Book Barrage: Maddy's Floor w/Giveaway

Title: Maddy's Floor (Psychic Visions, Book 3)

Author: Dale Mayer

Publisher: Valley Publishing

Length: 90,000 words

Genre: Romance

Sub-Genre Romantic Suspense

Sub-Categories: (Action, Mystery/Thriller)

Heat Level: Steamy (Hot sex scenes/language, but not explicit)

Available at:

Amazon

Blurb:

Medical intuitive and licensed MD Madeleine Wagner thought she'd seen every way possible to heal a diseased body...then patients start dying from mysterious causes in her long-term facility.

The terminally ill fight to get into her ward. Once there, many miraculously...live. So when her patients start dropping and she senses an evil force causing their deaths, she calls on her friend and mentor, Stefan, for help. Together, they delve beyond the physical plane into the metaphysical... Only to find terror.

She wants to save everyone, but are some souls not meant to be saved?

Detective Drew McNeil has two family members in need of Maddy's healing care, but his visits to her facility leave him wondering - who cares for Maddy? Bizarre events on her floor raise his professional curiosity. And the more time he spends with Maddy, the more personal everything becomes. When the deaths on Maddy's Floor intersect with one of his cold cases, he realizes an old killer has returned - and Maddy's standing in his path.

How can these people stop something that no one else can see, feel or even believe?

Excerpt:

Jansen Svaar's room came next. With the renovations, Jansen's bed had been shifted. He was not quite in the new area, but not as cozy as he'd been before.

Jansen hadn't minded. The big Swede had enjoyed every one of his seventy-eight years and wasn't ready to jump off yet. Big and robust in his prime, his physical body had withered to one battling diabetes that defied control, and cancer that defied remission. Yet, he was still here and looking so much better than when he arrived. Even his thick head of hair had returned with rich brown color. His last tests had come back with very positive indicators. So much so, Jansen wanted to stop his treatments. According to him, he was all better. If it were possible to heal by his word alone, then he'd see it done.

Maddy grinned as she recalled the many conversations they'd shared in the past.

At the entrance to his doorway, she stopped to survey his bed.

Something was wrong.

Purple energy hovered over Jansen; a thick blanket of colored haze covered his midsection. Frowning, Maddy studied the odd essence. Energy had a signature – like DNA, the energy was unique to each person. It just wasn't as easy to identify.

She'd worked with him long enough to know it wasn't his aura.

The smoky blanket moved.

Who or what did the energy represent? Her gaze swept the rest of the room before striding forward. The activity over Jansen did not shy away; it increased. She narrowed her gaze. The eerie silence of the room magnified the unearthly scene before her.

It wasn't what she'd experienced the night before, racing through the hallway into chaos. She expected noises of some kind. Not this hushed silence, as if sound would shatter the intensity of whatever was going on. She frowned. A struggle of some kind was going on.

She shook her head, panic stirring inside. Could energy fight with itself? With someone else's energy? Is that what happened to Eric? She studied the energy again. This time she saw it. The blanket of malevolence was moving over the bed and occupant, spreading and growing every minute.

 Underneath, Jansen was suffocating.

His energy, tiny and thin, struggled to remain separate and distinct from the purple amoeba-like entity sucking the life force from him.

Fear shot through her. This couldn't happen again. Maddy raced to the bedside. "Stop," she cried out hoarsely, not wanting to disturb the other patients. "Leave him alone."

The purple energy quivered in place but did not dissipate.

Maddy wafted her hands over Jansen's body. Her fingers slipped into and through the mist, neither feeling it nor dispersing it. She fed her own energy into Jansen's heart chakra, giving him her strength and will to hold on. At the same time, she closed her eyes and surrounded herself and, by the extension of her hand on his, Jansen's body with white light. The old answer to keeping oneself safe and balanced.

The energy shifted, cooled.

She opened her eyes to find the energy still wiggling in place, the purple haze malicious in appearance. Then slowly, like fog blowing in the wind, the haze thinned before sending tendrils into the darkness.

Maddy reached out and checked Jansen's pulse. Her medical training took over on the physical level as her medical intuitive training took over on the energy field. She observed the thread-like cord of light stretching far out of Jansen's body, gently pulsating in a reassuring rhythm. Maddy coaxed his system to relax a little more, then to wake up gently.

"Dr. Maddy?" His paper-thin lids opened to reveal rheumy blue eyes blinking in surprise.

"Yes, it's me, Jansen." Maddy studied his face. "How do you feel?" He appeared fine, normal but surprised.

"Christ, I don't know. I had the most horrible dream." He coughed slightly and shifted position in the bed, tugging at his covers as if chilled.

"Oh?" Maddy kept her voice calm and soothing. "What was it about?"

"Like someone was pulling my soul from my body, one inch at a time." Fear filled the old man's eyes. His thin hands grasped hers nervously. "I don't know what the hell it was, but I felt on a precipice between life and death. It was like meeting Peter at the pearly gates himself, and him not being too happy to see me."

"Shhh." Maddy stroked his hands, noting with clinical detachment that his liver spots had begun to fade. "It was just a dream. Not to worry. It's over. I'm here, and you're safe. Go back to sleep."

Relief washed over his face. "Thanks, Doc. Don't know what I'd do without you."

Shifting sideways, Jansen closed his eyes and fell back to sleep.

Maddy walked to the doorway, turned around and glanced back.

No sign of the purple grim reaper. Jansen was safe.

For now.

She shuddered. What the hell was happening at The Haven?

Posted reviews from satisfied readers! (4.9 star rating on Amazon across 17 reviews!)

