D.E. Haggerty's Blog, page 52
March 7, 2017
Check out the #cozymystery Pekoe Most Poison from Laura Childs #giveaway
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Pekoe Most Poison (A Tea Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
18th in Series
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
(March 7, 2017)
~ Synopsis ~
In the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs, Theodosia Browning attends a “Rat Tea,” where the mice will play…at murder.
When Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is invited by Doreen Briggs, one of Charleston’s most prominent hostesses, to a “Rat Tea,” she is understandably intrigued. As servers dressed in rodent costumes and wearing white gloves offer elegant finger sandwiches and fine teas, Theo learns these parties date back to early twentieth-century Charleston, where the cream of society would sponsor so-called rat teas to promote city rodent control and better public health.
But this party goes from odd to chaotic when a fire starts at one of the tables and Doreen’s entrepreneur husband suddenly goes into convulsions and drops dead. Has his favorite orange pekoe tea been poisoned? Theo smells a rat.
The distraught Doreen soon engages Theo to pursue a discreet inquiry into who might have murdered her husband. As Theo and her tea sommelier review the guest list for suspects, they soon find themselves drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse…
INCLUDES RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS
Grab a copy!
~ Praise for Pekoe Most Poison ~
There’s a lot of great detail in this book and I think the mystery was deeper and more complex than a lot of the other cozies I’ve been reading lately.
~Michelle’s Romantic Tangle
It was lovely being back in Charleston and wonderful to visit with Theo, Haley and Drayton. Good mystery with lots of red herrings…
~MysteriesEtc
~ About The Author ~
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Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.
Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:
The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.
The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!
The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.
Stalk the author:
~ Giveaway ~
Win a print copy of Pekoe Most Poison
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
March 6 – Michelle’s Romantic Tangle – REVIEW
March 6 – Sleuth Cafe – SPOTLIGHT
March 7 – MysteriesEtc – REVIEW
March 7 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST
March 8 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
March 8 – Readsalot – SPOTLIGHT
March 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 9 – Maureen’s Musings – REVIEW
March 9 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW
March 9 – My Journey Back – REVIEW
March 10 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
March 11 – Rainy Day Reviews – REVIEW
March 11 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
March 12 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW
March 12 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
March 13 – Queen of All She Reads – SPOTLIGHT
March 13 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW
March 14 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
March 15 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 15 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW
March 15 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
March 16 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW
March 16 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – INTERVIEW
March 17 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
March 17 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 18 – The Editing Pen – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
March 18 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
March 19 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – REVIEW
March 19 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT
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Read an excerpt (& my review) Of Kept From You #eroticromance from @nashodarose #giveaway @bookenthupromo
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Cover photo: Copyright © 2016 Wander Aguiar Photography (http://www.wanderbookclub.com)
Model: Nick Bennett (https://www.facebook.com/nickbennett6/)
Cover design by Kari Ayasha, Cover to Cover Designs
✰✰BLOG TOUR✰✰
Kept From You (Tear Asunder #4) by Nashoda Rose #ReleaseBlitz
@nashodarose @bookenthupromo
Genre: Erotic Romance
Release Date: March 6, 2017
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
#MeetKillianKane #NashodaRose #KeptFromYou #NewRelease #TearAsunder
#BuyNow
Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon CA ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Smashwords ~ iTunes ~ Audible
#Giveaway:
Enter here ➜ ➜ http://bit.ly/2mgQJGv
Add the book to Goodreads ➜ http://bit.ly/2myUPL1
#Synopsis:
A first kiss that changed everything.
Killian Kane.
He was the most feared guy in high-school.
Guarded. Angry. A fighter.
But when I caught him watching me with his captivating green eyes I saw something more. Something protective and kind.
He warned me to stay away from him.
I did.
Until I didn’t and he kissed me. A knee weakening, body tingling kiss that left me breathless. And scared the hell out of me.
And then…
He warned me never to come near him again or next time he wouldn’t let me go.
That was eleven years ago.
We aren’t teenagers anymore. He has probably forgotten me. He’s a famous rock star now. I’m a dance instructor with a broken dream and desperate for a job.
So, when we cross paths again I don’t expect him to remember me.
He does.
