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Thursday, March 31, 2016

The Devil in Hong Kong Book Tour


I am so excited to kick off this tour today by being the first in a line of fabulous blog posts you are sure to see if you follow along for the 2 weeks of amazing sneak peeks, reviews, and fun facts!!

This book was really intriguing and you will be seeing my review posted later this week :)

Let's start by getting to know the author, and then move on to his book!


David Harris Lang, a current resident of Hong Kong, has lived and worked in Asia much of his life. Besides being a prolific author of Asian-based thrillers, he is an international architect who brings an indelible sense of place’ to his writing as well as a deep understanding of Asian cultures, locales, and customs. His vivid fight scenes come from a life-long practice of the martial arts. A Devil in Hong Kong is David Lang’s third book.
Connect With the Author Here:
 ~ Website ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~



On a snowy day in the year 889, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had an epiphany: he was not immortal. His jade carver created the most beautiful jade burial suit in history, finishing just three weeks before the Han Emperor died. When the priceless two-thousand-year-old jade burial suit suddenly goes missing in modern Hong Kong, a brutal competition to find it ensues between rival Chinese, Burmese, and Japanese factions. As they battle for the priceless artifact, a psychotic killer with a Maori tattoo on his face surfaces leaving a trail of dismembered corpses strung together like traditional Burmese puppets. Detectives Ian Hamilton and Angela Cheung follow a trail of hacked bodies and terror through contemporary Hong Kong in their search for the killer.




Excerpt

The police boat pulled up to the dock at Snake Bay. Coroner Cindy Leung was waiting for 

them, slat-thin arms, her torso the circumference of a chopstick, thick glasses too large for her 

face. She kind of looks like a praying mantis from this angle, Ian thought, looking down on 

Cindy from the deck of the boat. Cindy waved to him.

“Hey, Cindy,” Ian said when he, Angela, and Nigel were on solid ground.

Cindy, instead of returning the salutation, immediately started up the path. “Follow me, 

Detectives. Hurry! I left him hanging for you, but I can’t wait to get him to my lab. This is 

the strangest one I have ever seen.”

“Ok, Cindy, we’re coming. Commissioner Gu said that the victim had been chopped up and 

wired back together,” Ian said as he tried to keep pace with Cindy.

“So strange! We would not cut him down until your team had a go at him, of course, so I got 

up on a ladder to inspect him. First thing that I noticed was that there was a separation of 

about a centimeter between his neck and body. I found a screw where the cervical spine had 

been sawed and another one in the neck vertebrae. A wire ran between the two screws, 

holding the parts together.”

“Aiyahh!” Angela explained as they came to the first gorilla. “This is bizarre!”

“Yeah, I can’t imagine why someone thought that these life-sized animals would be a good 

idea for a resort,” Cindy said, and then continued, “I also noticed that the rest of the body was 

hanging very strangely too, not like you would expect. I could not undress him until you are 

done with your inspection, so I felt around. He had been cut and wired back together in 

seventeen places. Each part also had another wire attached to it connected to the wood beam 

that he was hanging from. It was like he was a puppet! A human puppet!”

“How long had he been dead?” Nigel asked.

“Based on body decomposition I would say about four days. I will be able to give you a more 

accurate answer once I get him to the lab.”

They walked past the abandoned resort building and came upon the hanging corpse. 

Scientific Evidence Officers were examining the ground below the body. Ian walked up to 

the officer who seemed to be in charge.

“I am Ian Hamilton from CID. Do you have anything yet?”

“Calvin Chan, Senior SEO. Walk over here, I want to show you something.” Ian followed 

Calvin about twenty paces to a circular clearing surrounded by low bushes. The clearing, 

originally envisioned as a courtyard for the resort’s customers to sit, rest, and appreciate 

nature, had been paved with tan and grey pavers. A giraffe peered over the bushes from the 

surrounding jungle, its dead, glass eyes wide with curiosity as it gazed into the plaza at the 

human visitors. Nature had started to reclaim the space, weeds pushing up between the 

pavers. Benches, which had once been painted white but were now mostly rusted, had been 

placed around the perimeter. “This courtyard is where he was dissected,” Calvin said, 

pointing to the center of the circular plaza, stained with blood.

“I wish that giraffe could talk. He was probably the only witness,” Ian said.

“No, I don’t think so. This wasn’t the work of one guy. My guess is that there were three of 

them. Two different brands of cigarette butts, only a few days old, were on the ground by that 

bench. I picture one guy doing the carving while the other two watched.”

“It also would be hard for one guy to string him up, so that makes sense, Calvin,” Ian said.

“We’ll send our report to your department within three days,” Calvin said.

When they arrived back at the corpse Nigel was almost finished with his evidence collecting. 

When he was done he gave Cindy a nod and her team took the body down and placed it into a 

body bag on a gurney. “See you, Ian,” Cindy called out to him as her assistants pushed the 

gurney towards the dock.

Ian walked over to Angela, who was photographing the scene. “Make sure that the 

technicians take the piece of wood that he was hanging from too. There are some characters 

carved into it.”

Angela said, “Why would the guy be displayed in such a strange way, all chopped up and 

then wired together, out here in the middle of nowhere? Typically, a killing this gruesome 

would be to send a message to someone, Mess with me and this will happen to you. How 

often do people come out here, though, once or twice a year? No one is here to see it. Who 

was the audience?”

“I am afraid that the audience was the killer himself, Angela. We are dealing with one very 

sick individual, a guy who took pleasure in what he did, and we need to find him before he 

decides to entertain himself again,” Ian said.

Nigel said, “Did you see how meticulously the wires were wrapped around the screws? How 

clean the cuts were? He took his time. He took pride in his work.”

“Just like us,” Angela said.

“Like us?” Nigel asked.

“Our logo, We serve with pride and care.”


To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 



Saturday, March 19, 2016

Book Tour: Saving Sarah May



Losing everything doesn’t mean you can’t start over again. 


Adventurous Sarah May had everything, the perfect job, the perfect house, the perfect future. But when the love of her life is killed in Iraq, it plummets her entire world into darkness. Emily Frost never imagined an end to her abusive marriage. Now divorced, living with her mother, and raising her daughter, she vowed never again to give her heart to anyone. Food critic Kate Berkhill has jumped from bad relationship to bad relationship, and after her boyfriend dumps her for her sister, she’s decided to give up on men altogether. For three friends, a trip to Ireland seemed like the idyllic, carefree break from their troubled lives. Instead, the emerald isle forces each of them to face her demons head on, to discover herself, find healing, and possibly new love. 








S. J. Reisner began writing at the age of ten and never stopped. Because she loves to read everything, picking a genre didn’t come easy. This is why she has four different pen names and writes everything from non-fiction to horror to contemporary romance. Her non-fiction and erotic romances have been bestsellers on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.  Under S. J. Reisner she writes general fiction, contemporary romances, adventure fantasy, and YA paranormal stories. This is her first published contemporary romance novel.  When she’s not writing you can find her herding cats, wrangling vegetables in the garden, or engaging in one of her many hobbies. She lives along the front range of the Rocky Mountains with her husband and two rescue cats. To learn more visit www.sjreisner.com

      ~  Author Site  ~


To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 



Cute story about new beginnings and learning to move forward despite tragedy and heartbreak. The girls were fun to get to know and their friendship was endearing. The story was a bit short for me, I thought it would have been fun to go on. However, it did wrap up nicely and did give a feeling of closure and hope for a brighter future than what these woman had come from. It was interesting to follow each story and was interesting that the author chose to show us each of the women during the same time frame so we would redo the same time with each women's situations and decisions. At first it confused me, but once you figure out that you are seeing the same time from another woman's Point of View it's quite unique how the author approached this and not hard to follow at all.
Definitely a light, quick, sweet read!




There are TWO giveaways this time around and TWO chances to win prizes!

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Cover Reveal for Author Teya Peck

We are so excited to have Teya Peck back with us!!!!


Her most recent accomplishment started in the summer of 2015. Making her dad’s dream come true with publishing his works as well, as an emotional accomplishment. She is the 2016 local A.N.W.A. chapter (Snake River Writers) president, won NaNoWriMo and loves StoryMakers.
            Teya has been writing for as long as she can remember. At a young age she lived on a street she affectionately named Hill Street Blues, which helped her creative writing. Her Family moved to Menan where she continued her love of writing. Her father would always be and will continue to be her inspiration, even after his untimely death in 2006.
            She loves sitting in her soft chair next to the fireplace and watching out a big living room window. It gives her plenty of creative juice for stories.
            She met the love of her life in the loft of a barn. Yep, that set up some teasing from her father. They have been happily married since 2003. They have four children and all are loving and supportive of her writing.  Her oldest daughter is following in her footsteps as a writer adding her own illustrations. She refuses to comment on the trolls in the closets and under the beds. She is active in her church, has compassion for others, and a love for all life brings.  




Check out her pages:

http://teyapeck.wix.com/teyapeck  (sign up for my newsletter on my website and receive my poetry book free)

Let's take a look at this wonderful Non-fiction, inspirational book.

This book is an inspirational piece of work. It includes real stories of people, who have personally overcome and lived through abuse. It shares hope and a light for all in the darkness of this increasing devastation. There is a light and this book could be your grasp to the light.



Let's take a look inside the book!

Lying in the darkness, tears streaming down my face, I clung desperately to the blanket pulled to my chin, my only protection in the world—or so I thought. Could I do this any longer?   Would there be no end to the darkness?   How could I get out?   The answer came readily—I couldn’t. I had to face this darkness, and I thought I had to face it alone. What I didn’t realize was that I wasn’t alone, nor would I ever be alone. I just had to find the light within the darkness of my life. 
 I had to fight. I had to protect myself, and I had to find any strength there was to find, but it would not be easy. 
 This is the journey I took to find the light and the strength to go on. How long that would take and what I would have to go through before I found that light and strength, I did not know. 

Check out all the great blogs that are a part of this event by following along on the Facebook page.
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, March 6, 2016

The Nora Tierney Mysteries and reviews!




The Blue Virgin (A Nora Tierney Mystery, #1)
Despite a planned move, the mysterious death of photographer Bryn Wallace keeps American writer Nora Tierney glued to Oxford in order to clear her close friend, artist Val Rogan, who has been wrongfully accused of Bryn's murder. Or has she?

Nora quickly becomes embroiled in the murder investigation, much to the dismay of two men: Detective Inspector Declan Barnes, the senior on the case; and Simon Ramsey, the illustrator of Nora's children's book. Simon's efforts to save Nora from herself become increasingly frantic as Nora is forced to push her way into Declan's case, using her wits and her wiles to prove Val's innocence.

The first in a series of Nora Tierney mysteries based in the UK, The Blue Virgin is a compelling story of love and intrigue. Nothing, Nora learns, is what it seems, and even the most innocent of choices can lead to murder and revenge. Set in the ancient city of golden spires, the setting lends itself to mystery, as any Inspector Morse fan will agree. The novel is written in classic English style, complete with a cast of characters and chapter epigraphs that add to its literary feel.

Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads



 I really enjoyed this book - A Lot!! I was completely drawn in from the get-go. While it was a murder mystery, It wasn't gruesome or gory, but did still set the scene and give intruique. I was captivated by the characters, even if we only met them one. And I was absolutely pleased with how the author was able to introduce so many points of view without me getting lost. I always know who were were following or who was speaking. The narrator was incredible - doing voices, speeding up during the suspense so your heart gets racing, and capturing the scene perfectly in her tone of voice. I seriously could not stop listening to this audio book! Whether you are reading this book yourself or listening to the audio book I think you will be very pleased by the fabulous story and the author's ability to write. (And of course, pleased by the narrator too if you are listening.) It's absolutely work getting your hands on - and the book is clean too!!


The Green Remains (A Nora Tierney Mystery, #2)
Nora Tierney is living at Ramsey Lodge in England's glorious Lake District, anticipating two life-changing events: the publication of her first children's book and the birth of her first child. Choosing a name for her son and checking proof pages with her illustrator, Simon Ramsey, fill her days--until a morning stroll along the shore of UK's largest lake, Windermere, leads her to discover the corpse of the heir to Clarendon Hall.
When Simon is implicated in the death, Nora dives headfirst into the murder investigation to discover the real killer. As the body count rises, Nora and her unborn child will face risks and perils she could never anticipate in this second in a series of Nora Tierney mysteries.

Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads

 Another fantastic book! This is second in the series and just as fabulous as the first. This book took us out of the city into the country and the dangers and mystery that lie there. It was just as easy to get into and what I loved is that the author gives you a very brief background of the characters that does not bore the reader who already read book one, but would definitely give insight to the reader why may have jumped in at book two. Again the narrator did not disappoint and as was done previously, I was rooting for each character and felt like I knew them. Not only the ones that carried over from the first book, but also the new character that Marni let us get to know and love throughout. Her writing is so fantastic that you can see each place and each situation play out in your mind as you read or listen to this book. My one and only hesitation was that I didn't fully understand why the killer confessed when he/she did. But when listening to it, I didn't even question it at all cause it played out so perfectly. It was afterward that I realized I had missed something. But that would not stop me from reading this book again or suggesting it to others! (PS - also I love that this book is clean!!) It was amazing and I'm eager for book 3!

The Scarlet Wench (Nora Tierney Mysteries, #3)
In the third Nora Tierney Mystery set in England, American writer Nora awaits the arrival of a traveling theatre troupe who will stage Noel Coward's play Blithe Spirit at Ramsey Lodge in the Lake District. With her son six months old, Nora must juggle parenting with helping her illustrator and friend Simon Ramsey run the lodge. She's also hoping to further her relationship with the only lodge guest not in the cast: Detective Inspector Declan Barnes, ostensibly there for a hiking trip. When a series of pranks and accidents escalate to murder during a flood that traps everyone, Nora realizes her child is in jeopardy and determines to help Declan unmask a killer.



I have not yet finished book 3, and therefore cannot give you an accurate review of my findings just yet. However, I can say that even the little bit I have read swept me right back in with no hesitation, and as the character enter I already picture them and am excited to meet the new ones as they arrive. Plus .... the budding romance made my heart go pitter-patter :)
A full review is coming soon!!!





Marni Graff had a successful career as a registered nurse who wrote on the side before writing full time. She has a degree in English Lit and studied Gothic Mystery at Oxford University in England. She also wrote articles for Mystery Review magazine, where she interviewed many of the authors whose work she admired.
Marni is the award-winning author of The Nora Tierney Mysteries, set in England. The Blue Virgin introduces Nora, an American writer living in Oxford. The Green Remains and The Scarlet Wench trace Nora’s move to the Lake District where murder follows her.  In process is The Golden Hour, set in Bath, England. Premiering in the next few months will be Graff’s new Manhattan series, Death Unscripted, featuring nurse Trudy Genova, a medical consultant for a New York movie studio. This new series is based on Marni’s favorite nursing job in real life.

Marni is also co-author of Writing in a Changing World, a primer on writing groups and critique techniques. She writes crime book reviews at Auntie M Writes and is Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press, an author’s cooperative. A member of Sisters in Crime, Marni runs the NC Writers Read program in Belhaven which allows writers experience reading their work out loud and getting immediate feedback. 

                



To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page