B.L. Blair's Blog, page 58

Teapot

I have a large collection of teapots and like to share. I love this one. I got it at Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia.

Choosy Bookworm Holiday Extravaganza featuring Anne Kennison - Piper Templeton - P. C. Zick

Welcome to the Choosy Bookworm Holiday Extravaganza ! 
Choosy Bookworm has partnered with eNovel Authors at Work  to bring you a month long celebration with great books, great book deals, and let's not forget the great giveaways! 
Check out today's featured authors and books, then head on over to the event page and enter to win one of two $250 Amazon Gift Cards or Paypal Cash!
Be sure to check out the featured books and the awesome author sponsored giveaway below!


Death by Romance by Anne Kennison Genre:  Mystery
When prominent businessman Gordon Taylor is murdered, the case falls in the lap of Detective Ryan Hamlin. He has no clues and no leads until a chance conversation leads him to a long list of suspects, most involved in a "perfectly legal" scheme to get rich by tapping into the fortunes of others—so long as none of them is convicted. That's when the deception and finger-pointing begin. Full of twists and turns, this clever whodunit will keep you guessing until the very end.

Goodreads ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UKOn sale for $0.99November 1 - 30
Meet Anne Kennison

With more than 30 years of lawyering under her belt, and now retired from the practice of law, Anne describes herself as a “recovering attorney.” Anne’s unique plot twists, however, come from a fertile imagination honed by those long years of experience.

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Rain Clouds & Waterfalls by Piper Templeton Genre: Literary Fiction
A novel told in short stories, follow young protagonist Ellen as she narrates each story of love, loss, longing, friendship, and entrapment. Inspired by the artistry of the Beatles, each story is framed by a Beatles song or Beatles event. Follow Ellen's journey from 1976 to 1990:  Her beloved brother's disappearance from the family, her navigation through high school, her loss of innocence, her challenges in the 1980s workplace, and her growth as a young woman taking charge of her life. Ellen injects insight, wisdom in hindsight, and humor into these slice of life stories.

Goodreads ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK
On sale for $0.99
November 1 - 30

Meet Piper Templeton

Piper Templeton lives in a New Orleans subdivision with her three feathered friends.  A Liberal Arts graduate from the University of New Orleans, Piper earns a living in the Louisiana Judiciary System while pursuing her passion for writing fiction.

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Behind the Curtain by P.C. Zick Series: Behind the Love, #3Genre: Contemporary Romance
When Lisa Williams returns to her hometown of Victory, Florida, with a reality TV show crew, not everyone is happy to see her. Lisa finds herself at odds with everyone in town, even her close friend Tommy.

When Tommy is assigned to cover the show's filming as a reporter for the Tampa Tribune, he finds himself at odds with Lisa who he's beginning to think of as more than a friend. He struggles to remain her friend, hoping she'll realize that her actor boyfriend Jet isn't any good for her. Then maybe he can win her fragile heart.

Pre-Order Behind the Curtain:Goodreads ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK
Get the first two books
Behind the Altar & Behind the Bar
FREE from November 3 - 7
Meet P.C. Zick

P.C. Zick writes contemporary fiction and romances. She describes herself as a storyteller no matter the genre.

All of her novels contain strong female heroines who live by their convictions and love with passion. Her heroes find themselves unable to resist the allure of intelligence wrapped in beautiful packages.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ AmazonHead on over to the
Choosy Bookworm
Holiday Extravaganza
event page to learn more and enter to win one of two $250 Amazon Gift Cards or Paypal Cash!

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The Cypress Trap by JC Gatlin

A good vacation delivers you home alive.This is not a good vacation.
When Rayanne commandeers her husband’s weekend fishing trip, she knows it’ll take work to adjust Owen’s attitude. She has no choice. Since the tragedy, they lost so much. They need to reconnect.Without her knowledge, Owen texts his best buddy, Daryl, to join the getaway. The three of them aren’t alone in the backwoods of Georgia, though.
Owen took something that didn’t belong to him. Something that changed their lives. And now the owner wants it back. By any means -- including a posse led by a killer dog.
At first, Rayanne is clueless about the item and its value. One thing becomes crystal clear: If it’s not returned, they might not make it home alive.

