Back to Top

  

Romantic & Western headerbarSuspense Novels

Monthly Archives: January 2020

Happy New Year!

 

Can you believe it’s not only a new year, but a new decade? Welcome to 2020.

I hope everyone had a good holiday season, whatever you celebrate or not.

 

I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions, because they place high expectations, they never last and most of the time they’re a good or bad and not measurable. I do set goals for the year. Then I assess them every few months and may adjust them. I usually set goals for different areas of my life. For example, - Nutrition goals. This year I want to work harder on following the Mediterranean Diet. Exercise – I need to get back to working out and my goal is to work out at least three times a week and try to do 7000 steps a day. I don’t usually make 10,000.

 

And I have writing goals. At the top of my list is Finish the Damn Book. I am still writing and editing Death Southern Style. I have a beta reader ready to read and share her opinion If anyone would like to be a beta reader for me, please contact me at babateman@shaw.ca . I’d love to have another person share their honest opinion of my book. I have an editor waiting for me to submit. I’m looking at another week it should be finished and edited by me and then off it goes.  I did get a cover. Yes! It hasn’t been revealed yet – so this will be the first time I’ve posted it.

 

Once it’s gone for editing, I want to get back to working on The Foundation – Lydia’s Story.

 

This month I’m not doing a lot of promotion. I want to finish Death Southern Style and start promoting it. Hopefully next month.

 

All month you can check out my book and be eligible to win a $50 amazon gift card at Rafflecopter http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e226730a42/ 

 

January 25 - Group Blog – start at https://beverleybateman.blogspot.com/and this month the topic is “How can contemporary fiction cope with the rapid changes of today’s world?”

 

Don’t forget to check out my blog and some great authors with their new books and other information at https://beverleybateman.blogspot.com/ and post comments.

 

 

Here’s here is a recipe from Death Southern Style for Red Beans and Rice

 

RED BEANS AND RICE (Serves 10 - 12)

  • 1-pound dried red beans, rinsed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped ham
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
  • 1/2-pound smoked sausage cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2-pound smoked ham hocks
  • 4 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 10 cups chicken stock, or water
  • 4 cups cooked white rice

 

 

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.

 

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped ham and cook, for 1 minute. Add the onions and celery to the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours.

 

Remove from the heat mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves. Serve over rice. Enjoy!

Born and raised in New Orleans Julie Ann Dupré senses things other people don’t. She’s living in New York when she’s told her mother has been killed in an attempted robbery, which is odd because Perrine didn’t have anything valuable to steal. Julie Ann comes home to find the truth and discovers there’s a family secret, hidden for years. She searches to find the real reason for her mother’s death. Now someone is trying to kill her. Will her psychic senses, a little dog and a detective keep her safe?

 

Detective Connor O’Reilly, a native of New Orleans and comes from a family of police. He’s an honest cop but realizes there is corruption in the division. He meets Julie Ann at her mother’s house and is immediately attracted to her. After telling her about the attempted robbery he checks into the case and finds no one is investigating the death. Julie Ann deserves the truth and he wants to know what really happened. He starts a thorough investigation. He’s warned off the case and then he receives a death threat.

 

Julie Ann and Connor work together to unravel the real reason behind Perrine Dupré’s murder, Julie Ann’s mysterious past, and why people want her dead, while developing their challenging relationship. Can they both survive? And what about their relationship?

Buy links:

Coming Soon!

 

Excerpt

Death Southern Style Excerpt 2

After Julie paid the taxis she stood on the street and stared at the small sign tacked over the door of the old wooden house, Chez Voodoo.

She sauntered out into the courtyard. It was empty. She turned to her left and stepped through the next door into the church.

A tall black woman wearing a long white dress with a white apron and a white scarf tied around her head, turned around when Julie Ann entered the room.

“Julie Ann Dupré, child, welcome. I’m sorry I wasn’t out front to welcome you.”

She hurried across and wrapped her arms around Julie Ann. “I am so sorry to hear about your mother.”

“Thank you.” Julie Ann returned the hug and felt the energy flow from Priestess Ava. She soaked it in before she finally pulled back. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Your mother’s death? Of course, although I’m not sure how I can help. Shall we go and sit in the courtyard?”

“That would be nice.” Julie murmured.

She liked it out there. Riots of red, orange, yellow, purple and coral colors filled the flower beds, attracting butterflies, birds and bees. Street noises never entered the area. It was an area of serenity and peace. And it always felt cool, despite the temperature.

“Do you think Perrine’s death was voodoo related?”

“Goodness no, I don’t think so. Why would it be?”

“I don’t know. I’m trying to figure it out, make some sense of it. So far, I have few pieces, but nothing fits. The police say it was a robbery gone bad, but there’s nothing missing. And I had a vision. She knew she was about to die. She didn’t enter the house but ran away. She was shot her three times, in the back.”

