Monday, June 30, 2014

Blog Tour: ON THE FLY by Catherine Gayle

Today, as part of the Light the Lamp Tour (#3 in the series), the focus is on the second in the series, ON THE FLY!

Synopsis:
Injury after injury has put Brenden Campbell’s NHL career on hold for years. Now he’s playing for the Portland Storm and determined to make it stick. Few things in life drive him more than being told he can’t have something he wants, and what he wants most is to prove he belongs. Brenden also wants Rachel Shaw, the cute, little redhead who just got hired as the general manager’s new assistant. But then she went and made herself off-limits, telling him: “I don’t date.” Those three words pretty much guarantee that he’ll do everything he can to change her mind.

Rachel is changing things up on the fly for her family, moving them somewhere she can be the kind of mom her kids deserve. Allowing anyone else to be in their lives is out of the question, at least until her instincts get back on track. How else can she be sure who to steer the kids clear of? Right now she trusts no one, including herself, and especially not a man like Brenden Campbell. He’s way too handsome and a little bit cocky. Falling for a guy like him is a mistake she can’t afford to make twice.



Review:
You don't have to like hockey to like the hockey players in this novel. Brenden Campbell (aka Soupy from his last name) is great to look at and for some reason attracted to this petite red head who just isn't his type at all.  Is he for real?  Or is it that he just has to win at all costs, including her heart?  There are some touching scenes, some funny scenes, some sexy scenes - and wonderful story.  Consistent with a hockey context, the language and content is *adult* but well done.

I was enjoying it so much I stayed up late to finish it. It is the second in the series, but it also can easily be read as a stand alone.  That said, you will know how the first one ends, so I'd recommend you start with the first one so you get the whole story of Dana. Each of the books focuses on a single character, usually a hockey player; In LIGHT THE LAMP the focus is on Liam (see other blogs in this tour!). With the fourth in the series, DELAY OF GAME, to be released in August 2014, the focus shifts again. 

About the Author:
Catherine Gayle is a bestselling author of Regency-set historical romance and contemporary hockey romance with a New Adult feel. She’s a transplanted Texan living in North Carolina with two extremely spoiled felines. In her spare time, she watches way too much hockey and reality TV, plans fun things to do for the Nephew Monster’s next visit, and performs experiments in the kitchen which are rarely toxic.

Website: http://www.catherinegayle.com
Blog: http://catherinegayleauthor.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCatherineGayle
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Catherine_Gayle

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Great Escapes Blog Tour: THE BAFFLED BEATLEMANIAC CAPER by Sally Carpenter


Synopsis:

In the 1970s, teen idol Sandy Fairfax recorded 10 gold records and starred in the hit TV show Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth. Now he’s a 38-year-old recovering alcoholic with dead bodies getting in the way of his comeback! An easy gig as the guest celebrity at a Midwest Beatles fan convention turns deadly when a member of the tribute band is murdered. When the police finger Sandy as the prime suspect, the boy sleuth is back in action to interpret the “Beatle-ly” clues and find the killer.


Review:  
This is the first in a new series- the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mystery Series.  The closest Sandy Fairfax has been until now is the star in a TV Show as a sleuth. Now, as he tries to launch a comeback to his music career, he ends up trying to use what he learned as Buddy Brave.   He doesn't have much choice - he is the major suspect in a murder at a Beatles tribute convention in small town Indiana.  Sandy has many problems and is a major disappointment to Bunny McAllister, his greatest fan.  If you are a Beatles fan and like light mystery, you will enjoy this who-dun-it.  Curious about the second in the series SINISTER SITCOM CAPER?  Check out the 2/17/2014 post!  Looking forward to the third in the series.


About the Author:
Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier now living in Moorpark, Calif. She has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school her plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. “Common Ground” also earned a college creative writing award and “Star Collector” was produced in New York City. Carpenter also has a master’s degree in theology and a black belt in tae kwon do. She’s worked as an actress, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail chaplain and tour guide/page for Paramount Pictures. She’s now employed at a community newspaper.

“The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper,” was a 2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel. “The Sinister Sitcom Caper,” the second in the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series, is published by Cozy Cat Press. The third book, “The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper,” is due in 2015. Her short story, “Dark Nights at the Deluxe Drive-in,” appears in the 2013 anthology “Last Exit to Murder.” “Faster Than a Speeding Bullet” was published in the “Plan B: Vol. 2” e-book anthology. Her short story “The Pie-eyed Spy” appeared in the Nov. 23, 2013, issue of Kings River Life ezine. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles and “mom” to two black cats.

