Archive for the ‘Guest Post’ Category

Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: March 11, 2023 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, Guest Post
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Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder

A Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery Book 1

by Joyce Proell and Brenda Whiteside

Genre: Cozy Mystery

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It’s a birthday weekend with the gift of murder.

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Recently widowed, Emma Banefield looks forward to a getaway birthday weekend with her free-wheeling sister, Nicole Earp, sipping chocolate martinis at the peaceful, historic Dulce Inn. When a rude stranger, a nasty food critic, and a madhouse of temperamental artists greet them, all hope for a tranquil weekend evaporates faster than dew on a hot desert morning.

Overlooking the riotous atmosphere is doubly hard after Em discovers the body of a hotel guest, and a second murder affects Nic personally. Now, entrenched in a caper that pits them against a surly detective, they cozy up to a hotel staff hiding dangerous secrets to uncover clues to the killer.

Using their smarts and love of all-things mystery, will the Chocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime ahead of the obstinate Chief Detective or find themselves trapped in the middle of a third murder?

**NEW RELEASE!!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

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A Cozy Mystery Setting

by Brenda Whiteside

 

The inspiration for the setting of Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder is a real-life historical western town, Prescott, Arizona, and a decades old hotel called the Hassayampa Inn. What fun it’s been having the Martini Sisters frequent this colorful spot. The names have been changed to protect the not so innocent. Here’s a peek into where the murder and mayhem happen with the sisters solving the capers.

 

WYATT, ARIZONA, formerly Juniper until 1880, is located at the base of the Bradshaw Mountains, two hours north of Phoenix, and named for Wyatt Earp who frequented the historical Azul Restaurant and Saloon located inside the Dulce Inn. The town hall sits in the middle of the town square. The dated building displays white pillars and dozens of steps. Festivals and art fairs are held in the town square. The town has a slight old west feel with turn of the century buildings. Arizonans don’t consider Wyatt high desert because it is lush with ponderosa pine and juniper. Gold Creek runs through the west side of town two blocks from the town square. After a rain, you might actually be able to pan small gold nuggets.

 

THE DULCE INN, a 150-year-old establishment, is situated on Dry Gulch Avenue, the main road through town, and is across the street from the town square. The inn is ranked as the oldest and classiest boutique hotel in Wyatt, Arizona. Brass and glass double doors enter off the street. Rich jewel colors of gold, deep sage green, burgundy, rust, and purple can be seen throughout the lobby, restaurant, and saloon. On the thick ceiling beams, gold and deep sage green are gilded in an interlaced pattern.  Painted wall murals echo images of nearby rugged mountains, and tall, arched doors lead to a pretty patio and garden. The hotel resonates taste and southwestern charm. Leather chesterfields in the center of the room, invite you to curl with a cup of coffee in hand, while the soft glow from the brass Stiffle lamps on the end tables toss light across the open book in your lap. Above the enormous fireplace, a pastoral desert painting looms large over the oak mantel. A huge block of carved oak forms the reservation desk.

 

THE AZUL RESTAURANT AND SALOON is located within the Dulce Inn. The one great room is divided by a half-wall topped with a glass partition to separate the dining tables from the bar. The effect allows both sections their own ambience and patrons seated at the bar to enjoy the beautiful stained-glass windows on the far side of the restaurant as well as the stamped copper ceiling from the 1800s. In the restaurant, gold-colored cloths cover the tables with chairs covered in a striped pattern of gold, burgundy, and rust. Wait staff wear black slacks and sage green tailored button-down shirts.

 

That’s just a taste of where murder, mayhem, and amateur sleuthing happens for the lively and enjoyable Chocolate Martini Sisters. Come join them there and enjoy the rest of the setting:

*Semi-secluded patio attached to the inn, with a decorative Japanese maple tree, cedar, lounge chairs, a pergola covered with wisteria vines and a black iron bench for sitting

*The police station dating back to the early 1900s

* Jen’s Java Café, Peace Out Bookstore, and Murder & Mayhem Bookstore

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**Coming Soon September 2023!!**

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Joyce Proell is the award-winning author of Amaryllis, Eliza and the Cady Delafield mysteries: A Deadly Truth, A Burning Truth and A Wicked Truth. Along with her husband and little dog, Nellie, she lives in Minnesota in her very own little house on the prairie. She loves to hear from readers.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won’t discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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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 go HERE.

The Adventures Of Winston The Pig: Meet Winston ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: March 1, 2023 in Action/Adventure, Children's books, giveaways, Guest Post
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The Adventures of Winston the Pig: Meet Winston

Written by Sarah Ambrosia Mulleneaux

Illustrated by Nadiya Lobanova

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

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Winston the pig is not like the other animals where he lives. He has big red glasses and loves eating more than almost anything. He also has a habit of getting into trouble. Join Winston on the first of many adventures as he tries to find his place in the world and learns some valuable lessons along the way.

Amazon * B&N

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How did you decide to become an author?

I always loved to read even as a kid. I would make up stories for my siblings and sometimes would even do plays. I just have always thought it would be neat to write a children’s book. Felt that I needed to.

 

What is something unique/quirky about you?

I sort of have an obsession with the movie Dirty Dancing. I have different anniversary dvd versions and have gone to see the movie in the theater when they bring it back. I have even been to the resort where most of the movie was filmed. When a song plays from the movie I could tell you what scene that is. I love Patrick Swayze!

 

What’s something really interesting that has happened to you?

I recently was part of a reality tv show. I went for filming in January. I then got invited back for another season and I go for filming for that in June of this year. It is a reality entrepreneurship docu series. I run a pooper scooper business with my twin boys called The Poop Fairy.

 

How do you find time to write as a parent?

Luckily my boys are now 22 so that makes it easier to write. Its difficult to find time writing when I work full time as a nurse still and run a business with my sons. I have a rotating day off during the week from nursing and that is when I can sit down surrounded by my dogs and write. I am also a fast typer so makes it easier to write. I am better at expressing myself on paper.

 

What did you enjoy most about writng this book?

The thing I enjoyed most about writing this book is that it is based on my real life potbelly pig named Winston. Kids get to learn some facts about pigs that they may have not known before. I was a lot like Winston when I was younger. I was really shy and had a hard time making friends. I can relate to Winston because of that and I think kids will also. What helped me make friends was finding something I was good at. First it was tetherball and then it was basketball. I feel that being good at something it was easier to make friends. Winston is really good with his nose. Probably his greatest asset and it helped him to fit in.

 

Tell a little about Winston. What makes him tick, his love of food and how he uses that to cope with his feelings.

I got Winston from a mutual facebook friend when he was just a couple months old. I always wanted a pig. There is no such thing as a mini pig. If you see one they have probably been starved. For this reason the pig sanctuaries are full because people think they stay little. Pigs are also very smart and very stubborn. They are very routine animals. Winston has his own toddler bed at the foot of my bed that he sleeps in with a bunch of blankets that he likes to root in first. On the mornings that I work and he hears me brushing my teeth he will usually go outside through the dog door and go potty. Then he knows its going to be breakfast time. He usually throws a fit by making noises while I am preparing the food because Im not preparing it fast enough. When I leave for work he stays in his kennel that he gets in once I get some cheerios in my hand. Winston loves music. He will wag his tail when music comes on that he likes. He loves belly rubs and his back being scratched with a back scratcher. He likes to eat anything that I am eating. This is how I know he does not like bell peppers and black olives and more recently limes. He will try anything though.

