Giveaway, Guest Post & Review – The Element Trilogy by Donna Galanti @DonnaGalanti

Posted on December 6, 2016 by fundinmental

I am so excited to share Donna Galanti’s Element series with you today.

Soooo…let’s start with A Human Element.

A Human Element is an amazing fantasy that left me screaming for more.

The beautiful cover is only a prelude to the amazingl story inside.

MY REVIEW

A Human Element is about man’s inhumanity to man, man’s callous disregard of other’s lives, but also, the lengths some people will go to do the right thing.

When her parents are killed and she is left alone, she is committed to finding the killer.

I felt such tension, suspense, fear and dread for the characters, that I was talking to them. Shouting at them. Telling them to watch out. He’s coming.

I LOVE this book. The further into A Human Element I read, the more engrossed I become. My heart beats faster as my eyes race across the words…faster and faster. I just have to know what is going to happen. I read on and it gets creepier and creepier.

See my full review HERE.

GOODREADS BLURB: Evil comes in many forms…

One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next.

Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite in her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a madman, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together.

But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his, and she has two choices—redeem him or kill him.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I loved A Human Element by Donna Galanti, so to continue the story in A Hidden Element was a no brainer. This is Book II of the trilogy, which contains a mish mash of genres: science fiction, mystery, thrills and romance.

A Hidden Element does fill in some of the story from A Human Element, but for the full effect I recommend starting with Book I.

I knew bad stuff was coming and I was afraid for Charlie. He is an innocent, but will he be swayed to the dark side?

Some of the aliens want to just live among us, fit in with us, side by side.

Others want so much more.

Aliens or human, it seems like we all have the same wants and desires, motivations and ego, dark and light, good and bad.

Charlie: Tomorrow. He would tell her everything tomorrow.

Adrian: He couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow delivered.

Ben: Tomorrow. He would fix this tomorrow.

Donna Galanti can sure spin an amazing tale that will keep you reading. The characters captivated me as I journeyed along with them, trying their best to make the right choices. I struggled to figure out who was good and who was bad, who would be the betrayer and who would survive. There are plenty of surprises and suspense and food for thought.

What would we do if we found out aliens walked among us? I have a feeling it wouldn’t be good. Would it be like First Encounter or War of the Worlds? Would you be curious or afraid? Would you want them living next door to you?

I’m just saying….

5 Stars

ABOUT A HIDDEN ELEMENT: Evil lurks within…

When Caleb Madroc is used against his will as part of his father’s plan to breed a secret community and infiltrate society with their unique powers, he vows to save his oppressed people and the two children kept from him. Seven years later, Laura and Ben Fieldstone’s son is abducted, and they are forced to trust a madman’s son who puts his life on the line to save them all. The enemy’s desire to own them—or destroy them—leads to a survival showdown. Laura and Ben must risk everything to defeat a new nemesis that wants to rule the world with their son, and Caleb may be their only hope—if he survives. But must he sacrifice what he most desires to do so?

Writing Your Last Line by Donna Galanti

What makes you decide to buy a book? Do you open it open up to the first page and decide on the first paragraph, or even first line? I have one friend who studies first lines. She roams a library or bookstore and randomly selects books to read their first lines then dissects them based on how drawn in she is. Did it grab her attention? Did it raise a question? Did it introduce the main character? And most importantly, does she want to keep reading?

Those first lines. They either grab you or they don’t. As writers, we only have a few seconds to impress readers enough so they will buy our book.

But what about those last lines? Those lines that complete a scene, chapter, or THE END itself that propel you to turn the page and read on, or that keep the story alive in your mind long after you’ve finished it.

One early reader of A Hidden Element was intrigued by the last lines of my chapters. She actually typed them up and sent them to me because she was so thrilled with how each one ended like a cliffhanger and kept her reading.

Here’s a sampling:

Killing was useful in so many ways.
The dark took her anyway.
She would do anything to save her family.
And that scared him more than anything.
She welcomed Death, but he did not come for her.
The nothing took him.
She screamed and ran into a darker hell.
The last words he heard whispered were, “forever dead”.
And it was not of this Earth.
He drifted away in it.
He could live with that, if only he could be a father to his sons.
The old fear hit him again in the gut.
The words shattered through him like hammer to glass – not from Earth.
He was empty inside, as he had always been.
The first stone flew.
The scars of Rachel and his sons seared his heart forever.
He was just a kid suddenly terrified of his own dad – and his own destiny.
He looked up at the open door that welcomed him.
After fifteen years the nightmare had begun – again.
They marched on toward a hidden enemy who watched – and waited.

Would you turn the page to read the next chapter – and the next? When you read these chapter lines together do they tell a story to you?

And what about our last lines in life? They are the final cliffhanger we leave the world with, leaving those we leave behind to wonder about.

Here are some cliffhanger last lines from famous folks. Would you want to keep reading about their life? Would their life story resonate with you?

Let us cross over the river and sit in the shade of the trees. – General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson

I die hard but am not afraid to go. – George Washington, US President

Get my swan costume ready. – Anna Pavlova, ballerina

Go on, get out – last words are for fools who haven’t said enough. – Karl Marx, revolutionary

Why do you weep. Did you think I was immortal? – Louis XIV, King of France

I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap in the dark. – Thomas Hobbes, writer

It is very beautiful over there. – Thomas Edison, inventor

All my possessions for a moment of time. – Elizabeth I, Queen of England

What will be your last line?

PRAISE FOR A HIDDEN ELEMENT:

“Chilling and dark…a twisty journey into another world.” —J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of When Shadows Fall

“Fascinating…a haunting story…”—Rebecca Cantrell, New York Times bestselling author of The World Beneath

“Will keep you up long past your bedtime…a pulse-pounding read.”—Allan Leverone, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Final Vector

PRAISE FOR THE ELEMENT TRILOGY:

“Unrelenting, devious but full of heart. Highly recommended.” —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Code Zero

“Chilling and dark…a twisty journey into another world.” —J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of When Shadows Fall

“Fascinating…a haunting story…”—Rebecca Cantrell, New York Times bestselling author of The World Beneath

Purchase the Element Trilogy on sale through December 7th
Book 1 A HUMAN ELEMENT for $0.99
Book 2 A HIDDEN ELEMENT for $1.99

ABOUT DONNA GALANTI:

Donna Galanti is the author of the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy (Imajin Books) and the fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books). Donna is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs with other middle grade authors at Project Middle Grade Mayhem. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse that has lots of nooks and crannies, but sadly no ghosts. Visit her at www.elementtrilogy.com and www.donnagalanti.com.

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Win $15 Amazon Gift Card, e-book of The Dark Inside, Element Trilogy story collection, and become a character in the final Element Trilogy book!

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Giveaway – Eternal Mercury by Elaine Pinter @ElainePinter

Posted on July 13, 2016 by fundinmental

Eternal Mercury by Elaine Pinter

Chelsee Taylor has been in love with her boyfriend, Max, since they started kindergarten together. She has no idea that high school graduation will be the last perfect day of her life. After a tragic car accident, she refuses to accept Max’s death because she can still feel his presence. No one believes her and she is completely alone. But all of that changes the moment she meets Blake Andersen. It’s not just that he believes her . . . or even just that he’s so understanding . . . but why is Max’s presence so strong when she’s with Blake?

Eternal Mercury is two intertwined books in one. Book one follows Chelsee’s bittersweet journey and book two uncovers Blake’s story of redemption. In the end, it is Max who will inspire them both to trust fate, live life, and finish well.

