Babs Hightower's Blog, page 93
August 11, 2015
PLAYING FOR HER HEART by Megan Erickson release blitz & giveaway
Enter to Win a
Signed Print Copy of
PLAYING FOR HER HEART
(US ONLY)
PLAYING FOR HER HEART
Gamers Series #2
Megan Erickson
Releasing Aug 11th, 2015
Entangled: Brazen
Grant
Osprey just had the hottest sex of his life. Sure, they were both in costume,
and yes, it was anonymous, but he never expected her to bolt in the middle of
the night without so much as a good bye, let alone exchanging numbers. Or
names. All he’s left with are her panties and some seriously X-rated
memories…until he meets his business partner’s little sister.
Only
Chloe Talley isn’t the bold, sexy vixen he remembers. And she wants nothing to
do with him.
Cosplay
is Chloe’s only chance to leave her boring, socially awkward world behind. To
forget that she’s failing at life and can’t be with anyone, let alone a
single-father like Grant. But the raw hunger between them is undeniable. With
him, she can be a misbehaving maid. A sexy call girl for hire. Each scene
pushes Chloe beyond her strict boundaries, until Grant demands the one
character she can’t play.
Herself.
BUY NOW
Amazon | B
& N | iTunes | Kobo | GooglePlay
Megan worked as a journalist covering
real-life dramas before she decided she liked writing her own endings better
and switched to fiction.
She lives in Pennsylvania with her
husband, two kids and two cats. When she’s not tapping away on her laptop,
she’s probably listening to the characters in her head who won’t stop talking.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
Looking for More of the Gamers Series?
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The post PLAYING FOR HER HEART by Megan Erickson release blitz & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
FALLING FOR THE PI by Veronica James release blitz & giveaway
Enter to Win a
$25.00 Amazon eGift Card
FALLING FOR THE P.I.
Still Harbor #1
Victoria James
Releasing Aug 10th, 2015
Entangled: Bliss
Teacher
Kate Abbott’s fresh start in Still Harbor was the beginning of the life that
she and her two best friends always imagined for themselves. Still, being a
working single parent of a special needs daughter hasn’t exactly improved
Kate’s love life. But Kate’s preference for nachos over men quickly disappears
when she meets the oh-so-sexy Matt Lane.
Until
she finds out he’s a cop.
Matt
is a former cop-turned-private investigator, and he knows fear when he sees it.
A cop clearly spooked Kate…or hurt her. Still, something about the gorgeous
professor catches his attention, and despite his “no settling down” policy, he
can’t resist her. But all of the attraction in the world won’t be enough to
overcome Kate’s past…
BUY NOW
Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo
Victoria James is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling
author of contemporary romance.Victoria always knew she wanted to be a writer and in grade five, she penned
her first story, bound it (with staples and a cardboard cover) and did all the
illustrations herself. Luckily, this book will never see the light of day
again.
In high school she fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary
romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree,
Victoria pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened her own business.
After her first child, Victoria knew it was time to fulfill her dream of
writing romantic fiction.
Victoria is a hopeless romantic who is living her dream, penning
happily-ever-after’s for her characters in between managing kids and the family
business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old
Victorian house would be ideal, but she’s quite content living in suburbia with
her husband, their two young children, and very bad cat.
Sign up for Victoria’s Newsletter to stay up to date on upcoming releases and
exclusive giveaways, follow her blog for daily antics and insight into her
daily life, and get to know her on twitter and Facebook. She loves hearing from
readers!
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
The post FALLING FOR THE PI by Veronica James release blitz & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
GIVE EM PUMPKIN TO TALK ABOUT blog tour, review & giveaway
Give ‘Em Pumpkin To Talk About
by Joyce and Jim Lavene
These skilled writers have done it again. They’ve penned a book that had me completely transfixed. Their style of writing feels as though it was so effortless to them. (I bet they would say different). It just flows across the pages.
~Lisa K’s Book Reviews
Well-tuned, with plenty of romance, mystery, suspense, history, legend–and some just plain ornery people. The book became a really fast read, because I couldn’t bear to stop before finishing!
~Mallory Heart Reviews
This is a great read, with wonderful characters and a great plot. You’ll want to read it all in one sitting. If you are looking for a great new mystery series then I highly recommend this one. I’m really looking forward to book two.
~Booklady’s Booknotes
With a romantic interest, a murder, lost gold and missing grandparents, not to mention a hard to deal with mother, this cozy mystery has all of my ingredients for a great read!
~Book Splurge
Give Em Pumpkin To Talk About
(Pumpkin Patch Mysteries Book 1)
Cozy Mystery
Print Length: 199 pages
Publisher: J. Lavene (August 4, 2015)
ASIN: B00Z7LUVZQ
Synopsis:
Richmond attorney Sarah Tucker returns to sell her family’s abandoned farm in Misty River, Virginia despite unanswered questions about her grandparents’ disappearance sixteen years earlier. Sarah was only twelve when she went to visit and found her grandparents had vanished. No amount of searching has brought answers.
Now Sarah is faced with other issues when a man is killed who claimed to have information about what happened to her grandparents. She learns of a Confederate chest of gold that is said to be buried on the property, and treasure hunters who are willing to do anything to get their hands on it.
Were her grandparents murdered for the gold? Sarah can’t sell the land and go back to her life until she has answers. But the cost of the answers may be her life.
Includes farm-fresh recipes!
My thoughts:
Sorry for the delay in my review today just got the book finished and OMG what a book. I live these authors their books are always so good.
