Thursday, January 14, 2021

Book Tour/Giveaway - Wired By The FBI by Glenn Painter

 


 

Wired by the F.B.I. by Glenn Painter 

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GENRE: Mystery/Suspense, Thriller

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BLURB: Christian Romano lives his life as a con-artist, burglar, drug dealer, and a ladies' man, using his good looks to con wealthy women out of jewels and money. When he is arrested and jailed in one of the most violent jails in the U.S. (Cook County in Chicago), a steamy affair begins with a nympho female jail guard. When he loses control of the romance, Christian must end the affair by reporting her to Internal Affairs. It turns out that she is already under suspicion for supplying drugs to various gang members inside the jail. He has to decide if he is "rogue" enough to help set her up for arrest. Meanwhile, the FBI wants to recruit Christian to gather information against a sadist ex-cop, Scott Mason, who has been arrested for murder. The risk? Christian must wear a wire and testify. The reward? Witness protection for Christian and his girlfriend and a modification of his prison sentence. Will Christian risk his life for a chance at freedom? Will the female sheriff "get even" with him? Or will his life end at the hands of the jail's drug lords or a lunatic former cop? 

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Excerpt: Something’s wrong, my intuition told me, as I stepped out of the stairwell and into the chaotic frenzy of the main hallway running under Division One of the Cook County jail. 

Sergeant Ricky Walsh opened the heavy, rusted steel door leading to the death trap—that is A-B stairwell—then turned to me. “Romano, take the stairs down four flights to the bottom, I will meet you there.” 

There are four sets of stairs that lead to the main boulevard on the first floor. They are legendary for the infamous men who have been butchered there, the bloodstained walls are a testament to the violence that is the norm in this building. As I begin my descent down the narrow and poorly lit stairwell, the thought hits me: At least half a dozen men have been stabbed in this exact place. The words taunt me as I step slowly down the stairs so that Walsh will have time to beat me to the first floor in the old, decrepit elevator. 

When I finally make it down, I breathe a sigh of relief. But it is not Walsh waiting at the huge, steel door I am to exit. Instead of the old mick—who looked and walked like a bulldog with his perfectly groomed hair and mustache—it was one of the lackey guards. They would often hang out on the main floor waiting to proposition some poor woman coming to visit her man. I open the door and step through quickly, not wanting to arouse suspicion. But my heart hangs in my throat. 

During my trip down the stairwell, the heavy steel recorder slid down my pant leg, stopping on top of my right foot. The ACE bandage, meant to hold it in place, was also dangling and ready to pop out for everyone to see. Panic set in as my mind processed a million thoughts, but I couldn’t break my stride. 

It was common knowledge that this is where inmates often came out stabbing when sent to attack a guard by one of the gang bosses. Looking past the guard, I saw Sergeant Walsh bearing down on us as fast as his stubby legs would carry him. 

“Hey Walsh,” I said, “the food poisoning is getting worse, I’m gonna puke all over this guy.”ng around to see what was going on. These guards tolerated zero bull, especially from a smart-ass like me. 

 I decided that it was quicker and easier to shove the recorder under the waistband of my jail pants and pray it would stay. After splashing water on my face, I poked my head out. 

Walsh fell right in line with my cover. “We’re going to the hospital, come with me!” he bellowed. 

I exited the closet, pushing the recorder into my torso as we walked past another guard. We traveled down the long hallway. Once we were far enough out of earshot, Walsh found an unoccupied attorney visiting room. As he opened the door, I scurried to the far corner. 

“The hallway is clear!” Walsh yelled. I pulled the recorder from my waistband and looked at it with disdain. Then I wrapped it tight with the ACE bandage. Although the long recording wires had to be reconnected and it only took a few moments, it felt like forever. 

Then it hit me: I’m wearing a wire against one of the most violent hitmen Chicago has ever known, and this prick had been a Chicago cop. He probably knows every person who works in this jail. Getting whacked in a place like this costs less than a carton of cigarettes. What the hell have I gotten myself into? But there was no backing out, and I still had to get back to my tier. 

 Walsh looked at me, his brow furrowed. He quietly asked, “You alright, kid?” 

“I better be. I signed a deal with the devil, and it’s time to pay up.” 

I drew in a deep breath as we headed to the hospital, so we could sign in and make it look legit. How did my life get to this point? I wondered as I followed Walsh. Growing up in Chicago, I was exposed to police corruption, murder, drugs, gangsters, and sex, oh yes, lots and lots of sex. I had no clue of what awaited me, but my unsavory legacy was about to go down in history like crap down a toilet.

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From The Author:

INTERVIEW 10

 

Q/What would you find under your bed?

Carpet!

Q/What was the scariest moment of your life?

When I was coming down from the attic, I missed a step and fell to the concrete floor below.

Luckily, I landed on my ‘butt’ or I really would have been hurt.

Q/Do you listen to music while you drive?  If so, what?

Yes, I have a CD player in the trunk of my Jag.  I have several Sinatra and Michael Bublé CD’s.  Does that give you an idea of what kind of music I like?  There are not too many songs out now that I would not even think of buying or listening to.

Q/What is something you’d like to accomplish in your writing career next year?

I would hope that one of my books would get picked up by a movie producer

Q/How long did it take you to write this book?

After I finished all the research and travel to Chicago, the actual writing of the book only took about 6 months. 

 


 

 AUTHOR Bio and Links: Glenn Painter is single and lives in Central Florida. He became interested in writing at an early age but did not make it his career until 2014 when he published his first book, Beyond the Sentence. Glenn has written this story from the notes by the man who actually lived it. However, extensive research was also require in order to make the story factual. Glenn has also founded a company, ‘Prisoner Civil Right Services.’ He is an advocate for incarcerated individuals who have had their rights violated. He is in constant contact with these individuals, their families and the council. Most of his stories are inspired by ‘factual events’ that have happened to these individuals. This makes his stories both fiction and non-fiction. Glenn says that writing is very challenging, and you must love the trials and tribulations that come with it. He believes that patience, perseverance and determination are required essentials to see a book through to being published. The journey is just as important as the destination. 

Website: http://www.gapainter.com 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Glenn-Painter/e/B00NETNKU6%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9875593.Glenn_Painter 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/author2663

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One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 or $100 Amazon/BN.com gift card. 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Book Tour/Giveaway - ALL BAGS GO TO CLEVELAND by CS Hale

 


 

ALL BAGS GO TO CLEVELAND by CS Hale 

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 GENRE: paranormal romantic comedy 

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BLURB: Angela Grimalke appears more blonde bombshell than the gremlin she is. But there is no denying her supernatural truth after her clumsiness gets her fired from her modeling career. Forced to work for her family’s upscale airline, she spends her days slinging luggage and wishing her parents would get off her back about finding a nice gremlin guy to settle down with. 

Relationships were the last thing on her mind, not that her family would accept that. 

For Dave Ford his frequent business travel made it next to impossible for him to find a woman who could tolerate his chaotic schedule. Which is why he appreciates Angela. Neither of them are looking for love, but Dave feeds Angela's addiction for chocolate while she provides him with the chaos to keep him on his toes. 

However, as Angela’s parents bombard her with a parade of "eligible" gremlin men at their weekly family dinners, she finds herself torn between who she longs to be and her family’s expectations. Will she give in and live the life of magic they want for her? Or risk it all by to confessing to Dave that she isn’t human? 

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Excerpt: “You owe me.” 

Angela glanced up from her computer screen. Dave Ford stood in front of her. The blood drained from her face. “Do I?” She raised her “helpful” smile. 

“Yes.” Dave handed over his passport and put the Louis Vuitton garment bag on the scale. “Last time, you sent my bag to Cleveland.” 

“The system isn’t perfect,” Angela said, punching Dave’s information into the computer. “Things do happen sometimes.” 

“You control the system. I think you owe me a glass of wine for having to find a tailor at six a.m. I had a nine o’clock business meeting and just my jeans and sweatshirt.” 

 “Hmm. By that reckoning, I think I’d owe the tailor for having to get you a functional suit so quickly at that early hour.” 

 “I tipped him £100. Least you can do is buy me a glass of wine in return.” 

Angela lifted her gaze. Dave—all six feet of him with his fabulous hair— had a hopeful expression on his face. 

“I’m not in the habit of buying strange men alcohol.” 

 Dave stuck his hand out. “Hi. Dave Ford. Business traveler.” Angela laughed. “All I’m asking for is a glass of Malbec. Or maybe pinot noir. Small price to pay in comparison to my having to fight off jet lag via acupuncture.” 

“Acupuncture?” 

Dave shrugged. “It was early for the tailor. His aim wasn’t quite what it could have been.” 

Angela dipped into Dave’s mind. The tailor had stabbed him a couple of times. And Dave was playing with her. He wanted to see what she’d do. 

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From The Author:

If you could apologize to someone in your past, who would it be? Hmm. That’s a tough one. I’ve been bullied most of my life so I have always tried to be kind to others. I can’t think of anyone in particular that I’ve left hurting. If I have, I’m sorry!

If you could keep a mythical/ paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have? I have always been jealous of Diana Bishop’s firedrake Cora in Deborah Harkness’s All Souls Trilogy. I don’t know that I would have been able to release her like Diana did.

How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this particular genre? I think most authors have their own voice. I guess that can become difficult in a really popular genre so I’m lucky that paranormal rom com is fairly new. I’ve always tended to be more of a genre blender than someone who follows the trends.

What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received? I think the best and worst advice were one and the same. I had a beta reader on All Bags Go to Cleveland tell me that I needed to write more scenes like one particular one. She was absolutely right, but I had no idea what had made that scene so engaging in the first place and neither did she. After sitting in the drawer for five years, my writing skills improved, and I realized that what made that scene so engaging was its deep POV. Hopefully there’s a lot more of that in Cleveland now.

Are the experiences in this book based on someone you know, or events in your own life? I borrowed a lot from myself and others for Cleveland. Angela has pieces of me and CJ Redwine (we’re both total klutzes). Dave was based on the Dave who originally gave me the idea and a friend from high school who has worked as the head of international HR for several global companies. I also sprinkled in lots of real places I have been to in New York, London, Paris, and even Heidelberg. 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links: Catherine “C.S.” Hale has been writing fantasy since she could hold a pencil. When not holed up in a comfortable corner writing all her books out by longhand, she can be found somewhere by the sea, enjoying tea and pastries. 

Website: cshalebooks.com 

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CatSHale 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorcshale 

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FVDJL54 

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 A randomly drawn winner will receive a $50 Amazon/BN GC: 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, January 4, 2021

Book Tour/Giveaway - Gumbeaux Love by Jax Frey


Gumbeaux Love by Jax Frey 

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GENRE: Southern Women's Fiction 

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BLURB: The adventures of the Gumbeaux Sistahs continues. Five, fiery southern women wage wars against their unique problems using their improbable friendships, hilarious evil-genius schemes, strategy sessions with oh-so-many cocktails, and a shared passion for good gumbo. Single, Southern artist, Judith Lafferty, casually confesses to her Gumbeaux Sistahs that she is occasionally lonely and would like to fall in love again. Seriously - you'd think she would know to keep her mouth shut around these women by now. The sistahs tackle her problem along with their own with their usual unreasonable, extreme plots and schemes, including a kidnapping, a cupid costume, trying out pick-up lines at the cheese counter, and blind dates from hell. In helping out their friend, the sistahs help each other out as well and bring to light the many flavors of love in all of our lives. Be ready for twists, turns, laugh-out-loud times, and heart-wrenching moments. You'll be sure to recognize yourself and your best friends in the unstoppable sistahs.

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Excerpt: Judith rinsed her juice glass in the kitchen sink just as the doorbell rang. “Who in the world at this hour?” she thought, shaking her head and glancing at the clock on the wall. “It’s not even eight o’clock.” She walked to the front door and started to open it, but before she could swing it open all the way, a hand clutching a paper coffee cup shoved its way inside, barely missing her face. “What?” she yelped. Then she laughed. “Oh no, are you kidding me?” She opened the door to five Gumbeaux Sistahs, including Bea, Helen, Dawn, Lola, and Trinity who stood on her front stoop holding coffee. It was especially a surprise to see Trinity there since she lived across the lake and had a long way to come. But the most unexpected thing of all was Dawn, who stood there looking embarrassed as all get-out, wearing a big, red Cupid costume. “Not again!” said Judith, rolling her eyes and remembering that this was exactly the way that the sistahs had originally kidnapped her and become her best friends in the world. Dawn grimaced and said, “I don’t know why I’m always the one who has to wear a stupid costume.” 

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From The Author:

What inspired me to write the Gumbeaux Sistahs novels?

First you have to know that I’m an artist. So, about nine years ago I created a series of paintings I called the Gumbeaux Sistahs.  They were images of strong, supportive, fierce women having the time of their lives together. I painted many versions of the Sistahs over the years.  Then about two years ago I realized that the women had a story to tell – not just a visual story, but a pen-to-paper one. The story haunted me for a while until one day I just threw up my hands and said, “Alright, already!  I’ll write it!” That’s how it started.


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AUTHOR Bio and Links: Born in New Orleans, Jax came into this world with a sense of celebration of southern culture, food, family and fun. Translating that celebration into her writing and onto canvas is her true calling. Her colorful art depicts everything from her dancing Gumbeaux Sistahs paintings to her popular line of original Mini paintings of southern icons. Because over 25,000 of the mini paintings have been created and sold into art collections worldwide, Jax holds a world’s record for The Most Original Acrylic Paintings on Canvas by One Artist from the World's Record Academy. Jax art and gifts can be seen at www.artbyjax.com. Jax is also the co-founder of the Women of Infinite Possibilities, an empowering women’s organization started in Covington, LA, where Jax lives today with her loveable, tornado-of-a-pug named Lucy. The Gumbeaux Sistahs' series of novels is a work of love for Jax After painting the Sistahs for many years, she finally gives voice to these women characters who have something to say and constantly make Jax laugh when she writes about them. 

http://www.gumbeauxsistahs.com/ 

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Gumbeaux-Love-Book-Sistahs-novels-ebook/dp/B08GJ9FZX5/ 

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Jax Frey will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway