Monthly Archives: May 2020
VBT – THE GOURMET GANGSTER
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
A Note from the AuthorThe mysteries are malicious. The recipes are delicious. John Klopfenstein, Criminal Defense Attorney ~ Carmel/Salinas, California
My son Jory and I had a great time collaborating on this book. I wrote the mysteries and he provided the recipes. Together we created some murderous titles for the recipes and decided which types of food would best fit the various mystery stories.
Some of my stories were influenced by being a gangster’s daughter.
Really. My father was a gangster.
He was a bookie, owned a gambling ‘place’ and when he was ready to move on, he and his partner opened a restaurant and bar at the heart of Main Street in Buffalo, New York.
The head of one of the big crime families lived in Buffalo. Odd as it may seem, Buffalo was home to many members of that family in the middle of the twentieth century. There are books about them, telling who they were and what they controlled—from Buffalo to Niagara Falls.
My father knew some of them, I have been told. He was invited to share their goods, their ill gained fortunes and business opportunities. He always refused, and I’m grateful for his wisdom and choice. For some reason they left him alone to forge his own gains.
He did not have or carry a gun. In fact, even though his wife, my mother (who I once called his gun moll in a story I wrote) could be nasty, he was never unkind to her or me. He was generous, and I learned a lot about generosity through his actions.
My boyfriend at the time, his friends and I would stop in at the restaurant. They would even go on their own, knowing my dad loved to have them visit.
What stories he told them! Ones he wouldn’t tell a daughter, he told them and, eventually, his grandson. Who, of course, told me.
I watched my father as he found his way, lost it and then found it again.
Through it all, I always knew I was loved. How lucky I was!
My two sons, his grandsons, also knew he loved them. They were more than special to him; he adored them.
He loved owning and hanging out at his restaurant, The Spaghetti House, and he enjoyed cooking as much as serving drinks and talking to people.
Some people sat at the bar, others in leather booths where meals were served. Passersby stopped to talk with him. Looking back, I know that, for my father, it was the best of times. Food, friendship and family were at the heart of his life.
Remembering my father, and picturing him at a restaurant he owned is what initially inspired me to write stories that took place in a restaurant. I’m a mystery writer, so they had to be about murder, mayhem and, I thought, a fun bit of madness.
Loving short stories, I decided to write a series of short mysteries, all taking place in a restaurant called Manhattan Shadow.
I’m a New Yorker at heart and have lived there for many years, so New York was perfect as the restaurant’s location and the center of the stories’ criminal organization.
.Zero the Bookie is fashioned after my father. He also appears in my Sleuths Mystery Series along with Dick and Dora Zimmerman, reminiscent of the Thin Man characters.
The idea of adding recipes made good sense, since my father was a chef and the stories were set in a mob-owned restaurant. Then, Level Best Books, our publisher, suggested putting a recipe before each story.
I agreed. “Great idea. My son is a fabulous cook; he can create the recipes. Plus, we’ll give them names to fit the stories.
Indeed, we did. For example, “Chicken Piccata Caper,” “The Sacrificial Lamb,” “The Quiche (Kiss) of Death.” Near the end we added, “A Deadly Delicious Dessert.”
It will perhaps seem strange to some readers that those desserts are ‘donuts,’ but those donuts belong to a very important memory. When my father and mother came to visit us after we moved to Long Island, my father brought along a small donut-making machine.
I wisely disappeared from the anticipated mess.
Oh, how his grandsons loved making the donuts, adding different frostings and sprinkles and devouring them. The three of them had such fun! The experiences of those times have long belonged to my son, Jory. I believe they inspired his joy of cooking.
Here are Jory’s thoughts concerning his love of both cooking and his family ties: “Some of my earliest memories about my grandfather include making donuts with him in the kitchen of our house. I remember his kindness, patience, and love for the process as well as the end result. It gave me a lifetime passion for cooking, and a desire to learn the best techniques. It did, of course, also have the effect of creating a lifetime love affair with donuts (come on, they are nature’s perfect food). As I grew older, there were many shared meals and stories that gave me a true appreciation of my grandfather as a person.
