#SaturdaySpotlight is on Karina Bartow & Undeveloped Memories!

Whew, it is good to be home with no expected travel in the next several weeks!

If you've followed me for long you know I love to travel. I even started a travel blog called Bathroom Blues to share my adventures with you. But sometimes it's just good to be home for a while. 😊

Today's guest is brand-new-to-our-blog so please give Karina Bartow a huge SWLA W-E-L-C-O-M-E!

Please share your book and the inspiration behind it, Karina.

Thanks, Pam. It is lovely to be your guest. When I was a young girl, my mom misplaced—frankly, lost!—a roll of film from a special occasion. The pictures on it, of course, captured that one day, frozen in time, including the people and activities that created the story of those memories. Some of those shots featured loved ones we lost soon thereafter and moments we couldn’t recreate.

A few years ago, I had to sort through photos for a presentation. The tub I sorted through had an assortment of negatives and original envelopes from the developing counter, so I kept hoping to come across that lost roll. Unfortunately, I never did, but my quest made me consider what would happen if another generation discovered it and developed the pictures. Most of those subjects from long ago would be completely foreign to them, perhaps piquing their curiosity about the past. Thus, Undeveloped Memories began to materialize in my brain.

I hope your readers enjoy this blurb...

We assume we know everything there is to know about those who raised us…until we discover that we don’t!

Lorelei Carmichael returns home to check up on her aging uncle, but another investigation awaits her. An undeveloped roll of film, abandoned by her photographer uncle, beckons her attention. Also a photographer, she develops the images and discovers an Alaskan journey he never disclosed, alongside a woman and child.

When an opportunity provides her the chance to peek into the past, she retraces his footsteps through the Alaskan countryside. Will she figure out the whole picture of this unfinished love story? And might the trail of breadcrumbs lead her to capture a love of her own?   

And Excerpt...

While she proceeded dipping the pictures into the developing solutions, her thoughts wandered around the reasons Uncle Reed didn’t discuss the adventure. In his years of covering stories, he’d witnessed various tragedies, including several wildfires, but nothing this profound in loss. She could only imagine how the prevailing sorrow affected the sensitive man. With it occurring just before her mom and dad died, his despair over everything he beheld would’ve been compounded by the grief their family endured. Perhaps he always associated the two events together. 

Having just three negatives to go, she peered at the next rendering through the enlarger and recognized the same little boy but without his mother. With a campfire in the background behind him, he wore a smile, and although it didn’t showcase her uncle’s artistic talent like the rest, it conveyed a powerful message about a child’s resilience. His mom joined him again in front of the fire, her face brightened with more joy, as well. Lorelei surmised Uncle Reed befriended them, but she didn’t ascribe much value to it until she secured the final shot under the enlarger. 

Projected onto the wall above her, the boy and his expectant mother beamed back at her, with her uncle beside them. Even at first glance, she perceived his adoration, his countenance brimming with the same pride and gentleness he had in many of their family photos. The longer she studied it, though, the more signs she gleaned of this being a man in love.

* * * *

Sounds Wonderful, Karina! Now please share your bio and links for you and how to get a copy of Undeveloped Memories with us.

Sure, Pam, here you go...

Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio. Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her. Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want. 

Her debut novel, "Husband in Hiding," came out in 2015, followed by "Forgetting My Way Back to You," in 2018 and "Brother of Interest" in 2022. She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!

Find out more about Karina by visiting her Website  or Amazon Author Page, and connecting with her on Facebook, Instagram, X (@KarinaBartow), and Goodreads.

Get your copy of Undeveloped Memories a clean romantic mystery at Amazon, B&N, Walmart or directly from The Wild Rose Press.

Thank You, so much for visiting with us today, Karina. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with this, and all of your books!

Well, friends, I hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll check back weekly for another great author and book.

Until next time, escape in a good book.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Dakota McGraw & Testing the Waters!

Good Morning and Welcome,

One of my greatest pleasures in hosting Saturday Spotlight on this blog is to introduce to you a brand-new-to-me author and our guest today is one of those! Thanks for joining us, Dakota, please tell us about your book, Testing the Waters...

Thank You for having me, Pam. Testing the Waters is an Espionage/Spy/Multicultural/Suspense Romance with an action rating of 5+ here is the blurb...

Brenda Jackson is no stranger to danger—but when her boss offers her the chance to go international as a spy, it’s a whole new world. Tasked with taking down an opium and human trafficking ring, Brenda steps into the shadowy underworld of espionage with a new partner—Terrance Blaine, a grizzled MI5 operative with a reputation for cold precision.

As they chase leads across multiple countries, sparks fly between Brenda’s fierce determination and Blaine’s brooding authority. They’ll have to navigate deadly threats, uncover a web of international corruption, and survive each other’s temperaments. But when betrayal hits too close to home, Brenda’s skills and resolve will be tested like never before.

Fast-paced, sharp, and filled with tension, Testing the Waters is a thrilling ride of action, espionage, and a partnership that could either save them—or tear them apart.

AND an Excerpt: Later, in the training hall, things escalated. Blaine wasn’t about to let the pistol stunt slide.

“Gunplay’s one thing,” he said, tossing her a judo gi. “But let’s see what you do when someone’s trying to choke the life out of you.”

Brenda smirked, catching it. “Careful, old man. You might not get back up.”

They squared off on the mat. Blaine came at her hard and fast, fists precise, his military training ingrained in every strike. But Brenda wasn’t just holding her ground—she was countering with uncanny timing, sliding into the space between his punches, anticipating the arc of his elbow before he even swung.

