Friday, March 29, 2013

Featured Book of the Day: Dylan's Song by p.m. terrell


Dylan Maguire returns to his native Ireland with psychic spy Vicki Boyd. Their mission: to locate and extract a CIA Agent who disappeared in Dublin while on the trail of a known terrorist. But when Dylan receives word that his grandmother is dying, he is plunged into a past he thought he’d left behind forever. His mission and the dark secrets he’d sought to keep hidden begin to merge into an underworld that could cost him his life. He must now confront his past demons and the real reason he left Ireland—while Vicki harbors a secret of her own.


Suspense Magazine says, “p.m.terrell’s writing is powerfully written and masterfully suspenseful; you have to hang on for the ride of your life.” Midwest Book Review says the Black Swamp Mysteries series is “page-turning action, unforgettable characters, breathtaking descriptions and unexpected plot twists.” And syndicated reviewer Marcia Freespirit says the series is “riveting, spell-binding, sexy and intense!”

Excerpt From Dylan's Song
 
“Why are you so adamant about not going back?” Vicki said. “I don’t understand.”

      
He strode to the back door. With his hand almost on the knob, he stopped abruptly and turned around to face them. “The flight is a hundred hours long.”

     
“It’s six hours,” Sam said.
“I’ll have jet lag for weeks!”
 
“Two days, tops.” Sam’s voice was becoming quizzical.
 
“Are you afraid of flying?” Vicki asked.
 
No!” he bellowed. He opened the kitchen door. “The weather there is atrocious!”
 
“I can’t believe you’re acting like this is such an inconvenience for you!” Vicki shouted.
 
“In me whole life,” he said as if he hadn’t heard her, “it’s rained once.” He held up his finger. “One time!”
 
“Really?” Vicki said. “Once?”
 
And it’s lasted for thirty years!” With that, he marched outside and slammed the door behind him.
 
Vicki and Sam stared at the door for a long moment without speaking. Then she turned to him. “I’m at a loss here.”
 
He continued staring at the kitchen door as if he hadn’t heard her.
 
“Do you know why he doesn’t want to see Ireland again?” Vicki asked.
 
“He can’t refuse a mission,” Sam said quietly. “You can’t pick and choose your missions in this line of work.”
 
Vicki turned to stand directly in front of him.
 
“Do you know,” she said in a stronger voice, “why he doesn’t want to see Ireland again?”
 
He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time.
 
“You know, don’t you?”
 
      He looked away from her. His eyes roamed the kitchen as though he was searching for something. Vicki stood her ground until he said, “No. I have my suspicions; that’s all.”
 
 
Crafting Suspense
 
Years ago, I read a book entitled What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson. It was the first book that I truly could not put down; I read the entire book in one sitting. When I finished the last page, I turned to the first page and began reading again—but this time, I analyzed how the author kept me turning those pages long after I should have put the book down and attended to other, more pressing, matters.
 
I found that each chapter left me at a cliffhanger. I try to use that same method in my own writing, and my fans tell me that they also find themselves reading far into the night because they simply couldn’t bear to stop. I try to begin each chapter in the middle of a scene and I end it with a sentence or two that leads to the next suspenseful chapter. The result is I don’t waste time leading the reader through all the background: Vicki drove to this place, she said “hello, how are you?”, etc. That isn’t suspenseful unless something actually happens to her in the car or in the parking lot or while she’s introducing herself.
 
Most of my books are going to be in the vicinity of 300 pages long. Rather than begin the book with an eye toward the end, I work toward a climactic scene in the middle of the book. That scene is always going to be pivotal and from that point forward, it’s going to propel the reader through the rest of the book like they’ve been launched from a cannon.
 
So the first half of the book sets the characters, the locales and all the pieces of the puzzle that lead to that first climactic scene. It must be fast-paced because now I am writing toward something that’s going to occur around page 150. Once I have written that chapter, I am now thrust toward the ending and an even larger climax that will occur around 120 pages later.
 
In writing suspense, words can’t be wasted. I choose action over inactivity and dialogue over thoughts.
Each of my books contains these elements and each time one of my new releases is reviewed, I get the same feedback: the reader couldn’t put it down.
 
