My days plans . . .  

Yours? 

Love Is In The Air featuring Author Laurel Blount Valentine’s Day Interview

 Welcome Today I have a fun feature.  Here's  an interview  with  Author Laurel Blount she shares a little about Real Life Romance and her new book  Strength  in the Storm.

  

  

Do you like boxed Valentine’s candy?

  I like candy, period! I do like boxed candy—although I am not a big fan of coconut-filled ones. Whenever I receive candy, I always call my kids over to share—that makes it disappear faster and keeps me out of trouble—mostly!

Are you a nuts in your chocolate girl or just plain Ole chocolate?

  I love nuts!

So you’re having a romantic dinner at home. What’s on the menu, where are you dining? What kind of flowers does he bring?

It would definitely be grilled steak with salad and a baked potato! My husband is a genius at his grill. We’re not fancy, so we’d be eating in our big farm-style kitchen—and he’d bring me a mixed bouquet of simple flowers like daisies. I think roses are lovely, but I prefer simple flowers that last a bit longer.

If you could go anywhere in the world for a romantic vacation where would you go? 

 I’d love to visit Italy some day! Particularly Tuscany.

Favorite Romantic movie couple and movie. 

While You Were Sleeping is my all time favorite romantic movie, and I love Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman (Lucy and Jack)! They have the best chemistry and the funniest banter.

Of all the books, which was the easiest to write? 

  Hmm! That’s a great question. I don’t think any of my books was too easy to write, but I think Shelter in the Storm—the first Johns Mill Amish book—was probably the smoothest one. That story just flowed, and I loved the slow-blooming romance between Naomi and Joseph.

Which couple from your books would you like to visit you? 

Another great question! The short answer would be—all of them! I love all my characters—by the time I finish their stories, they feel like old friends. I’d love to visit with Emma and Sam from Strength in the Storm—Johns Mill Amish book #2. Sam is one of my all time favorite heroes!

Where would I take them for dinner? 

Honestly, I’d probably cook for them! I think cozy suppers at home are the best for spending time with friends—everybody is comfortable and you have lots of time to chat and really get to know each other.

Which couple would be more at home coming to dinner at your home? 

I had to think about this one! Of all the couples I’ve written about, I think the ones that would feel most at home with us would probably be Hoyt and Anna from my Love Inspired romance Hometown Hope. Hoyt is a man’s man, much like my husband—they’d get along great! And Anna loves books just like I do—we’d have plenty to talk about!

Thanks Laurel for spending the day with us! 

Visit Laure at Laurelblount.com.

And don't  forget to sin up for her charming and cozy newsletter! 

Murder Comes Ashore by Julie Ann Lindsey My Review

 

About the book   

When one beach closes another case opens for this amateur island investigator

Life is improving for Patience following her return to Pony Island. She’s making headway as a concierge counselor, to cautious clients, in a town too small for discretion, and she’s even managing to ignore her ex-boyfriend’s shameless charm and flirtation. Mostly.

But she’s barely recovered from her recent run-in with a killer when body parts begin washing up on the beach, and her parents are named as suspects!

Now, Patience is diving deep into a personal investigation with the help of Sebastian, her current crush and federal agent. And her pesky ex-boyfriend, Adrian, is never far behind. He’s hoping to crack the case and gain favor in the upcoming mayoral election.

Can Patience find the answers she needs before the killer finds her? Or will she be the next to wash ashore?

And I thought  

I hate to say things like . . . 

They keep getting better. 

 But they do!

I loved book 1. 

I knew I would love book 2.   

Because I've already read and loved book 3.  Which I will reread now that I have read 1&2.  

I can honestly  say I think they do get better and better. 

And maybe that's  cliche but it's  the truth! 

Maybe it is because  author

 Julie Ann Lindsey  writes and describes characters in away that they really do become real. 

The town of Pony Island seems real to me.  I love the Island vibe.  The shops.   The towns folk.  It is easy to get to know everyone.   

Pony Island seems  like a fun place.  Most of the time. 

