Archive for the ‘Book Blast’ Category

Never Trust A Skinny Cupcake Baker ~ Cozy Mystery Book Blast & Giveaway

Posted: April 19, 2016 in Book Blast, Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: , , ,
11

g-gif-update2

Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker
by D.E. Haggerty

.

NTaSCB

Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker (Death by Cupcake Book 1)

Cozy Mystery
Self-Published
Publication Date: April 11, 2016
Print Length: 155 pages
ASIN: B01CNZ75DE
goodreads-badge-add-plus

Synopsis

A cozy mystery with a heap of laughs, a generous portion of romance, and just a smidgen of suspense.

Callie’s life is rather awesome. She owns a successful bakery and teaches German literature at the local university. There’s just one tiny problem. She has no self-confidence when it comes to her body. And then there’s the little matter of her being accused of murdering her pole dancing instructor. There’s no way Callie’s going to risk losing her teaching position and thus she embarks, with her best baker bud Anna, on a journey to discover the real killer. Between stripper auditions and a detective who insists Callie is the woman of his dreams, it’s a roller coast adventure. Cupcakes not included.

Author D.E. Haggerty

DENA

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.

Author Links:

Website Blog

Facebook Twitter Google+
Pinterest GoodReads Amazon author page

Purchase Links

Amazon Smashwords Barnes and Noble Kobo

More Books By D. E. Haggerty

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, April 18

Back Porchervations – Review

Book Babble

Community Bookstop

Celticlady’s Reviews

Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review

3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!

Christa Reads and Writes

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Author Michele Lynn Seigfried’s Blog

