Giveaway – Animal Attraction by Kate Willoughby @Kate_Willoughby @XpressoTours

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Animal Attraction
Kate Willoughby
(San Francisco Dragons #2)
Publication date: April 27th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

What do you do when an NHL player steals your dog and won’t give it back?

Maggie Hudson made a heartbreaking decision nine years ago that has haunted her ever since. To fill the hole in her life, she showers her rescue dog with love and affection. But one day, Kirby goes missing.

Six months later, NHL player Spencer Corbett is astonished when Maggie shows up on his doorstep demanding her dog back. He’d found the pug on the side of the road, collarless and in bad shape. But even when confronted with hard evidence she’s the dog’s owner, he begs her to reconsider. His own elderly dog is on her last legs and Kirby has given her a new lease on life.

After Maggie relents, Spencer can’t help but fall for her. Not only is she the most compassionate and selfless person he’s ever met, she’s witty, intelligent and sexier than sin and doesn’t even realize. What starts out as a friendship quickly turns into more, but when a woman from Spencer’s past throws everything into chaos, their fragile relationship is put to the ultimate test.

Animal Attraction may be read and enjoyed as a standalone sports romance!

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EXCERPT:

What kind of jerk didn’t give back a person’s dog?

The PR man said he had personally given Corbett the message only a couple of hours after she’d called. As the days continued to pass with no word, Maggie grew increasingly frustrated and even angry.

Finally, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Kirby belonged with her and damned if she was going to let some immoral, spoiled, self-centered jerk who only pretended to be a nice guy for the public, get away with keeping her dog, even if he was an NHL player.

After making the decision to hunt down the dog-napper herself, she had watched the video segment again, this time watching for clues as to where he lived. They mentioned Hillsborough. Of course. Very high-class neighborhood. That narrowed it down quite a bit. He dropped the name of an Italian restaurant he frequented that was “within easy walking distance” of his house. That narrowed it even further. She printed a map of the area and marked a three-block radius out from that restaurant. They showed a few seconds of him walking away from his house with the dogs on a leash and she froze the video and took a picture of the view.

Then because he mentioned a team party he was hosting to watch the All-Star game, she decided to go to his house and accuse him of dog-napping in front of all his friends. With any luck, peer pressure would make him give up Kirby. Was it going to be horrid, shaming a Dragons player when for more than ten years she’d rooted for the team with all her heart as a hockey fan? Yes. Could she have gone to the media and exposed him the way Jade had suggested? Yes.

But what it all came down to was she thought he was morally despicable and she wanted to tell him so to his face. She wanted the satisfaction of taking her dog away from him personally.

It took her about fifteen minutes of search-cruising before she found his place. Looking toward downtown San Francisco, the view matched the photo.

As she parked her car, the realization hit her that she was about to barge in on what might be the entire Dragons hockey team. Before she’d arrived, all she’d focused on was getting Kirby back. She’d imagined herself going in and righteously claiming her dog. Her main emotion had been indignation. Now, a case of the jitters undermined her determination.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

She looked up at the spectacular two-story house. The sprawling property looked as if Arts and Crafts architecture and Japanese landscaping had a baby. Lush mature trees cast shade over mossy rocks and boulders. The wooden bridge leading to the front door crossed an actual pond, complete with brightly colored koi fish. As she looked around and the luxuriousness of the neighborhood sunk in, the jitters progressed into near-panic. She’d passed the Sierra Point friggin’ Yacht Club on her way, for Pete’s sake.

No. She would do this. Kirby was hers. Even if she couldn’t offer him posh digs like these, they belonged together. She’d had him since puppyhood. They had a bond that couldn’t and wouldn’t ever be broken. Even now, he was probably wishing he were home with her, cuddling on her old sofa watching reruns of Friends and eating microwave popcorn. She told herself the players were only people, like her. People with unusual, high-profile jobs and bodies like gods.

She went up to the front door where a sign said, “Come on in. Hope you brought beer.”

Gathering her courage, she knocked anyway.

No one answered. And it was kind of quiet. Maybe the party hadn’t started yet.

She tried the door and found it unlocked. Before entering, she took a picture of the sign, because if this devolved and the police were called, she wanted evidence that, technically, she was invited in.

“Hello?” she called hesitantly, crossing the threshold into the foyer.

The house was just as gorgeous on the inside as it was on the outside. She’d seen it on the video, but in person, it felt richer and more personal. A San Francisco Dragons player actually lived here. Spencer Corbett occasionally sat on that couch. He walked on this plush rug.

He—gulp—was standing right there, staring at her.


Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Kate Willoughby is in love with the sport of hockey and the entire Los Angeles Kings team. Having lived most of her life completely uninterested in professional sports, she is surprised at the intensity of her enthusiasm and her growing collection of Kings merchandise: a Dustin Brown jersey (covered with autographs), 3 T-shirts, 5 lapel pins, 3 hats, earrings, several play-off towels, 2 replica Stanley Cup Champions banners, a Christmas ornament, blanket, a car windshield sticker, a license plate frame, and the pièce de résistance, an autographed collector card with a swatch from Justin William’s game-worn jersey.

Yeah. Don’t judge her.

She resides in Los Angeles with her husband, their two sons, and a Chihuahua named Mochi.

She is also a member of the Romance Writers of America and winner of the 2009 EPPIE Award for Best Fantasy/Paranormal Erotic Romance and the 2016 EPPIE Award for Best Contemporary Romance.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter


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Giveaway – Chance Series by J Bliss @jblissauthor @XpressoTours

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Not By Chance
J. Bliss
(Chance, #1)
Publication date: June 5th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Drew Rodd has the desire to escape the shadow of his parents and avoid following in the footsteps of his father and his destructive tendencies. At just twenty-four, Drew is promoted to Executive Director at Rival Tech.

Drew’s way of life involves a constant struggle with his father’s devious intentions and manipulations. He is always seeking to prick and prod Drew to advance and become a pawn to further his own success. Drew is determined to value his hate to get ahead professionally, but the beasts from his past keep lurking.

Jasmine Chance is in her last year of college, a challenge she chose after suffering through physical abuse and leaving home without ever looking back. She has done all she can to carry on toward graduating with her college degree, she believes a brighter future will keep her away from the nightmare that was her childhood.
However, her life changes forever the day she met Drew.

A dinner party draws the two together in an electrifying way. After being preyed upon by their pasts, they stick together closely as a couple once their life circles out of whack. Will their electrifying romance be their saving grace or will it destroy them?

The complete series:

Goodreads / Amazon


You may want to bookmark the page or make a note on your calendar for the special pricing during the tour:

Not by Chance is Free May 1, and 8-10
Taking Chances is 99 cents April 28- May 1st,
Last Chance is at 99 cents May 1st-6th

EXCERPT

Drew

I grab my phone dialing. “Stanley, we are coming out in five.” I hang up the phone and Jasmine walks out in these nice fitting jeans holding a bag and her purse. “Damn, Jasmine. You know I can get through those.”

I reach my hand out to take her bag. “I can carry my bag, Drew. You don’t have enough time to get me out these jeans.”

Why is she so determined to not let me hold this bag? I grab the bag. “Let it go.” She releases her grip. “That’s not so bad, now is it?” She sighs, holding on to her purse. The way that shirt is snuggled up on her breasts has every bit of my attention.

She is looking up shaking her head as if I said something inappropriate. “I guess Drew, it’s just a bag. Get your thoughts situated, I can tell what you are thinking by the look on your face.”

Fuck, she can’t be reading my face. We walk towards the door. I grab her keys off the wall. “I’ll lock up. Stanley is driving so you don’t need your keys.”

She sips in a deep breath. I can tell she wants to be in control. I insert the key locking the door and we walk to the car. Stanley has the door open and she looks up to me saying, “How did you get here?”

“A cab, why?” Her curiosity is growing a bit much more than I expected. Typically, girls don’t ask me anything. Stanley tilts his head taking the bag from me.

Jasmine steps ahead of me. “Thank you, Stanley.”

“You are most welcome, Jasmine.”

Wow, these two are on first name basis. I smirk as I get in after her. Jasmine looks back at me. “Why did you get a cab? Is something wrong with your car?”

“No. Just relax.” I get a card out from my shirt pocket and pass it to her. She opens it with a girlish smile on her face and reads it aloud.

“I’m going for more than thoughtful.”

She smiles at me. I knew I’d won her heart the way she looked at me. All of this is going too fast, faster than I’d ever imagined. Who am I kidding, this is a feeling I never imagined. She looks at me blushing, and with a magical breath she says, “Always with you.”

Damn, if this is what I feel like hearing her say this I don’t know how love might make me feel like. I pull her in close to me and kiss her. “Hey, keep your hands off we will be at the house in twenty minutes.” She twists her lips up and laughs softly.

***

Jasmine

Drew acts like he’s meeting my mom. He needs to calm down, Chantal and Victoria will not be on time. I don’t understand his rushing. I can hear his feet pacing in the living room. I start applying my lotion; with only my jewelry to put on, I will be complete. I take one more look at my eye shadow as I face the mirror and shout, “I will be out in a minute, Drew.”

His footsteps sound like they are much closer. “Baby, open the door. I’m sure you are ready. In ten minutes, Rom will be there.”

I look around the bathroom noticing my stuff all around the floor. Why is his bathroom so massive, it’s just one Andrew here. I did enjoy his double sit-down shower though. I begin gathering my stuff.

 “I will be out in a minute. Why will Romel be there twenty minutes before seven?” I pick up my jeans and stuff them in the bag.

Drew takes a deep breath, I can tell he is trying to stay calm, “Jasmine, open the door or…”

I shout from the other side of the door, “Drew, okay I will in a…” I hear the door unlock. Damn, Drew looks delicious in those jeans. “Why did you open the door?”

“Baby. You look beautiful…you do know I can open any door here.” He smirks looking at me. “Including that one between your thighs.”

“Boy, hush, I don’t get it. I told you seven, why are you in a rush?” I walk out of the bathroom and Drew’s eyes are following my every movement.

“Jasmine, seven means be there at seven, not leave at seven. We are late.” I place my bag on his plush king size bed and he follows behind me placing it in a closet. He walks back over to his bed to wipe out the wrinkles. He is such a neat freak.

“Drew, it’s 6:45, the place is around the corner. I know my girls and they will not be there.”

“Sweetheart, it’s not polite to keep people waiting. Have I kept you waiting?” Drew walks up from behind me wrapping his arms around me. I look up at him saying,

“No, you haven’t, Mr. Thoughtful. I’m ready to go.” He picks me up and rushes to the elevator.

***

Author Bio:

J. Bliss Influenced by, Maya Angelo, Terry McMillan, and her own mother’s prestigious writing, J. Bliss began writing stimulating poetry at the age of thirteen. She dreamt of being an author and never gave up on the passion deep to write that she held within herself.

Her first novel originated from a past radio talk show she was the host of, based on many callers that spoke about having marital problems, most of which stemmed from a lack of intimacy. Drawing from her own experiences and struggles, she felt compelled to write Lovers of Convenience leading to Not by Chance.

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Giveaway – Raven Acoustics by Grace Harper #GraceHarper @XpressoTours

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Raven Acoustics: Rock Star Romance
Grace Harper
(Red & Black Series, #3)
Publication date: April 9th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Errol Thomas has a tortured soul, always has had.

Errol is out of rehab and is set on world domination. His record label is only too happy to pull his puppet strings to get him to the top of the soul music charts.

But it comes at a price, a price Errol doesn’t find out until it is too late.

He seeks solace in a local candle maker’s shop where Jane, the owner listens to tales of woe. When Ivory walks into the shop that has been his home away from home for over ten years, he is knocked sideways.

It’s only when he meets Ivory that he vows to keep his sobriety promise.

Just when Errol is on an even keel, falling in love with Ivory, her past comes knocking to reveal her secrets. In turn, his cover story at the label starts to unravel.

Will Errol be able to keep focussed on the end game or will he be collateral damage?

Red & Black have their own issues to deal with and become involved with Errol’s music career even if they don’t want to.

This is the third standalone romance novel in the Red & Black Series.

Book 1: Charcoal Notes
Book 2: Crimson Melodies

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Deadline day had arrived.

The intimidating man sitting across from me in his ivory tower office had given me plenty of time to decide.

“What’s it to be, Errol?” Quinn said. His attention was squarely on his phone. I could be forgiven for thinking he couldn’t care less about my answer.

Today, I needed to sign the recording contract with The Dark Side record label or walk away. Quinn Saunders who owned the label had a plan that had played out to perfection. I’d won a talent contest, with my real name and my true passion for singing soul music. Transforming from Casey Lowe, rock band front man to Errol Thomas, solo soul singer was the best move I could have made and it was all thanks to Quinn.

When I saw Donovan Carter in the recording booth at my old label, a year ago, singing a Fragile song, I knew I had to leave Red & Black. When I watched Donovan sing the track, I could see Erin’s reflection in the glass wall of the studio. She’d given me the same proud smile years ago. That was when I was her favourite, before her husband Alex and long before Donovan.

The Dark Side record label building had stunning views across London. I loved coming up to the city to see Quinn. He’d coached me in the ways of the business and how to make a splash. His genius idea to use my real name and have the big reveal at the contest completely blinded all of them at Red & Black. For a moment, seeing Erin’s face when I shouted at Donovan about his sister made it all worthwhile. She doubted him and his innocence in what had happened. For a moment Erin was on my side. I hadn’t felt that in years, not since she danced with Alex Devlin at Green’s Music Venue. The night she left our friendship on the floor and went to him.

“Hell yes, I want this contract, pass me the pen.”

I jumped up from the leather sofa to reach for the contract. Quinn slapped his hand down hard on the stack of papers.

“Are you absolutely sure Errol? I’ll make you a worldwide sensation, but you’re going to have to play a role to get it.”

“I don’t care. All I want to do is to perform on stage and for everyone to know my name. I can sing, I’ve got the looks, and I don’t care what else I need to do.”

“Good lad,” Quinn said, flashing me a conspiratory smile. He took the pen from his inside jacket pocket and handed it over. The pen cost more than everything I owned. Everything about Quinn screamed wealth, and I wanted some of that money.

I scrawled my signature, using my real name in all the places the yellow sticky tabs told me to sign. The deal was done.

“What happens next?” I asked.

I’d retaken my seat on the sofa, watching the boats sail up the Thames river. Quinn had moved to the other side of his office into the gloom. The sun shone brightly in through the windows but only reached half of the floor space. Quinn’s black suit enabled him to blend in with the darkness, and I couldn’t see what he was doing.

“You wait for my call, lad. My PR people will be in touch soon with our game plan.”

“Am I going to lay down some tracks today?”

“Not yet.” I heard his irritation, I could have kicked myself for being over eager. Playing it cool never came easily to me. “We need to get everything in place first. We can take our time, get it right to make you a superstar.”

Quinn turned his back to take a call, dismissing me from the conversation. It wasn’t until he slipped through a side door in his office and his PA came in to collect the signed papers that I understood I was dismissed for the day.

“Have a great day, Errol,” she said with a smile that told me it had been many years since she’d had a good day.

I muttered my thanks to her retreating back, drank the glass of water in front of me and took one more look at Quinn’s office. Over the last couple of years, this had been our HQ for planning. Quinn discussed with me the next step in getting away from Maverick and Red & Black label. Years of planning and here I was, the ink still wet on the contract that would take me to superstardom.

Rubbing my closed fist against my chest as I left Quinn’s empty cold office, I looked for any familiar faces to chat with. I was still used to the Red & Black mansion where everything was open plan. Here at The Dark Side head office, all offices had doors with no windows to peek in. The grey slate coloured carpets marked my exit to the elevators and down to the security desk.

Quinn hadn’t told me what would happen in the coming months. I trusted him to keep me on the path to fame and fortune. Now that I’d signed the contract, I had faith in him more than ever to get me to household name status.


Author Bio:

British author who loves to write about strong women and handsome men. She writes steamy romance novels that will warm your heart.

Writer of the Brodie Saga and the Geary Series, Grace immerses you in stories of love, or rather, love’s pursuit to bring together two people who were meant for each other. It’s not always quick or easy but it will happen eventually.

When Grace is not writing, she can be found mooching about in stationery stores. Grace might have a Maltesers addiction but is not ready to stand up and own that just yet.

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Giveaway – Alien Minds by Christina Bauer @CB_Bauer @XpressoTours

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Excerpt – Thorne

“Intoxication with technology is the hallmark of an underdeveloped society.” – Beauregard the Great, Instructions for Visiting Parallel Worlds

After spending hours on guard duty, I can finally leave Mass General. Soon I’m tooling my hoverbike toward the outskirts of the Boston Dome. Overhead, a cloud-free sky is projected onto the plasma. Tall buildings loom around me in a maze of chrome and concrete.

An image appears in my mind. Meimi—I never even think the false name Wisteria—lies curled on her hospital bed, drugged up and asleep. Every instinct in my soul says I should’ve stayed behind and guarded her while she rested. Not an option. An important appointment is coming up, and I can’t miss it.

For Meimi.

Of course, Godwin—my boss and Meimi’s doctor—doesn’t know I’m leaving the city. Then again, the doctor doesn’t know a lot of things about me.

Like the fact that I’m not from this planet.

Plus, I’m not just any alien. My father’s the Emperor of the Omniverse, the universe of universes.

So what Godwin doesn’t know about me is quite a lot, actually.

Meimi doesn’t know much, either. To begin with, she doesn’t remember that I’m her transcendent. Even worse, she thinks I’m in league with someone as evil as Godwin. Not to mention that I’m part of a government creating an apocalypse for anyone who isn’t perfect.

Bands of sorrow tighten around my chest. There’s no avoiding the truth. Meimi sees me as her enemy. I straighten my spine. But being her enemy? That keeps my girl safe. So that’s what I’ll no do, no matter how much it tears at my soul.

Alien Minds
Christina Bauer
(Dimension Drift #1)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: April 23rd 2019
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

DIVERGENT meets OCEAN’S EIGHT in this urban fantasy heist!

On my seventeenth birthday, I wake up in the hospital to find I just survived a sketchy but terrible accident. My parents stand by my bedside—both are beautiful, wealthy, and super-nice. They tell me that once I leave the hospital, I’ll attend the prestigious ECHO Academy, where I’ll churn out equations for the government along with my mega-smart peers.

So, I’m living the perfect life.

Then why does everything feel all wrong?

My parents, my house and even ECHO Academy…none of it fits. Plus, what’s up with Thorne, my brooding yet yummy classmate who keeps telling me I need to remember my true past, which seems to have included a lot of us kissing? That’s one thing I’d really like to remember, except for the fact that I’m pretty sure Thorne is hiding a ton of nasty secrets of his own, including the fact that he may not be from this world. But considering how my own past seems alien to me, it’s not like I can judge. Plus, Thorne has dimples. That’s a problem.

And worst of all, why does it feel so yucky to work on these calculations for the government? It’s all supposed to be part of ECHO, but my heart tells me that I’m helping something truly terrible come to pass. Thorne seems to think that kissing him again will release my real memories.

Maybe it’s time to pucker up.

“Appealing and engaging. Love the strong female character!” – Arlene’s Book Reviews

This new series is perfect for: fans of urban fantasy, action & adventure, cool science, evil corporations, forbidden romance and hot new classmates who may or may not be aliens.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks / Google Play


Author Bio:

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn


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Excerpt For The Desire Card by Lee Matthew Goldberg @LeeMatthewG @pumpupyourbook

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THE DESIRE CARD by Lee Matthew Goldberg, Crime/Suspense, 299 pp., $13.29 (paperback) $3.99 (Kindle)

Title: THE DESIRE CARD
Author: Lee Matthew Goldberg
Publisher: Fahrenheit Press
Pages: TBA
Genre: Crime/Suspense


Any wish fulfilled for the right price. That’s the promise the Desire Card gives to its elite clients. But if the Card doesn’t feel like they’ve been justly compensated, the “price” will be more menacing than the clients could ever imagine.

Harrison Stockton learns this lesson all too well. Harrison has lived an adult life of privilege and excess: a high-powered job on Wall Street along with a fondness for alcohol and pills, and a family he adores, yet has no time for. All of this comes crashing to a halt when he loses his executive job and discovers he has liver cirrhosis with mere months left to live.

After finding himself far down on the donor list, Harrison takes matters into his own hands. This decision sparks a gritty and gripping quest that takes him to the slums of Mumbai in search of a black market organ and forces him under the Desire Card’s thumb. When his moral descent threatens his wife and children, Harrison must decide whether to save himself at any cost, or do what’s right and put a stop to the Card.

THE DESIRE CARD is a taut international thriller that explores what a man will do to survive when money isn’t always enough to get everything he desires. It’s the first book in a series followed by PREY NO MORE that focuses on other people indebted to this sinister organization, where the actual price is the cost of one’s soul.

PRAISE:

“Careful what you wish for, especially from a nefarious shadow organization, in this gripping start to Lee Matthew Goldberg’s fast-paced, highly compelling, buzz worthy new series. If you love characters morally compromised, richly drawn, and constantly surprising, you’ll love THE DESIRE CARD. I burned through the first book and can’t wait to get my hands on PREY NO MORE to see where this endlessly exciting story takes me next! Loved it!” – Daniel Palmer, critically acclaimed suspense author

ORDER YOUR COPY:

______________________



HARRISON STUMBLED INTO CENTRAL PARK CLUTCHING THE SILVER BRIEFCASE, HIS BODY SHAKING FROM BEING HUNTED. Clouds clogged the sky. The trees seemed like creatures towering over him. He turned around to see the man in the Humphrey Bogart mask running toward the entrance, a gun bulging from the guy’s inside pocket. The man’s cold eyes scanned the park, zeroing in. Harrison took off down a dirt path until he was alone with only the wind ringing in his ears.
He wanted to collapse; he begged himself to just give in. Nature would destroy him soon anyway, and his shins were starting to feel like they’d been repeatedly stabbed. He coughed up an excess of blood and mucus that spilled down a rock. Now he’d gone so far down the trail that he couldn’t see where he entered. The sound of footsteps came from all directions. A distorted laugh caused all the nearby pigeons to shoot toward the sky. The laugh was followed by an eerie whistle that became louder and louder as he spun around expecting to see his pursuer.
A shadow passed behind a tree, bigger than any animal. He propped himself up against a rock, too exhausted to move any farther, closing his eyes and waiting to die. He could see tomorrow’s headlines declaring his death as a mugging gone wrong.
“Gracie,” he cried, trembling. “Brent, my boy…oh God.”
He had pissed himself now, the urine hot and sticky as it trickled down his pants leg. He still held the silver briefcase close to his chest, resolving not to let it go without a fight.
The man in the Bogart mask emerged from behind a tree holding a gun.
“Just hand it over, Mr. Stockton,” the man said. The voice box attached to his mouth made him sound robotic, weirdly calm. “You don’t want this to get any more complicated than it already has.”
The man made a grab for the briefcase, but Harrison held on tight.
“You’ll kill me anyway,” Harrison yelled, spooking any pigeons that hadn’t already flown away.
“Only if you force me to do so.”
The man kicked Harrison in the shin, causing him to nearly buckle over. Harrison was thrown to the ground, the man pinning him down. He still managed to hold onto the briefcase as if it was fused to his hand.
 “The Boss doesn’t know about what you’ve done yet,” the man said, hitting Harrison’s head against the hard dirt. “Do you understand what that means? That means you can still live. And he’ll never find out as long as we get what we’re owed.”
“Why would you do that for me?” he asked, seeing four masked men spinning around.
The man stepped back and pointed the gun between Harrison’s eyes.
“The Boss doesn’t like when things don’t go according to plan. I could be in as much trouble as you for letting this slip-up happen. So let’s make this easy for both of us.”
Harrison got on one elbow and hoisted himself up.
“Do I have your word?”
The man nodded.
“And my family? My wife…my kids? I wouldn’t have to worry about them being hurt?”
“As much as you might think that you are our sole concern, we have an entire organization to run beyond your pithy life. Now I will count to ten and if you don’t hand over the briefcase, I’ll put a bullet between your eyes.” 
Harrison thought about what his life had really amounted to. All the hours he’d slaved at Sanford & Co., making rich people boatloads richer. Getting into the office before dawn and often heading home in the middle of the night. Sacrificing his family, his youth, his sanity. How it had made him into a drinker, a serial gorger of all vices, just so he could forget about what he was losing. After all of that, what did he have left to show?
“…8…9…10,” the man said, about to pull the trigger.
“All right, all right.”
Harrison handed over the briefcase. The man opened it up and appeared to be satisfied, a smirking grin visible through his mask.
“I’ll leave you with this nugget of wisdom,” he said, without putting the gun away. “If what you did manages to compromise us in any way, if there are any rippling after-effects, be prepared to come across the Boss. He’s known to wear a Clark Gable mask.” The man’s smirk had disappeared. “He only appears when he’s ready to bloody his hands. Good day, Mr. Stockton.”
“Who are you people? Under the masks…who are you really?”
The man raised the gun over Harrison’s head.
“I doubt you’ll ever find out,” he said, and struck Harrison on the forehead with the handle.
A trickle of blood spilled down Harrison’s nose and felt cold on his tongue. He slunk down and rested his cheek against the dirt, watching the man in the mask take off through the trees, the silver briefcase shining like a beam of light snaking through the leaves. And then the man finally disappeared—as if he was nothing more than a nightmare brought to life and extinguished once the fitful dreamer finally woke.
Harrison pressed against his rib cage and felt for his engorged liver. Cursed at it. Wanted to tear it from his stomach. He’d been poisoned from within for too long, his unending punishment for all of his crimes. Blood zigzagged into his eyes as the wound on his forehead opened up even more. With his other hand he reached into his pocket and removed his wallet. A thin metallic card fell from out of a sleeve and sat in a puddle of blood that had collected in the dirt.
            He crumpled it up in his fist since it was responsible for letting these psychopaths into his life. He knew he’d never feel completely settled again, always worried that they might come after him and his family. The Desire Card had caused him to seek out gruesome and despicable wishes. From the instant this devil’s temptation had been placed in his hands, his moral compass never stood a chance. So he chucked it into the air and watched it sail over the rocks for some other fool to find.
            “I’m sorry, Helene,” he mumbled to the wind. He knew he’d have to come clean about everything. His head throbbed, and he recalled a memory from twenty-five years ago. Spying her in the quad at Chilton College drinking a cherry Coke, tan and shapely from field hockey, the entire campus becoming muted except for her. He took a chance by flirting miserably and changing the course of their lives.
She would’ve been better off if they had never met. In such a short amount of time, he’d fallen so far. Now because of him people had been sliced up, left for dead, and soon he’d follow them to his own grave. As he drifted off into unconsciousness, he remembered that it all began to spiral out of control on his last day at Sanford & Co. over a month ago, this treacherous path he embarked on, his dark and dried-up destiny. 




Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of SLOW DOWN and THE MENTOR (St. Martin’s Press), which was acquired by Macmillan Entertainment with the film in development. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the 2018 Prix du Polar. The first two books in a thriller series, THE DESIRE CARD and PREY NO MORE, are forthcoming from Fahrenheit Press in winter 2019. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in the anthology DIRTY BOULEVARD, The Millions, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, Essays & Fictions, The New Plains Review, and others. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series (guerrillalit.wordpress.com). He lives in New York City. Follow him at leematthewgoldberg.com and @LeeMatthewG.

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Giveaway – Lead The Way by Brittany Carter @AuthorCarter @XpressoTours

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Lead The Way
Brittany Carter
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: April 22nd 2019
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Fresh off the high of college graduation, Melody James is back in her Podunk town. She needs a job, but first, she’ll spend a lazy summer with no agenda at all.

But life’s got other plans for Melody, ones she’d sooner ignore. When the next-door neighbor passes away, his son returns home to take care of his affairs. Thane Cohen hasn’t been home in ten years. The last time he was, someone accused him of murdering Melody’s parents. Now, after major efforts to recover his self-worth and start a construction company, Thane wonders if enough time has passed for him to clear his once good name.

At the time of the murders, Melody was the only person who didn’t believe Thane was responsible. But how could she even suggest otherwise when just about everyone in town was convinced of Thane’s guilt? Her brothers would never allow it. With nothing to lose before, Thane packed up and left, leaving the town and Melody behind. Now that he’s back, rekindling an old flame in Melody and proving his innocence are critical.

When several car windshields get broken and fires start unexpectedly, the world inside their little town is tossed upside down. With Melody’s brother against her, and Thane fighting every attempt she makes at breaking down his walls, Melody’s push for answers leads her to a frightening conclusion. Thane may actually know more about her parents’ death than she was lead to believe. Can she trust him, or has everyone else been right about him all along? Only time will tell if she can let love lead the way.

—

*Author previously wrote under the name, Alla Kar

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

One side of his mouth curled for a nanosecond. “You need to leave. Your brothers are gonna catch you.”

She placed the carrots in her hand on the table behind him. “You’re not scared of my brothers.”

“I’m not. But they’ll tan your hide if you get caught over here.”

She shrugged. “I’m not scared of my brothers either.”

His gaze dropped to her lips, and her heart began to patter. Thoughts drifted from her head, taking away her ability to speak. She leaned forward; one palm rested against his wide chest. Suddenly, he shifted, grabbed her waist, and placed her on the table behind them. With one hand on either side of her hips, he leaned forward. He smelled woodsy, like rain, earth, and man. It intoxicated her brain, filling her body with raging feelings. Feelings she’d never had before. Not once had Lucas ever made her feel so alive without touching her.

Her mouth watered as he neared, his lips only a hairbreadth away from her own, the minty smell of his mouth had her head gone. His unruly hair was messy from the rain, and she reached up with her other hand to run her fingers through it.

He caught her wrist; his thumb ran three slow circles around her pulse. Kiss me … please. She had no idea why her body betrayed her so easily. The tip of his tongue ran across his bottom lip. Melody couldn’t look away from it, even when he took his other thumb and ran it across her bottom lip. The tension weighed heavily down on her chest, begging for a release.

Just one kiss would cure her, right?

A deep grunt left his throat, and she just knew he’d kiss her. She knew he would lean down and put her out of her misery. Only one more inch and …

“Go home,” he whispered against her mouth.

Her heart sank with embarrassment. Rejection clogged her throat. She wanted to crawl into the dirt and die. Turning her head, she looked down at the shed floor. She was stupid for going over.

Melody jumped down from the table, stopping at the door. “I know you didn’t do it,” she whispered. Thane leaned over the table again, palms flat against the wood, his eyes fixated on her. “You don’t know anything, Melody.”

Author Bio:

Brittany Booker Carter previously writing as Alla Kar. I’m a Christian, lover or romance, a wife and mother to a wild-child!

Website / Facebook / Twitter


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Giveaway – What Matters More by Liora Blake @XpressoTours #LioraBlake

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What Matters More
Liora Blake
Publication date: April 9th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A sexy contemporary romance about what happens when a casual one-night stand becomes anything but casual.

JT Maxwell has it all . . . well, almost. He’s a US Marshal, he looks like he belongs in an aftershave commercial, and he has tattoos—lots of tattoos. Unfortunately, he’s also in debt up to his pretty blue eyeballs. Between that and his recent divorce, his personal life is nonexistent these days. But when a free-spirited artist approaches him for a no-strings-attached one-night stand, things suddenly start looking up.

Anya Alves’s life is a mess. She’s lost her job, caught her boyfriend cheating on her, and if it weren’t for the house-sitting gig she just landed, she’d be homeless. On top of all that, her creative muse has up and disappeared. If she doesn’t get it back, her burgeoning career as an artist will be over before it starts. But after indulging in a steamy hook-up with a guy who makes it easy to forget her troubles, she gets her mojo back.

The last thing she expects when starting her house-sitting job, is to see her sexy one-night stand again . . . living right across the street.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Anya managed a nervous smile and thrust her arms forward, with the baking pan perched in her hands like an offering—one she suddenly wasn’t sure would be welcome.

“We made enchiladas for dinner,” she blurted out. “And we saved some for you. Tara said you can send her a thank-you note tomorrow. I kept them warm, and I have salad and some beer, too. Are you hungry?”

JT’s gaze zeroed in on the pan in her hands and he simply stared at it, not saying a word, even when Anya cleared her throat to ease the uncomfortable silence. She felt a blush creeping across her cheeks, and a panicked thought hit her. One that if she hadn’t lost her mind earlier, she would have been able to see coming before she found herself with these damn oven mitts on her hands.

Maybe this was a mistake.

She could see how this must look, this show of domesticity on her part that he certainly hadn’t asked for or even insinuated that he wanted. But here she was, making him dinner and keeping it warm until he arrived home, like she was some proper Kennedy-era housewife—which, on so many levels, she definitely wasn’t. Even the outfit she’d changed into, a lavender floral mini dress, made it look like all she was missing was a cute little vintage apron to complete the look.

Oh, God.

Of course this was a mistake.

Anya considered setting the pan on the ground and walking away without saying another word. But then JT locked his eyes with hers. A hungry, heated look was on his face, and because she was regretting this whole thing now, she wasn’t sure whether that look was for her or the enchiladas. Either way, she needed him to say something soon because she was about to drop this hot pan and swoon, although not necessarily in that order.

“I’m starving,” JT rumbled. Then he made his way toward the door into the house, opened it, and invited Anya in with just the tip of his chin. She scooted past him in the doorway and swore that when she did, he actually grunted quietly as she passed.

Even then, she still wasn’t sure what he wanted to eat first.

Author Bio:

Wife of one. Mom of three plus a Beagle.
Liora Blake is a contemporary romance author living in Colorado.

When she isn’t writing, she’s likely baking cookies she shouldn’t eat, inventing elaborate excuses to avoid going for a run, or asking the nice barista to sell her another quad-shot Americano.

Website / Goodreads


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Release Blitz – Just A Taste by Shannyn Schroeder @SSchroeder_ @InkSlingerPR

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Today we have the release blitz for Just a Taste by Shannyn Schroeder! I am so excited to share this sexy new romance with you—check out the release festivities and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: Just a Taste

Author: Shannyn Schroeder

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: O’Leary’s, Book 4

About JUST A TASTE:

Grief has brought them together again—will love open the door to their future? When it’s an O’Leary in the picture, finding out is just part of the adventure…   Carmen Delgado is left reeling when her father dies. Taking care of him has been her sole purpose for so long, she’s forgotten what it’s like to have dreams of her own. And with steady, sexy Liam O’Leary inheriting a share in her dad’s successful food truck, Carmen is suddenly free to explore her life’s possibilities. She never expected Liam to provide the kind of temptation she’s not sure she can resist…     A talented chef, Liam O’Leary has been itching to open his own restaurant for years—and the death of his mentor is a reminder that time passes too quickly. Gus’s Taco Taxi isn’t exactly what he dreamed of, but he can’t desert Gus’s daughter. Working side by side is an unexpected pleasure—and grownup Carmen is alluring in all new ways. Is love on the menu—or will old fears and insecurities drive them apart?

Get Your Copy Today:

Kindle | Nook | Apple | Kobo

Exclusive Excerpt:

He entered the house and looked around. People packed the entire living room. He stood still for a moment, allowing the air of the room to warm him. He studied the faces and realized he didn’t know anyone. No one approached him, but many looked in his direction with open interest. Then he spotted Carmen. She bustled around, taking plates and delivering coffee to older men and women around the room. He crossed to her and followed until she went into the kitchen. He waited in the doorway. The kitchen was empty of guests. She put the dishes in the sink and then braced her arms on the counter and released a breath that shuddered through her. Guilt poked at him. He was interrupting a private moment and he should leave, but his feet wouldn’t listen. He cleared his throat. “Carmen?” She straightened slowly before turning to face him. A slow smile formed on her face. “Liam.” He hadn’t been sure she would remember him. “How are you holding up?” She lifted her shoulders in answer. The question was dumb. That was one of the worst parts of dealing with people after his father had died. The dumb questions from people. “Here.” He held the flowers out to her. “I know it doesn’t help or ease the pain in any way, but I couldn’t come here empty-handed.” “Thank you. They’re beautiful.” She took the vase from him and looked for a free space on the counter. The entire kitchen table and the length of the counter held trays and bowls of food. The smells made his mouth water even though he wasn’t hungry. “Can I get you something to eat?” she offered after she stashed the flowers in the corner near the refrigerator. “No. Can I help with some of this? Do something for you? You look like you have your hands full with all of your guests.” He removed his jacket and hung it on the back of one of the kitchen chairs. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, prepared to help. She blinked a couple of times. “Uh… In all honesty, I’ll probably end up throwing most of this out. There’s just too much.” She turned in a circle. “Coffee. I need to make more.” Liam moved forward. The girl looked dead on her feet. How could her family not see this? He pulled a chair out from the table. “Sit. I’ll make it.” “No, it’s okay.” “Carmen, sit down. Take a break and relax for a minute.” While not harsh, his tone was firm and she sat. He remembered when Gus’s wife, Inez, died and the house had been filled like this. Gus loved having the family here, but Carmen had hidden in the kitchen, overwhelmed. Liam had joined her then too. He moved around the kitchen making coffee and then washed the dishes that were in the sink. “You don’t have to do that, Liam.” “I know. I like to feel useful. And I don’t think anyone in your family wants to chat me up.” He rinsed a dish and put it in the drain. “I came here to see you, Carmen. I don’t know anyone else. Your dad was my friend.” He heard her hiccupping breath. When he turned, he expected to see her crying, but she just stared off at nothing. Drying his hands quickly, he squatted in front of her. “What do you need, Carmen? I watched you run around here, taking care of everyone. What can I do for you?” Her focus shifted until her eyes met his. So much sadness. He wanted to wrap her in a tight hug, but they had never had that kind of relationship. They’d had a teasing, laughing one with minimal contact. And that had been years ago. “Could you take the coffee into the living room? I just need a few minutes.” He patted her knee before rising. “Take all the time you need.”

About Shannyn Schroeder:

Shannyn Schroeder is the author of the O’Leary series and the For Your Love series, contemporary romances centered around large Irish-American families in Chicago and the Hot & Nerdy series about nerdy friends finding love. Look for her new series – The Dating Challenge in 2019. When she’s not wrangling her three kids or writing, she watches a ton of TV and loves to bake cookies.  

Connect with Shannyn:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Book + Main Bites

 
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Giveaway – Chutes and Ladder by Marc Jedel #MarcJedel @dollycas

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Chutes and Ladder:
A Silicon Valley Mystery
by Marc Jedel

Marc Jedel is hilarious! . . . I can’t stop laughing at protagonist Marty Golden, perennial and proverbial Feckless Hero. If there were ever a perfect illustration of The Fool card in Tarot, Marty is it!
~Mallory Heart’s Cozies

. . . an original take on an amateur investigation that kept making me giggle all the way to the surprising end. Great for fans of cozies looking for something different.
~Books a Plenty Book Reviews

The book is fast paced and full of humor. The author keeps us guessing as to what has really transpired, and it’s not until the very end that the details are revealed.
~Carla Loves To Read

OMG!!! This book is hysterical…yes, it’s a mystery, but I can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud at Marty Golden!
~Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews

Chutes and Ladder is an entertaining story with quirky characters, zany incidents, witty dialogue, and guaranteed giggles.
~The Avid Reader

Think Sheldon Cooper, Clark Griswold, and Columbo all rolled into one. This nerdy, intelligent, goofy, silly man, will have you laughing your butt off.
~Lisa Ks Book Reviews

Chutes and Ladder by Marc Jedel is a riveting new cozy mystery. It isn’t like any cozy that I have read, but it is entertaining.
~Baroness’ Book Trove

About the Book


Chutes and Ladder: A Silicon Valley Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
BGM Press (March 12, 2019)
Print Length: 195 pages
ASIN: B07NFDYZX8

Dead friend. Free fall. Girl Scouts. Can Uncle Marty untangle the mystery before things really get out of control?

Juggling a budding relationship, demanding job, and mischievous nieces, Marty Golden struggled to keep his head above water — even before his friend’s death. Trying his best to be a good boyfriend and fun uncle, Marty had his own ideas for the weekend until his cunning sister tricked him again.

Convinced his friend’s death was no accident, Marty tries to summon superhero powers but merely manages to bumble along as an amateur sleuth. When Marty’s cousin shows up, she wreaks havoc with his plans and pulls him into yet another mystery.

As threats blossom, Marty doubles down now that his family’s involved. Besides, it’s poor manners to let your friend’s death go unsolved.

Can Marty figure out what happened before a killer, or his imagination, gets to him?

Chutes and Ladder is the second novel in a refreshingly modern mystery series set in Silicon Valley. If you like clever humor and wacky side characters, you’ll love this twisty mystery.

About the Author

For most of my life, I’ve been inventing stories. Some, especially when I was young, involved my sister as the villain. As my sister’s brother for her entire life, I’m highly qualified to tell the tale of this evolving, quirky sibling relationship.

My writing skills were honed in years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley. While my high tech marketing roles involved crafting plenty of fiction, we called these marketing collateral, emails and ads.

The publication of my first novel, Uncle and Ants, gave me permission to claim “author” as my job. This leads to way more interesting discussions than answering “marketing.”

My family would tell you that Marty’s character isn’t much of a stretch of the imagination for me, but I proudly resemble that remark.

Like Marty, I live in Silicon Valley and can’t believe that otherwise normal people would willingly jump out of an airplane and call it fun. Unlike Marty, I have a wonderful wife and a neurotic but sweet, small dog, who is often the first to weigh in on the humor in my writing.

Author Links

Purchase Link: Amazon 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 25 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

March 25 – The Journey Back– REVIEW

March 25 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

March 26 – My Reading Journeys – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 26 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

March 26 – Teresa Watson – SPOTLIGHT

March 27 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 27 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST

March 27 – Here’s How It Happened – GUEST POST

March 28 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 28 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

March 28 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW

March 29 – I’m Into Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 29 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 30 – 4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼ – SPOTLIGHT

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April 2 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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April 3 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

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Giveaway – The Basement by Dianne Hartsock @diannehartsock @GoddessFish

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dianne Hartsock will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Alex is haunted by visions of the dying, but now it seems the ghosts he’s seeing are real as well.

In this sequel to ALEX and THE SHED, Alex wonders if he’s seeing ghosts. His friend Justin has bought the Fulton place, a beautiful old mansion on the edge of Oakton. But something’s wrong in the house. Alex has visions of a small boy, trapped in the basement, and a man at the top of the stairs who won’t let him leave.

And Logan Fulton has come to town, Helen Kramer’s cousin, a psychic medium who wants something from Helen, whatever the cost. He and Helen had spent time in the Fulton house as children and Alex suspects Logan has something to do with the spirits now awakening in the old mansion. But whether Logan is calling them forth or if something else is controlling them, Alex can’t be sure.

The child’s spirit calls to Alex, as do others trapped in the house. There is a dark entity holding them there, keeping the child forever in the basement, the others for his amusement. But Alex has never believed in ghosts, so what is really going on? As he strives to learn the boy’s secret, his friends are one by one pulled to the Fulton place and put in danger while Logan works against Alex, having an agenda of his own. Will Alex be able to solve the haunting of the old house, or will he and his friends be taken one by one, doomed to walk the dark hallways forever?

Read an Excerpt

“So, Alex… What’s up?” he drawled, shaking his head when Alex gave him a confused look. He waved his hand at Alex’s clothing and Alex glanced down. Dark color flooded his face, and he plucked at his shirt, coughing as dust rose up around him.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” Alex said quietly. He sounded humiliated, not meeting Justin’s gaze. Justin could have kicked himself. He hadn’t meant to make him feel self-conscious.

“Not a problem,” he hastened to say. “Just wondering what you’re doing under my house.”

Alex glanced at him, eyes dark with emotion, definitely troubled. “I had to get in…” He covered his face with his dirty hands, voice catching on a ragged breath. “Give me a minute. This one’s hard. He’s so scared…”

He began to shake, obviously fighting for control. A sob escaped him, and Angie flung an arm around his waist despite the dust. “Hey, we’re here. Everything’s okay.”

They waited, and Justin unclenched the fists he hadn’t known he’d made, his hands sore.

Taking a deep breath, Alex looked up at them, and his expression turned puzzled. “What’s going on? Justin, you look like you’ve seen a…ghost.”

“I think he has, but he won’t tell me,” Angie said, frowning at Justin.

He tried to shrug it off. “I thought I saw something… A little girl.”

“Oh, her.” Alex looked unimpressed. “She’s just residual, a memory of a girl who once lived here. No consciousness. Nothing to be afraid of.”

“Oh really?” Justin said dryly. “Well, she scared the crap out of me.”

About the Author:
Dianne grew up in one of the older homes in the middle of Los Angeles, a place of hardwood floors and secret closets and back staircases. A house where ghosts lurk in the basement and the faces in the paintings watch you walk up the front stairs. Rooms where you keep the closet doors closed tight at night. It’s where her love of the mysterious and wonderful came from. Dianne is the author of paranormal/suspense, fantasy adventure, m/m romance, the occasional thriller, and anything else that comes to mind.

She now lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. Dianne says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee in her hands, which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

Blog: http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/diannehartsock
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/diannehartsock
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4707011-dianne-hartsock
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Dianne- Hartsock/e/B005106SYQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Dianne-Hartsock-Author-107985445959828/

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Basement-Dianne-Hartsock- ebook/dp/B07MCVMFJN/ref=sr_1_18
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130301217
Solstice Publishing: http://www.solsticeempire.com/products.aspx?categoryid=102

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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