Character Interview #romance #suspense #mystery

Writing murder mysteries is all in a day's work until an obsessed fan brings Phoebe's stories to life, throwing her into her own murder mystery…and the next target on his list is Mason.

In Southwest of Love and Murder, the heroine, Phoebe, is more than a little attracted to Mason Meadowlark. Mason is the sheriff’s brother from book one, The Art of Love and Murder. He’s a rancher in Chino Valley, Arizona and the polar opposite of his brother. 

Q: Hi Mason. Thanks for being here. I understand you have quite the reputation as a playboy.

A: Someone’s been telling tales. 

Q: You’re single. Widowed or divorced and any children?

A: I’m divorced. We, uh, no children. My baby daughter died. 

Q: I’m sorry. Anything more you’d like to add?

A: No. That was a long time ago. 

Q: Anyone special in your life right now?

A: Hey, they’re all special, right? Although, I do have to say, Phoebe blew into my life, and I can’t get her off my mind any more than I can get the prairie out of my soul. 

Q: Sounds like she’s rocked your world, to coin a cliché. Tell me more.

A: She’s not like anything we have in this ranching country. Phoebe is a murder/mystery writer with a sense of humor and a sexiness you can’t ignore. I call her my gypsy. 

Q: Let’s try some flash questions to get to know you more personally.

A: Sure. Shoot. 

Q: Night or Day?

A: Night. Moon over the prairie. Coyotes howling. Sitting on the veranda with an after-dinner bourbon and watching the stars twinkle in Phoebe’s eyes. 

Q: Love or lust?

A: Ha. Well, let’s start with lust and see where it goes. 

Q: Boxers, briefs, or commando.

A: My brother warned me about you. Boxers.

 

You can find out even more about Mason Meadowlark here: MEET THE CHARACTERS

Successful mystery writer, Phoebe Anderson, killed her first husband on paper seventeen years earlier. Now, someone has actually done it. Mason Meadowlark is happy with his wild cowboy ways, avoiding love since the death of his baby and his marriage twenty years ago until Phoebe shows up. With an obsessed fan close on her heels, Phoebe is thrown into her own murder mystery…and the next target on his list is Mason.

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BOOKS A MILLION

Also available in audio.

Love Wins, You Win, Earth Wins by Mrs. N #Ukraine #Romance

I am honored to have Mrs. N on Discover... today to announce an extremely worthy cause. And you can help! In addition to helping, you'll be rewarded with an entertaining book. I've already reserved my copy.  

I’m so thrilled to be a guest on this blog. Thank you so much for hosting me. My name is N. N. Light, otherwise known as Mrs. N. I write uplifting stories with my husband and better half, Mr. N. 

In late February of this year, Russia invaded Ukraine. My heart plummeted as I saw the brute force of Russia’s army attack a sovereign nation. Can this really be happening? After all we have been through as a people, can we just sit by and watch the elimination of a race of people? I knew I needed to find some way to help. I certainly didn’t have the resources to fly over there but what could I do? The answer came in an Instagram post about two weeks ago. My fellow author, Dania Voss, put out a message on Instagram asking for more romance stories for a charity anthology. I signed up right away and I’m so honored to be a part of the Love Wins anthology. 100% of the proceeds go to a charity with boots on the ground helping Ukrainians in need. 

We can’t stop the bombs from falling but we can do our part from this corner of our world. Please consider purchasing the anthology for $1.99. Not only will you be helping innocent people struggling to stay alive, but you’ll get fifteen romance novellas/short stories. These stories vary between sweet and contemporary. 

Series Title:

Love Wins: A Ukraine Charity Anthology 

Series Authors:

Dania Voss, Maribelle McCrea, Marlene Cheng, K.M. Jenkins, Deborah King, Annie McEwen, Pamela Clayfield, Tiffany Carby, Aimee O’Brian, R.A. Clarke, N. N. Light, Judy Fisher, Robert Beech, E.J. Powell, Alex Grehy, Maris Parker 

Genre:

Contemporary Romance, Charity Anthology, Romance Short Stories 

Book Blurb: 

LOVE WINS—a Charity Anthology to support Ukrainian refugees

More than 15 contemporary romance authors have joined forces to create this unique collection of stories, covering an assortment of different sub-genres and tropes.

LOVE WINS is set to publish on April 21, 2022, with 100% of the proceeds going to World Vision’s Ukrainian Refugee Fund. This organization has people on the ground in the Ukraine and Romania, providing food, shelter, medical aid, and all necessary assistance for the needy, with the focus of making sure children are safe and provided for.

LOVE WINS is available for a limited time only. Make a difference for the people of Ukraine—buy your copy today! 

Stories include: 

ALL ROADS LEAD TO SHEPHERD GROVE--DANIA VOSS

PAST, PERFECT, POLO--MARIBELLE MCCREA

THE MADAM’S FRIEND--MARLENE F CHENG

THE SUNFLOWER MEADOW--K.M. JENKINS

DESTINED DREAMER--DEBORAH KING

THE SLEEPLESS CAFÉ--ANNIE MCEWEN

HAVEN OF SECRETS--PAMELA CLAYFIELD

GOLD MINE--TIFFANY CARBY

MISROUTED BY LOVE ~ A TALE OF MAYBE--AIMEE O’BRIAN

CLICKING--R.A. CLARKE

PLANTING THE SEEDS OF LOVE--N. N. LIGHT

THE POWER OF LOVE--JUDY FISHER

LOVE, ETERNAL--ROBERT BEECH

SHIFTER: A WERE-CAT’S TALE--E.J. POWELL

ON THE WINGS OF KITES--ALEX GREHY 

MOANA ACCOUNTANT--KERRY CARLISLE

TWO WEEKS IN THE TETONS--MARIS PARKER

Authors include Dania Voss, Maribelle McCrea, Marlene Cheng, K.M. Jenkins, Deborah King, Annie McEwen, Pamela Clayfield, Tiffany Carby, Aimee O’Brian, R.A. Clarke, N. N. Light, Judy Fisher, Robert Beech, E.J. Powell, Alex Grehy, Maris Parker

THANK YOU so much for supporting those in need. 

Excerpt from Planting the Seeds of Love: 

Jack took a step back letting go of her pinky. He crossed his arms; his eyes glittered angrily. 

"You love me?" He snorted. "You don't even know I exist." 

Sally's nostrils flared. Taking a step back, she crossed her arms. 

"That's a fine thing to say to me after all we've been through." She turned to leave. "Maybe Trevor's right..." 

"What?" Jack sat down on the cot, not looking at her. "What did Trevor tell you?" 

"Trevor has a buyer for the farm. It's a friend of his father's and he loves the idea of a brewery out here in the country. He wants to add a restaurant and make it some sort of oasis for city folk." She ran her fingers through her blonde hair. 

"A buyer?" He put his head in his hands and sighed. "It's too fast." 

"What are you talking about?" She looked down at her watch, wishing she hadn't come. Her sister was right; men were nothing but trouble. 

"Look, I know I've messed things up." He stood and walked towards her. "But you've got to give the farm and me a second chance." He extended his hand through the bars. 

Sally's emotions shook her body. Guilt, love, pain, regret, anger and hope battled for supremacy in her heart. She eyed his outstretched hand warily. Could she trust him? Could he be depended upon? 

"Why should I give you another chance, Jack?" She let her arms fall to her sides. A force not her own pulled her body closer to his. She whispered, "You hurt me." Tears welled up but she didn't care. 

He reached up and wiped her tears away. 

"Oh Sally," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. 

Her lower lip quivered. 

"I'm so sorry. I'm a first-class jerk." He cupped her face with his hands. "Please don't cry." 

Sally closed her eyes. She felt like a tiny dingy in the middle of the ocean, battered and torn in pieces. She leaned her head against the bars.

 "Your opinion matters most, it always has. When you say things like you just did, it tears me apart." She lifted her head. "I need you, Jack. I can't do this without you." 

Jack exhaled slowly. 

"That wasn't me; it was my jealousy rearing its ugly head." 

"What do you mean? What do you have to be jealous of?" Her brows furrowed, she thought hard. 

“I’m jealous of how happy you seem to be with Trevor,” he replied. 

Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub): 

Preorder your e-copy for only $1.99. The price goes up to $4.99 after release week! 100% of the proceeds going to World Vision’s Ukrainian Refugee Fund. 

Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WP6XHRF 

Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09WP6XHRF 

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09WP6XHRF 

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60739931-love-wins 

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/books/love-wins-a-ukraine-charity-anthology-by-dania-voss-and-pamela-clayfield 

Author Biography: 

N. N. Light is the award-winning husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N. Books are their addiction and lifeblood. 

Life is meant to be lived; cherish the exciting moments, and relish in those all too brief moments of relaxation. They are here to live their own lives, read as many books as humanly possible and live it passionately. N. N. Light's Book Heaven serves as a vessel to project their passions, and clue in their loyal readers as to what inspires them in this crazy world. So, sit back, relax, and read on. One link to rule them all: https://bio.link/nnlightsbookheaven 

Social Media Links: 

One link to rule them all: https://bio.link/nnlightsbookheaven

Website http://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/NNP_W_Light

Instagram https://instagram.com/nnlightsbookheaven

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7873791.N_N_Light

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/n-n-light

Reading and #Reviews (Maxwell, Diede)

I'm an author, but I'm also a reader. Each month, I'll share with you reviews of present and past reads. My available time to read is limited because I write, but I love to curl up with a paperback or an eBook at night for the last hour of my day. 

I tend to read what I write, but not exclusively. Besides Romantic Suspense, I read crime and law novels, once in a while a true story, WWII historicals, mysteries, and mainstream character driven books.

Here are some of the books I've read recently or in the not-too-distant past. Maybe you'll discover a new book or author. 

The Widow’s Watcher by Eliza Maxwell 

Living in the shadow of a decades-old crime that stole his children from him, reclusive Lars Jorgensen is an unlikely savior. But when a stranger walks onto the ice of a frozen Minnesota lake, her intentions are brutally clear, and the old man isn’t about to let her follow through.

Jenna Shaw didn’t ask for Lars’s help, nor does she want it. After he pulls her from the brink, however, Jenna finds her desire to give up challenged by their unlikely friendship. In Jenna, Lars recognizes his last chance for redemption. And in her quest to solve the mysteries of Lars’s past and bring him closure, Jenna may find the way out of her own darkness.

But the truth that waits threatens to shatter it all. When secrets are surrendered and lies are laid bare, Jenna and Lars may find that accepting the past isn’t their greatest challenge. Can they afford the heartbreaking price of forgiveness?

 

Review: If you like dark prose and heavy human failings, then you’ll like The Widow’s Watcher. Ms. Maxwell did well with her characterizations. The story was twisty, and that always keeps a reader turning pages. Her blurb above is exact, so I’m not going to elaborate on the storyline. I will add that there is a character who I found intriguing. Jenna’s dead daughter speaks to her, and as a teen, she is irreverent but also insightful. Of course, it’s actually Jenna’s mind…or is it? I won’t spoil the ending for you, but if you read the last paragraph of Ms. Maxwell’s blurb, I think you just might figure it out. Did I enjoy the book? Yes. I won’t say it’s particularly uplifting, but I think good entertainment isn’t always joyful, and if you get tangled up and keep turning the pages, then it must be a good read. 

AMAZON BUY LINK

 

Whispering Pines by Kimberly Diede March

Summers at Whispering Pines defined Renee's childhood. Days meant swimming and sun, nights meant ghost stories and campfires. Best of all, Whispering Pines meant time with Celia, her favorite aunt. Through the years, Celia would remain Renee's most steadfast confidant, but trips to Whispering Pines would fade to memories. Raising kids alone and a demanding career consumed Renee's life.

Now Celia is gone and Renee’s career is in shambles. Promising herself she’ll look for a new job in January, Renee is determined to make the most of her unexpected time off. But when mysterious events begin to swirl around her kids, her worries compound.

A spontaneous trip, meant to lessen the growing pressures and soothe Renee's battered pride, could turn out to be so much more when she finds herself alone on a moonlit beach, half-a-world away, with a handsome stranger.

How can Renee keep her family safe as she works to rebuild their lives? Does she dare take another chance at love?

Celia's final gift may provide answers, but there are risks. Renee wishes she could seek comfort and advice from her dear aunt, but Celia's recent death has left a void. Why can't things be simple, the way they were when she spent summers at Whispering Pines? 

Review: I found this book felt like three stories trying to masquerade as one. There is the story of a single woman who has lost her job and isn’t sure what to do with herself. There is the story of a woman whose daughter is being stalked. There is the love story of a woman who takes a trip to an exotic island and has a fling that becomes more in a long-distance relationship. They are all about the same woman. The stories are interwoven and at times, I wasn’t sure which story I was in the middle of reading. Threads would come and go and then pop up unexpectedly which threw me off.   

Being a writer and an editor, I also had some trouble with point of view issues and other technical problems. 

I’m sorry to not be 100% behind this book. She has a decent storyline. Lots going on, but it never quite gelled for me.

AMAZON BUY LINK

Love and Murder Character Interview #RomanticSuspense #Interview

A Legacy of Love and Murder

2020 Still Moments Magazine Reader’s Choice Award Mystery Suspense 

In Austria to meet her great-grandfather, August finds he’s died suspiciously. And the handsome Inspector Wolf is concealing something. As heir to the estate, her life is in danger, turning this fairytale Alpine adventure into a nightmare of veiled threats, unexplained accidents, and murder.

Will she solve the mystery, or get them both killed?

Today's interview is with Inspector Tobias Wolf. 

Q: Nice to meet you, Inspector Wolf. I hear you practically ran August and her mother off a twisty, mountain road.

A: August tends toward the dramatic. My Porsche merely came upon them too quickly around a curve. I was hurrying to a possible crime scene with which they later became involved. 

Q: You’re single. Widowed or divorced and any children?

A: None of the above. I’ve never married due to my career and outside activities, which I’m not at liberty to describe.

 Q: I also hear that August considers you a rather older man and an Austrian James Bond.

A: I suppose I should be flattered and insulted at the same time. 

Q: Anyone special in your life right now?

A: Only my career. Apparently, August might change that for me. She’s fiery and quite appealing in spite of her acidic tongue. 

Q: Let’s try some flash questions to get to know you more personally.

A: You Americans do like to get up close and personal. 

Q: Night or Day?

A: I don’t believe I have a preference. The Alps are spectacular in the daylight hours, but good Austrian wine under the stars with feisty August is pretty damned spectacular too. 

Q: Love or lust?

A: Love is not on my agenda, but August is. We’ll see where that leads. 

Q: Boxers, briefs, or commando.

A: I think I’ll leave that to the imagination for the readers of A Legacy of Love and Murder. After all, what would James Bond wear?

BOOK LINKS:

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

BOOKS A MILLION

iTUNES BOOKS

KOBO

GOOGLE BOOKS

BOOKBUB

GOODREADS

LOVE AND MURDER SERIES ON AMAZON

 

 

 

 

Temptation of the Apple by Reggi Allder #romance #suspense #MuseMonday

MUSE MONDAY

Please welcome Reggi Allder to Muse Monday on Discover... If you don't know Reggi, then we're glad to introduce you to a new author whose romance books you'll love. 

Hi Brenda, thank you for having me on your blog today.

I write in two different genres, #RomanticSuspense and #ContemporaryRomance as in #SmallTownRomance. My first book was a romantic suspense, Shattered Rules. Then I began the Dangerous Series with Dangerous Web book 1-The most hazardous choice she ever made. But after spending a great deal of time with villains, I needed a change of pace. So, the Sierra Creek Series was born. In my imaginary California town of Sierra Creek, the moto is small town big love. Where strong men and determined women intersect.

In Her Country Heart, the first Sierra Creek book, I needed something that acknowledged the friction between a man and a woman. The main character lives on a farm and I decided to make it an organic apple farm. What fruit signifies the conflict between the male and female better than the iconic apple?

There is often the temptation of being drawn to the opposite sex when you know they are only going to cause trouble in your life. How many of us have been attracted to someone and think, I shouldn’t go there, but…

I researched and discovered there are over 7,000 varieties of apples available from as far away as New Zealand, Australia and Japan. BTW, the Crab Apple is from the US and the Macintosh Apple is from Canada. California and Washington state still supply much of the fruit in US and Canadian grocery stores.

Amy, the main character in the Sierra Creek books, bakes apple pies and I’d be happy to share an apple
pie recipe with you, just email me. Reggi@ reggiallder(dot)com. Please put “Pie recipe” in the subject line.

Her Country Heart Sierra Creek book 1 

5 Stars “Great characters! I'm hooked!! It’s been a long time since I’ve been engaged with a book’s characters. But this story, and the people in it, got to me! I loved it and didn’t want the book to end.” Sammy B.

Why is Amy Long attracted to the only man who can prevent her from achieving her dream?

Amy needs a forever home. Out of work, she lost her apartment in the city and returns to the small town of Sierra Creek to find a fresh start. Her plan is to work the land on her grandmother’s farm and be self-reliant. She is not interested in a relationship with any man. Then she sees her high school crush, Wyatt Cameron.

Cowboy Wyatt Cameron is concentrating on his career and, at this point in his life, wants no female entanglements or other responsibilities. But he has been named the executor of her grandmother’s will. Nonetheless, Amy is in the way of his plans. He’s looking to send her packing back to the city where she belongs. Then he can go on with his ventures.

What can she do to change his mind?

Will sparks fly when opposites attract?

Excerpt:

With Granny gone, there was no family left to welcome her. Amy swallowed a sob. Maybe it was a mistake to come back to Sierra Creek.

The relentless afternoon sun beat down on her shoulders and her arms began to burn. San Francisco, the air-conditioned city, seemed a million miles away.

With a sigh, she pulled out her smart phone and checked the time. Thirty minutes since she’d arrived at the bus stop and not a single car had gone by. Where was the arranged ride into town?

Granny’s handyman was supposed to meet her. He obviously wasn’t a stickler about being on time. She reminded herself she was in the California foothills not in a busy metropolis where time was money.

The sound of a truck rumbled in the distance. With the back of her hand, she pushed her bangs out of her eyes and squinted. Hopeful, she watched the pickup come closer. A shiny black Ford F 150 with extended cab pulled up in front of her.

“Amy,” a man yelled through the open window as his brown hair fell casually over a high forehead and deep-set blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight. She moved nearer and stared at his wide cheek bones, square jaw and full lips. About thirty? A flutter of recognition stirred in her as palpable charm radiated from his broad smile—Wyatt Cameron.

His muscular arms flexed as his huge hands squeezed the steering wheel. “Don’t just stand there. Get in. The judge is waiting.” 

Reggi Allder Bio

Reggi grew up in a small town and then moved to a large metropolitan area. This gave her an appreciation of the rural and the urban point of view. She studied creative writing and screen writing at University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Afterward, she worked in advertising and as a medical worker. These varying careers allowed her to have differing views of the world. Both are useful in her writing. She has written ten books and a couple of children’s stories, with two novels in progress.

When not working, she searches antique shops for vintage tea cups and looks for interesting dinner and dessert recipes online. She likes watching romantic movies with her hubby and then he chooses thrillers for them to view. They have two dogs, a purebred and a rescue mutt, their own Lady and the Tramp. 😊

Reggi enjoys hearing from readers. Follow her on Bookbub, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, allauthor.com

Buy links: Amazon

Sierra Creek series

Her Country Heart

Our Country Heart

Contemporary

With Glowing Hearts

Suspense

Dangerous Web

Dangerous Denial

Dangerous Money

Shattered Rules

Gambling and Wickedness for Wicked Wednesday by Cara Bertoia

WICKED WEDNESDAY

Please welcome Cara Bertoia to Wicked Wednesday. Let's discover who her most wicked character is to date! 

My most wicked character is Derrick from Donegal. When I worked in casinos, I met guys like him from all over the world. Most of them aren’t bad guys; they are just addicted to action, the game, and striking it rich. They work in the gambling business, and they’ve seen enough people win the jackpot at the slot machine, roll a perfect roll at the crap table, and turn $100 into a $1,000, so they think they can do it to. They are on a quest. They are successful in the business for a while, they get promoted, because they are wicked smart, but they always screw it up. They are surrounded by so many temptations, and they’re not really great at self-control or long-term plans. But it’s really not my story to tell, so let me introduce you to Derrick. 

Yeh, I’m Derrick from Donegal. I’m the table games director at the Night Hawk. Don’t believe what people say about me especially that tight arsed bitch Caroline. I’d like to see how long she’d last in the East End of London where I was raised.

She can’t see I am a damn good boss. They should have made me casino manager instead of her. Whoever heard of a bird running a casino? She’s probably sleeping with the Chairman John Tovar. I see the way they look at each other. It’s like they speak a secret language.

Don’t start me on John. All the guest and employees act like he walks on water. It’s as if they think he’s not just the Indian chief but some kind of shaman. With his braids he looks like Pocahontas, pretty like a bird. I like his cousins, the Tovar twins, a whole lot better, they know the score. Don’t look too closely; don’t upset the good gig we have going on here.

Caroline caused trouble for me since the first day she walked through the door. Towering over me in her heels, trying to intimidate me. She acted all lady boss, calm and efficient, but I could tell this wasn’t going to work out. I don’t know what the problem was, but I have never done well with lady bosses. They don’t really understand how this business works. Blokes know that if you scratch someone’s back, they’ll scratch yours in the future. It’s what I did for my employees. I did favors for them to help them make more money, and they passed part of it my way. We have an understanding. Do you see the problem?

I first walked into a casino in London when I was laying bricks at the Golden Nugget. Working inside seemed a damn site better than freezing my bum out in the cold, wicked streets of the city. I signed up for a grueling training class in roulette. I remember the thrill I felt the first time I spun the ball around the heavy mahogany wheel without it flying into space. I had to memorize so many multiplication tables, it almost did my head in. But I survived. We started with fifty in the class and ended up with five. I’m glad to say, London dealers are the gold standard.

We were wanted all over the world, from South Africa to cruise ships circling the globe. A captive audience. I met the Ex on a Regal Cruise ship. An American who fancied a man in a suit. I fancied a green card. When the marriage ended, I walked away with a green card and a restraining order against me. I tried to get as far away from San Diego as I could which is how I ended up in this godforsaken desert, with a bitch for a boss. But it is a sweet gig and I don’t intend to lose it.

It's not my fault, the only thing there is to do around here is play at the casinos. It’s so hot in the summer you feel it in your bones when you walk outside. The dust from the wind storms so thick it settles in your suits. I can only spend so many nights on the couch drinking Guinness and watching the telly. When I get off work casinos an hour away in every direction entice me to eat, play, win. I get the itch about half-way through my shift. I drive to Indio Springs convinced I will walk away with a small fortune and make up for the losing streak I have been on lately.

At first, it all goes to plan. I keep hitting numbers at the roulette wheel, turning a thousand into ten thousand. It feels so good to win, there is nothing that compares, even sex. In the flow, I feel invincible. But a plonker like me never knows when to quit. I keep telling myself the next roll will be my last as my pile begins to disintegrate. Before I know it, I am back to my one thousand and then down to naught. Pissed off at myself, I slam my fist on the table. A few minutes later security escorts me to the door. Hope the Chairman doesn’t hear about that.

But I can feel it starting again, that itch. But tonight, I will quit when I’m ahead. It will happen, I will climb out of this hole. All it takes is one good night. Only four more hours to go. I walk over to watch the black jack game and notice this idiot making money hand over fist. But I’m not worried I know he’ll walk away with nothing. Because it’s hard to walking away from a winning streak. But I will tonight.

I’ve learned my lesson. Want to come with me to Indio Springs? I could teach you roulette.

I told Derrick’s story in my novel Casino Queen. It is the novel I wrote about my years in the casino industry. Here is the blurb: 

Caroline Popov, alone, heartbroken, and deeply in debt ends up in glamorous Palm Springs, California. Native American casinos have just opened, thousands of people from all over the world came to work there, money flowed like water, and real estate became the new status symbol. And then came The Great Recession, and suddenly the partying stopped.

 

Alone, desperate and deeply in debt, she lands a job at the Palm Oasis Casino. She is mentored by the charismatic tribal chairman, John Tovar. Embraced by casino culture, Caroline works her way up to casino manager of the Night Hawk, in the High Desert town of Joshua Tree. There, she is responsible for managing multicultural team members, satisfying the demands of challenging guests, growing revenue while rooting out corruption. As she moves up through the ranks of management, her bond with John deepens. 

In the process of uncovering the underbelly of corruption her list of enemies grows. Sometimes you have to gamble like your life depends on it. With her life on the line can she pull out a win?

BUY LINKS:

Amazon  

B&N 

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Author Bio:

Cara Bertoia grew up in a strait-laced Southern family, but she was always fascinated with casinos. In her twenties on a summer hiatus from teaching in North Carolina, she drove to California and became a dealer at Caesars in Lake Tahoe. She discovered that after teaching high school, handling an unruly gambler was a piece of cake. Her mother highly disapproved of her working in a casino, "a place so bad it has 'sin' in the middle."

Eventually, she succumbed to pressure from the family and returned east to take a hi-tech job in Boston. She also began working on her MFA in writing at Emerson. Her goal was to write the first realistic novel about casino life from the perspective of an experienced table games dealer. She is always amazed that normal and sometimes quite intelligent players become absolutely clueless in the casino. They repeat superstitious nonsense and no amount of logic can change their position, maybe her novel will. 

While in Boston she was offered the opportunity to join Princess Cruises as a croupier. Jumping at the chance, she spent the next five years circling the globe. Sometimes life exceeds your dreams. She was awed by the wonders of Venice, the fjords of Norway, and the Northern Lights in St. Petersburg. 

Cara returned from ships with a very special souvenir, her Scottish husband Ray. They went to work at the Spa Casino in Palm Springs, and now live in Hollywood, Florida, where she writes about her casino years while wistfully gazing out at the ocean.

I love to connect with my readers. Please send me a picture with Casino Queen. I will post those pictures to my social media. 

mailto:carabertoia@yahoo.com 

TikTok: tiktok.com/@carabertoia 

Cara Bertoia’s Blog  

Twitter  

Cara Bertoia – Author 

Instagram 

Goodreads  

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Facebook

Character Interview: #rocker #political #mysteryromance

I'm sharing another Character Interview with one of my personal favorites. He gets my pulse racing!

Christmas and Politics. Joy and Jeopardy. Love and Murder. That’s how it all comes together in book four of the Love and Murder Series, The Power of Love and Murder. 

Jake Winters is an ex-rock star, not long out of rehab. He’s still got a positive outlook in spite of being down on his luck. He’s come to Flagstaff, Arizona to stay with his sister, Mandy, and meets her best friend, Penny, and a whole lot of trouble and danger he didn't expect. 

Q: Good morning, Jake. I’m a little flustered sitting across from a rock and roll hotty.

A: Oh, please, don’t embarrass me. Those days are over...with good and bad memories behind me. 

Q: You’re single. Widowed or divorced and any children?

A: I’ve never been married. There was never time to get serious about anyone. 

Q: But with Penny there might be a chance?

A: If she can forget our first meeting. I was a rocker, stoned, and full of myself. Now, I’m trying to be her friend…or something. 

Q: Sounds like she’s caught your attention. Tell me more.

A: I don’t know how long I’ll be in Flagstaff. It’s cold, but it’s Christmas and my sister wants me to stay. Penny has secrets, dangerous secrets, and I’d suddenly like to break through the wall she’s built. She’s a pixie of a lady with a sharp wit. 

Q: Let’s try some flash questions to get to know you more personally.

A: Hey, I was once all about flash. 

Q: Night or Day?

A: Penny drove us up to the Snow Bowl on top of the San Francisco Peaks. I have to say, sun sparkling on the snow was pretty breathtaking. 

Q: Love or lust?

A: I used to be all about lust. Maybe I should try my hand at love

 Q: Boxers, briefs, or commando.

A: Well, bugger, you got me. Commando! 

The Power of Love and Murder was a RONE Award Finalist

This Christmas, Penny Spark’s desire to reconnect with family causes her to expose her true identity—a secret she’s hidden for thirteen years from the political powers who murdered her family. 

Jake Winters is out of rehab and coming to grips with his demons. When he meets Penny, he believes this holiday season could be the start of life after rock star status…until her secrets blow up his world. 

With a government agent turned hit man closing in on her, Penny and Jake race to expose the presidential contender behind the murders of her family. Even if they win the race with death, the murder that stands between them could end their hope for a new life. 

N N Light Reviews

If you’re a fan of romantic suspense, this is a must read. If you’re a fan of suspense and/or political thrillers, you’ll love it! 

Still Moments Magazine, Between the Pages

A fast-paced romance packed with action and suspense.

InD'tale Magazine

“The Power of Love and Murder” is utterly addictive!e

Kam’s Place Reviews

Like the other "Love and Murder" books in the series, Brenda crafted a story full of mystery, corruption, bit of romance, and ended it all with a happily ever after.

You can find out even more about Mason Meadowlark by clicking HERE 

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