One More Lie

I’m delighted to tell you about a new book that comes out today by a new-to-me author. Internationally bestselling author Amy Lloyd’s newest novel is ONE MORE LIE (Hanover Square Press Trade Paperback Original; May 28).

This is a harrowing tale that begins with 10-year-old Charlotte and Sean—her best friend from the wrong side of the tracks—are found guilty of a violent crime so heinous that they are tried as adults.   

          Charlotte wants to start fresh. She wants to forget her past, forget prison, and, most of all, forget Sean. But old habits die hard. Despite the ankle monitor she must wear as part of her parole agreement and frequent visits to her therapist, she soon finds herself sliding back towards the type of behavior that sent her to prison in the first place. The further down that path she goes, however, the closer she gets to the crime that put her in prison all those years ago. And that’s the one memory she can’t face. Until, one day, Sean tracks her down.

         

As the story builds, the author teases and hints with glimpses of Charlotte’s troubled past, culminating in a shocking conclusion that will leave readers chilled to the bone. For fans of Sometimes I Lie and Behind Her Eyes, Amy flexes her muscles with a crime fiction novel of unyielding suspense, creeping paranoia, and dark temptation that peers into the horrors that lurk in the human mind.

For those who aren’t familiar with Amy, here’s an introduction from her.

Author Amy Lloyd

I am the author of two novels: the first is The Innocent Wife, which became a top 10 bestseller and a Richard and Judy Book Club pick in 2018. The second is my new novel One More Lie, which is available in hardback.

Both my books are inspired by true crime. By crimes themselves but also, and perhaps more importantly, by our reactions to crime. In The Innocent Wife I wanted to explore our interest in true crime itself, such as our obsession with podcasts like Serial and blockbuster Netflix series like Making a Murderer. My second novel, One More Lie, is about a woman named Charlotte who has just been released from a secure institution for a crime she committed when she was a child. These cases seem to fascinate and horrify society in a way no other crime does. What is it about the idea of a child being capable of something so awful that stirs up such levels of emotion? And can a child really understand the gravity of such an act as murder?

Writing this book was an attempt to understand how something like this could happen and what it might be like to live with the burden of being infamous, branded as evil and not knowing whether you are a bad person or simply a person who did a bad thing.

It isn't based on a particular example of a true crime and all the characters and situations are entirely fictional but people will naturally draw comparisons with some of the infamous cases involving children who hurt or killed other children because these stories remain so vivid in our memories. Instead, I wanted to evoke the atmosphere those crimes created and the stain they left on our collective consciousness.

While writing the book, I tried hard to empathize with my characters who have done things which aren't easy to empathize with. I hoped that readers would be able to do the same and so I wrote them as vividly as I could imagine, in all their good and their bad. I wanted them to be human, believable and flawed.

I hope that One More Lie will offer a different perspective on a subject which has been much explored and that people will enjoy it the way they enjoyed The Innocent Wife.

For more on Amy and her writing, follow her on Twitter @AmyLloydWrites
and connect on Facebook.

Thanks for stopping by today. With my background in newspaper reporting, I can’t help but be drawn to true crime stories. Do you find yourself drawn to stories of true crime or about true crime?

Two Like Me and You
Chad Alan Gibbs
Publication date: May 20th 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Edwin Green’s ex-girlfriend is famous. We’re talking cover-of-every-tabloid-in-the-grocery-store-line famous. She dumped Edwin one year ago on what he refers to as Black Saturday, and in hopes of winning her back, he’s spent the last twelve months trying to become famous himself. It hasn’t gone well.
But when a history class assignment pairs Edwin with Parker Haddaway, the mysterious new girl at school, she introduces him to Garland Lenox, a nursing-home-bound World War II veteran who will change Edwin’s life forever.

The three escape to France, in search of the old man’s long-lost love, and as word of their adventure spreads, they become media darlings. But when things fall apart, they also become the focus of French authorities. In a race against time, who will find love, and who will only find more heartache?

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Author Chad Alan Gibbs is also sharing a play list from one of his characters.

