Clean Indie Reads Christmas in July eBook Sale

There's a special sale going on right now via the
Clean Indie Reads Christmas in July eBook Sale:



To quote their marketing:

 "It's mid-summer and most people are thinking of the beach, baseball, barbecues, and family fun. Christmas, most likely, is not a high priority. Unless you're a reader who melts at the end of  a romantic Christmas story or a heartwarming holiday tale. If that's you, any time's a great time to pick up a stack of Christmas reads, and I've got a bunch of them right here. The Clean Indie Reads Christmas in July eBook Sale offers 15 titles in a variety of genres - novels, novelettes, short stories, mysteries, and sweet and paranormal romance - sale-priced from FREE to 2.99. Stock up to read on vacation or save them for the holiday season. "

Sale ends July 21, 2017.

You'll find the books included in the sale here.

(Psst! Our friend Suzanne G. Rogers has included her novella A Gift For Lara in the sale, so do check that out.)

Note: please check all prices before clicking the "BUY" button. Each individual author is responsible for ensuring the correct sale price for her book(s).

*Most all these books are, well, clean. No swearing, or anything that; one or two might be inspirational in theme so do be aware of that if that's not your thing.

***

Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the Gothic fantasy romance LADY OF THE TAROT, now available in Audiobook from Audible and in ebook and paperback, MOURNING DOVE LOCKET, the latest in the Antique Magic paranormal series, also the Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series, as well as the Victorian Romance HOUSE OF DARK ENVY, among others. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.

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Read an ebook week --#ebookweek17 #discount #pnr #mystery #BYNR

  Just a quickie post today. I wanted to give a heads up, I've put MURDER UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR into the Smashwords Read an Ebook sale. On #sale for one more day! Use code RAE50 at checkout for 50% #discount.
You can get it here:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/701095

Get it while it's hot!

If you've already read it, please feel free to pass this notice along to someone you think might enjoy it. :) Have a great weekend, y'all, and thanks for reading!  
***   Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the MOURNING DOVE LOCKET, the latest in the Antique Magic paranormal series, also the Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series, as well as the Victorian Romance HOUSE OF DARK ENVY, among others. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.

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CHRISTMAS SALE on SEVERAL TITLES.

  The following titles are on sale at Amazon for Christmas gifting! Specifically, the paperbacks. :) I hope you find something your recipients will enjoy! (Subscribers, I'm putting this post here to pin).
     ****  

  Murder Upon a Midnight Clear, on sale in paperback. #romance #mystery #pnr #ChristmasWeek  

    WATCHMAKER’S HEART on sale in paperback.  #books #Victorian #Romance #IARTG #BYNR #booksforchristmas #christmasgift #ChristmasWeek           

 

PASSION’S SACRED DANCE is also on sale in paperback.

  #booksforchristmas #christmasgift #ChristmasWeek #paranormal #fantasy #romance
       

***

  Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the MOURNING DOVE LOCKET, the latest in the Antique Magic paranormal series, also the Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series, as well as the Gothic romance LADY OF THE TAROT. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.    

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What mysteries will Caitlin find in the palm of a teen'shand? #new #paranormal snippet #8sunday

What mysteries will Cait find in the palm of a teen's hand? http://bit.ly/2b4xxor #newrelease in Antique Magic #paranormal @julidrevezzo [Tweet this!]

Welcome to yet another Weekend Writing Warriors.

And, yes, my friends, your eyes do not deceive you, the new Antique Magic novel, MOURNING DOVE LOCKET, is here! :) So what are Caitlin and company up to this time? Here's a little taste of the book in 8 lines. A little set up, a teenaged girl has come up to Caitlin in a thrift store and offered her a gold locket, now she's checking with the mother to make certain she has permission to offer it...or that's the plan, anyway, until the teen opens her mouth:

A woman of clear Hispanic descent stood [at a display], perusing [some] items. Caitlin approached her yet her daughter made the introductions. “Mom, she’ll give Abuela her necklace.”


Did the teen have any idea what she said? [Caitlin] peered at the girl. She was no ghost.

The woman blinked dark eyes. “It’s a locket, mija, and you know she doesn’t need it anymore,” she said, a hint of accent to her voice. “Don’t pay any attention to her, ma’am.”

She doesn’t need it anymore. The grandmother might indeed be dead.

***

OOh! So what's Caitlin to do now? How do you give a dead woman back her locket? You'll have to read to find out.



Synopsis:

For antique shop owners Caitlin and Trevor Fulmer, the intrusion of gods and ghosts is an unfortunate daily occurrence. After a young girl offers Caitlin a gold locket, however, she can’t help but notice it’s oozing with paranormal energy.

More significantly, the locket’s owner is surrounded by Otherworld spirits. Caitlin recognizes in the girl all the signs of a budding witch in the midst of a dangerous crisis.

Can she and her covenmates protect the girl and assist her in embracing her powers, before those beyond the veil extract their revenge?

If you'd like to check it out, MOURNING DOVE LOCKET is available now at Amazon and Amazon.uk, and for all other worldwide Amazon stores: here, also: Barnes and Noble, Itunes, and for Kobo, you can also pick up a copy for your e-reader via Smashwords, and in paperback from Createspace.

What mysteries will Cait find in the palm of a teen's hand? http://bit.ly/2b4xxor #newrelease in Antique Magic #paranormal @julidrevezzo [Tweet this!]

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I know, I haven't been around much...#amwriting #amreading #charity

I can't believe we're in May, already, can you? I've not been wasting the year (really, I haven't). I've been working hard! Aside from promoting my latest book, WATCHMAKER'S HEART, I've been going over final edits for *drum roll*...the next novel in the Antique Magic series. :) Yep, it will be coming soon, y'all, I promise and will have that release date to share with ya'll so. *rubs hands* So that has kept me extremely busy.

In the meantime, I've been reading. Finished Patty G.Henderson's latest Brenda Strange novella PEG o' MY HEART. You guys, I love this series. Ghosts,mystery. What's not to love? And a large part of the proceeds from PEG will be going to Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary. So if you want to check it out, now's the time.

Synopsis:
"The song should have ended over sixty years ago, but for some, it still plays on a defunct radio station that burned in 1947. Ghosts are like that."

When Cubbie buys an old Philco radio from the 1930s and brings it home to Malfour House, a mysterious broadcast from a radio station that no longer exists begins to haunt Brenda Strange.

Brenda is lured into an investigation that crosses time and space and brings her face to face with some of her own demons of the heart. Can true love reach through the expanse of time itself? And who are the shadowy Gate Watchers, and can they be agents of Heaven or demons from Hell?

Brenda must race to find the puzzle pieces to solve the mystery of the ghostly broadcast and save the life of Margaret Fields. She confronts a power with the potential to create havoc in our own world.



*shivers* It's good, y'all! I swear, the ghosts made me jump, a few times. And I love the Gate Watchers. (I've been bugging Patty about them ever since. She's keeping her secrets...for now.)

The few times I did sneak out, I didn't leave the camera at home. I thought I'd share a few snaps with y'all. I spotted this guy on a recent walk. (I think he's a spoonbill?)

And I recently had the opportunity to go to a racetrack! That was kinda fun and the horses were gorgeous.

Unfortunately, I wasn't close enough, here, to get clearer pictures. Oh, well. Anyway, that's what I've been up to lately, all while writing and editing (and editing some more!). Happy reading, happy (early!) weekend!

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Brenda Strange Supernatural Mysteries series returns

So my friend and fellow author Patty G. Henderson has a new book out in her Brenda Strange Supernatural Mysteries series. I read the latest installment, PEG 'O MY HEART, recently and loved it. Brenda acquires an old-time radio and when she switches it on, an old song from the forties begins playing.
Only, as she switches through the dials, it seems to be the only song that plays and at the end, the same DJ says the same thing every time. "Dedicated to Peg".

Meanwhile, she learns that the station the radio is locked to is one that burned down at least fifty years ago! What is going on here? That's what Brenda needs to find out...before the haunted radio hypnotizes her.

I've been  a fan of Brenda Strange for a long time, and I found this to be a fine edition to the series--I'm even excited for the next. ;) Meanwhile, as the banner above says, Patty is donating a portion of the proceeds of the sale of PEG 'O MY HEART to Blind Cat Rescue inc. So if you decide to check it out, you're not only getting a good read, but also doing some good for the world. All good, no? If you'd like to check it out, PEG 'O MY HEART is available in Ebook and Paperback at Amazon.

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J.J. DiBenedetto-- New Release: FEVER DREAM--What if you could see everyone else's dreams?

Our friend J.J. DiBenedetto has a new release out  entitled Fever Dreams. I've had those, and man, are they rough.  Anyone who's had one knows what a nightmare (pardon the pun) they are! , So I couldn't resist peeking at the book and inviting him over to tell y'all about it. I hope you will enjoy this little post.

What if you could see everyone else's dreams?

Find out with the Dream Series by J.J. DiBenedetto! Book #9, FEVER DREAM, is out today!
What's the story?

Dr. Sara Alderson isn’t used to her patients dying for no reason. When a young boy succumbs to a mysterious illness that defies all her efforts to treat it, she refuses to accept defeat. After two months of questions, Sara has attracted the attention of powerful people who don’t want their secrets uncovered, and will go to any lengths to make sure they stay hidden. Now, time is running out for Sara to unravel the mystery before anyone else falls victim to the illness. And before her career, her family and her freedom are taken from her by enemies she doesn’t even know she has.

Where can you buy it? Amazon (Kindle or Paperback) Smashwords Barnes & Noble (Nook or Paperback) Apple iBookstore Kobo AllRomanceEbooks

Want to know more? Here's an excerpt!

It’s one in the morning, and the last guests have gone. Other than the cleaning crew, Brian and I are the only ones left in the ballroom. I know we need to leave, but I can’t bear the thought of standing up and trying to walk out of the room, down to the garage and then to the car. I think my feet might literally fall off. “You’re going to have to carry me out of here,” I tell Brian, and he gives me a wicked grin in return. “I was planning on it,” he says, and he stands, takes a deep breath, and lifts me right out of my seat. I yelp and throw my arms around his neck as he carries me out of the room and over to the elevator, barely showing any strain at all. He has to put me down once we get to the elevator, though. “I need a free hand,” he says, hitting the “up” button. But the garage is – oh. I should have known. “You booked a room.” He nods. “And you told my parents we wouldn’t be home tonight.” Another nod. It’s all part of the fantasy, I guess. He’s been imagining that he’s James Bond all night, and after a glitzy evening at the casino, James Bond doesn’t hop into the minivan so he can get home, walk the dog and collapse into bed. No way. He takes his conquest for the evening up to the five-star hotel room, where the champagne is already waiting. On ice, no doubt. The bell dings, he ushers me into the empty elevator, and as the door closes, I feel my fatigue suddenly, instantly, drain away, and I’m all over him. I may not be a fan of those movies, but I know how they go, and it’s not as though I need much of an excuse to throw myself at my husband. By the time the door opens onto the third floor, I’m panting and extricating my hands from his tuxedo jacket. “You woke up in a hurry,” he says, panting himself, pulling his hand off the zipper of my dress, which is already halfway down my back. “Well, I know what you were thinking, and I also know that no girl can resist James Bond, right?” By way of an answer, he leads me down the hall, opens the door to our room, picks me up again and deposits me on the bed. In seconds, he’s finished the job of zipping me right out of my dress, and his tuxedo is in an undignified mess somewhere on the floor. After that – there’s no more thought, just feeling, just his hands and his lips and his – his everything.

Interested in the books that lead up to this one? The first five books in the series are collected in one Kindle Box Set, and it's on sale this weekend for just $0.99!

What if you could see everyone else’s dreams? Sara Barnes has just discovered that she can. And this gift – or curse – will lead her on an extraordinary journey. Follow Sara as her newfound ability leads her into adventures she never imagined. She will hunt down a serial killer, investigate a plot to murder one of her teachers, unravel a conspiracy between a mobster and a corrupt politician and face off against her nemesis: a woman who shares her talent, but uses it to destroy lives rather than save them. And Sara will have to manage all that while finishing college, becoming a doctor and falling in love, too. Here are the first five books of the Dream Series, along with bonus material created especially for this collection. Included in this set are DREAM STUDENT, DREAM DOCTOR, DREAM CHILD, DREAM FAMILY and WAKING DREAM. In addition, you’ll find the short story BETTY & HOWARD’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE starring Sara’s parents. But most of all, when you open this box of dreams, you’ll find romance, suspense, humor and plenty of heart…

Where do you buy it? Amazon Smashwords Barnes & Noble Apple iBookstore Kobo AllRomanceEbooks.com Google Play

What about books #6, 7 and 8?

They're all on sale at Amazon! But I like to listen instead of read! What about audiobooks?
The first five novels and a short story are all available on Audible! And you can hear samples from all of them right here!
So who's the author?
Well, technically, that's a picture of his cat, Danny. Danny is much more photogenic than J.J. is. But J.J. (James, really) is a pretty nice guy. He's a native New Yorker, although he's lived in the Washington, DC area for the last 20 years. He loves the opera, reading, photography, science fiction, fondue, travel and the New York Giants. Oh, and of course Danny, and also of course his lovely and talented wife.

Where can I learn more about him? At his website, on Facebook, on Twitter and at his Amazon Author Page.

Sounds great, James! Thank you for stopping by to tell use about your new release and best of luck with it!

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#BlackFriday paperback and #ebook #sale

Doesn't everyone love unwrapping gifts for Christmas/Yule? Well, I do. I thought then, I'd give you all who like it too a little treat. For Black Friday, the paperbacks of select titles of my body of work will be on sale.

First for the paranormal or Christmas mystery lover, my Christmas paranormal mystery romance MURDER UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR is also on sale. List Price= $8.25, is on sale for $8.05.
'Tis the season ... for death. Murder reminds Detective Helene Collias of Holly PD that crime doesn't respect holidays. And the last victim she ever expected to find in her case files is the sister of her old flame, Sean Grant. Ordinarily, Helene's psychic gifts give her an edge but this time, that gift has short-circuited. Could her lingering attraction to Sean be blurring her abilities, or is something more sinister at work?

This one is...well, a little higher on the heat scale than my other books. If you'd like it, it's available at  Amazon.

