ELIZABETH II, LONGEST REIGNING MONARCH

This week Queen Elizabeth II celebrated becoming the longest reigning monarch, passing ancestor, Queen Victoria. I have long been an admirer of the British monarchy—even though I’m proud we in the United States are a democracy without a queen or king.  Perhaps a part of my admiration for Queen Elizabeth II has to do with the fact that she looks a twin to my late eldest half-sister, Elsie Reed, formerly of Bakersfield, California. (My sister may not have been a queen, but she was very regal and our family monarch. ☺)

Elizabeth at age seven

Queen Elizabeth II was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, in London, to Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI), and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Because her father was the second son, Elizabeth was able to enjoy the privileges of being royal without the pressure of being the heir. She spent much of her time at Windsor Castle with her sister Margaret.

Elizabeth with Charles and Anne

The death of her grandfather King George the V and the abdication of her uncle Edward VIII thrust Elizabeth’s father into becoming King George VI. At age fourteen, while at Windsor Castle with Margaret, Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast to the children who had been evacuated to the countryside, telling them to be brave during World War II.

 

In 1945, Elizabeth joined the Territorial Auxiliary Service and worked side by side with other women learning to be a mechanic and driver. To this day, she still drives herself on occasion, especially when at Balmoral Castle, the family home in Scotland.

In 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, son of King Andrew of Greece. Where Elizabeth is reserved and quiet, Philip is outgoing and boisterous. They have four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward as well as six grandchildren. She officially made Charles her successor by crowning him Prince of Wales. As her eldest son, he would be her successor anyway, but he was crowned formally as such in a ceremony.

 

Elizabeth II became queen on February 6, 1952, and was crowned on June 2, 1953. As the longest-serving monarch in British history, she has tried to make her reign more modern and sensitive to the public. Regardless of whether or not you respect the monarchy, I hope you agree that she is a fascinating person. 

And I do wish I knew just exactly what she carries in her purse. 

Please check my favorite video of the Queen in some lighter moments:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejRJXR92B7g  

Please pay no attention to the caption at the bottom asking for donations. I have no idea what that's about. Enjoy the video while Cyndi Lauper sings "Girls Just Want To Have Fun".

  

A WEE BIT OF HIGHLANDER MAGICK WITH AUTHOR PATTY TAYLOR

Good Morning! I’m excited to be here today and wish to thank my kind host, Caroline, for inviting me to be a guest on her lovely blog. I’d also like to thank each of you for dropping by and helping us celebrate my début release of MORTAL MAGICK, while I share a wee bit of of my new “Highlander Magick” series.

I feel blessed to be able to carry on my beloved Mum’s belief in the wee people and fairies, and her love for her Irish and Scottish heritage by writing fantasy and paranormal stories with a wee bit of magical lore woven into them.

One of the wee people, a leprechaun

I enjoy centering my adventures in various places like Scotland’s mystical Isle of Skye, the magical Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland and the secluded wilderness of Alaska – where fairies, brownies, shape-shifters and mythical creatures come to life.

The Glens of Antrim

Antrim, Ireland

 I’d like to take a moment to share about the person who influenced me the most to pursue my writing. My Mum’s own true love story of how she came to live in the United States and became a citizen of this country has always inspired me. Born and raised in County Down, Northern Ireland, she served in the British Army during WWII where she met and fell in love with my tall and handsome Daddy, a US Sergeant. Soon after they were married, she crossed the ocean by ship by herself to wait the arrival of my Daddy’s return to the states. I’ll always admire her strength and courage for beginning a new adventure in a strange country with no family of her own, to start a life with the man she fell in love with and raise a family.  And with the discovery of my father having American Indian heritage, both cultures have made a huge impact on my imagination.

  

Scenic drive in Antrim

And now, I’m thrilled to share my lovely cover for MORTAL MAGICK, a paranormal/fantasy time travel romance set in the 18th century mystical Isle of Skye. Mortal Magick is the 1^st book in my new series called “Highlander Magick”.

                        

Blurb:  When an immortal Highlander falls in love with a human witch, “MORTAL MAGICK” soon casts a spell of its own.

Doomed for eternity to wander nights as half man and half creature, rugged Highlander, Duncan McCord, discovers his curse is the least of his problems when he sets out for a cure and rescues the beauty determined to help tame his beast. 

When a reluctant witch, Keara, gets whisked back to 18th century mystical Isle of Skye to learn lessons in magic, she faces the true test of love when she meets the man beyond her wildest dreams burdened with dark secrets from his past.  

Forced together to journey through an enchanted country filled with mythical creatures and magical lore, will they survive in a world where evil sorcery reigns, or will a shocking twist of fate tear them centuries apart?~

A wee bit about the rest of my Highlander Magick Series

Get ready for two magical adventures – Journey across the Mystical Isle of Skye, to the Enchanting land of Fire and Ice….”  continued in book 2

                                                    Sea Wolf Magick

 "When a seafaring Highlander Lycan, rescues a cursed witch from the clutches of evil, a magical voyage fueled by fire and ice ignites more than just passion across the high seas."

And stayed tuned for more about book 3, Dragon Fae Magick, another mystical adventure set within the enchanted castles nestled in Scotland and Ireland.

 

Dunrobin Castle

And now for some Fairy Magick

I promised Caroline, I would add something in my post about fairies, and decided to include a photo of one of the most famous fairy trees that Ireland is known for.

Fairy Tree in Northern Ireland

On my visit to the lovely Glens of Antrim, I found several gnarled  hawthorn trees (like the one above) protected by stone barriers , and or fences so no one will bother them. (the stones are piled close by, to keep sheep and other animals from rubbing against the bark) 

The sacred hawthorn and fairies are known to thrive in this magical area. 

The Irish harp is the symbol of Ireland

I remember being told about one particular, elderly fairy  (I’m afraid I can’t share the fairy’s given name, as that is strictly forbidden). She dwelled in an old Irish thatched roof cottage not verra’ far away from my Mum, and helped care for another wee lass and her family. Come late in the evening, the quiet and kindhearted, Bean Tighe fairy could always be found sitting close to the hearth sipping her cup of hot tea filled with honey and cream.  In exchange for the warmth of the fire and a bowl of fresh cream, she helped with the household chores and took care of the doting pets.  

The land of faery
Where nobody gets old and godly and grave,
Where nobody gets old and crafty and wise,
where nobody gets old and bitter of tongue.

William Butler Yeats, The Land of Faery

And a poem about Ireland

There's a dear old land of leprechauns
And wondrous wishing wells;
And no where else on God's green earth,
There be such lakes and dells.

No wonder that the angels love
That shamrock covered shore;
It draws my heart home again,
And I love it more and more.

Have you ever heard the story of
How Ireland got its name?
Well, I'll tell you so you'll understand
From whence old Ireland came.

No wonder that I love
That dear old land across the sea;
For here's the way my dear old father
Told the tale to me:

"A little bit of heaven fell
From out the sky one day;
And it nestled on the ocean
In a spot so far away."

"And when the angels found it
It looked so sweet and fair;
They said, "Suppose we leave it?
For it looks so peaceful there."

"So they sprinkled it with stardust
Just to make the shamrocks grow;
‘Tis the only place you'll find them
No matter where you go."

"And they dotted it with silver
To make the lakes so grand;
And when they had it finished,
They called it ... "IRELAND!"

Author Unknown

Since autumn is almost here, I thought I’d share a photo of a beautiful fairy in the woods.

Thank you so much for having me here today, Caroline! And thanks to everyone for dropping by and visiting with us!   I would love to hear from you!

Please feel free to stop by for a wee bit, and leave comments at:

Patty’s Amazon author page:  http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00ZE65O0Q

And visit my website/blog   www.pattytaylorauthor.com

Facebook    https://www.facebook.com/PattyTaylorAuthor

Twitter:              https://twitter.com/pattyt444

CHRISTMAS KISSES BOX SET FOR PREORDER

Christmas Kisses is a collection from five bestselling and award-winning authors. Set in the snowy town of Echo Ridge in upstate New York, these inspirational romances are sure to delight while you sip cocoa by the fire and listen to Christmas carols.

***Pre-order now for only $.99***

Amazon      * Barnes and Noble  

Kobo        * iTunes *       Smashwords

Win amazing books by each of the authors. Enter below to win - nine different books will be given to nine lucky winners.

Christmas Makeover by Cami Checketts Amazon bestselling author

Chelsea Jamison has been infatuated with Drew Stirling longer than she's loved playing basketball, high-top sneakers, and the Knicks. Unfortunately, all Drew sees is the kid who kicked his trash in the high school free throw contest and not the girl whose heart breaks into a fast dribble when he's near.

Drew makes an unexpected visit home to Echo Ridge and their friendship picks up where they left off as they scheme to make a teenaged boy's Christmas dreams come true. When Chelsea realizes she's fallen for her best friend, she wonders if there is any hope of a relationship with Drew or if she's stuck in buddy-status for life.

The Candy Counter Heiress by Lucy McConnell Amazon bestselling & award-winning author

Someday Reese Gates will own The Candy Counter at Kenworth's; but someday can't come fast enough when the manager threatens to bring in a national candy provider. Reese secretly takes matters into her own hands hoping to save her parents from additional worry and prove herself capable of running the company. Her deception deepens as she ropes computer guru Andy Edwards into helping her expand the business. Reese wanted to shake things up, but she wasn't planning on her heart getting caught in the mix by Andy's stolen kisses. If she can hold it together until after Christmas, then she can reveal her successful online company and her feelings for Andy. Unfortunately for Reese, even the best laid plans can melt like chocolate.

Soda Fountain Christmas by Connie E. Sokol Amazon bestselling author

Keira Kenworth has one focus this holiday season: save her father's old-time department store from bankruptcy. She is not focused on Tayton Wells, the tall, dark, and genius marketing guru from downtown New York, hired to make it happen. He is as doubtful that her nostalgic connect-the-town ideas will succeed as she is about his numbers-first plan. However, it's not just their different approaches that cause sparks to fly. Working together on a fast deadline to save the store before Christmas, the unspoken connection between them grows. But will the tough decisions they face drive them back to their separate worlds, or will they lead to the beginning of love?

Christmas Makeover by Heather Tullis Amazon bestselling author

Jonah Owens thought moving to Echo Ridge to open his art gallery would solve all of his problems. The need to sell his grandma's house adds an unexpected complication. It would be easier if his neighbor didn't have all those farm animals.

Kaya Feidler's family has owned their land for nearly a hundred years--long before the neighbors were there. There's no way she's giving up the animal therapy business she's been struggling to make profitable. She gets a temp job helping Jonah in the gallery. Spending time together is a recipe for romance, but can they overcome their own hangups to be more than friends?

Hope for Christmas by Rachelle J. Christensen Amazon bestselling & award-winning author

Anika Fletcher hates Christmas--its promises of good tidings and hope for the future are as tinseled as the ornaments on Kenworth's Hope Tree. Despite her feelings, Anika wants to maintain her daughter's faith in the magic of the season and gladly accepts a second job working with the handsome Carlos Rodriguez to restore Kenworth's old fashioned soda fountain. Carlos is no stranger to hard times and slowly shares his life of light and joy with Anika as they work together. Just as her fragile soul begins to feel hope again, an ill-timed act of charity changes everything. Anika isn't sure who she can trust or if hope is worth nurturing--especially at Christmas when it's easy to enjoy a kiss and believe love can last longer than the season.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

INTERVIEW WITH KAE ELLE WHEELER AND CINDERELLA'S EVIL STEPMOTHER

Kathy L. Wheeler, who writes as Kae Elle Wheeler, has graciously consented to an interview so readers can learn more about her as well as her Cinderella series:

CC: Where did you grow up?

Kae: I was born in Maine, grew up in Texas, high school in Colorado, then back to Texas and eventually ended up in Oklahoma. I have a very strange family line that could take up this entire interview. But to keep it simple: My mother and my father were both married 6 times. My stepmother had one son. My stepfather (who currently lives in the Seattle area, had two sons. So sibling-wise, I have two real sisters and 3 stepbrothers. (these are the siblings I claim, well, that I grew up with)?

CC: Were you considered a “bookworm” or a jock? 

Kae: I was definitely a bookworm. I didn’t date in high school. I collected Harlequin books. I wish I’d kept them....

CC: Married, single?

Kae: I am married. I have one daughter. She had a baby last January! I thought she’d planned on not having children. He’s a cutie.

CC: Lucky you. Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

Kathy: I love historical romance. But I also love contemporary, but historical is my absolute favorite. But I’m also a person who follows an author faithfully. Jayne Ann Krentz is my favorite. Which works out well, because she also writes historical under Amanda Quick and paranormal under Jayne Castle.

CC: What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

Kae: I am a huge NFL and NBA fan. I hold season tickets to the Oklahoma City Thunder (and Russell Westbrook is my favorite player). I play in two NFL fantasy football leagues. I also love musical theater and hold season tickets to the Broadway touring company in Oklahoma City. I love to travel, read, write, oh....and karaoke.

CC: Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life?

Kae: Well, I did write a book called Quotable. The heroine uses obscure quotes to keep people from getting too close. And there is on in particular that cracks me up. “The more I learn about men, the more I love my dog.” She says this to her friend, who responds with, “You don’t even have a dog.”

CC: What cute lines. How long have you been writing?

Kae: I started writing in late 2006. I joined RWA/OKRWA in March of 2007. It turns out, I’m a fairly fast writer. I have over ten books out....

CC: Where do you prefer to write?

Kae: I was a computer programmer in day life up until this past March. My husband is an attorney and sole proprietor. When I was laid off, I moved into his office and started answering his phones and writing full time. So I use a laptop. On occasion when I’m stuck, I will go to a restaurant and sit at the bar and write in a notebook. I can tune almost anything out except music. I have a vocal minor music degree and listening to music distracts me because I start analyzing the person singing. Did she take a breath there? How did she sound out that st / s on the word “lasts”... You see what I mean....

CC: Yes, I listen to classical for that reason. I don’t have a musical background but I love music. If there are lyrics, I can’t tune them out. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

Kathy: I sit down with an idea and run with it to a certain point. Then I start making notes at the end of my document of things to include or go back and add. I’m not a strong plotter.

CC: Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

Kae: Again, using Quotable as an example, I was telling my husband one day that I had a situation (Venus/Mars type of thing). Anyway, he said, “So, basically, you have a bilateral miscommunication.” I’m thinking OMG. That’s hilarious. So my character quotes him. It’s pretty funny. It’s toward the end of the book, in case you were wondering.

CC: Do you set daily writing goals?

Kae: I don’t set writing goals. When I was president of my chapter, I set a daily word count of 300 words so I wouldn’t get off track. It paid off. I finished 3 books that year. And now that I’m sitting at my own desk with a great view of Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City, I do write every day.

CC: What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

Kae: I just hope they love reading my stuff as well as I love writing it.

CC: Me, too. What long-term plans do you have for your career?

Kae: I want to make my own way with my writing. I’ve always been a day late and a dime short. In writing, you don’t have to be the prettiest, the smartest, the best because each writer’s voice is so subjective. You write from your heart and your readers will be able to tell.

CC: That’s true. With billions of readers, each of us has a voice that will attract her share. What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Kae: I’ve had this question many times. The answer is the same every time. Sit your ass in the chair. You can’t edit a blank page. An unwritten manuscript won’t sell (you’d have to get back that advance)

CC: Good advice. Share a fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you.

Kae: Well, I did sing at the Oklahoma Opry once. I sang Paper Roses...

CC: Is your book a series? If so, how long? Family saga, other?

Kae: THE PRICE OF SCORN is book four of my Cinderella Series.

THE WRONGED PRINCESS – book i

THE UNLIKELY HEROINE – book ii

THE SURPRISING ENCHANTRESS – book iii

THE PRICE OF SCORN – book iv: Cinderella’s Evil Stepmother

CC: Can you give readers a blurb about your book?

Kathy: Here is a blurb about THE PRICE OF SCORN:

Fairy tales don’t always end happily...

Lady Hildegard Roche has nothing but resentment and scorn for the stepchild who culminates all that was stolen from her. Fourteen years after Prince Charming and Cinderella are crowned as King and Queen of Chalmers, Cinderella and her sisters gather at their mother’s deathbed. Stunned speechless, the sisters learn how tragedy shaped their mother into the woman she became. The question is: Can they forgive her?

CC: How about an excerpt from THE PRICE OF SCORN?

Ke: Certainly:

Hilda squinted in the afternoon sun over the array of blooms that normally calmed her. “Lord Roche,” she began. “I cannot—” The words were more difficult to say than she’d envisioned. Her knees shook beneath her skirts and she forced herself to move, lest she collapse. At the low terrace wall, she laid her hands atop.

“Please, your grace. I must apologize for placing you in such a precarious position.”

She glanced at him, his earnest expression tugging at her.

He began to pace. “’Tis true. As I said, I am looking for a wife. But, I feel there is something truly special about you.”

Her short laugh erupted at the irony. “Me, special? Lord Ro—”

“I have not explained to anyone why I need a wife.”

Hilda paused.

He stopped before her, captured her gaze. “Anyone can see how much you love your children. Your face lights up the dark just saying Lady Pricilla’s name.”

Something inside melted a little. “Oui, Lord Roche. That is so. She—they—are my world,” she said softly. Steeling herself against long dead dreams, she straightened and her tone sharpened. “That changes nothing, sir.”

“Do you fear for your children?”

“Every day,” she bit out, feeling as if Gustaf still had his hand gripped about her throat, squeezing.

“They’ve nothing to fear from me.”

She looked away from his gaze back over the garden. She almost believed him. But a woman was always under a man’s control.

CC: Intriguing. Where can readers find THE PRICE OF SCORN and your other books?

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1PzMQll

Amazon UK:  http://amzn.to/1EY5ygB

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1JmPuJt

Barnes & Noble:  http://bit.ly/1UetsLU

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1U7GLTP

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1033703193

Kae Elle Wheeler, Author

Kathy L Wheeler (writing as Kae Elle Wheeler) graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a BA in Management Information Systems that includes a Vocal Minor. She is an avid theater buff (holds season tickets to Broadway Series in OKC), loves the NFL and NBA (also holds season tickets to Thunder Basketball in OKC), loves travel, people and karaoke.

She is a member of several RWA chapters, including OKRWA, DARA, and The Beau Monde. She writes both Contemporary and Historical romance.

Kathy/Kae lives with her musically talented husband in Edmond, Oklahoma, has one grown daughter who recently had a baby, and one bossy cat!

For more about Kathy / Kae Elle please visit:

http://kathylwheeler.com

http://facebook.com/kathylwheeler

http://twitter.com/kathylwheeler

BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE IS A ROMANTIC ADVENTURE!

BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE

by J. Lynn Rowan

J. Lynn Rowan is awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter

GENRE:  Chick Lit Romance

BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE Blurb:

Carmella Sannarelli just found out that her best friend, Sadie Miller, has broken her engagement and is eloping on St. Croix. Though Carmella agrees to act as the maid of honor, she’s determined to find out what went wrong between her friends.

But she’s not counting on coming face to face with Ryan Wutkowski (the jilted fiancé) on the plane, or with staying at his hotel during a two-day stopover in San Juan. They try to act like nothing’s changed. But Carmella’s totally flustered by the weird vibes Ryan sends her, as well as how tingly and off-kilter she feels every time he so much as looks at her.

Now Carmella can’t stop thinking about Ryan or his behavior, even though most of her time in St. Croix is taken up by pre-wedding activities and dodging advances from the womanizing best man. And she knows there’s more to the story behind Ryan and Sadie’s breakup than either of them will admit to her.

Especially after Ryan shows up at the rehearsal dinner and gets himself invited to the wedding...

BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE Excerpt :

Ryan taps my arm. “Why are you on a flight to San Juan?”

I peer at him, my eyes narrow slits. “Why are you?”

A rhetorical question. Although his suit coat is probably in the overhead bin, safe inside a garment bag, his dress pants, crisp white button-down shirt, and Italian leather shoes tell me everything.

He answers anyway. “I have a conference over the next couple days. I have to go straight from the airport to my first meeting.”

The plane levels out, as does my head, and I wriggle to sit up straight. “They could at least let you check into your hotel first.”

“Well, fortunately the conference is at my hotel.”

“It’s a pretty fast trip.” I press my face to the window glass, squinting against the glare.

He shifts in his seat. “I had some vacation time coming, so I extended the trip through the middle of next week.”

So he’s not the only one who decided on a Caribbean adventure in the wake of his and Sadie’s breakup. I close my eyes, glad I didn’t say it out loud.

“Carmella, why are you going to Puerto Rico by yourself?”

The advantages of having Ryan for a flight companion have just turned moot. There’s no way to avoid this discussion. The flight’s too long. “I’m on my way to St. Croix.”

There. I said it. Sort of.

“What’s in St. Croix?”

His voice is low, and when I glance at him, he looks away. His jaw shifts, his profile a stern mask.

“I think you already know,” I answer slowly.

“Sadie.”

BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE Buy Link: 

http://www.amazon.com/Better-than-Chocolate-Lynn-Rowan-ebook/dp/B012X1IJD8/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 

J. Lynn Rowan, Author

J. Lynn Rowan started writing stories as a small child, usually starring her favorite cartoon characters. Most of her work through middle and high school was filled with typical teenage angst and melodrama, and usually mirrored the books she loved to read. But eventually she found her own author’s voice and decided to seriously pursue a writing career.

Historical fiction remains J. Lynn’s “first love”, but she has enjoyed the journey to becoming an author of romance and chick lit. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Central New York Romance Writers, and the Historical Novel Society. She is also a teacher who tries to instill a love of learning, reading, and writing in her students.

When she’s not writing, J. Lynn enjoys travelling, gardening poorly but enthusiastically, studying various topics in American history for her own expertise, and channeling Julia Child every time she steps into the kitchen.

A native of Oswego, NY, she now lives in Charlotte, NC, with her own Romantic Hero of a husband and the most adorable baby on the planet.

  

Website: http://jlynnrowanliterature.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JLynnRowan

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JLynnRowanLit

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jlynnrowan/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UClfsVyA4LQYMA0Cq7T1rb6w

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It's Here! It's Here! Well, Almost.

Readers, as many of you know, these have been dark times in the South. Bluebell Ice Cream, due to a factory contamination that resulted in months of factory closures, has not been available. The grocery stores have been overstocking other brands in vain hopes that the public has ice cream amnesia, but to no avail.

Finally, for some lucky Central Texans, B-Day has arrived.

The news stations are abuzz with human interest stories about people who got up at 5:00 to go get their allotted four gallons of Bluebell. The company has only released four flavors, but promises more. One frantic store placed a call to the distributor for another truck as he sold out in fifteen minutes. Students were cheerfully eating pints of ice cream for breakfast on the school bus without censure.
Alas, my city is in phase two of the rollout, not phase one. Even though I won't be caught dead braving the rabid shoppers for Black Friday deals, I'm sure I will be out there with the dawn on that fateful day. Well, okay, I will talk Hero into going. But I bet he won't be hard to convince!
We still have a few weeks to go. But there's hope out there, people. There's hope out there.

DEATH BY ROMANCE LEADS TO A KILLER

Death by Romance

by Anne Kennison

Anne will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

DEATH BY ROMANCE Blurb:

The murder of Gordon Taylor, prominent businessman and philanthropist, has Detective Ryan Hamlin stumped. No viable suspects, no decent leads. When a chance conversation breaks the case wide open, Detective Hamlin suddenly has a long list of unlikely suspects who, with a "perfectly legal" multimillion dollar investment to protect, must make sure that none of them is convicted or everything will be lost. That's when the deception and finger-pointing begin. The detective is certain he's headed down the path that will lead to the killer, but is he?

DEATH  BY ROMANCE Excerpt:

The coroner stood up and backed away from the car to give Ryan a clear view into the front seat. “Single bullet through the head.”

“Robbery?”

“Nope. His wallet is in his back pocket. Nearly a thousand bucks in cash.”

“That’s more than the balance in my savings account. Guess I should have been a titan of industry instead of a lowly crime fighter.” Ryan paused, wondering briefly what it would be like to have that much money in his wallet. He shrugged off the thought. “Suicide?”

“Nope. No gun. This snow is going to make the investigation a real bitch, isn’t it?”

“They’re never easy, are they?” Ryan removed his hat and peered into the car. “Jesus, what a mess.” The detective ran his fingers through his hair, set the hat back on his head, and gave the crown a sound tap as if to lodge it firmly in place. He slowly and carefully surveyed the area. Red and blue lights from patrol cars splashed across the snow as men and women in uniform, beneficiaries of the industry of homicide, went about their business. The corpses of those who died mysteriously meant job security for cops, coroners, lab techs.

Ryan was tired of it. He was tired of the death, tired of the greed. Tired of the dark side of humanity. Maybe retirement wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

Ryan reached into his pocket and, with as much thought as he gave breathing, popped the top off the antacid bottle that was always in his pocket, extracted two tablets, tossed them into his mouth, and chewed. He turned his attention back to Sommerville. “Who found the body?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The book will be $0.99 during the tour!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Death-Romance-Anne-Kennison-ebook/dp/B00VBVXLVW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435089151&sr=1-1&keywords=anne+kennison

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-by-romance-anne-kennison/1121686887?ean=9780692417249

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Anne Kennison’s unique plot twist comes from a fertile imagination honed by 20-plus years as a trusts and estates attorney. Now retired from the practice of law, Anne lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband Dale and two Ragdoll cats Grady and Elliott. When she’s not writing the sequel to Death by Romance, Anne loves to travel, dabble in photography, and spend time with her two adorable granddaughters.

Website: www.annekennison.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annekennison?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/annekennison

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/annekennison/

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REVIEW OF JODI THOMAS' LATEST RELEASE, RANSOM CANYON

Jodi Thomas is one of my favorite authors. Since discovering her years ago, I believe I’ve read each of her books and novellas. In fact, many of hers are on my keeper shelf.

My favorite of her early books is TO KISS A TEXAN, part of the McClain series. Even though it was different, WINTER CAMP, the prequel to her current Ransom Canyon series, reminds me of that story because of Millie, the Apache captive. If you haven’t read WINTER CAMP, you’ll do yourself a favor to do so. You can find it FREE on Amazon at http://amzn.com/B00U77QXI4 and at other e-vendors.

Although a fictional work, RANSOM CANYON is named after a real location. In fact, the Ransom Canyon I know is a part of Yellowhouse Canyon, which cuts a giant slash through the Llano Estacado. My husband and I grew up in Lubbock, Texas where the canyon was only a mile or less from my home and only a little further from his. Ransom Canyon is further southwest down Yellowhouse and about twelve or so miles from Lubbock. The name is because captives really were ransomed and traded there when white settlers were new to the area.  

In RANSOM CANYON, we are drawn into the lives of four families through an inter-twining story about events that unite them. This book has romance, adventure, and humor woven seamlessly into a book I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the end. One of the things I appreciated is the love of the land—the peace, the struggle, the beauty. Sunsets in West Texas are spectacular. Jodi Thomas paints those scenes with words that resonated with me.

Rancher Staten Kirkland is the last descendant of his ranch’s founding father, and a good steward of the land and the people who live there. He’s lost his wife seven years earlier to cancer and his sixteen-year-old son in a car crash two years ago. Since then, he’s a shell who only wakes to life when he’s around Quinn O’Grady. Theirs is a strange relationship to which each clings for a different reason. Quinn was best friends to Staten’s wife, but she has always secretly loved Staten. She always wondered if each time she saw him would be the last.

Lucas Reyes is a young man with goals who is working long hours toward achieving them. His interest in Lauren Bigman, the sheriff’s daughter, leads him on a course he never imagined. Lauren finds this quiet, hard-working young man to be the kind of friend she wants. Lucas, she learns, has the makings of a real hero. Even super-critical Sheriff Dan Bigman recognizes in Lucas a man worth trust.

Yancey Grey is an ex-con running from the past and himself. He counts himself worthless, but he wants more than his past provided. Safety. A family. A community. To stay out of trouble. He figures those things are beyond a common criminal like him.

 Once again Jodi Thomas weaves her characters’ lives together into a story that draws in the reader and keeps him or her enchanted for the entire book. I definitely don’t want to give away anything that would spoil a reader’s enjoyment of this book. Savor each event and hate the wait until the next book, RUSTLER’S MOON, is available. The next release can’t be soon enough to suit me. Without doubt, I give this book 5 stars! If you shop at Amazon, the link for RANSOM CANYON is http://amzn.com/B00SFSL8N2  and it’s available at other e-retailers.

If you prefer a paper book, RANSOM CANYON is available in paperback and hardcover from brick and mortar stores and online.   

Jodi Thomas, Author

In 2002, Jodi Thomas was honored as a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech. A fifth-generation Texan, she is currently Writer in Residence at the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, on the edge of Palo Duro Canyon—an even greater slash in the flat Texas landscape than Yellowhouse Canyon to the south. A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, she has written over thirty historical and contemporary novels. She and her husband Tom live in Amarillo where they are renovating an historic home and keeping current with their two grown sons.

Reviews!

Here are some of the early reviews for RANSOM CANYON:

“Another winner…Tension rides high, mixed with humor and kisses more passionate than most full-on love scenes. Fans will be delighted.” Publishers Weekly starred review

“Compelling and beautifully written.” Debbie Macomber. New York Times bestselling author

“Terrific reading from page one to the end.” Fresh Fiction

“Jodi Thomas is a masterful storyteller. She grabs your attention on the first page, captures your heart, and then makes you sad when it is time to bid her characters farewell. You can count on her to give you a satisfying and memorable read.” Catherine Anderson, New York Times Bestselling author