Tallent and Lowery Grand Finale!

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We left off at All That's Written with the first part of Tallent and Lowery's Valentine Adventure. Here's the special conclusion of our tour with Tallent and Lowery in honor of Valentine's Day:

A Tallent & Lowery Valentine Adventure
PART II:

“Seriously. Where is everybody?” Leah asked, staring at the vacant rooms of the NYPL.

Finally, Gareth understood the strange reaction. “Hey…it’s okay. I swear. The library’s just closed.”

“How is it closed?”

Taking her by the hand, Gareth led her into the Rose Main Reading Room. “You would be amazed how easy it is to get what you want when you have a ton of money to blow.” He laughed. “Besides, it’s snowing like crazy out there. Everyone was grateful to go home to their warm living rooms, and pretend a polar vortex was something that Spielberg made up.”

“You shut down the library so I could follow a treasure map? What are you, five?” Leah offered a smirk.

“I would make a heck of a father, wouldn’t I?” he asked. “Seeing as that, mentally, I would be the same age as the kid.”

Leah cringed. “If there’s an adopted infant hidden in this library I’m gonna run for the hills.”

“No. I figured I had to wait for you to get used to that idea.” 

Leah muttered, “You may be as old as St. Valentine when that happens.” 

“Well,” he began, offering a wide grin, “just make sure not to take too much time. If I’m at the point where I’m gumming my food, I might scare the kid to death.” He pointed down at the small piece of paper. “Shall we begin?”

Shaking her head, Leah remained silent, secretly loving the man’s imagination. Looking down at the first clue - a heart to represent the holiday - Leah felt the trusty card catalogue open in her mind as she thought of all the things that could be related to the first clue. Deciding to go with the simplest answer, Leah turned around and began to walk away from Gareth’s side. 

“Where are you going?” he asked, sprinting to catch up.

“The section on literature of the Middle Ages.”

“Why is that?”

Leah looked up at him, knowing she would never find any clue lurking in the stunning eyes. Gareth was, after all, a man who loved a challenge. “The heart meaning ‘love’ didn’t come about until the end of the Middle Ages. Before that, the heart was just seen as a shape, usually drawn to represent a fig leaf in the medieval era.”

“That reference could be in hundreds of books, which one do you pick?”

Leah grinned. “Hagiography represents the biographies of all different saints and leaders of the Church written over time. But, seeing as that no one has really come to terms with who St. Valentine was, I know there’s no specific bio I could reference.” Reaching out, she took a small book of writings off the shelf that were based on Pope Gelasius.

“Why that guy?” Gareth asked.

“He was the one who made the day civil, so to speak.” She winked. “You see, the Romans celebrated the day as a festival of fertility, not love.”

“Boy, those dudes were into ---, weren’t they?”

“Why do you think the Empire fell?” Leah snorted. “The chicks should have been in charge. What happened was, Roman boys drew names of girls out of an urn, then the couple exchanged…gifts.”

“At least they were happy when they fell,” he said, leaning back against the bookcase. “But, why the Pope?”

“Pope Gelasius was the one who changed the Pagan celebration and put a Christian spin on it, birthing the holiday of St. Valentine.”

“So he was real?”

“There’s some debate,” Leah answered. “There are actually a ton of St. Valentine’s if you read through history. But the most accepted one is a young Roman who died on February 14th, martyred by Emperor Claudius II for the simple fact that the boy refused to give up Christianity.”

   

Flipping through the pages, Leah discovered another small piece of paper with the drawing of two birds sitting side-by-side.” She smiled at the handsome face. “You knew this, huh?” 

“After being with you, I know it’s important to study up.” Lifting her hand, he brushed Leah’s skin with his lips. “So…what do you make of clue number two?”

Turning, Leah immediately walked toward the poet’s corner with Gareth right behind her. Reaching out, she pulled Chaucer from the shelf. 

“Why him?” Gareth nodded at the small book of poems. “There were a ton of romantic bards.” 

“Before the whole ‘romance’ theme was adopted by humans, Chaucer mentioned it in a poem, The Parlement of Foules.” Looking down, she translated the small type and read aloud: “ ‘For this was Saint Valentine’s day, when every bird of every kind comes to this place to choose his mate.’ ”

Gareth grinned as Leah flipped over the page and found yet another clue; a hand-drawn bumblebee stared up at her with a tiny smile. She laughed.

“I suppose you know what that’s all about?” Gareth grinned. “O’ Wise One.”

“Well,” Leah tool a step forward and kissed him on the cheek. “In the original text edition, Chaucer did not use birds as the metaphor in this poem, he used bees. No one knows why it was changed.”

He nodded. “So we head to some insect reference book now?”

Leah stood still, watching the man who was, quite obviously, pretending to be confused. “Apiology, the study of bees, should be there. But zoology is where I would head.”

Walking through the quiet museum to literary beauty Gareth remained silent, waiting for Leah to continue.

Reaching the reference she wanted, Leah picked up the book and turned to the section on a man named Charles Butler. “This is the guy referred to as the ‘Father of English Beekeeping’. He was the genius who figured out there was one Queen surrounded by male drones. And he also first noted that bees created wax honeycombs.”

Flipping the page, Leah looked down at the familiar drawing of a small honeycomb. The words beside it read; ‘The End’. Her brain went into overdrive. “Hmmm…let’s see here. This could reference  mummy masks that were found made of honeycomb; skulls unearthed in ancient times with gemstones stuck to them with beeswax; fabrics or fashion, considering it was used for waterproofing and, of course, the easiest one - candles.”

Gareth smiled wide.

“We don’t have a candle section, per se.”

“What will you do, then?”

An image of the stunning landscape that she and Gareth had visited in the recent past appeared in her mind. “Beeswax candles were seen as high-end and only used by royalty to light their mighty palaces. 18th century England was the most common place to find them.”

Without another word, Leah headed slowly to the Map Room, one of her favorite nooks in the NYPL. Entering, she saw the hundreds of candles illuminating a small table set for two. 

“Hungry?”

Walking to the table, Leah raised the golden dome and looked down at the lasagna - her favorite - gracing the dish. 

Pulling out her chair, she sat, watching the man she loved take his place across from her. “Good job.”

“You too,” he said. “We make a good team.”

As the slight burst of metal hit her gaze, Leah stared at the beautiful beeswax sculpture in the familiar shape of a heart decorating the side of the table. Barely noticeable among the intricate combs of the brilliant material was a locket made of amber. Picking it up carefully, Leah stared at the small clock on the inside. On the adjoining face, the words Tallent & Lowery had been inscribed.

“Time is so special with you,” Gareth said, his voice a soft, deep whisper in the romantic setting. “I’m greedy. I want at least, oh…seventy more years with you. I hope I can have that.”

Studying the face of the man who struck her with awe every time she gazed at him, Leah reached across the table and took his hand. “I hope so too. I can’t wait to tease you when our kid comes to visit us at the home so he can watch Dad gum his food.”

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Did you miss any of the other stops? 
Go back and catch them now!

2/3: Tome Tender - Amy's Writing

A great many times I’m asked what needs to be in place before I begin writing...

2/4: The Wonderings of One Person - Amy's Journey as a Writer

In the end, I always feel so privileged that these characters have become my friends…and I will always owe my entire journey to a kitty that had to go “nightsie.”

+ Coffee and Books and Art - The Sapphire Stone Excerpt

And as sleep overtook him, Emmanuel begged the ‘powers that be’ to lead Leah Tallent safely through the sapphire storm.

2/5: Kelly P's Blog - The Tallent and Lowery Duo

The duo of Tallent & Lowery cast aside petty differences to join together in work, friendship and romance, and I believe have been true ‘voices’ that educate people on how to be strong without harming others.

+ Savings in Seconds - Review

"Lignor creates this tantalizing blend of Indiana Jones, The Mummy, DaVinci Code, and even National Treasure with her characters."

2/6: Cherry Mischievous - Creating a Famous Duo

...When it comes down to duo’s, the literary world has offered more than its fair share. ‘Tallent & Lowery’, hopefully, will become one of those teams that will never be forgotten.

+ Deal Sharing Aunt - 13 Excerpt

Leah began, “Aleister Crowley bought this house in 1899, and stayed here on and off until 1913. He told his followers that he was working on a ceremony that would bring forth an army to do his bidding.”

2/7: Brooke Blogs - Tallent and Lowery Interview, Part I

“Maybe we should practice together before going out there,” he suggested. “You know…curb that sarcasm of yours a bit before revealing it on T.V.”

2/9: Mythical Books - Tallent and Lowery Interview, Part II

“You don’t get air sick.”

“Not true. Those blonde stewardesses who constantly hit on you make me sick.” She winked.

2/10: Fuonlyknew ~ Laura's Ramblins and Reviews - The Hero's Companion Excerpt

Leah dropped her head in her hands as tears of frustration and fear ran down her cold cheeks. She had no idea what she and Gareth would be walking into when they pulled up in front of her childhood home...

2/11: Dividing by Zero - Review

"If you’re looking for mystery, intrigue, and epic quests (along with a bit of romantic tension), make sure to pick up this series!"

2/12: Platypire Reviews - Review

"First and foremost, I just want to say I absolutely loved this book!"

2/13: Books With Bree - Tallent and Lowery Interview, Part III

“Okay…lightning round.” Leah sat up straighter, as she watched Gareth’s stunning smile appear.

+ My Love for Reading Keeps Growing - Bennett & Darcy vs. Tallent and Lowery

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy will always be my favorite romantic couple, but when it comes to a couple that shares that kind of passion and must rely on each other’s minds and strength to survive extremely frightening experiences, then Leah & Gareth are the ones who fill my mind...

+ All That's Written - Valentine's, Part I

Leah couldn’t find her smile; the busy haven she knew now looked like a place where the world had come to an abrupt end…

The Hero's Companion

Leah Tallent and Gareth Lowery have seen it all, utilizing everything they have to survive. But now, Leah’s father has gone missing and they have only seven days before he’ll be killed. The only clue to follow is a picture of one of the most famous icons of all time, and a strange map hidden in her father’s desk. This new mystery will take them from the pinnacle of the Acropolis to the depths of Cleopatra’s caves in order to unmask the man who has a score to settle.

In a location that’s been buried under rock for centuries the battle will begin, and the team will have to face the one foe that will expose secrets and unleash unheard of power in order to get what he wants. ‘The Hero’s Companion’—the one woman who will do anything to make sure the right side wins, will fight the good fight; but without Gareth, her time may just run out.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

The Sapphire Storm

After going up against a man who believed he was the Devil, himself, the beloved characters of Leah Tallent and Gareth Lowery are exhausted. But a terrifying journey awaits…

When Leah arrives home her sarcasm burns even brighter, but a frightening call from Gareth’s sister changes the course of their holiday event. A new puzzle from the past has come to life, and involves a world of liars, killers and greed.

The heart-stopping suspense takes them from Coptic Cairo to the magical world of Petra in search of a cave that once housed a true ‘Illuminator’. They must find the answers to one of the biggest mysteries while staying one step ahead of villains who are determined to make sure that, this time, Tallent & Lowery do not survive.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * Smashwords

13

In 1902, thirteen people came together to continue a tradition that’d been set in stone thousands of years before.

In 2012, Leah Tallent, Head of Research at the New York Public Library, is about to unearth the secrets left behind by this crew by joining a crazy man on a fanatical quest. Gareth Lowery has spent his life searching for the ultimate artifact; twelve keys hidden by men whose job it was to protect the single biggest secret ever kept.

The fantastic duo is soon immersed in a whirlwind treasure hunt with historical and passionate repercussions. From the eerie Winchester House to the darkness of Loch Ness, they quickly learn that the theory of duality is correct: For every bad there is a good and, for Heaven, there most assuredly exists...Hell.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * Smashwords

COMING SOON!

Tallent & Lowery Book #4: The Charlatan’s Crown

From defeating the worst of mankind to solving puzzles that have eluded others for centuries, Leah Tallent and Gareth Lowery must now follow a new trail to stop a madman from resurrecting a mighty Reich.

Although dead men supposedly tell no tales, the duo continue to follow clues left behind by true powerbrokers from Hell, and now they stand on the precipice of an infamous castle used by those who thrived on hate and terror.

Fighting for their lives from deep inside a labyrinth, they’ll stand atop a stage where an angel of death spoke to the masses, and climb to an ‘Eagle’s Nest’ to come face-to-face with a new enigma; a master puppeteer who’s pulling the strings on a monumental scheme they never saw coming.

Amy Lignor began her career in publishing as the Editor-in-Chief of Grey House Publishing in New England. Working in the publishing industry for decades, she is now the Owner/Operator of The Write Companion which offers full editing, ghostwriting and proofreading services.

Not only is Amy a bestselling author, she has been inducted into the ITW – International Thriller Writers Org. and is a writer/contributor for many companies, including: Authorlink; Humor Outcasts; The Feathered Quill; Bookpleasures; Suspense Magazine, as well as a variety of literary periodicals. She has been the head writer for Be First, Inc., and has just become the Editor-in-Chief of a new imprint: Hallowed Ink Press

Tallent & Lowery * The Write Companion * Facebook * Twitter * Linked In * Goodreads * The Angel Chronicles

Other books by Amy Lignor:

Click the covers to go to Goodreads

  

Tour-Wide Giveaway

3 Winners - eCopies of 13, The Sapphire Storm & The Hero's Companion by Amy Lignor
3 Winners - eCopy of The Hero's Companion
1 Winner - eCopy of the new release, The Charlatan's Crown, when it comes available!!

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Book Tour & Interview with Tax Cut by Michelle Lynn Seigfried

Tax Cut
(Jersey Shore Mystery Series)

2nd in Series

Cozy Mystery

Self Published (December 21, 2013)

E-Book File Size: 4066 KB

Print Length: 191 pages

ASIN: B00HGMKVGI

Synopsis

You’ll L.O.L. because Municipal Clerk Chelsey Alton is at it again!  Working for a government riddled with crime, she and her sidekick Bonnie investigate to find out the answer to the pressing question: Who killed Vinny Buttiglieri?  She finds herself entangled with dangerous mobsters and corrupt politicians. She thinks she’s doing the right thing, but can she save herself when she becomes entrenched too deep in this Jersey shore mystery?

About This Author

Michele Lynn Seigfried is an award-winning novelist, children’s book author/illustrator and public speaker who was born and raised in New Jersey. In her mystery novels, she draws from her personal expertise in the area of municipal government, in which she has served for over 15 years in two different municipalities. She holds a B.A. in communication from the College of New Jersey with a minor in art. She obtained the Master Municipal Clerk certification from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks in 2010. She also holds the Registered Municipal Clerk certification and Certified Municipal Registrar Certifications from the State of New Jersey.

An Interview with Michele Seigfried

Hi Kelly!  Thanks so much for interviewing me for your blog today!

How long did it take you to write Tax Cut?

It took me about seven months.  With a full-time job, and a daughter in her terrible twos, it’s sometimes hard to find time to write.  Add some writer’s block in there, and well, I wish I could knock the books out faster, but I’m a slow writer!

Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read your book?

Tax Cut will make you laugh and keep you guessing! If you enjoyed book one in the series, Red Tape, you’ll like Tax Cut even more!

What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?

Hearing that people are enjoying reading my work is the greatest feeling to me. I love providing people with an escape from reality for a little while.

Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?

It’s hard to pick one favorite.  So many people have put a smile on my face in the last year with comments, since I began my career as a published writer.  One comment about my first novel that made me laugh was, “Oh for God's sake, it was amazing.”

Who is your favorite author and why?

Janet Evanovich. There are so many books I started to read over the years, then put down, because they didn’t hold my interest.  Not so for the Stephanie Plum series. In book one, when Grandmom shot the chicken, I was hooked.  I literally laughed out loud in a public place. People thought I was nuts.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?

Please don’t laugh at me, but at a very early age, I wanted to be the girl in the Cheryl Tiegs clothing commercial riding the horse. (Oh boy, I’m showing my age here!) And I have no clue why I wanted to be a girl riding a horse! Maybe because we didn’t have horses in the city where I lived at the time. Then around fifth grade, I wanted to be a geologist. Later, I didn’t know what I wanted to do.  I can assure you, I never dreamt of being a full-time government employee, like I ended up. (Who would, right?). I’m happy I get to do the things I love part-time though—writing and art.

What has been your best moment in life so far?

I would have to say the birth of my daughter. I dedicated my first book to her; she makes me so happy. Plus, she was a breach birth which meant I had to have a c-section…i.e. no labor pains!

Which season best fits with your personality and why?

I’m a summer girl through and through. I think it stems from my having scoliosis and that I had to wear a back brace for many, many years.  It was a very painful experience (both physically and mentally). The only time I was allowed to be out of the brace was when I was in a swimming pool.  So, over the summer, I spent many hours in my backyard in the pool to avoid wearing the brace. I looked forward to the warm summer days and the pool each year.

What's a good book that you've read recently?

Dirty Martini by J. A. Konrath.  It was a more serious mystery (not a cozy), but for me, it was a page-turner.  I loved trying to figure out who done it. I found this book for free for the kindle one day, and I haven’t read the other books in the series yet, but you didn’t need to have read the others to understand what was happening.

What is your favorite Quote?

My newest favorite is, “I wasn’t sure if he was trying to serenade me or scare the seagulls off the roof of the municipal building.”  Chelsey Alton, Tax Cut.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MicheleLynnSeigfried
Webpage:  www.michelelynnseigfried.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/micheleseig
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/MicheleSeig
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/MicheleSeig
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/micheleseig

Purchase Link
Amazon

Book 1 in Series

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Book Blitz & Giveaway ~ Promises In The Dark by Princess Racena McConell

Book Title: Promises In The Dark

Series: Secrets of the Mystic

Author: Princess Racena McConell

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Released:  November 17, 2013
Length:  345 Pages Print

Presented by: As You Wish Tours

Banner Made by: Julia Hendrix

 BLURB

What began as a casual dinner with friends quickly blossoms into a beautiful friendship for Rachel Adams and Derek Williamson. In time, it will develop into something much greater than either could have ever imagined. The pair have each had their share of tragedy and heartbreak that time has yet to heal. As their friendship evolves into something much more, Rachel begins to open up to the man she has fallen in love with about secrets that have consumed her life for so long.

Just when life seems to be opening up possibilities for the two of them, inexplicable and unsettling things start to happen. When these mysterious occurrences begin to invade their happiness, they are faced with the reality that they must find the truth about what haunts them. Will they survive as they uncover some of these long-kept secrets? Will the mystical forces that linked the lovers together so long ago be the same to destroy them in the end?

A Valentine's Date with Derek

Will you be mine? Is it possible to dream that I can have you in my heart forever?

If you will let me, I will love you beyond every realm you've ever imagined possible.

My lovely, when it comes to you, it's not about flowers, or candy, or romantic cards...it's so much more. It's about making you understand with my heart,my soul and my body what you are to me...and how you own me completely.

So I ask you again my love...will you be mine, not just for this day,but for eternity? I want this night to be the first night of forever for our love.

On Valentine’s Day, and everyday all I want is you…in my arms, and in my bed. I want to be inside of your head, inside of your heart, and more than anything…inside of you.

After I take your mind to another plane of ecstasy with my hot sweet kisses, I will drive your body wild with my magical fingers as you experience the hidden talents that a mystic man like me possesses.

I cannot wait to feel every depth of your hot, wet sweetness as you surround me. I want to taste your lips on my mouth, and when my lips travel to every part of your hot naked body; I want to hear you say my name again and again, as you beg me for more.

When I can’t resist you any longer and I thrust myself deep inside of you…baby you’ll hunger for all of me, you will be consumed by the mystical forces that are a part of me.

After I have loved your body and your soul, and after we have each found our sweet release over, and over...I will make sure I leave the imprint of my love in your heart forever.

My love is otherworldly, you will see.

You have never been loved by a man like me.

Book Links

AUTHOR BIO
Princess Racena McConnell( who has never and will never go by her first name) was born in Kings Mountain NC and now resides in the busy little town of Summerville SC with her husband of 32 years. She is the mother of 3 and grandmother to 4 with a 5th one on the way! "Promises In The Dark"; her debut novel—is part 1 of a story that has been in her mind for many years, and finally had to be told! She enjoys spending time with her family, and is so thankful they all live within 20 minutes! She also enjoys reading, writing and anything horror related. Her dream is to someday see her books splashed across silver screen!

Author Links

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GIVEAWAY

First Prize: Promises In The Dark Signed Paperback & Set of Earrings

Second Prize: Promises In The Dark eBook & Set of Earrings

Third Prize: Promises In The Dark eBook & Signed Bookmark

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BookBlast Giveaway ~ Paris Cravings by Kimberley Montpetit

 

Paris Cravings

Can life really turn on a dime, a missed bus— or a stuck pastry shop door?

Chloe Dillard’s life has always been complicated. Her mother is a neurotic romance novelist and her boyfriend, Mathew, has been pressuring her to go “all the way”.

But after The Worst Night of Her Life, Chloe escapes on her Senior Class trip to the swoon-worthy city of Paris which takes her mind off her troubles—temporarily. On the final leg of her dream trip, Chloe squeezes in one final run for a last-minute box of decadent pastries. Add a stuck door, subtract a broken four-inch heel from her cute strappy sandals, and Chloe ends up one stuck girl on the bakery shop floor with a sprained ankle.

Rescued by the shop owner’s dreamy son with chocolate-syrup eyes, the beautiful city of Paris suddenly becomes Chloe’s personal secret adventure. And even though Jean-Paul, the oh-so-kind La Patisserie shop boy is the gentlemanly guy Chloe has always dreamed of, even he has a girlfriend.

The police are tracking her down as a run-away, Mom’s having a nervous breakdown over her daughter’s “disappearance”, and Chloe’s just trying to have a Happily-Ever-After even as her dreams with Matt are swirling down the drain.

Could being lost in the city of Paris be just what the doctor ordered? What’s a girl to do in the most romantic city in the world?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords

Praise for Paris Cravings:

"PARIS CRAVINGS is such a fun read, I couldn't put it down! This is a humorous, delicious, and dreamy romance set in Paris about pastries, growing up, dating, and making those hard decisions about the kind of guy you want to be with, and who is best for you." ~Milyssa Rivera

"Who can resist a book set in Paris amidst a Patisserie shop full of eclairs and pastries?! I'm excited this is a series, because anything with a bakery involved and I am in! Paris Cravings started out with a girl, a big box, some high heels and a mishap with a door. Insert cute worker with Hershey brown eyes, a French accent and a missing passport and you have the beginnings of romance." ~Fire & Ice Blogger

Excerpt:

Dear Diary:

I have a confession to make: I’ve become a total idiot over French pastries.

They’re my new favorite food.

My new-found edible souvenir.

My new favorite sin. Drizzled chocolate, sugar-dusted raspberries, flaky crusts with perfect crimped edges. I’ll have to run a marathon when I get back home to New York just to burn off my new five pounds. French beignets are the worst temptation. Those yeasty chocolate-filled pastries call to me the way Prada handbags call to my mother from Fifth Avenue.

Dunkin Donuts—so yesterday.

Climbing the Eiffel tower, running through miles of hallways at the Louvre Museum, gourmet lunches on the Seine River . . . yes, those are all must-sees . . . if you don’t mind vertigo-dizzying heights and enough paintings to saturate your brain for the rest of your life.

But once I discovered La Patisserie, the rest of Paris became a mere backdrop for my guilty pleasure. What’s a girl to do?

Author Kimberley Montpetit

Kimberley Montpetit once spent all her souvenir money at the La Patisserie shops when she was in Paris—on the arm of her adorable husband. The author grew up in San Francisco, another swoon-worthy city, loves all things Parisian and chocolate and lives in a small town along the Rio Grande with her family.

Kimberley has won many awards for her work, including the Southwest Book Award, the Whitney Award, the Arizona/New Mexico Book Award, is a Crystal Kite Finalist (SCBWI) and included in the Bank Street College Best Books of the Year.

She once stayed in a haunted castle tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland, sailed on the Seine in Paris, walked the beaches of Normandy, eaten in numerous French cafes, ridden a camel in Petra, Jordan, sunbathed on Waikiki, shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria.

She adores all baked goodies; brownies, éclairs, donuts, tarts, and pie, and makes a lot of chocolate chip cookies while revising.

Kimberley is, of course, hard at work on her next novel(s).

Facebook * Twitter * Website

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 3/14/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Book Tour & Giveaway ~ Wildwood Creek by Lisa Wingate

There is a mystery in Wildwood Creek's history, a mystery that affects Allie's present...

Wildwood Creek
by Lisa Wingate
Christian Romance
Paperback, 384 pages
February 4th 2014 by Bethany House Publishers

Allie Kirkland has never been one to take wild risks. But when she’s offered a costuming assistant’s job on a docudrama in the hills near Moses Lake, she jumps at the chance. She’s always dreamed of following in her director-father’s footsteps, and the reenactment of the legendary frontier settlement of Wildwood is a first step. The family expectations will have to wait.

But in 1861, the real Wildwood held dangerous realities. Town founder Harland Delevan held helpless residents, including young Irish schoolteacher Bonnie Rose, in an iron grip. Mysterious disappearances led to myths and legends still retold in the folk songs of Chinquapin Peaks. Eventually, the entire site was found abandoned.

When strange connections surface between Allie and the teacher who disappeared over a century ago, everyone in Wildwood, including Allie’s handsome neighbor on the film set, Blake Fulton, seems to be hiding secrets, and Allie doesn’t know who she can trust. If she can’t find the answers in time, history may repeat itself . . . with the most unthinkable results.

Prologue continued

The man trails the steeple along his bottom lip. “Yes,” he says quite slowly, thinking the words in the speakin’. “Yes, you will do nicely, I believe.” Again, a sentence drifts away between us, unfinished somehow.

I’m feeling there’s more unspoken than’s been spoken. I wish I could be asking, Nicely . . . for what purpose? But I’ve been warned. I’ve been warned to take care. By its nature, the position he’s offering is one of few a girl soiled as myself might be considered for.

His gaze lingers there on my cheek, skimming as light as grassfeathers ’cross my ear, touching the skin at the edge of my collar. I finger the cameo locket the good reverend’s wife has given me, then I tug the new bit of ribbon we’ve strung it on. I wonder if the scars show, red and anger-filled.

“You are not afraid to go into the wilderness?” he asks.

“I see no point in it,” I say. “Fear changes nothing. A circumstance is still a circumstance.”

“Fear motivates. In fact, I find it to be the most certain motivator of all.” His long, thin fingers take up the pen and into the ink he dips, then signs a paper before pushing it my way. He turns the pen in his hand, extending it. “Sign here. I assume that you have no problem in working with Irish. Many of my laborers are Irish, which of course means that the whelps are Irish as well. The remainder in the settlement are Germans, for the most part.”

“My parents were Irish. I was born there, but I do not remember it well,” I say, though to be sure, he’s seen it in my surname and in the look of me. It can’t be missed.

I take the paper, begin to pen my signature.

After my first name and my middle adorn the paper, he stops me. I’ve lifted the pen to dip the ink. “That will do,” he says. His lips curve again, and I feel that we’re sharin’ a secret together, but I’ve no way of knowing what it is.

“It is Bonnie Rose O’Brien, sir,” I tell him, reaching toward the well of black liquid again.

 

He touches the pen to take it from me. “It is Bonnie Rose now.”

His flesh meets mine. Our eyes tangle. He is young to own so much. “It is better this way, don’t you think?”

Suddenly, I’ve an understandin’ of it.

I open my hand, let the pen slide through my fingers. A drip slips ’cross my skin, to splash on the desk. He takes a kerchief from his breast pocket. It’s clean and white. With- out a thought, he soils it beyond repair. The blackness seeps through and spreads as he strokes the linen over my palm. I can’t help watching it.

He, instead, is watching me.

My wits gather up, and I look at him, then lose my compo- sure at the meeting of our eyes. I’ve been offered something, but I neither know what it is, nor understand the terms of it. Anonymity? Absolution? A future for Maggie May?

What price does he ask to purchase it?

He smiles then, and this time I find some warmth in it. Or am I only seeing it because I need it to be so?

“I will expect you to be prepared for travel by the first day of the coming month,” he says. “Arrangements will await you at the river port. I have ownership of a stern-wheeler that has made the run up the Trinity as far as Porter’s  luff thrice this winter, bearing both passengers and freight. You will travel with the New Ila as  ar as Trinidad, then overland with the ox freighter who transports my supply shipments.” He rises, and I bolt from my seat, afraid even of smoothing my shirtwaist as he speaks.

“Set your affairs in order, Bonnie Rose. Pack well. It is a long journey to Wildwood.”

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Lisa Wingate is a journalist, inspirational speaker, reviewer for the New York Journal of Books, and the author of over twenty novels.  Her novels combine elements of history, romance, mystery, and women's fiction with nuggets of Southern culture, from the sublime to the humorous. She is a seven-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol award nominee, a Christy Award nominee, an Oklahoma Book Award finalist, a Christianity Today Book Award nominee, an Inspy Award nominee, and a two-time Carol Award winner. Her works have been selected for Booklist’s Top Ten List in 2012 and in 2013. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others, as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.

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   Print copy of Wildwood Creek by Lisa Wingate
   Handmade-by-author Prayer Box with notepads

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Lumière by Jacqueline E. Garlick $50 Book Blast

Lumière by Jacqueline E. Garlick

One determined girl. One resourceful boy. One miracle machine that could destroy everything…

After an unexplained flash shatters her world, seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth sets out to find the Illuminator, her father’s prized invention. With it, she hopes to cure herself of her debilitating seizures before Professor Smrt—her father’s arch nemesis—discovers her secret and locks her away in an asylum.

Pursued by Smrt, Eyelet locates the Illuminator only to see it whisked away. She follows the thief into the world of the unknown, compelled not only by her quest but by the allure of the stranger—Urlick Babbit—who harbors secrets of his own.

Together, they endure deadly Vapours and criminal-infested woods in pursuit of the same goal, only to discover the miracle machine they hoped would solve their problems may in fact be their biggest problem of all. When darkness is safer than light…

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Praise

“One of the most inventive story worlds I’ve read in years…” Donald Maass, Author of Writing the Breakout Novel, Writing 21st Century Fiction, and The Fire in Fiction

“Such an engaging story featuring witty dialogue, gripping action scenes and a romance that will make your heart melt!” Laurel May

“I liked the mix of reminders I got from authors like Mervyn Peake, L.Frank Baum and Ray Bradbury. I'm sure that every reader will find shades of other famous writers, including or excluding these three.” Richard L. Bunning

“Eyelet and Urlick, the two main characters... There's so much to love! They are like salt and pepper: totally different, spicy, argumentative, and brilliantly smart.” Rosemary Danielis

Excerpt From Lumière:

“Wait!” I shout, surging forward, shouldering my way through the crowd. I fight my way to the front and pound on the doors of the carriage. “Please!” I shout. “I need to speak to you!” But the stranger doesn’t hear.

He brings his whip down hard over his horse’s back and the carriage leaps forward, parting the angry crowd like soil in a furrowed field. “Wait!”

I hoist my skirts and chase after the carriage. “Please!” I shout. “Please! Wait!” A second crack of the whip and the carriage moves faster. I race on, struggling to keep up to its side. If I lose sight of the carriage, I’ve lost everything. All hope of ever leading a normal life.

I can’t let that happen.

Won’t let that happen.

He will not take my father’s machine.

“Please, I beg you, stop the coach!” I lunge, throwing myself at the back of the coach, barely catching a toe on the edge of the running boards, embedding my nails into the carriage’s seams. The carriage bursts forward through the streets of Gears, the city fast becoming a memory.

“Stop!” I plead as my boot slips from the running boards. I swing out to one side and dangle by one arm.

The stranger at the mount turns his head. “What are you doing?” he shouts. “Get off!”

“Get off?”

I kick my way back up onto the platform.

“I said get off!” he shouts again.

“I won’t!” I say, hoisting, myself up higher onto the cab.

My foot slips again and I sink beneath the rooftop, striking my chin hard on the way down. Grasping at the coach’s seams I desperately try to hold on, the toes of my boots burrowing twisted trenches in the dirt road below. My heart lodges in my throat as I lose my grip and swing out again to the opposite side.

“Bloody Hell!” I hear the stranger curse. His face appears over the top of the cab seconds later. His eyes are lit like flares. I hang by the tips of my fingers, shocked, staring up at him. I don’t know whether to scream or cry.

Author Jacqueline E. Garlick

I'm Jacqueline Garlick. Author of YA, New Adult, and Women's Fiction. I love strong heroines, despise whiny sidekicks, and adore a good story about a triumphant underdog. I love to read, write, paint (walls and paper) and plan cool writing events for cool writers. I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate, grammar, and technology. I prefer creating things to cleaning things, and baking to cooking. I believe laughter is a one-stop-shop solution to all that ails you and if that doesn’t work there’s always Ellen Degeneres. You will always find a purple wall (or two) in my house (perhaps even a door) and a hidden passageway that leads to a mystery room. (Okay, so you won’t find a hidden passageway but a girl can dream, can’t she?) Oh, and tea. There will always be tea. I love specialty teas...and collecting special teacups from which to drink them. (See website for collection.)

In my former life, I was a teacher (both grade school and college-don't ask) and more recently I've been a graduate of Ellen Hopkin’s Nevada Mentor Program and a student of James Scott Bell, Christopher Vogler and Don Maass. An excerpt from Lumière earned me the 2012 Don Maass Break Out Novel Intensive Scholarship.

Lumière—A Romantic Steampunk Fantasy—is my debut novel, Book One in my young adult The Illumination Paradox Series. I am represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary.

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BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash


Ends 3/14/14


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