Reviewers and Influencers......

If you're into reviewing and influencing, my current release, Rich In Love, is available through Net Galley.



I joined Net Galley a while back. It's a great way to read and review books.

New Cover--Amazingly Beautiful



Here is the cover for my upcoming release, Rich In Love.




CLP Blog Tour-Larissa Reinhart-Still Life In Brunswick Stew

Happy Monday!
 
I'm thrilled to be a part of Larissa's blog tour for her Cherry Tucker novel Still Life in Brunswick Stew.
Artist Cherry Tucker finds herself embroiled in all kinds of southern chaos as she juggles her work, her family, her friends, two men, and unsavory characters of the craziest kind.
Small town Georgia has never seen such drama.
Cherry is a fun, loving, caring woman who finds herself in all the wrong places, at the right times of her own free will. (Most of the time.)
I enjoyed Cherry's adventures, her take on certain folks, and the fact that she's dating a hunky police guy.
Or is she?
So many aspects of this book are fun, flirty, mysterious and laugh out loud. Larissa knows southern towns and characters and they come to life in Cherry's latest adventure.
 
 
 
Excerpt from Still Life in Brunswick Stew
 
 
I sped past the inflatable jumping games, wandered through the craft section, and halted at my partially dismantled booth. With sweat darkening his golden blonde hair, Todd leaned over the PVC pipe frame, yanking on two pieces fitted together. A pair of slot machine cherries tattooed one calf. Sweat glistened on his shirtless back as he tugged on a pipe.
“Todd,” I called. “Thank you for taking down the stand. I know it’s a pain.”
He stood up slowly, giving me an ample view of the lean physique and tight muscles that came from lifting weights and hauling boxes. Unlike Eloise’s boyfriend, Griffin, muscles suited his long body and weren’t propagated by supplements. He turned, rubbing his brow with the back of his hand.
My breath caught as he offered me a view of his upraised bicep and the hard swells and angles of his chest and belly. A vision for a Rafael-styled fresco on my bedroom wall with Todd as the subject danced in my mind before I caught myself. Damn this weakness for beautiful men, I thought. Eloise knew me too well.
I shuffled back a step and shoved my hands in the pockets of my shorts.
“No problem,” he smiled, offering two long dimples on each cheek. “I put it on my honey-do list.”
I edged back another step. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for you to call a favor for a friend a honey-do list.”
“I’m just joshing you.” He winked again and ambled closer, closing the distance between us. “We’re not married anymore. You sent me the papers.”
“You shouldn’t joke about it. Signing the annulment papers took longer than our Vegas wedding. That’s sad, not funny.”
“I wish I knew what happened to that ring. It sure was pretty. I looked for it in Caesar’s Palace. The security guards sure got ticked. You know, even if you take your shoes off, they don’t like people wading in that fountain.”
I rolled my eyes. “Never mind. I’ll help you load the stuff in the Civic.”
We worked together unscrewing the pipes and yanking them apart. Todd had nestled Eloise’s Raku pots in scraps of fabric and Styrofoam sheets within large boxes. I hoisted the last box in the hatchback of Todd’s Civic, keeping far from his pheromone-laden sweat.
Since Todd had already packed most everything else away in boxes, I poked my head out the back of his car to make a comment on his diligence but didn’t see him anywhere. The aroma of barbecue and Brunswick Stew floated past the truck in a sudden gust of wind, and a sound like a chainsaw cutting through a block of cement startled me. I clamped a hand over my stomach and felt the sharp knock of hunger. My middle reverberated with another deafening growl.
“Cherry.” Todd popped around the side of the booth next door, startling me. “I could hear you three doors down. You’re hungry. Let’s get something to eat. That pulled pork smells incredible.”
“I’m not hungry.” The chainsaw in my stomach revved again.
Todd’s eyebrows drew together. “If that’s not your stomach, what is that sound?”
“I can’t eat festival food, Todd. A bunch of people took sick. Eloise died.”
“She died?”
I nodded, biting my lip.
Without hesitation, Todd stepped forward, wrapped an arm around me, and pulled me against his slick skin. “I’m so sorry, baby. I didn’t know. When you said they were taking her to the hospital, I thought she got heat stroke. Figured you two were sitting in the sun. It was hotter than two cats fighting in a wool sock today.”
“We were under the tent.” I pressed my hands against his stomach to shove myself away, but the bumpy ridges of his abs felt so pleasant under my fingers, I let them rest. My head dropped against his chest, and Todd stroked my hair.
“You’ve been through a lot today. How did she die?”
“It looked like she was having a fit. I guess it had something to do with her disease. Her daddy wants an autopsy.” I sucked the inside of my cheek to prevent tears from welling in my eyes again.
“That’s strange.” Todd kissed the top of my head and nestled me tighter. “Poor Eloise. I didn’t think she had anything life threatening.”
“I know. Food poisoning doesn’t usually kill people. It doesn’t sit right with me or with her family. They don’t trust the authorities. They want me to look into it.”
“Of course they want you to look into it. You like to stand up for people like the Parkers. You got a talent for telling the big folks how the cow eats the cabbage.”
A trickle of sweat dripped off his chest and smeared my face. I rubbed the wetness from my cheeks and pulled my head away. Looking up, I saw Todd’s eyes darken. A familiar feeling washed over me. A feeling I once had in Vegas. Just before Todd snookered me into marrying him for a couple of hours.
Hindsight has taught me it’s wiser, as well as cheaper, to avoid those particular feelings.
 
