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Author Showcase/Interview and Review of “The Case of the Bygone Brother” – Diane Burton

Welcome Diane Burton!!
 
1.    
Welcome, Diane Burton. For those who might not be familiar with you, would you be a dear and tell the readers a little about yourself? How did you get your start in the writing business?
 
(Diane) My husband and I live in West Michigan, close to the Lake Michigan shoreline. We have two grown children and three grandchildren. I write action/adventure and romance in various sub-genres: science fiction romance, romantic suspense, and cozy mysteries. When my children were getting ready for college, I decided it was my turn to do something for myself. Since I’m an avid reader, I thought it was time to write down those stories that were always running around in my head. It took ten years for my first book to be published then another ten for the next one. Since 2011, six more books have been published.
 
      Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, please share how you handle it.
 
(Diane) Good question. If I’m stuck on one story, I’ll work on another. I usually have more than one story going at a time. By stepping away from the one giving me fits, I can go back to it more relaxed. I also think about the story before drifting off to sleep. Somehow, the problem works itself out during sleep.
 
     Contrary to what some people envision about a romance writer’s life, it’s not all glitz and glam. Well not for the majority of us. With that bubble sadly busted, when you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
 
(Diane) I’m retired from a job outside the home, so my favorite thing to do is play with my grandchildren. I like to read and watch movies. As much as I like to garden, bad knees make it difficult. Now I’m more of a “sidewalk” supervisor to my husband who puts a lot of effort into “my” garden. I also like to quilt. Time is my enemy, though, so I haven’t been quilting much. Recently, I hauled out my sewing machine to make clothes for my granddaughter and for her American Girl doll. We moved two years ago (for the last time!). I’m still trying to find places for our belongings.
 
4.  I know many writers, such as myself, keep their pastime/career a secret. Do those close to you know you write? If so, what are their thoughts?
 
(Diane) know what you mean. At first, I was embarrassed to say I was a writer. The inevitable question was “are you published?” and I’d have to say no. Then I would respond “not yet.” Now I’m proud to say I’m a writer. And, yes, I am published. My family is very proud of my accomplishments and like to tell others. My oldest grandchildren (5½ and 8) know I’m a writer. They also know they have to grow up before they can read my books. However, we do write stories together. They tell me what to type then we print it out and they illustrate. They have great imaginations.
 
5.  Will you share with us your all-time favorite authors? If you’re like me, it’s a long list so give us your top ten.
 
(Diane) Wow. Ten? Usually, I have to limit it to one or two, which is so difficult.
 
Jayne Ann Krentz (Amanda Quick, Jayne Castle)
Linnea Sinclair
Janet Evanovich
Daphne duMaurier
Nora Roberts (J.D. Robb)
Linda Howard
Bob Mayer
Maris Soule
Marilyn Baron
Agatha Christie
 
6.    
If you could choose one book to go to the big screen, yours or otherwise,
w
hich book would you choose and whom would you love to see cast in the parts?
 
(Diane) My first mystery, THE CASE OF THE BYGONE BROTHER. I’d cast Katherine Heigl as PI Alex O’Hara. For Nick Palzetti, I’d cast Bradley Cooper.
 
 
 
7.    
Would you care to tell us what you’re working on now? That is if it’s not top-secret information. If so, just whisper it in my ear. I swear it’ll go no further.
 
(Diane) LOL Nothing secret about it. I’m working on the 2nd Alex O’Hara book, THE CASE OF THE
FABULOUS FIANCE
. Alex is a PI in a small Lake Michigan resort town. She’s 
up to her ears in trouble again. It’s in the revision stage right now. Percolating in the back of my head is the 4th book in my sci-fi romance Outer Rim series THE SPY.
 
8.    
Where can we find your stories, and is there a particular reading order?
 
(Diane) My books can be found at most online retailers. Here’s the link to my author page on Amazon, which lists all my books. http://amzn.com/e/B00683MH5E
 
The Outer Rim series can be read in any order as they are all standalone books that take place in the frontier of space. If you want to read them in the order in which they were written, start with The Pilot. The Switched trilogy is best read in order: Switched; Switched, Too; Switched Resolution. The Case of the Bygone Brother is the only Alex O’Hara book currently available. And One Red Shoe is a standalone.
 
