B.L. Blair's Blog, page 45

Sunday Quote - Experience

June Giveaway - Dead in a Dumpster Gift Pack

This month's giveaway is a Dead in a Dumpster Gift Pack which will include a t-shirt, tote bag, magnet, bookmark, and a paperback copy of the book. Entering the contest will also register you to receive my quarterly newsletter. You may unsubscribe at anytime.


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Bring Your Own Baker by D.E. Haggerty - $15 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Cozy Mystery / ComedyDate Published: June 20, 2016

Anna just wants to earn enough money on the side to buy into the bakery, Callie’s Cakes, where she works together with her best nerd pal Callie. The last thing she expects to see when she walks into Arthur’s apartment to do some moonlighting is a blood bath. Callie’s ready to jump into the investigation into Arthur’s murder, and she’s bringing another bakery worker, Kristie, into their hijinks whether Kristie wants to or not. But things aren’t as they seem. There are gang affiliations, illegal gambling dens, and ladies of the night to wade through. Will Anna and Callie discover who murdered Arthur or will Callie’s detective boyfriend Ben and Anna’s self-appointed protector put a stop to such aspirations?
Come join us at Callie’s Cakes, where murder investigations are on the menu, but make sure to bring your own baker because Anna’s a bit preoccupied at the moment.
Warning: This is NOT your mom’s cozy mystery. Bring Your Own Baker may be a ‘clean’ read, but if gangs, illegal gambling, and pimps make you turn your nose up at your e-reader, you might want to skip this one. Although you’ll be missing some sizzling chemistry between Anna and her protector. Not to mention a whole bunch of witty dialogue.


EXCERPT
I grasp the weapon in my hand and throw it with all my might at him. The weapon makes a ‘tee hee’ sound as it hits his stomach. “Did you just throw a Pillsbury dough boy at me?” His voice carries a hint of humor. The Pillsbury dough boy was probably not the best item to grab from the kitchen to use as a weapon. Obviously, I’m totally losing it. I inch backwards into the kitchen searching for a more appropriate weapon. Dag nab it! The knives are way over on the other side. I have no choice. Without taking my eyes of the man, I grab a perfectly formed and probably fricking delicious muffin from the tin and throw it at the intruder. Apparently, my fast ball needs some work as he just catches the muffin as if I merely lobbed it in his direction. He smiles and, not bothering with the paper liner, takes a huge bite.“Mmmm…,” he groans around a mouthful. “This is really good.” “Seriously?” I throw my arms in the air before planting my hands on my hips. “If you want my muffins, just come to the bakery. You don’t have to break in.” Uh oh, I nearly forgot that he broke in. I start backing up again, getting ever closer to those knives. The man’s eyes narrow as he notices me shuffling my way towards the knives. He stalks me and, when he’s only an arm’s length away, reaches around me and grabs the knife block. He keeps his eyes steady on me as he places the block on top of the refrigerator. Somewhere I can only reach if I get out my step ladder. “Who are you? And what are you doing here?” I may be terrified and my voice my stutter a bit, but I’m not backing down. Not. One. Bit.“You’re a feisty little thing, aren’t you?” “Who you calling little?” Apparently, I have no regard for my safety at all as I’m now goading an intruder. The man chuckles. His smile shows a perfect set of teeth. Huh, not exactly what I expected from Mr. Piercings and Tattoos. “For a pink-haired pixie, you sure aren’t afraid, are you?” 

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom's Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn't flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.

Contact Links
WebsiteBlogFacebookTwitterGoogle+PinterestGoodreadsAmazon author pageEmail: dena@dehaggerty.com
Purchase Links
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Book #1 of the series, Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker, is on sale for 99 cents Today!!!

Giveaway$15 Amazon Gift Card
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Cover Vote

I am working on a new mystery/romance series. The main character finds lost pets for a living. The first book will be called The Lost Great Dane. Below are three covers that I am considering. I would love to know your opinion.




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Which cover do you like the best?
Cover 1Cover 2Cover 3NonePoll Maker

Happy Memorial Day!

Sunday Quote

To celebrate Mother's Day, this month's Sunday Quotes will be about mothers. 

Forever and One Week by Caroline Cairn

Start reading this series now for free!
Grab your free copy of Forever Hers on amazon

Forever and One Week (Spirits of Saoradh #2)
by Caroline Cairn
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 24 April, 2016

Blurb:

The Spirits of Saoradh, who carry the guilt of a crime they committed when they were alive, now spend their ghostly days in the Void, dark nothingness where time and space are distorted. Until they get bound to a human. As often as needed, that human can call them to the real world, ask them to grant a wish, then send them back to the Void. The Spirits also have to follow strict rules or be punished, unaware that they can earn their redemption through a selfless sacrifice.

Spirit Logan despises the obedience he has to show to his humans, and prefers the enjoyable solitude of the Void. For three years, he has managed to threaten them into severing their bond, thus having his memory wiped of their existence. Except his latest human, an emotionless woman with a secret past, isn’t scared of him. Worse, she doesn’t care about his ability to make wishes come true.

Tessa, a twenty-six-year-old nursery teacher in Fort William, Scotland, doesn’t expect a sullen ghost only she can see and touch to burst through her solid defences. Both dismayed and intrigued, she offers Logan a deal he can’t refuse: to live with her in the human world for one week, at the end of which she will agree to release him.

Slowly, Tessa braves through the safety of her detachment towards people to show Logan some kindness. But the more her feelings deepen, the more Logan increases his distance…

You can find Forever and One Week on Goodreads
You can buy Forever and One Week here:
- Amazon
- B&N
- Kobo
- iTunes

First book in the series:
Forever Hers (Spirits of Saoradh #1)
by Caroline Cairn
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: November 27, 2015

Blurb:

Feisty twenty-four-year old Holly, or Miss Greedy as her friends call her, receives a wooden cube as a gift from an enigmatic elderly lady who happens to be her mother’s new neighbour in Lossiemouth, a small Scottish fishing town. What she doesn’t expect, is for the cube to contain Blayne, a Spirit of Saoradh only she can see and touch.

Blayne is a playful, headstrong ghost with no recollection of his human past and an ability to grant Holly’s wishes whenever she calls for him — as long as said wishes don’t raise any questions from the public that is. So a shiny new car might be out of the question, but the possibility of a flat stomach, a consistently spotless house or a perfect daily hairstyle more than make up for it. Through their incessant banter, Holly and Blayne grow closer while fighting against their mutual attraction since they have no possible future together.

But when the painful reality of Blayne’s existence is revealed, Holly will realize that it’s not always the girl who needs to be saved.

You can find Forever Hers on Goodreads
You can grab your free copy of Forever Hers here:
- Amazon

About the Author:
Born and raised in France, Caroline Cairn studied hotel management before spending a couple of years in England, Ireland and Belgium. In 2001, she and her husband settled close to the Loch Ness monster in the Highlands of Scotland, and soon, two children and about thirteen fish joined them.
Dramatic scenes are still her favourite to work on, which is perhaps a reminiscence of her teenage years when every single ones of her stories had to end in epic tragedy (Shakespeare had nothing on her). Thankfully, these days, she veers towards the happy-ever-after finale in a glorious orange and red sunset.

You can find and contact Caroline here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Forever and One Week. One winner will win a print copy of both Forever Her and Forever and One Week by Caroline Cairn and some Scottish goodies.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
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The blog tour runs from May 25-29. View the tour schedule here.

