Saturday, November 26, 2016

Blog Tour: Swim Season by Marianne...





Swim Season Blog Tour

Book blurb:

The swim team is ripped apart when two girls vie to break a longstanding school record with a 50,000-dollar scholarship prize.


*****
Sometimes winning is everything. 


Champion swimmer Aerin Keane is ready to give up her dreams of college swimming and a shot at the Olympics. As she starts senior year in her third high school, Aerin's determined to leave her family troubles behind and be like all the other girls at Two Rivers. She's got a new image and a new attitude. She doesn’t want to win anymore. She's swimming for fun, no longer the freak who wins every race, every title, only to find herself alone.

But when her desire to be just one of the girls collides with her desire to be the best Two Rivers has ever seen, will Aerin sacrifice her new friendships to break a longstanding school record that comes with a $50,000 scholarship?

Author Bio: 
During swim season, you can find Marianne Sciucco, a dedicated Swim Mom for ten years, at one of many Skyline Conference swim meets, cheering for her daughter Allison and the Mount Saint Mary College Knights. 

Sciucco is not a nurse who writes but a writer who happens to be a nurse. A lover of words and books, she dreamed of becoming an author when she grew up but became a nurse to avoid poverty. She later brought her two passions together and writes about the intricate lives of people struggling with health and family issues.

Her debut novel Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s love story, is a Kindle bestseller; IndieReader Approved; a BookWorks featured book; and a Library Journal Self-e Selection. She also has two short stories available on Kindle, Ino's Love and Collection.

A native Bostonian, Marianne lives in New York’s Hudson Valley, and when not writing works as a campus nurse at a community college.

Purchase Links:

Swim Season is currently only available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback.

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Swim-Season-Marianne-Sciucco-ebook/dp/B01JVHIW3O

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.com/Swim-Season-Marianneamazon UK-Sciucco-ebook/dp/B01JVHIW3O

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Swim-Season-Marianne-Sciucco-ebook/dp/B01JVHIW3O

Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Swim-Season-Marianne-Sciucco-ebook/dp/B01JVHIW3O

Author Links:

Why did I write a book about girls’ varsity swimming? An interview with Marianne Sciucco
https://youtu.be/DFgT9Swnt_o

Website
http://mariannesciucco.blogspot.com/

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/marianne.sciucco.1

Twitter
https://twitter.com/MarianneSciucco

Pinterest
http://www.pinterest.com/mariannesciucco/




Excerpt:

Aunt Mags didn't say a word on the way to the high school and neither did I. We were up and out too early for anything more than, "Got everything?" "Uh huh," and "Let's go." We'd left the house before her first cup of coffee and she was not in a talkative mood.

It was just after dawn, the moon still visible as the sun peeked out over the horizon. A chill in the air hinted at summer's end. I regretted leaving my sweatshirt behind, although after swim practice the sun would be shining and we'd be back to the mid-August heat.

We arrived at the school and a deserted parking lot. Mags parked her minivan at the athletics entrance.

"Are you sure it starts at 6:45?" she asked.

"Positive," I said.

She yawned. "Looks like you're the first one here."

"I doubt it."

Today was the first day of swim season. Tryouts started at 7 a.m. The coach had instructed all wannabe swimmers to be on the pool deck no later than 6:45. My experience as a varsity athlete told me that anyone with any degree of competitiveness had already arrived. I had five minutes to spare.

"Want me to walk in with you?" Mags asked.

My horror at her suggestion must have been all over my face, because she said, "Sorry. Having a teenager is new to me. My girls would beg me to walk them into that big, scary building." We looked at the three-story hodgepodge put together to house Two Rivers High School.

"I can take it from here." I was sure I’d remember the meandering route to the pool area from the tour we took when we registered for my senior year.

She still looked anxious. "Sure you're all right?"

"Don't worry. I've got this routine down pat." Two Rivers would be my third high school. I played the role of new girl so well I deserved an Oscar.

I opened the door and hopped out. "Don't hang around waiting for me to call for a ride home," I said, reaching back to grab my bag. "I'm not sure when I'll get out, and I don't want to mess up your day. I'm okay to walk."

Aunt Mags nodded, and I shut the door.

"Don't forget we're going back-to-school shopping later on," she said through the open window.

"Got it."

“Go get 'em, Aerin." She gave me a thumbs-up.