Tuesday, April 19

fuonlyknew

deal sharing aunt

Babs Book Bistro

Brooke Blogs

I Read What You Write – Review

Around the World in Books

Laura’s Interests – Review

LibriAmoriMiei

Celticlady’s Reviews

~~~~~

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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Free Of Malice by Liz Lazarus ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

Posted: April 18, 2016 in Book Blast, giveaways, suspense, thriller
Tags: , , , , , , ,
18


 

 

Title: FREE OF MALICE
Author: Liz Lazarus
Publisher: Mitchell Cove Publishing LLC
Pages: 274
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
.
Synopsis
Laura Holland awakes in the middle of the night to see a stranger standing in her bedroom doorway. She manages to defend herself from the would-be rapist, though he threatens to return as he retreats. Traumatized with recurring nightmares, Laura seeks therapy and is exposed to a unique treatment called EMDR. She also seeks self-protection— buying a gun against the wishes of her husband. When Laura learns she could have gone to prison had she shot her fleeing assailant, she decides to write a
hypothetical legal case using the details of that night. She enlists the help  of criminal defense lawyer, Thomas Bennett, who proves to be well versed in the justice system but has an uncanny resemblance to her attacker. As the two work together to develop the story, Laura’s discomfort escalates particularly when
Thomas seems to know more about that night than he should. Reality and fiction soon merge as her real life drama begins to mirror the fiction she’s trying to create.
.
For More Information

Book Excerpt:

Run. Run faster. As much as I strained my legs to move, they were immobile, like I was waist deep in
quicksand.
Why can’t I move?
I tried to scream for help but my mouth was full, like it was stuffed with cotton—no sound would escape.
I felt something clutching my shoulder. No, it was someone. He was pushing me forward and then yanking me back. I tried to jerk away but he had a tight grip, like a vice.
I have to break free.
The tugging got harder, more forceful. He was calling my name— over and over. He knew my name.
“Laura, Laura.”
I jolted awake—my husband’s hand still on my shoulder.
“Honey, wake up. You’re having another bad dream.”
Slowly, I turned over in bed and looked at him—his dark brown eyes were fixated on me. I could see them clearly as the light from the bathroom brightened our bedroom.
For a month now, we had slept with this light on.
I could see the small wrinkle on his forehead. I loved that wrinkle though wished he didn’t have good reason to be so concerned. I was enduring the nightmares, but he had to deal with my
tossing and mumbling in terror.
I remember when we first met—ten years ago in chemistry lab at Georgia Tech. He had walked up to me with those warm eyes and a charming, confident smile and asked, “Want to be partners?”
Two years later he took me to Stone Mountain Park, rented a small rowboat and, in the moonlight, he pulled out a diamond ring and asked me again, “Want to be partners?”
Life had seemed just about perfect.
Until now.
We looked at each other for a moment. Then he propped himself up on his elbow and said softly, “Laura, I feel so helpless. I know it’s only been a month, but…”
He hesitated.
“What?” I asked.
“It’s just as bad as that first night. After it happened. Look, I want to make you feel safe again, but I
don’t know how.”
He rubbed his eyes and looked away. I waited, staring at him.
What isn’t he saying?
“I know you don’t want to see a therapist, but seeing someone doesn’t mean you’re crazy. Therapists don’t treat just crazy people. They help people who have been through traumas and you have. Hell, no one even has to know.”
He paused for a second.“Don’t be mad at me, but yesterday I made an appointment for you. I was going to talk to you about it in the morning if you had another bad dream. I found a woman who is downtown by my office. She’s been practicing for about twenty years, got her doctorate from Emory and comes with really good patient reviews.”
He looked for my reaction and continued. “I made the appointment for you at 4:00 so we can go to dinner afterward. You know what you always say. You’ll try anything once, right?”
“I told you I don’t want to see a psychiatrist,” I pushed back. “I just need more time. I’ll bounce back.
You know I almost came in the house on my own today. Besides, if I see a psychiatrist, on every job application I complete in the future, I’ll have to check the ‘Yes’ box when they ask if I’ve had mental health treatment.”
“Jesus. No you don’t. You’re too innocent sometimes.”
He gently tapped me on the nose.
“You can check the box ‘No.’ Besides, if that’s the only thing stopping you, I think you should give it a
try. Her name is Barbara Cole. I’ll take you to Houston’s afterward,” he added.
I ignored the bribe. “But what can she do that you can’t? All she’ll do is listen and you do that for me
already. Psychiatrists are for people who don’t have friends or husbands to talk to.”
Chris shook his head.
“Please? Do it for me.”
The tone in his voice was different—more helpless than normal. Chris had been so understanding, so
comforting this past month, especially considering I had been waking him every night. How could I refuse his request?
I sighed. “Okay,” I relented. “I’ll go.”
“One visit. That’s all I’m asking. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to go back. She’s a psychologist,
by the way, not a psychiatrist. She does therapy, not drugs.”
He glanced at the clock. It was 3:30 a.m.
Chris grabbed Konk, my stuffed animal gorilla that I won at the state fair by outshooting him at the
basketball game. He had sworn the scum running the game couldn’t take his eyes off my butt and let me win.
“Here’s Konk,” he said. “I’m going to finish my presentation since I’m up. I’ll just be in the office. Want
the door open?”
“Yes,” I said as I wrapped my arms tightly around Konk.
“Hey, we’ll celebrate your first therapy visit and my signed contract, I hope, this evening.”
“You mean you hope my first visit?” I said with a playful smile.
He gave me a look—he was in no mood for jokes.
“Fine. Fine. I’ll go,” I assured.
“If you’re asleep when I leave, just come by my office after the appointment and we’ll head to dinner.
Try to get some sleep. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”

 About Author Liz Lazarus

Liz Lazarus is the author of Free of
Malice, a psychological, legal thriller loosely based on her personal
experience and a series of ‘what if’ questions that trace the after effects of
a foiled attack; a woman healing, and grappling with the legal system to
acknowledge her right to self-defense.
She was born in Valdosta, Georgia, graduated from Georgia Tech with an engineering degree and
the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern with an MBA in their executive
master’s program. She spent most of her career at General Electric’s Healthcare
division and is currently a Managing Director at a strategic planning
consulting firm in addition to being an author.
Free of Malice is her debut novel, set in Atlanta, and supplemented by
extensive research with both therapists and criminal defense attorneys. She
currently lives in Brookhaven, GA, with her fiancé,
Richard, and their very spoiled orange tabby, Buckwheat.
.
For More Information


Giveaway

Lis is giving away a $25 B&N Gift Card and
an autographed copy of Free Of Malice!
.
Terms &
Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • Two winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 B&N Gift Card or
    one autographed copy of FREE OF MALICE
  • This giveaway begins April 11 and ends on May 11.
  • Winners will be contacted via email on May 12.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

The Little Wine Guide by Ariel Heart ~ Win a Wine Gift Basket

Posted: April 14, 2016 in Book Blast, giveaways
Tags: , , , ,
16
We’re thrilled to be hosting Ariel Heart’s THE LITTLE WINE GUIDE Book Blast today!  Pick up your copy!
.

Title:
The Little Wine Guide
Author: Ariel Heart
Publisher: Blazing Sword Publishing, Ltd.
Pages: 60
Genre: Nonfiction
 Don’t know much about
wine? From Cabernet to Chardonnay, from buying wine to enjoying it; this
jam-packed little book removes the mystery and makes learning about wine fun.
The Little Wine Guide is presented in a conversational tone and helps you
discover what interests you in the world of wine as you embrace your personal
wine style.

For More
Information

Book Excerpt:

     You have decided it’s time to learn a little about wine.  You don’t want to get carried away, but you
would like to get a handle on why you like some wines yet others are just
yuck.  Maybe you were at a friend’s house and the wine your friend raved
about tasted nasty to you, but the recommendation at the restaurant was the
best wine you have ever tasted.  Perhaps that guy or gal in your life
enjoys wine and you want to know some basics at least.  You have come to
the right place my friend.
     This book is your hack for
wine, your quick start guide that provides a foundation and will give you ways
to discover and enjoy wine your way.  Such as, throwing your own wine tasting
so you can experiment with wine and have a good idea of what you are actually
doing.  No need for a hefty book that you won’t read but may end up as a
doorstop.  Wine can be fun and interesting, and I’ll prove it.
In this guide you will be provided with the critical basics to jump-start your
wine education and do your own wine tasting for yourself or with friends and
family. 
     We will follow two imaginary
people in this guide, Michael and Jessica.  We will help both of them
meet their wine education goals and learn alongside them in the process.
     Michael is
your average guy who never thought much of wine; it doesn’t go with football or
baseball.  But Michael is seriously dating and his gal likes wine, her
parents even collect wine. 
     Michael wants to make a good
impression on his potential in-laws, so he is looking to get a quick wine
education before the big dinner where he meets them.  He isn’t planning on
impressing anybody, but he wants to share in the wine experience and converse
with some knowledge. We will give Michael the foundation he needs to skate
through the important dinner and even be able to share a little about what he
likes using the language of wine.

Jessica is single and building her career.  It’s time to leave
college keg parties and jungle juice behind and prepare for the client
entertaining and high-powered social mixers she will be expected to partake in.
     She needs to understand what
she likes, and navigate the champagne luncheons and wine socials without blinking
an eye.  We will get her on her feet and help her find her own wine style
and taste. As always,
drink responsibly and don’t drink and drive.


Watch the Book Trailer

 

About the Author


Ms. Heart is a wine enthusiast on her personal wine journey who found most books on
wine either too textbook, too long, or packed with information she didn’t need
or want to know. Eventually, she was collecting the information that she found
pertinent to enjoying wine without a degree in viticulture. She thought others
might like to have the short cut to the core material as well. Thus was born
the idea for The Little Wine Guide. So, join her on this wine discovery journey!

