Month: October 2019

#ReleaseBlitz “Wicked Shadows (Cursed Coven #11)” by Ariel Marie

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment
Title: Wicked Shadows
Series: Cursed Coven #11
Author: Ariel Marie
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: October 28, 2019
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Wicked Shadows coverA witch cursed by black magic. Hunted down by a wolf. Will fate be on her side? 
Niobe Rathmore was on a mission. Break the curse of an evil witch and bring her father’s killer to justice.
Nothing she couldn’t handle.
Or so she thought.
Arriving in New Orleans, Niobe finds she’s in over her head. The dark underworld of the city may have all the answers she has been searching for… but it has plenty of dangers too.
Her leads point her in the direction of wolf shifter, Blaze Leclair. One look into his amber eyes and she knows she’s in trouble. His soft growls lure her to him. His kisses take her breath away.
There’s no way she can act on this attraction.
She had to stay focused.
Break the curse…and kill Blaze.

 
Ariel Marie is an author who loves the paranormal, action and hot steamy romance. She combines all three in each and every one of her stories. For as long as she can remember, she has loved vampires, shifters and every creature you can think of. This even rolls over into her favorite movies! She love a good action packed thriller! Throw a touch of the supernatural world in it and she’s hooked! 
 
She grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where she currently resides with her husband and three beautiful children.
 

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#Spotlight “Images of America” by Lisa Coleman, Robert Norman

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The combination of vintage images and compelling narrative will delight historians, residents, and visitors for years to come. Lisa Coleman, co-author of Images of America: Tampa, fulfills her desire to write and preserve the past with this engaging photo history.

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Clearwater cover

by Lisa Coleman

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Clearwater, situated on Florida’s Gulf Coast, is a progressive city that is rife with history and known for its breathtaking landscape. The city that has become one of the state’s prime destinations was once inhabited by Timucuan, Calusa, and Apalachee tribes. Early settlers called the area that had plentiful fresh springs along its shore Clear Water Harbor from the Native American word “Pocotopaug,” and early developers and speculators drew tourists and residents touting Clearwater as a resort community with a comfortable climate. Opportunity and adventure brought many pioneering families, citrus farmers, railroad barons, and land developers to the area.

Today, Clearwater is a locality that continues to move forward while preserving its distinct past. Images of America: Clearwater is a unique collection of vintage photographs and facts that brings to life the history of this thriving city. Photographs culled from a variety of sources, including the Clearwater Historical Society and Hillsborough County Public Library’s archives, showcase the people, places, and events that have contributed to the history of this special Florida community. Readers can take a visual journey to the unincorporated town of yesteryear to see how James Stevens, “the father of Clearwater;” Rev. C.S. Reynolds; and Henry Plant’s grand hotel, the Belleview Biltmore, turned Clearwater into a prosperous city.

Available from

Amazon     |     Barnes & Noble     |     Arcadia Publishing

Many local retailers throughout Clearwater, Pinellas County & the Tampa Bay Area

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In Tampa, authors Robert Norman and Lisa Coleman have compiled over two hundred fascinating vintage images, many culled from the well-known Burgert Brothers collection archived at the Hillsborough County Library, to highlight the men and women, the places and events that shaped Tampa’s singular past. This delightful story, captured in both word and image, will invite longtime residents to remember and newcomers to learn about the unique heritage of the city called Tampa.

Tampa cover

by Robert Norman and Lisa Coleman

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Prior to its incorporation in 1855, Tampa Town―as it was then known―was a desolate place to live, and disease and isolation kept many from settling in the area. But as the century progressed, a new and exciting mode of transportation began to open up America’s remaining frontiers, including the untamed Gulf Coast of Florida. When the railroad came to Tampa, thousands of adventure-seekers, tourists, and new residents came with it, all ready to soak up the balmy breezes and tropical pleasures of the city of Tampa.
Tampa began to resemble a modern industrialized city by the turn of the century, due mainly to the grand vision and plans of one man. Henry B. Plant encouraged Tampa’s growth by bringing the railroad to town and constructing the elaborate Tampa Bay Hotel, and he, along with other entrepreneurs, brought an economic boom to the region with new industries, such as cigars and citrus, and the promotion of tourism.

Available from

Amazon     |     Barnes & Noble     |     Arcadia Publishing

Many local retailers throughout the Tampa Bay Area.

 

 

#CoverReveal “Edge of Reason (Arrow’s Edge MC Series, #1)” by Freya Barker

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Title: Edge of Reason (Arrow’s Edge MC Series, #1)
Author: Freya Barker
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: December 9, 2019
Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

Brotherhood and beer meets single mom and apple pie.

I am a riding contradiction.

A scholar, a cynic, a brother, and a biker.

My name is Trunk.

I’m smart enough to recognize the chip on my shoulder, and cautious enough to keep it right where it is.

I am a misguided romantic.

A mom, a daughter, an agent, and a survivor

My name is Jaimie.

I’m strong enough to look after my family alone, and too stubborn to accept I don’t have to.

We make an odd couple—our differences obvious—but when hatred and danger threatens to destroy everything of value in our lives, we only get stronger.

Together.

Pre Order Today!! Available in Kindle Unlimited

AMAZON

Tweet: Edge of Reason by @freya_barker Is a brand new series and you can now #PreOrder on #Amazon ➜ https://ctt.ec/33aDd+ #FreyaBarker #KindleUnlimited #RomanticSuspense #Romanticsuspensereaders #BAPpr @buoniamicipress

Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; with characters who are perhaps less than perfect, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills, and their own slice of happy.
A recipient of the RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for best first book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, Freya has not slowed down.
She continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

 

#CoverReveal “Everything’s Better With Lisa” by Lucy Eden

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EBWL cover

EVERYTHING’S BETTER WITH LISA

BY LUCY EDEN

Lisa Betancourt has been my neighbor for months, but I didn’t know she existed until the night she threatened me with a baseball bat. To be fair, I kinda had it coming. That was also the night my entire life changed—my biological mother passed away suddenly and mysteriously, leaving behind a surprise baby. The moment I laid eyes on CJ’s chubby face, I knew I would do anything for him. What I didn’t know was how to take care of him. Fortunately, Lisa turned out to be my salvation in more ways than one. She stepped in and changed everything. The more time I spend with her, the more I hope the change can be permanent. Unfortunately, the pressure at work and unraveling the mystery of my mother’s past makes me wonder how that could be possible…

Cole Simmons lives in the brownstone next to mine and was an insensitive jerk, or at least I thought he was until he got custody of his baby brother, who’s just as adorable as he is.  As the oldest child in a big family, I couldn’t resist stepping in to help when I realized my handsome neighbor was in over his head when it came to babies, though I’ve learned the hard way that handsome men can’t always be trusted. I moved to New York to start a new life, adjust to my new normal and heal from a bad divorce. Unfortunately, my heart didn’t get the memo, and the more time I spent with Cole and the impossibly sweet CJ, the more I start to wonder if my neighbor isn’t the only one in over his head…

This full-length novel can be read as a standalone but is the third book in the Everything’s Better series. You’ll see friends from Everything’s Better with You, Everything’s Better with Kimberly & Cherishing the Goddess. Cole & Lisa’s love story is chock full of Enemies to Lovers, Single Parent, Secret Baby (or two), Nanny (no power imbalance) & Fake Engagement goodness and is safe with NO cheating.

PREORDER ON

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | APPLE | KOBO

ADD ON GOODREADS

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Click on the image below to download the first three chapters of Everything’s Better With Lisa for free!

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you're the gift
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ABOUT LUCY EDENLucy Eden

Lucy Eden is the nom de plume of an romance obsessed author who writes the kind of romance she loves to read. She’s a sucker for alphas with a soft gooey center, over the top romantic gestures, strong & smart MCs, humor, love at first sight (or pretty damn close), happily ever afters & of course, dirty & steamy love scenes.

When Lucy isn’t writing, she’s busy reading—or listening to—every book she can get her hands on— romance or otherwise.

She lives & loves in New York with her husband, two children, a turtle & a Yorkshire Terrier.

#ReleaseBlitz “Stealing Hearts” by C.D. Samuda

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Title: Stealing Hearts
Series: Alpha Bachelor’s Clause #1
Author: C.D. Samuda
Genre: Interracial Billionaire Romance
Release Date: October 28, 2019
Her trade is stealing. This is how she survives. But she has a secret that if revealed would turn the world upside down. He needs to marry to inherit his miserly grandfather’s multi-billion dollar estate. A deal with the woman caught breaking into his car may be the most ridiculous decision he’s ever made…or is it?

A punch caught him in the gut, just below the diaphragm, causing him momentary weakness. He tried to continue fighting, but two more men entered the room and held him. He was made to sit in a chair while they bound him around his torso with rope.
“If you touch her, I’ll kill you!” Braeden directed at his grandfather. “How could you do this?”
Richard wheeled his chair close, his hand coming up to caress Braeden’s hair. “I won’t hurt her, I told you so. And I would never hurt you.”
“You call dangling a rope around my wife’s neck not hurting her?”
Richard beckoned to one of the men. “Remove the rope.” He then turned back to his grandson. “That was just for cinematic effect only. You think I’d do something like that?”
“Why? Why do you do these things?” Braeden’s voice cracked. “I’m your grandson for Christ’s sake!”
“It’s simple, she told me that if I handed my estate to you, she’d disappear out of your life for good,” the old man replied. “But I thought that if she disappears without you knowing about it, you might be hurt – heart broken, that sort of thing. So I wanted to give you the chance to choose. Prove your love if you must.”
Braeden’s face scrunched in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“Time to choose,” Richard replied rather nonchalantly. “My assets or your wife.”
“What?” Braeden could not believe what his own flesh and blood was asking him to do. “You want me to choose between my own birthright and the woman I’m married to?”
“Yes.”

 

I have concluded that there are two things in life I cannot live without. I cannot breathe without writing, and the idea of never having cheesecake again is completely unthinkable.
My passion for writing came through my love of books, starting at a tender age. My mom keeps reminding me that I started kindergarten before the acceptable age and was the youngest in my school. She said I loved books before I could properly form words.
When I was in high school, I read every Mills & Boon and every Harlequin romance I could get my hands on. That’s when I knew I was going to be a romance author.
I am now living my dream.

#BookTour “Smoke Screen” by Terri Blackstock

~ Felicia Denise ~ 1 Comment

on Tour October 28 – November 30, 2019

Synopsis:

Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock One father was murdered, and another convicted of his death. All because their children fell in love. Nate Beckett has spent his life fighting wildfires instead of the lies and rumors that drove him from his Colorado home town. His mother begs him to come to Carlisle now that his father has been released from prison, but it isn’t until he’s sidelined by an injury that he’s forced to return and face his past. But that means facing Brenna too. Fourteen years ago, Nate was in love with the preacher’s daughter. When Pastor Strickland discovered Brenna had defied him to sneak out with Nate, the fight between Strickland and Nate’s drunken dad was loud—and very public. Strickland was found murdered later that night, and everyone accused Roy Beckett. When the church burned down, people assumed it was Nate getting even for his father’s conviction. He let the rumors fly and left Carlisle without looking back. Now, Brenna is stunned to learn that the man convicted of murdering her father has been pardoned. The events of that night set her life on a bad course, and she’s dealing with a brutal custody battle with her ex and his new wife where he’s using lies and his family’s money to sway the judge. She’s barely hanging on, and she’s turned to alcohol to cope. Shame and fear consume her. As they deal with the present—including new information about that fateful night and a wildfire that’s threatening their town—their past keeps igniting. Nate is the steady force Brenna has so desperately needed. But she’ll have to learn to trust him again first.

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense (Christian)

Published by: HarperCollins-Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: November 5th 2019

Number of Pages: 352

ISBN: 0310332591 (ISBN13: 9780310332596)

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Thomas Nelson

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Read an excerpt:

I woke up in a blinding bright room, my clothes off and something clamped to my face. I tried to reach it, but I couldn’t bend my right arm, and my hand stung. An IV was taped to my other hand, but I moved carefully and touched the thing over my face.An oxygen mask. I tried to sit up. “What happened?” T-bird came to my bedside, a sheen of smoky sweat still soiling his face. “Nate, lie back, man.” “The fire,” I said. “Need to get back. My men.” “They’re still there. Making progress. But you’re not going anywhere near a fire for a month or so.” I took the mask off and coughed a little, but managed to catch my breath. “A month?” “Yep. Second degree burns on 20 percent of your body. Some of the burns are deep.” It came back to me, the event that had gotten me here. “The family. Were they injured?” “Not a scratch or burn. Turns out it was a U.S. Senator from Kansas. He says you’re a hero.” “You know I had no choice. They were in the path—” “Take the praise where you can get it, man. We don’t get that much.” I looked at my right side. My right arm was bandaged, and so was my side and down my right leg to the point where my boots had stopped the flames. Second degree wasn’t so bad, I told myself. Third degree would have been brutal. I’d be able to leave the hospital soon. I’d heal. “I won’t need a month,” I said. “Yes, you will. They can’t let you go back. Doctor’s orders. You’re grounded until he releases you.” I managed to sit up, but it was a bad idea. The burns pulling on my skin reminded me why I shouldn’t. “I can’t be grounded during fire season. Are you crazy? I need to be there. You don’t have enough men as it is.” “Sorry, Nate. It is what it is. Why don’t you go home to Carlisle for a while? Take it easy.” Go home? Pop had just been pardoned, and he and my mom were trying to navigate the reunion. Though she would love to have me home, I didn’t know if I was up to it. My father could be challenging, and fourteen years of prison hadn’t done him any favors. *** Excerpt taken from Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock. Copyright 2019 by Terri Blackstock. Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/. All rights reserved.
 

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Terri BlackstockAuthor Bio:

Terri Blackstock has sold over seven million books worldwide and is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author. She is the award-winning author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Downfall, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the SunCoast Chronicles, and the Restoration Series.

Catch Up With Terri Blackstock On: TerriBlackstock.com Goodreads BookBub Twitter Facebook

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Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

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Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

#AudioBookBlogTour “50 Ways to Worry Less Now” by Gigi Langer, PhD

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Author: Gigi Langer, PhD

Narrator: Robin Waters

Length: 5 hours 30 minutes

Publisher: Possum Hill Press

Released: Sep. 20, 2019

Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Help

Do you want to stop dreading the future or reliving past disappointments?

Thirty years ago, Gigi Langer was a prisoner of her worries who used alcohol, romance, and professional accomplishments to soothe her frayed nerves. When she stopped drinking, she began applying tools from therapy, recovery pro­grams, scientific research, and a variety of philosophical and spiritual teachings to overcome her anxieties and stress.

Worry Less Now offers four life strategies and 50 eclectic tools to dissolve the whispered lies of negative self-talk. Although many books address negative thinking, very few give the reader step-by-step directions on how to defeat it. Others simply advocate a single approach.

With candor and humor, Langer describes a wide variety of strategies that helped her and others defeat dysfunctional relationships, perfectionism, addiction, and worry about loved ones. As an award-winning writer and professor, Langer skillfully shares compelling stories and exercises that empower readers to:

-MANAGE life’s most difficult challenges with calm wisdom

-CREATE relationships that blossom and thrive

-FULFILL your dreams without limitations

-SERVE others in their personal growth

Regardless of the situation, you’ll be able to gain peace, clarity, and wisdom.

Buy LinksBuy on Amazon

Buy on Audible

Buy on iTunes

Gigi Langer holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education and an MA in Psychology, both from Stanford University. During her 25 years at Eastern Michigan University, she won several awards for her teaching, and (as Georgea M. Langer) wrote four books for educators.

Before her doctoral studies, Gigi competed in show jumping, hitchhiked across Spain, and taught middle school French and Spanish (where she met and married her first husband).

In her second marriage, she continued her adventures by studying and giving riding lessons in Hawaii and Germany. After moving to Michigan, Gigi married again and soon found herself facing a third divorce along with a growing alcohol and marijuana problem.

Since then, Gigi has applied strategies from recovery, therapy, and a variety of scientific and spiritual approaches to overcome her addictions and self-defeating patterns. She’s now a pillar of the recovery community and an award-winning teacher educator and author. Gigi’s retreats, workshops, and presentations have helped thousands of people succeed in their work and personal lives.

As a person in recovery, Gigi hasn’t had a drug or drink for 33 years, although she does occasionally overindulge in Ghirardelli chocolate and historical novels. She lives happily in Michigan with her fourth husband (of 30 years) and her cat, Murphy.

Website⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads⎮Instagram

Narrator Bio

Robin Waters grew up in Southern California and left home early to get professional theatrical training and pursue her dream. In her early twenties, she found a new passion–holistic health–and shifted her focus to become a wellness educator.

She currently lives in Canada where she stays busy writing, demonstrating how to cook healthy food, and leading workshops and women’s circles. She loves cuddling and reading out loud with her son and daughter. Now that they are older, she has returned to her first loves of narrating and performance. There is something magical about connecting with others through voice and sharing the human experience with good storytelling and characters.

Partnering with Gigi to produce this book was a gift, as it was a beautiful combination of her two passions. She has spent a lifetime overcoming worry/anxiety, and finding herself through expression and connection. She hopes this audiobook brings you more inner peace and is a comfort on your journey toward a vibrant life.

Website

 

 

Q&A with Author Gigi Langer
  • Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
    • When I finished the paperback, I went to open a special checking account at the bank. I told the manager that I just published a book, and he asked, “Can I get the audiobook?” It became clear that I needed to do that. So I began studying the process about a year after the paperback was completed. I thought I’d narrate it myself—after all, I wrote it, and I give talks all the time about my suggestions to “worry less.” I thought it was a no-brainer.
    • Then I started reading about how to do it. I even got the proper equipment and learned how to use the audio editing software. When I recorded the preface, I thought, “Oh, my God!” I realized that although I have a pleasant voice, I am NOT a voice actor. If I did it myself, I’d need coaching on how to do it well. Also, I decided I didn’t want to spend over 20 hours recording, checking, editing, and polishing the audiobook. So, I went with ACX (see question 2).
  • How did you select your narrator?
    • ACX was so simple to use. I just created a sample for narrators to read, and they sent in their auditions. It became very clear that Robin Waters was heads and shoulders above the others. So we worked out a reasonable deal and started in April.
  • How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process?
    • Robin and I have become fast friends. We worked very closely as I turned each chapter into a “listening” version. I had to revise the many exercises and advise the reader to use the Companion PDF for their journaling, writing, and other notes.
  • Were there any real-life inspirations behind your writing?
    • YES! It’s about the tough experiences that led me to overcome worry and negative thinking. I got married in 1971 and taught Spanish and French near Denver. In 1973 I divorced my first husband and had a series of adventures with my second husband in Brazil, Hawaii, and Germany.
    • After dissolving that marriage, I spent four years at Stanford completing a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education. I got through it only by getting high every night. In 1982, I settled in Michigan with my third husband and began my 25-year stint teaching in Eastern Michigan University’s College of Education.
    • By 1984, I was deeply unhappy and escalated my use of marijuana and alcohol. After one particularly embarrassing episode, I went to a psychologist to find out why I couldn’t be happy. That began a long road of recovery, therapy, and a variety of other healing experiences. After 25 years, I retired and began writing “Worry Less Now’” where I explain practical tools I discovered to help me heal.
    • I’m now 33 years clean and sober and just celebrated 30 years of happy marriage with Peter, my fourth husband. PS: I don’t have any children because I couldn’t stay married long enough! Maybe this book counts!!
  • When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?
    • My latest book began as a memoir chronicling my three short marriages, career as a professional horseback rider, and adventures hitchhiking across the north of Spain–all before I turned 38. My wise fourth husband (we just had our 30-year wedding anniversary!) suggested that, instead, I write a self-help book with “all those helpful things you say when you counsel people on the phone.” At that point, Worry Less Now was born. Throughout the six-year writing journey, the right people showed up at just the right time to make the book interesting, practical, attractive, and clear.
  • Who is your favorite singer?
    • Taylor Swift’s “Reputation” concert on Netflix. I find her songwriting so inspiring and real, but it’s her sincere, sassy and slightly gawky personality that endears her to me. I often work out to her music and find it totally energizing.
  • What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
    • I meditate before I write so I can get the inspiration and clarity to flow.
  • What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
    • Don’t just get a friend to edit your work. Hire a professional, not just for line-editing, but also for structure and appeal.
  • Do you have any tips for authors going through the process of turning their books into audiobooks?
    • For non-fiction, pay close attention to how you change the wording so that it works for the listener.

 

Giveaway

Prize: 2 Coaching Sessions + Paperback Copy

50 Ways to Worry Less Now Giveaway: 2 Coaching Sessions + Paperback Copy

Oct. 22nd:

4 the Love of Audiobooks

Oct. 23rd:

Southern Girl Bookaholic

Notes from ‘Round the Bend

Oct. 24th:

Chapter Break

Oct. 25th:

Locks, Hooks and Books

Oct. 26th:

Jazzy Book Reviews

Eileen Troemel

Oct. 27th:

Nesie’s Place

The Audiobookworm

Oct. 28th:

Turning Another Page

eBook Addicts

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Sign up as a tour host here.

#AudioBookBlogTour “The Art of Remembering” by Alison Ragsdale

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Author: Alison Ragsdale

Narrator: Heather McRae

Length: 11 hours 49 minutes

Publisher: Alison Ragsdale

Released: Sep. 23, 2019

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Professional ballerina Ailsa MacIntyre is at the peak of her career when her world is shattered by a shocking diagnosis. Life-saving surgery leaves her with a fractured memory, little recollection of her husband, Evan, and none of her career as a principal dancer.

While recuperating at home, Ailsa hears beautiful music coming from the apartment upstairs, and the sound of the grand piano at the hands of a talented new neighbor sparks her muscle memory. As her recovery progresses, the broken pieces of her past gradually re-emerge, a picture not quite as idyllic as Evan would have her remember. Ailsa must navigate the conflicting visions of her past, and potential future, as they collide.

Buy on Audible

A former professional dancer, and marketing executive, originally from Edinburgh, Alison now lives near Washington DC with her husband and dog. She was educated in England and holds an MBA from Leicester University.

Alison is the author of five, bestselling novels: TUESDAY’S SOCKS, THE FATHER-DAUGHTER CLUB, FINDING HEATHER, A LIFE UNEXPECTED and THE ART OF REMEMBERING. She is also a two-time IPPY Award winner with THE FATHER DAUGHTER CLUB being awarded the IPPY 2016, Bronze Medal for Best Regional Fiction – Europe, and A LIFE UNEXPECTED, winning a Bronze Medal in the 2018 Popular Fiction category.

THE ART OF REMEMBERING, released in July, 2019 debuted as an Amazon bestseller, was a finalist in the American Fiction Awards Literary Category and was selected by BookBub for their Best Book Club Book list in both July and August, 2019.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Instagram

Narrator Bio

Heather McRae is from Falkirk in Central Scotland, but met her husband whilst studying at Lancaster University in the North of England, where both were very involved with the Theatre Group. Having moved back to Scotland in 2006, she and her brother took over the music and advertising business their grandfather had started back in the ’60s, and she’s currently in the process of setting up a glamping business to support the maintenance of a listed building. She also sings in two choirs, and she and her husband breed pedigree Tiffanie cats and are very involved in the cat show world.

Reading and writing have been lifelong passions, and Heather won numerous awards for poetry recital and public speaking growing up (though now prefers to be backstage). In 2018, some people commenting on a video she had uploaded to social media mentioned that she has a soothing voice, that would be good for audiobook narration. Seeing this, one of her friends pointed her in the direction of Amazon’s Audiobook Creation Exchange, and helping authors to bring their books to life has become a new source of much enjoyment in her free time. She has developed a fascination for dialects and accents, and now drives her husband mad by trying to learn to mimic every new accent she encounters.

 

 

 

Q&A with Author Alison Ragsdale
  • How did you select your narrator?
    • I worked with ACX to find the perfect narrator for this book. Initially, I searched through the available narrators/producers who met the criteria I had: primarily a female and a native Scot, who was versatile with accents. Then I uploaded an audition script and waited to see who would submit an audition reel. I also sent direct messages to a couple of narrators whom I felt would be a good fit. Soon the audition reels began to come in and I listened to each one, closing my eyes and letting the voices soak in. When I heard Heather McRae’s reel, the hairs literally stood up on my arms and I knew she was the voice who could bring this cast of characters to life. When I contacted her, she agreed to take on the project and, the rest is history.
  • How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process?
    • I worked very closely with Heather, listening to each chapter as she uploaded them, making edits as we went along, and no doubt driving her crazy with my attention to detail. However, she dealt with all my concerns and edits, quickly and gracefully, so the book began to emerge exactly as I’d imagined it.
  • Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
    • Yes. The book includes characters from various regions of Scotland, England, and from Sweden, both male and female, so it was important to clearly differentiate between them as they were read. The book is also choc-full of ballet terms that required some clarification, here and there, on pronunciation. I also gave Heather information on the characters’ motivations and emotional temperatures, in certain scenes, to help her interpret particularly intense sections of dialogue. She brought wonderful drama, where it was needed, that made me well-up when listening to it back.
  • Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
    • Yes, there were. I am a native Scot, a former professional dancer, and a brain tumor survivor, so to a large extent, I mined many of my personal experiences for this book. However, I always make a point of clarifying that it’s not MY story, and that those are the only things I have in common with Ailsa. It is still, however, a very personal book to me, in many ways.
  • How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
    • As far as avoiding burnout, I rely on mother nature. I take long walks every day, with my sweet dog Maddie, soaking in my surroundings without any technology invading my mind-space. It’s meditative, and lets me recharge my sense of calm and connectedness to the earth. I also do yoga, and spend time with my husband and sisters, who help keep me sane.
    • Maintaining my enthusiasm for writing hasn’t been a problem, so far. I am an avid reader and the more great books I read, the more motivated I am to keep learning, and producing books I’m proud of. In terms of my process, I give myself licence to take breaks from writing, even as long as a few weeks, in some cases. That way I’m removing some of the pressure to produce when I may not be feeling inspired, or the story just won’t come.
  • What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
    • I’d say, think again. Whatever method a reader uses to enjoy the written word is as legitimate as any other. Also, think about all the keen readers out there who aren’t gifted with sight, or those who are so busy with life that the only way they can absorb a book is to listen to it, while going from point A to point B. There are so many things that may influence this choice, that to judge it as an inferior method of ‘reading’ seems unfair.
  • How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
    • It had been 3.5 years in the making, so felt like a major accomplishment. My husband cooked me a lovely dinner and we cracked open a special bottle of Tuscan red wine we’d been saving. It was the perfect way to celebrate, and mark reaching the finish line.
  • Have any of your characters ever appeared in your dreams?
    • Yes! Jeffrey Mere, the protagonist in my debut novel, TUESDAY’S SOCKS, first came to me in a dream. I woke at 3.00 am with his name, his face, his personality quirks and a basic outline of his story – all glowing in the dark. It also happened with Heather Forrester in FINDING HEATHER, and then again with Ailsa, in THE ART OF REMEMBERING.
  • What’s your favorite:
    • Food – I love rich, comfort foods like hearty soups, curries and veggie dishes. I also love fish, and the fresh mussels from the west of Scotland are the best in the world.
    • Song – Can’t think of a song, but my favorite piece of music is Vaughn Williams’, Lark Ascending.
    • Book – The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera.
    • Television show – Call the Midwife
    • Movie – Julie and Julia
    • Band – Genesis
    • Sports team – I don’t follow sports
    • City – Edinburgh or Florence
  • What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
    • The best advice I can give would be to start writing. Don’t put it off because you feel as if you might not be good enough, or that others will judge your work. I was crippled by fear in the beginning – fear of failing, fear of letting myself down, fear of sharing my work etc etc. The best thing I ever did was join a writing group. I found a circle of wonderful people who all wrote from the heart, in a diverse range of genres. It was a safe place to share, and discuss each-others’ work, and we all grew as writers as a result. It was the first place I shared anything I’d written, outside of with my family, and it helped me get over what was holding me back.
  • What’s next for you?
    • I’m now working on the third draft of book number six, titled DIGNITY AND GRACE, which is a very poignant tale about family, loss and redemption. When that is ready to go back to my editor, I’ve already got book number seven planned out, so I’m excited to start writing that one. The wheels keep on turning.

 

 

Oct. 27th:

Nesie’s Place

Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author

Viviana MacKade

Southern Girl Bookaholic

Oct. 28th:

What Is That Book About

4 the Love of Audiobooks

Oct. 29th:

The Book Junkie Reads . . .

Eileen Troemel

Oct. 30th:

Jazzy Book Reviews

Just 4 My Books

Oct. 31st:

Reading A Page Turner

Nov. 1st:

Cover Lover Book Review

Nov. 2nd:

All the Ups and Downs

what.shawna.reads

Plugging you into the audio community since 2016.

Sign up as a tour host here.

#NewRelease “Forbidden Eyes (A Cane Novel)” by Charlotte E. Hart, Rachel De Lune

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

Forbidden Eyes release

~~~

**NEW RELEASE**

Forbidden Eyes (A Cane Novel) by Charlotte E Hart and Rachel De Lune is **LIVE**

BUY FORBIDDEN EYES **NOW**

KINDLE UNLIMITED

http://mybook.to/ForbiddenEyes

Forbidden Eyes is a standalone read!

#ForbiddenEyes #NewRelease #CaneNovel #HartDeLune

SYNOPSIS

“Do you want to take me?”

That’s what she said to me after she stepped out of the pool, skin dripping wet, her body on display to tempt me.
A simple babysitting job—that’s all it was meant to be. Show her some element of the life she’d been kept from. But she couldn’t keep her pretty mouth shut when I showed her what she asked me for, and I couldn’t keep my damned eyes off her.

Sofia Vico was the one woman no one touched. Forbidden.

I should have stayed away. Should have done as Quinn asked and kept her safe.

But I crossed the line and broke the rules.

For her.

“The things I could show you.“

This started out as an act of defiance against my father—a way to finally fill in the blanks I’d lived with my whole life. But the doors to the cage I’d been kept in had suddenly been flung wide open, and I wasn’t ready for the truth waiting for me. Or for Carter Wade.

He was my saviour in the dark, muddied underworld I knew nothing of. A man with skills that both frightened and aroused me. And if I thought scars and guns were the worst I’d have to face, I was wrong. Murder, kidnapping, and a family torn in two was our consequence. Yet he still risked everything, including his life.
For me.

Temptation. Deceit. Dark. Erotic. Romance

#New “Look After You Series: A Contemporary Romance Box Set” by Elena Matthews

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

Look After You Boxset

~~~

The Look After You series boxset by Elena Matthews is **LIVE**

#LookAfterYou #BoxsetRelease #Books

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Buy the book: 

KINDLE UNLIMITED

mybook.to/lookafteryouboxset

Price – $1.99 for the first two weeks of release

Blurb:

Will you be team Ashton…

…or team Sebastian?

What’s inside the boxed set –

Look After You

Look After Me

Look After Us

Over 250,000 words in content.

Plus: Never-before-released bonus epilogues for Look After You and Look After Me

Look After You 

It wasn’t supposed to happen yet…

…it was too early.

The birth of Ava’s firstborn child should have been the best day of her life.

Instead, she has to sit back and watch her daughter fight for every breath she takes, while her fiancé fights for his country in Afghanistan.

As her vulnerability hits an all-time low, she finds comfort in a pair of intense, green eyes. Eyes that belong to her daughter’s doctor…

Dr. Ashton Bailey.

She tries to ignore the way her heartbeat quickens each time Ashton is in the same vicinity. She’s engaged to be married to another man…he shouldn’t be making her pulse race.

But when the pull between the two is so strong, will it be impossible for her to stay away?

As Ava battles with her feelings, she’s convinced things can’t get any worse…until a shocking revelation blindsides her and threatens to bring her down once and for all.

Ashton’s job is to save the lives of tiny babies but can he save Ava…when nobody else can?

Look After Me 

In the blink of an eye…

…his entire life changes.

The moment Sebastian watches his soul mate declare her undying love to another man, his world comes crashing around him.

Unable to cope with the loss of his fiancée, his job, his life, he turns to the only thing that helps ease the pain.

Cocaine.

Seven months later…

Sebastian checks out of rehab, but after three months locked away from the outside world, he struggles to adapt to his new life.

When he reaches out to his drug counselor, Addison, is he able to find hope again?

As she helps Sebastian rebuild his life, their friendship grows but lines become blurred and lust quickly turns into love.

Sebastian’s broken heart might be slowly mending, but will letting Addison in shatter it once more?

Look After Us 

Ava and Ashton….

…got their happily ever after.

But do fairy tales really exist?

Madly in love and engaged to be married, they’re happier than they’ve ever been.

But it seems Ashton’s brother, Tyler, will beat Ashton down the aisle.

Ashton has been asked to be his best man…and not one to miss his baby brother tying the knot, he and Ava fly to Texas to join in the festivities.

Everything is perfect.

Until it isn’t.

What will happen when Ashton’s past threatens to destroy everything?

As tempers flare and tears fall, does Ava truly believe the reappearance of Ashton’s first love is karma in disguise?

Ava knows she’s overreacting.

Or is she?

~~~

You’ll love this romance box set because everyone loves angst-filled tear jerkers.

Get it now.

Warning: Recommended for ages 18+ due to heavy subject matters, explicit language and sexual situations.

Author Bio:
Receptionist by day, author by night, Elena Matthews is from Manchester, United Kingdom, the home of Manchester United, MediaCity, and of course, Coronation Street. When Elena isn’t writing, she can be found with her nose in a book or watching guilty pleasures, such as Grey’s Anatomy. And, when she isn’t doing those things, you can often find her on Facebook, or obsessing over Kellan Kyle, book-boyfriend extraordinaire