Babs Hightower's Blog, page 84
October 28, 2015
Sale Blitz Info for FRISK ME by Lauren Layne
FRISK ME
New York’s Finest #1
Lauren Layne
Released July 28th,2015
Forever Romance
After a photograph of Luc Moretti saving a tourist hits social media, he instantly becomes New York’s most famous and beloved cop. When a major network decides to run a special on the “American Hero,” Luc’s boss gives him no choice but to cooperate in the name of good exposure for the department. Luc doesn’t mind the celebrity status-what he does mind is the gorgeous brunette journalist who’s been assigned to follow his every move. Especially since she also happens to be the same knockout that rejected him rather publicly the week before.
Ava Sims is a woman who gets what she wants. And what she wants is to be CBC’s lead anchor-but to get there, she’ll need to nail the fluff piece on the playboy cop. Luc Moretti is everything Ava knows to stay away from: a stubborn charmer with a hero-complex. But the more Ava gets to know Luc and his oddball family, the more she realizes that beneath the swagger and the blue uniform is a complex man who makes her heart beat too fast. Soon, Ava’s doing the unthinkable, and falling for the best of New York’s finest …
ONLY $0.99
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Lauren Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of more than a dozen contemporary romance novels.Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. A year after moving from Seattle to Manhattan to pursue a writing career, she had a fabulous agent and multiple New York publishing deals.Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and plus-sized Pomeranian. When not writing, you’ll likely find her running (rarely), reading (sometimes), or at happy hour (often).
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Don’t Miss the Moretti’s
Releasing Nov 24th, 2015
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Releasing March 29th, 2015
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October 27, 2015
Release Blast & Giveaway WISHES FOR CHRISTMAS by Fern Michaels
Enter to Win a
Paperback Copy of WISHES FOR CHRISTMAS
WISHES FOR CHRISTMAS
Fern Michaels
Releasing Oct 27th, 2015
Kensington Books
New
York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels brings together the beloved
heroines from two celebrated series—the Sisterhood and the Godmothers—for a
holiday to remember…
This Christmas, instead of finding
and punishing bad guys, all Maggie Spritzer wants is to bring a little more joy
to the world—especially to a beloved teacher from her past. And as the
Sisterhood unites to find her, they learn that no holiday treat is as
fulfilling as giving to others…
Meanwhile, with a little help from
the other Godmothers, Toots Loudenberry is preparing for Charleston’s annual
holiday showcase of historic homes. But when the Godmothers sense trouble with
one of the decorators, they must tackle a mystery and hope for a happy ending…
When Sisters and Godmothers unite,
the result is a warm and wonderful holiday—with a special touch of magic…
BUY NOW
Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo
FERN MICHAELS is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling
author of the Sisterhood and Godmothers series, and dozens of other novels and
novellas. There are over seventy-five million copies of her books in print.
Fern Michaels has built and funded several large day-care centers in her
hometown, and is a passionate animal lover who has outfitted police dogs across
the country with special bulletproof vests. She shares her home in South
Carolina with her four dogs and a resident ghost named Mary Margaret. Visit her
website at www.fernmichaels.com
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
The post Release Blast & Giveaway WISHES FOR CHRISTMAS by Fern Michaels appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
October 26, 2015
BEST LAID WEDDING PLANS by Lynnette Austin Spotlight + Giveaway
Title: The Best Laid Wedding Plans
Author: Lynnette Austin
Series: Magnolia Brides, Book 1
ISBN: 9781492617976
Release date: November 3, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Summary
SOME DREAMS ARE WORTH WHATEVER IT TAKES
Jenni Beth Beaumont left her broken heart behind when she took her dream job in Savannah. But after her brother’s death, Jenni Beth returns home to help mend her parents’ hearts as well as restore their beautiful but crumbling antebellum mansion. New dreams take shape as Jenni Beth sets to work replacing floors and fixing pipes to convert the family homestead into the perfect wedding destination. However, some folks in their small Southern town are determined to see her fail.
Cole Bryson was once the love of Jenni Beth’s life, but the charming architectural salvager has plans of his own for the Beaumont family home. As the two butt heads,
old turmoil is brought to the surface and Cole and Jenni Beth will have to work through some painful memories and tough realities before they can set their pasts aside and have a second chance at their own happily ever after.
Author Bio
The luxury of staying home when the weather turns nasty, of working in PJs and bare feet, and the fact that daydreaming is not only permissible but encouraged, are a few of the reasons middle school teacher Lynnette Austin gave up the classroom to write full-time. Lynnette grew up in Pennsylvania’s Alleghany Mountains, moved to Upstate New York, then to the Rockies in Wyoming. Presently she and her husband divide their time between Southwest Florida’s beaches and Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. A finalist in RWA’s Golden Heart Contest, PASIC’s Book of Your Heart Contest, and Georgia Romance Writers’ Maggie Contest, she’s published five books as Lynnette Hallberg. She’s currently writing as Lynnette Austin. Having grown up in a small town, that’s where her heart takes her—to those quirky small towns where everybody knows everybody…and all their business, for better or worse.
Social Networking Links
Website: http://www.authorlynnetteaustin.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lynnette-Austin-253370174807116/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LynnettAustin
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/romwriter/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6456915.Lynnette_Austin
Buy Links
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1LB67Qs
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1OQ4ram
Indie Bound: http://bit.ly/1KmbMbg
Apple: http://apple.co/1KmbH7G
Character Profile
Full Name: Luanna Grace Connors
Nickname: Lu
Occupation: Waitress at Dee-Ann’s Diner
Physical description: Five-feet-four, maroon ponytail (hiding my dishwater blond hair), pale blue eyes, and ten pounds overweight.
Age: 25
Describe yourself in 100 words or less:
This will probably come as a shock, but I love my life. I know, I know. I’m workin’ at Dee-Ann’s Diner slinging hash all day. Not exactly what a little girl dreams of doing for the rest of her life. But tired feet and all, when I go home to Les and my three kids and hear “Mama’s home,” my heart swells.
