Archive for the ‘giveaways’ Category

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The holidays are upon us and what could be better than a holiday story!

Michael has the perfect one to take you away for a little while.

I had such a great time reading The Ghost Of Christmas Past and I think you’ll be surprised when you read it.

There’s a lot to share today so I’ll get to it.

Michael has a special sale.

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

The Ghost Of Christmas Past

A Novella

by Michael Hebler

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My Review

The title probably has you thinking this a retelling. Wait, though. It may start that way, but very quickly the author steers you in another direction. The focus shifts from the person being visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past to the ghost itself.

In order to save lost souls, the ghost needs its light to guide them. When the light is lost, the ghost must now go on a journey of its own. Go into the past and discover who it once was and regain its light to save Christmas.

In many places written in prose similar to Charles Dickens, it reads like a classic. As the characters are introduced, past and present, their lives deepen the story, and it tempted to skip ahead to see their stories conclusions. I resisted though.

For me to enjoy a story, I require strong, genuine characters who’s welfare means something to me. They need to have flaws, and I don’t have to like all of them or approve of what they do. But, they need to be believable and the author needs to keep them true to their personalities.

Michael’s characters could walk off the pages. I tried to picture them in my head from his descriptions and they came to life. Once that happened, I couldn’t put the book down.

I’ve read Michael’s Chupacabra thrillers and very much enjoyed them so I was curious about reading a story in a different genre.

Strong writing and atmospheric detail made this a fulfilling read and I enjoyed the direction the author chose with his tale.

The Ghost Of Christmas Past gets my highest recommendation for all readers.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Based on Charles Dickens’ character of the same name, the first of three spirits from A Christmas Carol is the center of its own story when taken on a spiritual journey to find meaning for its existence.

The Ghost of Christmas Past has had its fire extinguished.  Lost souls cannot find their way to righteousness without the Spirit’s luminescence to guide them through their shadowed memories.  To rekindle its flame, the Ghost of Christmas Past must journey back to a life long forgotten.  Guided by the Christmas Angel, the Spirit braves witness to how it lived as a boy in life, and learns what will become of Christmas should it fail.

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EXTRA!  EXTRA!

Michael running a KDP promotion from Wednesday until the end of Cyber Monday. The e-book for The Ghost of Christmas Past will be $1.99 (from $4.99) the entire promotion.

Grab your copy HERE.

‘The Ghost of Christmas Past’ placed as a Finalist in the 2016 Beverly Hills Book Awards.

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Intended Audience

The Ghost of Christmas Past is unique.  The novella has appeal to readers of all ages, nationalities, and gender. Thanks to Mr. Charles Dickens, the main character name, Ghost of Christmas Past, is already as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, and the general population has shown remarkable interest in learning the backstories of supporting characters from popular works of fiction.  The most notable example would be the novel Wicked by Gregory Maguire, the backstory of the witches from Oz. The Ghost of Christmas Past will appeal to fans of drama, mystery, fantasy, Literary Fiction, the supernatural, and Christianity.

Like A Christmas Carol, The Ghost of Christmas Past is not heavily religious but a story based around a Christian holiday.  In 2014, more than 52 million religious books sold in the U.S., representing an increase of over 10.5% from the previous year. (Nielsen.com: Focusing On Our Strengths: Insights into the Christian Book Market)

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Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a paperback copy of the coloring book

A Christmas Carol: A Holiday Classic

and a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Author Michael Hebler

Michael Hebler

Prior to becoming an award-winning author of his dark fiction Chupacabra Series, Michael was a full-time international film publicist who had worked on multiple titles for Walt Disney, Pixar, Lionsgate, Lakeshore Entertainment, Warner Bros., Summit Entertainment, and the 2013 Academy Award-winning Best Foreign Language Film, “La grande bellezza” (The Great Beauty).

Born in the early 1970’s in Los Angeles County to a salesman and homemaker, Michael dreamed of following his passions for entertainment and storytelling by acting. It was while studying theatre arts at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, did he realize his penchant for stories were better suited on the page rather than the stage. But creating tales with suspense, laughter, and heart is not Michael’s only love. Hebler also enjoys volunteering in his local community, as well as aid in the capture/spay/neuter/release feral program.

To date, Michael’s publications include NIGHT OF THE CHUPACABRA, CURSE OF THE CHUPACABRA, and LEGEND OF THE CHUPACABRA (Books I, II, & III of the six-part Chupacabra Series) as well as his first publication, THE NIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS, a holiday picture book for believers of any age. Michael’s fourth book in the Chupacabra Series, DAWN OF THE CHUPACABRA will be available in print and for ebook on October 13, 2015.
Michael currently resides in Southwest Florida.
Author Links:
Email:

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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!

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Welcome to the For Duty And Honor Book Blast.

Enjoy the excerpt.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway.