 
 
Larissa Reinhart loves small town characters, particularly sassy women with a penchant for trouble. STILL LIFE IN BRUNSWICK STEW (May 2013) is the second in the Cherry Tucker Mystery Series. The first, PORTRAIT OF A DEAD GUY, is a 2012 Daphne du Maurier finalist, a 2012 The Emily finalist, and a 2011 Dixie Kane Memorial winner. She lives near Atlanta with her minions and Cairn Terrier, Biscuit. Visit her website, her facebook page, or find her chatting with the Little Read Hens on Facebook.

Larissa's other contact info:



Tour Giveaway!

**Everyone who leaves a comment on the Tour Page Click Here  will be entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Still Life in Brunswick Stew before June 10 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.**
 

Happy Memorial Day




HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!

I'm going to work, but only because I have Friday off.

Enjoy your picnic, pool time, family time......and don't forget those who have served, continue to serve and the families of those who have defended our country.

Rich In Love and Other New Releases


Squee!!  My book,  Rich In Love, will be out soon.

Very soon!

Here's the verse I used for the book and a blurb.



John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

When Ann Thomas is summoned to Florida for the reading of the will of the father she never knew, her life is forever changed. She learns she has a half-sister, she has the chance to inherit millions, and her name is really Angelina. Brett Hamilton, CPA, is assigned to help Ann spend a lot of money in a short period of time. As soon as his ‘assignment’ with her is over, he’s headed to Peru to be a missionary, something he’s felt called to do his whole life. Ann still lives with the pain of having a mother who chose world missions over her. Can Ann risk giving her love to someone who might give it back, or should she ignore her growing feelings towards Brett to keep her heart safe?

So, my gal Ann, has to spend a lot of money in a short period of time--and she has to spend it on herself. Sounds like fun! Especially if you are a shoe lover. Add in a cute accountant, half-sister, teenage couple and a prom, and you have Ann's new life. Is she loving it?

This book was so much fun to write.

And I love to celebrate book releases-- mine and others.

Rachel Van Dyken released Shatter. Book 3 in her Seaside Novel Series. Check it out!



My friend and awesome author Meg Moseley just released Gone South.



Two great books to start your summer reading.

Winners of the Rachel Blog Hop

Whoo--I love announcing winners--especially winners of books. :)

Janice and Shadow--you are the two winners of a copy of one of Rachel's newest releases, The Bet or Elite. Let me know which one you want, and I'll get the Kindle copy to you right away.

Thanks for visiting my blog and reading Rachel's books. Her Seaside books are great, too.

The Rachel Van Dyken Got The Contract Blog Hop

Well, here it is. A blog hop. And one of the very good kind.

Celebrating a contract!

Way to go Rachel!

And I admit I'm such a Rachel fan. I've read her historicals, and recently featured her on a Did I Notice Your Book Blog Hop.

Her covers are beautiful, her stories are amazing, and I'm glad New York saw all these amazing things as well.

Here is her cover I featured on the DINYB Blog Hop.

(If you are reading this text, blogger is being a bear and wouldn't let me add the photo. Will do so as soon as blogger straightens up. :)   )

Meanwhile, Rachel said to mention our books as well, so here is a blurb of my upcoming release, Rich In Love:

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

When Ann Thomas is summoned to Florida for the reading of the will of the father she never knew, her life is forever changed. She learns she has a half-sister, she has the chance to inherit millions, and her name is really Angelina. Brett Hamilton, CPA, is assigned to help Ann spend a lot of money in a short period of time. As soon as his ‘assignment’ with her is over, he’s headed to Peru to be a missionary, something he’s felt called to do his whole life. Ann still lives with the pain of having a mother who chose world missions over her. Can Ann risk giving her love to someone who might give it back, or should she ignore her growing feelings towards Brett to keep her heart safe?


Now, time for the contest!! I'm giving away 1 copy each of Elite and The Bet--Kindle version. Just comment between now through midnight May 19th. I'll post the winners on the 20th.

Go Rachel!! We're all celebrating with you.

Here's how you get back to the links!! 




End It Movement!


Click Here At End It Movement to read what we can do to end slavery. There are more slaves in the world today than at any time in history. Trafficking, labor camps, it happens everywhere. Yes, even in your area!

Today is the day the world becomes aware of what is going on and commits to taking a stand to stop this injustice.



Put a red X on your hand, on your shirt, on your car---help spread the awareness and join the fight to free the 27 million people held in slavery today!

Summer's Song--Amazon sale 1.99






Summer's Song is on sale for $1.99--Tell your friends!!


Inspired by the David Crowder song Trying To Make You Sing, Summer's Song is about believing truth, living truth, and unconditional love.


Coffee and Conversation--Tomorrow!!



Tomorrow, in Marietta, Georgia, 4 authors are hanging out at The Daily Grind at 4 o'clock.. We'll be reading excerpts from our books and giving away prizes. And we have food! Yes we do. If you are in the area, come and join us.

Us, being Hildie McQueen, Ciara Knight, Susan Carlisle, and me.

Hope to see you there.

Question:  If you were hanging out at a coffee shop and 4 authors descended on your territory, would you join in or would you leave? #justcurious

Escapement Release Week--Day 2-Ciara Knight

Weighted--Free!!!






Ciara Knight is bursting on the scene this week with the debut of her new series, The Neumarian Chronicles!

Right now you can download the prequel, Weighted, for free! Yes--free!


First, let's talk covers. How amazing is this? If this doesn't draw you in, I don't know what would. And once inside the pages, you won't be disappointed.

Excerpt:



Subject: Raeth Arteres
Date: March 8, 2185
Species: Neumarian 
Status: Captured

Tick-tock…tick-tock…I clutch the sides of the steel bed in my cell and push up on my elbows. The clock, with its bronze rim, hangs high on the wall, taunting me. The long black arm of the second hand struggles up the side of the enormous disc, ticking away the last few moments of my life.
Tap…tap. Footsteps, two by two, march to the cell door. Sucking in a long breath, I embrace the rhythmic sounds of the airship, with the occasional interruption of an engine sputtering.
Tap…thump.
The Queen’s unmistakable gait interrupts my dream-like state. It matches the sounds of the ship, as if she is an extension of the heap of metal propelling us across the desert wasteland.
“Open the door.” Her voice echoes down the narrow hall.
Tick…
The hand struggles to reach the twelve. If it doesn’t make it, maybe the door won’t open. It teeters and shakes, then slides straight up in unison with the door.
Tock.
“Be quick, before the parasite uses her curse on us.” Her raspy, artificial voice sends a quiver to my core.
A guard races in with a handheld device and points it at my neck. I’ve been collared like a dog. I clutch the slick metal ring around my neck, pulling it from my skin, but current zaps through my shoulders and my arm juts out to my side, shaking. Searing pain runs along my veins.
After all these years of my brother hiding me, it was inevitable I’d get caught.
Darkness swirls deep inside, brewing a storm. I can’t remember what it will do if I release it. Is it a gift, as my brother told me, or a curse, as the Queen believes? All I know is that if I unleash it, the Queen will have what she wants, so I push it down deep, keeping it hidden from her.
A man in a grey coat approaches with a syringe in his shaking hand. His left eye has been replaced by a bronze implant that clicks as it grows wide. I concentrate on remaining calm. “I-I see you s-still need me.” It is a struggle to speak against the rising will of the gift trapped inside me.
“Need you? I only need your wretched, cursed body. We must ensure your kind never threatens the world again. When I’m finished, you will serve me, and only me.”
Acid boils up in my throat but I force it down. The beast caged inside me longs for release.
“Make her cease that ridiculous tapping,” the Queen orders.
The guard grabs my hand and pulls me down on the bed. I hadn’t noticed my fingers rapping against the metal. My body sometimes has a mind of its own. A way of keeping me focused when my brain no longer can.
Princess Semara edges into the room. “Mother, must we—”
“Silence!” The queen whirls on her. “Do you question me, Semara?”
“No, Mother. I only wish to discover the truth about the Neumarians. It will help us in our fight to—”
“The truth? The truth is they are parasites that suck the life out of people, and no one on Earth is safe as long as they live.”
The long needle penetrates my arm and icy liquid shoots up my veins. The room spins. Focus. I must concentrate if I am to keep my secret.
“Take her to the Alteration Room.” The Queen smirks, her flaming-red hair dancing above her head and her mechanical eye widening to a pool of pleasure.
“N-no. I w-won’t—”
The Queen’s skirt billows with her movements. A cold metal hand brushes my cheek, sending a tremor down my arms to my fingers. “Tell us what we want to know, and you will be returned to your people unharmed.”
Princess Semara dances from foot to foot. Yards of red and black material sway with each step. Her eyes plead with me to tell what I should know, but can’t remember.
Or maybe I do, but am not allowing myself to.
“I know n-nothing.”
The edge of the Queen’s knuckles catches my cheek. A trickle runs down my face, the odor of my blood matching the smell of the ship.
“Take her.” The Queen stalks to her daughter. “And no lasers. Do it the old-fashioned way. No anesthetic.”
Tears well up in Princess Semara’s eyes, but she blinks them back.
“Take my daughter with you as a witness,” the Queen says to the man with the needle. “You’ll serve your Queen Mother, won’t you, darling?”
“Yes, Mother,” Princess Semara whispers. Her pale arms wrap around her black corset as if to hug her fear inside.
My stomach flops and the dark swirl inside me means to escape. I rock back and forth, trying to subdue it. “N-no, p-please. You must not—”
Thump…tap.
The Queen’s metal leg beats against the floor with every other step. Soon, I will be the same.
“Please, don’t l-let her,” I plead.
The Princess remains still, the corners of her lips arched down, marking her smooth face.
“Bring the gurney,” the grey coat yells out the door.
Squeak…squeak.
The screech of the wheels makes the hair on my arms stand at attention. Will my robotic leg mimic the high-pitched noise each time I take a step? Does it matter? Even if I escape the ship, my people will see me as a Slag now. Never again will they look at me as one of them.
Arms snake beneath me. My body lifts and lands on a coarse, white-sheeted surface. The gurney under me bounces.
“Raeth, please, you must tell my mother what your people are plotting.”
“They plan n-nothing.”
The grey coat pushes me down the hall. “Lies, that is all they do, tell lies and torment our people. They should all be exterminated.” His face hangs over mine with a derisive smile. Glaring lights fly past overhead until we turn into a room.
Doors swish, sealing shut behind us. Massive silver devices hang from the ceiling and walls. This is the Alteration Room, with all the tools of torture pointing in every direction. Why do they alter themselves, shove techno-implants into their bodies? Terror ripples through every muscle and my hand taps in a soothing rhythm.
They lift me from the gurney and strap me down to a cold, solid surface. Silver bands snap around my wrists, ankles, and head. Salty tears flow down my face and over my lips. Princess Semara wipes them away.
“Why do you fuss over her? You are a princess. If your mother saw you—”
“I only clean off what could interfere with the lasers.”
“You heard your mother. There will be no lasers.” The grey coat spins on his heels and stalks behind a wall. “Besides, I’m taking her leg, not her eyes.” A deep chuckle echoes in the room. “Not this time, anyway.”
My heart races so fast I wonder if one of the machines is pulling it from my body. I try to lift my wrists to clutch my chest, but my hands remain bound by my sides.
“There isn’t much time.” Princess Semara holds up another syringe. “This will keep you from suffering while he—he—”
“Removes my l-leg?”
“Yes.” Semara wipes a tear from her own face. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to see you suffer. Why won’t your people let us live in peace? Why do you want to harm us?” Her voice shakes and her lower lip trembles. Does she not believe her own words?
The deep revving of an engine brings the blackness close to the surface. I clutch my fists and scrunch my eyes shut, trying to free my mind from the squealing sound I know to be a saw.
My body shakes and rattles the metal binds.
The pinch of a needle causes my eyes to shoot open.
Princess Semara stumbles back from the table.
My insides feel gushy and my head floats despite the restraint.
I taste something sour and click my tongue. The saw quiets for a moment and the grey coat stands over me.
He grins, revealing crooked teeth. “Last chance to tell us of the plans to overthrow the Queen.”
My eyelids grow heavy. He slams his fist down on a large orange button, and the blades rotate at a rapid speed.
He lowers the saw and I hear screams. My screams.
Then darkness.



Escapement--Release!!

Escapement is told by Princess Semara. Don’t hold the fact Semara is a princess against her like I did, there is more to her than you can possibly imagine.


Here is a brief explanation of her telling of our uprising:

Ten years after the great war of 2185 the queen’s reign is threatened by uprisings and fear. In celebration of my sixteenth birthday it is my duty as princess to sacrifice a slave to be initiated into the ruling council, solidifying my mother’s empire. When my own erratic powers surface I’m captured and tried for treason. Slaves hate me, my mother wants me executed, and my only chance of survival rests in the hands of a young man, Ryder Arteres, whose sister I sentenced to death.

What people are saying about Escapement:

“A heady mix of action adventure and steampunk -- leavened with a dash of romance -- ESCAPEMENT offers up its fair share of thrills, horrors and heart-pounding moments. A strong start to a captivating new series.”



-- Jana Oliver, author of The Demon Trapper's Daughter



“A riveting tale of justice, mercy, honor and love. Take a deep breath and hold on, because you'll be turning the pages of Escapement quickly. Three unlikely comrades, Princess Semara, Ryder, and his sister Raeth, embark on a journey that will alter their lives forever. The beautiful love story nestled into these action-packed scenes will make you sigh and remember why you love to love. After reading the prequel Weighted, I knew this story would be amazing, and it was. Ciara Knight truly has a gift for creating awesome worlds and characters you won't forget.”



--Lindi Peterson--Award winning author of Summer's Song.



“Betrayal, secrets, and a rebellion send readers on a grand adventure, caught in the plight to discover Semara’s gifts and purpose.”



--Alex J Cavanaugh, author of Amazon best sellers CassaStar and CassaFire



“The most unmissable series ever! I couldn't stop reading, the action and romance too breathtaking to break the spell!”

--ARC review by Sudah on Goodreads

"A courageous heart-stopping journey by young people to save their kind."

--Hildie McQueen, bestselling author of Where the Four Winds Collide

If you’d like to see a peak into our world, please view this short clip on You Tube.

If you are now ready to join our fight, please add Escapement to your TBR shelf on Goodreads here!!

Be Bold.

Be Brave.

Be Free.

In the name of the rebellion,

Ryder Arteres



Rafflecopter giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Escapement can be found at Amazon.


Crazy Dream

Confession--I can't sing! At all. My kids used to say 'turn up the radio' when I was singing in the car. I even had a boyfriend turn that knob up. (yes, this was a while back--now we push the volume up with buttons.)

Okay, so now that we've established that fact, I had a dream that I was going to sing at my church. Passion City church, which has the #1 worship leaders in the country as worship leaders.

Seriously.

So, in my dream, which has so many more aspects that we won't even get into here right now, I was surprised that they asked me to sing, (really?) and I was told I was going to sing by Kim Walker, the amazing and talented gal from Jesus Culture.

                                                     my granddaughter singing!


So, I wound my way to the special access singer section and had just met the pastor, when the band came filing backstage saying they were done. The band had been told by somebody that there was a change of plans.

I was devastated, disappointed and let down.

But the Lord knew what He was doing. Even in my dreams He couldn't subject anyone to my crazy voice.

I know this dream had NOTHING to do with the fact that I watched American Idol right before I went to sleep.

Nothing.

Any crazy dreams you'd like to share?

Summer's Song--Free!!

Click here!!!
Get your free Kindle copy today!! Thanks. :)

Just Another Crowder Post

My very favorite Christian musician  is David Crowder.

I recently had the opportunity to hear him at the Passion 2013 conference. He's taken a bluegrass turn, much like a lot of the music on the David Crowder Band's last Cd-Give Us Rest, and it works perfectly for him. I think it's just in the natural rhythm of who he is. He had amazing musicians accompanying him. All in all a great sound.

 Does is surprise anyone who knows me that I give Crowder a thumbs up?

Finding My Niche

For a gal who changed the whole look of her blog and posted a title that says "There's So Much More," said gal hasn't said much of anything at all in over two weeks.

I've come to the conclusion that when blogging, you have to come 'into' your blog. You have to find your little 'niche' so to say, and figure out what it is that you would have to say to the world. I've come across some bloggers who are very intentional in their blogging. At least that's how I see them.

Ciara Knight

Alex Cavanaugh

Kristin Billerbeck

Seekerville

What I mean by intentional, is this. When I go to these blogs, I know what I"m going to get. Not that they say the 'same thing' all the time. No. But these bloggers, in my opinion, have found their 'niche.'

These are some of my favorite blogs to visit. They make me smile, they make me laugh, they give my great recaps, (Kristin--the Bachelor and such--LOVE!), they give me information. I could go on, but I think you get what I'm saying.

So, hang with me for a couple of months as I settle into my 'niche' of the blogging world.  I wanna find one, truly I do!


New Book Now Available-Their Surprise Second Chance!

 Look!  Their Surprise Second Chance  is available for pre-order! This is my first novel with Love Inspired and I'm so excited! After he...