ONE RED SHOE is an N.N. Light's Pick ~ #99cent sale ~ #Giveaway

 My romantic suspense, One Red Shoe, is featured on N.N. Light's "Shake Off Winter Doldrums" Festival. https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/one-red-shoe-sowd

One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon US or Canada gift card.

One Red Shoe is available in March for only 99 cents.

Guest: CHRYS FEY #NewRelease FROZEN CRIMES #Giveaway #thriller

 I am so happy to present my longtime friend (who I met through Insecure Writers Support Group), Chrys Fey. She writes the most exciting thrillers involving major disasters. I love her previous books, so I'm thrilled to see this new story.

Here's Chrys to share some tips about surviving a blizzard.

15 Blizzard Safety Tips by Chrys Fey:

1. If you don’t have a generator, have enough chopped firewood to last for several days. Make sure the generator is in a well-ventilated area, not in your garage.

2. In case the pipes freeze, have plenty of water. Stock up on bottled water, fill jugs, clean out trash cans and fill those, plug bath tubs and sinks and fill those, as well.

3. Salt the driveway and sidewalk before the storm hits, and have extra bags of salt on hand for after the storm leaves. Salt melts snow and ice.

4. Bags of sand could come in handy, too. Sand on top of ice prevents you from slipping because it provides traction.

5. Have a snow blower and snow shovels on hand to dig you out.

6. Check the house for drafts/cracks/leaks. Fix any cracks you find around doors and windows with caulk.

7. Hang thick quilts over windows to help contain the cold. If you feel it is necessary, board up the windows on the outside with plywood.

8. If your house is two story, move the mattress downstairs and make up the couch for beds so everyone can stay warm near the fireplace when the power goes out.

9. Stock up on canned goods and non-perishable foods. Make sure you have plenty of fruits and veggies, both fresh and canned. Don’t forget hot dogs and marshmallows for roasting if you have a fireplace. :)

10. Candles, batteries, electric lanterns, flashlights, a wind-up radio, and thermal blankets, are all good things to have on hand.

11. Layers of clothing and blankets are a must. Have scarves, mittens, wool socks, sweaters, turtlenecks, fleece lined snow pants, snow boots, and jackets ready.

12. During the blizzard, stay inside at all times and away from the windows. Heavy snow and ice can bring down trees and powerlines.

13. Keep busy with boardgames, coloring books, card games, books, charades, dominos, and old-fashioned games like marbles and jacks.

14. Move around to get your blood circulating. When your blood circulates, your heart pumps faster and your body warms up.

15. When it’s time to dig out, pace yourself. Wear warm clothing and don’t stay outside for long periods of time to prevent hypothermia.

 

QUESTION: What blizzard safety tips do you have to add?

When disasters strike around every corner, is it possible to have a happily-ever-after?

  

BLURB: Beth and Donovan are expecting their first child. Life couldn’t get any better…until a stalker makes his presence known. This person sends disturbing messages and unsettling items, but it isn’t long before his menacing goes too far.

Hoping for a peaceful Christmas, Donovan takes Beth to Michigan. Days into their trip, a winter storm named Nemesis moves in with the goal of burying the state. Snowdrifts surround their house, and the temperature drops below freezing.

Except, the storm isn’t the only nemesis they must face. Everyone’s lives are at stake—especially that of their unborn child. Will they survive, or will they become a frozen crime?

BUY LINKS: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes

 

EXCERPT:

The crunch of the shovel pounding into the snow and ice filled his ears. It was all he could hear. The rest of the street was silent beneath its wintry blanket. Breathing was difficult with the icy air clogging his lungs. His nose burned. His throat was dry and on fire. But he ignored it, focusing on his task.

Crack, crack, crack.

He jabbed the shovel into a hunk of snow. On the third hit, it shattered into several pieces. He scooped them up and flung them to the side. He surveyed what remained. There was one big ball in the middle of the path that needed to be dealt with next. He moved over to it and struck it. That one impact had it severing in two. He was about to hit it again when something crashed into the back of his head.

Explosions of white light danced over his vision. Pain enveloped his skull. The shovel slipped from his fingers. Blackness cloaked his mind, coaxing him into its depths.

Beth. Her name was a whisper in his head, as if his thoughts were being sucked into a wormhole.

His legs collapsed under his weight.

Cold. It seeped into him, consuming him. And then his consciousness fled down that same void that ate his thoughts.