Praise for Eternal Mercury

“Overall, this novel made me really think about how life can change so completely in the blink of an eye. It was an amazing, life altering story.”

“I loved this book. It made me laugh and cry but most of all it made me feel like there is always hope in this world.”

“I could not put this down. What an amazing story of love, tragedy, strength, triumph, and family.”

Guest Post: Eternal Mercury, Organ Donation, and Cellular Memory

When I first realized that I wanted to write a book, I knew that I wanted it to be different. Shortly after I began brainstorming for that unique idea, a car-crash scene on a mountain highway started playing in my head. Not only was I looking for a unique story idea, but I was also looking for a positive message. I began to wonder if, instead of something scary like a ghost, could something good be left after someone died? The answer became clear to me: organ donation. What could be more beautiful than that? And what could be more romantic than true love that could survive the boundaries of death? To my surprise, the idea turned out to be more realistic than I expected. Through research I discovered the phenomenon of cellular memory. Cellular memory is when people who receive transplants take on traits of people whose organs they receive. It’s rare, but when it does happen, it can come in the form of food cravings, changes in musical taste or hobbies, and sometimes even glimpses at other things about the donor.

Although the level of cellular memory I portrayed in Eternal Mercury is fictional, the need for organs definitely isn’t. It’s hard to think about death, and the common misconceptions about organ donation don’t help. But by understanding the facts and then making your decision known, you just might be able to bring something good out of the bad. That part of Eternal Mercury isn’t based on fiction.

Here are the facts:

Over 100,000 people, including kids, are in need of transplants. Over 20 of them die waiting each day.

One person can save up to seven lives by donating their heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, and small intestine. That same person can improve the lives of many others through the donation of tissues such corneas, skin, veins, tendons, ligaments, and bones.

You won’t receive less medical care if you decide to become a donor. Doctors and nurses make every possible effort to save their patients’ lives and will not even consider organ donation unless a person dies.

Income, social status, and race are not factors in deciding who receives organ transplants. You’ll be helping people who need it the most and your family will not be charged for the procedure.

Most major religions support organ donation. I’m not sure that there could be a more loving or selfless gift, but don’t be afraid to check with your spiritual advisor.

Almost anyone can be an organ donor. Age and/or medical history don’t necessarily disqualify you.

The most important thing you can do is let your family know whether or not you want to be an organ donor. No matter what you decide, telling your family will save them from the pain of trying to guess your wishes at a time when that’s the last thing they need. And if the choice is right for you, to let someone else continue on when you’ve reached the end down here, don’t think about what it means for you; instead think of the incredible gratitude you’d feel if someone did it for you or someone you love.

Author Elaine Pinter

Elaine Pinter lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband and son. When she’s not hanging out with them, she’s jotting down ideas for her next novel in the tattered notebook she carries everywhere.

Her writing journey began in June of 2012 when a reading spree set off an unexpected chain of events. After poring over the pages, her own ideas began to appear and she found herself glued to her laptop after her family went to bed every evening. The late nights continued until her first two YA romance novels, Eternal Mercury and Between the Starlight, were published.

She’s one of those hopeless romantics who believes love always wins and that the best stories are the ones that drag you through the tears and reward you with a smile when all the pieces fit together perfectly in the end.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 7/26/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Giveaway & Review – Tasting Temptation by Aria Glazki @AriaGlazki

Posted on June 30, 2016 by fundinmental

I am excited to have Aria Glazki, a long time blogging buddy and author, to fundinmental today to share her new release Tasting Temptation. I hope you are ready for some sweet lovin’, because Aria is going to tell us…take it away Aria…

Why Have Sex? (in Fiction)

Readers who are familiar with Mending Heartstrings might be shocked by the explicit scenes in Tasting Temptation. Those who’ve read my previous posts about writing sex shouldn’t be, because—as always—it’s all about the characters.

For Sabella and Kane (Mending Heartstrings), the relationship progressed in a more “traditional” manner. The two of them got to know each other, became comfortable together, and developed a sense of emotional intimacy before things ever became physical. Add to that the fact that Sabella especially is a bit more private about physical intimacy, and very little of her and Kane’s sexual relationship ended up on the page.

For Gina and Hunter (Tasting Temptation), everything is different. The start of their relationship is nothing but sex—and Gina is anything but shy. At first, these two don’t even know each other’s names. The one and only way they relate to each other is physically. So, of course, those moments are what the reader sees.

Naturally (this is a romance), Gina and Hunter’s relationship grows from that place of simple physicality. As the way they relate to each other changes, so too do the details of how they have sex. In fact, shifts in their approach to the other person, bits of feelings they aren’t ready to express, and more—all of it is visible first in these moments where they retreat to something as basic and as complicated as sex.

Were these scenes not included, or had they been glossed over, much—or maybe even most—of Hunter and Gina’s relationship would be lost. Rather than witnessing the development of their emotions, the reader would be left adrift amid disconnected snapshots culminating in a sense of intimacy that would feel unfounded, and false. So in this book, there is a fair amount of explicit sex, but no moment is gratuitous. Like with the other scenes, every moment when you see Gina and Hunter coming together is an integral puzzle piece contributing to the picture that is their story.

Thanks for sharing, Aria. It has been a pleasure having you visit! Congratulations on the new release and I wish you all the best.

Now…lets check out Tasting Temptation by Aria Glazki. Shall we start with the cover?

What do you think?

MY REVIEW

I love the pretty cover for Tasting Temptation by Aria Glazki. It is simple, yet hints at more than meets the eye. I think it perfectly portrays Gina, who is broken, and I want her whole again. Will she meet the man who can help her?

Tasting Temptation is Book II in the Foraging Forever series. I have read Mending Heartstrings, Book I, and wonder why I only gave it three stars after reading Gina’s story. I think because the characters are polar opposites and I can relate to Gina better than Sabella. Sabella is the goody two shoes kind of gal, while Gina is carefree and flirty with sexual innuendos lacing her dialogue. Her defenses are up and the walls are high, after being badly burned by a rich playboy and I wonder at the type of man that can heal her.

The story starts out hot and heavy and immediately grabbed my attention. To Gina, Hunter is a hot and sexy boy toy and I think I would like to play with him too. Gina meets him at the vineyard where her best friend, Sabella, is getting married. She kept telling herself the single life and casual sex with a yummy guy was for her. I think she is in for a wake up call. I think we all know what is to come, but at 18% into Gina’s story, I am hooked and loving every minute of it. We are getting to the heart of the matter and I am eager to see how it plays out.

Her past nightmare playboy has entered the picture and the abuse of wealth and privilege and his need for revenge creates an insidious evil that touches everyone who comes near her. I am so pissed at him that my anger brings tears to my eyes and I want to reach through my kindle and wreak my own havoc. I didn’t cry…until I was 90% into the story.

Novels that are strictly romance are not big on my hit list, but I love Gina and Hunter. Their romance left me as breathless as Gina was. Even though I know how Tasting Temptation will end, I can hardly wait to get there. I knew there would be a happy every after and Aria Glazki’s writing had me unable to quit until I reached it.

I received a copy of Tasting Temptation by Aria Glazki in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

Tasting Temptation Blurb:

After last summer’s failed attempt at romance, Gina is absolutely done with men. And especially with millionaires. She has a good job as a fashion editor and amazing friends, and she’s decided she needs nothing else. All she really misses is the sex. But that rush just isn’t worth the risk of being ensnared in another relationship. When the hot bartender at her best friend’s Sonoma wedding suggests some harmless stress relief, she takes him up on the offer. When it’s sufficiently satisfactory, she indulges in a repeat–for the road. When she learns he’s actually the wealthy owner of the vineyard, the mix of fury and fear is damped only by the knowledge that she never has to see him again.

