Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Magic Harvest (+ Giveaway)


Magic Harvest
Mary Karlik
Published by: Ink Monster LLC
Publication date: September 18th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Young fae girls are disappearing.
     Layla has never belonged to the fairy realm – at least, half of her hasn’t. She’s never known anyone with human blood, not even her father. When she was three, the dragon Fauth attacked the fairy festival, murdering her fae mum & stepfather. Frankly, some fairies think she should’ve been eaten too.
     As she grew, despite being called names like “fuman” for being a half-blood, she’s discovered that being half-human isn’t terrible. She may lack magic, but she is immune to iron sickness, and she can wield a sword with elven skill.
Magic in the human world is disastrous.
     Sixteen years later, when Layla’s half-sister is kidnapped and taken through a portal to the forbidden human realm, Layla rushes to the rescue. She’s older and stronger, and she’s not about to let her last living family member be taken from her without a fight.
Only someone who belongs to both worlds can find the truth.
     The portal spits her out in the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, but neither her sister or the kidnapper are anywhere to be found. Stuck in a world she only knows from school books, Layla forges unlikely alliances to find her sister. As she becomes tangled in the dark world of fairy trafficking, magic harvesting, and murder, Layla will have to find the strength within if she is to survive and save her sister.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

An excerpt for your reading pleasure.
 
          He picked up his cap and twirled it on his finger. “What do I know about you so far? Let’s see. You can change from human size to wee in the blink of an eye, and change back just as fast. So why not change and break out of the cage?” He winked and smiled. “Unless the cage would change with you. That’s it, isn’t it?” He dropped the cap on the table and leaned forward. “Why haven’t you used your magic?”
          If he figured out she didn’t have magic, then her only bluff was up. She might not have been as afraid of him as she had been at first, but she didn’t trust him either. And her fey-sized weapons would be almost useless if she had to fight him.
          If she could get out of the cage and human-size, then her weapons would come in very handy. She wouldn’t hurt him, just make him return her to the street where he’d found her so she could continue her search for Esme.
          She took a breath and stepped forward.
          His eyes widened. “Are you ready to speak?”
          She nodded.
          His eyes practically sparked with excitement. “Let’s start easy. What’s your name and what are you?”
          She wasn’t in a position to bargain, but she had to try. “I’ll answer your questions if you answer mine.”
          A slow smile spread across his face. “Fair enough. You start.”
          “My name is Layla and I’m a fairy—we are also called fey.”
          “Layla.” He sat back and folded his arms across his chest. “And you’re a fairy. A fairy like a fairytale fairy?”
          “Aye, a fairy. Don’t know about the fairytale part.” She leaned against the bars. “And you are?”
          He pulled a small case from his pocket and flipped it open to reveal an identification card. “Specialist Crime Division Officer Ian Cameron.”
          She grabbed the bars and shoved her face close. No use in mucking around. “Well, Specialist Officer Ian Cameron, what have you done with my sister?”

 



Author Mary Karlik
Mary Karlik has always been a dreamer. When she was a teen, she read The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, and then sat in every wardrobe in her Nanna’s home, trying to open the door to Narnia. She didn’t find it, but she did discover her voice as an author: one filled with her young adult self, and grounded in her roots as a Texan and her Scottish heritage, nourished by obscure Scottish folklore.
You can find her Texas roots in her YA contemporary romance Hickville series , which has been described as “100% solid storytelling,” and begins with Welcome to Hickville High, a “lovely story about growing up.”
She digs deep into her Scottish roots – there is magic there, she just knows it – for the forthcoming YA epic fantasy Fairy Trafficking series, beginning with Magic Harvest.
She makes her home in the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountains of Northern New Mexico where she is a certified professional ski instructor, but she also loves visiting Scotland where she is currently studying Scottish Gaelic at the University of Highlands and Islands in Skye. Mary also earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, has a B.S. degree from Texas A&M University, and is a Registered Nurse.
Mary currently serves as the President of the Young Adult Chapter of Romance Writers of America and looks forward to raising a glass or two of gin and tonic with her fellow writers every year at RWA’s national convention.

GIVEAWAY!

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Thanks for stopping by. Have you every dreamed of magic and fairies?
  
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Friday, September 7, 2018

Where in the World Blogfest


I’m delighted to be participating in the “Where in the World Blogfest” hosted by author Sherry Ellis to spotlight her recently release, BUBBA AND SQUIRT’S BIG DIG TO CHINA.

Sherry asked those participating, “If you could go through the Earth and end up in another country, where would you go?”

For me, if I could go through the earth and end up in another country, it would be Australia. Why, too many to list here but I will hit the highlights.

One reason I’d love to visit Australia is because of the many wonderful bloggers I’ve come to know online that call it home. Their posts about their homeland has made it more fascinating for me.

The awesome photos I’ve seen of the country draw me in and make me what to see more and experience it. Can you image taking photos of a sunset with the Sydney Opera House in the frame? What about watching kangaroo in the Outback?

Then there is the food. I’d love to learn about the different types of cuisine prepared throughout the country and its indigenous and colonial societies.

This is just a few of the reasons I’d love to end up in Australia. What about you, where would you like to end up if you could go through the earth and end up in a different country?



Page Count: 93
Digital Price: 3.99
Print Price: 7.95

BUY LINKS:

BLURB: Squirt doesn’t believe Bubba can dig a hole to China. But when the hole swallows them, the kids find themselves in Xi’an, China, surrounded by Terracotta Warriors.

It gets worse when the ghost of the first emperor of China appears. He tells them they can’t go home until they find his missing pi. The kids don’t know where to begin until they meet a girl and her grandmother who promise to help find the pendant.

Soon they realize they are being followed. And they are no closer to finding the missing pi. Will Bubba and Squirt ever make it back home?

Author Sherry Ellis

About the Author: Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. Ellis, her husband, and their two children live in Atlanta, Georgia.

Author Links:

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Remember to share where you’d love to end up in the comments. 

Special Note: Sherry is also doing a blog tour for her delightful book in October. If you haven’t signed up yet to be a host, you can still do so by clicking HERE. You can host a guest post from the author, spotlight the book, and/or do a review of BUBBA AND SQUIRT. Sherry is also hosting an awesome giveaway that all bloggers can include in their post. Be sure to check out the tour and sign up now. Thanks!!

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding


It’s my pleasure to spotlight the latest release by author Rhys Bowen in her Royal Spyness Mystery, FOUR FUNERALS AND MAYBE A WEDDING.

This delightful mystery hit bookshelf Tuesday, Aug. 7.

In the days leading up to her wedding to Darcy O'Mara, Lady Georgiana Rannoch takes on the responsibilities of a grand estate, but proving she can run a household just may be the death of her in the new Royal Spyness Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service.
         
          If only Darcy and I had eloped! What I thought would be a simple wedding has been transformed into a grand affair, thanks to the attendance of the queen, who has offered up the princesses as bridesmaids.
Silly me! I thought that withdrawing from the royal line of succession would simplify my life. But before Darcy and I tie the knot in front of queen and country, we have to find a place to live as man and wife...
House hunting turns out to be a pretty grim affair. Just as we start to lose hope, my globetrotting godfather offers us his fully staffed country estate. Mistress of Eynsleigh I shall be! With Darcy off in parts unknown, I head to Eynsleigh alone, only to have my hopes dashed.
The grounds are in disarray and the small staff is suspiciously incompetent. Not to mention the gas tap leak in my bedroom, which I can only imagine was an attempt on my life. Something rotten is afoot--and bringing the place up to snuff may put me six feet under before I even get a chance to walk down the aisle...


Rhys Bowen, a New York Times bestselling author, has been nominated for every major award in mystery writing, including the Edgar®, and has won many, including both the Agatha and Anthony awards.

She is also the author of the Molly Murphy Mysteries, set in turn-of-the-century New York, and the Constable Evans Mysteries, set in Wales. She was born in England and now divides her time between Northern California and Arizona.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have you read any of the installments in this fascinating series? If you haven’t, give it a try and if you have, tell us what you enjoyed about it.

Back online as usual before long. My wrist is healing slowing. Typing is not as painful and I can finally use all my fingers not just my right hand.

Monday, July 23, 2018

Cat and Dog Cozy Mystery Tour (+ Giveaway)


GIVEAWAY details are farther down.

Hello once again from the cat and dog cozy mystery series authors, and thank you, Mason, for hosting us today! Today we're answering the question "Who is your favorite fictional feline or canine character (not of your own making)?"

Meredith Potts, author of the Daley Buzz series: I love Charley from the Long Paw of the Law series by Laurie Anne Marie. He's smart, loving, and rambunctious, which is a wonderful combination to read about.

Sandi Scott, author of the Seagrass Sweets Cozy Mysteries: A coyote, actually. In Barbara Kingsolver's book, Prodigal Summer, she captures the voice of a coyote so well that I was amazed. Reading that was the first time I realized that an animal can be written in as a character and point of view and have a real impact on the reader.

Paige Sleuth, author of the Cozy Cat Caper Mystery series: Honestly, I've never met a cat, fictional or otherwise, that I didn't like. I grew up with the Garfield cartoons, so he's probably the cat who stands out the most for me. He's lazy, sarcastic, doesn't get excited about much, and is the perfect balance for Jon and Odie. I could start naming cats from books I've loved too, but there are so many I know I'd forget some.

Colleen Mooney, author of the New Orleans Go Cup Chronicles: This one is a tough one. Real dogs keep coming to mind. I don't have one dog in particular but any dog modeled after heroics, like Rin Tin Tin (real dog) or Bullet (real dog). Rin Tin Tin was actually a war hero in WW1 and his films were so popular they pulled Warner Brothers out of bankruptcy! I guess the character dog they had him play would be fictionalized so he's my fav!

Claire Kane, author of A Siamese Sleuth Mystery series: I enjoyed Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. He had a funny, dry sense of humor.

Kathi Daley, author of the Tess and Tilly Cozy Mystery series: Oh wow, I am going to have to say Lassie, who is the first canine character I can really remember having a total fascination with. I'm pretty sure Lassie's relationship with Timmy was the reason I badgered my parents into getting me my first canine best friend when I was a kid.

Sandra Baublitz, author of A Dog Detective series: Beethoven is my favorite fictional dog. Large, lovable, and full of mischief with big, brown eyes. I fell in love the minute I saw his movie. A Saint Bernard with perfect comedic timing. He's hilarious and huggable, even with all the drool.

Tammy L. Grace, author of the Cooper Harrington Detective novels: Reggie, the golden retriever in the Jesse Stone series, is my favorite fictional dog. He was played by Joe the Dog and passed away in 2013. Reggie was very expressive and could admonish Jesse with one look. Tom Selleck commented in an interview that Joe the Dog was a thinker. He wasn’t just cute but was a true partner for the main character. He certainly seemed to think and analyze and was a terrific actor.

Alison Golden, author of the Reverend Annabelle Dixon Cozy Mystery series: I am just reading A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen. Bob isn't a fictional cat, he is for real. James, a recovering addict, adopted Bob when he turned up at his flat and wouldn't leave. James credits Bob for getting him off drugs and the streets. They now have several books and even a film!

Alannah Rogers, author of the Beatrice Young Cozy Cat Mysteries: I definitely love Sneaky Pie from the Mrs. Murphy mysteries by Rite Mae Brown as well as the cats from The Cat Who series, as I read these two series when I was a kid and totally obsessed with cats.

Readers, now it's your turn to tell us about your favorite fictional animal! GIVEAWAY: Each author is giving away one eBook during the blog tour, and every blog you comment on earns you another chance to win (only one comment per person per blog will be counted for giveaway purposes). Ten eBooks = ten different winners! Please include your email address with your comment so we can reach you if you win.

Learn more about us, our books, and our characters by visiting all of our blog tour stops. And remember, each tour post you comment on by July 27, 2018 earns you another chance to win one of our eBooks.

July 5, 2018: Bibliophile Reviews
July 6, 2018: Chicks on the Case
July 9, 2018: Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, and Meows
July 12, 2018: Dru's Book Musings
July 14, 2018: Lisa Ks Book Reviews
July 16, 2018: Brooke Blogs
July 18, 2018: A Cup of Tea and a Cozy Mystery
July 20, 2018: MJB Reviewers
July 23, 2018: Thoughts in Progress
July 25, 2018: Escape With Dollycas

About the Authors

Meredith Potts writes the Daley Buzz Cozy Mystery series. She loves corgis, cozies, and cupcakes. Sign up for her mailing list and be the first to know about her new books.

Sandi Scott spent a lifetime reading cozy mysteries before finding the courage to write them. She writes about the women she wants to be and the pets she wants to meet! To get the first book in both of her series free, join the readers' group Sandi's Sleuths.

Paige Sleuth writes the Cozy Cat Caper Mystery series. She plots murder during the day and fights for mattress space with her two rescue cats at night. When not attending to her cats' demands, she writes.

Colleen Mooney writes the New Orleans Go Cup Chronicles humorous mysteries and loves to travel. An avid animal lover, she also directs and manages a New Orleans Schnauzer rescue.

Claire Kane is a connoisseur of classic fashion statements, craves a good rootbeer float, and always chews with her mouth closed. Of course, she also has a weak spot for murder mysteries.

Kathi Daley is the USA Today bestselling author of eight mystery series, including the Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mystery series and the Tess and Tilly Cozy Mystery series. She writes cozy mysteries that warm your heart and feed your soul.

Sandra Baublitz loves writing mysteries with furry detective crime-solvers. Her first Dog Detective short story, The Mystery of the Blue Dolphins, featuring Paw and Clarissa, is always free to download.

Tammy L. Grace is the award-winning author of the Cooper Harrington Detective Novels and the Hometown Harbor Series. Join Tammy's exclusive reader group, and she'll send you a fun interview with the dogs from her books as a FREE thank-you gift.

Alison Golden is a writer, blogger and mother of two. To get a free copy of Death at the Café, the prequel to the Reverend Annabelle Dixon cozy mystery series featuring Biscuit, the church cat, plus two more books, updates about new releases, exclusive promotions, and other insider information, please sign up for the Cozy Mysteries Insider mailing list.

Alannah Rogers writes the Beatrice Young Cozy Cat Mysteries. The heroine of her stories is Beatrice Young, a 64-year-old amateur sleuth and Cozy Cat Cafe owner who lives in the small town of Ashbrook, New Hampshire with her 4 cats: Hamish, Lucky, Petunia, and Simon. The first book in her series is only 99 cents, and fans can stay connected through her Readers Group.

Thanks everyone for stopping by today and thanks to Marla for including Thoughts in Progress in this fun tour. Isn't this a great group of authors and books? Sorry I've been MIA lately. Life is okay just extremely hectic right now. I will be back before long, honest. Take care and be sure to check out these awesome books.

Sunday, May 6, 2018

Our Secrets to Series Longevity by Cleo Coyle, Author of 17 Coffeehouse Mysteries + #Giveaway


(Mason's Memo: Hi all, just wanted to let everyone know who the winner is for this wonderful giveaway. The winner was randomly chosen from the comments by Cleo. Join me in giving a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Rupal Desai. Here's the winning comment:

      I messaged you a few years ago on FB to tell you how much your books meant to me. That holds true today. This one was absolutely amazing. Thank you for bringing Clare into my life. I met her when I was 14 and nearly 10 years later, she’s helped me grow every step of the way. And I’m getting married! -Rupal)

I am always thrilled to welcome author Cleo Coyle back to Thoughts in Progress. It means there’s a new Coffeehouse mystery to savor and a chance for you to win an awesome giveaway.

But first, I can’t welcome Cleo (husband and wife team Marc and Alice) to Thoughts without saying an enormous THANKS to Alice for her encouragements when I first thought of entering the world of blogging. In fact, she was the first person to tell me I should be blogging. Thanks for introducing me to a wonderful world of people, Alice.

Now, please join me in giving a huge welcome to Cleo as we learn a bit about how this amazing series continues to grow and entertain us. Welcome, Cleo.

Longevity is a tricky prospect in this “hit-it-and-quit-it” culture. Keeping our Coffeehouse Mystery series going for 15 years and 17 titles at a traditional publisher has been no easy feat. My husband and I could write an entire book about our journey and what we’ve learned—but for the space of this post on Mason’s wonderful blog, we’ll narrow it down to a few Thoughts (in Progress).

In our experience, the first sercret to series longevity is serving the reader new ideas about old friends. While the core personality traits of our characters remain consistent (which is vital), the relationships they have with each other change and evolve over time. With every book, we also try to bring fresh “dishy” details to the storytelling table, giving readers something new to learn or understand about the characters they’ve come to think of as close friends. What made Mike Quinn become a cop? How did Clare and her ex-husband first meet? Why does the elegant octogenairan owner of the Village Blend know what it’s like to be arrested and thrown in jail?

Another secret to a long-running series is keeping things real. We’re writing fiction, of course. When we say “real,” we’re talking about a solid grounding in believability. And, by the way, achieving that feeling of fictional people, places, and events being “real” applies whether you’re writing about a corner café or a galaxy far, far away—as any SF or fantasy writer will tell you!

Our readers often ask us to write faster. It’s a beautiful compliment, but writing with authenticity and authority takes time—and we always take that time. We write and rewrite until we feel that vital grounding of believability is present, until the dialog crackles, characters are well-defined, and a compelling storyline comes alive.

Finally, no matter what sort of fiction we end up spinning, we always begin with research into a world of facts. For our latest Coffeehouse Mystery, Shot in the Dark, Marc and I researched dozens of topics—from designer drugs to French sandwiches; from the Groovy Murders of 1967 to Jimi Hendrix’s favorite foods. The actual birth of the book, however, began with a single factoid, a simple point of information we discovered about New York’s café and restaurant scene.

As managers of these establishments will tell you, mobile phone dating has become a big contributor to their bottom lines. When we learned that, we knew our fictional Village Blend coffeehouse would be no different.

Consequently, we decided to show our readers what would happen when the modern “dating app” craze descended on our landmark coffeehouse. The story we came up with is a fun and fast-paced piece of crime fiction—and, by design, it goes beyond fiction, giving readers real food for thought about the impact of technology on our culture, our relationships, and ourselves.

How we specifically developed the book’s multilayered plot with its twists, turns, and surprises would take a dozen more blog posts to explain, so we’ll stop here and simply say, thank you for reading this post today—and thanks especially to the wonderful Mason Canyon for hosting us.

If you’re new to our Coffeehouse Mysteries, don’t hesitate to pick up Shot in the Dark. All our books can be read as standalone stories; and, if you like one, you’ll have 16 more to enjoy.

As for our series’ longevity, we’re as excited as ever to continue this journey with our characters and our readers. (Another secret to keeping things fresh, real, and alive—find the joy in writing every book.) Now that Shot is published, we’re at work on finding that joy in our 18th Coffeehouse Mystery, coming in 2019.

The Coffeehouse Mysteries Book Trailer


CHECKLIST OF TITLES (Books in Order):

http://www.coffeehousemystery.com/userfiles/file/Coffeehouse-Mysteries-in-Order-Cleo-Coyle.pdf

Click here to download a free title checklist (like above) with mini summaries of all 17 of Cleo Coyle’s bestselling Coffeehouse Mysteries and her 6 Haunted Bookshop Mysteries.


Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini, aka Cleo Coyle
CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, now celebrating fifteen years in print, multiple starred reviews, and the thrill of being featured as a Jeopardy question. Alice has worked as a journalist in Washington, D.C., and New York City, and has written popular fiction for adults and children. A former magazine editor, Marc has authored espionage thrillers and nonfiction for adults and children. Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together, including the popular Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. Look for a brand-new entry in their Haunted Bookshop Mysteries this October: The Ghost and the Bogus Bestseller. 
Visit their website at www.coffeehousemystery.com.

CLEO’S NEWSLETTER: Fun contests, bonus recipes, book news, and videos. To sign up, simply write an e-mail that says “sign me up” and send it to CoffeehouseMystery@gmail(dot)com

You can also friend or follow Cleo on Facebook as well as Twitter and Pinterest


CLEO COYLE’S PRIZE PACKAGE GIVEAWAY


* An autographed copy of SHOT IN THE DARK in its beautiful hardcover first edition.
* An autographed set of Cleo Coyle’s collectible recipe cards.
* A sturdy, canvas Coffeehouse Mystery tote bag with a favorite saying of Clare’s octogenarian employer, Madame: “Survive everything. And do it with style.” And…
* A beautiful porcelain Gimme Coffee cup and saucer, make in Italy

Cleo, thanks so much for visiting with us today and sharing this insight into the longevity of this fascinating series. The fact that the characters seem like old friends is just one of the many reason I can’t wait for the next installment as soon as I finish the newest release. I have also learned so much about coffee from Clare and the gang, not to mention the tasty treats that are shared.

Thanks everyone for stopping by today and visiting with Cleo. What do you think about longevity in a series? What keeps you going back to a series book after book?

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Tick Tock ... Do You Have the Time?


◊ TICK TOCK: A STITCH IN CRIME, An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology
◊ Trade Paperback: 204 pages
◊ Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
◊ Publisher: Freedom Fox Press (May 1, 2018)
◊ Language: English
◊ eBook ISBN: 9781939844552
◊ Print ISBN: 9781939844545 

SYNOPSIS:

The clock is ticking...

Can a dead child’s cross-stitch pendant find a missing nun? Is revenge possible in just 48 minutes? Can a killer be stopped before the rescuers are engulfed by a city ablaze? Who killed what the tide brought in? Can a soliloquizing gumshoe stay out of jail?
Exploring the facets of time, eleven authors delve into mysteries and crimes that linger in both dark corners and plain sight. Featuring the talents of Gwen Gardner, Rebecca M. Douglass, Tara Tyler, S. R. Betler, C.D. Gallant-King, Jemi Fraser, J. R. Ferguson, Yolanda Renée, C. Lee McKenzie, Christine Clemetson, and Mary Aalgaard.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these eleven tales will take you on a thrilling ride into jeopardy and secrecy. Trail along, find the clues, and stay out of danger. Time is wasting...


Sharing one’s thoughts about an anthology can sometimes be a bit tricky. Do you talk about each story or the group as a whole?

With TICK TOCK: A STITCH IN CRIME I’d like to talk about all the stories, and maybe a little about each story.

This is a fascinating collection of stories dealing with time. One thing that makes it so intriguing is the many varying ways time is the key element or focus of the stories. The amazing authors each have their own unique take on time and how it is blended into their story.

This is not a book about time where every story has the same plot with only a few changes here and there. Each story will take readers on their own entertaining and enlightening adventure and hold you spellbound until the very last line.

The writing styles of the authors is different from story to story, but their ability to draw readers into their world is the same – perfect. The remarkable authors as a group weave a well-balanced anthology that will feed a reader’s appetite no matter what genre they prefer.

Looking for riveting stories with stimulating characters and captivating plots, don’t waste another minute before you pick up a copy of TICK TOCK. This anthology is well worth your time.

Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime, An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology, Freedom Fox Press, @2018, ISBN: 9781939844545, Trade Paperback, 204 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have your read TICK TOCK yet? Have you ever thought about how time is so much a part of our lives in so many different ways?