TinasBookReviews

Book Review~And When She was Good by Laura Lippman

2013-06-19T11:53:00.000-04:00

June 4, 2013 (Paperback reprint) by William Morrow

Paperback, 336 Pages

Adult-Crime Mystery

Warning: Mild Langauge, violence, prostitution

3/5- Stars

In the comfortable suburb where Heloise Lewis lives, she’s just a mom, the youngish widow with a forgettable job who somehow never misses a soccer game or a school play. In the state capitol, she’s the redheaded lobbyist with a good cause and a mediocre track record.

But in discreet hotel rooms throughout the area, she’s the woman of your dreams—if you can afford her hourly fee.

But now, after a decade, her secret life is under siege. Her once oblivious accountant is asking loaded questions. Her longtime protector is hinting at new dangers. Her employees can’t be trusted. One county over, another so-called suburban madam has been found dead in her car, a suicide. Or is it? And then she learns that her son’s father, a killer and former pimp, might be released from prison. With no formal education, no real family, and no friends, Heloise has to remake her life—again. Disappearing will be the easy part. The trick will be living long enough to start a new life.

Thoughts

When She was Good was a very interesting story and one that was thought provoking diving into. Not so much was this book about the act of prostitution but more so the business of running prostitution and the crappy childhood of main character Heloise aka single soccer mom, aka suburban madam.

While the book was defiantly intriguing it was more a tale of a woman with a broken childhood turned prostitute, turned business woman, than the mystery I was expecting. The plot driven by a good madam verses mean pimp had a twist of suspense but mostly fell into a tad one sided dialog on the issue of legalizing prostitution or at least built up to that point in the end. Obviously main character Heloise represented a scenario where she could run a profitable business in the sex service industry, while her previous pimp was the typical power, money hungry man who exploits and hurts his girls. The book while highlighting the good and the bad failed to represented the moral magnitude of the problem itself. Im sure Lippman wanted to give her readers a good "who done it" vibe but I couldn't shake the feeling while reading that Heliose was made out to be a character whom we sympathized with and than emotionally manipulated to justify the prostitution in the story. No matter what even if prostitution were made legal with legit business owners there will always be women who are degraded, trafficked and under age girls who are and will be exploited. A madam in the end is just a pimp with lipstick and for every one that is good, you have thirty who are bad.

~Thanks to TLC book tours and William Morrow for review copy.

Laura Lippman grew up in Baltimore and returned to her hometown in 1989 to work as a journalist. After writing seven books while still a full-time reporter, she left the Baltimore Sun to focus on fiction. The author of two New York Times bestsellers, What the Dead Knowand Another Thing to Fall, she has won numerous awards for her work, including the Edgar, Quill, Anthony, Nero Wolfe, Agatha, Gumshoe, Barry, and Macavity.

To learn more about Laura’s work, visit her website or connect with her on Facebook.

Shelf Cravings {64}

2013-06-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

Its time for Shelf Cravings!! A random dish on all things book.

New releases, coming soon, just discovered and deals for my Kindle. This week Im excited for:

~COMING SOON~

Running Lean by Dana Sharples
August 6, 2013 by Zondervan

Running Lean [run·ning leen]

A term referring to a deficiency of fuel in the fuel-to-air ratio of an internal combustion engine. A physical condition where not enough caloric fuel is present for optimal performance of the body. A spiritual condition in which a believer relies on his own strengths.

Equilibrium. That’s what Stacey and Calvin found in each other. He is as solid as his beloved vintage motorcycle and helps quiet the constant clamor in Stacey’s mind. She is a passionate, creative spirit—and a lifeline after Calvin’s soldier brother dies.

But lately the balance is off. Calvin’s grief is taking new and more dangerous forms. Voices of self-loathing are dominating Stacey’s life. When struggles with body image threaten her health, Calvin can’t bear to lose another person that he loves. Taking action may destroy their relationship, but the alternative could be much more costly.

Welcome to Last Chance by Cathleen Armstrong
August 2013 by Revell Books

The red warning light on her car dashboard drove Lainie Davis to seek help in the tiny town of Last Chance, New Mexico. But as she encounters the people who make Last Chance their home, it’s her heart that is flashing bright red warning lights. These people are entirely too nice, too accommodating, and too interested in her personal life for Lainie’s comfort-especially since she’s on the run and hoping to slip away unnoticed.

Yet in spite of herself, Lainie finds that she is increasingly drawn in to the dramas of small town life. An old church lady who always has room for a stranger. A handsome bartender with a secret life. A single mom running her diner and worrying over her teenage son. Could Lainie actually make a life in this little hick town? Or will the past catch up to her even here in the middle of nowhere?

Cathleen Armstrong pens a debut novel filled with complex, lovable characters making their way through life and relationships the best they can. Her evocative descriptions, observational humor, and talent at rendering romantic scenes will earn her many fans.

The Returned by Jason Mott
August 27, 2013 by Harlequin

"Jacob was time out of sync, time more perfect than it had been. He was life the way it was supposed to be all those years ago. That's what all the Returned were." Harold and Lucille Hargrave's lives have been both joyful and sorrowful in the decades since their only son, Jacob, died tragically at his eighth birthday party in 1966. In their old age they've settled comfortably into life without him, their wounds tempered through the grace of time. Until one day Jacob mysteriously appears on their doorstep—flesh and blood, their sweet, precocious child, still eight years old.

All over the world people's loved ones are returning from beyond. No one knows how or why this is happening, whether it's a miracle or a sign of the end. Not even Harold and Lucille can agree on whether the boy is real or a wondrous imitation, but one thing they know for sure: he's their son. As chaos erupts around the globe, the newly reunited Hargrave family finds itself at the center of a community on the brink of collapse, forced to navigate a mysterious new reality and a conflict that threatens to unravel the very meaning of what it is to be human.

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
August 20, 2013 by Bloomsbury

It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.

But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.

Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.

Letters to Nowwhere by Julie Cross
August 1, 2013- Indie

Seventeen year old Karen Campbell has just lost both her parents in a tragic car accident. Grief stricken and alone, her gymnastics coach opens his home to Karen, providing her a place to live while she continues to train, working toward a spot on the world championship team.

Coach Bentley’s only child, seventeen year old Jordan is good-looking and charming enough to scare away a girl like Karen—someone who has spent ten times more hours on balance beams and uneven bars than talking or even thinking about boys. But the two teens share a special connection almost immediately. It turns out Jordan has a tragic past of his own, grief buried for years.

As Karen’s gymnastics career soars, her nightmares and visions of the horrible accident grow in strength. She can only avoid facing her grief for so long before it begins to surface and ultimately spin out of control in a very dangerous way. Can discovering love and lust (simultaneously) help with the grieving process or will it only provide a temporary distraction while waiting for reality to hit full force.

The Art of Love by Anne Whitney
June 18, 2013 by Anne Whitney- Indie

Marina Phillips has spent her entire life as her father’s victim. But enough is enough. All it took was one moment of realization to send her fleeing across the country into the unknown of New York City with no plans and no money. A new life without the constant torture is all she wants, but what she finds waiting is something she never expected.

Fitz is New York’s premiere playboy artist. Sexy, tattooed, and coveted by women and men alike, his performances are heralded as the coming of a new god of modern art. But when Marina wanders into his show, she becomes the inadvertent piece he’s always waited for – a girl to sculpt, to change, and to craft in his own image.

She never expects to fall head over heels into the world of parties, drag queens, agents, and artists craving for her and her benefactor. She didn’t even expect to begin falling in love with someone like Fitz, the sexy, pretentious man of her nightmares. Above all, Marina never expects her father to stage a cross-country mission to paint her as a kidnapped girl taken by a psychopath. With her life on the line, Marina has no choice but to accept Fitz’s proposal – change everything she is, inside and out, for the chance to start anew. But Marina has plans of her own. Plans that will rock her world forever.

~New Releases Im Dying to Read~

Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick
April 30, 2013 by Scholastic Press

When eighteen-year-old Becky Randle’s mother dies, she’s summoned from her Missouri trailer park to meet Tom Kelly, the world’s top designer. He makes her an impossible offer: He’ll create three dresses to transform Becky from a nothing special girl into the most beautiful woman who ever lived.

Becky thinks Tom is a lunatic, or that he’s producing a hidden camera show called World’s Most Gullible Poor People. But she accepts, and she’s remade as Rebecca. When Becky looks in the mirror, she sees herself – an awkward mess of split ends and cankles. But when anyone else looks at Becky, they see pure five-alarm hotness.

Soon Rebecca is on the cover of Vogue, the new Hollywood darling, and dating celebrities. Then Becky meets Prince Gregory, heir to the British throne, and everything starts to crumble. Because Rebecca aside, Becky loves him. But to love her back, Gregory would have to look past the blinding Rebecca to see the real girl inside. And Becky knows there’s not enough magic in the world.

The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud
April 30, 2013 by A.A Knopf

Nora Eldridge, a 37-year-old elementary school teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is on the verge of disappearing. Having abandoned her desire to be an artist, she has become the "woman upstairs," a reliable friend and tidy neighbour always on the fringe of others' achievements. Then into her classroom walks a new pupil, Reza Shahid, a child who enchants as if from a fairy tale. He and his parents--dashing Skandar, a half-Muslim Professor of Ethical History born in Beirut, and Sirena, an effortlessly glamorous Italian artist--have come to America for Skandar to teach at Harvard.

But one afternoon, Reza is attacked by schoolyard bullies who punch, push and call him a "terrorist," and Nora is quickly drawn deep into the complex world of the Shahid family. Soon she finds herself falling in love with them, separately and together. Nora's happiness explodes her boundaries--until Sirena's own ambition leads to a shattering betrayal.

Wow, Wow, Wow! Those books look so awesome. I just received a copy of The Returned and after reading half the book I can tell you its going to be a great hit!! Cant wait to dive into all these great reads, which one looks good to you?

EBOOK PURCHASES

Over the last few weeks, Ive lucked out on some great freebies and sales, here is what I picked up.

Shoe Strings by Christy Hayes (Free)- FREE NOW.
Everything Changes by Shey Stahl -.99 Cents (Sale Price)
Second Rate Chances by Holly Stephens- .99 Cents (On Sale NOW)
Im Not Her by Janet Gurtler- Downloaded when Free
Emancipating Andie by Priscilla Glenn- .99 Cents (Sale Price)
To be Maria by Deanna Proach- Downloaded when Free
The Reverse Commute by Sheila Blanchette- Downloaded when Free
No Attachments by Tiffany King- .99 Cents (Sale Price)

Blog Tour~ The Georgia Corbins and author Kara Leigh Miller, with Music and Giveaways!!!

2013-06-17T11:06:00.001-04:00

Hello readers, welcome to The Georgia Corbins Blog Tour! Please enjoy this fun guest post from author Kara Leigh Miller and an exciting giveaway at the end.

The Music Behind The Georgia Corbins

by Kara Leigh Miller

You know when you're watching a movie and there's the perfect song playing in the background that sets the entire mood for the scene? Yeah, I often hear those perfect songs in my head as I'm writing. The right song can take a scene from mediocre to stellar. And when I find that song, I'll put it on repeat and listen to it as often as necessary until the scene is as great as I can make it.

Today, I'm counting down the top 5 songs that influenced me during the writing of The Georgia Corbins. I'll even tell you what scene they came from!

5. Watermelon Crawl by Tracy Byrd – The group dance at prom. This is just a really fun, upbeat song that got me in the mood to dance. When writing this scene, I was actually torn between this song and Boot Scootin' Boogie by Brooks and Dunn. Either one was perfect in my mind. So, I solved the problem the old fashioned way. I told my daughter to pick one of these songs, and then we played Rock-Paper-Scissors.

4. 5-1-5-0 by Dierks Bentley – The field parties. Every time I would picture my characters at the field, getting drunk, partying, acting like teenagers, I'd hear this song.

**FUN FACT** 5-0 is slang for police and 5-1 is a penal code number for a mentally unstable person on the loose.

3. Georgia Peaches by Lauren Alaina – This was my theme song for the entire book and for Ali. If you haven't heard this song, I highly recommend you go to YouTube and look it up. It really captured the personality of all my characters, and the south in general.

2. The One That Got Away by Jake Owen – When Ali finally makes her choice and the brother she didn't choose (sorry, I'm not giving that away) was forced to watch her with the one she did choose. I'll admit, I cried a lot during the writing of those scenes.

1. You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This by Toby Keith – Ali and Levi's slow dance at prom. I still swoon when I think of this scene. It's my all-time favorite. This song was absolutely perfect. It's like every lyric was written specifically for Ali and Levi during this scene.

I should add that country music as a whole played a large part in this novel. I was obsessed with Country Music Television and it was always on while I was writing.

So, what's your favorite type of music? Is there a particular song that makes you think of your favorite scene in a book?

Born and raised in the small town of Mexico, New York, Kara was an only child who was forced to find ways to entertain herself. Playing make believe with her Barbie dolls and stuffed animals was her first real taste of storytelling before she became old enough to develop a love affair with the written word. In early 2010, Kara picked up her very first erotic romance novel, and she was instantly hooked. She loves to write contemporary romance, erotica, and young adult romance. Currently she has several full-length novels in the works, a series of novellas, and a handful of short stories. Kara is an active member of the CNY Creative Writers Café and the CNY Romance Writers. Today, Kara resides in New Haven, New York with her husband, five kids, and three cats. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s thinking about reading and writing. And when she’s not doing that, she’s spending time with her family and friends.

To celebrate the release of The Georgia Corbins, Kara Leigh Miller is giving away exciting prizes. The Grand Prize, which is open to US residents only, includes a signed copy of The Georgia Corbins, The Georgia Corbins hardcover journal and postcards, The Georgia Corbins tote bag, Kara Leigh Miller pens and notebooks, and Legasea bookmarks.

Second and third prizes are an ebook copy of The Georgia Corbins, and one lucky person will win a first chapter critique. International entries are welcome. Good luck! Winners will be announced July 1^st.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Saturday Spotlight with Thomas Christopher and Free Download of Never Too Far

2013-06-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature that shines the light on Indie and Debut authors. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

Thomas Christopher

~Author of Never Too Far~

Please enjoy this fun excerpt of Thomas's book!

Mary surprised Joe by knocking his arms away. She was stronger than she looked.

Then she swept her legs off the bed and sprang to her feet. She took two steps and turned to face him as if to prove there was nothing wrong with her. But there was definitely something wrong. She wavered a moment. Her already white face turned ghostly. Her eyelids trembled. She seemed to realize she was becoming faint, and what that meant.

“I’m fine,” she said. “You don’t have to go.”

Joe got ready to catch her in case she fell, but somehow she held herself steady.

“It’s okay,” Joe said. “Just sit down. I will go find some food.”

Joe inched toward her. He was afraid to grab her again because she might try to wrench free once more and really fall. When she coughed, her little shoulders jerked and her round stomach jumped. Her head was drooped low and her hair hung down so he couldn't see her face at all.

“Come on, lay down,” Joe said.

She didn't move. Joe stepped toward her, but before he could put his arms around her, she tilted forward and rested the crown of her head against his chest. He slid his arms along the sides of her hard belly and around her waist. Then he shifted her toward the bed again.

She moved like a bundle of empty sacks in his arms. He set her gently on the bed before he bent down to lift her feet onto the sheets. After he sat in the chair, Mary asked him, “What if you don’t come back?”

“That’s not going to happen,” Joe said. “How do you know?” “I just know. You have to trust me.”

Thomas Christopher grew up in Iowa. He received his MFA from Western Michigan University. His short stories have appeared in The Louisville Review, The MacGuffin, Redivider, and Cooweescoowee. He was also awarded an Irving S. Gilmore Emerging Artist Grant and was a finalist for the Matthew Clark Prize in Fiction. He lives in Wisconsin with his wife and son.

Learn more about him here: http://thomaschristopher.weebly.com/

Todays Spotlight also coincides with Thomas's blog tour hosted by Black Lion Tours, for today only you can download a free copy of this book!

FROM JUNE 13th to 15th find this amazing book FREE on Amazon!

DOWNLOAD THE BOOK HERE.

Book Synopsis

A harrowing story of love and survival. In a future of scarce resources, where the possession of gas and diesel is punishable by death, a teenage boy and a pregnant girl must save their impoverished family. They risk their lives on a terrifying journey to sell stolen fuel on the black market.

Book Review~Golden by Jessi Kirby

2013-06-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

May 14th 2013 by Simon & Schuster
Young Adult-Contemporary
Hardcover, 278 Pages
Warnings: Mild sexuality, language
Review Copy/E-galley download
5/5 Stars (Ages-15&up)

At 17, Parker Frost is getting ready to embark on a huge phase in her life, graduation and attending Stanford in the fall. All of her hard work, all of the sacrifices she's made by working her butt off and not enjoying party's and fun are finally going to pay off. The only thing left to figure out: paying for it all. Chance would have it that Parker is up for a phenomenal scholarship, one that comes from the Cruz family, also known as the family of the towns previous golden boy Shane who died with his girlfriend in a car accident ten years earlier. All she needs to do is deliver a killer speech, and she's sure to have it in the bag. Her mother expects Parker to have it in the bag, and always playing it safe just like the last four years, she plans to spend her last few weeks on the straight and narrow.

Fate intervenes in a huge way, one that Parker wasn't expecting when she begins her last school project as a TA for her English teacher. The assignment- mail out old journals to previous graduates, something Mr. Kinney does for all his prior students, and has all his seniors do every year before graduating. The journals serve as purpose so students can reflect back on their 17/18 year old voices and see if they gave up, took a risk, and really lived life the way they said they would. When Parker stumbles upon Julianna Farnetti's journal (Shane's girlfriend who mysteriously died with him) she's shocked and soon becomes overtaken with the idea of reading her thoughts. She fights it at first but soon succumbs to the draw of the unknown words before her. As long as no one knows or finds out its like remembering her from the grave, or making her memory real to at least one person who knows her thoughts. What she learns is shocking, overwhelming and completely life changing. Julianna and Shane were hailed and remembered as the "it" couple, dying to young and forever immortalized as the towns lost heroes, they even have a billboard welcoming tourists with their golden prom picture faces. After reading Julianna's journal Parker knows the town really knew nothing about the girl who died, that she in life and in death remains Shane's shadow or that the events that unfolded leading up to that fateful night have a much bigger story than anyone dared to realize.

Taking a real risk for the first time in her life, Parker decides to follow her heart and not her head when she recruits her best friend and long time boy crush on a road trip chasing down the last details of the mystery Julianna left behind. One that could potentially change the course of many peoples lives and Parker's forever.

I absolutely loved and adored this book. The name Golden is fitting, as this is a YA book that stands out as gold among the thousands out there to choose from. I loved that Parker, who is personified in this story as a good girl taking a risk, still maintains a level head and comes off as a great role model for teen girls. She's defiantly not perfect and has a few issues, but she has aspirations and a plan for her future or at least in the end has a giant glimmer of how she sees herself. College, career, family and art play front and center and while she loves a boy she is not wrapped up in that boy, life lives outside of romance and the books reality is refreshing.

A must read for the summer, and especially for young adult contemporary fans. With a twist of mystery and slight twist of romance, Golden is sure to keep you reading past sunset.

Book Review~Never Tell by Alafair Burke

2013-06-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

May 14, 2013 by Harper Paperbacks
Paperback: 384 pages
Adult-Thriller/Suspense

Warning: Graphic Violence, language, sexuality, murder

Review Copy

4/5 Stars

Even a perfect family has its secrets.

Sixteen-year-old Julia Whitmire appeared to have everything: a famous father, a luxurious Manhattan town house, a coveted spot at the elite Casden prep school. When she is found dead in her bathtub, a handwritten suicide note left on her bed, her parents insist that their daughter would never take her own life. But Julia’s enviable world was more complicated than it seemed. The pressure to excel at Casden was enormous. Abuse of prescription drugs ran rampant among students. And a search of Julia’s computer reveals that she’d been engaged in a dangerous game of cyberbullying against an unlikely victim.

NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher is convinced the case is a suicide, but she knows from personal experience that a loving family can be the last to accept the truth. As she is pressured to pursue a case she doesn't believe in, she is pulled into Julia’s inner circle—an eclectic mix of precocious teenagers from Manhattan’s most privileged families as well as street kids from Greenwich Village. But when the target of Julia’s harassment continues to receive death threats, Ellie is forced to acknowledge that Julia may have learned the hard way that some secrets should never be told.

Thoughts

This was my first Burke experience, and it certainly wont be my last.

While I can't share too much about my reading experience as it spoils the plot, I can tell you this was my first Ellie Hatcher mystery and in the beginning I was afraid I would miss some background or character connection, but my likeness for Ellie was almost immediate and I never had a hard time catching up with her life or finding a way to relate to her. Not only does Burke offer a fantastic book straight out of an SVU (only much better) episode, she also offers real life drama, romance and everyday scenarios. I enjoyed that even though the book was riddled with dark topics she broke it up with humor, laughter and some sad moments, making the book a complete package. Nothing screams thrilling mystery better than a story that leaves you guessing at every turn. I loved the spins Burke created in the story to twist my thoughts into mini freak outs, meaning: when I thought I had it figured out, a page later my idea would get blown to bits.

What I found most impressive about this complicated layered upon layered story was how well developed each character was written. Not once did I have a problem transitioning or getting lost inside each point of view and every issue thrown at me as the reader. Never did I lose interest or stop guessing until the very end. It was truly a great reading experience and one that many will have a blast taking.

Highly recommended to readers who love intense murder mysteries and crime thrillers.

~Thanks to Harper and TLC Book Tours for review copy~

Alafair Burke is the bestselling author of nine novels, including the thrillers Long Gone and If You Were Here, and the Ellie Hatcher series: 212, Angel’s Tip, and Dead Connection. A former prosecutor, she now teaches criminal law and lives in Manhattan. Find out more about Alafair at her website, connect with her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

Mini~Reviews Featuring Falling Into You, Undeniable & Stealing Harper

2013-06-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

Its time for Mini~Reviews, where I get out a few thoughts on a bundle of books I've read. Short, sweet and to the point. This week Im taking on Indies and contemporary romances..

Falling into You by Jasinda Wilder
March 14, 2013 (Indie)
Contemporary Romance
Purchased
Warning-Graphic Sexuality, language
3/5 Stars

So I get it, I get why everyone is going ga-ga over this book, the first half is just amazing. A sweet story about a girl named Nell and a boy named Kyle who grow up as next door neighbors, forever best friends, and eventually teenage lovers.

I fell in love with their story, I adored the entire concept of having all our firsts together and watching the couple fall in love and the journey into adulthood. Sadly while I knew a death was coming it was heartbreaking when it came. Obviously I knew the story was going to change drastically but I was hoping maybe somehow through Nell's grief we would get a new tender, more mature romance when the older brother Colton came into the picture.

Jumping into the second phase the book though kind of threw me for a loop with my face looking much like this...................

The girl Nell was in part one certainly did die with Kyle and she became an annoying exacerbated character for the duration, to the point that she was completely unrecognizable. The book centered around self mutilation (cutting) and self destruction (drinking) and more specifically A TON of sex, and not great sex if that makes sense. Colton and Nell's relationship in a nutshell is downright weird, and reading through the ever loving long 6 page sex romps wasn't sensual or even romantic, the scenes themselves resembled text book sex and raunchy descriptions that were more off-putting than enticing. Ill admit after 1,2,3 and 20 sex scenes later, I just skimmed them trying to connect to any type of emotion the characters had. Outside of what I loved in the first half I failed to connect to anything, the reactions were very over dramatic for both Nell and Colton and coping was nonexistent.

For part one I would give this 4/5 stars, for part two I would give this 2/5 stars and would only recommend this to serious romance readers who like graphic descriptions in the sex department. You will either love this or hate this, but for sure will find something to talk about when it comes to its tragic, doomed, self-loathing characters who find somewhat messed up happily ever afters.

Undeniable by Madeline Sheehan
October 7, 2012- Indie-
Kindle-332 Pages
Contemporary Romance
Purchased
Warning- Graphic sexuality, graphic violence, language, rape
3/5 Stars

This was such a train wreck! I wanted to run away from this book, yet the horror of it made me not look away, I couldn't help myself, I got all tangled up in the wreckage. That wreckage being all about a girl named Eva who grows up with her motorcycle gang father and lives life in the midst of drugs, crime and biker whores. Whats a day for Eva's typical 5 year old life? Oh just trips to jail and meeting people with names like Razor and Shank, and of course meeting her soon to be soul mate who is only 17 years older than her. Yay, fun times ahead!

Admittedly the relationship was downright creepy, knowing that this character at five years old was going to be in bed with this older man at some point turned my stomach, although the sexual encounter doesn't happen until she's 16 and later at 20, nonetheless was still disturbing.

I wanted to love all the characters and I wanted to slap all of the characters, I wanted to see them redeemed in some way, to see them come out better than they were in the beginning. To see something good out of the trash life they were all living, I guess I was looking for a Sons of Anarchy vibe and on that count I certainly got it.

I saw glimmers and a few shreds of hope but for the most part just sat in a what the hell haze thinking did I seriously just read that? There are a few scenes of rape in the book that are highly revolting, not due to the tragic issue of the rape, but that in both cases Eva was able to get off on it. Outside of that (the huge elephant in the book) the plot moved along really good and the story building was everything you would except from motorcycle gang madness.

While good, its for sure not a book for the faint of heart and I would only recommend it to readers who are not easily offended.

Stealing Harper by Molly McAdams
May 21, 2013 by William Morrow
Kindle-400 Pages
Contemporary Romance
Review Copy
Warning- Sexuality, and graphic language
3.5/5 Stars

If you read McAdam's first book Taking Chances, then you know what this story is all about: a girl named Harper, who when moving away from her military dad and out on her own, falls for not one, but two beautiful totally different boys.

While she loves good-guy Brandon, she cant help but feel amazing chemistry and fire for bad-boy Chase. As each guy tries to win her heart an explosion of drama, issues and sizzling romance commence.This is Harper's story only told through eyes of Chase, its his story, his side of drama, the issues and the outcomes.

I actually liked the story from Chase's side a little bit better....but of course the end made me a blubbering fool....is it bad that I thought maybe the author would pull out a trump card and say surprise it was all a dream.......but noooooooooooo, thanks a bunches Molly McAdams!!!!!!

Blog Tour~Featuring Jennifer Wilck's The Seduction of Esther and $25 Dollar Amazon Giveaway

2013-06-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to The Seduction of Esther book tour. Today I have a special excerpt and giveaway for all you lovely readers.

The Seduction of Esther
by Jennifer Wilck

Samara ducked into the corner grocery store and swiped rain-drenched hair out of her eyes as she looked out at the street.

Rain teemed onto the Manhattan sidewalk in silver satin sheets. Cars splashed water onto the ankles of passersby with enough force to soak through the pant legs of irritated men and puddle inside the high-heeled shoes of unprepared women caught in the storm. Umbrellas prodded one another for space as people rushed from offices to subways, huddled in doorways and flagged down already full taxis in futile efforts to avoid the rain. Muttered curses at the weather mingled with hoarse apologies as commuters bumped against one another in their hurry to get somewhere—anywhere—dry. But those sounds were muted by the shuck-shuck-shuck of windshield wipers and the squeal of brakes on slippery streets.

The water poured down the front window of the store and blurred the sharp headlights of the passing cars into fuzzy, undulating splotches of yellow that danced before her eyes.

She smiled. They reminded her of Shabbat candles. She closed her eyes for a moment and time slipped away. In an instant, she was back in her grandmother’s warm, dry kitchen, her face pressed against a wide, soft bosom. The arms circling her promised safety, security and unconditional love. Her grandmother’s heartbeat thumped against her ear and infused her with calm and confidence. Her cousins chattered and the grownups laughed. China and utensils clinked. It was Friday night; the smell of brisket and challah filled the small, noisy apartment with mouth-watering scents of carrots, onions, garlic and yeast. Her stomach growled and the sound yanked Samara back to the present.

She was hungry. With a shake of her head, she reached for a shopping cart and headed down the aisle.

When I was a little girl and couldn't fall asleep, my mother would tell me to make up a story. Pretty soon, my head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Each character had a specific personality, a list of likes and dislikes, and sometimes, even a specific accent or dialect. Even as an adult, I think about the characters and stories at night before I fall asleep, or in the car on my way to or from one of my daughters’ numerous activities (hey, anything that will drown out their music is a good thing).

One day, I started writing them down (it was either that or checking into the local mental hospital—the computer was way less scary) and five years later, I’ve gotten two book contracts from Whiskey Creek Press. A Heart of Little Faith came out in June; Skin Deep is coming out in November.

In the real world, I’m the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men I know. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, reading, traveling and watching TV. In between chauffeuring my daughters to after-school activities that require an Excel spreadsheet to be kept straight, I serve on our Temple Board, train the dog we adopted from a local shelter, and cook dinners that fit the needs of four very different appetites. I also write freelance articles for magazines, newspapers, and edit newsletters.

When all of that gets overwhelming, I retreat to my computer, where I write stories that let me escape from reality. In my made-up world, the heroines are always smart, sassy and independent. The heroes are handsome and strong with just a touch of vulnerability. If I don’t like a character, I can delete him or her; if something doesn’t work, I can rewrite it. It’s very satisfying to be in control of at least one part of my life. My inspiration comes from watching the people around me and fantasizing about how I’d do things differently. I can be reached at www.jenniferwilck.com or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Wilck/201342863240160. I tweet at @JWilck.

GIVEAWAY

During the tour Jennifer will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift card and chocolate to a randomly drawn commenter. For chance to win please leave a comment, also follow the tour HERE.

Samara Goldberg has a problem even the most beautiful singing voice can’t fix. She’s a walking disaster, especially when she’s around handsome men. To make matters worse, she’s in desperate need of someone to play the character of Mordecai for the Purim spiel she’s producing and the new congregant, Nathaniel Abramson, is a perfect fit. Nathaniel is a divorced dad who’s recovering from the biggest public scandal of his life. The last thing he needs is a relationship with the choir director at his new synagogue, who also happens to be playing the lead female role of Esther in the very play he’s been coerced into joining.

Woven around the Jewish holiday of Purim, The Seduction of Esther is a story of two people whose lives mirror the plot of the Purim story. Like Esther, who had to hide her Jewish identity from the King of Persia, Samara and Nathaniel are hiding key pieces of themselves. Evil Haman wanted to destroy the Jews, and the nasty Josh will do anything to keep Samara and Nathaniel apart. Will their love survive, like the Jewish people in Shushan, Persia, or will their fear keep them apart?

The Saturday Spotlight with Laurel Garver and Giveaway of Never Gone, Plus Amazon Giftcard

2013-06-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature that shines the light on Indie and Debut authors. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

LAUREL GARVER

~Author of Never Gone~

Grief, Ghosts and God
by Laurel Garver-2013

A few years after losing my own father (as a married adult with a child), I unearthed decades-old story notes I’d written about a teenage girl, Dani, who was struggling to hang onto her faith after losing a parent. I’d initially trunked the project because I wasn't mature enough to write it. But in the wake of my own loss, this particular story grabbed me hard.

While I wanted to work through some of my own emotions, I knew the best way to write them honestly was to filter my experiences through another character’s very different circumstances. Research was especially helpful in doing that. I read loads about confusing grief can be, especially for kids. It’s harder to deal with major losses when you don’t have life experience to draw on that puts the pain in perspective. When you’re young,“Time heals all wounds” sounds like a stupid platitude adults say to shut you down. Add to that the usual stuff of adolescence—hormonal changes and an identity that’s still under construction—and grief can be especially difficult, even explosive for teens.

I got thinking about other circumstances that might make grieving more of a pressure cooker—like being left with the parent you’re alienated from, having a family culture that frowns on expressing negative emotions, and coming from a faith tradition that tends to emphasize the joys the departed gains in the afterlife. The question of “how do I cope without my loved one?” will be more urgently felt in circumstances like that. In addition, I've always been fascinated with the idea of a parental presence lingering to help a child, especially when it’s unclear why it’s happening (is it supernatural or psychological?). Two sources for the ghost plotline are Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and the TV show Providence (1999-2002), in which a young woman moves home after her mother’s death, and often has long heart-to-heart talks and arguments with her mother’s ghost.

Dani’s faith adds another complication. She mistakenly believes anger (one of the natural phases of grief) has no place in a life of faith. I hope this story will encourage kids growing up in a faith tradition that it’s okay to really wrestle with God in places of deep pain. One of Dani’s friends tells her, “I think God can handle it when we’re mad.” He goes on to point out that large chunks of scripture are at root complaints to God. The Psalmist and other saints of old give us models for talking (and hollering and crying) to our Creator honestly about our pain, which at root is an expression of faith that He hears, cares, comforts, and makes things new.

Laurel Garver is a magazine editor, professor’s wife and mom to an energetic fourth grader. An indie film enthusiast and incurable Anglophile, she enjoys geeking out about Harry Potter and Dr. Who, playing word games, singing, and mentoring teens at her church.

You can find her on Facebook and on Twitter.

Giveaway

Today Laurel is giving away one eBook copy of her book Never Gone and one $10 dollar giftcard.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Days after her father’s death, fifteen-year-old Dani Deane begins seeing him all around New York — wading through discarded sketches in her room, roaming the halls at church, socializing at his post-funeral reception. Is grief making her crazy? Or could her dad really be lingering between this world and the next, trying to contact her?

Dani desperately longs for his help. Without him keeping the peace, Dani’s relationship with her mother is deteriorating fast. Soon Mum ships her off to rural England with Dad’s relatives for a visit that Dani fears will become a permanent stay. But she won’t let her arty, urban life slip away without a fight, especially when daily phone calls with her lab partner Theo become her lifeline.

To find her way home, Dani must somehow reconnect with Mum. But as she seeks advice from relatives and insights from old letters, she uncovers family secrets that shake her to the core. Convinced that Dad’s ghost alone can help her, she sets out on a dangerous journey to contact him one last time.

Thanks so much Laurel for being on the spotlight today. Find out more about her at the links above and at:

GOODREADS

Blog Tour~Featuring All Quiet On the Set $20 Giveaway and Author Jessica Lave

2013-06-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Quiet on the Set Book Tour! Today Im thrilled to welcome author Jessica Lave to the blog. Along with some thoughts about music inspirations, she also giving away some sweet prizes.

Art Begets Art: Music as a Source of Inspiration

by Jessica Lave-2013

When it comes to art, one piece can often inspire another. Whether it’s a photograph, a poem, or a song, the potential to inspire is always present. As a writer, though an image or a line of prose might spark the initial idea for a story, music is often what helps the writer see that idea through to its conclusion.

For me, music creates a state of mind and can influence the direction the story takes. Listening to Frank Sinatra will push the story in a more nostalgic, romantic direction, while listening to Blink-182 may push the characters to entertain sarcasm and embrace their daring side. However, I tend to choose my writing music by the mood I’m in when I sit down to write, rather than the mood I wish to create in the story. My taste in music spans several decades and multiple genres, but when I write, I typically put on some form of rock—classic, punk, folk, alternative—anything I can sing along with. Some writers find music with lyrics distracting, and it can be, but if it puts me in a better mood while I’m writing, I can usually power through the story for hours on end.

I tend to go with a web-based music player rather than my own music library. Part of the reason is because I listen to that music on my MP3 player all day at work, but also it means I don’t have to manage the music from my computer, where I’m supposed to be focusing on my writing. I have a few stations on Pandora I like to listen to while I write, a U2 station, Third Eye Blind, Blink-182, and Weezer, all of which are perfect “background” music to have—except when Pandora goes off the grid and plays something off-genre. Otherwise, if I’m looking for something more current, I like to pull up I Heart Radio and tune into my favorite local station, Channel 93.3 in Denver, which plays new rock music, as well as some “throwbacks” from the past twenty or so years.

In Quiet on the Set, Rylie’s music of choice is classic rock, which is also where my musical education began. I grew up on classic rock and oldies with bands like Aerosmith, The Beatles, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, the Cars, Eric Clapton, Janis Joplin, the Rolling Stones, and a lot of others.

This music inspired and shaped Rylie’s character, perhaps more unconsciously than deliberately, but it became a part of her story and her history. The story itself could be boiled down to a Tom Petty song, an “American Girl” looking for a life better than the little one she had in Maine. Not to mention, putting the Beach Boys on auto-repeat will put anyone in touch with the California, beachy vibe that Rylie experiences during her initiation into the LA lifestyle and culture.

Art begets art, and that connection can apply to any art form, but for many artists, music is where the inspiration begins.

By day, I work in a cubicle tending to an e-commerce website. By night, I blog, I review television shows and films, and occasionally, I settle down long enough to write a novel. I’ve always had a diverse set of interests, which has led me to study everything from ethics to yoga to film, but the one thing that has stayed consistent is my enthusiasm for writing.

Writing is my way of bringing all of my interests together—I may not be able to speak six languages, pick the lock on a door, or cook a five-course meal without a recipe, but I can write about a character who can, and that’s the next best thing! Visit me on my website:

Giveaway

Jessica will be giving away a $20 Fandango eGift Card to one randomly drawn commenter from the tour. Please be sure to leave your comment here and follow the tour for more chances to enter HERE.

Book Review~The Offering by Angela Hunt & Blog tour Giveaway

2013-06-05T10:46:00.000-04:00

May 14, 2013 by Howard Books
Paperback, 320 Page
Inspy-Contemporary
Review Copy/Litfuse Tour
Warnings: Mild sensuality, death, depression
4/5 Stars

After growing up as an only child, Amanda Lisandra wants a big family. But since she and her soldier husband can’t afford to have more children right away, Mandy decides to earn money as a gestational carrier for a childless couple. She loves being pregnant, and while carrying the child she dreams of having her own son and maybe another daughter…Just when the nearly perfect pregnancy is about to conclude, unexpected tragedy enters Mandy’s world and leaves her reeling. Devastated by grief, she surrenders the child she was carrying and struggles to regain her emotional equilibrium. Two years later she studies a photograph of the baby she bore and wonders if the unthinkable has happened—could she have inadvertently given away her own biological child? Over the next few months Mandy struggles to decide between the desires of her grief-stricken heart and what’s best for the little boy she has never known.

Thoughts

I can't really say much outside of what the synopsis shares, but what I can say is Wow! A great word to sum up Angela Hunt's The Offering. I was riveted to this book and paralyzed to my seat the entire time getting lost in the drama and heartbreak of Amanda's world. I adored the relationship she had with her husband and his family and grieved with her during the hard parts even when I knew they were coming.

The Offering was an emotional roller coaster of a book, the writing was fantastic, the story-line amazing. While I wish the marketing had left some mystery in its gripping plotline, as the synopsis gives away over half the plot, it was in the end an amazing read. There are very few Inspy novels that make impressions on me as of late and Hunts realistic, moving and authentic portrayal of the military, marriage, grief and relationships was a breath of fresh air.

4/5 Stars- Inspy Fiction
Thanks to Howard Books and Litfuse for Review Copy

With over four million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is the bestselling author of more than one hundred books, including “The Nativity Story.” Hunt is one of the most sought-after collaborators in the publishing industry. Her nonfiction book “Don’t Bet Against Me,” written with Deanna Favre, spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Angela’s novel “The Note” (with sales of over 141,000) was filmed as the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas movie for 2007 and proved to be the highest rated television movie in the channel’s history.

Angela’s novels have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, including the RITA, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the Holt Medallion. She often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences, and she served as the keynote speaker at the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers’ national conference. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs. In 2001, one of her dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest dog in America.

One winner will receive:

A Nook HDThe Offering by Angela Hunt

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 4th. Winner will be announced at the “The Offering” Facebook Author Chat Party on June 5th. Connect with Angela for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Angela will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Offering and join Angela on the evening of June 5th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)

The Saturday Spotlight~With Laura Drake Featuring The Sweet Spot and Giveaway

2013-06-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature that shines the light on Indie and Debut authors. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

LAURA DRAKE

~Author of The Sweet Spot~

Thank you, Tina, for allowing me to steal The Spotlight today!

Most people who know me wouldn't use ‘giddy’ to describe me (more likely, quirky and obsessed,) but I’m so excited about my debut novel, I’m not sleeping!

The Sweet Spot is the first book in my Sweet on a Cowboy series. But you don’t have to like rodeo to enjoy them, because they’re first stories of people like you and I, with big problems.

To introduce you to Charla Rae Denny, the heroine of The Sweet Spot, I thought I’d share with you her list of life lessons:

· Before you throw your Ex off your ranch, be sure you know how to run it.

· A Goth Dolly Parton look-alike can make a great friend. And dumpster monkeys are helpful, too.

· Next time, start a hardware store instead of a bucking bull business – the stock doesn’t try to commit suicide every few minutes.

· If you’re the subject of gossip, stay away from the Clip-n-Curl.

· Life is full of second chances, if you can get over yourself enough to grab them.

· To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and discover that the prisoner is you -- Louis B. Smede

Charla’s Ex, JB, learned a lot as well:

She’s no longer your wife.

Maybe not, but her pheromones still called to him from across a room, touching him places no other woman’s ever had,

He wanted her. Sexually, obliviously, but also in ways he’d forgotten until he found himself outside her world, looking in. He missed the way she used to look at him; a corner of her mouth lifted in a girl-next-door-centerfold way. He missed the sight of her dancing in the kitchen, when she thought she was alone. He missed having the home she’d created wrapped around him, giving him strength to go out in the world and do things.

He missed all those things. But it was the changes in her that kept him awake at night. She was stronger now. Stronger than before the accident. Stronger than he’d ever seen her.

And he liked it.

I hope you’ll enjoy Charla and JB’s story!

Laura Drake is a city girl, who never grew out of her tomboy ways, or a serious cowboy crush. She writes both Women's Fiction and Romance. The Sweet Spot, the first novel in her, 'Sweet on a Cowboy' Series, will be released by Grand Central in May of 2013, Nothing Sweeter, in December. Her 'biker-chick' novel, Her Road Home, will be released by Harlequin's Superromance in August, 2013.

Laura resides in Southern California, though she aspires to retirement in Texas. She gave up the corporate CFO gig to write, full time. She's a wife, grandmother, and motorcycle chick in the remaining waking hours. http://LauraDrakeBooks.com Twitter: @PBRWrite

GIVEAWAY

Today Laura is giving away one copy of her book The Sweet Spot. Its a book of your choice so eBook is welcome to everyone and paperback for US only. To enter please just fill in the Copter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Charla Rae Denny was the perfect wife with a perfect life, content to keep the home fires burning while her husband, JB, competed as a champion bull rider. Then their son died in a tragic accident-and everything fell apart. Divorced and saddled with a hill of bills and a failing ranch, Charla must now cowboy up to put her life back together.

James "JB" Denny doesn't stay where he isn't welcome. So when Charla shut him out of her grieving heart-and their home-a year ago, he took comfort where he could find it. Now after seeing beautiful Charla again, he wants it all back. She can't work the ranch alone, and deep in his heart he knows he can be the man she needs. But after so much history and heartbreak, can JB convince Charla to take a risk and give their love a second chance.

Blog Tour and Review~Eyes of E'Veria with Serena Chase and Super Giveaway

2013-05-31T12:44:00.002-04:00

Welcome to the Eyes of E'veria Blog Tour. Today I have the pleasure of introducing readers to Debut Author Serena Chase and her book The Ryn. Ill be sharing some brief thoughts on the book I so awesomely got to read and also sharing a mega-giveaway to celebrate The Ryn!!!!

The Ryn (Book One Eye's of E'veria) by Serena Chase

March 26, 2013 by Candent Gate
Kindle- Ebook
Review Copy
Warnings- None
4/5 Stars

DESTINED by prophecy. GUARDED by deception. PURSUED by Love.
Centuries ago, an oracle foretold of the young woman who would defeat E’veria’s most ancient enemy, the Cobelds. But after two centuries of relative peace, both the prophecy and the Cobelds have been relegated to lore—and only a few remain watchful for the promised Ryn.

Finally, a child is born who matches the oracle’s description, but a Cobeld curse accompanies her birth. Led to believe they succeeded in killing the prophesied child, the Cobelds emerge from hiding with plans to overtake the Kingdom. But the child survived. Secreted away and called “Rose” for the first nineteen years of her life, Rynnaia E'veri has no idea of her true identity until a chance meeting with an injured knight reveals not only her parentage and true name, but the task assigned her by the oracle: discover the Remedy that will destroy the Cobelds' power.

Now, her time has come........Offered the assistance of pirates, scribes, storytellers, a young woman who died centuries ago, and the knight who is quickly working his way into her heart, Rynnaia is fortified with friends. But if the Ryn is to complete her task, she must come to terms with not only who she is, but for whom she must be willing to die. For the kingdom’s survival depends on her.

Thoughts

So Ill be honest I was a bit scared to read this, and more so to review it. Serena is one of my favorite bloggers over at Edgy Inspy Romance and I knew I didn't want to not like this. But Alas, my readers you wont be disappointed after reading this great, brave and fantastic debut!

Settling into this mysterious fantasy historical didn't shout fireworks for me in the beginning. At first during the prologue I didn't know if The Ryn was going to jive with my reading persona, the wording is very eloquent and has a mind of its own, something very unique and while lovely, in the beginning distracted me and seemed to take over the story as a whole. However, once I was able to feel Serena's style and jump into the story I found myself lost in The Ryn and the world created around the characters.

Chase's debut is a great mix of fantasy, historical and magical in the sense of feeling lost in a new world and having truly enchanting characters that wound up working their way into my heart.

4/5- YA- Inspy Fantasy
Thanks to Serena Chase for Review Copy

Serena Chase lives in Iowa with her husband, two daughters, and a white goldendoodle named Albus. A frequent contributor to USA Today's Happy Ever After blog and a co-blogger at Edgy Inspirational Romance, Serena is also known for living vicariously through her ever-changing hair and for being a bit obsessed with fairy tales and pirates.

You can like Serena on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Serena-...And view her Eyes of E'veria board on Pinterest http://pinterest.com/serenachase/eyes...The Ryn is her first novel. Its sequel, THE REMEDY, is expected to release in April 2013. Together, these first two novels in the Eyes of E'veria series are an epic re-imagining of a lesser-known classic Grimm fairy tale, Snow White & Rose Red.

Giveaway

Today Serena is giving away a fantastic gift pack including her books The Ryn and The Remedy along with a logo t-shirt, necklace and candy!!! Dont miss out, fill out the form your a chance to win.

If Form is not showing please follow this link

HERE

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e79ee215/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour~The Gospel According to Prissy by Barbara Casey and $25 Amazon GC Giveaway

2013-05-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to The Gospel According to Prissy Blurb Blitz Tour. I have the pleasure welcoming Barbara Casey to the blog for a special book treat and a fun giveaway.

~THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PRISSY {Excerpt}

Miriam walked away from her desk and paused in front of the unframed full-length mirror she had salvaged from the recent renovations in the women’s shower rooms. The edges were chipped and blackened, and there was a fairly large crack that ran vertically from one corner to the other. The condition of the mirror was the result, no doubt, of one of many displays of frustration and anger within the prison walls before she took over. Still, the mirror served its purpose. On those rare occasions when Warden Miriam Temple of the Braden Women’s Correctional Institution needed to be sure she looked her best, at least she could do so in the privacy of her own office.

Studying her reflection, she saw a tall, aging fifty-nine-year-old woman with dark hair streaked with gray cut in a simple shag, myopic brown eyes made evident by the wire-framed glasses, and a raw-boned body that could be considered well-proportioned if it weren't for the fact that it was about twenty pounds on the heavy side, fifteen of which had settled around her thighs and buttocks. “Pear shaped, as opposed to apple shaped,” she frequently reminded herself, “so that means at least I won’t die of a heart attack.” The fact that her ear lobes were also plump and didn't have the diagonal creases indicating some type of heart disease seemed to confirm that fact. She didn't know if these old-wives’ tales she had grown up with were really true, but she liked to keep an open mind, especially when they worked to her benefit.

She normally didn't wear make-up, but this morning before leaving for work, she had dug out her small tapestry bag that held what few cosmetics she owned and applied a little blush and a touch of lipstick. She rubbed one cheek with her hand now, thinking that maybe she shouldn't have bothered. She didn't need to impress anyone. Even if there had been the awkwardness that sometimes comes with being a large woman, it had been replaced years ago by the confidence born from a privileged background and the level of acceptance and comfort from which she viewed herself.

Her dark gray suit and crisp white blouse were clean and unwrinkled, thanks to the prison laundry facilities. The plain black pumps she wore looked both practical and appropriate to complete the over-all appearance of discipline, control, strength, and above all, a positive attitude. It was the attitude within the prison that Miriam had worked the hardest on when she took over as head warden six years earlier. There had been a stifling wave of hopelessness and despair among the female inmates so thick it made it difficult to breathe. This was manifested daily in brawls, food fights, and a behavior of non-compliance in general. “Animals get treated better than we do,” had been the mantra at the prison.

For six years Miriam had been working fourteen-hour days, overseeing the operations of the facility, staying on top of problems, writing reports, and talking to every person she could reach about helping to set up programs for “her girls” as she referred to them. Each of Miriam’s programs offered something to a few of her girls, but not to all, something she struggled with daily. She constantly researched what other correctional institutions were doing not only in this country but other countries as well, trying to come up with new ways to stimulate her girls and help them feel enthusiastic about their lives.

It had worked. She started getting noticed after the first year of her tenure. Complaints from the prisoners dropped, a State audit confirmed that for the first time in over a decade the prison budget would be in the black, and the over-all appearance of the facility was vastly improved. Government officials who previously had been reluctant to show interest now started to open doors for this hard-working, persistent, and obviously dedicated woman.

And then Prissy had been born.

Barbara Casey is president of the Barbara Casey Agency, representing adult fiction and nonfiction for authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, and Japan. She is also the author of numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her award-winning novels have received national recognition, including the Independent Publishers Book Award, the Dana Award for Best Novel, and the Publisher’s Best Seller Award. Her novel, The House of Kane, released in 2008, was considered for a Pulitzer nomination, and her novel Just Like Family received special recognition by the 7-Eleven Corporation. Her latest young adult novel, The Cadence of Gypsies, was reviewed by the Smithsonian for its list of 2011 Best Books. The Gospel According to Prissy, a contemporary adult novel, was released in the spring of 2013.

In addition to being a frequent guest lecturer at universities and writers’ conferences, Ms. Casey served as judge for the Pathfinder Literary Awards in Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida, and was the Florida Regional Advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators from 1991 through 2003.

GIVEAWAY

Barbara will be awarding one lucky commenter a $25 dollar Amazon giftcard. For a chance to win please leave a comment. To follow the full tour go HERE.

Three Army veteran misfits, a college dropout, an unmotivated high school graduate accused of murder, a controversial warden of a women's prison, and a little girl with the gift of prophesy – these are the people 31-year-old Lara Kruger invites into her life after suffering a miscarriage, a divorce from an abusive husband, and unemployment.

Blog Tour~The Goddess by Robyn Grady and Ebook Giveaway

2013-05-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Memorial Day bloggies!!!

Today on TBR's Im welcoming Robyn Grady and The Goddess book tour. Enjoy this special guest post and ebook giveaway. I also want to take a moment to say Thank you to all our service men and women today to all those who have lost a loved one. What better way to celebrate love than with a lovely romance.

An Entangled romance…with a twist.

by Robyn Grady- 2013

When I developed the idea for my IDOL series, I wanted to do something a smidge different—give my readers another reason to be sucked into the stories and keep flipping the page. All three stories follow the journey of not one couple falling in love, but two—one from the now, the other from a different time. Two separate sets of lovers whose destinies are forever, irrevocably bound.

The Goddess is set in reality, but also offers a good dollop of fantasy. After a youth spent enjoying everything life has to offer, Prince Darius Vasily’s parents pass away and he finds himself needing to step into his pre-ordained role—king of the Aegean twin island states of Tierenias. Tradition decrees that before his coronation Darius should spend a week in isolation and meditation on the second unpopulated island. From the moment he lands, things go wrong in the shape of a twenty-three-year-old woman who knows how to fill a pair of denim cut-offs and jinx everything in her path…

Including an ancient artifact that dictates the longevity—or the fall—of the Vasily reign.

To all but a handful, the Tierenias fertility statue is more legend than fact. It is said that at the right time, in the right place, she has the ability to bring two people together, build the steam and live up to her “fertility” name. These powers are reputed to be strongest on the second island. Generations earlier, another couple, who also meet the Goddess, are on the brink of losing everything, including each other.

As the stories unfold, stakes rise to the point where kingdoms are on the brink of collapse and events invert until they merge—a hundred years apart.

But don’t be fooled! There’s a lot of lighter moments. Fun and incredibly sexy moments. Most of all The Goddess is a Cinderella story, a fast-paced journey against the odds that I hope readers will enjoy.

Following a fifteen-year career behind the scenes in television, Robyn knew the time was right to pursue her dream of becoming a published author. Late in 2004, she received a phone call from a London editor. She'd submitted a manuscript to the Sweet line, which were featuring lighter, sexier stories to be released under the Tango banner. The editor was very interested in her story, but for a brand new line.

Robyn didn't stop smiling for a week, but sometime later learned her revised manuscript hadn't hit the mark. Then she received another call and another request for revisions to a second manuscript! That didn't sell either. On a third manuscript she received a very long, very detail email, asking for, what would turn out to be, a complete rewrite. Having torn out most of her hair, but with 13 contest finals in 2006 (including winning the Golden Pen and Where the Magic Begins), she finished the rewrite then contacted a New York agent. That wonderful agent took her on, and Robyn sold in a matter of weeks, first to Silhouette Desire, then Modern Heat (Sexy Sensation/Presents) with a two book deal! She is currently writing manuscript number fourteen.

Robyn lives with her own modern-day hero on Australia's Sunshine Coast with their three little princesses, as well as two poodles and a cat called Tinkie. She has majors in English literature and psychology, and loves new shoes, worn jeans, visits to the theatre and lunches at picturesque Moffat Beach with her writer friends.

GIVEAWAY

Enter for your chance to win one eBook (version of Choice) today. Everyone is welcome to enter.

After college graduation, Helene Masters is excited to land a job in a picturesque Aegean kingdom. Tasked with sprucing up the Prince’s villa, she inadvertently finds herself trapped on the island with the sexiest man alive. Of course she has to fall for a man who is destined to only marry royalty.

Darius Vasily, Prince of Teirenias, can’t figure out what pretty, but accident-prone, Helene is doing at his private estate. After dousing him in paint, she disappears inside the secret cave holding the royal family treasure—a fertility statue, but a cave-in traps them both. Now Darius has to figure out how to save them before he kills her for getting them into this mess in the first place—or gives into their amazing chemistry.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CC-WillowHeart Credit

The Saturday Spotlight with Jen Greyson and Giveaway of Lightning Rider

2013-05-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature that shines the light on Indie and Debut authors. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

JEN GREYSON

~Author of Lightning Rider~

Taking Liberties with the Dead

by Jen Greyson-2013

Being a writer is a blast. I can take any situation and re-write it to my liking.

Line take too long at Burger King? Re-write it with a fantastical reason (which probably includes a glitchy superpower) while I’m waiting for my Whopper Jr.

Mean person at the DMV? Re-write their childhood (and depending on my mood, send them to Antarctica or Switzerland).

Any chance encounter with me increases the likelihood that something about a person is going to end up in one of my books. Maybe something simple like the color of a sweater, but maybe something deeper like the way a woman looks at a man while they’re riding on the bus. Or a chance encounter of two men who clearly hate each other in the stairwell.

Whatever the situation, I’m always looking for tidbits of real life.

I shouldn't have been surprised when the first real person (long-since-dead) showed up in my book. Now it’s become old habit to discover interesting people and entwine their lives with my characters’.

Sometimes I even let them live.

In Lightning Rider, my novel due out May 31, I discovered Viriato, a Spanish legend with a very fishy death. The further I delved into his life, the easier it became to insert a time traveler. Viriato kept the Roman Army from conquering northern Spain for decades. He was a simple goat herder who rallied farmers and soldiers to protect their home. The tales of his victories are legend. So what kills a man like that? Crazy battle? Horrible infection from a knife wound?

No.

His three trusted advisors murdered him while he slept. Or so the story goes.

With each book, I’ve come to learn that every conspiracy theory and oddly placed event can be explained by time travelers. Luckily, I happen to have a few on hand.

From the moment she decided on a degree in Equestrian Studies, Jen Greyson’s life has been one unscripted adventure after another. Leaving the cowboy state of Wyoming to train show horses in France, Switzerland, and Germany, she’s lived life without much of a plan, but always a book in her suitcase. Now a wife and mom to two young boys, she relies on her adventurous, passionate characters to be the risk- takers.

Jen also writes university courses and corporate training material when she’s not enjoying the wilds of the west via wakeboard or snowmobile.

GIVEAWAY

Today I have one eBook (file of choice) to a TBR reader. To enter please fill in the copter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For Evy Rivera, thunderstorms have always caused her physical pain, but she's never known why. When a record-setting storm arrives on the same night her father finds ancient ancestral documents, Evy is set aglow with mysterious tiny lightnings she can command.

Even worse, she alerts some people in the universe who've been looking for her family for a very long time.

Thrown back into ancient Spain and tasked with killing a Spanish legend, she must train alongside Constantine, a sexy yet obstinate Roman warrior. He teaches her how to wield her lightning as a weapon, through more errors than trials. With a relationship as explosive as their late-night training sessions, Evy and Constantine battle their push-pull relationship while trying to ignore the two-thousand-year difference in their birthdates.

Ilif Rotiart, her quasi-mentor, is appalled at Evy's skill. He would prefer to train her father and keep Evy on the sidelines—where women belong. Evy has a feeling Ilif is keeping something from them, but she must play nice until she uncovers the truth. And if he's lying, it will be the worst day of his four-hundred-year life.

Penya Sepadas claims she's Evy's rightful trainer, and she has the prophecy to prove it. Penya doesn't share Ilif's misogynistic attitude, but she does have her own agenda...and her own secrets.

Evy must sort through the lies and find the truth behind her family's time-traveling past before the wrong history obliterates the future. She’s spent her whole life fighting for her place. Now, as the first female lightning rider, she'll dedicate her existence to fighting to save the world.

But will Evy learn to manage her lightning and find the truth before it's too late?

Thanks Jen for being on the spotlight today. Find out more about this author at:

Goodreads~Web

Book Tour~Stardust Summer by Laura Clark and Giveaway $20 Giftcard and Ebook prizes

2013-05-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Stardust Summer Virtual Book Tour. On my stop today we have a small taste of what this book has to offer, please enjoy chapter one and some info about Lauren Clark and the SS book tour.

Excerpt One: Chapter One

In the rush to escape the scorching rays of the swollen Mississippi sun, the plain brown package could have been missed all together.

As she fumbled with her keys, Grace wished for the faintest hint of a breeze. It was ninety-five in the shade, she noted, as a bead of sweat tickled the back of her neck. Nearby, her son kicked a loose stone on the concrete, his face flushed the color of his canvas backpack. Grace jiggled the lock one more time, and the door finally swung open, releasing a welcome blast of chilled air. Evan slipped by, and she heard the bump of his bag as he dropped it on the wooden floor; the thud-thud as he kicked off his tennis shoes. It was then she noticed the small package, tucked in the corner of their white wooden porch swing. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as Grace knelt down and reached for the delivery.

"Mom? Did you hear me?" Evan called out. Startled, Grace looked up. "No. I'm sorry, honey. What is it?" Her son stuck his head out the door, brow furrowed. "Can I go over to Adam's?" Attempting a wide smile, Grace nodded. "Sure, sweetie. But, before you go, I think Papa sent you a surprise." She tossed the box to her son. With a whoop of joy, Evan caught the package in both hands and ran back inside. Grace followed close behind, holding her breath. After peeling off rows of tape, Evan pulled out a small card with several bills tucked inside. Below that, beneath layers of tissue paper, his grandfather had also included a pair of swimming goggles. Evan unfolded the note and scanned the lines. “Papa wants us to come to the lake," he said, grinning and examining his new treasure. "Can we, Mom, this time, please? School's almost over.”

Grace stiffened. She would call her father with regrets tomorrow between classes. Grace earned a tiny salary—barely enough for the two of them to live on—but working as a teacher's aide allowed her to stay close to her son. "We'll see," she said, trying for a casual response. Undeterred, Evan hummed to himself and stuffed the cash into his pocket. After setting the goggles on the table, he headed for the door. "There's something else in the box for you. Later, Mom." The door closed tight with a bang.

Grace stared after her eight-year-old son and blinked. Later, Mom? When had Evan become such a little man? So grown up? So much like her own father. Evan possessed Henry Mason's easy smile, his throaty laugh, and smart sense of humor. Her son had the same head of thick, dark hair, identical bright, inquisitive eyes, and an even jawline that matched her father's. For two people separated by fifty years in age, a dozen states, and one time zone, the similarities were remarkable. They barely knew each other, though her father called every week and mailed gifts once a month without fail. Henry had moved from Mississippi shortly after Hurricane Katrina; he'd taken a new job on a Wednesday in August and moved the following Friday, assuming the role of Vice President of Keuka College easily. To Henry Mason, the change was no more complicated than shrugging on a new sport coat and tie.

Grace squeezed her eyes shut. He'd invited them to visit a dozen times. It didn't matter. Henry Mason could send round-trip, first-class plane tickets, a million dollars, and Santa Claus with his sleigh and reindeer. She still wasn't coming. And Evan wasn't either. Which was why Grace rid the house of reminders, anything extra her father mailed. In fact, she'd do it right now. With a shaking hand, she reached for the cardboard package and tissue paper. As Grace tilted the box to one side, an embossed invitation, a letter, and photograph spilled out. She stared, willpower evaporating, and unfolded the loose, white page. At the mention of Kathleen's name, her spine stiffened.

Grace,

I officially retired yesterday—for good this time—can you believe it? I'll be staying busy with my boat and the house, and, of course, driving Kathleen crazy. Hope you'll make it to the Mason Library dedication...it's your name on the building, too. I found this photo the other day. Doesn’t this beautiful girl look happy? Give Evan a hug.

Love, Dad

Gingerly, Grace picked up the picture. It was faded, the edges yellowed. In the image, she was about as old as Evan, with dark pigtails, hair curling up at the ends, and a huge smile that showed gaps in her teeth.

Thick rows of Mississippi sugarcane, jointed and dense, filled the background. Grace caught her breath. She could almost smell the sweet, earthy fragrance, and she imagined the green fronds waving in the breeze, like an army of soldiers marching home. Grace pressed the photograph to her chest, hoping Evan wouldn't burst through the door. He didn't need to see his mother sobbing over a silly memory. What was her father doing? Trying to convince her that they were still a family? That she should come to New York for a big reunion?

Grace wiped her cheeks. Henry Mason charmed everyone, even total strangers. He was always the life of the party—and would be at the Mason Library Dedication—with his jokes and fantastical stories. By the end of the night, he'd sing a line or two from 'Stardust.' Just like when she was little. He'd convince her that everything would be fine. This time, not a chance. Henry Mason made his choice. She'd made hers.

Mississippi was home. Nothing would change that.

Lauren Clark writes contemporary novels sprinkled with sunshine, suspense, and secrets. A former TV news anchor, Lauren adores flavored coffee, local book stores, and anywhere she can stick her toes in the sand. Her big loves are her family, paying it forward, and true-blue friends. Lauren is a member of the Gulf Coast Writers Association, the Mobile Writers Guild, and a regular contributor to Parents & Kids Magazine's Mississippi Gulf Coast Edition. Check out her website at www.laurenclarkbooks.com.

GIVEAWAY

Lauren will be awarding winner’s choice of either Dancing Naked in Dixie or Stay Tuned (in .mobi .pdf or .epub) to a randomly drawn commenter at each stop. Also, a $20 gift card to Amazon or BN.com (winner’s choice) will be awarded to two randomly drawn commenters during the tour and a signed paperback copy of Dancing Naked in Dixie and Swag will be awarded to two randomly drawn commenters during the tour (USA ONLY).

Single mom Grace Mason doesn't believe in miracles, magic, or love at first sight. She likes the quiet life, complete with her eight-year-old son, their tiny house, and her teaching job. For Grace, happiness means that nothing much ever changes in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

Then, one thousand miles away, tragedy strikes. A massive heart attack leaves Grace’s estranged father comatose in an Upstate New York hospital. While a team of doctors fight to keep Henry Mason alive, Grace and Evan rush to his bedside to say their final goodbyes.

Henry’s passing brings little closure for Grace, but she finds herself inexplicably drawn to her new surroundings. What begins as a short trip results in an entire summer spent with Henry’s second wife, Kathleen, and her next-door neighbor, Ryan Gordon, the town doctor. When a series of unlikely events lead to Evan’s disappearance, Grace must face her worst fears to find her son and bring him back home.

Stardust Summer explores the complexities of forgiveness, what it means to be a family, and the fabulous possibility of falling in love—again.

Blog Tour~Chemistry of Fate by Meradeth Houston and tour wide Giveaway- Amazon Giftcard and Journal

2013-05-22T11:11:00.001-04:00

Welcome to The Chemistry of Fate blog tour. Today I have author Meradeth Houston joining in for a special guest post and blog tour giveaway!

Rocking the Laboratory

by Meradeth Houston-2013

I’ll admit, I have a pretty strange job. While I work as a professor, my research focuses on sequencing dead people’s DNA. For fun. I love it, and it’s really a great job. It’s a challenge and suits me well (except when it’s driving me crazy, which is about half the time, haha!). I regularly am asked if I’ll write a book that deals with my day-job subject, and my honest answer is that I write to relax from that day-job. Still, sometimes it worms its way into my stories.

Tom, one of the main characters in The Chemistry of Fate, works in laboratory a whole lot like the one where I did a lot of my research. He works with a pretty interesting character, too (thankfully not based on my coworkers!), and he loves the job. I had a lot of fun writing the lab scenes in the book, describing the way some things work and Tom’s activities. Most people see working in a lab like it’s something on CSI, where everything is high-tech and takes twenty minutes for results. That’s not exactly the case J. Still, Tom gets to show off his mad-scientist skills!

There is one event in the book that takes place in the lab that I’m seriously grateful I’ve never experienced in real life. Not to give away too many spoilers, but there’s a massive fire that rips through the lab. In a place that stores all kinds of hazardous chemicals, that’s never a good thing. Whether Tom makes it out alive is something I’ll let you read and find out!

While I doubt I’ll ever write a book based on my research, it was fun getting to describe the way working in a real lab can be. And it’s probably never a good idea to say ‘never’!

How about you—if you write, does it ever make it into your stories?

Meradeth Houston is the author of COLORS LIKE MEMORIES, and THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE. In the real world she does her best to teach students about the awesomeness that is anthropology. She also sequences dead people's DNA (for fun!). Find out more at Meradethhouston.com

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

“They are everywhere, can be anyone, and are always the last person you’d expect.” When Tom stumbles across his grandfather’s journal, he’s convinced the old man was crazier than he thought. The book contains references to beings called the Sary, immortals who are assigned to save humans on the verge of suicide. They certainly aren’t allowed to fall in love with mortals. Which the journal claims Tom’s grandfather did, resulting in his expulsion from the Sary. As strange as the journal seems, Tom can’t get the stories out of his head; especially when he finds the photo of his grandfather’s wings.

Tom’s only distraction is Ari, the girl he studies with for their chemistry class.

Ari has one goal when she arrives in town: see how much Tom knows about the Sary and neutralize the situation. This isn’t a normal job, but protecting the secrecy of the Sary is vital. If Tom is a threat to exposing the Sary to the public, fate has a way of taking care of the situation, usually ending with the mortal’s death. While Ari spends time with Tom, he becomes more than just an assignment, but how far can a relationship go when she can’t tell him who she really is? When she finds out just how much Tom actually knows about the Sary, Ari is forced to choose between her wings, and her heart.

THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE is a companion to COLORS LIKE MEMORIES and is set before the latter takes place. It is geared toward an upper YA, or New Adult audience.

Book Review~The Face of The Earth by Deborah Raney & $200 Blog Tour Giveaway

2013-05-21T10:07:00.000-04:00

May 14, 2013 by Howard Books
Paperback, 368 Pages
Inspy-Contemporary
Review Copy-Litfuse Tour
Warnings-None
★★★☆☆

Mitch and Jill are happy. Married for years and just seeing their youngest off to college they both are excited to begin a new phase in married life. While Jill struggled with sadness saying goodbye to her daughter, she in turn is thrilled to start a new chapter with Mitch. After a week long teacher's conference, Jill is happy to be heading home and Mitch prepares a special dinner waiting for her after hearing her message that shes on her way on his voicemail, but when the night passes and Jill never returns, Mitch is terrified that something awful happened to her. After the first 24 hours pass he files a missing persons report and begins the treacherous, heartbreaking journey into the whereabouts of his missing wife.

As days into into weeks and weeks turn into months, Police have nothing to go on, no evidence, no witnesses, and nothing that would lead them to believe Jill was abducted, or hurt in anyway. They have some left jewelry in her hotel room and a cell phone found in the parking garage but with no information and nothing to go by Police are baffled that Jill just vanished. The fallout has left a devastated husband and bunny trails to nowhere. Over time which is common with missing persons, the case becomes cold and investigators put the process on hold, leaving Jills file open but no longer actively searching for her. Of course the family isn't accepting that and Mitch decides to take on the search himself. With the help of Jill's best friend Shelley, the two begin a year long search in hopes of bringing Jill home, in hopes of closure for both of them and in hopes that the growing friendship and attraction they are both fighting towards each other comes to an end.

The Face of the Earth in nutshell was a suspenseful and mysterious read that kept me guessing different scenarios until the end. I loved the mystery and the different threads Raney presented while Mitch unraveled the truth into Jill's disappearance. I liked the fact to that Raney made her characters vulnerable and struggling with desire and confusing emotions, while I had a hard time with Mitch fighting these feelings for another woman in only 6 months, I did love that he held his marriage vows sacred and refused to betray Jill even without knowing if she was dead or alive. From page one this story kept me on on my toes, and even though sad, loved the outcome to an unconventional Inspy ending.

Deborah Raney is the award-winning author of several novels, including “A Nest of Sparrows” and the RITA award winning “Beneath a Southern Sky” and its sequel, “After the Rains.” Deborah’s first novel, “A Vow to Cherish,” was the inspiration for World Wide Pictures’ highly acclaimed film of the same title, which in December 2004 aired on prime time network TV for the second time.

Deb’s novella, “Playing by Heart,” was a National Readers Choice Award winner and a 2004 Christy Award finalist. Her novel for Howard/Simon & Schuster, “Yesterday’s Embers,” appeared on the ECPA Christian fiction bestseller list. Known for her sensitive portrayal of family struggles and relationships, Deb has also written nonfiction books and articles and often speaks at women’s retreats and writers’ conferences around the country. She and her husband, illustrator/author Ken Raney, have four children and make their home in Kansas. Find out more at DeborahRaney.com

Deborah is celebrating with a fun “Date Night” Giveaway (win a $200 Visa Cash Card!) and an Author Chat Party on Facebook! {5/30}

One winner will receive:

A $200 Visa Cash Card (Use that to catch up with a loved one – your spouse, friend, sister, mom … whomever! The Face of the Earth by Deborah Raney

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 29th. Winner will be announced at the “The Face of the Earth” Facebook Author Chat Party on May 30th. Connect with Deborah for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Deborah will also be sharing a sneak peek of her next book and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

The Saturday Spotlight with Michael Loynd and Giveaway of All Things Irish

2013-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature that shines the light on Indie and Debut authors. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

MICHAEL LOYND

~Author of All Things Irish~

Hi Michael! Welcome to the blog, please tell us about yourself.

I have an insatiable curiosity about all things. I love a good adventure. I am Clark Griswold when it comes to family vacations. I don’t have cable.

What inspired you to write All Things Irish?

My inspiration came from my wife, who worked one holiday season at this quaint Irish shop and came home each night with the most entertaining stories. The women who worked there were a bewitching, tight-knit cast of characters, who lived and breathed all things Irish. They reminded me of the Celtic version of the loveable Southern beauty shop ladies in Steel Magnolias. It recalled another peculiar Irish shop from summers I spent in Door County, WI. I remembered it as this charming, but out-of-place outpost in the middle of the most diehard Scandinavian hinterland outside of Norway. The contrast intrigued me. My subsequent curiosity uncovered a story filled with hilarious characters and quirky subcultures—all of which unfolded like a Fannie Flagg novel. It was too great not to write about, so I began with a big smile on my face.

If you could pick a song to encapsulate the mood of your book what would it be and why?

Finnegan’s Wake. It’s a funny Irish song about quirky Irish people based on a story by quintessential Irish author James Joyce. You can’t get more Irish than that.

Have any authors or books inspired you or your writing?

Every book I read on some level. If it’s bad, it helps me learn why, and if it’s good, it teaches you to write better. I love a good story. There is so much to understand about telling one and I love every opportunity to learn.

Three of your favorite things?

A good story, a great laugh, and good friends. It sounds corny, but it’s true. Starbucks is fourth.

*Tina will agree with you on this one, Starbucks half passion half black tea is awesome.

What do you want readers to walk away with after reading your book?

A big smile. That’s my goal. I want them to have a lot of fun, and perhaps gain a little more insight about life.

Whats on the horizon, more books, new projects?

My next book is Gossiping With A Witch. I LOVE this story. It’s a redemptive tale about dealing with heartbreak, based on Teddy Roosevelt’s outrageous daughter Alice, who early in life suffered so much heartbreak that she closed herself to love. Her mother died in childbirth, her father emotionally abandoned her, her stepmother never forgave Teddy for being his “second choice” and took it out on Alice, and Alice refused to let it keep her down, masking her pain by rising up to become the Paris Hilton of her day and ruling Washington society for most of the 20th century. What’s so intriguing is that Alice’s redemption did not come until her 70s, when her only child committed suicide and she was left to raise an 11-year-old granddaughter who blamed Alice for her mother’s death. That’s where the story begins.

Michael Loynd is the author of All Things Irish: A Novel, and the upcoming Gossiping With a Witch (the inspired true story of Alice Roosevelt Longworth). Married to his high school sweetheart, they live in St. Louis with their four children.

GIVEAWAY

Today Michael is giving away one signed paperback copy of his book All Things Irish. To enter please just fill in the copter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Do bad things really happen to us for a good reason? Escape into the ALL THINGS IRISH shop in Door County, Wisconsin and laugh exploring why--as you indulge in outrageous Irishness, friendships as thick as Aran sweaters, and a quirky Wisconsin fishing village of diehard Scandinavians that wants to run the shop out of town.

Meg McKenna spent the last decade avoiding her crazy mother’s shamrock-shaped world of Celtic witchery and bad Irish luck that brought nothing but heartbreak. But when locals threaten to put her mother’s newly opened Irish shop out of business, the prodigal daughter returns, attracting unexpected surprises, laughter, friendship, romance, and more bad Irish luck—which her mother swears is a good thing.

Thanks Michael for being on the spotlight today. To find out more about this author go to:

Author Blog~Goodreads

Book Review~ Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade and Blog Tour Giveaway

2013-05-17T11:21:00.000-04:00

May 2013 by Bethany House
Paperback, 380 Pages
Women's Inspiration Fiction
Review Copy- Litfuse Tour
Warning: None
3/5- Stars

When Meg Cole’s father dies unexpectedly, she becomes the majority shareholder of his oil company and the single inheritor of his fortune. Though Meg is soft-spoken and tenderhearted–more interested in art than in oil–she’s forced to return home to Texas and to Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of her father’s empire. The last thing she has the patience or the sanity to deal with? Her father’s thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter, six months to close the place down.

Bo’s determined to resent the woman who’s decided to rob him of his dream. But instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to protect. The more time he spends with her, the more he longs to overcome every obstacle that separates them–her wealth, his unworthiness, her family’s outrage–and earn the right to love her.

But just when Meg begins to realize that Bo might be the one thing on the ranch worth keeping, their fragile bond is viciously broken by a force from Meg’s past. Can their love–and their belief that God can work through every circumstance–survive.

Undeniably Yours had a small area of dramatic plot concerning our main character Meg, who suffers from anxiety and doubt, but overall the fluffy, cute romantic story-line fits in perfect with the season of Spring and will lift the mood for anyone looking for a light hearted novel.

Now that being said, while I did like this personally, and Wades writing was pleasant, what kept me from loving it is an annoying trend I continue to see in what I would call bold Christian writers who come out strong and then need to prove that they are uber-Christians because some stuffy critic or group of fundamentalists (or even the publisher) say the use of sensuality or certain provocative words could trigger someone to sin. All things I heard during her first book release last year, some of the reviews bashed her for not being Christian enough, and it lead to blog posts and conversations that discussed Inspy fiction and how off base most of the books are.

When Im looking to read CF I've set the bar high, and only because with most of the books offered to women (especially by other women) we have the overuse of scripture and moral preaching, and a living standard that alienates a huge part of the audience. You can pick up a Ted Dekker book or a Travis Thrasher book and be shocked at there use of words, sexuality and paranormal activities and its mostly hands down accepted, and also gains the authors more readers outside of the Inspy circle, seems like a double standard in what women can write and what men can write and get away with in the CF publishing world. Sounds harsh but that's what I see as a reader of both the general and CBA market.

Im disappointed that this book fell into the typical arc we see in so many of these sappy, publisher/catered reader driven plot-lines which includes this many prayers, and this many mentions of God, and this many revelations, and this many sermons, and this many skirt around the issues, and this many perfect outcomes that never lead to sin, struggle or temptation. Oh yes there might be a character suffering or trying to deal with an issue like Meg's anxiety but the issue is always sugar-coated. Sugar coating never works for me in a story, it makes the characters unrelatable and causes an immediate disconnect. Ill give it to Wade that she certainly takes chances when displaying real life emotions and desires that the characters are internalizing, but for these characters in this particular book, it didn't come across that strong.

Of course I could be wrong, but I feel like this sophomore effort was more damage control to prove to Wades critics that she is indeed a solid Christian writer. There was a lot of time spent on convincing the reader that her wholesome, lightly flawed characters had issues but maintained a nonstop inner dialog with God, so much so that it seemed inserted just for insertion sake and not an authentic portrayal of faith. From her bold debut My Stubborn Heart, which presented the faith aspect with subtle genius, I felt that the overuse of "see, seeeee, here I am, Im a Christian character" almost immediately distract me from the story.

While this approach will make plenty of people happy, I feel its sad that only exclusively Christian readers will pick it up. I overall enjoyed the book for the story sake, but missed the authentic feel I loved from Wade's first.

~To follow the entire tour and enter for the Fire Kindle go HERE.

Thanks to Bethany House for Review Copy

Book Review~The Time of my Life by Cecelia Ahern

2013-05-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

April 23, 2013 by William Morrow Paperbacks
Women's Contemporary Fiction
Paperback, 512 Pages
Review Copy
3/5 Stars

“Dear Lucy Silchester, You have an appointment for Monday, May 30, 2011. Yours sincerely, Life.”

Lucy Silchester keeps receiving this appointment card and sweeping the envelope under the rug. Literally. Instead, she has busied herself with work (a job she doesn't love), helping out friends, fixing her car, feeding her cat, seeing her family, and devoting her time to their life dramas. But she’s stuck in a rut and deluding everyone. Only Lucy knows the real truth.

Then one day life shows up at her door, in the form of a rather run-down man in an old suit, who is determined to bring about change. Life follows Lucy everywhere—the office, bars—meets her flabbergasted friends, and won’t let Lucy off the hook. What she learns in the process is that some of the choices she’s made, and stories she’s told, aren't what they seem either. Now her stubborn half-truths are going to be revealed in all their glory . . . unless Lucy learns to tell the truth about what really matters to her.

When "Life" shows up at Lucy's door, its not a figment of her imagination or a nervous breakdown as many would think, but an actual character in the form of her own life choices, decisions and how she treats others. Lucy's life is a homeless, battered looking man who wants a new suit and wants Lucy to make a few changes in her everyday dealings and relationships. But Lucy has been depressed since her breakup with a boyfriend and is stuck in a dead-end job that she hates. Its not her fault she has to make up lies and half truths to make herself feel better, or to make others believe shes living a glamorous life.

At first Lucy ignores old suit guy but he wont leave her alone. Everywhere Lucy go's, suit go's with her. To work, to the bar, to her friends, on dates...everywhere. But Life aka...Cosmo, isn't out to hurt Lucy, he wants her to be accountable to her lies, change her outlook on life and be happy. When Lucy finally agrees to let him help her, a few tears, shouts and laughter become a journey to self discovery and a chance at new romance that even takes the reader on a little chance of their own.

Ahern's writing is unique to say the least. Her writing borders on this whimsical everyday feel, to a jumbled imperfect mash up of run-on sentences, jilted transitions, and highly flawed characters. For the most part I found The Time of My Life enjoyable, from the out of the box plot, to the irksome characters not a moment I spent reading this was wasted.

A few scenes in Lucy's journey made her lovable and highly relatable, yet at the same time there were moments that the British humor went over my head and Ahern's writing distracted me from the story, I spent more time figuring out her style then really investing into the characters emotions, so it left me with an overall ok read, but not one that would make a lasting impression.

Rating

Recommended to adult readers and contains: Language and mild sexuality.

3/5-Thanks to TLC and William Morrow for Review Copy

Before she embarked on her writing career, Cecelia Ahern completed a degree in journalism and media communications. At 21, she wrote her first novel, P.S. I Love You, which became an international bestseller and was adapted into a major motion picture, starring Hilary Swank.

Her successive novels—Love, Rosie; If You Could See Me Now; and There’s No Place Like Here—were also international bestsellers. Her books are published in 46 countries and have collectively sold more than 10 million copies. She is also the cocreator of the hit ABC comedy series Samantha Who?, starring Christina Applegate. The daughter of Ireland’s former prime minister, Ahern lives in Dublin, Ireland.

Blog Blitz Tour- To be Maria by Deanna Proach and Free Kindle Download

2013-05-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the To Be Maria Blog tour and Blitz. Enjoy this amazing book for free at AMAZON Only from May 10 to 14th! Get to know it!

TO BE MARIA by Deanna Proach

Seventeen-year-old Anya Preschnikov dreams of one day becoming a famous actor, but she is faced with two problems: her one-parent, dysfunctional family neglects her and has no money to support her and at school, she is the target for her peers' contempt.

Anya believes that, in order to gain her stepping stone to stardom, she must dress like the rich girls and be surrounded by a large network of friends. All of this changes when Maria Hernandez--an immigrant from Spain-- comes to Peach Valley Senior High.Maria knows what it takes to fit in. She is bold, confident and she dresses suggestively, characteristics that all of the popular kids admire. Yet, she sees in Anya what everyone else does not see: Anya's outer beauty and her immense talent. Maria is everything Anya wants to be: popular, sexy and confident. So, when Maria extends her hand of friendship, Anya is elated. Her lifelong dream is about to become a reality, but it falls short one Saturday night at a party when a boy's rude comment sends her into a rage.

Desperate to belong somewhere, Anya and Maria set out to find new friends outside of school. They meet Alex and Marissa, a young couple who eagerly welcomes them into their world of parties and drugs.

Anya and Maria soon find out that Alex is a drug dealer, but they are so lured by his wealth, good looks and aggressive confidence that they cannot resist his friendship. They don't know that Alex's gang is at war with a rival gang--one that is run by Anya's older brother, Adrik--until one incident puts their lives in danger's path. To make matters worse, Alex will not let Anya and Maria out of his sight. Anya and Maria must find away out of this situation before it's too late.

Excerpt

Anya wakes, startled by the loud, repetitive beep of her alarm clock. In a daze, she reaches over the small night stand and slaps the stop button. She groans, her tired eyes half closed, while she slips out from underneath the old, but comfortable blanket.

Great. I'm so tired. If only I had two more hours. But no. When there's no school, there's work, and that's even worse. I hate that I have to get up at five-thirty every Saturday and Sunday morning. My manager always gives me the worst shifts.

She shuffles over to the closet. Unlike most other girls in school, she never rummages through the closet in search of the perfect outfit. She rolls her eyes. "Oh God, here we go again: the same jeans, faded tank-tops, baggy t-shirts and sweatshirts. I can't wait until the day comes when I throw away these ugly clothes. I just wish I had the money to buy new clothes, fashionable clothes. Maybe then, I'd fit in at school."

Anya traces her finger over the delicate cloth of her one and only bohemian-style summer dress. Even the dress is a hand-me-down, worn by her mother back in the 1970s. But it is the only piece of clothing she loves. Unfortunately it's still too cold outside to wear it. Thank god for my imagination. I don't know what I'd do without it.

The things Anya enjoys the most are brushing her hair and writing in her journal. These are the only times she can let her imagination take her away from home. She can pretend to be anything—anything but herself.

Anya rakes her slender fingers through her long hair. Today, I'm a daughter of a wealthy architect, so I'm going to wear a pair of Tommy Hilfiger jeans and a green peasant top, the revealing one. Then I'll put on that expensive necklace and those silver hoop earrings that Mom bought for me yesterday. She frowns at her clothes. Ugh, who are you kidding, Anya? Why even waste your time pretending to have something when it makes you even more unhappy to realize that you don't have it.

To get her mind off her clothes, she looks at her mother's photograph, the one that always sits on top of the nightstand. Every time Anya looks at the photograph, she studies her mother's features. Her father used to tell her that she looks so much like her mother, Ana Preschnikov, but, until now, she never gave it much thought. Anya now realizes why her father used to call her Ana. Ana--who must have been in her early twenties the time this photo was taken--boasted the same long, caramel brown hair, chocolate brown eyes, petite, heart-shaped face, slender nose and smooth, cream-colored skin. Anya often wonders what life would be like if her mother was still alive. It has been so many years since she passed away that Anya has forgotten what it's like to have a mother. Sometimes she dreams about her mother and sometimes she longs for the comfort of her tender arms and loving words.

Her eyes eventually shift away from the photograph to the journal sitting on the floor in front of the nightstand. The front and back cover is of a soft blue and leather. She received it as a Christmas gift from her best friend Patrick a little over one year ago. Since then, she has filled it with her thoughts until only a few empty pages remain. She has planned to leave those pages blank until she purchased another journal--something she has decided to do after work this weekend.

"Oh heck, I can't wait until the weekend. I really need to clear my mind," she whispers. She changes into a t-shirt and a pair of jeans, grabs the journal off the floor, then walks over to the kitchen. The kitchen is messier than usual. Two of the cupboard doors are left open, the sink is filled with dirty dishes and the counter is littered with stale food, wrappers, cutlery and cups that are half-filled with juice. She bites down hard on her lower lip. She can feel the red creep up her neck and over her face. Damn-it! Why doesn't my dad clean up after himself? Why does he expect Sophia and I to clean up after him all the time? She sinks into the nearest chair, breathing out a long, angry sigh. Her stomach growls, warning that if she doesn't eat she will spend the entire day tripping over her words and suffering from exhaustion and a bad headache--something she has endured several times in the past.

Anya leaves her journal, then walks over to one of the open cupboards. As predicted, it is empty save one box of Macaroni and Cheese and a package of Mr. Noodles. Anya shuts the door, then peers into the next cupboard. All that remains in there is a box of Cheerios. She grabs the box, realizing that it's more than half-empty, but thinking that it should be enough to satisfy her until lunch. As she opens the fridge door, she hears a shuffling noise from behind. Thinking that it is Sophia, she turns, ready for a round of confrontation. But it is her father and he stands less than one foot away from the doorway. He's hardly ever up this early, so Anya is surprised to see him. For the first time in a long time, he is clean shaven and he's dressed in a red, button-down, flannel shirt that is tucked into blue jeans. Anya suspects that his clothes are also clean because she does not smell any foul stench. Anya cocks her left eyebrow.

"You're up early." "Yeah, I got a new job." "Where?" "At Home Depot." Anya purses her lips. That's not a step up from your last job at Canadian Tire."Cool, is the pay better?" "Yeah, enough to get me by." Anya narrows her eyes. "Well, I hope you last at this job," she says, slamming the milk and Cheerios down on the table. It's enough to get us by, you self-centered jerk. I hope your new boss doesn't fire your dumb ass like your last boss did. "I think so. You gonna to clean this up," he says, pointing at the counter.

Anya glares at him. "Uh, no." "Why not?" "Because you were the one who made the dang mess. That's why!" He casts her a sharp look. "Don't talk to me like that, young lady." "I can talk to you however I want!" "Fine then, be that way. I'm off." "Clean your stinking mess when you get home from work," Anya yells after him. She slumps into a chair, her eyes brimming with tears. "Don't cry. He's not worth it. Don't let him get you down," she whispers over and over again until the anger ebbs. But when she looks down at the diary, the feeling returns. She flips through it until she comes to a blank page.

'February 17, 2003.'

'Dear Diary,' she writes underneath the date in the top left corner of the empty page.

'This day is not off to a good start.' She then writes about her dad, describing him using every foul word in the English language. Once she has spilled her anger and frustration onto the paper, she breathes out a huge sigh. It makes her feel much better. Besides she doesn't want to spend every minute of the day thinking about the people who get her down.

I'm sorry I used all that bad language. I just needed to let off steam. Anyway, it's time to tell you about the good stuff in my life. I'm still really excitement that I got accepted into Mr. Hawthorne's advanced acting class. I know, I already told you this--Patrick's sick of hearing me say this--but this is the best thing that ever happened to me. Mr. Hawthorne doesn't accept anyone into his advanced acting class. Over a hundred students auditioned this year, and out of those auditions, he chose only sixteen students to be in his class. The fact that he chose me over several other good actors is a huge gold feather in my cap.

Every year, Mr. Hawthorne sponsors one student to attend Vancouver Film School. His sponsorship pays for one year's tuition. This will give me a huge start to my career. I'm busting my ass to show Mr. Hawthorne the best of me because I'm determined to be the recipient of his sponsorship.

Anya pauses to flex her wrist. She steals a glance at her wrist watch. It reads seven 'o' clock. There is still some spare time to write, thankfully, because she hasn't told her journal everything she needs to say.

There's this new girl in school. She's our age and she's in our grad class. Her name is Maria and she's from Spain, the country everyone seems to think is cool. There's so many Spanish people who live in this city that it's no wonder why most of them go wide eyed when they think about Spain. I've never been to Europe, but I imagine that Spain's a beautiful country, though I don't think it's any better than any other country in Europe. Or every other country in this world for that matter. I think it's the way Maria dresses and the way she acts that everyone finds so attractive. Well, the popular kids mostly. She's been at Peach Valley Senior High for only two weeks and she's already at the top of the popularity chain. Patrick thinks she's a slut, an easy layover. That's why all the boys are so gaga over her. But I don't know if that's true. I personally think she's drop-dead gorgeous.

Anya's eyes droop when she thinks about Maria. Her clothes are so stylish. I wish I had those kinds of clothes, and--I know I say this almost every day--I wish I was as popular as her. I'd like to get to know Maria--she'd be the coolest friend I'd ever have--but Carly beat me to it. Carly befriended her the moment she set foot in Peach Valley Senior High. Maria's in two of my classes and sometimes I see her in the hallway, but she never says anything to me. It's no wonder why, though. She's Carly's friend. Anyway, I think I've told you enough information for one day. I gotta get ready for school. Until next time.....

Love, Anya.

Deanna Proach graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Northern British Columbia in 2008. She initially trained to become a teacher, but decided, in her last year of post-secondary education training, to pursue a career in writing instead.

Since then, Proach has written two novels: DAY OF REVENGE (Inkwater Press) and TO BE MARIA (will be released, May 1, 2013 via Amazon Kindle). Proach is also an aspiring travel writer, avid blogger and actress. You can find out more about Deanna Proach at: www.deannaproachwriter.com www.crusadesandcrusaders.com

The Saturday Spotlight featuring Tamara Hoffa and Giveaway of Roping Love

2013-05-11T11:27:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature that shines the light on Indie and Debut authors. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

TAMARA HOFFA

~Author of Roping Love~

What’s in a song?

by Tamara Hoffa -2013

I love listening to music, all types, but country music is my favorite. Do you ever hear a song on the radio that just makes you stop. You have to stop whatever you’re doing and just… listen.

CC-B.Giesbrecht

A friend of mine recently asked for recommendations for a song her character would sing to his horse. (lol I know this sounds like an odd request, but if you read the series you would understand) The hero is a Texas cowboy, and the author is unfamiliar with country music. His intended love has a tragic past and the first song that came to my mind was

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af8mB9ABuJA

The chorus:

I will stand by you

I will help you through

When you've done all you can do and you can’t cope

I will dry your eyes

I will fight your fight

I will hold you tight

And I won’t let go

This was actually my daughter’s wedding song. Some might think it an odd choice. I thought it was perfect. To me the sentiments in I Won’t Let Go are the perfect metaphor for marriage. Because to me that’s what it’s all about. Being there for the one you love. Holding them up when they need it, and just holding them when they don’t. Of course it should be a two way street, and you should do the same for them.

Life is not easy for most of us. It comes with many ups and down, joys and disappointments. One of the things I love about writing romance is the ability to write characters that face those life lessons together.

In many ways, I guess I am a non-traditional person when it comes to music selection. When my children where babies the two songs I sang to them most were:

and

I think the theme song for my new release, Roping Love is:

Yes, I am a big Rascal Flatts fan! I love to listen to music while I write, it sets the mood for me. So tell me, what song makes you stop and listen?

Tamara Hoffa lives in central Tennessee, with her husband of 30 years, her three grown children, two grandchildren, 5 dogs and 1 cat. Tamara started reading when she was four years old and has rarely been seen without a book at hand since. At home you will usually find her in “nana’s chair” with her kindle, her laptop or one of her precious, precocious grandson’s in her lap. Tamara is a reviewer, a professional reader and can now add author to her repertoire. Tamara is proof positive that it’s never too late to reach for your dreams.

GIVEAWAY

Today I have one eBook copy of Roping Love to giveaway to one lucky winner. To enter please just fill in the copter. Contest ends May 18.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ten Years ago love slipped through Chance’s lasso. This time “He was going after her and she didn’t stand a chance, just like a calf in a chute, he was going to rope her with his love and ride back into her life.”

Carrie Stewart is a dedicated horsewoman. She runs a successful breeding and training program. She is a good friend, a good sister and a favorite aunt, but she has been burned by love. Carrie has never gotten over her first love, Chance Ryan. After ten years of absence Chance shows back up in her life. Should she risk her heart again, with the man who left it broken at her feet in the past? Chance has some serious work ahead of him to win back the one woman he could never forget.

Find out more about Tamara at:

Goodreads~Facebook

Blog Tour Roses Have Thorns with Sandra Byrd and Paperback Giveaway

2013-05-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Roses Have Thorns blog Tour. Today Im thrilled to welcome Sandra Byrd to the blog to discuss an essential figure in women's history.

Was Elizabeth I a Woman Hater?

by Sandra Byrd

There has long been an “urban rumor” that Elizabeth Tudor hated other women. It’s true that she was a female monarch in a time which greatly preferred sovereign men. {Note the extent to which her father, Henry VIII, extended himself to get a male heir, as well as the contents of John Knox’s much-circulated pamphlet, “The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women,” which railed against sitting queens and regents of the era.} Elizabeth didn't forestall imprisoning women for long periods of time, such as her Grey cousins and Mary Queen of Scots, when she felt they threatened her throne, which admittedly may have seemed unfeminine and harsh.

Because of her ruling position, Queen Elizabeth was never really able to be an equal companion with anyone. William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, who dedicated his life to her service, once said the queen was “more than a man and, in truth, something less than a woman.” And yet, perhaps that was a man's perspective, or one man's perspective of a woman with power. Elizabeth knew how to dress like a woman, flirt like a woman, fall in love like a woman, and there were certainly women who were in every sense her lifelong friends.

Take for example, Katherine Carey Knollys, daughter of Mary Boleyn. Shortly after Elizabeth became queen, she installed this cousin as Chief Lady of the Bedchamber and kept her close at hand, perhaps to the detriment of Knollys family, till the day Lady Knollys died.

Katherine “Kat” Ashley and Blanche Parry stayed with Elizabeth from her childhood until each woman died. Because Elizabeth was deprived of her own mother as a young girl, Ashley and Parry became surrogate mothers to her. Ashley spoke bluntly to Elizabeth when no one else dared, and Parry continued on in Elizabeth’s household in positions of honor and affection long past her abilities warranted them.

Anne Russell Dudley married Lord Ambrose Dudley, the brother of Elizabeth’s longtime love, Robert, and became the Countess of Warwick. But even before then, Anne served Elizabeth as a maid of honor. They became great friends, and Anne stayed by her mistress’ side until Elizabeth died in 1603. Catherine Carey, the Countess of Nottingham, was the eldest daughter of Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, Mary Boleyn’s son and therefore a cousin to Elizabeth; she died shortly before Elizabeth did, and it was said that her death was the loss Elizabeth was unable to bear, eventually leading to the queen's lack of will to live.

And then in 1566, Elin von Snakenborg came from Sweden to England. The queen intervened, unusually, with another monarch in order to allow Elin to remain in England. Elizabeth, as famous for counting her pennies as her grandfather Henry VII, atypically awarded rooms, a servant, and a horse to Elin (later Helena) within months of her arrival. Throughout her service, Helena was known as someone who couldn’t be bribed. She became a great friend of the queen and the highest ranking woman in England after Elizabeth, though that friendship was tested perhaps more than many of the queen's confidantes.

But what about all those women Elizabeth is supposed to have precluded from getting married, insisting that they remain virgins like herself? There is no doubt that from time to time Elizabeth expressed, sometimes forcefully, her preference that her ladies not marry. Anne Somerset, in her biography, Elizabeth I, states, “The Queen's opposition to her ladies marrying stemmed from more than mere jealousy that they should attain contentment of a sort that she would never know. Although she occasionally lamented her spinsterhood, simultaneously she entertained an altogether contradictory conviction that matrimony was an undesirable condition for women, a view not altogether surprising when one recalls that her father had executed her mother and stepmother, and the marriage of her sister had been a fiasco. It may well have been her early experience that instilled in her that instinctive aversion to the married state.”

While the Queen clearly enjoyed her power, she perhaps also keenly felt the loss of the kind of social and emotional intimacy that all people, and especially women, desire in a family. And yet she had no mother or father, no siblings, no husband, no children and her (Tudor) cousins all had claim to her throne. Historian and author Antonia Fraser said, “Her [Elizabeth’s] household resembled a large family, often on the move between residences, and as a family it had its feuds when factions formed around strong personalities. It was not out of malice that Elizabeth opposed her maids of honors’ plans to marry, but because marriages broke up her own family circle.”

The queen did, sometimes, help them to marry and marry well. Somerset says, “She (Elizabeth) could point out in the course of her reign no less than 13 of her maids of honor contracted prestigious marriages within the peerage, and this might seem to justify her claim that it was only unsuitable matches of which she disapproved.” The trick, of course, is that one never knew if the queen would approve or not. The consequences of the latter could be severe and long lasting.

On the whole, though, it certainly cannot be proved that Elizabeth Tudor hated women; in fact, the handful of long term, devoted friendships we know about prove otherwise. She gifted those women with rents, properties, perquisites, trust, affection, gowns and jewels, and emotional intimacy. Oxford University historian Susan Doran states in her book, Queen Elizabeth I, “It should also not be forgotten how loyal and gracious she could be to her intimates and that the turnover of her household was very low. The majority of women served until death or severe illness intervened.”

Sandra Byrd has published more than three dozen books in the fiction and nonfiction markets, including the first book in her Tudor series, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. Her second book, The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr, illuminates the mysteries in the life of Henry's last wife. For more than a decade Sandra has shared her secrets with the many new writers she edits, mentors, and coaches. She lives in the Seattle, Washington, area with her husband and two children. For more Tudor tidbits, please visit www.sandrabyrd.com. Follow Sandra Byrd on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today thanks to Sandra and the HFV is giving away one Paperback copy of Roses Have Thorns to a lucky TBR reader!! Please just fill in the copter for your chance to win. Open to all including international.

From the acclaimed author of To Die For comes a stirring novel told that sheds new light on Elizabeth I and her court.Like Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, Sandra Byrd has attracted countless fans for evoking the complexity, grandeur, and brutality of the Tudor period. In her latest tour de force, she poses the question: What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage--or your life?

In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiance has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth's circle. But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen's downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she's not sure she can trust--a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.

Vividly conjuring the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, Roses Have Thorns is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.

~All Photos compliment of Tour. Thank you Sandra for that excellent post and giveaway!!