Babs Hightower's Blog, page 55
March 24, 2017
Cherry Cake and a Cadaver by Susan Boles blog tour, review & giveaway
Cherry Cake and a Cadaver
by Susan Boles
Synopsis
Lily Gayle and the gang set out to find a killer after local baker Luxen Natolovich is found dead hours before the grand opening weekend at the new Bed and Breakfast in town, Midnight Dragonfly. As Lily Gayle deciphers the clues around Luxen’s death she uncovers a conspiracy of lies and half truths that could very well be tied to a refugee camp in Mississippi during World War II. The deeper Lily Gayle digs, the deeper the conspiracy runs, and the closer she comes to being the killer’s next victim.
Review
Lily Gayle is one of my favorite characters and in this second book she is just as good. Edna and the gang are on this one as well as Edna’s grand niece, Harley Ann. Some new people have bought the Mitchell Place and changed it into a B & B, Midnight Dragonfly. They have hired Luxen the local baker to help them. When Lily Gayle and Dixie go the B & B and check the place out before the grand opening, they don’t expect to find Luxen dead. Ben comes to Edna’s to question Harley Ann after Lily Gayle sees her running into the woods while her and Dixie were at the B & B. Could Edna’s niece e the one that killed Luxen? He was rather rude to her when she took her bitter recipe to him to help.
Loved this story. The characters are always well done and the setting described where the reader thinks they are in the story. You will find yourself turning the pages quickly to see what kind of trouble Lily gets herself into. The secondary characters are just as good and keep the laughter flowing. You will be kept guessing until the end.
About the Author
Susan calls McNairy County, TN her home ground even though she has moved away. It was here, at Bethel Springs Junior High School that she began her writing career with two friends. They formed their own little writers group that was so secret they were the only ones who knew it existed. She still has some of the stories they wrote carefully preserved in a loose leaf binder and tucked away for safety.
She has worked in retail management, briefly for the Census Bureau and for many years in the investment/insurance industry in the regulatory compliance arena. All of which are left brain activities. So she exercises her right brain activity with reading and writing…just to keep both sides even.
Reading has been a passion since she was very young. As a toddler, her mother read to her from her ‘baby books’ and her Mother tells a story about her holding one of them upside down and ‘reading’ by repeating the story verbatim from memory.
Death of a Wolfman is the first in the Lily Gayle Lambert mystery series. Her previously published romantic suspense novel, Fated Love, is a contemporary paranormal romantic suspense (with a twist of paranormal) set in Memphis, TN. Her first novel, Kate’s Pride, is a historical women’s fiction set in West Tennessee in the aftermath of the Civil War. The novel is loosely based on her own Great Grandmother and published under the pen name Renee Russell.
Life got in the way of writing for many years but now she’s come back to her early love.
Author Links:
Webpage – www.susanbolesauthor.com
Twitter – @SusanBAuthor
Blog – https://susanbolesauthor.wordpress.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/people/Susan-Boles-Author/100010974857065
Linked In – https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-boles-author-a4075484
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14866595.Susan_Boles
Purchase Links – Coming Soon!
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
March 16 – Blogger Nicole Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 16 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST
March 17 – Books,Dreams,Life – INTERVIEW
March 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 18 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
March 18 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 19 – Sleuth Cafe – GUEST POST
March 20 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
March 21 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW, GUEST POST
March 21 – Cozy Up With Kathy – GUEST POST
March 22 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 23 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 24 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW
March 24 – My Journey Back – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
March 25 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
March 25 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
March 26 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 27 – Maureen’s Musings – REVIEW
March 28 – Rainy Day Reviews – REVIEW
March 29 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
March 29 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
The post Cherry Cake and a Cadaver by Susan Boles blog tour, review & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 22, 2017
Single Malt Murder by Melinda Mullet blog tour, review & giveaway
Single Malt Murder
by Melinda Mullet
Single Malt Murder: A Whisky Business Mystery
Ballantine Group; Alibi | On Sale: March 21st, 2017 | ISBN: 9780399179051| 300 Pages | Price: $4.99
When Abi inherits her uncle’s quaint and storied single malt distillery, she finds herself immersed in a competitive high-stakes business that elicits deep passions and prejudices. An award-winning photojournalist, Abi has no trouble capturing the perfect shot—but making the perfect shot is another matter. When she starts to receive disturbing, anonymous threats, it’s clear that someone wants her out of the picture. But Abi’s never been one to back down from a fight.
