February 29th 2016 - Meet the Authors

Hi, it’s Christina!

I’ll admit it, I’m tired today. I had book signings both Saturday and Sunday, and when you have to be “on” for that long, it saps your energy. Please don’t get me wrong, I LOVE doing book signings and meeting readers, but when a majority of your time is spent alone, quiet, sitting in a chair writing, then boom, you have 5 to 6 hours of non-stop stimuli, it’s a bit of a shock to the system. I guess it’s just further proof that I’m getting OLD. LOL.

I have quite a variety to bring you today, so why don’t we just dive right in.

Lynn Cooper

First up is Lynn Cooper. Lynn grew up in a small town with big dreams of becoming a ventriloquist. She ordered her first (and last) dummy from a Sears catalog. It didn't take her long to realize she was never going to be able to talk without moving her lips, plus, the dummy gave her horrible nightmares. Lucky for us. Now Lynn writes lighthearted, uplifting romances with the perfect combination of humor and steamy love scenes.

When Love Calls

When Love Calls: (Raining Romance Series): Despite her sexy, seductive-sounding name, Velvet Rouser is a painfully-shy introvert. She has zero romantic experience with the opposite sex. Loneliness is her closest companion. Braeden Stone is a rough-and-ready cowboy who knows his way around women. But, an unfortunate accident has kept him out of the saddle, literally and metaphorically, for a long while. Both are destined to be alone unless they can find the strength and courage to answer when love calls.

When Love Calls is part of the Raining Romance Series. Each book is a standalone where unexpected storms of passion rage and love strikes faster than lightning.

Biscotti Baby

Biscotti Baby: (Plus Size Romance Series): Teagan Byers is an out-of-work interior designer, wanting to be an actress. When she sets her sights on the lead role in Brock Wolfram’s latest production of Romeo and Juliet, she isn’t expecting the director’s brand of gruffness. Or, his distaste for her acting methods. Or, the undeniable sparks of desire arcing between them. Brock isn’t expecting a curvy, spunky spitfire whose temper matches his. He’s accustomed to men cringing and women crying beneath his well-delivered scowls. Not Teagan. Every emotional barrier he erects, she breaks down. But he doesn’t trust her; he doesn’t trust any woman. No matter how tempting Teagan is, he won’t let her worm her way into his life and most definitely not into his heart.

Biscotti Baby is part of the Plus Size Romance Series. Each book is a standalone with no overlapping characters, story lines or cliffhangers. This series is a perfect combination of romance, steamy love scenes and humor. The stories are sensual and romantic, uplifting and lighthearted. Feel-good reads that leave you feeling great!

Corporate Punishment

Corporate Punishment: Jenny Watson is desperate to save her sister, Erin. In order to do that she needs an insane amount of money and will do whatever it takes to get it. Ed Rugar is the filthy-rich owner and CEO of Texas Star Oil Company where Jenny now works. He has the resources needed to pay for the life-saving, experimental treatments that will make Erin well again. Jenny works out a deal with Ed, but before it is cemented, he suddenly dies. Taking Ed's place at the helm is his ruggedly-handsome younger brother, Alex. Now, Jenny's position is in jeopardy. Can she hold on long enough to save her sister? Or will the hot, new CEO bed her, then give her the boot?

*Previously released as part of the Long Legs and Even Longer Short Stories collection. This is a 45-minute steamy romance short story. It's the perfect lunch break escape or an anytime mini-literary vacation for the woman who is juggling it all.

Judy Folger

Our next author is Judy Folger. Judy was born in Oklahoma and raised in Kansas. With the end of a sixteen year same sex relationship, Judy has devoted her time to her love of writing. In the past four years of the single life and retirement, Judy has been busy writing lesbian romance novellas. To date, she has published sixteen on Amazon, with another fourteen waiting to be edited and published. As usual, she is busy writing yet another book.

Family Pride

Family Pride: Dawn has plenty going on in her life. Hex ex-partner who cheated on her is trying to win her back. She's being recruited for an excellent job, but one that would take her far away from her beloved family and friends. Her younger brother is making the final transition from male to female in a community where transgendered people are not always supported. It's a welcome diversion when a cute blonde asks Dawn to dance at a local lesbian club. The diversion becomes a mystery, though, when Dawn runs into the same blonde at the library a few days later and the blonde blows her off with no hint of recognition.

