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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Happy New Year from Cleo

Thank you Elle for giving me the opportunity to wish everyone a happy New Year. 

My life in New York has been exciting and I have found out so much. I can't wait to share it with everyone in Bite the Big Apple- Baby Girl Book 4, coming out in January.


 We only get the chance to live once and I've never been one who doesn't enjoy my surroundings- Paris, San Francisco- anywhereville. For New years I'm anxiously awaiting the chance to see the mega fireworks display and ball drop in person! 


As a child I had no idea the world I've come to know existed. My life was sheltered inside a dirty little cabin and then later spent running. I was deprived and starved of the beauty and richness that is life so when faced with new experiences I'm like a kid in a checkout lane at Walmart- I grab for everything!


Hope to see you in Times Square where we can countdown to the New Year together and drink to a toast with champagne!


Happy New Year!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

If You Believe by Mya O'Malley Blog Tour


 Brought to you by Double Decker Books

Bio
Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters.  The family also consists of two boxers; Destiny and Dolce and a ragdoll cat named Colby.  Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy.   She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students. 

Mya currently has two new releases: At First Sight, a contemporary romance about dating in the modern world, published by Astraea Press, and Where There is Love, a contemporary romance in which a woman struggles with past obstacles, ultimately faced with whether or not she will open her heart to love. Where There is Love is published with Solstice Publishing. Mya is excited to say that Astraea Press will be releasing her contemporary holiday paranormal romance titled If You Believe on November 18, 2014. Due to be released late January is The Calm After the Storm, published by TouchPoint Press. This novel is a contemporary romance taking place in the setting of Hurricane Sandy. The story revolves around the idea of a utility worker from Georgia falling in love with a woman in New York. 


  Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child.   Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on.  She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters.   Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica.   Mya is currently working on her sixth novel.   

Blurb
Sometimes love only comes once in a lifetime. For some lucky people, it is possible to love again.  

Melody and Jack had shared an unforgettable love story that abruptly came to an end. Melody, left picking up the pieces, finds herself alone years later, with no hope or desire to date again.  With the holiday season approaching, Melody finds it particularly difficult to get Jack out of her thoughts. 

Jack isn’t sure if he’s an angel or a ghost, but his mind is set on one thing only, finding a new love for Melody by Christmas Eve at midnight.  Easier said than done, with many obstacles to tackle, Jack underestimates how difficult the task is. With conflicting emotions, Jack takes it upon himself to find a man for a woman he still loves. 


With the clock ticking as the holidays approach, this charming story of finding love the second time around will have you laughing and crying, but ultimately, it will have you believing in true love.

Excerpt

He stood, watching her, feeling every ounce of her pain, her anguish. He was probably the only one who understood what it was like to lose the person you loved, the person who was everything in the world to you.

If only he could just touch her, reach out to her, make her feel happy again. But that was just selfish on his part, wasn’t it? It wouldn’t be fair to Melody. Anybody could see that even three years later, she was still struggling. Hadn’t he always told her that if something happened to him, he would want her to fall in love again? It saddened him to think that if she continued down this cold and lonely path, she would be alone forever.

Melody had wanted it all, a home filled with children, a loving marriage. Thinking back to how happy they had once been, it broke his heart to see her this way, and it was always saddest to see her like this around the holidays, which were quickly approaching.

Jack’s mind was whirling with ideas, if only...He wished that he could talk to her just one more time, but alas, that was against the rules. If only there was some way, if only he could help her see the light. The corners of Jack’s mouth crept up as his mind took hold of an impossible thought. Would he be able to pull this off? If he did, could he ever be the same again? …


The electricity was undeniable. It was something that he should have considered, knowing how powerful their attraction and love had been in life. The look on Melody’s face was shock, confusion and curiosity all rolled into one. He would have to remember not to touch her again, it was simply too much of a risk to take. He knew that if his cover was revealed, the rules stated that he could never make contact with her again.