She’s reading me, Blaine realized, tightening his jaw and clenching his fists a little too hard. Every feint, every shift of his weight, she was already there. Not reacting—predicting. No civilian cop should’ve been able to do that, yet here she was, moving like she’d been in his head long before the fight began.

He pushed harder, throwing combinations sharp enough to break down most opponents, but she slipped past them, like she knew where he’d be before he did. This isn’t just training—it’s instinct. God help me, it’s beautiful.

Oh my goodness, sounds amazing! Now please tell us why you wrote Testing the Waters, where we can purchase it and find out more about you...

Sure!

I wanted to create a series that features over-the-top characters—imperfect, flawed, yet able to rise to the occasion when it matters most. My goal was to keep readers guessing about who the real "bad guy" is and challenge the typical hero's journey. I wanted to explore the complexities of Blaine, the ultimate alpha male character who, despite being the brooding, chauvinistic, "tough guy," has deep vulnerabilities and cracks in his character. And the twist? He meets a heroine who not only brings these vulnerabilities to the surface but is the only one he trusts enough to show that side of himself. This makes their dynamic unique—a push and pull where strength and vulnerability coexist, creating tension, excitement, and, of course, a deeper emotional connection.

Testing the Waters is the first book in the series, and I have never had more fun writing than with this one. I’m already in love with Terrance Blaine, the main character. He’s everything I wanted in a hero—strong, complicated, and with enough cracks in his armor to make him real. I can also relate to Brenda. She’s the strong woman who can hold her own against Blaine (and he hates it at times, but at that same time he loves it), but knows how to use her feminine charms to knock him off balance when the time is right. It’s the perfect blend of power and subtlety, and I’m really enjoying how their dynamic plays out.

On top of the character dynamics, my personal travels around the world have been a major influence in shaping these stories, and I’ve always wanted to write about my travel in some form and fashion, and this series is perfect for that.  I’ve been fortunate enough to visit some truly exotic locales. These travels allow me to incorporate vivid settings into the book, bringing an authentic atmosphere to the narrative. The diversity of cultures, landscapes, and challenges I’ve encountered have helped create rich, adventurous environments that feel both real and thrilling, adding an extra layer of excitement and intrigue to the plot.

The Blaine and Brenda series promises to have twists and turns, action, a bit of romance, and never a dull moment. I love going wild with these characters, putting them in crazy, dangerous situations and seeing how they get themselves out of them. Each book is an adventure—one I can’t wait to share with readers!

You can purchase Testing the Waters at Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, OR directly from my website, where you can find more about me and my books, and see what’s Coming Soon! Be sure and follow me via the social media links there!

Wonderful, Dakota!

We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with this new series.

Hope you enjoyed Dakota's visit with us friends and that you'll check back each week for another Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time read happy!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Jo Richardson & Blind Spot!

Good Morning,

Returned from the lake yesterday afternoon. Didn't catch a whole bunch of fish, but enjoyed some lovely weather. It's another beautiful morning here in SWLA, cool and clear. I hope all the mothers out there have a wonderful, blessed Mothers Day tomorrow!

Today's guest is brand new to our blog so please welcome Jo Richardson to the spotlight with her book, Blind Spot a  Paranormal Romance / Psychic / Mystery that's "steamy, but not erotica." ...

Sydney Fallon has spent her entire life seeing things before they happen.

Tucker Chase is no exception.

He’s not looking for any new friends when he rolls into town.

He's not looking for anything but a way to escape his past.

But how do you stay out of someone's life when you see it flashing before your eyes on a daily basis? 

EXCERPT: 

I can’t help but let down my guard for a minute as I watch him. He looks like he’s pondering something. I want to peek around at the expression on his face to see if it reflects what I’m feeling. Then I remember why he’s here.

Probably wondering how quickly he can get down the river and over to New Orleans.

There are plenty of lowlifes who use the winding rivers by Madisonville and the surrounding towns as a convenient waterway escape after conducting who knows what kinds of illegal business.

I step closer and lift the piece of driftwood over my head, ready to knock him out if I have to.

When I hit a creaky board, I freeze.

The man spins around.

He takes one look at me and his brow knits together into a scowl. Like he’s angry with me for interrupting him. And his plans for ransacking Ian’s place.

"What the hell?" he mutters.

I decide I better not waste any more time thinking.

I swing the wood down at his head, but he catches it mid-strike. He looks like he’s about to laugh except for the fact that he’s so irritated.

I yank at my weapon, trying to get it out of his grasp so I can take another swipe at him, but he holds on tightly.

Then the silence between us is broken.

"Can I help you?" he growls. "I mean, you know, other than giving you a head to swing at?"

"Can you help me?" I pull again, to no avail. "You're the one on private property!"

"Yeah, I know. Mine."

"Yours?” HA! “Liar! This place happens to belong to a very good friend of mine." I’m still tugging as hard as I can at the piece of wood. And he’s still scowling at me.

"A good friend of yours, huh?"

Why. Won’t. He. Let. Go!

"Yes, Ian Hedder, as a matter of..." I pull again. "...fact, and I've already called the police, by the way."

"Good," he tells me. Then he lets go of the wood.

As he lets go, I’m giving it my all, and suddenly, I’m flying backwards off the dock, into the chilly, muddy river's water with a scream.

The water is freezing.

I come up for air.

“Holy shit!”

About Jo: Jo describes herself as a "writer of things." You can find out more about her by visiting and/or connecting with her through Amazon | Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Get your copy of Blind Spot at Amazon

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care, God Bless and be sure to check out NN Light's Book Heaven's Mother's Day Bookish Event and Bookaholics Unite giveaways!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Beverly Bateman and The Fourth Victim

Good Morning Friends and Welcome!

