Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Amazon Encores for September 29th



Let's celebrate all the Amazon Encores being re-released today because...well, they were just that awesome.




A Rose in No-Man's Land by Margaret Tanner

Sister Amy Smithfield is carrying on her family's military tradition in the only way she can, as an Australian Army nurse. Dedicated to her calling, she has sworn off interest in men for the duration of the Great War in Europe. When she literally runs into Mark Tremayne, an English captain in the Australian army, her real struggle begins. Mark has his own reasons for keeping any relationship with the opposite sex in the casual mode, and he fights to deny his attraction to the petite blonde nurse who stirs his senses beyond the ordinary. Their battle against love continues from Australia to the Mediterranean to France. When Amy is captured by German soldiers, Mark realizes how much she means to him -- but can he overcome pride and find Amy after his jealous anger pushes her away?






Daughter of Sherwood (The Guardians of Sherwood Series Book 1) by Laura Strickland

Raised in the kitchens of Nottingham Castle, Wren has no idea she is the daughter of the legendary Robin Hood until she is summoned to Sherwood Forest. Since Robin's death many years before, the resistance against Norman tyranny has been upheld by a magical triad, but now one of the guardians has died. With two young men, Sparrow and Martin, Wren must form a new triad with a bond strong enough to defend Sherwood's magic. To one of them, she will also give her heart. From the moment Wren bursts into his life, Sparrow loves her. But he knows she may choose his lifelong rival, Martin, as her mate. Martin wants Wren also, but Sparrow fears Martin is driven not by love but by ambition. When Martin is captured and held at Nottingham Castle, will the conflict between love and duty destroy the triad?





Dawn of a Dark Knight by Zoe Forward 

In the shadows of our world, a secret band of warriors fights to protect us. They are the last line of defense against an evil no human can stop. An ancient nemesis has resurfaced. Duty demands that Ashor Vlahos, Scimitar Magi commander, recruit a magical healer to fortify the remaining eight magi. The gods' choice is the woman who helped him escape torture a decade ago. Ashor couldn't have imagined a better punishment for his vow-breaker homicidal incidents than for the gods to bind him irrevocably to the only woman in the universe he cannot have. The soul-searing desire she ignites in him is strictly forbidden. Kira Hardy, M.D. is a brilliant, hardworking internal med resident with big secrets. But when Ashor asks for aid after a brutal daemon attack, she is sucked into his dangerous, secret world. Enslavement to the magi, no matter how hot they are, may be an unattractive life plan, but being targeted for death by their enemies is less tolerable. She must trust the sexy, tormented Ashor to keep her safe while he must deny his ultimate desire and keep Kira at arm's length lest he bring destruction down on them both. As a centuries-old evil catches up to them, they face a crucial decision--follow the gods' rules or follow their hearts.





Death Stretch by Ashantay Peters


She's leery of overprotective men--he's sworn to protect and serve. When Katie Sheridan's best friend is blackmailed over an affair with a yoga instructor, Katie stuffs herself into workout togs to help identify suspects. Instead of getting fit, she learns yoga can be a killer when the instructor winds up dead. Worse, Katie is a suspect, and finds herself tangling with the sexy, commanding cop investigating the case. Detective Dirk Johnson knows getting involved with a material witness--especially one as reckless as Katie--means trouble, but his heart and protective instincts aren't logical. More than once, she rescues herself just before he arrives to save the day. Dirk's not sure he can keep up with her, but he'll go down trying. Blackmail, murder, and adultery teach Katie and Dirk that love obeys its own laws. With passion as the final reward, they find fighting temptation is highly overrated.