“What was...did you feel?” Poor Melody peered at him with those gorgeous light brown eyes of hers. There was something different about her eyes now; once they had been filled with spark and mischief, but now they were sadder, as if the light had somehow gone out. The same eyes that had looked at him with varying degrees of emotions for all those precious years they had shared together. The same eyes that held him spellbound right now. Jack didn’t know what to expect; he had no way of knowing how hard it would be to not reach out and touch this woman who was his wife, the love of his life. She evoked so much emotion in him that he had to turn his head before she saw the tears that sprang from his eyes. He had known this would be hard, but Melody took his breath away. Melody was always beautiful, but now she also appeared slightly sad and fragile. Looking down at her so many times before, he knew of her sadness, of course, but standing right here beside her, Jack could practically feel her strong emotions within his own heart.

Since he had gone to great lengths to disguise his true identity, Jack would have to do better than this. There was no way that she could recognize him by his appearance. He was once tall,

standing six foot three inches tall, maintaining a trim physique with messy light brown hair. He now stood barely five foot seven with wavy dark hair and a stocky build. The only thing about his appearance that Jack wasn’t able to change was his eyes. Nobody could change their eyes, because it was a fact that eyes were the windows to the soul.

Melody stood before him, her mouth gaping open as if she were caught in a spell. Think of something, quick, he told himself.

“Melody. I heard great things about your store. You see, I’m new to this area and I was just walking around and I figured I’d come check out your store.”

Melody appeared as if she had composed herself slightly. Clearing her throat, she finally spoke. “Where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking.”

He really should have been more prepared, how could he have forgotten how inquisitive Melody was?

“Um, I’m from down south, Florida.”

“Whereabouts? I have a friend from the Orlando area.” He should have also remembered her old college roommate from Orlando. Was Miami far enough away to field off further questions?

“Miami.”

“Miami? What brings you all the way up north to the New York area?”

Wow, she should have been a lawyer instead of owning a business. “My job. I work in the city now and live here in the suburbs.”

“What do you do for work?”

Thinking quickly on his feet, Jack steered away from his real occupation in life, working for an insurance company.

“I work for a pharmaceutical company. I’m in sales.” That ought to do it. He was reminded of a time when Melody had quizzed him nonstop when they had first met, he had felt like he

was interviewing for a job. They had laughed many times together over that memory.

“Oh. Well, who is it that recommended you to my store?” Her eyes peered cautiously through her striking auburn hair. The long hair that was always slightly out of place, always in her eyes. Wishing that he could reach out and touch her beautiful hair just once more, he reeled himself back in.

“Just some guy at a diner recently. He raved about the selection of books and the coffee. Hmm, if I recall, he also said that you have the best cheesecake in town.” That should do it. Melody loved to bake and could go on and on about her desserts.

And that she did, thank goodness for the distraction of a good cheesecake. When Melody had stopped gushing about how she prepared her cheesecake, she caught herself and chuckled.

“You must think I’m something, rambling on like this. I’m sorry, I just realized that I didn’t catch your name.”

My name, my name. Something unusual perhaps, but fitting for a friend. “Oliver.” Where did that come from?

“Oliver. Well, Oliver, I don’t usually do this because we are closed, but would you like to try some of the cheesecake? We happen to have some left over.”

“Oliver” could tell that he had gotten on Melody’s good side. She wasn’t a particularly outgoing person. As a matter of fact, she was usually pretty shy, but he was delighted to see that he had made an impression on her. Or perhaps it was just good business sense. Either way, Oliver had succeeded in completing the first step of his mission: meeting Melody.

****

Melody couldn’t recall the last time that she had felt so comfortable with a total stranger. It wasn’t like she was even physically attracted to him, Oliver wasn’t her type at all. He was

the complete opposite of Jack in every way. Well, in every way except for those captivating blue eyes. It was uncanny how much Oliver’s eyes reminded Melody of Jack’s eyes. It wasn’t just the color or the shape, but it was the intensity of his gaze. That was probably why Melody had felt so comfortable with him from the start.

“I know that you’re going to think this is forward, but would you mind showing me around town sometime?”

Melody sucked in a breath and inwardly panicked.

“My girlfriend is coming up in a few weeks and I wanted to show her around a bit.” He finished.

Melody’s shoulders visibly dropped as she let out a sigh. “Sure, yes, Oliver, I think that would be fine.”


