Babs Hightower's Blog, page 39
April 17, 2018
Nun After The Other (A Giulia Driscoll Mystery) by Alice Loweecey, blog tour, giveaway and spotlight
Nun After The Other (A Giulia Driscoll Mystery)
by Alice Loweecey
About the Book
Nun After The Other (A Giulia Driscoll Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Henery Press (April 17, 2018)
Paperback: 268 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635113266
Digital ASIN: B079H34FXV
Nuns and murder and ghosts, oh my! Here comes Giulia Driscoll again, and boy, is she in for it this time.
It starts when a frenzied Chihuahua leads Giulia and Frank Driscoll to the body of a nun in the street near a convent. The nuns fear they’re being harassed by the biggest developer in town and quickly embrace Giulia as their savior.
Of course the former nun who exposed the drug ring run by a priest and nun will save their home and discover the murderer.
And of course not only Giulia takes this job, but also all the other jobs clamoring for her attention. The result: Driscoll Investigations is pushed to its limit.
Then Giulia’s brother falls into a coma and she brings his kids to her house. Talk about a crash course in parenting for pregnant Giulia!
Did we mention the convent ghost? She loves the house, hates the nuns, and chain-smokes. Why couldn’t Giulia’s first honest-to-goodness ghost be shy and sweet?
More important, does the ghost hate the nuns—or the developer—enough to indulge in a bit of murder to liven up the afterlife?
Giveaway
About the Author
Alice Loweecey is a baker of brownies and tormenter of characters, Alice Loweecey recently celebrated her thirtieth year outside the convent. She grew up watching Hammer horror films and Scooby-Doo mysteries, which explains a whole lot. When she’s not creating trouble for her sleuth Giulia Driscoll or inspiring nightmares as her alter-ego Kate Morgan, she can be found growing her own vegetables (in summer) and cooking with them (the rest of the year).
Website: aliceloweecey.net
Facebook: facebook.com/GiuliaDriscoll
Twitter: @AliceLoweecey
Goodreads: Alice Loweecey
Purchase Links
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
April 16 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 16 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
April 16 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 17 – Readeropolis – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 17 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW
April 17 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 18 – Babs Book Bistro -SPOTLIGHT
April 18 – T’s Stuff – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 18 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 19 – Mysteries with Character – SPOTLIGHT
April 19 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 19 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
April 20 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
April 20 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 20 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
The post Nun After The Other (A Giulia Driscoll Mystery) by Alice Loweecey, blog tour, giveaway and spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
April 15, 2018
Chicken Culprit: Backyard Farming Mystery Series by Vikki Walton, blog tour, giveaway, recipe & spotlight
Chicken Culprit: Backyard Farming Mystery Series
by Vikki Walton
About the Book
Chicken Culprit: Backyard Farming Mystery Series
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Colorado
Morewellson, LTD
Print Length: 251 pages
Digital ASIN: B079SS1C4S
Finally healing after her heart-breaking divorce, Anne Freemont is ready to put the painful past behind her.
Discovering an old Victorian for sale in the small mountain town of Carolan Springs may be just what she needs. The beauty of Colorado beckons, so Anne heads west to start her new life.
Yet, before Anne’scompletely settled in, her neighbor is found dead in his compost pile. What’s worse is that Anne’s quirky young neighbor, Kandi Jenkins, could be the killer. When Kandi begs for her help, Anne feels she has no choice but to help the young woman.
However, she finds herself quickly at odds with the local sheriff. And while she uncovers more of the community’s secrets, she’s also exploring her awakening feelings for Sam Powers, the town’s deputy coroner.
Once Anne starts looking at who could be the real killer, the suspect list keeps getting longer and longer. It seems that Carolan Springs is a place of many secrets. But who would want to murder Ralph and who’s willing to kill again to keep their secret?
Giveaway
Recipe
Like The Best Ever Frittata
[XXXO Kandi Jenkins]
What You’ll Need:
Eggs 8-10
Cast iron pan (8-10 inch) or oven-safe skillet
Bowl, Whisk and Spatula
Butter (If you, like, don’t want to use butter, then oil or fake butter).
Your favorite ingredients (spinach, mushrooms, peppers, etc.)
Salt and cracked pepper (and any other desired spices)
Milk or water (1/4 cup)
Fresh herbs (optional for including in frittata or on top)
Cheese (optional)
Meat (optional)
STEPS:
Heat oven to 350 degrees (177 degrees C or Gas Mark 4)
On top of the stove, sauté your veggies in butter or oil in your skillet*.
After the vegetables are softened, transfer to a dish to add later.
If you’re adding meat or a starch, cook it at this stage.
Crack your eggs in a bowl.
Using a whisk, combine the eggs. Add milk or water if desired.
Add salt and pepper and any desired herbs or spices.
Add more butter or oil to the pan and have the burner at a medium heat.
Pour the eggs in the pan and cook until set (about 2-4 minutes).
Using a spatula lift the sides to allow uncooked egg to move from the middle.
Once the edges are set and the middle is not liquid, sprinkle your cooked
veggies over the eggs.
Put the frittata into the oven for approximately 12-20 minutes.
