Friday, March 14, 2014

Death by the Book











Death by the Book


by Julianna Deering
Christian Mystery

Paperback, 320 pages

March 4th 2014 by Bethany House Publishers



Drew Farthering wanted nothing more than to end the summer of 1932 with the announcement of his engagement. Instead, he finds himself caught up in another mysterious case when the family solicitor is found murdered, an antique hatpin with a cryptic message, Advice to Jack, piercing his chest.

Evidence of secret meetings and a young girl's tearful confession point to the victim's double life, but what does the solicitor's murder have to do with the murder of a physician on the local golf course? Nothing, it would seem--except for another puzzling note, affixed with a similar-looking bloodied hatpin.

Soon the police make an arrest in connection with the murders, but Drew isn't at all certain they have the right suspect in custody. And why does his investigation seem to be drawing him closer and closer to home?



Bethany House * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

Other Books in the Series:



EXCERPT

Several constables were holding back onlookers, and by the time Drew could see the first green, he didn’t need Birdsong to tell him anything. There was a body lying not two feet from the hole.

Drew removed his hat, grieved once again to look upon death.

The chief inspector managed a grim smile. “Ah, Detective Farthering. Good of you to come.”

“Not at all, Inspector. What’s happened?”

“Act Two, it would seem, of our little drama in Winchester last week. I thought perhaps another pair of eyes that saw the aftermath of the Montford murder might help us here.” Birdsong shrugged a little self-consciously. “Saw your car turn into the drive.”

Like the last time, there was a note on the body, secured by a hatpin through the heart. Judging by the amount of blood on the shirtfront, Drew assumed the man had first been stabbed in the same area.

He knelt to get a closer look. The victim was a placid-looking middle-aged man with a sedentary paunch in his jowls and belly. Rather well-off too, judging by his clothing. There were tobacco stains on his fingers and tiny burn holes in his coat.

Drew scanned the neatly clipped grass at his feet. It seemed pristine still. The body must have fallen where it lay. There were no marks that would have indicated it was dragged or even shifted much. It would take nerves of steel to stab a man here on the green at the first hole at three o’clock in the afternoon with dozens of potential witnesses.

Drew looked about again. The trees were a good ten or fifteen yards away. The clubhouse was in plain view. He gave a quick wave to the men sitting up there with their gin and tonic, and they were obliging enough to wave back. He hadn’t a clue who they were, but they could certainly see him.

How was it that no one seemed to have seen the murder?

“Do you have any idea what sort of weapon might have been used?” Drew asked.

“As best I can tell, something sharp and narrow-bladed,” the chief inspector offered. “Most likely the letter opener we found in the victim’s inside coat pocket. Common enough to be untraceable.”

“And the body was lying this way?”

“No. It was facedown, a bit doubled over. Impossible to see the blood or the wounds from any distance.”

Drew considered that and then the note itself.

Kentish wisdom would have him paid so.

It was the same graceful writing, the same aged parchment as was used on Montford in the hotel room, fastened by another antique hatpin. This one was larger than the first and looked to be silver with an amethyst set into it. Drew read the words again. What did the killer mean by Kentish wisdom? And what had that to do with the first murder?

“‘Kentish wisdom would have him paid so,’” Drew murmured. “‘Advice to Jack.’”

What was the connection?

“I don’t know how I can help you, Inspector,” Drew said.

“You were involved with the first murder. Your solicitor.”

“I wouldn’t exactly say ‘involved.’ I merely had an appointment with the man. He was dead well before I arrived.”

“Fair enough,” Birdsong said. “But you were some little help in that matter at Farthering Place. I thought perhaps you might have some observations on these current cases.”

Drew smiled faintly. “I see.”

Birdsong drew himself up with a sniff. “It’s part of my job to make use of any source of information as may become available in an investigation.”

“No need to be defensive, Inspector. If you want my help, all you need do is ask.”

Birdsong scowled. “No, I do not want your help, Detective Farthering. I do not want you mucking about interfering with my official duties. No, nor your friend, Nick Dennison. Nor your young lady. All I want is for you to tell me if you’ve noticed anything besides these blasted bits of writing that would connect the two murders.”