~~~~~

Giveaway

Ariel is giving away a wine basket!

 

Terms & Conditions:

  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 21 years old.
  • One winner will receive a beautiful wine basket.
  • This giveaway begins April 4 and ends on April 29.
  • Winners will be contacted via email on May 30.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Deep by Skye Warren ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

Posted: April 7, 2016 in Book Blast, Contemporary Romance, giveaways
Tags: , , , , ,
13

Deep Banner copy

Deep

Chicago Underground #7

by Skye Warren

Deep cover

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Dark. Powerful. Dangerous.

Philip Murphy has all of Chicago under his thumb. Except me.

We met in a perfect storm of violence and lust. He saved me and then disappeared from my life.

Now I pretend I never knew that kind of darkness. I focus on midterms and campus parties, as if

they can wipe the slate clean.

Then he turns up outside my dorm room–wounded and barely conscious. He’s the head of a

criminal empire, a powerful man, but he needs me now. There are traitors in his midst.

I can help him, but I can’t fall for him.

Not again.

~~~~~

Enjoy the Excerpt

The sound came again, louder. A shiver ran through me. It was coming from outside the room,

but not from either side. It was coming from the door.

I crept over and looked out the peephole. An empty hallway bulged in the distorted lens.

Now I was doubting myself. Had I actually heard something? Maybe it had come from the dorm

room across the hall. When I first moved here, it had been shortly after my “ordeal,” as my

adoptive mother called it. I had jumped at every sound, both real and imagined, more

traumatized by my brush with danger than I’d wanted to admit.

My gaze snapped to my phone.

I could call my adoptive mother right now, but I knew she wouldn’t want to be bothered. I could

call the building management, but I knew what would happen. The same thing that had

happened last time I called them. They’d send my floor advisor to check on me. If there was

anything scary in this hallway, she’d have to face it first.

And if there wasn’t anything scary, if it was my imagination again, the PTSD I didn’t want to

acknowledge, well then everyone would know how fucked up I was inside.

No, I had to be overreacting. This was nothing. There was no one in the hallway. And even if

there was, it would be some drunk guy, passed out on the wrong floor.

I’m a normal college student, I reminded myself. I’m not afraid of anything.

Both of those things were lies, I was neither normal nor brave, but at least I could send a drunk

frat boy on his way.

I opened the door a crack. Nothing.

Relief filled me, and I opened the door wider.

A body slid inside, slumped over without the door to support him. A short scream escaped me

before I caught myself.

He was wearing a three-piece suit stained with blood, his expression slack, eyes glassy with

pain and delirium. Philip.

Oh God, he was hurt. Really badly hurt if he couldn’t stand up. Horribly hurt if he’d ever have

come to me of all people. I didn’t have time to process the shock of it, of seeing him again. I had

to get him out of sight. If he’d been injured like this, someone was after him. Someone would

want to finish the job.

“Come inside,” I whispered urgently, pulling his arm.

All that earned me was a weak groan.

Panic beat in my chest. Was he losing consciousness? Was he dying?

I managed to sling his heavy arm over my shoulders, staggering under even that much weight.

Christ. Awake he was pure packed power. Half-conscious and injured, he was like a pile of steel

bars—unmovable and unwieldy.

“I’ll never forgive you if you die on my doorstep,” I said.

Something like a grunt escaped him—it might have been a laugh. Either way, he surged up,

tapping into some deep well of energy or survival instinct. His effort and all my strength pushed

us through the doorway and into my dorm room. It had seemed small before. Now it seemed

tiny as we bumped into walls and staggered to the bed.

I wanted to lay him down gently, careful with his wounds, but in the end we both fell under his

weight, tangled on the bed in a heap of exhausted limbs. With a coarse shove I managed to get

him on his back so I could shut the door.

The hallway was just as empty as when I’d found him. There was a little smear of blood on the

doorjamb. It turned a mottled brown when I wiped it with my shirt.

That would have to be good enough for now.

I just hoped no one had followed him. I just hoped no one found him.

And I really hoped no one found me.

