With thanks, as always, to Rachel.

The Drumbeats Trilogy

The love of a woman and the story of a country.

It’s 1965 and 18 year old Jess escapes her stifling English background for a gap year in Ghana, West Africa. Over the next three evocative novels, follow her journey as she encounters new cultures and loves in this stirring series.

The Drumbeats Trilogy is a passionate saga of love, betrayal and second chances – and of one woman’s bid to reclaim her self-belief and trust. A feel-good up-lit story of a woman’s strength and spirit rising above adversity. 

Omnibus Purchase Link –

http://mybook.to/DrumbeatsOmnibus

Guest post…..

Ten Things About Me:

1. I live in the heart of the English countryside, would have loved to be an interior designer, and have renovated a Victorian rectory (not entirely on my own!)

2. I’ve published 6 books so far, in about 7 years, but I wasn’t sure which genre I wanted to write in so I’ve written memoir/history of food/recipe book (The Old Rectory: escape to a Country Kitchen) http://myBook.to/TheOldRectory, a children’s medieval fantasy (S.C.A.R.S) http://myBook.to/SCARSchildrensbook , a women’s fiction trilogy (Drumbeats, Walking in the Rain, Finding Jess) http://mybook.to/DrumbeatsOmnibus and an early medieval time-slip mystery (A Shape on the Air) http://myBook.to/ASOTA . I’m most proud of the lovely reader reviews I’ve had for all my books, especially the last one for A Shape on the Air which said it was “in the best Barbara Erskine tradition” – and I love Barbara Erskine’s historical time-slips!

3. I’ve now decided I like writing medieval time-slip or multi-period mystery best, so this is my new direction – I’ve found my genre at last! But I need to add that I loved writing every one of my books, and there was an inspirational story behind each one.

4. Although I’ve always written, and wrote my first full length novel at age 10, I only began writing for publication (my publisher is Endeavour) about 7 years ago.

5. The career which paid the mortgage (I was a single parent for 10 years) has been as a school teacher (Head of English and Drama) and a university lecturer/researcher/Director of Studies.

6. Now that I write fulltime, I swim 25 lengths of the pool most mornings before I get down to writing, and have about 30 minutes in the gym. I love walking in the beautiful countryside around my home. I’m an outdoor person so at the first glimpse of sunshine I’m in the garden or on a walk round the village.

7. The publication I’m currently promoting is The Drumbeats Trilogy http://myBook.to/DrumbeatsOmnibus , which is just out in an Omnibus edition. The trilogy is a passionate study of love, betrayal and second chances – and of one woman’s bid to reclaim her self-belief and trust. It is a feel-good ‘up-lit’ story of a woman’s strength and spirit rising above adversity. All the three are available separately but for the first time they are all together in one – and at a lower price! (currently £5.99)

8. The first of the Drumbeats trilogy (Drumbeats) http://myBook.to/Drumbeatstrilogy is set in 1965 in Ghana, West Africa, and is something I have wanted to write for many years, since I lived and worked there. It’s about Jess as an 18 year old on her gap year, so it’s a ‘coming of age’ story, a romance, but set against the dangers of civil war and a mystery … Jess’s story then continues with Walking in the Rain and finally Finding Jess http://myBook.to/WalkingintheRainDrumbeatstrilogy and http://mybook.to/FindingJess .

9. My work-in-progress is a medieval multi-period mystery, working title Azulejo, set in Madeira where we have an apartment, and reflects the early history of the island. It moves between the present day, the 14^th century and the 16^th century. Again, like Drumbeats, it’s a story I’ve wanted to write for years.

10. Not many people know that I have a PhD in linguistics, I studied medieval history, language and literature for my first degree and learned to speak in Anglo-Saxon, I’ve trained as a yoga teacher and I’ve sung in several choirs, including a church choir (currently) and a rock choir.

All my books are available on Amazon, in ebook and paperback editions:

http://Author.to/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

But do check out my other sites:

Author website: https://juliaibbotsonauthor.com/

Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuliaIbbotson

Pinterest page: includes boards with pics and images that inspired each book

http://pinterest.com/juliai1/

Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/juliaibbotson

Drumbeats

It’s 1965 and 18 year old Jess escapes her stifling English background for a gap year in Ghana, West Africa. But it’s a time of political turbulence across the region. Fighting to keep her young love who she believes is waiting back in England, she’s thrown into the physical dangers of civil war, tragedy, and the emotional conflict of a disturbing new relationship. So why do the drumbeats haunt her dreams?

This is a rite of passage story which takes the reader hand in hand with Jess on her journey towards growing into the adult world.

Drumbeats Purchase Link http://myBook.to/Drumbeatstrilogy

Walking in the Rain

Jess happily marries the love of her life She wants to feel safe, secure and loved. But gradually it becomes clear that her beloved husband is not the man she thought him to be. She survived civil war and injury in Africa, but can she now survive the biggest challenge of her life?

Walking in the Rain purchase Link http://myBook.to/WalkingintheRainDrumbeatstrilogy

Finding Jess

Single mother, Jess, has struggled to get her life back on track after the betrayal of her beloved husband and her best friend. When she is on the brink of losing everything, including her family and her job, she feels that she can no longer trust anyone. Then she is sent a mysterious newspaper clipping of a temporary post back in Ghana. Could this be her lifeline? Can Jess turn back time and find herself again? And what, exactly, will she find?

Finding Jess is a passionate story of love, betrayal and second chances – and of one woman’s bid to reclaim her self-belief and trust. It is a feel-good story of a woman’s strength and spirit rising above adversity.

Finding Jess purchase link http://mybook.to/FindingJess

Author Bio –

Award-winning author Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and concepts of time travel. She read English at Keele University, England (after a turbulent but exciting gap year in Ghana, West Africa) specialising in medieval language, literature and history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. She wrote her first novel at 10 years of age, but became a school teacher, then a university lecturer and researcher. Finding Jess (2018) is her sixth book and the last of the Drumbeats trilogy (which begins and ends in Ghana). Apart from insatiable reading, she loves travelling the world, singing in choirs, swimming, yoga and walking in the countryside in England and Madeira where she and her husband divide their time.

Acclaimed author of:

Drumbeats (2015), the first of the trilogy set in 1960s Ghana: sometimes you have to escape to find yourself.

Walking in the Rain (2016), the second in the trilogy set in 1970s and 1980s England: never give up on your dreams.

Finding Jess (2018), the last of the trilogy set in 1990s England and Ghana: can the past ever be left behind?

Also by Julia Ibbotson:

A Shape on the Air (2017): historical (Dark Ages/early medieval) time–slip romance. Two women 1,500 years apart, with one aim: to reclaim their dreams and fight the dangers that threaten them both across the ages …

The Old Rectory: Escape to a Country Kitchen, (first published 2011, rereleased 2017) a feel-good story of the renovation of a Victorian rectory interwoven with period recipes to feed the soul, all from the rectory kitchen.

S.C.A.R.S (first published 2012, rereleased 2016) (children’s novel): a troubled boy slips through a tear in the fabric of the universe into a parallel medieval fantasy world of knights, dragons, and a quest for the triumph of Good over Evil. But can he save himself?