Arriving on the scene with her whisky-loving best friend, Patrick, and an oversized wheaten terrier named Liam, Abi seems to put everyone in the bucolic village on edge—especially her dour but disturbingly attractive head distiller. Acts of sabotage and increasingly personal threats against Abi make it clear that she is not welcome. When one of Abi’s new employees is found floating facedown in a vat of whisky, Abi is determined to use her skills as an investigative journalist to identify the cold-blooded killer and dispense a dram of justice before he strikes again. But distilling truth from lies is tricky, especially when everyone seems to have something to hide.
Review:
Abigail Logan has inherited Abbey Glen, a single malt whisky distillery in the Scottish Highlands. She had no clue what she would do and since losing her Uncle Ben that left it to her she was devastated.
Just when she is taking off work to sort things out she starts to receive threats they get worse as she carries out her Uncles’s wishes.
A young mad is found floating in a vat of whisky and with her best friend Patrick and her dog Liam she sets out to find out what happened and by whom.
This is the first book in the Whisky Business series and by a new to me author Melinda Mulllet. I was very impressed with her writing and the character development. With twists and different characters the reader will be kept guessing until the end of who did it. A real page turner.
Melinda Mullet was born in Dallas and attended school in Texas, Washington D.C., England, and Austria. She spent many years as a practicing attorney before pursuing a career as a writer. Author of the Whisky Business Mystery series, Mullet is a passionate supporter of childhood literacy. She works with numerous domestic and international charities striving to promote functional literacy for all children. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her family.
Author Links
Webpage – http://melindamullet.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mulletmysteries/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/mulletmysteries
Purchase Links
Tour Participants
March 20 – MysteriesEtc – REVIEW
March 20 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
March 21 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
March 21 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT
March 22 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW
March 23 – Rainy Day Reviews – REVIEW
March 23 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
March 24 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW
March 24 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST
March 25 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW
March 26 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
March 27 – My Journey Back – REVIEW
March 27 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 28 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
March 28 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
March 29 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
March 30 – Dee-Scoveries – SPOTLIGHT
March 30 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 31 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW
April 1 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
April 1 – Sleuth Cafe – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – Varietas – REVIEW
April 2 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – INTERVIEW
The post Single Malt Murder by Melinda Mullet blog tour, review & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 17, 2017
Guest author Kate Hardy, guest post and recipe….A Spoonful of Sugar
Tyler Carter is a healthy-eating gym owner who doesn’t bake. When his employees enter him into a bake-off contest to raise money for Harry’s House, an after school space for kids commemorating local first responder Harry Monroe, he needs to learn–fast!
Shy special needs teacher Stacey Allman loves to bake and often dreams of sharing her confections with her uber fit, gorgeous neighbor. So when Tyler sets off his smoke alarm and explains his dilemma, she can’t resist the temptation of playing pastry chef tutor. He offers boxing lessons in exchange. More time together? Yes please,
But when Tyler’s ex comes back to Marietta asking for his help, will it derail Stacey and Tyler’s chance at love, or will it make them see that they’re the perfect fit?
Guest Post & Recipe
I had such fun working on the Bachelor Bake Off Books.
I love baking, so this was right up my street. Actually, the cookies in my book are the recipe I use if we’re having a family party, or my teens are having a get-together with their friends at our house (and there are always requests for them). My son used the recipe on his first day at uni as a kind of icebreaker to meet his new flatmates. So it’s a good one 
March 16, 2017
Off the Beadin’ Path by Janice Peacock blog tour, spotlight & giveaway
Off the Beadin’ Path
by Janice Peacock
Off the Beadin’ Path (Glass Bead Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Vetrai Press (March 11, 2017)
230 Pages
E-Book ASIN: B01N6FUCPN
Jax O’Connell and her friend Tessa have no idea what challenges await them when they head to the small town of Carthage to take a glass blowing class with Marco De Luca, a famous Italian glass artist. While Jax loves melting glass to make beads, she discovers that standing in front of the glass furnace’s inferno frightens her.
After the first night of class, Tessa sees a dead body through the water-streaked window of the studio. The next morning there’s no sign of Marco—dead or alive—and one of the studio owners is also missing. The local sheriff doesn’t take the disappearance seriously, so Jax and Tessa take matters into their own hands.
Jax must face her fears to find the body, track down the clues, and uncover the killer—and do it all before another life is shattered.
Off the Beadin’ Path
is the third book in the Glass Bead Mystery series.
About The Author
Janice Peacock decided to write her first mystery novel after working in a glass studio full of colorful artists who didn’t always get along. They reminded her of the odd, and often humorous, characters in the murder mystery books she loved to read. Inspired by that experience, she combined her two passions and wrote High Strung: A Glass Bead Mystery, launching a new cozy mystery series featuring glass beadmaker Jax O’Connell.
