Tuesday, July 28, 2020

The Menu by Steven Manchester


I’m delighted today to welcome #1 Bestselling Author Steven Manchester to Thoughts in Progress as he announces the release of his long-anticipated, soul-awakening novel, THE MENU.

Blessed with a high emotional IQ, Phinn Reed enters the world with the promise of finding his soul mate. With heaven’s memories erased, his romantic quest teaches him that the heart often sees clearer than the eyes—and that not everyone has ordered the same items from The Menu.

Evidence that love stories come in many different forms, The Menu is a spiritual journey involving more than just a man and a woman; it is a modern-day tale that reaches far beyond the boundaries of reason.

Here are what early reviewers are saying about THE MENU.

          “If you liked The Shack, then The Menu is a must read.” – John Lansing, Bestselling Author
          “Congratulations on The Menu. Continue to use your gifts to glorify God!” – Matthew West, Christian Singer/Songwriter
          “Steven Manchester writes like Nicholas Sparks on steroids.” – Jon Land, USA Today Bestselling Author
          “The Norman Rockwell of Literature, Steven Manchester has bared his soul in the intense story, The Menu.”  – Shannon Gonzalez, Book Blogger, Literarily Illumined

Now, here is an excerpt for your reading pleasure.

“It’s important that I know compassion,” Phinn said.
“It’s yours, but not before experiencing pain and suffering,” God answered.
Glancing up at his Father, Phinn gave it some thought. “Sure, I’ll accept pain and suffering for compassion.”
God nodded.
“I also wish to have commitment and wisdom and…”
“Good choices, Phinn, but not before conquering trials and tribulations,” God said.
Phinn looked up from the menu again. “And courage?” he asked.
“After overcoming fear.”
“Honor?”
“Once you have faced shame.”
“Success?” Phinn asked.
“Much failure,” God answered.
Phinn stared at his master before closing the menu and handing it back. “I can’t have any of the good without the bad, can I?”
“Sure, it’s called love; and no matter what you do, I’ll always love you,” God promised. “Pretty clever design, don’t you think?”

THE MENU is available to purchase at the following site:
Amazon Link

Meet the Author:

Author Steven Manchester
Steven Manchester is the author of the #1 bestsellers Twelve Months, The Rockin' Chair, Pressed Pennies and Gooseberry Island; the national bestsellers, Ashes, The Changing Season and Three Shoeboxes; the multi-award winning novel, Goodnight Brian; and the beloved holiday podcast drama, The Thursday Night Club.

His work has appeared on NBC's Today Show, CBS's The Early Show, CNN's American Morning and BET's Nightly News. Three of Steven's short stories were selected "101 Best" for Chicken Soup for the Soul series. He is a multi-produced playwright, as well as the winner of the 2017 Los Angeles Book Festival and the 2018 New York Book Festival.

When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or their children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing.

For more on Steven and his writing, you can connect with him on the following sites:


Thanks so much for stopping by today. Do you believe in soul mates? Do you think our hearts see clearer than our eyes do?

Monday, July 27, 2020

He Started It by Samantha Downing


I’m happy today to feature HE STARTED IT by Samantha Downing that was just released last week.

It sounds like a fascinating read that would keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

HE STARTED IT
by Samantha Downing
* Hardcover: 400 pages
* Publisher: Berkley (July 21, 2020)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0451491750
* ISBN-13: 978-0451491756

“Wholly original. Scarily clever. Completely mesmerizing. You will never look at family road trips the same way again.”—Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A most anticipated book by Hello Sunshine ∙ Cosmo ∙ Entertainment Weekly ∙ Betches ∙ Hollywood Reporter ∙ Parade ∙ PopSugar ∙ OK! Magazine ∙  Hello Giggles ∙ Bustle ∙  Yahoo! ∙ She Reads ∙ Book Page ∙ CrimeReads ∙ New York Post Best Book of the Week ∙ Goodreads

From the twisted mind behind mega hit My Lovely Wife comes the story of a family—not unlike your own—just with a few more violent tendencies thrown in....

Beth, Portia, and Eddie Morgan haven't all been together in years. And for very good reasons—we'll get to those later. But when their wealthy grandfather dies and leaves a cryptic final message in his wake, the siblings and their respective partners must come together for a cross-country road trip to fulfill his final wish and—more importantly—secure their inheritance.

But time with your family can be tough. It is for everyone.

It's even harder when you're all keeping secrets and trying to forget a memory, a missing person, an act of revenge, the man in the black truck who won't stop following your car—and especially when at least one of you is a killer and there's a body in the trunk. Just to name a few reasons.

But money is a powerful motivator. It is for everyone.

Meet the Author

Author Samantha Downing/photo by Jacqueline Dallimore
Samantha Downing currently lives in New Orleans, where she is furiously typing away at her next thrilling novel.

Samantha is also the author of the Edgar Award-nominated novel My Lovely Wife. Amazon Studios and Nicole Kidman's Blossom Films have partnered to produce a feature film based on the novel.

Thanks for stopping by today. Does this give a whole new meaning to “Road Trip” to you? Do you think from the book cover it could be a sister that has the body in the trunk?

Friday, July 24, 2020

Quiche of Death (+ Giveaway)


It’s a pleasure to be a part of the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for QUICHE OF DEATH by Mary Lee Ashford, the third installment in her Sugar & Spice Mystery series.

Quiche of Death (A Sugar & Spice Mystery)
by Mary Lee Ashford
*Cozy Mystery
*3rd in Series
*Publisher: Lyrical Press (July 21, 2020)
*Print Length: ~254 pages
*ASIN: B0855Q9JFW

When editor Sugar Calloway and baker Dixie Spicer went into business creating cookbooks, they found a sideline as amateur sleuths. Now a bitter family grudge could leave a fatal aftertaste…

          At Sugar & Spice Community Cookbooks, the friends and business partners have secured a tasty new commission: producing a cookbook for the Arbor family. The Arbors have made their fortune in quiches, and Sugar and Spice have been invited to a weekend gathering where all the siblings, along with crusty matriarch Marta, will be in attendance. But it’s soon clear that this trip will come with a hefty slice of drama.
          Theo, the only grandson, arrives with his flaky fiancée, Collette, who quickly stirs up trouble . . . and is found dead the next day. As the investigation unfolds, secrets—and recipes—are shared, and Sugar and Spice realize just how messy and murderous the situation may be. As another family member falls ill, can they solve the case without getting egg on their faces . . .and a target on their backs?

* Includes delicious recipes! *


An excerpt for your reading pleasure.

“Quiche me, you fool.”
The demand was followed by hoots of laughter as the sister—Jezzie, I think her name was—leaned into her spouse for a smooch. He hesitated but obliged.
I smiled at the boisterous group who clearly shared some inside joke about quiche and kissing. The warmth of the table and the sibling love melted my heart like butter on a biscuit. Taking a sip of water, I glanced over at Dixie, who sat across from me at the huge oak table.
She rolled her eyes.
“What?” I mouthed.
Dixie shrugged. Jezzie had perhaps a teensy bit too much wine, but still: When did my best friend and business partner get so darn stuffy? Maybe it was the inside-joke part that she found off-putting.
But we did know quiche was the family’s stock-in-trade, so it wasn’t that much of a stretch to figure out the expression had something to do with the Arbor family’s food business. After all, that was why we were here.

Meet the Author

Author Mary Lee Ashford
Mary Lee Ashford is a lifelong bibliophile, and avid reader, and supporter of public libraries.

In addition to writing the Sugar and Spice series for Kensington Books, she also writes as half of the writing team of Sparkle Abbey, author of the national bestselling Pampered Pets mystery series from Bell Bridge Books.

Prior to publishing Mary Lee won first place in the Daphne du Maurier contest, sponsored by the Kiss of Death chapter of RWA, and was a finalist in Murder in the Grove’s mystery contest, as well as Killer Nashville’s Claymore Dagger contest.

She is the founding president of Sisters in Crime – Iowa and a past board member of the Mystery Writers of America Midwest chapter, as well as a member of Novelists, Inc., Romance Writers of America, Kiss of Death the RWA Mystery Suspense chapter, Sisters in Crime, and the SinC internet group Guppies. She loves encouraging other writers and is a frequent presenter for writers’ groups.

Mary Lee has a passionate interest in creativity and teaches a university-level course in Creative Management to MPA candidates, as well as presenting workshops and blogging about creativity.

She currently resides in the midwest with her husband, Tim, and cat, Zoey. Her delights are reading and enjoying her two sons and daughters-in-law, and six grandchildren.

For more on Mary Lee and her writing, you can connect with her on the following sites: 
Purchase Links - Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Kobo - Google Books - Apple Books 

Giveaway Items
Thanks so much for stopping by today. You can follow Mary Lee’s tour by stopping at the sites below and be sure to enter her giveaway. Have you ever created a cookbook or helped create one?

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
July 21 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST
July 21 – Baroness' Book Trove – REVIEW
July 22 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
July 22 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 23 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
July 23 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
July 24 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 25 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews - REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
July 26 – Christy's Cozy Corners – GUEST POST
July 26 – Gimme The Scoop Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 27 – The Book Decoder - REVIEW
July 27 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
July 28 – Mysteries with Character - AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 28 – Dee-Scoveries – SPOTLIGHT
July 29 – Here's How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT
July 30 – Ascroft, eh? - CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 30 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
August 1 - Literary Gold - CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 1 - Diane Reviews Books – GUEST POST
August 2 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
August 3 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW


Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?