D.E. Haggerty's Blog, page 82
April 3, 2016
Review of The Asset by @anna_del_mar #RomanticSuspense
Title: The Asset
Author: Anna Del Mar
Published: February 22, 2016
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
~ Synopsis ~
Anna del Mar’s explosive, sexy debut novel in the Wounded Warrior series, perfect for fans of Lisa Marie Rice and Lora Leigh—the story of a woman desperate to escape her dangerous past and the navy SEAL who would lay down his life to save her
Ash Hunter knows what it is to run. A SEAL gravely injured in Afghanistan, he’s gone AWOL from the military hospital. Physically and mentally scarred, he returns home to his grandmother’s isolated cottage—and finds a beautiful, haunted stranger inside.
Like recognizes like.
Lia Stewart’s in hiding from the cartel she barely escaped alive, holed up in this small Rocky Mountain town. Surviving, but only just. Helping the wounded warrior on her doorstep is the right thing to do…it’s loving him that might get them both killed.
Soon, Ash realizes he’s not the only one tormented by the past. Pushing the limits of his broken body, testing the boundaries of her shattered soul, he’ll protect Lia until his last breath.
Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo
~ My Review~
I ended up liking this book more than I originally expected. At the start there was way too much military speak and I was worried the entire novel was going to fall into the abyss of clichés. As a former soldier, I’m critical of military heroes especially when they talk as if everything in their life is just one big military operation. I couldn’t help falling in love with Ash, though. His character was very believable and who doesn’t want a man who will do anything and everything to save his woman?
I was less impressed with Lia. I can’t help but wonder if this book would have been better if not written in first person (and I love first person). Everyone says Lia is beautiful and smart, but I didn’t see those characteristics in her. She was surprisingly forgiving of Ash when he kept secrets from her. I’m not sure I would have been that understanding.
Although there were certain aspects of the novel, which were unbelievable, I’m willing to forgive the author as I enjoyed reading the story. There was plenty of action and a back story that kept me interested. Some of the sex scenes were a bit odd and uncomfortable to read, but there was definitely chemistry to the couple.
I love forward to the next novels in this series.
~ About the Author ~
Anna del Mar writes hot, smart romances that soothe the soul, challenge the mind, and satisfy the heart. Her stories focus on strong heroines struggling to find their place in the world and the brave, sexy, kickass, military heroes who defy the limits of their broken bodies to protect the women they love. She is the author of The Asset (Carina Press), the first novel of her Wounded Warrior series and three other novels scheduled for release during 2016.
A Georgetown University graduate, Anna enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, and the sea. Writing is her addiction, her drug of choice, and what she wants to do all the time. The extraordinary men and women she met during her years as a Navy wife inspire the fabulous heroes and heroines at the center of her stories. When she stays put—which doesn’t happen very often—she lives in Florida with her indulgent husband and two very opinionated cats.
Goodreads Author Page ~ Twitter ~ Facebook
April 1, 2016
Going for a walk in Istanbul #expatlife
Sometimes something as simple as going for a walk can illustrate differences in cultures. I first learned this when I went to St. Louis with my then boyfriend who was German-Croatian (at the time it was just plain ‘ol Yugoslavia). He had some family who had relocated to the city and they complained that no one walked in St. Louis – there weren’t even any sidewalks in the suburbs. As I recover from a bout of bronchitis, I’ve been doing some walking instead of hitting up the gym. Just a half-hour walk highlights differences between Istanbul and other cities I’ve lived in.
Concrete jungle. Cities are naturally made up of building after building. The cities I’ve lived in and visited in the past, however, are interspersed with parks as well as having tree-lined sidewalks. Besides a park which follows the Sea of Marmara from Bostanci to Pendik on the Asian side of the city, there doesn’t seem to be much planning for parks in the residential areas of the city and the only tree-lined street I’m aware of is the shopping street (Bağdat Caddesi) where people come out by the dozens on Sunday afternoons to be seen. We actually live in a gated community not for safety purposes but for the dog. While there isn’t a whole lot of grass for the dog to sniff to his heart’s content, there’s a heck of a lot more than in other areas.