When a toothpick comes out clean, add cheese on top and cook for another minute or until melted. Conversely, you can add the cheese after done.
Let sit five to ten minutes before cutting. Can serve warm or room temperature.
Chicken Culprit (A Backyard Farming Mystery) by Vikki Walton There’s so many frittata combinations you can try!
Like a bit of heat?
Onions, poblano peppers, Roma tomatoes (discard interior). Top with Queso Fresco and Cilantro. Serve with flour tortillas or fried corn tortilla strips.
Meat and Potatoes
Hearty American: Potatoes (cubed and cooked), bacon, ham or sausage. Serve with biscuits and white gravy.
Veggie Lover
Spinach, mushroom, onion, bell peppers, tomato, etc. Top with Manur cheese and parsley. Serve with toast.
Girl’s Brunch
Asparagus, chives, tarragon. Top with Gruyere or Emmental. Serve with Croissants. 
Simple Supper
Salmon (poached or smoked), capers, dill. Top with Chevre or Havarti Dill. Serve with bagels.
Margarita
Tomato and basil. Top with Mozzarella and fresh basil. Serve with baguette.
What’s your Favorite or Your Recipe?
Chicken Culprit (A Backyard Farming Mystery)
by Vikki Walton
About the Author
Vikki Walton is a suburban homesteader aka the Havensteader. She has chickens, gardens, and bees and is a certified permaculture designer. She’s also the author of nonfiction books. She loves to travel, is a global house and pet sitter and when not out in the garden or hiking in beautiful Colorado, is plotting her next mystery.
Author Links:
Website: www.vikkiwalton.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/vikkiwaltonauthor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/havensteader
Purchase Link
Tour Participants
April 16 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 16 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
April 16 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT WITH RECIPE
April 17 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – REVIEW
April 17 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
April 17 – The Self-Rescue Princess – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 17 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
April 18 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
April 18 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
April 18 – Books Direct – GUEST POST
April 19 – I Wish I Lived in a Library – REVIEW
April 19 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 19 – Jane Reads – REVIEW
April 19 – T’s Stuff – SPOTLIGHT
April 20 – That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW
April 20 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW
April 20 – Varietats – REVIEW
April 21 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
April 21 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 21 – fundinmental – REVIEW
April 22 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
April 22 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
April 22 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER GUEST POST
The post Chicken Culprit: Backyard Farming Mystery Series by Vikki Walton, blog tour, giveaway, recipe & spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
April 12, 2018
The Silver Gun (An Art Deco Mystery) by L.A. Chandlar, blog tour, giveaway, guest post & spotlight
The Silver Gun (An Art Deco Mystery)
by L.A. Chandlar
About the Book
The Silver Gun (An Art Deco Mystery) by L.A. Chandlar
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington (August 29, 2017)
Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496713414
Digital ASIN: B01MQSAJO7
New York City, 1936. In the midst of the Great Depression, the Big Apple is defiantly striving toward an era infused with art, architecture, and economic progress under the dynamic Mayor La Guardia. But those in City Hall know that tumultuous times can inspire both optimism and deadly danger . . .
It’s been six months since Lane Sanders was appointed Mayor Fiorello “Fio” La Guardia’s new personal aide, and the twenty-three-year-old is sprinting in her Mary Janes to match her boss’s pace. Despite dealing with vitriol from the Tammany Hall political machine and managing endless revitalization efforts, Fio hasn’t slowed down a bit during his years in office. And luckily for Lane, his unpredictable antics are a welcome distraction from the childhood memories that haunt her dreams—and the silver gun she’ll never forget.
When Lane gets attacked and threatened by an assailant tied to one of most notorious gangsters in the city, even the mayor can’t promise her safety. The corrupt city officials seem to be using Lane as a pawn against Fio for disgracing their party in the prior election. But why was the assailant wielding the exact same gun from her nightmares?
Balancing a clandestine love affair and a mounting list of suspects, Lane must figure out how the secrets of her past are connected to the city’s underground crime network—before someone pulls the trigger on the most explosive revenge plot in New York history . . .
Guest Post
It’s Not Your Mom’s Mystery Series
Well, it could be. Moms would totally love this series. But Millenials and Gen Z’ers are finding a special bond with The Art Deco Series. I think this series has something to say for all of us, and those two groups in particular.
First of all, Lane Sanders, twenty-three, is the aide to the Mayor of New York City in 1936. Her job is busy and satisfying, plus she hangs out with her friends and goes dancing, enjoys the theater, and all that New York has to offer. But it’s her spirit that is fun. She’s an interesting mix of Nancy Drew meets Stephanie Plum. She always has an idea, and is both fearless, fun, and artful. My hope is that people can relate with Lane on many levels. It’s not her looks or her education or her status that define her. It’s her spirit and her way of soaking up life that makes her remarkable.
And speaking of soaking up life, Lane has a particular knack for getting into adventurous situations. There’s a little bit of Clive Cussler’s adventures that sneak into my mysteries. I like action and there are a lot of lively romps through the city.
The other thing that makes this series different is the art and history. The real history is compelling to bring in to the story. In fact, most of what I write about Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia is actually real. The more sensational or publicity stunt-worthy the situation, the more likely it’s real history. It’s always fun to keep an eye on my Author Notes for that reason.
In real life, art can come along side of and help bring clarity, communication and expression to complicated issues. Art was a hallmark of that time period so I wanted to highlight art in a special way. I wanted readers to live it. So in every novel, there is a backdrop of a different piece of art that comes alongside a character and helps them navigate the mystery and their own issues. Readers experience the art in a new way. In book one, there’s a famous artist who wasn’t famous then, in book two a haunting classic novel comes alongside Lane and a villain simultaneously as they wrestle with similar issues, and in book three Orson Welles (the War of the Worlds creator) founds the first all-black theater cast. They perform MacBeth set in Haiti instead of Scotland, with a jungle and skeleton set, and it is wildly successful. This is Voodoo MacBeth.
With the poetry of the city, layers of art, humor, the heroic figure of LaGuardia, high adventure, and Lane’s desire to live well, I think readers get an overall sense of hope and significance. Things we all long for. My deepest desire is that my stories would somehow inspire every reader to live and experience their own life well. Surprisingly, our age isn’t that different from the Thirties with pervasive corruption, fast-paced technological advances, recession, music and art, and our profound desire for heroes to step up, create change, and give us hope. Deeper than that is the possibility that maybe, just maybe, we could be those heroes in our everyday life. That’s what my novels are all about. And that is why I think these latest generations are finding inspiration and enjoyment from the Art Deco Mysteries. At the heart of it all are normal people who find within themselves the power to make a difference. And to soak up life: the good, the bad, the mundane, the difficult, the joyful… Because when you put it all together, life is extraordinary.
Giveaway
About the Author
L .A. Chandlar is the author of the Art Deco Mystery Series
with Kensington Publishing featuring Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and a fresh take on the innovation and liveliness of 1930s New York City. Her debut novel, The Silver Gun released August 29, 2017, and the sequel, The Gold Pawn, will release September 25th, 2018. Laurie has been living and writing in New York City for 16 years and has been speaking for a wide variety of audiences for over 20 years including a women’s group with the United Nations. Her talks range from NYC history, the psychology of creativity, and the history of holiday traditions. Laurie has also worked in PR for General Motors, writes and fund-raises for a global nonprofit is the mother of two boys, and has toured the nation managing a rock band.
Author Links
Website: http://www.lachandlar.com
Social Media Quick Link to all my social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Newsletter): http://www.lachandlar.com/social
YouTube for Behind the Scenes Tours: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOc8aw0RmT-MTKuCGKJ7dOw?view_as=subscriber
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7656965.L_A_Chandlar
Purchase Links
Amazon B&N Kobo Google Play BookBub
Tour Participants
April 9 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 10 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 11 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
April 12 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW, GUEST POST
April 13 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST
April 14 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
April 15 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 16 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
April 17 – Carstairs Considers – REVIEW
April 17 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST
April 18 – Jane Reads – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 19 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, EXCERPT
April 20 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
April 21 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 22 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
The post The Silver Gun (An Art Deco Mystery) by L.A. Chandlar, blog tour, giveaway, guest post & spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
April 8, 2018
Cover Reveal Mirror’s Deceit by Justine Alley Dowsett and Murandy Damodred
Her rival has made a desperate flight to the past to stop her.
About the Book:
A gifted student of majik, Mirena is on the verge of graduating from a secret college that will give her a leg up in her political career, when her achievements are overshadowed by the arrival of a mysterious woman with an unknown agenda. Desperate to keep what she sees as her rightful place in the spotlight, Mirena goes to astounding lengths including taking it upon herself to pose as a double agent to investigate a rebel force plotting to destabilize the government. Unfortunately, her actions cost her the trust of those around her, so when she is proclaimed the Dark Avatar of the Destroyer, she finds she has nowhere to turn.
In a seeming utopia, Mirena is now a pariah with the force of Destroyer behind her and her once bright dreams have darkened, leaving her a threat not only to herself, but to those she cares about. Can she turn her life around, or will someone need to stop her before she goes too far?
Book Information:
Publisher: Mirror World Publishing; 1 edition
Publication Date: May 17, 2018
ASIN: B07BNY8RVF
Genre(s): Dark Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy
Page count: 240 pages
Pre-Order from Amazon
Pre-Order from Mirror World Publishing
Add to Your Shelf on Goodreads
Meet the Authors:
Justine Alley Dowsett is the author of eight novels and one of the founders of Mirror World Publishing. Her books, which she often co-writes with her sister, Murandy Damodred, range from young adult science fiction to dark fantasy/romance. She earned a BA in Drama from the University of Windsor, honed her skills as an entrepreneur by tackling video game production, and now she dedicates her time to writing, publishing, and occasionally roleplaying with her friends.
With a background in Drama and Communications from the University of Windsor, Murandy Damodred enjoys fantasy fiction with strong romantic subplots. She is an avid role-player and is happiest when living vicariously through her characters. Though she’d rather think of herself as the heroine of her next novel, in the real world she is a new mom living in Windsor, Ontario, ready to embark on a new career as a medical technician.
Connect with:
Website: http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com
Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Justine-Alley-Dowsett/e/B004MNQAUA/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4637105.Justine_Alley_Dowsett
The post Cover Reveal Mirror’s Deceit by Justine Alley Dowsett and Murandy Damodred appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
Farewell, My Cuckoo: A Birds of a Feather Mystery by Marty Wingate, blog tour, guest post & spotlight
Farewell, My Cuckoo: A Birds of a Feather Mystery
by Marty Wingate
About the Book
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Alibi (April 10, 2018)
Print Length: Approximately 300 pages
ASIN: B073YTFZ53
Julia Lanchester must defend her love nest from an invasive species: her boyfriend’s sister. And then there’s the little matter of murder . . .
“The cuckoo comes in April and sings its song in May. In June it changes tune and July it flies away.”
Wedding bells are ringing in the small British village of Smeaton-under-Lyme. Julia Lanchester’s second-in-command at the local tourist center is finally getting married, and the lovebirds are giving Julia and her live-in boyfriend, Michael Sedgwick, ideas about their own future. But before anyone can say “Will you,” Michael’s flighty older sister, Pammy, crashes the party, fresh off a breakup and lugging all her worldly possessions around with her in a tangle of plastic bags.
Before long, Julia’s cozy cottage starts feeling more like Pammy’s bachelorette pad. To keep herself from going cuckoo, Julia throws herself into her pet projects at work—until death disrupts her plans. First a body is found on the estate. Then the police discover that Pammy was the last one to see the man alive. And soon Julia gets the feeling that if she ever wants her home—or her boyfriend—back, she’ll have to get to the bottom of this mystery, even if it means breaking a few eggs.
Guest Post
The Ensemble Cast
I am not sure I could write a standalone book, because I am so fond of the cast of characters that weave themselves in and out of each story in a series. Names lightly dropped in one book can become prominent in another, while a character deeply involved before fades to the background next time. For some authors, this may require consider planning, and for others – including me – I discover whose story it will be as I write. Often, it’s just as much a surprise to me who might step up to be a Person of Interest.
Of course, I don’t mean that in the “prime suspect” sort of way – or then again, maybe I do. When writing mysteries set in a village – as I do in Farewell, My Cuckoo, number four in my Birds of a Feather series – it’s easy to fall into the trap of killing off its residents until readers begin to take note of the dramatically dropping population. This may be called the Cabot Cove syndrome – after our dear Jessica Fletcher – but it can also be applied to much-loved and long-running television programs, particularly Midsomer Murders. It’s a convention we accept because we love the books and the programs.
With Farewell, My Cuckoo, we’ve had a chance to get to know many of the key figures in the village of Smeaton-under-Lyme. Julia Lanchester, the protagonist and manager of the Tourist Information Center (TIC), is naturally is front and center, with her boyfriend Michael Sedgwick not far behind. Julia’s father, Rupert – the Indiana Jones of ornithology – can either be an important character as he was in The Rhyme of the Magpie, book one, or the background expert on birds.
In the first three books, Nuala Darke, who runs the tea room in the village, has been a provider of fabulous cakes (chocolate is Julia’s favorite), but in Cuckoo I began to wonder – what are Nuala’s hopes and dreams? She’s in her sixties, lithe like a dancer, and a bit shy. In Cuckoo, I discovered you can push mild-mannered Nuala only so far.
In Magpie, I made reference to the wool shop, Three Bags Full, with its engaging window display of toy ewes sitting atop piles of cardigans, and I mentioned Lottie, who runs the shop. In book two, Empty Nest, I introduced Willow Wynn-Finch, Lottie’s niece and Julia’s intern at the TIC. We still don’t even see Lottie, but Willow plays an important part in the secondary story line.
Here in Cuckoo, Lottie steps to the forefront, and I find her a fascinating woman. We also see Willow in another light, and understand just why aunt and niece get along so well. And yes, it all plays into Julia solving the murder.
Sometimes in an ensemble cast, it’s necessary to figure out why a local character doesn’t appear in a particular book. Alfie the rook was most definitely the star of Every Trick in the Rook, number three in the series. Everyone loved him so much – and hoped that he would return – that I feared I might have to start another series called Alfie Solves a Murder. What was I to do in Cuckoo?
I had already set Farewell, My Cuckoo in June before I realized I could use the timing to solve the dilemma. Rooks, as most birds do, molt. And during the time they drop their feathers and grow a new set, they’re quite likely to keep out of sight as much as possible. And so, in Farewell, My Cuckoo, we learn that Alfie is keeping himself to himself while he molts. Thanks for that excuse, Alfie – I owe you one.
About the Author
Marty Wingate is a Seattle-based writer and speaker who shares her love of Britain in her two mystery series. The Potting Shed books feature Pru Parke, a middle-aged American gardener transplanted from Texas to England, and Birds of a Feather follows Julia Lanchester, bird lover, who runs a tourist office in a Suffolk village. Marty writes garden articles for magazines including Country Gardens and the American Gardener. She is a member of the Royal Horticultural Society, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Crime Writers Association. She leads garden tours to England, Scotland, and Ireland, spending free moments deep in research for her books. Or in pubs.
Marty Wingate’s captivating mysteries can be enjoyed together or separately, in any order:
The Birds of a Feather series: THE RHYME OF THE MAGPIE
| EMPTY NEST
| EVERY TRICK IN THE ROOK
| FAREWELL, MY CUCKOO
The Potting Shed series: THE GARDEN PLOT 
| THE RED BOOK OF PRIMROSE HOUSE
| BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
| THE SKELETON GARDEN
| THE BLUEBONNET BETRAYAL
| BEST-LAID PLANTS
Author Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/martywingateauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/martywingate
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/453259.Marty_Wingate
Website: www.martywingate.com
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marthawingate/
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Marty-Wingate/e/B001JS1AIS
Purchase Links
Tour Participants
April 9 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST
April 9 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
April 10 – Blogger Nicole Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 11 – Reading Reality – REVIEW
April 12 – Readeropolis – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 13 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – SPOTLIGHT
April 14 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
April 15 – Varietats – REVIEW
April 16 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
April 17 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 18 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
April 19 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
April 20 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
April 21- Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 22 – Cozy Up With Kathy – GUEST POST
The post Farewell, My Cuckoo: A Birds of a Feather Mystery by Marty Wingate, blog tour, guest post & spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
April 6, 2018
Love In Bloom $100 giveaway, 10 authors participating.
Love in Bloom
Hosted by I Am A Reader
April 2018
Throughout the month of April, we will be featuring 10 fabulous authors who write clean romance. There will be a dozen giveaways, free ebooks and lots of great deals on books.
We’re starting off with a $100 Kick-Off Giveaway.
One lucky winner will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Code or $100 in Paypal Cash.
Check out this great list of authors we will be spotlighting!
Participating Authors
Giveaway Details
$100 in Paypal Cash or a $100 Amazon.com eGift Card
Ends 4/30/18
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via PayPal or gift codes via Amazon.com. 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. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
The post Love In Bloom $100 giveaway, 10 authors participating. appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
April 5, 2018
Deadly Reception (Tawnee Mountain Mysteries) by Karen Randau, blog tour, guest post, giveaway & spotlight
Deadly Reception (Tawnee Mountain Mysteries)
by Karen Randau
About the Book
Deadly Reception (Tawnee Mountain Mysteries)
Suspense Thriller Mystery
Self Published (April 16, 2018)
Paperback: 138 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1984380807
Digital ASIN: B079DGBW37
Not on GoodReads Yet.
Deadly Reception is a part of the Tawnee Mountain Mysteries series, a collection of seven brand new mysteries, from seven award-winning and bestselling authors, taking place at the same final destination, the Tawnee Mountain Resort.
Deadly Reception
features characters from Karen Randau’s Rim Country Mysteries series.
Each book in this multi-author series is a standalone novella, and the series can be read in any order.
The Tawnee Mountain Mysteries series includes:
Leona’s Last Resort
by Karen M. Bryson
Dark Side of the Mountain
by R.J. Rosatte
Deadly Reception
by Karen Randau
Black Diamond Graves by Wendy Fallon
Deadly Misfire by Laurie Fagen
Cassidy’s Deadly Exit by Marla J. Hayes
The Quinnipiac Disappearance by Lee Tidball
A severed head. A philandering husband. A skeleton in the basement. This was not the perfect wedding Rita Avery planned for her daughter Zoe!
Rita Avery and her detective husband Cliff arrive at New Jersey’s Tawnee Mountain Resort prepared to greet Zoe’s wedding guests in just three hours. Who would have expected to find a man’s torso in their closet?
Things explode into high gear when the victim’s head shows up at the golf equipment shack. A good look at his social media makes Rita wonder if a wife murdered her husband as revenge for infidelity. Or did a secret admirer decide to liberate the wife from her scoundrel husband?
Worse, is Zoe in life-threatening danger . . . again?
And will Rita and Cliff escape the trap in which the murderer snares them?
Murder and a passel of twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Zoe’s wedding is the most exciting you’ll attend!
Giveaway
Guest Post
Ideals Galore
By Karen Randau
The most often asked question I get when I speak to groups is where I get the ideas for my books. For the most part, they pop up when I’m doing something else. That said, everything that happens is a potential novel or a scene in a novel.
My first manuscript never got published, but the idea for it is entertaining and worth telling.
When my son came home from a Boy Scout trip gushing about a sighting that sounded to me like Bigfoot, I made up a story to explain why the kids get to see such things and not the moms. After five major edits and pitching it to New York publishers who wanted me to rewrite the story for elementary school kids, I set it aside and used the many lessons I had learned to manufacture the setting and protagonist for my Rim Country Mysteries, which now include Deadly Deceit, Deadly Inheritance, and Deadly Choices. Deadly Payload will be out this summer.
The ideas for these books have come from things like news headlines, a travel brochure, what-if daydreams, and off-handed things people say. A scene in Deadly Choices came from a morning walk in the small Arizona mountain town where I live.
As I stretched oxygen into my muscles in the cool and crisp morning air, I stepped around the corner from my cul-de-sac, suddenly facing 10 majestic elk. Now wide awake and eyes darting, I pondered whether I should run or stand my ground. My hesitant half step forward sparked thunderous motion. The elk bolted into a nearby yard, found no outlet and returned to the middle of the street to stand perfectly still … I guess so I couldn’t see them. After several tries, they eventually escaped through an unfenced yard.
My most recent book is Deadly Reception, one of seven novellas in the multi-author Tawnee Mountain Mysteries. The idea for it came from the assignment the publisher gave me. Each of the seven authors was to take the characters from our own series to the same posh New Jersey resort.
All of my books are narrated by the protagonist, Rita Avery, a middle-aged Arizona mother of two grown children. In my first book, Deadly Deceit, Rita’s daughter Zoe was attending Northern Arizona University. It seemed to be time for Zoe to get married. What’s one of the things people do at resorts? Get married, of course.
The thing I had to explain in Deadly Reception was why an entire family from resort-heavy Arizona would travel all the way across the country to throw their wedding in New Jersey. To do that, I developed the groom’s grandfather. He has a colorful past as a mob enforcer, and that left him too feeble in his old age to travel to Arizona. The families agreed to bring the wedding to him. As Rita is putting together the puzzle pieces for why there was a torso in her and her husband’s closet when they arrived at the resort, she wonders if Grandpa’s old lifestyle has caught up to her family.
If you like fast-paced mysteries with intrigue, action, and twists with a dash of romance, I hope you’ll head on over to Amazon and check out all of my books! I’d love to connect with you through my website or on Facebook.
About the Author
Karen Randau recently retired from an international humanitarian aid organization where she worked in marketing communications for nearly three decades.
Her Rim Country Mysteries series currently has three novels: DEADLY DECEIT, about a woman whose husband was one of fourteen people killed in a movie theater shooting; DEADLY INHERITANCE, about the same woman who has remarried and gets locked in a Viking burial cave with a lit stick of dynamite while honeymooning in Scotland; and DEADLY CHOICES, about the same woman finding the mother she hasn’t seen in twenty-five years, only to discover a devastating secret. Her fourth book, DEADLY RECEPTION, is part of the multi-author Tawnee Mountain Mystery series of novellas and features the same character unraveling the mystery of why there was a torso in her closet when she check into a posh New Jersey resort.
Karen enjoys spending time with her grown children, playing with her dog, and hiking with her husband.
Website: http://www.karenrandau.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/karenrandauauthor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=karen+randau
About the Author
Karen Randau is the author of the Rim Country Mystery series. Her fast-paced novels include Deadly Deceit, Deadly Inheritance, and Deadly Choices, each with intricate plots and lots of action and told from the point of view of protagonist Rita Avery.
Author Links
Website: http://www.karenrandau.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/karenrandauauthor
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/karenrandau
Purchase Link – Amazon
Tour Participants
April 1 –StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 1 –Valerie’s Musings – CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 1 – Blogger Nicole Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 2 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 3 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
April 3 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
April 4 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 4 – The Cozy Pages – REVIEW
April 5 – Varietats – REVIEW
April 5 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST
April 6 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW
April 6 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST
April 7 – MJB Reviewer – REVIEW
April 7 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
The post Deadly Reception (Tawnee Mountain Mysteries) by Karen Randau, blog tour, guest post, giveaway & spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
April 3, 2018
The Killing at Kaldaire House by Kate Parker, blog tour, giveaway & spotlight
The Killing at Kaldaire House
by Kate Parker
About the Book
The Killing at Kaldaire House
Cozy Mystery
New Series
Self-Published
Release Date – April 2, 2018
The book is being formatted right now.
Will add more information and links soon.
A dying man. The painting within her reach. What’s a thief to do?
Talented London milliner Emily Gates creates amazing hats for Society ladies, but to collect from those who don’t pay her bill, she burglarizes their homes. She needs every penny to send her deaf brother to school. Late one night, she sneaks in to find Lord Kaldaire badly injured in his study. Unwilling to abandon him, she calls for help.
When Kaldaire dies without revealing who attacked him, his widow agrees to keep Emily’s secrets ― if Emily will help find her husband’s killer. A bigger danger is a Scotland Yard inspector who threatens to arrest Emily — unless she spies on her father’s family of swindlers and conmen. Worst of all are the attacks from an unknown assailant. What will Emily face first, jail or death?
This cozy mystery is set in the era of My Fair Lady and Mary Poppins, of early automobiles and aeroplanes, and of King Edward VII and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. If you enjoyed the Victorian Bookshop Mysteries, you’ll like Emily Gates and the collection of aristocrats and thieves in her world as they step into the 20th century.
Giveaway
About the Author
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kate Parker has wanted to travel to 1930s England since she read her mother’s Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers mysteries when she was a schoolgirl. After many years of studying science, she decided a time travel machine was out of the question so she found herself limited to reading about the period and visiting historic sites. Her love of this fascinating and challenging period led her to the research from which the Deadly series grew. Eventually, she found it necessary to spend several days in the British Library reading old newspapers, which meant another trip to England. Near Christmas. A sacrifice she’d gladly make every year.
Author Links:
Website: www.KateParkerbooks.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Author.Kate.Parker/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/KateParkerbooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7123001.Kate_Parker
Purchase Links – Coming Soon
Tour Participants
April 2 – Carole’s Book Corner – REVIEW
April 2 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – Valerie’s Musings – GUEST POST
April 3 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
April 4 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 4 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
April 5 – Jane Reads – REVIEW
April 5 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
April 6 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
April 7 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
April 8 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
April 9 – T’s Stuff – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 9 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT
April 10 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – SPOTLIGHT
April 11 – Bubble Bath Books – REVIEW
April 11 – Books Direct – GUEST POST
April 12 – Mysteries with Character – REVIEW
April 12 – Varietats – REVIEW
April 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
The post The Killing at Kaldaire House by Kate Parker, blog tour, giveaway & spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
April 1, 2018
Three Strikes, You’re Dead (Eddie Shoes Mystery) by Elena Hartwell, blog tour, character interview & giveaway
Three Strikes, You’re Dead (Eddie Shoes Mystery)
by Elena Hartwell
About the Book
Three Strikes, You’re Dead (Eddie Shoes Mystery
)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Camel Press (April 1, 2018)
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1603817271
Digital 13: 9781603817288
Private investigator Eddie Shoes heads to a resort outside Leavenworth, Washington, for a mother-daughter getaway weekend. Eddie’s mother Chava wants to celebrate her new job at a casino by footing the bill for the two of them, and who is Eddie to say no?
On the first morning, Eddie goes on an easy solo hike, and a few hours later, stumbles upon a makeshift campsite and a gravely injured man. A forest fire breaks out and she struggles to save him before the flames overcome them both. Before succumbing to his injuries, the man hands her a valuable rosary. He tells her his daughter is missing and begs for her help. Is Eddie now working for a dead man?
Barely escaping the fire, Eddie wakes in the hospital to find both her parents have arrived on the scene. Will Eddie’s card-counting mother and mob-connected father help or hinder the investigation? The police search in vain for a body. How will Eddie find the missing girl with only Eddie’s memory of the man’s face and a photo of his daughter to go on?
Giveaway
Guest post
Franklin Drops By to Chat about his Person, Eddie Shoes
By Elena Hartwell
Hey, hey, hey, hey … hey. Nice to meet you. I’m Franklin. I’m the handsome, one-hundred-seventy-five pound dog who belongs to Eddie Shoes, Private Eye. Our writer Elena Hartwell thought you might like to learn a little bit more about me and we thought this was the perfect opportunity.
I like long walks on the beach and doggie treats and sleeping on the bed. My best friend, besides Eddie of course, is a Goldendoodle named Indy. Indy belongs to our good friend Debbie Buse. Indy and I love to run around and knock each other over and chase squirrels. Sometimes we even do all that at once.
But my most important job is helping Eddie with her investigations. She thinks she has to protect me, but really it’s the other way around. Did you read how Eddie and I met? It was in One Dead, Two to Go. But that’s only part of the story. There are some things even Elena doesn’t know. Like how I saw Eddie from far away and something drew me to her. I was cruising the waterfront, nosing around for snacks, when I saw her. I knew right away she needed me.
And she did! I saved her life. But it was more than that.
I remember exactly when I showed up in the draft Elena was working on, like it was yesterday. The book had already been accepted for publication, but Elena was struggling with some rewrites. She was working on the scene where I appear, and voila, she wrote me in! She wasn’t even expecting me, but I’d been running around barking at her for a long time, so I guess she finally heard me.
Then came the scary part, what if the editor didn’t want to include me? Elena was nervous. Finally, she got notes back from our editor. The editor talked about a couple other things first, what worked, what didn’t … then at the very end she said “by the way, I love the dog!”
Of course, I was never worried. I knew I was exactly what the book needed. But it sure was good to get the news.
Besides Eddie and Indy and Debbie, I also love my grandma, Chava. Chava spoils me rotten. Eddie is a bit of a pushover too, but not nearly as much as Chava. Chava feeds me people food, which drives Eddie nuts, but I’m good at keeping secrets. I never tell Eddie what Chava has been up to when she’s not around. I figure that keeps Eddie’s blood pressure down and I’m all about protecting my person.
Eddie didn’t know she needed a dog. Lots of people don’t realize that’s what’s missing in their lives. Eddie is a bit of a lone wolf, which fits in with that Private Eye gig she does, but that’s only part of her. There’s another part that really needed unconditional love.
I’m not one-hundred percent sure what unconditional means, but I’ve heard Chava use that to describe me and it makes me feel happy, so I know it’s a good thing. Eddie relaxes when I’m around, so I think that’s part of it. She doesn’t smile a lot, but she always smiles at me. She loves to have me with her when she goes out to follow a cheating spouse or track down a missing teenager. Those are some of her more exciting jobs. She also spends a lot of time on the computer, but that’s okay too. I get to hang out in her office and chew on my toys and roll around on the rug.
Sometimes things are more serious. Like finding dead bodies. I’m good at that. Eddie doesn’t really know this, but I have some training as a search and rescue dog. I was taught to find people, living or dead. I don’t always do it when I’m asked though, so I didn’t graduate from the program. But I love Eddie and I’d do anything for her, so I help whenever I can.
I guess the last thing I should tell you about is my breeding. Elena thinks I’m a Tibetan Mastiff/Irish Wolfhound cross. And that’s true, but I also have a little bit of Leonberger and one very ambitious Chihuahua in my family tree. So now you know something even my author doesn’t know. At least not until she reads this blog post.
Looking forward to seeing you again soon! You can find me in all the Eddie Shoes books, Elena has promised me I’ll always be there for Eddie. She’s my person and I’m her dog. That’s the most important thing in the world.
Oh look! A squirrel!
About the Author
CREDIT MARK PERLSTEIN
After twenty years in the theater, Elena Hartwell turned her dramatic skills to fiction. Her first novel, One Dead, Two to Go introduces Eddie Shoes, private eye. Called “the most fun detective since Richard Castle stumbled into the 12th precinct,” by author Peter Clines, I’DTale Magazine stated, “this quirky combination of a mother-daughter reunion turned crime-fighting duo will captivate readers.”
In addition to her work as a novelist, Elena teaches playwriting at Bellevue College and tours the country to lead writing workshops.
When she’s not writing or teaching, her favorite place to be is at the farm with her horses, Jasper and Radar, or at her home, on the middle fork of the Snoqualmie River in North Bend, Washington, with her husband, their dog, Polar, and their trio of cats, Jackson, Coal Train, and Luna, aka, “the other cat upstairs.” Elena holds a B.A. from the University of San Diego, a M.Ed. from the University of Washington, Tacoma, and a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia.
Website – http://www.elenahartwell.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ElenaHartwellAuthor/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Elena_Hartwell
Blog – http://www.arcofawriter.com
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3975429.Elena_Hartwell,
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/emhartwell/
Purchase Links
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
April 1 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
April 1 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 2 – Babs Book Bistro – CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
April 3 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST
April 4 – Books Direct – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
April 5 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW
April 6 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
April 6 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST
April 7 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 8 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 9 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 10 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
April 11 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
April 12 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
April 12 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
April 13 – Maureen’s Musings – REVIEW
April 14 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
The post Three Strikes, You’re Dead (Eddie Shoes Mystery) by Elena Hartwell, blog tour, character interview & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
The Advice Column Murders: The Oakwood Mystery Series by Leslie Nagel, blog tour & spotlight
The Advice Column Murders: The Oakwood Mystery Series
by Leslie Nagel
About the Book
The Advice Column Murders: The Oakwood Mystery Series
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Alibi (April 3, 2018)
Print Length: 250 pages
ASIN: B073QYK1HS
In this irresistible cozy mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of The Book Club Murders, amateur sleuth Charley Carpenter fights to avenge a crime that hits far too close to home.
Mulbridge House stood, silent and decaying, deep in the woods at the heart of Oakwood, Ohio, long before the passing of Augusta Mulbridge. Yet suddenly everyone in town seems to have a stake in its fate: the greedy heirs, eager to tear it down for a tidy profit; the local preservationists, determined to maintain it as an historic site; the angry neighbors, staunchly opposed to the construction of a modern subdivision. Even Charley Carpenter is forced to admit that her beloved shop, Old Hat Vintage Fashions, could use an infusion of the estate’s treasures.
The clock is ticking. The wrecking ball is ready to swing. All that stands between Mulbridge House and oblivion is one final vote. That, and murder . . .
The trouble begins when Charley walks into auctioneer Calvin Prescott’s office to find her cherished family friend crumpled on the floor. Detective Marcus Trenault quickly connects his death to a string of increasingly violent burglaries plaguing Oakwood. But when Charley uncovers a link to a massive land swindle worth millions, not to mention a drug ring operating out of the manor’s abandoned outbuildings, that theory crumbles faster than Mulbridge House. Now Charley’s racing to catch a killer before everything falls apart.
About the Author
About The AuthorLeslie Nagel is a writer and teacher of writing at a local community college. Her debut novel, “The Book Club Murders”, is the first in the Oakwood Mystery Series. Leslie lives in the all too real city of Oakwood, Ohio, where murders are rare but great stories lie thick on the ground. After the written word, her passions include her husband, her son, and daughter, hiking, tennis and strong black coffee, not necessarily in that order.
Author Links
Website – http://www.leslienagel.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LeslieNagelAuthor/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/@leslie_nagel
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/leslie_nagel/
Purchase Links
Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
April 2 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 2 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – Varietats – REVIEW
April 4 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST
April 5 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
April 6 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – REVIEW
April 6 – Nadaness In Motion – REVIEW, GUEST POST
April 7 – Ms. Cat’s Honest World – REVIEW
April 8 – The Montana Bookaholic – SPOTLIGHT
April 9 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW
April 10 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 11 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST
April 12 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
April 13 – Girl with Book Lungs – REVIEW
April 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
April 15 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
The post The Advice Column Murders: The Oakwood Mystery Series by Leslie Nagel, blog tour & spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
