Archive for September, 2017

Red Dagger
H.G. Lynch
(Reaper Born, #1)
Publication date: August 24th 2015
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis

Ruairidh is a Demon Hunter, like his father. But when his father is murdered by a demon he was hunting, Ruairidh must move back to Scotland to live with his mother and brother.
He vows to kill the demon who murdered his father, but he struggles to balance Hunting with college, and his hostile brother makes it clear he wishes Ruairidh had never come back.
Doesn’t help that Ru is falling for the girl his brother is crushing on.
Life is going to get very tricky for Ruairidh, but as long as he has his sword and his wits, he’s ready to take on whatever comes at him.

Goodreads / Amazon

On sale for $1.99 for a limited time only!

The tie-in novella releases the same day – Poison Arrow (A Reaper Born Novella)

~~~~

Enjoy the excerpt:

The Catchi loomed up in front of me and grinned, its fangs dripping venom. Then it brought one clawed foot down on my reaching hand, its curved toenails sinking into my wrist, and I cried out in pain. I glared up at it and yanked the hunting knife from the sheath on my thigh, slicing it cleanly through the demon’s calf. It howled and hobbled back as the lower half of its leg hung on by a few threads of muscle. I’d cut through the bone.

Pulling the dismembered foot free of my hand, I tossed it aside and rolled to my feet, blood leaking down my fingers and dripping onto the floor. I knew I had to move fast because Catchi could regenerate limbs – I hadn’t crippled it for long; all I’d done was really piss it off. The neon green blood gushing from its severed leg was already slowing, the stump already knitting flesh to bone and stretching out.

Without waiting for it to heal any more, I lunged while it was still off-balance. I crashed into it at the waist, tackling it to the ground. We skidded along the wreckage-strewn floor and slammed into the wall. The demon scrambled to shove me off, its claws raking my arm, but I ignored the flare of agony and brought my blade down in a vicious arc, ramming it hilt-deep in the demon’s throat. Green blood sprayed over me as I yanked the knife to the side, ripping open the Catchi’s neck.

The monster’s eyes widened, its mouth opening to display brown fangs the length of my pinkie finger, but the only sound that came out was a faint gurgling. Breathing hard, dripping blood – both its and mine – I started to get up, but the demon grabbed my arm, and with one last surge of energy, head-butted me in the stomach. I gasped as I felt the poisonous spikes drive into my gut and stumbled backward, clutching a hand over the wound.

The Catchi went limp, finally dead, but I couldn’t enjoy the success because it had just condemned me to death along with it. “Fuck,” I wheezed, already feeling the venom going to work, the acid eating at my insides.

 

Author H.G. Lynch

H.G. Lynch is a Paranormal Romance author from Scotland. She is an avid reader, and cat-lover. She spends most of her days writing, while wrestling her cat off her laptop. She loves horse-riding, Star Trek, and snow.
Her books are dark paranormal romances.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

XBTBanner1

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

The Mercenary
Petra Landon
(The War Chronicles, #1)
Publication date: August 25th 2017
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction

She’s a prisoner of the Imperial Forces. He’s a nomad with a private mercenary army. Can a desperate girl’s risky gamble and a fierce warrior’s love turn the tide of war and alter the balance of power in their slice of space?

In a distant corner of the galaxy, Quadrant Five burns in the flames of a deadly war. The Budheya people are one of the worst affected. Once the most advanced civilization in the quadrant, they now struggle under the cruel yoke of Ketaari occupation.

Saakshi
Imprisoned by the Ketaari Imperial Forces, a young Budheya girl is sent to a distant space station to work in an alehouse. For a girl who has known only hardship in her short life, things could be worse. Until an old foe walks into the alehouse.

Zoran
Zoran is Hadari’Kor – notorious across star systems for their prowess in battle. Their fierce reputation allows them to retain their independence, even as others are forced to choose sides in the war. Drawn to a weary-eyed server girl, Zoran is forced to confront age-old traditions and question his role in the war.

The Prisoner & The Mercenary
Alone, friendless and far from home, Saakshi makes a desperate gamble to trust a formidable and enigmatic stranger whose hot gaze haunts her dreams. The fallout from this improbable pact reverberates across space. As a relentless enemy hunts her, Zoran must fight to protect Saakshi through a minefield of shifting alliances. When passion ignites amidst the embers of a smoldering war, will a warrior’s quest for justice bring a mighty Empire to its knees …

Author’s Note : A spirited and resilient girl, a fierce warrior with a conscience, a fiery passion that flares amidst the debris of a deadly war and a love that will alter the fate of an entire quadrant forms the tale of The Mercenary, a standalone story that sets the scene for The War Chronicles – a collection of SciFi Romance & Space Opera tales with romance, swashbuckling adventure & a sprinkling of action.

Goodreads / Amazon

~~~~

Check out the excerpt:

He swam towards the shore, wading out of the water to where she sat watching him. Saakshi watched her large warrior arise unhurriedly from the tranquil lake, the water spearing off his hard body causing his myriad colorful tattoos to gleam brightly on his gray skin in the light reflected off the plasma torches. He shook his head gracefully, sending an arc of water off his dark hair. The scattered droplets hung over him like a short-lived halo around his large muscled frame. Saakshi stared at him, frozen in place and unable to take her eyes off him. In that moment suspended in time, to the young Budheya girl gazing up in awe at her warrior, it felt as if the Pura herself had sent him for her – her own personal guardian angel charging in when she’d needed him the most. “Like what you see?” inquired the husky voice she remembered so well from before.

Saakshi flushed, looking away from those molten dark eyes.

He came down gracefully on one knee beside her, gloriously unselfconscious in his nakedness.

“I do, too. Like what I see, that is” he said scratchily, his voice like sandpaper.

He used a large finger to gently nudge her chin until she met his eyes.

“You have me at your feet, tseriya. I hope you will show mercy.”

Lost momentarily in the burning eyes and mesmerized by the husky voice, Saakshi realized dazedly that he seemed to be kneeling before her. She scrambled up with a muffled sob to throw her arms around him, smothering his face and neck with little kisses.

Tseriya” he asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. “Why are you crying?”

“I’m just so happy that you came back” she sobbed into his neck.

“Of course, I came back” he reiterated in some confusion, trying to dislodge her from his neck to meet her eyes. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I thought you were off doing more important stuff now that I was safe with the Alliance” Saakshi hiccupped into his neck, resisting all his attempts to get her to meet his eyes.

Tseriya” he cajoled. “I could never stay away from you.”

He cupped the back of her head with one hand.

