Wednesday 30 April 2014

BLOG TOUR - EXCERPT - BAD KARMA IN THE BIG EASY BY D.J. DONALDSON


Best-Selling Author Serves Up Creole And Crime With
Bad Karma In The Big Easy! 

Title: Bad Karma In The Big Easy Bk#7
Series: Andy Broussard / Kit Franklin Series
Author: D.J. Donaldson
Publisher: Aster & Blue Editions LLC


BLURB from Goodreads
Andy Broussard, the plump and proud New Orleans medical examiner, obviously loves food. Less apparent to the casual observer is his hatred of murderers. Together with his gorgeous sidekick, psychologist Kit Franklyn, the two make a powerful, although improbable, mystery-solving duo. Among the dead collected in The Big Easy floodwaters after Hurricane Katrina are three nude female bodies, all caught in the same brush tangle, none with water in their lungs. Broussard knows in his ample gut that this was not an act of God, and not the work of Katrina. But Broussard has perhaps the biggest challenge of his colorful career. The city and all its records are destroyed, practically the entire population is scattered, the police force has no offices, and many of the rank and file (who haven't defected) are homeless. Soon, Broussard and his sidekick are on a dangerous journey through the obscenely damaged city, leading them to a kind of evil that neither of them could imagine.


 SERIES LINKS




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Don is a retired professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology.  His entire academic career was spent at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, where he published dozens of papers on wound healing and taught microscopic anatomy to over 5,000 medical and dental students.  He is also the author of seven published forensic mysteries and five medical thrillers. He lives in Memphis, Tennessee with his wife and two West Highland Terriers.  In the spring of most years he simply cannot stop buying new flowers and other plants for the couple’s backyard garden.


