Friday, September 30, 2016

#GiveAway - CHRISTMAS COMES TO MAIN STREET By Olivia Miles


CHRISTMAS COMES TO MAIN STREET
 Briar Creek Series, #5
By Olivia Miles


Interview with Olivia Miles:

Crystal: Today I am thrilled to host Olivia Miles. Welcome Olivia! Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?

Olivia : Sure! I live just outside of Chicago with my husband, young daughter, and two adorable maltipoos. I grew up in New England, where I tend to set most of my books, and while I adore small town charm, I am a city girl at heart in many ways. 

Crystal: Do you have a favorite scene you would like to share with us?

Olivia : I have so many favorite scenes in CHRISTMAS COMES TO MAIN STREET, but this one might be my favorite because it sets the tone for the rest of the book and sets up a budding romance to boot!

“Are you entering the Holiday House contest?”
“Oh, my mother is, of course.”
“What about you?” Nate asked.
“What about me?” Kara shook her head. “I have an apartment, so…”
But he wasn’t going to let her off the hook that easily. “So? You make one hell of a gingerbread house. Why not enter one in the contest?”
Kara stared at him like he was half crazy, but he saw the interest that sparked in her eyes. “The gingerbread house is not a real house.”
“It’s still a house. I’ve read the rules.” He’d been sure to, just to make sure he adhered to them correctly and didn’t do anything to mess with his aunt’s chances of winning. “You think you can beat me with holiday decorations. Prove it.”
Her lips pinched as her little nose wiggled and then lifted, ever so slightly. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Why? Seems to me that a gingerbread house is about the most quintessential Christmas house that can be entered.” He locked the defiance in her gaze. “Oh, I see, you don’t think you can win.”
“I know I can win,” Kara said with a lift of her chin.
“Okay, then, a hundred bucks says the inn places higher than your gingerbread house in the contest.”
She hesitated, folded her arms around her chest, stared at him with fire in her eyes. “That sure of yourself are, you?”
“I’m a hard worker,” Nate said bluntly. “And as you said, it’s Christmas. Anything is possible.”
“I don’t want your money,” Kara said.
“I get it. You’re worried you won’t win.” He shrugged, grinning as her nostrils flared. “Tell you what? We’ll keep it friendly. The inn places higher, you owe me dinner. You win, I treat you.”
The motive was ulterior, but he couldn’t resist the thought of an evening alone with her. There was something interesting at play here, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Maybe it was the challenge of redemption, even if Kara wasn’t one of the bullies at his school. Or maybe it was just the promise of a dinner with a pretty girl. He couldn’t be sure.
“Mr. Griffin, you have a deal,” she said, extending her hand. He took in, surprised at the firmness of her grip, the confidence in her single shake, but he lingered for a moment, savoring the warmth of her palm, which felt so small in his own hand. A rush zipped down his spine at the softness of her skin, and pleasure of her touch, and he lingered before finally releasing her hand from his grip.
“A gambling woman,” he remarked, studying her over the rim of his glass as he took a long sip.
Kara shrugged. “Only when the odds are in my favor.”
He cocked an eyebrow, but a smile was pulling at his mouth. Win or lose, he stood to win something here, but from the little pinch of a frown between Kara’s brows, he reckoned she was going to be a formidable opponent.
“To the best Holiday House,” he declared, raising his glass to hers. “Good luck.”
Her lips curved into a smile, and there was a spark in her eyes when she met his gaze. “Oh, I won’t be needing any luck. But something tells me you will.” She winked, clinked his glass before he knew what had hit him, and with a quick sip, turned to meet her friends, leaving him standing in the middle of a party he hadn’t been invited to, with the sinking suspicion that her parting words were right on the mark.


Crystal: Do you have a favorite snack that you like to munch on while writing? If so would you mind sharing what it is with us?

Olivia : I tend to drink a lot of Diet Coke while I write. Well, I drink a lot of Diet Coke in general. I’m trying to break that habit, but it’s not easy!

Crystal: What are you currently working on?

Olivia : I’m working on my next Christmas book, actually. This book will be called HIS FOR THE HOLIDAYS and will be the second book in my upcoming Misty Point series, set in a fictional seaside town in Rhode Island. This one is a fake engagement story, and it’s a lot of fun to write. It will release next September!

Crystal: When you are not busy writing wonderful stories to keep us lucky readers entertained, what do you like to do? Do you have a hobby?

Olivia : When I am not writing (or reading) or busy being a mother, I tend to start redesigning the interior of our house, which sort of drives my husband crazy. I also enjoy sewing, cooking, baking, and playing the piano.




ABOUT THE BOOK: 

The fifth and final novel in Olivia Miles contemporary romance Briar Creek series!

The mistletoe is out, and the gloves are off . . .

'Tis the worst season to be single, but Kara Hastings won't let a little Christmas funk spoil the festive season. Sure, running her own bakery is a little harder than she expected, but she can handle it. And she'll prove it to a certain infuriatingly handsome, bossy Big City guy. She may be sugar and spice, but she can kick his butt twice.

Nate Griffin is in Briar Creek only for the holidays, and he refuses to fall for the whole "small town, candy cane-scented Christmas Wonderland" thing. He's more interested in the fresh-faced cookie chef who always knows exactly how to get under his skin. So when Nate challenges Kara in the town's big holiday contest, it's not just the competition that starts to heat up. If he's not careful, Kara won't just melt his icy resolve against a small-town Christmas . . . she'll melt his heart too.

On Sale: September 27, 2016
Publisher: Forever
Mass Market: $5.99 USD
eBook: $4.99 USD

BUY THE BOOK HERE:




THE BRIAR CREEK SERIES:






ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Having grown up in New England, Olivia Miles attended McGill University in Montreal, Quebec before settling in Chicago where she lives with her husband, their daughter, and two ridiculously pampered pups.

When she is not chasing after her little ones, she is hard at work creating feisty heroines and alpha heroes with a heart. A city girl with a fondness for small-town charm, Olivia enjoys highlighting both ways of life in her stories.



FOLLOW FOREVER ONLINE:

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

#GiveAway - SPARKING THE FIRE By KATE MEADER

SPARKING THE FIRE
A HOT IN CHICAGO NOVEL, Book 3
By KATE MEADER

Fire Giveaway:

We are excited to do a Fire Giveaway to celebrate the third in Kate Meader’s Hot in Chicago series, Sparking the Fire. This giveaway will include Flirting with Fire (Book 1) and Playing with Fire (Book 2). You can visit all sites on the blog tour to enter the Fire Giveaways – but keep in mind you can only win once! U.S. only.


About Sparking the Fire:

Heating up reading lists this Fall will be Kate Meader’s highly anticipated Sparking the Fire, the “sexy and sassy” (#1 New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux) steamy third novel in the Hot in Chicago series, where former lovers unexpectedly reunite for a sizzling affair that will have the director yelling, “Quiet on the set!”

AN OLD FLAME STILL SIMMERS…
Wyatt Fox, resident daredevil at Engine Company 6, needs a low key job to keep him busy while he recovers from his latest rescue stunt. Consulting on a local movie shoot should add just enough spark to his day. But then in struts Molly Cade: the woman who worked his heart over good, and then left him in the Windy City dust.

BUT WILL A NEW SHOT AT LOVE LEAVE HER BURNED?
Actor Molly Cade, America’s fallen sweetheart, finally has her shot at a Hollywood comeback with a dramatic new role as a tough-as-nails firefighter that promises to propel her back into the big time. And she’s not going to let anything stand in her way—even a certain brooding, blue-eyed firefighter she’s never quite been able to forget…Their story is straight out of a script: irrepressible, spunky heroine meets taciturn, smoldering hero. But these two refuse to be typecast, and when the embers of an old love are stoked, someone is bound to get burned…

Pocket Books
September 27, 2016
ISBN 9781476785936
$7.99


S&S | AMAZON | B&N | BAM | INDIEBOUND | IBOOKSTORE (ebook) | KINDLE (ebook) | NOOK (ebook) | GOOGLE PLAY (ebook)   

About the Author:

Kate Meader was raised on romance. An Irish girl, she started with Catherine Cookson and Jilly Cooper novels, and spiced it up with some Mills & Boon. Now based in Chicago, she writes romances of her own, where sexy contemporary alpha heroes and strong heroines match each other quip for quip. When not immersed in tales of brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, Kate lives on the web at katemeader.com.

HOT TIP: Kate is also offering a $25 Amazon gift card during the Sparking the Fire release tour. It will run Monday September 26 to Friday October 7. Enter here.

Review:

Do you enjoy a flaming hot story with smoking hot fire fighters? Well have I got a book, actually a whole series for you! Sparking the Fire is the latest release in Kate Meader's Hot in Chicago series. 

Sparking the Fire has a fabulous combination of a second chance romance, mystery, drama, love, family, and hot steamy scenes. Ms. Meader has created yet another must read story that I could not put down. 

Molly Cade is living the Hollywood lifestyle that includes the bonuses of fame and the draw backs too. She's recently divorced from a famous actor that thinks the world and everyone in it revolves around him. Molly has been through a horrible time lately. She wants nothing more than this movie to turn her career back around. What she doesn't expect to find is a very handsome face from her past. I loved Molly. She's sweet and kind with just enough spunk to make for interesting sparks. She loves her job and is good to those she works with. She made an instant connections with the Dempsey family and fits in with them just fine.


Wyatt Fox is the quite brooding one of the Dempsey family. He has a HUGE secret that is revealed to the family in this book. I won't tell you what it is but I will tell you that it makes for an interesting touch to the story.Wyatt has a heart of gold that sometimes gets covered up with a bit of grouchy outside. He loves his family and would anything for them. I have loved each and everyone of the Dempsey family members. This family sticks together and will do anything to protect their own. Wyatt ends up with a job that puts him in close quarters with a lady from his past. 

Molly and Wyatt's story was thoroughly entertaining to read. These two are great together. They can push each other buttons and smoldering attraction has a way of turning into flaming passion when they are alone together. Neither is looking for a relationship and sure doesn't need to be the center of attention right now. The force of their attraction is stronger than their resolve to try to leave each other alone.

I won't tell you a whole lot more about the story. I will tell you there is plenty of drama and action that had me flipping pages as quickly as I could to see what was going to happen next. 

Kate Meader had me engrossed from the first page of this book all the way to the end. I have found her books to be wonderful  enjoyable reads. I can't wait to read more from this talented author. I know I will be looking for more of her work. 

I was given the chance to read this fabulous story so that I may share my thoughts with you. As always it has been my great pleasure to share my thoughts with you on Sparking the Fire.

You may read more of my reviews on Kate Meader's work here.

Sparking the Fire Amazon Buy link


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Blog Tour:

September 14:
RT Book Reviews – Exclusive Excerpt only

September 20:
Heroes and Heartbreakers – Exclusive Excerpt + Giveaway

September 23:
USA Today’s Happy Ever After – Exclusive Excerpt only

September 26:
Harlequin Junkie – Spotlight + Giveaway
Under the Covers – Interview

September 27:

September 28:

September 29:

September 30:

October 3:

October 4:

October 5:

October 6:
The Librarian – Blog Talk Radio Author’s on the Air - Interview Only - Listen Live at 7:30 pm ET!

October 7:

#VirtualBookTour - Beyond The Face Of The Movies By D. C. Lassiter


Please join author D. C. Lassiter as she tours the blogosphere with Write Now LiteraryBook Tours and her new release Beyond The Face Of The Movies, from Sept 1-30, 2016.


   Beyond The Face Of The Movies
By D. C. Lassiter


Interview:


Crystal: Today I have the pleasure of hosting D. C. Lassiter. Welcome! I am so happy to have you here today. Would you share a little about yourself with us today?

D. C.: I am the youngest of six children raised in a family full of creatively inclined individuals. My father loved the game of chess so he taught each of us to play. If he wasn’t doing that he would be teaching my brother’s gymnastic techniques in the back yard.  My mother was known for filling the house with music, music and more music. As I look back this is where I found my love for it and probably the reason my mother wanted us all to play an instrument while growing up. However, if there wasn’t a record playing on the turntable or loud instruments permeating the Lassiter residence then there was a musical blaring from the television set which was sure to entertain us all—once we decided we liked them.  The King and I, Hello Dolly, My Fair Lady, and The Sound of Music were some of our favorites, and still are.
As children we were also, firmly, introduce to Jesus. I remember every Sunday morning my parents would wake us up to have bible study. My mother made it fun and added sound effects as she talked about Elijah going up in the chariot of fire to be with the Lord, and how Elisha eagerly waited for his double portion. We had fun watching The Ten Commandments while Charlton Heston encountered God in the burning bush and then later parting the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape the hands of Pharaoh. In our home there wasn’t a decision made without praying about it. God was talked about so often He was simply another sibling in my mind. It wouldn’t be long until my middle sister caught onto the manner of how to tell biblical stories and she too could make them come alive when my parents weren’t around. The way she would dazzle us with her imagination is a memory I will never forget. Like I said, we were all creatively inclined: Singing, dancing, acting, drawing, cooking, and playing instruments were just a few things we did to keep ourselves busy and most of all out of trouble.
When I could break away I read quite a bit, and journaled. I read fiction and self-help books, but discovered later in life without a personal relationship with God one can’t really help themselves. As the years passed my love of the arts grew and I began to model and sing internationally. I loved it, but couldn’t quite fit in. I discovered while living in Taiwan that all of those bible studies really changed me internally, and though I blended in on the outside to onlookers in the fashion world I couldn’t really relate to them –not really.
I made many mistakes as a young adult, but as I left the world of lights, camera and action I began searching for something more fulfilling in my life so after returning to the states I met my husband only for it to end up in divorce. I combed the bible for answers as I sat and wondered, “How did I get here?” I couldn’t seem to remember what choices I made to get me into this situation. After surviving it all with the Godhead holding my hand, I decided to go back to school. Currently I am pursuing my degree in Theology & Biblical Studies with a minor in Communications.  DCL Ministries is a ministry that combines all my experiences- good and bad- in order to help all who suffer emotionally understand how to better navigate through the pitfalls of life. Tough times fall upon everyone, but I believe it is what you choose to lean on to get out of your circumstances which will result in being victorious or not.  My weekly radio show Dovetales is all about how many made it through when allowing themselves to be led by the Holy Spirit. Victory is already ours and it can be yours too.