I pray you had a good week and that your upcoming Thanksgiving week will be blessed.

I introduced you to Beverly Bateman last month when she shared some words with us on healthy eating. Today, we get a peek into her novel, The Foundation, The Fourth Victim, Sarah's Story 

Sara’s emotionally abusive husband dies unexpectedly. She’s struggling to reclaim the intelligent, independent person she was before she married.  She vows never to let a man take over her life again. Now she’s part of a special team, training to help other women.

Mac is has been responsible for training women in special ops techniques so they are prepared when they are challenged to save other women. When he meets Sara, sparks fly between them. He wants her to quit the training and let him take care of her.
Sara graduates and now she and her team have to save Sara’s daughter from a serial killer. Can Mac step back and trust her in a dangerous situation? Can Sara and Mac resolve their issues, or will they go in opposite directions?

Excerpt:
The office said he’d had a heart attack. Was he alive? Did she want him to be? What if her husband had to stay home for a few weeks to recuperate? Palms sweating, Sara’s breath came in short, shallow bursts at the thought. 

The taxi jerked to a stop in front of the hospital emergency entrance.

Sara fumbled through her purse and counted out her meager number of dollar bills. Gordon didn’t allow her to have a credit card and he only allowed her to have a small amount of cash. She didn’t have enough money to pay the taxi.

“I’m so sorry. I left home without any cash. I... I ... Would you take a check?” Tears spilled over and trickled down her flushed cheeks.

The driver spun around. A short stubby finger waved at the sign over the rearview mirror. “Look lady, it says right there - No Checks.”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. My husband’s had a heart attack and I ... I don’t know what to do.” Sara ran her fingers through her hair and scrunched the tight bun at her neck.

The driver shook his head. “Aw, shit. Go ahead, lady. Write the check.”

Sara pulled the single crumpled check Gordon allowed her carry for emergencies out of her purse. When she touched the check a vision of Gordon floated in front of her.

She froze and rapidly blinked her eyes. She only saw the ghosts of dead people. Could he really be dead?

“Gordon?” she whispered.

“Lady, are you writing that check or not?”

“Yes, sorry.” Sara scribbled her signature on the bottom of the check. “Please, fill it in, and give yourself a generous tip. Thank you, thank you so much.” She clutched her worn purse to her chest, slid out of the cab, and scurried through the emergency room doors.

What if he was dead? She didn’t have any money. Gordon did all the finances and never shared anything with her.  How would she manage?

Twenty years ago she could have handled it. Could she do it again? But he couldn’t be dead. Gordon would never allow that to happen.

His face flitted in front of her, fixed in an angry glare.

He had to be dead or she wouldn’t be seeing him. He didn’t want to be dead. He didn’t want her to be free. If he thought she could see him he’d be furious.

Sara shuffled toward the reception desk. She glanced over her shoulder, searching for some sign of Gordon, listening for his voice, waiting for him to yell at her. She couldn’t believe he was really dead, even though she had seen him. She clung to the edge of the transition counter, her head down, chewed on her lower lip and waited to be noticed.

Finally a brusque voice snapped, “Can I help you?”

Sara looked up to see a heavy set, older woman in a loose blue top. The woman’s thick dark brows met in a v in the middle of her forehead.

“I’m sorry, I ...I’m looking for my husband. His office phoned to say he’d been brought here.” Sara shrunk into her body.

 “Name?” the woman commanded. 

“Gordon, Gordon Peters.” Sara stared at her worn black oxfords, then at the scuffed, gray linoleum with the red, blue and yellow lines that led to different areas.  Maybe she shouldn’t have come. Maybe she should have waited for Gordon to call and tell her whether she should be here or not. But if he was dead she would have to make her own decisions. Her pulse raced. Her head pounded. For the last nineteen years she had never made a decision. Gordon made all of them for her.

Oh wow...sounds like an interesting read Beverly! Good luck and God's blessings with it.

Murder, mystery and romance fills award-winning, Canadian author, Beverley Bateman's life. She loves to plot, kill and hopefully baffle the reader. Her nursing and public health nursing background helps with some details and administering a community care facility program had her investigating and directing investigations into irregularities and sometimes a death. She even has court experience. 

She began writing in her preteens and loved to write locked room mysteries. Reading Nancy Drew helped her figure out plots. Facing breast cancer, she decided she needed to do what she’d always wanted and began to write. She completed her first romantic suspense novel and hasn’t stopped writing since. She recently moved and now lives among ranches and wheat fields in southern Alberta, with her husband and Shiba Inu dog. 

Connect with Beverly at the following sites....

Website https://www.beverleybateman.com

Blog - http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/

Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/beverley.bateman.18

Twitter @kelownawriter 

Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/Beverley-Bateman/e/B008M01F5E

Pinterest  http://pinterest.com/okwriter

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7052567.Beverley_Bateman

LinkedIn - babateman@shaw.ca https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverleybateman/

Instagram Beverley.Bateman

Get your copy of The Foundation, The Fourth Victim, Sarah's Story at the following locations....

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JQ97L8M?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-fourth-victim-9 

Itunes https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-fourth-victim/id1440048796?ls=1&mt=11

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Beverley_Bateman_The_Fourth_Victim?id=_Od3DwAAQBAJ

Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fourth-victim-saras-story-beverley-bateman/1129787236;jsessionid=DCE3DC6D307F1874CC82403A3F744C44.prodny_store01-atgap02?ean=2940155751731

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends new guest, Beverly Bateman

Good Morning

I hate to speculate but I do believe Fall is here to stay....for now LOL! One thing about Louisiana weather - if you don't like it, just wait a minute, it'll change. Cliche' I know, but true.

Not sure what your weekend plans are but if you're out and about in the Lake area and looking for a place to go, Bayou Writers Group is having a workshop. Keynote speaker, Lindsey Duga will be talking all day on pitching and writing in the digital age. It's sure to be a great day so if you're a writer, carve out some time for yourself and head on over to the Holiday Inn @ 1150 W. Prien Lake Rd and enjoy the learning experience. Registration information can be found on Bayou Writers Group website.

PSA: I proofed the audio files for Tempered Dreams over the weekend so stay tuned for more info on that!

Now, without further ado, our guest today is brand new to the blog so please give Beverly Bateman a great, big SW LA welcome....

What do I treasure - my family of course and my pets. However, it may sound a little trite, but for me its health and living life to the fullest.  I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was forty-two. My first thoughts were that I had no regrets.  I had done a lot of things on my bucket list, even though people kept saying I should wait until I retired. Thank heavens I never listened to them. The next thing was my belief in the power of positive thinking.. . Through treatment and the power of positive thinking I‘ve been cancer free for many years. But I do focus on doing everything I can, (except when I slip) to stay healthy and treat your body in the healthiest way possible. 

Years ago foods were natural and there was less environment pollution. Remember what your grandparents ate? So it was easier to eat healthy back then. You didn’t have aisles and aisles and multi commercials all telling you to eat foods with twenty ingredients and additives and at least half you can’t pronounce or know what they are and why we need them. Did I always eat the way I try to eat today? Not really but it didn’t use to be so difficult. I find that if I’m careful (and yes the occasional cheating is allowed) about my eating habits, my exercise and keeping a positive outlook, my body stays healthier as I age, which allows me to do the things I want. So what do I treasure the most, especially as I age, it’s health and living life to the fullest.

Murder, mystery and romance fills award-winning, Canadian author, Beverley Bateman's life. She loves to plot, kill and hopefully baffle the reader. Her nursing and public health nursing background helps with some details and administering a community care facility program had her investigating and directing investigations into irregularities and sometimes a death. She even has court experience.

She began writing in her preteens and loved to write locked room mysteries. Reading Nancy Drew helped her figure out plots. Facing breast cancer, she decided she needed to do what she’d always wanted and began to write. She completed her first romantic suspense novel and hasn’t stopped writing since. She recently moved and now lives among ranches and wheat fields in southern Alberta, with her husband and Shiba Inu dog.

You can find and follow Beverly on Social Media at the following places.....

Website https://www.beverleybateman.com

Blog - http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/beverley.bateman.18  

Twitter @kelownawriter 

Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/Beverley-Bateman/e/B008M01F5E

Pinterest  http://pinterest.com/okwriter

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7052567.Beverley_Bateman

LinkedIn - babateman@shaw.ca https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverleybateman/

Instagram Beverley.Bateman1

Beverly's latest book, The Foundation – The Fourth Victim - Sara’s Story, can be found at Amazon, Kobo, Itunes, GooglePlay and B&N.

Thank you, so much, Beverly for sharing your healthy living with us. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings in your life and writing.

Hope you enjoyed Beverly's visit as much as I have, friends and that you'll come back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends as well as Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts - Special Spotlight on Alicia Dean & A World of Gothic!

Good Morning!

It's always a pleasure to welcome Alicia Dean to my blog and today is no exception. Instead of a 'normal' Thursday Thoughts post, we're spotlighting A World of Gothic…Gothic Mystery Novellas ON SALE for ONLY 99 cents each through Halloween!

A group of authors from countries all over the world were drawn together by our love of the classic gothic mysteries by authors such as Daphne du Maurier, Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney.  While the stories are stand-alone, they each share a recurring thread of a Spinel stone, which can play a small or large part in the plot. We have stories set in Scotland, Greece, Oklahoma, Florida, France, Ireland, and more.  We hope readers have as much fun reading these stories (we recommend you do so with the lights on) as we had writing them.

Dark Hunt ~ A World of Gothic: Florida by Tamrie Foxtail https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Hunt-Florida-World-Gothic-ebook/dp/B078MPBXVT/  

Ghost in the Rain ~ A World of Gothic: Scotland by Marie Treanor  https://amzn.com/B01ES21KZE

House at the Edge ~ A World of Gothic: Greece by MM Jaye: https://amzn.com/B01G7B1FI6 

Haunting at Spook Light Inn ~ A World of Gothic: Oklahoma by Alicia Dean https://amzn.com/B01GNGTU96

Haunting in the Pines ~ A World of Gothic: East Texas by Janis Susan May  https://www.amazon.com/House-Pines-World-Gothic-Texas-ebook/dp/B01JSYOHFC/  

Raven of Blackthorn Manor ~ A World of Gothic: Ireland by Gemma Juliana https://www.amazon.com/Raven-Blackthorn-Manor-Gothic-Ireland-ebook/dp/B01LRXCILW/

Blood-Stained Memories ~ A World of Gothic: Florida by Kathy L Wheeler https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Stained-Memories-Gothic-United-ebook/dp/B01K82OKJG/

Sea of Darkness ~ A World of Gothic: France by Amanda McCabe https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Darkness-World-Gothic-France-ebook/dp/B01LWKXVO6/

Shadows and Lies ~ A World of Gothic: Louisiana by Raine English https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Lies-Gothic-United-States-ebook/dp/B01M9BY010/

Sinister Ceremony ~ A World of Gothic: Maine by Stacey Coverstone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HRZ2KZ2/ 

If you love Halloween and Gothic stories, you can get your fill with these!

