Friday, July 25, 2014

OUT OF AGONY by Lynette Endicott ~ Starting Over Series ~ Gliterary Girl Book Tours ~ Giveaway

Gliterary Girl Book Tours presents the blog tour for the release of OUT OF AGONY, Book #4 in the Starting Over Series, by Author Lynette Endicott.


OUt oF Agony Tour

To celebrate the release of OUT OF AGONY, Lynette will be giving away a $20.00 Amazon Gift Card to one grand prize winner, a $10.00 Gift Card to either Starbucks or Teavana to the second runner up and an ecopy of OUT OF AGONY to the third runner up. Enter the giveaway every day for more chances to win. All entries must be received by July 25th before midnight. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter.



OutOfAgonyCoverArtBrian Van Pelt has barely survived an anguished year of loss, hiding his sorrows under the facade of a cool and uncaring attorney. Not able to deny his grief any long, heartache drives him to collapse and his life takes an unexpected turn.

When Jessie Ingram comes to work at his law firm, she is intrigued by the conflicting darkness of Brian's behavior and the tender inconsistencies that hint at something deeper within him.

Despite her interest, she has her own pain, supporting her niece Sara, who has a virulent cancer with aggressive treatments that take such a toll they would not be worth it — except they are Sara's only hope of survival.

Will life’s hardships bring Brian and Jessie together? Will they be able to heal and possibly find love?


BUY NOW AT:



Excerpt: 

Brian's desk chair sat oddly positioned. Not to one side as one would leave it naturally after rising from it, but pushed back against the desk and perfectly centered in the opening. As she had done the day before, Jessie pulled it out and perched on the edge of the too-tall chair. She opened the file drawer on the left, and found it empty. How very strange. She turned to the other side of the desk, and opened the top utility drawer. Empty, too. The bottom drawer held only one thin file, unlabeled. She pulled it out and placed it on the desk. She opened it to find what she least expected.
The picture of a little girl smiled up at her. She was probably around kindergarten age, judging by the one missing front tooth. Was Brian Van Pelt a father? She turned to the next sheet and found a crayon picture of a house, three people and a dog. The people were labeled Mommy, Daddy and Trudy in a child's crayoned letters. The dog was Ollie. Beside the house was a big tree with a swing hanging from it.
She put the folder back into the drawer and turned to the closet. She didn't mean to be nosy about his personal life. Will said he'd recently divorced. All the personal connections were probably damaged or at least fragile, even with his little girl. Still, it was mind boggling that he didn't have a single work paper in his desk.
He must have work files somewhere.
She opened the closet door and gasped at the sight of open file drawers, some no longer in the frame but tipped on their sides against the marred walls as if someone had thrown them there. It would take great strength to throw a full file drawer. Papers spread everywhere. She looked over her shoulder at the compulsively neat office, and back at the devastation before her. Could these contrasting areas be the workspace of the same man? It was incomprehensible. How could the cold, calculating, maybe even mean man be the man who saved the kindergarten photo and drawing in the place closest to him? From what she could see, Brian Van Pelt almost comprised two different men, the cold calculating one, and the one whose emotions he could not contain. Which was the real Brian? And how could she work with someone whose life was so discordant and chaotic?


ABOUT Lynette Endicott

Lynette EndicottLynette Endicott grew up in Illinois, met her husband in Western Nebraska, lived 25 years in Kansas where their daughter was born, and has been in Fresno, California since 2000. She has a son-in-law (who lives with her daughter nearby), and has rescued a dog, a bird and three cats. She and Ollie, her terrier mix, volunteer as a team at the local library, where children read to the dog.

At a youth camp when she was 14 the editor and teacher of a writing class challenged her to submit something to his youth magazine. She did and it was the first of 10 articles and stories accepted by the publication over the next few years.


Nothing like front end success to keep her writing! Lynette enjoys reading contemporary romance and speculative fiction and writes both. Her debut book, Starting Over Book One: More Than A Job, and two more books in that series, The Return of Joy and Finding Her Voice are available now. The first three of the Time After Time Saga with Tami Dee are available now, including Animal Instinct, Survival Instinct and Pioneer Instinct. The fourth in the series of six, Protective Instinct, will release in August 2014.