I shot her a grin, hoisted my bag over my shoulder, and went off to join the Two Rivers High School Girls Varsity Swim and Dive Team.

***

Minutes later, I stood on the pool deck with an odd blend of girls vying to earn a place on the team. I spotted the usual huddle of newbies benched together at the far end of the bleachers, glancing at each other nervously and at the seasoned swimmers with something like awe. On the opposite end were the members of last year's championship team, all wearing team T-shirts and chatting like old pals, ignoring everyone else. In the middle was a bunch who looked like they wanted to go back to bed, the ones whose parents pushed them into a sport and who chose swimming because we did it indoors and it looked easy. Most of them wouldn't make it.

I found a place to stand against the wall and blocked out the curious glances shot my way, using the time before practice began to check out my surroundings. Aunt Mags had said the natatorium, built just a few years ago, was state-of-the-art.

Banners hung from the rafters and on clean white walls, touting the team's success, and an enormous leaderboard listed all of their champions and their accomplishments.

A wall of windows on the farthest side and a ceiling loaded with skylights filled the room with light.

The six-lane pool had blue and white flags and lane lines, and the Trailblazers logo – a torch - was laid out in blue tiles on the bottom.

The floor tiles were a mosaic of white and three shades of blue.

The air was thick with the smell of chlorine.

I checked my expression, not wanting anyone to catch me gaping over the finest natatorium of any team I'd joined. The thought of swimming in it, of calling it "home" for the next few months caused a thrill of excitement in my belly. Around me, the other girls talked and laughed, none of them seeming to appreciate the beauty of the pool and the privilege to use it.

"Good morning girls." A man's voice cut through the chatter, and each girl sat up at attention. "Let's get started."

The voice belonged to an older man, with bushy white hair and bifocals, dressed in the school's colors: navy blue shorts and a white polo shirt. Coach Steven Dudash. I hadn't met him yet – he was out of the building when my father and I visited the high school – but Maggie and her husband, Pat, gave him high praise. He’d coached the Two Rivers boys and girls swim teams for more than twenty years, and they were both winning teams.

He pulled a chair behind him, positioned it in front of the bleachers, sat down, and organized the pile of paperwork on his clipboard. “Good morning,” he said again, studying us over the rim of his bifocals. “I'm happy to see last year’s team back for another year. And welcome to those of you here for the first time. I’m glad you decided to give us a try.”

He took a swig from an extra tall cup of coffee before continuing. “For those of you new to the team, meet Coach Denise.” He gestured toward the young woman who accompanied him. “She's my daughter. I coached her for six years when she swam for Two Rivers and got her name on the leaderboard."

I checked out the leaderboard and saw she held the record in the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke. Good creds.

“This is her second year as assistant coach," he said. "She did a terrific job last year so I invited her back.”

The young blonde smiled at him and the swimmers cheered.

"Yay Coach D!" a few seniors shouted.

“It’s great to be back,” she said. “Ready to win another championship?”

The shouts and applause were deafening.

"During the next two weeks,” Coach said when the noise died down, “you'll all be working hard, doing drills both in the pool and in the weight room, four hours a day, six days a week. During the season, you'll be practicing from after school until five or six every weekday, and four hours on Saturday. Sunday is a resting day. And, of course, you will compete in swim meets at least twice a week. So, if you don't think you can make it through the first two weeks, you might as well leave now." He paused, waiting for anyone to opt out before we even got started. No one moved.

"Okay," he continued. "Most of you know that Two Rivers won the Division Championship last year, and the two years before. I plan to win again. When we do, and I say when, not if, we will be the first team in the division to ever win four consecutive division titles.”

Last year’s team broke out in wild applause and cheers. Coach waited for the outburst to die down before he continued.

“I need performers,” he said, “swimmers who aren't afraid to push themselves, to try new things and discover where they best support the team. So, in practice you're all going to swim every stroke, you're all going to swim distance, and you're all going to swim sprints. Each person will do all she can to defend our title."

Silence filled the pool deck as the girls looked each other over, wondering where each would fit in.

"That's the good news." He paused for effect. No worries. He had everyone's riveted attention. "But I've got some bad news. For years, the school board has been supportive of our team, and we've reciprocated by working as serious athletes and turning in winning records. Most years, the team can support as many as thirty-eight swimmers. This year, due to a budget crisis in our school district, our funds have been cut, and I can only put twenty-eight girls on the team."

