Haunting Joy Omnibus Book Blitz!

About the Book

This complete series edition includes Haunting Joy Books 1 & 2 and Chain Reaction, a prequel short story.

Book 1
The ghost of Beth sweeps seventeen-year-old Joy into an extraordinary journey to complete some unfinished business...and challenges her to make some dangerous choices. Like calling Joy’s high-school crush, Nick, for help.

A soft, sliding kind of sigh wakes me up. It’s hardly a noise at all.

I blink to clear my sticky, early-morning vision. I know I heard a sound, an almost human-sounding sigh, coming from the corner of my room. As I slide my gaze that way, a chill slithers over me. My room feels creepy and strange.

I peer into the corner, and the white dress is no longer heaped in a haphazard pile on my armchair. It’s laid out nice and neat, with the straps up over the back cushion and the skirt spread over the seat. The flip-flops are sitting side by side in front of the chair, toes pointed toward me.

Like there’s an empty girl, in an empty dress, looking right at me.

Book 2
I step out of the shower into my steamy bathroom. Then I see it. I whip a towel around me so fast I almost wipe out on the tile floor. Because apparently I’m being haunted again...

By a boy who scrawled KYLE across my bathroom mirror with his ghostly finger.

Joy’s new ghost, Kyle, crashes into her life, disrupting her senior year...and complicating her relationship with Nick. Which is already complicated enough.

Haunting Joy: The Complete Series is part slightly spooky ghost story and part sweet romance wrapped in one. For teens and young adults.

Available now!

Paperback | eBook

About the Author

LENA GOLDFINCH is the Amazon-bestselling author of books for teens and historical inspirational romance for adults. She's always been a sucker for a good old-fashioned

romance, whether it's a novel or short story, young adult or adult, fantasy or realistic, contemporary or historical. Lena has been a finalist in several national writing contests, including the RWA Golden Heart and ACFW Genesis contests.

Website | Amazon | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

MY REVIEWS
Haunting Joy
Haunting Joy 2
Chain Reaction(as a short story in TAKE A PICTURE)

Giveaway!

Enter this spooky-sweet giveaway for a chance to win bookish prizes! One grand-prize winner will receive a $15 Amazon.com gift card and a paperback copy of the Haunting Joy omnibus (open to US residents only). Two runners-up will each receive an ebook copy of the Haunting Joy omnibus in Kindle (.mobi) or .epub format (open internationally). Void where prohibited. Good luck!

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I Remember You by Holly Schindler

Rob & Geena 4Ever. Etched into the sidewalk by two young kids in the throws of first love. Ruby's Place, a magical hangout from the past, looking for a comeback. What happens when the past and the present collide?

I Remember You is a continuation of Holly Schindler's short story Ruby's Place. And this full-length novel is every bit as good as the sweet story that Ruby's Place is. Angela is determined to get Ruby's Place open by Christmas Eve. After all, magical things happen at Ruby's Place on Christmas Eve.

I totally loved I Remember You I love a story with lost love found again. I also loved how the story was told in flashbacks to the time that Ruby's Place was in it's heyday and then to Rob & Geena's story and then to the present. It was all woven together seamlessly and had me invested in all of the characters past and present. I'm definitely looking forward to reading what happens next year at Ruby's Place now that the town is talking about how weird/magical it can be.

Christmas Hideout by Susan Sleeman

Nicole Dyer and her daughter are on the run from her ex-boyfriend/stalker. Her car breaks down and Deputy Matt McKade finds them hiding in one of the cabins on his family's property. Matt finds the young mother attractive, but knows that there is no way he can act upon that attraction because his plans don't have room for a woman in his life. Getting ready to follow in generations of McKade lawmen, Matt will be running for Sheriff soon. He only has time in his life right now for the job. Nicole feels the instant attraction for Matt, but with her stalker being in law enforcement she knows she can't trust Matt because obviously her ability to discern a good man is not up to par and she refuses to ever put her daughter in danger again. The McKade's take Nicole and her daughter in to protect her and Nicole finds herself slowly learning to trust a lawman again. Will they be able to protect her from her stalker or does she need to leave before her feelings for Matt develop anymore?

I love love love the McKade family! All of them in law-enforcement and all sworn to protect those in danger. I always love the spiritual undertones that this author writes in her stories. Both Matt and Nicole were struggling in their faith trying to muddle through in their own power which gave the story and the characters a "real-life" quality. The suspense draws you in from the very beginning and kept this reader wanting to continue to turn the pages well past my bedtime(which I did!). The attraction between Matt and Nicole was pretty instantaneous, but time was taken to develop trust and to work through emotional undertones that helped the romance be more believable. I definitely enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the McKade Law mini series.

Swell Time For A Swing Dance by Cindy Vincent: Blog Tour: Guest Post

A Forties Fascination

Cindy Vincent

Hello, Julie, and thanks so much for hosting me here today! 

Having released my second mystery novel set in the 1940s, Swell Time for a Swing Dance, people often ask me about the amount of research I do before diving into a story like this.  And while, yes, I do tons of research right before I write a book, the truth is, I’ve had a fascination with the forties for decades.  You might say I’ve been researching this book series for a long, long time.  Let me show you what I mean . . .

For starters, I collect vintage clothing from the 1880s to the 1950s.  But the clothes from the forties are my favorite.  Here’s a dress similar to the one Tracy might have worn during the “hot chocolate incident” in my book.  

And here’s one of my favorite hat and necklace combos, also from the forties.  I bought this from a lady about twenty-five years ago.  She was from St. Louis, and she told me how she wore this set every weekend when she and her sister would go to dances.  Before she sold these pieces to me, she asked me to take very good care of them, since they meant so much to her.  So I have done just that!  

Next I have a photo of the armoire that sits in my office.  Can you see the image in the wood?  This is the inspiration for the “armoire incident” in Swell Time for a Swing Dance.  And yes, that part of the story is based on a personal experience.  But in my case, it was an exterminator who spotted the image in mine.  He made the sign of the cross and then pointed out the image to me.  I’ve decided that I’ll never sell this armoire now.  Though thankfully, I didn’t end up with lines of people waiting to see it.  J  Please note the Bakelite handle and a replica of the Maltese Falcon on top.  

Here’s a picture of the globe that I also keep in my office.  It was made in the year 1940, and I’ve got it turned so that you can see Casablanca in Morocco.  The base looks like black glass, but it’s what is called “Black Amethyst.”  If you hold it up to the light, you’ll actually see purple through it.  I have an entire collection of Black Amethyst glass. 

But I also collect other glassware from that era.  Here’s one of the wineglasses in my collection, though in those days it would have been sold as a water goblet.  It’s a Fostoria pattern called “Bordeaux,” and they’re pretty rare these days.  This was actually made in 1937, but would have been used during the forties. 

Next, here’s the Victory Swing Orchestra at BB’s Stage Door Canteen, at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.  They have a dinner and dancing night on various Saturday nights, and it’s a chance to dress in vintage style and go swing dancing.  So much fun!  Last time my husband and I went, we danced the night away. 

And finally, here are a couple of photos from a local museum display of the “Fifth Column Conspiracy in America map,” one that was actually printed in 1941.  The movie, Confession of a Nazi Spy, had come out in 1939, based on the real-life case of the Rumrich Nazi spy ring in the U.S.  And the term “Fifth Column” essentially refers to enemies/spies already within a country, ready to help take over when their army invades.  Roosevelt and the FBI were very much concerned about the possibility of more spies in America and a Fifth Column takeover.  After all, other European countries had been affected by Fifth Column activity.  

And that’s my tour to give you a flavor of the forties.  But to put you even more in the mood of the era, I’d like to end with this video from Sun Valley Serenade (1941). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKb-qfwbZ2M

Thanks again, Julie!

Thanks so much Cindy for sharing these photo's with us and for your enthusiasm for the era and your thoroughness in researching your writing! 

Swell Time For A Swing Dance by Cindy Vincent: Blog Tour: Excerpt

Excerpt from Swell Time for a Swing Dance

While the security guards rushed out, Nana glided back into the room, with her long gown flowing across the floor, giving the appearance that she was floating on a cloud.

Ethel’s eyes went wide when she saw her, and clearly she wasn’t about to let such a well-timed opportunity go to waste. She sucked in air, ready for another tirade, and then let it rip.

Hands on hips, she turned to face Nana. “Well, well, well, who do we have here? Why, if it isn’t Caroline Truworth! Let me guess, you were practically all by yourself downstairs, weren’t you?”

Nana did a little curtsy. “And what’s that got to do with the price of tea in China?”

Ethel raised one arm up with a flourish, while she extended the other arm and pointed directly at Nana, in a position that reminded me of Errol Flynn about to engage in a movie sword fight. “Precisely what were you doing downstairs?”

Nana put a hand on her hip. “I was calling a lawyer for Pete Stalwart. You remember Pete, don’t you? He’s the young man you wrongfully accused of committing murder! The wonderful young gentleman whom you had hauled away by your police friend.”

“I was only doing my civic duty, by saving our city from a murderer,” Ethel scoffed. “As for you, the only place you could have used a telephone was in the office. And while you were there, you easily could have taken the key to the cabinet that held the statuette that was stolen. So obviously, you must be the one who stole that priceless piece! You and your kind are a menace!”

Nana offered a smug smile. “I’m a menace? I’m not the person having a temper tantrum in the middle of the room while falsely accusing people of crimes. I hear the Nazis are very fond of such tactics. There’s no need for you to start that sort of thing over here in America.”

Right about then, Ethel’s face turned a shade of red I’ve never seen before on a human being. “How . . . dare . . . you!” she spewed forth, once again reminding me of a fire-breathing dragon.

Sammy rushed to Nana’s side and flashed his P.I. license to Ethel. “Why don’t you simmer down, Mrs. Barton. I would be happy to help you find whatever you believe is missing.”

“Missing? Hardly!” she cried out. “It’s been stolen, and we have been robbed! And I would never allow you, of all people, to help. I’ve seen what your kind can do. You were with that young man who is a murderer, so I would never trust you or any of your party to assist in solving a crime of this magnitude.”

At that moment, I figured it might be a good idea if I joined forces with Sammy and Nana. So I patted Dot’s arm and told her I’d be back. Then I took off across the floor and slipped in behind Nana, putting a hand on her waist.

Sammy chuckled under his breath. “Come now, Mrs. Barton. People misplace things all the time. Mind telling me what is missing? And what makes you think anything was stolen at all?”

Ethel sputtered for a moment. “Are you a complete imbecile? The burglary is as obvious as that thing on your face that you call a nose! There was a Greek statuette in a display case downstairs, one that stood in the middle of the room. And now that case is empty.”

Copyright © 2018 Cindy W. Vincent

Come back tomorrow and read about author Cindy Vincent's fascination with the forties!

Swell Time For A Swing Dance by Cindy Vincent: Blog Tour

ABOUT THE BOOK

December 31, 1941. Young Houston socialite Tracy Truworth, Apprentice P.I., can’t imagine a better way to send off the old year and ring in the new than by dancing through the night with her fella, Pete Stalwart. But a swell evening soon takes a terrible turn when a fellow dancer with moves like Fred Astaire ends up dead on the dance floor. And before the hands on the clock can point to midnight, a finger is pointed at Pete, accusing him of murdering the young man.

Then after Pete is hauled away in handcuffs, the night goes from bad to worse . . . and Tracy’s sweet grandmother is accused of stealing an ancient artifact from the museum. Now Tracy must team up with her boss and mentor, Sammy Falcone, in order to find the stolen statuette, unmask the real murderer, and restore the reputations of those she loves the most.

Yet as America becomes embroiled in another world war, the risks and sacrifices intensify—even on the homefront. And Tracy soon finds her own home invaded by a near parade of questionable characters, while unsavory suspects lurk in the shadows, and a ruthless reporter makes her life miserable. With time ticking against her, Tracy must be willing to swing past the setbacks and hop through the hazards if she hopes to solve a mystery that involves a lot of dancing . . . and a lot more danger.

Paperback edition | Kindle edition | Goodreads page

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CINDY VINCENT, M.A. Ed., was born in Calgary, Alberta, and has lived all around the US and Canada. She is the creator of the Mysteries by Vincent murder mystery party games and the Daisy Diamond Detective Series games for girls. She is also the award-winning author of the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper novels and the Daisy Diamond Detective series. She lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and an assortment of fantastic felines.

Website | Amazon | Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The story starts New Year’s Eve just before midnight 1941. Tracy Truworth, an apprentice PI, and her guy Pete are at a dance along with her grandmother and several other people. A young man that nobody has ever met before grabs up Tracy and starts dancing her feet off. Tracy is scared she is going to fall and hurt herself and just as Pete steps in to deck the guy the young man drops dead on the dance floor! Tracy and Pete are accused of murdering the young man, so Tracy sets out with her boss Sammy(a Humphrey Bogart look-alike) to solve the murder. All kinds of suspicious characters start coming out of the woodwork. Of course with the U.S. just being drawn into WWII everyone is a suspicious character, and everyone of those characters seems to have a link to the Nazi’s in Germany. Who is the guilty culprit and what does Tracy have that they want?

This is the 2^nd book in the series. I didn’t read the first book, but it didn’t keep me from following in this 2^nd installment.  I enjoyed the era that the story was set in. Sammy’s Humphrey Bogart looks help him get into places that a PI wouldn’t normally be welcome. Tracy is a pretty smart cookie and has good intuition about people. Pete and Tracy are a sweet couple, but I have a feeling that with Pete going off to war that their relationship is going to be put to the test. SWELL TIME FOR A SWING DANCE was fast-paced and set in an unsettling time for the world. It reminded me a bit of Marvel’s Agent Carter series. I love the strong woman character in a “man’s world” theme. I must go back and read the first book in the series and definitely looking forward to the next book!

**I received a copy from the author for review purposes. All opinions are my own**

Come visit my blog tomorrow for an excerpt from SWELL TIME FOR A SWING DANCE

GIVEAWAY

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Guest Post with Author DiAnn Mills

Welcome To My Workplace by DiAnn Mills

My creative spot is wherever my imagination runs wild, and that can be in the shower, taking out the trash, watching a movie, or just about anywhere. But I do have an office, a reflection of my quirky personality and interests.

At the moment, on my desk is a 27” monitor, a laptop, a candle in turquoise

and light brown, a keyboard, trackpad, Flip Dictionary, Super Thesaurus, a Sundance Catalog, my notes from Steven James and Robert Dugoni’s Novel Intensive, and my favorite coffee cup.

I love books. What writer doesn’t? I have books behind my desk. To the left of my desk. In front of my desk - along with reminders of a trip to Kenya and Sudan. To my right beneath a window is a credenza topped with . . . You guessed it. Pics of grandkids! Last of all in the back righthand corner are a few of my FBI goodies. Above my desk is a chandelier just to show how much I love being a woman.

But sometimes I venture onto the patio.

Or the game room.

Writers have the knack of creating just about anywhere.

GIVEAWAY

Leave a comment with your name and email address on this post and be entered to win a copy of BURDEN OF PROOF. 

Thanks so much DiAnn for sharing your writing with us and sharing your workplace with us! 

Q & A With Author DiAnn Mills

Welcome to Author DiAnn Mills for a Question and Answer on the value of readers in her writing.

What is the purpose of valuing a reader? Don’t writers simply come up with ideas and create stories from there?

A writer has to know why she is spending hours creating a novel. Is it to satisfy a longing to create through words? To teach? Is it to relay deep moral truths through a powerful truth and realistic characters? Is it to entertain through vibrant and colorful characters? Is it to attempt what we’ve never done before? Or is it a combination of many things? A writer can’t impact a reader unless she knows the reader’s heart, those things that make a lasting impression.

Is your passion for story linked to readers?

Absolutely! My passion for every book comes from a deep desire to entertain a reader with a powerful story. Readers are my motivation. They are young and old, librarians and bookstore owners, baristas and school teachers.

What do readers do for you other than read your stories?

Reader encouragement is why I work hard to develop strong characters, an unpredictable plot, and deep emotions. Through emails, social media comments, and texts, readers give me the boost I need to keep writing.

How do you view readers in the writing process?

We’re a team. No writer is ever alone. We need each other to walk this path called life. I crave to know the kind of books that readers are looking for.

What is something you want your readers to know about you?

I’m a writer who is true to her promises. My books, blog posts, and social media reflect my integrity. It’s not about me, but about you. Let me hear from you!

 - diannmills.com

 - facebook.com/diannmills

 - twitter.com/diannmills

 - diannmills.com/feed

Thank you so much DiAnn! Here is DiAnn's new book BURDEN OF PROOF:

 https://diannmills.com/books/burden-of-proof/

GIVEAWAY

DiAnn is giving away 1 copy of Burden of Proof. Leave a comment with your name and email address on this post to be entered into the drawing. 

Burden Of Proof by DiAnn Mills: Author Feature and Review

BURDEN OF PROOF(book blurb)


Reeling from a negotiation gone wrong, FBI Special Agent April Ramos is caught off guard when a frazzled young woman shoves a crying baby into her arms, then disappears. Worry for the child’s safety quickly turns to fear when a man claiming to be the girl’s father abducts them at gunpoint. April puts her hostage negotiation skills to use to learn more about who she’s dealing with: Jason Snyder, a fugitive accused of murder.
As Jason spins a tall tale about being framed for the killing of his business partner, April must sort through his claims to find the truth. A truth that becomes all the more evident after April overhears a conversation between Jason and the local sheriff and realizes something more sinister may be happening in their small town of Sweet Briar, Texas. But aligning herself with a known fugitive to uncover the burden of proof could cost April her job . . . or worse, her life and the lives of other innocent people.

About The Author

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled

novels.

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Firewall, the first book in her Houston: FBI series, was listed by Library Journal as one of the best Christian Fiction books of 2014.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and The Mountainside Marketing Conference with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on: Facebook, Twitter, or any of the social media platforms listed at diannmills.com

My Review Of Burden Of Proof

Jason Snyder is being framed for the murder of his best friend. Jason sets out to clear his name, but his family is in danger. When his daughter is kidnapped Jason is beside himself. Following the kidnapper, Jason catches up just as his daughter is handed off to a stranger.

Agent April Ramos is a negotiator who has just lost someone she tried to help. Trying to get over the guilt she is caught off guard when someone thrusts a baby into her arms and leaves. Jason arrives to claim his daughter, but April is unsure what is happening so insists on keeping the child with her. Jason resorts to drastic measures which pulls April into his unlikely story.

The more April is with Jason though the more she comes to believe him, which potentially could cost April her job. With danger and corruption around every corner can they free a town weighted under the thumb of one man?

BURDEN OF PROOF was an exciting roller coaster read from the very beginning. Just my type of story! I loved all of the danger, suspense and twisted corners that the story took. Elements of faith were sprinkled throughout that kept the characters growing and strengthened their trust and faith in God. I really liked both Jason and April. Both of them were strong and likable characters. I got a bit frustrated with April’s partner in the FBI and his “need to know only” behavior. Keeping your partner in the dark can lead to unnecessary danger! And that danger visited quite frequently! It kept me on the edge of my seat and my fingers quickly turning the pages! The little bit of romance between April and Jason wasn’t over-the-top or unbelievable and I found myself hoping that all would work out for them. A great book to add to your romantic/suspense shelf, I highly recommend!

Join me tomorrow for a Q & A with author DiAnn Mills

Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock

What an absolutely sweet story! I loved it! I totally didn't expect something like this from author Terri Blackstock. I'm used to her more suspense-filled reads.

About the book:

Finn is a cab driver. He's called to pick up an elderly woman to take her to a doctor appointment. He ends up not just giving her a ride, but has to help her into the cab and get her into the doctors office. Finn thinks that is the end of his duties, but there is something about Miss Callie that has Finn worried about her. She seems confused and unable to care for herself. Finn wonders where her family is and why they aren't helping her. Not being able to get Miss Callie off of his mind Finn goes back to the office to make sure she has been taken care of. So begins Finn's reluctant relationship with Miss Callie. When she calls for him the next day Finn cannot say no to her. Finn goes above and beyond trying to find a family member to find out what is going on with Callie's care. Sidney is an attorney working on trying to keep her job by working relentless hours and caring for her grandmother Callie. Sidney doesn't want to have to rely on someone else to take her grandmother to the doctor but she has no choice. During his time driving Miss Callie around Finn learns that the only thing she wants is to find someone special for her granddaughter Sidney to spend Christmas day with.

So many feels reading this story! Seeing how Finn's heart slowly melts towards Callie and how he faces his past mistakes warmed my heart. Reading how he and Sidney help each other find their way was sweet. I totally loved this story and it was the perfect feel-good read to start preparing for the Christmas season.

**I received my copy through Netgalley for review purposes. All opinions are my own**

Hidden Peril by Irene Hannon

Kristin owns a store that is known for helping people from foreign countries get fair trade for their products. When Kristin finds her employee murdered everyone thinks that it was a robbery gone bad, but when another woman is found murdered that has links to Kristin's store something more sinister is going on. Luke first meets Kristin at Colin's(from Dangerous Illusions) wedding. Luke has no interest in dating any women. He is determined to remain faithful to his wife that passed away. Kristin is the first woman he has met that interests him, but he has no desire to act on that interest. Luke ends up working the case of Kristin's employee's murder. Now, even if he did want to act on his interest in Kristin, he can't because of the case. But as the two get to know each other there is no escaping the attraction. As the police and FBI get closer to unraveling the case they realize that terrorism is lurking very close, and as everyone knows, terrorists are unpredictable.

This is the second book in the Code of Honor series and let me tell you, Irene Hannon never disappoints! HIDDEN PERIL was one exciting page after another! I couldn't put it down! I loved Kristin's character. She was brave and independent and no-nonsense. I love her network of friends. The Treehouse Gang take care of each other for sure. Colin and Rick were definite forces for Luke to contend with! I loved Luke as well. He was honorable and honest with Kristin. His sister cracked me up in trying to set him up all of the time.  I didn't think that the person behind the plot was much of a secret, but that didn't detract from the excitement of the story for me. Irene Hannon is one of my favorite romantic suspense author's and HIDDEN PERIL was definitely an exciting adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat. I am definitely looking forward to reading Rick's story in the next Code of Honor book.

**Thanks to Netgalley for my copy for review. All opinions are my own**