Because she didn't have pets until after her 50th birthday the animals she enjoys find their way into all her books. Usually you will also find a character with a disability as part of the day-to-day fabric of the story. In More Than A Job, Paige works in services to people with disabilities until she loses her job and starts over. In The Return of Joy, Atlas, the yellow lab, becomes a Therapy Dog. In the Time After Time series animal helpers assist the hero and heroine in all six of the books in the series.


Lynette loves hearing from her fans! Please connect with her on:






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Thursday, July 24, 2014

A Candle in the Window by Jillian Hart ~ ONLY $.99 ~ GLITERARY GIRL MEDIA

A Candle in the Window

By:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

 Jillian Hart

is only $0.99  for a limited time!


JillianHart_ACandleInTheWindow2_800pxStranded in a blizzard with a bounty hunter on his trail, Luke McKenna is desperate to find someplace safe for his young daughter. Sure to freeze to death in the Montana wilderness, Luke and his daughter are rescued by the only person within miles. School teacher Molly Lambert knows that letting a handsome, rugged stranger sleep in her house could ruin her reputation and get her fired, but she can't turn away the sweet child and her wounded father. Snowed in with the fugitive, Molly can't help but notice the tenderness he shows his daughter and the soft heart he hides beneath his tough exterior. The cold winter winds can't subdue the heat between Luke and Molly, but Luke knows he can't risk staying in Montana and being caught. He knows he must do the best thing for everyone and leave Molly and his daughter or risk putting them both in danger. But can love light the darkest places and overcome the impossible forces pulling them apart? Approx. 100,000 Words. Sensual content.

BUY IT NOW ON

AMAZON or  BARNES AND NOBLE


ABOUT:

Strickler 5Jillian grew up on her family's homestead on Washington state, near Carnation, Washington, where she raised cattle to pay for her college tuition, rode horses through the pristine foothills of the Cascade Mountain range and scribbled stories in her spare time.
After earning an English degree from Whitman College (what better way to go through college than to constantly read books?), she traveled, worked in advertising, taught Sunday school and volunteered before becoming a writer.
When she's not hard at work on her next story, Jillian can be found chatting with a friend, stopping for a café mocha with a book in hand, and spending quiet evenings at home with her family.

Connect with Jillian on FACEBOOK, Follow her on TWITTER and visit her WEBSITE 

Don't forget to check out Jillian's other work including:

The Prequel to The McPhee Clan: Then Came You is FREE on AMAZON and BARNES AND NOBLE

THEN CAME YOU

JillianHart_ThenCameYou_200When Gil Blackburn finds beautiful Maebry O'Riley in need of assistance, it's his duty to come to her aid--even if he's only pretending to be her beau and rescuing her from the unwanted advances of Lawrence Latimer. Gil's been sweet on Maebry ever since he stepped foot on the Rocking M Ranch, and his feelings are only getting stronger. When he looks at her, he sees forever. He doesn't want to pretend to be her beau. He wants the real thing. Maebry O'Riley wishes she wasn't carrying a torch for handsome Gil. There's something about him that makes her heart beat a lot faster. His good humor and manly, easy-going nature could capture her heart if she let it. He makes her long for a real future as his wife, but he is a dream that can never be hers. She isn't free to love anyone, even a good man like Gil. This is a sweet historical.


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2014 Summer Collection Anthology ~ Goddess Fish Promotions Book Blast ~ Giveaway



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The authors will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via the rafflecopter at the end of this post during the tour. Please click here to see the other stops on this tour.






Five complete sweet to sensual stories from five multi-talented authors in settings to make any summer occasion more special. Included are:





         Meet Me In Seattle by Markee Anderson
Madysen Duke has been coerced to participate in a reality show with her teacher friends. But little does she know, her high school flame is also along for the ride, with intentions much different from hers. Even though she's out for the money, he's trying to thwart whatever crime is happening right before their eyes.


Arrow Through The Heart by Stephanie Burkhart

Summer vacation and the Fourth of July brings Ella to New Hampshire while participating in a tennis competition. Logan is an innkeeper's son who bumps into Ella and invites her for an ice cream. Attraction flares and they enjoy spending time together, but each has their own plans for their life. Then disaster strikes Ella. Can a summer attraction truly become a lasting relationship? 

Taking Liberty by Gerald Costlow

Liberty "Libby" Bell is a waitress at a roadside diner, trying to hide from an abusive ex-boyfriend who refuses to leave her alone. She strikes up a romance with Roger, a hunky local fireman, and seems to be getting her life back into gear. Then her ex-boyfriend tracks her down.
Will she be forced to leave Roger and run away again, or see the ex- boyfriend and risk a violent confrontation?
And if that isn't enough to handle, suddenly there's a serial killer in their midst.


Marcy’s Struggle by Larry Hammersley

Marcy Mason is in her final year of graduate school, pursuing a PhD in chemistry. She has brains and looks, but struggles in the romance department. She met Ross Franklin in undergraduate school when she was a senior; he was a freshman and second-string quarterback. Her problem – she was hung up on Leroy Doyle at the time.
Leroy is married and moved away, but Ross, now star quarterback, isn't convinced she’s over Leroy. When Leroy arrives on campus to give a lecture, Marcy must make all the arrangements. After contact with Leroy, Marcy admits to what she’s known all along—she’s over Leroy and wants Ross in her life. Can she convince Ross to look past their different backgrounds and give love a chance?

The Garden by Jory Sherman

Summer brings forth fresh vegetables in the garden and with them, the ultimate fight against insects and wild critters to protect those vegetables. Harvey enjoys his garden, especially the corn – watching it grow, providing food for his beloved wife Ruth. Then, something unusual happens in the garden and his corn begins to disappear.


Enjoy an excerpt from The Garden:

What are you going to do with that radio?" Ruthie asked during supper.

"Just before dark I'm going to turn it on. Tune it to a hard rock station or an all-night country station and let it blare."

"Harvey, you're crazy," she said, a twinkle in her eye, the faint trace of a smile in the curve of her lips.

"My idea of a nocturnal scarecrow, Ruthie."

"What if your deer likes country music or loud rock?"

"He'll still leave tracks. If he does, I'll follow them up into the woods tomorrow."

"And do what?"

"I don't know. I'll take my rifle with me."

"You'd shoot a hungry deer? Out of season?"

"I might scare him off our land."

"Our land? Maybe the deer thinks it's his land. Who was here first?"

"Well, his ancestors were here first, but the deer didn't pay out any hard-earned money for this property, and I have a deed. It doesn't."




ABOUT THE AUTHORS: 

Markee Anderson makes her home in northeast Wisconsin, surrounded by Packer fans, snow, and cheese. Along with her husband, they have three adult children and two Boston terrier babies. She writes under different pen names, all at: www.sweettalebooks.com

Come visit her at: http://markeeanderson.com



Stephanie Burkhart was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. After graduating from Central High, she joined the U.S. Army. She spent eleven years in the military, seven stationed in Germany. She left the Army in 1997 and settled in California. Stephanie has been married for over twenty years and has two boys, Andrew and Joseph. She now works for LAPD as a 9-1-1 Dispatcher.

Come visit her at: http://www.stephanieburkhart.com



Gerald Costlow lives in Michigan and has published several novels and numerous short stories and novellas over the years. He's currently publishing a romantic-supernatural series with Publishing by Rebecca Vickery.


Larry Hammersley is 76 and has been married to Sue for 51 years. He has two children and five grandchildren. Larry enjoys jogging, amateur radio, occasional woodworking, and is active in his church. He's been writing for 39 years.

Come visit his blog at: http://larryhammersley.blogspot.com/



Jory Sherman began his literary career as a poet in San Francisco's famed North Beach in the late 1950s, during the heyday of the Beat Generation. He has been published widely in literary journals. His first book of poetry, So Many Rooms, was published by Galley Sail Press in 1959.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jory-Sherman/267712936601703



BOOK BUY LINKS:

AMAZON:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1499733054/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1499733054&link_code=as3&tag=revibycrys-20&linkId=BTYKUQRWYO4HNJ7W

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/442711

Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/2014-summer-collection-vtp-anthologies/1119633249?ean=2940045974271


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Surrender To Me by Monica James ~ Re-Release Blitz ~ Giveaway



Synopsis

Ava Thompson left her one true love, Jasper White, to unearth her destiny. It was the only way for Ava to grow into the woman she’s always wanted to become. 

Sadly, that destiny has led her back to the place that broke her … Singapore.

And more importantly, it has led her back to the man who broke her … Harper.

Ava is no longer the scared, lost girl she once was. She is stronger and determined to accomplish her dreams in order to find happiness. Hopefully, at the end of it all, she will return into the loving arms of Jasper White. 

Six months later, Ava travels back to Los Angeles for an event that embraces the true meaning of love. Sadly for Ava, her meaning of true love has been lost. 

Los Angeles is not how Ava left it. Things have changed. People have changed. She has changed. However, what has remained untouched is her passionate love for Jasper White. 

But does Jasper feel the same?

Excerpt
He inches his face towards mine, and I too edge forward, so not in control of my actions right now, because kissing him is the only thing I can think of. But then I remember he’s drunk, and this kiss will be meaningless in the morning.

Pulling back and shaking my head, in hopes of knocking some sense into my lust-filled brain, I whisper, “You’re drunk, Jasper.”

Jasper smiles, but it’s a sad smile.

His eyes focus on mine as he confesses, “I’m drunk on you. You’re my poison, Ava, and I don’t know how to stop consuming you.”

A breath catches in my throat as words that should be interpreted harshly, aren’t at all perceived that way. I don’t know how to reply, so I don’t. I close my eyes and take five steadying breaths.

One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.

Reopening my eyes, I see that I’m alone.

Peering up at Jasper’s house, I witness him turning back towards my car from his front door. The porch light reflects off his beautiful face, and his expression is mirroring mine. And that expression is one I have been trying so hard to keep at bay, but sadly have been failing at.

That expression is one of submission and surrender.

We both surrender.

And that fact scares the living shit out of me.



Buy the Book





Author Bio

Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson.

When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. 

She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers, and her inspiration comes from every day life. She is an Amazon best selling author in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.

Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals.

She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.

Contact Monica


Other Books by Monica James
Synopsis: 
Singapore has stolen a piece of Ava Thompson.

It took one life shattering moment for her to realize her ex-boyfriend is not the man she believed him to be. Returning home to Los Angeles was never going to be easy for Ava, as her heart has been shattered to smithereens and she’s convinced it’ll never heal. Or, so she thought.

Enter Jasper White.

Unbeknown to Ava, he will change her life forever.

The attraction is instantaneous, which troubles Ava, who has sworn off men indefinitely. Yet, she is finding resisting Jasper—with his tousled bedroom hair and piercing cerulean eyes—harder than she ever imagined. That’s because Jasper knows what he wants … and he wants her.

Can Ava surrender to her feelings for the one man who compels her to love again? What happens if love isn’t enough?


Synopsis:
Mia Lee has a secret… 

A secret she’s kept hidden since she was eight years old, however, Mia will no longer allow that secret to define her. 

An irrevocable decision has left Mia Lee a fugitive and on the run—a circumstance that should leave her weak and scared, yet Mia has never felt so alive.

Under the pseudonym of Paige Cassidy, Mia is ready to live the life she’s never had, and she’s determined not to allow her tainted past dictate her promising future. 

Paige is on a Greyhound bus heading from L.A. to South Boston, Virginia, to start a new life. A life that includes finding her mother, who abandoned her at age three. But what she finds, is four people, who will change her life forever.

Yet no one can outrun their past…

Especially one filled with bitter memories, which refuse to remain hidden.

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Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Raising Her Hopes By May Williams ~ Bridging the Gap Promotions ~ Giveaway



 Raising Her Hopes
By May Williams
A Historical Victorian Romance
Turquoise Morning Press Vintage


Giveaway:   $15 Amazon Gift Card

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Character Interview with Sidney White

How did you first meet your writer?
I met her through my brother. She told Jim’s story in an earlier book called, Riveting His Attention. Plus, she wrote my employer’s story in Ruffling Her Skirts.

Did you ever think that your life would end up being in a book?
Not at all. I’ve always been the quiet type. Everyone whispers about how beautiful I am, but I tend to be shy.

What are your favorite scenes in your book: the action, the dialog or the romance? 
Definitely, the romantic scenes. My favorite is the garden scene in London with stars overhead and Sidney in my arms.

Did you have a hard time convincing your author to write any particular scenes for you? 
My author doesn’t like to cause too much trouble, but what’s life without problems? You know that scene in the park where the young man treats me so badly, I had to force her to tell that one. She wanted to gloss over it so as not to hurt my feelings.

Do you infiltrate your writer’s dreams? 
I don’t know about dreams, but I’ve heard her talking to me when she drives the car and folds the laundry. 

What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere? 
Trimming a hat. I like feathers and bows.

Are you happy with the genre your writer has placed you in? 
Absolutely, I never expected to find love again, but if I’m in a historical romance that’s what has to happen. I couldn’t be more delighted.