Monday Excerpt: Notice Me (Holton Series #2)

"Do you want to save the green beans?" Andrew asked.
"Sure, with the leftover hamburger, they’ll make a good lunch. That reminds me," she said trying to sound casual. "I still have half of a brisket from last weekend. Why don't we grill it tomorrow night?"
She saw Andrew freeze and knew she had her answer. He had two tickets to the ball and hadn't invited her. She forced the pain away as she waited for him to respond. Andrew put the dirty plates on the counter and returned to the table before he answered.
"I have plans for tomorrow night," he said softly.
Victoria's heart cracked but she kept her voice light. "Plans that don't include me?"
There was a long pause. She turned to see him watching her cautiously, and at that moment, Victoria knew he was going to break her heart. She watched as he wiped his hands with a dry cloth.
"Yes."
The simple statement shattered her heart. She quickly turned back to the sink so that he wouldn't see the hurt in her eyes. She felt tears begin to form but willed them away.
"I see."
"Tori," he began and then stopped.
Victoria waited as the silence grew. Then, she got angry. She welcomed the anger as it overshadowed the pain. She turned back and looked at him coldly. "Why, Andrew?"
He sighed and looked away. Victoria followed his glance out the window and saw the children swinging on the tire. "I’m going to the Dallas Charity Ball tomorrow. I’ve decided to run for the Texas State Senate and the ball will be a good place to start."
"Why haven't you mentioned this before?" Victoria's voice was soft but steady, her anger still controlled.
He turned back to her. "I talked about it several years ago but put things on hold when Carolyn died. It wasn't until recently that I made the decision to go ahead. Next year is election year and I need to begin gathering supporters. The ball is the ideal place."
Victoria knew this was true. Before Carolyn's death, everyone in town thought Andrew would be running for office. Victoria had thought he was a perfect choice. He cared about people and he knew how to get things done. Her own political views were somewhat left wing but she knew he would be an exceptional leader. As he said, the ball would be a perfect place to start. Now, her only concern was who was going with him. "Are you going alone?"
There was another long pause. Her anger growing, Victoria had the incredible urge to hit something. Her eyes blazing, she asked again. "Are you?"
"No."
"Damn you," she yelled losing control of her anger.
"Victoria..."
"What's wrong, Andrew?" she asked harshly. "I'm good enough to bed but not good enough to take out in public? Is that it?"
"No," he said sharply. "That's not it at all."
"Then what?"
He took a deep breath. "We did agree that we would do things occasionally with friends. Barbara knows a lot of people and..."
"Barbara?" she interrupted.
"Barbara was a friend of Carolyn's," he said carefully. "They went to school together."
"I see." Victoria was shaking with fury. "A Carolyn clone. I should’ve known. I should’ve realized I didn't fit the ‘perfect Carolyn’ mold."
"This doesn't have anything to do with Carolyn," he said anger beginning to line his voice.
"Oh, I think it does. Everything has to do with Carolyn. You're still living in the past. You've idealized the life you had with her and think there is no other way to live."
"There is no other way for me," he replied.
Victoria turned quickly and stomped out of the kitchen and into the living room, trying to regain control of her temper. She stopped in front of the huge window and went perfectly still. Victoria closed her eyes. No, she thought, I'm not going to break down now. She heard Andrew behind her and then a welcome numbness invaded her soul. "I think you should leave, Andrew."
"Tori, listen to me. You and I have a great thing going. I love you but you know how conservative these balls are. It’s better this way, believe me." Twenty-four hours earlier, Victoria would have been ecstatic to hear Andrew say he loved her but she felt nothing now. She wasn't sure she even believed him. It no longer mattered. She knew it was over. He would never accept her in his life. "Victoria, if you would just be patient. I know we can work this out."
"Be patient," she laughed harshly. "I have been patient. I have loved you since I was sixteen. I watched you marry someone else, build a home with someone else, have children with someone else. Don't talk to me about being patient. I'm tired of being compared to a dead woman. I'm tired of falling short of an ideal that didn't even exist. Carolyn wasn't the paragon you make her out to be, and I won't complete with her memory anymore."
Purchase Links:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Notice-Me-Holton-Series-ebook/dp/B00BFCM5RSApple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/notice-me-holton-series-2/id689557714?mt=11B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/notice-me-b-l-blair/1116761884?ean=2940045217057Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/notice-me-holton-series-2Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/346414 CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/4210983Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=xHEiBgAAQBAJ

Sunday Quote

To celebrate Mother's Day, this month's Sunday Quotes will be about mothers. 

Love's Encore by Kathleen Ann Gallagher - $25 Amazon or B&N GC Giveaway

BLURB:Desire wins the lead role.
Sadie Layne, a creative and motivated high school drama teacher, is grateful for second chances. After surviving breast cancer, she embarks on a celebratory trip to LA with her two best friends. Sadie never expected to run into the handsome and charming Vince De Carlo in the hotel lobby. She hasn’t seen Vince much since they worked together in a theater company years ago. Their meeting interrupts her plans and reminds her of the life she left behind.
Vince, a struggling actor and cover model, is in LA to promote a television pilot. His old attraction to Sadie is stronger than ever. He never forgot her, even though a trusted friendship and a scripted kiss was all they’d shared.
The reunited pair give in to temptation, but reality soon collides with lust as strong doubts about their blossoming romance get in the way. Sadie dreads facing her defeat as an actress, and Vince doesn’t think a struggling actor like himself is capable of providing the accomplished teacher with what she deserves.
Will the couple find a way to keep their sizzling romance alive and build a future together? Or will their uncertainty win the lead role and smother the flames?
Excerpt:How on earth was she supposed to explain spending the night out to her friends? Her heart told her to stay with Vince. It wasn’t as if they’d just met. Some of the students in the workshop had told her he’d had the hots for her, nevertheless, she’d insisted it was platonic. It took honesty on her part to admit she’d had a strong physical attraction to him. All these years her fairy-tale romance was right in front of her eyes, and she had looked past it to put her acting career first. Her whole world had revolved around the theater. How could she have lied to herself for so long? If she’d known her path would divert into a different direction, she might have done things differently. At the time, her goals had come before any form of romance. No more. Not this time. She was going for it. Full speed ahead, girl. So long regrets.
“You have no idea how much I want you, and I always have. You’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen. There is no other woman who can compare to you, Sadie.”
He trailed his tongue along her cheek and nibbled at her neck. Chills ran rampant through her body. Each gentle touch of his strong fingers along the inside of her thigh getting higher and higher. Sadie’s arousal escalated, and she wanted nothing more than to rip his clothes off. He made his way back up to her mouth, and she parted her lips to welcome his tongue. His passionate kiss intensified her longing to have all of him.
“I want you too,” she whispered softly.
BUY LINKS:
Amazon buy link https://www.amazon.com/Loves-Encore-Kathleen-Ann-Gallagher-ebook/dp/B01FOG6QC0?ie=UTF8&keywords=kathleen%20ann%20gallagher&qid=1463370405&ref_=sr_1_1&srkR=8-1ARE https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-love039sencore-2040658-149.htmlBarnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loves-encore-kathleen-ann-gallagher/1123800159?ean=2940158507335Beachwalk Press http://beachwalkpress.com/shop/loves-encore/

About the AUTHOR:Kathleen writes contemporary and paranormal romance in her home in New Jersey, where she lives with her husband and their two fur babies, Luc and Chaz. She spent years working as a registered nurse in an emergency room. Kathleen discovered her passion for reading and writing in the fourth grade. She has three children and three lovable grandsons. Her favorite romantic getaway is Cape May, New Jersey. You might find Kathleen on a beach down the Jersey Shore, wearing a straw hat and sipping on an iced tea as she plots her next romance novel.
You can find Kathleen at the following places:Blog: http://kathleensplacetoreflect.blogspot.com/?zx=bccfbb97bd233c80Twitter: https://twitter.com/KathleenwritesPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/magicalwriter/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKathleenAnnGallagher/?ref=aymt_homepage_panelGoogle: https://plus.google.com/u/0/117606070036565136137
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