When Janice isn’t writing about glass artists-turned-amateur-detectives, she makes glass beads using a torch, designs one-of-a-kind jewelry, and makes sculptures using hot glass. An award-winning artist, her work has been exhibited internationally and is in the permanent collections of the Corning Museum of Glass, the Glass Museum of Tacoma, WA, and in private collections worldwide.
Janice lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two cats, and twelve chickens. She has a studio full of beads…lots and lots of beads.
Author Links
Webpage – www.janicepeacock.com,
Facebook – www.facebook.com/JanPeac,
GoodReads – www.goodreads.com/JanicePeacock,
Purchase Link
Tour Participants
March 15 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
March 15 – My Journey Back – REVIEW
March 16 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
March 16 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
March 17 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
March 17 – Books,Dreams,Life – INTERVIEW, SPOTLIGHT
March 18 – Sleuth Cafe – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
March 18 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT
March 19 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 20 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 21 – Varietats – REVIEW
March 21 – Queen of All She Reads – GUEST POST
March 22 – Book Babble – REVIEW
March 22 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
March 23 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
March 23 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW
March 24 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
The post Off the Beadin’ Path by Janice Peacock blog tour, spotlight & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 15, 2017
Buried Secrets Celebration Tour by Rachel Good and review
About the Book
Book: Buried Secrets
Author: Rachel J. Good
Genre: Amish Romance
Release Date: March 7, 2017
Overcome the past and any other obstacles that stand in the way of the future God has planned for you.
Three years after the accident that almost claimed her life, Emma Esh has recovered physically but has no memory of the year before the accident. When she moves to a new community to help her sister Lydia and brother-in-law, Caleb, prepare for the birth of twins, she falls for their neighbor Samuel.
But the twins’ premature birth, a visit from the Englischer Emma once dated, and the sudden return of her memory threaten Emma’s romance. After the secrets of her past are revealed, will love be able to overcome all obstacles?
My thoughts:
This book picks up 3 years after Emma’s accident and watch her heal and learn more about herself with her sisters help. She has a lot to overcome. Emma’s memory loss was interesting to read about as she got bits and pieces and tried to put the puzzle together. In doing so she didn’t get mad or take it out on anyone else around her.
Sam was my favorite part in the way they took their friendship slow and easy and worked on Emma’s past. No rushing and that was refreshing.
Her panic attacks when Eli would come around or when someone would start talking about the past and stop. It kept me on the edge of my seat to know what was going on to find out the secret.
The author did a wonderful job.
About the AuthorInspirational author Rachel J. Good writes life-changing, heart-tugging novels of faith, hope, and forgiveness. She is the author of several Amish series in print or forthcoming – Sisters & Friends series, Love & Promises series, and two books in the Hearts of Amish Country series – as well as the Amish Quilts Coloring Books and the contemporary novella, Angels Unaware, part of the Hope Chapel series. Rachel also juggles freelance editing and illustration careers. She loves reading (of course!), traveling, and spending time with her five children and three grandchildren. Visit her at her website, Facebook, author page, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads. You also can sign up for her quarterly newsletter here.
The post Buried Secrets Celebration Tour by Rachel Good and review appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
Blitz & Giveaway for Gunsmoke and Gingham by Authors Kirsten Osbourne, Amelia C. Adams, Peggy L. Henderson, Kristin Holt, and Margery Scott
USA Today bestselling author Kirsten Osbourne knows how to write romance. Each book is an experience that transplants the reader, indulging them in decadence, intense emotion and sweeping love.
Hailing from the state of Wisconsin, she has lived in Texas for over thirty years as a mother, writer, and wife. Married to the love of her life for more than fifteen years, she knows that true love exists and shares that vision with the world.
She writes contemporary and historical romance as well and also ventures into the realm of paranormal romance. She invites you to join her in her world of fantasy, love, and make believe, no matter the location, where there is always a happily ever after at the end.
Connect with the Author here:
~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon ~
Amelia C. Adams is the author oftwenty-five sweet Western romance novels, the mother of four children, and the
eater of chocolate cake and tacos. Many tacos. Too many tacos to count. Because
cheese. And meat. Meat and cheese.
She has hit the Amazon bestseller list
three times and has the screenshots to prove it. Even though she’s only been
publishing Westerns for two years, she plans to do it forever and ever, or
until the cows come home, whichever happens first. She credits her own pioneer
heritage for this new interest, and is glad that she doesn’t have to wear
twelve petticoats to be considered modest.