Hunter Cavaliere is determined to honor his grandfather’s legacy, and so far, he’s right on track. The vineyard is thriving, he has plans for expansion, and his wines speak for themselves. The only thing missing is the right woman to share it all. But through his grandparents’ marriage, Hunter learned what true love is, and he’s unwilling to settle for anything else. A woman who judges him because of his money definitely isn’t high up on his list. Still, when circumstance unbelievably keeps bumping him into the intriguing brunette from Portland, he can’t shake the feeling that she is someone he should pursue.

Gina’s poised to run the other way, but one more taste of Hunter may just prove too tempting to resist.

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BUY LINKS

Amazon: US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FPNK182

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FPNK182

CAN: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01FPNK182

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tasting-temptation/id1114609688

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1123809512?ean=9781943572069

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/tasting-temptation-2

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/636629

Autographed print copies: ariaglazki.selz.com

ABOUT ARIA GLAZKI

Aria Glazki’s first kiss technically came from a bear cub. Though no fairytale transformation followed, she still believes magic can happen when the right people come together—if they don’t get in their own way, that is. So now Aria writes heartfelt romances about relatable people overcoming real-world obstacles to build love that lasts.

Social media links:

Website / Newsletter / Facebook

Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads

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Check out her other stories and my review links below:

Mending Heartstrings

Mortal Musings

Life Under Examination

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Amazing Collection of Sleuthing Women Giveaway

Posted on May 12, 2016 by fundinmental

Sleuthing Women
By Lois Winston, Jonnie Jacobs, Judy Alter,
Maggie Toussaint,
Camille Minichino,
RP Dahlke, Susan Santangelo, Mary Kennedy,
Heather Haven, and Vinnie Hansen

GUEST POST

The Wild and Wacky World of Talk Radio

By Mary Kennedy

Can five words change your life? Or at least, your career? In my case, they can and they did! I wrote a proposal for a fun, light-hearted cozy series called The Talk Radio Mysteries and sent it off to my agent. It was partly autobiographical and mostly sheer entertainment.

The Talk Radio Mysteries are based on the exploits of Dr. Maggie Walsh, a New York psychologist who closes up her private practice and moves to sunny Florida to become a radio talk show host. Dr. Maggie admits she’s “sick of the cold, sick of Manhattan real estate prices and tired of hearing other people’s problems.” She snares a job as a radio shrink on WYME-Radio in the fictional town of Cypress Grove, Florida. Oh, and she takes up amateur sleuthing and solves a murder in every book. Yes, she is one busy lady.

Here’s a bit of backstory. Like most writers, I draw material from my own background. My very first job was writing copy for a rock radio station in Nashville. The station was full of zany characters and I recreated them for my fictional radio station in south Florida.

I’m currently a psychologist in private practice on the east coast. And I’m an avid mystery reader. So I decided my main character should be a radio talk show host and a devoted crime-solver. My agent took one look at the proposal and said, “I love it! I know exactly how to pitch it.”

Here is her pitch. Five magic words. “Frasier meet Murder She Wrote.” And she sent it off to Penguin, who offered me a three-book deal.

The crew at the radio station figures in every book, and Dr. Maggie’s star-struck mother, Lola, is a favorite character. Along with Vera Mae, Dr. Maggie’s irreverent producer and Rafe Martino, a hunky detective, no criminal is safe in Cypress Grove. I had great fun writing this series and I’m so happy that readers enjoy it. Dead Air is the first book, followed by Reel Murder, Stay Tuned for Murder and Talking Can Be Deadly, coming out in summer, 2016. Dead Air is also one of the ten mysteries featured in Sleuthing Women: 10 First-in-Series Mysteries.

Sleuthing Women: 10 First-in-Series Mysteries is a collection of full-length mysteries featuring murder and assorted mayhem by ten critically acclaimed, award-winning, and bestselling authors. Each novel in the set is the first book in an established multi-book series—a total of over 3,000 pages of reading pleasure for lovers of amateur sleuth, caper, and cozy mysteries, with a combined total of over 1700 reviews on Amazon, averaging 4 stars.

Bio: Mary Kennedy has written over forty novels, including the Talk Radio Mysteries and the Dream Club Mysteries for Penguin-Random House. She is a clinical psychologist in private practice on the east coast where she lives with her husband and six neurotic cats. She has tried unsuccessfully to psychoanalyze both husband and cats but remains optimistic. You can visit her at www.marykennedy.net.

Synopsis

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Sleuthing Women is a collection of 10 full-length mysteries featuring murder and assorted mayhem by 10 critically acclaimed, award-winning, and bestselling authors. Each novel in this set is the first book in an established multi-book series—a total of over 3,000 pages of reading pleasure for lovers of amateur sleuth, caper, and cozy mysteries.

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ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY GLUE GUN, an Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery by Lois Winston—Working mom Anastasia is clueless about her husband’s gambling addiction until he permanently cashes in his chips and her comfortable middle-class life craps out. He leaves her with staggering debt, his communist mother, and a loan shark demanding $50,000. Then she’s accused of murder…

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MURDER AMONG NEIGHBORS, a Kate Austen Suburban Mystery by Jonnie Jacobs — When Kate Austen’s socialite neighbor, Pepper Livingston, is murdered, Kate becomes involved in a sea of steamy secrets that bring her face to face with shocking truths—and handsome detective Michael Stone.

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SKELETON IN A DEAD SPACE, a Kelly O’Connell Mystery by Judy Alter—Real estate isn’t a dangerous profession until Kelly O’Connell stumbles over a skeleton and runs into serial killers and cold-blooded murderers in a home being renovated in Fort Worth. Kelly barges through life trying to keep from angering her policeman boyfriend Mike and protect her two young daughters.

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IN FOR A PENNY, a Cleopatra Jones Mystery by Maggie Toussaint—Accountant Cleo faces an unwanted hazard when her golf ball lands on a dead banker. The cops think her BFF shot him, so Cleo sets out to prove them wrong. She ventures into the dating world, wrangles her teens, adopts the victim’s dog, and tries to rein in her mom…until the killer puts a target on Cleo’s back.

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THE HYDROGEN MURDER, a Periodic Table Mystery by Camille Minichino—A retired physicist returns to her hometown of Revere, Massachusetts and moves into an apartment above her friends’ funeral home. When she signs on to help the Police Department with a science-related homicide, she doesn’t realize she may have hundreds of cases ahead of her.

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RETIREMENT CAN BE MURDER—A Baby Boomer Mystery by Susan Santangelo—Carol Andrews dreads her husband Jim’s upcoming retirement more than a root canal without Novocain. She can’t imagine anything worse than having an at-home husband with time on his hands and nothing to fill it—until Jim is suspected of murdering his retirement coach.

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DEAD AIR, A Talk Radio Mystery by Mary Kennedy—Psychologist Maggie Walsh moves from NY to Florida to become the host of WYME’s On the Couch with Maggie Walsh. When her guest, New Age prophet Guru Sanjay Gingii, turns up dead, her new roommate Lark becomes the prime suspect. Maggie must prove Lark innocent while dealing with a killer who needs more than just therapy.

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A DEAD RED CADILLAC, A Dead Red Mystery by RP Dahlke—When her vintage Cadillac is found tail-fins up in a nearby lake, the police ask aero-ag pilot Lalla Bains why an elderly widowed piano teacher is found strapped in the driver’s seat. Lalla confronts suspects, informants, cross-dressers, drug-running crop dusters, and a crazy Chihuahua on her quest to find the killer.

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MURDER IS A FAMILY BUSINESS, an Alvarez Family Murder Mystery by Heather Haven—Just because a man cheats on his wife and makes Danny DeVito look tall, dark and handsome, is that any reason to kill him? The reluctant and quirky PI, Lee Alvarez, has her work cut out for her when the man is murdered on her watch. Of all the nerve.

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MURDER, HONEY, a Carol Sabala Mystery by Vinnie Hansen—When the head chef collapses into baker Carol Sabala’s cookie dough, she is thrust into her first murder investigation. Suspects abound at Archibald’s, the swanky Santa Cruz restaurant where Carol works. The head chef cut a swath of people who wanted him dead from ex-lovers to bitter rivals to greedy relatives.

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About Lois Winston

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry.

Website:www.loiswinston.com

Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog:www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com

Twitter:https://twitter.com/Anasleuth

Pinterest:www.pinterest.com/anasleuth

Newsletter signup:https://www.MyAuthorBiz.com/ENewsletter.php?acct=LW2467152513

Check out the Webpages of the other Authors:
Jonnie Jacons – http://www.jonniejacobs.com/
Judy Alter – http://judyalter.com/
Maggie Toussaint – http://maggietoussaint.com/
Camille Minichino – http://minichino.com/
RP Dahlke – http://rpdahlke.com/
Susan Santangelo – http://babyboomermysteries.com/
Mary Kennedy – http://marykennedy.net/
Heather Haven – http://heatherhavenstories.com/
Vinnie Hansen – http://vinniehansen.com/

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Tour Participants

May 9 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 9 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – EXCERPT

May 10 – Leigh Anderson Romance – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 11 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

May 11 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 12 – fundinmental – GUEST POST

May 13 – Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 14 – Laura’s interests – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 15 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW, GUEST POST

May 16 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – REVIEW

May 17 – Teresa Trent Author Site – INTERVIEW

May 18 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 19 – Ashleyz Wonderland – CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 20 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

May 21 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

May 22- Brooke Blogs – REVIEW

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Giveaway – Seismic Crimes by Chrys Fey

Posted on May 5, 2016 by fundinmental

Chrys Fey came to my attention when I had an opportunity to read Ghost of Death. I LOVED it and vowed to stalk her, looking for my next read. Now…Chrys Fey is back with her latest Disaster Crime story, Seismic Crimes. Be sure and read to the end to enter the giveaway.

She also comes up with some fantastic covers. What do you think? Would you pick it up just by looking at the cover?

Want to know how Chrys chose the name for her villain, read on:

How I Got the Name for my Villain

I believe all antagonists need a good name. A name that breathes evil, that can cause chills or ooze authority if the villain is a leader. Jackson Storm is one of the bad guys in Seismic Crimes and the worst of the worst. He kills without a thought, and he has committed every crime in the book, multiple times over. For fun. The leader of countless lesser criminals, he is responsible for the deaths of many innocent people and law enforcement officers alike. He even had ties to a police-killing Mob in Cleveland, Ohio.

When I first wrote him into Seismic Crimes, I had no idea what to name him, so I left a line everywhere his name needed to be.

Ex: “Donovan isn’t here, but I can help you look for that bra.” He sneered at her. “I’m ___________ and you would be…”

After I finished Seismic Crimes, his name still eluded me, so I came up with the idea of holding a contest on Facebook asking my followers for their suggestions. I got many great options, but one stood out for this notorious criminal—Jackson Storm.

Thank you, Sherry Snider Fundin! Yes, YOU!!! 😉

Jackson, usually a surname, makes a great first name. I’m a fan of using last names as first names (Donovan), but when you add “Storm”, a name that symbolizes chaos, you have a strong name that perfectly fits a man who
controls a horde of criminals.

YAY!!! The name just popped into my head when I read about the story and I was so excited when you chose Jackson Storm for your criminal. I love a good bad guy and the worst of the worst is the best. LOL Thanks so much, Chrys and good luck with this great series.

Want to know more about Chrys Fey, check out her website HERE.

Title: Seismic Crimes

Author: Chrys Fey

Series: Disaster Crimes Series (Book Two)

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Format: Digital and Print

Page Count: 282

DIGITAL LINKS:

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

NOOK / KOBO / All
Romance eBooks

PRINT LINKS:

Amazon
US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

The
Wild Rose Press

BLURB:

An Internal Affairs Investigator was murdered and his brother, Donovan Goldwyn, was framed. Now Donovan is desperate to prove hisinnocence. And the one person who can do that is the woman who saved him from a deadly hurricane—Beth Kennedy. From the moment their fates intertwined, passion consumed him. He wants her in his arms. More, he wants her by his side in his darkest moments.

Beth Kennedy may not know everything about Donovan, but she can’t deny what she feels for him. It’s her love for him that pushes her to do whatever she has to do to help him get justice, including putting herself in a criminal’s crosshairs.

When a tip reveals the killer’s location, they travel to California, but then an earthquake of catastrophic proportions separates them. As aftershocks roll the land, Beth and Donovan have to endure dangerous conditions while trying to find their way back to one another. Will they reunite and find the killer, or will they lose everything?

Want to know more about Chrys Fey, check out her website HERE.

HURRICANE CRIMES 99¢ SALE!

DIGITAL LINKS:

Amazon US / Amazon UK

Amazon CA / NOOK / KOBO

All
Romance eBooks

The
Wild Rose Press

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chrys Fey writes amazing short stories, novellas. Check out my reviews:

Ghost of Death

Witch of Death

Hurricane Crimes

.

Giveaway – Meddling With Murder by Ellie Campbell

Posted on April 28, 2016 by fundinmental

Meddling With Murder by Ellie Campbell

The pacing and tempo of Meddling with Murder simmered along happily until towards the end, where the tension mounted steadily and with great excitement.
~Back Porchervations

This laugh out loud, fast-paced story will keep you up reading past your bedtime.
~Shelley’s Book Case

It’s a fast-paced mystery, full of humor with really amazing and funny characters.
~LibriAmoriMiei

Genre – Cozy Mystery

Date of Release 9th April 2016

Number of Pages 300

Synopsis

Crouch End Confidential, the agency started by housewife and mother, Cathy O’Farrell, with ex-cleaner, Pimple is failing badly. Hardly surprising when Cathy’s too soft-hearted to charge their only clients, little old ladies seeking lost pets and a school kid searching for his stolen bike.

A new case involving a teenager in possession of an unexplained Glock pistol promises to change all that. Quickly Cathy’s deep in waters over her head, forced with hilarious results to pose as a mathematics tutor, a subject of which she’s truly clueless. There’s also the tricky situation of best friend and new mother Rosa hiring her to investigate her fiancé, Alec, plus the mysterious sabotage of Cathy’s friends’ cycle shop and a gang of yobbos dealing drugs at her children’s primary school.

Worst of all, an ill-fated trip to rural Norfolk has Cathy’s husband, Declan, intent on buying a post office and transplanting the family to safer climes, threatening to tear Cathy permanently from her beloved North London home.

Pretty soon Cathy’s risking her friendships, her marriage and even her life untangling all these messes. But that’s what you get for meddling in murder…

About The Author –

Ellie Campbell is a pseudonym for sister writing team, Pam Burks and Lorraine Campbell. Running wild as tomboys in Scotland, playing imagination games, they couldn’t dream that one day they’d co-author novels despite an ocean between them. From boring clerical jobs in London to a varied life of backpacking and adventure travel, both started almost accidentally as short story writers, Lorraine when working in publishing, Pam as a fun hobby while an at-home mother of three.

