October/November 2012

New Releases    The Last Bequest Book 1 of the Buried Treasure series When schoolteacher Judy Winters’ aunt dies, Judy returns to the farm to figure out how to handle her handicapped inheritance, her glib boyfriend Graham, Aunt Louise’s possible murder, the handsome farmboy next door who couldn’t have done it, could he? and one very opinionated cat named Carranza. BUY      A Prescription for Love Oklahoma Lovers series #3 In Guthrie, Oklahoma in 1903, Heidi Lester wants independence, Michael Henderson wants nothing to do with women, especially his beautiful employee. But spending every day together is chipping away at his resolve.       Guthrie, Oklahoma, 1903. Betrayed by his fiancée’s infidelity eight years ago, pharmacist Michael Henderson vowed he'd never risk his heart again. But he doesn't anticipate the tug of attraction he shares with his new employee.       Heidi Lester flees her home, determined to prove to her overprotective parents she can conquer her debilitating asthma, to make a life of her own. However, her unscrupulous fiancé has no intention of letting her go. He has his own plans for Heidi and her inheritance.       Will a scheme to ruin Michael's family force Heidi to marry her fiancé, or will assistance arrive from a surprising source to allow her to be with the man she truly loves? BUY     For Always Cowboy Fever Series, Book 3 As a young man, Jared Chapman had no idea how to share the intensity of his feelings with Alana Hamilton, the orphan his grandmother brought to Triple Aces Ranch. Instead, he’d awkwardly promised her he’d always be there for her. Not sure what a closed-mouthed cowboy like Jared meant with his promise, Alana accepted the proposal of the one man who’d expressed interest in marrying her though it meant leaving the only place she’d ever called home and giving up on true, fairy-tale love with Jared. When Alana’s husband begins to take out the pressures of being an up-and-coming politician on her, Jared runs to her rescue. But Alana isn’t looking for a bodyguard. Can Jared open up and become the prince who’ll love her for always?   BUY     THE WORLD OF AUTHOR KAREN WIESNER: A COMPENDIUM OF FICTION The Official Companion of Karen Wiesner’s Books. “I do not want to just read books; I want to climb inside them and live there.” ~Unknown Karen Wiesner is an accomplished author with 92 books published in the past 14 years, which have been nominated for and/or won 125 awards, and has 32 more titles under contract. In this companion, you’ll find comprehensive listings of all her fiction titles including cover art, genre, word count, rating, back cover blurb, publication details, and awards and honors. A short interview is included detailing her inspiration for each title, interesting things tidbits concerning the project, and title and cover design details. You’ll also find At-A-Glance character, series, and location listings, Karen’s top ten favorites’ lists, details on her other titles, upcoming projects, and links. It’s her hope that you’re as fascinated by the fictional world she’s created as, of course, she is. Climb inside Karen’s world and call it home.    BUY     Grave Indulgence A Henry Grave Mystery #3 12 million people take a cruise each year. Most have fun. Some die. Henry Grave investigates.   Join Henry Grave aboard the cruise ship Indulgence.       Henry Grave is an investigator for the Association of Cruising Vessel Operators. A World War II P.O.W., Henry is as cunning as he is charming, and at 85 years of age, he fits right in with his fellow passengers.       At 1200 feet long, the cruise ship Indulgence is the largest in the world. Accommodating 5400 passengers and 2100 crew members, she is nearly as populous as the Pacific island nation of Nauru. At 226,000 tons, she weighs as much as four and a half Titanics.       Indulgence is anchored off Helsinki, Finland, preparing to take on passengers for her inaugural voyage when Henry comes aboard. Indulgence is one day old, and nobody has yet been murdered on board. The same could not be said about day two.       With the help of an Arabian prince, a voodoo priest, and a displaced band of hunter-gatherers, Henry draws on skills honed in a Nazi prison camp to track down a killer who might have his own reasons for taking this particular cruise, reasons unrelated to the sumptuous meals, delightful shipboard activities, and exciting ports of call. Amazon      Concilium: The Departure Her nightmare is back. Evil. It’s alive, and it’s back for her.       Six months ago Leslee’s life was turned upside down when she was hunted by the Cruor Imbibo. Working for the Concilium, Miller was assigned to protect Leslee. He saved her life and stole her heart. But when the Imbibo left so did Miller, ripping apart Leslee's dream of a happily-ever-after. Now Miller’s back to protect Leslee and rekindle their romance. But she makes it clear, she wants no part of his romantic gestures.       Thrown together, Leslee and Miller fight to uncover the reason the Imbibo have returned and end their killing spree. BUY     Switched, Too Be careful what you wish for . . . you might get it. Scott Cherella's lifelong dream to go into space quickly becomes a nightmare. Veronese Qilana must protect him, a Terran masquerading as a starship captain. When sabotage erupts, they must work together to get the crew safely home. In doing so, they discover opposites really do attract. BUY New Contracts The Newspaper Code, Book 3 in the Buried Treasure series, by Lisa J Lickel, April 2013 from MuseItUp Publishing   Daniel's Desire (a civil war novella), by Callie Hutton, Crimson Romance for a November release.   Milayna, by Michelle Pickett, Spencer Hill Press, March 2014   Entranced Publishing ©     The Best Man by Ana Blaze ©     The Sacrificed by Jordan Link ©     Time Changes Everything by Melinda Dozier ©     We’d also like to announce our new YouTube channel were readers can find video of their favorite authors talking about their books, book trailers, and other special features.   Appearances Radine Trees Nehring Come to the fair! I'll be at the War Eagle Craft Fair, held each fall east of Rogers, AR off Highway 12 -- turn off on War Eagle Road. Why am I spending so much time at the fair? I'm signing copies of A FAIR TO DIE FOR, largely set at this fair, with lots of previously unknown information about prep for a fair, the work to set up, and what happens after. Plus, in this novel, a crime or two! (Yes, danger a-plenty, but at the fair in fiction!) Thursday, October 18-Sunday, October 21.   Karen Wiesner In November 2012, Karen Wiesner will be interviewed at The Romance Studio with the release of For Always, Book 3 of the Cowboy Fever Series.

Reviews   Practice To Deceive 5th in the Sticks Hetrick mystery series 5.0 out of 5 stars Lindermuth and Hetrick Combine for Another Winner September 19, 2012 By wayne d. dundee Format: Kindle Edition|    This fifth and latest entry in the "Sticks" Hetrick series by John Lindermuth measures up once again to the high standard readers have come to expect. And here John has added some extra sizzle by moving much of the action away from familiar Swatara County, PA, and involving Sticks in one of his most complex cases, aboard an ocean liner cruising the Caribbean. An series of stateroom thefts and the knowledge of Hetrick's police background by certain fellow passengers--some of whom are theft victims reluctant to deal with the shipboard authorities--combine to draw Sticks into the investigation.    Meanwhile, back in Swatara Creek, the police force over which Sticks had once been chief and has remained attached on a special consultant basis, is dealing with their own tense investigation into a series of bizarre assaults on several of the community's young women.    It isn't long before murder gets added to the mix in both cases.    Lindermuth's skilled writing talent cuts smoothly back and forth between the two distinctly different settings and the two disparate investigations. There is a bit of crossover in that more than one of Hetrick's suspects turn out to have Pennsylvania connections so he uses his hometown resources to attain some deeper background. Otherwise--and I don't want to give too much away here--it is a refreshing change that the two cases are not resolved by being intertwined, as is often the case in these kind of set-ups.    Coverups and deceptions from the past--aided by some convenient coincidences in the present--play important factors in solving both cases. There is plenty of suspense, some nifty twists, and a couple of hair-raising close calls before everything is satisfactorily wrapped up. Lindermuth presents a large cast of characters, but paints them so deftly (with just the right amount of color and depth) and keeps the pace moving at such a brisk clip there is never any problem keeping up with who's who.    Well done. Recommended.   5.0 out of 5 stars Mystery and Murder October 5, 2012 By Patricia Gligor Format:Paperback I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Practice to Deceive" by J.R. Lindermuth. The novel is another in his "Sticks" Hetrick mystery series and it lived up to and exceeded my expectations. Mr. Lindermuth is a talented writer who, in this series as well as in his other novels, has created a fascinating cast of characters and an intriguing plot. This book takes place simultaneously in two locations: Off Montego Bay, Jamaica and in Swatara Creek, Pennsylvania. Mystery and murder in both locations keeps the reader in suspense until the very end. I highly recommend "Practice to Deceive."     