05/11/2015 14:12
I don't think anyone loved REVENGE more than I did.
I couldn't wait until Sunday evening so I could get my weekly dose of those horrible Hamptons socialites.
Revenge is the one show I watch IMMEDIATELY, without fail, once it’s DVR’d. (I hate commercials.) I think the show works especially well because the main character—well, heck, ALL of the characters are fatally flawed in some way. NO ONE is a goody-two-shoes, and everyone has their price. The general plot of Revenge is based on the classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas (which Louise pointed out a few weeks ago), which is cool because most successful book-to-screen stories these days seem to center around vampires or angsty teens.
But back to the main character, Emily Thorne/Amanda Clarke. Can we say “Daddy issues”? Emily has made it her mission in life to exact “Revenge” on every single person who had even the slightest hand in setting her dear old dad up to take the fall for the bombing of Flight 197.
Emily is so tragic, and at the same time, so incredibly loveable, that you just have to root for her, even when she’s ruining people’s lives, relationships, businesses, financial statuses, and reputations left and right. Emily VanCamp’s a great actress (I was so excited to see her in the Captain America movie!), and I love watching the episodes where she unravels, only to pull herself up and vow to work even harder to complete her dastardly plans.
Every angry woman needs an archnemesis. Enter Victoria Grayson, queen of the Hamptons, matriarch of the Grayson family, villainess extraordinaire. She is one baaaaad mama jama. And who doesn’t love Madeline Stowe? They totally got me when she blew up Grayson Manor with herself inside. I did not see it coming that she faked her death. Duh.
Queen Vicky's throne caused quite a stir in the furniture industry. I've seen copies of this chair in every furniture store I've been to in the last two years. AND they found it and brought it back for her to (supposedly) sit in when she blew up the house--using HER OWN MOTHER'S CORPSE as her body double!
At the beginning of the whole mess, when Emily sinks her claws into Victoria’s son, Daniel, Mama Grayson is not having it. Victoria is smart and cunning, and she’s the one person who has been able to see through Emily from the start. However, it’s taken her until the end of Season 3 to figure out Emily is actually Amanda Clarke. Too bad Emily had Victoria locked up in a mental institution before she could tell anyone. Too bad Emily didn’t lock Victoria up before she had the chance to kill Emily’s boyfriend, Aiden. I loved Aiden. The show wasn't the same without him.
The leads are important, but every character on the show is fascinating in his or her own way. Jack is the resident “good guy” (and Emily’s ultimate love interest), but we’ve seen on more than one occasion that he will bend the law to help out his friends. I was happy to see Jack and Emily get together in the finale, but I would have loved for them to have more time to build it up. There was too much other action that took away from the time for the bedroom action!
Did anyone else cry when Emily gave Jack a puppy who looked just like Sammy at their wedding?!?
Nolan is basically Bill Gates, and he’s a wicked good hacker to boot. He’s beside Emily no matter what—a true BFF. And I LOVED the addition of Nolan's fake wife, Louise.
She was a lovely Southern lady, if a little touched in the head. She loved fiercely, and only wanted love in return. She did the right thing in the end, leading Emily to the death-faking Victoria. But back to Nolan, ABC is planning a possible spinoff called Kingmakers, and I'm wondering if, given the cliffhanger of Nolan meeting a new "Emily Thorne" at the end, he will be in it. Fingers crossed!
The rest of the Grayson family: Conrad, Daniel, and Charlotte, are all nuts/ruthless/tragic/loveable. Too bad all of them are dead. (Well, except Charlotte, who wasn't a Grayson in the first place.) I really thought (hoped) they were going to resurrect Conrad at the end, because, while we saw him bleed out on the road, did we *really* see him die? I'm still holding out. Heck, sometimes I found myself rooting for Conrad, even though he was the one responsible for Flight 197! And the show was never the same without Daniel. His death created a huge void for me.
This shot is obviously a promo joke, but it's so against character, I had to put it in here.
And speaking of dying, did they HAVE to kill Ben, Emily's latest love/the only detective on the island?!? And did Courtney Love have to do it?!? WTH?
At least they killed Victoria. It was about time. I was happy that David did it and not Emily, because they were going to kill him off with the cancer, so might as well have him go down swinging. He was dead at the beginning of the series anyway.
In the end, who was the real "winner" of the whole revenge scheme? Margaux! That's right. She was one angry lady after Emily covered up Daniel's real killer, plus, if she hadn't gotten so crazy during an argument with Emily, she wouldn't have stepped out into the street, got run over, and lost her baby. She wanted to take Emily down so bad, but in the end, she admitted her wrongs and turned herself in, ready to take her punishment like a boss. I never really liked Margaux until the final episode.
Nope. But you did the right thing, Margaux, and that's more than any of the other characters can say!
So, farewell Revenge. I will miss every character and every crazy, sweet, angsty, jaw-dropping moment.
04/24/2015 08:33
Thanks to my pal Deborah Nam-Krane
for setting up another fun blog hop!
This time, we're discussing predictability in entertainment, or
"I saw that one coming a mile away".
The more I write, the more it seems to take to get me to be shocked at a plot twist. I guess my "writer's brain" never actually turns off, because I'm always trying to guess what happens next, or even thinking about what I would have done differently (but that's a whole other blog post). There are a few exceptions, which regularly have my jaw literally dropping as I watch. Case in point, did anyone besides me totally freak when Victoria Grayson killed herself on REVENGE this week?!?
And my favorite show, THE FOLLOWING, scares the living crap out of me on a regular basis, plus they're not afraid to kill anyone off. (Well, mostly. They had better be afraid to kill off Mike, because if they do, I'm not going to watch anymore.) Anyway, to go in the opposite direction for a moment, here's one of my favorite "Oh, no they didn't!" moments:
You have to understand--Mike is ALWAYS the good cop. Always the Boy Scout, the voice of reason to loose cannon Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon). Lily Grey killed his father and sent him a video of it, so he snapped. What was great about it, though, was we believed that at the last minute, Mike's fellow agents would be able to talk him out of killing Lily in cold blood. We knew deep down there was no chance Mike would murder anyone. Well, we thought wrong, and that's what makes THE FOLLOWING so great.
Now--on to the not so great. Today I'm going to gripe about a movie called THE CALLING. It was so bad, I'm pretty sure it was one of those straight-to-video, let's-not-even-bother-with-a-theatrical-release throwaways. It shouldn't have been. It starred Susan Sarandon, Donald Sutherland, and Topher Grace, which should have been a good line-up, but their characters were so boring, you honestly didn't care whether they lived or died. The real problem though, was that they basically handed us the killer in the first half hour, and he wasn't scary, smart, or calculating. They might as well have put a sign on his forehead that said, "Hey, I'm the killer!" So, first off, we know who the bad guy is--saw that one coming.
Aw, come on! Seriously? They even put the killer on the movie poster.
It's like they weren't even trying.
And, we knew that there was going to be some kind of twist with Donald Sutherland's character, too, because who pays Kiefer's dad to come in and only give a five-minute performance as a secondary character? Doesn't happen. So, saw that one coming, too. Anyway, in the end, all the loser-y sheriff Susan Sarandon has to do is tell the killer she doesn't want to die, and he's like, "Oh, well, then I guess I won't kill you". I won't bore you with the details of the movie, but it was well-explained that the killer wouldn't kill anyone who didn't already want to die (like the sick, elderly, and terminal), so you knew that in the "big finish", if you could call it that, if Susan even fought back a little, she was in the clear. Again, saw that coming, as well. So, unless you're having a problem with insomnia, don't bother watching THE CALLING.
Join Jami Deise on April 28th on her blog for the next "I Totally Saw That One Coming"!
04/20/2015 10:23
It's finally official that I can share my news!
My second series, Java Jive Mysteries,
has been picked up by Random House!
Here's me signing my contract!
The new series will be similar to The Lizzie Hart Mysteries series in that the main character is a female sleuth, coping with dead bodies, work problems, and hot guys. Instead of being set in a fictional small town, this series is set in Nashville, in the trendy, boho Midtown district between the campuses of Vanderbilt University and Belmont University. (And for Lizzie fans, there may be a little bit of a crossover that you might recognize between the two series!)
The first book in the series, DEATH BEFORE DECAF will be out this fall, and the plan is to have the second book out around Valentine's Day. I can't wait to introduce you to Juliet and all of her friends. You'll love hanging out at the Jave Jive coffeehouse!
You can already preorder DEATH BEFORE DECAF here!
04/15/2015 08:44
I am thrilled to have been asked to be a part of
USA TODAY Bestselling Author
Susan M. Boyer's blog tour!