About The Author
 
p.m.terrell is the award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than 16 books. Vicki's Key, one of the first books in the Black Swamp Mysteries series, was one of five finalists in the 2012 International Book Awards (Mystery/Suspense) and 2012 USA Best Book Awards (Mystery/Suspense.) River Passage, an historical work based on her ancestor's migration to Fort Nashborough in 1779-1780, won the 2010 Best Fiction & Drama Award. The Nashville (TN) Metropolitan Government Archives determined it to be so historically accurate that they entered the original manuscript into their Archives for future researchers and historians.
 
Prior to becoming a full-time author in 2002, terrell founded and operated two computer companies in the Washington, DC area. Her clients included the United States Secret Service, CIA, Department of Defense and federal and local law enforcement. Her specialty is in the areas of computer crime and computer intelligence. Her experience in these areas have greatly influenced her books' plots.
 
She is the co-founder of The Book 'Em Foundation, whose slogan is "Buy a Book and Stop a Crook" and whose mission is to raise awareness of the link between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. She founded Book 'Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair, an annual event to raise money to increase literacy and reduce crime.
 
For more information on Book 'Em North Carolina, visit www.bookemnc.org and www.bookemnc.blogspot.com.
 
p.m.terrell's website is www.pmterrell.com and her blog is www.pmterrell.blogspot.com.
 
She can be found on Twitter @pmterrell
 
 
Don't go without leaving p.m. a comment.  She will be awarding a Celtic Knot Necklace to a randomly drawn commenter during this tour.  To increase your chances of winning follow her tour by visiting  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/12/virtual-book-tour-dylans-song-by-pm.html
 
 
 
 
 
 



Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Interview with Romantic Suspense Author D'Ann Lindun


Joining me today is Romantic Suspense Author D'Ann Lindun, so sit back read her interview and then check out her newest release.

Thank you so much for joining me today, D'Ann


How long does it take you to write a book?

Depends on the book. I’ve written over 20 now. Vaquero took a year, the last one, Promise Me Eden, took a little over a month.

 
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t think I have one!

 
What do you think is the best way of publishing a book these days?

I think it depends upon the author. Whatever works for that person is best.

 
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

I generally write what I know, but when I need help, I ask my writer friends first, Google or the library next.

 
When did you write your first book?

Twenty years ago, as an exercise in a class Margot Early taught.


What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Ride horses, garden, read.


How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

20 finished, at least that many partials. I don’t have a fave! Sometimes I say I like one better, but then I think of my others and nope, they’re all my faves.

 
Can you tell me and your readers something about your main characters?

Love to! Cooper is scarred by his past, and by being accused of murder. Elizabeth Adams is a Los Angeles native who dreams of living in the west and being in a western movie.


Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Unfortunately, not yet.

 
What do you think makes a good story?

Easy! Characters I care about!


What are your favorite book genres in writing and reading? Why?

Romantic suspense! Because in my opinion, the mystery often pushes the H/h into a relationship and I love that!

Who are you favorite authors to read?

My CPs! Weird as it sounds, I love their books and can’t wait for their chapters to come to me!

Thanks so much for answering my questions.  Now for a little about Cooper's Redemption

Elizabeth Adams is a Los Angles native who has always dreamed of living in the Rocky Mountains. She loves western movies and riding horses, and dreams of being a heroine in a western film. She gets her chance for real life adventure when her mother disappears from Salt Lick, Colorado, after going there to sell a ranch she inherited.

J.B. Cooper (just Cooper) is under suspicion for killing his neighbor, Henry Harper, over a water dispute. There is no evidence to convict him, but the shadow of doubt hovers around him. He just wants to be left in peace.

Circumstances throw Elizabeth and Cooper together when he tracks rustled cattle to her ranch … and discovers a body in the barn. Once again, he is the suspect in a suspicious death. Elizabeth is convinced Cooper had nothing to do with the murder of her cousin because to her, he’s a true western hero. Together, they search for her mother, clear Cooper’s name and fall in love along the way.

 
More About D'Ann Lindun
 
 
Falling in love with romance novels the summer before sixth grade, D’Ann Lindun never thought about writing one until many years later when she took a how-to class at her local college. She was hooked! She began writing and never looked back. Romance appeals to her because there's just something so satisfying about writing a book guaranteed to have a happy ending. D’Ann’s particular favorites usually feature cowboys and the women who love them. This is probably because she draws inspiration from the area where she lives, Western Colorado, her husband of twenty-nine years and their daughter. Composites of their small farm, herd of horses, five Australian shepherds, a Queensland heeler, nine ducks and cats of every shape and color often show up in her stories!
Contact D'Ann at the following links:
 


Thursday, March 21, 2013

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: Book Reviews Part 3

Just how important are book reviews?
 
