Stalker Blog Blitz: Nicki Scalise

Nicki Scalise Guest Post

In Damaged People, the characters Jules and Marc, made their first appearance in another short story of mine, Little Tchotchkes.  A few readers expressed interest in wanting to know more about these two crazy kids and I was happy to oblige. When the call for Stalkers submissions went out, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to tell more of their story.

The original inspiration for Jules came from a conversation I had with someone about a situation that happened to a friend. I elaborated, of course, but the basic premise was about a homeschooled girl who developed crush on the boy next door and made a phone call some years later, that left the boy feeling a little unsettled.

When writing Jules, I imagined someone who had been sheltered her entire life, and therefore, had become slightly socially awkward. Without much in the way of people skills, I thought that it wouldn’t be hard for someone, of that nature, to latch onto the tiniest kindness or morsel of attention.  Then I took that idea and ran with it.  As such, I found writing this character a lot of fun. She’s weird and clearly unhinged, but I found her to be almost endearing in her insanity. I hope readers will too.

Excerpt Damaged People

Jules got up to order another cappuccino. There was a line at the counter that was being held up by a middle-aged soccer mom who couldn’t decide between a Mocha or a vanilla latte. Jules had a strong urge to grab her by the back of the head and slam her face into the counter. She let out a snort-giggle at the mental image it drew. She coughed to cover it so she didn’t look like a mental patient standing in line, laughing about seemingly nothing.

She wasn’t sure where the hostile thought sprang from, but she continued to entertain it nonetheless. After she slammed the woman’s face onto the counter, she would then ram her head through the bakery case. She’d yank the woman out of the case by her hair, pulling her head back to expose her neck. There would be shards of glass everywhere. She’d pick up a large one and run it across…

“You’re next.” The young man in line behind Jules tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to the awaiting barista.

About the author

Nicki Scalise lives in Colorado with her husband, Jon. They share their home with four dogs and a chinchilla. When not busy dealing with the chaos her four-legged critters bring, she spends her time meeting new book boyfriends, re-watching Firefly, and gazing out the window at the scenic mountain landscape… or staring at the wall. Prayer for the Dead, Book one of the Revenants in the Purgatory series, is her debut novel.

                                         

Stalkers: A Collection of  Thriller Stories

Edited and compiled by Cynthia Shepp and Rene Folsom

Anthology

eBook and paperback, 498 pages

Purchase: Amazon Kindle Paperback  

**The Kindle edition of STALKERS is ON SALE for $.99 until February 27!**

Shadows follow you in the darkness of the night and the eerie sensation of being watched crawls up your spine. Your sanity pulls apart at the seams as the terrors stalk their victims, leaving you too frightened to turn off the light.

These twisted stories will leave you breathless, dreading the horrors lurking around the corner.

Seventeen authors. Seventeen tales of terror. Infinite nightmares.
STALKERS.

Watch your back.

Stories featured in this anthology:
- Every Thorn by Rene Folsom
- Dead Ringer by Jason Brant
- Autumn by Elizabeth Collins
- Don’t Kiss the Dead Fred by A.E. Killingsworth
- Affliction by S.L. Dearing
- Lucid by Andrea Stanet
- Donations by Bart Hopkins
- Bernice by Chad Foutz
- Destination: Death by Eaton Thomas Palmer
- Powerless by Laurie Treacy
- Freezer Burn by Jon Messenger
- The Watcher by Lindy Spencer
- Immortal Luck by Magen McMinimy
- Izzy’s Assassin by Nicole Clark
- Say My Name by Michael Loring
- Damaged People by Nicki Scalise
- Blog Stalker by Phil Taylor

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Dark Possesion review

How far would you go for love? Callie McFay is about to cross worlds and time..Fairwick used to be populated by all manner of magical creatures but when a cabal of witches forced the closure of the last door to Fairie, the townsfolk had to choose sides. Now it is up to Callie to find a way back. Her quest will take her far from home - to a 17th Century Scotland where the demon she once fell in love with is still very much a man..

Forbidden review

The team-spirit sign by the side of the highway seems a good omen to loner Morgan Walsh, as he drives to what could be the most important visit of his life — a chance to join the North American Pack. Then he wakes naked in the woods, surrounded by wolf tracks and a ring of suspicious cops. The situation only gets worse when he’s bailed out by Alpha-elect Elena Michaels and Clayton Danvers, her terrifying enforcer and mate.

Disappointed that such a promising young werewolf risked exposing them, Elena isn’t expecting anything from the pesky retrieval job except some much-needed alone time with Clay. Instead, she finds a different kind of evil stalking the streets and forests of Westwood, New York. Trapped in town by a snowstorm and sabotage, Elena, Clay and Morgan must find the mysterious threat before it sets its sights on them.

Blog Tour: Forever by Mary A. Wasowski

 

Title: Forever (Forever #1)

Author: Mary A. Wasowski

Genre: New Adult Romance

Release Date: February 18, 2014

 

Synopsis

Following her larger than life best friend to NYU was a dream come true. 

Modeling part-time to pay the bills, while she earned her teaching degree, Reese Mitchell never imagined her Nana’s prediction of finding her future husband could be possible. Then she met…HIM! Walker Reed, her handsome stranger. He was sexy as sin and one look from him, she was hooked. Loving Walker was effortless. He captured her heart with one touch making Reese lose herself in him. From strangers to lovers, they became two hearts…one love. Outside forces conspire to tear their love apart leaving her to wonder if two people from different worlds should stay together? When promised “Forever” from the man who loves her, Reese is left with only one thing to do. She trusts the promises made. She believes in the happily ever after.  She believes in…FOREVER.

Buy the Book

Amazon US | Smashwords | B&N

 

About the Author

Mary Wasowski is the queen of mastering many tasks. I call New Jersey my home where I share my life with my husband, and our three amazing sons. Writing was my way of expressing my words that sometimes I couldn't say. My journals were filled with the rants of a teenager finding her way, and eventually they turned into poems, and short stories. Joining the Indie community of so many talented writers has been a wonderful experience. I am so thankful for all of the love and support I have received. Life can take you down many different roads, but I truly believe this is where I am suppose to be now. I want to inspire my boys to never give up on your dreams. I never did, and here I am. I am officially an Author. Write what you love. Love what you write. Believe in your story. You have many chapters to write on your journey... XOXO...Mary

Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Website

 

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Cover Reveal: Take me Home by Theresa Marguerite Hewitt

Title: Take Me Home

Author: Theresa Marguerite Hewitt

Genre: Military Romance/Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: March 17th-ish, 2014

Tour Host: Dreams Come True Promotions

Review: The Curse of Betrayal by Taylor Lavati

Ryder has finally decided to take her life into her own hands, but things don’t always turn out as they seem. Ollie and Ari have made a pact that leaves Ryder alone until she ends the curse and chooses her soul mate.

With her knights absent, Ryder becomes independent, seeing things in her visions that force her to question the curse—and herself.

As strange things happen at Demi God Academy, Ryder realizes everything comes back to her. She must use the power growing within her to protect her new friends in ways she never imagined possible. But as new threats surface, she may not be strong enough to protect them all.

In book two of A Curse Books, Ryder discovers what it really means to be Eurydice.

Danio's Prelude Review

Danio's Prelude by Elizabeth Kirke

Book Synopsis

Hear Danio's story, told by the people who know him best. The ones who knew him when all of his laughter was genuine. The ones who were there through the worst that life could throw at him. And the ones who stayed by his side while he picked up the pieces.
An adult, short story collection, based on the Young Adult series, More than Magic.
Contains strong language, violence, and sex.

Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood #8) Review

In the darkest corners of the night in Caldwell, New York, a conflict like no other rages. Long divided as a terrifying battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the city is home to a band of brothers born to defend their race: the warrior vampires of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him. After he was taken in by the Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was- or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face and a very different destiny. As a vicious personal vendetta takes John into the heart of the war, he will need to call up on both who he is now and who he once was in order to face off against evil incarnate.

Xhex, a symphath assassin, has long steeled herself against the attraction between her and John Matthew. Having already lost one lover to madness, she will not allow the male of worth to fall prey to the darkness of her twisted life. When fate intervenes, however, the two discover that love, like destiny, is inevitable between soul mates.

Book Blitz: Lost in Us by Layla Hagen

Lost in Us by Layla Hagen

Publication date: February 17th 2014

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Serena has learned to live with her past, locking her secrets and nightmares deep inside her. But when her boyfriend of six years abruptly leaves her, she’s catapulted back into pain, nursing a broken heart. When indulging in mountains of chocolate doesn’t work, Serena decides the best way to deal with her shattered heart is to indulge in something else. A rebound . . .

The night she swaps her usual Sprite for tequila, she meets James. The encounter is breathtaking.
Electrifying.
And best not repeated.

James is a successful entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. A man who has amassed a fortune by taking risks. A man who has shunned commitment completely, and still does. He’s the exact opposite of Serena. But sometimes opposites attract. Sometimes they give in to burning passion. Sometimes opposites are perfect for each other.

James is everything her damaged soul could want. His kisses are intoxicating, his touch out of this world. He makes her forget. He grants her peace from her pain. But as they grow closer, Serena discovers she isn’t the only one with a past. James carries the scars of a past much darker than hers. One that has left him damaged, hurt, and wary of love. A past that gives him the power to shatter her.

Now James and Serena must find a way to mend one another. Or risk losing each other forever.

Goodreads

Amazon US

Author Bio

My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author.
I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later.
I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world.
And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough

Author Links

http://laylahagen.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7520984.Layla_Hagen
https://www.facebook.com/LaylaHagenBooks
https://twitter.com/laylahagen

Giveaway

 Blitz-wide giveaway 

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal cash (INT) 

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Flatter Me by Rene Folsom Review

* Flatter Me is an erotic romance short story for ADULTS ONLY! This novella is roughly 17,000 words and contains sexual situations between a female barista and three hot Australian men. *
Laney knows her life is boring, and now that it’s a new year, she’s looking forward to letting go and giving in to some of life’s simple pleasures. When three men with sexy Australian accents walk into her coffee shop, spouting cheesy one-liners in some desperate form of flattery, her New Year’s resolution is put to the test.

It figures that, through several amusing come-ons, she finally finds Trevor—a perfect man who just so happens to be unattainable due to his temporary status in the states. Laney’s days turn into a mixture of carefree desires and tough decisions, causing her to question what she truly wants from life.

Will her passionate heart be able to handle the likes of Trevor and his mates? Maybe. How about when she knows there’s the promise of something more to come? Now that’s more like it.

Release Blitz: Incinerate by Tessa Teevan

Title: Incinerate (Explosive #2)

Author: Tessa Teevan

Genre: New Adult Romance

Series: Explosive Series

Cover Model: Joshua Saari

Cover Photographer: Josh Norris

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b0rLpqwqeg

 

Synopsis

When Knox Wellington opens the door to Charlie Davenport, he's not expecting the fiery brunette with whiskey colored eyes and a feisty personality. Sparks fly immediately, even though their initial meeting is nothing but hostile. Their chemistry is undeniable, but the chip on Knox's shoulder threatens to destroy any hope of him wooing the sweet, southern volunteer sent to help with his rehabilitation.  Little does he know she's no Southern Belle, as she gives as good as she can take. As unexpected circumstances push them closer together, heads butt, patience is tested, and flames ignite as they dance around their mutual attraction, both of them jaded from broken pasts.  They've both been burned before, so when their feelings of lust, desire, and wanting are inflamed in the heat of the moment, will they finally be able to get over the pain of the past or will their relationship be reduced to ashes before it can ever really begin?

  *While this book is a standalone, characters from Ignite, book 1, will appear in Knox's story.*

Blog Tour: Carnage by Lesley JOnes

Title: Carnage

Author: Lesley Jones

Genre: Erotica

Publication Date: February 14, 2014

Tour Host: Dreams Come True Promotions

Infinite Possibilities by Lisa Renee Jones review

Secrets and lies. They are everywhere: haunting her, tormenting her. In the midst of it all, he’d been her escape, her passion. The only person she’d trusted in six years. And then he’d made her doubt that trust, cutting her deeply. But as she’d once told him, she was damaged, not broken. She is ready to fight and not just for survival. She is fighting for the truth and she won’t stop until she has it, not even for…him.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa Review

To survive in a ruined world, she must embrace the darkness….
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them—the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.
Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what and who is worth dying for… again.
Enter Julie Kagawa's dark and twisted world as an unforgettable journey begins.

Mandy Baggot Take Over

All of us at Booky Ramblings are very pleased to hand over the reigns for the day to the amazing Mandy Baggot!

Thank you for joining us today, Mandy, and we hope our followers enjoy your post!

A day in my writing life – Mandy Baggot

*sound of a Harley Davidson* It’s 6.50am and it’s my iPhone alarm! *curses and turns over*.

As a mum of two school-age girls every day starts off with a mad scramble to get them fed, washed and dressed before school. We leave about 8.20am for the ten minute drive, I drop off and wave goodbye and I’m back at my desk by 8.50am.

The first thing I do is check my schedule for what’s going on that day. Believe me there is always something going on! I am a member of Loveahappyending Lifestyle – an on-line magazine run by a group of us authors. We write interesting posts on all sorts of topics – I am the trends/pop culture guru. We also support each other in our writing lives so I will schedule up some Facebook posts and some tweets for them as well as a few for me and my Harper Impulse buddies. Then when I visit Twitter later I can chat about food and wine instead of books!

After that I’ll answer emails or messages. There are usually at least fifty a day! I tell myself it’s good to be popular!

Finally, after messing about on Twitter and seeing what mad things other people are up to I will get down to writing about 11am. I then have three and a half hours to crack on before picking the girls up again. Three and a half hours sounds like a long time doesn’t it? If you factor in doing some exercise, eating some lunch and dipping back in to social media, it just flies by.

After picking up my girls, I might get a couple of hours of writing in in short bursts of fifteen minutes or so. Sometimes I take a pen and paper (do you remember those?!) and write with the children around if it’s the only way to grind out some words. I will write anywhere!

That’s a normal writing day but most weeks I also have some meetings on. I belong to a Wiltshire women’s networking group called Women on Wednesday and we meet up once a month. I was the guest speaker earlier this year.

As a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association I go up to London for their functions and  I’m also quite an active member of the Wiltshire business community so I try and attend most events I get invited to. I also speak at book groups, festivals and conferences which are mainly in the evenings or at weekends. No two weeks are the same!

I have to say I do love my writer life. I just wish there were a few more hours in the day!

Author Bio

Mandy Baggot is a romantic fiction author. In 2012 she won the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK’s Festival of Romance. Her self-published title, Strings Attached was also short-listed for the Best Author Published Read award.

Also in 2012 she signed with American publishing house, Sapphire Star Publishing, who produced her novels, Taking Charge and romantic suspense, Security.
In June 2013 she signed a two book deal with Harper Collins' digital first romance imprint, Harper Impulse.

She is a regular contributor to writing blogs and on-line magazine, Loveahappyending Lifestyle http://www.loveahappyending.com/.

Mandy loves mashed potato, white wine, country music, World’s Strongest Man, travel and handbags. She has appeared on ITV1’s Who Dares Sings and auditioned for The X-Factor.

Mandy is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband, two daughters and cats, Kravitz and Springsteen.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads 

 Loveahappyending Bookshelf / Sapphire Star Publishing / Harper Impulse

Latest release: Made in Nashville

Amazon UK: http://ow.ly/sMLoS

Amazon US: http://ow.ly/sMLvX

Author Interview with Barbara Taylor Bradford

All of us here at Booky Ramblings are thrilled to welcome the amazing Barbara Taylor Bradford to the blog to answer a few questions for us, and for you! We all hope you enjoy our interview with the bestselling author.

About Barbara Taylor Bradford

Barbara Taylor Bradford is the author of 25 bestselling novels, including Playing the Game, Breaking the Rules, and The Ravenscar Dynasty. She was born in Leeds, England, and from an early age, she was a voracious reader: at age 12, she had already read all of Dickens and the Brontë sisters. By the age of twenty, she was an editor and columnist on Fleet Street. She published her first novel, A Woman of Substance, in 1979, and it has become an enduring bestseller.

Barbara Taylor Bradford’s books are published in over 90 countries in 40 languages, with sales figures in excess of 82 million. Ten of her novels have been adapted into television mini-series starring actors including Sir Anthony Hopkins, Liam Neeson, Deborah Kerr and Elizabeth Hurley. She has been inducted into the Writers Hall of Fame of America, and in June of 2007, Barbara was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to Literature.

She lives in New York City with her husband, television producer Robert Bradford, to whom all her novels are dedicated, and their Bichon Frise dogs, who sit under her desk while she writes.

Booky Ramblings Interviews Barbara Taylor Bradford

   At what point in your life did you realise that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream, but a career you were going to turn into reality?

I started writing when I was seven. When I was ten, and had had some practice by then, my mother sent a story to a children’s magazine. It was about a little girl who wanted a pony, and how she went about getting it. Nobody was more amazed than me when they not only accepted it, but paid me ten shillings and sixpence! My destiny was sealed when I received that postal order.

2.      

4.       Do you recall how your interest in writing started?

My mentor Cornelius Ryan, historian of the Second World War, told me that if I wrote five pages a day every day for a year, I would get into the habit of doing it and would probably have over 400,000 words and the making of a novel.

5.       Do you ever experience writer’s block?

1.       No! My mentor, Cornelius Ryan, told me not to sit staring at the blank page all day, but to get some thoughts down on paper, whatever they were, so that I had something to rewrite the next day.

6.       Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published, if you had any?

I didn’t have any. A friend, who was an agent, gave my outline to a publisher, who happened to be in his office the day he received it. I had sent it to him to get his opinion. He thought it was so good, he gave it to the publisher, who also liked it, and passed it on to the woman at Doubleday in New York who would become my editor. She asked for some pages and a month later I gave her 90, and they bought the book in 48 hours on the outline and the chapter I had delivered.

7.       Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

I have mostly been influenced by the classics: Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Thomas Hardy, and the French writer Collette.

8.       Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

I am currently writing a new book, the sequel to Cavendon Hall - called The Cavendon Women.

9.      

1     Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

A novel is a monumental lie that has to have the absolute ring of truth if it is going to succeed.  So yes, my stories are from my imagination, but I do a lot of research if I am writing about such things as wars. However, life teaches everyone about life and gives a writer insight into how we behave.

1     What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I haven’t had a great deal of criticism, and the best compliment I could have is when someone says ‘I couldn’t put this book down.’

1     Do you have any advice to give to aspiring authors?

To sit down and write an outline, and to think everything out. Once the story and the characters are clear, then the next thing to do is to actually write the book.

1     Do you get much time to spend reading yourself?

Not as much as I’d like, but I always take books away with me on vacation.

Barbara's latest book, Cavendon Hall, is out now, and you can also read Lisa's review here.

Rome by Jay Crownover Blog Tour

 For all of you who loved bad-boys-with-a-heart Rule and Jet, I’m really thrilled to say that Jay Crownover’s third novel, ROME, is an absolute scorcher of a read. The eldest of the Archer boys is back from the desert in a whirl of loss and rage, and from the moment pissed-off punk rocker Cora dumps a beer on his head at Rule and Shaw’s housewarming party, it’s clear they’ve got chemistry.

The e-book published January 2nd in the UK, and we have e-proofs available for review now. I’m also excited to announce that HarperCollins have acquired the rights to the following three books in the Marked Men series; NASH, ROWDY and ASA (long may our love affair with tattooed men continue!).

Learning to Let Go blog tour

Title: Learning to Let Go (Learning Series #2)

Author: Cynthia P. O'Neil

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18802141-learning-to-let-go

 

Synopsis

Garrett Andrews has controlled every aspect of his life for as long as he can remember. Whatever he wanted, he took, especially when it came to Laurel Hart. She was the first person to make his heart skip a beat and capture his soul, allowing part of his control to slip, which uncovered his lie and destroyed her trust in him.

Laurel now lays battered and broken thanks to Chase Peterson, a stalker from her college days, who won’t accept no for an answer. Garrett is determined to win her back, obsessing over her care in an attempt to heal both her body and her mind. He will go to any lengths to earn back her trust and teach her to let go of the past, but can he follow his own advice and let down his own walls? They struggle to overcome their issues and soon Chase is after her again, fixated on staking his “claim” with a startling revelation that links both the past and present. Can they find happiness with each other or is their too much to overcome? Only time will tell if they can learn to let go.    

Dissension by K.A. Salidas release blitz

 The great cataclysm wiped almost all life from the face of planet Earth, but tiny pockets of survivors crawled from the ashes, with only one thought: survival, at any cost.
But not all survivors were human.
In the dark, militant society that has risen in the aftermath, vampires, once thought to be mythical, have been assimilated and enslaved. Used for blood sport their lives are allowed to continue only for the entertainment of the masses. Reviled as savages, they are destined to serve out their immortal lives in the arena, as gladiators.
And there is no greater gladiator than Mira: undefeated, uncompromising...and seemingly unbreakable. When an escape attempt leads Mira into the path of Lucian Stavros, the city’s Regent, her destiny is changed forever.
Lucian, raised in a culture which both reviles and celebrates the savagery and inhumanity of vampires, finds Mira as intriguing as she is brash. An impulsive decision - to become Mira’s patron – changes more than just Lucian’s perception about vampire kind. The course of his life is altered in ways he could never have predicted – a life that is suddenly as expendable as hers.
Can Mira prove to Lucian that all is not as it seems? Can Lucian escape centuries of lies, bloodshed, and propaganda to see the truth? Or will the supreme power of the human overlords destroy them both?

Every Thorn Review

Every Thorn by Rene Folsom

Going through life with no memory of her cruel past seems like the best way to survive. But when those memories begin to shadow her every move, she is forced to realize her fate.

While working her shifts at a local western bar, Brittany notices a mysterious man lurking in the shadows. Even though she’s used to being ogled, the man’s cryptic gifts unnerve her. They’re like puzzle pieces—hints that she is determined to understand.

When her admirer also begins to stalk her dreams, will Brittany continue to block out her past?

** This 9,300 word short story was originally published in “STALKERS: A Collection of Thriller Stories” and includes several ADULT bonus scenes never before seen. **

Save me from Myself by Stacey Mosteller Blog Tour

Title: Save Me From Myself (Nashville Nights #1)

Author: Stacey Mosteller

Genre: New Adult Romance

Release Date: January 15, 2014

 

Synopsis

Lyric Hayes spent the first 22 years of her life trying to be the perfect daughter and the perfect girlfriend. After a tragedy and her fiance’s betrayal, she's running. Starting over far away from the person she used to be.

She's made herself a vow - no relationships. She's trying to heal, not complicate her life further. David Pearson has it all. Confidence, awesome friends, successful business. But, David's dealt with loss too. He knows better than anyone not to judge by what's on the surface. Drawn to Lyric despite her inability to trust, he'll do anything to own her heart. Will secrets and misunderstandings send Lyric running again? Or will David finally save her from herself? 

Author Interview: James M. Copeland

Detective FRANK HAWTHORN receives a call from W.J. FISHER. He said that his son Milford Fisher had disappeared. He found his boat near the Memphis, Tennessee branch of the Fisher Granary Corp covered in blood. Later that day the boat disappears as well. Hawthorn is told that young Fisher discovered someone was stealing millions from the company and now he is missing. Everyone believes him dead except Hawthorn who has a premonition that maybe...he's still alive. Detective Hawthorn works his magic to solve the crime. After several incidents and mishaps, he discovers the truth and finds the guilty individuals. There is an important twist in the story and Frank Hawthorn uncovers a plot that will keep you on your toes.

Hello James and Welcome to Booky Ramblings.

What inspired you to write your first book?
I had a desire to write from early on. The possibility came along when the only responsibility I had was my work. I had free time on my hands and wanted something to do so I purchased my first computer with the full intent of writing a book.

Do you have a specific writing style?
It has developed into one. I have a background of many years of situation that contribute to almost any story I write. Take for instance, the time one of my sales people had a problem with a customer being very amorous. She didn’t encourage it, and her policeman husband disapproved. The policeman visited the wayward customer and voiced his care for his wife, along with just a bit of a swagger in his policeman’s uniform. It worked the sales person kept her customer and the policeman husband was alright with the situation. This segment did appear somewhere in one of my books, I will not say where.

How did you come up with the title?
‘Frank Hawthorn is…Blindsided’ was reached after many long months of changes. Looking at the novel itself leaves you at a standstill as to what to title the novel. It was changed from the town where the occurrence took place, to the name of the granary, to the title of the lake near where it occurred to several others until finally the fact that Detective Frank Hawthorn had fallen in love with the victim’s sister…needless to say she made him fall and then ran away to her death.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Most assuredly! Two messages in fact, the first one is the fact that a gumshoe turned private does have the stick-to-it-tiv-ness (probably not a real word) to find a client regardless of the number of people who are trying to murder or hide him. The second message is the fact that the same man can be so human that he falls for a pretty girl.

Are your novels based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I would have to say that most of it comes from my imagination. However, the events are a perfect place to draw from to be inclusive with the imagination.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Michael Connelly! His detective named Harry Bosch gave me the idea of a real life detective who could be himself and yet be effective at investigating. His stories are fabulous.

What book are you reading now?
I have read all of the Connelly books that I could get my hands on except for the last one he wrote. I read everyday and if you will look on my web site you will see behind my picture at the top that I have hundreds of books. (Web site:www.jamesmcopelandbooks.com) I am reading ‘The Girl who kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larson.’ I have read the other two and they are great. The characterization is very well done.

What are your current projects?
If… my publisher will go along with it (KGBooks of Alabama) (Miss Tracy Kauffman) I intend presenting her with the opportunity of publishing the rest of the series which are ‘The Missing Link, with Detective Frank Hawthorn’ as well as ‘The Cusec Caper with Detective Frank Hawthorn.’ Both stories are a follow-up of characters from the original Blindsided. The Missing Link has to do with the manager of the Fisher Granary where the victim of the novel Blindsided was the President. ‘The Cusec Caper is about Frank Hawthorn’s next door neighbor.

Do you see your writing as a career or something you do in your spare time?
Oh, this is…a career! I have found writing and speaking to groups about writing as being the very culmination of my entire career and I have had a very full like already. I feel like my responsibility to the world has just begun. It is very hard to get recognized in the writing world today. There are millions of us wana-be’s out there. I have evidence that my writing is a story telling process and I have stories that will last me a lifetime. I may miss a word sometimes, but the story is there. I have worked for 8 to 10 hours per day improving my craft. Blindsided was edited over 27 times and the title changed 7 times. I just wanted to get it right. I live on the LewisSmith Lake in Winston County of Alabama on a point where I have an 180* view of the convergences of three creeks and in the deepest part of the lake. The fishing is number two in the state. I have a boat house and two boats. Both went down completely for lack of use. I am just too busy writing, such as right now.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Yes! Every time I have pulled up one of my novels to check on I have changed it somewhat. The story line is never changed, however, the best word is selected each time I pick it up and re-read it. My process is to set it aside after I finish it the first time. Wait for a few days or months, even years as with Blindsided (It was finished in 2006 the first time.) then, take it up and correct the words I see that I think is wrong. Even after all those corrections the editors at KG Books found ways to change what was written. To show you how dedicated I am to writing being a career I purchased a new RV motor home to go on the road for book signings and lectures. I very much enjoy going to lectures being done by someone else, but I have done several of them myself. There is great satisfaction in being able to convey something you believe in to someone who wants to learn.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I found myself writing poetry at a very early age. My Aunt encouraged me to apply one of my pieces to a poetry contest. I got honorable mention with that piece and went on to get published in four different books as a one piece item. I put together some small group of books for family but never attempted the publication of them. My beginning really started in earnest in 2006 when I sold my business in Branson,Missouri and moved back to Alabama which is my home state.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Here is the  trailer produced by my publisher KG Books of Alabama.


Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
If you are asking if my writing is challenging to the reader my answer is: yes, because some of the writers today find it unnecessary to fill in the normal things of life such as eating and sleeping. Since these two things take up at least two thirds of our time is seems a waste not to incorporate them into our novels. The challenge comes when a reader finds out that Detective Frank Hawthorn is not bullet proof. He eats and sleeps, and has feelings just like the clerk at the corner drug store. Things that happened to him in youth are reflected in his actions everyday. How he treats his former side kick at the police academy in Memphis,Tennessee, how he views his Man Friday at his house in New Jersey and how he treats woman in general. He knows that he would get fat if he allowed himself to eat the way he would enjoy all the time, but it doesn’t stop him from enjoying a good cheese burger. My writing tends to include the details of all the things that happen to my characters, just like this interview. It’s way too long, but if you wanted to know, now you know!

Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join us today.

The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare Review

The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare by M.G Buehrlen



Synopsis

For as long as 17-year-old Alex Wayfare can remember, she has had visions of the past. Visions that make her feel like she’s really on a ship bound for America, living in Jamestown during the Starving Time, or riding the original Ferris wheel at the World’s Fair.

But these brushes with history pull her from her daily life without warning, sometimes leaving her with strange lasting effects and wounds she can’t explain. Trying to excuse away the aftereffects has booked her more time in the principal’s office than in any of her classes and a permanent place at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Alex is desperate to find out what her visions mean and get rid of them.

It isn’t until she meets Porter, a stranger who knows more than should be possible about her, that she learns the truth: Her visions aren’t really visions. Alex is a Descender – capable of traveling back in time by accessing Limbo, the space between Life and Afterlife. Alex is one soul with fifty-six past lives, fifty-six histories.

Fifty-six lifetimes to explore: the prospect is irresistible to Alex, especially when the same mysterious boy with soulful blue eyes keeps showing up in each of them. But the more she descends, the more it becomes apparent that someone doesn’t want Alex to travel again. Ever.

And will stop at nothing to make this life her last.

Lisa's Review - 5 out of 5 stars

I was lucky to get an ARC copy of this book to read, and I am so happy I did!
Since she was little, Alex Wayfare has been having visions that suck her out of her normal life, and cause her real life to be affected. Unable to explain them to her family, she is sent to see a counsellor, who she confides in. From here, she is found by Porter, who begins to explain to her what her visions mean, and tells her she is a Descender,  and she has 56 past lives. Now, in her 57th life, he wants her to help take down one of the men who created her and is using his powers wrongfully. But every time she dips into a past life, she meets up with Blue, a handsome boy she always feels a pull to. It doesn't take long for her to realise that Porter isn't telling her the whole truth.

I really loved this book, and found it delightfully easy to read, and was really enjoyable and somewhat unique in a time when a lot of books have a similar feel to them. I have never read a book before with a storyline anywhere near to this one, so it was refreshing and different. I really liked all of the different eras that Alex was taken to in her past lives, if anything I wish there had been a few more. There was a really great way that the story line was interweaved with lots of questions and twists and turns that were not predictable at all.

I was a little disappointed when this book ended as it is left wide open with lots of questions, and lots more or Alex's past lives to dip into, and I really hope that this is just the first book in a series and there is lots more to come, and they will definitely be going on my 'to read' list!

The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare is expected for publication March 4th 2014

Links

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17878473-the-fifty-seven-lives-of-alex-wayfare

Author http://mgbuehrlen.com/


Purchase Links

Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Lives-Alex-Wayfare-Series/dp/1908844922/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391427803&sr=8-1&keywords=the+57+lives+of+alex+wayfare

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/The-Lives-Alex-Wayfare-Series/dp/1908844922/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391428136&sr=8-1&keywords=the+57+lives+of+alex+wayfare

B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fifty-seven-lives-of-alex-wayfare-mg-buehrlen/1116056038?ean=9781908844934

Unwanted Stars blog tour

Unwanted Stars (Four)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1dmzTXi

Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/1eN2YMG

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1fB5f1l

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18040070-unwanted-stars?from_search=true

RELEASE DATE: February 3rd

Reviews: Made In Nashville by Mandy Baggot

An on-stage attack left Honor Blackwood with more scars than just the one on her face. It’s been ten years since she left her spot as Nashville’s brightest country music star. Is now the time to return? And is she brave enough to do it?
Country rebel and rock star, Jared ‘Jed’ Marshall is hot property on the Tennessee music scene in more ways than one. He’s wild, he’s sexy and everybody wants a piece of him. But when he sets his sights on Honor, is it pure attraction or just distraction on his mind?
Honor’s record label sign the ex-boyfriend that dumped her and suddenly going back to her old life is harder than she thought. Can she get a new contract? Will she get to perform at the Marlon Festival? Or will Dan Steele destroy everything?
When a secret from the past becomes public knowledge it’s no longer just about the music. Are all the people in her life lying to her to get what they want? And who is really behind the anonymous gifts she keeps getting sent?
Join the country scene to find out!

The Seers by Julianna Scott blog tour

The Seers by Julianna Scott 

(Holders #2)
Published by: Strange Chemistry
Publication date: February 4th 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

After nearly being drained of her ability and betrayed by a man her father trusted, Becca Ingle was left with one clue — Ciaran Shea. He holds the key to the downfall of the power-mad Holder, Darragh, and can ensure the safety of both Holder and Human kind alike… but is he willing to help?

Becca, Alex, Jocelyn, and Cormac set out for Adare Manor to meet with the Bhunaidh, an aristocratic group of pure blooded Holders of whom Ciaran is a rumored member. However, when Becca discovers that they might not be the only ones after the information Ciaran has, everyone begins to wonder if Bhunaidh might not be as uninvolved with Darragh as they claim.

A race to uncover Ciaran’s secrets begins, where the line between friend and foe is blurred, and everyone seems to have their own agenda. Becca will have to call on every ability at her disposal to uncover the truth, all the while knowing that sometimes the answer is more dangerous than the question.

Changing Course by Aly Martinez blog tour

 

Title: Changing Course (Wrecked and Ruined #1)

Author: Aly Martinez

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: January 29, 2014

 

Synopsis

I met Sarah Kate Erickson when I was 21 years old. I was lucky enough to keep her for seven years before a tragic accident stole her from me. She didn’t die, but sometimes I think it would have been easier if she had.

I lived in a haze for those four years after the accident. Catering to her every need, even though she hated the very sight of my face. I tried to hold on to her and the future that we were supposed to build together. But you can’t hold on to someone that doesn’t exist anymore.

It wasn’t until I met Jesse Addison, a barista at the local coffee shop, that I realized I didn’t just lose Sarah that tragic night, I lost myself as well. Jesse taught me how to let go of the past and learn to love again. But what happens when your past haunts your present and the woman you used to love refuses to accept the woman you can’t live without?

Cavendon Hall Review

Cavendon Hall by Barbara Taylor Bradford




Synopsis

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes an epic saga of intrigue and mystique set in Edwardian England. Cavendon Hall is home to two families, the aristocratic Inghams and the Swanns who serve them. Charles Ingham, the sixth Earl of Mowbray, lives there with his wife Felicity and their six children. Walter Swann, the premier male of the Swann family, is valet to the earl. His wife Alice, a clever seamstress who is in charge of the countess's wardrobe, also makes clothes for the four daughters. For centuries, these two families have lived side-by-side, beneath the backdrop of the imposing Yorkshire manor. Lady Daphne, the most beautiful of the Earl’s daughters, is about to be presented at court when a devastating event changes her life and threatens the Ingham name. With World War I looming, both families will find themselves tested in ways they never thought possible. Loyalties will be challenged and betrayals will be set into motion. In this time of uncertainty, one thing is sure: these two families will never be the same again. Cavendon Hall is Barbara Taylor Bradford at her very best, and its sweeping story of secrets, love, honor, and betrayal will have readers riveted up to the very last page.

Lisa's Review - 5 out of 5 stars

Cavendon Hall starts in 1913, and tells a tale of an aristocratic family, the Inghams, and their ever loyal aides, the Swanns. For over 160 years, the Swanns have served the Inghams, through births, deaths, weddings, and deepest darkest secrets, and are loyal until their last breaths. When an unthinkable tragedy occurs, the Swanns take charge to protect the Ingham family.

To start with, I absolutely love the era that this book is set in. Unlike some books set in this time, I also loved the fact that the Inghams didn't treat the Swanns as servants, they were friends, confidents, and treat with as much respect as the aristocratic family themselves.

M-Day Book Sale

Zombies? That's kids stuff.  

Welcome to the ultimate battle of the sexes. Welcome to M-Day... 

Available now and on sale from February 7-14!