November 10, 2014 by Tina Williams

RELEASE BLITZ ~ Little Boxes, by Ceilia J Anderson

Little Boxes by Celia J Anderson (@celiaanderson1) Out Now!

#romance #contemporary #novel #book

Blurb:

Suddenly bereaved, Molly White realises that she has never really known her feisty husband Jake when random boxes begin to appear through the post, each one containing a tantalising clue to the secrets of Jake and Molly’s past. Someone who knows them both well, for reasons of their own, has planned a trail of discovery. The clues seem to be designed to change Molly’s life completely, leading her around Britain and then onwards to rural France and deepest Bavaria.

Meanwhile, waiting in the wings is Tom, a charismatic artist who runs a gallery in the same town. Strong, independent and wheelchair-bound from the age of fifteen, he leads a solitary life and has no idea how devastatingly attractive he is to women. When Tom meets curvy, beautiful and funny Molly, he knows that she is his dream woman, but she seems way out of his orbit until the boxes start to weave their spell and the two of them are thrown right out of their comfort zones.

Buy links: http://celiajanderson.co.uk/books/little-boxes/

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23360501-little-boxes

Excerpt:

Tom sat on the beach in the spring sunshine, eating cockles out of a tub and gazing rather grimly at the incoming tide. If it came much closer he’d have to abandon his painting for the day – it took a good twenty minutes to pack up and get back to his car on the promenade. As he licked his fingers and screwed up the seafood carton, there was a scrunch of pebbles and a whoosh of air as a small boy thundered past, whooping at the top of his voice. He was followed at speed by the most desirable woman that Tom could ever remember seeing in this small seaside town. It was his Lady in Red; the one who had been cropping up in his dreams far too often since he’d first seen her on the beach. Her hair was an explosion of dark curls, and she wore tight orange jeans with a wildly clashing crimson sweater that came almost to her knees. Tom took a deep breath to say hello but he was too late.

‘Max… MAX… don’t go near the sea. I mean it!’ she bellowed, skidding straight into Tom as she chased the boy across the pebbles. ‘Sorry, sorry… have I hurt you? Is your painting wrecked? Oh – wow; it’s good, isn’t it? You can tell it’s meant to be the pier. I’m really, really sorry…’

Tom picked himself up and put his painting chair the right way up again. ‘Hey, it’s okay – you can fall over me any time,’ he said, grinning into her startlingly green

She blinked and looked away, her lovely face matching the colour of her sweater. Shielding her eyes with a hand, she scanned the beach for the boy. ‘Where’s he gone, the little toad? Ah, there he is, he’s making something out of a heap of stones – at least he’s not paddling fully dressed like last time. Oh hell, you don’t even know me and I’ve already wrecked your work. I’m Molly. I think I’ve seen you here before, haven’t I? Let me fix your painting.’

She bent down to see if she could repair the damage and Tom held out a hand to stop her trying to brush bits of stone off his picture. ‘No, honestly, it’s fine, I’ll sort it out. I’m Tom, and I’ve seen you, too. You’re easy to remember.’

‘Am I? Why?’

‘Lots of reasons – you often seem to be in a hurry, you always wear something red, you’ve got lots of kids, you’re gorgeous…’ Tom stopped in confusion.

‘Gorgeous? Me? Do you need your eyes testing or something?’ Molly blushed again and looked at him properly for the first time. ‘I’m sorry, that was really rude,’ she said. ‘My mum’s always telling me I don’t know how to take a compliment.’

‘Don’t worry, maybe you just need a bit more practice.’ Tom bent to carry on sorting his painting kit out. He couldn’t help noticing how her eyes rested on his forearms as he finished tidying up and, clearly aware of his scrutiny, she reddened even more.

‘You’re very strong, aren’t you?’ she blurted out. Tom laughed. ‘I guess I have to be, don’t I? If you’ve seen me before, you’ll know why.’

‘I don’t want you to think I’ve been staring at you, Tom. It’s just that you’re… um… different to most of the men round here.’

‘Tell me about it.’ Tom slung his bag over one shoulder and heaved himself out of his folding chair.

‘Can I help you at all?’ Molly asked, standing on tiptoes to get a better view of the shoreline. ‘Oh look, here are the other two Musketeers. They can carry something for you, if you like.’

‘I don’t need any help, thanks.’ Tom bit back the familiar feeling of irritation and smiled up at a pair of girls, dressed entirely in black, who had stopped next to him. The taller one had multiple piercings. Both girls were scowling.

‘Mum, what are you like?’ said the pierced one. ‘We saw you knock the paints all over the place. You’re so clumsy. Have you seen what Max is doing now?’

Molly looked again. The small boy had been jumping off his pile of stones and had landed awkwardly the last time. He began to wail. ‘Max! I told you last time not to do that. Hang on, I’m coming,’ Molly shouted. The girls sighed and rolled their eyes at Tom as they watched their mum slither off over the stones to the sandy stretch by the sea, where Max was now hurling the biggest rocks he could find into the waves. The pierced girl turned to the smaller one.

‘Bloody hell, why doesn’t she just leave him alone for a bit? The only place he can go is into the sea.’

‘But he’s only little – he can’t swim.’

‘Exactly.’ The older girl smirked as they wandered off down the beach.

Tom sighed. Another opportunity lost; still no nearer to finding out more about his dream woman. Oh well, at least he knew her name now. On the other hand, it didn’t take a genius to work out that she was already taken. The wedding ring gave it away, even if the children didn’t.

Author Bio:

Celia J Anderson spends most of her spare time writing in as many different genres as possible, including children’s fiction. In her other life, she’s Assistant Headteacher at a small Catholic primary school in the Midlands and loves teaching literature (now comfortingly called English again but still the best subject in the world.)

She tried a variety of random jobs before discovering that the careers advisor at secondary school was right, including running crèches, childminding, teaching children to ride bikes (having omitted to mention she couldn’t do it herself) and a stint in mental health care. All these were ideal preparation for the classroom and provided huge amounts of copy for the books that were to come.

Celia enjoys cooking and eating in equal measures, and thinks life without wine would be a sad thing indeed. She is married, with two grown up daughters who have defected to the seaside. One day she plans to scoop up husband and cats and join them there.

Links:

http://celiajanderson.co.uk

http://theromaniacgroup.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/CeliaJAndersonAuthor

http://www.twitter.com/CeliaAnderson1

November 9, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Cover Artist vs. Published Author – Dawné Dominique GUEST BLOGGER POST

A Reader’s Review Blog have had a great opportunity to hear from a cover artist and author, Dawné Dominique. Dawné has kindly written a blog post for us, providing an insight to both worlds and their challenges and differences. Throughout the article we also feature some examples of her beautiful cover designs. – Caroline & Tina

Dawné Dominique

Cover Artist vs. Published Author

A lot of people may be familiar with my name as a cover artist, but I’m also a published author. Unfortunately, both are not synonymous in the aspects of the publishing world. In other words, I’m known more for my cover art than my books.

I restarted my writing career in early 2000 as a fantasy writer, wherein world building and character development are tantamount in creating believability in fantasy fiction. People who have read my books, whether fantasy, paranormal, or erotic romance, told me that they read like movies; that they feel my characters; they walk in the worlds I’ve created; but more importantly, they actually care about what happens in the story. Then why am I not a NY best selling author? Firstly, I’m published with a smaller publishing house. Secondly, do I want to become famous? Well, of course. Who doesn’t? But I didn’t get into this business to get rich or famous. I write because I love to tell stories. And I create cover art because the artistic gene in me needs to flourish. Being my own cover artist? Uggg! I’m my own worst client. I’m never satisfied. Even after a book of mine is published, I’ll discover something on the cover that I want to refine and/or revise.

Someone once asked me how many covers I had created during my career. I’d never given it much thought, so I began calculating and came up with a number that astounded me. The total was well over 1K. Since I branched out on my own with DusktilDawn Designs, in any given year, I’ll create approximately 500 covers, so that initial number is far higher. Believe me, no one is more surprised than I am because to me, it’s not work. It’s an absolute pleasure—and more so when I read an author’s reaction to my design.

Writing books, however, takes me far longer. I can’t seem to write novellas, although my first published piece of work was that size for a book anthology titled Ridley’s Rival, which had been nominated for a CAPA. For my very first submission, I was rather pleased with that recognition. But the cover? *shivers* (And not in a good way).

As any author knows, the icing on the cake is their book cover. It’s the first thing people see. It’s what entices people to read their books. It’s my job to create that initial visual selling tool.

When I get a cover art request from one of the publishers I work with, or the many Indie authors I represent, all I have to work from is a paragraph sized description and/or a brief synopsis. Ninety-nine percent of the time that’s enough for me. I, unfortunately, have no time to read the books. If I did, I’d be setting up bathroom appointments, not to mention eating and sleeping at my desk. Because I’m an author too, I believe it gives me an extra edge in their creative designs. For the record, no draft cover is sent to an author unless, and until, I would be proud to have it as my own. There are some past covers I’ve done that I cringe at when I see them. In my earlier days, I would bow to an author’s wishes. What they wanted, I gave. I’m more stringent now. If it’s not going to look natural, I won’t do it. Changing “hair” is the most contentious idiosyncrasy of mine. If a male character’s hair is described as long, and I can’t find a picture with appropriate hair, I’ll somehow ensure that their hair isn’t showing or that the change can be completed and look real. I’ve seen so many covers out there with badly photo-shopped hair that it makes me cringe.

No matter what the genre, after reading that paragraph, more times than not, a design will pop into my head. I think like an author, and a managing editor (another hat I wore for several years) so I have a clear concept of what sells and what doesn’t. Simplistic, streamlined, and artistically crafted covers work best in catching the eye of readers and holding their interest. A word of caution, however. What I put on the front MUST reflect what’s inside those pages (i.e. character descriptions, location, items of importance, etc.). There are some readers who will never read another author’s book if the cover doesn’t accurately reflect what’s inside those pages.

It’s those authors who hire me and tell me to “run with it” is when I have the most fun. Especially with horror cover art. I can’t watch the movies, but doing fiendish book covers is a passion of mine. Go figure. : )

Creating art from a mere paragraph is challenging, but I love what I do and every cover is a challenge to exemplify an author’s deepest desire to see their words depicted into art.

Now if only I could sell as many books as the covers I create.

To see some of my designs, please visit me at:

www.dusktildawnDesigns.com

www.dawnedominique.com

www.dthomasjerlo.com

November 8, 2014 by Caroline Barker

BLOG TOUR The Antithesis: Renovatio by Terra Whiteman

THE ANTITHESIS: RENOVATIO

By Terra Whiteman

Genre: Grimdark Sci-Fi / Dystopian Sci-Fi

Synopsis: Civil war between demons and angels lies just on the horizon.

Alezair Czynri, member of the Purgatorial Jury, is thrown into a world of murder, exploitation, chemical substances, betrayal and bureaucratic red tape as he and his court attempt to diffuse escalating conflicts.

Yet things are not as they seem. Ever since his induction into the Celestial Court, Alezair has been treated with cool indifference by the Justice Commander, Leid Koseling. A former prisoner of the Nexus Initiative, Justice Czynri exists without any memories of his former life, the consequence of being a slave merc for hire.

But Purgatory is strangely familiar, and slowly little pieces start coming back. There might be a good reason why Alezair’s boss keeps him at arm’s length.

Author Bio:

Terra Whiteman is a clinical scientist who writes dystopian science fiction in her spare time. Her life is a dish of pipettes, refractometers and immunossays, heavily seasoned with grimdark worlds and their battlegrounds. She’s profane, opinionated, and if you met her you’d think she’s really weird.

Author & Purchase Links:

Website: http://terrawhiteman.com

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/YT7Dwa

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1p1CzAk

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/476379

November 7, 2014 by Tina Williams

Playing with Fire limited edition anthology ~ advance notice of Release Party

Romantic Suspense by Bestselling Authors

Join in the Facebook Party and/or enter the giveaway for a chance to win a Kindle Voyage!

Earlier this week we shared the release of the Playing with Fire anthology, containing a collection of debut novels that spawned a host of Romantic Suspense series, by bestselling authors. It’s only available until 15th November, so you will need to one click soon if you don’t want to miss out. Plus 100% of the proceeds are going to be donated to RAINN, committed to fighting against sexual assault.

Scroll down to find out more of what is included and sign up to the super release party on November 9th! You can also enter the rafflecopter for the chance to win a Kindle Voyage!

Tina and Caroline 🙂

✰ PLAYING WITH FIRE ✰

12 ROMANTIC SUSPENSE NOVELS

THAT SPARKED BESTSELLING SERIES

An anthology of bestselling romantic suspense novels that are all first books in bestselling series!

Hot! Suspenseful! Sexy! Live November 4th-15th!

12 Authors… 12 Bestselling Novels… Available for only 12 days!

Over 817,000 words and 2,200 pages for only $2.99! That’s the lowest price the retailer allows for such a large e-book!

✰ ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL NOVEMBER 15th! ✰

✰ 100% Donated to Charity ✰

100% of the profits of this anthology go to RAINN: Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network- the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization! Find out more about them at www.rainn.org.

✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰

✰ Click any of the options below to purchase! ✰

✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰

✰ Join the Release Party for Playing with Fire ✰

✰ Click on the photo below or HERE to join the Release Party! ✰

✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰

✰ Books in this Anthology ✰

Sarah Robinson – Tainted Bodies (The Photographer Trilogy)
Alyson Raynes – Deception (The Fixer Series)
Kim Black – Discovered (The Cover Series)
Pepper Winters – Tears of Tess (Monsters in the Dark Series)
Chelle Bliss – Throttle Me (Men of Inked Series)
LP Dover – Meant for Me (Second Chances Standalone Series)
Aleatha Romig – Consequences (Consequences Series)
TK Leigh – A Beautiful Mess (Beautiful Mess Series)
Brooke Cumberland – The Intern (The Intern Serials)
Clarissa Wild – Fierce (Fierce Series)
Missy Johnson – Desire (Desire Series)
Roxy Sloane – Seduction (The Seduction Series)

✰ Enter the Giveaway for a Kindle Voyage! ✰

Click one of the links below to enter!

GIVEAWAY LINK | MOBILE LINK FOR GIVEAWAY

November 7, 2014 by Caroline Barker

BLOG TOUR with author interview Blood Master (Book 1 of the G.O.D.s series) by Kirsten Campbell

Blood Master

Book 1 of The G.O.D.s Series

By Kirsten Campbell

Genre: Urban Paranormal Fantasy

Blood Master Link on Amazon UK

Blood Master Link on Amazon US

Synopsis

2052: Two-thirds of the human population has been killed by the Great War, the Clover Virus and the Death Plague. Only one man survived the Death Plague, an albino man named Griffin Storm. He’s the only albino in existence. No one knows what happened to the other albinos, but most believe the rumors that they were eliminated by the Guild Faction’s deadly experiments.

Griffin is hiding out in Underground Atlanta. He has special abilities. He can manipulate crystal and glass. He uses these abilities for good, raiding warehouses and old buildings for food and medical supplies to give to the abandoned children that live in the Underground. During a raid, he meets Tassta Vinetti. She’s a resident of the legendary Brotherhood Fortress. Griffin is taken to the Brotherhood and chaos ensues as Tassta, her twin brother Penn and her Uncle Lerin Sanctobous keep their new visitor and his untold powers secret. They can not disclose that the only albino in existence is now at their fortress or they could all be in great danger.

Fact is, the Guild is hunting Griffin. He is the only survivor of their deadly experiments and his survival will have dynamic consequences. The Guild believes Griffin will transform into a G.O.D., a Genetically-enhanced Omni Dimensional being. If he transforms, he will have inter-dimensional doors within his body, doors that lead to heaven and hell. Griffin will become a Blood Master and he’ll be able to control the demons from the Dimension of Blood.

Will Griffin save the children of the Underground from their tragic life? Will he transform into a G.O.D. and become the Blood Master? Only time will tell…

INTERVIEW with Kirsten Campbell

Hi Kirsten,

Welcome to A Reader’s Review Blog! We would like to thank you for participating in an author interview for Blood Master.

I love the synopsis for Blood Master. What were your main influences for the story/character?

My influence for the storyline was in fact, my life. (I was abandoned at six years old, left with a terribly abusive grandmother.) For a long time I felt that I was robbed of my childhood. I somehow got past all the hurt feelings from the neglect and abuse and became what I truly wanted to be, a good parent and a fantastic grandmother. I envisioned a person like me (Griffin) when I wrote the G.O.D.s Series, a person that was robbed of their childhood, a person that somehow gets past that and manages to find love and show love and show deep emotional commitment.

After reading your bio I realize that you have had some dark moments. Have you used any of these experiences to help with your writing?

Yes, I have. Particularly when dealing with writing about the hungry, sick children of the Underground. When I was a child, starving and sick all the time, I wished for someone that cared enough to feed me, to clothe me and sometimes take me to the doctor. I used the pain of those moments to fuel the background of the story for the poor children of the Underground because though sick and hungry, the children still find ways to smile and be happy for a few moments, as I did.

Who is your favourite character in Blood Master, and why?

Why Griffin, of course. I truly love his innocence, his undying love and his ability to think before reacting.

Were there any particular scenes that you found either more difficult or easier to write?

Yes. The most difficult scene to write was (spoiler) the transformation, putting my sweet Griffin through so much pain. Unfortunately, for him to become a G.O.D. and for the Master Scroll books to be correct with their prophecy, Griffin had to change inwardly and outwardly.

What inspired you to write Blood Master?

Years ago, I got tired of all the vampires, werewolves and zombies. I was like, “God, can anyone come up with something different?” And—I did… LOL

Do you have a favourite author/book? If so, who/what and why?

I absolutely love Frank Herbert’s Dune Chronicles; beautiful writing, lovely world building and unforgettable characters. Yes, the books are long but there’s no way to get around that when there’s so much story to digest. I’m also a fan of Ron Silverberg, Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game) and Stephanie Meyer (Twilight Series). Hey, I just love to read.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

I sculpt miniature dolls, make gemstone jewelry and paint landscapes. I go out with my grandkids, have dance contests with them at home and bake with them. (They love apple turnovers!) I also like long rides to unknown destinations and then I like to walk and walk, take in the scenery.

How would you describe your writing style?

My writing style is easygoing and real with mild swearing, just enough to give the writing a little flavor. LOL

What’s next for Kirsten Campbell?

I’m currently working on the second book of The G.O.D.s Series, Blood Storm. Griffin has to come to grips with his new abilities and decide whether his abilities are an attribute or a hindrance to the Brotherhood fortress.

Thank you for your time! We will look forward to hosting you as part of the blog tour! All the best for Blood Master and in the future!

Caroline, A Reader’s Review Blog

Author Info

Kirsten Campbell is the author of several short stories and poems that have been published in Bewildering Stories, Ascent Magazine, Beauty Talk, The Fairfield Review, Poets-Artists & Madmen, Interracial Voice, Sagazine Online, The Write Gallery, The Pittsburgh Quarterly Online, COBRA, The CoffeehousePress Journal and several other magazines.

Kirsten was abandoned by both mother and father at six-years-old and she somehow survived a very devastating childhood. She found strength and courage through reading and writing and she graduated from school, got married and raised four wonderful children. She also cared for several children that were abandoned by their parents and by society, (a few were literally left on her doorstep.) She fed and clothed them and sent them to school and taught them to be upstanding, decent members of society.

Kirsten wrote Blood Master several years ago and it developed into The G.O.D.s Series, a series of books that deal with Griffin Storm, a hero with feet of clay, a hero that saves the lives of several people, but most importantly, he saves hundreds of children from abandonment and neglect; takes them to a better life, (something of which Kirsten always wished for when she was a child.)

Her short story, “Dark Matters”, was published in Bewildering Stories and a character from the G.O.D.s Series made a special appearance in the story. Said character appears in the second book of the G.O.D.s Series, “Blood Storm”.

As a side note, Ladybug Press published her chapbook, “Poetry from the Covert Bourgeoisie,” in 2006 and her chapbook, “The Abandoning Kind,” was published by Pudding House Publications in 2009. She lives in Brewster, NY. , with her daughters and her five unbelievably beautiful grandchildren!

Links:

Website: http://www.kcampbell-gods.com/

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

November 6, 2014 by Caroline Barker

PROMO POST with Author Bio & Excerpt Cold Call by Colin Llewelyn Chapman

DARK CRIME THRILLER (Adult 18yrs+)

For those readers who love a dark, gritty crime thriller, we are excited to introduce you to COLD CALL by Colin Llewelyn Chapman. Described as being ‘a cross between Broadchurch and Luther… Martina Cole and Fifty Shades‘, I cannot wait to review this one very soon! Not a book to read alone or in the dead of night, or so I am told, but that is when I do most of my reading and I’m sure the atmosphere will lead to more tension and suspense! The reader’s discretion is advised and an 18yr+ reader is strongly recommended due to some of the content.

Title: Cold Call

Author: Colin Llewelyn Chapman

Release Date: October 2014

Publisher: Percy Publishing

Genre: Dark crime/thriller

Length: 300 pages

Synopsis: Wealthy entrepreneur Robin Bradford had it all – the house, the cars, the fine dining – and he lost it all. All except Lizzie, his perfect, loving girlfriend. Down on his luck and with no immediate prospects in business, Robin’s energies found another outlet, Just a little something spicy to bide his time until his financial world recovered, leading him down a very seedy path, onto a very rocky road. Time however was all he had, and all he was going to get.

“A FANTASTIC FAST PACED PAGE TURNER”

EXCERPT

About an hour later Robin reached his destination, a busy car park a stone’s throw from the Sea Front. Riffling through his pockets, he counted his change as he stood in front of the parking meter. “Bollocks!” He didn’t have enough coins to meet the two hour charge, but then glancing around the parking lot he decided to chance his luck. He beat a path through the hordes of shoppers, tourists, loafers and vagrants that congregated around the town centre, eventually arriving at the Tango Top-Up Sun Bed Salon. This was the facade behind which Tamsin and Marina’s knocking shop plied its trade. On the face of it the place was a reputable tanning salon, doing a roaring trade among Southend’s innumerable wannabe WAGS. Young women seeking that healthy orange glow to impress the local bar-brawling men, fixated on having trophy wives and glamorous girlfriends to show off down the Seafront. The crafty tanning shop owner let out the upstairs room to the two harlots for a nice handful of cash, which they palmed his way once a week. No invoices, no questions, and a discount on services if and when he needed relief. As instructed, Robin approached the receptionist and asked where the Therapies Room could be found. She obligingly led him through the shop and into a back room which housed a long staircase, leading up and out of view.

“Up there, Sir. Ring the bell at the top.”

“Thank you, Darling!” he replied, smiling. His charms were wasted on her, though. She knew exactly who he was and what he was: a punter.

The staircase turned halfway up to reveal a large, royal blue door. Covered in an array of different locks, it was obviously designed to prevent the Old Bill, disgruntled clients and irate wives from getting at the working girls. Robin pressed the buzzer on the small intercom and waited somewhat impatiently for a reply. As he stood shuffling from foot to foot, wringing his hands in anticipation, he felt a twinge of fear. Stories of mugged punters and blackmail victims started to play out in his mind.

What if I get inside and some big beefcake robs me?

What if the police raid the place while I’m ankles deep in a tom?

What if they try and blackmail me?

But the ever present ‘what if’s’ were quickly beaten back down by a much more pressing matter: Robin’s rampant desire to satisfy the lustful urges seething in his loins.

The silver, pepper-pot fronted intercom speaker crackled into life and brought Robin’s mind back into line instantly.

“Hello! Who is it, please?”

Despite having already passed the first line of defence, namely the drone working the ‘Front of House’, Robin was subjected to several encrypted verbal trials from the intercom. While it was gabbling away at him, asking him all sorts of trivial questions, he started to become distracted by an idea that the voice coming from the silver box of buttons seemed vaguely familiar. No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t place it; the sexy overtones disguised her natural voice.

At last the door opened. Robin surveyed his potential purchase, beginning at her black high-heeled shoes and sheer hold-ups. Moving on up, he paused briefly at her lacy red knickers, a matching brassiere barely restraining her ample breasts. When he reached her dark tousled hair, his mouth fell open.

“Fuck me! …You?”

It would have been hard to say at that point who was the more alarmed, Robin or his lacy lady.

AUTHOR BIO

Colin, 45, has worked in Construction throughout his career. He has three children aged from 12 to 18, and two step-children. Son of a former gamekeeper, he is still a country boy at heart! He described his childhood as “brilliant”, benefiting as he did from fantastic loving parents, and the joy of growing up in the beautiful Essex countryside.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Twitter: @ColinLChapman

Facebook: Colin Llewelyn Chapman-Author

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

November 6, 2014 by Tina Williams

Release Blitz ~ Heart Ties by Em Petrova (includes giveaway)

We are DELIGHTED to be sharing the news about the release of Em Petrova’s new release, *Heart Ties.* Read on for the blurb, an excerpt and more, including a chance to enter the rafflecopter where, WAIT FOR IT – a photo of Jax from Sons of Anarchy signed by Charlie Hunnam is up for grabs! ❤

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Heart Ties
SERIES – Club Ties
AUTHOR – Em Petrova
GENRE – contemporary biker romance, romantic suspense
PUBLICATION DATE – Nov 6
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – Novel 65k words
PUBLISHER – Hartwood Publishing

BOOK SYNOPSIS

The only thing keeping Ex-Marine Drake from drinking himself into an early grave is his love of leather, horsepower, and his motorcycle club. Battling to adapt to a world where he isn’t blowing everything up, he roams the highways to keep his mind off his past. But after a mission to kidnap the curvy, tattooed goddess, Delta, he finds avoiding the bottle a little easier. Especially since he can only dream of finding solace against her silky body.

Delta would do anything to escape a life where pain and fear control her. She’s lived as a slave and outsider since she could walk. When a scary biker clan storms into her life and introduces her to her long-lost sister, she’s shocked to find warmth and comfort. While Delta knows better than to hope for a life she can’t have, Drake refuses to let her slip back into the hell she knows.

Plunged into a world of gambling, guns, and drugs isn’t her idea of paradise, but hunky Drake makes her pulse pound. Is it too much to believe that Drake can save her from her torment? And what can she do about extinguishing that burning, haunted look in his eyes?

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US – GOODREADS

EXCERPT

Jamison brought his fist down on the table. “You couldn’t have mentioned that you stormed into the Raiders club and took Delta?”

Drake stared at his vice prez. He liked Jamison—trusted him. Only Jamison knew how deep Drake had sunk after his tours of duty or how much alcohol he’d consumed. The few who knew about Drake’s leg thought he’d lost it in war, but the truth was, he’d lost it to idiocy.

Jamison was a fool if he believed they hadn’t used force to get Delta. “Did you think we’d just parley with the enemy and they’d gladly hand over their woman?”

Jamison raked his fingers through his hair, leaving tracks. His face was tense. “The MC rules are full disclosure. You fucking tell me everything that happens out there.” He pointed at the door and the world beyond. “I don’t care if it’s a drug run or you shoot up a club to get back Ever’s sister.”

“No one fired a shot,” Pax said.

“Then how the fuck did you take Delta by force?” Jamison looked at each of them, probably looking for split lips or knuckles, evidence of a fistfight.

“Drake had a bomb.”

Jamison met Drake’s gaze. He knew what Drake had done in the Marines. What he’d done for his country. He blew shit up, but he’d lost his leg from driving drunk.

“Okay.” Jamison’s eyelid twitched. “From now on, the club needs to know this shit. Got it?”

“Yeah.” Drake wasn’t concerned with the club at this moment. When the asshole Raiders’ prez had moved, Delta had folded up. An abused woman if Drake had ever seen one.

He clenched his teeth. “If this is club business, what the fuck are we going to do to get her back?”

Jamison rested his hands on the table. Strother might be president, but they’d all followed Jamison while Strother took care of his own shit. First he’d lost his son to drugs then his wife had gone crazy with grief.

“She wasn’t trying to escape the Raiders in the first place,” Jamison said.

Drake didn’t agree, but he remained silent.

“She has a right to return with them.”

Silent—until now. “Do you think for a minute they’ll let her come visit her sister?” He had opinions about how free Delta was to come and go anyway. Now they’d lock the fortress around her.

Jamison shook his head. “No, they won’t. But do we start another war?”

The Hell’s Sons had just battled the local charter of the Raiders in order to get Ever back. Just days ago some of their men had fallen. They’d barely gotten them buried, and now they were talking about another war.

“I’ll go alone.”

Everyone stilled. In the other room, Ever’s sobs sounded, followed by Ace’s comforting tone. Jamison clenched his fists. They were all protective of Ever, and that had extended to Delta for the time she was here. Both women had something that reached into a man’s chest and tugged at his heart.

BOOK SOUNDTRACK

Family—Noah Gundersen
Crash This Train – Joshua James
Come Away to the Water—Maroon 5
Lay Low—Shovels and Rope
Boathouse—Noah Gundersen
That Sea, the Gamler—Gregory Alan Isakov
A Tendency to Start Fires—Bush

AUTHOR BIO

Em Petrova lives in Backwoods, Pennsylvania, where she raises 4 kids and a Labradoodle named Daisy Hasselhoff. Her heroes are hardworking heroes—in bed and out—and she is known for panty-scorching erotic romance.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

WEBSITE – GOODREADS – AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – BLOG –
FACEBOOK FAN PAGE – TWITTER

GIVEAWAY

Up for grabs is a photo of Jax from Sons of Anarchy signed by Charlie Hunnam

AUTHORS GIVEAWAY – CLICK HERE

Tour Organized & Hosted By:

November 5, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW The Cabinetmaker by Alan Jones

Title: The Cabinetmaker

Author: Alan Jones

Genre: Crime thriller, crime drama

Length: 292 pages

Synopsis: The Cabinetmaker, Alan Jones’ first novel, tells of one man’s fight for justice when the law fails him. Set in Glasgow from the late nineteen-seventies through to the current day, a cabinetmaker’s only son is brutally murdered by a gang of thugs, who walk free after a bungled prosecution.

It’s young Glasgow detective John McDaid’s first murder case. He forms an unlikely friendship with the cabinetmaker, united by a determination to see the killers punished, their passion for amateur football, and by John’s introduction to a lifelong obsession with fine furniture.

This is the story of their friendship, the cabinetmaker’s quest for justice, and the detective’s search for the truth.

This unusual crime thriller contains some Glasgow slang and a moderate amount of strong language.

REVIEW

The Cabinetmaker is a very well-written narrative focusing on the relationship of a murdered lad’s father and the growing friendship the cabinetmaker, Francis Hare, has with Detective John McDaid, who is working on his son’s case. It is written almost biographically from McDaid’s point of view, starting from the death of Patrick Hare in the late seventies until the present day.

Patrick’s death was violent and Alan Jones has written in a very clear and believable manner, allowing the reader to picture Patrick’s final moments. It is a very dark and pivotal moment of the story that will change Francis and his wife forever. Patrick was their only child, and the impact that his death had on both characters is devastating. To make matters worse, the culprits walk free and although seemingly calm through the best part of the story, deep down Francis longs for justice for those that caused his son’s death.

An interesting part of the story was the reasons behind the attackers walking free from court. Many of the CID officers were ‘dirty’. Their methods of interrogation and gaining evidence was unorthodox, to say the least. There was little back-up for the evidence that was present and many of the suspects were intimidated by the officers, making for poor statements. Again, I have to say the writing is effective. Without being too heavy with the description, Alan Jones writes in such a manner that is so easy and clear to follow, despite the subject matter having the potential to upset the reader. It is written with care, and allows the reader to picture their own images on just how brutal these officers could be. There is very little Scottish dialect, but when it was present I found it to be very easy to follow and added a sense of realism of the place and times that the story is set.

The main focus of the story is the relationship that grows between Francis Hare and Detective John McDaid. Francis runs his own business as a cabinetmaker, which John finds fascinating. Not only this, but they are both playing for an amateur football side, and so share similar interests besides the case. John longs for the justice that Francis wants for his son, and throughout the following years still follows the case up. You can probably guess that John is one of the good guys and disagreed with his former colleagues’ tactics, and yet had no say in the matter at the time, being it his first job with the department. And, he couldn’t afford to lose his chance working at that level by getting on the wrong side of them.

Each time John discovered something new about the people responsible he shared his knowledge with Francis, usually at the workshop. During these times John began learning about the furniture, the wood, how to make certain parts, and began to assist Francis in his spare time and become almost an apprentice. These moments of the story are some of my favourite. These two men get to know each other, almost like a father/son relationship. It is quite heart-warming and emotional at times.

I could also relate to the well-descriptive scenes where Francis is making his beautifully finished cabinets. On a personal level, it brought back a sense of nostalgia for me as I used to sit for hours watching my own father, who is a trained carpenter and joiner, DIY. Here are two examples that I thought were written clearly, beautifully and added a real profound feeling between John McDaid as he watched and worked with Francis:

“He started to fiddle with the carcase, and I’m sure he very quickly forgot that I was there. I watched him work, as he planed an edge, and even my untrained eye could see that the plane was an extension of his arm, the shavings coming from its mouth so thin as to be almost translucent. I could have watched him for hours…”

“I called round with Francis the following day, and managed to get a bit more of my bookcase done – Francis was at a point in his furniture order where I couldn’t really help. His skills in finishing his furniture almost seemed better than those he used in making it. He would spend hours applying the various shades of shellac, rubbing the surfaces with a constant, controlled series of sweeps. I lost count of the number of layers he laid down, producing that depth of surface where the grain of wood seemed to float in a clear, utterly smooth layer of varnish.”

These examples also provide an insight into Francis’ outlook and personality. He likes to see things through to the end, each element being precise, with nothing left untamed, or cared for. These finer details are quite poignant for the story as it moves on.

I found the pace of the story to be perfect. During times of action it quickens up, but throughout some it is a nice slow-but-steady pace that meets the needs for the emotional element. The pace also provides the reader with the true feel of John McDaid ageing, following John throughout his various police roles, as well as following the lives of the suspects responsible for Patrick’s murder and, most of all, building up the long-lasting friendship he has with Francis.

The ending is wrapped up just right, as everything falls into place. The Cabinetmaker, as a story, grows just like the relationship between Francis and John. It keeps getting better and better, deeper and deeper. It draws you in with a nasty, violent attack on a young lad, but then transforms into a beautiful tale of two best friends, a father/son bond. I LOVED this book and would strongly recommend it to readers who enjoy a good drama, a character-based story, as well as crime fans. It is a superb all-rounder!

A copy of The Cabinetmaker was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

The Cabinetmaker by Alan Jones is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

November 5, 2014 by Tina Williams

REVIEW of WINDHAVEN, by Charlotte Boyett-Compo

A Fantastic Dark Erotic Fantasy Romance

Adult Read: Contains graphic sexual content, male rape, torture, BDSM

Book Synopsis

“Open your mouth even once, tell anyone about us, give them a name, and we’ll come for you, Sammy. There will be nowhere you can hide that we won’t find you.”Samiel Brell is being held against his will in the WindHaven Mental Hospital. His life there is a brutal nightmare from which he can not wake. The only anchor he has in this dark world is nurse Katelyn Tarnes who sees beyond the psychotic, self-destructive patient to the lost, lonely man desperately needing her help…and pleading for her love.

My Review

A Light in the Darkness

The dark erotic fantasy Windhaven, set in the future on a distant planet is a fantastic page turner and a real treat for lovers of dark erotic fantasy. A beautiful romance, where the power of love and healing does battle with unimaginable acts of depravity and evil. Indeed, the read unapologetically grapples with subject matter which includes scenes of sexual torture, enslavement of the male lead, imprisonment and physical, mental and psychological abuse.

I found that the tale is a suspenseful one, as someone is trying to silence Samiel, the hero, for good and will use means most foul to do. Although I certainly had my suspicions about who was behind the attempts on his life – I was constantly examining the motives and actions of many central characters, the book is written cleverly and in such a way that I was taken by surprise when the truth was finally revealed!

Samiel is a handsome yet tortured male and my heart immediately went out to him. His past is somewhat of a mystery, being abducted on a whim by evil people, and subjected to a life of pain and torture. His mental state is weak on account of his PTSD, manifesting as violence and self-harm and he is kept under control by a carefully orchestrated regime of drugs and restraints intended to slowly allow his recovery.

The heroine Katelyn has a strong empathy with Samiel from the outset and their attraction is mutual. She a strong character, realising early on that she is falling hard for him, a patient in a secure mental institution. Although she has the potential to be Samiel’s salvation, she is unknowingly being used in a game that others control. However, somewhere amongst all the darkness there is light and there is a satisfying HEA, but not until after evil has once again shown its hand.

There are plenty of scenes of sexual tension and erotic love making and I was on tender hooks throughout their growing relationship, as they have to deal with what is thrown at them, the shocking revelations from Samiel’s past and discover who is out to eliminate him for good.

Charlotte Boyett-Compo is one of the most imaginative and versatile authors I have had the pleasure to read and in this novel she once again delves into places most authors fear to, whilst developing and maintaining a beautiful romance. If you like tales of tortured males, strong women who are their salvation and evil that needs to be vanquished then you will love Windhaven!

Reviewed by Tina Williams

A copy of this novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

About the Author

Charlotte Boyett-Compo is the author of over 80 books. She writes novels that encompass science-fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Supernatural, Romantica, Horror, Mystery, Thriler and Post –Apocalyptic Western novels. She is the creator of the Reaper, handome and deadly Alpha male shapeshifters with tortured souls that can only be tamed by the female destined to be their mate.