Webpage: http://sandyfairfaxauthor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sally.carpenter.54

GoodReads: (kindle version not on GR yet)

Email: scwriter@earthlink.net

Purchase Links
Amazon B&N

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Book Review: ALL FUDGED UP (A Candy-Coated Mystery with Recipes) by Nancy Coco

Synopsis

Welcome to the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop--where life is sweet, revenge is sweeter, and murder is here to to stay…

You Can't Fudge An Alibi

Allie McMurphy is up to her neck in renovations at the grand old hotel that's been in her family for generations. With its quaint Victorian charm--and world-famous fudge shop--the place is one of Mackinac Island's most beloved landmarks.

Sure, every family has a skeleton or two in the closet. But Allie didn't expect to find an actual corpse inside hers, especially one Joe Jessup, who had a long-running feud with her dear departed grandfather. Which makes Allie the number-one suspect.

Can she sniff out the culprit before another victim checks in?



Review

Allie returns to the historic hotel and fudge shop that had been run by her grandfather for years and has definitely seen better days.  As she tries to spruce up the place, she finds the dead body of her grandfather's arch rival. As the one who found the body and the family feud, Allie is sure to be a suspect. With the inevitable conflict with the detective in charge of the case, Allie tries to figure out the murderer.  The story continues with the many quirky individuals so often found in small communities and mystery stories.  Her dog, Mal, is a character as well.  

This is an easy read for the summer TBR pile with more in the series promised. A plus is the collection of various different fudges for those of you like me who realllly like fudge!  (I suspect the secret ingredient of the McMurphy fudge is not revealed though!).  The sequel, TO FUDGE OR NOT TO FUDGE, is scheduled for September 2014.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Upcoming Blog Tour for Murder at Cold Creek College!

It's scheduled!  This is so exciting...   Touring July 28-August 8 and I get to visit all the blogs!  I hope you can join in!



In the meantime, I am working hard on finishing the first draft of Murder in the Arboretum, but some of my characters are just not behaving the way I want them to.  So back to work...

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Spotlight on New Release: COZY FOOD edited by Nancy Lynn Jarvis

Cover Reveal and Spotlight: COZY FOOD (edited by Nancy Lynn Jarvis)


What happens when 128 cozy mystery writers get together to do a cookbook? You get more than 220 recipes that are as varied and interesting as an amateur sleuth’s day job. Regional recipes come from every part of the United States and England — a couple find their way from Australia and Italy, too — and from diverse times. There are recipes from people looking to keep gluten out of their lives, eat vegetarian, or make a treat or two for their furry four-legged friends. And yes, there are recipes that appeal to the sweet tooth, lots of them, in fact. There’s no mystery about what happens when cozy writers get together. They bring the wit, inventiveness, and adventure found in their books right along with their recipes. The recipes are introduced by their authors and linked to the writer bios in the back of the book. You can look up your favorite cozy writer and see which recipes are their favorites; they'll tell you what the recipe means to them. Or you can enjoy a dish and then link to the recipe's author's biography and books. Either way you enjoy the cookbook, you're sure to find great new recipes to make and terrific new cozy authors to read. 
Contributing Authors: Sparkle Abbey, Ellery Adams, (aka J. B. Stanley, Jennifer Stanley) Judy Alter, Marian Allen, Ritter Ames, Donna Andrews, Traci Andrighetti, Amy Beth Arkawy, Mignon F. Ballard, Sandra Balzo, JoAnn Bassett, Cynthia Baxter, (aka Cynthia Blair) Jenna Bennett, (aka Jennie Bentley) Sally Berneathy, (aka Sally Carleen, Sally Steward, Sara Garrett) Maggie Bishop, Cindy Blackburn, Juliet Blackwell, Susan Furlong Bollinger, Sheila Webster Boneham, Laura Bradford, Frances Brody, Duffy Brown, Joyce Ann Brown, Mollie Bryan, B.B. Cantwell, Laurie Cass, (aka Laura Alden) Nancy J. Cohen, Shelley Costa, Judith Cutler, Rebecca (aka R.P.) Dahlke, Kathi Daley, Kathleen Delaney, Diana Dempsey, Pamela Frost Dennis, Lesley A. Diehl, Leighann Dobbs, Vicki Doudera, Pamela DuMond, Carola Dunn, Jean Erhardt, Chloe Evans, Monica Ferris, (aka Margaret Frazer, Mary Monica Pulver, Mary Kuhfeld) Judy Fitzwater, Chris Forman, Kaye George, Sally Goldenbaum, Barbara Graham, Sarah Graves, Carolyn Haines, (aka R.B. Chesterton) Vinnie Hansen, Traci Hilton, Sibel Hodge, Valerie Horowitz, Mary Ellen Hughes, Linda Joffe Hull, Ellen Elizabeth Hunter, Dawn Greenfield Ireland, Melanie Jackson, Holly Jacobs, Miranda James, (aka Dean James) Nancy Lynn Jarvis, Heather Justesen, Pamela Kelley, E.E. Kennedy, Mary Kennedy, Josi S. Kilpack, Kelly Klepfer, (aka Michelle Griep, Ellie Marks) Barbara Lee Cool, Marilyn Levinson, Liz Lipperman, Gail Lukasik, Elaine Macko, Sylvia Massara, Sonja Massie, (aka G.A. McKevett) Edith Maxwell, (aka Tace Baker) Lorena McCourtney, Marja McGraw, Eileen Haavik McIntire, Staci McLaughlin, Catriona McPherson, Camille Minichino, (aka Margaret Grace, Ada Madison) Marie Moore, Ruth Moose, Amy Myers, Tamar Myers, Christa Nardi, Radine Trees Nehring, Kerri Nelson, Clare O’Donohue, Diana Orgain, Joyce Oroz, Elaine L. Orr, Helen Osterman, Gail Oust, K.B. Owen, Sharon Pape, Nancy J. Parra, (aka Nancy J. Coco) Allison Cesario Paton, Joanne Pence, Maggie Pill, Ann Purser, Melissa Bourbon Ramirez, (aka Melissa Bourbon) Nanci Rathbun, Rosalee Richland, Becky Lyn Rickman, Karen Robbins, Carolyn J. Rose, Pamela Rose, Cindy Sample, June Shaw, Connie Shelton, Clea Simon, Joanna Campbell Slan, Karen Rose Smith, Lane Stone, Maria Grazia Swan, Denise Swanson, Marcia Talley, Nancy Jill Thames, Sharon Burch Toner, Elaine Viets, Lea Wait, Wendy Lyn Watson, (aka Annie Knox) Christine Wenger, Gayle Wigglesworth, Lois Winston, Joan H. Young, Suzanne Young
This was great fun - thanks to Nancy Lynn Jarvis for pulling all these recipes together!!!

Friday, June 6, 2014

Blog Tour: TO SLEEP...PER CHANCE TO DIE

Synopsis:

Tangled lives, tainted love, and a Shakespearean twist lead to deception, betrayal, and murder. In this sexy, psychological thriller, Eurasian beauty Mai Faca plots to marry Jake Warden, a successful oral surgeon forbidden to her because of family honor. In an unheard-of scheme, fellow surgeon, Bret Manley, falls victim to Mai's seduction as she and Jake play a cruel trick to be together. Jake acts with surgical precision to clear the path to Mai's happiness, threatening lives including his own. In a wake of turmoil and destruction, Bret's uncle and well-known criminal attorney Hubie Santos attempts to find out if a surgeon would use his knowledge to kill.

Review:
Definitely a story of betrayal on all fronts targeting Bret Manley, who sees and believes what he wants to - that Mai is in love with him and his best friend, Jake, is only acting in his best interests.  It is a devious plot that Mai and Jake device, seemingly the perfect crime.  The various pieces are planned and fall into place like an intricate puzzle with Bret left in despair.  Even when Bret and his uncle Hubie Santos are certain that Jake and Mai are behind the murder of Bret's neighbor, there is no hard proof - it is just the most logical explanation. Well-developed plot and characters that are either likable or not.  But Santos and his private investigator just wait on the inevitable - the single mistake or mis-step of the weakest link. 



 About the Author:
Donald R. Grippo, DDS practiced oral and maxillofacial surgery in northeastern Connecticut for more than thirty years. On a daily basis, he encountered patient's fear of undergoing oral surgery and associated anesthesia. To help allay such fear he wrote A Guide to the Guy or Gal Who Takes Your Teeth Out, a series of short stories dealing with the treatment of typical oral surgical problems. His resume includes working as a dentist at the Tennessee State Prison outside of Nashville and as a guard at the Hartford State Jail on Syms Street in Hartford.