Steph Reviews Mister Sam Shearon's Creepy Christmas (A Merry Macabre Coloring Book) By Sam Shearon

Publisher: Vesuvian Books
Format Read: Paperback Coloring Books
Source: the pr firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 18, 2016
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The happiest time of the year is also the creepiest. Good ol’ Saint Nicholas did not start with reindeer. Every Christmas he would bring along a hairy half-demon, half-goat named Krampus to stalk misbehaving children. The hairy spawn of Satan stuffed them into his bag, chained them up, and dragged them down to Hell for a year of punishment. A warning for anyone who thought of causing mischief. This sure does not seem like the most wonderful time of the year.

Winter has an even darker and richer lore than Halloween. For centuries, people have feared creatures from ancient legends born of this time of year. Tales such as giant hairy monsters who live in the mountains and will snatch you up and eat you were used to ensure children didn't wander off in the snow and become lost.

These were indeed just stories … or were they?

This festive feast of fear contains 40 original hand-drawn and inked illustrations from a variety of traditional beliefs and legends from around the world, including British, North American, Nordic, Icelandic, Austrian, and Germanic folklore. Mister Sam Shearon’s Creepy Christmasfeatures characters such as Krampus, Grýla, Santa Claws, Rabid Rudolph, the Grimace Tree, the Wendigo, the Snow Bear, the Yule Cat, the Abominable Snowman, and many more. Ready for you to bring to colorful life with fearsome festive cheer, each page is also accompanied with a poem—a guide to these creepy creatures from the season of ice and snow! www.CreepyChristmasColoringBook.com

Recipe & A Giveaway: A Wrong Bed Christmas by Kimberly Van Meter & Liz Talley

Today I have authors Kimberly Van Meter ad Liz Talley here with some favorite recipes to share and a print copy of  the book, "A Wrong Bed Christmas" to give away to one US reader. So get your recipe cards ready and enjoy!

KIMBERLY VAN METER started her writing career at the age of 16 when she finished her first novel, typing late nights and early mornings, on her mother’s old portable typewriter. She received The Call in March 2006 with Harlequin Superromance and hasn't looked back since. She currently writes for Harlequin Superromance and Harlequin Romantic Suspense.

LIZ TALLEY writes romance because falling in love is the best feeling a person can experience. A 2009 Golden Heart finalist in Regency romance, she's since found her niche with Harlequin Superromance writing sassy contemporaries with down-home warmth and Southern charm. She lives in North Louisiana surrounded by a loving family, a passel of animals, and towering loads of laundry.

Writing Space Tour with Vicki Lewis Thompson & A Giveaway of Midnight Thunder

Today I have a guest post to share and a giveaway. Romance author Vicki Lewis Thompson takes us on a tour of her writing cave then Harlequin and Meryl Moss Media are giving away a print copy of Vicki's new book, Midnight Thunder, to one US reader.

A romance writing career has brought Vicki Lewis Thompson many wonderful things –New York Times bestseller status, an appearance on LIVE with Regis and Kelly, the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from Romance Writers of America, thousands of readers, many dear friends, and the cutest little yellow convertible in the world. Her career has also given her work she loves. Although she’s written more than 100 books, she continues to be fascinated by the many ways that a man and woman fall in love. The age-old story remains a challenging puzzle to be solved anew with each book. That makes her a very lucky person, indeed.

Find Vicki Online:

Website: http://www.vickilewisthompson.com

Twitter: @VickiLThompson          

Facebook: www.facebook.com/vickilewisthompson

GIVEAWAY - HEART OF A BULL RIDER by Tina Leonard

Nothing beats a romance novel with a sexy, kind-hearted bachelor—unless that bachelor also happens to be wealthy. This May, Harlequin doesn’t just have just one novel that fits the bill, but three and I have one to give away today. "Heart of a Bull Rider" by Tina Leonard features a bull riding hero, a billionaire, and a woman torn between the two, who happen to be brothers.

**Harlequin, one of the world's leading publishers of books for women, and the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), the world's premier bull riding organization, are happy to share a book publishing partnership that debuts in May 2015. These four re-issued, re-titled novels containing distinctive PBR content will be published under the new Harlequin Pro Bull Riders imprint, and feature actual PBR bull riders on the covers. Harlequin Pro Bull Riders novels will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart stores in the United States.**

GIVEAWAY: A Signed Copy of The Italian's Deal for I Do by Jennifer Hayward

Thanks to Meryl L Moss Media, I have one signed copy of "The Italian's Deal for I Do" by Jennifer Hayward to give away to a US reader. Read on to learn more about the book and to enter!

Jennifer Hayward has been a fan of romance and adventure since filching her sister's Harlequin Presents novels to escape her teenaged angst. Jennifer penned her first romance at 19. When it was rejected, she bristled at her mother's suggestion that she needed more life experience. Years of working alongside powerful, charismatic CEOs and traveling the world provided perfect fodder for the arrogant alpha males she loves to write, as well as free research on the some of the world's most glamorous locales. A suitable amount of life experience under her belt, she sat down and wrote The Divorce Party, a story that won her Harlequin's 2012 So You Think You Can Write contest and a book contract. Turns out, Mother knew best.

Find Jennifer Online:

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Interview with Author M.J. Rose

I have a brief Q&A with author M.J. Rose today. M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother's favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice... Books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.

Rose is a the Co-President and founding member of International Thriller Writers and the founder of the first marketing company for authors: AuthorBuzz. She runs the blog, Museum of Mysteries.

In 1998, her first novel Lip Service was the first e-book and the first self-published novel chosen by the LiteraryGuild/Doubleday Book Club as well as the first e-book to go on to be published by a mainstream New York publishing house.

Say "I Do" to Winning These Books From Harlequin!

It's spring here in the Northern Hemisphere and here in the US spring is the start of wedding season. Harlequin has new releases set around weddings and they're giving three different books to own reader. Enjoy this infographic from Harlequin, read on to learn about the books, then enter the giveaway using the rafflecopter below.

REVIEW And GIVEAWAY: First Time in Forever by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: Harlequin
Series: Puffin Island #1
Format Read: ARC
Source: PR Firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | Barnes & Noble | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Windswept, isolated and ruggedly beautiful, Puffin Island is a haven for day-trippers and daydreamers alike. But this charming community has a way of bringing people together in the most unexpected ways…

It's been a summer of firsts for Emily Donovan. From becoming a stand-in mom to her niece Lizzie to arriving on Puffin Island, her life has become virtually unrecognizable. Between desperately safeguarding Lizzie and her overwhelming fear of the ocean—which surrounds her everywhere she goes!—Emily has lost count of the number of "just breathe" pep talks she's given herself. And that's before charismatic local yacht club owner Ryan Cooper kisses her…

Ryan knows all about secrets. And it's clear that newcomer Emily—with her haunted eyes and the little girl she won't let out of her sight—is hiding from something besides the crazy chemistry between them. So Ryan decides he's going to make it his personal mission to help her unwind and enjoy the sparks! But can Puffin Island work its magic on Emily and get her to take the biggest leap of trust of all—putting her heart in someone else's hands?

The Deputy's Redemption by Delores Fossen: INTERVIEW and PLAY LIST

Today I have a short interview with romance author Delores Fossen and her playlist for her new book, "The Deputy's Redemption". I'm a sucker for a story that involves a man in uniform, they're just hard to resist.

Delores is a USA Today bestselling author with a family tree that includes Texas cowboys, Choctaw and Cherokee Indians, a Louisiana pirate, and a Scottish rebel who battled side by side with William Wallace. With ancestors like that, it's easy to understand why Delores, a Texan and former Air Force captain, feels as if she were genetically predisposed to writing romances. Along the way to fulfilling her DNA destiny, Delores married an Air Force top gun who just happens to be of Viking descent. With all those romantic bases covered, she doesn’t have to look too far for inspiration.


Find Delores Online:

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Love Lessons Learned While Writing Protection Detail: A Guest Post by Shirlee McCoy

Shirlee McCoy knew early on that she wanted to write inspirational fiction and began writing her first novel when she was a teenager. Still, it wasn't until her third son was born that she truly began pursuing her dream of being published. Three years later she sold her first book.

Now a busy mother of four, Shirlee is a homeschool mom by day and an inspirational author by night. She and her husband and children live in Maryland and share their home with a dog and a guinea pig.
Find Shirlee Online:

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Steph Reviews Shadow Ritual by Eric Giacometti and Jacques Ravenne

Publisher: Le French Book
Format Read: Paperback ARC
Source: From PR firm for an honest review
Release Date: March 25, 2015
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*/OmniLit | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

An electrifying thriller about the rise of extremism. Two slayings—one in Rome and one in Jerusalem—rekindle an ancient rivalry between modern-day secret societies for knowledge lost at the fall of the Third Reich. Detective Antoine Marcas unwillingly teams up with the strong-willed Jade Zewinski to chase Neo-Nazi assassins across Europe. They must unravel an arcane Freemason mystery, sparked by information from newly revealed KGB files. Inspired from the true story of mysterious Freemason files thought to hold a terrible secret, stolen by the SS in 1940, recovered by the Red Army in 1945 and returned half a century later.

INTERVIEW And GIVEAWAY: Never Trust A Cowboy by Kathleen Eagle

Today I have romance author Kathleen Eagle visiting, answering some questions. At the end of the post, I'm giving away a paperback copy of her new book, "Never Trust A Cowboy".

Kathleen Eagle published her first book, a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award winner, with Silhouette Books in 1984. Since then she has published more than 40 books, including historical and contemporary, series and single title, earning her nearly every award in the industry. Her books have consistently appeared on regional and national bestseller lists, including the USA Today list and the New York Times extended bestseller list.

Bon Appétit and a Book - Giveaway, Recipes, and Romance with Authors Andrea Laurence & Abby Green

It's winter where I am and cold. Cocoa and comfort food are my staples (I have a mug of cocoa as I'm typing this). When the opportunity arose to have a couple of Harlequin's authors provide some yummy recipes I happily said yes. Now, I'm not much for cooking. I like it simple; the microwave and toaster oven are two of my favorite kitchen appliances. But I enjoy looking at recipes, these look delicious, and I think I'll share the chili recipe with my sisters; they like chili and they actually LIKE to cook. Weirdos. :P

Originally, I thought I'd do a separate post but these two recipes seem like a good combo so I decided to put them into one post. After the recipes, you'll find info on the books and authors, and a giveaway.

Blog Tour Review & Excerpt: Silhouette of Virtue: A Novel by Jay Richards

Publisher: Face Rock Press
Format Read: Paperback
Source: From PR firm for an honest review
Release Date: June 2, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A gripping psychological thriller from one of America's leading psychopathy experts that explores race, the criminal mind, and the changing cultural landscape of Vietnam Era America.

It's 1973. America is in the throes of Watergate, Vietnam, and increasingly heated racial tensions. A small college town in Southern Illinois is terrorized by a spree of sadistic sexual assaults against young Asian women, purportedly by a black man seeking payback for America's betrayal in Vietnam.

Acting more on suspicion than evidence, the all-white police force arrests a black theater instructor and Vietnam vet. His only African American colleague, philosophy professor Nathan "Ribs" Rivers, finds himself in the unlikely position of leading a coalition of student and faculty groups advocating for a fair trial, despite his own doubts about the suspect's innocence.

As the case intensifies, Professor Rivers uncovers a shocking web of conspiracy, underground activity, and psychopathy. He embarks on a vision quest for the truth about the crimes and his own character that threatens to topple his family and career, ignites in him a spiritual crisis, and plunges him headlong toward lethal unknowns.

Silhouette of Virtue is more than just a gripping psychological thriller. Through the complex story, which is based on true events from the author's own life, Jay Richards provides a penetrating look at some of the most complex and challenging issues facing American society, then and now. As a forensic psychologist with more than three decades of experience diagnosing and studying psychopaths and sex offenders, Richards offers an authentic portrayal of the complex characters and weaves together the culture and politics of the era with racial tension, mystery, and suspense.

GIVEAWAY! French Pastry Murder by Leslie Meier

Hello, cozy lovers and food lovers! Leslie Meier is back with another installment of her long-running Lucy Stone cozy mystery series, "French Pastry Murder". Lucy and some friends win a trip to Paris but events go awry and soon they're caught up in a murder investigation.

Thanks to Meryl Moss Media, I have one copy, a hardcover, to give away to a US reader. Enter using the rafflecopter below. No purchase necessary. Please read my Giveaway Policy. Giveaway ends Saturday October 11th at 11:59PM EST.

Tinker's Cove is abuzz with excitement when Norah, the queen of daytime TV, comes to town and selects Lucy and her pals to be featured in her "Women Who Make a Difference" episode. In recognition for their charitable work, the ladies and their husbands are awarded a dream vacation in Paris, complete with classes at Le Cooking School with renowned pastry chef Larry Bruneau. But their bon voyage is cut short when Lucy discovers the chef in a pool of blood on the second day of class... If she's going to enjoy her vacation, she'll have to unpack her sleuthing skills and clear her name. But will she be able to track down a killer more elusive than the perfect macaron?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

EXCERPT & SPOTLIGHT: Treasure Coast by Tom Kakonis

Launched in September, Brash Books is the brainchild of Lee Goldberg, author of more than 40 books including the bestselling Fox & O’Hare series with Janet Evanovich, and Joel Goldman, author of the hugely successful and award-winning Lou Mason, Jack David, and Alex Stone series. Lee and Joel decided to do something never done before—publish the best mysteries, police procedurals, thrillers, and spy novels of the last 30 years—as well as innovative new titles that will be the among the best of the next 30 years. 

In other words, Brash Books publishes the best crime novels in existence. Their roster features an unparalleled list of highly acclaimed Edgar, Shamus, Anthony and National Book Award-winning or nominated titles.

EXCERPT from No Limits by Lori Foster

The world of MMA wrestling has become a hot trend in romances and today I have an excerpt from Lori Foster's new release, "No Limits", part of her new series, "Ultimate", that's also a spin-off of  sorts from her "Love Undercover" series.

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a Waldenbooks, Borders, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author of over 70 novellas and novels. She currently writes single titles for HQN. Lori believes it’s important to give back to the community as much as possible, and for that reason she ran special contests in conjunction with a publisher, facilitating many first sales for new authors. She routinely organizes events among authors and readers to gather donations for various organizations.

GIVEAWAY: No Time To Die by Kira Peikoff

Thanks to Pinnacle Books and Meryl L Moss Media, I have one copy of an exciting new thriller to give away today. "No Time To Die", a medical thriller by Kira Peikoff, was released last month and today I am giving away a paperback copy.

Kira Peikoff is a writer based in New York City. She graduated with high honors from New York University in 2007 with a degree in journalism, after four years of various reporting internships: covering street crime for The Daily News, writing about Capitol Hill for The Orange County Register in Washington, D.C., reporting on business and technology for Newsday, and researching feature stories for New York magazine. After completing her first book, "Living Proof", Peikoff worked for several years in the editorial departments at two New York publishing houses, which gave her an invaluable inside look at the publishing process and the rapidly changing industry. Peikoff is working on her third thriller, freelancing for a variety of major media outlets, and attending Columbia University's Master of Science program in Bioethics.

EXCERPT from Harbor Island by Carla Neggers

If you enjoy romantic suspense, you're in for a treat. Today I have an excerpt from Carla Neggers's newest release, "Harbor Island", part of her Sharpe & Donovan series. Carla is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 60 novels, with translations in 24 languages. Born and raised on the western edge of the beautiful Quabbin Reservoir in rural Massachusetts, Carla grew up with tales of her father’s life as a Dutch sailor and her mother’s childhood in northwest Florida.

At a young age, Carla began penning her own stories on a branch high up in her favorite sugar maple. Now she enjoys spending time at the family homestead (now a tree farm) with her six brothers and sisters and their families.

Interview with author Lisa Marie Rice

Good morning! Today I have an interview with author Lisa Marie Rice. She has a new book out, Midnight Vengeance, and is touring to celebrate its release. This is a long one, Ms. Rice was chatty, so grabn put your feet up, and enjoy!

Lisa Marie Rice is eternally 30 years old and will never age. She is tall and willowy and beautiful. Men drop at her feet like ripe pears. She has won every major book prize in the world. She is a black belt with advanced degrees in archaeology, nuclear physics, and Tibetan literature. She is a concert pianist. Did I mention her Nobel Prize? Of course, Lisa Marie Rice is a virtual woman who exists only at the keyboard when writing erotic romance. She disappears when the monitor winks off.

Find Lisa Marie Online:

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