Connect with the Author here:
~ Facebook ~ Website ~
Peggy L Henderson is an award-winning, best-selling western historical and time travel romance author of the Yellowstone Romance Series, Second Chances Time Travel Romance Series, Teton Romance Trilogy, and the Blemished Brides and Wilderness Brides Western Historical Romance Series. When she’s not writing about Yellowstone, the Tetons, or the old west, she’s out hiking the trails, spending time with her family and pets, or catching up on much-needed sleep. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart. Along with her husband and two sons, she makes her home in Southern California.
Connect with the Author here:
~ Facebook ~ Blog ~ Amazon ~
Hi! I’m
Kristin Holt, USA
Today Bestselling Author.
Iwrite frequent articles (or view recent
posts easily on my Home Page) about the nineteenth
century American West–every subject of possible interest to readers,
amateur historians, authors…as all of these tidbits surfaced while researching
for my books. I blog monthly at Sweet
Romance Reads, Sweet Americana
Sweethearts, and Romancing the
Genres.
I love to hear from readers! Please drop me a note . Or find me on Facebook.
Sweet Romance
Appropriate for All Audiences
Connect with the Author here:
~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Amazon ~ Twitter ~
~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~ Newsletter ~
A transplantedScot, Margery now lives on a lake in Canada.
Although she grew
up as far away from the old west as possible, she’s always had a love affair
with the men and women who settled the untamed land west of the Mississippi.
Glued to TV westerns like Maverick, Rawhide and Gunsmoke, and reading stories
of Annie Oakley, Roy Rogers and Rin Tin Tin, it was only natural that when she
started writing, she wrote what she loved to watch and read. When she’s not
writing or travelling in search of the perfect setting for her next novel, you
can usually find her wielding a pair of knitting needles or a pool cue.
Connect with the Author here:
~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~
MAIL-ORDER MEMORIES by KIRSTEN OSBOURNE: Mary Brown is forced to start over in Beckham, Massachusetts, when the love of her life is killed out West. She has no desire to be in the town where they grew up together and memories of him will flood through her at every turn. After five years as a cook, her employer suggests she become a mail order bride to a man who has no desire to find love…only a life partner. Unsure if she’s making a mistake, she sends a letter in reply to the ad, unsure if she’ll be able to handle marriage to a stranger after expecting a life of love.
William Jones has always known he’d marry his love, but when her father insists he goes West to make his fortune before they can marry, he reluctantly agrees. After all, he wants his love to get everything she ever wants in life. When he finds out Mary has died after a tragic illness, he gets his farm ready, but he can’t go through his entire life without love. He sends for a mail order bride, getting the biggest shock of his life. Will he ever be able to trust his bride? Or will he spend the rest of his life regretting his decision to marry?
THE ECHO OF MUSIC by AMELIA C. ADAMS: When acclaimed opera singer Orinda Lou Britt loses her voice, she leaves the stage and her home in Chicago to live in Topeka, where no one knows her and she can start over again. Along with her, she brings her cherished heirloom piano, a gift from her grandmother.
Nathan Perry travels the country tuning pianos in every town, and there is no one Orinda Lou trusts more. But when it comes time for her piano to be repaired, Nathan seems nowhere to be found, and when he does finally arrive, the reason for his absence may drive them apart forever.
TETON SEASON OF PROMISE by PEGGY L. HENDERSON: Olivia Barkley knows how to take care of herself. Growing up in an orphanage, she’s learned that good things don’t come easily and certainly don’t last forever. While escaping the unwanted advances of her employer, her path crosses with a man who made a promise he didn’t keep.
Caleb Walker has lived a life of freedom among the spectacular Tetons, surrounded by the love of his family and friends. Unexplained restlessness prompts him to leave his beloved mountains in search of answers. When he joins an expedition into the wilderness, he is shocked to come face to face with a woman from his long-forgotten past.
Caleb and Livy must find a way to come to terms with their unexpected meeting. If they can move beyond the guilt and misunderstandings of the past, they might discover that they were meant to be together all along.
THE GUNSMITH’S BRIDE by KRISTIN HOLT: Morgan Hudson can’t begrudge his widowed father a second chance at happiness. So when Dad’s mail-order bride arrives in Mountain Home with a beautiful daughter, Morgan’s life flips upside down. The lovesick fifty-year-olds need a chaperone, and Morgan can’t remember to treat Lizzy like a sister. Will their emergent love survive their parents’ romance, threats from the past, and a law forbidding kissing on the streets of Mountain Home?
