My friend Marat M’saev Daan wins an award: three-peat at the Featured New Book spotlight.

Man, Marat, you must like it up here. Best of all, you’ve got the charisma to carry it off.

Our third book from Marat is another book of poetry. Gotta love a man who can spin a poem!

It’s time… Marat, what song makes you think of your book?

I believe that every time this question was a herculean task for me because there are billions of songs out there and I need to pick just one. After very hard thinking I have chosen a song by Emeli Sandle “Read all about it”. I am aware of the fact that this song is not about love as my book is, but if we transfer lyrics to matters of love, we can see some connections. We don’t have much chance to read about true loves, to hear about them in news, . . . I do believe that we all should cherish it much more and nurse it. If we do this, the world we live in will be a much better place.

Yes! Not only a poet, but a man who believes in love. Ladies, what are you waiting for???

Here’s your description:

“Love, often is just another unattainable term that fears us. White light is waiting for us somewhere at the end of the tunnel that provides only over needed tenderness. It is up to us to acknowledge and accept is as it is because it brings us smile on our faces every morning while giving us strength to step into new day.”

Anyone else swooning, or is it just me?

Pick up a copy. Or two. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!
CreateSpace
Amazon
Smashwords (Affiliate link)

Connect with Marat!
Goodreads
FB Page
Twitter
Blog

Yep, we’re going three for three with the Lucky Charms anthology. I don’t know about you, but I sure hope the other nine contributors weigh in.

Today’s author has been a friend of mine for probably going on ten years now (wow). Annette Dashofy is one of the coolest, most persistent women I know. A true pro author, through and through. No one’s celebrating her recent string of success more than me.

Well, other than Annette, herself.

She’s not the music lover I am, but stay tuned for the song. It is indeed an earworm!

I firmly believe in the importance of a good title. I’ve had stories rejected over and over until I changed the title. Then they were picked up immediately. After a few of those, I make a greater effort these days to get it right the first time.

For me, titles either come very easy, often before the story completely forms in my mind—or they fight me tooth-and-nail. Nothing fits. Nothing sounds right. Such was the case with the short story I wrote for my local Sisters in Crime chapter’s anthology, Lucky Charms:12 Crime Stories.

My story involved the homicide of a woman who was thought of as sweet…at least to those who didn’t really know her. My protagonist, Officer Abby Baronick, knew otherwise. The deceased loved to stir up trouble by telling lies. Lies that eventually got her killed.

I had a blast writing the story, which included Detective Wayne Baronick, Abby’s brother, who also has a part in my upcoming novel Circle of Influence (Henery Press, March 2014). But when it came time to give this story a name, I was stuck. Thankfully, I have a great bunch of critique buddies who had read it and could brainstorm ideas with me.

Keywords from that brainstorming session triggered a musical memory. An earworm. The exact song title didn’t work, but with a slight modification, “Sweet Deadly Lies” was born. Now I can’t listen to the song without changing the words in my head. “Tell me lies, tell me sweet deadly lies…”

You know you need a copy… here’s the links:
Amazon digital

Amazon print

CreateSpace

Mystery Lovers

Barnes & Noble digital: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lucky-charms-pittsburgh-sisters-in-crime/1117388201?ean=9780991051311

Barnes & Noble print

Kobo

Apple iBooks

Get to know Annette.

As promised, there’s more fun from the Sisters in Crime chapter who are proudly appearing in the Lucky Charms anthology.

This week, I bring you my good friend Liz Milliron, who is known in other circles as Mary Sutton. Split personality? Nah. Just a different name for each genre she writes in. It actually makes sense, even if it makes it hard to find all of her writings in one spot. She’s worth tracking down, no matter her name. I promise (and not just because she handles a lot of the non-fiction editing for West of Mars!).

Now that the introduction’s done, let’s get down to business, shall we? Liz, what song makes you think of your book?

My anthology story, Batter Down (written as Liz Milliron) centers around the death of a player for a fictional independent-league baseball team. And nothing puts me in the mindset, musically, of baseball like John Fogerty’s Centerfield. This is a rocking rendition with Fogerty and Keith Urban. Now, obviously, Fogerty’s classic has nothing to do with murder, but I can’t think about baseball without this song running through my head. In fact, I’m humming the chorus right now, just typing this, and baseball season is only a glimmer on the horizon. The song just seems to capture the magic of baseball for me, hearing the crack of that bat on a warm summer night. And my protagonist, Jim Duncan, has in fact tuned in to the game for that reason – to listen to a little baseball on a summer afternoon, hanging on his boat with his canine buddy, Rizzo. Unfortunately, that’s not really to be. But, because of the baseball connection, it still makes me think of this song.

I have to confess: baseball isn’t one of my favorite sports, but I, too, think of Fogerty’s classic when the subject comes up. Which, since the Pirates did so well last season, has been fairly often.

Want more about the story and the anthology as a whole?

A record-breaking baseball streak takes a deadly twist when star player Johnny Pierce is found dead on the day he was set to break the team’s consecutive-game hitting record. Jim Duncan and Sally Castle team up to figure out if this was a random act of violence – or if Johnny’s streak meant bad news for someone determined to keep him from continuing.

