CARLA STEWART…

MEET CARLA STEWART…

In a nutshell: I believe in Jesus, doing the right thing, the power of the written word, and a good cup of coffee. I’m a country girl living now in a mid-sized city with my engineering husband who just happens to be my best friend and biggest fan. We’re the parent of four grown sons who’ve married wonderful girls and given us six amazing grandchildren. Being a Mimi is far more fun that I ever dreamed.

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WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE CARLA WITH US TODAY…SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO,SET BACK AND ENJOY OUR GUEST!!

WELCOME CARLA!!

I’m a child of the fifties and while my memories are probably flawed, it does seem like they were more carefree, less troubled times. Perhaps it’s because our lives hadn’t been tangled yet with adult responsibilities and knowledge that not everything is perfect.

And because of my flawed memory, there were a lot of facts to check as I wrote Stardust, a story set in 1952. For me, though, research is part of the joy of writing. It’s the point of discovering something I didn’t know before or uncovering a new facet to a familiar event. And of course, there’s also the joy of actually traveling and taking a research trip.

Which is where I found myself two years ago. My husband and I celebrated our anniversary in Jefferson, Texas, and visited the museum, the newly restored library, and the quaint shops. We took a riverboat ride on the bayou and quizzed the guide about the history and legends. We visited Caddo Lake, again with a guide, where I learned about cypress trees and those funny looking “knees” clustered at the bases of the trees. I inhaled the aroma of the bayou and let the mysteriousness cloak me. I adore having a great sense of place, so it was a great beginning and verified that this was the setting for Stardust, but there were other choices I had to make about the story.

For the backdrop of the story, I chose polio (infantile paralysis). In the early fifties it reached epidemic proportions and caused near hysteria across our land. I was fortunate to find a fascinating, well-documented personal story by Kathryn Black whose mother had a severe case of the diseases. It really helped me bring the details of this dreaded—and dreadful—disease to life in Stardust.

Most people from that era either had a family experience or knew someone who had polio. In my own family, I had two relatives who were childhood victims, but young people today only know it as one of those diseases for which they’re vaccinated.

My hope is that by bringing readers a glimpse of polio and how it affected society in the fifties will lend to better understanding of the times. A tiny snippet of history, if you will. In some ways, I think we have threats to our health and lives today that mirror that time—hysteria brought on by media coverage and fear that permeates our society. Drawing an analogy from the fifties will help people today see that we all have hope, that if we can conquer something like polio, we can conquer today’s challenges.

The Stardust itself is taken from another childhood memory—a family vacation where we stayed in a tourist court that had individual cottages. It fit well with the themes of the book and the setting—having a haven for weary travelers and holding secrets from the past. When the neon sign flickers, anything is possible. Even a new beginning for the folks who end up at the Stardust. For me, I can still feel the magic of the characters and bringing their stories to life. I hope you and your readers do, too, and that you all enjoy this visit to the Stardust and the fifties.

Thanks, April, for giving me a chance to share a behind-the-scenes look at Stardust!

MBA&M: YOU ARE SO WELCOME AND THANK YOU VISITING WITH US TODAY!

LINKS!

You can find Carla here:

My website: www.carlastewart.com

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/#!/ChasingLilacs

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/carlastewartauthor

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3335371.Carla_Stewart

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/chasinglilacs/

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Here are the tour stops – enjoy the journey!

Renees-Reads

A Mom After God’s Own Heart

My Book Addiction and More

Trinity Rose’s Garden

 2 Kid sand Tired Books

Shoopettes Book Reviews

Christian Bookshelf Reviews

Bibliophiles Retreat

Just Cris

Go Teen Writers

Christa Allan

Courtney Walsh Hillary On Writing

Stage Write with Lynne Gentry

Jodie Bailey

Heart of a Bookworm

Denise Y Montgomery

Special thanks to Sarah of the FaithWords team for organizing the tour and providing the “cool” graphic.

More giveaways to come – some retro fun and guest posts.

For now, though – Ready. Set. Go!

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STARDUST

CARLA STEWART

In the bayou country of East Texas, the neon sign of the STARDUST stands silent, no longer beckoning visitors to its cozy cottages. But two days after Georgia Peyton buries her unfaithful husband, a curious thing happens: the STARDUST sign sputters to life and winks at her. Sustained by a memory from the past and determined to build a new life, Georgia acquires the STARDUST with hopes of breathing new life into it too.

A story of courage, forgiveness, and new beginnings.

FaithWords (HachetteBookGroup),

May, 2012.

ISBN:978-1455504282

Stardust Video Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp4VwmNvTbc

Amazon link to Stardust:

http://www.amazon.com/Stardust-A-Novel-Carla-Stewart/dp/1455504289/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334187418&sr=8-1

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**GIVEAWAY ALERT**

*Sponsored by the publisher*

We are offering 1 lucky commenter a print copy of “Stardust” by Carla Stewart. Giveaway open to U.S. and Canada residents only! No P.O. Boxes, please. Giveaway will run from May 17 until May 24,2011.

