Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Check Out Kim McMahill and her Latest Book


Beverley: Which genre or genres do you write or prefer to write? And why?
Kim: I write romantic suspense and action adventure novels. I’ve always read books and watched movies almost exclusively in this genre. I love the adventures in far-flung locations, fast-paced action, and of course all good stories need at least a touch of romance.
Beverley: Who influenced you the most in deciding to become a writer?
Kim: My high school creative writing teacher wrote on one of my papers that with a little more character development my story could be a novel. My first novel, The Lodge, was based on that paper. From there, I’ve worked hard to grow as a writer and I hope my progression is evident in my work.
Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?
Kim: I get a lot of inspiration from an exciting trip, whether domestic or abroad. Every time I travel, I see settings for a novel, situations to embellish, and physical and personality traits in strangers that I need to incorporate into a character.
Beverley: Do you have a favorite cartoon character? Why?
Kim: As a kid, I loved Scooby Doo. I guess I’ve always enjoyed an adventure or a bit of mystery.
Beverley: Who would you love most to meet 'in person' and why?
Kim: Actually, I recently had the opportunity to meet James Rollins at a discussion and book signing. He was interesting and entertaining. I’ve read every book he’s written under James Rollins and I aspire to write such captivating and suspenseful novels. He was definitely the top writer on my list to meet.
Beverley: If you had an unexpected free day what would you do with it?
Kim: Get a massage. Between my job and writing, I spend way too much time at a computer. Even though I have a standing desk that I use often, I still have a lot of aches and pains I would love to work on.
Beverley: What are you working on now?
Kim: A Foundation of Fear, book 3 in my Risky Research Series, was released May 17. There’s always a lot to do when a book comes out, which is an exciting time, but very time consuming.
Beverley: What’s next?
Kim: I’ve recently submitted, A Measure of Madness, book four in the Risky Research Series, to my publisher. I’m especially excited about this novel because my characters have found an excuse to head to South America, which takes me back to some of my early exotic action adventure novels. Book 5 is still in my head, but hopefully I’ll soon find the time to get it all on paper.

Blurb for A Foundation of Fear:
FBI Special Agent Devyn Nash is obsessed with taking down Coterie, a deadly group out to control the multi-billion-dollar diet product industry. The FBI’s plan to expose Coterie places Devyn’s best friend and her partner’s fiancĂ© in the crosshairs of this ruthless organization. Can Devyn protect her friend and bring the coldblooded killers to justice before they strike again while distracted by injury, a sexist bully, and a long-distance relationship with a handsome Wyoming sheriff?
Lobbyist and Coterie assassin Sofia Wilks wants nothing more than to regain control of her life. Sofia knows Agent Nash is nipping at her heels, but the FBI agent isn’t the worst of her fears. She is drawn to a man who has the power to destroy her.

Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PVL4391
Barnes and Noble Buy Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1131000069?ean=9781522398547
ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-foundation-of-fear/id1457767041

You can find more about Kim at:
Blog: http://www.kimmcmahill.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KimMcMahillAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimmcmahill/
Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kim-McMahill/e/B007IK0EJW/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kim-mcmahill

Monday, May 27, 2019

M.S. Spencer and her Latest Book.


Although she has lived or traveled in every continent except Antarctica and Australia (bucket list), M. S. Spencer has spent the last thirty years mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director and parent. Blessed with two fabulous grown children and an adorable grandchild, she has published ten romantic suspense/mystery novels. She now divides her time between the Florida Gulf coast and a tiny hamlet in Maine.

Thanks so much for having me today. I’d like to talk about my cozy mystery/romantic suspense, The Mason’s Mark: Love and Death in the Tower and let your readers in on a brand new excerpt.

Old Town Alexandria, founded 1749, is a thriving Colonial-era city, complete with cobblestones and Federal-style row houses. Laid out in a well-ordered grid, King Street runs in a straight line from the Potomac River to the George Washington National Masonic Memorial, where most of the action in The Mason’s Mark takes place. To its south lie Prince and Duke Streets and to the north Cameron, Queen, and then Princess. The mystery of how Cameron had come to insert itself between a King and his Queen is unclear.  

Alexandria is very much a southern city—with all the charm and dilatoriness of that wonderful region and a perfect venue for the intrepid duo Claire calls the Marples.  

Complicating the affairs of both our hero and heroine, but also of the villains, are two unlikely characters. Letitia Canfield, Claire’s mother, meets Andromeda Miller Bliss, Gideon’s mother, in Paris and they immediately hit it off. Being naturally inquisitive and terrible snobs, they take charge of both their victims’ love lives and the mystery. 