Parker Haddaway, one of the three main characters in Two Like Me and You, is obsessed with ‘90s hip hop and references songs several times throughout the novel. So I’m going to give you a mixed tape, with the A-side full of songs Parker references, and a B-side of songs that inspired me while writing the book.

Side A

1. “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” – Ol’ Dirty Bastard

2. “So What’Cha Want” – Beastie Boys

3. “I Wish” – Skee-Lo

4. “O.P.P.” – Naughty By Nature

5. “Poison” – Bel Biv Devoe

6. “Baby Got Back” – Sir Mix-a-Lot

7. “B.O.B.” – Outkast

Side B

1. “Go Places” – The New Pornographers

2. “French Navy” – Camera Obscura

3. “Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur” – Sigur Rós

4. “Do You Believe In Magic.” – The Lovin’ Spoonful

5. “Rill Rill” – Sleigh Bells

6. “I Should Live in Salt” – The National

7. “I Don’t Believe You.” – The Magnetic Fields

Author Bio:
Chad Alan Gibbs lives in Alabama with his wife, two sons, two dogs, and an embarrassingly large collection of Star Wars action figures. Two Like Me and You is his first novel.

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Thanks for stopping by. Do you enjoy listening to play list that you know your favorite characters would enjoy? Have you ever thought of songs you felt like certain characters would like? Have a great holiday weekend!!

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The Divorce Planner

The Divorce Planner
Angela Lam
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication date: May 20th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

When her daughter suggests Darcy Madison attend her ex-husband’s wedding, Darcy enlists the help of her colleague, divorce attorney Victor Costello, to pose as her dashing young date. But when Victor proposes to Darcy at the reception, Darcy forgets they are pretending and says, “Yes!” Between her false engagement to Victor and her daughter’s suggestion to have a double wedding, Darcy falls even further in the fantasy of being a blushing midlife bride. The longer the masquerade continues, the more Darcy starts to wonder what is love and can it last forever in a world where divorce is the only language she knows?

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—

EXCERPT:

“Are you leaving?” He stood.
“Yes.” A flash of disappointment descended over her shoulders. “I think I’ll go.”
“Let me walk you to your car.”
“But you’ll miss the live auction and the dancing.”
He offered his arm. “I’d rather spend the time with you.”
A touch of kinship united them.
She wove her arm through his. How delightful to find someone who enjoyed her company as much as she enjoyed his.
Matching strides, they walked around the tables of guests. A few people stopped them to comment on how cute a couple they made.
She blushed from the compliments.
He nudged open the double doors.
A gust of cool summer air blasted against her face. She shivered.
He tugged her closer. “Would you like my jacket?”
“No, thank you. I’m parked over there.” She waved toward the left.
They strode over to an ancient sports sedan.
Darcy unlocked her door and tossed her clutch inside. As she turned to say good night, she trembled with anticipation. Would he kiss her again?
Standing in silence, he gazed into her eyes.
A flicker of desire lapped at her feet and licked up into her belly. She had never seen eyes so big, so bold, and so beautiful. Oh, why wouldn’t he kiss her?

Author Bio:
Angela is a San Francisco Bay Area native.
She studied journalism at Northwestern University as a Cherub scholar. She received her B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Sonoma State University.
Her nonfiction articles on real estate, lending, and finance can be found online at SFGate.com. Her short stories, essays, and poetry are published in a number of magazines, newspapers, and anthologies, including The Dollar Stretcher, Foliate Oak , Kenwood Press, The Phoenix, Potpourri, The Sun, The Writer, and Women’s Voices.
When she is not writing, she is either painting, reading, running, or spending time with her family and friends.

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Thanks for stopping by today. Have you ever had a pretend boyfriend or girlfriend go with you to an event? Is there anyone else who automatically hears Tammy Wynette singing D-I-V-O-R-C-E when they see or hear the word divorce?

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What We Do For Love

What We Do For Love
Anne Pfeffer
Publication date: May 21st 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary

Thirty-eight year old Nicole Adams has given up on finding love. Instead, the single mother focuses on the things she cherishes most—her sixteen-year old son Justin, her friends, and her art.

