Thursday, July 30, 2020

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE - PIECE BY PIECE ~

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~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~
--  'PIECE BY PIECE'  --
AUTHOR LAURA BRADFORD
~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, Author Bio,
Unique Author Interview & Giveaway~
 
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Piece by Piece JustRead Blog Tour 

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Piece by Piece by Laura Bradford, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

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ABOUT THE BOOK

 

Piece by Piece Title: Piece by Piece
Author: Laura Bradford
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Release Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: Christian Contemporary Amish Romance

A grieving mother learns to heal in Amish country, in this heartfelt, beautifully told novel from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.

Danielle Parker is a gold-medal mom—the kind who volunteers in her children’s classrooms, shuttles them between activities, throws legendary birthday parties, and has a remedy on hand for any emergency. Whatever her husband, Jeff, and their children need, Dani is there, always.

Except for one day.

On that day—the day that Dani reluctantly takes some “me time” while her mom and Jeff drive the children to the park—the unthinkable happens. The car crash leaves no survivors. Somehow, Dani gets through the funerals and visits, accepting neighbors’ sympathy and dropped-off meals. All the while, guilt and grief make her wish the accident had claimed her life too. Then a call comes from Lydia Schlabach, an Amish woman Dani befriended in childhood. In addition to condolences, Lydia offers Dani something more: a place to escape to.

In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Dani’s days take on a new rhythm, marked by the clip-clop of buggies and the bustle of chores. Lydia gives Dani space to mourn, to think, and to realize how long it’s been since she felt like a person in her own right. And with the help of friendships old and new, Dani learns about the ways life continues to surprise us—even after the deepest loss—with joy, love, and second chances. . . .

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & NobleBook Depository | Christianbook

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Bradford

Laura Bradford is the national bestselling author of more than 35 books and stories, including her latest novel, Piece by Piece. Her first women’s fiction novel, Portrait of a Sister, was a July 2018 Book Club Pick for Delilah of Delilah Radio and a Summer Book Club pick for Southern Lady Magazine.

Laura also pens several mystery series including; An Amish Mystery series, the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, the Tobi Tobias Mysteries, and the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey). She is a former Agatha Award nominee, and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award in romance. Laura enjoys baking, spending time with her family, and being an advocate for those living with multiple sclerosis. Learn more at: https://www.laurabradford.com/


June:  Welcome to Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic, Laura! Congratulations on your recent release from 'Piece by Piece'.

Laura:  Thank you!!

June:  What inspired you to write the story of the main character, Danielle 'Dani' Parker, in 'Piece by Piece'?

Laura:  In the midst of a personal tragedy a few years ago, I came across this quote:  "Friends are Angels that lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."

At the time, it was as if whoever wrote those words, had written them just for me. But they weren’t. They were written, I’m sure, for the truth that they are to so many people. Because even in the darkest of times, kindness will always bring light.

Dani’s story embodies this very quote.

June:  Did you perform any research while writing this book? Is there anything new that you learned through your research that made you reconsider your vision and/or content for the book?

Laura: I spend time in Pennsylvania’s Amish Country before I write each and every one of my Amish-based books. It helps me to reacquaint myself with the pacing and the people. This book though, has a non-Amish main character.

June:  Do you have a favorite character in this story? Why is he/she your favorite?

Laura: Interesting question. I’m drawn to Dani, of course, but it’s the people around her who really spoke to me. Lydia, the childhood friend, who opens her home to Dani… Caleb, Lydia’s brother, who tries so hard to say the right thing but doesn’t always succeed… And Nettie, Lydia’s young daughter, who—despite her age—plays a pivotal role in Dani’s healing.    

June:  What are your plans for your next writing project? What other fiction projects are you considering for the future?

Laura: My next women’s fiction novel, Her New Story, has already been written and is in the hands of my editor at Kensington Publishing. The book is slated for a Sept. 2021 release.

Beyond that, I’m excited to share that I have a brand new cozy mystery series that will debut in summer 2021 with Berkley Prime Crime/Penguin Random House. When I’m able to reveal more details (including titles and covers), I will do so via my newsletter. Readers can sign up for that on my website: www.laurabradford.com

June:  I noticed you love to visit Disney World and the sea lions at the Central Park Zoo. What new adventures would you like to take in the future? Any dream vacations or new hobbies you would like to try?