Sarah Tucker has returned to her grandparents’ farm after many years away. She wants to sell the house. Her grandparents, Tommy and Bess, had disappeared 16 years earlier, under unusual circumstances, when Sarah was only 12. She encounters a man staying on the property and she knows him, Jack. A man contacts Sarah, telling her he has information about her grandparents’ disappearance and must meet with her but he is killed before she can meet with him. Then she hears about a local legend about stolen Civil War gold being buried on the farm.
The characters are all great you want to know them and the settings and scenes make you feel like you are right into the story. This book is a great start to another great series.
About these Authors
Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.
Author Links
www.facebook.com/joyceandjimlavene
http://amazon.com/author/jlavene
https://twitter.com/AuthorJLavene
Purchase Link
Amazon
The post GIVE EM PUMPKIN TO TALK ABOUT blog tour, review & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
August 10, 2015
Cover Reveal: Clutch By Drew Elyse & giveaway
Title: Clutch (Disciples’ Daughters #1)
Author: Drew Elyse
Genre: Contemporary/MC Romance
Release Date: September 15, 2015
Cover Design: Hang Le
Synopsis
Once a Disciple, forever a Disciple.
Cami was born into the Savage Disciples MC, but she ventured out to build a life of her own away from the club. She’s engaged now, living a new life despite missing the bikers that raised her. Overall, she’s… fine.
Sure, fine. She’s fine with the fiancé who is more interested in position and image than the woman in his life. She’s fine with the fake people around and the suffocating passive aggression. She’s fine with the fact that she is turning to drugs to self-medicate.
A Disciple will fight like a savage for what he wants.
When Gauge tags along to visit his club brother’s daughter, he can’t believe the two women he meets: the fiery daughter of a biker and the puppet with the blank affect. And yet, they’re both Cami.
He sees the fire beneath surface, and he wants to watch it burn. He wants to rip away the man smothering her like a wet blanket. He wants to see the flames consume that cookie-cutter future-wife facade to the ground and dance with her in the flames.
When this biker clutches onto a Disciple’s daughter, there is no letting go.
Excerpt
I turned to head outside and nearly jumped out of my skin. Gauge was standing a few feet away, his gaze more intense than I had seen it all day.
“What are you doing?”
“Is that how you make yourself into the woman he wants you to be?” he asked, ignoring my question. He took a few steps closer to me, and I felt my pulse quicken.
“What are you talking about?” My voice sounded breathy even to my own ears.
He did not answer me right away. Instead, he continued to move towards me until he was right in front of me. He stepped in close, and I scrambled backward until I was against the wall. The moment I realized how I had trapped myself, I noticed the corner of Gauge’s lips rise. He took advantage of my mistake, coming so close that he was pressed against me. I had no where to go, no way to escape what he was doing to me.
One of his hands settled on my waist. The warmth of it seeped through top of my skirt and my satin top. The way his large hand engulfed me, made me feel more delicate than I could ever remember feeling before. The power he exuded, it was enough to consume us both until the entire clubhouse melted away. The heat that suffused my body felt dangerous, out of control. He had hardly touches me and yet he was redefining attraction.
“I’m talking about that shit you just got.” His words cleared just enough of the fog from my mind so that I could answer.
“I have no idea what ‘shit’ you are talking about.”
“Really, darlin’?” He smirked at me, but there was something derisive about it. Suddenly, his free hand was at my chest, reaching beneath my shirt and into my bra. I felt his work-roughened hands against the skin of my breasts. There was nothing sexual about his touch. It was quick and determined. Still, I was caught between fighting him and pleading for more.
Then, his hand was gone. He brought it up next to his face, the baggie of cocaine pinched between his index and middle fingers. “I know blow when I see it.”
“You would,” I accused, trying to reach up and snatch it back.
“You and I both know the club doesn’t deal in that shit anymore,” he growled. He was right, it was unfair to say that. The club had fought hard to get clean of that sort of work.
“I know. I’m sorry,” I muttered. My arms collapsed to my sides. There was no point in trying to fight Gauge. If he wanted to hold onto the baggie, he was going to. There was nothing I could do to stop him.
“I ask again: you use that to put up with all this stuck-up shit?”
I bristled at that. “It is none of your business.”
“That won’t give you what you need,” he said.
“And what is that you think I need?”
“Something big and powerful between those sweet thighs.”
Holy. Shit.
I didn’t know if he was talking about him or his bike.
I was ready to beg for either.
Or both.
At the same time.
I think my brain might have short-circuited because the next thing I knew, Gauge was nuzzling at my neck before moving up to my ear to whisper, “I’d gladly take care of you, darlin’.”
A part of me – a desperate, crazed part of me – wanted to say ‘yes’ to his indecent proposal. I had never known desire to be so all consuming. It took everything I had to keep myself from making a colossal mistake. “Gauge, I can’t.”
“Leave him. He’s no fucking good for you.”
Was he being serious? “Leave him? And then what? Ride off on the back of your bike? Be your piece for a while until you get tired of me? What do I do when you get your fill? I will not be one of the club whores!”
“Jesus, fuck!” Gauge snapped, pulling back so that his hot glare was on me. “You think I don’t know that? You think Tank would ever allow that shit to happen to you? You’re not fucking free pussy like that.”
“So, you want to give me your patch? That seems pretty extreme seeing as we just met. You don’t even know me, Gauge. I am not just going to uproot my life to be your fuck buddy and see if maybe we actually like each other.”
“What life do you even have to uproot here? The one where you walk around every day like that asshole’s puppet? A life where you keep using this shit,” he brandished the cocaine in front of me again, “until you end up so messed up on it that it kills you?”
