BESTSELLING AND AWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF WESTERN ROMANCE!
Caroline Clemmons writes historical and contemporary genre fiction. Historical romances, contemporary romantic suspense, mysteries, and paranormals are among her current works. Learn more about her at https//www.carolineclemmons.com
Showing posts with label #Rafflecopter #giveaway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Rafflecopter #giveaway. Show all posts
Don't miss the Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of the post!
A
Christmas Reunion
Small
Town Christmas Book 1
by
D. Allen
Genre:
Holiday Romance
I'll
be home for Christmas...
Tracy
Slater may be a successful pop star, but fame and fortune isn't
everything she thought it'd be. Under the thumb of a husband who is
growing steadily more abusive, she's decided her marriage is over.
She just needs to make it through one more trip home for the holidays
with him before she's free.
If
only in my dreams...
Stephen
Austin worked hard to become the successful novelist he's always
wanted to be. So why isn't he happy? And why does he feel so lonely?
Then he runs into his old girlfriend, the one he thought he had lost
forever.
Tormented
by the mistakes of their past, Stephen sees his reunion with Tracy as
a second chance. But does she feel the same way?
Desperate
to please her family, who wants to see her settle down, Charlotte is
looking for someone to bring home to pose as her boyfriend. She's
steadily been working her way up to her dream job at a magazine in
New York City. But her success goes unnoticed by her family, who are
more focused on the newest additions than Charlotte's professional
conquests.
Totally
surrounded in your circles...
Kaden
Drake might be the new guy at the magazine, but it doesn't take long
for Charlotte to catch his eye. When the editor-in-chief pairs them
together for a project, Kaden sees it as the perfect opportunity to
ask her out. Only, Charlotte has other ideas.
Faced
with another lonely Christmas, Kaden agrees to go with Charlotte to
her family Christmas back home. Among the decorations and home-cooked
meals, it doesn't take long for feelings between them to develop. But
are they real or just a product of the charade?
Tanya
Bennett is still feeling the effects of her mental breakdown from
last year after her parents died. She lost a lot of loved ones in a
short period of time, but most notably her son, who she can't see
without supervision. With some help from her friends, she's back on
the right track with a new job and volunteering with the school play
her son's in. But a bad reputation is hard to overcome and whether
she can spend Christmas with her son hinges on how well her upcoming
court date goes.
If
not for Christmas, by New Year's night...
Adam
Allen is still trying to figure out how to co-parent with his
controlling ex, who is always quick to criticize his parenting. It
doesn't help that he's so forgetful and he works a lot, but at least
he's trying. It's hard for him to find someone who can relate, until
he meets Tanya.
Adam
feels an instant connection with her, but her episode the year before
has ripple effects that could alter both of their relationships with
their kids.
Tori
Helpern always wanted to be a music star, just like her hometown hero
Tracy Slater. But Tori never quite found her big break and now she
works as a music teacher at the same high school she couldn't wait to
get away from. Feeling washed up, Tori believes her only taste of
fame will come from the solo in the holiday choir.
At
least I'm gonna say that I tried...
Isaac
Powell never needed much to make him happy. He has a good job, a nice
house, and fond memories of his family growing up. When he joins the
holiday choir for something fun to do after work, he doesn't expect
to get a solo for the upcoming holiday concert.
Nervous
about performing in front of a full audience, Isaac asks Tori to help
him prepare and she needs to decide whether she should help him
succeed or steal the solo away from him.
Tara
Fraser's life is driven by her work at an insurance agency in
Chicago. She hasn't been back home in years and has no intention of
going back anytime soon. But then her mother calls and convinces her
to book a last-minute flight home for the holidays. Within
twenty-four hours, Tara finds herself at one of the biggest airports
in the country on one of the busiest travel days of the year.
All
the way home I'll be warm...
Peter
Helpern has one last freelance photography job in Chicago before he
flies back home to spend Christmas with his family. After a late
start on the morning he's supposed to fly back home, he barely makes
it to the airport in time to catch his flight, only to find a seat
next to his old college girlfriend.
Tara
and Peter quickly resume the bickering they left off years ago, which
is only made worse by the unfortunate news the pilot makes: they're
snowed in.
DN
Publishing is the publishing company for David Neth, who currently
publishes superhero fiction and urban fantasy under his own name and
small town romance as D. Allen, with other genres to come in the
future. He lives in Batavia, NY, where he dreams of a successful
publishing career and opening his own bookstore.
Don't miss the Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of the post!
Mary
& Bright
by
Katharine E. Hamilton
Genre:
Sweet and Clean Holiday Romance
Mary
Rutherford dreads Christmas time. Having grown up in one of the most
influential families in town, her Christmas holidays are spent
attending her father’s company Christmas party and silently
blending into the background. This year, however, her parents insist
she plan the party, and with little help from her mother, Mary
reaches out to an old friend for help: Brighten Smith.
Brighten
Smith recently moved back to his hometown to escape California and
the disappointment of a failed relationship. Helping his grandmother
at her local bakery provides him the opportunity to catch up with old
acquaintances and friends. When he finds Mary Rutherford needs a
caterer for her family’s grand Christmas party, he volunteers for
the job, though he has zero experience. As he learns more about Mary,
he finds he wants to do more than cater her party; he wants to give
her the best Christmas ever.
Can
he and Mary pull off a successful Christmas partnership?
And
can Brighten give Mary an unforgettable Christmas?
Can you, for those who don't know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
Sure! My name is Katharine E. Hamilton. I’ve been an indie author for 11 years now… I think. Ha! I have dappled in various genres, but you can find me mostly in the Sweet Contemporary Romance/Clean and Wholesome Genres on Amazon. I’m a born and raised Texan and currently live along the Texas coast with my husband and two boys. I have a 4-year-old and a 5 month old. They keep me pretty busy these days. I started writing in 2009 and published children’s books (3).
In 2015 I branched out and wrote an epic fantasy series called The Unfading Lands Series. In writing that series, I found myself loving the process of writing some of the side romances that take place throughout and decided in 2017 to write clean romances. I’ve been camped out in Sweet Romance ever since and I love it. Though I am working on a historical fiction novel right now that might pop up in the next year or so, I will mainly plant myself in Sweet Romance. I love it.
What do you do to unwind and relax?
I’m an avid reader and crocheter. Yes, I said crochet. Haha. I am in the middle of an intense blanket project that keeps me busy in the evenings. I can’t sit and relax without keeping my hands busy, so it’s a nice hobby. I also tell my husband it helps keep me sane. Much like Rumpelstiltskin spins gold to stay sane, I crochet. It relaxes me. I’m able to think through some book ideas, go over my mental to-do list, or enjoy a show on television while being productive.
How to find time to write as a parent?
I am an early bird. I'd rather work in the mornings and go to bed at a decent hour. I just can’t hang passed 10 PM… if I do, I’m a zombie the next day. So lately my routine has been waking up about 4 AM to give the baby his first morning bottle and I just stay up and work while the house is quiet, which is usually until about 6-7 AM. I’m able to knock out a lot of work in the mornings. And if I’m feeling inspired or trying to hit a deadline, I’ll incorporate some naptime work as well. It’s definitely a juggling act some days, but I also love being an independent author for the flexibility. I can always pause and step away without stressing too much about keeping a schedule.
What inspired you to write this book?
I’ve wanted to write a Christmas story for a while… a couple of years at least. And this year, well, 2020 hasn’t exactly been the easiest year for anyone, and I just wanted to make the holiday season a little more exciting and special. So I went for it.
What can we expect from you in the future?
I’ve got lots of projects going on right now. For 2020, I have Mary & Bright (11/1/2020), and my Lighthearted Collection will receive a new release on 11/30/2020 called McCarthy Road. And then I’m currently writing a cowboy romance series called The Brothers of Hastings Ranch. Book Four, Lawrence, is scheduled for release on December 30th. And then January and February have a couple of books and audiobooks lined up as well. It’s a busy time for me right now.
How did you come up with the concept and characters for the book?
I love the name Mary. And I have yet to use that name in any of my other books because I KNEW I wanted to use it for a Christmas story and play off of that name for the title. And I wanted her to be the opposite of merry. Haha. So that sort of brought her to life for me, and I wanted the man in the story to be named Brighten, aka Bright, and be that little ray of sunshine that she isn’t expecting or wanting at times.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I wrote this book in September and it has had me ready for Christmas from the beginning. It’s just made me hopeful for the holidays and excited about ending 2020 on a positive note. I love the characters. I especially love Brighten. He’s a joy and he was a joy to write.
What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?
Oh man… this is a hard one.
In no particular order…
1. Henry James
2. Jane Austen
3. Charles Dickens
4. Susanna Kearsley
5. Deanna Raybourn
6. Sherry Thomas
7. Paula Brackston
8. Francine Rivers
9. Nora Roberts
10. Clive Cussler
What book do you think everyone should read?
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers or Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing since 2007, but have been published since 2009.
Do you see writing as a career?
I became a full-time writer in 2015, so yes, I do. I love what I do, and am thankful I can say it is my career.
What do you think about the current publishing market?
There is no better time to publish. Traditional publishing has hit a few snags lately, but the indie market is thriving. Whichever direction you choose, now is the time. Reading never goes out of style.
Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?
I love to read. I’m a big historical fiction fan. I also love epic love stories. Strong female characters. Witty and creative mysteries… I read a variety of different genres.
Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
I have a rowdy 4-year-old and a 5 month old. Oh, and a chihuahua. I’m not sure there is such a thing as quiet in my house. Haha. But I have learned to write with noise and without. I like the quiet when I can get some, but usually I have noise going on all around me.
Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?
I am constantly working on multiple projects at once. If I run into a block or snag on one manuscript, I let it rest and move onto another one. Usually by the time I wrap up a few scenes in another one, I have fresh eyes to go back to the previous one and work out what I need to. Right now I have about 5 open manuscripts that I hop between.
Advice they would give new authors?
Finish the manuscript. You can’t do anything else until you FINISH what you’re working on. Don’t worry about making it perfect. You can’t and it won’t be. Editing and beta readers come later. Finish the story.
Describe your writing style.
I love dialogue in my stories. I use a BUNCH of dialogue. I feel like it propels the story forward while also helping define the characters’ personalities.
What are you currently reading?
I just received a box full of books today actually! I’m so excited! Though right now I’m in the middle of What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris. BUT I will tell you what I just snatched from the UPS man. Haha.
Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas (This series is A-Mazing)
The Deadly Hours by Susanna Kearsley, C.S. Harris, Anna Lee Huber, and Christine Trent
The Anatomist’s Wife by Anna Lee Huber
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
I’m going to be busy for a while, but I have a couple of road trips coming up, and if I’m not crocheting, I’ll be reading these glorious finds!
Katharine
E. Hamilton graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor
of Arts in History and uses her knack for research in all her
stories. She is a Southern Belle with a pinch of sass, and when she
is not writing she can be found chasing around her toddler son,
driving around the ranch, or baking delicacies for local parties and
events. Katharine currently resides on a ranch in South Texas where
the skies and rivers, in all their beauty, rejuvenate the soul.
Don't overlook the Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of the post!
Gone
Daddy Blues
Grace
Street Mysteries Book 7
by
Jane Tesh
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Discouraged
by a recent deadbeat dad case, PI David Randall wonders if he should
close the detective agency he operates from his psychic friend
Camden's boarding house at 302 Grace Street in Parkland, North
Carolina. But Doreen Padgett, a scrappy teen, convinces him to find
her useless father, Arliss. Arliss and Doreen's mother have
divorced, and Doreen wants the man to pay what he owes her family.
It's another deadbeat dad, but Randall agrees to take the case.
When
policeman Jordan Finley comes to Grace Street with a blouse he wants
Camden to touch, a blouse that belongs to the victim of a suspected
serial killer, a man with a bizarre fondness for blond hair. Camden
has a serious reaction to the blouse, but can't see anything that
will lead to the killer except a hatred for a woman named Margaret.
Despite
Cam using an accident as an excuse not to be psychic, Randall finds a
connection to Margaret, Arliss, and the serial killer. All of them
plan to attend an upcoming high school reunion, the same reunion
Cam’s wife Ellin is looking forward to. Randall has to find the
killer, especially since he realizes that except for himself,
everyone who lives at 302 Grace Street is blond.
Gone
Daddy Blues is the seventh in the Grace Street Mysteries, the
continuing adventures of the family and friends who live at 302 Grace
Street.
When I got home, Camden was out on the front porch feeding his werewolf. This latest stray was a large, extremely hairy, mentally challenged man, always growling and scratching around for a handout. Camden said his name was Tom, but I’d never heard Tom say anything remotely intelligible. I guess Camden remembered men like this from his own hobo days. No doubt there was a secret sign somewhere on a fence that said, “If you’re riding the rails through Parkland, 302 Grace is the place to stop for a sandwich.”
As I got out of the car, Tom grabbed his food and a can of Coke, ready to run.
“It’s okay,” Camden said. “It’s Randall. You remember him.”
Tom’s eyes beamed small and dark from his forest of hair. He said something that sounded like “Urrrhh,” and scurried across the yard to hide behind a tree.
“Nice to see you again, Tom,” I said.
“He’s been helping me rake the leaves,” Camden said. Tom wouldn’t take food unless he did a chore to pay for it.
“Haven’t seen him lately. Been visiting his relatives in Sasquatch Town?”
“He’s been at the shelter in Tranquil Grove, but he didn’t like it. I’ve been trying to explain that he can’t catch a ride with the trains the way he used to. Come have a seat. He’ll be okay.”
Camden sat down in the porch swing, and I sat down in one of the rocking chairs.
Tom peered around the tree like Bigfoot deciding which camper to eat.
There were several cans of soda and a pile of sandwiches on the wicker table between the rocking chairs.
“Can I have one of these, or are they all for Tom?”
“Help yourself.”
“Does he know how to share?”
I got a dark look for a reply. With Tom watching my every move, I chose a sandwich and a Coke, expecting him to hurl himself at the porch to defend his food supply. When he stayed put, I raised my sandwich in salute.
“Come up and join us, Tom.”
To my surprise, he came around the tree and slowly walked up to the porch steps, where he sat down, his eyes still wary, and finished his lunch.
“Is anyone else here?” I asked Camden.
“Kary went down town to the South Avenue Clinic, and Lottie’s rewriting something she calls the windmill scene.” He stopped eating and gave me a power stare. “What’s happened?”
“You were right about something bad happening. There’s been another murder, one of Doreen’s neighbors.”
“The same killer?”
“I think so. It could very well be Arliss Padgett. Don’t be surprised if Jordan comes by with another piece of something for you to hold.”
As I said this, Jordan’s patrol car pulled up. Tom took off, a hairy blur disappearing around the house.
Jordan got out. “What the hell was that?”
“Camden’s werewolf,” I said.
“Save it, Randall.” He took a worn brown shoe from a paper bag. “Cam, if you don’t mind. We’ve got another murder victim.”
I could tell Camden did mind, but he got up and set his Coke aside. He touched the shoe and immediately zoned out. He turned three shades whiter and started breathing hard quick breaths. When I reached over to take the shoe, he shook his head.
“Wait. A few more minutes. I can’t—” He dropped the shoe, groped for the porch swing, and sat down. “Good lord.”
Jordan and I both asked if he was okay. He nodded. He took a drink and caught his breath.
“My God. Her head.”
“Is it the same man you saw before?” Jordan asked.
He took a few more moments before he could reply. “Yes, but there was something different about him this time. Much more violent. Almost as if he were trying to prove something. I still can’t see his face.” He rubbed his eyes. “Sorry. The images were so sudden.”
Jordan took the shoe. “Maybe later?”
I could tell Camden didn’t want to have anything more to do with Pauline Raterman’s shoe. “Maybe.”
“We’ll call you,” I said to Jordan.
He caught my eye and correctly interpreted the message: Enough for now. He thanked Camden for his assistance, got in his car, and drove off. A few minutes later, Tom came around the corner of the house and stood looking at the sandwiches. Camden didn’t seem to notice him, so I handed Tom the plate. He frowned a hairy frown as if I’d committed a social faux pas and carefully picked one sandwich from the pile.
“Pardon me,” I said. “I’m not up on hobo etiquette.”
He frowned another frown at Camden and then glared up the road after Jordan. Probably remembering an unpleasant run-in with the law.
“You okay?” I asked Camden.
He took another drink of Coke. “Add one more unforgettable image to my repertoire.”
“I saw her, too. What did you mean about this one being different?”
“It was the same guy, but not for the same purpose. He didn’t need her hair, he just took it.”
“Compulsively, you mean?”
“I don’t know. He’s using all the hair he’s collected for something. I can’t tell what. But he killed this poor woman just for the hell of it.”
“Because he could, maybe?”
Camden looked off into space. I knew he was seeing Pauline’s badly skinned head because I was, too. “Something else.” He sighed in exasperation. “If I’m not going to get a clear picture, then why get a picture, at all?”
"The
mystery plot is convincing and motives abound, but the vivid
characters are the main draw, in particular the wryly observant
Randall, who narrates the story with verve. Fans of cozies with a
paranormal twist will be rewarded." —Publishers
Weekly
Flamboyant
actor Leo Pierson's Art Nouveau treasures have been stolen, including
a one-of-a-kind Lalique glass dragonfly he claims is cursed. David
Randall, 302 Grace Street's private eye, agrees to recover the
valuables before he realizes murder has raised its ugly head in the
Parkland art community. Samuel Gallant of the museum board is
missing, until Randall and his landlord/consultant Camden find
Gallant's body stuffed in a museum closet. When another board member
suffers a fatal accident and the art critic for the Parkland
Herald is
attacked, Randall suspects the stolen dragonfly is indeed cursed. He
investigates Richard Mason, curator of the Little Gallery, whose
artwork consists of ugly mechanical sculptures, and Nancy Piper,
finance manager at the Parkland Art Museum.
Meanwhile,
Camden struggles against psychic visions he's had since birth, taking
pills to limit sudden intense visions. His wife, Ellin, fends off
Matt Grabber, a television celebrity healer threatening to take over
her Psychic Service Network and using his two large pythons to
emphasize his bid. The pythons take a liking to Camden, upping his
stress level, while he takes more pills hoping his visions—and the
snakes—disappear. Kit, a new tenant at Grace Street, is a young
rock star who is also psychic. As Camden becomes more addicted, Kit
becomes an early warning system, alerting Randall to the next attack.
Randall
works to solve the murders, find the jeweled collection, help Cam,
deter Grabber and his pythons, romance the young lovely Kary, and
avoid stray curses. A spirit on the Other Side surprisingly requests
his help, a spirit with ties to the stolen pieces of Art Nouveau.
"...readers
seeking a cozy, feel-good mystery will enjoy this outing to Grace
Street. The delightful characters navigate their worldly and
otherworldly challenges with affection and humor, and Tesh maintains
a whimsical tone that doesn't detract from the serious subject
matter."
—Publishers
Weekly
Camden's
friend Rufus Jackson receives a letter from his ex-wife, Bobbi, and
he's surprised to learn he's the father of a baby. When Bobbi is
found murdered in her home and her baby stolen, Rufus becomes suspect
number one. PI David Randall immediately takes the case.
But
Randall is almost sidetracked from the case by a series of what
appears to be never-ending favors. When he takes his friend Cam to
the Carlyle House to sing for a concert, Cam encounters Delores
Carlyle, a troubled spirit trapped inside a huge mirror, who wants to
see her daughter, Beverly, one last time. Beverly Carlyle will come
to the house on one condition: that Randall find a home for her surly
teenage son, Kit, and a band for her obnoxious daughter, Frieda. Kit
is welcome at 302 Grace, but to secure a spot for Frieda, Randall has
to get a local girl group a gig at a local nightclub. The owner
agrees, if Cam will pose as a teenager and spy on a rival club. Cam
agrees if Randall will take him to Green Valley to answer some
questions about his past. And another ghost is haunting the hot dog
restaurant, refusing to talk to Cam.
In
addition to the tangle of deals, Randall has to contend with Rufus
being hell-bent on revenge, the return of Cam's telekinesis, and
growing concern that if the baby—a girl named Mary Rose, as it
turns out—is found, Rufus, might not want to keep her.
David
Randall, a private detective short of work, invites his psychic
friend Camden into a case. Miss Viola Mitchell, an aging local
actress, has recently been reported missing. The Parkland PD's Jordan
Finley objects to the pair inspecting Viola's home, claiming the
police don't need their help. Moments later, despite the array of
birds and cats perfuming the residence, Cam advises Finley, "Check
the basement."
Meanwhile,
a new Grace Street client, owner of popular BeautiQueen Cosmetics, is
searching for her arrogant, absconding partner. Randall tracks him to
Clearwater, Florida, and soon finds himself chasing shoplifters
stealing pharmaceuticals and helping a jazz musician woo his woman
while failing to woo his own love, Kary. Will Randall and Cam piece
all this together?
Who
is audacious enough to steal an antique box once owned by Harry
Houdini? This collector’s treasure, skillfully hidden in the local
Magic Club— a nightclub where magicians perform—is not merely an
old theatrical prop. It is the prize in a contest that promises to
jump start a magician’s career. At least that’s what Taft and
Lucas Finch hoped before their prized possession was stolen. Private
investigator David Randall is already busy searching for socialite
Sandy Olaf’s missing diamond bracelet when he begins the search for
Houdini’s box. But instead of finding the valuable box, Randall
finds Taft murdered, his body locked in a backstage trunk. The
magical world is brimming with jealous suspects, less successful
magical competitors, romantic rivals, business conflicts, and
festering hurts from long ago. Randall’s friend Camden is concerned
with losing his voice, his girlfriend Kary insists on being a
magician’s assistant, and Cam’s girlfriend Ellin has to deal with
the overbearing Sheila Kirk, wife of a potential sponsor, who insists
on hosting the Psychic Service Network’s programs.
Warned
away from interfering in a police homicide investigation, Randall
focuses on finding the box, searching for a missing diamond bracelet,
and handling the crises embroiling his unique housemates in their
rambling home on Grace Street. It will take a stroke of magic to
connect the interlocking circles of these crimes.
"A
solid mystery with a plethora of suspects and quirky
regulars."—Kirkus
Reviews
It's
Christmas in Parkland, North Carolina, and PI David Randall is
looking forward to his mother's visit, even though he knows she'll
want to talk about his daughter, Lindsey, who died in a car accident.
Further dampening the season's cheer, his psychic friend Camden has
harrowing flashbacks to a murder: Randall and Camden found Camden's
friend Jared Hunter brutally stabbed. Among the suspects is Boyd
Taylor, Randall's client. Jared had served time for breaking into the
Parkland Museum of History. Bert Galvin, son of the editor of the
Parkland Herald, was also involved.
And
what of the inept superhero, the Parkland Avenger? The Superhero
Society of Parkland insists the Avenger isn't one of them. Are these
things all somehow related?
2018
– ALA Book Club October Pick, Things that Go Bump:
Paranormal Mysteries
David
Randall's perfect family life came derailed when his little daughter
Lindsey died in a car crash. Thrown out by his second wife and
wanting to leave a dead-end detective agency to start his own, he
reluctantly accepts his psychic friend Camden's invitation to stay in
Camden's boarding house in Parkland, North Carolina.
Meanwhile,
working the case of the murder of Albert Bennett, Randall's only clue
is a notebook filled with odd musical notation. When another client,
Melanie Gentry, hires him to prove her great-grandmother was murdered
by her lover, composer John Burrows Ashford, over authorship of
"Patchwork Melodies," Randall sets out to find a connection
to Bennett's murder, as well as to the murder of a Smithsonian
director, who was preparing a new PBS documentary on early American
music.
Randall's
investigations lead him to another notebook, where he finds not only
"Two Hearts Singing," Ashford's most famous song, but a
valuable early copy of Stephen Foster's "Oh! Susanna,"
hidden in the cover. But things become more complicated when
Ashford's spirit parks itself in Cam...and refuses to leave until
Randall proves Ashford's innocence.
Jane
Tesh lives and works in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, Andy Griffith's
home town, a real life Mayberry. She is a retired media specialist
and the author of ten mystery novels, three fantasy novels, and over
thirty plays for children. When not writing, Jane plays the piano for
productions at the Andy Griffith Playhouse.
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The publisher will be awarding a $10 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter and a signed copy of the book to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Forty-eight-year-old Corbett Thomas, a one hit wonder of the 90s, now works as the lead sommelier at Napa Valley’s hippest restaurant. Set to become one of the few Master Sommeliers in the world, Corbett self-destructs during his final exam, ruining his last chance at capturing the stardom and adoration he got a taste for in his youth.
When billionaire game designer, Brogan Prescott, asks Corbett to consult on a major vineyard acquisition, Corbett sees it as a shot at redemption, until he learns of Brogan’s ridiculous vision of a virtual-reality, Woke Ant Colony Winery. Disgusted, Corbett decides to buy the vineyard himself and preserve its magic and history. Cashless, clueless, and with his reputation in tatters, Corbett enlists the help of his bass-player-turned-lawyer Seamus O’Flaherty, who may have finally lost his stomach for Corbett’s bad ideas; his uber-rational daughter Remy, who wants Corbett to uncork some family secrets he’d rather leave in the cellar; and Sydney Cameron, whose sudden appearance in Corbett’s life may repair his heart or shatter it forever.
With their help-and sometimes despite it-Corbett discovers what Brogan has known all along: a four-billion-dollar gold deposit lies beneath the vineyard. If Brogan acquires the property, the ensuing gold rush will destroy Napa Valley.
But if Corbett can get out of his own way long enough to purchase the vineyard first, he’ll be faced with the hardest decision of his life: take the fame and fortune he desperately craves, or save the soul of the valley he loves so much.
Read an Excerpt
Let’s get one thing clear - I won that bet fair and square, even though I cheated.
I blame the whole thing on Rick Dornin, who was being particularly douchey that night. I used to be able to choose whichever party I wanted to serve without question. That is, until Dornin arrived at Appellation with his anal-retentive online calendar and industrial-grade Napoleon complex.
Yes, that Appellation. The most coveted dining experience in all of Napa Valley, and one of only nine restaurants in America awarded three Michelin stars. It took a DNA sample and a copy of your credit report to get a table, and then you’d better be ready to cash in your 401(k) when the bill came.
The evening started out normally enough. I arrived at the restaurant an hour before my shift to check reservations, talk to Chef Dan about the evening’s specials, and think of pairings for the prix fixe. Dornin was in his office—a modified broom closet next to the staff bathroom that looked like a hoarder’s den with one, tiny deer trail leading to his desk. In fact, he was always in his office, even when service was slammed, which drove me batshit crazy. I don’t care if you’re General Manager or General Patton—when it’s time to schlep a plate or buff a glass, you step up and do it.
Anyway, I poked my head through the doorway and said, “Hey, Rick,” trying to keep things light and cheery. “What do you know about this Harrison party at eight?”
“Whales,” he replied, not bothering to look up from his purchase orders. “Big whales, like Moby Dick whales.”
“Sweet!” Visions of stockbrokers trying to one-up each other with bottles of Screaming Eagle at five thousand bucks a pop danced in my head. Tips so big they come in a brown paper bag.
“Yes.” Dornin finally looked up at me and grinned like he learned how to do it from an infomercial. “They’ll be in the Veraison Room. With Andrew.”
“What?” I lunged into the tiny office, nearly tripping over a carton of water glasses. “You can’t give it to Andrew!”
“I can give it to whoever I want.” He went back to his purchase orders, feigning a nonchalance that made me want to smack him. “If I want to move Felipe off of bussing and let him pop some corks, I could do that, too.”
Time for a different tack—one that wouldn’t involve me going full-on Hannibal Lecter. “I’m just saying that a party like that comes to a restaurant like this to experience the highest level of service in the world. I’m the guy they’re coming for, not Andrew. I sit for my Master Somm next week, and—”
“You know what you are, Corbett? You’re an overpaid bartender.” Dornin had thin lips and an Adam’s apple the size of Detroit, and it bugged me. “You trained for twenty years to learn how to pull a cork from a bottle and tell people that red wine goes with steak. Whoop-tee-freaking-do. You’ll work the floor tonight, and you can have the Jansen party on the terrace at seven-thirty.”
My left eyebrow started twitching, which happens when I get stressed out. Apparently, no one can see it, but to me, it feels like a two-year-old is digging tiny fingers into my face and stretching it like saltwater taffy. I considered trying the No One Has Experience At Up-Selling Like I Do approach, but this was the third time in as many weeks I’d had such a run-in with Dornin.
I was done.
It was time to talk to Chef Dan.
Most people remember Chef Daniel Foyer from his five seasons on Elite Chef, The Food Channel’s number one show from 1998 to 2002. With a chin so chiseled it could slice a burnt chuck steak and blue eyes that screamed, “Come taste this gazpacho in my bedroom,” he was the prototype celebrity chef. But Father Time had been most inhospitable to Chef Dan, and for the past couple of years the poor soul tried to counteract a rapid aging process by dunking his scalp and Sam Elliott-sized mustache in a fifty-gallon drum of jet-black hair dye. The net effect was so incongruous with the rest of his wrinkled face that I could barely look at him without drowning in the shore break of cognitive dissonance.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the guy. He was a loyal and trusted friend, and straight-up the most amazing culinary artist of my generation. But if I’d had any money, I would have bought stock in Just For Men and eventually retire on my Chef Dan profits alone.
About the Author
John Taylor has been writing about wine since 2012, but his meanderings on life began way before that. Born and raised in San Diego, California, John moved to Los Angeles in 1982 to pursue dreams of screenwriting and filmmaking. He attended the University of Southern California, where he majored in Shattered Dreams and False Hopes, with a minor in Getting Gut Punched By Reality. After being handed a degree in Journalism in 1987 as a consolation prize, John dove into a career in music. Because getting gut-punched just isn’t painful enough.
By 1996, John and his band, The Uninvited, had produced four independent albums and became one of the most popular acts in the western United States. This lead to a deal on Atlantic Records, which released the band’s self-titled debut album in 1997. The band had two Top 100 hits, and toured nationally with Dave Matthews, Blues Traveller, Third Eye Blind and many other acts. Their music appeared in the TV shows Beverly Hills 90210 and Party of Five, and in the motion pictures The Commandments and North Beach. The band can also be heard in several HBO Documentaries, video games and on that annoying “One Hit Wonders of The 90’s” station your co-worker always plays on Spotify.
In 2001, John’s vast experience in shattered dreams was once again called into play as the band hung up their touring shoes for good. After a brief but horrifying career in real estate, John got wise and made a career out of his favorite hobby – wine – and has held various sales and marketing positions in Napa Valley since 2011. John’s writing career started in earnest at this point, with blogs, essays and short stories appearing in various publications. John is the author of three novels, including the aptly-titled Pairs With: Life, which will be released by Hurn Publications in September 2020.
