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Friday, October 23, 2015

The Rockstar Remedy Review

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5 out of 5 stars

So I read a lot of health and wellness books. It is a bit of a weakness for me. When I heard about The Rockstar Remedy I couldn't wait to read it and it didn't disappoint. While the information in The Rockstar Remedy is not necessarily new, it is presented in an interesting and different way. I found the books approach to health very holistic and realistic. The recommendations are easy to integrate into your lifestyle. I especially liked reading the little rockstar asides! I would definitely recommend The Rockstar Remedy to anyone looking to improve themselves, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.


The Rockstar Remedy Blog Tour Media Kit

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About the Author



Dr. Gabrielle Francis has been practicing natural medicine for more than thirty years.

She is a Naturopathic Doctor, Chiropractor, Acupuncturist, and Licensed Massage therapist. Dr. Francis currently practices in New York City as The Herban Alchemist.  She also operates Backstage Alternative, which is her natural medicine road show that provides chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, nutrition and herbal remedies to performing artists on tour. 



Dr. Francis received her formal medical training at National College of Chiropractic and at Bastyr University. She has extensive training in Alternative Cancer Therapies, Environmental Medicine, Functional Medicine, Mind-Body medicine, and Bio-Identical Hormone therapies. Following her formal medical education, Dr. Francis travelled extensively to various parts of the world studying medicine with indigenous healers in countries such as China, India, Thailand, Bali, Brazil, Morocco, Peru, Guatemala, Ecuador, Belize, Mexico, Egypt, and Mali. 

 

Stacy Baker Masand is a health, fitness and lifestyle editor whose work has appeared in magazines such as In Style, Marie Claire, Self, Shape, Fitness, DuJour and Women's Health. She's co-author of New York Times bestseller Your Best Body Now. Stacy is currently developing projects for both small and big screen.

Their latest book is the health/wellness/rocknroll book, The Rocstar Remedy.

For More Information

  • Visit Dr. Gabrielle Francis’ website.
  • Connect with Gabrielle on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Find out more about Gabrielle at Goodreads.
  • Connect with Gabrielle on Instagram.
  • Visit Gabrielle’s blog..
  • Contact Gabrielle.

About the Book:



Title: The Rockstar Remedy
Author: Dr. Gabrielle Francis with Stacy Baker Masand
Publisher: HarperCollins Wave
Pages: 330
Genre: Health and Wellness/Rock n Roll
Format: Paperback/Kindle/Nook

Known as the “Rock n’ Roll Doctor” to some of the most famous bands in the world, Dr. Gabrielle Francis shares her unique holistic prescription to achieving health and balance—even when you don’t live like a saint!

As a Holistic Doctor to the music industry’s elite, Dr. Francis has helped rock stars repair, recover, and refuel from the demanding schedules and occasional overindulgences that come along with the rock star lifestyle. Being overscheduled, sleep-deprived, overeating, drinking and managing physical and mental stressors aren’t lifestyle habits unique to the music industry; they are the same challenges faced by all of us, every day. 



In The Rockstar Remedy, Dr. Francis shares her unique strategies designed to be incorporated into your hectic lifestyle. Her programs are customized to meet you where you are at, whether an experienced health enthusiast or a beginner. Completing the 21 day detox will give you a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm for life, while looking and feeling your personal best. She explains how health is not a destination, but exists on a spectrum, and the simple act of making better choices every day—even if they’re not the best choices—helps us achieve balance in both mind and body. With tips for improving energy levels, easy food guidelines and a simple no-starvation detox, Dr. Francis offers a simple, effective plan for staying healthy and happy amid the chaos of our daily lives. Her popular “Harm Reduction Techniques” and “90/10 Rule” make it easy to celebrate life with occasional indulgences while maintaining good health. This is not a temporary fix; this program brings long-lasting, life-changing results. 



Now you can reach for the stars too!

For More Information


  • The Rockstar Remedy is available at Amazon.
  • Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:

The year is 1984.  I was fresh out of massage school… a ripe 19 years old.  My cousin worked for Belkin productions, the company that promoted Rock Concerts in Cleveland.  One day she called me and said, “ Cuz, such and such, the biggest name in rock n roll at the time, is coming to Cleveland and they want massages. I volunteered you.”   I was in a state of shock, but gladly accepted the offer.  Weirdly enough, I was not nervous or overly excited.   I felt I would be great for the job.



I arrived at the coliseum with my massage table in check, but I was secretly looking forward to the massive parties back stage.   To my dismay, the backstage seemed quite quiet.  All the artists were in their private dressing rooms and keeping to themselves.  I was taken to the catering hall and noticed that there was a completely organic and vegetarian spread.   In those days this was very rare and unheard of.  Whole Foods was not a household name.  I also noticed there was not an ounce of alcohol backstage.  The most intoxicating beverage I could find was Coca-Cola. Wives had taken the place of the groupies.  The Myth was shattered!



 The first artist I worked on was the Saxophone player.  He had the spiritual name, given to him by his Guru, on the dressing room door instead of his real name. When I entered his dressing room, I felt I had entered a Temple. It was lit with candles, incense permeated the air, and a picture of his Guru stared at me throughout the entire massage. I worked with most of the band that night just doing massage to get them ready for the marathon show.  There was a medical doctor backstage giving them B12 shots to boost their energy for the big performance.  Each artist was so thoughtful and down to earth.  I was taken by their humility and realness.  It was an ego-free zone. 