When she convinces a prominent Los Angeles museum to feature a piece of her work, a large-scale installation, she thinks her life has finally turned a corner.

Then Justin brings a girl, Daniela, home to live with them. Daniela’s angry parents have thrown her out of the house, because she’s pregnant with Justin’s child. Shattered, Nicole takes Daniela in and, in so doing, is drawn into the inner circle of Daniela’s family—a frightening world of deceit and violence.

Nicole struggles to keep life going as normal. Forced to deal with people she doesn’t trust or like, fearful for the future of both her son and the grandchild they’re expecting, Nicole wonders if she can do what she tells Justin to do: always have faith in yourself and do the right thing.
—
What We Do for Love won the Chick Lit category of the 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and finalist for Best Cover Design/Fiction!

Add to Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

From Chapter Four. Justin and Daniela have told Nicole that Daniela cannot return to her own home, but Nicole is nonetheless trying to reach Daniela’s parents.
##
By nine o’clock, Daniela’s parents still hadn’t called back.
Justin gave me a pointed look. Told you so.
Shocked by the apparent indifference of these people, I asked, “How do they know you’re safe? You could be camping under the freeway right now.”
Daniela’s voice quavered. “I’m sure they think I’m fine.” The sadness in her voice tore me up.
“They’ve got to be worried.” The tiny crack in my mind had widened just a bit, and a tremor of … something ran through me… a premonition, maybe? Or maybe just nerves. “Even if you’ve had a disagreement, they still love you. They’re your parents.”
“They’re not worried.”
I tried to keep my tone brisk and matter-of-fact. “If that’s the case, then of course you must stay tonight!”
“Thank you,” Daniela whispered. At my request, she dialed her phone again and handed it to me. I left another message.
“Hello, Viviana. This is Nicole again. Since I haven’t been able to reach you, Daniela will stay the night here, in a separate room from my son. I’ll make sure she gets to school on time tomorrow. Please feel free to call me.” I left my phone number again, feeling my temper rise as I thought of what these parents had done tonight.
“So,” I said, “let’s get ready for bed!” I kept my voice bright and chipper. “Justin, will you move your sheets out onto the sofa? I’ll put some fresh ones on your bed for Daniela.”
By comparison to Justin’s male friends, whose presence resounded through the house like a herd of elephants, Daniela was almost ghost-like, blending into the background and whispery quiet. And eager to please.
“Let me put the sheets on,” she said. “You shouldn’t have to do that.”
“All right, thanks.” I found her an unused toothbrush and an old t-shirt of mine to sleep in. “And here’s a clean towel.”
Justin’s small bedroom still had its blue plaid wallpaper. The bedspread had borne pictures of teddy bears until he revolted in his freshman year of high school, requesting a plain blue comforter. Justin’s stuff filled every corner, covered every surface: music posters, two guitars and a drum, his bicycle, a debate trophy, comic books, and books with art or math and logic puzzles.
“Thank you again.” Daniela drooped as she sat down on the bed.
“Are you all right, honey?” I sat down next to her. “Do you want to tell me a little more about what’s going on?”
The two dogs galumphed into the room just as Justin’s tall, lean frame appeared in the doorway, dressed in the sweatpants and t-shirt he wore to bed. Midge and Margo rushed the twin bed, trying to climb aboard, but I pushed them gently down onto the rug. I put my arm around Daniela as she shuddered and the tears started to fall. She gripped her hands together tightly. “I did something… that my parents didn’t like. My dad especially.”
Justin fastened his gaze on her as she spoke. His bleak eyes reminded me of the time he’d found a dead baby rabbit in the swimming pool. My throat suddenly felt dry, and a chill ran over me despite the balmy evening air.
“My mom would forgive me, but Dad won’t let me live at home anymore.”
“I’m sure he’ll reconsider. You know, once he cools off.” What could this girl have done? Totalled the family car? Burned down the house?
Could she be…?
No way… I wouldn’t permit myself to have the thought. She’s only sixteen.
Justin spoke up, his voice harsh in the silence. “We have to tell her, Daniela.”
Up until now I’d thought, or kidded myself, that Justin was only helping a girl with a problem. Now, the fear arose that it might be Justin’s problem, too.
I held my breath.
“Daniela’s pregnant,” Justin said. “And I’m the father.”

