Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ What's Past Is Prologue by Anna Galvia

What's Past Is Prologue

Author: Ann Galvia

Tour Dates: August 1 – August 13, 2018

Elizabeth Darcy has her eye on the future.

Before her marriage, she saw herself making the best possible choice. Her husband saved her family from ruin. All he asked in return was her hand. Secure in his good opinion, Elizabeth married him. Only with hindsight and his cryptic warnings that passion is not immutable does Elizabeth question her decision. Her solution? Give him a son as soon as possible. Once his lust for her has been slaked, this service she has rendered him will ensure her value.

The newlyweds are summoned to Rosings Park almost the moment they are married. Though the estate can boast of beautiful grounds, Elizabeth and Darcy arrive to find devastation. A flood has swept away Lady Catherine’s last hopes of hiding debt and years of mismanagement. She expects Darcy to shoulder the recovery efforts.

The effort to save Rosings strains the already tense relationship between Elizabeth and her husband. To make matters worse, her presence is met with disdain and disinterest from the family. As the days in the besieged estate drag on, Elizabeth slowly untangles the histories and secrets of her new relations.

Like Elizabeth’s marriage, the crisis at Rosings is the culmination of past events. Disaster need not be the result of only bad choices; good principles have led them astray as well. As for Elizabeth, she barely knows her husband, and loving him might be impossible. Yet, she is determined to save all that she can—her marriage and the estate—and somehow, create the future she longs for.

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Author Interview

Hi and welcome Ann to my little corner of the web and taking part in this little interview with me.

Inquiring minds are dying to know, which book inspired you to begin writing?

Today? “Pride and Prejudice.”

In general? Chronologically, my memories of writing come before my memories of favorite books. It’s just a thing I’ve always done.

How did you discover Jane Austen?

When I was in college, I met a girl who read “Pride and Prejudice” her senior year of high school. She embarked on a campaign to relentlessly badger me into reading it. At the time, I was studying cultural anthropology and dismissed her on the basis of ~I’m not interested in romance novels. I only like social commentary.~ (Obviously, I did not know the first thing about Jane Austen, and she who did was, shall we say, undeterred. And also, the devaluation of female-oriented genres is a whole other issue to unpack that we won’t get to today.) This went on for….a while. Had you asked me at the time, I would have told you she had been bugging me since she was 12, despite the fact that we did not know each other then and she hadn’t read it until high school. I would not have even been kidding. It honestly felt like it had been going on forever.

And then came the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. If you are not familiar with LBD, it is a YouTube show that ran in 2012-13. Consisting of 100 regular episodes of roughly 5 minutes a piece, 10 Q&A episodes and 3 epilogue episodes that came out a year later, it’s a modern adaptation of P&P that casts Lizzie Bennet as a graduate student studying mass communications. As part of her thesis project, she creates a video diary that she mostly uses to rag on her family, wax poetic about Jane and Bing Lee and rant about this Darcy dude that she hates. My friend now had a new way to bombard me with “Pride and Prejudice” and started linking me to episodes. After the third or fourth time she sent me episode 60--the first proposal, known as Darcy Day to LBD fans since it’s the first time Darcy appears on screen--I finally relented and watched the whole series.

Needless to say, I was a fan. I immediately ran out to get the original book and have never looked back.

And my friend was just like, Yes, I knew you would like it. That is why I kept telling you to read it!

What led you to creating the storyline for “What's Past is Prologue”?

Not long after my first read through of P&P,  I was teaching a nonfiction reading unit to my fifth graders. (As an anthropologist, I wanted to teach people about the world. Figured the best way to do that was be a teacher.) It was during the primary documents portion of the unit that I first learned of the Year Without a Summer. My mind immediately jumped to Year Without a Summer P&P fanfic. Specifically, a married Darcy and Elizabeth journey to Rosings Park to help Lady Catherine sort out the impact the weather is having on her estate. As the years passed, the storyline got incrementally tweaked over and over again. Eventually, the Year Without a Summer wasn’t even part of it anymore!

This story’s setting is Rosings Park, home of Catherine de Bourgh. What led you to make this decision and what challenges did you face writing this story in this setting?

The center of the concept was always the relationship between Elizabeth Darcy and Lady Catherine. There was never a moment where it didn’t take place at Rosings Park. Two major challenges shaped the direction of the story:

It began as a Year Without a Summer story. That meant Darcy and Elizabeth had been married for a few years. For Lady Catherine and the Darcys to still be in conflict was silly. Jane Austen didn’t let us know how long Lady Catherine and Darcy stayed mad at each other, but we do know Elizabeth cajoled him into letting go of his resentment and the family came back together. I felt like the degree of conflict between Lady Catherine and the Darcys did not suit the amount of time that had passed. So, the timeline got moved earlier. No longer was it a Year Without a Summer story. The Darcys were newlyweds.

The second challenge was just how hard it was to work Darcy himself into the plot. In my earliest drafts, Darcy and Elizabeth were happily married and they had nothing to talk about. Their relationship did not drive the story. In fact, it was essentially absent. I spent a lot of mental energy trying to find ways to shoehorn Darcy in to Elizabeth’s day to day life without much success.

