Free Kindle Book on Amazon

FYI--I was searching on Amazon today, 2/24/2012, and I noticed Richard Mabry's novel, Diagnosis Death (Kindle version), is free on Amazon (at least to U.S. residents--if you live outside the U.S., please check the Amazon site for more details)! :)





*The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales.

Book Trailer for Illusion by Frank Peretti

Some of you might have already read my review of Illusion. I noticed there is a book trailer now available on YouTube. If you'd like to view it, click here.

*The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales. 

Interview with Deborah Malone

Recently, I interviewed Deborah Malone.

Bio: Deborah has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, since 2001, for the historical magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published during this time. Her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails” edited by Olin Jackson. She has also had a showing of her photographs at Floyd Medical Center Art Gallery as well as winning several awards. Her debut cozy mystery "Death in Dahlonega" is now available. She is a current member of the Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She has an established blog, Butterfly Journey, where she reviews Christian Fiction.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO START WRITING?

I've always loved to read. I think I was a teen-ager when I first tried my hand at writing. I didn't finish, but I guess that could be considered my first attempt at writing.

WHAT AUTHORS HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING STYLE?

My genre of choice to write is cozy mysteries so cozy writers have had the most influence. A few would be Anne George, Patricia Sprinkle, Kathy Trocheck, Alice K. Arnez, Dana Mentink, just to name a few!

The one writer who influenced me most on Christian writing would be Margaret Daley.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING AUTHORS?

We always hear: go to conventions, read writing books, etc. and all of this is good. But the main thing that helped me was encouragement from other authors on "not to give up." It takes a while to get published and every author has a story about their journey. You have to hang in there for the long run! These are three books that helped me the most: Write in Style by Bobbie Christmas, Goal, Motivation and Conflict by Debra Dixon and after you're published Stress Free Marketing by Renea Winchester.

YOU TAKE AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHS. HAVE YOU EVER BASED A SCENE ON A PHOTOGRAPH YOU’VE TAKEN?

Thank you. I've had to take many photos for my research for my magazine articles so I've used them several times for scenes. That was a great question!

 TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LATEST RELEASE.

"Death in Dahlonega" is my debut cozy mystery. It is based on two friends who find themselves in a bit of a scrape. Trixie is a magazine writer and she is on assignment in Dahlonega, Georgia and her friend Dee Dee has tagged along. Dee Dee owns an antique shop and this will be the perfect place for her to shop for antiques and other goodies. The girls are watching a film at the gold museum when Dee Dee has to go to the bathroom - this is not unusual for Dee Dee. While she is nosing around in the rooms she happens up on a dead body. She automatically pulls out the pick axe and winds up being the main person of interest. The handsome sheriff is ready to retire and run for mayor, so Trixie doesn't think he's trying very hard to find the real killer. So she and Dee Dee take matters in their own hands. The question is will they find the real killer before Dee Dee ends up in the slammer?

I am working on my next two releases with Trixie and Dee Dee the first one is "Murder in Marietta" and the second one is "Terror in Tybee Island."

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND IN RESEARCH BEFORE YOU WRITE A STORY?

I like to visit the area and take lots of pictures as well as interview people that are familiar with the area. Then I continue to do research throughout the whole book to keep it fresh in my mind. I don't really know how much time, but it is a good bit. Research is imperative.

WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING THING YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM YOUR RESEARCH?

Well, I don't know about what I learned, but I do have a funny story. When I went to the gold museum and talked with the real ranger about taking pics/interviewing them etc. for the book she hurriedly called her boss and then preceded to tell me I couldn't write about their security system. Of course, I didn't know about their security system so it was funny to me. I really don't think she knew what a cozy mystery was.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR TIME WHEN YOU'RE NOT WRITING?

Now that I've been published I don't have as much time to do other things, but I like to take photographs. I'm enjoying meeting people through my marketing of "Death in Dahlonega."

