Laina Turner Mystery Tour - Necklaces & Nooses (Giveaway)

Laina Turner Mystery Tour

@lturnermolaski 

About The Author:

Who am I? It kind of depends on the day. I am a human compendium of unrelated things. I used to think I was just weird, had shiny ball syndrome and couldn’t focus, scattered, you name it. Then I decided it was OK to be all over the place as long as each avenue I wanted to explore had meaning and purpose or was fun. So I embrace the fact I am a college professor, a writer of fiction and non-fiction, promoter of other authors, human resource professional, business consultant, mom, and all around interesting person (according to my closest friends).

When I’m not working toward my goals I like, ok fine, LOVE wine, coffee, shopping, and books. I enjoy my kids, they are awesome. I hate the cold but yet live in the mid-west. Vegas is one of my favorite spots as I love to people watch and if I ever get married again it will definitely be in a drive through chapel by a fake Elvis.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin

Genre: Mystery Romance
Publisher: Five Seas Ink
Release Date: March 21, 2010Amazon

Book Description:

Gently touching the handle of the front door was all it took to make it swing wide open. It was late, after midnight, and everyone in the house except Tom was asleep. As usual, Tom was in his study working late. Walking carefully and quietly through the foyer, the adrenaline began to kick in. The intruder confidently walked into Tom’s study. Tom was concentrating so hard on the papers in front of him that he was unaware of anything else. Raising his hand, the intruder hit a stack of books sitting on a side table, sending them crashing to the floor. Tom spun around with a look of shock on his face as he recognized the person swinging a sharp object toward him. Tom raised his hands to protect himself but he wasn’t quick enough. The spikey end of the stiletto heel punctured his neck instantly, sending a spray of blood over the papers on his desk. He tried to cry out, but all that sounded was a gurgling noise as his lungs filled with blood.

The intruder set the shoe down next to Tom and backed out of the room softly, closing the door to the study and hoped no one would come looking for Tom until morning.

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Silver River Romeo by Amelia Rose - Book Tour & Giveaway

Silver River Romeo

by Amelia Rose

About The Book:

Silver River Romeo

Genre: Contemporary Western Romance

Publisher:Gold Crown

Release Date: June 7, 2013

Buy: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon Ca

Book Description:

Customer Reviews. "I really liked it and highly recommend it if you like a modern day cowboy romance " Gatorfan "I'm a cowboy from Fort Worth, Texas. This book was a hit with me, so much so that my wife plans to read it next at my recommendation" Z.Armstrong Cole McKenna has been a rancher at Silver River since he was old enough to walk. He doesn’t mind the scars and bruises, but he’s starting to hate the feeling of being tied down, especially when the neighboring ranch is put up for sale. Raven Branch has always called to him and when a pretty young woman from the city arrives to take over he is determined not to let her ruin his favorite piece of land. Soon he has to wonder though. Is he keeping an eye on the ranch...or the woman?  

Excerpt:

He looked across at Darrell, who was keeping his face impassive. Emma waited to resume the conversation until coffee and the cups to go along with it had been distributed. Margie did a double take at Emma sitting beside Cole, and her eyes sparkled with held-back questions. Cole only shrugged. Margie might think they were cute together, but forgiveness, if that was what was happening here, was only the start.

“So we can start with a clean slate as far as I’m concerned,” she said, fiddling with a few packs of sugar with a nervous gesture he found surprisingly endearing.

“Sure,” he answered as he poured five packs of sugar into his own coffee and stirred it. “That works for me, I guess.” He wondered if she was forgiving him because she liked him, or because she liked Marshall and didn’t want a strained relationship with Marshall’s little brother.

“So,” Emma said, trying to be friendly and change gears on the conversation. “What do you do?”

“What do you mean?” Cole asked in confusion.

“Well,” Emma hesitated slightly, as if searching for the right words. “Darrell rides in the rodeos and Marshall runs the ranch. What do you do?”

“Marshall doesn’t run Silver River!” Cole wished his tone hadn’t been quite so harsh when Emma practically flinched. “We all own the ranch in equal shares.”