All alone. People are always bustling around in Istanbul – going for one location to another. But they are usually in a car (traffic is obnoxious) or a bus or a Dolmus (a sort of shared taxi/bus). No one seems to walk for pleasure in the city. When I take a walk outside of our apartment complex, I’m the only person walking around unless I’m near a bus stop or the entrance to an apartment complex. People actually drive less than a kilometer to get to a grocery store! And don’t get me started about the residents of my apartment complex who drive to the gym in the complex! I guess my unusual activity of going for a walk explains the amount of stares from the construction workers. (I’m assuming that staring is not considered rude here considering the vast number of men who stare at me wherever I go.)
Trash. All big cities are dirty. Yes, Americans, even your big cities have trash laying around. That’s what happens when you have a few million people living together in close proximity. It’s not surprising then that there are plastic bags swaying in the breeze and soda cans rolling around the streets of Istanbul. What is surprising is that these items are thrown away inside our gated community. A gated community which has a garbage can every few meters (I know; I pick up after my dog). There is in fact so much food thrown onto the ground in the complex that walking the dog is in an exercise in futility. Don’t eat that! No, not that either!
I don’t mention these differences to lash out at Turkey or the city of Istanbul, I’m merely sharing some of the differences between the city I live in now and the cities in which I’ve previously lived. Different doesn’t necessarily mean bad. Sometimes different is just, well, different. What unusual attributes have you noticed where you’re living?
March 30, 2016
Book Blast ~ The Philistine Gamble by Denis O’Rourke
Inside the Book:
Title: The Philistine Gamble
Author: Denis O’Rourke
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Genre: Hard Boiled
Format: Ebook/Paperback
With The Philistine Gamble, O’Rourke adds mystery and a noir style to his mantra of Murder, Menace and Merriment. “Compost happens.” Discount private eye Nick Gamble says that a lot, usually when he opens the mail, but today it’s worse. Our flawed and philandering PI finds his friend and mentor, Bishop Francis Xavier Augustini, dead in the church office. It doesn’t help when one of LAPD’s not-so-finest Lieutenant Hardcastle catches Nick at the murder scene and takes him in for questioning. When Hardcastle asks for the thousandth time why Gamble killed his friend, Nick finally confesses. “It was Amway. The Bishop said I had to hold meetings, invite my friends. I only wanted to sell the soap. We argued.” Nick wants to know who really killed his friend, but the Russian Mafia, the Vatican Police, too many bad cops, and a three thousand-year-old, muscle-bound geezer keep getting in the way. They’re all after the same thing—an ancient manuscript worth millions. Nick’s going to need a lot of help, and he gets it. There’s Leo the massive mailman, a mini fridge with a bum leg and a trick door, a secret underwear gun, and Vera Foxxe, Nick’s able assistant and long-time bride to be—the sexiest woman on earth. If you don’t believe it, ask the Dalai Lama. This double feature will keep you guessing—and laughing—until the last page. Twice. Sorry, you’ll have to bring your own popcorn. Includes a preview of Toxicity. Attorney Riley Scofield returns in Denis O’Rourke’s exciting prequel to Proposition. Read inside: Acclaim for Denis O’Rourke’s stories.
ORDER INFORMATION
The Philistine Gamble is available for order at
Meet the Author:
Denis O’Rourke lives in Arizona with his fabulous wife, Kitty O’Rourke. Before he became psychotic and began plotting bizarre ways to kill people and feel good about it, the author was an aeronautical engineer, a perpetual student, a certifiable public accountant, controller of a couple of Fortune 500 companies, and a congenital troublemaker. Most recently, he’s been a financial consultant, telling unsuspecting clients what they already know and charging them double. If you read his stories and can’t decide whether to cringe, cheer, cry, or chuckle, then he’s done his job, and he’d love to hear from you at http://www.denisorourke.com.
Giveaway
Denis is giving away a $25 Gift Card!
Terms & Conditions:
By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Gift Certificate to the e-retailer of your choice
This giveaway begins March 28 and ends on April 8.
Winners will be contacted via email on April 9.
Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!
ENTER TO WIN!
Tour Schedule
March 28
Harmonious Publicity
Write and Take Flight
March 29
Author C.A. Milson
Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews
March 30
Ali the Dragonslayer
Books, Books the Magical Fruit
March 31
Readsalot
Books Can Be Deadly
April 1
Mary’s Cup of Tea
I’m Shelf-ish
April 4
A Title Wave
The Literary Nook
April 5
Bent Over Bookwords
The Review From Here
April 6
The Hype and the Hoopla
Voodoo Princess
April 7
Cover2Cover
Deal Sharing Aunt
April 8
Tea Time and Books
From Paperback to Leatherbound
March 29, 2016
Interview with Ellen Mansoor Collier, author of Vamps, Villians & Vaudeville
I’m excited to welcome Ellen Mansoor Collier, author of Vamps, Villians & Vaudeville, to the Readsalot blog today. She’s talking about her latest novel as well as her fascination with the Jazz Age.