They put on a super 4-hour show that night.  I watched from backstage and I could see what an amazing dynamic a rock concert was.  The band gives energy to the audience. The audience gives love and more energy to the band.  The band gets high on the energy from the crowd. And it seems like it can go of forever.  The only thing that made the band come off the stage was the venue saying that they had to go.



 I will never forget that night as I saw the power of music to elevate the energy of a theater to a higher vibration.   It is no wonder that some people feel that going to a concert can be like a religious experience.  I decided Rock’n’Roll would be one of my religions too!  It would blend very well with my Catholic upbringing.  Catholics revere saints.  So, why not add a few like Jimi Hendrix, Patron Saint of the Wa Wa Pedal; Santana, the Archangel of Long Instrumental Grooves; Keith Richards, Holy Father of the Rhythm Guitar: and of course Our Lady Madonna. 



After the show, that band asked me to tour with them as a massage therapist. I had to say no because I was very committed to the idea of finishing medical school.

I regretted that decision for a very long time.  Luckily, I had the chance again almost 17 years later…



Read on…. BUY the ROCKSTAR REMEDY



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Thank you for hosting!



Media Contact:



Dorothy Thompson

Pump Up Your Book

P.O. Box 643

Chincoteague Island, Virginia 23336

Email: thewriterslife@gmail.com



    
Posted by Unknown at 2:35 PM No comments:
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Labels: 5 stars, healthy lifestyle, Review, rockstar

Saturday, October 10, 2015

A Killer Retreat Review

I love yoga so this book was made for me. Yoga instructor Kate Davidson heads to a retreat with her boyfriend, her dog, her best friend, and her best friend's husband. Kate is there to teach yoga to wedding guests for a week at the Elysian Springs retreat.
When the father of the brides young wife turns up dead everyone is a suspect. Including Kate. She will have to find the killer before she ends up in jail for murder.
A Killer Retreat is funny and fast paced. At first I was a little confused about the relationship between Kate and her boyfriend, but then I realized this was the second book. Reading the first book would probably explain their relationship a little better. Once I realized that I was able to dive into the book.
I would recommend A Killer Retreat to fans of cozies.

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Posted by Unknown at 4:58 PM No comments:
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Labels: 5 stars, Cozy Mystery, Review

Light (Dream Caster's) Review

Light is the first book in the Dream Caster's series. Chastity Blake has a normal life with her mom when strange things start happening.
Adrienne Woods does a great job of building a world very different from any I have ever read before. Her world is different and intriguing with a battle between good and evil.
While I loved the world building and the story I had difficulty connecting with characters and their struggle didn't seem real to me.
I would recommend this for fans of young adult fantasy.

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Posted by Unknown at 9:55 AM No comments:
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Labels: Review, YA

Saturday, August 15, 2015

2 Bodies for the Price of 1 Review

4 out of 5 stars

So the first Body Movers book I was sort of 'eh' about. But this second one I found hard to put down. The characters were all deeper. I found myself connecting with them rather than being frustrated by them. The pace was fast and kept me up reading! I will definitely be reading more in this series.

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Posted by Unknown at 9:08 AM No comments:
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Labels: mystery, Review

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Leave Yesterday Behind Review


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About the Author

As a child, Lauren Linwood gathered her neighborhood friends together and made up stories for them to act out, her first venture into creating memorable characters. Following her passion for history and love of learning, she became a teacher who began writing on the side to maintain her sanity in a sea of teenage hormones.

Lauren’s historical novels focus on two of her favorite eras—medieval times and the American Old West. History is the backdrop that places her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire and yearning for one another grows into the treasured gift of love. She also writes romantic suspense, where modern heroes and heroines unite to defeat a strong antagonist and discover a deep, abiding love during their journey.

Lauren, a native Texan, lives in a Dallas suburb with her family. An avid reader, moviegoer, and sports fan, she manages stress by alternating yoga with five mile walks. She is thinking about starting a support group for House Hunters addicts—as soon as she finishes her next piece of dark chocolate.

Her recent book is the romantic suspense, Leave Yesterday Behind.

For More Information

  • Visit Lauren Linwood’s website.
  • Connect with Lauren  on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Find out more about Lauren at Goodreads.
  • Visit Lauren’s blog.
  • More books by Lauren Linwood.
  • Contact Lauren.

About the Book:



Title: Leave Yesterday Behind
Author: Lauren Linwood
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Pages: 244
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Format: Kindle

Callie Chennault vaulted to fame on the nighttime soap Sumner Falls, but after a decade of playing the same role, she is ready for a new acting challenge. When Callie is attacked by a stalker on the streets of New York, she takes a leave of absence from the show and returns to her roots in Aurora, Louisiana, to heal both physically and emotionally and determine her next career move.



Former professional baseball pitcher Nick La Chappelle has also come to Aurora to lick his own wounds after a messy divorce. A Cy Young winner and one-time ESPN broadcaster, Nick longs for the quiet of a small town in order to write murder mysteries under a pen name.



Sparks fly when Callie believes Nick is taking advantage of her great-aunt’s hospitality, but they resolve their differences—and surprise themselves by falling in love. Their bond is tested when both Nick and Callie become the focus of a serial killer nicknamed Lipstick Larry. Can they outwit a murderer bent on seeing them dead and survive to build a lasting relationship?