EXCERPT

They reached the store’s kicked-in front door a few seconds later. Flashlight on, Broussard went in first, Kit following closely.
Inside the store, they played their flashlight beams around the dank interior. At first they saw nothing but mud-caked floorboards and walls pockmarked with starbursts of mold, then Kit’s light picked up a chain hanging from the ceiling. Following it up, she saw it was attached to a large screw eye. Walking her beam back down the rope, she discovered a large metal hook on the other end. By now, Broussard was looking at it, too.
“What do you suppose that was used for?” Kit said.
“Hangin’ somethin’.”
“What?”
But Broussard had already turned away to see what else might be found. His light located some twisted chrome rods and a pair of loose wheels that together, were probably once a rolling wardrobe trolley. It didn’t take much detective work to arrive at that conclusion because the chrome wreckage was lying on a clot of muddy clothing. With Kit supplementing his light with hers, Broussard walked over to the clothes, knelt, and began pulling at the matted, muddy mess to see what kind of clothes they were.
The first piece to come free was apparently a dress. He reached down and worked another edge free.
A much brighter light than either of the ones they carried suddenly blasted them from the doorway. They both turned to see who was there.
“Look,” a mocking voice said. “Looters. I don’t think there’s a lower form of humanity than people who would take advantage of a catastrophe for personal gain. We should instruct them and set them on a better path.”
“The woman’s a major babe,” a second voice said.
With the light shining in her eyes, it was hard to see through it, but Kit thought there were only two of them.
Were they carrying guns? She couldn’t tell. If she reached for hers and pointed it at them, the natural response would be for them to start shooting. If she was going to produce the Ladysmith, better to just start blasting away with it. But what if they weren’t armed? And maybe they’re just kids. Could she live with killing an unarmed kid? Damn it.
The two moved inside. The one with the light shifted it onto Broussard. “What are you dressed up for old man, Halloween?” the second voice said. “Couldn’t you afford a real tie?”  
“I’m the medical examiner,” Broussard said. “I do a lot of my work bendin’ over examinin’ the dead. I found early in my career that a long tie gets in the way. Kind of like what you’re doin’ right now.”
With the light out of her face, Kit played her own light over the two so she could see their hands.
“Ohhh, get him,” the second thug said. “He ain’t scared. But you oughtta be old man.”
The thug slipped his hand into his pocket and brought out an object. There was a snicking sound and Kit’s light caught the glint of a knife blade. She saw no guns.
Before she could reach for the Ladysmith, she was grabbed in a bear hug from behind, pinning her arms. Her flashlight clattered to the floor. Instinctively, she threw her head back, hoping to drive her skull into her captor’s face, but he must have been expecting that because he moved his head to the side.
“Your hair smells great,” he said breathing into her ear. “I’ll bet your pussy smells even better.”
His breath curled around to the front of her face and went into her nose. Though the odor in the store was bad, his breath was worse. One of his hands slid down between her legs and his fingers began probing.
She stamped on his right foot as hard as she could. But her soft deck shoes didn’t have any effect. She drove her left foot back into his kneecap. That didn’t accomplish anything either. Running out of options, she leaned into him and drove herself backward. He gave ground and they began to move, slowly at first, then faster as she continued to dig in. They hit the back wall a moment later with a thud. She heard the air rush out of him, but he didn’t loosen his hold.
The guy with the knife advanced on Broussard.
“He likes unusual ties,” the guy with the light said. “Cut his throat and pull his tongue through the opening. See how that suits him.”
Kit watched with horror. They were both in trouble, but it was Broussard she was worried about. They were going to kill him and she couldn’t do anything about it. If she could just get free for a second... She struggled in the grip of the geek holding her, but he was too strong.
Broussard shoved his flashlight into his back pocket. Fists raised, he edged forward in a crouch to meet the guy with the knife. The thug moved in closer, his hands making circling motions, trying to confuse Broussard about the direction the attack would come. He lunged.
With surprising quickness, Broussard knocked the knife hand to the side with his left hand. He took a step forward and  brought his right fist around in a looping motion that caught the thug hard on the side of the head. Stunned, the thug staggered sideways, turned, and fell on his ass. But he didn’t drop the knife.
“I could be wrong, but I think you missed him, Chato,” the guy with the light said. “Try again.”
Chato got awkwardly to his feet. Grinding his teeth and growling, he charged again. This time he swung the knife from Broussard’s left to his right in a huge underhand slicing motion. Broussard leaned back so the knife barely missed his face. He grabbed the thug’s arm and used the momentum of the guy’s charge to spin him around. Broussard then sent him sprawling onto the floor with a kick in the glutes.
The guy with the light played the beam over his embarrassed lackey, then turned it back onto Broussard. “You’re not an easy mark, I’ll say that for you, old man. And I’ve enjoyed your performance. But now it’s time you were dead…” 
  

PROMO & REVIEW - HOW NOT TO CALM A CHILD ON A PLANE BY JOHANNA STEIN

Title: How Not To Calm A Child On A Plane
Author: Johanna Stein
Publisher: De Capo Lifelong Books, Perseus Books Group

BLURB from Goodreads
As Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) points out, “These stories will make milk shoot from one of your nostrils and a martini from the other. Johanna Stein brings to mind the unflinching honesty and compassion of Nora Ephron.”

Looking for the perfect book to help you survive childbirth and parenting with your sanity intact? Look elsewhere. For Johanna Stein, parenting is an extreme sport. Her stories from the trenches may not always be shared experiences—have you ever turned a used airplane barf-bag into a puppet to calm your wailing baby?—but they will always make you laugh. Columnist Lisa Belkin advises: “It is dangerous to read [Johanna] any place where it is inappropriate to laugh uncontrollably. It is also dangerous to read her if your bladder control is not what it once was. But once you soldier through and do read her you have made a friend—one who ‘gets it’ and makes ‘it’ easier to do because she’s on your team.”

So, no, this book won’t teach you how to deal with nipple blisters or oedipal complexes. But if you want to learn why you should never attempt to play a practical joke in the delivery room, then you’re in the right place.

INITIAL THOUGHTS
So occasionally I do read more than one book at a time, though I always try to make them totally different genres to prevent confusion. So this is one of those books, approaching this I fancied a "fun" "lighter" read. What did I expect from the book? I expect some humorous tales about parenting.

MY REVIEW
I downloaded an e-copy of this one from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
So basically this is exactly what I thought it would be a collection of humorous stories that happened to the Author, Johanna and her husband "H" .  I have to say that some of the short tales are hilarious, in fact I found myself smirking, giggling and laughing out loud a lot whilst reading this book on my kindle.
I think the cover is a great mix of showing some practical items you eed in caring for a child in a funny, slightly comedic way. I mean the title though rather log does fit the book well. I like the latter part f the title "And other lessons in parenting from  a highly questionable source".
Johanna doesn't put "frills and fancies" on what parenting is like, she gives a 100% honest sometimes maybe a little too honest account of herself and her husband referred to as "H" bringing their daughter up.
One of my notes that I sometimes jot down whilst reading books was This book is so ironic, sarcastic and laugh out loud hilarious! loving it."
Johanna deals with everything from her "H" filming the birth . . . and yes he was down the "business end" recording, to their little darling wanting a Christmas Tree and a visit from Santa even though they are Jewish and she attends a Jewish school. Johanna's answer is to waiver and hesistate then finally purchase a Christmas Shrub and hide it in the car away from her husband until she can get him to say "yes". "H" actually says no but once the little darling has seen it and her parents see her little face, they end up having the Christmas shrub and a visit from Santa!
Johanna spends lots of time looking forward to her daughter starting school, in fact she is positively looking forward to it. She goes so far as to look in disgust at the other parents holing on to their children until the last possible moment . . . . .I mean she's never be so soppy as to cry the first day her daughter starts school would she?
So did I enjoy the book? Yes I had lots of laughs reading it.  Would I recommend the book? As a parenting handbook?  No, as a brilliant ,light and fun read, yes! Would I read another book if Johanna did another one as her daughter grows up? I certainly would maybe Johanna could do a "the school years one or a teens one! I'd read them. Or maybe she could have another child ad we find out how the big sister and family copes with the new addition.

Tuesday 29 April 2014

COVER REVEAL - POSSESS MY SOUL - POSSESS SAGA BY J.A. HOWELL

Title: Possess My Soul
Series: Possess Saga # 5
Author: J.A. Howell
Expected Publication Date: May 15th, 2014

BLURB supplied by Girls Heart Books
“Being half-fae I had the ability to sense others' impending deaths. Anomalies. Deaths that didn't have to happen. Sometimes, if I had enough time to get to them, I could stop their deaths. But I never imagined I'd see my own.”

With only a week to go before she gives birth to her daughter Emma, Harley Faye Finley chooses to make the ultimate sacrifice. Trade her life for that of her daughter’s. When the time comes, she’s ready for the inevitable.

But something goes wrong.
Harley survives.
But someone…or something else is in there with her.

As this unknown, malevolent force fights for control, Harley finds herself a prisoner in her own body, and those she loves are now in mortal danger. Will she, Nolan, or anybody else be able to stop it before it’s too late?

Or will the Harley they know and love be lost to them forever?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


J.A Howell is an office drone by day, and a writer by night. Her love of writing took off when she was eleven years old and decided to fill a composition notebook with stories to read to her friends. Many years (and notebooks) later, not much has changed. She still loves writing and sharing her works with others. When she isn’t writing, she can often be found trying her hand at whatever artistic pursuit strikes her fancy. J.A. Howell resides in Apopka, FL with her husband and their menagerie of animal children.

     





PROMO/REVIEW - OF BREAKABLE THINGS BY A. LYNDEN ROLLAND

Title: Of Breakable Things
Author: A. Lynden Rolland
Publisher: Month9books
Formats Available: Paperback
Pages: 300 pages
ISBN: 978-1939765154
Publication Date: 29th April 2014

BLURB from Goodreads
A captivating debut about the fragility of life, love, and perspective.

When Chase dies tragically, Alex embraces her own mortality. What she didn’t expect was that she’d have to make a choice: forget the years of pain and suffering once and for all, or linger as a spirit and get another chance at life and love.

Alex doesn’t hesitate to choose; she’d follow Chase anywhere. But the spirit world is nothing like she expected, and Alex finds she's forced to fight for her life once more. For even in a world where secrets are buried much deeper than six feet under, a legacy can continue to haunt you—and in a place this dangerous, no one is resting in peace.


INITIAL THOUGHTS
I am intrigued with this one to see how the Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is portrayed as it is a syndrome that myself, my mother and my daughter all have. Also apart from that I am interested to see how this author depicts the afterlife too. The cover is very striking so I guess the book will really strand out on the bookshelf.

MY REVIEW
I received a free copy of this one in exchange for my honest review. I find the cover really striking and it certainly makes you want to know more. I love the characters, the Lasalle brothers and of course Alex. All the "action" takes place after they are dead. We begin in a room with two exits and Alex is given the choice of which door to go through determining what her afterlife will be. She chooses the door that lead to Eidolon.(apologies if I've spely it wrong). A version of the afterlife that contains a kind of academy. 
Alex has always been ill and treat somewhat like a "china doll" or as it says in the title a "breakable thing". This is one of the reasons I wanted to read the book as the book says Alex has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. I wanted to know how it would be explained or dealt with. Well it was stated alex had it and then a brief, explanation crossed with a preaching description and then that's more or less where it ended. The only other reference about it was when Alex's "life" was talked about and then it was referred to as her "illness".
Once in the afterlife and chase and Alex are reunited we learn that Chase loves Alex, yet in mortal life didn't dare speak up as her didn't want to lose her friendship. One of the other Lasalle brothers, Jonas also loves Alex but see's that she is in love with chase so feel resentful towards his own brother. Jonas thinks Chase always wins, always gets what he want. So Jonas is an easy target for a secret society, that has strange initiation quests. He even delivers his brother into danger whilst trying to fit in with the society. e also ironically ends up putting the girl he loves in danger too.
I really can't say anymore as I would be telling you the whole book. As I have said I loved the characters and how they all interacted, and their relationships. the easiest way I can describe Eidolon is its the Hogwarts of Afterlife! This book has the characters, some parts of a decent plot but to me felt like it kept getting lost along the way. I persevered with reading the book, though on more than one occasion I had felt like simply giving up on it. To me a lot of the book is sort of left for you to fill in perhaps, I'm not sure how else to explain it. 
The book reminded me of a couple of books, in that the Afterlife reminded me a little of Mary Tings Afterlife in her Crossroads Saga books (which I loved) and I got really exited expecting much more than was actually delivered. It also reminded my of another book . . .called Exiled by J.R. Wagner, it was really "deep" and dark.
So did I enjoy the book? It was ok, but the mention of EDS was really irrelevant to the rest of the book. I had been expecting more. Would I recommend the book? Perhaps to someone who read and loved Exiled by J.R. Wagner.  Would I read another book if this one was going to be a series? Being totally honest probably not.  Would I read other books by this Author? I'd take a look but not sure it would depend on the book. Though I did enjoy some parts of the book.

BOOK OFFER - STAY BY JENNIFER SILVERWOOD

Title: Stay
Author: Jennifer Silverwood
Release Date: 29th April 2014!

BLURB from Goodreads
Sometimes, love isn’t as magical as people expect it to be… Rona believes love is nothing more than a myth, a tale for little girls. As the oldest daughter, she knows duty and family honor as well as the difference between salt and cinnamon. Until the immortal ruler of the seas appears from thin air and she is swept into a dark and dangerous affair. What was formerly myth soon becomes part of the everyday. And Rona believes when Seid tells her they will be together forever. 

But forever is a long time and after she betrays him, what was supposed to be an eternity in paradise becomes an eternity in hell. Now she is cursed, unable to feel human emotions except through the couples she is led to save. 

Two thousand years is an awfully long time to live alone. And the business of love saving isn’t what it used to be. By the twenty-first century, love has become an illusion as grandiose as magic and Rona’s ready to give up. Until the night she is seen by a human. Deep in the underbelly of the city that never sleeps, she recognizes him instantly. He may dress differently and have gained a few new scars, but she would recognize the face of her former lover in any lifetime. Trouble is, he seems to have no memory of her and he and his ex-girlfriend are the ones whose true love she’s meant to save. 

But when he starts to fall for her, she is forced to learn what it means to be human all over again. Past and present come full circle in this tale of love, forgiveness and woe.




Monday 28 April 2014

PROMO & INTERVIEW - STERLING SILVER AND DOLLAR STORES BY ANN CURRIE


BOOK PROMOTION

The story is the memoir of the author's Mama, a true southern lady, well educated, with a passion for sterling silver and a tendency to shop at Dollar Stores. It is a comical, sometimes tragic story of this strong woman who conquered an addiction to alcohol that almost took her life and everything she had to rise again for second act. 

This a story of growing up with an alcoholic who never lost her deep southern roots. It is the tale of a lady who loved and lost but, against all odds, rose again for a second act and the story of the author's relationship with her mother through it all. Some readers may call this Southern Lit with the eccentric characters, southern ways, and a bit of sibling rivalry. Others may see the compelling story of the relationship between a mother and daughter over a span of more than fifty years. Anyone growing up southern can relate to parts of this story. It is an amusing yet, at times, heart wrenching tale of a well educated proper southern woman who survives to have another chance at life and takes nothing for granted. 

What can you say about a woman who valued her sterling silver, her family, and her bridge clubs but never saw a Dollar Store she didn't like. The narrative covers more than fifty years of the her life. The story shows that no one's life follows a straight path and we should never give up on someone we love. She was a survivor and after she sobered up, she appreciated every day she lived. As a young newly wed, fresh out of Wake Forest, she was a social worker trying to help the children and elderly on the sea islands off South Carolina. After she got her life straight she continued that work, not professionally, but on a personal level helping addicts get sober and aiding the elderly who needed assistance and companionship. 

Once she got her life straight, she was never bitter about what she had lost. Rather, she moved forward with a lust for life, realizing every day was a gift. She was talented and smart, but she was also quirky and sometimes a little difficult. She was truly a character, well loved by her family and friends, but a force to be reckoned with none the less - all four feet eight inches of her.
.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
 Ann Currie Williams, born in Conway, SC and now live in Orangeburg, SC

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
 I have always been writing something since I was young; keeping a journal, writing a blog or short stories.

When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?
 The first time I got a poem published while I was in college.

Did it take a long time to get your first book published?
No, because I knew it would be nearly impossible to get a publishing house to pay any attention to me, so I went the self-publishing, publish on demand route.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
 My latest book , which is my first book, is titled “Sterling Silver and Dollar Stores, Life with My Southern Mother.”  It  is a funny yet poignant story about  growing up with my mother who was an alcoholic then sobered up.

Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?
 I self publish.
    
Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
I am about finished with my second book which is the story of my wedding, as the bride,  and  then  me as mother of the bride planning my daughter’s wedding. Needless to say it is quite comical. If we didn’t laugh about these things they would be tragic.

What genre would you place your books into?
 I’m not sure where they fit. Some may call them “Chick Lit”, but my first one has had some appeal to men because of the southern life part of it. It could be called “Memoir” because so far the books have been of my life. Others had said they were “Family Comedy”.

Where do you get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?
 The inspiration for my book, “Sterling Silver” was, obviously, my mother. She was a very complex character. Looking back on my childhood there were so many comical things that went on that I just assumed occurred in every family until I went to college and learned that no, in fact, most families were not as “special” as ours was. She was smart, talented, witty, and as quirky as they come. Yet she had fought her addiction to alcohol for years and was able to overcome it and live a second act. She truly is my inspiration.

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
I carry a leather bound journal with me everywhere I go and jot downs things that come to mind.  I note conversations I hear that are a little odd, or write the description of some occurrence that I know I will never be able to remember if I don’t have a record of it.

Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them?ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewer’s you know?
 I have several good friends whom I have read the complete manuscript for their input as I finish it. And I have an editor.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
Absolutely! Everyone I know about. I can always learn from what others say.

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?
 No never, unless they said something that was factually wrong.

How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover of your books?
 I came up with the title and I actually worked with a graphic artist in the UK on the cover. I gave her my thoughts and she took it from there. And after a few drafts it was done.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
 I start writing and hope the title will come to mind in the process. For ‘Sterling Silver” I ran ten or twenty potential titles by my friends for their thoughts. And, they had their own suggestions. Finally the title came to me one night when I could not sleep.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?
 So far they are real people and places in my life. Trust me, I could not make this up if I tried. Although I confess I do change some of the names of some folks in the book so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. (Then I learned that I hurt their feelings because I did NOT use their names!)

How do you market/promote your books?
Social media, Facebook, blogs, Goodreads, and as much word of mouth as possible.

What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?
 I am a landscape photographer.

Which format of book do you prefer, ebook,hardback, or paperback?
 Personally, I prefer eBook format but I found that so many potential readers wanted a paperback version that I published both ways.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it? (e-book, hardback or paperback)
 I am currently reading  “The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down “ by Colin Woodward  and I just finished “Beach Music” by Pat Conroy.

Do you think e-books will ever totally replace printed books?
 I hope not. I am an incurable romantic when it comes to “real” books.

Do you think children at schools these days are encouraged enough to read? and/or do Imaginative writing?
 No, I do not. My husband and I read to our daughters and encouraged them to read. And both of them said that being brought up in a house of readers with books and magazines around all the time made a big difference in their view of the world.

Do you have a favourite genre of book?
Probably the Legal Mystery or a Biography

Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?
War and Peace

What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
 Don’t give up. Keep working. And, listen to your critics, you don’t necessarily have to agree with them all the time, but it serves us well to listen to them.

Do you or would you ever use a pen name?
 No, I just use my own name. So far I have nothing to hide from.

If you could invite three favourite writers to dinner, who would you invite and enjoy chatting with?

 Pat Conroy,  Doris Kearns Goodwin, and David Sedaris – and I would just sit back and listen. 

COVER REVEAL - CRANE - LEGENDS SAGA BY STACEY ROURKE

Title: Crane
Series: Legends Saga Book 1
Author: Stacey Rourke
Genre: NA paranormal 
Audience: Older teens and up 
Formats: eBook and print 
Publisher: Anchor Group Publishing 
Cover By: Najla Qamber Designs 
Editor: There for You Editing 

Expected Date of Publishing: May 26, 2014

BLURB supplied by Sparkle Book Tours

The Horseman is unending,
his presence shan’t lessen.
If you break the curse,
you become the legend.

Washington Irving and Rip Van Winkle had no choice but to cover up the deadly truth behind Ichabod Crane’s disappearance. Centuries later, a Crane returns to Sleepy Hollow awakening macabre secrets once believed to be buried deep.

What if the monster that spawned the legend lived within you?

Now, Ireland Crane, reeling from a break-up and seeking a fresh start, must rely on the newly awakened Rip Van Winkle to discover the key to channeling the darkness swirling within her. Bodies are piling high and Ireland is the only one that can save Sleepy Hollow by embracing her own damning curse.

But is anyone truly safe when the Horseman rides?

 BOOK LINK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


The Gryphon Series is written by Stacey Rourke. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant, drooly dogs. Stacey loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head. She is currently hard at work on the continuations of this series as well as other literary projects. The Gryphon Series is available wherever fine books are sold. 




AUTHOR LINKS