Interview with Regina Rudd Merrick and #giveaway

Today we welcome Regina Rudd Merrick to my blog. Regina is graciously offering a copy of her new book, Carolina Dream to a commenter. Leave contact information -- and answer her question in red.

Regina, glad to have you. tell us about Carolina Dream– a brief blurb:

Sarah Crawford wants more from life than to attend the wedding of her ex-fiancée. An unexpected inheritance in South Carolina comes at the perfect time, just as Sarah is willing to use any excuse to get out of town.

When she meets potential business partner Jared Benton and discovers that a house is part of the inheritance, she is sure that God has been preparing her for this time through a recurring dream. But will a dream about an antebellum mansion, many rooms to be explored, and a man with dark brown eyes give her the confidence to take a leap of faith, leaving friends, family, and her job behind?

Is there one particular message or “moral of the story” you hope readers walk away with?

Carolina Dream is about trusting God with your life, even when you think He’s not in control. The passage, Psalm 37:4, is the basis for the story: “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” This doesn’t mean if we love God, He gives us what we want. It means that when we have a right relationship with Him, our desires will be His desires.

What one question would you like us to ask your readers?  (this is the one that they answer to win what you’re giving away

Where is your favorite beach? Mine is Litchfield Beach in Pawley’s Island, South Carolina, south of Myrtle Beach, and north of Charleston.

Tell us about the giveaway you’re offering.

I would love to give someone a Kindle version of Carolina Dream! Just answer the question in the comment, and you’ll be entered!

How did Carolina Dream get started?

Carolina Dream literally started with a dream I had one night. In my dream, I was going down a long driveway to what seemed to be a deserted house. If you’ve ever seen the old movie, “Rebecca,” you’ll know what I’m talking about. (If you haven’t, you’ve missed out!!) When I entered the house, there were many rooms, and I went from one to the other, wondering for what they could be used. When I couldn’t get it out of my head, I started to think of “what ifs” surrounding an antebellum mansion and what would be a good reason to come into possession of such a place. The rest is in the book!

Tell us about your research process.

The settings for Carolina Dream are Litchfield Beach, South Carolina, and Western Kentucky. I have been fortunate to have visited this area in SC twice, and had several pictures and great memories to draw on for the book. The Kentucky setting is fictitious, a combination of the small rural community where I grew up, and the small town where I currently live. I also did some research on the real estate profession, on different places in South Carolina that I had not visited, but wanted in the book. Being a contemporary romance, there were no huge research trips (unfortunately), or massive amounts of reading to do.

How do you see yourself in your character’s story, if at all?

My character, Sarah Crawford, is probably how I would have been if I had been 28 and single. She is a pleaser, a musician, faithful church member, and loves her family. She loves the beach and often struggles to trust God. What is NOT like me is that she is tall and thin, athletic, and the youngest child. I married at 19, so I was never really “single,” and I’m the oldest child in my family. When you read the book, you’ll note that Sarah’s older sister gets some great funny lines, so I probably put a lot of myself in her, as well!

While you were writing Carolina Dream do you think it mattered where the book was set?

I think it did. The first time I went to the area where it is set, I felt a connection. I felt peace and contentment. It is an area that is less “touristy” than Myrtle Beach, and more like a place where real people would live. I remember visiting a store at the Pawley’s Island Shoppes, and talking to the store owner. She mentioned that she and her husband had vacationed there and fell in love with it. When they retired, they moved there. I based one of the characters on that story, and keep the idea in the back of my mind for myself!

Share your bio:

Regina Rudd Merrick began reading romance and thinking of book ideas as early as her teenage years when she attempted a happily-ever-after sequel to “Gone With the Wind.” That love of fiction parlayed into a career as a librarian, and she is currently the director of a small public library in Marion, KY. She began attending local writing workshops and continued to hone her craft by writing several short and novel-length fan-fiction pieces published online, where she met other authors with a similar love for story, a Christian worldview, and happily-ever-after. Married for 30+ years and active in their church, Regina and her husband have two grown daughters who share her love of music, writing, and the arts. Visit Regina on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or on her website at www.reginamerrick.wordpress.com. A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, she can be found periodically on www.inkspirationalmessages.net.

Social media and buying links

Purchase links (Amazon.com):

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Carolina-Dream-Southern-Regina-Merrick/dp/1945094133/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1492616087&sr=8-1&keywords=carolina+dream+regina+merrick

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Carolina-Dream-Regina-Rudd-Merrick-ebook/dp/B06XF1HK4L/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1492616087&sr=8-1

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Regina-R-Merrick-512257938964888/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Twitter: https://twitter.com/trmerrick64

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reginamerrick/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rmerrick/

Website: www.reginamerrick.wordpress.com

Publisher Website: https://mantlerockpublishing.com/

Guest Blog by Victoria Kimble and #giveaway!!!

Today we welcome Victoria Kimble to my blog. Victoria is very graciously giving away a copy of Harmony Blues!  To enter leave a comment and include contact information. 

When I was in junior high, I brought my lunch to school every day. We didn’t have money for me to buy lunch, so I had to carry the brown bag of shame into the cafeteria, where hundreds of eyes turned toward me at the deafening crinkle my lunch bag made when I opened it to pull out my usually squished sandwich. Girls with perfectly done hair and way more makeup than I wore stopped dabbing the grease off their cafeteria pizza and stared at me before turning to giggle with their friends.

Okay, it probably wasn’t that bad. But I felt like I stuck out like an obnoxious neon orange in a sea of calm and cool blue. Now that I’m older, I can look back and realize that when kids were whispering to each other, there was an almost 100% chance that they weren’t talking about me. But back then I was so sure that every word was a comment on how awful I looked or how dumb I was acting.

Junior high was hard for me. I know it was hard for most people. And I’m sure it is still hard for those kids who teeter between childhood and teenage years. Add in social media and the expectations built up by the entertainment culture and our kids have their work cut out for them.

My heart is so tender toward tweens. The thought of what they are facing drives me to write stories for them. I want so badly to save them from the awkward pain they are sure to encounter, but I know that is unrealistic. Since my stories can’t save them, I hope they tell them three things:

1.       They are not alone.  They are not the only ones who feel out of place. Most kids do, even if they put on a brave front. I hope that if they know that most of the kids feel the same way they do, then they can take the pressure off themselves and not feel like they have to perform at some made up level.

2.       They can stand up for what is right. It might not solve all their problems right away, but it is right. And in the end, it is always better to choose what is right, even when it might not be popular.

3.       They can choose their own friends. They are not stuck with the same friends they’ve had in the past, especially if those friends are beginning to make poor choices. Kids have the power to choose to spend time with people who are kind to them and to others, and sometimes the bravest thing they can do is seek out those kinds of friends.

In Harmony Blues, book three in The Choir Girls series, Brittany faces all three of these dilemmas. Between a major life change at home and the sudden betrayal of her long-time best friend, Brittany finds herself having to navigate the rough waters of friendship and forgiveness.

Most of all, I hope that my stories give tweens hope. Hope that they will make it through these tumultuous years and they will come out on the other side stronger and wiser. Tweens just need to be reminded of this often. They’ll make it.

Victoria is the author of The Choir Girls series. Harmony Blues, the third book in the series, releases on June 30. She is a wife, a mom to three girls, a full-fledged homebody, a so-so housekeeper, a mediocre musician and has dreamed of writing her whole life. She lives at the foot of the Rockies in Littleton, Colorado and she will never take that for granted. Her thoughts live at www.victoriakimble.com

Interview with Pam Harris and #giveaway

Today we welcome Pam Harris to my blog. Pam is very graciously offering a copy of her book, Aimee. Please leave contact information. To enter answer the question in bold, below. 

Pam, tell us about Aimee – A young woman struggles to trust in herself, in the man she loves, and in God.

It is 1895, and women have few choices. When Aimee Winters’ mother passes away, Aimee has no husband, no job, and no home. Shocked to learn that the father she believed to be dead is alive and well in the Arizona territory, she accepts his invitation to leave Memphis and live with him on his ranch in Strawberry to teach at the local school for one year. Life in the wilderness brings challenges she never could have imagined, but the biggest challenge of all is what to do about her relationship with Levi Raines, the handsome yet unconventional rancher who eventually steals her heart. Is she willing to sacrifice her dream of returning to Memphis to be with him? Will he be willing to sacrifice for her? Or will they go their separate ways?

Is there one particular message or “moral of the story” you hope readers walk away with? 

Not really. The obvious answer is that with God’s help, you can overcome anything, but I believe each reader will take away her own message related to her personal circumstances.

What one question would you like us to ask your readers?

What are four items/words that come to mind when you think of Arizona?

Tell us about the giveaway you’re offering.

A free e-book of Aimee and some of my favorite recipes, including smothered burritos and easy homemade salsa.


How did Aimee get started?

In 2013, I visited Strawberry for the first time, staying with my niece, Amy, and her family. Strawberry is a mountain community, with no stores or restaurants, and wildlife abounds in the surrounding forests and hills. While there, we toured the oldest standing school house in Arizona, and I began to wonder what brought people to this remote area and what life must have been like. The story grew from that.

Tell us about your research process.

I visited the Rim Country Museum in nearby Payson and purchased some books. I researched online, asked my nephew-in-law and brother questions, and talked with the archivist at the museum.

What impact did your research have on you personally?

It was very eye-opening. I grew up in a time when TV westerns were popular. They were nothing like the harsh reality faced by the settlers.

How do you see yourself in your character’s story, if at all?

I had to move a few times when I was growing up, and I knew what it was like to miss a former home. In Aimee, I see my longing to live where I wanted to live conflicting with living where I needed to live.

While you were writing Aimee, do you think it mattered where the book was set?

Oh, definitely! For this story to take place, it had to be in a remote, still uncivilized area. Strawberry was the perfect spot, and the story wouldn’t have come about if I hadn’t visited the community.

A native Tennessean and former Arizona resident, I live in a small university town in Tennessee with my husband of 36 years. We have two sons, one daughter-in-law, and two granddogs, all of whom enrich our lives and bring us much joy. I have worked in public education for more than thirty years as a teacher and principal. Reading has been my favorite hobby since I was six years old, but I also enjoy vegetable gardening, fitness walking, being active outdoors as much as possible, and arts and crafts. I have had published two mysteries targeted to girls ages eight to twelve, The Ghosts of Graceland and Music City Mayhem. Obviously, both are set in Tennessee, and I hope to finish the trilogy someday with Secrets of the Smokies. These books are published under Pam Harris. My adult book is published under Pam Watts Harris.


Social media and buying links:
Facebook: Pam Harris, author
www.authorpamwattsharris.com
All books are available on Amazon.

Weddings at Promise Lodge 

ebook, paperback, audible, audio CD

by Charlotte Hubbard

• Series: Promise Lodge #3
• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Zebra 
• June 27, 2017
• ISBN-13: 978-1420139457

Founded by the three Bender sisters, the Amish community of Promise Lodge is thriving—and growing. In fact, residents are thrilled to welcome a charismatic new arrival—one who may not just strengthen their faith, but put it to the test . . .

When Christine Bender meets widowed Bishop Monroe Burkholder, it’s love at first sight. But Preacher Amos finds him too good to be true, and is determined to find out what’s behind his sudden, unannounced arrival. Still, the colony needs a new bishop, and everyone is excited to have a younger, more progressive leader. As for Christine, Monroe returns her affection, but her bubble is soon burst with the arrival of a young woman half his age . . .

Leola Duff claims Monroe “ruined” her and she now intends to make an honest man of him. But throughout the process of discovering the truth, Christine never doubts that Monroe is the fine man she believes him to be—and never wavers in her faith that all will work out as it should. And when Monroe is forced to confess the truth before the entire congregation, he can only pray that open hearts and minds will prevail, allowing him a future at Promise Lodge—with Christine . . .

Praise for Promise Lodge

“Hubbard firmly grounds the storyline in the principle of Amish grace.” —Publishers Weekly

“Hubbard writes of healing and brave new beginnings from a refreshingly feminist perspective.” —Booklist (starred review)

Books in series: 

Promise Lodge

Christmas at Promise Lodge

Weddings at Promise Lodge 

My thoughts:  WEDDINGS AT PROMISE LODGE is a story of weddings as implied in the title. Readers will be glad to see how some of the troubles and trials would work out. What is Monroe's secret from the past that he's hiding? Will the preachers at the new community find out?  And what about Truman and the young lady he is overly friendly with?  There are some continuing stories too, from previous series with the story of baby David,,, his mama, and another young man... I can't wait to see what will happen in the next book in this series! 

Ms. Hubbard is a wonderful Amish author with a hale and hearty imagination and the abilities to write about a community with many residents and yet without confusing the reader with who is who. There is also a heaping helping of romance in this story with lots of kisses and sexy comments, for readers who like their romance hot. 

I enjoyed reading WEDDINGS AT PROMISE LODGE. I received a copy of the book from the author. All opinions are my own. 

The Copper Box: the Story Behind the Story by Suzanne Bratcher and #giveaway

The Copper Box: the Story Behind the Story

Today we welcome Suzanne J. Bratcher to my blog. Suzanne is very graciously offering to giveaway an ebook of The Copper Box to one person who comments. Please leave contact information. 

I lived in Flagstaff, Arizona for almost thirty years. My day job was running a writing-across-the-curriculum project at Northern Arizona University, but my heart was in fiction, particularly mysteries. Whenever I wanted to dream, I went to Jerome.

The tiny town is about fifty miles from Flagstaff, but the road winds up and down mountains and meanders along the Verde river, so the drive takes a couple of hours. I enjoyed the trip, and once I reached Jerome, I had art galleries, gift shops, and museums to explore. When I decided to get serious about writing a mystery, Jerome was the natural place to begin.                                             

Setting

Jerome advertises itself two ways:

·         Billion Dollar Copper Camp

What began as a camp of miners grew to a respectable town of 10,000 in the 1920s. Though the copper mine is long defunct, rusting equipment is scattered across the landscape, and a mountain of tailings looms over the community.

·         Largest Ghost Town in America

Eventually the ore deposits dwindled and the mines closed. By the early 1950s Jerome had dropped to a population of fewer than fifty, a true ghost town. Thirty years later the town began to reinvent itself as an art community, eventually growing to its current population of 400, making it the largest ghost town in the U.S.  

On my rambles through the area, an inhabited Victorian house across the road from a dilapidated shack caught my attention as the perfect site for a mystery. I had the basic ingredients for the setting: history, ghosts, and two houses.

Characters

Next I needed characters. I considered the Victorian house. A young woman with long curly copper hair sat on the porch in a wicker swing. She said, “Hi! I’m Marty.” A four-year-old girl with golden hair skipped up the driveway. Marty watched her with a troubled expression. Somehow I knew little Ruthie was dead and Marty was afraid she was responsible. My first ghost.

I turned my attention to the tumbledown house across the road. Historian Paul Russell, needing a haircut and a shave, came out of the front door and collapsed in an old wooden Adirondack chair. Wiping the sweat off his face with the hem of his tee shirt, he said, “My wife Linda had great plans for this house, but she died before we made much progress.” Running a hand through his dark hair, he mumbled, “Car wreck. My fault.” My second ghost.

I knew Marty and Paul were destined to be together, and I guessed they would meet over a dead body. Perhaps the old lady who lived in the Victorian house: Marty’s grandmother, Paul’s neighbor. I saw Marty run out of the house, trip on the porch steps in her high-heeled sandals, and fall into Paul’s arms.

Plot

The plot began to develop. Granny Lois was dead, so she couldn’t help Marty solve the mystery of Ruthie’s death. Because Marty couldn’t remember how Ruthie died, she needed to find something that could unlock her memory: an antique copper box.

I was writing a suspenseful mystery, so I knew a killer lurked in the shadows, someone else who wanted the copper box. As Marty and Paul searched the house, dangerous accidents began to happen. If you’re curious about the rest of the story, The Copper Box is available on Amazon.

 links to buy The Copper Box from Amazon: Kindle = http://amzn.to/2tXbeJ3

About the author:

A preacher’s kid, Suzanne Bratcher grew up in churches in four states. A passionate reader, she began writing as a young girl. After graduating from Baylor University, Suzanne became a writing teacher. Over the course of her career, she taught high schoolers, college undergraduates, and public school teachers. Suzanne continued to write: publishing professional articles, two textbooks, short stories, and poetry. The Copper Box, mystery shot with suspense and sprinkled with romance, is her debut novel. It is available in eBook and paperback at Amazon.com. Visit her webpage at www.suzannebratcher.com and her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/authorsuzannebratcher

Sharpshooter in Petticoats 

Sophie's Daughters #3 

Paperback, hardcover

January 1, 2011

by Mary Connealy

• Paperback: 315 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Books
• ISBN-13: 978-1602601482

Mandy McClellen Grey, has become the focus of a feud thanks to her husband, who made this mess and then died. Far from home, Mandy, the best little rifle woman in the west, has resigned herself to a lonely life under siege rather than call for help and endanger her family.

Tom Linscott is fed up with waiting for Mandy who should have had the sense to come to him as soon as she finished burying her worthless husband. In fact he'd've come fast enough to dig the hole if she'd've sent for him. He goes to round up his little woman and buys into a heap of trouble from a whole clan of outlaws.

Between Mandy's deadly skill with her rifle, her determination to not bring trouble down on someone she loves, and an ever growing crowd of varmints who want to bury everyone named Grey—and anyone who sides with them, Tom may not survive getting himself hitched.

My thoughts:  Catching up on an older book I had in my to-read pile today.  This is the third book in the Sophie's Daughter series, but it stands alone. For those who like to read in order, the books are Doctor in Petticoats, Wrangler in Petticoats, and SHARPSHOOTER IN PETTICOATS. 

If I read the first two in the series (I think I did) I don't remember them, but this book seems to stand alone. It is pure, classic Mary Connealy, romance/western/comedy. Belief is suspended in this story, and there is a lot of kissing -- about the only attraction hero and heroine had for each other.  She talks, he wants to shut her up. She cries, he wants to stop her. He bosses her around like  a mindless idiot and she believes he is one. Sounds like a match made in Heaven.  Plenty of shooting action, too.  Definitely a historical western with a lot of humor. 

If you like westerns, historical romance, or Mary Connealy and you missed this when it first came out, it's still available. Fans will be delighted.  I received this book free. My opinion is my own 

Book Spotlight – Hidden Assets By Leeann Betts and #giveaway!!!

Leeann will give away a print (US only) or ebook version of Hidden Assets to a random drawing from readers who leave a comment including contact information. 

Book Spotlight – Hidden Assets

By Leeann Betts

Hidden Assets is the sixth installment in my By the Numbers series, featuring Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant. Carly finds that when she tells people she’s an accountant, their eyes glaze over and they look for someone else to talk to because they think accountants are boring. Well, Carly is single-handedly setting out to prove them wrong.

This story takes place in eastern Wyoming. Carly and Mike travel by train to help another of Carly’s college friends who is going through a nasty divorce. Anne Torbin believes her soon-to-be ex-husband is stealing paintings, coins, and money, and hiding them so he won’t have to split them in the divorce settlement. But when Anne’s husband turns up dead, and she is suspected, Carly must prove her friend innocent. Is the weird couple staying at the B&B involved, or are they up to something else entirely. And can Carly find the missing FBI agent, or did she really see him thrown off the train?

This particular book was spawned because I couldn’t take the Alaska cruise I wanted to feature in Carly’s next book, so I had to think of another location for a different story. We had recently visited Wyoming, and we are venturing out into the world of staying in other people’s homes through an online booking service when we travel—much friendlier, cleaner, safer, and usually a better experience than some of the motels we’ve stayed in. So I decided to set this one in a B&B, in a small town, in western Wyoming and eastern Nebraska.

The whole Carly series, as I like to call it, came from a desire to right the wrongs in the world AND to prove that accountants weren’t boring. Like Carly, I’ve seen people’s eyes glaze over when I tell them I’m an accountant. I had an editor tell me nobody would want to read this series because accountants are boring. So Carly shows them how wrong they are.

Writing this series has really been a lot of fun, for several reasons. My background is in accounting, so writing Carly is fairly easy, except she is a lot quicker on the comebacks, and gets way more exercise rolling her eyes, passing the buck, and jumping to conclusions than I do. I have committed to releasing two in this series each year, so that keeps me focused and writing. I love incorporating things my friends say—and even incorporating them, under assumed names, of course. Also, the excitement of seeing another book in print hasn’t worn off yet, and two a year—well, that’s a dream come true.

Hidden Assets releases June 30th through Amazon.com in print and ebook, and through Smashwords.com June 30th in ebook.

Author Bio:

Leeann Betts writes contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical suspense. She has released five titles in her cozy mystery series, By the Numbers, with Hidden Assets releasing the end of June. In addition, Leeann has written a devotional for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk, Counting the Days, and with her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, has published a book on writing, Nuggets of Writing Gold, a compilation of essays, articles, and exercises on the craft. She publishes a free quarterly newsletter that includes a book review and articles on writing and books of interest to readers and writers. You can subscribe at www.LeeannBetts.com or follow Leeann at www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com All books are available on Amazon.com in digital and print.

Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qmqvB6

Books: http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE

The Pony Express in a Nutshell By Donna Schlachter -- and giveaway!!!!

 Welcome, Donna! Today, Donna is talking about her release in The Pony Express Romance Collection.  Donna was here in April and she was wildly popular with readers, so she is giving you another chance to win a copy. 

Donna is very graciously giving away A print (US only) or ebook version of The Pony Express Romance Collection to one commenter. Please leave contact information. 

The Pony Express in a Nutshell

By Donna Schlachter

Most people know something about the Pony Express, but few realize it only operated from April 1860 through to November 1861. The first ride left St. Joseph, Missouri heading west, and from Sacramento, California heading east, on April 3rd, 1860.

The idea for a Pony Express was conceived in the minds of its owners because of the possibility of winning the contract for the overland US mail. Another company, Butterworth, was running a southern route that took up to three weeks to deliver to the west coast, and Majors and Waddell thought they could beat that time by taking the shorter northern route.

The irony of the matter is they never won the contract; instead, they merged with Butterworth to form the Overland Mail Company, and closed the Pony Express over $200,000 in debt.

My interest in this story came about because I met my friend Mary Davis at a writers conference, and I asked her what she was working on. At the time, she was doing the proposal for the book. I said I’d love to be part of it, but she said she had her authors. Still, I did some research, did a road trip, and when she emailed a month later to say one author dropped out, I was ready.

The time period, 1860, fascinates me as there were so many changes happening in America. The train is a near dream; the cross-country telegraph is nearing completion; the country is brewing for civil war; women are campaigning for voting and civil rights. In just a few short years, cameras will photograph the first war ever; telephones will be installed in people’s homes; electricity will light our lives into the dark of night.

Despite the changes, one thing is sure: the Pony Express lives on in our hearts and our folklore much longer than it actually ran.

About Donna:

Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line editor and biggest fan. She writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts. She is a hybrid publisher who has published a number of books under her pen name and  under her own name. Her current release, Echoes of the Heart, a 9-in-1 novella collection titled "Pony Express Romance Collection" released April 1. Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction, and judges in a number of writing contests. She will be teaching an online course for American Christian Fiction Writers in June 2017, “Don’t let your subplots sink your story”. Donna loves history and research, and travels extensively for both.

www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com

www.HiStoryThruTheAges.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter

Books: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq

Echoes of the Heart: http://amzn.to/2lBaqcW

Random Acts of Fraud

A Holly Anna Paladin Mystery #5 

Paperback, ebook

May 19, 2017

by Christy Barritt

• Series: Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries
• Paperback: 306 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 
• ISBN-13: 978-1546831426

Vintage-loving Holly Anna Paladin finds online dating uncouth and unbecoming. But, in an attempt to overcome her romantic slump, her BFF convinces Holly to give it a shot. When Holly is stood up on her first date, she’s halfway relieved . . . until she discovers the reason isn’t because her cyber matchup has cold feet. Instead she stumbles upon him in a classic Mustang, deader than good old-fashioned manners. 

Holly's had enough with investigating crime and leaves her ex-boyfriend, Detective Chase Dexter, to solve this mystery. But Holly is somehow connected to this murder, and someone is determined to keep her in the thick of things. She hopes it’s not Drew Williams, the handsome funeral director who’s trying to sweep her off her feet. 

Before more people are hurt, Holly is determined to unmask the pretender in her life. But can she keep her feelings for Chase locked away? Or will Holly end up losing her heart to him all over again? She must solve the case before someone pulls the plug on her profile . . . and deletes her permanently.

My thoughts:  RANDOM ACTS OF FRAUD is Ms. Barrett's fifth book in her Holly Anna Paladin Mystery series. Fans will love this latest adventure in the life of quiet, old-fashioned Holly, and her more outspoken friend.

This wasn't my favorite Holly Anna book, it seemed somewhat unfocused, and dragged a lot. Even a bit repetitive. 

What is a girl to do when someone appears to be stalking her, the dead man's family thinks that their son was madly in love with her, and she discovers that the dead man was stalking her too, photoshopping photos of her with her ex-boyfriend and replacing the ex with pictures of him! Scary. 

I didn't guess who was behind it right away and there were lots of red herrings who could have killed the man--and was threatening Holly, but whoever it was blended -- or knew how to blend -- because he or she was seemingly everywhere Holly went and knew what she was doing?

And who is this woman who shows up at the same time as the murder, claiming to be Holly's long lost cousin?  Is she for real?  

You'll need to read the book, RANDOM ACTS OF FRAUD to find out. 

Other stories in the series include:

Random Acts of Murder 

Random Acts of Deceit

Random Acts of Malice

Random Acts of Scrooge (a novella)

Random Acts of Greed

Random Acts of Fraud 

Sweetbriar Cottage 

Paperback, ebook, audio,  

June 13, 2017

by Denise Hunter

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• ISBN-13: 978-0718090487

“Sweetbriar Cottage is a story to fall in love with. True-to-life characters, high stakes, and powerful chemistry blend to tell an emotional story of reconciliation.” —Brenda Novak, New York Times bestselling author

When Noah and Josephine discover their divorce was never actually finalized, their lives are turned upside down.

Following his divorce, Noah gave up his dream job and settled at a remote horse ranch in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia, putting much-needed distance between himself and the former love of his life. But then Noah gets a letter from the IRS claiming he and Josephine are still married. When he confronts Josephine, they discover that she missed the final step in filing the paperwork and they are, in fact, still married.

Josephine is no happier about the news than Noah. Maybe the failed marriage—and botched divorce—was her fault, but her heart was shattered right alongside his, more than he would ever believe. The sooner they put this marriage behind them, the better for both of their sakes.

But when Josephine delivers the final paperwork to his ranch, the two become stranded in his cottage during the worst spring snowstorm in a decade. Being trapped with Josephine is a test of Noah’s endurance. He wrestles with resentment and an unmistakable pull to his wife—still beautiful, still brave, and still more intriguing than any woman he’s ever known.

As they find themselves confronted with each other and their shared past, old wounds surface and tempers flare. But when they are forced out into the storm, they must rely on each other in a way they never have before. Josephine finally opens up about her tragic past, and Noah realizes she’s never been loved unconditionally by anyone—including him. Will Noah accept the challenge to pursue Josephine’s heart? And can she finally find the courage to trust Noah?

“Sweetbriar Cottage is a wonderful story, full of emotional tension and evocative prose.” —Francine Rivers, New York Times bestselling author of Redeeming Love

My thoughts:  SWEETBRIAR COTTAGE isn't my favorite Denise Hunter book, sadly, and I did so look forward to reading it. It is filled with sexual tension, a strong faith message, and redeeming grace, but wow. Josephine.... 

All I can say is it opened my eyes as to why the girls I went to school with who had her reputation might have gotten it. Made me wish I had been a little kinder to them, instead of keeping my distance--as all the good girls did. I never thought of things like what happened to Josephine happened back then. But maybe it did.  

I warned my fifteen year old that it is a bit graphic is places but if she wanted to read it, it would be an eye-opener. More conservative readers might be offended by some drinking, "soft" swear words, and more blatantly described scenes than most Christian writers use. But the faith message is strong. Tearfully strong. And even though I had serious trouble with Josie (though I 'get' her) I loved Noah, and understood his anger when he lost control. He is a manly man, and so wonderfully kind.  

A good book, even though it is rough, gritty, and has some parts that were offensive to me (a conservative reader).  I received a copy of this book free. My opinion is my own.  

Interview with Kimberly Rose Johnson

Today we welcome Kimberly Rose Johnson to my blog. Good to have you! Please tell us about An Encore for Estelle – A former A-list actress seeks to redeem herself in the most unlikely of places—a children’s theater. The writer/director didn’t anticipate a famous actress would ever show interest in his musical much less him. Will their pasts pull them apart or join them together?

Is there one particular message or “moral of the story” you hope readers walk away with? Forgiveness seems to be the moral of this story—not only the ability to forgive others, but ourselves as well.

How did An Encore for Estelle get started? The idea of writing about Estelle came to me when I was writing the first book A Love Song for Kayla.

Tell us about your research process. Normally I talk to people in the profession I’m writing about and/or I do online research, but in this case I felt like I understood the field. I also had an actress who was a childhood actor on Nickelodeon to read through it for me to make sure I got it right. J

What impact did your research have on you personally? In this particular case I didn’t need to research. I’ve always been into this profession.

How do you see yourself in your character’s story, if at all? I don’t think I’m anything like Estelle or Blake in personality, but I don’t enjoy the arts. I’m a singer and piano player and growing up I took several years of ballet lessons and was in many children’s ballets, so I have performance experience in that regard.

While you were writing An Encore for Estelle, do you think it mattered where the book was set? Yes, I feel like it worked best in a small town. It’s a tight community and they work together to support the arts.

Share your bio: Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing.

She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance that warms the heart and feeds the soul.

Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

You can sign up for Kimberly's newsletter via her website at: http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/index.html

Social media and buying links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyRoseJohnson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimberlyrosejoh

Amazon Follow: https://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Rose-Johnson/e/B00K10CR6E/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1435862403&sr=1-2-ent

 Amazon buy link: http://amzn.to/2pDQweE