Crystal:  Do you have any special routine that you follow when you are writing?

D. C.:  Special routine you ask? I wouldn’t be a writer if I didn’t have some routine reigning in the thoughts which go through my mind on a daily basis. My writing style has a lot of humor folded into messages of fundamental biblical truths in the form of storytelling. Therefore, everything for me is nestled in prayer. By making mistakes in my life I have learned what’s best for me is to be led by Holy Spirit in everything I do.  My blog, books, radio show, and play productions are all inspired by scripture. Starting with the foundation of scripture forces the content to not be about me, but allows me to stay focused on relaying what God is trying to tell my readers rather then what I want to tell people. As a writer who folds in her personal experiences to relate to the message being told, I know my own personal hurts can also cloud my message if it is not filtered through something more powerful than me. My goal is to educate readers on who God is and who He is not. Therefore, I submit to humbling myself to Him first before starting to create anything. I love to write and express myself through laugher to my readers, but in preparation for helping others my special routine is-- God first.

Crystal:  Who are some of your favorite authors that you like to read?

D. C.:  
Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado
Becoming A Contagious Christian by Bill Hybels & Mark Mittelberg
The Shack by WM. Paul Young
Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis
Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster
Discover Your God Given Gifts by Don & Katie Fortune
Beyond the Face of the Movies by D.C. Lassiter



About The Book:

Have you ever wondered why after watching a movie you are left with a residue of emotions? Perhaps after the credits have rolled off of your screen, you've experienced a sense of peace, empowerment, exhilaration, fear or maybe a better understanding of how to deal with a personal issue you've struggled with.
Whether we are a believer in God or not, everyone will come to a place where the choices they've made will lead them to asking themselves, "How did I get here?" And as we run from co-worker's and then to friends and family pleading for an answer as to how it all went so wrong, we will still have to choose, in the end, which path we'll take. Don't be fooled, because once you decide it is you and only you who will ultimately have to live those choices out.
Beyond the Face of the Movies will show you at heart just how similar we all are and whether you see your life resembling a Hollywood movie or a real life biblical character you will discover, underneath all the glitz and the glam, that people are still the same when it comes to making mistakes.
Many times God challenges us to go deeper than the surface of the movie, in hope that we will discover principles that can be gleaned from beneath the excitement and buzz of the film.
By juxtaposing Hollywood movies and biblical characters, the author connects the dots for the reader so that they are guided through fundamental biblical truths in order to better understand and navigate through their own life challenges on a daily basis.
What does Bruce Almighty have in common with the biblical Samson? What is Prophet Jonah doing in the Wizard of Oz instead of going down to Nineveh? Find out in this fun and feisty easy-to-read book, and while you are at it - take the time to look beyond the surface of the movie and you will sense God speaking to you in encouraging, practical and at times convicting ways.


Publication Date: July 7, 2016
Paperback & E-Book: 200 pages
Publisher: Pneuma Springs Publishing
ISBN-10: 1782284168
ISBN-13: 978-1782284161

Genre: Non-Fiction, Christian Living

Purchase Links:


About the Author:

D.C. Lassiter resides in the Pennsylvania area and is a student of God's word. After being called from a life of modeling and singing, she is now heading to Lancaster Bible College to completer her Bachelor's degree in Theology & Biblical Studies with a minor in Communications. D.C. Lassiter is single and worships at Blue Route Vineyard Community Church. She also writes on her blog as well as various online Christian magazines and counsels women struggling with separation or divorce. You can also find her engaging with her listeners, on the radio, every Sunday as she hosts Dovetales from 2:30-3:30 pm eastern time. Through guests willing to share what the Holy Spirit has done in and for their lives, D.C. Lassiter has an opportunity to encourage many towards a personal relationship with the Godhead which is for everyone: all nationalities, all races, all ages and all backgrounds.