I started pushing against him, trying to get away. I did not want to hear the things he was saying. “Let me go,” I snarled at him.
“You’re right, babe. I’m not ready to make you my old lady. I’m perfectly happy with club pussy giving me what I need when I need it, but at least I’m man enough to admit when there might be something better. I’m willing to fuckin’ try, you’re just too scared to take a chance.”
Something inside of me felt like it was crumbling apart at his words, but I would not let him see that. Instead, I lashed out again. “You know nothing about me.”
He shook his head in a resigned way that was so at odds with his domineering presence. “You might just be right there. I really didn’t think the woman I met earlier was a fucking coward.”
About The Author
Drew Elyse spends her days trying to convince the world that she is, in fact, a Disney Princess, and her nights writing tear-jerking and smutty romance novels.
When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found over-analyzing every line of a book, binge watching a series on Netflix, doing strange vocal warm ups before singing a variety of music styles, or screaming at the TV during a Chicago Blackhawks game.
A graduate of Loyola University Chicago with a BA in English, she still lives in Chicago, IL where she was born and raised with her boyfriend and her fur babies Lola and Duncan.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Newsletter | Goodreads
Giveaway
The post Cover Reveal: Clutch By Drew Elyse & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
Baby’s Got Bite by Candace Havens Blog Tour, Guest Post & giveaway
Baby’s Got Bite
Candace Havens
Release Date: July 28, 2015
Genre: paranormal romance
Publisher: Entangled
Book Description:
Bennett Langdon has a firm no-relationships policy. Still, it doesn’t stop her from hooking up with a super-sexy bad boy at her best friend’s wedding. After all, it’s only one night—what harm could it do? Ten weeks later, a pregnant Bennett has her answer…
Linc Monahan can’t believe it. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He’s a werewolf, and shouldn’t be able to father a child with a human. Now Linc has to find some way to tell Bennett that not only do werewolves exist, but she’s about to have a baby with one.
But when word of their surprise conception gets out, the fur hits the fan. There are people who don’t want this baby to be born—even if it means killing. Now Bennett and Linc aren’t just fighting each other…they’re fighting for their lives.
Goodreads Amazon BN Entangled Page
Guest post:
Have you ever read a book and it had a profound effect on your life? I have. So many times I’ve lost count. When I was very young, I remember that first Nancy Drew book being a gateway drug for a lifetime of reading. When I was in the sixth grade, “To Kill a Mockingbird” was pretty much the first time I understood what a real hero was. Thank you Atticus Finch.
Much later in life, I discovered some authors who would help inspire a career change of sorts. Those authors were Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum’s series, Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series and all things Nora Roberts and Jodi Thomas. The books from these authors inspired me to create my own characters and worlds.
Evanovich and Hamilton’s heroines made me realize I could write tough women with a heart. Women, who usually ended up saving the men in their lives. And that it was okay to write humor. Roberts and Thomas, taught me that a swoon-worthy hero, is a necessity. And they write characters who jump off the page. Jodi later became my mentor. I don’t think I’ve ever told her how much she inspired me.
More importantly, it was through those strong author voices, that I was able to find mine. I realized I didn’t have to write like other people. I could just tell my stories the way I wanted to (and then pray people might want to read them).
I’m still inspired by authors. My friend Gena Showalter is one of the best with the tortured hero/heroine whether she’s writing paranormal, contemporary or young adult (the woman does it all). My friends Rosemary Clement-Moore, Jennifer Archer and Jenny Martin taught me that diversity in the young adult voice, or in any character voice, is an awesome thing.
Even though they sometimes get a lot of crap, J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer inspired me. The themes of alienation and making your own family in their books, is something that I believe is relatable to all generations. I use those themes in my adult and young adult novels (under Mackenzie McGuire).
Books inspire me. All kinds of books. I want to hear about books that changed your life in some way. Tell me, I really want to know.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
About the Author:
Bestselling author Candace Havens has written multiple novels for Berkley, Entangled and Harlequin. Her books have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion and Write Touch Reader Awards. She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor to several anthologies.
She is also one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities including Tom Hanks, Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise, George Clooney and many more. Her entertainment columns can be read in more than 600 newspapers across the country. Candace also runs a free online writing workshop for more than 2200 writers, and teaches comprehensive writing class. She does film reviews with the Hawkeye & Dorsey on 96.3, and is a former President of the Television Critics Association.
Website: www.candacehavens.com
Blog: candacehavensbooks.wordpress.com
Twitter: @candacehavens
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Candace-Havens
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomcandacehavens
Newsletter: http://www.candacehavens.com/index.php/blog/
Giveaway Info:
The post Baby’s Got Bite by Candace Havens Blog Tour, Guest Post & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
August 9, 2015
Blitz release for Lay Your Hands On Me by Blair Babylon
from USA Today-Bestselling Author Blair Babylon!
Xan Valentine, the rock star that Rolling Stone called “sex incarnate,” stands in the spotlight every night and sings love songs to the women in the audience. They swoon. They scream. They believe him. They don’t know him like Georgie does.
They’ve never seen him nearly beat two men to death until someone pulled him off. They’ve never seen the coldness in his dark eyes when he sat across a table, negotiating a contract that broke their hearts.
He’s never stolen into their bedroom at night, slid into their bed, and made love to them until dawn, and he’s never treated them like it never happened while the bitemarks on their backs and thighs were still sore.
They’ve never seen him play the violin like an angel.
Or a demon.
Georgie is officially in his band now, playing the keyboards, and every concert drives the music deeper into her soul. If Georgie leaves the protection of the band and Xan Valentine, the Russian mafia will kidnap and kill her. If she stays and plays in his band for just a few more weeks, Xan will pay for her college and law school.