Les has trouble keeping a job, no gettin’ around that. But the man’s got a heart of gold and, well, he’s still pretty darned sexy! That’s what got us in trouble in high school. When he’s not workin’, though, I come home to a clean house, happy kids, and dinner waiting on the table. What more could I want?
What is your favorite thing about living in Misty Bottoms? Where in Misty Bottoms can you most often be found?
Misty Bottoms has heart. If one of its own needs help, the town’s there to give it. Working at the diner, I hear it all! Nothing goes on that I don’t know about, believe me. I hear the good, the bad, and the ugly, and, truthfully, the good far outweighs the bad. I like the small-town feel, the closeness. For some, it’s probably claustrophobic. For me, it’s comforting.
Where will you be most likely to find me? At work, at home, at the grocery story, or on the soccer field. The boys love that game…and they’re good at it.
When not working, how do you spend your time?
With a seven, a five, and a three-year old? Seriously?
If money was no object and you had 3 weeks of vacation, what would you do with your time?
Rent a room and sleep. No, seriously, we’d take the kids to Disneyland and do it up big. Although I have to admit there’s a selfish part of me that would like to dump the kids on my mom and run away with Les on a Caribbean cruise. No cooking, no cleaning, no wiping kids’ noses for three weeks? Yeah, that would be nice.
Describe your dream wedding:
I’ve actually talked to Les about this. When the kids are a little older, I’d like us to renew our vows in church. The two boys can walk me down the aisle to their daddy, and my baby girl can be my maid of honor. I get kind of weepy thinking about it, actually.
I want to do it in the spring, when everything is new again, with lots of tulips and some pink and white dogwood blossoms. With three kids, I think a white gown is out, but I’d like something soft and feminine in ivory. Then I’d invite everybody over to our house for a big Southern barbecue and, since we didn’t have one the first time around, I really want a cake this time. Since this is my dream wedding we’re talking about, I’d like a three-tiered cake with real flowers on top…and music and dancing.
In the back of my closet, I have a pretty little box, and I’m putting part of my tips in it every week. This is one dream I intend to make come true.
Excerpt
Her experienced gaze scrutinized the scene, took in both the setting and the people, alert for any problems. The arbor, with its draping of wisteria, had turned out beautifully and smelled like heaven itself. The bride’s family, the groom’s family—both wore expressions of happiness mixed with a touch of relief.
Jenni Beth’s eyes drifted to the flower girl. Daniella was antsy, her little fingers busily plucking the lace from the basket that held rose petals. And what in the world was Ricky, the ring bearer, doing to his shoelaces? Her eyes narrowed. Had he tied them together? Oh, boy.
As the sun set, the minister announced the newly joined Mr. and Mrs. Talbot, and Jenni Beth clapped with the rest of the guests while checking to make sure the walkway remained clear. The music began on cue, and the happy couple started down the aisle, hands laced, smiles bright.
When the ring bearer tripped, the best man scooped him onto one shoulder, diverting a minor catastrophe. She’d have to remember to thank him for the quick thinking.
If the reception went as smoothly, she could congratulate herself on a job well done.
While the bride and groom funneled their guests through the receiving line, Jenni Beth bolted to a separate section of the garden to make sure the cake, the bubbly, and the band were in place. She did a last-minute check on table settings, place cards, candles—the list was never ending.
The music started, the bridal party wended their way to the area, and the celebration began.
As the evening wore on, Jenni Beth relaxed.
A familiar voice whispered in her ear. “Dance with me.”
Cole Bryson. She hadn’t seen his name on the guest list.
Shivers raced down her spine, and her heart stuttered. It had been too long, not long enough. “No.”
She wouldn’t turn around, wouldn’t meet those mesmerizing eyes.
His hands settled on her bare arms, and she nearly jumped. As the work-roughened hands moved over her skin, her stomach started a little dance of its own.
“I’m working, Cole.”
“Nothin’ needs doin’ right now. Come on, sugar.”
Knowing she shouldn’t, she turned to face him. Mistake. She always had found him irresistible, and that hadn’t changed. He’d perfected that slow Southern drawl, had the sound of a true gentleman. But the twinkle in his eyes gave him away. Revealed the bad boy tucked not far below the surface.
Right now, dressed in a dark suit and tie, the man looked like every woman’s dream. He appeared smooth and debonair, but beneath lay the wild.
He took her hand, and, God forgive her, she followed him, weak-kneed onto the portable dance floor, telling herself she didn’t want to, that she only did it to keep peace. Knowing she lied.
A full moon shone overhead and candlelight flickered. When he drew her into his arms and pulled her close, she sighed. One hand held hers, the other settled south of her waist.
“You smell good, Jenni Beth. You always do.”
His voice, low and husky, sent goosebumps racing up and down her arms. Despite herself, she rested her head against his chest, seduced by the strong, steady beat of his heart, the illusion he could make everything and anything all right.
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Blitz 13 Most Haunted in Massachusetts by Sam Baltrusis& review
13 Most Haunted in Massachusetts
Most Haunted Series
Sam Baltrusis
Genre: Paranormal/Historical
Date of Publication: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: ISBN-13: 978-1516968350
ASIN: ISBN-10: 1516968352
Number of pages: 130
Word Count: 30,000
Cover Artist: Frank C. Grace
Book Description:
Paranormal journalist and “Ghosts of Boston” author Sam Baltrusis has traveled all over Massachusetts in search of New England’s 13 most haunted. From the oldest continuously operating hotel the Omni Parker House in Boston to the beautiful but extremely active Haunted Victorian in Gardner, Baltrusis breathes new life into the long departed.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/KHJU1ggXWfw
Available at Amazon
My thoughts:
You might want to keep the light on when reading this wonderful story. There are some great SCARY haunts that the author. You will not be disappointed by this book. You might even want to go out in your town and find some ghosts of your own.
