Monday, May 26, 2014

Wildflower


Wildflower
by Alexandra Forry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

In this beautiful and moving story of love, growth, and redemption among the stunning red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, Sydney—a teenaged Army orphan—discovers that love knows no bounds and life has many twists and turns of fate. After she is forced to move in with her late mother’s sister Blanche and Blanche’s abusive alcoholic husband Dean, Sidney finds purpose and friendship in Lexy, the daughter of Max Heller the City’s most prominent widower and business magnate. Unknowingly, the girls’ antics awaken Blanche’s lost and suppressed passions and stirs Max’s long-thwarted drive to build a loving and complete family. What emerges is the wonderfully successful Epicurian Café, the brainchild of Blanche and Sydney actively encouraged by Max and Lexy. The Café quickly becomes a center of the community, the start of a new life for Blanche and Sydney, and a chance for Max and Lexy to discover true love and the meaning of commitment. An emotional roller-coaster with its exciting twists and turns, Wildflower is an exhilarating and satisfying read

.~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt Three:

“I must tell you something. I usually don’t do this.”
         
Do what, Blanche?”
         
“Drink wine under the stars by a creek with a man who I have just met.”
        
“But that’s part of what makes life worth living.”   

Before Blanche could reply, Annette rounded the corner and joined them.

“There you are; I’ve been looking for the two of you everywhere.” Annette stopped to catch her breath.  “What is it?” Blanche asked.

“Blanche, I hate to do this to you, but I need to go home now. Jordan called to say his school project requires him to light a fire, and I don’t want him playing with a flame when I’m not home.”

“I can certainly understand that.” Blanche looked at her friend and back to Max, then she stood up. Max didn’t want Blanche to go, but realized they had to leave.”

“Well, it was nice to meet you, Max. Goodbye,” she said.

“Good night,” Annette told Max.

For the first time in his life he was not sure what to say. Blanche and Annette started to walk away.  Annette went on about her son.

“Blanche, wait! If you want to stay longer I can drive you home, if you’d like,” Max said standing up from the table and walking over to them.

Blanche stopped walking and turned around to face Max. He could tell she was thinking about it.

“I would like that. Annette, do you mind?” Blanche asked her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Plotter or panster? I’m panster all the way. I sit down and let the words flow out of my fingertips. I tried to plot a million times but when I am writing the story end up taking a better turn then what I’ve plan. That’s why I love to write, I love to watch my book unfold as I typed.   

2. What books have influenced your writing style? I have to say that LaVyrle Spencer had to play a part in my writing. I love the way she writes, when you read one of her books it’s so easy to lose track of time. I remember reading “Home Song” by her and I read half of the book in one sitting. 

3. Classics or something else? I love almost all kinds of music. I listen to music all day long most days form Classics, 70’s, to the todays top 5 hits.
 
4. Favorite ice cream flavor? I never had like Ice Cream that much to tell you the truth.

5. Favorite type of character to write about? I have to say that my most favorite characters to write about is mobsters. I’m fascinated with them, the lifestyle that they lived, and the price they paid for it. I’m not trying to glorify mobsters, I'm telling it how it was back then. It’s a part of our US history.

6. Tell us one thing about you that no one knows. I just love Broadway shows! I grew up watching them on TV dancing and singing along. A few years ago the first performing arts center opened in Las Vegas, The Smith Center, there you can watch Broadway shows and performances. It's always a treat when to go there A few years ago the first performing arts center opened in Las Vegas, The Smith Center, there you can watch Broadway shows and performances. It's always a treat when to go there

7. Name three things on your desk right now. Today I have a slinky, a cool coffee cup from the old Alpine Village Inn that was in Las Vegas, and a lamp.

8. What is next on your writing timetable? Sorry my lips are shut, let’s just say it would be a great read. 




AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Alexandra Forry was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has Cerebral Palsy but that doesn't stop her from doing what she wants! Omerta Affair was her first novel, then she came out with Timeless Endings, which is the same story line as Omerta Affair but aimed as a woman’s romance. Alexandra is currently working on her fourth novel. She enjoys being a member of the Las Vegas Romance Writers as well as RWA. http://www.alexandraforry.com/

LINKS:






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Monday, May 19, 2014

Dark Cotillion Tour and Giveaway


Dark Cotillion
By Hadena James

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Brenna Strachan is half-Demon, half-Witch and it’s the eve of her 30th birthday. This means that she will stop aging and come into all her Demon powers. But there are forces at work hoping to keep her from Maturing. They must kill her in the short time that she is mortal. If they fail, she will take her place among the most powerful beings on Earth. What will it cost her to survive?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Excerpt Three:


“I have silverware; there are at least a dozen boxes of assorted disposable utensils in the drawer.”

“Metal utensils?”

“Uh, yeah, my mom gave me a box of old silver when she gave me the china dishes.”

