Spotlight feature of The Given by Vicki Pettersson + giveaway

THE GIVEN is the final novel in New York Times bestselling author Vicki Pettersson’s acclaimed Celestial Blues series. Readers have been eagerly awaiting this dramatic conclusion, and THE GIVEN (Harper Voyager Trade Paperback Original; May, 2014; 9780062066206; $14.99), delivers on Pettersson’s renowned creative hallmarks: innovative world building and darkly sexy supernatural intrigue.

THE GIVEN resumes the thrilling saga of fallen angel/private eye Griffin Shaw, and the spirited, rockabilly reporter Kit Craig as they battle long odds in Sin City. Incredibly imaginative, THE GIVEN spotlights Vegas’s Rat Pack glory days, its flinty present-day turmoil, and the immortal realm of the Everlast, where Centurions (mortals turned angels) and Pure angels co-exist on the celestial plane. What results is a perfect mix of classic noir mystery, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance—and just the right amount of crime scene grit and drama to intrigue readers until the very last page.

After learning that his wife survived the attack that killed him fifty years earlier, angel/PI Griffin Shaw is determined to find Evie—no matter the cost. But his obsession has come at a price. Grif has been forced to give up his strong, burgeoning love for reporter Katherine “Kit” Craig – the woman who made life worth living again – while dedicating himself to finding a woman he may no longer know.

Yet when Kit is attacked for a second time, it’s clear that there are forces in both the mortal and heavenly realm determined to protect secrets long buried in the past. In order to survive his second go-round on the Surface, Grif must convince Kit to reunite with him professionally and help uncover decades of deceit from dangerous enemies both old and new. Yet a prophecy also looms, threatening to upend Grif’s every sacrifice, testing his limits as an angel, his dedication to Evie … and his love for Kit. Gritty scenes and heartfelt emotion propel the dramatic finale to the Celestial Blues trilogy, finally giving readers the answer to the one deadly question that they’ve been dying to know: Who killed Griffin Shaw?

About the Author:

Vicki Pettersson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Signs of the Zodiac novels, a six-book urban fantasy series set in her hometown of Las Vegas. Though she’ll always consider that glittering dustbowl home, she now divides her time between Vegas and Dallas, where she’s learning to like good Tex-Mex (easy) and the Dallas Cowboys (easier than you’d think). THE GIVEN is the third novel in her supernatural noir trilogy, Celestial Blues.

*****

THE GIVEN

Celestial Blues: Book Three

by Vicki Pettersson

Amazon| B&N

Publication Date: 5/27/14; Price: $14.99

New York Times bestselling author Vicki Pettersson continues her breakout new supernatural noir mystery series as a fallen angel and a reporter team up to stop a drug cartel

After learning his wife survived the attack that killed him fifty years earlier, angel/PI Griffin Shaw is determined to find Evelyn Shaw, no matter the cost. Yet his obsession comes at a price. Grif has had to give up his burgeoning love for reporter Katherine “Kit” Craig, the woman who made life worth living again, and dedicate himself to finding one he no longer knows.

Yet when Grif is attacked again, it becomes clear that there are forces in both the mortal and heavenly realm who’d rather see him dead than unearth the well-buried secrets of his past. If he’s to survive his second go-round on the Surface, Grif will have to convince Kit to reunite with him professionally, and help uncover decades of police corruption, risking both their lives… and testing the limits to what one angel is really willing to give for love.

Make sure to check out Kelly’s review of The Given HERE

*****

Harper Collins is giving away three copies of THE TAKEN,

the start to the Celestial Blues trilogy

a Rafflecopter giveaway

June 7, 2014June 6, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: A Sense of Entitlement by Anna Loan-Wilsey

Romance Newport Style

When I saw that one of the stops on my blog tour for A Sense of Entitlement, book three in my Hattie Davish Mystery series from Kensington Publishing was Books-n-Kisses (Thank you for hosting!), the first idea for my guest post that popped into my head was of course romance! I could tell the story of Miss Hattie Davish and Dr. Walter Grice. I could give details about how the two met in Eureka Springs, AR in book one in the series and how Hattie at first resists Walter’s charms. As a practical woman, Hattie knows it is uncommon and unlikely for a woman with no family, who must work to support herself, to be loved by a rich, gentleman doctor who does what he loves, not what he has to. And of course, there is also Hattie’s severe phobia of doctors to consider. But luckily Walter is used to getting what he wants, doesn’t take no for an answer and is smitten enough to pursue Hattie until she realizes he is worth the risk of a heartbreak.

But then the idea I had of writing about romance took a dark turn as I remembered what I had uncovered during my research for A Sense of Entitlement. For just as Hattie is getting comfortable with the idea of an orphaned hat maker’s daughter having a rich beau in her life, she goes to Newport, RI, where the gap between the social classes is too wide to navigate and heartbreak is pervasive. While tackling her new responsibilities as social secretary to the wealthiest woman in America and tracking down the killer of an eminent banker, Hattie must face challenges of the heart as well. But Hattie is not exceptional. Even for its historical residents, spending “the Season” in Newport was not for the faint or fair of heart.

I discovered adultery was, as Deborah Davis says in her book, Gilded: How Newport Became America’s Richest Resort, “so widespread in Newport circles that there was a sliding scale of misbehavior.” As long as it wasn’t serious or threatened the status quo, it was tolerated. However, there were some affairs that made headlines. When Alva Vanderbilt announced her intention to divorce her husband William K. Vanderbilt, on the basis of adultery, she shocked all of Newport society. Yet his infidelities were know to all to have occurred throughout the marriage. But when a rumor surfaced that Oliver Belmont had been found hiding in Alva’s bedroom, it sparked public ridicule and threatened her position in society.

But Newport society could have an even uglier side when it came to romance. In an era where rich American’s sought legitimacy through European nobility titles, daughters of Newport’s richest families where vulnerable to marriages that were more business transactions than love matches. Again the examples that comes right to mind involves Alva Vanderbilt, who after her scandalous divorce would do anything to secure her place in society. She decided that her teenage daughter, Consuelo, would marry Edwin William Spencer-Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough. She didn’t give any thought to the fact that Consuelo was already very much in love with someone else, Winthrop Rutherford, a rich, handsome lawyer from an exceptionally good family. Most mothers would be thrilled to have the descendant of the first governor of Massachusetts as a son-in-law but not Alva. When Alva discovered the couple’s plan to elope, Alva literally imprisoned Consuelo in her room which was guarded twenty-four hours a day. When Consuelo still refused to marry the Duke, Alva threatened to murder Winthrop Rutherford. When that threat didn’t work, Alva feigned a mortal illness and begged Consuelo to grant her dying wish. Of course the daughter conceded and married Spencer-Churchill, though she was heard to be sobbing beneath her veil throughout the ceremony, which a miraculously recovered Alva Vanderbilt attended.

To be fair, not all Newport society romances end in heartbreak. Again using Alva Vanderbilt as an example, she ultimately married Oliver Belmont, the man found hiding in her closet years before, for love and not position, power or money, and lived with him happily, quietly and without controversy until his death. And she eventually made peace with her daughter who divorced the Duke and married again for love. So if Alva Vanderbilt could find peace and love in Newport, I have high hopes for Hattie.

About the Author:

Hardin-Baylor, Texas A&M University-Commerce and most recently, Iowa State University, publishing in several scientific peer-reviewed journals. A Lack of Temperance, her first novel and first in the Hattie Davish Mysteries series, was the #1 bestselling historical mystery on Amazon.com. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. A Sense of Entitlement, the third in the series, is due out in June. Anna lives in a Victorian farmhouse near Ames, Iowa with her inquisitive four year old, her old yellow dog and her very funny, very patient husband, where she is happily working on Hattie’s next adventure.

Website/Facebook

Traveling secretary and dilettante detective Hattie Davish is bringing her talents to a small New England town whose wealthy residents have more secrets than they do money. . .

When Hattie Davish’s job takes her to Newport, Rhode Island, she welcomes the opportunity for a semi-vacation, and perhaps even a summer romance. But her hopes for relaxation are dashed when she learns that members of the local labor unions are at odds with Newport’s gentry. Amidst flaring tensions, an explosion rocks the wharf. In the ensuing turmoil, Mr. Harland Whitwell, one of Newport’s most eminent citizens, is found stabbed to death, his hands clutching a strike pamphlet. All signs point to a vengeful union member bent on taking down the aristocracy, but Hattie starts digging and finds a few skeletons in the closets of the impeccable Whitwell mansion. As she strikes down the whispers spilling out of Newport’s rumor mill, she’ll uncover a truth more scandalous than anyone imagined–and a killer with a rapacious sense of entitlement. . .

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of A Sense of Entitlement

Review (4.25 Stars): This is the first book that I’ve read in the Hattie Davis series and I’m happy to say that I was captivated by the engaging characters of this mystery series. Hattie is sent to work as the social secretary for the wealthiest woman in America while she is on hiatus from Sir Arthur while he is out of town on business. She quickly finds herself embroiled in a mystery when she discovers the body of a wealthy banker and has to investigate to save an innocent man from being blamed for the crime.

I really liked A Sense of Entitlement and the character of Hattie Davis. She was very smart, articulate, and resourceful in a time where women were judged mainly by their social status. I was amazed at how Hattie could live in this time period where she was treated so horribly by people because she was a secretary and still be gracious through it all. I enjoyed the murder mystery in A Sense of Entitlement and will be getting the first two in the series this weekend to further acquaint myself with the delightful Hattie Davis.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of A Sense of Entitlement. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 14th, answer me this question in the comments:

What is your favorite time period to read about?

June 6, 2014May 29, 2014

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 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 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:

May 30, 2014May 30, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Murder, Simply Stitched by Isabella Alan

Today I have Isabella Alan here to talk about her new mystery, Murder Simply Stitched, which is about an Amish Quilt Shop. I enjoyed this mystery with its great cast of characters and I hope you will too. Take it away, Isabella.

Publisher’s Punch List

by Isabella Alan

Way back in 2011, I received a call from my literary agent. “Penguin is looking for an established cozy mystery author to write a series about an Amish Quilt Shop. There are some requirements. They want the author to know Amish people and be from Ohio. You are the only option.”

It turns out, she was right. If the publisher wanted to fill its punch list for the perfect author of the series, it was me. I had already published cozies under my real name “Amanda Flower.” I’m an Ohioana, and I know Amish people. In 2011, I was the only author who hit all the criteria. I drafted a writing sample, it passed the muster, and I got the series.

I appreciated the publisher was specific as to what it wanted. Not just because it gave me another opportunity to write but because it showed me they cared about their books being authentic. They wanted the author to know Ohio. I know Ohio. I’ve lived in the state my entire life and have no intention of moving. One constant that can be found in all my series–beside someone dying, they are mysteries after all–is they are set in the Buckeye State. I probably know Ohio better than many of my fellow Ohioans. I find its history fascinating and even worked at a living history museum one summer. Part of the job was being well versed in Ohio history. I had to study it, so I could “convincingly” spout off facts to visitors. No, I did not wear period dress…all the time.

The publisher wanted the Amish elements in the story to be true, not just to the general Amish culture, but to Ohio’s Amish culture, which is different than the Amish found in different parts of the country. I could do that. In addition to being an author, I am a college librarian. Right after graduate school, I searched and searched for a librarian job. It wasn’t easy. Finally, I got one offer. It was to be a cataloger for a small university library in the middle of Ohio’s Amish country about two hours from where I grew up. I took it. While I lived in the small town, I saw and interacted with Amish on a regular basis, but it never occurred to me that I could write a mystery someday based around Amish characters.

Thankfully, Penguin didn’t include the ability to hand quilt as one of the criteria for the perfect author because I would have failed the test. I have made a few quilts on a sewing machine but never by hand. However, since I’m a librarian and want to research everything to death, I took hand quilting lessons before I wrote the first book in the series, Murder, Plain and Simple. My teacher said I wasn’t “naturally gifted” in quilting, and a few of my sad attempts at hand quilting are best tucked away in my closet. Shhh, don’t tell my publisher.

Isabella Alan is celebrating the release of Murder, Simply Stitched with a special giveaway!

Enter to Win an Amish Charm Bracelet from author Isabella Alan (aka Amanda Flower)! Click here to Enter!

About the Author:

Isabella Alan is the pseudonym for Amanda Flower. Amanda Flower, an Agatha-nominated mystery author, started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she’d found her calling of making people laugh with her words. Her debut mystery, Maid of Murder, was an Agatha Award Nominee for Best First Novel, and her children’s mystery, Andi Unexpected, was an Agatha Award Nominee for Best Children’s/YA. Amanda is an academic librarian for a small college near Cleveland.

Follow Isabella on Facebook /Twitter/Pinterest

When Angela Braddock enters her quilts in an Amish auction, she never expects one of her neighbors to end up going, going, gone….

Angie is finding her niche as the new owner of her late aunt’s Amish quilt shop, Running Stitch. But as the summer is winding down, so is business. To bolster support for the shop, Angie decides to sell her quilts in the Rolling Brook Amish Auction, including some of her aunt’s most prized works.

The quilts promise to be a hit—but the gavel comes down on the lively event when Angie stumbles upon the body of township trustee Wanda Hunt behind a canning shed. The cause of death: a poisoned blueberry fry pie from Rachel Miller’s bakery table. Now Angie’s closest friend is a murder suspect. With Angie taking the lead, she and the other women of her aunt’s quilting circle set out to patch together the clues and stop a killer set on shredding the simple peace of Rolling Brook.

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Murder, Simply Stitched

Review (4.5 Stars): I have been a big fan of this author’s India Hayes mystery series for quite some time and I was very excited to read her new Amish Quilt Shop series. I instantly connected with the main character, Angie, and enjoyed her experiences living in an Amish community while trying to run her quilt shop, Running Stitch. It was very interesting learning about the Amish community and I loved how the mystery took off right from the very beginning. Ms. Alan has created an absolute gem with Murder, Simply Stitched and I know that other readers will enjoy this series just as much as I have.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Murder, Simply Stitched. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 6th, please leave a comment or question for Ms. Alan:

*****

THE GIVEN

*****

Harper Collins is giving away three copies of THE TAKEN,

the start to the Celestial Blues trilogy

***** Gimme Some Sugar

Tour Wide Giveaway

What To Pack When Headed To The Jungle

*****

JAGUAR HUNT

*****

I Want to Hold Your Hand

There’s Wild, Then There’s You

*****
Gimme Some Sugar