Saturday, June 25, 2022

"Stars in the Night" by Cara Putman -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Stars in the Night

Author: Cara Putman

Genre: WWII Romantic Suspense

Release date: February 1, 2022

Hollywood 1942. When attorney Audra Schaeffer’s sister disappears, Audra flies to Hollywood to find her but instead must identify her body. Determined to bring the killer to justice, Audra takes a job with the second Hollywood Victory Caravan. Together with Robert Garfield and other stars, she crisscrosses the southern United States in a campaign to sell war bonds. When two other women are found dead on the train, Audra knows the deaths are tied to that of her sister. Could the killer be the man with whom she’s falling in love?

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be well written and easy to read. I love the WWII setting and going along on the fictional version of the Victory Caravan. It was interesting to see a little peek into what the lives of movie stars of the era were like. I look forward to reading more books by Cara Putman.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Since the time I could read Nancy Drew, I have wanted to write mysteries. In 2005 I attended a book signing at my local Christian bookstore. The rest, as they say, is history. There I met Colleen Coble. With prompting from my husband, I shared my dream with Colleen. Since those infamous words, I’ve been writing award-winning books with the count currently at 35 published and more in the works.

In addition to writing, I am a mom of four, attorney, clinical professor at a Big Ten university, active in women’s ministry, and all around crazy woman. Crazy about God, my husband, and my kids. I graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Huskers!), George Mason Law School, and Purdue University’s MBA program. You can learn more about my books at http://www.caraputman.com. And if you’d like a copy of my legal suspense novella, Dying for Love, simply connect with me here (http://www.caraputman.com/contact/), and I’ll send you the link.

More from Cara

One of the things I loved about writing Stars in the Night, set during World War II, is that I learned so many things. As a World War II history nut, that keeps the writing fresh and exciting. Here are a few of the things I learned while writing Stars in the Night:

1) There really was a Hollywood Victory Caravan. The Hollywood Victory Caravan traveled by train Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., then north through cities like Chicago and Minneapolis.

2) If something had happened to the train, Hollywood would have been ravaged. The real caravan was filled with stars like Abbott and Costello, Desi Arnez, Bing Crosby, and Groucho Marx. The papers at the time said the stars would have gone out in Hollywood if anything had happened.

3) The first train entertained the President and Mrs. Roosevelt at the White House. What a great way to launch the tour. And Mrs. Roosevelt had a staff member standing immediately behind her to help her “remember” everyone who came by so she could say something personal to them.

4) The Winecoff Hotel, where I have my stars stay while they’re in Atlanta, was the site of the worst hotel fire in American history and has recently been restored and renovated.

5) I initially considered having the tour appear at Ford’s Theater, but it was essentially abandoned during the World War Two era – and was used as storage. Hard to believe if you tour that beautifully restored theater today.

6) The National Theater has had continuous shows running since December 1835. Fortunately for my story, it had a hole the summer of 1942, which fit perfectly with when I wanted my caravan to have a show there.

7) The Hollywood Canteen didn’t open until later in 1942. Since my first book involved a canteen, I really wanted to include the Hollywood Canteen. Besides, what’s more romantic than movie stars mixing with and entertaining servicemen? Unfortunately, it was in the planning stages during Stars in the Night. Maybe in the next book…

As you can see, I love the details of history. I hope Stars in the Night sweeps you away to a time that was rich in service, glamour, and conflict.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 13

Rachael’s Inkwell, June 13

Texas Book-aholic, June 14

Labor Not in Vain, June 14

Splashes of Joy, June 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 15

For Him and My Family, June 16

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, June 16 (Author Interview)

Inklings and notions, June 17

CarpeDiem, June 17

Betti Mace, June 18

deb’s Book Review, June 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 19

Book Looks by Lisa, June 20

Connie’s History Classroom, June 20

All-of-a-kind Mom, June 21

The Sacred Line, June 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 22

Simple Harvest Reads, June 22 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

By the Book, June 23

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 23

Bigreadersite, June 24

The Christian Fiction Girl, June 24

Blossoms and Blessings, June 25

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 25

Blogging With Carol, June 26

Rebecca Tews, June 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Cara is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of Stars in the Night!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1eb7a/stars-in-the-night-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

"Undercover Assignment" by Dana Mentink -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Undercover Assignment

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Suspense

Release date: June 28, 2022

This K-9 will stop at nothing to keep a child safe.