~~~~~

Author Skye Warren

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dark romance such as Wanderlust

and Prisoner. Praised as a “true mistress of dark erotica”, her books have been featured in

Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes

her home in Texas with her loving family, four dogs, and one evil cat.

Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

Links for DEEP

Amazon / iBooks / Nook / Kobo / Google Play / All Romance

And you can purchase Deep in PRINT… Amazon

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

The more you comment, the more chances to win!

Goddess Fish Promotions

~~~~~

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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

You Can Have My heart, But Don’t Touch My Dog ~ Book Blast & Giveaway

Posted: April 6, 2016 in Book Blast, comedy, Contemporary Romance, giveaways
Tags: , , , ,
26

YouCanHaveMyHeart_Banner copy

I love books that have animals as characters in them. And after reading the description, I had to share this one.

And just look at that fun cover. Cracks me up!

Check it out.

Read the excerpt.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

YouCanTakeMyHeart cover

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Synopsis

After two divorces, Sandi Walker, entrepreneur extraordinaire, is on her own and loving it. As a devout animal lover, she has made a success of the only gourmet pet food bakery in Midland, Texas. She’s also a pet foster parent and has fifteen assorted abused and unwanted animals at home. When a golden-colored stray dog with an abundance of personality appears at her door, she can’t refuse him and she can’t keep from falling in love with him. She names him Waffle and gives him a permanent home.

General Manager of the Flying C Ranch, Nick Conway, has searched for months for his lost dog, Buster. Giving up on ever finding him, he looks for a new dog and finds a puppy at a pet grooming shop. While he went to the shop to see a puppy, he also encountered a beautiful redheaded woman he can’t put out of his mind. Little does he know that she found Buster in an alley and has now claimed him as her own. Sparks fly between Sandi and Nick when he steals Buster and sues her in court for custody. It will take a mouthy parrot, a sitting judge, the matchmaking skills of the Domestic Equalizers and Cupid himself to resolve this conflict.

~~~~~

Excerpt

Close to sputtering, all Sandi could manage was, “I love Waffle and he loves me.”

“Look, I apologize for coming across wrong. I got overexcited when I realized I’d found my dog.” His deep voice almost became a purr. Sexy and seductive. “I know that women who are alone tend to get involved with their pets, especially if they don’t have much social life or kids to take care of and—

“What? You know nothing about me. About my life.”

“Now don’t get upset. I asked the woman who gave me this puppy about you. She told me you’re divorced and don’t have any kids, so you give all your love to animals.”

Such a rage raced up Sandi’s spine her head might explode and her eyes might burst from their sockets. She squelched the powerful urge to grab her head with both hands in case that very thing happened. She would kill that Prissy dead, dead, dead the very next time she saw her. “Prissy Porter discussed me and my personal life with you?” Her voice had become as shrill as a harpy’s. “Why, in all my life, I’ve never—”

“Now, calm down.” Nick patted the air with his palm. “I didn’t mean to upset you. What I mean is, you said you were in love with a parrot, too. What that says to me is you throw that “love” word around pretty freely. Maybe you need a boyfriend or something.”

That was the last straw. “What?” She sank to the floor on her knees beside Waffle and wrapped protective arms around his neck. Summoning her dignity, she set her jaw and lifted her nose. “I’d like for you to leave my store, Mr. Conway.”

“But—”

“I’d hate to call the police, but I will.” She leveled a searing stare at him that said she meant business. But it was hard to be tough when she was sitting on the floor and he stood six feet tall above her. Their stares locked.