And his warning eleven years ago? I’m about to find out exactly what that meant.
#Excerpt
Excerpt copyright 2017
The thin sweet crunch mixing with the light, airy cream tickled my tongue.
Indulging was rare. Indulging in something like crème brûlée was heaven on a spoon.
But what made it even more like heaven was that Killian watched me with desire blazing in his eyes.
I swallowed, then with the tip of my tongue, I slid it over my lower lip, licking the remnants of cream.
“Fuck,” he growled.
I secretly smiled, heart pumping wildly.
I’d never been sexy or tried to be sexy, but I wanted to be with Killian. He made it easy for me to be brave.
Lights dim, candles flickering, the soft jazz music in the background, skin tingling from the sexy-as-hell man next to me, yeah, I was brave.
I dipped the spoon in again, but Killian’s fingers spanned my wrist, stopping me.
I met his eyes and without a word, but knowing exactly what he wanted by the silent exchange of his steady expression, I released the spoon to him.
His attention went to the dessert where he tapped the light thin sugar shell before breaking through and sinking into the airy lightness.
He lifted the overfilled spoon at the same time as his eyes.
I thought he was going to take a bite himself, but he held the spoon out to me. “Open.”
I nervously laughed, thinking he was kidding; it was a huge mouthful. “It’s too much.”
“I know. Open, Savvy,” he said.
Oh, God, my belly dropped and my sex clenched. I swallowed, licking my lips again.
“No,” he said with a firm voice. “I didn’t ask you to lick your lips. Although that is fuckin’ delectable as hell.” His tone lowered further. “I asked you to open your mouth.”
My eyes widened. Holy. Fuck. That was hot. Demanding and a little scary because him using that voice I’d pretty much do anything he asked.
I opened, and he slid the dessert into my mouth, and since there was so much, it hit the roof, sides, and back of my throat. He didn’t remove the spoon right away and watched as I struggled not to pull away.
When I was just about to say screw it, he said, “My cock will fill your mouth a hell of a lot more than this.”
I nearly choked. And I would’ve if he didn’t slowly remove the spoon, my lips dragging over the cool, smooth surface of the spoon to make certain I took the entire dessert.
His elbow rested on the table, spoon in his hand, eyes on mine as I swallowed little by little until it was gone. The entire time I thought about his cock.
My Review
Kept From You is the fourth book in the Tear Asunder series, but it can be read as a standalone. Although it’s part of the Tear Asunder series, it’s less dark and angsty than some of the other books in the series. I love Nashoda Rose’s books, really I do, but sometimes I can do without the dark, angsty stuff. That’s not to say that Kept From You is all roses and butterflies. It’s not. Not at all. It’s most definitely a suspense story with scary stuff happening, but it’s not the deep dark stuff that makes you wonder what’s happened to humanity in general.
I loved Savvy and Killian. Savvy hasn’t had it easy, but she’s still an absolutely lovely person with a backbone, although her backbone needs a bit of extra reinforcement from time to time. I did think that her backstory was overshadowed by Killian’s horrendous childhood. Granted, his youth was way worse, but Savvy’s wasn’t exactly a bed or roses either. And what’s not to like about Killian? Okay, he’s a man and suffers from that infamous disease known by all readers as she-would-be-better-off-without-me-itis. *Sigh* But this is where you really fall in love with Savvy, because that girl is not giving up. She’s going for what she wants and not taking no for an answer. You go girl!
Kept from You is a great addition to the Tear Asunder series. We get to see the characters from the earlier books as well as the spin-off Unyielding series. Even if you haven’t read any of the earlier books, if you love a good romance with deep characters and suspense, pick this one up. You won’t be disappointed.
#MeettheAuthor
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Nashoda Rose is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Toronto with her assortment of pets. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave.
When she isn’t writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dogs at her side while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers and chatting about her addiction—books.
Stalk the Author
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Newsletter ~ Instagram ~ Google+ ~ Pinterest
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March 6, 2017
Meet the Kane Brothers ~ Grab a copy of Token from @kelgendron today! #ContempRomance #giveaway
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✰✰PRE-ORDER BLITZ✰✰
Book Title: Token (Daring The Kane Brothers)
Author: Kelly Gendron @kelgendron
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 21, 2017
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions @bookenthupromo
#Token #KaneBrothers #ContempRomance #KelllyGendron
#BuyNow
Amazon: ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ Nook ~ iTunes
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The DeClan Brother Box Set:
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#Giveaway:
Enter here ➜ ➜ http://bit.ly/2mjXZSC
Add the book to Goodreads ➜ http://bit.ly/2jPg71m
#Synopsis:
DARE YOU TO SAVE ME…
Retired boxer, TOKEN KANE is comfortable on a motorcycle but little does this Irish rogue know the next Harley he picks up will give him the ride of his life.
One week out of the year, HARLEY REDBOURNE puts away her good-girl and completely let’s go. It’s around the same time that her dark past resurfaces. But this year is different, when it’s time to put her past away, the darkness wants to stay.
For the past ten years, Harley Redbourne hasn’t had anyone waiting for her in the corner of the ring. She’s had to go at this fight all on her own. She needs a cornerman, a trainer, a friend and as much as I don’t want to toss in the towel, I know that I could be that for her ~ TOKEN KANE
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#MeettheAuthor
Kelly Gendron is the author of the TroubleMaker series, Breaking the Declan Brothers and a few other romantic suspense novels. When she’s not writing steamy, blush producing romances, she’s out meeting new people while representing a group of reputable nursing facilities. You can find Kelly in a quiet suburb, somewhere between Buffalo and Niagara Falls. If you Google her, she’ll pop up there too. And, please do find her, Kelly loves to hear from her readers, and meeting new people.
Stalk the Author
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Newsletter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest
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How I found my blogging voice & why it’s important #Blogging #MondayBlogs #Amwriting
[image error]I’ve made mistakes with my blogging. Oh lordy, have I made mistakes. But that’s life, right? You need to make mistakes to grow, become a better person, and all that other self-improvement junk stuff. The problem with blogging is that you make your mistakes in a public forum – a public forum that is always awake and never disappears. Never ever. Lucky for me, one of my first blogging mistakes was to not use one of the various well-recognized and well-developed blogging platforms so my early blogging mistakes are now gone. Poof! Where did they go? I like to think of those early mishaps are in an Internet graveyard somewhere resting peacefully knowing that they have served me well as learning tools.
[image error]So, what’s this huge mistake I’m alluding to? Not finding a blogging voice/writing style to match the purpose of my blog. I wrote my initial blogs as if I were writing a legal treatise. As many of you know, I’m a recovering lawyer and sometimes that legal mumbo jumbo just seems to come flying out of my fingers without conscious thought. Now, don’t get me wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with writing blogs like legal treatises if – and it’s a big if – your blog is meant to promote your legal business. It may even be okay if you write legal thrillers, but that’s pushing it.
But promoting my legal services was not – and is still not – the purpose of my blog. I started a blog to develop an author platform – whatever that is – and promote my writing in the vague hope of selling more books. My books avoid legal topics like the plague and, therefore, there’s no reason for my blog to sound like I’m still an uptight lawyer (because being a lawyer totally made me uptight).
[image error]I needed to find my blogging voice. How did I do that? First off, I looked at the purpose of my blog – promotion of myself as an author. What kind of blogging voice/writing style would promote my books – without actually shouting buy my books! over and over? The vast majority of my books are humorous. Why not try to write funny blog posts? If a potential reader stumbles upon my blog and likes my snarky humor, maybe their appetite will be whet and they’ll actually buy one of my books. Sounds like a plan to me.
Naturally, blogging is different than writing a novel and there’s no law that says you need to use the same writing style for both. But be careful. I’m a voracious reader and blog follower. It happens on a regular basis that I try a book from a blogger whose blogs are witty and fun to read, but I don’t end up buying her book because it’s serious as a heart attack. There’s nothing wrong with serious – even if I sometimes avoid it like the plague. But if you’re using your blog as a marketing tool to reach potential readers, a disconnect between writing styles may not be the way to go.
What does everyone else think? Should a writer maintain the same writing style on different forums? Or am I full of it? Comments welcome.
March 5, 2017
Promo Blitz! The Thief’s Countess by @ceceliamecca #historicalromance #giveaway
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Title: The Thief’s Countess
Author: Cecelia Mecca
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: 3/1/17
~ Synopsis ~
The Reiver
Sir Geoffrey has dedicated his life to exacting revenge on the men who killed his parents and stole his birthright. The son of a baron, he has been reduced to stealing the resources he needs to reclaim his family legacy. Just when he’s on the verge of success, his uncle asks him to put his plans on hold to help protect a wealthy countess. It’s a distraction Geoffrey resents, even more so when he meets Lady Sara. The gorgeous, complicated and alluring lady is everything he’d want in a woman—and everything he can’t have.
The Countess
With her betrothed coming to claim her hand in marriage and a distant cousin intent on usurping her earldom, Lady Sara Caiser feels beset by controlling, unwanted men. As if that weren’t enough, her father’s deathbed request was for two lawless border reivers to serve as her protectors. Despite her misgivings, an undeniable attraction pulls her into Sir Geoffrey’s arms. The man she thought nothing more than a thief is more dangerous than she believed, for he’s noble, caring and sinfully attractive. As the threats against her continue to mount, Sara must decide what’s more important—her duty or her heart.
Grab a copy!
~ About the Author ~
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A former English teacher, Cecelia combines two of her passions, romance novels and the middle ages, in debut novel The Thief’s Countess. Combining alpha male types and strong female heroines, Cecelia transports readers to an admittedly romanticized time of knights and castles.
After reading Johanna Lindsey and Judith McNaught, she started a manuscript twenty years ago when medieval romance was at its height of mainstream popularity. Picking it back up in 2015 when vampires and highlanders reigned supreme, Cecelia stuck to the genre she loved and brought medieval England back to life.
She lives in Northeast, Pennsylvania with her husband and two young children where she can be found either planning a Disney trip, watching period dramas or convincing her children to watch Star Wars. She is firmly House Stark and Gryffindor.
Stalk the author
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Blog
~ Giveaway ~
Enter here to win a digital copy of The Thief’s Countess!
March 2, 2017
Read an excerpt of A Shot in the Dark, #romanticsuspense from @jg_sumner #giveaway
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Title: A Shot in the Dark
Author: JG Sumner
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published: February 1, 2017
~ Synopsis ~
A motorcycle crash forces Skyler Smith into Laney Pearson’s hospital, barely clinging to life…
As a trauma nurse, Laney works with surgeon Josh Stone to bring Skyler back from the brink of death and toward recovery. But what initially looks like nothing more than a freak accident may turn out to be much more dangerous—and maybe even deadly.
In the years they’ve worked together, Laney has never given Josh the time of day…
She thinks he’s nothing more than a pompous doctor looking for another notch to add to his belt. But caring for Skyler brings the pair closer, and Laney lets down her guard, allowing them the chance to find happiness together in the midst of so much destruction. But someone doesn’t want them to be happy. Someone wants Laney gone.
Threats might derail their love before it really starts…
As the couple tries to build their budding relationship, Laney begins to receive menacing messages. And when she and Josh learn that Skyler’s accident is anything but unintentional, they fight to balance finding the would-be killer with keeping keep Laney safe from her stalker. But each wild turn takes them further away from the truth…and each other.
Can Laney and Josh discover who is behind the violent acts, or is each guess they make nothing more than a shot in the dark?
Some accidents aren’t accidental…
Grab a copy!
~ Excerpt ~
Josh had been a gentleman. At times, he seemed to be overprotective. In a way, she liked it. She loved knowing she didn’t have to look over her shoulder all the time and even began to let down her guard.
She dozed at one point and woke up to strong hands kneading her back. Until then, she hadn’t realized how her muscles had grown stiff from the boarding. She lifted her head. It took a moment for her to reorient herself.
“Good morning, Sunshine.”
She rolled over. She couldn’t help but admire his physical beauty. His body was a work of art; his chest and arms were perfectly chiseled and tan, and he had a six pack to die for. This man has no flaws.Trying not to be too obvious about her gawking, she was finally able to talk.
“What time is it?”
Josh checked his watch. “It’s about 5:30.”
“Wow! I slept like two hours.”
“I know. I enjoyed watching you sleep.”
“Oh geez, I must be the worst date ever.”
“No, I actually fell asleep for a bit too. Then I took a dip in the ocean to clear my mind. It was good.”
“Well, I’m glad.” Laney stretched and stared out at the ocean.
“What do you say we go rinse off in the showers again and get some dinner? There’s this great restaurant I want to take you to.”
“What kind of restaurant is it?”
“I thought we agreed that I was the only one who was in the need to know and you were to be surprised. To answer your question, they serve everything but specialize in seafood. You can wear a cover-up and be fine. However, that little sundress you were wearing earlier will be perfect.”
“You’re a pain.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Yes, I am.”
“So you liked the sundress?”
“I don’t think I said that. I believe I said it would be perfect for this restaurant. But yes, it is very flattering.”
“You think I’m pretty.” She took a line out of the movie Miss Congeniality, “You think I’m pretty, and you want to kiss me.”
She wasn’t expecting the words would have the same effect as in the movie, but before she knew it, he pushed her back onto the towel and gave her the deepest, most passionate kiss she had ever experienced.
This kiss was something out of the movies. If she had been standing, she would’ve probably melted into his arms.
The kiss seemed to last forever, and yet it was over too soon. His stare was hypnotic. It took her a moment to catch her breath but she couldn’t stop looking into his eyes. They were so beautiful she wanted to get lost in them forever.
He broke the silence. “Yes, I do.”
“Yes you do what?” She sat back up.
“Yes, I do want to kiss you.” He smiled crookedly.
“I’d say so. I certainly didn’t see that coming.”
“Well, there’s something about the element of surprise. Sometimes it can knock you off your feet.”
“That you did.” She touched her hand to her lips to try to hold onto the tingling she had felt.
“Don’t worry. It won’t be the last one.”
“Oh, really?” She smiled at him.
“Yes. There’ll be plenty more to come.”
“What if I’ve decided I’m not that into you?”
“Based on the way you just responded to me, I’d say there isn’t a chance in hell that’s the case.” He got up to his feet and helped her up.
“Is that so? You seem pretty sure of yourself.” She brushed the sand off her arms and legs and put on her flip-flops. She grabbed her towel and began shaking the sand off as Josh shook the sand off his.
“It’s hard not to be when you look like this.” He gestured up and down his body.
“Hot and modest. How did I get so lucky to snag a date with you? You must have your choice of swooning women.”
“You forgot to mention I’m a good kisser.”
She laughed and tried to frown. “Okay, now you’re just being a jerk.” She tucked the towel into her bag.
But he couldn’t be as sure of himself as he claimed, because then he said, “Hey, you know I’m just kidding, right?”
“Well, you are a good kisser, but, don’t let it go to your head.” Laughing, they headed up the beach to the showers. Once they rinsed off, they walked to the car and grabbed some clothes to throw on over their bathing suits. Josh took Laney’s hand and held it as they walked.
~ About the Author ~
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JG Sumner is a Registered Nurse who went rogue. As good as she was at starting IV’s, she enjoys writing the down the stories in her head even more. Most of the time the characters won’t stop pestering her until she has them down on paper.
JG can often be found with a glass of red wine or prosecco in front of her computer. When she’s not creating, she enjoys the outdoors hiking, bike riding, snowboarding, and camping.
JG has a very dry sense of humor, and should never be taken too seriously. She loves to hear from her fans, and even those who aren’t and would love to hear your opinion on her books.
JG writes romantic suspense/thrillers including: A Shot in the Dark, Into the Light, The Surrender Trilogy including Surrender, Shattered, and Saved which will be available through Limitless Publishing soon.
Stalk the author!
GIVEAWAY
$50.00 Amazon gift card
To rant or not to rant: The eternal question of the blogger #Blogging #Amwriting
Yesterday I was having coffee and carrot cake (yes, I was a bad girl and went off my diet) with a friend. I complained about a blog I had read that was just this long rant with no substance (and wasn’t funny to boot). Her response? But isn’t that one of the main forms of blogging – the long rant? Now, this friend doesn’t blog, but she is incredibly well-informed, intelligent, and reads blogs of others. Which means that I – unfortunately – have to take her comment seriously.
[image error]First of all, let me say that I don’t think there’s anything wrong with ranting per se. I love a good rant as much as the next person. And sometimes you need to blow off steam with a loud, uncontrolled outburst. But – keeping in mind that blog posts are on a public forum that never dies – is it a good idea to write a blog post that is a full-on raging rant? It depends. (Sorry, I am a recovering lawyer and can’t help but use that response sometimes even though it makes me cringe. Seriously, I’m sitting in my office chair cringing right now.)
[image error]But – and here’s where it gets tricky – you can’t just rant. Not only is that a bit juvenile, but it effects how your readers view you. If you don’t care how others view you, good for you. I’m more than a bit jealous of that as I have to care how others view me. I’m not only a blogger but a novelist and – no matter how much I pretend otherwise – I want to sell my novels. Even if you aren’t a writer, if you are using your blog as a platform to market any product or service, you need to be aware of how your blog posts make you look to potential clients.
So how can you rant in a blog post without it turning into full on rant that may or may not turn away blog followers and therefore potential readers and/or clients? Substance and/or humor. If you’re upset about something – for instance, the inability of writers to know the difference between past or passed – you can complain (=rant) about how uneducated indie writers are. Or you can explain the difference in a simple, though not entirely rant-free manner, like I did here.
Another way to add substance is to analyze the problem instead of just ranting poor me, life is so unfair. For example, my blog post Why not me? started as more than a bit of a rant about how unfair it is that some writers are more successful even though their books are not properly edited and their stories unoriginal. Instead of crying about how unfair life is (although I do spend a fair amount of time doing that with a glass of wine), I looked at the reasons why some books are more popular than others and how some writers gain marketing success. I won’t lie, the blog was still a rant, but it turned into something more. In fact, a few writers wrote to thank me for the post.
If you don’t want to sound like an uppity bitch who knows better than everyone else, you can add humor to your rant as well as substance. I like to think I always add humor to my blog posts. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to be funny all the time. I do try, though.
In conclusion, the answer to this eternal question – to rant or not to rant – is yes! Go forth and rant. But don’t forget to add substance and/or humor. (Please feel free to rant about my blog post about ranting in the comments.)
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Book Blast! Beauty’s Thief, a #fantasy novel from @KonstanzS #giveaway
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Title: Beauty’s Thief
Author: Konstanz Silverbow
Genre: Fantasy
~ Synopsis ~
Not every monster has claws—not every beauty is kind.
Born a princess, raised to be queen, but living as a servant, Avalyn never realized she would pay the price for her father’s mistakes. Now Avalyn is living in a castle not her own, a slave to an evil witch who wants revenge on the man who betrayed her trust and ruined her.
For Avalyn, her real punishment has yet to begin.
She will be cursed to work for the witch for the next one hundred years unless true love can find its way into the castle and into her heart. Now the princess’s freedom rests in the hands of a lowly thief who cares only for himself.
Grab a copy!
~ About the Author ~
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Konstanz Silverbow has always been a dreamer . . . but not a writer. Being an author was something she was dragged into. But since that day, she hasn’t stopped. It has become more than a hobby, it is a passion.
During the day Konstanz works, making jewelry, playing the violin, collecting dragons, and learning all she can about medieval weapons. But at night she creates made up worlds and places where those dragons come to life and the weapons are used in battle.”
Proud Creator of magical worlds, fictional creatures, ideal super heroes and sarcasm since 2007!
Stalk the author!
~ Giveaway ~
[image error]$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 3/19/17
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
March 1, 2017
Read an excerpt of A Ghostly Mortality by @tonyakappes11 #paranormal #cozymystery
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Title: A Ghostly Mortality: A Ghostly Southern Mystery
6th in Series
Author: Tonya Kappes
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Published: February 28, 2017
~ Synopsis ~
That ghost sure looks . . . familiar
Only a handful of people know that Emma Lee Raines, proprietor of a small-town Kentucky funeral home, is a “Betweener.” She helps ghosts stuck between here and the ever-after—murdered ghosts. Once Emma Lee gets them justice they can cross over to the great beyond.
But Emma Lee’s own sister refuses to believe in her special ability. In fact, the Raines sisters have barely gotten along since Charlotte Rae left the family business for the competition. After a doozy of an argument, Emma Lee is relieved to see Charlotte Rae back home to make nice. Until she realizes her usually snorting, sarcastic, family-ditching sister is a . . . ghost.
Charlotte Rae has no earthly idea who murdered her or why. With her heart in tatters, Emma Lee relies more than ever on her sexy beau, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross…because this time, catching a killer means the Raines sisters will have to make peace with each other first.
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~ Excerpt ~
“Lawdy bee.” Granny scooted to the edge of the chair and lifted her arms in the air like she was worshiping in the Sunday morning service at Sleepy Hollow Baptist and the spirit just got put in her.
I sucked in a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever was going to come out of Zula Fae Raines Payne’s mouth, my granny. She was a ball of southern spitfire in her five-foot-four-inch frame topped off with bright red hair that I wasn’t sure was real or out of a L’Oréal bottle she’d gotten down at the Buy and Fly.
“Please, please, please,” she begged. “Let me die before anything happens to Emma Lee.” Her body slid down the fancy, high-back mahogany leather chair as she fell to her knees with her hands clasped together, bringing them back up in the air as she pleaded to the Big Guy in the sky. “I’m begging you.”
“Are you nuts?” My voice faded to a hushed stillness. I glanced back at the closed door of my sister’s new office, in fear she was going to walk in and see Granny acting up.
I sat in the other fancy, high-back mahogany leather chair next to Granny’s and grabbed her by the loose skin of her underarm. “Get back up on this chair before Charlotte Rae gets back in here and sees you acting like a fool.”
“What?” Granny quirked her eyebrows questioningly as if her behavior was normal.
My head dropped along with my jaw in the “are you kidding me” look.
“Well, I ain’t lying!” She spat, “I do hope and pray you are the granddaughter that will be doing my funeral, unless you get a flare up of the ‘Funeral Trauma.’” She sucked in a deep breath and got up off her knees. She ran her bony fingers down the front of her cream sweater to smooth out any wrinkles so she’d be presentable like a good southern woman, forgetting she was just on her knees begging for mercy.
“Flare up?” I sighed with exasperation. “It’s not like arthritis.”
The “Funeral Trauma.”
It was true. I was diagnosed with the “Funeral Trauma” after a decorative plastic Santa fell off the roof of Artie’s Meat and Deli, knocking me flat out cold and now I could see dead people.
I had told Doc Clyde I was having some sort of hallucinations and seeing dead people, but he insisted I had been in the funeral business a little too long and seeing corpses all of my life had brought on the trauma.
Truthfully, the Santa had given me a gift. Not a gift you’d expect Santa to give you, but it was the gift of seeing clients of Eternal Slumber, my family’s funeral home business where I was the undertaker. Some family business.
Anyway, a psychic told me I was now a Betweener. I helped people who were stuck between here and the ever after. The Great Beyond. The Big Guy in the sky. One catch . . . the dead people I saw were murdered and they needed me to help them solve their murder before they could cross over.
~ About the Author ~
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For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans. Be sure to check out Tonya’s website for upcoming events and news and to sign up for her newsletter! Tonyakappes.com
Also by Tonya Kappes
Kenni Lowry Mystery Series
Olivia Davis Paranormal Mystery Series
SPLITSVILLE.COM ~ COLOR ME LOVE (novella) ~ COLOR ME A CRIME
Magical Cures Mystery Series
A CHARMING CRIME ~ A CHARMING CURE ~ A CHARMING POTION (novella) ~ A CHARMING WISH ~ A CHARMING SPELL ~ A CHARMING MAGIC ~ A CHARMING SECRET ~ A CHARMING CHRISTMAS (novella) ~ A CHARMING FATALITY ~ A CHARMING DEATH ~ A CHARMING GHOST ~ A CHARMING VOODOO
Grandberry Falls Series
THE LADYBUG JINX ~ HAPPY NEW LIFE ~ A SUPERSTITIOUS CHRISTMAS (novella) ~ NEVER TELL YOUR DREAMS
A Laurel London Mystery Series
CHECKERED CRIME ~ CHECKERED PAST ~ CHECKERED THIEF
A Divorced Diva Beading Mystery Series
A BREAD OF DOUBT SHORT STORY ~ STRUNG OUT TO DIE ~ CRIMPED TO DEATH
Bluegrass Romance Series
GROOMING MR. RIGHT ~ TAMING MR. RIGHT
Women’s Fiction
Young Adult
A Ghostly Southern Mystery Series
A GHOSTLY UNDERTAKING ~ A GHOSTLY GRAVE ~ A GHOSTLY DEMISE ~ A GHOSTLY MURDER ~ A GHOSTLY REUNION ~ A GHOSTLY MORTALITY
Enjoy a free ebook from Tonya when you sign up for her newsletter by clicking here.
Stalk the author!
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Tour Participants
February 27 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, EXCERPT
February 27 – Books, Dreams, Life – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
February 28 – Queen of All She Reads – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
February 28 – Book Babble – REVIEW
March 1 – Readsalot – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
March 2 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
March 3 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW, EXCERPT
March 3 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
March 4 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 5 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
March 6 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
March 6 – deal sharing aunt – INTERVIEW
March 7 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 8 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW
March 9 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
March 10 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
March 11 – T’s Stuff – REVIEW, EXCERPT
March 12 – Curling Up by the Fire – REVIEW
How being a writer has turned me into a stalker #WriterWednesday #Amwriting
Yes, it’s true. I’m a stalker. Before you call the police on me, please realize that I have no nefarious intentions. It started innocently enough (and isn’t that what they all say?). Whenever I had the good fortune that someone liked a blog post during one of my blog tours, I’d check them out. Do they have a website? Twitter? Goodreads? Facebook? Oh wait! Is this a book blogger? Do they accept book review requests? Yeah, I’d wind myself up pretty good.
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But stalking is good. Stalking increases my contacts within the online community of readers and writers, which means more Twitter followers, Facebook followers, blog followers (you get the point), which will – hopefully! – turn into more books sales. So, this is me advocating stalking. Here’s how I do it:
Likes on blog posts. You see those little avatars at the bottom of a blog post next to likes? Right click that bad boy and hit open in new tab. If the person has properly configured their gravatar, you’ll see information about who they are and – bonus! – their website. (FYI: If you haven’t properly configured your gravatar, stop what you’re doing and do it. NOW! Seriously. Right. Now.) This is where the work starts. Head over to the website. Is this a writer, reader? Jackpot! Follow that blog. Do it! Hit the button and follow. But your work is not done. What about other social media? Follow. Follow. Follow.
You’re a writer and this is a book blogger? Bonus! Find the blogger’s review policy and – this is really important – read it. And then – even more important – follow it. I’m not joking. I delete any and all review requests that don’t follow my review policy. Totally fair since I actually have written in my review policy that I will delete requests that don’t adhere to my policy.
If the person’s gravatar is not properly configured, you might only get a name. My experience is that this is often a blog name. Google that name. Now go back and follow the above instructions.
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Twitter followers. I take this stalking business seriously. I not only stalk likes on blog posts that mention my books, I also stalk Twitter followers. It’s not really stalking if they followed me first, right? Anyway, don’t be fooled by a person’s Twitter handle (look at me – knowing the lingo and everything). Sometimes book bloggers tweet about a variety of things that interest them and not only books. Shocking, I know. Because I obviously have an obsessive personality, I check out the websites of all my followers. Is this someone who may possibly – even if it’s only because they’re stuck on a deserted island with nothing to do – read one of my books? Yes? Then, proceed to follow stalking protocol as outlined above.
Blog followers. This is an easy one. If someone follows my blog, I follow theirs. End of.
[image error]Facebook followers. Facebook is a bit trickier. I’m adamant about keeping my private Facebook profile and my author page separate, although I have been known to brag to my friends about great things that happen to me in the writing world. Not that that happens often or anything. Well, really, ever which is why I have to make shit up. But that’s neither here nor there. Most of the followers of my author page on Facebook are private persons. And this is where I draw the line. And you thought I didn’t have any morals at all? Wrong! I do. Loosey-goosey morals are still morals.
That’s all folks. If you still feel the need to call the police, go ahead. I dare you. Hold on. The doorbell’s ringing …