Forgotten in Darkness (Scimitar Magi Series Book 2) by Zoe Forward

After an unjustified two-century stint in purgatory, Scimitar Magus Dakar returns to the human realm, renewing his eons-old curse. Either he or the woman he loves must murder the other within days of meeting in each new lifetime. To break the vicious cycle, he must kill her before she strikes her deathblow, something he's never done in the past. Archaeology grad student Shay McGinnis suffers a near-death attack in pursuit of a piece of Scimitar Magi lore. But did the magnificent warrior who pinned her to the wall injure her or the daemon he fought? In her search for answers, she draws the attention of both an ancient evil sorcerer and the warrior Dakar. The attraction between her and Dakar is instant, and for Shay confusing. She wants to be with him, but intuition equates him with death. Not random death. Hers. Will this be the lifetime they break the curse before they are murdered by an age-old enemy or worse kill each other yet again?





Framed by Nikki Andrews

When a long-lost painting turns up at Brush & Bevel, a decade-old mystery is reawakened. What really happened to artist Jerry Berger and his model Abby Bingham? Was it a murder-suicide, as the police proclaim, or was it something far more sinister? Gallery owner Ginny Brent and her loyal staffers, Sue Bradley and Elsie Kimball, each take a different path to unravel the mystery. Together, their discoveries start to form a cohesive whole. But as they get closer to the solution, they discover to their horror that art is not the only thing that can be framed.





Heat Flash by Taylor Anne

When FBI agent Mason Black left Kendall Reed without warning, it devastated her, but she managed to bounce back. Now on the run from a maniacal stalker, she must learn to trust the man who betrayed her in the past. Dealing with his own insecurities and secrets, Mason will do anything to protect Kendall from the dangerous lunatic terrorizing her. But the bigger threat may be the one Kendall poses to his heart. Scared of Kendall's reaction if she learns the truth about him, Mason puts his own problems and emotions on hold to find her stalker. But when Kendall's life is threatened, he has no choice but to risk body and soul--and even his heart--to save her.





Congratulations, authors! You're all winners!

Thursday, September 24, 2015

The Other Side – Starr Gardinier




It may be fall but its still hot on the beach and we're still looking for great books to relax with. My guest today is talking about her new book and it sounds like one that will keep us reading all day, and maybe keeping us awake all night.

Welcome to my beach, Starr. Make yourself comfortable while we talk about your new release, The Other Side, Melinda’s Story.

It’s great to be here. Okay, I’m ready. I have my little umbrella drink and lounge chair.

I understand that Melinda’s Story is part of a new series, Other Side. There’s nothing I love more than a good ghost story. Will all your Other Side books follow some of the same characters, or will we find ourselves in a new place each time?

They will have the same main characters (Melinda, Trent and _____) with added new ones here and there. I left that blank on purpose. If I divulge that name, it will ruin Trent’s story and I don’t want to do that.

How many stories are in some stage of progress for this series as we speak?

The 2nd book in the Other Side series is with the copyeditor at Wild Rose Press as we speak. I anticipate a release of “Trent’s Story” early 2016. The third is still being written.

Where did your inspiration for Melinda’s story come from?

I simply had an idea to have my protagonist tell her story by relaying events to her psychiatrist. I love the paranormal, so putting the two together worked well. A doctor, teenagers, creepy events… Sounded fun to me and the result is “Melinda’s Story.”

Let’s have a look at the blurb ~

Melinda's family is dead, killed for information that is hidden deep within her mind. Her father tries to warn her from the 'Other Side' that she is in danger from the killers who want what only she can give them. Committed to Skyview Haven, she must determine if the 'Other Side' truly exists or if it is a trick of her heart and mind. With time running out Melinda must determine who she can trust. Is it the ghosts of her family, a boy who may not be who he appears to be, or the doctor who is determined to cure her? Can she figure out the truth before it is too late?

Melinda sounds like a very complex character. What three words would you use to describe her?

Persistent, strong, open-minded

If The Other Side, Melinda’s Story was made into a movie, what would it be rated and what age group would mostly make up the line for tickets?

First, that would be awesome! It’s a young adult novel, so pg rating and the age group would honestly be anyone from 16 to 65. It’s something adults can enjoy as well.

What actress would you most like to see playing Melinda’s part?

I can absolutely see Emma Watson playing Melinda telling the story. Emma has the look that I imagine Melinda to have; that ‘wholesome’ look, but also a character that is determined.

Let’s sample your voice with an excerpt ~

“The entire time was weird. It was June 2005 when they finally had a funeral for Beth. I stood there next to what they said was her grave, but I knew she wasn’t in it. I didn’t know what was going on and no one would believe me. They all thought I was in denial. They were the ones in denial.
“For a while after, I had to see a shrink. I thought maybe if someone like a doctor believed me, then my family would. But I overhead Dr. Raspin tell my mom and dad that I was more out of tune than she realized. Those were the words she used, ‘out of tune’. What was that supposed to mean? It didn’t matter. I knew then I was alone.
“I went back to school and still no Beth. All my friends stopped me in the hallway to say how sorry they were. Were they? Didn’t they know Beth was alive? Why was I the only one who knew the truth? Even Beth’s mother was always crying. Mom and I went to visit her a few times after the funeral. Each time, she and Howard, Beth’s dad, were either crying or you could tell they had been.
“After a while, I began to think maybe I was nuts after all, especially after seeing my dad alive day in and day out after I was just at his funeral. He wasn’t in my head any longer, but there, right in front of me. So, if my dad was in my head when he was dead, why isn’t Beth in my head if she’s dead? None of it made sense.
“I was just about convinced I really was in shock, that Dad was alive the whole time and Beth was really the one who was dead until...”

That certainly set the mood. I can’t imagine anyone not jumping to the buy links now, so here they are ~


Now, we’d love to hear more about you ~



Bio: A paralegal by day, she’s an author by night. Apart from being an award winning author for her short story “Cut,” Starr has appeared in a blaze and made her mark on the literary world with her Ivanovich series and now her Other Side series.

Having studied and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Literature/Creative Writing, she has found her unique style and is known for her works' distinctive voice, making every character stand out.

She’s the founder and owner of Editing by Starr. She’s also the former executive editor for Suspense Magazine. She has been interviewed in the newspaper and on the radio with relation to her fiction work. She has been a co-host on Suspense Radio.

Starr is a member of International Thriller Writers (ITW) and of Sisters in Crime, Los Angeles Chapter and nationally. She has won three Best Speaker awards as well as Best Evaluator at the Voice Ambassadors chapter of Toastmasters. She has always been active in events. As co-chair and main coordinator for the West Coast Author Premiere, she arranged weekend-long events to help authors from all over network, learn and share their work with the public. Starr has also been instrumental in compiling authors and planning a local author event at Barnes and Noble in Ventura, California along with the store’s event manager.

Please see more on her editing service at www.editing.queenwriter.com, read more about her at www.QueenWriter.com, and/or visit her blog at www.qw-blog.blogspot.com.

How can our guests reach you on social media?

blog: qw-blog.blogspot.com
twitter: @StarrGardinier

It was wonderful meeting you, Starr. I wish you tons of luck with The Other Side, Melinda’s Story and all the books to follow.

Thank you, Sandra for hosting me. And a huge thanks to my readers. Without you all, Melinda James just wouldn’t ‘exist.’ And without Melinda, I wouldn’t be able to tell you Trent’s story, which is the 2nd book in the Other Side series. Happy reading, everyone! It was great being here.

Question for our guests: Have you ever had a paranormal experience or know someone who has? Tell us about it in a comment below or just say hello.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Bayou Born Feature

Today's feature!



With broken vows and betrayal as pages from their past, can Branna and James hope for true love? 



Bayou Born is the first book the in the Fleur de Lis series from award-winning author Linda Joyce, and it’s a RONE Award Finalist. Bayou Bound and Bayou Beckons of the series are available. Linda is finishing the much-anticipated Bayou Brides. She also has a second series—The Sunflower Series. Book one, Her Heart’s Desire launched last month.

In Bayou Born, you’ll meet Branna Lind and James Newbern in fictional Lakeview. There is a canine character, General Beauregard, who is very real. He is one of the three dogs in my family. He is very much a general—takes charge and full steam ahead.

I hope you’ll enjoy the story of Branna and James:

Branna Lind's self-esteem rests at the bottom of the Mississippi River. She’s canceled her "wedding of the decade" and refuses to say why. She wants life on her own terms—no ready-made job in the family business, no safety net of close-knit kin, and no more betrayal. Men are purely optional.

College professor James Newbern prizes his bachelorhood. He knows beautiful women are high-maintenance trouble, and Branna fits that “type.” He is happy to avoid her until the college vice president assigns him to mentor the newest hire—Branna.

Branna is on her way to a new life, but will the scars of the past send her running from love? Even if she faces the truth, will she ever convince James she truly is his "type"?







 Linda loves to hear from readers. Please connect with her on
Twitter @LJWriter  https://twitter.com/LJWriter
Get your copy here: http://amzn.com/B0153Q7NX2





Anyone can read a Kindle eBook with a free app for any device.






Tags: #southerncharm #smalltown #contemporary #romance



Tuesday, September 22, 2015

September 22nd Amazon Encores



!!!It's time to celebrate more fantastic Amazon Encores!!!
Get ready to one click the books Amazon and I feel are the best of the best.




Bayou Born (Fleur de Lis Series Book 1) by Linda Joyce

Branna Lind's self-esteem rests at the bottom of the Mississippi River. She canceled her "wedding of the decade," though she isn't saying why. She wants life on her own terms, no ready-made job in the family business, no safety net of close-knit kin, and no more betrayal. College professor James Newbern prizes his bachelorhood. Experience has taught him beautiful women are high-maintenance trouble and Branna fits that type. He is happy to avoid her until the college vice president assigns him to mentor the newest hire--Branna. Branna is on her way to a new life, but will the scars of the past send her running from love? Even if she stands her ground, can she convince James that she truly is his "type"?





Clear As Day (The River Series Book 2) by Babette James

What's a girl to do when her summer lover wants forever? Haunted by dark memories of her parents' volatile marriage, artist Kay Browning keeps her heart locked behind a free-spirit facade and contents herself with the comfortable affair she has every summer with easygoing photographer Nate Quinn. The only trouble with her plan? This summer Nate's come to Lake Mohave to claim the lover he can't let go. He's done with the endless traveling and settling for temporary homes and temporary loves. Kay's always been more than just a vacation fling, and now he must convince this woman, who sees love as a course to certain heartbreak, to take that leap of faith and learn how safe love with the right man can be.





The Devil's Own Desperado by Lynda J. Cox

He's everything she fears... Wounded gunfighter Colt Evans stumbles onto a remote homestead never expecting to find compassion. But beautiful Amelia McCollister is like no other woman. Suddenly, his dream of settling down with a wife and home is within reach--but only if his past never comes gunning for him. She's everything he dreams of... Amelia had to grow up fast after outlaws murdered her parents, leaving her to raise her siblings alone. With a young brother who idolizes shootists, she dreads having a notorious gunman in her home. But as Colt slowly recovers, he reveals a caring nature under his tough exterior that Amelia can't resist. Just when Colt starts to believe he can leave the gunfighter life behind, his past returns, bringing danger to them all. Can a shootist ever hang up his hardware? Or will their dreams disappear in the smoke of a desperado's gun?





The Heart of the Phoenix (A Brotherhood of the Phoenix Series Book 1) by Barbara Bettis

Memories Lady Evelynn’s childhood hero is home—bitter, hard, tempting as sin. And haunted by secrets. A now-grown Evie offers friendship, but Sir Stephen's cruel rejection crushes her, and she resolves to forget him. Yet when an unexpected war throws them together, she finds love isn’t so easy to dismiss. If only the king hadn’t betrothed her to another. Can be cruel Sir Stephen lives a double life while he seeks the treacherous outlaws who murdered his friends. Driven by revenge, he thinks his heart is closed to love. His childhood shadow, Lady Evie, unexpectedly challenges that belief. He rebuffs her, but he can’t forget her, although he knows she’s to wed the king’s favorite. And deadly When his drive for vengeance leads to Evie’s kidnapping, Stephen must choose between retribution and the love he’s denied too long. Surely King John will see reason. Convict the murderers; convince the king. Simple. Until a startling revelation threatens everything.





Kira, Daughter of the Moon by Beth Trissel

Logan McCutcheon returns to colonial Virginia after seven years in the hands of Shawnee Indians. But was he really a captive, as everybody thinks? He looks and fights like a warrior, and seems eager to return to those he calls friends and family. Kira McClure has waited for Logan all those years, passing herself off as odd to keep suitors at bay--and anyone else from getting too close. Now that he's back, he seems to be the only person capable of protecting her from the advances of Josiah Campbell and accusations of witchcraft. And to defend the settlers against a well-organized band of murderous thieves.





Only Love Survives (Love and Zombies Series Book 1) by Renee Charles

Amidst an epidemic ravaging the world, all Megan Fletcher's hopes for the future lie in getting to Las Vegas where newscasts reported scientists were gathering to search for a cure for the modern plague. After rescuing her from a rooftop surrounded by Zombies, Sam Woods appoints himself her escort. While he knows she is determined to get to Vegas no matter the cost, he doesn't know her secret. And with his hatred of all things Zombie, she doesn't dare tell him the truth. The more he kisses her, the harder it is for Megan to hide her growing feelings...and the bite-shaped scar. But Vegas is not the haven it was promised to be, and when Megan's immunity to the disease is discovered, she realizes her future and her heart belong to Sam, if he will trust her. An idealistic school teacher and ex-corporate mogul manage to find love despite a looming worldwide catastrophe. Can their love survive while everything around them is dying? Will they learn that when facing the end of the world, Only Love Survives?





Summertime Dream (The River Series Book 1) by Babette James 

The Fourth of July is over, but for these summer lovers the fireworks have just begun. An unexpected inheritance brings business consultant Christopher Gordon from Los Angeles to quaint Falk's Bend. He's carved time from his demanding schedule to dispose of his great-grandparents' home and explore his roots. However, disturbing family secrets and the sweet temptation of writer Margie Olsson derail his plans, challenging him to seize the elusive dream missing from his hectic life--love. A recent brush with death shook Margie's life, but not her dreams, and she's ready to move forward. Only, standing up to her loving, over-protective family isn't easy. Helping Christopher explore the derelict mansion and unravel his grandmother's mysterious past allows a fun taste of independence. But when her experimental summer fling ignites into unexpected love, can her small town dreams work with his big city life?

http://www.amazon.com/Summertime-Dream-River-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0153Q7NG4/ref=sr_1_2_twi_kin_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442800718&sr=8-2&keywords=Summertime+Dreams





Untangle My Heart (Tangled Hearts Series Book 1) by Maria K. Alexander

When her marriage ended in tragedy, Kate DiFrancesco rebuilt her life, but has never gotten over the pain of what she lost. Seeking the help of an ex-lover ignites feelings she's promised never to have again. She'll need to untangle herself from dangers in her past in order to break the hard shell around her heart. Edward Weston has a lot to prove, both to his stuffy upper-crust British family, and to himself. Working alongside Kate, a woman he had a casual relationship with, stirs unexpected feelings. Helping her family makes him realize what he's missing. For the first time, he wants more than a one-night stand. When Kate is threatened, Edward must overcome feeling unworthy to protect the woman he loves and fight for the family he never thought he'd have.



Let's all give these great authors our support and help them Celebrate BIG!