Genre: Thriller, Political Thriller
Published by: Kensington Books/Lyrical Underground
Publication Date: November 22nd 2016
Number of Pages: 96
ISBN: 1616509813 (ISBN13: 9781616509811)
Series: Dan Morgan #5.5

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Synopsis

In this action-packed novella, Black Ops veteran Leo J. Maloney delivers a heart-pounding tale as fast, cold, and sleek as a 9mm bullet…

For Duty And Honor

The unthinkable has happened to operative Dan Morgan. Captured by the Russians. Imprisoned in the Gulag. Tortured by his cruelest, most sadistic enemy. But Morgan knows that every prisoner has a past—and every rival can be used. With the most unlikely of allies, Morgan hatches a plan. To save what’s important, he must risk everything. And that’s when the stakes go sky-high. Dan Morgan’s got to keep fighting. For duty. And honor. And even certain death…

Amazon / B&N

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Enjoy this excerpt

The prisoner’s body was a brick of exhaustion and pain.

Steel cuffs chafed against his raw wrists and ankles, the rough uniform scraping the burns and cuts that lined his arms and legs and pocked his torso. Even under the blackness of his hood, the prisoner smelled stale sweat mingled with his own breath: iron from the blood, acetone from the starvation. He could barely hold himself up against the jolting ride. All that was keeping him upright were the two thick guards at his sides boxing him in. At the outset, hours ago at the landing strip, the guards were in high spirits, joking and jesting in Russian, which the prisoner could not follow. Whenever he couldn’t hold himself up anymore and leaned into one of them or into the front seat, they would box the prisoner’s head and laugh, forcing him to sit upright again.

But as they drew nearer to their destination, and the car’s heating lost ground against the cold, the guards grew quiet, like there was something grim about the place even to them.

The prisoner swung forward as the jeep came to an abrupt stop, tires on gravel. The doors opened and the spaces on his sides cleared as the men got out, leaving him exposed to the frigid Siberian air. Against this cold, the canvas uniform felt like nothing at all.

The guards unlocked the cuffs and yanked the prisoner out. Too tired to offer any resistance, he walked along, bare feet on the freezing stony ground. Someone pulled off his cowl. He was struck by a hurricane of light that made him so dizzy that he would have vomited, if there were anything in his stomach. It took a moment for the image to stop swimming and resolve itself into the barren landscape of rock and creeping brush lit by a sun low in the sky.

The Siberian tundra.

They prodded him forward. He trudged toward the Brutalist conglomeration of buildings surrounded by tall mesh fences and barbed wire. Prison camp. Gulag. The prisoner’s trembling knee collapsed and he fell on the stony ground. A guard gave him a kick with a heavy, polished leather boot and pulled him to his feet.

They reached the top and entered the vakhta, the guardhouse. He passed through the first gate and was searched, rough hands prodding and poking at him. They then opened the second, leading him through, outside, into the yard. His gaze kept down, he saw guards’ boots, and massive furry Caucasian shepherds, each taller than a full-grown man’s waist. He didn’t look up to see the bare concrete guard towers that overlooked the terrain for miles around or at the sharpshooters that occupied them.

He was pulled inside the nearest boxy building, walls painted with chipping murals of old Soviet propaganda, apple-cheeked youngsters over fields of grain and brave soldiers of the Red Army standing against the octopus of international capitalism. On the second floor, they knocked on a wooden door.

“Postupat’.”

The guards opened the door, revealing an office with a vintage aristocratic desk. They pushed him onto the bare hardwood.

A man stood up with a creak of his chair. The prisoner watched as he approached, seeing from his vantage point only the wingtip oxfords and the hem of his pinstriped gabardine pants, walking around his desk, footsteps echoing in the concrete office.

“Amerikanskiy?”

“Da,” a guard answered.

The man crouched, studying the prisoner’s face. “You are one of General Suvorov’s, are you not?” His voice was deep and filled with gravel and a heavy Russian accent.

The prisoner didn’t respond—not that he needed to.

“You are tough, if he did not break you.” He stood, brushing off unseen dust from his suit jacket. “And if he had broken you, you would be dead already. I am Nevsky, the warden. Welcome to my prison.”

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Author Leo J. Maloney

Leo J Maloney

Leo J. Maloney is a proud supporter of Mission K9 Rescue, www.missionk9rescue.org, which is dedicated to the service of retiring and retired military dogs and contract dogs and other dogs who serve. Mission K9 rescues, reunites, re-homes, rehabilitates, and repairs these hero dogs. Leo donates a portion of the proceeds from his writing to this organization. To find out more about Mission K9 Rescue, or to make your own donation, please visit www.missionk9rescue.org or go to www.k9gala.org

Catch up with Mr. Maloney

Website / Twitter / Facebook

** (Photo Credit Carolle Photography)

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Click here to view the ‘For Duty and Honor by Leo J. Maloney’ Tour Participants

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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!

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

Another fun way to share your book news and enjoy others is The Sunday Post hosted by

Sunday Post

Kimberly the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Head on over and leave a link to your Sunday Post and hop around to visits others.

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Some chit chat.

Finally, the weather has shifted and it feels more like fall. And that got me in the mood for some holiday movies. In my QUE are White Christmas, The Grinch, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Love Actually, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and A Christmas Story. Just to name some of the movies I plan to watch.

On the dark side, I have Krampus and Gremlins.

Gotta love those gremlins! I used to be a bartender and by the end of the night and a whole lot of drinks, it almost felt like this. LOL

How about you. Any favorites you watch every year when the holiday draws near? Any suggestions for me?!

I’ll be hopping over to check out your Sunday Posts so be sure to leave me your link.

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New books on my shelf. Some I won, some are for review, and some I just had to have.

