January 2016 edition of The Book Breeze

Reviews, Interviews, New Releases

Vol 6 Issue 1

January 2016

Celebrating the Indie Author

turn the page c

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in this issue Celebrating the Indie Author

Just because an author has type the words The eND at the end of a book they spent months or even years writing their job is not done. Now they need to sell it. most will start with submitting it to publishers. An arduous process filled with rejection. J. K. Rowling has been quoted as saying she received “loads” of rejections for her Harry Potter series.

A publishers reaction to a book is based primarily on their estimate of the book’s ability to sell according to their best guess on what the public might want down the road and not necessarily about the quality of work.

So what does an author do when they believe in their work and can’t sell via the traditional route?

They go Indie.

The publishing industry has changed dramatically from the days of F. Scott Fitzgerald and even Ray Bradbury and we, the reader, benefit greatly from it.

We no longer have the big 7 publishing houses presenting us with what they think we want.

We have choice. We have a great deal of choice since services like Create Space from Amazon have opened the doors to everyone who has written a book.

Not every self-published book is well written. The Shades of Grey series are not particularily well written books but they satisfied the public need for titulation.

With well over a million books a year being published we the reader rely on friends recommendations, blogs and magazines such as The Book Breeze to introduce us to the many options out there. Because of this The Book Breeze is going to be offering more book excerpts so the reader has a chance to sample before they buy.

There are also services out there such as Bargain Booksy and Freebooksy that offer one day deals so you have an opportunity to discover something new.

So this month we celebrate the Indie author - those that have stepped out in the belief that they have something to offer the reader. I hope within the page of this magazine you find a book to get lost in. If you do, I hope you will thank the author by writing them a review.

Read on.

a

Donn

January 2016

Interviews ...

horror/Paranormal Author Tamela Miles Page 10 Cozy mystery Author Tracy Weber Page 14

historical Romance Author Diana Rubino Page 18 Financial Thriller Author Davis MacDonald Page 26

Review Columns

YA Reviews Shannon’s Space . . . Page 6

Various The eclectic express . . . page 24

mystery Roberta’s Ramblings . . . Page 17

Book Excerpt

The 13Th VICTIm

by Sherry Scarpaci . . . Page 30

New Releases everywhere

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Shannon’s Space

YA Reviews by Shannon Kennedy With the ever-increasing popularity of The Hunger Games, the Divergent series and even The Giver making it to the ‘big screen’ as well as flying off bookstore shelves, dystopian young adult and new adult fiction comes in all shapes and sizes. Some is highly derivative, with clichéd heroes battling tyrannical authorities or oppressive governments, but many titles are truly impressive.

WARRIOR KIDS

by Michael J. Bowler Create Space Publishing, October 2015 ~ 4 Stars Blurb:

The future looks bleak unless eighteen-year-old Lance and his New Camelot earth Warriors can save the planet from catastrophic climate change. Spurred by twelve year-olds Billy, enya, Itzamna, and his ten-year-old brother, Chris, Lance creates a branch of earth Warriors, a youthled movement designed to save the earth from its greatest enemy – greed. his involvement leads to earth Warrior crews springing up all across America. millions of kids leap into action, paralyzing the country and alarming the rich and powerful.

having adopted his father’s philosophy of doing what’s right, rather than what’s easy, Lance makes serious enemies when he calls out New Camelot donors who represent fossil fuel or other polluting industries, and then barely escapes a series of "accidents” designed to kill him.

When he challenges the United States Congress to step up and act immediately on the climate crisis, the attacks on him escalate. With the majority of America's kids on his side, Lance and his young earth Warriors prepare for the United Nations Conference of the Parties in Paris, where they will call upon world leaders to stop talking about sustainability and start acting on it. But whoever wants him dead isn't giving up. Will Lance and his crew live long enough to even get to Paris?

Review:

This entertaining novel has an ensemble cast of young characters working together to make a difference and will undoubtedly engage most middle-grade audiences. While it has a few elements from the Arthurian legends, such as the mythical sword, excalibur, the majority of the plot revolves around saving the world from pollution. Chosen by the sword, the new King Lance guides his mostly preteen warriors to step up and lead by example, reusing and recycling whenever possible. Using social media to connectwith a larger audience, other youngsters join this crusade, the latest in Lance’s battles. Occasionally, Lance

refers to a previous engagement, probably detailed in an earlier book that gave kids more rights than those enjoyed in our society.

Since they have ‘civil rights’ and can choose where and how they live, it means they can answer Lance’s call to action when he confronts Congress and asks for controls to save America from the increasing perils caused by pollution. When sixty-million kids stop talking, it creates an impressive impact. This silent protest doesn’t stop them from emailing their representatives, so they’re not really quiet, are they?

As the group continues their strategy to stop pollution and the use of fossil fuels, the danger escalates for Lance. his enemies plot to destroy him, figuring this will also destroy his organization. however, the younger set is fairly adamant in carrying out his goals. For the most part, the characters are well defined and it is easy to tell them apart, although enya is the only young girl who plays a strong part in the organization of New Camelot.

One of the major flaws in the book is the single-minded passion to save the earth. Yes, that is important and shouldn’t be downplayed. however, all the characters seem so united in this pursuit that they have few other interests. In addition, Lance spends all his time with this younger, middle-grade crew. Doesn’t he have any friends who are his age? If not, why not? We hear in some of his speeches that he does draw followers who are his age, but the reader doesn’t have the opportunity to see them in action. And we should!

In addition, could there be more description? One of the best scenes in the book happens when Lance takes his young warriors on a camping trip and they enjoy the opportunity to see huge trees and pristine streams. Despite the few shortcomings, this book provides important messages about climate change and making a difference in the world.

In an interview with The Book Breeze in October Indie Author michael J. Bowler had this to say about WARRIOR KIDS.

It’s a standalone sequel to my Children of the Knight series.

This one deals with the environmental crisis and climate change. I’m making the eBook free to all educators to share with their students. Teachers can purchase the paperbacks from me at my cost or from the publisher through their schools. The themes and messages in this book are important and very timely – the finale takes place at the 21st United Nations Conference of the Parties in Paris this past December. As a teacher, I seldom found supplemental books that would entertain my students and also educate them about important issues, so I decided to write one.

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LAST LIGHT FALLING BOOK 1-THE COVENANT

by J.E. Plemons Dog ear Publishing, march 2014 ~ 3 Stars

Shannon’s Space Continued

Blurb: If your fate has already been chosen for you, would you change it? Fifteen-year-old Arena Power blindly accepts her destiny in a world filled with tragedy, chaos, and a lingering wickedness that will tempt every man's soul until the last days on earth. Set in the United States in the year 2053, America, like most of the world, has undergone catastrophic earthquakes, famine, and an economic collapse, which has rendered the nation hopeless. It has turned to other nations, like Russia and China, to help restore what was once a world power. Unfortunately, the new America has grossly caused civil unrest that will eventually be the precursor to a much bigger war of biblical proportions.

Orphaned at the age of nine, Arena and her twin brother, Gabe, have learned to rely on each other through the toughest times. Not only do they share the same birthday and the tragic loss of their parents, they both have a birthmark on the back of their necks in the shape of a crucifix. This is only but a small sign of the destiny that will follow. On their fifteenth birthday, they receive a mystery letter and key from their estranged Uncle Finnegan. This key will unlock their fate, and it will be up to a priest, who has vowed to protect them since birth, to unfold the layers of their destiny-to undo the evil that has spoiled the world, and to help unleash God's wrath upon those who have turned from him in the last days of history.

LAST LIGhT FALLING weaves righteousness with evil, treachery with truth, and shows just how far the will of man can survive on faith alone. Arena and Gabriel's fate will determine that course of history for which has already been written. They were not born to save the world; they were chosen to prepare it for the final days.

LAST LIGHT FALLING BOOK 2-INTO THE DARKNESS

by J.E. Plemons Dog ear Publishing, may 2015 ~ 3 Stars

Arena has left the nation’s administration with a dead president and a weakened military, and while the tragic memories continue to scar her, the government struggles to regroup without its leader. For the people who still remain

in hiding, it’s evident the country is all but lost, and with Russian operatives taking over, the nation’s hope of recovering is grim. After months in hiding, Arena and her brother, Gabriel, fight to survive the aftermath while they trudge through unkindly terrain across the country to rejoin their friends, but what they soon discover may staunch their journey. The government’s failed attempt to rebirth a broken nation has caused civil unrest like no other.

After reuniting with their friends, Arena’s decision to stay changes when she discovers the secrets of a refugee camp behind a clandestine group of rebels, known as the Southern Resistance. With an opportunity to escape to a permanent safe haven, Arena risks her life to lead the new fellowship. But the darkest days are upon them, and with a new war brewing, Arena’s path will take a dark turn as her survival is in jeopardy.

Into The Darkness captures the cruel truth behind our darkest secrets which may often cause us to question our faith.

In this graphic second installment of the LAST LIGhT FALLING series, J.e. Plemons continues the grim story of Arena Power’s fate, testing her faith while she and her brother search for an answer to their survival in a brooding world filled with chaos.

Review:

The Last Light Falling series introduces the reader to fifteen-year-old twins, Arena and Gabriel Power destined to lead the fight not to save the world and its inhabitants, but to prepare it for the apocalyptic end of days as foretold in the Old Testament. A master of all weapons, Arena accepts her role a little too easily while her brother has more difficulty accepting their supposed destiny. This makes him more likeable as a character and a person at the beginning of the story. he’s willing to do what needs to be done to change his world, but unlike his sister doesn’t see most people as expendable. Virginia Roth in the Divergent series showed how making just one choice changes lives not only that of the heroine’s when she opted for a new faction rather than remaining with the one where she was born. however, Arena Power isn’t a Tris Prior and obviously doesn’t share the other girl’s ability to empathize with those around her.

meanwhile Arena does get along fairly well with him and their foster parents, but looks for trouble when she’s at school. her behavior and motivations remain inconsistent much of the time. She isn’t sure what she wants other than to kill pretty much everyone who annoys her and the list of these folks continues to grow as time passes. Of course, then there are the days when she actually finds someone she likes such as Jacob, a shy teen from school. Their initial, mutual attraction escalates far too quickly into a lifelong passion. The same thing happens with Gabriel and his first girlfriend, Juliana. These two couples may meet nearly as soon as school starts, but this kind of romance generally needs time to flourish. In addition to the rapid fire romance Continued on next page

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Shannon’s Space Continued

and Arena beating up bullies, little of an educational nature occurs at school. It isn’t clear if this is a symptom of the disintegration of their society or just the way of life in 2053.

Arena barely connects to most of the other students or any of the teachers which is probably good since they are all destined to die horribly and she doesn’t seem to particularly care. Neither will most readers. Only a few of these characters have names and the majority of these people are mere place-holders. The urban setting of a town that is supposedly ‘poor’ also lacks credibility. In The hunger Games, readers love Peeta because he burns the bread, then throws the damaged loaves to Katniss who in turn uses them to feed her little sister. here, the foster parents manage to not only provide nourishing meals for Arena and her brother, they also have enough food to feed guests despite the severe economic downturns. everyone subsists on credits provided by the government, but it isn’t clear if their foster parents are paid to care for Arena and Gabriel or somehow manage on their own.

Arena displays yet another flaw in the way she holds other girls in contempt. Again, there is little to choose from between these stereotypical teens and their interests, i.e. clothes, make-up, boys. It is a bit of a stretch because if everyone truly struggles with everyday survival and their

town continues to crumble to pieces, how can anyone afford to buy anything new, much less flaunt it? The soldiers who maintain order and represent the totalitarian government are a different set of placeholders. As a brutal mob, they rape women and children, pillage through the town, slaughtering the men and teens. Their horrendous abuses become more difficult to believe when the story continues, especially when this fictional American military would rather torture and kill their own citizens before defending their country from the attacking Russians.

Often dystopian fiction portrays a battle between good and evil. In the Last Light Falling series, it becomes a case of evil versus evil. There is little to choose from between Arena and her allies as the civilized world slowly dies. The measured pacing of each book emphasizes the hopelessness of the situation. mr. Plemons definitely knows the Biblical story of Armageddon, but Arena’s constant harangues of how terrible America has become will exhaust many readers and her lectures often slow the action, although since this has numerous, gruesome scenes of rape, torture and slaughter, that’s not all bad. In addition her lack of compassion and inability to show mercy as well as the constant episodes of violence and gore may prove difficult to overcome.

The Saga of Halvar the Hireling, set in an Alternate Universe on what is almost, but not quite, Manhattan Island

by Roberta Rogow © 2016 The Book Breeze Page 8

IA B.O.S.S.

by John Darryl Winston YA Dystopian

Released Nov 27, 2015

The most important thing in the world to thirteen-year-old orphan "Naz" Andersen is keeping his little sister safe from the mean streets of the exclave. But after losing his best friend to gang violence, he begins to discover that the voices in his head, his nightmares, and sleepwalking are actually telekinesis and telepathy: a gift from his father of whom he has no memory.

But when tragedy strikes again, Naz uses his newfound abilities to bring his friends' murderers to justice TELL THE STORY TO ITS END

by Simon P. Clark

YA Fantasy Released October 2015

by St. martin’s Griffin

eren lives off stories and wants Oli to tell him every last one he knows. With eren to listen, Oli starts to make sense of what’s happening to him and his family. But eren is powerful and though he’s willing to help Oli, he’s not willing to do it for free; he wants something in return. Oli must make a choice: he can learn the truth-but he must abandon himself to eren’s world, forever.

Written Word

works with an international group of clients, providing writing and editing services.

Specialties: • Editing manuscripts (line, copy, substantive) • Ghostwriting • Developmental coaching for fiction and non-fiction • Business writing and editing, blogging, and web articles • Press releases and marketing tools For more information on specific services, see Written Word pages at www.lyricalpens.com. www.lyricalpens.com www.twitter.com/mahalachurch www.facebook.com/mahalachurch

BEARING IT ALL

By Vonnie Davis

Paranormal Romance Released Oct 27 by Loveswept

A Scottish hunter and a French secret agent find themselves on a collision course with danger —and irresistible desire — in Vonnie Davis’s new bear-shifting highlander novel, perfect for fans of Jennifer Ashley and Shelly Laurenston.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 9

Tamela Miles is a California State University San Bernardin

flight attendant. She grew up in Altadena, California in that tumultuous a horror/paranormal romance writer mainly because it feels so good ha they can never seem to change their wicked ways.

She enjoy emails from people who like her work. In fact, she loves e miles Books, as well as @jackiebrown20 on Twitter. She also welcom does. ms. miles has a current short novella 3 book series on her wr (yippee!), please feel free to check out the author's soundtrack playlist

by Tamela miles.

A compilation of all of her short stories, entitled ROCK PAPeR SCISS from Broken Publications.

Tell us about your new release.

Thanks to the The Book Breeze for taking time out to interview me! I'm pleased to have the opportunity to share a few things about me and my writing.

ROCK PAPeR SCISSORS is my first horror/paranormal romance short story anthology and it's newly published by Broken Publications. It features stories that are classic, leave-the-lights-on horror to softer, but still intense paranormal romance.

What led you to write this book?

I wanted to share my writing visions with readers, let them take a peek at what unfolds in my mind. I like to think that those readers who enjoy my writing really are seeing very similar to what I see when I craft a horror story that scares me as I'm writing it and also fall in love with the darkly atmospheric romantic elements in my paranormal romance stories. I wrote strictly as a hobby for about 25 years until 2011, when I decided to self-publish my work. The decision to do that came from my disappointment in reading novels and short stories that ended with an unsatisfying conclusion. For days afterward, I would re-work the stories in my head, coming up with endings that made me happy.

In spite of reading some not-so-great books, I realized that many authors spend a considerable amount of time creating something tangible they're proud of and share it with the world. I said to myself, "Well, what about me? If these other authors can do it, why not me, too?"

Which is more important characters or setting?

Setting definitely takes backseat when I'm writing. The process of crafting a story always begins with envisioning strong characters who, I'm convinced, have always been in the back of my mind begging me to bring them to life on the page.

Do you people watch for character inspiration?

I love watching people for character inspiration! I'll typically see an unusual face in a crowd and the face sticks with me before, invariably, I make that stranger a familiar face with a character name. It's not just faces - I'm always absorbing what goes on around me, like an intriguing voice or overheard conversation that I use as a basis for a new story.

Which book impacted you as a teenager?

I loved, loved any and all Christopher Pike novels, usually written for tweens and teens. I spent countless hours reading his books and tried to figure out what made him such a great author. I now know that a lot of it was sheer hard work and persistence, as well as a vivid imagination.

Do you read the same genre you write?

Yes, absolutely! I love losing myself in paranormal romance and horror fiction so much that even tv takes a distant second to my reading.

Have you ever written a scene that ‘creeped’ you out?

Oh, yes! I often write about angels and demons, holy war kinds of things. I was writing a particularly dark scene, both in terms of horror and emotionally. Putting the characters words on the screen made the whole scene just a little too real and I had to stop because the Santa Ana winds (which come to Southern California every year around the holidays) were blowing so fiercely that it was like a perfectly creepy backdrop for the scene of good vs. evil that I was working on. The intense alternative rock music I had playing in the background only made it worse!

What social media do you participate in?

I'm on Twitter as @jackiebrown20 and I have a Facebook author page, which is Tamela miles Books.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 10

no graduate student with a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development and a former

time known as the 1980s. She now resides with her family in the Inland empire, CA. She's aving her characters do bad things and, later, pondering what makes them so bad and why

emails. She can be contacted at tamelamiles@yahoo.com or her Facebook page, Tamela mes reader reviews and enjoys the feedback from people who love to read as much as she riting plate, entitled the hell On heels Series. For those who are already excited about it for Hell On Heels on YouTube.com, listed as heLL ON heeLS:SONGS FROm The eDGe

SORS, which includes four new short horror/paranormal romance stories is now available What’s next for you?

I'm excited and overjoyed to announce I'm very recently contracted with The Wild Rose Press for Book 1 in my hell On heels Series, entitled "heart of a hunter". It's a solid paranormal romance, which I'm proud of! Once the editing process is complete, I anticipate a 2016 release.

Anya nodded. “Yes, I agree. I have sort of taken my hands off the wheel when it comes to my life. I’m guilty of drifting. ever since I broke things off with my last boyfriend, I’ve just been drifting from one day to the next, I guess.” She shrugged. “I suppose I really was in love.”

Excerpt from Rock Paper Scissors short She stood up, grabbing the handle of her rolling bag. “Gotta run, ethan. I’ll be late for class. Call me tonight?” story, "One"

Anya and ethan were seated across from each other in the college cafeteria, their plastic plates and soda cans pushed to the side of the table. The place was humming with activity as students exchanged hurried goodbyes on their way to their next class.

“Sleeping better these days?” ethan inquired, laying one long leg on the empty chair.

Anya smiled tiredly. “Sadly, no. I used to be dead to the world as soon as my head hit the pillow, but now…,” she trailed off. She rested her chin in her hand, shaking her head. “And, my love life sucks right now as my little brother pointed out this morning.”

ethan grinned. “Ah, yes. more tidbits of wisdom from the idiot Chris.” his gaze moved away from hers to just above her head and licked his lips. he appeared to be in deep thought. “Chris has a real respect problem,” he said softly.

Anya blinked in astonishment, leaning forward on the table. “my dad said the same thing this morning. Chris and I have always been at war.” She rolled her eyes.

ethan rubbed his stubbled chin and gave her a warm smile.

“You need to craft your life just like we craft our stories, Anya. Your life is like a story, slowly unfolding from one day to the next but you maintain control over the main character. You need to shape things to be the way that you want them, not wait around on some mythical predetermined course of events to make your decisions for you. Fate is what you make it.”

ethan nodded, rising to his feet. he caught Anya in his arms, hugging her fiercely. he kissed the top of her head.

“Things often get better. You’ll see, things will be as they should be again soon,” he whispered. She kissed his cheek and headed out of the place with a wave.

As Anya exited the cafeteria, the buzzing returned, louder and more insistent. She paused and rubbed her forehead.

“It’s all in the telling,” a voice said in her mind, chuckling.

She turned around quickly, expecting to see ethan directly behind her. he wasn’t there, just as her dad hadn’t been there in the kitchen earlier. But I heard his voice so clearly, she thought to herself, heading down one of the concrete paths to class.

g

SLeePING BeAUTIeS, her first short novella which introduces the beautiful ladies of The Trifecta trapped in a nightmarish landscape, is now available.

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Books We Love

THE SALT BOX Eleanor Stem

Young Adult SF/Fantasy

A pristine planet is about to undergo a terrible change. hepitia, the Star Goddess, watches a spaceship careen out of control through her galaxy. embroiled in an old quarrel with her goddess sisters, hepitia allows the ship to crash land on a green and silver planet, knowing it will unleash chaos where Arianhod and Ulyia rule.

Augustus carries the last of his species in the spacecraft.

They crash on a forested hill the natives consider a godplace. Before long Augustus finds the planet is unlike anything he’s ever experienced. megaliths stand silent in the forest. Strange beings flit in and out of their vision.

There are strange water-filled portals to the goddesses’ Otherworld.

When a young man of the planet and a daughter of Augustus’ people disappear, the two species come together to search for their lost ones. When they locate Ruulf and Isabeaux, what will they find? Who will live and who will die?

NATASHA’S DREAM The Natasha Saga – Book 1

by Heather Greenis historical Fantasy

Walking the ocean front near their property, Keeghan and Will find a bottle containing a portrait of a royal family dated in the 19th century. This inspires an ongoing dream. P rincess Natasha grew up knowing her parents wanted another boy, not a daughter. Raised in a sheltered environment, her only friends were her brothers and Nanny. An innocent swim brings a chance encounter, where she discovers a different life exists beyond the walls of the castle. Underprivileged children become her salvation and she dreams of a better life, a normal life. Conflicted, Natasha must risking hurting her family to help them. Told the story is important to her, Keeghan is determined to learn why it dominates her subconscious.

"Certainly a book worth a read for lovers of romance wanting to get lost in the pages of a story. Natasha experiences a wide range of emotions in the twists and turns the author has created. The novel has an enticing plot of deep forbidden love and well-crafted characters. It is nicely written and will encapsulate the reader throughout as they journey with the young princess. Greenis has pulled you into her world and leaves you wanting so much more. Your heart will melt with this wonderful tale.

THE RETURN OF TACHLANAD

by Kathy Fischer-Brown Young Adult Fantasy

Once upon a time in the beleaguered land of Lothria… A princess under a magical aura, her absent-minded sorcerer grandfather; a conflicted warrior prince; a young ne’er-do-well who finds an unlikely friend while on an impossible quest; an imprisoned queen, her betrayed king, their enchanted son and his beautiful enchantress; half-human man-eating rebel slaves; a band of blood-thirsty assassins…and Tachlanad, the legendary Sword of Names, missing for generations… When the queen receives an omen, it can mean only one thing: the fate of all she loves hangs in the balance. The land and its people will topple into chaos if a tenuous alliance cannot be preserved. her husband misled by sinister forces, her son gone missing, she sends her daughter and father on a journey far to the west to reach the impregnable stronghold of “the True King in hiding.”

There they will seal the truce with her marriage to the old king’s unwilling son and unite against the evil power that seeks to subjugate them. Unless the Imperon has his way. An epic fantasy adventure for young adult and adult readers, The Return of Tachlanad is the first book in the “Sword of Names” series.

A HEART ENSLAVED

by A.M. Westerling historical Romance

Banished from his homeland for a crime he didn’t commit, Thorvald Stronghawk knows selling the Frisian beauty he’s captured will bring him the blood money needed to regain his good name. When the man who accused Thorvald of the crime is the one buying Gisela, Thorvald must decide what he wants more: To recover his reputation among his fellow countrymen, or tame the woman who has vowed to hate him forever for destroying her home and family.

Gisela of Falkenstead realizes the handsome, self assured Viking views her as nothing more than chattel to be bought and sold rather than a woman with a life and mind of her own. Although her head tells her to escape the man she thinks is nothing more than a savage murderer, her heart has other ideas.

Will Gisela find a way to flee? Or will she find love and happiness in Thorvald’s arms?

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 12

Books We Love

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER

A Longview Romance, Book 2

by Nancy M. Bell Contemporary Romance

michelle Wilson has the world by the tail. Cale loves her and she loves him. Storm is happy and healthy. To top it off, michelle has qualified for the Calgary Stampede.

She can’t wait to barrel race for a chance at $100,000 on Showdown Sunday. All her dreams are coming true; nothing could possibly spoil her happiness. Could it? Shelly, her brother’s new girlfriend seems a tad too interested in her old friend Cale Benjamin. And what’s with michelle’s ex-fiancé Rob who keeps popping up in the most unexpected places. Why can’t his brand new wife Kayla keep a tighter rein on that cowboy?

LOVING THAT COWBOY Victoria Chatham

Contemporary Romance

Trisha Watts has a past she’d rather forget. She lost a career and nearly her life in an accident that sapped her confidence and haunts her dreams. The world famous Calgary Stampede presents a welcome diversion, but her past catches up with her in a way she could never have imagined. One more big rodeo win will fulfill all champion steer wrestler Cameron Carter’s ambitions but when he meets green-eyed, long-legged Trisha his ambitions turn to wrestling of another kind. Is this cowboy too hot for her to handle? From the pristine wilderness of the Rocky mountains to the thundering applause of the Stampede Grounds, Trisha fights her growing attraction to Cameron – a man who sweeps her off her feet one minute then ignores her. Not trusting her heart, Trisha can barely wait for the Stampede to finish so she can go home, never expecting that Cameron will cross an ocean to track her down. Will she believe this determined cowboy’s explanation? Or will she close the door on what could be the love of her life?

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 13

Tracy Weber is the author of the award-winning Downward Dog mys

maxwell Award for Fiction and was nominated for the Agatha award for Bes

A certified yoga therapist, Tracy is the owner of Whole Life Yoga, a Seattle training program. She loves sharing her passion for yoga and animals in an

Tracy and her husband marc live in Seattle with their challenging yet amazi teaching yoga, walking Tasha, and sipping Blackthorn cider at her favorite a

Karma’s a Killer is her third novel. For more information on Tracy and the Dow Tell us about your new release. my newest release is KARMA’S A KILLER. here’s my favorite blurb.

When Yoga instructor Kate Davidson agrees to teach doga— yoga for dogs—at a fundraiser for Dogma, a local animal rescue, she believes the only real damage will be to her reputation. But when an animal rights protest at the event leads to a suspicious fire and a drowning, a few downward-facing dogs will be the least of Kate’s problems…

The police arrest Dharma, a woman claiming to be Kate’s estranged mother, and charge her with murder. To prove Dharma’s innocence, Kate, her boyfriend michael, and her German shepherd sidekick Bella dive deeply into the worlds of animal activism, organizational politics, and the dangerous obsessions that drive them.

And if solving a murder weren't complicated enough, Kate will also have to decide whether or not to reconcile with the estranged mother who abandoned her over thirty years ago. Not to mention having to contend with an almost-bankrupt animal rescue, a cantankerous crow, an unwanted pigeon houseguest, and a rabbit in a doga class.