The 13 Most Haunted in Massachusetts
S.K. Pierce Mansion, Gardner
Freetown State Forest, Bridgewater Triangle
Hammond Castle, Gloucester
Lizzie Borden’s House, Fall River
Houghton Mansion, North Adams
Joshua Ward House, Salem
Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, Sudbury
USS Salem, Quincy
Spider Gates Cemetery, Leicester
Boston Light, Little Brewster Island
Witch House, Salem
Victoria House, Provincetown
Boston Common, Downtown Boston
Excerpt:
Chapter 1
S.K. PIERCE MANSION
Gardner
Most Haunted: #1
“I was told by intuitives that the spirits in the house have something very important to tell me. Does that sound crazy?”
—Rob Conti, S.K. Pierce Victorian Mansion’s new owner
A woman named Mattie Cornwell summoned me to this house. She’s been dead for more than a century.
In the recurring dream, I see her silhouette from a gold-colored Victorian’s second floor. She’s upset. I can see an outline of what looks like a tightly wound bun in her hair. Her clothing is late 1800s school marm and she looks much older than her actual age. I would guess she’s in her 20s. The woman is a caretaker of sorts and is protecting the home from forces out of her control. She’s losing the battle and is calling me from the light for help.
Think Mary Poppins but without the spoonful of sugar. In my dream, she’s serving up daggers.
Something horrible happened in that house and she is begging the living to help her. I could hear her singing a folk song from the window. She was throwing books and papers at me from the home’s second floor. She’s saying what I remember as “sefnock” over and over at a shadowy man who is in the room with her. I’m terrified.
My dream of Mattie was in 2011. I was writing what would become my first book, Ghosts of Boston: Haunts of the Hub. I initially thought she was the “stay behind” spirit, the seamstress I lovingly called “scissor sister,” who haunted my home in Somerville’s Davis Square.
I was wrong.
The dream was prophetic in a way. I didn’t make a connection to the haunted S.K. Pierce Victorian Mansion in Gardner until I saw a photo of the structure posted online in late 2014. My friends Rachel Hoffman and Tina Storer from Paranormal Xpeditions were investigating the location and I had a severe reaction when I saw a post from the Victorian structure because I’d seen it repeatedly in my dreams.
I swore I would never go there. But here I am—going to the very spot where Mattie Cornwell once lived. What was I thinking?
A friend who has intuitive abilities warned me about the shadow figure in my dreams. “That woman will suck the air out of you,” she said during an online chat. “No. I mean it. Like sitting on your chest. You won’t be able to inhale.” She said the spirit’s name is Maddie or Matilda.
I found out recently from fellow author Joni Mayhan that the former nanny at the haunted S.K. Pierce Victorian was named Mattie Cornwell. Her spirit has been in the house since the late 1800s. “Petite, with long dark hair that she wore in a bun, she once cared for the Pierce children,” wrote Mayhan in Bones In The Basement. “Chores were scheduled at specific times, and the children were taught to behave. Even though she was long dead, she remained the protector of the house, keeping it safe from trespassers and ensuring the other resident ghosts behaved themselves.”
Mayhan said Cornwell had crossed over and is no longer bound to the haunted Victorian. “She was the Pierce family’s nanny. Mattie wasn’t negative though. She was the gatekeeper and peacekeeper there, but she was inadvertently crossed over during a house cleansing in 2011,” Mayhan told me. “After she left, the really nasty ones came in. There are a few nasty female entities there, but Mattie isn’t one of them.”
According to Mayhan’s Bones In The Basement, Cornwell died young. “She was born in 1859 in Nova Scotia, Canada. She was 21 when she came to work for the Pierce family as a servant in the house. Her primary focus was caring for the Pierce children. She was firm but loving with the children, keeping them mindful of their manners and helping them grow into the influential men they would one day become,” wrote Mayhan. “Later research would show that Mattie died at the young age of twenty-five from an acute inflammation of the hip just two years after getting married. Her tragedy would be just one among many at the Victorian mansion. It was as if the house collected them, like some people collected old coins.”
Rachel Hoffman, my friend from the all-female investigation team Paranormal Xpeditions, said I should be wary about the haunted house in Gardner. “You might not be able to walk in,” explained Hoffman. “I swear it’s a pressure cooker. You will feel it as soon as you see it. Look into the top window and tell me what you see. Then I’ll tell you.”
Hoffman, who was featured in a taped investigation at the mansion with Tina Storer and her sister, Danielle Medina, said the experience still haunts her. She believes the location is a portal, a vortex of sorts to the spirit world that allows both good and bad spirits to cross over. “There’s more than one story there,” she said. “There’s a story for every step you take.”
When PXP was investigating the mansion in late 2014, I had a strong psychic feeling that one of the investigators, Tina Storer, wasn’t safe. I sent a message to the PXP team warning them. Hoffman told me later that Storer had to be escorted out of the building because she couldn’t breath. It was like the spirits were taking the air out of her lungs.
“Tina had issues where the man was burned,” Hoffman told me. “At one point, she did feel protected. But it was so intense. Our temp gage was 66.6.”
Medina, Hoffman’s sister, was pregnant during the investigation and the group uncovered an electromagnetic voice phenomenon, or EVP, in the nursery. “We got my pregnant sister bending over to pick up a baby in the nursery and the ovilus said ‘mama,’” explained Hoffman. “My sister is a skeptic so this was profound.”
Hoffman and the PXP team smudged the location with a cleansing ritual involving coffin nails and sweet grass. The usual ceremony with the old standby sage simply didn’t work. “When closing out a paranormal investigation, we sometimes use coffin nails,” Hoffman explained. “I found our container used in the haunted Victorian Mansion with the bottom half of the glass jar totally gone. I wouldn’t be surprised to find the nails we pounded in the ground embedded in a tree. Renovations and hands switching is stirring up the activity majorly.”
Yes, construction notoriously conjures up the long departed. Apparently, spirits don’t like change.
Rob Conti, the ringleader behind the New Jersey-based Dark Carnival and a dentist during the day, said he always wanted to own a standalone haunted attraction. The S.K. Pierce mansion was literally ripped from his childhood fantasies. He says the fact that the 7,000-square-foot mansion located at 4 Broadway in Gardner is “certified haunted” is an added bonus.