Raised eyebrows and shocked inhalations followed this bit of news. I counted bodies: thirty-six.

"Yeah, eight of you will be cut, either at the end of this week or the end of next. Anyone want to leave now?"

Again, no one moved.

Coach Dudash smiled. "I like your level of commitment. Let's see if you can keep it under pressure."

He spent the next half hour reviewing team policies and the season’s schedule. I'd heard such talks before from other coaches and tuned him out while I studied the other girls, trying to figure out what their positions might be.

Most of them focused on Coach’s every word, but last year's champs ignored him and whispered among themselves. One of them, a lanky girl with sun-bleached hair and a killer tan, looked over the group of wannabes and held up her fingers one to five, scoring them, I guess, on whether or not they had a chance. Her friends snickered, trying to act as if they were paying attention to Coach instead of fooling around.

At last, the lanky girl's frosty blue eyes rested on me, and I met her gaze straight on. We stared at each other for a few seconds before she looked away first, then held up three fingers. It seemed she was ambivalent. I could go either way.

I was ambivalent too. I joined this crowd as a walk-on, someone with no history with the team and questionable ability. In their eyes, I was no better than a wannabe who needed to prove herself to gain a spot on the team and the other girls' respect.

I showed up because it's what I did at the start of every school year. Swimming was my only sport, and I was good at it. Really good. Still, I almost skipped tryouts today. The truth was, I didn't have the energy to join a new team, in a new school, for the third time. If anyone found out I’d won championship titles in club and varsity last year they'd expect great things from me, and I didn't want the pressure. Swimming was no longer the focus of my life. It was my therapy, and I wouldn’t let anyone mess that up.

The glimmer of challenge in the way the lanky girl looked at me caused a stirring in my gut, and I shot it down. I didn't come here to get involved in any personal challenges. I came here to swim, and not make any waves. My plan was to get through the senior year and go away to college, away from my troubles, and on to a new life that I could control.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Blog Tour & Review: MURDER AT MISTLETOE MANOR by Holly Tierney-Bedord

Blurb:
Klarinda Snow is the innkeeper of a beautiful, historic bed and breakfast in Windy Pines, Idaho. Guests come to Mistletoe Manor to escape from their troubles while enjoying the scenic mountain town.

When all seven rooms of the inn get booked on a Tuesday night in December, Klarinda is excited about having so much business, but a little confused as well. After all, her inn normally isn’t exactly a destination hotspot.

The guests have barely settled in before strange things begin happening. Is this the most accident prone group of travelers ever, or is someone out for revenge?

Review:
Klarinda is surprised and appropriately leery when her inn, Mistletoe Manor, is fully booked with no obvious connection between the reservations. It quickly becomes apparent there are at least some connections - someone invited these guests - all expenses paid - but who? Then the guest start dying. Between closed roads and accidents, the small town police are quick to call the deaths "accidents" but as the body count rises, that seems less likely.  

This is a quick read - a novella - and the story moves at a quick pace.  Like Benji in the story, from the name, I expected a little more "holiday" theme, maybe even a little mistletoe, but that's not really what the story is about. Those looking for a quick read with the suspects narrowed down as the invitees die off will enjoy this story. I liked Klarinda though there isn't a lot of history on her provided and I really hope Pumpernickel found a new home. I wouldn't mind "visiting" Windy Pines again if this turns into a series.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

Buy the Book:
About the Author: Holly Tierney-Bedord

Bio:


Holly Tierney-Bedord is the author of over a dozen books. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband Bill and their dog Tyler.



Visit all the Tour Stops:
November 20th
Book Lover in Florida - Book Excerpt Post 
Hello...Chick Lit - Book Excerpt Post
November 21st
My Novelesque Life - Author Guest Post 
Steamy Book Momma - Book Review 
November 22nd
Reviews by Crystal - Book Excerpt Post 
Imaginary Book Club - Book Review
November 23rd
Lilac Diaries - Author Guest Post 
Thoughts on Books - Book Review 
November 24th
Jenabooks - Book Review
November 25th
Bookaholic Babe - Author Guest Post 
Appletree Books - Book Review
November 26th
Reading To Unwind - Book Review 
4TeenReaders - Author Q&A

Tour arranged by:

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Blog Tour & Review: YANKEE TENACITY (Mayson-Dickson Mystery Series) by Jocie McKade


Yankee Tenacity (Mayson-Dickson Mystery Series)

Cozy Mystery

2nd in Series
Wrench & Quill (September 15, 2016)
Paperback: 216 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1537480329
E-Book ASIN: B01LW9AWB3
Synopsis


Following the latest cryptic message that might lead them to the truth about their parents, Emme Mayson and Jackie Dickson are pulled into another murder investigation when a man dressed in a kilt falls from the sky onto their truck.

As if a dead body isn’t enough, FBI Special Agent Chris Meechum and sexy caretaker Sam Fender try to rein in their sleuthing, but the sisters are determined to solve this murder. Men in kilts, Renaissance Faires, and a few mobsters in all the wrong places complicate the case.

Emme Mayson is a Southern charmer from Alabama. Jackie Dickson is a straight-forward professional from Boston, they aren’t exactly a match made in heaven. The only thing keeping them from starting another war between the states is the mystery surrounding their parents, and their own lives.

Review


When the lives of a stereotypical southern belle and a Boston bred Yankee cross, nobody is safe.  The two women have been thrown together with the belief that they are sisters - something that came up with the death of their parents and the involvement of federal agents trying to keep them safe. 
The bigger mystery is what were their parents involved in and why are they in danger now.  As they try to figure that out and follow leads, a man dressed in rather odd attire lands on their car. 

Emme and Jackie aren't too thrilled, but the FBI agent Meechum assigned to their case is even less thrilled.  Fender, who also is providing protection (but unknown to the women) also isn't thrilled.  Neither woman seems to get that the idea that being in witness protection means keeping a low profile. Southern or Yankee, they keep on. The Renaissance Faire adds a novel setting for organized crime and Zach's technological skills are impressive. 

As far as the dead body on the car, this can be read as a stand alone, but the history of how Jackie and Emme met is important. I'd recommend you start at the beginning with MAYSON DICKSON so you know all the players.  The mystery of whether they are really sisters and what their parents were into is still unsolved, so hopefully there will be a Book 3 in the future.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
About the Author

Jocie McKade is an award winning, Amazon bestselling author of twelve books and novellas. She writes romantic comedies, and humorous cozy mysteries, and has been accused of making readers laugh out loud at inappropriate moments.

Besides writing fun fiction, Jocie pens articles for national publications. The senior news editor for a reader’s news blog, she is part of an award winning production team where she writes video scripts, press releases, and blog posts.

When not writing, she is plotting military maneuvers against hostile dust bunnies.

Author Links

Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/JocieMcKade7/
McKade’s Mavericks FB Fan Page – https://www.facebook.com/groups/mckadesmavericks/
This page is just for fans.
Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1?ie=UTF8&text=Jocie+McKade&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Jocie+McKade&sort=relevancerank
Twitter – https://twitter.com/JocieMcKade
Goodreads Author Page – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7348715.Jocie_McKade
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/jociemckade9/

Purchase Links

Paperback B&N Amazon

E-Book Amazon


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Spotlight: THE MINISCULE MONK : (A Lizzie Borden Girl Detective Mystery by Richard Behrens

LIZZIE BORDEN GIRL DETECTIVE MYSTERIES


The Miniscule Monk 
A Lizzie Borden, Girl Detective Mystery by Richard Behrens

· Print Length: 251 pages
· Publisher: Nine Muses Books; 1 edition (July 19, 2015)
· Publication Date: July 19, 2015
· Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
· Formats: print and e-book 
· Language: English
· ASIN: B0125PZ3VI



Introducing Miss Lizzie Borden of Fall River, Massachusetts, a most excellent girl detective and the most remarkable young woman ever to take on the criminal underworld in late 19th century New England.

When a dead body mysteriously appears in the basement of her father’s furniture store, 15 year-old Lizzie Andrew Borden immediately takes on the case. Accompanied by an eccentric millionaire who campaigns to extend the vote to animals; a Boston terrier trained to sniff out crooked politicians; and a boy detective who believes the entire universe to be inside his own head, Lizzie follows a trail of taxidermy tools and Civil War bushwhackers to the Minuscule Monk, a legendary gunslinger whose mummified body will bring a punter’s pot to anyone who can deliver it to the New York gangster who has been hunting the Monk for decades. With such high stakes, everyone has a motive for murder, yet everyone seems innocent. Or perhaps, as Lizzie suspects after attending a dinner party with non-existent food and meeting a horse that has turned into its opposite, none of it is even real. Lizzie Borden, the Girl Detective of Fall River, is at her most spirited in The Minuscule Monk, a comic mystery that paints a portrait of Fall River at the height of its splendor and its most infamous citizen at the start of her most excellent career.


