Supernatural Spy Academy S. S. S.

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There are three key components required to get into the most prestigious, top spy academy in the world:

Skills. 

Strength. 

Survival. 

My name is Silver Spell Solange. No, I didn’t plan for my initials to be the same rank needed to enter the spy academy. But I would do anything to get into the one of a kind school. I have the magical capability of an Elemental Witch, the strength to kick anyone’s ass, and quick problem-solving skills to get my teammates out of any jam. There’s only one small problem – the other ‘S’ I’m missing.

I’m not a part of the supernatural race. 

After realizing the my only shot at my dreams is at the brink of extinction, I’m unexpectedly teamed up with a werewolf, a dragon, a fallen angel, and a hellhound. The four of them carry the assets and abilities I need to gain my spot into the Supernatural Spy Academy (SSS).

With the clock ticking and not much leg room for an SS score, I accept their bet, knowing I’ll easily handle whatever they request from me.

I didn’t think their bet would lead me to date all four them. 

It’s time for me to buckle up. This four-year roller coaster is about to begin, and its a bumpy one-way ticket to becoming the next “supernatural” spy.

About Yumoyori:

Yumoyori Wilson is a full-time author who has a slight addiction to bubble tea.

She previously was a Pediatric Registered Nurse, working her night shifts away and reading her kindle during her breaks. She decided to take the chance at becoming an author and is now working on multiple projects in various genres, including Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and more.

She lives in Toronto, Ontario and loves to bother her lovely Mother (also known as her Queen) and has many projects and plans for her readers.

Click here to subscribe to Yumo’s newsletter.

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Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC, International.

I stared at him as he continued to focus his attention on the screen. Any other person surely would have made conversation with him, especially when he was so attractive, but I wasn’t those types.

He sniffed the air, wrinkling his nose. “Too clean.”

“Come again?” I asked.

“It smells like bleach. Makes me wonder if someone died here.”

My baffled self just stared at him, unsure how he came to such conclusions. “Should I even ask?”

He looked at me and smiled. “Where I come from, if you smell bleach, it means there was a crime scene or murder in that place. The authorities use bleach and other chemicals to remove blood stains and body odors.”

“So…” I took a moment to put my evidence together. “You’re secretly a killer.”

He chuckled. How can a killer laugh so easily? He gives me all the red flags. Nikko would have annihilated him.

“No. Just observant.”

“And you like to sniff everything,” I commented.

“It’s part of my nature,” he replied.

There was an announcement informing us of our arrival in less than one minute. We both got up and I watched him put his backpack on.

“Then you’re a wolf?” I questioned.

“Nah.” He shook his head as he lifted his duffle bag. “Nice try, though.”

I wondered what he was, not getting a shifter scent off him. Whatever body wash or cologne he used still clung to his clothes, and I didn’t have his ‘go beyond the scent’ skills to surpass it.

The pod came to a stop, and we moved off onto the large platform. It wasn’t super busy, but even from this distance, I could see the huge school; the golden gates practically glowed from the sun that was higher in the sky.

Pointing to the large sign that read S.S.S. ACADEMY AHEAD, I declared, “That will lead you straight to the school. I’m sure once you get there, you’ll find someone who can help you figure out what you have to do.”

When he didn’t answer, I turned my head, a second before something soft pressed against my left cheek.

I must have blanked out for a few seconds; the sudden action made my brain overload and malfunction. The man smiled as he pulled back from kissing my cheek.

“Thank you, sweet-smelling Blossom. I really appreciate your kindness. Hope I get to see you again.”

“You…you just kissed me,” I blurted out.

“On the cheek, yes.”

“Is that like your way of showing thanks to anyone where you come from?” I asked. He grinned and shook his head.

“Nope. Only to someone you like.” He winked and fixed his bag that was on his back. “Hope to see you soon. Bye, Blossom.” He began walking away.

“My name’s not Blossom, it’s Silver!” I corrected, feeling my face grow hot.

He stopped and looked over his shoulder, blessing me with a perfect teeth-glimmering smile while his eyes danced with satisfaction.

“Nice to meet you, Silver.” He walked away, leaving me speechless on the platform.

If it wasn’t for the warning sound of the pod’s departure, I would have stood there for who knows how long.

Getting back on the pod, I sank into the same seat I’d been in on the journey here. It wasn’t until the pod was moving again before what had just happened finally sank in.

He kissed my cheek. Oh no. I told him my name?! I’m doomed.
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One Mystery Fest Key West Guest Will Nab Cameo Role in Next Gray Basnight Novel

MFKW_Gray Basnight - Author Headshot
Key West, Florida Keys – Organizers of the upcoming Mystery Fest Key West have announced that one Fest guest will walk into the pages of an upcoming novel by Gray Basnight, author of “Shadows in the Fire,” “The Cop with the Pink Pistol,” and most recently, “Flight of the Fox,” an “electrifying, propulsive and timely thriller” that one reviewer has called “worthy of Robert Ludlum.”
All who are registered for the Fest by midnight June 1 will be entered to win a cameo “character placement” role in the author’s next release, the sequel to “Flight of the Fox,” tentatively titled “Madness of the Q” and expected in 2020 from Down & Out Books.
“Since Key West is the final action scene in “Flight of the Fox,” I’m especially looking forward to my first Mystery Fest Key West festival. It’ll be that much more fun when I meet the winner who gets to be named as either a ‘good guy or gal’ or ‘bad guy or gal’ in the sequel. And I can promise there are plenty of both to keep the action moving,” said Basnight.
Basnight, a former broadcast newsman and actor is slated to be a panelist at the upcoming “Mystery and Intrigue in Paradise” themed Mystery Fest Key West, a gathering of mystery, true crime and suspense writers and fans set to take place in Key West, Florida, June 28-30.
All Mystery Fest Key West panels and presentations will take place at The Studios of Key West, a center for the arts located in the island’s historic Old Town district. Event registration is $195 and includes all panels, presentations, a lunch and a brunch, and social events.Sponsored by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, the Key West Citizen daily newspaper, the Helmerich Foundation, The Gardens Hotel, The Laureate Key West, and Margaritaville Key West Resort and Marina. For a full Fest schedule, online registration, and details on the Fest’s 2019 Whodunit Mystery Writing Contest,

visit MysteryFestKeyWest.com.

MFKW_Gray Basnight - Author Headshot

via Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Easter Parade Blog Party – Saturday 20th April and Monday April 22nd 2019 – Party Time.

a Review for The Haunting of Elmwood Manor by Pamela McCord

The Haunting of Elmwood Manor
Pamela McCord
(a Pekin Dewlap Mystery)
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: March 1st 2019
Genres: Middle-Grade, Mystery

Pekin Dewlap hasn’t seen a ghost since she was twelve. But she’d do anything to get them back. Starting a ghostbusting business with her two best friends, Amber and Scout, seems like the perfect way to accomplish her goal. Of course, playing with ghosts isn’t high on their wish list, so Pekin has to do some arm-twisting to get them on board.

Once committed, Pekin and her friends find themselves in deep, trying to solve the disappearance of fourteen-year-old Miranda Talbert. Miranda went missing in 1918, and her spirit has wandered the halls of Elmwood Manor for the last hundred years.

In the midst of finding Miranda, discovering her budding feelings for Scout, and consoling a terrified Amber, Pekin is met by an angry ghost set on thwarting her plans. Will the Ghosties be able to help Miranda, or will Pekin’s business die before she solves the mystery?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks

MY TAKE ON THE BOOK

☆☆☆☆☆ Dewlap Mystery (The Pekin Dewlap Series Book 1) By Pamela McCord is a charming read. The young characters Pekin Dewlap, Amber and Scout are believable and embrace the curiosity of a teenage mind well.

Pekin’s passion about ghosts is not originally shared by her friends, here as well the author uses the teen qualities of convincing friends.

Miranda Talbert. Fourteen-year-old disappeared in 1918, and her spirit has wandered the halls of Elmwood Manor for the last hundred years.
Will the Ghosties be able to help Miranda? How many other ghosts will they encounter? It is book one in The Pekin Dewlap Series, I think YA readers will love the series.

I do not usually read YA but I do like ghost stories. As a mother whose son was a teen just a few years ago, I found the characters well rounded.

Author Bio:

Pam was born in Arkansas several decades ago. She’s not sure if that makes her a Southern Girl or if moving to Southern California when she was five revokes her Southern Girl card. She started writing later in life when she was challenged by a friend to create a book out of his story idea. Reaching the first 5,000 words was a milestone, but with time and hard work she managed to finish an entire book, much to her surprise. Since then, she’s written several novels, in several genres. Romance, middle grade and paranormal comprise most of her work. Pam has spent over 40 years working as a legal secretary at a law firm in Orange County, California. Aside from writing, she follows the stock market, buying, selling and trading stocks and options. In contrast to that, she loves trips to Las Vegas where she can spend many happy hours at the Pai Gow tables. She shares a condo with her very own My Cat From Hell TV star, Allie, who manages to exude just enough affection to make her scary feral ways tolerable.

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Caught in the Storm Rachael Brownell

Caught in the Storm

Caught in the Storm
Rachael Brownell
Publication date: April 9th 2019
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Goodreads / Amazon

Love can be blinding and by the time the truth shines through, it’s too late to escape. 

Fame.
Fortune.
Success.Is that too much to ask?

 

All I need is to catch a break. To snag the attention of someone important. Someone who can help make my career everything I want it to be.

Joseph was that man. Until the night the lights went out and I left with someone else. Someone who stole my breath and made me want for things I’d never considered before.

I should have known better than to trust a stranger. Especially one of his stature and class. Money means power and power means control.

Over my heart.
My career.
My entire life.

My dreams died the moment I agreed to his terms and a new chapter in my life began. I was blinded by my love for him and thought nothing would ever change the way I felt.

Then I uncovered the truth about him. About the kind of man he really was and the secrets he paid good money to keep hidden from everyone.

Now I’m trapped, with no way out.

Caught in the Storm

GIVEAWAY!

-Enter to win a SIGNED PAPERBACK ARC of Caught in the Storm!

Enter here!

Author Bio:

An award-winning romance author, Rachael is a midwest girl (yes, they say she has an accent but no, she doesn’t hear it) who loves to create amazing stories that tug at your heart strings. Keep your tissues handy.

When she’s not writing, you can find her on the golf course in the summer or cuddled up with a cup of coffee and her Kindle in the winter.

To keep up with what Rachael is doing at the moment, follow her on social media (IG is her fav) or sign up for her newsletter. bit.ly/2KDE5dG

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Mischief and Mayhem L.E. Rico

.99 for a limited time only.

Mischief and Mayhem
L.E. Rico
(Whiskey Sisters #2)
Published by: Entangled Publishing
Publication date: July 9th 2018
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Welcome to Mayhem, Minnesota, home of the Knitty Kitty, The Little Slice of Heaven Pie Shop, and O’Halloran’s Pub—owned by the four young women known as The Whiskey Sisters.

In the wake of her divorce, Jameson O’Halloran has gone man-vegan. And this is one diet she’s determined to stick with. Even when her long-lost ex-brother-in-law shows up looking like two scoops of double dutch dipped in chocolate… She’s not giving in. Been there and still wearing the messy T-shirt.

It’s been a decade since Scott Clarke left his family and his hometown, never to return. But when tragedy strikes, he finds himself dragged back to the land of gossip, judgment, and the one woman he absolutely, positively, without a doubt can never have. His brother’s ex is off-limits. He just needs to keep repeating that to himself until it sinks in.

Each book in the Whiskey Sisters series is STANDALONE:

*Blame it on the Best

*Mischief and Mayhem

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

EXCERPT:

The shelf is a little too high for my short self, and I’m only able to brush the dishes with my fingertips.

“Oh, here, let me help you with that…”

Before I can object, he’s standing behind me, reaching over me to get the dishes. For a brief second, his front is pressed against my back. His broad, muscled, perfectly sculpted front. I feel a wave of unwelcome warmth beginning under my collar and creeping up my neck.

“Thanks…” I murmur awkwardly, keeping my back to him for a moment longer in an attempt to quash my blush.

“Okay. I’m just going to grab a shower before my brother gets here, if you don’t mind.”

“Nope. Not at all,” I say quickly. “You go right ahead.”

Once he disappears around the corner, I silently smack my palm to my forehead.

What was that, Jameson? Why the blush? He’s just your ex-husband’s brother, that’s all. This is insane. I’ve got to stop this childish behavior. No. More. Men. Remember? No thinking about men. No looking at men. No fantasizing about men.

Especially not that man!

I’m still shaking my head and silently berating myself when I hear him behind me.

“Hey, Jameson, do you happen to know if my dad keeps an extra toothbrush around? I dropped mine in the toilet and…”

I don’t hear the end of his sentence because, when I turn to face him, I suddenly can’t hear anything. I’m too entranced by the sight of him wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.

Oh, crap, oh crap, oh crap… I am in so much trouble here. No men. No men. No men… I repeat the mantra over and over again in my head, but clearly the rest of my body isn’t getting the memo.

 

Author Bio:

L.E. Rico didn’t set out to be an author. In fact, she’s made a name for herself as a classical music radio host—doing her best to make the music and the composers relevant by putting them into a modern context. It was just a few years ago that she discovered a passion for writing that blossomed into an entire novel. And then another. And another. And, while she still spends plenty of time on the radio, telling the stories of the great composers, she spends even more time composing her own great stories.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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Bulwark by Brit Lunden

Bulwark
Brit Lunden
Publication date: January 24th 2018
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Thriller

Clay Finnes is the sheriff of a small town in Georgia called Bulwark. Recently separated from his wife, all he can think about is what went wrong, and will Jenna ever come back to him. He’s troubled by a bothersome reporter trying to build a story from what he thinks is a normal day in his life. Clay has to admit that the fantastical stories, told by an accident victim as well as unusual sightings of wolves, things are getting a bit strange. A visit to the ominous Gingerbread House makes him realize that his life as he knows it will never be the same.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

This book is part of the Bulwark anthology!

EXCERPT:

PRIMORDIAL SOUP

“It’s like a primordial soup,” Clay Finnes muttered, his hands on his hips.

“A primordial what?” Owen Bishop raised his hangdog face to look at the town sheriff.

“Primordial, ancient, prehistoric . . .” Clay looked at the deputy’s blank face and finished with, “old . . . really, really old.”

“Oh,” Owen shook his craggy head. His bulbous eyes looked like two hard-boiled eggs, and his hair was matted as if glued to the top of his round head. Owen never passed any of the tests allowing him to advance in the force. He was a deputy when Clay first got a job in Bulwark, right out of the army. As the promotions started coming, Clay eventually became his boss. He wondered if it bothered the older man to be taking direction from someone who had trained under him.

“You mean like dinosaurs?” Owen scratched his head. “Dino . . . no . . . forget it, Owen. What else did the couple say?” He listened to Owen drone on about the car that was now sitting in the middle of the greenish pond.

“Appears they were coming from the other side.” Owen pointed vaguely in the other direction.

“How could they? There’s nothing there. That road’s been closed off for years.”

Something was wrong. Clay wasn’t sure what, but a feeling of unease enveloped him until his body fairly vibrated with it.

Clay looked up, his deep brown eyes scanning the thicket of trees surrounding the strange body of water that seemed to have appeared overnight. He crinkled his nose; the pond smelled pretty bad too. It was a greenish color, like dirty army fatigues. It seemed shallow. He resisted the urge to stick the toe of his boot in the water. It was still, the surface like polished glass. The Ford Fusion was trapped in what appeared to be the deepest part of the puddle, as if the driver had tried to speed through it. Clay estimated the brackish water was about two feet deep.

“If they had skirted the edges, they would have made it through. He shoulda used the choke, probably got an entire engine full of water.” Once Owen started talking, he could go on about something forever.

“Where the hell were they coming from?” Clay muttered to himself. He moved away as if to see through the gloom. “It’s a road that leads to nowhere.”

He took off his hat, wiping his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand. It was hotter than usual. No breeze ruffled the leafy trees or relieved the stifling humidity that made his shirt stick to his back.

There was nothing—no sound, not the buzzing of bees or the droning sound of mosquitoes. Not a bird in sight or the croaking music of frogs in the late afternoon. When he got home, he’d mention it to Jenna—his wandering thoughts came to an abrupt halt. There would be no conversation. Jenna wasn’t there anymore. His family’s old farmhouse only had one occupant now. His wife had up and left him. Clay’s chest tightened, his throat closing up. His entire life changed and would never be the same. Losing Claire was just the beginning of the end. After that had happened, it was as though they were stuck in some nightmare and couldn’t get out.

“Well,” Owen continued, oblivious to his boss’s distracted air. “The car hit the . . . um . . . water, at a high rate of speed, I think. It must’ve started to sink.”

“It’s not deep enough to sink,” Clay watched his deputy scratch his bald head then turned to look at the enormous puddle. It covered the road from one end to the other. He chewed the inside of his cheek. He had to admit, it appeared larger than when he had arrived. It couldn’t be that deep, could it? Clay forced his attention back to Owen. It helped him stop thinking of his own life. “Where are they?”

“Over at JB’s house. The wife’s pretty freaked out.”

“JB?” Clay liked the retired football pro, had shared quite a few stories with the old vet.

“Over what? The puddle?” The interruption came from Dayna Dalton, a reporter from the Bulwark Advance. She was walking toward them, a camera hung around her exposed neck, a spiral notebook clasped in her hand. “Think somebody dropped a load of waste here?”

Clay looked at her. His cheek twitched. Her buttons straining, her clothes were so tight, they looked like they had been painted on her body. She shook her mane of red hair like an angry mare. He turned his gaze away, knowing it annoyed her. No matter how much she pranced around in her tight jeans, he wasn’t interested. She hadn’t done anything for him in high school, and she didn’t do anything for him now. Somehow, it never stopped her from trying to get him to notice her. Clay was tired of it. He sighed heavily.

She came around the back of the car, moving into his personal space. For a minute, Clay thought about backing up, but damn it all, he was the sheriff. He stood his ground, daydreaming how Dayna would react if he threw her into the stinky, green lake that had seemingly developed overnight.

Dayna repeated her comment about someone dropping waste. Clay shrugged indifferently then turned to Owen, ignoring her.

He could feel her bristling but refused to move. He dug his feet in the dark soil, his arms folded over his chest. “JB see anything? Maybe notice something out of place?”

Owen shook his head. “Nope. Nada. I asked. Been quiet. JB said this started small. Says he has a few pictures on his laptop he can send us.” Owen paused and then said, “Wait, he mentioned they had a wolf problem lately.”

Clay looked at Owen sharply. “Wolves, there haven’t been—hey!”

He saw Dayna take off, her feet scurrying around a clump of bushes.

“Dayna!” Clay called after the reporter, who was dashing up the incline straight to JB Straton’s cabin.

 

Author Bio:

Brit Lunden is also known as prolific children’s author, Carole P. Roman. She has published over fifty books.

Whether it’s pirates, princesses, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents, and her diverse audience of children. She hosts two blog radio programs and is one of the founders of a new magazine, Indie Author’s Monthly. She’s been interviewed twice by Forbes Magazine. Carole has co-authored a self-help book, Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing.

Bulwark is her first book of adult fiction.

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Scepters of Empyrea A Journey to the Andromeda Galaxy by Vignesh Ravichandran

~Book Blitz~

About the Book:

Scepters of EmpyreaEmpyrea, an island in the Andromeda galaxy belonging to planet Vathura is serene. Everywhere your eyes turn, you will feast on the lovely birds singing their heart out in the lush green vegetation. Osiris Mysterio ruled the regions of Empyrea with his brother Tyrant Seth and with their children Pitheceus Babi, Kraity Wadjet, and Horus Mysterio.

5000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians were the only humans to receive the invitation to enter Empyrea. They gladly on-boarded into a Pegasus chariot and took their journey to Empyrea. Their journey is indescribable. Empyrea by itself was like a fairy-tale garden, an ocean of flowers and exotic trees.

As the Egyptians went further inside Empyrea, they saw its netherworld. They had mixed feelings when they saw the triangle shaped tombs and the bizarre headhunting people. Empyrea also had the blood-curdling creatures like the deadly dinosaurs, gigantic snakes, furious apes, ruthless rhino’s, massive mastodons and many other creepy creatures. This showed the power of the Empyrean Army and that no other army could survive their wrath.

The Emperor Osiris and the kings ruled Empyrea with powerful Scepters. With those powers, they were not only considered as kings but also worshipped as Lords. The Lords with the help of their scepter had the crucial power to transform themselves into giant creatures.

Egyptians while departing from Empyrea was gifted with a shortcut portal to earth and also with some people and creatures of Empyrea to build the Empramids in Egypt. Overwhelmed with happiness they took the shortcut door and returned to Egypt.

However, the happiness was short-lived in Empyrea. The Empire of Empyrea was betrayed for ruling earth avariciously. Somehow the Emperor of Empyrea locked the shortcut portal and asked the Egyptians to safeguard it. The Egyptians, on the other hand, failed to safeguard the portal. And some gangsters accidentally opened the shortcut door in 2017 A.D, entered Empyrea, and inadvertently got access to the Lord scepters.

So, now the Earthians were left with no choice but to battle against the merciless predators and headhunting people in their heroic journey. Their ultimate fate lied in an empire beyond imagination. They would take their stand against the powerful lords, who brutally led their people to war against planet Earth.

Did the gangsters protect the earth from danger, or left the other world to accomplish their tyrant rule on Earth? Explore the world of Empyrea to unravel the truth behind this mystery.

Book Links:

Goodreads * Amazon

Meet Ekmali:

Character reveal- EkmaliEkmali with harder effects climbed the edge and ran all over the terrace for finding kalishka, but she couldn’t see any foot prints of it.

At last, she saw a blood filled mammoth tusk with a shell ornament on it. She picks it and closes her eyes, and a lovely visual comes into her mind, a naughty little girl playing alongside in the seashore and picking the shells from the sand, sudden water showers on her, but it’s not the rain, it came from the trunk of a kid mammoth with lush brown colored hair. The girl ran towards the kid mammoth and tying the shell ornament.

Ekmali opened her eyes, and the tears automatically poured out of her eyes, she noticed kalishka’s bones rolling down on the floor with its blood. She wiped the tears from her face, took the shell ornament and wore it like a bracelet and lifted the tusks of the mammoth, tied at her two hands from her elbow.

The sharp tusks are scratching down in the ground and leaving fire sparks in her fierce footsteps. She was ready to take on the foe army with the extra long tusks of her kid, she lunged like a saber and nailed the sharp tusks into the bodies of Dinomens and quetzals in a humongous force.

About the Author:

Vignesh Ravichandran

Vignesh Ravichandran is the author of the book Scepters Of Empyrea: A Journey to the Andromeda Galaxy. He did his Masters in Business Administration from a leading Business School and presently working as a Human Resource professional in a leading software organization in Chennai. He wrote this debut novel with the story line which he experienced in his nightmare 7 years ago.

Contact the Author:

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Murder in Tranquility Park (A Ferrara Family Mystery) by J.D. Griffo

 

MURDER IN TRANQUILITY PARK BOOK TOUR
April 1 – 10, 2019

Cozy Mystery

2nd in Series

Does this book contain and explicit language or adult scenes? No.
If a series – Can it be read as a standalone? Yes.
Reviews, 2 Author Guest Posts, 1 Character Guest Posts, 3 Author Interviews, 1 Character Interviews, 4 Recipes, Spotlights

NetGalley for Reviewers

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About the Book

Murder in Tranquility Park (A Ferrara Family Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (March 26, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1496713966
ISBN-13: 978-1496713964
Digital ASIN: B07F5XG3CQ
Alberta Scaglione and her twentysomething granddaughter, Jinx, love to spend time—and solve crime—together . . .

Ever since Alberta Scaglione inherited her spinster aunt’s Cape Cod cottage, she’s been enjoying the good life in Tranquility, New Jersey, with her black cat, Lola. But since things are mostly quiet in this town, she finds other things to do—like joining Jinx for morning jogs in Tranquility Park. She has to do something to stay healthy, as long as it doesn’t involve Jinx’s healthful tofu sausages and gluten-free pasta. But when they stumble across a treehouse hidden in the trees, and a dead body underneath it, they take a detour into solving a murder. Now the Ferrara ladies will have to exercise extreme caution to avoid a permanent decline in their health . . .

Includes Italian recipes from Alberta’s kitchen!

About the Author
Italian by birth, Jersey by upbringing, J. D. Griffo is an award-winning playwright and author who has written ten novels, over twenty plays, and a handful of screenplays that have yet to see the light of day.

Griffo studied Journalism and Marketing at New York University, graduating magna cum laude many, many years ago, as well as Creative Writing at the New School and Gotham Writer’s Workshop.

And the J. D. stands for the author’s mother – Jean Dolores – who absolutely loved to read and tell stories.

Author Links

Website – https://michaelgriffo.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Michael2264

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/j.d.griffo/

 

Chutes and Ladder: A Silicon Valley Mystery by Marc Jedel

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Author Guest Post by Marc Jedel

My book, Chutes and Ladder: A Silicon Valley Mystery, is a humorous murder mystery. Silicon Valley is not your typical cozy mystery locale and Marty Golden doesn’t fit the normal profile of a mystery protagonist.

Despite finding himself thrust into challenging situations, Marty isn’t exactly hero material.

He has a wonderful combination of wit, irreverent humor and sarcasm mixed in with nerdy insecurities, absent-mindedness, and fumbling but effective amateur sleuthing skills. With an active inner voice and not a lot of advanced planning, he throws himself into solving problems.

To get a better understanding of Marty and the Silicon Valley that he enjoys, I wanted to share 

Marty Golden’s Fun Yet Wacky Things to Do in the Bay Area / Silicon Valley:

  1. San Francisco Tiled Mosaic Staircases – Locals refer to these beautiful works of art as the secret tiled staircases. For Marty, the phrase “secret” or “do not enter” has always attracted him. There are several decorated staircases, but check out the one on 16th Avenue first as it’s the nicest, with amazing mosaics on the steps all the way up the hill.
  1. Eat Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bread Bowl, then watch the sea lions at Pier 39. You’re going to be hungry after climbing all those steps so grab some clam chowder in a bread bowl at Boudin’s. Then walk over to the sea lions next door at Pier 39. No, this isn’t a big secret but it’s still pretty wacky. After the 1989 earthquake, the sea lions took over a pier for their own use. Marty believes the earthquake was just the last straw for them. Not only was the ocean too cold, but they objected to the A’s beating the Giants in the World Series that year. They’re fun to watch and you can pretend it’s educational because you’ll learn the difference between a seal and sea lion. Try to remember the definition at least long enough to do item #4 on this list.
  1. Santa Cruz Mystery Spot — How could Marty not be attracted to a place that describes itself as a “gravitational anomaly located in the redwood forests near Santa Cruz”? Marty’s been several times — no kids required, although a child-like sense of wonder helps — and the hysterical guides and strange demonstrations are well worth it.
  1. Kayaking at the Elkhorn Slough in Monterey Bay — It’s not far from the Mystery Spot and it’s beautiful. You can rent kayaks or go on a Hydro Bike. Yes, ride a bike on the water. And, you won’t fall in. Marty prefers to kayak but gets a kick out of passing bikers on the water. You’ll see tons of sea otters, sea lions, and seals, not to mention birds. If you paid attention at Pier 39, you’ll even know the difference between them.
  1. Circus Trees in Gilroy Gardens amusement park. If you have little children and want a day at an unusual amusement park, this is the place. Marty stumbled across the wild “circus trees” displayed there. Their bizarreness was right up his alley. Look up the pictures even if you don’t visit.
  1. Computer History Museum or the Apple Visitor Center. You’ve spent all this effort to get to Silicon Valley so you’ve got to stop by at least one techie place. Marty would suggest the Computer History Museum if you like museums and history, or drop by the free Apple Visitor Center to look into their new spaceship campus. You could go to NASA’s Ames Visitor Center to see space stuff but Marty thinks the Apple building looks more like a real spaceship to him.
  1. San Jose options. Since none of the above sites were in the city where Marty lives, I wanted to share a few San Jose selections. You can also visit the Winchester Mystery House (a must), attend a Mystery Dinner Theater, or visit one of the many Mystery Rooms. Yes, Marty loves a fun, little mystery — as long as they’re not too scary … and there’s food nearby.

Chutes and Ladder and Uncle and Ants are both available free to Kindle Unlimited readers and will only stay at their promotional prices on Amazon during the Great Escapes tour so be sure to pick them up today. For more about the books or author, please visit www.marcjedel.com.

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For most of my life, I’ve been inventing stories. Some, especially when I was young, involved my sister as the villain. As my sister’s brother for her entire life, I’m highly qualified to tell the tale of this evolving, quirky sibling relationship.

My writing skills were honed in years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley. While my high tech marketing roles involved crafting plenty of fiction, we called these marketing collateral, emails and ads.

The publication of my first novel, Uncle and Ants, gave me permission to claim “author” as my job. This leads to way more interesting discussions than answering “marketing.”

My family would tell you that Marty’s character isn’t much of a stretch of the imagination for me, but I proudly resemble that remark.

Like Marty, I live in Silicon Valley and can’t believe that otherwise normal people would image005 (1)willingly jump out of an airplane and call it fun. Unlike Marty, I have a wonderful wife and a neurotic but sweet, small dog, who is often the first to weigh in on the humor in my writing.

Author Links

Purchase Link: Amazon 

 

 Chutes and Ladder:
A Silicon Valley Mystery
by Marc Jedel

Marc Jedel is hilarious! . . . I can’t stop laughing at protagonist Marty Golden, perennial and proverbial Feckless Hero. If there were ever a perfect illustration of The Fool card in Tarot, Marty is it!
~Mallory Heart’s Cozies

. . . an original take on an amateur investigation that kept making me giggle all the way to the surprising end. Great for fans of cozies looking for something different.
~Books a Plenty Book Reviews

The book is fast paced and full of humor. The author keeps us guessing as to what has really transpired, and it’s not until the very end that the details are revealed.
~Carla Loves To Read

OMG!!! This book is hysterical…yes, it’s a mystery, but I can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud at Marty Golden!
~Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews

Chutes and Ladder is an entertaining story with quirky characters, zany incidents, witty dialogue, and guaranteed giggles.
~The Avid Reader

Think Sheldon Cooper, Clark Griswold, and Columbo all rolled into one. This nerdy, intelligent, goofy, silly man, will have you laughing your butt off.
~Lisa Ks Book Reviews

Chutes and Ladder by Marc Jedel is a riveting new cozy mystery. It isn’t like any cozy that I have read, but it is entertaining.
~Baroness’ Book Trove

I love Marc Jedel’s storytelling skills . . . If you are looking for a quirky cozy mystery with oodles of laughter and a super funny sleuth, look no further, for Chutes and Ladder is here!
~The Book Decoder

The book is fast paced and full of humor. In many ways, I could see this book being played out as a movie, with Jerry Lewis starring as Marty.
~Literary Gold

The book was a quick and enjoyable read that pulls you in to see what Marty is going to do next!
~Community Bookstop

I enjoy Marty’s quirkiness because it adds that little something that every story needs to make it stand out.
~Storeybook Reviews

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