Do you like the way the book ended? 
Yes, although I didn’t appreciate getting tricked into seeing Sidney again by my sister-in-law. But all’s well that ends well according to the Bard.

Would you be interested in a sequel, if your writer was so inclined? 
I’m the end of the line, I hear. She’s written two books leading up to mine and all the characters appear to be happily married now.

What is your least favorite characteristic your writer has attributed to you?
Why must I be so pretty? I don’t understand why that was a necessary part of the story.

What do you do for a living?
I manage a shop that sells ladies’ apparel. We specialize in custom gowns and accessories. I love to put together beautiful combinations in the display windows.

What is your most prized possession?I have a lovely statue of a shepherdess on my mantle. It makes me think of Renaissance poetry and how hard men have to work to get us to love them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB: 


When Sidney White arrives in England, he seems like the perfect man for Belinda Ferguson.  
She wants to love him, but first she must overcome her past before she is free to raise her hopes.

Sidney White has one objective when he arrives in Bath, England. He plans to leave his daughter with relatives before returning to the United States to embark on a dangerous mission for the Union Army. 

An encounter with the beautiful Belinda Ferguson strikes like lightning at his heart, but she doesn’t give her love or attention freely. Belinda’s past makes her cautious about placing her trust, especially in a man who must leave her to complete his task.

 Despite the separation his work requires, Sidney convinces her to risk loving him and she dares to raise her hopes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buy Links:    Turquoise Morning Press    Amazon     B&N    ARe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:

Belinda barely made it twenty paces outside the Hazel’s door when Sidney came alongside her and fell into step. He didn’t reach for her arm as she expected, but he was close enough that they bumped shoulders.
“I believe it was my job to see you home this evening,” he said as they crossed the center of the square.
“You’re undoing years worth of work on my part.” She tried for a light, breezy tone as if his presence were entirely superfluous.
“How so?”
“I’d finally convinced Benjamin that I didn’t need an escort. After you return to the States, I’m sure he’ll go back to walking me home and I shall have to start all over again.”
“My apologies, but there’s an obvious difference between his intentions and mine.”
“Is there?” she questioned. “The walk is the same.”
“I’m sure Benjamin does not wish to kiss you as I do.”
“Mr. White.” She stopped in the glow of a street light and faced him, trying to formulate a firm rebuff and control her rapidly beating pulse.
“Please, will you call me Sidney?”
“No, I don’t think I shall. You may turn back now. I can see my gate.” She resumed walking. Any man of sense would cease following her.
“Do you dismiss Mr. Barth in the same way? Or is he allowed a kiss and entrance past your door?”
“My relationship with Mr. Barth is not your concern. Please leave me or I shall have to assume Benjamin’s ill opinion of you is correct and my hasty judgment a few nights ago was erroneous.” She tried for a haughty tone to use as a weapon against him, but as usual it failed her. Being too nice could be a curse at times. “Perhaps you are a rogue after all,” she finished, slightly breathless, with one hand on her gate and the other held out in a gesture meant to stop him.
Brushing by her upraised hand, he closed the distance between them. “I hate the thought of proving my brother-in-law correct,” he put a finger under her chin and tipped her face up, “but some things are worth the risk.”
His lips were soft, yet demanding, as they met hers. She wanted to resist, to seal her lips tight, but the stirring of passion she felt in him under the controlled surface matched hers. When his arms circled her, she placed her hands on his lapels not to push him back, but to touch him, to have the impression of his strength on her fingers.
He broke the kiss she’d been unable and unwilling to resist and mercifully stayed silent while her world righted itself. No man other than Heath had ever kissed her, held her like this. She’d evaded Mr. Barth and he was too nice to press her. This man was different. He had no fear of demanding what he wanted. She had every fear of giving in to his demands.
“Goodnight, Belinda,” he whispered close to her ear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About the Author:


May loves romance. Big pink roses, chocolate hearts, sunset walks, but, most of all, she loves romance novels. She’s been reading romances since she first discovered the public library where the librarians didn't notice or didn't care what she was checking out even though she hadn't hit puberty yet. 
Since then, May has continued to read every genre of romance, but she writes mostly historical. Places and time periods have stories to tell. And she likes to listen. Her most recent novels are Victorian era pieces where she can imagine beautiful gowns and elegant teas. 
When May’s not writing, she manages a houseful of children, pets, and flowers grown in her garden.

Links:
Website: www.maywilliams.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/may.williams.942
Twitter: @maywilliams2
Blog: http://www.maywilliams.com/maypress/









Lottie by Jeanetta Britt ~ Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tours ~ Giveaway

lottiebanner

@wnlbooktours  #LOTTIE

One winner will receive: an autographed copy of all three books in the Lottie series: Pickin' Ground (The Lottie Series Book 1) In Due Season (The Lottie Series Book 2) Lottie (The Lottie Series Book 3)



About The Book:

lottiecoverOh, no! Rose is back! If Lottie isn’t having enough trouble being a newlywed and taking on her duties as the first female African American Senator in her native state of Alabama, her sister Rose is trying to make the moves on her husband, Chaney. Rose has had a crush on Chaney since high school, and it looks like she’s not done yet. And in spite of her love for her community and her political pursuits, Lottie has to learn to open her heart and fight for her family. Family, however, is not always what it seems—family is the people who love us. Lottie, the third book in the Lottie Series, follows the murder mystery in Pickin' Ground, and the story of personal and community redemption in In Due Season. Lottie explores the fulfillment of marital love that overcomes selfish ambition, political corruption, and family pain. “There is no love like married love!”

Publication Date: May 31, 2014 
Book Title: Lottie 
Genre: Christian Fiction Print
 Length: 235 pages 
Publisher: Twelve Stones Publishing LLC (May 31, 2014) 
ASIN: B00KP1IJSO



About The Author:

jeanetta
Award-winning author, Jeanetta Britt, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Fisk University and Top Ten from The University of Michigan. She completed a successful executive career that spanned over three decades in Dallas, Texas, before returning to her native Alabama. "But," she says, "my faith in Jesus Christ means more than anything, and it has proven to be the most valuable asset in my life." She also says, "That's why I write Christian Fiction novels and Gospel poetry . . . to share the love!"




Grab a copy!

 

Social Links:



jpg

Monday, July 21, 2014

Saints in the Shadows by Alana Cash ~ Guest Post ~ Spotlight ~


Saints in the Shadows 
by Alana Cash

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

VISITING A PSYCHIC ~ Guest Post by Alana Cash 

The first time I visited a psychic reader was at La Villita [Arts District] during San Antonio Fiesta week. That year, a women’s social club had set up a fortuneteller booth as a fundraiser. I was really excited to hear about the future.  And scared too because divination was against my religion.  But so were dancing and playing cards and I did those things.  .

There were three society women at a time in the booth, all wearing headscarves and full, colorful skirts, sometimes adding a mole with a makeup pencil.    They looked into crystal balls and gave good advice - get a college education before you even think about getting married.  I was disappointed.  I wanted to hear about big love, riches and tall, dark strangers.

The second time I visited a psychic was in Los Angeles.  A couple of French friends of mine were going to visit a woman in East Hollywood who had a reputation for being really good at psychic prediction, and they invited me along.  This woman looked like someone’s Swedish grandmother – tall, thin, gray-haired, in a beige dress.  She opened and read from her Bible at random before speaking about anything else which made me nervous because she was reminding me of my religious upbringing.  She gave me a lot of vague suggestions and one prediction about me marrying a man much taller and bigger than I was, a man I’d know a long time before we married.  Wrong.

A couple of years later I went with these same friends – maybe this is a French thing – to visit a man in West Hollywood.  He was tall, handsome, muscular, and used tarot cards.  He didn’t explain what the cards meant as he turned them over; instead, he spoke in symbols.  He said he saw a square or diamond shape or a briefcase, that sort of thing.  If I wasn’t able to interpret the symbols to get answers to my questions, whose fault was that?

Carl Jung used tarot cards with his patients and studies.  He didn’t do predictions of the future, instead he used the cards like a Rorschach test, asking his patients to look at the card and describe what they saw.  This helped Jung understand his patient’s state of mind.

Do I believe in psychic phenomena?  Yes.  In the same way that Madame Budska explains it.  By paying attention we can know so much more than we expect to know.
We see, hear, smell, taste and touch so much in any given day that we can’t hold it all in conscious awareness, but our subconscious records it. 

Here’s an example:

One night after everyone left a dinner party at my house, a man stayed afterward to chat.  To be clear, we were not dating.  During our conversation, he told me that he had the impression that I was kind of flighty.  Hmmm.  I had only met him three times, but I then proceeded to tell him how tall his parents were, how many siblings he had and their age relationship with him, about his relationship with his first girlfriend, how he felt about his job and more.  How did I know these things?  I had simply noted his body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice when he spoke about certain things – not all on the surface, but also subconsciously.  That night, feeling a bit offended by his assessment of me, I concentrated and pulled up some of what I had obviously recorded about him.  He was astonished.  As was I because this was the first time I’d done this.

I’m sure anyone can do it. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

BLURB:

Maud Strand has an idyllic life with her parents in New Orleans, surrounded by family and friends. From childhood, she has had prophetic dreams which benefit Adele, the family housekeeper, who does a little gambling. Maud attends Catholic schools and explores the occult as a teenager. 

Maud is in college when she’s traumatized by the sudden death of her father in a car accident. She and her mother both wallow in grief for a year, but Maud begins to feel alienated from her mother, Celia, especially when she starts dating a tourist from Montana. When Celia begins talking about remarriage, Maud moves to New York. 

Maud has a secret, something she can’t remember, and this secret is running her life. And, she's angry because on the day her father died, she believes someone stole his trumpet from the front seat of his car. 

In New York, Maud meets Lina Sandor who makes her living as a psychic under the name Madame Budska. But Madame Budska is no ordinary psychic because her New York clients are a billionaire hedge fund manager, a political kingmaker, a studio head, a TV talk show host, and a crazy college professor. 

After a few months, Lina asks Maud to take over the psychic business while Lina goes away for a couple of weeks for what she calls “the big reveal.” Very reluctant at first, Maud finally agrees and begins training for the job. Madame Budska teaches Maud to “listen until you hear” and “look until you see.” And as Maud does that, she has powerful dreams that give her deep insight into the behavior of the influential people she is meeting.

What Maud wants is to be able to dream about the dead so that she can talk to her dad. It’s this desire that leads Maud through a dark tunnel from which she must learn to escape on her own.


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BUY LINK: 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KL2080O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B00KL2080O&link_code=as3&tag=revibycrys-20&linkId=QP6LE4EW3B54SCDJ

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Author Bio:

Alana Cash is an award-winning author, filmmaker, and teacher.  She was featured on the PBS series, "A Writer's Exchange." Her documentaries on women in science have been distributed worldwide and aired on ORF in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Alana loves adventure.  She's traveled alone in Wartorn Serbia, slept in a former KGB interrogation building in Prague, and gone parasailing in Mexico.      

Contact her through her blog: http://4yearsinbrooklyn.blogspot.com/



Sunday, July 20, 2014

Hit and Run by Allison Brennan & Laura Griffin ~ Moreno & Hart Mysteries #2 ~ Review

I have had the pleasure of reading quite a few books by the talented Laura Griffin and I always enjoy her work. This is the first chance I have had to read any by Allison Brennan. I found they both created intriguing story lines in Hit and Run with a great suspense and drama. 

In HitScarlet Moreno finds herself in the middle of a dangerous mess involving her friend Jason Jones. When Jason is charged with his girlfriend's murder, Scarlet sets out to clear his name as well as figure out what really happened to his girlfriend. Scarlet finds herself in the middle of a SWAT raid, a dangerous shoot out, and plenty more dramatic situations that kept me turning pages quickly. There are a lot of twists and turns in this story and a lot of mysteries are uncovered. I really enjoyed the Hit part of this wonderful book.

In RunKrista Hart finds herself in a situation that is too profitable to turn down. She doesn't exactly like the client she is working for but she likes the cash behind the case. So she does what she does best. She starts digging around to find out more information on the case. Krista finds herself in some dangerous situations as well and there were a few moments of humor. Krista is working with fellow but rival detective R.J. Flynn. There is some romantic tension between these two that adds to the story as well. 

I have to say I enjoyed both Hit and Run and found this book to be a great suspenseful read that kept me glued to the edge of my seat. If you enjoy a great mystery then I think you will enjoy this series. If you haven't read the first book in this series, you won't have any problem reading this as a stand alone. I hope Allison Brennan and Laura Griffin add to this great series. I can't wait to see what more they might have in store for Scarlet and Krista. 

I always look forward to new releases by Laura Griffin and can not wait to read what ever she has out next. Now that I have had a taste of Allison Brennan's work I would like to read more of her work. I have a feeling I have been missing out on some great suspenseful stories.

I was given the opportunity to read this 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 Hit and Run

Amazon Buy Links:

 Hit and Run

 Crash and Burn