Category: Blog Tour

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Interview & Tour Wide giveaway with Kelley Grealis

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to have Kelley Grealis on the blog today.  

Kelley, Can you please share with us a little about yourself? 

I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and the surrounding suburbs and continue to live in the area with my husband and our two cats, Maverick and Jasmine.  As a kid, I wrote a lot of poetry and always enjoyed creative writing assignments.  In middle school, I attempted my first novel but didn’t make it past chapter one.  I pushed my creative writing aside when my parents sent me to Catholic high school. I figured I needed to focus on my schoolwork to ensure my parents got their money’s worth! I attended a small private college where I majored in accounting. I went on to get my CPA and worked in public accounting before joining the bank I currently work for as a project manager.  In 2009, it was a combination of my career midlife crisis and having read a book whose premise was so simple that I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it myself, that reignited my passion for creative writing and I’ve been writing every since.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

No, I never grew up dreaming that I’d one day be an author.  What I didn’t know then but now realize, is that writing is my creative outlet and although I may not make a living off of my writing, it is my writing that adds so much meaning to my life.

Are you a plotter or a punster or combo of both? And you explain the difference?

Insert sheepish grin, I never heard the term ‘punster’ before so I had to look that up! I suppose with this question you are asking if I tell stories more through the plot or through techniques such as puns? If I’m on target with that, I’ll admit that I’m a plotter. And I plot through planning.  I start each novel by outlining the nine major plot elements, then I start outlining and review that several times to ensure my plot is in order, and then I write.  I’ll apologize in advance if I didn’t understand this question and completely got this wrong J

What is your most interesting writing quirk?  I don’t know how interesting it is, but I need complete silence in order to write. Unfortunately for my husband, our den (my writing room) is on the other side of the wall from our living room. So as I’m writing, I’m shouting every few minutes for him to turn down the TV volume. I don’t know how he can hear any shows that he tries to watch while I’m writing!

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

The Descendant is book 1 in The Descendant Vampire Series and is dubbed a vampire tale of biblical proportions.  The book reveals the biblical origin of the vampire told through the experiences of a woman who discovers that she’s a descendant of the first vampire.  I explain the vampire’s origin by elaborating on popular biblical stores such as The Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel, The Flood, The Plagues, and others.

The Search, book 2 in the series, is due out later this year and will have more biblical tie-ins (Saint Michael and the archangels).

How did you come with the idea for this story?

When I first decided to write a book, I knew that I had to write about something that I was passionate about, and lucky for me, that was easy to figure out – vampires! I’d been a vampire fan ever since I was a kid and my mother hooked me on Dark Shadows reruns.  However, I also realized that the literary and cinematic worlds were crowded, maybe even overcrowded, on the vampire front. I knew I needed a different angle than any other story out there. Thankfully that angle was easy for me to come up. In all of the vampire books I’d read and movies I’d seen, there was one thing I noticed – the vampire was always just there; I never really read about how the first vampire was created. So I decided to write a story about the vampire’s origin and decided to explain their origin by tying it to popular biblical stories. I joke with my parents that I’m finally putting that Catholic schooling to good use!

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

The Search, Book 2 in The Descendant Vampire Series, is my current work in process.  I don’t want to give too much away for those that haven’t read The Descendant, but The Search picks up where Allison’s adventure left off in book one.  You’ll see a very different Allison who struggles with her new existence.  The title isn’t as obvious as you might think; there are several different searches going on in this book.

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

I’d like to meet Boyd Morrison.  He’s the author of several thrillers including The Ark, The Catalyst, Rogue Wave and others.  His books are exciting and fast paced and hard to put down.  What first drew me to his book The Ark was that it was a thriller about the search for Noah’s Ark and I’m a fan of books that can weave history or biblical stories throughout a fictional tale.  I’d like to meet him to learn how he was able to parlay his writing into his full time career (he was first an engineer).

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Learn the craft, use test readers, hire an editor and have fun!

When I first started writing, I had no idea what I was doing and just put finger to keyboard and started typing. Several rejection letters later, I realized something was wrong. That was when I attended a writing clinic and learned that I needed to polish my writing skills.  Believe it or not, there is a method to the madness of writing and I learned a lot about the craft in the classes I took.

Test readers are huge. When you’re writing a book, the book is in your head and it’s your job to get that story onto paper. The problem is, you as the author can’t always see what is or isn’t on paper.  Test readers can point out if something doesn’t make sense in a story, if there’s something missing, if you’ve contradicted yourself, etc. Enlist test readers!

Hire an editor!  I always considered myself a grammar queen…that is until I wrote my novel and attended that above mentioned writing clinic. It became clear to me that I couldn’t edit a book on my own.  Hiring my editor was the best money I’ve spent.

Have fun, because let’s face it, if you’re not having fun, why bother?

Can you share with us something off your bucket list?

I’d love to own a canary yellow Corvette (just like the one Allison acquires in The Descendant).  Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted a yellow vette!  I think it has something to do with the Camaro IROC Z 28 my brother’s friend had.  He gave me a ride in that and ever since I’ve wanted a sports car & have been obsessed with vettes for as long as I can remember.

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

I have too much in my to-read pile!  The Vault by Boyd Morrison is next up on my list.  I’m anxiously awaiting book 2 in The Darcy Walker Series by AJ Lape and book 2 in the Night Aberrations series by JD Nelson.

What is one book everyone should read before they die?

If you’re a vampire fan and love historical fiction, then you must read The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.

What is your favorite time of year & why?

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the changing colors, the cooler weather, wearing jeans, a sweatshirt & flip-flops, and football, of course!

Who is your Celebrity crush?  And what would you do if you ever meet them?

Johnny Depp has been my celebrity crush for some time.  A more current crush would be Charlie Hunnam who plays Jax on Sons of Anarchy. What’s not to like about long blond hair, tattoos, motorcycles & a bad boy attitude???  I’d probably be a blubbering fool if I met Johnny or Charlie.

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Kelley is giving away the following prizes on her tour:

 Grand Prize:

$25 Amazon gift card & signed paperback of THE DESCENDANT

Runners-up:

TWO (2) runners-up will receive an eBook of THE DESCENDANT plus a Descendant can koozie & bookmarks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

THE DESCENDANT

by Kelley Grealis

 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Smashwords | B&N  

The Descendant reveals the Biblical origin of the vampire through the experiences of a modern day woman who discovers that she is a descendant of the first vampire.

