Thursday 15 November 2018

Strand of Faith by Rachel J Bonner @RachelJBonner1 #BlogTour @rararesources #Giveaway and Q&A


I'm delighted to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Strand of Faith as Rachel J Bonner kindly takes part in a little Q&A! There is also a giveaway to enter but first of all let's take a look at the description for the book...




When the choice is between love and life, how can anyone decide?

A girl and a monk, both with extraordinary mental powers, have compelling reasons not to fall in love.  But those from whom they expect support are manipulating them both because their choices will have consequences for the rest of the world.

After a stormy youth, Brother Prospero has found comfort and fulfilment in the monastery.  That is, until he discovers something that forces him to reconsider his whole vocation.  To follow his heart, he’ll have to face his demons again, outside the security of the monastery. Is it worth the risk?  Can he beat them this time? Or will they finally destroy him?

Orphaned and mistreated, Leonie has found sanctuary and safety at the abbey.  All she wants is to learn how to manage her unusual abilities so that she is not a danger to those around her.  When she comes into contact with Prospero everything threatens to spiral out of her control.  Whether she leaves or whether she stays, how can she possibly avoid destroying – yet again – those she has come to care about? 

Abbot Gabriel is faced with an impossible choice.  He can do nothing and watch the world descend into war.  Or he can manipulate events and ensure peace – at the cost of two lives that he is responsible for.  He knows what he has to do but is he strong enough to sacrifice those he loves?





Thank you for taking part in the Q&A, so let's get started…


Which three words best describe your personality?

  • Determined
  • Happy
  • Loyal

Which three vacation spots are your favourite?

I don’t particularly have places I go back to – I like to see different places, but
  • For a main holiday – somewhere remote in the countryside with loads of good walks all around.  If the sea isn’t too far away, all the better.
  • For a long weekend – a city break with lots to visit, like theatre and museums
  • When it’s about to get cold and wet and miserable in England – somewhere warm!

Which three things do you enjoy doing when you aren’t writing?

  • Spending time with my husband and family – it doesn’t matter where or what we’re doing, although my husband and I enjoy walking together
  • Archery – I’m part of a group of field archers and we shoot together most weeks.  We’re very aware that arrows are weapons, and we only shoot at targets, but shooting can still be extremely therapeutic when someone has annoyed you
  • Swimming – I try and swim at least once a week.  I find the rhythm of swimming and the peace of the pool particularly good for sorting out any problems I have with characters and plot lines

Which three books would you want if you were stuck on a desert island?

  •  The Bible.  Or is that cheating because it’s really 66 books?  You can find almost every genre in there – romance, erotica, war, thriller, mystery, murder, suspense, psychological drama, family sagas…
  • Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne. I could read those books again and again until I knew them by heart.  Come to think of it, I do know some of it by heart!
  • Something very long – I read far too fast!

Which three books were your favourite as a child?

  • The whole Winnie the Pooh series (see above!).  I still like them now and I have several editions, ranging from one that belonged to my Dad when he was a child to a beautiful new box set my son gave me last year.  There’s a children’s book referred to in Strand of Faith.  It isn’t named, but in my head it’s Winnie the Pooh.
  • There’s a book that’s stuck with me since preschool, called The Surprise Doll by Morrell Gipson with illustrations by Steffie Lerch.  My copy’s falling apart and price marked 29 cents, which shows how old it is (I’m not that old!) but you can still buy it on Amazon.
  • After that, anything with horses, which I suspect is typical of many young girls. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve read Enid Bagnold’s National Velvet.

Which three characters from any book would you have around for dinner?

  • Madeleine Maxwell from Jodi Taylor’s Chronicles of St Mary’s
  • Lessa from Anne McCaffery’s Pern series
  • Piper from Annette Marie’s Steel and Stone series
They are three strong women who face difficult situations but aren’t going to be daunted.  It would be an excellent girls’ night, but if any of them wanted to bring their partners I certainly wouldn’t complain.

Which three things most inspired this book?

  • A dream I had of one of the scenes – which I then needed to expand on because I wanted to know what happened before and after
  • There’s a hymn I really like – Beauty for Brokenness by Graham Kendrick – and I’ve based some of my world building on the world described in that hymn
  • My faith – I’ve aimed to build a fantasy world with faith built into the foundation rather than being preachy

Which three emotions do you think your readers will experience while reading your book?

  • Curiosity/intrigue – I hope enough for them to want to read the next books in the series too!
  • Trepidation – particularly in the dream scenes – just what is about to happen to the characters and might it be bad?
  • Hope – that things will work out, that each character will find a solution to their problems. And hope for the readers too in whatever they are facing. Books are an escape but I’d like to think that they could bring hope back from this escape to impact on their real world.

Last question I promise ;)

Which three words would you use to describe your book?

  • Love story (okay, I know that’s two words)
  • Inspiring
  • Restorative


Thank you again!



Rachel J Bonner is the author of the four book Choices and Consequences series, the first of which, Strand of Faith, is due out in November 2018.

Getting a degree in engineering, followed by a career in accountancy is probably not a conventional path to becoming an author, particularly in paranormal romance.  Rachel says that, although accountancy isn’t anything like as boring as everyone thinks, writing is a lot more fun.  When not writing, she can be found walking in the beautiful countryside near where she lives, which has influenced much of the scenery in her books, or shooting things with her local archery club.  Target shooting only, honest.  Nothing to worry about.

She also enjoys swimming, eating chocolate chip cookies and growing aromatic herbs, especially thyme and rosemary.  It’s no coincidence that her heroine likes the same things.
You can find out more about her books and sign up for Rachel’s newsletters at 




Giveaway


Win a signed paperback copy of Strand of Faith, a set of bookmarks (3 styles plus a business card) featuring the cover art, and a canvas print (40cm by 30cm) of the original cover art. 

Open Internationally

*Terms and Conditions 
Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.





Why not follow along with the tour, see below...


Tuesday 13 November 2018

Vanilla Extract by Louisa Berry @louisaberry69 #BlogTour @rararesources Q&A








vanilla (adj)
Having no special or extra features; ordinary or standard
Extract (v)
-          Remove or take out
-          Select for quotation, performance or reproduction

When recently separated Lou decided to embark on a new chapter of her life, she had no idea where this journey of self and sexual discovery would lead.
Her lustful appetite for adventure was re-awakened and with every new, tantalising, naughty meeting Lou’s confidence grew, as did her need for more.

Buy Links




Thank you for taking part in the Q&A, so let's get started…

Which three words best describe your personality?

Confident, chatty, funny

Which three vacation spots are your favourite?

  1. Gran Canaria (for obvious reasons when you read Vanilla Extract but because it is my happy place)
  2. Dubai (it has everything and more, but in short doses it doesn’t feel quite as unreal as it is)
  3. Rio (I’d like to revisit as I only went for a long weekend but it was certainly glorious)

Which three things do you enjoy doing when you aren’t writing?

  1. Spending time with my children.  They grow up so fast, you really have to make the most of the time they’re with you before they have lives of their own
  2. Socialising with different groups of people; learning about their lives and what makes them tick, particularly when they walk different paths to mine
  3. Exercising and working off those extra calories I’ve indulged in with my sweet tooth and love of food

Which three books would you want if you were stuck on a desert island?

  1. The Stand (Uncut), Stephen King.  The paper is like parchment as there’s so much of it, but I’d love to read this one again
  2. Weave World, or better still, a collection of Clive Barker’s works all bound up in one offering
  3. Possibly anything by Bear Gryls that would help me survive on a desert island! He certainly knows his stuff!

Which three books were your favourite as a child?

  1. Lord of the Flies, William Golding.  What an absolute masterpiece!  I studied it at school and could read it over and over again.
  2. IT, Stephen King.  I was probably too young to read this one really, but it sparked the imagination and my love of creative writing
  3. The Manitou, Graham Masterton.  Again, probably too young for a child and the cover used to freak me out, but I loved the idea of the living spirit in this book, however macabre

Which three characters from any book would you have around for dinner?

  1. Willy Wonka, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl.  How entertaining would that be?  He would be incredibly interesting and amusing, but he would have to bring dessert, as it would be a culinary explosion like no other before. 
  2. Robert de Niro, A Biography, John Baxter, because he is a legend who I totally respect for his acting abilities and the causes he feels so strongly about. 
  3. Lyra Belacqua, Northern Lights, Philip Pullman, to find out what her favourite adventure was and why.

Which three things most inspired this book?

  1. An active imagination and a need to put pen to paper (as such).  The old cliché of having a book inside me to write.  It was true.
  2. Friends telling me that I should write a book when I recounted some of the new research I was undertaking.  Someone quickly retracted her statement that I should read 50 Shades when she remarked that I was living it!
  3. The hopes that I could make people think differently about consensual relations with different people and removing antiquated stigmas.

Which three emotions do you think your readers will experience while reading your book?

Wonder, amusement, empathy


Last question I promise ;)


Which three words would you use to describe your book?

Explicit, liberating, funny


Thank you again!





Author Bio – Louisa lives in Hertfordshire with her four children. While not on ‘Mum-duties’ she works in high finance in London.

Social Media Links

Twitter - @louisaberry69
Instagram – louisaberry69




You can follow along with the tour, see below...


Friday 9 November 2018

Some Old Bloke by Robert Llewellyn @bobbyllew #BlogTour @unbounders @annecater #Review




I'm thrilled to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Some Old Bloke by Robert Llewellyn and sharing my review today. First of all though let's take a look at the description for the book...



When writer, comedian and Red Dwarf actor Robert Llewellyn's son scrawled a picture of him at Christmas and titled it 'Some Old Bloke', Robert was cast deep into thought about life and what it means to be a bloke and an old one at that.
In this lighthearted, revealing and occasionally philosophical autobiography, we take a meandering route through Robert's life and career: from the sensitive young boy at odds with his ex-military father, through his stint as a hippy and his years of arrested development in the world of fringe comedy, all the way up to the full-body medicals and hard-earned insights of middle age.
Whether he is waxing lyrical about fresh laundry, making an impassioned case for the importance of alternative energy or recounting a detailed history of the dogs in his life, Robert presents a refreshingly open and un-cynical look at the world at large and, of course, the joys of being a bloke.


Buy Link




Every so often I enjoy picking up an autobiography but the person really has to interest me. So when I saw who the author was I instantly knew I wanted to read it. My brother introduced me to Red Dwarf when I was younger and put it this way I was a fan as soon as the episode had finished. So I was very curious to discover more about one of the actors from my favourite shows. What follows is a witty and conversational type of read that instantly felt relaxed and comfortable to experience. Robert Llewellyn easily drew me into his life as he shares memories from his past and some brilliant anecdotes along the way too. 
 
I found there to be a wonderful balance of lighter moments set against the deeper and at times more emotional memories. This for me worked really well at entertaining but also giving that extra added depth to the book too. There are descriptions of Robert Llewellyn's earlier life right through to the present but it is all presented in a very engaging and candid way. With a real down to earth style of writing that really appealed to me and kept me turning those pages. To be honest I had read half of this book before even realising that it was getting so late. The next day I eagerly picked it back up to discover more which is always a good sign of an engaging book.
 
Some Old Bloke was something that I really enjoyed curling up with and I easily found myself smiling away. I would say that this book would appeal to anyone especially if they want a little insight into blokedom!
 
 
With thanks to Anne Cater and the publisher for my copy.






Robert Llewellyn is an actor, novelist, screenwriter, comedian and TV presenter. He drives an electric car and writes under a rack of solar panels in Gloucestershire.

Coco Pinchard, the Consequences of Love and Sex by Robert Bryndza #BlogTour @RobertBryndza #BookThree #TheCocoPinchardBoxSet @BOTBSPublicity #Giveaway #Review


Thank you for stopping by I'm delighted to be one of the stops on The Coco Pinchard Box Set Blog Tour! 

I will be sharing my review today for Book 3 of the series - Coco Pinchard, the Consequences of Love and Sex by Robert Bryndza. 

First of all though let's take a look at the description for the box set...




'Coco Pinchard has to be one of my favorite female characters. If you love the Bridget Jones series, then you need to check this out!' Kerensa, Amazon Reader

For the first time, all 5 books in Robert Bryndza's bestselling Coco Pinchard romantic comedy series are available in one! And this box set includes a new introduction by the author.

Book 1: The Not So Secret Emails of Coco Pinchard

If you enjoyed flipping through Bridget Jones's diary, you'll love perusing Coco Pinchard's emails! Coco confides in her quirky, supportive friends as she deals with her life falling apart. Read the emails that tell the heart warming and often hilarious tale of Coco picking up the pieces, in this fun, feel-good Romantic Comedy. 

Book 2: Coco Pinchard's Big Fat Tipsy Wedding

Coco thinks she's on the road to happily ever after with Adam, until he inexplicably breaks up with her. Will one mistake cost them their whole future? Coco sets out to discover what has really happened, and uncovers a shocking secret Adam has been hiding from her... Full of hilarious twists and turns, Coco Pinchard's Big Fat Tipsy Wedding is a witty, heart-warming, romantic comedy - the stand-alone sequel to no.1 bestselling, The Not So Secret Emails of Coco Pinchard


Book 3: Coco Pinchard, the Consequences of Love and Sex


Coco Pinchard has a great life, a bestselling memoir, and a handsome second husband. Things are going exactly as planned -- until her adult son runs into disaster, her ex's mother butts back into her life, and she finds out she's pregnant! Maybe life is more fun if you throw your plans out the window... The third book in Robert Bryndza's bestselling Coco Pinchard series (which can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone story) is a hilarious diary with Coco's trademark wit and honesty, tracing the raging hormones and extraordinary twists that take her to motherhood for the second time. 


Book 4: A Very Coco Christmas

It's 1985, and eighteen-year-old Coco Pinchard is home for Christmas after her first term at University. She's fallen hopelessly in love with Daniel Pinchard, but Coco's mother wants her to be with Kenneth, the son of posh friends Adrian and Yvonne Rosebury, who will be joining them for Christmas.

As snow falls softly over the city, and Coco tries to juggle a series of hilarious events, the stage is set for a Christmas lunch like no other. A Very Coco Christmas is a delicious, stand-alone prequel short story to Robert Bryndza's smash-hit Coco Pinchard series.


Book 5: Coco Pinchard's Must-Have Toy Story

A sparkling feel-good comedy, which asks the question - how far would you go to get your child the must-have Christmas toy? 

It's December 1992, and children are going crazy for the Tracy Island toy - almost as crazy as the parents! Christmas day is fast approaching and Coco Pinchard is desperately trying to track one down for her four-year-old son Rosencrantz. 

From dodgy dealings in a motorway lay-by, to extreme shopping in Hamley's with a Sylvanian Families fanatic, to having a go at the Blue Peter make-your-own Tracy Island, Coco tries everything in the hope that four-year-old Rosencrantz will open his must-have toy on Christmas morning.


The box set will be on sale for the duration of the tour:

(99p) 



The first chapter of Coco Pinchard, the Consequences of Love and Sex instantly had me smiling along with a few giggles too! I loved Coco straight away with her straight talking and lively personality. Even though this book is part of a series I easily jumped straight into this story without any confusion. Although I must find the time to start at the beginning as if this book is anything to go by it must be a fabulous series! Events are mentioned throughout this book so I could easily understand some of the characters history which really helped to get to know them better.
In this book Coco finds herself facing a daunting situation and it was both humorous and at times touching to see her trying to cope with everything.  This book took me on quite a journey filled with crazy antics, comical situations and a character that completely captured my attention. Although a special mention has to go to Ethel, I thought she was brilliant! Robert Bryndza easily brought these larger than life characters to life and I’m so glad that I got a chance to get to know them!
This book really shows us the good and the bad along with the highs and lows of Coco’s life and her relationships. It is all written in such an entertaining but engaging way that easily pulled me into Coco’s world. This book has a whole lot of heart but is so very funny too!

With thanks to Sarah at Books on the Bright Side Publicity and Robert Bryndza for my copy.






Robert Bryndza is the author of the international #1 bestseller The Girl in the Ice, which is the first in his Detective Erika Foster series. It has sold over one million copies.



The Night Stalker, Dark Water, Last Breath and Cold Blood are the second, third, fourth and fifth books in the series. The sixth book, Deadly Secrets, has just been published.



Robert's books have sold over 2.5 million copies and have been translated into 28 languages.



In addition to writing crime fiction, Robert has published a bestselling series of romantic comedy novels. He is British and lives in Slovakia.



You can find out more about the author at www.robertbryndza.com and on Twitter and Instagram @RobertBryndza



Sign up to Robert Bryndza‘s New Release Mailing List here: 


Author Links:

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Perfect Bones by A.J. Waines @AJWaines #BlogBlitz @Bloodhoundbook #CharacterSpotlight


Thank you for stopping by I'm thrilled to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Perfect Bones by A.J. Waines and today I will be sharing a fabulous character spotlight. First of all though let's take a look at the description for the book...




Is the killer on the loose…or standing right beside you?

When art student, Aiden Blake, witnesses a gruesome attack on a London towpath, the police need him to identify the assailant without delay. But there’s a problem: refusing to leave his canal boat and traumatised by the shock, Aiden is rendered mute by the horror of the event and can’t speak to anyone.

In a desperate bid to gain vital information before Aiden’s memories fade, The Met call in Clinical Psychologist and trauma expert, Dr Samantha Willerby, giving her only seven days to get a result. When Aiden finally starts to communicate through his art, however, the images he produces are not what anyone expects and before Sam can make sense of them, another murder takes place.

With her professional skills stretched to the limit and the clock ticking, Sam strives to track down a killer who is as clever as she is – someone who always manages to stay one step ahead.

The third book in the Samantha Willerby series, Perfect Bones is a tense and creepy psychological thriller that will send your pulse racing. It can easily be read as a stand-alone novel and will appeal to fans of authors like Nicci French, Mark Edwards and Lisa Gardner.

Buy Link



Perfect Bones – AJ Waines
Spotlight on the series lead character

Perfect Bones is the third psychological thriller, by AJ Waines, led by her series character, a gutsy amateur sleuth, Samantha Willerby. Sam appears in two other psychological thrillers, Inside the Whispers and Lost in the Lake, both just released in October 2018. All AJ’s books can be read as standalones, in any order.

So, who is Samantha Willerby and why will readers want to root for her? AJ takes it from here…

Who is your series lead character?
Name: Dr Samantha Willerby (Sam to her friends, Sammie to her best mate)
Job: Dr Sam is a clinical psychologist in an NHS hospital in London - a trauma specialist for victims who’ve been caught up in shocking incidents. As well as offering ‘talking therapy’, Dr Sam helps patients recover memories of their chilling experiences. Sam’s intrepid nature, her professional curiosity and drive to get to the bottom of things inevitably lead her into situations where she finds herself seriously out of her depth…
Role: Sam unwittingly becomes an ‘amateur sleuth’ as she tries to unravel the deadly mysteries she’s faced with in this series. In Perfect Bones, the sole witness to a gruesome attack – a sensitive artist living on a narrowboat – is rendered mute by the horror of the event and can’t speak to anyone. Assigned by The Met to help, Sam uses art therapy an in attempt to coax details of the killer from him. She’s been given only seven days by the police, but as time runs out another murder is committed. Drawing on all her guile and quick-thinking, Sam gradually puts the enigmatic clues to the killer together, but in doing so she exposes herself to grave danger.

Why did you create Dr Samantha Willerby?
I love reading psychological thrillers and as a former psychotherapist myself, I know how fascinating and intriguing that world can be! I wanted a character who could show readers an aspect of psychology that’s usually kept behind closed doors, so they could be a fly on the wall and observe what really goes on when someone goes to see a ‘shrink’. I didn’t want to create a traditional police or private detective, so Sam is a different kind of ‘sleuth’. Having a lead character with a range of unusual skills gives her a unique edge: Sam is able to read body-language, she can often tell when people are faking it, she listens intently and notices details. Writing about a psychologist opens up a huge range of plot possibilities. I love secrets, lies, hidden vices, hidden motives and moral dilemmas. It’s great having the scope to explore all these themes in my novels!

What about Sam’s personal life?
Sam isn’t married, largely because she’s been too focused on her career, but she also has a dreadful history of choosing the wrong men. She lives in a rundown flat in Clapham, always thinking about moving somewhere more upmarket, but never getting around to it. Sam’s own sister has schizophrenia and is the reason Sam trained in psychology in the first place. Miranda is two years older; she’s flighty, erratic and often irresponsible, but Sam adores her. Their history is turbulent due to misunderstandings about Miranda’s diagnosis and she’s wary of Sam, who only wants to help and support her sister, but who is often accused of interfering. Their stormy relationship is an ongoing theme in the books.

How does Dr Sam develop through the novels?
Sam Willerby is always keen to learn and add new areas of training, which shift her into fresh terrain in terms of her patients. In Perfect Bones, she puts to use new skills in art therapy; sketches, paintings and a sand-tray. These are techniques I was familiar with in my own therapy work, particularly useful for dealing with trauma. The sand-tray involves a layer of sand four inches deep and a collection of random items that patients use to ‘show’ symbolically how they feel. With tiny models: figures of Batman, Peter Pan, Darth Vader, Cinderella, animals, shells, stones, items from a dolls’ house including a grandfather clock – it’s a cornucopia for the imagination!  And it is the first way in which the witness communicates with Sam.

What do you like most about your lead character?
Sam is really good at her job and is always striving to help people in distress. People expect her to stay calm and professional in all situations and she can often appear detached, but inside she’s bubbling over with emotions, struggling with fraught decisions and quandaries. I feel for her, because she’s vulnerable and scared (just like anyone else), but she feels she has to hide it and be strong. She’ll put on a brave face and always go the extra mile for people.

What do you like least about her?
The truth is Sam often feels lost, lonely and desperate to find love and happiness. Because she pretends to be fine, she never asks for help, so at times she can appear arrogant or cold. Only on rare occasions does she allow her polished front to slip. She can also be naïve…

Does she share any similarities with you?!
Yes! I think most people would think I’m pretty together and organised, but most of the time I don’t feel like that under the surface! Like Sam, I’m keen to learn and push myself and I’m very disciplined. Sam is much tougher than me, though. She’s more feisty and really good in a crisis, – I’m not sure I would be! She digs beneath the surface and ends up unearthing all kinds of horrors and I’m sure I’d have hurried away back to my bolthole long before then!




AJ Waines is a number one bestselling author, topping the entire UK and Australian Kindle Charts in two consecutive years, with Girl on a Train. Following fifteen years as a psychotherapist, the author has sold nearly half a million copies of her books, with publishing deals in UK, France, Germany, Norway, Hungary and Canada (audio books).

Her fourth psychological thriller, No Longer Safe, sold over 30,000 copies in the first month, in thirteen countries. AJ Waines has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and The Times and has been ranked a Top 10 UK author on Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).

She lives in Hampshire, UK, with her husband. Find her books here and visit her website and blog, or join her on TwitterFacebook or on her Newsletter.

Social Media Links:

All Books:            http://viewauthor.at/AJWaines
Website               www.ajwaines.co.uk
Newsletter         http://eepurl.com/bamGuL
Blog:                      www.awaines.blogspot.co.uk
Facebook:           www.facebook.com/AJWaines 
Twitter:                 www.twitter.com/AJWaines  @AJWaines
Goodreads:        www.goodreads.com/AJWaines  
Instagram:           www.instagram.com/ajwaines 
Bookbub:             www.bookbub.com/authors/a-j-waines