Spotlight on The Middle Aisle by Taylor Dean

"The Middle Aisle", a paranormal romance, is the sequel to "Lancaster House" and was released last month, just in time for the holidays. Author Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding that she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of romance in her line-up. 

Find Taylor Online:

Facebook

Website

The Middle Aisle

Author: Taylor Dean

Publisher: CreateSpace

ISBN: 9781480082236

Release Date: November 26, 2012

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Paranormal

Length: 356 pages

Format: Paperback

Buying Links:  Barnes & Noble  Amazon  The Book Depository  

Book Blurb (from author):

The sequel to Lancaster House

Zoe Grayson is back in Lancaster House, ordered to bed rest for the duration of her unexpected pregnancy. Doctor Wade Channing, her overzealous psychiatrist, is living in Lancaster House, taking care of her, waiting on her, and tending to her every need. It seems to be the perfect arrangement.

There’s just one catch.

 She has to tell him her story—everything that has happened in her life since the moment she escaped from Serenity Hills. It’s been quite an adventure to include renovating another home and a walk down the middle aisle.

But, that’s all over now. Nothing is real. It never was.

How did she end up in this miserable situation?

 The cover reminds me of something from the early 70's :D and judging by the blurb, this is not a romance with a happy ending. Have you read it yet? What did you think?

Sunday Book Share #15

I'm participating in Feed My Reader Friday hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer,  The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, and Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews. The  memes allow book bloggers the chance to share print and digital books they've received and different posts and events at their blog.

The week was going pretty well up until Friday afternoon when I checked twitter on my afternoon break and heard about the mass shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut, almost thirty children and adults dead. I truly do not comprehend how or why people commit these crimes. It put a pall on the rest of the day and my co-workers and I had to be careful not to discuss it in our classrooms. My heart goes out to all of the families affected.

The tragedy took some of the joy out of my going to see "The Hobbit" Friday evening but once the movie started I was able to enter into Middle Earth and enjoy myself. I didn't love it but I did like it. It's much darker than the book, which I didn't enjoy.

The week in review

Review: The Devil's Garden by Brady Christianson

Cover reveal: Timespell by Diana Paz

Spotlights: Winter's Magic by Cynthia Gail

Toying with Temptation by Madison Martin

Snow White Sorrow by Cameron Jace

Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen & Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage by Sally Smith O'Rourke

Excerpts: The Reluctant Countess by Wendy Vella

Giveaways: 10 eBook copies (tour wide) of Toying with Temptation by Madison Martin

The Grimm Diaries Prequels (set of 6) by Cameron Jace

$50 Amazon GC or PayPal Cash

Memes: Sunday Book Share #14   Dusty Reads

News & Info: Live Chat with Diana Pharaoh Francis

Help First Book Donate Books to Children in Need

BOOKS

It was a very, very light week for books. I downloaded one kindle freebie, a cookbook sampler, didn't buy any books, or get any from the library.

Won - Kindle

I won this from the author on twitter.

Review - Print

Wishing peace, health and happiness to you and yours.

Spotlight on Michael Meyer, Mystery Author

              

Suspense/Thriller

Date Published: 10/17/11

COVERT DREAMS synopsis: Imagine waking up remembering intimate details about a country in which you have never traveled and fluently speaking a language that you have never spoken. B.J. is living the ideal life. He has a great wife, a wonderful job. And yet he is experiencing life-like vivid dreams of Munich, a city he has never visited.

Stan Halsey is a professor in Saudi Arabia, who sends for his wife to join him. She arrives, and, in the blink of an eye, she vanishes, leaving no trace of ever being alive in either the United States or in Saudi Arabia.

COVERT DREAMS is a fast-paced international suspense thriller that moves from Munich to the burning sands of Saudi Arabia. What is real, and who is responsible for the terrifying nightmare?

COVERT DREAMS trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9drU4-um_U 

Suspense/Thriller

Date Published: 3/8/12

DEADLY EYES synopsis: James Cuffy, better known as Cuff, is living in paradise with his girlfriend, Rosie, on the small Caribbean island of St. Croix, where the sky is as blue as Cuff's eyes, the ocean as pretty as Rosie's cheeks, where the gentle lapping of the waves is a lullaby, and the swaying of the palm trees is a dance. The sandy beaches are as white as sugar, and the horizon is a world away. St. Croix indeed is paradise, the perfect place for living, laughing, and loving. 

But the sandy beaches and the turquoise sea can provide no cover from the deadly eyes of the unknown stalker pursuing Cuff. Murder leads to murder as he attempts to untangle the terrible web in which he has suddenly become entangled.

The twists and turns are many, the roads of the fast action leading in all directions. Cuff and Rosie are relentlessly pursued by a diabolical force that shows them no mercy. Do these two good people stand a chance against such sheer evil? 

DEADLY EYES trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWLBtVDUdC4&feature=relmfu  

I have resided in and have visited many places in the world, all of which have

contributed in some way to my own published writing. I have literally traveled

throughout the world, on numerous occasions. I have lived in Finland, Germany,

Thailand, Saudi Arabia (where COVERT DREAMS is set), and the U.S. Virgin

Islands (where DEADLY EYES is set). I gained the wanderlust to see the world,

to experience other cultures, at an early age, and this desire has never left

me. If anything, it has only gained in intensity as I have aged. I try to travel

internationally at least once a year. In the interim, I spend lots of time traveling

around both my home state of California and other nearby states.

I spent my early years in the small town of Lone Pine, California, the home of

almost every western movie, in addition to a wide variety of other genres, made

in the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. In fact, Hollywood still films parts of big-time

movies there today. My dad, the town's lifeguard at the time, personally knew

John Wayne, Lloyd Bridges, and Lee Marvin, all of whom came to the town's

pool, the Memorial Plunge, at times to cool off after a hectic day of working

in the sun. I was even an extra in a movie filmed there in 1957, MONOLITH

MONSTERS, a B-cult favorite even today. I was ten years old at the time. Even

though I resided in a small town hours from the big city, I was exposed to the

excitement of action and heroes at a formative age, and, thus, my interest in

writing novels of suspense such as COVERT DREAMS and DEADLY EYES was

born.

As a recent retiree from a forty-year career as a professor of writing, I now live in

Southern California wine country with my wife, Kitty, and our two other cats.

Contact Links

Website

LINKS TO BUY

COVERT DREAMS Amazon 

DEADLY EYES Amazon 

First Book and Their Big Give Campaign for Children

It's holiday season; last month there was Diwali and this month there's Hannukah and Christmas, oh and winter solstice. The month of January has Kwanzaa and undoubtedly I've missed some. What all these holidays have in common is the tradition of giving; giving your time, your money or an actual physical present. It's also a time of year when many, many organizations of all varieties seek your money.

First Book is no different; they always need money so that they can provide low-cost or free books to children in need. Since I work with young children and I am an avid reader, this organization seems tailor-made for my support. I'm getting ahead of myself; here's some basic info about First Books from the Groupon page:

First Book is a nonprofit that aims to empower children from low-income families in the United States and Canada by improving their reading skills and subsequently their academic success and quality of education by increasing their access to books and educational resources. The organization connects classrooms and programs serving children with brand new books through its First Book Marketplace, where it sells new books online to community programs and schools at a reduced cost, and through the First Book National Book Bank, a clearinghouse for en masse donations from publishers. Since 1992, First Book has distributed more than 100 million books and educational resources in partnership with a network of more than 35,000 schools and programs across North America. After receiving books from First Book, children read more at home and overcome a pervasive barrier to success.

First Book has partnered up with Groupon, the social coupon site, to make it easy for people to donate money to buy books. Please, take a minute, share your love of book and donate to help a child out and make them happy. Thank you. <3

Excerpt from The Reluctant Countess by Wendy Vella

Today's excerpt is from a forthcoming historical romance by Wendy Vella. I like the colors in the cover but I wish there were more contrast between the blues.  If you like Mary Balogh, Julia Quinn or Sabrina Jeffries, you’ll probably enjoy Vella’s fluid writing and witty style. Next month, on the 18th, I'll have a guest post from Vella and several copies to giveaway so if you enjoy the excerpt, come back then.

The Reluctant Countess
Author: Wendy Vella
Publisher: Loveswept
ISBN: 978-0-345-54007-2
Formats: ebook
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical
Release Date: January 14, 2013
Buying Links:  Amazon   Random   Barnes & Noble 

Book Blurb (from publisher):

From rising romance star Wendy Vella comes a Cinderella story of whirlwind passion between a dashing earl and a beautiful countess—and the secret that threatens to tear them apart.

Regal, poised, and elegant, Sophie, Countess of Monmouth, is everything that a highborn lady should be. But Sophie is hiding a past that is far from royal. When Patrick, Earl of Coulter, realizes that her story doesn’t add up, he resolves to find out the truth of what Sophie and her sister-in-law are concealing. Although Sophie has every reason to avoid him, the handsome and charismatic Patrick awakens something wicked deep within her soul . . . a powerful need that Sophie must stifle in order to protect her place in society.

Despite Sophie’s humble background, the raven-haired beauty has won Patrick’s heart. But what Sophie needs now is an ally. Viscount Myles Dumbly, the disgruntled former heir of Monmouth, is determined to expose Sophie as a fraud to recapture his lost inheritance. Soon Patrick is drawn into a fight for both their lives. Somehow he must find a way not only to rescue Sophie from poverty once and for all, but to keep her in his arms forever.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: "The Escape Diaries", "The Devil’s Thief", and "The Magic".

Vella ReluctantCountess Final

Cover Reveal: Timespell by Diana paz

Timespell by Diana Paz - Publication date: April 1st, 2013 / Rhemalda Publishing 

Book Blurb (from author):

In TIMESPELL, the brash and impulsive Julia must team up with her sweet and straight-laced best friend, Angie, and the malicious and power-hungry Kaitlyn in order to keep the witch-like powers of her inheritance. But these powers come at a cost. The girls are bound to serve the Fates, and their first mission sends them back in time to Marie Antoinette’s Paris and eventually, into the chaos and war of the French Revolution.

AUTHOR BIO:

Diana Paz writes books about magic, adventure, and romance. She was born in Costa Rica, grew up on Miami Beach, moved to Los Angeles in high school, and went to college in San Diego. Basically, she’s a beach bum. Diana graduated from California State University, San Marcos with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts. She loves old movies, epic fantasy, all kinds of music, and heading to the beach with a good book. Preferably sipping a highly sweetened iced coffee. (I love iced coffee! I do drink it less sweet than hot coffee but it's still pretty sweet. Basically, I have coffee with my cream and sugar. :D ~ Bea)

Author Links:

Website: http://www.dianapaz.com/

Blog: http://www.dianapazwrites.blogspot.ca/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianapazwrites

The style and pose have been done to death but I love the colors in this and the title font.

 

Curious? Want more? Check out this book trailer.

Book Blitz & Giveaway: 2 Romances by Sally Smith O'Rourke

Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen

Was Mr. Darcy real? Is time travel really possible? For pragmatic Manhattan artist Eliza Knight the answer to both questions is absolutely, Yes! And Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley Farms, Virginia is the reason why!

His tale of love and romance in Regency England leaves Eliza in no doubt that Fitz Darcy is the embodiment of Jane Austen’s legendary hero. And she’s falling in love with him. But can the man who loved the inimitable Jane Austen ever love average, ordinary Eliza Knight?

Eliza’s doubts grow, perhaps out of proportion, when things start to happen in the quiet hamlet of Chawton, England; events that could change everything. Will the beloved author become the wedge that divides Fitz and Eliza or the tie that binds them?

Praise for Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen

O’Rourke’s sequel to The Man Who Loved Jane Austen brings the reader a skillfully choreographed romance and smartly old-fashioned love story that is poignant and completely enthralling, while being laden with well-researched details to satisfy any Austen fan.
~Regina Jeffers


Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen is a sweet Austen related romance with a time travel twist.
I felt the author captured Jane Austen's voice very well and I enjoyed reading her thoughts and reactions as the story flowed.

~Naida the Bookworm

Imaginative, fresh and endearing. Well done!

~Ann Channon (Jane Austen House Museum)

Purchase

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage

With its rough gray shingles and weathered slate roof, Sea Pines cottage seems, at first glance, past its prime. But inside this remote fisherman's house, a driftwood fire crackles in the fireplace, brightly colored rugs cover the floor, and cozy cushions dot the worn, welcoming furniture. A young man named Robert has retreated after the war, planning to spend his days writing, tending to the local lighthouse, and nursing his injuries. For company, he adopts a young Golden Retriever puppy named Meteor.

Robert and Meteor spend months in quiet companionship, until the day Robert rescues a young woman from a storm at sea. Strong-willed and intelligent, Laura sees past Robert's injuries to the proud, passionate man beneath, and--with some matchmaking help from Meteor--they begin a new life together at the cottage. But even Meteor's tireless devotion can't protect his cherished family from all of life's unexpected challenges--hurdles that will teach each of them lessons of courage, faith, friendship, and the enduring love that can sustain us through life's coldest seasons. 

Praise for Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage

This story is unashamedly a sweet love story, perfect for a Christmas read, and will bring a tear to the eye of even the most cynical of us!
~Anne

I just knew from the moment I read the forward that this was going to be a very sweet and touching story. And I was right!
~Sophia Rose

Purchase

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Sally Smith O'Rourke

Sally Smith O’Rourke is a surgical scrub nurse at the City of Hope national cancer research hospital in Duarte, California and resides in the near-by Victorian village of Monrovia.

