Granny Forks a Fugitive by Julie Seedorf - Spotlight and Interview

· Paperback: 252 pages

· Publisher: Cozy Cat Press (June 21, 2015)

· Language: English

· ISBN-10: 1939816696

· ISBN-13: 978-1939816696

Synopsis:

Granny has a new weapon–– a pink pitchfork! And just in time! A trip to her old farm ends in Granny forking a dead body in her silo. When the body turns out to be Granny’s long lost love Robert Blackford, Granny is flabbergasted. When her devious twin sister, Amelia, the very person who stole Robert from Granny many years ago, shows up searching for her long lost son, Granny reluctantly agrees to help her find him. Of course, Granny’s fiancé, Franklin Gatsby, is concerned for Granny’s welfare and doesn’t like it when she goes out sleuthing––one of Granny’s favorite activities. So, Franklin starts to follow Granny everywhere she goes to protect her. But Granny is determined to find out who killed her former boyfriend, so along with her gal pals and her menagerie of pets, she sets a trap and soon––GRANNY FORKS A FUGITIVE.

Interview:

1.Who or what inspired you to start writing? 

I have been writing since I was a little kid. I don’t know there is a who that inspired me. I think it was probably my over active imagination and my dramatic personality. My friends and I would write plays for ourselves and our friends and then perform them for the neighborhood so we inspired each other. And of course, what we wrote were mysteries when we were kids. When I was older I was in love with Harlequin, so romance entered into my writing. I also had a love of poetry after taking an English Poetry writing class, again my flair for the dramatic. I would write poems about my dates and boyfriends. I still have them. LOL

2. What do you do to help you get over writer's block? 

If I have writer’s block I have to stop writing and do something else that is creative, such as draw,
decorate, or visit a coffee house where they have some music and I can visit with friends. I am then ready to write away.

3. Do you have scheduled writing time or a certain amount of words you write each day? 

I am working on getting into a better writing schedule. The balance in my life was wacky and causing me to write with frenzy and then crash. Now I am working at Pray, Exercise, Write, each morning. I only started this the last couple of weeks and it works pretty good getting my priorities in order. I am more focused and more relaxed. I have some author friends that are doing this with me and supporting me and I can support them in their writing. We have a private Facebook page along with a few other friends, where we can support one another in our journey. My goal to be balanced is to write at least1500 words a day, although I have been known to knock out 9000 when I am lost in what I am doing.

4. Where do you get your ideas for your books?

Strangely enough at night when my mind is relaxed and I am daydreaming. Occasionally I will wake up with the next chapter in my head. Or my ideas can come out of frustrations in real life that I wouldlike to see changed in the way we live or the places we live and the rules that hinder us. I know we need rules, but I am a color outside the lines person and the rules I lived by and coloring inside the box all my life, almost did me in until I got the courage to be who God made me to be and not care if people didn’t like my wacky ideas.

5. When you are not writing what do you like to do? 

Too many things according to my family. I go in all directions. I love spending time with my husband, kids and grandkids. I love doing creative things with my friends and I love to try new crafts or artistic ideas. I like to read and I like to visit art fairs. My hands itch to go home and do something creative. I am never bored. I also like working on the computer being creative with graphics. Having said all that it doesn’t mean I am good at any of them but I enjoy trying.

6. What one piece of advice would you like to give to aspiring writers? 

Never give up your dream and don’t compromise your writing to try and turn the way you write into the way someone else writes. My Fuchsia Series are not your ordinary Cozy and they might fit into other categories. When I realized that I thought I might try and write less silly, but I decided I have to write what my heart says, and that is what makes my writing have my signature on it. I want to sell books but if that is my main focus, I lose the thrill of creating and writing another page. It can’t be about the money, it has to be about writing from the heart. No matter how old, it is never too late to pursue that dream. Just remember your dream might change and if it does you will be on a new path. Also there is a difference between a criticism and critical comments to make your writing better.

