Lethal Journey by Kim Cresswell

Welcome to my blog, Kim. After reading Reflection, I knew I'd love Lethal Journey which can be pre-ordered for $.99 using the link below. What a bargain!

Lauren Taylor worked her way up to Manhattan District Attorney and was assigned first chair in the trial to prosecute mob boss, Gino Valdina, for murdering his wife. What mobster sits back and waits to be convicted? Kim Cresswell gives us plenty of people to eye with suspicion as possible Valdina cronies.

Detective Eric Brennan, Lauren’s former boyfriend, searches for his father’s killer while trying to protect Lauren from attempts on her life. Sparks fly between the two as they conspire to see justice done while not knowing who to trust. This book is an action-packed page turner with twists and turns to keep you guessing. I highly recommend Lethal Journey.

Blurb: 

A killer lurks in the shadows of Hyde Park, New York...waiting.

Manhattan District Attorney, Lauren Taylor, is about to take on the most important case of her career, prosecuting Gino Valdina, acting mob boss of New York's most influential crime syndicate.

For three decades, Gino Valdina has led New York's Valdina crime family. Since his recent indictment for murder, the leadership of the family is in turmoil, appalled by the death of one of their own, Gino's wife, Madelina. Without the support of the family behind him, Valdina will do anything to save himself.

But Lauren soon discovers, things aren't always as they seem when she's tossed into a mystery, a deadly conspiracy that reaches far beyond the criminal underworld and a journey into the past makes her a target...and anyone she's ever loved.

Lethal Journey Excerpt

September 1997

Rain pounded down.

Lauren Taylor squinted through the windshield, a backwash of water battered the glass. She flicked the wipers on high and tightened her hands around the steering wheel. With a quick glance in the rear-view mirror she noticed headlights behind her. The vehicle appeared to speed up, fall back, and then speed up again.

Her muscles tensed. “That driver behind us seems to be in a big hurry.”

Her father leaned forward in the seat and peered into the side mirror. “He’s all over the road. Might be drunk or something.”

“He’s crazy driving like that in this weather. I’m letting him go by.” She downshifted the Jaguar and steered onto the side of the road and rolled to a stop.

As the van raced by. A giant wave of water pelted the side of the car.

Her father watched out the window. “Christ, he’s flying”

Taillights flickered and quickly faded ahead into the blackened night.

With a quick glimpse in the mirror, Lauren steered the car back onto the road, her grip relaxed around the wheel. “That’s better.”

Her father repositioned himself in the leather seat and stretched his legs. “The Law Society’s dinner is next week. You going?”

God, the dinner. She’d bought an expensive navy and white designer dress for the occasion and even toyed with the idea of having her hair cut into something more sophisticated and polished for a New York district attorney.

“I’ll have to check my schedule.”

“Not good enough. I want you there, Lauren. My chance to show you off. Do some bragging, big time.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, Dad. Okay.”

“And don’t forget to bring a date for protection. Don’t want a bunch of drunken seedy lawyers groping you on the dance floor. And by the way, I heard Eric was back in town.”

Her smile faded as she remembered the annual dinner years before. She’d never forgotten a single detail of that night—how Eric held her in his arms and how his mouth devoured her willing lips then pulled away and left her mouth burning for more...

“What else did you hear about him?” she blurted out.

“Not much. Can’t even remember where I heard the news. Thought you didn’t want to talk about Brennan?”

“I don’t. I just wondered when he got back.”

Her father's jaw tightened. “Don’t know.” His voice turned hard. “Just heard he’s back.”

At one point in their relationship, Eric begged her to come with him and start a new life in Florida. She didn’t have the courage to leave her father and walk away from her job. Four years later, she was taking on the most important case of her career—prosecuting Gino Valdina, head of New York’s crime family, just like her father had done a decade before. But this time would be different. Gino Valdina wasn’t going to get away with murder.

The sky split and lightning lit the wet road. Lauren eyed the exit sign to Hyde Park.

The whining squeal of an engine roared from behind.

Lauren glanced over her shoulder. “God, that van is back.” She clicked on the turning signal and steered onto the off-ramp. Her eyes darted back to the side mirror.