Also available on Amazon as e-books:
Lizzie Borden Girl Detective
Mini-Mysteries Series
1. The Agitated Elocutionist
2. The Forlorn Maggie
3. The Purloined Curio
4. The Melancholy Scion
5. The Sculling Boat
6. The Exhausted Amanuensis

REVIEWS

“Lizzie Borden: Girl Detective, is clever and appealing. Every story brings the reader to the streets and characters of Fall River as if you were there with them and of course Lizzie Borden. Congratulations to Richard Behrens for his Victorian creativity and imagination.”

Len Rebello, Author of Lizzie Borden: Past & Present

“In Lizzie Borden: Girl Detective Richard Behrens skillfully captures the essence of historic Fall River, bringing the city to life through the adventures of the youthful, intrepid sleuth, Lizzie Borden. The fictional Lizzie is an absolutely delightful character; she is fearlessly cunning, charismatic, and thoroughly enchanting! A must read for all those intrigued by Fall River history, mystery and, of course, Lizzie Borden.”

Michael Martins, Curator of the Fall River History Society / Co-Author of Parallel Lives: A Social History of Lizzie A. Borden and Her Fall River

“This is Lizzie Borden as you never imagined her; lively, intrepid and clever as a budding detective on the hunt! The stories are a magic carpet ride to another time – old Fall River in all its glory. The settings, the clothing, the language all showcase a young Lizzie Borden against a background of mystery and intrigue with some twists and turns along the way. Move over Nancy Drew, and make room for Miss Lizzie, Girl Detective- so much fun, it’s nearly criminal!”

Shelley Dziedzic, Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Behrens is the co-founder of Nine Muses Books and author of the Lizzie Borden, Girl Detective series of mysteries. He is a contributor to The Hatchet: A Journal of Lizzie Borden and Victorian Studies as well as The Literary Hatchet, both available from PearTree Press. He produces and hosts The Lizzie Borden Podcast, the only podcast devoted to Lizzie Borden and the Borden Murders of 1892. He is a regular lecturer on eccentric Victorian women and silent film comedy. A native New Yorker, now living in New England, Richard is working on several more Lizzie Borden, Girl Detective mysteries including two more short story collections.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Ricard Behrens c/o
Nine Muses Books
P.O. Box 342
Keene, NH 03431 USA
lizzie@lizziebordengirldetective.com
lizziebordengirldetective.com
lizziebordenpodcast.com






Thursday, November 10, 2016

GUEST POST: ELAINE FABER - author of Mrs. Odboddy Hometown Patriot

It is my pleasure to have Elaine Faber as my guest today to talk about the wives and sweethearts of the brave men who fought in WWII...

As we think about honoring our VETERANS on Veterans Day, let’s also honor their wives and sweethearts for their steadfastness during WWII. These ladies were hometown patriots as they fought the war from the home front. In Mrs.Odboddy–Hometown Patriot, elderly, eccentric Agnes Odboddy was such a patriot. 

Rationing:
American housewives willingly gave up their precious food, clothing, tires, and other goods to aid the war effort. Ration stamp booklets were issued and many items including sugar could only be purchased when accompanied with the appropriate stamp. 

Just imagine how frustrating to find your coffee rationed to one pound every six weeks per adult. This was due to blockades affecting Brazilian ships attempting to bring coffee to the US (During part of 1942-43). The majority of the available coffee was sent to the troops.

Beef was in short supply and costly, as well as eggs, resulting in many resident chickens in suburban backyards. (Agnes obtains six chickens, but because she has no chicken coop available, she puts them in the bathroom. What could possibly go wrong?)

A limit to purchase only five tires during the entire war was put in place. By today’s standards, that sounds sufficient, but rough roads and poor tires were conducive to multiple flat tires. With a few exceptions for doctors and other public safety professionals, gasoline was rationed to four gallons per week, requiring folks to car pool, ride buses, use bicycles or walk. Speed limits of 35 mph were most common.

Victory Gardens:
To appear patriotic and reduce reliance on the limited supply of vegetables and fruit available, citizens were almost required to plant a victory garden. Suburban front yards were converted to rows of cabbages, zucchinis, tomatoes and carrots. Any vegetable with a high yield requiring limited space became the main ingredient of Meatless Monday. Even Mrs. Roosevelt planted zucchini in the White House Rose Garden. 

Watch Towers:
Ever fearful of another Japanese air attack, watch towers were erected every several miles along the California and Oregon coastline requiring volunteers to be the eyes and ears for the military. Radar was invented during the war but was in limited supply. 

As Agnes’s fantasy mystery-adventure progresses, she experiences every phase of rationing, growing a victory garden and manning a watch tower. As a dedicated hometown patriot, she is determined to root out a ration book conspiracy, identify a perceived Nazi spy and prepare for a visit from Mrs. Roosevelt. With the return of an old lover who wants to re-ignite their romance, things heat up. With chickens in the bathroom and a search for a million dollars in missing Hawaiian money, this hysterical romp through the WWII era is a fascinating novel like you’ve never read before.

Mrs. Odboddy–Hometown Patriot is available in e-book and print at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/hdbvzsv

About Elaine’s Faber

Elaine Faber is a member of Sisters in Crime, Inspire Christian Writers and Cat Writers Association.

Elaine Faber is the author of three cozy cat mysteries and the humorous novel, Mrs. Odboddy-Hometown Patriot. The sequel, Mrs. Odboddy-Undercover Courier will publish later this fall. She has published short stories in magazines and multiple anthologies. 


Elaine’s cozy mysteries include: Black Cat’s Legacy; Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer, and Black Cat and the Accidental Angel. Black Cat, the cat with the memories, tackles a California cold case murder, a Texas embezzling lawyer, and skullduggery at an emu farm in the Sierra Nevada foothills.  She has published short stories in magazines and multiple anthologies as well. 

Elaine lives in Elk Grove, CA. She and her husband share their home with three house cats, the inspiration for the Black Cat Mysteries. The Agnes Odboddy character is a figment of Elaine’s vivid imagination and in no way relates to her quirky personality.

Contact Elaine at Elaine.Faber@mindcandymysteries.com (e-mail)

http://www.mindcandymysteries.com (Website)

Books Available at Amazon:
http://tinyurl.com/lrvevgm Black Cat’s Legacy

http://tinyurl.com/lg7yvgq Lethal Lawyer

http://tinyurl.com/07zcsm2 Accidental Angel



http://tinyrul.com/hdbvzsv Mrs. Odboddy – Hometown Patriot

Monday, November 7, 2016

Spotlight: ROGUES & RASCALS IN GOOSE PIMPLE JUNCTION by Amy Metz

This is such a fun series - it's my pleasure to spotlight the newest book!





About the book:


Sweet Southern belle Caledonia Culpepper and hit woman in training Wynona Baxter come up against crooked lawyers, restless husbands, a teenage hoodlum . . . it seems there are rogues and rascals everywhere you look in Goose Pimple Junction. When their paths cross, they prove there isn't a rogue or a rascal who can keep a good woman down. 



Mama always said there'd be days like this . . .




About the author:


Amy Metz is the author of the Goose Pimple Junction mystery series. She is a former first grade teacher and the mother of two sons. When not actively engaged in writing, enjoying her family, or surfing Facebook or Pinterest, Amy can usually be found with a mixing spoon, camera, or book in one hand and a glass of sweet tea in the other. Amy lives in Louisville, Kentucky.



Links:


Saturday, November 5, 2016

BOOK BLAST: IF WORDS COULD KILL by Barbara Schlichting


Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Darkhouse Books (September 24, 2016)
Print Length: 220 pages
ASIN: B01LZXHEOJ


SYNOPSIS

IF WORDS COULD KILL is a mystery. Liv owns the First Lady White House Dollhouse store in Minneapolis, and has a doctorate in American history, specializing in the First Ladies. Liv is the last person to see a Mary Lincoln impersonator who is found dead right outside of her store. The impersonator presented clues as to where the fiery speech gave by former President Lincoln, the Lost Speech, may be located. As Liv investigates, she is trailed by someone who makes a habit of murdering people once a new clue is deciphered. The whereabouts of the only copy of Abraham Lincoln’s Lost Speech, a fiery speech on abolitionism delivered in 1856, propels Liv into beating the killer to the pricey speech. Who will locate it first?  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Barbara Schlichting was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota where her First Ladies Mystery Series is set. Dolley Madison: The Blood Spangled Banner. Barbara graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1970. Later, she and her husband moved their family to Bemidji. She attended Bemidji State University where she earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in elementary education and special education.

