Sunday Review: Crave the Night by Lara Adrian

Title: Crave the Night
Author: Lara Adrian
Source: Purchased from Amazon
Purchase Links: AMAZON

Blurb
Born and raised to be an emotionless killing machine, Nathan is one of the most lethal Breed vampires in existence. A key member of the Order—an elite group of warriors charged with protecting both mortals and vampires—Nathan executes each mission with flawless precision and a total lack of mercy. Now he must pursue a powerful, hidden enemy. But Nathan’s hard discipline and training are no match for the fierce pull he feels toward a young woman he has no right to desire—a woman of wealth and high social standing who has long been promised to another Breed male, and who may also prove to be the key to rooting out Nathan’s elusive quarry.

Jordana lives a life of glittering privilege as a member of a prominent Breed family in Boston. Surrounded by fine things and fawning admirers, Jordana wants for nothing—until she crosses paths with a dark, intense warrior from the Order and finds herself swept into an impulsive, sizzling kiss that neither of them will forget. As much as she tries to deny her deep feelings for Nathan, Jordana cannot resist the craving to be near him, to break through his forbidding walls and see the man he truly is. But getting close to Nathan will thrust Jordana into a treacherous new world, forcing her to risk all she has and all she knows about herself and her past. And loving this seductive man could be the most dangerous temptation of all.

Review
I have always loved the Midnight Breed series. It was one of the first vampire series that I got hooked on when I purchased my Kindle back in the day. I always enjoy the men and women of this world. What I like most is they are believable. The characters and the story line.

This one was slightly an exception. While I loved the story line I just didn't find Jordana's background as totally believable. And we didn't find out everything about her until the very end. I felt like there was a lot of build up then just not enough after the big reveal.

But, given that little issue I still really enjoyed the story. It wasn't a true disappointment as there were other parts of the book that make up for it. For instance, Nathan's ability to make Jordana's toes curl right along with the readers!

I really liked his character and I liked his vulnerability with Jordana.

Overall I'd say this is an easy 4 star review. It is enjoyable and a great edition to the series.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation Blog Hop and Giveaways

Summer Vacation ... now that's something I haven't physically experienced in a LONG time. A big thing about being an adult - means working! So this year, my 'summer vacation' wasn't a trip to the Bahamas, or a jaunt down to Corpus Christi. It was a get away inside a novel.

I have done A LOT of reading over the last few months. More than I have done in a very long time. One of my New Years Resolutions this year was to take a little time off of writing and do more reading. And I have really enjoyed it. I have traveled to loads of places. Met hundreds of people. And experienced emotional ups and downs like I never thought I would.

And all from my pajamas!

Reading is the best vacation - the best gift we can give ourselves.

Today (about a week before this post goes live) at work I had a lengthy debate about Americans and their enjoyment of reading. The guy who works with me said Americans have become lazy and don't read anymore. So I did a little bit of Googling and saw that about 76% of Americans read at least one book each year.

And he was right - that is VERY sad! 100% of adults and children should be reading. What an easy way to put ourselves in other people's shoes and experience life.

The argument also made me think of not only my reading audience for my books but for my blog as well. And that got me thinking about my husband. Maybe people aren't reading books as much as they used to but I think people are still reading. Reading news papers and blogs. Even listening to Pod Casts in an attempt to gain knowledge.

So maybe my co-worker was right that there is a decline of reading on the horizon but maybe I am right too. People do still want to read and become educated. Or escape their realities, even if just for a few hours.

Hopefully next summer I will have a more adventurous post to talk about but until then I am going to leave you with this series. It is a must have if you need a quick get away! I've done a few reviews of it and just loved it and when I think about summer, this series screams at me.



Also, don't forget, make sure you enter in the Blog Hop rafflecopter giveaway for $50.00 Amazon gift card and also enter my little giveaway. The gift card is sponsored by Christina Cole Romance. Whose books I also love!

And for a special bonus if you like my page, and a few others I have in here in my rafflecopter one lucky winner will receive a signed free copy of Special Assignment by my alter ego, Niki Becker. (US residents only for print book. Non-US will be an ebook copy)

Christina Cole

Ashley Nemer

Jeanine McAdam

Robyn Echols

Linda Rae Sande

Liza O’Connor

Pippa Jay

Penny Estelle

Kathleen Ann Gallagher

Mia Epsilon

Ju Ephraime

Lynda J Cox

Mika Jolie

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gluten Free Friday Homemade Recipe #8 Pineapple Chicken

It gets hard coming up with new things to cook. You get stuck in your same ole habits and that makes life slightly boring. So this time I was looking at my fridge at all the fruit I had and got an idea. Chicken and Pineapple! My husband was like um, what the hell Ashley ... but in the end, it was a win!

As always everything is gluten free and/or organic

Ingredients:
Chicken - breast or thighs
Seasoning - I used oregano, parsley, salt, pepper and celery salt
Fresh Chopped Pineapple (not from a can!!)
Potato
Shredded Cheese
Chicken Broth (Homemade)
Stick of Butter


Take the potato and slice three slices into each side of the potato. Cover it in butter (I ran a stick over each one) and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

While that is going on .... about 20 minutes later start the Chicken ..

Place the chicken on the skillet after you have fully seasoned them to your liking.

Fill one quarter of the pan with chicken broth

Place tow-three chopped pineapples on-top of each chicken.

Cover and begin to cook.

Once the Chicken broth has evaporated add water until the same amount of the pan has been filled.
Flip each chicken onto the other side and move the pineapple on to that side.


Once the potato and chicken are done arrange on the plate and serve!

While this meal didn't produce 'a lot' of food it did fill us up. Remember the organic meat takes less to fill you up so while it isn't a lot it will do the trick. You could always add a nice green veggie to this, peas or green beans.

Don't forget to share your pics and experiences with all the cooking fun!

I give this a solid 4 star review!

Enjoy and Happy Eating!

Sage Blog Tours Presents: The Seed & Other Fairy Tales by Joseph Hillenbrand

The Seed & Other Fairy Tales

By Joseph Hillenbrand

Genre: Short Stories, Fiction, Fairy Tales

Book synopsis:
How do you measure yourself? By family, friends, enemies? By what you fight for? Or what you fight against?

Follow the tales of those struggling to find an identity of their own. A little girl with a ghost as a best friend. A woman who hates wishes. A man lost in the secret kingdom of frog people. A girl at war with her god. And a pair of soldiers on a deadly mission of peace.

The seeds have been sown. The storm is coming. Who will grow and who will drown?

Author Bio:
I was born, raised and still live in the outskirts of Chicago. Every few years a move a little further west. Slowly inching my way to California. I love the big sky, the vast plains, the harvest moons of the Midwest.
I grew up reading comic books and playing G.I. Joe. Watching wrestling and listening to Led Zeppelin. I drew, I wrote, I strummed. I learned Stone Temple Pilots and I read Beckett. I grew and I withered.
I have spent the majority of my time in software - from support to development to management. And with my first book out now, I'm trying to get back to my roots: telling stories.

Social Media Links:
Website: www.undertowstories.com
Blog: www.undertowstories.com/wordpress
Twitter: Xtapalapaquetl (twitter.com/xtapalapaquetl)

Purchase:
Amazon
B & N
KOBO

Sunday Review: Power Play by Catherine Coulter

Title: Power Play
Author: Catherine Coulter
Source: Purchase from Amazon
Purchase Link: AMAZON

Blurb
Natalie Black, the U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James, has returned to Washington, her job in jeopardy. Her fiancé, George McCallum, Viscount Lockenby, has died in a car accident, and mysterious rumors begin that she’s responsible begin to surface: she broke off the engagement and, heartbroken, he killed himself. Then someone tries to force her off the M-2 outside London. Again, rumors claim it was a sympathy ploy. When she returns to the United States, she’s nearly killed when a car tries to mow her down while she’s out for a run. No one believes her except FBI Special Agent Davis Sullivan.

Meanwhile someone is following Sherlock. A stalker? Then someone tries to shoot her from the back of a motorcycle, but the assailant gets away. Sherlock next gets a call from an Atlanta mental hospital warning her that Blessed Backman has escaped. This is not good news. Blessed is a talented psychopath out for revenge against the agents, primarily Sherlock, whom his dying mother begged him to kill since she and Savich brought down her cult.

How to find out who’s trying to kill the ambassador to the U.K.? How can they get their hands on Blessed Backman before he succeeds and kills Sherlock? The clock is ticking and the danger intensifies 


Review
Holy Hell Batman! It is Savich and Sherlock back in action! Have I mentioned before how much I love these two characters? And their son Sean. Uhh my heart melts for this family and I was so freaking happy to have SO MUCH of them in this book. Yeah yeah there was another story going on too but seriously LOVE these characters!

OK onto the story itself. First - the writing was great as always. As a long long long time fan of Ms. Coulter's I have to say she blows me away, constantly. Her FBI series can really knock you off your feet and that is just simply amazing.

What I really liked about this story was the multiple story lines going on and how they all sort of intertwined together. She deff had me guessing on the ending. I SO DID NOT see that happening!!!

If you are a Coulter fan you will agree this is a 5 star book all the way!!!

Gluten Free Friday Homemade Recipe #7 - Meatloaf

I love beef, what true blue American doesn't? Sometimes it takes a minute to figure out what kind of dishes to serve with ground beef. Well here is my own little concoction of what goes into the perfect meat loaf!

As always, all ingredients are Gluten Free and/or Organic.

    1 pound · Ground Beef
    1 clove · Chopped garlic
    2 oz · Chopped celery
    2 oz · Chopped green onions
    2 oz · Chopped tomato
    ¼ cup · Shredded Cheese
    1 large · Egg
    ¼ cup · Flour
    ¼ cup · Baking seasoning


Directions

    1 Mix all the ingredients into one large bowl, except the cheese
    2 Put into a loaf pan and make sure it is distributed evenly
    3 Sprinkle the amount of cheese you want on top of the meat once you place it in the loaf pan
    4 Bake for 45 minutes at 350°F

This was a bit time consuming chopping everything up but the end result was worth all of the time put into this dish. An easy 5 star addition to anyone's meals!

Enjoy and Happy Eating!

Gliterary Girl Media Presents: USA Today Bestselling Author Kirsten Osbourne

USA Today Bestselling author Kirsten Osbourne's

Dallas Billionaire Boys have gotten a make over

Steven Dallas Billionaires Book 1

Book One in the Dallas Billionaires Trilogy. When the younger sister of a woman he used to date shows up at his house with a child she claims is his, he convinces her they’d be better off living with him than simply taking child support from him. He finds himself wildly attracted to the new “nanny” and sets out to win her heart.

Justin Dallas Billionaires Book 2

Book Two in the Dallas Billionaires Trilogy. When a relatively new employee comes to his office to talk about some trouble in the Human Resources department, Justin feels such a strong physical attraction to her, he’s ready to throw all his beliefs about dating a subordinate out the window. Sarah takes one look at Justin, and knows she wants nothing more than to be his. Will they be able to get past the fact they work closely together and make the relationship work?

Cody Dallas Billionaires Book 3

Book Three in the Dallas Billionaires Trilogy. After being rear-ended by a beautiful woman on his way home from the Super Bowl, Cody realizes he’s found the only woman in the world who is just right for him. How could he possibly have fallen for the only woman in the world so independent that his billions are a liability?

DOWNLOAD THEM NOW

AMAZON/ BARNES AND NOBLE/ IBOOKS/ KOBO

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What people are saying about The Dallas Billionaires

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful! December 21, 2013 "This was a wonderful tale of love, showing that having money does not mean you are arrogant, and that having in money does bit mean having no love"

-By Crystal Sin on Steven (Dallas Billionaires Book 1) (Amazon)

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it April 14, 2013 "Great book couldn't put it down . Love the series. Hopefully there are more books like this to read even though they are series."

-By Joanne Myers on Justin (Dallas Billionaires Book 2) (Amazon)

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast read May 25, 2014 "I totally enjoyed this final book of the series. [removed spoiler] I Could not put any of the books in this series down. I hope Kirsten Osbourne will write more series in the future."

- BluEyes on Cody (Dallas Billionaires Book 3) (Amazon) [su_divider top="no"]

Have you Met Kirsten Osbourne Yet?

Kirsten Osbourne hails from the state of Wisconsin, but has lived in Texas for almost thirty years. She is a mother, a writer, and a wife. Married to the love of her life for fifteen years, she knows that true love exists and wants to share her vision of love with the world. Writing is something she has always loved and plans on doing for a long time into the future. As Kirsten Osbourne, she writes contemporary romance as well as historical. As Morganna Mayfair, she ventures into the realm of paranormal romance. She invites you to join her in her world of fantasy and make believe where there is always a happily ever after at the end. What would you like your readers to know about you that they don't yet?

I want my readers to know that I'm a real person just like everyone else. I work hard on my books, and I write fast, but I'm not a machine. I'm human. I have a human's feelings. I think that's easy for people to forget sometimes.

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For media requests and reviews please contact Kirsten Osbourne's publicist Sara O'Connor of Gliterary Girl Media.

Fire & Ice Book Tours Presents: Special Run by Lena McCoy - Giveaway

Blurb:

If an animal spoke to you, would you listen? Botanist/psychokinetic Katrina Ormstead created a super hash. A variety of marijuana she calls MAGIC. Before she can share her successful medical findings with the scientific community, she’s murdered. There is, however, one witness begging to come forward. Special is Katrina’s wolf-hybrid dog. She saw her mistress die. She wants revenge. Now she has to convince food photographer, animal psychic and Katrina’s best friend Wheat Keigwin of the same thing. Together, dog and woman dedicate themselves to solving the mystery behind Katrina’s death.

“Trust me, if you’re an animal lover, a paranormal fiction follower, a reader of rom-coms, or a murder mystery aficionado, you should really buy this book.” Charlie Bray’s Indi Book Reviews, The Indietribe Newsletter – Read the whole review at: http://eepurl.com/Pd4gv

Guest Blog:

 Why Did I Write Special Run?
First and foremost I wrote Special Run because I had a story to tell. The story came to me in a dream. The urge to write the outline was so powerful when I woke the next morning, the first thing I did was find a pen and pad of paper.
The catalyst for Special Run came when my mother passed away.  I moved back to the family farm to help my dad with daily chores. At the time, Colorado was in the process of legalizing marijuana and my father and I discussed the pros and cons of adding cannabis to our crop base.
Later that evening, surrounded by my childhood mementos, especially old photos of my dog, Special, I fell asleep and dreamed the outline of the story Special Run.
My life leading up to that night, I’m sure, influenced my dreams. I give credit to my parents for encouraging my creative side and allowing me to explore my imaginary world. A family farm is a wonderful place to grow up with unlimited space and time to play out the stories in our fantasy world. Our horses were valiant steeds that carried us into battle or became a trick riders dream. Hay bales were our forts and the windbreaks a dense magical forest.
In a farm/ranch environment I also learned to respect all animals. The animals that worked with us, the animals that fed us and the wildlife that surrounded us. Witnessing the connection between humans and animals – especially farmers and their dogs – gave me an appreciation of the unspoken bond that creatures from both worlds can form.
I still marvel at my dad and the many dogs that graced his life. With no formal training on either side, they worked in perfect harmony: herding cattle, checking the irrigation, protecting each other. Seeing them together was like witnessing a perfectly executed dance between two admiring partners.
After graduating from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, with a Bachelors of Science degree in Agriculture Journalism, my career always included working with the media. Later, I was fortunate to land a position in the field of agriculture. Whether it was feature stories or press releases, I used my creative background to give a voice to cattle producers across the United States.
A major influence during those years and now is Temple Grandin. A professor at Colorado State University, Grandin is a prominent and widely cited proponent of the rights of autistic persons and of animal welfare. Through her teaching, I learned to view animal behavior like human behavior. Observe body language. Listen: is the voice scared, mellow, angry. View the environment: is it cold, hot, noisy, busy.
By learning about animal behavior, I am better able to bring life to my human characters: why do they act the way they do? What is their body language telling the reader? How is the setting affecting their response to a situation?

I have blessed in my life to know many fascinating people. I’ve written numerous ranch histories. I’ve met the man who revolutionized the trucking industry. I’ve met ranch brothers who parachuted out of planes on D-Day. I met the man who told me about his dad inventing the horse trailer. Story after story of people who settled the country. Ordinary people with a story to tell.
I like to think I was given a story to tell. My past and experiences influenced the story, but I also think there was an angel giving me a little push.

Excerpt:

“Son of a bitch!” Wheat snapped awake and flung her legs over the side of the bed, her feet moving before they hit the ground.

“Dad!” she screamed as she ran down the hallway. She heard a muffled thump as she came to a stop in front of her parents’ bedroom door.

The door jerked open. “What is it?” Frank asked, his voice urgent, awake, despite the rumpled appearance.

“Are you okay?” Ella’s voice, strong but scared came from behind him.

Wheat moved off down the hall. “It’s Special. We have to get to her!”

“What is it?” Other voices could be heard throughout the house. Teeny, Simon, Leo.

“Don’t go out there alone,” Ella yelled. “Frank! Simon stop your sister!”

Too late.

Wheat slammed through the porch screen door, hitting it so hard it crashed into the house and whipped shut behind her.

Shit!

Run?

Grab a vehicle?

What’s faster?

She forgot shoes. Damn!

“I’m coming. I’m coming,” she chanted to herself, her teeth chattering even in the heat of the night. Special’s screams were still fresh in her head as she threw open the shed door, dropped down on one of the four-wheelers, turned the key and hit the gas. She shot out of the building and saw the black silhouettes of her dad and brother running across the yard. If they were saying anything, she couldn’t hear it over the roar of the engine.

She left them behind, pushed the vehicle to maximum speed. Across the yard, onto a dirt road, then a path, two wheels in the track, the other two chopping over clumps of prairie grass, her mind working out a course. How to avoid the pasture gate. No time to stop.

Wheat turned the handles to the right, dipped down an embankment. There was a wash where the ground was lower, leaving a sizable gap between it and the bottom strand of barbwire. She prayed it was deep enough to let the ATV pass under. She couldn’t see the wire. Even with light from the moon she could only make out the dark shadows of the posts.

The bike stopped jerking, the tires churning the soft dirt in the wash. Wheat pressed herself flat against the seat, her head tucked behind the handle bars, cheek on the fuel tank, expecting to feel the jerk if the handles caught the barb wire. She felt something shock her as the wire grazed her back.

The material on her pajama top caught. Tore as a barb let loose.

She realized she’d been holding her breath, let it out, kept herself tucked forward, less wind resistance.

The bike topped the rise, all four wheels air bound. It hit the ground. Bounced hard. It knocked the breath out of her, but she didn’t take her thumb off the gas.

The vehicle bucked madly, hitting clumps of grass and gopher holes. Wheat squeezed with her thighs like a bull rider. Rode it out. The clinic only yards away.

Dammit!

The thought hit her.

She didn’t have a weapon.

Too late now. She stomped down on the brake, sent the bike into a skid. Leapt off. The bike still rolling. The gravel bit into her bare feet. Her mind raced ahead. What could she use in a fight?

The clinic door was wide open. She heard the chorus of animal noise inside. She reached out and grabbed a branding iron hanging by a nail on the side of the building.

Didn’t hesitate.

How close was her brother?

Dad?

Her feet slapped the cold tile inside the building and she hit the light switch, arm raised, iron shaft gripped tight.

Brian Donovan stood by the front desk.

She felt the blood rush to her head.

She must look a fright.

To cover her discomfort she scowled at him. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Damn he looked good.

Her ex-lover.

Buy Link:

Amazon

An agriculture journalist, Lena Jo McCoy has worked in the print-media fields, both newspapers and magazines and has spent most of her life devoted to agriculture. Lena Jo has long admired the works of animal behaviorist Temple Grandin, Cesar Milan as well as the farmers and ranchers she’s written about and is dedicated to the humane treatment of all animals. When she is not playing servant to her two English Bulldogs, Lena Jo finds herself at the computer writing the next story.

Author Links:

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Giveaway:

Enter to win one of ten print copies of Special Run. Available to US addresses only. Enter through Goodreads.

Beau Coup Presents: Guest Post: The Last Drop by Andrea Perno

The Last Drop by Andrea Perno

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

 

Blurb

Jeremy always said Space Academy was Earth’s last hope. People only dream of leaving a dying planet in search of better lives. Avery never expected he would be forced to do just that.

On the heels of his brother's murder, his father's disappearance and Earth's dwindling water supply now contaminated with a deadly virus, Avery and his younger brother have no choice but to leave Earth behind and join the survivors migrating the nearest habitable planet.

What they don't know is that the rarity of water extends far beyond Earth and they aren't the only ones fighting for survival

Excerpt

“Christ, Mom,” I curse under my breath and cast a cautious glance over my shoulder even
though the heavy lead door is closed behind me. I shove the bag deep inside the backpack and bury it with the other supplies. No wonder our water rations look low. It would take nearly all of Dad and Jeremy’s rations to grow fresh fruit like this. Where did she even get the seeds? If the government knew she was using water rations to grow food without a permit, she could face jail time, even be exiled from base.

I’m contemplating destroying the fruit when a satisfying thought pops into my head. What a kick in the face it would be if the government knew food grown on base without a permit was being smuggled directly to the outsiders they refuse to provide rations to. Mom’s subtle act of defiance suddenly feels liberating.

I throw the backpack over one shoulder, clomp up the steps and cut through the drifting sand in our backyard toward the guard tower. It’s about a mile and a half hike to the barrier at the edge of Asik where the south guard tower stands. During the day, the hike would be brutal, especially on crutches, but the sun isn’t up and there’s still a comfortable chill to the desert air.

When I’m a few paces from the tower, a hostile voice hisses from inside my pants pocket, “Can you move any slower?”

I grumble and yank my CARD from my pocket. Bruce’s flushed face on the screen is annoyed.

“Shut up, Bruce. You’d be slow, too, if you were crippled. Just have the gate open.”
“You sure you want to do this? Jeremy’s due back in like—”
“Shut up. I can do it.”
“Fine. You better make it fast, gimpy. Patrol goes out in half an hour,” Bruce says, pushing

a button on the device so the gate dematerializes.
“Right.” I shove past him and head straight across the room, around the center security desk

to the gate directly opposite the one I came through. It’s the only other barrier between the military base and what lies beyond. Bruce grabs one of my crutches and I nearly eat floor trying to keep my balance on the polished marble.

“What the fu—”

“Dude,” Bruce snaps, his dark eyebrows knitting in frustration. He presses a handful of letters into my hands. “I’ve got people out there, too, remember?”

“Right. Sorry.” I dip my head but keep moving. I should show more respect. Bruce was my superior at the beginning of basic. He, his father and twin brother, were summoned away right at the beginning of training to lead a mission in Brazil. Bruce was the sole survivor. He still refuses to talk about what went down out there. His uncle is the only one who really knows. He raised a big stink about what happened to Bruce, but it only got him kicked off base. That left Bruce alone with no other family members aside from an elderly grandmother with severe dementia. The only reason he stayed was so she’d still have family ties to the military and a safe place to sleep. She’d be thrown out in a heartbeat if he left. The decision to stay has weighed heavily on Bruce. Now he’s just another rifle-carrying body on base that will occasionally turn a blind eye to what I’m about to do. Hell, Bruce practically begged me a week ago. Jeremy would be the one to do this kind of reckless stuff, but with him gone...Bruce and I both know it’s illegal, but we also both have people on the outside now.

Bio

Andrea Perno writes futuristic science fiction. She divides her time between being a full time art teacher in Baltimore and writing. With very little "sit down" time to herself, she creates most of her writing through voice notes on her phone while driving to and from work. She grew up in Florida and Pennsylvania and now resides in Maryland where she enjoys the company of her husband, family and friends. In her spare time she can be found writing, creating artwork or on the back of a horse soaking up the sunshine outdoors.

Amazon  http://amzn.to/1fKCRwo
Twitter @pernoAndrea
Website www.andreaperno.com

Guest Post

Understanding the writer’s life: Tips on how to live with and not be killed by your adoring spouse/aspiring author

People think that an author’s life…actually we’ll call it a career, is one of the easiest and most enjoyable a person can have. It is. Most of the time. Think about it, health care workers battle to keep people alive in hospitals. Teachers try not to strangle middle schoolers that back talk. Engineers keep our city from falling apart. Military and police fight to keep the peace, (you get the idea.) While all that’s going on, authors are sitting at home on their comfy couches thinking up the next big book to movie hit. It’s a great life and l absolutely love my home office. However, there are some key things that every spouse should know about the life of a writer. Mostly so they don’t get killed while they sleep or wind up as a character in the book that gets brutally eviscerated.

Tip #1. You have a stressful job. We get that. Don’t come home stressed out and tell us that we’ve sat at home all day on our lazy arses writing. That we should get back out in the real world and try a “real” job. I find it prudent to point out that most writers do a ton of research for their books. Some of which requires travel and countless hours of note taking. Many writers have already tried the real world. We prefer creating fictitious worlds for those that want to escape the “real world.” 

Tip #2. Be kind to your author spouse when they need to use you as a soundboard. Even if they trick you into a three hour “book walk” through the woods to make sure they have enough time for a proper Q&A. Trust me, do the Q&A. Who knows, your ideas might find their way onto the pages where they will be eternally emblazoned. At best, you’ll get mentioned in the acknowledgements.

Tip #3. We will give you the finger…often. Get your minds out of the gutter people. I mean the index finger. It’s the one that’s usually accompanied by a glare when we get interrupted mid-thought. You need to tell us something. Got it. Unless Timmy’s fallen down the well again or you need to go to the hospital, whatever you need to tell us can wait five more minutes. Respect the finger.

Tip #4. Keep the texting to a minimum. Three-five texts a day is plenty. You’re out at a job saving the world remember? How do you have time to text us? Really. We love you, adore you, can’t wait to see your face when you walk through the door from a hard day at work…but we are working too.  

Tip #5. We will keep strange hours. If we get up at 2:00am and don’t come back to bed until midnight tomorrow evening, go with it. It happens. If we are in a good flow, God save your soul if you get in the middle of it. Like I said, if you’re not bleeding…hospital rule, learn that one and you’ll be good.

Tip#6. Because of the strange hours we will keep, we need constant caffeine and sugar. The most savvy of spouses figure out which brand and combination is best without being taught. They’ve also mastered the slip in and slip out. Drop off the plate of cookies and cup of tea, then slowly, silently back away. Words are not necessary. Do not poke the bear.

Tip #7. We will talk to ourselves…occasionally we will answer back. This is normal. We do not need psychiatric drugs.

Tip #8 Do not, under any circumstances touch the computer or notes. Not even if you’ve ruptured an artery and have bled all over the pages. We will read through the droplets. Trust me if you accidentally delete something, turn the page on the notes we were looking at so now we are lost…You will not be able to run far enough, fast enough, or hide quickly enough. We will find you. It won’t be pretty.

Tip# 9. This is the most important one. Support us. Writing is hard work. Often we have quit our jobs in pursuit of a dream…one that has the very likely possibility of going absolutely nowhere. It’s scary for us too. The worst that can happen is we give it a shot for a year or two, it doesn’t work and we embrace the inevitability of entering the real world again. For the lucky few (and mostly these are the writers that have the undying support and love from their spouses) will become the few, the proud, the PUBLISHED.

Sunday Review: Murder in Paradise & Greed in Paradise by Deborah Brown

Title Murder in Paradise
Author: Deborah Brown
Source: Given from the author in exchange for an honest review
Purchase Link: Amazon

BLURB
Overlooking the waters of Biscayne Bay lies a mansion where all hell has broken loose:

...A shadow passed by the driver's side window, then the sound of breaking glass, small pieces hitting my back and arm. I jerked around, at the same time reaching for the Glock attached to my thigh. The last things I saw were the bursts of electricity flashing before my eyes...

In Deborah Brown's newest novel, Madison Westin must piece together the clues to solve a murder and save her best friend, Fabiana from a lifetime behind bars. Smart, sexy, and thrilling, Murder in Paradise will leave you begging for more.


Review
Oh how Ms Westin loves trouble! So I have seemed to skip a few books in this series. I read the first book back in October. That made me nervous that A-a lot had happened I missed and B-I may not remember a lot of the story.

Well good news, that was not the case at all!

I easily fell back into this story. It was like months hadn't passed since I picked up the first book. I started this book Monday on my way to work listening to it. And as the week went on, listening to it in the car no longer enough for me. So Friday at 10pm, I had 30% left in the book I sat down and finished it in an hour. I flew through these pages.

The 'mystery'  element has gotten better. I remember the first book didn't contain a lot of mystery. This one had me guessing a little bit and I enjoyed that.

Ms. Brown is slowly becoming a favorite author of mine. Thanks for the chance to read your novels!

Title Murder in Paradise
Author: Deborah Brown
Source: Purchase form Amazon
Purchase Link: Amazon

BLURB

Tears will fall, hearts will pound, and bullets will fly in Greed in Paradise...
 
Just when Madison and Fab think it's safe to dip their sexy bodies into the cool tropical waters of paradise, they get the shock of their lives when a friend and business partner turns up dead and they discover they've been written into his will. But nothing is what it seems, as the women find out. There are deadly secrets brewing beneath the surface of Tarpon Cove. Come along on a steamy, thrilling adventure as the two try to find out why their friend suddenly died--seemingly, without cause.

The fifth book in the series finds our sleuths waist deep in sexual tension, flinging barbs, and dodging bullets.

Review

Okay I know this is going to seem crazy but the moment I put down Murder in Paradise I instantly went out and bought Greed in Paradise and began reading it at 11pm. By 2am I had finished it and was cussing  Ms. Brown for only giving me ONE chapter of the next book. I NEED MORE!!!

 This series is playful, exciting and just plain fun. I love the Westin's. And I don't just mean the Mother Daughter and Son. I mean the whole extended family. This is a group of people who love each other unconditionally and it is really great to read that.

I love the first person point of view and the style of writing Deborah has taken with this series.

I really recommend this book to anyone who just simply likes to smile while reading. I wish there was a bit more depth to the mystery elements and a bit more of the sexual tension with Creole and Madison.

Other than that, it's perfect!

MY REVIEW OF CRAZY IN PARADISE 3.5 Stars

INTERVIEW

First and foremost ... How did you come up with Madison's character and is she based off anyone you know?
I met Madison when I first moved to Florida. She ran a small beach motel and used it to rent to every unscrupulous person that walked through the door, this was back before anyone could run a criminal background check. Madison was too nice for her own good and the locals used it against her, but what I really loved about her was that she learned from her mistakes.

 
How did you decide on the story lines for this series? They aren't totally believable that events like this can happen to real life people, yet you play them out in a way that is totally believable to readers.
Every one of my story lines begins with a kernel of truth, then I allow the writing to take me where it will. This way I’m along for the ride and I’m discovering, just as my audience will be as they read or watch something I’ve written. There is something exciting about not knowing where the characters are going or what they’re going to say.

How many books do you see for this series?
When I wrote the first book, Crazy in Paradise, I had no expectation that there would be a follow-up. Now here I am starting Book 7. I think it would be good to end in an even number.
 

What's up with Creole? Who inspired him and how did you come up with all his wonderful personality traits.
Creole started out as this hot-looking nefarious character that rented one of The Cottages and would walk through a scene from time to time and wink at Madison. What better way to give him more of a story line than to make him a cousin. He hates it when Madison forgets to inform people, “but not by blood.” He’s my fantasy man, alpha, smart, funny and easy going.

Zach – what is his deal? He sure felt like he took a sudden 180 turn. Will we be seeing more of him in the rest of the series?
Sssh––don’t tell anyone, but I got bored writing his character. He was too straight-laced for Madison. The deal breaker: he didn’t like Fab.
Zach’s gone––but I am contemplating a spin-off with Slice and the District Attorney with the fabulous shoes.  The beautiful, Italian, model ex-wife? Well, that’s the last you see of her. LOL

Will Fab and Madison be getting into any more near death experiences or will we see a new story line come out? Even though the near death experiences seem to work for this series!
Those two have more lives than a cat! I can’t imagine a book where they’re not in some kind of trouble. It wouldn’t be fun if their plans didn’t go awry.
 

What made you start writing and how many books do you have total?
I’ve always written, but never thought seriously about being an author. After sappy, melodramatic poems to a high school boyfriend (which my best friend thankfully never let me send) and a full-length romance novel that was rejected so many times I retired it under my bed, I spent a summer voraciously reading and decided I wanted to try again. This was five years ago, and still it took me two years to write the first book.
 

What is on the horizon? And what is the next Paradise book?
I’m working on Revenge in Paradise, which is scheduled to be released in the Fall. I’m also scribbling a sexy, romance/mystery novel in my spare time.
 

Who are your favorite authors and books?
I like Janet Evanovich, Stephanie Bond, James Patterson and Carl Hiaasen. I support Indie authors, primarily in the romance genre. I love historical; there’s nothing like a bodice-ripping, arrogant pirate.
 

Do you have any rituals that you do specifically for writing?
If I’m writing, you’ll always find me either on the deck or the couch looking out the sliding doors. I start with a chapter outline of one sentence. I usually run out of ideas about half way through and then start writing the book and see where that takes me.

Gluten Free Friday Homemade Recipe #6 - Banana Blueberry Muffins

Anyone on a diet knows it is hard to come up with new and exciting things for breakfast. So one of my challenges has been coming up with 'bread' products that don't taste horrible or like diet food. So here is my recipe for muffins. I think this would work with anything not just Blue Berries and Bananas. I really want to try some chocolate chips with this.

Let me know what you all think.

As always, everything is Gluten Free and / or Organic!

2    C Gluten Free Flour
2    tsp Baking Powder
1/2  tsp Salt      
1/2  C Softened Butter     
1    C Sugar      
2    large Eggs      
1    tsp Vanilla      
1/2  C Organic Milk   
1/4  tsp nutmeg, grated      
2    C Blueberries      
1    large Banana

Mix all the dry and wet ingredients separately leaving out the fruit. With a blender, add the wet and dry together and then slowly blend in the banana. Once the mixture is consistent  fold in the blue berries.

Evenly place the mixture in 18 muffin tins

Place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

This was a really easy recipe to make. The prep time took about 10 minutes, which is how long it takes to preheat the oven. With little effort this was a gem for breakfast material.

The taste was good too. I liked to reheat them in the microwave and place a bit of butter on top of it when I ate them the next day. It was still delish and I know you will like them too! I give this an easy 4.5 stars!

Enjoy and Happy Eating!

Nutrition Facts courtesy of All The Cooks

The Writers Coffee Shop Presents: Killer by Alexandra Allred

Published by The Writers Coffee Shop

Genre: Fiction/Mystery & Detective/Women Sleuth

ISBN e-book:  978-1-61213-262-4

Available from: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and TWCS PH

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 Summary:

One o’clock and all’s . . . well, not so well, but what’s new in the world of Allie Lindell? Almost a year to the day, Mickey Callahan’s business partner was found dead from a single gunshot wound to the head and nothing but questions surrounding his murder. Now, Mickey is convinced that the same people are out to get him. After a sloppy kidnapping attempt, no one takes him seriously until the body count starts to grow. While the part-time sleuth and full-time mother of two had promised to stay away from murder and mayhem for a while, Allie can’t resist the mystery that practically ignites in her own backyard. The Allie Lindell saga returns with the third book in the series and more drama than ever as Allie continues to struggle to remember the love of her life and partner while trying to keep her head above water as she wades through the underworld of gambling, race horses, and murder.

About the Author:

Alexandra Allred is a former national and professional athlete turned adventure writer turned humorist and novelist. She’s often been called the next Erma Bombeck with a grudge. Her annual Christmas letters, which have frequently made the news, could make the Grinch weep with joy. For a taste of holiday glee, see http://www.allredgreetings.blogspot.com Allred is a writer of fiction and nonfiction alike, but is most proud of the Allie Lindell series. Several close friends from her sports background and personal life have been the source of inspiration for the books. And just like Allie Lindell, Allred grew up with a father who taught her the love of reading a good obituary column. Allred writes for Waxahachie Daily Light newspaper, continues to testify in Washington D.C. on behalf of children with asthma and our need for clean air, and she’s never too far from her gym in Midlothian, Texas. You can always drop her a note at www.alexandratheauthor.com.

Connect with the Author:

Twitter * Facebook * Website * Blog

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Praise for Anniversary Killer

"Another humorous Allie story, and it was nice to see her sister joining the gang."  - Andrea Goodreads Review

Fire & Ice Book Tours Presents: Giveaway: Changeling's Crown by Juli D. Revezzo

Blurb:
When Ianthe began her career as a faery godmother, she stumbled so badly that Snow White will probably never speak to her again. After a long suspension, she’s finally been given a chance to redeem herself…but everything on this latest assignment is going wrong.
But why?
Worse, she definitely doesn’t need an attractive mortal man distracting her from her duties. Of course, needs and wants are two different things.
Briak has had his eye on Ianthe for a very, very long time, but he’s been waiting for just the right moment to make his move. Despite the fact all hell’s about to break loose on his watch, he can’t resist the opportunity to insert himself into her earthly assignment. Can he convince Ianthe of her true calling and thereby win her heart? Or will his subterfuge ultimately cost him her love?

See the book trailer on Youtube

Excerpt:

The bright white and blue neon market sign shone through the darkness. Ianthe parked, hauled her umbrella from the floorboard, and ran for the automatic doors.
A wave of freezing air hit her as she crossed the threshold. The doors slid shut behind her.
A quick glance around the store told her she wasn’t the only poor soul out tonight. A handful of men and women had braved the storm to replenish their pantries. She grabbed a shopping basket. The deli would have to do.
She peered down at the various meats and cheeses, the sliced cold cut sandwiches. She reached for a container of egg salad for her own snack and moved on to peruse the custards. How many should I get?
“Fancy seeing you here, stranger.”
The deep voice brought Ianthe up straight.
Briak sidled up to her, a boyish smile on his handsome face.
“Oh, hello,” she said.
“So, what brings you out on this miserable night?” he asked.
She dropped the egg salad container into her basket. “My power went out.”
“Mine too. So dinner was effectively ... well, postponed.” Briak tipped his head, reading her container’s label. “I see yours isn’t interrupted.”
“What, this?” She pointed to her selection. “No, no. This is for next Friday. I’m testing my recipe. See if mine is as good as theirs.”
“Next Friday? Oh, your spring soiree.”
That he remembered the exact specifics of the Friday in question warmed her. “I thought about getting started on the custard, just to give myself time for trial and error.”
“Custard? Sounds tasty.” Something wicked shone in his eyes. “I’d be willing to bet yours is better than store-bought.”
Ianthe lowered her lashes, blushing. “Maybe you can find out next week. Or I can make some for you ahead of time, if you’re game,” she offered.
“If that’s an invitation,” he said, “I accept.”
Her voice squeaked out of her, “Invitation?” Yes.
No. Son of a goblin! She cleared her throat. “I meant the party but—Yes, well—” To keep from fidgeting, she waved a hand to the windows. “I could offer to bring you some tomorrow, but Mother Nature ruined my plans.”
“The bitch.”
She blinked.
“I mean, er. Well—” Briak scrubbed a hand through his dark hair.
Was he nervous?
“That didn’t come out right. I meant she’s a bitch for ruining your cooking. Still, here you are.”
He reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and she gasped. He lowered his hand and pointed to the salad. “If you wanted to split that with me right now, I wouldn’t say no. You did promise to have lunch with me sometime.”
The heat in his look blew away the chill from the grocery store’s freezers. Lunch and maybe a little more?
To heck with the party! 

Buy Links:
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About the Author: Juli D. Revezzo is a Florida girl, with a love of fantasy, science fiction, and Arthurian legend, so much so she gained a B.A. in English and American Literature. She loves writing stories with fantastical elements whether it be a full-on fantasy, or a story set in this world-slightly askew. She has been published in short form in Eternal Haunted Summer, Dark Things II: Cat Crimes (a charity anthology for cat related charities), Luna Station Quarterly, Potnia, By Blood, Bone, and Blade (forthcoming charity anthologies by Biblioteca Alexandrina); Crossing the River, An Anthology in Honor of Sacred Journeys; The Scribing Ibis: An Anthology of Pagan Fiction in Honor of Thoth, and Twisted Dreams Magazine. She’s the author of The Antique Magic series and the Paranormal Romance Harshad Wars series. She is a member of the Independent Author Network and the Magic Appreciation Tour. Come learn more about her at http://julidrevezzo.com
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Giveaway: One winner will win an e-book copy of any title from Juli D. Revezzo backlist! See them all at http://julidrevezzo.com/julis-novels/ – Open internationally, must be 18 or over to enter. Enter through Rafflecopter.

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