Headlights swerved from side to side.

A shiver drove up her spine. She clutched the steering wheel.

“I’m calling the police.” Her father grabbed his cell phone out of the glove box and turned it on. “Damn it. I can’t get a signal.”

“Keep trying.”

The van’s driver gunned the engine.

The grill came into view, massive and powerful.

Close. Too close.

Metal connected and scraped against the bumper.

The van shoved the Jaguar ahead on the road.

High-beams from the other lane blinded her.

Lauren blinked and turned her head.

The van rammed the back of the car. Metal popped as the back window disintegrated into the back seat.

The seat belt snapped across her shoulder. Her head slammed back on the head rest then forward. “Oh my God!”

The cell phone flew from her father’s hand. “What the—”

“Dad!”

Like a slingshot the Jaguar shot down the slick road.

Lauren slammed on the brakes.

The car slid a half circle and spun out of control. A massive tidal wave of water washed over the roof.

Her father clutched the dashboard with both hands. “The tree!”

She yanked the steering wheel hard to the left.

Wood splintered. Metal buckled, squealed and cracked. The air bag struck her body like a fist, and smacked her head against the side window. She pushed at it, viciously. With every move, fiery pain shot through her face and down her neck. The sickening sweet stench of gasoline and smoke filled her nostrils. 

Her head clouded.

Lauren heard her own voice, pinched and muffled, cry out. “Dad!” until her words drifted into silence.

 Bio:

 Trained as a legal assistant, Kim has been a story-teller all her life but took many detours including; working in legal and adult education before returning to her first love, writing.

Her debut thriller, REFLECTION, has won numerous awards. UP Authors Fiction Challenge Winner (2013), Silicon Valley's Romance Writers of America (RWA) "Gotcha!" Romantic Suspense Winner (2004) and an Honourable Mention in Calgary's (RWA) The Writer's Voice Contest (2006).

LETHAL JOURNEY was a finalist in From the Heart Romance Writers (FTHRW) Golden Gate Contest (2003).

Her action-packed thrillers have been highly praised by reviewers and readers. As one reviewer said, "Buckle up, hang on tight!"

               

LETHAL JOURNEY - A killer lurks in the shadows of Hyde Park, New York...waiting.

Pre-order at a special price of $0.99 - Save $3.00!

Kobo: http://goo.gl/o6Kd3P

iTunes: http://goo.gl/eIsBBw

Barnes & Noble: http://goo.gl/enh1HJ

Indigo: http://tiny.cc/py6s4w

______________________________________________

REFLECTION - Award-winning romantic thriller!  

MuseItUp Publishing:  http://tinyurl.com/ctwm5cp 

Amazon:  http://tiny.cc/hp6s4w

Kobo: http://tiny.cc/qq6s4w

Barnes & Noble:  http://tiny.cc/6q6s4w

iTunes: http://tiny.cc/7r6s4w

_______________________________________________

www.facebook.com/KimCresswellBooks

http://twitter.com/kimcresswell

www.kimcresswell.ca

http://kimberleycresswell.wordpress.com/ 

Here's a link to a Rafflecopter where Kim will be giving away two signed ebooks of Reflection.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YzFiNzNlOTg2ZDhiODZhNzRmNmNhNDg0ZjBlNjA3OjQ=/

Anything is Possible--I'm on tonight's news!

Anything is possible. @Leona_Pence's book launches today, but she can't type w/ hands. Story tonight on @WMBD31News. pic.twitter.com/ri8bAvFBW6

— Eugene Daniel III (@_EugeneDaniel) October 25, 2013

It's Launch Day!

Yes, the day I’ve been waiting for has finally arrived. Can you believe that I, Leona Pence, am now a published author? Pinch me somebody.

I’m planning a big Facebook Event soon with lots of cool prizes. I want my family and friends to celebrate with me. You are all invited— Instead of a launch party, it will be :

      Come  Celebrate With Me!

Date and Time details 

 Sunday November 3
12:30-4:30 CST

 Short excerpt:
They walked outside through sliding glass doors to the pool area.

