by | April 21, 2016 · 5:00 am

SPOTLIGHT MOTHER TRUCKER BY Robyn Mitchell

mother trucker cover frt

 

BOOK DESRIPTION

Out of necessity Shelby Matthews, a beautiful, blonde mother of three grown children becomes an eighteen-wheel truck driver, finding out that leering eyes and cat-calls from the men aren’t as dangerous as the vindictive and territorial behavior of a female co-worker, Betty Burton.

On her first hauling job Shelby has an unexpected encounter, and finds herself the target of unwarranted revenge. As the threats quickly escalate into sabotage on her marriage and attempts on her life, including impending death from the cliffs of some of Utah’s highest mountains, the dangers of being a woman on the road emerge, will Shelby prove to be a true-blue, red-blooded American, Mother Trucker?

 

Mitchell, Robyn -mother trucker

Robyn Mitchell Bio:
Robyn Mitchell left the comforts of teaching in a classroom to explore the open road in an 18-wheel sandhauler. Her experiences and time on the road birthed Mother Trucker, a series of suspenseful thrillers based on the trouble and happiness Shelby Mathews—a well-educated, gorgeous blonde, wife, and mother of three grown men—finds while trucking.
Links:
Website: https://robynmitchellauthor.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mother-Trucker-Book-Series-ebook/dp/B01BYUFGI0
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MotherTruckerBookSeries/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbieTrucker

Chapter One:

The gunshots came down from the top of the hill into the pit, making it sound like a war zone. Shelby tried to look up to see what was happening, but the dust was thick from the spray of bullets that were hitting everything in sight. “STOP THE DAMN SHOOTING!” she yelled as she covered her head with her hands and put her face in the ground. Just how did I get here? She wondered.

“Ouch, dammit that hurt!” Shelby put the injured finger into her mouth and then quickly removed it. She looked at the nicely-painted, half-broken artificial nail. “I just had these nails done last week.” As she reached down toward her stuck high-heel, which had caused the incident in the first place, her purse slid from her shoulder, hitting her leg. “Stupid shoe.” She pulled at the lodged heel stuck in a crack of cement, near the rubber mat that lead into the grocery store.
Shelby hobbled into the store and used the handle of a shopping cart to balance as she replaced her shoe. Then she placed her handbag in the child seat. “What else can go wrong today?” she mumbled.
Just as she was about to push the cart forward toward the produce section, a hand gently tapped her shoulder. “Shelby? Shelby Mathews? I knew that was you.”
Shelby turned, catching her blonde hair in her old college friend’s ring. She pulled her hair away and the two women embraced each other. “Jayne Edwards, wow, it’s been like forever since we’ve seen each other. How are you?”
Jayne let Shelby go and smiled at her old friend. “Oh, it’s been too long. Funny, I’ve been thinking about you lately, which must be why we crossed paths today. I’m doing well. How about yourself?”
Shelby lifted up her finger for her old friend to inspect. “Just hanging in there really, and this little mishap is the icing on the cake for me, I think. My father always told me I was a magnet for mishaps and mischief.” The two women laughed. Shelby was glad to see her friend, but with everything that had happened over the last few weeks, all she really wanted to do was burst into tears. “Trying to keep my chin up and move forward.”
Jayne could tell that her college chum needed to talk. “Hey, why don’t we find a seat over at the coffee bar and chat?”
“That sounds wonderful, I would love to catch up. Steven, my son is home with Jack, so I’m sure he won’t need me for anything for a while.”
The two women ordered their coffee and took their cups to an empty table. When they were settled, Jayne began, “Last thing I remember was you marrying Jack Mathews, and I think you sent me a couple of e-mail announcements, about the birth of some children.”
“Yes, I married Jack, and we have three boys—all grown up. She paused, “Jack just came home from the hospital a few weeks ago—heart attack.”
“Oh, no. How is he? How are you?”
“We’re coping…trying to keep things running smooth. I’m a teacher, and Jack—well, Jack used to be an executive in his company. He’s been with them since we got married, but right now he’s on long-term disability. Believe me, that isn’t easy financially either. I had to take a job at a local convenience store to help supplement, so we can at least pay most of our bills.”
“That’s terrible. It’s a shame that teaching just doesn’t pay like it should. I remember when I got divorced it was nearly impossible to keep up on just one check. That’s why I changed careers.”
Jayne and Shelby sipped at their coffee.
“Tell me about those boys,” Jayne said.
Well, we have three now. Jack Jr. the oldest looks and acts just like Jack. He has two children. Can you believe it? Me, a grandma.”
“Congratulations!”
“Mark, the middle boy is a Marine. He’s more like me. He got leave when he learned of Jack’s heart attack; we just sent him back to North Carolina.” Shelby sipped her coffee again, holding back the tears she wanted to shed. “We’re very proud of him. It’s amazing how much being a soldier has changed him. He’s so grown up, yet so young.”
“Wow, has he seen combat?”
“Yes, he was in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
“At least he’s safe on American soil now, right?” Jayne took another sip of her coffee. “So, what’s the youngest boy like?”
“Steven. He’s in college, and he still lives at home. He’s my quiet man.”
“Sounds like you’ve been busy,” said Jayne. “I’m sorry to hear about Jack—“
“We’re taking it one day at a time.”
Jayne put her hand on Shelby’s. “He’ll be okay. One day at a time is all you need to be doing right now. Have faith, Shelby.”
“Thanks…so what have you been up to all this time? I feel really bad I haven’t kept in touch.”
“Well, I got married…but it wasn’t a good marriage. Like I said, I got a divorce, but I have a great son out of it, and I’m glad I’m on my own. I drive a truck for a living now, so I get to see a lot of the states and make a good living at the same time. Life’s been good to me health-wise, and I enjoy every day that I’m given.”
“You’re a truck driver?” Shelby said, shocked. “Are you telling me that you drive one of those great big things all over the country?” She gaped at the smart, pretty woman who sat in front of her.
Jayne grinned. “Yep, I’m a big eighteen wheel truck driver. I drive all over the country, and I love it. Besides getting to see a lot of great things, I meet nice people and get paid really well for just delivering stuff from one side of the country to the other.”
“Wow!”
“Don’t be so shocked,” Jayne said. “A lot of us women are driving rigs now, especially single women who have to take care of their families. Truck driving is a good way to make a living, even for those of us with college educations.”
Shelby sat back and studied her old friend. Before her was a happy, healthy, educated, put together woman. “I hope I haven’t offended you. I guess I’m just a little confused. Hell, I know women work in almost every industry these days; you just don’t seem the type.”
Jayne laughed. “Well, I am. After my divorce, I had to find something that paid well if I was going to raise my boy and send him to college. My job as a college professor just wasn’t cutting it financially.”
“You make more driving a truck than you did teaching at that community college?”
“You bet. At least twice as much.”
Shelby wanted to know more. She looked at her watch. Time to get back to Jack. “Jayne, I would love to continue this conversation with you. May I have your number so we can talk? Or maybe you can come by my house sometime and we can have coffee again?”
Jayne reached in her purse and pulled out a business card. “Here. I own my own trucking company, and although I’m gone a lot, I’d love to talk with you again. Call me any time. I’ve always had a special place in my heart for you.”
Shelby took the card and got up from the table. Jayne got up too and gave Shelby a hug. “I’ll be in touch soon, I promise.”
Shelby grabbed her shopping cart and disappeared into the store.

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by | April 20, 2016 · 5:00 am

WHISPER OF SHADOWS by DIANA PHARAOH FRANCIS

WHISPER OF SHADOWS COVER

Will the Whisper of Shadows pull Riley in?

War is coming . . .

When the FBI uses an anti-magic law to arrest and torture Riley’s boyfriend, they have no idea what hell they are about to unleash. If Riley can’t rescue Clay before he breaks, the result will be a disaster of epic proportions.

With time running out, Riley and her family must rely on two people more likely to stab them in the back than actually help. And, even if Riley manages the rescue, she’s still got to deal with two kidnappings and the return of her dad from the dead–the same dad who’d been willing to see her dead to protect his secrets.

What’s a girl to do? Kick ass, take names, and protect those she cares about at all costs.

“The characters and the world building are fantastic.” –Book Junkiez on Edge of Dreams

“Good pacing, a complex and layered plot, and intriguing characters illustrate why the author delivers such amazing reads!” –Jill Smith, RT Book Reviews on Edge of Dreams

“A kickass thrill ride with magic, sex, guns, and mystery.”–John Hartness, Bestselling Author of The Black Knight Chronicles on Trace of Magic

Diana Pharaoh Francis is the acclaimed author of a dozen novels of fantasy and urban fantasy. Her books have been nominated for the Mary Roberts Rinehart Award and RT’s Best Urban Fantasy.Whisper of Shadows is the third book in her exciting new urban fantasy series–The Diamond City Magic Novels.

Book Description Courtesy of Amazon

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley for an honest review.

Whisper of Shadows (The Diamond City Magic Novels) is the third book in the Diamond city magic novels. The writing is beautifully done. It starts out with Riley attending dinner with Price at her Step-mothers house with her family. When dear old Dad decides to show up. Riley doesn’t trust her Dad, because he got married soon after her Mom was killed and later leaves his wife and children with out a word. He warns her that the FBI wants Price. This is when they her knocking on the door. Her Dad leaves before the FBI are let into the house. Price is then taken into custody and Riley goes to tell Price’s brother that he has been taken in. When Riley and Price’s brother is being chased on their way to see Price, they find out that they want Riley also. This book has a lot of action through out the book. Riley will test her magic to the limit. I was hooked from the very first chapter. Will they be in time to save Price or will they be captured also. Will the Whisper of Shadows (The Diamond City Magic Novels) pull Riley in? If you have not started this series, I recommend that you do. I give Whisper of Shadows (The Diamond City Magic Novels) 5/5 stars.

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by | April 19, 2016 · 7:14 pm

ARE YOU READY FOR HADRIAN’S RAGE?

hadrian's rage coverHadrian’s Rage
By Patricia Marie Budd
PRESS RELEASE
Once an oasis in a world of destruction, the nation of
Hadrian risks falling into disarray over its government’s
persecution of heterosexual relationships, in this standalone
dystopian sequel by gifted Canadian writer.
What if accepting yourself meant being rejected by
everyone you knew?
The nation of Hadrian is close to breaking point. After fifty years as a
relative oasis at the heart of a world polluted by disease and despair,
the death of Todd Middleton — a 16-year-old who dared to disregard
the laws prohibiting straight relationships and natural reproduction
— has moved many of Hadrian’s citizens to question the country’s
rules governing sexual equality.
These draconian laws have played an important part in keeping Hadrian prosperous and secure for decades. In
response to the Middleton incident, the government only furthers its anti-heterosexual laws to reassure
conservatives who fear their lives are being threatened. The backlash is severe, plunging the country into violence
as people attack those perceived to be abnormal and a threat to Hadrian’s stability.
A small group of activists band together to combat the rage and hate that surrounds them. When Hadrian’s last
surviving founder, Destiny Stuttgart, joins their side, it sends a searing message of solidarity to the long
persecuted heterosexual minority, and a stark warning to Hadrian’s pro-gay conservatives. The ensuing chaos
threatens to drag Hadrian into a civil war. But will those promoting the heterosexual agenda go too far, reversing
what Hadrian has accomplished, fracturing and catapulting it into the madness seen across the rest of the planet?
Hadrian’s Rage by Canadian writer Patricia Marie Budd is the arresting second novel in her Hadrian Series, in
which she explores the importance of human equality and the extent to which we will intellectualise and accept
the status quo in order to safeguard our own social interests, even if others are hurt in the process. By turning our
cultural and political norms upside down, Budd forces us to reevaluate our perceptions, our prejudices and our
treatment of those who are different. Inspired in part by the current Russian government’s controversial anti-gay
policy, her message is one of education, tolerance and acceptance, reinforcing our mutual right to live in peace,
regardless of our religion, race or sexual preference.