Tseriya” he said urgently. “Haven’t I proved already that I cannot stay away from you? That is what I cannot forgive myself for.”

It was the note of despair in his voice that finally got through to Saakshi. She loosened her clasp around his neck to lean back and scan his expression. A callused finger brushed away her tears carefully as they spilled over from her eyes but Saakshi barely noticed the tender gesture. “Forgive yourself? What do you mean …” she trailed off uncertainly.

He said nothing, but what she saw in the dark eyes had Saakshi straightening her spine.

“You helped a stranger who came to you for assistance. You could have chosen to walk away. Without you, the Unta-Golar …” she stopped mid-sentence, her words cut off by the large finger Zoran laid gently across her lips.

The expression on his handsome face shuttered right before her eyes.

“I’m no hero, Saakshi” he said steadily. “I shamed myself – I took advantage of a young and desperate girl.”

It was Saakshi’s turn to lay a gentle finger on his lips to prevent him from further self-reproach. “No” she shook her head forcefully. “Nothing happened between us that I did not want. Believe that if you believe nothing else, Zoran Hadari-Begur-Kor.”

She withdrew her finger from his lips. He remained silent but did soften enough to allow her to see the regret and despair in him.

“You came for me every single time” she reiterated a tad desperately. “When no else did.”

Zoran shook his head, clasping her hand to plant a soft kiss in her palm.

“Yes” he acknowledged. “But I also took advantage of you.”

Saakshi shook her head vehemently, desperate to make him believe that she had never felt coerced into an intimate relationship with him.

“You … you loved me like no one else had, Zoran” she whispered, shyness and embarrassment forgotten. “I was drawn to you, even before I went to you. I just … I was too inexperienced to know it.”

His expression twisted subtly at her soft admission. “I was not.”

 

Author Petra Landon

An avid reader all her life, only recently has Petra allowed her own imagination to run riot. She loves to travel, loves the outdoors and reads everything she can get her hands on, time permitting. Her taste in books is very eclectic – she tends to like stories with vivid and quirky characters that have elements of fantasy, adventure, romance and mystery interspersed together. A good book for her is one that makes the reader think long after it has been finished and set aside. And, one that draws the reader back to it, again and again.
To share the tales that have lived in her imagination for so long is a labor of love and a lifelong dream come true for her.

Website / Goodreads / Pinterest / Twitter / Amazon / Mailing List

 

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

XBTBanner1

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

A Face to Die For by Andrea Kane Banner

On Tour September to October ,2017

A Face To Die For

by Andrea Kane

http://www.partnersincrimetours.net/pict/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/a-face-to-die-for-andrea-kane.jpg

Genre: Psychological Thriller
Published by: Bonnie Meadow Publishing LLC
Publication Date: September 19, 2017
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 1682320103 (ISBN13: 9781682320105)
Purchase Links: Amazon ? | Barnes & Noble ? | Goodreads ?

My Review

Two women. Twins. Sharing the same face. They didn’t know each other existed. You may have read something along similar lines, or seen a movie like it. But the author adds her own twist and it’s a doozy.

It’s always a good sign when I connect with a character quickly. This happened more than once as each entered the story. I’m always drawn to character driven stories and a good thriller and I had high hopes for this book. The author delivered and it was a page turner.

Once you get to the part about the two sisters finding each other and realizing they’re twins, you think most of the surprises are over. Not so. There’s another huge one that ramps up the thrills. And it gets more suspenseful as they get closer to the truth about themselves and why they were separated.

Weird things happen and the sisters know they can’t handle this by themselves. Enter the team from Forensic Instincts. I first encountered the team in the fifth book in this series and it was fun to meet some of them again. And don’t worry if you haven’t read the previous books. They can stand on their own.

Why were they kept secret from each other? Who is behind it? How far will they go to keep them apart? I couldn’t wait to find out. A Face To Die For is such a great title for this book and it’s a white knuckle read that will keep your teeth clenched as you’re swept into a whirlwind of murder and suspense.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Urban legend says that everyone has a double, or exact look-alike. Would you search for yours? And if you found them, would you risk your life for theirs?

When a chance encounter outside the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan results in mistaken identity, wedding planner Gia Russo is curious to find the person whose cell phone picture has been shown her—veterinarian Dr. Danielle Murano, her exact look-alike. A Facebook private message blossoms into a budding, long-distance friendship, and the two women agree to meet in New York and see the truth for their own eyes.

Shocked at the sight of one another, they quickly bond over drinks, childhood pictures and an uncanny feeling that they share more than just a visual resemblance. Together they decide to end the speculation and undergo DNA testing for siblingship. But when the tests confirm they’re identical twins, more questions are raised than answered.

And with good reason. The same mysterious forces that separated the sisters years ago are still at large, frantic to keep the two women apart. Their attempts to do so become more violent once it becomes clear that the two sisters have found each other. But when the danger escalates and the sisters fear for their lives, Gia turns to a former client of her wedding planning company, Marc Devereraux of Forensic Instincts, for help.

