Paperback : 112 pages ~ ISBN-13 : 979-865677556
Publisher : Independently published (August 4, 2020)
Book Description:
  Chances are you’ve tried and failed with spreadsheets, agendas, day planners, and other mathematical and finite ways of measuring time. Applying the strict regimes of industrial systems to a creative mind can kill creativity, damper the enjoyment of your work, and knock you off balance.
        In this workbook you will learn to balance, organize, and prioritize all you need to get done by living your life in creative cycles and seasons while maximizing your high and low energy times the way you were meant to.
        Your creativity is a powerful force that can be harnessed, focused, controlled, commanded, and become a powerful ability as you masterfully channel your desire to create into the powerful motivating force it is meant to be.
AMAZON ​

ABOUT the AUTHOR:

​          Deirdra has spent the last decade captivating audiences of all ages with her novels and fairy tales. Her specialty is paranormal theology that delves into documented historical phenomenon and natural disasters of biblical proportions.
Amazon Page ~ Website ~ Facebook ~ YouTube ~ Instagram 

Join in the Special Events!
Official Facebook Event page:  or https://geni.us/Tm1h

“This powerful tale offers a beacon of hope that individuals can inspire change.” ―Library Journal

Chosen as a 2020 Pulpwood Queens Book Club pick 2019 Best Book Awards Finalist in Fiction (Multicultural)

Book Details:
Freedom Lessons by Eileen Harrison Sanchez
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+) ,  245 pages
Genre: American Historical Fiction
Publisher:  She Writes Press ~ Release date:   November 2019
Tour dates: Sep 28 to Oct 9, 2020
Content Rating:  PG. This book is a clean read. The use of the words Negro, colored and a one time reference use of nigger, though not politically correct by today's standards, is era specific and not intended in any kind of pejorative sense.
Book Description:
        Freedom Lessons begins in Louisiana 1969 as Colleen, a white northern teacher, enters into the unfamiliar culture of a small Southern town and its unwritten rules as the town surrenders to mandated school integration. She meets Frank, a black high school football player, who is protecting his family with a secret. And Evelyn, an experienced teacher and prominent member of the local black community, who must decide whether she’s willing to place trust in her new white colleague. Told alternately by Colleen, Frank, and Evelyn, Freedom Lessons is the story of how the lives of these three purportedly different people intersect in a time when our nation faced, as it does today, a crisis of race, unity, and identity.
          School desegregation is something we all learn about in history class; perhaps we even remember the striking image of Ruby Bridges being escorted to and from school by the U.S. Marshals. But for most of us in 2019, that’s near the extent of what we understand about that tumultuous time. Eileen Sanchez, the debut novelist behind Freedom Lessons (She Writes Press, November 12, 2019), draws on her own remarkable experience as a young, white teacher in the Jim Crow South during desegregation, to write her immersive work of fiction inspired by those events. The result is an unusually authentic exploration of a snapshot in history through the eyes of characters that are relatable and unmistakably human—living lives and navigating relationships against the backdrop of extreme societal upheaval. Sanchez has woven a beautiful story not just about desegregation as an abstract concept, but about the people who lived it—and asks us to question our assumptions about that time, and the issues it has left in its 50-year wake.

Buy the Book: Amazon ~ Bookshop.org ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Add to Goodreads

A Library Card by Eileen Harrison Sanchez
          In 1969 I taught a second-grade class in a segregated Black school in the deep south. In my historical fiction/memoir, the main character, Colleen, a white northerner teaching in the deep south, takes her Black second graders to the library causing raised eyebrows and fear among her students’ parents. I was not aware of the deep roots of the ‘Jim Crow South’ policies and practices. By the late 60’s, I naively thought things were better for everyone, isn’t that what the Civil Rights movement was supposed to accomplish?
           The following scene from FREEDOM LESSONS – A NOVEL is based on an experience I had at the start of that school year. Colleen expected to be able to use the library to supplement the limited materials she had in her classroom. Applying for her own library card and to get applications for her students was met with resistance after it was revealed that she taught in the segregated Black school.
​            The librarian walked into the back office. Finally, she returned with a stack of cards.
          “Can you explain why you’re doing this and not the parents of your students?” She pursed her lips, as if impersonating all the librarians who’d ever shushed Colleen and her giggling friends back in the high school library.
        “Where I taught in New Jersey, every student received a library card at the end of first grade. The teachers handed them out. My students are in second grade, and none of them have a card.”
          “That’s not our policy. We have to have parental permission for each of these cards. And if any books are not returned, there will be a fine, or even full payment, for the book. Do you understand that?”
         Colleen struggled with her rising anger but responded politely. “Of course. The children will be with me when they take out books, and I will help to return them.”
          “But West Hill is across town. Are you bringing them all here on a school-day field trip? We would have to make arrangements for such a large group.”
          “Only a few at a time, on Saturdays, as soon as they get their cards.”
       The librarian slapped the pile of application cards on the counter. She gave Colleen an amused look. “Well, bless your heart. You are just what we need in this library. You come back to me with those permission slips.”
          Colleen picked up the stack of applications and walked out of the library.
          As she left the building, she felt a set of piercing eyes follow her, and a chill traveled down her spine.
       To offer a full account of the time that I lived and taught in Louisiana I did an extensive amount of research. I learned that public libraries were integrated before the public schools. However, the practice of integration was not always the policy. The challenge of using libraries and obtaining library cards for Colleen’s students is an important backstory for my book. We can thank Rosa Keller for her efforts. She was one of the few white people at the time who fought for racial change in New Orleans. Her husband was Jewish, and she became familiar with prejudice through his eyes. In 1953, Mrs. Keller was appointed to the Library Board by Mayor Chep Morrison. Morrison urged Keller to continue in her efforts to desegregate the library. By the end of 1955, all public libraries in the city were integrated. However, schools, water fountains and bathrooms remained segregated.
      At the recent memorial service for John Lewis, the audience was told the story of his attempt to obtain a library card. On November 16, 2016, Congressman Lewis told it himself during his acceptance speech for the prestigious National Book Award for his graphic memoir March: Book Three. Recounting how he grew up “very, very poor” in rural Alabama, Lewis said there were “very few books in our home”. “I had a wonderful teacher in elementary school who told me: ‘Read, my child, read’, and I tried to read everything. I love books,” said Lewis. “When I was 16 years old, some of my brothers and sisters and cousins [were] going down to the public library trying to get public library cards, and we were told the library was for whites only, not for coloreds. To come here and receive this award, this honor, is too much. Thank you.”
        The travesty of his story highlighted a little-known practice limiting the rights of Black Americans. In 1953, Rosa Keller fought for integrated libraries in New Orleans. In 1956, as a16 year old, John Lewis was denied a library card. In 1969, I was challenged when asking for library card applications for my students. In December 2016 staff at the Fairfax County (VA) Library sent Congressman Lewis a new library card, welcoming him to stop by any of their branches—and encouraged other libraries to do the same. Sixty years later? Why does it have to take a prestigious book award and his story (which presumably embarrassed every librarian in the country) to shock the public?
        The right to have a library card symbolizes how deep the roots of prejudice can go. Imagine denying access to such a basic right to read a book for free. Library cards have always represented endless access to books, information, freedom, independence and the right to education. Even Linus knew that the library card gave him “citizenship in the land of knowledge”. Linus gets a library card (Charles Schultz – published April 4, 1960)

Meet the Author:
        Eileen Harrison Sanchez is now retired after a forty-year career in education. She started as a teacher and ended as a district administrator. She has been writing part time for seven years with a writers group in Summit, NJ. Eileen is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Philadelphia Stories Writers Community, Goodreads American Historical Novels Group, and several online writers’ groups. A reader, a writer, and a perennial—a person with a no-age mindset—she considers family and friends to be the most important parts of her life, followed by traveling and bird watching from her gazebo.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ twitter ~ instagram

Here is the tour schedule.

Giveaway Details:​

Win an autographed copy of FREEDOM LESSONS 
or a $15 Amazon Gift Card (2 winners) (USA only) (ends Oct 16)
​Enter by using the Rafflecopter Below!

THE GIRL THAT VANISHED (Emma Griffin FBI, BOOK 2)
Author: A.J. Rivers
Narrator: Claire Duncan
Series: Books 1-2
Publisher: Altered Path
Genre: ThrillerSynopsis
          Ring…Ring…
      One call from her past was all it took to change everything.
         A ten-year-old girl has vanished on her way home from camp.
         And things took a turn for the worse when another child, a child that Emma knows, goes missing.
       Disappearances, death, and tragedies has followed Emma Griffin throughout her childhood.
         Her obsession with finding out the truth behind her past was what led her to join the FBI.
         It’s been months since the horror of Feather Nest.
       After the shocking revelation of the last case, FBI agent Emma Griffin decides to take a much-needed vacation.
       But a phone call from Sheriff Sam Johnson, a man from her past, completely derails her plans.
         A young girl has disappeared, and another child has gone missing.
          With the number count slowly climbing.
          Emma must now put her plans on hold, go back to her hometown and face some ghosts from her past.
           When a mysterious package appears on her birthday.
           Emma can’t shake the feeling that someone is monitoring her every movement.
           Someone is getting too close for comfort.
            The question is who?
           In the close-knit town of Sherwood, the truth is never as it seems.

Dragonflies at Night: More Than a Love Story By Anne Marie Bennett
Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 365 Pages September 22, 2020 by KaleidoSoul Media
SYNOPSIS:
       A dragonfly brings a mother’s love to a grieving daughter.
        Meet Savannah, the thirty-something owner of Life Celebrations, a party planning business. Despite losing both parents as a teenager, Savannah is creating a positive life for herself, surrounded by friends and co-workers who are now her family. But she also has a secret—as much as she wants to settle down and have children, she is afraid to, for fear of getting cancer and having to leave them without their mother, as she herself was left behind years ago.
        Meet Deirdre Rose, Savannah’s mother. She continues to watch over Savannah, who feels deeply connected to her mother whenever she sees a dragonfly.
           Now meet Ben, a thirty-something recording artist who is good-looking, talented, and a household name. Despite his fame, Ben is lonely. He trusts few people because it seems everyone wants something from him instead of getting to know who he really is.
          Savannah and Ben cross paths when they meet at a yoga retreat in the Massachusetts Berkshires. They are drawn to each other’s creativity and outlook on life. She sees beyond his celebrity and he admires her strength in what she’s had to overcome.
           What happens when the retreat ends and they go their separate ways? Will they be able to make a long distance relationship work? Can Savannah put aside her fears, and will Ben allow himself to be truly vulnerable?
            Above all . . . what message do Deirdre Rose and Dragonfly have for both of them?
(Affiliate link included.)   Goodreads | Amazon

Book Details:
  Plant Your Money Tree: A Guide to Growing Your Wealth by Michele Schneider 
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+) ,  272 pages
Genre: Personal Finance, Stock Investing, Retirement
Publisher:  Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Release date:   May 8, 2019 ~ Tour dates: Sep 28 to Oct 9, 2020
Content Rating:  This non-fiction, self-help book is rated G.
Book Description:
       Plant Your Money Tree: A Guide to Growing Your Wealth was named 'Best New Wealth Books' by BookAuthority. On Amazon, it enjoyed the #1 New Release spot in three Amazon categories: Introduction to Investing, Business & Finance, and Retirement Planning.
          Plant Your Money Tree offers readers a strategic and actionable way to look at their financial life with a completely new attitude of confidence, empowering them to make smart decisions regarding:

• What to do with their money
• How to grow their money
• When to make smart personal choices such as changing careers, guiding their kid's education, expanding their business, buying a house, putting money in a savings account, capitalizing on social trends and investing in the future
• How to manage their existing portfolios and 401Ks

           In clear and accessible language, Mish Schneider walks the reader through the six most essential sectors of the U.S. economy as seen through six market phases ---bullish, caution, distribution, bearish, recuperation, and accumulation. She illustrates how to easily recognize these phases, understand their interrelationships and explains to readers why they should care. Using a personal and conversational tone, Mish's goal is to help anyone who believes the topic of the economy and growing wealth is beyond their comprehension by giving them the tools to make independent, informed decisions about their money. With that knowledge, readers will gain insight plus have practical, smart options for what to do with their finances.
           Mish holds the readers' hands every step of the way with her welcoming and easy to understand language. Schneider does not endorse passive or buy-and-hold type investing. Rather, she teaches readers an evergreen methodology that adapts to every market scenario.

Buy the Book:Amazon ~ Market Gauge ~ B&N ~ BAM ~ Add to Goodreads

REVIEW by LAWonder10:
In, 'Plant Your Money Tree', author Michele Schneider, offers a concise, simple method of managing, and growing,  ones financial matters.

Using simple chart graphs, she presents six phases of "tracking the stock market" and describes, plus, defines each one. She explains each one's importance and the affects they have in our lives. Additionally, it explains how this all affects ones 401k's and other savings.

Did you know, by understanding these things, one cane make an educated choice in a successful vocation, which classes it would be wise to take, when to buy and sell ones real estate and more? She points out warning signs and to connect with ones intuitions.

Her simple 50-200 system is simple enough for most to follow. The six phases assists one to know the best times to invest and the best times to move ones assets.

Although this is a simple system, clearly illustrated and written. I feel some who are more knowledgeable in science and mathematics would find this information more lucrative than right-brained individuals, such as I. It was slightly mind-boggling for me.

I offer a Three and a Half Stars rating.
I was gifted this book with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

Make Investing Decisions Without Any Financial Training
      One major concept I cover in Chapter Five of my book is the notion that everyone has a “Consumer Instinct,” which can be used to build wealth in the stock market.
        Some of my best financial decisions have come from going shopping and thinking to myself, “I better check out this stock, the store is insanely busy!” Or, “I better check out this stock, I notice this chain is expanding its operations.” Or even, “This store has gone downhill. I wonder if this stock is ready to sell off.”
        I have also talked to many people who never invested in the market before but made an investment decision after hearing about an innovator or a “hot” entrepreneur on the news.
         Before COVID hit the market hard, my 87-year old mother told me she was going to play mahjong with her friends on Zoom. We were already using it for business but hearing that it was expanding rapidly into the mainstream got me real interested in the stock. We entered the stock long (we bought it) in May 2020 at $144.80. At the time, the stock fell back to a major moving average and held, thereby showing us that it would hold in a bullish phase. Since then, the stock has run to a peak price of $478. That is more than three times the price from our entry!
          More frequently though, I talk to people who really have no idea that their instincts are worth following up on; and even if they want to follow up, have no idea what to look for.
           What is the “Consumer Instinct?”
          Peter Lynch is one of the most famous investors in the world. A former manager of the Magellan Fund at Fidelity, he averaged a whopping 29.2% annual return in his day. Lynch’s number one philosophy on investing is Only Buy What You Understand.
         "If you stay half-alert, you can pick the spectacular performers right from your place of business or out of the neighborhood shopping mall, and long before Wall Street discovers them." Peter Lynch, One Up On Wall Street: How To Use What You Already Now To Make Money in the Market, Simon & Schuster, 2nd Edition 2012
          According to Lynch, our research tools are our eyes, ears and common sense. Lynch would get some of his best stock ideas in a grocery store or chatting with friends and family. He believed that we ALL have the ability to see emerging trends when we watch TV, read the newspaper, or listen to the radio. His reasoning is that since we consumers represent two-thirds of the gross domestic product of the US, the stock market is actually in the business of serving us. If a product or service attracts us as a consumer, then it should also be of interest to us as an investor.
        Lynch’s research after his “common sense” kicked in was largely fundamental in that he studied sales numbers, earnings growth, and debt-to-equity ratios. As a primary technical trader, I use the charts to help me time my way in with precision. This is particularly important for managing risk and avoiding big losses.

 ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ Meet the Author:

A former special education teacher, Michele "Mish" Schneider was one of the first female floor traders on Wall Street. Today she serves as Director of Trading Research and Education at MarketGauge.com, a 20 year industry-leading financial publishing company.

With Plant Your Money Tree, Mish combines her love of teaching with her world-class expertise in finance and investing. When she's not changing lives through education, Mish spends her time exploring Sante Fe, New Mexico with her husband (and fellow trader) Keith.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ twitter 

Here is the tour schedule.

​Giveaway Details:​

$25 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of the author of PLANT YOUR MONEY TREE 
(AMAZON.COM customers) (2 winners)) (ends Oct 16)

Enter the Giveaway using the Rafflecopter Below!

Join in the fun as Smithville’s leading ladies unite in this charming, must-read novel filled with love; past, present, and future.

Book Details:
Hometown Girl Memories (Hometown #6)
by Kirsten Fullmer
Publication date: October 1st 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:
      If you enjoy novels featuring strong women, this is a book you are sure to enjoy!
      Winnie is content in her role as the reining matriarch of Smithville, but when a letter arrives from a long-lost friend, memories draw her back to 1968. Those were turbulent but exciting days, her college days; a time filled with people and events she hasn’t allowed herself to recall.
     Tara appreciates Winnie’s help with little Bella, she could never manage motherhood and running her Inn without help. Even though she’s preoccupied and busy she’s noticed a difference in her husband, Justin. He’s up to something and her gut tells her there’s more to it than just busy schedules. Not one to sit still, she’s determined to find out what is going on.
Goodreads ~ Purchase: Amazon

AUTHOR BIO:
        Kirsten is a dreamer with an eye for art and design. She worked in the engineering field, taught college, and consulted free lance. Due to health problems, she retired in 2012 to travel with her husband. They live and work full time in a 40' travel trailer with their little dog Bingo. Besides writing romance novels, she enjoys selling art on Etsy and spoiling their three grandchildren.
       As a writer, Kirsten's goal is to create strong female characters who face challenging, painful, and sometimes comical situations. She believes that the best way to deal with struggle, is through friendship and women helping women. She knows good stories are based on interesting and relatable characters.
Author links:
https://kirstenfullmer.com/
https://www.instagram.com/AuthorKirstenFullmer/
https://twitter.com/AuthorKFullmer
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKFullmer/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7922460.Kirsten_Fullmer

$ 50. G.C. GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

• $50 Amazon gift card

This grand prize giveaway - ends Oct 1st:
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Written by the parent of a child with Type 1 diabetes.

Book details:
The Ice in Our Hearts by BC Powell
Publication date: August 20th 2020
Genres: Romance, Sports, Young Adult
Synopsis:
     Bryce is a snowboarding sensation, a cocky teenager from California with a giant chip on his shoulder called Type 1 diabetes. He competes because he has something to prove.
Daria is a rising star in figure skating, a withdrawn teen from Russia with a tragic past. She competes to provide her family with a better life.
Primed to overthrow archrivals who dominate their sports, they’re both headed to the Winter Olympics. But soon after arriving at the Games, a flurry of ill-timed setbacks threatens to shatter their dreams.
When two teens from halfway around the world meet, they discover an unlikely but undeniable connection. As they gear up for their final shots at medals, they help each other realize the greatest barrier to the top of the podium might be hiding inside their minds.
Take a breathtaking ride with Bryce and Daria as they find true understanding, try to overcome the bitterness of their pasts, and share a romance more meaningful than winning gold.
Goodreads ~ Purchase: Amazon

BOOK REVIEW by VICKIE:

​The Ice In Our Hearts - B C Powell 
        This is a wonderful story. I love the Olympics...
      Learning more about them and some of the insights into what life is like for Olympians was awesome. I liked learning a bit about Russia too. The other thing I enjoyed a lot was learning more about T1D and Hyperhidrosis.
     The characters are fabulous and they are all well-developed. It is easy to feel their emotions. Their dedication to their own sport plus their support for the other participants was great to see. The story brought tears to my eyes more than once.
         There is also several beautiful romances in this story.
     I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it to others who enjoy romance, sacrifice and dedication to something they love.
I give this story a literary rating of 5/5

​AUTHOR BIO:
     BC Powell is a fantasy author from Los Angeles, CA. Described as “a stunning fantasy adventure,” “incredibly original,” and “a wild ride,” his debut science fiction fantasy novel “Krymzyn” was published in October, 2014. “The Infinite Expanse”, the highly anticipated second book in “The Journals of Krymzyn” series, was released in March, 2015.
      Powell has a diverse background, having held several creative positions in the entertainment industry, including an executive role at ABC-TV, but writing fiction has been his lifelong passion. “The Journals of Krymzyn” represents, in his words, “finally finding the amazing story I want to tell with characters who are able to bring the story to life.”
      He dual majored in journalism and philosophy at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. When he’s not writing, he can often be found hiking the hills of Southern California, daydreaming on the beach, or ocean kayaking. He credits his three sons, two currently in college and one in high school, as his inspiration for writing in the new adult genre.
Author links:
https://www.facebook.com/bcpowellauthor/
https://www.instagram.com/bcpowellauthor/
https://twitter.com/bcpowellauthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8312815.B_C_Powell

You can find the schedulehere.

Giveaway Details:
Tour-wide giveaway (INT)

• $50 Amazon gift card​

This grand prize giveaway - ends Oct 1st:
ENTER by using the Rafflecopter Below!

​Book Details:

Book Title:  Killer Deadline (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  232 pages
Genre:  Mystery/Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   April 23, 2020
Audiobook release date: August 5, 2020
Tour dates: Sep 21 to Oct 16, 2020
Content Rating: G. This is a true cozy mystery. No sex. No on-stage violence. No swearing. Just good clean fun!
Book Description:
Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.

When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.

But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father?

With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes.
Buy the Book:
Amazon.com ~ Audible ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads

REVIEW by LAWonder10:
I love Lauren Carr's writing and now I get to listen to the audio books as well! It is so enjoyable listening to her books I have read in audio form! It is a wonderful "refresher" to my mind of stories I only partially remembered. Her writing is the type one can listen to/read more than once and still enjoy!

Killer Deadline is a great title for this particular book. The Cover image is a great choice, too!

The human and non human characters and the background scenes are fantastic! It is so easy to lose oneself into the story. As always, Lauren Carr has added much humor and outrageous antics corresponding with adventure, mystery and suspense. 

This book is about an individual who walked away from her one true love because of unique conditions. Years later, she is a successful newsperson who must now decide whether she should leave her success to return home to take over the small town news media station which has been in her family for years. Is her love still single? She is urged by her email friend to "give it a shot". The email "pal" challenged her to face her dilemma and he would face his as well.

In the meantime, she is determined to solve a past murder. As she pursues this, other individuals start expiring.

The Narrator, .Anita Alger, did a very good job with her voice fluctuation and enunciation, but her voice was too delicate and "airy" for the "manly" main character which slightly annoyed me. Other than that, I totally enjoyed this audio.

I offer a Four and a Half Stars rating.
This was gifted me with absolutely no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

"Here we go! Carr is a master storyteller who always offers a plot full of twists and turns, a bit of humor to offset the dark, and a unique cast of characters. In Killer Deadline that cast includes - handsome Ryan, her first love (who is now her step-brother); a mysterious social media friend called Nerdy Guy; Elmo, a super smart dog, a boxer, she rescued who has become a social media star and has a penchant for cleaning; a TV station full of suspicious employees; and more.

"This book is a wonderful read to pick up at the end of a long day. It truly is a "cozy murder mystery."  I promise, it'll draw you in right from page one and keep you turning the pages until you reach the very last page. I can't wait for the second book in this series." - Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn

​What the F^%& Does That Word Mean?  By Lauren Carr

        Back a few years ago, my husband and I went to see a movie that was very popular at the time. It was an action film that was full of tense scenes, high suspense, great acting, and a thrilling climax. We loved it. It wasn’t until we were leaving the theatre that we both heard a woman behind us say to her husband, “Did you notice that there was not one swear word in that whole movie?”
          She was absolutely right.
        We were enjoying the plot, action, and drama so much that we never noticed the absence of swear words. Did the audience rebel upon the absence of nudity and cuss words?
          I don’t think so.
        Contrary to what Hollywood, publishers, and others in the publishing and entertainment industry may say, there is a big audience of movie-goers and readers (my audience) who just want a great plotline minus the vulgar stuff.
         When a reader is enthralled by a great plotline, suspense and twists that leave him or her breathless, intriguing characters, and great writing, they aren’t going to notice there aren’t any cuss words, dismembered body parts, or play by play description of sex. They’re too wrapped up in the book to notice it.
        But, take a book with a great plot and high suspense, fill it up with vulgar dialogue, and then take a detour from the story for the obligatory sex scene, then many readers will find themselves so distracted by the language that they can’t concentrate on the book, which is what the author is selling.
        I can say truthfully that I have turned off award-winning movies because the swearing is so distracting (especially the f-word) that I can’t follow the plot. They may have had great acting, but the dialogue (aka writing) is horrible.
         To many people, curse words are like sending an email filled with caps. Many people are offended by curse words. Maybe they can take a few well-chosen words if they are necessary to the scene, but if you hit them with a hell, damn, shit, crap, or f-word on every page, then they start thinking about using your book to line the kitty box.
          In my second book A Reunion to Die For, I had an earthy character who did swear a lot. He was killed early on, but for the first couple chapters of that book, his dialogue was cuss filled. One reader let me know that she was quite unhappy about the inclusion of those words in my book. However, it was necessary because that character would not speak without using those types of words.
           Another author I know recently released a book that included a motor-cycle gang as the antagonists. Those characters would swear heavily, so she had to include it in their dialogue. But, those words were not used in dialogue between her protagonist and other characters. I completely enjoyed her book and no, I did not cringe at the use of those words because she did not use them excessively and they did fit with her plotline.
          However, if curse words are used purely for shock value, and used excessively, then many readers, like me, will toss the book aside and cross the author off our list. A lot of readers and reviewers view casual use of swear words as a sign of low-class, lack of intelligence, and lack of self-control/discipline. “You can’t even control your mouth.”
         Hopefully, other young newbie writers can take note of the reality about how curse words are really viewed by readers and reviewers.
           1) Cursing adds realism. Depends on who you hang out with. I have traveled in Europe and have socialized with people from all walks of life: from the homeless to multi-millionaires. Most people do not use profanity and view those who use it as unintelligent because they aren’t smart enough, or too lazy, to think of more descriptive and polite words to express themselves. .
         2) Swearing adds emphasis—tells readers how stressful the situation is for my characters. This explanation makes me laugh. Say you’re a police officer who does not swear in his normal every day life. Suddenly, a bullet flies over his head. What is his first reaction? “Hey a bullet just flew over my head! Now I can say ‘f#*&!” If your characters don’t usually swear, they aren’t suddenly going to break into a string of profanity just because they are stressed. Curse words and swearing is not part of their normal make-up.
      3) My target audience will expect and want curse words. Do you really want to confine yourself to a small section of potential readers? If you want to break into the big leagues to earn a wide audience, take a look at the books of huge and famous authors who are on best-sellers lists. Most of them do not use excessive swearing.
           When it comes to searing, authors need to remind themselves of this:
                             Words are important. Words have meaning.
         Every word has a meaning and a value attached to it. A tightly written book does not use words that have no meaning. It will come across as lazy.
          For example: When a writer uses a line like this in the narrative: “What the hell was going to happen to her?” or something to that affect. What does “the hell” mean? Think about it. We know what “What, was going, happen, to, her” means. But what meaning and value does “the hell” have in that sentence? They are just words that drag down the potential image of your characters and yourself as an author worthy of respect.
           So I offer this advice to budding authors, if you care about going down in literary history as a literary master, and not a lazy amateurish writer, you will take a close look at every swear word in the dialogue and really think (without rationalizing) about the value they add to, or take away from your book.
       When in doubt, delete it. Believe me, if your book has a strong plot, characters, and everything else, your readers will never notice that missing curse word.

** Lauren, I would love to add my "Amen" to this!! However, I feel it is very effective when an author writes "he let loose some expletives" or 'cursed" etc. The reader "gets then picture" without the offensive use of fowl language. Some "Hells" and "Damns" can usually be tolerated but the "F-bombs" and God's name in vain" etc. are just "Tooo Much"! (Lu Ann)

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Killer Deadline marks Lauren's first venture into mystery's purely cozy sub-genre with a female protagonist.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

​A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

​Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Bookbub

$50. AMAZON CIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!

Prizes: ​ $50 Amazon Gift Card
courtesy of Lauren Carr, author of
CANDIDATE FOR MURDER (ends Oct 16)

ENTER the GIVEAWAY by COMPLETING the
RAFFLECOPTER Form BELOW!
​

​A Ranger for the Twins By Tanya Agler
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 384 Pages
October 6, 2020 by Harlequin Heartwarming
Book Description:
        She fell from grace…
         Before falling for him
     When her husband defrauded the town of Hollydale, now-divorced mom Lucie Decker went from being the town darling to total pariah. Now she’s launching a new business and needs ranger Caleb Spindler’s help. And her twins adore Caleb. After all, he’s a genuine hero—even if he is hiding a secret. But while Lucie’s heart has forgotten how to trust, it still remembers how to fall in love…
(Affiliate links included.)
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | IndieBound~ BAM | Harlequin Print | Walmart | Apple Books | Google Play | Kobo

REVIEW by LAWonder10:
Lucie was totally unaware of her ex-husband swindling so many people out of very large sums of money while they were still married. She was devastated when the proof was layed out before her. How could she have been so trusting? Most could not believe she knew nothing of his crimes and felt like she should be in prison along with her ex-husband. Thankfully, there were a few in town who knew she could not do such a thing and encouraged and supported her. They gave her jobs, up to three at a time, so she could support her two children and herself.

Two years later, she had received the property her deseased parents had given her before she was married. She had a dream to repair and upgrade it into a health center. She was nearing phase one when she had  e-mailed her High School friend who had obtained "hero" status, in hope he would endorse her. Little did she know he had been transferred back to his home town. His visit to her upon his return had little to do with her email and a lot to do with his parent's request.

This is a well-written story of a man being torn between several conflicts, a single mother's effort to prove herself to her community, in spite of the odds. It is a story of sorting out true friendship and of individuals searching deep within themselves for who they truly are.

​The scenes and characters were well defined and easily visualized. The Cover and Title were fitting.

The only negative I experienced was the scenario was slightly drawn out but not boring. It left one with a uplifted feeling.

I offer a Four and a Half Stars rating.
*This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.
​

OTHER BOOK in the SERIES:

​The Sheriff's Second Chance By Tanya Agler
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages
January 1, 2020 by Harlequin Heartwarming
SYNOPSIS:
         Broken things can’t be fixed…
         Or can they?
     Officer and single dad Mike Harrison doesn’t believe in second chances. Ever. That is, until he learns that his former best friend—gorgeous green-eyed car mechanic Georgie Bennett—is back in town. Unfortunately, she’s also a suspect in a recent break-in! But it’ll take an old classic car to show Mike and Georgie that almost anything can be restored with a little patience…and a whole lot of love.
(Affiliate links included.)
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BAM | Walmart
Harlequin Print | Apple Books | Google Play | Kobo

TOUR SCHEDULE:
September 21st:  Launch
Reading Excursions - Review
Hearts & Scribbles - Excerpt
Among the Reads - Review 
September 22nd:
Rockin' Book Reviews - Review
Beauty in the Binding - Excerpt
Becky on Books - Review 
September 23rd:
Christian Chick's Thoughts - Review 
Christy's Cozy Corners - Excerpt
Jorie Loves A Story - Review 
September 24th:
Older & Smarter? - Review 
E-Romance News - Excerpt
Splashes of Joy - Review
September 25th:
Pause for Tales - Review 
reviewingbooksplusmore - Review 
quirkybookreads - Review 
September 28th:
Peaceful Pastime - Review  
Kathryn Cooper Writes - Review  
September 29th:
A Baker’s Perspective - Excerpt
Two Points of Interest - Review
Adventures of a Travelers Wife - Excerpt
Andi's Book Reviews - Review 
September 30th:
Bookworm Journey - Review  
underneath the covers - Excerpt
My Life Loves and Passion - Review  
Read Review Rejoice - Review  
October 1st:
Hallie Reads - Review  
Heidi Reads... - Excerpt
Red Headed Book Lady - Review  
Harlie's Books - Review  
October 2nd:
Bizwings Blog - Review 
Teatime and Books - Excerpt
Bookish Jottings - Review
Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting - Review 
October 3rd: Grand Finale   

Check out this other tour + Giveaway!

Check out the Bookstagram Tour here, which has its own giveaway!
September 28th: @suziewaltner
September 29th: @jypsylynn
September 30th: @laurenspageturnerz
October 1st: @jhannabass
October 2nd: @h.szott

ABOUT the AUTHOR:

An award-winning author, Tanya Agler moved often during her childhood and settled in Georgia where she writes sweet contemporary romance novels, which feature small towns, family and pets, and themes of second chances and hope. Her debut, The Sheriff’s Second Chance, is a January of 2020 Harlequin Heartwarming release. The sequel, A Ranger for the Twins, will be released in Oct. 2020. A graduate of the University of Georgia with degrees in journalism and law, she lives with her wonderful husband, their four children, and a lovable Basset, who really rules the roost. Represented by Dawn Dowdle and the Blue Ridge Literary Agency, she’s currently at work on the sequels to her debut. When she’s not writing, Tanya loves classic movies, walking, and a good cup of tea.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

One winner will receive a tote bag, $10 Amazon gift card, signed print copy of The Sheriff's Second Chance and a pen  (US only)
Ends October 7, 2020

To ENTER, Fill out the Rafflecopter Below!

Book Details:
 Minute Zero (Stronghold Book 1) by Chris Jayne
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  200 pages
Genre:  Thriller, Post Apocalyptic
Publisher:  Inferis Press  ~  Release date:   Sep 11, 2020
Tour dates: Sep 11 to Oct 2, 2020
Content Rating:  Rated PG-13+M for violent scenes and language, but there is no sex.
Book Description:
     When the world ends in a heartbeat, suddenly old secrets don’t matter anymore. But new ones still do, and protecting the ones you love is the only thing that still remains.
      Two sisters, one a trendy caterer on the run from a vicious killer, the other a country midwife. Because of a simple mistake, Lori Dovner must flee from the vicious mafioso Raoul Saldata, and her life goes from routine day to terrifying journey in a single moment. On the road with her two children, her only goal is to get to her sister’s Montana farm alive. But both Lori and Louise have been hiding a devastating secret for years.
        Two brothers, one a Navy Seal on leave, the other a good man who wants to do right by his family. Captain Deacon Hale is taking two weeks to help his brother Roger and his wife Louise on their remote Montana farm. He loved Lori once, but has finally put her behind him. Roger Hale just wants to give his pregnant wife and two young children a good life. He has no idea about the betrayals that have been hidden from him.
          Dangerous identity.
       Angela Jones is an FBI agent with a terrible debt that she knows she will someday have to pay. And when Raoul Saldata calls in that marker she has no choice but to comply.
         Evil incarnate.
        Raoul Saldata as a child in Albania, would pretend he was a dhampir, the offspring resulting from the mating between a human female and a vampire. A myth of course, but the evil Saldata practices is anything but. And when he finds Lori Dovner, he intends to do a lot more than just kill her.
      MINUTE ZERO (Stronghold: Book One) is an apocalyptic EMP thriller (with a touch of romance) about an ordinary family struggling to stay safe and find each other in the face of insurmountable odds, an abysmal loss of life and the dawn of a new, post-apocalyptic dark age.

BUY THE BOOK: (available now for pre-order)Amazon ~ B&N ~ Kobo
​

Meet the Author:
        Could it happen?  Would you survive?
      Chris Jayne is author of the apocalyptic EMP series “Stronghold.” 
     Jayne is also the penname of a USA Today bestselling romance and thriller author who is has started asking “what if?”  What if the lights go off?  What if the food supply chain just… stops?   The world could become an unfriendly place in a hurry.
       Three years ago, Chris began exploring the “prepper” lifestyle, and hopes that if TEOTWAWKI would actually happen, she would be in a position to protect her family and loved ones. 
     She now spends her days splitting her time between her romance writing and her apocalyptic and dystopian fiction novels. Because what's more fun than imagining the end of the world from the comfort of your couch?  And if the end of the world has a few sexy Navy Seals in it?  All the better!
    She loves writing stories exploring how ordinary people cope with extraordinary circumstances, especially situations where the normal comforts, conveniences, and rules are stripped away.

Connect with the Author:  website ​

Giveaway Details:​

$5 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Chris Jayne,
author of MINUTE ZERO (Stronghold Book 1)
(USA only) (ends October 9)
Enter the Giveaway by using the Rafflecopter below.

​Book Details:
The People We Meet Along The Way by Beth Rinyu
Publication date: September 17th 2020
Genres: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Synopsis:
      Would you be able to grant the same forgiveness to someone else that you’re so desperately seeking yourself?
       Jillian O’Rourke’s marriage died long before her husband’s tragic accident. Years of battling with infertility and demanding careers melted their once solid relationship. Bearing the burden of guilt over his death, Jillian gets lost in despair and a series of what ifs. But one chance encounter with a stranger, changes everything. Now being faced with newfound knowledge and a painful decision, Jillian must push past her anger, learn to forgive and open her heart in ways she never could’ve imagined.  As she comes to grips with the devastation of her past, she learns to embrace the possibility of a future she never thought possible.  A bittersweet story of love, forgiveness, and the unexpected destiny that is sometimes handed to us in life from the people we meet along the way.
ADD to Goodreads ~ Purchase: Amazon

AUTHOR BIO:
Ever since I can remember, I have always enjoyed Creative Writing. There was always something about being able to travel to a different place or become a different person with just the stroke of a pen - or in today's world a touch of the keyboard. I love creating deep characters who you will love or love to hate.

My life is not as interesting as my books or the characters in them, but then again whose life is? My happy place is a seat by ~ the ocean with my feet in the sand or on the busy streets of New York City. You will more than likely find one of these places as the setting for most of my books.

Author links:
Facebook ~ Bookbub ~ Amazon ~ Instagram ~ Blog 
​

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

• $15 Amazon gift card

This grand prize giveaway - ends Sept 24th:\
To ENTER, Fill in RAFFLECOPTER  form Below!
​

​Book Details:
Candidate for Murder by Lauren Carr
(A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 12)
Category:  Adult fiction, 464 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery / Political Satire
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services ~ Release date:  June 9, 2016
Tour dates:  Aug 31 to Oct 9, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 - (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
Book Description:
          It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the year-round residents who enjoy their rural way of life and the city dwellers who are moving into mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed-gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clotheslines. When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees to the town’s residents, David O’Callaghan, the chief of police, decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run for mayor of Spencer! What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight, Gnarly becomes the front-runner, and his political opponents proceed to dig into the canine’s past. When one of the mayoral candidates ends up dead, it becomes apparent that slinging mud is not enough for someone with a stake in this election. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

Buy the Book:     Audible ~ Amazon~ B&N ~ BAM ~ BookBub ~ Add to Goodreads

Also Available: Go Back to the Beginning to When Mac Met Gnarly in 'It's Murder, My Son'.

"Lauren's dialogue is brisk, her setting beautiful and the addition of Gnarly is very clever...It's Murder, My Son is a delightful read and I look forward to more of Carr's Mac Faraday mysteries." --Connie Gregory, Connie's Reviews

"I couldn't put this book down! Lauren Carr develops the characters and weaves the details of the murder investigation into a complex storyline that keeps the reader relentlessly turning pages. She is skilled at teasing you into reading more. I finished the last page still wanting to read more!" -- Kelly Carpenter, Kelly's Lucky You

"No disrespect to Mac Faraday, Archie Monday, David O'Callaghan, Travis Turner or any of the multitude of good, bad and ugly characters populating Lauren Carr's It's Murder, My Son; but to me the most interesting character in the book is a lovable, mischievous, sneaky German shepherd named Gnarly." - David M. Kinchen, Huntington News

​Book Details:
It's Murder, My Son by Lauren Carr
Series:  (A Mac Faraday Mystery-Volume 1)
Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 288 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery ~ Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  June 23, 2010 ~ Tour dates:  Aug 31 to Oct 9, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 - (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
Book Description:
         What started out as the worst day of Mac Faraday’s life would end up being a new beginning. After a messy divorce hearing, the last person that Mac wanted to see was another lawyer. Yet, this lawyer wore the expression of a child bursting to tell his secret. This confidence would reveal Mac as heir to undreamed of fortunes, and lead him to the birthplace of America’s Queen of Mystery and an investigation that will unfold like one of her famous mystery novels.
         Soon after she moves to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, Katrina Singleton learns that life in an exclusive community is not all good. For some unknown reason, a strange man calling himself “Pay Back” begins stalking her. When Katrina is found strangled all evidence points to her terrorist, who is nowhere to be found.
           Three months later, the file on her murder is still open when Mac Faraday, sole heir to his unknown birth mother’s home and fortune, moves into the estate next door. Little does he know as he drives up to Spencer Manor that he is driving into a closed gate community that is hiding more suspicious deaths than his DC workload as a homicide detective. With the help of his late mother’s journal, this retired cop puts all his detective skills to work to pick up where the local investigators have left off to follow the clues to Katrina’s executor.

Buy the Book:     Audible ~ Amazon~ B&N ~ BookBub ~ Add to Goodreads

REVIEW by LAWonder10:
​​Several years ago I read reviewed the book,' It's Murder, My Son' and I remembered I loved it, but I had forgotten much of the story. listening to it was fantastic! 
 
This is a story of a former Chief of Police, who retired when he discovered he was heir to millions from his birth mother he never knew. He is adjusting to his new "plush "life. He was less happy to discover he was the owner of a huge German Shepard. H becomes more disgruntled when he discovers "Gnarly" has some disturbing habits.

Shortly after arriving to his new home, meeting his mother's editor living on the estate, people begin dying in this very small town of Spencer. He and Archie cannot avoid becoming involved, especially when it becomes personal!

This non-stop mystery, adventure is captivating, suspenseful and hilarious!

The character will, surely, capture your heart. Their individual personalities are so different, yet fit so well together.
The Tittle & Cover re simple, but fitting. From the first page to the last, it will, certainly, maintain your interest.

Narrator, Mike Alger, was a perfect "voice" and mannerism for "Mac" & his half brother, David, which are the key characters. On some of the other "voices", his higher pitched male voice wasn't a great fit, but I still feel he was PERFECT for this narration. 

​Fearless in Writing By Lauren Carr

         A few years ago, I attended a banquet at yet another conference. The special guest speaker, whose name I can’t remember now, was telling the audience, all authors, about his journey to success.
          His very first book, he was blessed to be picked up by a big New York publisher with a huge advance and his book was a hit. His second book was not so great because, as he explained, he wrote the book he wanted to write. The readers, expecting it to be like his first, deserted him … as did his publisher.
          So, for his third book, he went back to the formula of his first book, expanded on it, and regained his success. That book went to Hollywood.
          As he explained it, this author’s journey was really not that uncommon. Generally, authors write their first books for publishers and literary agents. After obtaining their goal of snagging a literary agent and publisher, many authors proceed to write what they want to write. Upon being chastised by lack of sales (and most likely the loss of their publisher and/or agent), they return to their proven formula for success.
       After working more than thirty years to make it to best-selling status and having consistent sales and fabulous reviews from readers and book reviewers, I can understand the fear that some successful authors may have about changing anything in their books, especially if it is a series, for fear of losing devoted readers.
      Most likely, this may explain why I have heard many readers say about some of their favorite, or rather one-time favorite authors, “All of her/his books are the same. Each one has the same general plot. All she/he does is change the names.”
         These authors are afraid of messing with success. Why fix what isn’t broken? they may ask.
          That’s not me. When I was nineteen years old, I went up in an airplane for the first time and jumped out. Fortunately, I was wearing a parachute. Even more fortunately, it opened. I didn’t go up in a plane and land in it until four years later.
            If I wasn’t fearless I would never have struck out to be an independent author and tried to make my way through the world of publishing on my own.
           Several years ago  , after my second book A Reunion to Die For was published, I attended an event in which two cozy authors spoke. Both of these writers had been published by New York houses. During her presentation, one expressed frustration with both her publisher and literary agent because now, a successful cozy author, she found herself in a box. She had written a romantic suspense but her publisher rejected it because her fans knew her as a cozy author and her literary agent was uncertain if he could sell it elsewhere for the same reason.
          Many authors, upon succeeding in one genre, can be afraid of writing outside the confines of that comfortable box for fear of not being able to get back inside if they fail.
However, I believe, the tidal wave of independent publishing has overturned the apple carts in which authors have allowed themselves to be confined. Writers and as a result, their readers, are now allowed to reach outside the box with their imaginations and be thrilled by the experience.
         I’m not only talking about crossing genres, but stepping out of safe spaces to touch on subjects that some readers or reviewers may consider hot-button topics.
The first time I stepped out of the safe space was in January 2015, when I released Three Days toorever. Inspired by recent events and issues, domestic terrorists show up in Spencer. Of course, since the mystery was set against the backdrop of Islamic terrorists, the topic came up and was discussed by some characters.
            Did everybody love it? No. While the book was praised by reviewers and became one of my best-selling and most critically acclaimed books, a small fraction of readers who identified themselves as ex-loyal readers because I “insulted” them with my politics—in spite of an author’s note in the front of the book stating that it was not meant to be a political message.
         Authors are like athletes. We need to write every day or our writing muscles lose their strength. Also, like athletes, we need to push ourselves harder in order to reach bigger goals in our craft. When authors are afraid to touch on hot topics for fear of offending a reader or two or three or hundred, then their writing becomes dull, not only for the writer penning it, but for their readers.
        Despite the risk of offending sensitive readers, in my heart, I’m still the same girl who jumped out of an airplane at nineteen.
          I admit, I do keep my readers in mind when I pen my mysteries. With them in mind, I don’t expect my readers to have any more fun reading the same book with the same backdrop and setting over and over again than I would have writing it over and over again. So, it is not only for my own selfish reasons that, when I sat down to write Candidate for Murder, this time using politics as the backdrop, I set out to--
            Be Fearless!
            Am I excited? Yes!
         Am I scared of offending some readers who read unintended messages between the lines? Of course!
          But, I look at it this way. Sometimes, when you jump out of an airplane, your chute doesn’t open. But when it does, you get to enjoy a wonderful ride that others can only wish they could experience.
          Candidate for Murder promises to be just such a ride!

​Meet the Author:

      Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, Thorny Rose Mysteries, and the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—close to thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
      Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
       A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds (including the nephew of the late-great Gnarly! (pictured above)) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Author's Links: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

    $50. Gift Card Giveaway!​

Prizes: ​ $50 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Lauren Carr, author
of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER (ends Oct 16)

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY, COMPLETE THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW!

Conner's Contrary Bride:
(Matchmaker's Mix-Up Book1) by Barbara Goss  
​Beauty of love is that you can fall into it with the most unexpected person at the most unexpected time.
Dr. Connor Beauregard Van Gates the IV, of Hays City, Kansas, and Elsie Crenshaw of Gobbler's Knob, West Virginia, use a successful matchmaker to bring them together by using questionnaires to sort out their likes and dislikes. However, a CATastrophe occurs and things get very mixed up.
The couple has so many differences that Connor is caught rolling his eyes often. What has he done?
Will it take a band of heartless bank robbers and a lecherous step-father to finally bring them together?
AMAZON

1. Spending time with my granddaughter Lily
2. Reading historical books
3. Long rides in the nearby mountains with my husband on Sunday afternoons
4. I love playing games online and offline: cards, board games, whatever.
5. Reading Romance books,
6. Scrolling the feeds on FB
7. Sitting on our front porch swing
8. Genealogy
9. Write
10. Talk to readers on FB
NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER. ;)

ABOUT the AUTHOR:
        Barbara Goss lives in Western New York and to date has written 48 Christian and/or Sweet Romance books, mostly westerns. She enjoys crossword puzzles, penny slots, reading, swimming, and her two cats, but not necessarily in that order. She tries to write exciting stories with a bit of God's word spread within, without dominating the story.
          Barbara began writing in 1988 and her first book, Forbidden Legacy, won first prize for fiction at a Christian Writers Convention in Titusville, Florida in 1989. This won her a book contract with Publishers: Fleming Revell and later Baker Books. She wrote four books for them under contract. She then took a few years off to work full time as a secretary to the county hospital and the local school system.
         Barbara's greatest influence in writing is the 100 books written by Grace Livingston Hill. As a Christian writer, she weaves a bit of godliness into the romance and adventure yet her books are always clean. Barbara is well on her way to catching up to Ms. Livingston.
         She is now turning her wonderful e-books into Audiobooks. Look for them on Amazon.
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​Book Details:
 Up from Adams Street (a memoir) by Larry Crane
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18 +),  229 pages
Genre:  Memoir |  Publisher:  Maine Authors Publishing
Release date:   July 2019  |  Tour dates: Sep 14 to Oct 2, 2020
Content Rating:  PG-13. Mild mature content. No bad language.
Book Description:
        Larry Crane brings the sensibility of the post-World War II generation and a family of modest means to his fresh new novelesque memoir, Up From Adams Street. Born at home, surrounded by a neighborhood of immigrant families that burst out of the confines of Chicago to buy a lot carved out of the corn fields astride the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy rail line. As the confessed family favorite, he had a lot of expectations heaped on his shoulders, along with a sense that he was destined to fulfill that destiny. He realizes that participating in sports is a potential entrée into worlds that seem beyond his little world. Plus, he loves the games. He plays baseball, football and basketball. He caddies at golf courses. As he grows physically, he senses the need to expand mentally and philosophically too. A scholarship helps, then a surprise appointment to West Point follows. At the military academy, he bends to discipline, survives mandatory boxing, battles mighty Notre Dame in basketball, pitches against the legendary Yankees, conquers Mechanics of Fluids, and Calculus, discovers F. Scott Fitzgerald, befriends Red Reeder, falls in and out of love, turns 23, and becomes a man.

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REVIEW by LAWonder10:
Up From Adam's street is a fairly interesting memoir by Larry Crane. The memoir begins at his very young childhood, moving, and of his youth and beyond his graduation from West Point Military Academy. He offers many enlightening scenarios and experiences.. 

Although very short for his age, he was competitive and had a positive attitude. This gave him the ability to grow in confidence and become accepted by others. He had an unusual relationship with an unusual but loving father. He was quite close to his two sisters and mother, also. He had a brother born when he was quite a bit older. I can only assume he became close to him as well, as they grew older.

He tells overcoming adversity in many ways. He details how he was able to get into college and then the confounding choice he had to make in staying into the college he originally chose or going to a college of his father's choice. He covers much of the college challenges he endured and the "coming of age" experiences he was faced with. 

The book was interesting. He added humor and many poignant stories. However, in the first section, a couple of chronological events were "backtracked" and was slightly confusing for awhile. Also, the ending was vague. It needed more conclusion to that phase of his life. Even in the Epilogue, it wasn't concise.

I offer a Three and a Half Stars rating for this book.
*This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

PREVIEW THIS TRAILER BELOW:

​-- Excerpt from Up From Adams Street: “The Galloping Ghost”
Sitting in the high school football stands the previous Saturday, watching others down there on the field fueled my burning envy. I could barely contain my need to approach Mr. Riddlesberger, the freshman football coach, to implore him to let me join the squad.
“Ever play before?” he asked.
“Sure”, I lied.
On the very next Friday, after classes, the team loaded into the school bus taking us over to Wheaton, for the first game of our three-game schedule, to play on the historic Red Grange Field in practice uniforms. No cheerleaders, no band, no announcer, no spectators. It was a warm, sunny day. The grass was sparse and brown from the trampling of a hundred thousand practice sessions. The field slanted up at one end. For half the game, we would be running uphill. That was okay, as we would be running downhill when we changed ends after every quarter.
If I ever got in the game, I would play defense because I’d not been schooled in the blocking assignments associated with each play, essential information for offensive linemen. (It wasn’t that the linemen were offensive in the sense of smelling bad or something. It meant they played when we Downers Grove Ponies had the ball, that is, when we were trying to score a touchdown.) But it wasn’t in the cards for me. As a latecomer, I was relegated to defense only. So I would have to content myself just crouching and crashing, looking for a ball carrier to tackle. Hey, you gotta start somewhere. The main thing was: I was on the field, a real live actual player.
It was an honor to tread the gridiron the legendary Red Grange had dominated in high school before he moved on to the University of Illinois and then to the Chicago Bears. I’d read about him. He was fast and shifty. Nobody could catch him. Fans filled the stands to see him wherever he played. He got his strength and endurance working as a boy on an ice truck delivering forty-pound blocks of ice.
So, like Dad and me, he always had a job. Birds of a feather. Certainly, some of Grange’s football magic would rub off on everybody playing on that field. Red Grange (the Galloping Ghost). It never occurred to me that I wouldn’t make the football team, that I’d be cut, that I was too small. I’d started out late, but that was a freak accident of not subscribing to the Downers Grove newspaper, that’s all. Yes, I was stuck playing guard on the umpty-umpth string of the freshman squad, but it was a temporary problem. The Galloping Ghost. What nickname would I ultimately be remembered by?
It was a slow, uneventful game. As the whistle sounded to end it, Coach Riddlesberger gathered the team for an announcement. “Good game, men. We can’t win them all. Better luck next time and all that. I’ve agreed with Wheaton’s coach that we’ll extend the game for a fifth quarter to give everybody a chance to play.” He assembled a team from among those of us who hadn’t yet seen action.
“Crane, get in there at right guard.”
My heart leapt as I clamped the helmet over my ears. My day in the sun. The referee whistled to start the “quarter”. Wheaton huddled, broke, lined up. I crouched for action, staring at the dirt, ripe for genuine bone-crunching contact. Every star begins somewhere. Even the Galloping Ghost only played “seventh team” for the Wheaton High Tigers at first. Then he went straight up to stardom. I looked up and across the line into the eyes of my Wheaton opponent, then to the
rest of him. He was a shrimp. Like me. And oh my, oh God, oh yes, he was missing an arm! Oooh. No kidding. Oooh. My balloon farted. Birds of a feather? Ha. Truth had out. Boola-boola.

​Meet the Author:

Larry Crane spent the 1960s in a military setting, first at school at West Point, and as a lieutenant in Germany. He was an advisor to a Vietnamese ranger battalion in the Central Highlands. He took on a civilian career in brokerage and banking, retiring early to concentrate on writing, producing several full length plays most notable of which is Baghdad on the Wabash. Published fiction includes a thriller,A Bridge to Treachery, a mystery novel Missing Girls: In Truth Is Justice, and an anthology of short plays and stories, Baghdad on the Wabash and Other Plays and Stories. He lives with his wife Jan in splendid isolation on Southport Island, Maine.

Author Links:  website  ~ twitter  ~  facebook  ~  pinterest  ~  instagram  ~  goodreads

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