“The hatpins, of course.” Drew dropped to one knee again and peered at the body.

Julianna Derring has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her new series of Drew Farthering mysteries set in 1930s England debuts with Rules of Murder (Bethany House, Summer 2013) and will be followed by Death by the Book (Bethany House, Spring 2014) and Murder at the Mikado (Bethany House, Summer 2014).

Website * Blog * Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook * Amazon * Novel Crossing * Bethany House



ALL readers, who are interested, can receive an autographed bookmark.

You can see a picture of the bookmark here.
Just send a self-address STAMPED (7" long) envelope to:

Julianna Deering
P. O. Box 375
Aubrey, Texas 76227

From the author regarding the fabulous GIVEAWAY:

How could one possibly have a cozy mystery
set in an old manor house in the English countryside near a quaint little village
and not have tea?

Drew doesn't usually take lemon or milk in his. He prefers honey,
especially if it's fresh from the hive.


Mrs. Devon, his housekeeper, spoils him terribly and makes sure he has it.

Print copies of The Rules of Murder and Death by the Book and a Tea Gift Basket (US ONLY)


March 10th - 28th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Follow the Tour:

3/11
Books & Chocolates

Angels With Attitude Book Reviews


3/12
Pieces of Whimsy

JoJo's Corner


3/13
Kelly P's Blog

Crafty Booksheeps


3/14
The Written Adventure

Letters from Annie Douglass Lima


3/16
My Devotional Thoughts

Beck Valley Books


3/17
Mel's Shelves

Deal Sharing Aunt


3/18
The Wonderings of One Person

Cherry Mischievous


3/19
LDS and Lovin' it

My Love for Reading Keeps Growing

3/20
Tell Tale Book Reviews

The Pensive Chronicler


3/21 - Grand Finale





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Thursday, March 13, 2014

His Hometown Girl with an Author Interview

On tour with Prism Book Tours...



Welcome to my Book Tour stop for

His Hometown Girl

His Hometown GirlHis Hometown Girl

by Karen Rock

Mass Market Paperback, Large Print, 331 pages

March 1st 2014 by Harlequin





He'd always managed to best her…



Jodi Chapman will do whatever it takes to get top care for her autistic son. If that means going home and convincing local farmers to sell their land, so be it. Even if her biggest opponent, childhood rival Daniel Gleason, is equally determined to convince farmers to buy into his co-op plan. And he's not playing fair.



Facing off against Daniel is the last thing Jodi wants. The attraction that's always fueled their competitiveness is as strong as ever and just as distracting. But with both their futures on the line, and years of distrust between them, how can they ever be on the same side?






Interview


1) What inspired you to start writing? 
Hi, Natalie! Thank you so much for having me on your blog, The Written Adventure. I was inspired to write from a very young age. I listened to my father as he read me fairytales before bed and drifted to sleep, imagining my own happily-ever-after stories. I love how books can carry you away from your regular life and make you feel and experience new things. I’ve always wanted to be a part of that!


2) When did you decide to pursue your talent? 
My publication journey began four years ago when my sister-in-law, Joanne Rock, began encouraging me to write. As she’s a Harlequin writer, I loved bouncing ideas around with her and talking about her career, though I never dared to imagine it was something I could do. Yet, with her encouragement, I wrote most of what I think was a first novel... it was tough to tell since it was such a hot mess! Joanne, however, was kind enough to read the parts that I sent her and encouraged me to keep going. I decided to start another book and finished it! What a thrill. It was an accomplishment that gave me so much confidence until the rejection letters started coming in *sigh*. Still, Joanne believed in me and suggested we write a Young Adult romance series together. Incredibly, we sold it that year, and I had to pinch myself to believe it was true.