Despite being embroiled in another case, Forensic Instincts agrees to help Gia and Danielle discover who has been threatening them. And when Forensic Instincts discovers that this case is linked to the [Mafia, Organized Crime], they must dig up skeletons better left buried, and get at the frightening truth without destroying the sisters and the families they have grown to love.

~~~~~

Enjoy the excerpt:

Prologue

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York
March 1990

Anthony slid behind the wheel of his Ford Taurus and started it up, cranking up the heat the instant the engine turned over. It was friggin’ freezing outside. Even in the five minutes it had taken him to walk the babysitter to her front door, the temperature outside felt like it had dropped ten degrees, and his car was an icebox.

Shivering, he zipped his parka up as far as it would go and gripped the steering wheel, maneuvering the car away from the curb. He’d finally shared an evening out with his wife. It should have eased the knot in his gut. After all, it had been the first time that he and Carla had left their infants with a sitter since the babies had been born a month ago. And Judy was the perfect babysitter—a good girl from a good family, one who studied rather than doing drugs and screwing horny guys.

Still, dinner had been strained.

Anthony had only picked at his manicotti, his favorite dish at Raimo’s. His mind was far away, and acid kept building up in his stomach.

Carla couldn’t stop worrying and talking about the babies. She’d checked her watch a dozen times, intermittently giving Anthony puzzled looks and asking if he was okay.

Each time she asked, he’d assure her that he was fine, just exhausted from work and midnight feedings.
As if to contradict his words, some new waiter had dropped a tray of dishes on the floor, and Anthony had nearly jumped out of his skin at the crash.

Carla rose, asking him to order her another drink and to get one for himself to calm his nerves. Giving in to her new-mother concerns, she went to the pay phone in the back to call Judy for an update. So far, so good, Judy had reported. But that didn’t totally erase Carla’s fretting. She tried her best to be bright and chatty, but the truth was that, as this point, she was ready to go. She’d fiddled with her napkin and sipped at her drink, making small talk and glancing at the door.

Getting the hell out of there had worked for Anthony. He was more than ready to be home with his family and not out in the open. He’d use his fatigue as an excuse. He had to continue keeping the inevitable from Carla, until he had no choice but to tell her. He’d soften the blow as best he could. But the important thing was that his family would be protected at all costs.

Now, the heat in his car roared to life, warming his body but doing nothing to extinguish his inner chill. He knew the rules. No transgression went unpunished.

Why the hell had he been so preoccupied with new fatherhood that he’d forgotten to make his collections from the designated list of construction foremen these past two weeks? That in itself was a huge black mark against him—one he’d be punished for. But the outcome of his stupidity opened the door to a far more lethal punishment. Someone else had been sent to handle his route, and his money. They would have collected and turned over twice the amount he’d been handing over. And that meant he’d better be able to explain the discrepancy—assuming he’d even be asked before he was killed.

Please God, let him have that chance. He was just on the verge of buying that gas station he’d been single-mindedly building his bank account for, just about to provide for his family’s future.

And now this.

With shaking hands, Anthony switched on the radio, gritting his teeth as Madonna’s voice blasted off the windows, followed by Michael Jackson’s. He turned the dial until finally the soothing tones of Frank Sinatra’s voice filled the car. Sinatra. Perfect. The Chairman of the Board’s crooning was just the right medicine to ease his clawing anxiety.

He reached his street and turned down the line of small brick row houses, all identical in their flat lines, gated fronts, and tiny gardens. There was a certain comfort and peace about the sameness of it all; it made it feel like a neighborhood.

Would he ever feel that sense of comfort and peace again?

He pulled into his narrow driveway and spotted Carla standing at the front door with a broad smile, giving him a thumbs-up. That meant the infants had come through their first babysitting experience with flying colors.

He forced himself to smile back, but even as he did, his gaze swept the area around the house to see if he was alone. It appeared so. Quickly, he turned off the car and then made the frigid dash to his house.

He couldn’t shut and lock the door behind him fast enough.

The soothing warmth from the heating system enveloped him when he stepped inside. Comfort in yet another form. He was home. Carla and the babies were safe. And for the moment, so was he.

With a wave of relief—however temporary—he let the tension in his body ease. He shrugged out of his jacket and hung it on the coatrack.

“You look happy,” he teased Carla. “What’s the final report?”

Carla’s eyes twinkled. “They were perfect. Judy said they’d only woken up once for their bottles and a diaper change. Now they’re sleeping like little angels.”

“Good.” Anthony looped an arm around his wife’s shoulders and led her toward the living room. “How about a nightcap before bed—to celebrate the success of our first night out?”

“That sounds wonderful.” Carla walked beside him, making a left into their comfortable living room.

They’d barely taken half a dozen steps when a tall masked man dressed in black rose from behind the large armchair, his .22 caliber pistol raised.

“Hello, Anthony.”

Anthony knew that voice only too well, and it elicited the chilling knowledge that there was no way out. No threats. Just death. “Welcome home.”

The man’s finger tightened around the trigger.

“No!” Carla screamed.

She threw herself in front of her husband just as the pistol fired.

The bullet pierced her skull, and with a shattering cry, she crumpled to the floor.

“Carla… no… Carla!” Anthony shouted. He dropped to his knees beside his wife’s lifeless body, grabbing her into his arms and openly weeping. “God forgive me. Oh, God forgive me.”

He looked up in dazed anguish, just as a second shot was fired.

The bullet struck Anthony between the eyes. His head jerked backward, and he fell over his wife, dead.
Upstairs, the babies started to cry.

The gunman shoved his pistol back in his waistband. He knew the mob code like he knew his own name. No women. No children. Omertà.

A woman lay dead before him, the taunting evidence of a fuckup.

He took the steps two at a time.

Tucked in their cribs, the babies were still crying as their parents’ killer entered the nursery and hovered over them.

Not even the nightlight could eradicate the darkness.

***

Excerpt from A Face to Die For by Andrea Kane. Copyright © 2017 by Andrea Kane. Reproduced with permission from Bonnie Meadow Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.

~~~~~

Author Andrea Kane

http://www.partnersincrimetours.net/pict/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Andrea-Kane.jpg

Andrea Kane is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twenty-eight novels, including fourteen psychological thrillers and fourteen historical romantic suspense titles. With her signature style, Kane creates unforgettable characters and confronts them with life-threatening danger. As a master of suspense, she weaves them into exciting, carefully-researched stories, pushing them to the edge—and keeping her readers up all night.

Kane’s first contemporary suspense thriller, Run for Your Life, became an instant New York Times bestseller. She followed with a string of bestselling psychological thrillers including No Way Out, Twisted, and Drawn in Blood.

Her latest storytelling triumph, A Face To Die For, extends the Forensic Instincts legacy where a dynamic, eclectic team of maverick investigators continue to solve seemingly impossible cases while walking a fine line between assisting and enraging law enforcement. The first showcase of their talents came with the New York Times bestseller, The Girl Who Disappeared Twice, followed by The Line Between Here and Gone, The Stranger You Know, The Silence that Speaks and The Murder That Never Was.

Kane’s beloved historical romantic suspense novels include My Heart’s Desire, Samantha, The Last Duke, and Wishes in the Wind.

With a worldwide following of passionate readers, her books have been published in more than twenty languages.

Kane lives in New Jersey with her husband and family. She’s an avid crossword puzzle solver and a diehard Yankees fan. Otherwise, she’s either writing or playing with her Pomeranian, Mischief, who does his best to keep her from writing.

Catch up with Andrea Kane on:

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Go HERE to visit other stops on the tour.

 ~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

 

One Shade of Gray
Monica Corwin
Publication date: September 26th 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Synopsis

My name is Dorian Gray. You might think you know my story? Please. That was just the beginning. Not the end.

I’ve lived over 100 years. I don’t know why. I’ve sinned, deeply, but haven’t we all?

Now Sybil is back. Her name is Izzy and she looks the same. Smells the same. Walks the same…but everything else about her is different. Stronger. Bolder. I want her more than ever.

I should keep her safe, and keep my hands to myself. But those dark parts of my soul still linger. I won’t lose her again.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

Some said women who knew their own minds were dangerous. I disagreed. A woman who knew her mind, and her worth, was intoxicating.