“You saw this?”

“Yes, but it doesn’t make sense. I’m trying to come up with other possible motives. I know a lot of people feel threatened when you mention voodoo.”

“True, but I don’t think Perrine would have been killed because of it. There are a lot of people in the Quarter that belong to the voodoo church. Besides, why would they target your mother? Why not me? I’m the High Priestess now.”

“It was a thought. Also, I found this in my hotel room this morning.” Julie Ann handed the voodoo doll to Ava.

Ava regarded it carefully before she touched it.

“This was in your hotel room?”

Julie Ann nodded.

“How did it get there?”

“I don’t know. The door and the window were both locked. When I touched it, I could see a group, not one person, but several and all very blurry.”

“I see. This is a voodoo doll, but not one of mine. Someone could have bought it from any of the local shops. It’s one made for tourists and then they added the blood. It’s a warning and meant to scare you.”

“It does scare me. I guess if I left all this alone, accepted the police report and went back to New York maybe I’d be safe. But I might not be safe there either.”

“Have you made any plans for the funeral yet?”

“No, I haven’t talked to her friends yet. Savannah mentioned Charlie wants to do it up in style and have an old-fashioned funeral with a band and a parade from the church to the cemetery.”

“That sounds wonderful. Perrine deserves it and the neighborhood will get a chance to mourn her in style. Good for Charlie.”

“I need to talk to him. Would you speak?”

“I’d be honored. Let me know when and where. Now I’m going to give you a special packet of mine. I want you to keep it on you at all times. It is to protect you against unknown threats and danger.”

“Why? Do you think I need it?”

“I don’t know, but if you’re staying in New Orleans and looking into Perrine’s death it won’t hurt to make sure you have a little extra protection.” Ava slipped into the church and came back a few minutes later with a small ball wrapped in cotton muslin tied tightly at the top.

She held it over Julie Ann’s palm and mumbled a few words before she handed it to her. “Now put it in your pocket and keep it there. Keep it on you at all times, day or night. Promise me.”

“I will.” Julie Ann obeyed and stuffed it in her pocket. “Thanks, Ava. I don’t know that I need any protection, but I’ll be careful.”

“Perrine didn’t think she needed protection either. I wish I’d given her something to protect her when she was here.”

“Okay, okay. I’m convinced. It stays with me at all times. Thank you.”

“You take care now.” Ava gave Julie Ann a hug.

“I will. I promise.” Julie Ann smiled and headed back out the way she came in.

Ava stood and watched her go.

Maybe I should have made the potion stronger. There’s an aura around her that says she’s going to have to face some life-threatening challenges.

 

 

It’s the first group blog of the year and we’re talking about how can contemporary fiction cope with the rapid changes of today’s world?

I find it an interesting topic because I’m having a challenge keeping up with all the changes, the affect computer technology has on everything. In writing it’s difficult. When you write contemporary you have to consider who will be reading, (age group, male or female) and then, when will they be reading it. Will it be this year, or will your book still be available in five years and will it be relevant?

For example, maybe five years ago people till used a landline. Now your h/h better be using a cellphone and how advanced is their cellphone, does it keep up with today’s technology? What about vehicles? Do they drive an electric car? Is there a charging station available?

Then there are the serious challenges like climate change, nutrition and diseases. Five people were not seriously addressing climate change. In the next five years what affect will it have on the earth? And will you address it as part of your novel, avoid it? What about nutrition? A lot of novels, contemporary or otherwise, have multiple scenes centered around food. Does you heroine only eat plant-based foods? Is he vegetarian? And what will they still be eating in five years if your book is available?

How do we cope with the changes? As writers we need to do our research, be aware of today’s culture and how our h/h fit in to today’s lifestyle and then project how we think or hope a reader will consider our book five years in the future.

Me? My head is spinning, I’m thinking of writing historical.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Now I’m going to read what other writers have to say on this challenging and stimulating topic.

Skye Taylor  http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea Dr. Bob Rich  https://wp.me/p3Xihq-1OK Helena Fairfax   http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog Connie Vines  http://mizging.blogspot.com/ Judith Copek  http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/ Fiona McGier  http://www.fionamcgier.com/ Anne Stenhouse   http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/ Rhobin L Courtright  http:// www.rhobincourtright.com  

A Few Questions to get to know Diana Rubino:

-What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer?

When I started writing historicals, my greatest influences were Beatrice Small, (her book BLAZE WYNDHAM inspired me to write my first historical), Sharon Kay Penman, and Philippa Gregory. Every book of theirs I read inspired me to become the best historical novelist I could be.

-What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel?

My great-grandmother, known as Josie Red because of her head of thick red hair, was a successful businesswoman—she owned apartment buildings, a parking garage, did small-time bootlegging during Prohibition, and served as a Committeewoman in Jersey City. I based Vita on her.

-Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them?

I’d read many books by The Wild Rose Press before I submitted to them. My first book with them wasn’t a historical—it’s an urban fantasy, FAKIN’ IT. They published most of my later historicals, and I’ve been very happy with them.

-What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile?

I am about to start YOUNG LINCOLN OF NEW SALEM by Sam Rowlins. I’ve been a huge Lincoln buff since childhood, and Sam posted about it on my Chat & Promote page on Facebook. I bought it immediately. I have about 100 other books on TBR pile, that would take up much too much space!

-Lastly, what’s up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves?

I’m finishing the first draft of MUCH HAS BEEN GIVEN US, about Edith Roosevelt and her husband, Theodore. I haven’t sent it to my agent yet, but I hope it will be released later this year.

How FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET Was Born:

New York City’s history always fascinated me—how it became the most powerful hub in the world from a sprawling wilderness in exchange for $24 with Native Americans by the Dutch in 1626.

Growing up in Jersey City, I could see the Statue of Liberty from our living room window if I leaned way over (luckily I didn’t lean too far over). As a child model, I spent many an afternoon on job interviews and modeling assignments in the city, and got hooked on Nedick’s, a fast food chain whose orange drinks were every kid’s dream. Even better than the vanilla egg creams. We never drove to the city—we either took the PATH (Port Authority Trans Hudson) train (‘the tube’ in those days) or the bus through the Lincoln Tunnel to the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

My great grandmother, Josephine Arnone, “Josie Red” to her friends, because of her abundant head of red hair, was way ahead of her time. Born in 1895 (but it could’ve been sooner, as she was known to lie about her age), she left grade school, became a successful businesswoman and a Jersey City committee woman, as well as a wife and mother of four. She owned apartment buildings, parking garages, a summer home, did a bit of Prohibition-era bootlegging, small-time loan-sharking, and paid cash for everything. When I began outlining From Here to Fourteenth Street, I modeled my heroine, Vita Caputo, after her. Although the story is set in New York the year before Grandma was born, I was able to bring Vita to life by calling on the family legends and stories, all word of mouth, for she never kept a journal.

Vita’s hero Tom McGlory isn’t based on any real person, but I did a lot of reading about Metropolitan Policemen and made sure he was the complete opposite! He’s trustworthy and would never take a bribe or graft. I always liked the name McGlory—then, years after the book first came out, I remembered that was the name of my first car mechanic—Ronnie McGlory.

Blurb from FROM  HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET and how Vita Found Love and Success Against All Odds

It’s 1894 on New York’s Lower East Side. Irish cop Tom McGlory and Italian immigrant Vita Caputo fall in love despite their different upbringings. Vita goes from sweatshop laborer to respected bank clerk to reformer, helping elect a mayor to beat the Tammany machine. While Tom works undercover to help Ted Roosevelt purge police corruption, Vita’s father arranges a marriage between her and a man she despises. As Vita and Tom work together against time and prejudice to clear her brother and father of a murder they didn’t commit, they know their love can survive poverty, hatred, and corruption. Vita is based on my great grandmother, Josephine Calabrese, “Josie Red” who left grade school to become a self-made businesswoman and politician, wife and mother.

Excerpt:

As Vita gathered her soap and towel, Madame Branchard tapped on her door. “You have a gentleman caller, Vita. A policeman.”

“Tom?” His name lingered on her lips as she repeated it. She dropped her things and crossed the room.

“No, hon, not him. Another policeman. Theodore something, I think he said.”

No. There can’t be anything wrong . “Thanks,” she whispered,  nudging Madame Branchard aside. She descended the steps, gripping the banister to support her wobbly legs. Stay calm! she warned herself. But of course it was no use; staying calm just wasn’t her nature.

“Theodore something” stood before the closed parlor door. He’s a policeman? Tall and hefty, a bold pink shirt peeking out of a buttoned waistcoat and fitted jacket, he looked way out of place against the dainty patterned wallpaper.

He removed his hat. “Miss Caputo.” He strained to keep his voice soft as he held out a piece of paper. “I’m police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt.”

“Yes?” Her voice shook.

“I have a summons for you, Miss Caputo.” He held it out to her. But she stood rooted to that spot.

He stepped closer and she took it from him, unfolding it with icy fingers. Why would she be served with a summons? Was someone arresting her now for something she didn’t do?

A shot of anger tore through her at this system, at everything she wanted to change. She flipped it open and saw the word “Summons” in fancy script at the top. Her eyes widened with each sentence as she read. “I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”

I hereby order Miss Vita Caputo to enter into holy matrimony with Mr. Thomas McGlory immediately following service of this summons.

Buy Links:

getBook.at/NewYorkSagaBookOne

Social Media:

Website www.d ianarubino.com

Blog www.dianarubinoauthor.blogspot.com

Facebook   h ttps://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor/?ref=hl

Tw itter https://twitter.com/DianaLRubino

Born and raised in New Orleans Julie Ann Dupré senses things other people don’t. She’s living in New York when she’s told her mother has been killed in an attempted robbery, which is odd because Perrine didn’t have anything valuable to steal. Julie Ann comes home to find the truth and discovers there’s a family secret, hidden for years. She searches to find the real reason for her mother’s death. Now someone is trying to kill her. Will her psychic senses, a little dog and a detective keep her safe?

 

Detective Connor O’Reilly, a native of New Orleans and comes from a family of police. He’s an honest cop but realizes there is corruption in the division. He meets Julie Ann at her mother’s house and is immediately attracted to her. After telling her about the attempted robbery he checks into the case and finds no one is investigating the death. Julie Ann deserves the truth and he wants to know what really happened. He starts a thorough investigation. He’s warned off the case and then he receives a death threat.

 

Julie Ann and Connor work together to unravel the real reason behind Perrine Dupré’s murder, Julie Ann’s mysterious past, and why people want her dead, while developing their challenging relationship. Can they both survive? And what about their relationship?

Buy links:

Coming Soon!

 

Excerpt

Death Southern Style Excerpt 2

After Julie paid the taxis she stood on the street and stared at the small sign tacked over the door of the old wooden house, Chez Voodoo.

She sauntered out into the courtyard. It was empty. She turned to her left and stepped through the next door into the church.

A tall black woman wearing a long white dress with a white apron and a white scarf tied around her head, turned around when Julie Ann entered the room.

“Julie Ann Dupré, child, welcome. I’m sorry I wasn’t out front to welcome you.”

She hurried across and wrapped her arms around Julie Ann. “I am so sorry to hear about your mother.”

“Thank you.” Julie Ann returned the hug and felt the energy flow from Priestess Ava. She soaked it in before she finally pulled back. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Your mother’s death? Of course, although I’m not sure how I can help. Shall we go and sit in the courtyard?”

“That would be nice.” Julie murmured.

She liked it out there. Riots of red, orange, yellow, purple and coral colors filled the flower beds, attracting butterflies, birds and bees. Street noises never entered the area. It was an area of serenity and peace. And it always felt cool, despite the temperature.

“Do you think Perrine’s death was voodoo related?”

“Goodness no, I don’t think so. Why would it be?”

“I don’t know. I’m trying to figure it out, make some sense of it. So far, I have few pieces, but nothing fits. The police say it was a robbery gone bad, but there’s nothing missing. And I had a vision. She knew she was about to die. She didn’t enter the house but ran away. She was shot her three times, in the back.”

“You saw this?”

“Yes, but it doesn’t make sense. I’m trying to come up with other possible motives. I know a lot of people feel threatened when you mention voodoo.”

“True, but I don’t think Perrine would have been killed because of it. There are a lot of people in the Quarter that belong to the voodoo church. Besides, why would they target your mother? Why not me? I’m the High Priestess now.”

“It was a thought. Also, I found this in my hotel room this morning.” Julie Ann handed the voodoo doll to Ava.

Ava regarded it carefully before she touched it.

“This was in your hotel room?”

Julie Ann nodded.

“How did it get there?”

“I don’t know. The door and the window were both locked. When I touched it, I could see a group, not one person, but several and all very blurry.”

“I see. This is a voodoo doll, but not one of mine. Someone could have bought it from any of the local shops. It’s one made for tourists and then they added the blood. It’s a warning and meant to scare you.”

“It does scare me. I guess if I left all this alone, accepted the police report and went back to New York maybe I’d be safe. But I might not be safe there either.”

“Have you made any plans for the funeral yet?”

“No, I haven’t talked to her friends yet. Savannah mentioned Charlie wants to do it up in style and have an old-fashioned funeral with a band and a parade from the church to the cemetery.”

“That sounds wonderful. Perrine deserves it and the neighborhood will get a chance to mourn her in style. Good for Charlie.”

“I need to talk to him. Would you speak?”

“I’d be honored. Let me know when and where. Now I’m going to give you a special packet of mine. I want you to keep it on you at all times. It is to protect you against unknown threats and danger.”

“Why? Do you think I need it?”

“I don’t know, but if you’re staying in New Orleans and looking into Perrine’s death it won’t hurt to make sure you have a little extra protection.” Ava slipped into the church and came back a few minutes later with a small ball wrapped in cotton muslin tied tightly at the top.

She held it over Julie Ann’s palm and mumbled a few words before she handed it to her. “Now put it in your pocket and keep it there. Keep it on you at all times, day or night. Promise me.”

“I will.” Julie Ann obeyed and stuffed it in her pocket. “Thanks, Ava. I don’t know that I need any protection, but I’ll be careful.”

“Perrine didn’t think she needed protection either. I wish I’d given her something to protect her when she was here.”

“Okay, okay. I’m convinced. It stays with me at all times. Thank you.”

“You take care now.” Ava gave Julie Ann a hug.

“I will. I promise.” Julie Ann smiled and headed back out the way she came in.

Ava stood and watched her go.

Maybe I should have made the potion stronger. There’s an aura around her that says she’s going to have to face some life-threatening challenges.

 

 

Slowly getting organized and back on track. Still struggling to finish Death Southern Style.

Anyone else find you have so much else to do, that fitting in the actual writing is difficult?

My goal is to finish it be Friday and then do one last edit before sending it off to be edited.

Would love some positive energy.

Anyway, I do have a cover for Death Southern Style.

I love it and would love to hear what you think. 

My name is L. B. Joyce. I am the author of the Contemporary Romance series, Twelve Months, Twelve Love Stories. Published in December 2019, A January to Remember is the sixth book of the series.  

I grew up and have lived in the Northeast suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, for my entire life. For the past thirty years or so, I have lived in Chagrin Falls, a city in that area.

If there was ever a perfect little town for the set of a romance movie, it would be Chagrin Falls. For those of you who’ve had the chance to visit, you know what I’m talking about. For those of you who haven’t, you should make it a point to stop by and spend a day with us. I know you’d love the small-town atmosphere. And yes, as indicated in the name, there is a falls. As a matter of fact, there are two – one is natural, the other man made.

Now, a little bit about me. If someone were to write my story, I’m afraid it would be a mod-podge of things. First of all, you should know I never intended to write a book, let alone think I’d ever be referring to myself as an author. For the past thirty years, I’ve freelanced as an artist. I’ve also participated in quite a few recipe contests and even won a few. I’ve always been a big reader, books, magazines or whatever. But writing an actual book? This is something I thought was for other people, not me.

Recipe contesting was probably what influenced me to start writing. As a finalist in the Pillsbury Bake-Off (2008, 2010 and 2012) I became close to a few of the other finalists, with many emails exchanged between us. It was during that time, it was suggested I write a book about the experience. A humorous take on the ups and downs of competitive contesting.

So, I sat down one day and started to write. But it didn’t turn out to be a story about recipe contesting. No, it was a story about romance. After hanging on to the manuscript for over two years, afraid to let it go, I finally took the leap and A Million Decembers was finally published.

How did a humorous take on recipe contests turned into a romantic fairy tale kind of story? I haven’t a clue. But I do know I love writing in this genre. I like that there is always a happy ending. I don’t know about you, but when I read a book or watch a movie, I want the satisfaction of knowing everything turns out well in the end.  

When I was working on A Million Decembers, I had no intention of turning it into a series. This happened only after the few select people I let read my manuscript, convinced me to turn the story into a series. For a while after that, I often wondered what convinced me to do this, setting myself up to write twelve books? What was I thinking? But here I am, ready to start on book seven and still going strong.

And I still love writing, now more than before.

The time period of the series is now, give or take a few years. A Million Decembers, starts out in Chicago. Kevin, who makes an appearance in this first book, gets drafted by Cleveland’s professional baseball team and moves the story to Cleveland. From this point on, all of the stories take place in the Cleveland area and this is where I intend to keep them. The main characters have all become good friends and the cast of characters have grown, each with their own distinct personalities.

Book six, A January to Remember is probably my favorite of the stories I’ve written so far. But then I say probably only because I say this about every book when I finish it, something I think most authors can relate to. Leaving behind the main characters, to move on to the next, can be hard. This is why I love writing a series. The characters never really leave. They can pop up again at any time to help carry on the story.

To anyone who is thinking about writing a book, I say go for it. Read everything you can about writing, publishing and marketing. Connect with other artists and listen to what they have to say. Take that leap like I did. Remember your goal is not to become famous, only to bring out what you maybe didn’t know you had inside and put it all down into writing. Who knows what you’ll find out about yourself?

Take care,

Linda

A January to Remember:

It’s been said third time’s a charm and Hannah Michaels was only hours away from making this happen. After a misunderstanding, an unexpected departure and too much time lost before and after, she was more than ready. The first real date Sean had promised was about to happen.

But then she did something so incredibly stupid. While out for a run, she stepped out in front of a speeding motorcycle. Sailing head-first into a parked car, she was suddenly left with no recollection of the last two years of her life.

Unfortunately, Sean fell into this void.

Even though Sean Young had been next in line to take over his family’s cattle ranch in Australia, baseball had always been his first love. His goal to play professionally was realized when an offer by Cleveland had him leaving the ranch and his family behind to fulfill this dream.

Never did he expect to take one look at Hannah and have her steal his heart. Nor, after returning from an unexpected trip home due to a family emergency, did he think he’d have to start all over again, proving the love they’d shared before her memory loss was still the real thing.

Will this third time become that promised charm? Will Sean’s persistence pay off?

Another captivating addition to this series, A January to Remember is a love story you won’t want to end. A true romance at its best.

See why so many romance novel enthusiasts are hooked on this series and the cast of characters. True romance at its best, get caught up in their stories. Find out who will be the next to fall in love.

Link to A January to Remember:

https://books2read.com/u/mgGpVq

Link to the series, Twelve Months, Twelve Love Stories:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B0798SF1WG

Website https://www.lbjoyceauthor.com

Blog https://www.lbjoyceauthor.com/blog

Twitter https://twitter.com/bibbolinda

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

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/LBJoyceAuthor/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ljbibbo/

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/L.-B.-Joyce/e/B01N2AFD4L/

Cynthia Terelst is a project officer by day and a writer by night. She is a contemporary romance writer who likes to share a little bit of history, some Australian scenery and a whole lotta love. Cynthia does not shy away from difficult topics, as she feels that they should not be ignored.

She lives in Queensland, Australia, where the sun shines at least 283 days a year.

Let’s learn a little about one of the characters in her book

Beverley : What’s your name?

Jesse: Jesse Morgan

Beverley: Where did you grow up?

Jesse: I grew up in California. Even though I’ve lived there all my life I don’t really feel connected to it. I didn’t have a fun, carefree childhood.

Beverley: During what time period does your story take place?

Jesse: Current time period.

Beverley: What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?

Jesse: Being a billionaire makes me interesting to a lot of people. But it is often for the wrong reasons.  Money is not always as good as it is made out to be.

Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?

Jesse: My initial goal was to get away from all the negative in my life, and to find myself and what makes me happy. When I met Evie, I found someone unique, strong and kind. My goal changed. I wanted to become hers.

Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?

Jesse: Evie is my biggest conflict. I don’t mean in a negative way. She is complicated and guarded. It is a challenge trying to break those walls down.

Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving them?

Jesse: Be myself. Go slow. Don’t tell her about my money.

Beverley: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

Jesse: I’m not going to give up.

Blurb for The Cat’s Out of the Bag

One van. Two hearts. Thousands of kilometres.

Jesse’s a self-made billionaire who yearns to get away from his empty life and the money-hungry parasites who inhabit it. The plan? Go to Australia, tell no one about his money and find himself. Instead of finding just himself, he finds Evie, who is everything anyone should aspire to be. Now, what he aspires to be, is hers. But to be hers, he needs to tell her everything.

Evie has left her past behind. She has rebuilt herself, and her life, into one of happiness. After she meets Jesse, while volunteering at a cat shelter, memories of her past filter back in. She is stronger now and wants to trust him. But after all she has been through, is trust even possible?

The quest to find a cat a forever home leads them to travel across the country together. Can the close quarters drive them to open up to each other? Or will it drive them apart?

Excerpt for The Cat’s Out of the Bag

Jesse

The wave petered out, and I paddled back to the line-up. Sitting, watching, waiting. The constant breeze in my ears and the sound of waves breaking relaxed me. Lulled by the gentle rise and fall of the swells, I thought about Evie.

She was one of the most complicated people I’d ever met. Whatever she had been through had made her strong and independent. But underneath, she was all doubt. I could see her trying to be brave, but that could change in an instant as her insecurities took over. I felt like it was a fight between Nick and me, and I didn’t even know the guy. I didn’t know how to beat a ghost. But I would. I would figure it out, and I would gain Evie’s trust, bit by bit.

Her. Me. That’s what I would strive for.

Buy Link for The Cat’s Out of the Bag

Social Media Links

Website http://cynthiaterelst.com/

Newsletter https://www.subscribepage.com/p9p9y0

Blog http://cynthiaterelst.com/ blog/

Twitter @CynthiaTerelst

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

Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/cynthiaterelstauthor/

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cynthia-terelst

Amazon Author Page –  h ttps://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/author/ref=dbs_P_W_auth?_encoding=UTF8&author=Cynthia%20Terelst&searchAlias=digital-text&asin=B07ZCTX8SB

Born and raised in New Orleans Julie Ann Dupré senses things other people don’t. She’s living in New York when she’s told her mother has been killed in an attempted robbery, which is odd because Perrine didn’t have anything valuable to steal. Julie Ann comes home to find the truth and discovers there’s a family secret, hidden for years. She searches to find the real reason for her mother’s death. Now someone is trying to kill her. Will her psychic senses, a little dog and a detective keep her safe?

 

Detective Connor O’Reilly, a native of New Orleans and comes from a family of police. He’s an honest cop but realizes there is corruption in the division. He meets Julie Ann at her mother’s house and is immediately attracted to her. After telling her about the attempted robbery he checks into the case and finds no one is investigating the death. Julie Ann deserves the truth and he wants to know what really happened. He starts a thorough investigation. He’s warned off the case and then he receives a death threat.

 

Julie Ann and Connor work together to unravel the real reason behind Perrine Dupré’s murder, Julie Ann’s mysterious past, and why people want her dead, while developing their challenging relationship. Can they both survive? And what about their relationship?

Buy links:

Coming Soon!

 

Excerpt

Perrine Dupré hurried down the street. Dark New Orleans clouds hovered overhead. Thunder rolled through the skies. Large drops of late May rain pelted the streets of the French Quarter. It sounded like hail as the fat drops bounced off the pavement behind Perrine. The ozone mixed with the scent of magnolia and the smell of shrimp and fish cooking in the area.

The older African American woman struggled against the wind. It whipped her umbrella inside out. She clutched it tightly so not to lose it. Rain clouded her eyes. She stumbled up the three steps to her front door. Juggling her parcels, umbrella and the key Perrine jabbed it in the direction of the lock. Finally, the key found the opening and turned.

Her daughter was coming home for a visit. Perrine’s pulse increased and a smile sneaked out.

Perrine loved her New Orleans. She hated to travel, but two years ago she’d gone to New York to see Julie Ann and her new business. It was a mass of busy airports and crowded flights, but she’d enjoyed seeing New York and staying in her daughter’s apartment. Her daughter had showed off her interior design business, introduced to a few of her friends and dragged Perrine to some of the typical tourist activities. Julie Ann been getting her interior design business established then and had trouble finding time to leave it and come home. Recently she’d taken on a partner and now had a little more time. Tomorrow Julie Ann would be home in New Orleans and Perrine could give her a big hug. Thunder rumbled across the sky, sounding like pins crashing in a bowling alley.

Perrine turned the doorknob and froze.

A vision flashed in front of her. Her shoulders sagged. Her visions didn’t lie. She wasn’t going to see Julie Ann after all. And she'd miss their regular telephone call tonight, too.

She wasn’t prepared to die. A single tear shimmered down her cheek. Her heart pounded. She clutched her parcels to her chest. Why now? Lightning flashed. Thunder crashed.

He waited for her to come inside.

The vision showed her crumpled on the ground in front of the house. She’d run, but obviously she wasn’t going to get far. Even if her vision was wrong and she managed to escape tonight, they would kill her eventually. And after tonight Julie Ann would be home and she could be in danger.

 

 

Nalini Warriar dreamed of being a writer then forgot the dream for a bit as she went on to garner a Ph.D in Molecular Biology. While in her lab, the dream came back and hit her on the head and she’s never looked back writing through her years as a scientist. After more than a decade in cancer research, Nalini returned to the creative part of her soul and now devotes her time to dreaming up the perfect alpha male and feisty woman to appear in her books. Her novel, Fireflies in the Night, was a Foreword Reviews Fab Award finalist and won the Next Generation Indie Book Award in 2017. Kirkus Reviews awarded Fireflies in the Night a starred review and named it Best Books of 2016. She’s working on her next romance, a Crenshaw Brothers book, to be released in 2020. She lives in Ontario, Canada.

Status of Karma’s Slow Burn, in pre-order promotion on Amazon and Smashwords.

Thank you for having me on your blog, Beverley. I wish everyone a happy and healthy 2020. The healthy part is crucial to the happy part. In retrospect, it makes me wise as I’m recovering from a cold.

My new contemporary romance, Karma’s Slow Burn, will be released very soon-1 Feb to be precise-and I’m in promo fever, getting all the dates right. A lot has changed from the last time I released a book in 2017. NetGalley is a new experience for me, as are Smashwords and Booksprout.

Reviews for my book from NetGalley and Goodreads are in and they are meager in number. Of the 55+ downloads on NetGalley, a measly 3 reviews have come in: one five-star and two-four stars. I attribute the low number of reviews to the fact that I’m an indie author. I can see this from the data on NetGalley where anything from a traditional publishing house gets more cover likes and even more reviews.

I’m not one to run after reviews but Amazon algorithms force me to. I have to think of it as free publicity even though I’m paying for the listings. For indie authors like me, the only way to tap into the large pool of readers is to let them know my book is out there too.

