Valentine Countdown Blitz Day 9!

Debbie currently lives on the west coast with her husband and two dachshund rescues, Dash and Briar. She loves to hike, work in the garden, and on most sunny days you can find her enjoying her backyard with a glass of wine.

She’s an avid supporter of animal rescue, and as a pledge to all animals seeking their forever home, she happily donates a percentage of all book sales to local and national rescue organizations. When you purchase any of her books, you’re also helping animals.

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Breanna Murphy has been planning her wedding for years so when her fiancé runs off with a hula dancer, she is forced to realize her destination wedding is nothing more than an exotic vacation for one.

Trying to escape the embarrassment and disappointment of being jilted at the altar, Breanna answers an ad for a job clear across the country. When the voice on the other end offers her the job, she’s excited about what awaits her in California.

Builder Calvin Comstock must make right on his daughter’s mistake regarding the nationwide advertisement and hiring of Breanna. He doesn’t know what to expect, but when Breanna walks into his office with her infectious smile, peaches and cream complexion not to mention her sexy southern drawl, Calvin is happy for his daughter’s error.

Breanna is drawn to Calvin’s mature movie star good looks, charming personality, soft voice, and strong hands. She’s trying to stay focused on the job and not the overwhelming lure she feels pulling her in to test the waters. But when the two realize the attraction is mutual they throw caution to the wind and give in to the undeniable desire to be together.

Can an ex-wife and a teenage daughter spoil their happiness or will it make them stronger than ever?

~ Universal Amazon Link ~ 

Snippet:

Breanna pushed the shopping cart down the aisle, tossing in items and checking them off her list. This would be her first Thanksgiving dinner to host. Living in New Orleans near her parents, it was just a given she’d always go over there. Oh, sure, she’d help her mom prepare the oyster dressing or make the homemade cranberry sauce that she and her dad loved, but this was different. She was preparing dinner in her kitchen. Well, actually, Cal’s, but she knew they’d be sharing the house very soon, and her mom would be helping her.

She’d just reached for a bag of sugar when she heard shouting and screaming. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to make sense of all the commotion. Just then, a woman with a little boy ran down the aisle.

“He has a gun,” she said, visibly shaken with tears in her eyes.

Breanna whirled around, looking at one end of the open aisle then whipped around and looking toward the other. She grabbed the woman’s hand and left her cart as they tiptoed to the far end, away from the sounds. She peered around the corner, keeping the woman and child behind her, then placed a finger to her mouth. “Shh. It’s going to be alright,” Breanna whispered as she focused on the terrified little boy with the biggest brown tear-filled eyes she’d ever seen. “Follow me.”

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The Ghostly Father by Sue Barnard Book Tour and Giveaway! @rararesources @AuthorSusanB

The Ghostly Father

Was this what really happened to Romeo & Juliet?

Think you know the world’s most famous love story?  Think again. What if the story of Romeo & Juliet really happened – but not quite in the way we’ve all been told?

This part-prequel, part-sequel to the original tale, told from the point of view of the Friar, tells how an ancient Italian manuscript reveals secrets and lies which have remained hidden for hundreds of years, and casts new doubts on the official story of Shakespeare’s famous star-crossed lovers.

If you love the Romeo & Juliet story but are disappointed with the way it ended, this is the book for you.

Purchase Links:

Kindle (universal link): mybook.to/the-ghostly-father

Paperback: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/1999314409

SHAKESPEARE – MY INSPIRATION

Many people believe that William Shakespeare was England's greatest ever poet and playwright.  Whether or not this is true is a matter of personal opinion, but he's definitely up there with the front runners.

One thing which cannot be disputed is how much Shakespeare has contributed to the English language. A surprisingly large number of words and phrases in common use today were first penned by the Bard himself.  If you're on a wild goose chase and find yourself neither here nor there, feeling faint-hearted (having not slept one wink), waiting with bated breath for the naked truth, and all of a sudden find yourself saying "Good riddance" as those who have eaten you out of house and home whilst playing "Knock, knock, who's there?" vanish into thin air - you are quoting Shakespeare. The world is [your] oyster, but for goodness sake, don't wear your heart on your sleeve and end up looking a sorry sight in a fool's paradise.  Truth will out, and it's a foregone conclusion that you can still have too much of a good thing.

The Bard of Avon has certainly inspired much of my own writing.  One of my first successes as a poet was winning a limerick competition, in which I summed up the plot of Macbeth in five lines:

On the strength of a witches' conjection 

a regicide's planned to perfection, 

but revenge is prepared 

by a tree-moving laird 

who'd been born by Caesarean section.

One of my long-term projects is to produce a full collection of limericks – one for each of the plays.  That's still very much a work in progress, but in the meantime, two of Shakespeare's other plays – Romeo & Juliet and Julius Caesar – provided the inspiration two of my novels.

The Ghostly Father takes a new look at Romeo & Juliet, and asks the question "What might have happened if the events of the story had taken a different turn?"  If, like me, you love the original story but are sadly disappointed with the ending, here is your chance to read an alternative version, with a few new twists and a whole new outcome.

The Unkindest Cut of All is a murder mystery set in a theatre, during an amateur dramatic society's performance of Julius Caesar.  What really happened to the actor playing the title role, during the final performance on the infamous Ides of March?

These two books cost just £1.99 each on Kindle.  That’s less than the price of a cup of arty-farty coffee, and lasts for a lot longer.  Better still, why not buy both? You'll still come away with change from £4.

Meanwhile, here are my limericks for Romeo & Juliet and Julius Caesar:

Two households, one ongoing row;

sprogs meet and exchange true love vow.

Next day they are wed;

three days later, both dead.

Their tale makes me weep, even now.

A soothsayer (very astute)

tries to warn of impending dispute.

But though told to beware,

Caesar says “I don’t care!”

then he’s killed by a backstabbing Brute.

Author Bio –

Sue Barnard is a British novelist, editor and award-winning poet.  She was born in North Wales some time during the last millennium, but has spent most of her life in and around Manchester.  After graduating from Durham University she had a variety of office jobs before becoming a full-time parent. If she had her way, the phrase “Non-Working Mother” would be banned from the English language.

Her mind is so warped that she has appeared on BBC TV’s Only Connect quiz show, and she has also compiled questions for BBC Radio 4's fiendishly difficult Round Britain Quiz. This once caused one of her sons to describe her as "professionally weird." The label has stuck.

Sue speaks French like a Belgian, German like a schoolgirl, and Italian and Portuguese like an Englishwoman abroad.  She is also very interested in family history. Her own background is far stranger than any work of fiction; she would write a book about it if she thought anybody would believe her.

Sue now lives in Cheshire, UK, with her extremely patient husband and a large collection of unfinished scribblings.  

Social Media Links –

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Giveaway to Win a signed copy of The Ghostly Father (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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How to Experience Death for Beginners by Jessica Branton Book Spotlight! @Lunacatmare

Product details Paperback: 330 pages Publisher: Charlie's Port (February 14, 2019) Language: English ISBN-10: 0692035370 ISBN-13: 978-0692035375

A clairvoyant introvert can enter the minds of people at their moment of death. When a serial killer emerges in her small town, she receives audacious advances from an enigmatic newcomer. While dodging detectives and falling in love, she joins forces with the FBI to take down the killer.

Never-been-kissed Casey Darling possesses the peculiar ability to enter the minds of people as they die. After receiving romantic advances from the enigmatic new guy at school, a serial killer invades her small town. Local police grow suspicious when Casey starts showing up at crime scenes, but an FBI agent believes in her psychic powers.

Will Casey fall in love or help take down a psychopath? Maybe both.

Jessica Branton wrote Hot to Experience Death for Beginners when she was fourteen. She now teaches English at Georgia Southern University and obtained her bachelor’s from the University of Georgia. She has performed in Las Vegas Camp Broadway and her original plays have been commissioned and produced by several theater companies in Georgia.

Karma Never Loses An Address by K.Jl.McGillick Blog Blitz! @KJMcGillickAuth @rararesources

Karma Never Loses An Address

 Betrayal on Every Level

     Marley Bennington had brutally murdered her older sister Samantha in a drug fueled rage. Only two people know that fact as true. One of those two people, was sitting in a state prison, serving a sentence for a crime he didn’t commit. Who was that unfortunate person? Alex Clarke, Samantha Bennington’s husband, the man so buried in circumstantial evidence that he confessed to a crime he didn’t commit, rather than face a trial. He was now trapped with no way out.

     It all began as sibling rivalry and jealousy, as so many tales of treachery do. Now, that intense jealousy had ended in her sister’s murder. Once Alex was tucked safely away in prison, Marley was set to inherit millions of dollars tainted with her sister’s blood. But suddenly, two obstacles stood in her way preventing her from quickly obtaining the reward for her well executed plan. One obstacle was her brother, and the other a nosy little old lady. But for Marley, this wasn’t a problem. She had killed twice already and cheated the justice system. What were a few more bodies? 

    Justice delayed is justice denied. Can Marley be trapped by the very people she tried to deceive? Will karma finally visit her door? Another gripping, tangled tale from the author of Facing A Twisted Judgment.

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MLYZC4L

US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MLYZC4L

Read an Excerpt

Then, it happened. My head was back in the game. Mary looked at me and wouldn’t let go of my stare. I could tell she didn’t trust me not to overreact and give something away. But she subtly looked down at her bag and up again. Mary slowly positioned the bag on her lap, the very bag where she kept her myriad of weapons, and moved it closer to her. She carefully parted the flaps so as not to garner attention. Mary slid her right hand inside the bag and left it there, motionless. Then, I saw it. The gun. God, I hope she didn’t plan on pulling that massive weapon out. Mary carried a gun called The Judge, and just looking at it made my stomach clench. This ominous weapon gained its nickname, The Judge, because of the number of judges who carried it into the courtroom for their protection. It offered a choice of shotshell and .45 Colt ammunition. A combo gun ideal for short or longer distances, the .45 Colt ammo was able to get the job done with one shot. What was she thinking? That gun was heavy, and she’d never get it out of her bag and lined up properly before he shot her and then me.

“Asshole, I can’t look you in the eye to talk to you. If you are going to threaten my life, will you at least sit up on the seat and lean back, so I can see you? Be a man, for God’s sake. If you’re planning on shooting two helpless women in their backs, at least do it sitting up and not squatting like some coward,” she asked of him.

Surprisingly, he untwisted, lifted himself from behind her, and settled in the back seat. I wasn’t sure if that really helped us. Now, he had a better shot. In fact, as I thought that very thing, he raised his gun and balanced it on his leg, straight at her back.

“So, you want to kill your wife, and what is your plan after that?” she asked.

“It will take the officer about two minutes to get off the chair and into the room. By then, I will have had a chance to get another round off, killing the bitch sitting next to you,” he said.

He looked awful. He hadn’t shaved in days. His hair was disheveled and greasy. But his dead eyes were what distilled the most fear in me. They didn’t blink or move. He just stared ahead. They reflected the eyes of a man already dead. His voice no longer had any inflection to it. He had a plan and a mission, and he was invested in it.

“And me?” she asked.

His laugh could only be described as evil and sardonic. “You? You’ll be long dead before we arrive at the hospital. As soon as we get on the highway, you’re a goner, old lady.”

“I understand. A well-thought-out plan. And you can’t be talked out of it?” she asked.

“Nope,” he replied.

“You are invested in killing me, Lulu, and Margaret?” she asked.

“I’m living for nothing else,” he said.

The man had tipped over the edge. There was no reasoning with him.

“Now, drive, or she’s dead in three minutes,” he yelled.

“Yes, Lulu, go ahead and turn the engine on and put the car in reverse. I’ll give a quick glance behind to make sure no one is behind you, dear. We can do this together,” she assured me.

She twisted to her left, and suddenly, it happened. Without warning, I heard a deafening BANG from my right. As if in slow motion, I saw a blood-splattered body jump in the back as his head flew back against the headrest. Was it him who’d screamed or me? Did I scream in my head or from my mouth? No, it was for real. I bellowed a heart-wrenching scream. As I twisted to my right, I could only imagine the hole blown through the seat Mary sat in. Blood flowed from the massive hole in his chest, and there was no doubt he was dead.

“Mary? Oh my God, Mary,” I screamed as hysteria set in.

“Lulu, it was him or us. That man had a plan, made a threat, and I took care of it. He had the safety off his gun. Look at it. He was serious and determined to execute us. That man meant business. It wasn’t my day to die. Now, don’t move. I’m calling 911, and I want to preserve the crime scene,” she said.

I just hoped to God I hadn’t peed my pants

Author Bio –

K. J. McGillick was born in New York and once she started to walk she never stopped running. But that's what New Yorker's do. Right? A Registered Nurse, a lawyer now author.

As she evolved so did her career choices. After completing her graduate degree in nursing, she spent many years in the university setting sharing the dreams of the enthusiastic nursing students she taught. After twenty rewarding years in the medical field she attended law school and has spent the last twenty-four years as an attorney helping people navigate the turbulent waters of the legal system. Not an easy feat. And now? Now she is sharing the characters she loves with readers hoping they are intrigued by her twisting and turning plots and entertained by her writing

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/KJMcGillickauthor/ 

Kathleen McGillick

@KJMcGillickAuth

 http://www.kjmcgillick.com/

https://twitter.com/KJMcGillickAuth

The Liar's Room by Simon Lelic Review! @Simon_Lelic

Two liars. One room. No way out.

Susanna Fenton has a secret. Fourteen years ago she left her identity behind, reinventing herself as a therapist and starting a new life. It was the only way to keep her daughter safe.

But when a young man, Adam Geraghty, walks into her office, claiming he needs Susanna's help but asking unsettling questions, she begins to fear that her secret has been discovered.

Who is Adam, really? What does he intend to do to Susanna?

And what has he done to her daughter?

The addictive new thriller with an ending you'll never guess, The Liar's Room is perfect for readers of Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door and A J Finn's The Woman in the Window.

My Review

"She wakes to find herself broken, and it the first question that enters her head. The next: where am I?" Thus begins the story of Susanna Fenton and her daughter Emily.

Fourteen years ago, Susanna Fenton ran away from a previous life with her daughter Emily, now a teenager. She has a comfortable life, a career as a therapist but she is haunted by her past and her daughter knows nothing of what happened. 

One day, a new patient comes through the door of her office, Adam Geraghty. While she is trying to get to the reason why he came to her, he starts asking personal questions. He tells her he wants to do something bad and doesn't know if he can stop himself. The session goes on in this way and Adam brings up Emily. This is when Susanna gets really concerned and scared. 

The story is told in different views, Susanna and Emily. We learn that Emily has had a young man befriend her, his name is Adam and she is besotted with him. As Susanna is getting more and more scared and unsure what Adam has done with her daughter, she desperately seeks a way to escape. What happened fourteen years ago? Why is this young man keeping her hostage? Good questions. You will have to read the book to find out! 

I love a good psychological thriller and this one was definetly a thriller worth reading. I have not read anything else by Simon Lelic, but I do have The New Neighbors that I intend to read. 

I received this book for review purposes only.

Photograph © Kate Eshelby

The Author!

I was born in Brighton in 1976 and, after a decade or so living in London and trying to convince myself that the tube was fine, really, because it gave me a chance to read, my wife and I moved back to Brighton with our three young children. That Barnaby, Joseph and Anja’s grandparents happened to live close enough by to be able to offer their babysitting services was, of course, entirely coincidental.

As well as writing, I run an import/export business. I say this, when people ask, with a wink but I fool no one: I am more Del Trotter than Howard Marks. My hobbies (when I have time for them) include reading (for which I make time, because I can just about get away with claiming this is also work), golf, tennis, snowboarding and karate. My weekends belong to my family (or so my wife tells me), as does my heart.

I studied history at the University of Exeter. After graduating I was qualified, I discovered . . . to do an MA. After that I figured I had better learn something useful, so took a post-grad course in journalism. I know, I know: so much for learning something useful. After working freelance and then in business-to-business publishing, I now write novels. Not useful either, necessarily, but fun and, in its own way, important.

In half a page, then, that’s me. My wife wanted me to add that I am not as mean as I look in my author pic. That was the publisher’s doing: they wanted austere. But now I’ve gone and ruined it.

http://www.simonlelic.com/