“Okay, I’ll leave,” he snapped. “But I’ll be back. Buster is my dog and you can’t refuse to give him to me.” He reached down and stroked Waffle’s head, putting only inches between her face and his. “Don’t worry, Buster,” he said to Waffle. “I’ll be back to rescue you.”

He straightened and stepped back. Waffle sprang forward. Even with all her strength, Sandi barely held him in check. She scrambled to her feet, still hanging onto his collar. “We’ll see about that. Have you ever heard possession is nine-tenths of the law?”

He glared at her. “Oh, yeah? Have you ever heard a picture’s worth a thousand words?”

~~~~~

About the authors

YouCanHaveMyHeart author

Dixie Cash is Pamela Cumbie and her sister Jeffery McClanahan. They grew up in West Texas during the great oil boom, an era filled with “real-life fictional” characters who cry to be written about. Pam has always had a zany sense of humor and Jeffery has always had a dry wit. Surrounded by cowboys and steeped in country-western music, when they can stop laughing long enough they work together creating hilarity on paper. Both live in Texas–Pam in the Fort Worth-Dallas Metroplex and Jeffery in a small town near Fort Worth. Jeffery also writes steamy contemporary romance novels under the pen name of Anna Jeffrey.

Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Harper Collins

AMAZON

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

The more you comment, the more chances to win!

Goddess Fish Promotions

~~~~~

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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

A Mystery Thriller ~ The Purse by Julie A. Burns ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

Posted: March 24, 2016 in Book Blast, giveaways, Mytery/Thriller
Tags: , , , , ,
12

The Purse banner

Hi Ya’ll!

I have a fantastic book to share with you today. Wish I’d had time to review it.

There;s a great excerpt.

And a giveaway, so don’t forget to enter!

The Purse

by Julie A. Burns

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Synopsis

When Lydia Blackwell visits her dying father for the last time, he reveals the deeply hidden truth about her mother. After the funeral, the stranger Derek Meade gifts her with a gorgeous antique purse. But before she has the chance to connect with the man who knew her father intimately, Lydia finds Derek murdered in his home.

Lieutenant Sonja MacIntosh is assigned to investigate Mr. Meade’s death, but her career on the force never prepared her for Lydia Blackwell. As Sonja works to solve the murder, Lydia takes the greatest risk of her life in leaving Chicago to search for clues to her mother’s past. Their instant attraction surprises them both, but even through the chaos Lydia can’t deny the intensity of her feelings for the strong willed Lieutenant.

Lydia’s possession of the antique purse throws her already chaotic life into a whirlwind of kidnapping, blackmail, vengeful mob bosses, and mind-numbing revelations. Through it all, Lydia must find the strength to accept herself – and those closest to her – despite their darkest secrets.

~~~~~

Enjoy this excerpt

At thirty-eight, Lydia Blackwell was a striking woman, taller than most, but not quite six-foot, with long, flowing black hair and hazel eyes in which many men could lose themselves. Many men, however, would not. It took several years for Lydia to realize that men didn’t make her heart beat faster. It wasn’t until college that she discovered her real self, thanks to a beautiful, blonde study-partner. Something in her had captured Lydia’s heart and she was never the same again. To many of her friends, it had just been “experimenting”. But this was Lydia’s life, her soul, and her very being. Still, it wasn’t everything.

For years, Lydia kept her innermost thoughts and her secret life to herself. Her father would never have understood her way of thinking—of being. It was possible he could have made the assumption. After all, there were no men around and no children. There were so many things she couldn’t discuss with her father, nothing resembling emotions, or even people about whom she’d felt emotional. No, nothing like that. Certainly not even Danielle. Oh Danielle. Lydia’s mind drifted away as she traveled the open road closer to her father’s house.

Danielle Baldwin certainly had issues, but issues were Lydia’s specialty. Lydia was a psychotherapist and ran her own practice in a posh suburb of Chicago. Five years had passed since she first saw Danielle smile, and now Lydia held therapy groups out of her home. So much had changed, yet somehow the feelings remained the same.

AMAZON

~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

The Purse author

 

Julie A. Burns is a native Iowan born in Marshalltown, Iowa and raised in Davenport, Iowa. After her parent’s divorce at age 7, she took to writing, whether it was her diary or poems about people she met or situations that bothered her. After graduating from high school in 1983, she spent time working as a Nurse’s Aide in different nursing homes in Iowa. In 1989, she gave birth to a daughter, Brittany and raised her as a single parent. In the same year, she enrolled at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology in 1994. Since then, Julie has spent time working with developmentally disabled adults and the mentally ill throughout Iowa and also in Wyoming, where she lived for 6 years. Julie currently lives in Waterloo, Iowa with her spouse. When she’s not writing, she enjoys being a grandmother to 3 year old Sophie.

Amazon / Facebook / Twitter / Smashwords / RamRam Publishing

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

The more you comment, the more chances to win!

Goddess Fish Promotions

~~~~~

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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

#SplinteredBlast ~ Splintered by Kelly Miller ~ A Psychological Thriller

Posted: March 24, 2016 in Book Blast, Excerpt, thriller
Tags: , , , , ,
6

 

Has she already fallen prey to the vicious stranger hunting her?

 

Publication Date: Jan 26, 2016
Genre: Psychological Thriller/Crime Fiction

Life turns from barely tolerable to complete hell when Maddy Eastin’s impulsive plan to win back the attention of her absentee father backfires. Word of her scheme spreads through her high school, but when mockery escalates to cyberbullying, Maddy and her failed stunt become headline news. But the worst is yet to come…

A disturbed man is fighting the overwhelming urge to surrender to his true nature—a moral code molded by a sadistic father who taught him that a girl needs proper training to become the perfect subservient woman. As he watches Maddy on the evening news, his already fractured psyche completely splinters. She’s the girl he’s been waiting for.

When Maddy disappears, she’s labeled a runaway even though her mother believes it was foul play. Will the two detectives investigating Maddy’s disappearance find her before it’s too late? Or has she already fallen prey to the vicious stranger hunting her?

This psychological thriller unfolds through the viewpoints of five deeply flawed characters. Each is on their own emotionally charged journey that ultimately intersects in a collision course of devastating consequences.

.

Enjoy this Excerpt

Lily unlocked the craft store’s two front doors, then stood aside to allow a couple of impatient women to enter.

Gotta get your early morning scrapbooking fix, don’t you, ladies?

She forced the biting retort to stay firmly in her mind. Outwardly, she smiled, greeting the women, who were already racing down the center aisle.

When did I become so bitter?

Lily had always thought of herself as a pleasant person, the type to consider another person’s feelings over her own. She believed she was the sort of friend others wanted in their corner. One who would roll up her sleeves and jump in during the tough times. So how was it that she could deal with other people’s problems so well, yet completely fall apart during the rough patches in her own life?

It seemed to her that having single-mom status thrust upon her had been the tipping point. She didn’t know how other women did it. There was no time to grieve over a spouse walking out when every waking moment was either spent trying to earn enough income to keep their whole house of cards from crashing down or being an emotional cheerleader for Maddy in order to get her through.

When Tom had still been part of the family, at least there had been someone else to pass the baton to once in a while. He may have travelled a lot with his job, but whenever he was home, he and Maddy were always together. Those were the times Lily could take a break. Take time for herself, to recharge and in turn have something to offer back to her family. Lily had been running on empty for so long now, she had nothing left to give.

At least I don’t have to listen to someone constantly belittle me anymore.

She was glad for that, but still felt sad when she thought about no longer having a man in her life who loved her. She didn’t know which was worse—Tom’s stinging verbal attacks or being alone.

            What would happen if I just sat in the middle of this store and refused to move?

Lily cracked a smile as she pictured herself plopping down on the floor in full tantrum mode.

Maddy got to do it, why can’t I?

.

Kelly Miller grew up shivering in Illinois but now enjoys the year-round sunshine in Tampa, FL. Her debut novel, “Dead Like Me,” won second place in the best mystery category of the 2011 FWA Royal Palm Literary Awards competition. It was also named a semi-finalist in the mystery category of The Kindle Book Review’s 2013 Best Indie Books Awards competition. The Detective Kate Springer series continues with the second book, “Deadly Fantasies.” In Kelly’s newest book, “Splintered” which is a 2015 Kindle Scout winner, she introduces her readers to a whole new cast of characters. Visit www.kellymillerauthor.com to get a glimpse into the inner workings of her writing life.

 

 

~~~~~

What did you think of that excerpt? Sound like something you’d enjoy?

I love psychological thrillers. Getting into peoples minds. Reading about what makes them tick.

~~~~~~

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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Launch Day Blast & Kindle Fire HD Giveaway ~ Mosaics: A Collection of Independent Women

Posted: March 8, 2016 in Book Blast, giveaways, Release day
Tags: , , , , , , ,
2

Today’s the day, all the excitement, all the anticipation, and now it’s finally here.

Scroll down and check out Mosaics!

And don’t forget to enter the mega giveaway, including a Kindle Fire, a $50 gift card, and a paperback library, at the end of this post!

A project focused on bringing women’s voices to readers and celebrating the stories they have to tell. Including stories by Keyan Bowes, Carol Cao, Chelo Diaz-Ludden, Sarina Dorie, Naomi Elster, Jordanne Fuller, Ari Harradine, Karen Heuler, L.S. Johnson, Tonya Liburd, Kelsey Maki, Julia Ray, Patty Somlo, P.K. Tyler, Deborah Walker, Keira Michelle Telford, Kim Wells, Elizabeth Wolf, and Sylvia Spruck Wrigley

Mosaics: A Collection of Independent Women Volume One

Mosaic CoverMosaics: A Collection of Independent Women will inspire and shock you with its multi-faceted look at the history and culture surrounding femininity. If gender is a construct, this anthology is the house it built. Look through its many rooms, some bright and airy, some terrifying- with monsters lurking in the shadows.

Mosaics Volume One features twenty self-identified female authors writing about Intersectionality, including women of color, and members of the disability, trans, and GLB/ GSD* (Gender and Sexual Diversities) communities. We have curated amazing short fiction, flash fiction, poetry, essays, and art. It’s personal, political, and a great read.

This collection includes Hugo Award Nominees, Tiptree Shortlists, Pushcart Prize Winners, USA Today Bestsellers, indie superstars and traditionally published talents alike. The anthology combines leading and new voices all proclaiming their identity as Women, and their ability to Roar.

 

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy Your Copy Now! Amazon.com

~~~~~

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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Crushed ~ A novel of wine and love by Deborah Coonts ~ Blast and Giveaway

Posted: March 8, 2016 in Book Blast, Contemporary Romance, giveaways
Tags: , , , , ,
15

Crushed banner

Crushed

by Deborah Coonts

Crushed cover

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

~~~~~

Excerpt: Chapter One

Sophia Stone knew life held few absolutes: good wine is art, good Italian cooking is passion, a good child is a gift, and good news never comes in a certified letter.

“You sure this is for me, Tito?” she asked the postman who thrust an envelope toward her. When she tilted her head she could read the word “Certified,” stamped in red like a guilty verdict across the front.

A heavy-set man, Tito had a ready smile and an easy, engaging manner. Each day while delivering mail, he also traversed the valley searching for tidbits of gossip with the zeal of an Army battalion scouring the countryside for insurgents. St. Helena was a small community where the denizens believed mining each other’s business was an inalienable right granted on the theory that without the titillation everyone would fall over dead from boredom. “Yeah, looks like it’s from Charlie. Certified, too.” Tito didn’t have the decency to hide his interest as he mopped his face with a dirty handkerchief then stuffed it back into his rear pocket. The wiping didn’t help—a sheen of sweat still covered his ruddy cheeks. August had been hot with no break in sight.

Sophia eyed him. She wouldn’t put it past him to have already steamed open the letter, a thought that made her a bit nauseous. Why had she thought a small town in Napa Valley would be a good place to hide?

“From Charlie, you say?” Keeping her hands in her pockets, Sophia tilted her head further and tried to double-check the sender’s address. Then she looked him in the eye. “Any idea what it’s about?”

Tito looked like a bully when his bluff was called. He shrugged—an exaggerated movement that seemed like the shifting of a mountain—but a noncommittal answer, leaving Sophia certain whatever was in that letter would be spread around the valley and germinating in imaginations as rapidly as seeds on a spring wind.

At an impasse, Sophia and Tito stood there, the letter between them, Sophia delaying the inevitable. Unfortunately, with a dinner to cook and a cake in the oven, Sophia didn’t have time to see if she could outlast him. So, with a sour downturn to her mouth and a knot in her stomach, Sophia took the letter.

Tito motioned for her to flip the envelope over. “There on the back, that green card? You need to sign that.” Handing her a pen, he waited for her to sign, then tore off the return receipt, pocketing it.

Confirming the return address, Sophia gave him a distracted wave as he climbed back into his truck. “Thanks, Tito.” A perfunctory nicety.

“Sure thing, Ms. Stone.” In a shower of gravel, he gunned the mail truck back through the vineyard down the winding driveway leading to the valley floor. Sophia glanced up as the trees enveloped him and her normal quiet smothered the sound, wiping away all vestiges of his presence.

~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Crushed author

 

My mother tells me I was born in Texas a very long time ago, but I’m not so sure—my mother can’t be trusted. She’ll also tell you I was a born storyteller. That I believe—I have the detention notices and bad-conduct reports to prove it. However, the path from minor hyperbolist, or as I prefer to think of my former self, Grand Master of the Art of Self-Prevarication, to the author of the New York Times Notable Crime Novel and double Rita ™ finalist, Wanna Get Lucky?, the book that launched the bestselling series, was a bit tortured.

 

Someone once told me I lived a peripatetic life—yes, I had to look it up. And he was right. I’ve been everything from a mom, business owner, accountant, wife, pilot, flight instructor, lawyer …worse, a tax lawyer… to a writer. The three personas I’ve kept suit me the best: mom, flight instructor, and writer. And the other personas I’ve tried on then shrugged out of and discarded like an itchy coat were great grist for the story mill.

Chasing stories keeps me busy and out of jail…for the most part. Researching in Vegas can be a bit… sketchy.

Prodded by the next adventure and the police, I keep moving. Right now I have a house in Texas, but that will change soon. I lived in Vegas for 15 years—the longest I’d stayed anywhere. And I get back there often. But other places, too, are calling.

Someone asked me the other day where I lived. The question stopped me cold. Finally I said, “On Southwest Airlines, third row, window seat, either side.” Always in search of a story. And the adventure would be perfect if they could just stock a split of nice Champagne.

Website / Facebook / Twitter

Purchase Links: Amazon / iTunes

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

The more you comment, the more chances to win!

Goddess Fish Promotions

~~~~~

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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

See You Soon Broadway by Melissa Baldwin ~ Book Blast & Giveaway

Posted: March 4, 2016 in Book Blast, Chick Lit, giveaways
Tags: , ,
4

Glad you could stop by for the book blast of See You Soon Broadway.

I have lots to share, including a glimpse inside the book.

And a giveaway, so don’t forget to enter.

See You Soon Broadway

See You Soon Broadway by Melissa Baldwin

Maris Forrester has a wonderful life with an amazing boyfriend and a fulfilling job. She’s happy and content . . . or so she thinks. Maris has always had huge dreams of being on Broadway. Ever since her very first performance as a child, she has envisioned herself on the stage under the shining lights. Now she has to decide whether she should to give up her wonderful life to chase those dreams.
When her parents announce they are moving, she comes across a long-lost family treasure. She doesn’t realize that this treasure may hold the key to her future and to all her dreams coming true.
And if that wasn’t sign enough, a mysterious stranger throws another wrench in the mix at a dazzling rooftop party benefiting the Arts. These could be signs of things to come.
But will she remain content in her perfect world, or will she step into the unknown world she has always dreamed of?

amazon get it

add to goodreads

Praise for the Book

I also look forward to any other books that Melissa has to offer. This is my second one by her and I have liked them both a lot.

This is a very entertaining book about pursuing your dreams. I really enjoyed reading the book and am actually looking forward to a possible sequel.

I enjoyed reading See You Soon Broadway. In fact, I finished it in two days; I could hardly put it down.

This is the first book that I have read by this author, but it will not be the last.
If you enjoy reading sweet romance, then definitely pick this up!

 

Excerpt

“What are you guys up to?” I ask. My mom and Cassie are busily looking through some boxes.

“Hi, hon. Dad was cleaning out the garage and found these boxes,” Mom replies.
She continues to empty some junk from a box onto the table.

“Mom and Dad are finally cleaning out their stuff. I told them that they need to feng shui,” Cassie says softly.

Cassie just opened her own yoga studio; she’s probably the most calm and mentally sound person I have ever met in my life. I have thought about talking to her about the possibility of me moving to New York, but I’m a little nervous about what she’s going to say.

“Maris, do you remember this? We used to play restaurant with this old menu.”
Cassie holds up a menu that we stole from IHOP in the 80s. We used to play restaurant in Mom’s Tupperware closet for hours.

“I can’t believe we still have that thing,” I exclaim. Although, I’m not surprised since Mom and Dad never throw anything away.

“I’m keeping this for my kids,” Cassie adds. Ugh, typical Cassie—she may be calm and patient but she will always be the bossy older sister. She thinks she knows everything just because she’s a whopping three years older than me.

“Um, why do you get to keep it and you don’t even have kids yet?” I demand. She doesn’t say anything; no doubt she is chanting some kind of yoga stuff in her mind to ease the tension that’s building.

“You’re right,” she replies calmly. “We should share this once we both have kids, of course.”

I guess I can’t really argue with her considering she’s definitely closer to having kids than I am.

I start looking through a box that’s on the floor. It looks like a bunch of old stuff that belonged to my grandmother. Grandma passed away two years ago and my parents got the remainder of her things. I sort through the box of romance novels, crossword puzzles, and National Geographics from thirty years ago. As I’m sorting through the stuff, I find a red leather-bound notebook at the bottom of the box. My curiosity is building as I run my fingers over the gorgeous worn leather. I open it to the first page and immediately recognize my grandmother’s handwriting.

The first page is dated March 10, 1948 . . .

MelissaAuthor Melissa Baldwin

Melissa graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications; she has always had a love for writing. An avid journal keeper, she took her creativity to the next level by fulfilling her dream with her debut novel, An Event to Remember . . . Or Forget. Since then, she has written and published two more novels, Wedding Haters and See You Soon Broadway.

Melissa resides in Orlando, Florida, with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing, this multi-tasking master organizer is busy being a mother, wife, chauffeur, PTA President, and Fitness Trainer.

When she has free time, she enjoys traveling, running, fitness, fashion, and taking a Disney Cruise every now and then.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

 

 

50_Amazon_Paypal

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 3/20/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

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 click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Older Entries
Newer Entries