Barbara also likes to write in other genres. Whispers From The Wind is her first poetry book which has poems for all ages.

Barbara has been known to travel too much, and read while not paying attention to her husband. However she has had an English penpal for over fifty years.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Blog Tour: THE CASE OF THE MISSING MORRIS DANCER by Cathy Ace

A cozy mystery set in Wales
(A WISE Enquiries Agency Mystery)

Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Severn House (November 1, 2016)
Paperback: 224 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1847516633
E-Book ASIN: B01AADQSF2

Synopsis

The Women of the WISE Enquiries Agency are back in a witty and intriguing new mystery.

The Anwen Morris Dancers are to play a pivotal role in the imminent nuptials of Henry, eighteenth Duke of Chellingworth. But it looks as though the wedding plans might go awry unless Mavis, Annie, Carol and Christine can help Althea, the Dowager Duchess, by finding a missing Morris man and a set of ancient and valuable artefacts in time for her son’s wedding.

Anwen-by-Wye might look like an idyllic Welsh village where family values reign and traditions still mean something in a modern world, but what will the WISE women find when they peer behind the respectable net curtains?


Review

The musician and "Morris" of the Anwen Morris dancers is missing and police don't seem concerned as there are no indications of foul play. Dowager Duchess Althea asks her friend Mavis and the WISE Enquiries Agency to look into it as the dancers have a key role in her son, Henry's upcoming wedding. Each of the women - Mavis, Annie, Carol, and Christine have different talents and seek information on the missing dancer.  Carol is the recorder, about to give birth, and the technology person. In the process of searching for information she finds out some information that probably could cause other sorts of problems. The WISE women also uncover a family feud and other issues along the way.

I believe this is the second in the series, following from the CASE OF THE DOTTY DOWAGER.  It can be read as a standalone - the mystery unravels and is resolved in the book.  The characters are interesting as are the traditions and superstitions surrounding the wedding and the missing dancer. I do wish there was a picture of these dancers with their sticks and bells and costumes.  If you're a fan of British mystery or Welsh mystery or mystery in a different setting, you will enjoy this tale. There are lots of twists and connections and -yes, romance - to keep interest.


FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review as part of this blog tour. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

About Cathy Ace

Cathy Ace loves crime! It’s true – she discovered Nancy Drew in her local library, then found Agatha Christie on her Mum’s bookshelves, and she never looked back. Cathy happily admits that the characters she met between the book-covers as a child have influenced her writing. “Nancy Drew was plucky, strong and independent, and Agatha Christie’s puzzles engaged me every time. I love the sort of book that mixes intricate plotting with a dash of danger, and that’s what I’ve tried to create with my Cait Morgan Mystery Series. Beginning my new series, featuring the women of the WISE Enquiries Agency, I have been able to indulge my love of stately homes, village life and the interplay between characters that can take place in that sort of setting.”

Cathy Ace was born and raised in Swansea, South Wales, and worked in marketing communications for decades across Europe. Having migrated to Canada in 2000, she now lives in beautiful British Columbia, where her ever-supportive husband (and two chocolate Labradors) ensure she’s able to write full-time. Bestselling author Ace writes two series of mystery books: theCait Morgan Mysteries, and the WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries. Her fourth Cait Morgan Mystery, The Corpse with the Platinum Hair, won the 2015 Bony Blithe Award for Best Canadian Light Mystery.

Author Links

Website: www.cathyace.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cathy-Ace-Author/318388861616661
Twitter: @AceCathy
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3913679.Cathy_Ace

Purchase Links

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Tour Participants

November 1 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

November 1 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT

November 2 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW, GUEST POST

November 2 – Carole’s Book Corner – GUEST POST

November 3 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST

November 3 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

November 4 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

November 4 – Community Bookstop – SPOTLIGHT

November 5 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW

November 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

November 6 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

November 6 – Deal Sharing Aunt – GUEST POST

November 7 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW, GUEST POST

November 7 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW