Thursday’s Thoughts featuring author @CharlotteEhney #paranormal #urbanfantasy

Sep8

Welcome to TOW bi-monthly feature Thursday’s Thoughts. On the second and fourth Thursday in the month, I share the thoughts of a featured author in the form of answers to questions posed to them.

One of September’s featured authors is Charlotte Ehney.

How long have you been writing?

I have always been an avid reader so I decided to try my hand at writing a mystery novel when I was 12 years old. I didn’t get very far but I had the writing bug and never stopped.

What comes first when you decide to write a story: the characters or the plot?

My stories usually start with a “what if”. I may see a news article or hear about something that sticks in my mind. I will start asking the “what if” questions and a story line starts to form. Then I figure out who is involved in my story.

What does your family think of your writing?

My two published books and many of my stories have a paranormal flair. Even though my family is supportive of my writing, I don’t think my genre appeals to them.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

As I mentioned earlier, I love to read. I have been very fortunate to meet other authors at different events and have a stack of books of their works waiting to be read. I also draw and paint. I enjoy connecting with nature and am lucky to live in an area where I can do a day trip to the mountains or to the beach. The thing I like best is spending time with family and friends.

Who is Charlotte Ehney? She is a South Carolina native. She contributes to Lakelands Parents Magazine. Charlotte’s poems have appeared in the column “Birthing the Writer Mother” on LiteraryMama.com have been displayed at the Greenwood Arts Center. Charlotte is the author of two novels, Blood Adversaries and Family Vows.

Feel free to checkout her BLOG, Amazon Author Page, follow her on Facebook and Twitter:

Books – Create Space Store: https://www.createspace.com/5024564 and https://www.createspace.com/4889455

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Book Blurb: Most teenagers have conflicts with their parents but seventeen year old Alya Sutton thinks her parents are out to kill her.

Ever since they arrived at her grandmother’s house in New Midburg, South Carolina, weird things have been happening. A ghostly presence stalks her at night. A voice speaks to her at church. Her family’s actions seem not just controlling but menacing. Alya’s only ally is handsome seminary student Rad McCoy who is interning at St. Mark’s Church. But even he isn’t sure of what is really going on with Alya.

Then Alya finds a secret family graveyard full of headstones that all bear a familiar name – her own. Her family has hidden away generations of daughters all named Alya Sutton who died on their eighteenth birthday. Alya’s birthday is only days away.

For years Alya had dreamed of escaping her parents by going away to college. Now she just hopes to survive the summer.

Review: Sleeping with the Boss #HarlequinDesire #romance

Sep5

Sleeping with the boss

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Synopsis

Eileen is helping Rick in his office while his secretary is on vacation. During this time they discover that they have explosive passion for each other between the sheets. Eileen is ready to commit only if Rick will do the same. An unplanned pregnancy should change things, but Rick has to decide if he will trust her with his heart.

Opinion
This is a predictable story line. I thought the title was misleading. Technically he was only her boss for a couple of weeks. She had her own business and could leave if she wanted. She was there to help him out because she knew his family.

Rick has his emotional issues because he has been hurt before. His parents did not love him. Poor Rich boy sob story.

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When he gets Eileen pregnant, he acts as if he can use the pregnancy to solidify the relationship without full commitment on his part. That was ironic because you would not think that someone who did not want to commit would want to be tied to another person in such a way.

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Eileen’s psychoanalyzing of Rick helped in the long run. At the same time, I thought she should have explained herself better. She understood his emotional hangups better than anyone else. Getting him to understand that she understood, was the issue in a nutshell.

It all works out in the end.

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It better. I do not buy Harlequin to have surprise tragic endings. Or major plot twist where the hero and heroine go their separate ways.

Should you buy? I recommend this book for those times when you want a light romance read for the beach or when traveling. It was entertaining while completely predictable.

Book Details
Print Length: 192 pages
Publisher: Silhouette Desire (June 11, 2010)
Publication Date: June 1, 2010
Sold by: Harlequin Digital Sales Corp.

Blog Tour: His Dark Canvas by Alexandrea Weis @alexandreaweis #darkromance

Aug30

Title: His Dark Canvas

Series: A Corde Noire Novel

Author: Alexandrea Weis
Genre: Dark Erotica
Release Date: August 29, 2016

Ella Winston is a talented chef with a problem–the slightest touch can reveal anyone’s darkest secrets.

Hired to cook for the artist, Ren Plancharde, she struggles to keep her ability under wraps.

After accidentally uncovering Ren’s underground activities, the eccentric painter offers Ella a glimpse into his world of pleasure and pain. Intrigued, he decides to make Ella a part of his sinister Corde Noire Society, but his chef isn’t quite ready to commit.

Absolute submission isn’t all Ren wants from the stubborn woman. He has big plans for her gift, too. The only question is … will Ella be willing to give in to his desires when the time comes?

The darkness within can hide a lifetime of secrets.

“5 paint me stars! Another great book in the series… I’m still fanning myself!” ~5 Star Review by Melissa at Alpha Book Club

“This series is outstanding!! I absolutely love this series and this book in particular.” ~5 Star Review by Kathy on Goodreads

“His Dark Canvas was an EXCELLENT read! … Full of hidden desires, food and paint! Oh and sex!” ~5 Star Review by Ashley on Goodreads

Through the haze of her apple martinis, Ella spotted someone across the wide dining room. He was different from the other patrons there to celebrate the restaurant’s two-year anniversary. With an arrogant walk, he strutted across the stone floor. Lean, muscular, and blessed with one of those bodies women would always notice, he had dark blond hair and disquieting dark green eyes. He was the kind of guy who knew he was good-looking and let everyone else know it, too. She wasn’t usually attracted to that type, but this man—his confidence intrigued her.

“You’re Ella, Ella Winston,” he said in a voice like dark chocolate fondue: deep, and wickedly sexy.

“Yeah.” She almost dropped her drink. “I’m the sous chef.”

“I know. Marcus told me.”

As his smile sank to the depths of her belly, he extended his hand, but Ella ignored it.

Don’t touch him. You know what happens when you touch them.

“So, how do you know Marcus?” Ella quickly asked, hoping to make up for her rudeness.

He laughed, looking her over. Above the din in the room, she could sense something different about his laugh. Unlike the insincere chortle of others, this man’s laugh got to her. She was having an unusual physical reaction, something that never happened to her. When most men laughed, Ella usually ran away.

“Marcus and I share the same friends.”

“What friends are those?” she asked, craving another martini.

“The wealthy kind, who like to support the arts.” He raised a green bottle of sparkling water in his hand. “I’m a painter. Marcus and I know a lot of people who like to pretend they’re patrons and keep us gainfully employed.”

“Painter?” Ella shrugged, finding it hard to believe Marcus knew any painters. “What do you paint?”

“Portraits of women. Usually with very little clothing.”

Oh yeah, I need another drink. “Is that lucrative?”

“For me it is.”

Her eyes wandered around the dining room, desperate to find a rescue. Ella needed to get away from this man before she said or did something really stupid.

“Do you like art?” he pressed.

“Some art. I think it would depend on the passion I see in a painting.”

“The passion in a painting?” That laugh again. Her toes tingled. Not good. “You sound like a painter, Ms. Winston.”

The martini glass in her hand suddenly weighed a ton. “Isn’t painting a passion for an artist, like cooking is a passion for a chef? Having a passion is a healthy thing. It reminds us that we have a soul.”

He nodded, seemingly approving of her drunken ramblings. “That’s very profound and also very true. I think you have a lot of talents yet to be discovered, Ella. May I call you Ella?”

“Ah, sure. Ella is fine.” Her mouth went dry. “What makes you think I have any talents outside of cooking?”

“I have a sense for these things.”

She tensed. Can he tell? The same thought always haunted her when she met new people. Ella fought so hard to keep her secret under control. Time to make a run for it.

“Don’t let Marcus know I have other talents. He’ll probably fire me.”

She was about to depart when he stopped her. He leaned in, and she could just make out the small cleft in his pointy chin. “I promise, if you ever need a job, I’ll hire you.”

His mouth was so close she could have kissed his perfect, thin lips. Frightened by the notion, Ella backed away. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“I hope you do, Ella.”

She should have done a million different things: asked his name, gotten his phone number, or stayed to flirt with him some more. Instead, Ella walked away. She figured it was one of those moments in life she would live to regret. Fortunately, Ella found the bar and drowned her disappointment in another apple martini.

Ella reasoned that was the way of it. You meet people and move on, and one day, if you’re lucky, you meet the interesting ones again.

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From New Orleans, Alexandrea Weis was raised in the motion picture industry and began writing stories at the age of eight. In college she studied nursing and went on to teach at a local university. After several years in the medical field, she decided to pick up the pen once again and began her first novel, To My Senses. Since that time she has published many novels. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her award-winning books, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story memorable. Her work has been critically acclaimed and has been continually growing in popularity.

Alexandrea Weis is also a certified/permitted wildlife rehaber with the La. Wildlife and Fisheries. When she is not writing, she rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She is married; they live in New Orleans.

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Book Review: The lie by CL Taylor #guestpost #amreading #thriller

Aug30

Today I have a guest post by Sophia Rose.

sophiarose

The Lie by CL Taylor

Rating: 4

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30170265-the-lie

Synopsis from GoodReads:

Haunting and compelling, this psychological thriller is perfect for fans of Gone Girl, Girl on the Train, and Daughter.

Jane Hughes has a great boyfriend, a job in an animal shelter, and a tiny cottage in rural Wales. She’s happier than she’s ever been…but her life is a lie. Jane Hughes does not really exist.

Five years earlier, Jane and her best friends set off on what was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime, but it rapidly descended into a nightmare that claimed the lives of two of her friends. Ever since, Jane has tried to put the past behind her and lead a normal life. But someone out there knows the truth about what happened-and they won’t stop until they’ve destroyed Jane and everything she loves.

Review:

I’ve been in the mood for spine-tingling chills and a complex twisty plot. The blurb captured my attention and into it I dove hoping to be thrilled by a satisfying and intense mystery. Eventually, the book gave me that, but it started out slow before it really got rolling. What I think helped me connect with this book was when I realized it was actually not just a thriller, but an interesting blend of women’s fiction and thriller.

As I said, it started off slow. There was twice the intro and set up because of the way the plot was structured which explains the pace. This is one that flips back and forth between a past and present story line, but with the same character perspective narrating both. The present is with Jane Hughes the quiet, put together woman with a nice cottage, lovely boyfriend, and satisfying job at the animal shelter who is now receiving messages from someone she thought was dead. The past is with Emma (she changed her name to Jane to start over) and her three friends who go on the adventure holiday of a lifetime that turns into a nightmare.

Once in a while, I come across a book that blends some elements that make for an interesting read and take some getting used to. In this one, the author melds women’s fiction into a thriller story. There is definitely a suspenseful and even atmospheric thriller layer to the plot. Danger is very present and people are terrified for their lives. I guessed after the person and motive behind it all, but the truth was only obvious near the end when the layers were peeled back bit by bit.

Planted in the center of all this is a story of four women who claim a friendship. They are drawn as regular people with regular people foibles. I didn’t care for any of them when the book started and I only started warming up to some of the characters much later.

As four college friends set out on their holiday, there are certain dynamics in place. Not ideal all around, but a decent group. As their situation becomes drastic and beyond their previous experience, it all shifts. Under the pressure they experience, they are all tested and it was interesting to see how it all turned out. It reminded me of real life friendships that may or may not last.

In summary, this story took me places that I just never imagined when I picked it up and I would definitely give this author’s books another go. I would recommend this for those who don’t mind the blending of thriller with women’s fiction.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Published: 6.7.16
Pages: 400
Format: eARC
Source: Sourcebooks Landmark
Sellers: Amazon

Sophia’s Bio:

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

Thursday’s Thoughts featuring author K P Smith #YA #NewRelease #NewBeginnings

Aug25

Welcome to TOW monthly feature call Thursday’s Thoughts. On the last Thursday in the month, I share the thoughts of a featured author in the form of answers to questions I posed to them.

August’s featured author is K P Smith.

An image posted by the author.
How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing since forever. Long before I became an author, I wrote countless words, thoughts and ideas down in notebooks. Journaling was a lifeline for me. It was my therapy and my coping mechanism during the tough times of growing up. Writing is cleansing and therapeutic for me.

I’m an avid reader so I wanted to write a book since I read “Hey God It’s Me Margaret” by Judy Blume. My dream of becoming an author was actualized in 2011.

Who is one author that you would like to collaborate with?

We have to go to the great beyond. Sidney. Sheldon.That.Is.All.

What has been the best compliment you have received?

I don’t think I can pick one. But anytime someone tells me something I’ve said or written has helped, inspired or encouraged them always make me feel like I’m doing something useful.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I have two teenage sons that keep me busy. When I do get some time for me, I do have my favorite tv shows I like to watch sitting on my loveseat with my tweepers on Twitter. I also love a good movie and a good book, of course.

Who is K P Smith? She believes everyone is here for a reason. They are here for a purpose. Life is a gift to be enjoyed not endured. We are here to thrive not merely survive. Whether it’s penning My Growing Pains Series or her upcoming non-fiction books, or coaching first time indie authors or helping people with their relationships; she is always discovering new ways to help people live their best lives possible.

The only thing better than watching my favorite shows is watching it with millions of others via twitter!! She is a major tweeter!

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Book Blurb: Kendra’s in high school! New Beginnings abound at home, school and in her relationships. Things are changing at lightning speed.

She’s saying hello and embracing new relationships while at the same time coping with heart breaking good-byes of others.

Patrice convinces her to give an “old friend” another chance. This coupled with an unplanned chain of events catapults Kendra from a place of obscurity to center stage at school. Center stage has her wedged in a long standing school rivalry which will divide and test her loyalties. And threaten her new relationships.

Kendra isn’t the only one embarking on new beginnings. A health scare creates a new family dynamic but even with a new dynamic it’s the same family drama. The family tension escalates and bubbles over and with Meme gone Papa is left trying to keep the family intact.

High school brings about “A New Katrina” and Avery and Jamie don’t escape the winds of change blistering through either.

New Beginnings is the next chapter in the Growing Pains Series. Kendra’s journey continues. In Book Two she finds her own place her own voice in her own way.