Inside LUCKY CHARMS you’ll find twelve crime tales from the members of the Mary Roberts Rinehart Pittsburgh chapter of Sisters in Crime, Inc. You’ll dig into gritty police procedurals; enjoy a spangle of suspense; tuck into a cozy or two; and thrill to a cool touch of noir. Each story tells a tale of surprising good luck or of good luck gone sour. We invite you to brace yourself for an entertaining read.

You know you need a copy… here’s the links:
Amazon digital

Amazon print

CreateSpace

Mystery Lovers

Barnes & Noble digital: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lucky-charms-pittsburgh-sisters-in-crime/1117388201?ean=9780991051311

Barnes & Noble print

Kobo

Apple iBooks

And connect with Liz/Mary, too! You’ll be glad you did.

I’m tickled pink about a series of Featured New Stories I’ll be running here at the Meet and Greet at West of Mars. The stories all appear in the new Lucky Charms anthology edited by my friend Ramona DeFelice Long, and put together by a bunch of my local ladies: the Mary Roberts Rinehart Chapter of Sisters in Crime. Yep, I’m a member. And yes, I offered advice as the anthology took shape.

I offered the Featured New Book spotlight to the ladies lucky enough to make the editorial cut, and Paula A. Smith is the first to take me up on it.

So, Paula! What song makes you think of your story?

If life’s like a card game and not a gooey box of chocolates as others say, we have to play the hand that we’ve been dealt and remember, “Every hand’s a winner and every hand’s a loser” as Kenny Rogers sings in “The Gambler” (1978).

In my short story, Sweet Murder, appearing in the newly released Lucky Charms Anthology that contains 12 crime stories by members of the Mary Roberts Rinehart Chapter of Sisters in Crime, you could say the main character is a pretty good gambler. She looked at her cards and seemed to “know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away and know when to run.”

When she snaps her cards face-up on the table, how did she know what cards to give up and which ones to keep? You won’t know that until the end. But you will get inside her head as she figures out what to do while playing the game. It’s a high-stakes card game and the deck is stacked against her. But by the end of the story she finds that “the secret to survivin’ is learning what to throw away and what to keep.”

You’re probably wondering about the murder victim? How does the ace of spades get shuffled into the deck and who gets it? Ah-hah, if I told you, I’d be showing you my hand, wouldn’t I? And don’t try to peek. Wait and see how it all plays out and how your own gambling strategies reveal what I’m holding. After all, “they’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.” Just to be nice, I’ll up the ante for your curiosity with words from the song, “The best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.”

Gamble and get the book.

I didn’t get to read any of the stories until the anthology came out, so I’m as intrigued as you are. And I am intrigued!

Want to know more about the project as a whole?

Inside LUCKY CHARMS you’ll find twelve crime tales from the members of the Mary Roberts Rinehart Pittsburgh chapter of Sisters in Crime, Inc. You’ll dig into gritty police procedurals; enjoy a spangle of suspense; tuck into a cozy or two; and thrill to a cool touch of noir. Each story tells a tale of surprising good luck or of good luck gone sour. We invite you to brace yourself for an entertaining read.
Buy a signed copy by 12 authors from:
Mystery Lovers Bookshop (Oakmont, PA)

Link to the SinC website page for the book where the full list of stories and author bios are shown.

Link to and “like” the new SinC Facebook page where updates will also continue to appear

The book is available in paperback and electronic forms:
Electronic purchases are available through: Amazon (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Nook), Kobo and Apple (iBooks). Print are available through Amazon and CreateSpace.

Chrys Fey dropped into my inbox out of the blue. No idea whose friend she is, who sent her to me, or … well, anything! Except she’s got amazing, positive energy and I like her already.

She’s bringing us her debut today, a slick-looking book called Hurricane Crimes.

Before we get to the blurb, Chrys, what song makes you think of your book?

Hurricane by 30 Seconds to Mars

Hurricane Crimes, my short romantic-suspense story, is about a woman who finds herself trapped with a man during a category 5 hurricane. Not only does the title of this song fit the theme of my debut eBook perfectly, it is also by my favorite band.

The lyrics in “Hurricane” remind me of Beth Kennedy and Donovan Goldwyn. Beth wants to escape Donovan, but the hurricane forces her to stay inside with a man she can’t trust. There is even a scene where she asks him if he is going to kill her, and a line in the song closely resembles that question. As hours go by, a fire starts to burn between them, a passion that neither of them can deny, but could kill at least one of them.

I included a video that has the lyrics for anyone interested in knowing the words.

NICE!!! I love meeting new authors who love the same music I do. Chrys, I hope you’ll hang out here at West of Mars more often. This is where the cool kids play.

So… how about a book description?

After her car breaks down, Beth Kennedy is forced to stay in Florida, the target of Hurricane Sabrina. She stocks up supplies, boards up windows, and hunkers down to wait out the storm, but her plan unravels when she witnesses a car accident. Risking her life, she braves the winds to save the driver. Just when she believes they are safe, she finds out the man she saved could possibly be more dangerous than the severe weather.

Donovan Goldwyn only wanted to hide from the police, but the hurricane shoved his car into a tree. Now he’s trapped with a beautiful woman while the evidence that can prove his innocence to a brutal crime is out there for anyone to find.

As Hurricane Sabrina wreaks havoc, Beth has no other choice but to trust Donovan to stay alive. But will she survive, or will she become another hurricane crime?

You Kindle users are in luck; the rest of us aren’t. The novella (51 pages!) is only available at Amazon right now.

Need some links? Of course you do!
Facebook
Blog
Goodreads
Google +

My love for Rock Fiction is well documented. That means it ought to go without saying that when Michael Kayser contacted me about his book, Fast Cars and Rock & Roll, I was over the moon.

Michael’s been kind enough to send a review copy out this way, so you’ll hear about Fast Cars and Rock & Roll again.

Today, it’s Michael’s turn to tell us about the book. So… Michael, what song makes you think of your book?

To narrow it down to one song, I have to go back to rock & roll’s infancy, and a song by one of the pioneers: “Maybelline” by Chuck Berry–the original release from Chess records.

Just like the song, central to this storyline is a femme fatale who “done started back doin’ the things (she) used to do.” But our hero is ready to give chase; and nothing or nobody is going to outrun him. The plot drives along to a frantic backbeat and a harmony of roaring engines, likely to offend middle class parents and other responsible citizens.

There’s another link between the book and the song, but I’ll let readers discover that one on their own.

How can you NOT love a book that makes you think of Chuck Berry???

Here’s the summary:

Deke Jones finally has a car ready to compete in the Conquistador—a short but grueling campaign covering racetracks all over the Southwest United States. He can’t wait to challenge the rich boys with their expensive toys, but complications begin stacking up on him before the first flag drops.

First, he is invited to join Stormin’ Norman’s new rock band for a whirlwind tour. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with a musical genius and he can’t let it pass…but it’s scheduled for the very week he needs for last minute wrenching so his car can make the Conquistador’s tech inspection.

Next, he gets tangled up with beautiful bad girl Lena Castillo, just when he was patching things up with a local lady he lost touch with after high school. Lena has a deadly superpower: the ability to turn any man stupid—and Deke Jones is no exception.

Jones also crosses paths with five-time Conquistador champ Bob Tilford, and there’s bad blood between them from the starting gun. It was going to be challenging enough racing against Tilford with his big-time sponsors, high-dollar mechanic and world-class GT car, but Tilford also has tremendous influence over race officials he doesn’t hesitate to use in his grudge against Deke Jones. To keep it all interesting, Deke’s co-driver bails on him at the last minute, with no time to scrounge up a replacement.

Get your motor runnin’. Deke Jones is gonna close this summer out with a bang, one way or another.

Anyone as eager to read this as I am?

Go pick up a copy.

Amazon paperback

Amazon Kindle

Smashwords

Nook

Author JoAnne Myers has been here before, so I’m more than glad to host her once again.

She’s back with an anthology of short fiction, seven stories in total, which is a super size for an anthology. Just short enough to keep your interest and whet your appetite without making you feel swallowed by the short story format.

So, JoAnne, what song makes you think of your book?

The song that reminds me of my anthology is the theme song to JAWS, because my book is that kind of on the edge of your seat read. It is filled with mystery, intrigue, danger, and twist endings. If readers love, paranormal/mystery stories they will love Wicked Intentions.

Now, check out the blurbs for the various stories. Buy one, buy ’em all!

BLOOD TIES- word count 15,902
After the mysterious disappearance of twenty-six year old wife and mother Lisa Smalley, her twin, Audra Roper, begins having dark and disturbing visions of Lisa’s disappearance. Trying to survive while looking for Lisa, Audra’s life becomes a roller coaster of risks, heartbreak, and intrigue.
　
　
THE HAUNTING OF BARB MARIE- word count 9,845
Even as a child, Barb Marie saw dead people. This took an unhealthy toil on her throughout her childhood and young adulthood.
　
SUMMER WIND-word count 13,039
When twenty-nine year old Ginger discovers the old mansion Summer Wind, she is mysteriously drawn to it. . Immediately, the haunting’s have a negative and profound effect on the family.

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LIES-laying the Norfolk ghost to rest-work count 15,354
Solving the brutal murder of American born Ruthie Geil becomes a gauntlet of attacks and more murders for Federal Police Inspector Ian Christian. Between the victims family, ex-lovers, and ghostly occurrences on Norfolk Island, the killer is closer than anyone realizes.
　
THE LEGEND OF LAKE MANOR-word count 8,297
For the young psychic Cassandra Lopez, coming to the infamous and haunted mansion Lake Manor, was more like a mission.

THE APARTMENT-word count 5,188
When young newlyweds Bill and Gayle move into their new apartment, their lives are plagued with sightings of evil ghosts that threaten their marriage and lives.

DARK VISIONS-word count 5,170
When Carrie Reynold’s starts having nightmares on her twenty-sixth birthday, she believes her “dark visions” can solve the twenty year disappearance of her father.

Buy links for Wicked Intentions:
Melange Books
Lulu
Amazon

Readers can find me here also:
Facebook
website Books and Paintings by JoAnne

If you liked Jean 8 Aeglothecca’s The Pale Waters (and you should have read and loved it ’cause I sure did), I’ve got another one for you.

It’s Skye Genaro’s Echo Across Time. Echo is the first in a proposed series, and if you’re like me, you’re going to have trouble waiting for the next installment.

Let me tempt you beyond reason. Skye, what song makes you think of your book?

This was a fun question to answer.

I thought this question would be easy because I included a playlist at the back of Echo Across Time. So why not pick one of those songes? Then I heard Cosmic Love by Florence and the Machine on the radio (the short club remix) and decided to go off-list. I’ve always loved this song because of it’s energetic, urgent beat, and I dig the lyrics. The driving force of the music reminds me of what it felt like to be a teenager consumed by love: urgent, heady, and restless.

Now take that feeling of urgent young love and add in a 160-year time difference. Echo Across Time is a story about two supernaturally gifted teens separated by time. These star-crossed lovers face seemingly insurmountable barriers, and yet they are so convinced that they are supposed to share a lifetime together they go to great depths to try to make that happen. The lyrics in Cosmic Love capture the dark side of Echo and Connor’s romantic arc.

Okay, I couldn’t find a link to the short club remix that I could identify, sitting as I am in a public place, so the one I found will have to do. If anyone knows what the right one is, leave it in the comments, please!

So what’s the book about?

Echo Across Time
Fall in love with the achingly beautiful story of Echo and Connor, supernaturally gifted teens, as they fight to live out their destiny together.

Echo had it all—she lived in a mansion in the wealthiest neighborhood and was a member of the Partychicks, the elite high school clique. But her enviable life was ripped apart when a bullying incident put her in a coma. When Echo wakes up, she’s gained paranormal powers that she can’t control.

Telekinesis. Aura sensing. These abilities wreak havoc on Echo’s life, and she will do just about anything to get rid of them. Even if it means sharing her secret with Connor, the gorgeous, frightening stranger who appears out of thin air and possesses shocking supernatural abilities. He promises to teach her things beyond her wildest imagination—if Echo has the courage to trust him.

Soon, she is pulled into a world of mystical possibility and starts falling hard for the enigmatic Connor. As Echo uncovers the truth about him, she discovers a dark secret brewing within her city: people with paranormal gifts are being kidnapped and murdered. Escaping with Connor would keep Echo alive, but at a high cost to Connor and to the future they both believe in. Echo must choose between her love for Connor and her own safety, but she can’t have both.

The ebook is on sale at Amazon in December for .99
Would you like to win a copy of this book? I’m running giveaways at Goodreads and my website all December long.

Don’t win it. Buy it. Trust me.

Let’s welcome the lovely Jean 8. Aeglothecca — yes, that’s a pseudonym and no, I don’t know where it comes from. And no, I won’t tell you Jean’s real name. But if you read down to the bottom of this post, you may figure it out for yourself.

I will, however, tell you to read this book. The vision, the characters, the situation… it’s not what you think and it’s one not to miss.

Which leads me to one big question: Jean, what song makes you think of your book?

I think I’ll have to go with Garbage’s “Why Do You Love Me?” from their 2005 Bleed Like Me Album. To me, it’s raw, it’s real, it’s unforgiving. As a reader (and a writer) I want to read stories about flawed characters. I enjoy strong female characters that go against the grain, and against what’s “expected” of them just because they are female. I want to know what makes characters tick–but not necessarily WHY they tick–otherwise it will feel like some sort of lesson. I want to see what characters do when bad things happen to them. In my story, THE PALE WATERS, which is set in a futuristic, alternate-earth like land, my main character Rahda is (internally) flawed to the bone and when she meets Roland, who is physically scarred and deformed, she is unprepared, but it is fun to watch what she does about it, how all of her plans are thrown out the window, and the journey she goes on. The reason why I chose Garbage’s song for this question is because, at the heart of my book (and the series) is that it is an unconventional romance. Why Do You Love Me? Great question. Why do any of us love?

Yeah, I’m still struggling with that question, myself.

Need a blurb? Sure you do!

WHO OWNS YOUR SOUL?

Welcome to The Continent on Earth II, a post-royal revolutionized land filled with robots, beasts, humans, and half-humans, and ruled by the mysteriously absent and secretive Dark Prince Roland Rexus.

The Continent is a place where a dark stain spreads, the sun no longer shines, where the rain is black, icy, and laced with metal shrapnel, and where souls are collected and owned like prized possessions.

Rahda Plesti, a Class Zero citizen and an unorthodoxly trained assassin, descends upon the capitol city of Skyscraper City with one goal in mind: kill the Dark Prince and end the monarchy. But because of a secret she carries, Rahda finds that things do not go as planned as she discovers what Roland keeps hidden.

She’s in the midst of war she doesn’t fully understand with consequences that not only impact Skyscraper City, the Dark Prince, and her own soul, but the entire continent as well.

The Pale Waters is the first installment of a four-book Romance series that fans call a “Futuristic Beauty and the Beast Story with a Seductive, Science Fiction and Fantasy Twist.”

Yes, I’ve read all four of them. And yes, you should, too. Pick up your copy!
Smashwords (affiliate link)
Amazon

More links:
https://smallfiction.com
www.goodreads.com/kellywashington
www.amazon.com/author/kellywashington
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KellyWashington

I love running the Featured New Book spotlight. I really do. The song choices all the different authors make never fails to make me smile. I’ve encountered a ton of new-to-me music, some of which keeps me company as I edit.

But… one thing I hate doing is chasing after authors and begging them to send me a post. It’s time that I could be spending on other cool things around here. And I certainly talked to enough authors and encouraged them to submit after Rocktober… but they didn’t.

So if you know an author who’s got a book out — and it doesn’t have to be new in the sense of newly released. Just new to me and (possibly) my readers, send them over. I hear over and over again that authors love the one-question interview, they love thinking up a song.

The space is reserved, so take advantage. Otherwise, the dressing room will be open and the time slot booked for someone else.

The beauty of Rocktober is that I, too, get to discover Rock Fiction that’s new to me. As much as I want to be THE ultimate expert in all things Rock Fiction, the genre is growing fast and I often need help. After all, I still have an editing business to run and areas there to expand into.

So I think it’s Deena at e-Book Builders who I need to thank for turning me on to Sarah Tipper and her cool world of the Eviscerated Panda. Isn’t that one of the best band names ever?

I have faith the rest of the book is as good.

So. Without further ado, let’s turn it over to Sarah.

The song which makes me think of my book is: Back In Black by AC/DC. Like the song my book is fast paced and populated by people wearing black. It’s got the kind of guitar that squeals its way into your heart. It’s optimistic as well as dark. It’ll rock your socks clean off and hide them under the bed and then look at your ass while you’re trying to find them. It’s comfortable in any bar or club and is best served with a JD and coke.

Ready for the blurb? It’s as much fun as the idea of guitars that squeal their way into your heart. (Isn’t that a great line!)

Eviscerated Panda are a newly formed thrash metal band. They are the brainchild of ageing lead guitarist Phil Winter. They represent his big hope for regaining his former musical self-esteem and his luck with the ladies. Phil had to hastily exit stage left from his last band when his dalliances with the drummer’s fiancee were discovered. Young singer and underachiever Nick loves the band because it provides an escape from his dull job in a supermarket. For rhythm guitarist Ian it’s all he’s ever wanted to do. For bass player Jim it’s a pleasant hobby, at least to begin with. For drummer Paul it’s a step up from being in a covers band and a sometime causer of arguments between him and his wife. A band is much more than just the musicians in it, it’s a whole ecosystem. A female perspective is given by close friends Cleo and Jenni as the Pandas play to and hang out with an audience comprised of friends, fans,
wives, girlfriends, future girlfriends, lovers, promoters, other bands, interested spectators and uninterested spectators. After a nervous first gig in their native Reading they play in Swindon, Coventry, Oxford, Dudley, Brighton, Birmingham and Camden. In between gigs they mostly go to the pub, eat biscuits, record an E.P, read a girl’s guide to heavy metal written by Cleo, practice and make grandiose plans for their future. Occasionally they get laid. Even more occasionally they get paid to play. If you like heavy metal and reading books which are not designed for education nor enlightenment then this is for you.

Buy links:
Amazon only, gang. (Bummer)

4. Personal links:
Facebook
Website

I can’t say I KNOW Nico Rosso so much as I can say that his wife, the amazing Zoe Archer, is my fashion advisor. Probably without her consent, but she knows where to find the great stuff. How can I resist (as I sit here in a seven-year-old t-shirt and holes in my shorts)?

So when Zoe Tweeted that her main squeeze had written a work of Rock Fiction, well, how could I resist? I HAD to invite him to stop in, and for Rocktober, even! The stars have aligned and … well, here’s Nico.

The one song that reminds me of my book, HEAVY METAL HEART, is Soul Kitchen by The Doors. Much of the book takes place on the Sunset Strip, and that band is iconic for that scene. Rocking, partying, tearing up society’s rules. The raw energy of this particular song captures the quick heat and passion between my near immortal demon rock star, Trevor Sand, and the mortal, Misty Grant, who becomes his Muse.

Okay, so we’ve got a rock star named Trevor. Right there, you gotta like this book. (Not sure why? SERIOUSLY? Oy.)

Here’s the blurb:

Rock Star. Front man. Demon. A descendant of satyrs and the lead singer in a band that feeds on the energy of its audience, Trevor Sand is growing weary of the constant need to perform. He needs the legend of the Muse—a woman destined to be a demon’s eternal companion and only source of sustenance—to be true.

Misty Grant has never been bold, but when Trevor singles her out among hundreds at a concert, she takes him up on his explicit offer. During an erotic night in his hotel room, she learns that his touch is as electric as his lyrics. But when Trevor’s demon is aroused, her desire turns to horror and she runs.

Knowing that he’ll die if he loses her, Trevor must find Misty before his enemies do. But even if he can save her, he knows that regaining the trust of his fated Muse will be his greatest challenge.

Now, how often have we run into Satyrs in paranormal fiction? Even though this Trevor is only a descendant, how’s THAT for a fun twist???

I’m thinking this is a don’t miss. An Under Any Circumstances, Do Not Miss.

So go get your copy!
The e-book can be found here:
Carina Press
Amazon Kindle
Barnes & Noble Nook
All Romance eBooks

The audio book can be found here:
Audible

And I can be found here:
Web:
Twitter: @Nico_Rosso
Facebook

No better way to start off Rocktober than with a dear, dear friend of mine. Thomma Lyn is one of those people who are so musical, it just flows out of them. She’s recording her own music, too, and is a heck of writer.

She, my friends, is the complete package.

Her new book, Maestro, came out just a few weeks ago, so let’s get right down to business.

TL, what song makes you think of your book?

This one’s easy. Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. This lush and romantic concerto plays a crucial role in the story of Maestro in that it enables the heroine, pianist Annasophia, to travel back in time and meet Maestro, her dear friend and mentor, at a time when he was young, vigorous, and close to her own age.

Here’s a YouTube link to a great version of Concerto No. 2, as played by Sviatoslav Richter, concert pianist extraordinaire and one of the inspirations for Maestro’s character.

So what is the book about? After a tease like that, stop holding out!

For Annasophia and Maestro, their love is ageless, and music is their door through time.

Annasophia Flynn is a young, classically-trained pianist and singer-songwriter who enjoys a special bond with Wilhelm Dahl, her older mentor and teacher whom she affectionately calls Maestro. Maestro is terminally ill, and Annasophia must come to grips with the fact that she’ll have to say goodbye to him soon.

But not so fast. Annasophia receives a mysterious email to which is attached a photo of her standing by the side of a virile and much-younger Maestro, years before she was born and during the height of his fame and power as a concert pianist. Either somebody’s doing some serious Photoshopping, or Annasophia traveled — or will travel — back in time, meaning that there’s more to her relationship with Maestro than meets the eye.

She visits Maestro in the hospital and shows him the photo. When he talks about a mysterious door and hums a few bars of a romantic Rachmaninoff concerto much beloved by them both, she is compelled to go home and play the piece on her piano. The concerto indeed turns out to be a door back through time, where she meets the younger Maestro, and they fall in love.

But staying in younger Maestro’s time proves tricky. For one thing, he has a son who will never be conceived or born if Annasophia stays and changes things. She starts to second guess herself and tries to go back to her own time, only to find, each time, that the timeline as she has known it has been altered. For another thing, Maestro’s very elegant and cunning ex-wife, Elena, is determined to get him back and makes up her mind to do everything she can to send Annasophia back to her own timeline for good, where she will have to say goodbye to Maestro forever.

You need a copy. I know you do.

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It was a quiet day a few weeks back. Until JoAnne Myers popped into my inbox with a hello, nice to meet you, and here’s the song that makes me think of my book.

I love that sort of introduction to a new friend!

Here’s JoAnne, with a truly fun song.

The song that reminds me of Murder Most Foul, is the theme to the James Bond movies. Just like the James Bond movies, Murder Most Foul is filled with action, adventure, murder, mystery, intrigue and unsuspecting romance.

LOVE it! How’s that for an awesome song??? Heck, I’m inspired by that one and I don’t write mysteries.

So what’s Murder Most Foul about?

When two dismembered torsos wash up on the banks of the local river in the small industrial town of Pleasant Valley, residents are horrified. Between contradicting statements, police ineptitude, lust, lies, manipulation, incest, the motorcycle gang The Devil’s Disciples, crooked cops, and a botched crime scene, everyone becomes a suspect.

The young beautiful Jackie Reeves, a registered nurse, believes the killer is a man from her past. She contacts the dangerously handsome FBI Agent Walker Harmon. An arrest is made, but Harmon and Jackie believe an innocent man is being railroaded by local cops. Determined to find the truth, before anymore killings, Agent Harmon and Jackie are forced to run a gauntlet of deep trouble and turmoil, which marks them for death.

Pick up a copy! Or two!

Buy link to Murder Most Foul

website: Books and Paintings by JoAnne

The best part of running the Featured New Book spotlight is learning new things about casual acquaintances. Jessica Topper is one such lady — she dropped into my inbox with the news that she’d been hiding the fact that she and I are soul sisters!

Read on… you’ll see why.

I’ve had a rock and roll day job for the past decade, and I’ve spent my evenings over the last five years writing this novel, so you could say that I eat, breathe and sleep music! LOUDER THAN LOVE features a recluse guitarist as one of its main characters (I call him my “heavy metal hero with a heart of gold”) and music weaves through the entire story, but if I had to pick just one song that makes me think of my book, it would be “Times Like These” by the Foo Fighters.

Most people are probably familiar with the electric version from the radio and album, but lately I cannot stop listening to this amazing acoustic version, featuring just Dave Grohl, a mic (along with a little bit of piano) and a guitar. I just love his slow and soulful treatment of it and the way it builds up to that powerful, passionate rock finish before dwindling down gently one last time. If I may be so bold, I think it perfectly parallels the way my story unfolds!

The chorus of “it’s times like these…you learn to live again” and “it’s times like these…you learn to love again” certainly resonates throughout the story as you meet Katrina Lewis, a level-headed librarian who has lost her husband in a freak train accident, and Adrian “Digger” Graves, a recovering and reclusive British rock star living quietly under the radar on Manhattan’s tony Central Park West.

Kat’s life has always had order and she is very focused; she’s like the “one way motorway” described in the song. She can’t make sense of staying where her husband Pete existed one day and not the next, so she has fled Manhattan with her infant daughter Abbey to the place where she existed before she knew him. In the sleepy suburban home of her childhood, she begins to heal through the comfort of a close-knit group of girlfriends.

Before being literally and figuratively burned by the music industry, Digger Graves had had the 80s rock world by its spandex-clad balls. In typical rock and roll fashion, he had seen it all, had done more than his share, and had lost almost everything. I definitely see him as “the white light blinding bright, burning off and on” as the song goes. He was a wonderful character to write: very raw, very genuine, and humble yet complicated. I hope he surprises people, as he turns out to be quite a contradiction in terms of what people may expect from his cocky, shock and doom rocker roots.

Librarian and rock star meet by chance in a chuckle-worthy case of mistaken identity four years after the wreck. The chemistry is undeniable, not only between Kat and Adrian, but between Adrian and young Abbey as well. Admittedly, his relationship with his own daughter Natalie is strained, but Adrian delights in getting to know Abbey, as well as her mother. It’s the second chance he hadn’t realized he’d even wanted in life, and he’s not totally sure he deserves it.

Although Adrian defies standard classification, Kat finds herself falling for him. She makes peace with his intimidating past…but she still has her own to wrestle with. To Adrian, Kat is like a desert flower; thorny but will hopefully some day bloom. But as more time goes by, the larger the ghosts loom…testing the stability of their newfound love and relationship. There is definitely a delicate balance between hope for the future, and heartbreak from the past, that brings this verse from the Foo Fighters’ song to mind:

I am a new day rising
I’m a brand new sky
To hang the stars upon tonight
I am a little divided
Do I stay or run away
And leave it all behind?

If you are in the mood for a love/loss/love again story and a good rock and roll read, I hope you will check out LOUDER THAN LOVE when it drops on September 17th! (And if you’re jonesing for the original Foo’s “Times Like These” after hearing my tale, here it is)

Nice, huh? I don’t think we even need the official blurb after that, but in case you do, here it is:

In this powerful debut novel, a young librarian grieves the loss of her husband…and discovers a love that defies classification.

It’s been over three years since a train accident made a widow of Katrina Lewis, sending her and her young daughter Abbey back to the suburban town of her youth…the only place that still makes sense. Lauder Lake is the perfect place to hide and heal.

Recluse rocker Adrian “Digger” Graves survived the implosion of his music career, but his muse has long lain dormant. Until Kat hires him to play at her library—not on the basis of his hard rock credentials but rather, because of the obscure kids’ TV jingle he wrote years ago. In a case of mistaken identity, Adrian stumbles into the lives of Kat and her comically lovable daughter.

Using tattoos as a timeline, Adrian unfurls his life for Kat. But as the courtship intensifies, it’s unclear whose past looms larger: the widow’s or the rocker’s. Will their demons ever rest, or will they break these soul mates apart?

Ooh… can’t wait. Jessica, how about a review copy? Pretty please?

Or quit begging and buy it, gang:
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Need more of Jessica? I sure do (see that comment about soul mates..)
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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18068436-louder-than-love

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Jaleta Clegg is another of my long-time friends. In fact, if you missed it, I hosted her a little over a year ago, when she had another new release. This might even be the same series… In fact, it is!

Don’t worry if you’re new to the series… read on.

Let’s start with the reason we’re here: Jaleta, What song makes you think of your book?

Chicago – We Can Last Forever. No, my book is not a sappy love story. It’s science fiction adventure, heavy on the action and explosions and fight scenes. But I have this thing for sappy 80s love songs. I write my action scenes with them playing in the background. My iTunes library is chock full of sappy love songs for that reason. I also have a lot of movie soundtracks because they make great mood music, but it’s the love songs I keep turning to for inspiration.

Love songs? Really? And we’re friends? Good thing Jaleta is awesome in so many, many other ways.

So if you’re looking for some good adventure, try Cold Revenge. It’s book 5 in the series, but don’t let that stop you. Each book was intended as a (mostly) stand-alone story with a complete beginning, middle, and end.

Cold Revenge – Revenge is a dish best served cold. Jerimon is about to serve Dace to the Targon syndicate. On ice.

It’s on Amazon exclusively!

Book series website – The Fall of the Altairan Empire

One of the best things about this here Internet is the way it brings us together. Take today’s feature author, for instance. I met Nessa on a booklovers’ forum, and she is one of the few people who knows what I actually look like. She’s even (brace yourself) been in my house.

So no one’s jumping for joy higher or with more glee — well, other than Nessa herself — than I am to see she’s got a book in print. And best of all, she did us all a zinger and wrote a super book (Okay, speculation there. I haven’t read it yet.) that’s outside the genre we all thought she’d first publish in.

Let’s get right to it. Nessa, what song makes you think of Syrah?

This was actually a very difficult question for me, because I am really bad with music. I’m just not the kind of person who is always listening to it, and associating songs with things is not something I tend to do. However, I asked my friends on Facebook & Twitter and I was told by someone who loved the book that it made them think of Stormy Weather by Ella Fitzgerald. So I’m going to go with that.

Ooh, what a voice. What a legend. Mmmmmmm….

Want to know what the book’s about? I sure do!

All Corked Up: Book One

All Shawn Neale is looking for when he stumbles into All Corked Up on Christmas Eve is some wine recommendations. What he finds is an instant attraction to Royce Wilkinson, the shop’s owner. After a few weeks of flirting during shopping and some semi-dates at Royce’s wine tastings, they decide on a real date. It goes well, but life isn’t that simple.

Shawn wants to buy Delicto, the local pub he manages. He’s been planning his life around this for years, but when the owner, who believes being gay is an illness, discovers Shawn went out with Royce, he gives Shawn an ultimatum: stop dating guys or he won’t get to buy Delicto. It’s a heartbreaking quandary: Can Royce and Shawn be happy with a secret relationship until Shawn buys Delicto or is Shawn going to have to choose between his dream job and his dream guy?

Ready? Go get your own copy!

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This is one of those rarities for me… a book I edited that I can tell you I edited — some folk like to keep their editors close by, fearing being told they will have to wait weeks or months for an opening.

I loved working on this book, I love how it turned out, and I think anyone who likes a good, fun romp with knights and ladies and hired hands and treachery and handsome men and valiant women… well, it’s all right here for ya. Have at it.

The book is Lady Gwendolyn, by my bud Magnolia Belle. And if I didn’t convince you yet that you need this one, check out what song makes Belle think of her book:

Bridge’s Ode, first track on “Celtic Classic: An Enchanted Journey” fits the mood of “Lady Gwendolyn”. It hearkens back to medieval times where the wild, piercing scenery of England and Scotland could steal your breath and the hardness of life could break your heart.

Here’s the book trailer link

Belle makes really good book trailers — and I am not a fan of trailers. But somehow, Belle has a touch and I have yet to watch one that she’s made and come away with a migraine.

Ready for the blurb?

In early medieval days, bandits beset a caravan taking Lady Gwendolyn Hampton of England to marry Angus Dewar in Scotland. In the confusion, she escapes, while the bandits think her maid, Madeleine, is her. From one peril to another, Madeleine must keep the ruse in order to stay alive. Lady Gwendolyn’s brother, Lord Richard Hampton, wants Madeleine as his consort, and tries to rescue her. Through betrayal, intrigue and murder, she becomes a woman of title, and must decide if she wants the life he offers.

Ready to get a copy? I know you are!
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We’re back after a short hiatus… this feature is all about you guys, and your desire to participate, remember. Keep on spreading the word… I love meeting new folk.

Like Matt Schroeder. He came to me … shoot, I don’t remember how. Doesn’t matter; he’s here now, with his book, The Rest is Up to You.

Matt, what song makes you think of your book?

The Greatest By Kenny Rogers

Matt didn’t say anything else, which makes me think this is a self-explanatory song. I linked to a lyrics video if this is a new one to you, as it was to me.

So what’s the book about?

Sometimes, horrible things happen to good people, but the outcomes of those life-changing events often depend upon the motivation of the individual to overcome the hardships. Ohio State graduate and motivational speaker, Matthew Schroeder, rose above his own personal tragedy, and his compelling story is one worth hearing, for it comes from his heart.

In 1997 on a frigid and rainy December afternoon, Matt was driving himself to work, significantly slower than the posted speed limit, when his tires spun out on a sheet of black ice, and he wrapped his vehicle around an electrical power pole. The transformer then fell on top of Matthew’s vehicle, pinning him helplessly inside.

Pick up a copy for yourself!

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Signed copies can be obtained directly from Matt. If you choose the signed copy option please send me a private message at, matt at mattschroeder.org and details will be exchanged.

To acquire my motivational and inspirational book in digital format see the Kindle, eBook version.

Website

Yep, another week with no Featured New Book.

This is something I’d like to see continue and grow, not wither and die, because I’d like to build on the Featured New Book for some of the changes I’d like to implement here.

That’s why there’s been an overall lack of blogging. Between summer being the time when all you writers finish up your revisions and decide it’s time for an edit and the behind-the-scenes changes, things have been busy here.

You’re going to like what I’m rolling out. It’ll be slow, and it’ll be awhile (I’m still looking for the right accountant, which is frustrating because the other two pieces came together so quickly and easily), but rest assured, there are some really good things in store.

Jump on board. Tell your other friends to send me some Featured New Book Spotlight pieces.

It’s gonna be better than good.