Author Archives: Alicia Dean

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About Alicia Dean

Author of paranormal and romantic suspense. Follow her on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alicia-Dean/131939826889437) or twiiter (https://twitter.com/Alicia_Dean_)
May 27, 2019 · 5:37 am

Author Interview with Kayden Clarement & New Release: She Came First

I am happy to welcome author friend Kayden Claremont to my blog…

Kayden, please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

Hi everyone. I’m Kayden Claremont and I’m married to my high-school sweetheart. I have two married kids, love their spouses, so I usually tell everyone I have four kids and one grandson. I live in the greater Toronto area in Ontario, Canada. I’ve always lived in Ontario, but have traveled all over the US.

Right now, I’m between pets, but I usually have a dog and a cat, who I spoil rotten. From time to time I have my grand dog for a week. He helps me write by throwing his toys on my lap. I’ve shared he’s my employee of the week on several occasions.

Where did you get the idea for SHE CAME FIRST?

My Daughter bought the family tickets to the Charlotte Speedway. I love watching car races on the TV but this was the first time I’d been to a track. We had such a wonderful time checking everything out. Then we did the tour and I was amazed there were three types of tracks in one complex.

We all climbed into van and a woman climbed into the driver’s seat. She told us she’d come with the dirt then she drove us on the track. She’d driven a pace car, so she put her foot on the gas. I’m never had such a great time. I could imagine what it would be like in a car racing around the track and the idea for SHE CAME FIRST came to me.

Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?

I wanted to make the heroine a blue-collar person, so she became a mechanic. I had so much fun letting this woman dressed in coveralls reveal her sexy wild side when she has a second chance for love.

Do you collect anything?

I collect beads. Lots and lots of them. I love making jewelry. I don’t sell it, but I love to have a new necklace or earrings to wear. When I go to the bead shops in Toronto, I spend hours picking out each item. I have more beads than I’ll ever make into jewelry but that’s the fun.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

I know most people expect me to say ‘my husband’ (grins) but he teaches at college and is busy. But I should get rid of my TV. I watch way too much, but I tell myself I’m watching story, so I’m doing research. Now if only I could say that with a straight face. I can watch the same movies over and over again, so I really should restrict myself to only watching them five times each.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read SHE CAME FIRST?

I want them to believe in love. I want them to experience falling with love with the hero and living a happy for now ending. Isn’t that why we all read romance?

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

What I want is an honest review. If you loved the characters and their story, terrific. If you couldn’t relate to either the characters or their situation, terrific. I know not everyone will love each story I write and I will respect their honest opinion.

Have you written any other books that are not published?

Ha ha ha. I think most authors will say tones of them. Not all ideas will work up into a book. Sometimes a piece of an old manuscript will be a catalyst for a new manuscript, but the story goes in a different direction.

What do your friends and family think of your writing?

My friends think I can write a first draft worthy of publication, but this isn’t true. I struggle to the best story I can written for the readers. Believe it or not, sometimes the characters don’t like my ideas an won’t do what I think they should. (grins) This causes me to go through several drafts before I should the manuscript to my critique partners. Then I go through it a few more times before I send it to my editor. I love her and we go through the manuscript one more time. When I tell people this is my process they are amazed and shocked that writing isn’t as easy as reading is.

How did you come up with the title?

SHE CAME FIRST was an easy title to come up with. The story is about racing cars and is an erotic romance. Easy peasy.

Your favorite…

Music – smooth jazz for writing. If there are lyrics I tend to them as a sing along. I also listen to country, and pop when I’m not writing.

Place you’ve visited – Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, Canada.

Place you’d like to visit- Hawaii is the top of my bucket list.

TV show from adulthood – there are too many to list. I really do have to cut back on my TV time.

Food – chocolate anything.

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Board games.

 

Thank you, I enjoyed getting to know you better. Now, please tell us about your book!

Blurb: As head mechanic for her family’s stock car team, Tracy Hyland is making sure her car is ready for tomorrow’s race. If the car comes in first, she can claim her rightful place in the business. She can’t afford distractions, especially an ex high school sweetheart, one who broke her heart but still makes her engine purr.

Racecar driver Delaney P. Jones comes home to drive the Hyland’s car and to win back the girl he left behind. To break the iciness between them, he tempts his sexy mechanic into a smoldering dance of passion. His ultimate goal might prove more difficult—getting her across a private finish line.

Excerpt: Tracy Hyland slipped into the garage of the family motorsport business and smiled as she glanced at her 1989 Camaro. Her baby’s new blue and white paint glistened in the overhead light. Tomorrow was the car’s first race. Her hopes of standing in the number one spot on the podium depended on their performance.

She walked to the radio and cranked her music. Music and racing—pure heaven.

While the male mechanics would be at their favorite watering hole, hoping to hook up with pit bunnies for a night, she planned a quiet evening ensuring her car was tuned perfectly. Who was she kidding? She was just tinkering. Better here alone than in a noisy bar with strangers.

Tracy had become the head mechanic only after her dad died in a fiery crash. Women belonged in the office, not the track, or so he thought. She should go home and get a good night’s sleep—alone. She liked a good fuck. Actually, a great night in the sack helped her relax before a race, but she’d make do with a hot shower and Dilly the dildo to relieve her tension. What more could she want?

Tracy let the music take hold of her and boogied toward the car, twirling around and shimmying her breasts.

The side door opened, and she froze mid-step and turned.

Delaney P. Jones leaned against the jamb, filling the doorway. Her pulse quickened at the sight of her high school sweetheart.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Uk92YM

B&N, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1131094833?ean=2940161234532

Bookstrand: https://www.bookstrand.com/she-came-first

 

Kayden Claremont’s Bio

Kayden’s sensuous writing style drives the characters in lustful romps. She loves reading stories of lust and love.  When she is not crafting erotic romantic stories, she loves to make jewelry and travel.

Kayden is a member of Romance Writers of America, Toronto Romance Writers, and Sisters in Crime.

She hopes you enjoy her other books, Hell’s Bounty, Heaven’s Watcher, Timeless Passion, Red Hot, and Tartan Temptation, all published by The Wild Rose Press.