 

Have you written anything else that is not published?

I used to write poems so those would be really the only other things i have written that haven’t been published.

 

What kind of research do you do before writing?

For this book I had researched facts about pigs. I did this research when I first got Winston. Googled everything.

 

What inspired you to write this book/series?

What inspired me to write this series was that Winston was always getting in trouble for something. Mostly it was tearing his beds up. I could not find a bed that he would not tear up with his nose. He has also put holes in my walls with that nose of his. He was not happy that I was gone at work and that the dogs took over his kennel. I now lock him in his kennel and he has behaved since for the most part. Someone had told me i should start a blog so at first I did. I then met Nadyia the illustrator and we agreed to do a children’s book together. Winston was the perfect character. I plan on writing many more adventures with Winston and introducing my other pets into the books. The next book I was going to introduce my Frenchie Owen and maybe my other three dogs. Owen used to bring me large rocks from out in the dog run. He thought they would make good chew toys. In the next book Owen’s dad is a rock collector and Owen wants to take one of his dad’s best rocks for show and tell but he tells him no. In the book Winston helps Owen and they both learn a lesson along the way.

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Sarah lives in Arizona with her husband, kids, and menagerie of pets including Winston the pig. She is a surgical nurse who loves writing and has enjoyed working on this book with her friend and colleague, Nadiya. She and her two sons also run a pooper scooper business called The Poop Fairy.

Facebook * Instagram * Amazon

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Nadiya Lobanova is a medical and scientific illustrator with a surgical nursing background. Due to her wide interest in other fields, she is also keen on creating illustrations for children’s books and thus teamed up with Sarah to visualize a wonderful story in hopes of bringing a bit more kindness to this world through a growing generation.

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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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 go HERE.

Fact and Fiction ~ Guest Post by Author Justin M. Kiska

Posted: February 27, 2023 in Guest Post, Mystery
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Fact & Fiction

by Justin M. Kiska

Fact & Fiction by Justin M. Kiska

February 13 – March 10, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

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Synopsis:

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Parker City, Autumn 1984…

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As the leaves begin to change colors and the weather starts turning cooler in the historic city in the heart of Western Maryland, Parker City Police Detectives Ben Winters and Tommy Mason are called to Saint Paul’s where the recently installed Father Roland Taylor, who has become very popular in the community, has been found dead in his office at the church. By all appearances it seems to be a tragic case of a break-in gone wrong. Only twenty-four hours later, the detectives find themselves at the home of the city’s well-known morning radio show DJ, Morning Mike Moran, who also seems to have been the victim of a robbery gone wrong. Coincidence? Neither Ben nor Tommy believe in coincidences. But at first glance, it seems to be just that. Until they find that the victims shared a common interest and begin an investigation that leads them to uncover a secret Parker City has been hiding for over one hundred and twenty years.

 

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedural

Published by: Level Best Books Publication Date: February 2023 Number of Pages: 330 Series: Parker City Mysteries, Book 3 | Each is a Stand Alone

Book Links: Amazon

Enjoy this peek inside:
The best laid plans, Ben thought to himself as he parked in front of Saint Paul’s Roman Catholic Church on Braddock Street. His hope of getting a few extra hours of sleep after spending the last several nights out late on a stakeout was shattered just a little after eight in the morning. The ringing of the telephone entwined seamlessly with his dream of being a concert violinist making his debut at Carnegie Hall. Something he could not in any way understand because he couldn’t play any instrument, let alone the violin. It wasn’t until the conductor in his dream started to tell him to leave his name and number after the beep that he realized he was hearing his own voice on the message answering machine. With bleary eyes, he crossed out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, grabbing the telephone just as Shirley, one of the PCPD’s dispatchers, was about to hang up. “Hello. Hello?” he answered, trying to shake away the mental cobwebs. “Hey, sweetie,” Shirley said with her slight southern drawl. “Sorry to wake you.” “I wasn’t…I mean, I…” “It’s okay, sugar. I heard you and Tommy were out late. But you got ‘em, so it’s all good.” “Yeah. We did. What’s going on?” “I’m afraid you’re going to have to catch up on your sleep some other time, dumplin’. You need to get over to Saint Paul’s. Patrol is reporting a break-in and Father Taylor was found D.O.A.” That was all Ben needed to hear. The words were like a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart. He showered, skipped shaving–not that anyone would be able to tell with his baby face–and headed out the door. Just as he was stepping out of the car in front of the church, Tommy’s Bronco pulled up next to him. Rolling down the window, from behind a pair of what looked like extra dark sunglasses, Tommy asked, “Please tell me I didn’t hear Shirley right?” “A break-in and possible homicide?” “Yeah.” “You heard her right.” “Dammit.” Tommy did a quick U-turn and parked across the street. Getting out of the truck, he fumbled around in the back seat, finally pulling out a rumpled corduroy sport coat. Pulling it on over his wrinkled shirt, he noticed his partner giving him the once over as he crossed the road to meet him on the sidewalk. “This is the best you’re gonna’ get today,” Tommy said pulling his badge out of his pocket and clipping it to the lapel of his jacket. “Hell, you’re lucky I put pants on. But I know how much you like me to dress up for crime scenes.” It was true, Ben was always wearing a suit. He thought it helped to project a certain amount of authority while working a case. Considering he only looked like he was barely in his twenties when he was now thirty, it also helped him to look a little older. Truth be told, Ben could be wearing ripped up jeans and a leather biker’s jacket and he would still look like the boy next door. He was the poster child for what a stand-up Boy Scout should look like. Tommy, on the other hand, would love to wear a leather jacket and jeans every day. He preferred comfort when it came to his attire. The reverse of Ben was true for Tommy. Even if he would show up wearing an expensive three-piece suit from a fancy story on New York’s Fifth Avenue, he’d still come off as a bad boy. The kind of guy all the girls fell for but would never take home to meet their mother. Mostly out of fear that their mothers would also fall for him. “Any other details?” Tommy asked as he checked his Tom Selleck-style mustache in the side mirror of Ben’s car. “I just got here myself.” “I thought we were going to be able to take it easy after we picked up that dipshit last night. I mean, come on. We can’t even get a few hours of sleep!” “Our burden is heavy,” Ben said, wondering if his sarcasm got through. “The only thing that could make this morning any worse…” “You mean other than finding the dead body of a popular priest?” “You know what I mean…” Tommy said putting his hands up in his defense, “…is if the responding officer is…dammit.” Ben turned to see Officer Buck LuCoco lumber out of the door to the church offices. A very large man, neither Ben nor Tommy understood how LuCoco was still on patrol. The fact he’d been with the department since the ‘50s and never been promoted beyond a patrol officer didn’t surprise either of them. He was one of the PCPD’s old guard that did absolutely as little as possible, while doing just enough to not be fired for complete dereliction of duty. Tommy thought he was a lazy slob. Ben couldn’t argue. The only thing LuCoco had going for him was his institutional knowledge of the city. He’d been around long enough to know a little about everyone and everything. “Be nice,” Ben said to his partner through gritted teeth as LuCoco waddled his way to them. “Good morning, Buck.” The officer grunted a response as he wiped his face with a handkerchief, finally saying, “It’s not a good morning for Father Taylor.” “There was a break-in?” Ben asked. “Yeah. One of the secretaries got here about seven-forty-five. She found the front door unlocked and thought Taylor already opened up for the day. Then she found the door to the priest’s office smashed and him dead. Now, I’m no expert, but I’ve been around long enough to know what a robbery-gone-wrong looks like. Whoever broke in here musta gotten caught by Taylor then they offed him.” “Not being an expert, what makes you think that?” Tommy asked, barely containing the mockery. “Well, there’s a pretty good hole in the priest’s head that looks like it coulda been caused by the heavy candlestick with blood on it lying next to him, smartass.” “Alright,” Ben said in a tone that let both men know they needed to cool it. “Where’s the secretary now?” “She’s in with Thompson.” Ben knew Tommy was thinking the same thing he was. If Thompson had also responded, he’d have secured the scene using the protocols they’d been trying to get all of the patrol officers to use. He was one of the officers in the department who understood the importance of the new techniques being employed at a crime scene, and therefore the need to preserve a scene’s integrity. Unlike LuCoco and the guys who’d complained when Ben and Tommy had been promoted who thought if you couldn’t see a clue with your bare eyes, it wasn’t there. “We’re going to head in and take a look around. Buck, will you radio in and have them roll the Crime Scene Unit and let the coroner know they have a pick-up?” “Your wish is my command, Detective.” “Hey. That’s Detective-Sergeant, remember,” Tommy corrected. “Remember, he outranks you in this department.” Watching LuCoco head for his squad car, Ben said, “You really don’t need to do that.” “What?” Tommy asked innocently. “Throw my rank around. Sometimes I think you care more about it than I do.” “Well, he needs to respect your stripes,” Tommy said in his defense. “And…I just don’t like him. I’m always afraid he’s going to have a heart attack and drop dead right in front of us. Then we’ll have so much paperwork to fill out. Seriously? Do you think he even knows what a salad is?” Sometimes Ben needed to play the role of a stern father. “Okay. I get it. You have very strong feelings about him. But that’s enough now. If someone really did kill Roland Taylor, we’ve already got a big problem on our hands. I don’t need you starting another one with LuCoco.” “Fine,” Tommy said, doing his best impression of a petulant child. “I’ll behave myself. Your wish is my command, Detective-Sergeant.” *** Excerpt from Fact & Fiction by Justin M. Kiska. Copyright 2023 by Justin M. Kiska. Reproduced with permission from Justin M. Kiska. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Justin M. Kiska:
Justin M. Kiska

