Order of the Dragon Knights Series Anniversary Celebration and Sale by Mary Morgan

Genre: Time-travel Historical Fantasy and Paranormal Romance

Hashtags: #historical #historicalfantasy #pnr #ScottishRomance #timetravelromance #OrderoftheDragonKnights #wrpbks

Hello Vicky! Thank you for hosting me on your wonderful blog today. What an epic adventure since I signed my first contract ten years ago for Dragon Knight’s Sword (Order of the Dragon Knights, Book 1). 

I’ve often been asked this question, “Why Medieval romance? Why not Regency, Victorian, or Western?” In truth, I love them all, but my heart belongs to one. It started when my fingers opened a book about the great Irish King, Brian Boru (941-1014A.D.). His story is legendary, especially with the people of Ireland. King Brian led the Irish to the peak of their Golden Age—from poetry, arts, saints, and scholars. A spark ignited within my soul for more.

I sought out tales of knights in shining armor and folk heroes, delving into a life teeming with richness, though at times harsh and violent. Yet it wasn’t until I devoured the history of Brian Boru that I became immersed in medieval life. From there, I treasured tales of life in castles, traveling on horseback, and studying foods and herbs.

The spark of inspiration and time-period for the Dragon Knights developed years ago. So it made perfect sense to place these knights in a medieval setting. Let me start from the beginning with a land that called out to me…

My love affair with Scotland and Ireland began decades ago. I blame it on my own bloodline—a yearning to return to the land of my ancestors. The land called out to me within the stories of Irish mythology and Scottish history. I’d close my eyes and pretend I was there. When I finally took my first trip to Scotland twenty-two years ago, the birth of a series—the Dragon Knights were born. I was sitting on a boulder in the misty Highlands surrounded by the magic and beauty of the landscape. However, on the second half of my trip, I visited Ireland. As I wandered the soft rolling hills in various shades of green, the land spoke to my soul and urged me to place the Dragon Knights here, too. It would take several years before I decided on both countries—Scotland and Ireland as an essential part of my stories. A perfect solution to a problem I had been debating on for the Dragon Knights.

Of course, there must be a castle in a medieval story, right? I’ve always been drawn to Urquhart Castle, so this was the home I envisioned for my knights. It’s ancient, mystical, and where the Loch Ness Monster dwells within the loch. This site first appeared in historical records in the 6^th century. Yet in researching the ownership of the castle, I eventually chose a time when there was a “gray” area of possession—the early 13^th century. In June 2017, I spent hours at the ruins of Urquhart Castle and surrounding landscape. I finally made it home to the Dragon Knights. And when I touched the ancient stones, I heard the whispers of these knights telling me I’m not done with their stories.

Order of the Dragon Knights ~

They were an ancient order, descended from the great Tuatha Dé Danann, the Sidhe, or in simpler terms: the Fae. Half-human and half-fae, each knight blessed with mystical powers. Given to them were holy relics from the Fae and guardianship over their Dragons.

They were known as the Dragon Knights.

However, some believed the Order had too much power and they tried to possess it for themselves. They were evil and twisted, and their plan succeeded one fateful night. The brothers of the Clan MacKay—Dragon Knights, fought a battle. Blood spilled onto holy ground, bringing forth the wrath of the Fae. Their relics were taken, and the Order was banished—each name stricken from the hallowed halls of the Fae.

The Clan MacKay is no longer.

The Dragon Knights have scattered across the land.

Yet out of the darkness, they will each fight for redemption, and the women they love.

For a limited time, Dragon Knight’s Sword is on sale for 99¢ from Amazon. Grab your copy today or collect them all! Sale dates: 5.11.23 – 6.02.23

Available at AMAZON

(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F7QR2T3 )

Book Trailer for Dragon Knights: https://youtu.be/iEruV9P6PtU

About the Author:

Multi award-winning romance author, Mary Morgan resides in Northern California with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.

Mary’s passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. Inspired by her love for history and ancient Celtic and Norse mythology, her tales are filled with powerful warriors, brave women, magic, and romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.

If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of fantasy, then travel back in time within the pages of her books.

Connect with Mary here ~

Website/Blog:  https://www.marymorganauthor.com/

Amazon Author:  http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Morgan/e/B00KPE3NWI/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryMorganAuthor/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/m_morganauthor

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8271002.Mary_Morgan

Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/marymorgan50/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marymorgan2/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-morgan

Audible: https://www.audible.com/author/Mary-Morgan/B00KPE3NWI

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-morgan-2634a77a/ 

The Jelly Bean Jump Project

by Terry Segan

Category: Romance / Time Travel

Series: Jelly Beans and Spring Things

Keira longed to do something amazing with her life. When offered a chance to join a time travel program, she didn’t hesitate. With her soulmate by her side, nothing could be more perfect.Grayson never believed happiness would find him until he met Keira. Lightning struck twice when both got accepted into The Jelly Bean Jump Project, a time travel experiment. Only a handful of applicants made the cut each year.One of the requirements—no family ties. Keira and Grayson were alone in the world except for each other. An adventure of a lifetime awaited, until a glitch in the system threatened to tear them apart. Would they walk away from their fantasy or surrender their hearts in exchange?

ISBN: (digital) 9781509249800  

Available through these fine retailers…

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ITunes

Birthdays: Honoré de Balzac (1799), Hector Malot (1830), Sigrid Undset (1882), Allan Nevins (1890), Margery Allingham (1904), Justin Cartwright (1943), Mary Pope Osborne (1949), Michele Roberts (1949), Walter Isaacson (1952), Douglas Preston (1956), Christopher Sorrentino (1963), Jon Meacham (1969)

Sigrid Undset won the 1928 Nobel Prize in Literature

Allan Nevins won the 1933 Pulitzer for his biography of Grover Cleveland

Mary Pope Osborne is most well known for her “Magic Tree House” series

Jon Meacham won the 2009 Pulitzer in Biography for “American Lion: Andrew Johnson in the White House”

Quote: “You can’t believe anything that’s written in an historical novel, and yet the author’s job is always to create a believable world that readers can enter. It’s especially so, I think, for writers of historical fiction.” – Justin Cartwright

“I love teaching. It’s a job that lasts forever. Whatever you teach children today travels with them far into the future.”― Mary Pope Osborne, Twister on Tuesday

Tip: When looking over a contract, if you are doing it yourself, be sure you are aware of the rights you are assigning to the publisher and the length of time they have the right to your work. These can include electronic, audio, translations, reprint, other editions, and more. Learn what they are so you can make informed decisions concerning your work.

Jumpstart: What is your character’s dream car? Describe it in detail. How will s/he get one?

FATAL FUDGE SWIRL by Meri Allen

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, pub. Date: 6/27/23 (320 pages)

4****

Blurb: A movie production brings drama―and murder―to a close-knit New England village, forcing Riley Rhodes to scoop out the suspects. Former CIA librarian and amateur sleuth Riley Rhodes is loving her fresh start as the manager of the Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop. The leaves are turning, tourists are leaf-peeping, and Penniman, Connecticut is putting the finishing touches on the weekend long Halloween Happening. But the village is also buzzing. Former child star Cooper Collins is overseeing the production of a romantic comedy that’s filming on the town green and his domineering socialite mother, Diantha, is planning her lavish Halloween themed wedding at her Inn on the Green. Her fiancé has run the Inn’s kitchen for years, ably aided by his recent ex-wife, chef Mary Ann Dumas. An old friend of Riley’s, Mary Ann, turns to her when the bride requests a spooky ice cream wedding cake. But the weekend takes a frightful turn when Diantha is found dead and suspicion falls on Mary Ann. The cast of potential suspects is long―each wedding guest had a chilling motive to kill the vicious heiress. Can Riley unmask the murderer before another guest ends up on ice?

Thoughts: This was an interesting, slightly macabre Halloween cozy mystery. I’d have found the Halloweenish type décor for a wedding strange if I hadn’t had a friend who did this (with the addition of zombies). That made everything fun for me. When the bride-to-be ends up dead, there are a lot of suspects to choose from. And Riley is a great amateur sleuth for the job.

What I liked: Riley being a CIA librarian gives her a background in research but not necessarily chasing down the suspects. I loved the description of the wedding cake and all the decorations around town and at the big house. Throw in a TV crew doing a shoot and you have all the mayhem you need for a good mystery.

What I didn’t like: I got a little confused sometimes trying to keep everyone and everything straight and their relationships. But that was minor at best.

Recommendation: Recommended.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

ASHES TO ASHES, CRUST TO CRUST by Mindy Quigly

Fiction, Cozy Mystery (320 pages)

4****

Blurb: Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust is the second book in Mindy Quigley’s delectable Deep Dish Mystery series, set in a Wisconsin pizzeria. Newly single pizzeria owner Delilah O’Leary is determined to keep her restaurant afloat in the picturesque resort town of Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. To boost her bottom line, she sets her sights on winning the hefty cash prize in the town’s annual “Taste of Wisconsin” culinary contest. In her corner, she’s got her strong-willed, “big-boned” cat Butterball, her wisecracking BFF, her cantankerous great-aunt, and a nearly -flawless recipe for Pretzel Crust Deep-Dish Bratwurst Pizza. But while Delilah and her team have been focused on pumping out perfect pizza pies, her ex-fiancé has cozied up to a new squeeze, juice bar owner Jordan Watts―Delilah’s contest rival. When one of Jordan’s juice bar customers is poisoned by a tainted smoothie, Delilah lands deep in the sauce. Accusations fly, suspects abound, and a menacing stranger turns up with a beef over some missing dough. Between kale-juicing hipsters and grudge-bearing celebrity chefs, Delilah must act quickly before another one bites the crust.

Thoughts: This is the second book in the Deep Dish Pizza series and is a fun read – and a surprisingly quick read considering the number of pages. In the series, two friends – Delilah and Sonya (Son) – open a pizzeria in a small Wisconsin town. They each bring different aspects to the shop and work well with each other, even given Delilah’s penchant for figuring out who the latest killer is and her definite OCD tendencies.

What I liked: My favorite character has to be Delilah’s cat Butterball (whom she shares with her ex). Delilah’s aunt Biz is also a favorite. Biz knows almost everyone in town having taught most of them at one time or another. The relationship between Delilah and her ex is… interesting. There’s no animosity and they seem to continue to care for each other even though they are no longer together. Favorite quote: “My perfectionism came with a built-in megaphone and surround sound.” (from Delilah) and it does judging by the way she goes after things. I also loved the conclusion of the little side-mystery of who’s wrecking the kitchen and stealing the bratwurst. So funny! And there are some great recipes included in the back.

What I didn’t like: Very little. This is a good follow-up to the first book and the end was…a surprise, but satisfying.

Recommendation: Recommended (but read the first book first to get an idea of who the characters are. This is a stand-alone, but it will make more sense if you take them in order.)

Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

White Hares and Midnight Dares

by Laura Strickland

Category: Romance / Paranormal

Series: Jelly Beans and Spring Things

Diana Gendarme has spent her life doing for others, so when she moves into her dream cottage, she’s ready for some “me” time. But the cottage is shabby and her new neighbors quite close. One of them makes a din in his blacksmith’s forge all day long yet has the nerve to complain about her beagle’s yodeling. He’s the last sort of man who should attract Diana. So why can’t she resist the absurd dares he persists in issuing?Reg Coltsfoot doesn’t plan on falling for his neighbor. A lifelong charmer, he’s used to women falling for him instead. There’s just something about Diana that has him longing to draw her out of her staid life and into his. Maybe it’s the magic of spring, but Reg will do all he can to persuade Diana she needs his laughter and his love to light her days.

ISBN: (digital) 9781509251353  

Available through these fine retailers…

Amazon

Kobo

Barnes & Noble

Google Books

ITunes

Birthdays: Eric P. Kelly (1884), Douglas Southall Freeman (1886), Gertrude Warner (1890), Margaret Rey (1906), Studs Terkel (1912), Adrienne Rich (1929), Robert Dallek (1934), Bruce Coville (1950),

Eric Kelly’s book “The Trumpeter of Krakow” won the 1929 Newbery Medal

Douglas Freeman won two Pulitzers for his biographies of Robert E. Lee and George Washington

Margaret Rey wrote the “Curious George” books with her husband H.A. Rey.

Studs Terkel won the 1985 Pulitzer for General Nonfiction for “The Good War”

Adrienne Cecile Rich (May 16, 1929 – March 27, 2012) was an American poet, essayist and feminist. She was called “one of the most widely read and influential poets of the second half of the 20th century”, and was credited with bringing “the oppression of women and lesbians to the forefront of poetic discourse.” 

Quote: “More and more we are into communications; and less and less into communication.” ― Studs Terkel

“Every book is like starting over again. I’ve written books every way possible – from using tight outlines to writing from the seat of my pants. Both ways work.” – Bruce Coville

Tip: In fiction writing, numbers under 100 are generally spelled out: fifteen, twenty-nine, etc. (Not always, though. After all, this is grammar and there are no absolutes.)

Jumpstart: You’re a master spy ala James Bond. What kind of interesting tools does Q provide you with? What are you going to save the world from?

Set in the competitive Los Angeles apparel industry, Death by Surfboard is the story of how one man’s life of lies, delivered by smoke and mirrors, cost him everything. No one is more stunned than Mermaid Swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik when a fisherman hooks her unscrupulous colleague’s battered corpse attached to a surfboard and hauls it onto the Washington Street Pier. The ME ruled Jack Tyne drowned, but “had help dying”, and Holly’s boss is wrongly arrested for the crime. To save the big cheese from a life behind bars, the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur detective dons her sleuthing hat to find Jack’s real killer. But the trail has more twists and turns than a pretzel, and nothing turns out the way Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent for revenge.

https://tinyurl.com/Death-by-Surfboard

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

https://www.bookbub.com/books/death-by-surfboard-holly-swimsuit-mystery-book-3-by-susie-black

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123213055-death-by-surfboard?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=BV7UjYLYCL&rank=1

Susie Black biography

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.

Looking for more? Contact Susie at:

Website: www.authorsusieblack.com

E-mail: mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com

To all those who are mothers or who do the job of mothers, I wish you a happy Mothers’ Day. To all those who dread this day for whatever reason, I wish you peace.

WITCH WAY TO VEGAS by Mark Rosendorf

Fiction, YA Paranormal, 4^th in series (286 pgs)

4****

Blurb: The war with Wiccan vampire, Valeria, is over. Despite a battle that spanned multiple timelines and realties, fifteen-year-old witch, Isis Rivera, and teenage magician, Zack Galloway have survived. Along with Isis’ adopted family, they now reside in peaceful New Salem, a hidden community of witches. They should be living happily ever after, but the battle, along with memories from the original timeline fill Isis and Zack with emotional trauma that negatively affects Isis’ Wiccan power. A decision is made by the family. Before settling into New Salem, they will return to what is most familiar to them, the Vegas stage. But another show has already taken their place. The Wiccan Circus, a performance run by a powerful witch named Erisa Cross, is now number one on the Vegas Strip. But is there more to her than meets the eye? The Wiccan Circus’ teenage performers are headlined by Erisa’s daughter, Amelia Cross, a rebellious witch who is used to getting what she wants. And what she wants is Zack. Isis will find her relationship with Zack tested like never before. With her family’s lives hanging in the balance, can they discover the true agenda behind The Wiccan Circus before it’s too late?

Thoughts: This is a good addition to the series and leaves you with enough dangling threads to let you know more is coming (Yay!). This is the fourth book in the Witches of Las Vegas series – but… it is not a stand alone. You really need to read all four books in order so you know what is going on and why.

What I liked: Isis and Zack are back as teenagers with Sebastian, Sasha, and Serena. They go back to Vegas and to putting on their show, but there’s a new witch show in town and they mean business. Amelia goes after Zack with a vengeance whichh immediately lets us know that there’s something more going on. I even liked Simon (though his humor is definitely in need of help!).

What I didn’t like: There was an awful lot of shrieking/screaming/yelling/etc. in this story. To the point where it almost became distracting for me. I understand there was a lot of angst going on, but not everything has to be screamed.

Recommendation: As part of the series, this is a good addition to the story. But you definitely need to read the other books in the series to understand exactly what is going on and why. Overall, I recommend the series. Great imagination and interesting challenges that Isis and Zack face.

Disclaimer: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”