Dawn tells herself she should just forget the beautiful, tempting woman, but somehow, she keeps running into her. Sometimes the blonde is hot and flirtatious; other times, cold as an icicle. Dawn's friends tell her she is becoming obsessed, and Dawn knows they're right, but she still can't make herself give up and walk away. Solving the riddle will take help from family and friends and a vacation to Hannibal, Missouri, the boyhood hometown of Mark Twain. Will Dawn's passion and Twain's wit and wisdom be enough to spark a new romance? Or is the blonde simply too far out of reach?

Love's Ghostly
Shadow

Love's Ghostly Shadow: The terms of Aunt Beatrice's will are unique, to say the least. They give her great niece, Joy, full ownership of her home, but first Joy must live in the decrepit old farmhouse for a full year. A self-proclaimed adrenalin junky, Joy sees it all as a big adventure. Unfortunately her partner, Sheridan, doesn't agree. All Sheridan wants is a comfortable apartment with modern appliances, an apartment that doesn't have mice under the refrigerator and unexplained cold spots on the stairs.

Before long, Joy's already shaky relationship with Sheridan is stretched to the breaking point. But the longer Joy stays in the farmhouse, the more she remembers visiting Aunt Bea as a child. A full-blooded Arapaho, Aunt Bea once taught Joy meaningful Native American myths and legends. Joy begins to suspect that Aunt Bea's spirit is haunting the house to remind her of those long-ago lessons and to try to save her relationship with Sheridan. But Aunt Bea's intervention may be too little, too late. Sheridan has had it right up to her eyebrows with haunted houses, lesbian ghost stories, objects that move around on their own, and strange women who appear in and vanish from their kitchen. To make things worse, Joy starts to explore her attraction to a co-worker. Will Joy and Sheridan become just another statistic in the "lesbian break ups" column? Or will their encounters with a persistent, grumpy ghost provide just the relationship advice Joy and Sheridan need to keep them from hitting the skids...permanently?

Second Chance

Second Chance: Christa's beloved father died when she was just 14 years old. Now an adult, she plays the field, never letting anyone get too close. Then she meets just-out-of-the-closet Keri, and the sparks fly. As Christa's barriers come crashing down, she is sure she has found happily ever after. Flash forward 10 years. Keri has abruptly ended their relationship, kicking Christa out of their home in Dallas. Licking her wounds, Christa has moved back to Kansas City to be near her mother. She works in an indie bookstore by day and seduces married women by night. Never, she swears, will she ever again make herself so vulnerable. But Christa's world turns upside down when Keri also returns to KC for a job. Keri has a completely different recollection of the events leading up to their breakup, and she wants to give their relationship a second chance.

Christa isn't buying any of it. Having her heart ripped out of her chest and stomped on once was more than enough. Besides, she is slowly starting to develop feelings for Susan, one of the married women she dates. But Christa can't deny the earthquake of desire that shakes her to her very core every time she sees Keri. She wants to kiss her, touch her, hold her, and re-explore every inch of her body. Little does Christa realize that the white-hot passion they share isn't enough to mend their tattered relationship. That will require patience, communication, and--hardest for both of them--trust.

Catherine Mesick

Last, but certainly not least, is Catherine Mesick. Unlike Judy and Lynn, who I was able to introduce with snippets of bios they had written, Catherine seems to be a little more shy with her personal information (though I did need to tap into my sleuthing abilities to track down Lynn’s photo). All I can tell you about Catherine is she lives in the Washington DC area, she is a YA author, and she is incredibly supportive of other indie authors, which is why I chose her to be one of this week’s featured authors.

Pure

Pure (Book 1, Pure Series): Sixteen-year-old Katie Wickliff lives quietly in the small town of Elspeth's Grove, unaware of the troubled past that forced her grandmother to flee Russia with her when Katie was only a child. When people in the town begin to disappear, and Katie's own home is attacked by a terrifying creature, Katie and her grandmother return to Russia to find answers.

Pursuing them is the handsome William – who just might be a vampire. Katie discovers that William is indeed partially a vampire, but he is also one of the Sidh, an ancient clan whose members are gifted with great power – a clan to which Katie's deceased mother also belonged. Soon, Katie discovers that her mother's seemingly natural death was actually murder, and she is forced to confront the question she wants to face the least: Is William her otherworldly protector, or is he the dark creature who killed her mother eleven years ago?

Firebird

Firebird (Book 2, Pure Series): Sixteen-year-old Katie Wickliff wants nothing more than to settle into a quiet life with her cursed beloved, William. But both Katie's past—and William's—are far too troubled to allow them to live in peace. Shortly after Katie discovers that a shadowy figure has placed a price on her head—and that a pack of vampires is out to collect the reward—William disappears, leaving Katie alone and unprotected. Separated from her true love and surrounded on all sides by danger, Katie must find out who it is that hunts her—before her life is claimed.

Dangerous Creatures

Dangerous Creatures (Book 3, Pure Series): When sixteen-year-old Katie Wickliff runs across a vampire with a silver stake through his heart, she knows trouble is starting in her quiet hometown. And when a mysterious correspondent starts leaving her messages of warning, Katie learns that trouble has arrived: vampires are disappearing, and Katie is getting the blame. She soon learns that matters are even worse than she feared: an ancient and invincible vampire known as the Hunter has been released from his tomb, and his mission is to capture Katie.

William, her true love, wants her to seek a safe haven, but Katie knows she cannot do that. Famous for always catching his prey, the Hunter will never stop once he is on her trail. Forced to flee her home to protect her loved ones, and pursued by rogue vampires, Katie must find a way to stop the unstoppable Hunter—before she becomes his latest—and greatest—prize.

So there you have this leap day’s featured authors. Hope you enjoyed the selection, and I hope you take a few moments to check out their books. (Both Lynn and Judy have a TON more books then mentioned above, and the 4^th book in Catherine’s series will be coming out shortly.)

Until next time… wishing you a Wonderful Day and Happy Writing!

February 22nd 2016 - Meet the Authors

Hi, it’s Christina!

You would think, since it’s been happening my entire life – nearly 50 years now – Mondays would no longer be able to sneak up on me, but yet somehow, they manage…

I know I usually get the Monday Meet the Authors blog post up first thing Monday morning, but this morning I thought it would be best to let the fog clear a bit before I committed anything to writing.

So, here was my thought for today’s blog post. Easter is early this year – March 27^th to be exact – and I wanted to give you plenty of time if you chose to go the same route I used to. A staple in my kids’ Easter baskets every year were books, so just in case you find something here you would like to include in your child(ren)’s basket, there is time to have it delivered in time for the holiday.

                                      

Well, you guessed it, today’s blog will be featuring children’s authors. (I will put the age range for the book.) So let’s get started.

Olga D'Agnostino

First up is “Mrs. D”, also known as Olga D’Agnostino, an award-winning author, who grew up on a farm in a village nestled in the beautiful Carpathian Mountains in western Ukraine. Surrounded by nature and the real world, without TV and toys, she learned to read at a very early age, and books then became a huge part of her life. As a child, she used to create her own imaginary world populated with characters from books she read. She finished business college in Lviv, Ukraine. To escape the harsh reality of life in the Soviet Union, she immigrated to the United States in 1992 with her two small daughters. For many years she worked in her own business. She is a member of SCBWI, speaks several languages fluently, and loves reading, writing, gardening, and traveling.

Olga made it easy for me, all of these books are geared for ages 6-8.

The City Kittens and the Old House Cat

The City Kittens and
 the Old House Cat

This story revolves around Christmastime and a family who once adopted a lost kitten, naming it Nyda. Nyda has now grown old and has settled into a calm, uneventful life with her new family-until the day before Christmas, when the family's older daughter brings two playful kittens, Mickey and Jack, home for the holidays. The two kittens from the big city are a change for the family, and for Nyda. The old cat likes her settled life and is not happy about the new arrivals. She's also very protective of her belongings. The city kittens annoy her, and the old cat grumbles about the new additions to the family- until she hears a story one night that makes her feel bad. The kittens aren't the soft or spoiled brats she had thought they were…

