Friday, September 30, 2016

Cover Reveal: Murder at the Fortune Teller's Table by Janet Finsilver


Inside the Book:

murder-at-the-fortune-tellers-table
Title: Murder at the Fortune Teller's Table
Author: Janet Finsilver
Publisher: Lyrical Underground
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Format: Ecopy 
Poisons, prophecies—and a peculiar past . . .

When a local woman begins searching for a couple she hasn’t seen since the 1960s, Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast manager Kelly Jackson and the crime-solving group, the “Silver Sentinels,” are quick to help out. They’re also quick to guess that they’re in over their heads after the woman is found dead beside the body of a Greek fortune teller—and a fellow Sentinel gets attackeds. As Kelly juggles work and her responsibilities at a food and wine festival in town, she and her sleuthing posse must confront a killer obsessed with old secrets . . . and solve a murder mystery more than fifty years in the making . . .

   amazon

MEET THE AUTHOR

janet-finsilver 

 Janet Finsilver and her husband reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. She worked in education for many years as a teacher, a program administrator, and a workshop presenter. Janet loves animals and has two dogs—Kylie and Ellie. She’s been involved in many activities during her life. Janet has ridden western style since she was a child and was a member of the National Ski Patrol. She’s traveled extensively. One of the highlights of her life was touching whales in the San Ignacio Lagoon. She enjoys cooking, and a recent attempt to reduce the number of cookbooks in the cupboard wasn’t very successful. She’s an avid reader—of course!   She’s currently working on the next book in her series scheduled for release in June 2016.

For More Information

Visit Janet’s website.    

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Cover Reveal: Chasing Love by Melissa West

 

Inside the Book:


Title: Chasing Love
Author: Melissa West
Publisher: Lyrical Shine
Genre: Women's Fiction
Format: Ecopy 
Farming family land on sunny Crestler’s Key, the sweet, sexy Littleton brothers are notorious bachelors. But all that will change when the right woman comes along . . .

There aren’t many things Charlie Littleton values more than his lifelong friendship with his buddy Lucas, currently home from a tour in Iraq. But when he discovers that Lucas’s younger sister, Lila, is back to assist the town’s overburdened veterinarian, Charlie is torn. She’s no longer the skinny, awkward kid he remembers, but a gorgeous woman—one Lucas would never approve of him dating. When Lucas asks him to watch out for Lila when he’s called to duty again, Charlie can’t say no—but he can’t pretend it’s easy to ignore his feelings either.

As a teen, Lila crushed on Charlie—hard—and the man he’s grown up to be is even more wonderful than she dreamed. Relationships are a tricky business, though, and too much history is at stake to risk one now. But every moment they’re together is heated by their simmering attraction—and one day an impulsive kiss leads to much more. What’s tangled in a matter of loyalty soon becomes a question of the kind of love worth chasing .

  amazon

MEET THE AUTHOR

Melissa West writes heartfelt Southern romance and teen sci-fi romance, all with lots of kissing. Because who doesn’t like kissing? She lives outside of Atlanta, GA, with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.

Connect with Melissa at www.melissawestauthor.com or on Twitter @MB_West  

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Cover Reveal: Uniformly Dead by Greta McKennan


Inside the Book:

uniformly-dead-1
Title: Uniformly Dead
Author: Greta McKennan
Publisher: Lyrical Underground
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Format: Ecopy 

Historical seamstress Daria Dembrowski has her work cut out for her as she searches for a killer's pattern . . .

Daria has come up with a brilliant new plan to expand her seamstress business beyond stitching wedding gowns—historical sewing. And with Civil War re-enactors setting up camp in her hometown of Laurel Springs, Pennsylvania, she has plenty of opportunities, including one client playing a Confederate colonel who's a particular stickler for authenticity.

But soon the small-town peace starts coming apart at the seams as an antique doll is stolen from a Civil War exhibit and the cranky colonel is found impaled by his own bayonet. When Daria's brother is suspected of the theft and a bridal client's fiancƩ is accused of the murder, Daria is determined to untangle the clues to prove their innocence. She needs to get this case sewn up fast, though, before the murderer re-enacts the crime and makes her history.
  amazon  

Book Feature: Othello Greene: The Story Begins by Anthony Baltimore


We're thrilled to be hosting Anthony Baltimore and his new scifi fantasy OTHELLO GREENE: THE STORY BEGINS!  Please leave a comment below to let him know you stopped by!


About the Book:

Title: Othello Greene: The Story Begins
Author: Anthony Baltimore
Publisher: JourStarr Quality Publications
Pages: 780
Genre: Scifi/Fantasy

Lt. Othello Greene, the leader of America’s most lethal and efficient elite special ops group is captured, tortured, and mutilated by a ruthless, maniacal terrorist named Genesis and his group, the Global Supremacy Federation (G.S.F), who is hell bent on world domination.
Moments before his execution, Othello is rescued by a centuries old Islamic group intent on convincing him to use his unmatched skills and abilities for the good of mankind.In the backdrop, is the story of Othello’s past and the events which led to his life as an elite assassin.The entire world is racing towards the war to end all wars. Will Genesis prevail or will Othello put an end to his reign of terror?

For More Information

  • Othello Greene: The Story Begins is available at Amazon.
Book Excerpt:
Every inch of his body was in pain. Its intensity caused a numbing effect. The stench of blood, urine, feces, and burnt flesh permeated the room. The air was acrid and unbearably hot, making it difficult to breathe. The unfamiliar room was dimly lit, a single flickering bulb hanging from the ceiling. His newly awakened eyes had yet to acclimate themselves to the environment. His head was pounding like a sledgehammer against a wall. Over the clamor of confusion in his mind, he could hear the faint murmur of a sobbing woman.
“Name!” he heard a voice scream in his head.
“Othello Greene,” he answered.
“Rank!” the voice continued.
“First lieutenant,” he mumbled, as his senses began to gain clarity. His heart sank like an anchor at the sight of the severed head of his longtime friend and counterintelligence operative Second Lieutenant Jack Strong. The cloud in his mind completely dissipated when he saw Jack’s nude, mutilated body lying slumped over in a corner several feet from the head. Their termination mission, he realized, had gone terribly wrong.
Othello’s unclothed body lay in a pool of his own blood. A fierce pain exploded through his torso as he stuck the severely burned stub where his right hand used to be into the ground beneath him. The failed attempt to get to his feet caused him to instantaneously collapse, quivering in agony.
He teetered between consciousness and death, staring into the face of his dead friend. Suddenly the eyes of the severed head opened and a menacing expression appeared. “This is all your fault!” it growled. “Look what the hell you got us into! You and all your guts and glory bullshit!”
“This is not my fault. I didn’t put a gun to your head. I didn’t make you do shit!” Othello screamed, blood and drool flying from his mouth.
“Huh,” Jack grunted. “Look at your dear sweet Ramirez over there. What a shame. They’ve been taking turns raping her for the last eighteen hours.” One of the arms on the headless body motioned across the room. 
Othello was horrified to see his intimate friend and partner, First Sergeant Helena Ramirez, lying naked in a fetal position, brutalized and cowering in a corner. She was whimpering like a child. He felt helpless and ashamed, not for himself but for the team he had let down.
“You’re one self-righteous bastard. You knew she would have gone to hell to assassinate Satan with you. Now, because of you, she’s seen more dicks than Kim Kardashian,” said Jack with a sinister grin.
“Shut the fuck up, damn it!” Othello continued to scream. “This is not real! You’re dead!”
“This is very much real, hero. But don’t worry. You’ll be joining me soon. And speaking of Satan, he told me to tell you that he’s keeping your side of the bed warm, and that you and he are going to get real personal when you arrive,” Jack responded with laughter.
“I am not paying attention to you. You are not real,” Othello said, to himself. He tried once again to get to his feet. This time, using his still operable left hand, he pushed himself up but could not feel his legs.
Turning over on his back, he was in shock to see both of his legs severed at the knees. The miasma of burning flesh was his own. His captors had burned the stumps to stop the bleeding. The hopelessness of the situation hit him like a pile of bricks. Despair set in as he collapsed, waiting for the moment of death.
Helena crawled over to him and gently kissed his forehead. The Latina beauty who could make any man risk it all for one night of passion was unrecognizable.
“Othello, I thought you were dead,” she cried.
Helena, I’m sorry,” he replied, looking away, not able to look at her bloodied battered face and racked with guilt.
“Shhh. It’s not important,” she said, with tears flowing, caressing the side of his swollen face. “Baby, I need you to help me.”
“There’s nothing I can do. It’s over, Helena. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“No, don’t apologize. I knew the risks and I loved the ride. But I need you to listen to me. Please,” she begged, turning his face back toward hers. “I need you to help me.
“It’s over, Helena. Only God can help us now.”
“No. That’s not true,” she cried, grabbing his hand and placing it on her throat.
“No . . . No, I can’t,” he sighed, attempting to pull his hand away.
Even under these nightmare conditions, the touch of his hand against her skin brought back a flood of memories. How much he loved her. The thousand times they shared each other, holding nothing back. She grabbed it tightly, with both hands, kneeling her broken, battered, and violated body in the pool of blood around him. “Yes, you can. I’m already gone. Please don’t let them hurt me again. Those bastards did so many terrible things to me. Please . . . Please . . .,” she pleaded, pulling his hand harder against her throat.
About the Author