By the time each had 70 short stories published internationally, Pam was settled in Surrey, England, and Lorraine had finally taken root in Boulder, Colorado. Long telephone chats about life and fiction led to their current collaboration. They have produced five acclaimed novels – How To Survive Your Sisters, When Good Friends Go Bad, Looking For La La, To Catch A Creeper and Million Dollar Question. They write contemporary women’s fiction laced with humour, romance, and mystery.

When not hunched over computers, Lorraine, a certified ROTH ‘horse whisperer’, can usually be found messing about with her four rescue horses and Pam on a fund raising bike ride, madly cycling over mountains to Paris, Barcelona or Gibraltar on the back of her husband’s bone-shaking tandem.

Author Links:

Webpage: http://chicklitsisters.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ecampbellbooks

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

Google+ : https://plus.google.com/+EllieCampbellbooks/posts

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ecampbellbooks

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ellie-Campbell/e/B0034OURJ8

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1710882.Ellie_Campbell

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliecampbellbooks

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/settings/authors#authors-search Ellie Campbell

Purchase Link: Amazon

Tour Participants

April 18 – deal sharing aunt – INTERVIEW

April 19 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

April 20 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

April 21 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

April 22 – Omnimystery News – INTERVIEW

April 23 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

April 24 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – INTERVIEW

April 25 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

April 26 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY

April 27 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY

April 28 – Lori’s Reading Corner – GUEST POST

April 28 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

April 29 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

April 30 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

May 1 – The Girl with Book Lungs – SPOTLIGHT

May 1 – Queen of All She Reads – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

May 2 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY

Ellis Campbell is offering 3 ebooks for this giveaway. Entry is easy peasy. Just leave an email and us know:

What is your favorite thing about cozy mysteries?

Giveaway ends 5/4/16.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Europa Awakenings by P R Garcia – A Must Read Epic Saga Giveaway

Posted on April 5, 2016 by fundinmental

Europa Awakenings by Pam Garcia has an amazing cover that made me feel I had to have it. After reading the synopsis I knew I had to have it. I even enjoyed learning about Pam from her bio, be sure and check it out. Her commitment to the oceans around us makes me feel I have met a kindred spirit.

I realize this is a long post, put P R Garcia has so many wonderful things to share, I could not decide what to keep and what to discard…so I included it all! Sci-fi, fantasy, reality…you decide.

Let’s welcome P R Garcia and be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of the post!

GUEST POST FROM P R GARCIA

EUROPA Awakenings in the first book in the EUROPA Series, a collection of six novels that addresses the question of “What happened to Atlantis?” It is a new, fresh concept connecting the legendary city to *******’s ice moon, Europa and to the ancient city of Puma Punku in Bolivia, plus gives an explanation as to why the city was sunk overnight and what happened to the inhabitants. (Hint: They’re still here)

INSPIRATION FOR BOOK

EUROPA Awakenings came about as an inspiration while watching a documentary one uneventful day. I am a big sci-fi fan and watch numerous shows about possible life on other planets and moons. This particular day the documentary was discussing *******’s moon, Europa. I had never heard of this moon and was completely enthralled. She is totally shielded by a thick layer of ice and astrologists believe that beneath her ice there exists a moon-wide ocean that may contain simple life. Immediately, I wondered why the life had to be simple? Europa has been in existence almost as long as Earth has, so why couldn’t it contain complex-life? Even sentient life? And since it is a closed-environment, uninfluenced by anything in the universe, the possibilities could be endless. That idea sparked the beginning of the Europa Series concept. When I went to bed that night, my thoughts were still filled with the possibilities, thus causing me to dream about a race of intelligent beings, called Oonocks, who had to flee Europa and came to Earth – the Atlantians. For the next few days the thoughts of Europa and the Atlantians filled my mind, as well as my dreams. Unable to shake the thoughts, I sat down at my computer and began to type, hoping to possible write one book. When EUROPA Awakenings was finished, I stopped typing, but the feeling that there was more of her story to be told plagued my thoughts. I’m no working on book number ten.

Currently EUROPA Awakenings has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon and a 5 star rating on Goodreads. (Which I consider very good since the Harry Potter Collection has a 4.5 star rating and the Star Wars Trilogy has a 4.6 rating.) It received a 5 star Reader’s Favorite Rating.

A huge thanks to P R Garcia and I am very excited to share all her goodies with YOU, my readers.

Add me to Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am AMAZED and BLOWN AWAY by the epic saga, Europa Awakenings by P R Garcia!

I was hooked from the beginning and putting down this almost 500 page novel was done with much reluctance, but my hands hurt from holding the book and my eyes are blurring, making the words almost unreadable. I read the book slower than normal, savoring the story unfolding page by page, experience by experience, good and bad, life and death and above all, love and sacrifice.

Atlantis was born from a need to hide…hide not just from their enemies, but us…humans. If aliens are watching us, walking among us, it would behoove them to be wary, secretive. I agree with P R Garcia’s writing, we humans kill what we fear.

Mermaids? No. Underwater creatures? Yes. Humans? Yes.

Europa has no idea she comes from Atlantis, from a alien race forced to leave their planet.

This is her journey of discovery.

The first threat comes from a source I figured out pretty quick. I pride myself on that. It also creates a great twist to the story.

I knew there would be a romance and I wondered where her boyfriend, Terrance would come from. Would he be alien or human? Does love conquer all? We shall see.

The characters are so much more than they seem, changing forms, sacrificing, always loving, doing their duty to protect…her. The characters and world building are complex and developed to such a point, I feel I am there, interacting with them. I feel their paralyzing terror, their need to protect at the cost of their own lives. I weep with those who mourn their fallen soldiers.

Of course, I love Europa and her soulmate, Terrance, a naive human that has no idea what he has stepped into, but goes all out just to be at her side. I don’t know if I can choose just one hero, but I love Jeanip. Loyalty and duty could be his middle name. With a protector such as Jeanip, I cannot help but feel they will survive, but will he?

As P R Garcia explains what happens when they return to the water to die, it makes me think of spreading a loved ones ashes on the water, allowing them to travel on.

Europa Awakenings contains so much action and adventure, the suspense and pacing so intense, the book is unputdownable. Everywhere I look, there is another hint of danger. The sense of impending doom follows me through the pages. I know something is coming, I just don’t know when. More than once, P R Garcia caught me by surprise and I love that.

Europa Awakenings is a wonderful combination of the paranormal and supernatural, myth and folklore, fantasy and romance. P R Garcia took me to the depths of hell and brought me up to the light of the sun. I am at a loss for words to describe the elaborate and imaginative world and characters, on land and in water, that Pam has created. I am entranced, enthralled, amazed and astounded.

There will be much more of their story, but…for now…they are safe.

I am so happy that Book II is on its way!

I received a copy of Europa Awakenings by P R Garcia in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

ABOUT EUROPA AWAKENINGS

EUROPA Awakenings is the story of a young human who’s heard of Atlantis, but never given it much thought. All she knows is that she is going off to college and will, at last, be free of the strict security rules she must live by. But her future is a delusion, her life a fabrication, a charade created to keep her from knowing the truth. And what neither she nor her protectors know is that their family’s enemy has returned and is stalking her, waiting for his chance to end her life.

The day after her birthday, Europa’s perfect world is destroyed when JeffRa assassinates her mother, believing she was Europa. Seeking solace in her mother’s bedroom, Europa discovers an entrance to a secret attic where she finds picture of her parents hundreds of years old. But the most terrifying find is her mother’s diary. Inside, Queen Medaron wrote that Europa would be born human and never know who she really was. Unwavering in her attempt to learn the truth, she embarks on a journey of discovery, a journey of many dangers as JeffRa chases her, determined to personally end her life. Along the way, Europa will lose almost everyone and everything she loves, learn that shapeshifters are real and the powers of magical Orbs. Somehow, through all of this, she must discover the truth of her past and awaken the queen inside her. To accomplish both, she has to learn and accept the true story of Atlantis, embrace the Oonock race and identify with what lies beneath the ice shield of Europa.

ABOUT P R GARCIA

When asked who I am, I usually tell people I am a not-too-grayed-haired old lady who, at the age of 61, was inspired to write a book. The book turned into two, then three. In three years I have written nine and am presently working on book ten. All are full length novels, averaging 464 pages each.

In 2008, I moved from Michigan to Southern California. Since I grew up along Lake Erie, I had a love for the water, so it wasn’t long before I could hear the ocean calling to me. I began to volunteer on the whale watching boats as a naturalist through Birch Scripps Aquarium and the San Diego Natural History Museum. It is there that I expanded my knowledge of cetaceans and other marine life, a knowledge and love I carried into the books.

MY DREAMS

To see my story play out on the big screen before I leave this world. My other dream is to receive at least one hundred reviews on the books. I welcome both favorable reviews and those with criticism.

For more information about the books, or me, visit my website: prgarcia1.com. There is an index on the web site showing the characters, as well as a listing of places and Oonock terms. I have a YouTube video on EUROPA Awakenings at https://youtu.be/EvSVloULZ2I

I just recently updated the cover of EUROPA Awakenings to better reflect the story. The cover now shows the red-haired Europa, with her sanctuary, Saint’s Isle, on the right had side, and the presence of large whale’s tail on the left. The whale is key to her survival, but you’ll have to read the story to find out who he is. The first chapter was also updated, so you will note that the paperback holds a release date of 2-27-2016, while the eBook maintains the original 12-9-2013 date. They are both the same book. Due to the significant changes in Chapter One, the paperback required a new ISB Number and a new release date.

EUROPA Awakenings can be ordered through any bookstore or online on Amazon. For exciting news about the ocean, cetaceans or important environmental issues, you can follow my Facebook page Europa Awakenings, which is just shy of 1300 likes.

Check out her website here.

GIVEAWAY

We have a fabulous giveaway to share with you. There will be two winners. P R Garcia is offering a signed copy to one US commenter and one ebook to another commenter, so International is all good. Entry is easy…just leave your email and answer the question:

If anything is possible, what would you do first to help our oceans and the creatures who live there?

Giveaway will run from 4/5/16 – 4/19/16.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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OMG – They took her – The Body Market @dvberkom with Guest Post & Giveaway

Posted on March 10, 2016 by fundinmental

First off, I would like to welcome DV Berkom and I will be sharing her novel, The Body Market. She has also written this fantastic guest post and will be awarding a paperback (US & CA) or ebook (International) to one lucky commenter…So…read on and be sure to leave a comment, whether it be about the guest post, the cover, or just to say hi.

I love Leine Basso, a kickass ex assassin and here is what DV has to say about:

Writing a Killer as Your Main Character by DV Berkom

I’ll admit it—I’m not, nor have I ever been, a paid killer. Shocking, I know. But the main character in my Leine Basso Crime Thriller series is. And she’s also a woman.

Why on earth would I want to create a female protagonist who killed people for a living? Aren’t authors supposed to write sympathetic characters? Aren’t we supposed to create someone to root for? To empathize with?

According to readers, I’ve achieved that with Leine. But it wasn’t easy. First, let me explain the why, and I’ll follow that up with the how.

When I initially dreamed up the idea for Serial Date, the first book in the series, the only characters that were fully fleshed out in my mind were the contestants and “bachelors” on the reality show Serial Date. In a parody of the long-running and popular reality show The Bachelor, beautiful women vie for a date with a so-called serial killer. The bachelors aren’t actually serial killers, of course, but it’s implied for the audience’s titillation: Are the contestants safe? Will the audience witness an attempted murder? Better yet, a real one? Of course, the show becomes a blockbuster hit, and we’re off and running. (And yes, there’s a healthy dose of satire and dark humor in the book. How could I resist?)

From there, I imagined the main antagonist; a serial killer who watched the show religiously. The killer becomes incensed at the ineptitude of the show’s alleged serial killers and decides to take things into his own hands. Soon, a contestant is found dismembered inside a prop closet, necessitating better security on set.

Enter former assassin, Leine Basso.

I needed a protagonist who would be a good match against a serial killer, and I love to write strong, kick-@ss women. Why not fight fire with fire? A killer versus a killer.

The latest in the series, A Killing Truth, takes place before events in Serial Date, when Leine worked as an assassin for a shadow agency tasked with eliminating terrorists and enemies of the US. I’d had several emails from readers requesting a prequel explaining events that I allude to in the other books. And, since readers rule, I complied. Writing A Killing Truth was a lot of fun and really challenging. Fun, because I got to write Leine’s story when she was at the zenith of her career as an assassin, and challenging because I’d set up events in the other books and had to figure out how to make the story work with what I’d written.

So that’s the why. How does a writer make a character sympathetic when their actions are anything but?

Give the main character a flaw (or ten or twelve).

Leine has baggage. A lot of baggage. In A Killing Truth, not only is her profession getting to her (she can’t sleep, can’t compartmentalize what she’s done), but during a routine job she barely escapes with her life, and is beginning to suspect that she can’t trust her boss. Add to that raising her 12-year-old daughter by herself and worrying about her lover, Carlos (another assassin), and you’ve got a wee bit of stress to throw her off her game.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand reading about a perfect heroine who can fight the bad guys without getting a scratch, and then comes home and whips up a gourmet meal, deals effectively with her ornery preteen daughter, and still looks amazing when her lover shows up at the door. Nope. Can’t empathize. I’m lucky if I keep up with the laundry, much less produce seven gourmet meals a week. Or even one J

Yeah, I probably wouldn’t relate very well to that character.

Suffice it to say, aside from killing bad guys for a living, Leine’s got a lot to deal with. Who hasn’t had a bad day? Admittedly, Leine’s bad days are pretty gnarly, but you know what I mean. I like to think of Leine as the kind of person folks would like to know and have on their side. Someone who rarely makes mistakes on her job because the repercussions could be fatal, but a person who has to deal with challenges and heartache, just like the rest of us.

What about you? What kinds of characters really speak to you? Do you need to be able to identify with them in some way, or do you enjoy characters that are totally different from you? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

***Special bonus: I’m giving away a signed paperback (US & Canada) or e-book (international) of The Body Market to one randomly selected commenter. Good luck!

Thanks so much for the wonderful post, DV. I know you do a lot of research and writing about a killer, not being one yourself, can’t be easy. LOL

This awesome cover for The Body Market by DV Berkom grabbed me and never let me go. It is a story of human trafficking, which unfortunately, is still very active in the 21st Century. I love a strong female protagonist and Leine Basso fits that bill very nicely as she battles them.

Add me to Goodreads now

MY REVIEW

The Body Market’s title, cover, tagline and DV Berkom’s name as the author, tells me this is a story I can hardly wait to read. The Body Market is one novel in the Leine Basso series, but all the books can stand alone. The characters are ongoing, growing and changing with each book, becoming more complex, with all their foibles exposed.