  Prehistoric Beasts And Where To Fight Them by [Navikov, Hugo]  Mercury Retrograde: A Dark Alchemy Novel by [Bickle, Laura]

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And I’m finally getting started on some audibles.

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And here are some freebies for ya!

Click on the covers to get yours and remember to make sure they’re still free before you click that buy button.

Happy New Year by [Fleet, Robert C.]  Death by the Mistletoe by [MacVicar, Angus]  Love on a Plate by [Willis, Susan]

The Dream Diaries by [Smith, Becca C.]  Seabound (Seabound Chronicles Book 1) by [Rivet, Jordan]  Ocean's Justice (Turbulence and Triumph Book 1) by [Carlton, Demelza]

BlueBuried Muffins (Black Cat Cafe Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) by [Cole, Lyndsey]  Color Me Crazy: A Cozy Mystery (An Annie Addison Cozy Mystery Book 1) by [Dox, Molly]  Dead Man's Diamonds: A Piece of Cake Mystery (Piece of Cake Mysteries Book 1) by [Winters, A.R.]

Daddy Soda (A New Hampshire Mystery Book 1) by [Gibson, Mira]  Rock Spider (A New Hampshire Mystery Book 2) by [Gibson, Mira]  Tar Heart (A New Hampshire Mystery Book 3) by [Gibson, Mira]

Seven Sisters (Seven Sisters Series Book 1) by [Bullock, M.L.]  Moonlight Falls on Seven Sisters (Seven Sisters Series Book 2) by [Bullock, M.L.]  The Shadow Chronicles, Part 1 (Two-Book Collection: Shadow Lurker, Dark Works) by [Cunningham, Jason]

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

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Books up for review next week.

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Other posts on my blog this week.

Jack Templar and the Last Battle ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

Book Tour & Giveaway ~ Boots and Bedlam

Teaser Tuesday #180 ~ One by Jane Blythe

The Lizard’s Tale ~ Guest Post & Giveaway

An Urban Fantasy Giveaway ~ Dispelled

Boy Meets Witch ~ Free Book & Giveaway

The Bloodmark Saga ~ Review of Bloodrealm #2 and Giveaway

Review & Giveaway ~ Killer In The Band

The Friday 56 #120 ~ Better Off Thread

The Bloodmark Saga ~ Review of Bloodmoon #3 and Giveaway

Five Dog Voodoo ~ Review & Giveaway

Saturday Screams #20 ~ Twofer reviews

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For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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So, what did you get to read this week?

Got any recommendations?

I’d love to know and thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

Silver-Tongued Devil
Rosalind James
(Portland Devils)
Publication date: November 15th 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance, Sports

No more wild rides. No more wild side.

Blake Orbison’s pro football career may have ended with a bang, but not calling the signals anymore just gives him more time to devote to his business enterprises, including the latest and greatest: the opening of the Wild Horse Resort in scenic north Idaho. And that other one, too. Blake’s on the marriage track, and he’s got a game plan. But when he runs into a trespasser leaping from his shoreline boulders into his lake, what’s a good ol’ boy to do but strip down and join her?

Dakota Savage is nobody’s temporary diversion, least of all the man responsible for her family’s semi-desperate circumstances. Some people may think she has a piercing too many, but she’s had more than enough of being called trash in this town. She’s come home to Wild Horse to run her stepfather’s painting business, and any extra time she has goes into creating her stained glass. An overpaid, entitled, infuriating NFL quarterback is no part of her life plan, no matter how sweet he talks. No matter how slow he smiles. No matter what.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT

It wasn’t Jerry. That much, she could tell as he got closer. It was somebody a whole lot slimmer. Tall, check. Short dark hair, check. Black shirt, check. But no gut, and she thought there was some darkness around the jaw that wasn’t quite a beard. Another security guy. She could be cute enough for him. Maybe. What would he care, really, what she did?

“Hi,” she said as he approached. “Next time maybe don’t yell right when I’m jumping.” Taking the initiative. Projecting confidence. She was better at that than “cute.”

“Hell of a graceful landing,” he agreed, and glasses or no, she could see the flash of white teeth through the dark stubble just fine. Also that he had a pair of shoulders to die for, and some very nice arms in that T-shirt. Not to mention long legs in dusty jeans and work boots, and about six foot three of lean muscle. Nobody she knew, because she’d have noticed him. She might not be able to see him, exactly, but she could see enough.

“If you’re security,” she said, “I was just going.”

“I’m not security. And I hope that’s a lie that you were just going, because that looked real fun.”

He had a Southern drawl she’d surely never heard in Wild Horse. Slow as molasses, and just that thick and sweet. Ah hope thass a lah that you were juss goin’. “Let me guess,” she said, feeling a sneaky little surge of excitement. “You’re out here to do wrong. Sign says ‘No Trespassing,’ and you’ve been given the big lecture, but you’re not worried, because you’re a badass like that.”

Some more grin. “Could be. Is that water deep enough to be safe? We’re both too pretty to get ourselves paralyzed.”

“Oh, yeah,” she assured him. “Best spot on the lake for it. No place else has rocks like this or a pool this deep. Which means, of course, that the Man comes and fences it off and tells you that you can’t use it anymore, even if you’re working out here. Gotta love capitalism, and this is about the worst.”