Dale Mayer created a book that combined romance, suspense and paranormal elements so well that it should appeal to readers of all of these genres. (Debra)

Dale Mayer did an outstanding job with this book. I have really enjoyed the whole series and highly recommend it to everyone. The characters were well developed and the story was fantastic. I plan to read other books she's written and can't wait for the next book in this series. (Bizzybee)

I have only become interested in paranormal and psychic fiction in the last couple of year and this author ranks at the top of the list when it comes to combining this genre with mystery and romance. All three books in this series were so riveting I could hardly put the kindle down until I'd read all the way through (which meant some very late nights but it was worth it). (Raven)

I couldn`t put my kindle down! This series was number 1 in psychic thrillers. i couldn`t read it fast enough but didn`t want it to end! Can`t wait for the next book. (Lala6)

Maddy's Floor is the third book in a psychic phenomenon trilogy and although I enjoyed the first two, I thought this last book was the best of the three. Dale's characters are well defined and the story has just the right amount of suspense, romance and action. I liked that Maddy was comfortable with her talent as a medical intuitive and that the character who wound his way through the three books played a larger role in this one. (Janet Fedor)

My Review: I wish I could have read the first 2 books in this trilogy before jumping into this one, though these books are definitely ok to read stand alone. That said, there's something about these books that reminds me of M.J. Rose's Reincarnationist series. I definitely want to get the other 2 books now!

Rating: 5 stars!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f92c8642/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

Dale Mayer is a prolific multi-published writer. She's best known for Tuesday's Child, Hide'n Go Seek, her romantic suspense novels that was one of the final four in the Kensington Brava/Romantic Times contest this last year. Besides her romantic suspense/thrillers, Dale also writes paranormal romance and crossover young adult books in several different genres.  To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series . All her books are available in print format as well.

To find out more about Dale and her books, visit her at http://www.dalemayer.com. Or connect with her online with Twitter at www.twitter.com/dalemayer and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dalemayer.author.

BOOKS BY DALE MAYER:

Psychic Vision Series

Tuesday's Child

Hide'n Go Seek

Maddy's Floor

Single Title Romantic Suspense/Thrillers

Touched by Death – out now!

Novellas

It's a Dog's Life- romantic comedy

Young Adult Books

Dangerous Designs – Book I

Deadly Designs – Book 2 – out soon!

Vampire in Denial – Book I of Blood Ties

Vampire in Distress – Book 2 out soon!

Gem Stone Mystery Series- out soon!

In Cassie's Corner- soon

Non-Fiction Books

Career Essentials: The Resume

Career Essentials: The Cover Letter

Career Essentials: The Interview

Career Essentials: 3 in 1

Barrage Schedule:

July 24, 2012
She Who Blogs Behind the Rows
The Bunny's Review
Full Moon Bites
Beth Art from the Heart
Coffee Beans & Love Scenes

July 25, 2012
The Certifiable Wenches
whoopeeyoo.com :D
Avril's Blog
Crazy Four Books
Deep in the Heart Romance

Coffee Or Wine....That is the real question

You know its bad when a large cup of coffee at Starbucks costs nearly as much as a bottle of wine. That is food..or rather drink for thought.

The average Venti coffee of the fancy variety is about $4.80, a regular sized bottle of Arbor Mist (pick your flavor) is between 5-7 dollars depending on where you get it.

The question is...

This

or this...

How in the heck is a wench to choose? OK..I pick the wine..its a better value! Its pretty sad that a bottle of wine is more economical than a cup of Joe.

Ron Howard Is The Man

I love his ad in support of Barrack Obama. I have to say I teared up at seeing Andy Griffith in the clip. This was just a great thing no matter what candidate you support.

Still Daydream Believin'

Today was the first day since February 29th that I could listen to Daydream Believer without crying. That is not to say that I didn't tear up as Davy sang "Cheer up sleepy Jean," because I did. But I kept the tears back and I let myself enjoy a song that has been a huge part of my life since I was 5 years old.

Many bands come and go. Favorite songs change on a regular basis, but there are some constants in my life and The Monkees and Davy Jones are one of those constants.

I have to say, Davy was the last person I earmarked for an early death. Yes, 66 is an early death. Personally, I think anything under 90 is early. No matter what, Davy will always hold a special place in my heart and I'm glad I can listen to the song again.

However when I really feel nostalgic about Davy, I listen to him sing Shades Of Grey with Peter Tork...and my heart melts....



Davy Jones....I'll never get over losing you.....

Get A New Obsession People

I'm so sick of people and the whole 50 Shades Of Gray thing.  Only in this world can bad fanfic/porn get published. Even worse it is bad Twilight fanfic.

Gag me with the proverbial spoon.

I wish all the people that think 50 Shades is brilliant would read "REAL" erotica so that they know that most of what is being written right now is garbage.

When you want to read real erotica pick up Delta of the Venus or Story of O. Pay attention to the writing style that isn't crash or cheap.

Then if you do that, come back and tell me how freaking brilliant Fifty Shades Of Gray is.

CBLS Book Tour Review: Blind Lust W/Giveaway

Title: Blind Lust

Author: Annie Seaton

Publisher: Musa Publishing

Length: 21,000 words

Genres: Paranormal Romance

Available at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Musa Publishing

Blurb:

A wager between the gods can change your life. Even if you are a witch…

When Venus has a wager with Cupid, that prudish librarian, Lizzy Sweet cannot be enticed to love, she neglects to tell her son that Lizzy is a three hundred year old witch. The first man Lizzy sees after Cupid shoots his arrow is Josh Deegan, a famous country and western singer who has come to town to rediscover his muse, in an old farmhouse haunted by a culinary ghost. Local warlock, Wesley Gordon, who has been hitting on Lizzy to no avail for over one hundred years, is not impressed. The quirky old folk of Silver Valley watch fondly as the battle between love and lust plays out. Leaden and golden arrows zing around, spells are magicked, potions stirred, and ghosts hunted. Who will fall in love and who will let the other go forever?