When not sitting in his library devising new and clever ways to kill people (for his mysteries), Justin can usually be found at The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, outside of Washington, DC, where he is one of the owners and producers. In addition to writing the Parker City Mysteries Series – which includes, NOW & THEN, VICE & VIRTUE, and FACT & FICTION – he is also the mastermind behind Marquee Mysteries, a series of interactive mystery events he has been writing and producing for over fifteen years. Justin and his wife, Jessica, live along Lake Linganore outside of Frederick, Maryland.

Catch Up With Our Author: JustinKiska.com Goodreads BookBub – @JMKiska Instagram – @JMKiska Twitter – @JustinKiska Facebook – @JMKiska

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, and guest posts!  

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

The Key To Circus-Mom Highway by Allyson Rice ~ Review And Giveaway

Posted: February 15, 2023 in giveaways, Guest Post, reviews
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Book Details:

Book Title:  The Key to Circus-Mom Highway by Allyson Rice
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+) ,  270 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Publisher: The Total Human Press
Release date:   Jan 3, 2023
Content Rating: PG-13 + M because one of the characters swears a lot, and she drops some f-bombs. Also, there are short flashback scenes that reveal the mom’s history and it includes rape (not graphically depicted in the novel)

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My Review

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Okay, I confess. The cover for this book was the first thing that hooked me into wanting to read it. Then I read the description. What a cast of characters. And the locale. The southern states. That’s my stomping ground.

So, I opened the book and started reading. And before I new it I was half way through. It was getting really late and I shrugged. Already up too late, might as well see how it ends. What a hoot this was. I really enjoyed the characters, and their back and forth dialogue was spot on. Felt so real and familiar, like I recognized them. Have you ever read a book and thought you’d seen the movie? That’s how well the author showed me her story. And my funny bone got tickled often.

This book was not only a week long crazy road trip for the characters. It was a TRIP to read!

5 STARS

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Book Description:

In an attempt to secure an unexpected inheritance—and hopefully find a few answers—two estranged sisters and their newly discovered brother embark on a comically surreal trip through the Deep South to retrace the life of the mother who abandoned them as infants.

On a Tuesday afternoon, sisters Jesse Chasen and Jennifer McMahon receive a phone call notifying them that their birth mother has died, leaving behind a significant inheritance. But in order to obtain it, they must follow a detailed road trip she designed for them to get to know her—and that includes finding a brother they never knew existed.

For the next week, this ill-assorted trio treks across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia to meet their mother’s old friends, from circus performers to a juke joint owner, each of whom delivers a shocking vignette into the life of a young mother traumatized by loss and abuse. Along the way, these three siblings—Jesse, whose fiery exterior disguises a wounded, drifting musician stuck in a rut; Jennifer, whose carefully curated family life is threatened by her husband’s infidelity; and Jack, whose enigmatic Jackie, Oh! persona in the New Orleans drag queen scene helps him escape the nightmares of Afghanistan that haunt him at night—must confront their own demons (and at least one alligator). But in chasing the truth about their real mother, they may all just find their second chance.

​This uproarious debut novel is a reminder that sometimes, the family you’d never have chosen may turn out to be exactly what you need.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
B&N ~ Kobo ~ Target ~
BookBub
add to goodreads
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Guest Post

What do I hope readers take away from my novel?

Heartbreak and Humor: Life is a Layered Experience

Here’s what I hope that readers will take away from my novel The Key to Circus-Mom Highway.” The novel is about family, forgiveness, and the absurdity of the world we live in. Even when serious themes are at play, there are also humorous things all around to keep you laughing if you pay attention (in the book, as in life). That’s an important takeaway because life itself is a layered experience. We might be experiencing great challenges, difficult setbacks, and heartbreaking loss. But… there is also beauty around us at all times; and ridiculous, humorous things; and people who care about us.

A few of the life themes that I explore in the book, layered throughout the ongoing string of humorous events, are 1) how our first impressions of people aren’t always the most accurate, and how those impressions–especially negative ones–can change as we get to know that person better; 2) how, even with people who initially seem very different from us, we can find common ground as human beings; 3) how we put up defensive walls to protect ourselves after we’ve been hurt, and how those walls often keep out the people who love us and who might be trying to help us; 4) how we don’t have to be ruled by our past experiences and the things that have hurt us–we can decide at any moment to start anew and be a phoenix rising from the ashes; 5) how things in our lives can change in a heartbeat–our relationships, our external circumstances, etc.–and we can choose to allow our habitual reactions to change as well; and 6) when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable with others and change our perceptions and take down our defensive walls, we actually feel less alone in the world because we can feel the love and support that surrounds us.

The biggest thing I hope that people take away from the book when they read that final page and put it down is a feeling of happiness, satisfaction, and hopeful about the potential second chances in their own life.

