New Book Release by T.B. Markinson!!!

Guess what?
T.B. Markinson has a new book coming out on December 8th 2014!
 
 
How incredibly awesome is that? It promises intrigue, suspense and heart-stopping action because really, who doesn't love heroines on the run? You never know what's going to happen! So read on and let me know what you think:
 
Blurb:
Claudia doesn’t feel like herself anymore—she feels like prey. Her husband’s hired goons have stalked her all the way to Boston and will only stop their pursuit once she is dead.
Divorce is not an option. Instead, she has stolen a bunch of her man’s money to disappear into another life.
In order for Claudia to live, someone else must die. A lookalike college student becomes the target capable of freeing her from an awful marriage. 
The plan goes horribly awry. Instead of murdering Claudia’s double, the assassins shoot the woman’s lover who is the cousin of a powerful Irish mobster. Claudia becomes hunted by all involved. Can she survive? Should she?
 
Sounds pretty crazy, right? Want more? How about this excerpt from the novel:
At first, everything had been roses and wine. When others warned her about Dennis, Claudia laughed it off.
   “Use your head,” Claudia’s mother had said. “How could a man in his early thirties make so much money owning a handful of run-down bars in two small towns in the West?”
    “What, you think he’s a drug dealer or something?” Claudia had broken into hysterics. “He hardly looks like a gangster, Mother. Dennis doesn’t wear any jewelry. Not even a wedding ring.”
     In Claudia’s mind, a gangster would at least wear a gold necklace. And, he had excellent table manners. There was no way Dennis could be a thug. How many scrawny five-foot-six guys were?
     They had married after seven months. Neither had intended to marry so quickly, but they had visited Vegas for a long weekend, got drunk, and got hitched. It wasn’t until Claudia moved into Dennis’s house that she started to notice things. He wouldn’t come home for days, and when he did, he refused to tell her where he had been. He racked up a lot of mileage on her car, not his. When Claudia asked about it, his reply was a cold stare that made her legs feel like jelly. Granted, one of his bars was in Greeley, but that was only a twenty-minute drive from their home in Loveland. How did the miles add up so quickly?
     After a year, they started to fight constantly. Verbal arguments. After another year, the fights turned violent. Claudia ended up in the hospital—still nothing serious enough for her to walk out. Not yet. Instead, she started hoarding cash. In the beginning, it was a little bit here and there. It was simple. Claudia would request cash back when she used her debit card at the grocery store. Dennis liked her cooking; he never questioned how much his wife spent on food. When she realized her embezzlement plan would take years, not months, The Hunted chose a more drastic solution. The next time her husband crossed the line …
About the Author:
T. B. Markinson is an American writer, living in England. When she isn’t writing, she’s traveling around the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in England, or taking the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order. T. B. has published A Woman Lost, Marionette, and Confessions From a Coffee Shop.
 
 
Mailing List:

Sign up to TB’s New Release Mailing List here. Your email will never be shared and you will only be contacted when a new book is out.
 
Purchase Links:
 
Links:
 
 

Happy 1-Year Anniversary!

Oh I just have to do this!
I have to send a shout-out to LIGHTS OUT! You're one year old today babe! You must be recognized! Because not only have you survived 12 long, uncertain months but you're also on sale! Check out Amazon and Barnes & Noble! And you'll find it there for $0.99!
Time to celebrate peeps!
Get your read on!
 
 
 

Lights Out Tour Coming Soon!!

 
The merriment begins in 2015
Want to be a host? Sign up here!
 

Pair Up!

 Okay seriously...whoever paired up cupcakes and wine is a freakin' genius!!! There was a salted caramel cupcake, a chocolate fudge brownie cupcake, a carrot cake cupcake, an odd cheese cupcake and by odd I mean just that---I've never seen or tasted a cupcake with cheese on it, and a mango cupcake. Needless to say.....my sweet tooth was appeased!


 


Steampunk Cover Reveal!!!

Gear up for GEARS OF BRASS!



A world like ours, but filled with gears of brass, where the beating heart is fueled by steam and the simplest creation is a complex clockwork device.

Within this tome, you’ll find steampunk fairy tale re-tellings, as well as original stories that will send your gears turning.