 

***HUGE DISASTER CRIMES GIVEAWAY*** 

 

 

Prizes: 4 eBooks (Disaster Crimes 1-4: Hurricane Crimes, Seismic Crimes, Tsunami Crimes, Flaming Crimes) + Girl Boss Magnets (4), Inflatable Cup Holder (1), Adventure Fuel To-Go Cups (2), Anchor Fashion Scarf (1), Mermaid Nail Clippers (2), Citrus and Sea Salt Scented Candle (1), Snowflake Handmade Bookmark (1), Insulated Cooler Bag (1)

 

Eligibility: International

Number of Winners: One

Giveaway Ends: October 30, 2020 12:00am Eastern Standard Time

LINK: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/76132e0221/?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

***FREE EXCLUSIVE EBOOK***

 

 

To get the exclusive prequel to the Disaster Crimes series, sign up for Chrys’ newsletter. By signing up, you agree to receive Chrys Fey’s newsletter. After you confirm subscription, you will receive an email (so check your inbox and spam folder) with directions on where to snag your eBook copy of THE CRIME BEFORE THE STORM.

Click here to sign up and get The Crime Before the Storm FREE!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chrys Fey is author of the Disaster Crimes Series, a unique concept that blends disasters, crimes, and romance. She runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Book Club on Goodreads and edits for Dancing Lemur Press. https://www.chrysfey.com

Author Links:

Website / Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon

 

 

Guest: NANCY GIDEON ~ Rise By Moonlight Book Tour #giveaway #review

It's always a great day when my friend (and mentor) Nancy Gideon releases a new book. I'm excited to have Nancy here and to participate in her book tour for Rise By Moonlight. My review is near the end. Don't miss the Rafflecopter giveaway.

RISE BY MOONLIGHT

Nancy Gideon

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books | iBooks

Published: August 3, 2020

Length: 273 Pages

Genres: Paranormal | Romance | Werewolves | Dark Shifter
Giveaway: $20 Amazon Gift Card

Add to Goodreads TBR→

Max and Charlotte return for the explosive conclusion of the “By Moonlight” series . . . and the stakes have never been higher!

He’s the Promised One
A Mobster’s attack dog turned legitimate business powerhouse, Max Savoie is the reluctant leader of New Orleans’ shapeshifter clan. They’ve kept to anonymous shadows, working and living unnoticed by the human world until their new Shifter King’s past draws dangerous outsiders who threaten all.

She’s the Protector
A fiercely determined NOPD detective, Charlotte Caissie has sworn to defend her beloved city and her unborn child from both criminals and otherworldly factions at war. While standing boldly at the side of her mate/husband, secrets from the past return to shake the foundation of her beliefs.

They have a Problem
Walking a marital tight rope between opposite worlds, Max and Cee Cee’s paths place truth and trust at odds when outside threats force enemies to become allies. The time to take a stand for their family and their future is at hand. Time to rise together for the survival of all they love!

“Every delicious word on the page exhilarates with a sensuous ferocity. Hopelessly addicted.” – NYT bestselling author, Darynda Jones

Nancy Gideon Speaks

Thanks for jumping aboard my RISE BY MOONLIGHT Blog Tour, Diane!

As you and I both know, one of the best things about helming your own writing ship is being able to steer into any genre port you wish. Paranormal, contemporary, suspense . . . wherever the muse leads us. We’ve both navigated through gales and smooth sailing over the years but the ability to chart our own course makes those occasional choppy waters worthwhile. Meeting exciting new characters, learning about unexpected worlds with their own special customs and beliefs has kept the sense of wonder and excitement at the forefront of our paths.

I never expected a course I chose ten years ago to begin an adventure that would sustain my imagination through fifteen books in my “By Moonlight” world! But it did and it has in many wonderful ways. I’ve been able to mix and mingle with a cast of intriguing and somewhat dangerous characters. I’ve been at their sides for heartbreaking and sexy times.  I discovered loyalty and passion and manic revenge that got me up at 4:30 a.m. to capture those emotions while fresh in heart and mind. I’ve met a wonderful host of readers and writers and bloggers who’ve assisted in my travels, giving encouragement and lodging, even if just for the day.  I’ve been able to dig deeper than I thought possible, stretch farther than some thought wise, have had regrets and triumphs, and wouldn’t have missed a moment of it.

But all journey’s end, as Max and Charlotte’s must. But it’s been a helluva ride thanks to friends and supporters like you.

Now, on to that next adventure . . . after lingering just a bit longer in the embrace of my paranormal NOLA family.

About Nancy Gideon

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Newsletter

Follow @NancyGideon

Nancy Gideon is the award-winning, bestselling author of 68 romances ranging from historical, regency and series contemporary suspense to paranormal, with a couple of horror screenplays tossed into the mix. She’s also published under the pen names Dana Ransom, Rosalyn West and Lauren Giddings. She recently retired after 20 years as a legal assistant and, when not at the keyboard, feeds a Netflix addiction along with all things fur, fin and fowl. For more information on the author, her books, or the “House of Terriot” and “By Moonlight” series, visit Nancy on the web.

Diane's REVIEW

5 Stars

When I read that Rise by Moonlight was available, I was so invested in the previous books I had to one-click it. OMG, this book kept me on the edge of my seat (or bed, since that's where I read) as I explored the end of a 15-book journey. Caveat: you don't have to read the previous books to enjoy this one, but your experience will be greatly enhanced if you have.

Even in all those previous books, the reader doesn't know everything about Max and Charlotte. Each revealed secret made me gasp. Little did I know as I read on that I would be gasping a lot. Their friends (and fellow shifters) the Terriots play a large part in this story. Their trials require Max and Charlotte's assistance, the same way Max and Charlotte need the Terriots'. With a cast of not-quite thousands, you might think you would get mixed up, esp. if you haven't read the other books. Not so. Ms. Gideon gives the reader just enough info about each character. The world building is fantastic--the shifter clans plus the flavor of New Orleans. If you like paranormal romance, you have to read Rise by Moonlight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest: C. LEE McKENZIE Not Guilty #giveaway @cleemckenzie

I’m delighted today to welcome author C. Lee McKenzie to my site to talk about her latest release, NOT GUILTY, as part of her MC Book Tour Blog adventure.

I met Lee through Insecure Writers Support Group. When she asked for reviewers for her new YA story, I couldn't volunteer fast enough. You can read my review at the end of this post.

After you find out more about this tantalizing new story, be sure to enter Lee’s giveaway featured below.

* Not Guilty
* by C. Lee McKenzie
* Publication Date: October 25, 2019
* Genre: Young Adult

Hi Diane,

Thank you for hosting me today and giving me a chance to talk about where Not Guilty came from.

I love the theme of justice, or as in this story, injustice. It’s a long-time interest of mine and probably started when I was about ten and discovered life wasn’t fair all the time. People aren’t always afforded justice, but when they are it’s a beautiful thing.

I wrote another story with this same theme, and one day I set out to revise it. That revision turned into Not Guilty, a very different book. That’s the first time revision has taken the bit between its teeth and run away like that. I’m still scratching my head, wondering how it happened.

In both books, the boys are falsely accused and ostracized by the people they’ve known all of their lives. Their families suffer as well. While there are similarities between Book One and Not Guilty, those end after the first few chapters. Book One, heads off into a Nevada ghost town while Not Guilty is rooted in the community Devon, the MC, has grown up in. Most of the story is about how he sets out to prove he’s innocent.

I kept some of the scenes from that first book, so I thought I’d show you one of those side by side to give you an idea of how similar they are. This is the scene of the boys’ homecoming after they’ve been released from custody.

Book One

With Dad’s arm slung over his shoulder, they walked to the porch. Jonah caught his reflection in the front window. He looked exactly like the boy who’d left this house six months ago, but that was impossible. A bitterness crept up into the back of his throat, burning his tongue and bringing a sting to his eyes. In that one second, he wasn’t at the front of his house. Instead, he was in a different time and a different place—one he wanted to forget.

His dad’s hand pressed on his back. “It’s over, Jonah. Let it go.”

But it wasn’t over and Jonah knew it. It would never be over. It would always be in his gut and in everyone’s mind.

Not Guilty

With Dad’s arm slung over his shoulder, they walked to the porch. Devon caught his reflection in the front window. He looked exactly like the person who’d left this house five months ago, but that was impossible. A bitterness crept up into the back of his throat. The Devon Carlyle who left from this door for the courtroom didn’t exist anymore. In that one second, he wasn’t at the front of his house. Instead, he faced Room Five and it was March. He was about to walk in on JD and Reeker.

One thing’s for sure, if I ever go back to work on Book One again, I have to dump a lot of scenes. What worries me is what will happen if I try another revision. I’m afraid it will turn into Book Three about justice and injustice.

BLURB

          A blood-smeared knife. One young man’s word against another. A lifetime dream crushed.

          The evidence points to Devon Carlyle. He was there when it happened. Everyone knows he had it in for Renzo Costa. And Costa says Devon was the one. In the judge’s rap of a gavel, Devon’s found guilty of assault. The star of the Oceanside High’s basketball team loses his shot at the one thing he’s worked so hard for—the championship game where college scouts could see how good he is.

          Now he makes his great shots in Juvenile Hall with kids far different from those that have always been in his life.

          Angry? Hell, yes.

          He’s bent on finding who did the crime. He’s bent on making them pay because he’s Not Guilty.

          But can he prove it?

For those who aren’t familiar with the author, here’s a bit of background on her.

C. Lee McKenzie has a background in Linguistics and Inter-Cultural Communication, but these days her greatest passion is writing for young readers. She has published five young adult novels: Sliding on the Edge, The Princess of Las Pulgas, Double Negative, and Sudden Secrets. Not Guilty is her most recent one.

          Sometimes she likes to jump into the world of the fantastic and when she does, she writes for the middle-grade reader. Some Very Messy Medieval Magick is the third book in the time-travel adventures of Pete and Weasel, with Alligators Overhead and The Great Time Lock Disaster being the first two. Sign of the Green Dragon, a stand-alone, takes the reader into ancient Chinese dragon myths and a quest for treasure.

          When she’s not writing she’s hiking or traveling or practicing yoga or asking a lot of questions about things she still doesn’t understand.

For more information on Lee and her writing, connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and at her Website. 

NOT GUILTY can be found Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.

The author’s other young adult books include: Sliding on the Edge, Princess of Las Pulgas, Double Negative, Sudden Secrets

GIVEAWAY

With Halloween celebrated this week, Lee’s giving away five digital copies of NOT GUILTY and a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate. This tour-wide giveaway will end at midnight on Tuesday, Nov. 5^th.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. If the widget doesn’t show up, just click HERE and you’ll be directed to the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by today during Lee’s visit. Do you enjoy stories where the underdog becomes the champion? Don’t forget to enter the giveaway.

Diane's Review: 5 stars

This story about a young man falsely accused of a crime disturbed me. The author made the situation in juvie so real I had to put down the book. But the story was so well written I had to find out what happened to Devon. My persistence was rewarded. As the story unfolded, the characters became real to me. The situations Devon and his family encountered were equally realistic. Devon's obsession with discovering the true culprit "forced" me to keep reading. I had to know if he would be successful. Young readers and adults will find the book compelling.

GUEST: Judy Ann Davis WILLIE MY LOVE #NewRelease #WesternRomance #Giveaway

Author Judy Ann Davis, a friend and fellow member of Authors Helping Authors, and I are doing a blog swap. I was on her blog yesterday, and she's here to tell us about her newest release.

Willie, My love

by Judy Ann Davis

Data Sheet

TAGLINE:

Can two stubborn hearts find love under the tall white pines?

BLURB:

       The year is 1856. White pine is king of the forest.
       The last thing Jonathan Wain wants to do is ride miles through Pennsylvania’s wilderness to help his father’s logging partner in the small settlement of Clearfield. His family owns clipper ships in the Chesapeake Bay that carry the coveted logs to the markets each spring, and they can’t afford a loss.
       The last thing Wilhelmina Wydcliffe wants is a handsome sea captain from Maryland meddling in her father’s logging operations under attack by unknown enemies. A feisty tomboy and better known as Willie to her crews, she has a dream to be the largest logging operator east of the Mississippi River.
       When both Willie’s and Jonathan’s lives are threatened, they are forced to work together to find their enemies before both of their companies are in shambles.

       But as their attraction to each other escalates, can they set aside their differences, unearth the truth and troublemakers, and discover contentment in each other’s arms?

EXCERPT:

Smiling, Jonathan took Willie’s proffered hand and shook it, without releasing it. “To show you I bargain in good faith, I offer your pistol as well.” With his free hand, he pulled her small, single shot, dueling pistol from his waistcoat and placed it in her open palm.

“But I have absolutely nothing to trade,” she said with a haughty theatrical voice.

“Ah, ha,” he whispered, pulling her close to him. “A kiss, perhaps?”

Her voice exploded as she tried to push him away. “Why you arrogant scoundrel, I ought to shoot you with this gun.”

His face moved closer. She gasped in surprise before his mouth swooped down on her lips. The kiss was brief, but soft and bewitching, and when he released her, she skidded safely backward.

“Now tell me,” he crooned in a velvet voice. “Why do you carry a loaded pistol?”

“For rattlesnakes.” Her hand fell to her side, the pistol enclosed in the folds of her dress.

“And the knife?”

“To cut off their rattles.”

He laughed, his hearty chuckles filling up the room and silence around them. “I'd rather sit naked with the rattlesnake than with you so heavily armed.”

Print and Digital Link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P87GNCZ/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130891080?ean=2940161508701

AUTHOR BIO:

Judy Ann Davis began her career in writing as a copy and continuity writer for radio and television in Scranton, PA. She holds a degree in Journalism and Communications and has written for industry and education throughout her career.

Over a dozen of her short stories have appeared in various literary and small magazines, and anthologies, and have received numerous awards. To date, she was written five novels, a collection of short stories, and a novella. Her works encompass romance, mystery, western, and paranormal in the historical as well as the contemporary arena. Her last novel, Four White Roses, was a finalist in the Book Excellence and Georgia Romance Writers’ Maggie awards.   

When Judy Ann is not behind a computer, you can find her looking for anything humorous to make her laugh or swinging a golf club where the chuckles are few.

She is a member of Pennwriters, Inc. and Romance Writers of America, and lives in Central Pennsylvania.

VISIT HER ON:

Her blog: www.judyanndavis.blogspot.com

The Web: www.judyanndavis.com

Facebook: Judy Ann Davis Author

Twitter: @JudyAnnDavis4

TIDBIT OF INFORMATION:

“Willie, My Love” developed from my curiosity of the logging industry in the 1880s in my town of Clearfield, Pennsylvania. The manuscript was so large, I had to cut it from 114,000 words to 96,000. That was the most difficult part of the entire process.

 GIVEAWAY

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8161d76c1/?

RELEASE DAY! Rescuing Mara's Father is live! #scifi #adventure #Giveaway

RELEASE DAY

My science fiction adventure for middle grade (3rd grade & up) is now available.

3 friends, a hidden starship, a quest

Her father is gone! Taken by the Queen of Compara’s agents. Mara has to rescue him before the Queen tortures and kills him.

Instead of the kind, loving father she’s always known, he’s become demanding, critical, with impossible expectations—not just as Father but also as the only teacher in their frontier outpost. Mara would rather scoop zircan poop than listen to another boring lecture about governments on Central Planets. Give her a starship engine to take apart or, better yet, fly, and she’s happy. Now, he’s gone.

Never mind, they’ve had a rocky road lately.

Never mind, Father promised she could go off planet to Tech Institute next month when she turns fifteen, where she’ll learn to fly starships.

Never mind, she ran away because she’s furious with him because he reneged on that promise. Father is her only parent. She has to save him.

Along with her best friend, eleven-year-old Jako, and his brother 15-year-old Lukus, Mara sets off to find her father. Her mentor, old spaceport mechanic, seems to know why the Queen captured Father. In fact, he seems to know her father well. But, does he tell her everything? Of course not. He dribbles out info like a mush-eating baby. Worse, he indicates he’ll be leaving them soon. And Lukus can’t wait to get off our planet. Mara’s afraid they will all leave, and she’ll be on her own. Despite her fears, Mara has to rescue her father.

Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

GIVEAWAY

A $10 AMAZON e-GIFT CARD

Many chances to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Holiday #Giveaway -- Constance Bretes

My friend Connie Bretes has a giveaway via her newsletter each month. Check out all the great stories, including one of mine. Romance Rekindled (a spinoff of my Alex O'Hara novels) started as two holiday short stories. What's better than one short story? Two. What's better than two short stories? A novella. And that's what those stories became. A mother and daughter who find love again.

Abby Ten Eyck likes her life the way it is. She runs a successful business, has a well-adjusted teenage daughter, and has managed to keep men at bay since her divorce fifteen years ago. Just before Christmas, she’s hit with change. Her mother decides to sell the family home. Then she’s arrested, with an unknown man. Could this new man in her mother’s life create more upheaval? Or could his handsome son be just what Abby needs to revive her dormant feelings?

Sam Watson embraces the transition from frenetic Wall Street to a small Michigan resort town. His health is worth moving close to his dad who seems over the moon in love. But it’s the daughter of his father’s girlfriend who fascinates him. Abby Ten Eyck reminds him of his driven self. He must help her slow down before she burns out. Like he did.

Amazon  ~  Amazon UK  ~  iBooks  ~  Kobo  ~  Smashwords  ~ Nook

Check out Connie's newsletter for descriptions of all the stories and enter the Rafflecopter below. The drawing takes place on December 22. A nice present for yourself.


Christmas Wishes Romance Ebook Giveaway

Happy Holidays!