Open Book - Rescued by the Firefighter

Today we are opening the book pages of Rescued by the Firefighter by multi-published author, Catherine Lanigan. Catherine is sharing the inside scoop on her sweet, contemporary, heartwarming romance where between the pages you’ll find firefighters and summer camp. Rescued by the Firefighter just released on November 1, 2018 by Harlequin Heartwarming.

The inspiration for Catherine’s story has a family connection. “My niece’s husband is a firefighter,” she said. “Summer camps and helping “special needs” kids is important to me.”

“The original title was Too Close to the Fire,” Catherine said. “But was changed to Rescued by the Firefighter.”

The concept of the story is about the heroine struggling to build her dream when a forest fire ignites across the road from her camp. She’s rescued by the one man who can close down her camp forever.

Rescued by the Firefighter takes place North of Indian Lake, Northwestern Indiana. The small town is quaint with a clock tower on the county court house. A huge lake with trees surrounds the town, and the camp is in the woods north of town. The town is Idyllic,” Catherine added. “Peaceful, tranquil, and no traffic. People are friendly and help each other. No matter what!”

In Rescued by the Firefighter you’ll meet Beatrice Wilcox, heroine, camp owner. Big hearted, generous, determined and passionate about helping her camp kids have the summer of their lives.

The hero, Rand Nelson, is struggling with guilt over losing one of his trainee smokejumpers a few years ago. He is dedicated to saving lives and the nation’s natural resources for future generations.

“Rand is trying to rid himself of guilt,” Catherine said. “He falls in love with Beatrice’s courage and bravery, her big-heart toward the kids. Through him he comes to bond and love two foster boys.”

You’ll also meet Eli (six) and brother, Chris (ten). Victims of today’s increasing drug addicted parents who abandon their kids for their next fix.

Catherine said the three key elements in Rescued by the Firefighter are: hope, to be up-lifted by the love and friendship between the hero and heroine, and to understand there are abandoned children who need understanding and love. “To abandon fears that hold us all back from making the right choices in our lives.” 

Rescued by the Firefighter is book ten in the Shores of Indian Lake series.

You can find more about Catherine and her books here:
www.catherinelanigan.com
https://www.amazon.ca/Rescued-Firefighter-Shores-Indian-Lake-ebook/dp/B07BHMSZV7/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1538577390&sr=1-7
www.harlequin.com

Let’s get a closer look at Rescued by the Firefighter.

He saved her life… 

But will he destroy her dreams? 

Firefighter Rand Nelson is tall and handsome and has literally walked through an inferno for Beatrice Wilcox. He’s a hero…and that’s exactly the problem. Beatrice knows all too well the risks of loving a man with a dangerous career. But when Rand’s report threatens her beloved children’s camp, Beatrice can’t refuse his offer of help…even though she knows they’re both playing with fire.

Open Book - Second Chance Romance

Today we are opening the book pages of Second Chance Romance by author, Jill Weatherholt. Jill is sharing the inside scoop on her heartwarming, inspirational romance where between the pages you’ll a small town with an apple orchard and a coffee shop. Second Chance Romance was published in March 2107 by Harlequin Love Inspired.

Second Chance Romance was sparked when Jill committed to the 2010 NanoWrimo competition. “I’d read a newspaper article about a woman who’d lost her entire family in a tragic accident,” Jill said.

The title was created by Jill and her playing around with different keywords before coming up with the title. Her working title during the NanoWrimo captured the dream.

The theme for Second Chance Romance is a second chance at love is possible after a loss.

Second Chance Romance takes place in Sweet Gum Valley, Virginia, a fictional mountain community in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. “Sweet Gum is a charming small town,” Jill said. “It’s surrounded by picturesque mountains, the Blue Ridge Mountains to the East and the Allegheny Mountains to the West. The Coffee Bean is a popular gathering spot for the locals.” Jill added, “The residents of Sweet Gum welcome everyone with their small town hospitality. The community supports each other and works together to make their town a great place to settle down and raise a family.”

In Second Chance Romance you’ll meet, Jackson Daughtry who is a paramedic and single father. The most important thing in his life is his little girl, Rebecca. “He’s a kind and caring man who loves God, his community, and its residents, but he does have trust issues,” Jill said.

You’ll also meet Melanie Harper who lost her husband and twin daughters in a tragic car accident that she feels was her fault. “She travels to Sweet Gum to bring her Aunt Phoebe and only living relative back to Washington DC to live with her.”

“Jackson Daughtry is trying to raise his daughter and keep the Coffee bean up and running after his business partner and second mother, Aunt Phoebe suffers a strike,” Jill explained. “He will do everything in his power to prevent Phoebe from being moved to DC by her niece."

 “Melanie Harper only wants to bring her Aunt back to DC to live with her. The problem is, she’s made a promise to her that she’d help keep the Coffee Bean in business while she’s recovering. Jackson and Melanie must put their difference aside for Aunt Phoebe.”

“Aunt Phoebe is Melanie’s aunt and only surviving relative. Phoebe may not be related by blood to Jackson, but she was his mother’s best friend and now, Jackson’s business partner.”

You’ll also meet Jackson’s ex-wife who makes an appearance later in the story. She wants custody of their daughter, Rebecca. She also tries to lead Melanie to believe her and Jackson are reconciling.

The key elements in Second Chance Romance are love, faith, and trust. “Faith can overcome the worst of circumstances,” Jill said.

You can find more about Jill and her book here:
Web Site: jillweatherholt.com
Blog Site: jillweatherholt.wordpress.com
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/jillweatherholtauthor/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Second-Chance-Romance-Love-Inspired/dp/0373622651/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524148550&sr=8-1&keywords=jill+weatherholt&dpID=51VIFHlA19L&preST=_SY344_BO1,204,203,200_QL70_&dpSrc=srch#customerReviews
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/second-chance-romance-jill-weatherholt/1124118191?ean=9780373622658

Let’s get a closer look at Second Chance Romance.

Small-town Daddy 

Jackson Daughtry's jobs as a paramedic and part-owner of a local café keep him busy—but the single dad's number one priority is raising his little girl with love and small-town values. And when his business partner's hotshot lawyer niece comes to town planning to disrupt their lives by moving her aunt away, Jackson has to set Melanie Harper straight. When circumstances force them to work side by side in the coffee shop, Jackson slowly discovers what put the sadness in Melanie's pretty brown eyes. Now it'll take all his faith—and a hopeful five-year-old—to show the city gal that she's already home.

Open Book - Out of Splinters and Ashes

Today we are opening the book pages of Out of Splinters and Ashes by author, Colleen L. Donnelly. Colleen is sharing the inside scoop on her sweet, historical fiction novel with a romantic theme where between the pages you’ll find an arranged marriage, forbidden love, and mystery. Out of Splinters and Ashes was published in July 2018 by The Wild Rose Press.

Colleen got the inspiration for Out of Splinters and Ashes by being intrigued by moral dilemmas. “A person finding their feet on one path while their heart is on another,” Colleen said. “This particular conflict of man, an engaged American runner, falling in love with a German woman during Berlin’s 1936 Olympics, was purely the result of my imagination contriving the dilemma of impossible circumstances compounded by obligations, separating two persons’ lives but not their hearts.”

Creating the title wasn’t easy Colleen said. “It began as “The Mirror” but a quick search on Amazon proved that wasn’t a good choice. My publisher and I batted ideas around for several days, finally coming to “Out of Splinters and Ashes” since those were the physical ruins each accused lover was left with, but which also became the soil for love to blossom in again.”

The main theme of Out of Splinters and Ashes is how someone can love an enemy. “That is the question which vexes Dietrich, the grandson of the German woman, and Cate, the granddaughter of the American man, as each in their respective country comes upon evidence that the vague presence which has surrounded their grandparent is the absence of a past love,” Colleen explained. “A wrong love that brings an old war to the US when Dietrich flies to New York to find the offending American man from two generations ago, and encounters Cate—a worthy foe who fights Dietrich, wrangles to win the battle, but does it with the same heart Dietrich has. Out of Splinters and Ashes tells the story of two sets of enemies, two generations apart, all bound by the same heart.”

The original incident of Out of Splinters and Ashes takes place during Berlin’s 1936 Summer Olympics, but the unraveling of what happened there occurs in New York City in the 1980s. The setting is a small suburban New York City bookstore, quaint and comfortable, its shelves stocked with old authors and stories that unravel and vindicate wronged hearts. Though most of the action occurs in the 1980’s, the characters who were “victimized” by what supposedly happened in the 1930’s, remain stuck in that simpler time period, their homes, their styles, and their lives more a picture of that era than the current. “This suburb has all of the elements of a small town culture, while near a city offering more,” Colleen said. “The characters comment to that—the easy access to diverse nationalities, more resources, and vast shopping options are not far away, but far enough their lives remain isolated and comfortable.”

In Out of Splinters and Ashes you’ll meet Dietrich who is from Germany and a touted journalist, well respected by and respectful of his homeland and heritage. “He is a man of facts and details, relying on them instead of sensationalism in his life and career, until he is faced with the possibility that an illicit relationship with an international enemy may lie in his background,” Colleen said. “Armed with only fictional stories and rumor to prove or disprove the allegation his grandmother had given birth to a daughter fathered by a US runner in Berlin’s 1936 Olympics, he flies to New York to find the man, uncover the real truth, and put the accusation to rest. Upon his arrival he finds evidence his background may indeed be tainted, and he also finds an enemy of his own—Cate, the granddaughter of the US runner, a woman who blurs Dietrich’s lines between fact and fiction, hatred and love.

You will also meet Cate who has grown up in a quiet suburb of New York City with an unquiet family. “Dysfunctional from the beginning,” Colleen explained, “Cate’s grandmother has immersed the family in the vehemence of her claim that the man she was forced to marry wasn’t the same man she’d been engaged to before he was sent overseas before the Second World War. Cate’s family is splintered by the rift, sending her parents far away from the unresolved anger, her grandmother to the back of her bookstore to live, her grandfather into quiet solitude whittling sticks to splinters, and Cate herself into running—miles and miles of unexplained running her grandfather wishes she would stop. When Dietrich appears, prying, asking questions, and pointing to invisible angsts Cate doesn’t want to face, she runs harder and farther in between fights with him, unwilling to face her war with Dietrich could indeed be part of a much larger war, one that must be faced rather than denied.”

“Dietrich wants to disprove there was any illicit relationship in his background which would soil his family and his career, and Cate wants to fix her family, but do it superficially without ever having to dig into any dirt.”

A few secondary characters having an important role are Grandpa, the supposed US runner who had wooed a German woman during Berlin’s 1936 Olympics, now sits quietly, denying speed and running are in the family, and whittling sticks to splinters under his wife’s accusation he isn’t the same man she’d been engaged to before going overseas before WWII. Grandma, his wife, knows something is wrong but doesn’t know what. She fights the rejection she perceives from Grandpa with rejection of her own by moving into the back of her little bookstore and operating a literary crusade there for people who are victims of broken loves. Her life is spent searching for what happened that ruined her relationship with the man who still became her husband, her determination for vindication leaving her family in ruins. And Emerson is Cate’s fiancé, a New York senatorial candidate, happily on the tightrope of looking perfect in the public’s eye. His allegiance to her becomes shaky as the dysfunction and history of her family background unfolds. His choices affect Cate, but she learns her own choices matter much, much more.

We asked Colleen if there are any villains. “Yes, behind the story of the illicit relationship that formed during Berlin’s 1936 Olympics, is the well kept secret that Grandpa was placed in the Olympics by a criminal army officer to run in disguise,” she explained. “Grandpa’s superior, Lieutenant McCoy, pegged Grandpa as fast while a soldier, and slipped him into Germany as a runner. While there Grandpa was to woo a young German girl and gift her with a mirror McCoy had placed secret US military information behind for German spies. Her apartment was to be broken into and the mirror stolen by the Germans, but Grandpa confounded their plan by falling in love with the girl. McCoy realized the romantic attachment and had her apartment blown up, Grandpa threatened and sent home, and Grandpa told she’d been killed in the blast. When a military trial surfaces in the 1980s, McCoy, who has kept Grandpa silent for years through guilt and threats, points the finger at him, sending Grandpa to be tried for McCoy’s crimes.”

Out of Splinters and Ashes is a love story, but not written within the structure of a romance. It’s a story of hearts: broken hearts, angry hearts, and ones that never stop loving no matter what. “The past can affect our future,” Colleen said. “The consequences of love and hate can trickle into the next generations and set the course for children and grandchildren. Dietrich and Cate find themselves trapped in the consequences of past crimes, unforgiveness, and illicit relationships by others, and have to learn the power of choosing to right past wrongs, and bring life out of death. There is truth in fiction. Grandma hides herself in a bookstore believing more truth is told in fiction than in nonfiction. Leaving a husband who was never forthcoming, she believes authors are more honest and write what they know…maybe even things they wouldn’t admit outright…and agrees with her favorite playwright, Henrik Ibsen, that stories don’t tell us our exact answers, but point us in the right direction to find them.”

Colleen added, “Forgiveness alters courses. Whatever has happened to us, by us, or before us, the path can be transformed through forgiveness.”

You can find more about Colleen and her book here:
Web Site: http://www.colleenldonnelly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColleenLDonnelly
https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/5939-out-of-splinters-and-ashes.html

Let’s get a closer look at Out of Splinters and Ashes.

She couldn’t love her enemy…because he did. 

Cate is a runner. She prefers to help her fiancé run his New York senate race, but she finds herself running instead to fix what’s broken between her grandparents before he finds out—her grandmother had moved out of the family home, and her grandfather is accused of a pre-WWII relationship with a woman in Germany. 

Dietrich is a German journalist with a spotless reputation. He prefers facts, but he finds himself lost in a world of fiction instead to prove his novelist grandmother couldn’t possibly have been the lover of a US runner in Berlin’s 1936 Olympics—especially when that runner’s granddaughter is Cate, a stubborn obstacle he should but can’t ignore. 

Cate runs hard to cover up what Dietrich uncovers, until he shows her how it could have been—and how it could be again—that one can indeed love an enemy.

Open Book - Cloud Woman’s Spirit

Today we are opening the book pages of Cloud Woman’s Spirit by author, Loretta C. Rogers. Loretta is sharing the inside scoop on her steamy, paranormal, historical, western romance where between the pages you’ll find magic, shape-shifters, mystery, suspense, and a cowboy. Cloud Woman’s Spirit was published in November 2104 by The Wild Rose Press.

Loretta got the inspiration for Cloud Woman’s Spirit by putting two beliefs together to create a paranormal western romance. “When researching Native American history I learned the Comanche were known as the Horse People, and several other Native Peoples believed in reincarnation,” Loretta said.

The title was created through the main protagonist, Tessa Cloud Woman Sawyer. “When she is murdered, her spirit will not rest until she leads her husband to the men who killed her,” Loretta explained. “Thus, the title, Cloud Woman’s Spirit.” 

The theme of Cloud Woman’s Spirit is vengeful justice, and the concept is good always overcomes evil.

Cloud Woman’s Spirit takes place in Texhoma, Oklahoma Territory. The majority of the story takes place during the winter and on the prairie and in the forested areas of Oklahoma while Deputy US Marshall Jim Sawyer hunts down the four brothers who murdered his wife. The wind is frigid enough to freeze men and animals; a land of treeless plains, and spring-fed creeks, in a backdrop of red granite mountains where clouds coil through the mountain valleys like puffy white snakes, and a thousand stars litter the night sky.

“Texhoma, Oklahoma is like most prairie towns with dirt roads, hitching rails for the horses, and rough built buildings, but with the stage line stopping in town there is opportunity for growth, and a connection to a larger town,” Loretta said. “The church serves as the school house and the town hall. There is a boarding house, a general store, and a couple of saloons, and a bank. There isn’t much crime in Texhoma because US Marshall Hank Edwards keeps a tight rein on drifters and would-be trouble makers. Town folks are friendly and don’t hesitate to help out their neighbors.”

In Cloud Woman’s Spirit you’ll meet the hero, Jim Sawyer who is a Deputy US Marshall and owns a small horse ranch. “He is an honorable man who loves the law and despises injustice,” Loretta said. “He is cunning, an excellent tracker, and a dead shot with a revolver.”

You’ll also meet the heroine, Tessa Cloud Woman Sawyer who is part Comanche. “Her blue eyes are only clue to her other heritage,” Loretta said. “As an infant, she was found by a white man who raised her as his daughter. Tessa Cloud Woman had a mystical connection with animals. When she and her unborn child are murdered, Tessa calls on the Great Father to let her spirit live. She is able to shift into different animals, but principally she shifts in and out of Spirit Dancer, her appaloosa mare.”

“Jim’s goal is to find the men who murdered his wife and unborn child, and bring them to justice. The problem is the men burned his ranch, stole his horses, and his wife’s appaloosa mare, and left no clues for him to follow. Tessa’s spirit seeks vengeance. Her spirit leads Jim to three of the murdering brothers. But, her main goal is to lead the worst of the brothers to the place where ‘evil’ lives.”

Two principle secondary characters are Cherokee Charlie and Katie Em. “As the son of a white mother and a Cherokee father, Charlie was raised during the time before the Trail of Tears,” Loretta explained. “He was raised in an affluent family with monetary wealth. Forced from his family, he soon discovered he didn’t belong in the white man’s world or that of the Indian. As a result he made the whiskey bottle his best friend, until he met and was befriended by Jim Sawyer. Katie Em is an outlaw girl. Like most women in the old west, she had no employment so to survive she became an outlaw. The thing she wants most is to live a decent life. Her opportunity comes when she falls in love with Jim.”

And there are four bad to the bone brothers. “In today’s society the Dobbs’ brothers would be considered sociopaths,” Loretta said. “They kill for pleasure. The underlying story of the brothers is they were raised in an abusive environment, and use that to excuse their actions.”

The key elements Loretta hopes readers learn from Cloud Woman’s Spirit are, “No matter how difficult life is or how many times life knocks you down there are solutions to problems and it doesn’t have to be alcohol or crime. To value friendship. When you’ve lost a loved one, it’s okay to find love again.”

Loretta added, “When readers close the book, I want them smiling in ultimate satisfaction because they are happy that the protagonists overcame great obstacles, defeated the antagonists, grew in character as a result of those obstacles, and in the end true love was found, and life-long friendships were formed."

You can find more about Loretta and her book here:
Web Site: www.lorettacrogersnovels.com
Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/2EJSYb8KOBO https://bit.ly/2H068qj
The Wild Rose Press https://bit.ly/2GWb7bA

Let’s get a closer look at Cloud Woman’s Spirit.

Her spirit cries out for revenge 

United States Deputy Marshal Jim Sawyer returns from another bout of chasing outlaws and bringing them to justice to find everything he holds dear taken from him — his pregnant wife and his father-in-law brutally murdered and his ranch home a heap of smoldering ruins. Before her death, Tessa Cloud Woman Sawyer cursed the men who killed her. After months of healing from a near-fatal wound, with a cold trail to follow, Jim relies on Cloud Woman's resolute spirit to lead him to the men who destroyed his family. During the search, Jim encounters an outlaw girl he’d helped years before. As attraction blossoms between Jim and Katie Em, will Cloud Woman's spirit release him into the arms of another woman?

Open Book - Emma Rose

Today we are opening the book pages of Emma Rose by author, Sandra McGregor. Sandra is sharing the inside scoop on her sweet, historical story where between the pages you’ll find a romance in the 1940’s. Emma Rose was published in September 2106 by The Wild Rose Press.

The title and inspiration is based on Emma Rose, a young woman launching out on her own after being raised in an orphanage. Emma was raised in Denver Orphan’s Home...as was Sandra’s mother. “The rest is pretty much fiction,” Sandra said.

Sandra explained the concept of Emma Rose. “How one of the greatest generations stepped up and were brave...the men at war and the woman at home. It’s about how true love can weather any storm and can concur all odds. She’s working at the Stratton Tire Co during the day, and watching over the little children at the orphanage at night in exchange for room and board. Times are tough, but so is Emma. It’s a 1940s Cinderella story...poor girl, rich, good-looking guy.”

Emma Rose takes place in Denver, Colorado. “Troops are arriving for training and being deployed overseas,” Sandra explained. “There’s a trolley for transportation and there’s Riverside Amusement park and the USO where Emma goes with a couple girlfriends to dance with the soldiers.” Sandra added, “If you were young, the town was teaming with military. There was also industry, so girls could find jobs.”

In Emma Rose you’ll meet Emma Rose Sanders, raised in Denver Orphan’s home, now living there and taking care of the little ones at night and working at Stratton Tire Co during the day. “She has a dream of going to college to become a teacher, so she’s saving every penny she makes at the tire company,” Sandra said. “She has waist-length red hair (Rapunzel-length hair) that draws our hero’s attention.”

The hero, Lt. Thomas Stratton, is a pilot on an aircraft carrier based at Pearl Harbor. He’s home in Denver to heal from burns to his back and legs, received when he repeatedly swam out into the ocean through burning debris to drag sailors to shore. “He’s embarrassed at the thought of Emma ever seeing his scars,” Sandra said. “His father uses his son’s injury to, again, try to get him to leave the Navy and help in the family tire company. He wants his own life, not under his father’s demanding thumb.”

"Thomas just wants to fly in the Navy...Emma wants to become a teacher and find someone who will love her, and maybe own a little place of their own.”

You’ll also meet, Matron at the orphanage, who always encourages Emma to go after what she wants. Grandpa Stratton, a gentleman who accepts Emma despite her not being in their social class. And Thomas’ father, Mr. Stratton. He’ll go to any length to keep his son home and to stop the budding romance between his son and Emma.

Sandra explained the three key elements in Emma Rose. “1. Love is the glue that holds two people together, even when everything is falling apart around them. 2. Everyone carries scars...just not all of them are visible to an on-looker. 3. Truth and faith will always win the day over circumstances and, in the case of Thomas & Emma, attempts to end their relationship. Love will always find a way.”

You can find more about Sandra and her book here:
Web Site: SandraMcGregor.com
https://www.amazon.com/Emma-Rose-Sandra-McGregor/dp/1509209336/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522695830&sr=8-1&keywords=by+sandra+mcgregor

Let’s get a closer look at Emma Rose.

Emma Rose works nights at Denver Orphanage where she grew up, and days at Stratton Tire Company. Her goal is to become a teacher and have someone to love her. After meeting a Naval officer at the USO, her heart is flying high until duty forces her to leave with barely his name. Home to heal from burns sustained during the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Naval officer Thomas Stratton is anxious to return to his squadron. Pressure from his father to stay and manage the family business has him escaping to the USO. He is captivated by a young beauty who slips away after two dances, leaving him only memories of Rapunzel-length red hair and the sweater she leaves behind. When fate reunites them, Emma dreams of a future with Thomas, but there are some who plot against their blossoming relationship. How can love survive against a war at home and afar?

Open Book - It’s A Wonderful Undead Life

Today we are opening the book pages of It’s A Wonderful Undead Life by author, R E Mullins. R E is sharing the inside scoop on her spicy, paranormal romance where between the pages you’ll find vampires in a small town. It’s A Wonderful Undead Life was published in December 2102 by The Wild Rose Press.

R E created the title as she wrote most of the book between Thanksgiving and Christmas. “The title seemed appropriate for the season,” R E said. “Then I started adding in elements to correlate with the old Jimmy Stewart classic.” 

“While working in a medical laboratory, I started wondering what would happen if a night-shift phlebotomist was turned into a vampire,” R E said. “It’s A Wonderful Undead Life was inspired as a result of those daydreams.”

The concept of the story is an attention grabber. “It’s her first Christmas season alone after her husband leaves her and her mother dies in a car accident,” R E explained. “Already depressed, Cailey Kantor receives some bad financial news. After getting drunk, she wanders out to the little footbridge spanning the Amber River where she prays for help. Where she’s imagining an angel like Clarence in It’s A Wonderful Life, she’s accosted by a vampire instead. Hoping to start a war between enemy vampire factions, he forces blood stolen from his enemy, Gabe Blautsauger down her throat. It’s enough to start Cailey’s transformation but not enough to finish her turning. Left stunted between the vampire and human worlds, Cailey will die a painful death if Gabe doesn’t rescue her in time.”

It’s A Wonderful Undead Life takes place in Amber Heights, Missouri, a small town nestled in the Ozark region of the state. The town was built along the banks of the Amber River. Roots from the nearby groves of Sassafras trees leaked tannins into the water causing its rich, golden-brown tea color. “Amber Heights is built on a square where the courthouse fills the center,” R E said. “Across the street, encircling the lovely gray stone rotunda, each corner is anchored by a church with shops in-between. Pedestrian paths crisscross the area leading from residential neighborhoods to town and other commercial or medical buildings. The area also boasts a Nature Center with hiking trails along the river and the bluffs surrounding it. There is a waterfall and several picturesque bridges. For humans living in Amber Heights, it is a typical small town where the pace is slow and friendly. Unfortunately, for the vampires also trying to live quietly in their midst, they have run into some problems.”

In It’s A Wonderful Undead Life you’ll meet Cailey Kantor along with her best friend, Morgan Maguire, who are night shift phlebotomists. Newly single, Cailey has purchased a tiny bungalow near the Amber river that has a pedestrian path running between the neighborhood and the Turner/Stoke Medical building where she works.

The hero, Nosferatu Gabriel Blautsauger, is the eldest son of Patriarch Andris Blautsauger. Knowing he’s breaking vampire law, he allows his sister, Dr. Michaela Blautsauger to pester him into giving her a blood sample for testing. Now it’s been stolen and used to stunt a human. He must find and finish her turning in time or she will die. Together Gabe and Cailey must stop war from breaking out between the Nosferatu and the aggressive Toltec factions of vampires.

You’ll also meet Gabe’s brother, Rafe and his sisters, Michaela and Metta. “The Patriarch, Andris Blautsauger is off on his honeymoon with their new stepmother, Colleen,” R E said. The town has a new Council Leader, Cassiopeia Acantha and she has a reputation for being tough. Cailey works with her childhood friend, Morgan Maguire. They are pretty much inseparable. After being attacked and forced to drink vampire blood, Cailey is forced to deceive her friend to keep her safe. Vincent Sabriento, Nosferatu is a traitor working for the Toltecs and the one that attacks Cailey, and Mateo Osvaldo, Toltec leader, hates Andris Blautsauger. Mateo is determined to destroy everything Andris holds dear.

R E explained the key elements of her story. “I believe vampire/romance books have several key elements. There should be a touch of humor, a few moments of ick, and a bit of danger leading up to the happily ever after. Like the old Calgon bath salt commercial, I want my stories to take the reader away for a time. They are fiction and for escapism and entertainment purposes only.”

And there’s more! R E added, “When I first started It’s A Wonderful Undead Life I’d no idea it would turn into The Blautsaugers of Amber Heights series.” 

You can find more about R E and her books here:
Web Site: https://www.remullins.com
Blog Site: https://www.remullinsblogspot.com
The Wild Rose Press: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/search?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=re+mullins&submit_search=
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Its-Wonderful-Undead-Life-Mullins/dp/1612175848
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/its-a-wonderful-undead-life-r-e-mullins/1113910035?ean=2940015802757

Let’s get a closer look at It’s A Wonderful Undead Life.

What happens when you pray for an angel and get a vampire instead? 

It's been a rough couple of years for Cailey Kantor. Facing her first Christmas alone and bad financial news, she prays for an angel to fix her problems. Instead, a sadistic, sociopathic vampire, with the goal of starting a vampire war, attacks her and forces her to drink blood stolen from the Nosferatu Gabriel Blautsauger. Gabe must complete Cailey's turning or she will die. In doing so he risks losing his yet unfound soulmate. But something about the lovely mortal speaks to his heart. Once her transformation is complete, he and Cailey find themselves embroiled in a battle that could cost them all they hold dear. Faced with lies, abduction, and betrayal Cailey wonders if the vampire she is falling fangs over heart for is in it for love or if she's just a means to stop a war.

Open Book - Cowboy on Her Doorstep

Today we are opening the book pages of Cowboy on Her Doorstep by author, Pam Mantovani. Pam is sharing the inside scoop on her contemporary romance where between the pages you’ll find a small town, a secret baby, and a cowboy! Cowboy on Her Doorstep was published in July 2014 by Belle Books.

Pam said the title was a suggestion from her editor and the inspiration for Cowboy on Her Doorstep was through brainstorming with her critique partner. 

Cowboy on Her Doorstep is about forgiveness, acceptance of past mistakes while trusting in love and the future.

Taking place in a fictional town of Burton Springs Montana, Cowboy on Her Doorstep is a small town, with a popular diner. “Most of the shop fronts are designed to resemble an Old West town,” Pam said. “There’s a Founders Day Celebration at the start of summer, and the people look out for one another.”

In Cowboy on Her Doorstep you’ll meet, Kendall Grant who is the daughter of a preacher. She is now a Deputy Sheriff and the mother of 4 year old Marissa. The hero, Logan Montgomery, is an Army sniper, home on leave following the death of his father. He joined the Army after yet another battle with his father about how he should live his life. He hasn’t been home in more than 5 years.

“Kendall is trying to make a solid, secure life for herself, her daughter and the friend who moved from Billings to Burton Springs with her,” Pam said. “Raised by a father who never seemed to agree with anything she did or wanted to do, she is determined that her daughter never be made to feel as if she has to ‘live up to’ her mother’s expectations. Logan lost a good friend shortly before coming home. Aware that he can’t make peace with his father, he tries instead to bridge the tension between himself and the older brother he left behind. Then, he learns he has a daughter. He understands, and reluctantly accepts, Kendall’s insistence that they not tell Marissa that he’s her father. He wants to be accepted on his own merit, not due to some idea of what a father should be.”

You’ll also meet Audra Black who is Kendall’s best friend, and sometimes babysitter. She is a potter with a past that requires secrecy. She feels she owes Kendall her life.
Carter Montgomery is Logan’s older brother. He grew up knowing the family ranch would be left to him. While he’s content with cattle ranching, Logan always wanted to raise and train horses for the rodeo.
Sheriff Blake Owens is Kendall’s superior. When Kendall’s mother was killed before her eyes during a botched robbery when Kendall convinced her mother to stop at convenience store, it was Sheriff Owens who tried to comfort a traumatized Kendall. He was a mentor to Kendall, practically more a father to her than her own, who buried his grief beneath service to his congregation.
Rhonda Johnston is the Sheriff Department Dispatcher, She’s outrageous and rumored to have been a Vegas showgirl. She’s involved in a relationship with Sheriff Owens.
Further cast members are Tammy Murphy - owner of Tammy’s Table, Robbie Patterson - school friend of Kendall, Harley Barker - an attorney, Dwight Davis - Owner of Feed Store, and Lloyd Miller - owner of The Pit, a bar of dubious reputation which has put him in the sights of the local police.

“Although this might be classified as a ‘secret baby’ story, it differs in that the hero learns in the first chapter he has a child,” Pam explained. “The secret is Kendall and Logan agree to not tell Marissa, allowing her the opportunity to get to know Logan as a person instead of the father she wants. There is also a subplot about friendship and the measures one will take to protect and care for the best of friends. Finally, I think this story is also about redemption. Kendall and Logan find a way to get past their hurts and disappointments. Logan and his brother Carter manage to overcome slights and misunderstandings.”

Pam added, “No matter how many disappointments and challenges you’ve faced in the past, you should trust in the future. Love will often override fears and will give you strength when you need it the most.”

Be sure to check out the follow-up book to Cowboy on Her Doorstep, Cowboy on Her Porch, centered around Audra and Carter, which released on June 28, 2018.

You can find more about Pam and her books here:
Web Site: www.pammantovani.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mantovanipam
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1XNgcoE
Instagram: https://instagram.com/pammantovaniauthor/
Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2Euk85J
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2krrldk

Let’s get a closer look at Cowboy on Her Doorstep.

He left more than a memory behind. 

When Army Ranger Logan Montgomery returns to his family’s ranch in western Montana to mourn the loss of his father, he discovers that his best friend had a little girl as the result of their lovemaking the night before he left to join the service. He sets out to prove himself to her – that he’s come home to stay. 

Deputy Sheriff Kendall Grant has worked hard to build a stable life for her young daughter, Marissa. When Logan discovers he’s Marissa’s father, Kendall refuses to believe he intends to become a doting daddy. She’s convinced he’ll grow bored with small-town life and re-enlist. More than anything, she’s afraid this time he’ll shatter both her heart and Marissa’s. How can she learn to trust that this time it’s forever?

Open Book - Home to Stay

Today we are opening the book pages of Home to Stay by author, Kate James. Kate is sharing the inside scoop on her contemporary romance where between the pages you’ll find suspense and a K9 unit. Home to Stay was published on July 1, 2017 by Harlequin Heartwarming.

Kate said the title was derived from the plot of the book and the little boy who features prominently in it. “Home to Stay is the fourth book in my San Diego K-9 Unit series,” Kate said. “Our editors and readers are always asking that we increase the conflict. In the previous books my heroes had to deal with the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, drug trafficking across the US/Mexico border and possible terrorism at an airport. When I was offered a contract to do a fourth book in the series, I considered what could be the most heinous and emotional thing that could happen to my hero and the notion of his young son disappearing came to mind.”

Kate explained a little boy goes missing from his family’s campground. “Rookie K-9 unit cop Shannon Clemens is called in but finds herself facing both professional and personal demons, as she fights to safely reunite the little boy with his single father, and not let emotions get in the way.”

Home to Stay takes place in San Diego, California. “The story opens in Cuyumaca Rancho State Park and most of it is set in San Diego,” Kate explained. “San Diego is on the ocean, it’s not too big, has culture, lots of entertainment and friendly people!”

One appealing aspect in Home to Stay is how generous of spirit both Sawyer and Shannon are, to be able to support and help each other, despite struggling with their own debilitating grief and despair. “Another appealing element is how the rescue dog that Shannon encourages Sawyer to adopt becomes a de facto therapy dog for Dylan to help him deal with his ordeal and resultant Stockholm Syndrome,” Kate said. “The book underscores a single father’s love and dedication to his young son, and that it’s possible for romantic love to flourish even under the most unlikely circumstances.”

Home to Stay is the fourth book in the San Diego K-9 Unite Series. The first book is When the Right One Comes Along, released on October 1, 2015. The second book is When Love Matters Most, released on January 1, 2016. The third book is When I Found You, released July 1, 2016. “The series involves San Diego Police Department K-9 Unit officers, their police dogs and respective love interests,” Kate added. “As noted previously, this book ramps up the conflict even more.” 

You can find more about Kate and her books here:
www.kate-james.com
www.facebook.com/katejamesbooks
Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/authors/24810_kate-james.html
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kate-James/e/B00Q4YAOY8/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/home-to-stay/id1180513173?mt=11
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/home-to-stay-kate-james/1124631498?ean=9780373368433
Chapters-Indigo (Kobo): https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/home-to-stay/9781488012297-item.html?ikwid=kate+james+home+to+stay&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0

Let’s get a closer look at Home to Stay.

She's bringing his son home.

A missing little boy triggers San Diego K-9 officer Shannon Clemens and her canine search-and-rescue partner into instant action. For the rookie cop haunted by a childhood tragedy, bringing Sawyer Evans's son safely home is more than a job. It's a mission she can't fail… But forging a friendship with the father is a tactical error that could compromise her first solo assignment. Yet the deepening bond between them is almost impossible to resist…

Open Book - Baker's Dozen

Today we are opening the book pages of Baker’s Dozen by author, Amey Zeigler. Amey is sharing the inside scoop on her mild heated, romance suspense, published in December 2107 by The Wild Rose Press.

Amey created the title from Andy Miller, who inherited an alias from her dad when he was the investigative journalist, Andrew Baker, who wrote a monthly column ratting out crime in St. Louis and called it Baker’s Dozen.

The inspiration for Baker’s Dozen came from Amey and husband sitting around thinking of funny scenes and characters. “I was like, wouldn’t it be funny if there was an investigative journalist who dressed up to conceal her identity while she solved crime,” Amey said. “I studied theatre for ten years and love to dress up. We wrote the beginning scene with her in the middle of one of her investigations with her, in disguise, and her creepy “mark” at dinner together. It is still the beginning of the book today, however it’s changed quite a bit.”

The theme in Baker’s Dozen is honesty. “My heroine, Andy Miller, lies all the time in her investigations to discover the truth,” Amey explained. “The book explores these questions: When is it okay to lie? Is it okay to lie to protect yourself and others? When does the lie do harm?”

Baker’s Dozen takes place in St. Louis, a small city but with high crime rate. “When I think of St. Louis, I think shady tree-lined streets,” Amey said. “Houses in the city are old, gingerbread-looking hundred year-old brick houses. The hot summer rain produces green grass, flower gardens, tall trees, weeds and vines without much work. And it’s humid because it’s by the biggest river in North America, the Mississippi.”

Amey lived in St. Louis for seven years and loved it. “There are so many free things to do there,” she said. “Their Botanical Gardens is unmatched as it thrives in all three growing seasons, their zoo is amazing and free. The St. Louis Art Museum is where I saw my first Monet and sculpture by Degas, also free. Forest Park is among the largest city parks in the US, there is a lot of history from the 1904 Olympics and the World’s Fair Expo which were both held there and shaped St. Louis’ history.”

In Baker’s Dozen you’ll meet Andy Miller who is a 23-year-old investigative journalist who rats out small time crime in St. Louis. She has a black belt in karate and carries a red weekender tote full of handy things she can use in a scrape. She’s resourceful, dauntless and creative.

You’ll also meet Hugh Donaldson who is an undercover agent and master of martial arts. He’s funny and won’t let Andy get away with her hypocrisy. When he’s assigned to a case that involves Andy, sparks fly! He finds Andy attractive because she is gutsy, and won’t quit, and sometimes better at investigation that he is.

“When Andy’s brother is murdered by the mob, she must find out why and who is responsible,” Amey added. “Hugh volunteered for this assignment to search for the murderer of a family friend. They both are seeking to put an end to Imperium, a mob that is controlling the city and killing their loved ones.”

You’ll also meet a lot of friends who help out along the way. Andy’s best friend Carla Vehemia is a resource for her. Carla is wealthy and curious about the underbelly of St. Louis.

And a possible villain? “Michael Tyrone calls a lot of hits in Imperium and even does a few himself with his knife collection,” Amey said. “He’s rich, commanding, and is a gourmet cook. Check out my website for the Villains Cookbook under the Extras tab.”

Baker’s Dozen is a fun read. “I wanted a story that will delight and entertain. It’s also a mystery,” Amey explained. “You will wonder who did it until the end. And lastly, you’re not going to feel tainted when you are done. The intimacy is steamy enough to be entertaining but not so much that you will feel uncomfortable. And most of the deaths happen off screen. No gore, no sex scenes.”

While reading Baker’s Dozen, Amey want her readers to laugh, have a good time, and be surprised and delighted with the story journey she takes you on. “I want them to leave the world behind them for a minute and just imagine, what if…”

Amey has in the works a second Baker’s Dozen book that will take readers further into the lives of both of the characters, uncover more answers to their history, but also ask more questions as well.

You can find more about Amey and her books here:
https://ameyzeigler.com
https://ameyzeigler.blogspot.com
https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Dozen-Amey-Zeigler-ebook/dp/B076X1XHTG/
https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/5420-baker-s-dozen.html
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bakers-dozen-amey-zeigler/1127353366?ean=2940158945359
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bakers-dozen/id1299079591?mt=11

Let’s get a closer look at Baker’s Dozen.

Verify first then trust. 

Twenty-three year-old investigative journalist, Andy Miller is armed with her many disguises and creativity to take down the riff-raff of Saint Louis. When her stepbrother is murdered by the mob, Andy soon discovers she’s out of her depth. 

Enter Hugh Donaldson who has reasons of his own for discovering the murderer. He’ll use everything in his power to achieve that, including lying to Andy about his past. Dangerous as he is attractive, his martial arts skills and his quirky ways raise Andy’s suspicions. 

Although Andy balks at his lies, Hugh’s charms, twenty-inch biceps, and electrifying blue eyes are difficult to resist. Striking out on their own, Hugh and Andy try to outwit each other as they traverse North America tracking down people connected to the case. 

As clues disappear and the body count climbs, Andy and Hugh must trust each other and use their combined skills to bring the murderer to justice.

Open Book - Into the Sunrise

Today we are opening the book pages of Into the Sunrise by author, Carolyn Haley. Carolyn is sharing the inside scoop on her spicy, vintage (equestrian, new adult) romance where you’ll find horses, show jumping, and trail riding. Into the Sunrise was published in 2015 by The Wild Rose Press.

For the title, Carolyn flipped the old saying, “And they rode off into the sunset...” The original suggests an ending, whereas she wanted to give a sense of beginning. Carolyn also found the inspiration for Into the Sunrise from horseback riding on the beach on Cape Cod when she was a teenager.

The theme for Into the Sunrise is finding true love without giving up your identity and dreams.

Into the Sunrise takes place half on the outer beaches of Cape Cod, Massachusetts and the other half in the Hudson Valley hunt country of New York State. Both areas are beautiful and have equestrian opportunities.

In Into the Sunrise, you’ll meet Linny Eagan, the heroine. Early 20s, slim and fit from riding, eyecatching white-blonde hair; determined to walk her own path in life, which contradicts her education and upbringing and alienates her from her family.

You’ll also meet Con Winston, the hero. Also early 20s, gifted with everything that makes him an eligible bachelor (classic “jock” blond good looks, a famous monied parent, high-end talents) but actually a moody and introverted painter. 

Linny and Con are walking to the beat of their own drummers; in Linny’s case, finding the right equestrian career against the odds, and in Con’s case, breaking away from family expectations to find his career as an equestrian artist.

The cast of secondary characters include: Jona Eagan—Linny’s older sister, Michael Dixon—Linny’s old flame, Tom Adams—manager of Galeson’s trail-riding stable on Cape Cod, Miriam Galeson—Linny’s rival at Galeson’s, Carole Ballard—manager at Shallowkill Farm, a plush hunter/jumper stable in New York State, Allison McKenzie—Linny’s friend at Shallowkill, and former student.

There’s also a cast of four-legged members in the story: Shark, Klatawah, and Midnight.

“There are no villains,” Carolyn said. “Just family and societal expectations that characters break from to fulfill their dreams and goals. There are, however, antagonists. Michael is the man who broke Linny’s heart and interferes with her relationship with Con. Miriam competes with Linny for attention from both Michael and Con, as well as for the horse Linny desires (Shark). Carole Ballard does similar regarding Con and the horse Linny desires (Midnight).

Into the Sunrise is all about following your own star and still finding love with someone doing the same.

You can find more about Carolyn and her book here: https://carolynhaley.wordpress.com/into-the-sunrise/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Into-Sunrise-Carolyn-Haley/dp/1509201424
The Wild Rose Press: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/search?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=into+the+sunrise&submit_search=

Let’s get a closer look at Into the Sunrise.

On one day in 1975, Linny Eagan loses her job, her beloved, and her dream of becoming an equestrian champion. So she adjusts her dream to include only horses, since unlike men they can never betray her. While recovering on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, after a fall in a show, she meets Con Winston, trail leader at a stable. Con dreams of being a cowboy artist on a Montana ranch, but must play family head-games with his father until his twenty-fifth birthday, when he will inherit a fortune that will actualize his dream. Though Linny needs love and money, she needs independence more. With neither of them willing to abandon their dreams, they continue in opposite directions despite a perfect match of heart and mind. Only Con's horse connects them, until distance proves that pursuit of a dream needs love to sustain it.

Open Book - Dixieland Dead

Today we are opening the book pages of Dixieland Dead by author, Penny Burwell Ewing. Penny is sharing the inside scoop on her sweet, paranormal mystery romance where between the pages you’ll find ghosts, a cozy mystery, humor, fantasy, hauntings, spirits, and adventure.

Dixieland Dead was published in 2016 by The Wild Rose Press.

Penny explained how the title and inspiration of Dixieland Dead came to be. “I originally named the main character after my mother, Dixie Lee, and the MC’s beauty shop, Dixieland Salon. However, after I finished the first draft, my mother decided she didn’t want her name used so I changed the main character’s name to Jolene Claiborne. I kept the salon name in her memory. Since the murder takes place in the beauty shop, I added dead to the title: Dixieland Dead,” she said. “A fellow cosmetology student had a violent allergic reaction to a mask used in the facial room. I remembered the incident years later while practicing Aesthetics and decided it would make a cool murder weapon in a cozy mystery story.”

The theme of Dixieland Dead is, don’t judge a book by its cover. Jolene, and the town, judged Scarlett by her appearance and social behavior. Forced to work with Scarlett to solve the mystery of her death, Jolene slowly discovers another side of Scarlett’s personality. “I continue this theme throughout the series,” Penny said. “We don’t know someone until we’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” 

Dixieland Dead takes place in the fictional town of Whiskey Creek, Georgia. “Whiskey Creek is a typical small Southern town where quaint, locally-owned shops line rustic brick sidewalks, black antique lampposts and square planters filled with seasonal flowers and scrubs border Main Street,” Penny explained. “Restored Victorian homes offer respite from the blazing summer heat with broad, covered porches and tall, ancient magnolias and live oaks branch out like sentries, and beneath their leafy canopies, bright swaths of azaleas, hydrangeas, camellias, and rose’s dot well-manicured lawns. American flags are proudly displayed in yards and businesses and Sunday’s are quiet family times.” Penny added, “Besides being a friendly and beautiful town, the traffic is manageable and the crime rate is low. The countryside is littered with farms and fields and the weather is agreeable most of the year. The schools are adequate and we have a top-rated local agricultural college. The University of Georgia is a short drive north.”

In Dixieland Dead you’ll meet the protagonist, Jolene Claiborne, cosmetologist and co-owner of Dixieland Salon. She is quirky and out-spoken and emotional. Being the eldest of three sisters, she’s strong-willed and dedicated to the preservation of her family unit. She wears her heart on her shoulder, loves tight clothes and high heels, and carries a pink .32 caliber snob-nosed revolver with pearl grips, fondly named, ‘Mini Pearl’. She can communicate with the dead. Divorced, with a grown daughter, Jolene has no interest in serious relationships or matrimony.

The hero, logical, Samuel Bradford, WCPD homicide detective, is pragmatic and realistic. He’s a no nonsense type of guy with a one track mind: putting away the bad guys. His military background has left him serious and intense. He’s loyal and courageous and doesn’t believe in the afterlife. To him, when you’re dead, that’s it. Period.

You’ll also meet tempter, Scarlett Cantrell, local TV celebrity, who is the personification of the modern day Southern belle. She’s sassy and confident, vain and eccentric, bossy and off-putting, and has a heart of gold underneath the tough exterior. She’s beautiful and sinful, and hell-bent on getting her way. Scarlett is blind to her own faults, and possesses the ‘Bitch’ factor.

“Jolene’s goal is to solve the murder and thereby rid her beauty shop of Scarlett’s ghost and restoring her normal world,” Penny said. “Scarlett’s goal is to find out who and why she was murdered. She needs the information for her angelic defense team in Heaven. All arriving saints are given a trial to determine their permanent place of residence. Sam’s goal is to investigate the murder and build a case for the prosecution.”

Other interesting characters in Dixieland Dead are: Deena Sinclair, middle Tucker sister, co-owner of the salon, and Jolene’s closest ally. She’s the epitome of a middle sister. She is the salon manager, and Jolene’s go-to person. Deena abhors guns. Billie Jo Hazard, youngest Tucker sister, barber and co-owner of the salon. She’s bold and out-spoken, and the easiest sister to manipulate. She’s always open to adventure. Billie Jo carries a Cobra Derringer. She is a supporting character. Annie Mae Tucker, mother of the Tucker sisters, and limited partner of Dixieland Salon. She is a supporting character. Antagonists, Richard Payne and the Georgia Mafia are out to control the town and its political positions to line up with their future agenda. Richard and his associates rigged the mayoral race to favor Richard’s son, Henry Payne.

Penny explained the key elements in Dixieland Dead. “With a little bit of tweaking, I based the three Tucker sisters after my mother and her two youngest sisters. In them, I found the glue that holds siblings together through good times and bad. Setting – Although Whiskey Creek is a fictional town, I based it on two South Georgia towns I’ve lived in. I combined the best of each to suit the needs of the story. I wanted to convey the continuity of small town living in the South. Theme – Never judge a book by its cover. My favorite part of writing this book was learning along with Jolene about the evil of judging people without knowing their life story. Life is about evolving. Always. Like the seasons, people change with the experiences the hand of fate brings. Walk a mile in my shoes, and you’ll see another hidden point of view.”

In Dixieland Dead you’ll learn that life is to be lived with love and laughter and plenty of adventure.

Dixieland Dead is Book One in the Haunted Salon Series. “Each book is a standalone, and offers the readers another ghostly adventure with Jolene and Scarlett as they try to solve a new murder,” Penny said.

You can find more about Penny and her books here:
http://pennyburwellewing.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dixieland-Haunted-Salon-Penny-Burwell-ebook/dp/B01L5T1XQ4
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dixieland-dead-penny-burwell-ewing/1124410832
BAM: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Dixieland-Dead/Penny-Burwell-Ewing/Q135698962
TWRP: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4592-dixieland-dead.html

Let’s get a closer look at Dixieland Dead.

A wonderful cozy that offers a little mystery, a little romance, and a lot of magic.  

When the economy tanks in Whiskey Creek, Georgia, hairstylist, Jolene Claiborne expands her business to include skin care. A wise move until Scarlett Cantrell, a local celebrity, is murdered in the facial room. The police brush aside Jolene’s suspicions that the incident is tied to a recent break-in, and to complicate matters, the victim’s ghost threatens to make Dixieland Salon her permanent place of residence if Jolene fails to expose the killer.

Scarlett’s last words provide the only clue: “Find the jade elephant. Explains everything.” That is until a book of poetry turns up with a dangerous secret inside. Dealing with a diva ghost ain’t easy in the Bible belt. Throw in a sexy police detective, a crooked mayor with connections to the mob, a family cover-up, a mother who hasn’t cut the apron strings, and you get one stressed out middle-aged hairstylist with murder and mayhem on the brain.

Open Book - Vengeance Is Mine

Today we are opening the book pages of Vengeance Is Mine by author, Kat Henry Doran. Kat is sharing the inside scoop on her mild contemporary romance where between the pages you’ll find intertwined romances centered around three people who attended, reluctantly, their 25th high school reunion.

Re-released, Vengeance Is Mine was published in June 2016.

Kat said the title was created from exacting revenge on those who tormented those who are 'different' has always fascinated her. “The word Vengeance fell into line with that,” she added.

“The inspiration for Vengeance Is Mine came from stories which were originally part of a multi-story (novella length) reunion series (the Class of '85), published by the Wild Rose Press,” Kat said. “Now in re-release in paperback format and e-book, it is three stories under one cover.”

The theme of Vengeance Is Mine is making amends to those we harmed; exacting revenge on those who tormented the 'less thans' in society; triumph over adversity.

Vengeance Is Mine takes place in Summerville NY (fictional town) on the shores of Lake Ontario, Queen of the Great Lakes, in Western New York State. Tree lined streets with large front lawns and historic brick or stucco mansions dating back to the 1800's. “There are two strata to Summerville society: the haves and the have-nots,” Kat explained. “Old family money dates back to the Golden Age and comes from involvement of big business, one of which is Eastman Industries. On the other side of town, termed “down the hill” are the slums and weather-beaten two and three family structures plagued with high rates of unemployment, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse and the criminal behaviors associated with abuse. Due to the proximity to the Lake and yacht club there are strong nautical influences in the names of the shops and other service-related businesses such as the yacht club which sponsors annual regattas, sail boats and elegant tour boats dot the horizon of the lake. Oil tankers passing on to the Saint Lawrence River and (eventually) the Atlantic Ocean are frequent sites. The region boasts a full service hospital and four year liberal arts college. Crime rates are low to moderate thanks to a well-maintained and professionally trained city and county sheriff's departments. Catholic Charities, which once held great influence over the town and its citizens has gone the way of many private social service agencies and essentially dissolved, putting the care and support of the poor, aged and indigent to state, local and federal governments.”

“In Vengeance Is Mine the elegant old homes are out of a postcard from times past; the excellent medical care system; two well trained, well staffed police departments provide for the safety and protection of Summerville and the surrounding county. The school system is one of the highest rated in the state for graduation percentages; acceptances into colleges and other institutions of higher education, and for encouraging student participation in music, art and theater. For recreation, the local triple A farm team for the Baltimore Orioles MLB organization has taken the International League pennant three years running. An expansion team for the National Hockey League is looking to Summerville University for their pre-season training program because of the generous housing, nutritionally based gourmet dining halls and the new state of the art ice arena. Baseball in the summer; hockey in the winter. Who could ask for anything more?”

The main characters are (as appearing in the story) Rafael “Rafe” Archangeli and Grace “Mad Dog” Dunavan (from Mad Dog and the Archangel). Rafael Archangeli returns home to Summerville to bury and old friend, collect his inheritance, then return to the only life he knows--conning wealthy women out of their money. In Rafe's world, money not only equals success, it goes a long way to obliterating the stigma of his past. ...Grace Dunavan, former nun turned community activist, gave up worldly goods a long time ago with no regrets. But she's never known a man with the raw appeal of Rafael Archangeli, the Scourge of Summerville. Their first meeting is like an errant strike of lightening, fierce and stunning in intensity, and takes both by surprise. Has Grace turned Rafe into a changed man? Or is he using his inheritance to pull off the biggest scam of his life?

Fiona Thorpe and Michael Dineen (from The List) ...After an invitation to the twenty-fifth reunion of the Class of '90, Fiona Thorpe's first response is to the trash the symbol of what she once was: the girl most like to explode before age twenty-one. Less than half her former size through hard work and rigorous self-control, Fee is now every woman's fantasy, every man's wet dream. The owner of a successful modeling agency which specializes in older and larger size models, she has no desire to revisit Summerville, New York, the site of her pain-filled, embarrassing past. ...When Dru Horvath puts the arm on Fee to accompany her to the reunion where Dru will receive a prestigious award, she can't say no to one of the few friends she had during her school years. To sweeten the pot, Dru promise they will combine forces to claim revenge against each person at Summerville High who made their lives, and those of others, a living hell. Con-ceiving The List is fairly painless; specific methods call for a moderate degree of imagination; opportunity and means will require a more than a great deal of luck. Fee's initial attempts at revenge, prior to Dru's arrival at the reunion, occur with remarkable ease and profound satisfaction.

As the list shortens, some by luck, others by attrition, three names remain: Richard “Dickhead” Heade, Elizabeth Jayne “Ready Betty” Baumgartner, and Michael “Mick” Dineen, head of the Pittsford Road Posse and sole perpetrator of Fee's greatest humiliation.

Rory McElroy and Druzilla Horvath (from Embraceable You) ...Award winning photo-journalist Druzilla Horvath travels the world, documenting human rights abuses, a vocation which helps in the avoidance of taking risks with her heart. ...Everyday working stiff, a two-time loser when it comes to women, wants nothing to do with another relationship, thank you very much. ...But when Dru comes back into his life, Rory's not sure which poses the greater threat: protecting her from third-world thugs who want to silence permanently--or allowing the one woman who captured his heart years ago to embrace him forever.

“In Vengeance Is Mine the most immediate goal is to survive the Eastman Awards banquet portion of the reunion without committing individual acts of violence,” Kat said. “Watching the school bullies as they are brought to their knees is icing on the cake. To continue serving the needs of the community, on a whole and individually is a secondary goal. To continue thriving in their chosen professions is a tertiary goal.”

Also having an important role are: Dwight “Deege” Thurgood; deceased; life long friend of Rafe Archangeli and Rory McElroy, his generosity and perseverance not only saved Rafe's life but prolonged it by bequeathing Rafe the Thurgood Trust, an avenue for him to make living amends. Elizabeth Jayne (Ready Betty) Baumgartner; spoiled, self-absorbed rich girl who bullied and brow beat those who were different dating back to grade school. In Vengeance is Mine, as Co-Chair of the reunion, she continues to throw her weight around--now she uses the influence of her husband in the pursuance of her ambition. Richard (Dickhead) Heade; Chief of Police for Summerville New York, Dickhead was the school nerd and playground bully, ably abetted by Ready Betty who later became his wife. As a teenager he was instrumental in running Rafe Archangeli and Fiona Thorpe out of town. As Chief he is determined Rafe won't stick around town long after Deege Thurgood's funeral. A bone sticking in Dickheade's craw is Rafe's continued presence in town as well as the promotion of Rory McElroy, Mister Clean of local law enforcement, to Sheriff of Bison County. Sister Gabriella Racz, a member of the order of Sisters of Social Service, she guided the now defunct House of Angels, a home for orphaned and abandoned children, sponsored by the local Catholic diocese. It was Sister Gaby who introduced Dru Horvath, one of her charges, to a used Kodak point and shoot camera which led to Dru's status as a double Pulitzer winner.

The two main villains in Vengeance Is Mine are Beth and Dick Heade, former playground bullies and current chairs of the reunion committee. She is the local real estate guru; he is the Chief of Police in Summerville. Two more self-absorbed and narcissistic individuals are rarely found on this planet. The surprises just keep on coming to these two, first when Rafe returns to town and decides to stay to manage the Thurgood Trust, then learning that two of the honored guest at the reunion banquet are their favored 'victims' from back in the day.

The key elements in Vengeance Is Mine are: One can survive adversity and thrive, follow your dreams, and giving to others who are in need will return ten-fold--and make you a better person. “We all knew them: the bad boy; the fat girl; the one who never talked; the one who had a horrendous home life; the one with physical challenges,” Kat said. “Did we help them then? Did we befriend them? What can we do now to atone for our failures and faults? Another message concerns recovery from alcohol and/or drug abuse: Taking advantage of the twelve-steps, one day at a time, relying on a higher power; if one makes it their main goal and works for it, it can be done.”

You can find more about Kat and her book here:
www.Pinterest.com/KatHenryDoran
www.WildWomenAuthorsx2.blogspot.com
www.Amazon.com/dp/1533214514

Let’s get a closer look at Vengeance Is Mine.

Revenge: a dish best served warm and toasty. 
Ever think about going back to study hall to face down the school bully? 
The mean girls? 
The brainless jocks who make your life a pure misery? 
For Dru Horvath, Gypsy orphan turned Pulitzer Prize winner; Rafe Archangeli, the Scourge of Summerville who now leads a multi-million dollar trust; and Fiona “Fat Aggie” Thorpe who recreated herself into an A-list model with her own A-list agency, the opportunity to exact revenge is too good to pass up. 
Will they find the vengeance they crave? 
Or something more valuable?

Open Book - Torn Away

Today we are opening the book pages of Torn Away by author, Vincent Morrone. Vincent is sharing the inside scoop on his sensual heated, romance suspense where you’ll find mystery, murder, and family drama.

Torn Away was published on November 01, 2107 by The Wild Rose Press, and was the first place winner of the 2016 Saratoga RWA’s Great Beginnings Contest.

Vincent wanted a title using a word that could be carried through a three book series. “Something simple, yet dramatic that resonated with the theme of the book,” Vincent said. “The main character was torn away from his sisters when he was in high school when he was arrested for murder. A young boy has his mother torn away just as they were starting to rebuild their life. The word Torn just seemed to fit. It had the emotional resonance I was looking for, and I liked the visual image. I also wanted a one syllable word to be used in each title so the series could be joined.”

The inspiration for Torn Away was created from so many little things that came together. “I wanted to write a three part series, centered around a broken family, coming together to help a child who had been victimized his entire life, Vincent explained. “In doing so, it helps the family heal. A brother and sister who grew up with horrific abuse, and their friend who has stood by them. I also wanted to work with a character who came from such a dark place, had been through so much, but still represented the best of what being a man is. Not only someone who protects, but who teaches a young boy what it is to be a good man, even if he can’t believe that he is a good man himself. Showing a boy that it’s okay to cry. That when men made mistakes, they own them, apologize and try and make amends.”

The theme for Torn Away is about a man who came from horrific abuse and faces a town where everyone thinks he got away with murder. He comes back home to protect his nephew.

Torn Away is set in a fictional town in Upstate NY called Ember Falls. It’s based on Saratoga Springs NY, which is where Vincent lives (see photo).

We asked why someone would want to live there and Vincent explained, “That’s an interesting question because of the story itself. The main character notes that there’s nothing wrong with the town, even though his life as a child was a nightmare. Ember Falls isn’t a very small town. It’s a modern town that has the same feel as living in beautiful Upstate NY, but for years the police and political side was fairly corrupt. That’s not the case anymore. For the record, Ember Falls is based on where I live, Saratoga Springs NY, but only in a visual sense. Not in the bad stuff.”

In Torn Away you will meet the hero, Drew Duncan who is one of a set of triplets. He and his sisters lost their mother when they were seven, and were raised by their father who was a cruel, sadistic alcoholic. Drew’s entire self-worth was built into the idea that it was his job to protect his sisters. When he was a senior in high school, he was arrested when his girlfriend Molly Winters disappeared. He held for a trial that would never come and pressured to plead guilty from everyone from the DA, his defense attorney and even his own father. Eventually, he was released and believing everyone believed he was a killer, he left town. He served in the marines. Eventually, he became a part of McAlister Security, where he became point man for General Paul McAlister, once again fulfilling his need to protect. When one sister is killed, he returns home to look after his nephew, an eight year old boy who trembles whenever he walks into the room. It doesn’t help that Drew is a former marine, built like a pro wrestler. He has a black phoenix tattoo on his right arm to his chest.

Drew meets the heroine, Samantha Rossi. Sam is a young police officer who is partnered with a guy who Drew bullied as a child, because he was (and still is) crushing on his other sister. Sam isn’t ready for a relationship. She was engaged once to a man who cheated on her, and hit her when she confronted him. (She responded by breaking his nose) She just recently lost her parents in a car accident who were coming to see her because she was upset. She isn’t someone who deals well with secrets, and Drew has tons of them. But there’s something about Drew that pulls at her. A man that survived so much, yet is still capable of such love. And for Drew, a man who has never been able to open up about his past, there’s something about Sam that gets him to open up about what he experienced growing up. She sees through him in a way nobody else has. Sam currently lives with her Nana, who is a freewheeling, country dancing woman who has more of a social life than her granddaughter. Sam had a crush on Drew as a child, but never really knew him. She also has no idea how her life was nearly destroyed as a child by the darkness that surrounds Drew. She’s Italian, with olive skin, and eyes the color of chocolate.

“An important factor for Drew is after his sister Kelli is murdered, Drew comes back to Ember falls to protect her son Cole,” Vincent said. “Right before she was killed, Kelli sent an email to Drew. The idea of going anywhere near Ember Falls terrifies him, but he wants his sisters back. It’s clear that Cole’s stepfather was extremely abusive, and Drew desperately wants to help Cole recover, to earn his trust and protect him. Kelli wanted Drew, Ashley and their friend Lilly to be Cole’s guardians. Drew also needs to earn his other sister’s forgiveness. After being released from prison, Drew left and never contacted his family. Ashley refuses to accept him back, believing he’ll just leave again. And of course, Drew wants to find out who killed his sister, and why. How is it tied in to the disappearance of his high school girl friend from a decade ago and who was willing to kill Kelli to keep Drew from coming back to town.”

There’s an ensemble cast in Torn Away. The most important character besides the main character is Cole, an eight year old child who lived most of his young life with his mother and stepfather. The stepfather (Who was in jail at the time of Kelli’s murder) was clearly very abusive, more so than Drew’s own father. Cole wants to believe Drew won’t hurt him, but he can’t help but shake in fear whenever Drew enters the room. He’s a quiet boy who likes to lose himself in books and dreams of one day becoming an author himself. His stories will become more important in the next book.

Ashley is Drew’s surviving sister, a hot tempered woman who, like Drew, suffered tremendous abuse at the hands of their father. Drew would lock her and their sister Kelli in a closet when their father was on a rampage, leaving Drew to face him on his own. Growing up, he was her hero, but when he left town without a word, she broke, and refuses to forgive him. She greets her returning brother with scorn, despite the fact that she just wants to beg him to never leave again. She’s desperate to be there for Cole, and will do anything for that little boy.

Lilly is their childhood friend. Ashley and Lilly own a small bookstore, and she and Ashley live in the house she inherited from her grandmother. She loves Cole as much as she would a child of her own. Lilly is a pixie of a girl, with fiery red hair. Patient and kind, Lilly helps balance out the tempers of Drew and Ashley. 

Ollie is a local police officer. His mother is the new Chief of Police who has done everything she can to clean up the department. A nerd at heart, Ollie has been secretly in love with Ashley since they were children. Secretly in this case means everyone knows but Ashley. As a kid, Drew bullied him, not liking the fact that Ollie always stuck close to his sister, but that never stopped Ollie. He and Drew both want the same things, to protect Cole, but can Ollie get past how Drew treated him as a kid?

Paul McAlister, AKA the General. His grandson was buddies in Iraq with Drew, killed in action. He has become a surrogate father for Drew.

“As the story opens up with the murder of Drew’s sister Kelli, the obvious villain is whoever is behind that,” Vincent explained. “And I can’t tell you much because that would spoil the story. Of course, there’s more to what happened to Kelli that plays out over the three book series, but the actual killer comes to light in book one.”

“There’s Drew’s alcoholic father who was extraordinarily abusive to all of his children. Knowing how bad it was puts him on the suspect list, but understanding the depravity of it, also means he didn’t kill her. And underneath it all is Edward Hunter. He married Kelli after Cole’s biological father disappeared on them, taking all of Kelli’s savings. However, Kelli described him as being even more of a monster than their own father. While he never claimed Cole as his son, the kid is still terrified of what will happen in Hunter comes to Ember Falls.”

Vincent said Torn Away is an emotional story, where you see how childhood abuse affects someone. “An inability to form attachments, the need for outside validation. Self-worth being attached to how others see you. Feeling as if you deserve whatever abuse you get,” he said. “It’s also a story about coming together, dealing with your own demons, to be there for a child in need. One thing that the main characters all agree on is that Cole comes first.”

While Torn Away deals with some pretty dark material, there’s a lot of heart, tender moments, and quite a lot of laughter. “I’ve always had a strong sense of humor that comes out in my writing,” Vincent said.

One of the main aspects Vincent wants readers to take away from this story is that the love of family can help people survive the worst things imaginable.

Torn Away is part of a series. “Torn Away is book one and available now,” Vincent said. “Torn in Two is in the galley stage.” Keep an eye out on Vincent’s twitter and webpage for a release date. And Torn to Pieces is the finale. “In book two, we’ll see Ollie and Ashley’s story,” Vincent added. “After years of being in love with her, will he finally get the chance at a real relationship? Will Ashley be able to accept love from the one man who represents all that’s right with the world? Cole will continue to heal, but he’ll have to face more issues. The closer his family gets to the truth, the closer they come to his worst fear. Plus, as much as he went through in book one, Drew’s story isn’t finished. In book three, Lilly will get her turn in the spotlight. If you pay close attention to book one and two, you’ll see hints of who will be put in her path. That book will finally answer why Drew was framed for Molly Winters murder.”

You can find more about Vincent and his books here: https://vincentmorrone.com/
https://vincentmorrone.com/my-thoughts
https://www.facebook.com/Morrrone/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Torn-Away-Book-1-ebook/dp/B075VHRPDB/ref=la_B00HPIE1SC_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1523211443&sr=1-1
The Wild Rose Press: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/5331-torn-away.html
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Vincent_Morrone_Torn_Away?id=0fw6DwAAQBAJ
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/torn-away-vincent-morrone/1123871717?ean=2940158881329

Let’s get a closer look at Torn Away.

To protect his nephew from a killer, former Marine Drew Duncan will face his greatest fear. Going home. 

Drew Duncan swore he’d never go back to Ember Falls again. After he was wrongfully charged with his high school girlfriend’s murder, he waited for a trial that never came. When he was released from jail a year later, he left everything behind. But when his sister is murdered, Drew is forced to return to the hometown where he and his sisters were brutalized by their alcoholic father. 

Once back, not even his training as a Marine and point man for McAlister Security prepares Drew for what he must face--a surviving sister who refuses to forgive him for abandoning her, a nephew who trembles when he enters the room, and an entire town that thinks he got away with murder. To protect his nephew, Drew will face his most terrifying fear. Going home.