The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it..
Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.
Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.
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I have tried to come up with a way to make things simpler for myself when it comes to choosing my next novel to share. This is what I have come up with.
I am starting with the first author on *this* bookshelf and…
Everybody had been allowed to blow off steam and offer cockamamy suggestions for dealing with a monster that few people had every heard of and nobody had every seen.
(page 156 of hardcover, 1st edition, published in 1991)
MY BOOK BEGINNINGS
It hovered in the ink-dark water, waiting.
It was not a fish, had no air bladder to give it buoyancy, but because of the special chemistry of its flesh, it did not sink into the abyss.
SYNOPSIS
“Makes the shark from “Jaws” look like a pet goldfish . . .” USA Weekend
Straight from the cutting edge of science and the logs of ancient mariners comes an immense horror — a creature that rises up from the well of an ocean gone mad with an insatiable hunger and an endless lust to kill. One man leads a harrowing struggle to defeat the beast amid a threatened Bermuda paradise. His name is Whip Darling, a down-and-out sea dog who doesn’t know where he’ll get his next meal — or whether it will get him first.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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What makes you cry?
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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.
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For another chance to win, soar on the wings of love over tofuonlyknew.
Lauren Carr’s novel, Kill and Run is the first book in her new A Thorny Rose Mystery series. I have read numerous books by her and just reviewed Three Day To Forever. a Mac Faraday Mystery. Whenever I see her name, I grab the book.
The cozy cover of Kill and Run by Lauren Carr is not quite so cozy. Mystery and danger encompass the pages as the search for the serial rapist takes an impossible turn.
Let’s meet Lauren’s newest couple Lieutenant Murphy Thornton and Jessica Farady in her newest series, The Thorny Rose Mysteries. Jessica is the daughter of multimillionaire Mac Farady, from Lauren’s Mac Farady Mystery series. We shall meet more of the characters from that series and I enjoy revisiting old friends.
Murphy and Jessica’s lively sexual banter as they learn about each other is in the honeymoon phase, but something tells me it will continue for a long, long time. Lauren makes her characters authentic with similar problems to our own.
I love the NCIS and other similar TV shows. I can relate to Kill and Run because of it. Murphy just happens to be the liaison between the military and civilian staff.
We have carnivores, vegetarians and pescatarians. Do you know what a pescatarian is? I didn’t and had to look it up. I love when I learn something new from a novel.
A serial rapist has been active and on the loose for more than 13 years and the past is coming back to bite Murphy. Politics and the military, conspiracies and cover ups, put Murphy and those close to him in danger.
Murphy and Jessica are newly married and they end up with a house full of quirky critters. They are a unique cast of characters! We have Spencer (Candi or Blue), whose name depends on the person calling him, is a Blue Sheltie. Irving is a cat that snubs most people and they are glad for it, he looks like a skunk. Irving has a big heart for a certain young girl that enters his life unexpectedly. Newman, now he is the man. He’s a couch potato, I mean REALLY a couch potato. He not only watches TV, he controls the remote. And going for a walk, that’s for those other dogs. Let’s not forget Monique, a tarantula. EEK!
Izzy becomes a temporary member of the family after her mother is murdered and Murphy promises to find out who did it and protect her in the process. Izzy has a way with the critters, a special connnection. I had immediate empathy for her. She is a strong, open hearted/open minded child/woman.
Lauren has a way with her characters, human and animal alike. They are complex and well developed, fiercely protecting each other as they struggle to find answers before they run out of time. Will they find the answers to the nightmares that keep them awake at night?
I am so pissed off at the injustice of the haves and their own set of rules, the feeling of entitlement they have. They do see evil. They do hear evil. They do speak evil. Where do they draw the line…or do they? It is bad enough there is a monster running loose, but what makes it even more terrible is the people that know about it, overlook it and pass the problem on to the next HIGHER level. The problem does not go away, it only grows bigger.
Kudos Lauren. Kill and Run looks like another mystery series that will be on my reading list for some time to come. Thanks for expanding on the family.