Then, I received a mass email from Joanne’s agent, Barbara Rosenberg, about a new line for Harlequin called Heartwarming. These were to be contemporary love stories that were deeply romantic and tender. My imagination went haywire. I love the raw emotion of YA literature and here, at last, was a line from Harlequin that would allow me to go to the emotional places I love to write in. I wrote Barbara (now my agent as well) and asked her if an idea I’d had might work. She sent it to Senior Editor, Victoria Curran, who asked to see three chapters and, after submitting them, later contacted my agent with a contract offer for my first Harlequin, WISH ME TOMORROW. I now have another contract for four more Heartwarming romances and each story is so special. I can’t wait for them to be available to the public!


3) When you're not writing, what are your hobbies? 
I love reading -*SURPRISE*- lol. But I also love antiques, including old books, and spend time hunting them down at garage sales. I have a first edition, second print of GONE WITH THE WIND, and it’s in my special curio cabinet where I look at it so often! I also love spending time with my two dogs and cat, arranging, rearranging then putting everything back the way it was in my gardens- sheesh- and cooking my grandmother’s recipes. Whenever I make them, I feel like she’s still with me.

4) Is there something special or specific that inspires you as you write? 
Life is a struggle. True stories where people overcome the odds, triumph through hardship, grow stronger because of setbacks, inspire me so much. The human spirit is an amazing thing, and I want to tell stories that celebrate that quality. Love, above all other things, is the greatest achievement of all. If we can open ourselves up, become worthy of it, and work toward finding and keeping it, we’re the richest people in the world. My romances are meant to inspire readers to take those chances, even if they have challenges in their lives, to find true love.

5) Are you a planner or a punster?
Hah! I hadn’t heard the term punster- but if it’s like the word I use- ‘pantser’ as in write by the seat of your pants, then I’m a bit of both. I write a detailed synopsis that establishes the internal and external conflicts, the characters, scenes/events where the conflicts escalate, character turning points, the black moment and how it will resolve. I include transition scenes between those moments that advance the conflict, but those are negotiable in my mind. Sometimes they change completely as I go along, depending on how the story feels to me.

6) What are some of the hardest parts of writing?
Rejection. Easily- it has to be rejection. You need to have thick skin as a writer. Even a published writer. Even a NY Times bestselling author because there is always going to be criticism from your critique partners, your agent, your editor, your fans and your reviewers. No one is immune. Ask Nora Roberts or J.K. Rowling. They’ll agree. The trick is to separate the comments that are intended to show you what you could do better versus ones that are more mean-spirited. You can just tell based on how the feedback is given. Once, someone rated my book a one star because she didn’t like that it had a hero recovering from cancer. She hadn’t read WISH ME TOMORROW and felt that based on the subject matter, no one else should either. Those kinds of things can shake your faith in yourself. But I’m thankful for all constructive feedback and take from it the things that will help me grow as a writer- a goal I will have until the end of my career! (When did Barbara Cartland retire?)

7) Do you like to read in the same genre you write in?
Yes and no. I want to take care not to be influenced by what other romance authors are doing or how they sound. But... I love romance novels, so I can’t help but gobble them up. The trick is to find balance, so I read suspense thrillers, historical fiction, young adult, literary, horror, detective/crime novels, dystopian, science fiction and fantasy novels. I think reading so broadly helps make me a well-rounded writer. (If I’m wrong- it’s still fun doing it)

8) What is the most satisfying part of being a writer?
Hearing from fans is the most satisfying part. Hands down. My last novel, WISH ME TOMORROW, told the story of a single father who’s in remission for cancer. He’s struggling to deal with the aftermath of his illness and parenting two troubled children who are worried they may lose the only parent they have. I received letters from readers who either had cancer in their lives or in their past and so many brought me to tears. I meant so much that they related to Eli as well as to Christie (a grief counselor who lost her brother to cancer) and that the book touched them. It humbled me to know that what I wrote made them feel like someone else understood what they’d gone through and gave them hope.

9) Who are your two favorite authors?
Nicholas Sparks has had a great influence on me. He writes deep love stories that are full of rich, real-life experiences that are not always easy, but are honest. I’m so inspired by him and his beautiful stories. I’m also very inspired, on the YA end of the spectrum, by John Green. He also writes contemporary stories that include such touching, raw love stories. Like Nicholas Sparks, tears are shed, but I never feel manipulated into feeling that way. Both of these authors tell us such moving stories, and I hope that I do too. 