“In my family, today, we truly look forward to our evening meals. I have three kids (2 girls, 9 and 7, and a boy 3); my grandfather would have adored them. What I cook allows my children to get know my grandfather through every bite of the cuisine he created. I hope the recipes in my mother’s books inspire good memories and experiences in others, too.”
As I considered mystery stories for the book, I thought about places familiar to me or where I like to spend time.
The story, “He’s A Dead Duck,” was a reminder of a duck pond we lived near on Long Island, years ago. I loved the idea of creating a story beginning with a duck recipe. “The Chicken Piccata Caper” was the easiest; I always ask Jory to make that delicious recipe for me when I visit.
There’s a story centered in a coffee shop: I meet friends there several times a week to take a writing/computer break.
“Malled to Death” is a result of my seeing a mall at death’s door, most stores gone, when I was back east last year.
Never a dull moment in this entertaining and intriguing collection of underworld stories featuring a mob boss with plenty of axes to grind. Fascinating tales told by a talented author. As an added bonus: delicious recipes for the gourmet mobster in all of us. ~ Lida Sideris, author of the Southern California Mystery series
The Family Business
This is a collection of murder mystery stories linked by two main characters, Poppa and the Boss and at times joined by the Senior Sleuths, Dick and Dora Zimmerman and their friend, Zero the Bookie. How they get involved is often a mystery.
Poppa is head Chef for a successful restaurant, Manhattan Shadow, owned by the Boss, a powerful mobster determined to maintain control and power in his territory.
To refuse to work for him would be considered an insult. Not a good thing for Poppa’s wellbeing.
There are silent implications if one should become disloyal. There are consequences implied one doesn’t want to experience.
In the restaurants private dining room murder is often planned for all sorts of irrational reasons that seem very rational to the Boss: including power, greed, control, revenge and of course money.
The stories Poppa could tell…and does.
But who is he telling?
That’s also part of the mystery.
Of course the Senior Sleuths and Zero know.
Read an Excerpt
The Murder Car
Bruno Santos owned a dark green, 1928 Cadillac equipped with bullet-proof glass and extra body protection. “I don’t want no tommy gun to destroy this baby. And don’t forget to build in the hidden compartment.”
Full of bluster and self-importance, Santos made a lot of money illegally. He also made a lot of dangerous enemies.
The 1920’s were tailor-made for gangsters. Poverty and despair had driven many to gangs and a life of crime. However, thanks to Prohibition they had an opportunity to make millions of dollars from the illegal sale of alcohol.
With Prohibition whole new industries were born for the criminal elements. Many small-time gangsters became rich and powerful, including Bruno. Bootlegging and speakeasies made a fortune for them.
As the top crime mobs expanded, they devoured the smaller gangs. Their crimes now included narcotics, extortion and money-laundering, adding to their income and power.
Bruno was caught up in it all. The underworld violence was at his doorstep. So was the glamour. Dressed in fancy suits and wearing expensive jewelry, he drove around showing off like a big man, for all to see.
“I think he’s going to be trouble,” the boss told a few men at a local meeting.
“Yeah, drives around in the car like he’s a celebrity.”
“Keep an eye on him. He’s going to have a money problem if he keeps spending the way he is right now.” His boss was right.
The speakeasies were an open secret: a few knocks on doors throughout the country, and booze was available, “There’s a world of booze making me a fortune, and broads to help me enjoy it,” bragged Santos.
Many prospered, grew and survived. There were politicians who were easily bought, and businessmen who realized they could make more money now than most of their prior, legal enterprises. Eventually the more powerful joined forces and became part of what was known as the mob and the underworld.
“They want more money. So do I,” Bruno was about to be overdrawn, in more ways than one.
He envisioned himself like the other big-name gangsters of the 1920’s, Lucky Luciano, Al Capone and even “Dutch” Schultz. He never came close, except in his own mind.
The trouble with Bruno Santos was his obnoxious behavior, combined with an element of stupidity; assuming he could steal from the local mob boss. For several months he took an increasingly bigger piece of the money he was collecting, thinking not only did he deserve it, but he was getting away with it.
The boss was someone he had been friends with since they were teenagers. He should have known better, after all that time. Bruno had seen him beat individuals until they couldn’t get up, and worse.
He wasn’t yet 30 when it was over and the beautiful car went missing.
Newspaper headlines shouted, “Shot execution style, three shots to the back of his head, Bruno Santos was found dead at the entrance of his home. His car is gone.”
The story gave his background, some of his criminal activities and a photo of the beautiful 1928 Cadillac. No one could find it.
Here is a deadly delicious recipe from The Gourmet Gangster
Chicken Piccata “Caper”
Cauliflower Rice and Fresh Italian Bread
Chicken Piccata is a classic recipe filled with an amazing lemon butter flavor. Place the Piccata over the fresh cauliflower rice (or standard rice, if you prefer) and let the sauce coat the rice for the ideal bite. Use the bread to soak up any extra sauce. The meal is the perfect complement to the crisp, clean taste of the Sauvignon Blanc.
4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts (The thinner the cutlet the better, as it will cook easier and more evenly. If you have thicker breasts, use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound thin/flatten out.)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Season chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour and shake off excess.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter. When butter starts again to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.
Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Add seasoning to taste and return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.
Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc.
About the Authors:
M. Glenda Rosen is author of a total of ten books including The Gourmet Gangster: Mysteries and Menus by The Family published by Level Best Books. They are also her publisher for The Senior Sleuth Mystery Series, and will be republishing all four books in her Dying To Be Beautiful Mystery Series. She has won several book awards, was founder and owner of a successful marketing and public relations agency for many years, receiving numerous awards for her work with business and professional women. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, LA and Alb.NM, Central Coast Writers and Public Safety Writer’s Association
She currently resides in Carmel, California and can be reached at: MarciagRosen@gmail.com
Books by M. Glenda Rosen (aka Marcia Rosen)
The Gourmet Gangster, Mysteries and Menus by The Family (Marcia and Son Jory Rosen)
The Senior Sleuths Mysteries: Dead In Seat 4-A
The Senior Sleuths Mysteries: Dead In Bed
The Senior Sleuths Mysteries: Dead In THAT Beach House (2020)
Dying To Be Beautiful: Without A Head
Dying To Be Beautiful: Fashion Queen Dying To Be Beautiful: Fake Beauty Dying To Be Beautiful: Fat Free
My Memoir Workbook
The Woman’s Business Therapist: Eliminate the MindBlocks & RoadBlocks to Success
Jory Rosen has been in the advertising and marketing business for over 30 years and is the owner of the J. Rosen Group, a full-service international advertising, branding and direct marketing agency.
For over two decades, Jory Rosen has set the tone for strong, innovative, and successful campaigns, while providing a flexibility and level of personal client service rarely seen in the industry has extensive experience in all areas of advertising, direct response and marketing including sales, production direct mail, email, web, TV, radio, alternative media and more. In addition, with over 150 campaigns under the belt, there is a strong track record of success.
Jory’s passions are his family, cooking and wine. Jory worked as a cooking demonstrator for many years in NYC and now takes the show on the road by doing cooking demonstrations for his kid’s schools and classrooms. He often cooks meals with his kids and loves seeing their reactions to new recipes and meals.
They live in Los Angeles, California.
Joryla@gmail.com
Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Gourmet-Gangster-Mysteries-Menus-ebook/dp/B07ZQYFL4N/
The book is $0.99.
Marcia Rosen & Jory Rosen will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
VBT – 7 STEPS TO CLARITY
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Please click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
The sheer amount of decisions in life can become an overwhelming burden. Sometimes we just want to know the answers to our questions. We want to know we are making the right choices. It can be hard to see the right path with the noise of the world. There are voices and media all around us, influencing everything we do. In all that noise, where is the true voice, the one that knows? You can call it God or Source or the Universe or your Higher Self, but it is contained within you. Accessing it and giving it room and silence to speak to you is the real key to achieving your best life.
In seven steps, Nicole Stephen shows the way to a happier, more peaceful daily life. To reclaim yourself, you need to shut out the “shoulds,” but in order to do that, you need to notice them. Exploring the questions and challenges that Nicole includes in this book will open your eyes to the pressures that you may have been submitting to unknowingly. In clearing up the way you see the world, you can clear a path to knowing yourself, and with that true voice guiding you, you will always find the way.
Read an Excerpt
Do you ever wonder what your life is all about? Why you are here? You are not alone. As a coach and teacher for many years, there is a common thread that runs through students, young professionals, and even CEOs at the height of their careers: “So what? Now what?” And there is confusion, lots of confusion. “Do I stay in my current job? How can I get a better job? Do I start a family? Do I stay with my current spouse? Why haven’t I found love yet? Why didn’t I stay in the band? I would have had such a diff erent life. Maybe I should be doing something more important, something worthy to impact the world in a positive and meaningful way?” What if I told you that there is a guru—a genie perhaps—that can answer all your questions? This person can make themselves available to you day or night, can answer any question, and can give you clear insights on any situation or decision, no matter how small or diffi cult. And this guru is free of charge and full of love and support for you. Too good to be true? Well, it is true and the person who has all the answers to unlock your potential with ease and fun is, yes, you may have guessed it, YOU!
About the Author:
Nicole Stephen is the founder and principal consultant for Miramar Group. During her 20-year career as an executive coach and organizational development consultant she has worked to help individuals, teams, and organizations accelerate growth and realize their potential. She holds a Masters’ and PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Virginia Polytechnic and State University. Nicole lives on the coast in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband, two children, and dog Henry.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20026975.Nicole_Stephen
https://www.miramarconsultinggroup.com/
Links to buy:
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Steps-Clarity-Personal-Guidance-System/dp/1734181443/ref=sr_1_1
The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter.
VBT – MAYHEM AND THE MARQUESS
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Daughter of an infamous murderer, Ivy Wollard now wields knives instead of needlepoint to survive in a society where no one wants her. When the Marquess of Blackbourne comes along and ruins her chance at a better life, she decides she’d rather have her toes eaten by eels than agree to his proposed scheme. There’s no way her surrender has anything to do with the mesmerizing angle of his jawline or the wicked twinkle in his eyes.
But Asher Blackbourne has a secret. He knows it’s just a matter of time until he goes mad and loses his illustrious title, so when Ivy falls into his path, he realizes he could use her to keep his house of cards from falling down. If every illicit touch between them doesn’t drive him mad first, that is.
Yet Ivy cannot escape her grisly legacy and the dark desires of her father’s admirers. What if violence runs through her veins, and no one who gets close is safe? Mayhem will descend as this rake finally falls for the enigmatic woman who might be just his brand of poison…Er, cure, of course.
Read an Excerpt
Blackbourne came towards the clawfoot tub, running a finger along the porcelain edge.
Ivy shrank back instinctively into the steam.
He chuckled. “Don’t worry, love. I won’t bite,” he drawled, and then paused. “Yet.”
She inhaled as his eyes flashed promises of things she wasn’t sure she understood.
“Your bathwater is quite thoroughly unrevealing with all those suds. What a pity.” He sighed, pulling the nearby chair closer to the tub and lowering himself down into it. “Will you wash your hair for me?”
Ivy blinked “Right now?” she choked, reaching up to pat her hair, which she’d styled in a high chignon.
He nodded, his posture relaxed, although Ivy knew this to be deceptive. He was waiting to hear her answer with taut focus. When she didn’t move a muscle, Blackbourne interrupted her tumultuous thoughts with a soft suggestion. “Let me help you.”
The words reached out to her with tendrils that wrapped her consciousness in a sensual fog, causing the hair on her nape to rise. This was not done, she knew. A proper lady would never allow a gentleman to touch her hair, much less while she bathed. But what about any of their arrangement was proper in the first place? Who would even know?
Besides him.
So she reached up slowly so as not to disturb the water covering her chest and drew the stickpin from her hair, letting its length fall in a heavy coil down her back.
His sharp intake of breath echoed in the tiled chamber.
Was that a good thing? Ivy’s body trembled as she watched him rise and come towards her through the steam…
About the Author:
Win Hollows is a multi-award-winning romance fiction writer who still believes that love conquers all. She currently lives in Colorado with her own real-life hero and their three fur babies. Her passion is writing stories about love and intrigue and will continue to do so as long as characters keep having conversations in her head. Hollows’ other interests include traveling to places with delicious food and languages she can’t speak, having wilderness adventures, and, of course, reading! She loves connecting with readers and fans on Facebook, Instagram, and through her website.
Social Media Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winhollows/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Win-Hollows-166439534079985/
Website: http://www.winhollows.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/44526655-mayhem-and-the-marquess
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mayhem-Marquess-Lords-Havoc-Book-ebook/dp/B07NHR2TYQ
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mayhem-and-the-marquess-win-hollows/1130949870
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/929031
Publisher: https://www.evernightpublishing.com/mayhem-and-the-marquess-by-win-hollows/
The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter.
Book Blast – THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
The Right To Remain Silent
He never expects to find her there…
Officer Quinten Blackthorne is working undercover to bring the Rudnikov Mob Empire to its knees. He never expects to find his best friend’s baby sister, Becca, in the center of a powder keg situation at the infamous mobster’s home. With her life on the line, he does the only thing he can think of to save her – he pretends that she’s his fiancée, who knows nothing of his clandestine activities with the criminal enterprise, and stands as her stalwart protector.
Forced into marriage…
But Quinten never expects the mob boss to force them into marriage at gunpoint as a test of loyalty. Not to mention, the idea of her belonging to him isn’t unappealing, nor is he as averse to the prospect as he lets on. Becca, with her sweet curves and take no prisoners attitude, fascinates him, stirs him, and leaves him craving her submission. Yet his past is fraught with broken dreams and death, so he uses his friendship with her brother as a shield against his yearning to claim her as his own.
Resistance is futile…
However, circumstances soon compel Becca and Quinten to become the most unlikely allies in a deadly game of deception. Now they must depend on one another for survival. As they race to unlock the keys to breaking the case, will Quinten be able to maintain his hands-off policy with Becca? Or will he surrender to the earth-shattering passion and turn their marriage of convenience into the real deal?
Publisher’s Note: This steamy friends to lovers romance contains elements of power exchange. While it’s the third in the Crescent City Kings series, it can be enjoyed independently.
Read an Excerpt
Quinten beg someone? Yeah, right.
She imagined even the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang moved out of Quinten’s way when he approached. In front of the entire crime entourage, he snarled, “What the fuck are you doing here, Becca?”
Rudnikov glanced between them, speculative interest and suspicion in his dead gaze. “You two know each other, Quinten?”
Quinten grabbed her hand and squeezed her fingers. Hard. Like he was trying to pass along a meaning that she still didn’t understand—mainly because her entire day had taken on a weird damn Twilight Zone bent, with danger and betrayal filtering in through every crack. Quinten, with her hand still gripped in his much larger one, turned to Rudnikov and said, “Yes, we do know each other. She’s my fiancée, sir. She doesn’t know that I work for you.”
At the pressure on her hand, and Quinten’s declaration, Becca stared at Quinten like he had gone mad. Fiancée? What the hell? What was the man playing at?
“Is that a fact? I don’t see a ring on her hand,” Rudnikov replied, his face an inscrutable mask.
That was it. They were dead. Her story would end, here, now, holding Quinten’s hand. On the bright side, Becca thought, she wouldn’t die alone. Tension oozed in the room. She’d frozen and even forgot to breathe. The guards had their hands in position against their firearms. Becca prayed she wouldn’t pass out or pee in her pants in terror.
“That’s because she’s miffed with me. We had a fight the other night and she took it off. But she loves me.” Quinten stared down at her from his six foot plus height, his cognac gaze imparting a play along message while he pretended to be a man besotted.
Becca didn’t understand—any of it. Not why Sasha had betrayed her trust, or whether Quinten was a dirty cop and only coming to her rescue because he was friends with her brother, or whether the mob boss intended to let her walk out of his house alive.
“Is this true, Miss O’Malley?” Rudnikov asked like he was daring her to dispute Quinten’s outlandish claim.
Pain shot up her arm from her hand as Quinten squeezed. Becca tried to keep her expression serene. Doubt shrouded Rudnikov’s hard glare. Better to have the crime boss believe she was with Quinten than alone and at his mercy. With a silent prayer, she tossed her lot in with the devil she knew. “It’s true, Mister Rudnikov. I’m engaged to the big lug—for now, at least.”
“And why just for now?” Rudnikov’s stare made her want to squirm. But she held it together—barely. Staring Rudnikov in his eyes the color of mahogany, Becca knew what it was like to stare evil in the face. The man would have no qualms about ending her life, right here, right now. The bastard wouldn’t even flinch at the blood spilled in his ornate sitting room.
“Because the blasted man keeps dragging his heels. Any time I try to set a date, he gives me the runaround. He’s the one who proposed and made me all insane with wanting the whole fairytale wedding deal. It’s almost like he doesn’t want to marry me, and I took the ring off until he’s willing to set a date. And why didn’t you tell me about all this, sweetie?” She glanced at Quinten and found approval there.
Rudnikov chuckled and said in a deprecating manner, “Because business is the providence of men, Miss O’Malley… and to show that there are no hard feelings, I will help you young lovebirds out. I can’t have one of my men breaking a vow with my newest business associate, now can I? You’ll marry. Tonight, in fact. Robbie, call Father Vincent. Ask him to be here within the hour to perform a marriage ceremony.”
“But, but… I don’t think—” Becca sputtered. Marry Quinten? Was Rudnikov serious?
Quinten’s hold on her hand tightened even more. She wondered if she would have any bones left before the night was over, or if they would crack into jagged pieces. Quinten protested, “Sir, that’s a generous offer. But she wants a big church wedding and I don’t—”
Rudnikov waved him off. “Nonsense. It will happen tonight. You can always do the fancy wedding later.”
Becca opened her mouth to refuse but shut it again at Rudnikov’s piercing glare. In the game of chicken, he had called their bluff and was waiting to strike. Becca moved closer to Quinten, choosing her side.
About the Author:
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.
Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.
Visit her website here: http://www.anyasummers.com
Visit her on social media here:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AnyaSummersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anyabsummers
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15183606.Anya_Summers
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Anya-Summers/e/B01EGTVRKC
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anya-summers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anyasummersauthor/
Newsletter: https://anyasummers.com/newsletter/
Available at:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2URBzY2
Nook: https://bit.ly/2JBc20b
iBooks: https://apple.co/3bUKuPv
Dungeon Fantasy Club Series
Her Highland Master, Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/Highland-Master-Dungeon-Fantasy-Club-ebook/dp/B01E9UB8SO/
To Master and Defend, Book 2 https://www.amazon.com/Master-Defend-Dungeon-Fantasy-Club-ebook/dp/B01FNG23HI/
Two Doms for Kara, Book 3 https://www.amazon.com/Doms-Kara-Dungeon-Fantasy-Club-ebook/dp/B01GXGOAK0/
His Driven Domme, Book 4 https://www.amazon.com/Driven-Domme-Dungeon-Fantasy-Club-ebook/dp/B01IIUY8Y2
Her Country Master, Book 5 https://goo.gl/YWhLqm
Love Me, Master Me, Book 6 https://goo.gl/QlTE9u
Submit To Me, Book 7 https://goo.gl/Or8pYr
Her Wired Dom, Book 8 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRJY9TF/
Pleasure Island Series
Her Master & Commander, Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/Master-Commander-Pleasure-
Island-Book-ebook/dp/B06Y5SVVB9/
Her Music Masters, Book 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711R9D1H/
Their Shy Submissive, Book 3 https://goo.gl/ufyJLn
Her Lawful Master, Book 4 https://www.amazon.com/Lawful-Master-Pleasure-Island-Book-ebook/dp/B073SRDNNT
Her Rockstar Dom, Book 5 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075VSGP8Q
Duets & Dominance, Book 6 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075TG9RYC
Her Undercover Dom, Book 7 https://goo.gl/HKhVba
Ménage In Paradise, Book 8 https://goo.gl/qce2BD
Her Rodeo Masters, Book 9 https://goo.gl/HDZw6v
Cuffs & Spurs Series
His Scandalous Love, Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/Scandalous-Love-Cuffs-Spurs-Book-ebook/dp/B079GBB57Z
His Unexpected Love, Book 2 https://www.amazon.com/His-Unexpected-Love-Carter-Beginning-ebook/dp/B07C2NBGLQ
His Wicked Love, Book 3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B661RP1
His Untamed Love, Book 4 https://www.amazon.com/Untamed-Love-Cuffs-Spurs-Book-ebook/dp/B07D9ZDHMH
His Tempting Love, Book 5 https://www.amazon.com/Tempting-Love-Cuffs-Spurs-Book-ebook/dp/B07HYT1GVQ
His Seductive Love, Book 6 https://www.amazon.com/Seductive-Love-Cuffs-Spurs-Book-ebook/dp/B07KXP3MMF
His Secret Love, Book 7 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NKN5Y2S
His Cherished Love, Book 8 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SBDTVMV/
The Alcyran Chronicles
Taken by the Beast, Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FYNT21L
Claimed by the Beast, Book 2 https://www.amazon.com/Claimed-Beast-Alcyran-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B07Q3HNP26/
Loved by the Beast, Book 3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W3QFLJW/
Seduced by the Beast, Book 4 – Coming Soon
Chosen by the Beast, Book 5 – Coming Soon
Crescent City Kings
Lone Survivor, Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X4JN5DX
Far Reaching Consequences, Book 2 https://amzn.to/2SmLqWm
The Right To Remain Silent, Book 3 https://amzn.to/2URBzY2
Bound To Protect, Book 4 – Coming Soon
Self Sacrifice, Book 5 – Coming Soon
Never Surrender, Book 6 – Coming Soon
Oath & Indenture, Book 7 – Coming Soon
Boxed Sets
The Dungeon Fantasy Club https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H6FPSFV
The Pleasure Island Collection https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N2NLY3L/
The Cuffs & Spurs Collection https://amzn.to/35dAZb4
Anya Summers will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
VBT – Murder on the Mountain
Emma Thomas hasn’t been home in years. Only back in Staunton for a few months, she plans to put her investigative reporter skills to use in exposing the trafficking group using her peaceful, idyllic hometown to move drugs. But when she stumbles onto more than drugs, bullets start flying and she has to ask the one person she left Virginia to avoid for help.
Detective Adam Marshall has been working this cartel case for months. On the precipice of breaking the organization wide open, he can’t believe the one woman he’d never been able to get over now holds the key to closing his case. His head warns him to steer clear, but his heart won’t let him walk away when Emma’s life is on the line.
Thrown together by chance after so many years, Adam and Emma work together to break the biggest case of both of their careers and heal some old wounds in the process. Falling in love wasn’t on the docket for either of them, but things don’t always go as planned.
Buy your copy here
Science teacher by day, writer and baseball mom by night, Carolyn LaRoche lives near the ocean with her husband, two boys, rescue puppy and four cats.
She loves crocheting, books, food videos and trying new recipes.
Connect with her online
Emma clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the scream that tried to escape. The shooter looked toward the window. Had he heard her? She turned to run, her boots instead slipping on some leaves, sending her crashing to the ground.
Heavy footsteps moved across the floor of the cabin, echoing in the quiet woods around her.
Emma scrambled to her feet and ran for all she was worth, crashing through the brush, no longer even trying to be quiet.
The door to the cabin slammed open as she sprinted for the pathway back down the mountain to her car. The air reverberated with the echo of several gunshots. Tiny hairs prickled on the back of her neck as a light whistling noise passed her ear.
“Stop! I’m warning you! Stop or I’ll shoot you!” The man’s voice echoed off the trees but she kept running. It was a stupid thing to say, since he had already tried to shoot her. Her gut told her there was no way she’d get out of this alive if she stopped moving.
Halfway down the mountain, Emma’s toe caught one of those roots again. The action sent her sprawling to the ground, and she began to roll down the mountain. Grabbing at branches and brush, she finally stopped herself and pulled her aching body up off the ground. Her knee burned where the fabric had torn and flesh had scraped against the ground. Footsteps and voices sounded behind her, but they were further away than she’d expected. Her little fall seemed to have given her an advantage. She pulled herself up, ignoring the pain in her injured knee, and ran as fast as she could.
The sun had almost completely become lost below the treetops; the darkness made it hard for her to navigate. Finally, Emma burst out of the trees, gasping for air and sweating like a fiend. Her old car sat quietly, right where she’d left it. She dug in her pocket for the keys, but they were gone.
She must have lost them on the way down! Running straight to the back of the car, Emma groped around up under the bumper. Her fingers grasped the small magnetic box and she pulled the hidden key out of its safe storage container, grateful her father had insisted on putting it there when she left for college. As she ran to the driver-side door, the back door window exploded beside her, covering her in tiny little pieces of glass.
Yanking open the driver door, she jumped into the seat, slammed the door shut, and jammed the key into the ignition. Just as the engine turned over and she floored the gas pedal, the man from the cabin ran out of the woods. Her tires ground into the shoulder, spewing a cloud of rocks and dirt. Eventually, she gained control of her car and took off down the mountain roadway known as the Blue Ridge Parkway. Clutching the wheel, she prayed she’d stay on the road.
All the way back to Staunton, she kept an eye on the rearview mirror. When a dark-colored car came into view, she panicked, but it had a different shape than the one she’d seen and turned off a couple of exits later. As soon as Emma hit the Main Street exit, she drove straight through town.
Twelve years she’d stayed away from Staunton, avoiding her hometown and missing her parents, to not have to do the very thing she was about to do. Emma took a deep breath and steered her car onto the street that housed the Staunton Police Department. She had no other choice. There was only one man who could help her figure this out.
Book Blast – ESCUCHA MEANS LISTEN
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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Take a journey through the world — just listening. Escucha Means Listen helps children discover sounds around them in both English and Spanish. A beautiful picture book with lyrical prose and delightful illustrations, from lawn mowing to the splish-splashing of rain puddles.
Read an Excerpt
Buzz. Buzz. Qué oyes? (What do you hear?)
Las abejas (The bees) circling the flowers.
Woosh. Woosh. What do you hear?
El viento (The wind) is whistling by.
Shh. Shh. Qué oyes? (What do you hear?)
Las hojas (The leaves) are dancing on the trees.
About the Author:
Talia Aikens-Nuñez wanted to be a meteorologist, a politician and a lawyer. She never thought she would be an author. It was the birth of her daughter that caused her to start writing. Raising a bilingual child inspired Talia to write multicultural children’s books.
Talia’s family loves nature so much that she and her husband vowed that they will always try to live close to water. She and her family live in Connecticut with a little pond.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/talia_n
Website: Http://www.kidslitbytalia.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/taliaaikensnunezchildrenswriter
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Escucha-Means-Listen-Talia-Aikens-Nu%C3%B1ez-ebook/dp/B01AP0I57O/ref=sr_1_1
Talia Aikens-Nunez will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
C.A. Milson 