A rich couple, too busy for their teenage daughter, will learn the pain and anguish of discovering their child is missing, possibly in a foreign county. And, Elliza, the pretty, rich American teenager will pay the penalty for partying in Mexico. She is the ditzy blond you hear about.

I used to read a lot of Mafia books in their heyday and I love assassins, especially a strong female one, like Leine Basso.

Leine Basso is kicking cartel ass from the opening pages. She is stubborn and will rebel when threatened. She is learning to live a real life instead of always running off to her next assassination. I love that she kite surf’s with her main man, Santiago Jensen. Santiago is new to monogamy and attempts to romance Leine. Don’t you love a man who cooks for you? I am lucky to have one of those too. I love the dialogue between them, at times humorous and fun.

She works for SHEN – Stop Human Enslavement Now and he is an LAPD Robbery/Homicide detective. I lam in favor of her idea of hand grenades and flamethrowers for dealing with sex traffickers.

I was surprised Leine didn’t know about the bad guy…but I cannot say more.

If you are looking for action from the getgo and a story that will have your blood boiling and your emotions running AMOK, pick up The Body Market. Leine Basso will have you kicking ass and taking names as she makes the bad guys pay. Will she be in time to rescue Elize? You will have to find out for yourself.

I received a copy of The Body Market from DV Berkom in return for an honest review

5 STARS

BONUS: DV Berkom has shared a short story – Privilege. I knew where the story was going, but I loved every word of it anyway. Just shows you should be VERY careful what you wish for. You may get it, but it may haunt you for the rest of your life. 5 STARS

Be sure and comment to enter to win a paperback (US & CA) or ebook (International). The giveaway will run from 3/9/16 – 3/24/16 so spread the word!

Goodreads Blurb: A retired assassin is called in when a celebration south of the border turns into a nightmare.

Former assassin Leine Basso is hired by a wealthy Beverly Hills power couple to find their missing daughter, Elise, last seen partying with her boyfriend at a club in Tijuana. At first, police believe the two teenagers are the victims of a carjacking. But when Leine finds their missing vehicle with the boyfriend’s mutilated body inside, and the local cartel warns her away, she knows if Elise isn’t already dead, she will be soon, or worse.

In the lethal world of organized crime, there’s always a worse.

As Leine races to uncover the reason behind Elise Bennett’s disappearance, she must also battle the powerful interests fighting to keep her from the truth.

ABOUT DV BERKOM

DV Berkom is a slave to the voices in her head. As the author of two popular thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones), her love of creating resilient, kick-*ss female characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.

Raised in the Midwest, she received her BA in political science from the University of Minnesota and promptly moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Many, many cross-country moves (and several years) later, she now lives just outside of Seattle, Washington with the love of her life, Mark, an ex-chef-turned contractor, and writes every chance she gets.

For more information, please visit her website at www.dvberkom.com.
Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Pinterest / Amazon US / Amazon UK/ Newsletter
Author Pages: Amazon / Smashwords / Barnes & Noble / itunes / Kobo

I am reading my way through DV Berkom’s The Leine Basso Thrillers:

I am also reading my way through DV Berkom’s Kate Jones Thrillers:

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
Leave your link in the comments, I’ll drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Be sure and comment to enter to win a paperback (US & CA) or ebook (International). The giveaway will run from 3/9/16 – 3/24/16 so spread the word!

****AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER****

I am very excited to be able to share Leine’s story with you. I have been waiting on pins and needles to learn more about her!

A Killing Truth by DV Berkom

A deadly assassin. A perpetual target. A double-cross she never saw coming…

They say the truth will set you free, but what if it kills you first?

A Killing Truth is the prequel to the award-winning Leine Basso thriller series of crime novels. If you like no-nonsense heroines, page-turning plots, and twists you won’t see coming, then you’ll love D.V. Berkom’s tension-filled series.

Giveaway, Guest Post & Review – Cookies: Sluts of the Snack World by Ken La Salle

Posted on December 15, 2015 by fundinmental

GUEST POST (a journey into the mind of Ken La Salle)

As a writer, my strategy has always been to write the kinds of books I would like to read. This allows me to write in any genre I like and in whatever style I like. I’ve written horror novels (such as Wormfood Island), memoirs, love stories, and anything my heart desires.

But, at some point, writing the kinds of books I liked to read took a back seat to writing the kinds of books I felt publishers might like to read. I had self-published plenty of titles but I wanted the kind of distribution (and, I thought, marketing attention) available to a publisher.

One afternoon, as I was walking through a shopping mall parking lot with my wife (which is how these stories always begin), I was grousing about the constraints I felt as a result in this shift. When Vicky asked what I would write if I could, the answer that came out to the surprise of us both was “a series of children’s books for adults.” Like children’s books, each title would use some cute, little thing to create a lesson. Unlike children’s books, each cute, little thing would be twisted into the kind of lesson I felt adult children could use.

Thus, came Cookies: Sluts of the Snack World, the first book in a series I call Fun To Grow On. Cookies tells the story of a chocolate chip cookie with herpes who is looking for God to cure his rather incurable… affliction. Where are the benefits in looking to God for the answers to all of our problems? Therein lies the lesson. The follow-up was Puppies: Best in Stew. There will be five books in the entire series.

Since I’d already been producing my own audiobooks, I decided to make these audiobooks a little different, with a nod to my background in theater, and a bit more immersive.

What I didn’t realize was just how much Cookies would change how I looked at things. Because this experience got me thinking about the limits in audiobooks; how they’re all kind of the same old thing. Audiobooks never take you to an art museum or to the moon or to the inside of a live volcano – and it was this realization that brought forth The Most Amazing Book You’ve Ever Heard In Your Entire Life (and you’re not worth it). The Most Amazing Book is truly unlike any other audiobook in that it’s not just a story and that it uses “theater of the mind” to take the reader on a journey.

And that gave me the idea to go all the way and produce my first comedy album, inspired by “theater of the mind” innovators such as The Firesign Theatre and Monty Python. That album is due to be released early in 2016.

You never quite know where one decision will take you. My advice is to hold on and enjoy it for all its worth!

Add me to Goodreads

Cover: Ashley Nicole Stark

MY REVIEW

WARNING: Adult language and Cookie erotica. LOL

I have been reading some heavy books and wanted something that is the total opposite. I guess you could call Cookies: Sluts of the Snack World a Cookie fairy tale or a fable. It is a tale with a moral to the story.

All I can say is SUCCESS! Laughter abounds in this creatively told story of a cookie with a problem.

Chocolate chip cookies are cookies with herpes.

I mean, really…think about it. With a start like that, I was laughing my way through the very first page. This is one Cookie’s story.

How does Ken La Salle come up with something so off the wall?

How do you tell if a cookie is male or female? Come on Ken, share the secret.

OMG, I just can’t quit laughing. A word of warning, you may not want to read this in public. People may think you are crazy when you start laughing hysterically.

Cookie scenarios keep running through my mind. Cookie genitalia. Cookie sex. Cookie VD. Do you believe there is a Cookie God?

Well, he is determined to speak to him, the Supreme Cookie Imperious, who can be found at the mall. The big question is how will he get there.

Danger abounds and it is best to keep a low profile, but also, life is short, so live it to the fullest.

You may be afraid to eat anything, unless you have grown it yourself, after reading Cookies: Sluts of the Snack World.