“Since I was 15, I always wanted a single-family haunted house,” he said. “I always had a picture in my mind of what that attraction would look like. As I got older, I tried to make this vision a reality but there were regulations in New Jersey that prohibited it.”
Conti, who actually didn’t visit the Victorian until the day he closed the sale on the building, said a friend posted the real estate listing for the mansion on his Facebook page. “As soon as I saw it, I knew the image of the house was the image I had in my head for the past 25 years.”
The new owner said he will hash out the details after the year-long renovations, but he plans to rent out the unit for 11 months of the year and will turn the space into a haunted attraction every October. Since purchasing what paranormal experts believe is the most haunted house in Massachusetts, Conti said he has been contacted by all sorts of people.
“I’ve been told that the spirits in the house knew who I was before I even called,” he said, sort of creeped out by the idea. “Apparently, I’m liked by the spirits in the house, which is a good thing, I hope.”
Conti also had a paranormal experience after walking into the structure’s dining room, the same spot investigators believe is a portal. “I started feeling dizzy and had to be escorted out of the building,” he explained. Also, the Dark Carnival owner said a contractor, who didn’t know the building’s haunted history, told him that somebody else was on the second floor when there was no one else in the house.
“I was also told by intuitives that the spirits in the house have something very important to tell me,” Conti continued. “Does that sound crazy?”
Actually, no.
As I stand gazing at the house that haunted my dreams for years, I replay the dream of the woman I believe to be Mattie Cornwell looking out of the second-floor window. As I walk closer to my nightmare, I’m shivering in the beauty and the madness of the moment. I think about the word “sefnock” that she chanted over and over. I hit my head as I quickly jump into the car near the S.K. Pierce mansion’s driveway searching for a notepad. I write the mystery word out phonetically.
Then I had an epiphany. I gasped for air. The woman’s cryptic, post-mortem plea is backwards. She’s demanding that the shadow figure … confess.
Cars are driving by and passengers are yelling things at me like “there’s someone behind you” and “this place is really, really haunted.” My cellphone starts to flip out and, mysteriously, seems to have a mind of its own, calling random people from my contact list. I hear what sounds like a disembodied male voice whispering in my ear: “Get out of here.”
I look again at the second-floor window, expecting to see Mattie Cornwell, the spirit who mistakenly crossed to the light years ago. Instead, I see a black bird, possibly a crow or a dark-colored pigeon, perched on the ledge. The white-lace curtains move as if someone is peering out of the window.
I can’t breathe.
About the Author:
Sam Baltrusis, author of Ghosts of Boston: Haunts of the Hub and Ghosts of Salem: Haunts of the Witch City, is the former editor-in-chief of Spare Change News and teaches journalism classes at Malden Access TV (MATV). He has been featured as Boston’s paranormal expert on the Biography Channel’s Haunted Encounters and Paranormal State’s Ryan Buell’s Paranormal Insider Radio. As a side gig, Baltrusis moonlights as a guide and launched the successful ghost tours, Boston Haunts and Cambridge Haunts. In October 2014, he spearheaded a boat tour called Haunted Boston Harbor. Baltrusis is also a sought-after lecturer who speaks at dozens of paranormal-related events scattered throughout New England. In the past, he’s worked for VH1, MTV.com, Newsweek, ABC Radio and as a regional stringer for The New York Times.
Twitter: @LoadedGun
http://www.amazon.com/Sam-Baltrusis/e/B00991S864
https://www.facebook.com/sam.baltrusis
The post Blitz 13 Most Haunted in Massachusetts by Sam Baltrusis& review appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
Blitz The Doll Making Delta by Gretchen S. B. & review
The Doll Making Delta
Delta House Novels
Book 1
Gretchen S. B.
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Date of Publication: Oct 15th
ISBN: 1500612421
Number of pages: 175
Word Count: 45,700
Cover Artist: Gretchen S. B.
and Jeannette Takashima
Book Description:
Reneé Edward has a lot on her plate. She took over as President of the Reneé-Gal company from her father a few months ago. Just in time for a merger with a new parent company.
As if that timing was not bad enough she finds out several Junior Executives have been ruining the merger from within. Just as she is scrambling to pick up the pieces, Ruben Blackthorne strolls into her life. He is sexy, tall and clearly into her. Though she is excited about this new development in her love life Reneé finds it a little hard to juggle the new addition. As everything in her life finally seems to fall into place for the first time in almost a year Reneé finds herself confused as Ruben begins to pull away.
Had she imagined their connection? Were things moving too fast? Lost and confused, at least she has her family and her fellow Deltas to get her through. That is until everything takes another unexpected turn.
My thoughts:
This is a first read for me by this author and I enjoyed it. Renee is trying to pick up after she finds some co-workers within have been trying to ruin the merger. As she thinks things are starting to play out right Ruben bursts through to make things worse or so it seems. Things start to heat up just when Ruben starts to pull away secrets will start to come out but can Renee hold on?
The author does a wonderful job with the characters and holding the readers attention to the story. You will want to keep reading to see how Renee does and the relationship with Ruben.
Excerpt:
A warn breeze whipped by her as Reneé practically burst from front doors of her office building. She paused a second to take a deep breath of the fresh Seattle air. The layers of her blond pixie cut fell across her face as she tilted her head back. Did she ever need a break! This had been a terrible day proceed by a terrible month. Opening her eyes she looked diagonally across the street at her own personal escape.
Late Night Fix was a simple one story brick building with large panel windows along the two street facing walls. It was Reneé’s home away from home. Not just because of its cozy atmosphere or because it hosted local events. It was her escape from work because her best friend owned it.
Reneé didn’t try to stop the grin from forming on her face as she waited at the light to cross the street. Naomi had been one of her closest friends since the two of them met in kindergarten. Their parents lived about half a mile from each other. Which meant they were with each other constantly growing up. They both received the Delta House scholarship and even earned their MBAs together.