“Would you like to go for a swim before dinner?”

“I don't have a swim suit with me.”

“We can skinny dip.” His eyes twinkled.

She grinned at him. “I don't think so.”

“There are a few more options. I could locate one of Katie's but...humm...I doubt
the top will fit.”

She picked up a towel from a stack and threw it at him.

“I can lend you a white tee-shirt that will cover you nicely.”

Stella laughed at that suggestion. She could tell by his face that he was visualizing
a wet t-shirt on her. “Next time, I'll bring my swim suit. I promise.”

They strolled around the pool and down a beautiful garden path that led to a
wooded area. A small pond came into view.

“We can fish for our dinner sometime in this pond. It’s well stocked and has to be
thinned out once in a while. Ducks are often gliding on the water. Katie loved to
watch them.”

“I’ve never fished before. Would I have to touch a worm?”

JB laughed and pulled her close. “No, I’ll be happy to bait the hook for you.”

MuseItUp Book Store : Hemphill Towers
Bump Off Your Enemies
The Darwin Murders
Facebook Author Page

Hemphill Towers Cover Reveal.

Woo Hoo! Hemphill Towers now has a beautiful cover, thanks to the talented Marion Sipe. Even though I’m deaf, I can hear the applause from my characters.

Quiet now, I know you’re happy. Riley, what do you think of the cover?

Riley: “I love it! Trent looks so handsome. Will Marion read this? If not, tell her she matched us well.”

I’ll be sure she knows how you feel. Are you excited that our book will be published soon?

Riley: “Oh yes! I can’t wait for people to read our story.”

Dierk: “Hey! Why am I not on the cover?”

Well, Dierk, you know everybody wouldn’t fit on there.

Dierk: “Yes, but without me, there’d be no book, and you know it.”

Trent: “Knock it off, Dierk. It was hard enough having to share book pages with you. We don’t need you to spoil our cover.”

JB and Federico in unison: “Amen!”

Stella: “Come on people. This is a time to celebrate. Let’s put the spotlight on our creator so she can tell us what comes next.”

Birdie: “I second that. Leona, a birdie told me (no pun intended) that we’ll celebrate the reveal with ‘Leona’ wine.”

Yes. I’d love to have a glass of wine with my characters. Even you, Dierk.

“No, thanks If I can’t share the cover, why should I share the wine?”

JB: “You’re absolutely right, Dierk. Goodbye, catch you later, maybe.”  (Door slams, followed by laughter.)

He might feel better when the book launches in Oct./Nov. We’ll have a big party then. Mayor Hemphill will be our honored guest. But for now, enjoy your wine.

Three cheers for my characters who made this cover reveal possible!

All:  "Hear! Hear!"

Hemphill Towers coming in Oct/Nov from: MuseItUp 
Anthology: Bump off Your Enemies 
Anthology: The Darwin Murders 

Meradeth Houston~Colors Like Memories

It's my pleasure to welcome Meradeth Houston to tell you all about her print book release. Congratulations, Meradeth!  The cover is beautiful.

Hi! *waves* I'm incredibly excited to announce the paperback release for COLORS LIKE MEMORIES. The ebook release has been a blast, and it is especially awesome to actually hold the book in my hands :) Here are three things I think you might find fun about the book:


1. It's got a pretty sweet cover :) And I'm rather partial to the blurb:

Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident—sort of.

Julia is a Sary, the soul of a child who died before taking her first breath. Without this 'breath of life' she and others like her must help those on the verge of suicide. It's a job Julia used to enjoy, until the accident that claimed her boyfriend’s life—an accident she knows was her fault. If living with the guilt weren't enough, she's now assigned to help a girl dealing with the loss of her mother, something Julia's not exactly the best role model for. If she can't figure out a way to help her, Julia's going to lose her position in the Sary, something she swore to her boyfriend would never happen.

2. There have been some pretty awesome things said about it (if I do say so myself, but I may be a bit biased). See:

-"...I applaud the author for providing a writing that has the power to encourage, inspire, help, heal and simply serve as a platform to stimulate communication for any reader (regardless of age), who is feeling hopeless. If you are looking for an interesting read, this book is well written, interesting and has several positive messages that the reader can take away from the story. I would recommend this book to any reader." TWC Amazon Review

-"Colors Like Memories was an amazing YA paranormal romance. It will make you soar with wings then drop you off and catch you once you get near the ground." Michelle Kullman Amazon Review

-"COLORS LIKE MEMORIES is an achingly beautiful tale of love, loss, and new beginnings. Meradeth Houston writes with a clean, clear prose that packs a punch. She carries her characters through the full spectrum of emotions, and the reader is swept along in the journey." RunningnWriting Amazon Review

3. You don't have to wait for book #2! THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE, also set in the Sary world, is already available, and you can grab a copy at Amazon, B&N, or my publisher MuseItUp Publishing. Book #3, SURRENDER THE SKY, will also be released soon :)

You can pre-order COLORS LIKE MEMORIES at my publisher's site: MuseItUp Publishing, or find it on Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Ebook copies are also available on all vendor sites!

Those are my three things, and if that's not enough to interest you, well, I've also got a little giveaway running for a book of your choice. Check out the rafflecopter below :)

A bit about Meradeth:
>She’s a Northern California girl, but now lives and teaches anthropology in Montana.
>When she’s not writing, she’s sequencing dead people’s DNA. For fun!
>She’s been writing since she was 11 years old. It's her hobby, her passion, and she’s so happy to get to share her work!
>If she could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because she’s terrified of heights.

Find her online:
Website : Blog : Twitter : Facebook : Pinterest : Goodreads


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Direct link to Rafflecopter.

Welcome TJ Marshall

It’s my pleasure to welcome Thomas J. Marshall to my blog. TJ has agreed to answer some questions and talk about his newly released book, Finder’s Tome.

Pull up a chair TJ and have a mug of coffee while we talk.

Do you take yours black or with cream and sugar? 
Leo, I love ya. Black is fine.

Let’s start by you telling us where you’re from and a little about yourself?
I’m originally from Illinois, but after 22 years of serving in the Army, I’ve lived just about everywhere. Currently I’m in Texas, near Ft Hood, and plan to retire from the military early next year here.  

How long have you considered yourself a writer?
I found out that I was a writer in January 2012 shortly after I enrolled in F2K. Sure I wrote a few things prior to that, but they were mainly just humorous letters I would send to my family when I was away, nothing I thought of as “story-telling”.

From the time I met you in F2K, I knew you were a talented writer. Do the words come easily for you? Any writer’s block, thus far?
Do words come easy… Well, that’s sort of hit and miss, many times they do. You see, when I write, I usually start off knowing the general idea for what I’m going to write about, maybe not the entire thing, but at least the concept. Then I get the characters together and “talk” to them, they usually know a lot more about the scene than I do. As far as writer’s block, I can’t say I’ve had that, although I’ve had a short period of what I refer to as writer’s fatigue, basically not being motivated, due to working too hard previously.

What genre do you write? Do you think you might try a different one for your next book?
My primary genre is fantasy adventure, but I’ve dabbled in a few other genre’s – Humor, drama, although I’ve seemed to steer clear of romance so far. I’ve even written science fiction before. I don’t have any plans to write a novel outside of fantasy adventure yet since I have two novels in the making right now that go along with my first book.

Tell us a bit about Finder’s Tome and what inspired you to write it.
Here’s the back cover write up I did for Finder’s Tome:

The Deadly Gates have been opened. An exiled prince plots the return of trolls into FourPosts.

Jacob “Feather” Moore is given an ancient book to read. It shows him where he can find Mandrake’s Key, an artifact with the power to relock the Deadly Gates.

In a race for his life and the future of FourPosts, Feather is pursued through caverns, deserts and foreign cities. Lost, hungry and desperate, he struggles to reach the Great Hollow and the portal it holds. His only hope lies in the visions given by a book called Finder’s Tome.

