Without a Trace - Teaser Tuesday

Author Laurie White's mystery/romance opens with these words: Something wasn't right. What follows is the story of a missing sister, embezzled cash, and romance between a cop and a journalist. As LAPD Detective Matt Romero and Southland Life magazine writer Rachel Bennett search for Rachel's missing sister, their attraction for each other grows. But can they overcome traumas from their pasts? 

TEASER: 
Slowly, she stepped into the bedroom, toward the telephone. She needed to call for help.
2% on my Kindle.

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Mystery
Length: 213 Pages
Amazon Link: Without a Trace
Other Books by this Author: Laurie White Author Page

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Magazine journalist Rachel Bennett has a reputation for getting to the heart of a story. However, when her sister disappears and is suspected of embezzling from her employer, the story has suddenly become personal. The last thing Rachel wants right now is the distraction of Matt Romero, the detective assigned to the case. She wants a “safe” man…and Matt is anything but that.

Matt accepts the risk that goes with his job. Two years ago, his wife was murdered, a tragedy he blames himself for. He's vowed to protect his family and friends because he doesn't want to go through the pain of loss again. However, the lovely journalist soon begins breaking through the icy wall around his heart.

As Rachel and Matt search for answers in order to find her sister, they uncover a corruption that puts them both in danger – and a passion that puts both their hearts at risk.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away -- you don't want to ruin the book for others)
• Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers
• Leave a comment on MizB's Teaser Tuesday post (HERE) and include your link so everyone can find your post.

Weekend Writing Warriors #3 - Rick

Another excerpt from BLUEBONNETS FOR ELLY. Elly has just received a phone call from her ex-fiance, Rick, who dumped her for another woman. She refused to listen to what he had to say, but now memories intrude. 

He’d been her first love—only love, really—and it seemed as if she’d known him forever. What a dork he was in middle school, and then he’d turned into a handsome teenager. They’d dated exclusively since her seventeenth birthday. He’d been a part of all her high school experiences—homecoming celebrations, football games, Saturdays at the lake. Photos of them both filled her mom’s albums and the pages of her diary, both records of an idyllic time. The memory of the first time they’d made love intruded—nestled together on his crumpled bedspread, surrounded by walls of tennis trophies, while his parents were out for the evening. They’d both been virgins, nervous and unsure, but she’d been so certain of his love that she’d made the first move. Her soul mate…or so she’d thought.

***

Writers hanging out with writers -- a good time with a great group of people. Check out excerpts from other Weekend Writing Warriors HERE. 

Seven Little Words - Teaser Tuesday

I'm enjoying SEVEN LITTLE WORDS, a romance by Margaret Sutherland. With its Australian setting, slightly different (to me!) Australian way of talking, likable characters, and two delightful dogs, I'm already charmed. A yellow lab and chihuahua add so much sweetness and character to the book!  

Teaser (from 11% on my Kindle):
This was ridiculous. He couldn't abandon her here. The place was deserted.

Genre: Sweet Romance
Length: 164 Pages
Amazon Link: Seven Little Words
Other Books by Margaret Sutherland

Synopsis from Amazon:

     After a painful break-up, budding romance writer Cathy Carruthers is avoiding men. So what happens when she meets successful Australian literary novelist, David Hillier, at his country writing workshop?
     Good-looking David’s a bachelor with problems. His writing’s blocked, his blind father’s in respite care and David has to care for his retired guide dog, Banquo. He has absolutely no time for a relationship.
     Meanwhile Cathy’s past partner hunts her down, her grandmother’s ill and Cathy is landed with Pixel, a tiny dog with the heart of a lion.
     David and Cathy can’t resist the powerful desire that at first overrides their problems. But pressures build and lead to conflict and friction. It felt like love. Was it just a passionate affair? Cathy’s a stronger woman now. Eventually she faces a choice. Must she send the man of her dreams away? Fortunately there’s a solution from a most unexpected quarter…

FYI: In case you haven't noticed, I like to feature small press, indie, and midlist authors on my blog. There are some wonderful writers out there who don't get the exposure afforded New York Times best-sellers, but their stories are equally as enjoyable.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away -- you don't want to ruin the book for others)
• Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers
• Leave a comment on MizB's Teaser Tuesday post (HERE) and include your link so everyone can find your post.

Saturday Snapshot - Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Seeing last week's photos posted by  West Metro Mommy Reads reminded me of our trip to Germany in 2007. In fact, one of her pictures looked very familiar. It turns out that we took a photo on the very same street! So I've posted it along with a few others.

Our visit to Germany was in autumn. I'm ready to go back to Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

Here's the link to West Metro Mommy Reads, the host of Saturday Snapshot, for connections to more beautiful photos: West Metro Mommy Reads

We had a great time exploring the cobblestone streets of this small town.

The surrounding countryside.

Great views from the wall that surrounds the town. Autumn colors were glorious.

Walking along the perimeter of the town wall.

Interception - Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56

Football hero and cheerleader fall in love, get married, and live happily ever after? NOT this time! Told in the point of view of "Big J" Jackson, this is the story of a guy who never quite outgrows his super-jock persona, until a skinny girl named Betty brings him down.

INTERCEPTION is the fifth short story in The Angel of Death series by Irma Fritz and the second one I've read. Now I'm looking forward to all the others. 

Book Beginning:
I always tell women I'm not the marrying kind, even though I was married once. Otherwise, it would only encourage them to think I might try again.

Friday 56:
I had planned to ask Skip nicely to clear out so my college chum and I could talk over old times, but as he stood there looking so smug, something in me snapped. When I hit him, I caught him square on the jaw. Not too hard, but he went down. [from 56% on my Kindle]

INTERCEPTION is FREE on Amazon

Friday, March 21, through Sunday, March 23

HERE

Genre: Short Story
Length: 18 Pages
Amazon Link: Interception (The Angel of Death)

More Books and Short Stories by Irma Fritz: Amazon Author Page

*********

Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings and Friday 56. 

   Click here to connect to other Book Beginnings posts  

   (sponsored by Rose City Reader)

   Find other Friday 56 bloggers here 
   (sponsored by Freda's Voice) 
                           

Millstone - Teaser Tuesday

"I hope you find this bastard. I mean, who'd kill a kid?" That's dialogue from the fisherman who found six-year-old Emily Chatburn's body on the shores of Lake Union. His heart-breaking discovery starts an investigation by Seattle Police Detectives Nick Winston and Pat Strom in this second Winston/Strom novel.

No, the murder of a child is not a pleasant subject, but author Kelly Marshall handles the story with compassion. Although some parts of the book are gritty, she balances that with sexy scenes and flashes of wry humor. Marshall  kept me guessing "whodunit" until the very end. 

In today's TEASER, Emily Chatburn's father makes a startling accusation: "She's killed another one. And I'm not letting her get away with it." (At 14% on my Kindle.)

Genre: Murder Mystery
Length: 289 Pages
Amazon Link: Millstone
Website: Kelly Marshall Books

Blurb from Amazon:
Seattle homicide detectives Nick Winston and his female partner Pat Strom have seen it all, but there’s one call every cop hates to get—a child’s murder. When the child’s father bursts into the sanctuary and accuses his estranged wife Elizabeth of killing their daughter, the man is arrested by the detectives. But the case against Cole Chatburn is stymied when a babysitter offers him an alibi for the night.

Disclaimer: Kelly Marshall is a member of my writing group, and I helped edit MILLSTONE.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away -- you don't want to ruin the book for others)
• Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers
• Leave a comment on MizB's Teaser Tuesday post (HERE) and include your link so everyone can find your post.

Smile Somebody Loves You

Thank you, Beverly Ovalle and Tamara Hoffa at "Smile Somebody Loves You" for featuring BLUEBONNETS FOR ELLY in today's blog post. Love your blog!

Here's the link.

Saturday Snapshot - Camellias & Other Beauties

Three reasons why I love springtime 

in the Pacific Northwest. 

(Click on photos for larger view.)

Crocus blooms have disappeared since I took this photo. Notice the bee in the lower right-hand corner?

Hyacinth are going strong.

And we'll have camellias any day now.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads. To participate, post a photo on your blog that you (or a friend or family member) have taken. Then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on today's West Metro Mommy Reads blog post. Then check out all the beautiful photos posted by everyone! Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.

Here's the link: SATURDAY SNAPSHOT

Web of Tyranny - Book Beginnings on Friday and Friday 56

From the very first pages of WEB OF TYRANNY by Laurel-Rain Snow, I felt empathy for the main character, Meg. The story takes us through the decades of the 1960s and early 1970s--turbulent times. Growing up, her family is ruled by an abusive, religious fanatic father who dictates every aspect of her life--her choice of clothes, hairstyle, friends, and all her activities. The mildest transgression from Meg results in punishment. When I was growing up, the most rebellious teens and young adults were the ones who had been severely repressed as children. It's not surprising that Meg's strictly controlled childhood affects her life choices later in the story.

FYI: Laurel-Rain Snow is a frequent participant in The Friday56 and Book Beginnings on Friday and is an excellent writer. Watch for her upcoming book INTERIOR DESIGNS.

Book Beginning:
For the first few seconds of every day, before reality hit, she felt her body floating in a cloudy tangle as she came up from her dreams. Beautiful dreams of sunny days filled with music, ice cream and lots of laughter. She could still remember a time when her days had been like that; she'd been much younger then, granted the indulgences of early childhood.

Friday 56 (at 56% on my Kindle):
All too familiar with the effects of a hangover from her partnership with booze, she was still a novice when it came to other substances. What exactly had she done last night? That niggling feeling of panic hovered hear the edges of her awareness.
[Yes, the main character is definitely rebelling against her upbringing!]

Genre: Fiction
Length: 610 Pages
Amazon Link: Web of Tyranny

More Books by Laurel-Rain Snow: Amazon Author Page

*********

Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings and Friday 56. 

   Click here to connect to other Book Beginnings posts  

   (sponsored by Rose City Reader)

   Find other Friday 56 bloggers here 
   (sponsored by Freda's Voice) 
                           

Weekend Writing Warriors #2 - Derek

Another excerpt from BLUEBONNETS FOR ELLY. In this scene Elly is manning Granny's table at the Sunset Acres Retirement Village rummage sale. She's in for a nice surprise. 

     “Hi.” A deep voice shook Elly out of her musings. “You must be Mrs. Macauley’s granddaughter.”

Elly looked up from her chair—and up some more—to see a tall, brown-haired man approaching the table. His shoulders filled out a faded chambray shirt in a way that promised firm muscles underneath. He had his hand extended, and his even white teeth flashed a friendly smile.

The memory of his sweet-as-molasses voice and buff body made Elly stare.

Derek.

***

Writers hanging out with writers -- a good time with a great group of people. Check out excerpts from other Weekend Writing Warriors HERE. 

Saturday Snapshot - Moclips

Several years ago, my Puyallup, WA, writing group went on a weekend retreat to Moclips on the Pacific Coast of Washington. Never heard of Moclips? I'm not surprised. It's an out-of-the-way place, and that's just what we all wanted. Here are a few photos of the area. I'm ready to go back! (Click on photos to enlarge.)

A little history

No crowds!

The beach was close to our motel.

Not exactly 5-star but comfy, plus they had a hot tub!

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads. To participate, post a photo on your blog that you (or a friend or family member) have taken. Then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on today's West Metro Mommy Reads blog post. Then check out all the beautiful photos posted by everyone! Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.

Here's the link: SATURDAY SNAPSHOT

The Mermaids Singing - The Friday56 and Book Beginnings on Friday

The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey is a beautifully written, lyrical book about three generations of women in Ireland (and the U.S.) However, although the book was only 288 pages long, it seemed longer--probably because it was dense with long sections of narrative. The author did an excellent job of description and she took me inside each woman's head. I enjoyed the story, and I'm glad I read the book.

Beginning:
It is only at night now that she has the strength to wander. Rising quietly, so as not to disturb her love, Grace pulls a sweater over her pajamas, slips her feet into running sneakers. Stephen had bought her the sneakers to wear in the hospital after she refused to put on the regulation blue foam slippers.

Friday 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):
His black hair curled and glittered around his ears and neck; his face beamed white, as if the moon were just beneath his skin; his dark eyes were a warm liquid texture that seemed to shift within itself, capturing and retreating from the light. He smiled at her and her insides cracked, the clotted fear squeezed aside, making room.

Genre: Literary Fiction / Saga
Length: 288 Pages
Amazon Link: The Mermaids Singing

*********

Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings and Friday 56. 

   Click here to connect to other Book Beginnings posts  

   (sponsored by Rose City Reader)

   Find other Friday 56 bloggers here 
   (sponsored by Freda's Voice) 
                           

Spare Change - Teaser Tuesday

Today's Teaser is from Spare Change, Book #1 in The Wyattsville Series by Bette Lee Crosby. It's the story of Olivia, an independent woman who married later in life and never wanted children. Then 11-year-old Ethan Allan shows up at her door, looking for his grandfather (Olivia's late husband). Ethan witnessed his parents' murder, and the murderer is on his trail, but can Olivia help him?

Both Olivia and Ethan are unforgettable characters, and I came to care about them both. I purchased all three books in a boxed set, and I can't wait to delve into the other two "Heartwarming Southern Stories."

My Teaser is from approximately 56% on my Kindle:
By morning Olivia had come to a somewhat shaky decision. She would watch over the boy. Not forever but until she could find a place where he truly belonged. 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Length: 280 Pages
Amazon Link: The Wyattsville Series

Synopsis from Goodreads:
      USA Today Best Selling Novel, Reviewer's Choice 2012 Award Winner! In a story that's been compared to John Grisham's The Client, eleven year-old Ethan Allen Doyle has witnessed a brutal murder and now the boy is running for his life. In the time-tested tradition of Southern Fiction, Crosby unveils the darkest side of human nature and then rewards her readers with a beautiful tale of love, loss and unexpected gifts.
     Olivia Westerly is the only person Ethan Allen can trust, and he's not too sure he can trust her. She's got no love of children and a truckload of superstitions--one of them is the belief that eleven is the unluckiest number on earth. Olivia avoided marriage for almost forty years. But when Charlie Doyle happened along, he was simply too wonderful to resist. Now she's a widow with an eleven-year-old boy claiming to be her grandson.
      With a foul mouth, dark secrets and heavily guarded emotions, Ethan Allen Doyle is not an easy child to like. He was counting on the grandpa he'd never met for a place to hide, but now that plan is shot to blazes because the grandpa's dead too. He's got seven dollars and twenty-six cents, his mama's will for staying alive, and Dog. But none of those things are gonna help if Scooter Cobb finds him.
      Winner of Five Literary Awards, BookBundlz Finalist, Voted Goodreads Best Unknown Fiction, FPA President's Book Award Gold Medal Finalist

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away -- you don't want to ruin the book for others)
• Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers
• Leave a comment on MizB's Teaser Tuesday post (HERE) and include your link so everyone can find your post.

Weekend Writing Warriors #1

I've just discovered Weekend Writing Warriors and decided to join in. 
But before I post my excerpt, here's a brief explanation: When vacationing in Hawaii, I shouted to my husband, "Stop the car! There's Granny's golf cart!" He's accustomed to similar outbursts from me and immediately complied. Pasted below is a photo of what I saw. The amazing thing to me is that I'd already written the description of Granny's golf cart in my book. Seeing something in person that was so similar to what I'd imagined was surreal. 

      Elly parked Granny’s golf cart near the door of the Stop ‘N Shop and grabbed a fabric tote from the orange-colored bin behind the seat. Granny had hot-glued yellow fringe around the bin’s edges and added a big glittery M on the back—M for Marge Macauley. An orange vinyl canopy covered the cart’s top. That, too, had a trim of yellow fringe dangling from its edges, inspiring Granny to call the vehicle “My Little Surrey.” To Elly, the two-person cart resembled a miniature Cotton Bowl Parade float.
[Excerpt from BLUEBONNETS FOR ELLY]

Read excerpts from great writers here: Weekend Writing Warriors

Thanks for stopping by!