*Please leave a valid email address*

*Tell us,if you have a favorite place you enjoy visiting*

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE AND ENJOY!

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Please check out our “Thoughts” on “Stardust” by Carla Stewart!

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Please spread the word on Twitter,Facebook,Blog,Pinterest,Linked and anywhere else you can!!

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Thank you for spending time with us and our guest today!!

AUTHOR,SHARON K.  OWEN

(From the author’s website)

I am a fiction writer, a university professor, a copy editor and an online writing teacher. My first Romantic Suspense: Thicker Than Water (Brands Crossing Series) was published in 2011 and the second book in the series, Whatever Goes Around, will be published in March, 2012.

My short stories and poetry have been published in Descant, Concho River Review, Iron Horse, American Literary Review, Trinity Writer’s Workshop newsletter and collections of Christmas stories.

I am blessed with a loving family, a multitude of friends and the good fortune to share a cozy sanctuary in North Texas with my four-legged roommates.

As an only child in a household and neighborhood primarily populated with adults, I followed my grandfather’s example and entertained myself by creating my own stories in which I was always the hero and the star.

I inherited my vivid imagination and a compulsion to create alternate realities from my maternal grandfather.

He was natural-born story teller. In another century he might have been a Seanchai (an irish storyteller/historian who related adventures that became part of the legends in Ireland.

In our family, he passed along an oral history that brought our ancestors to life.  These stories instilled in me a love of family drama and a curiosity about all the interactions of family members  through succeeding generations.

The literacy skills I developed in school give me the opportunity to put those stories on paper. Although the written version never quite matches the perfection of those images in my mind, I persist in the attempt to present characters and situations that intrigue, inspire and entertain.

VISIT SHARON AT:

Website: http://sharonkatherine@sharonkowen.com

blog: http://sharonkowensimplycreating.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/sharonkowen

Facebook: fan https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sharon-K-Owen/195370410526830

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/sharon_k_owen

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THICKER THAN WATER

SHARON K. OWEN

As a child, KATE O’DONNELL spends summers at her grandparents’ estate in Brands Crossing where she and her girl cousins battle make-believe monsters, rescue endangered victims and a save a mythical kingdom. At twenty-five Kate is a singer/songwriter living in Nashville and pursuing a promising relationship with computer game designerPHILLIP NORWOOD. There, her only battles are fought in Aidenne’s Revenge, Phillip’s online fantasy game based on her childhood adventures. With her grandfather’s sudden death from injuries he sustained in a suspicious car crash, Kate is forced to make a choice. Will she remain in Nashville to focus on Phillip and her music career? Or will she move back to Brands Crossing and honor the promise she made to her grandfather that she would investigate the mystery surrounding his death?

Family trumps career and romance and Kate heads back to Texas where the monsters, victims and endangered kingdoms are all too real. In an attempt to protect Kate from danger, Phillip joins her quest and helps her search for incriminating documents, investigate a centuries-old family feud and confront an anonymous rose-bearing admirer who stalks Kate in both real and virtual universes.

Thicker Than Water is the first in a series of novels set in Brands Crossing, Texas. It chronicles the lives of the Kincaids, a prominent family in this mythical town, and focuses on a mystery that extends back to the mid-eighteenth century and the young Texas Republic.

AVAILABLE AT:

 amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com

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Please check out our “Thoughts” on “Thicker Than Water” by  Sharon K. Owen!

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We hope you have enjoyed our spotlight on Sharon K. Owen! Spread the word,please!!

Thank You!

]]> http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com/spotlight-on-thicker-than-water-author-sharon-k-owen/feed/ 0 http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com/giveaway-and-interview-with/ http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com/giveaway-and-interview-with/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:54 +0000 AprilR http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com/?p=8531 ↓ Read the rest of this entry...]]> IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE WE WELCOME LISA RENEE JONES TO MY BOOK ADDICTION AND MORE TODAY….

MBA&M: Lisa, please tell those readers who do not know you, a few tidbits about Lisa Renee Jones?

P.T. DAWKINS!!

MEET P.T. DAWKINS

Author, P.T. Dawkins

A 28-year veteran of the investment world, P.T. Dawkins writes from experience about the insatiable desire for money that leads to unethical, illegal and unscrupulous behavior. He majored in English at Dartmouth College, earned a MBA from The University of Western Ontario and completed extensive studies in Creative Writing at the University of Toronto.

Find & Follow P.T. Dawkins:

Website

Blog

Twitter

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO,P.T. DAWKINS:

Good morning, P.T. and welcome to My Book Addiction and More.

MBA&M: Please tell our readers a few tidbits about P.T. Dawkins?

I am 58 years old, stopped working in the investment industry in Toronto and New York 4 years ago (after a 28 year career) and now have the chance to fulfil a life-long dream – of writing and publishing novels. I knew as early as high school that I loved to write, majored in English in college and then spent my career in finance… go figure. But everything happens for a reason, right?

MBA&M: What was the inspiration for “THE ANALYST”?

I have always liked reading legal thrillers and thought perhaps I could do the same thing with Wall Street, and white collar crime as the background setting.

MBA&M: What where some of the challenges in writing “THE ANALYST”?

The writing was just the beginning of the challenges although I really, really didn’t want the book to be an embarrassment so I went through it over and over. I also took 120 hours of courses in creative writing before I started The Analyst. Then there was the whole query letter, trying to find an agent process – that took a year and I finally gave up and decided to self-publish. That was another journey and all I can say is I will do things differently with book #2. Then, one has to learn about marketing. At the time, I didn’t know that things like Nurture Book Tours existed – if all goes well I will “launch” book #2 this way. Next fall maybe?

MBA&M: Which character in “THE ANALYST” do you most identify with and why?

I like to say that all of my characters are like Frankenstein’s monster, made up of parts from many people.  David Heart is probably closest to me (but not exactly the same). I tend to be a quieter person until you force me to fight back and then I do!

MBA&M: What is on the horizon for P.T. Dawkins?

I am 90% of the way through the first draft of my next novel, again, a thriller about white collar crime. I plan to write three novels and create a trilogy. One of the characters in my first novel, The Analyst, lives on and is part of the second book (although the reader doesn’t see that until close to the end.) Hint – it isn’t the protagonist.

MBA&M: What is your life’s passion, beside writing, of course?\

That’s an easy one. My family

MBA&M: Who do you feel is your greatest supporter? Why?

My wife. Right from the very beginning, before I’d written one word she was encouraging me. She’s a voracious reader of commercial fiction and acted as my first editor (before I sent my novel to the one I had to pay for) based on her knowledge of what is out there, what works and doesn’t, that sort of thing. They say one of the keys to writing is to read a lot – she, in a very important way helped me do that, better than I could have done by myself.  They say you shouldn’t let people close to you edit your book. I jumped at the chance (and we’re still married!)

MBA&M: What is something that scares the “heck” out of you? Why?

I don’t know if “scares” is the right word but I do believe that you can work through about any situation you find yourself in – that you can reach down and find more fuel to keep going, even when you thought the cupboard was bare. Giving up too early and learning later that you had more of a chance than you realized if you’d just persevered is a very disturbing thought to me.

MBA&M: Please tell our readers where to find you and where “THE ANALYST” is available?

The Analyst is only available on-line through either POD or e-book reader. It is available through Amazon, Chapters, B&N etc. My website is www.ptdawkins-author.com and links to printers are on there. My email address is pdawk11@gmail.com

PT, do you have anything else you wish to add?

One of the other things I learned is that there is an entire community out there dedicated to supporting indie authors. One of the ways is to host contests. I entered The Analyst in a few and won one! (at least one – haven’t heard back from everyone yet). How cool was that? (digital certificate below).

Thank you for visiting with us and our readers today!!

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The Analyst by P.T. Dawkins – NURTURE Book Tour Schedule:

• May 7th – Jaidis @ Juniper Grove
• May 8th – Meredith Al. @ From Meredith Allard
• May 8th – Mindy Wa. @ Books, Books, and more Books
• May 9th – Morgen B. @ Morgen Bailey’s Writing Blog
• May 10th – Peggy Ma. @ Book Absorption
• May 11th – Evangeline H. @ Audacious Reader
• May 11th – Laurie J. @ Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews
• May 14th – April R. & Wendy @ My Book Addiction and More
• May 15th – Wayne H. @ Blog Business World
• May 15th – Makayla Th. @ Makayla’s Book Reviews
• May 16th – Sidne K. @ Sidne, the Reading Socialite
• May 17th – Norma @ Wakela’s World
• May 17th – Laurie J. @ Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews
• May 18th – Bobbie @ Nurture Virtual Book Tourz™ Blog

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THE ANALYST

P.T. DAWKINS

The Analyst by P.T. Dawkins

Title: The Analyst

Author: PT Dawkins

Genre: Fiction – Wall Street Thriller

 Published by: Llumina Press Publication

 Date: August 2011

Recommended Age: 18+

Format(s): eBook, trade paperback ISBN 13: 9781605947235

 Number of pages: 300

After David Heart’s father’s estate is squandered by bad advice, his mother faces eviction and his grandfather needs life-saving surgery. A seemingly-helpful family friend finds David a seat at a bucket-shop off-Wall Street firm with the promise that money flows like wine.

Naive and quickly recognized as an easy mark, David is plunged into the eat-what-you-kill world of a trading desk, where the analysts, salesmen and traders sit like pigs at a two-sided trough. Bullied by the cruel, abusive head trader known only as Blackie, David is relieved when Sandy Allen, a strikingly provocative street-smart saleswoman, comes to his aid. But, what David doesn’t realize is that hidden agendas are everywhere, and no one can be trusted.

Now the target of extortion, David must make an impossible choice: facilitate an insider-trading felony in exchange for the money his family desperately needs, or face the cruelty of his mentor-turned-predator who has framed David and promises that he alone will be found guilty and suffer the consequences of the crime he refused to commit.

The Analyst by P.T. Dawkins won Best in Genre at the 2011/2012 DIY Book Festival!

Buy the BOOK:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.ca

Barnes & Noble

Chapters Indigo

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**GIVEAWAY ALERT**

*Sponsored by the author*

We are offering 1 lucky commenter an eBook Copy of “The Analyst” by P.T. Dawkins.Giveaway will run from today May 14 until May 21,2012.

*Must remember to leave a valid email address*

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!

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HAPPY READING AND PLEASE REMEMBER TO SPREAD THE WORD!!

TO OUR MOTHER’S THOSE WHO ARE STILL AMONG US AND THOSE WHO HAVE LEFT US TOO SOON!!

WE LOVE YOU!!!

AprilR-BILLIE ALEXANDER, and Mother-in-Law- SUE RENN-“Thanks mama,you taught me so much.We miss you both!”

WendyK- Mother-APRIL RENN and  Mother-in-Law-ANN KEEL-Moma I love you, thanks for being my best friend, fellow reader, and a great mother! Mrs. Ann we miss  you and think of you often, you are still treasured and we wish you were here to share our joys and sorrows.

Jeanne Hunter- “Thanks mom, Phyllis Stone, for everything including teaching me to love reading”.

From the staff at My Book Addiction and More HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY EVERYONE!!

OLIVIA NEWPORT!!

*Bio from the author’s website*

Hello!

I’m imagining you. You walk past as I water my front flowerbeds and we wave. You check the time as we both stand in a long line at the grocery store. You sit in front of me in church. I’m at my table in the coffee shop and you’re at yours.

We may smile politely and move on with our separate lives. Or one of us may speak, a simple invitation to conversation, and the words flow between us.

Here the adventure begins. When we meet someone new, we never know where it might lead.

I’ve been married for over thirty years and have two twenty-something kids. We live in stunning Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where the day lilies in my back yard grow as tall as I am. (No short jokes, please.)

Not every piece of my life is pretty, though. Some days I want to throw out whole chunks. But I am living each day looking for the grace of God to me, in me, and through me. Having your companionship along the way will help uncover a lot of great stories.

Thanks for stopping by my site, where conversations and adventures begin with a click. I hope we’ll run into each other often.

- Olivia Newport

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Book 1 of the Avenue of Dreams Series Revell Books, May 2012

THE PURSUIT OF LUCY BANNING

OLIVIA NEWPORT

Lucy Banning may live on the exclusive Prairie Avenue among Chicago’s rich and famous, but her heart lies elsewhere. Expected to marry an up-and-coming banker, the son of family friends, Lucy fears she will be forced to abandon what matters to her most—her work at the orphanage and the classesshe is secretly taking at the newly opened University of Chicago.

When she meets Will Edwards, an unconventional young architect working on plans for the 1893 World’s Fair, Lucy imagines a life lived on her own terms. A new young maid brings her own secret to the Banning household, and Lucy must choose between deeply held values.

Can Lucy find love and live out of her compassionate heart?

Order The Pursuit of Lucy Banning

Publisher (Revell)

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Christianbook.com

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Please check out our “Thoughts” on “The Pursuit of Lucy Banning” by Olivia Newport!!

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Please spread the word to Twitter,Facebook,Blog about it and anywhere else you can!!

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Thank you for your support of us and our guests!!

]]> http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com/feature-with-olivia-newportauthor-of-the-pursuit-of-lucy-banning/feed/ 0 http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com/a-darkly-hidden-truth-by-donna-fletcher-crow/ http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com/a-darkly-hidden-truth-by-donna-fletcher-crow/#comments Sat, 12 May 2012 12:00:34 +0000 AprilR http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com/?p=8510 ↓ Read the rest of this entry...]]> IT IS OUR PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE DONNA FLETCHER CROW TODAY….

*Images from the author’s website*

About the Author(from the author’s website)

Donna Fletcher Crow is the author of 36 books, mostly novels dealing with British history.  The award-winning Glastonbury, an Arthurian grail search epic covering 15 centuries of English history, is her best-known work.  A Very Private Grave, Book 1 in the Monastery Murders series, is her reentry into publishing after a 10-year hiatus. Book 2, A Darkly Hidden Truth, will be out this fall, and she is at work on Book 3, An Unholy Communion, scheduled for 2012.