Born on November 17, 1969 in Washington D.C.. Graduated from Mackin Catholic High School and went on to attend Howard University. He became a successful entrepreneur at an early age, but fell victim to the lure of the streets. He quickly became entrenched in the often violent world of drug trafficking and was consumed by its illusions of power and prominence.
In 2009 over 22,000 individuals were convicted of federal drug charges, less than 25 of those were convicted of 21 USC 848 (Kingpin Statute). Mr. Baltimore Sr. was one of them.

He is now serving a mandatory life sentence at USP Lewisburg in central Pennsylvania.
He utilizes his time fervently fighting his case, furthering his education, and fostering his passion for writing. He is also a loving father and devout Muslim.
For More Information

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Book Feature: The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter


 

Inside the Book:


Title: The Kept Woman
Author: Karin Slaughter
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Format: Ebook/Paperback/Hardcover/Audio

Husbands and wives. Mothers and daughters. The past and the future.

Secrets bind them. And secrets can destroy them.

The author of Pretty Girls returns with an electrifying, emotionally complex thriller that plunges its fascinating protagonist into the darkest depths of a mystery that just might destroy him.

With the discovery of a murder at an abandoned construction site, Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is brought in on a case that becomes much more dangerous when the dead man is identified as an ex-cop.

Studying the body, Sara Linton—the GBI’s newest medical examiner and Will’s lover—realizes that the extensive blood loss didn't belong to the corpse. Sure enough, bloody footprints leading away from the scene indicate there is another victim—a woman—who has vanished . . . and who will die soon if she isn’t found.

Will is already compromised, because the site belongs to the city’s most popular citizen: a wealthy, powerful, and politically connected athlete protected by the world’s most expensive lawyers—a man who’s already gotten away with rape, despite Will’s exhaustive efforts to put him away.

But the worst is yet to come. Evidence soon links Will’s troubled past to the case . . . and the consequences will tear through his life with the force of a tornado, wreaking havoc for Will and everyone around him, including his colleagues, family, friends—and even the suspects he pursues.

Relentlessly suspenseful and furiously paced, peopled with conflicted, fallible characters who leap from the page, The Kept Woman is a seamless blend of twisty police procedural and ingenious psychological thriller -- a searing, unforgettable novel of love, loss, and redemption.  

Meet the Author:

karin-slaughter-ap
Karin Slaughter is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including the Will Trent and Grant County series and the instant New York Times bestselling standalones, Cop Town and Pretty Girls. There are more than 35 million copies of her books in print around the world. 