“China dishes?” He rolled his eyes as Gabriel snickered. “Do you have anything except antique Bone China place settings?”

“Ewww, they are made of bone? One more reason to use paper plates. Stop setting those things on my damn table.” I looked pointedly at Gabriel.

“No, Ani, she has almost nothing in her kitchen, except disposable and fine antiques that should be used only on very special occasions.” Gabriel looked back at me and stuck out his tongue.

“I tried to give the fine stuff back to mom, but she refused to take it. She said some nonsense about every homeowner needing a good set of dishes.”

“Let me get this straight,” Anubis shook his head again, “you have no food and even if you did, we couldn’t cook it unless it was microwavable, and then we would have to eat it on plates that are probably a couple hundred years old, with silverware that is probably older?”

“Sounds accurate,” I lit a cigarette. “I’m sorry; I’m just not very domestic.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Plotter or pantster?
Pantser all the way!

2. What books have influenced your writing style?
HP Lovecraft’s short stories, Mister B Gone by Clive Barker, and Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury.

3. Classics or something else?
Not Tolstoy, everything else is fair game for my reading pleasure.

4. Favorite ice cream flavor?
Um, oddly, I don’t like ice cream… However, about once a year, I drink a milkshake and it’s almost always vanilla.

5. Favorite type of character to write about?
Damaged but strong.

6. Tell us one thing about you that no one knows.
I sleep in socks… all year long.  I actually have trouble sleeping without my socks.

7. Name three things on your desk right now.
A strange little pewter statue of a dolphin glued to a dragon’s tear, a statue of Anubis, and a deck of cards.

8. What is next on your writing timetable?
Book one of my new fantasy trilogy.



AUTHOR Bio and Links:
I’ve been writing for over two decades and before that, I was creating my own bedtime stories to tell myself.  I penned my first short story at the ripe old age of 8.  It was a fable about how the raccoon got its eye-mask and was roughly three pages of handwritten, 8 year old scrawl.  My mother still has it and occasionally, I still dig it out and admire it.

When I got my first computer, I took all my handwritten stories and typed them in.  Afterwards, I tossed the originals.  In my early twenties, I had a bit of a writer’s meltdown and deleted everything.  So, with the exception of the story about the raccoon, I actually have none of my writings from before I was 23.  Which is sad, because I had a half dozen other novels and well over two hundred short stories.  It has all been offered up to the computer and writing gods as a sacrifice and show of humility or some such nonsense that makes me feel less like an idiot about it.

I have been offered contracts with publishing houses in the past and always turned them down.  Now that I have experimented with being an Indie Author, I really like it and I’m really glad I turned them down.  However, if you had asked me this in the early years of 2000, I would have told you that I was an idiot (and it was a huge contributing factor to my deleting all my work). 

When I’m not writing, I play in a steel-tip dart league and enjoy going to dart tournaments.  I enjoy renaissance festivals and sanitized pirates who sing sea shanties.  My appetite for reading is ferocious and I consume two to three books a week as well as writing my own.  Aside from introducing me to darts, my SO has introduced me to camping, which I, surprisingly, enjoy.  We can often be found in the summer at Mark Twain Lake in Missouri, where his parents own a campground. 

I am a native of Columbia, Missouri, which I will probably call home for the rest of my life, but I love to travel.  Day trips, week trips, vacations on other continents, wherever the path takes me is where I want to be and I’m hoping to be able to travel more in the future.

http://www.facebook.com/hadenajames

hadenajames.wordpress.com

@hadenajames

Newsletter:  http://forms.aweber.com/form/77/48212477.htm





Hadena will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
Follow the tour for more chances to win!



Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Magnolia Bay Super Book Blast


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Erika and Kim will be awarding a $15 Starbucks card to a randomly drawn winner during the tour via the rafflecopter at the end of this post.

Willamena Dunn is having a lousy week. Not only is her baby sister about to marry into the family of Dunn-Right Preservation’s biggest professional rival, but the historic bungalow of her dreams has just been bought by the most infuriating (not to mention exceedingly handsome and notoriously wicked) man to ever hammer a nail in Magnolia Bay, Knox Loveless. 


But when Knox offers her a wager she can’t refuse, a bet with the coveted bungalow as its prize, Willa is sure her bad luck might finally be turning around—until Knox surprises her with a passionate kiss, and suddenly all bets are off.

Could this be just another one of Knox Loveless’ games, or will two rivals finally surrender to a long-simmering attraction and declare a truce once and for all?


Darcy Vance has sunk every cent she has into making Mimosa House the best bed and breakfast in Magnolia Bay. But the key to her success lies in the hands of the Historic Preservation Society run by the Bloom bitches who are embarrassed about their father’s connection to the storied house and they have no intention of validating it with a spot on the society’s registry.