With her late husband, author Michael O’Rourke (aka F.M. O’Rourke) Smith O’Rourke owned and operated a medical advertising company where she used her diverse talents to produce and co-write teaching films and videos. Working not only with major medical and surgical manufacturing companies but also network television. These endeavors ultimately led to a collaboration on two feature films (direct to video) and three published novels.

The wife and husband writing team of Sally Smith and Michael O’Rourke, being long-time fans of Jane Austen, wrote The Man Who Loved Jane Austen released by Kensington Books in 2006. Kensington followed that very successful effort with The Maidenstone Lighthouse in 2007 and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage in 2009, both also collaborative projects by Smith and O’Rourke. Published after her partner and spouse’s untimely death in 2001, the publisher chose not to use the names Michael O’Rourke and Sally Smith (as the manuscripts were presented), releasing all three books under Sally Smith O’Rourke.

Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen is Sally Smith O’Rourke’s first solo novel.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter 

$50 Amazon GC or PayPal Cash Giveaway

Ends 12/23/12

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Card 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's permission. 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. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Snow White Sorrow by Cameron Jace

Do you like the TV show "Grimm"? Do you like fairy tales with an edge? Then you need to check out "Snow White Sorrow" by Cameron Jace; it's the first book in his The Grimm Diaries series. For several months now, Cameron has been releasing prequels, a total of six, focusing on different characters from Grimm's fairy tales. The Grimm Diaries Prequels are a number of short books in the form of epistolary diary entries. The diaries are more of teasers for the upcoming series: The Grimm Diaries, allowing you to get a glimpse of what to expect of the series. The 6 diaries are told by The Evil Queen, Peter Pan, Little Red Riding Hood, the Devil, Prince Charming, and Alice Grimm.

 Author Warning: these Grimm Prequels are snap shots of a magical land you're about to visit soon. I like to think of them as poisoned apples. Once you taste them, you will never see fairy tales in the same light again.

Interested in checking out the prequels? Until December 13th, the prequel pack (all 6) for Kindle is only 0.99c! Purchase link: -Amazon

A little about Cameron, in his own words: Wonderlander, Neverlander, Unicorn-chaser, enchanter, musician, survived a coma, & totally awesome. Sometimes I tell stories. Always luv the little monsters I write young adult paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and science fiction mostly. The Grimm Diaries series is a seven book saga that deals with retellings of fairy tales from a young adult POV - it connects most of the fairy tales together and claims to be the truth about fairy tales. I live in San Fransisco and seriously think circles are way cooler than triangles.

Author Links:

Website: http://cameronjace.blogspot.ca/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/995289.Cameron_Jace

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cameronjace

***************************************************************************************

Snow White Sorrow
Author: Cameron Jace
Publisher: Akmal Eldin Farouk Ali Shebl
Genre: YA, Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Horror
Format: Kindle

Special Note: All "Likers" of Cameron's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/camjace) will get to notified of the exact release date, which is also when you will be able to get Snow White Sorrow for only 0.99 for only that 1 day.

Book Blurb (from author):

What if all you knew about fairy tales was wrong?
Sixteen year old Loki Blackstar is no Prince Charming. His mother is a ghost. His only friend is a red Cadillac that talks to him through the radio. He looks like an Angel but acts like jerk. No wonder he has been banned from Heaven, which is the least of his troubles. Loki needs a job to pay for school and support himself.

Still, Loki has a rare gift: He is a Dreamhunter. One of the few in the world who can hunt and kill immortal demons in their dreams so they never wake up again.

When Loki is sent to kill a sixteen-year-old vampire girl the locals call Snow White Sorrow, he is pulled into a magical but dangerous world. The locals believe the monster to be Snow White.

The real Snow White... living in the ruins of an ancient castle in a small town. She is described as horribly beautiful, terrifyingly enchanting, and wickedly lovely.

What he finds instead is a beautiful monster girl filled with rage and hurt, who has an epic untold story to tell of things such like why the Brothers Grimm altered the fairy tale, who the Evil Queen really is, where the mirror came from, and who possessed it.

Snow White has killed every person who has dared come near the castle where she once lived with the queen. Mysteriously, she lets Loki live, and whispers two words in his ears; two words that will change his life forever.

 ***************************************************************************************

Cameron is giving away The Grimm Diaries Prequels set, all 6 stories. Enter below by telling me what your favorite fairy tale is. Winner will be picked using Random.org, giveaway ends Friday Dec, 21st at 11:59PM EST. Please read my Giveaway Policy.

Important:
This is only available on Kindle format, but can be read through any Kindle app available free (here) for Macs, PCs, iPads, and iPhones.