Please paste a short book excerpt here.  This may be needed for promotional purposes.  If you can include the whole first chapter, there are special promotions for this.  If not, a one or two page excerpt from the beginning of your book will work fine.

For More Information


  • Leave Yesterday Behind is available at Amazon.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:

Maybe she should take a cab home. But her subway station was only a block and half away. It would be foolish to stand out in a downpour after nine at night when she could duck in and be on her way downtown in a couple of minutes. Callie liked that people left her alone on the subway. A few sometimes stared at her and frowned, wondering if they’d ever seen her before. Most turned away, not quite able to place her.

After all, she left Jessica behind at the studio every day. No chic clothes, Ravenous Red mouth, or fancy hairstyle. She didn’t often get recognized in real life unless it was a die-hard fan. Even then, most New Yorkers were cool about it and simply ignored her.

Chill out. Just move.

“Jessica?”

She turned automatically and saw a man standing behind her. He was probably the reason she’d had the feeling of being followed. He seemed a little out of breath, as if he’d been keeping up with her awhile. It had happened before. She knew it would happen again.

And always with this type.

He was non-descript in every way—average height and build, brown hair, glasses. Harmless looking. Dopey grin on his face, like he’d hit the lottery because he’d actually had the balls to speak to the crush of his daydreams. She knew enough to be firm. Give him a brief little personal moment, a smile and her signature on something, and get back to her life.

Then a quick flash of John Lennon signing an autograph for Mark David Chapman zipped through her brain. He’d been average, too.

And he’d killed Lennon hours after someone snapped a photograph of them together.

“You don’t look like Jessica up close.” His voice was silky, almost caressing, yet the tone was definitely disappointed.

Her pulse quickened. She took a step back to put a little distance between them and brushed against a brick wall.

“I like to give my skin a rest away from the studio. All that heavy make-up and hairspray can cause a girl some damage.” She kept her tone calm and friendly as she glanced over the man’s shoulder.

No one was in sight.

“I want to see Jessica. She’s my favorite.”

He pulled something from his pocket and held it up. “Put this on. It’ll help. It’s the perfect shade.” He smiled shyly. “I’ll even let you do it. You’re the expert.” He reached out and grabbed her wrist and laid the item in her hand before letting go.

Chills ran through her as she opened her palm. In it lay a gold tube of Jessica’s signature Ravenous Red.

A knife appeared, clutched in the stranger’s left hand. Callie’s heart beat erratically. Her words died in her throat.

“Don’t worry,” he said softly. “You know how to be Jessica whenever you want.”

Her palms grew damp. The lipstick he’d given her almost slipped from her hand.

“Jessica likes to be seen wearing this color. Put it on. Now.” His voice was quiet, but the underlying threat hung in the air all the same.

Callie brought a shaking hand to her mouth and realized the lid was still on. She removed it and twisted a few turns before she lifted the lipstick close again.

Oh, God, she was so nervous. She stroked color onto her upper lip and then across the bottom. Her hand slipped, though, and a searing red line jutted across her lower cheek.

“You made a mistake. Wipe it off. Do it again. It has to be perfect.” The tone was deadly.

“I’ll need some cold cream. Red stains pretty badly.” She gulped air, trying to calm herself. She couldn’t let this guy see how rattled she was. “And I know you want this to be perfect. So do I.”

“I can fix it.”

She watched him pull a tissue from his jacket pocket. He gave it a lick and then stroked it down her cheek to her jaw several times.

“That’s better,” he said, dreamily smiling as he inspected his work. “Now try again.”

Her eyes met his, and Callie prayed her hands would stop shaking enough for her to get it right.

Review:
4 out of 5 stars

Callie Chennault is an actress famous for her role as the notorious Jessica on a daytime soap. Beautiful and talented Callie plays the fan favorite Jessica with ease, but not all fans can tell the difference between Callie and the role she plays. When Callie is attacked by a stalker her world falls apart. She leaves her acting life behind and heads home to Alabama to heal. In Alabama she meets author and former baseball player Nick La Chappelle who is escaping his own demons. Callie is hoping being home will heal her little does she know there is a bigger danger stalking her and Nick both.

Leave Yesterday Behind is a great romantic suspense. The characters and believable and tension builds. Callie goes through numerous ups and downs throughout the book and the author does a good job of evolving her character. I wish that Nick had shown up a little sooner in the book so I could have connected better with him. In all I would recommend Leave Yesterday Behind for fans of romantic suspense.
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Labels: Indie fiction, Review, Romantic Suspense

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Promo Post: Below the Water Line

 

Title: Below the Water Line: Getting Out, Going Back, and Moving Forward in the Decade After Hurricane Katrina
Author: Lisa Karlin
Publisher: Centennial Publishers
Pages: 376
Genre: Memoir
Format: Paperback 14.97/Kindle 9.99/Audio 22.99

Below the Water Line provides a gripping account of a family’s hurricane evacuation experiences and all that followed in the decade after Hurricane Katrina. The story begins in August 2005, when author Lisa Karlin, her husband, thirteen-year-old daughter, eleven-year-old son, and two dogs evacuated New Orleans for what they thought would be a two-day “hurrication.” The day-by-day account of the weeks that follow vividly chronicles the unprecedented displacement of thousands of Americans, and on a personal level, describes how her family makes the trifecta of major life decisions: where to live, where to work, and where to enroll their children in school. Below the Water Line provides a first-hand commentary on how everyday life has been impacted by Katrina’s aftermath and how, a decade later, there are still lingering effects of one of the most devastating events in American history.
 
 

For More Information


  • Below the Water Line: Getting Out, Going Back, and Moving Forward in the Decade After Hurricane Katrina is available at Amazon.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
 
 
 
About the Author
Lisa Karlin is the author of Below the Water Line: Getting Out, Going Back, and Moving Forward in the Decade After Hurricane Katrina. She is an oncology nurse who, unlike weather chasers who look for storms to track, has had the weather chase her, and these experiences are described in her memoir. Lisa lives in New Orleans, Louisiana with her husband, daughter, son, and Yellow Lab named Buddy.
For More Information
  • Visit Lisa Karlin’s website.
  • Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Contact Lisa.
 

Book Excerpt:

The pool water is bathtub warm, and the sky is postcard-perfect, clear and blue.

Thirteen-year-old Samantha floats on a raft near me. My daughter has carefully positioned herself with her arms extended by her sides and her chin tilted up toward the sun. Since school started last week, her tan has faded and she is determined to preserve it. She lies perfectly still; her only movement is the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she breathes.

A major hurricane named Katrina lurks just a few hundred miles away, out in the Gulf of Mexico, but we are not concerned. Landfall predictions are still uncertain, and I’m expecting that this hurricane will turn to the east or west and spare New Orleans, just like all of the hurricanes in the past forty years have done. 

I take notice when I come in from the pool, turn on the television, and see the satellite image showing that Katrina has increased in intensity, and is now bigger than the state of Texas. Even so, the hurricane watch area extends all the way from western Louisiana to the eastern edge of the Florida panhandle. Anything can happen with this hurricane at this point.

Late in the afternoon, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin calls for a voluntary evacuation. He says he’s adhering to the state's evacuation plan, and will not order a mandatory evacuation until thirty hours before Katrina’s expected landfall so that people living in low-lying surrounding areas can leave first and avoid gridlocked escape routes.

My eleven-year-old son calls and tells me he’s ready to be picked up from his friend Colin’s house. On the stoop outside their house, Colin’s father asks if we are evacuating, and I tell him my plan is to watch the news and The Weather Channel and then decide. If Jim Cantore shows up in New Orleans, then we’re going to skedaddle, since he always seems to broadcast from the bulls-eye of a storm. Colin’s father says he plans to see how things look in the morning. And I have jury duty on Tuesday, I tell him. Can’t miss that!

My son John and I make a quick stop at Breaux Mart on the way home. Cars circle the parking lot, competing for the few open spaces. The store is clogged with people, and many shelves already are bare. I dispatch John to see if there are any hamburger buns still on the shelf. He reports back that just a few packages remain and like a fisherman, proudly holds up his catch. I see a few scattered packages of ground beef lying in a refrigerator case, and speed up to get there before anyone else does.

There’s nervous chatter in the long checkout line as people debate hunkering down or getting on the road. Older folks recall evacuating in ’92 after Hurricane Andrew blasted across southern Florida, and then entered the Gulf of Mexico and headed toward Louisiana. Andrew made landfall as a category 3 hurricane a couple of hours west of New Orleans, so we dodged that bullet. Hurricane Alberto in ’94 looked like it was headed for New Orleans, but veered off to the Florida Panhandle. And no one could forget evacuating for Hurricane Ivan last year and the arduous, tortuous process that was.

With ample time in the checkout line, many evacuation stories are told, eliciting nods of recognition from the people standing in the adjacent lines. We know all too well what it was like to batten-down the house, creep north along the interstates, spend a sleepless night out, and return a day or two later to sunny, intact New Orleans to start reversing the process. “Here we go again,” another “hurrication,” seems to be the sentiment of many in line. A number of people say they’re waiting to see how things look in the morning.

It’s inconceivable that a major hurricane is headed this way. The sky is clear, the air is still, and the sunset is spectacular. Buddy, our 80-pound yellow Lab, takes a leisurely swim in our pool while we eat dinner on the patio. It’s just another ordinary day.

All evening long, we wear down the television remote jumping from station to station. We, too, have decided to see how things look in the morning, knowing that a lot can happen in twelve hours. I’m still predicting that fateful turn that hurricanes take at the last minute, the turn that produces a collective sigh of relief from the people in their initial path.

We watch evacuation footage and see that even with the contraflow on the interstate this year, it’s no better than last September when about half of the people in New Orleans evacuated for Hurricane Ivan. Despite six lanes of traffic all heading westward, the traffic on Interstate 10 does not move at all. People are standing beside their cars, an impromptu and odd social gathering of sorts. Good thing we didn’t leave tonight, I tell my husband, Rich. We’d be stuck out there on the highway in the dark. I can’t imagine our family—two adults, two kids, and two dogs—inching along the interstate all night.

John plops down on the couch and announces that it would be fun (fun?) to evacuate at night. He tells us he would bed-down in our car, tell the dogs goodnight, and go to sleep. Rich raises his eyebrows.  He knows our two kids would be squabbling before we back out of the driveway. And there’s no telling how Buddy and John’s 12-pound Jack Russell Terrier, which he named Jack, would handle a long car ride. We have trouble driving around the neighborhood with our dogs, and with our kids for that matter.

A news announcer casually mentions that Pat Sajak and Vanna White, who are in town taping New Orleans-themed episodes of Wheel of Fortune, have cut production short and are leaving. The “Wheelmobile” and eight tractor trailers of equipment are being readied for departure. It is the first time in its thirty-year history that the long-running game show cancels taping.

I silently pray that Katrina weakens and changes course, but the latest information indicates that this hurricane is strengthening and coming our way. Local weatherman Bob Breck pronounces that “the water will be so high that you’ll be on the roof with the cockroaches!”

Around 10 p.m., we are surprised to see Mayor Ray Nagin back on TV. He looks just as surprised to be on TV; earlier today, he said he would issue his next statement in the morning. The mayor says he received a phone call from Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco, who in turn had received a call from the National Hurricane Center Director. The news is not good. As Nagin puts it, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is not a test. This is the real deal.”
Posted by Unknown at 3:30 AM No comments:
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Labels: Memoir, promo post

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Redemption preview!!

For your reading enjoyment, the first chapter of Redemption! Enjoy!


Chapter 1


I needed to get into prison.

Not something a thirty-two year old writer normally aspires to, but these were desperate times.

It was the third time in a week that I was sitting in the lobby of the Philadelphia Federal Detention Center, a multistory building located on Arch Street. Prisoners housed here are waiting for trial or are serving short sentences. The prison is famous for being where rapper Lil’ Kim stayed for eleven months.

I was not visiting because of Lil’ Kim. In January, Grant McCairn, a hired thug, had assaulted me in my home. He was currently a prisoner in this detention center and I was desperate to talk to him. I had been to the Detention Center twelve times and barely made it past the lobby. This was lucky visit thirteen.

I shifted my weight on the uncomfortable white, or formerly white, plastic chair and listened to the second hand tick on the clock above me. I had already been waiting for fifteen minutes. Any moment now I expected the guard to step out and say I was not on the accepted visitors list. Considering that was the answer I had received every time I attempted a visit, I was anticipating the denial any minute.

It didn’t make the waiting any easier. My knee jittered up and down in time with my heartbeat as my mind scrolled through the questions I was desperate to ask. The answers I was desperately seeking. My hand tightened around the leather strap of my bag as the guard called my name.

“Charlotte Marshall?”

I wiped palms gone sweaty down my jeans as I stood up and slid the strap of my bag onto my shoulder. My sneakers squeaked as I walked across to the window where the guard waited. I worked to keep my face calm, but I felt myself wince inside.

The guard leaned his muscular arms on the counter and looked at me, his wide face impassive.

“I’m sorry ma’am. You are not an approved visitor.”

I sighed. “Is there anyone I can talk to? Can I send a note to Mr. McCairn?”

“No Ma’am.”

“Can I speak with a social worker?”

“No, Ma’am.”

“Can I speak with the Warden?”

“No, Ma’am.”

I looked at the guard. He looked back at me. I guessed he didn’t have anything else to say. Really, what else was there to say? I had sent letters. I had left messages. Grant McCairn wouldn’t see me, and he had the right to refuse visitors. I could come to this building however many times I wanted to, but unless Grant McCairn agreed to see me, I wasn’t getting past the security doors.

“Thank you.” I smiled. The guard didn’t smile back. I couldn’t blame him.

I exited the cool and quiet lobby to the hot and noisy streets of Philadelphia in summer. My dark blue eyes squinted in the sun and I fumbled in my bag for sunglasses before starting off down the sidewalk. My car was parked a few blocks away which left me with several minutes of walking to think. I had been trying to get in and speak to Grant McCairn ever since he was arrested for breaking into my home and assaulting me.

With a few exceptions, no one understood why I wanted to talk to him. But he was my connection, my link to my own personal monster. Georgia Layeen sent him to kill me with the message that he was a gift from her. This was after she taunted me with emails and flowers. After she threatened me and reminded me of the horror I had been through at the hands of serial killer Lawrence Pheares; a man responsible for the death of twenty-three teenaged girls.

Grant McCairn was my link to her, my only hope of finding and beating Georgia. I was convinced I needed to speak with him. So far, he didn’t want to speak with me and my FBI friend, Jack Moore, was being stubborn about helping me.

I let out a sigh as I walked, one of those long, drawn-out, put-upon sighs. It didn’t appear that I was going to get into see McCairn.

A little over a year ago my life changed dramatically when I uncovered evidence that a serial killer, Lawrence Pheares, had preyed upon teenaged girls. A killer responsible for the death of twenty-three young teenagers. One whose partner, Georgia Layeen, was still at large.

I beat him. I survived, along with Jack Moore. Now I was a target of his partner, or his lover--I still wasn’t clear on what their relationship was. What I knew, in the very marrow of my bones, was that Georgia Layeen was still out there. Still stalking me. Still waiting to do me harm.

After McCairn’s attack things were quiet, but I felt her out there, a malevolent presence waiting and watching. A pregnant pause whose birth promised suffering and death. Georgia wasn’t done with me yet.

______

A stale breeze barely stirred the air as I turned into the parking lot. I lifted my light blonde hair up to let the breeze slide against the back of my neck. It was a hot summer and in the middle of the city with buildings all around the heat was oppressive. In a few months it would be even worse. It’s at times like this that I really want to chop my hair into something cute, light, and, most importantly, cool. I keep my hair long because I spend my time writing or training. Long hair that I can easily put in a pony-tail or braid is easiest to deal with when sparing.

