Tell us about yourself:
Hi there, I grew up in Germany and have been living in the U.S. since 1987. I’ve been married for 28 years and have fraternal twins (24) and a son (27). My roommate is an old mutt, Mocha, a pooch we adopted from the Humane Society 11 years ago.

What was your first book?
My first published book, “A Different Truth,” tells the story of a sixteen-year old kid who’s banished to a military boarding school where he has to solve the hazing crime of his best friend.
 
I suppose my husband inspired it because he experienced such a school in the late 1960s. I’ve always been fascinated with the Vietnam War and how the country dealt with the political pressures, taking things in their own hands and affecting real change in the government. They made themselves heard and demonstrated and convinced Nixon to end the war. What happens at the military school is sort of a parallel to the turmoil stirring the nation.
 
I also was curious about what goes on behind the secretive doors of a boys’ military school. You don’t really know how it is to live in there unless you’ve attended one yourself. So, my husband gave me all this amazing info about the discipline and rules, the hazing and bullying going on between the older and younger boys. Of course, the story is fiction, but I drew a lot of inspiration from my husband’s experience.

Describe your first break.
My first break was submitting my first-ever short story to Glimmertrain and receiving an honorable mention. It made me feel really good to get this recognition.

What is your favorite genre to read? To write?
I read a lot of historical fiction and YA because that’s what I write. However, I also love fantasy, a good mystery or thriller. I’m a bit tired of dystopian though I’m currently reading “Wool” by Hugh Howey and enjoying it.
 
I’m fascinated by history and the many colorful and exciting times humans have lived through. I find that the more I dig into the past of an individual, the more interesting that person becomes. Let’s take Lord Werner von Hanstein, a knight who lived in Thuringia, Germany during the late Middle Ages. He was master of Castle Hanstein and had a hot love affair with a beautiful woman. He also feuded with a nasty duke, did a bit of street robbery and later in life became city captain of Lübeck in Northern Germany.
I typically use real characters who lived in a particular era and weave my stories around them.
 
Are Happy Endings are must in your stories?
I’m not one for tearjerker endings, but I do believe in meaningful story. By that I mean I want my character(s) to deal with adversity, emotional and exterior, and through the experiences change. This struggle should evoke an emotion in the reader, maybe something s/he didn’t know before, something that changes the way s/he sees something. I’m not against killing off characters though not my main protagonist(s) or making them go through terrible hardship. I think the end should be somewhat happy but with a grain of salt.

What makes a protagonist interesting?
A protagonist’s internal and external struggle makes the character arc meaningful. I also love to give a main character some serious flaws s/he must deal with and hopefully overcome. Since I write YA, a bit of outrageous and sometimes funny off-the-wall behavior adds spice. 

What is the best thing about being a writer?
I’m not a morning person so getting up for work was always a struggle. I love setting my own hours and having the freedom to arrange my day. I’m also somewhat introverted – aren’t we all – and enjoy being in my home office working away. Oh, there’s never an issue with finding the right outfit to wear.

What is the worst thing?
That no matter how much I work, write, edit, research, etc., I never feel that I’ve done enough. There is always that little voice whispering how there is so much more to do. When you have a physical project or any defined task in your job, you go do the work and pat yourself on the back. Being an author and working for yourself there is no limit and the sense of accomplishment, if felt at all, is short-lived.

Pantser or plotter?
I’m a pantser so I don’t outline. I have a general idea about my main character(s) and a broad idea of a plot. That’s it. I do, however, develop a detailed bio with external and internal characteristics for all main characters.


What do you see the direction of your future writing taking? What can we expect next? Give us a little taste.
I just finished the third book in the Escape from the Past trilogy, called “Escape from the Past: At Witches’ End.” I’m expecting a release date in the fall of 2016. I’m starting a new project this week about a couple of teens growing up during WW2 in Germany. This story is based on true events so I’ll continue to do research along the way.

Just for fun
I love to fly-fish. Once or twice a year my husband and I travel to Missouri where we fly-fish for several days. It’s typically a men’s sport and sometimes I feel self-conscious sharing the river with a bunch of guys. But there is nothing better than spending time in fresh cool water, listening to birdsong and watching your line float. It’s Zen for me.

Cat or dog person?
I love cats but I’m definitely a dog person. If my dog let me, I’d probably have a cat. But she’s old and picky and doesn’t like other dogs. She huffs and puffs when she sees a cat across the street.
 
I suppose I love a dog’s dedication, its undivided attention and to some degree trainability. Our dog, Mocha, gets the paper for us from the driveway every morning. She runs outside as soon as we mention “paper.” I also enjoy walking her every day. She doesn’t need a leash and walks with me on the sidewalk.

Favorite food?
From an early age I’ve been a chocoholic. I don’t remember too many days I haven’t eaten some form of chocolate. Not cookies or pudding or other sweets. No, it’s got to be chocolate. I particularly love European chocolates because I grew up in Germany. There are hundreds of choices in a German grocery store and it took me a long time to get used to the smallish candy aisles in the U.S.

Favorite book?
My all-time favorite has to be J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.” I read the books including “The Hobbit” five or six times and still marvel at the creativity and ease of storytelling. I mean you already love the hobbit on page one. You can’t help it. It’s magical.

Favorite movie?
Boy, that’s a tough one. There are so many awesome movies. I’ll pick “Avatar.”

Favorite holiday?
You’re talking to a travel nut. I love traveling and until recently my time was quite restricted by the vacation time my husband and I received from our jobs. Now that he’s retired and I’m a fulltime author we get to travel a lot more. My ideal summer trip combines a week at a beautiful warm beach, a few days bike riding along a river in Germany, drinking wine and enjoying fabulous dishes and some time with my aging father.