But even though murders keep happening.   Everyone seems to know that Patience Price along with the FBI, her exboyfriend/ex suspect/Mayoral Candidate and the new stand in Sheriff will muddle things out and catch the bad guys and keep Patience out if trouble at the same. 

As Adrian the ex and Sebastian the FBI agent new almost boyfriend  work out a sort of agreement to make sure Patience doesn't  get smashed in a hit and run, blown up in a bombed building, get set on fire in a grilling accident  or drown in a cave among other things. 

Good thing they all have plenty of Patience. 

 I suspect they all have Team Patience shirts.  

No spoilers.  You need to read the series!  

I received  a complimentary  advanced reader copy. 

My review  will appear on Amazon and Good Reads. 

Buy the book 

Available  on Amazon 

Click Here 

The series 

 

Love Is In The Air -How I Met Author Angela Ruth Strong

 Love Is In The Air 

How I met Angela Ruth Strong

Actually LOL I am not entirely sure exactly how I met Angela.  

 Although  she has been doing newsletter  sign ups for this book. 

 I think she offered this book somewhere in another promotion that I stumbled onto. 

Either way I am glad to have found Angela Ruth Strong  

I loved The Princess And The P.I.  

The cover 'got me'.  Maybe because secretly I wanted to be 'The Princess' meetin' that P.I. 

Wouldn't you?  

Fast forward several years.  I became reacquainted when Angela toured her new Rom.Com.   

Available on Amazon

Click Here

Another Win Win.   

I have met several great Authors when they have done promotions for thier  New Releases.   

I enjoyed Angela's writing and her books so much that last year I featured  Angela on a Mailbox Monday post . . . 

I hope you'll visit the website.  And Sign up and get that P.I. 

The Fiona Quin Quick Mysteries An I Read Book Tours Event- My Reviews

 Before we get in to it . . .

. . . I LOVE THIS Series! 

I was introduced  the Author by I Read Book Tours. 

I love book tours!  Book Tours introduce meto authors I might not find otherwise. 

And so . . . 

Thank you C.S. McDonald for choosing  to promote your series with I Read Book Tours.  

You don't  have to read these books in order.  

I didn't.   I didn't  need to. 

Here are the books and my reviews . . . 

About  the book 

Fiona’s old college chum, Priscilla Conroy, has recently moved back to the Pittsburgh area after a most unpleasant divorce. Fiona was looking forward to reconnecting with her friend to help cheer her up and the two had made plans to meet at the bank where her friend worked after it closed—only Priscilla never shows up for the lunch date. Thinking the worse, Fiona is beside herself and spends the entire Memorial Day weekend searching for her friend. Did her ex-husband abduct her? Has she been murdered? Somehow Fiona knows that the key to Priscilla Conroy’s disappearance lies within the bank. But how can that be?
​
Join Fiona Quinn for a quick mystery that’s sure to keep you guessing!

And I thought 

Quick reads are fun.  I enjoy the fast pace.  Mainly because  I enjoy Fiona.  Even though she is a stereo typical Kindergarten  teacher she can sleuth with the best of them. 

I kinda of would have liked to read this one as a full length book. 

 

About the book  

A lovely cameo brooch is discovered in Fiona’s late Uncle Wilbur’s house two days before Christmas. The pin bears a romantic Christmas message from Wilbur for his new wife with the initials, D.A.S. How very strange. To the family’s knowledge, Uncle Wilbur had never been married. So, who is this mysterious woman? Now, Fiona is on a holiday mission to locate D.A.S. and deliver the belated gift. Question is, what happened to the marriage? Is D.A.S. still alive after all these years? And if so, can Fiona find her before Christmas?

And I thought   

Fast a quick and fun.  Fiona always  gives this ready a fun few moments  of sleuthing.  

About the book 

Fiona Quinn arrives at her parent’s home in Daytona, Florida for a short visit only to be informed that their usually quiet retirement community has been besieged with robberies—cash, jewelry, and more. Her mom told all the neighbors Fiona is a wiz at catching bad guys.

Yikes!

Can Fiona crack the case? Hopefully, but what’s an amateur sleuth supposed to do when her Maltese, Harriet, shows up decked out in the stolen goods?

Double yikes!

Join Fiona, her parents, Harriet, and some pretty crazy old ladies for a real jewel of a quick mystery!

 And I thought  

One of my fav's! Fiona’s  patents are quirky and fun.  Meeting them and thier friends added a warmth to a warmth to a fun and faced paced short Story. 

About the book 

Yikes! Fiona’s been having a recurring nightmare and it’s driving her to distraction—so much so that she’s allowed her kooky neighbor, Astrid Dingle, to search for the answer through her crystal ball. What could be the cause of the dream, and what lengths will Fiona go to get to the crux of it all? You’ll be chasing dreams with Fiona, Detective Landry and Astrid in this fun quick mystery!

And I thought  

I do love Fiona.  And I sympathize  with her nightmares.  The concept of this one was well not so much my interest. 

But, I love the series.  

And so I enjoyed every page turn. 

I received  complimentary  copies as part of the I Read Book Tour.  Click Here

My reviews will appear on Amazon and Good Reads. 

Meet the Author

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. During that time, she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series that everyone, including teens and tweens, can read and enjoy. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries nine books with a tenth slated for 2021. The books are also available on audio, narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg. Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh. The female protagonist, Alexa Owl, is much different from Fiona Quinn. The Owl’s Next Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy! Ms. McDonald resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

Love Is In The Air Interview & Giveaway with Author Amber Royer

  

I have a super special treat today.  Author Amber Royer is with us chatting about Love, Romance and Galveston Island 

Giveaway info is below

Everyone loves a little Romance even if they write about ...well hum Murder. 

Is there maybe a little smidgen of the big R going on in your series? 

Absolutely! Felicity has two potential love interests in the series – the puddle jump pilot with the mysterious past, and the one-that-got-away ex-boyfriend who is now the cop heading up the murder investigation in the first book. Writing a triangle is always a balancing act, because you want to feel that the protagonist could wind up with either guy and have it be a good thing for her future, but you have to keep it from feeling like she’s being careless with anyone’s heart. I’ve done my best to make Logan and Arlo vulnerable enough to show Felicity their real feelings.

I love that your series takes place in Galveston! Can you tell the readers how you and why chose Galveston for your location?  

I grew up in Southeast Texas, close enough to Galveston that we would occasionally take the ferry across just to go to dinner. I’ve always been fascinated by the island’s history. (One of my first very-much unpublished manuscripts was set during the 1900 hurricane.) With a cozy series, you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the setting, so you need to choose a place you enjoy daydreaming about going back to. For me, Galveston is one of those places.

In the Real (but pretend money is no object) world ... if you and your hunny came to the island for a romantic weekend where would you stay? 

We have two favorite spots. When Jake and I got married (25 years ago), we took our honeymoon in Galveston, and we stayed at the Tremont House. I love the history of the place, and the location right off the Strand. The original Tremont House was built in 1839. There was a fire, and then the 1900 hurricane, but the hotel was re-made each time. The current building was once a dry goods concern – that became a luxury hotel. There’s even a cool rooftop bar.

Closer to the beach, and the restaurants along the Seawall, there’s also the Hotel Galvez. It has an on-site spa, which has complimentary fitness classes. We’ve stayed there before – but if price were no object, I’d upgrade to one of their premium suites.

Where would you dine? 

We’d have to get the Greek Nachos at Kritikos Grill, which has such a nice ambiance. And at some point we’d have to go to Gaidos, a favorite of ours for special occasion dinners out. We’d also have to get gumbo at Willie G’s, and stop in for breakfast at Miller’s Seawall Grill. And we’d have to get a banh mi from Viet Cajun. There are just so many good places to eat in Galveston!  

  

He brings your favorite flowers. What are they?  

Lavender roses and peonies.

After dinner you take a Romantic stroll. On the Strand or the Seawall?

Definitely the seawall. I love the ocean, and the seawall offers some nice views. (You can even stop in at Murdoch’s and get something to drink, then go sit for a bit in the rocking chairs overlooking the water.) If the weather is cold enough to keep night-time mosquitos at bay, you can go from the Seawall down onto the beach and look for tidal pools. As you look out on the jetties, you can take in history, realizing that the entire island was raised by 7 feet when the Seawall was installed, showing absolute resilience and perseverance. If it’s sunset, you have to take a selfie with Pleasure Pier in the background, then walk out onto one of the jetties to get pics surrounded by water. (Do wear appropriate shoes for this.)

It's a beautiful warm sunny morning do you go for a bike ride on the Seawall, rent scooters and cruise town or play in the water?

We’d grab boggie boards and head for the water. After stopping at Red Light Coffee Roasters to kick-start the day.  

Where would you have a Romantic Brunch?  

For me, a place doesn’t have to be fancy to be romantic, as long as the food and company are good. It’s a hole-in-the wall kind of place, but Mi Abuelita’s serves home-style Mexican breakfast all day. Their migas plate is amazing.

You’re having a Romantic picnic. Where do you go? 

First, we would have to get supplies. If you haven’t been to La King’s Confectionary, you should check it out. It’s in a historic space in the Strand district, and you can watch demos of them making and wrapping taffy. They also have a wide selection of chocolate treats. Then we’d grab a muffuletta to go from Maceo Spice and Import Company. (You only need a half of one for two people.) Or maybe we’d get a couple of boudin-stuffed kolaches from Home Cut Doughnuts. (Trust me – these are the thing you never knew you needed in your life.) 

When we visit Galveston, we always like going to the area near the Rosenberg Library. There are a number of historic homes you can tour, and behind Ashton Villa, there is a garden open to the public, with a really cool pergola at the center. (Sometimes it is used as an event space for outdoor weddings and the like.) There are benches along one side of the pergola. I’ve never brought snacks before, but that would be a great spot for a picnic!

You've had a lovely Romantic weekend. But it was too short. And you picked up a lottery ticket. Guess what! You can afford to go anywhere in the world on a Cruise ship where would you go?  

There are cruises that go from Vancouver to Hawaii, and then sail around the different Hawaiian islands. I’ve always wanted to do that 

Bon Voyage

To enter the Giveaway visit my Facebook page.  Click Here

Main Character Monday feat. The Patience Price Mysteries Series by Julie Ann Lindsey

 

Who is Patience Price . . .

Patience Price, concierge counselor … and amateur sleuth? 

I did it all backwards.  I met Patience  Price at the end of this Cozy Beach read series. 

Why?  Because I stumbled onto book 3 in our little book store on Galveston Island 🏝.   

As a fan of author Julie Ann Lindsey I grabbed up Murder In Real Time snapped a pic and sent it to Julie Ann!  

I was super excited. 

She answered back with a surprising statement of " Wow cool find.  That book has been out of print for years!" 

Fast forward a few months and we find the re-launch of a great series!  

Thank you and Congratulations  Julie Ann Lindsey! 

So . . .

Just who is Patience Price?  After being downsized our Main Character looses her job in HR for the FBI.  But not before she meets hunky agent Sébastion who calls her boss because she kind of hired him. 

Patience  moves back to her hometown of  Pony Island with plans to be a counselor. 

Grown up Patience  realizes upon her return how much she's missed her Island home. 

She misses swimming in the ocean. 

She missed  the diner where she can get a Burger, Fries and a Milk Shake off a menu she doesn't  have to read.  

She's missed her quirky Hippie  mom and dad who own a Tshirt shop/Tarot Reading/ ...? 

And she misses the town folk who just seem to gravitate to her and chat. 

And she kind of missed (but she's not sure) her ex-boyfriend turned Mayor Candidate, Landlord, Murder Suspect.  

So who is Patience  Price  well all the above is a bit of who and what makes up 

Patience Price concierge counselor … and amateur sleuth?

Series available on Amazon 

Click Here