Social Media Links –

Facebook Author page:

https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Twitter:

@JuliaIbbotson

https://twitter.com/JuliaIbbotson

 Author website:

https://juliaibbotsonauthor.com/

Pinterest page: includes boards with pics and images that inspired each book

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/juliai1/

Goodreads author page:

https://www.goodreads.com/juliaibbotson

RNA (Romantic Novelists Association) website author page

https://romanticnovelistsassociation.org/rna_author/julia-ibbotson/

Giveaway –

Win a PB copy of Drumbeats (book 1), book marks, post cards, key ring and handbag fob (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Happy reading 🙂

 

Black Matter

The future is now… it’s terrifying!!! Humanity locks jaws with the ever-increasing human desires towards highly advanced technological innovations making the world a dangerous place. Unanticipated horrific consequences unfold for Tommy McGregor when he partakes in a new high-tech innovation to enhance his health and wellbeing. He thought it would make him healthier, better looking and live forever…DI Valentina is out of her comfort zone when she’s tasked to track down a killer, unknown to her, hidden behind a digital mask. The future has already fallen upon humanity as she soon discovers, nothing is as it seems anymore as society embarks in technology that’s already here. A terrifying mystery, it feeds your imaginative mind’s eye – a fast-paced “whoisit” thrilling crime, novel that will leave you guessing until the end, (or will it?) As it leaves the hairs on your arms stand on end as you uncontrollably turn each page in this 3 part series.

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Matter-order-must-read-thriller-ebook/dp/B07KJNDX1P

US – https://www.amazon.com/Black-Matter-order-must-read-thriller-ebook/dp/B07KJNDX1P

Author Bio –

GD Parker is the author of his debut novel, Black Matter. Book one of a three-part series that explores the depths of the unfolding high-tech world we now live in, making it a dangerous place.

The novel will be available to purchase in e-book and paperback formats on the Amazon store.

Gareth was born in the UK in 1981. A family man spent much of his working life in South Wales working in a professional capacity. One day he made the decision write about an idea he dreamt about.

Still working full time for a large organisation, he enjoys reading all manner of books, and spending time with his world – his family.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GDParker_Author

and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gd.parker_author/

Happy reading 🙂

 

 

I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of Sherrie Lowe’s Whisper To Me blog tour! Sherrie is a local-to-me author who I have had the pleasure of meeting, on more than one occasion, at the 6×6 Reading Café event which takes place every three months. Sherrie’s books are firmly on my TBR list, so watch this space for my reviews. In the meantime I have a lovely interview with the lady herself to share with you all…..

Interview with Sherrie Lowe…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

Hello, I’m Sherrie Lowe, that is my author name. I am a divorced mum of two adult sons, Nana to three lovely grandchildren, soon to be four and I’ve suffered from M.E/C.F.S since I was 40 which forced me to give up the job that I loved, learning support assistant in a mainstream high school. Whilst isolated at home due to my health I began to write my first memoir, Shadow Across the Sun, something I’d been wanting to do but never had the time when my children were younger and I was working. Following that I joined a creative writing group and learned to write fiction and then attempted my first novel, A Lapse of Sanity, the first book in the Willow’s Dip series.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

My ideas come from various avenues. My two memoirs speak for themselves, the first, Shadow Across the Sun covers my childhood and my mum’s death from breast cancer two days before my 13^th birthday. The second, Better or Dead covers my adult life including when I became ill with M.E during the time of my divorce and how I coped as a single parent with a chronic illness. One of the more unusual ideas came from my son and was about reincarnation, with a bit of thinking and plotting Over A Spitfire was born. Most of my stories have a supernatural aspect to them, an interest and belief that developed following my mum’s death.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

The scenario of Theo, Tish and Sheena in Whisper to Me and the baseline for the story are of my mum, dad and stepmother’s situation although the events in the story are fictional. My mum once said to my dad, ‘If I died you wouldn’t remarry would you?’ That gave me the core sentence for the book. In other books I’ve used friends anecdotes with their permission, some funny ones about eye troubles in Free Flight that had me howling with laughter when my friend told me how she’d got into the wrong car on a couple of occasions. I just had to have them for my character.

How do you pick your characters names?

Sometimes they come easily and pop into my head, names that I like, that have a ring to them that I think will suit that particular character or just if I like the sound. If it’s a historical novel like Over A Spitfire the names have to fit with the era so I used a lot of names of my older family members who lived through WWII. For Free Flight I decided I’d like to use some of my younger generation family names and they have of course continued through the Willow’s Dip series.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

In a nutshell, there’s a tricky one ha ha. I’ll try and keep it brief! It has to be pen and paper first, my creative juices aren’t connected to the computer, that is for tidying it up and making it all neat and legible. I enjoy the pen and paper aspect, I used to love writing stories in English lessons at school, my teacher said I had a vivid imagination. So firstly it’s pen and paper, lots of scribblings and scratchings out and adding sentences between the lines, a right mess, read through several times over a couple of days and make adjustments, then when I’m happy with it onto the computer into the main document.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Winston Graham – Poldark series

Frank McCourt – Angela’s Ashes

Jilly Cooper – Rutshire Chronicles

J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter

James Herriot – Loved them all.

Those are my top 5 traditional authors. I’ve read so many superb indie authors since becoming one myself. Two of them whose books I have loved are Maureen Turner and Kevin Ansbro. I would read any book they published.

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

If it’s a living author probably Jilly Cooper. I’d ask her who she based Rupert Campbell Black on. Brilliant character who you couldn’t help but fancy but what a love rat, you wouldn’t want to fall for him!

Dead author William Shakespeare. I’d like to know what it was like to write in his day.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes I’ve always read. I read the print off Enid Blyton’s Shadow the Sheepdog, a present for my 10^th birthday.

When did you start to write?

I dabbled a bit in my 30s when my children were young but only seriously since I got ill with M.E and had time on my hands with little energy to do anything that didn’t involve sitting down.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

I wouldn’t want to change anyone else’s work because that’s the way they wanted it but for my own when I ended A Lapse of Sanity I really couldn’t decide which way I wanted it to go right up until the end, that’s why I wrote the sequel, that was like the alternative ending in a way and from there the Willow’s Dip series evolved.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella, such an entertaining book.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

I’ve written two, Shadow Across the Sun and Better or Dead.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

I think it would have to be Ross Poldark and I’d ask him why in the world he had the fixation with Elizabeth when Demelza was so obviously a better partner for him. Where would I take him? Hmm. As far away from Elizabeth as possible!

What are you working on right now?

I’m trying to get started on Willow’s Dip book 5. Working title ‘Not Reported Missing.’ I’ve got an A4 pad full of notes all in order, my character biography all sorted out, story ideas, new characters introduced, I’ve even got my opening sentence but as I’ve been busy promoting Whisper to Me I haven’t got round to making a proper start on it but soon!

Do you have a new release due?

Nothing for the moment, I’ve just released Whisper to Me.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

I don’t tend to have a set publication day it just happens when I get to the point that I’ve finished everything I need to do. Due to health reasons I’m limited in whatever I can do physically so everything has to be done online. Celebration would probably be tea and cream cake.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

My website http://www.sherrielowe.co.uk/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sherrie.lowe.98

Twitter https://twitter.com/SherrieLowe2

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

I don’t think so at the moment although you can bet I’ll think of something as soon as I’ve sent this back!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Sherrie 🙂

Thank you for asking me Kerry, I’ve really enjoyed it, it’s been fun. x

Whisper to Me

A new wife and a vengeful ghost. Not a good mix.

Letitia – Tish – Stanyer makes husband Theo promise never to remarry if she dies and he complies just to pacify her. She isn’t going to die.

She does – and he does remarry. Tish isn’t happy. Her spirit cannot rest with another woman in her domain, sampling the delights of her husband. Theo belongs to her – Sheena will have to go.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whisper-Me-Sherrie-Lowe-ebook/dp/B07HVYHD4Y/

https://www.amazon.com/Whisper-Me-Sherrie-Lowe-ebook/dp/B07HVYHD4Y/

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/901558

Author Bio –

I am a divorced mum of two adult sons and nana to three grandchildren, soon to be four. I’ve always had a notion to write but didn’t get round to it seriously until I became ill with M.E in 1995 when I was 40 and was too ill to continue my job as a learning support assistant in a mainstream high school. I was devastated to have to resign from my job but writing saved my sanity. My first attempt was a memoir, Shadow Across the Sun which covered the loss of my mum to breast cancer two days before my 13^th birthday. When the rejections began to flow in from traditional publishers and agencies I joined a creative writing class and learned to write fiction. Whisper to Me is my 10^th novel. I have a strong belief in the afterlife due to events following my mum’s death so most of my stories have some form of supernatural aspect to them.

Social Media Links –

Website http://www.sherrielowe.co.uk/

Blog https://sherrielowe.wordpress.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/SherrieLowe2

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sherrielowe40/

Giveaway 

Win –

5 x Mobi for Kindle copies of Whisper To Me (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Check out the rest of the blog tour for reviews, and more, with these awesome book bloggers…..

With thanks, as always, to Rachel.

Happy reading 🙂

 

Interview with Tom Vater…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

I have walked across the Himalayas, had the opportunity to dive with hundreds of sharks in the Philippines, and witnessed the Maha Kumbh Mela, the largest gathering of people in the world. I have travelled with sea gypsies and nomads, pilgrims, sex workers, serial killers, rebels and soldiers, politicians and secret agents, artists, pirates, hippies, gangsters, police men and prophets. Some of them have become close friends. Others have appeared in the articles and books I write.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

I’m a journalist, I’ve been based in Asia for twenty years. I am lucky I get to meet a lot of different people and experience wacky and sometimes distressing situations.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

Yes, some of them are amalgams of people I have met. Other protagonists carry tiny character elements or behavioural patterns of people I have met. Others still are simply made up.

How do you pick your characters names?

Sometimes I steal them from people I know, often from literature. Detective Maier has a very ordinary German name. But his name is also an homage to Meyer, the sidekick of Travis McGee, the protagonist in John D MacDonald’s color-coded Florida novels. And Mikhail, Maier’s sidekick is named after the Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov who wrote the fantastic The Master and Margarita.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

My fiction writing is slug like. It takes me ages to come up with an idea I find interesting enough to be tempted to turn it into a novel. I’ve had four novels published over the last 18 years. A couple of earlier experiments are thankfully locked in a box somewhere. But when I get to it, I write quickly. 2000w per day and most of that is usable as I write a pretty detailed outline first. My novels are all written within a couple of months, obsessively. Then anything from six months to two years of intermittent editing.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Joseph Conrad, Peter Matthiessen, Raymond Chandler, Katherine Dunn, Graham Greene

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Lee Child. I’d ask him to ghost write my next book.

Were you a big reader as a child?

I was very lucky to have grown up in a house full of books. And I read a lot. Crime fiction, fantasy (John Christopher was a favourite), cheap horror and espionage pulp stories, some classics. I still reread bits of Treasure Island by Stevenson every now and then.

When did you start to write?

I started writing for a living when I was twenty-nine. Before that I played guitar in RocknRoll bands and recorded and documented indigenous music across Asia for the British Library’s International Music Collection. That took me to Kathmandu where I met a couple of cyclists who’d ridden there from Europe. They’d written some stories they wanted to sell to local newspapers and I helped them edit their work and went to The Rising Nepal, a local daily, with them. The editor bought the story so I asked him if he’d buy a story of mine about Nepali music. And he agreed. That got published as a double page spread. I published a few more stories in Nepal, then in India, and then got a job with Rough Guides in Thailand. At the same time I started writing my first novel, The Devil’s Road to Kathmandu, which is still in print in English and Spanish.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I’d have the child eaten.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

I wish I could write something like The Quiet American by Graham Greene. In its own time and place of course.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

The Pass Is Just Ahead

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

I don’t drink coffee (though I love the smell), so I’d take Long John Silver to Tortuga in the Caribbean, get utterly debauched with him and then crew on a ship.

What are you working on right now?

Crime Wave Press (www.crimewavepress.com) have just published my third Detective Maier Mystery, The Monsoon Ghost Image, a taut and crazy spy thriller for our disturbing times.

When award-winning German conflict photographer Martin Ritter disappears in a boating accident in Thailand, the nation mourns the loss of a cultural icon. But a few weeks later, Detective Maier’s agency in Hamburg gets a call from Ritter’s wife. Her husband has been seen alive on the streets of Bangkok. Maier decides to travel to Thailand to find Ritter. But all he finds is trouble and a photograph.

As soon as Maier puts his hands on the Monsoon Ghost Image, the detective turns from hunter to hunted – the CIA, international business interests, a doctor with a penchant for mutilation and a woman who calls herself the Wicked Witch of the East all want to get their fingers on Martin Ritter’s most important piece of work – visual proof of a post 9/11 CIA rendition and the torture of a suspected Muslim terrorist on Thai soil. From the concrete canyons of the Thai capital to the savage jungles and hedonist party islands of southern Thailand, Maier and his sidekick Mikhail race against formidable foes to discover some of our darkest truths and to save their lives into the bargain.

Do you have a new release due?

I have a story published in an American anthology early next year. It’s called To Kill an Arab. I am working on a crime novella set in 1940s Cambodia with French journalist Laure Siegel, which is to be serialised in a French language magazine published in Germany.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

I don’t really notice it.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

www.tomvater.com

www.facebook.com/tomvater

Twitter: @tomvater

www.clippings.me/users/tomvater

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Support local artists, writers, painters, sculptors, musicians and free spirits by buying their work. Thanks for asking me a bunch of interesting questions.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Tom 🙂

The Monsoon Ghost Image

Dirty Pictures, Secret Wars And Human Beasts – Detective Maier Is Back To Investigate The Politics Of Murder

The third Detective Maier mystery is a taut and crazy spy thriller for our disturbing times.

When award-winning German conflict photographer Martin Ritter disappears in a boating accident in Thailand, the nation mourns the loss of a cultural icon. But a few weeks later, Detective Maier’s agency in Hamburg gets a call from Ritter’s wife. Her husband has been seen alive on the streets of Bangkok. Maier decides to travel to Thailand to find Ritter. But all he finds is trouble and a photograph.

As soon as Maier puts his hands on the Monsoon Ghost Image, the detective turns from hunter to hunted – the CIA, international business interests, a doctor with a penchant for mutilation and a woman who calls herself the Wicked Witch of the East all want to get their fingers on Martin Ritter’s most important piece of work – visual proof of a post 9/11 CIA rendition and the torture of a suspected Muslim terrorist on Thai soil. From the concrete canyons of the Thai capital to the savage jungles and hedonist party islands of southern Thailand, Maier and his sidekick Mikhail race against formidable foes to discover some of our darkest truths and to save their lives into the bargain.

Purchase Link

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monsoon-Ghost-Image-Detective-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07K325BSV

US – https://www.amazon.com/Monsoon-Ghost-Image-Detective-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07K325BSV

Author Bio –

Tom Vater has published four crime novels and is the co-owner of Crime Wave Press, a Hong Kong based crime fiction imprint. He writes for many publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Telegraph, CNN and The Nikkei Asian Review. He is a best-selling non-fiction writer and co-author of the highly acclaimed Sacred Skin (www.sacredskinthailand.com).