9.    
Would you please share how your present and future fans can contact you?
 
Goodreads: Diane BurtonAuthor 
 
Sign up for my newsletter to find out when a new book will be released: http://eepurl.com/bdHtYf
 
 
     Before we conclude this enlightening interview, do you have anything else you’d like to share? The stage is all yours.
 
(Diane) It’s never too late (or too early) to start a writing career. You have to have perseverance to be published. Since it usually takes a long time to find a home for your book(s), enjoy the process.
 
Thanks, Kam, for having me on your blog today.
 
 
Ladies and Gents, I hope you enjoyed my interview with Diane Burton. If you have any questions or comments for Diane, by all means, leave her a message below. But before you do, lets check out my review of The Case of the Bygone Brother (An Alex O’Hara Novel) first. Shall we? 🙂
 
 
 

Alex O’Hara finally gets a case that will give her bottom line a much needed boost. She might even be able to change her diet from ramen noodles to prime rib. All she has to do is track down a man who’s been missing for over ten years. Piece of cake . . . until an old flame arrives and a mugger roughs her up with orders to back off.

 

images-15
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 

I love detective stories and especially when it’s a woman in the sleuth role. What can I say…us chicks have to stick together. 🙂
 
This story wasn’t set back in the 20’s or 40’s but it had the vibe of those decades. Case in point: the usage of the word “dame” and some of the lingo. Ex. “Another fine mess you’ve gotten me into.”
 
Yes, when I read this, I didn’t visualize it in technicolor. No, in my mind, this story was classic black and white. 
 
As with the classics from the time periods above, this story had tons of mystery, comedy, sexual tension, and a big DUN-DUN-DUUUUN!!!
 
Yeah, as you can tell, I totally dug this detective story and want to find out where Nick and Alex go from here. I’m sure you will too after reading it. 🙂
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤1/2
 
Now available at Amazon ~ iTunes  ~

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Sacked by Jen Frederick (Book Review)

 
511lfomsqwl
 
What he wants he gets…

 Knox Masters is a quarterback’s worst nightmare. Warrior. Champion. And…virgin. Knox knows what he wants–and he gets it. All American Football player? Check. NFL pros scouting him? Check. Now, he’s set his sight on two things. The national title. And Ellie Campbell. Sure, she’s the sister of his fellow teammate, but that’s not going to stop him. Especially not when he’s convinced Ellie is the one.

…but he’s never met her before.

But Ellie isn’t as sure. She’s trying to start a new life and she’s not interested in a relationship…with anyone. Beside it’s not just her cardinal rule of never dating her brother’s teammates that keeps her away, but Ellie has a dark secret that would jeopardize everything Knox is pursuing.

Knox has no intention of losing. Ellie has no intention of giving in.

 
 
—–> REVIEW <—–
 
From the cover, to the characters, to the love scenes, this book is hot….hot…HOT!!
 
Jen delivered a combination of sexiness, sweetness, and humor that had me turning the pages at record speeds. 
 
If you like football or romantic tales, then you’ll absolutely fall head over heels in love with Sacked. 
 
Trust me, this is a book you won’t want to put down!! 
 
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤❤
 
 

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Author Showcase/Interview and Review of “Dream Walker” – Kimberly Dean

 
 
 Welcome, Kimberly Dean!!
 
1. For those who might not be familiar with you, would you be a dear and tell the
readers a little about yourself? How did you get your start in the writing business?  
 
(Kimberly) Hello, everyone!  I’m an author of romance and erotica and have
been published since 2004.  My start came
a bit differently from other authors’.  I
wrote a manuscript and sent it to Black Lace Books in London.  I heard nothing until one day I opened my
mail and there was a contract!  A week
later, another one showed up for a short story I’d also sent.  To me, that was so much better than a phone
call. It was on paper and real.  I
was suddenly an author.
 
2.  Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, please share how you handle it.
 
(Kimberly) First and foremost,
I step away from the computer. If I’ve hit a block, it means my well is
dry.  I’ll go for a walk, listen to
music, or even clean the house. 
Sometimes the answer just pops into my head.  Another technique I’ve developed is making
flash cards.  I’ll write highlights for
my plot on each card and organize them. 
Knowing that I have an overall roadmap helps me focus on just getting
from Point A to Point B. 
 
3. Contrary to what some people envision about a romance
writer’s life, it’s not all glitz and glam. Well not for the majority of us.
With that bubble sadly busted, when you’re not writing, how do you spend
your time? 
 
(Kimberly) I’m assuming you also mean when I’m not blogging, updating my website, looking
over promo opportunities, plotting, Tweeting, or putting together a
newsletter?  🙂 There’s not much time left, but I spend a lot of time
taking care of my flower gardens.
 
4. I know many writers, such as myself, keep their
pastime/career a secret. Do those close to you know you write? If so, what are
their thoughts?  
 
(Kimberly) I
am a writer in deep-cover mode.  Only a
handful of people know that I write, and none of them know what I write.  They’re
super-curious, but this is a part of my life that I’ve cordoned off for
me.  I enjoy it, and that’s enough for
me.
 
5. Will you share with us your all-time favorite authors? If
you’re like me, it’s a long list so give us your top ten.  
 
(Kimberly) Tough call.  I’ll go with Linda Howard, Sandra Brown, Anne
Stuart, Nalini Singh, J.R. Ward, J.K. Rowling, Stieg Larsson, S.E. Hinton, David
Baldacci, Sidney Sheldon
 
Kam: I <3 Ward, too!!!
 
6. If you could choose one book to go to the big screen,
yours or otherwise,
which book would you choose and whom would you love to see cast in the parts?
 
(Kimberly) With superhero movies
dominating the market, I’d have to go with my short story Blade of Moonlight.  It’s a
superhero erotic romance with Luminescence, who gets her power from the moon,
battling and falling in love with Scythe, a bad guy whose favorite weapon is a…
well, you get it.  Off the top of my
head, I see Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds in the starring roles.  Yeah, they’d do nicely.
                   
7. Would you care to tell us what you’re working on now?
That is if it’s not top-secret information. If so, just whisper it in my ear. I
swear it’ll go no further.   
 
(Kimberly) I’m in the middle of two series.  One is my Courting
series, a collection of contemporary erotic romance stories about a high-end
escort service that specializes in love. 
The other is my Dream Weavers paranormal romance series about the
Oneiroi, Greek daemons who bestow dreams upon sleeping humans.
 

 

 
 
 
8. Where can we find your stories, and is there a particular
reading order?  
 
(Kimberly) My
books are on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, and all the other major players’
sites.  I’d say readers should go to my
website and choose by genre.  I write
contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and erotica.  I also split my time pretty evenly between
full-length novels and short stories.  If
someone is new to my work, they can choose a short story to get an idea of how
I write.  That’s what I do when trying
authors who are new to me.
 
9. Would you please share how your present and future fans
can contact you?  
 
(Kimberly) Sure!  I love hearing from
fans.  Readers can follow me on my
website at http://kimberlydean.com.  I’m
also on Twitter @KDean_writer.
 
10. Before we conclude this enlightening interview, do you
have anything else you’d like to share? The stage is all yours. 
 
(Kimberly) Thanks for inviting me to your blog, Kam, and thanks to
all the readers who love books.  I’ve
been running into a lot of people these days who are unhappy with their lives
or their work.  Find time for yourselves.  Keep reading. 
Do something fun.  Try something
new.  Go for your dreams!
 
 
Ladies and Gents, I
hope you enjoyed my interview with Kimberly Dean.
If you have any questions or comments for Kimberly,
by all means, leave her a message below. Thank you in advance for your
visit! 



Before you do that though, lets check out Dream Walker!! *big ass smile*
 

 

Research scientist Shea Caldwell has always had a thing for security consultant, Derek Oneiros. He’s smart, handsome, and built like a Greek god. As attracted as she is to him, though, she’s afraid to let him into her bed – because she’s dangerous when she sleeps.

Derek is known among his brothers as “The Machine,” yet his carefully cultivated control is put to the test whenever he’s around Shea. The woman is as beautiful as she is intelligent, but they’ve always kept things professional – until Derek learns why. Shea is sleepwalking again, but what she doesn’t know is that he may be the only one who can help her. For heis a Greek daemon, and he’s charged with protecting her dreams.

With Shea threatened, Derek makes things personal, and their nights together turn steamy and intimate. He’s ready to battle against the Somnambulist that’s been controlling his lover in her sleep, yet is the night creature really causing all the harm? When Shea’s groundbreaking research notes are stolen, it’s clear that other evil forces may be at work.

BUY NOW AT Amazon Amazon UK
 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
As a person who suffers from unpleasant dreams (at times), it’s rather disturbing to think the creatures visiting me are real. That’s reason enough to pray for insomnia. 
On the other hand, it’s also rather reassuring to think of having your very own dream guardian. So…I think I will forego the caffeine and just succumb to my body’s need for slumber, restful or not. 
For my first introduction into the writing world/mind of Kimberly Dean, I have to say she impressed me. She weaved a rather engaging tale. The plot was thought out beautifully and didn’t really raise any red flags for me. Yeah, I knew who the real guilty party was in the story but the why kept me reading. Plus, the scenes between Shea and Derek were spicy!! 
Heck, I adored all the Dream Weavers. 
Brilliant read, Kimberly!! 
 
  
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤1/2
 
BUY NOW AT Amazon │ Amazon UK
 

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The Skeleton in the Closet by Angie Fox (Book Review)

              The second book in the new Southern Ghost Hunter mysteries.
 
 

A haunted library is no place for a girl who can see ghosts, but when Verity Long stumbles on a dead body in the middle of the main reading room, she has to believe someone…even a dead someone…must have witnessed the crime.
Her ghostly sidekick Frankie warns her to stay out of it. The very alive, very handsome deputy sheriff, Ellis Wydell, inadvertently places her directly in the middle of it. And her ex-fiancé, Ellis’s brother, is back with an agenda of his own.
Undaunted, Verity presses forward, uncovering scandalous secrets, long-forgotten ghosts, and a shocking trail of clues that places her directly in the path of a killer.

 
 
 
From the cover to the characters to the the mystery unraveling throughout the pages, this book screams….. FUN, FUN, FUN!!
 
And the award for FUNNIEST CHARACTER OF ALL goes to………Maisie. She reminds me of the Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies. (I attached the photo in case you are too young to remember the show or simply never watched it.)
 
 
See, “Granny” is packing heat just like Maisie. It makes me wonder if Angie had her in mind when she wrote the part. 
 
Folks, trust me, you’ll be entertained by this story. It has ghosts, poltergeist, murder mystery, a scandal cover-up, and one pet skunk. 🙂
 
Lets not forget, one hot cop. Oooo LALA!! 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤❤
 
BUY NOW: Kindle – Paperback
 
 

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Wicked White by Michelle A. Valentine (Book Review)

 

After his mother dies, rock star Ace White—lead singer of the red-hot band Wicked White—is done with the celebrity game. The phony people, the meaningless one-night stands: he doesn’t want any of it anymore. Quitting in the middle of a sold-out tour, Ace sets out to find some place—any place—where he can be alone.

Aspiring singer Iris Easton’s life has never been easy. First, her mother walked out on her when she was a kid. Now she’s buried in debt, weeks after losing her beloved grandmother. When a mysterious and sexy new guy moves in next door, Iris can’t help but be drawn to his soulful gaze. She can tell there’s something from his past haunting him—something he’s not telling her.

Just as Ace starts falling for Iris, the media go on a worldwide hunt to find the missing rocker. Will true love conquer all, or will the truth be the very thing that tears the couple apart?

 
 
REVIEW 
 
I realize some women are into poets and poetry, but for me, quoting Shakespeare during sex is not sexy or romantic at all. I was actually rolling my eyes as I was reading it. Now before anyone assumes I am not a fan of Shakespeare and that’s why I found the scene unappealing, let me set you straight. I actually rather enjoy Shakespeare. I was one of those students who didn’t moan and groan when we read works by him. 
 
However, for me, their first sex scene fell flat. I know Shakespeare played a vital roll into their reunion but…eh. 
 
In Chapter 17, I found myself turned off by their lovemaking there too. During the section where they are discussing going bareback, she admitted to him she had one previous lover. Him: he talked around it, explained his reasoning for his number, but never actually stated how many. In the end, they went latex-free. 

I don’t know about you but I would’ve dragged him to the nearest clinic first. 

All in all, I wasn’t a fan of either character. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the two of them. 

The only reason why I gave this a 2 instead of a 1 is because of Birdie and Adele. I liked those two supporting actresses. 

 

 

Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤
 
 
  

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