Have you always been interested in the Jazz Age? What is it about the Jazz Age that attracts you?
I first became fascinated when I saw the original Great Gatsby movie with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow—the Deco designs, the fashions, the lifestyle, the dances, the slang, the jazz! To me, that era represents the first time women became liberated and were finally free of their corsets and Victorian constraints. The new version with Leo was also incredible—such a sad story, yet what a great setting!
Sure, in reality Prohibition was a dangerous and decadent time, but so glamorous in retrospect.
Who would you pick to play the characters of Jazz, James, and Sammy in a Hollywood adaptation of Vamps, Villains & Vaudeville?
What a fun question! For Jazz, perhaps a Terri Hatcher (Lois Lane)-Myrna Loy type? The photo on my FLAPPERS cover looks exactly like Jazz in my mind—the pale eyes and skin, the dark wavy hair.
To me, a younger Jon Hamm makes a perfect Sammy (plus I’d love to meet him!)—that world-weary bad boy he played in Mad Men. Matt Bomer would be a great Derek, her ex-beau, who acts in the troupe. James can be a Ryan Gosling/Ryan Reynolds combo—tall, blond, cocky and handsome.
Describe Vamps, Villains & Vaudeville in 140 characters (also known as a tweet).
Sassy society reporter Jazz Cross faces gangsters, jewel thieves and an ex-beau in 1920s Galveston.
Is that too long? Nope – you even have characters left over 
Would your characters in Vamps, Villains & Vaudeville want to hang with you?
Sure, we’d have a lot of fun listening to jazz and dancing the Charleston and foxtrot, not that I know how, but I’d try my best. I love to dance, though I’m not a big drinker. I’m a lightweight—I limit my drinks to a margarita or two a month, or more if they’re flavored. None of that bathtub gin or hooch for me—too risky!
Jazz is a fairly unusual girl’s name whereas Sammy and James are a bit ordinary. How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
I love the name Jasmine since it sounds rather exotic and also universal. Her nickname Jazz for short is perfect for the era. Sammy and James just came to naturally, though I may have picked a different name since I write a lot about real-life gangsters Sam and Rose Maceo.
Yes, I like a combination of both—the names have to roll off the tongue and also fit the character. I picked Amanda for her best friend/roommate since it conjures up images of a blonde beauty—and later I met a pretty woman and writer named Amanda who fit that profile exactly!
What’s the most amusing thing that happened to you while writing or researching Vamps, Villains & Vaudeville?
Amusing? I wish! I did enjoy watching movies and shows about the vaudeville stage, especially the recent Houdini show on TV. VAMPS was a bit challenging because I wanted to introduce her ex-boyfriend and have some closure, but I didn’t want it to sound too much like a love triangle in a romance novel. Some of my readers only want a hint of romance, while others don’t think I include enough. I have readers of all ages—from young girls to seniors—so I want to keep my novels tame.
I’d call them PG at most. Personally, I prefer the soft-boiled puzzle mysteries that are light on romance so I write my novels that way. My mysteries tend to be more cozy than hard-boiled though I do write about real-life gangsters in Prohibition-era Galveston—so I call them soft-boiled since they’re in between the two genres.
What’s your favorite part about the writing process?
I enjoy putting the pieces of the puzzle together and am so glad when I finally have a breakthrough or an “Aha!” moment. Very rewarding to be writing away and suddenly all these loose ends and plot twists start to make sense and get tied up in a nice, not-so-neat bow. (I’m a pantser, not a plotter though I work with a general outline, mostly in my head) Often the whole process takes months of work to reach that point! (FLAPPERS took years of work and I still want to revise it! I worked as a magazine editor for years and it’s often hard to let go of a manuscript.)
Tell us about your next release. And when can we expect it?
Galveston is known for its imposing graveyards and haunted hotels so I’ve started a fifth novel with that supernatural, ghostly theme. Still working on the actual title and plot. Hope to release it later this year, perhaps by late Summer—wish me luck!