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Meet the Author:

Allyson Rice is a writer, mixed media artist, and a producer with Atomic Focus Entertainment, currently splitting her time between Los Angeles, CA, and Rehoboth Beach, DE. She’s a graduate of Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication. After spending many years as an actress on stage and on television, she left acting and spent the next decade running yoga/meditation retreats, women’s retreats, and creativity retreats around the country. After that, she pivoted to focus on her own creative work. In addition to her writing and art, she’s also a photographer.

Some random bits of Allyson trivia:

  1. She’s been skydiving, paragliding, bungee jumping, ziplining through a rainforest, and scuba diving with stingrays;
  2. she has an extensive PEZ dispenser collection;
  3. she played Connor Walsh on As the World Turns for seven years;
  4. she’s been in the Oval Office at the White House after hours;
  5. she’s related to the Hatfields of the infamous Hatfield/McCoy feud; and
  6. her comedic rap music video “Fine, I’ll Write My Own Damn Song” won numerous awards in the film festival circuit. 


Also available from Allyson is her line of women’s coloring books (The Color of Joy, Dancing with Life, and Wonderland), and The Creative Prosperity PlayDeck, an inspirational card deck about unlocking and utilizing your creative energy in the world. They’re available on www.Allyson-Wonderland.com.

She’s currently at work on her second novel and her fourth women’s coloring book.

Also, anyone who signs up for Allyson’s periodic author newsletter on her website will be entered in a drawing to have a character in her next novel named after them, and a free book will be given away in each newsletter to a subscriber!

Connect with the author: website ~ Allyson Wonderland ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ instagram ~ instagram ~ pinterest ~ goodreads ~ bookbub

 
Enter the Giveaway:

The Key to Circus-Mom Highway by Allyson Rice Book Tour 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 go HERE.

Bear Stalker by Paty Jager ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: February 12, 2023 in giveaways, Guest Post, Mytery/Thriller
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Bear Stalker

Gabriel Hawke Novels Book 10

by Paty Jager

Genre: Police Procedural, Game Warden Mystery Thriller

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Greed, misdirection, and murder have Hawke rushing to track his sister in the Montana wilderness before she becomes the next victim. Bear Stalker is book 10 in the highly acclaimed Gabriel Hawke Game Warden mystery series.
Oregon State Trooper Gabriel Hawke’s sister, Marion, is on a corporate retreat in Montana when she becomes a murder suspect. Running for her life from the real killer, she contacts Hawke for help.
Hawke heads to Montana to find his sister and prove she isn’t a murderer. He hasn’t seen Marion in over twenty years but he knows she wouldn’t kill the man she was about to marry.
As they dig into possible embezzlement, two more murders, and find themselves trying to outsmart a wilderness-wise kidnapper, Hawke realizes his sister needs to return home and immerse herself in their heritage. Grief is a journey that must be traveled and knowing her fiancé had wanted Marion to dance again, Hawke believes their culture would help her heal.

Reviews of Bear Stalker by Amazon Reviewers:

I love reading the Hawke series. Hawke is a very caring person though he comes off as a little distant and wary. This however comes from his years on the reservation, in the military, and as a trooper for the state Fish and Wildlife department. Hawke will do what it takes to protect someone who is hurt or innocent even if it means he bends a few rules and keeps things from her boss. The mystery is great. There are plenty of twists, turns, and red herrings to keep you guessing who is behind everything. I recommend this to mystery fans and fans of police procedurals. Also anyone who enjoys reading mysteries with indigenous characters.

The Gabriel Hawke mystery series is very compelling. I loved this latest book in the series!
It combines hunting a murderer, Native American culture, and the importance of family.

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

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Road Trip

When I decided Bear Stalker,
book 10 in my Gabriel Hawke series would be set in Montana, I knew
exactly where I wanted to go and what I wanted to see. Nearly five
years earlier, my hubby and I had been in Montana to run an errand at
the southern end of the state (long story) and then headed north to
visit my cousin who lives on the north end of Flathead Lake.

While going from one end to the other,
I saw a resort on a small island in a lake. I commented it would be a
nice place to go for a writing retreat. Maybe meet up with some
author friends who lived in the Midwest.

Fast forward to my decision to write a
book in that area. I contacted my sister-in-law who is always up for
an adventure and asked if she wanted to go on a research road trip
with me. She exclaimed, “Yes!” and I began planning.

I found an AirBNB in the general area I
wanted to explore and then I told her the dates I would pick her up
and drop her back home. This road trip took place in June. The
mountains were green and lush. The rivers and streams were running
from the spring thaw. It was beautiful everywhere we went.

We side-tripped to a couple of places
that may or may not have ended up in the book. 😉

 

At the church in St. Ignatius where we
stopped to take in its beauty, I talked with a woman, asking her if a
road I spotted on the map that went through the area I was interested
in would be navigable with my Jeep Cherokee. She promptly called her
son who lived on the road and crossed the unpaved expanse to visit
his in-laws. He replied yes. I thanked the woman and we set off to
cross through the wilderness that Hawke’s sister uses to evade the
man who killed her fiancé.

This is why I love road trips to see an
area I am writing about. I wouldn’t have experienced the
undergrowth, the trees, the rain, and the smells if I hadn’t
kidnapped my sister-in-law and asked a stranger about a road.

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** Don’t miss the rest of the series here! **

The ancient art of tracking is his greatest strength…

And his biggest weakness.

Fish and Wildlife State Trooper Gabriel Hawke is a master tracker. His determination to discover what is at the end of the trail in the wilderness, a paper trail, or a murder investigation helps him uncover the truth. His desire to stay true to his ancestors and Indigenous roots keeps him grounded.

Reviews from a blog tour for book #1:

This traditional mystery, book #1 in a new series, has good character depth and features a strong Native American character. ~The Power of Words

“The blend of nature tracking, clues, and the animals makes for a fascinating mystery that is hard to put down.” ~Books a Plenty Book Reviews

Her (Jager’s) writing is well-crafted, gripping, authentic. The story appeals right from the beginning, mainly because of her unique protagonist, Fish & Wildlife State Trooper Gabriel Hawke. Readers will eagerly follow every step (and miss-step) of his investigation into this complex, multi-faceted murder.

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Murder of Ravens

Gabriel Hawke #1

Game warden Gabriel Hawke is after poachers in the Wallowa Whitman National Forest, when he comes across a body wearing a wolf tracking collar.

**Audiobook On Sale at Authors’ Direct for only $1.99!!**

https://www.books2read.com/u/bxZwMP

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Mouse Trail Ends

Gabriel Hawke #2

Dead bodies in the wilderness. A child is missing. Hawke is an expert tracker, but he isn’t the only one looking for the child.

https://books2read.com/u/mlYaWB

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Rattlesnake Brother

Gabriel Hawke #3

Fish and Wildlife State Trooper Gabriel Hawke encounters a hunter with an illegal tag. The name on the tag belongs to the Wallowa County District Attorney and the man holding the tag isn’t the public defender. When the hunter ends up dead, Hawke believes the DA is the killer.

https://books2read.com/u/3JyooJ

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Chattering Blue Jay

Gabriel Hawke #4

Hawke is enlisted to find an escaped prisoner. He’s paired with a boastful tracker who doesn’t follow directions, making them both targets.

https://books2read.com/u/4NQJ2o

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Fox Goes Hunting

Gabriel Hawke #5

In Iceland to teach a tracking class, Hawke discovers a body in a boiling mud pool. He has five days to catch the killer.

https://books2read.com/u/3yEjKv

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Turkey’s Fiery Demise

Gabriel Hawke #6

State Trooper Gabriel Hawke is called to a vehicle on fire. When the steam and smoke clears, a charred body is slumped over the steering wheel. Hawke doesn’t believe it was an accident.

https://books2read.com/u/38RnOZ

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Stolen Butterfly

Gabriel Hawke #7

Angered over how the local officials are responding to a missing Umatilla woman, Hawke teams up with a security guard at the Indian casino and an FBI agent. Together they uncover a human trafficking ring.

https://books2read.com/u/baZEPq

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Churlish Badger

Gabriel Hawke #8

After finding an abandoned vehicle, Hawke digs for clues and turns up two bodies buried on a farm. Who killed the two and why keeps Hawke circling for answers, forcing the killer to burrow down or attack.

https://books2read.com/u/mZZx2l

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Owl’s Silent Strike

Gabriel Hawke #9

Unexpected snowstorm. Unfortunate accident. And a body. Gabriel Hawke must battle a snowstorm to find a killer and get off the mountain alive.

https://books2read.com/u/bw19DG

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Paty Jager is the award-winning author of the Shandra Higheagle mysteries, Gabriel Hawke Novels, and Spotted Pony Casino Mystery series. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters.Paty and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.

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Website * Blog * Facebook * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a 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 go HERE.

Everything You Dream Is Real by Lisa De Nikolits ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: December 23, 2022 in giveaways, Guest Post, Romance
Tags: , ,
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Everything You Dream Is Real

by Lisa de Nikolits

Genre: Speculative Fantasy Fiction, Romance

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From the award-winning “Queen of Canadian Speculative Fiction” comes a futuristic, multigenerational love story and a gripping edge-of-your-seat thriller. Filled with a cast of loveable, unforgettable, and entirely unique characters, the novel is a fabulous, adventure-filled sequel to highly-acclaimed The Rage Room – or read it as a standalone. Mad Max: Fury Road meets a futuristic True Romance in a highly original and imaginative novel.

Eleven years after a world war destroyed the consumer-driven, plastic-based existence of 2055, a new order of players jostles for power. Streaky electricity, ravaging drought, a scarcity of food, and deadly Monarch butterflies make for an increasingly desperate situation.

Worlds collide when both Mother and Sharps’s children are kidnapped by the unstable plastic surgeon Alpha Plus and taken to The Fountain of Youth compound. There’s flowing water and beautiful people and beautiful clothes and an incongruous convent where children wear smart uniforms and are tutored by nuns. Lovely, until they discover that a subterranean sex trade funds the compound and the man who leads it is mad. Can Mother, Sharps, and the others take down Alpha Plus and his army? Or will they too become pawns in his bid for world domination?

Hilarious and at the same time poignant, Everything You Dream Is Real is a fabulous, adventure-filled sequel to highly acclaimed The Rage Room that will delight fans both new and old.

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**On Sale for 30% off at InannaBooks with code “holiday22” !**

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InannaBooks * Amazon * B&N * Google * Kobo * Goodreads

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Did you find yourself having a “favourite” amongst your characters? If so, who was it and why?

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I always love my secondary characters the most. It’s almost a trend that secondary characters in my short stories become protagonists in later novels. Mother/Mariangela was a minor character in The Rage Room but she’s a big shiny star in in Everything You Dream is Real, because I just knew she had so much more to give.

 

I was particularly fond of the convicts who get trapped inside Sharps’ head (he’s the protagonist of The Rage Room.) I loved the convicts so much that I extravagantly overwrote them. There were so many of them that they were a book unto themselves and my substantive editor had to rigorously cull a lot of the content.

 

I love so many of the characters in Everything You Dream is Real. Take Anise, for example. She’s so sassy, with such great style (I picture her as Linda Evangelista in the 1990’s) but the character development she shows is heart wrenching at times. She’s a beautiful baddass who’s been through a lot.

 

If you had to describe your book in one sentence, what would you say?

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Planet Earth, irremediably afflicted by a war born from mankind’s avarice and negligence, is now home to the remnants of a civilization forced to navigate a decadent world.

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DECK YOUR DAYS WITH GREAT BOOKS!
because #FemLitCan change the world!

INANNA ANNUAL HOLIDAY SALE! 30% off until January 3!

Until January 3! Browse our website and at check out, type in the coupon code
holiday22
to receive your 30% discount!
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Lisa de Nikolits is the internationally award-winning author of ten novels (all Inanna Publications). No Fury Like That was published in Italian in 2019 by Edizione Le Assassine as Una furia dell’altro mondo. Her short fiction and poetry have also been published in various anthologies and journals internationally. She is a member of the Mesdames of Mayhem, the Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, The Australian Crime Writers, The Short Fiction Mystery Association and the International Thriller Writers. Originally from South Africa, Lisa de Nikolits came to Canada in 2000. She lives and writes in Toronto.

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Website* Facebook* Twitter* Instagram* Bookbub* Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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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 go HERE.

The Other Santa Series by Anna Del C Dye ~ Fun Facts And Giveaway

Posted: December 16, 2022 in giveaways, Guest Post, Romance
Tags: , ,
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A Christmas Miracle

The Other Santa Book 1

by Anna Del C Dye

Genre: Feel-Good Christmas Miracles, Light Romance

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For a girl of twenty, Angieline is uncommonly wise. Perhaps losing her mother at five years old, shaped her this way. Though, the presence of her forty-three-year-old tutor and the secrets they share could be closer to the truth. She and Mario, her tutor/adopted father, have been in many towns in the USA. Though their strange deeds could make them targets for unscrupulous people, they keep going even if it leads to the end of their undertakings.
When James, the reporter, appears in their lives, right before Christmas, their secrets become hard to keep and their lies threaten to catch up with them. Torn between duty and love, she will have to make peace with her heart one way or the other. Though her choice could break not only her and his heart but, the heart of her tutor or the children’s orphanage that desperately needs a miracle for Christmas.
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Amazon * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

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Peace Towards Men

The Other Santa Book 2

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Mario takes Angie, his daughter, out of Charleston to forget her beau’s sudden departure. On their way to Osage, they have an accident and meet the most interesting people in a quaint small town which is suffering from the depression’s pains and self-isolation. Will Angie be able to recuperate from her broken heart and the injuries from the accident in time to aid their new friends before they succumb to want and despair?

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Amazon * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

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Upon a Midnight Clear

The Other Santa Book 3

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Life has been interesting from the day Angie was conceived. Why would her twentieth year of life be different? Her fiancé left her for his career only to die in Europe just a few weeks before Christmas. Still, she and Mario manage to complete a wonderful Christmas project in the town of Jere.

Now the new year brings bad news about Mario’s father and the prospects of meeting him for the first time makes her heart turn cold. How can she refuse Mario her help, when he has never asked anything from her to repay all he has done for her since he adopted her at five years old?

She considers herself strong, though, with her grandfather as a project, the challenge may prove to be the hardest she has ever worked on. Afraid of not being ready to face her past as the daughter of a monster, she also worries that she may lose her place in Mario’s heart. Will her grandfather tear her jolly life apart, or does she still have a chance for a merry life after all?

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Amazon * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

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The Angels Sing

The Other Santa Book 4

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Will this white Christmas bring Angels singing or a Silent night?

Tragedy strikes billionaires Mario and Beth Tuzzini and the Santa projects may be the only thing that can help them overcome it.
Scott and Angie, Mario’s daughter, had a hard time when their Santa’s project couldn’t start. An innocent mistake put them on the mayor’s black list as the children pay when one of them is almost killed?
Things aren’t always joyful in The Angels Sing and many things must happen before they can share a Merry day together. The Angels Sing is the standalone book four of the depression era series the Other Santa.

Amazon * B&N

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Fun Facts About my Other Santa Series:

 

–The books are all about an Italian billionaire who didn’t lose his money on Black Tuesday.

–He invested in diamonds, salt mines, train bonds and cash which he kept mostly in the vault in the basement of his mansion in Saint Louis.

–Mario loved his fiancé, Tanya, fiercely and was devastated when she couldn’t remember him after they saved her from a kidnapper.

–He devoted his life to being her neighbor and secretly gave her money for her and the baby’s care.

–She died five years later in his arms. She did remember him just before she died and asked him to care for their daughter.

–He took it to heart and Angie was the blessing that kept him going crazy in those dark days.

–He adopted Angieline who was five-years-old at that time. She became Angieline Tuzzini-Moore. (Angie)

–Mario keep a candle burning for Tanya until Angie was in her early twenties.

–Their Santa adventures started at Angie’s age twelve when she told him that Santa didn’t exist.

–They started in soup kitchens, giving gifts to the poor for the whole month of December.

—A few years later, she wanted to do it all year long, so he quit his law firm and traveled the country helping the needy, under assumed names.

–They accumulated more than ten years of these experiences by the time Black Tuesday came about.

— By then, they graduated to helping small towns when the depression hit them the worst.

–These projects have netted a close relationship between the two and their love has deepened.

–Angie gets to pick the projects and how to go about them.

–The beauty of their work is that they use very little, to none, of their own money. They believe in teaching people how to fish not in giving them a fish each day.

–They spread cheer and Christmas spirit wherever they go, and at the same time, bless their lives with pure love.

–Things get complicated when a reporter falls in love with Angie and their past could crash her chance to love.

–Later, things with Mario’s father, whom he hasn’t seen for fifteen years, get pretty bad and he almost dies before Angie comes to the rescue.

–Angie is scared of meeting he who will be her grandfather, because he wanted Tanya’s baby dead. This is what caused the rift between Mario and his parents for all those years.

–Angie, meanwhile, finds a young man who adores her, but after her beau was gone, she finds it hard to trust in love.

–Instead, she finds two projects to do on her own, helping a Mormon family and returning the engagement ring back to her ex-fiancé’s mom.

–Alone for the first time, she finds work at the Charleston Hospital as a nurse and plays cupid, a pastime she is very good at.

–Mario chooses to take his wife back to Saint Louis and Angie feels homesick for the first time.

–Angie joins her father in Saint Louis and they work together on a new project transforming a warehouse into an apartment building for twelve homeless families.

–Mario and Beth are devastated by a tragic event in their lives and find joy in helping others.

–While on that project, Mario’s father meets Aileen feel attracted to each other.

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Anna was born in the extreme South along some famous beaches. She moved to the USA to marry her husband Rodney and has resided in Utah since then. Her husband, a native of Idaho, met her in her hometown. They fell in love and she came to Utah on Christmas Eve to be married two weeks later. They are the parents of three princes and a princess. Anna lives in Taylorsville Utah.

Anna is an accomplished seamstress and had the opportunity of doing costumes for the cast of four musicals, a pioneer play and for Utah’s own Fantasy Con, which she enjoyed immensely. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Anna is an award-winning author of more than thirty publications in Young Adults wholesome fantasy (7 books) and royal tales in the medieval era, (8 books and counting). Christmas stories of the depression era for older teens (4 books and 2 more to come). Middle grade fairytales for pre-teens (1 book). She also writes Halloweeny stories for tweens (6 books) and has a number of tales in different anthologies and articles (6 articles). She has even written short Medieval Romance tales (3).

And as A. C. Dye she had penned Halloweeny bilingual stories for children (6 books) and bilingual health book for toddlers (5 books).

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Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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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 go HERE.

Fairy Garden Mysteries by Daryl Wood Gerber ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: December 7, 2022 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, Guest Post
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A Sprinkling of Murder

A Fairy Garden Mystery Book 1

by Daryl Wood Gerber

Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery

Featured on Buzzfeed Books!

Fairy garden store owner Courtney Kelly believes in inviting magic into your life. But when uninvited trouble enters her shop, she’ll need more than a sprinkling of her imagination to solve a murder . . .

Since childhood, Courtney has loved fairies. After her mother died when Courtney was ten, she lost touch with that feeling of magic. A year ago, at age twenty-nine, she rediscovered it when she left her father’s landscaping business to spread her wings and start a fairy garden business and teashop in beautiful Carmel, California. At Open Your Imagination, she teaches garden design and sells everything from fairy figurines to tinkling wind chimes. Now she’s starting a book club tea.

But the light of the magical world she’s created inside her shop is darkened one night when she discovers neighboring dog-grooming business owner Mick Watkins dead beside her patio fountain. To make matters worse, the police suspect Courtney of the crime. To clear her name and find the real killer, Courtney will have to wing it. But she’s about to get a little help from an unexpected source . . .

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Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads

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A Glimmer of a Clue

A Fairy Garden Mystery Book 2

Courtney Kelly has a shop full of delights, a cat named Pixie, a green thumb—and a magical touch when it comes to garden design. But in Carmel-by-the-Sea, things aren’t all sweetness and fairy lights . . .
When Courtney’s friend Wanda gets into a ponytail-pulling wrestling match in public with a nasty local art critic, Courtney stops the fight with the help of a garden hose. But Lana Lamar has a talent for escalating things and creating tension, which she succeeds in doing by threatening a lawsuit, getting into yet another scuffle—in the midst of an elegant fundraiser, no less—and lobbing insults around like pickleballs.

Next thing Courtney knows, Lana is on the floor, stabbed with a decorative letter opener from one of Courtney’s fairy gardens, and Wanda is standing by asking “What have I done?” But the answer may not be as obvious as it seems, since Wanda is prone to sleepwalking and appears to be in a daze. Could she have risen from her nap and committed murder while unconscious? Or is the guilty party someone else Lana’s ticked off, like her long-suffering husband? To find out, Courtney will have to dig up some dirt . . .

Praise for Daryl Wood Gerber’s A Sprinkling of Murder

“Enchanting series launch from Agatha Award winner Gerber . . . Cozy fans will wish upon a star for more.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A winner. . . . Fans of Laura Childs’ work will enjoy.”
—Booklist

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Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads

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A Hint of Mischief

A Fairy Garden Mystery Book 3

The proprietor of a fairy garden and tea shop in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Courtney Kelly has an occasional side gig as a sleuth—with a sprinkling of magical assistance. . . .

Courtney has thrown a few fairy garden parties—for kids. But if a local socialite is willing to dip into her trust fund for an old sorority sister’s fortieth birthday bash, Courtney will be there with bells on. To make the job even more appealing, a famous actress, Farrah Lawson, is flying in for the occasion, and there’s nothing like a celebrity cameo to raise a business’s profile.

Now Courtney has less than two weeks to paint a mural, hang up tinkling windchimes, plan party games, and conjure up all the details. While she works her magic, the hostess and her girlfriends head off for an indulgent spa day—which leads to a fateful facial for Farrah, followed by her mysterious death. Could the kindhearted eyebrow waxer who Farrah berated in public really be the killer, as the police suspect? Courtney thinks otherwise, and with the help of her imaginative sleuth fairy, sets out to dig up the truth behind this puzzling murder . . .

Praise for Daryl Wood Gerber’s A Sprinkling of Murder

“Enchanting series launch from Agatha Award winner Gerber. . . . Cozy fans will wish upon a star for more.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A winner. . . . Fans of Laura Childs’ work will enjoy.”
—Booklist

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A Flicker of a Doubt

A Fairy Garden Mystery Book 4

From Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber, the fourth in an enchantingly whimsical series featuring Courtney Kelly, the owner of a fairy-gardening and tea shop in Carmel, California. It’s a special place brimming with good vibes and the kind of magical assistance its proprietor will need to investigate a shocking murder at a prestigious art show!

Making fairy gardens, and teaching crafters how to do the same, keeps Carmel-by-the-Sea shop owner Courtney Kelly busy—but sometimes she has to make time for a wee bit of detective work . . .

With a theater foundation tea and an art show planned at Violet Vickers’s estate, Courtney is hired to create charming fairy gardens for the event. It’s not so charming, however, when her best friend Meaghan’s ex-boyfriend turns out to be Violet’s latest artistic protégé. Even worse, not long after Meaghan locks horns with him, his body is found in her yard, bludgeoned with an objet d’murder.

There’s a gallery of suspects, from an unstable former flame to an arts and crafts teacher with a sketchy past. But when the cops focus on Meaghan’s business partner, who’s like a protective older brother to her, and discover he also has a secret financial motive, Courtney decides to draw her own conclusions. Fearing they’re missing the forest for the trees, and with some help from Fiona the sleuthing fairy, she hopes to make them see the light . . .

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**Coming Soon on March 28, 2023 – PreOrder Now!**

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What’s a Brookie?

The Fairy Garden Mysteries feature Courtney Kelly, the owner of Open Your Imagination, a fairy garden shop in the Cypress and Ivy Courtyard, one of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California’s many courtyards. They also feature Courtney’s sidekick Fiona, a fairy sleuth.  Actually, Fiona is a righteous fairy (there are a few other types). She was kicked out of the fairy kingdom for being a bit of an imp, and now, in order to earn her adult wings and return to the kingdom and because she is a righteous fairy, she has to help humans—in particular, Courtney—solve problems.

Open Your Imagination serves tea on the weekends on the patio and often hosts a book club tea. I love drumming up recipes for the teas. Courtney doesn’t make them all. She can cook, but her friend Yvanna, who works at Sweet Treats, another shop in the courtyard, is a baker. She has dreamed up some deliciousness like lemon cupcakes with lavender icing, cinnamon swirl scones, and now brookies, a delicious brownie cookie that has won the hearts of all of Courtney’s customers. Actually, Courtney’s best friend Meaghan came up with the recipe and shared it with Yvanna, but Yvanna has tweaked it to perfection.

I’d like to share it with you.

BROOKIE

(Yield 20-24)

For the cookie layer:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 1/4  cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the brownie layer:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

To make the cookie layer:

In a large bowl, beat softened butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and egg.

Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda together in a small bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until combined. Stir chocolate chips into the dough. Spread mixture evenly into the bottom of the 9 x 13 dish.

To make the brownie layer:

In a large bowl, stir sugar, melted butter, and vanilla.  Add in eggs and beat well.  Mix in cocoa powder and mix well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the cocoa mixture.  Mix well. If desired, stir in the extra chocolate chips. Pour brownie mixture over cookie dough and spread to cover completely.

Bake the brookie in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, at least 30 minutes, before cutting into bars.

If you want the gluten-free version of this recipe, write me at daryl@darylwoodgerber.com to request it. 

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Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber is best known for her nationally bestselling Fairy Garden Mysteries, Cookbook Nook Mysteries, and French Bistro Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes the Aspen Adams Novels of Suspense as well as stand-alone suspense. Daryl loves to cook, fairy garden, and read. She has a frisky Goldendoodle who keeps her in line. And she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane and hitch-hike around Ireland alone. You can learn more on her website: https://darylwoodgerber.com

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$10 Amazon, A choice of one of my books + swag pack

-1 winner each!

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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

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Country Snow And Mistletoe by Anne Carrole ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: December 2, 2022 in Contemporary Romance, giveaways, Guest Post
Tags: , ,
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Country Snow and Mistletoe

A Wyoming Romance Novel Book 1

by Anne Carrole

Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance

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To risk or not risk: that is the question? A second-chance, enemies-to-lovers novel.

Career-minded Lexi Russell seeks a calm, predictable life that doesn’t require taking chances. But coming home to Wyoming for Thanksgiving, she finds out her carefully orchestrated life has imploded. Her “perfect” boyfriend has been cheating on her, her lucrative job has been eliminated, and the family ranch is on the chopping block. In addition, the teenage boy who broke her heart one summer a decade ago has turned into a handsome cowboy who’s planning on buying her family’s ranch with a low ball offer and her parents’ blessing. She’s got to figure out a way to help her parents avoid a serious mistake, find a new job, and stop her growing attraction to the cowboy who dumped her. With Christmas on the horizon, things take an unexpected turn that will force her to decide whether love is worth the risk.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

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I grew up on a farm where we had cats, dogs, horses, chickens, hamsters, rabbits, and anything else we could convince my parents to shelter. I started writing stories in middle school for an audience of one (me) and in college I majored in English where I dabbled in creative writing. But I put writing aside for many years until I was home, raising my daughter and needed more books to read. I stumbled upon romances and I was hooked. I decided to try my hand at writing them and in 2011 my novella was accepted by The Wild Rose Press and the rest, as they say, is history.

For me, the happy ending of a romance is what I count on the most as both a reader and a writer. With all the craziness in the world today, I like reading and writing about people finding that special someone to love and be loved by. My goal as an author is to capture the magic of that journey in my stories.

For instance, in COUNTRY SNOW and MISTLETOE the heroine, Lexi Russell, is coming off the worst week ever. Anyone who has had their world crash in on them will be able to relate.  She loses her job, her not-so-perfect boyfriend, and finds out her parents are selling the family ranch, all in the week before Thanksgiving. I mean, how much can a gal take?

Turns out the boy she had a crush on as a teenager is the rancher buying her family’s ranch for a lowball offer and with her parents’ blessing. It’s not a set up for a great Thanksgiving. But the biggest challenge may be controlling her attraction to her old flame. Because the timing is not right for so many reasons, including the fact that she’s approached a developer who can pay a lot more for her family’s ranch. With Christmas right around the corner, things take an unexpected turn which will test their budding relationship. Something’s got to give, but are they ready to take a chance on love? You’ll have to read COUNTRY SNOW AND MISTLETOE to find out. If you love Hallmark holiday movies, you’ll enjoy Lexi and Cort’s story. This second-chance holiday romance is available on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited. Enjoy! Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/Country-Snow-Mistletoe-Anne-Carrole-ebook/dp/B0BMZMH5F6

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Anne Carrole is an award-winning author of contemporary and historical western romances. Raised on a farm with horses, dogs, cats, chickens, rabbits, and whatever other animals she could convince her parents to shelter, she’s married to her own sweet-talking hero and the proud mother of a twenty-something cowgirl. Besides Country Snow and Mistletoe, you can also enjoy her popular Hearts of Wyoming contemporary series where love gets a second chance. Visit her website at https://www.annecarrole.com

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Stripes by Harley Wilde ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: November 30, 2022 in giveaways, Guest Post, Romance, suspense
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Stripes

Devil’s Boneyard MC 12

by Harley Wylde

Genre: MC Romantic Suspense

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Melina — Men have never given me a reason to trust them. The Bratva taught me men are brutal. Selfish. And take what they want. Death would be better than tying myself to one ever again. Then a Russian biker swoops in to save me. As much as I want to believe everything he says, how can I? I’ve only known pain at the hands of men. I want him to be different… but any hope I had died long ago.

Stripes — She thinks she’s broken. I see a survivor. A strong woman who’s still standing despite what’s been done to her. It will take time, but I’ll help her heal. Prove not all men are evil. I’ll give her a reason to keep living. Never again will someone cause her pain. If they do, they’ll answer to me. My hands are already stained with blood. What’s a little more?

WARNING: Recommended for readers 18+ due to language, violence, and adult situations. Stripes is part of the Devil’s Boneyard MC series and contains darker content some readers may find objectionable. Stripes can be read as a stand-alone story, even though it’s part of a series.

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What Goes Into a Harley Wylde Book?

That’s a rather loaded question because it really depends on the book itself, and the characters. In the case of my latest release – Stripes – I felt completely drained by the time I finished writing it. Melina’s character had such a traumatic beginning that it left her feeling broken and hopeless. I felt all of her emotions, as well as those of Stripes, and had to take breaks to get through it in one piece.

Other books challenged me in other ways. Rooster, which is in the same series, has quite a bit of humor tossed in – mostly of the sarcastic variety. The book was fun to write, and more upbeat than most of my stories, but it had it’s own set of challenges.

What I can say you will certainly get with every book I write is this… a guaranteed happily ever after, no cheating, and no cliffhangers! Why? Because that’s what I enjoy in a story. Cliffhangers are a no for me, unless I can know I can pick up the next book almost immediately. So I don’t like using them in my own books. And I don’t personally find cheating books sexy, so I just can’t write one. There’s nothing wrong with someone enjoying those types of stories, but they aren’t for me. I’d end up incredibly angry with my characters if I wrote one of those.

My books almost always have an age gap couple as well, and the bulk of my books are either motorcycle club or mafia romances. That’s not to say all of them are… I’ve also written a handyman, a mechanic, a police officer, an assassin, and a rockstar.

But I promise I’ll bring the heat, a bit of drama, some suspense or laughter (depending on the characters), and will leave you smiling by the end.

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🤩 SNEAK PEEK ✨

Copyright 2022, Harley Wylde

 

Melina

 

Marriage to Ruslan had been nothing but pure hell since day one. He’d given me two beautiful daughters, and I wouldn’t wish them away for anything, but every other moment of our lives had been only pain and humiliation. I’d learned early never to speak back, and to never ask questions. If he told me to do something, I did it, regardless of whether I should.

Which was how I found myself in trouble.

I bowed my head, refusing to make eye contact with Feliks Sobol. The higher ups had left him in charge for some reason, not that it mattered. When Ruslan forced me to aid him in his thirst for power, I’d known it wouldn’t end well for me. But I’d done it, because the alternative would mean letting him kill me, and leaving my girls vulnerable. I’d have done anything to keep Yulia and Oksana safe. Although, I had a feeling Ruslan had embellished my involvement. One last chance for him to make my life hell.

“Melina Romanov, do you know why you’re here?” Feliks asked.

“Nyet, Mr. Sobol.” No one had told me outright why I’d been brought in. The fact my husband hadn’t returned home had left me uneasy. They had to have caught him, and now I’d pay the price as well. Ruslan wouldn’t go down without a fight, and nothing would delight him more than knowing the Bratva would destroy me.

“Your husband is guilty of breaking multiple laws. He tried to cheat the Bratva, and he’s failed. At this very moment, he’s being tortured to gain more information on those who aided him.” He tapped his fingers on the desk. “Your name came up.”

I clenched my hands. It didn’t surprise me. Anything Ruslan had asked me to do could possibly have tied into his human trafficking ring. I wouldn’t have known since he told me very little. Although, I did know what he’d been up to. He hadn’t kept it a secret from me. In fact, I thought he got off on letting me know about the women and children who would suffer at his hands. If I’d gone to anyone without proof, they wouldn’t have believed me.

“Nothing to say?” Feliks asked.

“Will it matter?” I doubted it. If my husband hadn’t cared what I had to say, why would this man? In the Bratva, women were to be seen and not heard. We were merely a decoration, or a means to gain power through political marriages. Nothing more. Except in my husband’s case, we were meant for twisted forms of entertainment. The louder we screamed, the more he got off on the pain he inflicted.

“For your crimes, you’ll spend the rest of your days in one of our brothels. Seems fitting, doesn’t it? You’re guilty of helping Ruslan Romanov steal women and children and selling them into sexual slavery. Now you’ll be in the same predicament. Just so we’re clear, it won’t be one of our upscale places.”

I swallowed the knot of fear lodged in my throat and gave a short nod. Pleading for my life wouldn’t do me any good. Telling him I was innocent would only fall on deaf ears, or perhaps anger him. The thought of being used by countless men made me sick. I’d been a dutiful wife, and I’d been a virgin when Ruslan married me. I’d never been with anyone other than him. Of course, being in his bed had been far from pleasant, but I had a feeling my life would be much worse now.

“This is rather disappointing,” Feliks murmured. “I’d hoped for some sort of reaction. Do you enjoy being a whore? Is that why you aren’t crying and begging for me to spare you?”

Bile rose in my throat when I contemplated what my life would be like moving forward. I hadn’t liked my husband touching me. The thought of strangers paying to use me made me want to throw up. All my choices had been taken from me. I hadn’t had many to begin with. As long as they could pay, they’d be permitted to do whatever they wanted with me.

“Still nothing?” Feliks asked, pursing his lips.

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” I admitted. “Begging won’t do me any good. Saying I’m innocent won’t either. Whether I speak up or remain silent, my fate will remain the same.”

“Smart woman.” Feliks smiled, but the sight chilled me to the bone.

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Harley Wylde is the International Bestselling Author of the Dixie Reapers MC, Devil’s Boneyard MC, and Hades Abyss MC series.

When Harley’s writing, her motto is the hotter the better — off the charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can’t deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you’ve come to the right place. She doesn’t shy away from the dangers and nastiness in the world, bringing those realities to the pages of her books, but always gives her characters a happily-ever-after and makes sure the bad guys get what they deserve.

The times Harley isn’t writing, she’s thinking up naughty things to do to her husband, drinking copious amounts of Starbucks, and reading. She loves to read and devours a book a day, sometimes more. She’s also fond of TV shows and movies from the 1980’s, as well as paranormal shows from the 1990’s to today, even though she’d much rather be reading or writing.

You can find out more about Harley or enter her monthly giveaway on her website. Be sure to join her newsletter while you’re there to learn more about discounts, signing events, and other goodies!

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Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Enter to win a Swag Pack or $10 Amazon – 1 winner each!

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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

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