Welcome to the steampunk realm, with eleven authors guiding your path.


GEARS OF BRASS is a steampunk anthology published through Curiosity Quills. It will be available for purchase on November 10, 2014. Within the pages, you’ll come across clockwork inventions and steampunk-ified fairy tale retellings. Eleven authors will guide you through worlds filled with airships, top hats, and corsets.

Meet the authors:

Jordan Elizabeth writes young adult fantasy for Curiosity Quills, including ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW which was published in October and the upcoming TREASURE DARKLY; she’s represented by the Belcastro Agency.

J. Million is the author of Last of the Giants and can always be found reading or writing.

Lorna MacDonald Czarnota is a professional storyteller and author of several books including, Medieval Tales That Kids Can Read and Tell, Breadline Blue, Legends Lore and Secrets of Western New York, Wicked Niagara, Native American and Pioneer Sites of Upstate New York, and Dancing at the Crossroads: Stories and Activities for At-Risk Youth Programming.

SA Larsen is represented by Paula Munier of Talcott Notch Literary and is the author of published short stories, community-interest stories, and magazine articles focused on children.

Grant Eagar is an Engineer who would take the tales he told his children at bed time, and transform them into fantasy stories.

Clare Weze is the author of The House of Ash (forthcoming) and the co-author and editor of Cloudscapes over the Lune.

Eliza Tilton: gamer, writer and lover of dark chocolate; author of the YA Fantasy, BROKEN FOREST, published by Curiosity Quills Press.

Heather Talty's stories have been featured in Enchanted Conversation, as well as her own fractured fairy tale site, Mythopoetical (www.Beatrixcottonpants.com).

W.K. Pomeroy is a third generation writer who has published more than 70 short stories/articles/poems across many genres and styles, which now includes Steampunk.

Christine Baker is the author of Lana's End, The Guild of Dagda, and many more.

Natalia Darcy: a bookilicious reader, tea drinker and Zumba aficionado who enjoys playing cards against humanity and washing her hair with ice cold water.


You can get your steampunk fix before GEARS OF BRASS is released in November. To enter for your chance to win a copy of GEARS OF BRASS, you will need to share the cover. This can be on your blog, Facebook, Twitter… Each time you share the cover image, log it into Rafflecoper (#insert link) to record it. It will give you more chances to win. The drawing for the winner will be held on October 27th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On a Friday....

As I sit here, trying to write something relatively upbeat, this happened:



 
 
Making these little posters are getting to be waaaaay too much fun!

Cover Reveal for Nana Prah!!!!

It is with great pride and pleasure that I offer you the latest from Nana Prah's enriched mind:


Title: Love Undercover
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction (Sweet, Multicultural)
Publisher: Black Opal Books
Release Date: September 13, 2014



 
 
Blurb

The last thing she expects is to fall in love with a prison guard…

Hotshot Secret Service Agent, Sarita Cerez is thrown into a medium security prison—for work. Her job is to protect the daughter of the president of South Korea. She never envisioned making friends with illegal immigrants or falling head over heels for one of the guards. Now the clandestine activity, which is integral to protecting her charge, may destroy her only chance at love.

He's never fraternized with the inmates—until he met her…

Matthew Carter always plays by the rules, which includes maintaining a strictly professional relationship with the inmates in his charge. But when Sarita saunters onto the unit, all bets are off. Her status as a deportee with a permanent ticket to Columbia means they can never be together, but try as he might, this doesn’t stop him from risking his career for her.

He's a man who values honesty above all else, and she lies for a living. Can two people from such different worlds find any common ground?
 
 
Teaser
 

 
 



Excerpt
As inappropriate as the situation had turned out to be, Sarita was his. At least until she returned to Columbia in what? A few days? A week? No matter when, she would go. “No wife or girlfriend to hang out with.”
      Her chest deflated with her released breath. He wished he could have taken her air into himself. I’m screwed. “What about you? Are you married or have a boyfriend waiting to break you out of here at the first opportunity?”
Her eyes blazed into his. “Single as single can be.”
      The admission sparked something deep within him. He had to touch her. Nothing else mattered except having his fingers glide over her flawless mocha skin. The all-encompassing urge pushed him to stand.
      With a controlled effort he strode to the area across from the television and leaned against the wall.
      On every unit, one spot existed where neither the cameras nor inmates could see.
     Management knew about it, but the cost of adding a third camera would be too expensive for the facility to contemplate so they left it. At least that’s the story Matt had been told.
     He’d never used the spot, but as he waited for her to join him, he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.
     He motioned her to him with a crook of his index finger. “Come here.”


About the author

Nana Prah is a multi-published author of contemporary, multicultural romance. Her books are sweet with a touch of spice. When she’s not writing she’s reading, indulging in chocolate, and enjoying life with friends and family.
 
 
Contact details


Twitter: @NanaPrah

Facebook: Nana Prah, Author

Goodreads: Nana Prah

Google + :  Nana Prah   


And last but not least:


A Giveaway!!!!
 


 
 
 
 



Cupcakes & Books with Nana Prah

Deep inside every one of us, is a cupcake dying to come out. In the case of awesome author and my fellow cupcake companion, Nana Prah, her hidden treat is that of the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake!
 
 
And it just so happens that her main character, Ora, in Prah's new romance novel, Midwife to Destiny, is a die-hard sweets fan. Sounds like my kind of gal!
 
Take it away, Nana! (be sure to save me a cupcake!)
 
 
Melissa Groeling and I have a sort of love/torture relationship. We like to torment each other with visions of cupcakes. That’s why I couldn’t come to her blog empty handed. Notice the pictures of cupcakes baked by one of my old classmates, Jennifer Korzyk. I even asked her for permission to use them.  I’ve never tasted one, but after viewing them I am of the belief that she should go into business. Do you agree? Aren’t the beautiful?
 
                  
 
My character Ora from Midwife to Destiny loves cakes, chocolate, and sweets of any and all kinds. She enjoys anything mouthwateringly tasty, including Jason.
 
Excerpt: 
When the food arrived, the smell alone would’ve been enough to make her pass out with bliss. “This is delicious.” She spoke with her mouth full, overwhelmed by the extreme need to express her delight in the chef’s culinary skills.
“I told you.”
 “I will never doubt you when it comes to food. Oh my goodness!” She stopped herself just in time from eating the grilled tilapia with her fingers and then licking the spices from them.
 She’d finished half of her food before she realized she’d come on a date with more than the fish. She raised her head to see Jason watching her. “I’m sorry. I love good food and this is fabulous.”
 He chuckled. “I remember. You were the same when we ate in Cape Town. I found it attractive.”
 She tilted her head. “Are you being sarcastic?”
 “No. Your eating shows how much you enjoy the small pleasures of life.”
 “Oh.” Her skin tingled all over. How thrilling that he had discerned such a thing about her. “You’re no slouch when it comes to food yourself.”
 “I admit it. I’m a closeted fat guy waiting to get out.”
  
One last thing before I go. Who would have thought that Melissa, a writer of such dark novels would love cupcakes so much? Definitely not me. I would associate cupcakes more with people who write romances, like me. It seems cupcakes are universal to all genre writers. That’s a good thing.
 
Blurb:
Ghanaian nurse Aurora ‘Ora’ Aikins never expected to find the love of her life while on vacation in South Africa. Engaged to another and believing that love has no place in her life, she returns to Ghana, and puts duty and honor first.
Three years later, Dr. Jason Lartey still can’t get Ora out of his mind or his heart. After learning she never married, he takes a risk and moves to Ghana hoping to rekindle what they started. His sudden appearance in Ora’s Emergency Department sends sparks flying all over again.
They’re in the same country, working in the same hospital, and together but distance creeps between them. Can they make their destined love one for the ages? 
 
Where to buy: 
 
About the Author:
Nana Prah is a multi-published author of contemporary, multicultural romance. Her books are sweet with a touch of spice. When she’s not writing she’s reading, indulging in chocolate, and enjoying life with friends and family.
 
Contact Details:
Twitter: @NanaPrah




 

Book Blast courtesy of Megan Cyrulewski!



AVAILABLE SATURDAY AUGUST 2ND! 


Megan’s book, Who Am I?  How My Daughter Taught Me to Let Go and Live Again, is about her journey into post-partum depression, anxiety disorder, panic attacks, stays in the psych ward, divorce, emotional abuse, domestic violence, law school, how she managed to graduate from law school and a beautiful little girl who emerged from all of this chaos.  




Megan Cyrulewski has been writing short stories ever since she was ten-years-old.  After attending Grand Valley State University, Megan eventually settled into a career in the non-profit sector for eight years.  She decided to change careers and went back to school to get her law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.  While in school, she documented her divorce, child custody battle and postpartum depression struggles in her memoir.  Megan lives in Michigan with her 3-year-old daughter who loves to dance, run, read, and snuggle time with Mommy.  Megan also enjoys her volunteer work with various organizations in and around metro-Detroit.

Here's an exciting excerpt from Megan's exciting new book, Who Am I?  How My Daughter Taught Me to Let Go and Live Again:

On January 18, 2012, we all convened in the courthouse for the Motion for Parenting Time hearing. My dad and I arrived with my attorney, but Tyler loved an audience so he brought his dad, step-mom, and his new on-again off-again girlfriend, Heather. Tyler walked in with his posse in tow, cocky as hell. It took all of two minutes for the judge to knock him off his feet.
The Judge addressed our respective attorneys. “Why are we here?”
“Your honor,” Tyler’s attorney began, “my client has clearly been denied his parenti—”
The Judge didn’t even let him finish. “How?” She turned to my attorney. “Don?”
“Your honor, as you can see in the divorce decree, there was supposed to be a review when the minor child turned twelve-months-old. The Defendant has ignored that review.”
“I—if I may, your honor,” Tyler’s attorney sputtered.
“I see the review in the decree. It’s here in black and white,” she told Tyler’s attorney. “What is the problem? Why didn’t you understand the review? Your client signed the divorce decree.”
Tyler’s attorney tried again. “But your honor—”
The judge cut him off. “There is to be a review conducted by the Friend of the Court referee assigned to the parties. Until then, the Defendant will continue his parenting time schedule as agreed upon in the divorce decree. Dismissed.”
And that was it. After eight police reports and numerous harassing text messages, phone calls, and e-mails, we won. As Don and Tyler’s attorney went to speak with the clerk to file the necessary paperwork, Don told us to wait for him outside the courtroom.
As we exited the courtroom, the hallway was so packed with people that my dad and I were only able to find enough space to lean against the wall. We were talking about the court proceedings when we looked up at saw Tyler and his new girlfriend standing right across from us.
“Why do you lie about everything?” Tyler screamed.
Heather walked up to me and stood about an inch from my face. “As a mother myself, you should be happy that Tyler is the father of your child.”
My jaw dropped. “I’m sorry but I don’t know you.”
She smirked. “Well you’re going to get to know me, bitch.”
Tyler made a big show of pulling her from me like I was going to punch her or something. By this time, everyone in the hallway was watching us. We were pure entertainment.
Heather continued her rant. “Two times in the psych ward, Megan? What a great mother you are.”
“Where is your mom, the real mother of our child?” Tyler screamed. “She’s the one who takes care of Madelyne.”
My dad and I tried to move away from Tyler and Heather but they followed us.
“Awww…” Heather mocked. “Do you have to take a Xanax because of your anxiety?”
“Go take your Xanax and sleeping pills, you drug addict,” Tyler shouted.
Finally, Don emerged from the courtroom and pulled us into a quiet corridor. He explained that I needed to call our referee to set-up a meeting to discuss a visitation schedule. I told Don about the verbal assault by Tyler and Heather. Don said he would call Tyler’s attorney to let him know that Heather would not be allowed in my house.
Upon leaving the courthouse, Heather screamed, “See you on Sunday, Megan.”
I turned toward her and said calmly, “I don’t know you, but you are not welcome in my home.”
That night, Tyler sent me multiple texts attacking my mothering skills, my supposed drug addictions, how he was going to fight for joint custody of Madelyne, how Heather would be accompanying him for his visitations, and a barrage of other insults:
"Get a life already."
"Don’t you have something better to do than wasting your parents’ money?"
"Go take your pills and relax, oh yeah, then your parents would have to watch our daughter. Oh yeah, they already do."
"Go talk to your friends. Oh yeah, you don’t have any because of how crazy you are."
"Interesting to know you’ve been to the hospital a couple of times. You really need to get it together."
"Better go call your lawyer and make up some more stuff about me."
"Don’t be mad at your sorry life."
"I am sure living with Mom and Dad the rest of your life will be fun."
"When you get a job, then you can pay me child support. Fun."
 
I finally had to turn my phone off at midnight.


Saw this today...

 
So I saw the above quote today while cruising through Pinterest.
Quite frankly, I laughed out loud. All you writers out there, don't deny it, you've definitely done this before. Anyone who's pissed you off, frustrated you, invoked revenge fantasies or someone who was just plain ol' rude to you, oh yes, you will have that sweet, sweet, ice-cold revenge. And why not? It's better to do it on a page rather than for real, we all know that. As irritating and outrageous as many of these rude people are, we need them, don't we? We need them to inspire our villains, our pain-in-the-ass characters, those people in our pages who inspire such annoying developments into our stories that we can barely stop ourselves from smashing our fists through the computer monitor.
And as we're dealing with these nibbling pinches and picks through-out our day and I'm standing in the middle of a group of co-workers, imagining my boss as a rampaging baboon because seriously her laugh sounds like one, I can't help but think, no, she won't make it into my book but her laugh sure as hell will.
 

Did someone say book sale????

Why yes! Someone did say book sale! It's the perfect time to stock up on books if you're heading out for the beach or the mountains or just lounging around at home. Stuff up those Kindles and Nooks. Keep your brain occupied during this slow, lazy summer. Your brain will thank you!
 And so will your wallet!
Right now, Lights Out is on sale for $0.99 on Barnes & Noble and Amazon!
Go ahead, ladies and gents...take a vacation...you've more than earned it!
 
 


Trips and Signings!

So here I am again, slacking in my blogging duties. I have no excuses but I will tell you, back in May I had the pleasure of setting sail to Alaska! It was absolutely fantastic!!! I've been telling everyone that they need to get up there before all the glaciers melt.
 
 
There were so many awesome things to see, to hear, to smell. Alaska...you'd never think it was a part of the United States. It stands alone...literally and figuratively. The air is different somehow--not only does it smell cleaner but you seem to breathe it in a little easier too. The smell of pine, of clear water, so blue from the glaciers, it makes your eyeballs bleed. We were fortunate to be aboard one of the "smaller" cruise ships so that we could get into those harder-to-reach areas off the coast. All the little inlets and such.
 
Image opening your balcony curtains to see this:
 
 
To me, this is something out of a novel--the fog, the barely-rippling water, the chilly air.
 
 
And seeing a bald eagle in its natural environment?
Or coming back to your cabin and finding one of these critters:
 
 
Yup! He's made from towels!
What would be a cruise without a little sampling of these:
 
 
Granted, they were a little small for my taste but oh, were they delicious. And while we sat there and indulged in cupcake goodness, right outside our window came this:
 
 
It was so unexpected and a woman sitting across from me had just gotten done saying that she hadn't seen any wild life yet!
 
Seriously peeps, get yourself up there immediately. It's literally one of America's last frontiers and you know something this beautiful never lasts forever.
 
 

Lights Out Book Signing

Come one! Come all!
I'm so excited!
 
 
 


How did I get so lucky? Aneta Cruz is here!

Good people!
I am so excited to have Aneta Cruz on my blog! You may remember her stopping by back in September 2013, promoting her insanely awesome book, Heartbreak Hotel. And now, she's here once more, having cranked out another glorious story called, The Guardian.
Hey, look! Here she is!
 
 
 
Aneta! How are you? Thank you so much for joining us today! Here, have some cupcakes *passes plate* and perhaps a nice, hot beverage *passes cup of Earl Gray with milk and honey*. I hope you’re doing well. It’s so awesome that you here again! So let’s get right to it, shall we? Tell us….
 
Please give us a synopsis about your new release, The Guardian.
Jeez, when someone tells me “give us a synopsis” all I hear is “sign your death sentence”. I know for a fact that I’m not the only author who hates writing a synopsis because our stories are so much deeper than just a this person meets this person, this is at stake, and then they go do this and that, and then they live happily ever after. Or not. [laughs] Okay. I’ll try this. Here’s a little teaser:
You are in Prague, 1939. Dr. Josef Stein, the ambitious seeker of otherworldly beings, is ready to take you on a quest in which solving a murder and discovering the veracity of a thousand-year-old myth are just two of his many pursuits. Keep your eyes open wide. You never know who’s lurking in the shadows by the door. And be very careful out there. While you are searching for something otherworldly with doctor Stein, the Nazis are searching for you. Who will complete their quest first? You and the ambitious doctor or the Nazis with their own ambitious agenda?
 
When did you first decide to sit down and write this story?
This story sort of flashed through my mind in its entirety, with the cast of characters, settings, plot, climax, and resolution in a split second when I got out of the shower one day 4 years ago. I remember it so clearly. I barely wrapped the towel around me and yelled at my husband to bring me my notebook and pencil, and right there on the bathroom counter, I scribbled everything down. I have a notebook in which I keep all my notes for all my stories. If anyone ever finds it, s/he’ll think I’m a crazy scatterbrain. But the notebook only looks disorganized to an outside eye. I know exactly where what is or isn’t and why.
 
What inspired The Guardian?
A scary ballad called the Noon Witch (in translation) by K. J. Erben, a Czech author (1811 -1870). I’d read it a thousand times, but that day…well, I guess some neurons just made wicked awesome connections and sparked the creativity.
 
Do you like to write with noise? No noise?
I never really thought of that. When I write, I completely tune out. I totally submerge into the story and feel like I’m really there. I’m in a different world, detached from my body, if that makes any sense at all. The house could be on fire and I don’t think I would notice.
 
Are you a paper-and-pen type of gal or strictly on the computer?
Both. When I get an idea for a story, I immediately write it down. I identify the characters, they’re desires, the main plot, and the ending. I always know the ending before I begin to write. It gives me the motivation to search for the antecedent scenario. I’m like a detective trying to solve a mystery. How did this happen? And why? I ask myself before I write. Then I head to the computer.
 
What’s your favorite snack to munch on while you let the creative juices flow?
I don’t eat. It’s like my body shuts down and only my inner eye that sees everything that is happening in the story exists. I’m not hungry or thirsty or anything. I’m not even sure I breathe. J
 
Do you have one of those nagging little voices in the back of your head, telling you that you can’t do it? If so, how do you shut it up?
The only nagging voice I have is the one that yells: “Hurry up. Finish. What’s taking so long?” I am not a patient person. If I had a magic wand, I would just wave it and the story would be there from start to finish. The only way to shut up that nagging voice is to write and write and write until I’m able to type THE END. And then it begins nagging again because there are other WIPs waiting to be finished. I don’t think I could ever get rid of that incessant yeller in my head. [sighs]
 
Does your story come from personal experience or have you had to do some major research?
My uncle is Schizophrenic. I dedicated the book to him. I’ve seen him on his good and bad days. And I’ve always wondered whether he really sees those which he speaks to. He sounds so convincing when he does. And when he does, the hair on the back of my neck stands up as if there truly was someone invisible only he is aware of. Quite spooky, I tell ya. But very intriguing and fascinating as well. So, yes. There’s a lot of personal experience there. But, I did do a huge amount of research into the Nazi era and the behavior of patients with certain mental illnesses.
 
What kind of books do you like to read? E-books or the real thing? J
I’m a sucker for paper. I love to turn the pages, smell the books, touch the print, stroke the spines of the books in my own library…yes, I have a book fetish. E-books are not for me. I need the real deal.
 
 
So how awesome does "The Guardian" sound? Check out this bad-a** cover:
 
 
Purchase links:
 
Ways to stalk...er, I mean, contact awesome Aneta:
Her website
Twitter: @AnetaCruz
Instagram: @AnetaCruz
Facebook
 
 

Thanks for stopping by, Aneta! Come visit again soon!