They discuss the badness of big business and the one percent, along with food manipulation.

Cookies: Sluts of the Snack World by Ken La Salle is a rip roaring laughfest picture book for adults. The premise is so original and creative, my head is still spinning. There is a moral to the story and it may keep you thinking long after the laughter has ended.

I received a copy of Cookies: Sluts of the Snack World by Ken La Salle in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

Goodreads Blurb: Are the voices in your head listening to you? Oh yes. Yes, they are listening to you. They know what you’re saying. Sometimes, they talk back. Sometimes, they sing along. Sometimes, they write children’s book with hidden messages placed in plain sight with a neon bow because, hey, a little style never hurt anyone. (This, of course, ignores the Great Style Massacre of 1973.)

Welcome to “Fun To Grow On” – the new children’s book series for ADULTS. These books are not for little children or big babies. Each story is filled with blood and violence, sex and swearing – Seriously. This series is for adults. These are not parodies of children’s books but original stories for adults who still have a lot to learn… as do we all.

“Fun To Grow On” presents the very first book in the series… Cookies: Sluts of the Snack World!

When a cookie gets herpes, he decides to ask God for a cure. Can he find God in time?
Someone fed a chocolate chip cookie equal parts of blinding self-awareness, cranberry vodka, and shrooms and asked him to tell his story. Here it is, with all the pageantry you would expect from a cookie… which is probably a whole lot less than you would desire.

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GIVEAWAY

Ken La Salle is offering two ebooks for the giveaway. All you need to do is answer the question and leave your email so I can notify you if you win.

What is your favorite cookie?

Giveaway runs 12/15 – 12/29/15

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Tears of Love – For Nick by Taylor Dean (A Tag Team Giveaway)

Posted on September 23, 2015 by fundinmental

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Welcome to my Tag Team Events!

Laura and I are the Tag Team Bloggers.

You can find Laura at fuonlyknew.

We Tag Team an author and publish our posts at the same time.

Whether it’s for a cover reveal, giveaway, review, interview, or something more, the author will be tagged by us and you will be alerted to go to Laura’s blog or mine to see additional content. It’s really fun to see how differently we view the same book and you get an extra chance to win with our giveaways!

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FOR NICK by taylor dean

I am thrilled to have Taylor Dean on my blog today. For my peeps, you will find a familiar name. Welcome Taylor and take it away. Oh, be sure and read to the end to enter the fantastic giveaway from Taylor.

From the Author

I admit, when I wrote FOR NICK, I wanted to write a tear-jerker.

Why do women sometimes love books or movies that make them cry?

Good question.

Some ladies tell me they hate anything that turns on the waterworks. They say they feel utterly depressed when the book or movie is over.

Not me.

Image courtesy of [iosphere] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It makes me feel like I’ve experienced the meaning behind life, as if I’ve found the truth behind this crazy journey.

There’s something about observing the human experience without actually having to live through it. Perhaps it’s just learning what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes.

I feel somehow refreshed and my life seems so much better than before. I realize my problems and trials are not that bad after all.

Having a good soul-cleansing cry lifts my spirits and makes me feel in touch with my emotions.

My daughters and I will bawl like babies while watching a touching movie and then pronounce how good it was, leaving the men in our lives baffled and rolling their eyes.

That being said, I love a happy ending so I can smile and laugh after all those tears.

An HEA is a MUST HAVE in all of my books. FOR NICK is no exception.

I don’t consider myself to be much of a comedian, but the ending of For Nick always gives me a good giggle.

For Nick will leave you, at first, liking the hero, then falling in love with him, having sympathy for him, becoming irritated with him, feeling all out mad at him, then falling in love with him again–and laughing at his very human frailties.

Enjoy the ride!

Add me to Goodreads now.

For Nick by Taylor Dean

Cover Design: Jules Isaacs

MY REVIEW

Taylor Dean can spin a tale that will tug at your heartstrings and For Nick is no exception. I used to think that contemporary and inspirational fiction was not my cup of tea, but authors like Taylor have won me over. The fabulous writing and realistic characters have the ability to touch my heart and leave me wanting more.

I knew right away something was wrong and what would happen but not why. Taylor’s writing grabs my attention and doesn’t let go. She will lure you in, starting out all lovey dovey and sweet, then BAM!

Zachary’s grandfather had given him a choice. He had one year to find someone and marry, or he would lose his inheritance.

He chose Andie, because she said no in a firm and funny way that intrigued him. I couldn’t help but smile at her response to him.

The deal, one year of marriage, one episode of consummation, one million dollars.

The dance of love, when all is bright fun and breathtaking. The banter between him and Andie is fun. They act like kids in love, sometimes goofy and playful.

Why are we so closed that lack of communication can ruin something so good? I get frustrated with no communication. The “funny” thing is, it complicates real life too. Taylor has a way to make her characters come to life, draw you in, and never let you go.

The saying curiosity killed the cat is so appropriate, but I will leave it to you to find out why for yourself.

The restaurant scene not only broke my heart, it pissed me off. Tissues required.

I was already on verge of tears, but when Andie said “I’m scared,” my tears flowed and my throat tightened. I couldn’t see the words through my tears streaming down my face. I tried to read through them so I could find a happy place to take a breath. Painful and sweet, laughter with the tears, isn’t that life?

The story is predictable, but the journey is an adventure I was delighted to be on.

For Nick smacks of the Pretty Woman movie, with Julia Roberts, fairy tales and miracles.

Taylor has a way with endings. You think you know it, but she puts in a special twist that clutches at your heart, yet fills it with joy. She adds that little twist that will make you smile and crave more. I want to tell you so much more…but I am done.

This is a story you want to learn on your own, no spoilers from me.

I received a copy of For Nick by Taylor Dean in return for an honest and unbiased review.

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

What would you do for love?

Zachary Drake had love in his life—and tragically lost it. He knows it won’t come his way again. Andie Parker would do anything for the love of her life.

Even marry a total stranger.

In spite of the unorthodox manner in which Zach and Andie come together, there is no denying that things are unexpectedly good between them, taking them both by surprise.

However, when secrets come between them—and trust does not—Andie soon finds herself vowing to never make the same mistake again. But, she’d do it again in a heartbeat and she knows it. She’d marry a hundred strangers if it helped Nick. She’d do anything for Nick . . . anything.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.

To find out what Taylor Dean is up to, follow the links below:

Website/Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

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MY REVIEWS FOR TAYLOR DEAN’S BOOKS

Loss, grief, sorrow and the love that binds – I’m With You by Taylor Dean (Book Trailer, review coming soon)

A sweet romance – Joshua’s Folly by Taylor Dean (Review)

sierra by taylor dean – Come on over and take a peek (Book trailer)

Missing Any Memories? i have people by taylor dean (Review)

sierra by taylor dean (Review)

the middle aisle by taylor dean (Review)

Is he a ghost? A vampire? Is he even real or just a figment of her imagination? (Lancaster House Review)

GIVEAWAY

Three winners!

Up for grabs: The first winner will receive a signed paperback, bookmark, and tote-bag. (US only) AND the second two winners will receive a Kindle ebook. (INT. Sorry, kindle only.) To enter, leave Taylor Dean some love below and leave your email so you can be notified. Giveaway ends October 7, 2015.

What makes you cry?

WINNERS: My winners: First prize: Linda Nadwodny Moore
2 ebooks: Lynda Dickson and Rita Wray

Laura’s winner: First Prize – Anne

Two ebooks – babyblue and betty w.

For another chance to win, soar on the wings of love over to fuonlyknew.