Excerpt :

“Do you believe in ghosts, Josh?” she asked quietly.

He laughed uneasily, shaking his head. “If you had asked me that a couple of days ago I would have said you were crazy, but honestly now I don’t know.”

“What about witches?” She paused. “Magic spells and potions?”

“Give me a break,” he said, running his fingers through his shaggy hair. She was silent as she gathered her thoughts.

 “You’ve been here for a week, haven’t you Josh?” she asked softly.

He nodded.

“Have you felt your Aunt Helen’s presence?”

He looked at her without answering and a strong gust of wind rattled the kitchen windows. The storm clouds scurried across the moon, the sky cleared and a shaft of moonlight shone through the kitchen window. Lizzy stood bathed in moonlight, the lace of the curtains fracturing the beam, and the power of the moon goddess entered her strengthening her will.

“Thank you, mother,” she breathed, her eyes closing as she let the power do its work. She stood motionless for a full minute.

“Lizzy, are you all right?” Josh sounded wary.

She stood tall and straight, holding her hand out to him. “It’s all right Josh, I’m sorry I upset you.”

He hesitated before crossing the kitchen and taking her hand. The look of adoration in his eyes sent sparks running along her nerve endings, all she needed was his touch. Closing her eyes, Lizzy focused on the power of the mother within, to resist succumbing to temptation once again.

Review: This was a short read, but very satisfying. It combines one part mythology with one part paranormal and the result is a super cute story that you will wish was just a little bit longer so you could spend more time with Josh, Lizzie and Wesley.

There was a lot of things to love about this story.

1. It is a unique plot: witches and cupid and Venus. Not a likely combination to appear in most stories.

2. A hot sexy country star and a librarian? Yeah this is great!

3. Did I mention the librarian was a witch? And she has a warlock friend that is hot for her?

4. There's a curse!

Anne manages to weave a story with all these things and then bring it to a conclusion that is more than satisfying, as well as a little surprising to the reader.

I read this one my computer, which is something I seldom do with ebooks, and I couldn't stop, even though I was getting a crick in my neck!

Definitely worth reading!

Rating: 5 stars

About the Author:

Annie Seaton lives on the beautiful east coast of Australia, where she loves sitting in her writing chair, gazing at the ocean and writing stories. She has always been fascinated by all things historical and has found her niche writing contemporary romance and steampunk, where strong heroines and brooding heroes fight together to make their alternative world a better place.

Her debut novel, Holiday Affair, a contemporary romance set in the South Pacific was released as part of Entangled Publishing’s Indulgence line in March. The sequel Italian Affair is currently underway Watch out for the story of Tom and Brianna the sex therapist who spices up his life!

Winter of the Passion Flower was released through Lyrical Press at the same time. Currently immersed in the creation of Book Two, a full length novel, the adventures of Sofia and her Scottish laird, Annie is already looking forward to the rest of the series, particularly the adventures of Indigo’s four boys: Jago and Jory, Ruan and Kit. Strong sassy heroines and rebellious heroes have a rollicking good time as they work to make the world a better place--albeit their own steampunk world.

Blind Lust, a paranormal novella will be released by Musa Publishing on 15^th June.

Annie lives with her husband, and ‘Bob’ the dog and two white cats, in a house next to the beach in a small coastal town of New South Wales. Their two children are grown and married and she loves spending time gardening, walking on the beach and spoiling her two grandchildren.

Website: http://annieseatonromance.com

Blog: http://annieseaton.blogspot.com

Twitter: @annieseaton26

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/annieseaton26

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Breaking The Unbroken

I'm attempted to use the new blogger interface, AGAIN.

I tried it when they first introduced it a few months ago, and I have to say, it sucks.

It messes up posts, it argues with me and it generally makes me swear a lot.

I don't know what it is about companies that feel the need to upgrade services that aren't broken. Facebook does it all the time. I hate Facebook. I'm about done with it.

Why did they have to change blogger?

Now it does freaky things to my template. Things that make me want to beat the living crap out of the computer, and it isn't even the computer's fault.

I understand the need to update things, but why change them completely when the system is working?

Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Cake

This is a pretty simple ice cream cake. There are only 5 ingredients needed.

15 Oreo cookies
1 tub of Cool whip (Any variety you desire)
Enough ice cream to cover the crushed cookies
Chocolate syrup
Your choice of nuts (this is also optional)

For my b-day ice cream cake I chose Double Stuff Oreos, which I had a great time beating up. The sandwich bag died before they crumbled. (Note to the wise, don't pulverize too much or you won't have a good crust)

Spray the 8 x 11 pan with butter spray and add your crushed Oreos. Then place in the freezer for ten minutes so that it firms up.

Next is the ice cream. Make sure it has melted a little so that it spreads with ease. My choice was Black Raspberry Chip by Breyers:

The best way to cover the cookie crust is by using an ice cream scoop. About 7 sizable scoops will cover the cookies nicely.  Then spread it out evenly with a spatula.   When you have the ice cream spread over the cookies you can then add your chocolate syrup and peanuts. I used Hershey's syrup and a store brand of Honey Roasted Peanuts that I chopped up.

The dessert will really be looking pretty now.