HOW CAN READERS CONTACT YOU AND/OR LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR WRITING?

You can contact me by going to my website deborah-malone.com. I would love to hear from my readers and if anyone wants a signed copy I'd be glad to do that and my email is debbiejeanm@gmail.com.  Thank you for having me on your blog!

Back Cover: Winner in American Christian Fiction Writers' Category Five writing contest!

A friendly adventure turns to murder and mayhem in the north Georgia mountains. Historical writer Trixie Montgomery is asked to cover Gold Rush Days in the picturesque Georgia mountain town, Dahlonega. Trixie seizes the chance to mix business with pleasure and asks her best friend, Dee Dee to tag along. Their well laid plans go awry when Dee Dee is discovered standing over the lifeless body of prominent citizen, John Tatum - the very man she'd had a run in with earlier that day - holding a bloody pickax in her hands. Can Trixie find a way to finish her assignment and keep Dee Dee out of the slammer?

Giveaway:  Deborah has graciously agreed to host a giveaway of her novel. The giveaway will be a paperback book, and the only requirement to be entered in the giveaway is to visit her blog and sign up as a follower. The address is deborahsbutterflyjourney.blogspot.com. More details to follow.

Update--please be sure to leave a comment here and sign up for Deborah's blog to enter the giveaway. The giveaway ends February 29th!

*The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales.

Update - Giveaway ends today!

The giveaway to win a copy of Peg Phifer's book ends today, 2/20. Tomorrow, Jackie and I will announce a winner.

Please stop by again soon for details on our next giveaway.

NASCAR Prizes

Author Suzanne Hartman is giving away fantastic prizes to celebrate the start of the 2012 NASCAR season. For more information, please visit her Web site at http://fasttrackthrillers.blogspot.com

Peg Phifer's new release To See the Sun

Today Peg Phifer joins us.

Peggy, tell us a little about yourself.

How much time have you got? LOL Seriously, I’m a septuagenarian who has just had my first book published. I’m a wife (twice), a mom, grandmom and great-grandmom. I was raised in a fundamental Christian home with two of the godliest parents a child could want. I think I assimilated a love of music and literature with my mother’s milk. Music always came first. I started piano lessons at age five. I’m not concert-worthy, but I have a lot of fun with it. I used to play for our church services. I love classical music, my first love.

How did you become an author?

Not an easy answer, Jackie. As a child, I LOVED reading. Anything. My sister and I would disobey lights-out and duck beneath the covers with a flashlight to read long into the night. I was the reader. Sometimes, when I read alone, I used to take the stories I read and rewrite them. I guess that’s how it started.

Pantser  or plotter?

Pantser all the way. No doubt about it. I couldn’t plot if you demanded it of me.

Can you tell us about your story?

Here’s the back cover blurb:

Pregnant and widowed hadn’t been part of her “happily ever after” dream. And now, someone was trying to kill her . . . 

Erin Macintyre never expected to be a widow and a new mother in the same year, anymore than she expected mysterious notes, threatening phone calls, and a strange homeless man who seems to know all about her. The thought of raising a child without a father is daunting enough—worse when you have no idea who might want to harm you. Put an old flame into the mix, and her life begins a tailspin into a world she never knew existed.

When P.I. Clay Buchanan, stumbles upon Erin at her husband's gravesite, he’s totally unprepared for her advanced pregnancy. Her venomous reaction at seeing him, however, was predictable. But Clay can’t let her distrust, or his guilt, get in the way—not when he has evidence that proves Erin’s life is in danger.

With few options left, Erin begrudgingly accepts Clay’s help . . . and it just might be her undoing.

Tell us something you admire about your heroine.

Erin Macintyre is a spunky, independent gal . . . the antithesis of me. I endowed her with everything I wish I was. Vulnerable, yet strong. Determined despite the odds.

What do you find attractive about your hero's character?

Ah, Clay Buchanan is my hero, yes. He’s modeled after my husband. A no-nonsense cowboy dealing with an old hurt . . . several of them, matter of fact . . . also vulnerable and sensitive.

Where can we find it for sale?

Amazon (paperback):  http://amzn.to/xxiSIG

Amazon (Kindle):  http://amzn.to/zV4Zm9

B&N (Nook):  http://bit.ly/x7MAHV

Visit my blog at: http://www.whispersinpurple.com

Contact: peg@peggyblannphifer.com

 We're looking for ten or more unique comments to win the paperback version. Otherwise, the winner will receive a gift card for the e-book download from either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. 

*The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales. 

Review of Illusion

Frank Peretti is arguably my favorite writer. Not only do I enjoy his books, but the man himself comes across as very humble, very likeable.

His last book, House, coauthored with Ted Dekker, was released in 2006. And like other Peretti fans, I have long awaited new material from him. So naturally, I jumped at the chance to review his latest work, Illusion.

If you are a diehard Peretti fan who enjoys sci fi, magic, and suspense/thrillers, you should enjoy this book. Even if you are not a Peretti fan, if you're looking for something different in the realm of Christian fiction, this is it. This is not some formulaic end times thriller nor bonnet fiction; it is something entirely fresh and different. A magical story, this book reminded me a little of the movie, The Prestige.

Told in third person, Illusion is a suspenseful, sci-fi-ish story written by Frank Peretti and published by Howard Books. This tale was different than the other supernatural tales Peretti fans are used to him writing. But different isn’t necessarily bad, just different.

Strange things happen. A magician (Dane Collins) loses his wife, and a young girl (Eloise Kramer) awakes to find herself transported forty years into the future. And of course, the two events are related.

I’ve read that Peretti has been releasing chapters on his Facebook page, so if you’re interested, you might want to check that out.

The book is available for preorder on Amazon and is set to be released March 6, 2012.

*Please note that I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.



*The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales.

Review of Firethorn

I recently finished Firethorn, written by Ronie Kendig and published by Barbour. I enjoyed this fourth and final book in the Discarded Heroes series but was sad that the series had come to an end.

Griffin Riddell, also known as Legend, is the main character in this book. When the Shack is attacked, the heroes are scattered, and a female outsider--strong and determined Kazi--is brought in to rescue them. Imagine the worst possible stuff that could happen to the heroes, and well, there you have it. But it makes for a great story.

Just to warn you, there was at least one major shocker/surprise in the story, but I won't spoil it for you. To be fair, the event added a greater sense of reality, because as we all know, not everything in life turns out rosy.

The book was very action packed. There was more at stake than in previous books in the series, and I liked how Kendig provided closure at the end.

After reading Wolfsbane, I had pity for Range, so I was glad that Kendig brought him back and gave him some more story time in this final book.

Even as I write this, I'm hoping Kendig's developing a spin off. *hint, hint, cough, wink* I really enjoyed reading about the characters, and as sappy as it sounds, I will miss reading about them.

This series will appeal to men and women who like a little romance and a lot of action. Women should enjoy the romance and depth of Kendig's characters. Men should enjoy the action and the realism Kendig brings to her carefully researched stories.

Though each book can stand alone, if you haven't read any of the books in the series, I would suggest reading them in order. It makes more sense, and you'll get more out of them:

Nightshade (Book 1)

Digitalis (Book 2)

Wolfsbane (Book 3)

Firethorn (Book 4)

Finally, equally noteworthy, is at the end of the book, Kendig draws attention to the men and women who serve and protect our great nation with pride and honor. While it's fun to enjoy fiction, we must never forget the real heroes.


*Please note that I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

*The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales.

Review of Indelible

Indelible is a suspenseful tale told in third person. Published by WaterBrook Press and written by Kristen Heitzmann, this novel contains definite spiritual (angels, demons) overtones. Though overall, the tone throughout the book is not a preachy one.

Natalie Reeve, the main character, is an artist with an unbelievable talent. When tragedy strikes her family, her life intersects with mountain climber, Trevor MacDaniel. As the story progresses, and the two become closer, Trevor begins receiving disturbing items in the mail. In the end, he must face various challenges to protect Natalie and to find and stop the person sending the mail.

The book contains enough romance to satisfy female readers but not so much that it would bore male readers. The characters were anything but stereotypical. The story was fairly fast-paced and well-written but did have quite a few subplots/POVs that some might view as distracting. For example, at first, I wasn’t sure where the author was going with one of the subplots/POV involving the antagonist, but in the end, it does become clearer. A reader’s guide is provided at the end of the book for further reflection and discussion. 

In the course of the story, Natalie stays at Trevor’s house for protection as he has better security and she’s recovering from an injury. Nothing inappropriate happens between the two of them during this time, but I mention this, because readers might be offended by this. 

If you'd like to read an excerpt from Chapter 1 of this book for free, please visit Scribd.

*Please note that I received a free copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for my review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own. 

 

*The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales.

Review of The Betrayal (Precinct 11 Novel)

The Betrayal by Jerry B. Jenkins is a well-written sequel to The Brotherhood. In my opinion, this book was even more fast-paced than the first.

I'm pretty sure I heard that Jenkins is a "pantser" (as in writing by the seat of your pants) when it comes to plotting. As someone who utilizes outlines, I was impressed by how he tied the various subplots of the two stories together (things were set in motion in the first book that really fit and connected with the second). Jenkins also did a good job of interspersing narrative with dialogue.

Men and women of all ages who enjoy a quick read should like this novel (suspense action, romance--it's all in there). In this book, as well as in most of his other stories, Jenkins provides backstory, so conceivably, each story can stand alone. Still, I'd suggest reading the first book because it gives you greater insight into the main character, Boone Drake.

In this sequel, Boone faces a new set of challenges (as if he hadn't already been through the wringer in the first book). Haeley is in trouble, and there are hints of a dirty cop or two on the force. In a race against time, Boone must collect evidence to find out the truth, even if it hurts.



*The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Sleuths and Suspects!

Review of Deception

A mysterious phone call from a little girl sends Patti Jakowski packing and on a flight out of town. Soon after, with the help of a friendly cop, Patti sets out to find her missing twin sister. A dangerous game of deception ensues. 

Deception truly is the perfect title for this fast-paced romantic suspense novel written by Lillian Duncan and published by Harbourlight Books. A quick read, it was hard to put the book down. 

Lillian did a good job of describing the scenes, and there were several settings in this story. Having lived in each of the states mentioned, it made the story all the more interesting. 

This novel should appeal to women of all ages and men who like to read suspense with a touch of romance.  

This book is available from Pelican Book Group on 12/30/2011.  

*Please note that I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own. 


This book is also available on Amazon.




**The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales.

Review of The Joshua Covenant

Are your favorite movies and TV shows military themed, or do you enjoy reading spy novels? If so, then you might enjoy reading The Joshua Covenant, published by Micah House Media and written by David and Diane Munson. David is a former NCIS agent, and Diane is a former Federal Prosecutor.

The Joshua Covenant centers around the life of CIA agent Bo Rider and his quest to stop a dangerous and powerful mole. Not only is Bo’s life at stake, but the lives of those he cares about. As he races to stop the mole, Bo must face a myriad of obstacles, both internal and external, including a secret from his past.

Though the Munsons have written other books about Bo Rider, readers could pick this book up and follow it without having read the others. The authors did a good job of making the story seem believable.

If you’d like to watch the book trailer, please visit http://www.dianeanddavidmunson.com/books/joshua-covenant.shtml

*Please note that I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.




**The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales.

My Story

Sometimes, we discuss fictional stories.

But if you'd like to read about a true story, that is "my story," as is my personal testimony, please hop over to Anne Baxter's blog, A Pew Perspective.