The original inspiration for this story came in 1994 when I took a creative writing class in college. The teacher had us free write for 10 minutes with the subject being the moon. I wrote two pages detailing this clumsy boy hiding in an alley who gets scared by a shift of light which later turns out to be the moon coming from behind a cloud. A version of that original free writing exercise can be found in this novel.

Do you write on a daily basis?
For the most part, yes, but what I write varies from day to day. I have a ritual that starts with waking up at 4 am, making coffee, and putting on some inspirational music. Then I write. Some days I may just be editing previously written chapters, others it’s working on new projects, but every day, I’ll do something writing oriented.

How has being in the Army affected your writing, if at all?
Being in an organization for as long as I have definitely has an impact on a writer’s work. It’s unavoidable. For me, I get characters and names. The army has people from all walks of life and from every culture. I’ve met some very colorful characters during my time in the Army. For example, one of my characters in Finder’s Tome, the elf king Kellian Par’Voua, is based off the mannerism of a bull-headed officer I encountered not too long ago. Also, being able to travel the world I gained the experience of many different cultures and landscapes. I chose to include a desert scene primarily due to my time in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Do your daughters read your work?
At times they do, but they are busy being kids. I’ve read many of my flash fiction pieces to them and they just loved the short story I wrote about a dragon.

Do you have a favorite Author? Did any one author inspire you to become a writer?
My all-time favorite author is JRR Tolkien, although I am a big fan of many, such as Stephen King, Dan Brown, Robert Ludlum, and who doesn’t like Douglas Adams? But JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit was what drew me to fantasy writing.

One word answers:
A) Motorcycles or SUVs? SUVs
B) Winter or summer? Summer
C) Hamburger or steak? Steak
D) Television or movies? Movies
E) Pie or cake? Pie

Do you have any advice for new writers? Something you wish somebody had told you?
Write what you like and don’t worry about whether it falls within the latest trends. Trends change more often than a baby’s diaper, and most stink worse too.

We’d like to see an excerpt from Finder’s Tome.
Sure. In this scene, Feather, having just finished fighting a band of hobgoblins, meets the half-elf Chelsey for the first time:


“Um Geoffrey, we might have a problem.”

“What is it?” He turned and saw the giant beast closing on them. “It’s a Wildebear. They’re said to embody the spirits of the forest. Where did it come from?” He raised the glass rod and pointed it at the magical creature.

An arrow struck the ground between the wizard’s feet. “Don’t you dare!” A female voice came from the trees above them.

Feather squinted, looking for the shadow he had seen earlier.

The ground thumped to Feather’s right. He flinched.

A woman stood next to him. She wore a long, brown and gray fur cloak over a thin frame and was as tall as Feather. Her auburn hair was pinned back from her temples, revealing long pointed ears. Almond-shaped eyes, the color of emeralds, held Feather’s stare. In her hands, she held a delicate silver bow aimed at Geoffrey’s chest.

“Who are you and why are you in my forest?” The elfish girl asked, her eyes narrowing.

Geoffrey’s lips turned into a gentle smile. “Looking for you I believe, Chesley Fa’Quin.”

Chelsey’s brow furrowed as she strapped the bow to her back. “How do you know my name?”

“You’re beautiful.” Feather clamped a hand over his mouth and looked down. His heartbeat pounded in his temples while his face heated. “I’m sorry, I just expected someone living in the woods to be more… rough-looking.”


Thank you so much, TJ, for being here today.
It was my pleasure, Leo. Thank you for having me.

TJ Marshall spent the majority of his adult life in the US Army, and during this time, had traveled to more than two dozen countries as well as visiting nearly every state. A veteran of both Desert Storm and the Global War on Terror, TJ finally decided to retire and start a new life in Texas with his two daughters Courtney and Shea. A newcomer to writing, Finder’s Tome is TJ’s first novel, but in the short time he’s been writing, he has produced countless short stories, one of which was the winner of an internet writing contest hosted by First Page Last Page. TJ is currently working on a second novel titled The Struggles due to be released in summer 2014.

TJ can be found here:
Finder's Tome

www.facebook.com/FourPostsAuthor

www.facebook.com/FindersTome

Welcome, Maryetta Ackenbom aka Mar

Please welcome my guest, Maryetta Ackenbom, who just released her new book, Georgia’s Hope. Mar became my friend several years ago during an F2K session. (Free writing course.) She and I have been Mentors there for at least three years.

Pull up a chair Mar, have some coffee, and let me quiz you a bit.


Where do you hail from? Tell us a little about you.
Leona, I’ve lived in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico for more than 15 years. Before that, I lived in a number of places in the U.S. and abroad. The world traveler is now staying home.

How long have you been writing, Mar? 
Can I say, all my life? I began to seriously write short stories about 20 years ago.
 
When did you start working on Georgia’s Hope?
I began it as a short story, some six or seven years ago.

Did you ever think of giving up? 
I despaired, occasionally, but never gave up.

Do you see a sequel in the near future? 
I can see a place for a sequel, but I think Georgia’s Hope is my one and only.

What other published works do you have to your credit? 
I’ve published about a dozen short stories in online magazines.

Give me a one word answer:
A) Coffee or tea? coffee
B) Dogs or cats? animals
C) Winter or summer? summer
D) Romance books: tame or steamy? no
E) Henry or Jerome? Jerome!

Do you have a favorite author or two?
My favorites are Somerset Maugham and Jean Auel, with James Michener coming in a close third.

Do you feel overwhelmed by the promo/marketing aspect of publishing?
Yes, I do, but I have to grit my teeth and start. Thank you for helping me with that, Leona.

Could we see a short excerpt from Georgia’s Hope?
This quote sets the beginning scene of the novel:

During the night, a rare ice storm had blanketed Dallas, changing our back yard into a crystalline garden. Dull browns of winter turned into bright rainbows under the light of the rising sun. More than half-an-inch of ice covered everything exposed to the weather—every building, every street, every tree limb and blade of grass had turned to crystal.

“Oh my God, it’s like a fairyland.” Mom pulled the drapes open a little more.

“If you’re caught in it, it’s a monster land. Mom, Mr. and Mrs. Gomez froze to death. I can’t imagine that happening in Dallas. The children are in the hospital. Will you go with me to see them?”

“How awful! Yes, right away. We’ll let Dad sleep—he’s had a hard week.”

We pulled on slacks, sweaters and parkas and wrote a quick note to let Dad know where we’d gone. I drove the Lincoln, hoping the car’s weight would help us negotiate the icy streets. Mom wrung her hands as I slid along, skidding several times.

A half hour later, I maneuvered the Lincoln into the lot at Parkland Hospital, usually a five-minute drive from our home in Highland Park. We slipped and slid over the walkway into the emergency entrance. While my mother explained to the attending nurse that she met the Gomez family at the Episcopal Church shelter, I studied the typical hospital waiting room. Here, they brought John Kennedy, dead or dying, just a little over two years ago. That thought, and the ice outside, made me shiver.

I heard the nurse’s voice. “The Negro family? In intensive care, right down that hall. What a tragedy—those poor babies!”

We hurried through sterile halls which smelled of disinfectant and something that I could only think might be fear. Uniformed medical personnel walked purposefully, and anxious relatives simply milled around. We soon came to the room where the youngest children lay, hooked up to oxygen and intravenous tubes.

Mom and I clung to each other and wept, as we stood and watched the pitiful small bodies. The two little girls were no longer black, but an unhealthy shade of gray. In a few minutes, one of the nurses slipped in and told us that two of the other children had died. An older boy was barely alive in the next cubicle.

Thank you very much, Maryetta. I hope you’ll come back to visit again.
Thank you, Leona, for lending me your time and space to talk about my book. I’ll stop by often.

You can find out more and grab a copy Georgia's Hope on Amazon.

Author Bio: Originally from Oklahoma, Marryetta traveled with her family to more than a dozen different places before she was 15. Travel suited her, so she joined the U.S. Foreign Service, spending time in Africa, Asia, France, and Mexico. Retirement brought her to Merida, Yucatan, Mexico more than 15 years ago. There, she teaches basic English to a small group, writes and enjoys the symphony and the cuisine as well as the warm climate and the equally warm people.