Author Media Links:

Website: www.KaydenClaremont.com

Blog: https://kaydenclaremont.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kayden.claremont/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kaydenclaremont

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/9136748.Kayden_Claremont

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/search?search=Kayden+Claremont

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyTlCs84dLR5D3MJw25yrBQ

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kayden-Claremont/e/B015BMVN4I

 

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May 19, 2019 · 2:58 pm

Crime Time ~ Handsome Devils ~ “Hurricane Love”

#CrimeTime with Alicia Dean ~ 

 

Handsome Devils, Season 1, Episode 2,  “Hurricane Love”

New Orleans, Louisiana, October 2006

This has to be one of the most bizarre murder cases I’ve come across.

In October 2006, Police were called to the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel after a report that a man’s body was on the roof of the parking garage. Police arrived and found the dead man. His body was severely mangled, and it was obvious he’d fallen or had been pushed and died on impact. Looking for an ID, investigators searched the man’s pocket and found a note. Below is a brief excerpt from the note:

“This is not accidental. I had to take my own life to pay for the one I took.

If you send a patrol to 826 N. Rampart you will find the dismembered corpse of my girlfriend Addie in the oven, on the stove, and in the fridge along with full documentation on the both of us and a full signed confession from myself…

Zack Bowen.”

Authorities rushed to the location–a small apartment above the Voodoo Spiritual Temple. When they entered, they encountered a horrific scene straight from a horror movie.

The apartment was cold. The air had been set down to 60. On the walls were painted messages such as “I’m a failure,” along with a request to call Zack’s ex-wife and the mother of his children and tell her he loved her.

Some of the messages were arrows pointing to specific areas of the apartment, stating “Look here” or “look inside.” On the stove, they found a pot containing a human head, burned beyond recognition. In another pot they found hands and feet. Inside the oven, in a large roasting pan, were arms and legs, also burnt. There appeared to be seasoning on the limbs. Next to the stove on the counter were cut-up potatoes and carrots. Inside the refrigerator, in a large plastic bag, they found the torso.  They would soon learn that the murder victim was Addie Hall, Zach Bowen’s girlfriend.

Friends of Zach and Addie were shocked. They knew the couple had a tumultuous relationship and had argued frequently but never dreamed it would end in such a gruesome manner.

The two had worked together at a bar in the French Quarter. Zach was known as a charmer and Addie a free-spirit. When Hurricane Katrina was coming, Addie let Zach stay with her and, rather than evacuate, the two chose to ride out the storm. After Katrina, they gained media attention and were featured in The New Yorker because of their ‘party’ lifestyle and upbeat attitudes even with all the devastation around them. They had no power, no water, but they hung out in the streets and served drinks to passersby. They treated it as though they were camping out and thrived amidst all the destruction.

Once the power was restored and real life encroached—including jobs and bills–the relationship began falling apart. They fought constantly, it was rumored they cheated on one another, and increased their drug use to a dangerous level.

A lady Addie worked for was interviewed on the show, along with Zach’s mother. (Can you imagine your son doing something like this, dying like this?). Addie’s boss thought of Addie as a daughter. She said Zach was extremely jealous and would say that if he couldn’t have her, no one could She called it ‘graveyard love’ which is a pretty accurate description of the way things turned out.

Both Zach and Addie had issues. She’d been molested as a child and grew up to become involved in several abusive relationships.  Zach had been a military police officer in Kosovo and Iraq — including time at Abu Ghraib. One experience in particular that friends said “messed him up” the most was when a girl he had befriended in Iraq was killed — along with her whole family — when her family’s shop was bombed. He returned home depressed and suffering from PTSD. He was discovered with 27 burns on his body and stated in the journal that he burned himself with a cigarette for every year of his life as punishment for his failures.

The beginning of the end started when Addie went to the landlord to try to have Zach taken off the lease because she wanted to kick him out after learning he’d cheated. Zach was furious. Apparently, this led to an explosive, physical altercation. He went nuts and choked her to death.

Zach’s version of the events was relayed in an 8-page confession he wrote in Addie’s journal. The letter read, in part:

“I killed her at 1 a.m. Thursday 5 October,” he wrote. “I very calmly strangled her. It was very quick.”

After killing her, he sexually violated her corpse several times before passing out next to it. The next morning, he got up and went to work. When he returned, he moved Hall’s corpse to the bathtub, where he dismembered it using a hacksaw and a knife. Afterward, he meticulously cleaned the bathroom.

It took him four days to decide what to do with Hall’s remains. During that time, he went on about his life as normal — friends who met with him during the two weeks between the murder and his suicide said he seemed to be in good spirits, and even spoke of going on a vacation. In fact, his confession letter stated that he wanted to enjoy his last days on earth to the fullest, indulging in “good food, good drugs, good strippers.”

Apparently, he decided to cook Hall’s remains only in order to make them easier to dispose of. Despite the crime scene and the rumors that circulated, no human remains were found in his system during the autopsy.

He went on to say in the journal, “I scared myself not only by the action of calmly strangling the woman I’ve loved for one and a half years, but by my entire lack of remorse. I’ve known forever how horrible a person I am (ask anyone).”

The security cameras at the Omni Royal Orleans captured Bowen approaching the terrace and looking over it several times. Finally, he downed a final drink, then threw himself to his death.

There is one more bizarre twist to the case. Director Rob Florence decided to make a documentary called Zach and Addie about the case after meeting Margaret Sanchez, a friend of the couple. The film took 8 years to make and Sanchez is featured frequently discussing the tragedy. During the time it took to make the documentary, Sanchez ending up in the middle of her own horrific dismemberment case. Only this time, she was accused and eventually confessed to the murder. The victim was Jaren Lockhart, a dancer and mother in New Orleans. Sanchez and her boyfriend stabbed and dismembered Lockhart after luring her into their trap by claiming they wanted to hire her for a private dance.

Some speculate that this is just too coincidental and perhaps Margaret was involved in Addie’s death as well. If so, Zach has taken that knowledge to the grave with him. Margaret was not mentioned in his rambling confession.

How crazy is this case?

 

 

[I love true crime shows, and I watch them every night. (Since I write suspense, thriller, and mystery, it’s not a waste of time…it’s research, right? 🙂 ) I love Investigation Discovery and watch many of the various shows, although some are a little too cheesy. However, there are plenty of shows that are done well enough to feed my fascination with murder. Each week, I’ll blog about some of the recent episodes I’ve seen and I’d love to know your thoughts.]

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May 16, 2019 · 8:08 am

“Tainted” is #FREE!!

I’m happy to share a freebie from my dear friend, Tina Fausett. It’s only free for a limited time, so grab it while you can!!

Tainted – Part 1 (A Shift in the Universe) by Tina Fausett

The first installment in the ongoing saga of A Shift in the Universe is FREE for a limited time…

Amazon purchase link:

https://www.amazon.com/Tainted-Shift-Universe-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07FTCF2K8/

 

Part 1 – Tainted:

A jealous, malevolent wife hooked on prescription drugs, a husband caught between reality and carnal fantasies, and an angel cast from heaven, are all bound together by their hatred for one woman whose spells and manifestations catch them in a downward spiral towards hell…Gina Faulkner, thought to be a voodoo queen, owner of Swamp Witch Pickles in New Orleans, is the center of it all.

Bane Colton, dangerous and cocky, sees Gina at the French Market and the game is on. He makes up his mind he’s going to break the feisty redhead with the infamous kinky reputation, body and soul. And Gina’s ready to be a player, until Bane’s estranged and demented wife, Beverly, wants him back.

Enter enigmatic Darsh, known to many as the Angel of Death, who’s watched over Gina since she was fifteen and has loved her almost as much as he’s hated her. Now they would come face to face. He could save her from certain peril, but could never save her from herself. Would she destroy them all? At the very least, a shift in the universe was coming.

Excerpt:

“I had a love once that I never got over. I still dream about him, think of him, wonder if I’ll see him in heaven. No, it wasn’t your grandfather, Ian. I did love him. But sometimes there’s one person your soul meshes with so completely that you don’t care if you ever have sex because it’s worth a lifetime just to see them once in a while.” His grandmother looked off as if she were seeing someone in the distance. “Can you understand what I’m saying?” She turned back to him, her gaze penetrating.

“No,” he lied as tears stung the backs of his eyes.

“Sometimes, you love someone so much you almost hate them for it, for to hate someone you have to be capable of loving them. Who is it that you just lied about? Who is it that you hate?”

“No one, Grandmother…no one.”

“I’ve always felt sad for you, Ian, never having known what it’s like to be in love. But I see it in your eyes. You know what it’s like to be in hate.”

Darsh stood, walked to her, bent, and kissed her cheek. “No one is worthy of my hate,” he whispered.

“If you saw her today, the woman unworthy of your hate, what would you feel for her?” the old woman asked knowingly.

“Extreme dislike,” he answered, his eyes narrowing. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do before dinner.”

Darsh turned down the hallway towards the library. My world’s crumbling…I can’t keep going like this.. He ran his hands through his hair. It’s all finally catching up to me and soon nothing will be the same. A shift in the universe is coming and Gina Faulkner’s bound to be at the heart of it.

Check out the other stories in the series…

Link to other installments:

https://www.amazon.com/Tina-Fausett/e/B07FQ24FZ6/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

 

About the author:

Tina Fausett was born and raised in Oklahoma City and attended both the University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma University, majoring in History and English. She’s a published poet and novelist, as well as an oil painter, historic home specialist. She’s owned an antique store and art gallery and currently runs a company called Red Hot Mamma’s Pickles in Oklahoma City where she lives in an historic neighborhood. She’s lived in the Garden District in New Orleans, the city she loves, and tries to spend her time between the two cities. Tina has a daughter, son and granddaughter that are her main focus.

 

Find Tina Here:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tina.fausett

Twitter: @TinaFausett

 

 

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May 12, 2019 · 7:49 pm

Crime Time ~ Fear Thy Neighbor ~ “Home is Where the Hearse is”

#CrimeTime with Alicia Dean ~ 

 

Fear Thy Neighbor ~ Season 1, Episode 5,  “Home is Where the Hearse is”

Miami, Florida, October 4, 1986

In 1983, after serving in the military, Jimmy Escoto returns to his Cuban neighborhood in Miami to live with his mom, his stepbrother and his eight-year-old son, Anthony.  The neighborhood is an idyllic, respectable area where the friendly residents get along well.  Older neighbor, Baldomero Fernandez, and Escoto soon become friends. Jimmy is trying to put himself through nursing school, and Fernandez hires him to do odd jobs around his property.

Finally, Jimmy realizes his dream and graduates nursing school. He gets a job and no longer has time to help Fernandez. Fernandez, who was involved in local politics and was friends with the mayor, sees himself as someone who has earned respect. Not only does Jimmy refuse to work for him, he hosts parties, parades a string of women in and out of his home, and parks a truck he’s restoring on a strip of property between their houses that Baldomero claims is his. When Jimmy will not obey Baldomero’s demands that he keep off of that piece of land, Baldomero builds a fence. Jimmy calls the assessor’s office. A rep comes out and determines the area does not belong to Baldomero and the fence must come down. However, that ruling is quickly overturned, most likely due to Baldomero’s friends in high places. Not long after, the rep is fired and it is determined the land belongs to Baldomero after all.

Jimmy Escoto

This is just one of the many feuds that would transpire between these neighbors who were once friends. Baldomero seethes with rage and watches Jimmy’s every move, calling the police each time he feels Jimmy has violated any kind of law. The police find nothing to charge him with and eventually slap a restraining order against each of them.

Over the next few years, tensions escalate between the two. During that time, Baldomero threatens on more than one occasion that he will kill Jimmy. He even makes the threat to Jimmy’s mother.

In 1986, Jimmy lands a dream job…private nurse to the son of former Miami Dolphins linebacker, Nick Buoniconti. In 1985, when he was nineteen and a linebacker himself, Marc Buoniconti was injured in a game between Citadel and East Tennessee State when he hit, helmet first, into another player’s back. After the hit, he lay motionless on the ground. He was rushed to the hospital where it was determined he had suffered a dislocation between the third and fourth cervical vertebrae. His spinal cord was crushed, and he was paralyzed from the neck down.

Marc Buoniconti

Marc was interviewed on the episode and he credits Jimmy with getting him off the respirator. He pushed and encouraged Marc and Marc made remarkable progress under his care. Marc spoke of Jimmy’s kindness and his caring, selfless nature. Jimmy’s son, Anthony, now a grown (and might I say, very handsome) man, was interviewed on the episode as well and told about what a great father Jimmy was and how much he still misses him.

On October 1, 1986, Jimmy accompanies Marc to New York to attend the first annual, “Great Sports Legends” charity dinner for the Buoniconti fund to cure paralysis, which is still active today. The guest list included Joe DiMaggio, Sugar Ray Leonard, Joe Namath, Howard Cosell and Richard Nixon.

Three days later, on October 4, 1986, Jimmy’s son, Anthony, was out riding his bike and didn’t come home when Jimmy thought he should. Jimmy went out looking for him and when he returned, Fernandez was parked in his car, on Jimmy’s lawn. Jimmy approaches the car and curses at Fernandez, telling him to leave. Instead, Fernandez pulls a gun. Jimmy doesn’t think he will shoot him, and he doesn’t back down. Fernandez pulls the trigger.

Injured and shocked, Jimmy stumbles back, begging for his life. Fernandez climbs out of the car and continues firing. Jimmy runs. Weak and losing blood, he runs up onto a woman’s lawn. The woman sees the man chasing Jimmy, brandishing a weapon, and she rushes inside to call the police. As she is begging them to hurry, Fernandez runs out of bullets. Jimmy staggers away, but Fernandez chases him down and beats him with the butt of the pistol.  Fernandez’s wife arrives on the scene and takes the gun away from her husband. At that point, Fernandez picks up a cement slab and slams it into Jimmy’s head, over and over. The police finally arrive and Jimmy is rushed to the hospital, but it is too late. Jimmy Escoto is dead.

Anthony Escoto, who is now a Miami Firefighter

Fernandez was arrested and charged with second degree murder. He claimed he feared for his life and that Jimmy had attacked him with a chain. On the program, the Chief of Police stated that Fernandez was checked for injuries from the chain he claimed Jimmy hit him with, and there was no indication of any injury.

The community for the most part supported Fernandez. Among his supporters was the mayor of Miami. Fernandez was sentenced to seven years in prison, but he only ended up serving three.  

In my research I found stories that spoke of ‘vigilante justice’ and how the ‘criminal became the victim’ and all the support that Fernandez had. I know there is more than one side to every story, but the facts that were presented in the program–from people who were around at the time, including the chief of police–indicate that the feud went both ways and the violence that erupted that day was all on Fernandez. He not only shot Jimmy, he stalked him and beat him repeatedly, crushing his head with a cement block as Jimmy lay helpless on the ground. Fernandez leaves a family destroyed and a young boy fatherless. And, for that, the man serves three years? That, in my opinion, is appalling.

What do you think? Was justice served?

 

[I love true crime shows, and I watch them every night. (Since I write suspense, thriller, and mystery, it’s not a waste of time…it’s research, right? 🙂 ) I love Investigation Discovery and watch many of the various shows, although some are a little too cheesy. However, there are plenty of shows that are done well enough to feed my fascination with murder. Each week, I’ll blog about some of the recent episodes I’ve seen and I’d love to know your thoughts.]

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May 2, 2019 · 8:02 am

Crime Time ~ On the Case with Paula Zahn ~ “Where’s Crystal”

#CrimeTime with Alicia Dean ~ 

 

On the Case with Paula Zahn ~ Season 17, Episode 4, “Where’s Crystal”

Bardstown, Kentucky – July 2015

I usually avoid episodes where the victim survives (sorry, but I find murder much more interesting than attempted murder) or the case is never solved, but sometimes I get sucked into one or the other. Today’s post is about a case that was never solved.

Crystal Rogers, a thirty-five-year-old mother of five, went missing on or around July 3, 2015. Her family became concerned when a few days went by with Crystal not responding to their texts or calls. According to her live-in boyfriend, Brooks Houck, on the evening of July 3, he and Crystal and their two-year-old son went to Houck’s family farm and stayed until around midnight. After they returned, Crystal stayed up late playing games on her phone. When Brooks awoke the next morning, she was not in the house. Funny that he didn’t bother reporting her missing. He claims that she often went to stay at her cousin’s, so he didn’t think anything about it. However, all those who knew her insist she never went anywhere without her youngest son, Eli.

Other suspicious/interesting facts…

  • Crystal’s car was found on July 5, 2015 on the shoulder of the Bluegrass Parkway. Her tire was flat and her purse, keys and cellphone were found inside. The seat was moved back in a position that would have been too far back for Crystal.
  • Brooks was named a suspect but has denied having anything to do with Crystal’s disappearance. Brooks’ brother, Nick, was a police officer in Bardstown. He was fired for interfering after calling Brooks in the middle of his interview with police and warning him not to say anything. He wanted him that “they might be trying to trip him up” and “he should protect himself.” Video surveillance captured the two brothers, Nick in his police cruiser and Brooks in his truck, going to the family farm a few hours after Brooks’ interview with police.

Brooks’ interview:

  • Nick was questioned and claimed he does not remember what they did at the farm. He was given a polygraph and failed. As a cop, you would think he could do better than ‘I don’t recall what we did’ – That sounds highly suspect. When confronted with the results, Nick denied that he was lying, saying, “I don’t give a goddam what your f*cking computer said… You’re calling me a f*cking liar [and] I don’t like it when people call me a liar.”

Nick’s interview:

  • Crystal’s father, Tommy, launched his own intense investigation into his daughter’s disappearance. He checked out every lead and searched relentlessly. On November 19, 2016, he was fatally shot when he took his grandson hunting. The shooter has never been identified. Coincidence? I think not.

Sherry and Tommy Ballard

  • In November of 2018, a panel of judges determined that Brooks’ and Crystal’s son, who was six by then, could no longer visit Crystal’s mother, Sherry Ballard. She and her now deceased husband filed for grandparent visitation after Crystal’s disappearance and Sherry was exercising visitation with the child every other weekend. However, Brooks filed to have those visits stopped. He testified that after returning from visits with his grandmother, the child is sullen and uncooperative. And that he is accusatory, asking him ‘what did you do to my mommy,’ and that ‘everyone wants to know.'”
  • Crystal’s mother appeared on an episode of Dr. Phil in February of this year. Since then, new tips have been pouring in. Hopefully, they will lead to the arrest and conviction of Crystal’s killer, and her body will be found.

I’m just completely amazed that the case has not yet been solved and the brothers have gotten by with the lies and subterfuge. What do you think? Are the brothers guilty?

[I love true crime shows, and I watch them every night. (Since I write suspense, thriller, and mystery, it’s not a waste of time…it’s research, right? 🙂 ) I love Investigation Discovery and watch many of the various shows, although some are a little too cheesy. However, there are plenty of shows that are done well enough to feed my fascination with murder. Each week, I’ll blog about some of the recent episodes I’ve seen and I’d love to know your thoughts.]

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April 25, 2019 · 5:15 am

Will Rise from Ashes by Jean Grant

I love hosting Wild Rose Press authors, and I’m pleased to introduce today’s guest, Jean Grant, with her new release, Will Rise from Ashes, a Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel.

The Writer’s Journey

Will Rise from Ashes was by far my hardest book to write. For many reasons, some personal, some technical. I’d been writing romances with HEAs for so long, shifting to women’s fiction with grittier topics took some getting used to. The romantic in me though, did toss in a romance subplot, and I am a sucker for a happ(ier) ending.

A few more facts about this book:

  1. I began writing it in 2015, 4 years ago. The first draft took a year (while working part-time and around kids’ busy schedules). Editing took a few more years…
  2. It underwent at least 8 full-length revisions before I submitted to my editor at The Wild Rose Press. I’ve also written/edited the entire manuscript at least 20 times (that is 400 pages x 20 = 8,000 pages. It’s no wonder authors can be a little nutty!)
  3. It’s my first book written in both first person (AJ, the mother) and third person (Will, the son).
  4. My villain is a volcano!
  5. The book spans over a month of time and over 2,000 miles.
  6. My theme of heartache, healing, and hope dominates this book.
  7. It is the 7th book I’ve written, but 4th published. (Yeah, that’s some funny math. Hint: 3 books are now shoved in drawers as “practice” novels).
  8. The story tackles topics of widowhood, anxiety, autism, and redemption.
  9. I threw everything but the kitchen sink at AJ. I love an emotional journey, but I do enjoy lots of external conflict and roadblocks (teehee, in this case, literal roadblocks).
  10. Its title was changed from the original. And nope, I won’t tell you the first one, but it took quite some convincing from my editor to change it!
  11. This book underwent the most “killing my darlings” (aka scene slicing!) of all my books. All for the better, or course!

Feel free to follow me on my BLOG TOUR, April 18-June 6. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

About the book:

Living is more than mere survival 

Blurb:

Young widow AJ Sinclair has persevered through much heartache. Has she met her match when the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, leaving her separated from her youngest son and her brother? Tens of thousands are dead or missing in a swath of massive destruction. She and her nine-year-old autistic son, Will, embark on a risky road trip from Maine to the epicenter to find her family. She can’t lose another loved one.

Along the way, they meet Reid Gregory, who travels his own road to perdition looking for his sister. Drawn together by AJ’s fear of driving and Reid’s military and local expertise, their journey to Colorado is fraught with the chaotic aftermath of the eruption. AJ’s anxiety and faith in humanity are put to the test as she heals her past, accepts her family’s present, and embraces uncertainty as Will and Reid show her a world she had almost forgotten.

Excerpt:

Even from far away, I recognized the man’s plaid long-sleeved shirt and the large backpack, but now he was walking alongside a bike on his approach.

“Hey, look! It’s that guy you drove past this morning!”

 I shuddered inwardly. Well, karma just bit me in the butt.

“How did he catch up with us?” Motherly instinct took over as I rose, my legs wobbly. “Will, stay there. Here, take this,” I said, handing him the tire iron.

 “We already tried that, Mom.”

“Not for that, Will.”

He scratched his brown hair, which was overdue for a cut, and looked at me, confusion wrinkling his brow.

“Be my wizard, Will. It’s your sword.”

“Wizards have wands.”

“Will…”

The circuit connected. “Oh…yes, Mom, I’ll protect you!”

I smiled faintly. “Thank you, honey.” I didn’t want to explain further that it was me protecting him. I didn’t want to say that if something happened, to run and hide in the woods. Because he would run and hide. Then what? Who would come help?

I shoved my hand into my front jeans pocket to nestle my fingertips around the pocket knife I had given Harrison for our wedding anniversary. The man slowed his bicycle as he drew nearer. He gave me an understated, yet significant, nod. The nod of understanding, of kindness. I didn’t buy it.

“Hello, again,” he said.

Ouch.

Buy links:

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ GooglePlay

 

 

Bio:

Jean’s background is in science and she draws from her interests in history, nature, and her family for inspiration. She writes historical and contemporary romances and women’s fiction. She also writes articles for family-oriented travel magazines. When she’s not writing or chasing children, she enjoys tending to her flower gardens, hiking, and doing just about anything in the outdoors.

 Social Media links:

Website ~ Twitter  ~ Facebook ~  Goodreads ~ Bookbub ~ Amazon Author Page ~  The Wild Rose Press

 

 

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April 15, 2019 · 7:33 am

Crime Time ~ Scene of the Crime ~ “Deadly Breakup”

#CrimeTime with Alicia Dean ~ 

 

Scene of the Crime with Tony Harris, Season 1, Episode 5, “Deadly Breakup”

Monroeville, Pennsylvania – August 15, 2007

Fifteen year old Demi Cuccia was a beautiful, popular high school cheerleader. When her older brother’s friend, John Mullarkey, expressed an interest in her, she was thrilled, and they began dating.

Outwardly, things appeared fine between the couple, but a year after they started seeing each other, John’s controlling possessiveness finally became too much, and Demi broke up with him. He wouldn’t leave her alone, though. He did not want to accept the breakup. He texted and called her over and over, insisting, begging, harassing.

On August 15th,  the day after Demi’s sixteenth birthday, her mother was taking son Jake to a community college for orientation. Demi wasn’t feeling well and stayed home. Just before they left, Demi was laying on the sofa, and her phone rang. It was John. Demi was annoyed and didn’t answer. She told her mother that all she wanted to do was rest, and he wouldn’t leave her alone. Demi called her father that evening and said she was supposed to be working on cheerleading posters but wasn’t feeling well. She didn’t mention to him that John was coming over to talk about their relationship.

Demi and her mother

Demi and her father

Later that evening, Officer Sarah Bonner received a call that there had been a stabbing. She arrived at the location and a neighbor waved her down. Not knowing if the assailant was nearby, Officer Bonner drew her weapon. As she approached the neighbor, she saw Demi at the neighbor’s feet, covered in blood. The officer holstered her weapon and focused on Demi, reassuring the girl that she would be okay. Down the street, a man was laying on the ground. He’d slit his own throat after stabbing Demi sixteen times. The ambulance arrived and went immediately to him, rather than Demi. Officer Connor directed them to Demi, and said, “I have the victim here.” They treated her and rushed her to the hospital, but her injuries were too severe. She died at the hospital. The man—who turned out to be John  survived.

Demi’s devastated parents were interviewed during the episode. Her father had videotaped his son’s graduation only two months prior, and he’d videotaped John graduating as well. How could someone who was their son’s close friend, someone they’d welcomed into their home, do something so heinous to their beautiful child?

The truth came out during the investigation. There was a dark side to Demi’s life that she didn’t share with her parents. Her friends knew just a little of what was going on, but not the extent of the obsessive nature of their relationship. John didn’t want Demi hanging out with her friends. He kept close tabs on her and wanted her all to himself. His behavior became more and more abusive and controlling, but Demi didn’t understand the danger she was in.

John was charged with first degree murder, but his defense claimed he didn’t intend to kill her and wasn’t aware of what he was doing. He was suffering psychosis from taking the acne drug, Accutane. The prosecution believed he went to Demi’s with the intent of either getting the answer he wanted, or killing her. He texted beforehand, asking if her brother was going to be there. And…he brought the knife, the murder weapon, with him. Sounds like his intentions were clear.

The murderer

The jury took just forty-five minutes of deliberation to agree, convicting Mullarkey of first-degree murder. He was sentenced immediately to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The only time the defendant showed emotion was when he was handed the sentence. He never once apologized to or addressed Demi’s family.

After sentencing, John’s family hired an attorney to try to get John’s sentence reduced. John’s family refused to be interviewed for the show, but the attorney agreed to speak with Tony. He claims that Mullarkey had ineffective counsel and that the jury didn’t have all the facts. He found a forensic psychologist who will testify that John was in a frenzied, maniacal state and would not have acted without provocation. Tony asked the attorney, “Do you believe there was provocation?” The attorney replied, “There was a dispute between these two at the time.” Tony said, “He was texting her non-stop, she’d moved on, he had not.” The attorney blithely stated, “But, he didn’t break the door.” I know it’s his job to defend his client, but his statement infuriated me. It was obvious it pissed Tony off as well. He said, “Wow, she didn’t tell him to bring a knife to stab her. You can’t blame Demi for this. Sixteen stab wounds, doesn’t that speak to intent?” The attorney replied, “No, it was in the heat of passion.”

Such a tragic story, and unfortunately, not all that uncommon. Many teens are in controlling relationships and are the victims of abuse. Demi’s parents are on a crusade to get the message out and they travel around to various schools to tell their story, hoping it will save other teens from this same fate. The message is simple, if someone is trying to control and isolate you, then those are serious warning signs. It’s not normal…it’s not love…it’s not okay.

[I love true crime shows, and I watch them every night. (Since I write suspense, thriller, and mystery, it’s not a waste of time…it’s research, right? 🙂 ) I love Investigation Discovery and watch many of the various shows, although some are a little too cheesy. However, there are plenty of shows that are done well enough to feed my fascination with murder. Each week, I’ll blog about some of the recent episodes I’ve seen and I’d love to know your thoughts.]

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April 11, 2019 · 9:22 am

Author Interview with Diane Burton ~ New Release: Rescuing Mara’s Father ~ Giveaway!!

I am thrilled to introduce today’s guest, fellow author and friend, Diane Burton. She is a fabulous writer, and I have had the honor of editing many of her stories, including her latest, which is awesome!

Welcome, Diane…

 

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

First, thanks for having me here today, Alicia. I’ve lived most of my life in Michigan, grew up in the Detroit area, now live near Lake Michigan. My husband and I have two children and five grandchildren who all live close enough to visit often. We’ve had three dogs but are dogless now. When we need a dog-fix, we visit our kids who have a total of three. I was an elementary teacher, an inventory clerk in a flute store, and a land technician for an oil and gas company. My favorite occupation—writer.

Where did you get the idea for Rescuing Mara’s Father?

My older grandchildren (ages 9 and almost-12) know I write novels, and that they can’t read them until they’re adults. Disappointing for them. That’s why I wrote Rescuing Mara’s Father, a book they can read. It’s the first time I’ve written in the children/young adult genre, and it was fun. I’m a pantser, write by the seat of my pants. When an idea hits, I just start writing. Around chapter 8, I need to stop and plot. Not an extensive plot but enough to know where the story is going. The hardest part of writing Rescuing Mara’s Father came near the end. I knew what I wanted for the climactic scene. Writing it was more difficult. I think I wrote five different scenes until I found what felt right.

Do you collect anything?

Nutcrackers. One Christmas, in the 1980s, my mother-in-law gave me one. I expressed delight. That meant I got nutcrackers for my birthday and Christmas every year after. And from her sister, too. Hubs got into it, and his idea was the more the better. I had to tell him only one a year. Please! Each year, the older grandchildren come over and, standing on the kitchen counter, put up the nutcrackers. Now Hubs says I have too many. Lol

Here are some of Diane’s nutcrackers…aren’t they so adorable? (and, to be fair to your husband, Diane, men are not likely going to have an affinity for something called a ‘nutcracker’ :))

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Rescuing Mara’s Father?

First, that they’ve enjoyed a good adventure. Underneath that, I want them to think that the feelings they’ve had are common. Other kids think/feel the same way.

What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?

Hallee Steinfeld (True Grit) as Mara; Jeremy Irvine (Mama Mia 2) as Lukus; Anthony Ursin (Chocolat) as Jako. With Hallee, it was the braids and her attitude in True Grit that made me think of Mara. Jeremy’s eyes in the picture—serious, old, like he had to grow up quickly. That’s why he’d make a good Lukus. Anthony’s attitude (and smile in the picture) makes me think of Jako.

Hallee Steinfeld

Jeremy Irvine

Anthony Ursin

What is your favorite quote?

“Never give up, never surrender.” (from Galaxy Quest)

Your most prized material possession? Why?

My grandmother’s ceramic nativity set. She made it for our family when I was young. It’s kind of gaudy with sequins and glitter, but she made it. And that’s what’s important.

Is there one subject you would never write about? What is it?

Cruelty, especially to children. Violence begets violence. Same with cruelty.

Have you written any other books that are not published?

Oh, yes! And many will stay hidden away. They were for practice. Will they ever be published? Probably not. I’ve discovered (with two books) that it’s easier to start fresh than try to edit/revise an old story.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

Nora Roberts. What a sweet, considerate woman.

How much of the book is realistic?

Though Rescuing Mara’s Father takes place in a “galaxy far, far away” the relationship between a parent and daughter is quite real, especially her emotional highs and lows. I tapped into what I remembered from my own teen years and my daughter’s.

Your favorite…

Movie: The African Queen

Music:  Old-time Rock & Roll

Place you’ve visited:  Rocky Mountain National Park

Place you’d like to visit:  Alaska

TV show from childhood:  Maverick (with James Garner)

TV show from adulthood:  Murdoch Mysteries & Father Brown

Food:  Pepperoni pizza

Sports team:  Detroit Tigers

Thank you, Diane, for sharing with us today. Now, Diane has a question for readers…

Since Rescuing Mara’s Father features an almost-fifteen year old girl, what do you remember about your teen angst?

RESCUING MARA’S FATHER

A Middle Grade Science Fiction Adventure

ebooks:  Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

print:  Amazon

3 friends, a hidden starship, a quest

Blurb:

Her father is gone! Taken by the Queen of Compara’s agents. Mara has to rescue him before the Queen tortures and kills him.

Instead of the kind, loving father she’s always known, he’s become demanding, critical, with impossible expectations—not just as Father but also as the only teacher in their frontier outpost. Mara would rather scoop zircan poop than listen to another boring lecture about governments on Central Planets. Give her a starship engine to take apart or, better yet, fly, and she’s happy. Now, he’s gone.

Never mind, they’ve had a rocky road lately.

Never mind, Father promised she could go off planet to Tech Institute next month when she turns fifteen, where she’ll learn to fly starships.

Never mind, she ran away because she’s furious with him because he reneged on that promise. Father is her only parent. She has to save him.

Along with her best friend, eleven-year-old Jako, and his brother 15-year-old Lukus, Mara sets off to find her father. Her mentor, old spaceport mechanic, seems to know why the Queen captured Father. In fact, he seems to know her father well. But, does he tell her everything? Of course not. He dribbles out info like a mush-eating baby. Worse, he indicates he’ll be leaving them soon. And Lukus can’t wait to get off their planet. Mara’s afraid they will all leave, and she’ll be on her own. Despite her fears, Mara has to rescue her father.

Excerpt

“There you are!” Jako kneels next to me, his urgent voice and torchlight in my eyes wake me up.

I gasp, my heart racing. I must have fallen asleep. I was dreaming about being chased.

“I’ve been looking all over for you!” He lowers his torch and scoots back.

As I sit up, I shove my hair out of my eyes. My braid came undone while I was sleeping. Automatically, I reach up and use my fingers to comb through my long hair. Jako is breathing hard and heat rises off his small body.

“Why were you looking for me?” I ask as I rebraid my hair.

“I was afraid they got you, too.” He gasps for breath. “I didn’t see you when they took him on board, so I ran back to your house. The Dunpus brothers were laughing about how the goons hauled you away, screaming and crying. I knew they were lying. You wouldn’t cry.” His eyes grow wide. “You should’ve seen their ship, Mara. It was so cool. It was a—”

“Hold on. Took who?”

“Isn’t that why you came up here? To get away from them?”

“Them who?” I might be awake, but my mind is still muzzy. “Slow down. You aren’t making any sense.”

Jako grabs my arm. “Your father, Mara. Coalition goons arrested your father.”

 

About the Author:

The first time D.M. Burton saw Star Wars IV: A New Hope, she was hooked on science fiction and space travel. The Star Trek movies made her want to travel to other planets. Alas, she is still Earth-bound. D.M. and her husband live in Michigan, close to their two children and five grandchildren.

Join D.M. Burton’s readers’ group on Facebook.

For more info and excerpts, visit D.M.’s website: http://www.dmburton.com

She writes adult fiction as Diane Burton, where she combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides writing science fiction romance, she writes romantic suspense, and cozy mysteries.

For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com

Connect with Diane Burton online.

Blog:  http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/dmburton72

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor

Goodreads: Diane Burton Author

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/

Sign up for Diane’s new release alert: http://eepurl.com/bdHtYf

GIVEAWAY!!!

A $10 AMAZON e-GIFT CARD

Many chances to win.

a Rafflecopter giveawayhttps://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

 

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March 18, 2019 · 8:54 pm

Crime Time ~ Hometown Homicide ~ “Local Girl Gone”

#CrimeTime with Alicia Dean ~ 

 

Hometown Homicide, Season 1, Episode 2, “Local Girl Gone”

Hope Mills, North Carolina – March 11, 2014

Small town high school teen Danielle Locklear was a pretty, bubbly, fun-loving, popular fifteen-year-old. She lived with her grandparents instead of her mother, because she wanted to go to  high school in their town, where she’d made many friends during her summer visits. Although she was just a freshmen, she began dating senior, Je’Michael Malloy, a responsible young man with plans to enter the military, along with his best friend, Dominic Lock.

One evening in March, 2014, Danielle asks her grandfather if she can go down the street to return a book her friend needs for homework. The grandfather gives her permission but tells her to hurry back. After a few hours when she doesn’t show up, her family begins trying to contact her. When they are unable to reach her, they call the police. Her mother is worried sick and travels to Hope Mills.

Detectives begin investigating. Friends and family spread flyers and the entire town bands together to search for the missing teen. Some of the interviews the police conducted are shown on the show. They interview her boyfriend and ask him about their relationship. He states that they were off and on and he finally broke it off completely because the spark was no longer there. He says, “She was a good girl, and I cared about her a lot.” That statement caught my attention. At this time, she’s only missing, but he says she ‘was’ a good girl–past tense. Nothing is said about it on the show but it raised a red flag for me. The authorities don’t suspect him, however. From all reports, he was a good kid and their relationship, even after the break up, was civil. Je’Michael claims he was at a friend’s house the night she disappeared. A text sent from his cell phone backs up his statement. Records show that it pings on a tower near the home.

Chena, Danielle’s aunt, decides to investigate on her own. She starts with a creek near the grandparents’ house where the teens in the area are rumored to hang out. There was also talk that it was the last place Danielle was seen alive. At the creek, her aunt finds a sock she believes belongs to Danielle.

No other clues are found and weeks go by with no sign of Danielle. Her boyfriend suggested that she might have killed herself. He said that she told him she wanted to drown herself in cold water.

One day, just more than three weeks after her disappearance, an off duty officer is on his way home and, as he drives over a bridge, he spots something in the creek that doesn’t look right. He calls it in and a retrieval team comes out. They pull Danielle’s body from the brown water. She is bound with nylon rope tied to cinderblocks. The matching sock to the one her aunt found is stuffed in her mouth. The autopsy determines that she was strangled to death.

Police continue the investigation, now looking for her killer, rather than looking for her. The creek where she is found is only a mile from his home but fifteen miles from the place where she was last seen.

The police obtain a search warrant for Malloy’s house and property. Next to the garage, they find distinctive cinderblocks speckled with pebbles — a match for the ones at the lake. They also find the same type of nylon rope.

They bring Malloy back in for an interview, and he plays it cool, continuing to deny he killed Danielle. He tells them, “You think I’m a smart kid, right?” they say they do. He says, “Why would I put her body just down the street from where I live?” But the police aren’t convinced. He takes a polygraph, which he fails. He claims he failed it because he’s nervous. They continue to pressure him. He finally breaks. He admits he killed Danielle. She asked him to meet her that night at the creek hangout. His friend, Dominic was nearby. She told Je’Michael that she was pregnant. A baby was not in his plans. He told her that he would take responsibility if the child was his, but he never wanted to be with her, ever. She flipped out and they fought. He ends up choking her to death. He goes to get his friend, who is shocked when Je’Michael tells him he killed her. Malloy says they have to get rid of the body. They load her body in the car and Je’Michael shoves the sock in her mouth because he can’t stand the noises her body was making.

As is turns out. Je’Michael had left his phone at home and sent the text through a secondary phone app. It also turns out that Danielle was not pregnant after all. She told him that to try to keep him with her. Instead, it got her killed.

Je’Michael Malloy pleads guilty to murder in the second degree. Dominic Lock, for his role in dumping Danielle Locklear’s body, pleads guilty to accessory to murder. Je’Michael Malloy is sentenced to a maximum of twenty-five years in prison. Dominic Lock is sentenced to six years behind bars.

Je’Michael Malloy will be eligible for parole when he is 43 years old. I can’t help but think it’s a shame that he’ll still have a chance at some kind of life, but the poor girl didn’t get that chance. And her family will have to live with the horror of her savage murder for the rest of their lives. The fact that he left his phone at home and used a cell phone app to send a text shows a bit of premeditation. He had to have planned it.

What do you think? Should he ever be released or should he spend the rest of his life behind bars?

[I love true crime shows, and I watch them every night. (Since I write suspense, thriller, and mystery, it’s not a waste of time…it’s research, right? 🙂 ) I love Investigation Discovery and watch many of the various shows, although some are a little too cheesy. However, there are plenty of shows that are done well enough to feed my fascination with murder. Each week, I’ll blog about some of the recent episodes I’ve seen and I’d love to know your thoughts.]

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March 16, 2019 · 9:43 am

Love in Season by Pamela S. Thibodeaux

I’m so pleased to share a new release from one of my dear author friends. Take it away, Pamela…

 

Fun Fact: For quite some time I wanted to put together a collection of short stories that centered around the 4 seasons and 4 holidays that focus on love and family (Valentine’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas). Since I already had several stories at PBG, I mentioned this idea to my editor, the amazing Nicola Martinez, and she loved it. I submitted two previously unpublished stories to round out the collection, along with those Pelican Book Group had already published, and viola! Love in Season was born.

Blurb: Anytime is the perfect time for love.

In this anthology, author Pamela S Thibodeaux brings together eight of her most beloved romance stories—one for each season plus four holidays that revolve around love and family.

Includes two brand new stories!

PBG print: http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=34&products_id=914

PBG ebook: http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_46&products_id=913

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Season-Pamela-S-Thibodeaux-ebook/dp/B07MTT6WC2

Story Blurbs:

(Winter) Winter Madness: Sienna has survived what most succomb to – the death of a spouse and child and has maintained her faith despite her troubles. William has never met anyone who actually lived out what they say they believe. Is it true love between the faithful optimist and broody pessimist or simply winter madness?

 (Valentine’s Day) Choices: Best-selling novelist and songwriter, Camie Rogers has penned numerous accounts of the secret love she holds in her heart. Country-Music Superstar Kip Allen has changed from the shy, humble boy, to the epitome of “star.” Can the two rediscover each other after one night of his Home is where the Heart is Tour?

 (Spring) Cathy’s Angel: Single mom Cathy Johnson is tired of running her life alone…what she needs is a well-trained angel to help out. Jared Savoy gave up the dream of having a family when he discovered he is sterile. Can a confirmed bachelor and the mother of four find love amid normal daily chaos?

 (Easter) Lilies for Sandi *NEW!* Sandi and Brett did everything backwards. They got pregnant before the wedding and had a baby instead of a honeymoon. Since, Brett has resented the fact that his dreams of a football career have been cut short and wonders how long it’ll take God to forgive him for his mistakes. Sandi has played second fiddle to Brett’s dreams and desires to the point of not knowing herself any longer and fears her marriage will never be a true one because of their failures. Can two hearts broken by unfulfilled dreams find healing, wholeness and restoration?

(Summer) The Big Catch *NEW!* Karla and, the love of her life, Jeff, have uncovered some uncommon ground: The Great Outdoors. For the life of her, she does not understand his love of fishing and how he can spend so much time doing so. Will she come to love the sport as much as he or will his passion for a rod and reel tangle up their relationship?

(Fall) A Hero for Jessica: Anthony Paul Seville is known as the ‘most eligible bachelor’ in New Orleans, possibly even the entire state of Louisiana, but finds himself alone—completely and explicitly alone. Jessica Aucoin is a writer on her way to fame and fortune, but is haunted by a man from her past. Will the “champion” lawyer and the author of romantic suspense find love written in their future?

(Thanksgiving) Review of Love (Newly Edited/Revised/Lengthened!): Jason Stockwell has been commissioned to interview Kylie Erickson and to review her books. Only problem is, she won’t give the time of day much less an interview to someone whose type of writing she deems not worthy of respect. Can they suspend their judgmental attitudes and find true love?

(Christmas) In His Sight: Grade school teacher Carson Alexander has a gift—a gift that has driven a wedge between him and his family. Worse, it’s put him at odds with God. Feeling alone and misunderstood, Carson views God’s gift of prophecy as the worst kind of curse…that is until he meets Lorelei Conner, landscape artist extraordinaire, and perhaps the one person who may need Carson and his gift more than anyone ever has.

Lorelei Connor is a mother on the run. Her abusive ex-husband has followed her all over the country trying to steal their daughter. Distrusting of men and needing to keep on the move, she’s surprised by her desire to remain close to Carson Alexander. Through her fear and hesitation, she must learn to rely on God to guide her—not an easy task when He’s prompting her to trust a man.

Can their relationship withstand the tragedy lurking on the horizon?

Author Bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

 Links:

Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com

Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/pamelasthibodeauxauthor

Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pamelasthibodea/

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1jUVcdU

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamelasthibodeauxauthor/

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1268453.Pamela_S_Thibodeaux

 

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