Title: Vamps, Villains and Vaudeville
Author: Ellen Mansoor Collier
Published: August 5, 2015
Publisher: Decodame Press
Genre: Cozy Mystery
~ Synopsis ~
In 1920s Galveston, society reporter Jazz Cross is in for a surprise when she attends a traveling vaudeville show with her beau, Prohibition Agent James Burton, and discovers that an old flame acts in the production. That night, they find a stabbing victim behind the Oasis — her half-brother Sammy’s speakeasy — who’s identified as an actor in the troupe. When the victim disappears and later turns up dead, Jazz must help prove that Sammy wasn’t the killer.
Meanwhile, a ring of jewel thieves is turning up all over town, robbing rich tourists of their precious gems. After a second vaudeville actor is found dead, Jazz discovers that the events behind the scenes are much more interesting than the outdated acts onstage.
To make matters worse, Sammy’s old nemesis demands that he settles a score and forces him into yet another illegal scheme. Can Jazz help solve the murders and prove her brother’s innocence—so he can escape the Downtown Gang for good?
A historical Jazz Age mystery inspired by real-life Galveston gangs and local landmarks.
Get a copy now!
~ About the Author ~
![EllenSanLuisout[1]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1459331383i/18596234.jpg)
Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance magazine writer and editor whose articles and essays have been published in a variety of national magazines. Several of her short stories have appeared in Woman’s World. During college summers, she worked as a reporter for a Houston community newspaper and as a cocktail waitress, both jobs providing background experience for her Jazz Age mysteries.
A flapper at heart, she’s worked as a magazine editor/writer, and in advertising and public relations (plus endured a hectic semester as a substitute teacher). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism and served on UTmost, the college magazine and as president of WICI (Women in Communications).
FLAPPERS, FLASKS AND FOUL PLAY is her first novel, published in 2012, followed by the sequel, BATHING BEAUTIES, BOOZE AND BULLETS, released in May 2013. She lives in Houston with her husband and Chow mutts, and visits Galveston whenever possible.
“When you grow up in Houston, Galveston becomes like a second home. I had no idea this sleepy beach town had such a wild and colorful past until I began doing research, and became fascinated by the legends and stories of the 1920s. Finally I had to stop researching and start writing, trying to imagine a flapper’s life in Galveston during Prohibition.”
Author Links:
Website ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest
~ Giveaway ~
Why you should write a series and how not to mess it up
First of all, let me make one thing straight. I do not believe in writing a novel in a certain genre just because such genre is super popular (another ‘forbidden’ step-brother romance, anyone?). You should write about what excites you – not what can earn you more sales. That said – if you are considering turning one of your novels into a series, my advice is Just Do It. What are the benefits of writing a series? That’s easy. Sales. Sales. Sales. And don’t forget about the increased promotional possibilities.
Sales. Before I wrote a series, my books were quite different from each other. I had a difficult time finding a set crew of bloggers to review my work because each book appealed to a different sort of reader. I can’t prove it or anything, but I assume readers didn’t download another book from me just because they liked the book they just finished. The books were just too diverse for that. That all changed with a series. Now bloggers who have reviewed one of the books in The Gray-Haired Knitting Detectives series will tell me they’ve downloaded the rest of the series as well.
Hooking readers. I’m not a big believer in giving books away. After all, there’s a lot of time and effort that goes into each novel I publish. But with a series it’s possible to sell the first book for free or a significantly reduced price because there’s a good chance that readers will then download the next book in the series. It certainly takes the sting out of giving one book away for free if the reader then buys the next two books in the series.
Boxed set. Boxed sets are great promotional tools. Everyone loves the idea of a bargain. By putting the books in a series together and reducing the overall price, you’ve given them a bargain. Another advantage of a boxed set is the overall number of pages. If you’ve enrolled your book in Kindle Unlimited, you’ll probably make more money per boxed set read than per boxed set sold. (For more information, check out my article on making money with Kindle Unlimited.)
Although I read a lot of series (Janet Evanovich being one of my favorites), I never considered writing a series. It just never entered my mind. But then I wrote the cozy mystery Murder, Mystery & Dating Mayhem and my readers were asking for the next installment of the series. Huh? I shrugged my shoulders, thought why not, and got on with it. But because I hadn’t planned on writing a series when I drafted and wrote Murder, Mystery & Dating Mayhem, I made some boo-boos in the series. I’ve never been shy about admitting my mistakes and if someone can learn from my mistakes, well then I guess I’ll bite the bullet and explain all the ways I fudged up.
Changing characters. This was my biggest problem. When I went to write the second and third installment of The Gray-Haired Knitting Detective series, I had to make some changes to the characters to accommodate the new stories. I thought the changes were subtle. My readers are way too smart and called me out. With the new series I’m writing, Death by Cupcake, I’m more conscientious with planning out all the three books in advance to avoid any sudden character changes.
Underdeveloped characters. In Murder, Mystery & Dating Mayhem, the main character, Izzy, gets help from her grandmother’s friends in solving the murder. The friends were just fun side characters – or so I thought. It turned out readers adored the old ladies. In fact, the granny crew became the heroines who readers wanted to follow on adventures again and again.
Introducing characters. I only briefly introduced the protagonist from Love in the Time of Murder into earlier books in the series. In order to get readers jumping up and down to read the next book in the series, I should have developed Dee earlier.
I’m sure there are a bunch of other things I messed up in my first series, but these are the mistakes that really stick out. Have you written a series? What lessons have you learned?
March 28, 2016
Cover Reveal ~ Perfect Rage by @nashodarose
Book Title: Perfect Rage (Unyielding Book Three)
Author: Nashoda Rose
Genre: Erotic Romance
Release Date: TBA
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
Pre-Order Exclusively at iBooks
The third and final installment in the Unyielding series from
New York Times bestselling author Nashoda Rose.
This is Connor’s Story.
Blurb TBA
“Perfect Rage”
Excerpt Copyright © 2016 by Nashoda Rose
The porch boards creaked behind me. I spun, but not fast enough and a hand clamped over my mouth. I was yanked backward to land against a hard chest then dragged into the darkness of the far corner of the porch where the light failed to illuminate and a tree concealed us from the street.
My scream came out muffled and barely audible.
“Shhh,” he murmured against my ear.
Connor?
His warm breath wafted over the side of my neck and goose bumps popped along my skin. But it wasn’t from fear, well maybe a little, but it was more an awareness. Like my body awakened to his touch.
“They put a man on you.”
Ernie. He’d seen Ernie. Connor managed to get by an ex-navy SEAL. It shouldn’t surprise me. He excelled at being invisible. But the question was had Ernie seen him?
“He’s good. Took two hours before I had the chance.” And he’d always been patient. “You going to stay quiet if I remove my hand?”
I did my best to nod, but his grip on me was constricting and I only managed a slight dip of my chin. His hand slid from my mouth to the curve of my neck where his fingers enclosed, not harsh, but with purpose.
His rough whisper rumbled, “Can’t leave yet. Tried to. Bike found its way back here.” His body stiffened. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”
Oh, God. I squeezed my eyes shut as tears pooled. I was uncertain what he’d do to me right now. He was on edge, but I couldn’t stop the overwhelming need to curl into his arms and take his pain away.
His body stiffened and his forearm across my breasts squeezed. I whimpered under the pressure, but didn’t struggle.
“I’m sorry. Fuck, I’m so sorry about your family, sweet-baby.”
My breath locked and a tear teetered then fell. Wetness trailed down my cheek. I hadn’t heard him call me that in eleven years and it was as if I were back there with him, falling in love all over again.
His fingers splayed on my neck gently applied more pressure. It wasn’t restricting, but it was controlling and I knew he’d easily cut off air if he wanted to. But I trusted that Connor would never willingly hurt me.
It was the graze of his lips on the edge of my jaw that sent my heart rocketing and my belly into a perpetual whoosh. Confusion and desire clashed as my body and mind fought against one another.
“You should’ve chosen me,” he murmured.
I had chosen him. Everything I’d done was me choosing him. But that wasn’t what he was talking about.
“You should’ve chosen me,” he repeated then nibbled on the lobe of my ear, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin. “Why? Why didn’t you kill me instead?”
“Perfect Rage”
Coming Soon.
*excerpt subject to change.
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.
Spring into Cash $250 #giveaway
Spring Into Cash $250 Giveaway
An awesome group of bloggers and authors have joined with me to bring you one fabulous prize!