7. Who is your favorite author or book that you would like to recommend to your readers? 

I have so many favorite authors. More keep creeping on to my list. I can’t pick just one anymore. Catherine Coulter is always up there along with Kristin Hannah, Cozy Cat Press Authors. I can’t choose just one. Right now I am reading two very different books I would recommend. One is The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens and another is Before Amen by Max Lucado, but we can’t forget the Cozy Mysteries which my Kindle is full of and what I read most. I would recommend any of them by the Cozy Cat Authors because they keep me reading into the night.

8. If you could meet any famous person dead or alive who would it be and why. 

Robert Redford. I have always loved him and I would love to talk to him about the films he produces and is in, plus I always joke about it in my books and columns that I want to meet him. He is a talented man and of course, it doesn’t hurt that he’s good looking.

9. If you could visit anywhere in the world where would you like to visit? 

I think Switzerland or Austria. I would love a little place with a mountain view to sit and relax and write.

10. 5 interesting facts about yourself 

1. My insides don’t match my outsides. I have younger ideas and like younger clothes. My insides haven’t caught up to my body on the outside.
2. I have a secret desire to flip houses and repurpose furniture.
3. I have an ongoing problem with anxiety that I battle regularly. I try to face my fears.
4. I often feel lonely.
5. My best career was that of mother.

Catch up on all that is Granny by starting with Book 1 and enjoying the ride through the series:

Granny Hooks a Crook

Granny Skewers a Scoundrel

Granny Snows a Sneak

Granny Forks a Fugitive

Connect with Author Julie Seedorf:

Facebook

Facebook - Author page

Blog: http://sprinklednotes.com/
Website: http://ww.julieseedorf.com/

Counting on a Cowboy by Debra Clopton - Review and Giveaway

I received this book from Litfuse Group in exchange for a fair and honest review

Published: August 11, 2015

Number of pages: 320

Genre: Romance

Series: Four of Hearts Ranch Romance #2

Synopsis:

After losing everything she held dear, Abby never wants to love again. But a certain cowboy may just spur her to wonder if love might be worth the risk.

Running from a past that haunts her, Abby Knightly is drawn to the cozy town of Wishing Springs, Texas. Maybe this small town could offer hope and healing and a future for Abby . . . if she’s brave enough to reach out and take it by the reins.

Bo Monahan isn’t interested in the new romantic destination his little town has become—or the women who might be looking at him like he’s their next Mr. Right. Between taking care of his Pops and his growing stirrup business, he isn’t looking for serious romantic commitments. But when the infant son he never knew about shows up at his doorstep, his world is turned upside down.

This confirmed bachelor might not think he needs a wife, but he sure needs help. Even Abby can see that, and despite her best efforts to keep her distance, she can’t help but be drawn to this new father-son duo. As Abby throws herself into helping Bo navigate fatherhood, hope sparks between them, revealing that maybe, just maybe, they can navigate their dark pasts and emerge together into a future as bright as the Texas sun itself.

What I thought of this book:

I thought this was a nice clean romance that makes for a good book to take to the beach or to cuddle up with on a rainy day. This book was just an enjoyable as the first book in the series. It was kind of neat that the letters that Maggie writes in her column and has exchanged with Abby is what drew her to this town when she need a new place to go to start over. Wishing Springs is such a quaint little town I can understand why Abby was drawn there.It was nice to watch the romance grow between Abby and Bo. I can't imagine how Bo must have felt finding out he had a son he did not know about and then to  have to figure out how to raise him. He had so much on his plate between taking care of his ailing father and now a baby. The way the two of these characters played off each other was nice. I liked that there was just enough drama in the book that it made you wonder what next. This book is the second book in the series and although you can read it on its own and be just fine you will end up wanting to go back and read the first book. 

About the author:

Debra Clopton is a multi-award winning novelist and has written more than 22 novels. Along with writing, Debra helps her husband teach the youth at their local Cowboy Church. Debra's goal is to shine a light toward God while she entertains readers with her words.

Four of Hearts Ranch Romance

#1 Betting on Hope

#2 Counting on a Cowboy

Saddle up with Debra and her new book and enter to win her Love at the Reins prize pack!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Counting on a Cowboy
• A $25 gift card to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Starbucks
• A western-inspired bracelet
• A horseshoe heart

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 8th. The winner will be announced September 9th on Debra's blog.

Mailbox Monday - August 17th

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share what came in their mailbox. This meme has a permanent home at Mailbox Monday and was created by Marcia at To Be Continued I am linking up to Mailbox Monday 

Won:

Cowboy of Interest  by Carla Cassidy

Weekends in Carolina by Jennifer Lohmann

Trail of Evidence by Lynette Eason

The Lady Most Likely by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway

That Summer by Lauren Willig

To be reviewed:

The Collector by Anne-Laure Thieblemont

Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry

Autumn Brides by Kathryn Springer, Katie Ganshert and Beth K. Vogt

The Sisters of Versailles by Sally Christie

Our Man in Charleston by Christopher Dickey

Arctic Homestead by Norma Cobb and Charles W. Sasser

Better Homes and Corpses by Kathleen Bridge

Berried Secrets by Peg Cochran

Key of Light by Nora Roberts

90 Days to Your Novel by Sarah Domet

How I Write  by Janet Evanovich

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

You've Got a Book in You by Elizabeth Sims

Matters of the Heart by Danielle Steel

Published: May 25, 2010

Number of pages: 384

Genre: Romance

Synopsis:

Top photographer Hope Dunne has known joy and heartbreak, and finds serenity through the lens of her camera. Content in her Soho loft, she isn’t looking for a man or excitement. But these things find her when she flies to London to photograph one of the world’s most celebrated writers.

Finn O’Neill exudes warmth and a boyish charm. Enormously successful, he is a perfect counterpoint to Hope’s quiet, steady grace--and he’s taken instantly by her. He courts her as no one ever has before, whisking her away to his palatial, isolated Irish estate.

Hope finds it all, and him, irresistible. But soon cracks begin to appear in his stories: gaps in his history, a few innocent lies, and bouts of jealousy unnerve her. Suddenly Hope is both in love and deeply in doubt, and ultimately frightened of the man she loves. Is it possible that this adoring man is hiding something even worse? The spell cast by a brilliant sociopath has her trapped in his web, too confused and dazzled to escape, as he continues to tighten his grip on her.

Danielle Steel delivers an unforgettable tale of danger and obsessive love as she explores the dark secrets that sometimes lurk just below the surface of ordinary lives, writing about men and women and their courage to prevail even in the face of evil.

What did I think of this book:

I believe this is the first book I have read by Danielle Steel as I do not remember reading any of her other books and I have to say I was disappointed in this book. I felt in the beginning that the characters and the author repeated themselves so much that I was reading the same thing over and over. For me the book just seemed to read a little slow - I knew something bad was going to happen and I kept waiting for it. Then in the last 100 pages the book was good and had me reading faster so I could find out what happened next. I really wish the rest of the book was this was for me. Then I wanted just a little more at the end to know what happened next to Hope. I do not like writing bad reviews but I feel this was just not the book for me. This will not stop me from trying another book by this author though.

About the author:

Since 1981, Ms. Steel has been a permanent fixture on the New York Times hardcover and paperback bestseller lists. In 1989, she was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having at least one of her books on the Times bestseller list for 381 consecutive weeks. But Guinness was premature. The fact is that one or more of Ms. Steel's novels have been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 390 consecutive weeks.

Twenty-one of Ms. Steel's novels have been adapted for television, each earning high ratings and critical acclaim, including two Golden Globe nominations for JEWELS, a four-hour mini-series that starred Anthony Andrews.

In addition, Ms. Steel is the author of the "Max and Martha" series of books for young readers. They are ten illustrated storybooks written to comfort the young as they face problems, such as a new stepfather, new baby, new school, loss of a grandparent, and other crucial dilemmas in a child's life. She has also written the "Freddie" books, four of them, about real-life situations in children's lives, like a visit to the doctor and the first night away from home. Ms. Steel has also written nonfiction, HIS BRIGHT LIGHT, about the life and death of her son Nicholas Traina, released by Delacorte Press in September 1998 and immediately jumped to the New York Times Non-Fiction bestseller list and "Having a Baby." She has also written a book of poetry entitled LOVE: POEMS BY DANIELLE STEEL.

In 2002, Ms. Steel was decorated by the French government as an "Officier" of the distinguished Order of Arts and Letters, for her lifetime contribution to world culture. She was awarded the second highest rank of the Order.

Flambe in Armagnac by Jean-Pierre Alaux & Noel Balen - Spotlight - Excerpt - Giveaway

Published: August 6, 2015

Number of pages: 140

Genre: Mystery

Series:  Winemaker Detective #7

Synopsis:

A small town holds fiercely onto its secrets.
In the heart of Gascony, a fire ravages the warehouse of one of Armagnac’s top estates, killing the master distiller. Wine expert Benjamin Cooker is called in to estimate the value of the losses. But Cooker and his assistant Virgile want to know more. How did the old alembic explode? Was it really an accident? Why is the estate owner Baron de Castayrac penniless? How legal are his dealings? The deeper the Winemaker Detective digs, the more suspicious characters he uncovers. There is more than one disgruntled inhabitant in this small town. As we witness the time-honored process of Armagnac distillation and the day-to-day activities of the hunt, the market place, and the struggle for power and duck confit, we get a glimpse of the traditions of southwestern France where this mystery of possible arson and murder lies below the surface.

About the authors

Jean-Pierre Alaux is a magazine, radio and TV journalist when he is not writing novels in Southwestern France. He is the grandson of a winemaker and exhibits a real passion for wine and winemaking.For him, there is no greater common denominator than wine. He gets a sparkle in his eye when he talks about the Winemaker Detective, which he coauthors with Noël Balen.

Noël lives in Paris, where he shares his time between writing, making records, and lecturing on music. He plays bass, is a music critic and has authored a number of books about musicians in addition to his novel and short-story writing.

About the Translator

Translator Sally Pane studied French at State University of New York Oswego and the Sorbonne before receiving her Masters Degree in French Literature from the University of Colorado. She has translated several titles in this series.
***

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Winemaker Detective Series

#1 Treachery in Bordeaux

#2 Grand Cru Heist

#3 Nightmare in Burgundy

#4 Deadly Tasting

#5 Cognac Conspiracies

#6 Mayhem in Margaux

#7 Flambe in Armagnac

#8 Montmarte Mysteries

*** You can enter the global giveaway here or on any other book blogs participating in this tour. Be sure to follow each participant on Twitter/Facebook, they are listed in the entry form below. 

Entry-Form

Visit each blogger on the tour: tweeting about the giveaway everyday of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time! [just follow the directions on the entry-form] Global giveaway open internationally: 5 participants will each win a copy of this book. Print/digital format for US residents Digital for all other residents *** 

CLICK ON THE BANNER TO READ OTHER REVIEWS, EXCERPTS, AND A GUEST-POST

Excerpt:

“No offense, Philippe, but I’d like to taste a brandy from Château Blanzac. I’m sure you have that on hand. Just to help me form an opinion.”

Benjamin detected the hint of a frown on his affable friend’s face. “I’m afraid I’m all out. I would gladly have…”

Then his wife betrayed him with her typical spontaneity. “Philippe, go look in Grandmother’s display cabinet. I think there’s a bottle that Francisco brought us. Remember it, dear? For your fiftieth birthday.”

“What would I do without you?” Philippe sighed. His ruse had fooled no one.

Benjamin was taking two cigars in silky wrappers from his leather case when Philippe disappeared behind the double doors to the office. He knew his friend was a big fan of Havanas. The Cubans guaranteed an hour of sheer pleasure. No doubt Jean-Charles de Castayrac’s Armagnac would make the occasion even more memorable.

He was about to imagine them raising a glass to the deceased cellar master when an ear-piercing crack pulled him out of his musings. Beatrice, Virgile, and Benjamin ran to the window. A peach tree had snapped under the weight of the ice. The winemaker glanced at Beatrice and saw that she was shivering.

No sooner had they absorbed the sight of the felled peach tree than the sound of breaking glass rang out behind the door. “Damn it all!”

“Oh, that doesn’t sound good,” Beatrice said, pushing back the lock of blond hair that seemed to have a mind of its own.

When Philippe opened the door, the exquisite fragrances of honey, pear, and orange preserves wafted into the kitchen. A long silence ensued.

In a cloud of smoke, Benjamin finally looked Philippe de Bouglon in the eye. “Now I know why you were envious of Lord de Castayrac’s Armagnacs. And if you weren’t my friend, I’d almost suspect you of having broken the bottle to avoid comparison.”

“Benjamin, I think my subconscious got the better of me.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking, you old scoundrel!”

   

How to Please a Lady by Jane Goodger - Spotlight

Published: March 29, 2016

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: Kindle

Synopsis:

The Lost Heiresses

Run though they might, love will find them…
Lady Rose Dunford is shocked—and titillated—by the number of female visitors coming and going from her mysterious new neighbor’s Manhattan brownstone. Recently widowed by the death of her very sweet, but not very exciting husband, Rose finds it difficult to imagine just what the attraction could be.
And then she meets the bachelor in question. Not only is Charlie Avery dashing and outrageously good looking—she knows him! He is none other than the man who once helped her escape the dreary matchmaking plans of her father, the man she once dreamed she could love. Can Charlie’s presence next door be an accident? Or has he come to show her everything he has learned about…

PRE-ORDER INFORMATION

How to Please a Lady is available for pre-order at:
Kensington Books
Amazon
Kobo Books
Google Play
Goodreads

About the author:

I grew up in western Massachusetts and have lived most my adult life in New England. Thanks to my adventurous husband, I’ve also done brief stints in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Naples, Italy. Although I’ve written four contemporary romances under the name Jane Blackwood, my first love is historical romances set in Victorian times. I’ve written 13 of those with more on the way.
I have three kids, one in college, one a great drummer, and one an artist. I love the Red Sox and the New England Patriots. I work full time, have an editing business, and in my free time write like a fanatic.

Above the desk in my office is this sign: “And They All Lived Happily Ever After.” It may not be reality, but it’s real nice to think about…

For More Information
Visit Jane’s website.
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

Patchwork Bride by Jillian Hart

Published: August 1, 2010

Number of pages: 288

Genre: Historical Fiction

Series: Buttons & Bobbins

Synopsis:

At last, Meredith Worthington is returning to Angel Falls, Montana. Now that she's escaped the matchmaking and scheming of her East Coast finishing school, she can follow her dream of becoming a teacher. And perhaps get to know Shane Connelly, the intriguing new wrangler on her father's ranch....Shane had a bellyful of "eligible ladies" back East. So he left them--and his high-society family--behind. Meredith reminds him of everything he'd like to forget, yet he can't resist her charm. But will love have time to blossom before she discovers the secret he's been hiding all along?

What I thought of the book:

I enjoyed this book even though for me it started out a little slow. I did not read the first book in this series and had no problem keeping up, it can be read as a stand alone. Meredith was my favorite character of the book. She knew what she wanted and did not like that her mom thought they should be better than others. She just wanted to be a normal person. What she did not realized it that the horse trainer that her father hired (Shane) wanted the same thing for his life. Meredith's friends were also nice and I believe that is what the other books are about - so it would be nice to go and find out more about what happens to them. I also really liked Minnie - Meredith's sister. All in all a nice story. 

What did I think of the cover:

I liked the picture used for the cover of this book. It is part of what made me pick the book up. 

Buttons and Bobbins Series:

#1 Gingham Bride

#2 Patchwork Bride

#3 Calico Bride

#4 Snowflake Bride