When my first book became available I sat on the edge of my seat waiting for the first book review to appear.  For a long time after that I checked the reviews for my book almost everyday.  But just how important are book reviews to the people purchasing books?  Does the number of stars a book has really make that much of a difference when it comes to whether or not a person will buy a book?
 
For me as a reader anyway they are not all that important.  That's not to say I don't read them sometime before I buy a book, especially if it is by an author I am not familiar with, but the number of five star reviews is not what ultimately makes me purchase a book or pass it on by.  Before I sat down to write this, I went onto Amazon and looked for Romance Novels for Kindle and picked two randomly by author I have never read.  One had an average star rating of 3 Stars the other 4 Stars.  One has been on the NY times best seller list, the other has not.  Which one do you think I actually thought about buying?  The one with the average 3 Star rating that has never even come close to the NY list.  Why?  Simple because the blurb from the one with the 4 Stars didn't sound like something I would enjoy.
 
When I start looking for a new book by an author I don't know, I first look at the Covers and Titles that appear.  If one catches my eye, I then check out the blurb.  If the book sounds like something I normally enjoy, I then check out the price.  Maybe it is just me but I will not pay $12 for an ebook.  If after these steps I am still interested in a book I may or may not browse through the reviews depending on how much time I have.  After that  I will either purchase it right away or add it to my wish list for later.  As you can see the actual reviews don't play much of a role for me.  Does that mean as an author I can easily brush off 1 and 2 star reviews?  No, unfortunately I can not do that which is why I stopped checking my reviews daily.  Instead I check every few weeks.  But as a reader I believe that reviews are not everything.
 
What about for you as a reader?  How important are reviews to you?


Friday, March 15, 2013

Lucky In Love Blog Hop March 15th Thru March 18



The definition of LUCK is the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities.  But does luck exist and if so does it play a role in love? 

The answer, at least in my opinion, is yes and no.  Sometimes there is simply no other way to explain why something happens other than to say luck was involved.  For example 15 years ago this July I met my husband in a summer Spanish class.  I had recently gotten out of a bad relationship and was not looking for a boyfriend.  I had taken the summer class because I was trying to graduate early and I needed to complete my foreign language requirement.  My husband, an engineering major, didn't need to take a language.  He was just looking for an easy class to obtain the credits he needed.  Chances are if we had not met in that summer class we never would have met.  As an engineering major he spent most of his time on the other side of campus and we lived in separate dorms.  Yet we met and have been together ever since.  Was it luck?  I like to think it was.  But it is not luck that has kept us together.  Rather it has been understanding, shared values, compassion, and work

Luck also appears in our favorite romance novels.  How many times do our beloved characters met because they are in the right place at the right time?  Or maybe in the wrong place at the right time.  Either way our favorite romance characters often find themselves lucky in love when the story ends and they find their happily ever after.  Or at least they always do in my favorite reads and in my series The Sherbrookes of Newport.


Before you go share your thoughts on Love and Luck.  Be sure to leave your email address with your comments and be entered into the giveaway.  Don't forget to visit the other stops on the Blog Hop and increase you chances of winning.  There are over 200 blogs so that means you can enter more than 200 times.  You can find the other blogs here: http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/

On this HOP we have TWO grand prizes plus I am giving away an Amazon Gift Card as well.

Now what are those prizes?
 
1st Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
2nd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Celebration Time

 

WOW. I can hardly believe that March 19 marks 1 year since The Teacher's Billionaire was released and what a great year it has been thanks to all the wonderful Romance Readers out there. The story itself I started in the summer of 2006, but then big life changes occurred which included having three children and moving from Connecticut to Massachusetts. While I didn't do any actually writing between the years of 2006 and 2011, I kept up my membership in RWA and kept attending the New England chapter of RWA conference every April. Then in the Spring of 2011 a good friend of mine and fellow writer invited me to a Writer's Retreat outside of Albany New York. That weekend I got back to writing and have not stopped since. I now have the first 2 books in my series The Sherbrookes of Newport out and the 3rd should be out by the end of the month.



To celebrate I am doing a contest. To enter all you need to do is tell others about my book The Teacher's Billionaire, which is free for all ereaders, or about The Billionaire Playboy. You can share on Facebook, Twitter, in your reading groups, with friends, or whatever way you can think of. Leave me a comment telling me how you shared the information and you're entered. Please leave your email address so I can contact you.

Contest ends March 19th

Prizes:
 
$25.00 Gift Card to Amazon or B&N
$15.00 Gift Card to Amazon or B&N



Thank you for everything
 
 
 
The Billionaire Playboy
 
 

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Luck In Love Blog Hop Starts March 15th



Lucky in Love? Well, are you? It's a time of luck and wealth...or not. With each romance we find ourselves in a new world of love and memories. Are these just by chance? Is it luck? Welcome to your second annual Lucky in Love Blog Hop where we want to hear about your love, your romance, and how much you love St. Patrick's Day!!! Are you wearing green? Ready to get pinched...or wait...do you like that?

Almost 300 bloggers have giveaways and posts about those men we love!

But that's not all....

We have TWO grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times!

Now what are those prizes?


1st Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
2nd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

Friday, March 8, 2013

Feature of the Day: Love in Provence


When John Martin is forced to sell his tech company, he decides to take a six-month vacation to the south of France.

When he meets Madame Garcin, her daughter Sophie, and her granddaughter Isabelle, his life is changed forever. What began as a long vacation becomes a journey of self-discovery marked by love, loss, and tragedy.

He is molded by this family of three generations of women, tempered by tragedy themselves, in ways that he could never have imagined.
 
 
Excerpt from Love In Provence
 
It seemed to John that the next three weeks could not go by fast enough. He was energized and quickly got back into the routine of jogging along the Embarcadero. It was a Sunday morning and John had made it all the way to the Marina Green, which was farther than the length of his usual run.
The green was filled with joggers, mothers pushing strollers, and the sailors heading for the yacht harbor. The sky was bright blue and cloudless, and a stiff breeze blew into the harbor from the other side of the Golden Gate. John stopped in the middle of the green to catch his breath and looked up to see a sky full of kites. There were large ones, small ones, one that looked like a dragon, and another which resembled a bird, all in a kaleidoscope of colors that were enhanced by the sun from above. They all danced in the wind, some darting side to side, and others diving toward each other as if to demonstrate who owned the skies. Some would descend to the ground then dart back up into the sky again.

Off to one side was a small girl with a pony tail, who ran across the grass as though she were about to lift off like a bird. Behind her she towed a small red kite, which stubbornly refused to become airborne despite her best attempts to launch it. Each time the kite plunged to the grass she would tighten the string again and make another run at it, only to have the kite rise about ten feet, then plummet to the grass. She tried over and over again with such determination, John wondered how long she had been at it. After each failed attempt she would look over at her mother who was keeping an eye on her from a distance, then the girl would continue with more determination than the previous attempt. John thought about Isabelle and how much he missed her. He could not wait to see her. He could imagine Isabelle when she was young, pulling on the kite string with the same determination as the little girl.
John walked over to her mother sitting on the grass and asked with a smile, “Do you mind if I give her a hand?”

Her mother raised her eyebrows at first and studied John from top to bottom, but then a smile slowly crept onto her face. “Sure, why not?”
 
Want to read more?  This book can be purchased Amazon
Meet The Author
 
William Auch is a physician residing in Sacramento, California. When not seeing patients, he writes, studies French, and travels the world.


Before you go be sure to leave William Auch a comment and be entered into his giveaway.  William is giving away a $25 Gift Card to Amazon to one commentor.  To increase your chances of winning follow William's tour and visit his other stops.  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/01/super-book-blast-love-in-provence-by.html

Monday, March 4, 2013

Book Feature of the Day by Lara Nance




When Maeve McKenna renounces her witch powers and accepts a low-key nurse practitioner position at a Virginia retirement community, the last thing she expects is a suicide her first day on the job.


As the town's sexy sheriff, Paul Sutton, starts looking into the tragic death of his father's friend, Maeve can't help but get involved--with both the case and him. Their informal investigation unveils an old journal that connects the ruins of a nearby asylum and long-forgotten cemetery with the shiny new retirement community's memory unit--and Maeve's Alzheimer's patients.

     
Maeve senses a sinister presence in the old asylum, calling to the patients, but in order to stop it from killing again, she must first conquer some demons of her own and reclaim the magic she's denied herself.
 
Excerpt From Memories of Murder


As if on cue, her cell phone rang and when she saw her mother’s number she sighed. Her Mom had been great during her crisis, but now had trouble letting go. Of course Maeve was grateful her mother and aunts had flown to Atlanta as soon as they’d heard about the attack. The Gems—the triumvirate of her mother, Opal, aunts Ruby and Pearl insisted Maeve return to Savannah to heal as soon as she could leave the hospital. There, the Gems helped restore her health with tenderness and a little magic.

Her mother and aunts had to stop worrying about her. She took a deep breath and forced a brightness into her voice she didn’t feel. “Hi, Mom.”

“Emerald, darling, how are you?” Her mother’s voice was a rich contralto tinged with concern.

Maeve cringed at her mother’s use of her first name. She chose to use her middle name after she bound her powers. However, her mother persisted in calling her Emerald or Em no matter how many times Maeve reminded her.

“Yes, I’m fine. I made it and I’m on the way to the cabin I’m renting now,” Maeve said. “How are you?”

“Oh, I’m the same as ever,” her mother said with a deep chuckle. “Incorrigible.”

Maeve had to laugh. Yep, that was her mom.

“So, do you like it there?”

Maeve sighed. “I just got here. But so far it’s very picturesque. The retirement community is obviously exclusive. You should see it. In a few months maybe you guys could come up for a weekend and sightsee.”

“You’re not telling me something. What happened to upset you?” Opal’s tone sharpened.

“Mom, stop it. You always say that when I talk to you from out of town. I’m perfectly fine,” she lied.

“Really, Maeve, Ruby saw a crow in her front yard this morning. A crow!”

“Big deal, a bird flew into her yard.”

“No, not just any bird. And then she went out back to work in the garden and found another one dead on the stone path. You can’t say that’s a coincidence.” She ended on a triumphant note.

“Mom.”

“I know, I know. You don’t want to hear about omens. But mark my words Emerald Maeve McKenna, one day you will recognize the value of your heritage and be glad you have the powers.”

“Mom!”

“Okay. I’m done.”

“Good. Now please give the rest of the Gems my love, tell them I miss them and take care. I’ll call you later in the week and let you know how the job is going.”

“I will. Take care and I hope whatever it is you’re not telling me is nothing really bad.”

“Mom!”

“Good bye, darling.”

“Bye, Mom.”

She didn’t know whether to smile, grit her teeth, or both. Although her Gems had saved her, she also needed distance from her family for a while. It was important to find her own balance now that she had renounced her witch powers. She swallowed, regrouped her thoughts, and then headed into downtown Rolling Gap. She had to keep going. There was no other way to survive.

Want to read more? Memories of Murder can be purchased at Amazon.com

Meet The Author
 
 

Lara Nance grew up and lived in many cities throughout the South. She loves to write in a variety of genres within the scope of women’s fiction. But the basis of all her stories is a tale that will entertain and intrigue.


If you want to escape and lose yourself in a novel, you’ve come to the right place. Choose your genre and settle in to be entertained. From thrilling mysteries and steampunk tales, to paranormal romance and adventure, Lara’s willing to explore a variety of compelling stories full of danger and suspense, with a touch of romance.


Having been on the fencing team in college and now living on a sailboat convinces her that she was a pirate in another life, or possibly kin to Errol Flynn… However, due to the unfortunate demise of the romantic pirates of the past, she lives out her fantasies, thrills and adventures in her stories.


Currently docked in Norfolk, Virginia (until the wind changes) Lara enjoys living on her sailboat and spends time reading, of course writing, indulging a variety of artistic endeavors, cooking and sailing with her husband, Joe and their Yorkie, Rio.

 

Contact Lara Nance
 
Before you go be sure to leave Lara a comment with your email address because at each stop, Lara will award a signed cover flat; and a $50 Amazon gift card will be awarded to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. A $50 Amazon gift card and a signed cover flat will be awarded to a randomly drawn host.  To increase your chances of winning follow Lara on her other stops during this tour.  Her other stops can be found at http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/01/virtual-super-book-blast-memories-of.html