I entered the parking lot and started toward the back were my boxy black SUV, Bertha, was parked. Last year I practically lived in Bertha while I was on the run from Lawrence Pheares. Then a few months ago Bertha took a bullet for me along the side of a road in Virginia. Okay she didn’t jump in front of me or anything, but there was still a hole in her right side panel from the bullet that almost left a hole in my head. I feel a sentimental attachment to her, like she is an old friend. She instills a sense of safety when I see her. I survived in that boxy SUV.

I grinned as I walked towards her. I reached into my bag and pulled out my keys. I held my hair off of my sweaty neck as I pushed the unlock button on the key fob.

The blast knocked me back and off my feet. A wave of heat and sound rushed over me as car alarms blared and my head hit the pavement. Darkness threatened and my vision went blurry. I rolled to my side and tried to push myself up. My head throbbed and I automatically reached my hand up to explore why. It came away sticky and red. I looked up to see Bertha engulfed in flames.

I lurched to my feet and staggered towards the fire in horror and shock. My throat tightened and my eyes watered from the billowing smoke.

“BERTHA.” I tried to scream, but my voice cracked and my ears buzzed.

I stumbled a few steps toward the heat of Bertha’s remains before my legs gave out. I collapsed. A figure dropped down in front of me. The lot attendant grabbed my shoulders. I could tell he was talking to me because his lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear anything he said. Everything felt a million miles away. I was dizzy, hurt, lost. Bertha. I knew she was just a car, but she felt like more to me. She felt like safety. Watching her burn hurt more than my scrapes and banged head.
 

If you enjoyed the preview, pre-order Redemption today!

Redemption

Plus the first two books in the series!

Run and Stand
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Labels: Charlotte Marshall Mysteries, Pre-order, Preview

Monday, July 6, 2015

Redemption Blurb!

Special thanks to my sister for the awesome blurb!

Charlotte Marshall’s life changed dramatically when she uncovered a serial killer and narrowly escaped alive. With Lawrence Pheares gone, relationships more validated and trusted than ever, and a new book just aching to be written, careless bliss should have been just around the corner. But when her car is bombed and her worst intuitions realized, a dangerous game of revenge begins to unravel, and for the elusive killer with dark secrets, this time its personal. With all she loves threatened and time running out, Charlotte must outwit her deadliest adversary yet before evil can destroy all she holds dear. A fast-paced, suspenseful, cat-and-mouse story with shocking twists around ever page turn, Redemption keeps the heart pounding and intrigue building for both experienced Charlotte Marshall fans and those new to the series alike.
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Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Charlotte Marshall Mysteries

July is a big month for Charlotte Marshall Mysteries!

Run is on a blog tour.
http://www.enchantedbookpromotions.com/th_gallery/deluxe-book-tour-for-run/

runbanner
We set up a deluxe book tour for mystery / suspense “Run”. The tour runs from July 1 to August 1.

Tour Schedule

July 1st: Starter Day Party @ I Heart Reading
July 2nd: Promo Post @ Indy Book Fairy
July 2nd: Author Interview @ Author C.A. Milson
July 4th: Promo Post @ I’m an Eclectic Reader
July 5th: Author Interview @ Majanka’s Blog
July 6th: Promo Post @ Bookaholic Ramblings
July 8th: Book Review @ Author C.J. Anaya’s Blog
July 10th: Promo Post @ Hollow Readers
July 12th: Promo Post and Author Interview @ BooksChatter
July 14th: Promo Post @ 365 Days of Reading
July 15th: Author Interview @ Editor Charlene’s Blog
July 17th: Promo Post @ The Book Daily
July 18th: Book Review @ I Heart Reading
July 20th: Promo Post @ Undercover Book Reviews
July 22nd: Author Interview @ The Single Librarian
July 23rd: Promo Post @ Bedazzled Reading
July 24th: Book Review @ Books are Forever
July 25th: Promo Post @ Rising Indies United
July 27th: Promo Post @ Cassidy Crimson’s Blog
July 28th: Book Review @ My So Called Book Reviews
July 30th: Promo Post @ Bookish Madness
August 1st: Author Interview @ Aurelia (Lit)

About The Book

Run-ebook-webTitle: Run
Author: Becky Johnson
Genre: Mystery / Suspense
A decades old mystery and a deadly game of cat and mouse will change Charlotte Marshall forever.
Charlotte has a good life: friends, family, a successful career. Her perfect life is destroyed when research for a book and a connection from her past plunges her into the middle of her worst nightmare.
On the run, with no one to trust, Charlotte begins to unravel the work of a sadistic murderer. Afraid and alone, she will learn the meaning of trust and just when to run.

Author Bio

Run is Becky Johnson’s first published novel, but not her first book. Books are Becky’s passion and always have been. She used to get in trouble in school for reading during class! Becky has Master’s degrees in social work and history, and for her day job she is a social worker. In her writing she tries to answer a question that is important to both social work and history: Why? She always wants to know why people do the things they do or feel the way they feel. When not reading or writing she enjoys yoga, running, cooking, and makes a pretty mean chili!

Run is also available via Smashwords for a limited time. I have a coupon code for 50% for my followers here. Just enter code YQ26M at checkout.

Smashwords

Also Redemption is available for pre-order and set to be released July 21, 2015. I can hardly believe it. I will have excerpts available shortly.
Amazon
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Labels: 50% off, Charlotte Marshall Mysteries, Redemption, Run

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Baggage Claim Review

3 out of 5 stars

Baggage Claim is fast paced and a definite page turner. I read it in an afternoon! Rachel is on a once in a lifetime trip to New York when a problem with her luggage lands her in the middle of a terrorist plot. With the help of Homeland Security she is fighting just to survive.
I enjoyed this book, but something about it just felt a little unfinished. I think I didn't really feel connected to the characters and it made it hard for me to connect to the story. In all it was an enjoyable read.

22750834
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Labels: Christian, Review, suspense

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Shop Till You Drop Review

4 out of 5 stars

This is the first book I have read by Elaine Viets. Helen is stuck in a dead end job in an exclusive clothing store. She lives paycheck to paycheck and avoids drawing any attention to herself. When she starts seeing suspicious activity around the store she doesn't want to believe, but when someone ends up dead she knows she's in the middle of something bad. The cops and looking at her, the exclusive clientele all have secrets, and Helen just wants to make it out alive.
It took me a little while to get into Shop Till You Drop, but the last 100 pages flew by. The book and the characters pick up momentum as it goes. There were some scenes and characters that seemed unnecessary to the plot that I thought slowed down the first half. I will definitely read the next book in the series though!

810473
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Labels: Cozy Mystery, Review

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Redemption!!

Redemption is available for pre-order!! Get your copy today and have it ready for release day on July 21, 2015.
 
Click here to pre-order!
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Labels: Pre-order, Redemption, release date

Monday, June 8, 2015

Hour Game Review

5 out of 5 stars

I liked the first King and Maxwell book - this second one is better. I loved it! What really made the book for me was the relationship between Sean King and Michelle Maxwell. It was funny and real and made me want to meet them. The mystery was full of twists and turns, and the story was fast paced. I couldn't put it down. I definitely recommend this book!

882437
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Labels: 5 stars, favorite author, mystery/suspense, recommended read

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Saint's Gate Review

4 out of 5 stars

Saint's Gate is my first Carla Neggers book. I probably would never have read it if not the 2015 challenge I am doing. This is a book and author I am glad the challenge introduced me to. I really liked the main character Emma. I liked that she was a nun and how that was dealt with in the book. I found her peaceful demeanor to be an interesting contrast to the murder mystery. I will definitely be reading more by Carla Neggers.

10767825
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Labels: mystery/suspense, Review

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Cover Reveal!!

The Delmar Shark Chronicles: Breach (Book 4)




 


Prince Mako Delmar lives life at breakneck speed - adventurous, a daredevil, reckless.  He loves a good adrenaline rush, especially when it involves ditching his royal bodyguards. 


He expects a holiday chock full of thrills when he travels to South Africa and comes face-to-face with the ultimate in high adventure – breaching Great White Sharks.  What he doesn’t count on is crossing paths with the lovely American heiress, Harlow Karnes, whose beauty and charm pit Mako against his friends and distract him from the things he loves most.  But he soon learns that people are not always what they seem.


After a series of unexpected events, Mako is forced to reconsider his impulsive lifestyle, but is it too late?


What early readers are saying about the fourth novel in the Delmar Shark Chronicles series:
Trilling!
Captivating!
Suspenseful!
Couldn't put it down!

Publication date for Breach will be May 30th.
Visit author Heidi Peltier's website at http://heidipeltier.wix.com/squalo for ordering information.

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Labels: cover, Delmar Shark Chronicles

Sunday, May 24, 2015

I am so excited to announce the new covers for Run and Stand. Also I will have a cover release for Redemption - the final book in the Charlotte Marshall Mystery series - on June 10th. I also have a release date for Redemption, July 21, 2015.





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Labels: New covers, Run, Stand

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

The Lanvin Murders Review

4 out of 5 stars

The Lanvin Murders is my first book buy Angela Sanders. It took me a few chapters to really get into the story, but once I was into it I couldn't  put it down! I loved the main character Joanna. She owns a vintage clothing story and in many ways lives in the past frequently dressing in vintage clothing and with no cell phone or computer. I liked the supporting characters, especially Apple. The mystery really kept me guessing and the ending was a surprise. I would definitely recommend The Lanvin Murders.

22595399
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Labels: Cozy Mystery, Review

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Aunt Bessie Assumes Review

3 out of 5 stars

This was a free read I picked up from Amazon. The writing is good and the characters are cute, but it didn't really draw me. It felt a bit too much like a stereotypical cozy. Single older woman finds a dead body, befriends the investigating officer, and never gets in trouble for questioning witnesses and going to the crime scene. If you are a fan of cozies you probably would like it, but I don't think I will be reading any more in this series.

22293409
Posted by Unknown at 7:27 PM No comments:
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Labels: Cozy Mystery, Free, Review

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Innocent in Las Vegas Review

4 out of 5 stars

Innocent in Las Vegas is a fun mystery that had me laughing out loud. I would definitely read more in this series. Tiffany Black is a blackjack dealer who just got her first case as a PI from an old high school friend. As she stumbles her way through the investigation she uncovers affairs, blackmail, and card counting. With the help of a new friend Stone and a few cupcakes along the way she'll figure out whodunit.
Innocent in Las Vegas is well written and fun. There were a few typos that were somewhat distracting, but overall it was enjoyable and well worth the read.

22925920
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Labels: Cozy Mystery, mystery/suspense, Review

Thursday, April 30, 2015

After She's Gone Cover Reveal


 
 
Lisa Jackson Bio:
Lisa Jackson is the number-one New York Times bestselling author of more than 85 novels, includingAfraid to Die, Tell Me, You Don’t Want to Know, Running Scared, Without Mercy, Malice, and Shiver. She is also the co-author of the Colony Series, co-written with her sister, Nancy Bush. There are over 20 million copies of Lisa Jackson’s books in print in twenty languages.
 
Before she became a nationally bestselling author, Lisa Jackson was a mother struggling to keep food on the table by writing novels, hoping against hope that someone would pay her for them. Today, neck deep in murder, her books appear on The New York Times, the USA Today, and thePublishers Weekly national bestseller lists.
 
With over thirty bestsellers to her name, Lisa Jackson is a master of taking readers to the edge of sanity – and back – in novels that buzz with dangerous secrets and deadly passions.  She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional and downright twisted.  As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims, and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families.
For More Information
Visit Lisa’s website.
Connect with Lisa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads
 
 
Title: After She’s Gone
Author: Lisa Jackson
Publisher: Kensington Books
 
Cassie Kramer and her younger sister, Allie, learned the hazards of fame long ago. Together, they’d survived the horror of a crazed fan who nearly killed their mother, former Hollywood actress Jenna Hughes. Still, Cassie moved to L.A., urging Allie to follow. As a team, they’d take the town by storm.  But Allie, finally free of small-town Oregon, and just that little bit more beautiful, also proved to be more talented—and driven. Where Cassie got bit parts, Allie rose to stardom. But now her body double has been shot on the set of her latest movie—and Allie is missing.
Police discover that the last call to Allie’s phone came from Cassie, though she has no recollection of making it. Instead of looking like a concerned relative, Cassie is starting to look like a suspect—the jealous sister who finally grew sick of playing a supporting role. As the tabloids go into a frenzy, Cassie ends up on a Portland psych ward. Is she just imagining the sinister figure who comes to her bedside, whispering about Allie—a visitor of whom there is no record? Is someone trying to help—or drive her mad?
 
Convinced she’s the only one who can find Allie, Cassie checks herself out of the hospital. But a sudden slew of macabre murders— each victim masked with a likeness of a member of Cassie’s family—makes Cassie fear for her safety and her sanity. The only way to end the nightmare is to find out what really happened to Allie. And with each discovery, Cassie realizes that no one can be trusted to keep her safe—least of all herself…
 
PRE-ORDER INFORMATION
After She’s Gone is available for pre-order at  Amazon, Kobo and Google Play
 


Posted by Unknown at 12:00 PM No comments:
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Labels: cover reveal, Lisa Jackson, mystery/suspense
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Want to Read

Becky's bookshelf: to-read

The Lincoln Lawyer
0 of 5 stars
The Lincoln Lawyer
by Michael Connelly
tagged: to-read
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
0 of 5 stars
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
by Ken Kesey
tagged: to-read
A is for Alibi
0 of 5 stars
A is for Alibi
by Sue Grafton
tagged: to-read
Split Second
0 of 5 stars
Split Second
by David Baldacci
tagged: to-read
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
0 of 5 stars
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
by Erik Larson
tagged: to-read

goodreads.com

Currently Reading

Becky's bookshelf: currently-reading

The Help
0 of 5 stars
The Help
by Kathryn Stockett
tagged: currently-reading
Into the Veil
0 of 5 stars
Into the Veil
by Jennifer R. McDonald
tagged: currently-reading

goodreads.com

Blog Archive

  • ►  2016 (16)
    • ►  November (1)
    • ►  October (2)
    • ►  July (4)
    • ►  May (1)
    • ►  April (1)
    • ►  February (2)
    • ►  January (5)
  • ▼  2015 (40)
    • ▼  October (3)
      • The Rockstar Remedy Review
      • A Killer Retreat Review
      • Light (Dream Caster's) Review
    • ►  August (3)
      • 2 Bodies for the Price of 1 Review
      • Leave Yesterday Behind Review
      • Promo Post: Below the Water Line
    • ►  July (3)
      • Redemption preview!!
      • Redemption Blurb!
      • Charlotte Marshall Mysteries
    • ►  June (5)
      • Baggage Claim Review
      • Shop Till You Drop Review
      • Redemption!!
      • Hour Game Review
      • Saint's Gate Review
    • ►  May (5)
      • Cover Reveal!!
      • I am so excited to announce the new covers for Run...
      • The Lanvin Murders Review
      • Aunt Bessie Assumes Review
      • Innocent in Las Vegas Review
    • ►  April (6)
      • After She's Gone Cover Reveal
    • ►  March (5)
    • ►  February (4)
    • ►  January (6)
  • ►  2014 (75)
    • ►  December (8)
    • ►  November (9)
    • ►  October (8)
    • ►  September (10)
    • ►  August (14)
    • ►  July (19)
    • ►  June (7)

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2014 Reading Challenge

2014 Reading Challenge
Becky has read 7 books toward a goal of 75 books.
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7 of 75 (9%)
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