HANNAH’S HERO by MARGERY SCOTT: US Marshal Kirby Matheson is on his way to testify at the trial of an outlaw when he comes across Hannah on the trail, unconscious and hurt. He feels a connection to her unlike any he’s never felt with another woman. He’s sure she feels the same, so why is she so frosty toward him? And why is he suddenly thinking about giving up the one thing he’s always valued – his freedom?
When Hannah Wilde is rescued by a handsome stranger after being thrown from her horse during a storm, she finds herself growing to like him, much to her dismay. He’s exactly the kind of man she’s sworn never to get involved with – a lawman!
However, when danger follows Kirby, Hannah realizes she could lose him forever. Or is it already too late?
~ Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~
~ Amazon Canada ~ Amazon Australia ~
MAIL-ORDER MEMORIES by KIRSTEN OSBOURNE:
Kristen’s Top Ten List
1.
When I was growing up I wanted to be a writer. Nothing else would
work for me. I told everyone that’s what I would be.
2.
I once met a famous baseball star while working at Six Flags in a
game with throwing baseballs and guessing how fast you could throw. He offered
to sign the ball he threw for me, and I told him he couldn’t deface property.
(This was after he gave me his name!) It was hours later when another guest saw
that I’d written Nolan Ryan as the fastest pitcher for the day that I realized I
was kind of dumb there. I was 18 and blonde. What can I say?
3.
Readers would be surprised to know I am nervous every time I put a
new book out. I’m always afraid I will disappoint them.
4.
Everyday I play computer games with my family.
5.
I like to go to Disney World! It’s truly the happiest place on
earth!
6.
I have always wanted to conquer the world.
7.
I will never forget the first sale I made. My first book had been
out for two weeks when I got that sale. I cried for hours, because someone was
willing to pay money for a story I’d made up in my head.
8.
The best thing about writing is I can do it in my jammies.
9.
When I am not writing, I like to play computer games. I waste a
LOT of hours on computer games.
10.
I am working on Mail Order Memories. I hope you like it!
Snippet from Mail Order
Memories:
Mary was finished with the
dishes, and had found a book and planted herself at the dining room table
before the door to the parlor finally opened again, more than an hour later.
Papa looked between her and William, before he nodded. “I’ll give you two ten
minutes of privacy.” He turned and headed up the stairs, leaving her alone with
William. Never before had her father left them alone, so she was both surprised
and pleased. Surely this meant he’d agreed to the marriage.
As soon as her father had
climbed the stairs, Mary jumped to her feet. “What did he say?” She rushed
forward, taking William’s hands in hers. “It was so hard to wait out here while
you talked! I wanted to be in there with you, giving all the reasons we should
marry immediately.”
William sighed. “He said I
may marry you, but there are conditions that must be met first.” His brown eyes
met hers, his filled with a sadness she’d never seen there. His eyes were
always merry, and now they made her want to weep.
“Conditions? What kind of
conditions?” Her papa knew they’d been courting for more than a year, and she’d
been certain he would agree immediately. She was shocked that he was being
difficult.
William took her hand in
his. “Let’s sit and talk about it.”
“Of course.” She didn’t
want to sit. She wanted him to tell her that they could plan their wedding. It
didn’t have to be a big one. She’d wear her mama’s wedding dress, and they
could get married at the small church in town where they’d both attended their
whole lives.
William had finished
school the previous week, but he still went into town to walk her home every
evening. He had a job as a farmhand for old Mr. Hardy, and she wasn’t sure what
the problem was. “Your father wants me to go West and get some land. If I prove
up on it, then we can marry.” He’d never thought he’d consider being a
homesteader. Eventually he’d inherit his father’s land, and he could be a
farmer right there in Massachusetts, but it’s what her father wanted. He’d do
anything to marry her.
“But it takes five years
to prove up on land! And there isn’t any left that’s close!” She shook her head
adamantly. “Let’s elope. We can go to Beckham and marry right away. No one can
stop us. I’m sixteen! A full-grown woman! Just like my mama was.” Why wasn’t he
fighting what her father said? He acted like it was the most normal thing in
the world to be told he had to go West.
William rubbed the back of
his neck. “I know. I don’t want to go
against him, though. He’s the only family you have. I’ll go, and I’ll make a
good life for us.” He couldn’t be the reason she and her father parted ways.
He’d never really seen eye to eye with her father, but she loved him, and that
was good enough for him.
Mary felt the tears escape
the corners of her eyes. “I don’t want you to go.” She clung to one of his
hands with both of hers. “Please stay.”
He used his thumb to rub
away one of her tears. “This is the fourth time I’ve seen you cry…and the only
time I’ve caused it. I’m so sorry.”
She took a deep breath,
fortifying herself. “Well, if you must go, then you must. It’s a good time of
year for it. Promise me you’ll write.” It would be better if he went in the
spring, when all life was starting over. She’d wait for him…as long as it took.
“Every single week. No matter
how busy I get, I’ll write to you.”
She stood, wrapping her
arms around his waist and hugging him close. “I’ll walk you out.”
He raised an eyebrow.
Never before had she walked him out, even with all the times he’d visited over
the years. He turned to her as soon as they were outside. “Did you have
something else you wanted to say?” he asked, keeping his voice low.
She shook her head. “No,
but I have something else I want to do.” She reached up and pulled his head
down to hers, pressing her lips to his. She’d never allowed him to kiss her,
always believing they should wait until they were engaged.
William held her close,
his hand stroking down her back, feeling her corset through her dress there.
“I’m going to miss you so much.” He wanted so badly to take her with him.
Together they could conquer the world. They could do anything!
She sniffled again. “Will
you come see me before you go?”
He shook his head. “It’ll
only be harder if I do. I’ll go first thing in the morning, and I’ll write you
as soon as I arrive. I love you, Mary Brown.”
She bit her lip,
nodding. “I love you too, William Jones.” She leaned against the wall of her
house as she watched him go, already missing him.
To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page
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The post Blitz & Giveaway for Gunsmoke and Gingham by Authors Kirsten Osbourne, Amelia C. Adams, Peggy L. Henderson, Kristin Holt, and Margery Scott appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 14, 2017
Murder at the Fortune Teller’s Table by Janet Finsilver blog tour, review, & giveaway
Murder at the Fortune Teller’s Table
by Janet Finsilver
Murder at the Fortune Teller’s Table
(A Kelly Jackson Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Kensington Publishing Corporation/Lyrical Underground (March 14, 2017)
Paperback – Approx 200 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1616509347
Kindle ASIN: B01HA435CI
Poisons, prophecies—and a peculiar past . . .
When a local woman begins searching for a couple she hasn’t seen since the 1960s, Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast manager Kelly Jackson and the crime-solving group, the “Silver Sentinels,” are quick to help out. They’re also quick to guess that they’re in over their heads after the woman is found dead beside the body of a Greek fortune teller—and a fellow Sentinel gets attacked. As Kelly juggles work and her responsibilities at a food and wine festival in town, she and her sleuthing posse must confront a killer obsessed with old secrets . . . and solve a murder mystery more than fifty years in the making . . .
My thoughts:
Book three is even better than the rest in my opinion. I did not want to put the book down and was kept guessing until the end. Kelly and her group have to find out what happened to Summer’s friends she hasn’t seen in a long time. Mary, Kelly’s friend and Kelly get threats the more the dig into what is going on. Kelly finds herself in the wrong path. Can the Sentinel’s work out what is going on before more families are torn apart and someone else gets hurt?
Well done on characters and setting like the other books in this series. The reader will not be disappointed.
About the Author
Janet Finsilver is the USA TODAY best-selling author of the Kelly Jackson mystery series. She worked in education for many years as a teacher, a program administrator, and a workshop presenter. Janet majored in English and earned a Master’s Degree in Education. She loves animals and has two dogs–Kylie and Ellie. Janet has ridden western style since she was a child and was a member of the National Ski Patrol. One of the highlights of her life was touching whales in the San Ignacio Lagoon. MURDER AT REDWOOD COVE
, her debut mystery, was released on October 13, 2015. Her second book, MURDER AT THE MANSION
, was released on June 7, 2016.
Author Links
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/janetfinsilverauthor/?fref=ts
Twitter – https://twitter.com/JanetFinsilver
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/janetfinsilver/
Web – http://janetfinsilver.com/
Purchase Links
Tour Participants
March 14 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW
March 15 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 16 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW, GUEST POST
March 17 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
March 18 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
March 19 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
March 19 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT
March 20 – Classy Cheapskate – REVIEW
March 21 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
March 22 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
March 23 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
March 24 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
March 25 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW
March 26 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
March 27 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – GUEST POST
The post Murder at the Fortune Teller’s Table by Janet Finsilver blog tour, review, & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 13, 2017
Smugglers & Scones by Morgan C Talbot review and guest post
Pippa Winterbourne runs Moorehaven, the Oregon Coast’s quirkiest bed-and-breakfast and former home of world-famous mystery writer A. Raymond Moore. Guests come there to write their own crime novels. When a real-life murder takes a local’s life and washes a handsome boat pilot into her arms, Pippa is yanked into a deadly plot of her own. A tangle of secrets crashes past into present, and Pippa must uncover clues dating back to Seacrest’s Prohibition days, including a secret Moore himself hid from the world.
Juggling her book-writing guests, small-town intrigues, secret club agendas, and a possibly fatal attraction, Pippa must sort fact from fiction to know who to trust before a desperate killer claims a final revenge nearly a century in the making.
Review
Smugglers & Scones is a debut series the Moorehaven Mysteries. We meet some interesting characters along with Pippa Winterbourne her uncle A. Raymond Moore, is the original owner. Since she has modernized and redone a few things she has a lot of writers that come to the B & B.
Pippa has to help Lake figure what happened to the dead man that was in the boat. With he help of the writers and others they set out to figure out what happened.
There are some slow bits in the story but it makes it all worth wild in the read. With excellent characters and story line the reader will be happy with this new series.
Guest Post
I’ve been writing for so long, I can’t remember why I started. I was so young back then—my mother keeps a rhyming poem I wrote when I was four. During my school years, elementary to college, I wrote simply to amuse myself, to capture the brightest ideas that fluttered around the corners of my mind and settle them in jars so that I could watch them dance again and again. Much of my early writing was poetry, with more short stories sprinkled in as I got older. But in college, I got my first novel idea, so I ran with it. And ran and ran… Eight years and 475,000 words later, it finally told me the end. Yeah, that one’s never seeing the light of day. I’d be so embarrassed!
I took a break from writing once I got a proper job. I had friends, I dated—I guess I was just being “normal” for a while. I even got married to a wonderful man, and we went on adventures together. But when we started a family, I quit my job and stayed home all day with a delightful daughter who slept for hours and hours at a time. I was blessed. I was also—when not singing, playing, or going on adventures with her—restlessly bored. With my sleep deprivation, it took me several weeks to understand why. I needed to write again.
I’d tuck her in for a nap right beside me, and I let my ideas flow. New and exciting worlds opened up to me, and I walked their streets, their mountain trails. I remembered why I wrote in the first place. I wanted to visit more than one world. I wanted to dance in all of them.
When my second child was born a few years later, and I once more had a tiny sleeping companion (though less with the sleeping this time around), I decided to look into improving my writing in order to be good enough for publication. Today, my daughter, now 12, is already writing short stories, and I could not be more proud of who she is and who she’ll become.
I’m never sure what got me started on writing, so many years ago. But it’s a bright little piece of my soul, and I wouldn’t be me without it.
The post Smugglers & Scones by Morgan C Talbot review and guest post appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 12, 2017
The Art of Vanishing by Cynthia Kuhn blog tour, interview, giveaway and spotlight
The Art of Vanishing (A Lila Maclean Academic Mystery)
Publisher: Henery Press (February 28, 2017)
Paperback: 262 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635111699
Kindle – ASIN: B01NBHR7Y6
SynopsisWhen Professor Lila Maclean is sent to interview celebrated author and notorious cad Damon Von Tussel, he disappears before her very eyes. The English department is thrown into chaos by the news, as Damon is supposed to headline Stonedale University’s upcoming Arts Week.
The chancellor makes it clear that he expects Lila to locate the writer and set events back on track immediately. But someone appears to have a different plan: strange warnings are received, valuable items go missing, and a series of dangerous incidents threaten the lives of Stonedale’s guests. After her beloved mother, who happens to be Damon’s ex, rushes onto campus and into harm’s way, Lila has even more reason to bring the culprit to light before anything—or anyone—else vanishes.
Character Interview
BBB: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Sure! I’m originally from upstate New York but have been in Colorado for over twenty years now, where I try (“try” being the key word here) to juggle teaching, parenting, and writing.
BBB: Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to be a professor?
Writing was always the dream. But soon after I began a master’s program focused on the teaching of writing, I became interested in pursuing a PhD in literature and professorial career.
BBB: Is there a man in your life?
My wonderful, amazing husband! He’s a teacher too (high school physics) and a phenomenal dad.
BBB: What book is on your nightstand?
I’m currently reading A Cast of Vultures by Judith Flanders. Love her writing style and the whole Sam Clair series.