The Elizabeth & Richard Mysteries is a romantic intrigue series using literary figures as background: Dorothy L Sayers in The Shadow of Reality and Shakespeare in A Midsummer Eve’s Nightmare.

Her newest release in the ebook field is Lord Danvers, a Victorian true crime series: A Most Inconvenient Death, Grave Matters, and To Dust You Shall Return.

The Daughters of Courage, Kathryn, Elizabeth and Stephanie is a pioneer family saga based on the stories of Donna’s own family and other Idaho pioneers in the Kuna, Nampa and Boise area.

Donna and her husband live in Boise, Idaho. They have 4 adult children and 10 grandchildren. Donna is remembered by Idahoans with long memories as a former Queen of the Snake River Stampede, Miss Rodeo Idaho and runner-up for Miss Rodeo America. She is an enthusiastic gardener.

Visit her website at: http://donnafletchercrow.com/booksMystery.php

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A DARKLY HIDDEN TRUTH

DONNA FLETCHER CROW

Book 2: A Darkly Hidden Truth

Felicity can’t possibly help Father Antony find the valuable missing  icon. She’s off to become a nun.  And then her impossible mother  turns up  unexpectedly. And a good friend turns up murdered…

Breathtaking chase scenes, mystical worship services, dashes through remote water-logged landscapes, the wisdom of ancient holy women, and the arcane   rites of The Knights Hospitaller keep the pages turning. Will Felicity choose  the veil – or Antony?

AVAILABLE AT:

Amazon,and The Book Depository

Book trailer:

http://youtu.be/L512Cy6F_6E

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Check out our “Thoughts” on “A DARKLY HIDDEN TRUTH” by Donna Fletcher Crow!!

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Please spread the word on Twitter,Facebook and anywhere else you can!!

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Thank you for your support!!

SARA RAMSEY

MEET SARA RAMSEY….

Sara Ramsey writes fun, feisty Regency historical romances. She won the prestigious 2009 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award with her first book, Scotsmen Prefer Blondes (formerly titled An Inconvenient Marriage). The prequel, Heiress Without A Cause (formerly titled One Night to Scandal), was a 2011 Golden Heart finalist.

Sara grew up in a small town in Iowa, and her obsession with fashion, shoes, and all things British is clearly a rebellion against her hopelessly uncool youth. She graduated from Stanford University in 2003 with a degree in Symbolic Systems (also known as cognitive science) and a minor in history. Sara subsequently worked at Google for seven years in a variety of sales, management, and communications roles. She left Google in 2010 to pursue her writing career full time. Read all about her Regency obsessions and upcoming works at www.SaraRamsey.com. Or, follow her slightly ridiculous Twitter feed, @Sara_Ramsey.

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WELCOME SARA!!

I’ve been asked a lot about how I came up with the idea for my Muses of Mayfair series, and I can honestly say that there was never a single spark of inspiration. The idea for a group of women who are pursuing secret artistic passions came to me very slowly. The first draft of the book that eventually became SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES always featured Lady Amelia Staunton, a secret Gothic romance novelist, and Malcolm MacCabe, Earl of Carnach, a Scottish laird in need of a bride.

But the women who became the Muses of Mayfair weren’t actually in the first draft. Madeleine, the actress who stars in HEIRESS WITHOUT A CAUSE, was a very different character. Ellie, the painter from my upcoming THE MARQUESS WHO LOVED ME, was off screen for the entire book.  Prudence, the secret historian who will be featured in my fourth book, didn’t exist at all. It was only as I started writing the first draft of Madeleine’s story that I realized I cared as much for the friendships between these four women as I did for the romances between each hero and heroine.

Don’t get me wrong – the romance between Malcolm and Amelia is absolutely the focus of SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES. But relationships between friends intrigue me, too – not the sweet, uncomplicated ‘friendship’ between a heroine and a secondary character whose only role is to give the heroine someone to talk to about the hero, but the messy, sometimes contentious friendships that we’ve all lived through in some way or another.

What I love about all of the Muses is that they’re willing to risk everything to fulfill their artistic passions. But the risk of pursuing your own passion is that you might hurt other people – and I’m really interested in seeing whether people stay true to themselves or sacrifice their dreams for someone else. And I’m also interested in whether friends support each other regardless of what happens, or try to convince each other to take a different path, or betray each other in the belief that they’re actually helping.

There’s never a “right” way to interact with your friends, and different characters make different choices in these books. But I think all of them realize just how vital relationships (both their relationships with their heroes and with the other Muses) are to feeling fulfilled. And how their friendships evolve when they all start pairing off with their respective heroes fascinates me.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts – and one lucky commenter will win a copy of SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES!

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 THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO SPEND TIME WITH US AND OUR READERS!!

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***GIVEAWAY***

(Sponsored by the author)

Please see the above author request for the giveaway!

GOOD LUCK!

 ———-

HEIRNESS WITHOUT A CAUSE

SARA RAMSEY

Paperback:340 pages

Publisher: Spencerhill Associates Ltd. (February 23, 2012)

Language:English

HEIRESS WITHOUT A CAUSE – Muses of Mayfair #1 – available now!

One title to change his life…

A disgraced son with a dark reputation, William “Ferguson” Avenel is content to live in exile – until his father dies in the scandal of the Season. With rumors of insanity swirling around them, his sisters desperately need a chaperone. Ferguson thinks he’s found the most proper woman in England – and he won’t ruin her, even if he desperately wants the passionate woman trapped beneath a spinster’s cap.

One chance to break the rules…

Lady Madeleine Vaillant can’t face her blighted future without making one glorious memory for herself. In disguise, on a London stage, she finds all the adoration she never felt from the ton. But when she’s nearly recognized, she will do anything to hide her identity – even setting up her actress persona as Ferguson’s mistress. She’ll take the pleasure he offers, but Madeleine won’t lose her heart in the bargain.

One season to fall in love…

Every stolen kiss could lead to discovery, and Ferguson’s old enemies are determined to ruin them both. But as their dangerous passion ignites their hearts and threatens their futures, how can an heiress who dreams of freedom deny the duke who demands her love?

Barnes and Noble/Nook: click here to buy

Amazon/Kindle: click here to buy

Amazon/paperback: click here to buy

Kobo: click here to buy

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SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES

SARA RAMSEY

Print Length:274 pages

Publisher:Spencerhill Associates, Ltd (April 4, 2012)

Language:English

SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES – Muses of Mayfair #2 – coming early April 2012

She never wanted marriage…

When a friend is forced to consider a marriage of convenience, Lady Amelia Staunton is determined to rescue her. But her plans trap her in an illicit seduction, and Amelia must marry him herself. Malcolm’s all-consuming kisses and devilish humor might make up for her lost freedom, but she believes he will force her to abandon the Gothic romances she yearns to write. Since she can’t escape him, she must distract him from her secret…

He isn’t looking for love…

A powerful autocrat with a well-hidden rebellious streak, Malcolm MacCabe doesn’t need another beautiful mistress – he needs an obedient wife. Obedience is not one of Amelia’s virtues. But he’s too enthralled by her wit and passion to let her go – even if it means risking the political reputation he is building to save his clan.

Their hearts can’t survive the scandal…

Despite their intentions, every wicked embrace binds them together. But as their conflicting desires combust into insatiable hunger and unavoidable ruin, they must decide whether to pursue their personal destinies alone – or fight for the love that could destroy them both.

Barnes and Noble/Nook: click here to buy

Amazon/Kindle: click here to buy

Amazon/paperback: click here to buy

Kobo: click here to buy

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Please tag,like,Facebook,Twitter,Linked,Pinterest,blog about these wonderful titles!

We hope you have enjoyed your time with Sara Ramsey today!!

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Check out our “Thoughts” on both “HERIESS WITHOUT A CAUSE” AND “SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES” by Sara Ramsey!!!

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As always thank you for spending time out us and our guest. Thank you for your support!!

WRITER MARKETING SERVICES AND MY BOOK ADDICTION AND MORE PRESENTS…….

“A Hopeful Romantic” Erotic Paranormal Romance author….

K.D.GRACE!!

WELCOME K.D.!!

Good morning K.D. and welcome to My Book Addiction and More today….

 MBA&M: K.D. please tell our readers a few tidbits about yourself?

K.D.: I’m totally and completely obsessed and addicted to writing. Really! I get twitchy if I don’t write every day, plus I get to be a real bitch, which is not fun at all for my poor husband. He likes to keep me writing for his own good health and peace of mind. And when I am writing and the story is flowing I’m a happy little camper. When I’m taking a brief time out from writing, I’m usually walking in the lovely English countryside or I’m veg gardening, which I’ll probably be doing a LOT more of these days, since we just got an allotment!

MBA&M: What if anything made you decide to write erotic paranormal?

K.D.: Actually, Body Temperature and Rising started life as my NaNoWriMo project (National Novel Writing Month) several years ago. Back then I was just trying to see if I COULD write erotica, and that it was paranormal came from an experience of nearly getting lost in the mist while walking on the high fells in the Lake District. One of my favourite novels of all time is Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Mists of Avalon, so how could I not think of calling down the mists? How could I not think about the magic of the land being tied to the people who walk it. That meant witches, ghosts and demons. And sex magic, of course. Lots of sex magic. Having said that it was another two years and two contemporary erotic romances later before I go the confidence to put Body Temperature and Rising out there. At the time, I never dreamed it would magik itself into a trilogyJ

MBA&M: What are the challenges in writing an erotic paranormal?

K.D.: I think the challenge in writing paranormal erotica is finding just the right balance between sex and terror. I don’t care what anyone says, if you were to meet a ghost or a vampire or a werewolf, no matter how sexy they may be, the element of terror, the element of something outside the normal world of existence, the element of ‘otherness,’ of something that shouldn’t be there would most likely scare the sh*t out of you. In my opinion, walking that edge between fear and attraction is what makes a paranormal erotic story work.

The best paranormal erotica rides a very tight edge between unbelievably hot and bone shaking terror. I think there’s a good reason why so many horror novels and film have a sex scene just before the unsuspecting couple bite the big one in a horrible way. Finding that balance, in my opinion, is key. I think Laurell K. Hamilton was the first to so graphically get that balance right, and since then the whole genre has exploded with way more emphasis on the sexy and less emphasis on the horror. BUT I think for paranormal erotica to work well, there really needs to be a very edgy balance, and if it’s not there, the story will be bland. That’s the challenge.

MBA&M: How hard or what are the challenges in gaining readers from across the ocean, such as the U.S.?

K.D.: I’ve been lucky enough to work with Xcite Books and now also with Harper Collins’s Mischief Books, both of which do a lot of marketing in the US. Having said that it’s still essential for the writer to promote. I promote my a** off, and the internet and social media make that possible. I have a blog and a website and I keep a heavy schedule as a guest blogger on other sites as well as having guests on my site. I reckon I spend about a third of my time doing PR, but it’s worth it. I’ve worked way too hard on my novels to put them out there and not support them and try to make sure they get all the attention I think they deserve. I can’t stress enough how important social media and using the internet for promo is. With it, distance becomes irrelevant.

These days unless you’re J K Rowling or E L James, the only book tours you can afford are virtual ones, and they work pretty well, actually. Plus, they’re especially great for us introvertsJ

MBA&M:  Who is your greatest hero,be it character,animal,or person?Why?

K.D.: At the moment that would have to be the fabulous planetary scientist, and leader of the imaging team for the Cassini–Huygens mission, Carolyn Porco. It’s not just her knowledge and research and the way she presents it that’s astounding and fascinating, but it’s her complete and total enthusiasm for her work. She probably knows more about the outer planets, their moons and rings than anyone alive. I can’t think of Saturn without thinking of Carolyn Porco and what she’s done to bring a planet that’s 1.2 billion kilometres away into our living rooms. Now THAT’S magic!

MBA&M:  What’s next for K.D. Grace?

K.D.: At the moment, I’m working to complete Riding the Ether and Elemental Fire, the second and third books of the Lakeland Heatwave Trilogy. The romp has been way more fun and excitement than I ever bargained for when I started Body Temperature for NaNoWriMo. It’ll be really hard to let go and walk away when I’m finished because I’ve had such an enthralling experience with the Elemental Coven and their lives and struggles in the Lake District.

After that, I’m contracted for another novella and have a couple of short stories I’d like to write. Beyond that I’ve got several other novel projects incubating in the back of my mind. I don’t think I’ll get boredJ

MBA&M:  Tell our readers where to find you and where to find “Lakeland Heatwave Book 1: Body Temperature and Rising”?

K.D.:You can buy Body Temperature and Rising at any number of places, including all bookstore chains. Here are a few of the links.

eBook

Amazon UK
Amazon US
All Romance eBooks
Barnes & Noble
eBook Eros
Xcite Books

Print

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Waterstone’s
Barnes & Noble
The Book Depository
Powell’s
Xcite Books
Lovehoney

               MBA&M: K.D. is there anything you would like to add?

K.D.: I’d just like to thank My Book Addiction for having me as guest on their fabulous site. It’s been a real pleasure to chat with you. I hope you’ll stop by and say hi at my site when you get a chance, http://kdgrace.co.uk/ We’ll have a chat and a virtual cuppa! Again, what a pleasure it is to be here!

Thank you K.D. for taking the time out of your schedule to visit with My Book Addiction and More and our readers today!!

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MEET K.D. GRACE….

*Image from the author’s website*

K D Grace was born with a writing obsession. It got worse once she actually learned HOW to write. There’s no treatment for it. It’s progressive and chronic and quite often interferes with normal, everyday functioning. She might actually be concerned if it wasn’t so damned much fun most of the time.

K D’s critically acclaimed erotic romance novels, The Initiation of Ms Holly, The Pet Shop and Lakeland Heatwave Book 1: Body Temperature and Rising are published by Xcite Books and are available from all good paperback and eBook retailers.

Her erotica has been published with Xcite Books, Mammoth, Cleis Press, Harper Collins Mischief Books, Black Lace, Erotic Review, Ravenous Romance, Sweetmeats Press and Scarlet Magazine.

Find out more about K D Grace on her website, http://kdgrace.co.uk. She’s also on Facebook and Twitter.

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Lakeland Heatwave: Body Temperature and Rising

K.D.GRACE

Paperback:224 pages

Publisher:Xcite Books (May 10, 2012)

Language:English

ISBN-10:1908086874

ISBN-13: 978-1908086877

GIVEAWAY!

*Sponsored by the publisher*

K D Grace is offering one lucky winner a chance to win one of her previous novels. Winner gets their choice of a PDF of either The Initiation of Ms Holly or The Pet Shop.

How to win? Just leave a comment with your email address on this post – and a lucky winner will be chosen and notified…

Giveaway will run from today May 10 until May 17,2012.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE AND HAPPY READING!!

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We hope you have enjoyed your visit with our guest today! Please spread the word!!

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*COMING SOON**

Our “Thoughts” on “Body Temperature” by K.D. Grace.

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As always thank you for visiting with us and our wonderful guest!!

 TIM WESTOVER!

*Image from the publisher’s website*

Tim Westover is an established writer of magical realism and folklore fiction in both English and Esperanto. He plays clawhammer banjo and enjoys exploring the north Georgia mountains.

Visit his personal blog at http://www.timwestover.com.

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WELCOME TIM!

Tell us a little about your novel, Auraria?

Auraria is a story of change and modernization coming to a haunted corner of the Georgia mountains. It’s set in the late 19th century. A sleepy Georgia ghost town, Auraria, is visited by two land developers, who have a plan to reinvigorate the town by building a lake and resort. Auraria had once been a rich place, on top of a vein of gold; as the developers dig, though, they find that Auraria’s gold is not all gone, nor it is quite what they’d expected.

Auraria is home not just to Georgia mountain folk, but to many spirits — haunted pianos, an invincible terrapin, moon maidens, headless revenants, and voracious mist-dwelling fish. They have their own whims and wishes, which interact with the developers’ plans in surprising and changing ways.

What was the inspiration for writing Auraria?

I live just at the foot of the Georgia mountains, and I make frequent trips up there. It’s one of my favorite places in the world. In my travels and readings, I found so many wonderful stories, both historical and folkloric, and wanted to bring them together in a novel. The way of all history is that most important sites — battlefields or buildings or graveyards — eventually become lost to farmers’ fields and subdivisions. With Auraria, I wanted to put some story back into that land.

How much of Auraria is invented, and how much is true?

Auraria was a real town in Georgia. It was the site of a gold rush in the 1830‘s, and now, there’s nothing left. Most of the events that happen in the novel Auraria — building hotels, creating dams, exploring mines, developing the land — are based in reality. Most are relocated to a single site from elsewhere in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. While the events are real, I changed their context and location.

Most of the folklore elements, too, are drawn from Cherokee legends, local storytellers, and folk beliefs. Again, I relocated, tweaked, and integrated them as the story demanded. The moon maidens, for instance, are more closely associated with the south Georgia swamps, but I moved them to the mountains.

Why fantasy and magical realism?

I don’t believe in ghosts, either now or in the past. But a belief in ghosts and otherworldly phenomenon was (and is) a part of the Georgia background of the novel. Folk tales are fascinating in how they explain, alter, and shade the interpretation of the world. Good fiction, even though it isn’t real, can give us a new perspective on the real world.

What are you currently reading?

I’m currently reading George Stewart’s Names on the Land: A Historical Account of Place-Naming in the United States. It traces the names of American cities, mountains, and rivers back to their origins, whether a Native American word, an Old-World reference, or a local joke. It shows how varied our history can be.

Where can readers get a copy of Auraria?

Auraria doesn’t come out until July 10th, but there are giveaways available.

There’s more information about the book on the QW Publishers website at http://www.qwpublishers.com/auraria/ and on Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13492625-auraria.

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Tim Westover

Paperback:398 pages

Publisher:QW Publishers (July 10, 2012)

Language:English

ISBN-10:0984974806

ISBN-13: 978-0984974801

Description:(from the publisher)

Water spirits, moon maidens, haunted pianos, headless revenants, and an invincible terrapin that lives under the mountains. None of these distract James Holtzclaw from his employer’s mission: to turn the fading gold-rush town of Auraria, GA, into a first-class resort and drown its fortunes below a man-made lake. But when Auraria’s peculiar people and problematic ghosts collide with his own rival ambitions, Holtzclaw must decide what he will save and what will be washed away.

Taking its inspiration from a real Georgia ghost town, Auraria is steeped in the folklore of the Southern Appalachians, where the tensions of natural, supernatural and artificial are still alive

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***GIVEAWAY ALERT***

(Sponsored by the publisher)

We are offering 2 lucky commenters a e-book copy of “Auraria” by Tim Westover.

*Must leave a valid email address*

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE AND ENJOY!

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Check out our “Thoughts” on this title!

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We hope you have enjoyed our feature with TIm Westover. Please spread the word!

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Thank you for taking the time to visit with us today!