For the New Adult fantasy or fairy tale lover, CHANGELING'S CROWN is on sale:

When Ianthe began her career as a faery godmother, she stumbled so badly that Snow White will probably never speak to her again. After a long suspension, she’s finally been given a chance to redeem herself…but everything on this latest assignment is going wrong. But why?

Worse, she definitely doesn’t need an attractive mortal man distracting her from her duties. Of course, needs and wants are two different things.

Briak has had his eye on Ianthe for a very, very long time, but he’s been waiting for just the right moment to make his move. Despite the fact all hell’s about to break loose on his watch...


List Price: $9.50 for $1 off=$8.50. You can order a copy at  Amazon.

The balance between good and evil can be an art... or a curse. Trevor and Caitlin were once happy newlyweds, profiting from Trevor's art. Until Trevor inherits his brother's house, and with it, his part of an old Welsh family curse. Now, Caitlin will stop at nothing to save her beloved husband from insanity and suicide, even if it means she must embrace her destiny and become a witch.

You can get it at Amazon.

And finally, my Celtic flavored paranormal romance, PASSION'S SACRED DANCE.

 Synopsis:
Unless Stacy Macken can stave off her creditors, she may lose her renowned history center. Yet she knows in her heart that the center is sacred and what a catastrophe losing it would be. How much of a catastrophe, she hasn't a clue. Until Aaron Fielding arrives with his tales of magical guardians and the Tuatha dé Danann, sworn warriors from Celtic legend who protect humanity from a wicked enemy seeking their destruction. Is the end of the world imminent? What can she, a modern woman and her warrior lover, possibly have to offer when a long-prophesied druidic mythic battle explodes around them?

Bonus: Includes brand new flash fiction piece, "About A Warrior" You can get it here.

All the other books should all be on sale at Amazon too, but I recommend Createspace for the best deal this morning. I hope you find something you'll enjoy!



Find more of my books here

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New release: Do you sing a mournful melody?

I have a new release! Entitled “Sing A Mournful Melody” it’s a piece I have been sitting on for quite a while. Thanks to my mentor, Patty G. Henderson, it finally sees the light of day. :) Set in 1900, it is a short historical Gothic fantasy–with vampires. :) Yes, yes, I know, but I couldn’t resist. My heroine (Maribelle) needed someone extraordinary to…well, you’ll have to read it yourself to see what she needs him for.

Synposis:

At the turn of the 20th century, tragedy has left Maribelle grief-stricken. After her beloved husband is murdered, his body disappears from his crypt. Worse, ghostly voices call from the widow's Graphophone. Is she losing her mind, or does something wicked this way come?




 Cover art:

 What's a Graphophone, you ask? Well, it's something Alexander Graham Bell created, something of a competitor and precursor to Edison's Gramophone and instead of using a disk for recording and listening, it used a cylinder. They're pretty nifty little devices, so I thought, perfect for Maribelle's home use. But hers is...well, a little...off. You'll have to read to see what I mean. :)

I always hesitate to classify myself, but yeah, I hear tell this is right at home next to Cait and her ghosts. (I tried to get it out by Halloween, but things didn't go to plan....) Still, I do try to channel my inner H.P. Lovecraft on pieces like this. *g* And, of course, there's soundtrack for this one, besides Mozart's Lacrimosa, there's this:


Apparently, it's long enough to warrant a preview on Amazon, so here's a little taste of the opening:


London, 1900
“Jonah, my love,” Maribelle said, leaning her head against the carriage window. “Jonah.” The gloom descended on her beloved’s shining new crypt. No matter she knew the logical truth that the marble had been replaced she could still see its cracks. Weeks had passed since the destruction and yet, she remembered as if it were yesterday. Who had violated this terrible tomb?

No answer here or anywhere. As the carriage pulled away from the graveyard, Maribelle determined that this would be the last time she left him there alone.

Once home, she took in the room: There Jonah’s piano stood underneath the wide windows, strewn with sheet music she dare not touch as if it comprised some necromantic charm to bring him home. Letters from her mother. “Come visit,” they said one after another. “Come ease your grief with us.” Mere visitations wouldn’t lighten her heart, she knew. How could they, when the one balm she needed lay under six feet of cold earth? Like some mummy in the ancient desert.

The Graphophone waited beside this piano-shaped monument of dead wood, eager to fill her lonely nights with Jonah’s music. All she had left of him now...

****

If you would like to read more of the story, "Sing a Mournful Melody" is currently available in Kindle Select/Unlimited. You can get it here.  I've also added it to Good Reads, too. If you'd like to add it to your To Be Read lists you can do so here.

If you'd like to review it on GR or on Amazon, please do. Reviews are very important to authors. I hope you enjoy this short offering. :)


*~*~*~*
Juli D. Revezzo has written the Victorian romance novel WATCHMAKER'S HEART. Check it out at Amazon.

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Distractions, distractions….such a pretty distraction

Here’s another new year, and glad to see Sneak Peek Sunday return. If you don’t know what this is about, author Sara Walter Elwood created a hop to showcase the work of fellow Romance authors, just a snippet or two at a time. For me, here’s a snippet from my romantic paranormal mystery, MURDER UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR, Detective Helene Collias is question the victim’s brother (Sean Grant) during her investigation and Sean’s mind’s wandering a bit.

*~*~

He looked into Helene’s eyes and could see her mind working, as his hadn’t. She took his place and he stepped back, watching her examine his defaced mailbox. He skimmed his gaze over the length of her back. Her shoulders tensed and relaxed as she moved. He wondered if she worked out. Her black slacks fitted to the curve of her butt as if she’d painted them on this morning. She cleared her throat.

Sean’s gaze shot to hers. Her smile flashed so fast, he wasn’t sure he’d seen it. The shame of a scolded school kid bubbled up in him. You expected her not to catch you drooling? “What?”

*~*~

Synopsis:

Tis the season … for death.

Murder reminds Detective Helene Collias of Holly PD that crime doesn’t respect holidays. And the last victim she ever expected to find in her case files is the sister of her old flame, Sean Grant. Ordinarily, Helene’s psychic gifts give her an edge but this time, that gift has short-circuited. Could her lingering attraction to Sean be blurring her abilities, or is something more sinister at work?

If you’d like to read more, MURDER UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR is available for Kindle and in paperback.

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The Secret of Lighthouse Pointe by Patty G. Henderson

In Indie supernatural suspense author Patty G. Henderson’s recent title The Secret of Lighthouse Pointe, she delves into a somewhat new form, a Lesbian Gothic Romantic Suspense. She sets her heroine in the time of the War of 1812. Desperate after losing her job as a milliner, Constance Beechum considers suicide a viable alternative.

Until she receives a letter from her uncle asking her to become caretaker of a dying woman in Castine, Maine. She immediately packs what little she owns and moves to Maine. Here, she meets the Elizabeth Gerard’s strange family, Roger, Edward and Catherine Gerard. There’s something weird about all of them; the dying Elizabeth seems to be the only normal one in the bunch. And then there’s the handsome, mysterious George Kane.

Constance doesn’t know what to make of any of her new acquaintances, but she knows to tread lightly, as both Edward and Roger want nothing more than to get her into their beds. She, however, wants neither of them. More importantly, the men are waiting for their aged, infirm mother to die so they can get their hands on a great treasure, supposedly discovered by their grandfather in the early 1700s. Constance must tread lightly and do the best she can to ease Elizabeth’s final days. But what are those strange lights she’s seeing from the nearby lighthouse, who are the hooded men she’s seen in the hallway and outside, in town; and why does she find George Kane so appealing? Odd that, when she doesn’t usually go for his type.

You’ll have to read to find out!

Yes, Ms. Henderson experimented with a new form in her The Secret of Lighthouse Pointe, harkening back to the Gothics of the 60s and 70s, but her usual hallmarks are here. If you enjoyed her Brenda Strange novels, I think you will enjoy this too. I did. If you’d like to give it a try it’s available at Amazon for Kindle and Paperback, and also for Epub through Lulu.com.

Also, while we have your attention, I interviewed Patty this week on my main blog. Don't miss the Q and A, here.

*~*~*~*
Juli D. Revezzo has written the Victorian romance novel WATCHMAKER'S HEART. Check it out at Amazon.

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Saturday steam and Kitties

Hi all, I've been ill the last few days, so do forgive the lack of posts. Haven't been able to look at a computer screen without getting all queasy. *blech* It also made me totally forget Suzanne. I'm pleased to announce I am guest today over at the lovely Suzanne Lazear's group blog Steamed.

The post is here: http://wp.me/pukAW-1lm
Do please share and stop by to say hi, if you wish. ;)

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Patty G. Henderson’s Bag of Souls

cover art by Boulevard
Photographica

The Brenda Strange Files: “The Bag of Souls”
An Unsolved Brenda Strange Case
by Patty G. Henderson
review copy acquired by personal purchase

Award-winning supernatural mystery author Patty G. Henderson revisits our favorite P.I. sending Brenda to Milport, Maine to see an old friend of hers. Dana and her partner Cheryl have a very odd tale to tell our dear Brenda. Paranormal activity, they say in their letter. It’s enough to entice Brenda to brave the late fall chill.

The women tell her they’ve found a bag hanging in their tree. When they removed it, they found it empty. Suddenly they began experiencing strange nightmares, they’ve heard noises they can’t explain. Dana even claims she fears something is trying to possess her. They fear something even worse is on the horizon.
Intrigued, Brenda agrees to stay with them for a night.

What happens during the night? You’ll have to read to find out. The Brenda Strange Files: “The Bag of Souls” An Unsolved Brenda Strange Case is a short little entry in the Brenda Strange Supernatural Mysteries—and one very creepy one! As usual, Patty G. Henderson has done an excellent job, evoking a sense of mystery into even the most mundane of situations. Her handling of the supernatural elements is one to be admired. If you’ve never read any Brenda Strange books before this just might be an excellent introduction, and for fans, it’s an intriguing little nibble. Do check it out. It’s available at Amazon for Kindle*.

*Where I purchased my reading copy.
*~*~*

For more information on Patty G. Henderson see her website at: http://www.pattyghenderson.com/

or her blog: http://thehendersonfiles.blogspot.com/

or her graphic arts design site at: http://boulevardphotografica.yolasite.com/

Want more of Patty's works? You can see my review of her previous Brenda Strange title, Ximora, here.

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Meet an author Monday at Gabriella Hewitt's

Featuring…shucks, thanks, Gabriella!  I’m over at her blog today with a little more about Dark Things II: Cat Crimes. If you’d me to see it, it’s here:
http://www.gabriellahewitt.com/2012/05/21/meet-an-author-monday-maybe-the-cat-did-it-j-d-revezzo/

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A colorful style of sleuthing

Avon Books

Index to Murder
by Jo Dereske
published by Avon Books
cover art credit: Avon Books

My review copy came from the local library.

In Index to Murder, the latest in Jo Dereske’s Miss Zukas Mysteries, she has Wilhemina (Helma) Zukas, her librarian heroine pondering her way through the mystery of who has broken into the home of her best friend, the artist Ruth Winthrop, and stolen two of Ruth’s paintings. Ruth has recently gone through a painful break up with her boyfriend Paul and the split inspired a series of works, all based on Ruth’s former lovers.

Well, not only have the paintings gone missing, but the two lovers depicted in them have turned up dead. And Ruth drags Helma into the trouble, where the two put their heads together, try to solve the mystery, both inside and outside Helma’s beloved Bellehaven Public Library. Meanwhile, Ms. Moon, the head librarian at Bellehaven Public Library is injured, and tries to pull the whole library staff into her latest figurative assault against the town mayor’s argument against allocating funds for a new library she craves. Surely somehow this accident can be used to change his mind. What the woman doesn’t know is it may give a clue as to who stole Ruth’s paintings, and why. Then there’s the mysterious environmental group Ground Up! And Helma still has to make a decision on where she sees her tentative relationship with chief of police Wayne Gallant going.

This one was recommended to me by the librarians at the local library, and I must say, I found it a very enjoyable read. Jo Dereske’s Index to Murder, the eleventh title in the Miss Zukas Mysteries, has a lot going on in a few short 259 pages. But it’s an intriguing little whodunit, at times, sweet, and incredibly funny, that I think most cozy mystery fans will enjoy. If you’d like to give it a try, I’m sure you can find a copy at the library, or at any Barnes and Noble. Or you can find it in paperback, or ebook, online at the usual spots, Amazon, and the barnes and noble website.


My rating? Well, I really enjoyed it, it's funny, it's interesting, and I loved the characters, so I have to do it:


For More info on author Jo Dereske and her works, see here website at: http://jodereske.com/
*~*~*
(As usual, there's a slightly different version of this review up at The Examiner. If you could, please, give it a click here, I'd be appreciative.)

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Guest Post: Patty G. Henderson

Today we have a treat for our readers. Supernatural mystery author Patty G. Henderson gave us a little of her time recently, and as a result, we have a Q and A for you, and a giveaway. :) Read below to find out what she said when we asked her to tell us about her Brenda Strange series, and the latest title Ximora.

What was the inspiration for Ximora?

Patty: My Brenda Strange series is a blend of my love for the mystery genre and also for my roots and love of the horror/supernatural genre. I always decide what interesting topic in the supernatural realm that might make a good case for Brenda to get involved in. For XIMORA, I’ve always had a fascination with giant statues or just statues that come to life and threaten the populace in general, so I figured why not combine that with a bit of the Pygmalion and Galatea and ancient Greek and Amazon warrior mythology and have some fun.

What kind of research did you have to do, in order to write the book?

Patty: I spent lots of time online researching Amazon lore and myth as well as making use of some of my books on Amazon names and legends and Greek mythology.

Who's your favorite character in this particular book?

Patty: Well, Brenda Strange is one of my fave characters of all my creations, but I think in this book, I really enjoyed meeting the Winters side of Brenda’s family and especially the delightfully deceptive and wicked cousin Cecily. And I like getting to know the tender side of Detective Lisa Chambliss. And who can not love Cubbie? LOL. Okay, you see, I love all the characters.

What's next for you, now that Ximora is out?

Patty: I love this question because I love talking books. I have lots of irons in the fire and I honestly don’t know which one will be the first one to emerge. LOL. I’m getting the most progress with my new Gothic Romantic Suspense, THE SECRET OF LIGHTHOUSE POINTE. This book is a real deviation for me because I’ve been writing supernatural and horror literature since the 1970s and couldn’t stop writing in the genre even if I wanted to….which I don’t. But I wanted to try my hand at something a little bit different. I have always had a love affair with those old paperbacks from the 1960s that were all over bookstores, drugstores and anyplace that sold paperbacks with gloomy, dark castles in the background and a damsel in distress in the forefront, trying desperately to escape. You’d have to read the book to find out what she was running away from, but usually some brooding bad guy. These were short books, slim on characterization and heavy on the plot and suspense, atmosphere and mystery. Most of them didn’t involve the supernatural but some did have ghosts and some were historicals, set in the past. THE SECRET OF LIGHTHOUSE POINTE will be different in that the brooding, good looking guy that eventually comes to the rescue will be a woman. I write fiction for the lesbian reading community and thought this might be a welcome respite from my horror books and offer a different take on the old Gothic Romances.

Awesome! I'll be looking forward to that. :)

Patty: I’m also hoping to keep working on the next Brenda Strange book, THE SHADOWS. I’ll be introducing an interesting group of bizarre women in the story along with the usual cast of characters like the ghosts Angelique and Carlotta, Cubbie, Eddy and the intrepid Detective Lisa Chambliss. And I’m still plugging away, although at a slower pace, on the second Karnov vampire book, THE BLOOD RUNS COLD. So you see, aren’t you sorry you asked the question? LOL.

(blog mistress note: No, I am not, actually. :) I'll be looking forward to reading them!)

What's a good writing day like for you?

Patty: A good writing day is any day I write. I find that I’m writing less now that I’m out of work than I was writing when I worked a full time job. I think it just boils down to routine and regiment. I’ve taken to heading out to the library in the early part of the day and getting some writing down on paper. I never write a book the same way. Some of my books have been written almost entirely on the computer or keyboard while others, I like to write on a yellow notepad first with a pen or pencil and then transfer over. I’m enjoying scribbling on paper for THE SECRET OF LIGHTHOUSE POINTE. Because I take care of my mom full time, I can only write when I get the chance to find that inner Muse and a peaceful place to write. I have to recipe or advice on writing.

Oh, my! Sounds really interesting! So, what type of books do you like to read, for your own enjoyment?

Patty: I still enjoy a good supernatural thriller but also pick up lots of cozy and historical mystery books. I don’t read romances or much literary stuff. Political books are a real interest for me.

And, if you had to have a particular paranormal power (like Brenda does) what would it be--aside from, you know, saving the world? ;)

Patty: A very interesting question. Since Brenda, with the publication of XIMORA, has now picked up some extraordinary new powers, I think I would like the power to heal like she did in the book. Even though the power has the potential to affect her negatively, who wouldn’t want to save a life?

And, finally, what can your fans expect from you, in the future?

Patty: Exciting things. I’m all over the place. Besides all the books I’m working on, I’ve also jumped into publishing. Check out my Black Car Publishing web site at: http://www.blackcarpublishing.yolasite.com/ for all the information. I also continue to offer my graphic services for custom book cover creations. Please check out my online portfolio at: http://boulevardphotografica.blogspot.com/ for a look at some of the covers I’ve done. And I’ve also recently done a movie poster for a local movie maker.

So you're one busy gal! Cool. :) We'll be looking forward to all that. Anything else to add, before we go, Patty?

Patty: Don’t forget to check out my author web site: www.pattyghenderson.com and also my blog, The Henderson Files: http://thehendersonfiles.blogspot.com/ Thank you, Juli, for the opportunity to have some fun with the questions.

You're most welcome. Drop by anytime, Patty. :) And thank you for your time, and the wonderful Brenda Strange series. As ever, we wish you all the best with it!


Folks, would you like to win a copy of Ximora and some pretty bookmarks? Then see the Ximora giveaway post for details on how to do that. Giveaway closes Wednesday night. Good luck!


:) There you are. We hope you’ve enjoyed this chat, and good luck to all who enter the giveaway!

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Hide by Lisa Gardner

Hide
by Lisa Gardner
My review copy purchased locally.

In her 2007 novel Hide, Lisa Gardner’s popular detectives D.D. Warren and Bobby Dodge are faced with a stumping, horrid crime when they discover an underground bunker. The contents? The mummified remains of six little girls. One of the remains bears a locket with the name of Annabelle Granger. As they are logging the pieces of the puzzle into their files, the news gets wind of the locket, and suddenly, this young woman appears in D.D.’s office, claiming her name is Annabelle Granger.

The story gets even stranger from there, as Annabelle explains that, around the date that bunker was last frequented, she was eight years old, and living with her family in Tampa, Florida, before moving on, over and over again, to different places. And she’d only returned to Boston, five years ago.

As curious as all this makes the two detectives, it doesn’t answer the question of who committed these poor little girls murders, and why. But Annabelle is more disturbed by the questions that come up regarding the little girl who was killed in her place (no less than a onetime friend of hers), what Annabelle’s own mobile childhood, and her father’s need to make it so, might have to do with the murders.

What’s going on here? Well, you know, dear readers, I can’t say! At any rate, Lisa Gardner’s Hide is a very intricate and thrilling mystery, and one that I think any lover of authors such as Thomas Harris and Karen Rose will enjoy. You can no doubt find Lisa Gardner’s books, Hide included, at the usual Borders, Barnes and Noble, no doubt, and of course, Amazon.

My rating?

I've also posted a variation of this review at the Examiner, here, if you would like to give it a click. :)

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Pre-published authors, self-publishing, and Kindle

For lack of a better title....At any rate, that's the jist of an interesting guest post at my the Henderson Files today. If you interested in the idea of getting your own books out there in the world one day, and seeing them sell, do check out Robert W. Walker's post here.

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Meg Cabot does it again. :)

Size 12 Is Not Fat
by Meg Cabot
Copy came from: some bookstore around town (I've had it so long, I forget which)

Since I've been a fan of hers for several years, I guess it's no surprise that I'd review yet another of Meg Cabot's novels. So when my hubby and I were out and about...uh,...a year ago(?) and ran across this, I couldn't pass it up. And we read it, together, over the course of,...however long we've had it. And even he was tickled by the antics of its main characters Heather and Cooper. :) (Boys, take note: Ms. Cabot isn't just for girls!)

Size 12 Is Not Fat is the first in Meg Cabot's Heather Wells mystery series, released in 2006, and introduces us to late-20-something ex-teen pop star, Heather Wells. Heather is living life as the assistant director of a New York College dorm--I mean, residence hall--coming to grips with lost fame, and a series of betrayals, and spending her days assisting students, while also taking care of the books for her roommate (and her ex-boyfriend’s brother)—detective Cooper Cartwright—who, incidentally, Heather has a mad crush on; but he only dates brainy types. (Or does he? She can hope, can’t she?).


When first one New York College female student, then a second, dies in “elevator surfing”, Heather’s active imagination goes into overdrive. Certainly girls don’t elevator surf, so what’s the next logical explanation? Heather, turning amateur sleuth, is convinced they’ve been murdered. The problem is, she’s unable to convince anyone of her theory—Cooper doesn’t even believe her, which really grates, since she considers him to be her Mr. Right. And could it be that the college president’s son is tied up in all this?

When the threats start turning Heather’s way, and Cooper has no choice but to help her investigation—if he wants to keep her alive. What do they find out? And can Heather escape a maniac? You'll have to read this one to find out!

My verdict? As usual, with any Meg Cabot, I loved it. Yep. This is another fun read, with some shocking surprises (I won’t reveal what). If you’d like to try Size 12 is Not Fat, you can find it at any local Borders or Barnes and Noble (where they’re most likely shelved in the literature section as opposed to the YA section). Of course you can also get a copy online at Amazon, Borders’ website and Barnes and Noble’s website. So if you like humor, mystery, and pop culture mayhem, do check out Size 12 is Not Fat. I think you will enjoy it!

Both hubby and I loved it, so if  we were to grade it, well, yeah:

(Also, I've a full/different version of this review up at the Examiner, here, if you'd like to give it a click.)

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A review of Patty G. Henderson's Ximora

XIMORA
by Patty G. Henderson
Publisher: Black Car Publishing
cover design: Boulevard Photografica
Review copy provided by Patty G. Henderson.

Patty G. Henderson's latest Brenda Strange mystery novel, Ximora, sees Brenda Strange having barely recovered from the death of her lover Tina two years ago, when Tampa cop Lisa comes requesting her assistance in a murder case. Something seems to be hunting the young men in town, as two bodies have been found butchered, their bodies drained of blood, and with odd words carved into their chests in what looks like Greco-Roman letters. Lisa charges Brenda with the task of finding out what those symbols may mean; when a brief meeting with an acquaintance of Lisa’s, a history professor, gives her nothing but a cold response, it leads her into a new conflict. Add to that the news that Brenda’s grandmother has passed away, leaving her with a startling bequest: box that only she can open and the news that she is a witch, the hope of her family, it’s a little too much to bear. Especially since she only just reemerged from her grief over Tina’s death.

Who is Professor Amanda? What does she want with Lisa, and what connection does she really have to the stunning statue of the Amazon warrior Ximora that she keeps in her office? What exactly is the statue and how might it relate to the murders plaguing Tampa streets? And will Lisa and her family, in deed will Brenda, survive to really sort out what they discover? You’ll have to read to find out.

Patty G. Henderson delivers yet another intense work in her latest novel, Ximora, one that, again, as always, leaves us thrilled, and looking forward to what her creative mind might offer next! :) This one was released through Black Car Publishing, and you can find a copy at Lulu.com , or at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, of if you'd like to get it through my Amazon link over there (points to left column) that be fine too. The book is available in trade paperback and Kindle.


my rating? Five pearls.

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