Having Naomi within walking distance saved Reneé’s sanity the last month or two. Even if she did not see her friend, knowing Naomi was so close was a comfort in the hostile board room.
Reneé’s father, Stan, and uncle, James, started a doll company when she was about a year old. Their flagship doll was Reneé-Gal. She grew as Reneé did, made friends, picked up hobbies. The Reneé-Gal company grew in popularity and became a regional favorite.
About three years ago a national toy company approached her father about buying Reneé-Gal and giving her a wider audience. He and James would still be at the head of the company, they would just have people to answer to and more resources at their disposal. Stan and James discussed it for over a year before agreeing to entertain the idea.
Her father retired six months ago after grooming Reneé to take his position. The original plan had been to wait until after the merger but her Dad suffered a mild heart attack and everyone agreed in would be best for him to retire and relax. Now she and her uncle, who was semi-retired himself, were trying to close this merger.
They kept hitting a wall and could not figure out why. Until Monday morning when Reneé’s assistant Debbie stumbled upon emails from three junior executives sabotaging the merger and trying to negotiate one of their own. James and Reneé promptly fired all three of them on the spot.
That however created a void in the workload that needed to be filled. Reneé had been pulling eighteen hour days this week scrambling to save this merger and fill in the gaps. She was exhausted and couldn’t believe it was already Thursday and she had not been to see Naomi yet.
As the bell over the front door jingled Reneé felt a weight fall off her shoulders. The shop was mostly brick with steel bar style seating at the counter and along both windowed walls. There were two and four person circular table everywhere. But at two pm on a week day only half the tables were occupied. The two registers were about twenty feet away, facing the door.
Reneé smiled at Kelsey, the young college student behind the register.
“Hey Kelsey, is Naomi here?”
The young blond nodded before yelling over her shoulder. “Hey boss!”
Reneé swore she heard Naomi muttering from the kitchen through the partially open door behind Kelsey. A few seconds later Naomi appeared, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Really Kelsey? Really? You could just come get me or barring that at least use my name.”
Kelsey shrugged.
Naomi’s inky black braid slid off her shoulder as she looked up at the barista, then she saw Reneé and smiled. “Hey hon, long time no see.”
Her tone was light and her face was pleasant but Reneé could see Naomi assessing her to gage the level of stress.
“You here for lunch or just a pit stop?”
“Lunch but I can’t stay too long.”
Naomi nodded and waved to the closest empty stool to the left of the coffee equipment. Reneé took the gesture for the command it was and sat on the stool. Every once in a while Naomi wouldn’t let her pay, usually when stress was high. She must have looked as exhausted as she felt.
A few moments later Naomi set a large mug in front of Reneé, presumably her usual dirty vanilla soy Chai, alongside a chicken salad sandwich. Then she set another full foamy mug across the counter and pulled over one of the two staff stools so she could sit across from Reneé.
“Okay, sip and spill. What kept you away for the better part of a week?” Naomi asked before tipping her cup to her mouth.
Sighing Reneé unwrapped her sandwich. “You remember how Uncle James and I couldn’t figure out why there were all these hang ups with the negotiations right?”
Naomi’s eyes grew cautious and narrowed as she nodded over her mug.
“Well as it turns out three of our junior board members were sending emails sabotaging the merger. They claimed I was holding on to information to sweeten the deal for our side. They also said that they could, with help, oust me and make a more agreeable deal.”
Naomi’s eyes widened as she set down her mug. “Wait, what? Isn’t that illegal or something? Are you going to sue them? Can you save the deal? How did you find out?”
The shocked disbelieve from her friend made Reneé feel better. It made her feel like she wasn’t losing her mind to have someone as upset as she was. Uncle James had seemed more downtrodden than upset.
“One of their assistants got wind of what was going on and clued in Debbie. You know how she gets about finding information. She found the email correspondence between these guys and our soon to be parent company. When Debbie showed the emails to Uncle James and I we fired them. As for suing, I don’t know. Our lawyers are handling it.
We think the deal may be salvageable but they are sending in one of their acquisitions and negotiations guys to do the rest in person. That way there can be no mistakes. Uncle James is all for this. He says the guy they are sending is the same one that approached him and Dad years ago. That he is a trustworthy guy. I still don’t know. While I appreciate that they still want to negotiate it almost feels like I am being chastised for not having a better handle on the board.” Some of the stress crept back in as Reneé finished.
Smiling sympathetically, Naomi reached across the counter to squeeze her hand. “I’m sorry you have to deal with all this. But it is going to get easier right? I mean once this thing goes though your load will be lighter. There are maybe six months left, yes a hard six months but there is light at the end of the tunnel.” She gave another squeeze before letting go and grabbing her cup again. “Now eat your sandwich!”
Rolling her eyes Reneé complied, knowing full well Naomi wouldn’t let her talk again until at least half the sandwich was gone.
They sat in a companionable silence for several minutes when the bell above the door rang several times. When one particular time Reneé saw Naomi’s face light up she turned to see who entered. Then it was like she stopped breathing.
He was tall, maybe six-three and gorgeous. He had shaggy light brown hair, a sharp nose and jaw. As well as the palest blue eyes Reneé had ever seen. The mystery guy had one of those lithe builds that suited the jeans and t-shirt he wore as well as the guitar case strapped to his back.
Reneé made herself start breathing again as he came to stand next to her, beaming at Naomi.
About the Author:
Gretchen is a Seattleite that loves her home. She has a day job as a Program Coordinator a local university. She is a struggling Indie Author, struggling as in she is trying to make her living writing books. She loves to read, write and create characters. As well as knit and binge watch Netflix. She is also on a sporadic book blog and internet radio show with some of her college friends. She currently lives with her husband and their mischievous Rotti mix, who always seems to find something new she shouldn’t be chewing on.