10) Why do you write? 
I write for the same reason I read- to feel connected to people and their stories. Although I write fiction, my inspirations come from real-life and I work hard to reflect that in each of my stories. Although I love a good Viking/pirate/sheik/millionaire romance, I’m moved to write romances about everyday people who aren’t perfect, but find the perfect person for them. That is a huge achievement, and one I hope my books inspire people to go after.
11) Do you have a certain time and place for your writing?
I love writing in the mornings and revising in the afternoons after lunch. Mornings are all about new possibilities and afternoons are the reality check- lol. As for place, I write in a recliner within eyeshot of my front door. Both of my sweet, elderly dogs, need to go out a lot, and I want to make sure I know when they need go and don’t make them wait.


12) Do you have other stories you plan to write?
I have three more books contracted with Harlequin Heartwarming and each is very unique. I can’t wait to share them! I just finished one about two very different people- one’s a dreamer, the other a pragmatist- who team up to create a start-up company designing a dating compatibility app. It’s been a lot of fun trying to answer the question: Can love come with a guarantee?




Karen Rock has adored romance since receiving Harlequin
Presents books from her grandmother each summer. She formed her Young Adult
writing partnership, J.K. Rock- pseudonym for the CAMP BOYFRIEND series, with
her sister-in-law and Blaze author, Joanne Rock in 2011. When Karen heard of a
call for submissions to Heartwarming, Harlequin’s latest line, she was inspired
by the possibilities of writing unforgettable, deeply romantic, tender love
stories that mothers would feel comfortable sharing with their daughters. When
she’s not writing, Karen loves scouring estate sales for vintage books, cooking
her grandmother's family recipes, hiking the ‘high peaks’, and redesigning her
gardens. She lives in the Adirondack Mountain region with her husband,
daughter, and two Cavalier King cocker spaniels who have yet to understand the
concept of “fetch” though they know a lot about love. 

For more information
about Karen's upcoming books, check out her website,
Facebook page, or follow her on twitter. She’d love to hear from you!




Tour-Wide Giveaway




Grand Prize: Hand-stitched, authentic Amish quilt (uses their overlapping
heart-stitching- pattern), with matching dust ruffle for a king-sized bed, signed copies of Wish Me Tomorrow & Camp Boyfriend, and some surprise swag (US Only)

1 - Paperback/ebook copies of Wish Me Tomorrow and Camp Boyfriend (format is winner's choice, paperback for US Only) and $20 Amazon gift card
2 - ebooks of Wish Me Tomorrow and Camp Boyfriend (INT)



3/16 - Tour Grand Finale

Grab Our Button!
Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.
Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.
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Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Cinder by Marissa Meyer. A Review.

In all honesty, I had not read the "back cover blurb" for this book when I began reading it. It was recommended to me by my trusted friends who always find great books to read. So, right on the first (and great attention grabbing) sentence when I discovered Cinder was a cyborg, well I went back and read that back cover blurb. Needless to say--even the blurb drew me in quickly (I love it when they do that). Of course, after that I had to discover this futuristic world of fairy tales.


What I love about this book is the unique idea Meyer had for Cinder. A Cinderella Cyborg. That's not something you see everyday! Meyer did a wonderful job of merging the classic Cinderella story with cyborgs and technology. She wrote in a way that made you feel for Cinder, that made you sympathetic toward the demeaning treatment of her evil Stepmother about her cyborg status. Meyer brought out the strength that every Cinderella has through Cinder, telling us that not only characters in a book, but we as readers can do hard things.

That's one of my favorite morals that comes from any Cinderella story--We can do hard things.

I feel that Meyer's did a fantastic job with Prince Charming, or should I say Kai. He has the quality and strength of anyone's fantasy prince. He isn't arrogant, but open and kind. I love that he is willing to do anything for his people, even if the price is costly. Though he is not perfect like our Disney version (nor should he be...), he is so much better in the fact that despite Cinder's heritage, he is still willing to aid her (whether he realizes it or not).


I also have to congratulate Marissa Meyer on her ability of creating a futuristic world and describing it with excellent prose. Word count matters a lot when one is writing a novel, and sometimes as an author, it gets exciting to start spilling out every little fact about a new world. Yet, Meyer didn't do that. Yes she described her world, (obviously) but I enjoyed the fact that she trusted me, as the reader, to create the world in my own head without beating in every little detail through long and lengthy paragraphs.
All in all, Five of out Five for me. If you love fairy tales and sci-fi, you just discovered the perfect book for you!
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Monday, March 10, 2014

Launch for Death by the Book!


A themed review tour by Prism Book Tours...


 Death by the Book
by Julianna Deering
Christian Mystery
Paperback, 320 pages
March 4th 2014 by Bethany House Publishers


Drew Farthering wanted nothing more than to end the summer of 1932 with the announcement of his engagement. Instead, he finds himself caught up in another mysterious case when the family solicitor is found murdered, an antique hatpin with a cryptic message, Advice to Jack, piercing his chest.

Evidence of secret meetings and a young girl's tearful confession point to the victim's double life, but what does the solicitor's murder have to do with the murder of a physician on the local golf course? Nothing, it would seem--except for another puzzling note, affixed with a similar-looking bloodied hatpin.

Soon the police make an arrest in connection with the murders, but Drew isn't at all certain they have the right suspect in custody. And why does his investigation seem to be drawing him closer and closer to home?

Bethany House


Other Books in the Series:
 

ALL readers, who are interested, can receive an autographed bookmark. 
You can see a picture of the bookmark here.

Just send a self-address STAMPED (7" long) envelope to:

Julianna Deering
P. O. Box 375
Aubrey, Texas 76227


Julianna DeeringJulianna Derring has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her new series of Drew Farthering mysteries set in 1930s England debuts with Rules of Murder (Bethany House, Summer 2013) and will be followed by Death by the Book (Bethany House, Spring 2014) and Murder at the Mikado (Bethany House, Summer 2014).



Website * Blog * Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook * Amazon * Novel Crossing * Bethany House


From the author regarding the fabulous GIVEAWAY:
How could one possibly have a cozy mystery 
set in an old manor house in the English countryside near a quaint little village 
and not have tea? 
Drew doesn't usually take lemon or milk in his. He prefers honey, 
especially if it's fresh from the hive. 
Mrs. Devon, his housekeeper, spoils him terribly and makes sure he has it.

Print copies of The Rules of Murder and Death by the Book and a Tea Gift Basket (US ONLY)
March 10th - 28th

a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway




Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.
Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, March 6, 2014

The Iron King. A Review.

I have to give this book a five out of five. It was absolutely fantastic. And I know I always go on about how the characters make a book great (and this book did that too), but I have to say, Julie Kagawa did some wicked awesome world building in this novel.

The reason why I compliment her world building is because she was not wordy. In fact, she has the wondrous talent of being able to describe, in very few words, an entire setting. Kagawa trusts her readers to use their imagination to run wild, but she provides the perfect amount of describe to lead readers in the right direction.

I believe that Kagawa's talent of world building strengthened her story immensely, and make the characters fit so much better into the world of Faery.

Puck (Robin Goodfellow) fell into place perfectly with the transition from the real world into the Faery world. He was such a finely developed character that the transition made him fit even better into the story than when he was simple "Robbie." I loved his joking side and his loyalty to Meghan, despite his being a Faery.

Ash was the perfect version of a "bad boy" Faery. He was strong, intelligent, and well, quite handsome in my head. One of my favorite things about him is his strong ties of loyalty. Although he warned Meghan about forming certain attachments, as you read, you can see that he is also trying to convince himself of the same thing. I believe that he learned a valuable lesson at the end of this novel about fighting for the people you care for, even if it means bending the rules.

