Book Promo Day: 25th July, 2013

Posted on 25th July, 2013 by Steve

An exception to normal Book Promo Day entries:

Smashwords Sale from Sarah Baethge

Smashwords is having a sale!
If you want a cheap read, now is the time to check out Smashwords.

My short story, Right Now is free with the code SSW75 .

My novel, Panoptemitry is only $1.25 with that same code: SSW75 .

My other two short stories are always free, you can get to them from my Author Page.

Fraudulent by Robert D. Spake

It’s the late 19th Century. William Traven is returning home to England after four years of travelling. Along the way he feels as though he’s lost himself, so he comes home hoping to recapture his lost spirit. However, he’s worried that a sense of belonging will still elude him and if he can’t find it at home he fears that he’ll lose all hope. There’s also Eleanor, the girl who promised to wait for him while he went away. He feels an obligation to marry her but he doesn’t know whether he can carry out his duty if he doesn’t truly love her, or whether he can be the man his parents expect. He’s torn between honour, duty and love, and death hangs like a shadow over him as he struggles to find a place in the world.

Purchase details:

Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com

More information:

Amazon author page
Goodreads
Author’s Blog
Facebook

Letters Home: Afghanistan by Teresa Jones

Letters Home: Afghanistan is the story of a soldier and his family that experience the ups and downs of a year of deployment to an active war zone. In this story we watch as the son John, deals with the reality of war in addition to missing out on all the wonderful things that come along with being part of a family and a community. We also get a peek into how the family on the home front deals with their son being so far away and in harm’s way each and every day.

Together they must find the strength to stay strong and positive while struggling daily to be a constant source of encouragement and support to each other.

~This book is a novella that is the first in a set of four from the “Letters from War” series. ~
~This book reads like a packet of old letters instead of in typical chapter formation~

Available exclusively on Amazon.com with Createspace version coming soon!

Purchase Location: Amazon.com
Current Price: 0.99 cents!

Contact the Author:
Facebook
Goodreads
WordPress
Twitter

I’m Back and a Roundup of News

Posted on 22nd July, 2013 by Steve

My Gratitude for Many Kindnesses

During the last couple of months, I have been well and truly blessed with numerous demonstrations of that old-fashioned thing: Human Kindness! It is astonishing and not a little overwhelming to have received so many kind wishes from so many people. I am humbled. Deeply so. There is certainly no way that I can ever repay such warmth. My recent incapacity was met with even more such kindness, for which I can only offer my most sincere thanks!

I hope that things are now returning to normal. The most significant aspect of my absence was an unpleasant tendency to fall asleep without warning with great frequency, which made focussing on anything impossible. It may sound not particularly trying, but it was unfortunately associated with other even less tolerable factors, So it’s fingers crossed time, that the problem has passed.

My thanks to my son, Damien, for posting about my absence and fielding comments as best he could! Considering how busy he is himself, it was no small thing for him to do on my behalf.

I Must Refuse!

Recently, I have had several emails from, apparently, other authors. These offer to ‘send business my way’ if I join the person’s network by clicking on a link in the email, which always involves the website http://www.referralkey.com. I would like it to be known that I will not ever,under any circumstances, take up such invitations. I have a very strong suspicion of all such things, I’m afraid. So, if you have my email address in your contacts and you choose to subscribe to whatever this service might be, I would be grateful if you ensured that you do not submit it to the service. I should point out that I have attempted to bar such emails, and ‘unsubscribe’ from them, to no effect, which suggests that things are worthy of suspicion.

Last Week’s ‘Book Promo Day’

If anybody’s wondering to last week’s Book Promo Day, it’s a shame but there were no submissions for the day. It is a source of some amazement to me that it can often be such hard work to persuade my fellow authors to take advantage of free advertising! If you’ve availed yourself of the offer yourself, and maybe even derived some benefit from having done so, perhaps you would be so kind as to suggest to your own contacts that they might like to do the same. So far, I have received just one submission for the next Book Promo Day.

The Ossilan Affair Reviewed!

I am delighted to say that my novelette, The Ossilan Affair, has been reviewed. The review can be found on Amazon and is also to be found on LizzieRossWriter.com. I’d be very grateful if you took a look at one location, or both, and maybe leave some feedback, if you feel so inclined. Personally, I have to thank Lizzie Ross for her kind review, the award of four stars and her very useful observations. It is an excellent demonstration of how a review can be helpful to both potential readers and the author.

~ Steve

Book Promo Day: 11th July, 2013

Posted on 11th July, 2013 by Steve

Beyond the Eyes by Rebekkah Ford

“A thrilling, wholly satisfying first book to a new young adult series. It will keep you wanting more.” – Valentina Cano, Carabosse’s Library

“Beyond the Eyes is haunting yet passionate. This breakout novel is quick and hip, a saucy must-read.” – Charles Land, Judas Pistol

Paige knows evil exists in this world, but she never imagined it would want something from her.

After a ghostly voice whispers a haunting message to seventeen-year-old Paige Reed, Paige’s life takes a nightmarish turn. Unwilling to tell her friends about the supernatural occurrences happening in her life, Paige feels more alone than ever–until she meets Nathan Caswell.

Nathan is not only hot, but seems to peer into Paige’s soul, evoking a magnetic energy between them that cannot be denied. But he’s no ordinary guy. He tracks dark spirits, and becomes alarmed when they set their sights on Paige.

And then there are the two power-hungry dark spirits who believe Paige can find King Solomon’s magical ring for them, because when her father was alive, he was close to finding it. If Paige doesn’t comply with their demands, they’ll kill her.

Paige is forced to dig deep into her father’s past and unearths shocking secrets about him and his bloodline. With the past and present colliding, Paige is only sure about two things in her life: she needs to outwit the dark spirits to stay alive, and she’s completely and helplessly in love with Nathan.

More information:

Author’s Website/Blog

Tails of Sweetbrier by Deanie Humphrys-Dunne

Tails of Sweetbrier is an award-winning, inspiring, autobiography about a little girl who wants nothing more than to become a champion equestrian, in spite of her handicap. What happens when things don’t go well? What happens when she falls off her horse? Even if she prevails, Deanie will need exactly the right horse so they can become a winning team. This story will show that nothing is impossible if you persevere.

This book is available on Kindle: Amazon.com

The paperback version will be published soon.

More information:

Author’s Blog

Gemini Rising Book I – Ethereal Fury by Jessica O’Gorek

Angry at the human race and its methodical destruction of her resources, Mother Earth recruits souls who have just left their bodies to serve Her, and turns them against humanity. Gemini, a clan of paranormal beings, picked from these possessed humans, emerges. A powerful, rising force proceeds to carry out Mother Nature’s plan to systematically destroy towns, cities, states… and eventually, the world. Amidst the chaos, a forbidden relationship between a human girl, Violette, and Onyx, a lead Gemini, begins. They will both find themselves in the middle of a revolutionary war that will either save, or destroy our world.

More information:

Goodreads.com
Amazon.com
Author’s Blog

Before Barack: They Said This Day Would Never Come by Sonia Grant

The United States has come a long way since the days when twelve of her former presidents owned slaves; eight of them while in office. The paradigm shifted irrevocably, however, when an African-American, Barack Hussein Obama, was elected the country’s 44th President.

With President Obama’s landmark second-term well underway, thoughts have turned to his legacy. Sonia Grant’s book is an unvarnished look at other black presidential candidates. Designed to advance the discourse beyond the hackneyed “first black president” and a sense of weariness expressed when Jesse Jackson opined that, “Some of the excitement has gone,” Before Barack presents the President’s achievement in a unique historical perspective.

But, she argues, more significant than the nuts-and-bolts of the individual campaigns of Blanche Kelso Bruce; George Edwin Taylor; James W. Ford; Charlotta Bass; Clennon W. King; Dick Gregory; Eldridge Cleaver; Angela Davis; Reverend Jesse Jackson; and Reverend Al Sharpton, outlined in her book, were the conditions which gave rise to their candidacies. Indeed, it was America’s unprecedented social upheaval – spanning Slavery, Reconstruction, domestic terrorism, race riots and Segregation – which paved the way for Obama’s ascendancy.

However, in terms of race, Grant contends that America still seemed conflicted. Despite hard-fought gains borne out in the Civil Rights Movement, for instance, centuries of systematic and deep-seated racism still haunted; and, on occasions, the nation was schismatic and betrayed signs of polarization.

Nonetheless, she observes that many optimistically hung on to the notion that the election of the country’s first black president was transformative; indeed, it was, but Grant suggests it also proved to be as revelatory as it was historic. To that extent, Before Barack is a lens through which the confluence of race, class, and [presidential] power is examined in the context of America’s eventful social and political history.

An accessible narrative, the book charts the trials and triumphs of the black presidential candidate: beginning speculatively in the nineteenth century; approached earnestly in the twentieth; but only destined to be realized – or not – in the twenty-first, with the election of Barack Obama.

Before Barack is available for $22.49 in paperback from Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/171tjEu; and $8.99 as an eBook from Amazon: http://amzn.to/11xYA3G

Contact:

info@sonia-grant.com / @SoniaSGrant / www.sonia-grant.com

Book Promo Day: 4th July, 2013

Posted on 4th July, 2013 by Steve

Domus Inter – House Between by Sarah Carter

Seventeen-year-old Harriet (Harry) Lawson expects her life to change when her mother inherits Domus Inter – a grand house in Wales – from a mysterious man called Jack Lloyd. But she doesn’t expect her whole world to be turned upside down, and that’s exactly what happens when she meets Jack Lloyd’s solicitor and a disturbing young man who calls himself Mord. The two men tell Harry an unbelievable tale – of murder, another world, and a magic pendant called the True Heart.

Harry has never felt like she belongs in this world, and she is about to find out why. Not knowing what to believe or who to trust, Harry’s desire to discover her true identity will embroil her in a conflict as old as memory. The legends of this world are the prophecies of another…but have they been interpreted wrongly?

More information:

Author’s Website/Blog

The Basement: Robbie’s Rite of Passage by Vashti Quiroz-Vega

The Basement is my first novel a Suspense/Thriller aimed at an Upper Middle Grade/Young Adult audience.

“A kid should not be aware of his own heartbeat”, he thought.

Never forget the unexplored territories in your own back yard, or under your house. Here, Vashti Quiroz-Vega gives voice to the young inhabitants of one neighborhood where things are more than they seem.

Robbie is an ordinary boy in a normal world, as we first enter the neighborhood and witness an idyllic scene of prepubescent children at play; but what happens in silence and in the dark will amaze you. Join Robbie as he journeys to explore unknown and forgotten tales of intrigue, fear and blind faith.

Ask yourself:

What kinds of monsters lurk in your world?
What will you do when you can no longer see?

The Basement is a tale of angst, teamwork and solutions, of treasure hunts and adventure, and of facing your fears. It is a focus on the small- but everything- world of one group of pre-teens and the very real and wondrous world they face.

Purchase details:

Paperback: $12.99
ebook: $10.99

Both from Tate Publishing

More information:

Author’s website/blog

Keltrius and the Armor of God by D.L Partee

This is a story of a young man who was born to become a Spiritual superhero for God. His objective is to help those less fortunate and stand up for what’s right and good in the world, all while trying to prevent Armageddon. As he is growing up and learning to accept his mission he is plagued by what he thinks are childhood bullies but in reality they are demons from hell trying to destroy God’s creation. Along the way he forms some allies as well as enemies, some unexpected and close to home.

Purchase information:

Amazon.com Kindle ebook and paperback

More information:

Author’s website/blog
Author’s Amazon page

Amazing Matilda: A Monarch’s Tale by Bette A. Stevens

Judges of the 2013 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards contest, which recognizes excellence in children’s literature, have spoken, and Amazing Matilda: A Monarch’s Tale by Maine author Bette A. Stevens, won an Honorable Mention place in the Picture Books – 6 & Older category.

Amazing Matilda: A Monarch’s Tale, is about a monarch caterpillar who only wants to fly. ‘How can a creature without wings every hope to fly?” Matilda’s friends wonder as they laugh at the tiny caterpillar. As Matilda progresses from egg to butterfly she learns that if she keeps trying, she can do anything that she really wants to do. Amazing Matilda’s storyline and illustrations follow the actual life cycle of the monarch butterfly and includes milkweed, an environmentally near-threatened plant. Milkweed is the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat.

The book retails for $9.49 (paperback) and $3.99 (Kindle/eReader) and can be purchased at Amazon.com or your favorite online bookstore. Visit the author at her website/blog: www.4writersandreaders.com.

Love Me Till Tomorrow by Dave Donahue

This is a love story about two people who crash land in the Mojave Desert after a plague has wiped out the entire east coast. The plague concocted by the US government was designed to curb population control. The two survivors Mark and Desiree find themselves in a desperate situation, they must find their way to the west coast to find survivors, if any are left.

More information:

Author’s Amazon page

Book Promo Day – 27th June, 2013

Posted on 27th June, 2013 by Steve

Twinned Universes by Sandra Ulbrich Almazan

Paul Harrison always wanted to play Hamlet, but he never expected he’d live the role first.

In the aftermath of a family tragedy on 21st century Earth, Paul discovers he’s the clone of Sean Lyon, his great-great-grandfather and a famous TwenCen musician. Suspecting his mother’s death was no accident, Paul comes up with a plan to trick the answers out of the great-uncle who had him cloned. But in order to make his plan work, Paul needs help from Sean himself—and Sean’s time is running out in the TwenCen universe next door. Although Paul’s family lives on the spaceship that travels between the universes, he’s never been allowed on TwenCen Earth. Now, with the help of his friends, his disguise-creating holoprojectors, and a quantum quirk, Paul must make his way to Sean while evading other time travelers who fear he’ll change the history of the TwenCen universe. If Paul is to achieve justice, he must not only risk his own life, but the wormhole connecting the universes. “To be or not to be” was a simple question in comparison….

Buy Links:

Amazon eBook: www.amazon.com
Amazon paper book: www.amazon.com
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

More information:

Author’s blog

Darkspire Reaches by C.N. Lesley

Her birth mother left her as a sacrifice to the Wyvern, believing a second born twin had no soul.

Her foster mother thought Raven possessed the magic of the First born. She believed she raised a slave.

The emperor of all the lands believed she knew the secret of his birth and that he must silence her. Her tribe thought they could trade her for safe passage out of the emperor’s lands. The Wyvern knows better. He is coming for her. His fury has no limits.

Raven always knew nobody wanted her: Her own mother abandoned her as baby for a wyvern sacrifice. Saved by a local witch to a hard life of labor, Raven always fears a wyvern would hunt her. And when one does he takes her to the mountain aerie of Darkspire Reaches, where she encounters the mighty Drakken lord. Apart from being handsome and powerful, Connor is the most arrogant, self-centered, difficult man Raven has ever encountered. Instant power battles ensue leading to a sparkling love/hate relationship.

View the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWTaDpBORsY

From Kristell Ink:
Darkspire Reaches is a dark romantic fantasy, richly told and with characters so real, you cry for them. C N Lesley is masterful. This is for lovers of Ilona Andrews, Karen Chance, Sherrilyn Kenyon and such like.

More information:

Kristell Ink
Author’s blog

Book trailer:

http://youtu.be/eWTaDpBORsY

A Hero’s Journey (Tales of the Scarlet Knight #1) by P.T. Dilloway

Dr. Emma Earl never wanted to be a hero. But when she finds a magic suit of armor that can deflect bullets and turn her invisible, she becomes part of an ancient war between good and evil. It’s up to Emma as the latest incarnation of the heroic Scarlet Knight to save Rampart City from the fiendish Black Dragoon and his plan to rule first the city and then the whole world.

It is 99 cents at Smashwords, Amazon (ebook) and Barnes & Noble right now. There’s no certainty as to how much longer the ebook will stay that way. The paperback is $12.34 from Amazon

More information:

Author’s website

When Love Waits by Melanie Macek

When Love Waits is the first book in a Contemporary Romance trilogy set in Northern California. All books are currently $3.99 for Kindle and Nook or $6.99 for print-available only on Amazon at the moment.

Emma Alexander has been living in San Diego the past eight years building her career. She’s only been home once during that time. When she rushes home to deal with a family tragedy, she discovers small towns have long memories. Circumstances force her to deal with the reason she stayed away so long. Now she must decide between the life she left behind and the one she’s secretly yearned for.

Jack McElroy has been in love with Emma since they met their freshman year of college. The last four years of living in San Francisco have been torturous for him, being away from her. When her promotion moves her north, fear of ruining their friendship tempers his desire to show her how he truly feels. Will he be able to profess his love for her or will her ex-fiancé beat him to the punch?

More information:

Author’s Facebook Page
Amazon Author’s Page
Author’s blog

Purchase links:

Amazon Author’s Page – All three books – print and ebook – are listed here.
Barnes & Noble

Angel Falls by Michael Paul Gonzalez

It’s been rough lately for the Lord of Darkness, with ex-girlfriend drama rearing its head at inconvenient moments, ancient gods returning to take over the universe, and Satan’s own unstoppable laziness. But whatever.

Satan is okay, and he thinks you’re okay, too. This whole eternal damnation thing is all a bit of a misunderstanding.

He runs Hell as a resort, kind of. A vacation spot. The point is, he’s not a bad guy. He’s trying to save Heaven and all of creation, and he only has a dimwitted giant, a surly waitress, and a monkey to help him. So, a thank you might be nice. Maybe buy him a cup of coffee next time you see him. And you will see him.

It’s the Apocalypse, and all that.

More information:

Author’s website
Book website

Odious Seed and Other Stories by Jane Endacott

An unlikely romance blossoms between two nuclear scientists. A man ingests a seed that begins to grow and sprout. The ghost of a stalker haunts her murderer.

Witty and poignant, they are the stories of outsiders looking to the inside, of disconnected families, and detached lovers.

Purchase link:

Amazon.com

More information:

Author’s blog

The Lonely Man: The Witch’s Price by S. M. White

A man responsible for the downfall of a nation. The nation responsible for the downfall of a man.

Mhets and six other greedy men quested to steal the Chained God’s treasure. They were successful. The gods, in their fury, took the lives of Mhets’ companions one at a time, and now seek to snuff out the remaining thief. To survive, and to further spite the divine for their part in taking the love of his life, Mhets finds refuge in a witch’s hand. But the vile deal he enters into promises nothing but trouble. Sorcerers, mercenaries, and death wait on the horizon as he moves to complete his end of the terrible bargain. Journeying at the behest of the witch, Mhets learns just how black his heart has become, and how that darkness inside him might spell salvation for the world.

The Lonely Man: The Witch’s Price starts the tales of Mhets Sorrowbringer, a man wronged and angered in life. He owns a past riddled with atrocity, betrayal, and death, but here is where his true story starts. Here is where the man called Mirthless Mhets begins to write his legend.

More information:

Author’s Website

Beaufort Betrayal by Linda Heavner Gerald

An intriguing tale of deceit and danger which is set in the historic coastal town of Beaufort, N. C. Anyone who loves sleepy beach towns and sailing will find this a spell binding story. The author uses her medical background to add suspense occurring in a mental hospital. The backdrop of Palm Beach and Wrightsville Beach add style and glamour to a book which you will find impossible to set aside. Thank goodness the story is only 150 pages. Perfect for a plane ride or the beach tote.

More information:

Author’s Amazon Page
Author’s blog

Book Promo Day – 19th June, 2013

Posted on 20th June, 2013 by Steve

Charlene the Star by Deanie Humphrys-Dunne

Charlene the Star comes from a family of famous racehorses. But what if Charlene doesn’t like racing? Will she become a model instead?

Charlene goes to great lengths to show her trainers she’s not happy racing. Your child will love this funny, entertaining and educational story, told from Charlene’s point of view.

Purchase from:

Available on www.amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com

Reviews:

Review on www.jemsbooks.wordpress.com

More information:

Author’s blog

Beyond the Camera by Joanne Jacquard

(Note that this book is for Adult readers!)

Bored with her elderly husband, Elise Harper leads a steamy life of sexual encounters through her legitimate photographic business. An erstwhile darkroom technician takes umbrage when she fires him for misuse of her equipment and his ensuing stalking behaviour leads Elise into many dangers from which she is eventually rescued though traumatized by an old flame with help from a new love. The plot examines the psychological impact of various normal events that also overtake Elise during these traumatic few years. There is a set of books in preparation that fleshes out many of the characters involved in this tale, all of whom had complicated personal tales to tell.

Purchase from:

Amazon.com

More information:

Author’s website
Author’s blog

The Sigil of Ahriman by Steve K Smy

An artefact, which can be used to unlock great evil from antiquity, is in the hands of a madman, and only the Guardians can oppose his insane schemes – whatever they may prove to be!

Against all precedent, a stranger is allowed into the inner sanctum of the Guardians. This man brings news of something that threatens the human race with eternal slavery. An artefact has been stolen, the Sigil of Ahriman. Now, it is in the possession of an unknown person, and there can few reasons for that – to tap its power, risking freeing Ahriman, or to deliberately bring the ancient god of Darkness into the world again.

The Guardians’ elite team, G1, despite having been decimated by their last mission, must face this new challenge and win. Defeat is unthinkable.

A novella, being Part 3 of G1: The Guardians.

More information:

Purchase links

Book Promo Day – 13th June, 2013

Posted on 13th June, 2013 by Steve

Dessi’s Romance by Goldie Alexander

Dessi’s Romance explores some of the choices these young people make. As the story continues, all have the value of their friendships confirmed, and learn that their adventures in life and love will help them mature.

End of school is a crucial time for life -making decisions.Eighteen year old best friends Dessi Cowan, Lilbet’s grandniece, and her best friend Emma Simpson have planned a celebratory trip to the Gold Coast. Emma is an artist, Dessi a poet; their mothers long term ‘best friends’. In the past the girls have always been there for each other and this relationship is central to their lives. However, when Emma meets charming Abdul Malouf and Dessi is forced to stay in Melbourne to recover from a car accident, Emma asks her friend to look after Abdul while she is away.

More information:

Author’s Blog

The Eye-Dancers by Michael S. Fedison

Seventh-grader Mitchell Brant and three of his classmates inexplicably wake up at the back edge of a softball field to the sounds of a game, the cheering of the crowd. None of them remembers coming here. And as they soon learn, “here” is like no place they’ve ever seen. Cars resemble antiques from the 1950s. There are no cell phones, no PCs. Even the spelling of words is slightly off.

A compulsive liar, constantly telling fantastic stories to garner attention and approval, Mitchell can only wish this were just one more of his tall tales. But it isn’t. It’s all too real. Together, as they confront unexpected and life-threatening dangers, Mitchell and his friends must overcome their bickering and insecurities to learn what happened, where they are, and how to get back home.

The answers can be found only in the mysterious little girl with the blue, hypnotic eyes. The one they had each dreamed of three nights in a row before arriving here. She is their only hope. And, as they eventually discover, they are her only hope.

And time is running out.

Current price:

ebook: $2.99

Purchase from:

Amazon.com
Barnes and Noble.com
Smashwords.com
Kobobooks.com

More information:

Author’s Blog

Charlie the Horse by Deanie Humphrys-Dunne

Charlie dreamed of becoming a famous racehorse like his dad, Charles the Great. But will he have the talent to succeed? Does Charlie focus on his work? What happens when Charlie encounters problems on the racetrack?

Charlie the Horse is a humorous, entertaining story that will delight your child, while teaching important lessons. Charlie the Horse has received several 5-star reviews, as well as a book of the week selection.

Recent review:

jemsbooks.wordpress.com

Purchase from:

Amazon.com (ebook or paperback)
Barnes & Noble

More information:

Author’s Website/Blog
Author’s Facebook Fan Page

I Was In Love With A Short Man Once by Kim Dalferes

Have you ever wondered if the life of the woman standing next to you in the check-out line is as weird as yours? Could it be possible that you are trapped in a bizarre reality show, where the object of the game is to get the crazy lady to flip-out; just one more time? If so, then this book confirms that you are in good company.

I Was In Love With a Short Man Once is a story collection written from the perspective of a crazy, southern, Irish gal. Follow her as she reflects on: growing up as a child of limited means in South Florida; managing a self-financed college education; balancing work as a federal official with the joys of single motherhood; and navigating the amusing challenges of being a second-time-around wife.

•       Coming Up Stories reflect the distinctive surroundings of South Florida through stories such as “Flagpole.”
•       Jimmy Stories illustrate the bond between mother and son. Stories here include “Kool-aid Mom” and “Zamboni” and reveal the life lessons that our children teach us.
•       The Rest of the Stories round out the author’s quirky observations, including “Naked in a Hot Tub in Vegas” and “Crazy Virgo Tendencies.”

Available as an ebook, paperback or hardback.

More information:

Author’s Website

Book Promo Day – 6th June, 2013

Posted on 6th June, 2013 by Steve

The Secret in Grandma’s Trunk by Cher’ley Grogg

This novel is not scary, I just loved the cover picture. I can even be read to young children. A teen’s life turns disruptive when Great-grandmother, a stranger to him comes from California to live with Brandon and his family along the Ohio River. Brandon prepared to do whatever it takes to get rid of the old woman, did not count on the spunk Grandma possesses. Her redeeming quality, in Brandon’s opinion, is her habit of spitting in disgust. Grandma’s huge trunk sets in the garage, tempting Brandon to open it, but she keeps the key around her neck. He is positive there is enough treasure inside to take care of her. But, hidden deep in the trunk is a secret that puts her in dire danger. Will help come from a young ghost, or will her great-grandchildren intervene?

Purchase from:

Paperback – Amazon.com
Kindle ebook – Amazon.com

More information:

Author’s Website
Author’s Facebook Fan Page

Amazing Matilda: A Monarch’s Tale by Bette A. Stevens

In this age of instant gratification, there’s a new children’s picture book out that teaches kids that patience and hard work really do pay off. AMAZING MATILDA: A Monarch’s Tale is a timely tale that follows MATILDA, a tiny monarch caterpillar, from the time she hatches from her egg on a giant milkweed leaf until she realizes her dream to fly. The story provides challenges and adventure at every turn.

Grandparents, parents and teachers will find that AMAZING MATILDA is a book that kids will want to read themselves and hear read to them again and again.

Available as Large Print Paperback and Kindle ebook.

Amazing Matilda: A Monarch’s Tale is ON SALE RIGHT NOW: $8.48 (That’s a 22% discount). You can also visit the author’s website/blog http://www.4writersandreaders.com to access her FREE PDF to download onto your own computer/device: Fun & Learning With Monarchs has live links to monarch facts, games, coloring pages, crafts, gardening, teacher guides and more!

“This book conveys a wonderful message to children. A message about patience and self-belief, and that if you have your heart set on something, and try hard enough, you will get there in the end. It is a beautifully written book and a worthy addition to any child’s bookshelf.” Amelia E. Curzon, author of Mungai and The Goa Constrictor.

More information:

Amazon Author Page
Author’s Blog

Fantasy Time Inc. by Sherri Rabinowitz

In the future we as a people will be going through many strange and conflicting changes. We will be travelling and living in Space and under water. We will have an even better network of communications and transportations but we will still need to have a vacation and to relax from this antiseptic new environment. People will need an escape and most people dream of the future and the past, because no one romanticizes about their own time.

Purchase from:

Paperback – Amazon.com
Kindle ebook – Amazon.com

More information:

Author’s Blog

Tarnished Honor by J. Lee Coulter

What is honor to a man? At what point does he trade his integrity? Connall Canmore, the Earl of Caithness, was about to find out as he passed through Fraser land on his way home.

Unbeknownst to Bridghe, her uncle plotted against her as he offered her hand to the highest bidder. Will Connall compromise her… and his honor to save her from certain death? Could she ever forgive him if he did?

Purchase from:

Paperback – Amazon.com
Kindle ebook – $2.99 – Amazon.com

More information:

Author’s Blog

Charlene the Star and Hattie’s Heroes by Deanie Humphrys-Dunne

Charlene the Star is becoming known as a fine jumper, after winning the Green Jumper Championship at the Sterling Horse Show. But she’s looking for something exciting to do in her spare time. She teams up with her friends Hattie, Wooliam and Elliott. Your child will be delighted with this fascinating, funny, tale, which teaches the value of friendship and teamwork.

Purchase from:

Paperback – Amazon.com
Kindle ebook – Amazon.com

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Author’s Blog

An Explosive Time by Julia Hughes

When a circus elephant goes missing on Detective Inspector Crombie’s watch, he immediately thinks of Celtic Cousins Wren and Rhyllann, who have to his mind made a career out of being the collective bane of his existence. And his instincts are correct: the cousins HAVE been up to something–but when Crombie finds out what it is and why, he runs into resistance not only from his immediate superiors, but also from the corridors of power in Whitehall itself.

An Explosive Time starts with a fatal explosion; the action comes thick and fast, and Crombie will need all his wits about him to prevent his world – and London town – going supernova.

This is the third and shortest of the Celtic Cousins Adventures, and contains adult humour and some strong language. Especially when an unsuspecting Rhyllann discovers what’s lurking in his bathroom!

(4.7 ave from 5* from 12 readers’ reviews US/UK 4.8* from 13 reviews).

99 cents from Amazon.com
or 77p from Amazon.co.uk

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A Game of Proof by Tim Vicary

A mother’s worst nightmare – can her son be guilty of murder?

Sarah Newby, who left school at 15, and was living as a teenage single parent on an inner-city estate, has worked her way up to begin a career as a criminal barrister. But what should she do when her own son, Simon, is arrested and charged with a series of brutal rapes and murders?

Has Sarah, in her single-minded determination to create a career for herself, neglected her son so much that she no longer knows him? He has often lied to her in the past, so how can she trust him when he says he is innocent this time? And what should she do when she herself uncovers evidence that seems to suggest his guilt?

Reviews
‘In my opinion, and I’ve read many legal thrillers (including all of Grisham’s) A GAME OF PROOF is one of the best , if not the best, legal thriller/courtroom dramas that you will find … I genuinely couldn’t put this book down … the ending is stunning!’ –John Bartlett, author of Chequered Justice.

‘A brilliant British crime thriller that you really should read.’ –Sarah Burns, Kindle Book Review

‘This is must for anyone who enjoys crime/legal fiction.’ –E. Davies

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Paperback – Amazon UK Amazon.com
Kindle ebook – Amazon UK Amazon.com

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Make a Joyful Noise by Jenny Worstall

Make a Joyful Noise is the sparkling tale of a choir preparing for a very special Christmas performance of “Belshazzar’s Feast”. We meet a host of characters who are mercilessly sent up by the author: Lucy the staggeringly trusting young music teacher, Tristan the lecherous and vain anti-hero, Miss Greymitt the ageing and slightly confused choir pianist, Claire the shameless and scheming temptress, and singers with nothing but resonance between their ears. Just as all does not run smoothly for King Belshazzar and the inhabitants of Babylon in Walton’s music, so the characters in the novel suffer from hopeless yearnings, romantic misunderstandings and the unfortunate consequences of their own misguided actions. All is sharply and wittily observed in a delightful mix of romance, music and humour.

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Paperback – Amazon UK Amazon.com
Kindle ebook – Amazon UK Amazon.com

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Little Miss History Travels to MOUNT RUSHMORE by Barbara Ann Mojica

Little Miss History Travels to Mount Rushmore is the first in a series of books using the Little Miss History character as a guide. She looks like a wannabe park ranger with pig tails and hiking boots three sizes too big. With her as your child’s guide learning about people and places of historical importance will be fun and educational. The aim of these books is to whet your child’s appetite to learn more about history and perhaps even visit these landmarks with you. Little Miss History presents information in a whimsical and factual way while amusing your child. I hope you will invite her into your home and enjoy this first adventure, and those to follow, with your loved ones.

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Got a book you’d like featured on a Book Promo Day? Go to the application form page for full details!

Book Promo Day – 30th May, 2013

Posted on 30th May, 2013 by Steve

Please Note: Due to an error on my part, the first book had the cover of one book but the description of another! This has now been corrected and all the books are correctly listed. My apologies, Steve.

Night of the Shadows: The Beginning by S M Randle

Set in the small town of Shelby North Carolina, Night of the Shadows: The Beginning follows the struggles and crimes of a woman serial killer. Mounting suspense and murder around every turn, author S.M. Randle takes readers through the story of a young woman starving for love and affection, who is guided by forces that make her do unspeakable things. Things that she begins to accept, like and enjoy. S. M. Randle s scary, engaging evil story has brought the shivers back to the genre. The explosives demonic forces captive the reader with blood and gore making sleep the farthest thing from your mind.

Purchase from:

Paperback – Amazon.com
ebook (Kindle, Nook, PDF) – Smashwords

More information:

Author’s Blog/Website

The 1895 Murder by Dan Andriacco

This is the third entry in the McCabe – Cody mystery series.

Popular mystery writer Sebastian McCabe is about to conquer a new world with his Sherlock Holmes play 1895. On opening night, however, his Erin, Ohio theatrical debut as both playwright and actor is upstaged by a murder in back of the newly renovated theater.

His brother-in-law, Jeff Cody, evicted from his long-time apartment to make room for fiancée Lynda Teal’s gun-toting father, is busy trying to keep Lynda’s gorgeous and famous mother from hijacking their swiftly approaching wedding.

Both men are pulled into the murder investigation by the pleading of Sister Mary Margaret Malone, Lynda’s best friend and maid of honor. The dead man was an old flame of the sister – and the chief suspect is a troubled young man she is trying to save. Convinced of his innocence, she wants Mac and Jeff to prove it.

The many fans of the first two mirthful mysteries starring McCabe and Cody will be delighted to see how Jeff placates Lynda, pacifies her mother, gets to know her father, keeps the wedding plans on track, and helps Mac solve the mystery. But first he almost gets killed, as usual.

“Reading The 1895 Murder, the third mystery in Dan Andriacco’s Sebastian McCabe/Jeff Cody series was like visiting a group of friends who, yet again, find themselves embroiled in a murder investigation. Andriacco’s masterful plotting had me stumped. When book four comes out, I will be one of the first to crack the cover.” – Kathleen Kaska, author of the Sydney Lockhart mystery series and the Classic Triviography mystery series.

Purchase from:

Paperback – Amazon.com
Kindle ebook – Amazon.com

More information:
Amazon.com Author Page
Author’s blog

Stamp Out Murder by Cher’ley Grogg

An amateur stamp collector and antique enthusiast, James Freeman, takes a vacation from his Washington DC accounting firm to acquire an exquisite French Armoire that he located on the internet. With his Mapquest print-out in hand, he leaves the comforts of the city and heads into the mountains of West Virginia. He travels to the village of Wanton, where he ventures down the wrong road, and becomes the prime suspect in the drowning of Sam Austin. The locals believe The Cheat River Ghosts are responsible for this murder and the cold case murders from the past. Nevertheless, the Sheriff, who doesn’t believe in ghosts, is convinced that James came to his town for more than a piece of furniture. The Cheat River has claimed one life from the McKeel clan for the last three generations. With steadfast determination, James fights with all of his might to break the curse, before the river claims the life of his newly found love, Carolyn McKeel. Because of his meddling into the mysteries of Wanton, James wakes up battered, beaten and bruised in the hospital. This warning for him to get out of town only makes him more determined to find out who is responsible for his injuries, the death of Sam Austin, and the recent shenanigans in Wanton. James has the life he’s always desired in Washington—A high paying career, a big, antiques-filled house, the freedom to pursue his stamp-collection hobby, and his solitude. Will he give it all up for love and the quirky friendships he makes in Wanton?

Purchase from:

Paperback – Amazon.com Kindle ebook – Amazon.com

More information:

Amazon.com Author Page Author’s blog

Topaz Eyes by Nancy Jardine

A peculiar invitation to Heidelberg embroils Keira Drummond in the search for a mysterious collection of extraordinary jewels once owned by a Mughal Emperor; a hoard that was last known to be in the possession of Amsterdam resident, Geertje Hoogeveen, in 1910.

Who among the progeny of Geertje – hitherto unfamiliar third cousins brought together for the quest – can Keira rely on? Distrust and suspicion among them is rife.

Which one is greedy, and determined enough, to hire thugs to tail her… and worse… as she travels to Vienna and Minnesota? Can Keira even trust Teun Zeger – a Californian she is becoming very drawn to – as they pair up to unearth the jewellery?

As they follow a trail of clues, will they uncover the full collection before the hired gun kills them? Details remain furtive and undisclosed until danger and death forces their exposure. And who harbours the ultimate mystery item that is even more precious than the Mughal jewels?

Greed, suspicion and murder are balanced by growing family loyalty, trust, and love.

Purchase from:

Paperback – Amazon.com Kindle ebook- Amazon.com

More information:

Author’s Blog

Detour Trail by Joy V. Smith

Westward bound on the Oregon Trail, Lorrie Emerson is alone after her uncle is killed. Ignoring the wagon master’s advice to go home, she rounds up others needing help, and they join a later wagon train and are soon slogging through dust and mud and steep mountain passes, but it’s not long before she’s again forging her own trail.

Price:

Print: $12.95 ebook: $5.99 Purchase from: Melange Books More information: Author’s Blog Publisher

Wyoming Escape by Kate Wyland

One dead body is frightening enough, but a second one, plus a dirty cop,sends chef Mikela Richards fleeing for her life. The ultimate city girl finds a safe hiding place on a Wyoming Dude ranch, where she tries to discover if the murders are connected to the mysterious computer memory stick she found in her car. But her fragile feeling of safety is disturbed by a compelling Marine, home on leave.

Back from Afghanistan to heal both physically and emotionally, Shawn Saunders recognizes the type of fear in Mikela’s eyes—it’s one of the things he’s come home to forget. Even though he knows it’s a bad idea, he can’t stop himself from trying to help her, while she’s even more afraid of letting him. In spite of their reservations, neither can resist the pull of their attraction.

Price: $3.99 Purchase from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble Apple Kobo Smashwords More information: Author’s Blog

The Guilty by Gabriel Boutros

Robert Bratt is a veteran defense attorney whose faith in the justice system, and the role he plays in it, wavers when his daughter’s best friend is raped and the rapist is acquitted. The rapist’s lawyer twisted the victim’s testimony around to make her look like she was the aggressor, and Bratt knows this is exactly what he would have done in his place. But his daughter hates all lawyers now, including him, and that causes him to question the way he has always practiced his chosen profession and the violent people he represents. Then, Jennifer Campbell, a devoutly religious woman, hires him to defend her son, Marlon Small, who is accused of a brutal double-murder. Despite Campbell’s protestations, Bratt’s instincts tell him there are some things that Small isn’t telling him. But Bratt’s drive to succeed, combined with his sympathy for the heartbroken mother, push him to defend the young man. Can he continue to turn a blind eye to what his client might have done, and manipulate the truth as he so often has in the past, all in order to defend “The Guilty?”

More information: Author’s Blog

Book Promo Day: 23rd May, 2013

Posted on 23rd May, 2013 by Steve

The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too! by Bette A Stevens

Looking for some Special Summertime Fun with the kids or grandkids? Need some quality ‘together time’ on a rainy day? Visit The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too! for hours of creative learning and hands-on fun. Solve 18 puzzles and riddles, make your own tangram puzzle pieces; then write your own riddles and add your own animals to The Zoo! Solutions and project ideas included.

Price/Purchase from:

On special at Amazon.com right now for only $6.29

More information:

Blog – 4writersandreaders.wordpress.com

Making It Home by Christine Campbell

Kate had a home, but her heart wasn’t in it… or in her marriage.

So she left them both.

Phillis had a home…and her heart was in it…but she wanted something more.

So she shopped.

Naomi had no home and her heart was in cold storage, frozen by grief and fear.

So she shopped.

They found one another in a department store.

Shopping.

The problem with ‘retail therapy’: you can overdose.

As friendship grows between these three women, they help one another face up to their problems, realising along the way, that every heart needs a home and it takes more than a house to make one.

A contemporary novel about women who want more.

Price:

Paperback – £7.99
Kindle ebook – £2.74

Purchase from:

Paperback from Amazon UK
Kindle ebook from Amazon UK

More information:

Blog – cicampbellblog.wordpress.com

Murder at the Galvez by Kathleen Kaska

Murder at the Galvez (LL-Publications) is the third mystery in the Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series.

Eighteen years after discovering the murdered body of her grandfather in the foyer of the historic Galvez Hotel, Sydney Lockhart reluctantly returns to Galveston, Texas to cover the controversial Pelican Island Development Project conference. Soon after her arrival, the conference is cancelled; the keynote speaker is missing. When his body turns up in the trunk of Sydney’s car, she’s hauled down to the police station for questioning. The good news is Sydney has an alibi this time; the bad news is she finds another body—her father’s new friend—he’s floating facedown in a fish tank with a bullet in his head. Her father’s odd behavior and the threatening notes delivered to her hotel room leads Sydney to suspect that her grandfather’s unsolved murder and the present murders are connected. As if this wasn’t bad enough, just a few blocks from the hotel at her parents’ home, people are gathering, sparks are flying, another controversial event is in the planning, one that just might rival the Great Storm of 1900.

Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: LL-Publications (December 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0957472617
ISBN-13: 978-0957472617

Price and Purchase from:

Paperback: $13.99
eBook: $5.99

More information:

Website: www.kathleenkaska.com
Blog: www.kathleenkaskawrites.blogspot.co.uk

Distant Thunder by T.D.Griggs

Bangalore, 1893. Frank Gray’s enchanted Indian boyhood comes to a brutal end the night his mother is savagely assaulted by a British cavalry officer. As the scandal destroys his family, Frank has only revenge left to live for.

Grace Dearborn grows up in England, wealthy and privileged. But once she learns the human cost of her family’s fortune, she is on a collision course with the father she adores.

Frank and Grace share more than a hatred of injustice. Their personal demons drive them from bohemian Vienna to the savagery of the North-west Frontier, from the slums of London to the deserts of the Sudan. But escaping the past is the hardest battle of all.

Buy Distant Thunder at:
tinyurl.com/p4eqwrw
and follow T.D.Griggs on Twitter @TDGRIGGS1

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