Author Bio:
Hi! I grew up in the desert around Phoenix, Arizona, where I had a bay quarter horse named Dolly. If I wasn't riding, I was holed up somewhere reading Laura Ingalls Wilder or the Oz books or, later on, Jane Eyre and The Grapes of Wrath. Horses eventually faded as an interest, but I ended up with a lifelong love of books and reading.
After college and eight years of living in cold places like Chicago and New York, I escaped back to the land of sunshine. I now live in California, one mile from the Pacific Ocean, with my dachshund Taco. I have worked in banking and as a pro bono attorney, doing adoptions and guardianships for abandoned children.
As a writer, I'd always been interested in children's books, since they had meant so much to me as a kid. I've found I especially like writing books about teens and twenty-somethings, an age where you make so many decisions about who you are and how you want to spend your life.
I love hearing from readers, so please write to me any time at my website www.annepfeffer.com.

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Thanks for stopping by today. Have you ever give real thought to what we do for love or what we would do for love?

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The Yankee Widow

I’m delighted to be a part of the blog tour for #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller’s novel THE YANKEE WIDOW (MIRA Hardcover; May 7, 2019; $26.99), a richly layered, multi-generational saga set during the Civil War. 

This evocative and richly researched novel draws from dramatic story of Caroline Hammond, the young widow of Corporal Jacob Hammond, as she takes on the sole responsibility of the family farm that lies just at the edge of the town of Gettysburg. Keeping his promise to look after the farm and keep Caroline and her daughter Rachel safe if Jacob does not return from battle is Enoch Flynn, a hired former slave who has worked for the Hammonds for years and mourns Jacob as a brother.

As horrific fighting erupts on her doorstep, the vagaries of war put Caroline’s homestead in the direct path of a dedicated Union soldier and a passionate Southern rebel. Both are seeking shelter at the farm and each is loyal to his side. As the intensity of one of the pivotal battles of the war comes to a climax, Caroline will do what it takes to protect her daughter, their home, and to help the Union Army that her husband gave his life to.

THE YANKEE WIDOW is a story of sacrifice, loyalty, love, and hope set against the backdrop of the most critical juncture in American history.

For those who aren’t familiar with the author, here’s a bit of background on her.

Author Linda Lael Miller

The daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West. Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a spacious property outside Spokane.

Linda traces the birth of her writing career to the day when a Northport teacher told her that the stories she was writing were good, that she just might have a future in writing. Later, when she decided to write novels, she endured her share of rejection before she sold Fletcher's Woman in 1983 to Pocket Books. Since then, Linda has successfully published historicals, contemporaries, paranormals, mysteries and thrillers before coming home, in a literal sense, and concentrating on novels with a Western flavor. For her devotion to her craft, the Romance Writers of America awarded her their prestigious Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.

Long a passionate Civil War buff, Linda has studied the era avidly for almost thirty years. She has read literally hundreds of books on the subject, explored numerous battlegrounds and made many visits to her favorite, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where she has witnessed re-enactments of the legendary clash between North and South. Linda explores that turbulent time in The Yankee Widow, a May 7, 2019 MIRA Books hardcover, also available in digital and audiobook formats.

Dedicated to helping others, "The First Lady of the West" personally financed fifteen years of her Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women, which she awarded to women 25 years and older who were seeking to improve their lot in life through education. She anticipates that her next charitable endeavors will benefit four-legged critters.

More information about Linda and her novels is available at www.lindalaelmiller.com

Thanks for stopping by today. Are you a fan of Civil War themed books? What is it that draws you to this era in books?

The Little Teashop on Main

I’m always thrilled to have author Jodi Thomas visit Thoughts in Progress because I know it means she has a new story to share with us. I may be a coffee lover, but Jodi’s newest release, THE LITTLE TEASHOP ON MAIN, is a delightful read and could bring back memories of your childhood.  

The Little Teashop Main

by Jodi Thomas

May 7, 2019

Trade paperback original

HQN • 384 pages

ISBN 978-1-335-00581-6

$15.99 U.S./$19.99 CAN

THREE WOMEN. THREE LIVES. ONE UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY.

A rainy-day ritual—a tea party between three little girls—becomes the framework of not only their friendship, but their lives.

          Blonde, curly-haired Zoe is openhearted, kind and free-spirited, and dreams of becoming a famous actor in New York City. Shy Emily struggles with mental health but has the heart and soul of a writer. And Shannon—tall, athletic, strong—has a deep sense of loyalty that will serve her well when she heads off to military college.

          As Zoe, Emily and Shannon grow into women— forging careers, following dreams and finding love—they’ll learn that life doesn’t always unfold the way they want it to, but through it all, the one constant is each other, and their regular tea parties. And when the unthinkable happens, the girls must come together to face the greatest test of all.

A deeply moving novel about the family that raises us, the hearts that nurture us and the great friendships that define our lives.

Jodi’s earlier book, MORNINGS ON MAIN, (which was released last April) has been nominated for a RITA award, and Jodi will know the results in July. That is exciting because Laurel Springs is the location of both books, and the teashop in her new book is located down the street from the quilt shop in MORNINGS ON MAIN. 

You will love Jodi's latest story about friendships that develop between three girls who grow into young women and their regular tea parties. Jodi said that this book is a story of friendship so deep it lasts a lifetime, and a man strong enough to care profoundly about three women...loving one, befriending one, and protecting one.

So, walk with Jodi through Laurel Springs and get to know her people. She promises if you stay a while, when you close the book and leave her little town in Texas, you'll smile!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Jodi or her writing, here’s a bit of background on her.

Author Jodi Thomas

A fifth-generation Texan, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Jodi Thomas chooses to set the majority of her novels in her home state, where her grandmother was born in a covered wagon. A former teacher, Jodi traces the beginning of her storytelling career to the days when her twin sisters were young and impressionable.  

With a degree in family studies, Jodi is a marriage and family counselor by education, a background that enables her to write about family dynamics. Honored in 2002 as a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Jodi enjoys interacting with students on the West Texas A&M University campus, where she served as Writer in Residence.

Commenting on her contribution to the arts, Jodi said, “When I was teaching classes full time, I thought I was making the world a better place. Now I think of a teacher or nurse or mother settling back and relaxing with one of my books. I want to take her away on an adventure that will entertain her. Maybe, in a small way, I’m still making the world a better place.”

When not working on a novel, Jodi enjoys traveling with her husband, renovating a historic home they bought in Amarillo and checking up on their two grown sons.  For more information, please visit Jodi’s website at www.jodithomas.com.

Thanks for stopping by today. Did you enjoy having tea parties when you were young? Are you still in touch with those you had tea parties with?

Cover Reveal …... Making Up

It’s a pleasure to share the cover reveal for the new standalone, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting – MAKING UP.

Cosy Felton is great at her job—she knows just how to handle the awkwardness that comes with working at an adult toy store. So when the hottest guy she’s ever seen walks into the shop looking completely overwhelmed, she’s more than happy to turn on the charm and help him purchase all of the items on his list.

Griffin Mills is using his business trip in Las Vegas as a chance to escape the broken pieces of his life in New York City. The last thing he wants is to be put in charge of buying gag gifts for his friend’s bachelor party. Despite being totally out of his element, and mortified by the whole experience, Griffin is pleasantly surprised when he finds himself attracted to the sales girl that helped him.

As skeptical as Cosy may be of Griffin’s motivations, there’s something about him that intrigues her. But sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas and when real life gets in the way, all bets are off. Filled with hilariously awkward situations and enough sexual chemistry to power Sin City, Making Up is the next standalone in the Shacking Up world.

For more on this tantalizing story, check out the Landing Page at Macmillan.

Author Helena Hunting

For those not familiar with the author, here’s a bit of background on her.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats.

She's writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

For more on Helena and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks for stopping by today. What would you do if you were put in charge of buying gag gifts from an adult toy store for an event – buy online or in store?