Hope you enjoyed the post and that you'll check back frequently for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts with Diane Burton

Good Morning!

It is always a pleasure to bring back a previous guest. Diane Burton has shared treasures and been in our spotlight so please welcome her as she shares some thoughts with us today....


Thanks so much, Pam, for inviting me to your blog today.

When someone says write about anything, I’m overwhelmed. So many thoughts. How do I choose? I try to narrow down the choices. What’s important to me? That’s easy. Family. Five years ago, we moved to be close to our only (at the time) two grandchildren. Last summer, my son and his family moved close to us. After twenty-some years, my whole family is close by. I can see all the grandkids (now there are 5) any time. And they can visit.

Not growing up with grandparents close by, I didn’t realize the importance. Now, as a grandparent myself, I do. I can share my experiences. I can tell them stories about their mother/father. Show them pictures of their mommy/daddy when they were little. We play games like “who’s this?” with family pictures. I can tell them about my parents (now deceased) and my grandparents. Family history can be passed on.

I know I’m blessed to have family close.

In my new release, NUMBERS NEVER LIE, a romantic suspense, Maggie loses her brother in a car accident. With her parents deceased, she’s lost her whole family. Devastating. That loss becomes an impetus for her to discover if it really was an accident.

NUMBERS NEVER LIE
A Romantic Suspense
By Diane Burton
Release Date:  July 9, 2018
Length: approx. 80,000 words
Available at Amazon  http://a.co/gUmO9wZ
Free with Kindle Unlimited

A shocking secret brings danger to Jack Sinclair and his sister Maggie.

As kids, they were the fearless threesome. As adults, Jack's an accountant; Drew, a lawyer; Maggie, a teacher and camping troop leader. Upon returning from a weekend camping trip, Maggie receives horrifying news. She refuses to believe her brother Jack’s fatal car crash was an accident. If the police won’t investigate, she’ll do it herself. Convincing Drew Campbell to help is her only recourse.

Drew Campbell was too busy to return his best friend’s phone call. Too busy to attend a camping meeting important to his teen daughter. Too busy to stay in touch with Jack. Logic and reason indicate Jack’s accident was just that--an accident caused by fatigue and fog. Prodded by guilt, he’ll help Maggie even if he thinks she’s wrong.

A break-in at Jack’s condo convinces Maggie she’s right. Then her home is searched. What did Jack do that puts Maggie in danger?

Excerpt:

“Ms. Sinclair?” the sheriff deputy said. “I’m calling about your brother, Jack Sinclair.”
Alarm shot through Maggie’s veins. She heard bits and pieces through the roar in her ears. “Regret to inform you . . . accident . . . early yesterday morning—”
She slid to the floor, the kitchen cupboard at her back. The phone clattered on the white vinyl.
“Ma’am?” the man on the phone said. “Can we call someone for you? Ma’am?”
Maggie pressed her forehead against her knees and shook.
“Maggie? What is it?” Drew picked up the phone.
She could still hear the deputy. “Ma’am? Are you all right?”
When she didn’t answer either of them, Drew talked to the deputy. She barely heard his words. After he replaced the receiver, she raised her head. “Jack is dead.”
His face reflected the anguish crawling through her. “I know.”

Numbers Never Lie is available at Amazon.

About the Author:

Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides writing science fiction romance, she writes romantic suspense, and cozy mysteries. Diane and her husband live in West Michigan. They have two children and five grandchildren.
For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com

Connect with Diane Burton online

Blog:  http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/dmburton72
Facebook:  http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor
Goodreads: Diane Burton Author
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/
Sign up for Diane’s new release alert: http://eepurl.com/bdHtYf

Wow...sounds like another great read, Diane! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new book.

Hope you enjoyed today's post, friends, and that you'll check back regularly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts #EggcerptExchange with Jana Richards

Good Morning and Welcome!

It's Holy Thursday, the day many celebrate the Last Supper.

It's also the last Eggcerpt Exchange post for this year.

Tuesday I introduced a new to me author and today is another....

When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal. Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things” was a 2008 EPPIE finalist.

In her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant, a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg, Canada with their Pug/Terrier cross Lou and several unnamed goldfish. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.janarichards.com or the following Social Media sites...

Blog:  http://janarichards.blogspot.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards

Amazon UK Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG

Newsletter Signup: http://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards

Google+ Profile:  https://plus.google.com/100820406211390323245

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards

Jana is sharing with us her brand new series of contemporary romances and tells us they are "spicy with fully developed love scenes" so be aware if you check them out!

Love at Solace Lake Series Blurb:

Love is worth the risk…

When their grandfather dies, the Lindquist sisters, Harper, Scarlet and Maggie, inherit the northern Minnesota fishing lodge that had been in their family for three generations. The inheritance is bittersweet. They were raised at the lodge by their grandparents. The natural beauty of the place hasn’t changed, but the building itself is crumbling and desperately in need of repair. The lodge also reminds them of what they lost. Twenty-two years previously, their parents died there in what was ruled a murder/suicide.

 As the sisters struggle to breathe new life into the failing lodge, old fears and questions rise to the surface even as new love presents itself. Why did their father murder their mother? What truths did their grandparents keep from them? The sisters must fight to keep the wounds of the past from putting their futures, and their fledgling relationships, in jeopardy.

She can’t live with one more lie. He can’t tell the truth.

Harper Lindquist is convinced she’s found the answer to her financial prayers. Unless she pours cash into crumbling Solace Lake Lodge, she’ll lose her family’s legacy. Her would-be savior arrives in the middle of a Minnesota blizzard and she’s determined to prove to her reluctant, and trapped, financier the lodge is a sound investment. But Harper isn’t completely honest with him. And she has no idea the lake is hiding secrets of its own.

Ethan James is a liar, but his money is very real. He isn’t convinced a broken-down inn is a smart investment opportunity. But the more he understands Harper’s dreams and desires, the more he wants to be the man to make them come true. The trauma in both their pasts means neither can fully trust the other. They must find the courage to love, to trust, and to accept, or yesterday’s sorrows will keep them apart.

No matter how deeply buried, secrets rise to the surface.

Scarlett Lindquist has agreed to help her sisters rebuild the dilapidated fishing lodge in Minnesota they inherited from their grandparents. Although the lengthy restoration is bringing the three sisters closer together, Scarlett’s support is temporary. Her leave of absence from her job in Chicago is temporary and she has no intention of staying at Solace Lake Lodge, where the lake holds dark secrets. When frightening childhood memories resurface, they are tempered by her fascination with an irritating contractor. If only she could trust her feelings for him. If only he could trust her.

Cameron Hainstock meets Scarlett at his brother’s wedding to her sister and their attraction is instantaneous. But Cam avoids the beautiful marketing executive. All his efforts are aimed at battling for custody of his only child. When the unimaginable happens and Cam faces the biggest challenge of his life, he’s reluctant to accept help to halt his downward spiral. Can they learn to trust each other and fight for a future together or will they go their separate ways?

The truth could destroy them. Or set them free.

Maggie Lindquist left Solace Lake determined never to return. Circumstances have pulled her back and she’s helping to restore her family’s dilapidated fishing lodge. When she agreed to the plan she didn’t expect to have to work side by side with the man who abandoned her ten years earlier. She didn’t expect to like him, or want him ever again. But can she trust him as she once did?

Luke Carlsson rushes home to tend to his ailing mother. Her lengthy illness means he needs to stay, at least temporarily. And to stay, he needs to work. Solace Lake Lodge offers him a job and an opportunity to work with the woman he’s never stopped loving. But the restoration is unleashing secrets hidden for decades and no one is left unscathed. Especially not Maggie and Luke, whose love needs to be resilient enough to forgive, and strong enough to build a future together.

If you enjoy contemporary romances, this sounds like a great series! Love at Solace Lake books can be purchased through Amazon

Jana will be out of pocket today but will check in and respond ASAHP and over the weekend.

Hope you enjoyed today's Eggcerpt Exchange and that you'll stop by each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Also today is the LAST day to participate in the St. Patrick's Day Romance Giveaway so if you haven't entered do so ASAHP!

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Casi McLean & Beneath the Lake!

Good Morning Friends!

I'm off to the first Mardi Gras parade of the season....well my first anyway. It's that time here in SWLA so if you're visiting or just passing through take time to catch a few beads.

Today's guest is new to our blog and she visits today with her latest release, Beneath the Lake a PG13 rated, time slip, romantic suspense, book.

Award winning author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense. Beneath The Lake won the 2016 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for BEST Romantic Suspense.

Her stories entwine strong, believable heroines with delicious hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires then fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. Ms. McLean weaves exceptional romantic mystery with suspenseful settings and lovable characters you'll devour. You'll see, hear, and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You'll swear her time travel could happen, be mystified by her other worldly images, and feel heat of romantic suspense, but most of all you'll want more.

Find out more by visiting Casi's Website Facebook Page  GoodReads Author Page  Amazon Author Page  and Blog and following her on Twitter!

Now let's find out about Casi's book, Beneath the Lake....

A ghost town submerged beneath Atlanta's famous man-made Lake Lanier reportedly lures victims to a watery grave. But when Lacey Montgomery's car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of the icy water, she awakens in the arms of a stranger, in a town she's never heard of--34 years before she was born.

When the 2012 lawyer tangles with a 1949 hunk, fire and ice swirl into a stream of sweltering desire. Bobby Reynolds is smitten the moment the storm-ravaged woman opens her eyes and, despite adamant protest, Lacey falls in love with a town destined for extinction, and the man who vows to save his legacy.

Threatened by a nefarious stalker, the wrath of bootleggers, and twists of fate, Lacey must find the key to a mysterious portal before time rips the lovers apart, leaving their star-crossed spirits to wander forever through a ghost town buried beneath the lake.

Excerpt:
Lake Lanier, Georgia—June 2011

A final thud hurled him backward, flailing through brush and thickets like a rag doll. Grasping at anything to break momentum, Rob’s hand clung to a branch wedged into the face of the precipice. Spiny splinters sliced his skin. Blood oozed and trickled into his palms, and one by one, his fingers slowly slipped.

A sharp crack echoed through the silence of the ravine as the bough succumbed to his weight. He plummeted into free-fall. Clenching his eyes, he drew in a deep breath, terrified of the pain, the mauling that waited on the jagged rocks below.

When icy water broke his fall, the chill kept him from losing consciousness. He spun, straining to see, but darkness enveloped him. Soggy clothing pulled him deeper—deeper into the murky, fathomless depths. He wrestled to squirm free from the waterlogged jacket dragging him down to a watery grave, watched the coat disappear into black obscurity. Panic gripped his stomach, or was it death that snaked around his chest, squeezing, squeezing, squeezing the air, the life from his body? Lack of oxygen burned his lungs, beckoning surrender, and a shard of rage pierced his gut as reality set in. He lunged upward with one last thrust and burst from the water’s deadly grip, gasping for air. A gurgling howl spewed from the depths of his soul and echoed into silence.

Sunlight shimmered across a smooth, indigo lake, but aside from the slight ripples of his own paddling, nothing but stillness surrounded him. He floated toward the shore, sucking deep breaths into his lungs until the pummeling in his chest subsided. When he reached the water’s edge, he hoisted his body onto the soft red clay and collapsed while the sun’s warmth drained the tension from his body.

No one knew he had survived. The rules had shifted. Now he could reinvent himself, become a stealth predator. His target: Lacey Madison Montgomery.

OH Wow, Casi! Where did you come up with the premise for this book?

I love to talk about Beneath The Lake, and the eerie lake lore that inspired my muse. A town that time forgot––the history and creepy stories attached to a rural area that sleeps beneath Atlanta's famous man-made lake, Sidney Lanier, fascinated me. Homes, churches and businesses still linger beneath the surface. The moonshiners of the 1940's added built-in suspense, and the birth of NASCAR. Looper Speedway, a half-mile dirt track where bootleggers competed with their souped-up cars, exposed its cement stands in a recent draught.

There's a Lady of the Lake who haunts the ghost town too––the spine-chilling lore is the basis for book three in my Beneath The Lake series, Between The Shadows. Some say she lures victims to her watery grave. The truth is, swimmers get trapped among the deadfall of sheered-off trees and town remains. Even expert divers get tangled beneath the murky surface, hence the lake's unnerving label: Lanier never gives up its dead. The inspiration swirled in my mind, begging for a story to be told. What a perfect setting for my romantic time-slip suspense series.

Why time-slip? Ever since my childhood imagination discovered Madeleine L'Engles, A Wrinkle In Time, the idea of time travel intrigued me. And Lake Lanier, a man-made lake with mesmerizing history, presented a plausible theory. What if the excavation explosions triggered a seismic shift? Given enough energy, could the blasts rip a portal into a different dimension or a crack in time? The possibilities were endless.

The birth of Lacey Montgomery evolved through my young adult love for Jude Deveraux's A Knight In Shining Armor. The time-slip novel introduced her endearing Montgomery family. I hope my books honor her inspiration. My high school friend, Hilary Johnson, inspired the persona of my heroine, Lacey Montgomery. A lawyer, discouraged with defending criminals, yearned to help honest people in trouble. Some of Hillary's finer qualities became part of Lacey––the dysfunctional relationships came from my own personal experiences. LOL. Once these elements entwined, Beneath The Lake blossomed with an energy and life of its own.

The sequel, Beyond The Mist, picks up where the first story ends incorporating two minor characters as the new hero and heroine. Beyond The Mist is complete, in editing, and will be published in a few months.

For a Free Gift, and a chance to win my entire short story collection, Destiny: Five Novelettes With a Twist, click here: https://spark.adobe.com/page/pxekfzj8Rx4el/

If you enjoyed the blurb and excerpt, watch the trailer too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwOqm8DUUfA

Purchase Beneath the Lake at Amazon.

Well friends hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll join us each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Linda Hebert Todd and Wild Justice!

Good Morning!

As I've mentioned before it is always a pleasure to introduce you to a brand new author, especially one from Bayou Writers Group which I co-founded in 2002 and today's guest is another great member! Linda has been with the group almost from it's inception and has worked steadily to hone her craft and write this novel.

I hope you'll give her a warm welcome and best wishes....

Linda Hebert Todd writes fiction and poetry, and since she enjoys reading mysteries, much of her fiction is about mayhem and murder. Nearly all her fiction is set in the bayou country of south Louisiana, where she came of age swimming in the river and listening to tales of LaFitte the Pirate and the loup-garou.

Linda has a short story in Journeys: Bayou Writers Group Anthology Volume 1 (Bayou Writers Group, 2014). Several of her short stories and poems have won prizes in various contests, and have appeared in the Jambalaya Writers’ Conference anthologies.

She has one novel completed—Wild Justice, a crime story with a revenge theme, and has started another one set in Labrador and Louisiana.

Linda is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime on the national level. She is a charter member of the Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and a member of Writer’s League of Texas based in Austin. She is past Secretary of Bayou Writers Group and is currently serving on the board as Member-at-Large.

Find out more about Linda by visiting her Website and/or Blog and connecting with her on Facebook

Now here's a sneak peek into Linda's novel, Wild Justice...

Keeley Chesson, a crime reporter for a city newspaper, is orphaned at age fourteen, courtesy of a sheriff’s deputy who killed her parents and got away with it. Now, fourteen years later, the deaths of her parents still a mystery and the deputy now her town’s police chief, tragedy again rocks her world when her aunt, the woman who took her in and finished rearing her, is murdered. Keeley is inside the house when her aunt and cousin are shot by two gunmen. She narrowly escapes detection, but is able to watch the men drive off. One of them she has known since elementary school—the good-for-nothing son of her town’s chief of police. As they drive away she sees someone else in the truck—the killer’s girlfriend who is also Keeley’s best friend. Wracked with grief over the deaths of her relatives and her friend’s betrayal, Keeley vows to get justice. She’s afraid to call law enforcement because the killer’s father has made sure his son never had to pay for anything he ever did. She feels she has to do it herself, and begins a quest for justice and revenge that puts her in danger of losing her own life.

Here’s an excerpt from Chapter One:

The screams stopped, quenched into silence when the roof of the vintage car disappeared under the cold waters of the Calcasieu River. Deputy Brad LaCaze stepped out of the shadows where he’d hidden his patrol car in a copse of trees. The sinking car, a fully restored 1955 Chevrolet BelAir, triggered a momentary twinge of regret. Then he remembered the treachery of Moira Adams Chesson and that son-of-a-bitch, Joe Chesson.

Here’s the last paragraph in the chapter:

One of the divers broke the surface and waved his arms, signaling discovery, and two fingers signifying two bodies. No one noticed the satisfied smile that for an instant flickered across Brad’s face. And no one, including Brad, saw the solitary figure across the water paddle the pirogue around the bend.

Wow, Linda sound intriguing! 

Wild Justice can be purchased at Amazon in Ebook and Paperback.

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you! Come back each week for a new Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight: Susan Coryell with Beneath the Stones!

Good Morning!

Today let's welcome Susan Coryell to our blog with her novel, Beneath the Stones.....

Q: What genre is BENEATH THE STONES?

A: Actually the novel is a stand-alone sequel to A RED, RED ROSE. Both are cross-genre cozy mystery/Southern Gothics.

Q: What are the outstanding themes in BENEATH THE STONES? 
A: The major theme is that what happened in the past can come back to haunt us in the present. Layers of history--events, people, even emotions can affect us now and in the future.

Q: Setting?

A: Set at contemporary Moore Mountain Lake in Southern Virginia, BENEATH THE STONES reflects Civil War happenings at Overhome Estate where Ashby Overton lives.

Q: Tell us a bit about your protagonist, Ashby.

A: Having inherited Overhome Estate, her decades-old ancestral home, twenty-five year old Ashby deals with spirits from the past as she tries to save her beloved home from financial ruin and prepare for her wedding at summer's end. She is plucky, resourceful, optimistic, and increasingly aware of her sixth sense.

Q: Why would we want to read BENEATH THE STONES?

A: There are mystery, history, romance and ghosts. What's not to love?

BIO:

A career educator, Susan has taught students from 7^th grade through college-level. She earned a BA degree in English from Carson-Newman College and a Masters from George Mason University. She is listed in several different volumes of Who’s Who in Education and Who’s Who in Teaching.  Susan belongs to Author’s Guild, Virginia Writers, and Lake Writers. She loves to talk with budding writers at schools, writers’ conferences and workshops. Her young adult anti-bully novel EAGLEBAIT is in its third edition for print and e-book, updated with cyber-bullying. EAGLEBAIT won the NY Public Library's "Books for the Teen Age," and the International Reading Association's "Young Adult Choice."

A RED, RED ROSE, first in a cozy mystery/Southern Gothic series, won a literary award with the Library of Virginia. BENEATH THE STONES, the sequel, was released in April of 2015.

The author has long been interested in concerns about culture and society in the South, where hard-felt, long-held feelings battle with modern ideas.  The ghosts slipped in, to her surprise.

When not writing, Susan enjoys boating, kayaking, golf and yoga. She and her husband, Ned, love to travel, especially when any of their seven grandchildren are involved.

Please visit Susan Coryell’s website: www.susancoryellauthor.com and blog: www.susancoryellauthor.blogspot.com or contact her on Facebook and Twitter.

Ashby Overton has everything to look forward to, including a promising writing career and her wedding at summer’s end. But, Overhome, her beloved historic family estate in Southern Virginia, is in financial peril and it is up to Ashby to find a solution.

Interfering with Ashby’s plans is a dark paranormal force that thwarts her every effort to save Overhome.  Supernatural attacks emanate from an old stone cottage on the property rumored to be a slave overseer’s abode, prior to the Civil War. As the violence escalates, Ashby begins to fear for her life. Who is this angry spirit and why is his fury focused on Ashby?

Mystery, suspense and romance flourish against a backdrop of Civil War turmoil and ancestral strife--where immortality infiltrates the ancient air breathed by all who inhabit Overhome Estate.

Excerpt: 

Luke climbed down cautiously, the old boards of the steps groaning and

creaking under his weight. When he reached the bottom, he turned, held out

his arms and said, “Come on down, Ashby. Just go slow.”

“Not to worry. I’ve done this before,” I told him, reaching for the first

step with my foot. Carefully, I moved toward the bottom, one step at a time, leaning against the wall for support. I was half-way there when it happened—so suddenly that I had no time to react. Frigid air swooshed down on me from

behind, freezing my face so that I screwed my eyes tight shut at the same

time something strong and determined pushed against my back violently—so

violently that I stumbled, then tumbled forward, to be caught in Luke’s

outstretched arms from several stairs below.

“Whoa!” Luke exhaled from the impact of my body on his. “My God, Ashby.

What happened?”

I slumped against him, unable to utter a single word, my breathing shallow

and rapid. At last I found my voice. “Something pushed me, Luke. I don’t

know what—or who—but it was powerful and deliberate.”

Luke glanced up to the top of the stairs. “Nothing there. I’m going back to

the loft to look.”

I stopped him. “I doubt you’ll find anything.” I sniffed the air, expecting

a new infusion of foul odor. “And what would you do if you did find

anything?”

Just then we both heard it. Hollow, chilling, trailing away from us with

every syllable: “Go away. He’s dead. He’s dead. He’s dead....”

Well Friends, hope you enjoyed the spotlight!

Visit next week for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!

Don't forget the contests for Circles of Fate is going on until June 20th so enter today!

Until later.... take care & God Blesss!

PamT