He gazed into the distance and scratched thoughtfully at his cheek. “Bad place to work, you think? Huh.”

“I wouldn’t do it for a heartbeat if I didn’t need the money. You could say that I’m not in love with Mr. Blake Orbison or his company. But you know, we all need the money.”

“That we do. Arrogant guy?”

“Let’s say that I don’t like the way he treats people. On an . . . institutional scale.” Whoa, girl, she told herself. Lose the bitter and get back to reckless. More attractive, and a whole lot more fun. Trust her to meet a truly prime specimen of manflesh for once and immediately put him off. “So I’m sure I shouldn’t jump off his rocks. But hey, what’s life without a little danger?” There, that was better.

“Now, see, darlin’,” he said, his voice getting even deeper, the accent going a shade richer, “that’s what I tell myself all the time. It’s a real shame that so few people think like us.”

 

Author Bio:

Sign up for my newsletter and never miss a release, special, or free book! http://www.rosalindjames.com/mail-list

Yes, ALL the books are stand-alones except JUST ONCE MORE and FRACTURED.

Rosalind James, a publishing industry veteran and former marketing executive, is an author of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense novels published both independently and through Montlake Romance. She was raised in North Idaho, but now lives in Berkeley, California, with her husband and a Labrador Retriever named Charlie. Rosalind attributes her surprising success to the fact that “lots of people would like to escape to New Zealand! I know I did!”

Visit www.rosalindjames.com to listen to the songs from the New Zealand books, follow characters on their travels, watch funny and fascinating New Zealand videos, and learn about what’s new.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY!
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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!

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Five Dog Voodoo
by Lia Farrell

Fast-paced and entertaining, this is a story cozy mystery fans shouldn’t miss…
~Readeropolis

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Five Dog Voodoo (Mae December Mystery)

Camel Press (November 15, 2016)

Paperback: 266 Pages

ISBN-13: 978-1603812481

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My Review

I had all kinds of fun with this story. Voodoo. Just the word sounds mysterious and creepy. Imagine a place called Voodoo Village. Sounds almost like a song.

And the title, Five Dog Voodoo. Now that sounds too good to pass up.

It’s a lovely mess of reelection campaigns, murder, and voodoo in Tennessee.

Not having read the other books in this series, I was happy to have no problem jumping in here. I really like Mae December. That girl does it all. She helps with her fiances reelection campaign, is caregiver to a pack of dogs,  is a successful painter, and is the soon to be stepmom to Ben’s five-year-old son. She also runs her own boarding kennel, which also includes some training and the breeding of designer dogs.

Ever heard of a porgie, a cross between a corgi and a pug? How about a cortese, a cross between a corgi and a maltese? And then there’s the strawberry blond porgies.

Murder takes precedent over Ben’s reelection campaign when a dog leads authorities to her master’s body, buried in a shallow grave in Voodoo village. It may not just be his job he loses if Ben doesn’t solve this case fast.

Are you curious about where this dog and her four new pups will end up?

I have several requirements I expect from a cozy mystery. It needs a small town setting. Check. A quirky title and fun cover art. Check. Unusual character names and a bit of romance. Check. A mystery not too easily solved. Check. And some kind of theme. Check. And it’s always a pleasant bonus to have some furry companions too.

I had a really fun read and plan to go back and start at the beginning. I need to see what I’ve missed. But, if you start the series here, you’ll have no problem enjoying this all by itself.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

As Halloween approaches, engaged couple Mae December and Sheriff Ben Bradley have devoted all their energy to Ben’s campaign for reelection as sheriff of Rose County, Tennessee. The race is already too close to call when the sheriff’s office is hit with yet another maddeningly tricky murder case. In recent years the town of Rosedale has had more than its fair share of murders, a fact Ben’s smarmy opponent is all too eager to exploit.

Investigator Dory Clarkson and her friend, Counselor Evangeline Bon Temps, are visiting the mysterious Voodoo village when a resident tells them her granddaughter, Zoé Canja, is missing. Her dog, a Weimaraner nursing four pups, escapes the house and finds the young woman’s body in a shallow grave. Evangeline becomes Sheriff Ben Bradley’s unofficial consultant because her grandmother in Haiti and later her mother in New Orleans practiced Voodoo. A threatening symbol is left on the pavement by Dory’s front door, effectively banning her from the case. Evangeline and the sheriff’s office ask too many questions, and Evangeline soon wears out her welcome. Voodoo curses aside, Ben’s job is at stake, and no one associated with the case is safe until the killer is found.

Book 5 in the Mae December Mystery series, which began with One Dog Too Many.

About The Authors

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Lia Farrell is the nom de plume for a mother/daughter duo of writers. Mom Lyn Farquhar and Daughter Lisa Fitzsimmons have been collaborating on the Mae December mystery series for four years.
lyn
ABOUT LYN
Lyn Farquhar taught herself to read before starting school and honed her story telling abilities by reading to her little sister. Ultimately, her mother ended the reading sessions because Lyn’s sister decided she preferred being read to over learning to read herself. She fell in love with library books at the age of six when a Bookmobile came to her one-room rural elementary school. The day the Bookmobile arrived, Lyn decided she would rather live in the bookmobile than at home and was only ousted following sustained efforts by her teacher and the bookmobile driver.

Lyn graduated from Okemos High School in Michigan and got her college and graduate degrees from Michigan State University. She has a master’s degree in English literature and a Ph.D. in Education, but has always maintained that she remained a student for such a long time only because it gave her an excuse to read. Lyn holds the rank of Professor of Medical Education at Michigan State University and has authored many journal articles, abstracts and research grants. Since her retirement from MSU to become a full time writer, she has completed a Young Adult Fantasy trilogy called Tales of the Skygrass Kingdom. Volume I from the trilogy is entitled Journey to Maidenstone and is available on amazon.com. Lyn has two daughters and six step children, nine granddaughters and three grandsons. She also has two extremely spoiled Welsh Corgi’s. Her hobby is interior design and she claims she has the equivalent of a master’s degree from watching way too many decorating shows.

ABOUT LISA
lisa
Lisa Fitzsimmons grew up in Michigan and was always encouraged to read, write and express herself artistically. She was read aloud to frequently. Throughout her childhood and teenage years, she was seldom seen without a book in hand. After becoming a mom at a young age, she attended Michigan State University in a tri-emphasis program with concentrations in Fine Art, Art History an Interior Design.

Lisa, with her husband and their two children, moved to North Carolina for three exciting years and then on to Tennessee, which she now calls home. She has enjoyed an eighteen year career as a Muralist and Interior Designer in middle Tennessee, but has always been interested in writing. Almost five years ago, Lisa and her mom, Lyn, began working on a writing project inspired by local events. The Mae December Mystery series was born.

Lisa, her husband and their three dogs currently divide their time between beautiful Northern Michigan in the summertime and middle Tennessee the rest of the year. She and her husband feel very blessed that their “empty nest” in Tennessee is just a short distance from their oldest, who has a beautiful family of her own. Their youngest child has settled in Northern Michigan, close to their cabin there. Life is good.

Author Links:
Webpage / Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Newsletter

Purchase Links

Amazon B&N

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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!

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Welcome back. So glad you stopped by for my third review in this exciting series. Today I’m reviewing Bloodmoon.

Enjoy the review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway

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Bloodmark

The Bloodmark Saga Book One

by Aurora Whittet

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Genre: YA Fantasy

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Click HERE for my Review.

Synopsis

Sixteen-year-old werewolf princess Ashling Boru is different from other wolves–she was able to shift to a wolf at birth. Rather than bringing pride to her family, it brings fear, and she is sent to live in Ireland’s secluded countryside. Ashling’s reputation is further blackened when she refuses her betrothed, defying the ancient laws. When her pack’s oldest rivals begin to hunt her, she finds herself in the small town of York Harbor, Maine, far from everything she’s known.

When she crosses paths with dark and rebellious Grey Donavan, something ignites within her soul. There’s just one problem: Grey is human. Their instant connection turns into a passionate romance, and Ashling begins to believe she can create her own life outside of wolf laws. When she uncovers long-buried pack secrets that threaten to destroy all she holds dear, Ashling’s courage and tenacity are tested. Will she choose her deep and enduring love for Grey or will she follow Old Mother’s path to her destiny?

Buy Bloodmark:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

 Bloodrealms (Book #2)

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Click HERE for my Review.

Synopsis

Werewolf princess Ashling Boru’s eighteenth birthday is only a year away, which means that she only has twelve months before she is claimed and fulfills her prophecy to unite the packs and lead her people. Her father decrees that her four suitors must fight in the Bloodrealms, the werewolves’ ancient underground fighting world, and the winner will have King Boru’s choice to win Ashling’s hand. The wolf laws are rigid and barbaric, and Ashling’s illicit love for Grey, if discovered, will mean his death. But when Ashling and Grey get trapped in the blood-soaked depths of the Bloodrealms, they find ancient horrors far greater than Ashling’s father’s rule.

With betrayal around every corner and old nemeses set to destroy Ashling, she is more divided than ever between the destiny she didn’t choose and the love that she did. To make matters worse, her decision will not only set the course of her future, but the future of her entire race.

Buy Bloodrealms:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

 Bloodmoon (Book #3)

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My Review

All I can say is, Holy Batman, people! What an ending to a great series.

So, Ashling has now assumed her place as the Crimson Queen. She’s been to hell and back. And now she has to go back yet again. But she won’t be alone. Her pack will be with her. This is the final battle. The one that prophecy foretold. Everything hangs in the balance.

This will be kind of short as there’s no way to talk about a book this far into the series without those nasty spoilers.

I adored this last book. So much bloody action. So much pain and loss. But also, so much hope. So much love. So much triumph.

There were some really harrowing scenes, especially in the Bloodrealm. Creatures and evil you can’t even begin to imagine crawl out from under their rocks. There were those times I held my breath, and if this were a movie, I’d have been peeking through my fingers. I so wanted everyone I cared about to survive. But, it’s not my story and there’s much to be said for feeling a wide range of emotions while reading a story.

Loved the series and loved the ending.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Just months shy of her claiming at Carrowmore and fulfilling a centuries-old prophecy, werewolf Ashling Boru has stepped into her role as the Crimson Queen. She finally has the support of her pack and her love for Grey is stronger than ever.

But it’s not easy being queen. Ashling’s guardian, Baran, has been captured by the Dvergars, a family of evil wolves who will stop at nothing to possess Ashling’s power and destroy everything–and everyone–she loves. Ashling must unite the clans and build an army to stand against the Dvergars before it’s too late. Unfortunately, the Dvergars also have armies of the darkest creatures the world has ever known.

Shadows loom, growing ever larger as generations of pack secrets begin to unfold. Ashling’s people, the humans they protect, and Old Mother Earth herself all hang in the balance of Ashling’s choices. Will Ashling have to forsake her true love to save the world? And will she have the strength to do it? Bloodmoon is the thrilling conclusion to the Bloodmark Saga.

​Buy Bloodmoon:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

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Author Aurora Whittet

aurora-whittet

Aurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Mama’s Knight: A Cancer Story of Love is just the latest in a string of acclaimed works. Her first official writing endeavor became The Bloodmark Saga, featuring a werewolf princess-turned-ruler who falls in love with a human boy. Her first novel in the Bloodmark Saga, Bloodmark, came out in 2013, followed by Bloodrealms in 2014 and the final book Bloodmoon in 2016.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

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Killer In The Band

A Lovers In Crime Mystery #3

by Lauren Carr

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Genre: Mystery

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My Review

This is the only series by Lauren that I hadn’t tried so I had to give it a go. I really enjoyed her others and had a good vibe about this book. And, as usual, I jumped into the series somewhere besides the beginning.

Not having read the books that came before, I was worried if I’d be able to follow this plot. No worries. I did just fine, as Lauren dropped in references to past events in the right places without slowing things down.

It didn’t take me long to recognize some of the characters. I checked, and sure enough, I’d met them before in Lauren’s Thorny Rose Series.

J.J. Thornton has finished law school and returns home for the summer to study for his bar exam. Staying at his father Joshua’s house is a bit awkward as he doesn’t care much for his step-mother, Detective Cameron Gates.

Things become contentious between J.J. and his father when he rekindles an old romance with Suellen. There’s some past history revealed about the earlier romance that explains Joshua’s disapproval.

Cameron convinces Joshua to mend fences after J.J. moves in with Suellen, and they pay a visit to the orchard and horse farm that Suellen inherited. Soon, the whole family is involved in running the ranch.

But a cold case that has haunted Cameron rears it’s ugly head and soon the killer’s crosshairs are pointed at J.J. It’s a race to solve the crime before more wind up dead.

As with her other books, the character list is large. For those who aren’t familiar with them, Lauren includes a list at the beginning of the book to help you. I still look at it now and then to get my bearings.

And there’s another cast of characters you’ll come to know. There’s Commanche, the abused horse saved by Suellen. And Captain Blackbeard, the beautiful stallion. Suellen’s family has kept his bloodline going for generations. Can’t forget Charley, the cranky rooster. He’s a force to be reckoned with and only seems to tolerate, Izzy, Joshua’s and Cameron’s adopted thirteen-year-old daughter. Numerous creatures, great and small, play large roles in this story. For you furry friend lover’s this is a huge plus. It was for me.

And I would love to meet someone like Poppy, the horse whisperer, or should I say animal whisperer. She seems to be able to communicate with animals and they adore and trust her.

I enjoyed the cold case scenario and the author threw in some surprises that I honestly didn’t anticipate. Kept the suspense and intrigue at a high pitch.

I’ve said it before and now I say it again, I flew through this book, dying to know the end, and not wanting it to end.

Loved it.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Summer of Love & Murder

Joshua’s eldest son, Joshua “J.J.” Thornton Jr., has graduated at the top of his class from law school and returns home to spend the summer studying for the bar exam. However, to Joshua’s and Cameron’s shock and dismay, J.J. moves into the main house at Russell Ridge Farm, the largest dairy farm in the Ohio Valley, to rekindle a romance with Suellen Russell, a onetime leader of a rock group who’s twice his age. Quickly, they learn that she has been keeping a deep dark secret.

The move brings long-buried tensions between the father and son to the surface. But when a brutal killer strikes, the Lovers in Crime must set all differences aside to solve the crime before J.J. ends up in the cross hairs of a murderer.

Praise for Lauren Carr’s Mysteries:

“Lauren Carr could give Agatha Christie a run for her money!”

​- Charlene Mabie-Gamble, Literary R&R

“As always, Lauren Carr brings an action-packed story that is almost impossible to put down. Her mystery plots have so many twists and turns that I didn’t know if I was coming or going. And the action just didn’t stop from the very beginning till the very end.” – Melina Mason, Melina’s Book Reviews

Buy the Book:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble

Author’s Bio:

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Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Book Trailer:

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Welcome back to the tour! I have my review of Boodrealms, Book Two all ready for you. And be sure to stop back by tomorrow for my review of Bloodmoon.

While you’re here, don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Bloodmark

The Blood Mark Saga #1

by Aurora Whittet

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Genre: YA Fantasy

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Click HERE for my review.

Synopsis

Sixteen-year-old werewolf princess Ashling Boru is different from other wolves–she was able to shift to a wolf at birth. Rather than bringing pride to her family, it brings fear, and she is sent to live in Ireland’s secluded countryside. Ashling’s reputation is further blackened when she refuses her betrothed, defying the ancient laws. When her pack’s oldest rivals begin to hunt her, she finds herself in the small town of York Harbor, Maine, far from everything she’s known.

When she crosses paths with dark and rebellious Grey Donavan, something ignites within her soul. There’s just one problem: Grey is human. Their instant connection turns into a passionate romance, and Ashling begins to believe she can create her own life outside of wolf laws. When she uncovers long-buried pack secrets that threaten to destroy all she holds dear, Ashling’s courage and tenacity are tested. Will she choose her deep and enduring love for Grey or will she follow Old Mother’s path to her destiny?

Buy Bloodmark:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Book Description for Bloodrealms (Book #2)

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My Review

I enjoyed Bloodmark, the first book in this series, and I knew there was so much going to happen in Bloodrealms.

There sure is a whole lot going on. Ashling now has four suitors vying for the right to claim her as their bride.  A couple of them seem to really love her. One seems to want Ashling as a trophy. And then there’s Eamon. I really don’t like that guy. Something is wrong about him.

There’s also someone or something watching Ashling. She’s attacked numerous times and barely escapes with her life.

Things get bloodier, even more dangerous, when Ashling and Grey enter the Bloodrealms. It’s a place of darkness and treachery. And evil from long ago roams there, waiting for more victims.

Holy cow. It was so hard to read the last half of this book. Grey, Brychan, Channing, and Eamon all have to fight in the arena. The last one standing will win the right to marry Ashling. I’m telling you, aside from Eamon,I was hard pressed to choose a favorite. All of these guys grew on me. The suspense was so intense. I’m still feeling it.

I feel I should explain about my feelings towards Eamon. He’s standoffish, gruff, and something isn’t quite right about him. I did get his story and it’s powerful.

I didn’t bond with Ashling that much in the first book. She changed so much in this one. I wondered how a teenage girl could step into the role of the Crimson Queen, unite the packs, and protect all living things. Sounds like a lot for one little girl.

Ashling grew page by page. She matured, found that stuff inside that she didn’t know she had. Became what she was meant to be. The pack chose her. She became The Chosen One. The author did a splendid job of achieving all of this in a way that made me forget this was a fantasy. I laughed with the pack. Cried with them. Fought with them. I became a part of the pack while reading their stories.

While the first book took a bit to grab me, this one did right from the beginning. The pace is fast, the romance is tangled and messy, and the intrigue, darkness, and violence really ramp up.

There’s no way I can stop with this series now. And lucky me, I already have the third book, Bloodmoon. That title alone gives me the shivers. Can’t wait.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Werewolf princess Ashling Boru’s eighteenth birthday is only a year away, which means that she only has twelve months before she is claimed and fulfills her prophecy to unite the packs and lead her people. Her father decrees that her four suitors must fight in the Bloodrealms, the werewolves’ ancient underground fighting world, and the winner will have King Boru’s choice to win Ashling’s hand. The wolf laws are rigid and barbaric, and Ashling’s illicit love for Grey, if discovered, will mean his death. But when Ashling and Grey get trapped in the blood-soaked depths of the Bloodrealms, they find ancient horrors far greater than Ashling’s father’s rule.

With betrayal around every corner and old nemeses set to destroy Ashling, she is more divided than ever between the destiny she didn’t choose and the love that she did. To make matters worse, her decision will not only set the course of her future, but the future of her entire race.

Buy Bloodrealms:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Book Description for Bloodmoon (Book #3)

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Synopsis

Just months shy of her claiming at Carrowmore and fulfilling a centuries-old prophecy, werewolf Ashling Boru has stepped into her role as the Crimson Queen. She finally has the support of her pack and her love for Grey is stronger than ever.

But it’s not easy being queen. Ashling’s guardian, Baran, has been captured by the Dvergars, a family of evil wolves who will stop at nothing to possess Ashling’s power and destroy everything–and everyone–she loves. Ashling must unite the clans and build an army to stand against the Dvergars before it’s too late. Unfortunately, the Dvergars also have armies of the darkest creatures the world has ever known.

Shadows loom, growing ever larger as generations of pack secrets begin to unfold. Ashling’s people, the humans they protect, and Old Mother Earth herself all hang in the balance of Ashling’s choices. Will Ashling have to forsake her true love to save the world? And will she have the strength to do it? Bloodmoon is the thrilling conclusion to the Bloodmark Saga.

​Buy Bloodmoon:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

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Author Aurora Whittet

aurora-whittet

Aurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Mama’s Knight: A Cancer Story of Love is just the latest in a string of acclaimed works. Her first official writing endeavor became The Bloodmark Saga, featuring a werewolf princess-turned-ruler who falls in love with a human boy. Her first novel in the Bloodmark Saga, Bloodmark, came out in 2013, followed by Bloodrealms in 2014 and the final book Bloodmoon in 2016.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

~~~~~

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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!

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Boy Meets Witch

The White Cat Chronicles

Book 1

G.A. Rael

Boy Meets Witch (The White Cat Chronicles Book 1) by [Rael, G.A.]

Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy

Date of Publication: 11/17/16

ASIN: B01M2URFOK

Number of pages: 186 / Word Count: 70,000

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Synopsis

“Are you an angel?” Harper asked, pleading internally for the answer to be no.

The tall, white-haired man gave a low chuckle. “Not quite. What I am isn’t nearly as important as who you are–and what I can do for you.”

Harper Adams is a witch on the run–from her past as a faith healer turned accidental arsonist, and from the power she’s kept locked away her whole life. She thinks she’s finally found a place she can settle down and call home in the picturesque town of Cold Creek, Vermont, but a mysterious white cat who may or may not be bent on taking the curvaceous witch’s soul has other plans.

Harper’s compassion soon gets the best of her and earns her an unwanted reputation as the town miracle worker as well as the ire of sexy veterinarian and militant atheist, Darren St. Clair. Cold Creek’s residents have a few supernatural secrets of their own, and Harper will have to face the destiny that led her to the last place a witch in hiding needs to be–that is, if Darren doesn’t have her chased out of town with a pitchfork-wielding mob before she gets the chance.

 

Grab Your Free Copy Nov 17-21 on Amazon

 

Enjoy the Excerpt

Without a word, the strange man stepped closer. His silken hair was too perfectly white to be a natural color, yet there wasn’t a trace of darkness at his roots. On closer inspection, Harper was horrified to realize that his eyes weren’t just the color of a cat’s but the shape, too. She tried to tell herself they were just theatrical contacts, but they shrunk so realistically as he stepped underneath the light that she began to doubt the only reasonable explanation.

“S-stay back,” she stammered, finding her voice once he was too close to dismiss as an illusion.

To her amazement, he halted in his steady approach.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said in a surprisingly gentle voice for someone so imposing. The contrast was so unsettling it made her shiver. His statuesque body and almost feminine facial features reminded her too much of the awful weeping angel statues in her church’s graveyard. Harper had always feared them as a child and now it seemed that one had come to life. The intruder was even beautiful in the same ethereal, almost grotesque way the statues were. “After all,” he continued in that melodic voice, “you did save my life.”

Harper stared at him in bewilderment. The words of a madman rarely made sense, she supposed. “I don’t even know you.”

“Maybe not, but I know you, Harper–or should I say, Alyssa? I’ve been watching over you for some time.”

She tried to swallow but the coffee had left her mouth dry. “How do you know that name?”

His stone lips curved into a slight smile. “I know everything about you. For instance, I know your father’s name is Byron Hurlow and he’s the preacher at the Rockport Trinity Tabernacle in Little Rock, Arkansas. I know you’ve been running for a little over two years now, and I know that you fear angels more than anything except maybe hurting the ones you love.” His cat eyes narrowed and his voice lowered to a knowing tone as he said, “I also know about the fire.”

Harper took a step back only to trip into a stack of boxes behind her. Before she could save herself, the man caught her and rested his hands on her shoulders, keeping a slight distance between them. She marveled at the bizarre display of propriety in the midst of such threatening behavior, but she didn’t complain. His skin was surprisingly warm.

“Be careful,” he murmured. “You always were a klutz.”

He said it so casually, as if they were old friends. “Who are you?” she asked shakily. “How could you possibly know about the –“

“The fire?” he offered. “Like I said, I’ve been watching you for a very long time.”

“Are you an angel?” Harper asked, pleading internally for the answer to be no.

The tall, white-haired man gave a low chuckle. “Not quite. What I am isn’t nearly as important as who you are–and what I can do for you.”

“You could start by putting on some clothes.”

About Author G.A. Rael

 

G.A. Rael is a practicing witch and author of paranormal romance and mysteries. She’s had a lifelong love affair with all things that go bump in the night, and it’s her firm belief that monsters deserve their happily-ever-afters, too. When she isn’t writing, you can find G.A. watching campy horror films with her husband and two cats in beautiful seaside New England.

Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Dispelled

A Null for Hire Novel

Book One

Terri L. Austin

Genre: urban fantasy

Date of Publication: Nov. 1, 2016

ISBN ebook: 978-1-946066-00-8

ISBN print: 978-1-946066-01-5

Number of pages: 340 / Word Count: 90,000

Cover Artist: http://www.thedarkrayne.com/

 

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Synopsis

They call me an abomination. A mutant. A curse on their kind.

I don’t let it bother me. Much.

My name is Holly James, and what they say is true. I’m a freak of nature—a null. My mere presence zaps the magic from Others, rendering them powerless. That’s why they hate me. But here’s the kicker: I’ve found a way to profit from my lack of mojo.

Whether it’s acting as a mystical wet blanket in a dispute between pyromancers or keeping hormonal shifters from changing during a sweet sixteen party, I provide a highly specialized service. For a hefty fee.

When a young witch turns up dead, clutching an amulet cursed with black magic, my estranged grandfather asks for my help. In return for nullifying the necklace, Gramps promises to find my missing mother—a witch who vanished after my birth. Of course there’s a catch. He wants me to assist Cade McAllister, the arrogant sorcerer in charge of investigating the case.

Cade resents my existence, let alone my attempts to help. Still, I’ll do whatever it takes to find my mom. For my own peace of mind I have to know what happened to her, and I won’t allow anything to get in my way. Not even this crazy, irrational longing I feel for a hot sorcerer with the sexiest scowl I’ve ever seen.

Amazon     iTunes    Kobo    BN

 

About Author Terry L. Austin

Terri L. Austin

Terri L. Austin is a mild-mannered writer by day and a reality TV junkie by night. She lives in Missouri with her family, and loves to hear from readers.

 

Drop her a line:

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter 

Goodreads / Pinterest / All About The Tea

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