In both the best and worst first day at work ever, docent Claire Wilding meets the man of her dreams, but her carefully rehearsed guided tour of the George Washington National Masonic Memorial collapses when she discovers a body and
is drawn into a dark world of black ops and Italian renegade masons, of secret cabals and hidden treasure.

Also cloaked in mystery is handsome Gideon Bliss, a George Washington expert who haunts the Memorial, his manner evasive. What is his secret? Claire fears she'll fall in love with him only to learn he's a thief or even a murderer. Juggling two eccentric mothers, an inquisitive sister, and an increasingly smitten detective, Claire must find answers to a complex web of intrigue, including who to trust and who to love.

The Mason's Mark: Love and Death in the Tower (an Old Town Romance)

In this excerpt we find Letitia eating raspberries with her daughter (our heroine) Claire, and revealing the results of she and her friend Andromeda’s sleuthing.
Excerpt (G): Raspberries and Revelations
The small box of scarlet berries took up most of one shelf in the mini refrigerator. When Claire returned with a bowl and napkins, Letitia took up arms again. “Andy believes—and I agree—that if we keep up the pressure on Dorcas she’ll have to cave. What woman wants a mother-in-law who hounds her constantly?”
Claire took a raspberry and nibbled on it. The tart sweetness burst on her tongue. “What do you think she wants anyway?”
“Dorcas? I’m not sure. After all, her lover has apparently been in touch with her.”
Claire stared open-mouthed at her mother. “How did you know?”
Letitia’s half-smile would have put Mona Lisa out of sorts. “You are always staggered by my powers of observation, aren’t you, my dear? I know because I saw him.”
“That day we were in Vermilion?”
“Of course.” The old lady ate another berry. “Andy says he’s the man she left Gideon for.”
“Andy?”
“Andromeda. We’ve been indulging in a little sleuthing since our luncheon.”
Nuts. Just what we need—two Miss Marples on the case.
“They met in Argentina.”
“Argentina?”
“Dorcas comes from a distinguished and well-to-do Spanish family. They own a large ranch in the pampas a few hundred miles from Buenos Aires and breed racehorses. Andy says she spends several months a year there.”
The words of Lieutenant Angle came back to Claire. “Everyone assumed that the lodge dissolved after PerĂłn fell, but it didn’t. Scordato kept it going with help from a mysterious reserve of funds.” They’d theorized that Scordato had used the money from the sale of PerĂłn’s hands, but could those funds have come from Dorcas instead? Could she be mixed up with P2? Could her lover have drawn her into the gang? Or the other way around? White said the BSO had lost touch with their man Peel. She conjured up the exquisite, shatterproof face of Gideon’s wife. The face that launched a thousand ships. Yes, she could see Dorcas as the ring leader. Claire decided to pump her mother for as much information as possible.
“How did Mrs. Bliss know what Dorcas’ lover looked like?”
Letitia stopped with the raspberry halfway to her lips. “What? Oh, you seemed lost in reverie for a minute there—I do hope you weren’t daydreaming about Gideon.”
“No, Mother. You were saying?”
She popped the raspberry in her mouth and, with a reproving look, went on. “When Andromeda first arrived in Paris, she went to the embassy for help in locating her daughter-in-law. She says the ambassador was most kind and offered the services of his first secretary.”
Claire kept the facetious remark to herself. Her mother’s obvious gratification at the deferential treatment of her friend couldn’t have been more endearing.
Letitia continued, “As she was leaving the secretary’s office, she saw Dorcas in the hall. He was with her.”
Let’s just see how much our lady sleuths know. “Did she learn his name? His profession?”
“He goes by Simon Peel, but we think that’s an alias. He’s definitely too bland to be anything other than a spy. And anyway, Dorcas wouldn’t find him attractive otherwise.”
“He couldn’t be a reclusive billionaire?” Or a P2 confederate?
“Dorcas wouldn’t care about money. She’s extremely wealthy in her own right. No, according to Andy, she craves danger and sex, preferably in combination.”
“Er…are you talking about dominance? Sado-masochism?”
Letitia’s faded blue eyes opened wide, feigning shock. “My heavens, Claire. You certainly didn’t learn about such things from your parents!” She plucked the last raspberry from the bowl and swallowed it. “However, Andromeda confided to me that she suspected Dorcas’s…inclinations…lay along those lines. If our current theory is correct, a spy with latent violent tendencies would be just her cup of tea.” As if to underscore her point Letitia held out her glass. “Speaking of…”