BBB: What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
The third book in the Lila Maclean series is underway…
BBB: Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
Just tons of gratitude—thank you for welcoming Lila and introducing her around.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cynthia Kuhn writes the Lila Maclean academic mystery series. Her work has appeared in McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Literary Mama, Copper Nickel, Prick of the Spindle, Mama PhDand other publications. She teaches English at Metropolitan State University of Denver and serves as president of Sisters in Crime-Colorado. Visit her at cynthiakuhn.net or @cynthiakuhn.
Author Links
Webpage: cynthiakuhn.wordpress.com
Blog: mysteristas.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cynthiakuhnwriter
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/cynthiakuhn
Twitter: @cynthiakuhn
Purchase Links
Amazon – B&N –
iTunes –
Kobo
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
March 1 – T’s Stuff – INTERVIEW, SPOTLIGHT
March 1 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW
March 2 – Queen of All She Reads – CHARACTER INTERVIEW, SPOTLIGHT
March 2 – Sleuth Cafe – SPOTLIGHT
March 3 – Books Direct – INTERVIEW
March 3 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – SPOTLIGHT
March 4 – Mystery Playground – INTERVIEW
March 5 – The Editing Pen – INTERVIEW
March 6 – Maureen’s Musings – REVIEW
March 6 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
March 7 – My Journey Back – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
March 7 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW
March 8 – Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW, SPOTLIGHT
March 9 – Girl with Book Lungs – CHARACTER INTERVIEW, SPOTLIGHT
March 10 – Rainy Day Reviews – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
March 10 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW, SPOTLIGHT
March 11 – Connie’s History Classroom – REVIEW
March 11 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT
March 12 – Varietats – REVIEW
March 12 – Babs Book Bistro – CHARACTER INTERVIEW, SPOTLIGHT
March 13 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
March 14 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
The post The Art of Vanishing by Cynthia Kuhn blog tour, interview, giveaway and spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
March 11, 2017
Purr M For Murder by T.C. LoTempio blog tour and review
Purr M For Murder
by T.C. LoTempio
Purr M for Murder: A Cat Rescue Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Crooked Lane Books (March 14, 2017)
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1683310921
Kindle ASIN: B01N6P3WYP
Sydney McCall left behind an ex-fiancé and a New York advertising job to return home to Deer Park, North Carolina and help her sister, Kat, run the local animal shelter, Friendly Paws. Determined to save the shelter from financial trouble, Sydney and Kat organize a cat café fundraising event at a local coffee shop. Things are looking up until their landlord, Trowbridge Littleton, threatens to shut down the event. When Sydney drops by his art gallery to make peace, she finds Kat–along with Littleton’s dead body.
Local homicide detective Will Worthington–who just happens to be Sydney’s old high school crush–is highly suspicious of the sisters’ involvement. Desperate to clear their names from the suspect list, Sydney pounces on the investigation. With the help of one of the shelter cats, a savvy orange tabby named Toby, Sydney begins poking her nose into other local businesses whose owners may have benefited from Littleton’s death–until the killer notices she’s pawing a little too closely at the truth.
About the Author…..
While Toni Lotempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper. Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic. She (and ROCCO, albeit he’s uncredited) pen the Nick and Nora mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime – the first volume, MEOW IF ITS MURDER,
debuted Dec. 2, 2014. Followed by #2, CLAWS FOR ALARM
. #3, CRIME AND CATNIP
, was released in December. She, Rocco and Maxx make their home in Clifton, New Jersey, just twenty minutes from the Big Apple – New York. Catch up with them at www.tclotempio.com and www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com
Where to find them:
ROCCO’s blog:
www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com
Website:
Amazon- Crime and Catnip
Amazon: All Books Page
facebook:
Twitter:
@RoccoBlogger
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Purr-Murder-Cat-Rescue-Mystery/dp/1683310926/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474130829&sr=1-3
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
March 8 – Girl Lost In a Book – REVIEW
March 8 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW
March 8 – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf – GUEST POST
March 9 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW
March 9 – Must Read Faster – REVIEW
March 9 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 10 – Book Babble – REVIEW
March 10 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
March 10 – Classy Cheapskate – REVIEW
March 11 – A Cozy Girl Reads and Writes – REVIEW
March 11 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW
March 11 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
March 12 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 12 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – GUEST POST
March 13 – My Journey Back – REVIEW
March 13 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
March 13 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST
March 14 – Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my! – REVIEW
March 14 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW
March 14 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
March 15 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
March 15 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 15 – Books Direct – SPOTLIGHT
March 16 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
March 16 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
March 16 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
March 17 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
March 17 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 17 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
The post Purr M For Murder by T.C. LoTempio blog tour and review appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
