LET'S GET COZY! DROP DEAD BEAUTY: AN AUTHOR INTERVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

WHAT AN EXCITING WAY TO START OFF

THE MONTH OF JUNE! AN INTERVIEW

WITH AUTHOR WENDY ROBERTS!

 GIVEAWAY ENDED 
DROP DEAD BEAUTY

A Ghost Dusters Mystery

BY WENDY ROBERTS

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Crime scene cleaner and amateur medium Sadie Novak’s ability to talk to the dead is a sure-fire way to solve crimes, but sometimes Sadie thinks she’d prefer a channel into the minds of the living instead...

While attempting to renew her relationship with on-again-off-again boyfriend Zack, Sadie discovers something that throws her romantic plans for a loop. With her love life in shambles, Sadie needs a distraction from all the drama. But sometimes, getting what you wish for isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

For the first time, the noble detective who’s repeatedly saved Sadie’s backside finds himself on the wrong end of a homicide investigation. Sadie is determined to prove that Dean Petrovich was framed for his ex-wife’s murder. But when her investigative trip to the crime scene—a luxurious day spa—puts the killer hot on her trail, Sadie will have to put all of her problems aside to keep from dropping dead..
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Wendy Roberts was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, where she fended off frost bite in winter and mosquito bites in summer.

At the tender age of eight Wendy's writing career sprouted and she wrote the poignant tale of a cup of flour's journey to become a birthday cake. It received mixed reviews from her peers. After a hiatus that lasted a few decades, she rediscovered her muse.

An armchair sleuth, fan of all things mysterious but a huge chicken at heart, Wendy's mind is often in a secretive, cloak and dagger world of intrigue. In reality her physical presence is frequently required in more commonplace paternal duties like chauffeur, chef and referee.

Wendy resides in the Pacific Northwest along with her husband and four children. She is currently at work on her next novel.

AN INTERVIEW WITH WENDY ROBERTS:
1.  Where did you get the inspiration or idea for this book?
I belong to Crimescenewriter, an author information group with law enforcement professionals who routinely answer questions. While obtaining details about a crime scene scenario I was informed about trauma cleaning professionals. My imagination took it from there! 
2. How did the title of your book come about?
Drop Dead Beauty felt like a great play on words that encompassed the idea of a day at the spa turned to murder. 
3. Do you see yourself in your characters? Which characters are easiest or more difficult to write?
I’d like to think that a part of me winds up in each character. Mostly, they are a combination and mixture of people and personalities that I come across every day. It is true that if you cut me off in traffic, I’ll probably kill you in a book! I usually relate best to my protagonist and find it more difficult to write the darker characters. 
4. What books would you say have made the biggest impression on you, especially starting out? What are you currently reading?
Growing up I quickly devoured all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy Mysteries I could get my hands on and, as I got older, I never lost my love of the mystery genre. I read widely across all genres now and I’m currently reading Allison Brennan’s book, Reckless. 
5. What is the next or current book/project you are working on?
Drop Dead Beauty (Ghost Dusters 5) just came out May 21st and I’ve written a number of chapters of a new paranormal mystery. I’m now in the research stage of that new story. I’d give you more details but then I’d have to kill you (in a book, of course!).
6. What is something about you that you would want people to know about you that we probably don’t know?
When I meet another author I’ve been known to turn into a geeky fangirl. Above all else, I am still awed by the abilities of so many talented writers. 
7. What is your best advice to anyone, including young people, who want to be writers?
Get out there, live life and experience new things. Everything that happens to you is the seed of a future story that only you can tell.
Thanks to Wendy for taking time from her busy schedule to answer some BOOKIN' WITH BINGO questions. If you want to know even more about this talented author, do visit her website HERE and don't forget that DROP DEAD BEAUTY is on sale NOW! (CLICK ON "BUY NOW" BELOW)

 SOME OTHER BOOKS BY WENDY ROBERTS:

                   

                   

                

  GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO KAYLEIGH AND THE GOOD FOLKS

AT PENGUIN BOOKS, I HAVE A COPY OF THIS

GHOST DUSTERS MYSTERY, DROP DEAD BEAUTY,

TO GIVE AWAY TO A LUCKY READER

 
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO 
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU READ ABOVE ABOUT DROP DEAD BEAUTY THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG AND/OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK HERE AND LEAVE ME YOUR LINK

+2 MORE ENTRIES: COMMENT ON A QUESTION YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED TO ASK AUTHOR WENDY ROBERTS AFTER READING HER INTERVIEW ABOVE

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING AT WENDY ROBERT'S WEBSITE HERE 

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE WAY YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG. IF YOU FOLLOW MORE THAN ONE WAY, YOU CAN COMMENT SEPARATELY AND EACH WILL COUNT AS AN ENTRY

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON A CURRENT GIVEAWAY THAT YOU HAVE ENTERED ON MY BLOG. IF YOU ENTERED MORE THAN ONE, YOU MAY COMMENT SEPARATELY FOR EACH TO RECEIVE MORE ENTRIES

 

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT

6 PM, EST, JUNE 18

   GOOD LUCK!

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BIG BROTHER: A REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED 
BIG BROTHER

BY LIONEL SHRIVER

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the acclaimed author of the National Book Award finalist So Much for That and the international bestseller We Need to Talk About Kevin comes a striking new novel about siblings, marriage, and obesity.
When Pandora picks up her older brother Edison at her local Iowa airport, she literally doesn't recognize him. In the four years since the siblings last saw each other, the once slim, hip New York jazz pianist has gained hundreds of pounds. What happened?
And it's not just the weight. Imposing himself on Pandora's world, Edison breaks her husband Fletcher's handcrafted furniture, makes overkill breakfasts for the family, and entices her stepson not only to forgo college but to drop out of high school.
After the brother-in-law has more than overstayed his welcome, Fletcher delivers his wife an ultimatum: It's him or me. Putting her marriage and adopted family on the line, Pandora chooses her brother—who, without her support in losing weight, will surely eat himself into an early grave.

Rich with Shriver's distinctive wit and ferocious energy, Big Brother is about fat—an issue both social and excruciatingly personal. It asks just how much we'll sacrifice to rescue single members of our families, and whether it's ever possible to save loved ones from themselves. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lionel Shriver is a novelist whose previous books include Orange Prize–winner We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Post-Birthday World, A Perfectly Good Family, Game Control, Double Fault, The Female of the Species, Checker and the Derailleurs, and Ordinary Decent Criminals. She is widely published as a journalist, writing features, columns, op-eds, and book reviews for the Guardian, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the Economist, Marie Claire, and many other publications. She is frequently interviewed on television, radio, and in print media. She lives in London and Brooklyn, NY. 

OTHER BOOKS BY LIONEL SHRIVER:

                   

                   

                  

PRAISE FOR BIG BROTHER:

“What would you do for love of a brother? For love of a husband? For love of food? In Big Brother, Shriver’s new and wonderfully timely novel, her heroine wrestles with these vexing questions. Only the scales don’t lie.”— Margot Livesey, author of The Flight of Gemma Hardy

“The fellowship of Lionel Shriver fanatics is about to grow larger, so to speak. Big Brother, a tragicomic meditation on family and food, may be her best book yet.”— Gary Shteyngart, author of Super Sad True Love Story

“A searing, addictive novel about the power and limitations of food, family, success, and desire. Shriver examines America’s weight obsession with both razor-sharp insight and compassion.”— J. Courtney Sullivan, author of Maine and Commencement

“Brilliantly imagined, beautifully written, and superbly entertaining, Shriver’s novel confronts readers with the decisive question: can we save our loved ones from themselves? A must-read for Shriver fans, this novel will win over new readers as well.”— Library Journal

“An intelligent meditation on food, guilt, and the real (and imagined) debts we owe the ones we love.”— Publishers Weekly

“Shriver brilliantly explores the strength of sibling bonds versus the often more fragile ties of marriage.”— Booklist

“[Shriver] has a knack for conveying subtle shifts in family dynamics. . . . Ms Shriver offers some sage observations. . . . Yet her main gift as a novelist is a talent for coolly nailing down uncomfortable realities.”— The Economist 

MY THOUGHTS/REVIEW:

BIG BROTHER by Lionel Shiver is a brilliant book that grabs readers from the start and doesn't let go. Personally the fact that my own relationship with food is an issue, made me find BIG BROTHER even more heartfelt and utterly fascinating. Shiver certainly gives readers a different view of being “fat”, or overweight, than perhaps they had thought of before. She doesn’t shy away from the issue now at our nation’s forefront, but rather adds humanity and a face to it. The wonderful narrative draws you in and then the ending comes and oh, my! It was quite a shock to me as it wasn't what I expected. BIG BROTHER’s Edison is such a unique and well developed protagonist, that one easily takes him to heart and roots for him, despite his faults. Weight issues or not, the mere fact of how we look at overweight people is reason enough to read BIG BROTHER. But the narrative that Shriver has woven around the topic and characters is what really shines through.

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO KATHRYN AND THE GOOD FOLKS

AT HARPER WITH HARPER COLLINS, I HAVE

ONE COPY OF BIG BROTHER TO GIVE AWAY

TO ONE OF MY LUCKY READERS

 
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO 
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU READ ABOVE ABOUT BIG BROTHER THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS 

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG AND/OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK HERE AND LEAVE ME YOUR LINK

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE WAY YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG. IF YOU FOLLOW MORE THAN ONE WAY, YOU CAN COMMENT SEPARATELY AND EACH WILL COUNT AS AN ENTRY

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE OTHER CURRENT GIVEAWAY YOU HAVE ENTERED. IF YOU ENTERED MORE THAN ONE, YOU MAY COMMENT SEPARATELY TO GAIN MORE ENTRIES

 

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT 

6 PM, EST, JUNE 14

GOOD LUCK!

 

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LET'S GET COZY! THE DIVA FROSTS A CUPCAKE: A PREVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

 

 GIVEAWAY ENDED 
THE DIVA FROSTS A CUPCAKE
 A Domestic Diva Mystery
BY KRISTA DAVIS

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Revenge is sweet...

Sophie Winston and her BFF, Nina Reid Norwood, share a sweet spot for animals. So Sophie is delighted to help when Nina cooks up Cupcakes and Pupcakes—a fundraising event for animal shelters. All the local bakeries will be selling treats, with the profits going to pups and kitties in need. But Old Town is in for a whole batch of trouble when a cupcake war erupts between two bakeries...

Tongues wag and tempers rise when a partner leaves Sugar Baby Bakery and unveils her competing cupcakery, Sugar Mama, precisely as the fundraiser gets under way. Just as it seems nothing else can go wrong, Sugar Baby’s sole remaining employee is found dead. Suspicion falls on the feuding owners, but the scrumptious new guy in town is also raising some eyebrows. Now Sophie and Nina have to sift through the clues and discover who isn’t as sweet as they seem...

Delicious recipes and entertaining tips included!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Krista Davis lives and writes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. She lived in Northern Virginia for many years and resided for a time in Old Town, Alexandria.

She really does have a gregarious Ocicat named Mochie who can open cabinets and leap to amazing heights. To read more about Krista Davis, visit her website "Bio" HERE.

   

SOME OTHER BOOKS BY KRISTA DAVIS:

                   

                   

                  

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO KAYLEIGH AND THE GOOD FOLKS AT
BERKLEY PRIME CRIME AND PENGUIN BOOKS,
I HAVE ONE COPY OF THE KRISTA DAVIS BOOK,
THE DIVA FROSTS A CUPCAKE,
TO GIVE AWAY TO A LUCKY READER

 
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO 
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU READ ABOVE ABOUT THE DIVA FROSTS A CUPCAKE THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG AND/OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK HERE AND LEAVE ME YOUR LINK

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING AT KRISTA DAVIS' WEBSITE HERE 

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE WAY YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG. IF YOU FOLLOW MORE THAN ONE WAY, YOU CAN COMMENT SEPARATELY AND EACH WILL COUNT AS AN ENTRY

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON A CURRENT GIVEAWAY THAT YOU HAVE ENTERED ON MY BLOG. IF YOU ENTERED MORE THAN ONE, YOU MAY COMMENT SEPARATELY FOR EACH TO RECEIVE MORE ENTRIES

 

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT

6 PM, EST, JUNE 14

   GOOD LUCK!

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WEDNESDAY IS FOR WINNERS!

WELCOME TO BOOKIN' WITH BINGO'S
WINNERS' ANNOUNCEMENT!

 

THE WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED 

BY EMAIL AND HAVE UNTIL NOON 

MAY 31, TO REPLY WITH THEIR

INFORMATION OR A NEW WINNER

WILL HAVE TO BE CHOSEN! 

*************************************

   
12th OF NEVER

A New Women's Murder Club Novel 
BY JAMES PATTERSON

& MAXINE PAETRO

THE WINNER IS:

#55 Linda Kish

*********************************************

KILLER IN CRINOLINES 
A Consignment Shop Mystery 
BY DUFFY BROWN

THE WINNER IS:

#151 Karin

***********************************************

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ROBYN CARR'S THE WANDERER: A PREVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED 
THE WANDERER

A Thunder Point Novel

BY ROBYN CARR

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From Robyn Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the popular Virgin River novels, comes Thunder Point—the highly anticipated new series that will make you laugh, make you sigh, and make you fall in love with a small town filled with people you'll never forget.

Nestled on the Oregon coast is a small town of rocky beaches and rugged charm. Locals love the land's unspoiled beauty. Developers see it as a potential gold mine. When newcomer Hank Cooper learns he's been left an old friend's entire beachfront property, he finds himself with a community's destiny in his hands.

Cooper has never been a man to settle in one place, and Thunder Point was supposed to be just another quick stop. But Cooper finds himself getting involved with the town. And with Sarah Dupre, a woman as complicated as she is beautiful.

With the whole town watching for his next move, Cooper has to choose between his old life and a place full of new possibilities. A place that just might be home.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

"A fellow writer asked me, 'Who is your villain?' And I realized that in the work I do, I don't have villains—I have issues. And that's exactly why women's fiction knows no limits," says author Robyn Carr. "I'm naturally drawn to strong, capable female characters, and when I begin a story I ask myself, 'What is she up against?' I try to write about issues that every woman faces at some point in her life, without ever losing sight of the basic sense of humor that helps us all through hard times."

The author of over twenty novels, Robyn reaches a wide audience with her writing. In addition to her touching novels, she's written historical romance, series romance and a gripping thriller. "This is the best job I'm ever going to get wearing my nightgown," she says of her writing career.

Originally from Minnesota, Robyn and her family have seen much of the country thanks to her husband, Jim, and his career in aviation. After the two high school sweethearts married, Jim joined the air force during the Vietnam War. They've lived in Texas—all four corners—Florida, California and Arizona.

The couple moved to Henderson, Nevada, so Jim could explore a new business opportunity. "At first, being a Great Plains girl at heart, I said, 'Oh, no, not another desert!' It didn't take me long to fall in love with the beauty of Nevada—and the unrivaled spectacle of nearby Las Vegas!"

Robyn well remembers how she began her career as an author over twenty-five years ago. "I was trained as a nurse, but found it impossible to get work because my husband was constantly being transferred. At the time I was reading a lot of genre fiction for the escapist fantasies and I thought to myself, 'I can write this!'"

And how was her first foray into the world of literature received? "It was universally panned. I thought I had written Gone with the Wind, but in actuality it was complete trash." In fact, it was on her third effort that Robyn finally succeeded in her efforts to become a published author.

Now that Robyn's two children are grown—and finally out of the house—she has the luxury of a little free time. "Until my kids grew up, I didn't realize that a person could have hobbies other than laundry," she jokes. But it turned out not to be hobbies that keep Robyn busy when she isn't writing—she found her niche in community service. She has mentored a seniors memoir-writing group, attends book club chats in and out of state whenever possible and is working with her local library on fundraising and visiting author events that bring writers, their books and the community together. And, since the library is in her focus, she sits on the Library Board of Trustees for the city. "It is the people in my life that fills the well," she says. "Especially the people that share my love for books and writing." 

AN EXCERPT FROM THE WANDERER:

It took Hank Cooper almost eight hours to get from Virgin River to Thunder Point, Oregon, because he was towing his fifth wheel, a toy hauler. He pulled to the side of the road frequently to let long strings of motorists pass. Just prior to crossing the California/Oregon border, he stopped at a redwood tourist trap featuring gardens, souvenirs, wood carvings, a lunch counter and restrooms. Skipping the garden tour, he bought a sandwich and drink and headed out of the monument-size trees to the open road, which very soon revealed the rocky Oregon Coast.

Cooper stopped at the first outlook over the ocean and parked. His phone showed five bars and he dialed up the Coos County Sheriff's Department. "Hello," he said to the receptionist. "My name is Hank Cooper and I'm on my way to Thunder Point following a call from someone saying my friend, Ben Bailey, is dead. Apparently he left something for me, but that's not why I'm headed your way. The message I got was that Ben was killed, but there were no details. I want to talk to the sheriff. I need some answers."

"Hold, please," she said.

Well, that wasn't what he expected. He'd figured he'd leave a number and eat his lunch while he waited. ....To finish reading this excerpt, visit the publisher's website HERE. 

SOME OTHER BOOKS BY ROBYN CARR:

                     

                     

   GIVEAWAY

I HAVE ONE COPY OF THIS EXCITING

ROBYN CARR NOVEL, THE WANDERER,

TO GIVE AWAY TO ONE LUCKY WINNER!

 
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO 
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU READ ABOVE ABOUT THE WANDERER THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS 

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG AND/OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK HERE AND LEAVE ME YOUR LINK

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE WAY YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG. IF YOU FOLLOW MORE THAN ONE WAY, YOU CAN COMMENT SEPARATELY AND EACH WILL COUNT AS AN ENTRY 

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING AT AUTHOR ROBYN CARR'S WEBSITE HERE 

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE OTHER CURRENT GIVEAWAY YOU HAVE ENTERED. IF YOU ENTERED MORE THAN ONE, YOU MAY COMMENT SEPARATELY TO GAIN MORE ENTRIES

 

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT 

6 PM, EST, JUNE 14

GOOD LUCK!

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