Interview & Giveaway – Forbidden Things by Nikki McCormack

Posted on August 4, 2015 by fundinmental

FS_TourBanner_ForbiddenThingsDissident

Do you like to walk on the dark side? Check out Forbidden Things: Dissident by Nikki McCormack and get a taste of how bad things can get.

I love finding out about the covers of books. Do you choose a book by its cover?

INTERVIEW

Can you describe your dream home?

My dream home wouldn’t need to be too extraordinary. I would have a few special spaces, including a cat room or dedicated outdoor cat enclosure, a two or three story tower with a spiral staircase (the door to which would be hidden behind a movable bookcase) which would house my writing office, and I wouldn’t mind a movie theater. An ocean view would be a nice bonus.

That doesn’t seem to be too much to ask for. LOLIf we were to come to your house for a meal, what would you give us to eat?

I would make seared ahi tuna in wasabi butter sauce. I love making this for dinner guests because it means I get to eat it too.

That would be great, because I don’t cook. I’ll do the clean up, though. Tell us about the absolute BEST fan letter you have received.

I’ve gotten some great fan mail from my book, The Girl and the Clockwork Cat, but I think my favorite bit of fan mail is still from a ten-year-old girl regarding the short story, Beyond the Twilight Zone, published in the November and December 2007 issues of Cricket magazine. The letter reads:

“I absolutly love love love your magazine! my favorite story so far has been beyond the twilight zone, November-December. Way to keep the suspence going!”

The next sentence says that her favorite books are the Harry Potter series. Yeah, that one made me smile a lot.

It’s wonderful that you are able to reach a young audience and help them appreciate the love of a good book. Say your publisher has offered to fly you anywhere in the world to do research on an upcoming book, where would you most likely want to go?

I would be tempted to go back to Ireland. One of my other books in progress begins there and I would love to see so much more of that country. Alternatively, I might ask to go to Malta to visit some of the ancient ruins there. I often find inspiration when I’m in any place where I can be surrounded by history. The older the better.

They both sound like a wonderful place to absorb the feel of a setting you are writing about. Who designed the book cover for the book you are touring?

Raquel Neira (http://kellieart.deviantart.com) did the cover art for Dissident. She was selected by my publisher to do the cover art for The Girl and the Clockwork Cat. I thought she did a great job on that project so I approached her to do the art for the Forbidden Things series when I decided to self-publish.

It is fantastic that the cover designer appeals to you so much, you are able to keep a working relationship going into the self publishing world. Congratulations and thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.

Add me to Goodreads now.

Forbidden Things: Book One – Dissident

by Nikki McCormack

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

BLURB

Ascard power can strengthen, heal and create. It also has great potential to destroy, enough to topple entire governments. Indigo’s country places strict limitations on the use of ascard so she must channel her talents into the healing arts or risk severe punishment. An orphan from a disgraced family, trapped by her father’s treason, Indigo struggles to reclaim her place in a society that has driven her into an abusive engagement.

Then a mysterious stranger from a neighboring country contacts her using ascard. He needs help escaping his prison so he can bring an end to his emperor’s oppressive rule or die trying. His unshakable devotion to his cause and the passion hidden behind his cool arrogance move her to help him at the risk of being branded a traitor herself.

When the politics of society bring them together a second time, Indigo decides to use her growing powers to help him fight his war. If only she dared fight for her own future with such passion. Perhaps she can find the courage to do so by helping the man she has fallen for win his revolution. She might have exactly the power he needs to succeed.

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

EXCERPT

Her attention wandered to the fountain sprouting up in the center of a nearby courtyard, simple and elegant like a great stonework lily. A man stood by the fountain, watching water droplets falling with the shimmer of multicolored gems in the bright sunlight. Long silver hair hung to the middle of his back like a frozen waterfall. His smooth pale skin and unusual hair marked him as Lyran, but his regal bearing and rich attire didn’t befit a slave or merchant.

Curious. “Have you seen him before?”

Andrea turned, following her gaze. “Who?”

“The man beside the fountain.”

“There’s no one by the fountain.”

Andrea’s reply tugged at her awareness, but the silver-haired Lyran was turning toward them now. His pale eyes met hers and the air pressed from her lungs as if a corset were being pulled too tight. The buildings lurched and spun in her vision.

“Indigo?”

She sank to her knees. Andrea crouched down with her, her eyes wide and frightened. She held Indigo’s shoulders tight, her lips moving. Indigo heard only the pounding of blood in her ears.

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

ABOUT NIKKI MCCORMACK

Nikki McCormack Nikki started writing her first novel at the age of 12 (which is still tucked away in a briefcase in her office). Despite a successful short story publication with Cricket Magazine in 2007, she treated her writing addiction as a hobby until a drop in the economy left her with an abundance of free time to focus on making it her career.

Nikki lives in the magnificent Pacific Northwest tending to her awesome husband, two sweet horses, three manipulative cats, and a crazy dog. She’s a wine and tea fanatic who loves sitting on the ocean in her kayak surrounded by open water or hanging from a rope in a cave, embraced by darkness and the sound of dripping water. She also enjoys horseback riding, archery, PC gaming, dancing, good anime, etc. She studies Japanese and practices Iaido because she believes we should never stop learning.

Twitter handle: @Author_NikkiMc I Facebook I Goodreads I Blog I Amazon I B&N

Elysium Palace: http://www.elysiumpalace.com/dissident

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

GIVEAWAY

The author will award a $50 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow the tour and comment, the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Follow the tour HERE.

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

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.

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

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

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Can A Ghost Love – Giveaway & Guest Post – A Thin Slice of Heaven by p m terrell

Posted on July 27, 2015 by fundinmental

VBT_TourBanner_AThinSliceOfHeaven

A Thin Slice of Heaven by p m terrell has so much going on, I couldn’t help but check it out. A mass haunting and a new love, even though he does not belong in the land of the living.

I love this cover. I see it as a digital painting and think is is very creatively done. I am a “cover girl” and I am so happy to have p m terrell here today to tell us about her covers.

GUEST POST

A BOOK AND ITS COVER

When asked to select my favorite cover from my nineteen released titles, I find myself wavering. I have several favorites and for different reasons.

The Pendulum Files is the most eye-catching cover, and it placed as a finalist in the Best Cover Design in 2014. For that reason, when all my books are displayed together, my eyes always gravitate toward that one. It shows a ship at sunset on the open seas, which factors into the plot of the book where ships are being destroyed at sea but no one is taking credit for the action, leaving the United States government to unravel the mystery. The pendulum is on the cover as well; CIA psychic spy Vicki Boyd continues to hear a pendulum and knows it will lead to the culprits.

The White Devil of Dublin has a white background, which is unusual in today’s market. It depicts the image of a man’s eyes, brows and nose, which is meant to represent the albino Viking invader of Dublin, Hvitr Bard, or The White Devil. The image is taken from an actual photograph of Hunter Dorton, the son of John Dorton, a renowned international photographer (www.johndortonphotography.com). John took the photograph of his son himself.

I have sometimes had input in the cover design but sometimes I will see the cover after the book is in production. My least favorite cover is a pink one. It was released eight years ago at a time when I truly disliked the color pink—I think it had more to do with my efforts to be taken seriously as a suspense novelist than with the color itself—and I was horrified when I saw the cover. Unfortunately, I had no decision-making influence.

Other covers have depicted places where the book is set: Vicki’s Key shows a haunted house in which CIA psychic spy Vicki Boyd moves; Dylan’s Song shows a cemetery based on an actual photograph taken in Ireland—the cemetery is central to the unraveling of Dylan’s story; and my latest, A Thin Slice of Heaven, shows the castle in which Charleigh is stranded for the weekend due to an unusual snowstorm. Her room is in the turret and the castle begins to come alive with ghostly hauntings and secrets from centuries past.

Add me to Goodreads now.

A Thin Slice of Heaven by p.m.terrell

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

BLURB

She had arranged to meet her husband in Northern Ireland for a second honeymoon, but when Charleigh arrives at the remote castle, she receives a message that he won’t be coming—and that he’s leaving her for another woman.

Stranded for the weekend by a snowstorm that has blocked all access to the castle, she finds herself three thousand miles from home in a country she knows nothing about.

She is soon joined by Sean Bracken, the great-grandson of Laird Bracken, the original owner of the castle, and she finds herself falling quickly and madly in love with him. There’s just one problem: he’s dead.

As the castle begins to come alive with secrets from centuries past, she finds herself trapped between parallel worlds. Caught up in a mass haunting, she can no longer recognize the line between the living and the dead. Now she’s discovering that her appearance there wasn’t by accident—and her life is about to change forever.

EXCERPT

He moved closer to her until he was leaning over her, looking deeply into her eyes. She felt his presence more than she recalled feeling any living being, and yet she knew… She didn’t know what she knew, she realized. It was beyond her comprehension.

Her eyes traveled along his shirt. It appeared custom made and fit him like a glove. She reached out to stroke the fabric. It felt coarse and yet soft, as if the fibers had originally been more abrasive than modern-day clothing, but it had been worn into a suppleness like her favorite pair of slippers. Her fingers traveled along the sleeve. She felt his muscle beneath it, rippling slightly as her fingertips pressed more deeply against him. The seconds passed as she continued moving along his arm until she felt the short, fine hair on the back of his hand. Then she traveled upward once more, memorizing the contours until her palm rested across his shoulder.