Social Media Links –

https://twitter.com/tomvater

https://www.facebook.com/tomvater

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-vater-ba052038/

https://www.clippings.me/users/tomvater

Check out the rest of the blog tour for reviews, and more, with these awesome book bloggers…..

With thanks, as always, to Rachel

Happy reading 🙂

 

My review…..

Well, I think it’s safe to say that A Heart In The Right Place is like nothing I’ve ever read before and I have thoroughly enjoyed it! I’m not quite sure how best to describe it though, to be honest.

It starts as a seemingly regular tale about a son making plans for a weekend away with his Dad, who has cancer. Nick is just awaiting a parcel, for which he’s paid an extra £12 to ensure delivery that morning, in an effort to make their weekend perfect. However, his parcel ends up being left with a neighbour, despite him being in all morning, and the neighbour is not answering the door. Nick finds himself growing increasingly desperate as the day goes on. If he doesn’t retrieve this parcel their weekend will be ruined, or so he believes. So, in a moment of madness, he decides to break in to his neighbour’s house, grab his parcel, and leave a note to say he will pay for the damage to the window! He really should have just admitted defeat, but I’m so glad he didn’t.

Nothing could prepare Nick for what he was to find in that house and this is where the story gets really interesting and nothing like I was expecting, although I’m not really sure what I was expecting. The scene in that house is gory, quite gross and hilarious all at the same time. I doubt I’d be laughing if I was Nick, but I certainly found his predicament quite amusing, especially with the involvement of the neighbour’s dog. From this moment on, it’s none stop action which is so brilliantly written it was so easy to get lost in this book. With unique characters and an even more unique storyline, I was totally gripped. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much at something so gruesome! It’s comedy genius!

Books for me are about pure escapism and this one certainly was. If you’re looking for an entertaining read, you won’t go far wrong with this one.

Many thanks to the authors and publisher for my review copy via Rachel @ Rachel’s Random Resources.

A Heart in the Right Place

All Nick wants to do is take his dying father for a perfect father-son weekend in the Scottish Highlands. It’s not much to ask, is it? A log cabin, a roaring fire, a bottle of fine whisky and two days to paper over the cracks in their relationship.

However, Nick didn’t plan on making the trip with a dead neighbour in the back of his car. Or the neighbour’s dog. He really didn’t plan on being pursued by a psychotic female assassin intent on collecting body parts. And he really, really didn’t plan on encountering a platoon of heavily armed mercenaries, or some very hungry boars, or a werewolf.

A Heart in the Right Place – a horror comedy about setting out with the very best intentions and then messing everything up.

Purchase Links:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07K4CCR74

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K4CCR74

Author Bio:

Heide Goody is the stupid one in the writing partnership and Iain Grant is the sensible one. Together, they are the authors of over a dozen books.

The ‘Clovenhoof’ series (in which Satan loses his job and has to move to Birmingham) has recently been optioned by a Hollywood production company.

Heide and Iain are both married, but not to each other.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Clovenhoof-Books-285544508177333/

Website: http://www.pigeonparkpress.com/

Twitter: @HeideGoody and @IainMGrant

Giveaway –

Win a gorgeous Moleskine Passion Traveller’s Journal (Open Internationally)

“The Moleskine Traveller’s Journal is a structured before and after record of every journey you make, from weekends away to life-changing trips and everything in between. Note down your travel plans before you leave and list all the things you hope to see and do, then add maps, photos, tickets and keepsakes when you return. The Traveller’s Journal is a place to dream, get practical and create a unique and lasting paper archive of your travels that you’ll want to revisit again and again.

• premium box with themed graphics related to your passion
• hard cover with themed debossing, rounded corners, elastic closure
• 2 ribbon bookmarks
• double expandable inner pocket
• front endpaper with ‘in case of loss’ notice
• ivory-coloured 70 g/m² acid-free paper
• tabbed sections to guide your note-taking
• themed introductory pages
• 400 pages 
• themed stickers to customize your journal
• Moleskine S.r.l. creates and sells FSC®-certified products “

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Follow the rest of the blog tour for other reviews, and more, with these awesome book bloggers…..

With thanks, as always, to Rachel.

Happy reading 🙂

 

Hi and welcome to my stop on T.Q. Chant’s Hard Setdown blog tour 🙂

Many thanks to Kelly @ Love Books Group Tours for arranging the following interview with T.Q. Chant…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

Nothing massively exciting to say about myself – I emerged from the depths of deepest darkest Lincolnshire, came up to Scotland to study and just sort of… stayed. Civil servant by day, writer and massive geek at any other time.

The four books (soon to be a fifth) I have in print follow Sam Cane – con-artist trying to go straight and escape some serious bad guys in her past. To do this, she takes a job working security on a far-flung colonial outpost and things kind of go downhill from there, drawing her into an interstellar conspiracy. I think they’re fast, furious and quite gritty. I also like to slip in some thinking about issues that concern me, but entertainment is the main goal.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

All sorts – other fiction, history, reading about scientific advances and new astronomical discoveries. Running and playing in roleplaying games are really good for generating ideas – I often like to run plot ideas as games to see how my players react.

The Sam Cane stories were, I’m vaguely shamefaced to admit, partly inspired by the film Starship Troopers. It’s come a long way since then and I hope the overarching plot is a lot more interesting and a lot less dystopian. I wanted to write a society that’s moved on from some of the less appealing aspects of our own, for one thing, and wanted to created a more interesting main character.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

I think there’s always a little bit of people we know in the characters we create. Though she’d kill me for saying this, there’s often a little bit of my partner in some of my characters, and I know a rich tapestry of people through friendships and work.

How do you pick your characters’ names?

All sorts of places really. Names of books and of characters are two of the things I really struggle with, particularly for SF. Names I see through correspondence sometimes crop up, or just going about in my daily life. Sam Cane is one I spotted on social media and went ‘That’s the name of a big damn hero’.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

I’m not a planner – I start with an idea, some characters and often an ending, and put fingers to keyboard to see what happens. My writers’ group, the Edinburgh Schmismatics, have been invaluable in taking off some of the resultant rough edges…

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Oooh, tough one – there are so many. Patrick O’ Brian definitely has to be in there, and John le Carre. Jane Austen comes in from outfield. Dan Abnett, both for the stuff he writes for Games Workshop and wider work. I think Ian Macdonald may be a new favourite.

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

O’ Brian, without a doubt. A famously shy, mercurial and thorny individual, I think he’d be a great conversationalist if you caught him in a good mood. I’d want to know all about his process and pick his brains about both his own period and his life.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Very much so – I grew up on the classics (Asimov, Philip K Dick, Harlan Ellison, etc) from my father’s collection. Any spare moment was spent with a book in my hand.

When did you start to write?

In my very early teens, I think. Thankfully, due to the ephemeral nature of digital storage, none of that survives…

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe – I know it’s a book from a different time and such, with different expectations and more of a morality story emphasis. But that ending was just… massively disappointing. I’d definitely have more of a fight, rather than ‘villain dies because he’s feeling guilty’.

Book I wish I’d written? Ian M Banks’ Use of Weapons. The scope and scale of it, the structure, the twist at the end… It’s all pretty much perfect.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

‘My Name is not Jim’ – used to work in a call centre (worst job I’ve ever had) and no caller ever caught my name properly.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

Slippery Jim di Griz, from Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat novels. I think he’d be a blast, and I doubt we’d be drinking coffee. Probably to my local, lovely little pub, and then work round the good boozers of Leith.

What are you working on right now?

I tend to have a number of projects on the go at any one time. Right now I’m finishing the second Cane’s Laws, which is the fifth novel to feature Sam Cane, then I’ll be diving back into a naval adventure set around the turn of the 20^th century. I also have a Patreon and keep up a steady stream of shorts, serial stories and vignettes mostly set in the same universe as Sam.

Tell us about your last release?

As TJ Chant, I got a short story into a compilation entitled ‘Heroes of Normandy – the Untold Stories’. It’s a companion book for a game, and I was pleased as punch that the company made an expansion for the game based on each of the stories in the collection.

As TQ Chant, the last release was The Ascension Run, book one in the Cane’s Laws series. It continues the story started in the Sam Cane series as she delves deeper into the conspiracy and finds new, unlooked for allies in the fight.

Do you have a new release due?

Fingers crossed I’ll be getting the next Cane’s Laws out in the next couple of weeks.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

I generally have a large G&T once I’ve hit the go button on a self-publication. Getting everything lined up is generally a bit of a faff and that’s all I have energy for.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Twitter’s the best bet (https://twitter.com/ReaverRedemptor) – the handle is a reference to my wargaming fixation). I also have a Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/tqchant) and I’m working on getting a blog up and running.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions! 🙂

Blurb

Sam Cane – ex-con artist (sort of), ex-soldier (definitely), and woman on the run.

She’s looking to escape a life of petty crime on Earth that’s got her in too deep with the wrong people. Taking a job with one of the corporations contracted to open up and exploit new worlds in the growing Commonwealth, she’s assigned to a young colony right on the edge of human space. It looks like the perfect escape, until she arrives on IGC-187X and things start to go downhill. Fast.

Out on the fringe, she’ll find out that what you’re running from isn’t always the thing that will kill you.

Buy Link

https://amzn.to/2zXTSjR

Happy reading 🙂

Bio

Tim Chant grew up (mostly), went to school in East Anglia and university in Scotland. He took his History degree and did the only thing he could with it – joined the civil service. When not shackled to his desk he writes science fiction, alternative historical fiction, historical fiction and any other fiction that takes his fancy. When not doing that, he’s an inveterate roleplayer and wargamer (and getting back into historical fencing). He lives in Edinburgh with his partner and their two rabbits.

The Idea Of You is a beautifully written, highly emotional story, which I have found completely compelling. If you are sensitive to the subject of miscarriage then you may find it a difficult read, or maybe you will find it of some comfort. I’m not really sure as this is something I have never experienced, thankfully. As a mother of two I can only imagine the devastation of losing a baby.

Lucy Carpenter is quite a complex character and one I warmed to quite quickly. She is very happily married to Jonah and has a very successful career, a loving family (despite a somewhat strained relationship with her mother), but what she wants more than anything is to have Jonah’s baby. This, however, is proving to be more difficult than she ever imagined, despite having no problem conceiving, and she feels like time is running out as she approaches forty. Following Lucy’s story has been heart-breaking. I could almost physically feel her pain as she struggled to come to terms with an unsuccessful pregnancy. The raw emotion made my heart ache for her.

When Jonah’s teenager daughter, Camille, comes to stay with them for the summer holidays Lucy tries her best to make her feel welcome and to become friends, but Camille doesn’t make it very easy for her and Lucy finds herself feeling like a bit of an outsider in her own home. Camille is also a constant reminder of what she longs for so it’s not an easy time for Lucy. Jonah is naturally quite defensive where it comes to Camille, but I can totally empathise with Lucy as I probably would feel the same in her situation. Let’s face it, men don’t always understand us and often don’t even try as some things are just easier for them to avoid.

I did get the feeling quite early on that there was more to learn regarding Lucy’s relationship with her mother and the truth came as a shock. I thought I knew what was coming, but I was wrong. It explained a lot though and my heart broke for Lucy all over again, especially considering Jonah’s reaction. I did find it a very believable reaction for a man though and I truly felt for them both and prayed that they could move on and still be happy together.

This story is an absolute roller-coaster of emotion, but ultimately uplifting and with a powerful message about family, love and cherishing all that we have in this life. I loved it and I highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via Netgalley.

Via Amazon UK…..

What if the one thing you want is the only thing you can’t have?

With her fortieth birthday approaching, Lucy Carpenter thinks she finally has it all: a wonderful new husband, Jonah, a successful career and the chance of a precious baby of her own. Life couldn’t be more perfect.

But becoming parents proves much harder to achieve than Lucy and Jonah imagined, and when Jonah’s teenage daughter Camille comes to stay with them, she becomes a constant reminder of what Lucy doesn’t have. Jonah’s love and support are unquestioning, but Lucy’s struggles with work and her own failing dreams begin to take their toll. With Camille’s presence straining the bonds of Lucy’s marriage even further, Lucy suddenly feels herself close to losing everything…

This heart-wrenchingly poignant family drama from bestselling author Amanda Prowse asks the question: in today’s hectic world, what does it mean to be a mother?

About the author…..

Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author who has had twenty novels published in dozens of languages. Her chart topping No.1 titles ‘What Have I Done?’, ‘Perfect Daughter’ and ‘My Husband’s Wife’ have sold millions of copies around the world.

Other novels by Amanda Prowse include ‘A Mother’s Story’ which won the coveted Sainsbury’s eBook of the year Award and ‘Perfect Daughter’ that was selected as a World Book Night title in 2016. Amanda’s latest book ‘The Coordinates of Loss’ went straight to No.1 in Literary Fiction when it was launched. She has been described by the Daily Mail as ‘The Queen of Family Drama.’

Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres.

A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda is a regular panellist on Channel 5’s ‘The Jeremy Vine Show’ and numerous daytime ITV programmes. She makes countless guest appearances on BBC national independent Radio stations including LBC and Talk FM, where she is well known for her insightful observations and her infectious humour.

Amanda’s ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can’t possibly read another book until the memory fades…

Praise for Amanda Prowse:

‘A powerful and emotional work of fiction’ – Piers Morgan
‘Deeply moving and emotional, Amanda Prowse handles her explosive subjects with delicate skill’ – Daily Mail
‘Uplifting and positive, but you will still need a box of tissues’ – Hello!
‘A gut-wrenching and absolutely brilliant read’ – The Irish Sun
‘You’ll fall in love with this…’ – Cosmopolitan
‘Deeply moving and eye opening. Powerful and emotional drama that packs a real punch.’ – Heat
‘Magical’ – Now magazine

Amanda Prowse’s Amazon Author Page

Happy reading 🙂

 

Interview with Brittany Elise…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please? Let’s see. I grew up in a small town outside of Yellow Springs, Ohio, and still live in Ohio today. I’m married, with only children of the fur-variety at this time. I double as an FBO manager at a local airport and service aircraft during the day, and write in my free time. I mainly write YA fiction, and love working in the supernatural/fantasy genre in particular.  

Where did/do you get your ideas from? Oh that’s a tough one. I draw a lot of inspiration from music and nature, and sometimes even the dreams I have help spark an idea. I never know when or what will cause inspiration to strike, but sometimes it’s inconveniently timed – like when I’m in the shower and don’t have pen and paper handy!

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know? Well, I think writers tend to take bits and pieces from what they know, or who they know, and maybe embellish some quirks and personality traits with their characters. With Awakening the Trinity, Quinn’s father is a carpenter, and she talks about him building her a rocking horse when she was a little girl. My grandpa built me a rocking horse when I was a little girl, so I think I always sneak pieces of my life into my writing. Little “Easter eggs” or whatnot. But as of right now, none of my characters are based on any single one person I know.

How do you pick your characters names? I’m a sucker for Irish/Welsh names. I usually look up names and their origin/meaning and determine whether or not I think it will be a good fit for the character I am trying to represent.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell? If I’m left to my own devices, I could probably write all day and not get tired of it. I write best in the early hours of the morning when there are less distractions, however. If I hit a roadblock, I’ve learned to walk away and not stress about it. Usually when I get hung up on something it means there’s a flaw somewhere within the storyline and it usually comes to me in a day or two. I think the hardest part is just trying to get the rough draft, completed from start to finish, without going through and editing along the way.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors? Sarah Dessen, Suzanne Collins, Kelley Armstrong, Tolkien, and Charlaine Harris.  

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them? Oh goodness. There’s just so many I would love to meet and chat with, it would be so hard to pick one. I’m not sure that I would have made it through high school without Sarah Dessen’s novels, so she would be pretty high on that list.

Were you a big reader as a child? Oh yes. I grew up with stories like Jack London’s White Fang, and Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. I loved Nancy Springer’s books when I was kid. I also have a soft spot for Lois Lowry’s books as well.

When did you start to write? Before I knew how to use a computer, I was writing short stories in a notebook (pretty much as soon as I could hold a pencil.)

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change? That’s a fantastic question, but I don’t think I’ve ever fantasized about rewriting someone else’s ending. That’s someone’s art, so even if I don’t agree with an ending, I don’t think I would rewrite it. Now movies, on the other hand…

Is there a book you wish you had written? Hah! Harry Potter.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be? Hot Mess Express. Haha.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them? Ooh, another fantastic question. My favorite heroine hands down is Katniss Everdeen, but I don’t know if she’d really enjoy it given her whole vendetta against the Capitol. So, I think I’m going to say Jon Snow from Game of Thrones.  I’d love to see his reaction to the modern world. There’s a small coffee shop in Yellow Springs called Dino’s. I’d probably take him there so as not to overwhelm him. Haha.

What are you working on right now? I am actually working on the prequel and sequel of Awakening the Trinity simultaneously. I haven’t decided which will be released first.

Do you have a new release due? Nothing set in stone, but I’m aiming for fall of 2019 – possibly sooner depending on how edits go.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day? Finding Goodbye was actually released on my grandmother’s birthday, so my parents surprised me with a cake that had my book cover done in icing. I dedicated the book to my grandmother, so it was nice to celebrate on her birthday. Awakening the Trinity came out in the middle of a work week for me, so unfortunately, I didn’t get to celebrate. Usually, I’m already in deep with another project by the time a publication date rolls around. There’s no rest for the wicked!

How can readers keep in touch with you? I am active on Instagram (Carbon_Stardust), Facebook (Brittany Elise Author), and my website (brittanyeliseauthor.com). I love hearing from readers and fans.  

Is there anything else you would like us to know? Stay tuned for new releases! Thank you for having me on your blog, I loved these questions!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Brittany 🙂

Awakening the Trinity

In the seventeenth-century, an all-powerful witch called Rionach the Dark ruled the Celtic nations with an army of enslaved werewolves. In order to restore balance between Light and Dark, the Trinity of Light was summoned to vanquish the Dark Witch and end the Battle of the Dark Ages.

Seventeen-year-old Quinn Callaghan lives in the small, rustic town of Silver Mountain. Its location may be rural, but it is home to an ancient pine forest that surrounds a supernatural hotspot–a nexus of raw and powerful energy.

When a charismatic witch from Ireland, and a mysterious guy with a secret of his own are drawn to the area, Quinn finds out that she inherited her rare abilities from a revered ancestor. Could it be that she shares a bloodline with the Original Trinity? Nearly 300 years later, the Darkness is returning to Silver Mountain, and the Trinity must stop it.

Purchase Links

US – https://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Trinity-Brittany-Elise-ebook/dp/B07HB3QMLH

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Awakening-Trinity-Brittany-Elise-ebook/dp/B07HB3QMLH

Author Bio – 

My love for writing began at a very young age–way before I could even type on a keyboard. I was always writing short stories and poems with a fan club of one (my mom.) I never stopped writing, but I don’t think I believed in myself enough to actually pursue it as a career. When I enrolled in college, I took as many creative writing classes as they offered, and ended up graduating with a degree in photography and minoring in English. I enjoy art in all its forms, but writing has always been my first love. Even when I was pursuing other careers, writing was always my go-to comfort. I later became an animal obedience instructor and met a children’s author through my dog training. She helped me get my foot through the door, so to speak, and I haven’t turned back since. During the day, I manage an FBO at my local hometown airport, and by night, I dive into my writing with my husband and my four-legged children by my side.

Social Media Links – 

You can find me on Facebook (BrittanyEliseAuthor) my Instagram handle is Carbon_Stardust and I also have a website: BrittanyEliseAuthor.com

https://twitter.com/BrittanyElise23

Check out the rest of the blog tour for reviews, and more, with these awesome book bloggers…..

With thanks, as always, to Rachel.

Happy reading 🙂

 

Love Heart Lane

Welcome to Love Heart Lane…

When Flick Simons returns to the small village of Heartcross she only expected to stay for a few days. The white-washed cottages of Love Heart Lane might be her home, but the place holds too many painful memories, and of one man in particular – Fergus Campbell.

When a winter storm sweeps in, the only bridge connecting the village to the main land is swept away! As the villagers pull together, Flick finds herself welcomed back by the friends she once left behind. And as the snow begins to melt, maybe there is a chance that Fergus’s heart will thaw too…

My review…..

I absolutely LOVED this book! It is such a heart-warming love story, but isn’t without it’s drama and heart-break.

Felicity (AKA Flick) is a very likeable, but conflicted, character. When we meet her she is living in London, but is not exactly loving life in the capital any more. When she receives news that her beloved Grandmother has passed away, she takes immediate leave from her job (which she is loving less and less as time goes on) and jumps on a flight home to Scotland. She has no idea how the village are going to react to her return, but she is worried about one person in particular. We realise that Fergus is an ex and that Flick moved to London quite hastily some years previous, but we’re not sure why for quite a lot of the book. This intrigued me immensely and certainly adds suspense to the story. I found Fergus’ reaction to her return totally believable considering the manner in which she left and the fact that she had made no attempt to stay in touch for such a long time. I also found Flick’s reaction to the fact that Fergus moved on very believable too. It’s funny how some people can be so jealous of others moving on even when circumstances have given them little choice but to do so. It’s human nature to want what we want, when we want it, but life is rarely that simple. However, I loved Flick’s friendship with Esme and how she managed to change her outlook on life without even trying. Grief is complicated and none of us know how we would react in certain situations unless we have experienced them. Flick has obviously been consumed by her grief for a long time, but Esme opens her eyes to a more positive future. I know this all sounds quite vague, but you’ll just have to read it for yourself to find out what I’m talking about! (If you haven’t already).

I loved how her closest friends just welcomed Flick back without question (even though one of them wasn’t going to make it too easy initially!). The best of friends are just like that. Time and distance makes no odds to true friendship.

I loved the setting and the inspiring community spirit shared amongst the residents of Heartcross.

I pretty much loved all of the characters to be honest.

I loved the whole things from start to finish and I am SO looking forward to catching up with them all again in the next book.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via Netgalley.

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Heart-Lane-Christie-Barlow-ebook/dp/B07DX1YXKM/

US – https://www.amazon.com/Love-Heart-Lane-Christie-Barlow-ebook/dp/B07DX1YXKM/

Author Bio –

Christie Barlow is the author of A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother, The Misadventures of a Playground Mother, Kitty’s Countryside Dream, Lizzie’s Christmas Escape, Evie’s Year of Taking Chances, The Cosy Canal Boat Dream, A Home at Honeysuckle Farm and Love Heart Lane. Her writing career came as somewhat a surprise when she decided to write a book to teach her children a valuable life lesson and show them that they are capable of achieving their dreams. The book she wrote to prove a point is now a #1 bestseller in the UK, USA & Australia.

Christie is an ambassador for @ZuriProject raising money/awareness and engaging with impoverished people in Uganda through organisations to improve their well-being as well as Literary Editor for http://www.mamalifemagazine.co.uk bringing you all the latest news and reviews from the book world.

website www.christiebarlow.com 

Twitter @ChristieJBarlow 

Facebook page Christie Barlow author

Check out the rest of the blog tour for other reviews, and more, with these awesome book bloggers…..

With thanks, as always, to Rachel.

Happy Reading 🙂

 

Interview with Diane Demetre…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

I’m a contemporary fiction author and I love writing stories about empowered women who live life on their terms.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

They all beam in, mostly when I least expect them.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

I think there is a little of someone I know or have met in all my characters.

How do you pick your characters names?

Their names beam in as well. If I try to change their names, they won’t let me.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

I endeavour to write every day, seven-days-a-week. Most times I do, but there is another thing called life which sometimes gets in the way 😊

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

There are too many to just name five, but probably my all-time favourite is Agatha Christie.

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I’d probably like to chat with Nora Roberts about her writing regime.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes. I loved to read.

When did you start to write?

Like any child, I started to write when I was young and have continued in one form or another since.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

I would never want to change anyone’s ending. Each ending is perfect for the story which the author was inspired to write.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Nothing comes to mind.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

I have written my autobiography. It’s called Whispered Words of Wisdom, and I’m looking for a publisher.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

I’d love to have coffee with Hercule Poirot, but of course, I would allow the great detective to choose the venue.

What are you working on right now?

I’m writing the Diana Daniels Murder Mysteries series. It’s Jessica Fletcher, from Murder She Wrote meets Prof Reinhart from The Murder Games and morphs into Diana Daniels; a smart, sassy, recently-widowed woman, whose sixth sense and rekindled love of adventure lands her in all sorts of trouble.

Do you have a new release due?

Not yet.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

I normally take a little time off to relax, sit and contemplate on how fortunate I am to do what I love.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Through the usual platforms..

WEBSITE                   www.dianedemetre.com

BLOG                         https://dianedemetre.com/blogposts/

FACEBOOK                https://www.facebook.com/dianedemetreauthor

TWITTER                   https://twitter.com/DianeDemetre

GOODREADS            https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14418461.Diane_Demetre

AMAZON                 https://www.amazon.com/Diane-demetre/e/B015P878H4/

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Diane 🙂

Book Blurb

Island of Secrets

A captivating story of love, mystery and hope

Two love stories separated in time. Two women following their dreams. In a paradise littered with painful secrets, will love turn the tide?

1973. Cecilia “CiCi” Freemont has a restless soul and the voice of an angel. Leaving her privileged upbringing behind, she chases her dreams to the sandy beaches of an unspoiled Hawaiian paradise, Harbor Island. But life takes an unexpected turn when she falls for the island’s young heir-apparent and her newfound adventure becomes too much to bear…

2017. Investigative journalist Tina Templeton has dedicated herself to the pursuit of truth. But when she inherits Harbor Island, her career plans take a confusing twist. Managing the sprawling island estate is tough business even with the help of aging cabaret singer, CiCi Freemont. Especially when a massive ecological disaster threatens to destroy her beautiful beaches—and the responding coast guard captain steals her heart.

As the investigation into the disaster reveals a 40-year-old mystery that could change their lives forever, will Tina find love among the secrets, or will CiCi’s painful past dash her dreams on the rocks?

Island of Secrets is an epic love story. If you like generations-spanning drama, characters with hidden pasts, heart-warming romance and intrigue, then you’ll love Diane Demetre’s powerful romantic mystery in paradise.

Publisher Luminosity Publishing Llp

Ebook ISBN 978-1-9993066-0-1

Paperback ISBN 978-1-9993066-1-8

386 pages

Ebook

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J5CSHPS

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07J5CSHPS

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07J5CSHPS

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07J5CSHPS

https://luminositypublishing.com/book/island-of-secrets/

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https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Diane_Demetre_Island_of_Secrets?id=tIhxDwAAQBAJ

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Paperback https://www.amazon.com/dp/1999306619

About the author…..

Diane began her career as a school teacher before moving into the entertainment industry as a choreographer, director, event manager, dancer and actress, working in television and live theatre, and managing multi-million dollar productions.
Following her onstage career, she spent many years as a stress & life skills therapist, keynote speaker and presenter, appearing on national radio and television.
When she launched into a writing career, Diane’s debut erotic romance series, the Dance of Love was voted Luminosity Publishing Readers’ Choice Best Books and Best Covers for 2015 and 2016.
Her romantic suspense, Retribution won the Romance Writers of Australia Emerald Pro Award 2017 for Best Unpublished Manuscript. Diane loves to write genre-busting stories with a twist. Her works are packed with emotional punch and feature empowered heroines who live life to the fullest, much like the author herself.

Behind the Scenes

In this moving tale of love lost, love found and love eternal, award-winning author Diane Demetre makes us believe in the power of love — a love that is timeless and ageless.

In 1973, when wild child, Cecilia Freemont flees her privileged upbringing in San Francisco for sex, drugs, and adventure, she finds herself embroiled in the local superstition and secrets of Harbor Island, an unspoiled paradise off the coast of Maui. Against her better judgment, she falls in love with the island’s young heir-apparent, Dickie Reginald. But the odds are stacked against them, and Cecilia must make a heart-wrenching decision that will change her future forever.

Forty years later and under the saddest of circumstances, investigative journalist Tina Templeton and successful cabaret singer, CiCi Freemont find themselves involved in another of the island’s secrets. Despite being strangers, Tina, now the new owner of Harbor Island must work with CiCi to solve the mystery of Origin Beach which threatens to devastate the island. But when the US Coast Guard is called in, past and present collide with the arrival of Captain Jack Holmes. He brings with him a new mystery. One which may unearth the island’s deepest secrets.

Will Harbor Island’s legacy topple or will love triumph and transcend time?

If you love stories rich in emotion and fueled by intrigue, Island of Secrets will make you laugh, cry and capture your heart. An epic love story not to be missed.

****

I remember vividly when the idea for this book came to me. My husband and I were out in our boat on the Broadwater on the Gold Coast in Australia. It was one of those magnificent boating days—calm, sultry and cloudless. Having just completed Retribution, I’d been waiting on the inspiration for my next book. Nothing yet had beamed in. As someone who is willing to wait for inspiration rather than forcing my creativity, I was enjoying a couple weeks off from my writing schedule.

While we were relaxing on the Broadwater and lapping up the beautiful weather, an old Huon pine cruiser drove past us. Like a bolt out of the blue, Island of Secrets landed in my consciousness. The story arrived well-formed, with characters I immediately visualized.

I’d visited Hawaii a couple of years earlier, and Maui, with its volcanic geography, lush vegetation and captivating sea life lived up to its name of the Magic Isle. It was the ideal location for Island of Secrets.

Immersing myself in the island’s history, I grabbed a copy of James A. Michener’s epic tale, Hawaii. In discovering how the missionaries came to the islands and their impact on the indigenous population and culture, I gained a deeper insight into this special place. An insight I’ve woven into Part One of Island of Secrets.

Told across forty years, the story begins in the heady 1970’s. Having been a teenager during this time, I drew on my experience, as well as researching this amazing decade. The early 1970s saw the world undergo exponential change. With a sense of freedom coursing through our veins, we viewed the planet’s evolution with passionate optimism, seeking out opportunities to make the world a better place. It was an empowering time of enthusiasm, peace protests and free love; all bubbling forth from the post-civil and equal-rights era and the women’s liberation movement. With this as her backdrop, Cecilia launches into her big adventure. And like many young women of that time, she is fired in the kiln of life.

In Part Two, we meet her again. Now in her late sixties, she is matured and polished, but her essence and loyalties remain the same. She becomes the reflection character for Tina, who must deal with her own personal and environmental issues to save the legacy of Harbor Island.

At its heart, Island of Secrets examines the lives of not just Cecilia and Tina, but all the empowered women—Leilani, Victoria, Beatrice, Loretta, Silly Suzie et al. Women from different times and cultures who face similar challenges and find the courage and strength to overcome them. It is an exploration of how we view the fundamentals of life. Is it love or money that motivates us? Where does loyalty lie in the equation? What moves us to make the decisions we do? And no matter the dilemma we face, there comes a time when we must acknowledge that love is the ultimate answer.

Excerpt

The engine rumbled to life and Smith’s eldest son, Andrew, cast off the ropes from the jetty, while Cecilia sat on the aft seat. Shoving on her sunglasses and straw hat, she disguised some of the emotion but couldn’t totally hide it. Harbor Island II pulled out from the ramshackle jetty, setting a slow course across the harbor. Just over seven months ago, she came to the island with a young woman’s fantasies of adventure. She’d arrived seeking independence and freedom from her previous life. Filled with determination and dreams, she’d launched into a new job, a new family and a new life. Now, as she returned to Maui and then to the mainland, she took stock of what that desire for adventure had cost her. So, this was your adventure, Cecilia. To fall in love and then lose love?

From the shore drifted a lilting melody sung by a familiar blend of voices she’d heard many times in the Sunday service.

She rose and stuck her head in the cabin. “What are they singing, Smith?”

“It’s a traditional song of farewell. It wishes you love and success on your travels with the hope that one day you will return.”

She moved to the guide rail, clasping both hands to her breaking heart. The crystal waters of the bay lapped against the gleaming hull of the boat as Smith steered it toward the reef break. Memories flooded back to the day she arrived and her embarrassment at being so seasick, how Beatrice had interrogated her in the Local Store and how she’d been saved by Victoria, her new best friend. A nostalgic smile tipped her lips as the ghosts of her recent past revisited. Watching the people she’d grown to love raise their voices in goodbye, she ignored the hot tears streaking her cheeks.

“I hope one day to return too,” she said aloud.

With mournful voices raised and arms waving white handkerchiefs, they sent her on her way. She would not forget these wonderful people or this place, or the soulful melody which was now etched into her memory.

Not until they became tiny specks on the shore did Cecilia finally sit down. Smith turned and waited for her instruction. She nodded, and he pushed forward on the throttle. Bright and new, Harbor Island II cut through the ocean waves. Long accustomed to the rolling and pitching of the waves, she no longer felt squeamish. She’d matured. For neither the ocean nor life’s challenges held sway over her. Like Harbor Island II forging toward Lahaina, Cecilia was unstoppable in her purpose. Once more she turned away from the past. With jaw set, she faced into the stinging, salty wind, her chin lifted high, and like the cruiser, powered into her future. This will not break me. I am more than this.

Testimonials

Amazon 5 Stars

A lovely intergenerational family drama set in an untouched paradise – Avid Reader

This is the second novel I’ve read by the author and, though very different from Retribution (which I loved), this novel has its own strengths. It’s the saga of a🌺 Hawaiian family dynasty, but focused on two generations of strong women and their❤ romances. Cecelia ‘s young love is poignant and doomed, Tina’s second chance love is sudden, healing and, ultimately, an ironic conclusion to an old family drama. Cecelia was my favorite character. She is full of life, a sense of adventure, and an optimism about life’s possibilities; she’s also ready to sacrifice big time for the place and people she loves.

The descriptions of the natural beauty of the fictional Harbor Island are vivid and lyrical. Otherwise, the prose is simple and straightforward. I got so involved with these characters that I could not stop reading! I really liked the inclusion of several mysteries that take a while to solve. Although the minor characters who reside and work on the island seemed a bit stereotyped, all in all it’s a lovely read with some tearful moments and well worth considering. I will be looking forward to more stories from Ms. Demetre.:-)

Amazon 5 Stars

I love, love, love, this book! – Tasha Thomas

This book was so good! It jumps over a span of about forty years. It has everything in it. From first love to first discovery. It has suspense, love lost and love gained. It also has a friendship that stood the test of time, and sibling rivalry. If you read another book this year, this is the one! I highly recommend this wonderful book!

Amazon 5 Stars

Entertaining – Kim F

Extremely entertaining, captivating, and interesting read. I could not put it down. Wonderfully written with strong and intriguing characters. I want to read more from this author.

Amazon 5 Stars

Captivating – Debbins

The story was told in several points of view about life on an island. It was captivating and original. The characters draw you in and carry you right along with their journey through time. Highly recommend this great mystery.

Amazon 5 Stars

Good story of true love – C. Sasser

This is a heart wrenching love story that covers a lifetime. It is not the traditional happy ever after but it still does end that way. It was an entertaining, easy to read love story with wonderful characters. It had some very emotional moments. It was a great story.

Amazon 5 Stars

Island of secrets – Angie Anderson

This book is so good. It’s two generations of love. I loved all of the characters. The ending is wonderful. I suggest Kleenex being handy.

Amazon 4 Stars

An enjoyable story – Misty

An enjoyable well written book with good engaging characters. Interesting with Cecilia’s character as she developed relationships with the islanders and Tina easily resolved conflicts. Story jumps in years and held my interest with a special ending.

Amazon 5 Stars

A sweet story of redemption, family and enduring love – Ltwin

I’m a little late with my review because it took me a few days to stop crying. This is wonderful story about 2 strong women separated by a span of years, yet very connected. CiCi is a free spirit child of the 70s and it is her story that draws the reader into the book. Tina ties the present with the past and has her own journey to love and family to travel. There is a bit of family dysfunction and mystery that is sprinkled throughout that enables the reader to see many facets of the characters.

Amazon 4 Stars

Heartbreaks and Triumphs – Sahar’s Beaded Creations

At first I was not sure what to think, but the story pulls you. There are some heartbreaking elements, but there is also love and redemption. I definitely shed a few tears reading the story. The island held many secrets and heartaches. The story had lost love, finding love, and in the end, a sort of homecoming. It spanned two generations.

Amazon 5 Stars

Family – Renee Strauss

I don’t know where to start. It was a flashback to the 70s and life then. We follow the journey of Cecelia at first. Harbor Island is where she ended up. There she found herself and the love of her life, but she had to move on. Her love inherited the Island and upon his death everyone reunited. Including the new addition to their family. There were fights and criminal activity which in the end turned out to be a happy ending

Follow the rest of the blog tour for reviews, and more, with these awesome book bloggers…..

With thanks, as always, to Rachel.

Happy reading 🙂