 
TWRP: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=6805
ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/masons-mark-love-death-in/id1104823156?mt=11
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-masons-mark-m-s-spencer/1118052638?ean=2940157863760
AllRomanceEBooks (pre-order): https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-themason039smarkloveanddeathinthetower-2017038-149.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Masons-Mark-Love-Death-Tower-ebook/dp/B01DHAJXWK
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/the-masons-mark-love-and-death-in-the-tower-0
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-mason-s-mark-love-and-death-in-the-tower-2
Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-masons-mark-love-and/9781509207671-item.html
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/M_S_Spencer_The_Mason_s_Mark_Love_and_Death_in_the?id=qfsbDAAAQBAJ
Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Mason-s-Mark-Love-and-Death-in-the-Tower-eBook/942869047

Contacts for M. S. Spencer: 
Blog: https://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msspencerromance
Twitter: www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-s-spencer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msspencerauthor/
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/

Linked in: www.linkedin.com/in/msspencerauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msspencerauthor/
Author Pages:
My calendar of events can be found here: Romance Books 4 Us: http://romancebooks4us.com/Romance%20Author%20M.%20S.%20Spencer.html OR http://bit.ly/1d6ehz
Amazon Author Page:http://www.amazon.com/M.S.-Spencer/e/B002ZOEUC8/

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Judythe Morgan and her latest, Promises to Keep


Award-winning author Judythe Morgan was an Air Force daughter then an Army wife and a one time-Department of Army Civilian employee. She's seen a lot of the world.
An antiques dealer, teacher, former mayor's wife, and sometimes-church pianist, who recently added Sacred Harp singing to her resume, she's had some wild experiences.
Finnegan MacCool, an Old English sheepdog named after the legendary Irish character, and a Maltese named Buster are her constant companions. Together they’ve had some crazy adventures.

Beverley: Which genre or genres do you write or prefer to write? And why?
Judythe: I write what I call love stories because I slide between straight contemporary romance and women’s fiction with a more literary, than contemporary voice.
Beverley: Who influenced you the most in deciding to become a writer?
Judythe: Rather than a who my decision to become a writer grew from my love of reading and storytelling. Along the journey, I’ve been greatly influenced by teachers like Donald Maass, Margie Lawson, Mary Buckham, and so many other great writer/teachers.
Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?
Judythe: So many things churn my creative juices – hearing snippets of conversations, new stories, personal life experiences. Just about everything that happens gets stored in my writer’s mill and flows forward into my stories.
Beverley: Do you have a favorite cartoon character? Why?
Judythe: I love most cartoon characters. In fact, I buy a Sunday paper so I can read the Sunday funnies. I have always loved Peanuts cartoons and lately The Family Circus have made me laugh and smile.
Beverley: Who would you love most to meet 'in person' and why?
Judythe: I would love to spend some one-on-one time with Nora Roberts. For me, she’s the icon of romantic fiction.
Beverley: If you had an unexpected free day what would you do with it?
Judythe: I’d love to say I’d hike or climb mountains, something adventurous but, truth is, I’d probably sit on the porch swing and read.
Beverley: What are you working on now?
Judythe: I’m excited to be working on a romantic suspense.
Evie is a forty-something widow raising her grandson after his parents die in a car crash that wasn’t an accident. There’s a kidnapping, and an ex-cop hero, who’s a decade younger than she is.
Working title is Seeing Clearly. It’s fun and a challenge. Release date to be announced.

Blurb for PROMISES TO KEEP

David Sands lost his wife three years ago. Debra Hughes was his wife’s best friend and business partner. Debra and David have been friends for years. They both made promises to his wife before her death.
He promised to sell their condo and donate the proceeds to their foundation that support families of MIA and POW soldiers. Debra promised to look after David. They’ve comforted each other in their grief now as they work together to close out the wife’s estate, their bond grows into mutual attraction. Will keeping their promises open their eyes and hearts to a future together?

Promises to Keep is book four in the PROMISE series. All the books are standalone stories.

BUY LINKS for PROMISES TO KEEP:
Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K5Y4F79/
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/promises-to-keep-66
iBook Store:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1441214863
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/promises-to-keep-judythe-morgan/1129916388

Besides her fiction, Judythe writes a weekly blog with her urban farmer daughter. You can follow their adventures at www.judythewriter.com
You can also sign up for her free newsletter at www.judythemorgan.com to keep up with her latest news and receive subscriber-only sneak peaks.
And Friend her on Facebook and Goodreads and follow her on Twitter

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Check Out Seelie Kay and Her New Book - Cult



When not spinning her kinky tales, Ms. Kay ghostwrites nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. She resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she shares a home with her son and enjoys opera, gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine. Ms. Kay is an MS warrior and ruthlessly battles the disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS:  Never give up. You define MS, it does not define you! 
An Interview with Seelie Kay: 

Beverley:  Why do you write romance?
Seelie: Because I am fascinated by the games people play to find and secure a lasting relationship, which is not always love. There’s the chase, the courtship, the falling, the surrender. That’s what I try to capture in my stories.
Beverley:  Do you prefer a certain type of romantic hero?
Seelie: I adore smart, dashing gentlemen who aren’t afraid to live on the edge. They can be a bad boy, a billionaire, a prince, or a secret agent. That hint of danger just hooks me! However, I also love strong, independent women who aren’t afraid to fight for what they want, even love.
Beverley:  Why did you write “Cult?”
Seelie: For two reasons. First, I have done extensive research on a religious cult a family member was involved in many years ago. There is specific type of personality that succeeds as a cult leader. They offer something others aren’t finding in their real life or through mainstream religion. Their grip on others is daunting. In many instances, however, a cult leader is nothing more than a con man with a great sales pitch. I wanted to explore that. Second, when I was in college, I had friends who got involved in cults. They gave up all of their worldly goods and submitted blindly to one man. And once in, they couldn’t get out. Fortunately, some did finally escape, but they were forever changed.  
As I was doing my research, I realized that many cults treat their members as slaves, a form of human trafficking. Their free will has been taken away. Someone else does their thinking for them. As long as they submit and obey, they receive the basics—food and shelter. However, the consequences of nonconformance can be dire--physical abuse, incarceration, even death. It was not a story I could ignore.
Beverley:  How does your former profession as a lawyer impact your writing?
Seelie: My friends say I am obsessed with justice and I guess that’s true. After 30 years, the law and the legal world are so firmly embedded in my brain that I can’t flush them out. That has become the lens through which I view the world and that naturally guides my characters and plots. Injustice infuriates me, but it also leads me to great stories! 

Blurb for Cult:
It’s supposed to be a simple assignment. A quick trip to a South American country for an “in and out” fact-finding mission. Unfortunately, the cult has other ideas. 

When college students begin disappearing from American campuses, a notorious cult, God’s Delight, is the primary suspect. God’s Delight has been hosting shows featuring sex, drugs, and rock and roll around the country, and young people are flocking to them.  

Among the missing is the President’s goddaughter, and he wants answers. When he asks Agent Cade Matthews, a member of a secret covert organization, to find her, the mission appears fairly straightforward. Find the God’s Delight compound, determine whether a welfare check on American cult members is warranted, and get out. Simple. Clean. Easy.  

Cade sends newly-married Agents Dianna Murphy and Anders Mark to the University of Wisconsin to follow the trail to God’s Delight, but when they wind up in Bolivia, things go sideways. Suddenly, what appeared to be nothing more than a simple in-and-out could cost Dianna her life. When an Agency extraction is ordered, chaos erupts, and the question becomes, will anyone survive?
 
Excerpt from Cult:
“But everyone can leave when they want, right?”
Tillie cocked her eyebrow, clearly amused. “Of course. But why would they? This is paradise.”
“It is indeed, darling Miranda,” drawled a deep sultry voice. A tall, well-built man dressed in a white cossack, a thick wooden cross draped around his neck, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. His loose, long blonde hair framed a tan, handsome face with a strong nose and a wicked, full-lipped grin. He turned his piercing blue eyes toward Dianna and smiled. “Hello,” he said.
The man studied her, his expression predatory.
Dianna shifted uncomfortably. So, Tillie is using another name. Meaning she’s undercover. Noted. Dianna stuck out her hand and said. “Hi, I’m Bennie. I’m one of the students from Wisconsin working over at the orphanage. You were kind enough to allow us to stay here.”
The man took her hand and stroked it, his expression suddenly thoughtful. “Tell me, Bennie from Wisconsin, what do you think of my paradise?” His hand moved to her lower arm.
Dianna flushed. My paradise? Is this Reverend John? “It’s beautiful. Peaceful. But hot. And humid. Really humid.” She gazed up into the man’s eyes, somewhat stunned at the lust she found there. My God, he looks like he wants to devour me. Dianna quickly looked away.
The man chuckled. “You get used to it. But we keep the air-conditioning on in the dormitories for the newbies and limit their time in the sun. And of course, we all take a siesta during the hottest part of the day if we need one.” He released her arm. “We worship at day’s end when the air begins to cool. Otherwise, things get a little…sweaty.” He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, gently tugging her hair. Then he walked away. Dianna’s gaze did not leave him as children followed him, playfully competing for his attention. Just like Jesus.

Buy links for Cult:
Publisher:http://www.extasybooks.com/978-1-4874-2538-8-cult/

Coming soon:
Hope (Part Four, Feisty Lawyers): TBD 

You can find Seelie at: