Danger in Shadow by Tessa Carr / #Extract #BlogTour @RABTBookTours @TessaAuthor

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Shadows of Council Creek (Book 2)

Laurie Lancey has always loved the old picturesque bridge over Council Creek; it’s that beauty which gave the town its name.

But then…

A near miss… A chinese fortune cookie with a deadly warning

A murdered co-worker 

She knows now the serenity is just a deception. Something sinister is going on here,

And it’s all around her.

Investigator Nick Allyn barely manages to save her when the shots are fired.

“This tells me only one thing, young lady,” he tells her firmly.

“Those bullets were meant for you. 

And only you.”

***

***

Extract

With a sigh, she padded down the hallway, unsure where her shoes were.

“Um,” she stood there at the edge of the sofa, confused. “I don’t see my shoes. And my zipper’s broken. I need to go home and get some clothes.

And,” she added, “there’s the matter of my cat.”

He set the laptop down on the sofa and rose. “Here. Come with me.”

She scowled, following him around through the back of the kitchen to another room.

“This is my office. I don’t use it much, but this is where everything is. Most of the time I use the laptop sitting on the sofa.”

He picked up a stapler from the right side of the desk and flipped it open to check for staples. “That’s what I thought. It’s loaded.” He motioned to her.

“Turn around. I’ll staple it shut.”

She backed away a step.

Her expression was incredulous. “You’ll staple —what?”

“Do you want to walk around all day with your

panties showing? Of course that’s fine with me, but—”

Her cheeks flamed. “No.”

“Then turn. Now.”

She was still staring at him when he took her shoulders and turned her to face away from him.

Bending her over the desk, she felt it as he slid his hand under the waistband of her skirt, and pulled the material taut.

The next thing she heard was the sound of a kerchunk, kerchunk, kerchunk, several times as he began to staple the zipper closed.

Before she realized what had happened, he took her shoulders once again and raised her up, turning her to face him.

“There. You’re all set. You can go to the bathroom and check it out in the mirror. Looks pretty good to me.”

Thank you, Tessa Carr and RABT Book Tours

***

About the author

It all started with my fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. J. Ever the elegant, perfectly coiffured lady, gave us an assignment to write a short story and read it aloud to the class.

Mine was about a group of fifth grade kids who went on a weekend camping trip, and encountered a grizzly bear. When it was my turn, I read.

Poor Mrs. J! I began to notice a twitch around her left eye sometime around the approach of the grizzly bear. By the time the body parts began flying, it had increased to her mouth, and her whole face was as white as a sheet.

But she was a trooper, and stayed upright throughout the whole story.

However, the other kids loved the story, because it was about them. Suddenly, I was hooked! Over the years, my writing changed from gory stories (my term as a kid) to space stories. Then spy stories, and finally romance. But the other thing I found I really loved was mystery and romance. I wasn’t satisfied with just reading it. I wanted to write it!

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Author Links

Website: http://www.tessacarrromance.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tessacarrauth

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TessaAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19717569.Tessa_Carr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tessacarr_author/

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:Book Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0915MB5MM

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/danger-in-shadow-tessa-carr/1139054638

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/danger-in-shadow

iBooks: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/danger-in-shadow

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Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/408264011339/

:

Advertentie

Pink and Country by Emmanuelle Snow / #Interview #BlogTour @SnowEmmanuelle @Shalini_G26

A cabin in the mountains.

A chance for a fresh start.

A dropped towel that seals their fate.

Lost and confused, April Simmons has no clue how to turn her life around. When her best friend sends her to a cabin in the mountains for a month, alone, to work on herself, April has no idea that her handsome, yet broody and enigmatic neighbor is country music superstar Carter Hills.

Carter has everything other people would kill for: money, success, and fame. And yet, being at the top has never felt so lonely.

The moment April and Carter meet, sparks fly, but neither is ready to give in to temptation.

Been there. Done that.

But soon, Carter decides April, the colorful and sassy woman living next door, is worth breaking every rule he set for himself years ago, and nothing she’ll do or say will keep him away. The more April resists, the more Carter pulls her in.

Can April trust Carter with her heart, knowing he has the power to shatter it into a million pieces?

Loving Carter Hills is like riding a roller coaster. It’s breathtaking. It’s fast. It’s scary. And it’s a once-in-a-lifetime

experience.