“You’re not a wimp Buttercup. Basically, what you need to do is learn how to press your bitch button.”
“…My bitch button?”
“Everyone has one.”
“…You have a bitch button?”
“I have a bastard button.”
This is an ARC, so the quote may be different than it appears here. From page 218.
I received the ARC of Kill and Run by Lauren Carr in return for an honest and unbiased review.
4 Stars
SYNOPSIS
Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.
Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.
ABOUT LAUREN CARR
Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Three Days to Forever is the ninth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.
In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder.
Three Days to Forever introduces Lauren Carr’s latest series, detectives, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday in the Thorny Rose Mysteries. Look for the first installment in this series in Spring 2015.
The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. Visit Acorn Book Services website for more information.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.
She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
In rural Missouri, Crawford County has had more than its share of wildlife problems. Not even a year earlier the woods were home to a vicious killer brought back from extinction.
In the novel, The Wolf’s Moon, Mark Lansdowne and his pal, Warren Skruggs, sent them back…but at a cost. Now something is haunting the rivers in Crawford County.
The Missouri State Water Patrol must solve the deaths of several residents who died in The River but can they stop this menace before more people are killed?
Title: Three Days to Forever Author: Lauren Carr Publisher: Acorn Book Services Pages: 466 Genre: Mystery Format: Paperback/Kindle
Author Interview By Lauren Carr
Lauren, you have been averaging two to three murder mysteries a year—all of them best-sellers! This year, you have released three books. Obviously you write every day.
LC: Yes, I do write every day. I guess you could say I’m a workaholic—or maybe I’m a write-aholic. I am actually driven to write. As the author, I am the creator of my characters’ world. So, when I get going in a plot, I have a hard time walking away to cook dinner for my family because I myself want to know what is going to happen next. I especially have a hard time leaving my laptop in the middle of a shootout or when a bad guy is creeping up on one of my detectives to go clean up the kitchen. I feel like I’m leaving a friend hanging. Recently, a friend of mine reminded me, “It’s okay to leave one of your detectives bleeding out for a few days. He’s not real!” Well, he’s real to me.
What is your writing schedule?
LC: I do write full time—but I have the luxury of creating my own schedule. In the morning, I take care of business—answering emails, book promotion, interviews. The Mommy stuff gets taken care of in the afternoon—going to the gym, laundry, dinner. Then, after dinner, I’ll work on my next book. After everything is taken care of and everyone in my life settles down, I can escape into my characters’ world.
Where do you write? Do you have an office?
LC: Yes, I have an office on the top floor of our house with a built-in desk and a view of the valley that is to die for. But my teenaged son took it! So, I write in bed—propped up on a pile of pillows.
Is there a ritualistic thing you like to do when you’re writing?
LC: Not really. Some writers refuse to answer the phone. Me—I just plain tune it out! Really. I have had the phone ringing right next to me and my son or husband will hear it, but I’m so absorbed in what I am writing that I don’t. Other writers will use a laptop or computer that doesn’t have social media so they aren’t tempted to surf. Not me. I don’t know if it is disciplined or obsessive. I prefer to call it disciplined.
What about snacking? Do you come back to reality to eat a favorite snack when you’re writing?
LC: I never have been a big snacker. My favorite snack is Hershey kisses, or anything chocolate. I recently had to give up ice cream as an evening snack because I was starting to get as big as a house!
What books are you obsessing about now? Please tell us that you have not abandoned Mac Faraday and Gnarly.
LC: Oh, no! I will never abandon Mac Faraday. Gnarly won’t let me. Look for Cancelled Vows this winter.
In Cancelled Vows, David O’Callaghan’s wedding plans hit a huge snag when he discovers he is already married to an old girlfriend! With less than a week to his wedding day, David, Mac, and Gnarly go to New York City to have the marriage dissolved—only to end up in the middle of a murder mystery.
What’s next in store for Jessica and Murphy? Tell us that you are planning more Thorny Rose Mysteries.
LC: Sorry, but the next Thorny Rose Mystery is at least a year away. I’m now working on three series! However, readers who fall in love with Jessica and Murphy should be on the lookout for the next Lovers in Crime Mystery, in which they will make a featured appearance. Murphy and Jessica rush to Chester, WV, when J.J., Murphy’s twin brother, disappears after his girlfriend’s murder. This mystery will be released in Spring 2015.
I am familiar with Mac Faraday and his cohorts, so I was happy to be able to read to review this mystery novel. I felt Lauren Carr would not let me down and was right. I enjoyed the novel and look forward to reading more of her work.
I am loving the cover, simple, yet I sense an aura of menace.
Mac Faraday and Archie Monday are getting married. It will be the event of the season for the Spencer Inn and Deep Creek Lake, Maryland.
Just days before the wedding, Mac receives an envelope, containing a warning. As if that is not enough of a problem, he is attacked by a professional hit squad and the tale is off and running. Someone wants him dead. Or do they? Is he the real target? It seems so obvious, I am suspicious. I read on, getting deeper into the story, more involved with the characters as the danger spreads.
Plots within plots. There is so much going on, twisting and, turning, keeping me wondering how this will come together in a completed story. Who’s doing what to whom? Is it revenge for a perceived wrong? A terrorist threat from Iraq?
There are too many characters to mention, but they all contribute to the story in their own special way. We have met some of them before and will hear about some of them again and again, as we travel through the mystery series with Lauren Carr.
An invisible unit: Under the cover of anonymity, a secret unit, that does what no one else can do, what cannot be allowed to reach the light of day. They are cloaked in secrecy and deniability.
The politics are dirty, but necessary. This book will expose its biggest weaknesses, at the highest levels. Three Days To Forever by Lauren Carr reads as if it could be true. The good. The bad. The current events. Revenge, murder, terrorism, romance, love, loyalty and a determination to do what is right, regardless of the consequences.
Three Days To Forever is not a light read. The mystery and suspense kept me captivated, as I traveled from Iraq to the United States and back again. Lauren kept me guessing and on my toes. I never anticipated all the events that would ensue.
I did not sit on the edge of my seat with bated breath, or have to stay up all night until I finished it, but I did read the book, which is 434 pages in this ARC paperback, within a twenty four hour period.
I received Three Days To Forever by Lauren Carr in return for an honest and unbiased review.
4 Stars
SYNOPSIS
In this latest Mac Faraday Mystery from best-selling mystery author Lauren Carr, readers will embark on a rollercoaster adventure with old friends (including the Lovers in Crime team of Prosecutor Joshua Thornton and Homicide Detective Cameron Gates), but also meet new ones as Mac Faraday’s daughter Jessica Faraday and Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy Thornton join the team in the race to get the love birds to the altar!
With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping with holiday vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn for Mac Faraday and Archie Monday’s huge wedding ceremony which is being touted as the social event of the year.
But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least of Mac’s and Archie’s problems when a professional hit squad hits Spencer Manor to send the groom, Joshua Thornton, Archie’s mother, and Gnarly running for their lives.
With time running out to the big day, Mac Faraday and Spencer’s small police force have to sort through the clues to figure out not only who has been targeted for assassination, but also who is determined to stop everything … FOREVER!
“Lauren Carr’s mystery novels are indeed one of my go-tos when I’m looking for a good whodunit.” –Reviewer: Shana Benedict, ABookVacation Book Reviews.
“Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the quirky storyline along nicely with an abundance of witty dialogue. And you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are until the end.” – Reviewer: Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
ABOUT LAUREN CARR
Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Three Days to Forever is the ninth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.
In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder.
Three Days to Forever introduces Lauren Carr’s latest series, detectives, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday in the Thorny Rose Mysteries. Look for the first installment in this series in Spring 2015.
The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. Visit Acorn Book Services website for more information.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.
She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Born with the power of ultimate evil, he is the world’s only chance at survival.
Erick Darvaul is a Necromancer, a descendant of the original sorcerers who turned against their dark masters and exiled them. Now these beings have returned, it falls upon Erick and a cadre of newfound allies to rally against these powerful entities and defeat them again.
Through fire, ambush, and betrayal, Erick and his companions claw their way to Broken Mountain to reunite with others who share his ability. There, Erick battles the mortal foe of his ancestors pushing the limits of his Necromantic magic, a force that seeks to corrupt him every time he summons it.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paul has lived a varied life full of excitement and adventure. Not really, but it sounds good as an opening line.
Paul’s multiple careers have included: rock and roll roadie, children’s theater stage manager, television camera operator, mortgage banker, and support specialist for Microsoft Excel.
This eclectic mix prepared him to go into his true love: motion picture production. He has produced two motion pictures and two documentaries: His film Night Feeders released on DVD in 2007, and Cold Storage was released by Lionsgate in 2010.
Amidst all this, Paul has worked on his writing, starting with his first short story, about Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, at age 8. Paul has written and produced numerous commercial and industrial video scripts in his tenure with his forcreative agency, Indievision. He has two published short stories (As You Sow and Double Cross) and one self-published novel (Godchild). He lives with his filmmaker/graphic artist partner and their three cats.
I am a huge fan of Stephen Henning and his Class Heroes series and you don’t want to miss this fabulous book trailer, giving you a glimpse into his fantastic word of these twin super heroes.
I can see this as a movie or TV series, so be sure and check it out.
I have read and reviewed all the books…so far. Check out the links below.
This is a 2-minute trailer, introducing the characters of Samantha, James and Lolly; and giving a flavor of the first four Class Heroes books.
Lolly is the villain that you love to hate or hate to love. You decide.
Elysandra Winters has always yearned for a life of adventure on the rolling seas and is willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill her dream. When her Privateer father continually refuses to allow his only daughter to sail, Ellie defies him, disguises herself as a boy, and goes in search of a captain who will give her a chance to prove her worth.
Thanks to the cursed selkie blood coursing through his veins, Daniel O’Rourke needs the sea to survive. After giving up on his humanity and spending three years in seal form, he decides to give his human side another chance. Daniel goes in search of a job and a sense of normalcy, earning himself a position aboard Captain Winter’s ship, The Siren’s Call. However, his new captain’s first assignment has nothing at all to do with sailing, and everything to do with his headstrong young daughter.
Years later, when the leader of a band of bloodthirsty pirates murders Captain Winters, Daniel and Elysandra’s lives come crashing back together with the force of a hurricane. Both experts in deception, they must find a way to trust each other in order to quell the raging storm between them, and have any hope of hunting down the captain’s killer.
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Roane Publishing is giving away THREE ARC copies to three lucky winners!
You don’t even have to be a blogger.
If you are willing to leave an honest review before September 25th, you are eligible to enter.
How? Simply fill out the form! You have until Midnight of August 15th when three winners will be chosen by random drawing.
A Taste for Mystery by K D Rose is currently on sale at Amazon for only 99 ¢ during the tour. You get two novellas for the price of one.
GUEST POST
I am excited to have K D Rose here to tell us about her books covers.
I am a *cover girl* so I love to hear how an author feels about their covers and the amount of work they put into the covers themselves.
So…take it away K D.
K.D. Rose Covers
Covers are one of my favorite things to do for my books. I love looking over stock photos and imagining covers that could work! For example, I literally have the most wonderful cover photo right now that I want so bad to put out but have no book for it!
My published books are a variety of cover work. Some of them I did myself, some I got from cover designers and some are half-in-half. Half-in-half means that I found a great photo and could do most of the design work but ran into a problem that my poor tech skills could not overcome so I went to a designer for that one issue or to smooth out the look. And really, to be honest, in most cases the eye of a professional designer is so much better. They just have the experience needed for the best layout. My eye is for picking great photos and that’s about it.
So here are some of my books and experiences:
My very first book. I worked with a talented graphic designer I know who happens to also be a talented writer, Jeremy Parker. I had very strong ideas of what I wanted for this journey to uncover the truth told via poetry, dialogues, short stories and essays. He totally got it and produced what is still my favorite graphic designer cover.
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Here is one of the covers I produced myself. The book is full of pictures like this, picked out exclusively to go with the poems they are set to. The book itself was written for teenage girls especially for empowerment during those years when feeling empowered can be so hard. I still love this cover and it’s my favorite of those I’ve done myself.
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Here’s a cover with an interesting story. This book was originally acquired by a publisher. It is book one of a YA/NA paranormal series. I already had a cover picked out but once it went with the publisher, their cover artist made the cover you see here. Then the publisher went out of business. I retained the cover artist so cover the book was now known by could stay. That cover artist is the talented Fiona Jayde.
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Here is my original cover that I had made for that book- this is one of the half-in half’s I talked about above. Part me, part designer— the talented owner of Amygdala Designs. Very different feel isn’t it. That is the great thing about licensing your own pictures and obtaining your own covers. Most likely I will use it for book 2 of the series which will only require small changes to the cover.
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For my three new releases out right now, one of which this blog post is for, simplicity was key. One was published by Three Worlds Press who used the cover I already had set for the book.
The Brevity of Twit looks like this. It’s a humor book about communication on Twitter.
Anger’s Children is all red with a bullet effect over the tag line.
Last, but not least, A Taste For Mystery went through several transitions, including getting a lot of feedback from wonderful authors on groups I belong to. Here is the final cover:
I’m happy with the way all my covers have come out. It helps when as an author I get to participate in the process. It gets the creative juices flowing plus I gain valuable experience from those who know design. All in all a win-win.
Thank you so much for taking the time to put together such an informative guest post, K D. I loved learning about all your covers and see that you strive for some of the things that grab me…simplicity being one of my favorites. I think a simplistic cover takes a lot of creativity to express the story inside.
I hope you enjoyed your visit, K D and I look forward to having you here again.
I love the cover in its simplicity. The light and shadows make me look a little closer for any hidden clues. Do you see any?
Add me to Goodreads now.
A Taste For Mystery (Two Novellas)
by K.D. Rose
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BLURB
A Taste For Killing
Mystery and Romance blend together when competing detectives Carolyn Woods and Jack Heart are both hired to solve a murder, only to realize they are working the same case. To complicate things, Carolyn and Jack have an on again, off again relationship. Then there is Evan Jones, a handsome architect— but he’s also a suspect.
Can Carolyn solve the case as more and more murders pile up? Will her relationship with Jack hinder their investigations? And what about Evan Jones? He seems like the perfect man, but could he actually be the murderer?
One thing is for sure: someone close to Carolyn and Jack has a taste for killing.
A Taste For Danger
Jack Heart drinks to excess daily. His apartment is in shambles, he’s isolated himself from all his friends, and he stumbles to the couch every night to sleep off an alcoholic stupor. All that changes when he receives a phone call with a job offer from a man he barely knew. Asked to go undercover in an elite business, Jack is thrown into the deep end and hasn’t a clue what he’s in for— or looking for— until he starts asking questions.
Suddenly, Jack must track down an embezzler inside a swanky corporation riff with politics, game-playing, and treachery. The deeper Jack goes, the more dirt he finds. Can this out-of-place detective survive and still crack the case? Not to mention some of women he works with have plans for him—plans that are way more than he bargained for.
One thing is certain: Jack’s taste for danger will take him to the edge of disaster.
EXCERPT
Jack made sure to get his parking pass from the secretary for tomorrow. He wasn’t made of money, and today was gonna cost him twenty bucks. Cheryl followed him out, and they took the elevator down together. Jack thought this little get-together might be a good chance to interview her. What was she head of again? He couldn’t remember. He’d have to ask her. His instincts told him to wait until the bar.
Jack made sure to put his briefcase in the trunk. Cheryl brought a satchel with her and sat up front. She directed him out. Apparently she lived not too far away from him, although in the city, even a block of traffic could turn a short drive into an hour. Stuck in rush hour, Cheryl made small-talk.
“So you dined with the big cheese today?” She opened.
“Word gets around fast.”
“Yes, anytime someone from HQ comes, everyone knows it. Knows to be on their toes.”
“I see.”
“What they can’t figure out is whether to be on their toes around you.”
Now he got it. She was on a scouting mission for the office. He wondered if they drew straws. “I’m just a nobody,” he said.
“I doubt that,” said Cheryl, “or the Deputy VP wouldn’t have taken such an interest in you. So what are you here to do?”
She said it smiling and casual, but underneath he could feel the shark in her.
“I’m not allowed to discuss the details,” he said.
“Oh my,” said Cheryl and raised her hands as if she was being held up. “Never mind. I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
“Thanks,” he said, then stayed quiet. She didn’t try to pry anymore. He wondered if she would after a few drinks. Wait. That was his plan. Who was playing who here?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ABOUT K D ROSE
K.D. Rose is a poet and author who currently has published “Heavy Bags of Soul”, “Inside Sorrow”, “I AM”, “Erasing: Shadows”, “Anger’s Children: Three Shorts That Will Blow Your Mind”, “A Taste for Mystery: Two Novellas” and her new release, “The Brevity of Twit”.
K.D.’s book, Inside Sorrow won the Readers Favorite 2013 international Silver Medal for Poetry. With fellow authors around the globe, KD was also a founding member of the e-magazine, INNOVATE.
K.D. has an eclectic mind and loves language, physics, philosophy, photography, design, art, writing, symbolism, semiotics, spirituality, and Dr. Who. KD Rose is an avid supporter of music, the arts, cutting edge science, technology, and creativity in all forms. K.D also has a chronic illness but doesn’t let it get her down. K.D. considers herself a “Spoonie” on the lam.
There are two (2) giveaway opportunities available.
Find out more information at the end of the post!
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Stay away from the window, don’t go outside when it’s storming and whatever you do, do not touch the orb.
Twelve-year-old Joshua Cooper’s grandpa has always warned him about the dangers of lightning. But Joshua never put much stock in his grandpa’s rumblings as anything more than the ravings of an old man with a vast imagination. Then one night, when Joshua and his best friend are home alone during a frightful storm, Joshua learns his grandpa was right. A bolt of lightning strikes his house and whisks away his best friend—possibly forever.
To get him back, Joshua must travel the Lightning Road to a dark place that steals children for energy. But getting back home and saving his friend won’t be easy, as Joshua must face the terrifying Child Collector and fend off ferocious and unnatural beasts intent on destroying him.
In this world, Joshua possesses powers he never knew he had, and soon, Joshua’s mission becomes more than a search for his friend. He means to send all the stolen children home—and doing so becomes the battle of his life.
Title: Joshua and the Lightning Road
Publication date: May 19, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Donna Galanti
Donna is the author of the Joshua and The Lightning Road series and the Element Trilogy. She is a contributing editor to International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs at www.project-middle-grade-mayhem.blogs…, a cooperative of published middle grade authors. Visit her at www.donnagalanti.com and www.ElementTrilogy.com. Donna wanted to be a writer ever since she wrote a murder mystery screenplay at seven and acted it out with the neighborhood kids. She attended an English school housed in a magical castle, where her wild imagination was held back only by her itchy uniform (bowler hat and tie included!). There she fell in love with the worlds of C.S. Lewis and Roald Dahl, and wrote her first fantasy about Dodo birds, wizards, and a flying ship (and has been writing fantasy ever since). She’s lived in other exotic locations, including her family-owned campground in New Hampshire and in Hawaii where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives with her family and two crazy cats in an old farmhouse and dreams of returning one day to a castle.
To enter: Pre-order Joshua and the Lightning Road from your favorite bookseller and email proof of purchase to LightningRoadContest@gmail.com.
First Prize: Apple iPad Mini 16GB
Second Prize: $25 B&N Gift Card
Third Prize: Signed map of the book’s world, the Lost Realm
Proof of purchase must be received before May 17th, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. EST to qualify. Open to U.S. residents only. Winners will be chosen using a random number generator and notified by May 22, 2015.
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Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Three Days to Forever is the ninth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.
Title: Joshua and the Lightning Road