One lucky winner will receive…
$250 Amazon.com Gift Code or $250 in Paypal Cash
Sponsor List
Bonnie Blythe Time Travel Romance
Aubrey Wynne: Romantasy Through the Ages
Laurie Here – Cont Fiction and More
Why Not? Because I Said So! (Sheila Staley)
Giveaway Details
$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card
Ends 4/15/16
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal. 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 authors, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
March 27, 2016
Excerpt from Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker
I haven’t blogged for a few weeks and for once it’s not because I’m lazy. No really! I have a good excuse. I’ve had a bad case of bronchitis, which I just cannot seem to get rid of. I’m waiting for the police to show up at my door with noise complaints from the neighbors. The coughing is THAT LOUD. There’s never a good time to be sick, but the run-up to a new book release is especially a bad time. My marketing plan (yes! I’ve actually got one!) is way, way behind. I did manage to get a cover reveal with excerpt set-up before I started coughing and sleeping the days away. I thought I’d share the excerpt from the cover reveal with my blog followers – just to make sure you know I’m still alive even if I’m not kicking. Anyway, here’s a fun excerpt from Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker, book 1 of the Death by Cupcake series.
I take a deep breath and walk into the club. It’s dark and smoky. No surprise there. The floors are covered in shag carpeting, the walls are painted a red so deep it looks black, and the chairs are red velour. Is strip club a euphemism for whore house? To the right is a shiny, black bar. Straight ahead is a stage in an M-shape with three stripper poles. Of course there are stripper poles. Dolly worked here after all.
“You next?” A man shouts, and I nearly jump out of my shoes. I look to my left to see two men in shiny suits sitting at a table in the middle of the room. “Come on, doll, are you the next dancer?”
“Dancer?”
The man rolls his eyes and talks to the man next to him. “Not the brightest one of the bunch is she?” He turns back to me. “Come on, sweetheart.” He looks me up and down, and I feel the sudden need to shower with bleach. “You’ve got the body for it. Show us what you can do.”
I’ve got the body for it? Have we landed on planet opposite? I’m still trying to figure out how to respond when Anna grabs my hand. “Where are the dressing rooms? She needs to change.”
The man points to a door on the right side of the stage behind the bar. “Hurry up. We ain’t got all day!”
Anna pulls me to the door. I stumble behind her unsure if I should follow her or get the heck out of Dodge. She pushes through the door and looks around before spotting a room filled with racks of clothing. She lets my hand go and starts pawing through the outfits.
“Anna, stop!” I say when my brain finally catches up. “I can’t go up there and dance. Let’s just get out of here and come back another time.”
I don’t even get a chance to stand up from the chair before Anna’s on me. Her tiny body boxes me in the chair. “I don’t want to hear it! You heard the man. You’ve got the perfect body for this because you’re… let’s say it together… sexy!” She turns back to the rack of clothes. “Besides, while you’re up there doing your thing, I can snoop around.” She pulls out an outfit and hands it to me.
I don’t have a choice but to take the hanger as she shoves it in my hand. There’s not enough fabric here. She’s got to be kidding me. “I can’t wear this,” I protest.
Anna’s having none of it. “You will wear it, and you will go up on that stage and totally rock! In the meantime, I’ll be doing some investigating so we can save your job. You know the one that you spent the last 10 years studying and preparing for?”
I want to scream and shout and fight her, but I don’t really see what other option we have. I suppose we can sneak out the back door, but then we’d have to come back at some point as this is our only lead. Mr. Creepy #1 and Mr. Creepy #2 might not recognize me – a chubby girl with boring brown hair. But a tiny pixie with bright pink hair? I shake my head and put on the darn outfit.
A cozy mystery with a heap of laughs, a generous portion of romance, and just a smidgeon of suspense.
Callie’s life is rather awesome. She owns a successful bakery and teaches German literature at the local university. There’s just one tiny problem. She has no self-confidence when it comes to her body. And then there’s the little matter of her being accused of murdering her pole dancing instructor. There’s no way Callie’s going to risk losing her teaching position and thus she embarks, with her best baker bud Anna, on a journey to discover the real killer. Between stripper auditions and a detective who insists Callie is the woman of his dreams, it’s a roller coaster adventure. Cupcakes not included.
March 25, 2016
Teaser Tour ~ Lost Souls by @amoscassidy
Today we’re excited to share the Teaser Tour for Lost Souls, book two in the Pendragon Chronicles, which can be picked up at the pre-order price of $2.99 and, if you haven’t yet joined Jake Winters on his thrilling journey, you can pick up The Rain, book one in the series, for the limited time offer price of 99c. Pendragon Chronicles is an adult dark urban fantasy series. Lost Souls releases March 31st, 2016.
About Lost Souls:
The temperature is falling, and something evil rides the wind…
A relative calm has settled over Longbrooke since The Artist’s demise. Jake and Ivy distract themselves from their grief by keeping the coast clear of minor beasts, while Dean works to maintain the facade that Crystal is still alive. With the festive season almost upon them, the gang want nothing more than to creep silently into the New Year. But a storm is brewing in the sleepy little town, and Jake will soon discover that the calm before the storm can be destructively deceptive when it hits, no one will be left unscathed.
Amazon UK | Amazon US | Kobo | ibooks | Nook
Goodreads
Don’t miss out on book one, The Rain!
On sale now for only .99c on Amazon!
Goodreads
About the Author:
Amos Cassidy is the pen name for Richard Amos and Debbie Cassidy. Amos is a 32 year old Diva and Cassidy a 39 year old mother of three; well, four if you include the husband. A common love of all things Joss Whedon, Urban Fantasy, and a tug of war over Jensen Ackles, brought them together, and one cold February afternoon, over nibbles and coffee, their partnership was born.
You can find Cassidy hard at work in her fortress of solitude which has eaten up the majority of her garden, and Amos…well he’s still trying to get the invisibility gizmo he got off a friendly alien in exchange for a pair of earphones to work. Funnily enough he hasn’t been seen around much lately…
Frequent doses of Sugary snacks, coupled with regular injections of caffeine aid in their production of a unique brand of cross genre tales. They are always writing, but are happy to take a break to chat to their wonderful readers, so drop them a line at amoscassidy.com, or just pop over to see what they’re working on and they’ll bust out the biscuit tin.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
***
GIVEAWAY:
$25 Amazon gift card & digital copies of Aurora and Hawthorn by Amos Cassidy (INT)
Ends 4/6
Prize is provided by the author, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This event was organised by CBB Book Promotions.
March 23, 2016
Interview with @DavidSAtkinson_ author of the Not Quite So Stories
Today I’m welcoming David S. Atkinson, author of Not Quite So Stories, to the Readaslot blog. He’s talking about his latest publication and his writing in general.
I’m just going to go ahead and ask the question everyone is wondering. What in the world is Absurdist Literary Fiction?
People often disagree on exactly what a genre is or isn’t, but I view Absurdist Literary Fiction as stories that are primarily realistic and straightforward, but involve elements of the ridiculous or irrational, often as symbols for aspects of life that characters have difficulty grappling with. Etgar Keret’s story “Fatso” uses a woman who turns into a slovenly male rugby fan during the full moon as a symbol for how lost people are when getting into serious relationships. A wildebeest takes over a characters washing machine in Nathaniel Tower’s story “Laundry Day” as a symbol of his attempt to come to terms with being a first time father. Similarly, a clockwork monkey toy with cymbals stands in for our struggle with technology in my story “Monkey! Monkey! Monkey! Monkey! Monkey!”
What inspired you to write the genre – Absurdist Literary Fiction?
I had been writing very realistic, straightforward stories for a while when I had a couple of off the wall ideas pop into my head. They seemed very fun to work with, so I went ahead and wrote them (such as my story “Context Driven”) even though I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them. Then I ran into Etgar Keret’s The Nimrod Flipout and Amelia Gray’s Museum of the Weird. They were doing similar things to what I was having fun with, and gave me a lot in terms of what I could do with this sort of thing. They led to other authors (George Saunders, Aimee Bender, Haruki Murakami, and so on), and I started comparing all this to the sort of approach to the world I saw in myths like Rudyard Kipling’s Just so Stories. I got the idea for this collection and everything kind of snowballed from there.
Describe Not Quite So Stories in 140 characters (aka a Tweet).
Life is absurd, beyond our comprehension. We simply have to proceed in the face of that. My stories examine how different characters manage (and/or fail) to do this.
What do you want readers to get out of your writing and this book in particular?
Ultimately, I want readers to enjoy themselves. I’d also like them to feel a little more okay in the face of life’s absurdities and perhaps regain a sense of wonder with respect to the world, but only if they’re entertained first. Fun is first and foremost. I’d definitely like people laughing when they read my story “The Boys of Volunteer Fire Two-Twenty-Two-Point-Five (and a Half).”
If you could sit down to dinner with one writer, dead or alive, who would you pick?
Probably the dead one so I have less competition for the food. To be serious though, I’d probably pick either Etgar Keret or Amelia Gray since it was their work that really got me going in Absurdist Literary Fiction. Of the two, I’d probably have to pick Etgar Keret because, in addition to being a fascinating person from everything I’ve seen, he also seems really, really nice. He’d probably let me have some food. Maybe we could even write notes to each other on the plates like in my story “The Des Moines Kabuki Dinner Theatre.” Amelia Gray is fascinating too, and I’m sure is really nice, but I’m betting she could take my food from me by force if she wanted. Perhaps simply because it was funny.
It’s quite the jump from patent attorney to absurdist literary fiction writer. Where do you find the time to fit it all in?
I just grab chances wherever I can. I put in a lot of hours at the office, but I spend most of the rest of my time reading or writing (still primarily reading, usually about 200-300 books a year). I read/write on the way to work, on the way home from work, whenever my wife is off at tennis, and so on. I wrote the initial draft of my story “Dreams of Dead Grandpa” while waiting for my wife to get done at a seminar while we were on vacation in Paris. If writing is something you really need to do, it’ll fit in somewhere. There may simply be other things you don’t do. For example, I don’t get a whole lot of time to watch TV.
Tell us about your next release. And when can we expect it?
I’ll have to be a little cagey about that. I’ve got something lined up, but we haven’t announced yet. I’ll just say it’s in a post-post apocalyptic vein, a response to the post-apocalyptic obsession that’s been so big recently (as well as further back than that, since even apparently Christopher Columbus once predicted the end of the world).
What’s your favorite part about the writing process?
I like the planning phase quite a bit, getting to sit around and dream while there are so many possibilities. I still think that has to pale though in view of getting to read back over a full draft. Writing is a messy process and I’m always sure that I’m going to be horrified when I look back at what I’ve been struggling over for so long. When it turns out to the contrary and I’m holding something beautiful in my hands it almost seems like a gift that came from somewhere else, a changeling. My story “Domestic Ties” was particularly like that.
What’s the most amusing thing that happened to you while writing Not Quite So Stories?
The most amusing would probably be the inspiration for “Context Driven.” I was out at a restaurant with my wife and walked over to get in our car afterward. I turned the key in the door, but nothing happened. I simply stood there a minute until my wife said: “You know this isn’t our car, right?” Turns out, it was the same color and year as ours, though a Camry instead of a Corolla. There are millions of cars out there that look almost just like mine, and I’d walked up to that one instead. Just kept trying to unlock the door. The actual owners were standing only a little way away on the sidewalk, staring at me. It was pretty awkward, but then everyone started laughing. I was still pretty embarrassed, but then I got an idea for a story based on the experience (e.g., what would have happened if my key had worked even though it wasn’t my car?). In my defense, my wife said she’d pretty much made the same mistake, but realized that our Lenore seat covers weren’t there.
~ About the Book~
Title: NOT QUITE SO STORIES
Author: David S. Atkinson
Publisher: Literary Wanderlus LLC
Pages: 166
Genre: Absurdist Literary Fiction
The center of Not Quite So Stories is the idea that life is inherently absurd and all people can do is figure out how they will live in the face of that fact. The traditional explanation for the function of myth (including such works as the relatively modern Rudyard Kiping’s Just So Stories) is as an attempt by humans to explain and demystify the world. However, that’s hollow. We may be able to come to terms with small pieces, but existence as a whole is beyond our grasp. Life simply is absurd, ultimately beyond our comprehension, and the best we can do is to just proceed on with our lives. The stories in this collection proceed from this conception, each focusing on a character encountering an absurdity and focusing on how they manage to live with it.
For More Information
NOT QUITE SO STORIES is available at Amazon.
Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Watch the book trailer at YouTube.
~ About the Author ~
David S. Atkinson is the author of “Not Quite so Stories” (“Literary Wanderlust” 2016), “The Garden of Good and Evil Pancakes” (2015 National Indie Excellence Awards finalist in humor), and “Bones Buried in the Dirt” (2014 Next Generation Indie Book Awards finalist, First Novel http://davidsatkinsonwriting.com/ and he spends his non-literary time working as a patent attorney in Denver.
For More Information
Visit David S. Atkinson’s website.
Connect with David on Facebook and Twitter.
Find out more about David at Goodreads.
Visit David’s blog.
~ Giveaway ~
David S. Atkinson is giving away one paperback copy each – BONES BURIED IN THE DIRT & THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL PANCAKES!
Terms & Conditions:
By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
Two winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive either BONES BURIED IN THE DIRT or THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL PANCAKES
This giveaway begins March 1 and ends on May 27
Winners will be contacted via email on May 29.
Winners have 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!
