Blog Tour & Giveaway: Saddled Hearts by Jan Sikes #NewRelease #RomanticSuspense #HorseSanctuary #Rodeo @JanSikes3 @wildrosepress

Posted on November 1, 2022 by Mae Clair

Banner ad for Saddled Hearts blog tour shows book beside closeup of horse in a stall

Hello, and happy November! I’ve got a great way for you to kick off the month—with a fabulous book that combines romantic suspense, horses, rodeo, music, and even a murder mystery! Jan Sikes is visiting today with her newest release, Saddled Hearts.

Jan is a dear friend, a sweetheart of a person, and a talented author. Saddled Hearts is the final novel in her White Rune series, but reads perfectly as a stand alone. Look for my five-star review at the end of this post. In the meantime, please welcome Jan!

I am thrilled to visit your blog today, Mae, to talk about my new book, Saddled Hearts. Thank you so much for allowing me to take it over. I deeply appreciate your generosity and support!

When Colt Layne decided to visit the New Age Life Center and consult a medium for communication with his grandfather from beyond the grave, he was in for a shock. I loved writing this scene so much because I could easily recall the first time I stepped inside a New Age store. I’ll share a little bit of his first impression.

EXCERPT:
Inside a small metaphysical shop that led into the New Age Life Center, incense tickled Colt’s nostrils while flute music filtered through small wall-mounted speakers. Crystals and other gemstones lined one wall, while books, tarot and oracle cards, essential oils, and incense lined another.

He twirled his Stetson and shifted from one booted foot to the other as he waited for Sage Coventry.

Maybe this was a bad idea. He couldn’t be more out of place if he’d landed in the middle of a foreign country that spoke an entirely different language.

A young girl with a long, tie-dyed scarf wrapped around her head perched behind the counter, munching on an apple. “You can have a seat if you want, Mr. Layne. Sage will be with you shortly.”

Colt glanced around the space and spied no chairs, only colorful cushions scattered on a rug in front of a bookcase. “I’ll just stand if that’s okay.”

The girl shrugged.

In the uncomfortable silence that followed, he meandered to the bookcase and perused the titles. Every subject, from learning to harness the energy of gemstones to reading tarot cards and something called akashic records, filled the shelves. He cleared his throat, put his hat under his arm, then slid out a book entitled Animal Speak by Ted Berner. Now there was something he could relate to.

How much longer? He glanced at his watch. It was already ten minutes past his appointment time. Even though Jag thought highly of the woman’s talents, Colt had his doubts. Sage Coventry was probably an old crone with a pointed witch’s hat and moles on her chin. One of those con artists that tricked desperate folks out of their money.

Yes, this was a bad idea. He slid the book back onto the shelf and headed toward the door.

Have you ever visited a metaphysical store? If so, what were your first impressions? The first one I walked into was in Austin, Texas, in the seventies. I remember being a little overwhelmed but oh, so very curious. Let’s chat.

BOOK BLURB:
Colt Layne owns the Layne Horse Sanctuary. He lives an idyllic life between caring for the animals and playing music with his band. That is until a stranger appears with unreasonable demands. When someone murders the man, Colt is arrested. He’s been framed, but by whom and why?

He needs to talk with his deceased grandfather. But that’s impossible. Or is it?

Sage Coventry is gifted with the ability to communicate with the deceased. Skeptical but desperate, when Colt consults with her, he gets more than messages from beyond the grave as she breezes into his heart with sweet patchouli fragrance and tempting lips he longs to kiss.

The race against time to clear his name and save the ranch launches them on a mission that brings shocking revelations.

SADDLED HEARTS
UNIVERSAL PURCHASE LINK

Awesome, right? If you’re not already intrigued by Jan’s excerpt, and the blurb, let me entice you further with . . .

MY REVIEW:
Saddled Hearts wraps up Jan Sikes White Rune series in spectacular fashion. Colt Layne, who had a small role in the previous novel, takes center stage along with Sage Coventry, a young widow who can communicate with the dead. When a stranger shows up on Colt’s ranch claiming to have won it in a card game from Colt’s uncle years ago, Colt contacts Sage to try to reach his uncle beyond the Veil.

Although the novel has a supernatural thread woven throughout, it’s the mystery in the physical world I found most compelling. Colt is framed for murder, then freed on bail, but his troubles don’t end there. The ranch—which he uses to run a horse sanctuary—is plagued by a series of unexplained mishaps and accidents. If that’s not enough, his estranged father, an alcoholic who deserted Colt when he was a boy, shows up claiming to be a changed man thanks to his new wife.

From romance to family dynamics, friendships to rivalries, old grudges and buried secrets, there are a plethora of threads twined throughout this engaging novel. I loved the strength of the character relationships, as well as the care and attention the author put into showing the daily operation of a horse sanctuary. I was enchanted with Ghost, an abused horse who arrives part way through the story and was on pins and needles until that thread resolved itself. The overall arc of who framed Colt played out in a manner I did not suspect. A wonderful blend of romance, mystery, danger, and even music, Saddled Hearts is the perfect ending to a wonderful series. Highly recommended!

Thanks for visiting today. Don’t forget Jan has a scavenger hunt going on for extra fun (see block after the blurb for details). You can connect with Jan at all her social media sites.

SADDLED HEARTS
UNIVERSAL PURCHASE LINK

Felony Fiction Giveaway!

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Mae Clair

ad promoting chance to win a $40 Amazon gift card shows card displayed over fireworks

Happy Friday! I can taste summer on the tip of my tongue. I’m typing this post after a day of lounging in the sun with my Kindle. At the moment, I’m drinking a blue Hawaiian in a glass decorated with pink flamingos, while sitting outside on my covered patio. Does that say “summer” or what?

Of course, by the time this posts, several days will have passed and I will be running all over creation on a day filled with errands. It will also be closer to the summer solstice and the “official” kick-off of my favorite season. YAY!

Today, I’m sharing a link for a promotion I’m participating in. I don’t do these very often, but Felony Fiction is one I’ve had luck with in the past. Hopefully, it will hold true now.

The giveaway, as the post says, is for a $40.00 Amazon gift card. Various authors have entered in the hopes of connecting with new followers. For me, I’m hoping to increase my presence on Book Bub. Other authors may want you to follow them on Instagram or Twitter. Pick and choose who you want, and which platforms.

If you follow me on Book Bub, you’ll get notices of my new releases. You can also choose (in your BB settings) if you’d like to hear of books I review and recommend. Entirely up to you.

To enter the giveaway and follow me, follow this link:
https://www.felonyfiction.com/amazon-gift-card-giveaway.html

The giveaway is open until June 15, and the winner is contacted the next day after the contest ends. I’m closing comments on this post, since it’s basically just an announcement, but I hope you’ll take advantage.

Wishing everyone the best of luck. $40.00 on Amazon buys some wonderful books! 🙂

Guest Author Thursday: Hiding Cracked Glass by James J. Cudney #newrelease #giveaway @jamescudney4 @Shalini_G26

Posted on October 8, 2020 by Mae Clair

red quill pen on a piece of old parchment paper, with an ink well with words Welcome Guest in script Welcome to another Guest Author Thursday. Today is release day for James J. Cudney’s newest novel, Hiding Cracked Glass (Perceptions of Glass book 2). To celebrate, Jay is offering a GIVEAWAY to two lucky winners! Just CLICK TO ENTER.

I read the first in this series, Watching Glass Shatter and was enthralled by the depth of character development Jay brought to each member of the Glass family. You can find my review for Watching Glass Shatter HERE.

I asked Jay for a post that would address family dynamics and how they factor into his books, and boy did he deliver. I hope you enjoy his post today as much as I did—then don’t forget to grab your copy of Hiding Cracked Glass and ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!

Some of us are obsessed with good plots. Others connect with strong characters. When you combine the two, and you toss in the family dynamic, it’s almost as if a book explodes with boundless drama. As readers, we often search for ourselves or those we know in the characters of our favorite books. Even when it’s a science-fiction or fantasy novel, and the story is not at all realistic, it is still a place where we want to be. To me, perhaps since I grew up surrounded by family, I find myself drawn to the core relationships in our lives.

I’ll begin with saying I am an only child; however, I have ~15 first cousins who basically spent a lot of time together while growing up. I am probably best as an only child, but at the same time, it has always made me sad too. I often feel so unique and independent that no other person shares the same set of parents as me… that when they are gone, because I don’t have children, I am thoroughly alone in this world. That said… I’m not at all looking for someone to make me feel better. But what this did in my childhood was force me to be creative and imaginative with how I developed relationships. I closely monitored characters on TV and in books. I wrote stories about the relationships. I asked a lot of questions of all my friends and cousins who had siblings.

In the end, this experience helped cultivate my ability to write books with extreme family situations… in both my Perceptions of Glass and Braxton Campus Mysteries series, there are five siblings, lots of extended family members, and a focus on people’s connections with one another. All those nicknames the Glass brothers share for one another? All the competition among the Ayrwick siblings? Then consider my stand-alone novel, Father Figure: Brianna is desperately searching for her father because she only has her secretive mother and no other family. Amalia wants to escape her abusive family and finds herself ending up in a situation she intentionally tried to avoid.

These are the destinies people face in my dreams, and so they become the stories of my characters. When I began writing the outline for Hiding Cracked Glass (HCG), I knew it had to be very similar to Watching Glass Shatter (WGS), but it also had to be very different. In WGS, Teddy (the eldest) deals with the betrayal of a loved one and a desire to quit his job. In HCG, he’s facing the result of his decision but he’s had to battle something far worse he never expected to happen. In WGS, Matt tried to dig himself out of a serious life-and-death situation. In HCG, we learn that he’s likely brought a major impact on his family that he never knew happened. In WGS, Caleb finally tells his family the truth. In HCG, we learn that he might’ve done something very bad and hurt his relationship. In WGS, Zach dazzled us with his attitude toward the others. In HCG, he’s now the one who’s changed the most after what happened at the end of the first book. In WGS, Ethan suffered a devastating loss. In HCG, his wife is learning how to deal with the aftermath of so many secrets.

Kindle and paperback covers of Hiding Cracked Glass, dramatic shattered glass over old envelope on wood grain surface I haven’t even shared much about Olivia, the matriarch of these five boys. She’s rude. Abrasive. Distant. Aloof. But she’s also smart and learns the biggest lessons of all. So why is it that she can make a complete change between books? When she receives the blackmail threat in Hiding Cracked Glass, a series of events is kicked off that challenges everything she thought she’d fixed recently. My own mother is nothing like Olivia, but as you dig deeper, you realize Olivia is a compilation of so many strong women who often get a bad rap for being tough and direct… while a man in her position would be considered powerful and a strong father figure. When my mother read Watching Glass Shatter, besides squirming over two scenes that I included (who wants to know their son / mother is aware of sex or curse words!), the first thing she said to me: “Wow! You put a piece of your personality in each of the 5 brothers. It’s like you selected a trait about yourself that we’ve always talked about and made it a big piece of each brother’s life.”

Yep, go ahead and try to guess those characteristics! Those who’ve met me can easily figure it out. 🙂

I love taking personalities and flipping them around, mostly to show how we all have a perception of ourselves that is a bit like looking through glass. It’s shiny but distorted. It’s smooth but once it cracks, the repairs are almost impossible without professional help. Families are kinda like that too. Relationships are brittle, and they change at the slightest pressure once people communicate poorly. Imagine a father dying in a car accident and leaving behind a will that changes everything. Then imagine hiding that secret and it being found out 9 months later by someone you never thought would’ve been involved. While I have no personal experience with this… and my family wasn’t very big on keeping secrets… there is one that I hardly tell anyone. Now, I think it’s kind of amusing though, and it actually is another family drama story I’m playing around with as a future book.

book cover of Hiding Cracked Glass, dramatic shattered glass over old envelope on wood grain surface When I was fifteen, my grandfather passed away. During the planning of his funeral, I learned that one of my parents had another sibling I’d never met. Then I learned this sibling living in our same small town (under 3,000 people). Then I learned this sibling had two children who were just a couple of years older than me. Then I learned I went to high school with both of them. First, you’re probably thinking “OMG, that’s so weird and scary!.” You’d be right… but then here’s where my mind went next at fifteen in a conversation with some friends: At fifteen with two slightly older cousins… what would’ve happened if one of those cousins and I had met and gone out on a date or hooked up! We don’t always tell our parents the name of a guy or girl we go on a date with. Our last names were different. Could you imagine the drama if something had happened between us? Yikes, I could almost be the subject of my next book.

Secrets. Lies. Family Drama. Broken Relationships. These are the events of our daily lives. We all have a bit of a soap opera / daytime drama running around in our families. I love exploring the psychological and physical impacts of these connections, and that’s why my books will almost always have the elements of family–past, present, and future–woven into its binding. And perhaps now you might know a little bit about me that you never thought you’d learn. NO, I never actually connected much with my cousins other than the funeral… thought we did socialize for a few years… but then the family fell apart again. Now you can see how I incorporate reality into my literary world! Any crazy stories in your family you’d like to share?

Wow! Did that blow you away? I actually met cousins I never knew I had roughly seven years ago. They’re scattered over the map, but now we hold a family reunion every year. It’s a long story, but I can so relate to Jay’s tale.

And speaking of tales, I’ve got my copy of Hiding Cracked Glass. If you aren’t intrigued from that fabulous post, I know you will be after reading the blurb:

ABOUT THE BOOK:
An ominous blackmail letter appears at an inopportune moment. The recipient’s name is accidentally blurred out upon arrival. Which member of the Glass family is the ruthless missive meant for?

In the powerful sequel to Watching Glass Shatter, Olivia is the first to read the nasty threat and assumes it’s meant for her. When the mysterious letter falls into the wrong hands and is read aloud, it throws the entire Glass family into an inescapable trajectory of self-question. Across the span of eight hours, Olivia and her sons contemplate whether to confess their hidden secrets or find a way to bury them forever. Some failed to learn an important lesson last time. Will they determine how to save themselves before it’s too late?

Each chapter’s focus alternates between the various family members and introduces several new and familiar faces with a vested interest in the outcome. As each hour ticks by, the remaining siblings and their mother gradually reveal what’s happened to them in the preceding months, and when the blackmailer makes an appearance at Olivia’s birthday party, the truth brilliantly comes to light.

Although everyone seemed to embrace the healing process at the end of Watching Glass Shatter, there were hidden cracks in the Glass family that couldn’t be mended. Their lives are about to shatter into pieces once again, but this time, the stakes are even higher. Someone wants to teach them a permanent lesson and refuses to stop until success is achieved.

PURCHASE LINK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Background
James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College, an historic but small liberal arts school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with a degree in English literature and minors in Education, Business and Spanish. After college, I accepted a technical writing position for a telecommunications company during Y2K and spent the last ~20 years building a career in technology & business operations in the retail, sports, media and entertainment industries. Throughout those years, I wrote some short stories, poems and various beginnings to the “Great American Novel,” but I was so focused on my career in technology and business that writing became a hobby. In 2016, I refocused some of my energies toward reinvigorating a second career in reading, writing and publishing.

Author
Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind and my body. At some points, it was just a few poems or short stories; at others, it was full length novels and stories. My current focus is family drama fiction, cozy mystery novels and suspense thrillers. I think of characters and plots that I feel must be unwound. I think of situations people find themselves in and feel compelled to tell the story. It’s usually a convoluted plot with many surprise twists and turns. I feel it necessary to take that ride all over the course. My character is easily pictured in my head. I know what he is going to encounter or what she will feel. But I need to use the right words to make it clear.

Reader & Reviewer
Reading has also never left my side. Whether it was children’s books, young adult novels, college textbooks, biographies or my ultimate love, fiction, it’s ever present in my day. I read 2 books per week and I’m on a quest to update every book I’ve ever read on Goodreads, write up a review and post it on all my sites and platforms.

Blogger & Thinker
I have combined my passions into a single platform where I share reviews, write a blog and publish tons of content: TRUTH. I started my 365 Daily Challenge, where I post about a word that has some meaning to me and converse with everyone about life. There is humor, tears, love, friendship, advice and bloopers. Lots of bloopers where I poke fun at myself all the time. Even my dogs have had weekly segments called “Ryder’s Rants” or “Baxter’s Barks” where they complain about me. All these things make up who I am; none of them are very fancy or magnanimous, but they are real. And that’s why they are me.

Genealogist & Researcher
I love history and research, finding myself often reaching back into the past to understand why someone made the choice he or she did and what were the subsequent consequences. I enjoy studying the activities and culture from hundreds of years ago to trace the roots and find the puzzle of my own history. I wish I could watch my ancestors from a secret place to learn how they interacted with others; and maybe I’ll comprehend why I do things the way I do.

Websites & Blog
Website | Blog | Amazon | Next Chapter Pub | BookBub

Genres, Formats & Languages
I write in the family drama and mystery genres. My first two books are Watching Glass Shatter (2017) and Father Figure (2018). Both are contemporary fiction and focus on the dynamics between parents and children and between siblings. I’m currently writing the sequel to Watching Glass Shatter. I also have a light mystery series called the Braxton Campus Mysteries with six books available.

All my books come in multiple formats (Kindle, physical print, large print paperback, and audiobook) and some are also translated into foreign languages such as Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and German.

Goodreads Book Links
Watching Glass Shatter (October 2017) | Father Figure (April 2018)

Braxton Campus Mysteries

ENTER GIVEAWAY FOR HIDING CRACKED GLASS

My Girl Tour and Giveaway #newrelease #romance @JacqBiggar

Posted on October 28, 2019 by Mae Clair

Happy Monday, everyone! I’m kicking off the week by participating in a book tour for Jacquie Biggar’s newest release, My Girl, which sounds positively delightful! I’ve read quite a few of Jacquie’s books, and she always delivers an exceptional heartwarming tale. I’ve already got my copy of My Girl and look forward to getting lost within the pages.

Check it out, and don’t forget the awesome giveaway at the bottom!

My Girl

Gambling Hearts Book 3

by Jacquie Biggar

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Sometimes, the right decision isn’t the easiest one to make

Trish Sylvester knows her family and when they accept a week long stay at a rustic dude ranch, she is concerned- especially since it’s at her ex’s home.

Aaron is overjoyed at the opening of his family’s guest ranch, until he learns their first guest is his ex-girlfriend, her parents–and a fiancé.

And that isn’t the only surprise.

**99cents!**

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Books2Read * Bookbub

JACQUIE BIGGAR is a USA Today bestselling author of Romantic Suspense who loves to write about tough, alpha males and strong, contemporary women willing to show their men that true power comes from love. She is the author of the popular Wounded Hearts series and has a new series in paranormal suspense, Mended Souls. She’s been blessed with a long, happy marriage and enjoys writing romance novels that end with happily-ever-afters.

Jacquie lives in paradise along the west coast of Canada with her family and loves reading, writing, and flower gardening. She swears she can’t function without coffee, preferably at the beach with her sweetheart. 🙂 Free reads, excerpts, author news, and contests can be found on her website below!

Jacquie lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and loves to hear from readers all over the world! You can also join her street team on Facebook called Biggar’s Book Buddies.

Website * Facebook Author Page * Facebook Profile * Facebook Street Team * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads * Pinterest * Audible * LinkedIn * Newsletter

$25 Amazon gift card

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thrills, Chills and Spills!

Posted on August 19, 2018 by Mae Clair

I’m back from vacation! A bit overwhelmed with playing catch-up, but I hope to be back in the swing of things soon. Right now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you about an uber-fab giveaway taking place. I’m a HUGE mystery/thriller/suspense fan, so this one is right up my alley.

Logo banner for Felony Fiction

Felony Fiction has put together a giveaway for a $100 Amazon gift card. Just thinking about $100 worth of books has me doing mental cartwheels! Best of all, entering is easy and free. You can sign up HERE, then choose a few authors to follow on Bookbub. Easy peasy! You’ll be entered in the drawing, plus notified when any of the authors you follow has a new release (BTW, I’m on BookBub, and would love to have you follow me).

I’ve become very impressed with BookBub as of late, and intend to start using it more for sharing book recommendations and posting reviews. I usually post reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, but BookBub seems to have a softer, kinder approach than GR. I also like the way I can add favorite books, and see myself putting a lot of effort into growing my following there.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway and I’d be delighted if you’d follow me while on BookBub! 🙂

Times a Tickin’ . . . Kim Cox #RRBC

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Mae Clair

Today, I’m happy to host my RRBC sister, Kim Cox, with her latest release, Before We Wed. She’s brought along a great post, pics of her pups (I’m such a sap for animals) and a fun surprise freebie. This is Kim’s first appearance on my blog so I hope you’ll make her (and her pooches) feel welcome!

Times a Tickin’ . . .

Hello from Asheville, NC!

My three dogs love to run around and act crazy, playing and tackling each other. They are truly my best friends. We have two West Highland White Terriers (Westies), named Scooter and Harley, and one gray and white Yorkie mix, named Candi. I found the Westies for my husband who is a stay-at-home husband and chainsaw artist. Now he has a Harley and a Scooter. He really loves that little joke. Candi, we inherited from my mother-in-law. She’s the sweetest of all.

In All This Time, Jenny has Angel, a five-year-old basset hound. We used to have a sweet little dog with that name. I still miss that little pup. She belonged to my brother-in-law but lived with us for about five years.

See the little innocents (yeah, right) below:

Pups Relaxing Inside

pupsRelaxing2

Pups’ Playground

It’s so hard to get them all to look at me at the same time.

So, I guess by now you’re wondering about the heading line, Times a tickin’ – That’s the clock ticking for the 48-hour special I have for you. And here it is . . .

All This Time will be FREE for the next 48 hours only to those who have the password. That’s right! I’ve put a bonus link at the end of Before We Wed—my newest release.

Click this LINK to purchase Before We Wed, scroll to the end of the book, read the instructions, and click the link to get your FREE book. The link at the end of the book will take you to Instafreebie where you’ll enter the password. The password is the 5^th word in the first paragraph of Chapter 13 of my book, Before We Wed.

BWW-TwitterHeader3

That’s it! Easy peasy.

But hurry, because this special bonus only lasts for 48 hours. Already have a copy? Get it for a friend. You can’t beat getting 2 books for the price of 1.

Reviews are coming in for BEFORE WE WED from readers

“Wow! What a ride.”

“…so engrossing that I couldn’t put it down”

“Sarah and Jon have a wonderful complementing dynamic.”

“I enjoyed the plot, strong characters, and mind boggling mystery.”

“A great love story with loads of action and steaminess. VERY RECOMMENDED! 5 Stars”

Before We Wed (Book 2) Style & Profile series

Just as Sarah Martin and Jon Clayton say their vows, the police crash the wedding to arrest the groom. Jon is terrified and Sarah is heartbroken. Thankfully, their friends support them emotionally and help find Jon an excellent attorney.

Is Jon truly innocent, and does he have no idea how the damaging evidence found its way into his business? Are there more sinister people involved? Will Sarah find the evidence she needs to clear him, or will she find out he’s fooled them all? If someone else is framing Jon, who is it and what are their motives?

Click this LINK to get Before We Wed

All This Time (Book 1) Style & Profile series

Marriage of Convenience, Best Friend Romance, with someone trying to kill Jenny and ruin her life:

Can Jenny and Trevor make a life together while uncovering a common enemy? Treachery, Greed, and Psychosis threaten to tear it all apart.

At thirty, Jenny Morgan’s biological clock is ticking. But as a fashion magazine CEO with a busy schedule and no significant other, her wish is unlikely to come true. When her father receives a potentially terminal diagnosis, he longs for a grandchild before he dies. Jenny’s only immediate available option is her single co-worker and best friend, Trevor Drake.

Can she really trust him to be a good husband?

To read more about the books, click the following titles: All This Time or Before We Wed

And don’t forget . . .

Once you’ve loaded Before We Wed on your Kindle, iPad, Nook, computer, etc., scroll to the end, click the link to get your FREE book. The link will take you to Instafreebie where you’ll enter the correct password. The password is the 5^th word in the first paragraph of Chapter 13.

Here’s that link one more time: Click this LINK to get Before We Wed

Drop me a line. I’d love to hear about your pets and that GREAT book you just read. Until next time, have a great day.

Why do you love to read? What are your favorite books, genres, and authors? I’d love to know.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Contact kim@kimcoxauthor.com for offer.

Story Empire Roadshow Winners

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Mae Clair

The Story Empire bookmobile has finished rounds and is back home. On behalf of myself and the other Story Empire authors, thanks to all who followed and commented. We had a wonderful tour, and hope you did too.

I’m pleased to announce my ebook winners:
D.L. Finn
Joey
Judi Post
Sherry Fundin
Carmen Stefanescu

And the winner of my $10.00 Amazon gift card:
Teri Polen

By now all of you should have received an email from me with notification of your prize. Many thanks again! And to continue with Story Empire, today on the SE blog, Harmony Kent is sharing a blog post about how to embed Amazon previews on your website. Well worth checking out.

Finally, be sure to stop back here tomorrow, as I’ll be participating in the Rave Reviews Book Club, Book and Blog Block Party. Yes, that’s a mouthful to say but it’s a heck of a lot of fun. And once again I’m giving away Amazon gift cards—two which will be randomly drawn by RRBC from those who leave comments on my post. You don’t have to be a member of RRBC to win. As for my topic…let’s just say it’s otherworldly 🙂

Hope to see you tomorrow for more fun!

P.H. Solomon on Writing Roots #StoryEmpireRoadshow

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Mae Clair

Happy Monday and welcome to the first day of the Story Empire Roadshow Blog Tour!

The authors of Story Empire have banned together on a week-long tour spanning all of our blogs to bring you entertaining posts, fabulous deals on books, giveaways and other prizes. To kick things off, please welcome P.H. Solomon!

Hello to everyone and thanks to Mae for hosting me today. I’m P. H. Solomon and I’m a fantasy author, living in greater Birmingham, AL. It’s great to be a part of Story Empire and be on the Roadshow this week. I hope you’ll enjoy all the stops and authors this week and take a look at our books. To see our schedule and information about our prizes, please click to our Roadshow page and see where we are making appearances each day. This week I’m giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card to the most active commenter.

I like to write and have for several decades, even though I’ve taken several long breaks from it. During each hiatus, writing always nagged at me and I often thought of ideas and toyed with them from a writing perspective. But one of the main reasons I like to write is that I’m a reader. While I like to read mainly speculative fiction, I do dabble with mysteries, action-thrillers and non-fiction so I have a variety of interests.

But reading influenced me to write long before I ever made my first attempts and it always called me back to writing over the years, simply for the love of a good story. I suppose one of my first memories of reading a good book on my own as a child was when I read The Hobbit by Tolkien, probably about my fifth-grade year. I read all about Bilbo’s adventures while sitting on a grate of our old furnace because it was warm in a drafty old house. The reading warmed my mind as much as the furnace warmed me bodily. That was a nightly ritual for some weeks as I plodded through a much bigger book than I was used to reading on my own. But it led to reading all of The Lord of the Rings over the next year which greatly increased both my reading comprehension and vocabulary. It also led me to other books.

One summer after that, I dealt with a case swimmer’s ear infection for a week or so during June. During that time, I read all of The Chronicles of Narnia. The series kept me company but I was soon finished with it since I was free to devote most of each day to reading. Of course, when I finished and was well, I was more than ready to get out and be active the rest of the summer but the characters stayed with me all that time as I remembered their adventures.

Later, I read other fantasy books and really enjoyed Patricia McKillip during my teen years. I once picked up her newest book, Heir of Sea and Fire, the sequel to The Riddlemaster of Hed, and read it on Christmas break by the fire. It was another story of wonder and adventure and the cozy fire each night was a good setting for reading about characters often visiting new locales with their own campfires to which the characters gravitated for warmth on their journey.

These reading memories are much of what gave me a love of story and eventually led me in to writing. Books have been life-long friends to me and they’ve often lent comfort in difficulty which is the case of stories since people started telling them around their nightly fires thousands of years ago. What books influenced you when you were young? What are your fondest reading memories? Thanks for reading this post today and be sure to check out our schedule. While you’re here, feel free to have a look at my current book, The Bow of Destiny and the upcoming release of An Arrow Against the Wind. You can click on my bio banner below to pay me a visit at my website and learn more about me and the rest of The Bow of Hart Saga. Please follow me all week as I share more about my writing each day.

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Cyber Monday #ebook Sale Blast

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Mae Clair

Hey, everyone, it’s Cyber Monday! What better way to celebrate than to stock up on a treasure-trove of ebooks? All of the books below are reduced in price, many at .99c, some even offered for free. Spread the word and tell your friends!

I’m promoting A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS which is currently on sale for .99c. If you haven’t scooped up this mystery/suspense tale featuring the urban legend of the Mothman, now is the perfect time. And if you’re in the holiday spirit, check out FOOD FOR POE, my Christmas novella with a paranormal twist that is also on sale for .99c.

When you’re done browsing the titles below, be sure to click the Rafflecopter link at the bottom for your chance to win a $25 gift card from Amazon.

If you love to read, you’re going to love:

THE CYBER MONDAY SALE BLAST!

Click on any of the below book covers to be taken to the page that has more information on the novel as well as the Buy Links!

Novels FREE!

Novels On Sale for $0.99!

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Novels on Sale $1.99 and Up!

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And the Winners are…

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Mae Clair

Hi, gang. The Paranormal Bar and Grille Tour is over. Can you believe it’s almost Thanksgiving? Sheesh! Where does time go?

Anyway, thanks to everyone who went belly up to the bar before last call. On behalf of myself, Staci Troilo, Craig Boyack, Sandra Cox and Harmony Kent, we were glad to see you there and hope you had as much fun as we did.

Paranormal Bar & Grille

And now for all those treats I promised! 🙂 My scavenger hunt winners are:

Amazon $15 Gift Card: jjspina
Amazon $10 Gift Card: Jasmine
eBook copy of either Eclipse Lake, Food for Poe or Solstice Island: Julie Holmes

If you haven’t already received an email from me about your prize, expect to see one shortly!

The group and I also did two tours through the month of October (one even flopping over into November).

The winner of the “Reading is my Addiction” tour is “Kate” (no last name provided) who gets a $30 Amazon gift card.

The winner of the “Goddess Fish” tour is Kristen Burns, who won our ultimate prize, a $50 Amazon gift card.

Congrats to Kristen, Kate, Julie, Jasmine and jjspina. If you’d like to get a gander at the scavenger hunt winners for the other authors, just hop over to Story Empire. Thanks again and keep your eye peeled for more fun offerings from the Story Empire group in the months ahead!