“Oh.” Emma wrapped her hands around her coffee mug as if she was trying to warm them up. “I didn’t know that.”

“Trust me,” Cole said flatly. “I do just as much as anybody else on that ranch.”

“More than me,” Darrell offered, clearly trying to smooth the situation over.

It worked, just not in the way that he’d been going for. Emma took the opportunity to change the subject.

“Is the rodeo a lot of work?” Emma wondered.

Darrell nodded.

“I guess you have to do a lot of training too,” she went on.

Darrell nodded again.

“So you really don’t talk much, do you?”

Darrell shrugged and Emma smiled at him.

“At least you’ve got that going for you,” she said, turning back to Cole and giving him a different sort of smile. It was almost shy and one look at it sent his bad day to the back of his mind as nothing more than a memory.

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About The Author:

Amelia Rose is a shameless romance addict with no intentions of ever kicking the habit. Growing up she dreamed of entertaining people and taking them on fantastical journeys with her acting abilities, until she came to the realization as a college sophomore that she had none to speak of. Another ten years would pass before she discovered a different means to accomplishing the same dream: writing stories of love and passion. Amelia has always loved romance stories and she tries to tie all the elements she likes about them into her writing.  

Website | Amazon | Goodreads

 

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Interview with Leslie Jasper - Construction Tales Volume I (Book Tour & Giveaway)

Construction Tales:Volume I

by Leslie Jasper

About The Author

Leslie is a journeywoman electrician who works within Westchester County, New York, Fairfield County, Connecticut, and the five boroughs of New York City. Leslie has worked within the construction industry for the past 17 years. She is also an evening OSHA instructor/writing coach working part time for Empire College. Leslie recently graduated and received an MBA with honors at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York. She lives with her two sons, Tom and Johnny, in Lake Carmel, New York. Leslie enjoys spending quality time with her sons such as snowboarding and visiting haunted houses throughout New England. She also enjoys cruise ship traveling around the world, renovating her home, and spending time lifting weights in the gym.

Blog | Tubmlr | Facebook | Twitter

Welcome to BK Walker Books Etc. I'm so happy you have invited me into your home today to chat.

BK: Looking out the nearest window, describe the scene you see to our readers.

I’m sitting at my kitchen table looking out a big window. I see my big yard, loads of leaves tossed aimlessly about, a long brown stained fence, and my annoying neighbor’s house. The fog that is rolling in limits my view on this chilled November morning.

BK: Tell us about your office. Is it a mess like mine, or is everything in its place?

I have two extremes. It can be organized and spotless. Then it can be a mess with a pile of papers that need to be organized when I have some down time.

BK: What is a must-have, such as coffee or a favorite pen, that you need to write?

I like to have my big black comfortable chair so that I may kick up my feet and be relaxed when I write. I need to feel at ease so that the words may flow on my laptop. I have needed to stop a few times to get some coffee. If I have a good thought to write about, I will spend hours getting it typed out.

BK: Do you like to write in silence, or do you need music or background noise?

The ideal situation would be to sit in silence. However, I learned to adapt a long time ago. I just need to be in the zone and have a clear roadmap in my head of what to write about. Then all the noise around me fades to the background.

BK: Tell us a bit about your hero/heroine, and their development.

In my book, I played the heroine in a sense. I pushed through barriers and past people who said I should not be on the job. I somehow managed to defeat the odds and challenges that were stacked against me. I did many things normal people would not be willing to do. This was in an effort to chase the almighty dream of a great wage, pension, and benefits. I never gave up, never showed emotion, and always kept a smile on my face. Now that I write this out, I realize I was indeed the heroine in my book. I started out as a young woman with a dream and chased that 100%. By the time I finished, I won many men over and finished my apprenticeship. It was indeed a success story. Other women must know it is possible as well!

BK: As a writer myself, I'm always curious how other writers get through stumble blocks. When you find a story not flowing, or a character trying to fight you, how do you correct it?

I have actually gotten up from writing, put my sneakers on and hit the gym, and have returned with a fresh perspective. I have even skipped that thread of writing and went onto another topic in the past. Sometimes, writing about the second thread jars my memory and gives me some material to pick up on the prior thread.

BK: Using the letters of your first name as an acronym, describe your book...

Leadership, Endurance, Strength, Legacy, Independent, Entertaining

BK: How did your writing journey begin?

I started writing the book back in 2009. I know that I am a woman that belongs to 2% of the female construction workforce. No one really knows what it is like and people should hear the stories. I had no idea of the long process to get a book published. My long stint of unemployment, which was sparked by the recession, made me decide to re-group. I started writing the book but I had no means of getting it published so I stopped. I then shopped hundreds of literary agents and publishing houses for a book deal. I combed through hundreds of rejections. A lot of them did say that the book was interesting. However, I am unclear of how to market your book. The story is so unique and does not fit into a typical genre. I then discovered that I could self-publish and it would be available on Amazon. Armed with new information, I dived back into writing the book. The last few months of the summer were grueling working with my editor. Now that I have gone through the process, the second volume should come sooner. I have many more stories to tell to make Construction Tales: Volume II.

BK: Using the letters from the word, Summer, how would friends and family describe you?

Strong, Undefeated, Musclebound, Malleable, Electric, Real

BK: What is the craziest thing you've ever written about, whether it got published or not?

I wrote about how one of the people I was working with was pacing back and forth on a major, world renown, trading floor, speaking loudly, about all of the sexual encounters he wanted to have with this attractive employee. She was working on the floor and he was not shy about letting her, and anyone else, know of his vial intents and desires. It was rather embarrassing yet extremely funny to witness. There are many more stories similar to that in the book.

BK: Tell us one thing you've done in life, that readers would be most surprised to know.

I worked in a dirty trench with yellow boots spinning 85 lb. lengths of rigid pipe while pregnant in the summer. I did not want to be treated differently or lose my job. Therefore, I kept my pregnancy a secret until almost 6 months. It was the biggest endurance race of my life doing my job and not wanting to vomit. I will be writing about that experience in Construction Tales: Volume II.

BK: What can we expect from you in the future?

I plan to find time to write Construction Tales: Volume II this winter. I have already started brainstorming on what I want to write. There are more funny stories to tell. I will cover my newly minted journeywoman experience that I will pick up after the last story from Volume I. I talk about being pregnant in construction. I also talk about my stint working in jail and the interaction with inmates. I also intend to get a collection of stories from a group of old timers (from all construction trades) from the business who want to get their stories on paper.

About The Book

Genre: Self Improvement

Publisher: Self-Published at CreateSpace

Release Date: August 6, 2013

Buy: Estore | Amazon

Strap on your work boots and put on your hard hat. Let me take you on a sheetrock dusted journey to

see what it is like to work within the construction industry. The work is hard, the environment is unforgiving, and the jobsite can be either extremely hot or cold. Almost 17 years ago, I stepped foot into a male-dominated work environment. Despite the lack of a warm embrace, I pushed my way into this world to learn the trade. I showed my many mentors that I wanted to be here and was ready to learn and work. After some grit and sweat, I worked my way out of my apprenticeship to become a journeywoman electrician. I earned a great working reputation within my trade and some aches and pains along the way. I work with guys from all backgrounds and all walks of life; and a few females that share my goal to be called journeywomen. Construction workers do not care that you do not feel up to the challenge that day. You must suck it up and get the job done! You will witness what it is like on a weekly basis to work within my industry. Every story in this book is real. The names of my co-workers have been changed to protect the innocent….or the guilty! I must warn you that this book is not for the faint of heart!

Excerpt

Chapter 3- The Big Job

Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman’s Journey To Become An Electrician

I was sent to work on a brand new job coming out of the ground in Connecticut. This job would provide massive amounts of overtime and help my living situation tremendously. I learned real quickly that the pace on this job was very different from my last job. It was more of a laid back, easy-going work environment. I would have never guessed that I was about to meet a whole group of characters on this very large job.