She cleared her throat and I realized my thoughts had been wandering to the past. “My apologies.”

Her face flushed a pretty pink. “It’s fine just stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like I’m more than an employee.”

I leaned out, about to pull her in again for another lesson but she stalled my hands, placing her small ones on the outside of my own. They were chilled slightly but the touch sent a heat through me I hadn’t felt in years.

“I think we just had this conversation.”

She leaned in and pulled her hands into her lap. “No, we had a lecture. You told me how you wanted it and didn’t give me the chance to offer an opinion.”

Fair point. “Very well, what is your opinion on the matter, Miss Vale?”

“Do you actually want to know, or are you going to do that playboy billionaire thing where you declare something to be and suddenly the universe aligns against the poor unsuspecting female you set your sights on?”

I chuckled. She was funny. Maybe Sibyl had been funny too, and I never took the time to notice. “I promise your opinion will be considered with appropriate weight.”

“That sounds like something a billionaire playboy would say.”

I didn’t respond to her taunts but waited instead for her answer.

She raked her eyes over my face and body, and I’d never felt more on display. I sat up straighter, which caused a little tick of a smile to appear at the corner of her mouth.

“I don’t want to date you, Gray. You’re technically my boss, and while you’re very attractive I can’t put aside my personal work ethic.”

My heart hit my feet and shattered like a boulder into a pile of rubble. Of course I wasn’t going to force her to do anything. But part of me had hoped my charm or appeal might at least give me the opportunity.

“Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”

She shook her head and gave me a sad soft smile, the kind reserved for deathbeds and christenings. Definitely not the reaction I wanted from her. Not the smile I wanted from her.

I nodded and stood up, unable to remain under her scrutiny once she’d made her opinion so very plain. “Of course. I’ll not bother you again.”

“And you’ll stop following me?”

I threw some bills on the table, slipped my arms into my coat, and buttoned it, all without meeting her eyes. The rejection stung. In fact, I don’t think I’d ever felt this particular mix of humiliation and sadness. Once I was put together and glued on the face I showed the world, I gave her my own version of the deathbed smile and a little bow. “Of course.”

I walked away without a word but when I reached the middle of the square a hand clasped my shoulder. Izzy grabbed me and held out the book I’d left on the table. I took it and met her eyes, unsure what she could see there, unsure what I could and couldn’t hide when I was around her.

She leaned in and whispered, “I’m not going to ask to kiss you but I will give you this as a parting gift.”

.

Author Monica Corwin

Monica Corwin is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author. She is an outspoken writer attempting to make romance accessible to everyone, no matter their preferences. As a Northern Ohioian, Monica enjoys snow drifts, three seasons of weather, and a dislike of Michigan football. Monica owns more books about King Arthur than should be strictly necessary. Also typewriters…lots and lots of typewriters.

.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

XBTBanner1

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by Ambrosia  @ The Purple Booker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

My Teaser for this week is from

King Harald’s Snow Job

  King Harald Mystery #3

by Richard Audry

35842967

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Cozy Mystery

 My teaser from page 71 in the Paperback.

He blinked down at Harald for moral support. But Harald was sniffing Nikkie’s posterior, and she was showing a certain interest in his.

At least these two doggies are keeping their noses to themselves, for the time being. Those of us with dogs have to harden ourselves against the embarrassment of crotch and butt sniffing antics from our perfect little darlings. LOL

~~~~~

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

It’s early December and Andy Skyberg is itching to blow town for a weekend of holiday cheer with old friends—including a date with an attractive divorcée who thinks he’s hot.

But first, Aunt Bev needs a teensy bit of help. She’s managing the Girls’ Weekend Out event at the Beaver Tail Resort and could use some extra muscle. Andy figures he can spare a few hours before hitting the road.

Mother Nature, though, has other plans. A giant blizzard makes an unexpected turn. Andy and his pooch King Harald find themselves snowbound—in a hotel full of hard-partying women, stranded travelers, a hockey team, a man-eating novelist, a belligerent blogger, and one violent, devious jewel thief.

Before you know it, man and mutt are up to their noses in another case. It’s a winter wonderland of fast-paced fun and merry madness, as the sleuthing duo dig out from King Harald’s Snow Job.

Amazon

~~~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Ax To Grind (A Kenni Lowry Mystery)
by Tonya Kappes

 

Ax To Grind (A Kenni Lowry Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Henery Press (September 19, 2017)
Paperback: 256 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635112474
E-Book ASIN: B0731M7RRM

My Review

Set in the small southern town of Cottonwood, Kentucky, Ax To Grind is the third in the Kenni Lowry Mystery series. Having enjoyed the first two books and formed strong attachments to many of the charming and eccentric characters, I was psyched to see what was happening now.

The town’s celebrity author, Berlye Stone, recently passed away and there’s to be an estate sale for all of her belongings. Sounds exciting. Even more thrilling is that there’s supposed to be an unpublished manuscript, Berlye’s last book, hidden in her belongings. You can imagine what comes next.

Yep. Kenni and her sexy deputy, Finn, answer an alarm and discover Berlye’s estate executor, dead. The race is on to find the manuscript before bodies start piling up. Seems the tranquility Cottonwood has been enjoying has come to a deadly end.

I just love Kenni. She’s a pickle and such a southern rebel. She defies the stereotype southern belle, choosing to serve the law and dish it out when necessary. She loves her family, her sweetie and four-legged companion, Duke, and wishes her deputy Finn, might be a sweetie of the two-legged kind.

Almost forgot the ghost. Kenni’s Poppa is still hanging around and uses his knowledge to help her solve the case. She keeps forgetting not to talk to him in public as the town spies her talking to herself and think she’s a bitty around the bend.

As with most small towns, there’s plenty of characters in all guises to keep you entertained and laughing out loud. The mystery keeps you guessing, and the brush with romance adds some titillation to the story.

Tonya delivers another winner. And what’s more fun than a mystery about a writer and a missing manuscript.

If you haven’t read the first two books, no worries. You can jump in here and get the skinny about the town and characters fairly quickly. I’d recommend you read them though. Why miss out on all that fun.

5 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Southerners keep their secrets swept under the rug, but what happens when that rug goes up for sale?

Bestselling author Berlye Stone, the most famous citizen to ever come out of Cottonwood, Kentucky, has died and put all her worldly possessions up for auction, but not without leaving one more manuscript behind. A hidden tell-all about Cottonwood that’s got more gossip than a ladies’ luncheon.

When Beryle’s assistant turns up with an ax in her back and the only witness is in a coma, Sheriff Kenni Lowry reckons someone in town will do anything to keep the manuscript from seeing the light of day. Her poppa’s ghost returns to help piece together the life of the Beryle he once knew, but his memory’s a little foggy, and any misstep could cause them a world of trouble. With the help of Deputy Finn Vincent, can Kenni sort through the secrets buried in Beryle’s books, or will this be her final chapter?

~~~~~

Meet Kiwi from Ax To Grind

“Kiwi want a cracker?” Shm…if I hear that one more time, I might take my big talon and poke someone’s eye out.

http://i0.wp.com/1.bp.blogspot.com/--AmHd-NKrN0/WY79FW-qhVI/AAAAAAAASao/R8J9o2SasYk5n8xtUEHtcVgLorkFe6lIwCLcBGAs/s1600/kiwi.jpg?resize=360%2C216&ssl=1

I want exactly what is on the menu of all the other heart beating creatures in this motel. Day in and day guest of The Inn are welcomed with big warm, out of the oven cookies and a glass of whatever that is, while I have to sit in this huge cage in the middle of the entrance watching them. I’ve got some pretty cool digs.

http://i2.wp.com/1.bp.blogspot.com/-loeZ8bxSVYw/WY79WCm2tdI/AAAAAAAASa0/TQ8niWXvezUTqbjmP1pSQO2L_hhxS1yewCLcBGAs/s1600/kiwi+1.gif?w=614&ssl=1

And I love the fact the guests of the Inn can come in and run a fingertip down my gorgeous feathers. But then. . . .

http://i1.wp.com/2.bp.blogspot.com/-iiOHt0z9vto/WY79vgOTO8I/AAAAAAAASa4/Z3aqe87gsfAfbzsrVCb7-QGK9pbxeAtjgCLcBGAs/s1600/kiwi+3.png?w=614&ssl=1

“Kiwi want a cracker?”

Humans! Are you kidding me??? There’s an open container right here in my cage, if I wanted a cracker, don’t you think I’d just get one? No. I don’t want a cracker.

Oh no. . . here comes someone who’s very nosy and loves to gossip from our small town of Cottonwood, Kentucky. That’s what I do all day long. I sit here in this cage and listen to small town gossip. It’s a bit entertaining at times because I’ll hear one thing and by the  end of the day, that one thing has been spun around so many tongues, it’s not at all the truth. Sometimes I like to repeat the gossip just to stir the pot.

So I just sit here and entertain them. Sometimes they ask me to show my pretty wings or repeat them.

They think it’s fun and get me to repeat them. They beg and plead. . .Hold on. That big gossip just came in the door said something that might be important.

What did you say? Hey! Come back here! What did you say?

Huh. They didn’t pay any attention to my questions. I even spread my wings to get their attention.

I swear they said, “I came from Beryle’s and couldn’t find the book. Couldn’t find the book. Glad she’s dead. Glad she’s dead.”

Did they mean Berlye Stone? The famous author from Cottonwood? She’s. . .dead?

Have you ever tried to get a bird to talk to you?

Don’t forget to pre-order your copy of AX TO GRIND and see exactly how Kiwi helps Sheriff Kenni Lowry solve the murder of Beryle Stone.

http://i0.wp.com/4.bp.blogspot.com/-NLD8Lr_Gh98/WY8B9g2ATxI/AAAAAAAASbQ/S6cgoV2hZlsZvTmkj31f6di7RkHZunuOgCLcBGAs/s1600/AxToGrind+cover+FRONT+cookies+sm.jpg?resize=390%2C604&ssl=1

Have you caught up on the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series?

Meet Kiwi in,  AX TO GRIND,  available everywhere on September 19th!

Kindle / Nook / iBooks / Kobo

http://i0.wp.com/1.bp.blogspot.com/-lqH1w-XOO5g/V3-X3zsUEYI/AAAAAAAAH8o/NpGWmo1qAgshe4MHx1nS0vsEoKtP8XBJACPcB/s1600/image1+%281%29.JPG?resize=453%2C604&ssl=1

Fixin’ To Die is the first book in the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series.

“A Southern-fried mystery with a twist that’ll leave you positively breathless.” – Susan M. Boyer, USA Today Bestselling Author of Lowcountry Book Club

Kenni Lowry likes to think the zero crime rate in Cottonwood, Kentucky is due to her being sheriff, but she quickly discovers the ghost of her grandfather, the town’s previous sheriff, has been scaring off any would-be criminals since she was elected. When the town’s most beloved doctor is found murdered on the very same day as a jewelry store robbery, and a mysterious symbol ties the crime scenes together, Kenni must satisfy her hankerin’ for justice by nabbing the culprits.

With the help of her poppa, a lone deputy, and an annoyingly cute, too-big-for-his-britches State Reserve officer, Kenni must solve both cases and prove to the whole town, and herself, that she’s worth her salt before time runs out.

“This story offers up a small touch of paranormal activity that makes for a fun read…A definite “5-star,” this is a great mystery that doesn’t give up the culprit until the last few pages.” – Suspense Magazine

“Packed with clever plot twists, entertaining characters, and plenty of red herrings! Fixin’ To Die is a rollicking, delightful, down-home mystery.” – Ann Charles, USA Today Bestselling Author of the Deadwood Mystery Series

“Kappes captures the charm and quirky characters of small-town Kentucky in her new mystery…a charming, funny story with exaggerated characters. The dialect-filled quirky sayings and comments bring those characters to life. Best of all, for a mystery reader, the culprit was an unlikely suspect, but the solution made sense.” – Lesa’s Book Critiques

“Southern and side-splitting funny! Fixin’ To Die has captivating characters, nosy neighbors, and is served up with a ghost and a side of murder.” – Duffy Brown, Author of the Consignment Shop Mysteries

“This first book in a new series promises to be fun for both cozy mystery buffs and ghost aficionados.” – For The Love of Books

“The who and why may surprise you, but you’ll probably laugh your way through the book. If you’ve never read a Tonya Kappes book, this is a perfect starting place. I highly recommend.” – Book Review Crew

http://i2.wp.com/4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xa0VZaMNSnA/WOmPjNUdQFI/AAAAAAAAK2U/y7BPHIAXxBAdMQkQAKcVMO0-1jZzYFAFgCLcB/s1600/SOUTHERN+FRIED+cover+FRONT.jpg?resize=390%2C604&ssl=1

Southern Fried is the second book in the Kenni Lowry Mystery Series.

“Fabulous fun and fantastic fried food! Kappes nails small town mystery with another must-read hit. (Also, I want to live in Cottonwood, KY.) Don’t miss this one!” – Darynda Jones, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Charley Davidson Series

In the South, it’s better when the food is fried and the secrets kept buried…After the dead body of a beloved Cottonwood resident is found tangled up in an electric fence, Sheriff Kenni Lowry has a hunch that somethin’ ain’t right. Her investigation heats up with a fierce cook-off competition, a euchre game where the intel is sweeter than the brownies, and a decades old family recipe that may just be the proof in the pudding.

The icing on the cake: Kenni is fighting an attraction to her recently sworn-in deputy sheriff, and election season is hot on her tail. When the killer comes after who she holds most dear, even her poppa’s ghostly guidance might not be enough to keep her and her own out of the frying pan.

Southerners keep their secrets swept under the rug, but what happens when that rug goes up for sale?

Bestselling author Berlye Stone, the most famous citizen to ever come out of Cottonwood, Kentucky, has died and put all her worldly possessions up for auction, but not without leaving one more manuscript behind. A hidden tell-all about Cottonwood that’s got more gossip than a ladies’ luncheon.

When Beryle’s assistant turns up with an ax in her back and the only witness is in a coma, Sheriff Kenni Lowry reckons someone in town will do anything to keep the manuscript from seeing the light of day. Her poppa’s ghost returns to help piece together the life of the Beryle he once knew, but his memory’s a little foggy, and any misstep could cause them a world of trouble. With the help of Deputy Finn Vincent, can Kenni sort through the secrets buried in Beryle’s books, or will this be her final chapter?

You can go on a real virtual tour of Cottonwood and get to know all the fun characters along with the cozy community by visiting the new Kenni Lowry Mystery Series website by clicking here!

I LOVE to connect with my readers!! Please send me your questions to Tonyak11.tk@gmail.com where I answer reader’s questions via video! It’s so fun!! Also be sure to connect with me on my FREE Facebook page in our Cozy Krew Community.

Are you signed up for my newsletter? Don’t miss a thing or release day fun that’s ONLY on the newsletter.

Enjoy your visit in Cottonwood!

Bless your heart!

Tonya

About the Author

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been publishing numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plot lines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans.
Sign up for her newsletter on her website at Tonyakappes.com .

Visit Tonya:
Facebook at Author Tonya KappesKappes Krew Street Team

Webpage / Goodreads / Twitter / Pinterest

Purchase Links:

Amazon B&N  kobo  iTunes

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Tonya has an awesome giveaway.

You can win this Mystery Tote filled with swag and prizes!

Go HERE to enter.

