All Signs Point to Murder by Connie di Marco - #review #giveaway

The stars predict a wedding-day disaster, but San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti never expected murder.

A Crime of Passion Fruit by Ellie Alexander - #review #giveaway

Torte―everybody’s favorite small-town family bakeshop―is headed for the high seas, where murder is about to make a splash. . .

Dead Air and Double Dares by Janis Thornton - #review #giveaway

Crystal Cropper, editor of the Elmwood Gazette, has added incentive in finding out who killed Horace Q. Ogilvie, owner of the local radio station and the most reviled man in town. Horace turns up dead minutes before he is supposed to broadcast his next malicious editorial, designed to destroy yet another Elmwood luminary. Fortunately for the police department, Horace’s list of future targets provides an abundant pool of suspects. Unfortunately for Crystal, her name is at the top!

My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward by Mark Lukach - #review

A heart-wrenching, yet hopeful, memoir of a young marriage that is redefined by mental illness and affirms the power of love.

A Crime of Passionfruit by Ellie Alexander - #bookblast

Torte―everybody’s favorite small-town family bakeshop―is headed for the high seas, where murder is about to make a splash. . .

The Trouble With Harriet by Dorothy Cannell - #review #giveaway

In a murder mystery so charming it could only have come from Dorothy Cannell—hailed by Nancy Pickard as “America’s P. G. Wodehouse”—Ellie Haskell is shocked when her long-lost father shows up on her doorstep with some rather . . . compromising baggage.

Fat Girl Begone by D.E. Haggerty - #review #giveaway

I’m a total mess. My boyfriend dumped me – get this – because I diet too much. Not because I’m fat, mind you. Of course, this spurs me into the diet-fitness-revenge-plan of the century, which leads me to the gym and a scorching hot personal trainer. I even manage to make some cool new friends, including a millionaire if you can believe it. Things are looking up! Naturally, that’s the moment my ex decides he wants me back, the personal trainer asks me out, and my millionaire male buddy decides to throw his hat in the ring. But that’s not enough drama. No, not for me. Because I’ve also lost my job and decided to start my own business. Just call me Ms. Drama.

The Fortune Teller by Gwendolyn Womack - #bookblast #giveaway

FROM THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE MEMORY PAINTER COMES A SWEEPING AND SUSPENSEFUL TALE OF ROMANCE, FATE, AND FORTUNE.

Semele Cavnow appraises antiquities for an exclusive Manhattan auction house, deciphering ancient texts—and when she discovers a manuscript written in the time of Cleopatra, she knows it will be the find of her career. Its author tells the story of a priceless tarot deck, now lost to history, but as Semele delves further, she realizes the manuscript is more than it seems. Both a memoir and a prophecy, it appears to be the work of a powerful seer, describing devastating wars and natural disasters in detail thousands of years before they occurred.

The more she reads, the more the manuscript begins to affect Semele’s life. But what happened to the tarot deck? As the mystery of her connection to its story deepens, Semele can’t shake the feeling that she’s being followed. Only one person can help her make sense of it all: her client, Theo Bossard. Yet Theo is arrogant and elusive, concealing secrets of his own, and there’s more to Semele’s desire to speak with him than she would like to admit. Can Semele even trust him?

The auction date is swiftly approaching, and someone wants to interfere—someone who knows the cards exist, and that the Bossard manuscript is tied to her. Semele realizes it’s up to her to stop them: the manuscript holds the key to a two-thousand-year-old secret, a secret someone will do anything to possess.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOKS-A-MILLION | INDIEBOUND | POWELL’S

Praise for The Fortune Teller

“Beginning as a clever mystery based on an ancient manuscript and evolving into a family epic spanning centuries, an international thriller, and a destined romance, The Fortune Teller has something for everyone. Offer it to fans of A.S. Byatt’s Possession and Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation series.”―Booklist

“Womack alternates back and forth between a whirlwind history that spans thousands of years and the suspense of Semele’s search…Entertaining.”—Kirkus Reviews

“The Fortune Teller is a gripping, twisting tale that spans thousands of years, thousands of miles, and perhaps even crosses over to the ‘other side.’ A fascinating read that is that unlikely combination of unputdownable and thought-provoking.”—B.A. Shapiro, bestselling author of The Art Forger and The Muralist

“There aren’t enough words to adequately describe how much I love The Fortune Teller. It is a gripping and masterfully woven combination of history, mystery, fate, adventure, and family ties: a true page-turner that enthralls from the first sentence with unique characters, fascinating settings, and intriguing artifacts. Womack brilliantly illuminates how there is more at play in the world than logic can explain.”—Kelli Estes, USA Today bestselling author of The Girl Who Wrote in Silk

“The Fortune Teller takes you on an international thrill ride across centuries—with fascinating research and memorable characters—proving once again that Gwendolyn Womack is a magician, keeping readers turning pages with wonder and awe.”—M.J. Rose, New York Times bestselling author

“What a mesmerizing journey. The suspense increases steadily throughout the novel, as Semele realizes her identity is caught up in the mysterious manuscript and that the truth of her own abilities is a secret people will kill for. Readers who enjoy the novels of Katherine Neville, Kate Mosse and Diana Gabaldon will savor this treat.”—Nancy Bilyeau, author of The Crown

About the Author

Originally from Houston, Texas, Gwendolyn Womack studied theater at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. She holds an MFA in Directing Theatre, Video, and Cinema from California Institute of the Arts. Her first novel, The Memory Painter, was an RWA PRISM award winner in the Time Travel/Steampunk category and a finalist for Best First Novel. She now resides in Los Angeles with her husband and her son.

For more information please visit Gwendolyn Womack’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads.

GIVEAWAY!!!

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST June 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to residents in the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

The Fortune Teller Book Blast

Protocol by Kathleen Valenti - #coverreveal

Freshly minted college graduate Maggie O’Malley embarks on a career fueled by professional ambition and a desire to escape the past. As a pharmaceutical researcher, she’s determined to save lives from the shelter of her lab. But on her very first day she’s pulled into a world of uncertainty. Reminders appear on her phone for meetings she’s never scheduled with people she’s never met. People who end up dead. With help from her best friend, Maggie discovers the victims on her phone are connected to each other and her new employer. She soon unearths a treacherous plot that threatens her mission—and her life. Maggie must unlock deadly secrets to stop horrific abuses of power before death comes calling for her.

The Irish Milliner by Cynthia G. Neale - #review

It is New York City and the Civil War is brewing. Norah McCabe, an Irish immigrant who escaped the Famine as a child, is now a young widow with a daughter. She is a milliner, struggling to survive in tumultuous times. Norah meets Abraham Lincoln, befriends the extraordinary African-American woman Elizabeth Jennings, and assists the Underground Railroad. She falls headlong in love with Edward M. Knox, son of the famous hat-maker Charles Knox, but he is lace curtain Irish and she is shanty Irish. Edward joins the 69th regiment and leaves for battle. Can their love endure through class differences and war?

No Turning Back by Tracy Buchanan - #review #giveaway

Anna Graves’s whole life has recently been turned upside down. A new mother, she’s just gone back to her job as a radio presenter and is busy navigating a new schedule of late night feeding and early morning wake ups while also dealing with her newly separated husband. Then the worst happens. While Anna is walking on the beach with her daughter, she’s attacked by a crazed teenager. Terrified, Anna reacts instinctively to protect her baby.

Bearly Departed by Meg Macy - #review #giveaway

he Silver Bear Shop and Factory might be the cutest place around, but there’s nothing warm and fuzzy about murder . . .

As manager of the family teddy bear shop and factory, thirty-one-year-old Sasha Silverman leads a charmed life. Well, except for the part about being a single divorcée with a ticking biological clock in small-town Silver Hollow. And that’s just kid’s stuff compared to Will Taylor, the sales rep who’s set on making drastic changes to the business her parents built from scratch—with or without Sasha’s approval . . .

Two Kinds of Days That Change Your Life

By ---=XEON=---  [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

     There are two kinds of days that change your life (in a good way).  The first is when you wake up in the morning, and you 'know' that something is coming; maybe it's your graduation or wedding day, or maybe there's just a feeling in the air.  The other kind of day that changes your life in a good way is one where you don't know the day is any different from any other day.  Then something sparks and your day goes from mundane to miraculous.

     I had just such a day about a week ago (the started-out-mundane kind of day).

     A big brown truck (you know the kind) pulled up in our driveway and was enthusiastically greeted by several of the family dogs.  The nice driver handed me a package while I tried to explain to the oldest canine that she could not accompany the man in his truck.  (Personally, I think she is sweet on him!)

   So why am I making such a big deal about that day, that truck and that package?  Because inside that package was my launch team copy of Jeff Goins' new book:

(Oh, BTW, I was having trouble with a full drive, so I *ahem* 'stole' this image from a post made by KC Proctor in the Launch Team Facebook Group.)

It is not uncommon for me to receive books via UPS.  But when I saw it was this particular book, I raised my hands in one of those 'touchdown' signals (book in one hand, envelope in the other) and cheered, loudly.  I was almost embarrassed for myself, but so happy to have gotten the book.  (That was for dang sure the highest note I've hit in a.g.e.s!)

You see, I started out college in Musical Theatre.  By the end of the first  year, one of the professors told me I should find something else to do, that I would never be able to earn a living in theatre. (Yeah, I know..., "OUCH!")  And I switched to a Business major - which pleased my mother to no end.  But my heart wasn't in it.  So I dropped out in the middle of my sophomore year.  Ten years later I went to a different college and started acting in plays.  Over the next several  years, I was doing at least 5 plays a year ... and some of them were even paid roles!

I eventually got a 'magna cum laude' degree in finance and had various jobs, including tutoring other students in statistics and calculus, graduate students and undergrads alike.  But I still didn't care for 'business'.

It wasn't until round about 2015 that I came upon a book that business was not just a greedy rat race:  a little book titled, "The Art of Work".  Want to guess who wrote it?  (And you better get it right!) LOL  It literally restored my faith in business and commerce, that they could be worthy pursuits for reasons other than the pursuit of wealth.  (Not that that would  hurt, though, am I right?")

Real Artists Don't Starve is an exciting flip side to The Art of Work, especially for those whose lifework leans toward the creative side of things.  Now this can be a physical art, or a performing art, or just about anything really.  Whatever your contribution to the world is supposed to be.  Which reminds me of something Eric Liddle's father said in the movie "Chariots of Fire":  "You can praise the Lord by peeling a spud, if you peel it to perfection."

So many of the voices creatives hear (including their own) tell us that we should work at something with better future prospects.  Something that has a steady income, and insurance.  Now those are good things, but it's like the time my aunt made me eggs sunny side up for breakfast.  I despise fried eggs, but I ate them with a smile on my face, and thanks to her afterwards.  If your work doesn't make your heart sing ... maybe you're in the wrong job!

Jeff tells us that it is possible to earn a good living as a creative ... and then he describes just how to do that in the pages of RADS.

In 2015, The Art of Work changed my life; now in 2017, Real Artists Don't Starve is going to change it again.  It might not be easy, but it will be worth it.

Have you read one or more of Jeff Goins' books?  If so, which one(s)?  Let me know in the comments!  If Jeff is a new-to-you author, give yourself a gift, and buy Real Artists Don't Starve!

The Clock Strikes Nun by Alice Loweecey - #review #giveaway

When terrified Elaine Patrick knocks on Driscoll Investigations’ door and insists her house is haunted, Giulia Driscoll’s first response is “we don’t handle ghosts.” When Elaine’s housekeeper and crackpot filthy rich cousin descend on Giulia and demand she find out who’s trying to steal sweet, fragile Elaine’s family business out from under her, that’s a different story. They want DI to provide Tarot readings, ghost hunting sessions, and even an exorcism.