A Christmas Bride {+ Giveaway}

It seems the Christmas spirit is hanging around so it’s a good time to be participating in author Hope Ramsay’s A CHRISTMAS BRIDE Release Week Blitz.

I’m sharing my thoughts on this entertaining story as part of the blitz. In addition, you have the chance to win a copy of this book through a tour-wide giveaway. Please see the end of the post for more giveaway details.

ABOUT THE BOOK

◊Title: A CHRISTMAS BRIDE

◊Author: Hope Ramsay

◊Series: Chapel of Love, #1

◊On Sale: September 27, 2016

◊Publisher: Forever

◊Mass Market: $7.99 USD

◊eBook:  $7.99 USD

Add to Goodreads

A brand new contemporary romance series from USA Today bestselling author Hope Ramsay centered on a small-town wedding chapel!

A season of hope…'Tis the season in Shenandoah Falls and the first time Willow Peterson has been home in years. But she's determined to fulfill the wishes of her recently deceased best friend and restore Eagle Hill Manor to its former glory—all in time to host the perfect holiday wedding. She just has to get the owner of the historic inn to hire her. Unfortunately, that means dealing with Scrooge himself...

          After the death of his wife, David Lyndon has a bah-humbug approach to Christmas. But as December counts down and the wedding planning is in full swing, it's harder and harder to stay immune to the charms of Willow, especially when he sees how much joy she brings his eight-year-old daughter. After a simple kiss under the mistletoe turns into something more, David is hoping he can turn the magic of the holiday season into the love of a lifetime.

A CHRISTMAS BRIDE is available to purchase at the following sites:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million

Google Play

iBooks

Indiebound

Kobo

THE CHAPEL OF LOVE SERIES

A Fairytale Bride, #.5

A Christmas Bride, #1

A Small Town Bride, #2

Series Page on Goodreads

Author Hope Ramsay Photo Credit Wess Brown

Hope Ramsay is a USA Today bestselling author of heartwarming contemporary romances. Her books have won critical acclaim and publishing awards. She is married to a good ol' Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her Southern heroes. She has two grown children and a couple of demanding lap cats. She lives in Virginia where, when she's not writing, she's knitting or playing her forty-year-old Martin guitar.

For more on Hope and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

To keep up with the latest on your favorite author and series, follow FOREVER online. You can visit their website and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

I had the good fortune to read the print copy of the book as part of the blitz and then I had a chance to listen to the audio version. I highly recommend both.

Through rich descriptions and details author Hope Ramsay has you feeling the frustrations and broken dreams of her protagonist, Willow Peterson, in this delightful story of optimism.

Narrator Linda Henning does a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life with their own distinct voices. Her timing and inflections add depth to this story filled with emotions. Henning’s vocals hold you captive as the story unfolds.

The quaint setting of the historical inn draws you in with its charm and appeal. The quirky cast of characters enhance the story with their mix of lifestyles and beliefs that amalgamates in a unique community.

The story moves smoothly and at a good pace with a few surprises along the way. There’s a good blend of family and friends, heartbreak and happiness, and disappointment and hope. Willow’s desire and determination to fulfill her friend’s dream is inspiring.

A CHRISTMAS BRIDE is a feel-good book perfect to read/listen to any season of the year. It's an entertaining start to a promising new series.

A Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay, Chapel of Love series (Book #1), Narrated by Linda Henning, Hachette Audio, @2016, ASIN: BO1MOURBB6, Unabridged, Audible Audio, Run Time: 8 Hours and 10 Minutes - ISBN: 978-1455564804, Forever, Mass Market Paperback, 336 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of the audio and book were sent to me by the publishers in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copies did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

The tour-wide giveaway is for ten (10) mass market paperback copies of A CHRISTMAS BRIDE by Hope Ramsay.

For your chance to win one of these copies, 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 during Hope’s blitz stop. Are you in the Christmas spirit yet? Do you have a favorite Christmas book you read every year?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shannon Baker and a New Mystery Series

I’m thrilled to tell you about a new series – The Kate Fox Mystery Series – by author Shannon Baker that has been called Longmire meets The Good Wife, featuring a female sheriff in rural Nebraska.

STRIPPED BARE, the first installment in the new series was released this week by Forge. Shannon is joining us today to talk about her new series.

Just when everything seems about perfect, someone leaves the barn door open and all hell breaks loose. Kate Fox thought she had it all until a shattering phone calls hits like a January blizzard. A local rancher is murdered and her husband, the sheriff, is shot. When her husband is suspected of the murder, Kate vows to find the killer.

STRIPPED BARE is available through Amazon.

Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Shannon, who has graciously answered some questions about her new book. Welcome, Shannon.

Thank you, Mason, for hosting me on Thoughts in Progress. You’ve been such a supporter of my writing career and I really appreciate that!

What made you want to write STRIPPED BARE?

Shannon:

I’ve been thinking about writing a Nebraska Sandhills book for a long time. I lived there for 20 years, always an outsider, and left because my husband had an affair and didn’t seem inclined to give it up. The Sandhills is a unique place, in many ways still the old west. But I didn’t want to go back there while I felt bitter (and I felt bitter as scorched coffee). Time really does heal, and finally the clouds lifted high enough I could write about it with humor. For instance, I can have Kate have a cheating husband and not kill him, and actually give him some admirable qualities.

Tell us about Kate Fox, the star of your new series:

Shannon:

Kate Fox, the star of Stripped Bare, is someone I’d really like to hang out with. While she’s got some problems to deal with, a cheating husband for one (I don’t know where I get my ideas) she’s got a healthy sense of herself. She’s confident, even though she’s not sure about her future, and she’s not afraid to take action. She’s a combination of a team player—she’s in the middle of eight brothers and sisters—but craves her independence. And she’s got a sense of humor, which saves her.

It took me nearly a decade since I left the Nebraska Sandhills to be able to laugh about it all. If I’d written Kate any earlier, she’d be laced with bitterness. I’m not a big country music fan, but I always think about the Rascal Flatts song Bless the Broken Road. I thought it was a love song but now I think it’s a faith song. Anyway, I like the chorus and the idea that our experiences, good and bad, bring us to the people we are now. And when the time is ripe, bring us the characters that tell us their stories.

Since STRIPPED BARE is set in the Nebraska Sandhills, which was your home for a while. Did setting your novel in a familiar landscape mean that you didn’t have to do much research?

Shannon:

Luckily, I have dear friends there who can fill me in on details I’ve forgotten or tip me about crazy goings on since I left. But I’m not in law enforcement so all that is research. The county sheriff where I lived is a great friend of mine and he’s on speed dial, so that helps. But here’s something that shocked me about Nebraska. Turns out, you don’t have to have any qualifications to be elected county sheriff. None. Zip. After election, you have 12 months to complete and pass an 8-week training at the police academy and until you do, you can’t perform anything you aren’t certified to do. Not even a traffic stop. So the state patrol and adjoining county sheriffs take care of official business in your county. Sounds like a criminal free-for-all, to me.

What inspired you to become a writer?

Shannon:

I wasn’t one of those people who always knew I wanted to be a writer. I’ve been a reader my whole life, though. My fondest childhood memories are afternoon naps with my mother after my older brother and sister were in school. She’d read a chapter of Winne-the-Pooh and we’d go to sleep. I should have paid attention to the good grades I earned in anything that required writing or that I always told myself stories.

It wasn’t until I lived on an isolated ranch, raising kids, and pretty much having someone else plan my time, that I found release in writing. Then I was hooked. It took a long time and much learning and effort from those first words to writing a viable book. But what else was I going to do? I hate needlepoint.

What is the hardest/easiest part of writing a mystery novel?

Shannon:

For me, the hardest part of writing a good mystery is keeping the reader guessing the whole way through. There are a ton of seasoned, savvy mystery readers and fooling them is tricky. Sometimes, you just can’t. They’re smart enough to catch the red herrings and McGuffins and see through all the ploys. So you have to write great enough characters, action, and setting to keep them entertained, even if you can’t mislead them.

I like writing, what my husband calls, kitchen scenes. These are where the characters interact and have “relationships.” Often, they’re hanging out in a kitchen or bar and not much is happening except conversation and conflict. Thankfully, my helpful husband alerts me to those “boring” spots… mostly by the sound of his snoring. 

What do readers have to look forward to your upcoming novel, STRIPPED BARE?

Shannon:

Stripped Bare is set in a part of the country most people aren’t familiar with—I know that because the population density is .95 per square mile. I lived in the Nebraska Sandhills for 20 years and have a real love/hate relationship with it, like you would an ex-spouse, which I also happen to have out there. 

Kate Fox is, what Kirkus calls, a “ballsy heroine.” (I love that!) She doesn’t go looking for trouble but if someone is threatened, she doesn’t back down. She’s smack in the middle of a bushelful of interfering brothers and sisters who all think they know how she ought to manage her life.

Because I think life can be pretty funny, I tried to add humor, as well as conflict and, of course, crime and murder.

Shannon, thanks so much for visiting with us today and sharing this background on STIPPED BARE. The tidbit about who can run for sheriff in Nebraska is surprising.

Now for those who aren’t familiar with Shannon, here’s a bit of background on her.

Author Shannon Baker

Shannon Baker writes the Kate Fox mystery series (Tor/Forge). Stripped Bare, the first in the series, features a sheriff in rural Nebraska and has been called Longmire meets The Good Wife.

Shannon also writes the Nora Abbott Mystery Series (Midnight Ink), which features Hopi Indians. Shannon was voted Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ 2104 Writer of the Year.

For more information on Shannon and her writing, visit her website.

Thanks for stopping by today during Shannon’s visit. Do you like reading mysteries set in small towns? What are your thoughts on a female sheriff?

Death Takes Priority {+ Giveaway}

*This post contains affiliate links.

Author Jean Flowers puts a new spin on the postal service with her lovable protagonist Cassie Miller and the wacky folks of North Ashcot, MA.

Cassie returns to North Ashcot to care for her ailing aunt in her last days and decides to give her old hometown a new chance. After being ditched by her fiancé, Cassie doesn’t have much to lose.

Just as she’s getting use to ways of the town again, a load of telephone books are stolen from the post office. Then a man is found murdered and Cassie’s new friend is a suspect.

Cassie is determined to deliver the goods and find the real killer before someone else is stamped out.

This is a fun new series that deals with murder, mystery and mayhem while dealing with personal issues and quirky characters. The pace is steady with surprises to keep you guessing.

DEATH TAKES PRIORITY has that small town setting that draws you in and makes you feel you’re in the midst of the action. Readers can relate to the realistic, likable characters.

The author has created a charming new series mystery lovers will enjoy and a delightful new protagonist to cheer for.

Death Takes Priority by Jean Flowers, A Postmistress Mystery (Book #1), Berkley, @2015, ISBN: 978-0425279106, Mass Market Paperback, 304Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher 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:

Thanks to Danielle and the great folks at Berkley, I have a print copy of DEATH TAKES PRIORITY to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Saturday, Nov. 21.

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. A winner will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress Death Takes Priority Giveaway.” The winner will have 72 hours to reply to the email or another winner will be selected. PLEASE be sure to check your spam folder from time to time after the giveaway ends. If you win and you’ve already won the book somewhere else or you just decide for whatever reason you don’t want to win, once again PLEASE let me know.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have you been to your local post office lately? Do you like that small town feel where the postmaster knows everyone in town? Oh, just in case you had realized it yet ..... Happy Friday the 13th!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Olivia Dunst Shares Her Opinion {+ Giveaway}

One of the protagonist from SPELL BOOKED (by authors Joyce and Jim Lavene) visits today with a little insight into her current circumstance.

SPELL BOOKED is the first installment in the Retired Witches Mystery series by the Lavenes. Olivia Dunst is one of three witches featured in this brand new supernatural series. To celebrate the release of this new book, thanks to the lovely Danielle at Penguin Group, I have a print copy to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for more details.

First, here’s a brief synopsis ….

Once upon a time in Wilmington, North Carolina, three witches ran a curio shop named Smuggler’s Arcane. But as the years passed, their magical powers started to fade—leaving them no choice but to conjure up a retirement package…
        Before they could blink their eyes or twitch their noses, Molly, Elsie, and Olivia somehow became eligible for AARP. But they can’t fly off to Boca Raton just yet. First they must give up their magic, recruit and train three new witches, and pass on their cherished spellbook.
        They’ve barely begun to consider potential practitioners when Olivia winds up dead and their spellbook is stolen. To honor their friend and reclaim their spells, Molly and Elsie are about to go wand-to-wand with a dangerous young witch more powerful than the trio was in their prime. And this time they’re going to need more than magic up their sleeves…
 
Now please join me in welcoming Olivia as she shares her opinion with us. Welcome, Olivia.

I know the world can’t always be the way you want it to be, but come on! It doesn’t seem fair that I should be the one to die early out of the three of us. I wouldn’t wish anything on my friends, Molly or Elsie—although Elsie IS the oldest! I really wouldn’t want them to die alone in a dark alley as I did.

But I had just discovered my daughter. After all these years, there she was at the New Hanover Public Library. She’s a strong witch too, though she doesn’t know a thing about it. It’s not going to be easy training her, not like the way the three of us were trained by our mothers and grandmothers. But I had to make that decision for her sake. Her father would have taken her away in a heartbeat and I would never have seen her again. Not to mention that he probably would have taught her to be evil.

Yes, he was an evil, possibly immortal witch, but he was so handsome and had such an air about him. We had a wonderful time together. I came down from my pink love haze quickly when I found out I was pregnant. It was one thing for me to have a short dalliance with him and another to give him our daughter. Naturally some sacrifices had to be made. I must say that I think I choose to give up the worst part of her life, completely missing the poopy diapers and awkward teenage years.

Now she’s a beautiful young witch—and I’m dead. How is that fair? I was supposed to be there to teach her and watch her grow wise, and possibly more fashionable, each day. We should have been able to travel the world together. Now I’m a moldy old ghost who can’t even change my dress. 

Oh there are some advantages. I could eat whatever I want and never gain weight. I wouldn’t have to worry about having Elsie’s matronly figure. But I can’t eat at all! I have a chip on my nail polish that I’m going to have to live with for the next hundred years. That’s the lifespan for a ghost.

Maybe it’s not all bad. I can’t do magic anymore but I’ve known a few ghosts who had some amazing powers. There was this wonderful ghost of a handsome Revolutionary War captain on Fifth Street at the bed and breakfast. He had some smooth moves! I hated when they tore that place down.

I have to reinvent myself. I have to learn how to be a ghost. Not a puny, pathetic ghost like those young girls looking for a ride home in every town. I want to be a strong ghost. A dashing, sexy ghost. It’s time that I took charge of my afterlife.

As soon as I figure out how to get through this door!

“Elsie? Molly?”

Olivia, thanks for sharing your dilemma with us. It’s a shame you had to die, but I’m sure you’ll make everything work just the same.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Joyce and Jim Lavene have written more than forty novels together. They also write short stories, non-fiction articles and teach writing workshops. They also use the pseudonym J.J. Cook. Their hobbies include gardening — they are certified Master Gardeners — and photography.

For more on the Lavenes and their writing, visit their website.

Now for my thoughts on SPELL BOOKED ….

This is an enchanting story with protagonists of a certain age many readers can relate to. The secondary characters add depth to the story. Overall the characters are likable and well-developed.

The story flows at a steady pace holding your attention as twists keep you guessing. The setting draws you in as the magical becomes believable.

Authors Joyce and Jim Lavene have crafted a fascinating new series that will have readers wishing for more. The story is magical and the characters are mesmerizing.

Spell Booked by Joyce and Jim Lavene, Retired Witches Mystery series Book #1, Berkley Prime Crime, @2014, ISBN: 978-0425268254, Paperback, 304 Pages 


FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher 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:

This giveaway is for one print copy of SPELL BOOKED. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will end at 12 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 28. 

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load, so please be patient. The winner from this giveaway will have 72 hours to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected. The email will have ‘Thoughts in Progress Spell Booked Tour’ in the subject line, just so you know what to watch for (in case it goes into your spam folder).

Thanks so much for stopping by today. What do you think of Olivia’s situation? Do you think a ghost can be of help to the witches?

*This post contains affiliate links.
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Where Did Quincy Come From?

I’m delighted today to welcome author Janet Cantrell (who you may recognize later) to Thoughts in Progress to talk about FAT CAT AT LARGE, the first installment in her brand new Fat Cat Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime.

Janet joins us today to talk about where Quincy, the tubby tabby featured in the series, came from. But first, here’s a brief description of the book.

          When she’s not dreaming up irresistible dessert bars for her Minneapolis treatery, Bar None, Charity “Chase” Oliver is running after her cat, Quincy—a tubby tabby with a gift for sniffing out edibles. But what happens when this cat burglar leads Chase to the scene of a real crime?
          The jig is up for Chase’s adorable plus-size cat, Quincy. His new vet says “diet”—that means no more cherry cheesecake bars. From now on he gets low-calorie kibble only. But one taste of the stuff is all it takes to drive him in search of better things. Quincy’s escape is the last thing Chase needs after the nasty run-in she has with underhanded business rival Gabe Naughtly.
          Chase tracks Quincy down in a neighbor’s kitchen, where he’s devouring a meatloaf, unaware of the much more serious crime he’s stumbled upon. Gabe’s corpse is lying on the kitchen floor, and when Chase is discovered at the murder scene, she becomes suspect number one. Now, with a little help from her friends—both human and feline—she’ll have to catch the real killer or wind up behind bars that aren’t so sweet. 

This delightful new book includes recipes for people, as well as cats. 

A Fat Cat Mystery #1
Berkley (Prime Crime), September 2014
ISBN-10: 0425267423
ISBN-13: 9780425267424
304 pages Paperback

Now please join me in giving a warm welcome to Janet as she tells us about Quincy. Welcome, Janet!

Where Did Quincy Come From?

Other than the animal rescue shelter in Chicago where Chase Oliver picked him up, you mean? I was lucky enough to be the caretaker and servant to two rescued feral cats not long ago. One of them was Quincy’s prototype. They came to me pre-named by the woman who was fostering them, and the names were perfect.

The slim, handsome fellow, a Russian Blue with thick, dense fur, did have a name change before we got him. He was first named Lady Jane Grey (look for this name in the second Fat Cat book, FAT CAT SPREADS OUT). However, by the time it became evident that he needed a new name, he answered to Jane. His name was changed to James because he would answer to that one, too. I sometimes called him Sir James because of his regal composure.

His litter mate was named Agamemnon and that name stuck. He was a mighty little warrior, just like the ancient Greek, and he was so smart it was almost creepy. Agamemnon had to be my model for Quincy. It was a natural fit.

That guy was hard to entertain. If you dragged a feather toy, he leapt a couple of times, then followed the string with his eyes up to the stick, then to my hand. “Ho hum,” I could hear him thinking as he quit playing and washed his face. “This is just her. Not a bird at all. No wonder it doesn’t smell right.”

He was quite young back in the days when Elf Bowling was popular. The first time he heard me finish the game and make Santa pop up saying “Ho ho ho,” he was instantly in my lap, staring at the bobbing Santa and swiping at it with his paw. The next time I played, he was in my lap to begin with, intensely interested in the whole thing. How could I not let him play? The player bowled the ball at the taunting elves by hitting the space bar. If you hit it at the right time, you got a strike. I would hold Agamemnon’s paw over the space bar and “help” him by pushing it down the best I could to get him strikes and spares. He would, no lie, play an entire ten frame game waiting for the Santa finish.

More than once, when I would be in the bedroom with the door closed, he would jump onto the cedar chest beside the door and try to open it. He would curve his paw over the doorknob and attempt to turn it. He knew exactly how to open the door! Physically, he couldn’t do it, but he sure knew how.

That first scene in FAT CAT AT LARGE where Quincy unzips his soft-sided carrier from the inside? Yep, Agamemnon is where that came from. He was hard to crate to begin with, but when I finally got both of them crated and was gathering my purse and phone and car keys to take them to the vet for shots, it was dismaying to find Agamemnon’s crate empty and gaping open.

Also, like Quincy, Agamemnon stayed on the pudgy side. He loved to eat. His brother, James, was always slim and trim, but Agamemnon, a sleek all-black beauty with shiny fur (James’s looked like matte next to his glossy finish), was hard to take and keep the pounds off. He never got too heavy to leap to the top of any piece of furniture in the house, though.

He also loved to attack the paper as it came out of the printer. Quincy hasn’t done that yet, but, come to think of it, he should.

It’s been fun to resurrect my memories of the smartest cat I ever knew and let him live again through Quincy. I love being a writer!

Janet, thanks for joining us and sharing this look at where Quincy came from. It’s amazing what cats learn or just seem to know how to do. I have a cat now (Traveler) that goes for my hand instead of the feather on the end of the string. :-)

Now let me properly introduce you to Janet.

Janet Cantrell is a pen name for Kaye George, Agatha nominated novelist and short story writer. She belongs to Sisters in Crime, Guppies, and Austin Mystery Writers. 

Her cozy Fat Cat Mystery series debuted this month with FAT CAT AT LARGE, featuring Quincy, a pudgy, adorable cat who is an accomplished escape artist. Especially when he’s on a diet and hungry. Leave it to Quincy to lead his human, Chase, co-owner of a Minneapolis dessert bar shop, into trouble. 

Janet lives in Knoxville TN, with her husband. Her recently departed feline, Agamemnon, is a source for some of Quincy’s antics.

For more on Janet and her writing, visit her website and her blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Do you have or have you ever had a cat that acts almost human at times? What is the funniest thing your cat (or a cat you know) has done?

*This post contains affiliate links.