Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Blog Tour: A MUDDIED MURDER by Wendy Tyson


SYNOPSIS:

When Megan Sawyer gives up her big-city law career to care for her grandmother and run the family’s organic farm and cafĂ©, she expects to find peace and tranquility in her scenic hometown of Winsome, Pennsylvania. Instead, her goat goes missing, rain muddies her fields, the town denies her business permits, and her family’s Colonial-era farm sucks up the remains of her savings.

Just when she thinks she’s reached the bottom of the rain barrel, Megan and the town’s hunky veterinarian discover the local zoning commissioner’s battered body in her barn. Now Megan is thrust into the middle of a murder investigation—and she’s the chief suspect. Can Megan dig through small-town secrets, local politics, and old grievances in time to find a killer before that killer strikes again?

REVIEW:


Megan is working overtime to make a go of the family farm where she now lives with her grandmother Bibi. There are a lot of secrets - some related to her mother's disappearance, some related to Aunt Sarah, and some that seem to fester from the Historical Society and beliefs that Washington stayed on the farm. The zoning commissioner and his mother seem to be tied in, but why was he in her barn when he was killed? Things are not what they seem in Winsome and the vet, Denver, provides a distraction and guard dog. Does he have secrets too?

The characters are well-developed, especially Meg and she is likable and intelligent as an amateur sleuth. This is a well-written tale with twists that keep the pages turning. Some of the mysteries aren't resolved (Megan's mother leaving Winsome for example) but I'm hoping these will be carried into the next in the series (BITTER HARVEST). A good read, even for someone who isn't an organic gardener.

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. 

Books in the Greenhouse Mystery Series:
• A MUDDIED MURDER (#1)
• BITTER HARVEST (#2) Spring 2017

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Wendy Tyson’s background in law and psychology has provided inspiration for her mysteries and thrillers. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Wendy has returned to her roots and lives there again on a micro-farm with her husband, three sons and three dogs. Wendy’s short fiction has appeared in literary journals, and she’s a contributing editor and columnist for The Big Thrill and The Thrill Begins, International Thriller Writers’ online magazines. Wendy is the author of the Allison Campbell Mystery Series and the Greenhouse Mystery Series.

Author Links:

Author website: www.WATyson.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/WendyTysonAuthor

Twitter: @WendyTyson

Pinterest: Greenhouse Mystery Series: https://www.pinterest.com/henerypress/greenhouse-mystery-series/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7132379.Wendy_Tyson?from_search=true&search_version=service

Purchase Links
AMAZON
B&N
KOBO
iTUNES

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Sunday, March 20, 2016

Blog Tour: THE SEMESTER OF OUR DISCONTENT by Cynthia Kuhn


Synopsis

English professor Lila Maclean is thrilled about her new job at prestigious Stonedale University, until she finds one of her colleagues dead. She soon learns that everyone, from the chancellor to the detective working the case, believes Lila—or someone she is protecting—may be responsible for the horrific event, so she assigns herself the task of identifying the killer.

More attacks on professors follow, the only connection a curious symbol at each of the crime scenes. Putting her scholarly skills to the test, Lila gathers evidence, but her search is complicated by an unexpected nemesis, a suspicious investigator, and an ominous secret society. Rather than earning an “A” for effort, she receives a threat featuring the mysterious emblem and must act quickly to avoid failing her assignment…and becoming the next victim.



Review


As a new faculty member, Lila gets indoctrinated into the publish or perish mentality of academia, but it doesn't usually include murder. She and her cousin are suspects, and her cousin won't elaborate on the strange symbol. At the same time, someone - most likely the killer - is taunting her and she's not sure who she can trust. 

The suspense builds slowly as Kuhn lays the foundation with a few twists and turns. As the murders continue, the pace of the story increases nicely. Anyone who is familiar with academic settings will relate to much of the context for the murders.  Some loose ends and possible romance suggest the possibility of sequel.


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 the Author

Cynthia Kuhn teaches and writes in Colorado. Her work has appeared in McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Literary Mama, Copper Nickel, Prick of the Spindle, Mama PhD and other publications. She is the current president of Sisters in Crime-Colorado and blogs with Mysteristas. Visit her at cynthiakuhn.net or @cynthiakuhn.

Author Links
Webpage: cynthiakuhn.wordpress.com

Blog: mysteristas.wordpress.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cynthiakuhnwriter

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/cynthiakuhn

Twitter: @cynthiakuhn

Purchase Links
Amazon
Barnes & Noble: bit.ly/1V2QFC6
iTunes: apple.co/20bQ1G0
Kobo: bit.ly/1Jfzvkb

Friday, March 18, 2016

Blog Tour: LAST VACATION by Sarah Elle Emm

About the Book:
Seven days have passed since Naples real estate agent Megan MacKenna has heard from her twin sister, Madeline, who was vacationing on the beautiful, Caribbean island of St. Croix. Though authorities are not convinced there is a case to solve, Megan knows with all of her heart something happened to Maddy. When Megan receives a direct warning to leave the island or end up like her sister, she turns to the only person who has taken her seriously since she arrived, Gabe, a breakfast cook at a local diner. 

Undercover DEA agent, Gabriel Walker has been building his cover for months, waiting for the opportunity to work his way into the infamous Torrez crime ring. When Megan shows up asking questions and Gabe realizes her twin’s disappearance might be linked to the Torrez men, he has to convince her to go back to Florida before she becomes their next victim. 


The closer Megan gets to the truth, the more Gabe begins to suspect he is missing a huge piece of the puzzle. And someone is closing in on Megan…


Review:
This is a compelling read, combining romance and suspense. Meg is out of her very controlled analytic element trying to find her sister. Gabe tries to help her without blowing his cover and has his own demons to deal with as well. He doesn't need the distraction she so quickly becomes and hates not being able to tell her the truth. Meg can't convince anyone her sister is still alive and gets warned to go home or she might also disappear. 

Readers who like romance with their suspense and increasing tension will enjoy LAST VACATION. Gabe is likable and it is easy to get wrapped up in Meg's journey. Be prepared for some graphic (violent) scenes but not to excess.


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.

Buy Links:

Character Interview with MEGAN:

If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?
A day with no responsibilities? I don’t have those. My twin sister, Maddy, has enough free days for the both of us. That being said, if I have everything on my list crossed off for the day, I might read for a bit. I might also stop in one of the boutiques on Fifth Avenue in Naples and pick up a new pair of heels. But only if I’ve finished work for the day.

If you could spend the day with someone you admire (living or dead or imaginary), who would you pick?

That’s easy. I always visit Grandma Lynn when I have time. She’s adamant about living in the retirement home because she says I am too young to have an old lady living with me, but I visit her almost everyday. It is part of my routine. I’d spend the day with both of my parents if they were still around, but I am not sure how that would go. I probably wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut, and I’d ask them why they always had to travel and go off on adventures instead of staying home with Maddy and me. 

What is your idea of perfect happiness? And, what is your current state of mind?

In a perfect scenario, my sister has finally come to her senses and is settled down in Naples, holding a steady job. I no longer have to worry about what sort of trouble she might get into next. Currently, I am frantic and desperate with worry, trying to find her. I’m the only person who can help her. It’s been my job to look after her since our parents died.

What do you consider to be the most overrated virtue and why? 
That’s tough. Before Maddy disappeared, I might have said forgiveness was overrated. I admit, I’ve been a little tough on her all of these years, never really understanding her or forgiving her for making what I consider reckless decisions. But now? That’s she missing? I wish I had told her to her face that I accepted her and wasn’t mad at her for every decision she made. I hope I get the chance to tell her how sorry I am.

Tell us 3 things about yourself that the readers do not know about.

- I secretly admire Maddy for being so daring and going on adventure-seeking vacations. 
- My co-workers always remark about how I have my life together, from my luxury convertible to my designer shoes to my commercial real estate sales record. And yes, I am successful in my career and happy with that part of my life, but underneath it all, I am a bit lonely.
- I’ve never been in love. Even though I thought I loved my ex-boyfriend, I look back now and realize I was in love with the idea of him and the image of us as a power couple. But it wasn’t really love. I doubt I’ll ever be in love.

Read an Excerpt:

Megan parked in front of the bungalow and climbed out of the junky, little car, as she was referring to it now, resisting the urge to kick it. Though the air-conditioning wasn’t working at full power, it had offered some relief from the island temperature. Even though she’d tried to dress weather-appropriately with a short, thin cotton dress, the humid air seemed to reach out to her and settle over her at once, sending a drop of sweat down her temple. Out of habit more than anything, she wiped the sweat away before it could ruin what was left of her make-up. She sighed aloud. She didn’t just miss her Maserati. She missed her office and her house. Her routine. She missed her life. 

Maybe the police were right. Maddy had just left on a whim. It was something she had a reputation for, for Heaven’s sake. Megan wondered if she should just leave and go back to her life. Maddy would probably show up with some ridiculous story and a new tattoo before she knew it. After all, how was she supposed to find her sister if no one had seen or heard of anything bad happening to her? All facts pointed to what the police were saying... 


Maddy checked out of her hotel, and no one had seen her since. 


Of course, she still had questions...Who were the guys she had left the hotel with? Maddy could have gotten involved with a man, but had she left St. Croix with him? It was a definite possibility. Her twin was probably sun tanning on a booze cruise somewhere in the British Virgin Islands by now. Still, before she had left Naples, Maddy had been sober for nearly sixteen months. Had she given up on sobriety? 

As she climbed the steps to her bungalow, Megan tried to convince herself the theory was true. She would go home and wait for Maddy to show up with her new tattoo and tale of sailing the Caribbean islands. Then, she would try, yet again, to convince Maddy to get a job and stay put. And they would have the same old argument about why Maddy refused to act more responsible. 

As she pondered her twin’s recklessness, a hand clamped over her mouth, and her arms were pulled into captivity. 


Everything went dark. 


About the Author:

Sarah Elle Emm is the author of the HARMONY RUN SERIES, a young-adult fantasy and dystopian series, released in May 2012 by Winter Goose Publishing. (PRISMATIC, May 2012, OPALESCENT, February 2013, CHATOYANT, September 2014, NACREOUS, August 2015) Her debut fiction novel, MARRYING MISSY, was published by Bird Brain Publishing in October 2011. Sarah is a graduate of The University of Evansville, she has lived and worked in Mexico, Germany, England, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has traveled extensively beyond. Sarah lives in Naples, Florida with her family. When she’s not walking the plank of her daughters’ imaginary pirate ship or snapping photos of Southwest Florida scenery, she is writing.




Stalk the Author:
Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon Author Page


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Giveaway:
1 Amazon Gift card worth $20
2 Paperback Copies

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Monday, March 14, 2016

Guest Post: JAMIE CORTLAND: Marketing Your Dream Book

Today it is my pleasure to have Jamie Cortland as my guest to discuss marketing...
  
Marketing Your Dream Book
By Jamie Cortland

You have already established your target market and you have written the book of your dreams which just happens to be a great book. Now you’ve just received your first order.

Uh oh! There’s a mistake on the spine of your book. Your name is spelled wrong! What are you going to do? The publisher won’t refund your money. Solution: You’re going to use the box of books as galleys to send to reviewers. You’re going to order more books after you’re sure that won’t happen again.

I hope that for the past two or three years that you have built a network of supporters, people who are interested in you and your project. I also hope that you are established on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. When your book is released and you have copies to sell, have a party or better yet parties! Book release parties. Tell people about your book; answer questions.

Join web forums, start a blog. Create a blog tour on the web and don’t forget give aways,. Have you created a Media Kit? I would take one with you when you visit book stores. You will need an attractive folder that contains your press photo, author’s bio, a synopsis of the book and perhaps an excerpt and a copy of your book. I love book signings, but not everyone does. Your reading audience will vary to sometimes long lines and other times perhaps only one or two people. Do a little talk about your book. Normally, the book seller will expect this. Give him or her a copy of your book and be sure to thank them when you leave even if no one shows up. It’s okay to have flowers, a bowl of candy on your table along with your books. Be friendly to everyone even if they don’t buy a book.

Now that we have talked about parties and book signings, I would like to say that it is also fine to sell one book at a time to someone who needs and wants your book. Keep repeating this. Sometimes this can actually be more successful than selling to thousands of faceless people.

Create a book pitch if you haven’t already. You will use it time after time, so it is best if you can write at least three. How long? Ten seconds, twenty seconds and thirty seconds. When someone asks you what the book is about, you will use the ten second pitch. If they want to know more. Give them the longer pitch.

Do you have a website? If not, it should include a blog, sample chapters from your book, a link to the site or sites where your book is sold, book reviews, blurbs and your schedule of appearances as well as your contact information.

Other things you can do, get at least 20 Amazon reviews, speak at conferences.
Speaking to large audiences is something I’ve never liked doing, but it is a must. The last time I spoke at a large audience, my microphone went out and I had no alternative but to walk up and down the aisles with a mike in my hand, still speaking, sometimes stopping to ask questions. I have never gotten over my fear of large audiences so I hope to soon join a Toastmaster’s group.

If all of this is just too daunting or you just don’t have the time, or are ill, hire a publicist. They are after all pros. They can place you on TV shows, radio shows and arrange book signings you might not be able to book. Some publicists are quite expensive, but oftentimes, they have budget plans.

Have fun and I’ll see you on the bestselling list!  


Thanks for the tips Jamie! Now to talk about you and the links for your romantic suspense books, including the newest, DYING TO DANCE...

Brief Bio and Links 

Weslynn McCallister, pseudonym, Jamie Cortland was born in Evansville, Indiana and raised in Roswell, New Mexico. Today, she lives in the southwest.  A published novelist and an award winning poet, she is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Mystery Writers of America, and is a founding member of the Florida Writers Association.
Website URL: Weslynn McCallister, Author www.jamiecortland.com

Facebook URL: https//www.facebook.com/jamiecortland

Twitter: Weslynn McCallister@twitter

LinkedIn: Weslynn McCallister, Author

Buy links for Jamie Cortland's books - Romantic Suspense:

What Lies Within http://www.amazon.com/What-Lies-Within-Jamie-Cortland/dp/1629891762/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1447445600&sr=8-2&keywords=What+Lies+Within+Cortland

Dying to Dance http://www.amazon.com/Dying-Dance-Romantic-Jamie-Cortland-ebook/dp/B0157JJ36K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447445635&sr=8-1&keywords=Dying+to+Dance+Cortland


Synopsis - DYING TO DANCE

Char and Diana Mansville, two sisters in their early twenties, lose their parents in a tragic accident. Finding themselves on the brink of financial disaster, they re-locate to southwest Florida to live with their aunt, a beautiful and wealthy ballroom dancer. Once there, they meet handsome and charismatic Roland Donovan, who is a sociopath and involved in a deadly insurance scheme. Stricken by Diana's beauty and charm, he sets his focus upon her and relentlessly begins his pursuit of her. 


ReviewChar and Diana are both writers and the death of their parents hits them hard emotionally.  Moving to Florida is a new start for both of them and a chance to learn ballroom dancing.  Aunt Marion is glad to have them - the man in her life has died unexpectedly and the Cooper family, who run several ball room dance studios are impressed with what the sisters already know about dance.  There's Diana's break up with Wyatt, and the romance of Char with Dillon, and then there's the charming Dr. Donovan. He's made some bad investments, needs money, and thinks Diana is his answer. If she won't give him a loan, an insurance policy with him as beneficiary will work as well. DYING TO DANCE builds slowly but steadily with increasing tension not just in the dance frame.


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.


photo
PJ Nunn
Publicist, BreakThrough Promotions
   

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Guest Post: CHERYL HOLLON on Writing a Book

Today, it is my pleasure to have Cheryl Hollon as my guest answering the question...




What part of the book do you find most challenging – the beginning, the middle, or the end?

The trickiest part in writing a book has changed over the course of my debut year as a published author. When I started writing the Webb’s Glass Shop series, the ending was an absolute nightmare. I struggled with it like an Olympian wrestler. There were all those loose ends that needed resolution. All the red herrings had to be resolved. Finally there was the orchestration of the reveal. I felt like one of those lace makers juggling tiny threads on too many bobbins.

Now my nemesis is the middle. The middle muddle to be exact. I enjoy the opening scenes where the students arrive for the featured glass workshop closely followed by the finding of a body. As the investigation progresses, more suspects are added, more questions are raised and more motives are revealed. Then – this is where I really get bogged down – an investigation needs to continue to have successes and failures until the resolution. From the middle muddle, this seems a long, long, long way to get to the beginning of the end.

I finally devised a method for getting through the middle muddle with less angst and more interest. I divide the middle into three sections with an arc for each. That little trick gives me the feeling of tackling only a short section instead of a huge block that represents more than two thirds of the book.

This plan helps me approach the middle with more confidence and its definitely more fun for me to write. It is not a surprise that if it’s fun for me to write, it’s usually fun for the reader as well. And who doesn’t want to have fun.

About Shards of Murder:

When a glass-making competition turns deadly, glass shop owner Savannah Webb must search for a window into a criminal's mind…

As the new proprietor of Webb's Glass Shop, Savannah has been appointed to fill her late father's shoes as a judge for the Spinnaker Arts Festival, held in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. With her innovative glass works, the clear winner is Megan Loyola, a student of Savannah's former mentor.

But when Megan doesn't show up to accept her $25,000 award, rumors start flying. And when Savannah discovers the woman's dead body on festival grounds, the police immediately suspect her of murder. To keep from appearing before a judge herself, Savannah sorts through the broken pieces of glass scattered around the victim for clues as to who took this killer competition too far. . .

Meet the Author:

Cheryl Hollon writes full time after she left an engineering career designing and building military flight simulators in amazing countries such as England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan and India. Fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, she combines her love of writing with a passion for creating glass art. In the small glass studio behind the house, Cheryl and her husband George design, create, and produce fused glass, stained glass and painted glass artworks.

You can visit Cheryl and her books at

http://www.cherylhollon.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheryl-Hollon-Writer/357992230995844

http://www.twitter.com/cherylhollon

Buy links:

Pane & Suffering  AMAZON

Shards of Murder Barnes&Noble AMAZON



photoPJ Nunn
Publicist, BreakThrough Promotions
   

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

SPOTLIGHT on Tamie Dearen's HER BEST MATCH and A ROSE IN BLOOM

Get Your Romance fix!

Do you love that "ahhhh" feeling you get when you read a sweet romance? Especially when you get to that inevitable happy ending? Tamie Dearen's romantic comedy series, The Best Girls, can satisfy that craving. And the first book of the series, Her Best Match, is currently free. But beware.... it's addicting! The limited-time price-reduction for Her Best Match is already in effect, in preparation for March 13, the day of the big sale and the release of A Rose in Bloom, a serial romantic comedy. Unlike anything you've ever read before, A Rose in Bloom was written and published in small parts, week-by-week, on Tamie Dearen's blog, to the simultaneous delight and frustration of her devoted readers. Now, for the first time, the complete serial romance will be available to read as a novella.

BLURB:

Feisty, stubborn, and bored with life in Texas, Anne Best is about to get more than she bargained for.  

her-best-match-02The lovely widow heads of to the Big Apple for a job interview, expecting no more than a few days adventure in New York City, only to find herself with a new job working for the most infuriating man she's ever met. Billionaire Steven Gherring is one of New York's Most Eligible Bachelors, and he has every intention of staying that way. 

But Gram has other ideas. She's on  a not-so-secret campaign to find a wife for her grandson. As fearless as she is clumsy, Anne tackles every challenge (including her new boss) enthusiastically, with two lone exceptions... public speaking and recognizing her own feelings. Passions rise along with hemlines as Gram joins forces with Anne, a veteran matchmaker, to find the perfect match for Steven.

Get Her Best Match free on Amazon, Nook, iTunes, and Kobo! Best Girls Banner 2014-08-17 at 2.58.51 PM


New Release--Preorder Now!

Blurb:

Elyssa Rose has delicate flowers in her hands and a muscular guy on her mind.
cropped-a-rose-in-bloom3.jpgThe talented owner of A Rose in Bloom is determined to make a success of her floral business. And she doesn't want or need a man's help or interference! But trouble shows up in the form of her handsome, but antagonistic, neighbor, Jaxon McCall, a gym owner whose sole purpose is to buy her building from her. 
Jaxon McCall once had his eye on Elyssa's building, but now he can't take his eyes off her. Magnetic attraction draws them together, even as their stubborn personalities drive them apart. A Rose in Bloom is now available for pre-order on Amazon, with a March 13 release date!

Author SquareABOUT TAMIE DEAREN: 
Tamie Dearen lives with her very romantic husband of thirty-three years. She has two beautiful daughters, two amazing son-in-laws, and one awesome grandson. She plays piano, flute, harmonica, keyboards, and guitar, and loves composing and art. And she hates housework. She has been a dentist in private practice for thirty years. She stays busy playing on her church's praise team and leading a weekly Bible study. In her spare time, she writes books.   Tamie specializes in writing “clean’ books without excessive violence, offensive language, or explicit sex. She has published a Romantic Comedy series called The Best Girls, which includes a free novella and four full-length novels, and recently published her first Christian Romance, Noelle’s Golden Christmas. She has also published the two books in a Young Adult Fantasy series, Alora: The Wander-Jewel, and Alora: The Portal. To combine her love of music with her writing, Tamie composed the background music for the Alora Series video trailer and a Christmas song, which is linked in the back of Noelle’s Golden Christmas. Her latest book, A Rose in Bloom, a romantic comedy serial story, is available for pre-order and will be released March 13.
Tamie met her husband as a freshman in college when she acted out of character on a whim. One night in the library lobby, she spied a cute guy with his first name written on the back of his shirt. She called out his name. When he approached to talk to her, she pretended that she'd met him before, asking about his classes and how he liked college. To her surprise and delight, he also pretended that he knew her, but of course he didn't know her name. They continued this false relationship for two months. Each time they saw each other, an event that occurred three times per week at the cafeteria, he would pretend he knew her. Meanwhile, all of Tamie's friends were careful not to reveal her name to him. When he finally admitted his ignorance of her name, he was astonished to learn the truth. And the rest is history.