After losing his PGA card, Trent Mauldin has come home to Magnolia Bay to lick his wounds and has no plans to stay. Until he falls for Darcy. Things heat up between the two until Trent’s good intentions to help Darcy go sideways. While Darcy works to save her house, Trent fights to win her back and keep her in Magnolia Bay for good.


Enjoy an excerpt from Bet The House
Erika Marks
©Copyright 2014

As she marched up the bungalow’s uneven front steps, Willamena Dunn made a vow: No matter who stood on the other side of the cottage’s peeling door, she would not lose her temper.

Yes, it had crushed her very soul to learn that another buyer had outbid her for the historic home she’d dreamed of owning since she was old enough to blink. Yes, she’d said unspeakable things about whoever had dared to steal it out from under her when she’d learned the awful news the day before. But no, her personal feelings didn’t change her professional priorities.

No matter what, Willa wanted to ensure that the neglected house would finally get the restoration it deserved. As Staff Historian for Dunn-Right Preservation, her goal was to make sure the historic architecture of Magnolia Bay, South Carolina, was maintained and respected. Whoever had bought the nineteenth-century bungalow would have to understand the responsibility that came with owning a historic home in a landmarked district. And if they didn’t, Willa would gladly—and firmly—enlighten them.

Her older sister, Connie, hadn’t trusted Willa to carry out this introduction alone, too worried that she would let her passion for preservation override her professionalism. Willa had promised it would not.

She would be civil.

She would be courteous.

And, most importantly, she would not use foul language.

But that was before Willa stepped inside and saw the most infuriating man to ever hammer a nail in Magnolia Bay inspecting the crumbling green tile of the home’s fireplace surround.

“Knox Loveless, what the hell are you doing here?”

So much for promises.

“Good morning to you, too.” Knox stepped back from the fireplace and flashed Willa the same devilish grin he’d been flashing her nearly her whole life. At a little over six feet tall, blessed with hair that resembled poured molasses and eyes to match, he was a hard man to ignore—though God knew Willa had been trying long enough. “Here to welcome me to the neighborhood?” he asked.

“You stole this place from me?”

“I didn’t steal anything,” he said, wiping his palms on his thighs. “I outbid you, fair and square.”

Oh, that was a laugh! There was nothing fair or square about the way Loveless Brothers Construction did business, trying to shoehorn new homes in among the town’s most cherished historic properties. Their lack of regard for Magnolia Bay’s architectural history was one of the main reasons Willa’s mother, Lily, had opened the doors of Dunn-Right Preservation thirty years ago. Now the firm was known up and down the coast for its soup-to-nuts services to historic home owners. From contracting repair and restoration professionals, to filling out applications for tax credits, there was nothing Dunn-Right couldn’t or wouldn’t do to promote the well-being of Magnolia Bay’s rich architectural history and charm.

If only they could add Putting arrogant building developers out of business to that list.

Knox pointed behind her. “Be a sweetheart, and hand me that tape beside you, will you, Meen?”

Willa bristled at the nickname. He’d coined it for her when they were teenagers, claiming it was short for Willamena but she’d never quite believed him, and she’d certainly never liked it—which, of course, explained why Knox still used it.

Willa shifted her glare to the measuring tape on the windowsill. She’d hand him the tape, all right. Hand it right to the side of his miserable, underhanded skull. From this distance, she could get some serious speed.

“Get it yourself,” she said.

“Now don’t frown,” Knox said, sauntering across the floor to retrieve his tape measure. “You always get that cute little line right there between your eyebrows when you frown and then you pull at it all day to smooth it out.” He reached toward Willa as if intending to plant his finger on the exact point.

She swatted his hand away. “You do know this building is in a protected district and that any alterations you make will have to be approved by—“

“The Historical Society Board,” he finished for her, returning to the window. “Yes, I know. I’m on the board, remember?”

“You so rarely make an appearance at the meetings, I forget.”

He stretched the tape across the sash. “Now that’s not fair. I was there just last week.”

“And doodling on your handout the whole time.”

He grinned at her over his shoulder. “So you were watching me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Willa crossed her arms tightly, hoping to squeeze herself hard enough to slow down her racing heart. She blamed its rapid beat on the shock of finding Knox there—and not on his dimpled smile. The fierce topknot she’d secured of her wavy blond hair now wilted down one side of her head. She gave it an exasperated push to realign it. “Knox, there are plenty of old houses for sale in Magnolia Bay. Why did you have to take this one?”

“Because I like it.” He squinted to read the measure.

“Since when?”

Knox let the tape snap back into its casing. “Since I dared you to break into it when you were fourteen and I was sixteen, which—if I remember—resulted in you needing five stitches in a very tender place.” He looked at her thigh; Willa slapped her hand over the spot as if he could see through her jean shorts to the jagged scar underneath.


Kim Boykin is a women's fiction author with a sassy Southern streak. She is the author of The Wisdom of Hair, Steal Me, Cowboy, and Palmetto Moon (Summer 2014.) While her heart is always in South Carolina, she lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, 3 dogs, and 126 rose bushes.

http://kimboykin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/authorkimboykin

https://twitter.com/AuthorKimBoykin

http://tulepublishing.com/product-category/kim-boykin/

Erika Marks is a women's fiction writer and the author of LITTLE GALE GUMBO, THE MERMAID COLLECTOR, THE GUEST HOUSE and IT COMES IN WAVES (July, 2014). On the long and winding road to becoming published, she worked many different jobs, including carpenter, cake decorator, art director, and illustrator. But if pressed, she might say it was her brief tenure with a match-making service in Los Angeles after college that set her on the path to writing love stories (not that there isn't romance in frosting or power tools!) A native New Englander, she now makes her home in Charlotte, NC, with her husband, a native New Orleanian who has taught her to make a wicked gumbo, and their two little mermaids.

http://www.erikamarksauthor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ErikaMarksAuthor

https://twitter.com/erikamarksauthr

http://tulepublishing.com/product-category/erika-marks/

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Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Fun with Chinese Knotting


Detailed instructions, clear diagrams and lovely color photographs combine to make Fun with Chinese Knotting both attractive and useful—displaying the many creative uses these decorative knots can have, and the great variety of materials used to make them. This delightful book is sure to be a rich source of inspiration for craftspeople everywhere. The art of Chinese knotting has a surprisingly contemporary appeal, author artist Chen focuses on the decorative uses of Chinese knots to create your own personal fashion accessories which include:
Hair ornaments
Earrings
Necklaces
Pendants
Brooches
Belts
Bracelets and anklets
Accents that may be added to items of clothing
Chinese knots are attractive and alluring along with being an Asian craft that is relatively easy to learn. Used for a variety of practical and decorative purposes—to record events, to fish and hunt, to wrap and tie items, as ornamental works of art, and even to communicate, Fun with Chinese Knotting will allow readers to create something for anyone.

Links:

Goodreads

Amazon

Review:

In this lovely book you learn how to do many Chinese knot designs. The illustrations have a regional flair and give examples of many fashion uses for the handwork. Any kind of jewelry with knotwork is available, from belts to brooches with diagrams to denote thread movement. It reminded me of needle tatting in a lot of ways and I am eager to undertake some of the projects for holiday gift giving. They are, quite simply, beautiful.

One of the only opportunities I found with this book was there were a few knots that were not fully explained and in several instances I was not sure exactly how to hold the thread. In future re-printings I hope that some illustrations will be added to this effect. When doing a craft like this, it helps to have pictures like with the Visual series for students to learn just how to secure the piece by showing some step by steps of the basic levels and go from there.

This book was a great resource in the art of Chinese knotwork. From the history of the craft to the diagrams of thread movement and the variety of crafts involved, it is a keeper. I am so glad the publisher sent it to me for review. Now I have something to play with in anticipation of the holidays!

3.5/5

Friday, May 9, 2014

Written on Her Heart Release Party Giveaway



WRITTEN ON HER HEART BLURB
Andi Callaway has dreamed of becoming a published author her entire life. 

Ford Delaney has always wanted nothing more than to escape his past. 

An opportunity of a lifetime. This is what Andi finds when she returns home to Callaway Cove on summer break. A chance to work for her literary idol Ford Delaney is up for grabs, and she’s willing to risk everything—her boyfriend, her best friends, and her education—to get it. 

She’s positive this will be the key to reaching her dreams. But the moment she begins working for the reclusive author, Andi realizes there’s more to him than just a name. As attraction builds between Andi and Ford, she begins to discover consequences must come hand-in-hand with something great—which could loosen control over her tightly wound life. And once romantic sparks fly, Andi’s other relationships start to crumble, Ford’s fame comes back to haunt him, and the heat they generate will either forge a powerful, enduring love or threaten everything she holds dear. 




BUY LINKS
Amazon Kindle:  http://amzn.to/1jLY9qA
Barnes & Noble Nook: http://bit.ly/1rjZNUZ

Paige Rion Bio
Paige Rion is a contemporary romance author. She’s a mother, wife, blogger, hopeless chocoholic, coffee-addicted, wine-lover. Her debut, novel—a new adult romance—Written On Her Heart, is the first in the Callaway Cove series. The next in the series is to be released this summer. She loves connecting with readers on her blog and social media. You can visit her website at http://paigerion.com/
You can also connect with her here:




Win Paige Rion & WOHH Swag!!!
Prize 1
 Paige Rion deluxe tote. Your choice of either Paige Rion/WOHH t-shirt or “Team Ford” t-shirt. WOHH mug with quote. A signed bookmark and a mini Paige Rion candy box!
Prize 2
WOHH t-shirt. WOHH mug with quote. A signed bookmark and mini Paige Rion candy box!
Prize 3
 An exclusive WOHH iPhone 4 case. A white mug with genuine Paige Rion signature. Signed bookmark and mini Paige Rion candy box. (If winner does not have an iPhone 4, they will receive prize 4 and another winner will be drawn).
Prize 4
 10 more winners will receive a signed bookmark and a mini Paige Rion candy box!


Due to shipping costs, US ENTRIES ONLY.


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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Legacy of Buchanan's Crossing Excerpt Tour


The Legacy of Buchanan’s Crossing
by Rhea Rhodan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

What price will destiny demand?

Warding the Crossing has always been Cayden Sinclair’s destiny. With her beloved Gran growing weaker, it’s time the little witch took her place. Juggling substantial curves for her frame and an inconvenient inability to control her power has always been a serious challenge. But not until discovering her fated Keeper is the extremely hot, tragically clean-cut insomniac who’s ignored her for months, does she truly fear failing her legacy.

Now that he’s finally on the road to the top with an offer from a big developer, Clint MacAllen can’t allow his struggling construction company to be threatened by a vicious nightmare, or his inexplicable attraction to a goth clerk working the graveyard shift at HandiMart—no matter how potent they are.

J. Milton Developments has its own agenda for Buchanan’s Crossing, and they’ll spill blood to get it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~




EXCERPT:

Clint took longer making it back to their table than he should have. He could have blamed his daze on the fog machine—had tried once his brain had finally came up for air—but that wasn’t it. It was the Cayden Effect. He’d better get used to it if he intended to keep dating her. That, and uncontrollable erections.

The voicemail she’d left had more than stunned him. It had turned him inside out, made him go goddamn clothes shopping and skip his biweekly haircut, in case Bill’s daughter knew what she was talking about. Hell, Trina had to know more about fashion than he did.

He’d replayed Cayden’s message at least twenty times, just to hear the sexy timbre of her voice. Listening to it also made it easier to tell himself he’d imagined last week’s teeming strangeness. Hell, that apartment of hers would set anyone’s imagination running, same as her taste in clothes, the way her skin glowed, and the way it felt even silkier than it looked.

Damn, he’d better get hold of himself before she returned. She messed up his head so badly, he’d almost blown the date twice already. He’d never been good at talking to women. He hadn’t needed to be. Since his junior year in high school, his affiliations and looks had done his talking for him. He understood that they worked against him with Cayden; they made her distrustful. She didn’t merely look different than the women he’d known, she was different. She was smarter, more talented, a whole lot sexier, and far less predictable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~




AUTHOR Bio and Links:


Rhea Rhodan resides in Minnetonka, Minnesota and has been telling herself stories since long before she could write. She attended the University of Minnesota with a focus on Journalism, then Brown Institute for Broadcast Journalism. After many adventures, misadventures, and a couple of short marriages, she found the love of her life in Regensburg, Germany, and has been living happily ever after since.

She journaled those adventures extensively (some might say rabidly) beginning in middle school, but didn't combine her writing and story-telling until several years ago, when one of the stories grabbed her by the throat and shook her like a rag doll until she gave in and wrote it. Having tasted freedom, her muse refuses to return to the confines of her head, and has successfully turned the tables, keeping her at the keyboard to appease it.

Her stories always had a twist of magic or a touch of the paranormal. Why the romance? Because she believes in happy endings, and helping people imagine them helps them create the magic to find their own.

She welcomes feedback and fan mail :>). You can join her on Facebook and/or Goodreads, too. Rhea is always happy to meet new friends.

Website: http://www.rhearhodan.com

http://www.facebook.com/rhearhodan

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6152084.Rhea_Rhodan

Buy links for The Legacy of Buchanan’s Crossing:

Musa:
http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_27&products_id=673

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Buchanans-Crossing-Rhea-Rhodan-ebook/dp/B00GCILY1I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1383273856&sr=8-2&keywords=buchanan%27s+crossing

Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-legacy-of-buchanans-crossing-rhea-rhodan/1117301392?ean=2940148890492

iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/legacy-buchanans-crossing/id740310254?mt=11

All Romance:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thelegacyofbuchanan039scrossing-1343256-149.html


You may also be interested in her debut novel, a Musa Publishing Editor's Top Pick, Finding Grace, available here: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=299 and at popular on-line retailers.

Rhea will be awarding a $30 Amazon or Barnes & Noble GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Timeless Endings Virtual Book Tour




Timeless Endings
by Alexandra Forry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Evelyn turned toward the lights of the city. The view was breathtaking as she stood looking down on Las Vegas, lovingly wrapped in Tony’s arms. It was a moment she would keep deep in her heart, forever. “Look at this—The City of Gold!” Evelyn exclaimed as Tony kissed her forehead. “And it’s all ours, Eve!”

Thus begins a heartwarming and harrowing tale of life and forbidden love lost to one generation and found in the next. Caught between a turbulent love triangle that shook the very foundations of the Mafia’s Las Vegas Empire, and a deadly struggle for wealth and power, Mob Boss and “King of Las Vegas” Tony Torino, his mistress hustler and onetime showgirl Evelyn Rosenberg, and her husband top Chicago mobster Charlie “Gus” Rosenberg live and love in defiance of the violent and unforgiving laws of the Mafia. All that remains is Evelyn’s carefully preserved diary left by Gus to be discovered by his daughter Adriane and Tony’s son Victor as they pack up her late father’s belongings. Through the vivid and brilliant use of flashbacks, juxtaposed with current events, we witness one of the most beautiful and ill-fated love stories of the last century. As Victor, a forest ranger who fled his family’s Mob past, and Adriane, an attorney being pressured to work for the Mafia, read through the diary old hatreds and new alliances rise leaving us to wonder if history will repeat itself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Excerpt Three:

“Vic, you can’t just walk into Sonny Graziano’s office!” Al said, trying to get Victor to see reason.

“I’m going in, no matter what happens!”

“You’re not thinking right, my boy!”

“Yes I am! You can’t stop me! I've never fulfilled the vendetta for my father’s death!”

“Let’s grab a drink and talk about this some more,” Al begged him.

“Why? I finally have Adriane at last and now look at this mess… Adriane knows that Adam is our brother, and on top of everything else, Lisa is pregnant!”

“You’re teasing me?”

“Nope, I wish, but my mind is made up! My gun is loaded and I’m ready to kill.”

“Wait, you don’t have to go in there!”

“That would make me not my father’s son! Dad would do the same thing as me.”

“I beg to differ.  He would have a plan and a few cards up his sleeve.”

“Excuse me for not being my father! You have no room to talk, Uncle Al.  You ran as far as you could from this Mafia stuff.” Victor pointed out, tired of living in his father’s grand shadow.

“I would be dead now if I hadn’t run! I thought you wanted nothin’ to do with this kind of life?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello, I’m Alexandra Forry, the author of Timeless Endings, a new sub-genre in the romance novel arena. Timeless Endings is a romance set in the world of the mafia. I’m so excited to be a Guest Blogger on Book Girl Knitting.
Today, I’m going to tell you what my own thoughts on Romance, Love and Sex. I happen to be jumping on the lime here, what is the different kinds of romance that one may experience over a life time? Some say that you love once in your life time, but is it true? Maybe in the 1950’s when people married, sleep in twin bed, and stay married to death do us part. One shall will never know.
In this day and age you can have casual sex or hooking up outside the context of a romantic relationship. One wonder’s if casual sex might turn into romance? This my point I am trying to get across, different kinds of romance relationship. When most people date sex in the picture. Also I have to think about all the affair’s that happen when one is married and the sex has gone out turning it into a sexless marriage? It also might happened you have been dating someone for a while.
Look at our Social Media, sex seem to be always in our faces, TV shows, movie, music, video games, even on Facebook and such. As children we were drilled growing up that we need to wait to have sex on our wedding night or go to hell. As we grew up and enter high school we feel things towards someone, this being called “High School Sweethearts” then it come the big “Q” do I want to get marry right out of high school? What about College? What if I fell in with another man whom is my soul mate and I can’t be with him since I married my high school Sweetheart? Now people go to college and the same thing has happen all over again. I could go on and on with this subject at hand.
Another kind of romance that I want to point out is a kind of romance that sometimes doesn’t involve sex. You might think WHAT? It’s what I like to call pure romantic without sex. It’s when you love someone very much but you give up having sex with them for whatever reason. You two might talk about sex, but at the end you can’t act on it. The point that I’m trying to say that, I believe that love, romantic love can come in all types of forms, and when you least expect it. That’s the kind of a romance I enjoy writing.
Did I made you think?
I want to thank Book Girl Knitting for the big honor of having me and my book Timeless Ending on this blog today. If you have any questions or comments, I will be happy to answer.

Alexandra Forry




AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Alexandra Forry was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has Cerebral Palsy but that doesn't stop her from doing what she wants! Omerta Affair was her first novel, then she came out with Timeless Endings, which is the same story line as Omerta Affair but aimed as a woman’s romance. Alexandra is currently working on her fourth novel. She enjoys being a member of the Las Vegas Romance Writers as well as RWA. http://www.alexandraforry.com/

LINKS
 http://www.alexandraforry.com/ 





WHERE TO BUY:




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Tuesday, May 6, 2014

All Things Paper by Ann Martin


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Ann Martin has searched the world over for unique and beautiful paper crafts to feature on her popular website—AllThingsPaper.net. In this book she gathers completely new projects and shows how each is made step-by-step. All of the designs in this book were created by respected paper craft artists, such as Benjamin John Coleman, Patricia Zapata, and Richela Fabian Morgan, who have been making amazing things with paper for many years. Each of the projects, from simple to more complex, has easy-to-follow instructions and detailed photos. These colorful and impressive pieces include art objects to display at home, as well as items with practical uses. All of the projects make wonderful keepsakes or gifts that express the beauty, elegance, and versatility of paper.