***

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Q&A

When and where do you prefer to write?

Anytime. Anywhere. I’m lucky I don’t need to be sitting in an office to be able to write. Some days, I’ll write in the living room, other days I’ll be in the dining room, or sitting on my bed. I even go in my car if I’m in a creative flow and the words don’t stop pouring and I need to focus.

I can write entre chapters on my phone wherever I am if inspiration strikes.

Do you need peace and quiet when you are writing?

I’d like that, but with four kids running around the house, sometimes peace and quiet isn’t possible! Some days I write late at night just to get a few hours to myself. I’m getting pretty good at blocking background noises that don’t require my full attention.

If you had the chance to co-write a book. Whom would it be with?

I’d like to write a thriller. Something with secret service agents who need to resolve a murder or something dark. I’m not sure I’d be good at this on my own, but maybe with Michael Connelly or David Baldacci as a co-writer, I’d thrive!

In romance, right now, I think it’d be Amy Daws or Jaine Diamond. I like the universes they create. It’s addictive.

Say someone asks if they can use your name in a book. Would you rather be the ‘good one’ or the ‘bad one’?

Tricky question. It’s always fun to be the good one, but somehow, being the villain is really multi-dimensional and kinda exciting. It would depend on the story. If the story is great, I’d be all in to play the bad guy.

Who would you like/have liked to interview?

Rob Riggle. I can’t decide if he’s a genius, if he’s funny, or kind of creepy. If one of my books inspires a movie, I want him to be cast in it (after I interview him of course).

Where can I find you when you are reading?

In a comfy chair, in my bed, hiding somewhere, or in the car while we travel. I’d like to read outside more, but four seasons can be a big turn off when it’s freezing or snowing. The hot tub is also a good place, thanks to waterproof devices.

Where can I find you when you are not writing/reading?

On a road trip. With my own squad (including our cat and our dog). We love to travel the world in our car and discover small towns most people wouldn’t even bother visiting.

If I’m at home and not running around my children, I’m doing some painting or furniture DIY. Anything creative makes me happy.

What goes through your mind when you hold your new book in your hands for the first time?

“OMG I can’t believe I wrote this” (jumping around the house). And then my kids jumped around too, and it’s a mad house. Until they beg me to show it to all their friends and I’m like “Listen, it’s not that I don’t want you to. I’m really grateful you’re happy and proud, but the thing is… it’s not suitable for kids. I’m so sorry.”

After kid-friendly explanations and a few hugs, the jumping around starts again.

I give them bookmarks and pens to show around instead.

How do you come up with a title for your book?

Usually, a title pops in my head when I write the first page (sometimes even before). And through the process I go back to it wondering if I still like it, if it still fits. Sometimes it’s a match right from the start, and sometimes I change it a dozen times before finding the one that’s perfect. Or going back to the first one I picked.

How do you pick a cover for your book?

It must be love at first sight. My characters just popped into my head, and then I have to find a picture matching my expectations, which can be harder than writing the book itself. I’m a little picky about it. When I saw the models for Pink and Country for the first time, they matched almost exactly the picture I had in mind, so it had to be them (and the cover designer changed the blonde hair to get the perfect shade of pink April had in my head).

Thank you, Emmanuelle Snow and Shalini Digital Reads Blog Tours

***

About the author

Smart, Sexy, and Sassy Love Stories

Emmanuelle Snow is a contemporary author of mature YA and New Adult love stories, who likes to give life to strong characters who’ll fight with all they have to reach their life goals and find their own happiness.

Emmanuelle is in love with love. Especially those complicated, deep, and passionate feelings that make a relationship extraordinary and complex, all at the same time.

In her spare time, when she’s not writing or reading, Emmanuelle likes to go on road trips—with her four kids and her own soulmate—watch movies, paint, or do some DIY, always with a cup of green tea in her hand and listening to country music.

She splits her time between beautiful Canada and the small US towns she adores.