Excerpt:
Rayanne heard the kids’ voices, and she looked again at the old cars in the bottom of the ditch. The first thing that came to mind was rattlesnakes. But she knew she couldn’t think of that right now.She got up and headed for the rusted jeep. The hood was gone and it looked like a corpse left to rot in the sun. She glanced at the other cars. There was a hatchback with no doors. A pickup was off to one side, on blocks. The wheels had been removed and the driver’s side door thrown open and left to hang. There was a yellow Volkswagen Beetle half buried in the dirt.Brown and yellow weeds sprouted up between the wrecks, but the ground was hard and Rayanne knew she had no choice. She raced past the rusting jeep, watching where she stepped.She moved to the shell of a Volkswagen Beetle. It had two doors. She forced the passenger side open and looked into the dank interior. The overhead lining draped down like a misty shroud. Weeds had grown through the undercarriage and overtaken the floorboards. But two front seats and a long backseat remained. It could be a hiding place, she thought, and squeezed herself into the backseat. She cowered as low as she could.She held her breath and prayed there was nothing living inside.She shut her eyes and listened. The teens’ voices grew louder. They sounded like they were coming down into the hollow and she could hear Scut—or was it Roddy—say something about the cars. He sounded excited.Dru was farther away. Rayanne could hear her calling the dog. Perhaps she didn’t want to walk down into the dump. It didn’t matter. Rayanne knew Scut and Roddy already had.Their voices echoed, slipping between the cars. One of them said something about the pile of tires and the other laughed. She could hear them moving about, throwing rocks on metal remains, until they stopped right in front of the Volkswagen.Rayanne stopped breathing.“She’s hide’n here somewhere,” Scut was saying. He threw another rock and it hit the bumper. The sound reverberated through the Volkswagen, and Rayanne shivered.“Naaaah,” Roddy said. It sounded like he was walking away. “I don’t think so. She’s a woman. She ain’t gonna come down here.”“We’re not leav’n till we search every car.” Scut sounded like he was stepping away too. She could hear him throwing rocks at other cars now.Rude Roddy was saying something when one of them screamed. For a second Rayanne thought Dru had made her way down into the dump. She was surprised to learn it was Scut.“There’s a rattler! There’s a rattler!” Scut’s high-pitched wail echoed through the hollow, and she heard what sounded like some kind of skirmish. Perhaps an avalanche of gravel rolled down the slopes of the hollow, like marbles beneath their feet.“I hate snakes! I hate ’em!” Scut’s voice rapidly moved away, and it sounded as far as Dru’s now. The girl asked them what was wrong.They had to have climbed out of the hollow, Rayanne thought. She opened her eyes. She wanted to poke her head up, but didn’t dare.
Purchase LinkAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/JC-Gatlin/e/B00ENPSDU2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Coming from a large family with five brothers, JC Gatlin grew up in Grapevine, Texas, a small town outside of Dallas. In 1999 he moved to Tampa, Florida, where he now resides. JC’s fishing trips help him breathe authenticity into his stories, which feature the rich landscapes of Texas and Florida as backdrops.
He has written a monthly column in New Tampa Style magazine and penned several mystery-suspense stories. His first, The Designated Survivor, was published in 2013. JC invites you to visit his mystery writing blog at jcgatlin.com.
Contact LinksWebsite: http://jcgatlin.com/the-cypress-trap/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJcGatlinBlog: jcgatlin.comGoodReads at: http://www.goodreads.com/JC_GatlinYou Tube (Book Trailer): https://youtu.be/mCKFIdWlZUEShelfari at: http://www.shelfari.com/jcgatlin

Choosy Bookworm Holiday Extravaganza featuring Mimi Barbour - Lorena Angell - Rosie Dean

Welcome to the Choosy Bookworm Holiday Extravaganza ! 
Choosy Bookworm has partnered with eNovel Authors at Work  to bring you a month long celebration with great books, great book deals, and let's not forget the great giveaways! 
Check out today's featured authors and books, then head on over to the event page and enter to win one of two $250 Amazon Gift Cards or Paypal Cash!
Be sure to check out the featured books and the awesome author sponsored giveaway below!


Special Agent Maximilian by Mimi Barbour Series: Undercover FBI, #3
Genre:  Romantic Suspense
Nik Baudin meets his identical twin – one he never knew existed. Taking over his identity, he becomes Special Agent Maximilian and gets embroiled in dangerous conflicts along with Max’s beautiful partner, Maya.

Goodreads ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK

Meet Mimi Barbour

Mimi is an incredibly busy New York Times, USA Today and award-winning, best-selling author who has five series to her credit.

She’s been known to say: “If I can steal a booklover’s attention away from their every-day grind, absorb them into a fantasy love story, and make them care about the ending, then I’ve done my job.”

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A Diamond in My Pocket by Lorena Angell Series: The Unaltered, #1Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Escape into this fantasy world full of paranormal abilities, and a hint of romance. After breaking the 100m world record, sixteen-year-old Calli is whisked away to a secret facility where she's placed with other teens who possess superhuman speed. She soon finds herself in a deadly situation involving other superpowers, a generations-old mystery, and a magical diamond. Calli will have to rely on her quick-wit and gut-instinct to navigate her new world which includes secretly carrying a power-infusing diamond, all the while steering clear of the young man who mistakenly believes she's his soulmate.

Goodreads ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK
On sale for $0.99
November 1 - 30

Meet Lorena Angell

Lorena Angell is the author of the International Bestselling series, The Unaltered. Book one, A Diamond in My Pocket, is a #1 Bestseller in eleven countries and is currently being optioned for film. Lorena enjoys the outdoors, cooking, reading, and of course, writing.

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Vicki's Work of Heart by Rosie Dean Genre:  Romantic Comedy
What if you found yourself stranded at the altar, knee-deep in your absent fiancé’s gambling debts?

Vicki Marchant, art teacher and jilted bride, carries on with the reception because she likes a good party.

She works to pay off his debts then heads to France - to paint. It's her time.  Nobody is going to get in the way of her ambition.

Definitely, no men…

Vicki learns two things: some men are hard to resist and her judgement of them is still on the dodgy side.

Goodreads ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UKOn sale for $0.99November 1 - 30
Meet Rosie Dean

I write romantic fiction with a sense of humour and, sometimes, a sense of the ridiculous. Because we all know life and love aren’t exactly how we’d like them to be.

If you like romantic comedies with heart, then my books may be just what you’re looking for.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ AmazonHead on over to the
Choosy Bookworm
Holiday Extravaganza
event page to learn more and enter to win one of two $250 Amazon Gift Cards or Paypal Cash!

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November 2015 Monthly Giveaway

This month's giveaway is a Dead in a Park Tote Bag.
Entering the giveaway will register you for my quarterly newsletter. You may unsubscribe at any time.
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Sunday Quote

Saturday Teapot

A friend gave me these three teapots for my birthday one year.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Oh my goodness.



From About.com: http://southernfood.about.com/od/pumpkins/r/Pumpkin-Cinnamon-Rolls.htm

Monthly Giveaway - Only 3 days Left!

This month's giveaway is a $10 Barnes and Noble Gift Card. Entering the giveaway will also register you to receive my quarterly newsletter. You may unsubscribe at any time.


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The Insanity of Murder by Felicity Young - Free Copies of Book

To Doctor Dody McCleland, the gruesome job of dealing with the results of an explosion at the Necropolis Railway Station is testing enough. But when her suffragette sister Florence is implicated in the crime, matters worsen and Dody finds her loyalty cruelly divided. Can she choose between love for her sister and her secret love for Chief Inspector Matthew Pike, the investigating officer on the case?
Dody and Pike's investigations lead them to a women's rest home where patients are not encouraged to read or think and where clandestine treatments and operations are conducted in an unethical and inhumane manner. Together Dody and Pike must uncover such foul play before their secret liaisons become public knowledge - and before Florence becomes the rest home's next victim.



ExcerptFlorence sprang up from her dressing-table chair and rushed to her bed, throwing herself face down upon her pillow. Her emotions spilled as if from a burst floodgate, the bones of her back visible through the thin fabric of her chemise, rising and falling with each gasp. ‘All right, I did it, I did it,’ she sobbed. It was all very well to have suspicions, but to hear them confirmed thus changed everything. The shock of the admission felt like a blow to Dody’s chest, a physical pain. As she closed her eyes and prayed for strength, angry thoughts buzzed around her head like disturbed bees in a hive. Steeling herself as best she could, she sat on the edge of the bed. She must not let her anger show. She must remain calm for Florence’s sake, offer her support and then suggest the most honest course of action — that Florence turn herself in and throw herself on the mercy of the courts. Florence spoke first. ‘Every time I close my eyes I see that night watchman’s face. He caught us just after we’d planted the bomb. He tried to put his hand on me and I threw him to the ground. He hit his head.’‘You managed to throw a grown man to the ground?’Florence ignored the incredulity in Dody’s voice. ‘We knew the bomb would blow any minute and dragged him behind the convenience block outside the station. We stayed with him until the authorities arrived, then made our escape before we were seen by anyone.’ She paused to draw a shaking breath. ‘If I could save him by surrendering myself to the authorities, I would.’ She sat up in the bed and took the handkerchief Dody offered. ‘I really would — but it won’t make any difference to him now, will it?’‘No, I suppose it won’t,’ Dody said, chewing her bottom lip. ‘But it would offer his family some form of justice.’Florence appeared not to hear Dody’s last remark, as if still fixated on the scene in her head. It must be a relief to talk the whole ghastly incident through with someone, Dody thought.‘And all those bodies … it was a horrible mistake that should never have happened,’ Florence said.‘Who was your partner? You seem to have been left to face the consequences.’She lifted her chin with some of her usual spirit. ‘I will never reveal my accomplice’s name. ’‘But you will turn yourself in, won’t you?’Florence swallowed. She shook her head.‘But you have to.’‘I received a note from Christabel. On no account am I to admit to this disaster. This incident has apparently been an embarrassment to them.’‘For goodness sake, Florence, you mean they will take no responsibility for this atrocity at all?’‘No,’ she said, with an amazing absence of rancour.Dody wanted to throttle her sister. How could she brush this betrayal off so easily? Her dedication to the cause had made her quite blind to its dark side. Dody jumped up from the bed and began to pace.‘I suppose you’ll tell Pike now,’ Florence said with a sigh. ‘I’ll deny it, of course.’Dody said nothing. Her agitated footsteps bounced the floorboards and made the scent bottles on the dressing table tremble.‘So where does this leave you?’ Florence added, finally.‘Between Scylla and Charybdis,’ Dody muttered under her breath as she continued to pace. And think. 
Available on Amazon
I was born in Germany and educated at an English boarding school while my parents travelled the world with the British army. I think the long boring plane trips home played an important part in helping me to develop my creative imagination.
I settled with my parents in Western Australia in 1976, became a nurse, married young and had three children. Not surprisingly, it took ten years to complete an Arts degree (English lit) at UWA.
In 1990 my family and I moved to a small farm 40 kilometers NE of Perth (Western Australia) where I established a Suffolk sheep stud, reared orphan kangaroos and embarked upon a life of crime writing.
https://www.facebook.com/felicityyoungauthorhttp://www.felicityyoung.com/http://felicityyoungblog.com/

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October 19: Welcome to My World of Dreams
October 20: BooksChatter
October 21: Stormy Nights Reviewing and Bloggin' - review
October 22: Long and Short Reviews
October 23: Jen's Reading Obsession
October 26: FictionZeal
October 27: Rogues Angels
October 29: Archaeolibrarian - I dig good books!
October 29: Room With Books
October 30: LibriAmoriMiei - review