Guest Blog: Jodi Thomas and Betting the Rainbow

It's that time again, time for another Harmony, Texas novel from Jodi Thomas.  You have heard me gush in the past about how much I love this series so I cannot wait to get my hands on my copy of Betting the Rainbow (hopefully today) and review it for you later this week.  Until then, let Jodi tell you a little about it and make sure you pre-order it because you know it will be great!

No fooling, my next book will be out April 1, 2014.  I had such fun writing this book in the Harmony series and hope everyone will love it as much as I do.

Of course, you’ll have the usual characters walking through Harmony.  Martha Q Patterson, Tyler Wright and his Kate, Alex Matheson and her husband Hank.  You’ll also have a character coming home.  For all of you who love Ronny Logan, you’ll be happy to know her story isn’t over.

This novel plays out three great love stories on a small lake a few miles from Harmony, Texas.

One true love shines between a couple who met in high school and their building story has walked through several books.  This time Reagan and Noah are old enough to know their mind, but can love find them after they’ve grown apart?  She’s become a successful business woman and he’s a big time rodeo star.  Two people with such different lives have to figure out what is truly important.

Ronny Logan comes home looking for peace after dealing with the loss of her first love.  Thanks to the mysterious man next door, she discovers what passion is all about.  Only does passion equal a forever love?

Dusti Delaney’s  farm on the small lake off Rainbow Lane makes the third house.  She and her sister had to give up on their dreams when their mother fell ill, but Dusti is determined to try one more time.  If she can beat out a hundred cowboys in a charity poker game and get to Vegas, all she has to do is place in the money and her sister can go back to finish school.  Only problem is, she has to learn to play the game in two weeks and the only man who is good enough to teach her has flown in from Ireland to win.

In the mixed-up game of life not everything turns out as planned.  We can’t control all the ups and down or the good and bad things that come our way.  But just like poker, you’ve got to play the cards your dealt.

Take a chance on BETTING THE RAINBOW!

Jodi Thomas

www.jodithomas.com
Twitter.com/jodithomas
www.facebook.com/JodiThomasAuthor

BETTING THE RAINBOWRelease date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 978-0-425-26840-7
Retail price: USA $7.99


  
NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Jodi Thomas returns to the “delightful” town of Harmony, Texas, where life has a way of making better plans than anyone ever imagined…

Thomas is a master at creating damaged yet appealing characters, and their expressions of love—as siblings, as friends, as partners—are intense and beautiful. Their paths to happiness are interwoven in an intricate tapestry with the tournament as backdrop, combining in an epic tale of the kind of love that lasts forever” –Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Betting the Rainbow
 
“I’ve never met a Jodi Thomas book that wasn’t absolutely dog eared from being read many times.”—Fresh Fiction

 

Jodi Thomas is the NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of 39 novels and 12 short story collections. A four-time RITA winner, Jodi currently serves as the Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.

www.jodithomas.com
Twitter.com/jodithomas
www.facebook.com/JodiThomasAuthor

Guest Post: Graham Park speaks out for charity during the Holiday Season

“I'm very polite by nature, even the voices in my head let each other finish their sentences.” – from Completely Flappable  
Don’t you just hate it when you have a thousand little thoughts rattling around your brain, good for nothing but keeping you up at night? Ideas, worries, mental reminders for the next day? My voices can get pretty insistent, and mostly this is a nuisance, but sometimes it’s okay, when there’s a story idea or two among the ramblings. And rarely, very rarely, I get what I think is a really good idea, but one that I don't know what to do with.

For instance, a while ago it occurred to me that it’s probably not governments or big corporations that wield the world’s greatest financial power. I think it’s us. All the little people together. Then I started wondering what could happen if we all decided to set 1 month of our incomes aside towards fixing this place up a bit. How many of the world’s problems could we actually solve permanently? Half of them, maybe? All of them? That's a pretty cool picture.

But I’m a pretty dim light when it comes to implementing even small ideas, never mind the big ones. So I’m not sure how to get that ball rolling (heck, I'm not even sure where we keep the balls). But I can certainly start with myself. That’s easy enough (I’ve been in close contact with myself for years; I didn't have much trouble convincing myself.)

So, this December, all proceeds of all my novels will go to Child Helpline International. The CHI is pretty cool because they support toll-free child helplines worldwide and they help highlight gaps in child protection systems. They do all this on donations (click the image below for more information.)


But what does all this have to do with you? Well, I'm raffling off some prizes and giving out some freebees to boost the donation (expenses out of my own pocket, not the donation :P )

So what's in it for you, besides that warm, fuzzy feeling you'll get knowing the Xmas presents you’re buying include an automatic donation? Well, how about I give you the new edition to the award winning No Hope for Gomez saga completely free?


And how about a Kindle Fire HD raffle ticket with every purchase while we’re at it?


Simply forward your receipt emails to nohopeforgomez@gmail.com to participate. And now, on to the pitch. This is the bit where I try to convince you, using only my words, that my novels don’t suck (or at least, not too much.) That they won’t only tickle your brain, but they’ll actually make your life better, if only marginally. That they are, in fact, worthy donation material. Here goes (fingers crossed)...

Paper: $6.08 Kindle:$2.99 (uk paper, kindle)

No Hope for Gomez! Winner of the Forewords Book of the Year Awards, featured on Kirkus Best Indie List 2011, IBA and USA Book News Award nominee. It's the age-old tale:   Boy meets girl.   Boy stalks girl.   Girl already has a stalker.   Boy becomes her stalker-stalker. We've seen it all before, many times, but this time it's different. If only slightly.

"Extremely witty writing containing keen insights into human nature." --California Chronicle "Challenges the way we think about, and interact with, the world around us." --Kirkus Discoveries "The antics in this book will leave the reader laughing. Graham Parke is a genius."--Reader's Favorite

Unspent Time Warning: reading this novel may make you more attractive and elevate your random luck by about 9.332%* (*These statements have not been evaluated by anyone of consequence) Permeating the cracks between the past and the present is the realm of Unspent Time. Time that was allotted but never spent. In this realm we find the stories that could have been true. Such as the story of the designer of the color scheme used inside your shoe, or the story of Goki Feng Ho: the Chinese art of decoding the secret meaning of car license plates.

Paper: $6.08 Kindle:$2.99 ePub : $2.99 (uk paper, kindle)

“Captivating. Each story fired up my imagination.” – Alan H. Jordan, author. "Delightfully mad. Graham's vibrant characters shine from the first page." --Tahlia Newland, author.

Free with this event

Completely Flappable “He’s completely flappable!” “Don’t you mean he’s unflappable?” “Not really. He can very easily be flapped.” Gomez has never been on a date. In his 27 years on the planet he’s never been able to quite close the deal. For some reason, circumstances always conspire to make his meet-ups with women less than official dates. But now a blond German girl with freckles has moved into his building and he decides it’s time to get his act together.

If you've read this far, you're already my hero ;) I hope you like my idea enough to join me in this fun adventure. Let's see how much we can raise this Xmas ;) Kind regards, Graham Parke

Stranded with a Hero Anthology Blog Tour, Guest post by Author Karen Erickson

My Christmas Story Addiction 

by Karen Erickson

I have a confession to make (and if you’ve been a reader of mine for a while, you’ve probably figured this out): I’m addicted to writing holiday-themed stories.

Mostly novellas, though I do have a Christmas book (JANE’S GIFT, first in my Lone Pine Lake series from the Bliss imprint at Entangled Publishing). And not only am I addicted to writing Christmas and holiday-themed stories I also love reading them. You should see my Kindle. It’s loaded with them, a lot from last year that I never got a chance to read! I’m hoping to rectify that this year but I’ve already racked up new holiday romances. My Kindle cries every time I one click, does yours?

I’m getting off track with the topic at hand though and that’s holiday stories. There’s something so hopeful about them. Full of tradition and romance, decorations and stress and presents and love, I love them. They’re so real and okay…also full of fantasy. Many times, I can relate. Or I can hope I find a hot hunky dude in need of a place to stay for Christmas considering he just wrecked his car and the snow is falling and my cozy cabin in the woods is warm and full of freshly baked sugar cookies (I really hope my husband doesn’t read this).

More than anything, holiday romances leave me with a warm, fuzzy feeling that I absolutely can’t get enough of.

Considering the plethora of Christmas books that come out every holiday season, I know I’m not alone in my love for them. There are some authors I can always count on for delivering a delicious holiday themed story and my number one favorite is Jill Shalvis. She has so many! But I’m a known Jill fan (she probably has a restraining order against me ha ha) so she can pretty much do no wrong in my eyes.

My latest book with the Bliss imprint is their holiday anthology with three other (amazing!) Bliss authors, STRANDED WITH A HERO (featuring LOVING MINDY, a novella that’s part of my Lone Pine Lake series.

Stranded with a Hero by Karen Erickson, Cindi Madsen, Coleen Kwan and Roxanne Snopek

Publisher: Entangled Publishing – Bliss

Date of Publication: November 11, 2013

ISBN: 9781622663842

ASIN: B00G1IWYK4

Getting snowed in never felt so good as boundaries are crossed, opposites attract, and friends discovering more promise a Christmas no one will ever forget.

Loving Mindy by Karen Erickson

Mindy can’t believe she’s stuck with her ex–best friend—and the man whose heart she broke years ago—for the holidays, though the tension between them is more than enough to keep them warm. Josh Powers never forgot Mindy, but he can’t risk his heart a second time.

White-Hot Holiday by Coleen Kwan

Naomi’s sworn off men like Aaron—rich, cocky, and dismissive of holiday traditions. Aaron decided to spend Christmas in sunny Australia to avoid snowy New York, not to fall for the woman his best friend warned him away from. But when a volcano grounds him, Aaron and Naomi’s relationship becomes eruptive.

An Officer and a Rebel by Cindi Madsen

The last person police officer Nate Walsh expected to discover in a snowstorm is his brother’s ex and former town rebel, Kelsey Cooper. She’s his complete opposite and totally off-limits, but as they wait out the storm together, all he can think is how he wishes she’d stay forever.

Saving the Sheriff by Roxanne Snopek

Frankie Sylva was determined to free the captive reindeer, even if it meant risking her own life. Deputy Sheriff Red LeClair set out to save a stranger in a snowstorm, never expecting he’d be the one to be rescued.

 

STRANDED WITH A HERO is available at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBookstore | Kobo

Where you can find Karen: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Karen’s bio:

USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson writes what she loves to read – sexy contemporary romance. Digitally published since 2006, she’s a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She is also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of new adult contemporary romance Monica Murphy.

Book Review and Guest Blog: Promise Me Texas by Jodi Thomas

Promise Me Texas by Jodi Thomas

Release date: November 5, 2013
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 978-0-425-25074-7 Whispering Mountain #7
Today I welcome one of my favorite authors.  Not only are her stories absolutely amazing whether writing her historical series, Whispering Mountain, or her contemporary romance series set in the fictional town of Harmony, Texas, but she wonderful to work with as well!  So please give a wonderful welcome to author Jodi Thomas and make sure you check out my review of this great historical romance below as well.
 

Jodi's  Guest Post:

Over the years of writing I’ve included a writer as one of the characters in a book many times.  Maybe it’s because I understand them so well.  In my new historical romance, PROMISE ME TEXAS, I wrote about Beth McMurray and Andrew McLaughlin. 

Beth is the spoiled, loving, very proper, youngest child of Teagan McMurray from Whispering Mountain. Andrew is drifting through life with no direction.  Like most writers, he’s interested in people of all kinds.  When he comes across a gang of outlaws, he can’t resist tagging along to hear the stories they tell.  Once he realizes they are about to rob a train, he can’t step away without putting his friend in danger.

These two very different people find a very unusual love amid all the friends and family who are trying to ‘save them’ from themselves.  Their make-believe marriage begins to feel very real as Beth lies to her father, the great Teagan McMurray.

I loved the way the characters came together in PROMISE ME TEXAS.  My hero is a watcher of people, afraid to ever get too close.  Everyone he’s ever cared about in his life is gone and he’s alone.  My Beth leads with her heart and not her head.  She’s a woman used to getting what she wants, no matter what stands in her way.  When she sees someone who needs her, even having to interrupt a gunfight, doesn’t pose a problem. Her bravery wins over the leader of an outlaw gang who is hunting her make-believe husband.

Since this book is set in 1879, a time of great change in Texas, I included a story of young love that flows along through the plot.  Not all great love stories start with passion, some start with friendship.  Cody wants to take care of Madie, but he doesn’t know how.  Because he is two years older, he begins to give her advice.

Come along with me on the journey with Beth and Andrew.  You’ll fall in love and laugh with them and see what a mess they make of their lives with only a few white lies. I’d love to hear how you like PROMISE ME TEXAS and if you’ve even had one simple little white lie turn your world around.

Jodi Thomas

My Review:
As a huge fan of Jodi Thomas and specifically her Harmony, Texas series, I was excited to read Promise Me Texas.  While a historical and part of the Whispering Mountain series instead of contemporary it reads with my favorite elements as the Harmony, Texas series.  It has family, friends and a close-knit group who will accept outsiders even if it's gradually.  It also has amazing characters that I loved getting to know which I think Ms. Thomas excels at.

Let me start with the characters.  There are the main characters Beth McMurray, the youngest daughter of the McMurray clan, and the most spoiled. And there is Andrew McLaughlin, a would-be train robber (or not) that saves Beth's life when the train goes off the rails.  At this point Beth and Andrew become tangled up as Beth claims Andrew is her husband to get rid of Senator Lamont LaCroix.  Even though they talk a lot in the book about Beth being spoiled, I would call her more determined and set in her ways.  She never grated on my nerves, so that's why, while she may have been spoiled she really doesn't come off that way. She is generous and helpful and very loving.  She is turned off to love after overhearing Lamont say some less than nice things about her.  She also has ideas ahead of her time, where she believes she would be equal in the marriage and that she can speak her mind when she wants to.  But I like that about her and Andrew seems to as well.  Andrew is a writer who doesn't seem to have a lot of motivation but moves around to get a feel for each new area and loves listening to stories so he can create his.  He's one of those I've loved and lost and can't love again men.   That is until he meets Beth, but he will try his best to not fall for her. But he gets sucked into her lies and feels the need to protect her.  He's a generous soul as well, taking in Beth, Madie, Colby, Levi and Leonard.  While all of them lived together I loved watching Andrew come out of his shell.  He's a great main character and an inspirational man.

There are many secondary characters that figure in. Madie, the waitress/cook who wants to head to Fort Worth to find her man.  Colby who was in the hospital/sick room with Andrew and was recently on a cattle drive and then beat to a pulp and he doesn't even know why.  And Levi and Leonard who tag along as well to Fort Worth hoping to find their gambling/actor father.  All four of these characters really add to the story and to Andrew and Beth's little family.  I loved watching the interactions of the six and the growth in the characters.  They way Ms. Thomas weaves together their lives is extraordinary.  Just this alone kept me reading the book.

As far as the plot goes, the main plot is the relationships between Andrew and Beth first and foremost and then the relationships with the other four secondary.  It's a romance so the focus is on the characters.  But Ms. Thomas doesn't stop there.  There is always a hint of something in the background that makes a suspense plot. Is Senator Lamont still looking for Beth?  What about Levi and Leonard's Dad, where is he and what is he doing?  Also why was Colby beat up?  There is a lot going on in this novel.  Not too much to confuse but just enough to keep you turning the pages.  The relationships alone kept me turning the pages, but I loved knowing there was more brewing as well.  And there are surprises around every turn as well. 

Ms. Thomas has wowed me again.  Promise Me Texas lives up to all it promises to be.  Full of rich, interesting characters, and an exciting plot line it is a hard book to put down.  Ms. Thomas manages to pack quite a punch in a little over 300 pages.  And if you are worried that this is part of a series, don't.  I have only read one other book in the series and I had no problems with this one.  I do plan on going back and reading more books in the series though.  It looks like Whispering Mountain is a wonderful series to read if the other books are anything like Promise Me Texas.

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

About Promise Me Texas

Starred Review. Bestseller Thomas strikes gold again with her seventh Whispering Mountain historical (after Wild Texas Rose), set in 1879 Texas. When 24-year-old Beth McMurray sneaks onto a train to surprise her fiancé, former Senator Lamont LaCroix, she's shocked to overhear him bragging about his plans for her and her money. Then robbers board the train and it goes off the rails. Just before the crash, one of the robbers grabs Beth and jumps off the train, taking the fall to protect her. He's hurt, but she stays with him, claiming that he's her husband. The sheriff and the doctor believe that Beth is now Mrs. Andrew McLaughlin, but LaCroix does not. Meanwhile, widower Andrew reveals his hidden depths: when he's not robbing trains, he longs to be an author. By the time Beth drives a wagon out of town, she has collected a pretend husband, two little boys, an ill teen cowboy, and a pregnant young woman, and the adventure has just begun. Complex plotting, superb character development, and touching romantic scenes make this a winner.

About Jodi Thomas:
Jodi Thomas is the NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of 38 novels and 11 short story collections. A five-tme RITA winner, Jodi currently serves as the Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.

www.jodithomas.com
www.facebook.com/JodiThomasAuthor
www.twitter.com/jodithomas

***I received this book from the author for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Paper, ebook or Audio? by Cindi Myers (The Wedding Gamble Blog Tour)

  
Today I welcome Cindi Myers, author of The Wedding Gamble.  She has a great post for you to read.  Then be sure and check out the information about her wonderful new book!   So grab your favorite cuppa and sit and enjoy Cindi's post on the advantages and disadvantages to the many ways we can now enjoy books.  Welcome Cindi!

Paper, ebook or Audio?

I love books. I've been an avid reader since I was in first grade. Over the years, books have always been my go-to entertainment. So now that we have so many choices when it comes to the format we choose for books, I thought it would be fun to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each.

First, I guess, is hardcover. Though I read some hard cover books, it's not my favorite format. The books are beautiful, but they're big and heavy (a handicap for lying on the sofa and reading). They aren't very portable (I'll take a paperback to the beach or pool, but won't risk a hard cover.) And they're expensive. Still, I have my share of hard covers on my shelves.

Next -- paperback. Perfect for tucking into a purse and taking along (okay, you need a big purse for trade paper, but still. ) Less expensive than hardcover. Widely available. I love looking at the beautiful covers while I'm reading.  I still read a lot of paperbacks, especially romance. But there's still the problem of running out of bookshelf space. And while paperbacks are portable, they still take up room. I can remember going on vacation with a suitcase that was half full of books -- because I didn't want to risk running out of reading material while I was away.

Ebooks -- I was an early adopter of e-readers -- primarily because the e-book reader allowed me to carry a whole library of books with me anywhere. No more suitcases full of books. But once I had the reader, I discovered all kinds of advantages to this format. Ebooks are so easy to buy that when I read an author I enjoy, I can go online right away and buy more books! Anytime, anywhere. 

Ebooks are almost always less expensive than paperbacks -- though I end up spending more money, because I buy more books. If I'm reading something and can't get into it, it's easy to switch to something else

My husband was very resistant to ebooks, declaring that he preferred "real" books. Then he got a tablet. With a Kindle app. He tried one book and was hooked!  Now he's buying new books to read all the time. I love it!

Which leaves audio books -- another love of mine. I listen to audio books while I'm driving, walking the dogs or doing housework. A book makes the miles fly by and takes the drudgery out of mundane tasks. Time to weed the garden? No problem, because it gives me an excuse to get back to that book. And audiobooks can give me a whole new perspective on a story. A good narrator can bring a book to life.

For me, I choose all formats for devouring books. I'm all about finding ways to enjoy more stories. So how about you -- do you have a favorite format for books?

To follow the tour, click on the banner at the top of the post or go here.



About the book:

Preschool teacher Laura Nichols is celebrating her birthday and sister's bachelorette party in Vegas. Being in Sin City is thrilling and she intends on tapping in to her wild side. Laura can't resist the added excitement that comes with saying yes when a hunky man off the street proposes...
FBI agent David Abruzzo has been working undercover as a thug to bring down the Zacolli crime family, but his cover depends on convincing the mob he came to Vegas for a quickie wedding. If they catch on to his plan, his cover's blown, and he's as good as dead. 

Over the course of 48 hours, David and Laura use rollercoasters, glowing condoms, and exotic male dancers to stay alive and bring the crime family down. But it will take more than Lady Luck, one night of passion, and a little Vegas magic to turn their fake marriage into something real.



 About the Author (from her website):

Cindi Myers worked as a newspaper reporter, travel agent and medical clinic manager before turning to writing full time. She's written both historical and contemporary romance, as well as dozens of short stories and nonfiction articles. Cindi thinks writers have the best job in the world.

Former president of San Antonio Romance Authors, Cindi is a member of Romance Writers of America, Novelists Inc., and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.

She and her husband and their two dogs live in the mountains Southwest of Denver. When she's not caught up in creating new characters and stories, Cindi enjoys reading, quilting, gardening, skiing and hiking. She's also in demand as a speaker, teaching workshops and making presentations to both local and national writing groups.

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