For Always Cowboy Fever Series, Book 3 5 Stars! “For Always, Karen Wiesner's third book in her Cowboy Fever Series, is filled with characters who will tug at your heart strings and have you cheering them on to finding happiness in their lives! Alana is a well-developed character and I really enjoyed getting to know her in this story. Alana's past hurts and life situations have contributed to her self-esteem and the choices she has made all throughout her life. Alana spends time confronting these issues and Karla is a great support and friend to her during this time as she has also had to deal with issues of her own. These girls could be anyone's neighbor and/or friend and this really makes it so easy to get pulled into their lives and this book! Wiesner's style of writing is so easy to read and time flies as you become immersed in the story and the characters' lives!” Kristie I. for Readers Favorite http://readersfavorite.com/     Thirteen West Romance Reviews by Authors    "My goodness, where to start?  Perhaps the appropriate place to begin is on the sidewalk where we are first introduced to Sarah Goodrow Fenz, a strong woman who is unable to turn her back on a street bum. There's a reason why she extends a helping hand. Sarah knows the man. It's been a long time, but somewhere under the layers of soiled clothes and the stench of alcohol, lives a man she once knew, a man who needs a turn of luck and someone there to care. As the story unfolded, I was touched by the character's compassion.    Even though Sarah knows what risks are at stake, she can't turn the cheek and look the other way. She's determined to save Frank, but helping him means placing herself in an uncomfortable situation, one she fears will inevitably force her to confront a past she'd rather leave alone. It's easy to see why author Jane Toombs has a backlist of bestsellers and remains one of the most cherished authors of our time.    Mastering the art of building suspense while creating memorable characters, author Jane Toombs turns this novel into another respected work of literary genius. The dialogue will keep readers in fits of laughter while the story itself will keep readers invested in the work of Jane. Sharply written, THIRTEEN WEST entertains throughout. I often found myself cautiously peering around the next corner while walking down the hallways of a fictional psychiatric hospital embedded with secrets and its share of horrors. Having worked as a psych tech in psychiatric hospital, I can tell you with absolute certainty that Jane Toombs capitalized on her personal knowledge by writing a clever fiction novel her fans won't soon forget. Kudos. Once again, you blew me away, Jane. I'll recommend THIRTEEN WEST for many years to come." ~author Destiny Blaine     Ghost Writer Readers Favorite Reviewed by Paul J.    Recently unemployed computer programmer Nan Burton has had a series of setbacks including losing her job, her apartment, and her car. So, when she inherits a California beach cottage from her great-great-aunt, she is really delighted since she has loved the old cottage since she was a young girl. But while moving in she finds one big surprise: the house is haunted by the ghost of famous romance writer Max Murdoch (pen name Maxine DuBois). Max says he can’t move on until Nan completes his last novel. What comes next is a new beginning for the one, and a realization of things from the past for the other.    Once in a while you select a book to read thinking you might find in it something you like. In this case, I say yes and double yes. From the beginning I found "Ghost Writer" to be a very well-thought-out, formatted, and plotted story that kept my interest from the first page on. I quickly began to like the characters and saw them grow as the story progressed. The plot was simple but well-designed although just a tad predictable in one or two spots. The dialogue was first rate, and as I read I could see Max sitting in the chair by the fire commenting as he watched Nan hard at work on the manuscript. After completing the story, I still found it hard to try to classify it by genre. Yes, it is a ghost story, but so much more. If you are looking for a pleasant read, you can’t go wrong with this book.     Rings of Paradise 5 STARS Superbly Told Romance, September 22, 2012  by Cheryl C. Malandrinos "johnnycat15" Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) (Kindle Edition)    The unique plot and the great characters kept me turning the pages of this contemporary romance. Sexual tension is high between the two main characters, who probably couldn't be more different than each other if they tried. Author Maxine Douglas spends a good deal of time developing her characters. Couple that with the unique plot, and you have a romance novel you devour within a few hours. I was sad to see this book come to an end, and I would love to see either or both of these characters in another story.    Rings of Paradise is a superbly told, sexy romance. I'll be looking for more books by Maxine Douglas soon. FREE ON AMAZON 10/26 AND 11/10 & 11/11 More reviews     Trailers   Murder... they Wrote       Murder in Paradise