Showing posts with label Book Spotlight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Spotlight. Show all posts

10.07.2022

Getting Past the Publishing Gatekeepers ~ Spotlight with Excerpt and Giveaway

Getting Past the Publishing Gatekeepers JustRead Blog Blitz 

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Getting Past the Publishing Gatekeepers by Hope Bolinger, Linda Fulkerson, Rowena Kuo, and Carrie Schmidt, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Getting Past the Publishing Gatekeepers Title: Getting Past the Publishing Gatekeepers 
Authors: Hope Bolinger, Linda Fulkerson, Rowena Kuo, and Carrie Schmidt 
Publisher: Scrivenings Press LLC 
Release Date: October 11, 2022 
Genre: Nonfiction / Writing

Remember when Dorothy finally reached the Emerald City only to be halted by the Gatekeeper, blocking her hopes of seeing the Great and Powerful Wizard?

The path to publication is like that. Agents, and Editors, and Publishers, oh, my! 

Each one is a barrier between you and a publishing contract. 

 But what if you understood what agents, editors, publishers, and readers really want? 

 If you’re struggling to get past the publishing gatekeepers, this book will give you a behind-the-scenes peek at how to win the heart of each type of publishing professional. In fact, Getting Past the Publishing Gatekeepers won’t just give you a peek—it will give you a guided tour. In this book, four publishing professionals—an agent, a publisher, an editor, and an influencer—share what it takes to unlock each “gate” within the publishing industry. 

 Getting Past the Publishing Gatekeepers is a must-have resource for all aspiring authors, and it offers insights to help multi-published authors as well. 

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | BookBub

Subscribe to the Publishing Gatekeepers newsletter and receive a tip sheet on 

12 ways for getting past the gatekeepers.


.

Excerpt


~ from the section on editors, written by Rowena Kuo
At writers’ conferences, I expect to see rough drafts, as that is a big part of the experience.
Authors go to conferences to learn and receive help with their manuscripts. However, before
you submit your work to an agent or a publishing house, I recommend that you get your
manuscript edited and polished. A freelance developmental or content editor can help with
that process. They point out loopholes in your story, may suggest rearrangement of chapters,
or strengthening of your plot, conflict, and characters.

Where do you find freelance editors? We come in all genres and all budgets. You can find us on
social media, through referrals from other writers, and you can find us at writers conferences. A
developmental edit can cost you between $300-$2500, depending on word count and the time
it would take to edit your book. If writing your novel takes you a year or more, having it edited
could take just as long. Be patient. Before you obtain the help of a content editor, a way to
improve your manuscript would be for you, the author, to become a Master of Firsts.

How many numbers are there between 0 and 1? As there is an infinite number between 0 and
1, so, too, are there infinite word combinations to consider before you even write your first
sentence. A Master of Firsts recognizes the gift of infinity to lift the limits off how the story
comes to life. What separates failure and greatness fall to just one word: and.                                                                           

What is your and? With what content will you fill your pages? There is infinity between failure
and greatness. “And” equals infinity. Decide now that failure is not an option.

You have only one chance to make a first impression, so the opening lines of your work need to
have impact. The first sentence intrigues the reader, must be compelling enough to hold the
reader’s attention, and may or may not be its own paragraph. The first sentence introduces the
author’s voice. The first line, which sets the tone, can be a quote from a character, and may be
in the middle of an action. A Master of Firsts draws the reader in by the first paragraph. Every
word matters, so don’t waste any. Use strong, active verbs.

An ideal first page has between 100-300 words. You are developing a relationship with your
reader. With your words, you are painting a picture of what your characters are experiencing.
This establishes a dialogue between you and your reader. Your first page should also establish
your Point of View (POV) character.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Hope Bolinger Linda Fulkerson Rowena Kuo Carrie Schmidt

Hope Bolinger is an acquisitions editor at End Game Press and the author of 21 books. She's contributed to 10 other books, in addition, including Getting Past the Gatekeepers. She loves to model, do theater, and get lost in the woods.

Connect with Hope by visiting hopebolinger.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.


USMC veteran Linda Fulkerson began her writing career as a copyeditor and typesetter at a small-town weekly newspaper. She has since been published in several magazines and newspapers, including a two-year stint as a sportswriter and later the online editor of a midsize daily. Linda also served as the director of digital services for the largest media outlet in central Texas. She is the author of two novels, two novellas, and several nonfiction books. In 2020, she founded Scrivenings Press LLC, a traditional publisher of clean and Christian books. 

Linda and her husband, Don, live on a ten-acre plot in central Arkansas. They are part of an RV ministry group and travel the country volunteering at various entities. Linda and Don have four adult children and eight grandchildren. In addition to kicking back in her recliner with a good book, Linda enjoys photography, travel, and spoiling her two dachshunds. 

Connect with Linda by visiting scriveningspress.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.   


Rowena Kuo is the CEO and Executive Editor for Brimstone Fiction, Brimstone Books and Media, and Brimstone Fire. With over 15 years of ministering to children, youth groups, young adults, women, and family groups, Rowena advocates for writers to build God-centered support systems consisting of people, perseverance, practice, and most of all, prayer. She has written for Christian Devotions, Written World Communications, Splickety, and the 168 Write of Passage. When not working on words or films, she is a full-time mom with secret aspirations for spaceflight. 

Connect with Rowena by visiting www.brimstonefiction.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.   


  Carrie Schmidt is an avid reader, book reviewer, story addict, KissingBooks fan, book boyfriend collector, and cool aunt. She also loves Jesus and THE Story a whole lot. Carrie started the popular blog ReadingIsMySuperPower.org in 2015 and since then has had the honor of co-founding the Christian Fiction Readers' Retreat and JustRead Publicity Tours. In addition to these endeavors, she is a regular contributor to Seekerville and has written for magazines such as RT Book Reviews and Christian Market. Carrie now lives in Georgia with her husband, though her roots range from East Tennessee to Central Kentucky and northern Illinois. 

Connect with Carrie by visiting readingismysuperpower.org to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $40 Amazon gift card.

Getting Past the Publishing Gatekeepers JustRead Giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 5, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 12, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

8.12.2022

Shoal Waters ~ Blitz with Spotlight, Excerpt, and Giveaway

Shoal Waters JustRead Blog + Review Blitz 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Blitz for 
Shoal Waters by Normandie Fischer, 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Shoal Waters Title: Shoal Waters 
Series: Carolina Coast Stories #6 
Author: Normandie Fischer 
Publisher: Sleepy Creek Press 
Release Date: June 14, 2022 
Genre: Inspirational/Clean Women's Fiction 

Dementia, mad gunmen, and a yearning for something more make life difficult for the Beaufort folk in this series finale. 

Georgie's mind threatens to go walkabout, and she'd better get help soon if she's to stop her daughter from taking over. Enter granddaughter, Jeminy, a songwriter from L.A., and Eric, her lawyer. 

Jeminy hates herself and is pretty sure God does, too. There’s that huge unforgiveable sin, plus the boyfriend/manager who dumped her and lost her a music deal. Her mistakes. Her fault. 

When Mother plots to tuck Nana Georgie neatly into a nursing home to gain access to Nana’s money, Jeminy hightails it out of L.A. and back to Beaufort. God may still hate her in North Carolina, but at least she’ll be on hand to protect her beloved grandmother. 

Enter Eric, the lawyer hired to help Georgie protect herself--and possibly Jeminy, too. But Eric just rescued his orphaned stepson from Social Services, and while he’s adept at legal briefs and courtroom dramas, classrooms and angry second graders are brand new territory. 

Guitar in hand, Jeminy tries to write songs to jumpstart her flagging career, but when someone threatens her life, she has to ask why. Could it have to do with the money missing from her bank accounts (and maybe her unstable ex)? If she prays for help, will God even listen to someone with her baggage? 

With the help of the Beaufort crew, a new father and a terrified musician struggle to safeguard everyone they love, but it’s going to take more than good neighbors to show each of them the true meaning of grace. 

Purchase Links*
Excerpt

Jeminy didn’t—wouldn’t—care that her life had been reduced to a moderate
savings account and the plans she now had to make. Nana’s call precipitated her
decision to move out of Los Angeles, and that was no bad thing. It was past time.

This place of promise and glitter had captivated her until she’d looked more
closely at its underbellies, from enclaves peopled with the untouchable elite to Skid
Row’s un-helped homeless. Many of those living in between stumbled around on
the verge of bankruptcy as they clawed toward access to the gated communities.

Once upon a time, she’d been on the fringes of money and fame.
She didn’t—wouldn’t—care about the trappings of her big-city life she’d be
leaving, not the BMW she’d thought hers, not this apartment.