What could possibly go wrong?

Which is more important characters or setting?

That’s a really tough one. I guess I’d have to say characters, because readers see the fictional worlds I create through my characters’ eyes. Yet it’s impossible not to be influenced by setting, and my work is firmly set in the setting of the Pacific Northwest. I only write about places I love, and I immerse myself in those places when I write. Still, without the characters, the setting would be meaningless. © 2015 The Book Breeze Page 14

Do you have an interesting qu you’d like to share?

I love dogs. Seriously. major big strangers and drool all over their c nickname for me is “The Creepy P

What do you do when you are n I divide my time pretty much equ between running my yoga stu teaching yoga, writing, and fawn over my special-needs Germ shepherd, Tasha. Actually, that’s true. Tasha get’s 80% of my ti The remaining 20% is divi between writing and yoga. husband gets any scraps that are over.

Do you read the same genre write?

Absolutely. I love all mysteries, I’ve been a cozy mystery reader s long before I knew there was a ge by that name. I also love courtro dramas, suspense and most anyt

What is #1 on your bucket list?

Traveling to Africa and going on s I was about three!

What social media do you parti I love Facebook, though I have t done if I spent less time on it. Still that connects you with old friends inundates you with cute puppy pic https://www.facebook.com/tracyw page at https://www.facebook.co much more frequently on my pe Twitter, I’m a Twidiot. I don’t even

steries series. The first book in the series, Murder Strikes a Pose, won the st First Novel.

yoga studio, as well as the creator and director of Whole Life Yoga’s teacher ny way possible.

ing German shepherd, Tasha. When she’s not writing, Tracy spends her time ale house.

wnward Dog mysteries, visit her author website: http://TracyWeberAuthor.com/

uirk about your personality that

time. So much that I always stop canine companions. my husband’s Puppy Lady.”

not writing? ually udio, ning man s not ime. ided my e left you

, but since enre oom thing written by Stephen King.

? safari. I’ve wanted to do this since

icipate in? to admit, I’d get a lot more writing l, how can you not love something s, introduces you to new ones, and ctures! If you want to “friend” me at we, I’d love it. I also have an author om/TracyWeberAuthor/, but I post ersonal page. When it comes to n use any of the others.

Would you share an excerpt from your book?

I’d be delighted to! This scene takes place while Kate does a little breaking and entering, looking for clues. I don’t want to say much more for fear of giving anything away. ;-) EXCERPT FROM KARMA’S A KILLER:

I sat at the keyboard and tried to guess the computer’s password.

Dogma, heAT, PuppyLove, password1, and PasswordsSuck all netted nothing. I picked up the dog-shaped paperweight and absently tossed it back and forth between my hands. Its eyes seemed to glitter.

Look at me, dummy!

Could it be that obvious?

I set the fake dog next to the keyboard and typed in several iterations of the words “golden retriever.”

Nothing.

Well, it was worth a try.

I was trying various combinations of the names maggie and Sally when the floor boards behind me creaked. I would have sworn that Rene had been gone less than two minutes.

“Wow, that was quick. You do have a small bladder.”

Rene replied with a high-pitched squeak. The door clicked shut behind her.

“Raise your hands and don’t make any fast moves.”

Adrenaline jolted down my spine.

The voice didn’t belong to Rene.

g

© 2015 The Book Breeze Page 15

Marianne Evans Faith-Affirming Fiction (TM)

Sometimes the heart finds home in a most unexpected place.

All she wants for Christmas is her Master's Degree. All he wants for Christmas is a oneway ticket back to Los Angeles.

As a Christmas snow falls, as hope and joy move through the streets of New York City, Tiffany Zelling and Mitch Alexander must make critical choices about what’s to come in their lives. Can their futures meld?

Can Christmas at Tiffany's be God's answer…for them both?

REINDEER WARS

By Liese SherwoodFabre Contemporary Romance

When an office romance gets ugly, it's Reindeer Wars!

A 5-star review holiday novella, and "A perfect start for the season!"

Tina has a tendency to go a little overboard when decorating for the holidays, but Brian decides her skills are just what he needs to get into the Christmas spirit. Can this budding relationship survive when they find themselves in a knock-down-drag-out competition to win the office’s “most outrageous holiday sweater?”

Autumn Wilcox receives a note, a request to find the elusive rainbow her deceased friend insists will reveal Autumn’s destiny. For her friend, she agrees and seeks a pilot.

Life’s tragedies cause Travis Carson to withdraw and plunge into work. After his brother settles in montana, he quits Search and Rescue to join him. The day he heads out, friends ask him for a favor— to give a woman a ride. Simply done, but the swirl of energy radiating off her has him agreeing to and doing the unimaginable.

DeSTINY

montana Dreams Book 2

By Cait Jarrod Released Nov 23, 15 by author in print and ebook

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 16

Roberta’s Ramblings

by Roberta Rogow

my Ramblings have taken me back in Time and Place to the first millennium of the Common era, a time dominated by Rome, before and after its tumultous Fall.

modus operandi. Falco and family are all on the case, and the killer is unmasked. Flavia Albia is a worthy heiress to the Falco legacy!

Followers of the adventures of Lindsay Davis's cocky Roman sleuth marcos Didius Falco will be glad to learn that the next generation has taken up where he left off.

The IDeS OF APRIL (minotaur, 2013, $15.99) introduces Flavia Albia, Falco's adobted daughter, now a widow, who has taken her father's old profession, as well as his ramshackle apartment in a rundown section of the eternal City.

She's been hired by a woman she despises to investigate an accident at a building site. Things turn nasty when the woman herself is murdered. more bodies pile up, and Flavia finds herself facing a killer with a truly unexpected

The SeVeNTh TRUmPeT, by Peter Tremayne (minotaur, 2012.$16.99) takes place well after the Romans left Britain, but their legacy lives on in the religion they brought with them.

Fidelma of Cashiel was trained in the Law, and was, for a time a religiuex, but is now released from her vows, and is once again at her brother's side as brehon, legal advisor. When the body of a young nobleman is discovered in a nearby kingdom, she is sent with her husband eadulf, to find out who he is and who killed him. The search leads to a mysterious monastery, rumors of rebellion, and a military buildup that might set all Ireland ablaze. It's up to Fidelma to unravel this tangled web of intrigue that leads to the bedchamber of her brother, the King of Cashel. Another puzzle for Fidelma to solve, and another visit to an era barely known or understood.

Jerusalem is the scene of The WOLF AND The LAmB, by Frederick Ramsay (Poisoned Pen Press, 2014, $24.95). It's the week of the Passover, and the holy City is beset with unholy intrigue and violence. A rabbi from Galilee is making trouble, preaching an odd doctrine that makes the high Priest Caiaphas worried that the Roman procurator, Pilate, will call up more troops from Rome. Pile, however, has more to worry about than rabble-rousing preachers. he's found standing over the body of a rival, literally red-handed.

Who to call, to get him out of danger? Rabban Gamaliel, the leading jurist of the Sanhedrin, the expert on the Law, of course! Rabban Gamaliel, a descendant of the great sage hillel, can only find Pilate innocent if he can discover who really killed the visiting Roman, which he does, using reason, deduction, observation, and a few good friends and bad servants. As he is doing so, another drama is being played out, one that will have repercussions than neither Gamaliel nor Pilate can imagine. Author's Notes explain some of the more arcane historical facts behind this riveting tale.

In faraway Britannia, several emperoros later, Gaius Pereius Ruso has taken up his post as medicus once again, in Ruth Downie's SemPeR FIDeLIS (Bloomsbury, 2013, $17.00). his latest problem would seem to be straightforward: a young recruit has fallen off a roof, apparently a suicide, but no one seems to know what led the youngster to such an end. To make matters worse, the emperor hadrian has decided to inspect his latest building project, a massive wall across Britain, dragging his wife and most of his court along with him. Ruso's wife, Tilly, does some investigating on her own, and between them, the medicus and his woman uncover a nasty scandal in the ranks of the legions that could undermine the entire Roman army. An Author's Note explains a few historical facts about hadrian and his consort, and fills in some gaps in the story of the Wall.

Roberta Rogow is a retired librarian who enjoys books with characters that grab you, often set in exotic places or in other times. She reads a lot of historical mysteries, but also enjoys Alternate History, and has been known to indulge in an orgy of“cozy crafty” mysteries, set in small-town America or villages in Great Britain. Her latest release, MAYHEM IN MANATAS is the follow-up to MURDERS IN MANATAS.

READ, PONDER, REPEAT

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© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 17

Diana R

my passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my stories, s Virginia, New england, and New York. my urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, wo of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. I live o www.DianaRubinoAuthor.blogspot.com, https://www.faceboo

Tell us about your new release.

It’s titled FROm heRe TO FOURTeeNTh STReeT, the love story of an Italian immigrant and an Irish cop.

They face poverty prejudice, solve a murder…and beat all the odds.

What led you to write this book? my great grandmother, Josephine Arnone, “Josie Red” to her friends, because of her abundant head of red hair, was way ahead of her time.

Did you have an interesting experience in the research of this book?

Oh, yes…I visited the Lower east Side Tenement museum, set up to display different eras when immigrants lived there. They also have lectures and guest speakers.

If you’re ever in manhattan, it’s well worth a visit. www.tenement.org How important is setting to your story?

New York City’s history always fascinated me—how it became the most powerful hub in the world from a sprawling wilderness in exchange for $24 with Native Americans by the Dutch in 1626.

Born in 1895 (but it could’ve been sooner, as she was known to lie about her age), she left grade school, became a successful businesswoman and a Jersey City committewoman, as well as a wife and mother of four. She owned apartment buildings, parking garages, a summer home, did a bit of Prohibitionera bootlegging, small-time loan-sharking, and paid cash for everything.

When I began outlining From Here to Fourteenth Street, I modeled my heroine, Vita Caputo, after her.

Although the story is set in New York the year before Grandma was born, I was able to bring Vita to life by calling on the family legends and stories, all word of mouth, for she never kept a journal.

Vita’s hero Tom mcGlory isn’t based on any real person, but I did a lot of reading about metropolitan Policemen and made sure he was the complete opposite! he’s trustworthy and would never take a bribe or graft. I always liked the name mcGlory—then, years after the book first came out, I remembered that was the name of my first car mechanic—Ronnie mcGlory.

Growing up in Jersey City, I could see the Statue of Liberty from our living room window if I leaned way over (luckily I didn’t lean too far over). As a child model, I spent many an afternoon on job interviews and modeling assignments in the city, and got hooked on Nedick’s, a fast food chain whose orange drinks were every kid’s dream. even better than the vanilla egg creams. We never drove to the city—we either took the PATh (Port Authority Trans hudson) train (‘the tube’ in those days) or the bus through the Lincoln Tunnel to the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

Which is more important characters or setting?

I’ve learned that most genres should be characterdriven. except for possibly thrillers or mysteries, where the plot drives the story, in romance it’s the hero and heroine, and general fiction, it’s the characters the readers connect with, grow to care about, and root for. So I’ve made all my books character-driven. The settings provide a backdrop, and the characters get involved with actual events that happened.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 18

Rubino

set in medieval and Renaissance england, egypt, the mediterranean, colonial on a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a member of Romance Writers on Cape Cod with my husband Chris. Visit me at www.dianarubino.com, ok.com/DianaRubinoAuthor, and on Twitter @DianaLRubino.

What do you hope readers take away from your work?

I want them to forget their problems for a while, have a laugh, and learn a bit about history.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I bicycle, golf, play my piano and devour books of any genre.

Which book impacted you as a teenager?

In 7th grade, we had to read TUNeD OUT, a novel about the summer of 1967, where a teen finds out his older brother, who he idolizes, is taking LSD. It’s set in New York, written in first person, and opened my young eyes to the reality of drug addiction.

One more I must mention—a short story—The Cask of Amontillado by Poe; I had to read that in 8th grade.

From then on, I became a huge Poe fan.

Have you ever written a scene that ‘creeped’ you out?

Yes, in my New Adult thriller STILL CRAZY, an obsessed man stalks his former girlfriend. many of the scenes in that book creeped me out!

Do you have a reoccurring theme to your books?

Yes, love overcomes all obstacles; hatred, poverty, prejudice, and inner conflicts such as opposing views and goals.

What are you reading now?

I just finished SALem WITCheS by Stacy Schiff, and am studying The emOTION TheSAURUS, a thorough source for digging into your characters’ emotions.

What’s next for you?

I’ve always wanted to write a novel set during the Salem witch trials; I’m getting an outline into focus.

Book excerpt: STReeT

FROm heRe TO FOURTeeNTh

As Vita gathered her soap and towel, madame Branchard tapped on her door. "You have a gentleman caller, Vita. A policeman.

"Tom?" his name lingered on her lips as she repeated it. She dropped her things and crossed the room.

"No, hon, not him. Another policeman. Theodore something, I think he said."

No. There can't be anything wrong. "Thanks," she whispered, nudging madame Branchard aside. She descended the steps, gripping the banister to support her wobbly legs. Stay calm! she warned herself. But of course it was no use; staying calm just wasn't her nature.

“Theodore something” stood before the closed parlor door. he’s a policeman? Tall and hefty, a bold pink shirt peeking out of a buttoned waistcoat and fitted jacket, he looked way out of place against the dainty patterned wallpaper.

he removed his hat. "miss Caputo." he strained to keep his voice soft as he held out a piece of paper.

“I’m police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt.”

"Yes?" her voice shook.

"I have a summons for you, miss Caputo." he held it out to her. But she stood rooted to that spot. he stepped closer and she took it from him, unfolding it with icy fingers. Why would she be served with a summons? Was someone arresting her now for something she didn't do?

A shot of anger tore through her at this system, at everything she wanted to change. She flipped it open and saw the word "Summons" in fancy script at the top. her eyes widened with each sentence as she read. “I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”

I hereby order miss Vita Caputo to enter into holy matrimony with mr. Thomas mcGlory immediately following service of this summons.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 19

g

New Releases

EVANGELINE: THE SEER OF WALL ST.

By Clint Adams historical Fiction/Paranormal Released June 1, 2015 by Credo Italia THE CALICO SPY By margaret Brownley historical Released Jan 1, 2016

THE EARL NEXT DOOR

By Julia Daniels mild historical Romance Released Oct 2015 by author in ebook A PERILOUS PROPOSAL

By Sarah Richmond mild historical Romance Released march 25, 2016 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

SHADOW CELL

By Joseph D;Antoni mystery/Suspense Released Nov 17, 2015 by Royal Oak Press

CORRUPTION OF POWER

By G W exxles Thriller Released Dec 14 by Peach Publishing in print and ebook DEATH’S DOOR A Palm Court Detectives Thriller

By David R Reichart Released October 2015 in print and ebook

WITH A BULLET

By Jacki moss murder mystery / Southern Lit Released Feb 24, 2016 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook THE EVENING SPIDER By emily Arsenault historical True Crime Released Jan 26

THE WHISPERING HOLLOWS

By Lisa Unger Thriller Released Jan 4, 2016 by Pocket Star

THE WRONG TREATMENT

By Chris malone medical Thriller Released may 2015 by author

DRAMA MUSCLE Nicky & Noah mystery #2

By Joe Cosentino mm spicy Romance/mystery/humor Released Jan 2 by Lethe Press in print and ebook

PORCELAIN DOLL A Jana Lane mystery

By Joe Cosentino mF mild mystery/Romance Released march 15 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

n e r d l i h C

S FAIRIE Cat N E E jure E GR ND TH opaz the Con A Z A TOP s of T he Tale at Frayne t in 3 Bo o k

By P -1 2 Ages 8 n e r d il Ch

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 20

New Releases YOUNG ADULT FICTION teen New Adult TRUTHWITCH (The Witchland #1) YA Fantasy Released Jan 5, 2016 by Tor Teen THE SCORE (Off Campus #3) by elle Kennedy Young Adult Released Jan 11, 2016 by author

COWGIRL STRONG

By Jenny hammerle Contemporary Romance Released July 2015 by CreateSpace TEMPTED BY A KISS

By Anna Durand Sizzling Contemporary Romance Released Dec 4, 2015 by The Wild Rose Press in ebook

APPEALED (The Legal Briefs #3) by emma Chase Contemporary Romance Released Jan 19, 2016 by Gallery Books XAVIER COLD (hard Knock #2) by michelle A. Valentine Romance Released Jan 20,2016

SWITCH-A-WISH By m.B. earnheardt Women’s Fiction/Fantasy Released Sept 25, 2015 by Three Worlds Production, LLC in print and ebook THE FORGOTTEN ROOM

By Karen White Women Fiction Released Jan 19, 2016

THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND

By Joe Consentino mm mild Romance / Fantasy Released Jan 27, 2016 by Dreamspinner Press IN MY HEART: AN INFATUATION & A SHOOTING STAR

By Joe Consentino 2 Novellas released march 21, 2016 by Dreamspinner Press in print and ebook

COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK

By Joe Cosentino mm Spicy Romance Released April 1, 2016 by Nine Star Prerss in print and ebook.

Sci-Fi

INFINITAS

By David N. Sebastian Released October 28, 2015 by author middle Grade/Sci fi & Fantasy

DANGEROUS THOUGHTS 1:Hive

By J.J. macmillan Sci-Fi Released Nov 11, 2015 by author in ebook

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 21

CAPTURING GABRIEL

Romancing the Guardians, Book 3

By Lyn Horner

Spicy Romantic Suspense/Paranormal Released Dec 29, 2015 by author in print and ebook

Josie Tseda has vowed to find Gabriel Valdez, a Guardian of Danu, and bring him to meet with the other Guardians.

Locating him in the mountains of Colombia and convincing him to accompany her to the U.S. proves a challenge. Their mutual attraction only complicates matters.

Seeking revenge for his mother’s death, Gabriel battles drug traffickers in his country. he distrusts the feisty female who delivers an urgent message, supposedly from the high Guardian. It may be a lie to ensnare him. As romance blooms, will her mission and the secret power he wields stand between them?

CORRUPTION OF POWER

By G.W. Eccles

Thriller Released Dec 14, 2015

by Peach Publishing in print and ebook Independent troubleshooter, Alex Leksin, is recruited by President Karpev when the plan to reduce Russia’s reliance on an ever more hostile europe is put at risk. The President’s strategy is to shift the markets for his country’s energy to the east. Failure could mean catastrophe. Against a background of political corruption, state-sponsored terrorism and increased Taliban insurgency, Leksin’s investigations take him from moscow to Turkmenistan, one of the world's most sinister countries, right at the heart of Central Asia. Wherever Leksin goes, someone tries to kill him; people in a position to help him are assassinated; and information turns out to be misinformation. And when at last he discovers the truth, he’s no longer sure whom he can trust.

FORGET ME NOT

By Maureen L Bonatch mild romance/fantasy Release Jan 6, 2016 by The Wild Rose Press in ebook

What if your memories hadn’t been made yet?

The car accident totaled Sabrina’s convertible and reinvented her memories. She can't recall dumping Cole ten years ago. What her new clairvoyant visions tell Sabrina is he’s her husband. Any practical girl would question her sanity. But if Sabrina wants to make this imaginary future a reality, she'll have to regain Cole’s trust and eliminate her rival, the coffee shop waitress who’s pegged Cole as husband #4.

If Cole can't believe she's a changed woman, can Sabrina accept the only second chance she has at love exists in her memories?

FAINT

By Rolynn Anderson mild Contemporary Romantic Suspense Released Dec 2015 in print and ebook

Their dead clients refuse to rest in peace.

how did small-town boutique funeral planning morph into crime-solving? Ask freelance embalmer Trudy Solomon, or Pete mcDonald, a blind, forensic investigator. They’re unearthing mysteries of the deceased for their pregnant boss, Jan Keller, while her journalist husband, Roman, is benched by a ten million dollar defamation suit.

A dead client goes missing, and investigating his disappearance forces Trudy and Pete to confront their fiercely independent styles. When danger stalks them, will they blend brains, brawn and belief in one another to solve crimes and save themselves?

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 22

A m a z o n B e s t S e l l i n g Au t h o r

H eb b y Ro m an

"They say a woman never forgets her first love, and Maricel Cardona hasn't forgotten Ramón Morales.

She remembers dancing all night in Ramón's arms to the sensual beat of their homeland, Puerto Rico. When her family forced her to move to the States, she didn't know she was carrying Ramón's child.

A self-made multi-millionaire, Ramón hasn't forgotten Maricel and the passion he felt, dancing with her. Now, at the pinnacle of his success, he's withdrawn from the world to safeguard his own secret. A secret that, if revealed, would change his life forever.

Reunited after twenty-seven years, will the high school sweethearts get a second chance at love or will their secrets tear them apart?"

The CAPTAIN’S STORY By marie Cheryl eddings erotic Romance Released Feb 2015 by Amazon Kindle ebook

HIS SOUL TO KEEP (Book 1 of the Dark Knights of heaven)

by TW Knight

Where fallen angels battle hell’s demons, find their lost souls, and discover love while hunting for a prophecy that holds the key to either their redemption or their destruction.

Saved from certain death, Cassidy finds herself bound to an angel cast out of heaven.

Rail has vowed to never fall in love, but fate has different plans.

heaven abandoned them, but they did not abandon their calling. Now soulless and exiled from heaven, forced into an endless war, some will fall while others rise to find their destinies.

They are the Dark Knights of heaven

The Captain's Story is the first of 13 novels in the Diaries of a Trollop.

The cycle combines adult erotic romance with historical and international spy fiction. Later entries in the cycle will incorporate a bit of the paranormal. The stories are written from the viewpoint of a bright and highly precocious 18-year old girl. marie encounters unexpected worlds of love and growth in the arms of three very multifaceted older adults who've had a lot of life experience. And they will not be her only intimate friends on a winding life journey. She will find herself in two disparate careers as a covert international intelligence analyst, flying under the cover provided by television spots for a US insurance company and modeling in fashion.

In their own way, the books are a venture in counter-culture as well as intended good fun. They portray characters who have chosen to live their lives on a larger and more joyous scale than quiet desperation. You may read the Amazon introduction, the first few chapters and initial reviews at http://www.amazon.com/Captains-Story-Diaries-TrollopBook-ebook/dp/B00U4IXWKS

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 23

Eclectic Express Reviews

Eclectic

Mystery

Urban Fantasy

THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS

By Marieke Nijkamp YA Released Jan 5, 2016 by Sourcebooks Fire, 288 Pages

I don’t think there are many things more terrifying than a school shooting.

ThIS IS WheRe IT eNDS immerses the reader into the minute-byminute terror from the viewpoint of four students over the span of 54 minutes. What added to the terror was the fact that it was all over before the police could even mobilize.

I didn’t walk away with any insights as to how a kid could shoot other kids. Only that sometimes things happen that causes a fracture in someone that isn’t seen until it’s too late.

Superbly told, this tale will haunt you. I couldn’t put it down even though there were times I just wanted it to stop. I have often referred to a book as a “must read” but ThIS IS WheRe IT eNDS is more of a read if you dare.

THE READERS OF BROKEN WHEEL RECOMMEND

By Katarina Bivald Fiction Released January 19, 2016 by Sourcebooks Landmark, 386 Pages

LGBT

Paranormal

Sci-Fi

Young Adult

bookstore in the dying town of Broken Wheel. The bookstore brings a breath of fresh air to a town on its last gasp

The Reader of Broken Wheel Recommend delivers the quirky characters we’ve come to expect from stories about small towns. But it also delivers a deep sense of what it is to be a reader as Sara pursues her belief that there is a book for everyone.

Delightful, magical and endearing I definitely recommend you take a holiday and visit with the readers of Broken Wheel.

THE DIRT ON THE NINTH GRAVE (Charley Davidson Series Book 9)

By Darynda Jones Paranormal Romance Released Jan 12, 2016 by St. martin’s Press, 337 Pages

I was very excited when I was asked to review this book. I absolutely love this series.

Book 8 was incredible. I told friends that “Darynda Jones really knows how to escalate a story.” heavens, we even found out the story behind mr. Wong. I anxiously awaited Book 9, excited to see what happens next. I was underwhelmed.

Book 8 ended with Charlie getting amnesia after an extremely traumatic event. The Dirt on the Ninth Grave begins with Charlie working in a diner as Janey Doerr, with no sense of who or what she is. She is surrounded by her friends, though she doesn’t remember them, they are there to protect her as they wait for her memories to return.

Once you let a book into your life, the most unexpected things can happen...

Sara, a shy bookstore employee and avid reader, travels from Sweden to Broken Wheel, Iowa for a two-month visit with her pen pal Amy. Only Amy passes away before she arrives.

With a plane ticket that can’t be changed, Sara is forced to remain in Broken Wheel. Feeling a little lost and very intrigued, Sara begins to put faces to all the people Amy spoke about in her letters.

Not one to remain idle, Sara finds a small space to open a

I enjoyed meeting Osh, Garret, Reyes, Cookie and Uncle Bob through fresh eyes. ms. Jones’ wonderful sense of humor and masterful storytelling is still present but by the time I was half way through the book it was just a little too deja vu. I was ready for Charlie/Janey to remember and move the story forward.

maybe if Book 8 had not been so incredible I wouldn’t have felt so let down but I did. Will this stop me from continuing with the series? hell no! I am anxiously awaiting Book 10 - The CURSe OF TeNTh GRAVe coming out June 2016 especially since The DIRT ON NINTh GRAVe ended on a very ominous note.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 24

FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET (The New York Saga)

by Diana Rubino Cozy historical Romance Released Dec 9, 2015 by The Wild Rose Press

and corruption.

Serendipity brings together an Irish cop, Tom mcGlory, and an Italian immigrant, Vita Caputo.

Despite their vastly different backgrounds, they find love in New York’s Lower east Side in 1894 battling prejudice, poverty

This is a sweet story with wonderful historical detail and a beautiful sense of time and place.

MAGIC BREW: EDGE CHRONICLES

By T. Rae Mitchell New Adult Urban Fantasy Released Sept 2015 by Original mix media 300 Pages

DEATH’S DOOR Palm Court Detectives Thriller

By David Reichart Thriller Released October 16, 2015 by author

Jessie Yates is an elite combat veteran who decided it was time to try civilian life. missing comradery and a sense of purpose he stumbles into employment with the Palm Court Detective Agency in mobile, Alabama.

Jess wants to belong, needs to belong but this is a job for which he has no training and a group of people he doesn’t know. he feels insecure. his first assignment deals with a truck hijacking that escalates into kidnapping and a terrorist threat. Jess may not know much about being a detective, but he does know a great deal abut how to deal with adversaries.

I really liked Jess and the Palm Court Detectives. Reichart crafted a tight story with great characters. I did stumbled a bit over all the fact that everything was discussed over and over again. I could do with a little less of that but that doesn’t deter my enthusiasm for the series. I look forward to the next installment SWAmP BLOOD.

Lace up your tennis shoes for the non-stop action in mAGIC BReW as the supernatural gang the Forsaken battle to get back to their own turf after a summit meeting goes south.

Nineteen-year-old edge is second in command of the gang of throwaways. everyone is nervous when a meeting of all the gangs is called but betrayal occurs when someone tries to offer up edge as a sacrificial lamb to gain power.

This story has everything – action, romance, and death, all seasoned with secrets. Well written with vivid characters T. Rae mitchell delivers a well-crafted story that I hope leads to a series.

MURDER TO GO Food Truck mysteries Book 1

By Chloe Kendrick Cozy mystery Released April 2015 by author, 213 Pages maeve Kinkaid inherits a food truck from her aunt along with the moody Basque chef. Selling hot dogs and coffee take a back seat to mystery when a rival food truck owner is killed.

Food trucks are trendy right now but as a food truck owner myself I didn’t find the book really captured life in the food truck industry. The mystery was pretty good and well written. maeve seemed a bit cold hearted and difficult to relate to for me.

my thanks to the author and to Word Slinger Publicity who furnished an ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

FAR AWAY HOME An American historical Novel

By Susan Denning historical Romance Released march 2011 by No Limit Press / 328 Pages

In post-Civil War New York City, sixteen-year-old Aislynn Denehy Is looking for a new start. Tim, her life-long friend and love interest, has moved to a Utah mining camp so she decides to follow him there.

Aislynn’s father gives her hand in marriage to Johnny, a good natured man who realizes she is too young to marry but agrees to take her to Utah with the understanding that when she is 18 they will marry.

I found the book okay. A lot of research went into the writing but the characters were one-dimensional. The romance elements were flat and lacked emotion. The ending was abrupt and left the reader hanging.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 25

Interview with author Davis MacDonald

Tell us about your new release.

Silicon Beach is an interesting puzzle, set in the snappy area of Santa monica, Venice, Playa Vista, and the LA Westside that people have taken to call Silicon Beach. It’s a tale of disruptive technology, patents, betrayal, greed, violence and fear of change, with an underpinning look at the homeless and what’s to be done. From the violence in the first chapter, through the twists and turns of plot from chapter to chapter, to the surprise ending, it sets a very fast pace and encourages a quick read. here is a brief summary: Attacked on Santa monica Beach. The Judge has made more than his fair share of enemies over his ten years on the bench. But this came out of the blue…or did it?

So starts the Judge’s desperate search along the boardwalks of Venice, through the swank bars and restaurants of Santa monica, the yuppie ghetto of Playa Vista, and the sex clubs of West LA as he relentlessly pursues adversaries who threaten him -- and anyone who gets too close to the secrets buried in Silicon Beach.

All the while the Judge must try to negotiate the compromises required to maintain his new marriage to a woman 20 years his junior, and come to terms with the child she carries. As the Judge closes in on his adversaries and the body count continues to mount, he finds his new bride and the child may become collateral damage in this deadly contest with conspirators who risk all to win all on Silicon Beach.

Follow the Judge as he upends public reputations, turns out private obsessions, confronts the power brokers of Silicon Beach, and unearths a secret so vast it threatens to overturn an entire industry.

How important is setting to your story? my books are set in places I know intimately and love. I believe people find satisfaction when they pick up a good tale to read and discover settings and scenes with which they are familiar. Local places they’ve been, or heard about, or want to visit. my descriptions may refresh their own memories of a place, good or bad, and give a different and fresh perspective to a place they’ve seen and enjoyed.

But in the end, my novels are primarily character driven.

Are any of your characters loosely based on people you know in real life?

All my characters are from real life. Real people I’ve worked with, worked for, known, loved, hated, envied, pitied, studied or watched. Fifty years of studying people, their foibles, their concerns, their passions, successes, failures, and how they deal with success and defeat.

There’s that great line from the Jimmy Buffet song, ‘Changes in Latitudes”.

“Good times and riches, …..and son of a bitches, I’ve seen more than I can recall.”….:)

When you pick up one of my novels, you’re getting real people. many of the are so characters unique, you know you can’t make that up…☺

Do you have a favorite fictional character by another author you’d like to meet?

I quite like michael Connelly’s character, harry Bosch.

Would love to meet him. A real curmudgeon, like my Judge. Tougher though, less methodical, more reactive.

When you come out of a good law school, you think differently. That is, you learn to think in a completely different way. It changes you. Perhaps that’s one reason there are so many divorces after one partner goes to law school. You come out a different person, particularly in the way you approach issues, analyze facts and make decisions.

One client told me once, “You lawyers all think in traps.”

Sticking his hands out and making closing circle motions with his hands, progressively, extending his hands out from his body.

Perhaps that’s true. At any rate, my character, the Judge, thinks like a lawyer. A law trained reader picks this up at once.

What do you hope readers take away from your work?

I write novels about people, their dreams, their setbacks, their beliefs, their prejudices, their quirks, their drama, and their despair. I’ve chosen to write inside the mystery novel genre, but my books are first about at people.

And second, each book deals with a particular social issue or moral conundrum that is a topic of the day and interests me.

The hill examines how far a lover should go to save his partner, the difficulties of a may-December Relationship, and the ethical responsibilities of a teacher toward his student.

The Island explores the difficulties of a dysfunctional village where distinct economic groups must learn to work together and accommodate each other to survive.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 26

Silicon Beach deals with social issue presented by the homeless, examines who they really are, why they are homeless, and identify’ s a fundamental element of their plight that makes them different from other discriminated against minorities. my upcoming book, The Bay, (out in the Fall of 2016), deals with the strains inside a resettled muslim family in Newport Beach, and the conundrum they face, trying to follow a religion which is really a political system with strains of exclusivity, while still assimilating into secular America and its democratic principles.

So I’d like my readers to come away first saying, “Wow, that was a good read,” but with perhaps a bit more perspective and information about the underlying social and moral issues which drive the plot.

Which book impacted you as a teenager?

I was fascinated with sailing and the sea. And when I discovered C.S. Forester, and this series of horatio hornblower novels about age 12, I was in heaven. hey had everything, swashbuckling, sailing ships, armed conflict, history, exotic places, and the introspection of the main character, a man flawed and solitary, like me. The best part was getting inside horatio’s head. Understanding his motivations and thoughts. Something you can really only do through a book.

At 14 I fancied myself a Zen Buddhist for a while, and read whatever I could get my hands on about the religion. Alan Watts was the popular Guru of the day. A fascinating study of Chinese, Indian and Japanese history and philosophy.

Zen Flesh, Zen Bones is still a treasured book in my library. much of the philosophy and methods of teaching are based on semantics, and a different way of viewing and using words and other means of communication.

When I went to law school at USC later, my grounding in semantics from my Zen day gave me an advantage in the study of law. Perhaps that’s why I was number one in the class?

Have you ever written a scene that ‘creeped’ you out?

No. But I write short sentences which say it all in just a few words, and stay with me for a long time. Often making me smile, or sometimes just reflect on life and death. For instance: From The hILL, at the end:

“he scooped the gun up off the floor, held Katy tight, and they cautiously walked around the man and out the front door, leaving him to die alone.”

From The ISLAND:

The Judge is grumping around a Great Gatsby Party put together by his yacht club friends at the Avalon Casino: “In the Judge’s estimation, between the guests and the food, the function would have fallen well below the Great Gatsby’s standards. It was more like…well like…damn… it was more like the Codfish Ball.”

From SILICON BeACh:

“Did you want to know the sex?”

“Yes.” The Judge and Katy answered in unison.

“Look here, guys” said Jim, pointing with his finger at a spot on the screen but turning to look at the Judge with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Brass balls! Just like the Judge.”

From my new book, The BAY, the Judge is talking about his vintage ’69 jag which he loves: “But he loved the car. It had been tried and true since he bought it new in 1969. except for the Lucas electrical system, which he overlooked, the way a proud parent overlooks a club foot.”

What’s next for you? my next mystery Novel, The Bay, Set in Newport Beach and South Orange Coast.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 27

TO DANCE AGAIN

By Hebby Roman Spicy Contemporary Romance Released Dec 11, 2015

by The Wild Rose Press

"They say a woman never forgets her first love, and maricel Cardona hasn't forgotten Ramón morales.

She remembers dancing all night in Ramón's arms to the sensual beat of their homeland, Puerto Rico. When her family forced her to move to the States, she didn't know she was carrying Ramón's child.

GOLD RUSH WEDDING

By Suzanne Lilly

historical Sweet Romance Released Nov 29, 2013

by Pitner Publishing in ebook

Lucinda martin York and George Arnold Jr. have been through floods, fires, and freezing cold together in their pursuit of gold in California. Lucinda dreams of becoming one of the first women doctors. George dreams A self-made multi-millionaire, Ramón hasn't forgotten of building a mining empire. They are deeply in maricel and the passion he felt, dancing with her. love and their friends and family are in Now, at the pinnacle of his success, he's withdrawn Sacramento ready to celebrate their marriage. from the world to safeguard his own secret. A secret Only one thing can tear them apart.

that, if revealed, would change his life forever.

Reunited after twenty-seven years, will the high school sweethearts get a second chance at love or will their secrets tear them apart?"

SILICON BEACH

This 5 star reviewed short story in the California Argonauts series of gold rush novels is available for free.

CHRISTMAS AT TIFFANY'S By marianne evans

By Davis MacDonald Thriller Mystery Released Jan 12 by author in print and ebook Attacked on Santa monica Beach. The Judge has made more than his fair share of enemies over his ten years on the bench. But this came out of the blue…or did it?

So starts the Judge’s desperate search along the boardwalks of Venice, through the swank bars and restaurants of Santa monica, the yuppie ghetto of Playa Vista, and the sex clubs of West LA as he relentlessly pursues adversaries who threaten him -- and anyone who gets too close to the secrets buried in Silicon Beach.

All the while the Judge must try to negotiate the compromises required to maintain his new marriage to a woman 20 years his junior, and come to terms with the child she carries. As the Judge closes in on his adversaries and the body count continues to mount, he finds his new bride and the child may become collateral damage in this deadly contest with conspirators who risk all to win all on Silicon Beach.

Follow the Judge as he upends public reputations, turns out private obsessions, confronts the power brokers of Silicon Beach, and unearths a secret so vast it threatens to overturn an entire industry.

Sweet Contemporary Inspirational Romance Released Dec 1, 2015

by Pelican Book Group/White Rose Publishing in ebook

Sometimes the heart finds home in a most unexpected place.

All she wants for Christmas is her master's Degree. All he wants for Christmas is a one-way ticket back to Los Angeles. As a Christmas snow, as hope and joy move through the streets of New York City, Tiffany Zelling and mitch Alexander must make critical choices about what’s to come in their lives.

Can their futures meld? Can Christmas at Tiffany's be God's answer…for them both?

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 28

THE LIFE I LEFTBEHIND

By Colette McBeth Thriller Released Jan 12, 2016 by minotaur Books

DOWNWARD FACING DEATH

By Michelle Kelly Cozy mystery Released Jan 19, 2016 by minotaur Books

Six years ago, melody Pieterson was attacked and left for dead.

Only a chance encounter with a dog walker saved her life. melody’s neighbor and close friend David Alden was found guilty of the crime and imprisoned. The attack and David’s betrayal of her friendship left melody a different person. She no longer trusts her own judgment, she no longer trusts her friends. She’s built a life behind walls and gates and security codes; she’s cloistered herself away from the world almost entirely.

And then, soon after David is released from prison, eve elliot is murdered in an attack almost identical to melody’s. With the start of a new police investigation, melody is suddenly pulled from her ordered, secluded life and back into the messy world around her. But as she learns more about eve’s murder, melody starts to wonder if perhaps David hadn’t betrayed her after all…

After ten years away, Keeley Carpenter is excited to be back in Belfrey, the traditional english village hometown she fled as a shy teen.

She has a plan to reopen her father’s neglected butcher shop as a yoga café, where she will sell delicious vegetarian food by day and teach yoga classes at night. however, the more traditional residents of Belfrey do no take kindly to this idea – or really anything they deem even remotely “New Age-y.” Within an hour of her arrival, Keeley comes face to face with Detective Constable Ben Taylor, who tells her that someone has just tried to burn down her shop. When officers arrived to stop the blaze a body was found upstairs. horrified by this news, Keeley is also startled to be reintroduced to Ben as DC Taylor, her high school crush. In spite of her instant attraction to him, Keeley is determined to keep Ben at arm’s length.

As she makes plans for her opening day, she finds herself embroiled in a murder investigation. When Keeley starts being threatened, she realizes someone may be out to kill more than her business. Can she and Ben find the culprit before it’s too late?

CINNAMON TOASTED Courage to Dream Book 2 A Spice Shop mystery

By Susan Anne Mason By Gail Oust Cozy mystery Released December maggie montgomery’s 2015 by minotaur dream of seeing America has finally come true. While visit- Books A WORTHY HEART

ing Irish meadows, maggie meets an intriguing man whom she thinks is a stable hand. Only when her brother, Rylan, demands she stay away from Adam O’Leary does she learn he is Rylan’s brother-in-law, recently released from prison. Nonetheless, maggie can’t seem to make her stubborn heart conform to her brother’s request.

Adam O’Leary has never felt worthy of his place in the family. Now a free man, Adam’s only desire is to earn back his family’s trust. Falling in love with the newly arrived maggie, however, was never in his plans. Despite everyone’s effort to keep them apart, the two develop a bond it seems nothing can break—but they soon discover the past isn’t easy to overcome.

Piper Prescott’s former mother-in-law melly is a geek whose programming changes for the point-of-sale software in Piper’s shop have the owners of the program ready to make her an offer she can’t refuse. “Trusty” Rusty Tulley and Chip Balboa swing by Brandywine Creek just in time for the town’s annual Oktoberfest. But it isn’t long before melly’s status changes to public enemy number one when Chip’s body is found at the foot of her basement stairs.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 29

Book Excerpt The 13th Victim by Sherry Scarpaci July 1996

Prologue

Run, Run, Run. Annie Garrett stumbled through the woods, slapping at tree branches that tugged her hair and scratched her face and arms. her lungs burned; her heart jackhammered. her chest felt as if it would explode. Annie’s body screamed in protest as she pushed it beyond the limits of its endurance. She had no idea how long she’d been running or in what direction—it didn’t matter.

She was free.

But what about heather?

Don’t think about her. It’s too late. There’s nothing you can— Annie cried out as she tripped over a tree root, hitting the ground hard and scraping her knees and palms. She lay there, heart thudding, the wind knocked out of her. She tried to pull herself up, but after five days with no food and little water or sleep, she couldn’t make her arms and legs work. her vision blurred. She swallowed hard and tasted blood. Chest heaving, she rolled over and glanced around. Dark, so dark—no moon to light her way. he could be anywhere and she’d never see him. how close was he? how long had it been since she’d escaped that godforsaken house? he had shown heather and Annie his collection of scalpels and knives and the freezer and rows of jars that held his evil trophies. he had pointed at the two empty jars that had their names on them.

She squeezed her eyes shut as tears slid down her bloodied cheeks. An image sliced through her brain, sharp as the butcher knife he’d poised over heather’s chest. Annie stifled a sob, remembering her friend screaming, crying, pleading for mercy from a monster that would show none.

That’s when Annie’d bolted.

Guilt tore at her heart because instead of grabbing one of the knives or scalpels and stabbing him, she’d left heather there to die.

Oh, God, I’m sorry, heather. Please forgive me. I’m just so damned scared.

A sound made Annie jerk her head to the left. The hair on the back of her neck prickled. She held her breath, listening, but couldn’t hear anything over her own roaring pulse.

Get up! Keep moving!

She wouldn’t end up like heather and the others. She would survive. She drew a ragged breath, and the scent of rotting leaves and damp earth filled her lungs.

Staggering to her feet, Annie willed herself to put one foot in front of the other. maybe she should find a place to hide—even for a little while, so she could rest. She could crawl beneath the branches of one of the evergreens. he wouldn’t find her there. She needed time to think, time to plan. maybe she could find the road, flag down a passing motorist. maybe— Annie screamed as his strong arm slid around her neck. he jerked her backward, lifting her feet off the ground.

“Please, no, no, no.” Sobbing, she struggled, but her arms felt heavy and useless. he raised the knife.

An owl hooted overhead.

“Good-bye, sweet Annie,” he whispered in her ear.

The 13th Victim is Scarpaci’s second mystery novel and first in a series featuring Detective Kate Turner. It is also a Kindle Scout winner and a semi-finalist in the East Texas Writers Guild First Chapter Book Awards. Five Star published Scarpaci’s first mystery novel, Lullaby, in 2007, and Books in Motion released the audio version in 2009.

She has also written non-fiction magazine and newspaper articles. Scarpaci makes her home in the greater Chicagoland area where she is currently at work on her next Kate Turner mystery.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 30

KARmA’S A KILLeR Tracy Weber Sizzling horror/Paranormal RoCozy mystery mance Released Publisher: January 8, Released October 26, 2015/Broken 2016/midnight Ink in print and Publications in print and ebook ebook ROCK PAPeR SCISSORS Tamela miles

FROm heRe TO FOURTeeNTh STReeT Diana Rubino

historical Romance Released December 9, 2015/The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

The 13Th VICTIm Sherry Scarpaci mystery Released October 27, 2015

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 31

New Releases Fantasy Paranormal PASSENGER

By Alexandra Bracken Time Travel Released Jan 5, 2016 by Disney-hyperion

FEVERBORN

By Karen marie moning Paranormal/Fantasy Released Jan 19, 2016 by Delacorte Press THE BANDS OF MOURING (mistborn #6)

by Brandon Sanderson Fantasy Released Jan 16, 2016 by Tor

STAKED (The Iron Druid Chronicles #8)

by Kevin hearne Fantasy Adventure Released Jan 16, 2016 by Del Rey

THE DARK DAYS CLUB (Lady helen #1)

by Alison Goodman Regency Adventure/Paranormal Released Jan 26, 2016 by Viking Books for Young Readers NIGHT STUDY (Soulfinders #2) by maria V. Snyder Fantasy Released Jan 16, 2016 by mIRA Ink

THE VAMPIRE, THE HANDLER AND ME By eileen Sheehan Paranormal Romance Released Sept 2015 by eternal Press, LLC in print and ebook

Tidbits

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