I set foot on the largest construction job I had ever witnessed at this point in my apprenticeship. By this moment in time, the country was coming out of a recession and this massive deck job was going to catapult many trades’ people into a good financial position. My first day was in a giant room that was in the process of becoming the data center for a very large trading floor. As an apprentice, my first three hours of the day were all about getting coffee for a third of the crew of roughly 100 electricians. There were no elevators so two other apprentices and I had to walk up a minimum of six (up to thirteen) flights of stairs and provide coffee for the group of hungry and hung-over electricians each day.

The coffee trek was a half-mile walk to the deli each morning. I placed my order and sat there with the other apprentices until the order was ready. I had to make sure I had proper change for each person who ordered and double-checked all orders for accuracy. Coffee was the most important part of the day and screwing up the order could ruin the entire day. This was especially true when we went into overtime. If you got the coffee order wrong, plenty of these guys would react like spoiled children and have an actual temper tantrum. I started to get to know two fellow apprentices, Ryan and Todd, very well while getting our daily orders of coffee. I will never forget my friendship with these two fellow apprentices.

Ryan was a tall, dark-haired, and very hairy guy from a community normally filled with rich and upper-class folk. Ryan often reeked of body odor, cigarette smoke, or booze from the night before. He was and probably still is clearly a fish out of water in his community, yet he fit right in on a construction site. Ryan played in a band. He was very rough around the edges, with plenty of piercings all over his face. Ryan came in to work on a regular basis hung-over, often stinking as if a keg of beer had been splashed all over him.  

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Books Aren't Just For Reading by Laina Turner - Book Tour & Giveaway

Laina Turner Mystery Tour

@lturnermolaski 

About The Author:

Who am I? It kind of depends on the day. I am a human compendium of unrelated things. I used to think I was just weird, had shiny ball syndrome and couldn’t focus, scattered, you name it. Then I decided it was OK to be all over the place as long as each avenue I wanted to explore had meaning and purpose or was fun. So I embrace the fact I am a college professor, a writer of fiction and non-fiction, promoter of other authors, human resource professional, business consultant, mom, and all around interesting person (according to my closest friends).

When I’m not working toward my goals I like, ok fine, LOVE wine, coffee, shopping, and books. I enjoy my kids, they are awesome. I hate the cold but yet live in the mid-west. Vegas is one of my favorite spots as I love to people watch and if I ever get married again it will definitely be in a drive through chapel by a fake Elvis.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin

Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Five Seas Ink
Release Date: April 9, 2012Amazon

Book Description:

Trixie and her friends, Berklie and Sophie, are excited about the opening of Read/Wine their new business venture of a bookstore/wine bar. All is going well until they happen to find a dead body in the shop and that wasn’t part of the business plan. All signs pointed to Berklie since it was her ex-husbands lover who was murdered. Trixie knew Berklie hadn’t murdered Sylvia so who did?

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It's A Cassie Scot Book Bash! - Secrets and Lies by Christine Amsden

Secrets and Lies
by Christine Amsden

About The Author:

Christine Amsden has been writing science fiction and fantasy for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams. (You can learn more here.)

In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.

Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children, Drake and Celeste.

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Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Twilight Times Books

Release Date: November 15, 2013

Book Description:

Cassie Scot, still stinging from her parents’ betrayal, wants out of the magical world. But it isn’t letting her go. Her family is falling apart and despite everything, it looks like she may be the only one who can save them.

To complicate matters, Cassie owes Evan her life, making it difficult for her to deny him anything he really wants. And he wants her. Sparks fly when they team up to find two girls missing from summer camp, but long-buried secrets may ruin their hopes for happiness.

Sequel to Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective.

Read The First Chapter

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Twilight Times Books

Release Date: May 15, 2013

Amazon

Book Description:

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

Read The First Chapter Here

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Praise for the Cassie Scot Series:

From Publisher’s Weekly:

“In this entertaining series opener, Amsden (The Immortality Virus) introduces readers to the eponymous Cassie, a decidedly mundane member of a magical family. …Readers will enjoy Cassie’s fish-out-of-water struggles as she fights magical threats with little more than experience and bravado.”

Kim Falconer, bestselling author of The Spell of Rosette, Quantum Enchantment Series, had this to say:

“When sorcerers call the shots, what’s a girl without powers to do? Get ready for a ripper of a murder mystery full of romance and intrigue, where magic potions bubble, passions spark and vampires are definitely not your friend. Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective grabs you by the heart and won’t let go until the very last page. Well written, immersive and unputdownable. This is urban fantasy at its best. More please!”

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Shaken by Kerry Connelly (Book Tour & Giveaway)

Kerry Connelly is an English born Australian author

A naturally gifted writer, Kerry found her way back to the love of writing after having worked in radio, retail management and casual journalism.



Her first title 'Observation City' was published in February 2013 and is a relatable and humourous book on life and human behaviour.

(View reviews and book links for more information.)



Having had anxieties since childhood, Kerry has always been a firm believer in the importance, understanding and support of those with vairying forms of mental illness.



Her upcoming title 'Shaken: A story of emotional abuse and depression' is inspired by her own story with the topics and serves not only as an inspiring read, but as a self help book of sorts for those who may find themselves in the midst and confusion of an emotionally abusive situation, or the loneliness of depression.



Enjoying dual roles as an author and education assistant, another of Kerry's passions lies in the teaching, compassion, understanding and support of early education primary school students.

​

​Being an avid reader and also having studied film and television in her career, Kerry is a big movie buff, a lover of classics, musicals and dramas especially. She also loves to enjoy a well crafted television show and reading non-fiction and memoirs.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Linkedin

Genre: Self-Help, Non-Fiction, Medical Non-Fiction

Publisher: Self-Published at CreateSpace

Release Date: November 2013

Buy - Amazon

Book Description:

Inspired by her own experiences, Kerry Connelly bravely takes us on a journey into the loneliness and despair of depression while in the midst of an emotionally abusive relationship.

Having had anxieties since childhood, nothing was to prepare her for the violent convulsions and hours of un-controllable sobbing that had started to take over her life, as the stress and trauma of psychological abuse manifested itself in the form of major depressive disorder, sever panic disorder and anxiety with ocd.

Shaken is the story of one woman’s journey with deteriorating mental health while under the control of an emotional abuser. It serves to acknowledge that any form of psychological abuse at any severity is unacceptable and shows just how quickly the trauma of such can give birth to a variety of mental health issues.

Separated by sections of comprehensive reference and checklist material to inform readers about the signs of emotional abuse and depression, as well as sections of advice and help for friends as well as sufferers, Shaken digs deep into the heart of a woman who hopes to dispel the ignorance and lack of understanding regarding both issues by using her own experiences as an example.

A stark, honest and well written read from the pen of an emotional abuse survivor.

Excerpt:

‘Prologue.

The relationship I endured took a toll on my pre-existing disorder. I had suffered with attacks of anxiety since I was a child, which along with bouts of depression, accompanied me into adulthood.

A bad bout of anxiety would see me locked in the bathroom, frightened and alone while I sat there shivering making my peace to God. Attacks that were so severe and intense, I was sure I was about to die.

How sick they made me feel. The negative thoughts would try to penetrate my exhausted and troubled mind and sweat would seep from every pour of my tired and trembling body. If not for what I call ‘my logical brain’ and my desire to overcome these battles, I’m sure that the battles I was going to face in the decade known as my twenties, would have eventually seen me committed to the cuckoo’s nest.

I had started to see a psychologist in my twenties. It was a few years before I met the man who was to become my emotional abuser. He would have dire effects upon my mental health.

During my time with him, I was happy to realise that my anxiety hadn’t flared up, in what I realised was about to be a year. It was such a relief to be functioning without fear or trepidation. I felt I was slowly getting better.

Little did I know however, that the absence of anxiety would be replaced with the presence of something that medical professionals call Panic Attacks. Attacks that elevated my pre-existing and dormant disorder to a full-fledged diagnosis of severe depression, panic and anxiety disorder with slight OCD. (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.)

It was a diagnosis which saw my return back to medication after just over ten years without it.

I was prescribed a 100 mg dose of a strong anti-depressant/anxiety and mood stabilising drug. That rapidly rose to an astonishingly medically prescribed 300 mg dose within a month and a half. It was 250 mg more than the average recommended dose for both male and females alike.

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