The Madness of Mercury Tour {+ Giveaway}

It’s a pleasure today to be participating in author Connie di Marco’s Great Escapes Book Tour for her upcoming release, THE MADNESS OF MERCURY.

THE MADNESS OF MERCURY is the first installment in the author’s new Zodiac Mystery series and is scheduled to be released June 8. As part of the celebration, Connie is hosting a tour-wide giveaway for five copies of this tantalizing new cozy murder mystery. Please see the end of the post for more details.

The Madness of Mercury
(A Zodiac Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
New Series
Midnight Ink (June 8, 2016)
Paperback: 312 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738749129
E-Book ASIN: B01A5OGTRS

Here’s a brief synopsis of the book:

Astrologer Julia Bonatti never thought her chosen profession would bring danger into her life, but her outspoken advice in her newspaper column, AskZodia, makes her the target of San Francisco’s recently-arrived cult leader, Reverend Roy of the Prophet’s Tabernacle.  The followers of the power hungry preacher will stop at nothing to quell the voices of those who would stand in his way and Julia’s at the top of his list.  She’s willing to bet the charismatic Reverend is a Mercury-ruled individual, and she knows all too well that Mercury wasn’t just the messenger of the gods, he was a trickster and a liar as well. 

THE MADNESS OF MERCURY is available for pre-order at the following sites: Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Author Connie di Marco

Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries from Midnight Ink. She was fascinated by astrology at an early age and this was the inspiration that gave birth to Julia Bonatti, San Francisco astrologer and her newspaper column Ask Zodia. Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the author of the Soup Lover's Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime. 

Connie lives in Los Angeles with her family and a constantly talking cat.

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

Here’s what others are already saying about this fascinating new release:

The story is very well-written, and the characters are realistic and likable. ~ Book Babble

Full of suspense and surprises… ~ Laura’s Interests

It’s a truly engrossing mystery, captured me from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. ~ LibriAmoriMiei

This was a fun read with an entertaining and unique main character. ~ I Wish I Lived In a Library

You know from reading the blurb that there’s more than one mystery going on. The threads don’t tie together until the conclusion and it definitely keeps you guessing. ~ FUONLYKNEW

Such a charming start to a new series!!! ~ Moonlight Rendezvous

You can find out even more about Connie and THE MADNESS OF MERCURY by visiting the following blogs participating in the tour.

May 20 – deal sharing aunt – Spotlight

May 20 – Book Babble – Review

May 21 – Laura’s Interests – Review

May 21 – LibriAmoriMiei – Review

May 22 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – Spotlight

May 22 – Mystery Playground – Interview

May 23 – I Wish I Lived in a Library – Review

May 23 – fuonlyknew – Review

May 24 – Moonlight Rendezvous – Review

May 24 – Musings and Ramblings – Guest Post

May 25 – Back Porchervations – Review

May 25 – The Bookwyrm’s Hoard – Review, Guest Post

May 26 – Bea’s Book Nook – Review

May 26 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – Review, Interview

May 27 – The Book’s the Thing – Review

May 28 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review, Guest Post

May 29 – A Blue Million Books – Interview

May 30 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review

May 31 – I Read What You Write – Review, Interview

June 1 – A Holland Reads – Spotlight

June 1 – Ashleyz Wonderland – Review

June 2 – Booklady’s Booknotes – Review, Guest Post

June 2 – Brooke Blogs – Spotlight

This tour-wide giveaway is for five (5) print copies of THE MADNESS OF MERCURY by Connie di Marco.

To be one of the five winners, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions for your chance to win. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient.

Thanks so much for stopping by today during Connie’s visit. What zodiac sign are you? (Me, I’m Aquarius -the water sign.) Do you like astrology?

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Killer Cocktail on Tour {+ Giveaway}

I’m delighted to be participating in author Tracy Kiely’s Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for her latest release, KILLER COCKTAIL, the second installment in her Nic and Nigel Mystery series.

Killer Cocktail
(A Nic & Nigel Mystery)
2nd in Series
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Midnight Ink (May 8, 2016)
Paperback: 240 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738745237
E-Book ASIN: B01A5OGVRG

There’s a tour-wide giveaway for readers to win one of two (2) print copies of KILLER COCKTAIL. Please see the end of the post for more details.

Here’s a brief synopsis of the book …..

Walking the red carpet at the Academy Awards with a bow-tied Bullmastiff draws Nic and Nigel Martini plenty of attention from the press. But that's nothing compared to the attention they receive at the A-list after party, when Hollywood royalty learn that Nic and Nigel have discovered behind the scenes footage from A Winter's Night, an acclaimed film known for backstage love triangles and the tragic death of its original star, Melanie Summers.

Returning home after the party, Nic and Nigel find their house in shambles and their employee DeDee Evans beaten within an inch of her life. And when the weapon used to pummel DeDee implicates beloved actress Christina Franklin, Nic and Nigel drink and banter their way into a modern-day version of a golden-era crime caper.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author Tracy Kiely

Tracy Kiely is a self-proclaimed Anglophile (a fact which distresses certain members of her Irish Catholic family). She grew up reading Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and watching Hitchcock movies. She fell in love with Austen’s wit, Christie’s clever plots, and Hitchcock’s recurrent theme of “the average man caught in extraordinary circumstances.”

After spending years of trying to find a proper job that would enable her to use her skills garnered as an English major, she decided to write a book. It would, of course, have to be a mystery; it would have to be funny; and it would have to feature an average person caught up in extraordinary circumstances. She began to wonder how the characters in Pride and Prejudice might fit into a mystery. What, if after years of living with unbearably rude and condescending behavior, old Mrs. Jenkins up and strangled Lady Catherine? What if Charlotte snapped one day and poisoned Mr. Collins’ toast and jam? Skip ahead several years, and several different plot ideas, and you have her first mystery Murder at Longbourn.      

While she does not claim to be Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, or Hitchcock (one big reason being that they’re all dead), she has tried to combine the elements of all three in her books. 

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

KILLER COCKTAIL can be purchased at the following sites: Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

You can learn even more about Tracy and her writing by visiting any or all of the following blogs participating in her virtual book tour. 

May 9 – deal sharing aunt – INTERVIEW

May 10 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 11 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW  

May 12 – Musings and Ramblings – GUEST POST

May 13 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW, INTERVIEW

May 14 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

May 15 – The Girl with Book Lungs – SPOTLIGHT

May 16 –  Omnimystery News – INTERVIEW

May 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

May 18 – Thoughts in Progress – SPOTLIGHT

May 19 – Lori’s Reading Corner – GUEST POST

May 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 20 – Mystery Playground – GUEST POST

May 21 – Community Bookstop – INTERVIEW

May 22- Author Annette Drake’s blog – GUEST POST

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This tour-wide giveaway is for one of two (2) print copies of KILLER COCKTAIL by Tracy Kiely.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient.

Thanks so much for stopping by today during Tracy’s Virtual Book Tour. Do you have a favorite cocktail drink?

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Sinful Science {+ Giveaway}

It’s a pleasure to be participating in author Frankie Bow’s Great Escape Virtual Book Tour for her latest release, SINFUL SCIENCE.

As part of the tour, the author joins us to talk about her writing. In addition, she is offering a tour-wide giveaway for print copies of THE MUSUBI MURDER and THE CASE OF THE DEFUNCT ADJUNCT. Please see the end of the post for additional giveaway details.

Here’s a brief synopsis of SINFUL SCIENCE:

          A graduate student from Hawaii visits the tiny bayou town of Sinful, Louisiana to investigate the effects of the oil spill on the local wildlife. Sinful resident Fortune Redding, who happens to be a CIA operative hiding out from a ruthless arms dealer, worries that the nosy newcomer might blow her cover. But he discovers something that even Fortune couldn’t have predicted, unleashing forces that will go to any lengths to protect Sinful’s darkest secret.

Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Frankie. Welcome, Frankie.

When Amazon’s Kindle Worlds opened up the opportunity to write and publish in Jana DeLeon’s Miss Fortune world, I jumped at the chance. I’ve read and loved all seven (so far) of the Miss Fortune books, which chronicle CIA operative Fortune Redding’s adventures going undercover as a retired beauty queen in the tiny bayou town of Sinful, Louisiana.

But first, I had to do my research. I live and write in Hawaii, and the Miss Fortune series is set in Louisiana. I dug in and researched weather patterns, wildlife, and language.

And I found something entirely unexpected. A characteristic New Orleans inflection known as “Yat.” 

Now, I’ve been to New Orleans a few times. I’ve bundled up to watch the Mardi Gras floats, sweated through sultry summer nights, savored fresh-shucked oysters and sugary pralines and those innocent-tasting frozen cocktails known as Hurricanes. How could it be that I’d never heard Yat spoken? 

The thing is, I probably had. But to me, it just sounded like a New York accent. As National Geographic reporter Caroline Gerdes puts it, “People from New Orleans do not speak with a Southern drawl.”

Yat, which is derived from the phrase “Where ya’at?” evolved in parallel with the New York accent. In the 19^th Century, both New Orleans and New York attracted a similar mix of European immigrants, resulting in similar variations on spoken English. 

If you are interested in a more technical perspective on the Yat dialect, check out this post on dialectblog.com for a discussion of non-rhoticity, monophthongization, and the tense-lax split.

Or if you’re looking for more casual reading on the Pelican State, check out the Miss Fortune adventures on Kindle Worlds by Riley Blake, Shari Hearn, Morgan Draper, Sam Cheever, Leslie Langtry, Mary Hiker, and more.

Frankie, thank you for visiting with us today and sharing this insight into your writing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author Frankie Bow

Frankie Bow teaches at a public university. Unlike the characters in her Mahina State Mysteries, she is blessed with delightful students, sane colleagues, and a perfectly nice office chair. She believes if life isn’t fair, at least it can be entertaining. In addition to writing murder mysteries, she publishes in scholarly journals under her real name. Her experience with academic publishing has taught her to take nothing personally.

For more information on Frankie and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Goodreads, Pinterest and sign up for her mailing list.

You can also find additional information by visiting the following blogs participating in the tour:

February 16 – Back Porchervations – Review

February 17 – Community Bookstop –  Interview

February 18 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – Spotlight

February 19 – Omnimystery News – Guest Post

February 20 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – Spotlight

February 21 – Thoughts in Progress – Guest Post

February 21 – Tea and A Book – Review, Interview

February 22 – A Blue Million Books – Interview

February 23 – Bab’s Book Bistro – Spotlight

February 24 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – Review

February 25 – Lori’s Reading Corner – Guest Post

February 26 – StoreyBook Reviews – Spotlight

February 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Review

February 28 – deal sharing aunt – Interview

February 29 – I Read What You Write – Review, Interview

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is tour-wide and one lucky winner will get print copies of THE MUSUBI MURDER and THE CASE OF THE DEFUNCT ADJUNCT.

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient.

Thanks for stopping by today during Frankie’s visit. What are your thoughts on research?

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Molly’s Misadventures {+ Giveaway}

I’m delighted to be participating in author D.E. Haggerty’s Great Escape Virtual Book Tour for her self-published romantic comedy release, MOLLY’S MISADVENTURES.

As part of the tour, D.E. is offering an awesome giveaway. Please see the end of the post for more details.

Here’s a brief synopsis of her charming book:

I’m having the suckiest day ever. First, my father, aka Mr. Grumpy Pants, calls to say his nurse just walked out on him. Likely story. I rush home to pack only to walk in on my husband getting it on with his younger, skanky secretary.

Unfortunately, my quick weekend trip home to fix Dad’s problems turns into a stay of a few weeks. Luckily, I’ve got Danny, the neighbor boy I had a crush on when I was a dorky, braces-wearing, nose-buried-in-a-book teenager, and a brand-spanking new blog to keep my mind off things.

Before I know it, I’m writing product reviews of vibrators and getting questioned by a store rent-a-cop at the world’s worst date ever. All while trying to figure out how to take things with Danny to the next level. Not to complicate things or anything but my boss decides to give me an ultimatum – come back in four weeks or don’t come back at all. How in the world did my life get so complicated?

Molly’s Misadventures  
Romantic Comedy
Self Published
Release Date: January 11, 2016
Print Length: 225 pages
ASIN: B018BKJOLQ

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author D.E. Haggerty

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Woman. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. 

College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. 

Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.

For more information on D.E. and her writing, visit her website and blog, as well as connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Amazon author page.

MOLLY’S MISADVENTURES can be found on Amazon and Smashwords.

 

You can also catch up with D.E. at the following blogs participating in her tour:

January 18 – Back Porchervations – Review

January 19 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview

January 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review

January 21 – Christa Reads and Writes – Guest Post

January 22 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – Guest Post

January 23 – Escapes With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Spotlight

January 24 – Babs Book Bistro – Spotlight

January 25 – A Chick Who Reads – Review

January 26 – Musings and Ramblings – Guest Post

January 27 – I Read What You Write – Review

January 28 – Thoughts in Progress – Spotlight

January 29 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review

January 30 – Brooke Blogs – Guest Post

January 31 – LibriAmoriMiei – Review

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This tour-wide giveaway is for a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. It may take the widget a few seconds to load so please be patient.

Thanks for stopping by today during D.E.’s tour. Are you a fan of books in the romantic comedy genre?

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Night and Day {+ 2 Giveaways}

I’m thrilled to be participating in friend and author Ann Summerville’s Great Escape Virtual Book Tour for her latest release, NIGHT AND DAY, the third installment in her Pecan Valley Mystery series.

As part of the tour Ann is sharing an excerpt from the book and I’ll tell you my thoughts on this charming cozy murder mystery. In addition, Ann is sponsoring a tour-wide giveaway for two (2) print copies of NIGHT AND DAY and is offering one lucky visitor to Thoughts in Progress a coupon for the first book in her Pecan Valley series, GRANDMOTHER’S FLOWER GARDEN, through Smashwords. Please see the end of the post for more details on both giveaways.

First here’s a brief synopsis of NIGHT AND DAY:

        Not all is what it seems in Pecan Valley and Bea can’t quite put her finger on what is wrong. She’s hoping Marge won’t become a permanent house guest and encourages her to look for a new home, but while they are scouting the neighborhood they end up looking for more than a house for Marge. What Bea wants to uncover is the unsavory dealings of a ruthless realtor and a murderer that might put Bea on the list of victims.

Genre – Cozy Mystery
· Paperback: 172 pages
· Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (May 27, 2015)
· ISBN-13: 978-1508723967

Now for the excerpt:

        “Surprised to see you here,” said Detective Hawkins as he closed the gate of the horse trailer.
        “Ditto, Detective Hawkins,” said Bea and looked behind her to see if she could beckon Biddie over who really should talk to the detective as she had been friends with the victim.
        “We’re being formal now are we?” he asked. “You’re not calling me Jim anymore?”
Bea couldn’t remember ever calling him Jim, but her brain cells seemed to disappear by the dozen these days so who knew what data had gone and what was left rattling around in there not readily available. As Jim had treated her as if she were barely an acquaintance lately, she hardly thought first names were appropriate.
        “Let’s hear it,” he said and leaned on the trailer side, with his ankles crossed and arms folded.
        Bea set Button on the ground and gave her dog a pat on the head while she considered his words. At a loss as to what he meant, she shrugged.
        “Suspects,” he said. “I’m sure you have some.”
        Bea looked at him. He had pretty green eyes with brown specks.
        “Come on, now, Bea. I know you’ve been thinking about the murder.”
        “It would just be hearsay,” she said, thinking Biddie would be the best one to tell him.
        She heard Marge talking to a lady who was explaining that any day now her cat would be having kittens and she should take one or two.
        “That’s never stopped you before now.”
        He seemed very comfortable with his back against the trailer, but Bea moved her weight from foot to foot. This was like being called in to see the Principal at school. Something that had happened frequently during Bea’s childhood. Bea always thought she was offering helpful information, the Principal called it disruptive.
        “Why don’t I come by and see you later,” he suggested.
        And while Bea tried to think of a flippant response, he climbed into the bed of his truck and drove away with the horse’s tail poking from the trailer back.

Ann, thanks for joining us today and sharing this excerpt. It gives a fun look at Bea and her woes with the detective. 

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

Author Ann Summerville

Ann Summerville moved from her native England to California before arriving in the Lone Star State. 

Her publications can be found in Lutheran Digest, Long Story Short, The Shine Journal, Doorknobs & Bodypaint, Associated Content, Trinity Writers’ Workshop newsletters and also their collection of Christmas stories. 
Ann is currently working on the fifth book in the Lowenna series set in Cornwall.

For more on Ann and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on her blog.

Ann’s virtual book tour began Saturday, Sept. 19, and will continue through Friday, Oct. 2. You can find out additional information about Ann and her writing by visiting the following blogs participating in her tour. 

September 19 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Review
September 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – Guest Post
September 21 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy,  &, Sissy, Too ! – Review
September 22 – Nadaness In Motion – Guest Post
September 23 – Thoughts in Progress – Review, Guest Post
September 24 – Griperang’s Bookmarks – Interview
September 25 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Spotlight
September 26 – deal sharing aunt – Review, Interview
September 27 – Frankie Bow – Guest Post, Spotlight
September 28 – Omnimystery News – Interview
September 29 – fuonlyknew – Review
September 30 – Book Splurge – Review
October 1 – Lori’s Reading Corner – Guest Post
October 2 – View from the Birdhouse – Review

Now for my thoughts.

NIGHT AND DAY by Ann Summerville

With a series of twists and turns, author Ann Summerville quickly draws readers into her thrilling cozy murder mystery, NIGHT AND DAY.

Retiree Bea Hudson discovers Pecan Valley isn’t as peaceful as it appears. While helping her friend Marge find a house, Bea is also determined to find who killed a local coffee shop owner. The more Bea learns, the closer she gets to being the killer’s next victim.

The author has created well-rounded, well-developed characters readers can relate to. The bantering among the main characters is realistic and enhances the story giving readers a chuckle now and then.

Summerville has captured the feeling and charm of a small town atmosphere. Her eye for detail and her rich descriptions adds depth to the story placing readers alongside the characters.

NIGHT AND DAY moves at a steady, smooth pace holding your attention from beginning until end. The suspenseful ending leaves you eagerly awaiting the protagonist’s next adventure.

Suspense and murder blended with the daily woes of a mature woman mingled with a humorous best friend, makes NIGHT AND DAY a delightful read you don’t want to miss.

Night and Day by Ann Summerville, A Pecan Valley Mystery Book #3, CreateSpace Independent Publishing, @2015, ISBN: 978-1508723967, Paperback, 172 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me as part of the author’s virtual book tour in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

The first giveaway is a tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win one of two print copies of NIGHT AND DAY.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient.

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The second giveaway is for one coupon that can be redeemed through Smashwords for an e-Book copy of GRANDMOTHER’S FLOWER GARDEN. The deadline to enter this giveaway is 12 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1.

To enter this giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. This widget may take a few seconds to load as well so please be patient.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. What is your favorite element of a cozy murder mystery? Does the age of the protagonist matter to you when reading a cozy murder mystery?

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