D.E. Haggerty's Blog, page 86

This week’s running songs

Instead of spending time trying to find a topic for a blog article, I spent an embarrassing amount of time yesterday trying to find just the right songs to run to. I shouldn’t be embarrassed about the time I waste searching out new songs. After all, it’s my time and I’ll do with it what I want. (Although I should probably give more a priority to the blog.) No, the embarrassing part is the songs. I’m probably – no, I know I am – way too old to be listening to some of these songs. But, then again, we’re only as old as we feel, right? Just don’t ask me how old I feel after I run listening to these songs:

“Fight Song” by Rachel Platten. I dare you to not run faster up that hill when she sings ~ This is my fight song ~ Take back my life song ~ Prove I’m alright song ~ My power’s turned on ~ Starting right now ~ I’ll be strong I’ll play my fight song ~ And I don’t really care if nobody else believes ~ ‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me
“Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon. This song doesn’t have motivating lyrics, but man the beat! I normally end up nearly falling off the treadmill after this song because I have just got to sprint during the entire song! The lyrics are simple and I may or may not love to sing this song out loud while running my ass off.
“Confident” by Demi Lovato. Besides having a drum-driven beat that gets my legs pumping, this is another song with some awesome motivating lyrics. So you say I’m complicated ~ That I must be outta my mind ~ But you’ve had me underrated
“Are you with me” by Lost Frequencies. Sometimes it’s not a song’s rhythm or lyrics that gets me excited. This song reminds me of one of the most awesome vacations I’ve ever taken – two weeks traveling around Mexico followed by a week on the beach. Yes! I wanna dance by water ‘neath the Mexican sky ~ Drink some Margaritas by a string of blue lights ~ Listen to the Mariachi play at midnight ~ Are you with me, are you with me?
“Hey Mama” by David Guetta. This is a song that I definitely listen to for the beat, although I do love to sing out “Be my woman, girl, I’ll be your man” while running. Who cares that it’s the man’s part?
“How Deep Is Your Love” by Calvin Harris. This song has a steady beat, which is great for longer runs or rest periods in between sprints. Like most songs in the dance genre, the lyrics aren’t anything to write home about. The repetition makes it easy to sing along and that’s good enough for me.
“Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson. The rhythm of this song is sometimes lacking as a run song but how can you deny wanting to work it hard when Kelly sings ~ What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger ~ Stand a little taller ~ Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone ~  What doesn’t kill you makes a fighter ~ Footsteps even lighter ~ Doesn’t mean I’m over cause you’re gone

I’d love to hear what songs everyone else jams to while working their bodies.

Cover Reveal ~Proposals and Poison by @Rachellewrites

Proposals and Poison, Wedding Planner Mysteries book #3 Rachelle J. Christensen

“Cozy mystery meets romantic comedy in this fabulous, fast-paced story.”

Cami Checketts author of The Resilient One, A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance

Love can be a very dangerous thing.

At least it seems that way to Adri Pyper, the premier wedding planner in Sun Valley, Idaho. When one of her clients dies mysteriously, Adri takes the advice of the local detective and swears she will stay out of the investigation . . . this time. Luke Stetson’s involvement in the case, along with the possibility of a kiss between the two, should be enough incentive to keep Adri out of trouble. But when a dog-themed wedding is almost ruined by a suspect, Adri and her assistant, Lorea, are thrust into private eye mode. When poison enters the picture, even a reluctant sleuth can’t steer clear of danger.

“Packed with danger and romance, intrigue and entertainment, Rachelle Christensen’s Wedding Planner series is romantic suspense that will keep you turning pages late into the night!”

–Maria Hoagland, Author of The ReModel Marriage (Romance Renovations series)

Author Rachelle J. Christensen

Rachelle is a mother of five who writes mystery/suspense, nonfiction, and women’s fiction. She solves the case of the missing shoe on a daily basis. She enjoys raising chickens and laughing with her husband. She graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in psychology and a minor in music.

Rachelle is the award-winning author of ten books, including The Soldier’s Bride (a Kindle Scout Selection), Wrong Number, Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things, What Every 6th Grader Needs to Know, and Christmas Kisses: An Echo Ridge Anthology. Her novella, “Silver Cascade Secrets,” was included in the Rone Award–winning Timeless Romance Anthology, Fall Collection.

Rachelle has a VIP mailing list where all subscribers get access to free books, guides, and other resources. Sign up now to hear what exciting news Rachelle has to share. http://eepurl.com/eFD3o

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Series endorsements

“Mystery, suspense, murder and romance all intriguingly tied together in one very fun walk-down-the-aisle cozy mystery!”—Shauna Wheelwright, reviewer

“I love a great mystery that keeps my interest and keeps the pages turning. I loved the Hawaiian setting, that was a character on its own. As the story progressed, I enjoyed where the author went with the mystery, doing a perfect job of planting the right amount of seeds to try to throw me off the trail of who the killer was.”—Mindy Holt, reviewer

 

Giveaway Details

$25 cash giveaway plus an ebook bundle of the Wedding Planner Mystery Books 1 & 2. (gifted via Amazon)

Ends 3/3/16

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.

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No Reason For Insanity by @KevinEHatt

 

Crime Mystery
Date Published: 2/12/16

No Reason For Insanity is a tale of intrigue, concentrating on the thoughts and actions of Haszard, the narrator. It is a whodunit with dark, and occasionally light humour, using lateral thinking as Haszard works through the bizarre murders to discover links. There is tension and danger throughout, plus a desperate fight for survival.

Intrigued by the bizarre events surrounding the murder of a friend, Haszard is asked by the family to look in to the matter. Against the advice of his friends, he begins making enquiries, and is disturbed when he realizes that it may well be someone he knows.

As progress is made, further events occur, endangering the life of Haszard and his friends, and he is forced to delve into the deepest recesses of his resourcefulness . . .

Excerpt

Walking away from the house I said nothing but had a feeling something sinister was afoot. Gerry, a non-swimmer who was terrified of water, would never go near a swimming pool, yet he’d been found in one. Wrong. Everything about this was wrong. Gerry used to joke that he only ever showered because the water in the bath was too deep, therefore him being found in a swimming pool bordered on the surreal.

Why, though, would someone want to murder a man like Gerry? He was probably the nicest man I’d ever met, never having a bad word to say about anyone. I’d never heard of him being involved in any kind of conflict—nothing at all. In fact, the same went for the entire family. Sylvia was a church-going lady who involved herself with charity work, raising money for disadvantaged children, seldom going out to restaurants or the like, choosing to remain at home where she organized dinner parties for friends.

Alec’s only confrontation was on the rugby field, the young man spending the majority of his time with fiancée, Loretta, the couple enjoying their weekends in the great outdoors, rock-climbing, canoeing, and pony-trekking.

Donna, who’d not long turned twenty-one, was probably the more outgoing member of the family, although she seldom frequented nightclubs, preferring to see live bands instead. I knew that she’d recently split with a long-standing boyfriend; nevertheless, that was an amicable parting and therefore couldn’t be put forward as a motive for anyone to wish harm on the family, especially her gentle father.

The way that I saw it, there was no reason anyone should want to harm Gerry, and certainly not his loving wife Sylvia or their children, Alec and Donna.

“Haz, are you all right?” Sabrina asked as we entered the car.

I shrugged. “I’m just bothered about what Loretta said. Something’s not right about all this. We’re seeing Vicky tomorrow night, so I’ll ask her what she thinks and if there’s anything she can tell us.”






About the Author

 

Kevin E. Hatt is a registered medical professional and advanced life support provider at one of his local hospitals. His love of writing began at school, and continued on into his twenties. In nineteen eighty-four he began his medical training, and in nineteen eighty-seven began writing what is now the Haszard Narratives. They were, though, shelved when he pursued another love, that of art, and he left the medical profession in two-thousand to become a freelance art consultant, teacher, demonstrator, framer and retailer. In twenty-ten he returned to the medical profession, and also resurrected the Haszard series. He now lives in the north east of England with his wife of twenty-five years and his daughter of twenty-three.


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Review of Pimpernel by @SheralynPratt

 

Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt

They seek him here; they seek him there. For centuries, the elite of the world have sought the Pimpernel everywhere. Some want to kill him, others want to hire him, but Jack Cavanaugh knows that the love/hate relationship comes with the job title.

At present, Jack is trying to dismantle an investment scheme centered in Las Vegas, but “trying” is the operative word. It’s been a month since he put the face of the scheme behind bars, yet the scam is still going strong. As Jack tries to uncover who has stepped in as the new head, what miniscule evidence there is all seems to point him back to Claire Ramsey, an introverted PhD student studying at UNLV.

If ever there as an unlikely head of a investment scheme, Claire’s it. She has a genius IQ, but from all Jack has seen, Claire’s intelligence is as much a blessing as a curse when paired up with her acute OCD. Claire can barely make conversation with the cute guy down the hall, which makes it hard to believe she could be the charismatic salesperson who is getting international businessmen to invest $5—50 million a pop.

So what is Jack missing? What is the real story behind Claire Ramsey? And once Jack learns it, will he be able to walk away?

Review

I decided to read this book after it came highly recommended. I didn’t look too closely at the synopsis so when I started reading, I was wondering what in the world is going on. Because this book starts a bit strangely. And initially the story is very slow. Stick with it! I’m constantly complaining that romance books are always the same old, same old. Well, if you’re looking for something different, you’ve found it. The story reminds me of Ocean’s 11, but then in a well-written novel.

I really liked Claire. The way in which Pratt describes Claire’s OCD you can actually feel Claire’s yearning to go check the door is locked or wash her hands. I also liked Jack’s character. His ways were mysterious, but only because they had to be and not because he was your typical romance novel jerk. The other characters in the novel were interesting as well. I’m hoping Pratt decides to continue the series.

The story came together in a seamless manner. Although most of the puzzle pieces were not a surprise, it was still an enjoyable read. I wouldn’t catalog Pimpernel as a romance. Although there were romantic aspects, the romance seemed more of a side than main dish. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something different.

Excerpt

The high-pitched scream from the other side of her apartment door shattered Claire’s thoughts.

“Daniel?” That shriek had been way too high to come out of a man.

“Help!” Daniel’s voice cried out from the other side of the door.

Claire unlocked the door and pushed it open, finding Daniel cowering on the couch in sailor-themed boxer briefs. Classical music played from his bedroom, indicating Daniel had been sewing before he ended up on the couch. On the ground between them lay the lounge robe Daniel had made in his fashion design class along with his house slippers. They looked like they’d been flung at random.

“Move!” he shrieked at her, stabbing his finger at the ground like a mad man. “Take the high ground and leave the door open. Maybe it will go back to the gates of hell, where it belongs!”

Claire followed the direction of his manic gesturing, freezing when her eyes locked on something the size of her fist with eight hairy legs. “Daniel? Please tell me that is a toy.”

“That. Is. NOT. A. Toy!”

The spider chose that moment to make its move—which happened to be sprinting her way.

Claire shrieked as Daniel motioned for her to join him on the couch. “High ground!”

Was he insane? She would have to leap over the tarantula to get to him. Why in the world would she do that when she could just run away and go to a hotel for the night?

“Voldemort?” a man’s voice said from behind her a split second before Claire backed into a male body blocking her retreat. Not only did Claire scream, but her body was suddenly possessed by an Olympic hurdler as she scampered across the living room and flung herself into Daniel’s arms on the couch.

“You found her!” a flagpole of a man from the doorway said as Claire latched onto Daniel, hiding her face against his shoulder. If she didn’t see the spider, maybe it would cease to exist.

“Found it?” Daniel scoffed. “That thing tried to duel me for my sandwich before I batted him off my kitchen table.”

Claire shuttered, only vaguely realizing that the shoulder she was hiding her face in was bare. I’ve never hugged a guy who was only wearing underwear before, she thought a moment before Daniel pulled her keys out of her hand and flung them at the ground to join his slippers and robe.

“Don’t chase it this way!” Daniel yelled at the other guy.

“Come on, Voldemort,” the spider guy cooed. “Let’s get you back into your habitat—Don’t run!”

Wait, it was running? Claire didn’t want to see that, yet something compelled her to turn and look anyway.

People always said that horrible things seemed to happen in slow motion, but Claire could have sworn the giant arachnid was coming at her in fast-forward mode. In a heartbeat, she had climbed up to ride piggyback on Daniel while he responded by flapping his hands in panic as if he could fan the thing away with a light breeze.

Not only did the spider keep running, it was sprinting like an arachnid with a plan—heading straight for the couch. When Daniel backed away, Claire felt her back thump into the wall. Before he could move again, she pushed off his back to stand on the back of the couch, dropping her purse when it threatened her balance. On the way down, it ended up in Daniel’s hands and he wasted no time finding items inside and tossing them at the spider while its owner moved in to act like a human shield.

“No!” the tall guy cried as he tried to corral the beast. “Don’t throw things at her. You might hurt her.”

Just then, Claire’s favorite lip gloss bounced off the hairy spider, stunning it.

That lip gloss was dead to her—not just the tube, the actual brand. She’d never be able to look at it the same again.

 

 

Author Sheralyn Pratt

Some describe Sheralyn as a girl who’s been around the block and worked at every shop. This isn’t far from the truth. Writing is what she loves most, however. There’s a magical power in stepping into new perspectives time and again, and seeing the world through different eyes. Few things increase empathy more than walking in another’s shoes for 100,000 words or so. At least that seems to be the trend so far.

Some random things to know about Sheralyn:

* She’s a wanderer (geographically)

* She can write a novel, but doesn’t have the attention span for one page in a journal

* She vehemently disagrees with Stephen King’s stance that authors should not watch TV

* She is pretty much incapable of sleeping before midnight

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/28/16

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.

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Cover Reveal ~ Wingdog by @JustJJWriting

We’re thrilled to be hosting Janelle Jalbert’s WINGDOG: SOUL PUP A MAGICAL MEMOIR Cover Reveal Today!

About the Book:

Title: WINGDOG: SOUL PUP, A MAGICAL MUTT MEMOIR

Author: Janelle Jalbert

Publisher: Synchron8 Publishing

Pages: 359

Genre: Memoir

It’s love at first sight…for both of them. An abandoned yet tenacious pup with one blue eye and one brown eye beats the odds and is enlisted as one woman’s WINGDOG. It’s a role he takes seriously, but he knows that his human needs more than just another set of eyes and ears. He must show her how to laugh and how to love again. His loyalty knows no bounds, and he takes his duties seriously riding shotgun as the pair travel life’s highway.

A dog may be man’s best friend, but the truth is…A WINGDOG is truly a woman’s gift.

For readers who enjoy contemporary canine classics such as MARLEY & ME, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, and A DOG’S PURPOSE, Janelle Jalbert’s ‘Magical Mutt Memoir’ combines the best of these storytelling traditions. Told as a memoir – adhering to how events unfolded – one woman seeks establish a new life after moving across the country from California to North Carolina.

Her chance at a new normal arrives in the form of Goose, a pup that melts not only her heart but also the hearts of everyone that he meets. As they travel coast-to-coast and places in between, the bond that the two share proves that love and loyalty can transcend even the greatest of obstacles.

WINGDOG: SOUL PUP is a heart-warming, emotional – and oftentimes comical – tale of how one pup becomes the consummate WINGDOG only to transform into the ultimate Soul Pup.

For More Information

WINGDOG: Soul Pup, A Magical Mutt Memoir is available at Amazon.

Book Excerpt:

First Date

Yes, I slept with him on our first date. It felt so good to have his warm body against mine. He was gorgeous and sweet as slumber set in, and I couldn’t help but curl up closer. We were already doing our own version of spooning, just hours after meeting. Everything was once again right with the world thanks to his warmth by my side. It was a case of love at first sight that grew deeper in the darkness of the bedroom around us.

I couldn’t help but run my fingers through his fur as his brindled coat rose and fell with deep, sleep-filled breathing. His fur was the perfect texture, not too course but without fluff. The hairs behind his bouncy ears were already my favorite, so silky fine. He sighed as I continued rubbing up and down his side before once more scratching behind his ear. With the ear rubs, he pushed closer into me. His sixteen pound body firmly tucked at my hip.

Ah, I’m home.

I wasn’t sure if it was my thought because it could have easily come from the pup at my side. For the first time in weeks, I began to doze off, peaceful and content. The neighbor problems that plagued my previous weeks faded away with his comforting presence.

Sometimes it does all work out. Bad things can lead to great opportunities.

The stress of moving from California to North Carolina evaporated. The distress that plagued me eased. It was what I’d been craving: a chance to forget and to enjoy life again. It was what my soul needed. I sighed and let go. All was good, at last.

* * *

The day started like most of late when I got sidetracked by my inbox after clicking on the message. A small, brown puppy snuggled face-to-face with a tabby kitten appeared. The expression in the picture wasn’t curiosity. It was more like a big brother protecting a younger sibling. The other picture was of the same puppy looking up at the camera. His brown ears were as big as his head. The look in his eyes was that of questioning intelligence, and only the slightest hint of his blue left eye opposite the brown one showed. He seemed to know it was not simply a picture being taken.

It took less than thirty seconds. I was in love.

Immediately, I hit reply. He’s adorable. I’d love to meet him!

With that, a flurry of emails was exchanged. I rushed out into the silvery, fall day, filled with clouds. I stopped at the ATM before getting on the highway for the trip down to Rock Hill from Charlotte. It felt odd to pull money out to buy a dog. Granted, I rescued pups before, but this felt different. Then, it hit me. There’s something not all together right about exchanging money for a living creature’s spirit, and that thought caught me off guard.

“What’s that all about?” I muttered as I turned down the onramp to Highway 85, heading south. I shook off the feeling with the thought that it helped pay for his care rather than buying him per say.

As I made the transition to the 77 near uptown Charlotte, I started thinking of names for the pup. Angie named him ‘Ace of Spades’ or Ace for ease, but that wasn’t right. I knew that instantly. My dogs have always named themselves. He’ll let me know. I thought, but still names flitted through my mind.

What do I want from all this? That made me laugh. It’s a dog adoption, not a marriage. The truth was already apparent. This was going to be bigger than a simple custody transfer. The anxiety over recent events with neighbors at my apartment complex threatened to rear up again. I needed someone…something…to help watch my back. I wanted a right-hand man…a wingman…or, in this case, a ‘wingdog’.

That’s it! Goose. Like the wingman in Top Gun, he’d be my extra pair of eyes and ears. I loved it immediately and settled on it before remembering that the dog does the choosing.

“Okay, just keep it in mind,” I mumbled as I got off the highway and made a convoluted trip to the apartment. I texted Angie from the parking lot because I couldn’t make sense of the numbers in the complex, so she agreed to bring him down to meet me. I waited in the car for a few minutes, laughing at myself for having a bit of ‘first date’ jitters about meeting a puppy.

They seemed to appear out of nowhere and stopped at the end of the walkway.

I got out, and as soon as I cleared the bumper, he spotted me. It was magic – a connection in an instant – as he leapt towards me despite his leash. His eyes lit up like I’m sure mine did. With a big smile and open arms, I walked up to him at Angie’s side and said hello. He barely reached my kneecap, but his eyes were wide and bright. I dropped to my knee. Given my earlier thoughts about marriage, I chuckled and shook my head to clear the whole proposal analogy from my head. He nuzzled into me immediately and toppled me onto my rear.

Who are YOU? I haven’t seen you before. He did a once over with his nose. Yep, you smell nice. You’re a good one. How ya doin’?

I smiled ear to ear as I situated myself, sitting cross-legged so the little guy could sniff away at will. If that isn’t an enthusiastic yes, I don’t know what is. My heart swelled as his furry little body shivered with excitement. His wild tail matched the leaping in my chest. I looked into his wide, trusting eyes: one brown, the other blue. It was a match. You choose me too! I thought as I wrapped my arms around the brindled bundle showering me in warm wet pup kisses.

“We found him on the highway. He was in bad shape, but we nursed him back to health. He’s been dewormed too.”

He sat listening to the conversation like he would chime in at any time, sneaking glances at me as Angie debriefed me about his circumstances.

How could someone be so evil to such an adorable boy?

“Several people have come to look at him, but the brindle coloring gives the impression of a pit bull.” Angie sighed. “He’s incredibly friendly, but the people who’ve come to see him have scared him as well as my husband and me. It’s like he knows they’re not right. My husband and I figured they were looking for fighting dogs, or even bait dogs, when they start asking about his bloodlines.”

A chill traveled down my spine at the thought of people looking to sacrifice a loving creature for a blood sport.

Angie continued, “That’s why we’ve been saying that he’s a Jack Russell mix. We’re not sure though, and we can’t keep him anyway.” Angie went on to explain about their impending move as Goose scanned the yard of the apartment complex.

Hold on. His name isn’t Goose yet. I thought as my mind and heart made the leap. He gets a vote. Remember?

“He’s big into sticks,” Angie stated as she reached up into the branches of a small, almost bare tree near us and broke off a branch for Goose. He immediately plopped down to tackle his new toy. “I was going to name him Lucky, but that’s too common. So, I thought that the Ace of Spades is a lucky card. That’s how he got his name.”

I noticed that he wasn’t too fond of the name either, since he didn’t even twitch when he heard her say it. Good boy! You’re definitely a smart one. I thought. I could tell Angie was stalling a bit with her continued chatting.

“He’s still damp. I was cleaning the bird cage in the bathtub, and he jumped right in too. He loves water.”

“Perfect! I’m a surfer girl who needs to be around water all the time.” I said with a laugh and smile. “Yeah, I know Charlotte’s not near the ocean, but we’ll be at the lake a lot.” I felt like I was selling myself to win favor.

“He loves going for rides too. My husband has to take him every time he goes to the store or wherever.”

“That works out perfectly too. Though I am teaching online classes fulltime, I’m a bit of a road warrior right now with a side gig as a motorsports reporter. That’s what brought me to NC. We’ll be going to California in a couple of weeks for the Phoenix race, Thanksgiving, and Champ Week. He’ll get the ride of his puppy life.”

Angie’s shoulders slumped as we transferred his things to the car, and I handed Angie a hundred dollars for both the pup and all of her supplies. There wasn’t much: a used cat collar, a small leash, some food and a bowl, but it was a start. The supermarket dog food was going to be replaced immediately.

You’ll be eating way better than that. I vowed silently. I could tell that Angie was both happy and sad. I passed the test. He was going to a good home, but it meant that he was leaving her.

Whether it was Angie’s demeanor or plain puppy energy, he grew restless, starting to explore the yard as much as he could while still on a leash. After Angie ran out of things to chit-chat about, I opened the passenger’s side door and cradled him in my arms. His warmth traveled to my core as the soft bundle of brown, black and white fur rested close to my heart. A sigh escaped as I held him to my chest before placing him on the seat.

Shotgun! He perked up and sniffed the interior, which was already filling with the smell of kibble.

His investigation stopped abruptly and he stared at Angie and me. He knew something was different. This wasn’t a casual, meet-someone-on-a-walk encounter anymore. It was a strange new car. He looked at Angie. Thank you. I’m happy. She’s a good one.

Angie sighed.“Bye, Ace. You’re a good boy.”

He seemed to smile as he stretched, puffing out his puppy chest. Then he got distracted by the straw to my iced coffee. He was at ease, and inside of two hours, I became a pup mom. Life wasn’t going to be the same again.

About the Author

Janelle Jalbert had two light bulb moments at the age of 10. One involved teaching. She began teaching her stuffed animals daily lessons after school. The other was the result of an obsession with reading. Just like her dad, Janelle loved to plow through books like any child racing to the presents under a tree on Christmas morning. Her favorite YA series featured a main character that aspired to be a writer, and Janelle exclaimed “I wanna do that!”

Flash forward to a decade or so later, Janelle pursued her love of teaching, but her passion for writing remained a glowing ember. It took a car accident to get Janelle writing once again. She wrote and published Success Skills for Middle and High School Students (2001) to help her students with their major educational transitions. Not one to do the same old thing as everyone else, Janelle had a hint of things to come when she was looking for a “different” topic to focus on for her master’s thesis. She was drawn to Magical Realism. Years later, she blended her love for helping others and creative entrepreneurialism with her writing and contributed a chapter to Conscious Entrepreneurs (2008). It was another hint of what was to come for Janelle with the theme for her segment in the anthology being a call to take charge of your life by becoming the star of your life by step into your own spotlight.

It sounds simple enough, but Janelle’s journey towards fulfilling her early dream was not that straight-forward…for either better or worse. After transitioning from the traditional classroom to online teaching and moving from K12 to university teaching, Janelle decided to pursue a doctoral program. While juggling teaching, studies, and growing a college admissions counseling business, Janelle had another light bulb moment during a trip to a NASCAR race weekend in Fontana.

Janelle and her sister were always around cars and loved racing. One of their rituals was making the trek to racing events in Southern California. That morning in the spring of 2009, Janelle watched people walking in and out of the garage as practice sessions were going. Again, she heard the voice “I wanna do that!” Given that she was teaching English and doing studies in education, it was a fleeting moment that she quickly forgot.

Three months later, after covering graduate schools in the Los Angeles area for examiner.com, Janelle got a wild idea. She asked her editor in education for the sports editor’s contact information and pitched him the role of Southern California Motorsports Examiner. Not only did she land the position, she was also named NASCAR Truck Series Examiner. By the time that NASCAR returned to Fontana that fall, Janelle was working the garage as a reporter and photographer. In fact, it wasn’t until she was halfway through her first morning there that she remembered what happened during the spring race. It was a little bit of magic, a touch of nerve, and some talent that had Janelle smiling that October day. Janelle went on to travel the country covering motorsports, including moving to North Carolina for an extended period, while still teaching and pursuing graduate work.

The unlikely fairytale story did not an easy happily-ever-after ending though. As her fortieth birthday approached, the rumblings of a major life change began. Even though Janelle loved teaching, she realized that education was not where she needed to be. Then the universe reaffirmed her belief when her teaching position was phased out. Though Janelle was already growing a small business startup, she struggled to find her footing.

Months later, Janelle walked out of a local restaurant and was hit with a story idea that grabbed her. She hadn’t worked on fiction since she was a teen, but the story kept screaming to her. Another voice gave her pause though. “You need to do it in 30 days.” It seemed illogical and even melodramatic. (No, it wasn’t a NANOWRIMO challenge either.) Still, she began drafting. It flowed, even if it wasn’t in linear fashion, and Janelle felt the fire back in her life.

Then, Janelle learned why there was a 30-day warning. She was about 90% done with the draft when her father went to the hospital. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had surgery days later. Though he pulled through the procedure, doctors explained that he had multiple advanced cancers. In the weeks that followed, Janelle finished the draft while her dad battled cancer. He was too ill to read it and passed on New Year’s night. The person who gave Janelle the love of the written word was gone, but life was to take a few more turns.

By spring, Janelle pursued writing in all types of formats, from copywriting and ghostwriting to other genres, to pay the bills. In March, she submitted to Flash Fiction Magazine and was published on the first attempt. A month later, she took another leap and pitched a book to another publisher. The topic was rejected, but they asked if she had any expertise in the other areas that they were seeking. By the end of the week, Janelle had a book contract to write Wine for Beginners. While drafting that book, Janelle also asked to contribute on a regular basis to Flash Fiction Magazine which led her to develop a collection of stories.

Within months, Janelle finished the draft of Wine for Beginners. After finalizing the submission, she poured a glass of bubbly and went to celebrate with her mother and sister. The elation did an immediate 180. Instead of toasting for a much needed celebration, she was helping her sister prepare to go to the emergency room. Less than 12 hours after pouring the glass of bubbly, Janelle’s sister lost her fight with complication from a life-long disability.

So, Janelle’s still working on that happily-ever-after ending. In November 2014, Janelle publishing a collection of flash fiction title Flash 40: Life’s Moments. Wine for Beginners was released in 2015, and the novel, Triangulating Bliss, which rekindled Janelle’s writing passion is due for release in the Fall of 2015.

Janelle currently resides in Southern California, with her pack of pups. When the dogs allow, Janelle regularly returns to her second home of sorts in North Carolina. Her interests are diverse and keep life interesting by giving her experiences that make great stories. More than likely, you can find Janelle enjoying a good wine with friends, feeding her wanderlust beast, or giving into her guilty pleasure of a HEA story in film or written form.

Her latest book is the memoir, WINGDOG: Soul Pup, A Magical Mutt Memoir.

For More Information

Visit Janelle Jalbert’s website and the book’s site.
Connect with Janelle on Facebook and Twitter.

Why writing a blog is (sometimes) more difficult than writing a novel

Yeah, you read that right. Sometimes writing a blog is more difficult than finishing a novel. And now you think I’ve gone from slightly loco to completely bonkers. While I may admit to being slightly loco at times and often even bonkers, I’m trying to be serious here. On Sunday afternoon, I was staring at my blank computer screen and wondering what in the world I was going to blog about now! I may have been getting just the teensy weensy bit annoyed. Why oh why does writing a blog article seem like so much work? Oh wait – maybe this is a good blog idea. I put my thinking cap on and came up with three reasons why I struggle with blog writing:

Brevity. Blog articles need to be short. I always aim for around 500 words. Seems easy, right? Wrong! Because the blogs are brief, they need to be able to capture readers’ attention quickly. Otherwise, readers are just going to move onto the next blog or newsletter or social media website. This translates into trying to write a catchy introductory paragraph for Every. Single. Blog. If I wrote my novels in this manner, I’d never get past the first page. Can you say pressure?
Time. Another pressure point. One of the most effective manners to gain readers for my books is to have a popular blog. Unfortunately, a blog in which there is no content is never popular. One of my writing goals for 2016 is to write two blog articles a week. I normally don’t give myself deadlines for my novels. I just write and write until I’m nearly finished. Then, I decide on a deadline and start going balls to the walls. In my case, blog writing is can be more stressful on a day-to-day basis.
Time (again!). Because of the time pressure, there’s no time for beta readers or editing. Logically, I understand that most readers accept mistakes in blogs more quickly than in a novel. I have to admit, though, if I read a blog from a writer which contains a ton of mistakes, I’m not going to read their novels. I end up reading and re-reading my blog articles until my eyes are blurry. And I still miss mistakes! Which, in turn, stresses me out.

Luckily, not all days are like yesterday. I have a lot of days in which the words for a blog article flow so quickly from my mind that my fingers simply can’t keep up.

Promo Blitz ~ Twisted Up in You by @Dawn_Martens

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: 1/10/2016

Surviving a harsh upbringing, Corinne Treyton’s new life, comes courtesy of the Angels Warriors MC. No one will ever use her body again, unless she wants them to. Cori, a party girl, doesn’t believe in relationships, but she’d be willing to try if only Blake, her boss, could really see her for who she is. She hides her lifestyle from him; afraid he would think less of her.

Blake Lexington has crushed on Cori since the day she started working for him. He knows a bit about her past, living with the Angels Warriors, and he doesn’t care. He refuses to make a move, thinking it will scare off his shy assistant. For years he thought she wouldn’t be attracted to someone like him.

Finally realizing that he needs to take action, her reaction surprises him. Cori believes he sees her as a slut and wants to use her. Secrets from the past will be revealed causing everything to unravel.

Will real love bring them together or is Cori too damaged to give true love a chance?

Want more Angels Warriors MC??? They are featured heavily in this book!


EXCERPT

“Corinne Treyton?” I hear an intimidating voice shouting my name.

I hold Melissa’s hand and walk slowly down the steps, coming face to face with the scariest looking man I’ve ever seen – tall, fully bearded, tattoos covering his arms and neck, and a leather vest that says Angels Warriors on it. Instantly, I sag in relief and let go of Melly’s hands. I rush forward, wrapping my arms around this big guy’s waist and sobbing.

“You came,” I choke out.

“Darlin’,” he says gruffly, holding me tight to him. “Reaper, you check the house, find whatever you can, if you can. These f***ers are slimy. Zippo, get the sister. We’re outta here.”

“You can’t take these kids!” my foster father shouts at him.

I stiffen, scared that I’m going to have to stay here. “That’s funny, because we are,” the man holding me says calmly.


About the Author

USA Today bestselling author, Dawn Martens is a young, spunky Canadian Author. Being a wife to Colin, a mother to three beautiful little girls (Sarah (2007), Grace (2010), and Ava (2014)) and of course best friend to fellow author Glenna Maynard, hasn’t stopped this Canadian Firecracker from pursuing her dreams of becoming a writer.

Dawn’s number one passion in life is the written word, and she’s extremely thankful that she has the ability to share the ramblings from the characters inside of her head with the rest of the world!

She also may or may not have the hugest girl crush on Author Kristen Ashley, who is her personal idol and helped inspire Dawn in the beginning of her Indie career.

 Contact Links



Twitter


Facebook



Purchase Link



Amazon

Release Day Blitz ~ Last Vacation by @SarahElleEmm

Seven days have passed since Naples real estate agent Megan MacKenna has heard from her twin sister, Madeline, who was vacationing on the beautiful, Caribbean island of St. Croix. Though authorities are not convinced there is a case to solve, Megan knows with all of her heart something happened to Maddy. When Megan receives a direct warning to leave the island or end up like her sister, she turns to the only person who has taken her seriously since she arrived, Gabe, a breakfast cook at a local diner. 

 Undercover DEA agent, Gabriel Walker has been building his cover for months, waiting for the opportunity to work his way into the infamous Torrez crime ring. When Megan shows up asking questions and Gabe realizes her twin’s disappearance might be linked to the Torrez men, he has to convince her to go back to Florida before she becomes their next victim. 

The closer Megan gets to the truth, the more Gabe begins to suspect he is missing a huge piece of the puzzle. And someone is closing in on Megan…

~ Buy Links ~

Amazon USA I Amazon UK I Amazon Canada I Amazon India I Kobo I Smashwords


~ Fun Fact ~
I grew up visiting the island of St. Croix with my family. As an adult, I lived in the U.S. Virgin Islands, on both St. Croix and St. Thomas. I always wanted to write a fiction story that took place there, but I never took the time to write it until recently.
~ Excerpt ~

Megan peered out at the vast expanse of ocean gleaming in the bright morning sunshine before her. The turquoise waters seemed to go on forever. From the Caribbean Airways in flight map, she had noted theislands of Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and St. John were in the far off distance. She had been told a faint view of the densely populated St. Thomas could sometimes be seen on a perfectly clear day, but no matter how she strained her eyes, she couldn’t quite see it today.

Had Maddy hopped on a sailboat and continued her travels to another island as the police officer had suggested? It wasn’t like Maddy not to check in. Her cell phone had been going straight to voice mail since the last photo Maddy had sent, and according to the cell company, the cell phone was out of service range. Something had happened to her sibling. The last communication with Maddy had been an unexplained picture of an iguana. No message, no text, nothing. Just an enormous, slimy, dragon-resembling lizard. Megan sunk her head to her chest. Where in the world was her sister?

“Everything okay, Miss?”

Startled from her hopeless thoughts, Megan sat upright at the sound of the low voice. Her eyes scanned the length of the man standing before her, and she pursed her lips together. She guessed he was probably about six-foot-two.

As she sat silently, observing him, the man repeated his question, “Are you okay?” His tone bordered on cautious, but concerned.

“Everything’s fine,” she finally managed with a tight voice.

With a smile, his concern faded away, and he reached behind his back to untie a grease-spotted apron. He folded the apron up, pulled out a chair at the table right next to Megan’s, about a foot and a half from her, and sat down.

An internal alarm went off, making Megan feel extremely uncomfortable with his proximity, and she fidgeted with her hands as he stared at her, finally forcing them into her lap. How could a voice so soothing go with a gruff-looking character like him? And what in the world was he doing sitting down so close to her?

~ About the Author ~

Sarah Elle Emm is the author of the HARMONY RUN SERIES, a young-adult fantasy and dystopian series, released in May 2012 by Winter Goose Publishing. (PRISMATIC, May 2012, OPALESCENT, February 2013, CHATOYANT, September 2014, NACREOUS, August 2015) Her debut fiction novel, MARRYING MISSY, was published by Bird Brain Publishing in October 2011. Sarah is a graduate of The University of Evansville, she has lived and worked in Mexico, Germany, England, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has traveled extensively beyond. Sarah lives in Naples, Florida with her family. When she’s not walking the plank of her daughters’ imaginary pirate ship or snapping photos of Southwest Florida scenery, she is writing.

~ Stalk the Author ~

Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon Author Page

 

 

His Personal Relationship Manager by Jennifer Peel

 

His Personal Relationship Manager by Jennifer Peel

Kenadie Marshall suffered the most public of humiliations, being left at the altar. Instead of wallowing in her misery, she makes it her mission to help others find true and lasting love, all while swearing off relationships for good. Between the software application she developed and a team of relationship managers, her brainchild, Binary Search, has an uncanny knack for choosing the perfect match almost every time.

Attractive and loveable Jason Hadley is taken with Kenadie Marshall from their first meeting. Determined to win her over, he does anything and everything he can think of, even if it means using her firm’s service and dating other women to stay close to her.

Will Kenadie realize she’s met her match before it’s too late? Or will Jason’s ploy go too far? Find out in His Personal Relationship Manager, a romantic comedy with an epic battle of wills.

Praise for the Book

“One of the best romantic comedies I’ve read in a long time!” – Becky Monson, Bestselling Author of the Spinster Series

“There’s nothing more satisfying than a story with a great plot, strong characters, and a romance that makes me swoon. This story has it all and more! I loved every minute of it!” – Katie from Katie’s Clean Book Collection

Excerpt

He paused for a moment. His intense gaze had me feeling undone. “Are you happy, Kenadie?”

“That’s a complicated question.”

“Well, you are a complicated woman.”

“I don’t try to be.”

“It was a compliment.”

“How do you do that?”

“What’s that?”

“You always know what to say to make me feel better about myself.”

“Well, that’s easy. You give me good material to work with.”

“Jason … Today, I’m happy.”

“You don’t know how happy I am to hear that,” he said smoothly.

 

Author Jennifer Peel

Jennifer Peel is the mother of three amazing kiddos. Wife to her one and only for the past twenty-one years. Lover of late night talks, beach vacations, the mountains, pink bubble gum ice cream, tours of model homes, and southern living. She can frequently be found with her laptop on, fingers typing away, indulging in chocolate milk, and writing out the stories that are constantly swirling through her head.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

 

Book Blast Giveaway – $100 Amazon Gift Card or $100 in Paypal Cash

Ends 2/25/16

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 participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

A Valentine’s Story – The True Meet Cute Story

Rumor has it that Sunday is Valentine’s Day. What a perfect time to share the meet cute story that brought me and my partner together. This decision has absolutely, positively nothing to do with the whiney hubby complaining about my blogs being too writer-orientated lately and not have enough mentions of him. Nothing at all. So, without further ado, the honest-to-goodness meet cute story of Dena and the hubby.

Right off the bat I’m just going to go ahead and confess that the hubby and I have very different versions of the first time we met. You see we were working together at the time. I was a military policewoman in the U.S. Army stationed at the land forces headquarters for NATO, which were in Heidelberg, Germany at the time. Hubby was a Dutch conscript who volunteered to do a few extra months in the Dutch Marechaussee (that’s the Dutch version of the Military Police and I totally had to look up how to spell that).

As part of the professional army, I didn’t exactly look down with disdain at the groups of Dutch draftees, but I didn’t make much of an effort to become besties after over a year of groups of Dutchies arriving and leaving before I even got a chance to learn their names. The hubby claims he met me in August before I went on vacation to Russia. Obviously not a blip on my radar since I don’t remember meeting him. Oops!

The first time I actually do recollect talking to the hubby was when another American mentioned meeting him and thinking he was cute. She wanted to get to know him. I can help with that I told her and then proceeded to drag her to the Dutch barracks. Unlike the American barracks, where I got in trouble more times than I care to remember for having an overnight guest, the Dutch didn’t care. Or, if they did, didn’t make a big stink about it. I actually got caught once piggy back riding my husband in my undies while he ran down the hallway by the Dutch Sergeant Major and his only response was: “Is that Haggerty? Is she coming to the range with us?” I totally went to the range.

 My American friend thought that the hubby was cute, but way too short for her. (Side note: She’s my height.) I was perfectly okay with that because I was thinking I may give the man a go myself. We talked and joked that night and I soon joined his crew who were always heading off to the Irish pub for drinks and a game or two of pool. Before I knew it, we were a couple. Well, kind of. He made sure I knew this was nothing ‘serious’. Men, huh? *rolls eyes*

Between working and heading to the pub every chance we got, the months passed quickly and before I knew it, the hubby was heading back to Holland as his tenure in the Dutch Army was over. He tried to get his time extended but it was a no go. I still had a few months left in Heidelberg before my two-year stint was up. During this time, we saw each other a few times. I grabbed a ride with other Dutch military pals who were heading home for the weekend a few times and hubby commandeered his dad’s car to come visit me a time or two.

But all good things must come to an end. My time in Heidelberg was over and I was heading to Fort Belvoir, Virginia to sit out the last year or so of my military commitment. The hubby made a last visit to Heidelberg. We headed off to our favorite Italian restaurant in the city center where I got the shock of my life. Hubby confessed he wanted to follow me to Virginia. Of course, I jumped up and down with glee. And the rest – as they say – is history. Next month, we’ll have been married for 20 years even though I’m totally not old enough to have been married for two decades.

Our only surviving wedding photo. No idea what that look on the hubby’s face is, but I look skinny!

Our 12 1/2 year anniversary.

And, yes, I do realize that this story is not a meet cute at all. I do hate to do things the ‘normal’ way.