He never said a word but his eyes didn’t leave hers, even when her own scrutinized the hand-sewn seam of his shirt sleeve that lay a few inches below his shoulder, or the folds of fabric in the sleeve that was just short of billowing, or the carefully constructed cuff with the slightly misshapen, handmade buttons.

When her palm reached his face and her fingers followed the line of his jaw, she asked hesitantly, “How is it that I can—?” She stopped herself. Maybe she didn’t want to know. Maybe if she knew, he would disappear and she would be left alone in this massive castle. Perhaps if he wasn’t here, the moon and the stars would seem to disintegrate as well until she was left with nothing but the inky blackness of a night that would feel too long and too painful to endure.

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

ABOUT p m terrell

AuthorPhoto_AThinSliceOfHeaven p.m.terrell is the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell, a multi-award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than twenty books in five genres: contemporary suspense, historical suspense, romance, computer how-to and non-fiction.

Prior to writing full-time, she founded two computer companies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. Among her clients were the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Secret Service, U.S. Information Agency, and Department of Defense. Her specialties were in white collar computer crimes and computer intelligence, themes that have carried forward to her suspense.

She is also the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, an organization committed to raising public awareness of the correlation between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. She is the organizer and chairperson of Book ‘Em North Carolina, an annual event held in the real town of Lumberton, North Carolina, to raise funds to increase literacy and reduce crime. For more information on this event and the literacy campaigns funded by it, visit www.bookemnc.org.

Website / Twitter / Blog / Facebook

Buy links: Amazon / B&N / Smashwords

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

GIVEAWAY

p.m.terrell will be awarding a Celtic Butterfly Suncatcher similar to the one mentioned in the book, symbolizing both the never-ending cycle of life and the metamorphosis of a butterfly to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER HERE

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE

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

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.

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

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

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Madison’s Song by Christine Amsden

Posted on July 15, 2015 by fundinmental

SBB_TourBanner_MadisonsSong copy

Welcome to my stop for Madison’s Song by Christine Amsden.

I love the cover and all the subtle clues about the story.

Add me to Goodreads now.

BLURB

Her voice is enchanting; his soul is black…

Madison Carter has been terrified of Scott Lee since the night he saved her from an evil sorcerer – then melted into a man-eating monster before her eyes. The werewolf is a slave to the moon, but Madison’s nightmares are not.

Despite her fears, when Madison’s brother, Clinton, is bitten by a werewolf, she knows there is only one man who can help. A man who frightens her all the more because even in her nightmares, he also thrills her.

Together for the first time since that terrible night, Scott and Madison drive to Clinton’s home only to discover that he’s vanished. Frantic now, Madison must overcome her fears and uncover hidden strengths if she hopes to save him. And she’s not the only one fighting inner demons. Scott’s are literal, and they have him convinced that he will never deserve the woman he loves.

*Stand-alone companion to the Cassie Scot series.

Buy Links: Amazon I B&N

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

EXCERPT

“Silence,” David commanded.

Her throat continued to work, but no sound emerged. She felt like a fish being gutted, choking and spluttering as David returned to the work of cutting into the soft, sensitive flesh of her belly. Yet even as tears refilled her eyes and fear devoured her heart, some part of her recognized that her guts remained intact. Whatever David was doing to her with the dagger involved tracing shallow patterns across the surface of her skin.

Fight the pain. Take deep breaths. Ground and center. She was not in the empty living room of a house she had not quite moved into yet, she was at church, singing in the choir. Above her, Jesus hung from a cross, a crown of thorns atop his head, a soft glow surrounding him. She usually found the magic within that glow. She reached for it…

“Stop that!” David slapped her hard across the face.

Once again her eyes flew open. She saw the dagger dripping with blood – her blood. Had her feeble grab for magic actually made a difference? David seemed to have noticed something, but what?

“You’re just making this harder on yourself,” David said.

“What do you want?” Madison tried to ask. Her mouth moved, her lips forming the question, but no sound emerged.

She didn’t think he would answer; he couldn’t even have heard the question, but to her surprise he only hesitated a moment before saying, “Your soul.”

ABOUT CHRISTINE AMSDEN

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that affects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.

In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.

Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.

Website I Newsletter I Blog I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Google+ I

Amazon Author Page I BN Author Page

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

GIVEAWAY

Christine Amsden is awarding a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter a $10 Amazon/BN gift card.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow the tour and comment, the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Follow the tour HERE.

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

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.

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

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

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Center of Gravity by Laura McNeill

Posted on July 14, 2015 by fundinmental

SBB_TourBanner_CenterOfGravity copy

Center of Gravity by Laura McNeill is a twisted tale of a couple whose life is not what it seems. When Ava’s children come up missing, she will stop at nothing to get them back. How far would you go?

Add me to Goodreads now.

Center of Gravity by Laura McNeill

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

BLURB

Her whole life, Ava Carson has been sure of one thing: she doesn’t measure up to her mother’s expectations. So when Mitchell Carson sweeps into her life with his adorable son, the ready-made family seems like a dream come true.

In the blink of an eye, she’s married, has a new baby, and life is grand.

Or is it?

When her picture-perfect marriage begins unraveling at the seams, Ava convinces herself she can fix it. It’s temporary. It’s the stress. It’s Mitchell’s tragic history of loss.

If only Ava could believe her own excuses.

Mitchell is no longer the charming, thoughtful man she married. He grows more controlling by the day, revealing a violent jealous streak. His behavior is recklessly erratic, and the unanswered questions about his past now hint at something far more sinister than Ava can stomach. Before she can fit the pieces together, Mitchell files for divorce and demands full custody of their boys.

Fueled by fierce love for her children and aided by Graham Thomas, a new attorney in town —Ava takes matters into her own hands, digging deep into the past. But will finding the truth be enough to beat Mitchell at his own game?

Center of Gravity weaves a chilling tale, revealing the unfailing and dangerous truth that things—and people—are not always what they seem.

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

EXCERPT

When your children are stolen, the pain swallows you whole. Logic fades, reason retreats. Desperation permeates the tiniest crevices of your mind. Nothing soothes the ache in your wounded soul.

Right in front of me, my sweet, charmed life fell to pieces. Everything destroyed; a hailstorm’s wrath on a field of wildflowers. All I’d known—gone. Foolish me, I’d believed in magic, clung tight to false promises. The lies, spoken from tender lips, haunt me now, follow me, and whisper into my ear like a scorned lover.

What’s left is emptiness.

Give up, a voice urges. Let go.

No! I argue back. My children aren’t gone. Not yet. Precious and delicate, tiny fossils, they exist in glass-boxed isolation. Hidden. Protected.

And so tonight, I run. Blood pulses through my legs, my muscles protest; my lungs scream for more oxygen. Thick storm clouds brew in the distance. The rain falls in blinding sheets. The force of it pricks my skin like needles, but the pain only makes me push harder.

I will rescue them.

Lightning flashes across the wet driveway. The bulk of his truck looms large in the black night. I skid to a stop and catch my breath, pressing a hand to my heaving chest.

They’re here. My children are here.

Thunder booms and crashes, nearer now, the wind whips my hair. A gust tosses tree branches to the ground. Birds cry and flutter to safety. An escaped sandbox bucket spins, clattering on the blacktop.

I grasp the railing and pull myself up the steps. At the top, the door’s shiny-slick with water and humidity. Mother Nature howls and drowns out my knocking.

“Hello! Can you hear me?” With my palm open wide, I slap at the barrier, willing it to open. I will rescue my children. I will rescue them . . . or I will die trying.

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

ABOUT LAURA McNEILL

MediaKit_AuthorPhoto_CenterOfGravity After six years behind the anchor desk at two CBS affiliates, Laura moved to the Alabama Gulf Coast to raise her family. Her accolades in broadcasting include awards from the Associated Press, including Best News Anchor and Best Specialized Reporter.

Laura works at Spring Hill College as the school’s web content and social media manager and is active in her community—participating in fundraisers for the American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House, and Providence Hospital’s Festival of Flowers.

Laura was recently awarded a 2-book deal with Thomas Nelson Publishing, a division of HarperCollins. Her novel, Center of Gravity, set in Mobile, Ala., will be published in July of 2015. Laura is represented by Elizabeth Winick Rubenstein, president of McIntosh and Otis literary agency in New York. Her writing awards include those from William Faulkner-Wisdom Creative Writing Competition, Writer’s Digest, RWA, and the Eric Hoffer competition.

She holds a master’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in interactive technology from the University of Alabama. She is a native of Upstate New York and currently resides near the Alabama Gulf Coast with her two children.

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Goodreads / Instagram

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

GIVEAWAY

Laura McNeill will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn host.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

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.

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

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

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Clones, Twins…Nope – Giveaway – Everywhere It’s You by C B Salem

Posted on July 8, 2015 by fundinmental

SBB_TourBanner_EverywhereItsYou copy

For a change, the cover and title were not what made me want to share this book with you. It was the blurb. Imagine you are looking for someone, but he appears everywhere you look, as if cloned.

Will the real Landon Tatum please stand up?

Add me to Goodreads now.

EVERYWHERE IT’S YOU by C.B. Salem

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

BLURB

Legal investigator Kristina Andersen has been drugged.

It started when she came into work and was tasked with finding the firm’s biggest client: the intense, enigmatic pharmaceuticals billionaire Landon Tatum.

She’d just had a sexy encounter with him while working a birthday party undercover at a seedy strip club the previous night. Now he’s missing, and she needs to find him.

Problem: the drug coursing through her veins makes it so every man she sees looks like the man she’s looking for.

And that’s just the start of it.

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

EXCERPT

Her last-night’s-self walked to the front of the room, balancing gracefully on very high heels as the first guest arrived. Then another bout of nausea washed over her, fogging her mind. Her eyes had to be lying.

Landon Tatum had just entered the room.

This was wrong. He’d come in later, she knew it. Fifteen minutes before the birthday boy, maybe twenty. There had been more than a dozen people there. Even Fordelli, the man she had come to watch, had arrived first. She’d been watching very carefully and this wasn’t the kind of thing she’d forget.

He wore a black suit, black shirt and a silver tie. That wasn’t right either. But the clean-cut, brown hair, the thin-lipped mouth, the dark eyes, they were as she’d remembered. The perfect, sharp cheek bones with a slightly crooked nose that looked like it had been broken in a fight once and never fixed. It was the kind of “blemish” she couldn’t take her eyes off of.

She breathed shallowly. This was wrong. When had she become this attracted to him? Until recently, she’d thought of him as an attractive guy. Not mouth-watering can’t-take-my-eyes-off. That hadn’t happened to her since high school.

She watched herself approach to offer him a drink. Then the next guest came in, to the right of where her eyes had been focused.

Tatum again. Sharp cheeks. Slightly crooked nose. Dark, perceptive eyes.

Another black suit, black shirt, but this time a blue tie. She flicked her eyes between the two of them. They were both there. She was seeing two of him.

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

ABOUT C B SALEM

C.B. Salem lives, writes, and dreams in Chicago. When she isn’t reading or plotting the next scene in her book, she enjoys cooking new dishes and having quality cuddles with her two dogs: Murphy and Oliver.

Website / Twitter: @cbsalem / Facebook / Buy on Amazon

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

GIVEAWAY

C.B. Salem will award a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter a $20 Amazon/BN GC.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER HERE

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE.

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

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.

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

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

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – The Violet Crow by Michael Sheldon

Posted on July 6, 2015 by fundinmental

Welcome to my stop for Violet Crow by Michael Sheldon.

MBB_TourBanner_TheVioletCrow copy

I love the wicked cover and the premise of the book.

The paranormal and a mystery, sounds like a winner.

Add to Goodreads now.

THE VIOLET CROW by Michael Sheldon

BLURB

How do you solve the ultimate mystery, where the murder victim has no identity and there’s no physical evidence? You go psychic—deep psychic—and hire Bruno X. Sure, you’re going to have to put up with some Yiddish trash talk and recycled borsht belt shtick. But he’s the only one who can who can stop the crime spree in the ordinarily placid Quaker community of Gardenfield, New Jersey.

Follow Bruno X in Michael Sheldon’s fictional debut, THE VIOLET CROW as he fends off rabid journalists and feckless politicians; untangles webs of deceit in Professor Littlejohn’s Deviant Behavior 101 class; reveals why the Quakers are still fighting over decades-old military medical experiments; and finally, uncovers the secrets of the biotechnology firm whose symbol is The Violet Crow.

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

EXCERPT

Introducing Gardenfield and Chief Buddy Black

The borough of Gardenfield is home to some 35,000 peaceful souls nestled in the friendly confines marked by Tiny’s Package Store to the north, the J. Kilmer Pub to the east, Lillian’s Tavern to the south, and the Tiki Lounge to the west. A Philadelphia suburb, it is a prosperous community with colonial roots and a variety of pretensions, including a prohibition on the sale of alcoholic beverages within Gardenfield proper. In fact, thirsty Gardenfielders simply have to drive past the town limits on any of the major roads, in order to enjoy a beer or a cocktail.

Buddy Black was not a drinking man by habit. Nor was he averse to dropping by a tavern from time to time, to see what the locals were up to and let off some steam after work. Tonight he made a beeline for Lillian’s. It had been a while. Lillian greeted him at the door. Rail thin and dyed blond, she appeared to be in her 60s and to subsist on nothing but whisky, cigarettes, and conversation. She welcomed Buddy with a hug. “Hi, hon. Nice to see you again. She’s expecting you.”

“How could she be expecting me? I only decided to come here 10 minutes ago.”

“We read the papers, too, y’know.”

“I’m that predictable…?” The Chief freed himself from Lil’s embrace and headed for the bar. “Daisy, did you really know I’d come here tonight?”

The woman behind the bar was dressed in tight jeans and a low-cut flower-print top. She was busy polishing a wine glass, and didn’t look up until she’d finished her task. Then she flashed a smile that was warmer than Lil’s rather spectral hug. “Buddy! I haven’t seen you since—what?—Bay of Pigs. It’s about time you came to see me.” Without asking she opened a bottle of Rolling Rock and set it down in front of the Chief.

ABOUT MICHAEL SHELDON

MediaKit_AuthorPhoto_TheVioletCrow Michael was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Haddonfield, New Jersey. His father was a dentist, which accounts for his sense of humor. His mother, a Jewish mother without peer, instilled in him the idea that the world doesn’t owe you a living—and a love of raw oysters and dry martinis. His training in the craft of storytelling came from reading the masters beginning with Chaucer and Rabelais, through Sterne, to MacDonald and Westlake

Website / Liberty Island Mag / Amazon / Twitter

BUY LINKS: Amazon / B&N

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

GIVEAWAY

Michael Sheldon will award a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter a $10 Amazon/BN gift card.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER HERE

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-blast-violet-crow-by-michael.html

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

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.

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

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental

Giveaway ~ Time Traveling Hookers by S E Burr

Posted on June 12, 2015 by fundinmental

MBB_TourBanner_TimeTravelingHookers copy

S. E. Burr’s title, TIME TRAVELING HOOKERS, sounded way too funny to me and I just had to share it. 😳

SYNOPSIS

Three modern day roommates and recent college grads take a time machine back to the Wild West. The time machine breaks, stranding them in the past where they are forced to join a brothel to survive.

With the help of future technology, they’re able to trick their customers into thinking they’re getting what they pay for, without actually having to do the deed.

But the scam involves getting much more up close and personal with smelly, 19th century hicks than germaphobe and prude, Anastasia, is comfortable with.

One customer seems sweeter, more attractive, and better groomed than the rest. Could she actually fall for a cowboy from the dirty, disgusting past?

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

EXCERPT

“I’m not going to have sex with him,” said Anastasia.

“With who?” said Beth.

“With him,” Anastasia repeated.

“Who him?” asked Mare.

“Him, John,” Anastasia said.

“John?” Mare bit her lip, confused.

Beth sighed. “Who’s John, Anastasia?”

“John is what the men who have sex with prostitutes are called.”

“What? All of them?” Mare asked.

Anastasia nodded.

“No,” Beth said. “They are not all named John. Not only men named John have sex with whores.”

“Language!” said Anastasia.

Beth groaned. “That’s quite enough, Anastasia. If we’re going to do this you’ll have to get far less prudish about many things. Language is the least of them.”

“I’m not going to do this,” Anastasia said. “I already told you. I’m not going to have sex with him.”

“Who?” Mare asked again.

“Anyone!” Anastasia said.

“You’re not going to have sex with anyone?” asked Beth. Her voice sounded mocking. “Ever?”

“Maybe,” said Anastasia, “Maybe not, but I’m certainly not going to have sex with anyone in this century. Do you have any idea how filthy they are?”

Beth laughed. “No filthier than you are,” she said.

Mare grimaced. “She has a point, Anastasia.”

“I know,” said Anastasia, looking down at herself. She had a strong desire to pinch her nose. She was dirty, absolutely covered in dust. To see it, to feel it on her skin, made her cringe. She hated, HATED, being dirty, but here she was dressed in a ridiculous gold-rush era dress that somehow collected every speck of soil, decay, and body odor around and on her.

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

AUTHOR Bio and Links

S.E. Burr wrote Time Traveling Hookers over the course of a weekend at a Tom Bird writing retreat in Santa Fe, NM. It is based on a dream she had a few weeks prior to the retreat, but she did no advanced planning of the plot. She was very surprised to discover that the story was a romance, as she did not often read romances, let alone write them. She quite enjoyed the experience and intends to write more romances in the future, but cautions that what she intends to write and what she actually writes can be two very different things.

She is the author of the young adult novel, Goblin Fruit, inspired by the poem “Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti. The sequel, Goblin Girl, is coming soon. It was inspired by her desire to find out more of the story.

A nearly lifelong resident of rural New Mexico, S.E. Burr loves the desert, her family, and her cat.

Twitter: @serinburr

BUY Links

The buy links will not be available until the day before the tour.

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

GIVEAWAY

The author is awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE

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

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.

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

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway ~ The Kaleidoscope by BK Nault

Posted on June 9, 2015 by fundinmental

SBB_TourBanner_TheKaleidoscope copy

I am a tree lover and this is a gorgeous tree. Add in some powers to the storyline and I am intrigued by The Kaleidoscope by BK Nault.

Add To Goodreads

THE KALEIDOSCOPE by B.K. Nault

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

BLURB

Harold Donaldson unwillingly becomes the custodian of a beautiful, handcrafted kaleidoscope that changes the viewer’s future and becomes the focus of evil operatives intent on capturing the kaleidoscope for nefarious purposes. Brilliant but socially inept, Harold has distanced himself from any connection to his dysfunctional childhood. Abandoned by a father accused of his mother’s death, Harold trusts no one until the ’scope forces him to accept a circle of friends he must rely on. To protect all their lives from imminent danger, Harold must discover the source of the ’scope’s mysterious powers. Just as he is on the verge of learning how it works and why his past connects to his future, he must face disturbing truths he’s run from all his life.

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

EXCERPT

Ruddy complexions were like skywriting, a girl in high school had told him once. The message may appear slowly, but everyone can see it for miles around and remember it for days. “I have to get back to work.” He gathered up his trash and headed for the can. When he turned around, Pepper was standing close, nose to his chin. “Tell Glenda hello.” Before he could go, she grabbed his arm.

“Harry, I really mean it. I am glad I saw…what I saw. Where did you get it again? Could I get one like it, or is that a one-of-a-kind thing?”

He told her about the encounter in the park with the homeless man. “It’s a mystery why he picked me.” He pictured the day of the handoff, the police hurrying the old guy away before he could explain himself. The police responding to his own complaint about the vagrants camping out. She was the first person he shared this with.

“You have been given much responsibility in many areas.” With that, she stood on tiptoe and pecked him on the cheek. “You have been given a gift. Thank you for sharing your magical looking-piece with me.”

“Um. You’re welcome. And thanks.” He demurred, dropping his hand from her grip. “But I don’t believe in magic.”

“A man of science and numbers, I get it.” She tipped her head sideways, considering him. “The mysteries of the universe reveal more than we see with our eyes or hear with our ears. If we slow down and really absorb what it’s trying to teach us, we might be surprised and delighted.” She poked a slender finger at his chest. “I choose to keep my mind open to the possibilities. What about you, Harry?”

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

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Bev’s a graduate of Texas A&M University and is multi-published in both fiction and nonfiction. She’s the co-author of the best selling and award winning, “Lessons from the Mountain, What I Learned from Erin Walton,” with the actress Mary McDonough. A former business writer, she’s dabbled in many things from working as a theatre set dresser and props mistress to riding horses at pre-Olympic levels, judging for the Miss America/California pageants, and escorting her kids to work in Hollywood as professional extras. Married to her high school sweetheart, they’ve lived in two countries and 6 states, but promise they’re not running from the law. A member of the RWA and ACFW, she also blogs, tweets and Pinterests when she’s not dreaming up new stories or planning a ’round the continent RV trip when said husband retires.

Website / Twitter / Pinterest / Facebook / Goodreads

BUY Links: Wild Rose Publishing / Amazon

Cover links to Amazon

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

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

The author will award a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE.

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

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.

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

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway ~ Hope by Sam Rook

Posted on May 28, 2015 by fundinmental

MBB_TourBanner_Hope copy

HOPE by Sam Rook

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

BLURB

The winged knights—magically altered humans—are the only ones defending the portal from Av’lor to Earth. With defeat imminent, they find an unlikely source of hope in software engineer, Kathryn.

Kathryn doubts her life could get any worse after the death of her mother and daughter. She realizes her mistake after she arrives on Av’lor with only part of her house and hungry creatures looking for their next meal. Once the knights bring her under their protection, she discovers their angry commander is far from welcoming.

Sir Lanclor, Commander of the Knighthood, lives with the curse of betrayal. While the treachery occurred lifetimes before, few see past his guarded shell to the grim man beneath. Barely holding the Knighthood together, his grip tightens when Kathryn joins their ranks. Her stubbornness and surprising strength not only energizes the knights, but also makes Sir Lanclor question his self-imposed isolation.

With the approach of an invading army, Kathryn and Sir Lanclor must find a way to end centuries of war and save two worlds.

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

EXCERPT

“That reminds me. The Ball of Remembrance is coming up in a few weeks. We should go together.”

“A ball? You mean with dancing and stuff?” Kathryn remembered some of the best times in her life on a dance floor.

“Yes. Don’t sound so surprised. In the middle of a war, this is one of the few times we can relieve stress. You have to go. There’ll be dancing, singing, drinking and a ton of food. Everyone tends to relax their guard a little, maybe get a little…friendly, if you know what I mean?” Elena’s smile was infectious.

“Wait. They’re not going to be having sex on the dance floor, are they?”

“Kate, men of Av’lor aren’t like that. They’ll at least take us someplace private.” Elena’s laugh made Kathryn smile and eventually join in.

“I think it would be a little awkward. I don’t know what any of the other knights look like beneath their armor. What if I hooked up with someone I work with every day? That would make things a little strained during drill the next day.” An officer would be even more awkward. Sir Garrent or Sir Lanclor. Even worse, what if it was Jakara? Knife training would have a whole new meaning.

“Oh, rank is suspended for the one day and it’s pretty anonymous. Everyone’s wings will be the same color. License to party.” Elena laughed and started thrusting her hips towards the bathtub with a sponge in one hand and a bottle of cleaner in the other.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Sam Rook lives in Vermont with her husband and two children. Her passion for fantasy novels began in high school with her desire to write following shortly thereafter. Software engineer by day, fantasy author by night, she strives to give her readers a chance to enjoy worlds that transport them away from the stress of everyday life.

Website / Author Central page / Amazon

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

GIVEAWAY

Sam Rook will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER HERE

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Click on the banner below to follow the tour.

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

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.

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

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway: Mermen by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Posted on May 18, 2015 by fundinmental

MBB_TourBanner_Mermen copy

I love merpeople, so I hope you enjoy this post as much as I did.

Be sure and enter the giveaway at the end of the post. 🙂

Add me to Goodreads

MERMEN

by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

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

BLURB

From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

These Mermen Don’t Have Tails, They’re Deadly as Hell, and They’ve Got Something He Wants…

INFAMOUS BACHELOR and SELF-MADE BILLIONAIRE ROEN DORAN IS A BASTARD. Yes, he knows it. And no, he doesn’t care. He’s got money and power, and he depends on no one. But when his estranged father dies, willing him a secret island, Roen will come face to face with an even bigger secret: its occupants. And these savage, sea-obsessed warriors are quick to make their position clear: Leave now or die.

There’s only one problem. Nobody tells Roen what to do. Ever. Oh, and one other thing. He’s just met the island’s other new “guest” and something about her brings out his possessive side.

SOLE SHIPWRECK SURVIVOR LIV STRATTON had been adrift at sea for ten grueling days when salvation miraculously appeared: an uncharted island. Only, the deceivingly beautiful men who live there aren’t interested in saving her. No, not at all. Because they somehow believe she is their property, a gift from the ocean to do with as they please. This is not good.

Her only hope? Billionaire Roen Doran, of all people. A man who’s said to care for nothing and no one. But if he’s so heartless, then why is he about to risk everything to help her?

~ ~ ~

NOTE FROM MIMI ABOUT MERMEN: Anyone who has read the Accidental Series or King knows I love to flip things on their heads. Mermen is no exception. THIS IS NOT A FLUFFY STORY ABOUT men with fins and tails who sweep ladies off their feet and make them long to be mermaids. Uh-uh. This is NOT that kind of story. Nobody in their right mind would want to hang out with these very beautiful yet dangerous men (who don’t actually have tails, fins, or gills, by the way) NOR would anyone want to be their mates. Well, at least, not me! Run. Away!!

Hope you enjoy the ride. – MIMI

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

EXCERPT

Bump. Bump.

“What the fuck was that?” Twenty-nine-year-old Liv Stratton sat up in her sagging life raft, trying to stay conscious.

Bump.

There it is again. Liv’s eyes skimmed the perimeter but saw nothing. Well, except the warm March sun glaring off an endless stretch of eerily calm North Pacific. Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to—

From the corner of her eye, she caught a splash about a hundred yards out. It appeared to be…

Wait. She leaned forward. Is that…is that? No. You did not just see a naked man swimming. The dehydration was playing tricks on her, making her believe she’d just seen a tanned, muscular form floating on his back, everything on display.

You’re hallucinating again. Liv sighed and flopped back onto the raft, shoving her sticky dark hair over her eyes to block the sun from her face. I’m so thirsty. I’m so thirsty. Oh God…

It had been ten days since the fishing boat capsized in a storm, taking with it the crew of eight to the bottom of the ocean. Now she wished she’d gone with them instead of having been ordered into the life raft. “What about your crew? What about you?” she’d screamed over the roar of wind and relentless waves pounding the side of the vessel. Captain Harris, a man in his late seventies with a weather-beaten face, flashed his crooked teeth. “We are men of the sea, my dear. Here we live, and here we will die.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Remy Pamfiloff

New York Times and USA Today bestselling Romance author, host of the radio talk show, Man Candy, on Radioslot.com.

When San Francisco native Mimi Jean went on an adventure as an exchange student to Mexico City, she never imagined the journey would lead to writing Romance. But one MBA, one sexy husband, and two rowdy kids later, Mimi would trade in corporate life for vampires, deities, and snarky humor.

She continues to hope that her books will inspire a leather pants comeback (for men) and that she might make you laugh when you need it most.

She also enjoys interacting with her fans (especially if they’re batshit crazy). You can always find her chatting away on Facebook, Twitter, or saying many naughty words on her show MAN CANDY on Radioslot.com !

Find out more about Mimi and upcoming books at www.mimijean.net.

BUY Links: Book is priced at $0.99

Amazon / B&N

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

GIVEAWAY

The author is giving away the following 10 prizes:

PRIZE #1:Mermen Pillow + Signed Mermen

PRIZE #2: Mug + Signed Mermen

PRIZES #3-7: Tote + Signed Mermen

PRIZES #8-9: Signed Set of KING Trilogy + Signed Mermen #1&2

PRIZE #10: KING TRILOGY Audiobooks on CD + Signed Mermen #1&2

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER HERE