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Author Links

Website http://www.emmanuellesnow.com

Bonus chapters and bonus scenes http://www.emmanuellesnow.com/PAGE

Snow’s VIP newsletter

(for all the cool stuff, promos, releases, and free gifts)

######

Readers’ VIP group Snow’s Soul Mates

facebook.com/groups/snowvip

Facebook

facebook.com/esnowauthor

Goodreads

goodreads.com/emmanuellesnow ####

Bookbub

bookbub.com/authors/emmanuelle-snow

Instagram

instagram.com/snowemmanuelle

Twitter

twitter.com/snowemmanuelle

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The Outsiders by James Corbett / #SpotlightPost #PublicationDay @EyeAndLightning @james_corbett


Lost loves and painful truths against the backdrop of Liverpool’s fall and rise

Liverpool 1981. As the city burns during inner city riots, Paul meets two people who will change his life:
Nadezhda, an elusive poet who has fallen out of fashion; and her daughter Sarah, with whom he shares an
instant connection. As the summer reaches its climax his feelings for both are tested amidst secrets, lies and
the unravelling of Nadezhda’s past. It is an experience that will define the rest of his life.
The Outsiders moves from early-80s Liverpool, via Nadezhda’s clandestine background in war-torn Europe,
through to the present day, taking in the global and local events that shape all three characters.
In a powerful story of hidden histories, lost loves and painful truths ambitiously told against the backdrop
of Liverpool’s fall and rise, James Corbett’s enthralling debut novel explores the complexities of human
history and how individual perspectives of the past shape everyone’s present

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Spotlight Post

Thank you, James Corbett and Eye And Lightning Books

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About the Author

JAMES CORBETT is an author and journalist who has reported from all over the world for the
BBC, Guardian, Observer, Independent and numerous other publications. His non-fiction books include his
collaboration with the legendary goalkeeper Neville Southall, The Binman Chronicles, named by TalkSport as
one of the ten best sports books of all time, and Faith of our Families, longlisted in the 2018 British Sports Book
of the Year awards. The Outsiders is his first novel. He lives and works between his home in Ireland and
home city of Liverpool.

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Author Link

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/443617.James_Corbett

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Book links

Publisher: https://www.eye-books.com/books/the-outsiders

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Outsiders-James-Corbett/dp/1785632590/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ZNEZ743BRVBN&dchild=1&keywords=the+outsiders+james+corbett&qid=1621666514&sprefix=the+outsiders+james%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-1

Fake News by Caroline Dunford / #SpotlightPost #PublicationDayBlitz @LoveBooksGroup @verdandiweaves @FledglingPress

***

Four teenagers, and one dog, suffer at the hands of online media and come up with a plan to show people they should never trust what they read on the internet. They launch their own news site detailing amazing, shocking, utterly believable but totally untrue stories. They always

intend to come clean, but success goes to their heads and before long they are enmeshed in a world of spies and aliens. How will they get out of this unscathed? What happens next will change all of their lives forever.

***

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Spotlight Post

Thank you, Caroline Dunford and Love Books Group

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About the author

Author of over 30 books, C J Dunford is best known for her crime and spy stories set around the world wars (The Euphemia Martins Mysteries and The Hope Stapleford Adventures).

She has been, in no particular order, a hypnotist, a drama teacher, a journalist, a psychotherapist, a voice actor, a playwright and a novelist. She is currently a part-time Teaching Fellow at the University of Edinburgh where she teaches creative writing, freelance journalism and statistics. Never one to follow the usual route she holds degrees in both arts and social science, as well as a smattering of professional qualifications. She is good with a blow torch, but better behind a steering wheel (her youngest son believes she used to be a racing driver). It was, in fact, a desperate attempt to get her two sons to read, and because she thinks all the best stories are YA, that she wrote Fake News. After all, with spies, cyber threats, disinformation and aliens, why wouldn’t you want to read it?

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Author Link

Website: caroline-dunford.squarespace.com

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Book Link

Amazon uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fake-News-Dunford/dp/1912280388/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=fake+news+cj+dunford&qid=1621496280&s=books&sr=1-1

A Hare’s Footprint by Celia Moore / #Review @CeliaMooreBooks

A Hare’s Footprint is the final part of the Fox Halt Farm Trilogy. 

There is so much of the past to confront which Billy has spent years avoiding. 

These’s a future where dreams could rip everything apart 

And someone has a deadly vendetta.

So Should you grab at your dreams?

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Review

I have read the two previous books more than 2 years ago and although I remembered most of the things that happened it was a really clever idea to give a small resume to freshen things up. If you have not read the books yet and planning to (of course you are 😉 ), please skip those few pages.

I have to admit that I was not very keen on book one, but it all changed when I started the next part. I was sold!!! It was very good and there was a lot going on. Some drama, some suspense, the whole shebang. 

A few weeks ago the author asked me if I would be interested in reading the last part of her trilogy and I did not hesitate one single moment. 

I was happy to ‘see’ the main characters again and I was disappointed too. Disappointed that this is the finale episode, because I utterly, totally, absolutely adored this book. I cannot believe this is the end of their story. I would not mind reading another book about their lives. But it is what it is and I am so glad they invited me in to their homes and  let me  cheer them on during their ups and support them during their downs. 

A story about love, family and every day live. 5 stars

Thank you, Celia Moore

***

About the author 

1967, when I was born, my parents lived on a small farm near Moretonhampstead in Devon UK and I have a treasured photo of Dad with his plough horses, Blossom and Pleasant. He could work an acre a day, and B and P knew to stop if the plough was about to hit one of the many rocks sticking out of the ground.

Later, we moved to a farm, 30 miles away, near Whiddon Down and kept a small dairy herd. The farm never made money and my parents eventually sold up. Dad then worked in a local cheese factory, a massive change in his fifties but he said he loved the regular wage, lack of worry and set hours. I think he loved the camaraderie of his new work mates most of all – it’s lonely on a farm sometimes.

I  studied for my degree in London and had a career with Lloyds Bank in London, Bristol and Taunton working as a Chartered Surveyor but in 2000, I followed a dream to North Wales, training to be an outdoor instructor, teaching rock-climbing, canoeing, mountaineering, and even skiing. I climbed everything I could in the beautiful national park.

Next, I moved to Somerset to teach in an outdoor education centre. I ran additional programmes for children excluded from school  and  children in care, instructing many different activities including archery, rifle shooting and mountain biking– and ended up managing one of the centres!I loved watching the non-academic children shine and the activities allowed teachers to see some pupils in a new light too. 

When, in 2008, I met my husband, it wasn’t fair to expect him to put up with my all-consuming job. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me – and I gave up teaching and came to live with him back in Devon – Home at last! By the way, I had actually been in primary school with Paul but I hadn’t seen him for 25 years when we met up again!

Today, I work as a gardener, eat cake, drink tea and chat. Many of my customers have lost their other halves to cancer and  I feel what I do now is wholly appreciated. I run too so I can eat more cake. I have completed the London Marathon 4 times but won’t do it again until I’m 60 when I hope I’ve forgotten how hard it was last time!

In winter 2016, I started blacksmithing to earn some money when there wasn’t much gardening to do. I created organically inspired items for gardens (sundials, bird feeders, arches etc.) but that all stopped when I woke up one morning with a story in my head that I just had to write  

And now I garden most of the year and write whenever I can. I love writing and by book 7 I hope to have discovered exactly what I’m supposed to be doing. 

My debut novel, Fox Halt Farm was published in 2017, Culmfield Cuckoo its sequel in 2019 and the final part of the Fox Halt Farm Trilogy will be available in May 2021. To find out more simply

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Author Links

Website www.celiascosmos.com  https://www.celiascosmos.com/buy-books

Facebook Celia Moore Books      https://www.facebook.com/celiamoore.books

Twitter @Celia Moore Books  @CeliaMooreBooks

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Book Link

https://amzn.to/3gsMOlY

The Highlander’s Secret Son by Jeanine Englert / #Interview #BlogTour @rararesources @JeanineWrites

 

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His first love

Now his sworn enemy…

What is Fiona MacDonald doing on the run across his lands? With a wee baby as well! Brandon once loved this woman with all his heart―until her family killed many of his clan. Now, as the new Campbell Laird, he must make sure she pays the price for her betrayal. But how can he claim his vengeance if what she says is true…? That her child is his son and heir!

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Q&A

– When and where do you prefer to write?

My favorite time to write is in early morning around 5am before the sun has come up. It’s quiet, peaceful, and I find I write quickly.

– Do you have a certain ritual?

I always have a warm beverage: coffee, tea, or even just hot water as I write. I also have a favorite lamp and set of pens, etc. at my desk.