...Tomorrow, it would be off with the old and on with the new, whatever that
was and wherever it would take her and her guitar. A few more hours and this place
would be on the way to being forgotten.

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

Becalmed Heavy Weather Twilight Christmas 

Sailing out of Darkness The Sea Prayers


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Normandie Fischer 
Normandie Fischer had the best of several worlds: a Southern heritage, access to schooling in the DC area (which meant lots of cultural adventures), and several years of sculpture studies in Italy. It might have been better for her if she'd used all these opportunities more wisely, but it's possible that the imperfect and the unwise also add fodder for the artist and the writer.

Her life changed radically when she married the love of her life at an age when some would have said she was over the hill and way past her prime. (Clichés often speak the truth, don't they?) A lifelong sailor, she was delighted to find that Michael also longed to cruise lovely waters, which is what they did from Northern CA to Mexico, spending too-few years in the incomparable Sea of Cortez. Sea Venture, their 50' ketch, is back home in North Carolina now because Normandie's mama needed care. Still, it's gorgeous there, too, and she can write from home as easily as she could on the boat. 

Her two grown children and two step-sons are handsome (or gorgeous, as the case may be), talented, and a delight. And now there's a granddaughter and grandson in the mix--woohoo! She just wishes they lived a lot closer to home.

Connect with Normandie by visiting normandiefischer.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.


TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card and one signed book 
written by Normandie Fischer (winner's choice)!

Shoal Waters JustRead Giveaway 
The full tour schedule is linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight on August 10, 2022, 
and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 17, 2022. The winner will be notified 
within 2 weeks of the close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk 
forfeiture of the prize. 
US/CAN only. 
Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

The giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

8.11.2022

The Wrong Side of Murder ~ Review with Giveaway

THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER (a Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr
The Wrong Side of Murder
A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery #2
By Lauren Carr

Nikki Bryant and Elmo are back and the cold case that is about to capture Nikki's attention involved a classmate who was tried and convicted in the court of public opinion of her mother's murder.

Jodi Gibbons never saw her mother's murderer brought to justice because Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, found Jodi guilty when she became the victim of gossip and rumor. Twenty years have passed a chance meeting finds Nikki looking to right the wrongs of the past and give Jodi a chance to  bring her side before the listening and viewing public. And with any luck the true killer will be found. But someone wants Jodi to be silent on the subject. But with Nikki on the case she's not about to let the killers away with another murder and have an innocent woman again take the blame.

But could Nikki be seeing something that isn't there? She's going to put her award winning investigative skills to the test. And if she gets a little help along the way from friends, family, and significant other all the better to get to the long ridden past. And Elmo is available when not putting his other talents to use.

This is the second book in the Nikki Bryant series and it is an engaging read, just as Killer Deadline was, though I did miss Nikki's interactions with @nerdyguy. And like almost everyone who's met Elmo, I've become a fan of this distinct, unique, and highly intelligent dog who just happens to be a social media sensation, and with good reason. So if you are looking for a new cozy mystery to enjoy give Nikki, Elmo, and all the Bryant clan a place on your TBR list, you won't be sorry. This is a fun mostly lighthearted murder mystery (murder being the non-lighthearted moment btw), with a dog you'll adore.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion ~ All  thoughts expressed are my own.

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Wrong Side of Murder (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  274 pages
Genre:  Mystery/Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   July 21, 2022
Content Rating: This cozy mystery is rated G for everyone!

The Wrong Side of Murder is another wonderful cozy mystery by author Lauren Carr. It has all the elements that draw me in - an intelligent female lead, an equally smart boyfriend who partners to help her, a complicated plot where clues are slowly revealed, people who aren't what they seem to be, comedic moments to balance the darker ones, and several quirky pets full of personality.  

It's a wonderful book to escape into at the end of the day. And get ready to read into the wee hours as, if you're like me, you won't be able to stop reading until the mystery is revealed.  
- Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn
Nikki's an intense individual who makes the perfect investigative journalist. She wants answers yesterday and she is willing to dig in to get them. She might get it wrong at the beginning but with the help of her family and close friends, she'll get the answers she wants and needs. – review by Blooming with Books

Book Description:

Nikki Bryant’s Next Case Takes Her to the Wrong Side of Murder

One spring morning, Jodi Gibbons got up and went to school as she did every day. Her young life went sideways, though, when the police found that her mother had been brutally killed during the night.

Twenty years later, many in Pine Grove believe Jodi got away with murder. After all, how could she have possibly slept through her mother’s violent death in the very next room?

After decades of silence, Jodi accepts investigative journalist Nikki Bryant’s invitation to tell her side of the story. However, before the interview can take place, someone silences Jodi permanently.

Now it is up to Nikki Bryant and her friends to uncover the secret that Jodi Gibbons has been protecting—a secret someone believes it is worth killing to keep from being revealed.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
BookBub 
add to goodreads

Author Lauren Carr and SterlingMeet the Author:

​Selling over half a million books worldwide, Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. 

The owner of Acorn Book Services and iRead Book Tours, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.  

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. 

She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

connect with the author: website ~ blog ~ facebook instagram ~ twitter pinterest

Tour Schedule:

Aug 1 –Rockin' Book Reviews – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/guest post/giveaway
Aug 1 -Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 2 –She Just Loves Books – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 3 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 3 - Chit Chat with Charity - audiobook review of KILLER DEADLINE/giveaway
Aug 4 – Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of KILLER DEADLINE/giveaway
Aug 4 -Cover Lover Book Review – book review of KILLER DEADLINE/giveaway
Aug 5 -Cover Lover Book Review – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 8 - Review Thick And Thin – book review of KILLER DEADLINE/giveaway
Aug 8 – Kam's Place – book review of KILLER DEADLINE
Aug 8 - Blooming with Books - audiobook review of KILLER DEADLINE/giveaway
Aug 9 – Olio by Marilyn – book series spotlight/author interview/giveaway
Aug 9 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 10 – Kam's Place – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER
Aug 10 - Chit Chat with Charity - book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 10 - The Momma Spot – book review of KILLER DEADLINE/giveaway
Aug 11 – Literary Flits – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 11 - Blooming with Books - book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 11 - Books for Books - audiobook review of KILLER DEADLINE
Aug 12 - Book Corner News and Reviews - book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 15 – Stephanie Jane – book series spotlight/giveaway
Aug 16 – The Momma Spot – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway    
Aug 16 - Books for Books - book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER
Aug 17 – Paws.Read.Repeat – audiobook review of KILLER DEADLINE/giveaway
Aug 17 - Older & Smarter? – book review of KILLER DEADLINE/giveaway
Aug 17 – fundinmental – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 17 - Ebook addicts – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 18 – Christa Reads and Writes – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 18 - Pause for Tales – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 19 - Paws.Read.Repeat –book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 19 - Bigreadersite - book review of KILLER DEADLINE/giveaway
Aug 19 - Older & Smarter? – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 22 - Review Thick And Thin – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 23 - Splashes of Joy  - book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 23 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER
Aug 24 - Splashes of Joy  - book series spotlight/giveaway
Aug 24 – Books Are Love – book review of KILLER DEADLINE/giveaway
Aug 24 - My Reading Journeys – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 25 - I'm Into Books - book series spotlight/giveaway
Aug 25 – Books Are Love – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 26 - Bigreadersite - book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 26 – Books and Zebras – book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER
Aug 26 - Adventurous Jessy - book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER/giveaway
Aug 26 - Reading Excursions - book review of THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER



Enter the Giveaway:

6.30.2022

Her Darkest Secret ~ Blog Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway

Her Darkest Secret JustRead Blog Blitz 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for 
Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R. Patch, 

About the Book

Her Darkest Secret

Title: Her Darkest Secret
Author: Jessica R. Patch
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired TRADE
Release Date: June 28, 2022
Genre: Christian, Psychological Thriller with a romance thread

When a cold-case serial killer returns, FBI special agent Fiona Kelly has one last chance to stop him before he claims the prize he’s always wanted—her. 

The sight of a goose feather at a murder scene modeled after a children’s poem is enough to make FBI special agent Fiona Kelly’s blood turn to ice. Almost two decades ago, a feather was left with her sister’s body—and with every subsequent victim of the Nursery Rhyme Killer. Now he’s back. Only this time, his latest gruesome murder is a message to the only one who ever got away: Fiona. Finding “Rhyme” is an obsession that’s fueled Fiona’s career—and destroyed her marriage to fellow FBI agent Asa Kodiak. Now Fiona and Asa have to put their past tensions aside and work together one last time. But Rhyme is watching, and catching this killer may force Fiona to reveal her biggest, darkest secret…the one only he knows.

Purchase Links*: 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | BookBub

 


Excerpt

Rhyme easily blended in with the rest of the onlooking crowd.

Asa Kodiak.