Laura: I’ve always wanted to go to London as I’m rather fascinated by the monarchy. I’d hoped to take my daughters there next spring as a yay-my-days-of-paying-college-tuition-are-now-over trip, but with the current world health crisis, I’ve decided to push that back until sometime in the first half of 2022.

June:  Thank you for joining us for a chat today, Laura. Wishing you much success in your writing endeavors and great happiness in your family life.

Laura:  Thanks for having me!


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CONNECT WITH LAURA: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive an "Escape Into a Laura Bradford book" tote & winner's choice of Portrait of a Sister or A Daughter's Truth!

Piece by Piece JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight July 28, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on August 4, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

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Wednesday, July 29, 2020

~ QUOTE TOUR RUBY MOON HISTORICAL FICTION ~

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 ~ QUOTE TOUR ~
--  'RUBY MOON'  --
Historical Fiction 
AUTHOR JENNIFER KNIPFER



 
Purchase Link:  https://amzn.to/3eImjEQ

'Ruby Moon' embodies a tale of grief, guilt, and romance set on the shores of Lake Superior in Ontario during the mid 1890s. Jenay, a young woman of mixed French and Ojibwe descent, must survive the trauma of causing a horrific accident. Her maturity accelerates as the challenges of grief and romance enter the scene.

Amidst this drama, Jenay is caught in a web spun by Renault, a rich, charming man who once threatened ruination of her father's shipping company but now seeks something even more valuable—Jenay. Renault, her past enemy, suddenly becomes her friend, then something more . . . Will she leave the man she loves for this new-found affection?

Jenay must find where her strength lies in order to face the challenges life brings her or be washed away like driftwood on the tumultuous shores of Lake Superior. Life's richest dramas are played out under the banner of two ruby-colored moons and become the hidden gems which forge her into a mature strong woman. Jenay realizes God is by her side, using even the harsh events of life to create something precious in her.



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Tuesday, July 28, 2020

~ BLOG BLITZ HARMFUL HAVEN ~

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~ BLOG BLITZ ~
--  'HARMFUL HAVEN'  --
AUTHOR EMILY YAGER
~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight,
Excerpt, Author Bio & Giveaway~
  
Harmful Haven JustRead Blog Blitz 

Welcome to the Blog Blitz & Giveaway for Harmful Haven by Emily Yager, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

Harmful Haven by Emily Yager
Title:  Harmful Haven 
Author: Emily Yager 
Release Date: August 2020 
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Everyone has secrets...Yet not everyone has lives depending on them being kept.

Following in her mother's footsteps, Inessa Jo Ellingson, a trained nurse, uses her home as a secret safe haven for abuse victims. When unusual incidents start to turn into threats, Inessa works diligently to protect her secret and the safety of those who depend on her.

Retired Marine Sergeant, Torian von Arx, hired to find a missing person meets the stubborn Inessa who seems determined to stall his mission. As trouble brews, he feels compelled to protect her against the secret that threatens to destroy them both.

Will they be able to trust each other in time to save the others?

EXCERPT:  

She admired her parents and everything they had achieved. Even her older brother made something of his life. She felt like a failure. No job. On the verge of destroying the very thing her family worked hard to protect. Hiding from her troubles in her mother's pantry.

Her spoon clunked the side of the metal bowl. Scrapping the bowl for the last bit of honey mousse.

“I know you’re in there.” Torian’s voice sounded along with a knock that echoed through her small space. “You can’t hide in there forever.”

She scooted deeper into the dark corner. Tears soaked her face. She did not want anyone to see her like this.

In silence she waited. Hoping he’d walk away and leave her to wallow in her misery alone. Just like everyone else did. Just as God’s voice had abandoned her.

“I’m not leaving until your arm is patched up. Is it still bleeding? Inessa?” His voice softened as he said her name. The latch on the door jiggled. “Inessa unlock this door or I’m taking the hinges off. Inessa, please. I need to know you’re okay.”

PURCHASE LINKS*:   Goodreads | Amazon
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily Yager 

Emily Yager writes Inspirational Romance and Romantic Suspense novels set among the lakes, rivers, and north woods of Minnesota. When Emily is not writing, she is collecting plants, listening to music, searching for a new history book to explore, or dealing with the dramas of a bi-polar prima donna canine and writing puppy sidekick, Xian. She lives on the family farm in northwestern Minnesota.

CONNECT WITH EMILY: Website | Facebook Twitter | Instagram


TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!

Harmful Haven JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight July 27, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on August 3, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

 

 
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
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Monday, July 27, 2020

GREAT ESCAPES BLOG TOUR FOR DERAILED

~ BLOG TOUR STOP ~
--  'DERAILED'  --
AUTHOR MARY KELIIKOA
~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight,
Character Interview, Excerpt,
Author Bio & Giveaway~


Derailed (A Kelly Pruett Mystery) by Mary Keliikoa
 
About Derailed 
 
 

 Derailed (A Kelly Pruett Mystery) Mystery/Cozy Mystery 1st in Series 
Publisher: Epicenter Press (May 12, 2020)  
Paperback: 232 pages ISBN-10: 1603817069 ISBN-13: 978-1603817066 Digital ASIN: B084XX4C9D

 
A dying wish. A secret world. Can this grieving investigator stay on the right track?
 
PI Kelly Pruett is determined to make it on her own. And juggling clients at her late father’s detective agency, a controlling ex, and caring for a deaf daughter was never going to be easy. She takes it as a good sign when a letter left by her dad ties into an unsolved case of a young woman struck by a train.
 
Hunting down the one person who can prove the mysterious death was not just a drunken accident, Kelly discovers this witness is in no condition to talk. And the closer she gets to the truth the longer her list of sleazy suspects with murderous motives grows. Each clue exposes another layer of the victim's steamy double life.
 
Can Kelly pinpoint the murderer, or is she on the fast track to disaster? If you like intricate family dynamics, secrets, including plot twists and turns, then this story is for you. DERAILED is the first book in the Kelly Pruett Mystery series.

EXCERPT:  Chapter 1


Portland, Oregon has as many parts as the human anatomy. Like the body, some are more attractive than others. My father’s P.I. business that I’d inherited was in what many considered the armpit, the northeast, where pickpockets and drug dealers dotted the narrow streets and spray paint tags of bubble-lettered gang signatures striped the concrete. In other words, home. I’m Kelly Pruett and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

I’d just finished invoicing a client for a skip trace and flicked off the light in the front office my dad and I used to share when a series of taps came from the locked front door. It was three o’clock on a gloomy Friday afternoon. A panhandler looking for a handout or a bathroom was my best guess. Sitting at the desk, I couldn’t tell.

Floyd, my basset hound and the only real man in my life, lifted his droopy eyes to meet mine before flopping his head back down on his bed. No help there.

Another rap, louder this time.

Someone wanted my attention. I retrieved the canister of pepper spray from my purse and opened the door to a woman, her umbrella sheltering her from the late October drizzle. Her angle made it hard to see her face, only the soft curls in her hair and the briefcase hanging from her hand. I slipped the pepper spray into the pocket of my Nike warmup jacket.

“Is Roger Pruett in?” she asked, water droplets splatting the ground.

She hadn’t heard the news and I hadn’t brought myself to update R&K Investigation’s website. I swallowed the lump before it could form and clutch my throat. “No, sorry,” I said. “My dad died earlier this year. I’m his daughter, Kelly.”

“I’m so sorry.” She peered from under the umbrella, her expression pinched. She searched my face for a different answer.

I’d give anything to have one. “What do you need?”

“To hire a P.I. to investigate my daughter’s death. Can you help me?” Her voice cracked.

My stomach fluttered. Process serving, court document searches, and the occasional tedious stakeout had made up the bulk of my fifteen hundred hours of P.I. experience requirement. Not that I wasn’t capable of more. Dad had enjoyed handling cases himself with the plan to train me later. In the year since his death, no one had come knocking, and going through the motions of what I knew how to do well had been hard enough. Now this lady was here for my father’s help. I couldn’t turn her away. I raked my fingers through the top of my shoulder length hair and opened the door. “Come in.”

~ Character Interview
with PI Kelly Pruett ~

June: Welcome to Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic, Kelly. Glad you could stop by to spend a few moments with us chatting about your job and personal life.

June: What type of education, training, and/or licensing were you required to complete before becoming a private investigator?

Kelly: Thank you for having me! In the State of Oregon, I’m required to complete 1500 hours of training. That can be a combination of things from classes to on-the-job. But I’m also required to be bonded and insured and I have to pass a proficiency test. There’s also some yearly continuing ed requirements too.

My dad was my mentor, which meant that most of my training came from him. At least in theory. Until I took on my first case, I really hadn’t done a lot of actual investigating.

June: Did you always want to be a PI or did you fall into the profession because it was your father's dream that you join him in his agency?

Kelly: I really loved being around my dad. He was so good at what he did, and helped so many people. Wherever he was, I wanted to be. And that included working in his offices as a kid and then definitely, wanting to be a PI.

I’m not sure it was his dream that I actually follow him into the investigative work, despite his promises that he’d train me. He kept me protected, running to the courthouse, serving documents and the occasional stakeout. Unfortunately, he died before I did get that full training and that posed a steep learning curve when I took on my first case.

June: What is the most interesting aspect of your job? On the flip side, what is the most tedious aspect of your job? Are there any duties you loathe?

Kelly: Well chasing down a murder suspect has definitely been the most interesting. Although I do love searching through social media. People like to brag, and that’s helped me find right where people are and what they’re doing. The annoying part of being a PI is that people are always lying to me though, and I’m constantly trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not.

Stake outs rank as most tedious. But Floyd, my cohort, and the only real man in my life, keeps me company. So we muddle through.

I think handing documents to some wife beater counts as the most loathsome task, however, mostly because it’s hard to contain myself when I meet someone like that.

June: What are your career goals for the future? Do you envision making a commitment to continue working as a PI for the next few years? If you don't wish to continue in this dangerous line of work, what other job(s) might you seek?

Kelly: I’ve been helping my dad for so long, I don’t know what else I’d do if I wasn’t doing PI work. I will admit there are a few times that being a coffee barista has crossed my mind because, well, coffee foremost, but also a bit safer. But I have a feeling I’d be bouncing off the walls in no time. And I’m simply not built mentally or physically for a long-term desk job. In answer—yes, I think I’m going to stick to being a PI.

June: Tell us about some fun things you and your daughter do to unwind together. What are your personal hobbies, if you have any time to spare away from the office?

Kelly: I have to admit I am a workaholic and have not been much of a hobby person. But Mitz definitely helps me get out of my working rut. A Saturday night cuddled on the couch watching a movie of her choice and a bowl of popcorn is one of our favorite activities. We also love the Oregon Zoo.

In truth, I’ve spent much of my life doing for other people. First taking care of my dad after my mom died, then being a wife to the boy next door, and with Mitz being deaf getting her set up for success in the world. With my dad gone now, and my divorce final and shared custody with Mitz, for the first time I’m finding out who I am and what I want. I have a feeling it’s going to be a process, but I’m ready for the ride.


About Mary Keliikoa

Mary Keliikoa spent the first 18 years of her adult life working around lawyers. Combining her love of all things legal and books, she creates a twisting mystery where justice prevails. She has had a short story published in Woman’s World and is the author of the PI Kelly Pruett Mystery Series.

At home in Washington, she enjoys spending time with her family and her writing companions/fur-kids. When not at home, you can find Mary on a beach on the Big Island where she and her husband recharge. But even under the palm trees and blazing sun she’s plotting her next murder—novel that is.

Author Links Website: www.marykeliikoa.com 
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Keliikoa/e/B084Y77521  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mary.Keliikoa.Author/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mary_keliikoa  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Mary.Keliikoa.Author/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-keliikoa Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20038534.Mary_Keliikoa 

Purchase Links - Bookshop - B&N - Amazon 

GIVEAWAY:
 a Rafflecopter giveaway  

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:  
July 21 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW July 21 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW  
July 22 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT  
July 22 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW  
July 23 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT  
July 23 – The Book Decoder – AUTHOR INTERVIEW  
July 24 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT  
July 25 – Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my! – REVIEW  
July 26 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST  
July 27 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW  
July 28 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – CHARACTER INTERVIEW  
July 29 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog - CHARACTER INTERVIEW  
July 29 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT  
July 30 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW  
July 31 - eBook addicts – REVIEW  
August 1 - That's What She's Reading – REVIEW, GUEST POST  
August 2 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT  
August 3 – I'm All About Books - SPOTLIGHT 

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~ NEW SEWING PATTERN FABRIC FLOWER TOWELS ~

~ NEW SEWING PATTERN FABRIC FLOWER TOWELS ~