Two finished slices of chocolate cheesecake and decaf coffees later, Melody realized this was the best evening she’d had in, well, just about three years.

Dream Cast for If You Believe: 

Melody: Amy Adams 
Jack:  Channing Tatum
Adrian: Jake Gyllenhaal
Oliver: Mark Ruffalo 

Cassie: Leslie Mann

Buy Links:
If You Believe- Amazon
Amazon.co.uk
Barnes and Noble

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Guest Post Eilida Riley

First I have to say how pleased and honored I am to be here. With the holiday season closing in us I want to share what Christmas means to me.

The holidays have always been a time of joy and giving. My parent's never fell short. My father would decorate our huge house with lights and decorations that extended from our front yard all the way to the lake. Our house was brighter than the North Star and much louder.

My mother would cook a huge meal with all the fixings. It was far too much for the three of us to eat alone so they would make a huge party out of it and invite all our good friends, including my BFF Sage.

I'm kind of a movie buff so we spent a lot of time watching the classic Christmas movies, such as Frosty the Snowman, Rudolf, Christmas Story, The Grinch and Sage and I favorite Mr. Heatmiser.



I can't forget the Christmas tree. As a family we decorate it every year and slowly the floor around it becomes filled with Christmas magic in the form of gifts.


What I love most is my family and the merriment, surprise, and joy they have given me each and every day of my life. My parents are the most kindhearted, beautiful people and I love them with all my heart. Here is to you Mom and Dad!I love you!


Best wishes to everyone, around the world this Holiday season. May you enjoy spending the day with those you love, soaking in the pleasure of giving.

In the spirit of giving I'm offering to all of you Eye of the Storm Eilida's Tragedy for .99 here (smashwords). Use this code when checking out UV83N and have a blessed holiday!



Saturday, December 20, 2014

Age/Sex/Location by Denise Kawaii

I have started on my 2015 reading list. A couple months ago I got this book as a prize during a giveaway event with Double Decker Books. I got an autographed copy! Yipee!

My review:

Age/Sex/Location Love is Just a Click Away took me by surprise. The story centers around Jo a new adult who doesn’t have the best parental relationship. She left home young and is independent. Her fiancĂ© breaks the engagement on her birthday. What a jerk! Well, she was better without that loser. She falls into a feel-sorry-for-herself slump, makes bad decisions, and turns to drugs and alcohol. In the midst of her downward spiral she starts talking to Nayman2000 over the course of several months they become friends and her dismal life seems to brighten. 


This was the first of Denise Kawaii’s books I’ve read. In fact, I won an autographed copy. It was the first paperback I’ve read in months and being autographed I carefully turned each page not to damage the precious book. At times that was difficult because I got so into the story. I couldn’t wait to get home from work and read more. The story is a romance, but not in the everything is rosy and bright sense. Jo has a lot of obstacles to overcome; the first I would say is self esteem. The book held a lot of truths that plague us. My heart went out to Jo while at the same time I kept thinking,’What are you doing?’. She isn’t a perfect character, but flawed and marred by humanity, giving her a realistic and loveable quality.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Christmas reads to add to your shelf

The following reviews are Christmas books the whole family will enjoy and love!

Reviews:



The True Meaning of Christmas by Willie B. White is a short read chronicling the meaning of Christmas in an acrostic. The reader discovers the meaning through bible verses attached to each letter of the word Christmas. I found that I read a different letter each day. The short book is an uplifting tribute to what Christmas really means.




Yuletide Tales A Festive Collection is a wonderful collection of traditional and nontraditional holiday stories written by a variety of authors. Each author has a short page and a fantastic story. I loved the variety each author brought to the book. A couple of stories that really stood out to me was Christmas Spirit because it is a story of one good turn deserves another when a family takes in a bum for a night. Giving him a warm place to rest and food in his belly. This story played at my heart strings. Another story I really enjoyed was A Sacred Star. This story has a paranormal Christmas twist to it which really drew in my interest. 

This is an awesome collection of stories to be shared with the entire family.