If her heart can survive even one more night with him.
Amazon
Barnes & Noble ~~ Google Play ~~ Kobo
iBooks / iTunes / Apple
Lay Your Hands on Me is the third book in the Georgie and Xan series.Haven’t read the first one yet?
IT’S FREE!
Download Every Breath You Take (Book 1) for FREE here:
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iBooks / iTunes ~ Kobo
Excerpt from Lay Your Hands On Me
Xan Valentine, the rock star—and Georgie could tell that he was Xan by the arrogant tilt of his head and the jitter of his fingers drumming on the conference room table—pushed a thick contract across the table toward her. His long hair was tied back in a ponytail, and he wore a trim, blue business suit without a tie, his collar unbuttoned at his throat. Silver and steel chains at his throat sparkled white glints in the overhead fluorescent lights, and that green crystal earring dangled from his ear lobe.
He looked straight at her while he slid the contract over the wood like he was accusing her of something, his dark eyes level and still as he stared. White bandages wrapped his knuckles, but at least the bleeding must have stopped overnight.
Jonas, the band manager for Killer Valentine, sat on Xan’s left. He sat straight in his chair, his black suit pressed and smooth.
Georgie was alone on her side of the table. The chill air in the hotel leaked down the back of her tee shirt and up her short sleeves, raising goosebumps on her skin.
She picked up the stack of paper and riffled through it. “This is a lot of contract for just two months.”
“There’s a lot to do in a rock band,” Xan said.
He didn’t sneer, and he didn’t snarl. If anything, his businesslike tone sounded resigned.
“I’m not signing this until I read the whole thing. I want an attorney’s opinion on it, too. Do you have an electronic copy?”
Jonas slid a thumb drive across the table to her. “Here’s a PDF.”
“Thanks.” She crammed the stick into the back pocket of her jeans.
Xan said, “We need you to sign it before you play with the band again, and the next performance is two days from now.”
“I’m not signing something I haven’t read or don’t understand.” The sheaf of pages weighed in her hands.
“We have a show coming up. If you haven’t signed it by tomorrow morning, we have to cancel the show. If we cancel it—”
“I know. I know. The fans will post vomiting gifs and Killer Valentine will be ruined forever.” She flipped to the front page, which was mostly defining terms, like that Georgie was The Band Member, Killer Valentine, Inc. was The Band, and Mr. Alexandre Grimaldi de Valentinois was The Employer.
So Xan was the one who was paying her, not the band.
Georgie flipped more pages.
Xan folded his hands and looked down at his fingers. He didn’t look like he was trying to hide something, just waiting. Steel and black metal rings wound around his fingers, and thick chains dangled on his wrists near the cuffs of his suit jacket and clicked against the table when he moved his arms.
Georgie read further into the contract, slowing down when she got to The Band Member’s Duties.
The concerts were there, of course, including playing the music while sober and not under the influence of controlled substances.
That must be a new clause.
Her chest hurt for a minute. Rade had been a brilliant keyboard player, and hearing him play classical music on the piano would have been amazing. She had meant to ask him to play for her.
She sucked in a steadying breath and read on.
The terms of the contract ran until July thirty-first, a little over two months, the entire European leg of the tour.
After that, Georgie was free to move to Atlanta and Emory University, where she would resume her plan to go to law school and pay off her many, many debts, both financial and moral. There was an option to renew the contract for one-year terms after that, which made Georgie snort.
No way.
No fucking way was she sticking around after July thirty-first.
The next part was weird.
Georgie looked up at Xan and Jonas. Xan was still meditating on his clasped hands, but Jonas was scrolling through something on his phone. She asked, “What do you mean by ‘public relations engagements?’”
“Anything the band needs,” Xan said. His hands were still clasped on the table. “Radio interviews in the mornings by phone, studio interviews, clubs, other appearances.”
“I can’t do public appearances,” she said. “They’re still after me.”
The Butorins, a Russian mafia bratva, had tried to kidnap Georgie several times because she owed them eight million dollars. Her father had swindled them out of that money, and they felt that Georgie should pay up. Before they had found her, she had planned to first pay off the charities that her father had stolen from, but she liked breathing, too. If she were dead, she would never pay off all the charities.
Xan shook his head. “The public eye is the safest place for you, currently. Every attempt to kidnap you has been in private or at least away from cameras or crowds. Also, later in the contract, you’ll see that it’s not your responsibility to provide security. It’s ours. You’ll have Adrien, who is the most diligent and highly trained security person we have. You’ll have others, too. You’ll be safe.”
“I need to hide. I need locked doors between me and the Russian mob.”
He shook his head again, but his careful, methodical gesture didn’t exude the wild energy of Xan anymore. “You need to remain in the limelight. Witnesses are your best security.”
Even his English accent had switched to the high-society British of Alex de Valentinois, leaving behind the guttural, working-class accent of Xan Valentine. His switches dizzied Georgie, but Jonas didn’t even look like he had noticed.
Jonas and the rest of the band either didn’t hear the difference in Alex’s accents or else they didn’t know what they signified, not that Georgie could have exactly defined what they meant, either.
But she knew that he was Alex now.
She stole another peek at Jonas, who was still peering at his phone.
Not that she could call him Alex. Everybody around here only knew him as Xan and only called him Xan.
“I can’t do appearances,” she repeated.
Alex’s dark eyebrows twitched. “The band needs all its members to do appearances.”
“I’m not really a band member.”
Alex leaned across the table and tapped the contract. “For two months, you are a full band member. You will continue to receive royalties on anything you record or write for the duration of the copyright.”
