Linda Crowder's Blog, page 6

New Release by Deborah Garner

I’m thrilled to tell you about a new release by one of my favorite authors, Deborah Garner. Three Silver Doves is the third Paige MacKenzie Mystery and I think you’re going to be as excited as I am about it!

When New York reporter Paige MacKenzie heads to Tres Palomas, New Mexico, the resort of Agua Encantada seems a perfect destination to combine work with pleasure. A quick article on the healing mineral springs and a few leisurely soaking sessions in the resort’s soothing waters promises well-deserved rest and relaxation.

Paige is immediately intrigued with a local artist’s one-of-a-kind jewelry designs, as well as weekly gatherings to hear legends from an elderly storyteller. But when identical jewelry shows up on another guest and the storyteller goes missing, Paige’s R&R is soon redefined as restlessness and risk. Curious and persistent by nature, Paige is convinced there’s a connection. Enlisting the help of a flirtatious resort worker seems like a good idea until it begins to test her loyalty to her favorite cowboy, Jake Norris. Will an unexpected overnight trip to Tierra Roja Casino lead her to the answers she seeks, or are darker secrets lurking along the way?

Ready to buy the book? I already have my copy!

About Deborah

Deborah Garner is an accomplished travel writer with a passion for back roads and secret hideaways. Born and raised in California, she studied in France before returning to the U.S. to attend UCLA. After stints in graduate school and teaching, she attempted to clone herself for decades by founding and running a dance and performing arts center, designing and manufacturing clothing and accessories, and tackling both spreadsheets and display racks for corporate retail management. Her passions include photography, hiking and animal rescue. She speaks five languages, some substantially better than others. She now divides her time between California and Wyoming, dragging one human and two canines along whenever possible.

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/deborahgarne...

Twitter  https://www.twitter.com/paigeandjake

Website  http://www.deborahgarner.com

Amazon  http://amzn.to/1i2c6hE

Goodreads  http://bit.ly/1migsJQ

 

Guest Post: Author Sally Carpenter

This week, I’m happy to host the author of an innovative series featuring a mythical former teen idol. I was a HUGE fan of Donny Osmond when I was a tween! You couldn’t get me out of purple socks (Donny fans will know what I mean). Have fun re-living your teen idol years!

  Still Loving’ Our Teen Idols

A teen idol crush is a rite of passage for most young women. Generally marketed to pre-teen girls, these smiling, cute lads sing and dance their ways into the heart of millions. The moniker “teen idol” refers to the age of their fans, not the men themselves who were generally in their early twenties, although some were as young as 15 (Peter Noone) when stardom hit.

In the 1960s and ’70s, teen idols were promoted thought the medium of television, the best way to reach girls who were too young to drive to movie theaters. Most idols had their own TV series, which served as a 30- or 60-minute commercial each week to keep their adoring fans hooked.

Here’s a quiz of teen idols of that era; match them with the name of their album (hint: some of these are solo albums that were released in the 1900s and later).

A. Bobby Sherman
B. Davy Jones
C. Donny Osmond
D. Michael Nesmith
E. David Cassidy
F. Sandy Fairfax
G. Micky Dolenz
H. Peter Noone
I. Peter Tork
J. Shaun Cassidy
K. Leif Garret


Crossword Puzzle
King For a Day
That’s Rock and Roll Live
Stranger Things Have Happened
Feel the Need
Just For the Record
Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma
Remembering You
The Entertainer
Hold On!
Knight in Shining Armor

 

Did the name Sandy Fairfax stump you? That’s because he only exists in the pages of my cozy series. He’s a mash-up of several real life idols.

The teen idol phenomena fascinates me: How the mass media can turn an unknown performer into a worldwide sensation (and a millionaire) literally overnight. How idols “crash and burn” in short-lived careers of only two to five years followed by a long period of inactivity. How idols have to overcome public perception and rebrand themselves for new careers in midlife.

Sandy is 38 years old and struggling to make a comeback after years of idleness and alcoholism. He’s also trying to reconnect with his estranged family. And while he’s singing and acting, he keeps tripping over dead bodies. In his heyday he played a teenage spy on the TV show “Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth,” so now he’s an amateur detective tracking down real life killers who, unlike the ones on his show, don’t use blanks in their guns.

Sandy has his faults and his massive ego needs a daily massage, but he’s generous, courteous, smart and funny with a strong moral center—and after all these years, still cute and loveable.

Teen idol quiz answers: A-8, B-6, C-9, D-7, E-1, F-11, G-2, H-10, I-4, J-3 and K-5.

 

Meet Sally

Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier now living in Moorpark, Calif. She has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school, her plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition.

Carpenter also has a master’s degree in theology and a black belt in tae kwon do. She’s worked as an actress, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail chaplain, and tour guide/page for Paramount Pictures. She’s now employed at a community newspaper.

The Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series is comprised of “The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper” (2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel), “The Sinister Sitcom Caper” and “The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper.”

She has short stories in two anthologies: “Dark Nights at the Deluxe Drive-in” in “Last Exit to Murder” and “Faster Than a Speeding Bullet” in “Plan B: Omnibus.”

Kings River Life ezine has published her stories “The Pie-eyed Spy” and “Sanctuary.”

 

Connect with Sally

She blogs at http://sandyfairfaxauthor.com and also on the first Monday of the month at Ladies of Mystery (http://ladiesofmystery.com).

She’s a member of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles. Contact her at Facebook or scwriter@earthlink.net.

Guest Post: New Release by Franky A. Brown

I’m thrilled to introduce you to author Franky Brown this week and her new release, Pride and Butterflies. I know you’re going to enjoy getting to know Franky and exploring all of her work! Here she is:

When their first impressions go wrong…neither one will be the same.

Caralyn Sharp has a demanding job and a love life that just walked out the door. She barely has time to be her best friend’s Maid of Honor. Right when she thinks things can’t get any worse, she brakes hard to avoid a turtle and is rear-ended by Alex Garrison. He’s a military officer with an attitude and the owner of the most amazing pair of blue eyes she’s ever encountered. As they continue to cross paths, she can’t decide what she wants more: to scream at him or stare into his dreamy eyes.

 

 

Franky A. Brown is from Sumter, South Carolina and has a degree in English Literature from the University of South Carolina. Writing has always been her passion and she loves to journal. She is the author of clean chick lit and women’s fiction. She also writes a gluten-free recipe blog, “Julia and Me, Gluten-free” www.frankybrown.com/blog, and is currently at work on her next book. She currently lives in Alabama with her husband and son. Visit her website and subscribe for email updates http://frankybrown.com.

How you can reach Franky:

Her website: http://frankybrown.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaTheSecretKeeper

Twitter: https://twitter.com/frankyabrown

 

Where you can buy Pride and Butterflies:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

 

Happy Mother’s Day to the Best Mom Ever!

I know. Everyone thinks their mom is the best and I hope you’ll share a comment today about what makes your mom wonderful! Here’s my mom (center with the pink sweater) along with my family at a 2013 Colorado Rockies game.

My mother, Lucy Miller, is sharp as a tack, funny as a comedian and an all around good soul. She was an inspiration to me growing up. My mother went to work shortly after I was born, when almost nobody’s mother worked, but I was the sixth of six children and my father’s carpentry was seasonal. She pushed and pushed her employer, Hewlett-Packard, to send her to school. Until then, HP sent men to school to learn mechanical drafting but not women. She kept pushing through every obstacle because she knew that drafting would pay her substantially more and we had so many mouths to feed that every dollar mattered.

My mother is my biggest fan, but not only of my writing. She’s always cheered me on, encouraging me when I needed it and giving me a good swift kick when I needed it too! She instilled in me the belief that I could do whatever I wanted to do and go wherever my heart led me. Without that encouragement, I don’t think I would have had the courage to do half of the things I’ve done in my life.

Mom lives in Kansas, but this Mother’s Day she’s in Colorado. Her mother, my grandmother Gladys Bashford, died May 2 and Mom came in to help my sister plan the memorial. This is Mom’s first Mother’s Day without her own mother and I know how hard that is for her to face. We had been planning to drive down today but Mother Nature intervened. A foot of snow and still falling on May 10!

So I guess we’ll stay home!

But I want my mother to know I’m thinking about her and wishing I could be there.

Guest Post: Author Marianne Jones – No Bad Dogs

First appeared on Marianne’s blog on July 14, 2014

I

 

I always loved the James Herriot series of books about his life as a veterinarian in post-World War II Yorkshire, England. One of my very favourite characters was Mrs. Pomphrey, a rich, eccentric elderly lady who doted on her spoiled Pekinese, Tricky Woo.

Mrs. Pomphrey was given to phoning the good doctor with the frantic news that “Tricky Woo has gone flop-bott again!” That was her term for the inevitable results of over-feeding the tiny dog with an array of rich delicacies not suited for a small dog’s digestive system.

After treating the dog, Dr. Herriot would scold Mrs. P for ignoring his nutritional advice, and she would reply, “Oh, I know Dr. Herriot, but Tricky does so love his treats!”

Perhaps the reason I loved this scenario was because it bore an eerie resemblance to my mother and her lhasa apso Charlie. Unlike Mrs. Pomphrey, my Mom was not wealthy, but she was equally stubborn about feeding Charlie a steady diet of white bread. When Charlie went flop-bott, Mom would call, not the vet, but yours truly to come and help her relieve Charlie’s discomfort using her own methods borrowed from her years as a nurse. My part of the operation was to hold Charlie’s head to keep him from biting her while she worked on his opposite end. My task was a dangerous one, as he could be surprisingly strong and quick as a snake in striking.

Like Dr. Herriot, I would plead with Mom to stop feeding Charlie white bread and like Mrs. P, she would ignore my advice.

Charlie and Tricky Woo, along with their owners, were the inspiration behind Louise Gagnon and her dog Vincent in The Serenity Stone Murder. Vince’s penchant for Cracker Jacks and other treats land him in digestive troubles, but overly indulgent Louise is unlikely to change her ways. There are no bad dogs, just incorrigible owners.

 

About Marianne

 

 

 

 

 

Coming from Northwestern Ontario, I am connected to the freshwater lakes and boreal forests of the Precambrian Shield.  Childhood joys of campfires, saunas, swimming, kayaking, cross-country skiing and hiking are all part of my interior world. The fragrances of birch smoke, cedar saunas, the lake in the morning, the sounds of the white-throated sparrow and the loon, and wind in the poplars, the play of light on water, swimming in the early morning, skiing on a frozen lake on a brilliantly cold, sunny January afternoon, watching the wake of a beaver in October, are all things that are reflected in my writing.  Having three of my poems selected for permanent installation at Thunder Bay’s waterfront is an honour for which I am profoundly grateful.  I like to believe they were chosen because they express how deeply I feel about this amazing part of the world.

Professional Associations:

League of Canadian Poets, Ontario Poetry Society, Superior Scribes,  Sisters in Crime

Published in:

Canadian Living, Globe & Mail,Wascana Review, Prairie Journal, the Danforth Review, Presbyterian Record, Room, Lutheran Women Today, Remote Control, North Coast Review, Zygote, Inspirit, Wawatay News, Horizon North

Awards:

3 Poems installed at Prince Arthur’s Landing, Thunder Bay Waterfront Project-2011 International Christian Poet Laureate 2010-12 (Utmost Christian Writers Association) Ontario Arts Council Northern Arts Grant,2008 Wriiters Digest Poetry Competition 2008 Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop (NOWW), 2003,2004,2007 Inscribe Christian Writers Poetry Contest, 2008 Northern Ontario Poetry Competition, Canadian Authors Association, 1999, 2001

Connect with Marianne at http://mariannejones.ca/

Guest Post – Krysten Hager

I am so happy to be hosting author Krysten Hager on my blog this week for the release of her newest book in her Landry’s True Colors series, Best Friends…Forever?  This is a fantastic series you can feel good about your teens and pre-teens reading.

Excerpt:

“Landry, it’s gotta be so awkward for you to be going to Vladi’s school next year,” Tori said. “I mean, what if you run into him during the tour?”

“It’s a huge place,ʺ Ashanti said. “People break up all the time. It’s not a big deal.ʺ

Tori raised her eyebrows as if to say, “Yeah, right,” and went back to her sandwich. Meanwhile my delicious homemade soup was no longer sitting well. It never occurred to me Vladi might be around during the first pre‑freshman tour. I would be mortified if I ran into him and he was with a girl. Or worse yet, running into him, and he was with Yasmin. Plus, I hadn’t told my mom about the breakup, so if she saw him, she’d probably go over to talk to him. I could already imagine it: “Landry, Vladi’s here! Hon? Why are you hiding behind the garbage can? Your boyfriend, Vladi, is here. Come say, ‘hello.’ Stop trying to run away. Why is everyone laughing and pointing at you and calling you a ‘loser dumpee?’ What does that mean?”

Well, maybe the world would end and I wouldn’t have to deal with high school or Vladi and my mother running into each other.

****

Sadly, the world did not end, and on Thursday, we all had to go to the high school for a freshman information night from 6 to 9 p.m.

See the book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFp2fPFbvTQ&feature=youtu.be

 

Krysten Lindsay Hager is the author of the Landry’s True Colors Series, a clean reads young adult series. Krysten writes about  friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, middle school and high school, frenemies, modeling, crushes, values, and self-image in both True Colors and Best Friends…Forever?

Krysten is an Amazon international bestselling author and book addict who has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and writes middle grade, YA, humor essays, and adult fiction. She is originally from Michigan and has lived in Portugal, South Dakota, and currently resides in Southern Ohio where you can find her reading and writing when she’s not catching up on her favorite shows. She received her master’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint.

What people are saying about True Colors (Landry’s True Colors Series Book One):

From Teenage Book Recommendations in the UK: “This is a fantastically relatable and real book which I feel captures all of the insecurities and troubles which haunt the modern teenage girl. It is about a young model who has to go through tough times when she is torn between a life as a model and managing her friendships. You learn which friends she can most trust and which will create the drama typical of teenage life. Follow the life of Landry and try to see if you can find out which are her true friends before their true colours are revealed. This book is all about relationships, hopes and truth. I loved this book!”

From Books & Authors Spot: “This book is such an inspiration for those who just care about their looks and are tensed about them. This thing is looks aren’t everything. This book is related to every teen’s problem. Hager has written a very inspiring novel.”

To Buy the book Click on the book title above to find it on Amazon. Also available at:

Barnes and Noble on-line: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/krysten-lindsay-hager

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/best-friends-forever-19

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/best-friends…-forever/id979714114?mt=11

 

Justice for Katie – Will The Boss Finally Be Revealed?

Excerpt:

Carolyn Maxwell was used to working alone. For years, she’d shown up at the office earlier and left later than any of the other ACAs. When she’d graduated from the University of Wyoming law school, women were still a rarity in the legal profession.

She’d shunned social connections. She didn’t have time to get married and she hadn’t taken time to nurture any friendships after graduating from college. She’d had to work harder than the men in order to earn their respect and that meant long hours. If she had married, she knew she wouldn’t have a supportive spouse at home taking care of the family, as the men working with her did. She didn’t know how younger women managed to find enough hours in the day to take care of both a career and a family.

She had long since established herself as a top-notch prosecutor, but her approach to her work remained the same. Driving herself to perform at her peak had won her the coveted senior slot in the County Attorney’s office sixteen years ago, when the former senior retired. Instead of being able to ease up a bit and enjoy her success, her single-minded devotion had taken a toll on her health.

“You’ve got to slow down,” her doctor had warned her at her last physical. “Your blood pressure is much too high. Next time I see you, I don’t want it to be because you’ve had a stroke.”

He’d prescribed medication and recommended she start an exercise program to help reduce stress. Carolyn had taken his advice and joined a gym. As her health improved, so did her curiosity to explore the things she’d been missing. She’d always wanted to see the world but she’d never taken the time. Six months after hearing her doctor’s warning, Carolyn decided to retire.

She was 67 years old and had been working non-stop since she was seventeen. She had lived frugally and set aside money for a comfortable retirement. She had enough vacation banked that she would not have to show up at the office for her last four months on the payroll. She would leave at the end of August with her official retirement date the end of the year. When snow fell in Casper, she planned to be laying on a beach, sipping some exotic concoction, burying her feet in the warm sand.

Today, as Carolyn unlocked the door to her office, she heard voices coming from down the hall. That was odd. The main lights in the County Attorney’s office suite had been off when she arrived. Who would have come in so early? Why didn’t they turn the on lights?

She dropped her purse and briefcase on her desk and started down the hall toward the voices. There were only two other offices and a storage room down this hallway. As she approached Clint Taylor’s office, the voices fell silent.

His door was closed so Carolyn knocked. “Hello? Clint? Are you in there?”

There was silence on the other side of the door, then she heard footsteps. The door handle rattled as someone worked the lock. Clint Taylor, unshaven and with his clothes rumpled, opened the door. “Carolyn! So sorry. I didn’t hear you.”

Carolyn took in his uncharacteristically disheveled appearance. “Did you sleep here last night?”

Clint ran his hand through his hair, making it worse. “I wanted to read through my notes one more time before I go to court this morning. I guess I must have fallen asleep.”

“You’d better run home and clean up. You can’t go to court looking like that.”

Clint looked down and seemed to notice the deep creases in his shirt and slacks. “I see what you mean,” he said. He took his jacket from a hanger on the back of the door and stepped into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind him.

“Who were you talking to?”

“Nobody,” he answered, slipping into the jacket.

Carolyn looked puzzled. “I distinctly heard voices when I came in. That’s why I knocked.”

Clint shook his head and herded her gently up the hall toward her office. “I was asleep when you knocked. I had the radio on when I fell asleep and switched it off when you woke me. That must have been what you heard.”

Leaving Carolyn at her door, Clint thanked her again. “It’s a good thing for me you’re always early. If I’d slept until my secretary woke me up, I’d be in for it.”

He headed down the hall toward the reception area. Carolyn stood in her doorway until she heard the bell on the reception door indicating he’d gone.

The suite was quiet again and she stood listening for a long moment. She walked softly back down the hall toward Clint’s office. She was positive she had heard voices coming and she hadn’t thought it sounded like a radio. She stood in front of his door and held her breath, listening. Nothing. Then she heard it. Was someone in Clint’s office?

She jumped when she heard the door chime behind her, followed by the laughter of two of the women who worked in the office. She hurried back to her own office before they could catch her listening at the door. She left her door open and positioned herself where she could see the hallway. Whoever it was would have to pass by her office on their way out.

 

Justice for Katie is my third Jake and Emma Mystery. A 30 year-old cold case and a modern-day murder – how could they be connected? Will that connection finally unmask the mysterious “Boss” who has terrorized the small western city of Casper, Wyoming?

Join accidental detectives Jake and Emma as they partner with Detective Matt Joyner, who has his hands full with more than murder as he romances Emma’s friend and assistant, Kristy Castle. Justice introduces two new characters who bring their unique perspective to solving crime. Dr. Grace Russell is Emma’s mentor from her early days as a therapist in California. A revered expert in deviant behavior, Grace bonds with suspense author Jeb Cannon whose discovery of body on his family’s ranch outside of Newcastle as a teen has haunted his imagination. Not satisfied to think of her as “Jane Doe,” Jeb names her Katie and asks Matt to finally bring her killer to justice.

Be sure to pick up Justice for Katie this week when the Kindle edition goes on sale for just $0.99 April 24 – 28. Remember, whenever you read and enjoy an author’s work, it means so much to us if you would post a review – on Amazon, on Goodreads, on Barnes and Noble – wherever you can let readers know this book is too good to miss!

 

New Release from S. J. Henderson

 

Annie catches up with me as I creep closer to the edge of the forest. Her eyes grow wide. “Why is there a moose wearing a cowboy hat here?”

“He likes soccer?” I shrug. “And that’s a sombrero, not a cowboy hat.”

“Whatever it is, I know you did this, Daniel. Are you crazy?”

“I didn’t mean to, but I must’ve grabbed the wrong pencil when I was getting my things ready. Oops.”

“Yeah, oops.” She rubs her face with her hands. “At least he looks friendly and doesn’t shoot laser beams from his eyes.”

I cringe. “Oops.”

“What do you mean, ‘oops’?” Annie latches onto me with her fingers and squeezes so tight my arm goes numb for a second. I wish people would hurt me in other places besides just my arms. There are lots of other parts of my body they could pick, but no. Everyone picks the arm, which gets super-sore, and then I start drawing stuff like a-moose-that-should-be-a-bear. So, if you ask me, this isn’t my fault.

The moose lifts up his head and snorts, sending balls of green flame into the dirt.

“Oops,” I say again, flashing a guilty smile.

Annie ducks behind me to protect herself from the moose’s attack. “Erase it, Daniel.”

Which is what I mean to do, really. I have the eraser on the pencil line making up the moose’s right nostril when he looks me right in the eye and says, “Stop! Please!”

 

This was an excerpt is from S.J. Henderson’s new book, DANIEL THE CAMP-ER, the second book in the DANIEL THE DRAW-ER series.  Although Daniel’s adventures were written for boys and girls between 6 and 12, I can see myself getting swept up in these silly and imaginative stories. Can’t wait to find out more about a talking moose that snorts green flames! S.J. tells me that fans of Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid will appreciate the humor in the DANIEL THE DRAW-ER books, and parents and teachers will appreciate the lack of potty humor and themes of friendship and loyalty. And fun. Can’t forget fun.

S. J. Henderson is the author of the DANIEL THE DRAW-ER series, as well as several not-yet-published Young Adult novels. She lives in Michigan with her husband and four wild boys. When she is not writing about talking cats and magic pencils, S. J. can usually be found riding one of her family’s horses or drinking a little bit of coffee with her creamer. (really, isn’t that the only way?)

You can find S.J. at:

Website: http://sjhenderson.net

Blog: http://sjhenderson.net/blog/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SunnyJHenderson

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/SunnyHenderson/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/SunnyHenderson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSunnyHenderson

Guest Post – Shanna Hatfield

Welcome to the
Blog Tour!

A celebration of two new sweet historical romances by Shanna Hatfield

History is Full of Surprises

Writing historical fiction is such fun for me because I learn so much about the places, people, and experiences of the past. More often than not, I’m astounded by how innovative and creative people were “way back when.”

When the idea for a new historical western romance series began bubbling in my head, I decided it should take place in the town of Pendleton, Oregon, at the beginning of the 20th century.

Many people know Pendleton as the home of the world-famous Pendleton Round-Up and the . It billed itself as the “queen of a golden empire – golden wheat.” Around this time, Umatilla County produced one percent of the nation’s wheat crop.

As I began digging into the town’s past, I discovered, much to my surprise, Pendleton was a happening place to be in the early 1900s.

Modern and progressive for its time, Pendleton was a unique blend of Wild West and culture. They had plenty of crime and wild rowdies, as one would expect in a western town. Pendleton also boasted an opera house and theater, a teashop, a French restaurant, and a wide variety of businesses in the early years of the new century.

On any given day during that time, someone walking down the street could see well dressed ladies and gentlemen, as well as Chinese immigrants, Indians from the nearby reservation, miners, businessmen, ranchers, and farmers.

Mystery and intrigue surrounded the tunnels of the city’s Underground. What began as a way for respectable businesses to easily deliver their goods from the depot, soon turned into a booming mini-city of saloons, card rooms, working girls, Chinese laundries and more. According to local tales, the working girls used the tunnels to enter respectable businesses and do their shopping without being seen around town. Reportedly, a tunnel even ran to the doctor’s office for them to pay their visits undetected.

While the town didn’t lack for colorful characters, those portrayed in my Pendleton Petticoats series are purely fictional.

The women in Pendleton Petticoats come from all walks of life but find commonality in drawing strength from their courage and persevering in chasing their dreams. One woman longs to better her future, one to escape her past, and one just wants to find a place to call home. The female characters in these stories challenge the roles typically assigned to women of this era.

If you enjoy historical fiction, clean romances, or a good western, consider reading Aundy and its sequels, Caterina, Ilsa, Marnie, and the soon-to-be-released Lacy. I love to hear from readers, so feel free to drop me a note via any of my social media links.

Thank you for hosting me today. I’m so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to connect with your readers.

 

Lacy, Book 5 in the Pendleton Petticoats series, will be available for pre-orders April 9.

Be among the first to order the long-awaited story of Grant Hill. Talk about losing at love… eligible banker bachelor Grant needs to find the right girl.

Those attending the party will also get a first look at the cover!

“Will the bonds of love be stronger than the bonds of tradition…”

The second book in the Baker City Brides series releases Thursday, April 9!

Thimbles and Thistles takes readers back to Baker City as spring arrives and love is in the air. You can reserve your Kindle copy here: http://amzn.com/B00TCV6BFG

Maggie Dalton has no need for a man in her life. Widowed more than ten years, she’s built a successful business and managed quite well on her own in the bustling town of Baker City, Oregon. Aggravated by her inability to block thoughts of the handsome lumber mill owner from her mind, she renews her determination to resist his attempts at friendship.

Full of Scottish charm and mischief, Ian MacGregor could claim any available woman in Baker City as his own, except the enchanting dress shop owner who continues to ignore him. Not one to give up on what he wants, Ian vows to win Maggie’s heart or leave the town he’s come to love.

It just wouldn’t be a party if there wasn’t a book available for free! Aundy, Book 1 in the Pendleton Petticoats series, will be available for free Kindle downloads April 9. Make sure you grab your copy! If you’ve already read it, tell your friends to download it. If you haven’t met the characters from Pendleton Petticoats, here’s a brief intro:

Aundy (Book 1) – One stubborn mail-order bride finds the courage to carry on when she’s widowed before ever truly becoming a wife, but opening her heart to love again may be more than she can bear. She knows she is physically strong and capable to work on her husband’s farm, but she has no idea of the depths of inner strength and fortitude she possesses until it is tested.

Caterina (Book 2) – Frantic to escape a man intent on marrying her, feisty Italian girl Caterina starts a new life in Pendleton, completely unprepared for the passionate feelings stirred by the town’s deputy sheriff. Unlike Aundy who arrived in town as a mail-order bride, Caterina is free and unfettered – or as free as she can be, hunted by powerful men bent on vengeance.

Ilsa (Book 3) - Tired of relying on others to guide and protect her, Ilsa finally finds the strength and courage to take control of her life. Unfortunately, her independence drives a wedge between her and the man she’s come to love.

Marnie (Book 4) – After giving up on her dreams for a future, Marnie finds her hope rekindled by one caring, compassionate man and the orphans who need her.

Lacy (Book 5) – Bound by tradition and responsibilities, Lacy has to choose between the ties that bind her to the past and the unexpected love that will carry her into the future.

Dust off your dancing shoes and choose your formal attire for the Petticoat Ball Party on Facebook April 9, 2015 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Giveaways and games will make for a splendid event as we celebrate the release of Thimbles and Thistles and the debut of Lacy!

The talented and fabulous guest authors joining in the shenanigans include:

10 a.m. – Julie Lence

10:30 – Kathleen Ball

11 – Rachel Rossano

11:30 – Christina Cole

Noon – Peggy Henderson

12:30 – Kristin Holt

1 p.m. – Karen Witemeyer

1:30 – Kayla Thomas

 

Invite your friends to the party, and you could win a $25 Amazon Gift card. Go to the Facebook Party Page, click on the “invite” button, invite your friends, then post how many you invited. One randomly drawn person will win, but you get additional entries for every 25 people you invite! Also, ask your friends when they join the party to share that you invited them on the party wall. Each friend who mentions your name, earns you another entry in the contest! The winner will be announced prior to the start of the party April 9! http://tinyurl.com/petticoatball

 

To enter the drawing for a $50 American Express gift card, autographed books, digital books, chocolates, and original western artwork, fill out this form. http://tinyurl.com/petticoatballprizes

 

A hopeless romantic with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure, Shanna Hatfield is a bestselling author of sweet romantic fiction written with a healthy dose of humor. In addition to blogging and eating too much chocolate, she is completely smitten with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

She is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, and Romance Writers of America.

Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple

Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter

 

I Love Cozy Mysteries

A cozy mystery is one where the focus is on the relationships of the protagonists and the puzzle of solving the mystery, usually a murder. Cozies often have amateur sleuths who find themselves confronted with a murder and set out to solve it either because the police suspect the wrong person or because they are simply driven by their own curiosity. Today, cozies often include more humor than suspense and many showcase dog or cat companions. What they don’t have is gory detailed descriptions of the murders that take place, graphic depictions of violence or language that would make your grandmother blush. They may have romance but the physical contact will be no more than PG rated.

The grand dame of the cozy mystery is Agatha Christie and she is my personal favorite. I have read every book and short story she published, along with her stunningly successful play, The Mousetrap. She is the master of hiding her clues in plain sight while diverting the reader’s attention away from the solution by taking us down blind alleys and littering the path with attractive red herrings. I don’t know that I could choose a favorite of her works. Hercules Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppance – how can one choose between them?

I’m also fond of Lilian Jackson Braun’s The Cat Who series, especially the early books both before Quill inherits his fortune and the first few books afterward. The first entry in the series, The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, is my favorite as starving journalist Quill dives into the seedy side of the art world and meets Koko, the cat who will become his lifelong companion and partner in investigative journalism. Sadly, there will be no more adventures with Koko and sweet little Yum Yum since we lost Braun a few years ago.

There are also many independent authors whose writing I follow. Deborah Garner writes a lovely series of Paige and Jake books set in the West, which is what attracted me to her books initially. Her two main characters are a delight and keep me coming back for more. I’m now anxiously awaiting the release of the third book in that series. Steve Demaree writes Christian police procedurals with the most laughs I’ve found in a cozy mystery. Cy and Lou, his detective duo, are a rotund riot who never fail to miss a meal – or solve a murder. I’m on book 5 of this series now and Lou has been steadily working out and changing his eating habits, dropping 50 pounds. Cy’s reaction to Lou’s lifestyle change is the center of much of the humor in book 4, Murder at Breakfast, but by book 5, Murder at the High School Reunion, Cy is faced with having to lose some weight of his own or give up being a semi-retired homicide detective.

These are only four of my favorite authors. I’d love to hear who you love to read.

Want to find more flinch-free fiction? Take the Clean Indie Reads Blog Hop journey!  Enter here to win a fantabulous prize!