Grim. I think he is my all time favorite. He is not your average cat. He's a fantastic ball of fuzz that always pops up just when you need him. I can't wait to hear more about little Grimalkin.

Meghan Chase is a girl sent into a crazy world that crushes everything she has ever known and forces her to look at life through new eyes. She had to have been strong to overcome a challenge like this, and I feel that Kagawa successfully brought out that strength (even among the vulnerabilities) in Meghan. Meghan was diligent, proving to Ash that the love for her brother (and her determination) can overcome even the seemingly impossible to defeat oppositions. I like that she never strayed from her goal--that even though she had two men at her beck and call, she didn't let her relationships get in the way of saving her brother. I loved that even though the romantic factor wasn't as focused on her and Ash as it could have been, you could tell it was happening underneath the superficial and immediate problems.

One of my favorite quotes from this book is from Meghan, "Briefly, I wondered if it was great adversity that made a person stronger." (pg 354). I enjoyed it because it is so true--strength comes as we are challenged throughout this life. Kawaga incorporated such a deep, sort of "rude awakening" of real life into her fantasy, allowing readers to connect more fully with Meghan and her adventures through the Faery land.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is certainty a must read for those who enjoy fantasy. Julia Kagawa is a gifted author. Click to go to her blog here.
Posted by at 1 comment:

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

RELEASE DAY for The Moon Sisters!

Happy Release Day!!
On tour with Prism Book Tours...


Now Available!!


A beautiful coming-of-age novel about two sisters on a journey to forgive their troubled mother, with a sheen of almost-magical realism that overlays a story about the love of a family, and especially between sisters...




The Moon SistersThe Moon Sisters

by Therese Walsh

336 pages

Coming March 4th, 2014

Mature Coming of Age

Family Drama





Therese Walsh's poignant and mesmerizing novel is a moving tale of family, love, and the power of stories. After their mother's probable suicide, sisters Olivia and Jazz are figuring out how to move on with their lives. Jazz, logical and forward-thinking, decides to get a new job, but spirited, strong-willed Olivia, who can see sounds, taste words, and smell sights, is determined to travel to the remote setting of their mother's unfinished novel to say her final goodbyes and lay their mother's spirit to rest.



Though they see things very differently, Jazz is forced by her sense of duty to help Olivia reach her goal. Bitter and frustrated by the attention heaped on her sunny sister whose world is so unique, Jazz is even more upset when they run into trouble along the way and Olivia latches to a worldly train-hopper. Though Hobbs warns Olivia that he's a thief who shouldn't be trusted, he agrees to help with their journey. As they near their destination, the tension builds between the two sisters, each hiding something from the other, and they will finally be forced to face everything between them and decide what is really important.

Head on over to the Therese's website to talk about "What does hope taste like?" and enter an amazing contest!

Appearances & News from Therese Walsh
Check out the tour launching TODAY at TLC Tours

You already know your Train Name?  Now you're ready to take...


The Personality Quiz!

Count your stars, suns and moons as you answer...





What readers are saying about The Moon Sisters:


Walsh’s luminous second novel (after The Last Will of Moira Leahy) examines the disparate emotional and physical journeys undertaken by two sisters from the town of Tramp, W.Va., after their mother’s death. Because Olivia Moon is cursed (or, arguably, blessed) with synesthesia, a condition that causes her to taste sounds and see smells, her mother, Beth, decides to homeschool her. Beth is a dreamer who writes letters to her estranged father that she never mails and works on a fantasy story that she is afraid to finish. Olivia’s no-nonsense older sister, Jazz, is adamant about not following in their mother’s footsteps. When Beth dies from inhaling gas from a stove—whether she does so accidentally or willfully is not known—Olivia sets out on the daylong trip that her mother had planned on making, to a cranberry bog where Beth hoped to see “ghost lights” and be inspired to finish her book. Jazz secretly follows her sister and they end up joining a small group of “train hoppers” who spend their lives riding the rails. Walsh explores how the sisters’ experience of the outside world transforms their views of each other and themselves, in a book packed with invention and rich characterizations.

-Publishers Weekly



Emotionally taut and intricately woven, The Moon Sisters takes us on a dreamlike journey that is at once literal and literary. A story of family ties stretched to their limits and the underlying wound that both binds and breaks them. Therese Walsh has created a compelling read I couldn’t put down and a world of authentic travelers who linger long beyond the final pages. A tale of true sisterhood.”

-Brunonia Barry, New York Times and International bestselling author of The Lace Reader and The Map of True Places



The Moon Sisters by Therese Walsh shimmers on the precipice where the grief-stricken teeter between loss and recovery, a place that often resembles madness. Sisters Olivia and Jazz battle as they hold each other tight in this touching coming of age tale that weighs family loyalty against distinctive truths. Walsh leavens magic realism with humor, balances enchantment and pragmatic truth, and stirs them into a poignant family story.”

-Randy Susan Meyers, author of The Murderer’s Daughters



They say opposites attract — unless those opposites are sisters. In that case, the electricity between them can make them crackle and spark so hard they may fly apart forever. Olivia and Jazz are as different as sisters can be and still come from the same family. In lyrical prose, Therese Walsh crafts an enchanting, mesmerizing tale of two women whose fight to go their separate ways during a time of loss may be the only thing that can hold them together.

-Liz Michalski, author of Evenfall





Therese Walsh's debut novel, The Last Will of Moira Leahy, was published in 2009 by Shaye Areheart books (Random House). Her second novel, The Moon Sisters, will be published by Crown (Penguin Random House) in March 2014.



Therese is the co-founder of Writer Unboxed, a blog for writers about the craft and business of fiction. Before turning to novels, she was a researcher and writer for Prevention magazine, and then a freelance writer. She’s had hundreds of articles on nutrition and fitness published in consumer magazines and online.



She has a master's degree in psychology.



Aside from writing, Therese’s favorite things include music, art, crab legs, Whose Line is it Anyway?, dark chocolate, photography, unique movies and novels, people watching, strong Irish tea, and spending time with her husband, two kids and their bouncy Jack Russell





Prism Book Tours Blitz:  Feb 18 * Feb 25 * March 4
Receive an additional entry on the Rafflecopter for posting each!  Email Tressa at TressasWishfulEndings@outlook.com to receive the html code for Blogger or Wordpress


Enter to WIN The Moon Sisters or $100... or both!


Giveaway #1



Feb 18 - March 11

WIN $100 Gift Card - International

See Rafflecopter for restrictions



a Rafflecopter giveaway







Giveaway #2 



Feb 18 - March 11

WIN print copy of The Moon Sisters - US/Canada only

See Rafflecopter for restrictions



a Rafflecopter giveaway







Grab Our Button!
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Monday, March 3, 2014

His Hometown Girl Book Launch!

We're Launching the Book Tour for
His Hometown Girl
Tour Schedule

3/3 - Tour Launch & Excerpt

3/4

3/5

3/6

3/7

3/9

3/10

3/11

3/12

3/13

3/14

3/16 - Tour Grand Finale
We're kicking it off with an excerpt that you can read below.
First, let's find out about the book...


His Hometown Girl
by Karen Rock
Mass Market Paperback, Large Print, 331 pages
March 1st 2014 by Harlequin


He'd always managed to best her…

Jodi Chapman will do whatever it takes to get top care for her autistic son. If that means going home and convincing local farmers to sell their land, so be it. Even if her biggest opponent, childhood rival Daniel Gleason, is equally determined to convince farmers to buy into his co-op plan. And he's not playing fair.

Facing off against Daniel is the last thing Jodi wants. The attraction that's always fueled their competitiveness is as strong as ever and just as distracting. But with both their futures on the line, and years of distrust between them, how can they ever be on the same side?

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Excerpt
Airport Scene
The sliding doors opened with a hiss and they stepped out into the cool, midmorning drizzle. Daniel breathed in the smell of exhaust and couldn’t wait to get home, away from all this concrete. He needed to strategize. Regroup and think about how he’d handle this new, unflappable Jodi.

She raised an eyebrow and gave him a measured look. “Where are you parked?” Her stroller’s plastic wheels swerved along the parking lot’s asphalt.
So she was letting his accusation go, her self-possession unnerving him. Gone was the girl whose passion had once swept him away from his everyday life, her white-hot temper later imploding it. How things had changed. At least the temporary cease-fire meant he could find out her plans. Stop them before she put them in place. For that matter, the drive home might soften her up with a tour down memory lane.
“I’ve got a ground-level spot,” he said, raising his voice so it’d be heard over a plane’s roar.
“Great. The sooner Tyler gets his nap the better.”
“Are you working right away or having some R & R first? I’ll show you some of the old sights.”
“I have to check in with my boss, then I plan to—” She stopped and shoved wet, frizzing hair from her face. “Why am I telling you this?” Her eyes roamed over him, mystified. Suddenly she looked like the girl he’d known years ago, the one who’d once worn her heart on her sleeve and had captured his.
“Because we used to be friends, Jodi Lynn.”
“Friends?” She snorted and shook off the water collecting on the stroller’s canopy.
“And don’t call me Jodi Lynn.”
“Would you prefer ‘ma’am’? Is that what country folks are supposed to say when a city girl comes to town?”
“Knock it off, Daniel.” She nudged him, and the warmth of her bare shoulder through his thin shirt nearly burned.
“That’s Mr. Gleason to you,” he joked to hide the response her touch ignited. Careful, he warned himself.
Jodi shot him a level look, then picked up speed when her son started to kick again, his voice sounding like a  eakettle about to boil. No wonder. Daniel would scream, too, if he was strapped in when he could walk  nstead. Parking lots were unpredictable, but with a firm hand and a sharp eye the little guy could have had  is freedom.
“So why are you here instead of one of my aunt’s neighbors?” she asked once they halted beside his muddy blue pickup. The misting rain had only streaked the dirt.
“We’re all neighbors, and neighbors help each other.” He tossed her expensive-looking suitcases into the open bed, an echoing thunk sounding when plastic met metal. “In case you forgot.”
“I haven’t. I’m helping my old hometown get a fair deal that will improve their lives.” She spoke without cooking up at him, her movements practiced and efficient as she swept up her thrashing son and secured him in the child seat she’d detached from the stroller, buckling him into the center of the truck’s continuous front seat.
“If you want something, use your words, Tyler,” she told her son.
The boy screamed and pounded his fists against the dashboard, but Jodi slid in beside him, looking as if it was any other day. And for her, maybe it was.
Daniel felt his resistance weaken until he caught himself. Her “fair deal” would only benefit Midland, not her former community. They’d either have to abandon their land or become corporate drones, working for a Midland paycheck. No. Jodi was the enemy. No matter that she made him remember good times he’d rather forget.
If he couldn’t convince her that this was personal, not business, remind her of the good times she’d had here and the people she’d cared about, then he needed her gone before she wrecked havoc on his home and his heart.
She’d done the latter the last time she’d left town. He’d be a fool to let her do it again.
He wouldn’t let himself, or his town, fall for Jodi Lynn Chapman.
No ma’am.

Karen Rock has adored romance since receiving Harlequin Presents books from her grandmother each summer. She formed her Young Adult writing partnership, J.K. Rock- pseudonym for the CAMP BOYFRIEND series, with her sister-in-law and Blaze author, Joanne Rock in 2011. When Karen heard of a call for submissions to Heartwarming, Harlequin’s latest line, she was inspired by the possibilities of writing unforgettable, deeply romantic, tender love stories that mothers would feel comfortable sharing with their daughters. When she’s not writing, Karen loves scouring estate sales for vintage books, cooking her grandmother's family recipes, hiking the ‘high peaks’, and redesigning her gardens. She lives in the Adirondack Mountain region with her husband, daughter, and two Cavalier King cocker spaniels who have yet to understand the concept of “fetch” though they know a lot about love.
For more information about Karen's upcoming books, check out her website, Facebook page, or follow her on twitter. She’d love to hear from you!

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