“It’s a ridiculously generous contract,” Jonas muttered. “Contract musicians and writing consultants are generally paid a flat rate under work-for-hire laws. I’ve never seen anything like this for a short-term gig.”
Georgie raised her eyebrows at Alex. “Really?”
He shrugged. “We negotiated the terms last night. This is merely the formal contract.”
“If this isn’t customary—” she started.
“We’re in a crisis. It isn’t customary to simultaneously lose two musicians out of five.”
“Six,” Jonas muttered.
“Rhiannon is a contractor under work-for-hire guidelines,” Xan told him.
“Hell, if Georgie is a band member, Rhiannon should be, too.”
“Just whom are you advocating for, Jonas?” His mild tone belied what he was actually saying.
Jonas set his mouth in a hard line and went back to texting on his phone.
Alex turned back to Georgie, his face still as impassive as marble. “The songs that we’ve already written together are copyrighted in both our names. Future music will be the same.”
Georgie went back to reading. The Non-Disclosure Agreement was outlined in excruciating detail, including but not limited to any communication in any form—electronic, print, or methods not therein described or currently in existence, and the ban was worldwide. She couldn’t even discuss him or the band by using smoke signals in Siberia or telepathic waves on Alpha Centauri. “Guess I won’t be writing my memoirs.”
“No,” Alex said. “No memoirs.”
Georgie saw the flaw in the logic. “How am I going to do interviews if I can’t discuss anything about the band?”
Jonas said, “You’ll have a list of approved topics and talking points.”
“That sounds spontaneous,” she grumbled.
Jonas looked confused. “It’s how all interviews are run. You can’t have musicians puking out anything they want to talk about. They’d just incriminate themselves for all sorts of things, like smuggling drugs over international borders up their asses.”
Georgie frowned at him.
“Okay, you wouldn’t do that,” Jonas said. “But can you imagine Grayson with a live mic and no piece of paper in front of him?”
“Grayson is in rehab,” Alex said, twisting one of the silver death’s head rings on his fingers.
“Yeah, but still,” Jonas sighed.
While Georgie had been standing in line for a latte that morning in the hotel lobby, she had seen Alex escort Grayson, their bass player, to a limo that morning, shake his hand, and stand on the sidewalk as it drove away. He had strode back into the hotel without looking back, his jaw set.
She asked, “What’s this ‘other and sundry duties?’”
“Anything band-related that I think is necessary,” Alex said, still fidgeting with his rings.
She didn’t want to make a suggestive comment, not after last night, not when she wanted to break down and sob or punch him in the face, she wasn’t sure which. “Okay.”
Alex’s eyes flicked up at her. “Band-related,” he stressed. “Keep reading.”
Georgie skimmed through the document, slowing only when she came to a section titled, “No Fraternization Among Band Members.”
The language was brutal. The consequences were severe, from fines to summary dismissal with no recourse. “This clause is pretty rough.”
“You wanted it,” Alex said, still staring at his hands.
“So what happens to you?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“If you make a pass at me, I get fired and lose my college financing. What about you?”
He looked up from his hands, and for the first time, lines of anger creased around his eyes. The anger spread through his face and body, tightening his arms and clenching his hands into fists. In a guttural British accent, Xan said, “I’ll break up the band. I’ll cancel all future concerts and pay off the venues. I’ll walk away.”
“Is that in the contract?” she asked.
“I’ll have it added.”
Jonas stared at Xan, his lip curling up. “You can’t break up the band over something like this.”
“Watch me.”
“You can’t throw away everything you’ve worked for,” Jonas insisted.
Xan didn’t look away from Georgie. His dark eyes narrowed, and he bit down on the words. “She’s right. It’s not fair for her to take all the risk. If I violate that clause, I’ll burn Killer Valentine to the ground.”
Amazon
Barnes & Noble ~~ Google Play ~~ Kobo
iBooks / iTunes / Apple
The post Blitz release for Lay Your Hands On Me by Blair Babylon appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
The Anonymous Source by A.C. Fuller blog tour & interview
About the Book:
Find the Source. Break the Story. Stay Alive.ONE YEAR AFTER the 9/11 attacks, Alex Vane—a brilliant, carb-obsessed reporter for The New York Standard—wants nothing more than to break into the flashy world of TV news. But when he uncovers the scoop of a lifetime, his tightly controlled world is rocked: his editor buries his story, a source turns up dead, and Alex finds himself at the center of a violent media conspiracy.AS HE RECEIVES TIPS from a mysterious source, Alex enlists the help of a captivating professor, Camila Gray. Aided by an Internet genius, a billionaire’s sexy widow, and a washed-up sports reporter, Alex and Camila discover a $500-million secret that leads back to the morning of 9/11.
IT’S A SECRET that unearths dark memories from Alex’s past. And it’s a secret that could get them both killed.
Interview:
When did you know you wanted to write?
The very first moment was when I was thirteen or fourteen. I was walking with some friends in the schoolyard and I started feeling like I was observing everything from outside my own experience. Like I was viewing it all not from my perspective or theirs, but a third angle outside the situation. This turned into a story; I was writing a memoir in my head.
Nothing ever came of it but then, in my early twenties, I started writing more seriously. Short stories, screenplays, part of a novel. But this only lasted a couple years. Finally, a few years ago I was at a family Thanksgiving dinner and an uncle introduced me to someone as “a writer.” At the time, I was teaching writing at a small college, but not doing much of it myself. I didn’t really think of myself as a writer. At that moment I decided to get serious about my own writing, and I did.
What would you like your readers to get out of The Anonymous Source?
I wanted to write a book that was fast-paced, fun, and serious at the same time.
I lived in New York City on 9/11 and chose that day to start the book because it was a pivot point for the city and the country. Much of what happened in the years after was a reaction to 9/11, or was at least affected by it. There was the initial shock and fear, then all the events that came after: the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the protests, heightened security, the Patriot Act. Everyone was talking about 9/11 and everything was changed by it. And yet daily life went on for millions of people in New York City. So I wanted to capture the time period, while not making the book about 9/11.
Most of the book takes place a year after 9/11, in the fall of 2002. I chose that time because the early 2000s were a key time in the country’s transition to digital media, which is another backdrop in the book. In 2002, less than half of U.S. homes had Internet access, and 3/4 of the ones that did were using dial up. Remember dial-up? There was no Facebook, no Twitter, no smart phones, and Google was just getting going. The very first iPods were starting to come out. I actually had to do some historical research just to get certain details right, like how much it cost to use a pay phone.
So, I see the time after 9/11 as a transitional period, both because of the wars and other political situations that came after, and because our day-to-day lives were being so rapidly altered by technology.
So I hope that readers will be captivated by the story, entertained by it, but also informed about some of the inner-workings of the media.
Do you have a current project in the works?
Yes, I’m working on the sequel to The Anonymous Source. It’s called The Inverted Pyramid. Look for that in the summer of 2016.
Do you have a ritual when you are writing? ie coffee, music, food etc
When I’m writing new material, I do so between 4:30 and 7 am. Before the kids wake up. My only ritual is to make the coffee the night before. I set the auto-brew for 4:25 a.m., so it’s ready when I wake up. I write before breakfast, so I just get my coffee and get to work. No music, no social media, no distractions.
Hobbies outside of writing?
Running, hosting my podcast, cooking for my family, watching sports.
What book or books are you currently reading?
Currently reading Monochrome, by H.M. Jones and The Cartel, by Don Winslow.
If you could be one character from one of your books who would it be?
Camila Gray. She’s a media-studies professor and not the typical female sidekick you often get in thrillers. She’s brilliant, sassy, deeply intuitive, and likes to eat. She’s really a secondary main character in the book.
Favorite drink?
Non-alcoholic—Coffee
Alcoholic—Mojito
What is your favorite ice cream?
Rocky Road, Mint Chip—anything with both chocolate and some texture.
What is your favorite food?
That’s a tough one because I’m a former chef and I’ve gone through phases where I delve deeply into all sorts of cuisines. Last meal on my deathbed? Probably a BLT.
Anything else you would like to add?
Thanks for taking the time to interview me!
Author Bio:
A.C. Fuller is the creator and host of the WRITER 2.0 Podcast and an English teacher at Northwest Indian College. He previously taught journalism at New York University and worked as a freelance reporter. He now lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and two children and is hard at work on the sequel to The Anonymous Source. You can find A.C. at http://www.acfuller.com, on Facebook at A.C. Fuller, and on Twitter @ACFullerAuthor. And you can find the WRITER 2.0 Podcast on iTunes.
Find the Author Online:
Facebook Author Page: A.C. Fuller
Twitter: @ACFullerAuthor
Website: http://www.acfuller.com
WRITER 2.0 Podcast: Available on Itunes: http://apple.co/1TqhW1p
The post The Anonymous Source by A.C. Fuller blog tour & interview appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
August 8, 2015
CRUSHED VELVET by Diane Vallere blog tour, review & giveaway
Crushed Velvet
by Diane Vallere
Crushed Velvet (A Material Witness Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
Series: A Material Witness Mystery (Book 2)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (August 4, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-0425270585
E-Book ASIN: B00QH832E0
“Diane Vallere has stitched up an engaging new series.”—Sofie Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of the Magical Cats Mysteries
Synopsis
Fabric shop owner Polyester Monroe is back in business—this time getting wrapped up in a diabolical but crafty case of murder.
With opening day of Material Girl approaching, Poly is stocking up on lush fabrics, colorful notions, and best of all, a proprietary weave of velvet. But upon delivery, it’s not quite the blend she expected, being ninety-percent silk and ten-percent corpse. Crushed under a dozen bolts of fabric is Phil Girard. His wife, Genevieve, local tea shop owner and close friend of Poly, is the prime suspect.
Granted, Phil may not have been the perfect husband, but surely Genevieve had no reason to kill him! There’s just the small matter of Genevieve’s own incriminating confession: I’m afraid I killed my husband. Now, as Material Girl’s grand opening looms, Poly is torn between a friendship pulling apart at the seams—and finding a smooth killer with a velvet touch…
My thoughts:
I have to admit I have not read the first book in this series. I have to say this book had me gripping the pages to see what would happen. There were a few occasions I was laughing out loud and my family wanted to know what was so funny.
With the twists, action and humor you can not go wrong with this book. The delightful character Polyester Monroe will have to wishing you were in the town with her. The characters all work well together and that author does an excellent job with all the action.
INCLUDES A CRAFT PROJECT
About the Author
After two decades working for a top luxury retailer, Diane Vallere traded fashion accessories for accessories to murder. SUEDE TO REST, the first book in the bestselling Material Witness Cozy Mystery Series, was a Lefty/ Best Humorous Mystery nominee. CRUSHED VELVET, book two, comes out August 4. Diane is the current president of Sisters in Crime Los Angeles, and was co-chair of the 2015 California Crime Writers Conference. She also writes the Madison Night and Style & Error Mystery Series. Diane started her own detective agency at age ten and has maintained a passion for shoes, clues, and clothes ever since.
Author Links
FB: https://www.facebook.com/DianeVallereAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianevallere
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4739022.Diane_Vallere
Purchase Links
Amazon
B&N
Powells
Giveaway
Tour Participants
August 4 – deal sharing aunt – Review, Interview
August 5 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Review
August 6 – I Wish I Lived in a Library – Review
August 7 – Jane Reads – Review, Guest Post
August 8 – Babs Book Bistro – Review
August 9 – LibriAmoriMiei – Review
August 10 – Booklady’s Booknotes – Review
August 11 – Kimberly’s Bookshelf – Review
August 12 – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf – Guest Post
August 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview
August 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review
August 15 – Melina’s Book Blog – Review, Guest Post
August 16 – Girl with Book Lungs – Review
The post CRUSHED VELVET by Diane Vallere blog tour, review & giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
A GOOD KIND OF TROUBLE BOOK TOUR Guest Post & Giveaway
A Good Kind of Trouble
by Ellie Ashe
A Good Kind of Trouble
(A Trouble in Twin Rivers Novel Book 1)
Romantic Mystery
Paperback: 422 pages
Self Published (April 7, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1508515807
E-Book ASIN: B00UPIUPF2
Synopsis:
Beacon news reporter Lindsey Fox is on the verge of breaking a huge story of political corruption that will make her career and make her famous journalist parents proud—or she could be thrown in jail and fired. It really could go either way.
Her recent streak of bad luck continues when Lindsey finds herself facing a bogus contempt charge—and attorney Ben Gillespie is appointed to get her out of the slammer. They once had a bad date of epic proportions—stilted conversation, food poisoning, burglary, towed car. Then there was the incident with the pepper spray. Lindsey never believed she’d see the sexy lawyer again.
Ben can totally believe that Lindsey is behind bars. The woman is trouble. Now he has to get his new client out of jail, keep her out of the grasp of a crazed bike messenger and a shady P.I., help her save her job, and convince her to put down the pepper spray and give him another chance.
The thing about writing, for me, is that I just love it so much. And yet… There are days when it is not easy. Difficult. Teeth-gnashingly, gut-wrenchingly hard. And I can’t imagine not doing it.
I know this makes no sense, so I made a chart to explain what I mean, using the creation of A Good Kind of Trouble as an example.
Guest Post
Stage 1
I was trying to fall asleep when a great idea for a title popped into my head. This was followed by the opening scene of a funny romantic mystery. Then the next scene, a chase scene. Yes! This could be a lot of fun. Then I got out of bed and started writing it down. This eventually became the first chapter of A Good Kind of Trouble, though at the time, it was titled Trust Me, I’m a Lawyer.
Stage 2
I was proudly a “pantser” when it came to writing. No plotting allowed! Let’s just see where this baby goes. I thought Ben and Lindsey’s story would be a short action-packed romantic mystery. Maybe a novella. That would be fun.
Stage 3
I was passing the 40,000-word mark and realized that I was nowhere near the end of the story. This “novella” was outgrowing its category. I was starting to become concerned, but the mystery Ben and Lindsey was unraveling was complex. The story kept surprising me with its twists. So it would be a short novel. No problem.
Stage 4
Or maybe it would be a long novel. The story had long since abandoned any idea that it could be contained in a novella. Ha! Yet more twists emerged, characters revealed unforeseen depth, and while I was still having fun uncovering all those details, I was starting to panic a little. I was at 80,000 words and I still couldn’t see the end. What if I couldn’t find a way to end this novel? Commence hyperventilating.
Stage 5
The End.
I have never been so happy to write two words in my life. At the time, they were my two favorite words among the 104,000 words that made up the book. This story had consumed me for a year and I was so happy to send it off for the first round of edits. I moved on to a new book in a different series. New characters, new dilemmas, a whole new world. Ben and Lindsey’s story, now called A Good Kind of Trouble, was behind me.
Stage 6
I was trying to fall asleep when I started thinking about Fiona Larkin, a minor character in A Good Kind of Trouble. She was interesting—a widowed single mother, and a lawyer. And what about that FBI agent, Matt Pritchard? Now that could be a minefield of conflict to navigate.
Or what about Ben’s new boss, the handsome and enigmatic Jude Fields? What kind of woman would it take to make him open up or settle down?
Oh, no. I was getting pulled back into the Twin Rivers universe.
But was that a bad thing? I mean, it was fun writing in that world. Maybe this should be a series.
And then I had a great idea for a title…
About The Author
Ellie Ashe has always been drawn to jobs where she can tell stories—journalist, lawyer, and now writer. Writing quirky romantic mysteries is how she gets the “happily ever after” that so often is lacking in her day job.
When not writing, you can find her with her nose in a good book, watching far too much TV, or trying out new recipes on unsuspecting friends and family. She lives in Northern California with her husband and three cats, all of whom worry when she starts browsing the puppy listings on petfinder.com.
Author Links:
Ellieashe.com
https://www.facebook.com/EllieAsheBooks
Newsletter sign-up (short): http://bit.ly/EllieNews
https://www.goodreads.com/EllieAshe
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Ellie-Ashe/e/B00NRB3SCG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Purchase Link:
Amazon
Giveaway:
1 E-BOOK GIVEAWAY AT EACH STOP Just leave a comment on what your favorite Cozy book is.
Tour Participants
August 6 – Musings and Ramblings – Review, Giveaway
August 6 – Frankie Bow – Interview, Giveaway
August 7 – Back Porchervations – Review
August 8 – Babs Book Bistro – Guest Post, Giveaway
August 9 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview
August 10 – Queen of All She Reads – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
August 11 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review
August 12 – Moonlight Rendezvous – Review, Giveaway
August 12 – A Blue Million Books – Interview
August 13 – Jane Reads – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
August 14 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
August 15 – Book Splurge – Review, Interview
The post A GOOD KIND OF TROUBLE BOOK TOUR Guest Post & Giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
August 7, 2015
Second Chance with the Billionaire by Janice Maynard, Recipe, Playlist and Q&A
USA Today bestselling author Janice Maynard charms us with Second Chance with the Billionaire –Former ski champion Conor Kavanagh enjoys a challenge. And he’s encountered no challenge more arousing than Ellie Porter. Once, she broke his heart. Now that she’s back in town a changed woman, he can’t seem to stay away
Bon Appétit and a Book –
My grandmother was an amazing cook. Most Sundays when I was a kid we would go to her house to have lunch or dinner. The smells were tantalizing. She always had some kind of special, freshly baked item in the kitchen.
Summers were particularly wonderful, because she bought fresh corn, squash, green beans and watermelon from local farmers to include in her bountiful feasts.
Second Chance With the Billionaire takes place during the long hot days of summer. In weather like that, any meal deserves a light, perfect treat for dessert. Even the name of this recipe makes me smile. Lemon Love Notes.
This sweet, tart delight is straight from my Grandmother Morrison’s home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It’s made from scratch, but even an inexperienced cook can handle it. And as a bonus, your kitchen will smell wonderful when you’re done.
Lemon Love Notes:
Combine the following three ingredients and pat evenly into an 8 x 8 inch pan. (1/2 cup of softened butter, 1 cup of regular flour, 1/4 cup powdered sugar) Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Set aside to cool.
Next, in a medium bowl beat two eggs with a fork. Add 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 cup of sugar, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and the grated peel and juice of one lemon. Mix well by hand.
Pour into cooked shell. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool, and sprinkle with powdered sugar before cutting. Enjoy!
SONG PLAYLIST –
Home by Chris Lee (this song was actually written specifically for my Wolff Mountain series. But it underscores my Kavanaghs as well, because the theme of home runs throughout many of my books)
Next to Me – by Emili Sandé
Come to Me – Goo Goo Dolls
I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
The Giving Tree – Plain White T’s
Run – Matt Nathanson
I Will Wait – Mumford & Sons
Peace – O.A.R
Try – Pink
I Choose You – Sara Bareille
I Could Have Been Your Girl – She & Him
How-To Tips for Aspiring Writers –
Pick a book that you really love. With highlighters in two colors, mark the sections of dialogue versus other paragraphs. This will give you a sense of the rhythm in the fiction you like to read.
Take online classes from writing organizations.
Attend regional or national conferences where you can request pitch appointments for agents and editors.
Enter two or three contests a year. Study the feedback. If judges hit on the same weaknesses, address those in your writing.
If you want to be published, ignore rejection and keep going!
Love Lessons Learned –
It’s important to understand what you’re looking for from a relationship and from life. Other people can’t make you happy. But when you find that person who makes you want to be your best self, don’t let the opportunity slip by.
Movie Star Cast –
Chris Pine and Emma Stone
Q & A –
Silver Glen, North Carolina, is home to the seven Kavanagh brothers. In an environment where the rich and famous come for a little rest and relaxation under the radar, the Kavanaghs stand out. They are fiercely loyal, wickedly sexy, and generally stubborn. In Second Chance With the Billionaire, Conor Kavanagh comes face to face with the first girl he ever loved. But tragedy has touched each of them. They have to decide if the spark that still simmers between them after all this time is strong enough to overcome any barriers.
Baby books are always popular in romance. Maybe it’s the juxtaposition of an innocent infant with a big, strong man that makes women weak in the knees. A man who can and will care for a helpless child is a man worth loving.
I had my first date with the man I eventually married when I was sixteen. What were the chances I would choose wisely? How do we ever know we’re doing the right thing? Ellie Porter loved Conor Kavanagh when they were young, but she walked away. Exploring the themes of regret and second chances is a rich experience for any writer.
I love heroes who keep their innermost thoughts hidden. They don’t like showing weakness, especially when it comes to the women they adore. I like watching a tough man made vulnerable when he really doesn’t want to be.
I probably identify most with Liam Kavanagh (A Not-So-Innocent Seduction), because he’s the firstborn. My husband and I are both first children. With that birth order comes a tendency to be “too” responsible sometimes. You have to remind yourself that life needs to be balanced between work and play. When Zoe drops into Liam’s life, his “wants” end up in direct opposition to what he thinks he “should” do.
I have no clue what it’s like to have unlimited money. But my billionaires are defined more by their character than by their bank accounts. I love making each hero a personality who stands out in a reader’s mind. My Kavanagh heroes (and earlier, my Wolff men) are bold, interesting guys with or without the money.
I attended the Lori Foster Reader Author Get-Together in June and the annual Romance Writers of America conference in July. Nothing planned for the fall so far.
I’ve had fans suggest to me that I should write a romance for the “parents” of my characters. Though I haven’t had that opportunity yet, I love the idea. It means that readers are really coming to love the Wolffs and Kavanaghs the way I do.
I don’t know how good I would be at collaboration. In school, I never really enjoyed “group” work. But I very much admire the writing of Diana Gabaldon, Lori Foster, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Emma Holly, and Tiffany Reisz.
I’m multi-tasking at the moment! I still have one more Kavanagh story to write, but I’m also gleefully working on a contemporary Scottish romance called Hot for the Scot that will be out in March of 2016. Kilts and Kavanaghs. What else could I ask for!!
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