Projects include:

Candle Luminaries
Citrus Slice Coasters
Silhouette Portrait Art
Mysterious Stationery Box
Everyday Tote Bag
Silver Orb Pendant
Fine Paper Yarn Necklace
Perfect Journey Journal


Review:

This book takes everything from wearable paper art to items for the home. I have often marveled at the curled paper and quilled projects I had seen during the holidays and now Ann Martin has given us some step by step visual aids to make projects that will wow your friends and family. The key pendant and the orb pendant made me want to rush out and buy all the parts. The Crepe Paper Lilacs project was simply amazing. The flowers looked so life like and I wouldn't have to worry about killing them. Each piece is lovingly made and put together in a step by step fashion that is as easy as it is visually appealing. The candle luminaries was delightful and I could even do it!

This book made me want to delve more into the art of paper craft. There is something for everyone here--from the beginner to the skilled crafter. This is one book you will want in your library for the sheer amount of different projects--a few designs I did not care for, but the process to craft your own designs is there ready and waiting to explore.

4/5

Monday, May 5, 2014

Deceitful Truths Virtual Book Tour

Deceitful Truths (Caspian Wine Series Book 2)
by Maggie Thom

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BLURB:

He created a legacy that no one could imagine...

Tarin has lost a week of her life. She doesn't know what happened but not long after she returns to work she is suspended from her job. Confused and pregnant, she quits and agrees to marry Stephen, only to be thrown into a whole new nightmare. Desperate, she grabs her son and moves across the country to get away from her abusive husband and to avoid her unforgiving father. Thrilled at getting the job at Knights Associates, where she'll help them solve cyber crimes but also be able to use their connections and resources to find her own answers. Who stole a week of her life? And will they return to steal the secret she is now protecting?

Graham and his partner Guy, can't keep up with the demand. They are being flooded with requests at Knights Associates, where they offer a combined service of private investigator and that of solving cyber crimes. It appears that someone wants to get their attention as not only have they been hacked but Guy's family business, Caspian Winery, seems to be under attack as well. Hiring an assistant seems to be the answer but when Graham discovers she's been accessing their high-security accounts, he realizes the cause of their predicament might be closer then he thought. Is there new assistant behind the problems they're having? If she's so innocent why does someone want to abduct her?

Tarin and Graham discover that although they don't trust each other, they are forced to work together to solve several seemingly unrelated crimes that may lead to one disastrous conclusion. Can they figure it all out before Tarin's nightmare plays out? An eighty year old woman pays with her life? Or before Tarin learns a truth that may seal her fate and be the one secret that will keep her and Graham apart as neither one of them may be able to forgive or forget...

(Caspian Wine Series, Book Two - Standalone but is a Sequel/Companion Novel to Captured Lies)

Maggie Thom’s talent for mixing mystery, intrigue and romance becomes a masterpiece begging to be read. Dii at Tome Tender


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Excerpt Three:

The birth certificate was a bust. Not only had the site kicked her out but she didn't have her mom's name, never mind her maiden name. How was she supposed to get that?

Most people would already know that.

She bet even Bill knew who his parents were. Maybe it really was time for her to contact her father... to get some answers... to stand up to him. Her hands trembled as she ran them through her hair. Her fingers slid through the short strands so fast, it caught her off guard. As a child she used to spend hours laying on her bed and playing with her hair. It had been one of the things that she could do without having to ask for permission. It had just become one of those habits that was her go to when she needed to think or to de-stress.

The little body beside her snuggled into her side and his little hand came up to tickle her under her chin. She giggled and then he pounced on her.

"Ooommph."

"Got you, Mommy."

"Help me. Help me." She poked her fingers into his sides. He exploded into laughter while he squirmed. A day of quiet had done him wonders. There was still a bit of pink to his cheeks but the tooth that had been causing him so much grief seemed to have poked through the skin and wasn't hurting as much.

They play wrestled for a good twenty minutes until they were both pooped out.

"Honey, I have an errand to run this morning. So we'll go to the zoo this afternoon. Okay?"

"Zoo, Mommy, zoo."

"Yeah, sweety. Soon."

After she put him in Kim's care, she got ready to go meet the woman, who'd responded she'd be willing to meet. The reality of what she was hoping would happen made her hands shake so bad that she could barely do up the buttons on her blouse. Once dressed, she opened her sock drawer and pulled out the sheet of paper she was sure would lead her to some answers. Could the police have gotten any fingerprints off of it? Had she made a big mistake by not going to them?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Interview with Maggie Thom

1. Plotter or pantster?
I do both. I usually find that for me a story starts with a scene. So then I play with it as to where it would happen in the story, why, who are the key characters, etc. I do a bit of plotting and outlining at least the basics for the story but when I get writing I find that often the characters and the story will take on a life of their own. I tend to just let it flow. Sometimes I'll then go back and see if I like where the story has gone and sometimes I'll just keep writing. For sure when I have the first draft done, that's where I go back through and really ensure the plot makes sense, it is enticing, it follows a logical pattern, that all the clues and hints are there throughout and that everything is tied up by the end. Once I'm even at the point that I think I'm at my final draft, I'll go through again and review the plot and all the elements just to ensure it's grabbing, has several twists and turns but not too many. I'm always looking to make sure there is a good balance. Then I send to my beta readers to get their feedback as to what works and what doesn't for them.



2. What books have influenced your writing style?
Two authors that have very much influenced my writing style are Robert Ludlum and Sandra Brown. Robert Ludlum writes or I should say wrote incredible espionage stories. He was one of the first that showed me how to weave a misleading story and how to introduce a number of characters that would lead the reader astray. Sandra Brown writes the type of genre that I like to write - suspense, thriller with some romance. She also is very good at writing a suspense that keeps you glued to the book until you're finished reading it. I learned a lot from both of them and include elements - the twists, the misleading, the types of characters, the tieing it all up by the end - that I learned from both, in my writing.



3. Classics or something else?
There are some classics that I have really enjoyed but I also love genre books - suspense/thrillers, fantasy, women's fiction, etc.



4. Favorite ice cream flavor?
Butter Pecan, although I have to say there are so many kinds out there I'm not sure I've made my way through them all. J



5. Favorite type of character to write about?
I love writing about strong, independent women who believe they have to do everything themselves but also have to learn to trust others and to be able to ask for help.



6. Tell us one thing about you that no one knows.
Well I really don't have any secrets like I tell in my books. J Hmmm, what does no one know about me?
I'm a country girl at heart, I love living in the country, I love wandering around out in nature. If I had to choose between city and country I'd always choose country. J



7. Name three things on your desk right now.
A frog statue (it makes me smile), an angel (it gives me hope) and a wolf (I love their majestic beauty). Interesting combination, isn't it?



8. What is next on your writing timetable?

I am actually writing two novels right now - Deadly Ties and Split Seconds. 

Deadly Ties - Kyara needs to discover the truth, did her grandmother falsely spend 20 years in prison for murdering Kyara's grandfather or was she framed? How was it tied to the recent attack on her mom?


Split Seconds - Twins sisters meet for the first time as adults and soon discover that someone has gone to great lengths to keep them apart.  



AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Award winning author, Maggie Thom, took the challenge and leapt off, leaving a fulltime, twenty year career in management, to write full time. After publishing her first suspense/thriller book Captured Lies, October 2012, she published her second novel, Tainted Waters, April, 2013. Tainted Waters went on to win 2013 Suspense and Thriller Book of the Year through Turning the Pages Magazine. She is excited to publish her third novel, Deceitful Truths, March 2014. An avid reader and writer her whole life, she decided to break the monotony of wishing to be an author by making it happen. She is an avid nature lover and likes nothing better than to take a book, hike to a remote spot by a river or waterfalls and read. Married to her best friend, she is learning that humor, love and patience help her navigate her way through her twins’ teen years. Her motto: Escape to read and Read to escape. "Maggie Thom writes a fast paced thriller laced with romance that keeps the reader interested and on edge!" InDtale Magazine

She can be found at:

Website: www.maggiethom.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authormaggiethom

Twitter: www.twitter.com/maggiethom2

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6549592.Maggie_Thom

google +:  http://google.com/+MaggieThom

Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/maggiethom2/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18744447-deceitful-truths

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Deceitful-Truths-Caspian-Wine-Series-ebook/dp/B00ISY1JS2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394041852&sr=8-1&keywords=deceitful+truths

Amazon.ca: http://www.amazon.ca/Deceitful-Truths-Caspian-Wine-Maggie-ebook/dp/B00ISY1JS2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394044511&sr=8-1&keywords=deceitful+truths

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deceitful-truths-maggie-thom/1118861211?ean=2940045730655

Diesel:  http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/item/SW00000413274/Thom-Maggie-Deceitful-Truths/1.html

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/deceitful-truths/id830989001?mt=11

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/deceitful-truths

Smashwords:    https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/413274

Maggie will be awarding a $15 GC to Amazon or B&N to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a ecopy of Captured Lies (Caspian Wine Series Book One) to three randomly drawn commenters during the tour.
Follow the tour here: