Beachboy Murder Book Blast

Blurb:

Just as travel agent turned reluctant sleuth Gabby LeClair is starting to gain some of the Aloha spirit, a business consortium from Chicago breezes into the Aloha Lagoon resort and offers to buy her business. The offer is tempting...but so is hot helicopter pilot Rick Dawson, making it a difficult decision. One that becomes even more complicated when a dead body is discovered in Gabby's backyard, and she's suddenly thrust in the middle of a murder investigation! 

The dead man is a former beachboy attendant from the island. With a trail of broken hearts—not to mention jealous rivals—leading up to the beachboy, Gabby tries to uncover just who had it in for the late lothario. Is the female of the species really more deadly than the male? Or has the beachboy scorned one too many women for some other man's liking? 

Excerpt:

"Buy what?" Rick Dawson, the reason my heart fluttered on occasion, stood leaning against the wall by the door to Gabby's Island Adventures. He was dressed in his signature uniform—jeans, boat shoes, and the royal blue polo shirt with his logo hummingbird and Rick's Air Paradise embroidered above the pocket. He must have gotten some recent sun. His skin was golden, making his eyes shine like blue ice. He straightened away from the wall as we walked up, and slipped an arm around my waist, pulling me against him and kissing the top of my head. His scent, Old Spice and fresh island breeze, and the irresistible combination of his golden good looks and unmistakable virility definitely kept a girl on her toes but in a good way.

Inside the phone was ringing, and Lana went to answer it.

"Buy the travel agency. Lana was just asking me if I was really going to sell out to Janet's bosses."

While the shift wasn't overt enough for me to be sure, I thought I felt a hint of his pulling back a little. "And what did you tell her?"

"That it was all up in the air, that I didn't know if they'd even want the place."

"Why wouldn't they want it? Gabby's Island Adventures is aces. You're the tops, Toots." His tone was frank, matter-of-fact. "You've even made my business profitable since you took over my bookings."

"You're biased, Dawson. You do have a business interest here yourself."

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Author Bio and Links:

The USA Today best-selling writing team of Sally J. Smith (right brain) and Jean Steffens (left brain) make up equal halves of one totally functional writer’s mind. Creative and intuitive and organized and systematic? What could be better than that?

The two desert dwellers work together side-by-side, literally finishing each other’s sentences, putting together their novels faster and more efficiently than they ever could individually.

When their heads aren’t together over a manuscript, you’ll find them with their families, at a movie, the mall, or out-to-lunch—in the food sense, not the spaced-out sense, well…most of the time. Their current series include Jordan Welsh Mysteries, Mystic Isle Mysteries, Danger Cove Pet Sitter Mysteries, Aloha Lagoon Gabby LeClair Mysteries, and Digby Sloan Mysteries.

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mailto:smithandsteffens@cox.net

Buy the book at Amazon or Halliday Publishing.

The Multima Scheme VBT

Blurb:

Can Multima Corporation withstand another attack from organized crime? While billionaire John George Mortimer copes with treatment for cancer, the accomplished CEO must also ward off challenges for control of his sprawling fictional American empire both from within the company and from nefarious powers operating outside the law.

The Multima Scheme is a fast-paced account of the lengths to which organized crime can infiltrate large global corporations and seize control of respected businesses to conceal activities that are both illegal and immoral but generate billions. It’s also a story of survival – how individuals and organizations might react under intense pressures and the ease with which people can cross lines between what’s legal and what’s not.

Using his knowledge of how large multinationals operate – accumulated over 40 years working with major corporations around the world – author Gary D. McGugan weaves a tale of intrigue using a writing style that readers will find hard to put down once started.

Excerpt:

His elaborate scheme to oust John George Mortimer, CEO of Multima Corporation, started to unravel with his first telephone call in the wee morning hours. His contact at The Organization reported that no one could locate Wendal Randall – a development of serious concern to Knight. To engineer the election of Multima Logistics’ wayward division president to the post of CEO of the entire corporation, he desperately needed Randall at the meeting.

Events worsened. By mid-day, Knight learned that Randall would not appear at the meeting at all. Instead – at the same time as all the other company directors – he was shocked to hear the FBI had arrested Randall and was holding him in custody, charged with multiple serious crimes. Knight might still have had a chance to carry out the Mortimer coup successfully until a subsequent startling revelation proved all his efforts would be in vain.

John George Mortimer, more devious and cunning than Knight ever imagined, had somehow finagled an exchange of corporate shares. He’d found a way to convert some Multima shares from one class to another. The shrewd maneuver instantly shifted the corporation’s balance of power entirely in Mortimer’s favor. Knight’s plot had no hope of success with the new equity structure.

Instead, he found himself trapped in a rapidly unfolding disaster. A decade earlier – on his recommendation – The Organization had invested a billion dollars in Multima. And just the previous week, Howard had knowingly put that billion dollars at precarious risk with his scheme to remove John George Mortimer and seize control.

What are four things you can’t live without?

Love. Exercise. Travel. Reading.

What is your favorite television show?

I make very little time for television – occasionally a high-quality soccer game.

If you could be any character, from any literary work, who would you choose to be? Why?

Nelson Mandela. He had the wisdom to learn from experiences and the capacity to forgive those who so terribly harmed his life.

What have you got coming soon for us to look out for?

The Multima Scheme is scheduled for release in May of 2018. This is a fast-paced thriller about the challenges John George Mortimer faces as he battles cancer while fighting off attacks on his business by organized crime. Suzanne Simpson, the fictional president of Multima’s supermarket division, plays a more prominent role in the new story and readers get to know this dynamic female leader more intimately. I also bring in most of the characters readers enjoyed in Three Weeks Less a Day, but I also introduce a couple new personalities that play major roles in the plot development.

What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

I admire the style of James Patterson. I think his methods work most effectively for busy readers today. Typically, most of us are pressed for time and usually find ourselves capturing reading moments in short spurts compressed between other activities. So, it’s helpful to create novels that feature lots of ‘short’. Short chapters. Short paragraphs. Short sentences.

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Author Bio and Links:

A successful business leader, speaker, and author, my most recent work is an exciting novel, The Multima Scheme.

I'm in love with the same special lady for almost five decades. In turn, we love -- and are incredibly proud of -- our daughter, our son, their spouses, and three remarkable grandchildren.

Family, friends, and hundreds of other wonderful people also populate my life, repeatedly creating rewarding experiences. I’ve had all this good fortune for many years, with reading and writing often playing integral roles.

I’ve loved reading as long as I remember and have enjoyed writing for just as long. For me, writing has taken many forms. Like most, it started with assigned essays as a student and then evolved with my business career. I’ve written letters, speeches, reports, ads, brochures, presentations, proposals, articles, and a blog. My first book was a work of non-fiction – NEEDS Selling Solutions – co-authored with my friend Jeff Allen.

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Bark Twice for Danger Book Blast

Blurb:

Comic Con is in full-swing and all is well. But no sooner does the biggest event of the year begin before a mysterious wave of identify thefts overshadows the grand affair.

While Nala tries to rein in Karly’s efforts to use the con for dating purposes, she also finds herself the target of a brazen thief. If she and her crime-solving canine companion don’t find the culprit, her bank accounts could be wiped cleaned.

Can Nala and Max bring an end to the chaos before it’s too late?

Excerpt:

There are upswings in the private eye business. The winter holidays were one of them. Ironically, Nala experienced another surge in February near or even after Valentine’s Day. Instead of potential Romeos and Juliets checking out online dates, verifying everything he or she professed was real, it swung to finding the missing love interest. For reasons too numerous for Nala to count, the holiday celebrated by florists and confectioneries made perfectly appropriate love interests vanish like the morning fog in strong sunlight.

Her lips twisted as she considered the term appropriate love interest. If the person was a stand-up kind of girl or guy, they wouldn’t disappear due to a sentimental holiday. It wasn’t like she was an expert on the matter, but she assumed it wouldn’t be the right thing to do. Her phone rang.

Spring break allowed her a solid ten days she could vote herself entirely to her investigative work. Now, all she needed was business. Maybe the call could be just that.

Max, her rescue German shepherd mix, who had been enjoying a snooze in the late afternoon sun, opened his eyes. The phone rang a second time, forcing him to push up into a sitting position. He fixed her with an indignant stare. “Aren’t you going to answer that?”

She held up her hand. “On the third ring, I don’t want to appear anxious or that we have no business.”

He gave a snort as his front legs slid out, allowing him to resume his prone position. His eyes remained open and one ear went up.

“Nala Bonne. Private investigator. Discreet is our first, middle, and last name.”

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Author Bio and Links:

M. K. Scott is the husband and wife writing team behind The Painted Lady Inn Mysteries and The Talking Dog Detective Agency. Morgan K Wyatt is the general wordsmith, while her husband, Scott, is the grammar hammer and physics specialist. He uses his engineering skills to explain how fast a body falls when pushed over a cliff and various other felonious activities. The Internet and experts in the field provide forensic information, while the recipes and B and B details require a more hands-on approach.  Morgan’s daughter, who manages a hotel, provides guest horror stories to fuel the plot lines. The couple’s dog, Chance, is the inspiration behind Jasper, Donna’s dog. Overall, both are a fun series to create and read.

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Phantoms Review Tour

Blurb:

Phantoms is an adult fiction that tells the story of Erik Destler, a latter day Phantom of the Opera. Erik sets out to take over and rule the Palais Garnier with La Divina -  Carlotta Caccini, as his queen, but at each turn, is seemingly thwarted by his nemesis - the original Phantom of the Opera, now the Opera Ghost. Phantoms is set in that same famous Paris opera house, amidst the staging of Guiseppi Verdi’s opera, Macbeth, one hundred years on from the first appearance of Le Fantôme de l'Opéra in 1910.

NOTE: The book will be on sale for $0.99.

Excerpt:

Erik expertly opened the champagne, then with a flourish, poured a little into each of the exquisitely hand-carved gold goblets, allowing the champagne to rise up then back, before topping them up. He handed Carlotta a goblet, picked up his own, then raised it to make a toast, but Carlotta spoke first.

“To us, to the King and Queen of the Garnier,” she toasted.

“And to the Phantom of the Opera, replied Erik, “I shall sit in his place.” Suddenly the air was rent with the discordant sounds of an organ before the ghostly apparition of a masked phantom appeared. His loud, disembodied voice echoing off the walls, “To thine own self be true.”

Erik leapt to his feet, alarmed, gesticulating wildly and startling Carlotta. “There… there… can’t you see it?” The phantom vanished.

“You are mad!” said Carlotta, softly.

“I saw him with my own eyes.”

“Sit down, Erik. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”

Erik went to sit in Banquo’s chair again, but the ghostly apparition of a masked phantom reappeared there again. A shocked Erik stood still.  

“Leave me,” shouted Erik, loudly, now in the mind and body of Macbeth, “leave me, awesome ghost!” The phantom disappeared.

“Shame, my lord!” Carlotta sang back at him, wondering what was happening, but ready to play this musical game.

Erik paced to and fro, now singing Macbeth’s part, pointing to where the phantom had been, acting as if he were truly mad. “That shadow demands blood from me, and it will have it, I swear it will have it!”

“What is wrong with you?” a now troubled Carlotta asked, clearly disturbed by seeing Erik unravel before her. Was this a performance, a scene from the opera, for her benefit?

“The Phantom of the Opera was here,” a tormented Erik cried. Carlotta stood up and breathed deeply. If it was a performance, he would have it. Reincarnated as Lady Macbeth, she faced him.

“Cowardly spirit! Your fright has created idle phantoms,” she sang, her powerful tones ridiculing him. Now wishing to end the disturbing performance, Carlotta picked up her goblet, and toasted Erik.

“René Bourdin has a rival. You never cease to amaze me, Erik.” Unsure of what had happened, he stood there, in the flickering candlelight, stunned into silence, grappling with the phantoms in his mind.

My Review:

3 stars

This is an odd book for me to review, as I had a divided opinion of it. First, I found the story interesting and engaging, full of twists and turns, as well as intriguing characters. I was constantly guessing about what would come next and couldn't put it down.

On the other hand, I was confused throughout the book. I didn't understand the motivations behind characters, many of whom would do irrational things with no explanation or reasoning why. Also, some of the plot elements seemed to come out of nowhere or made little sense to the rest of the story.

I was also ambivalent about the writing style. At times I found it really fit the story's tone and helped add an air of mystery. Other times, it just annoyed me, and I wished the author would get to the point. 

Overall, this is an up in the air read. You may love it or you may hate it, but you will definitely feel something for it. So if you're in to taking chances and trying new things, I recommend giving Phantoms a try.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

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Author Bio and Links:

Michael Leon is a science fiction/fantasy writer with three published novels, Cubeball, Emissary and Phantoms. Besides those, Michael has written Extinction and Adaption and is currently writing Emissary and Phantoms: Act 2, both novels to be released in 2018. His work ranges from speculative fiction to fantasy romance. Michael Leon's work has been labelled by reviewers as speculative fiction with a thriller element. For more information, go to Michael's website.

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Chrissie Anthony is the romantic alter ego of Melbourne writer, editor, and publisher, Christine Lister. After a successful career in education, Christine started writing and editing. Her books are The Hidden Journey – Melanoma Up Close And Personal, Tahlia You Can Do It! and In the Garden of my Delights. Chrissie’s books are Quiver – Awakening the Goddess Within and How Do I Love Thee?

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Nothing is Predictable Blurb Blitz

Blurb:

Zara is eight years old, her father, in a drunken rampage, accidentally shoots himself dead.

 

Her childhood memories leave her struggling with romantic attachments and hinder her from developing healthy relationships.

Seeking answers, she meets a monk for wisdom, and a gypsy for insight.

The journeys Adalina Mae takes us on are interspersed with heartbreaking moments as well as hilarious escapades.

This is life and nothing is predictable. The story keeps you on your toes and offers mysteries to solve.

Why does Zara have recurrent nightmares of her last night with her father?

Why does she struggle with love?

Excerpt:

“Please, try your best, then when you are ready, come to the pavilion and find me. This discussion is not over. I need you to do this first, okay?” She stood up, nodded humbly, and started walking down the hill.

“Don’t forget, drop it like a sack of potatoes, and focus on your breathing!” she called back politely.

She wanted me to grasp the moment, and to focus on cultivating the art of a controlled mind, to increase wisdom and mental awareness. In return, that should give me the ability to focus on my childhood years with controlled thoughts that would no longer affect my emotions, if I learnt to have empathy and to forgive.

“Oh God, how on earth am I going to forgive? Okay, let’s try,” I mumbled to myself.

“Drop it like a sack of potatoes, drop it like a sack of potatoes, sack of potatoes, potatoes. Oh my God, I feel like French fries.” Clearly, meditating about the sack of potatoes wasn’t helping. I tried again, closed my eyes and began to focus on my breathing. Then I took myself back to my childhood years to try to find a way to forgive all that had happened to me. I failed endlessly with that task; a minute of silence seemed like an hour. I kept getting distracted, thinking about French fries and what bills I’d forgotten to pay.

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Author Bio and Links:

Adalina Mae is the author of the published novel Nothing Is Predictable and soon to be released Nothing Can Last Forever.

After leaving the corporate world of management, she decided to pursue her lifelong passion to write.

She's also a lover of movies and hopes that her novels become a motion picture.

Adalina wrote Nothing Is Predictable to inspire optimism and positive thoughts, reminding us we are strong and can overcome life’s challenges. Particularly those who suffered childhood trauma like she has.

She is determined to spread the inspirational message of her story.

Her life's incidents have taught her that, Nothing Is Predictable and Nothing Can Last Forever.

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A Maiden's Honor NBtM

Blurb:

Sarah Campbell is a rarity among women in her time. Raised by her Scottish father and the natives of a remote island in the South Pacific, Sarah and her father embark on a perilous journey to Scotland. Their crew betrays them and murders her father for the purpose of selling Sarah into slavery. She is rescued by an unlikely hero, Hassan Aziz, the most feared pirate on the Barbary Coast. She quickly discovers that she is unprepared for the complex world that is suddenly thrust upon her. Sarah must find a way to survive in a world that intrigues and terrifies her.

Excerpt:

Cora studied Naa’il. “May I ask you a personal question?”

“That depends on the question.” Naa’il’s posture stiffened.

“Do you love your second wife?”

“Yes,” Naa’il said without hesitation.

“Don’t you owe it to her to investigate whether or not she was telling the truth?”

“I know what I saw. Our laws are clear, Cora. Samina must be punished,” Naa’il said bitterly.

“Then I suppose that I should be put to death too.”

“This is different,” Naa’il snapped.

“Why? We are not related, yet we are alone. We have even shared a bed.”

“You are my slave; you must obey me.”

“I see.” Cora grimaced. “Regarding your wife, permit me to give you something to ponder.”

“Continue.” Naa’il flicked his hand in the air.

“Why do you post a guard outside your wife’s door?”

“He is there to protect her.”

“Precisely. When a soldier hears a scream from the person that he is assigned to protect, he is not going to hesitate to ascertain why, for he fears that delaying, even for a moment, may kill her. Likewise, when a woman is frightened, she is not going to delay her scream long enough to cover herself, especially if an intruder is attacking her. My point is Your Excellency, if you love your wife, love her enough to try to confirm her story. If she is truly innocent, then perhaps she and her guard deserve mercy.”

  

Josanna, thanks so much for stopping by. Tell us a little about yourself.
Hey there! I’m Josanna Thompson, and I'm the author of the historical adventure, A Maiden’s Honor. I'm a full-time writer with lots of stories to tell, and that’s an understatement. When I’m not working, my husband and I enjoy cycling, scuba diving, and traveling, emphasis on traveling.

How did you get started writing?

I’ve been weaving stories forever. However, it took me a long time to write them. I would often tell my stories to anyone who would listen. I met a number of writers throughout my life, and they encouraged me to share my stories with the world.

What was the inspiration for your book?

I shouldn’t admit this, but A Maiden’s Honor began as a steamy romance, minus the sex scenes. As I got to know my characters and learned about the Ottoman Empire, my story evolved and grew into so much more.

What’s a genre you haven’t written in yet that you’d like to?

I’m passionate about writing historical adventures. However, I have a great idea for a children’s series. I also have an idea for a contemporary women’s fiction too.  I hope that I’ll take the time to write them.

Are there any genres you won’t read or write in? Why?

I try not to read a lot historical fiction, even though I love this genre.  I befriended a number of authors on Facebook, and several have complained about their work being plagiarized. While it’s hard to come up with an original story line, I don’t want to steal ideas from others.

Okay, I’m not a fan of horror, fantasy, dystopian, or erotica.

What are you up to now? Do you have any releases planned, or are you still writing?

I’m currently working on the sequel to A Maiden’s Honor. It’s turning into another epic story that will take my protagonist, Sarah Campbell from Regency England to South Carolina, to the Caribbean. Needless to say, Sarah gets around in this story.

Alright, now for some random, fun questions. Favorite color?

Oh, that’s simple. I love, love, love periwinkle. I always have.

Favorite movie?    

My answer to that question is always, “Which category?”. Here’s a few of mine:

Comedy: Foul Play, Hopscotch, A Good Year, or the Princess Bride 

Western: Blazing Saddles or Silverado

Space: Spaceballs or the Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1 & 2. (Ok, the Guardians of the Galaxy were eh. I love the characters, especially Baby Groot)

Historical: The Man from Snowy River or Australia

Adventure: The Hobbit and the Lord of the Ring Trilogies.

Drama: The Ides of March

Disney: Frozen and Beauty and the Beast (Live and animated)

Super hero: Wonder Woman

I think that covers it.

Book that inspired you to become an author?

Alexandre Dumas is one of my all-time favorite authors. His Three Musketeers series captivated my imagination. I couldn’t get enough of this series, yet I was really disappointed in the ending to The Man in the Iron Mask. In fact, I was so disappointed in the story that I began to weave an alternate ending. In time, my own version evolved into my own story.

You have one superpower. What is it? 

Oh, that’s a good question. If I could have a superpower I would have the ability to permanently erase dishonest and evil thoughts. People would be compelled to be honest and do right because it is right. They would no longer have the desire to harm others. Wouldn’t the world be a better place?

Of course, having the ability to disevaporate (Spelling???) like the witches and wizards in the Harry Potter series would be really cool too.

 

You can have dinner with any 3 people, dead, alive, fictitious, etc. Who are they?

That’s a tough question. There are so many people and characters that I would love to hang out with.

Alive: Diana Gabaldon: She is one of the most prolific authors I have ever seen. I would love to ask her about how she promoted Outlander when it first came out.

Dead: Captain James Cook. Captain Cook was an 18th century explorer who sailed to the Pacific. I would love to hear about his extraordinary adventure.

Fictitious: Winnie the Pooh – What can I say, I’m a super fan. How fun would it be to spend an evening with him in the Hundred Acre Wood.

Last question: Which of your characters are you most like and how/why?

I would have to say that I’m closest to Cora Bradley. We are both down to earth, and accepting of others. Cora hates the mistreatment of people, especially children; so do I.

That’s all from me, thanks for taking the time to stop by!

Thanks for hosting me. I enjoyed answering your questions!

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Author Bio and Links:

Josanna Thompson is the author of A Maiden's Honor and The Woman from Eden series. She has lived in many different places in the United States, including the Southeast, the Midwest, California, and the Northeast. When she is not writing; she enjoys traveling, exploring, and scuba diving.

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