Carlo the Mouse/ Book 1: Too Many Rules for One Little Mouse

Carlos the Mouse
Too Many Rules for
One Little Mouse

Grab your boots and hold on to your hat, because you are in for an exciting trip! The new series of Carlo the Mouse has been born. Too Many Rules for One Little Mouse is the first in a series of books on Carlo's adventures. Each book will give readers an entertaining look into the life of a little mouse born inside a hospital's walls. Clever, curious, and very impatient, Carlo the mouse dreams of the world outside the hospital. His parents teach him how to follow the rules and how to survive on his own, but Carlo's insatiable desire for adventure constantly gets him in trouble. Will the little adventurer manage to survive when he leaves home? You'll find out in Mrs.D.'s next books on Carlo the mouse. Let your imagination soar in this full series of Carlo's adventures!

The Trees Have Hearts

The Trees Have Hearts

The story of a young girl, left friendless because she could not speak a new language, will touch your heart. It will take your child into the imaginary world of a little girl who moved to America from a different country. Unable to speak English, the lonely girl could not find friends. She lived in an old house with a small garden, where three blooming trees and the mysterious wind became her first imaginary friends. The garden friends developed a wonderful friendship with the lonely girl, and helped her overcome her fears and worries. Through the story, they taught her how to make real friends and helped her cope with difficult moments while adapting to new surroundings. Unforgettable characters will open a beautiful imaginary world to young readers, inviting them to share the fears, tears and joys of a little girl. The story will teach the true meaning of friendship while showing readers the beauty of nature. This book will open an unknown imaginary world through the eyes of a child...

Elizabeth Dimmette Coyne

The next author I chose was Elizabeth Dimmette Coyne. I met Elizabeth at last year’s Next Generation Indie Book Awards award ceremony in NYC, and hit it off instantly. Like practically every other author in the place, Elizabeth had her award winning book – The Ella Zoo – with her, and like virtually every other author you interact with at the event, she handed me a copy of her book. Now, good manners dictate you look at the cover, read the little blurb on the back, quickly fan through, find something you can make a positive comment on, and move on.

Come on, let’s be honest here, not everyone in the room is going to be able to converse with you on your book about How the Ancient Egyptian’s Influenced Modern Aerospace Engineering or Using Beaver Dung to Fertilize Your Orchids; so you smile pleasantly, return the book, and move on to the next group.

Yeah well, that didn’t happen with Elizabeth’s book. I actually pulled up a chair and read the WHOLE thing cover to cover. It was a wonderfully imaginative children’s book whose drawings and words pull you in and don’t let go. I simply adored it, and am looking forward to when I have grandbabies to read it to. Age for this one is a little more difficult to pin down – if you’re reading to them, I’d say 4 years old, if they are reading on their own, I’d say 8; but obviously from my rave review, this will be just as enjoyable for you the adult.

The Ella Zoo

The Ella Zoo

With a clever name game and adorable illustrations, The Ella Zoo gives every impression it is a children's book -- and it is, but so much more!

Track a whole zoo of endearing animals such as Koella Bear, Ellagator, Nightingella, Ellaphant and more as Ella grows from infant into young woman to arrive at the central theme of this touching collection of poetry -- a parent's love for their child. Suitable for readers of any age, whether 5 or 75, The Ella Zoo presents poetry to be savored and shared with those you love.

As a book designed to appeal to all ages with a timeless message of love, it makes an ideal gift book for baby showers, birthdays, graduations, mother's and/or father's day and more.

Chris Grabenstein

Your kids are a little older? Say the 9 – 11 age group? You may want to check out some of Chris Grabenstein’s books. Name ringing a bell, but can’t quite place where you’ve seen it? Well, other than Chris’ Mr. Lemoncello’s & John Ceepak series, which if they already aren't on your 5th grader's books shelf they should be, he also lent a creative hand to another famous author you may have heard of – James Patterson (my bookshelf neighbor) – with his House of Robots & I Funny series to name a few. Excellent books, and no slight to Mr. Patterson, but today the spotlight shall shine on Chris’ solo works.

Now the hard part... I need to choose…

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Escape from
Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Kyle Keeley is the class clown and a huge fan of all games—board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the construction of the new town library. Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot as one of twelve kids invited for an overnight sleepover in the library, hosted by Mr. Lemoncello and riddled with lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route!

The Island of Dr. Libris

The Island of Dr. Libris

What if your favorite characters came to life? Billy’s spending the summer in a lakeside cabin that belongs to the mysterious Dr. Libris. But something strange is going on. Besides the security cameras everywhere, there’s Dr. Libris’s private bookcase. Whenever Billy opens the books inside, he can hear sounds coming from the island in the middle of the lake. The clash of swords. The twang of arrows. Sometimes he can even feel the ground shaking. It’s almost as if the stories he’s reading are coming to life! But that’s impossible . . . isn’t it?

I’m sorry, I know I usually feature the first book in a series when I’m presenting these to you, but the kid in me couldn’t resist this time – I don’t know how many time I’ve ridden Rolling Thunder, far too many to count for sure; so y’all will be getting book 6 in the John Ceepak Mystery Series instead of book 1.

Rolling Thunder

Rolling Thunder

A prominent citizen suffers a heart attack on the opening day of a brand-new boardwalk roller coaster in the seedy seaside resort town Sea Haven, New Jersey. Initially ruled a tragic accident, it isn’t long before there are suspicious hints of foul play—especially after the corpse of a stunning young beach beauty is discovered.

Fortunately for mystery lovers, the straight-arrow cop John Ceepak and his wisecracking young partner Danny Boyle are on the case, a detective/sidekick duo critics have compared to Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.

Well there you have it – better late than never, right?

Until next time… wishing you a Wonderful Day and Happy Writing!

February 15th, 2016 - Meet the Author

Hi, it’s Christina!

Remember how I said two weeks ago that I would be featuring three authors on my Monday Meet the Authors, but would revisit the idea when I had authors who had more than five books in their library? Well, this week’s featured author, with more than twenty-five books under her belt, more than qualifies.

Anne Kelleher

Since first being published in 1993, Anne Kelleher has been a busy little bee. Don’t worry, I won’t be featuring ALL of her books here, but I will be giving you a healthy sampling of what she has to offer, and I think you’ll find, she has quite a variety, and no matter which variety/genre you choose, you’ll find Anne has received critical acclaim for the story.

Daughter of Prophecy (Power & the Pattern): A blend of science fiction and fantasy, Daughter of Prophecy, set in the ruins of an empire destroyed by magic, tells how the love and power of two people can change the course of fate.

Children of Enchantment (Power & the Pattern): In a sequel to Daughter of Prophecy, two young strangers discover the love they were preordained to share, and a fratricidal war for the crown is loose upon the kingdom.

The Misbegotten King (Power & the Pattern): An ancient prophecy tells Amanander that he is the real heir to the throne of Meriga presently held by King Abelard. He uses his magic to probe the king's mind but kills him instead. All is set for a final conflict between him and his half-brother Roderic.

Silver's Lure (Through the Shadowlands): Through the Shadowlands: Where the touch of silver was protection, power and peril through battle, blood and sacrifice—only thus could the world be saved… or so the bards sing. But at the dawning of the world, Catrione, a gifted Druid, knew only that the realms of Shadowland and Sidhe faced the gravest of danger from the goblin hordes and treacherous mortals.

Now wary allies come together to wreak a spell to avert evil magicks, but the cost will be high. For much is needed to make the Silver Caul, and the songs don't speak of the price demanded. There will be duplicity and deceit, battle and blood and sacrifices—willing and unwilling. Only through death will the balance of life be preserved. For now…

Silver's Bane (Through the Shadowlands):

An Otherwordly Intrigue…

With the courts of both the Sidhe's Otherworld and the mortals' Shadowlands in contention, nothing seems safe anymore. Now blacksmith's daughter Nessa is caught up in political and military intrigues that might lose the goblin horde. Widowed queen Cecily is fighting for a throne she never expected to have. And Delphinea, lady in waiting to the Faery throne, is caught between the powers of Sidhe and her destiny.

A Desperate Peril

The first battles are over, and devastation wracks both lands. With Nessa crossing between worlds to further understanding of each people, Cecily and Delphinea must fight to contain the evil that edges ever closer. Because their honor demands that their countries come before anything—even love. And life…

Silver's Edge (Through the Shadowlands):

Unwillingly Entwined…

There is more danger than usual in the Otherworld of the Sidhe and the mortal world of the Shadowlands. An unlikely group of conspirators—both mortal and Sidhe—plot to overthrow both thrones. They have stolen the silver caul that protected the borders between the realms—and set into motion a most perilous war….

A Blacksmith's Daughter, A Sidhe Lady, A Mortal Queen

Three women stand against the encroaching evil. All they have is a girl's love for her father, a lady's for her queen—and a queen's for her country. Nessa, Delphinea and Cecily are each driven by a personal destiny, yet share a fierce sense of love, justice and determination to protect what is theirs. Will the spirit and strenght of these women be enough to turn back the tide of the goblin hordes waiting to overrun the kingdoms? Perhaps. But the battle must still be fought….

How David Met Sarah (David series Book1): Reading specialists, special education teachers and librarians agree that there are no other titles like this available. "How David Met Sarah," the first in a series of five books written for intellectually or developmentally disabled individuals, uses vocabulary appropriate for a third-grade reading level.

David is a young man who works in a mailroom and lives at home with his parents. When a young woman named Sarah moves to his neighborhood and begins to attend his church, David believes she’s the girl of his dreams. First, however, he has to figure out to meet her.

David’s carefully structured world seems to contain all sorts of roadblocks, but David is determined to get to know the girl with the long red hair. Through a series of adventures (and a few misadventures) that illustrate the challenges and rewards of life as a differently-abled person, David indeed gets his wish at the end of this first installment in the series: David and Sarah are well on their way to becoming good friends.

A Once and Future Love: England, 2014. When Richard Lambert’s beloved wife dies, he thinks he will never find love again. Until, while exploring a medieval tower, he falls from the steps—and into another time…

England, 1214. When Richard wakes, he’s in the body of his ancestor, who is near death from battle. As his wife nurses him back to health, she finds he is not the cruel man she knew. And he discovers a second chance—with his one and only love…

Wickham's Folly: an erotic romance (Wickedly Wickham Book 1): Evie Alexander was the girl your mother warned you not to be, until a decade into her settled, suburban marriage leaves her feeling slightly numb, as if some part of herself has gone to sleep.  When a psychic tells Evie an old flame is looking for her, Evie is startled to realize how quickly her desires are reawakened.  How far will Evie go to rekindle the sleeping passions of her own unsatisfied heart...and body?"

The Ghost and Katie Coyle: A cry for help, echoing across the centuries, inspires a young teacher to rewrite history and rediscover a passion she only dreamed about…

Life is good for Katie Coyle. She’s delighted with her new position as a professor of Irish literature and history, and enchanted by the old cottage on the cliff overlooking a beach that she now calls home. But she can’t shake the feeling that something— or someone— else calls the cottage home, and that in the night, echoes of an anguished voice calling for help haunt the beach below.

When Katie first meets Derry O’Riordan, an Irishman claiming to study a set of standing stones in the middle of the woods, she takes his story at face value. But when her life is threatened and her job is jeopardized, Katie realizes that more is at stake than just the confirmation of a fascinating historical footnote. In the end, a man’s honor, the truth, and her own life hang in the balance.

Conjuring Johnny Depp: a short story: When Kelly decides to celebrate her friend's birthday with a really spectacular surprise, even she is astonished that the spell works... eventually. What will Olivia do with the charming package that arrives on the doorstep, enchanted and sweetly asleep, but stark naked under his blanket? (I’m fairly certain this is the first book in her Celebrity Supernatural Series although it doesn’t say so.)

The House on Lake Jasper: A Tilton Chartwell Mystery (Tilton Chartwell Mysteries Book 1): Psychic medium Tilton Chartwell is trying to get her life in order: her ex seems intent on running her out of town. When an unexpected client invites Tilton and her sister to spend the weekend at an old Victorian on a secluded lake, Tilt finds she might have tackled more than she handle when one of the ghosts tells her she's "next." Can Tilton solve the mystery of the former owner's disappearance before her own life is threatened?

Okay, I’m going to stop now, but as I said, Anne has MANY more books for you to choose from – and if you happen to be bored with reading books in English, and want to challenge yourself, Anne’s books are offered in several different languages as well.

Until next time… wishing you a wonderful day & Happy Writing!