Spotlight feature of Kimberly Kincaid’s Gimme Some Sugar + a tour wide giveaway

Let’s meet Kimberly:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance novels that split the difference between sexy and sweet, taking the traditional idea of boy-meets-girl and infusing it with a sassy magic all her own. She believes in fiery yet flawed characters destined for a crash-course in falling in love– usually the hard way– and injects her trademark humor as well as poignant touches into her writing to create her stories.

Kimberly’s writing journey has led down some bumpy roads (that first manuscript is under the bed, where it is very likely to stay), but there has been some fresh pavement too (her second manuscript earned her very first contest final, and landed the fantastic Maureen Walters at the Curtis Brown Literary Agency). One thing is certain — the wild ride of being a writer is a lot richer in both its ups and downs because of friends and readers along the path.

When Kimberly’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to eclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. She resides in northern Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

Places to find Kimberly Kincaid: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

*****
Gimme Some Sugar

Amazon|Kindle| B&N | Kobo | iTunes

Desperate to escape the spotlight of her failed marriage to a fellow celebrity-chef, Carly di Matisse left New York City for a tiny town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The restaurant she’s running these days may not be chic, but in Pine Mountain she can pretend to be the tough cookie everybody knows and loves. Until she finds herself spending too much time with a way-too-hot contractor whose rugged good looks melt her like butter…

Jackson Carter wasn’t looking for love. But he’s not the kind of man to walk away from a worksite—or from a fiery beauty whose passionate nature provides some irresistible on-the-job benefits…

It’s the perfect temporary arrangement for two ravenous commitment-phobes, except that Jackson and Carly keep coming back for seconds… and thirds… and fourths…

Make sure to check out Kimberly’s review HERE and Kelly’s review HERE.

Tour Wide Giveaway

$20 Gift Card (Amazon or Barnes & Noble) + Swag Pack

a Rafflecopter giveaway

June 5, 2014June 3, 2014

Guest Blogger Terry Spears

What To Pack When Headed To The Jungle

In Jaguar Hunt, shifter agents Tammy Anderson and David Patterson reluctantly get paired to investigate an important jaguar matter in the jungles of Belize. While they only have a short time to pack for their mission, both seem to know just what to bring. Since they are able to shift into large cats, weapons always at the ready, the focus is on intimate items … neither realizing just how much these items will come in handy when sparks between the two begin to fly.

So what do these enforcers pack when headed to the jungle?

Tammy

Lipstick and other essentials—just stuff she usually takes, though she never guesses she will see her lipstick marking a heart on a tree.
Lace and silk red hot panties—always a requisite, even though Tammy has no intention of David getting her bag and seeing an eyeful of her undergarments.
A teeny, weeny bikini—just in case she goes swimming, but she has no idea she will have to take a shower in it…

David

Bathing suit, just in case he can get some swimming in with the she-cat, while not in jaguar form.
XXL condoms, he means just to take a couple, not a jumbo size box, nor for Tammy to get HIS bag by accident. But you see, she ditches him, and he is running late, and…
Aftershave—the kind that drives females crazy, only he soon learns he doesn’t need to use it because he drives Tammy crazy without it.

So some might say that they look like they prepared for romance when they “signed” up for this mission. But Tammy would say that she only brought what she did for herself and not to entice some hot male cat into getting interested.

And David would say, with a smirk, of course, it’s always good to be prepared.

Here’s an excerpt from Jaguar Hunt showing just what is essential for a trip:

“Missing anything?” she asked. “Doesn’t look like anything else of mine is gone.” She was relieved for that.

“My bottle of aftershave lotion. Wild Earth Essence—the fragrance of Indonesian sandalwood combined with patchouli.”

She had to admit she would like smelling the aftershave on him, though only if he applied a hint of it—much more and her sensitive sense of smell couldn’t handle it.

“The hippies wore patchouli—the odor of pot, sex, and forest. It’s from the mint family,” she said, recalling reading about that somewhere.

“I never thought of it that way, but you’re right.”

She frowned at him, not meaning to, but still… “So you wear it to attract human women?” Here she was defending herself against her brother’s claim that she only dated humans. Did David?

“I haven’t dated a human since last year. Bad mistake.”

“What happened?”

“I learned not to date a woman who had a former boyfriend who wasn’t ready to let her go.”

She waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t, though she was dying to know what had happened. Not that it should matter, but it piqued her curiosity. Would Maya know?

Maybe David’s brother had told Maya and Tammy could ask her. “I don’t remember you wearing it earlier before you took your shower.” She zipped up her toiletry bag.

“I didn’t need to. I wasn’t planning on being with any human woman,” he reiterated, and smiled a little as if he thought she might care. “In truth, the fragrance attracts jaguars and other kinds of big cats also.”

You see? It’s always important to be prepared!

If you were going on a mission in the hot jungle with a hot male jaguar shifter, what would be the essential item you would bring?

*****

JAGUAR HUNT

Release Date: June 3, 2014

Amazon | B&N

An agent and a jaguar-shifter chase trouble, and each other, through the jungles of Belize

Agent Tammy Anderson has a reputation: she prefers to work alone. So when she’s paired up on a mission with jaguar-shifter David Patterson-who’s only recently been released from jail-to say she’s less than thrilled is a understatement. Until she realizes that this sexy agent has what it takes…

Soon, what started as an “easy” mission to locate a missing jaguar takes the pair to Belize, where they’re chasing down two renegade teen shifters who know more than they’re telling. As the action heats up, can they keep their minds on the job and off each other?

Don’t miss Kelly’s review of Jaguar Hunt HERE

A little about Terry:

USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over two dozen paranormal romance novels and medieval Highland historical romances. In 2008 HEART OF THE WOLF was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears that have found homes all over the world. She lives in Crawford, Texas.

Website | Goodread | Facebook | Twitter @TerrySpear

June 5, 2014June 5, 2014

Book Spotlight & Review: The Willing by Suzanne Young

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Program comes a thrilling new novel about the lust and lure of darkness.

Amelia Cardone has spent her entire life under the guardianship of the Building, a cult of believers who made a pact with her father–the Devil. In exchange for protecting Satan’s child, the Building’s leader was promised untold power after Amelia completes the ceremony on her twenty-third birthday. A ceremony that will permanently raise the Devil from the depths of Hell.

But the half-bred child of Satan has power of her own…and a secret that threatens to destroy them all. Betrothed since birth, Amelia defied the Building’s prophecy by marking another as her mate when she was a child. The boy–long-thought dead–has grown in captivity, and has now returned to kill the girl who cursed him. But, bearing her mark, Jonas Wells finds himself unable to harm her.

The passion that ignites between them will bring forth the wrath of everyone in Amelia’s life, including her soulless half-brother (the only person she’s ever truly trusted), and a demon who is determined to make Amelia his own. Amelia knows that to survive she’ll either have to kill Jonas or go against the Building, her father’s pact, and everything she was brought up to believe.

In the end, her only way out might be to embrace the demon she was meant to become–and face the Devil’s consequences.

Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

Originally from New York, Suzanne Young moved to Arizona to pursue her dream of not freezing to death. She currently resides in Tempe, where she teaches high school English. When not writing obsessively, Suzanne can be found searching her own tragic memories for inspiration.

Suzanne is the author of several books for teens, including THE PROGRAM, A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL, and A WANT SO WICKED.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of The Willing

Review (4 Stars): Wow, what a book! I was hooked from the very first page and I stayed up all night reading it. Amelia is the daughter of the devil and she is destined to be with Bastian, the leader of the building. On her twenty-third birthday, she will take part in a ceremony that will not only join her to Bastain, but help to bring her father into this world for good. Amelia had other plans for her future because she chose another boy as her mate when she was a young child and marked him as her soulmate. Jonas always felt a connection with Amelia but wasn’t sure what to think when Amelia bit him and left him with a permanent mark. For years, everyone believed that he died in a fire and now he is back to make everyone pay for his suffering, starting with the person he believed caused it all. Amelia.

I felt sorry for Amelia most of this book because she was stuck in a life that she wanted no part of. She couldn’t help that she was the daughter of the devil and her brother was a half-demon. She wanted to have choice in her destiny and she felt that Jonas was her soulmate and she didn’t care what the prohecy said. She was in love with Jonas and was heartbroken when she thought that he was dead.

Vincent, her half-brother and chosen protector, was a very interesting character. A half-demon who was a psychopath with the face of an angel, who loved causing other people pain. He would do anything to protect Amelia and punished anyone that hurt her in any way. He was torn for most of the book by trying to do what was right for his sister even if it meant those actions ended up hurting her after all.

The Willing was an imaginative paranormal tale that left me speechless. I was impressed with Ms. Young’s style of writing and how this story captivated me from the very first page. I will definitely check out Suzanne Young’s other books because I’m sure they will be just as enjoyable as The Willing.

June 4, 2014June 3, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Independence Slay by Shelley Freydont

The Unexpected Character

by Shelley Freydont

Writers go to great lengths to “know” their characters. Some make collages, some interview the prospective character, or make lists of hair color, height, favorite food, etc. An author lives with her characters. Your protagonist rides shotgun while you drive to the store. The sidekick climbs into the shower with you, the villain knocks at your subconscious while you’re watching your favorite television show.

You pretty much have a full house twenty four/seven while you’re writing a book, and if you write a series…well talk about your extended family.

Knowing and loving your character will make writing the story that much more organic.

But what if a character crashes your story, like that uninvited guest who shows up at the door when the party is already in full swing? It happens. It can be fun or annoying, sometimes both.

This happened to me on my latest series the Celebration Bay Mysteries. My heroine, Liv, is an Manhattan event planner hired by a small upstate destination town to be its event coordinator.

She has a dog, two retired schoolteacher landladies, an assistant, friends and colleagues, even a nemesis. But she didn’t have a love interest. A lot of amateur sleuths take up with policeman because…well they’re cool and they know how to investigate and also can take care of those pesky things like getting DNA samples and ballistic reports that the amateur doesn’t have access to.

I started the first book, Foul Play at the Fair, with no boyfriend for Liv, fingers crossed and hoping for the best. Around chapter three, she has to visit the local newspaper office to complain about her festival ad being dumped for a Boy Scout article.

The Celebration Bay Clarion is a family paper, owned for generations by the Bristow family, and a one man operation. Liv has heard old man Bristow, the current editor, is more interested in fishing than reporting the news. And that’s just not acceptable. She goes to talk to the editor in person. She knocks on the door and when no one answers, she walks in. The place is dark and a mess, and someone is snoring in the back room.

Liv stumbles through the dusky rooms to a back room filled with printers and laptops. The editor is asleep on the couch, snoring away and ruffling the newspaper that’s covering his face. I should have seen it coming, but I wasn’t thinking ahead. She clears her throat; when he doesn’t wake up, she jostles his shoe. There’s much grumbling and slapping at papers and he finally sits up.

I knew by then what was going to happen.

Old man Bristow isn’t an old man at all. But thirty-ish, with a shock of dirty-blond hair. A surfer dude wearing jeans and a flannel shirt with a hole in the elbow. Handsome and out of place–And cranky…And the beginning of a ridiculous relationship.

Charles “Chaz” Bristow was an investigative reporter for the L.A. Times until he quit suddenly and came home to fish and run his family’s local paper. As far as Liv can tell, he’s lazy and uncouth and totally apathetic. He also has a really dry sense of humor and doesn’t mind throwing sarcasm around a bit.

He’s not what I expected, not consciously anyway. I didn’t construct him, didn’t think about what color eyes he would have, or if he’d be a hunk or a sensitive Beta guy. I didn’t know anything about him until he pulled off that newspaper and sat up, scratching. At that moment, Chaz popped full blown onto the page and trying to finagle his way into Liv’s heart.

Sometimes characters are just lying in ambush waiting for you to discover them. Maybe they’ve been sitting on the back burner of your imagination waiting for a lapse in concentration. I feel like that about Chaz. Really, he’s so annoying. Sometimes Liv just wants to smack him, and actually so do I.

But we’re stuck with him. And he’s turning out pretty okay. Both Liv and I have great hopes for him in the future.

About the Author:

Shelley Freydont is the author of the Liv Montgomery, Celebration Bay Festival Mysteries (Berkeley Prime Crime). She also writes the Katie McDonald Sudoku murder series and Lindy Haggerty Dance Company mystery series. She has written several romance novels under the pseudonym Gemma Bruce. Her books have been translated into seven languages.

Her first women’s fiction novel, Beach Colors, written as Shelley Noble, was published by William Morrow June 2012. Stargazey Point will be available July 2013.
A former professional dancer and choreographer, she most recently worked on the films, Mona Lisa Smile and The Game Plan. Shelley is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and Liberty States Fiction Writers.

For more about Shelley, please visit her website www.shelleyfreydont.com.

On the Fourth of July, Old Glory is flying high in Celebration Bay—until someone raises a red flag…

With Independence Day fast approaching, Liv Montgomery is swamped coordinating one of the town’s biggest festivals. In addition to the traditional July fourth events, the town stages a spooky Revolutionary War reenactment that can’t be missed. Every year, the ghost of local war hero Henry Gallantine—played by his eccentric descendant of the same name—appears at the top of the family mansion, kicking off the night’s revelries.

But Henry’s annual cameo goes awry after the ghost signals SOS instead of his traditional cue. When Liv rushes to the rescue, she finds Henry missing and a real dead body instead of a fake haunt. Now she will have to hunt down both a murderer and a missing person quickly before unwanted political fireworks ignite and someone else winds up as local history…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Independence Slay

Review (4.5 Stars): This is the third book in the Celebration Bay mystery series and I’m really enjoying this series. Everyone is preparing for the Fourth of July events where the town stages a Revolutionary War reenactment and tempers are running high. Things start to go haywire when a dead body is found among the activities and Liz has to help investigate another murder before the killer takes another victim.

I think that Liv is a great character and I love the little town of Celebration Bay. The characters are entertaining and this is definitely a series that you will want to visit over and over again. The mystery was well-written with quite a few twists and I’m happy to say I didn’t figure it out until the very end. Independence Slay was a fun, entertaining mystery that will have you wanting to visit the town of Celebration Bay for many years to come.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Independence Slay. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 10th, answer me this question in the comments:

What is your favorite holiday?

June 4, 2014May 22, 2014

Interview with Marie Force

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Marie Force to the blog for her first visit. We are chatting about life and her new release

Marie, can you please share with us a little about yourself

Let’s see… First and foremost I’m a mom to two teenagers, a daughter who will be nineteen in July and a son who is fifteen. I live in Rhode Island and have been writing fiction since 2004. I Want to Hold Your Hand will be my 33^rd published book, including two novellas.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. The author part came a little later, but I always hoped I’d eventually write fiction.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

I Want to Hold Your Hand is book 2 in my Green Mountain Series and it features Hannah Abbott Guthrie, an Iraqi war widow who finds new love with her late husband’s close friend Nolan Roberts. It’s an emotional story that took me on an amazing journey. I hope readers will love Hannah and Nolan as much as I do. It’s out everywhere on June 3. If you want to catch up with the series, you can start with Book 1, All You Need Is Love, which is out now. Book 3, I Saw Her Standing There, will be out in November.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

I’m currently working on And I Love Her, which is Book 4 in the Green Mountain Series, featuring Hunter Abbott, the oldest of the ten Abbott siblings.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I have soooo many books on my TBR pile that it would be hard to narrow down one that I’m looking forward to reading. I read every day, and I love being swept away in a fun romance.

Connect with Marie here Website | Facebook | Twitter: @marieforce | Goodreads

*****

I Want to Hold Your Hand

Green Mountain #2

Amazon | B&N

For the Abbott siblings, the Green Mountain state has always been an idyllic place to call home. But it isn’t until they open themselves up to love that they’ll truly discover how fulfilling life can be…

Almost seven years after losing her husband in Iraq, Hannah Abbott Guthrie isn’t sure she’s ready—or able—to move on, but the attentions of a lifelong friend are making her think about it for the first time. The memory of the sweet kiss she shared with Nolan Roberts hasn’t strayed far from her thoughts, but she also fears that pursuing something with him would mean betraying her husband’s memory.

Nolan has loved Hannah for years, but he’d been giving her the space she needed to heal from her devastating loss. Now, when an opportunity arises to show her how he feels, Nolan can’t resist, but he knows earning her love will take more than a kiss. Somehow he has to prove to Hannah that finding love twice in a lifetime is possible—and well worth risking her heart

June 4, 2014June 3, 2014

Blog Tour & Review: 100 Proof Stud by A.J. Lape

Good versus Evil

by A.J. Lape

Who I decide to make a villain/hero in my novels is a very organic thing for me–not in the nuts and granola, Birkenstock sense (hehehee)–but it’s all about making changes and adjustments as you go. Like all writers, I go into my head and let the characters take over. Sometimes I get afraid of what they say, and then I get afraid to write it down, and at times I wonder, Is it okay to print what these people do because some of it is straight-up horror show and so soulless it’s like Dante’s outer circle. I guess it comes down to how comfortable with good, right? But sometimes you don’t know what “good” truly is until you compare it to its polar opposite.

I have one character that I write, Ivy Morrison, who is classic mean-girl–from her all-white, in-your-face ensemble, to a rockin’ body, and a face that looks like Barbie. Poison Ivy was hard for me in the beginning. I didn’t want her to throw mean barbs at Darcy or her friends because I wanted to jump on the page and punch her lights out myself. But at the end of the day, I thought, pretty girl + mean girl x teen jealousy = high school. I couldn’t get around diving into the meanies of the meanies and show a true depiction of what high school life can be like without letting Ivy be, er, poison.

The same thing goes for my villains. Once it is revealed to me in the writing process what a character is like, then the crime sort of goes hand in hand. Oftentimes I will write a character one way, and then in the back of my mind I’ll hear this little voice that says, He or she may do bad things, but there’s more to this character than meets the eye. When that happens, the backstory will unfold, and I will decide how much I will tell the reader in that particular book. Why? Because I may want to bring that character back, give them a larger part, or maybe even redeem them. Or perhaps they will always be victim of their flaws and just can’t get out of their own way. Whatever the case, when you are writing, you have to embrace “the truth.” You can’t sugarcoat a personality–or put lipstick on a pig–and have a reader walk away with a believable character. The pig will still be the pig.

About the Author:

A. J. Lape’s Darcy Walker Series broke into the Top 50 books in Teens Literature & Fiction within 36 hours of its release. It has spent numerous weeks in the Top 100 in Mystery Series and Teens, Mysteries & Thrillers Categories as well as being one of the Top Rated in its genre. A self-proclaimed neurotic and troublemaker at heart, a perfect day for A. J. consists of writing, watching her kids play sports, drinking Coke, then lounging in her pajamas by 8PM.

She lives in Cincinnati with her husband, two feministic daughters, an ADD dog, a spoiled hamster, and an unapologetic and unrepentant addiction to Coca-Cola, with a lifelong love affair with bacon. She studied English, Journalism, and Political Science at Morehead State University and left the business world when her daughters were born. Her love for suspense and a good story was born from watching Mystery Science Theater with her sister during childhood. That and any B movie with comedic undertones they could get their hands on.

When she’s not riding that razor-thin line between creativity and insanity, she likes to read, watch too much cable TV, or cheer like a banshee at her daughters’ sporting events. She’s a huge hometown sports fan and loves to watch the Cincinnati Bengals and Cincinnati Reds whenever she can.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Sometimes life smacks you right in the kisser with a whole lot of ohhhh craaaaap.

Just ask Darcy Walker.

100 Proof Stud picks up four months after No Brainer’s cliffhanger ending, and Darcy discovers the aftermath pales in comparison to the crisis her heart is in. All of a sudden it’s raining men, and this teenage heroine’s personal life turns her inside out.

Before she can sort out her feelings, she chases a spray-painting vandal and stumbles upon a case of identity theft right in her own backyard. Darcy jumps into the fray headfirst to prove she can hang with the big boys.

But it’s not just to hang…nope, she’s chasing reward money.

Tapping her band of misfit brothers for help, she turns Valley upside down trying to unearth the criminals. Problem is, the cloak and dagger goes high-octane, and she raises the bar on “crazy” in the process.

Bullets ring out…dead bodies appear…and Darcy rubs shoulders with the ultimate sociopath. In the midst of murder and mayhem, will she finally follow her heart or build a fortress of lies around it? Will she even get the chance?

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of 100 Proof Stud

Review (3.75 Stars): Darcy was an interesting character and this is one of the few young adult mystery series that I have read so far. She was a wise-cracking young heroine who always ended up in the middle of trouble and I was amazed at some of the scenarios that she found herself in. Reminded quite a bit of the Stephanie Plum series. There is definitely a lot of humor in this book but I recommend reading the first book, Grade A Stupid, to get acquainted with Darcy and the people in her life before starting 100 Proof Stud. Fun series that will have you laughing out loud until the very end.

June 3, 2014June 3, 2014

An exclusive excerpt of THERE’S WILD, THEN THERE’S YOU by M. Leighton

There’s Wild, Then There’s You

The Wild Ones #3

Amazon| B&N

He’s someone she can’t trust…She’s someone he thinks he knows…Violet Wilson is a wallflower. Shy, serious, and accident-prone, she’s got a bad habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The night she’s forced to pose with her friend might just be the worst time of all—that’s when she meets Jet Blevins. She knows better than to get involved with someone like him, but he touches her in ways she never expected, neverwanted before.On the outside, Jet is a typical rocker, an arrogant lead guitarist who unapologetically lives a wild lifestyle. But on the inside, he’s battling demons and using the stage to escape the troubles of his past and the addictions of his present. Until the night he sees Violet standing at the back of the room. She brings his life into focus. She knows his secrets. She’s the girl he can’t forget, and the one thing he craves more than his addiction.But can they ever hope to have a future when their very foundation is nothing but lies?

Excerpt Four

There’s a burn behind my eyes as I slide behind the wheel of my car. I knew there was a good chance she wouldn’t even talk to me, hear me out. And, although she did, I can see that she can’t forgive me. At least not now. Just the thought of her never forgiving me is what’s making my gut churn, my heart ache, and my eyes burn. It’s eating me up inside, not being with her, thinking that I’ll never be with her.

But what are my choices? I can’t really see that I have any. I’ve told her the facts, apologized to her, and asked for her forgiveness. Even told her that I loved her in a roundabout way. But none of it mattered. I didn’t know if it would. I had hoped, but I knew it was a long shot.

Now, I should just walk away. She’s made her choice, and I ought to respect it.

Only I can’t.

I can’t live with her choice. I can’t live with her unforgiveness. I can’t live without her.

So what the hell am I supposed to do?

That question rings through my head all the way back to my father’s place in Summerton where I have to go to pick up some stuff I’d left there.

It’s when I pull into the driveway, thinking of Violet when I see the place where she was dropping off her dad that day, that I realize there is something I can do. I can love her from a distance. I can do things for her, make her life better and happier, without her ever having to know. But I’ll know. I’ll know that, somewhere, she’s smiling and feeling a little happier, and that I might’ve had a small hand in it.

And as long as I can make her happy, make her life better (even without me in it), that’ll have to be enough.

A little about M. Leighton:

New York Times and USA TodayBestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you’ll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren’t roaming in that direction, she’ll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

Visit my website: http://www.mleightonbooks.com/

June 3, 2014June 2, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Tempest in a Teapot by Amanda Cooper

Why Teapots?

By Amanda Cooper (aka Victoria Hamilton)

How many people will wonder why I am writing a series centered around teapot collecting? I thought I would have a go at answering the question before I am asked.

First…about tea and me. I can only speak for myself, but drinking tea is about much more than just enjoying hot beverage. There are emotions and feelings tangled up with the ritual that have never, for me, been a part of my enjoyment of coffee. Coffee is for rushed mornings, a get-down-to-work straightforward brew. Tea is for afternoon; work is almost done and I need something to usher me gently from work to enjoyment.

How did I start drinking tea, you ask? At the modest home of my very English paternal grandmother there was always a Brown Betty of very strong tea on the hob, which in modern parlance is the stovetop. The tea stayed on all day long and became as dark as pitch. Conversations took place at the kitchen table over endless cups of that incredibly strong brew; as a small child I suppose that seemed a very ‘adult’ thing to do.

My first cups of tea were mostly milk and sugar warmed with a few tablespoons of hot tea from the pot, but it was tea, and I felt so grown up! My maternal grandparents gave me a milk glass teacup just fitted to small hands, and some English neighbors down the road brought back a very special tea mug from England for me; I was never actually allowed to use it, but it was mine! It has the Pied Piper on it, is English china, and I still have it in my china cabinet, a treasured piece.

But the beginning of the ritual was the teapot and ever since, I’ve loved them. For a collector there is a world of fascination in the teapot realm. You can go from rare antiques to kitschy figurals in the blink of an eye. There are teapots for animal lovers in the shapes of elephants, cats, birds, and more. Consider the delicate beauties adorned with different chintz patterns, or admire silver teapots with Bakelite handles for the china or silver connoisseur. In fact there are so many types of teapots that collectors build museums to display them and folks travel for miles to marvel. Usually the museum aspect starts with a personal collection and ends with overabundance and the need for more space.

But why so many kinds of teapots? You don’t see figural coffee pots. For me the answer lies in the drink itself. Coffee is a ‘hurry up and consume’ potion; get some energy quick, drink it down! Tea is a ‘sit down and visit’ tonic. Tea encourages long gossip sessions with intimate friends, or dreamy afternoons with a book. Coffee is a fuel; tea is pleasure.

Coffee mugs have witty sayings or company logos and coffee pots are strictly utilitarian, for the most part. You can get coffee pots in china patterns to fit your set, but the coffee pot is a skinny long necked afterthought addition to the elegant set consisting of teapot, sugar bowl and creamer.

All in all, teapots blend a piquant measure of tradition, custom, memory and joy into a fragrant and bracing brew. I don’t have room to collect as I would wish, but the teapots I do have are displayed with pride.

I hope readers enjoy the Teapot Collector Mystery series just as much as I am enjoying writing them, and that they will read with a hot cup of tea at the ready, to sip and savor.

About the Author:

Amanda Cooper is the pseudonym for bestselling mystery author Victoria Hamilton. She writes the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries and the Merry Muffin Mysteries as Hamilton, in addition to the Teapot Collector Mysteries as Amanda Cooper. Cooper’s long time love of mystery novels started at age twelve when her mom handed her an Agatha Christie book and said ‘Read!’. Thousands of novels later Cooper is still reading. And writing.

But besides those two favorite pastimes, Cooper also enjoys collecting vintage kitchenalia, old books, teacups, teapots and other ephemera. Perfume is her secret addiction. She likes to cook, hates to clean, and enjoys time spent with friends chatting over wine or tea. She loves crafts, loathes boredom, and her guilty pleasure is ‘reality’ TV, which she knows is largely fake but enjoys anyway.

Cooper thinks that people are the most interesting study of all, and more than anything, she loves to hear from readers, not just about her books but about anything and everything.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Tucked away in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York is the charming town of Gracious Grove, where time moves slowly, gossip spreads quickly, and the scones are to die for…

When her fashionable Manhattan restaurant goes under, Sophie Taylor retreats to her grandmother’s cozy shop, Auntie Rose’s Victorian Teahouse, where serenity is steeped to perfection in one of her many antique teapots. The last thing Sophie expects is a bustling calendar of teahouse events, like her old friend Cissy Peterson’s upcoming bridal shower.

Not everyone is pleased with the bride-to-be’s choice of venue—like Cissy’s grandmother, who owns a competing establishment, La Belle Epoque, and has held a long-simmering grudge against Rose for stealing her beau sixty years ago. Tensions reach a boiling point when Cissy’s fiancé’s mother dies while sampling scones at La Belle Epoque. Now, to help her friend, Sophie will have to bag a killer before more of the guest list becomes a hit list…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Tempest in a Teapot

Review (4 Stars): Tempest in a Teapot is a great start to this new mystery series. Sophie Taylor has come home to Gracious Grove to spend time with her loving grandmother and decide what to do next with her life after her restaurant failed. Being back in Gracious Grove has brought back a lot of great memories for Sophie and she made it back in time to help celebrate her old friend’s upcoming nuptials. But when the bride’s future mother-in-law ends up dead at a family gathering, Sophie finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. She must find the killer soon before her friend’s wedding is derailed permanently.

I liked Sophie and I thought that she was a very interesting character that was trying to pick up the pieces after her restaurant failed. I loved her interactions with her grandmother and learning all about her grandmother’s teahouse. The mystery was interesting yet slow in parts but still very enjoyable. This is the first book in the series and I’m sure everything will pick up in the second installment. Can’t wait to read what is next for Sophie and her grandmother in Gracious Grove.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Tempest in a Teapot. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 10th, answer me this question in the comments:

What is your favorite tea or coffee drink?

June 3, 2014June 3, 2014

Book Spotlight & Review: A Shiver of Light by Laurell K. Hamilton

I am Princess Meredith NicEssus. Legal name Meredith Gentry, because “Princess” looks so pretentious on a driver’s license. I was the first faerie princess born on American soil, but I wouldn’t be the only one for much longer…

Merry Gentry, exprivate detective, now full-time princess, knew she was descended from fertility goddesses, but when she learned she was about to have triplets, she began to understand what that might mean. Infertility has plagued the high ranks of faerie for centuries. Now nobles of both courts of faerie are coming to court Merry and her men, at their home in exile in the Western Lands of Los Angeles, because they will do anything to have babies of their own.

Taranis, King of Light and Illusion, is a more dangerous problem. He tried to seduce Merry and, failing that, raped her. He’s using the human courts to sue for visitation rights, claiming that one of the babies is his. And though Merry knows she was already pregnant when he took her, she can’t prove it.

To save herself and her babies from Taranis she will use the most dangerous powers in all of faerie: a god of death, a warrior known as the Darkness, the Killing Frost, and a king of nightmares. They are her lovers, and her dearest loves, and they will face down the might of the high courts of faerie—while trying to keep the war from spreading to innocent humans in Los Angeles, who are in danger of becoming collateral damage.

Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

Laurell K. Hamilton’s is a paranormal thriller writer and is a regular on the New York Times Bestseller List through titles in her two series Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter and Meredith Gentry: Fairy Princess/Private Eye. The Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series, published by Penguin Group under the Berkley Books imprint, spans 17 novels, including Skin Trade, released earlier this year. With over 6 million copies in print worldwide and available in over 16 languages, there is no end in sight for Anita, the professional necromancer and licensed vampire executioner.

Marvel Comics has worked closely with Hamilton to adapt her books in the Anita Blake series into comic book medium with a stunning amount of success. The first installment of the graphic novel, Guilty Pleasures, was released in July 2007 and was the number one best selling graphic novel for that month.

The Meredith Gentry series published by Ballantine Books features Meredith Gentry as a part-human, part-fey private investigator. Under orders from her aunt Andias, Queen of the Unseelie Court, Meredith is in a race to become pregnant and ascend the throne before her cousin Cel does. The cost of failure will be her own life and that of those who follow her. The next Merry book, Divine Misdemeanors, will debut December 8th, 2009.

Laurell Hamilton resides in St. Louis County, Missouri, with her husband and partner Jonathon Green, her daughter, and their pug. Her education includes degrees in English and biology from Marion (now Indiana Wesleyan University.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of A Shiver of Light

Review (4.5 Stars): Laurell K. Hamilton is one of my absolute favorite authors and I have always been a huge fan of her Anita Blake/Merry Gentry series. Most of us thought that Merry’s series ended with Divine Misdemeanors because Ms. Hamilton hasn’t written anything about these characters since 2009. When I heard that she was coming out with A Shiver of Light, I was so excited to see what was in store next for Meredith and the men in her life.

At the beginning of A Shiver of Light, Merry is at the end of her pregnancy and we discover that she will be delivering triplets instead of twins as we first believed. I liked seeing this different side to Merry’s character due to motherhood and how the birth of these babies changes her relationship with the men in her life. Having children changes everything and Merry isn’t the only affected by these little ones.

While Merry and her clan are adjusting to the new additions in their family, Merry is hit with the information that her Uncle Taranis wants visitation rights for the children because he believes that one of the babies is his. Merry was already pregnant when Taranis assaulted her but now has to prove through genetic testing that Taranis isn’t the father of one of her children. Taranis is a dangerous man and if he can’t prove that one of the children are his, he is capable of losing everything. Now, it is up to Meredith and the men in her life to protect their own from the people that are out to destroy them.

I think that A Shiver of Light was definitely worth the wait and this book made me happy and heart-broken all at the same time. I won’t give too much away but I have to say this was a great addition to the series and the ending definitely left me speechless.

June 2, 2014June 1, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Thread End by Amanda Lee

I’m so excited to welcome Amanda Lee to Books-n-Kisses today. I love her Embroidery Mystery series and I am excited that she is here to talk about her new release, Thread End.

1. Tell me about your new release.

In Thread End, Marcy is about to have the rug pulled out from under her, She can’t wait to see the new exhibit at the Tallulah Falls museum on antique tapestries and textiles, including the beautiful kilim rugs. But her enthusiasm quickly turns to alarm when, the day after the exhibition opens, she discovers a dead body behind her store, the Seven-Year Stitch, wrapped in a most unusual fashion. Also, readers will get to meet Ted’s mother for the first time! 🙂

2. Where did you come up with the idea for the series?

Actually, the idea for the series was my editor Jessica Wade’s. She said she’d love an embroidery series set on the Oregon Coast and gave me some of the details she wanted in place, and I went with it. From there, the series has pretty much taken on a life of its own!

3. What inspired you to write mysteries?

I’ve always loved mysteries. I read the Secret Seven, Nancy Drew, and Trixie Belden series when I was young, and then I graduated to many of today’s greats (too many faves to mention them all by name). I think it’s such fun to put all the pieces of the puzzle into place and to come up with various scenarios that would lead more than one person to want the victim out of the way. “What if…?” and “Why..?” are some of the juiciest questions to answer.

4. What is the most interesting/strange thing you had to research for your book?

For this particular book, I was researching the types of museum exhibits I might find in an Oregon coast museum. Since I’m on the east coast, I started out with online galleries from actual museums. Then I searched for prominent Oregonians who might’ve lived near our fictional Tallulah Falls. I found a toymaker named A.C. Gilbert who was most famous for inventing the erector set. However, he also invented and sold (very briefly) the U-238 Atomic Energy Lab in the early 1950s. It came with three low-level radioactive sources, a Geiger counter, and a book that explained uranium prospecting. The government offered kids a ten-thousand-dollar-prize if they could successfully mine uranium! And we think some of our kids’ toys are dangerous!

5. What are you working on now?

I’ve just sent the first draft of Wicked Stitch, the next book in the embroidery mystery series, to my editor. In Wicked Stitch, Marcy and the gang participate in a Renaissance Faire. I’m also working on a new novella in the Myrtle Crumb mystery series written under the name Gayle Trent. The novella is titled Soup..er…Myrtle and the story focuses on Myrtle’s attempt to discover who’s stealing people’s identities at the soup kitchen where she’s volunteering.

6. Are there any authors or books that have influenced you to become a writer?

I would say Victoria Holt and Mary Higgins Clark. I read them both growing up, and they simply enchanted me with the stories they wove.

7. Favorite TV show guilty pleasure?

I have to admit to having more than one. I enjoy Rizzoli and Isles, Justified, Bates Motel, Psych, Perception, Reign, Once Upon a Time, Grimm…

8. Last book that you read?

I’m currently reading Bare it All by Lori Foster, Upstairs at the White House, by J.B. West, and Welcome to Your Brain, by Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang.

9. Favorite food/drink while writing?

Diet Coke! 🙂

About the Author:

Amanda Lee, also writing as Gayle Trent, is a full-time writer living with her family in Southwest Virginia. She writes the embroidery mystery series as Amanda Lee and writes the cake decorating series and the Myrtle Crumb series as Gayle Trent.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Thread End

Review (4.5): This is a delightful mystery series that will keep you entertained by all its plot twists and snappy dialogue. Thread End is the seventh book in the series and each new book seems to be better than its predecessor. In this one, Marcy is excited to see the new textile exhibit at the Tallulah Falls Museum and after the grand opening, she finds a body behind her shop wrapped in a textile rug from the exhibit. Now, she must investigate the clues and find the killer before they take another victim.

I love this series because each mystery is well-written and fast-paced which makes it easy to follow along even if you haven’t read the rest of the series. Marcy is a great character that you can instantly connect to and I enjoyed following her on this textile mystery. Thread End is a great addition to a wonderful cozy series and I’m looking forward to reading Wicked Stitch.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Thread End. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 10th, leave a question or comment below for Amanda:

June 2, 2014June 2, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Engaged in Murder by Nancy J. Parra

I have Nancy J. Parra here today to discuss her new book and first in a new mystery series, Engaged in Murder.

It used to be that a fellow in love would ask the girl’s father for her hand. Then he would buy a ring and over a candlelit dinner, he would get down on one knee and ask her to marry him. With advent of video these simple proposals became grander and grander. Suddenly there were proposals at half-time at basketball and football games. Proposals from Santa’s knee. Flash mobs singing and dancing their way into the heart of the woman. In fact, I have a Pintrest board of cool proposals where you can see some of the fun and crazy ways that men plot and plan to ask a woman to marry them. I often thought how fun would it be to help men plan these proposals.

When I had the opportunity to write about an amateur sleuth who planned extravagant proposals I jumped all over it and Pepper Pomeroy was born. Pepper is a tall, thin red head who would like to consider herself perfect, but knows better. She was recently “down-sized” from her job as an event coordinator for a downtown Chicago Hotel/conference center and is facing a dwindling savings account and the idea that she may have to live with her parents again at age thirty.

Her younger sister, Felicity, on the other hand is practically perfect. She is shorter and blond and curvy in all the right places. And Felicity’s long time boyfriend, Warren Evans, has come to Pepper with a request. Could she plan an extravagant proposal for Felicity? Who but Pepper would know Felicity better and understand what she might think would be her dream proposal.

With not much else to do Pepper agrees and happily helps Warren plan a jet setting proposal for Felicity. The proposal goes off with just one hitch. Right before Felicity arrives Pepper discovers a man passed out in the woman’s bathroom at the tiny airport where Warren is popping the question. In a decision that would prove to haunt her, Pepper decides to let the authorities know about the drunk guy after Warren and Felicity jet off to an exotic weekend. The proposal goes so well that Warren tells Pepper she should start her own business event planning proposals and Perfect Proposals is born.

As she waves good-bye, Pepper remembers the guy and calls the police only to discover that there has been a murder and Warren is suspect number one. Now Pepper feels she must prove Warren’s innocence to save her sister from a lifetime of grief. What Pepper learns is that it’s not easy catching a killer and she must trust her instincts if she wants to save the day.

To see some of the proposals I’ve pinned as well as possible bridal gowns and bridesmaids dresses follow me on Pintrest at http://www.pinterest.com/nancyjparra/

About the Author:

Best known for writing “…strong stubborn heroes and plucky heroines who aren’t afraid to go toe to toe with them,” (Shelley Mosley, Booklist Magazine), I currently have 12 books published-two made the top ten list and a total of five were given starred reviews by ALA’s Booklist.

Praise from readers and booksellers made All Fudged Up – by pen name Nancy Coco a 2013 National Bestseller. Thank you! I’m very excited to bring you three books in 2014 and 2015 as the three series heat up.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

There’s no planning for murder…

Event planner Pepper Pomeroy is making the most of her current unemployment by arranging a surprise for her sister, Felicity. Warren, Felicity’s boyfriend, plans to lure his lovely lady into a private jet, propose, and whisk her away on a romantic vacation. He just needs Pepper to handle all the fine details in order to make it the perfect proposal—and it is. Everything goes so well when Warren pops the question that he suggests Pepper do this sort of thing professionally.

But before she can get her new business off the ground, there are some disturbing questions. Like who’s the dead guy Pepper finds in the ladies’ room of the jet hangar? Is it possible Felicity’s high-flying fiancé has been hiding more than the engagement ring? Pepper’s not married to the idea of having a criminal in the family, so in order to protect her sister, she takes off in pursuit of a killer…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Engaged in Murder

Review (4 Stars): This is the first book in a new mystery series and it definitely holds a lot of potential. Pepper is trying desperately to make ends meet after losing her job so she doesn’t have to move back in with her parents. She agrees to help her sister’s boyfriend plan the perfect engagement aboard his private jet and soon encounters a dead body in the bathroom of the airport. Pepper then finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation while trying to establish her new business of engagement planning which she seems to be exactly what she needed. She also needs to help find the true killer before her sister’s fiance’ is charged with the murder and all her dreams go up in smoke.

I liked Engaged in Murder but it took me a while to warm up to the character of Pepper. The mystery started off a little slow but then picked up the pace and was an enjoyable start to this cozy series. I loved Pepper’s family and some of their scenes with her had me laughing out loud and were a great addition to the story. Engaged in Murder is a good start to the series and I’m hoping that things will pick up in the second book because these characters definitely have a lot of potential.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Engaged in Murder. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 10th, please tell me your engagement story:

June 1, 2014June 1, 2014