– Is there a drink of some food that keeps you company while you write?

Yes. My favorite is coffee or tea, although hot chocolate is always okay too. Food distracts me, so if I need a snack or meal, I leave my desk.

– What is your favourite book?

Yikes. This may not be a crowd favorite, but I fell in love with Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights when I read it in high school. Jude Deveraux’s A Knight in Shining Armor is also a top favorite and has a permanent spot on my keeper shelf.

– Do you consider writing a different genre in the future?

Right now, I love writing Highland historicals and historical romantic suspense, but I have had ideas for a contemporary dark noir, so maybe one day I’ll write that book!

– Do you sometimes base your characters on people you know?

Not usually. The characters that come to me always seem vastly different from people I know in a variety of ways.

– Do you take a notebook everywhere in order to write down ideas that pop up?

Ironically, I always have a notebook with me but end up jotting ideas on receipts, old lists, or table napkins. I forget that I have it!

– Which genre do you not like at all?

Horror. Scary movies and scary books are not for me. My imagination is way too overactive.

– If you had the chance to co-write a book. Whom would it be with?

What fun! I’d love to write a book with Jayne Anne Krentz/Amanda Quick. Not only do I adore her books, but she has always seemed so down-to-earth and funny when I’ve seen her give writing presentations.

– If you should travel to a foreign country to do research, which one would you chose and why?

Perhaps an easy answer, but Scotland and England. I would love to go back and spend some time exploring Glencoe, Gretna Green, Clun, and walking the paths of some of the characters of my books.

Thank you,Jeanine Englert and Rachel’s Random Resources

***

About the author 

Jeanine Englert’s love affair with mysteries and romance began with Nancy Drew, Murder She Wrote, and her Grandmother’s bookshelves full of romance novels. She is a Golden Heart ® Finalist, Silver Falchion, Maggie, and Daphne du Maurier Award Winner in historical romance and mystery. Her Scottish Highland historical and historical romantic suspense novels revolve around characters seeking self-acceptance and redemption. When she isn’t wrangling with her characters on the page, she can be found trying to convince her husband to watch her latest Masterpiece or BBC show obsession. She loves to talk about books, writing, her beloved rescue pups, as well as mysteries and romance with other readers.

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Author Links

FB: http://www.facebook.com/JeanineWrites

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanineWrites

Website: https://www.jeaninewrites.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55922667-the-highlander-s-secret-son

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jeanine-englert?list=about

Instagram: jeaninewrites

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Book Links

Amazon US/Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Highlanders-Secret-Son-Jeanine-Englert/dp/1335506284

Amazon/US Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NPTH2J3

Amazon/UK Paperback: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Highlanders-Secret-Son-Jeanine-Englert/dp/0263284034

Amazon/UK Kindle: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Highlanders-Secret-Mills-Boon-Historical-ebook/dp/B08ND9NYW6

 

 

.

A Good Mother by Sam Hepburn / #Review #BooksOnTour @bookouture @Sam_Osman_Books

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I see my son’s scooter lying in the undergrowth. Time stands still. Where is he? Deafened by my own heartbeat, I keep looking but I can’t see him. This is all my fault. My punishment for the things I did, and the things I should have done.

All I ever wanted was to keep my son safe. I married the perfect husband, built the perfect home. I’ve tried to give Finn the life I never had.

Everything was going so well. Until now.

It’s just small things at first – a punctured tyre, an open gate that I’m sure I locked. But then I see the photograph of two young girls, and a night I’ve tried to forget.

I know I have to stop pretending that nothing is happening. I can’t escape the truth.

Someone knows my secret. But what do they want from me?

***

***

Review

When are you considered being a good mother? It is because you give them everything money can buy but leave them hanging on the emotional side? Or is being poor, only being able to give them the basics, but love them with all your heart and show it?

Does being a good mother only applies to caring for your own children or can you love someone else’s so much you consider them your own?

Is being a good mother trying to turn your child into someone he isn’t or is it about letting them be their own person with their own strengths and weaknesses?

Are you a good mother when you only accept the child when you can use them to your own advantages or is it about putting your child’s needs before your own and fight for them with everything you have in you?

When you had an unhappy childhood, are you doomed to turn to crimes in order to stay alive? Sometimes unfortunately the answer is yes. You are vulnerable and thus an easy victim and when nobody takes notice, you are indeed doomed. Don’t forget there are some people who care and want to help you, but you have to let them. Be careful though, they might not do it for the right reasons, but do it because they have their own agenda…

The main character is Nicola. The author takes us on a trip through her life. We see pieces of the past to fill in the blanks in the present.

I loved this story. In my opinion the 5 stars are well deserved.

Thank you, Sam Hepburn and Bookouture

***

About the author

Sam Hepburn read modern languages at Cambridge University and, after a brief spell in advertising, joined the BBC as a General Trainee. She worked as a documentary maker for twenty years and was one of the commissioners for the launch of BBC Four. Since then, she has written several books, including psychological thrillers Gone Before and Her Perfect Life, and novels for young adults and children. She won the 2017 CWA Margery Allingham Short Story award and has been nominated for several other prestigious prizes, including the CILIP Carnegie Medal for her YA thrillers.

Sam has worked and travelled widely in Africa and the Middle East, and is a trustee of the Kenyan’s children’s charity, I Afrika. She now lives in London with her husband and children.

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Author Links

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Sam_Osman_Books

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SamHepburnAuthor

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Book Links

Amazon: https://geni.us/B08X79CDWRCover

Apple: http://ow.ly/rwSU50DItSm

Kobo: http://ow.ly/8mXz50DJthM

Google: http://ow.ly/mVsR50DItWq

Rose’s Ever After by Chrissie Bradshaw / #Extract #BlogTour @rararesources @ChrissieBeee

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Rose has a promising future stretching out before her until a cruel twist of fate seizes it. Will she overcome her heartache as she tries to build a new life? Rose returns to the safe haven of Linwood colliery and her warm-hearted family. As she settles into life in the colliery rows, Rose makes an astounding discovery and a long lost family member appears who makes demands on them all..

Chrissie Bradshaw’s emotionally gripping historical reads have a northern Catherine Cookson vibe with a modern attitude. ‘Rose’s Ever After’ follows on from ‘Rose’s Choice’ yet it can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel

Read ‘Rose’s Ever After’ to follow the twists and turns of Rose’s eventful life. Will the rugged path ahead, full of challenges, lead her to a new ‘happily ever after’?

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Extract

Thank you for promoting my books -this is our third collaboration!

I did a Q and A last time so an extract this time is a great idea.  I hope you like the one I’ve chosen. It is the opening extract of ‘Rose’s Ever After’ with a short introduction.

Cheers Chrissie

Introduction to a short extract from Rose’s Ever After

Rose has recently given birth and, three days after Christmas,  she visits her mother’s grave with her baby daughter. It is the sixth anniversary of her mother’s death and there is something troubling Rose ,something  she needs to share with her mother.

December 28th 1955

Rose wheeled Lily’s pram along the bumpy path leading to her mother’s grave, her head filled with the changes there had been in the family since her last visit a few months ago. The tall wych elm had been shedding yellow leaves the last time she saw it, and now its bare branches stood out starkly against the grey winter sky.

She put the brake on the pram, carefully lifted the sleeping baby out of her cocoon of blankets and took a deep breath. Even after six years, it was hard to see her mother’s name on her headstone.

Virginia Kelly

Beloved wife of John Kelly

Mother of Rose Virginia, Stanley, David and Terence

10th June 1909 – 28th Dec 1949

Laid to rest beside David Kelly

26th Oct 1936 – 23rd Jan 1945

RIP

She crunched over the frosty grass, crouched level with the inscription and traced over the writing with her free hand.

‘I’ve brought Lily along, Mam. Your granddaughter. She’s come to say hello.’

Rose took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes. They were streaming with the icy chill of the air as well as sorrow. ‘It’s been a busy three months since this little one was born, that’s why I haven’t been for a while. I think about you a lot though, and I wish you could have held her. I hope you know that.’

The air was still, but the freezing temperature and the heavy grey sky warned of snow, so Rose carried Lily back to the pram and tucked the blankets snugly around her, before returning to the graveside with an armful of Christmas roses and a few sprigs of holly.

‘I brought these from Dad’s allotment for you and David. You always loved to see the Christmas roses appear.’ Her hands trembled as she arranged her offering and words tumbled from her. ‘So much has happened, Mam. So much! I wonder if you know? I wonder if you understand how I feel?’

Rose knelt on the frost-tipped grass by the grave and clasped her numb hands together. She would love to hear a message or see a sign to show her that her mother was listening; but in her heart, she knew Ginnie Kelly was far beyond this world’s worries, and any upset within the family made little difference to her now. Knowing that still didn’t take away her need to spill the whole tale out to her mother.

‘I’m stunned by the bombshell Dad dropped on Christmas Day. I just wasn’t expecting it.’

Dad’s announcement still hadn’t sunk in, and maybe, if she told her mother, she could make more sense of it herself.

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On Christmas day they had a wonderful lunch with Dad, her youngest brother Terry, and Danny’s sister Grace, who looked after Terry and the house for Dad. Grace, who was about forty, had never married, and for the past year she had kept house at number one. She stayed over when Dad was on night shift, so Terry wasn’t alone and Rose didn’t have to worry about either of them. Grace did most of the cooking but Rose helped, and afterwards Dad offered to help Grace clear up. ‘You and Danny go for a bit of air while Lily is asleep. I’ll help Grace with the dishes before all of the others arrive, and then we can settle down and listen to the Queen’s speech.’

Rose had been happy to leave them to it and take a walk with Danny. She was glad to have his heart, and now they had a beautiful daughter, she felt blessed. When flakes of snow started to fall, they ran back to First Row, hand in hand, to be in time for the Christmas message which was due to be broadcast to the nation at three o’clock.

They opened the door to laughter and a full house. For the first time, Rose’s family, the Kellys, and Danny’s family, the Dodds, were all gathering together for Christmas afternoon. The family connections were complicated and it was a bit of a squeeze, but they all wanted to be together, and they didn’t need a good view of the screen because the Queen was to be broadcast in sound only. Queen Elizabeth ended the speech by asking her listeners to resolve to keep the spirit of Christmas with them as they journeyed into the unknown year that lay ahead.

Grace broke the silence after Queen Elizabeth finished by saying what Rose had been thinking. ‘What a lovely message. Though it would’ve been nice to see the Queen at Sandringham and see what she was wearing for Christmas Day.’

‘She couldn’t have looked any nicer than you or Rose,’ Danny answered, giving Grace a hug, and Rose’s heart melted at Grace’s beam. She did look especially nice today in a new dress.

‘You’re right there, Danny. The ladies did us proud with their cooking too.’ Dad stood up, looking flushed and animated. ‘I have something to say to you all in a moment when Grace has handed you a drink.’

Grace, stuck on the low sofa, was pulled to her feet by Danny. ‘Thanks, pet. I’ve got the glasses all ready.’ A moment later she appeared from the scullery with a tray filled with glasses of sherry. She handed one to Dad and two to her own mam and dad before bringing the tray over to Rose and the rest of them.

What was going on? Mr and Mrs Dodd seemed as puzzled as Rose felt. Her heart thudded with apprehension. Sherry? A speech from Dad? Grace standing by him looking rosy cheeked and… and in love. Was Dad going to announce an engagement? No!

‘I’d like to take this opportunity to tell all of those closest to us that Grace and I…’ Dad clasped Grace’s hand and smiled at her. ‘Grace and I, we got married last week. We wanted it to be quiet and to keep the news for today when we’re all together. So now I would like you all to raise your glasses to toast my wife, Grace Kelly.’

Rose tried to paste on a smile. She mustn’t make a show of herself. The room was going out of focus as though she might pass out. Lily, asleep upstairs, let out a cry, and to Rose’s relief the room stopped turning and she had an excuse to leave. She dashed upstairs into the cool bedroom, held Lily to her and took in gulps of air to stop herself from crying.

How could her dad have sprung such news on her like this?

Thank you, Chrissie Bradshaw and Rachel’s Random Resources

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About the author 

Chrissie, 2016 winner of the Romantic Novelist’s Association Elizabeth Goudge writing trophy, is a seasoned tea drinker who writes contemporary and historical family sagas.

Chrissie has always loved match-making a book to a reader. Writing the kind of book she loves to read takes this a step further. When Chrissie is not writing or reading, you will find her walking her dog on the beach, travelling or spending time with her family and friends. She would love to hear from readers.

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Author Links 

Twitter @ChrissieBeee

Instagram  chrissie_bradshaw_author

Chrissie sends out newsletters whenever she has news or something to offer and when you subscribe you receive a free prequel to The colliery rows series called ‘Rose’s War’ Just click here and scroll to the green button on her home page.

Blog  http://www.chrissiebradshaw.com/

Facebook Chrissie Bradshaw author page 

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Book Links

Amazon UK for e-book and paperback – https://tinyurl.com/bek7673s

Amazon USA for e-book and paperback – https://tinyurl.com/85rs2bwy

Burlesque Baby by Kitty Bardot / #SpotlightPost #BookBlitz @RABTBookTours @KittyBardot @BoroughsPubGrp

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Burlesque River, Book 3

AN UNTAMED HEART

Olive Meeks is anything but. Quiet – yes. Shy – sort of. Yet underneath beats a heart filled with hope and promise.

Which is why she accepts the challenge and applies for one of the open positions with Burlesque A La Mode. No surprise she’s really good at it and becomes a darling burlesque baby.

But…Vic Thornton is the owner of the Speakeasy, where the troupe performs, and weeks before, she literally crashed into him. Well, her bicycle hit the truck he was riding in.

Now, she’s certain he’s what she wants, but Vic’s sending mixed messages, and Olive doesn’t play games. More than most, she’s learned to live life and to love when she feels it since no one is promised tomorrow.

Vic still has to figure out he’s worthy of the incandescent sprite who has the potential to become his whole world.

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Spotlight Post

Thank you, Kitty Bardot and RABT Book Tours

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About the author

Kitty Bardot juggles a life full of excitement and love. By day, she’s a chef with her own catering company, by night she puts tens years of burlesque experience to use in various venues in the Quad Cities. She writes from her country home not far from the Mississippi River, enjoying every moment with her husband and their three children. Currently, she is working on her next Burlesque River story.

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Author Links

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Book Links

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Good Lookin’ by T.L. Bequette / #Extract #BlogTour @RABTBookTours @BequetteTl

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From the gang-ravaged streets of inner-city Oakland to the rolling hills of Berkeley, California, attorney Joe Turner defends the most hardened criminals. Confronted with an unlikely murderer in a modern-day whodunnit, Turner’s latest case seems impossible to unravel. At its heart is a decade-old murder and a tangled web of family, loyalty, and devotion that has the trial hanging in the balance. Viewed through the prism of the unique bond of twins, Good Lookin’ asks how far each of us will go to protect the ones we love.

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Extract

For a split second I thought about running, but Dunigan filled the doorway as he picked up the deputy with his handcuffed meat hooks and effortlessly tossed him into the hallway. I’ll never forget the hollow clang of the metal door when he shut it, locking us inside the tiny room.

I smashed a red alarm button on the wall behind me just before Dunigan slid the heavy

metal table across the room as if it were made of plastic, pinning me against the wall. The behemoth leaned on the table and stared at me, eyes wild and grinning maniacally. He took a couple deep breaths and forcefully blew the air and spittle out through his yellowed teeth.

He stood up straight, keeping me pinned to the wall, leaning his girth against the table. I tried to push it away with both hands, twisting frantically but it was useless against his weight and strength. His grin widened and his breathing intensified—as did the production of spit— as if aroused by my fear. Then he reached towards my head with his two hands the size of catcher’s mitts, holding them there a few inches from my head. I turned sideways and pressed my cheek against the wall, keeping sight of his hands with one eye that pulsed with panic. He kept his hands there, close to my face, reveling in the anticipation. I pictured his hands squeezing my head, his thumbs entering my brain through my eye-sockets.

Thank you, T.L. Bequette and RABT Book Tours

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About the Author

T.L. Bequette is a criminal defense attorney in Oakland, California. Most of his practice involves defending those accused of murder. He holds degrees from The University of the Pacific and Georgetown Law School and serves annually on faculty of the Stanford Law School Trial Advocacy Clinic. Good Lookin’ is his debut novel.

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Author Links

Website: https://tlbequette.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TLBequetteAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BequetteTl

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tlbequette/

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Book Link

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Lookin-Joe-Turner-Mystery/dp/1509235701

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Giveaway

Amazon Gift Card $25

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/408264011356/

 

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