And then I put them in conflict with each other. And that’s when the story blossomed. Suddenly, they had a dynamic. There were stakes. In addition to the strife, they have all these moments of playfulness, of honestly, of passion, of serious conversations about the situation at Rosings Park that easily could have been in the original HEA scenario but simply weren’t.

With this change, Darcy became the engine for Elizabeth’s journey. She begins the story without a clear view of what a successful  marriage ought to be. She’s the product of an unhappy union. Her lack of dowry and the price of rescuing Lydia have made her a financial burden on her husband. How long is that burden going to seem worthwhile to him? Once the story stopped being about Lady Catherine and started being about Elizabeth dealing with the baggage she didn’t know she had, and growing up and growing towards Darcy as her partner, the story opened up.

What's the strangest thing you've ever had to research online for your book?

I feel like most of the things I research are pretty mundane, though sometimes the results are unexpected. For “What’s Past is Prologue,” I read agricultural surveys of Hertfordshire, Kent and Derbyshire. I wanted to know what was grown in these counties, when it was planted, when it was harvested and what was done with the harvest.

The people of Hertfordshire were very opinionated about the best way to grow wheat. The man carrying out the survey seemed initially caught off guard by how passionate the people were about the Right Way to Grow Wheat, but he played into it and began asking every farm he interviewed about their Wheat Opinions. It’s sort of a funny undercurrent throughout the entire thing. Derbyshire, on the other hand, had a reputation for being terrible for growing wheat. Some people believed wheat couldn’t grow in Derbyshire at all! It could, it just wasn’t their big money maker. But when you look at their methods, they were also doing the exact opposite of what the Opinionated Hertfordshire Wheat Farmers would tell you to do, so...

What do your plans for future projects include?

Celestial cats.

What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

I think the best thing you can do is to just do it and keep on doing it. Writing is a skill that you have to build through practice.

Speed Round:

Tea or coffee?
Coffee for everyday, tea when I have the time to sit down and enjoy it.

Morning Person or Night Owl?
Night owl by nature, morning person when required.

Cats or Dogs?
Cats. Entirely too many cats.

Movies or TV?
I have not seen a single film in 2018 thus far, so I guess TV is winning by default.

What ​came first, ​the chicken or​ the​ ​egg?
The chicken, alphabetically, ordinally, and sexually.

Thank you Ann for being here today. I loved getting to know more about you and What's Past Is Prologue and I look forward to seeing what you'll bring us next.

About The Author

Ann started writing sometime before she knew how letters functioned. Her first books were drawings of circus poodles heavily annotated with scribbles meant to tell a story. Upon learning how letters were combined to represent words, she started doing that instead. This has proven to be much more successful.

Sometime after that, she decided she wanted to study Anthropology and sometime after that, she decided she liked cats more than dogs. And sometime after that, she decided to become an educator and teach a new generation of kids how to combine letters to represent words, and use those words express ideas.

And sometime after that, she realized all she really wanted to do was write, which probably should have been evident from the beginning.

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Giveaway

Readers may enter the drawing by tweeting once a day and daily commenting on a blog post or a review that has a giveaway attached for the tour. Entrants must provide the name of the blog where they commented. If an entrant does not do so, that entry will be disqualified.

One winner will be selected per contest. Each winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter and the giveaway is international.

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Blog Tour Schedule

August 1 / Savvy Verse & Wit / Guest Post & Giveaway

August 2 / Of Pens & Pages / Book Review & Giveaway

August 3 / Babblings of a Bookworm / Book Review & Giveaway

August 4 / Just Jane 1813 / Book Excerpt & Giveaway

August 5 / Liz’s Reading Life / Author Interview & Giveaway

August 6 / From Pemberley to Milton / Book Review & Giveaway

August 7 / More Agreeably Engaged / Guest Post & Giveaway

August 8 / Austenesque Reviews / Book Excerpt & Giveaway

August 9 / Diary of an Eccentric / Book Review & Giveaway

August 10 / My Vices and Weaknesses / Book Review & Giveaway

August 11 / Margie’s Must Reads / Book Review & Giveaway

August 12 / My Love for Jane Austen / Book Excerpt & Giveaway

August 13 / So Little Time… / Guest Post & Giveaway

Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Weapons of Redemption By Saloni Quinby

Weapons of Redemption

By Saloni Quinby

Saloni is offering a $15 Amazon GC to one lucky winner during the tour. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may enter every day for a chance to win so be sure to follow along with the blog tour. You may find the locations for the rest of the tour here.

About Weapons of Redemption

Five men, enslaved by a vampire pirate and forced to do his bidding, rebelled against their master and earned the wrath of a monster. Now, while plotting to destroy the man who, centuries later, still thinks he owns them, they use their powers to protect other victims.

Whips and Chains: In a seedy underworld of sex and violence, a serial killer is stalking men and Guy is called upon to find the murderer. Ryan, a professional Dom known as the Beast Tamer, specializes in meting out pleasure and pain to oversized men. Is the sexy young man with a mysterious past the next victim — or the killer?

Sword and Shield: Rule coped with his abduction by the vampire pirate Tarun by cutting off his emotions. After centuries of self-control through punishment, he found a man who finally reached his heart. Now it’s up to Rule to save his former lover, but once he sees Joel again, will Rule be able to resist him?

Cloak and Dagger: When police detective Bryce Tarunson arrests a man who looks just like his lover from two thousand years ago, he’s pulled closer to the vampiric master he hates. The bond between Bryce and Shane forces them into a battle that might end in the destruction of the Weapons of Redemption.

Marksmen: Ansley and Brayden were stolen as boys by the hated vampire pirate, Tarun, to work aboard his ship. As men, their friendship blossomed into a deep, undeniable love. In the final battle between the vampire pirate and the Weapons of Redemption, Ansley and Brayden’s love for each other will either save or destroy them.

Fangs and Floggers: To lure his rebellious blood children back into the fold, ancient vampire Tarun abducted the hunter Adrian. He hadn’t bargained on his human prisoner being a match for him in every way — including his darkest desires. Though Tarun warns Adrian he won’t like what he hears, the hunter is determined to uncover the secrets of the vampire’s twisted past.

Publisher’s Note: Weapons of Redemption includes the previously published novellas Whips and Chains, Sword and Shield, Cloak and Dagger, Marksmen, and Fangs and Floggers.

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Excerpt

Guy released a breath as he let his whip fly. It struck his old friend, Ruliff, or Rule, as he preferred to be called. Rule stood, his hands suspended from manacles dangling from chains overhead.

Even if Rule screamed, no one would hear him, deep in the cellar of this mansion owned by their vampiric kin, Ansley and Brayden. Rule wouldn't scream, though. It wasn't in his nature to show what he believed to be weakness. To drag more than a groan from Rule, Guy would be forced to practically kill him and his sessions weren't meant to cause permanent damage. They had already been at it for longer than usual, even for someone with a supernatural constitution.

Five more times Guy struck him with strategically placed blows before he paused and approached Rule. Using the handle of his whip, he traced an especially fierce-looking welt on Rule's sweat-slicked back. Rule had a tremendous capacity for pain. Always had.

Guy recalled the days when they, along with Brayden, Ansley and the fifth member of their "family," Bryce, had sailed with Tarun, a genuine monster. The five men had shared a strange and violent past, one that could have destroyed them, but together they had overcome it. Still their days at sea with the vampire pirate -- the master who had tried to mold them in his image -- had left scars on their souls as well as their bodies. These sessions with Rule reminded Guy of how strong yet vulnerable they all were, even if they refused to admit it.

Rule could be stubborn to the point of stupid.

Guy tightened his hand around the whip and struck Rule again with a blow that would have had most men screaming. A strangled groan escaped the tall, dark-haired man and Guy curled his lip in disgust.

He loved the whip and was an expert with it. Like his vampire kin, he had taken what he'd learned about pain and battle from their hated master and made it a form of expression. They had ultimately used their skills to fight back, not only for themselves but for victims who crossed their path. Each of the five men had mastered certain weapons. Guy's obsession was the lash. From bullwhips to floggers, all were slaves to him, bringing pleasure or pain as he saw fit. His love of leather had melded into every part of his life, including sex. He used his floggers to pleasure and punish, sometimes separately, sometimes both at once.

Long ago, Guy had honed his skills on his willing brothers, except for Bryce, who refused to submit to anyone, even for fun. Only Rule to this day came to Guy for regular sessions. Guy decided this one had gone on long enough. He knew Rule would push himself past his limits. He needed a strong but sensitive Dominant who knew when to stop.

Glancing at Rule, Guy noted that he seemed to be in a trance. His blue eyes were narrowed to slits, his lips parted and his breathing shallow. Wet black curls clung to his perspiring forehead and neck. Blood trickled from his lower lip where he'd pierced it with his fangs.

"Our session is over for today," Guy said without room for argument.

Rule ignored his authoritative tone and said in a deep, hoarse voice, "More."

"Your name might be Rule, but you don't rule here," Guy said.

"Fine. Release me then."

"Not until you calm down."

"I am calm."

"You forget how well I know you."

Rule's cool facade snapped. Bellowing, he yanked at his bonds.

Now he screams, Guy thought, but he knew it was probably a good thing. Rule wouldn't allow Guy to comfort him like some clients enjoyed after a session. Guy worked mainly with supernatural beings -- vampires, wizards, and even an occasional werewolf paid well for him to tease and torment them with his leather and chains. But even those creatures had a tender side. Rule's was buried deep and Guy hoped that eventually someone would reach it.

Despite Rule's impressive strength, he couldn't break the chains. Guy's survival often depended on knowing how to properly bind supernatural beings.

Guy placed his whip next to a heavy purple flogger on a table covered in red plastic. He'd clean his tools later. He was about to clean Rule's back when his cell phone rang.

He knew who it was by the ringtone.

He picked up the phone and said, "What's up?"

"It's Bryce. I need your help. It's business."

Although the five men had different careers in the human world, their true purpose was to protect those in need. The weapons they had once used as criminals were now their means of redemption.

Bryce worked as a police officer in the city. Sometimes he called upon his brothers to help him resolve crimes in which the human world could offer no justice.

"What does he want?" Rule asked, having ceased his rampage when the phone rang. "Is there a case for us? Let me go!"

"Do you have Rule strung up in the dungeon again?" Bryce asked.

"Yes. I'm putting you on speakerphone."

"You don't have to. I can hear him quite well," Rule said, straining to look at Guy over his shoulder.

Though keen senses were an advantage of vampirism, the speakerphone would make a three-way conversation easier.

"I've been working on what we believe are serial killings," Bryce said. "You've probably heard about them. The media calls them the Bodybuilder Murders. We've found a common denominator and, Guy, I believe you can get the evidence I need. Will you help?"

"You have to ask?" Guy said.

"Can you use me?" Rule asked.

"Right now this is a one-man job," Bryce said. "But thanks."

Rule looked a bit disappointed, but with all the trouble in the world, he was sure to have another case to work on soon.

"Guy, can you meet me in an hour?" Bryce asked.

"Absolutely. Where?"

"Stay put. I'll come to you."

Author Interview

Please join me in welcoming Saloni Quinby to my little corner of the web.

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

There was a lot I wanted to do with Weapons of Redemption. I wanted to write a paranormal series about a group of men who were like brothers fighting together for a common cause. I wanted them to find love and I also wanted a story arc that tied their individual stories together. Because vampires have always been my favorite paranormal creature, I decided to make the main characters vampires. I also wanted to tie in suspense and a bit of science fiction.

Do you hide any secrets in your books?

Oh yes! The main secret isn't exposed until the last story, though. Since Weapons of Redemption is a collected series, there's no waiting for that final story. It's included.

What's the strangest thing you have ever had to research online for your book?

That's a great question, but it's really hard to answer because I've researched a lot of strange things over the years. In this book, it wasn't really a strange thing that stuck in my mind, but a sad one. When I researched the history of child chimney sweeps, it was depressing to read about what they had to go through and how they had no protection.

Do you set a plot or prefer going wherever an idea takes you?

I always work with a loose outline. I need to know the beginning of a story, the end, and several major points in the middle. I also like to leave enough wiggle room for the characters to change and grow.

What are your top three favorite books of all time?

Phantom of the Opera, The Three Musketeers, Frankenstein.

What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

Write what makes you happy.

Thank you for stopping by today!! I was a pleasure getting to know you!

About the Author

The child of a painter and a psychic dreamer, Saloni Quinby feels spirituality and storytelling go hand-in-hand. She loves the scent of gardenia, the sound of wind chimes and the taste of honey. By listening to what isn’t said, she creates works based on unspoken desires. Saloni prefers blurred gender lines and many varieties of romance. In a world where passion must at times be restrained, she believes erotica is a pleasure to be shared. With her stories she would like to make her fantasies yours and hopes you enjoy the ride. She also writes under the name Kate Hill.

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Release Tour & Giveaway ~ Dares, Lies & Geminis by Kat Alexander

Dares, Lies & Geminis

By Kat Alexander

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 29th, 2018

Synopsis

Two women, different as night and day.

Tristana likes to keep to herself, devotedly working all day so she doesn’t think about all she is missing in life.

Seraphina, shrouded in mystery, hunts at night, surreptitiously looking for someone good, noble, and honest, while proving to herself they don’t exist.

Two men who won’t succumb to failure.

After his brother’s death, Peter spends his days trying to build a life as far away from the accusatory eyes of his hometown.

Nathan has a nightly obsession—Seraphina.

The truth that everyone is afraid to whisper.

As Peter starts to chip away at Tristana’s walls, one dare unknowingly releases something he thought he lost long ago.

And as Nathan moves in on Seraphina, one lie breaks apart the foundation of everything he thought he knew.

Meet the Geminis.

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Excerpt

Prologue

This is a story that bares all. It’s not just about me. It also includes Tristana, Peter, and Nathan. All our lives are entangled in a web of sorrow, deceit, despair, and love. Each strand is woven into a net that trapped all those around us, hurting many, ruining lives. Yet, new friends were made, new families forged.

There is always light in darkness, as there is always darkness where there is light.

I knew Tristana’s story. She did not know mine. Even then, I don’t think I know all of hers. Same could be said for Peter and Nathan. They certainly never knew everything.

This is a story about all the facets that drive human beings: vulnerability, courage, pain, love, hate, despair, family, friends, lovers, an opportunity.

This is a story about survival. About running from the nightmares humans are capable of inflicting on others. About running from the monsters out there who want to harm you, running from the monsters inside that you could become. Running from your past. Living with all the tools ingrained in your DNA. The need to survive, to adapt, to overcome.

This is a story. ~ Seraphina

Author Interview

Welcome Kat Alexander to my little corner of the web today to talk about you and your book! How about we get started...

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

Dares, Lies & Geminis was inspired by the song “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men. It ended up taking on a life of its own when I finally came back to it after not having time to finish the book years ago.

Do you hide any secrets in your books?

There are some Easter eggs to a previous book I published, Looking Back on Forever. Also, there are references to a paranormal series I wrote under another name, The Lunangelique Series by Kristin R. Campbell. Seraphina’s name is a connection to that.

What's the strangest thing you have ever had to research online for your book?

Ooo … I cannot give that answer away. It will give the book away! lol! I will say that I did have to read numerous case studies on multiple individuals to make sure I stayed true to what is happening in Dares, Lies & Geminis. Also, my Criminal Justice degree came to good use in this book.

Do you set a plot or prefer going wherever an idea takes you?

I do outline. However, the characters in Dares, Lies & Geminis decided they didn’t like my outline and rewrote it. When I came back to this book, it was supposed to be about the sex trade and Hollywood. That is far from how this book turned out. Maybe one day characters will come along who have lived that story, but that’s not this book.

What are your top three favorite books of all time?

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.
Katherine by Anya Seton. Best real-life love story of all time!!!
And … let’s go paranormal and say the Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout because I will reread those books once a year. I can’t get enough of Daemon!

What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

I struggle with writer’s block A LOT. To get past it, I skip around in my books. If I get stuck on one scene, I keep going, jumping to another scene so I can get my word count in for the day. That’s my advice: move on, keep writing. Don’t sit idle, staring at the same page for hours. Even if you end up taking the scene out of the book, at least you kept going. And, hey, you now have a bonus scene you can feature on your website and/or newsletter.

Speed Round:
Tea or coffee? Coffee, but I love tea, too.
Morning Person or Night Owl? Night Owl.
Cats or Dogs? Dogs. Allergic to cats.
Reality Shows or Scripted Shows? Scripted.
What ​came first, ​the chicken or​ the​ ​egg? An egg that mutated into a chicken!

Thank you again Kat for taking the time out of your busy schedule to hang out with us today, I had a blast! Congrats on the release of Dares, Lies & Geminis, it sounds like a very intriguing read.

About the Author

Kat Alexander is a freelance editor for Indie authors. If she’s not editing or working on her own stories, then she’s a chauffeur for her busy children, or you can find her here:

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Book & Giveaway ~ Forbidden Song, Hearts of Metal #5, by Brooklyn Ann

Forbidden Song

by Brooklyn Ann

Genre: Romance

After having one of the worst experiences a young teenager could endure at the hands of cruel musicians, Christine Mayne's rock star brother Quinn tried to lock her away from the world. She had to fight to live her life, go to college, get her master's and enter her PhD program. Now, she's determined to complete her research on group dynamics by touring with Bleeding Vengeance, even it means deceiving her brother and lying to the band's fabulous lead singer, Cliff Tracey.

Cliff Tracey hates being manipulated, lied to and deceived. He'd know, having gone through a string of exes who had done just that. When he thinks he's found a kindred spirit, and a beautiful babe to boot, imagine his surprise - and disappointment - when he learns she played him so she can tour with his band to complete her PhD. When he finds out why, he knows he's in double trouble because Quinn Mayne will kill anyone who touches his sister, and Cliff Tracey has all sorts of plans for Christine Mayne that involves more than either of them ever expected.

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Excerpt

Weaving his way through the backstage crowd, pausing to sign autographs along the way, he embarked on his search for the raven-haired beauty.

Luck shone upon him. There she was, off in a corner by the stage left exit. Alone.

She looked up at him and smiled with an intriguing combination of shyness and curiosity. Oh, man. Those green eyes.

He gathered his formidable charm and grinned as he approached. “Hey, are you the new girl Kat and Kin hired?”

She nodded with a slight frown and extended her hand. Fuck. He remembered Kat telling him to quit calling women girls.

“I’m Christine.”

“Cliff Tracey.” He gave her a long, slow smile, and was gratified to see her blush. Good, now he was back on the right track.

His fingers curled around hers. Damn, her skin was soft. No calluses, so she likely wasn’t a musician.

A light laugh tumbled from her lips. “I know. I really enjoyed your performance tonight. Your voice is incredible, and that solo during ‘Sorrow’s Harvest’ gave me chills. In fact, I’d wanted to talk to you.”

“Oh?” He kept his tone light and teasing to hide his excitement. She’d admired his performance. That was usually the first thing chicks said before the flirting began. Maybe he’d mistaken what he’d thought was lack of interest earlier. “About my solo?”

“No, though I’ll admit your talent does blow my mind.” She took a deep breath as if gathering her composure for some big announcement. “Aside from writing for Metalness, I’m working on my doctorate in occupational psychology and could use your help for my dissertation.”

Cliff blinked. “Oh. Uh…I only got as far as my associate’s, so I don’t know how much good I’d be. What’s the topic of your paper?”

“I’m studying the effects of group dynamics within metal bands under high stress conditions.” Her clinical tone was comical even as it was disappointing, what with her seeming lack of response to him.

“You want to study me?” he joked. In return, he could study her.

“The whole band, really,” she replied. “But I figured, since you’re the lead singer, I’d have to ask you. You see, my goal is to be able to travel on the road with a band and document my observations. I was hoping I could tag along, not only for the rest of this Metalfeed tour, but also your regular tour that starts next week.”

Cliff puffed up, happy that for once someone had acknowledged him as the leader of the band instead of Klement. Then: “Did you talk to Kat about it?” Since Christine worked for Kat, maybe the guitarist had suggested it.

Christine nodded. “She said she’d love to have me, but that she doesn’t have the seniority in the band to make that kind of call.”

Well, I’d love to have you, Cliff wanted to say, but he didn’t want to overplay his hand. “Let me think about it….”

I am pleased to welcome Brooklyn Ann to my little corner of cyberspace. Let's get started...

Do you have any unique or quirky writing habits?

I often write scenes out of order and have a hybrid between pantsing and plotting. I’ve tried to stick with one or the other, but the combination works best for me.

Describe what your ideal writing space looks like.

Oh, I have so many. I have my desk covered with horror movie memorabilia, a lap desk in bed surrounded by purring cats, and the lovely outdoor swinging bench under a bower of lilac trees where I write in the spring.

What's the strangest thing you have ever had to research online for your book?

Probably meth overdose. Of course, I didn’t only research online. I talked to ER nurses too. It was depressing stuff.

If you were deserted on an island, which three people would you want to have with you? Why?
One fictional character from your book: Klement from my Hearts of Metal series because he’s a sweetie.
One fictional character from any other book: Dumbledore from the Harry Potter series, because we could probably use a wizard with a sense of humor.
One famous person that is not a family member or friend: Stephen King, so we can talk about books.

Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

All the time. Aside from cameos and references to characters from my other book series, my books are littered with horror references too.

What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

Keep writing, research the industry, and join writer groups that make you feel comfortable and where you are learning.

Speed Round:

Tea or coffee? Tea
Morning Person or Night Owl? Night owl
Cats or Dogs? Cats
Movies or TV? Movies
What ​came first, ​the chicken or​ the​ ​egg? Science determined that it was the egg. Two chicken-like birds would have mated to fertilize the egg that would hatch the first chicken.

Thank you Brooklyn, that was fun. It was a pleasure meeting you and congrats on the release of Forbidden Song.

About The Author

Formerly an auto-mechanic, Brooklyn Ann thrives on writing Romance featuring unconventional heroines and heroes who adore them. After writing historical paranormal romances and urban fantasies, she now explores the chaotic realm of heavy metal music— a difficult world to find love in.

Brooklyn Ann lives in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho with her son, her cat, and a 1980 Datsun 210.

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Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Abandoned, Beckett Series #6, by Mary Martinez

Abandoned
The Beckett Series, Book 6
By Mary Martinez

Glenna Beckett loves her family dearly, but being the youngest of six can be overwhelming. Moving across country helped her learn who she was outside the family. She’s built a successful business in the form of a quaint shop on Main Street of Calistoga, that sells a bit of everything vintage, the new age term for antique. What more does she need?

Then he walked into her shop. International playboy, Lance Gordon. After a whirlwind courtship he asks her to marry him. Burying a niggle of doubt in the pit of her tummy, she says yes. He’s even agreed to have the wedding in Brooklyn so her family can attend. But he never arrives.

Glenna refused to believe she’d been abandoned at the altar and asks her brother, Tyler, to contact an agent friend on the West Coast to search for Lance.

Patrick McGinnis can’t believe he’s walking into a prissy shop in the high end of the Napa Valley searching for a missing groom. The bride, Glenna Beckett, is everything he feared, drop dead gorgeous, and a spoiled brat. Not that he’d ever tell her brother that. He hates wild goose chases, and this mission is exactly that. Patrick’s certain the playboy fiancé is off wooing some other delectable creature.

Unfortunately, once Patrick started to dig, he finds there’s more to the tale and it will take all his skills as an agent to keep Glenna safe. Especially when the case takes a turn and threatens the safety of his son, Finn.

The Beckett Series
Free and/or On Sale Through 3/8/18

Disappear ~ Free
Innocent ~ $.99
Quiet ~ $.99
Illusion (Utopia the Beginning) ~ $.99
Profit (Utopia the Conclusion ~ $.99
Abandoned

For more links vist Mary's Website

Excerpt

Patrick McGinnis thumbed his phone off and dropped the thing on the table with a thud. What had he just agreed to? He held in a groan, barely.

“What’s up dad? You look like you just ate a sour grape.”

Finnegan, his sixteen-year old son, and the joy of his life, walked to the cupboard and pulled out a bowl. He filled it with cereal and added milk and then joined Patrick at the table. He dipped his spoon for a large scoop, and as he brought it to his mouth, Finn gave him the I’m waiting look.

“I just received a call from an old friend,” he said in way of explanation, he really didn’t like talking work with his son.

“It must not have been a good conversation.”

“It was good to catch up. He was with me at Quantico.” Best to focus on the old acquaintance part.

“Dad, I’m in high school. You can stop sheltering me now. He must have called for a reason. One you’re not too thrilled about. What’s up?” He repeated his earlier question.

Damn, Finn was growing up to fast. And the kid was right. He had a tendency to shield him from his work. Something he’d always tried to do, but more since Finn was three and the worst thing that could ever happened to a child had happened.

“Tyler is an agent in New York, however, he has a sister in Calistoga.”

His son let out a hoot of laughter. “Match-making from the east coast.”

“Ha, ha. No, his sister seems to have lost her fiancé and her assistant.”

“What they elope and left her behind? Why’d he call you?”

“The fiancé never arrived at the wedding. And then when his sister went to open her shop she found the assistant had been shot.”

“Oh.” Finn ate for a few minutes in silence. “Does the lost fiancé and the dead assistant have something to do with each other?”

“That’s one of the things Ty wants me to find out.”

Finn suspended his spoon half way to his mouth. “What is the other?”

“He wants me to find the missing fiancé for his sister.” He pulled his fingers through his hair. “It’s a wild goose chase if you ask me. If the guy had wanted to get married he’d have been at the wedding.”

“You’d think, unless he couldn’t.”

Patrick contemplated his son. He would make a good detective. He’d already helped solve a few of his cases, by just listening and making comments that brought other solutions to mind. Patrick wasn’t sure he wanted that for his son. He loved being a federal agent. For a while, after the incident with his son, he’d tried something else. However, his true passion was law enforcement and he’d been placed back on duty within the year.

You couldn’t help where your heart led you. No matter the consequences.

“That is what I need to find out.” He stood and poured more coffee into his cup to warm up the cooling liquid. He leaned a hip on the counter while he sipped. “What’s going on at school today?”

Finn finished his cereal and stood to wash his bowl out. He appeared to be thinking as he put his dishes in the dishwasher.

“I have an algebra test. Just a fair warning, Dad, it’s kicking my ass.”

“Language son.” But he smiled, he’d heard a lot worse. “I have a few minutes do you need my help?”

His son gave him a skeptical look, which was well warranted. Algebra had thoroughly kicked his ass in high school, too, to the point he’d needed Saturday morning classes to pass the damn class.

After a moment he answered. “No, Mrs. Stewart said she’d meet me before school.”

“Old Mrs. Stewart is still there? I had her for Algebra.” He smiled and resisted the urge to ruffle his son’s hair. Since the boy was almost as tall as he was, it’d be a little awkward anyway. “You’re in good hands then. Do you want me to drop you on my way to Calistoga?”

Author Interview

I am pleased to welcome Mary to my little corner of cyberspace! Let's get started..

Do you have any unique or quirky writing habits?

I’m not sure how quirky or unique, but when I write I have to have music. And whatever I’m writing dictates what I listen too. Right now I’m writing a Celtic Fantasy so I’m listening to Celtic Woman and Irish folk music.

Describe what your ideal writing space looks like.

I have an office with a large L shaped desk. It is perfect I can shut the door!

What’s the strangest thing you have ever had to research online for your book?

An ancient blade that a person can use to sever a head with little or no blood spatter.

If you were deserted on an island, which three people would you want to have with you? Why?

One fictional character from your book: Martha Beckett. She’s the mother of all the Beckett siblings. I think she’s a lot like me, and we’d really have a good time comparing stories of kids and grandkids.

One fictional character from any other book: This is a hard one, I’ve read so many books that it’s hard to choose. I think I could think of an author faster than a character. So let’s go with Sopeap Sin from The Rent Collector by Camron Wright. She is the rent collector and everyone calls her The Cow. She used to be a professor and her life led her to overseeing the rents of those who live in shacks at the Stung Meanchey, the largest municipal waste dump in all of Cambodia. I can’t help but think she’d keep my interest with her life stories for months.

One famous person that is not a family member or friend: This is hard also, there are so many people… I think I would like my one famous person to be Anne Boleyn. I find her life fascinating. How she refused the king and he took on the Catholic Church when they wouldn’t annul his first marriage.

Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

If I do, they’re even secret to me. LOL

What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

Join two things…

A writing group. Like Romance Writers of America or a local one, like we have The League of Utah Writers. These groups will help you through the ins and outs of craft, publication, promotion, etc.

Join a book club. One that have people that will pick ALL kinds of genres to read. Get out of your comfort reading zone. It’s invaluable to hear what readers think about the writing of others.

Lighting Round...

Tea or coffee? Coffee
Morning Person or Night Owl? Both, sleep is over rated.
Cats or Dogs? Dogs if I must pick.
Movies or TV? Movies
What came first, the chicken or the egg? Egg.

Thank you for being here today Mary. It's been a pleasure getting to know you and congrats on the release of Abandoned!

This has been a fun interview! Thank you for having me on your blog.

About The Author

Mary lives in Magna, a little town west of Salt Lake City, Utah. Together with her husband, she has six grown children, and six wonderful grandsons and five beautiful granddaughters. She loves to spend time with family and friends--she includes good books as friends!

Mary and her husband love to travel, especially to the Caribbean for relaxing, and Italy for the wine. And most recently she discovered she was Irish and Scottish, of course they had to visit Ireland and Scotland. Mary fell in love with both, but the green hills of Ireland felt like home. With the experience from the exotic places she has visited, she is able to fill her books with colorful descriptions of cities, painting a colorful backdrop for her characters. One of her favorite US destinations is New York/Brooklyn, where her beloved Beckett's live. When she visits, she can wander their neighborhoods, favorite parks, and visit their favorite pub, Putnum's.

They are avid concert ‘Ho’s’! Yes, they pretty much want to do them all. They love outdoor amphitheaters the best and attend as many during the warmer months as possible.

Mary writes mostly romantic suspense, romance, women's fiction, and she has just begun to dabble in young adult mystery. She is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA). During her writing career she has been a conference coordinator, workshop presenter, and chapter president for the Utah Chapter of RWA. In 2007 she was presented with the Utah RWA service award in acknowledgment and appreciation for outstanding service. Mary has also participated in numerous library panels on writing and co-presented a workshop on writing a series at the League of Utah Writers conference.

Mary and her husband are also enthusiastic college football fans. They have season tickets to the UTES, University of Utah Football and they tailgate every game. They love tailgating so much, that they were married at a tailgating in 1999. GO UTES!

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Blog Tour & Author Interview ~ A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity by A. D'Orzaio

A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity

Author: A. D’Orzaio

Publisher: Meryton Press

Is not the very meaning of love that it surpasses every objection against it?

Jilted. Never did Mr. Darcy imagine it could happen to him.

But it has, and by Elizabeth Bennet, the woman who first hated and rejected him but then came to love him—he believed—and agree to be his wife. Alas, it is a short-lived, ill-fated romance that ends nearly as soon as it has begun. No reason is given.

More than a year since he last saw her—a year of anger, confusion, and despair—he receives an invitation from the Bingleys to a house party at Netherfield. Darcy is first tempted to refuse, but with the understanding that Elizabeth will not attend, he decides to accept.

When a letter arrives, confirming Elizabeth’s intention to join them, Darcy resolves to meet her with indifference. He is determined that he will not demand answers to the questions that plague him. Elizabeth is also resolved to remain silent and hold fast to the secret behind her refusal. Once they are together, however, it proves difficult to deny the intense passion that still exists. Fury, grief, and profound love prove to be a combustible mixture. But will the secrets between them be their undoing?

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Author Interview

I am pleased to welcome Amy to my little corner of cyberspace.

Greetings, Liz! It’s so nice to be here at Liz’s Reading Life to stop by today for a chat. As you know, I have just released my second JAFF story, A Short Period of Felicity and I am grateful for the opportunity to stop by to answer your questions so your readers can learn more about me and my writing process.

Let's start with, do you have any unique or quirky writing habits?

Unfortunately I don’t think I do anything too unique or interesting when I write! Its just me, my computer and whatever quiet corner I can claim for myself.

Describe what your ideal writing space looks like.

My porch. Its an old fashioned wrap around porch and I have a very comfy big wicker chair and a good view of my pond. Being that I live in Pittsburgh, I can only write out there about 6 months out of the year, but its a glorious 6 months and its definitely the time I do my best writing.

What's the strangest thing you have ever had to research online for your book?

I have an odd but intense need to match the weather in my books with the weather such as it really was. So if I say there was driving rain on March 10, you can be fairly certain that I looked it up and made sure there really was driving rain on March 10. I’ve spent a lot of hours on that sort of thing and to be honest, I am sure no one really cares! But I do it anyway :)

If you were deserted on an island, which three people would you want to have with you? Why?

Oh this is an easy one! I’d bring Viscount Saye from my book and from Pride and Prejudice, I’d bring Darcy of course! (Can I bring Elizabeth Bennet too?) And last but not least, Jane Austen herself.

Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

Oh absolutely. There are names of people I know, places I’ve been, even songs I like! A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity has the names of the pets of myself and one of my beta readers and The Best Part of Love was titled after an old Air Supply song.

What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

Find a community that will help you grow and develop as a writer. I was really fortunate to stumble upon A Happy Assembly at meryton.com early on in my JAFF journey and feel super blessed for all the people who supported and encouraged me along the way, but at the same time taught me how to find plot holes and write realistic dialogue as well as adhere to the standards of regency England. I think the support of a group like that, along with a great team of beta readers, is really critical and I would urge any aspiring author to do the same. Writing seems like a solitary venture but its not, its absolutely a team sport.

Speed Round:

Tea or coffee? I’ll take both thanks :) Coffee to start, then iced tea, all day long.

Morning Person or Night Owl? Morning person, 100%. I become incoherent somewhere around 930 PM

Cats or Dogs? Dogs! Particularly Jack Russell Terriers, I have three of them, and A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity is dedicated to the memory of my dog Maggie who died last year

Movies or TV? TV! Cheesy sitcoms, trashy reality shows with some PBS mixed in to keep myself sane

What came first, the chicken or the egg? Chicken. Not a doubt in my mind :)

Thank you for stopping by Amy, I've really enjoyed spending this time getting to know you better. Congrats on the release of A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity, I look forward to reading it.

About The Author

Amy D’Orazio is a former breast cancer researcher and current stay at home mom who is addicted to Austen and Starbucks in about equal measures. While she adores Mr. Darcy, she is married to Mr. Bingley and their Pemberley is in Pittsburgh PA.

She has two daughters who are devoted to sports which require long practices and began writing her own stories as a way to pass the time she spent sitting in the lobbies of various gyms and studios. She is a firm believer that all stories should have long looks, stolen kisses and happily ever afters. Like her favorite heroine, she dearly loves a laugh and considers herself an excellent walker.

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A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity Tour Schedule

February 21st

More Agreeably Engaged

February 22nd

From Pemberley to Milton

February 23rd

Austenesque Reviews

February 24th

My Vices and Weaknesses

February 25th

My Love for Jane Austen

February 26th

Babblings of a Bookworm

February 27th

Savvy Verse and Wit

February 28th

Laughing with Lizzie

March 1st

So Little Time

March 2nd

Of Pens and Pages

March 3rd

Liz’s Reading Life

March 4th

Just Jane 1813

March 5th

Diary of an Eccentric

March 6th

Margie’s Must Reads