Collection of 25 days of Christmas Poetry by Jeniann Bowers is a wonderful book of warm holiday cheer. Many of the poems summon Christmas memories of childhood with her use of language. Jeniann is able to use a few simple words to bring forth a sight, sound or smell of holiday memories. In several poems she praises the real reason we have Christmas, love, and how the holiday is not simply about receiving but giving and not only to our loved ones but others as well, especially those in need.

Her words flow easily off the tongue in a rhythmic, playful pattern as one reads each poem. Collection of 25 days of Christmas poetry is the second book of poetry by Jeniann I have read and equally impressive. She has a true talent and gift giving her work a unique spin and quickly making her one of my favorite poets.

I highly recommend this book as its fun, warm, reminiscent and full of holiday joy.

You won't be disappointed :-)

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Susanne Leist The Dead Game




The Dead Game 
Blog Tour hosted By Ashley's Addictive Book Promotions 
Blog tour December 15th to the 19th 

Follow the tour!!!
December 15th 


December 16th 


December 17th 


December 18th 


December 19th 




Synopsis 

Linda moves to a seaside town to live a quiet life. She opens a bookstore and makes new friends. Life is simple--that is until the dead body washes up on shore. Linda is horrified to find that dead bodies and disappearing tourists are common for this small town. As soon as the sun sets, the residents and tourists are stalked by dark shadows. But this is only the beginning.

Linda and her friends receive an unsigned invitation to a party at a deserted house. They are pursued through revolving rooms and dangerous traps, barely escaping with their lives. Two of their own remain trapped in the house. Or so they think. 

They must embark on a difficult journey, chased by unnatural creatures, not knowing whom to trust, to uncover the one controlling the game and everyone in town. Who are The Dead? Are they humans or vampires? Or a combination of both? Will there be an end to their evil game?
 Will Linda and Todd find love? Will a second book be needed?
The Dead Game has begun.


Click for my review


About the Author 

   Susanne Leist graduated with an M.B.A. in Finance. Wherever life has led her, through the hectic commodities’ markets or the number-crunching field of budgeting, she’s continued to read and daydream. Unbeknownst to her, she had been pursuing her dream all along, her dream of putting her words down on paper for everyone to enjoy. She currently resides on Long Island with her husband, two daughters, and Maltese.
     Her first book, The Dead Game, is a paranormal thriller with humans, vampires, and vampire derivatives. Her goal has been to write a book different than the usual vampire story or murder mystery. She wanted a murder mystery with victims, clues, and suspects. She created that and much more. The book has revolving rooms, traps, falling cages, and anything her active imagination could create. The Dead Game is a fun ride into the realms of the supernatural.

Book Excerpt 

Chapter 22
Their car neared the house. A stunning sight unfolded before their eyes. Encased in a tight circle of trees, shimmering from the lights strung through their heavy branches, the glass house sparkled against the dark night sky: a huge glass ball shooting green sparks of light from within its rounded walls. Its great dome twinkled as radiantly as the multitude of stars shining down from above.
      Todd left the car with the valet and led the way up the marble stairs to the rounded front door. Two armed men, dressed in tuxedos, guarded the door, their holstered guns only slightly marring the fantasy image running through Linda’s vivid imagination: for as soon as she turned away to admire the scenery, she was once again in fantasyland.
     The panorama facing her was doused in white. Gleaming white snow caps covered the tops of the tall trees and the great dome of the house. Snow was falling on them from somewhere. She could feel snowflakes melting on her lips. They felt wet, like real snowflakes. She touched her face and hair. Her hand came away wet. She had snow on her fingertips. She searched the grounds for a snow machine, but couldn't locate anything—not on the glass domed roof or in any of the trees. She  couldn't have, genuine snow was falling on them from the dark sky. The landscape resembled a winter wonderland despite it being fall in Florida.
     Todd placed his hand against her back to escort her into the house. The others followed them into the glowing green ball that was alive with dazzling lights, music, and laughter.
     Once inside, Linda was mesmerized by the glittering glass walls that mirrored the dancing images of the guests twirling around the marble dance floor. These images were cast in bright halos of light reflected from the myriad of crystal chandeliers hanging throughout the room.
     Soft candlelight from mounted crystal sconces flickered across the intricate patterns carved into the green walls. It was the most beautiful and fascinating house that she had ever seen. She glanced back and watched Shana’s mouth drop open. She was certain that Shana would agree that the house appeared simply magical.
     Couples were swirling around the immense dance floor. They were dancing in a large studio between Diane’s life-sized statues. Each sculpture was carved from clear glass: each one revealing a full-sized person. Linda found them to be too lifelike. She stood next to one and stared into it frozen face. She was startled by a fleeting expression of horror that seemed to cross over its features; as if a real person was trapped inside, staring out at her from within his glass tomb. Then the look was gone and the statue appeared lifeless once again.


Author Interview 

Please introduce yourself and tell us something about your books.

My name is Susanne Leist and I’m a new author. My book, The Dead Game is a paranormal mystery. It takes place in a small town, called Oasis, on the coast of Florida. During the day, this town is a paradise for its residents and abundant tourists with its picturesque streets, white-sand beaches, and warm waters. However, at night, the town turns dark and deadly. Dark shadows roam the streets. Tourists begin to disappear and bodies turn up dead on the beach. The evil in this town revolves around a deserted house. The younger residents are invited to a mysterious party at End House, and that is when the fun and games begin.


How did you come to write your first book and how long ago was it?

     I have been reading murder mysteries and thrillers since I was a teenager. I’ve read all types of mysteries, from Agatha Christie to Sherlock Holmes. In recent years, I’ve begun to read paranormal mysteries. These books bring fantasy and the surreal to the simple murder mystery.
     It is hard to find books that combine paranormal with mystery. That is why I have decided to write a paranormal, murder mystery of my own. It is the type of book that I search for and love to read.
     My book, The Dead Game, has dead bodies and suspects like a traditional murder mystery. However, it also has humans, vampires, and vampire derivatives. And don’t forget the haunted house—we must have one of these.


When you sit down to write a new story, do you know what the ending will be before you start or does it evolve as you write?

This is the first book that I’ve written. I began with a basic idea in mind. I wanted a murder to take place in a small town. This murder would involve a house that was rigged with supernatural or mechanical traps and moving rooms. But I had no idea how the story would evolve or end. The end turned out to be a surprise to even me.


What do you do when you are not writing or reading?

When I’m not writing, I enjoy being with my family. My daughters and I love fashion and we love to shop. My husband gets dragged along. I swim twice a week and read every day.

If you could holiday anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?

I would love to travel everywhere in the world. The only countries I’ve visited so far are Canada, England, and Israel. There are so many places I would love to see. At least I could visit them in books.

I guess, like most authors, you are an avid reader – who are your favourite authors?  Do you read many books by indie authors?

My favourite author is Brad Meltzer. It is fun and easy to read his books. His words flow smoothly and keep me engrossed in the stories. I like his characters. He weaves his extensive knowledge of Washington into the story lines.
I buy a book by the description on the back cover and not by the author’s name. This has led me to explore books written by a wide variety of indie authors. I found Brad Meltzer by his book’s description before I heard about him as an author.

Where do you normally source your reading material – from your local library, a bookshop, Amazon or somewhere else?

I buy books anywhere I can find them. If a book catches my eye, then I buy it. I buy online and in book stores.

Are you working on a new book at the moment?

     The Dead Game is the first book in a series. The first book resolves the murder mystery, but at the same time, opens a Pandora box of new mysteries. Its surprise ending will lead to more surprises.

     Once my book is further established in the marketplace, I will begin work on the second book. I have an outline and notes all ready to be used to write the next book. My writing often leads me in unknown directions, so I won’t know how the book will end until it does.


 Character Questions 

 Who is your main character?
My main character is Linda Bennett. She moves to a small town to open a bookstore with an attached coffee shop. She wants to lead a quiet and peaceful life. But she is in for a surprise, since Oasis is anything but peaceful.
What should we know about her?
Linda is a good person who wants to be liked by everyone. She is sweet and kind. She develops a crush on Todd, but at first, she is too shy to speak to him. Her friendship with Shana brings her out of her shell and at times, gets her into trouble. She develops the nerve to speak with him and to voice her own opinions.
What is the main conflict? What messes up her life?
Her crush on Todd brings complications to her life. She finds him to be aloof. At first, she is drawn to his mysterious nature. But as she gets to know him better, this mystery soon becomes off-putting to her. She believes he’s hiding secrets from her; secrets that have to do with the elusive residents, and the murders and disappearances in town. 
What is her personal goal?
Her personal goal is to help save the town from the evil threatening to kill them. She doesn’t know if the evil controlling the town is human or a supernatural creature, but she is determined to find and destroy him or her with the help of her friends. 
She has a secondary goal of getting to know Todd better, and she has better luck with this than her first goal.

Author Links and buy links

Kindle
The Dead Game

Nook

Links

One Lovely Blog Award


 Thank you KayCee K at Wonderstruck for nominating me!

Here are the rules for accepting this award: 

First, you thank the person who nominated you for the award.Then, you add the One Lovely Blog logo to your post. 

 Share 7 things about yourself.

Nominate up to 15 bloggers you admire and inform the nominees by commenting on their blog. 


7 things people might not know about me...

1. Junior Mints and Reeses are my favorite candy

2. I have many unpublished works

3. I have lived on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts

4. I have a huge collection of Barbies I'm attempting to sell- hit me up if your interested :-)

5. My favorite U.S. city is St. Augustine

6. I was the kid at Christmas who shook and poked my presents endlessly until I got to open them

7. I have only been out of the U.S. once but I have a passport now so watch out!

I'm nominating
Caverns of my Mind
Megan Cyrulewski
Rhoda D'Ettore


Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Josey's Christmas Cookie Blog Tour





JOSEY’S CHRISTMAS COOKIE BLOG TOUR


BY SHARON KLEVE

Amazon-Josey's Christmas Cookie
Amazon.co.uk


FIVE STAR REVIEW


5.0 out of 5 stars A Lovable Story!


By Debby Lee




I loved this heartwarming Christmas story.
Josey was a workaholic who spent all her spare time at the office in order to cope with the tragic loss of her parents and being jilted by her fiance. I really felt for her.
Clint was a handsome veterinarian Josey met at an animal rescue event who helped her buy a large slobbering dog named Cookie. Clint handled the animals with professionalism, sincerity, and great care.
The two Morning Dove's in the story, Harry and Beatrice, were desperate to see Josey and Clint get together in time for Christmas.
If you enjoy sweet plots, whimsical animal themes, and stories that make you go "aaawww" this one's for you.
Highly entertaining, highly recommended!


BLURB:


In the blink of an eye, Josey lost the most important people in her life, her parents.


Can a hound dog named Cookie, a pair of mourning doves, and a passionate vet bring the holiday spirit back to Josey's life in time for Christmas?




EXCERPT:


As I stared at the pathetic dog in his diaper, I realized no one wanted the dog, they were just gawking at him. The sign said his name was Cookie, part Basset Hound and part Redbone Coonhound. I didn’t know anything about either breed. I did know he was very large and he was slobbering everywhere and he should have a diaper around his neck. I turned to continue my search and a felt a tug on my pant leg. I looked down and Cookie had a hold of my jeans. When our eyes met, Cookie's eyes twinkled, just like Clint's.




A glob of drool hit the top of my shoe. He let go of my pant leg and licked the goo off my shoe. I wanted to say, "gross," but instead I said, "thank you." I was hooked. His fur was a reddish brown and soft as silk. Not caring about drool or dog hair, I sat down on the floor next to Cookie, wrapped my arms around his neck, and finally felt at peace.




Another glob of drool hit the floor next to my butt. He looked sad, like that was a deal breaker and I'd leave him behind. I looked Cookie in his sad eyes and laughed. He pulled back his goofy lips and smiled back.




That's when I heard Clint's voice, "Well Josey, it looks like you found your soul mate."




He laughed, but not at my expense.






ABOUT SHARON KLEVE:


Sharon Kleve was born and raised in Washington and currently lives on the Olympic Peninsula with her husband.


Sharon is a multi-published author of paranormal and contemporary romance. She loves romance. She loves reading romance, living romance, and especially loves writing about romance. She gets no greater feeling than watching her characters come alive in each other's arms. Most of all, she loves giving her characters the happily ever after they deservewith a few bumps and bruises along the way.


One of her favorite things to do is picking up a new book and sinking into the story, immersing herself in the emotions between the characters. She hopes to inspire her readers the same way her favorite authors have inspired her.


When not writing, she can usually be found either curled up in her recliner with her cat and a good book, or in the kitchen baking sourdough bread or bagels.




CONTACT SHARON HERE:
































GRAND PRIZES


(1) $5.00 gift card

(2) Audio books or (2) eBook copies. Winner’s choice



Naughty or Nice Event Author Michael Smart


Don't miss the Facebook Naughty or Nice Christmas Author Party Event. It's online so it doesn't matter where you live, join in the fun! Below is an interview with Author Michael Smart, he'll be there!

Buy Links
Amazon: Dead Reckoning (The Bequia Mysteries) (Volume 1) 
Amazon: Deadeye (The Bequia Mysteries Book 2)
Amazon. co.uk Dead Reckoning (The Beguia Mysteries) (Volume 1)
Amazon.co.uk Deadeye (The Beguia Mysteries Book 2)
Smashwords

Don't forget when you buy to post your order number on the above Facebook event link to be entered into the grand giveaway!


Elle: Tell us a little about you as a person.

Michael: I’m of Jamaican and British ancestry, born in New York City, but lived until age 16 in various parts of Europe and the West Indies. Probably where I acquired the traveling bug, but I think I actually inherited it from my adventurous mother. I retired from the work-a-day world for the first time in my late twenties to travel around the world, and I spent years sailing around the Caribbean. Returned to the work-a-day world to raise two extraordinary kids, and retired again as soon as they were off on their own. Now I travel and write fulltime.

Elle: So, what have you written?


Michael: I’ve written a series called the Bequia Mysteries, set in St.
Vincent and the Grenadines in the Eastern Caribbean, and my first science fiction novel will be published early in 2015. 


Elle: 1f this book is part of a series, tell us a little about it?


Michael: As I mentioned, the Bequia Mysteries are set in the exotic Caribbean islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, involving three central protagonists who share my passion for sailing and flying, and who navigate complex relationships as they endeavor to solve the central dilemma and stay alive. The stories involve themes of redemption, life changing choices, and love.

Elle: Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

Michael: The Bequia Mysteries involve three main characters. They’re a team, sort of. I won’t say more. You’ll have to read the
first three titles in the series to meet and get to know them. But people who’ve read the novels have all fallen in love with the characters. One reader told me she actually dreams about one of them.


Elle: Where do your ideas come from?



Michael: Ideas come from anywhere and everywhere.  Sometimes when I least expect it. They can come from contemporary events, a news story perhaps, or from people watching, from films, television shows, novels, and of course my own experiences.

Elle: What genre are your books?

Michael: Mysteries and science fiction. The mysteries aren’t all part of the Bequia series. And my science fiction usually has a mystery buried in the story. 

Elle: What is the hardest thing about writing?

Michael: Writing. Learning and continually practicing the craft, so you can translate what you imagine in your mind into appropriate words and style to convey it accurately and vividly to the reader. 

Elle: What draws you to this genre?

Michael: They are the genres I read as a kid and adolescent.
Starting with the Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew. As I grew older I gravitated to Chandler, Spillane, John and Ross MacDonald, and in science fiction, Asimov, Clarke, Herbert, Wells, Verne, Bradbury, Heinlein. I was fascinated by these authors and these stories, and the power of imagination. A fascination I still possess today. So those are the genres I’m drawn to write in.

Elle: What is the easiest thing about writing?

Michael: Writing. When I’m in the groove it flows like water from a tap.

Elle: Besides writing what are your favorite things to do?

Michael: I have two passions besides reading and writing. Ocean sailing and flying. I’m happiest when I’m above the clouds, or a thousand miles at seas with no land in sight.

Elle: Do you have a favorite movie and/or book?

Michael: I have too many favorite books to name just one, and they change with time and mood. Right now I’m rereading the Patrick O’Brian Aubrey/Maturin series for many the fifth time. One of my favorite movies is “Fly away Home” by Carroll Ballard, with a teen-aged Anna Paquin, and Jeff Daniels and Dana Delany.  

Where to find Michael: