No More Birthdays by Lissa Pelzer #excerpt #giveaway

birthdays

No More Birthdays

by

Lissa Pelzer

 

birthdays

Genre: Crime

Release Date: Aug 2015

Series: Carol Ann Baker #1

Runaway teenager, Lilly Lessard has some secrets. For a start, that’s not her real name and she wants to keep quiet about her real age too. Bumping into ex-hitman Bobby at a small town film festival isn’t the coincidence it seems either. She’s tracked him here. He owes her money and she’s desperate enough to come looking for it.

And she’s not the only one who has followed him here. Detective Davis is after him too. She’s been after him in Miami for years, but never quite managed to get a hold on him. Maybe this weekend she’ll get lucky.

But the closer Lilly gets to Bobby and his money, the closer Davis gets to them both. One by one, their secrets are coming out. And Lilly’s about to find out, the worst secrets are the ones you keep from yourself.

BUY LINKS

AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

 EXTRACT

 ‘There’s no money,’ Cassandra said dryly. ‘Don’t be a dumbass. Don’t get in that car. It’s not safe.’

Lilly watched the end of the girl’s cigarette burn as she took a hit. Cassandra had always liked the fact that Bobby was a dangerous man. But she hadn’t seen him that night when he got back in the room after killing The Judge. His face had blanched and his false teeth had hung half out of his mouth. Killing The Judge hadn’t been easy for Bobby, not like when he drove past that phone box down in Florida and shot three times into some guy’s back. Bobby had lost his appetite for murder. He wouldn’t try to kill her, not unless it was absolutely necessary.

‘I have to take the risk,’ Lilly said. ‘I’ve got nothing. I’ve got to try. And if Bobby doesn’t give me the money, I’m as good as dead anyway.’

ABOUT LISSA PELZER

birthdays

Lissa Pelzer is a British crime writer living in Germany.

Her previous published work includes romance fiction under a pseudonym. No More Birthdays is her first work under her own name.

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LissaPelzer

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14589741.Lissa_Pelzer

LinkedIn: https://de.linkedin.com/in/lissa-pelzer-51838a34

Website: https://lissapelzer.wordpress.com

GIVEAWAY

An ecopy of the book

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Wendy House by Pauline Barclay #cover #reveal

wendy

The Wendy House

by

Pauline Barclay

 

When Nicola changes overnight from a bright, happy young child into a sullen, rebellious girl, ceasing to show interest in anything or anyone around her, her parents struggle to understand why. As she develops into a difficult, troubled, hostile teenager they put it down to hormones, believing it will pass. Yet Nicola goes from bad to worse and no matter how much her mother tries to reach out to her, it seems she is hell bent on self-destruction. When she leaves home at seventeen, rushing into the arms of a man ten years her senior and quickly becoming pregnant, her despairing mother almost gives up on her. A decade later, the events that stole Nicola’s childhood and changed the course of her life threaten finally to destroy her. She knows if she is to cling on to her sanity she must tell her mother the dreadful secret she has carried all these years, but her fear that she will be met with disbelief, hostility and branded an evil liar drives her to the edge.

A heart-rending story of betrayal, secrets and gripping fear.

Publication Date: Saturday 3rd September

Genre: Women’s Fiction / Family-Noir

 

The Wendy House is available in Kindle for pre-order on all Amazon sites including

Amazon co uk

Amazon com

A little about Pauline

Wendy

I am from Yorkshire, but have lived in several different locations including, Suffolk, Surrey and Holland.  Today, I live on one of the beautiful volcanic islands of the Canary Isles with my husband and our two gorgeous rescue doggies.

Years ago I gained a BA (Hons) degree from the Open University, today I spend my time writing fiction. I have five books published, plus a 20 minute short festive story.

My passion is to write about events that happen in life and change everything for those involved as well as those caught up in the maelstrom. I want my characters to sit at your side, steal your attention and sweep you up in their story. Stories that will bring tears to your eyes, have you laughing out loud and sometimes, what they share with you, will stay  in your hearts for a very long time.

www.paulinebarclay.co.uk

http://paulinembarclay.blogspot.com

Facebook

Twitter: @paulinembarclay

Instagram: @paulinebarclay

#review ~ I NEED A DOCTOR by Janey Travis #giveaway

#review

I Need a Doctor

by

Janey Travis

#review

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Release Date: 15th July 2016

Publisher: Thornhill Print

Beauty and fame… a blessing or a curse?

Story synopsis: Loveless fashion model Nola Nichols thinks being beautiful is a curse; that is until she is cursed and her looks begin to fade just a week before the most important photo shoot of her career. In her attempts to get un-cursed, she finds herself taking part in a rather unconventional funeral, reveals one or two unrests in her own past, and falls madly in love with a doctor. Erm… that would be a witch doctor, right…?

#review

BUY LINKS

AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

KOBO

iBOOKS

SMASHWORDS

What the Readers say:

“Just the right sprinkling of romance and humour.” Brook Cottage Books

“A very enjoyable and clever plot. Different, fresh and enjoyable.” Jenny in Neverland

“I couldn’t help but like Nola even though at times she is a proper diva.” Comet Babe’s Books

“I love all the quirky characters in the story and just the pure madness and fun of it all!” Books4U

“A nice balance of humour, sweet romance, morals and a spooky side!” The Little Reader Library

“A Five Star Read – I really enjoyed the light-hearted tone.”  Love Reading Love Books

Doctor Word Cloud bw Jpeg

REVIEW

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I had read this book before when it was three separate novellas written under the author’s own name, Janice Horton. Now it’s back and bigger than better than before with the new title, I Need a Doctor, and her nom de plume, Janey Travis.

I Need a Doctor is a great read with larger than life characters. Even though Nola, whose real name is Nora, is selfish you can’t help but sympathize with her. After all, she believes a voodoo spell has been cast on her.

In an effort to have the spell removed, he takes part in a strange funeral ceremony with the son of the woman, Louis, who allegedly cast the spell on her.

Hilarity ensues when the rest of Louis’s voodoo practising family gets involved.

Voodoo spells, mayhem and mystery are all skilfully woven into the plot which keeps you turning the pages.

5 stars

I loved it!

ABOUT JANEY TRAVIS

JANEY TRAVIS

Janey Travis is currently travelling around the world chasing the sun while blogging, tweeting, writing fun-to-read novels and travel magazine features. Look out for her new light-hearted romantic comedy novel I Need a Doctor. You can catch up with her on Twitter: @janey_travis on Facebook: janeytravisbooks.

Janey also writes bestselling romantic adventure fiction as Janice Horton. Find out more at www.janicehorton.co.uk

Author Links:

Janey Travis on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/janeytravisbooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/janey_travis

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30623638-i-need-a-doctor

GIVEAWAY

An ecopy of the book (open internationally)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

DEVIL’S PORRIDGE by Chris Longmuir #authorinterview

devil's porridgeWelcome back to Celtic Connexions, Chris. I see you’ve brought your latest novel with you. Can you tell us about Devil’s Porridge?

Devil’s Porridge has been on my radar to write since 2008, but I kept putting it off, mainly because other things got in the way, like winning the Dundee International Book Prize in 2009 which meant I had to concentrate on my contemporary crime novels, namely the Dundee Crime Series. So, Devil’s Porridge had to take a back seat for several years. But it’s always been niggling away at the back of my mind, demanding to be written. We authors are slaves to our books and characters.

The book is a historical murder mystery set in Britain, during the First World War. I have mixed real events as well as fictional ones into the story. For example, I start off in East London with the massive munitions factory explosion which almost obliterated Silvertown. How could I resist an event like that, it made a great start to the story. The secret service plotline features Captain Vernon Kell and William Melville who actually did exist and were part of MI5, and the visit to Gretna by King George and Queen Mary did take place on 18 May 1917, although my assassination attempt is purely fictional.

I suppose you could describe Devil’s Porridge as a murder mystery with bits of sabotage, spying and an assassination attempt thrown into the mix. I must warn you there are quite a lot of characters in Devil’s Porridge, and varying subplots. I should also say I write in a multi-viewpoint style in a modern fashion rather than a historic one. So you won’t have to cope with any outdated language. And, for those readers who like to delve into the history behind the book, I’ve included a historical endnote.

Did this book require you making a trip to visit the locations used in your book or were you able to get everything you needed online?

This book needed a lot of research. I stumbled across information about Gretna and the munitions factories when I was researching the origins of women police. Did you know that the Ministry of Munitions (a UK government department) contracted with the Women’s Police Service to supply women police to patrol and work at Britain’s munitions factories? So, my initial research originated in Joan Lock’s excellent history of the origins of women police ‘The British Policewoman’. After reading that I sought out other books, and did a lot of online research, both about women police and munitions factories.

I also visited Gretna and Eastriggs where the main action takes place. Unfortunately I couldn’t access the ground the munitions factory occupied because it is owned by the MOD (Ministry of Defence) and no one is allowed access. Goodness only knows what they do there! However, they have a fabulous museum in Eastriggs, also called Devil’s Porridge, and the secretary allowed me to access the archives.

I also had to do research on the Belgian situation during the First World War, because Kirsty teams up with Beatrice, a Belgian refugee. And because I have Irish revolutionaries working as navvies at Gretna, I had to research the Irish situation and the Easter Rising of 1916. I also delved into how German spies operated at this time, and the handlers of my German spy were real people based in Antwerp. I could go on and on, the research was a massive task.

This book is set, two years (I believe) before The Death Game so Kirsty has yet to arrive in Dundee.  Is she a member of the Women’s Police Service in Devil’s Porridge?

Yes, Kirsty joined the Women’s Police service when it was formed in 1914. Did you know that the women police were initially voluntary organisations formed by suffragette societies when they gave up their militant activities at the start of the war? There were actually two different sets of women police at this time. The Women’s Police Service, and the less militant Women’s Patrols. Kirsty was in the Women’s Police Service which was contracted to police the Gretna munitions factory. The agreement was signed in October 1916, and at its peak there were 167 policewomen serving at Gretna. I have included details of the different organisations in my historical endnote.

The title is unusual. How did you decide on Devil’s Porridge? Is there a meaning behind it?

Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, visited the Gretna munitions factory in 1916 and wrote an article based on this visit, which was published in the Annandale Observer. You have to understand that Gretna Munitions Factory was a vast place. Nine miles long and two miles wide, and they built two new towns, Gretna and Eastriggs, to service it. At the Eastriggs end the munitionettes mixed guncotton and nitroglycerine together, with their bare hands, into a paste needed for the manufacture of cordite which was the propellant used in bombs. The paste the munitionettes kneaded in lead drums was likened to a porridge consistency, and it was this that Conan Doyle named Devil’s Porridge. Here is what he said “Those smiling khaki-clad girls who are swirling the stuff round in their hands would be blown to atoms in an instant if certain very small changes occurred. The changes will not occur, and the girls still smile and stir their ‘devil’s porridge’, but it is a narrow margin between life and death.” The name caught my eye and I thought it would make a great book title. As I said before there is also a museum with this title so they must have had the same thought I did. If you are ever in the Gretna area you really must visit this museum, it’s something special. Here is the online link for it http://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/

Do you prefer writing Historical Crime as opposed to your Dundee Crime Series?

I really don’t have a preference. I like writing both contemporary and historical, it’s the crime and the mystery I find intriguing. I’ve read a lot of crime fiction over my lifetime. I like the darkness of Scandinavian crime fiction, and I find the American and Canadian style of writing has more action and suspense than a lot of traditional British crime fiction which seems to be more cerebral. But on the other hand, I like the puzzle element of British books – Agatha Christie was superb at this style of writing. So, I think my crime fiction is a cross between the crime thriller, mixed in with the puzzle element. It seems to work, and readers seem to like it.

What’s next for Kirsty Campbell? Are you working on another novel featuring her?

I’m tossing up at the moment as to whether to write a Kirsty Campbell book next, or a DI Bill Murphy one. I have readers clamouring for both. But, be assured, both Kirsty and DI Bill Murphy will be back.

If you, or any of your readers are tempted by Devil’s Porridge, there is a description of the book on my website, plus a link to read the first chapter.

Thank you for having me, Melanie. It’s nice to visit Canada again, even though a virtual visit doesn’t let me explore your lovely town. I have fond memories of my last visit when I did the Thousand Islands boat tour, as well as the creepy witch walk in the evening.

Check out Devil’s Porridge on Chris Longmuir’s website

And while you’re at it have a look at Chris Longmuir’s blog

 

ALCHEMY by Ailsa Abraham #excerpt #giveaway

alchemy

ALCHEMY

by

Ailsa Abraham

 

alchemy

Genre: Magical Realism / Religion

Book 1 of the Alchemy series

Release Date:  27th January 2014

Publisher: Crooked Cat Publishers

A world without war?

Professor Sawhele Fielding stumbles across an invention that would change the world; something so monumental, it could spell the end of environmental disaster and conflict. With the help of her father, a shadowy figure in the world of international banking, she begins to set into motion the biggest upheaval the planet has seen.

But in a changed world, dark forces are threatening the fragile peace. Where modern technology is proving useless, old magic from a bygone era might just save the day. Adrian Oliver, expert in ancient religions is skeptical until faced with incontrovertible proof that ancient evil is abroad once again.

How could a Utopian dream of free fuel and peaceful co-existence turn into a nightmare?

Iamo, a priest of the Mother Goddess and Riga, a Black Shaman assassin captain, are thrown together – reluctantly at first – to face a threat that nobody could have imagined before “The Changes”.

ALCHEMY is the prequel to Shaman’s Drum which features the adventures of Iamo and Riga through their world in the near future, where the established religions of our own days had been banned.

 

EXTRACT

Daniel stood beside me, pointing out the “Who’s Who” of this august gathering.

“The guys in leather are the Odinists, old Norse religion. Obviously, the chap with the sickle is

the Chief Druid, yes, that is a fox-head he’s wearing as a headdress. Now, that one there, the

shaven-headed one in a kilt-type thing. He’s the High Priest of the Egyptians. I think they have a few sub-divisions but… oh yes, here comes the High Priestess of Isis, she’s his female counterpart.”

By this time my jaw was dropping. The lady in the wig, smothered in jewellery was like

something straight out of a Cleopatra movie and eye-wateringly gorgeous. Daniel nudged me again and I thought for a moment that a Christian monk in traditional brown robes had sneaked in.

“That tall woman in white. That is Lady Solus, she will probably try to take over. She’s a bit of a tartar and that young man with her is her assistant. Bright chap by all accounts. Oops! Looks like

one of the Dianics is going to make a fuss.” I had no idea what one of those was but just made sure the camera was running, kept my mouth shut and watched. A woman with a shaven-head and a bow slung across her back stood up and pointed at the painfully thin monk-like youngster.

“Abomination!” she hissed. “He leaves!”

The priestess indicated to me as Lady Solus turned very slowly and gave her a glare that would

have frozen water in two seconds.

“He stays. I do not argue with stray cats.”

The young man in question had said nothing, remaining two paces behind his boss. I caught his eye and thought there was something vaguely familiar about him. Although his face remained impassive, a pair of bright blue eyes fixed me and very slowly one eyelid dropped in an almost imperceptible wink. I was too busy to think about it then but I would have to remember where I had seen him before.

Buy Links

Amazon International http://bit.ly/1Z4HCUb

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alchemy-ailsa-abraham/1118067058?ean=9781909841505

STOP PRESS!!!

GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY AT THE SPECIAL REDUCED PRICE. BUT BE QUICK! OFFER ENDS SOON!

ABOUT AILSA ABRAHAM

alchemy

Ailsa Abraham writes under two names and is the author of six novels. Alchemy is the prequel to Shaman’s Drum, published by Crooked Cat in January 2014. Both are best-sellers in their genres on Amazon.

She has lived in France since 1990, enjoys knitting and crochet and until recently was the oldest Hell’s Angel in town. Her interests include campaigning for animal rights, experimenting with different genres of writing and trips back to the UK to visit friends and family. She runs an orphanage for homeless teddy bears and contributes a lot of work to Knit for Africa. She is also addicted to dressing up, saying that she is old enough to know better but too wise to care.

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ailsaabraham

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6880582.Ailsa_Abraham

Google+: https://plus.google.com/109695184517866287421/posts

Website: https://ailsaabraham.com

GIVEAWAY

An e-copy of the book
a Rafflecopter giveaway

THICKER THAN WATER by Bethan Darwin #interview #giveaway

thicker than water

Thicker Than Water

by

Bethan Darwin

 

THICKER THAN WATER COVER

Genre: Fiction

Release Date: 18 August 2016

Publisher: Honno Press

Some secrets take their time to travel home

Gareth Maddox has his own successful Cardiff Bay law firm, a clever and talented wife and four perfectly imperfect children. Then along comes Cassandra Taylor, managing director of a Canadian shirt company wanting to set up a major manufacturing plant in the Welsh valley Gareth hails from. It seems like the kind of work he will excel at and an ideal way to see the valley pull back from joblessness and despair.

Back at the end of the Great War, in the wake of a community splitting strike, Gareth’s Great-Great-Uncle Idris sailed off to Canada in search of his fortune and a new way of life. Behind him Idris left his twin Tommy and Maggie, Tommy’s wife, who shared her childhood and much else besides with both brothers.

Decades later, Maggie’s secret life is revealed – and for Gareth nothing may ever be quite as it was before Perfect Ltd came to Wales.

BUY LINKS

http://www.honno.co.uk/dangos.php?ISBN=9781909983465

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thicker-Than-Water-Bethan-Darwin/dp/1909983462/

https://www.amazon.com/Thicker-Than-Water-Bethan-Darwin/dp/1909983462/

https://wordery.com/thicker-than-water-bethan-darwin-9781909983465

**********

Welcome to Celtic Connexions, Bethan. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m a lawyer based in Cardiff, specialising in employment and corporate law, a proud Mum of two and a happy wife which is just as well as my husband is also a lawyer and we work together.  I run a women’s networking group called Superwoman which also raises money for charities at its events, I write a bi-weekly column on law for Wales’ national newspaper The Western Mail and regularly review the papers for a variety of BBC Radio Wales programmes.

I was born in Toronto but from the age of 5 I grew up in Clydach Vale in the Rhondda Valleys, where my mother also grew up.   My parents didn’t speak Welsh themselves (my Dad is a proud Lancastrian) but they sent me and my three siblings to Welsh medium schools and I am fiercely proud of being a fluent Welsh speaker.  My children also attend Welsh medium schools.

My favourite way to relax is for the four of us to walk our two dogs on the beach at Barry Island.  I am a better version of myself when I am by the sea.

How old were you when your family moved from Canada to Wales? Did one or both of your parents have Welsh roots?

My parents were the first in their respective families to go to University, attending the LSE.  My Dad is from Wigan and my Mum from the Rhondda.  They met at LSE and married in 1961.  They and a number of their friends from university made a move to Toronto, Canada after graduation.   My father also had an uncle living in Oshawa and they visited there a lot.  They stayed a number of years and had me and my brother there.  My Mum got homesick and wanted to move back home to be closer to her family.  I was five when we moved back to Wales.

How long have you been writing?

I always said I was going to write a book some day but it wasn’t until around 12 years ago that I realised that if I didn’t sit down and actually start writing I was never going to do it.   So I did!

Have you written and published any other books? If so, what are they?

My first novel, Back Home was published by Honno in 2009 and my second, Two Times Twenty, was published in 2010.  It has taken a while for me to write Thicker than Water as my day job has been very busy in recent years.  This one features the Rhondda, lawyers and Toronto.    There are always lawyers somewhere in my books!

I see from the back cover blurb, you have a Canadian going to Wales to start a business. Is this based on your own family history?

No, it’s just a story.  But if any Canadians would like to start businesses in Wales that would be great.  I know a good lawyer!

Are you a plotter or a panster?

I had to google what that meant!  A panster.   I start off with an initial idea and make it up as I go along.  Like all writers, I keep a notebook and write down things I see or hear in real life, especially funny things people say, and sometimes I write entire scenes around one funny sentence.   Being a panster does mean a lot of re writing when the story goes in a different direction than you had been writing.  Perhaps I should convert to being a plotter.

When you write, do you like to listen to music or do you prefer complete silence?

I don’t listen to music, no, but there is rarely complete silence when I write.   We have a busy house with children coming and going and two dogs and I often write in short bursts of time throughout the day in between legal work.  I am pretty good at blocking out external noise when I am concentrating on something, though, which my family find a little annoying.

**********

ABOUT BETHAN DARWIN

thicker than water

Toronto born but Rhondda raised, Bethan studied law at King’s College London and was a partner in a law firm in the City of London for some years before homesickness got the better of her and she returned to Wales.

Bethan is now a solicitor and partner at a Cardiff law firm. She also runs women’s networking group Superwoman, writes a bi-weekly column for the Western Mail and is a regular contributor on BBC Wales.  She and her husband have two children. It’s a struggle finding time to write fiction but she squeezes it in instead of doing housework or going to the gym.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BethanDarwin

GIVEAWAY

5 COPIES OF THE BOOK (UK ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Organization is essential when travelling…

… no matter where you’re going – business, pleasure – organization is the key. It’s taken us the better part of the summer to come up with the way to pack the car so that everything fits in for our assorted “goods and chattels” that we haul to and from outdoor events.

black beauty

If not Black Beauty (pictured above), it’s the older sibling “Big Red” a 2006 version of the same car – 2-door Chevy Cobalt – that we use to go to the markets.

Other vendors have told me, they can’t believe how much I can get in to such a small space. I say the vehicle is just like Mary Poppins’ magic carpet bag.

This past Sunday when we loaded up to come home from the Mallorytown Country Market, I documented each step in the process. And yes, we used Big Red. It’s home every day and can be kept partially loaded during the week as I use Black Beauty for my work commute. And, hubby is retired so he came up with a way that he can get all the assorted accoutrements to fit in the trunk (boot) of this one.

organization

 

First in, the two boxes of canopy weights. They look much better than bags of bricks, water bottles, and any other heavy object you can anchor yourself down with. (The bottle of windshield washer fluid is a permanent fixture.) Setting up and tearing down does create some mess… dried dirt from parking lots (car parks) and bits of dried grass and leaves from natural settings.

organization

First in is the folded six-foot table.

organization

Followed by the smaller four-foot one. I know you’re thinking, why not put it in with the handle where you can reach it. We’ve tried turning it the 90 degrees and the rest of the stuff just doesn’t fit.

Add the smaller totes of books…

organization

organization

Followed by the table clothes and two of the larger totes. Keep watching… it gets better.

organization

Add another tote of promotional material, containing postcards, business cards, bookmarks and my assorted easels and business card holders for price tags etc., (even some WD40 for when the canopy gets a bit stiff)… but we’re not done yet. My author banner is tucked in there nicely on one side and so is my illuminated Secret of Hillcrest House sign.

organization

Add the box of tools (screwdrivers, lock nut remover for the wheels, and other assorted goods and sundries, most importantly the cash box) and that’s the trunk packed. Pretty amazing, eh?

Moving on to the back seat…

organization

There’s a folded tarp, and one of the white side panels for my “Wonderful White” canopy, my lovely squishy, anti-fatigue mats for venues on pavement, and two folding chairs.

organization

Fold up the canopy and shove it in on top of the chairs. Even my funky “bag holder” a piece of 4×4 with coat hooks on each side has a place…

organization

And finally, my purse and bag that has all my extra goodies in it (batteries and cables for my debit machine, wet wipes, safety pins, ledger that I keep track of my sales and mileage…)

This past Sunday, there was even room for a bag of corn on the cob and my track shoes (after Saturday’s rain, I wanted to be prepared for wet grass).

 

 

#Excerpt from The Secret of Hillcrest House

#excerpt

Sometimes there’s more to a house than bricks and mortar.

Hillcrest House is one such place. Perched on a cliff in the picturesque town of Angel Falls, there is more to this Victorian mansion than meets the eye. When referring to the house, the locals use the word haunted on a regular basis. Strange visions appear in the windows, especially the second-floor ones over the side porch. Even stranger events take place within its four walls.

Rumour has it, the original owners, Asher and Maggie Hargrave, never left their beloved home. They claim the couple and their family are responsible for driving people away. Over the years, Hillcrest House has changed hands numerous times. No one stays long. Renovations begin then stop and the house is once more abandoned. The latest in this long line of owners is Jessica Maitland.

Will Jessica be the next one to succumb or will she unravel The Secret of Hillcrest House?

Melanie Robertson-King’s latest novel serves up a delightful blend of the supernatural and spicy romance, Lynn L. Clark, author of The Home Child, and Fire Whisperer & Circle of Souls: Two Novellas of the Supernatural, & The Accusers

Intrigue, dark buried secrets, hot romance and a neat twist in the tale make this riveting reading, Sheryl Browne, MA Creative Writing, Choc Lit Author

A fun read that keeps you guessing right up to the surprise ending, Dayna Leigh Cheser, Author of Janelle’s Time, Moria’s Time, Adelle’s Time, & Logan’s Time

#Excerpt

A face and hands appeared in the window over the side porch. “There’s someone in there,” she gasped, pointing to the location.

“Keys. I’ll need them unless you want me to break in.”

Transfixed by the image, Jessica couldn’t look away. She extended her arm and dropped her ring holding her house and car keys into his hand.

“You stay here,” he ordered before sprinting to the front of the house.

The face appeared to be that of a young child. After a few minutes, the image faded. She blinked thinking it vanished because she’d stared at it for so long, but even that didn’t help.

Frightened by the disappearance, she dashed after the officer.

When she stepped through the door, the pungent smells of damp and stale assailed her nostrils. Out of habit, Jessica reached for the light switch. She discovered an old-fashioned push button one indicative of knob and tube wiring. That was another expense she wasn’t prepared for.

At one time, the dark wainscoting in the foyer shone. Now it was dull, dingy and covered with dust. The paint above it and on the ceiling had peeled and curled. Flakes littered the floor and stairs. She grabbed a loose piece of paint from the wall and gave it a tug. It pulled away with little resistance.

Two large rooms stood on either side of the main hall. Jessica entered the one to her left. Pocket doors, off their tracks, cut off part of the large doorway. Yellowed wall and ceiling paper hung from crazy angles. The plaster it once covered now exposed. Sheets covered the furniture. At one time, they had been white but now, layered with dust. Jessica thumped her hand down on the back of a sofa forcing a cloud of the grubby powder into the air. Choking, she scurried out and into the room across the corridor.

It, too, was in the same state but in here, boards didn’t cover the windows. Sun shone through grimy panes of glass, and dust particles floated in the air trapped by the beams of light.

The sound of footfalls on the stairs echoed through the house. Jessica turned. She gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth. On the back of a sheet-covered sofa, lay a pristine, long-stemmed red rose.

Buy Links:

amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Happy #lefthanders Day!

#lefthanders

I’m happy to say that I’m one of the ‘elite’ #lefthanders of the world. Yup, I’m a leftie and proud of it.

Authors who are left-handed include Hans Christian Anderson who was most famous for his fairy tales, Compton MacKenzie who brought us Whisky Galore and Monarch of the Glen, Lewis Carroll, Mark Twain, H.G. Wells and me *apologizing for being cheeky*.

Okay, I might not be in the same league as these aforementioned writers, but still, I’m an author of four books and a number of magazine articles.

Did you know that Drew Carey, Howie Mandel, Don Rickles, and Jerry Seinfield are among the list of left-handed comedians?

And then there are the less savoury elements of society – the criminals. Billy the Kid, The Boston Strangler, Jack the Ripper, John Dillinger to name a few.

See, there’s good and bad in all of us. #lefties happen to get a bad rap because it used to be thought that being left-handed was a sign of the devil – it was evil.

How many #lefthanders out there were forced to change from your left to your right hand by your teachers or even your parents?

Feel free to leave a comment with your #lefthanders experiences.

 

THE LOST GIRL by Liz Harris

Liz Harris

The Lost Girl

by

Liz Harris

 

Liz Harris

What if you were trapped between two cultures?

Life is tough in 1870s Wyoming. But it’s tougher still when you’re a girl who looks Chinese but speaks like an American.

Orphaned as a baby and taken in by an American family, Charity Walker knows this only too well.  The mounting tensions between the new Chinese immigrants and the locals in the mining town of Carter see her shunned by both communities.

When Charity’s one friend, Joe, leaves town, she finds herself isolated. However, in his absence, a new friendship with the only other Chinese girl in Carter makes her feel like she finally belongs somewhere.

But, for a lost girl like Charity, finding a place to call home was never going to be that easy …

Genre: Historical Romantic Fiction

Heart of the West: Book 3

Release Date: 8th August 2016

Publisher:   Choc Lit

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 ABOUT LIZ HARRIS

Liz Harris

Liz Harris lives south of Oxford. Her debut novel was THE ROAD BACK (US Coffee Time & Romance Book of 2012), followed by A BARGAIN STRUCK (shortlisted for the RoNA Historical 2013), EVIE UNDERCOVER, THE ART OF DECEPTION and A WESTERN HEART. All of her novels, which are published by Choc Lit, have been shortlisted in their categories in the Festival of Romantic Fiction. In addition, Liz has had several short stories published in anthologies. Her interests are theatre, travelling, reading, cinema and cryptic crosswords.

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