                                    

Cover with foil and freeze for a few hours so that the ice cream hardens. Then you cover the ice cream, chocolate and nuts with Cool Whip and more crushed Oreos. Return to the freezer for several hours before serving.

The finished dessert will look like this.

Taste Of Home Rocks

My mother collects cookbooks and food related magazines. Most people get excited about the Pillsbury recipe books, but not me. I love Taste Of Home and the other offshoots, like Quick Cooking and Simple and Delicious.

Most of the recipes I make come from these magazines.

Why?

Because they make things that are easy and tasty and that's what I like.

Today I made a Colby Jack Meatloaf and Golden Potatoes. The original meatloaf recipe called for Pepper Jack cheese, but my dad has a sensitive stomach so I used the less spicy Jack cheese. Both recipes are winners.

Where do you find your best recipes?

CBLS Guest Post: Cege Smith

Today Cege Smith is guest posting here at Wenches! Let's give Cege a warm Wenches welcome!

Hollywood Calls

When we authors are supposed to be writing, frequently we find ourselves partaking in a much more passive activity: daydreaming. Something that can be very fun to daydream about is getting the call from some bigshot Hollywood producer that they want to make your book into a movie. It can happen. Hugh Howey recently scored a movie deal with Ridley Scott. (That announcement coincided with a huge spike in author daydreaming by the way).

If I got the call someone in Hollywood that they wanted to make the Shadows series into a couple of mega-blockbusters, I’d probably listen with half an ear. Okay, let’s be realistic. I’d be passed out on the floor with shock. After I came to and picked myself back up off the floor, I’d listen to what they’d have to say.

I think the biggest concern I’d have would be how they’d want to change things in effort to appease the masses. Because as flattered as I would be, I know one thing for certain: I have NEVER seen a movie that’s been as good as the book. It’s hard to crunch all the crucial elements of a story into a two-hour timeframe. So some things get skipped, some get modified, and some things change altogether.

Here’s how I think it could go down:

Although the movie producers love the idea of having Edge of Shadows (Shadows #1) based in Minnesota, they’d convince me that it was best to shoot the exterior shots of the haunted Bradford mansion using an old southern plantation home. I’d give in because I would negotiate in a plane ticket for me to see the filming and that would feed my obsession with old mansions.

Ellie Coulter, my main character, is a thirty-something divorcee who is finding out that she has a pretty significant destiny. The producers would tell me that the movie would be more popular if we made Ellie a twenty-something whose boyfriend had just dumped her instead. I’d acquiesce on the plot deviation only when they agreed to cast Kate Beckinsale as Ellie. She’s the right age for Ellie’s character in the book, but she’s got features that could lead viewers to believe she’s younger. Plus she’s gorgeous.

Ellie’s feelings for David Mitchell, the doctor who romances her, is a key subplot in the series. Her feelings for him are immediate and intense. She sacrifices everything for him to keep him safe, even though he doesn’t realize it at the time. Although I do create the possibility of a love triangle with the villain, Mikel, in Shadows Deep (Shadows #2), there is no doubt that Ellie is David’s perfect match. To give the movie the proper amount of romantic tension, the producers would push to increase the attraction that Ellie has to Mikel. I would be okay with that as long as they maintained the integrity of Ellie’s feelings for David. Those run strong and deep, and shouldn’t be called into question.

At the end of the day, I understand that Hollywood requires some creative freedom to push angles and storylines that they think will make the movie more appealing to a greater number of viewers. But the important thing for me is always staying true to my characters and their stories. So while I may be willing to compromise on some things, I would want to make sure that what readers love about the series is still intact.

That’s probably why I would never completely sign over my rights to Hollywood. Somebody has to watch over my characters and the best person to do that is me. Of course, this is all just my daydream. Back to writing!

Book Info:

Title: Shadows Deep (Shadows, Part II)

Author: Cege Smith

Publisher: Self

Length: 70,000 words

Genres: Horror, Paranormal (Non-Romance)

Available at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Blurb:

Ellie Coulter made a deal with the devil, and now it’s time to pay the price. Little did she know, the shadows that have swirled around her life since her parents’ death were not a coincidence. As Ellie's destiny is revealed, it comes with the knowledge that her fate is the lynchpin in a far larger, and more dangerous game. And the one who found her has no intention of ever letting her go.

Ellie walks a fine line between keeping up the appearance of acceptance while gathering the information she needs to escape. Along the way, she has to decide who to trust and that includes the man she loves.  As facts give way to lies, Ellie begins to question everything.

With her true intentions on the verge of being discovered, Ellie must find a way to defeat her captor before she becomes a shadow herself.

Excerpt:

Letting go was one of the hardest things a person could ever do. Ellie knew that. What happened when she let go of the idea that reality as she knew it was merely a cover on a rabbit hole? She had willingly taken the cover off and fallen down into the unknown darkness. She’d surrendered. Somehow it felt easier that way. But the Voice kept picking at her even though she was deep in her hidey hole. It wouldn’t leave her alone.

“What was it like for you when your parents died?”

Ellie had answered some variation of that question what seemed like a million times over the years, but her response always paled in comparison to the effect of that one event on the rest of her life. How could she explain the depth of pain she felt when the two people who she loved most were ripped out of her life? Or the excruciating, almost debilitating sense of loneliness that followed when she finally comprehended that she was completely alone in the world?

“I was eight,” Ellie replied. “I had no other family. One minute I was surrounded by love. In the blink of an eye I was an orphan. What do you think it was like?” No one could understand what she had been through, and eventually she gave up trying to explain. Her parents’ death was just something that happened to her a long time ago. Ellie preferred to leave that buried there.

“I am sure it was difficult. But you obviously learned to cope, even thrive.”

“Thrive isn’t the word I’d choose,” Ellie said. “I learned how to survive. Eventually I learned ways to be happy again, but I did that on my own. I never felt like I belonged anywhere again.”

The Voice was silent for a while and Ellie was relieved. When it wasn’t poking at her, the darkness was peaceful. Ellie was used to being alone.

“Tell me about your ability. You’ve linked that to your parents’ death.”

Ellie was tired of the questions. They had covered the same ground over and over again. But it was like the Voice was missing some nuance, and so it all started again. Combing through her life. Looking for clues. “I noticed it the first time at the funeral. I was standing there in the cemetery, looking at their caskets, with the social worker beside me. I kept looking around for more people, but it was just the three of us: me, the social worker, and the minister. And then I noticed that the longer the minister spoke, the more these colors seemed to grow out of him. It didn’t make any sense at the time. The colors were deep purple and blue and they got more vivid every time he made eye contact with me. It scared the hell out of me. I didn’t know what to do.”

A familiar cloud of sadness fell over her thoughts as she remembered that lost little girl. “When the service was over, I wanted to kick and scream and lash out. I wanted to push over those caskets because I convinced myself they were empty and it was some elaborate hoax. Any minute they would appear to take me home. But it wasn’t a hoax. My parents raised me to think that showing emotion in public wasn’t ladylike, so as desperately as I wanted to throw a tantrum, I knew they wouldn’t approve. I looked at the social worker and she had a glow of white tinged with yellow around her. Even though I didn’t know what it meant, the colors were soothing. I had to accept that I was left with nothing but this woman to take care of me. I was naive and automatically assumed that she was kind and that she’d be good to me.”

“She wasn’t?”

Ellie sighed. “After twenty-five years of reading auras, I know now that she was indifferent. She probably saw a dozen kids just like me every week. Her aura meant that she was at peace and even slightly happy, but it had nothing to do with me. I was part of her job, and while I was watching my parents be buried, she was probably thinking about getting a manicure or going home and having a glass of wine. Me, I had no home left.”

“You went into foster care.”

“Yes, and in foster care I stayed until I applied for emancipation when I was sixteen.” She remembered the day that the court approved her request. It had been bittersweet.

“Your ability must have been advantageous in that kind of hostile environment.”

“If you mean it helped keep me out of trouble, then probably it did. But I was always a good kid. I studied hard, got decent grades, and generally stayed out of everyone’s way.  I never gave my foster families any reason to really concern themselves with me. I wanted to be invisible. I was pretty good at it,” Ellie said. She had closed herself off from anyone who tried to reach her. It was a defense mechanism that worked well. Perhaps too well.

“Until you met Veronica.”

A face flashed in Ellie’s mind. A pretty blond with infectious laughter. Whereas her parents’ faces had faded over time, Roni’s was vivid and seemed so real that Ellie almost thought her friend was there with her in the darkness.

“Roni just wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Ellie said. “She saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. And for some reason she wanted to be my friend. I owe her a lot.” It was strange talking about Veronica. Those memories were under strict lock and key for a reason.

About the Author:

Cege Smith is a Minnesota based writer who is addicted to lattes and B-rated horror films. She had been crafting spooky stories since she was twelve years old. She lives with her husband, two adorable stepsons, and mini long-hair dachshund, Juliet in the suburbs of Minneapolis.

Blog: http://www.cegesmith.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cegesmith

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/cegesmith

VBT SCHEDULE:
Jun 1: Hardcover Feedback (Giveaway/Interview)
Jun 2: Young Adult Novel Reader (Guest Post)
Jun 3: Natalie-Nicole Bates (Guest Post)
Jun 4: Lindsays Scribblings (Guest Post/Review)
Jun 5: The Other Shelf (Interview)
Jun 6: She Who Blogs Behind the Rows (Guest Post)
Jun 7: Mama Knows Books (Guest Post)
Jun 8: Full Moon Bites (Guest Post)
Jun 9: Harlie's Book Blog (Guest Post)
Jun 10: House Millar (Guest Post)
Jun 12: Curse of the Bibliophile (Interview)
Jun 13: Luna's Lair (Guest Post)
Jun 14: Sandra's Blog (Book Feature)
Jun 15: Books N Beans (Giveaway)
Jun 16: Ramblings From This Chick (Guest Post)
Jun 17: The Bunny's Review (Interview)
Jun 18: ReadingDiva's Blog (Guest Post)
Jun 19: Cece Reading and Writing Safari (Guest Post)
Jun 20: Bornean Bookworm Reads (Guest Post)
Jun 21: Reading on the Wild Side (Interview)
Jun 22: Black Hippie Chick's Take on Books & the World (Guest Post/Review)
Jun 23: Cocktails and Books (Guest Post)
Jun 24: The Certifiable Wenches (Guest Post)
Jun 25: I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read! (Guest Post)
Jun 26: Close Encounters with the Night Kind (Guest Post)
Jun 27: House Millar (Interview)
Jun 28: Paranormal Romantic Suspense (Giveaway/Guest Post)
Jun 29: Everyone Loves A SiNner (Review)
Jun 30: Kacey's Konnections (Book Feature)

More Tour Info: CBLS Promotions

CBLS Book Review w/Guest Post: The Last Of His Kind

Title: The Last of His Kind
Author: Alexandra Stewart
Publisher: Self
Length: 188 pages
Genres: Paranormal Erotic Romantic Suspense
Available at: Amazon
Blurb: When Vanessa Morrow bumps into gentle hunk Christopher at the grocery store, she never expects a pleasant exchange of words to blossom into a steaming night of passion. But in Christopher, she finds not just a blisteringly hot sexual partner, she finds herself drawn into a war she never knew existed, and hunted by a man who will stop at nothing to catch his prey, even if it means putting her -- and everyone she holds dear -- in the line of fire.

Steamy, fast-paced, and powerful, this debut by a fresh new voice in romantic fiction is sure to thrill.

Excerpt:
She looked away, back over her shoulder at the bags on the counters. Laying a hand on a box of cereal, she said, “This is always the worst part about coming home from the grocery store, isn’t? You have all these things to put away, but by the time you finally get home they’re the last thing on your mind.”

“I know exactly what you mean.” She looked back at him. He was standing closer. After a moment of watching her eyes, he said, “Especially today.”

“Oh?”

“They’re the last thing on my mind.”

She tore herself away from his gaze to look down at her ruined blouse. “I need to change out of this thing.”

“Let me help you.”

She reached for the bottom hem of the blouse at the exact moment he did, and again she felt the soft skin of his hand against her own, felt the thrill it sent through her, and this time she didn’t pull away from it. She held the hand and looked up at him.

He was so close. She could feel the heat of his body, the moist breath of his mouth.

She looked into his eyes, unblinking, as she squeezed his hand, slowly, down the waistband of her pants, under the black silk of her underwear.

Review: When I was reading this book, I was seriously wondering if I were reading a Harlequin Nocturne. And yes, that is a good thing. That meant the romantic element of the book is strong. Christopher and Vanessa really clicked for me.

I really liked the description of their meeting in the grocery store. It was hard to pinpoint what kind of paranormal creature he was going to be at first. The book blurb wasn't giving much away.

When I found out the creature was a werewolf, I was really excited. I'm getting pretty tired of vampires. Plus Christopher comes across really well in the story, both as a human and as a wolf. He's accepting of his nature.

Plus the war between his kind and the hunter, Luther had a real Van Helsing kind of feel which I really loved. The book moved at a fairly fast pace, which kept me turning the pages. The back story on how the war between Christopher and Luther's family was a great one, and helped tie everything together.

I also liked how Vanessa's family figured into the story and became part of the war.

Definitely a great paranormal beach read with some pretty steamy sex scenes as well.

Rating: 4 out of 5

About the Author:
Alexandra Stewart is an author from rural Washington State, now living in Texas with her husband and four dogs. The Last of His Kind is her first novel. She can be reached at alexandrastewartauthor@gmail.com

Guest Post:

When I began work on my debut novel, "The Last of His Kind," I wanted to see if it was possible to push the boundaries of the romance genre in a small way, playing a bit, perhaps, with readers' expectations, while still staying true to what I felt to be the roots of the form: capable heroine, mysterious hero, danger, and resolution. I wanted, moreover, to write the book in such a way that it would read well for a variety of people: those looking action, those looking for romance, those looking for paranormal thrills, and those looking for erotic sex scenes. Moreover, I aimed for a one-sitting read, something that pulled its reader through its 50,000 words without drawing attention to itself. Finally, I was curious to see what sort of balance I could strike between its three main characters, or, in other words, see if it was possible to make the reader care not just for the female protagonist, but for her troubled love interest AND for the villain pursuing them.

To achieve this, I thought a great deal about structure, something which is often foregone in exchange for plot. Plot, as I see it, is merely a series of events; it's what you have left when you strip away all of the description and ideas and words of the book. It's the events of the story: this happened, then this happened, then this happened. In some books, very little happens, and yet the reader feels as though they've experienced a great deal; in other books, lots of events take place, and yet when the book closes, the reader remembers nothing. The former is a book that is interested in more than its plot; the latter is a book too interested in its clever story to show the reader anything else. While clever stories are all well and good, they often take on the quality of a news ticker: "Man shot. Wife finds killer. Son travels to Bangladesh. Daughter falls in love." These are all evocative ideas, but without anything surrounding them, we have no reason to care about these things: why was the man shot? How did his wife find the killer? What compelled their son to travel to Bangladesh? Is their daughter ready to fall in love?

The first step to alleviating the dryness of a plain plot is characterizing a book's protagonists; by making us feel that these fictional people are in some way real, and by allowing us to relate things in our own life to things experienced by these blocks of words on a page (or screen). There has already been a great deal of good writing done on how the shapes of people present in books can be made to feel real or dynamic.

Structure, however, is less discussed, especially in romance circles. For a book to have structure, it has to fit together in such a way that events, even those that seem most random, resonate with one another; things that are referenced in a certain part of the book are echoed in a similar part; ideas are developed in a pattern that makes sense to the reader, even if such ideas are purely subliminal. In short, the structure of a piece is everything happening "under the surface" of the description and dialogue and scenes that make up the action of the book.

So I would ask you to read my book "The Last of His Kind" and tell me if you see the structure at work that I tried to build. Hopefully, it lends the novel a momentum to keep you reading, while leaving you feeling satisfied by the finale. My email is alexandrastewartauthor@gmail.com; if you read my book, then definitely tell me what you think. I hope you enjoy it.

A

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Movie Review: Mirror Mirror

Blurb: One of the world's most beloved fairy tales takes a hilarious turn in this fresh, exciting film starring Oscar Winner Julia Roberts. After she spends all her money, an evil enchantress queen (Roberts) schemes to marry a handsome, wealthy prince (The Social Network's Armie Hammer). There's just one problem - he's in love with a beautiful princess, Snow White (Lily Collins, The Blind Side).javascript:void(0) So, the sinister queen banishes Snow White from her own kingdom! Now, joined by seven rebellious dwarves, Snow White launches an epic battle of good vs. evil in this funny, magical movie that the whole family will love.

Review: This has been the year of Snow White! First with Once Upon A Time and now with Mirror, Mirror. The two women starring in the film are perfect, Julia Roberts as the wicked Queen and Lilly Collins (daughter of Genesis frontman, Phil Collins) as Snow White. You can't get much better than this. Plus Lilly really is the image of Audrey Hepburn.

Now this take on the Snow White legend isn't what you've read in fairy tales. The seven dwarves are definitely not the Dopey, Sneezy, Grumpy variety, but they are a hoot and a half.

Nathan Lane is another great addition to the cast, playing the right hand man to the Wicked Queen. He's not evil though, and you know his loyalties really lie with Snow White!

Then there's Prince Charming. He's the only ho hum character here. He's easy on the eyes, but his part is a little lack luster. He's upstaged by just about everyone here. In fact, it is really hard to figure out why Snow White even wants him.

But all that aside this was a fun movie to watch, and Lily's song at the end, I Believe In Love is quite fun to listen to.

Rating: Worth Redboxing

CBLS Book Review: The Gift w/Giveaway

Author: V.S. Morgan
Title: The Gift
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Publish Date: May 15, 2012
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: CBLS Book Tours & the author
Book Blurb: At 22, rancher Wyatt Malone sacrificed almost everything, including the Dom he served and loved, to raise his younger brothers. Now, with the ranch running well, his grown up siblings surprise him with a trip to a Caribbean paradise and a date from Madame Evangeline's 1Night Stand. Taking his courage in hand, he fills out an application that bares his soul for a single night of surrender to a nearly forgotten passion.

Rafael is a Dom without a sub. His desires exceed the available men in the dungeon he frequents and memories of rejected love keep him aloof. Can the submission of a Montana cowboy free him or will the date be nothing more than another meaningless scene?

Excerpt:
Rafael blotted his mouth with his napkin and placed it on the table. Wyatt set his fork down and waited. The old familiar energy pulsed between them. Heat zipped through his groin, and he shifted in his seat as his erection pressed against his jeans.

“Wyatt, you asked Madame Eve for a Dominant for one night.” Rafael slid a keycard on the table between them. “If you accept my invitation to play, you will take this card and be in my suite, ready, in fifteen minutes.”

Without hesitation, he reached over and grasped it. When his wrist was grabbed, tugging him forward, Wyatt braced his free hand on the table and accepted Rafael’s lips. At first they brushed, a tease, and then the kiss became a sensual play of tongues. His heart pounded at the taste of curry and tequila. He twirled his tongue around the other man’s and groaned. Rafael’s lips trailed across his jaw and down his neck, stubble scraping across sensitive skin, creating a rasp of pleasure that flowed all the way down his spine.

The Dom followed it with a nip on the bottom lip and then pulled back, twisting Wyatt’s wrist slightly to glance at his watch. Rafael released him and leaned back with a wicked grin. Wyatt’s heart raced.

“You now have thirteen minutes.”

About the Author:
V.S. Morgan has lived all over the United States but now calls Minnesota home. She incorporates her travels and experiences into her stories whenever possible. V.S. dreamed of becoming an author from the tender age of eleven after snagging one of her mom’s Harlequins. She writes contemporary, suspense, and paranormal m/m with heart and heat. “The Gift” is her debut publication. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Rainbow Romance Writers and Kiss of Death chapters. When not writing, V.S. is playing with her dogs, practicing Kempo Karate, and reading lots of erotic romance.

Email: vs_morgan@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.vsmorgan@yahoo.com
Facebook: V.S. Morgan
Twitter: @vsmorgan1

Review:  The Gift is part of the One Night Stand series, but the encounter between Wyatt and Rafael isn't really a one night stand, even though it was arranged to be that way.

I have to say that this is the first guy on guy erotic story that I've read and I wasn't sure what to expect. There's not a lot of erotica that really impresses me, but I found myself liking this story. And with only 34 pages, you can read it pretty quickly.

I liked that there were no stereotypes when it came to both men. I also liked that Wyatt's brothers were very accepting of his sexual preference.

When it came to the sex, it was hot and steamy, but with a touch of romance, and considering this was a BDSM story, that's not an easy accomplishment.

My only complaint is in the length of the story. 34 pages isn't enough. I would have liked some more of Wyatt and Rafael's backstory. There is some in the story, but it just isn't enough for me.

This was a great bedside read.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Book Trailer: 




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Italian Meatballs and Peppers

This recipe is super easy to make in the crockpot and really cheap for those of you on a budget. I found it an old Rival Crockpot Cookbook

Ingredients:

2 Cans of Italian Diced tomatoes (Save A Lot and Aldi both make these at less of a cost then the national brands)
1 can 6 oz of tomato paste
1 lb frozen meatballs (I love the Save A Lot meatballs..and they are about a dollar for 7 oz)
1 package frozen peppers. (I use pepper stirfry)

All of these get put in the crock pot and heated on low for about 6-8 hours.

The meatballs and sauce can be served over your favorite noodle, or over rice or on a good bun. The result is an economical, tasty meal that will leave you with some leftovers for the next day.

Andrea's Super Spicy Chicken Chili

This is my recipe so it is subject to change the next time you make it.

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into small pieces
2 cans of tomatoes with chilis (You can probably use a big jar of medium salsa if you don't like the heat from the chilis)
2 cans of tomato soup
1 can black beans
1 can Northern beans
A heaping handful of frozen chopped onion.
1/2 medium green pepper.
1 cap full of vegetable oil
1 tsp chili seasoning  (If you don't like it hot, omit or use chili powder)

Directions

In a pot with oil, brown the chicken until it is no longer pink with onions and peppers. (approx 10 minutes)
Add tomatoes and soup and let simmer for 5 minutes
Add beans and continue to simmer. 15-20 minutes.

Serve with sour cream and cheese for topping.

Movie Review: What's Your Number

Blurb: Anna Faris and Chris Evans star in the outrageously funny comedy that asks: can 19 wrongs make Mr. Right? When Ally Darling (Faris) reads an article that leads her to believe she's going to be alone forever, she begins a wild search to find the best "ex" of her life. But Ally's quest to reconnect with her former lovers goes hilariously awry, from a puppeteer who's more wooden than his puppet to a gynecologist with a "spotty" memory. Through it all, Ally might just find the man of her dreams in the last place she ever expected.

Review: This movie is cheesy and raunchy. Much like Bridesmaids but not nearly as funny. It is cute and it does have some laugh out loud moments, but you still only have one thought while letting Ally Darling into your life for an hour and a half, WHAT A FREAKING HO!

She's not even thirty and she's slept with 19 guys.

Yeah.

And when she reads an article about anyone having more than 20 not ever finding "true love" she starts going back through her ex's to see if she's missed "Mr. Right"

Ho hum!

But even if the plot is a little exasperating at times, you will be laughing especially at some of the situations she gets into with her exes.

What bugs me though, is how all these little pretty perfect chickies are all fired from their jobs, but can still live in perfect gorgeous NYC apartments because their family is super wealthy.

GAH!

But I remind myself it is a Romcom and it isn't supposed to be intelligent, plus her neighbor Colin (Chris Evans) is freaking hot and always running around with very few clothes on in the hallway!

Glad I didn't see in the theater, but for a couple of bucks for the rental, it was good.

A Healthy Spaghetti Pie

Since my mother's been out of the hospital, we've been trying to find recipes that will work for her heart condition, as well as her diabetes, that still have flavor. I've been combing all sorts of recipe books to see what we can make that's healthy and tasty.

Today I found a great recipe in an old Light and Tasty magazine. It is for Spaghetti Pie. The original recipe can be found here I made a few changes.

Ingredients



1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained Italian style works best, as it has basil and oregano
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese (enough to spread across the pie)
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

In a nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, garlic powder, sugar and pepper; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the spaghetti, butter, egg whites and Parmesan cheese. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate coated with cooking spray. Top with cottage cheese and beef mixture.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and filling is heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Yield: 6 servings.

The Wenches Have Gone AWOL

It has been a rough week or so for this Wench. My mom was in the hospital til Wednesday. Then when she came home, I promptly took a spill down the stairs and sprained my ankle.

So things have been a bit crazy here.

But don't worry..this wench will be back.

I will have a few movie reviews coming up over the weekend and probably some other snarky commentary. But I am alive! Just barely!

The Fangirl in Me Wants This So Badly!

I've been a sucker for The Phantom Of The Opera for about 20 years now!

I went to Miss Bohemia's site and saw the necklace and I let out a squeal of delight.

Then a sigh of anguish, because right now I don't have any extra money for this.

I definitely don't have $25.00 for it.

~big sigh~

But isn't it gorgeous?

Can't you just see Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman?

And the organ...

Dun....dun dun dun dun dun....

I love me some Phantom!

Movie Review: One For The Money

Blurb: A film based on the incredibly popular Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich, One for the Money reveals an unexpectedly versatile Katherine Heigl. This model-turned-actress is best known for her role as Dr. Izzie Stevens on Grey's Anatomy and for starring in various lighthearted romantic comedies, but here Heigl takes on the meaty role of Plum, a laid-off lingerie buyer who turns bondswoman in a desperate attempt to pay the rent and put food on the table. Heigl is surprisingly believable as a blue-collar working girl who thinks fast on her feet and is not afraid to throw herself into the middle of even the most dangerous situation--especially if it means getting what she wants. Of course, Stephanie's impulsiveness manages to get her into all sorts of awkward and potentially life-threatening situations. Throw in her desire for payback against an old boyfriend, a sleazy cousin, a gang of ruthless criminals, a couple of most unexpected allies, and a quirky family who can think of little more than setting her up with a good husband, and you've got an enticing blend of drama, action, and comedy. Debbie Reynolds is quite funny as Grandma Mazur, Daniel Sunjata makes a great Ranger, and there's definitely a nice chemistry between Heigl and Jason O'Mara. Bonus features include an 11-minute making-of featurette, a 10-minute look at some real-life "bond girls," a gag reel, and one deleted scene.

Review: I really expected this film to be awful, but surprisingly enough, it wasn't. Katherine Heigl really looks like what I'd imagine Stephanie Plum to look like. (Sandra Bullock would have been a better choice, but hey, you can't win them all). I was pretty ok with the casting, except for Ranger. Daniel Sunjata may look the part...and that was debatable, but he didn't fit the part. I think he spoke too much. Anyone that's read the books knows that Ranger is a man of few words most of them are "babe."

I loved Jason O'Mara's Morelli. Who would have thought an Irishmen could play an Italian so well? Maybe it is because he's so damn sexy. I loved him in Life On Mars.

The things that bothered me about this film were more the little things, like not using Grandma enough in the film. Heck, Stephanie's whole family felt like they were put on the back burner, not to mention Lula! Though Lula wasn't a huge fixture in the first book.

Still, I found it enjoyable enough to pass the time. There were enough laughs and a few cars getting blown up to remind me how much I love Stephanie Plum and Janet Evanovich!