Visit her at http://www.karinslaughter.com

———————

Tour Schedule

 Monday, September 19 - Book featured at A Title Wave
Tuesday, September 20 - Book featured at The Writer's Life
Wednesday, September 21 - Book reviewed at The Bookworm Lodge
Thursday, September 22 - Book featured at The Dark Phantom
Friday, September 23 - Book featured at Voodoo Princess
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Monday, September 26 - Book reviewed at Cover2Cover
Tuesday, September 27 - Book featured at As the Page Turns
Wednesday, September 28 - Book featured at The Literary Nook
Thursday, September 29 - Book featured at From Paperback to Leatherbound
Friday, September 30 - Book reviewed at Doing Some Reading
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Monday, October 3 - Book reviewed at fuonlyknew
Tuesday, October 4 - Book featured at The Review From Here
Wednesday, October 5 - Book reviewed at The World As I See It
Thursday, October 6 - Book reviewed at Polished Bookworm
Friday, October 7 - Book reviewed at Chick with Books
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Monday, October 10 - Book reviewed at Shelley's Book Case
Tuesday, October 11 - Book reviewed at I'm Shelf-ish
Wednesday, October 12 - Book reviewed at Fundinmental
Thursday, October 13 - Book reviewed at Cheekypee Reads and Reviews
Book reviewed at Deal Sharing Aunt
Friday, October 14 - Book reviewed at A Word at a Time
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Monday, October 17 - Book reviewed at Svetlana's Reads and Reviews
Tuesday, October 18 - Book reviewed at Art, Books and Coffee
Wednesday, October 19 - Book reviewed at Authors and Readers Book Corner
Thursday, October 20 - Book reviewed at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews
Book reviewed at Freda's Voice
Friday, October 21 - Book reviewed at Why Girls are Weird
Book reviewed at Pretty Little Book Reviews
Book reviewed at The Book Tree
Book reviewed at Nay's Pink Bookshelf
Book reviewed at True Book Addict
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Monday, September 26, 2016

Cover Reveal: The Sweetheart Kiss by Cheryl Ann Smith

 


Inside the Book:


Title: The Sweetheart Kiss
Author: Cheryl Ann Smith
Publisher: Lyrical Shine
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Format: Ecopy 

Jess Lucas works hard at the all-female PI firm Brash & Brazen, and after a brush with death, she’s determined to play hard too—preferably with a certain detective on the Ann Arbor police force . . .

Jess was stuck at a frenemy’s wedding, playing bridesmaid in a mustard-yellow monstrosity, when chaos erupted. First the bride’s ex tried to stop the wedding. Then someone really put a damper on the big day by sending a bullet through a stained glass window and into one of the groomsmen. At least her ugly dress came in handy to stop the bleeding . . .

While the poor guy is rushed to the ER, Jess gets grilled by a gorgeous cop who’s not thrilled to learn she’s part PI and part pit bull. But he has to admit she’s highly observant . . . and he observes that she’s pretty hot, too.

The thing is, Jess was walking up the same aisle as the victim, and Sam suspects she was the real target. It’s more than professional duty that makes him want to protect her—if he doesn’t arrest her first for interfering in his investigation . . .

  amazon  

MEET THE AUTHOR

cheryl-ann-smith


A fan of romance fiction since the dark ages, author Cheryl Ann Smith loves to throw her heroines into danger, just to see what they’ll do. Her dream of publication came true in 2011 when the first in her historical romance series came out with Berkley Sensation. And starting on September 13th 2016, she’ll launch an exciting a new contemporary romance series with Kensington’s Lyrical Press. These books will mix her crazy sense of humor with the adventures of a trio of female private investigators, who are the kick-ass heroines Cheryl has always wanted to be.

While growing up, Cheryl never dreamed of being a writer. Then one afternoon she got a crazy idea and decided to write her own book. It took over five years, a marriage, and the births of her children to finish the manuscript. It was a hundred pages too long and thin on plot, but she took immense satisfaction in her accomplishment.

Naively, she was sure that book would sell to great fanfare. Agents and editors were less than enthusiastic. Thankfully, she stumbled onto Romance Writers of America soon after and that book got filed away forever. Since then her plots have improved and her page counts and writing time per book have been cut considerably. Cheryl lives in Michigan with her family, two cats and a very hairy dog. She enjoys outdoor adventures and traveling, when she has the time, and hopes to make her first visits to Europe and Australia in the very near future.

Visit her at http://www.cherylannsmith.com
   

Book Spotlight: Friend of the Devil by Mark Spivak


We're happy to be hosting Mark Spivak on his FRIEND OF THE DEVIL Virtual Book Tour today! Please leave a comment or question for Mark to let him know you stopped by!


Title: Friend of the Devil
Author: Mark Spivak
Publisher: Black Opal Books
Pages: 325
Genre: Culinary Thriller

In 1990 some critics believe that America’s most celebrated chef, Joseph Soderini di Avenzano, sold his soul to the Devil to achieve culinary greatness. Whether he is actually Bocuse or Beelzebub, Avenzano is approaching the 25th anniversary of his glittering Palm Beach restaurant, Chateau de la Mer, patterned after the Michelin-starred palaces of Europe.

Journalist David Fox arrives in Palm Beach to interview the chef for a story on the restaurant’s silver jubilee. He quickly becomes involved with Chateau de la Mer’s hostess, unwittingly transforming himself into a romantic rival of Avenzano. The chef invites Fox to winter in Florida and write his authorized biography. David gradually becomes sucked into the restaurant’s vortex: shipments of cocaine coming up from the Caribbean; the Mafia connections and unexplained murder of the chef’s original partner; the chef’s ravenous ex-wives, swirling in the background like a hidden coven. As his lover plots the demise of the chef, Fox tries to sort out hallucination and reality while Avenzano treats him like a feline’s catnip-stuffed toy.

For More Information



Book Excerpt:

Several years after the opening of Chateau de la Mer, the triumvirate of Avenzano, Walsh, and Ross appeared to be one big happy family, although there were rumors of strains in the relationship.
One night, at the height of the Festival of Champagne, there was an incident. Ross, a notorious womanizer, was sipping Cristal with a redhead at the restaurant’s corner table.
His wife slipped through the front door of the mansion, unannounced. Walking slowly through the dining room, past the Medieval memorabilia and dramatic cast-iron griffins, she strolled up to Ross’s table, took a revolver from her evening bag, and calmly shot him through the heart.
The ensuing chaos did more to establish Joseph Soderini di Avenzano in the American imagination than his designer pasta, his Bedouin stuffed poussin, his recipes transposed from Etruscan or Old Genoese, or his library of ten thousand cookbooks.
This was more than a good meal, after all. This was sex and death in Palm Beach. Even more intriguing was the chef’s refusal to comment on Ross after his death, except for informal and effusive eulogies in his famous baritone.
“Watch that Cristal,” David’s friend Bill Grimaldi told him before he left Manhattan to do an assigned story on the twenty-fifth anniversary of Chateau de la Mer. “It’s a killer.”



About the Author

Mark Spivak is an award-winning author, specializing in wine, spirits, food, restaurants, and culinary travel. He was the wine writer for the Palm Beach Post from 1994-1999, and was honored by the Academy of Wine Communications for excellence in wine coverage “in a graceful and approachable style.” Since 2001 he has been the Wine and Spirits Editor for the Palm Beach Media Group, as well as the Food Editor for Palm Beach Illustrated; his running commentary on the world of food, wine and spirits is available at the Global Gourmet blog on www.palmbeachillustrated.com. His work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Robb Report, Men’s Journal, Art & Antiques, the Continental and Ritz-Carlton magazines, Arizona Highways and Newsmax. From 1999-2011 Spivak hosted Uncorked! Radio, a highly successful wine talk show on the Palm Beach affiliate of National Public Radio.

Spivak is the author of two non-fiction books:  Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History (Lyons Press, 2012) and Moonshine Nation: The Art of Creating Cornbread in a Bottle (Lyons Press, 2014). Friend of the Devil is his first novel. He is currently working on a political thriller set during the invasion of Iraq.
For More Information

Mark Spivak's virtual book tour is brought to you by 
http://www.pumpupyourbook.com

Friday, September 23, 2016

Cover Reveal: Dusk Until Dawn by Andie J. Christopher

 


Inside the Book:


Title: Dusk Until Dawn
Author: Andie J. Christopher
Publisher: Lyrical Shine
Genre: Women's Fiction
Format: Ecopy 

No boundaries.

Bartender and aspiring painter Maya Pascual loves turning up the heat. And dumping a vodka-and-karma chaser on the man who broke her heart is perfect Bronx girl payback. But how can she resist when Miami playboy prince Javier Hernandez begs to make it up to her. . .

No regrets.

Between his disastrous personal life and his wealthy family’s meddling, Javi needs to get back on track. The only thing that’s certain is his passion for Maya. If she’ll just let him show her how sorry he is, maybe he can move on and start fresh. But one look in her gorgeous eyes and he knows letting her go will be easier said than done.

No rules.

Maya agrees to one dinner with Javi. But as their attraction threatens to combust, she wonders if a night of no strings, no repeats surrender is the only way burn off their desire once and for all. . . Unless the light of day reveals it’s impossible to let go.

   amazon  

MEET THE AUTHOR

I’m Andie J. Christopher and I write edgy, funny, sexy contemporary romance. I grew up in a family of voracious readers, and I picked up my first Harlequin Romance novel at age twelve when I’d finished reading everything else in my grandmother’s house. It was love at first read. It wasn’t too long before I started writing my own stories — my first heroine drank Campari and wore a lot of Esprit.

Although, I set aside writing fiction for a while, my love of reading romance novels stayed with me through college, law school, and multiple cross-country moves. During one long East Coast winter, I decided writing a book would be a good excuse to avoid braving the elements. It was love at first write. My heroes are dirty-talking alphas, and my heroines traded Esprit for Free People. (None of them would turn down a Campari, though.)

You can visit her website at http://andiejchristopher.com 

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Thursday, September 22, 2016

Cover Reveal: Three Sides to the Story by Dona Sarkar





Inside the Book:


Title: Three Sides to the Story
Author: Dona Sarkar
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Ecopy 

There are never just two people in a relationship. . .

From the author of Scattered Ashes comes a moving, insightful novel about the decisions, large and small, that draw couples, families, and cultures closer together—or tears them apart. . .

Teaching assistant Quinn Montgomery was satisfied with a secret romance. After all, as a professor, Shalin Roy was technically her boss at the university in Ann Arbor. Both their careers would be at risk if their relationship was exposed. Not only that, Quinn is a mentor to Shalin’s shy older daughter, Kashmira, who looks up to her like a big sister. So when Quinn’s graduate studies end, she is unprepared for Shalin’s ultimatum: marry him, or it’s over.

Born in Afghanistan, Shalin long ago lost the wife who’d been arranged for him. He never dreamed he’d commit to another woman. But his bright, beautiful student has captured his heart. Now they should make it official. To his two daughters, he thinks, Quinn is already like family. So he is unprepared for the young women’s fierce disapproval—or the challenges that follow. Soon, a romance that seemed perfect in private will be severely tested by the complex, competing needs and loyalties of three very different people . . .

   amazon  

MEET THE AUTHOR

Dona Sarkar wishes she’d been born as a cat so she could have had 9 lives. Since that didn’t work out, she decided to live 9 lives in this one. She spends her days making holograms at Microsoft, celebrates diversity in STEM fields as a fashion blogger at Fibonacci Sequins and is launching her first fashion line called Prima Dona Style this year.

She is also the published author of three novels and one non-fiction book.

Dona lives in Seattle with her really patient husband and her muse, a very bossy tabby cat named Ash.

She can be reached at: donasarkar.comtwitter.com/donasarkar; and facebook.com/donasarkarbooks.    

Book Feature: Train Up a Child by Dr. Johnny Holloway

495914_blogtour_L1

 

Inside the Book:

Train Up a Child
Title: Train Up a Child 
Author: Dr. Johnny Holloway 
Publisher: iUniverse 
Genre: Family & Relationship 
Format: Ebook

Have you ever wished for a handbook that could help you train your children to become upstanding, responsible, and successful adults? Unfortunately, many parents feel compelled to raise their children in the same way they were raised, despite the fact that the world is very different than it was when they were children. As a result they may be destined to repeat mistakes their parent's made and they risk failing to give their children valuable tools they may need to succeed. Dr. Johnny Holloway, the founder and senior pastor of Cup of Salvation Deliverance Church & Ministries in Durham, North Carolina, helps you transform your approach with this faith-based guide to parenting.

Learn how to:
  • build relationships with children based on love and respect; 
• recognize when children are going through difficult times; 
• help children confront and overcome the problems they face; and 
• set high but reasonable expectations for children.

 Even if you grew up in a loving home, you can improve upon the way you were raised and give your children the tools they need to navigate life's toughest challenges. Overcome your doubts and fears, and join the author as he looks back at his own upbringing and explores how to Train Up A Child.

About the Author

Dr. Johnny Holloway (pictured here with his mother) is the founder and senior pastor of Cup of Salvation Deliverance Church & Ministries in Durham, North Carolina. He is an internationally recognized theologian, a family and relationship counselor, and a spiritual father to many men and women. He and his wife, Pastor Deborah G. Holloway, have five adult children and fourteen grandchildren.

Tour Schedule

Monday, September 5 - Guest blogging at I'm Shelf-ish
Wednesday, September 7 - Interviewed at Harmonious Publicity
Thursday, September 8 - Guest blogging at Blogher
Friday, September 9 - Guest blogging at Inkslinger's Opus
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Monday, September 12 - Interviewed at A Title Wave
Wednesday, September 14 - Guest blogging at The Literary Nook
Thursday, September 15 - Interviewed at The Review From Here
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Monday, September 19 - Guest blogging at The Dark Phantom
Tuesday, September 20 - Interviewed at Literal Exposure
Thursday, September 22 - Guest blogging at As the Page Turns
Friday, September 23 - Interviewed at The Writer's Life
________
Monday, September 26 - Guest blogging at Voodoo Princess
Wednesday, September 28 - Interviewed at Write and Take Flight
Thursday, September 29 - Guest blogging at A Taste of My Mind
Friday, September 30 - Guest blogging at Bent Over Bookwords
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Interview with Robert Lane, Author of 'The Gail Force'

Robert Lane resides on Florida’s west coast. His debut Jake Travis novel, The Second Letter, was received with critical acclaim and was awarded the Gold Medal in the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) 2015 Benjamin Franklin Award for Best New Voice: Fiction.  His other novels in the stand alone series are Cooler Than Blood, and The Cardinal’s Sin.

You’ve created an unforgettable protagonist in Jake Travis.  He’s been called  a winning hero, a standout sleuth, larger than life, wisecracking—and the list goes on. What do you think sets Jake apart from other mystery characters?

Every reader reads a different book, and sees characters differently. For me, Jake is more vocal about his self-doubts than other protagonists. I think that makes him more human, and allows readers to identify with him. He is vulnerable to moments of introspection and almost embarrassed by his feelings. I find that more endearing than a cut-out tough-guy. I’ve also tried to surround Jake with secondary characters of substance. I don’t what his appeal to stem from a weak supporting cast.

How did Jake Travis come to be?  Any autobiographical component(s)?

Jake Travis had a long gestation period. He came to be because I was not finding to read what I wanted to read. The autobiographical component is on every page...between the words.

You’ve drawn comparisons to John D. MacDonald. How does that feel?

The similarity lies in the setting; Florida is a major character in both series. Also, both protagonists operate under their own moral code, and are more than willingly to make a difference in someone’s life. I think it ends there. John D.’s protagonist, Travis McGee, had a new woman in every book, and a good portion of them ended up dead, which makes one wonder why he was so popular. Jake stays loyal to Kathleen, and would be lost without her.  

What, for you, is the best part of being a writer?

Writing three hours every morning, and then having ideas gel the rest of the day: No, Kathleen wouldn’t say that. Change “ill” to “sick,” it’s got more teeth. Why would a character do what I had him do? Did that character lie to me yesterday morning? Little twit, I knew I couldn’t trust her.

And what’s the hardest part of being a writer?

Putting it out there.

What do you think makes for a good mystery?

Mystery, Smystery, Blistery…it doesn’t matter.  It’s all about characters. Great characters create great plot. A book with great characters and great plot is a joy to read and sticks with me long after the last page is turned. That is what makes a good novel.

What’s next for Jake Travis?  What’s next for Robert Lane?


Jake Travis: Jake's hard at work finding the man who abducted and killed his sister nearly thirty years ago in Naked We Came. It is the most personal of the series, as Jake if forced to face his past, and decide if he is nothing more than a product of his environment. It will be out the fall of 2017.