~~~~~

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 19 – A Cozy Experience – REVIEW

September 20 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

September 21 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

September 22 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

September 23 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

September 24 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana., Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!

September 25 – Varietats2010 – REVIEW

September 25 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 26 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

September 26 – Dee-Scoveries – GUEST POST

September 27 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, INTERVIEW

September 28 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 28 – Books, Movies, Reviews, Oh my! – REVIEW

September 29 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST

September 30 – Becky’s Bookcase – REVIEW

September 30 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

October 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, GUEST POST

October 2 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW

October 2 – Christa Reads and Writes – INTERVIEW

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

bookshelves photo: Bookshelf bookshelves.jpg

This is my own version of a weekly book haul and all things new on fuonlyknew.

I’m also linking up with The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Sunday Post

Some chit chat.

Been doing the same old, same old. LOL Binging some shows, reading a bunch of books, and dragging myself home every day after work. It’s still super hot and muggy and I feel so drained after working outside all day. One good thing about the hot weather, the pool is the perfect temp and I’m loving every day I can still enjoy it.

My bananas are finally starting to grow again. Crossing my fingers the heat wave lasts long enough to give them a chance to grow. The raised leaf wasn’t open at all yesterday. And there are already some flowers.

20170923_121244

 

And who believes that money grows on trees? Anyone who grows fruits and nuts do. I’m sitting here right now listening to the loud thuds of pecans falling on my roof. Look at these beauties.

20170923_121418

I have Elliot’s, the most desired of pecans. So meaty and tasty. I’ll be doing a lot of crawling around on the ground to gather them and sell them at our local pecan warehouse. Of course, I’ll keep some for myself.

I’ll be heading over to your posts soon. Happy Sunday!

*****

My new books this week.

Mutation (Blood Survivors Book 1) by [Wheatley, Nerys]  Electromagnetism by [Sands, Samie, Hall, Kevin, Davis, L, Smith, Martin, Lucas, Andrew, Winck, Alex, Iain, T, Richardson, McKenzie, Velarde, Sheri, Shepherd, Rob]  Megalodon In Paradise by [Shea, Hunter]

Myths and Magic: a Limited Edition Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy by [Adrienne, Kerry, McMaster, Bec, Cohen, Bryan, Lane, Casey, Gilbert, L.B., Kerrion, Jade, Renwick, Anne, Lace, Lisa, Amade, Melle, Trozzo, Michael, Leon, Katalina, Lily Thorn, Ilana Waters, Erin Richards, R.E. Vance, Cheri Schmidt , Tristan Hunt, CC Dragon, Bradon Nave, D.A. Roach, Katalina Leon, Boone Brux, Eric Padilla, Izzy Shows, Michelle Hercules]  King Harald's Snow Job (King Harald Mysteries Book 3) by [Audry, Richard]

*****

And here are some freebies for ya. Click on the covers to get your copies. Remember to make sure they’re still free before you hit that buy button.

Dark, Witch & Creamy (BEWITCHED BY CHOCOLATE Mysteries ~ Book 1) by [Hanna, H.Y.]  The Witch Squad: A Witch Squad Cozy Mystery #1 by [Andrews, M.Z.]  Peete and Repeat (The Frannie Shoemaker Campground Mysteries Book 3) by [Nortman, Karen Musser]

Soul (Chaos Series Book 1) by [Farrell, Claire]  A French Girl in New York (The French Girl Series Book 1) by [Adams, Anna]  Fakers (Canaan Island Book 1) by [Collett, Meg]

The NightShade Forensic Files: Under Dark Skies (Book 1) by [Scudiere, A.J.]  The History Major: A Novella by [Cash, Michael Phillip]

And be sure to check these out. All are free! Don’t wait too long. I believe they go back to regular price after Sunday.

Blood of Brekkon (The Complex Book 0) by [Middleton, Kristen, Book Series, The Complex]  Death's Echo (The Complex Book 0) by [Raithby, Rachel M, The Complex Book Series]  Alora's Choice (The Complex Book 0) by [White, Grace, Series, The Complex Book]  Unclaimed (The Complex Book 0) by [Gilmer, Candice, The Complex Book Series]

For those of you who, like me, enjoy collections, these look pretty darn good.

Daughters of Darkness - The Anthology (4 Paranormal Romance Novels) by [Peebles, Chrissy, Middleton, Kristen, May, W.J., Pinard, C.J.]  The Enchanted Box Set Collection by [May, W.J., Middleton, Kristen, Stevens, Erica, Dale Mayer, L.A Starkey, DeHavin, Karin, Peebles, Chrissy]  Awaken At Twilight (A Vampire Anthology) by [Middleton, Kristen, Owens, C.M., Peebles, Chrissy, May, W.J., Pinard, C.J., Wells, J., Wells, L]

Five Shades of Fantasy: Paranormal Fantasy Anthology by [Middleton, Kristen L., May, W.J., Peebles, Chrissy, Doporto, CM, Davis, Kaitlyn, Matthews, Mande]  DARK WORLD (5 post-apocalyptic stories) by [Stevens, Erica, Middleton, Kristen, Peebles, Chrissy]  Darlings of Darkness by [Peebles, Chrissy, Kristen L. Middleton, W.J. May, Suzy Turner, K.C. Blake, Claire Farrell, Trina M. Lee, Dale Mayer, Ally Thomas, S.J. Wright]

*****

Books I reviewed this week. Click on the covers to read my reviews.

23203591 

*****

Other posts on my blog this week.

Giveaway Blitz ~ Beyond The Mist by Casi McLean

Guest Post and Giveaway ~ Wehr Wolff Castle

Nelumbo Nucifera by Cristina Slough ~ Blitz and Giveaway

Running With Wolves by Summer Lane ~ Blitz and Giveaway

Acting On Impulse by Mia Sosa ~ Release Celebration Giveaway

A Shady Acres Mystery ~ Beware The Orchids ~ Review and Giveaway

The Wondrous World Of Violet Barnaby ~ Blast and Giveaway

Teaser Tuesday #218 ~ Shadow Girl

My Monday Minis Reviews #67 ~ Last Chance Motel

Five by J.A. Huss ~ Blitz and Giveaway

*****

Leave your link and I’ll come visit you.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

 

Beyond the Mist
Casi McLean
(Lake Lanier Mysteries, #2)
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication date: September 15th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Time-Travel

Synopsis

Piper Taylor concedes she’ll never fall in love, until a treacherous storm spirals her into the arms of the handsome Nick Cramer. Unrelenting remorse over a past relationship haunts Nick, but he can’t deny the mysterious connection and hot desire Piper evokes.

The allure of a secret portal hidden beneath Atlanta’s Lake Lanier tempts him into seizing the opportunity to change his mistakes. But his time slip triggers consequences beyond his wildest dreams.

Can Piper avoid the international espionage and terrorism of 2001 New York, find Nick, and bring him home before he alters the fabric of time, or will the lovers drift forever Beyond The Mist?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Are you a book reviewer?
You can request a review copy here!

~~~~~

EXCERPT:

A soft mist hovered over the moonlit lake, beckoning, luring him forward with the seductive enticement of a mermaid’s song. Rhythmic clatter of a distant train moaned in harmony with a symphony of cricket chirps and croaking frogs. Spellbound, Nick Cramer took a long breath and waded deeper into the murky cove. Dank air, laden with a scent of soggy earth and pine, crawled across his bare arms. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled, shooting a prickle down his spine that slithered into an icy pool coiled in the pit of his stomach. He clenched his fingers into a tight fist, determined to fight through the emotion consuming him. Fear sliced through his belly like icy shards until he finally heaved, forcing rancid bile to choke into his throat.

I have to do this––he inched forward––only a few more steps and––

A sudden surge swirled around him, yanking him into a whirling vortex, where a violent blue streak dragged him deeper, deeper beneath the lake into the shadowy depths. Heart pounding, he battled against the force, twisting, thrusting toward the surface with all of his strength but, despite his muscular build, he spun like a feather in wind into oblivion. When the mist dissolved, Nick Cramer had vanished.

 

Author Casi McLeab

Award winning author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense, like Beneath The Lake, WINNER: 2016 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for BEST Romantic Suspense. WATCH THE TRAILER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwOqm8DUUfA

Casi’s powerful memoir, Wingless Butterfly: Healing The Broken Child Within, shares an inspirational message of courage, tenacity, and hope, and displays her unique ability to excel in nonfiction and self-help as well as fiction. Known for enchanting stories with magical description, McLean entices readers in nonfiction as well with fascinating hooks to hold them captive in storylines they can’t put down.

Her romance entwines strong, believable heroines with delicious hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires then fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. Ms. McLean weaves exceptional romantic mystery with suspenseful settings and lovable characters you’ll devour. You’ll see, hear, and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You’ll swear her time travel could happen, be mystified by her other worldly images, and feel heat of romantic suspense, but most of all you’ll want more.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

XBTBanner1

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

 .
.
Wehr Wolff Castle
The Wehr Wolff Chronicles Book 1
by B. Bentley Summers
Genre: Historical Horror, LGBT
 
During the rise of Nazi Germany, Hagen Messer joins the Royal Air Force as
an American soldier who specializes in tracking. He’s attached to
British commandos and given a seemingly simple mission—to find a
captive and destroy a dam—but everything goes awry. Hagen’s plane
crashes into Germany’s Wehr Forest and he has to use his
extrasensory abilities to track the captive to nearby Wehr Wolff
Castle, a secret Nazi base where vile experiments are being conducted.

Hagen and his surviving team members must sneak into the castle and devise
a way to destroy the experimental labs creating diabolical creatures.
Hagen is horrified to find Nazis and scientists with no scruples, and
at the most inconvenient time, he learns that he may be in love with
one of his teammates, an Irishman named Liam. In order to protect his
love and his friends, Hagen must feign nonchalance amidst pure
degeneracy and suspicion. Hagen soon discovers, though, that he is in
over his head.
What may not only redeem him, but also save his lover and friends, is a
childhood past and a darkness lurking deep inside him, just waiting
to be engaged.
 
 
~~~~~
.
Enjoy this guest post from the author
.

Wanda is my pen name for Young Adult novels and she is my maternal grandmother. Bentley is my mother’s maiden name. Summers is the surname of my father.

I think somewhere when coming up with an author name I wanted to honor all the people who had a strong influence on my creativity, aspirations to be a writer, and the drive to keep me going despite all the obstacles author’s face when starting.

Those people I wanted to acknowledge were my father, mother and maternal grandparents.

Wanda, my grandmother, was a survivor of the Great Depression. Her family lost their farm forcing them to move into the city and she had to quit school during middle school in order to work and help the family with money. My grandmother was not known as a great listener and looking back, she had severe Attention Deficit Disorder. Conversations never stayed on topic and she’d lose interest if you were talking. She was certainly one of the most friendly person you’d ever know, but somewhere down deep, I think there was a emotional disconnect.

She was married to my grandfather but that was a cantankerous relationship. Before my grandfather I gathered she had been in loved with her first husband who had been electrocuted; and I’m guessing there was other personal history that contained some trauma that people of that generation did not share. I discovered my mother had never been close to her as a child even though everyone in the neighborhood considered my grandmother to be a saint. No doubt she loved my mother the most, but I’m guessing somewhere along the line she forgot how to express love or perhaps there was too much risk in acknowledging her love to another who was so close to her.

But Wanda one thing was certain. She was a prodigy in painting and drawing; though she never received any formal training she left what I consider great pieces of arts. To this day I keep one of her paintings with me wherever I have moved.  An Indian woman looking over a cliff out into a sea. When I saw the photograph she used to make the painting I realized the person looking out was not a woman, but actually an Indian man. She had transformed the cheekbones, skin texture and hair to create this mysterious and beautiful woman. I had this tingling sensation then. I realized she was a true romantic. Someone who only knew how to express love through her artwork. This painting has become a talisman for me over the years.

Her husband Walter, whom she married years later in her life, was a vociferous reader. He was also an ex-Catholic, a self-proclaimed atheist and had a very morbid sense of humor. Every week in the summer we always one made one stop at an old fashion ice cream parlor and then to the library to return his books and borrow more. From him I learned he valued books and stories contained in them than ever did of material goods or money. He also loved history and it was teachings, rather than any formal school, where I learned much of my U.S. History.

My father was a structural engineer who had a knack for what I would simply call divergent thinking. He seemed to have an inborn sense of thinking “outside the box” and look at problems with a singular perspective I’ve never yet seen. I’d say that gave my creativity a sense of complexity that allows me to put unique spins on plots.

And my mother was a straightforward woman who has and probably always be a reader of history. She was never a World War II buff as she detested the Nazi regime and the stories that went with them. But she did always have a sense of appreciation of not just the history before her, but the history she was living. In everything I write I am mindful of the history of each character and how those past experiences create internal motives for this character to now make decisions.

As I wrote Wehr Wolff Castle I had a deep appreciation for the people who shaped me. I attempted a story with a twisting plot with some complexity, likable characters, narrated a romance, added some morbidity along with dark humor; and everything was indeed embedded in the Nazi Germany time period.

.
~~~~~
 
Bryce is a psychologist, author, and the founder of Queer Sense
Theory. 

Bryce writes popular fiction genres meant for all audiences under Bryce
Bentley Summers, and pens gay fiction under B. Bentley Summers,
although he’d argue that anyone would enjoy his gay fiction pieces.
Bryce’s full time work is at the Veteran Affairs where he has been employed
for five years. He has extensive history of working with people
diagnosed with PTSD and he used these experiences when writing Fresh Meat.
The novel, Fresh Meat, recently won Dan Poynter’s Global eBook Awards for
best gay fiction. This piece is more than just a book, but embraces
gay identity while deploring the hateful violence that happens in the
U.S. prison system, and across the world. The book parallels the
vicious Man-Punk prison system to the long ago abolished American
Slavery System. However, Fresh Meat is not non-fiction, but fiction,
and it’s genre is best described as Supernatural Horror.
Rotville and The Zombie Squad, are two of Bryce’s recent completions. The
Zombie Squad is a teen Post-Apocalyptic Thriller that recently
received Reader’s Favorite 5-Stars. This novel has humor and is fast
pace, that follows four teens in New Orleans who find themselves not
only chased by psycho gangsters, but in the middle of zombocalypse.
Rotville is a new adult/ adult Sci-Fi Post-Apocalyptic Horror that
takes place in the near future, in a city called Rotville where
people with a rot disease are quarantined. Inside this city is the
mega prison Colleseo, where inhumane experiments are carried out on
inmates. It’s also the birthplace of Dylan, a super soldier who must
fight his way out, save a couple of youths from the new deadly
mutants, and keep from being re-caught by the greedy director.
Bryce is also the author of the fiction Young Adult Dark Fantasy/ Sci-Fi
series AMEN TO ROT. The novel NYTE GOD is the conclusion to this
series. The Amen to Rot series and Nyte God pit Ace and his friends
against alien invaders who are turning humans into mutant creatures.
Bryce authors popular fiction with a style that entices readers of all
backgrounds to consume, and makes every attempt to make his
characters diverse.
As noted, Bryce does dabble in gay fiction, and pens it under B. Bentley
Summers, though in truth, these works are meant for everyone to read.
Bryce is the founder of Queer Sense, a theory that describes how
people form attitudes. The theory provides insight into how specific
components in cultural contexts shape our beliefs and values, which
ultimately form our attitudes. The nonfiction book, QUEER SENSE: How
Are Attitudes Formed? A Revolutionary Guide for Teens, Parents,
Mental Health Professionals and Anyone Interested in Queer Theory, is
due out by 2016.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Title: Nelumbo Nucifera
Author: Cristina Slough
Genre: Thriller/ Womens Fiction

Release Date: January 24th, 2017
Cover Designer: Murphy Rae
Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

.

.

On the surface, Gaby Parker has it all; however, behind closed doors, is a woman who lives in constant fear of the man who was supposed to love her: her husband, Kyle. Beaten, desperate, and broken, Gaby realizes the only way to escape from her violent husband is to kill herself — on paper. Gaby is dead, and Riley Locklin is born, residing in the tranquil coastal town of Chesswick Bay Montauk where she hopes to start over and meets a man who shows her bruises aren’t kisses. Meanwhile, back home, Kyle is doing everything in his power to prove Gaby isn’t dead. But…police find her burnt-out car and remains? Kyle isn’t buying it; he knows she’s still alive. He launches his own full investigation to find his wife — and he’ll stop at nothing to claim her back. A female Detective assigned to his wife’s case doesn’t like him very much after discovering a domestic violence report – scorned by the history of her mother’s domestic abuse, she’s determined to send Kyle down for his wife’s murder. And then he finds her. Will Gaby finally take a stand? – NELUMBO NUCIFERA

Novelist, movie addict, and animal lover, Cristina Slough is the author of: Till Death Us Do Part, and Nelumbo Nucifera.

Cristina has always been a bookworm and loves delving into a literacy fictional world of her own.

Cristina is married to Adam, who runs a successful business; together they share their Bedfordshire home with their son, and several spoiled pets.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE