Still Counting by Phil Fragasso - Book Tour and Giveaway

About the Book


Adam Donatello and Nina Morales share an immediate and powerful attraction, and their future together seems assured. But love is difficult enough without adding complications – real or imagined – to the mix. Nina sees life as a thousand shades of gray, while Adam tends towards black-and-white. He wants to move fast; she needs time. Nina sees her past liaisons with women as immaterial to their relationship, while her disclosure drives Adam to a state of irrational jealousy. He doesn't know how he could compete with a woman; and his suspicions – which Nina views as hypocritical – lead them both to make decisions they may live to regret.

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Excerpt

We decided to meet Mark and Chelsea at Davide’s in the North End. It was way more expensive than the places we usually went, but Mark and I agreed this was going to be a special night so we decided to go all out. I even wore a sports coat with a wrinkle-free shirt and pants that had to be dry-cleaned. I flashed myself the thumbs-up sign in the bathroom mirror. I was styling.

“Wow. You almost look like a grownup,” said Nina when we were leaving the apartment.

“Almost?”

“Well there is a stain on your shirt.”

Nina pointed to a spot on my shirt and when I looked down she flicked my nose with her index finger. “Made you look.”

Nina was doubled over in laughter. It was the oldest trick in the book, but she had nailed it.

“Talk about being a grownup.” I tried to sound stern but it’s hard to do that through a smile.

“If you can’t have fun, life ain’t worth living,” said Nina. “That’s what I say.”

“Is that your philosophy of life, Ms. Morales?”

“It is indeed, Mr. Donatello. It is indeed.”

Another part of Nina’s life philosophy was to follow her own fashion sense. I would have expected Nina to adopt the all-black chic-chic style of her fellow artists, but she was not one to follow the pack. She tended towards sturdy classics in denim, leather, silk, and wool—mixing colors and textures like the mixed-media artist she was. That night, however, she surprised me. She wore a flaxen knee-length linen dress, slightly cinched at the waist, with a pair of wedge sandals. Her only accessory was a string of freshwater pearls.

We got to the restaurant before Mark and Chelsea and were ushered to a primo table towards the back of the main room where it was quieter. I had prepped Nina about Mark’s idiosyncrasies and nervousness about how Chelsea really felt about him.

“What did you tell him about me?” asked Nina.

“Not much to tell.” I chomped on a breadstick and spoke while I chewed. “Smart. Great ass. Decent rack. The usual.”

Nina shook her head. “You’ve got crumbs all over your shirt.”

I looked down as she moved her hand to wipe them away and up came the finger again to flick my nose.

“I love you, Nina,” I said. “I really do.”

Nina leaned across the table and gave me the softest kiss you can imagine.

About the Author


Phil Fragasso sold his first article at the age of 16. Since then he has written and published a wide variety of books, articles and essays. After many years as a corporate marketer, he left to pursue endeavors that were more fulfilling personally and more contributory on a societal level. Today he focuses his time on writing and teaching.

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Giveaway
Phil will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Sins of the Father by Lisa Beth Darling - Book Tour and Giveaway

About the Book




As Hannah recovers from emergency brain and heart surgery, memories of the past overtake her dreams with such clarity they cannot be denied. As the last of the painful family secrets come to light it's up to her brother, Doctor Richard Mason, and his unconventional methods to help her confront the ugliness.

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Excerpt

Running a hand over the side of his close-cropped gray head Frank tried to keep his cool as he pled his case, "Look, I just want to see Hannah, are you going to let me in there or not?"

Mason seemed to think about it for a second even though he really wasn't. "Ummm…not." He said finally. "She doesn't want to see you."

"She told you that? I don't believe it."

"Well, you could go and ask herself…oh, wait, that's right…you can't go in there. Guess you'll just have to take my word for it."

"Yeah, like that's worth anything." 

"Some people think it is." Mason retorted as he held out his cupped hands, "Some people put their lives right here.  Crazy, right?"  From the look on the man's face Mason thought he'd stand there and bitch all day long. "While you're waiting for noon to come around, why don't you do Hannah a favor?"

"What's that?"

"Tell me about the two years between her accident and the birth of my pre-maturely deceased nephew."  He watched Frank's mouth drop open. "Take a load off." Mason said and gestured toward the chair opposite his desk. "In fact, why don't you just tell me everything you know?"

"She told you about Little Ricky?" Frank asked as he leaned forward but the question was more directed to the air than anyone in the room. "She's never spoken about him…ever."

Interview

Tell us about your book and what inspired it.

I started writing the Sister Christian series a few years after I made contact with my birth family and discovered I had three brothers. I was raised an only child so the idea that I had siblings was rather new to me, growing up I often wished I had a sibling but then I'd go to my friend's houses and see how they interacted with their siblings and went home happy I was an only child. The idea of the brother/sister dynamic always interested me even when my friends were shouting at each other over nothing. This series and a lot of its contents, planted deeply in the fertile ground of a writer's imagination, grew out of those two situations.

"Genesis", the first book in the Sister Christian Series opens with Doctor Richard Mason reading a letter informing him his father, James Rice, has died and Mason has been put in charge of his sister, Hannah Rice. Problem is, Mason is in his early 50s and had no clue he was adopted until that very moment. 

Hannah has known for decades that Rick is her brother, her mother told her just before she committed suicide leaving Hannah in the care of her father, James Rice. Hannah had a very unpleasant childhood. When we meet her, she is a troubled woman both physically and mentally who has spent 30 years of her life in one group home or another.

"Sins of the Father" is the second installment in the Sister Christian Series, in it Doctor Richard Mason and his newly discovered sister, Hannah Rice are still getting to know each other. Except now, as we open, Hannah is debilitated having suffered a massive stroke at the end of Genesis, the first book in the series. She's on her way to recovery but the process is slow and as her body heals her mind begins to remember the details of her horrific car accident thirty years before. Dark family secrets are uncovered and in Mason's own reckless way he forces Hannah to face them.

What should readers expect when they pick up your book?

A break from what's flooding the market lately, something that lets the reader explore a different kind of love story, one that doesn't revolve around hot steamy sex or rely on what's trending in lead characters.  It's simply a good story with lots of drama, heart break, and moments of tender affection that will melt your heart.

What 5 words would you use to describe your main characters?

Richard Mason: genius, jaded, smart-mouthed, addict, faithless

Hannah Rice: intuitive, warm, damaged, curious, faithful

How long have you been writing?

Since I was in the 4th grade, which is just about 42 years ago.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I love to play those 'Saga' puzzle games on my notepad and word games and crime solving games. I'm also a big movie buff.

Favorite book to recommend?

"The Stand" by Stephen King, I think it's one of the best books ever. If that's too long for someone, and I understand, it is a big book then try "Different Seasons" or maybe "Nightmares and Dreamscapes". His short stories are simply the best.

Any last words?

Thanks for having me here today and I hope your readers have enjoyed our little chat.

Thanks...

About the Author

It was in the 4th grade when Lisa Beth Darling discovered she was a naturally gifted writer. For her very first creative writing assignment, the teacher asked the class to pen a story about a baby bird's first flight and read them to the class. Putting pencil to paper, Lisa was instantly whisked away by a force she couldn't explain. When they were finished, all of the children read their happy stories to the class. Not Lisa. She got up and told of how the baby bird flew too high, hit a plane, crashed to the ground and died. She told of how the mama bird and daddy bird cried of how even God was upset sending the rains pouring from the sky. The class was speechless when she finished all they could do was stare at her. The teacher kept her after class told her the story was very good but it was different from the others. She asked Lisa if she'd ever heard of Icarus and had she based her story on him. Lisa had yet to encounter Greek Mythology or hear a whisper of Icarus. As Lisa left the classroom the teacher again told her how good the story was but suggested she might want to write something happier next time. Perplexed,  Lisa turned and asked her teacher: "Why?" The teacher had no answer. Luckily for us, Lisa never took that teacher's advice.

Today she brings us complex multi-layered stories rich with the trials and tribulations that make up the world in which we live. Not one to be pigeonholed into any single genre, Lisa's stories revolve around the intricacies of couples from range the intimacy of lovers, to mothers and sons, and brothers and sisters.

Lisa Beth Darling is 49 years-old, lives in her hometown of New London, CT with her husband of nearly 30 years, Roy.  She is the author of more than fifteen novels along with several short stories and non-fiction books.

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Giveaway
Lisa Beth Darling will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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I'd Rather Wear Pajamas by Chelsea Walker Flagg - Book Tour and Giveaway

About the Book


Everybody has the awesome opportunity to find their own strength and path through life. Some come about their self-discoveries through studying and working hard. Others (Chelsea) spend their time nearly burning down kitchens and driving around the country with a car full of hangers.

Chelsea grew up wanting to be “strong.” She thought arguing her way through childhood and becoming a world-class attorney would get her there. But, through a series of humorous, and only slightly embarrassing events, Chelsea comes to realize that maybe her strength is meant to shine in different ways.

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The book will be $0.99 during the tour.

Excerpt

“FTL’s biggest client was a fabric design company that made nothing but Hawaiian prints. I’m actually pretty sure they no longer make anything, but rather spend good chunks of their time suing other companies who copy their designs. For me, it meant perusing catalogues and clothing websites in search of items with designs similar to this company’s retired fabrics. How great a job is that, by the way? I was getting paid to look for shirts with palm trees and hibiscus flowers on them. This whole law thing was too good to be true. 

My best assignment came when FTL caught wind that a men’s underwear line was infringing on our client’s design name. She came by and dropped a stack of male lingerie catalogues (yes, they exist) on my desk to go through in search of this name. I spent the better part of a week looking at pictures at mostly-naked men with socks stuffed in their skivvies. 

Nobody knew what to do with me. On one hand, studying oiled-up men in scandalous poses just had to be against any number of company policies. On the other hand, I was legitimately doing work in an effort to make the law firm money, so they couldn’t discourage it. In the end, they just left me alone. And that’s how I learned that you can buy men’s briefs with pre-padded butt cheeks.”

Interview

What is something you'd like to accomplish in your writing career next year?

I think it would be an absolute riot to be on a team of writers for a sitcom or something like the Ellen Show. Anytime I’m watching one of those, I can’t help but imagine all the writers bouncing ideas off each other across the table and laughing at one another’s jokes. Of course, I’m sure there’s plenty of eye rolling too, but I can keep up with that. 

How long did it take you to write this book?

Just over a year. I started jotting down ideas in Winter of 2014, but hemmed and hawed a bit about it. Then my husband really pushed me into it by setting up a meeting with another author. That was it, I was all in. I wrote whenever I could, which is a lot less than one who doesn’t have three small children might think. But, I knew I had to do it and that it had to happen fast. I chose to self-publish in part for the same reason—to get it out there fast. If I didn’t do it quickly, I knew it would never happen. So, here it is, one year later. Whew! Somebody get me a drink. 

Who designed the book cover for the book you are touring?

I cannot say enough about my book cover. It’s so exciting to me how perfectly it turned out, I could pee my pants just thinking about it. In thinking about a cover, I looked and looked at all these professional cover designers who manipulate a stock photo to match your title. You know the kind I’m talking about, right? Nothing was resonating with me, or with the feel of the book. So, I reached out to a local artist who I’d been introduced to a couple of years ago. Her name is Kelly Angelovic and I simply adored her artwork. We sat down over coffee and she just got it. A couple of weeks later, the gem that is now my cover was revealed. Again, I couldn’t be more thrilled and will definitely work with her again!

What comes first, the plot or characters?

It’s a chicken and egg situation. I usually start with the plot, but as I develop the characters, the plot changes based on their personalities and their quirks. Then, when I shift the plot, the characters change and grow in different ways than I originally intended for them to. It’s a dance really. A very awkward dance where nobody quite knows who’s leading and who’s following.

What does your main character do that makes him/her special.

Well, my main character is me, so that in and of itself makes her pretty special... What makes the character in my book special is her ability to stumble through life, trying to discover what makes her strong, all the while keeping a light-hearted outlook on everything and not taking herself too seriously. There are so many heavy issues we have to face in our lives, I think it’s a nice reminder to view what we can with humor.

Thanks...

About the Author

Chelsea was once obsessed with cats, longed to live in a big city, didn't think she would ever have children, and aspired to be an attorney. She now lives in Boulder, Colorado as a stay-at-home mom and comedic writer with her husband and three daughters. She has no current plans to own a cat.

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Giveaway
The author will award a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card to one randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Mack by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff - Book Blast and Giveaway

About the Book

From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff, Comes the New Standalone Story of Mack, a Continuation of the King Trilogy

“THEY THINK KING IS EVIL, BUT HE’S GOT NOTHING ON ME.” - Mack

MY NAME IS MACK. And if I play my cards right, I will soon be dead. Permanently. Not even my powerful twin brother will be able to resurrect me. A good thing. Because a man like me has no business living. Not when I have killed. Not when I have betrayed everyone I have ever cared for. Not when I know I’m destined to do it again.

This is why I have come looking for her—the only one capable of ending me once and for all. But will she think I’m just another insane patient? Or will she believe the truth? I am thousands of years old, my heart too dark to be salvaged.
~~~~~
MY NAME IS TEDDI, short for Theodora. My entire life has been a canvas of grays, whites, and black. I can’t feel, I can’t understand joy, I’ve never truly lived. Until now. His name is Mack, and though he believes he’s cursed, my degree in psychology tells me otherwise. Besides, someone who’s capable of bringing so much light into my life can’t be anything but good.

But I can save him. If he’ll let me.

(STANDALONE STORY – BASED ON THE USA TODAY BESTSELLING KING TRILOGY)

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Excerpt

Darkness was the one thing in this world I didn’t care for—probably because I felt most comfortable with facts. Seeing objects equated seeing facts. There is the floor. There is the couch. Facts. 

Guessing where things were—I think the leg of this table is around here somewhere—ouch!—was inefficient, useless. It was why nightlights were invented. 

So when I entered John Doe’s dark room, the first thing I wanted was to bring in some light.

“Mr. Doe?” I said to the dark figure seated in the corner of the small room, staring at me like an eerie scarecrow waiting to frighten the shit out of anything that crossed its path. “My name is Dr. Valentine. I’m the new director. May I turn on the lights so we can discuss the reason you are here?”

“I asked not to be disturbed.” The man’s deep, masculine voice felt like a cold, chilling slap. Yet strangely, it was also…Well, I didn’t know really. Hypnotic, perhaps. 

I squinted, my eyes straining to see his face but only able to make out his silhouette—broad shoulders, short hair, and fit-looking arms from the shadows of biceps I was able to spot.

“That’s exactly why we need to talk,” I said. “It’s come to my attention that you are not here to seek therapy—”

“Leave.”

My mouth flapped for a moment. “I’m sorry, but did you—”

“I said leave,” he growled.

Sadly for him, intimidation didn’t work on me. Not that I was stupid and wouldn’t get out of harm’s way. The question was, did he intend to harm me? 

“And if I don’t?” I asked, testing the waters. His response would tell me everything I needed to know. Reading people’s internal emotional state was another gift of mine.

I waited for a reply.

And then I waited some more. 

He’s not going to answer me. Fine. This was silly and a completely unproductive use of my time. I would just have to see him with my own two eyes. My gift would do the rest. 

“Okay. These lights are going—” I flipped the switch, and the moment my eyes met his, I was hit by a hard wave of… 

“Holy fuck,” I gasped.

I flipped off the lights, turned, and left the room. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What was that?

About the Author

Mimi Jean Pamfiloff is a New York Times & USA Today best-selling author of Paranormal and Contemporary Romance. Her books have been #1 genre sellers around the world. Both traditionally and independently published, Mimi has sold over 600,000 books since publishing her first title in 2012, and she plans to spontaneously combust once she hits the one million mark. Although she obtained her international MBA and worked for over 15 years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dream.
When not screaming at her computer or hosting her very inappropriate radio show (Man Candy Show on Radioslot.com), Mimi spends time with her two pirates in training, her loco-for-the-chili-pepper hubby, and her two rat terriers, DJ Princess Snowflake and Mini Me, in the San Francisco Bay Area.

She continues to hope that her books will inspire a leather pants comeback (for men) and that she might make you laugh when you need it most.

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Giveaway
The author will be awarding a full paperback set (4 books) of the King series to two randomly drawn winners, and one Mack paperback to one randomly drawn winner, via rafflecopter during the tour. (U.S. ONLY)

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