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7398184.Gretchen_S_B_
http://www.amazon.com/Gretchen-S.-B./e/B00GDGEEI4
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gretchen-S-B/540293959350712
https://twitter.com/GretchenSB
Tour giveaway
The post Blitz The Doll Making Delta by Gretchen S. B. & review appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
October 24, 2015
DANGEROUSLY DARK by Colette London blog tour, review & giveaway
Dangerously Dark
by Colette London
Dangerously Dark
(A Chocolate Whisperer Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: Kensington (September 29, 2015)
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1617733475
E-Book ASIN: B00RRT323O
“Chocoholics and food cozy fans rejoice! With prose as smooth and delicious as its theme, this quality debut cozy introduces a smart protagonist with an unusual and tasty profession.”—Library Journal (starred) on Criminal Confections
Chocolate-whisperer Hayden Mundy Moore has just arrived in Portland, Oregon, where she’s about to scarf soufflés and sip cacao-based cocktails at her friend’s engagement party. Fresh from nabbing her first candy-covered killer, the last thing Hayden wants to do is mix her love of chocolate with criminal mischief again. But then the groom-to-be turns up dead before beginning his renowned Chocolate-After-Dark tour. . .
Hayden’s friends insist that Declan’s death was a freak accident, but she knows there’s no mistaking the bitter aftertaste of homicide. In the midst of habañero hot chocolate and mocha-chunk gelato, a choco-crazed killer waits to strike again. Hayden will need to use more than her extraordinarily gifted taste buds to bring this murderer to justice, but she just might have bitten off more than she can chew in the process. . .
My thoughts:
What a great book to read. Hayden shows up in Portland to help her friend celebrate her engagement when the husband to be is found dead. She know this is not an accident and starts to find out what is going on.
The play between Danny, Hayden’s bodyguard is rather funny. The suspects in the story will keep you guessing and turing the pages.
Another great read by this author.
About This Author
Colette London is the pseudonym of a best-selling novelist who’s published more than three dozen books worldwide.
Visit her on the web at www.colettelondon.com, friend her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/colette.london.books, or follow her on Twitter @Colette__London
The post DANGEROUSLY DARK by Colette London blog tour, review & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
October 23, 2015
Mortal Magick by Patty Taylor spotlight
Mortal Magick
Highlander Magick Series
Book One
Patty Taylor
Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy/
Time Travel Romance
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Date of Publication: June 8, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-61935-834-8
ASIN: B00ZAJ8GL6
Number of pages:176 pages
Word Count: 57K
Cover Artist: Syneca Featherstone
Book Description:
When an immortal Highlander falls in love with a human witch, “Mortal Magick” soon casts a spell of its own.
Doomed for eternity to wander nights as half man and half creature, rugged Highlander, Duncan McCord, discovers his curse is the least of his problems when he sets out for a cure and rescues the beauty determined to help tame his beast.
When a reluctant witch, Keara, gets whisked back to 18th century mystical Isle of Skye to learn lessons in magic, she faces the true test of love when she meets the man beyond her wildest dreams burdened with dark secrets from his past.
Forced together to journey through an enchanted country filled with mythical creatures and magical lore, will they survive in a world where evil sorcery reigns, or will a shocking twist of fate tear them centuries apart?
Available at Amazon
Excerpt:
Trotternish ∙ Isle of Skye, Scotland ∙ October 7, 1797
Duncan McCord wanted a woman. His entire body and soul hungered for a special lass’ touch. The one destined for his love, whom he would call kindred spirit. His stomach tightened, a pain ripping through him like the slice of a broadsword. This canna happen. Not now, not ever. Reality hastily slapped him back to his senses. He vowed never to be foolish enough to let himself fall into another vixen’s treacherous traps.
Dark, threatening clouds rolled over Scotland’s glorious mountain peaks in the distance. The muscles in his legs rippled, gripping both sides of his mount. His stallion, Goliath, snorted and stopped short in his tracks. His enormous hooves stomped the hard ground.
“Aye, ‘tis all right, me friend. Just a bad storm startin’ to brew. What a grand spot to rest for the night.” Duncan bent down and stroked the neck of the black steed then swung his leg over and jumped to the ground, beginning to remove both gear and saddle.
Goliath neighed, his breath white in the cold air.
A gust of frigid air swept around Duncan’s feet, spiraling its way beneath his woolen plaid. Leaves rustled from the biting breeze as they whispered danger through the towering pines.
Goliath snorted again and reared his mighty head.
The sweet scent of honeysuckle filled Duncan’s flaring nostrils and jabbed his memory. The pleasing fragrance was soon replaced with the putrid smell of dead worms and rotten leaves. Clenching his fists, his knuckles cracked. Short hairs bristled on the back of his neck. Wicked laughter echoed through the Highland hills.
A woman’s teasing, silky voice sparked his memory, whispering poison in his ears.
“Your journey is for naught, my beloved Duncan. I see you’re still stubborn as always. Your horse seems to have more common sense than you.”
The snicker became a cackle. Invisible fingers like fuzzy feathers tickled his whiskers, making his face twitch.
“I see ye still didna have the guts to face me, ye bloody she-devil. Afraid ye might finally get what ye rightfully deserve?” Stone-faced, he shouted into empty space. “I promise, witch. Ye won’t be laughin’ for verra much longer.”
“Careful, my spirited lover. You don’t want to wake the inner beast before sunset.
***
“Duncan lunged from the damp forest floor. His splayed hooves clip-clopped on top of a boulder. His nostrils flared from the irresistible lingering lavender scent. He cocked his head to the side, his keen hearing caught her every breath as each step she took brought her dangerously closer. “Aye, the damn fool-headed woman! She’s done wandered off again.”
He snarled at a shooting star plummeting to the ground. Like a bubbling cauldron of fire, it spit an outburst of flames across the moonlit sky. “Aye, the bonny wee lass is headed straight for a trap.” Clenching his fists, he veered back his head and wailed.”
About the Author:
Patty was raised as a “country girl”, and fell in love with animals, books and the mystical world of magick from a wee girl. With her mother’s heritage, born and raised in Northern Ireland, along with the discovery of her father having American Indian ancestry, Patty’s fascination for both cultures quickly led her imagination to run wild.
Her love of The Chronicles of Narnia Series, from C.S. Lewis inspired her to start creating magical realms and characters of her own.
Patty’s dream to work with white wolves didn’t become a reality, but she considers herself blessed to have been “owned and loved” by a pack of beloved Samoyeds for over 20 years.
In her spare time, Patty can be found sitting beside one of her favorite spinning wheels, blending exotic fibers while her imagination weaves more stories. While she cherishes fond memories of both her parents, thanks to her beloved Irish Mom, Patty’s belief in the little people and fairies still carries on.
Website: http://www.pattytaylorauthor.com/
Blog: http://www.pattytaylorauthor.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PattyTaylorAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pattyt444
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25699278-mortal-magick
The post Mortal Magick by Patty Taylor spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
A CHRISTMAS BRIDE IN PINECRAFT by Shelley Shepard Gray review & blog tour
Enter to Win a
Digital Download Code for
A CHRISTMAS BRIDE IN PINECRAFT
A CHRISTMAS BRIDE IN PINECRAFT
Amish Brides of Pinecraft #4
Shelley Shepard Gray
Releasing Oct 13th, 2015
Avon/Harper
Christmas
has come to Pinecraft in bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray’s final Amish
Brides of Pinecraft novel, an uplifting story that proves anything is possible
when you follow your heart.
When manager Beverly Overholt’s
beloved Orange Blossom Inn is broken into, she’s shaken to the core. The inn
has been her whole life since arriving in the quaint Amish vacation town of
Pinecraft, Florida. Hoping to repair what’s been lost, Beverly calls Eric
Wagler, the inn’s handsome owner. To her surprise, he promises to be on the
next flight out of Philadelphia.
Ever since her fiancé jilted her,
Beverly’s been closed off to love. However, with Eric things feel different.
She can’t help but be hopeful that their work relationship will turn into
something more—even though they are from different worlds. She grew up Amish
and is now Mennonite. Eric, on the other hand, grew up on the city streets of
Philadelphia. How could they ever find common ground?
But as Beverly and Eric put the inn
back together, prepare for Christmas, and even witness romance blossoming for
another couple, the trust—and love—between them grows. Will Christmas bring a
second chance for Beverly? And if it does, will she be brave enough to take it?
BUY NOW
Amazon | B
& N | iTunes | Kobo
My thoughts:
This is the last book in the Pinecraft series and I have to say I have not read the first three books but, I do not feel like I was left out of anything. However, I will now get the first three books and read them.
The Orange Blossom Inn has been broken into and Beverly is crushed. Who would do such a thing near Christmas. She contacts Eric the owner of the Inn and tells him what happened. He jumps on the next flight out and comes down to Florida.
Beverly learns about Eric’s passed but can their friendship survive what she learns?
A great story of fear, friendship and love. The author did and excellent job with this book and now I will have to get the other books in this series.
Shelley Shepard Gray
is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the
American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time Hold
Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes
too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike
trail.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
The post A CHRISTMAS BRIDE IN PINECRAFT by Shelley Shepard Gray review & blog tour appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
October 21, 2015
Book Blast: MEN OF MERCY (Bks 1-3) by Lindsay Cross & Giveaway
Enter to Win a
Gifted Ebook Copy of
RECKLESS RIVER (Book Three)
REDEMPTION RIVER
Men of Mercy #1
Lindsay Cross
Releasing Oct 21st, 2015
Cypress Bend Publishing
Hunter James didn’t want or need redemption.
Until one mission turns his world upside down.
He left Mercy to fight for his country and escape a broken heart. Years later, he is hard. Cold. A man without mercy. Part of an elite Task Force, he tracks a brutal terrorist to his home town. And runs into the woman who betrayed him…
Evangeline Videl was destroyed when Hunter left. Determined to move on, she finds another man, but discovers too late the monster hidden beneath his smooth smile. Struggling to find the conviction to live, Evie finds her life spinning out of control.
Then Hunter returns…
Forced to band together to find the terrorist before its too late, Hunter and Evie must learn to forgive or risk losing the promise of redemption and their lives…
RESURRECTION RIVER
Men of Mercy #2
Lindsay Cross
Releasing Oct 21st, 2015
Cypress Bend Publishing
Ranger James accepted his best friend’s death like a good soldier. With guilt. Regret. Vengeance. But a forbidden desire keeps pulling him from his mission…
Desire for his best friend’s widow.
Killed in Action. That’s why Rachel Carter’s husband wasn’t coming home.
A war widow, alone and broke, Rachel struggles to revive her family’s crop dusting service to survive. Now she takes to the skies to find escape. Escape from the pain. From the guilt. From the earth-shattering desire for her husband’s best friend.
Rachel and Ranger can’t fight the attraction between them any longer. But one fateful night cleaves their new found love in two…
Can they find the will to fight for true love? Or will an evil so shocking destroy their lives for good?
RECKLESS RIVER
Men of Mercy #3
Lindsay Cross
Releasing Oct 21st, 2015
Cypress Bend Publishing
They say you can’t go home again. Jared Crowe never wanted to.Home meant facing memories of abuse and neglect. Of dark closets and evil nightmares. Of his own relatives intent on killing him. But now his brother’s kidnapping forces him to face those demons. Only this time, Jared isn’t a scared little boy. He’s a full-grown Special Forces operative bent on revenge. As a little girl, Sparrow Pickney risked her life to free two abused boys. As a grown woman Sparrow needs to earn a place in her adopted family’s business or be forced into a life of degradation. The chance to prove her family loyalty comes when she catches Jared spying on the compound and captures him. When Jared sees his captor, he realizes she’s the girl of his dreams and vows to rescue her from a life of poverty. What Jared doesn’t know is Sparrow may not be the savior he remembers…but the one responsible for abducting and torturing his brother. Jared is determined to find the truth. But that truth may be more than his heart can take.