When a little boy is threatened, Officer Daniella Vargas and K-9 partner, Zara, are assigned to pose as his nanny to uncover the culprit’s identity. Suspecting one of the guests in his inn, widower Sam Kavanaugh’s only option is to begrudgingly trust Daniella and Zara to help. But can they solve the case and its mysterious connection to Sam’s late wife before it’s too late?

My Thoughts

This book is part of the Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit series. I did not read any of the other books in the series and there are things mentioned in this book that made me wonder if they were from the other books, but I was able to read this book as a standalone. I found the book to be well written. It did have a few mistakes -- mostly characters being called the wrong thing, but nothing that made it hard to read. I found the situations intriguing and with twists I didn't expect. I did figure out who was behind things almost right away, but I have a tendency to figure out the "who-done-it" easily. I look forward to reading more books by Dana Mentink.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a USA TODAY and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author. She’s written more than forty mystery and suspense novels for Love Inspired Suspense, Harvest House, and Poisoned Pen Press. She is honored to have received two ACFW Carol Awards, a Holt Medallion Award, and a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. Please visit her on the web at www.danamentink.com to sign up for her newsletter, or find her on Twitter, Facebook and Bookbub.

More from Dana

What a joy to participate in a series with seven other talented authors! A continuity series is a set of books, each written by a different author, and each with its own suspense plot along with an overarching series plot and characters. It’s a very complicated project to complete, but the fantastic part is chatting, collaborating, and sometimes commiserating with other writers. What a rare treat, since most of our work is done alone in dark rooms with computer screens and bottomless cups of coffee! This series was especially fun to write because of the whole wilderness lodge setting which is my favorite type of story. Picture it! Ancient cliff dwellings, a freak electrical storm, twenty-four hours with no power and a killer on the loose! That’s my kind of suspense novel. I hope you will enjoy this multi author series as much as we enjoyed creating it!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 15

Inklings and notions, June 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 16

EmpowerMoms, June 16

Vicky Sluiter, June 17

For Him and My Family, June 17

An Author’s Take, June 18

Blogging With Carol, June 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 19

Betti Mace, June 20

Texas Book-aholic, June 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 21

Blossoms and Blessings, June 21

She Lives To Read, June 22

Through the Fire Blogs, June 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 23

Labor Not in Vain, June 24

deb’s Book Review, June 25

Pause for Tales, June 25

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 26

For the Love of Literature, June 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 27

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, June 27

Genesis 5020, June 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize package of a $75 Amazon gift card and a signed book!!

(If the winner is outside the U.S., then he or she will receive an eBook.)

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1eff2/undercover-assignment-celebration-tour-giveaway

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

"Impending Strike" by Sami A. Abrams -- Spotlight, Excerpt, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

Impending Strike JustRead Blog Blitz

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams and Lynette Eason, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Impending Strike Title: Impending Strike

Series: Elite Guardians Collection #2

Author: Sami A. Abrams and Lynette Eason

Publisher: Sunrise Publishing

Release Date: June 28, 2022

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Protecting him just might cost her everything…

Elite Guardian Charlie Lee knows that there is no future with the woman he loves—fellow Guardian Lizzie Tremaine. And, he gets it—as a single mom, Lizzie has to protect her daughter. But more than anything, he wants the chance to prove himself.

Then, the unthinkable happens—while working undercover, Charlie is seriously injured…and his memory of the past four years is lost. Could it be the fresh start that he didn’t realize he longed for?

Despite a friendship that’s turned flirtatious at times, Lizzie Tremaine has held Charlie at arms’ length. She’s lost all the men she’s ever loved, and is unwilling to risk her heart again. Still, she’s glad to keep an eye on him—as his bodyguard—and while she’s at it, help him put the pieces of his past together, including discovering who attacked him, and why.

But Charlie seems to have forgotten their agreed-upon professional distance—and suddenly, all the rules are off the table. She’s seeing a side of Charlie she could possibly let into her heart. Problem is, the closer he gets to uncovering his memories, the closer he gets to trouble.

It’s her heart…or his life. What will protecting Charlie cost her?

Another edge-of-your-seat Elite Guardians thriller!

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

Driving Force

EXCERPT

Lizzie struggled to maintain control against the long grass and uneven ground. She swerved to

miss a fence and struck a rut, sending the car airborne, and they flipped upside down. She

screamed just before the hood crashed into the ground and glass shattered around her. The jolt

forced her body forward, the seat belt stopping her forward motion and whipping her back against

the seat. The vehicle teetered and creaked and came to rest at an odd upside-down angle.

The seat belt cut into her shoulder, and her arms dangled from her inverted position. Blood

whooshed in her ears. She blinked and then blinked again while her mind scrambled to put the

pieces together.

The hiss of the engine pulled her from the depths of confusion. An accident. The tail she’d

picked up at the warehouse. Oh, no—Charlie.

A groan escaped her lips as she twisted to look at him.

Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead. Or was it the same cut from before that had

reopened? The man had more bruises than Lizzie dared to count and added more every day. She

stretched over and searched for a pulse. The strong thump against her fingers sent a wave of relief

coursing through her.

What if the person decided to make sure he’d succeeded in killing her and Charlie?

She had to get him out of here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sami A Abrams

Sami A. Abrams grew up hating to read. It wasn't until her 30s that she found authors who captured her attention. Now, most evenings you can find her engrossed in a romantic suspense novel. In her opinion, a crime plus a little romance is the recipe for a great story. Sami lives in Northern California, but she will always be a Kansas girl at heart. She has a love of sports, family, and travel. However, a cabin at Lake Tahoe writing her next story is definitely at the top of her list. Visit her at http://www.samiaabrams.com.

CONNECT WITH SAMI: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Lynette Eason

Lynette Eason is the bestselling author of Life Flight and the Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master's degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children. Learn more at www.lynetteeason.com.

CONNECT WITH LYNETTE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Impending Strike and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Impending Strike JustRead Giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 20, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 27, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

"The Putting Green Whisperer" by Zoe McCarthy -- Author Interview, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Putting Green Whisperer

Author: Zoe McCarthy

Genre: Christian fiction

Release date: 2018

Suddenly unemployed, Allie Masterson returns home to Cary, North Carolina where she caddies for her father on the PGA Seniors Tour. There, she encounters a man who possesses an alluring gift of reading the contours of the green. Fascinated with his uncanny ability, Allie is excited to meet the Green Whisperer—until she discovers that the easygoing caddy is actually Shoo Leonard, the boy who teased her relentlessly when they were kids. Despite Allie’s reservations, she agrees to use her sport science degree to become his trainer when Shoo sustains a hand injury—and then she falls for him. Shoo Leonard is grateful to Allie for her singular determination to get him ready for the PGA tour, but he isn’t ready for anything more. Still raw from a broken engagement and focused on his career, he’s content to be her fist-pumping buddy until the chemistry is undeniable. What seems like a happily-ever-after on the horizon takes a turn when Allie decides she’s become a distraction to Shoo’s career. Is it time for her to step away or can The Putting Green Whisperer find the right words to make her stay?

Author Interview

1. What would you say is the easiest aspect of writing? Where do you get your ideas for your books?
Since I was nine, story ideas have dropped into my mind unbidden or from my observations. I
usually write the stories. Often, they’re written only in my head, but in the past, many have made
it to unfinished manuscripts stored under my bed. That doesn’t mean my finished novels were
snapped up by publishers. However, in my four rejection letters for four different books, the
editors said they liked my ideas. That inspired me to keep going. The idea for The Putting Green
Whisperer came when I sat with my sister just off the green on the fifteenth hole at a PGA
Seniors Golf Tournament. Pro golfers and their caddies approached, putted, and moved on to the
next hole. In one group, I noticed two caddies standing beside each other quietly talking with
their backs to us. He was tall, and she was petite with her long blonde ponytail protruding from
the back of her pink ball cap. An idea rose and hovered over my brain. I turned to my sister,
pointed, and said, “My next book will be about those two caddies.”

2. Do you set a plot or prefer going wherever an idea takes you?
I’m a hybrid. I find doing high level plotting before I start writing, such as sketching out the
stages of the Hero’s Journey, has advantages. I have a good idea what research is needed and can
get started on it. I can brainstorm ideas for foreshadowing events that I already know will happen
later in the story. Before I launch into my story, I understand much about my protagonists and
some secondary characters—their personalities, temperaments, outlooks, and quirks. I don’t
waste time plotting the nitty-gritty details that I might not use when I enter panster mode. In this
mode, I give myself the freedom to write the scenes as ideas come to mind, but I stay within the
high-level stages I’ve plotted in the Hero’s Journey.

3. Do you need to be in a specific place or room to write, or you can just sit in the middle of a café full of people and write?
A personality test I took through my company pegged me as an expressive analytic. I know it
sounds like an oxymoron, but it fits me. I couldn’t survive without expressing my thoughts and
creative imaginings. Yet, I’m a retired, introverted actuary* who receives my energy from being
alone in my quiet home office, spewing words into my laptop.
*Actuaries perform all the mathematical analysis for insurance companies, pricing products and
estimating reserves to pay claims.

4. What is your work schedule/routine when you write?
I start my day reading the Bible and taking my prayer walk in which I pray for others on my lists.
Then I work on developing the lesson for the weekly community women’s Bible study I teach.
After that, it’s a scramble among many writing-related commitments—developing and
presenting writing workshops online and in person, writing and posting to my newsletter and
blog, promoting through social media, and snatching time to write. Then in the evenings while
my husband and I watch a show, I knit or crochet shawls for the prayer shawl ministry. After
we’ve gone to bed, I prop my laptop on my knees and quietly write from ten to midnight with no
distractions. I choose not to work on Sundays. My best writing schedules have occurred when
I’ve taken sabbaticals. One year, I enjoyed a full-month, summer sabbatical at our lake cabin. I
worked nonstop on one book in the mornings and on another book in the afternoons.

5. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?
Yes. Remember I said I was pegged as an expressive analytic? I can pull from either side of my
personality to form characters. I also use my analytical husband’s personality—how he performs
activities and how he thinks. In my first contracted book, Calculated Risk, I used my need to
express to develop the heroine, a marketing rep. I used my husband’s and my own introverted
nature to create the analytical and private hero, the actuary. I had so much fun writing that book.
I also note how people I know or meet do silly, emotional, thoughtful, mean, and bumbling actions and use them to develop characters.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Zoe M. McCarthy, a full-time writer and speaker, was pegged an expressive analytic in a personality test. Isn’t that an oxymoron? But it’s true. Zoe couldn’t survive without expressing her creative imaginings. Yet this retired actuary and introvert receives her energy from being alone in her home office overlooking the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains.

More from Zoe

The Putting Green Whisperer came about when my sister and I sat under a shade tree near a green at the PGA Senior’s Tour golf tournament. As we watched senior pro golfers and their caddies come through to putt, two young caddies standing just off the green with their backs toward us caught my eye. They talked quietly while their pros prepared to putt. He was tall and she was petite with her long blonde pony tailing protruding from the back of her pink ball cap. I day-dreamed how a romance might begin between the two caddies. I turned to my sister and pointed at the couple. “My next book will be about those two caddies.” My reviews of the book tell me readers who don’t care for golf enjoyed the romance and readers that love golf said I got the golf right.