The name alone gave him a sour taste on his tongue, but things couldn’t have panned out any

better. Kodiak’s new girlfriend was in charge of the crime scene. Not that it would have mattered

who had been lead—Kodiak would have been called in once they saw Jenny’s body. Saw the feather.

Asa was right now seeing it. A million thoughts flying through his thick skull—one in particular.

Before the day was out, Kodiak would call for Fiona. Tell her he needed her back in Memphis to

work the case, but she’d know that it was Rhyme who had actually beckoned her.

It was time to come home.

To him.

 

About the Author

Jessica R. Patch 
Jessica R. Patch is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author known for her dry wit, signature twists, and complex characters. She loves reading true crime books, discussing cold cases over chips and salsa with her girlfriends, and hunting down serial killers in her romantic suspense novels and psychological thrillers.

Jessica loves to encourage and inspire people to forward living through her Patch of Hope devotions in her monthly email newsletter. You can join the Patched In community at her website: www.jessicarpatch.com. She resides in the Memphis area with her husband, two young adult children, and her spoiled tri-color Shetland Sheepdog. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent at Books & Such Literary Management. 


Connect with Jessica: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed paperback of Her Darkest Secret
Brain Games WHODUNIT:  Solve Crime Scene Puzzles Book, 
and a Shine cross necklace!

Her Darkest Secret JustRead Giveaway 

The full tour schedule is linked below. The giveaway began at midnight on June 28, 2022, and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 5, 2022. The winner will be notified within 2 weeks of the close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of the prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

The giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

6.20.2022

Impending Strike ~ Spotlight with Excerpt

Impending Strike JustRead Blog Blitz 

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for 
Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams and Lynette Eason, 

About the Book

Impending Strike

Title: Impending Strike 
Series: Elite Guardians Collection #2
Author: Sami A. Abrams and Lynette Eason
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Release Date: June 28, 2022
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Protecting him just might cost her everything… 

Elite Guardian Charlie Lee knows that there is no future with the woman he loves—fellow Guardian Lizzie Tremaine. And, he gets it—as a single mom, Lizzie has to protect her daughter. But more than anything, he wants the chance to prove himself. 

Then, the unthinkable happens—while working undercover, Charlie is seriously injured…and his memory of the past four years is lost. Could it be the fresh start that he didn’t realize he longed for? 

Despite a friendship that’s turned flirtatious at times, Lizzie Tremaine has held Charlie at arms’ length. She’s lost all the men she’s ever loved, and is unwilling to risk her heart again. Still, she’s glad to keep an eye on him—as his bodyguard—and while she’s at it, help him put the pieces of his past together, including discovering who attacked him, and why. 

But Charlie seems to have forgotten their agreed-upon professional distance—and suddenly, all the rules are off the table. She’s seeing a side of Charlie she could possibly let into her heart. Problem is, the closer he gets to uncovering his memories, the closer he gets to trouble. 

It’s her heart…or his life. What will protecting Charlie cost her? 

Another edge-of-your-seat Elite Guardians thriller!

Purchase Links*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | ChristianbookBookBub

More books in this series

Driving Force Defending Honor


Excerpt

Each planned drug buy raked on Charlie’s nerves. The lifestyle wore on him. After a year of
setting up his presence in the drug scene and five weeks of full work undercover, he wondered how
much more he had in him to continue.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and fiddled with his burner phone. His touchstone. His
lifeline to the safe world. No names, only speed dial numbers of his Elite Guardians Agency
teammates and Quinn. The women had insisted that he include their numbers. He’d resisted, not
wanting to put the members of the agency in danger. But they’d reminded him that’s what a team
did. They had each other’s backs. He was honored to be included among the top bodyguards in the
nation, even if he was the only male. Not that he had a problem with that. He trusted them more than
he trusted the police officers he’d served with on the Atlanta PD. And that said something.

Knowing that God was watching over him and that the team was a phone call away allowed
him to maintain his calm demeanor and play the part of the cocky, confident dealer of his alter ego,
Rod. He left the phone in his pocket and strolled down the sidewalk like he owned the neighborhood.

“I can do the hit.” A gruff voice drifted on the night air.

Charlie froze and scanned the area, searching for the source of the words.

“Not so fast,” a second man argued. “You can’t mess this up. We have one shot at killing her,
and if we miss, they’ll close ranks.”

The hair on the back of Charlie’s neck rose. He ducked behind a row of trash cans next to an
apartment building, grimacing at the strong garbage odor, a mixture between fish and rotten eggs.
Forcing himself to focus, he strained to hear the conversation, but the men moved out of earshot.

Charlie slipped from his hiding spot and clung to the shadows on the edge of the street,
following his targets. His ratty shirt and stained jeans, not to mention his unkempt hair, gave him the
ability to blend into the neighborhood, but a hinky feeling of being watched crept in and stayed.


About the Author

Sami A Abrams 

Sami A. Abrams grew up hating to read. It wasn't until her 30s that she found authors who captured her attention. Now, most evenings you can find her engrossed in a romantic suspense novel. In her opinion, a crime plus a little romance is the recipe for a great story. Sami lives in Northern California, but she will always be a Kansas girl at heart. She has a love of sports, family, and travel. However, a cabin at Lake Tahoe writing her next story is definitely at the top of her list. 

Visit her at http://www.samiaabrams.com.


CONNECT WITH SAMI: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

Lynette Eason


Lynette Eason is the bestselling author of Life Flight and the Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master's degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children. 

Learn more at www.lynetteeason.com


CONNECT WITH LYNETTE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Impending Strike and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Impending Strike JustRead Giveaway 

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 20, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 27, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

5.18.2022

Her Amish Springtime Miracle ~ Spotlight with Excerpt and Giveaway

Her Amish Springtime Miracle JustRead Blog + Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for 
Her Amish Springtime Miracle by Winnie Griggs, 

About the Book

Her Amish Springtime Miracle
Title: Her Amish Springtime Miracle 
Series: Hope's Haven #2 
Author: Winnie Griggs 
Publisher: Grand Central/Forever 
Release Date: May 24, 2022 
Genre: Christian Amish Romance 

In this delightful and heartwarming novel, an orphaned baby brings together an unlikely couple who learn the true meaning of family. 

When Hannah Eicher discovered sweet baby Grace in her barn last spring, the adorable infant seemed like the answer to her prayers. The young Amish baker has always wanted a familye of her own and now that she’s fostered Grace for nearly a year, her adoption application is almost certain to be approved. But an unexpected visitor to Hope’s Haven could change everything… 

Englischer paramedic Mike Colder is only returning to his childhood hometown to locate and adopt his late sister’s baby. But when the trail leads to Hannah and Grace, Mike’s determination falters. With Hannah, the simple life he left behind suddenly seems appealing. Despite their wildly different worlds, can Mike and Hannah give each other—and Grace—the greatest gift of all: a life together? 

Also in this series



Excerpt

Did she know she had a smudge of flour on her cheek? Even though he thought she looked
absolutely adorable, he couldn’t resist reaching up to brush it away.

As soon as his hand touched her face, sensations jolted through him with the force of a
flashover—sudden, overwhelming, undeniable.

She felt it too. He could see it in the way her eyes widened and darkened, in the sound of her
breath catching in her throat. For that moment in time everything shifted.

They weren’t Amish and English.

They weren’t Ohioan and Missourian.

They were just a man and a woman.

And standing right here in his mother’s kitchen, he wanted nothing more than to take her in
his arms.

Winnie Griggs 
About the Author

Winnie Griggs is the multi-published, award-winning author of romances that focus on small towns, big hearts, and amazing grace. Her work has won a number of regional and national awards, including the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award. Winnie grew up in southeast Louisiana in an undeveloped area her friends thought of as the back of beyond. Eventually, she found her own Prince Charming, and together they built a storybook happily-ever-after, one that includes four now-grown children who are all happily pursuing adventures of their own. When not busy writing, she enjoys cooking, browsing estate sales, and solving puzzles. She is also a list maker, a lover of exotic teas, and holds an advanced degree in the art of procrastination.

Connect with Winnie: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will receive a print copy of Her Amish Wedding Quilt (Hope's Haven #1), an insulated book lover mug, a dragonfly bookmark, a home-sweet-home figurine, and a pocket nail file!

Her Amish Springtime Miracle JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 17, 2022 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 24, 2022. US/CAN only. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize (*winner may select an alternative title from the author's backlist if necessary). Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours 

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5.03.2022

Release Day for To Tame a Cowboy

 


Jody Hedlund's To Tame a Cowboy is 
now available at most retailers.

They share a passion to heal what is broken, 
but it's their own hearts that need to be made whole.

Brody McQuaid is a broken man, and he knows it. While his body survived the war, his soul did not. Besides loving his little niece, his only sense of purpose comes from saving the wild horses that roam South Park. Ranchers in the area have taken to killing the horses, which are competing with their cattle to feed on the open grass.

Savannah Marshall is a veterinarian on her family's Colorado ranch. She longs to keep her father happy following the tragic death of her older brother, including marrying a man of his choosing. But days before her wedding, she gets cold feet and disappears to South Park. As she learns more about the destruction of the horses, she joins Brody in an attempt to save the wild creatures. But when Savannah's family and the resentments of the area cattlemen catch up with them both, Brody and Savannah will have to tame their fears if they've any hope to let love run free.

5.02.2022

Release Day for Shadowed Loyalty

 


Shadowed Loyalty by Roseanna M. White is now available!
Available on Amazon 

About the Book:
Sabina Mancari never questioned her life as the daughter of Chicago’s leading mob boss until bullets tore apart her world. The man she thought she loved turned out to be an undercover Prohibition agent. Now she sees how ugly the underworld can be. Ambushes, bribes, murder, prostitution—she thought her beloved Papa was above all that, but clearly, he isn’t. What does that mean, though, for her and their family? Maybe Lorenzo, the fiancé who has barely paid her any attention in the last two years, has the right idea by planning to escape their world.

All his life, Lorenzo’s family assumed he would join the Church, but he had different ideas—marrying Sabina and pursuing a career in the law. But despite his morals, he knows at the core he isn’t so unlike his father and brothers, which has always terrified him. Has he, in trying to protect Sabina from his flaws, in fact, harmed her? It sure seems that way when he realizes he all but forced her into the arms of the Prohibition Agent, now bent on tearing her family apart at all costs. But how can they rebuild what has so long been neglected…and do it in the shadow of the dark empire of the Mafia?

Shadowed Loyalty, set amid the glitz and scandal of the Roaring Twenties, examines what love really means and how we draw lines between family and our own convictions, especially when following the one could mean losing the other.


4.30.2022

Face of the Enemy ~ Character Profile, Book Spotlight and Giveaway


Face of the Enemy
Heirs of Roxbury #1
By Paige Edwards








Today I'm featuring the Face of the Enemy by doing a character profile of Elise Taylor and Harry Benson. 
 


Elise Taylor is the MI6 name that Lady Elise Henderson uses to separate her two lives.
Was seriously injured two years ago and is trying to make a final push to get into shape before her last few weeks of medical leave are up.
Has made an enemy of 'The Professor".
Had dated Harry Benson in college before parental disapproval broke them up.
She is loyal, driven, and protective.






Harry Benson was born and raised as the son of servants.
Dated Elise Henderson while in college until she broke his heart.
Previously married and has a young son.
Been stationed in the Mideast, where he uncovered information about UK weapons being funneled to terrorists.
Has been with MI6 for several years and was paired with Elise Taylor as his training agent before her accident.
He is loyal, steady, and dedicated.





Face of the Enemy is the first book in the Heirs of Roxbury series, and it is most definitely a book you don't want to miss out on.  The book is Contemporary Romantic Suspense, but something about the way it reads could easily place it in the 1940s. Both Elise and Harry are characters one can easily connect with. The book is well-paced and action-driven though there are contemplative moments as well.

To read my full review, click here.



About the Book:
Lady Elise Henderson lives two separate lives. At home in Scotland, she’s the titled daughter of the Marquess of Roxbury, an heiress in her own right. In London, however, she’s Elise Taylor, a top MI6 operative for the “home office.” But when a devastating accident threatens to end her career, Elise is left with far too much time for self-reflection and the regret of a decision made long ago that features one man: fellow MI6 agent Harry Benson.

Harry Benson, the son of servants, has loved Elise for the better part of a decade. But life took them on separate journeys until their worlds converged once more. An immediate assignment to the Scottish Borders leaves Harry little time to make provisions for his small, rambunctious son, Sammy. Harry knows only one person he can rely on for the boy’s care—Elise. When Elise brings Sammy to her ancestral estate, she never imagines that a nemesis from her past looms in the shadows, hungry for revenge. Stalked at every turn, Elise and Harry discover that fighting their feelings for one another is futile, but can they survive long enough to get another shot at true love?


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4.26.2022

Turn My Mourning Into Dancing ~ Book Spotlight with Excerpt and Giveaway

Turn My Mourning into Dancing JustRead Blog Blitz 

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for 
Turn My Mourning Into Dancing by Henri Nouwen, 

Book Spotlight

Turn My Mourning Into Dancing Title: Turn My Mourning Into Dancing 
Author: Henri Nouwen 
Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
Release Date: March 8, 2022 
Genre: Christian, Spiritual Growth, Grief 

How do you find hope in hard times? Why is it important to have hope during difficult times? Turn My Mourning into Dancing will help you survive the difficult seasons and learn how to live a full life in the midst of them and beyond. With practical advice, Henri Nouwen will gently point you towards a way of life that is grounded in God’s constancy and rooted within eternal hope. 

In this updated edition, Turn My Mourning into Dancing discusses five movements we experience during hard times: 

 • From Our Little Selves to a Larger World 
 • From Holding Tight to Letting Go 
 • From Fatalism to Hope 
 • From Manipulation to Love 
 • From a Fearful Death to a Joyous Life 

Healing begins with taking our pain out of its diabolic isolation and seeing our sufferings in communion with all humanity, and all creation. Nouwen teaches us that our little lives participate in something much larger. Turn My Mourning into Dancing is a must-read for: 

 • men and women looking for growth and insight on life 
 • anyone going through the grief process and searching for real solutions 
 • anyone who has experienced a loss, betrayal, or hard times 

Everyone grieves differently. It is a process, not a science experiment. Mourning shouldn’t last forever. Do you want the kind of life that allows you to dance even in the middle of the darkest night? Get the answers and find hope within your hard times with Nouwen’s works on spiritual growth.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub


About the Author

Henri Nouwen 

Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932-1996) was the author of With Open HandsReaching OutThe Wounded HealerMaking All Things New, and many other bestsellers. He was the senior pastor of L’Arche Daybreak in Toronto, Canada, a community where men and women with mental disabilities and their assistants create a home for one another.


Excerpt

From Holding Tight to Letting Go

For years I have loved watching trapeze artists. The love began when my then- eighty-nine-year-old
father came for a visit. Let’s go to the circus, we decided one day. That evening we watched five South
African trapeze artists—three fliers and two catchers. They danced in the air! The fliers soared and all
was dangerous until they found themselves caught by the strong hands of their partners. I told my
father that I had always wanted to fly like that, that perhaps I had missed my calling!

I am constantly moved by the courage of my circus friends. At each performance they trust that their
flight will end with their hands sliding into the secure grip of a partner. They also know that only the
release of the secure bar allows them to move on with arcing grace to the next. Before they can be
caught, they must let go. They must brave the emptiness of space.

Living with this kind of willingness to let go is one of the greatest challenges we face. Whether it
concerns a person, possession, or personal reputation, in so many areas we hold on at all costs. We
become heroic defenders of our dearly gained happiness. We treat our sometimes inevitable losses as
failures in the battle of survival.

The great paradox is that it is in letting go, we receive. We find safety in unexpected places of risk. And
those who try to avoid all risk, those who would try to guarantee that their hearts will not be broken,
end up in a self-created hell. C. S. Lewis wrote in The Four Loves,

To love at all is to be vulnerable…If you want to make sure of keeping [your heart] intact, 
you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with 
hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket of your 
selfishness. But in that casket— safe, dark, motionless, airless— it will change. It will not be 
broken—it will become unbreak-able, impenetrable, irredeemable…The only place 
outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from the danger of love 
is Hell.

In so many ways, the more we insist on control and the more we resist the call to hold our lives lightly,
the more we have to deny the reality of our losses and the more artificial our existence becomes. Our
belief that we should grasp tightly what we need provides one of the great sources of our suffering. But
letting go of possessions and plans and people allows us to enter, for all its risks, a life of new,
unexpected freedom.

How can we live with greater willingness to let go? Another step in turning our mourning into dancing
has to do with not clutching what we have, not trying to reserve a safe place we can rest in, not trying to
choreograph our own or others’ lives, but to surrender to the God whom we love and want to follow.
God invites us to experience our not being in control as an invitation to faith.

Taken from “Turn My Mourning into Dancing: Finding Hope During Hard Times” by Henri Nouwen.
Copyright 2001 Estate of Henri Nouwen. Preface Copyright 2001 Timothy Jones. 
Used with permission from Thomas Nelson Publishing. www.thomasnelson.com

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive two print copies of Turn My Mourning into Dancing (one to keep, one to give!)!

Turn My Mourning into Dancing JustRead Blog Blitz Giveaway 

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 26, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 3, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.