Find Lindsay’s Books Here
Amazon | B&N
Lindsay Cross is the award-winning author of the Men of Mercy series. She is the fun loving mom of two beautiful daughters and one precocious Great Dane. Lindsay is happily married to the man of her dreams – a soldier and veteran. During one of her husband’s deployments from home, writing became her escape and motivation.
An avid reader since childhood, reading and writing is in her blood. After years of reading, she discovered her true passion – writing. Her alpha military men are damaged, drop-dead gorgeous and determined to win the heart of the woman of their dreams.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
The post Book Blast: MEN OF MERCY (Bks 1-3) by Lindsay Cross & Giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
October 20, 2015
DINER KNOCK OUT blog tour, review & giveaway
Diner Knock Out
by Terri L. Austin
Diner Knock Out
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Henery Press (October 20, 2015)
Paperback: 302 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1943390090
E-Book ASIN: B012B59QM4
Rose Strickland’s life is complicated. Besides her waitressing gig, she works part-time for Andre Thomas, a PI with no faith in Rose’s ability to investigate, her love life with Sullivan has stalled, and her BFF, Roxy, has found a new bestie, leaving Rose out in the cold.
Determined to prove herself, Rose takes a case on the sly. As she searches for a missing MMA fighter, Rose discovers an illegal fight club, a group of ruthless businessmen, dead bodies, and a trail of drugs.
Hunting down clues that lead too close to home, Rose finds herself in the fight of her life. Can she beat the killer to the punch before she gets knocked out for good?
Related subjects include: cozy mysteries, women sleuths, murder mystery series, whodunit mysteries (whodunnit), amateur sleuth books, book club recommendations, humorous murder mysteries.
Books in the Rose Strickland Humorous Mystery Series:
DINERS, DIVES & DEAD ENDS (#1)
LAST DINER STANDING (#2)
DINER IMPOSSIBLE (#3)
DINERS KEEPERS, LOSERS WEEPERS (novella after DINER IMPOSSIBLE in HEARTACHE MOTEL)
DINER KNOCK OUT (#4)
My thoughts:
Diner Knock Out is the latest installment in the Rose Strickland mystery series. Rose Strickland’s at it again! Trying to eek out a living with two jobs, living in a shabby 400 sq ft apartment, she is determined to prove her family wrong by making her own way.
She’s dating Tom and trying to get her PI license. Her mentor has her doing other things then investigating. Rose takes on a case and learns a lot of Tom’s other side more than she wanted to know.
With all the twists to keep you on your toes and things you find out thus book is wonderful. I have not read much of the other books in this series but I will start. On that note I did not feel lost in this book you have enough information to keep up to date.
Guest Post:
Thanks for having me on today! It’s great to be here. My name is Terri L. Austin and I write the Rose Strickland Mystery series.
Rose is a former rich girl-turned-waitress. In book one, Diners, Dives and Dead Ends, Rose’s friend goes missing. Since he’s a stoner and a bit of a slacker, no one cares—not the police, not his family. But our Rose is a steadfast pal. She makes it her mission to find him. Along the way, she discovers she has a penchant for solving mysteries.
Which brings us to the fourth and current book, Diner Knock Out. This time, Rose must hunt down a missing MMA fighter by infiltrating an underground fight club. As you might have guessed, this is a humorous series, but there’s some family/relationship drama thrown in for good measure.
I think the key to writing a series, to keeping it fresh, is to fall in love with your characters. I adore Rose. She’s imperfect and snarky. When the first book opens, she’s been wandering aimlessly through life for the past six years as a part-time student. Having been shunned by her wealthy family, Rose has had to make her own way in the world. I bonded with her immediately.
Quirky characters and humor are sort of my stock in trade. I love offbeat people, and I love to write offbeat characters. Rose’s best friend, Roxy, is a tough cookie, but dresses like she’s a contestant in the Little Miss Princess pageant. Rose’s boss, Ma, is a tough old bird. She cares for Rose and Roxy as if they were her own daughters. She horns in on their adventures as often as possible. (See book three, Diner Impossible, where Ma dresses like a Klingon.)
Rose is also in a serious relationship. With a criminal—an unapologetic one at that. Don’t expect Sullivan to change for Rose. He’s not going to give up his crime lord status for anyone. But Rose has her own path to follow. As the series progresses, we see her change from an aimless young woman to an astute amateur detective.
Showing Rose’s progress has been exciting for me as a writer. I like to watch her grow and learn new skills. And of course, she meets interesting people who help her along the way. Enter Sugar de la Tarte. Sugar is an internet retro pinup girl and burlesque performer. I took to her from the get go.
There’s also former cop, Andre “Hard Ass” Thomas. He’s the yin to Rose’s yang. What starts as a cantankerous relationship in the first book has bloomed into an uneasy alliance by book four.
For me, my characters are close to my heart. I enjoy spending time with them. When I set about writing a new Rose story, it’s like taking a trip back home to visit old friends.
This is how I keep it fresh—my deep, abiding fondness for each character. The mystery part—that’s the point of the entire book. But how each character reacts and how they relate to Rose, that’s the part I love the most.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
As a girl, Terri L. Austin thought she’d outgrow dreaming up stories and creating imaginary friends. Instead, she’s made a career of it. She met her own Prince Charming and together they live in Missouri. She loves to hear from readers. Drop her a note at www.TerriLAustin.com.
Author Links:
Twitter , FB , Goodreads , TerriLAustin.com , and Henery Press .
Giveaway
Tour Participants
October 19 – Jane Reads – Review
October 20 – Babs Book Bistro – Review, Guest Post
October 21 – Musings and Ramblings – Review
October 22 – fundinmental – Review
October 23 – View from the Birdhouse – Interview
October 24 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too ! – Spotlight
October 25 – A Blue Million Books – Interview
October 26 – Back Porchervations – Review
October 27 – Book Babble – Review
October 28 – Chloe Gets A Clue – Interview
October 29 – Queen of All She Reads – Review, Guest Post
October 30 – A Fold in the spine – Review, Spotlight
October 31 – Frankie Bow – Interview
November 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview
The post DINER KNOCK OUT blog tour, review & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
