them?
~~~
Thanks, Rena, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 31, 2017
**Author Peek** Interview with Luna Davers & Amanda Adams, CLAIMED IN SHADOWS, Sinful Empire Book 1
**Author Peek** Interview with Luna Davers & Amanda Adams
CLAIMED IN SHADOWS, Sinful Empire Book 1
CLAIMED IN SHADOWS
Sinful Empire Book 1
BY LUNA DAVERS & AMANDA ADAMS
Blurb
A secret society. An innocent woman. Forbidden pleasure beyond her wildest fantasies…or darkest dreams.
Anthony Noscosto is a man disconnected. He rules everything around him with iron self-control, with a tender touch or with the slight bite of pain. A woman’s body is his playground, but he never gives his heart to those he masters. He never breaks his rules, never loses control.
Until her…
[image error] INTRODUCING…Luna Davers & Amanda Adams.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Writing energizes me! It amazes me, too, how I’ll write in my head while I’m biking or cooking, I don’t have to be at my desk for some elements of the story. There are moments where the characters seem so real to me I wouldn’t be surprised to pass them on the street. When I was in midst of writing out Lake’s and Anthony’s adventures in Italy, for example, I couldn’t help but believe that they were really there in Siena, hanging out in the University or walking through the Botanic Gardens. Feeling the presence of a character or a setting like that, something I’ve created, is really nourishing.
How do you select the names of your characters?
The names of characters are so important: they have to sound lyrical out loud and inside the heads of readers; they have to look good in print aesthetically; and they need to say something about the character’s personality. “Lake” is a solid name and unusual, and the character loves water. “Audra”, in Book 2, is bit clumsy and absent-minded, and also beautifully artistic and creative, and therefore the dreamy-nature of her names evokes this about her. Anthony Nascosto…well, his surname says it all. For readers to discover!
What did you edit out of this book?”
The scene between Lake and Angelica, where Angelica helps Lake dress and prepare for the ceremony, was more sexually charged at first. I edited it out because I felt Lake needed a friend at that part of her journey, and that the plot needed a change in tempo. After this scene, when Lake is with XX-69, the woman in the red dress, there’s a tension that builds effortlessly between them, whereas it’s a natural, completely platonic friendship with Angelica.
What is the first book that made you cry?
I can think of several, including The English Patient, when the hero is trying to save his love. He’s piloting a small plane, and it breaks up around him. That scene gets at me because it’s a moment when a person feels really alone in the world. Everything seems to collapse and burn up, and you feel the loss of the other so terribly acutely. In Claimed in Shadows, Lake misses her closest friends, doesn’t understand Anthony Nascosto as their relationship develops, and feels alone in a new country. But she feels the support of her friends throughout, nevertheless, and her own independent spirit helps channel the love and attraction between her and the lone wolf, Nascosto. Audra, in Book 2 of the series, also experience loneliness, but knows Lake and Charlie are out there thinking of her, and senses the promise of a true partner in Caj Rossi, the man who pursues her. Right now, working out the vulnerabilities of the hero of Book 2, Caj, is an interesting thing to reconcile: what he thinks makes him vulnerable in his attraction to Audra might just surprise him in the end.
What is your favorite childhood book?
During the latter years of my childhood I loved Orwell’s Animal Farm. It all made sense, the political power plays between characters. For Lake and Anthony’s love to survive the games of power and the maneuvering some characters resort to in order to gain the upper hand, their love needs to be strong. They have to stay focused on what matters and trust the other. It’s a kind of devotion to each other that realigns the world in their favor.
~~~
Links to Luna’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ElNPqN
Blog: www.lunadavers.wordpress.com
~~~
Thanks, Luna & Amanda, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 28, 2017
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with THE WOMAN IN THE CAMPHOR TRUNK: An Anna Blanc Mystery by Jennifer Kincheloe #recipe ~ Cream of Chicken Soup, circa 1905
[image error]Karen’s Killer Fixin’s
**AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with Jennifer Kincheloe!
Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, JENNIFER KINCHELOE, and her favorite recipe for CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP, CIRCA 1905!
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THE WOMAN IN THE CAMPHOR TRUNK
An Anna Blanc Mystery
BY JENNIFER KINCHELOE
BLURB
Los Angeles, 1908. In Chinatown, the most dangerous beat in Los Angeles, police matron Anna Blanc and her former sweetheart, Detective Joe Singer, discover the body of a white missionary woman, stuffed in a trunk in the apartment of her Chinese lover. If news about the murder gets out, there will be a violent backlash against the Chinese. Joe and Anna work to solve the crime quietly and keep the death a secret, reluctantly helped by the good-looking Mr. Jones, a prominent local leader.
Meanwhile, the kidnapping of two slave girls fuels existing tensions, leaving Chinatown poised on the verge of a bloody tong war. Joe orders Anna to stay away, but Anna is determined to solve the crime before news of the murder is leaked and Chinatown explodes.
What reviewers are saying…
“The feisty heroine’s sleuthing abilities and tricky love life make it hard to put this fast-paced historical mystery/romance down and leaves you wanting more.” -Kirkus Reviews
“[A] winning sequel…. Kincheloe skillfully juxtaposes a witty, playful voice with richly evocative details that bring L.A.’s Chinatown—and its long history of ethnic tensions—to life.” -Publishers Weekly
“Delightful…. Anna is a wonderfully independent character. Fans of Rhys Bowen’s Molly Murphy and Kerry Greenwood’s Miss Phryne Fisher will become fast friends with Anna Blanc.” -Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
~~~
[image error]THE WOMAN IN THE CAMPHOR TRUNK
An Anna Blanc Mystery
BY JENNIFER KINCHELOE
EXCERPT
Jennifer is sharing an Audiobook excerpt today!!
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e451b27a6121b3fd3cfbf1699/files/10a665a5-6880-41e3-ae63-810e51bc433f/The_Woman_in_the_Camphor_Trunk_003_Chapter_1.mp3
[image error]Meet Author Jennifer Kincheloe…
Jennifer grew up in Southern California, but has traveled to such places as Nicaragua, Ethiopia, and Papua New Guinea. She’s been a block layer, a nurse’s aid, a fragrance model, and on the research faculty at UCLA, where she spent 11 years conducting studies to inform health policy. Jennifer currently lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and two teenagers, two dogs, and a cat. There she conducts research on the jails.
I hope you enjoy the recipe Jennifer is sharing today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy Eating!
~~~
Links to Jennifer’s website, blog, books, etc.
Contact
Visit Jennifer at www.jenniferkincheloe.com
@jenkincheloe
www.facebook.com/TheSecretLifeofAnnaBlanc
Purchase Links
Barnes and Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/reviews/the-woman-in-the-camphor-trunk-jennifer-kincheloe/1125814906
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Camphor-Trunk-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/1633883639
Karen
P.S. We’re at 352 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
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NOTE FROM JENNIFER: In novels, food is a part of the setting, a way of conjuring time and place. In my latest mystery, The Woman in the Camphor Trunk, the protagonist Anna Blanc–a disgraced and disowned heiress—suffers because she never learned to light a stove, much less make pork cake, pink soup with marrow balls, or any of the other delicacies the rich ate in 1900s Los Angeles. Anna lives off Cracker Jacks and is wasting away.
To give you a sense of what cooking was like in Anna Blanc’s world, I’m going to share a recipe from Mrs. Frank H. Davis of Glendora, California. It comes from the 1905 Los Angeles Times Cookbook, which I used for culinary research. See if it doesn’t conjure a simpler time.
CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP, CIRCA 1905
Cut in pieces a plump chicken and boil until tender.
Strain.
To the liquid add:
1 cup of boiled rice
2 tablespoons flour in one-third cup of butter
Salt and pepper
A dash of paprika
1 cup of sweet cream
Write me and let me know how yours turned out. And, as Anna Blanc would say, bon appetit.
To get your FREE copy of the 1905 Los Angeles Times Cookbook, sign up for my mailing list at www.jenniferkincheloe.com.
~~~
Thanks, Jennifer, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Petty Cash (By The Numbers Book 7) by Leeann Betts
[image error]KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
PETTY CASH
By The Numbers Book 7
BY LEEANN BETTS
Blurb
Petty Cash, book 7 in By the Numbers series featuring Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, finds Carly headed off for another mystery. She and hubby Mike travel to Cape Cod as emotional support for their daughter Denise and her dentist husband Don who finds himself in the middle of a potential practice dissolution. But when their host fails to make an appearance, and a tropical storm blows through the area, things are topsy-turvy. Then when their host’s body washes ashore, Don is suspected. After all, they’d had several arguments witnessed by a number of people. Can Carly figure out who the real killer is before her son-in-law is shanghaied into a life sentence?
~~
[image error]PETTY CASH
By The Numbers Book 7
BY LEEANN BETTS
Excerpt
Chapter 1
“Ooh, some days I could just kill that man!”
Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant by day and wife, step-mother, and grandmother all the time, sighed and closed the computer file she’d been reviewing when Denise’s call came in. “Calm down, and tell me what’s going on.”
A long quiet filled the line—well, not exactly quiet, given the voices intruding in the background—from Denise’s end of the call. Don, her husband and Mike and Carly’s son-in-law, asked about a clean shirt. Margie, eight going on twenty-eight, nattered on at her younger brother Toby about not drawing on the walls.
Several gulping breaths, reminding Carly of a drowning goldfish, filtered through before Denise continued, her voice a notch lower than before. “Don’s partner. Maurice, but everybody calls him Mo.”
“Don is nearby, right?”
“Right. And I don’t want him to know I’ve been talking about Mo.”
“Why ever not?” Carly closed the cover on her laptop. If she didn’t, she’d think about all the work that needed doing and not concentrate on Denise’s call. Which would merely lengthen the conversation. “Is it a secret?”
“No, not exactly, but Don doesn’t want gossip to start. You know how it is in a small town.”
Carly resisted the urge to snort. Although married to a native for eleven years, the residents of Bear Cove, Maine, a tiny hamlet of less than four hundred souls at the height of lobster season, still didn’t think of her as “one of them”. “Understood. But it’s unlikely I’ll ever sit around and chat with folks from Riverdale.”
“True. But they do go outside the town limits occasionally, and since they don’t wear signage indicating where they live, you just might bump into one of them.”
Carly chuckled. Denise ran into much the same attitude about the fact she’d swooped in and stolen one of Riverdale’s most eligible bachelors, although the residents did at least treat her better than out-of-towners, as they called anybody not from Riverdale.
Unlike Bear Cove, whose town motto—if they had one—would be: if you don’t live here, go away.
“So what can you tell me? Other than you have homicidal thoughts about the man.”
“He has been so unreasonable lately.”
“Maybe he’s under a lot of stress.”
Now Denise did snort. “Stress? Why do you think people become dentists instead of medical doctors? No emergency calls. No late night outings. Closed on weekends. Four weeks of vacation every year.”
“Point taken. So if not stress, what?”
“I think he’s always been this way, and we’re just beginning to notice.”
“Unlikely but possible.” Carly chewed on the end of a pencil, wishing she’d brought in a granola bar and soda on her last trip to the kitchen. “What are you going to do about him?”
“Can’t do much, can I? He’s Don’s partner, not mine.”
“How has he been acting?”
“Coming in late. Leaving early.”
“Maybe he has a girlfriend.”
“The last time he asked a woman out on a date, he talked about it for a week before and two weeks after. But he never got up the nerve to ask her out again, so that was the end of that.”
Carly pulled open a desk drawer. Maybe she’d left a candy bar or a package of crackers. Nothing. She sat back in her chair. “Okay, so not a woman. What else?”
“He got angry at a patient last week for being three minutes late to her appointment. Her car wouldn’t start and she had to call a tow truck. She called the office, and the receptionist assured her she was fine. But he tore a strip up one side of her and down the other when she came in. Threatened not to treat her and to charge her for a missed appointment.”
“That does seem overboard.”
“And after he spent fifteen minutes haranguing her in the waiting room, in front of other patients, he finally agreed to see her.”
“Okay, so he had one bad day. What else?”
“Don says one minute he’s smiling and jovial, the next he’s sullen and moody. He said it’s like walking on eggshells around the office. And he’s taken to wearing these old red rubber boots everywhere. I saw him in the grocery store last week and commented on them. He looked down at his feet as though he didn’t know what I was talking about. And now Don said he wore them in the office and refused to change into his regular shoes. Said he left them home. But Don saw them under his desk.”
“I expect your hubby is bringing this stress home, and so now you’re unofficially involved. Well, has Don asked Mo what’s going on?”
“Sure. And Mo says everything is fine. Not to worry. Or he turns it back on Don and accuses him of meddling in his private life.”
“Could he be on drugs?”
“Don isn’t sure. But get this. This is the strangest thing of all.”
Carly leaned in as though Denise were in the room with her. “What?”
“Yesterday, Mo asked Don to meet him for coffee. Don went. In fact, he was fifteen minutes early. But Mo was walking out of the coffee shop, red in the face, angry. The veins in his forehead were bulging, Don said.”
“Maybe Don got the time wrong.”
“He thought so too, but as he walked in, he checked the text Mo sent him. He was early.”
“Maybe Mo’s fingers were faster than his brain that day. Happens to me all the time.”
Denise sighed. “Mo admitted Don was early. But he said he was done sitting around and waiting for Don to grow up and take responsibility. Implied he’d been carrying the practice all these years, and Don did nothing to bring in patients.”
“Well, Don and you and I know that’s not true.”
“Don tried to get him to sit down and talk like adults, but Mo took offense to that. He shoved Don aside and said he never wanted to see him again.”
Carly exhaled. That was one thing she liked about working alone—no partners or employees to deal with. “Sounds like Mo wants out of the partnership.”
“Sounds like it.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your troubles.”
“You’d think that was the end of it, but it isn’t. Today Mo texted Don and said he was sorry and wanted to see if they could patch things up between them. Invited us and our guests to spend a week on the Cape at his summer home. Said he has a six-bedroom house, and we can fill up five of them.”
“I’d take that as an apology and jump at the chance.”
“So we asked Tom and Sarah to join us, and to bring Bradley so he could spend time with our two. And we wanted you and Dad to come, too. I’d feel better if we had several calm males there in case Mo gets weird again. Please say you’ll come.”
Carly opened the joint calendar she and computer programmer husband Mike kept and scanned the days ahead. “When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Wow, that’s not much notice.” She ran a finger along the week. “But our schedule looks pretty open for the next few days. I have to be back to testify in a big court case on the day after Labor Day, though.”
“Yeah, the kids start school that day, too, and Don has to be back to work, too. Tom and Sarah will also leave on Monday. I’m hoping we can at least have a party or picnic to celebrate the end of summer before we all scatter to the four winds.”
“Then we have a plan.”
“Great. Tom and Sarah are driving down today. They’ll stay here overnight, and we can connect with you at that restaurant on the highway in Augusta around ten. The kids will be ready for a bathroom break by then, and I’ll be glad for a coffee.”
“We’ll be there. Looking forward to seeing everybody. It’s been a while since we did anything together.”
Carly hung up and opened the cover of her computer. Mike would be home soon, and hopefully he’d be excited to hear about their impromptu vacation. Surely he wouldn’t blame her for looking for a mystery where none existed.
After all, this wasn’t her idea.
So if they found a mystery, it couldn’t be her fault.
[image error]Meet Author Leeann Betts…
Leeann Betts writes contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical suspense. She has released six titles in her cozy mystery series, By the Numbers, with Petty Cash releasing in December. In addition, Leeann has written a devotional for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk, Counting the Days, and with her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, has published a book on writing, Nuggets of Writing Gold, a compilation of essays, articles, and exercises on the craft. She publishes a free quarterly newsletter that includes a book review and articles on writing and books of interest to readers and writers. You can subscribe at www.LeeannBetts.com or follow Leeann at www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com All books are available on Amazon.com in digital and print, and at Smashwords.com in digital format.
~~~
Links to Leeann’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: www.LeeannBetts.com
Receive a free ebook just for signing up for our quarterly newsletter.
Blog: www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qmqvB6
Amazon http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2z5ecP8
~~~
[image error]**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY: Leeann is giving away a print (U.S. Only) or ebook copy, winner’s choice, of PETTY CASH to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.
Thanks, Leeann, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 26, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: As You Wish by Ja’nese Dixon
[image error]KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
AS YOU WISH
BY JA’NESE DIXON
Blurb
Is their simmering attraction enough to defeat their crusades?
Damian “The Shark” Hughes real estate billionaire lands in Houston, Texas to handle a “problem tenant” stalling his partnership with Rockstar Entertainment. But on first sight he doesn’t know which he wants more, to evict her or bed her.
Imani Scott is at the end of herself and her resources for keeping the doors of Harmony Dance open. What she doesn’t have time for is the sweet talking, money slinging gorgeousness from Atlanta. Her sole focus is on her students. They are depending on her and she’s not to go down without a fight.
The blurred line between friend or foe…
Imani organizes a Kwanzaa benefit recital to save her studio not knowing she’s sleeping with the enemy. And Damian is willing to do whatever it takes to close the deal and keep this ebony beauty by his side.
At odds yet drawn to each other by their undeniable chemistry, the ticking clock and a multi-million dollar development deal erect the perfect battleground.
Will they win the battle but lose the war? Or will they let love win?
[image error]AS YOU WISH
BY JA’NESE DIXON
Excerpt
“Stop staring at the man and say something?”
Imani found working with Adrianna at the bar was worse than working at the studio. At least at the studio she could pull rank and kick her out the office.
“What man?” She let out a long audible breath.
“The man that has you spilling drinks and stepping on my toes.”
“Ouch!” She stomped on Imani’s foot and wiggled out of reach.
Imani had been preoccupied with trying to see the features of his face. The booth he selected was tucked away off to the side. The overhead lights barely illuminated the table top. It was the table repeat customers chose when they wanted to partake of the live music and robust menu and have privacy.
It was public yet private. So private they’d witnessed more than one heated exchange going on in that booth over the length of her employment. It wasn’t called the make-out booth for nothing.
Imani stole glances at him for most of the afternoon. She could see the top of his arm covered in a white dress shirt and the swirled tattoo on his forearm. That must be his girlfriend. She reasoned as the olive-skinned brunette took her seat across from him.
“You think that’s his girlfriend?” Imani whispered. Adrianna topped off the customer’s soft drink and walked over to stand beside her.
“If she’s not, she wanna be.” She dried her hands on her apron.
Imani faced her, “What makes you say that?”
“That man is a sexual magnet, paid with a Titanium Card, and his eyes,” she shook her head and raised her hand in the truth, “panty droppers.”
“For real?” Imani hissed. The forced air behind panty made curiosity dance through her veins.
“For. Real.” She glanced over at the table as if validating her statement. Her face twisting in agony and she nodded.
Imani glanced back over there. The last thing she needed was to stare into his panty-dropper eyes. She wanted to ask Adrianna more but a warning voice in her head warned her to leave it alone.
There was no room in her life for men. Life was hectic enough without adding sexy, magnetic, panty-dropping men to the equation and her panties needed to stay in place. The last man she’d given her heart passed her up for a bigger fish and left her without so much as a blink of an eye. Her time was better spent trying to find another job.
“Have you heard from your landlord?”
“I got a letter about a new owner. But they didn’t mention the balance and I didn’t either. I sent what I could, hoping it will hold me over.”
$1250 a month times six months left her owing the new landlord at least $7,500. It might as well have been a cool million because she didn’t have a hundred dollars to her name. She hated owing people.
She was ashamed to admit what she sent barely covered the late fees but she still had to pay the utilities at the studio on top of her own household expenses.
“How long you think that’s going to last? You can’t keep doing this to yourself. This dance studio is like a leech draining you dry.”
“Why would you say that? What’s wrong with giving my students culture?” Imani stiffened at her harsh analogy.
“Ain’t nobody got time for that!” She turned to Imani tossing a towel in the sink. “Culture won’t feed you and pay your bills.”
Tears stung her eyes. But she didn’t have time to cry or feel sorry for herself. She needed a plan.
“Is he cute?” It was better to talk about the panty dropper than her landlord.
It was Adrianna’s turn to shrug, “He’s alright for a white boy. You know I like my papi chulo sun kissed, bilingual, and Spanish in his blood. Can’t have my momma passing out on me.”
“Indeed, your mom would pass out if you brought anything but a Hispanic man home.” Imani laughed.
“That’s why I keep my business my business.” She tossed her blonde hair and headed to the other end of the bar to check on a customer.
Adrianna talked a good game but she had a man. Her traditional ways went to her core from cooking authentic Mexican food to Salsa dancing every Thursday night. Imani looked back at his exposed skin, it didn’t look white but not brown either. More like a warm beige. His head turned in her direction and she felt trapped. Unable to look away, but unable to see his face either.
The young lady returned to the table and Imani spun around, facing the mirrored wall behind the bar. She glanced up into the reflection and watched him lean forward. The light caught his profile with his thick wavy dark brown hair. He smiled up at his companion.
Imani’s stomach clinched. He had a deep dimple.
She watched the young lady leave the table carrying her purse and shoulder bag. They must be done for the afternoon. She wanted to see this mystery man for herself.
[image error]Meet Author Ja’nese Dixon…
Ja’Nese Dixon writes tales of romance laced with strong women and stronger men. My happily ever afters are meant to inspire. So, if you’re looking for a page turner that will leave you blushing, with your heart racing, and lying to yourself about reading “just one more chapter” then grab a book.
She is an avid reader and coffee drinker, who also loves to run, cook, and quilt (and not in that order). Her ultimate goal as a writer is to give you a little “staycation” with every story.
Ja’Nese calls Houston home with her husband, three kiddos, and a four-legged diva dog. Visit her website at http://www.janesedixon.com if you enjoy romance, suspense, and good sweet & spicy stories that inspire.
~~~
Links to Ja’nese’s website, blog, books, etc.
GET YOUR COPY
eBook: http://janesedixon.com/as-you-wish
Paperback: http://amzn.to/2Bji7J2
CONNECT WITH ME
WEBSITE: www.janesedixon.com
NEWSLETTER:
http://www.janesedixon.com/subscribe
(and receive four free short stories)
FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/authorjanesedixon
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/janesedixon
INSTAGRAM:
http://www.instagram.com/authorjanesedixon
AMAZON: http://amazon.com/author/janesedixon
BOOKBUB:
http://www.bookbub.com/authors/ja-nese-dixon
~~~
[image error]**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY: Ja’nese will give away a copy of CARAMEL SURPRISE, Ready for Love Series Book 1 (Kindle version) to three lucky readers who comment on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.
BONUS GIVEAWAY! Follow Ja’nese on Amazon for a chance to win a Kindle copy of HOLIDAYS EVER AFTER, Contemporary Romance Holiday Box Set.
https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/024f65f46035bee4#ts-afo
Thanks, Ja’nese, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 25, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: *Release Day* ~ Endure (Rusted and Reckless Book 3) by Charlotte Casey
[image error]KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
ENDURE
Rusted and Reckless Book 3
BY CHARLOTTE CASEY
Blurb
Torn between her desire for one and her devotion for another. Determined to find his brother without losing his heart to her.
Rusted and Reckless has been struggling since their lead singer walked out. Hellbent on keeping his band together, lead guitarist, Sawyer Nolan will do anything to find his brother and bring him back where he belongs. After all, he’s got to keep his band rocking—even if it means denying his increasing feelings for their sexy assistant. Keeping things casual and on the down low has always worked for them.
Assistant manager Darcy Holmes loves her secret romps with Sawyer Nolan, but the closer they get, the more she’s hiding. Determined to save the band and Sawyer’s heart, Darcy refuses to reveal the truth behind his brother’s disappearance. But when the stakes get too high, will keeping the truth be even too reckless for her?
About the Book
Endure
by Charlotte Casey
Series
Rusted And Reckless #3
Genre
Adult
Contemporary Romance
Publisher
Independent
Publication Date
December 26, 2017
Other Retailers
Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
About the Series
About Author Charlotte Casey…
Charlotte Casey’s roots in country go back to singing Achy Breaky Heart in her car seat at the top of her lungs. She finds nothing sweeter and nothing more desirable than a southern man with drawl. With a romantic at heart, Charlotte couldn’t imagine reading or writing anything that doesn’t revolve around romance. Her stories may be fiction but her characters will leap from the pages and pull you into their world.
Charlotte’s Links…
December 22, 2017
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with MAIL ORDER MYSTERY (Brides of Seattle Book 1) by Cynthia Woolf #recipe ~ Grandpa Ben’s Old Fashioned Tea Cakes
[image error]Karen’s Killer Fixin’s
**AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with Cynthia Woolf!
Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, CYNTHIA WOOLF, and her favorite recipe for GRANDPA BEN’S OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKES!
~~~
MAIL ORDER MYSTERY
Brides of Seattle Book 1
BY CYNTHIA WOOLF
BLURB
Civil war devastated the country and left Rachel Sawyer stranded in a dead-end job as a seamstress with no prospects for marriage. Men are thin on the ground in Massachusetts, so Rachel and her best friend travel west, to Seattle, with the handsome Talbot brothers. Jason Talbot, the eldest brother and wealthy owner of a lumber company, is so far beyond her reach that falling in love with him is the most non-sensical thing she could do. So, of course, she does. But after one sensual midnight encounter, Jason pushes her away.
Jason Talbot and his brothers are desperate to keep their lumberjack crews happy. And if that means traveling across the country to escort a hundred women to Seattle as mail-order brides, that’s what he’ll do. The brides are for other men. After losing his wife ten years ago, he’s not interested in risking another devastating blow to his heart. When Rachel catches his eye, his head and his heart are at war, and he’s not sure which side will win.
But when a thief springs up in their midst, and Rachel’s determination to solve the mystery leads to murder, Jason realizes he’ll do anything, not just to protect her from a killer, but to win her heart.
[image error]MAIL ORDER MYSTERY
Brides of Seattle Book 1
BY CYNTHIA WOOLF
EXCERPT
Lightning and wooden ships do not mix. It was not uncommon for the lightning to strike the main mast of a ship, causing it to shiver or long splinters to be blown from it, occasionally injuring a sailor or knocking him off the deck, which in a stormy ocean usually meant death. The sails also sometimes caught fire, but the captain and crew smothered the fire with the help of the rain and wind.
Knowing those things did not stop her from going up to the deck to watch the storm from the top stair before actually going on the deck. Jason knew he could find her there and she often was just waiting for him so they could spend time together.
One night she watched Jason stand behind Clancy who was at the wheel. Jason had his hands on his hips, and the wind blew through his hair making it curl all over. He stood there like the world was his for the taking. To her, he looked magnificent.
They only met at night which made her sad, but she would rather have him some of the time than not at all. He wasn’t ready, maybe never would be ready, to meet her during the day when his brothers might see.
She didn’t blame him. Rachel was the same way with Lucy. She didn’t want to hear her lectures about falling too soon for a man who is obviously unavailable.
“Jason, why won’t you meet me during the day? Are you ashamed of me?”
He closed his eyes and put his arms around her.
“No, I’m not ashamed of you. Never. You are the kindest, smartest and most beautiful woman I know, but I’m not a free man.”
She pulled away and turned her back to him. “You’re married?”
Jason placed an arm around her shoulders and tugged her back against his chest. “I was. Cassie died birthing our son, Billy. He’s nearly ten now.”
“If your wife died ten years ago, how does that make you not a free man?”
“I loved Cassie. I still do. I wouldn’t be able to give you what you need.”
Rachel turned in his arms, put hers around his waist and glared up at him. “You don’t know what I need. You are what I need…for now. So just kiss me, Jason, and let me make my own decisions.”
She was grasping for whatever happiness she could get. Even if her contentment was fleeting and would end soon, Rachel would take it and try like Hell to figure out a way to make him understand that he could care for her, too.
Lord, how do you fight a ghost?
[image error]Meet Author Cynthia Woolf…
Cynthia Woolf is the award winning and best-selling author of more than thirty historical western romance books and two short stories with more books on the way.
Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Her first western romance Tame A Wild Heart, was inspired by the story her mother told her of meeting Cynthia’s father on a ranch in Creede, Colorado. Although Tame A Wild Heart takes place in Creede that is the only similarity between the stories. Her father was a cowboy not a bounty hunter and her mother was a nursemaid (called a nanny now) not the ranch owner.
Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and her great critique partners for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.
TITLES AVAILABLE
BRIDES OF SEATTLE
Mail Order Mystery
CENTRAL CITY BRIDES
The Dancing Bride
The Sapphire Bride
The Irish Bride
KINDLE WORLD BOOKS
A Family for Christmas
Kissed by a Stranger
Thorpe’s Mail-Order Bride
HOPE’S CROSSING
The Hunter Bride
The Replacement Bride
The Stolen Bride
The Unexpected Bride
AMERICAN MAIL-ORDER BRIDES
Genevieve, Bride of Nevada
THE SURPRISE BRIDES
Gideon
THE BRIDES OF SAN FRANCISCO
Nellie
Annie
Cora
Sophia
Amelia
THE BRIDES OF TOMBSTONE
Mail Order Outlaw
Mail Order Doctor
Mail Order Baron
DESTINY IN DEADWOOD
Jake
Liam
Zach
MATCHMAKER & CO
Capital Bride
Heiress Bride
Fiery Bride
Colorado Bride
TAME SERIES
Tame a Wild Heart
Tame a Wild Wind
Tame a Wild Bride
Tame a Honeymoon Heart
BOXSETS
The Tame Series
A Touch of Passion
Links to Cynthia’s website, blog, links, etc.
AMAZON
https://www.amazon.com/Mail-Order-Mystery-Brides-Seattle-ebook/dp/B077YBS7KR
AmazonWorldwide
http://getbook.at/MailOrderMystery
APPLE
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/mail-order-mystery/id1321555120?mt=11
KOBO
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/mail-order-mystery-1
GOOGLE
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Woolf_Mail_Order_Mystery?id=86dBDwAAQBAJ
WEBSITE – http://cynthiawoolf.com
NEWSLETTER – http://bit.ly/1qBWhFQ
I hope you enjoy the recipe Cynthia is sharing today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy Eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 351 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GRANDPA BEN’S OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKES
NOTE FROM CYNTHIA: This is the recipe for my grandfather’s tea cakes. Hope you enjoy them.
Ingredients:
1 cup shortening or lard
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla
Cream shortening and sugar then add eggs. Beat well. Mix all dry ingredients; blend well. Work flour mixture into shortening mixture. Roll thin about one-quarter inch thick and cut. Bake at 400 degrees until very lightly browned. He always used a can to cut the cookies and the biscuits.
These say roll thin but when Grandpa made them he rolled them about 1/2 inch thick so it was a thick cookie.
~~~
Thanks, Cynthia, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 20, 2017
**Author Peek** Interview with Lyz Kelley, UNMISTAKEN ( An Elkridge Christmas Story)
**Author Peek** Interview with Lyz Kelley
UNMISTAKEN, An Elkridge Christmas Story
UNMISTAKEN
An Elkridge Christmas Story
BY LYZ KELLEY
Blurb
Can two souls save each other in this festive, second-chance, small-town fairy tale?
Doctor Ethan Brennan wants to ignore Christmas. With the anniversary of his wife and child’s death looming, he’s buried himself in his work.
Hopeless romantic Noelle Conroy returns home for the holidays, only to learn she can’t stay with her mother, Maggie, after all.
When a blizzard leaves Noelle snowbound in Ethan’s cabin, he starts to open up to her magic—but is love enough to overcome his tragic past?
The ELKRIDGE SERIES debuts a quirky cast of beloved characters. If you like a sensual romance, deep emotional topics, and a cozy happy ending then UNMISTAKEN is for you. Get your copy today and immerse yourself in the Colorado small town.
[image error] INTRODUCING…Lyz Kelley.
Happy Birthday, Lyz! What a great birthday present.
Yes, launching a book on my birthday is my wish come true. I have so many people to thank from my beta readers to my editors to my readers. Thanks for such a wonderful birthday gift!!!
Many of your books have challenging topics. Why?
The easiest explanation is that I believe everyone can be honorable, brave and loved no matter the circumstances. Blindness, domestic violence, and abuse can create fear and insecurities, yet each situation can be overcome with a gentle, patient, and healing love. In my heart, love begins with respect and the willingness to listen to gain mutual understanding. Without those two components, a relationship filled with love is hard to build.
You say you write about honorable men and brave women, but your characters are so flawed.
Everyone can be a hero just by offering a smile, holding a door for another, or opening a medicine bottle for a person with arthritis. Heroes aren’t only those individuals who accomplish grand gestures. We may feel a smile is insignificant, but to the person on the receiving end, we might just have made that person’s day. Being a hero isn’t always about rescuing a child, or stopping a bank robbery, it can also be about the little things in life that bring joy.
I noticed this book has a different Elkridge label. How is this book different from the rest of the series?
Unmistaken is the first book in the Lonely Ridge Collection. Novels in this new collection are also set in the small town of Elkridge, Colorado. The series follows the characters that readers have come to love, but these books don’t have the murder mystery threads that were included in the Elkridge Series.
I love that this book includes so many of the Elkridge characters I’ve come to know. How do you keep track of them all?
Spreadsheets! I have this gigantic spreadsheet workbook with a map of the town and a database of all the characters from the books. There are more than 200 characters, including dogs and cats which I track. Plus, there are even more potential characters like schoolteachers, dentists, postmasters, and the like that I have as placeholders in case I need a future character. For example, there’s a sports store on my town map that I haven’t yet used, but I figured, what mountain town doesn’t have somewhere to buy fishing tackle?
If this is the first book in the Lonely Ridge Collection, does that mean there are more books coming?
Now that you mention it, yes, there are two more books swirling around in my head that need to be told. After that, I’m not sure in which direction I will head. It all depends on the readers and whether they want a break from Elkridge, or whether they are dying to know what happens to a certain character. I say that, but then there’s always the challenge of writing a story for a character like Rivers Black. In my head, he’s a loner and an introvert, who is content living alone. Plus, he’s somewhat abrupt and rude. While a good secondary character, who would want to put up with him? It would take a very special lady with a lot of tolerance—that’s for sure.
You always respond to my emails. How do you fit writing, Facebook, and all the other stuff you do into your schedule?
First of all, my readers are important. Every reader who takes the time to write to me has something to say, and I want to be the person who listens. Yes, I’m busy: My day typically starts around 6:30 a.m. and I usually wrap up around 6:30 or 7 p.m. However, if it wasn’t for my loyal tribe of readers, I’d have to get a job at some bank or corporation, and pretend all the creativity wasn’t being sucked out of me every day. I’m grateful that I can work hard, be courageous and confident in what I’m creating, and live with honesty and integrity. That is important to me, and I thank you and my readers for allowing me to live this fulfilling life.
Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have? Oh, dear. You want secrets. Here are some fun facts. In my teens, I was an athlete and an Olympic Committee representative for synchronized swimming. I retired from the sport when I turned nineteen. This early start of synchronizing my body and mind to work together formed the basis of my creative life. I love trying different things from hiking, knitting, painting, to traveling. I’m curious by nature and love to delve into things I know nothing about.
[image error]Animals play an important role in this book – are you an animal lover? I love my furry family members. All of them are rescues and they bring such joy. Each one has a different personality. One of my rescues is very shy. I didn’t know his fear of people, because when I visited the shelter, he walked right up and said hello. He tolerates my husband and runs from everyone else. My other cat is a love-bug. If you sit it’s an indication free loving is available. Both of my fur-babies keep me company as I write.
~~~
Links to Lyz’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/UNMISTAKEN-Elkridge-Novel-Lonely-Collection-ebook/dp/B075HLYSQY/
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**
Reader must be a newsletter subscriber for a chance to win. Good luck!
Subscribe here:
http://www.lyzkelley.com/index.html
Contest Link:
http://www.lyzkelley.com/elkridge-series.html
~~~
Thanks, Lyz, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 19, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Nights at Seaside (Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers #6) by Addison Cole
[image error]KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
[image error]
NIGHTS AT SEASIDE
Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summer #6
BY ADDISON COLE
Blurb
Sky Lacroux has finally realized her dream and opened her own tattoo shop in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She’s happy as can be, preparing the shop for its grand opening and renting a cottage in the Seaside community while renovations to her new apartment are being completed. The only thing missing is the one thing she longs for, and has no control over—love.
Sawyer Bass, a professional boxer, plays his guitar at a local bar to escape the painful reality of his father’s deteriorating health and a recent health warning of his own. But when he spots a stunning brunette across the room, escaping reality goes out the window, and the beautiful woman becomes the focus of his next song—and maybe even the rest of his life.
When Sawyer walks into Sky’s tattoo shop and sees the woman from the bar—Sky—the chemistry between them is instant. Sawyer is everything Sky could ever hope for in a man. He’s honest, loving, sensitive, and potently virile—but boxing goes against everything Sky believes in. The closer they become, the more she realizes that her alpha boxer is waging his own emotional battle—only the battle she thinks he’s waging isn’t the one that threatens to tear them apart.
Nights at Seaside is the sweet edition of the steamy romance novel Seaside Nights by Melissa Foster
~~
[image error]NIGHTS AT SEASIDE
Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summer #6
BY ADDISON COLE
Excerpt
Chapter One
“I CAN’T BELIEVE in a few short weeks the apartment and the tattoo shop will be completely renovated. Blue, you’re amazing!” Sky Lacroux shoved her favorite poetry book into her patchwork purse and locked the front doors of her shop. She waited for a few people to pass before stepping back on the busy sidewalk to admire it. She still had to paint the exterior and the sign above the doors and wait for the interior renovations to be done, but as she took in the narrow building she now owned, pride swelled inside her chest.
Inky Skies was located on Commercial Street, the busiest street in the artsy community of Provincetown, Massachusetts. It was sandwiched between her friend Lizzie Barber’s flower shop, P-town Petals, which was painted light blue with flowers and greenery climbing up the columns out front, and the bright purple game store, Puzzle Me This. Sky planned on painting Inky Skies bright yellow, and as Blue Ryder, one of her best friends, threw his arm around her and dragged her away from the shop, she felt like she was walking on a cloud. Now, if only the universe would magically step in and find her the perfect man to share her joy with.
Yeah, right. Like that was going to happen in a primarily gay and lesbian community, especially with the way she worked all the time. Not likely. Her brother Hunter fell into step on her other side. Definitely not likely with these two guarding me closer than Fort Knox.
“Are you still planning a big grand opening, even though the shop has been open since you bought it?” Blue asked. He’d been one of Sky’s best friends since she’d moved back to the Cape from New York three summers ago, to run her father’s hardware store while he went into rehab to deal with an alcohol addiction. Thankfully, her father had remained sober after rehab and was back to running his store, which had enabled Sky to move out and fulfill her dream of opening her own tattoo shop. Two months earlier she’d purchased the tattoo shop where she’d been working part-time, and Blue, a specialty builder, was renovating both the shop and the apartment above it for her.
“Heck, yes, I am. It doesn’t matter that it’s been open during renovations. I still need to celebrate Inky Skies—my dream, my passion, my…”
Blue groaned, and Sky laughed and poked him in the side as they crossed at the corner on their way to meet their friends.
“And you’re both coming,” she said. “Like it or not.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’m proud of you, sis.” Hunter put a hand on Sky’s forearm as they came to a curb and a bike whipped past.
“Hunter, I know how to stop at a curb, thank you very much.” She rolled her eyes at her protective older brother.
She was used to being watched over, considering her four older brothers—and her slightly overprotective friend, Blue—had been doing it for years, but at twenty-six, with a new business and a new apartment, she was ready to spread her wings.
“Hey, just keepin’ you safe.” Hunter kept his dark hair shaved close to his head, and with his dark eyes and bulky muscles, he had an edge to him, but the playful grin he flashed softened all of that edginess, revealing the bighearted brother Sky adored.
“Hey, sugar!” A friendly drag queen, who went by Marcus during the day and Maxine when he performed, waved from across the street. He’d lost his lover, Howie, to cancer a couple of years ago, and as much as Sky wished he’d fall in love again, she knew from the look in Marcus’s eyes when he spoke of Howie that what they’d shared was a once-in-a-lifetime type of love.
Ever since four of her friends had gotten married last summer, she longed to experience that kind of love, too.
“Hi, Marcus,” Sky called. “No show tonight?” During the day, families came to shop, sightsee, and enjoy street performers, but at night, P-town turned into a colorful world of drag queens, dance clubs, and comedians.
“My night off.” Marcus said something that made the man he was with laugh. Then he hollered, “I see you have your bodyguards with you again. Hey, Blue. Hi, Hunter. When you get tired of watching over Sky, come watch over me.”
Blue laughed. “You couldn’t handle me, bro.”
“Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want to try,” Marcus teased.
Blue was straight as an arrow, but Marcus loved to tease him. Sky had quickly fallen in love with the whole community when she’d begun working at the tattoo shop. It might not be conducive to meeting a guy she’d want to actually spend time getting to know in a romantic sense—it had been forever since she’d met a guy like that—but she loved the diversity of the area and the warmth of the people. Provincetown felt like home.
They weaved through throngs of people toward a crowd gathered outside of the Governor Bradford Restaurant, where Blue had handled renovations last year. At six two and six three, with linebacker shoulders and movie-star good looks, it was easy for Hunter and Blue to part the crowd as they guided Sky inside. Governor Bradford’s was dimly lit, with a bar to the left, a small stage and dance floor across from the entrance, and a restaurant area to the right of the stage. The scent of fried foods and sage hung in the air.
She followed Blue around the dance floor, stopping at a table of bearded guys who had come into the shop earlier in the day for tattoos and leaned in to hug one of them. Sky got to know most of her customers while she tatted them up.
“Hey, guys. I hope you’re going to sing for open mic night.”
“Trust me, you don’t wanna hear us sing,” the burliest of them said with a laugh.
“Chicken,” Sky teased as Blue took her hand and dragged her to the far side of the dance floor, where her sister-in-law, Jenna, and their friends Bella Grant and Amy Black were waiting for them.
“Finally.” Jenna stood up to hug Sky. She was four foot eleven, with curves that rivaled Marilyn Monroe’s, and at five months pregnant she looked even more voluptuous. “I see your bodyguards got you here safely.”
Sky laughed. “I love your haircut!” Jenna had cut a few inches off of her long brown hair. It now hung just past her shoulders.
“Thanks. It’s my summer cut,” Jenna said, patting her hair.
Sky reached around Bella’s burgeoning belly to hug her, then did the same with Amy. “You guys are like the beach-ball-belly twins. I can’t believe you’re both eight months pregnant—and that your hubbies are still letting you go to open mic night.”
“They know we need our P-town nights. Besides, they’re all out on Pete’s boat with your dad.” Bella looked at Hunter and Blue. “Why didn’t you guys go?”
Hunter was busy ordering drinks from a raven-haired waitress.
“I worked late on Sky’s renovations.” Blue pulled out a chair for Sky.
“I’m sorry,” Sky said, patting his back as she sat beside him. “But I do appreciate your hard work, and I even tried to get Lizzie to meet us tonight.” She wiggled her brows. “I tried to hook you up. The way you and Duke were lusting after Lizzie at the wedding, I thought for sure you’d ask her out by now.”
“She is hot,” Hunter said, eyes locked on a group of blond women across the bar.
Blue ran a hand through his thick dark hair and shrugged. “I’ve been busy.”
“For a year?” Bella asked.
“She’s come out with us several times over the past year,” he said as he draped an arm across the back of Sky’s chair.
“Yes. Us. I said you should ask her out.” Sky shook her head, and a disconcerting thought hit her as the waitress brought their drinks. “Oh, gosh, Blue. Do you think we spend too much time together? Am I monopolizing you? Have I blocked you?”
“No, you didn’t block me,” Blue said with a laugh. “Have I…blocked you?”
Relieved, she said, “No. I’ve just decided that the next guy I date has to be someone who’s really soulful and gets me, and around here, that’s slim pickin’s.”
Blue raised his beer with a smirk. “Guys are not exactly soulful.”
“No kidding,” Hunter said.
“Oh, come on. There are soulful people all around. It just takes some looking,” Jenna began scanning the bar. “I’m on a manhunt for Sky.”
“Okay, enough find-my-sister-a-man talk,” Hunter said. “I looked at the sign-up sheet. They have a great lineup tonight. Comedians, karaoke, and see that guy over there?” He pointed to a guy sitting by himself at the bar with a guitar leaning against his leg. His dark T-shirt revealed sculpted biceps and strong forearms, and the fabric clung to the contours of his muscular chest. One arm rested casually on the arm of his chair, the other across his lap, his finger wrapped around the neck of a guitar. He had hair the color of night and thick scruff covering a strong jawline. His eyes were narrowed and locked on a group of people across the room, like he was studying them or deep in thought. Sky couldn’t tell which.
“He played about two months ago, and he’s amazing.” Hunter glanced at his sister. “You’ll love him, Sky.”
“Holy mother of hotness.” Jenna grabbed Bella’s arm. “Where did that guy come from?”
“You’re married,” Amy reminded her.
“And preggers.” Bella patted Jenna’s belly. “Pete would kick his butt if he even looked at you.” Sky’s brother was a little protective of his wife.
“My interest is already piqued by that handsome creature,” Sky said more to herself than the others.
“I don’t want to hear that. I just thought you’d like his music.” Hunter eyed the man across the room. “He looks a little rough, Sky. Not your hippie, earthy type.”
Sky ignored her brother’s evaluation. Yes, she had an earthy style and believed in fate and destiny and all things a little bit magical, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t ogle a hot guy who might not be her typical type.
While Bella, Amy, and Jenna talked about their plans for their babies and Blue and Hunter talked about work and women, Sky went back to checking out the dark-eyed man who hadn’t so much as shifted his position.
The host announced the next karaoke singer, and they listened to a squeaky rendition of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.” People danced and sang as they moved through several other moderately talented singers. Sky was about to pull out her poetry book, which was far more interesting than the singers, when the host called out, “Sawyer Bass,” and the guy with the guitar rose and stretched, giving Sky an eyeful of just how hot he really was. Black biker boots carried him across the floor. His guitar strap was slung casually over one shoulder, as if he were carrying an old piece of lumber.
Blue bumped her with his elbow and handed her a napkin.
“What’s that for?” she asked, eyes still on Sawyer Bass. He even has a hot name.
“Drool.”
Check out the rest of the chapter at: https://addisoncole.com/sneak-peek-nights-seaside/
[image error]Meet Author Addison Cole…
Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language.
Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.
Visit Addison on her website or chat with her on social media. Addison enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event.
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Links to Addison’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Follow Tour: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mVaYMT4kvsIwKVktONzW9_jIF041FIbiY6PKREF8EEA/edit?usp=sharing
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36161815-nights-at-seaside
Goodreads Series Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/203990-sweet-with-heat-seaside-summers
Buy Links: AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO
Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
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Thanks, Josie, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 18, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Saying Goodbye, The Christmas Gift (A Christmas Novella) by Linda L. Barton
[image error]KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
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SAYING GOODBYE
The Christmas Gift – A Christmas Novella
BY LINDA L.BARTON
Blurb
Sometimes life doesn’t go in the direction we’ve planned for ourselves. Away in Medical School, Molly believed her life was on track. That was until she returned home for Christmas and learned her life was nothing she had always believed. As this surprising journey unfolds, Molly not only learns how to put aside the pain of her past but she finally learns how to say goodbye.
SAYING GOODBYE
The Christmas Gift – A Christmas Novella
BY LINDA L.BARTON
Excerpt
I awoke to the smell of bacon and coffee filling my nostrils. “Oh, thank God, I can use a cup of coffee.”
When I stood up, the room seemed to move out from under my feet. I knew I couldn’t still be drunk, so maybe a cup of coffee and some breakfast would help me get back to my usual self.
I reached over and grabbed my jeans, put them on, and then I walked to the bathroom. However, what I found there caught me completely by surprise. On the sink, there was a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and a comb. I reached up and opened the medicine cabinet door and found a can of deodorant, a razor, a can of shaving cream, and a bottle of men’s cologne.
“What the hell?”
A sudden sickening feeling came over me as I thought back to what I had believed was a dream.
As I floated off to sleep, I remember feeling warmth in the bed that wasn’t my own. I had ignored it because it felt good and I knew I was alone. I then remember a soothing voice whisper, “Hello, you must be Molly. It’s nice to make your acquaintance. My name is Liam.”
Liam; what a lovely name I remember thinking, I’ve never known a Liam. I knew this was a dream, so I decided to see where it would take me. It had been several months since my breakup with Randy. We had dated a little over a year, but with the pressures of Med School, we both decided to cut things off, and maybe we’d find each other again when the time was better. To be honest, I was relieved it had ended the way it did since I never liked goodbyes. Besides, it was nice to hear a man’s voice in my bed again without the obligations attached.
“I’m glad to meet you, Liam.”
I then felt the bed move and the blanket lift.
“Where are you going?” I couldn’t explain it, but I didn’t want him to leave. Heck, this was a dream, and it wasn’t supposed to end with simple hellos, and then this man with the sexy voice just get up and leave.
“I think it’s best if I sleep in the other room.”
“No, please, don’t go. I’m so tired. Please stay and hold me for a while.” I knew it was only a dream, so what harm would come by this simple request.
“Okay but only until you’re asleep.”
I then felt him lie back down and move closer to me, pulling me into his arms. It felt nice to have his arms around me, and the steady beat of his heart on my cheek as I rested my head on his chest.
“Thank you, I’m not looking forward to facing my mother in the morning, so this is nice.”
“Don’t let that bother you now. Get some sleep. Everything will work out just fine.”
As I lay there in my bed, enjoying this unsuspected dream, I suddenly felt as though he was right; everything would, in fact, work out just fine.
[image error]Meet Author Linda L. Barton…
Linda L Barton is a Bestselling Multi-Genre Author. Publishing her first book in 2011, Linda started out by writing Dark Thrillers. Since then she has branched out by writing YA Fantasy, Women’s Romantic Fiction, and even Children’s Books under the name Nana Barton.
One of the high points of Linda’s writing career was when Next Move, You’re Dead: The Trilogy Bundle was chosen as 1 of 100 pre-loaded Kindle Fire ebooks given away in the 2013 Emmy Awards VIP Swag Bags to over 600 of those in attendance at the awards that evening.
Linda is also the Founder of Deadly Reads, Deadly Reads Author Services, and Host of the Deadly Reads Radio Podcast on Youtube.
Linda is also blessed to be married to a wonderful man, Bob for more than 30 years. Bob is her writing muse and has inspired several of the plots for her books. Together they have a daughter and son, as well as 5 beautiful grandchildren; all of whom are the joy of their lives.
Linda never thought she would become a published author, but now she cannot imagine doing anything else.
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Links to Linda’s website, blog, books, etc.
Facebook Author Page
https://www.facebook.com/LindaBartonB...
Twitter – https://twitter.com/LindaLBarton
Deadly Reads Website – https://deadlyreads.com/
Author Blog – https://lindalbarton.blog/
Amazon Author Page
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004WGKW9M
Deadly Reads Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDP1LJNdZolZdioZ5rapaiw
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[image error]**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY: Stuff your stocking with Linda’s ebook today. It’s available for free to all of Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog readers!
Thanks, Linda, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
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