Allison Carmichael wakes from an accident with no memory of the past three years. She doesn’t recall her husband’s death or how she alienated her friends, and she definitely doesn’t remember her new boyfriend Vincent Drake – a charismatic man with a penchant for rare and unique possessions. The only things familiar to Allison are her seemingly common ailments – insomnia, lack of appetite, erratic body temperature – which have gone undiagnosed and are vtly who, and what, Allison is – a mortal descendant of the first vampire. He is a vampire who has watched over Allison and her ancestors since the Biblical times of Cain and Abel ensuring their secret is kept. Once he realizes Allison’s symptoms are accelerating and transforming her, he’ll stop at nothing to have her.

Allison discovers that she is a descendant with a lineage dating back to the Biblical times of Cain and Abel and is the first of her kind to exhibit signs of vampirism. She must decide between risking her mortal death if she cannot control her symptoms or fully transforming into a vampire and damning her soul for eternity. A decision made even more difficult once Allison discovers Vincent has manipulated her life, and everyone in it, so he could have the first descendant-turned-vampire all to himself.

 

 

 

A little more about Kelly: 

Kelley Grealis was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She has a B.A. in Accounting from Baldwin-Wallace College and a Masters of Businss Administration from Cleveland State University.

She has loved all things vampire since she was a little girl, and it was that passion combined with thirteen years of Catholic schooling, that inspired her to write THE DESCENDANT.

Kelley lives in a Cleveland suburb with her husband.

Connect with Kelley:

Website:  http://www.kelleygrealis.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KelleyGrealis

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KelleyGrealis

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6436838.Kelley_Grealis

Blog:  http://www.myarttoinspire.com/kelleygrealisblogs

Independent Author Network:  http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/kelley-grealis.html

 

 

Kelley Grealis’ THE DESCENDANT

1 Year Anniversary Blog Tour Schedule

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5/20- Book Monster Reviews (guest post)

http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/

5/20- Literal Addiction  (guest post & review)

http://www.literaladdiction.com/

5/21 – Wicked Readings by Tawania (spotlight & review)

http://www.wickedreadingsbytawania.blogspot.com/

5/22- Romance Junkies (interview)

http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/

5/22- The Reading Cafe (spotlight & review)

http://thereadingcafe.com/

5/23- Jocelyn Dex Blog (spotlight & review)

http://www.jocelyndex.com/blog.html

5/23- Musings From An Addicted Reader  (spotlight & review)

http://musingsfromanaddictedreader.blogspot.com/

5/24- Books-n-Kisses  (interview)

https://books-n-kisses.com

5/24- Urban Girl Reader (interview)

http://www.urbangirlreader.com/

5/25- Paranormal Book Club (spotlight)

http://paranormal-bookclub.com/

5/26- Page Flipperz (Spotlight)

http://pageflipperz.blogspot.com/

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Spotlight feature of Back to You by Nicole Bates

On the surface, Lynsey Reznor seems to have it all. She is beautiful, brilliant, and a successful true-crime writer who has been living the past decade in Miami. But what Lynsey lacks is what she needs the most—a family.

After the death of her mother, and yet another failed relationship, Lynsey makes an impulsive decision to return to her hometown of Unity. But Unity will present its own bittersweet memories, most notably, her first love, Nick Lincoln.

Twenty years ago, Nick broke teenager Lynsey’s heart when he decided to marry another. He had his own private reasons—reasons he never explained to Lynsey. Now she is back, along with a chance to reclaim her love. But Lynsey wants answers from him that he may never be able to give out of duty and guilt.

Available at Amazon:  Single Title | Collection (Additional Bonus Stories: Remember the Stars and Antique Charming)

 

About the Author:

Natalie-Nicole Bates is a book reviewer and author.

Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography and antique poison bottles. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia.

She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19th century post-mortem photos.

Connect with Natalie:

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Natalie is giving away a $20.00 gift card on the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

May 20:

Close Encounters with the Night Kind

http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/

Scorching Book Reviews

http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Darker Passions

http://darkerpassions.net/

May 21:

Musings From An Addicted Reader

http://musingsfromanaddictedreader.blogspot.com/

Toot’s Book Reviews

http://tootsbookreviews.blogspot.com/

May 22:

Book Lovin’ Mamas

http://booklovinmamas.blogspot.com//

Deal Sharing Aunt

http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/

Riverina Romantics

http://riverinaromantics.blogspot.com/

May 23:

United by Books

http://unitedbybooks.blogspot.com/

Offbeat Vagabond

http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/

Sassy Book Lovers

http://sassybooklovers.blogspot.com/

Reading Between The Wines

http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/

May 24:

Book Monster Reviews

http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/

Books-n-Kisses

https://books-n-kisses.com

May 25:

Page Flipperz

http://pageflipperz.blogspot.com/

Froggarita’s Bookcase

http://www.froggaritasbookcase.com/

May 26:

Reader Girls

http://www.readergirlsblog.com/

Buffy’s Ramblings

http://buffy-kennedy.blogspot.com/

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Spotlight: Demon Within by Rebecca Royce

Demon Within

by Rebecca Royce

Dakota Daniels is an exorcist. Or at least she used to be, until a demon destroyed her life, killing her mother and sending her into hiding. She never knows what’s around the next corner or whether she’ll live through the night.

Brady Knox, billionaire tech guru and media darling, is a man used to getting what he wants. Except when it comes to his sister, Sydney. She is the secret he never tells a soul. After all, how do you tell the world your sister has been possessed since she was ten years old without seeming like a lunatic?

When Brady seeks out Dakota’s assistance, he expects to get what he wants. When she doesn’t comply, he’s willing to use every resource at his disposal—even if that means seducing her into doing what he wants.

 

About the Author:

As a teenager, Rebecca Royce would hide in her room to read her favorite romance novels when she was supposed to be doing her homework. She hopes, these days, that her parents think it was well worth it.

Rebecca is the mother of three adorable boys and is fortunate to be married to her best friend. They’ve just moved to Texas where Rebecca is discovering a new love for barbecue!

She’s in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and tries to use all of these elements in her writing. She’s been told she’s a little bloodthirsty so she hopes that when you read her work you’ll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. Rebecca loves to write series because she loves to see characters develop over time and it always makes her happy to see her favorite characters make guest appearances in other books.

In Rebecca Royce’s world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.

www.rebeccaroyce.com

www.rebeccaroyce.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebecca-Royce/172551376131638?sk=wall

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Order of the Seer by Cerece Rennie Murphy

Order of the Seers

Order of the Seers #1

What would you do if you held infinite power in the palm of your hand? Order of the Seers poses this question within a story that fuses action, mystery, romance, and adventure in a science fiction novel that keeps you at the edge of your seat. Order of the Seers begins with the journey of Liam and Lilith Knight, a brother and sister who are hunted by The Guild, a ruthless world organization that seeks to capture and exploit Lilith s unique ability as a Seer to envision the future. Soon after they are forced to leave their home, Lilith and Liam discover that she is not alone. Other Seers like Lilith are routinely kidnapped and enslaved by the Guild for the purpose of consolidating wealth and power around the world. But from within the organization, Marcus Akida, a captured Seer with powerful visioning capabilities, quietly plots his daring escape with the help of a beautiful and tortured Seer named Alessandra. When the escaped Seers are drawn to the same remote commune in Iowa as Liam and Lilith, they each find a place where they can rebuild their lives and rediscover their passion for life and love. As the Guild s efforts to find them intensifies, the Seers ban together with outlaws from the commune to fight back against the organization that threatens their lives setting off a chain of events that will unleash the full power of the Seers and change everything we know about the true potential that lies dormant in each of us.

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Interview & Giveaway with Molly Harper

I am beside myself today.  One of my newest favorites is on the blog today.  I have to date read all of Molly’s books and I have loved every single one of them.  Please give a warm welcome to 1st time guest Molly Harper.

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

I am a newspaper-reporter-turned-church-secretary-turned-romance-novelist and author of the Nice Girls vampire series and the Naked Werewolf series. I spent a lot of time in the school and public libraries growing up and repeatedly checked out the same the non-fiction paranormal studies section.  I loved fictional stories about ghosts and witches and vampires, but the idea that these beings were studied as fact was fascinating to me.  This interest in the “weird side” stayed with me through adulthood.  So when I finally decided to write a book, it was natural that I would write a paranormal story.  And because the most popular of my newspaper columns involved me injuring or humiliating myself in some way, I decided to write the most embarrassing way possible to become a vampire.  So my heroine, Jane, was fired from her job, received a restaurant gift certificate instead of a severance check, mistaken for a deer by a drunk hunter, shot and turned into a vampire in the first chapter.

I am married to my high school sweetheart, David, who serves as the inspiration for most of my leading men. We have two children and live in our hometown in western Kentucky.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

 

Yes, my mom loves to tell the story about an eight-year-old me lugging out her college typewriter and setting up a “Writers office” in the living room.  I wrote a short story about my class taking a trip around the world and losing a kid in each city.   Shades of  Agatha Christie’s “Ten Little Indians” but with more geography. Mom was disturbed, but entertained.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

When I get stuck, I go get a Perrier.  I used to drink Coke, but I gave them up.  If the cold bubbly liquid doesn’t jump-start my brain, I go take a shower.  I get all of my best story-resolving ideas in the shower.  I have tried to persuade my husband to install a whiteboard in there, but so far, no luck.

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

A WITCH’S HANDBOOK OF KISSES AND CURSES is the latest spin off to my Half-Moon Hollow series and will be released in late May.  The story focuses on Nola Leary, a witch who searches Jane’s bookshop for four magical objects that will secure her family’s magical legacy.  Complication One: Her grandfather was Mr. Wainwright and the artifacts are lost somewhere in what is now Jane Jameson’s book shop. Complication Two: her new neighbor, Jed Trudeau, who keeps turning up half naked at the strangest times, a distraction Nola doesn’t need. And teaming up with a real-life Adonis is as dangerous  – and distracting, did she mention distracting? – as it sounds.  Can Nola complete her mission before falling completely under his spell?

The book will be available in print, ebook and audio.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I’ve made it no secret that the vampire Dick Cheney is one of my favorite characters to work with, which is why he gets all of the best lines.  I had letters from readers asking about his family line and why I “ended it” with Mr. Wainwright, so I decided to give Dick more family members to emotionally traumatize.  Writing him as a bumbling, protective, doting grandpa figure was a source of hilarity for me.

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

NO!  Actually, I’m working on a ghost story called BETTER HOMES AND HAUNTINGS, about a crew of people renovating a remote Gilded Era mansion near Newport, RI.  It’s been a lot of fun trying to come up with the scariest “haunted house” scenarios possible.  At one point, I actually scared myself staying up late to write a sequence in which a character finds an unexpected occupant in his bed.  I was so freaked out by some of the imagery that it took some stern self-talk to get me to back to my room and get in bed.  If my husband had rolled over unexpectedly or made a suspicious “ghostlike” noise, I probably would have ended up sleeping on the couch.

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

Stephen King, but I don’t think I’m cool enough to pull off a conversation without fan-girling all over him.  And Nora Roberts, because she is the queen.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Writers write.  It sounds cliché.  But I meet people who seem to think that if they buy the right book on craft, take the right class, or join the right writing circle, it will guarantee their success. And while those things are valid uses of a writer’s time, sitting down and putting words on paper is what will further your story and make you a better writer.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

Visit Greece.  I’ve studied Greek mythology and history for years and I would love to see some of the sites linked to some of the divine stories.

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

Hourglass by Myra McIntyre

Defiance by CJ Redwyne

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

 

Learn more about Molly here: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr |

Blogs:

Singleundeadfemale.blogspot.com

www.whinesisters.com


Amazon | B&N

Nola Leary would have been content to stay in Kilcairy, Ireland, healing villagers at her family’s clinic with a mix of magic and modern medicine. But a series of ill-timed omens and a deathbed promise to her grandmother have sent her on a quest to Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky, to secure her family’s magical potency for the next generation. Her supernatural task? To unearth four artifacts hidden by her grandfather before a rival magical family beats her to it.

Complication One: The artifacts are lost somewhere in vampire Jane Jameson’s occult bookshop. Complication Two: Her new neighbor Jed Trudeau keeps turning up half-naked at the strangest times, a distraction Nola doesn’t need. And teaming up with a real-life Adonis is as dangerous as it sounds, especially since Jed’s got the face of an angel and the abs of a washboard. Can Nola complete her mission before falling completely under his spell?

 

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Spotlight feature of Just the Messenger by Ninetta Swann

Just the Messenger

by Ninette Swann

Buy Links: NBP Store |  Amazon | ARe |  Barnes & Noble

Blurb:

When Graciela Merced fumbles a package she’s delivering for her mysterious and sexy boss, Gene Hardy, she finds out he’s more than just a wealthy photographer. Prepared to lose her job, she confronts him…and ends up embroiled in the tricky takedown of a powerful drug cartel pushing cocaine into the heart of New York City.

Marco Valencia is an undercover agent, working against time—and against Gene Hardy—to crack Angel’s Drug Cartel before the story makes it to the press. When Hardy’s luscious Venezuelan messenger literally falls at his feet, he has no idea just how well he’ll get to know the beauty or how difficult it will be to drop her.

Hardened by experience, Gene Hardy takes his undercover work seriously, and charges a hefty price. When Grace makes a careless mistake and hurls him back into the visage of Marco Valencia, he must either fire her, or involve her in a twisted plot that could kill them all.

As the two men battle over their feelings for Graciela—and their attraction to each other—one thing becomes perfectly clear.

Grace is much more than just the messenger.

 

 

 

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Interview & Giveaway with Gretchen Archer

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Gretchen Archer to the blog for her 1st visit.

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

I’m a Tennessee housewife with two grown daughters and one not-so-grown son. I live on a mountain with two huge tourists attractions. I’m constantly giving directions to people from Kansas who don’t understand a word I say

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Not always. I entered and won a national essay contest and that planted the seed. I couldn’t believe something I’d written had risen to the top of the pile. (Looking back, I may have been the only entry.) Just to give credit where credit is due, the topic was The Stinkiest Pet in America (I won a year’s supply of dog deodorizer and my essay was printed in a since-long-gone Doggie magazine), so it could be that it wasn’t my brilliant prose. It could be that my dog really smelled that bad.

Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?

My typical writing day stuns people. I get up at three, yes, three, in the morning, stumble to the coffee pot, and write for as long as I can. Usually three or four hours. I do it for a number of reasons including insomnia, the phone doesn’t ring, my family doesn’t need me at that hour, there’s no one online to distract me (you know who you are), and I can get more done during those hours than twice that many daylight hours. There are simply no distractions at that time of…night. I go back to work for thirty or forty minutes in the afternoon, after everything’s cooled off, to edit what I wrote that morning. A word of warning about my writing schedule: You will not be much fun or have much fun after eight in the evening if you go to work at three in the morning. Productive? Yes. Form thoughts and translate them into human communication past eight? No. Jimmy Fallon Who?

Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?

Most rewarding? It’s a tie between the actual writing process and the people. I write humorous mysteries, so for the most part, I thoroughly entertain myself at work. And then there are the people. Before I made the jump from banging away in solitude to published, I worked completely alone. I had no coworkers. Now, I work with the greatest group of people, from everywhere, states I can’t point out on a map. (I find all the M states to be confusing.) (I think we should change a few of them.) Writing is fun and makes your world larger.

Can you please tell us about your latest book?

DOUBLE WHAMMY, Henery Press, May, 2013, as I write, is days from release. Here’s the elevator pitch: Davis Way hits the jackpot when she lands a job at the fabulous Bellissimo Resort and Casino, but only if she can steer clear of her ex-ex husband, her evil twin, and pesky felony indictments

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I didn’t grow up around gambling at all. My father was, still is, a Baptist preacher. (Amen.) My husband, who has led me astray in so many ways, introduced me to casinos. Casino gambling, slot machines in particular, are such a draw. I wanted a main character in a casino setting who didn’t know anything about casinos or gambling. I was motivated by the potential audience, too: Gamblers spent 35 billion in US casinos last year.

Can you share with us your current work in progress?

I just turned in DOUBLE DIP, Henery Press, January, 2014, and it goes like this: Davis Way’s beginner’s luck may have run out. Her professional life is dicey and she’s on a losing streak at home. She can’t find her gun, her evil twin’s personal assistant has disappeared, Bellissimo’s Master of Ceremonies won’t leave her alone, and her boyfriend Bradley Cole thinks three’s a crowd. Meanwhile, she’s following a slot tournament trail that leads to Beehive, Alabama, where the So Help Me God Pentecostal Church is swallowing up Bellissimo’s high rollers. The worst? Davis doesn’t feel so hot. It could be the banana pudding, but it might be the pending pitter patter of little feet. DOUBLE DIP is a reckless ride in the fast lane, and Davis Way can’t find the brakes.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Carolyn Keene. Carl Hiaasen. Richard Castle. Janet Evanovich. Michael Lee West. John Grisham. Pat Conroy. Lawrence Sanders. Nelson DeMille.

Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style? 

Everything I’ve ever read—the side panel of the Frosted Flakes box, WAR AND PEACE—has inspired my writing. I love the written word. As far as specific inspiration, I’d say the writers I don’t connect with influence my work more than writers whose work I love. Lost in a great story, I’m not looking at setting, style, narration, dialogue, plot, timing. It all comes together so well, the technical aspects don’t register. It’s when a work is out of whack (for me) I take note, as in, note to self: don’t do that.

Open your book to a random page and please reads us a few lines.

I believe, deep down, my mother loves me. I do think she’d turn the garden hose on me if I were on fire, and just as far down, I love her. I wish my mother nothing but good health, prosperity, and happiness. But for whatever reasons—stretch marks, maybe?—she has always refused to cut me even the smallest amount of slack, and I didn’t/wouldn’t/can’t stop pushing her buttons. (All my life: “Mother’s going to kill you, Davis!” Me: “She’ll get over it.”)

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

My to read list: Larissa Reinhart has a new one coming out in a few weeks, STILL LIFE IN BRUNSWICK STEW. And LynDee Walker’s BURIED LEADS. Susan M. Boyer’s LOWCOUNTRY BOMBSHELL, Molly Harper’s A WITCH’S HANDBOOK OF KISSES AND CURSES, Richard Castle’s STORM FRONT, Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg’s THE HEIST, and Deborah Coonts’ LUCKY BASTARD. (So many books…so little time.)

Is there anything else you would like to add? 

Yes. Thank you for having me as your guest on Books-n-Kisses. I love your questions, and I’ve enjoyed this so much!

Learn more about Gretchen here: 
@Gretchen_Archer

Double Whammy

A Davis Way Mystery, #1

Davis Way thinks she’s hit the jackpot when she lands a job as the fifth wheel on an elite security team at the fabulous Bellissimo Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. But once there, she runs straight into her ex-ex husband, a rigged slot machine, her evil twin, and a trail of dead bodies. Davis learns the truth and it does not set her free—in fact, it lands her in the pokey.

Buried under a mistaken identity, unable to seek help from her family, her hot streak runs cold until her landlord Bradley Cole steps in. Make that her landlord, lawyer, and love interest. With his help, Davis must win this high stakes game before her luck runs out.Part of the Henery Press Mystery Series Collection, if you like one, you’ll probably like them all! DOUBLE WHAMMY is the first book in the Davis Way humorous mystery series. Bonus: Includes book club discussion questions.

Praise for DOUBLE WHAMMY:

“Funny & wonderful & human. It gets the Stephanie Plum seal of approval.” – Janet Evanovich

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

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Spotlight Feature of Silk & Sandal by Cassandra Dean

Cassandra Dean

“Good with words and stuff.”

http://cassandradean.com

 

SILK & SCANDAL

book 1 of The Silk Series

 

Release Date:
May 8, 2013

Eight years ago…
Thomas Cartwright and Lady Nicola Fitzgibbons were friends. Over the wall separating their homes, Thomas and Nicola talked of all things – his studies to become a barrister, her frustrations with a lady’s limitations.

All things end.
When her diplomat father gains a post in Hong Kong, Nicola must follow. Bored and alone, she falls into scandal. Mired in his studies of the law and aware of the need for circumspection, Thomas feels forced to sever their ties.

But now Lady Nicola is back…and she won’t let him ignore her.

Excerpt:

Thomas took a breath, knowing he had to phrase this just right. “Lady Nicola, while I am cognizant of the honor you do me, I don’t believe it appropriate you visit me in my chambers. Shall we arrange a time that suits us both, perhaps for a walk about the park?”

China-blue eyes laughed at him. “Oh, pish. Don’t be such a fuddy-duddy, Thomas. We never stood on such ceremony before.”

Didn’t she know he couldn’t be her friend? Not since their ways had parted and she’d become who she was, while he had become who he was. “Our situations were different before, Lady Nicola. It is not appropriate for a lady of your standing to visit a bachelor in his chambers.”

“Who is going to comment? No one knows I’m here.”

Was she serious? “My clerk knows you’re here. By now, the senior clerk undoubtedly knows you’re here. Before ten minutes have passed, everyone in the building will know you’re here.”

“Well, then, they are a bunch of shocking gossips, and I should not like to know them any better.” She folded her hands in her lap.

“Not the point, Nicola.” Bloody hell, but she drove him mental. She tore at him and picked at him until he didn’t know where he stood. Always she’d done this, taken what little sense he had and driven it right out of his brain.

“I should say it is the point. Our visit would not distress you, if it weren’t for them.”

“It should distress me in any case. You should not be here.”

“Do you know what I’m hearing, Thomas? I’m hearing a vast amount of negativity, when you’ve not even greeted me properly. Why, you’ve yet to kiss my hand, or perhaps give me a h-hug.” Chin up, she looked at him with eyes brimming, and he saw right through her facade. She was truly hurt he’d not yet greeted her as he should.

Helpless, he stared at her. How did she do it? How did she turn his brain to mush? She’d been here less than five minutes, and already she had drawn him back in.

But she was right. He hadn’t greeted her as he should.

Standing, he went to her and drew her to her feet. “Welcome home, Nic.” And he hugged her.

Authors Bio:

Cassandra grew up daydreaming, inventing fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures. Once she learned to read (First phrase – To the Beach. True story), she was never without a book, reading of other people’s fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures.

Fairy tales, Famous Fives, fantasies and fancies; horror stories, gumshoe detectives, science fiction; Cassandra read it all. Then she discovered Romance and a true passion was born.

So, once upon a time, after making a slight detour into the world of finance, Cassandra tried her hand at writing. After a brief foray into horror, she couldn’t discount her true passion. She started to write Romance and fell head over heels.

The love affair exists to this very day.

Cassandra lives in Adelaide, South Australia.

LINKS!

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCassandraDean

http://twitter.com/#!/authorCassDean

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5016740.Cassandra_Dean

http://cassandra-dean.tumblr.com/

http://pinterest.com/cassandradean/

http://instagram.com/authorcassdean?ref=badge

http://cassandraandlucy.wordpress.com/

 

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Interview with Lindy S Hundis

Lindy thank you for coming back to Books-n-Kisses.  It is always a pleasure to have you on the blog.  For those who missed you before can you please share with us a little about yourself

First of all, thanks so much for having me today. Well, I am a wife and mother of 2, a boy who is   5, and a girl who is 10. My husband is a stuntman who crashes cars for a living, so I lead a pretty exciting life.  Right now  we are producing our first feature film, a dark drama called “SkateGod”. We own a film production company, so we are plugging away right now. www.ImpactMotionPictures.com

Have you always wanted to be an author?

No, I actually wanted to be an actress. I studied drama at NYU, and came out to Los Angeles to try my luck. I wrote a book about that experience too…but you’ll just have to wait for that one to come out….Then I went into film distribution for a little  while, then had my babies, then got back into film production again. Writing has always been a fantasy of mine, so one day I just did it!

Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?

I write when it’s quiet, seriously. I wait for the kids to be at school then I can write. Sometimes I have a bit of music, but very softly.  I have to be in the right  frame of mind to get writing, then I can’t stop.

Most challenging or rewarding part of writing.

Staying focused, and not letting myself get tired.  Sometimes I just become a bit lost in the characters, or sometimes I can’t seem to focus at all – I guess  that is called writer’s block? I try to avoid that. Sometimes my brain just goes  into total sensory overload.

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

“Crashers” is a work of crime fiction about a trio of young people who get caught up in the seedy world of auto insurance fraud by staging car accidents.

“Weekends” is a romance/suspense about a family who gathers at a beautiful beach resort for the weekend while a deranged killer is on the loose.

“The S & M Club” is an erotic short story anthology about a beautiful lesbian couple who experience the pleasures and forbidden world of bondage.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

For “Crashers” I was a victim of auto insurance fraud, so I came up with that idea. I learned that there are criminals out there who do this kind of thing for a living.  So I wrote about those people, who must be horrible desperate. “Weekends” and “The S&M Club” were actually just fantasies of mine, however I did work in a bondage club in Los Angeles for a short while.

Can you share with us your current work in progress?

“Skate God” our feature film – it’s about a skateboarder who lives in a frightening, dystopian world who discovers he is a Greek God. That has been taking up most of my energy. I also have my next novel, “City of Toys” that I wrote about my life as a struggling actress in Hollywood.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

There are so many – it is hard to choose.  For fiction I am a huge Stephen King fan, and for non-fiction  I would have to say Norman Vincent Peale – I am a big believer of the power of positive thinking.

Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?

I love how graphic Stephen King is, yet he lets the reader use his or her imagination as well, he is just so prolific and creative. Although I don’t write horror, I do admire his style.  He can be very gritty and emotional, and I am very inspired by that.

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

My “To Read” pile is so huge right now.  I just finished a wonderful book called “The Spring of Unexpected Circumstances” by Charles Shea LeMone.  I am a big fan of Charmaine Hammond and her delightful book “On Toby’s Terms.” Our company is planning on making that book into a film too.          

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Keep writing, don’t stop! Please visit my website at

www.CrashersBook.com or find me on Facebook. Thank you for having me….

Buy Links

It may not be armed robbery, but the illegal business of fraudulent car accidents is a multi-million dollar racket, involving unscrupulous medical providers, personal injury attorneys, and the cooperating passengers involved in the accidents and who also receive a portion of the illegal proceeds. What makes good people turn to crime—any type of crime? Newly engaged, Nathan and Shari are blissfully happy—but their joy is tempered by the dark cloud of mounting debt. They know it’s just a matter of time until an avalanche of bills buries them—and their future along with it. A chance encounter with a stranger in whom Shari confides her troubles, proves fortuitous: he tells her of a get-rich-quick scheme that will put her and her fiancé on easy street. Seduced by the chance to move from hard times to good times in no time, she takes the carrot offered her, and finds herself acting as a “stuffed passenger”—the “victim” in a staged auto accident. The act goes according to plan and Shari gets her payday. She goes back for more—again and again, eventually becoming trapped in a dark and dangerous underworld, dragging her fiancé with her. Getting out and breaking free will take nothing short of a miracle. A modern day cautionary tale, Crashers is a fascinating study in the derailing of a young couple’s moral compass.

 

About the Author

Lindy S.Hudis is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied drama. She is a former actress, having appeared on such television shows as “Sunset Beach” and “Married with Children”. Her romantic murder mystery, Weekends, is currently available from Lachesis Publishing. She is also a filmmaker, her independent short film “The Lesson”, which she wrote, produced and directed, screened at the Seattle Underground Film Festival. She is co-owner of an independent production company called Impact Motion Pictures. She and her husband Steve, a Hollywood stuntman, have just completed the screenplay adaptation of Charmaine Hammond’s best selling book, “On Toby’s Terms.”  She lives in California with her family.

Website  Facebook Twitter

 

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Guest blogger & giveaway with Gini Koch

Top 10 Ways to Tell if Your Parents Are Actually Leading Secret Lives

By Gini Koch

 Katherine “Kitty” Katt-Martini thought her parents were average. Mom was a consultant and Dad was a history professor. Right. Turned out that her mother was in charge of a high-level, super-secret anti-terrorism unit reporting directly to the President, and her dad actually worked for NASA in their Alien Encryption department. Which worked out, because once Kitty discovered aliens were actually living on Earth, she got to find out these secrets and a whole lot more.

In honor of the release of Kitty’s latest exploits, chronicled in Alien in the House, here’s her good go-to list for how to figure out if your parents are hiding their true callings.

10. Does your mom travel a lot for business? It’s a sham. Oh sure, she’s traveling, but she’s spending time on Air Force One. Snoop around and really take a close look at those airport baggage tags.

9. Your dad’s a professor? But he has his TA’s teach all his classes? Sure tip off that he’s not an academic. See if you can find where he hangs out. It won’t be his office, at least not his office at the university. He’ll be hanging out with NASA or one of the other Alphabet Agencies.

8. Your mom always knows when you’re lying. Always.

7. Your dad is infinitely suspicious of any guy (or girl) you bring home. He claims it’s because he doesn’t think they’re good enough for you. In reality, the background check hasn’t come back yet.

6. Your mom suggests you take a martial art and other self-defense classes, participate in track and field, and can best you at all of these.

5. Your dad gives you and all your friends psych evaluation tests “for fun”.

4. Your mother is a better shot with a gun than Annie Oakley.

3. Your father does encryption decoding as a hobby.

2. Your mother telling someone to back off means they not only do it, but they wet themselves at the same time.

1. Your parents learn you’ve discovered aliens are living on Earth and that you’re dating one of them and instead of freaking out, calmly add this to their list of things they think sets you apart as a great daughter.

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Gini Koch lives in Hell’s Orientation Area (aka Phoenix, AZ), works her butt off (sadly, not literally) by day, and writes by night with the rest of the beautiful people. She writes the fast, fresh and funny Alien/Katherine “Kitty” Katt series for DAW Books, the Necropolis Enforcement Files series, and the Martian Alliance Chronicles series for Musa Publishing. As G.J. Koch she writes the Alexander Outland series. She also writes under a variety of other pen names (including Anita Ensal, Jemma Chase, A.E. Stanton, and J.C. Koch), listens to all kinds of music 24/7, and is a proud comics geek-girl willing to discuss at any time why Wolverine is the best superhero ever (even if Deadpool does get all the best lines). She speaks frequently on what it takes to become a successful author and other aspects of writing and the publishing business. She is also the Lead Editor at Raphael’s Village, an online, nonpaying ’zine. Because she wasn’t busy enough, Gini’s added on featured guest columnist, reviewer, and webcaster for Slice of SciFi and It’s Comic Book Day. She can be reached through her website at www.ginikoch.com.

 

 

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!

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A look at The Kitty Kat Series:

 

 

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Carrie Ann Ryan interviews Balin from Her Warrior’s Three Wishes

Thank you so much for having me today! I’m very lucky to have one of my heroes from Her Warriors’ Three Wishes today. Balin is a demon from hell who isn’t like other demons and because he’s trying to be good, he’s dying from it.

Carrie Ann: Hi, Balin. Thanks for taking the time to sit with me.

Balin: *kisses Carrie Ann’s cheek and sits down* Thanks for having me. It’s a little odd sitting down for an interview without my mates.

Carrie Ann: *still blushing from Balin’s kiss* I totally understand. Usually I do interviews with you, Ambrose, and Jamie, but I thought this time I’d sit down with each of you separately. I’ll be interviewing Ambrose and Jamie a little later for different blogs.

Balin: I don’t mind, now, what did you want to ask me?

Carrie Ann: Tell me what life was like before you met Jamie and Ambrose.

Balin: *frowns* I spent almost three hundred years in the pits of hell. I was either at war with other demon factions or held against my will by my father. He didn’t want me to find my true half so I could live.

Carrie Ann: What do you mean?

Balin: In order for a demon to survive after three hundred years, they have to take souls. Sometimes they can take souls from humans who sacrifice themselves for demons or they take them against their will. I chose not to do that. I didn’t want to be evil. In order for me to live though, I needed another form of energy.

Carrie Ann: And I take it the mating bond helped with that.

Balin: Yes, if it’s done right, our mating bond acts like its own energy source so I don’t die and I also give some of my own powers to my mates.

Carrie Ann: I’m so happy you were lucky enough to find Jamie and Ambrose when you did then. Even if it was under the wire.

Balin: Tell me about it.

Carrie Ann: Tell me more about Ambrose and Jamie.

Balin: *grins* I love them. They literally saved my life and brought me to the human realm.

Carrie Ann: Is there anything special you want to tell me about them? What’s your favorite part about each of them?

Balin: Ambrose is strong—stronger than me I think. He might act like stone to others, but I love when he breaks apart and shows who he can be when it’s just the three of us. Jamie…oh Jamie. She’s everything. She’s the one that holds us together and brings out the best of us. She’s also the one who might look the weakest, but can flatten us all with her inner strength.

Carrie Ann: Okay, now fun ones. Chocolate or vanilla?

Balin: *grins* No one can accuse me of being vanilla.

Carrie Ann: *blush* What is it I hear about you and walls for ah…certain…ah…things?

Balin: *wicked grin* You’ll just have to read and find out.

Carrie Ann: *fans self* Okay, so, ah, I guess I should let you go back to your mates. Thanks for stopping by and readers, if you have any questions for me and Balin, let me know!

*****

Her Warriors’ Three Wishes  

Available Digitally: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | kobo | ARe

Available In Print: eStore | Amazon

Humans aren’t as alone as they choose to believe. Every human possesses a trait of supernatural that lays dormant within their genetic make-up. Centuries of diluting and breeding have allowed humans to think they are alone and untouched by magic. But what happens when something changes?

Ambrose Griffin is older than most, if not all, civilizations. As each year passes, he submerses himself into his training, only relaxing around his protégée and friend, Shade.  After losing his wife and children in the last Angelic Wars, he guards his heart and has no desire to share it with another.

Bookkeeper and romance novel enthusiast, Jamie Bennett dreams of being swept off her feet by a white knight. However, her life is no romance book. Since meeting Ambrose—a sexy, delicious angel—she’s been twisted inside out and doesn’t know why.  Things are happening that she can’t control and now her life is in danger.

Balin Drake is stuck in hell, literally. His life of refusing to take souls, even though it’s part of his demon nature, has caught up with him. He’s dying and now must search for his true half, but even a mating may not save him. When he meets the two people who could fill that part, he’ll need to fight for something he hasn’t felt in over a century—hope.

Warning: Contains a rigid angel who needs a certain sexy woman to help him unwind, a book keeper who finds herself the creamy center of the best cookie ever, and a demon who has a certain taste for pressing them both against walls.

An Excerpt:

Jamie’s skin tightened, and weakness spread through her. She fought off the shakes that normally came with it and she knew she must look pale. “Yeah, that’s it.” Not the fact that she’d felt out of sorts for a freaking year because a certain angel had left her alone in the human realm.

A flash of white caught her eye, and Jamie barely held back a gasp. 

Oh, that just figured.

Ambrose, the man she’d tried to forget, walked toward her, a frown on his face. The man—no, angel—seemed to always be frowning, never smiling. His face would probably crack if he ever did show a happier emotion.

“Is everything all right?” he asked, his voice deep. The rough sound shot straight through her system. She was helpless to defend herself against it. 

She knew she resembled one of the heroines in the romance novels she loved to read, standing there doe-eyed, falling in love… 

Damn the man.

 

 

 

A little more about Carrie Ann:

Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate – even if it’s just in her books. Happy endings are always near – even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.

Carrie Ann’s Redwood Pack series is an bestselling series that has made the shifter world even more real to her and has allowed the Dante’s Circle and Holiday, Montana series to be born. She’s also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at: Website | Facebook  | Goodreads | Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan |

***Giveaway***

Carrie Ann is giving away a special swag pack and a copy of her backlist to a lucky commenter. Be sure to leave your email to enter!

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Victoria Hamilton Bowled Over Blog Tour and Review Giveaway

I am happy for Books-n-Kisses to host Victoria Hamilton as part of the Cozy Mystery Book  Tour for her new novel Bowled Over. This is the second novel in A Vintage Kitchen Mystery and I am delighted to have Victoria Hamilton here with us today.

 

Interview with Victoria Hamilton

1 – Tell us about your new release.
Bowled Over is Book 2 in my Vintage Kitchen Mystery series. Jaymie Leighton, the main character, tries to solve a decades old feud between her and her best friend from high school. Things don’t quite turn out how she hoped, and something of hers turns out to be the weapon in another murder in Queensville, Michigan.

2. Where did you come up with the idea for the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries?
You could say it was right in front of me the whole time! I was casting about for a hook for a cozy series, something to tie it all up together, and one thing I love is collecting vintage kitchen utensils and bowls, etc. It suddenly occurred to me, what is more cozy than the kitchen? And so Jaymie Leighton, vintage kitchenware and old cookbook collector, was born.

3. Is there one character in your series that has a similar personality to you or that you can relate to the most? Or are there characters that remind you of people in your real life?
Hmm… you know, I’ve heard it said that every character you create has a piece of you inside them. I think that’s true to some extent. Jaymie certainly is as compulsive about buying vintage as I am. But her sister, Becca, is kind of a know-it-all, and I have to severely curtail that characteristic in me! LOL. Her best friend Valetta is based on someone I knew a long time ago: kindly, spinsterish and fond of odd sweaters and clothes.

4. What are you working on next?
I’ve got a million things on the go! Book 3 of Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, entitled Freezer I’ll Shoot, comes out in November 5th, 2013, but before then I’m really excited for the first book of another cozy series, the Merry Muffin Mysteries. Book One is Bran New Death, out September 3rd 2013. Merry Wynter inherits a castle in Upstate New York and so begins her journey among the quirky residents of Autumn Vale, New York, as she tries to figure out why someone is digging deep holes all over her property… until she finds a body at the bottom of one of them!
I’m also excited about the book I’ve just finished, the first book in another new cozy series, The Teapot Collector Mysteries. Tempest in a Teapot will be out in 2014.

5. What advice would you give aspiring writers?
Believe in yourself and keep trying. I didn’t get the first book I wrote published. Nor the second. Nor the third. If you really want to get published, study the market and write for it. And no, I don’t mean become a hack; I mean find a way to inject your own unique style and personality into something that the market will find sellable. Also, perfect your writing. Good spelling, grammar and punctuation usage will make you appear more the professional, and agents and editors will take you more seriously.

6. Is there any kind of food/drink that you absolutely have to have while writing?
Oh, tea… definitely tea! I drink coffee in the morning, but there usually comes a time about mid-afternoon when I absolutely need… wait, I have to go turn the Keurig on. Okay, I’m back. I need a cup of tea. Sometimes a cookie with the tea will not go amiss!

7. I always like to do a fun question with authors so what is your favorite kind of pizza?
Oh sure, now you get to the really tough question! Kind of deluxe, I guess… I like pepperoni and ham and Italian sausage, but I like mushrooms, onions, green peppers and olives, too!

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to be here with us today.

Thank you so much for having me at Books ‘n Kisses! I’ve enjoyed it so much.

 

Meet the author:
Victoria Hamilton is the pseudonym for author Donna Lea Simpson. As Victoria she writes the bestselling Vintage Kitchen Mystery series (Book 2 – Bowled Over – March 2013) and the upcoming Merry Muffin Mysteries, also from Berkley (Book 1 – Bran New Murder – September 3rd, 2013)  Victoria loves cooking and collecting vintage kitchen utensils, as well as reading and writing mysteries.

 

Check out her webpage for all the latest: http://www.victoriahamiltonmysteries.com and find her on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorVictoriaHamilton

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer’s review of  Bowled Over

SERIES #: A Vintage Kitchen Mystery #2

CHARACTERS: Jaymie Leighton, Valetta Nibley

AUTHOR:  Victoria Hamilton

PUBLICATION DATE:  03/5/13

ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: Stirring up trouble…Vintage kitchenware and cookbook collector Jaymie Leighton has been estranged from her high school best friend Kathy Cooper since they were teenagers, but she never knew what turned Kathy against her.  After fireworks at a Fourth of July picnic, Jaymie discovers the body of her former friend in the park.  On the ground nearby is Jaymie’s own Depression-era glass bowl, broken in two.

With her fingerprints all over the bowl and a troubled history with the victim, Jaymie suddenly finds herself at the top of the list of suspects. Did the killer intend to frame her for the murder? If so, she is ready to mix it up, because solving crimes is vintage Jaymie Leighton…

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer             NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

REVIEW: I really enjoyed Victoria Hamilton’s first novel, A Deadly Grind, and was very excited to read her new book. Jaymie Leighton has finally settled back into her life after helping to solve a murder involving one of her precious antiques and is taking things slow with her new beau, Daniel Collins.  When a recent trip to the Queensville Emporium puts Jaymie face to face with her ex-best friend Kathy Cooper, tempers fly, leaving Jaymie wondering what happened to destroy their once strong childhood friendship. On the Fourth of July, Jaymie makes the decision to confront her former friend and mend their relationship but before she can do this, she discovers Kathy’s body in the park.  To make matters worse, Jaymie also finds her glass bowl broken by the dead body. I felt so bad for Jaymie when this happens because she wanted so badly to make amends and find out why her old friend hated her so much.  She had no clue what happened and now she would never have that opportunity to patch things up.

I loved this book so much more than Victoria’s first one because I got to learn more about Jaymie and her character is really starting to grow on me.  I love small town mysteries, especially ones that deal with cooking and antique collectibles so this was a very enjoyable book for me.  The secondary characters were delightful and definitely brought this book to life for me. The mystery was well written and had me guessing until the very end.  I can’t wait to read more from Victoria Hamilton and her charming Vintage Kitchen Mysteries because this is a series that can’t be missed.

 

*****

The Fantastic 4 Cozy Mystery Book Tour Giveaway

MAY-TOUR-GIVEAWAY

Thanks to our wonderful site sponsors and our Amazon Affiliate, we are offering some super fantastic prizes for our FANTASTIC FOUR AUTHORS that are on tour with us this week: Lucy Burdette (author of Topped Chef), Victoria Hamilton (author of Bowled Over), Billie Thomas (author of Murder on the First Day of Christmas) & Marie Moore (author of Game Drive).

There will be four prize packages:
Prize 1 (US/Canada only)
* a Kindle Touch
* a $15 Amazon.com giftcard
Prize 2 (International)
* a Kindle copy of Topped Chef and Bowled Over
* a $15 Book Depository giftcard
Prize 3 (International)
* a Kindle copy of Murder on the First Day of Christmas & Game Drive
* a $15 Amazon.com giftcard
Prize 4 (US/Canada)
* your choice of a cozy mystery paperbacks (up to $25 in value)

To enter:
1. Fill in the form here.
2. There is no requirement to follow any of the blogs participating, but we hope you will support these amazing blogs by following them. They do a great job, many of whom host for us every month.
3. Giveaway ends on May 15, 2013 at midnight and the winners will be contacted via email.