Today Susan will be sharing an excerpt from her latest novel, LOWCOUNTRY BONEYARD, which comes out April 21st, and is available for preorder! LOWCOUNTRY BONEYARD is Book 3 in the Liz Talbot Mysteries series.
Don't forget to sign up for the giveaway at the end of the post!
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BLURB:
Where is Kent Heyward? The twenty-three-year-old heiress from one of Charleston’s oldest families vanished a month ago. When her father hires private investigator Liz Talbot, Liz suspects the most difficult part of her job will be convincing the patriarch his daughter tired of his overbearing nature and left town. That’s what the Charleston Police Department believes.
But behind the garden walls South of Broad, family secrets pop up like weeds in the azaleas. The neighbors recollect violent arguments between Rivers and her parents. Eccentric twin uncles and a gaggle of cousins covet the family fortune. And the lingering spirit of a Civil-War-era debutante may know something if Colleen, Liz’s dead best friend, can get her to talk.
Liz juggles her case, the partner she’s in love with, and the family she adores. But the closer she gets to what has become of Rivers, the closer Liz dances to her own grave.
EXCERPT:
ONE
The dead are not generally fretful of mortal affairs. My friend Colleen passed from this world to the next seventeen years ago last June. She can’t be bothered with global warming, the national debt, or those Duck Dynasty folks from Louisiana. She’s careful to stay focused on her mission, namely, protecting Stella Maris, our South Carolina island home, from the evils of high-rise resorts, timeshares, and all such as that. But occasionally, she fixates on what appear to be random concerns, mostly cases I’m working. Colleen minds my business, is what I’m saying.
To be fair, I make my living minding other people’s business. I’m a private investigator, licensed by the state. Roughly half of my casework is pre-trial investigation for criminal defense attorneys. Another quarter involves domestic misunderstandings. The remainder is a mixed bag of human comedy and suffering—everything from conspiracy to kidnap a prize hound for stud services to conspiracy to commit murder. Sometimes it’s difficult to know which I’m dealing with at first, but I pray for the wildly farcical.
That Tuesday in mid-October, I was sitting in an Adirondack chair on my deck savoring my second cup of coffee and the music of waves breaking and racing to shore. The sun was warm on my skin. I’d just finished a read-through of my final report on a case when a ringtone named pinball announced a caller not in my contacts list. I glanced at my iPhone. It was precisely nine o’clock. The number was local. I set my coffee down and picked up the phone.
“Talbot and Andrews Investigations.”
“Miss Talbot?” The man’s tone brought to mind a professor who’d caught me daydreaming in class.
I pulled the phone away from my face and scrutinized the number again. What the hell? “This is Liz Talbot. How can I help you?”
“Colton Heyward here. I’d like to arrange a meeting at your earliest convenience.”
Something heavy and dark settled in my chest. The Heyward family and their missing early-twenties daughter had been all over the news. Kent Heyward had vanished from the streets of Charleston one late summer evening.
I closed my eyes and forced air into my lungs. “Of course. I’ll come whenever you like.”
He gave me his home address on lower Legare Street in Charleston and asked me to be there at ten o’clock the next morning. Had I not been familiar with the family, the address—which was south of Broad Street near where the Ashley River converges with the Cooper to sculpt the end of the Charleston peninsula—would’ve told me I was likely dealing with old money and a family tree including names from history books.
Wednesday morning Colleen woke me at 4:45. She pestered the fire out of me to get an early start, proceeding to inform me of the time every five minutes during my run, shower, and the berry-yogurt-granola parfait that failed to summon my appetite. Kent Heyward’s disappearance weighed heavy on my heart. It haunted the entire lowcountry. I was both eager to help and apprehensive. What could I do that hadn’t been done?
“Are you about ready?” Colleen was working my last nerve.
“What is with you?”
“We can’t be late. I’ll be in the car.”
She rode shotgun on the trip to Charleston. As her sole human Point of Contact, I was the only one who could see her. Across Stella Maris, during the ferry ride to Isle of Palms, and through Mount Pleasant she barely spoke. I knew she was tense. Most days I would’ve quizzed her about it, but I was preoccupied myself. Colleen relaxed considerably once we crossed the Cooper River Bridge and I drove my green hybrid Escape into the Holy City.
Charleston was christened the Holy City forever ago, owing to the number of churches generously scattered across her cityscape and her history of religious tolerance. Her streets buzzed in the soft October air. Deliverymen unloaded their wares with a brisker step now that the oppressive summer heat and humidity had relented. The Carolina blue sky forecasted a pleasant day for all. October is my favorite month in the Lowcountry. The quality of light renders Charleston and her realm through a filtered lens, obscuring flaws and highlighting our best features. That particular morning, my joy in simply driving through the city was muted.
At nine-fifty—ten minutes early—we rolled through the lacy wrought iron gate and down the tree-sheltered brick drive to the Heyward home. Shades of green surrounded us—magnolias, tea olives, gardenias, camellias, ferns, palms—all manner of tree and shrub. We’d been swallowed whole by the Garden of Eden. I turned off the engine. Everything was still except the gurgling fountain in a bed of massive hostas. We stared at the three-story, clay-colored masonry mansion with triple-tiered piazzas.
“It’s magnificent,” I said.
“It was built in eighteen thirty-eight. Can you imagine everything that house has seen?” Colleen’s voice was reverent, her green eyes round, their color intensified by the similarly hued cardigan she wore over today’s dress.
“Do you think there are other ghosts in there?”
She cut me with a look. “You know I’m not a ghost.”
“Mmm-kay. Do you think there are other guardian spirits in the house?”
“No. I know all the locals.” She shrugged. “The place is crawling with ghosts. We may or may not see them this morning.”
The distinction, according to Colleen, was that guardian spirits had passed to the next world and been sent back with work to do. Ghosts were the lingering spirits of the dead who had yet to cross over to the next life. “This should be interesting,” I said. “If you run across any specters, find out where the family skeletons are hidden. That information could come in handy.”
Copyright © 2015 by Susan M. Boyer -- This excerpt is reprinted by permission from Henery Press. All rights reserved.
AUTHOR BIO:
Susan M. Boyer is the author of the USA TODAY bestselling Liz Talbot mystery series. Her debut novel, Lowcountry Boil, won the 2012 Agatha Award for Best First Novel, the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, and garnered several other award nominations. Lowcountry Boneyard, the third Liz Talbot mystery, was released April 21, 2015. Susan loves beaches, Southern food, and small towns where everyone knows everyone, and everyone has crazy relatives. You’ll find all of the above in her novels.
Susan lives in Greenville, SC, with her husband and an inordinate number of houseplants.
Connect with Susan!
Website: https://www.susanmboyerbooks.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Susanmboyerbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/susanmboyer
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/SusanMBoyer
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/SusanMBoyer
Buy the Book!
FOLLOW SUSAN'S CHICK LIT PLUS BLOG TOUR!
April 13 - Fiction Dreams - Excerpt
April 14 - Authors to Watch – Excerpt
April 15 - Caroline Fardig – Excerpt
April 15 - Forget the Housework, I’m Reading – Review
April 16 - Novel Escapes – Q&A
April 17 - A Blue Million Books – Q&A
April 20 - Gin’s Book Notes – Review
April 21 - Christy Herself – Review & Excerpt
April 22 - Fiction Zeal – Excerpt
April 24 - Book Suburbia – Excerpt
April 28 - Chick Lit Plus – Review
May 1 - Samantha March – Excerpt
May 7 - Two Children and a Migraine – Review
May 8 - Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review, Q&A& Excerpt
May 11 - Create With Joy – Review
04/13/2015 16:39
Today I welcome my author friend,
Laura Chapman, to my blog to chat about
how Jane Austen inspired modern books and movies!
Don't miss the giveaway at the end of the article. Take it away, Laura!
I enjoyed Jane Austen reimaginings before I even realized they were a thing. One of my favorite movies growing up was Clueless, which is a modernization of Emma. From then, I’ve gone on to read and watch other contemporary adaptations, so is it any wonder I went on to write one?
My new novel, The Marrying Type, is based on Austen’s Persuasion, told with a modern and American twist. In honor of contemporary Austen retellings, here’s a list of ways some of these stories have been part of my life.
1. I dressed as Cher from Clueless for Halloween in fifth grade. While the costume wasn’t perfect (How can you recreate Cher’s expensive and flawless style when you’re 10 and shopping at a cheap, second-hand store?), but I had a blonde wig, gold high-heel shoes, and my best friend dressed as Tai.
2. Bridget Jones’s Diary was my gateway to chick lit and Austen. I read the book based on the advice of a friend, and after finishing it on a sick day my junior year of high school, I picked up the sequel. Thus began my mass consumption of chick lit novels. And after learning the books were based on Austen (Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion respectively), I spent the summer reading a few of her most famous works. Senior year, I revisited Pride and Prejudice during AP English. (No big deal, but I earned an A on both my paper and presentation.)
3. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Emma Approved gave me an enjoyable mid-morning coffee breaks twice a week for months on end. These clever web series inspired me to consider convergence as a form of storytelling and challenged me to make my modern adaption (which already had a first draft) shine as much as it could. If you haven’t already watched either of these series, you might as well start now:
4. Austenland was the ultimate pool-side read and later summer storm watch. I finally checked out the book and movie last summer, and loved them both, though each is different. I read the book on a sunny Monday afternoon by the pool and I watched the movie during a thunderstorm the next evening. That’s Nebraska for you.
5. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies served as the inspiration for my best literary-themed painted pumpkin ever. Just take a look at it:
Have you read or watched any modern Austen tales? Which ones are your favorite?
Thanks so much to Caroline for having me on the blog today!
Author Bio:
Laura Chapman is the author of The Marrying Type, Hard Hats and Doormats and the Autumn and Tuck series, which appear in Merry & Bright and A Kind of Mad Courage. A native Nebraskan, she loves football, Netflix marathons, and her cats, Jane and Bingley. Until she fulfills her dream of landing a British husband or becoming a Disney princess, you can find her in a bar penning her next novel.
Connect with Laura!
Twitter: @lmchap
Facebook: laurachapmanbooks
Instagram: @lmchap614
Website: www.laurachapmanbooks.com
Blog: www.change-the-word.com
Find the Book!
Amazon: https://bit.ly/themarryingtype
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-marrying-type-laura-chapman/1121256561?ean=2940151308946
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25009611-the-marrying-type
Always the wedding planner, never a bride, Elliot Lynch is famous for orchestrating the splashiest weddings in Charleston, South Carolina. When her father’s sloppy management practices leave them on the brink of bankruptcy, Elliot will do whatever it takes to save the family business. When asked to appear on “The Marrying Type,” a reality TV show about the people behind the scenes as couples exchange I dos, she says yes to the invasion of privacy (and the hefty paycheck that comes with it).
With a camera crew capturing every detail of her life, Elliot faces her most challenging contract yet: planning a wedding where her ex is involved in every part of the process. Add in a lazy assistant, liquor-loving bridesmaid, and rival planner encroaching on her turf, and Elliot’s wedding season goes from high-end to high-stress.
Forced to confront her past, Elliot must live out her troubled present on national TV if she has any hope of saving her future.
Follow Laura's Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour!
April 6 - Christy Herself – Excerpt
April 7- The Book Bag – Review, Guest Post & Excerpt
April 8 - Sultry, Steamy Reading – Review & Excerpt
April 9 - eBook Addict – Q&A
April 9 - Living Life With Joy – Guest Post & Excerpt
April 10 - Chick Lit Plus – Review
April 14 - Caroline Fardig – Guest Post
April 15 - Cindy Arora – Q&A
April 16 - Annabel & Alice- Review
April 17 - Ai Love Books - Review
April 21 - Kaisy Daisy’s Corner – Review & Excerpt
April 22 - Doorflower – Guest Post
April 23 - Book Mama Blog – Excerpt
April 24 - Two Children and a Migraine – Review
April 27 - Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock – Review
April 28 - Novel Escapes – Q&A
April 29 - Chick Lit Club Connect – Guest Post
April 30 - Terry’s Book Addiction – Review & Excerpt
May 1 - Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
May 4 - Polished and Bubbly - Review
And don't forget about the giveaway!
03/21/2015 20:38
My review of Elke Feuer's
DEADLY BLOODLINES
Elke Feuer delivers a captivating story! I especially enjoyed the descriptive language she used throughout the book--it definitely made you "see" the story while reading. The characters were very relatable, especially the main character, Angel. I loved that she was so flawed, yet so strong on the outside. The romance between Angel and Bren was sweet and sexy, with enough tension to keep it interesting.
The way the author wove the romance and mystery plot together was excellent. I thought the balance was perfect. Feuer used a lot of great twists to keep me on the edge of my seat. The identity of the serial killer was a big surprise, and I won't spoil it for readers!
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery with a little romance thrown in.
About the Author
Elke was born and raised on Grand Cayman and lives there with her husband and two kids who keep her on her toes.
When not writing, she's helping other writers in Cayman through her organization CayWriters.
She stumbled into writing romantic suspense because of her fascination with serial killers, but writes other genres because characters keep telling her their stories and she's a sucker for a crazy story.
Buy Links
Amazon – https://myBook.to/DeadlyBloodlines
B&N - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deadly-bloodlines-elke-feuer/1119466596?ean=9781496071088
Smashswords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/412350
Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/deadly-bloodlines
Itunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/deadly-bloodlines/id931757196?mt=11
Follow Elke's Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour here!
03/14/2015 16:58
It's Pi Day!
Or, at least at my house it was more of a "pie" day.
In celebration of Pi, this hella long number...
3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078
16406286208998628034825342117067982148086513282306647093844609550582
231725359408128481117450284102701938521105559644622948954930381964428
810975665933446128475648233786783165271201909145648566923460348610454
326648213393607260249141273724587006606315588174881520920962829254091
715364367892590360011330530548820466521384146951941511609433057270365
759591953092186117381932611793105118548074462379962749567351885752724
891227938183011949129833673362440656643086021394946395224737190702179
860943702770539217176293176752384674818467669405132000568127145263560
827785771342757789609173637178721468440901224953430146549585371050792
279689258923542019956112129021960864034418159813629774771309960518707
211349999998372978049951059731732816096318595024459455346908302642522
308253344685035261931188171010003137838752886587533208381420617177669
147303598253490428755468731159562863882353787593751957781857780532171
226806613001927876611195909216420198938095257201065485863278865936153
381827968230301952035301852968995773622599413891249721775283479131515
574857242454150695950829533116861727855889075098381754637464939319255
060400927701671139009848824012858361603563707660104710181942955596198
946767837449448255379774726847104047534646208046684259069491293313677
028989152104752162056966024058038150193511253382430035587640247496473
263914199272604269922796782354781636009341721641219924586315030286182
974555706749838505494588586926995690927210797509302955321165344987202
755960236480665499119881834797753566369807426542527862551818417574672
890977772793800081647060016145249192173217214772350141441973568548161
361157352552133475741849468438523323907394143334547762416862518983569
485562099219222184272550254256887671790494601653466804988627232791786
085784383827967976681454100953883786360950680064225125205117392984896
084128488626945604241965285022210661186306744278622039194945047123713
786960956364371917287467764657573962413890865832645995813390478027590
My family made and ate pi(e), which was much easier than doing math.
And, yeah, this picture is sideways, but I would rather do math than to fight with my blogmaker, Webnode, to get the picture to look right.
So, do some math or eat some pie today, because 3/14/15 won't come around again in any of our lifetimes!
03/05/2015 15:08
Now available
THE OTHER WIFE
A women's fiction novel by the lovely
Kathleen Irene Paterka
I read it and liked it very much--get your copy here!
Till death do us part…
Eleanor Anderson has a beautiful home, a loving husband, a tranquil life. After thirty-eight years of marriage and her children now grown, she finally has time for herself. She’s not expecting any surprises; certainly not to wake up one morning and find her husband dead in bed beside her from a massive heart attack. It’s a devastating discovery… but not as much as the shock awaiting Eleanor when she learns the truth about her husband’s secret life. And then there’s the damaging document he signed before his death, which threatens to destroy her life.
Claire Anderson isn’t your average thirtysomething. A professor of psychology at a prestigious university, Claire has a successful career, a handsome husband, and two young children at home. But nothing in her background, including her academic accomplishments, prepares Claire for the horrendous reality of discovering that the life she’d led was all a lie… fostered by a husband who’d promised to love and cherish her forever.
Two women from two generations, bound together by denial, anger, and grief. How far will their misery and fear push them? Does compassion rule the day, or will a husband’s betrayal lead to a woman’s revenge?
What happens when each of these women comes face-to-face with the other wife?
About the Author
KATHLEEN IRENE PATERKA is an Amazon bestselling author of numerous women’s fiction novels which embrace the themes of family, home, and friendship. Her popular James Bay series includes Fatty Patty, Home Fires, Lotto Lucy, and For I Have Sinned, while her women’s fiction novel Royal Secrets is set in Las Vegas. Kathleen lives in Northern Michigan with her husband Steve, where she is busy working on her next James Bay novel.
Social Media
Website: https://kathleenirenepaterka.com/
Blog: https://kathleenirenepaterka.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KathleenIrenePaterka
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KPaterka
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kathleenpaterka/
03/02/2015 10:43
Welcome Isabella Louise Anderson, whose book
THE RIGHT DESIGN
is on sale for $0.99 all through March!
She's here to do an interview AND a giveaway!
The Interview:
How did you start your writing career?
I’ve been writing stories for as long as I can remember, but decided to take it seriously in January of 2010. After signing up for an online writing program at Gotham Writers’ Workshop, I was hooked, and haven’t looked back. The last five years have been amazing—I’ve made wonderful friends, learned a lot (about both, work and myself), and have published a book, which was something I’ve always wanted to do.
From the time when you get the idea for a story to the finished product, do you find that your storyline stays exactly as you imagined, or does it change significantly during the writing process?
During the writing process, the ideas stay pretty much the same. However, during the editing stage, things tend to change, varying on how much or how little. Not too much changed in “The Right Design,” but in my next book “Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop,” things are changing drastically—I’ve even deleted a character! Being an author is a crazy, but fun job, and as my dad says, “You get paid to make things up.” (Yep, Dad, I sure do).
Are any characters in your book based on people you know (yourself included)? Are there any situations based on things that have happened in your life?
None of the situations in “The Right Design” are based on anything that has happened to anyone I know, nor to myself. However, my family has a vacation home in Palm Beach, so that’s why I decided to use that location where Carrie moved. (While I’m not really a beach person, having vacationed there every summer as a kid, I have tons of great memories there).
As for characters, Carrie and her sister, Sara, have an unbreakable bond. I wrote them based on the relationship with my cousin, (we call each other sisters).
What would your main character think about you if you met in real life? Would he or she want to hang out with you?
Wow, what a great question! I’m not too sure what Carrie would think of me, but I’d like her to see that we have a lot in common. We’re both hardworking, love the Green Bay Packers, enjoy strawberry daiquiris (don’t forget the dark rum floater), and love our family and friends. That being said, yes, I think I believe Carrie would want to spend time with me. It would be so much fun to relax with her, sharing a bottle of wine (in her Palm Beach monstrosity of the place she calls home, of course), and talking about her love, Brad, and Evan (my hubby, who’s way hotter than Brad…though, Brad’s pretty darn handsome). J
What current projects are you working on?
I’m working on edits for my next book. It’s been a long and tedious process, but it’s coming along. I’m also brainstorming for book three, (which I have a title for), along with a novella that I hope to start working on soon, too, (also titled).
What do you do to unwind and relax?
To relax and unwind, I can be seen doing the following: reading, watching TV, playing board/card games with friends, drinking wine or margaritas, and plotting for my next book, (I’m always plotting).
In the author's debut novel comes a story about picking up the pieces, letting go of the past, and finding love along the way--even if morals are tested!
Interior designer Carrie Newman could not have envisioned a more perfect life for herself. She had a great job doing what she loved, wonderful friends, and a close relationship with her sister and brother-in-law. Add in an amazing man who she’d hoped would soon become her husband, and her life was perfect. Until one devastating decision ruins her relationship and changes the course of her life.
Determined to make a new start, Carrie leaves Texas and heads to Palm Beach to pick up the pieces of her shattered and broken life. The last thing she expects is to find herself attracted to her first client at her new job--Brad Larson, who has proven himself time and time again to be caddish.
But there’s something beneath the surface of Brad’s arrogant exterior that keeps her craving more of him--something almost sweet that Carrie can’t seem to resist.
Is Carrie ready to take another chance on romance? And will this new design of her life prove to be the right one?
Buy Links:
Amazon US (Kindle): https://amzn.to/TUmZNX
Amazon US (Paperback): https://amzn.to/1q3qxI9
Amazon - Canada: https://amzn.to/1o8nxYw
Amazon - UK: https://amzn.to/1vGLFFH
Barnes & Noble (Paperback and Nook): https://bit.ly/1AfWkcm
Isabella grew up with a book in her hand, and to this day nothing has changed. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and has been featured on several blogs. While Isabella doesn't blog a lot, she focuses her time on featuring other writers, along with writing and editing. Isabella Louise Anderson created Chick Lit Goddess to share the love of the following genres: Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Romance, and Romantic Comedies! She loves featuring authors and their books. She lives in Dallas with her husband and cat. She enjoys spicy Mexican food and drinking margaritas, and can be found spending time with family and friends, cheering on the Texas Rangers, and reading. Isabella's short story, Meet Me Under the Mistletoe, was featured in Simon & Fig's Christmas anthology, Merry & Bright, in November 2013. The Right Design is her first novel.
Isabella Louise Anderson’s links:
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02/26/2015 09:09
Romantic comedy meets celebrity murder mystery.
AND THE EARTH MOVED
by my author friend Zanna Mackenzie
is free this week only!
I read this book and loved it! Think Lizzie Hart, only British.
Get it here for free!
And The Earth Moved
Amber Reed CCIA Mystery Book One
Can a barmaid convince a secret agent she can help him solve a celebrity murder mystery?
Book Blurb:
Amber’s making up the horoscopes for the local paper and wishing for some excitement in her life when she gets a phone call offering her just that. It could change her life forever and plunge her into a world where she’s quickly (and scarily) out of her depth.
The call? Heartthrob actor Ennis McKarthy, her old uni boyfriend, begs her for a favour. His brother Joel has been found is dead - in very suspicious circumstances.
Desperate to keep the story out of the newspapers and solve the mystery of his brother’s death as fast as possible, Ennis has called in the specialists in the shape of the CCIA. The Celebrity Crimes Investigation Agency has just the man for the job – their top agent Charlie Huxton.
But Ennis, stalked by journalists and paparazzi, doesn’t trust a stranger to handle the case on his own and keep quiet about what he might discover so he pleads with Amber, wanting her to shadow Charlie throughout the investigation.
Much to Amber’s surprise Charlie eventually agrees, leaving her wondering why. What’s he up to?
Charlie and Amber delve into Joel’s death and soon have their hands full with questioning potential suspects and the victim’s irate ex-girlfriend. Then they discover they’re battling something far more dangerous than they could ever have expected…and it’s not just their growing attraction for each other.
Maybe Amber’s life is about to get too exciting…
Extract:
“What kind of excitement are Gemini’s going to have this week?” I ponder, tapping my fingers against the keyboard.
I’m a third of the way through making up the horoscopes for this week’s local paper. Aries are going to get news of a fantastic job opportunity. Capricorns will receive some kind of windfall. But what about Gemini? I always like to give my Madam Zamber horoscope column an upbeat feel – after all, nobody reads their star signs to get depressed right?
My fingers hover over the computer keys as I debate on Gemini’s fate. I’m a Gemini so this one better be especially good; it’s been a rough week.
My phone, nestled somewhere in the depths of my bag, starts playing a chart tune at full volume. When I eventually find it I check the caller display and see Ennis’ name.
Ennis and I haven’t spoken for a while but I know he came home last week after he’d finished working on his latest movie, he sent me a text. He probably wants to meet for a coffee and a catch up. It’s strange; to me Ennis is, well, just Ennis. I don’t think of him as a heartthrob actor, just my ex, my university boyfriend, who I meet up with for a chat whenever he’s in Palstone.
Time for a little break from the horoscopes. I hit the answer button.
“Hi, how’s things?” I ask, leaning back in my chair.
There’s nothing but silence on the other end of the line.
“Ennis?” I sit up, instantly concerned. “Are you there? Is something wrong?”
His voice is so quiet I can barely hear him. “Joel’s dead,” he says.
“What?” I shout, leaping to my feet and earning myself a look of curiosity from the other two members of staff at The Palstone Courier. I lower my voice. “How? What happened?”
“We don’t know yet,” he replies, his voice heavy with emotion. “But the police are saying he died in suspicious circumstances.”
I gulp. “You mean murder?”
“Look, Amber can you please come over?” Ennis says. “Now? Please? I need to ask you a huge favour.”
I grab my jacket and bag. “On my way.”
Find the book on Amazon UK
Find the book on Amazon USA
Author bio:
Zanna Mackenzie lives on the Derbyshire/Leicestershire border with her husband, 4 dogs, a vegetable patch that’s home to far too many weeds and an ever expanding library of books waiting to be read.
Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!
Find out more about Zanna on her blog www.zannamackenzie.blogspot.co.uk, on Twitter via @ZannaMacKenzie or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/zanna.mackenzie
Find out more about Zanna at:
www.zannamackenzie.blogspot.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZannaMacKenzie
Facebook: www.facebook.com/zanna.mackenzie
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10703273-zanna-mackenzie
Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zanna-Mackenzie/e/B00BKY1A18/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/zannamac/