About the author: Patricia Marie Budd was born and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada. She studied mime in
Toronto and continued her theatre studies under the mentorship of Phillip Gaulier in London. Budd has taught High
School English since 1991, having been passionate about writing since early childhood; she has written for the
stage as well as novels, with her one act play produced in The Rhubarb Festival’s Special Event in 1984. She lives in
Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Patricia Marie Budd has previously written three novels, A New Dawn Rising,
Hell Hounds of High School and Hadrian’s Lover. Hadrian’s Rage (published by Clink Street Publishing May
2016) is available to buy online from retailers including amazon.co.uk and can be ordered from all good
bookstores. Visit www.patriciamariebudd.com for more information.

Frightening Facts in Stephen Emmott’s Ten Billion,

by pmb

I learned some really frightening facts from Stephen Emmott’s short non-fiction, Ten Billion. This book is not a sci-fi dystopia about the future. It is a fact based look at what is fast becoming our dystopian future. We will reach the unsustainable population of ten billion in just under thirty years. Emmott has even projected the deadly number of twenty-eight billion by this century’s end. I will, by that point, fortunately, be dead, but your children and grandchildren will not. Right now the planet’s resources are insufficient for supporting ten billion people, let alone twenty-eight billion.

When I was writing my dystopian sci-fi novel, Hadrian’s Lover, one of the criticisms I received was the overly large population I created for sometime in the 22nd century. Well, Stephen Emmott just justified that seemingly absurd number in his book, Ten Billion, by pointing out that “by the end of this century there will not be ten billion of us.” Rather, he goes on to say, “There will be twenty-eight billion of us.” I was eight billion short of this projected mark! The planet simply cannot sustain such a radically high number of humans. Emmott rightly warns us that we are “in an unprecedented emergency.”

A radical shift, he writes, needs to occur in the mindset of the business world in order for us to effectively combat the damage we are continuing to inflict upon our planet. “The rules of business,” Emmott explains, “urgently need to be changed, so corporations compete on the basis of innovation, resource conservation, and satisfaction of multiple stakeholder demands, rather than on the basis of who is most effective in influencing government regulation, avoiding taxes, and obtaining subsidies for harmful activities in order to maximize the return for just one stakeholder-the shareholders.” Like Emmott, I do not believe this will ever happen.

And yet, we must act. That is the key message Emmott addresses explicitly and implicitly on every page of his book. We are the problem and we must be the solution. If nothing is done then a crisis of pandemic proportions will be upon us. For, as Emmott evidences in his book, “there is no known way of feeding a population of ten billion.” Prior to this statement he pointed out that since 1980 world population has grown by a billion every decade (pp 25, 29, 32). This suggests that by 2020 we will be at eight billion, hitting the nine billion mark by 2030 and the impossible to sustain ten billion by 2040 (or sooner). I could still be alive, just turning 80. If not luckily lost in a stupor of dementia, I may well have the misfortune of being cognizant of our species final descent into madness.

This book is rife with examples of the irony of human action and inaction. One example given is what he refers to as the “irony of ironies”. Apparently “it takes something like four liters of water to produce a one-liter plastic bottle of water.” This, Emmott aptly describes as “completely unnecessarily” and goes on to call it “Water wasted to produce bottles-for water.” And, this is only one of the many examples of how we are overusing our planet’s limited fresh water resources. “In short,” as Emmott succinctly puts it, “we’re consuming water, like food, at a rate that is completely unsustainable.” Wow!

According to Stephen Emmott, there are three key reasons why the demand for food is growing (beside the obvious population growth): 1. People are eating more in developed countries, 2. People are consuming more meat than ever before, 3. Eating, particularly in wealthier countries, has become a pastime (Pages 70 & 71).

So, what are we to do? If we continue down this miserable trek as Emmott feels certain is exactly what we will do then all the dystopian fiction written predicting an apocalyptic future may become all too haunting true. Maybe we’ll wise up as a species sooner rather than too late and take Emmott’s advice in this book.

Purchase Emmott’s book on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345806476/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_img_sol_0
-pmb-

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by | · 12:36 pm

Delia’s Debt by Allison West – book blitz with giveaway

Delia’s Debt

by Allison West

Publisher: Blushing Books

Genre: Victorian (Historical), Romantic Erotica

delia's debt cover

Britain – 1851

At twenty-five, Delia has avoided marrying her betrothed. Her excuse: helping her father run his shop at the market. The few pence they have has run out and with no dowry, Delia doesn’t have many prospects, except for the one man she’s promised to, Fred Hill. She’d rather set herself on fire than marry him.

In secret, she’s been reading the newspaper and communicating with a gentleman across town that is in dire need of a governess. How bad could schooling a young girl be?

With a knack for thievery, Delia convinces her father’s coachman to take her to the train station, set out for an adventure far from home. Meeting the elusive and handsome Charles Hayward proves troubling as she learns that she’d stolen from him and will be expected to pay him back her debt. Charles runs a strict household and expects constant obedience. Discovering true submission and his desire to discipline, Delia finds her bottom bared far more than she’d like.

Not for the faint of heart, Delia’s Debt contains elements of age play, anal play, scenes of spanking, and graphic sex.

Amazon | Blushing Books

promo2

 

About the Author

 

Allison West is a #1 International Best-Selling Author in BDSM, Sci-Fi, Victorian, and Historical Erotica. She also writes young adult novels under the name Ruth Silver.

 

Allison West has been inventing worlds and writing stories for years. Her favorite novels are those that leave a lasting impression, long after the final page is read. You can find more about Allison on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Visit her website here:

https://spankingauthor.com/

 

Don’t miss these exciting titles by Allison West and Blushing Books!

 

 

Little Secrets

Jailed Little Jade

Enrolling Little Etta

The Nanny

Fire Licked

The Murderess

Betrayed by Blood

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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by | April 16, 2016 · 3:00 am

What are you reading?

Hello Book Junkiez!!!

I have a question for you.

What are you reading today?

Is it part of a series or is it a standalone book?

I guess I will go first. I am currently reading an advance copy of  Whisper of Shadows (The Diamond City Magic Novels) by Diana Pharaoh Francis.

War is coming . . .

When the FBI uses an anti-magic law to arrest and torture Riley’s boyfriend, they have no idea what hell they are about to unleash. If Riley can’t rescue Clay before he breaks, the result will be a disaster of epic proportions.

With time running out, Riley and her family must rely on two people more likely to stab them in the back than actually help. And, even if Riley manages the rescue, she’s still got to deal with two kidnappings and the return of her dad from the dead–the same dad who’d been willing to see her dead to protect his secrets.

What’s a girl to do? Kick ass, take names, and protect those she cares about at all costs.

“The characters and the world building are fantastic.” –Book Junkiez on Edge of Dreams

“Good pacing, a complex and layered plot, and intriguing characters illustrate why the author delivers such amazing reads!” –Jill Smith, RT Book Reviews on Edge of Dreams

“A kickass thrill ride with magic, sex, guns, and mystery.”–John Hartness, Bestselling Author of The Black Knight Chronicles on Trace of Magic

Diana Pharaoh Francis is the acclaimed author of a dozen novels of fantasy and urban fantasy. Her books have been nominated for the Mary Roberts Rinehart Award and RT’s Best Urban Fantasy.Whisper of Shadows is the third book in her exciting new urban fantasy series–The Diamond City Magic Novels.

This is book three in this series and I am so far really enjoying the story. For those that have not read anything by Diana Pharaoh Francis, she writes THE HORNGATE WITCHES SERIES, AND THE CROSSPOINTE NOVELS.

So now it is your turn to tell me what you are reading.

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