I can count the pre-order sales on my hands but I’m hopeful it will be positive when my book is out. All pre-orders have come from Amazon marketplaces and none from Smashwords, which is another distributor like Amazon. I’m not on Select with Amazon as this allows me to use other retailers even though the royalty is higher with Amazon Select. 70% of $0 in sales is still 0, right? Then again as there have been no pre-orders with Smashwords it is still very much 0 all the way.  Aargh! Now I have to think about getting on Select again and take my listing off Smashwords.

About Karma’s Slow Burn

I’d just finished another book set in Bollywood and New York and wanted a change, so I set Karma’s Slow Burn in an undefined city on the shores of Lake Ontario. There is a river, the St. Lawrence, which is less conspicuous. I see Lake Ontario every day and every day I’m struck by how big it is. How it seems to reflect my moods. Like today, on this mild winter day, the sun has decorated the ice floes with silver sprinkles, lifting my almost blue mood to a bright red.

Blurb.

Sportswriter Karma Deepika Huntington is going to hit Rafael Henley, star pitcher for the Sliders, hard to avenge her husband’s death. Rafael cannot ignore the chemistry between them and decides a one-night stand is in order. Karma agrees. Just to get that itch off. But once they get into each other’s pants, things get complicated. Revenge and guilt take a back seat with sizzling chemistry in control. Hanging out with her father, a cross-dressing accountant, a hacker ex-cop, a flatulent claims investigator or a star pitcher with a hot bod? Karma’s choice in new contemporary sports romance Karma’s Slow Burn.

  Excerpt Karma’s Slow Burn

When she finished the article, Karma called an Uber, packed her stuff and left the bar to wait for her ride. It was a dark evening, thick and heavy clouds hanging from the sky. Karma could sense a thunderstorm coming. The air was moist, filled with an earthy fragrance. She took a deep sniff. She half-turned when she heard gravel crunching behind her. A hairy arm snaked around her shoulders. Fumes of alcohol hit her nose. Coarse hair rubbed against her cheeks. He was huge. Her back rubbed against his soft belly. God! She hadn’t thought of him at all! Was this the way her beautiful evening was going to end? No fucking way!

Karma let her bag slide from her shoulder and her body went slack. With her head hung forward, she bent her elbows and jackknifed them into the softest part of his belly with all her might. It got a grunt from him and loosened his arm around her shoulder. She flipped around to face him, lifted her knee and jabbed it into his groin while slamming her ringed fingers on his nose.

With a groan, he dropped like a stone even as her legs gave way under her and she flopped to the ground, sharp pricks from the gravel biting into the heel of her palms. She didn’t feel the stones tear through the skin or the burning pain in her knuckles. 

“I see you don’t need my help.” From far away, Rafael Henley’s voice drifted toward her in the night.

In the glow of the streetlamp, she saw him pick up her bag and walk toward her, the sound of his soles soft on the gravel. He set her bag on the ground beside her.

“You okay, Karma?” The concern in his voice brought tears to her eyes.

Dammit!

Words refused to pass her lips. He came closer and bent down to her level. He took one of her hands in his. She winced and he frowned. Reaching forward, he put his arms came around her and lifted her to her feet. She stumbled against him then stilled as he brought her to his chest.

“You’re safe now, Karma. You made sure of that.”

She leaned her head on his chest, her hair screening her face and her hands trembling. Her blood pounded so hard in her ears and chest, she swayed on unsteady legs. His arms tightened around her. She wanted to say something but her lips were still locked. All she could do was fold her body into the comfort of his embrace and breathe in his clean smell, trying to erase all memory of the stink of the other man.

He was a solid wall against her wobbly legs. Her shaking body had him bend down and hook an arm around her knees. Not a word of protest crossed her lips. He carried her to his SUV and opened the door. He settled her in the seat, buckling her in.

“Wait, no. Have an Uber.” She managed to croak the words out.

“What kind of car?”

“White Camry.”

“I see him coming around the corner. I’ll let him know you don’t need the ride. I’ll take you home.”

Karma did not utter a peep of protest. For once, she let someone decide for her. When he got in the driver’s seat, he paused.

“Let me see your hands.” He switched the interior lights on. She refused to comply. He leaned over, grabbed them and turned them over. She sucked in a breath. “A few scratches and some bruising on the knuckles. Rewards of a warrior.” He nudged her chin up with a finger and looked into her eyes. She slapped his finger away. “And we’re back.”

She hated to show him her vulnerable side. She did not need a knight in shining armor. But she had needed his embrace. And that was it. Nothing more.

Karma’s Slow Burn, promo price of $1.99 on pre-order until date of release on 1 Feb 2020.

Buy Links:

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZJSZD5X

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/957769

Author links:

h ttps://karmasslowburn.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/authornaliniwarriar

https://amazon.com/author/naliniwarriar

https://www.goodreads.com/naliniwarriar

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1028475.Nalini_Warriar