Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Playing High organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Author Beth Pellino-Dudzic will award paperback copies of both books in the series: Playing Hard and Playing High (US only) to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!
And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Playing High
by Beth Pellino-Dudzic
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Genre: Romance
Synopsis
Gina Will Do Anything to Protect Her Husband and Her Band
Perfection is one of the hottest bands on the rock n’ roll scene and they are being wooed into the seductive pitfalls that come with fame. How will they continue to rise when temptation is all around them?
Lead singer, Gina, is seen as The Sexy Siren of Rock for her onstage heat and glamour, but her true love is offstage—as wife to guitarist Trevor, and mother to their miracle baby, Roxanne.
Keeping a family together while touring with the band is hard enough, but Gina is faced with an even more sinister challenge. Trevor’s old friend, Brian Mayfield is hell bent on separating the couple—using drugs, alcohol, and women as his weapons. But why is he so driven to destroy them? How far will tough-as-nails Gina go to protect the ones she loves?
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Enjoy this peek inside:
IT WAS BACK TO REAL WORK on the album. Gina sat with the guys for a couple of days trying to sort out the music and lyrics and was making headway. Perfection thought they had a solid four songs, but that wouldn’t be enough. However, it was time to go to New York. The McNaughtons wanted the entire band of Perfection to attend their wedding. Even Brian Mayfield was invited. He would lay very low for this event. However, Brian Mayfield would prove to be problematic down the road. Skip Glazer and his wife June were part of the band family. Skip was always working on the band’s business, even when it was an off day.
Tommy and Anne Whelan were invited to the wedding. Tommy worked for Brown Fence Records; he was the producer for Perfection. And had asked specifically to work with the band. Tommy was a well sought after producer in the music world. He wanted to take Perfection to the highest level. He had a close attachment with them. Gina and Trevor hired a private jet so their guests didn’t have to pay airfare. Everyone wanted to attend this wedding since no one was there for the first one in Vegas.
Gina was keeping a huge secret. It might slow down the rehearsals, maybe the recording, certainly now wasn’t the time to share it, though. She wondered when and how she would tell Trevor.
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About Author Beth Pellino-Dudzic:
Beth Pellino-Dudzic was born in the Bronx and grew up in Westchester County, New York. She earned a BA in Business Administration and worked at IBM. She has three adult daughters and a new Granddaughter. She currently lives in Alabama with her husband and their miniature dachshund, Truffle. Although The Perfection Saga is fictional, many of the stories hark back to Beth’s time in the Rock ‘n’ Roll world. Beth’s favorite pastime is football, everything football. She also is an excellent cook and baker.
(The Seven, #3)
Publication date: October 3rd 2024
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
What if you fall in love with a ghost?
After four shots of cinnamon schnapps and something called heaven in a cup, Raina Bollen finally feels brave enough to meet her crush, star quarterback Foster Union.
Except her rideshare is involved in a car accident on the way there. Now she’s stuck in a coma, and her soul gets severed from her body, only to tether itself to none other than Foster himself.
Foster never wanted some random spirit to suddenly start riding shotgun in his life, but it doesn’t take long for Raina’s bubbly infectious personality to win him over. She’s just the breath of fresh air he craves because he’s been in need of some serious living himself.
Now if he could only figure out how to help her live in return.
“This is bad. This is bad. This is really, really bad,” she chanted to herself, freaking out as she shook her hands and glanced around my room as if she’d just found herself in a dungeon. “He couldn’t see me. Why couldn’t he see me?” Focusing on me, she demanded. “Can you still see me?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “I can see you. And hear you.”
“Well, what does that mean?” she cried.
“I…” I lifted my hands to look at this objectively. “I’m not completely sure. But I’m guessing that either you’re a figment of my imagination, and I’m hallucinating right now, or—”
When I paused at the second option, she stepped closer. “Or what?”
“Or…” I blew out a breath and couldn’t believe I was going to even suggest this before I just blurted, “Maybe you’re a ghost.”
“A ghost?” She blinked at me once, then blurted out a laugh before stopping abruptly to scowl. “No. No!” Shaking her head, she began to pace the room. “I don’t like that option. Being a ghost would mean I’m dead. And I’m not dead.”
“Are you sure?” I asked hesitantly.
Halting abruptly, she swerved around to send me a harsh scowl. “I think I would know if I was dead!”
“You’d think you’d know your own name, too,” I countered with a cringe.
She gasped, insulted, and then narrowed her eyes. “Okay. Alright. Fair point. But if I was dead, could I do this?”
Spotting my wallet and keys sitting on top of my dresser, she tried to sweep them off with a swing of her hand.
Except she missed.
“What the hell?” Blinking in confusion, she tried again, but her hand went straight through the items.
Easing forward, I pointed out a single finger and nudged the keys, making them scrape across the top of the dresser.
“Oh, dear God,” she breathed, turning to send me a horrified grimace. “Am I dead?”
“I don’t know,” I told her honestly. “But I’ve never been able to see ghosts before, and I’m positive I’ve been in the presence of a few.”
“Then I’m not dead,” she answered astutely and tried to grab my arm to prove it, only to cause a cool, misting sensation to coat my flesh when her fingers went right through me. “Ugh!”
I glanced down at the spot she’d tried to touch and then back up again. “I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’re not exactly alive either.”
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About Author Linda Kage:
Linda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact.
Published since 2010. Went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature. Then graduated with a Bachelors in Arts, English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.
Now she lives with hubby, two daughters, cat Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas, USA. Farm girl. Parents were dairy farmers. Was youngest of eight. Big family. Day job as a cataloging library assistant.
Harry Potter House Gryffindor, Patronus White Stallion, character match Hagrid. Supernatural Team Dean. Game of Thrones Team Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. The Walking Dead Team Daryl. Outlander Team Jamie Fraser. Teen Wolf Team Stiles. Avenger Team Thor…or Hulk (can’t decide). Justice League Team Flash. Arrow Team Stephen Amell. Stranger Things obsessed. Heard Laurel, not Yanny.
Started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club. Then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now all over the place with her romance reading tastes.
Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Spiral organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Author Randy Dean Noble will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!
And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Spiral
by Randy Dean Noble
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Genre: Horror / Thriller
Synopsis
They’re in the number one watched game in the world… or so they were told. But they have no memory of who or where they are. Something beyond their wildest imaginations awaits to mercilessly strike them down. And looming in the darkness is something worse… much worse.
Green—named after the color of car he’s driving—awakens on the side of a dark highway surrounded by dense forest. And he’s in an old muscle car with no way to tell time, no cell phone, and the radio doesn’t work. When he encounters others like himself, they have to join forces to unravel the mystery surrounding them. Yet, trust doesn’t come easily—someone amongst them is a saboteur.
With their lives at stake, they are compelled to engage in a race where being last means certain death. They must disentangle the truth that threatens to consume them, before they spiral out of control.
Spiral is a gripping tale of survival, coalition, and the terrifying secrets that lie hidden in the shadows.
Prepare for a rip-roaring, adrenaline-fueled ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.
If you enjoy books by authors like Dean Koontz and Blake Crouch that involve supernatural thrills laced with fast-paced action, then check out Randy Dean Noble’s exciting horror thriller, Spiral, today.
Enjoy this peek inside:
A high-pitched scream pierced the air. And it wasn’t the creature. It was a human scream. A woman’s scream.
I ran. It was very close.
“Justin,” Blue said. “WAIT!”
I ran full tilt, Blue’s words not an option. Without a thought about the creature, I dashed out onto the highway, outside the protective barrier. The scream had come from the left.
It was pitch black, but I still had the flashlight from the bunker. I turned the light on, pointed it up the highway, and bolted forward.
I heard a car start up. Probably Blue.
I didn’t know I could run so fast, and I wasn’t panting too heavily yet. The checkpoint was a white glow above the tree line when I turned my head and glanced back while continuing to run forward.
And then there it was, Black’s car. She had stopped right in the lane, and all I could think of was someone or something had blocked her path. Otherwise, why didn’t she pull over to the shoulder? As I came up to her car, I panned the flashlight. There were no skid marks—she didn’t slam on the brakes.
The driver’s side door was wide open.
Darkness encompassed the area like a shroud, like a living thing closing in. Without my light, I’d be tripping over myself.
A car rumbled nearby, getting louder. Headlights soon blazed around me, which was a relief, the darkness no longer pushing at my back. I didn’t wait, flashing my light inside Black’s vehicle. Nothing seemed out of place, no sign of a struggle, no blood.
/
About Author Randy Dean Noble:
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Randy Dean Noble is a supernatural thriller kind of guy. He grew up in Canada on a slew of movies and books (action/adventure, horror, sci-fi, and fantasy), all of which have inspired his writing interests. Working a plethora of minimum wage jobs took Randy into computer science and a career in I.T. (because he didn’t want to eat PB&J for the rest of his life). But his passion has always been writing, and his dream is to be a full-time fiction author. He writes stories he wants to read, which end up as fast-paced thrilling escape stories meant for one thing: to entertain the reader from beginning to end. His most recent work, Spiral, is a horror thriller wild ride you won’t soon forget.
(Las Vegas House of Spades, #1)
Publication date: October 15th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Dark Comedy, Dark Romance, Romantic Suspense
. A hot, morally gray mentor out for revenge. A sprawling funeral home. Torture, mayhem, and a Las Vegas wedding she can’t remember.
Luna needs to complete an internship to graduate, but staying alive suddenly takes priority when she’s paired with the cold, starkly handsome attorney from hell. Roman Fowler is an infamous partner at the most notorious law firm in Las Vegas, and he’s harboring deadly secrets and searching for retribution. And when he forces her hand, their chemistry explodes.
But she’s not a helpless, scared child anymore. The House of Spades–her adopted family–is a powerful, violent, oddly close-knit clan that has a hands-on, DIY approach to taking care of “life’s little problems.” They’re still deciding if Roman is a problem when Luna’s dark past threatens.
Can they fight the danger and menace together? Or will the monsters win again?
He smirked and walked over, wrapping his arms around me. “Why do I feel there’s no right answer here?”
My lips quirked. “Because you’re smart, but you never listen.”
He bent down and sniffed my neck. “I do listen to you, especially when you’re
making those sexy little whimpers while I’m–”
I put my hand over his mouth. “If you start with the dirty talk, we’ll never make it
to Ezra’s house for dinner.”
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About Author J. L. Brannick:
J. L. Brannick lives in the desert with her family and fur babies. She works as an attorney, and detoxes by taking long hikes and exploring old Western ghost towns while plotting her novels. She graduated from law school in Las Vegas, Nevada where she quickly realized that truth can be stranger than fiction.
Warm your heart with nine enchanting tales of love.
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For the Love of Winter
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Volume Two
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Genre: A Collection of Holiday Romances
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with stories by
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Leah Miles, Vickey
Wollan, C.L. Hart, Sara J. Walker, Erika Kilmer Freidly,
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Marie Morton, Sally
Ann Murphy, Elizabeth Edgar, Vanessa Victoria Kilmer
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Warm your heart with nine enchanting tales of love. From historical winter
celebrations to modern sizzling New Year’s Eve encounters, this
anthology spans sweet to spicy romance across different eras and
realms. Whether you prefer gentle courtship or steamy embraces, this
collection has something for every romance reader.
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Mistletoe Magic, by Leah Miles:
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A holiday romance rekindles when Navy SEAL Michael
Rodriguez runs into his old flame, Nora Geller, and invites her to
his family gathering. Will they mend old wounds and find love again,
or will misunderstandings leave their hearts out in the cold?
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Happily Ever After, Take Two, by Sara Walker:
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Will Dino and Hilde’s second chance love
overcome family doubts and past mistakes for a lifetime of happiness?
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Love Under the Cold Moon, by Vanessa Kilmer:
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A headstrong Celtic woman and a reluctant Roman
heir clash and connect in an arranged marriage during the Alpine
winter festivals of 193 AD.
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Finding a Date for Christmas by Vickey Wollan:
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Joan’s going to a Christmas gala and
hires Mack on Rent-A-Date. If he reveals his secret, will he get a
second date? Can two lonely hearts find romance in time for
Christmas?
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Snowbound Hearts, by C.L. Hart:
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When a divorced couple ends up stuck in a snowbound lodge
in the Sierra Nevada mountains, it could either be the worst
Christmas ever or a second chance to make things right.
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A Fluffy White Christmas – A Tail of Love, by Sally Murphy:
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Can a half-starved stray dog help a lonely woman open up her frozen heart to a new love this
Christmas?
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Glancing over, Elizabeth saw Izzy in the window, her smile beaming out at the three of them. Then she looked at Elizabeth as if to say “It’s okay, Mom. It’s okay to love.” A shout brought her attention back to Ian and Agnes. With a surprisingly swift grace for such a large animal, Agnes had rolled to her feet and knocked Ian down. He could only laugh helplessly as Agnes settled on his back and smiled at Elizabeth, her tongue lolling.
“You two are a sight.” Elizabeth ran forward and dove at the two of them, and all three were rolling in the snow, laughing uproariously. Agnes recovered quickly and dashed away, bouncing back to playfully “boof” Ian with one large paw before racing away again to run in circles. Ian lost his balance and Elizabeth could not stop laughing.
“You’ve been ‘boofed’,” she told him, dipping her hands into the snow and throwing it at him. He ducked and returned the favor, but before Elizabeth could gather enough snow for a snowball, she was also boofed as Agnes’ affectionate pat sent her sprawling. They both lay in the snow and took turns throwing snow at Agnes, who thought this was hilarious and ran about wildly each time the cold spray hit her face. Finally, Ian rolled to his feet and helped Elizabeth to hers. Agnes promptly gave up the game and came to lean affectionately against the two of them.
“What a beauty,” Ian breathed, but he looked up and met Elizabeth’s eyes as the words left his mouth.
“She is, isn’t she?” Elizabeth said, and Ian nodded.
“Yes.” He leaned in and kissed her, a soft, friendly kiss, and when Elizabeth did not protest, he stepped closer and kissed her again. His arms went gently around her, and Elizabeth slipped her own around him, standing in the cold snow, kissing him as if in a dream.
Excerpt 2
December first. Elizabeth Jordan opened the last box of Christmas ornaments with a heavy heart, trying not to pretend she had been putting off this box on purpose. This box was a very special one, holding the ornaments of every pet she had had since she was a child: a Maltese, three Shelties, two tiny birds, and a Golden Retriever. All had lived long happy lives except one, Sam, her faithful Golden Retriever.
Sam had been lost to cancer, suddenly, painfully, and though two years had passed she still missed him very much. Her twelve-year-old daughter, Izzy, longed for another dog, but Elizabeth knew she would never be able to survive the pain of losing another dog like that. Life had no guarantees, she knew, but having also lost her husband to cancer, she felt safer keeping her heart closed.
“Mom!!” Izzy had a note in her voice that Elizabeth didn’t understand, but the high-pitched cry brought her running. Izzy stood by the French doors, staring in amazement.
“It’s Sam! Look, it’s Sam!”
Elizabeth knew it could not be Sam, but the sight of the large white dog gracefully clearing their fence to run through the backyard certainly made her think it was. Without thinking, she pulled open the doors and ran outside, Izzy on her heels, carrying the boots Elizabeth had forgotten as she raced across the yard.
“Here boy!” Elizabeth called, and the dog paused and turned back. Even as their eyes met Elizabeth knew this wasn’t Sam; this dog was either very pregnant or had recently whelped. Elizabeth had zero experience in those matters, but she clapped her hands and called. “Here! It’s okay.”
The dog loped toward her and allowed Elizabeth and Izzy to pet her majestic head as Elizabeth felt for a collar or a chip beneath her white fur. Which, upon a closer look, was matted and filthy.
“No collar,” she told Izzy, and then the dog turned away and crossed the yard, leaping into the neighbor’s yard behind them.
Not sure why, Elizabeth followed, but not before she pulled on the boots Izzy handed her. She watched curiously as the dog went up the neighbor’s front steps and tried to peer inside. Looking for her puppies? Elizabeth wondered. She didn’t know these neighbors well, only that they weren’t friendly, and their dog was a Coon Hound, who began to bark frantically at this intrusion.
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Maiya’s New Year’s Wish, by Marie Morton:
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Maiya Collins finds herself swept into an
unexpected holiday romance in the sun-kissed paradise of St. Croix.
Yet, a misunderstanding threatens to shatter her dreams. As the New
Year’s countdown approaches, she must confront her doubts. Can love
prevail, or will her island romance become another broken resolution?
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The Naughty List Nightmare, by Erika Kilmer Freidley:
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Love, traditions, and a mythical menace
collide as Thea and Bash get involved in a festive fight to save
Pittsburgh’s children.
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Winter Wonderland by Elizabeth Edgar:
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Cinderella made her own gown and found her
Prince Charming, but will they get their fairy tale ending?
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.
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Don’t miss your chance to purchase this collection while it is available.
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Proceeds benefit First Coast Romance Writers, an independent non-profit organization that
helps writers hone their craft and expand their knowledge of the
publishing industry.
The authors participating in this anthology are members of First Coast
Romance Writers (FCRW), and proceeds from this anthology benefit
their organization. FCRW is a non-profit that welcomes both published
and unpublished authors, as well as any individuals involved in
writing and publishing. The chapter is dedicated to promoting
excellence in romantic fiction through monthly meetings and workshops
in a comfortable forum. They strive to help writers establish careers
by providing innovative programs, networking opportunities and
pertinent information on effective marketing techniques. Learn more
about FCRW online at https://www.firstcoastromancewriters.com
Meditation and Mischief: Magical Mystery Book Club by Elizabeth Pantley
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Meditation and Mischief: Magical Mystery Book Club Paranormal Cozy Mystery 8th in Series Setting – A resort on a tropical island Better Beginnings, Inc. (September 15, 2024) Print length : 327 pages Digital ASIN : B0CVW72ND4
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When this club selects a book, magic happens!
This book club does more than read their books – they are absorbed into them to become the amateur sleuths! In order to leave the book, they must solve the mystery and reach The End.
In this journey they travel to The Golden Island Wellness Retreat for yoga, meditation, workshops, and spa treatments. They’ll bond with nature and improve their spiritual wellbeing. They’ll find their inner peace – and a dead body, of course.
Graduates from an acting college have gathered at the retreat for their ten-year reunion. Old friends reconnect, but apparently, so have old enemies. The book club must evaluate the attendees to determine whose baggage has led to murder.
~~~~~
Enjoy this peek inside:
Frank strolled into the room, hopped up on the counter and stretched. His nose and whiskers twitched. “Ahhh, the life enriching aroma of fresh coffee. Which of my dear friends can I count on to prepare me a bowlful?”
“I gotcha, Frank,” said Forrest.
“While you’re at it, can you pour me a cup?” asked Sebastian, who was busy at the griddle whipping up a stack of pancakes.
“And me, please,” called Valeria over her shoulder as she took stacks of plates and bowls out of the cabinet.
The bustle of the kitchen continued until the counter was loaded with food and a second fresh pot of coffee was brewing. The peacefulness of last night had morphed into the high energy of anticipation that buzzed through the air. Today we’d pick a new book and embark on an unknown journey into a cozy mystery book. It was funny to think that in the old days a trip to the theater in the city, or a hike through the park were the only journeys I took. Now I knew I could land anywhere in the world – this world or another one – and I’d meet some kind of paranormal beings and be instrumental in solving a mystery. All with this motley group of people who’d become like family to me. Well … people, a talking cat, and a friendly ghost. My life had certainly changed.
Brunch was served and we sat around the table chatting and eating.
“I know your library has only cozy mysteries,” said Valeria. “But wouldn’t it be great to go into other kinds of books, too?”
“No,” said Zell, wrinkling up her face. “Cozies are all I ever read.”
“Wouldn’t you like to venture into a nice romance story?” Sebastian made kissing noises.
“Heaven forbid,” chortled Zell. “Any men my age would be wrinkled old prunes.”
Sebastian spit out his coffee, and several of us laughed along with him, including Zell.
“What about biographies about famous people, then?” asked Valeria.
“Boring.” Frank gave an exaggerated yawn.
“I’d enjoy a travel book,” said Moonbeam. “It would be fun to explore a new place without having the added stress of a mystery to solve.”
“If you mean tour groups and taking pictures of old cathedrals, count me out,” said Sebastian. “We get to travel to places not on any map or globe and meet paranormal beings! That’s far more interesting to me. I mean, we got to visit a sprite kingdom, Moon! How much better does it get than that?”
Moonbeam smiled. “I did love the fairies.”
By the time we dilly-dallied over our meal, caught up with everyone’s news, and had taken our time cleaning the kitchen, over two hours had passed. People were already filling small plates of food to carry downstairs to our book club meeting. We rarely had leftovers with this group.
Zell didn’t even wait for us to leave the kitchen before she pulled out her drum and slung it around her neck. She handed her plate to Sebastian and began tapping out a drumroll as she marched toward the basement door. Everyone followed her in a parade of excitement.
Forrest, Valeria, and Atticus had grabbed pairs of chopsticks and were tapping out rhythms on the end tables and coffee table. The fact that all of them were playing different rhythms didn’t seem to bother them at all.
Moonbeam began her ritual chant asking for the spirits of exploration and adventure to fill the room, and Sebastian joined her, while tapping out his own rhythm with a pair of spoons. Mollie swooped up to blow gently on the chandelier which added a pleasant tinkling to the diverse orchestra.
I made my way to the front and put my hand on the doorknob. All the tapping, chanting, and tinkling came to a halt, and an air of expectation surrounded us. I began the countdown, and everyone joined in.
“Five … four … three … two … one!”
~~~~~
About Elizabeth Pantley
Elizabeth writes well-loved cozy mysteries in two series: The Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the Magical Mystery Book Club series.
Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest and Arizona, two very different places. Both are rich, gorgeous, natural places, and inspire the settings in many of her books.
Barks and Clues: A Canine Cozy Mystery by Sharon Michaels
Barks and Clues: A Canine Cozy Mystery Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting – Small Town USA Publisher : Independently published (May 22, 2024) Paperback : 105 pages ISBN-13 : 979-8326299345 Digital ASIN : B0CVVD5Y67 (February 29, 2024)
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If you like a cozy mystery that has… A fun, clean whodunit with twists and turns. Three generations of one family sleuthing together. Dog detectives sniffing out clues and bad guys. A small town with hidden secrets. A close-knit community coming together to solve crime. … then this is the short read book for you.
Retired police detective Maya Thompson is living a quiet life in the small town of Sunridge Junction with her son, Ethan, and her granddaughter, Lily. When their peaceful neighborhood is hit by a string of break-ins, Maya suspects there might be more to these crimes than meets the eye. Together, Maya, Ethan, Lily and their three clever and adventurous dogs, Digger, Dash, and Daisy, begin investigating the burglaries.
The dogs follow their noses, and the humans follow the dogs to an old fishing shack and a mysterious inventor. The man claims his innocence and insists he is being framed for the break-ins. The reclusive inventor explains that someone is trying to sabotage him and steal his inventions. He pleads with the crime-solvers to help prove his innocence and bring the true culprits to justice. Maya reluctantly agrees, finding it difficult to let go of her desire for justice.
With its quirky characters, fun plot twists, and a sprinkling of canine charm, this book is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and anyone who believes that heroism has no age limit.
About Sharon Michaels
Bestselling author Sharon Michaels writes sweet, clean, and fun cozy mystery short reads about mature, smart women and men who know how to enjoy life. Small towns, close friends, a hint of romance, and a fur-baby or two makes solving mysteries fun and exciting.
Today I happily write in the cactus filled desert of the southwest United States. My extremely supportive husband and I love exploring the beauty of our country. As I travel, I write fun and interesting things in my notebook so I can share these memories with you in stories and books.
Publication date: October 1st 2024
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
. Win the game. Change the world.
Winning the show means living forever. It is the golden ticket to fame, fortune, and a place among the vampire elite.
Being remade isn’t on my wish list. I like being me, and with nearly a million online followers, it’s working. My parents and big sister are the do-gooders in our family who want to make the world a fair and just place for all humans and paranormal creatures. I just want to finish high school and keep doing what I do best—sharing hair and beauty tips while discussing Spellcaster and how the show’s vampire judge Malachi Rayne is the hottest male on the planet.
Then, life as I know it ends. There are evil forces who will stop at nothing to maintain world dominance—indefinitely.
It’s hard to care when I’ve become dead inside and out.
After my family is violently attacked, the host of Spellcaster insists I audition for Season 13. For the first time in the show’s history, they want to represent every species of paranormals. That’s me now. Not human. Not vampire. Not the class of creature anyone EVER cheers for.
This season’s prize is power beyond anyone’s imagination. It is the kind of reward that contestants and their sponsors would kill to possess.
Let the other contestants and judges underestimate me. They can gossip all they want about the hotshot wizard and the alpha werewolf behaving as though I’m another prize to be won. And if Coach Malachi can’t handle a bold influencer with abilities, then he can suck it. I preferred watching him from the other side of the screen. He’s about to discover that Haylee Hutchins is a force to be reckoned with. The whole world will.
Someone thought they could silence my family for good. Instead, they created a monster. I’m still here, and I am much harder to kill.
Everything is spinning. My body. My vision. My brain. I clamp my mouth shut to keep from vomiting. The cleaning crew just got the stage cleaned. Then there’s the second reason I keep my lips pressed tight. I refuse to beg Malachi for mercy.
My hands flail and grasp for something to hold on to, but the wind rushing between my fingers is no help. If this is what flying feels like, then it’s highly overrated. I lean forward in an attempt to go vertical, which has the ill effect of pitching me forward so I catch a brief view of how far I am from the stage. My body flips around another time. I don’t want to land on my feet and crush my ankles. I certainly don’t want to land on my head and shatter my skull. I don’t want to break anything on my body!
If I won this season’s prize, I could defend myself instead of swirling helplessly like the roof of a house caught in a tornado.
The wind rips out my hair tie and blows my braid out in an instant. Blond hair whips me in the eyes. My body begins to descend slowly, while the spinning continues in full force. The tornado fades little by little into the stage until I am set down gently and it disappears altogether. I try to remain standing while the theater seats and stage continue to spin, but I tilt to one side and misstep. Thump. I fall to the stage, sprawled out on my side. It could have been worse, though. Way, way worse.
It’s a little hard to feel grateful as partially digested lunch rushes up my throat. I swallow it down.
Malachi stomps over. “What the hell was that, Hutchins?”
Great. He’s using my last name. The coaches never use contestants’ last names. I must be in trouble.
It’s a serious effort to get to my feet, which takes outstretched arms to keep my balance, but I’m not about to listen to this lecture in a crumpled heap on the stage.
My loose hair tickles my cheeks. I swallow again and cover my mouth with my hand. Malachi’s not in my face, but I don’t want him scenting my vomit breath. Well, not technically breath, but whatever foul waft might originate from the leftover taste on my tongue.
Malachi doesn’t wait for me to answer his question before drilling into me. “First rule of magical combat—never lose hold of your wand.”
“You lost yours,” I mutter, which is the wrong thing to say.
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About Author Nikki Jefford:
Nikki Jefford is a third-generation Alaskan nomad married to an amazing Frenchman. She loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt! Books, travel, TV series, hiking, writing, and motorcycle riding are her favorite escapes. The dark side of human nature fascinates her, so long as it’s balanced by humor and romance.
To get in on the fun and adventure, visit Nikki at her website for release alerts, updates, exclusive giveaways, and a free story when you subscribe to her newsletter: https://nikkijefford.com/newsletter/
Bad Boy: A Jason Davey Mystery Musical Mystery 5th in Series Setting – UK: London and Derbyshire Publisher : Winona Kent / Blue Devil Books (September 26, 2024) Print length : 278 pages ASIN : B0D9PFYXB4
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Fresh from a 34-day, 18-city tour of England, professional musician and amateur sleuth Jason Davey accepts an invitation from a fan, Marcus Merritt, to meet at Level 72 of The Shard to sign one of his band’s programs. Marcus hands him the booklet, then leaps to his death from the open viewing platform. Thus begins a week-long quest, during which Jason is tasked with retrieving a stolen collection of scores by England’s most famous composer, Sir Edward Elgar.
Marcus shared Elgar’s love of eccentric puzzles and games, and the challenging clues he’s assembled for Jason seem to mirror the 14 themes in Elgar’s renowned Enigma Variations. Jason’s journey takes him to Derbyshire and then back to London, and a four-hour walking tour of Soho’s lost music venues where, in Denmark Street, he faces a life-threatening battle with two adversaries: a treacherous Russian gangster who is also hunting for the stolen collection, and Marcus’s sister—who holds the key to a decades-old mystery involving a notorious London crime lord’s missing daughter.
Bad Boy is the fifth book in Winona Kent’s mystery series featuring jazz musician-turned-amateur sleuth Jason Davey.
About Winona Kent
Winona Kent is an award-winning author who was born in London, England and grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan, where she completed her BA in English at the University of Regina. After moving to Vancouver, she graduated from UBC with an MFA in Creative Writing and a diploma in Writing for Screen and TV from Vancouver Film School.
Winona’s writing breakthrough came many years ago when she won First Prize in the Flare Magazine Fiction Contest with her short story about an all-night radio newsman, “Tower of Power”.
Her debut novel Skywatcher was a finalist in the Seal Books First Novel Award and was published by Bantam Books in 1989. This was followed by a sequel, The Cilla Rose Affair, and her first mystery, Cold Play, set aboard a cruise ship in Alaska.
After three time-travel romances (Persistence of Memory, In Loving Memory and Marianne’s Memory), Winona returned to mysteries with Disturbing the Peace, a novella, in 2017 and the novel Notes on a Missing G-String in 2019, both featuring the character she first introduced in Cold Play, professional jazz musician / amateur sleuth Jason Davey.
The third and fourth books in Winona’s Jason Davey Mystery series, Lost Time and Ticket to Ride, were published in 2020 and 2022. Her fifth Jason Davey Mystery, Bad Boy, was published in 2024.
Winona also writes short fiction. Her story “Salty Dog Blues” appeared in Sisters in Crime-Canada West’s anthology Crime Wave in October 2020 and was nominated as a finalist in Crime Writers of Canada’s Awards of Excellence for Best Crime Novella in April 2021. “Blue Devil Blues” was one of the four entries in the anthology Last Shot, published in June 2021, and “Terminal Lucidity” appeared in the Sisters in Crime-Canada West anthology, Women of a Certain Age (October 2022). “On the Internet, Nobody Knows You’re a Dog”, will appear in the upcoming Sisters in Crime-Canada West anthology, Dangerous Games (October 2024).
A collection of Winona’s short stories, Ten Stories That Worried My Mother, was published in 2023.
Winona has been a temporary secretary, a travel agent , a screenwriter and the Managing Editor of a literary magazine. She’s currently the national Vice-Chair and the BC/YT rep for the Crime Writers of Canada and is also an active member of Sisters in Crime – Canada West
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