Would you rather be the princess or the villain? Why?
If I only have the choice between the two I’d be the villain. A good villain is a colorful character with lots of interesting background. I was a tomboy growing up, wearing old pants and hanging out with my neighbor. I remember refusing to wear skirts. The princess theme is just not me.

Who has more fun, orcs or hobbits?
Hobbits, of course. Wouldn’t you love to live in a beautiful apartment with round doors and windows? I think hobbits are such fun-loving characters who enjoy food to its fullest and live in the moment. They’re colorful and loyal to each other. Orcs dwell in the dark, cold earth and my goodness are they ugly. Give me those wooly hobbit feet anytime.
 
Thank you very much for hosting me.

GENRE: YA historical/sci-fi
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 BLURB:
 When fifteen-year old nerd and gamer Max Anderson thinks he’s sneaking a preview of an unpublished video game, he doesn’t realize that 1) He’s been secretly chosen as a beta, an experimental test player. 2) He’s playing the ultimate history game, transporting him into the actual past: anywhere and anytime. And 3) Survival is optional: To return home he must decipher the game’s rules and complete its missions—if he lives long enough. To fail means to stay in the past—forever.

Now Max is trapped in medieval Germany, unprepared and clueless. It is 1471 and he quickly learns that being an outcast may cost him his head. Especially after rescuing a beautiful peasant girl from a deadly infection and thus provoking sinister wannabe duke Ott. Overnight he is dragged into a hornet’s nest of feuding lords who will stop at nothing to bring down the conjuring stranger in their midst. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
 
I heard more rustling. Louder now. Not from the men, but from the woods behind me. My knees buckled and I was vaguely aware of the thudding sound I’d made. I had to figure out what had just happened, retrace my steps. Where was my room? My mind churned as I scanned the ground for some sign of home, something familiar.
 
Out of the corner of my eye I saw the bearded thug turn his head. Ducking behind a hazelnut bush, I squinted through the leaves. The thug had raised his sword and stepped toward my hiding place.
 
I crouched lower, my ears filled with the pounding of my own heartbeat. Rough laughter came from the other two riders. Despite my panic I caught a glimpse of them poking their swords at the injured man’s shoulder. I smelled their stench—and the wounded man’s fear.
 
The bearded thug continued in my direction. Sunlight bounced off the edge of his blade. He took another step, scanning, listening. I forced my shaking body to be absolutely still. This had to be some kind of challenge in the game.
 
The man kept coming. Twenty feet. Everything about him looked menacing: his eyes the color of mud, his razor-sharp sword wide as a hand. Fifteen feet. I held my breath.
 
A scream rang out.
 
“Have mercy, My Lords,” the bleeding man cried. He was kneeling now, waiving his good arm in a pleading gesture. “I beg you,” he wailed.
 
I lowered my gaze. Somewhere I’d read that the white of a man’s eyes could give you away. Keeping my lids half-closed, I peeked through the leaves once more. The thug was ten feet away. Close up he looked worse, a brute with arms the size of my thighs, his chest covered in leather and wide as a barrel. Despite his size he had the soundless walk of a stalking animal. I watched with paralyzed fascination. Any second I’d be discovered, but all I managed was to shove my hands into my jeans pockets to keep them from trembling. It’s a computer game, my brain screamed. It’s real, my gut argued.
 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 Annette Oppenlander writes historical fiction for young adults. When she isn’t in front of her computer, she loves indulging her dog, Mocha, and traveling around the U.S. and Europe to discover amazing histories.
“Nearly every place holds some kind of secret, something that makes history come alive. When we scrutinize people and places closely, history is no longer a number, it turns into a story.”
 
Social Media Links:
 
Website: http://www.annetteoppenlander.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annetteoppenlanderauthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25322486-escape-from-the-past?from_search=true&search_version=service
Twitter: @aoppenlander
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN8EjprQZLU
 
Buy Links:
 
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Escape-Past-Dukes-Annette-Oppenlander/dp/1846949734/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434917583&sr=8-1&keywords=escape+from+the+past
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/escape-from-the-past-annette-oppenlander/1121795814?ean=9781846949739
IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781846949739
 
 

GENRE:  Contemporary Romance
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 The Measure of Love is unique in that it is an authentic modern-day love story that captures the mystique and splendor of large size women of today.  It will captivate the hearts of the readers as they walks through Vanessa’s everyday life as she confronts the realistic obstacles from being a woman of size.  The story addresses size in a kinder, gentler way about full figured women beyond the realm of society’s idea of what is physically beautiful
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Excerpt One:
 
Good fortune spared her from becoming further unnerved by allowing her to get to the airport without much delay, and to find a parking spot, with a few minutes left before his flight was to arrive. Vanessa felt as if she couldn’t make time move fast enough. With each passing minute, she couldn’t deny her mounting eagerness to see his handsome face come through the exit doorway. While the passengers were disembarking, Vanessa positioned herself in a place where she could easily see him come through the door, yet far enough away from the crowd of onlookers waiting for the same reason. As the doors opened and each unfamiliar face passed through the doorway, she felt as if her inflated heart was going to burst onto the carpet. She felt sure she would stop breathing if she didn’t see his face in the next few seconds.
 
Vanessa stood very still, watching the stream of emerging passengers. And then, suddenly, there he was, looking like the million dollars he was worth in her shining eyes. Unbeknownst to her, Jon had been anticipating seeing her just as much once the plane had landed, and the need had only increased as the plane, much too slowly, had taxied up the runway. His feet had wanted to run down the long walkway, making him impatient with the necessary procedures and the lingering passengers who, to his increasing anxiety, were taking their time walking down it. He didn’t know why, but he was nervous and very anxious, even though he’d been looking forward to this day since it had been arranged.
 
By the time Jon reached the exit, he was so wired it took everything he had not to push the people ahead of him out of his way to run the extra steps. Then, at the exact same moment, their eyes locked. Vanessa stood there, so statuesque, and wearing the biggest smile. It took all the remaining restraint he had not to drop his bag where he stood, run to her, and grab her up in his hungry arms to consume every inch of her big, beautiful body. She was one fine female, and he could see she had no idea of the enormous impression she made as she stood looking like a vision to all who had an eye for real beauty.
 
Never taking his eyes off hers, Jon walked toward her, lowered his bag, and forced himself to slowly pull her into his impatient arms. The feel of her softness revived the many feelings that had possessed him since he last left her, and gave him a new wish to hold on to her for a lifetime, just as he was at that very moment. For someone of such a large frame, she was so small in so
 
He had missed her. For someone of such a large frame, she was so small in so many ways not obvious to those who couldn’t see past the image taken in by the discriminating eye. Jon just wanted to hold her and protect her forever from all the ugliness around her and within her own insecure reflection. Vanessa wrapped her large arms around his neck, nestled her face deep into his shoulder beneath his scented square chin, and whispered, “I’ve missed you so much. Welcome, my love.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
I was a large-sized child shaped by the view of those expecting me to act a certain way because of my size and their narrow views.  As a “fat” child I was treated just how they thought I would act, as if I was so sensitive I were incapable of doing most things thin children could do.   It was around the age of twelve I started to gain weight, changing my physical image of my body.  It was a slow, steady process, but the ramifications were not. 
 
As I grew older and the pounds followed, the images changed dramatically and I wasn’t capable of fighting the effects from it. As a young girl of size, trying to keep some semblance of positive image was an uphill battle.  It was the start of feeling isolated and unsure as an introverted child growing up and into most of my teen years. I didn’t feel I could trust anyone enough to talk to about personal issues, especially anything to do with my weight.   
 
As a teen and into adulthood the meaning of unrequired love was lost to me.  As I explored the world around me, I unknowingly learned how to trust many of the voices of the people I was blessed to have had walk through my life.  In time, it showed me my innate trust in something bigger than society’s issues and helped me to listen to my own voice to hear the messages I tell myself. 
 
Now, the image of my body is one of kindness, caring, and love.  In light of realizing its society’s image of body that is distorted and do not accept the difference in every individual, I have come a long way to appreciate the uniqueness of my body.  Today love means so many things to me, and is felt in defining ways that have helped shape me into the person I am today.  I believe I have always reflexively felt a connection to my innate love for myself and on so many amazing levels love have helped me to understand and value the real me. 
 
As a young adult, I started to read every opportunity I had.  Then my love of words was found, allowing me to create a world in which I could express myself comfortably.  I now have the pleasure of embracing the feelings of joy and excitement that come with being a writer of truth and a romance novelist.  It’s possible because I evaluate myself and my growth with honesty in hopes of being capable of writing true-to-life love stories.  Love stories about large-size women who are seen for more than their innate beauty and are worthy to be the heroine who gets the man
 
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Saundra-MacKay/e/B017JA3WIU/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
 
Website: http://www.saundramackay.com/
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saundra.mackay
 
Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Measure-Love-Saundra-MacKay/dp/0996825401/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451756244&sr=8-1&keywords=the+measure+of+love
​

3. The hardest part about writing is.....
The hardest part of writing is the demands of editing. I write rapidly in the first instance, which means the work is creative – that’s code for poorly written, grammatically! So I probably spend more time editing and reviewing than most. In a previous career, I learnt firsthand about the many demands of publishing business books, particularly the endless editing required to polish the final product. That helped me prepare for the rigours that face all new and emerging fiction writers. I had a lot to learn, to make that transition attending many classes in college and writers organisations, allowing me to enter my new career with my eyes firmly open to the hardships, but also fixed on what I needed to do to succeed as a writer.
 
The editing side of writing is a painstaking process. Where writing the first draft takes me around 2 to 3 months, editing can be 3 to 4 times longer. I self-edit as many times as I can tolerate, before I hand it to my mentor. My fabulous mentor, Sam is a hard task master and I do dread the ‘sea of red ink’ she masterly layers over my manuscripts. But she provides me the fresh eyes and the tough love that I need to polish my draft to ever higher levels.
 
Another hard part of writing is the dreaded writer’s block. This comes and goes during your writing journey. I’ve learnt to accept that it is a natural part of the writing process. But there are so many facets of a novelist’s routine that must be addressed, from writing and editing to marketing. When I tire of one, I turn to another. If it is a particularly severe dose of writer’s block, I turn to my other great passion – travel – particularly to France!
 

GENRE:  Sci-fi
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 BLURB:
 
A naturally gifted ex-national champion and a savant with a computer-like mind compete against the world's best in the 22nd century's most popular sport - CUBEBALL - the chess-like, technology-enhanced, snooker of the future where the world stage is dominated by gambling, drugs and massive audiences.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

 

 
Excerpt Three:
 
At that moment Mickey knew he had to play his way and make a shot that would not be forgotten. He called “power-play.”
 
He imagined the perfect shot in his mind’s eye as he circled the table twice, deliberating his fateful shot. The balls loomed large, but strangely different. The table appeared more circular than a cube as he lowered his chin to his carbon steel cue. The whole shot played in his mind as he drew back the cue to strike the cue-ball with a force that engulfed the whole stadium.
 
The crack of the cue-ball as it struck its target echoed sharply its warning of an imminent tidal wave of spin and curve that would capture the imagination of every fan in the stadium, or at home in front of their cubebit. In one game changing savage strike, the red ball fell into the pocket as the cue-ball savagely spun into the red triangle, spreading the reds in all directions from the centrifugal force of the cue-ball. Mickey slotted twelve red and black combinations in four minutes, gaining an unassailable lead. He followed that with a perfect defensive stroke, leaving the cue-ball safely jammed behind yellow. Flaveau conceded the game and the match, shell-shocked by the unique high-spin attack Mickey had unleashed. The break was soon nicknamed ‘the pulsar’ and it had secured Mickey the first semi-final win and a shot at the world title.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 I worked with national and international organisations as a business analyst in Australia and overseas. I authored many business books analysing the foodservice and food retail industry in Australia, Europe and Asia, as well as agribusiness global trends.  I also ran a consultancy business that assisted Australian enterprises to develop new markets in Australia and overseas.
 
I commenced writing science fiction novels full time in 2009. It was a life-long interest of mine. I have written five novels - all exploring contemporary social issues in future speculative worlds. They are: Shadow Dance; Extinction; Cubeball; Titan Sages and Alive. My novels blend speculative science, new age and poetry. Readers of novels such as Carl Sagan’s Contact would enjoy my novels.
​
Links: 
 Blog: http://odyssey2k1.blogspot.com/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5369984.Michael_Leon
Website: http://www.michaelleon.com.au/
iBooks:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/cubeball/id1050883428?mt=11
 
Buy link:
 Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Cubeball-Michael-Leon-ebook/dp/B016VTRID0
BookPOD: http://www.bookstore.bookpod.com.au/p/9074542/cubeball.html

​Tell us about yourself:
 
Are Happy Endings are must in your stories?
Endings are a must, but they don’t necessarily have to be happy. Every story needs to end, you have to give closure to your audience, now how it ends… that’s up to you.
 
What makes a protagonist interesting?
You have to make your hero as three-dimensional as possible. Give him a back-story, and a strong personality. Flaws, doubts, the ability to make mistakes and the ability to learn from those mistakes. A character needs to grow throughout the story; that is engaging. That’ll make readers come back for a second serving.
 
What is the best thing about being a writer?
Creative freedom. Because you set the parameters, everything is possible.
 
What do you see the direction of your future writing taking? What can we expect next? Give us a little taste.
I’m working on a new series; it’s Urban Fantasy, with a side of Greek Mythology. I’m done with the outline and about four chapters in. I’m hopeful to release it near the end of 2016.
 
Just for fun
 
Cat or dog person?
Cat, definitely.
 
Favorite food?
Chocolate.
 
Favorite holiday?
Christmas.
 
Would you rather be the princess or the villain? Why?
The villain, as there’s just no way I could ever play the damsel in distress. Unless the princess could be like Lara Croft?
 
Who has more fun, orcs or hobbits?
Hobbits seem to have a longer life span, don’t they? And better food

GENRE: Mystery & Detectives
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 
It is supposed to be Neve and Egan. Two partners, a team. What happens when a member of this team of Private Investigators is shot, prognosis unknown?
 
As Alexandra Neve lays comatose and defenceless, Ashford Egan must take on their enemy alone, and find the cagiest criminal Scotland Yard has seen in decades. Determined to succeed, Egan will stop at nothing. He’ll hit on married women, plant bugs, hire hitmen. And he’ll do it all blind, which makes things ten times as difficult.
 
Double-crossed by friends, convinced there is corruption in those sworn to uphold the law, Egan is forced to form unlikely alliances as he moves forward in a game that requires skills, nerves of steel, and a willingness to play against all odds.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
 
A gentle wind is blowing, but it is too cold for the leaves to carry any scent. Seconds tick away, as I wait.
 
A few minutes before the half hour, I hear the whining of the Lantesks’ garage door and soon after the rumble of a car engine coming to life. Mrs Lantesk is on time to go to work.
 
Ten feet long the old woman had said of the gravel lane. It isn’t much and I count the seconds after I first hear the crunching of gravel under the car’s tyres. On three, I take a large step forward, bracing myself for the impact I know is coming.
 
An instant later, the front of Mrs Lantesk’s car hits me on my right side and I fly to the ground, instantly losing all sense of direction. Up is down, down is left and I am only certain of one thing.
 
I hurt.
 
Turns out, no matter how ready you are for it, no matter how much planning is involved, or how carefully you give in to the motion and roll to the floor to absorb as much of the momentum as possible... getting hit by a moving vehicle hurts.
 
The car comes to an abrupt halt an instant later, tyres screeching against the gravel. The engine dies and I hear the car door open. It is followed by a steady stream of feminine and high-pitched, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.’
 
Monica Lantesk must be wearing heels for I hear her feet tapping the pavement as she hurries towards where I lie sprawled.
 
‘Are you all right?’ she asks in between another chortle of oh-my-Gods.
 
I am, for the most part. I’m not seeing stars or anything and I take quick stock of the situation. Nothing seems broken; my glasses are missing, but I still have my cane in hand. I push myself up on one elbow and make a show of moving the cane about in what I hope is a dazed and confused manner. There is another wave of oh-my-Gods, as the woman realises I am blind and she starts to pat me awkwardly on the shoulder.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Cristelle Comby was born and raised in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, in Greater Geneva, where she still resides.
 
Thanks to her insatiable thirst for American and British action films and television dramas, her English is fluent.
 
She attributes to her origins her ever-peaceful nature and her undying love for chocolate. She has a passion for art, which also includes an interest in drawing and acting.
 
Blind Chess is her fourth new-adult novel in the Neve & Egan series.
 
Links :
 
Website: http://cristelle-comby.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Cristelle
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Cristelle%20Comby&search-alias=digital-text&sort=relevancerank   
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/CristelleComby
​

GENRE: Thriller
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 
Why is CIA officer George Branson dead in Dubai? It looks like straight detective work, finding out what George has been up to and why he’s dead, but when former CIA analyst Lee Carruthers arrives in Dubai, she walks into a deadly war between two rival Merchants of Death vying for market share. She learns that George has worked for each man under a different name. With his own, that gives George three identities. Which man is dead? Has George really been working for the Agency, or has he sold out and, if so, to whom? Who are the men following her? And why does she keep finding diamonds?
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

 
Excerpt One:
 
I woke up in the dark lying on a hard surface. As I tried to make sense of where I was, I suddenly began to slide from side to side. Wherever I was it was swinging. I felt around, trying to find something to hold on to. Up. A ceiling. Close. Either hand touched something when I put my arms out. Something. I was in a box, and it was swinging from side to side. Then my stomach lurched, and I heard the whine. I was in a box. A box that had been dumped somewhere. I began to breathe rapidly. A small space. A really small space. I couldn’t catch my breath. Where? I began to sweat. Control. Something bad. Only control. I kicked, which only showed me how small the box was. I heard the whine again and something bumped next to me. Another box? If they put a box on top of me—I wiped the sweat from my face. My lungs threatened to burst out of my chest, and I rocked from side to side. I hate small spaces. I hate small spaces. Dangerously near hysteria, I fought for control. Control was the only thing that would save me. Control. I breathed deeply once. Twice. Three times. I was trembling. Did I want to die there? More deep breaths. I became sane enough to think.


My Take 3.5/5
Dead in Dubai is book two in the Lee Caruthers Series. Lee is a female CIA agent who deal with dangerous types who like to assassinate world leaders and blow things up. The story opens with a ski scene right out of a James Bond movie. Lee finds herself in Dubai investigating the death of a fellow agent, who might have had some ulterior motives. 

Dead in Dubai bills itself as a spy thriller and leaps from one action scene to the next without taking a breath in between. There are plenty of antagonists too to ramp up the conflict. The location'setting make the book a bit more mysterious Few of us can claim to have visited Dubai.

Overall, this was a good book for its genre.  The use of a first person narrative bothered me, but then, I've never liked first person narrative. So that's more of a personal choice than a jab. Many people love first point of view because they say it helps them to feel closer to the action.

Looking for a good spy thriller, then I'm sure you'll enjoy this one.

​AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Marilynn Larew has had a lot of variety in her life. She lived in six states and two foreign countries before settling down in southern Pennsylvania. She went to twelve schools before she graduated from high school and two more before she finished her PhD in history. Moving around so much, she found the public library a refuge and her library card a magic carpet to foreign lands. She taught for some years in the University System of Maryland, courses such as US history, architectural history, the history of terrorism, and Vietnamese military history. She also worked in historic preservation and wrote two books of local history about Bel Air, the county seat of Harford County in Maryland.
 
She writes what she likes to read – thrillers that are located in foreign countries. She likes to collect cookbooks on foreign cuisines and often cooks from them.
 
 
She’s married, with two children, two grandchildren, and a new great granddaughter. She lives with her husband on the Mason-Dixon line in southern Pennsylvania in a two hundred-year-old brick farmhouse.
 
She’s a member of the Sisters in Crime, the Guppies, and the Chinese Military History Society.
 
Links:
website: www.marilynnlarew.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/marilynn_larew
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilynn.larew
 
Buy links:
 http://amzn.com/B00V5DNYHM
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/530408
 

GENRE: Fantasy, Asian Gothic
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 
IMPERIA is a tale of revenge. It is a resurrection of Asian myth. It is fantasy's untold story.

Thirty years is a long time to hold a grudge. The Red Empress has endured every single day of the past three decades living among enemies. A captive empress, she bides her time, her mind's machinations plotting a future bathed in blood. And then the future becomes the present. Across the Empire of Heaven, the winds blow calmly no more.

Excerpt One:
 
Among the People of the Empire of Heaven, the Great Capital was not simply the heart of an empire; to them, it was the center of civilization itself. The city sprawled across a great valley, a landscape much different than the parched wastelands of the West. As winter made its final retreat and spring took hold, this contrast became even more apparent.
 
The Great Capital's skyline was a tessellation of tiled eaves that framed the edges of homes, shop buildings, temples, and courtyards. Except for a few brief hours preceding dawn, the streets overflowed with life: artisans and beggars, soldiers and thieves; merchants, priests, and prostitutes.
 
Everywhere was the echo of cartwheels on cobblestones. From the few streets left unpaved rose clouds of red dust, churned up by the pitter patter of too many feet. 
 
A hundred generations had lived and died in this city. With such spans of time came the accumulation of ghosts, visible in every worn footpath and every magic amulet hung before the shrine of this or that dead ancestor. History radiated from the beams and the mortar of edifices that filled the valley to its brim, from the base of one mountain to the other. Temples crept up the sides of the surrounding hills, as the intrepid faithful sought out new places to burn their incense, give their offerings, and pray. 

​AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Originally from Pensacola, Florida, Jason Hatcher attended the International Baccalaureate senior high school program, then went on to study Japanese and English literature at the University of Florida. He attended law school in Boston, and worked as an attorney in New York City for eight years. A lifelong lover of Asia, he spent much of his childhood in Japan. He speaks, reads, and writes Japanese, and has traveled extensively throughout that part of the world. Today, he lives in Westchester County, New York, with his husband, mother, and twin sons.
 
Author website:
 
http://www.jasonhatcher.space
 
Author Facebook fan page:
 
https://www.facebook.com/MeetJasonCarterHatcher/?fref=ts
 
IMPERIA Facebook fan page:
 
https://www.facebook.com/imperianovel/?fref=ts
 
Amazon Kindle book purchase site:
 
http://www.amazon.com/IMPERIA-Jason-Hatcher-ebook/dp/B0188AQZ2A
 
Goodreads author page:
 
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14715959.Jason_Hatcher
 
Goodreads book page:
 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28001974-imperia?from_search=true&search_version=service

GENRE:  Young Adult Fiction
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
​BLURB:
 
Petir takes a rough tumble in the Connecticut woods, but awakens in the middle of old England. His instinct to freak out is tempered by the arrival of a fair maiden wearing a bow...and arrow. Throwing caution to the wind, Petir decides he has nothing to lose by pursuing Maid Rianne. But when she is captured by the enemy, a geek with no ability to defend himself must find a way to rescue the fair maiden.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
 
Maid Rianne lifted off Petir in alarm, her arms bracing her from both sides of his body as she hovered just inches away. Although they did not touch, their gazes locked them together as their ragged breathing blended with the night noises. Still she did not retreat.
 
That was enough of a signal for Petir. He propped himself up high enough to reach her mouth and waited. Her face tilted toward him, and he brushed her lips with his.
 
Now, that was a tingle.
 
Magically, she deepened their kiss. She was so warm, and--
 
“Be sure to check on our guest before you bed down,” directed a male voice from outside the tent.
 
Maid Rianne’s head shot up. Panic washed across her face as she scrambled to her feet, frantically tugging her clothing and smoothing her hair. The flap of the tent quietly opened, and a head popped in.
 
“All’s well, Maid Rianne?”
 
“Yes, yes,” she snapped. “Of course all is well.”
 
The intruder offered a puzzled look at her waspish tone as she straightened her sleeves. He politely tipped his head at Petir, a suspicious glint in his eye. “Very well. Good evening.”
 
 “One moment, sir,” she said, scooping up her belongings. “I shall accompany you.” And just like that, she was gone.
 
Dazed and elated, Petir flopped back on the pallet, all pain forgotten.
 
Maid Hottie had actually jumped his bones. Too bad you couldn’t wrap it up in a box and put a bow on it. Now that would make a great birthday present.
 
Best dream ever!

​AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
I’m DEBORAH ANN DAVIS, and I write Quirky New/Young Adult Fiction with a Twist. I began writing when searching for inspiration for my 5th grade English Journal. Lo and behold, my world was full of funny tales just waiting to be told. It never occurred to me to pursue writing, not even when I discovered my flare for telling stories at college parties.
 
After a string of undergrad majors, I realized I could reach a captive audience EVERY DAY in the public school system. As you probably know, teenagers love to laugh, and what could be more entertaining than Biology, Earth Science, and Environmental Science? I jumped into teaching with both feet and loved it for 27 years. It came with an added bonus: Once teens know you like to laugh, they want to make you laugh. Go figure.
 
Twelve years after our first kiss, I reunited with, and married my childhood sweetheart. Together we coached our daughter's AAU Basketball Team, which swept States two years in a row. (Yay!) Then, for several years, our daughter and our money went to college.
 
During a particularly nasty bout of Lyme disease, I turned to Fitness to boost my Health, and to Writing to boost my Happiness. Currently, I am a healthy and happy Educational Speaker and a Certified Personal Trainer who loves to write.
 
We presently reside on a lovely lake in Connecticut. When I’m not writing novels for my Love of Fairs series, I enjoy dabbling with living a sustainable life, dancing, playing outside, and laughing really hard every day. I also promote increasing movement throughout your day as Wiggle Writer in my Merry Meddling blog at http://deborahanndavis.com/merry-meddling/ .
 
You can track my meddling on https://twitter.com/DeborahAnnDavis  or https://twitter.com/WiggleWriter 
 
Fairly Certain will be $0.99 during the tour.
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DeborahAnndDavis ,
 
www.Facebook.com/DeborahAnnDavisAuthor ,
 
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9220018.Deborah_Ann_Davis
 
Fairly Certain is available through:
 
IndieBound http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781942009016
 
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Fairly-Certain-Fairs-Deborah-Davis/dp/1942009011/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438885196&sr=8-1&keywords=fairly+certain
 
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/503303
 
Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/fairly-certain
 
B&N Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fairly-certain-deborah-ann-davis/1120492765?ean=2940150630598#
 
bLio https://www.blio.com/web1/actions/searchHandler.do?key=9781942009023&nextPage=booksDetails&parentNum=12848
 
inktera http://www.inktera.com/store/title/74f5bcc8-1792-4ddc-97fd-ffd0bd1b7e23

GENRE: Mystery
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 
Hired to produce a candyfloss profile of Chicago-based aviation giant, Delcroft, Ellie is dismayed when company VP Charlotte Hollander, the architect of a new anti-drone system for Delcroft, trashes the production and cancels the project. Ellie believes Hollander was spooked by shots of a specific man in the video footage. But when Ellie arranges to meet the man to find out why, he’s killed by a subway train.In the confusion, she finds a seemingly abandoned pack of cigarettes with a flash drive inside that belonged to the now dead man.

Ellie has the drive’s contents decrypted, but before long she discovers she’s under surveillance and thrown into the middle of a situation filled with drones, hacking, and Chinese spies that put her life and those she loves in mortal danger.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
 
Chapter Two
 
Monday
 
Before my gangstah-rap neighbor emptied his AK-47 into his buddy, the most exciting thing to happen in our village was the opening of a new grocery store. The store hired a pianist who played Beatles tunes, no doubt to persuade shoppers to part with their money more easily. My neighbor, rapper King Bling, was helping his fans part with their money too, but the shooting ended all that. Once he made bail, he moved and hasn’t been heard from since.
 
And so it goes in my little corner of the North Shore, about twenty miles from downtown Chicago. There are benefits. The King, as he’s known to his disciples, gave our cops something to do besides ticket speeders. And the new grocery store gave me the chance to buy prepared dinners so I could dispense with cooking.
 
Both of which come in handy when I’m producing a video, as was the case now. We didn’t finish the shoot until seven. I raced up the expressway toward home, dropped into the store, and was eyeballing a turkey pot roast—the only one left—when my cell trilled. I fished it out of my bag.
 
“Mom, where did you get the shoes?” I heard chatter and giggles in the background.
 
“What shoes, Rachel?”
 
“The ones you gave Jackie.” My daughter, Rachel, had successfully, if unbelievably, graduated from college and lived in an apartment in Wrigleyville. Jackie was her roommate. “Everybody thinks they’re awesome.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Libby Fischer Hellmann left a career in broadcast news in Washington, DC and moved to Chicago 35 years ago, where she, naturally, began to write gritty crime fiction. Twelve novels and twenty short stories later, she claims they’ll take her out of the Windy City feet first. She has been nominated for many awards in the mystery and crime writing community and has even won a few. *
 
With the addition of Jump Cut in 2016, her novels include the now five-volume Ellie Foreman series, which she describes as a cross between “Desperate Housewives” and “24;” the hard-boiled 4-volume Georgia Davis PI series, and three stand-alone historical thrillers that Libby calls her “Revolution Trilogy.” Her latest release, The Incidental Spy, is a historical novella set during the early years of the Manhattan Project at the U of Chicago. Her short stories have been published in a dozen anthologies, the Saturday Evening Post, and Ed Gorman’s “25 Criminally Good Short Stories” collection.
 
More at http://libbyhellmann.com.
 
* She has been a finalist twice for the Anthony, twice for Foreword Magazines Book of the Year, the Agatha, the Shamus, the Daphne and has won the Lovey multiple times.
 
 
http://www.libbyhellmann.com/
 
Author of Compulsively Readable Thrillers
 
The Incidental Spy, Sept. 2015: http://www.amazon.com/Incidental-Spy-Libby-Fischer-Hellmann/dp/1938733843/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1439437050&sr=1-1&keywords=the+incidental+spy+hellmann
 
Facebook: facebook.com:authorlibbyfischerhellmann
 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/libbyhellmann
 
Google+: google.com:+libbyhellmann
 
 
BUY LINK:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Jump-Cut-Ellie-Foreman-Mystery/dp/1464205191/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1444748309&sr=8-1&keywords=Jump+Cut%2C+hellmann
​​

GENRE: crime thriller
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 
Haunted by memories of an op gone bad, former assassin Leine Basso travels to Bangkok in search of a missing backpacker. With help from an old contact, she discovers the man responsible for the girl’s disappearance is connected to a violent Hong Kong triad and is the linchpin of an extensive trafficking network—both animal and human.
Making enemies isn’t new for Leine, but making one in the triad is—she soon finds herself a prisoner onboard a cargo ship headed for sub-Saharan Africa. To ensure her survival and to continue her hunt for the missing girl, she must join forces with Derek, an ivory poacher who promises to help her.

For a price.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Excerpt One:
 
This wasn’t right.
 
Kylie leaned over the side of the tuk tuk and gasped for air but only succeeded in choking on the thick exhaust of heavy evening traffic. The neon signs of Bangkok’s Soi Cowboy District streaked past at dizzying speed, shifting her unsettled stomach into epic nausea.
 
I didn’t have that much to drink.
 
She’d been at the bar for less than an hour, waiting with her friends from the hostel for the legendary lady boys to appear. The thought that the bartender had spiked her beer skated across her mind, but she rejected the idea. Why drug a customer who was obviously part of the backpacking crowd and wouldn’t have much money?
 
The motorized rickshaw turned down an unfamiliar street, heading in the opposite direction from the hostel.
 
“Wait—where are we going?” she asked, her breathing shallow. The words echoed in her brain, like she was standing in a hole.  Slowly, she swiveled her head. Alak, the guy she’d been talking to who worked at the hostel, sat across the seat studying her closely, as though she were an insect pinned to a bug board. Frowning, she glanced in the rearview mirror. The driver was watching her, too. Dread crawled deep in her stomach, clawing at the thought that the two men knew each other, knew what was wrong with her, expected it, in fact.
 
I have to get out…get back to the hostel. She curled her fingers around the metal rail that surrounded the backseat and leaned toward the open doorway. I need to call Mom and Dad, tell them I’m ready to come home…
 
Alak grasped her arm and pulled her back. Unable to keep her grip, her fingers slid from the railing.

Cargo by DV Berkom is a mashup of Action Adventure, Suspense, with a twist of espionage. In movie dialogue, it more like Taken meets The Bourne Identity, but not exactly.

Kylie, an American girl, who fled the memories of her dead brother, finds herself drugged, and on her way to be merchandise or cargo while backpacking through the Philippines. Leine Basso hears about the missing girl, but suspects more than a tourist who failed to call home.

Her suspicions lead her to a dangerous crime triad that can deliver anything for a price. This hard-hitting novel does a spectacular job of bringing the issue of human trafficking to life and the threat it poses. Kudos to DV Berkom for making the Philippines and Kylie’s terror real. Having recently returned from the Far East, I can definitely say the author is spot on in her descriptions.

I’m very excited to discover the tightly-written Leine Basso series that packs a strong action punch and follows it with a roundhouse kick. It’s hard to find an action-adventure with a female protagonist who isn’t a video game character or superhero. DV Berkom’s Leine Basso is someone who runs into the fire knowing she will probably die, but does so anyhow. Often, she gets burned.

​Cargo is one of the best action/suspense books I’ve read in a very long time. It is also a stand-alone book. No need to have read the other three, but once you read this one; you’ll want to read the other three.

​AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
DV Berkom is a slave to the voices in her head. As the bestselling author of two award-winning thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones), her love of creating resilient, kick-ass women characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.
 
Raised in the Midwest, she earned a BA in political science from the University of Minnesota and promptly moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Several cross-country moves later, she now lives just outside of Seattle, Washington with the love of her life, Mark, a chef-turned-contractor, and several imaginary characters who like to tell her what to do. Her most recent books include Cargo, The Body Market, Bad Traffick, A One Way Ticket to Dead, and Yucatán Dead.
Links:
 
Website: http://www.dvberkom.com
 
Blog: http://dvberkom.blogspot.com
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DvBerkomAuthor
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dvberkom
 
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dvberkom/
 
Google+: google.com/+DVBerkom
 
Instagram: https://instagram.com/dvberkom/
 
Amazon Author Page:
US: http://amzn.to/oMUb1Z
 
UK: http://amzn.to/pBwClD
 
Smashwords Profile: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dvberkom
 
 
Cargo Buy Links:
 
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011DCYR52
 
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/cargo-a-leine-basso-thriller/id1018759891
 
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cargo-dv-berkom/1122295857
 
KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/cargo-a-leine-basso-thriller
 
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/559351

BLURB:
 
While horseback riding in the English countryside, sisters, Electra and Emily Crippen find themselves trapped in a tear in time. Thrown back to 1357 England and caught by a local noble, they are in a place that is home but as frightening and unfamiliar as an alien world would be. With no idea how the tear in time came about, the one thing they do know is: they must stay together and stay near to where the event took place in hopes of discovering the way back to their modern life. That certain need to stay together is the first certainty taken from them when one sister is forced to remain in England and one is sent miles away to Wales by royal order.
 
There is one other hope for help the sisters don’t know exists. It’s Electra’s lover, Roger Marchand. A time traveler himself, he never told her of his past. When he realizes what has happened to the sisters, he enlists the help of a scientist friend to help him open the suspected passageway through time. Any effort to save Electra and Emily will likely cost him his life. This was the time Roger came from, a time when his country, France, was at war with England. If he is discovered on English soil while searching for the sisters, he will either be killed or taken prisoner of war. Any risk is worth saving the life of the woman he loves.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
EXCERPTS (Please choose only ONE to use with your post):
 
Excerpt One:
 
"Just ahead. I have a surprise set up," Roger said as he trotted toward Elysian Fields again.
 
He led them to an open field where the sunlight was bright and the ground flat. The cafe staff had laid everything out on a red and white checked tablecloth from the restaurant. A platter held cheeses and fruit arranged around chunks of the baguette. The champagne sat chilling in a silver bucket with two flutes at the side. He'd share a flute with Electra.
 
“Damn,” he muttered, they’d forgotten the flowers.
 
Everyone dismounted and tied the horses to an oak tree with low hanging branches.
 
"It's lovely. You are such a romantic," Electra said, kissing him on the cheek.
 
Emily gave him a sheepish look. "Tell the truth, Roger. You planned for this to be enjoyed by just the two of you. I'm the proverbial third wheel, aren't I?"
 
Only a lout with a complete lack of chivalry would answer truthfully. "Don't be silly. What man..." he tipped his head at her, "especially a Frenchman, wouldn't be delighted to have two charming ladies at his side?"
 
"You're sweet to say that," Emily said. "Is there some sort of all occasion book Frenchmen work out of that tells them what to say to women? If not, you should consider writing one. You'd make a fortune."
 
"Thank you—I think."
 
Electra turned to Emily. "Want to pick some flowers?"
 
Emily nodded.
 
Electra emptied a wicker basket that held honey and butter while Emily took the sharp meat knife from the platter. "We'll be back in a flash," Electra said.
 
"Where are you going?"
 
"We passed a blanket of wildflowers not far back. I thought we'd gather a bunch for our table."
 
"Where exactly is this spot that's not far back?" He asked, anxious to pour the champagne and his heart out and propose.
 
"By that granite outcropping."
 
Roger reached for the basket. "You can't go there. That's not Alex's land. It's part of the acreage he donated to Dr. Gordon's group."
 
Electra held tight to the basket. "So? It's not like Gordon is going to know we were there. What harm are we causing picking a few flowers? None."
 
"His knowing is not the point. It's the principle. You've no right to go traipsing about on his property without permission." This was a thorny issue for him. In her defense, Electra didn't know that. Over the years, Roger had had his share of trespassers and poachers on his land. He'd never have given poachers permission to cross his land, but the trespassers, had they asked, he'd have let cross.
 
"Since you're determined to do this, hurry up and get away from there," he told Electra. "I'll open the champagne and have a glass ready for you."
 
"We'll work double fast," Emily added and the two jogged off.
 
He'd opened the champagne and was in the process of pouring when Electra's panicked scream came from the spot near the outcropping.
 
"Roger!"
 
He dropped the bottle and ran.
 
Gone. Both sisters were gone. The basket with a handful of flowers inside lay on the ground.
 
"Electra," he called out. "Emily."
 
He ran in a widening spiral hoping to find them. When he didn't, he returned and checked the scattered patches where the flowers grew for a clue. He looked for any sign someone had come along and taken them by force. Perhaps one of Dr. Gordon's crew had hustled them back to the trailer that served as their lab. Perhaps they demanded an explanation for what the women were doing.
 
He was grasping at straws and knew it. Anyone of the Gordon group could clearly see the women were picking flowers. Taking them off to their camp was heavy-handed especially for a bunch of scientists. Nor were there any footprints other than those left by Electra and Emily's riding boots.
 
What the devil could've happened to them? People don't just vanish without a clue.
 
He climbed to the top of the outcropping called out again. Only the rustling of the breeze through the trees and the low roll of thunder from the storm miles away could be heard.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.
 
My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa. 
 
I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream. I write three different series. My paranormal romance series is called, Knights in Time. My romantic thriller series is Dangerous Waters. The newest is The Bloodstone Series. Each series has a different setting and some cross time periods, which I find fun to write.
 
I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and five wild and crazy rescue dogs. 
 
Links:
 
http://chriskarlsen.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4822048.Chris_Karlsen
https://twitter.com/AuthorCKarlsen
https://www.facebook.com/chriskarlsenwriter
https://plus.google.com/117369224297604815922/posts
 
PRE-ORDER THE BOOK FOR ONLY $0.99:  http://www.amazon.com/Time-You-Knights-Book-ebook/dp/B019JKXR5G/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450544230&sr=1-1&keywords=In+Time+For+You+by+Chris+Karlsen